Testify: running a biz vs. running around

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I recently sent the following email to a fellow creative entrepreneur:

Hi Lorna,

I’m in an entrepreneur mastermind group, and someone has asked for a referral for a VA. I’m going to post your site on the public forum, so hopefully some people will check you out.

I know this savvy group of folks will be looking for testimonials. Don’t mean to stick my nose in, but I thought they would make great supporting material for the info you already have up there. Just a couple cents from me.

Lorna wrote a note thanking me for the referral and the encouragement to get testimonials on her page. She had some lying around, but just hadn’t gotten around to getting them on her site. The referral was just the nudge she needed to get it posted and she was thrilled to cross this off her list.

I’ve had a similar conversation with two clients in the last month. Testimonials are a big deal! Simply adding them to your site could be an all important income generating activity. No testimonials = leaving money on the table = boohoo. So why are they getting forgotten?

Because there’s so much schnit to do!

As you know, there is an endless stream of stuff to do when you run your own biz, regardless of its size. And the important stuff, the stuff that actually moves you forward and shakes the money off the tree, can get buried or abandoned.

Horse: please take your place in front of the cart.

Lemme fess up: I have transgressed as well. I have wandered and floated and ignored the important stuff. And I’ve gotten fed up with that way of working and found what works for me.

One of my “I-solemnly-swear-by” tactics is to give myself one focus each month. One.

I start where I know there is a weakness in my biz. I might choose SEO, my website, or creating a product. Then I structure my time that month around improving that one area. This ensures that the income generating stuff gets attention and I plug the holes in my biz.

Wanna try out my one month/one focus strategy? Start by downloading the free planner below.

If you have trouble downloading, please check your settings or try another browser–sometimes Dropbox is fussy.

What will you focus on first? What’s the biggest hole you can plug this month?

Gathering light,

PS -Want more ideas and planners like this? Laura’s e-guide Roadmap to Action is now available for creative entrepreneurs who are ready to plan their success and find their own way of working. Learn more here and pay what it’s worth to you.