I once met a chicken farmer named Toby. Toby really wanted to find another stream of income for his business. He received one-on-one sales and retail bulk sales, and he offered a short course on how to raise chickens. Toby didn’t think increasing his streams beyond what he had already established was possible. However, one day, his neighbor Sam, a vegetable farmer, asked him if he could purchase a few pounds of chicken dung to use as fertilizer for his crops. Toby immediately saw the demand, and this soon became his fourth stream of income. He created his logo, designed his packaging, and took his product into the large retail chains. His chicken dung was a major solution to someone else’s problem. It was Sam’s dream product. His chicken dung became the vision Sam needed to have healthy, strong crops. Toby recognized a problem and became the solution.
Whose solution are you? Which problem do you solve? Whom do you serve? Time and time again, we feel lost and abandoned in regards to what it is we have to offer. I can truly tell you that everyone has something to offer. Some may even offer more than one thing. Isn’t it amazing how this is possible? Once you discover the problem you solve, you’ll be able to strengthen your business and feel more fulfilled. The strength of your business lies in this very thing: problem-solving. This means there is a demand for your product — a demand for you! Here are three ways you can make the most of your business potential:
Analyze every aspect of what it is you offer.
Every aspect of what you offer includes each element of your business. I like to refer to this as streams of income directly connected to your niche. For Toby, this was one-on-one sales, service, and education. I’m certain more than one problem exists within your niche. Are you solving all of these problems, or are you solving just one of them? The number of problems you solve determines the amount of streams you’ll have. For me, I ghostwrite, coach, and prep files. These are three streams. How many problems are you solving within your business? Analyze the aspects of what you offer.
Go where your target market hangs out.
Knowing where your target market hangs out is extremely important. This is what will drive sales. If I’m hosting a workshop that teaches how to write a college essay, where should I focus my marketing? High schools, of course. If I’m hosting a seminar that teaches new planting techniques, where should I focus my marketing? How about Facebook Gardening Groups? If I’m a mechanic selling my services, where should I focus my marketing? Maybe banks and insurance companies who provide vehicles for the executive staff. Brainstorming where your target market hangs out can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. This concept will help boost sales and also give your brand visibility.
Hook them.
If you do a mind-blowing job, you’ll gain their loyalty for life. Hooking your client is a technique that gives you an advantage. I can recall a mechanic of mine who struggled to discover what was wrong with my vehicle. I was forced to switch to another mechanic. The new mechanic discovered the problem in less than an hour and had my vehicle up and running within the same time frame mentioned above. This hooked me. Hooking a client takes profound skill, limitless knowledge, and exceptional value. Giving undeniable value to your clients keeps them coming back for more.
In conclusion, your business is a solution. Whom do you serve? Most people chase money and are initially driven by money at the beginning of their startup. Do not chase money. As long as you create value and are the solution to someone’s problem, wealth will follow. True wealth comes from value. Be valuable. I don’t know what I would do without my laptop. My laptop is valuable to me. Another person may value their favorite steak restaurant. Who are you valuable to? Serve your market in a manner that is timely, hard-working, and effective. It is then and only then that you’ll realize you are the solution to somebody’s problem, and it is because of this that you’ll survive.