Are you struggling silently?
I was in a coaching session with a client recently and we began discussing the resistance he had to reach out and ask for anything, especially work or new projects. So many of us don’t want to be “salesy” or seem needy or desperate. He also shared that he likes to be self-sufficient and doesn’t want to put anyone out or feel like he’s stepping on anyone’s toes. The hard reality is that no one is going to come and save you. It is up to you to engage with customers and nurture those relationships.
As entrepreneurs running our creative businesses, we have to be ok with knowing what we need and asking for it, like new projects and work we can sink our teeth into that inevitably benefits our customer’s needs. What began to resonate for him was the idea that people don’t know if we’re busy and thriving or if we are available (and might be struggling silently). Nobody can know we're available and ready to help if we don’t share and remind them that we're willing and able.
As humans, it is in our behavior to expect the best for people and to think that they are thriving because they aren’t saying otherwise. What this does is end up not sharing your talents, experience, and problem-solving skills that clients need help with but just might not have you top of mind as they are working out how to solve their problems or answer a need they have that you are more than capable of helping them with.
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As we all know, distraction is a part of life these days, in all of its forms, from Netflix to social media, our children or pets, and even our very own inner critic that’s screaming at us day after day as we navigate our creative lives. It’s hard to keep up with everything and everyone and it’s so easy to unintentionally forget about people when they haven’t connected in a bit or aren’t posting all the time on their social media channels. So many creatives are introverts and have resistance to social media. They don’t know how to engage with it in a way that aligns with their way of being and feels comfortable with them where they are in their life at that moment.
We discussed blocking time out of the week to reconnect with previous clients and let them know he’s available and is accepting new projects. It’s a simple yet fantastic way to reconnect with people that already know, like, and trust you for the work you’ve done to support them in the past. We call these “hot” relationships because they already trust you and know what to expect from your services or products. He immediately felt relief as he realized the difference between asking for work and reaching out to “old friends” to see if they might have needs that he could help them with because he is so committed to his craft and serving other’s specific needs in the way that only he can.
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We also discussed that it’s a great opportunity to tack on a little addition to the note asking if anyone they know might need his services. Yet another simple but often overlooked add-on to client outreach that can set up the potential for a “warm” relationship that’s been brokered by a trusted source who can vouch for you and your services or products. They bridge the gap and connect you with someone who has a similar need that you can’t know unless you ask, but that you can undoubtedly support them with and is further confirmed by your previous client and their warm handshake that initiatives your new relationship and potential new client. Does that seem "salesy"? Of course not. That’s as good of a referral as one can get. But you have to let people know that you’re available for the work and ready to answer the call.
We can’t pretend that someone is going to save us as bills pile up, credit card balances increase, stress builds, desperation takes over, and businesses can eventually fail. We also can’t keep listening to our inner critic (I’ve named mine “Jimmy” so I can recognize when he shows up. I’ll share my inner champions in a later post ;). You know what I'm talking about right? That little voice inside that keeps saying we aren’t enough and aren’t worthy. Naming our inner critic gives us the ability to note and remember that we are separate from our lizard brain that’s just trying to keep us safe from harm. We are so much more and can use tools like this to know we are safe and this is a response to this part of our brain.
As we began to dive into this concept and how it was hindering his growth and success in his creative business, we discussed the fact that he is worthy and is enough. I then asked a question that hit home. I asked, “Why not you?”. He had already shared with me how devout he is to his craft and how much care he puts into the work he does for clients. He shared how once he got the project and was able to do the work, he knew exactly what needed to be done from start to final delivery. It was merely the fact that he resists — the ask. We must know what we need; only then can we tell others what that is. But we have to ask. We have to show up. We have to let people know that we are here to help them in the ways that only we can. So, my question to you is, “Why not you?”
Are you silently struggling? Are you secretly waiting for someone to come and save you and your business?
If you want to get clear on your goals, challenges, and obstacles and are ready to work together to realize your true potential with joy, fulfillment, and freedom, then hit me up. I’d love to chat (and I offer a FREE discovery call to see if we’re a good fit). And so you know, this is me letting you know that I'm available, and am ready to serve you. Let’s go!
