In light of the holiday, I thought I'd do a blog post on what scares business owners the most: making mistakes. Beware of these 10 spooky mistakes many business owners make.
- Not being 100% clear on WHY – Knowing your why is knowing what your mission is in the world.
- Unrealistic expectations of growth – Set realistic goals, and know that success takes time. "Don't compare your beginning to someone else's middle."
- Pretending to be a large company – when you are a one woman (or man) show. Be proud that you are running it on your own; this builds trust.
- Not being totally in love with who you are – Your brand’s success (especially for personal brands) is dependent on you – be confident. Be confident in your voice and confident in your knowledge.
- Not responding to customers – Whether it be through email or social media, it's important to respond. Not responding means you that aren't listening and that you aren't plugged into to what customers want.
- Following the leader – Don't create a blog or social media just because everyone else is doing it. Do it because you want to give your customers useful information and ways to know you as a business and a person.
- Being ALL business , ALL the time – Find the line between personal and professional. Realize that you do want to give your fans knowledge but, you also want to tell them about you and entertain them.
- Forgetting to follow up – Small business is about relationship building; make sure you are staying in contact with your customers. (I use The Client Angel)
- Not collecting emails – Depending on if you are collecting them through a blog or through an email marketing system, make sure you have a consistent way to communicate with fans.
- Waiting for the right time to brand – This makes me so sad. The brand is a recognizable essence your clients and friends understand – the sooner you help them recognize the brand the more recognition you will receive. Your brand is not just the logo. It is YOU, who you are, what you do and how you engage with followers.
Beware of these spooky mistakes, and correct them if you are making any. Happy Halloween everyone.
