Do you ever hear yourself say, “But my business is different, and that’s why this strategy won’t work for me”?
If so, you’re not alone. But this blog is the hard truth: your business might not be as special as you think. And I’m not saying that to be rude. I’m saying it because that story is keeping you stuck.
I’m not here to sugarcoat things. I’m here to tell you the real truth.
So here it is.
Yes, Your Business Is Unique. No, the Basics Are Not.
Everybody’s business model is different. Your clientele is different. Your zone of genius is different. I’ll give you that.
But when it comes to growing and scaling, business is business.
At the end of the day, businesses run on two things:
Sales: money, clients, conversion.
Marketing: lead generation, visibility, getting known, brand awareness.
That’s what I mean when I say your business isn’t that special.
Because whether you are:
- an in-person studio
- completely referral-based
- an online service provider
- product-based
- course creator
- one-to-one or one-to-many
You still need people coming in the door, and you still need people saying yes.
The “My Business Is Different” Story Is a Trap
A huge reason people struggle to grow is because they’re convinced nothing will work for them.
“My business is so different because…”
“This won’t work because…”
“That won’t work because…”
And yes, I agree: not every strategy is going to work for everybody.
But the point is, you have to stop using “being different” as the reason you don’t commit to the fundamentals.
Because this is what happens: you get stuck in your head. You decide nothing will work. You stay overwhelmed. And then you keep spinning.
Simplify It Down to Two Questions
If you’re overwhelmed, go back to basics. Ask yourself:
- How do people find out I exist?
What are you doing for marketing? How are you getting visible? How are you creating brand awareness? - How do those people become paying customers?
How do they pay you? What is the plan to get them from visibility to sales?
That’s it.
Your unique process can be as customized as you want after that. Maybe you have an application. Maybe you vet people. Maybe your onboarding is longer. Maybe every project is different.
That’s where your business is special: in the execution. In how you serve. In what it’s like to work with you.
But before they become a client?
It’s marketing and sales.
The Real Teaching Moment: You’re Focused on the Back End
Here’s what I see: most business owners shy away from sales and marketing because they like to create. They like to be on the back end. They like building the thing, refining the thing, perfecting the thing.
And that is exactly why you keep telling yourself your business is “so different.”
Because you’re focused on the part you enjoy, not the part that grows and scales the business. Sorry. Not sorry.
So What Do You Do This Week?
If you want to stop the overwhelm and stop hiding behind “my business is different,” do this:
- Write down how people find you right now. Be specific. Where are the leads coming from?
- Write down how people pay you right now. Is it clear? Is it obvious? Is there a plan from visibility to sales?
- Find the gaps. Where are the holes in the bucket? Where are people getting stuck?
- Commit to consistency in sales and marketing. If there’s nothing else you’re consistent with, let it be those two things.
Your Business Is Unique Because of You
Your business is unique because of you. Your execution is unique. Your client experience is unique.
But the facts are the facts: you have to bring people in, and you have to get them to pay you.
So stop making it more complicated than it needs to be.
Go back to basics. Simplify. Then build your customized plan from there.
If you’re not sure what action to take, check out my options and we can look at your business together.
