Know someone who, every time you ask, is “busy busy”?
Too “busy” to slow down and be present? Too “busy” to focus on their priority (whatever that is)?
What if, rather than commiserate with them, you offered to take some of that busyness away? What additional revenue stream can you add to your business that helps your ideal clients (or even a new group of ideal clients) with their busyness?
Years ago, I was in a mastermind and a fellow colleague indicated she didn’t have time to learn/do some marketing-related items. Another colleague expressed the same concern.
My response was something akin to “I can help with that” and we started offering my assistant’s services as part of my business. From consulting to consulting and implementation.
And since that time we’ve had the pleasure of calling some of the biggest names in the online world our clients as well as brick and mortar businesses such as naturopathic doctors’ offices, massage therapist practices, cafes, animal hospitals, nonprofits and more.
Paying attention created a revenue stream that’s brought multiple six figures to my business over the years – and has kept a team fully employed for that same period.
Some other examples for inspiration:
- Paulette Ensign of TipsBooklets.com works with you to become a published author – and handles all the design and printing.
- A local consignment store started carrying unique jewelry and handmade soaps, lotions and other beauty products to bring in clients who otherwise wouldn’t go to a consignment store based on perception only.
- A veterinarian now offers flea, tick and heartworm prevention via continuity mail delivery. Clients no longer need to remember to stop by and he’s guaranteed monthly revenue of leveraged products.
“Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime,” a quote we lived by in the Peace Corps.
The “new” version that has popped up with the increase in “busyness” over the last decade? “No time to learn/go fishing, no time to prepare the fish, just give me the fish dinner.”
3 ways to identify the “fish dinner” for your clients:
- What are they complaining/whining about that you can either solve or join forces with someone else to solve (joint venture/referral)? Make notes during calls, spend some time checking out their social media (Facebook is where I see this the most) and think outside the box. For example, website programmer can partner with copywriter to provide full website creation service.
- Determine what you do at the basest level and see who needs those services. Take your niche services and go deeper on the base function. For example, a home security installer, at the basest level, runs wires. Can translate to home entertainment setups or smart homes. The café owner can add healthy breakfast meeting catering.
- Look at past clients and see why they left. Did someone else offer something more? Better service? What would it take to reactivate past clients and keep existing ones? Is it time to incorporate a formal Extreme Client Care™ plan rather than an “ad hoc” when you remember one?
As year-end approaches, we often reflect on what’s happened this year and our goals for next year. The above questions will help you prepare for the remainder of this year and all of next.
As always, please comment below and let me know if you have any questions or if I can be of support to you.