Business Building Phase 5: Curb Appeal
As I was thinking about and researching for this blog post, it occurred to me that the last part of build a house – The Curb Appeal – poses an interesting dichotomy for most business owners. On one hand, it’s the thing people love doing. It’s the first thing they run toward when they start a business. But it’s also the thing people hate the most, the thing they put off doing for all sorts of reasons.
Are you scratching your head yet wondering what I’m even talking about?
Over the last few weeks, I’ve taken you through four of the five phases of business building:
The Foundation – how it’s important to ensure you’ve got a clear vision, that the boundary markers are in place, that you’ve excavated all the junk that will keep you from laying a solid, stable, and smooth foundation.
The Framework – knowing who your ideal client really is, how your vision and plans show up in the market place, and what you bring to the table compared to others who offer similar products and services.
The Systems – the four essential systems that make your interactions with your customers and your business operations run smoothly.
The Interior Trim and Finishes – the elements of your business that make your business uniquely yours, through offers, your unique selling proposition, and how you engage with your customers.
And today, I’m going to talk about The Curb Appeal. When you think about this from a home buyer’s perspective, it’s the initial impression you get when you drive by a home you’re potentially interested in purchasing. In most cases, it’s the landscaping, the exterior decoration, the way it stands out (or doesn’t) from the other houses that sit next to it, and lastly, the vibe or feeling you get as to whether you even want to walk inside and take a look. From a business owner’s perspective, curb appeal is the initial impressions a person gets when they come in contact with you as the business owner and what the business has to offer.
With all that said, you may still be wondering why there’s tension here, so let me explain. I work with a lot of new business owners, and hands down one of the first things they ask about is the need for a logo, website, and business cards. That’s the fun part. It’s the “visible” aspect of curb appeal, and for the most part it’s easy to create these. But it’s not the most important thing, and it’s definitely not the first thing you should be doing. You wouldn’t plant the trees, shrubs, and flowers on a completely empty lot. So why would you try to do that for your business?
The other part of curb appeal, the part no one actually wants to do is the “selling” piece. The part where you actually have to show up, conquer the fear of putting yourself and your business out there every single day, and engage in sales conversations is not easy or always fun. But it’s this aspect of curb appeal that’s SO critical because if you can’t do this part, having a website, logo, and business cards is useless.
How Can You Start Loving Sales?
Prior to starting my business, I would never have said I loved having sales conversations. At the business of my business journey, I was very up in my head about talking about what I offered, posting about it online, and in general putting myself out there. And if you know me personally, you may be a little bit shocked about that because I’m extroverted, pretty self-assured, and tend to show up confidently in most everything I do. But let’s be real. Like everyone, I have fears and doubts, and I want people to like me. I don’t want them to think I’m being pushy or “salesy” or annoying. I found, especially early on, that I easily got up in my own head about whether or not what I had to offer was really worth it, whether I was a crazy imposter manipulating people (I’m not, just in case you were worried 😉), and as a result, I didn’t put myself out there as the confident, rockstar that I am.
And you know what the result was? Nothing.
No clients. No business revenue. No confidence, courage, or positive results. And that really freaking sucked.
So, I sat down and really thought about my values, my mission for JSC, and evaluated what I brought to the table. From a business building perspective, it meant I needed to go back to the foundation and do some “excavating” in my own life. And I’m so glad I did, because it allowed me to get out of my head and really focus on the impact I want to create in the world. It allowed me to show up in a big way. My nerves weren’t gone (and they still aren’t), but I know WHO I am, HOW I want to show up, WHAT I have to offer, and WHY I get out of bed every single day… and I KNOW I’m freaking awesome. YOU are an essential element of your business’s curb appeal.
Curb appeal is that first and lasting impression you leave with people. It’s what draws their attention to your business, what gives them pause and piques their curiosity enough to check out what you’ve got to offer, and it’s what compels them to engage with you on a deeper level. And it’s starts with you.
3 Elements to Building Your Business Presence
Show Up
I cannot stress just how important this is, and how often female business owners do not do this. To show up and be visible, you have to let go of your fear enough to actually DO IT. You have to tell people about your business. Again. And again. And again. You have to stop worrying about whether or not you’re posting too much, being too you. Let me give you a little nugget: you’re not for everyone, and everyone’s not for you.
