Chapter Three
Fighting Feelings of Insecurity
Okay, you've just got started in your new business but Aunt Bertha tells you selling blue widgets will never work because Walmart already sells them. Before you barely begin your new business many kinds of doubts and fears have started to come up in your mind. You start to wonder if you can really start you own business and make money.
Don't worry because this is normal. In fact, as much as you may not want to hear this, you may fail the first time or two you try something. Why do most people fail? They fail because they don't do their due diligence and their homework.
Just do your homework first and remember what is special about your product or service that makes it better than others on the market. Maybe your blue widgets can fly and the ones at Walmart can't.
Always ad more value than your competitor. You can stack the odds in your favor and build your self-confidence by doing your due diligence. Let's pretend for a moment you want to start your own catering business from home. You love to cook and every time you have guest over they just rave about your foods, so you decide catering is the business for you.
First ask yourself some questions. Have you found out what kind of health, food, or business licenses you will need? Do you have any testimonials from groups you have cooked for that you can place on your website? Do you even know how to get a website?
Have you decided how large a group you can cook for based on the size of your kitchen? There are many more questions you could ask yourself about the catering business. Once you have written down the questions it's time to figure out how to get the answers. Did you know there is almost nothing you can't find the answer to online?
For example, if you have only cooked for dinner guest at your home but need testimonials from unknown people, you can offer to cater a small affair for free if they will just reimburse you for the cost of the food. You can do this for small wedding parties, birthdays, business luncheons, etc. These are easy to find when you start asking around. If you are good, word will spread.
As far as a website goes, there are many free places you can use, but it is better to pay for a professional one since they are so cheap!
The point of this example is for you to see that whatever business you choose to go into, it is important to have all the questions answered up front. Study your business from top to bottom and read everything you can get your hands on about the subject. You will be amazed at how much you learn and how ready you will be when the time comes to open shop.
Some businesses you can even start on a part time basis while still working a job. This gives you a good insight into how well your business will be received as well.
And once you know as much as possible about your business you must then learn to be a sales person and marketer. You can't just hang out your sign that says open and expect people to just knock your door down.
Getting clients and customers is an art that has to be learned as well. So again, if you have no clue as to what to do, start reading and studying ways to market yourself. The easiest way is to find a video course or book in your niche and learn from someone who is already having success.
If you are insecure and don't believe in yourself no one else will either. People want to do business with confident people and that is how you must come across. Don't be afraid to tell everyone you come in contact with about your business.
Even if you business is worldwide online it still pays to pass out business cards everywhere you go.
Word of mouth is the best kind of advertising there is. And if you have good customer service, or you sell a service like I did, you will find that soon you will be getting referrals from some of your satisfied clients.