"But Caressa, one of my good buddy's and a business friend told me that if I wanted to expand my business online I should create an online funnel and run ads to it and, I can sell out my program. What're your thoughts?"
This is pretty much a word for word question I was asked by a client.
And I'm sure you thought the same or even felt this was true since pretty much all the webinars, blog articles, and ads selling ads are telling you this is all it takes.
But it ain't true.
This expectation immediately assumes instant gratification and results without your data to back up. Well, besides what your buddy and biz friend said.
So, I wanna set the record straight and give you the honest truth about 5 of the biggest myths ever told about what it takes to expand your business online for visibility, leads & sales.
Myth #1 | If you pay the right people you can make 6 figures in 3 months...
Ah, the classic 6-figure overnight story. Will this ever end? Probably not but, here's the real deal...
you can have an assistant, salesperson, website developer, graphic designer, and sales funnel strategist on your team, and that does not get you any closer to 6 figures in revenue.
Maybe 6-figures in debt (uh-oh!).
But seriously, the people you've hired can propel your business, if and only if,
- Your product sells (meaning you've validated this offer and even made sales in the process)
- You've got an audience and/or an ad budget to tap into to consistently build, connect & sell to.
It's that simple. Because if your product sells and you've built an audience to sell to, then paying the right people to meet your revenue goal makes sense.
Kapeesh?
Pssst...this is why I ran my 5-day challenge last week to combat this common problem.
Myth #2 | All you gotta do is run a Facebook ad and your product will make all the monies.
Ads can make you money.
It can bring in leads and build your brand awareness but, what ads can't do is create a validated product.
Or create and streamline the tools you need for an automated sales process.
Or walk you through what content is needed to build your credibility and authority in your market.
Simply put, if you think an ad can help you make all the monies without the proper infrastructure
Myth #3 | Because you had such a raving offline community then, it'll be a breeze building community online
Think back to when you first started out. When no one knew who you were beside family and friends. Then, you started doing your thing and people started to love it. And by default, you've built a strong community. Was that an easy process? Probably not. And even with the billions of people online, it's no easier.
And if you're in this for the long haul, you'll have your chance to build that dream community. This is what's involved with being visible and gaining leads at the same time.
Myth #4 | You need to spend money on ads to build up your email list of leads
Sure. You could. Probably the quickest way but, also the most expensive. But it's definitely not the only way.
Many times we're so blinded by the flashiest thing out that we forget, free content still works. Whether it be, blog articles, guest podcasting, networking, leveraging other people's audiences, video, good ol' fashion SEO...
All these things still work and will return in your favor now and months and, years down the line.
Myth #5 | The banks, SBA (Small Business Association), this random local newspaper article and Shark Tank tell you that you need to be marketing your business by doing
-- commercials
-- mailers
-- pitching magazines
-- soliciting to other businesses
-- creating apps, etc.
Your newspaper, SBA, bank and yes, even Shark Tank isn't always right. At least not for you.
See the newspaper has a demographic they market to. And even if your target market is reading the newspaper like clockwork, how many read it? How often?
Are they spending money because of what they read in the newspaper?
Or just reading for pleasure?
You gotta know how your channel of marketing influences your target audience.
Let's look at the SBA and the bank. Well, without getting all conspiracy theorist those corporations are looking out for their best interest. They just want to know you're paying back the loan (with interest) that you're borrowing from them.
That's it.
They have ZERO advice for expanding your offline business for visibility, leads, and sales that are aligned with what you should do now.
What works in 2018 and beyond... Not, what worked 10 years ago.
And lastly Shark Tank.
Even though I love the show, guess what the purpose of the show is?
Every business owner who pitches their business is looking for a "Shark" to take an equity share of their company and invest their money into the growth of the business.
Does any of those sound like what you need to be doing for your business?
So while being inspired, learning a few new tricks, and staying in the know of new and often outdated strategies can be good, what good are those strategies if they don't work?
And not just work one time.
Because as my friend said, "I have never heard someone say they want to start a business for 1-2 years and then quit." That's not why any of us get into business.
That's not why you are a business owner today.
So if that's not your 'why' then, why are you operating like a business owner that's only "maintaining"? When you should be expanding, growing, and marketing your business with a CEO mentality.
We can make this happen.
You need more than your genius brain to connect the dots and make all of this work.
You need a system.
A process.
An "I've been in your shoes doing the exact same thing and this is where it led me" pep talk.
A "here's what you need to do for your business" conversation.
You need, Sold in 6.
Sold In 6 is a 6-month group coaching program to propel your offline business to its next phase of growth through building out your online marketing funnel for your product.