fbpx

The Dirty Secret Of ‘Overnight’ Success — 6 Things To Do Instead

Being an entrepreneur is definitely not a get rich quick proposition. A ton of money won't land on your lap with a click of a finger and it...

Photo: Jane Willmott, online business coach; Source: Courtesy Photo
Photo: Jane Willmott, online business coach; Source: Courtesy Photo

A successful business won’t land in your lap overnight but it doesn’t have to take forever either!

 Being an entrepreneur and getting to be your own boss is pretty popular right now, you could say it’s quite trendy.

People want to have control over their future, their finances, their time, etc. and that’s awesome. I love it! But the thing is this: there’s also a growing number of people who think if they haven’t made a ton of money or landed national headlines in 3 months then they should give up!

However, 3 months, 6 months or even 12 months (in some cases) isn’t really a long period of time to invest in a venture without it garnering the ultimate success you desire. It really isn’t.

While a successful business isn’t necessarily going to land in your lap it doesn’t have to take forever either. Here’s what I’ve learned from building a successful business online and the tips you need to get timely results.

 

1. Find out who you’re talking to, quickly.

This is actually pretty crucial. In my opinion, it is one of the top reasons that most entrepreneurs fail to gain traction in their businesses. They’re simply not talking to anyone!

Well no. They’re trying to talk to everyone, but that means they’re effectively talking to no one. Identifying your ideal client is absolutely a must if you want to build a successful business and it’s definitely a crucial step if you don’t want to spend years trying to get there.

 

2. Plan and work with the time you have.

The fact is, you won’t likely have 24/7 to work on your business, at first (or at all). So, it’s important to understand how much time you actually do have to work on it.

A big mistake would-be entrepreneurs make is piling their to-do list so high that they’ll never make their way through any of it, and then they tell themselves, “I just don’t have enough time.”

This can get you caught in a cycle where you feel as if you are not moving forward or achieving anything. It also makes the process of starting a successful business ridiculously long and drawn out.

Work out exactly how much time you’ll have on paper. Plan work that you can realistically complete and fit into your schedule.

 

3. Focus relentlessly, and then focus some more.

Bouncing around the place, not knowing what you’re supposed to do next is not productive. Instead, you’ll miss goals and feel like rubbish because of it too.

Once you know how much time you have to work on your business you can figure out your goals. With your goals in sight you can determine what needs to happen to make those goals a reality. This starts with disciplined focus at each step.

 

Photo: © Monkey Business, YFS Magazine
Photo: © Monkey Business, YFS Magazine

Start with science and eat focus-friendly foods. Next, create a distraction free environment. Then prioritize and stay away from minibreaks. “It can be much harder to focus if you take minibreaks (15–30 seconds) to answer emails, send text messages, or take quick phone calls. Some researchers believe that it can take up to 15 minutes for us to regain complete focus after a distraction (MindTools).”

 

4. Hello … I actually exist
.

When you start your business no one knows you exist, and this is hard to stomach. Your ideal client isn’t saying, “Oh! They started their business today, let’s go find them!” Instead, you have to get out there and get in front of your ideal client.

Based on tip #1 you should know who your ideal client is and where he or she hangs out regularly. What platforms, activities and values drive your ideal customers through their daily lives. Whatever they are, be there!

This may mean creating a content marketing campaign that includes writing and distributing articles to key publications. It could mean time and resources should be invested on Facebook advertising and growing your social media following organically.

You may need to start hanging out at online forums and providing valuable information. You may need to run some targeted online or traditional ads. Wherever your ideal clients hang out is where you need to be; letting them know you’re open for business and have got what they need!

 



5. Stay committed
.

Let’s be honest. Getting in front of your ideal client once or twice isn’t going to yield the results you’re looking for. Along the way you’ll have to track and measure each activity.

This will help you determine an effective frequency (or the number of times an ideal customer must be exposed to your message before an action is taken and any more exposures are considered a waste).

When you’re starting out, you may have to produce (and optimize) blog content for only 15 readers. It’s a part of your journey and every piece of work you put in contributes to your end goal.

It takes commitment to make success happen. If you’re not committed to however long it takes, and you just want your name in lights straight away with cash to burn, get out right now! Being an entrepreneur isn’t a get rich quick scheme for people who aren’t willing to work for it!

 

6. Make connections, they’re valuable.

I’d wager that the top priority for many startups is marketing, getting in front of ideal clients and racking in sales. Yet, making valuable connections should also be on your list.

These connections can easily become potential JV partners, referral partners or even just people you should have in your network. You will be surprised how the right connections can propel your business.

 

Being an entrepreneur is definitely not a get rich quick proposition. A ton of money won’t land on your lap with a click of a finger and it definitely won’t come if you don’t work for it. However, if you truly want to be an entrepreneur, it is one of the most rewarding and fun things you’ll ever do!

 

This article has been edited and condensed.

Jane Willmott is a successful business consultant who works with online business owners worldwide, she works with them to help create strategies that enable them to rise up become the go to expert and have clients banging down the door to work with them, by achieving this her clients are then able to hit their big income goals and live out the life they dream of. Jane created a guide specifically for entrepreneurs that’s free to download. The Five Figure Month Blueprint and it can be downloaded here. Connect with @womensbusinessa on Twitter.

 

© YFS Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Copying prohibited. All material is protected by U.S. and international copyright laws. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this material is prohibited. Sharing of this material under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International terms, listed here, is permitted.

   

In this article