Have you noticed that so often, when contemplating their ability to be successful, women ask themselves the wrong question?
Frequently you will hear a woman ask- can I do this? Can I make money at this? Is this a feasible business endeavor for me? I am sure you have heard yourself at times making similar utterances. These questions speak to one’s self-doubt and even for the most experienced and confident among us pose such questions when beginning a new enterprise or when having a slump in an existing business.
“Yes” or “no” questions will result in reasons why, or more likely why not, to pursue an opportunity or direction. Instead of this stagnant way of thinking that will present no solutions, employ a far more innovative approach.
Instead of “if” questions, ask “how” questions. How can I grow my business? How can I easily attract new clients? In my competitive field what can I do to differentiate myself? How can I be ahead of the pack and cutting edge?
These are the key questions to business transformation and the implementation of new ideas that will infuse your business with a new energy focused on possibilities, not problems.
Consider Sandra Collingwood who owns a rug cleaning business in Monterey, California. Most people do not think rug cleaning is very exciting or that most people in the rug cleaning business are memorable. Not so with Sandra. She dresses in polka dots from head to toe when she promotes her business, emphasizing her ability to remove stubborn spots. This innovation catches your attention long enough for you to hear her mention the natural products and excellent service her company offers. After meeting Sandra you will never forget her and she will be your first call when you need her services.
There are many of you that are in industries that are highly competitive. It is likely that a potential client knows 5 other people that do exactly what you do if you are in a crowded field like real estate, financial planning or insurance.
At Watson Realty in Fremont JK Watson, a residential real estate agent, did not ask: how she could make it in a competitive market? Instead she asked how she could operate her business so potential clients would want to work with her, and she came up with the idea of throwing a garage sale for all of her clients. This is both a great benefit to her clients and a great marketing strategy to get new clients.
When Joellen Sutterfield, a Weekenders fashion coordinator, wanted to expand her business, she asked herself how could she stand out when she went networking and she came up with the idea of doing talks to networking groups on how to pack one small bag for a seven day trip. Now she is not a face in the crowd, she is the person in the front of the room that everyone has their attention on.
Now it is your turn—forget about if you can and start asking yourself how can you. Right now ask yourself- how can I differentiate myself from others in my field? How can I stand out and be memorable? How can I be innovative in my field? How can I attract more clients easily?
If you do not have any answers immediately that is O.K. Reflect on these questions for a few days and you will begin to get some insight into what some answers might be.
These are the questions that can make a real difference for your business. Take your attention off of the potential problems and focus on creating possibilities that can bring you a lot more profit and peace of mind.