Fun fact about me – I can take some seriously awesome notes. I have a system for it. Action items are clear. And when you read my notes, you will be crystal clear on what when down in the meeting and what next steps are.  What can I say, I like to make sure people are setup to take action and mad results?

Some of the best advice I ever got in my career was: Stop looking like you are taking notes in meetings if you want to move into a new role. The truth is, at the time, wanted promotions and raises.  There was no way I was going to get them if the leadership in the room viewed me and my role at Chief Note Taker.  Did I still take notes? You betchya! But I was a bit more discreet about it.

Now, what does my note taking lesson have to do with you growing your business?

Trust me, there’s a point!! 😉

I have many talents, but if I walked around telling people all of my talents – including my stellar not taking skills, I likely wouldn’t get hired for the things I want to get hired for.

What do do instead?

Focus in on what you want to be known for…I’ll break it down in this little video.

Play on… (or read on below the video if you prefer to read ;)):

[Tweet “What can I refer people to you for? What’s your thing? – @ambermccue”]

If you prefer to read, here’s the video skinny:

Take my made up friend Sally, for example, she’s a web designer who can do your bookkeeping and take care of all of your personal errands to.

Whoa!

There is no doubt Sally can do all of those things. She is crazy talented and ready to serve. Remember, though, just because you can do it all – it doesn’t mean you should.

In fact, offering to “do it all” can actually hurt your growing business or career.

People need clarity on how you can help them.  It is your job to make sure they have clarity on exactly how you and your business can help them. This is especially important early on in your business or in new projects, but it is also critically important in our marketing efforts.

When just starting out or trying to build traction in your business. Referrals are going to be a major source of traffic.  But if you do a bazillion different things, like Sally, and nobody knows what your focus is, they won’t know what to refer people to you for.

Or if you do the thing you don’t want to become know for so well and you hang your hat on it, you could get know really well for the exact thing you do not want to spend the rest of your life doing.

So how can you build fast traction in your business?

Have just ONE thing to hang your hat on and that people know you for. It is the fastest way to build quick traction.

Let’s play a game – I am going to say a word and you tell me who comes to mind.

When I say make up artist – who comes to mind for you?

When I say photographer – who comes to mind?

When I say web designer – who comes to mind?

In my case, when I started working with businesses I went all in on a concept called how to clone yourself.

Starting with one thing gave me one thing to focus sales, marketing, and consulting around.

Starting with one thing gave other people something to say “oh, Amber does that,” when they found other people who were in need of a clone, or a second set of hands.

The point is, we need to be so clear in what you do that when we hear your ideal client screaming for help you come to mind and we refer them straight to you.

We need to know when we hear someone that needs that specific thing (copy, web design, can’t communicate w/ my kids) we know to refer them to you for that!

Not 10 things.  Not something obscure and unclear.  One clear, specific key thing.

What’s YOUR thing?  What do we refer people to YOU for?

Tell us in the comments.

We can’t wait to refer people to you!

 

Big love,

Amber