Have you reached a point in your business where every day you have asked the question “What am I doing wrong?” You’re in a constant WTH! or WTF! phase when it comes to thinking about your business. You’ve tried this, done that, read this book, read that article, but nothing seems to be working and all you’re doing is losing time and money. Sometimes the answer is right in front of you and can be an easier solution than you think.
Have you ever asked for help?
Too many times as business owners we allow people to take, take, take and we receive nothing in return. They take our time, energy, and passion. So many left turns to only end up going in circles. Building a business and a brand is no different from raising a child; you need a village to make it happen. Put your tribe to work. Many people are open to helping you out if they know what you need. Your support system is listening.
Think about it: What do you need help with? And don’t say financial. We all need financial help. Thanks to ABC’s Shark Tank and CNBC’s The Profit anyone with a business (idea) can pitch to investors for capital. Just in case you aren’t ready to swim with the sharks or go toe-to-toe with Marcus Lemonis, you can still get money by asking for help.
The biggest free marketing that we often neglect is our e-mail subscribers list. If you are doing this correctly, you should be collecting e-mail addresses as often as you can; at least two to three per day. That’s over 730 e-mail contacts (per year) at your fingertips waiting for you to say something. Okay, they aren’t really waiting, but you get the idea. Talk to them. Tell them what you need. Keep them informed and updated. Share new products/services, or a new blog post that just hit your website; ask them to share it, leave a comment, and engage. You have a special on your service—tell them about it and ask them to pass the info along to their friends. People are spammed with so much junk mail each day that you may not see an immediate result, but being consistent, engaging, and personalizing your messages will go a long way. More people want to see others succeed than you think.
Other productive and free ways to ask for help to grow your business:
- Throw away your ego and ask for what you need. A closed mouth won’t get fed.
- Build your own network team. Don’t always have your hand out, be a contributor. Meet people with other skill sets. You never know when you will have a client who needs a web designer, accountant, etc. You refer, they refer.
- Take advice and do something with it.
- Partner up. Never be afraid to work with other companies/brands that have a little more popularity than you.
- Engage on social media.
- Ask for help because you have no clue what you’re doing. We get it—you’re a creative; you have no idea how to run a business or you have a business and you have no idea how to handle taxes or hire or whatever. Ask for professional help. Find a mentor. Speak up!
Even if things are going well for you, asking for help can be beneficial to keeping your business thriving. In the end, find the courage you need to ask for what you want.
Share how you are asking for help.