How To Avoid 9 Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make and Repeat
Being an entrepreneur is not easy. You have to take care of every part of your business, and balance working on your business and in your business both, especially when you are just starting out. And, the truth is, many of those things are not necessarily your strengths. And the sooner you are able to outsource the tasks you do not enjoy or do efficiently; the chance of mistakes will decrease exponentially. When you need to learn about every aspect of your business it is easy to make mistakes, and sometimes to keep making them over and over again. Below, I have listed the top 9 mistakes many entrepreneurs make to help you avoid making them.
Mistake #1: You must have an expensive website
While a website it critical in today’s online world, that doesn’t mean it has to be an expensive one. Paying someone thousands of dollars to create a website does not necessarily mean that it will bring you more customers.
Because technology has become so advanced, there are a number of tools and resources out there that are very inexpensive and take just a little of your time to create your own website or to hire someone at an affordable price. As you build your business and bring in more income you can go back and add more bells and whistles later.
Mistake #2: You think sales and marketing are the same thing
Marketing and sales are not the same thing. Marketing will lead you to sales, if it is does right, but it is not sales. Marketing’s purpose is to get your name and your brand in front of your audience. The more you are in front of them, the better chance for them to think of you first when they are looking for your product or service.
Mistake #3: You confuse networking with selling
Networking should never be confused with selling. When you are networking you should not be selling. In fact, you should be doing almost the exact opposite. Networking is about building relationships and getting to know people and what they do while they get to know you. Your focus should be on connecting those you network with to others they may have synergy with and to become a good resource. The more you do that for others, the more others will do that for you.
Mistake #4: You think everyone is your ideal client and wants or needs your product/service
Not everyone wants or even needs your product or service and trying to sell to them is a waste of your time and theirs. Instead you should research your ideal customer or client and then focus your efforts on networking in places where your ideal clients are and how you serve them and solve their problems.
Mistake #5: You think posting on Social Media is all the marketing you need to do
Social media is a powerful tool for marketing a brand, product or service, but it is not the only thing you should be doing. You need to be marketing where your audience is. That may be certain social media sites, but it also may be at certain conferences or conventions or in trade publications. This goes back to researching your target audience and not only knowing who they are but also where they are.
Mistake #6: You think you don’t need a follow up strategy
Not having a follow up strategy is a good way to waste your marketing and networking efforts as well as dollars. You have to follow up and you have to do it well in order to solidify and continue building relationships.
Mistake #7: You try one new thing after another and don’t track or measure results
Are you guilty of trying every new marketing or networking technique that you come across? While there is nothing wrong with trying new things, you have to track your results in order to find out if each new thing works for your business or not. Not everything is the right fit for every business.
Mistake #8: You think you have to do everything yourself
This may be true when you are just starting out, however, if you continue with this thought for an extended period of time you will burn out and so will your business. As soon as possible you need to start delegating certain tasks out to others. Start with the tasks that are not your strengths or that are find yourself avoiding. The financial investment will be worth it because it will enable you to focus on what you do best.
Mistake #9: You don’t invest in yourself or your business
This mistake is one made by many entrepreneurs and is a big one. You should always be willing to invest in both yourself and your business. This can be done by taking courses to improve your skills, hiring a Coach or even investing in people to handle some tasks in order to free you to focus on your strengths. It is necessary to make both you and your business grow and thrive. It is also important to keep in mind that you really can’t ask someone else to invest in you if you are not willing to invest in you.
As an entrepreneur you need to focus on what is important and avoiding these 9 mistakes will help you maintain that focus and not get distracted from your goals. If you have made some of these mistakes in the past, it is okay because you can start correcting them today.
Have you made any of these mistakes yourself or have one to add? Share your story with me in the comments below!
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