There are always going to be people that don’t get what you’re trying to create, that want to shut you down, that don’t believe in you… and you have to stop that nonsense from getting in your head and press on, day in and day out.
When you show up consistently, when you know who you are, what you do, why you’re doing it, and how you can help people, there is no force on earth that can keep you from being successful.
One side note before I move to the second element – it will likely take some time to figure these pieces out. It’s taken time to fully feel comfortable with this aspect of the business, so have some grace with yourself. And remember, every interaction, every networking event, every Facebook live (or whatever method you use), is an opportunity to figure it out. You just have to DO IT.
Be in Service to Others
One of the aspects of this business building journey that I’ve found so surprising… and yet not, is just how often women are operating from a place of scarcity. I get it. When you’re first starting out and you’re doing allllll the things and nothing is working, it’s scary and the desperation is quick to set in. But let me tell you this… scarcity breeds more scarcity, and in a world with a bajillion and one options, there’s more than enough for everyone.
I fundamentally believe that there is more than enough work, more than enough clients, more than enough opportunity for all of us. There are, for example, an insane amount of coffeeshops, climbing gyms, business strategists, travel agencies… and each and every one of those businesses builds and fosters relationships with their ideal client differently. There’s enough out there, and this is 100% a mindset game. It takes work to think this, to believe it, and to live it, but when you do, it’s obvious.
And more and more, I have realized that when I’m operating in abundance, abundance comes to me. Be in service to others, and you will dramatically enhance your curb appeal.
Make Offers To Help
This is the dreaded part… I have to make offers… like, sell stuff? WHAT? Yes, you do!
Let me offer two thoughts here:
Do you really believe in what you’re offering? I believe so strongly in my Client Attraction 100 process that I tell everyone about it. I believe there’s real power in building a strong, profitable business from the ground up, and I KNOW how to help women do that. I feel compelled to tell everyone about it because I want ALL women to fully embrace their own power, to build the life and business they want, and finally get away from all the frustrations of trying to figure it out on their own.
Let me put it another way. If you had the cure for cancer, would you keep it to yourself? Hell to the No! You’d be doing everything you possibly could to tell the entire world about it. You’d feel THAT compelled, and you should feel the same about what you have to offer.
Making offers to help people doesn’t always mean trying to get people to buy your stuff. Helping others can be as simple as introducing one person to another when you know there’s a synergy. It could mean sitting down and listening. It could mean many, many things, but at the core, it’s about genuinely wanting to help and serve others.
One of the best parts of working with female business owners is connecting them to each other and sharing my colleagues’ work with women I come in contact with. I’m 100% comfortable and excited about doing this because I’m confident about who I am and what makes me unique, and I’m clear on what I’m offering and why and to whom. The pressure to show up, to make offers is SO MUCH LESS because I’m operating from a place of service.
But I can only do that because I show up. I build relationships – online and in person. I genuinely believe there’s more than enough for all of us to be successful. So, stop being your own glass ceiling.
Take a minute to look through the following list to see where you might consider improving your own “curb appeal.” Yes, there will be questions about your brand identity – the logo, website, business cards…, but there will also be important questions about how you’re actually showing up and what you’re putting out in the world with every interaction you have.
Showing Up
I can confidently speak to people about my business.
I have an impactful, well-practiced business introduction.
I consistently show up for myself and my business – online and in person.
I network effectively, in person and online, to promote my business.
My brand is true to me, cohesive, and recognizable.
Digital Presence
I have a website.
I have a lead magnet that converts.
I spend my time online where my ideal client spends his/her time (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn…).
I have a content posting schedule and follow it.
My time spent online is purposeful and efficient.
I post regularly and get great engagement.
I monitor my analytics to ensure my posts make an impact.
Marketing and Selling
I’m clear on how to market my business effectively.
I have marketing goals for growing my business.
I have a marketing plan (written) and I follow it.
I feel confident about selling.
Selling is a critical part of running my business.
I know how to have a sales conversation that converts.
I know how to follow up on sales conversations.
I proactively promote my business.
What came up for you? This is a real opportunity to evaluate how you’re showing up and the role sales and marketing is playing in your business.
There will be days when you feel like hunkering down, keeping the blinds closed, and keeping the metaphorical “Open” sign flipped the other way. But remember, you’re amazing, and the world truly needs what you have to offer.
Don’t allow fear, doubt, and all the mental garbage that’s floating around in your head to keep you from shattering your own glass ceiling!
