You have business cards, check. Your website is up, check. You are networking, check. You even have some clients, check. You’ve done all the things you’re suppose to be doing to get your business up and running and now it’s running, but that’s about it. You don’t feel the way you thought you would at this point. Things aren’t as fun and exciting as you imagined they would be.
It happens to most entrepreneurs at some point. In the beginning you have all the enthusiasm of a kid on the last day of school. You can’t wait to open the doors and get out there, but something happens along the way and you lose steam. While it’s true, there is a lot of foot work to be done to lay a strong foundation for your business, you mustn’t lose the spark that set you on the entrepreneurial path in the first place in the process.
That spark is the core of your brand. It’s not the snazzy business cards, the zippy new tagline or even your great services or products that is going to attract people to your brand. How enthusiastically people respond to your brand is in direct proportion to the level of passion you exude towards what you do.
But what’s a girl to do if she’s lost that lovin’ feeling? It is essential you find ways to stay excited and inspired about your business. Here are a few ideas to get you back into your groove:
1. Find time to relax. It would be great if you could take a vacation somewhere relaxing, but if that’s not in the cards for you right now, find a good substitute. It is not a luxury to recharge, it is essential to keep yourself and your business fresh and energized. I know for me, if it’s not on the calendar, it won’t happen. So choose your elixir whether it’s a walk in the woods, a massage or a night out on the town with friends, and schedule the time to do it.
2. Find a space where you are not distracted. Sometimes our passions are right under the surface, but there is just too much “noise” to hear it. In order to tap into your passion again, you are going to need to be able to hear your inner voice. This means finding a quiet place. Turn off your email, shut your door and let your mind and heart wonder. If you work from home consider putting a “Do Not Disturb” sign on your office door.
3. Look at your competitors. Sometimes we just get stuck. Even when we do relax or find a quiet place, there’s still no inspiration. This is when it’s good to look at what other people are doing. Seeing someone else spin a new concept or roll out a new product can be just enough of a nudge to get us going again.
4. Do something unorthodox. If you’ve been doing things the same way for a while now, it may be time to shake things up. Systems are wonderful and make things run smoothly, but rarely do they produce innovation. If you’ve an inkling to try something different, do it. Don’t let fear hold you back. Even if your experiment fails, it will get your creative juices flowing again so your next great idea can come more easily.
5. Revisit your brand attributes. Brands are not static. They grow and evolve. It may be the case you have started to outgrow your current brand or business and it is making you feel restless. You have developed a new skill or acquired new knowledge you are now ready to implement. Or perhaps in effort to lay the ground work for your business, you strayed from your core competencies. It may be time to re-brand or tweak your current brand to reflect your new growth.
Remember, your audience will buy you before they buy your services. If you are not inspired, neither are they. I always say, breath is the fuel of the voice and passion is the fuel of your brand. If you want to reach your destination, you need to keep your tank full!
I love to hear your voice.
What do you do to stay inspired?
Post your answers below in the comments or find me on Facebook.
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Heather Poduska is a Reach certified personal brand strategist, image consultant and business coach who helps women entrepreneurs create client attractive brands, polished brand images and brand communication strategies to increase their visibility and impact in the marketplace and grow their businesses.
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