Doing something new? These two steps will give you a great start…

21st July 2015

In the past week, four people have told me they’re starting their own business. All have asked how to build early momentum with quick wins.

So I thought I’d use this week’s Tip to share my two top tips about this.

Now, I realise you might not be starting a new business. But you’ll no doubt be doing something new soon – working for a new boss, in a new team, doing a new job, starting a new project… and these tips will help with any of these.

Tip #1: be crystal clear on the value you’re bringing

You have to know how others will benefit from this new thing you’re doing.

After all, if you don’t know, nobody will! And this’ll mean they won’t choose you.

So, ask yourself the who and how:

  • Who benefits from me doing this?
  • And how do they benefit?

The simplest way to do this is in a two-column table – beneficiary/benefits. For instance, imagine you’re opening a new nursery, you’d have:

  • one row for parents. So, on the left, you’d write ‘parents’; on the right, you’d list all the benefits for the parent of their child coming to your nursery
  • another row for the children
  • maybe one for nearby schools, etc

You then learn this table, so are able to say the relevant bits at the relevant times. For example, every time you’re talking to a parent, you’d bring out the relevant comments in your right-hand column, so they know how you’re helping them.

One extra benefit: you can use the table to help write your Elevator Pitch. Simply choose the main beneficiary/benefit and turn it into a sentence – ‘Our nursery gives our children the perfect start in life’.

Tip #2: get in front of the people you want to persuade/impress

There’s no point completing Tip #1 – and knowing the value you bring – and then not telling anyone about it.

So Tip #2 ensures you get in front of the people you want to impress.

There are many ways to do this – cold-calling, networking, and so on. But the quickest/nicest is to ask people you know for introductions to people they know. And the simplest way to get these is as follows:

  • get a list of your main contacts – I guess these’ll be in your mobile phone? Maybe on LinkedIn? – wherever you keep them all
  • give each one a ‘grade’ (I use A, B and C) for their ability to recommend you – it’s a high grade if they know lots of people in your target market
  • give each a second grade, this time showing their desire to recommend you – how much they like you/want you to succeed
  • group all the AAs together – all those who could recommend you, and would also love to do so
  • contact all these AAs, and ask them to recommend you…

…You’ll be surprised how keen they are to do this.

You’ll be equally surprised how quickly you’re in meetings with your target market.

And, when you then mention your Value Statements from Tip #1’s table, you’ll be even more surprised how quickly they buy into – and from – you.

Action point

For the next ‘new’ thing you’re doing, ensure you do both Tips #1 and #2. You’ll get in front of more of the right people. And you’ll impress more of them than you thought possible.

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