What would you say if I suggested that the reason why things aren’t going as well as you would like them to be going is because what you think is the problem is not the actual problem?
In the entrepreneurial space, we often get obsessively focused on the wrong things. We think that the task work that we committed to is what needs to be improved. We focus deeply on the lead magnet that we are creating, the website we are updating or the email nurture sequence that all the gurus said that we had to have.
But that stuff really doesn’t matter as much as you think it does.
Unless you are a multiple six-figure business that is scaling up, those things are not nearly as important as your own communication skills.
And you are thinking, “this guy wants me to focus on my communication skills over all of these other important things?”
Yes. Yes I do.
People buy from people. There are thousands of lead magnets being created daily, all built to collect our email addresses. There are websites being optimized down to the smallest details. But do you want to know the sad truth?
Few people care.
I don’t care. Neither does just about everyone else. That’s why there are entrepreneurs from coast to coast banging their heads against the wall because they can’t grow their email list, And once they finally get people on their list, they can’t get people to buy. I just heard from someone who put something on sale on his email list- a large, engaged list- and .00003 percent of the people on the list bought the product.
Sounds depressing, right?
Good. Maybe that is a wake-up call to those who are so focused on content and not on communication.
I just received an email from someone that fits the description of the subject above. She puts out tons of content through a podcast, a blog and social media posts. Yet, she can’t get out of her own way when it comes to actually creating a profitable business. I see what she’s doing, and it’s simple and clear what can be done to turn the ship around.
Yet, it hasn’t happened.
So she messaged me to talk about this. She didn’t ask to hire me. She just wanted me to help her. Now, I try to help friends all the time. But as I say often, generosity is on my terms. The brief conversation that took place is more confirmation of why she’s struggling. I told her that I was available that afternoon. I wouldn’t charge-it would be a gift to her.
She responded that she was doing something else, and that the next day would be better for her.
Now, for most of society in 2024, that might be perfectly acceptable. Except that the mindset behind that response is why she’s struggling.
Don’t see it?
- She didn’t ask if I would be interested in helping. She just assumed that I should and would.
- She didn’t sound grateful at all.
- She didn’t ask when a good time would be for me to talk.
- When I told her that I could talk, she just told me a different time that would work for her.
- She never once said thank you.
So, to her, it was a normal response. But because of a lack of soft skills, she immediately turned me off. In addition, I wasn’t willing to go back and forth on her schedule to help her…for free…without thanks.
The problem is, she doesn’t know any of this. And I risk bad will and possibly even getting into an argument by letting her know this. So I choose not to, as much as I’d love to. If she ever asks, I will be the first to tell her.
And the lack of self awareness and soft skills hurts business more than not having an email nurture sequence or an updated lead magnet ever will.
The problem is, she is not just doing it just to me. She is doing it to potential clients. She is doing it to current and potential advertisers. She is doing it to fans of her work. And it turns people off left and right, and it eventually leads to them not wanting to work together.
But she doesn’t even know it. Because she’s not focused on the soft skills that make-or-break relationships. Unfortunately, she will probably continue to struggle because she’s not interested in improving the areas that hold her back.
How we communicate with other human beings matters. It matters more than ever because communication skills are at an all-time low. So, in reality, there is no better time to focus on this because it’s so lacking across the board, that just learning some of this will make you stand out in the crowd.
Even if you don’t care about being liked more, it’s just good for business. Communication matters. And a lack of soft skills could be the reason you aren’t making more cold hard cash.
Have an AMAZING week!
Vincent
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