Last week I helped host a session for 30 business women.The thing that brought them all together was the desire to feel more confident. As a Leadership Confidence Coach I come across this all of the time. I’m not good enough, everyone is better than me and so it goes on.
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As a sole trader there are lots of ways you can use leadership skills to your advantage. Not only do you need to manage yourself, but you may need to manage projects, even your customers. Taking the time to invest in yourself is really important if you want to be the best you, you can be. Its easy to put yourself at the bottom of the list especially if money is tight and you are on your own, but without you there is no business.
Here are just a few practical management hints and tips that can help you to love your business.
Motivation
What made you set up on your own anyway? Working for yourself although liberating isn’t always the easy choice. Ask yourself does your business allow you to live your values and what you want out of life?
Here are some of the things that may drive you.
Making a difference to others (that’s mine☺)
Being creative
Spending more time with your family
Making loads of money
The list goes on and on ………..
What ever it is, and there are no right or wrong answers, to be a real success it’s best to have clear goals and timescales.
What does “great” look like to you, not anyone else. It’s so easy in the early days to be taken off course with other people’s good intentions. Be strong this is your business for you.
How will you know when you have achieved success? More important than that when you have how will you celebrate? Most of us never take the time to say recognise what we do well. It doesn’t have to be big either. For example sending your first tweet could be huge for you. Pat yourself on the back, you did it !
When you get clear on what motivates you, your confidence will grow, allowing you to have what I call your core of steel. When you have a doubtful moment, going back to your goals will help provide you with the answers you need and the strength to make decisions.
Talk Confidence
So now you know why you are in business why should customers buy from you?
Talk yourself up not down. Think about how you describe yourself. Do you say, “I just do logos” when you should be saying, “I’m a design consultant.” I am sure you have years of experience and are absolutely passionate about what you do. Start describing yourself in a way that will give your customers absolute clarity and confidence in what you do.
Be Brave
Your confidence should allow you to charge what you are worth not what you think someone will pay. Do you want to work crazy hours for the next 20 years or work less hours than when you were employed and have a life? Your values and goals along with a little market research should help you reach your pricing model. Can you achieve your dreams on what you charge? Be brave see what happens?
Set expectations.
Have you got a difficult client, one that you seem to spend all of your time on? Do you always say yes when no or not right now may be a better response for you? Have the confidence to set out the process before you begin work, i.e. letting the client know if the job needs more time there will be an additional charge. It will save you a lot of time and worry.
Honesty
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Everyone has things they are brilliant at but no one is great at everything. Don’t believe everything you hear from others at networking events that things are great all of the time, I bet they are not. Use events like these to meet likeminded people who you might employ or who you could ask for help. You might employ a VA if you are really not interested in the admin side of your business or a business coach to help you plan and grow your business. Your time is precious don’t waste it faffing! You aren’t meant to know it all.
Click here to use this free worksheet to help you make the most of this blog post.
For all of the reasons mentioned above I have designed a short session for business women who want to feel more confident about themselves in their business.
I don’t know about you but I spend a fortune on hair, make up, nails, clothes etc. Often I find myself getting changed many times or just not feeling right. Mind Beauty – The Secrets of Confidence is aimed at helping you understand who you really are from the inside out. When you feel great everything else falls into place. So if you want to put yourself first, make great decisions and find your happiness this is for you. All for the price of a hair do.
