Have you ever considered that the way you think about your own services could be impacting the very services you offer?
Do you ever stop to think about the difference between WHAT you do, and what you're ABLE to do? … and how maybe, that difference could change your whole business?
If not … maybe you could?
Because more often than not, the biggest limiting factor in our business' growth stems from the very way we THINK about our own businesses, and the solutions we offer.
The path of the self-employed …
When setting out as self-employed, we need to define our service ... our offering.
Often this starts off a bit more "open", while we try to define exactly where we want to focus … exactly what our niche is … what we want our business to look like.
And eventually, we find our place. We settle into our "perfect" service, our ideal offering. We have clarity on our market, and our client profile. And we offer something to those clients, and that market.
Often, this involves packaging our services into a neat, value-driven offer – something clearly encompassing the SOLUTION we are offering our clients, priced at a level that allows us to be profitable.
Something that enables us to deliver a great service, to a happy customer.
And this is GREAT. There is nothing wrong with this at all … indeed, this is one of the first ways I help clients: the perfect way to package the solutions they offer their audience.
However … let's go back to that earlier sentence …
"Do you ever stop to think about the difference between WHAT you do, and what you're ABLE to do? … and how maybe, that difference could change your whole business?"
Because – especially once you've been running your business for a while, and selling your packaged solutions, successfully, for some time – you may well find you're able to offer even MORE. You may well be able to help MORE clients, solve MORE problems, and as a result … have an even MORE profitable business.
What you DO vs. what you CAN do
Let's say you're a personal trainer … you're no doubt offering personal training services to your clients. It makes sense… it's what personal trainers do.
So you're probably offering one-on-one sessions to help your clients reach their fitness goals – losing weight, increasing their level of fitness, possibly even training for a specific fitness-oriented goal.
And most people looking for a personal trainer are after a fixed set of "solutions"…
They want to lose weight, "tone-up" or increase their overall level of fitness. Perhaps they want help training for a marathon, or other specific goal … and they want someone to be accountable to. Someone to help them stick to it. Someone they can see regularly, on a one-on-one basis.
So – a clear service offering, matching a clear client profile. Win-win, and a nicely defined business.
Sounds good … and it is good. However … maybe it could be even better?
Because personal training is what you do. But is it the ONLY thing you can do?
I'd wager not …
Most of us have a whole lot of other expertise, knowledge … even personal interests … outside of the specialism of "what we do". And often, we've picked them up along the way. So maybe we didn't have them when we started out, but we do now …
Maybe, in addition to being a personal trainer, you've also become an expert in nutrition? Or perhaps you've qualified in other health-based disciplines, such as yoga and meditation. Maybe you've mastered a form of dance that provides a great source of exercise …
Maybe your experience, skills and know-how mean you can offer many solutions outside of just weight loss and increased fitness ... to people that have other – more varied – goals, or requirements.
Which would mean you're able to solve MORE of your clients' problems … and also solve the problems of MORE types of client.
Maybe you're limiting your own market, by thinking only of the fitness-related personal training package you offer.
Thinking outside the "packaged solutions"
Packaged solutions are great. They clearly define your services, and your abilities, and allow you to price yourself in a way that enables profitability.
But if you THINK, "I offer packaged solutions", you'll be looking for people with the problems that your solution solves.
Whereas, if you THINK, "I have experience, skills and know-how in X, Y and Z that enable me to help people with problems in A, B and C" … you'll realise that you're able to solve a lot more problems … for a lot more people … in a lot more ways.
And THAT means your market, and your opportunity, is a LOT bigger.
So maybe it's time to take a step back and think about what you CAN offer, compared to what you DO offer?
Packaged solutions still work, but maybe you can offer a selection of packaged offers.
Maybe you can offer "add-ons" to your packages?
Maybe you can offer a "tailor-made solution" from a menu of your skills, experience and expertise?
There’s an odds-on chance you’ll have more success, more impact and more rewards by thinking of what you CAN offer ... in addition to what you already DO.
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