Dear entrepreneur, small business owner,  creative professional – what are you doing?

And why?

Why Are You In Business?

Why Are You Here?

Why Are You Reading This Blog?

If you only started your business to make money, you can go.

Go buy a business coaching course with a “proven formula” that you can resell to other people who are driven by money and the freedom “lifestyle.” There’s not gonna be much on this blog for you.

I’m writing for the people who are CONSUMED by a tireless LOVE for what they do. I’m writing for people with passion, and people with the balls to believe they can actually create their future from their passion.

I’m writing for the people who are REALLY IN IT.

Come Bearing Gifts.

Now that the fluff is gone, let’s talk about realizing YOUR GIFT.

When you get invited to a housewarming party, or a birthday, or anniversary party you expect to have a good time. You’ll see some friends and family, have a few drinks, and laughs, eat some good food. Lucky you! Someone thought fondly of you and wanted to share a wonderful time with you. And you wouldn’t actually show up with out bringing them a gift would you?

In business, your gift is similar to “Why Are You Special?” except it’s less about you personally, and more about what YOU ARE GIVING PEOPLE.

What are you putting out into the world?

What does your business give people that they don’t pay for? This is important because value is what makes your business/brand leave a positive impression on buyers.

Value Appraisal.

So how do you figure out your business’s special value? How do you know what really touches your buyers? There are two ways to find out:

First, decide what you want to give people.

What’s the lasting impression your business should leave – in your opinion?

For example, I want my clients to think of me as helpful, honest, and reliable. I want them to know that they can ask me for help anytime. I want them to know that I’m literally a text away and that if they need solutions I will find them.

If you run a dance studio, your value may be in the type of learning environment you create. Sure, you teach fun dance classes. People will learn to dance. But what about your instructors? Is it an encouraging studio, inclusive? Do the lessons come with care and dedicated attention? Do you give extra insights like special stretches for people who may have unique foot issues? Can you recommend exercises that increase mobility between classes?

What is the extra added value that your business gives people – that they don’t pay for? You get to decide this by making the effort to infuse every part of your business with the values that matter most to you.

Get Feedback To Help You Stack

Sorry for the cheesy rhyme….

The second way to find out your value is to ask your customer. Getting feedback from your customers and clients helps pinpoint what’s working and what you can drop.

At the end of the day, yes we are in business here. We do want to make money.

I believe if the true love and passion is there – then the money will always come.

Business is also about processes. And aside from the love, you can always increase your bottom line by improving your processes.

The easiest way to get feedback is to ask for it. A simple email asking “How was your experience?” can do the trick.

If you’ve got an online store, you might not have the time to go through every single order and email every buyer one-by-one. So how do you find out what they think?

Customize your  confirmation + notification e-mails.

Make sure to include a line at the end that asks buyers to share their experience with you. You can link to your twitter or instagram accounts, or you can go one step further and use Google Forms.

Google Forms let you ask multiple questions with multiple answer options. Customers can give you ratings on a number scale, or based on different products. They can also free write their responses.

(I use Google Forms to collect client feedback every few months)

You Should WANT To Give Value

All I can give you (for free, anyway ) is advice. This is just my opinion, but you should want your business to give value. Yes, it’s good for business. Obviously…

But also, it’s just nice to go a little above and beyond.

We’re all people here. Making just that little bit more effort to give a positive experience to someone else is a good thing. And it doesn’t even have to be complicated. What’s the easiest possible way you could add something thoughtful and memorable to your business process?

Maybe a sunshine emoji? Maybe a favorite saying in the signature of your e-mails? Start small.

But always aim for something that really represents you and YOUR values. It will shine through. And it definitely counts.

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