First of all, what is the spaghetti phase? If you have a business trust me, you do know what it is. It’s that feeling of floating in the ocean at the mercy of the tide. It’s that portfolio of work that says you will do any kind of project for anyone. It’s the mixed message from a last minute Instagram feed I just need to post something images. You are at the phase in your business where you are just throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks.
Maybe you had to jump into running your own business because of expected circumstances. Maybe you felt really prepared for life as an entrepreneur but just didn’t know what you didn’t know. You are taking all of the work you can get because it pays the bills. You are constantly changing up your services and prices hoping to land on that perfect combination that books your calendar and fills your bank account. You are reading blog post, writing blog post, sending out newsletters, and following everyone’s advice, but still not seeing any results. At the end of the day not having any direction can leave you feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, and maybe even like a failure.
Don’t give up, because I have good news! No matter how deep in the spaghetti phase you are, just know, everyone has been there no matter how successful they are or how easy it seems that they grew their business. Take a deep breath and exhale a sigh of relief. You are not destined to fail, this is just par for the course. This is how you learn and actually find out where you want to go with your business. It’s just like dating to find your perfect partner. Nobody escapes a few tears along the way.
Doing great work, marketing strategies, and networking will all build your business, but only if you do this one thing first. The way to get your bearings and point your compass in the right direction is to get really clear on who you are, what you do, and who you do it for. These are the foundations for the business and brand you will build.
Who are you?
To know who we are, we need to define our mission, vision, and values. This sets up the guidelines for what we do and how we do it. Let’s explore how this works with the example of a health coach for vegans.
What is your mission? This is the thing you are doing right now or what you will be doing. To supply vegans with delicious and nutritionally balanced recipesDFC7AE
What is your vision? This is how your mission affects your customers. How will what you do, improve or change their lives? To help vegans make their dietary choices with ease and confidence.
What are your values? What is important to you in regards to how you do business and work with people? To have a truly aligned brand, notice the cross over between your personal values and how it relates to how you do business. It could be organic, because you use clean ingredients in your work and life for example. Nutrition, balance, natural
What do you do?
This is where you have to get really specific. If you are a web designer, what kind of sites do you design, are they custom WordPress sites, Squarespace sites, or maybe e-commerce? Being specific connects you with people who are looking for just what you have to offer and establishes you as an expert. If you want the best donuts in town are you going to go to a bakery or a bakery that only makes donuts? When people are specific, we assume since that’s all they do, they must be the best. Don’t be afraid to narrow down what you offer to three specific services or one premium service.
Who you do it for?
The only way to connect with the people who are ready to buy what you are selling is to speak directly to them by addressing their biggest hurdles and offering them the solution. The first step is knowing your ideal client like you know your best friend. What is keeping your client up at night? What do they value? Where can you find them on the weekend?
The answers to these questions will give you the clarity, confidence, and direction to move forward with attracting more clients. If you need a little more help getting clear, download the worksheet below.