When I first started my coaching business, I was in an era where marketing your business was all about hitting the pavement (going door to door, being face to face, networking and joining all kinds of groups, such as the chamber of commerce and BNI). There weren’t as many people on the internet, and if they were online it wasn’t for online marketing. Saying this really ages me. Lol.

In case some of you didn’t know, BNI stands for Business Networking International. It is a global organization with local chapters in most major areas (and now online) with paying members that meet every week to promote each other’s services and get referrals from one another. Now for some businesses this works great. Such as the indispensable services like a hair dresser, an attorney, insurance agent, etc.

However, as a Life Coach I looked at this model and thought to myself, there has to be a better, more efficient way to build a business as a solo entrepreneur where I am not spending so much of my time, money, and valuable resources searching for leads.

With all the energy and money spent for travel and membership costs, and after including the value of all the hours of free sample sessions I gave away, I was not anywhere near getting the return on investment I wanted or needed to have a lucrative business.

I did this for over a year until I realized that I had to do something different. So I started signing up for as many marketing workshops and entrepreneurial trainings I could in order to learn from some of the most successful business experts and coaches about growing a thriving, lucrative business. This went on for five years, slowly figuring things out through trial and error.

In total, I invested over $50,000 into my own personal growth and my business until I was able to find the best strategies that ultimately gave me the freedom to live the lifestyle of my dreams – which is to not chase after leads or trade so many hours for dollars, but rather to earn multiple sources of income and have qualified warm leads come TO me.

I also saw this problem happening with other incredibly gifted entrepreneurs and creatives who are investing energy in the wrong places and money to the wrong marketing efforts.

Which is why early in my coaching practice I turned to also becoming a Business Consultant and Marketing Strategist, harnessing my background in sales to support other entrepreneurs to have a thriving business. Ultimately teaching them what I’ve learned along the way that I know truly works to scale a business to 7 figures.

My biggest pet peeve is when a marketing agency or a coach is selling their ‘formula’ they find to work for them, and expecting it to work for everyone else.

I believe that businesses are not a cookie cutter, and not every strategy works for every business when it comes to marketing.

A marketing strategy needs to be tailored to that business’ unique personality (which I’ll explain later). First, a business owner must take the time to do the self-discovery work. For example, what is unique about the company that makes it stand out from their peers. And it must have a clear message that will attract the ideal clients and customers they’re wanting. These are just a few things.

And most business owners SKIP THESE VERY IMPORTANT STEPS.