Scarcity mode is no way to live

The washing machine went bang.

It didn’t actually go bang, that would have been messy. It lit up with a bunch of error codes, but the story wouldn’t have been as good if I’d have said that.

I can’t complain, it had put in 14 years of loyal service and was living on borrowed time. It was time to toddle off to the shop and get a new one.

I thought that was my plans out of the window; I could see myself trailing around washing machine shops for most of the day only to come back to the one we liked best in the first place.

But, no, Jan went off to the local (non-big box) shop at 9:30 on Thursday morning and by 11:30 the new machine was washing our smalls. There’s a lesson or two there, but that’s not the point.

Every so often things go pop unexpectedly in your business.

• You could lose a client (through no fault of your own) that you really liked working with (happened to me a couple of months ago)
• You could disagree with a business partner that leaves you trying to pull things back together
• Or, as happened to my brother a few years ago, someone could run off with all the cash

OK, that one’s a bit extreme, but you get the point.

What happens next depends on your reaction and how well you prepare for it.

I’ve worked for myself for a bit more than 20 years. For most of that, I’ve lived from invoice to invoice with no real direction or plan. I’d avoid opening post because I was scared of what it might say. I’d not check my bank account because it reminded me of my sad state.

And I’d rejoice when I got even the smallest payment.

That’s called scarcity mode.

It’s living life in a permanently frightened state.

Is that a way to live?

Of course not.

So I took control (I had help, I don’t think it’s possible to do on your own).

I made a plan – I sorted out who I was, what I was selling and whom I was selling to (and not selling to).

And so should you.

A clear idea of goals is the best way to start marketing and the only way to get more sales.

The key is the realisation that you are in charge of your business and not your clients.

It’ll change your life.

Is that you? Are you ready to take control?

Book a 30-minute call then. It’s free.

I’ll send you a questionnaire so we can make the most of our time then we’ll get talking.

Speak soon.