When I was pretending to be an electronics engineer over 35 years ago I had an epiphany*… (cue woo woo music)

I started my working life** at 16, as a technician (apprenticed to BT), and then worked for Apricot Computers hand designing very complex printed circuit boards (Intel 386 motherboards), way before the software was clever enough to do it all.

At nights and weekends for five years I went to university to get my degree (obvs, I was a swot, I got a first class electronics degree).

The weird thing was, even armed with my newfound knowledge and a big certificate, people at work still saw me as a technician. A desk jocky running the million pound computers to produce more million pound computers. They didn’t see me as an engineer. I had changed, but I was still used and seen as a technician. They weren’t getting the most out of me because of a bias – they ‘knew’ what I could do.

Things change. You change. Your business changes. Bloody hell, everything changes (except Tom Cruise)!

The software you’ve been using the same way for the last 10 years has improved (hopefully!), added features, changed their focus, introduced payment tiers – and you might not be getting the most out of it any more…

The people who work for you or with you have changed, learnt new stuff, added skills – and you might be overlooking them…

The changes might have happened so slowly you didn’t notice.

Or so fast you didn’t understand.
The problem is you might end up switching to the next provider, software, service, mentor, coach, or looking for new people for your team – ‘nexting’ away the opportunities to get the most out of the resources you already have.

My client, Andy Bass, wrote an excellent book all about this – Start With What Works: A faster way to grow our business, he asks: “What have you got, and what else can you do with it?” Which is a great question to get you started and thinking in the right direction.

BUT there’s another side to the equation YOU!

Because the same happens to you – you have changed, added services, learnt new things, added products – the problem is your clients are too busy doing their thing to always notice – now and then you just have to make it clear.

HOW do you keep on top of all this change?
Do a quick internal and external stock take (I do this as part of my yearly detox).

External:

1. List all the software, services, suppliers you’re using
2. Check out their websites/sales page as if you were a new client
3. Are you using them to the best of their ability?
4. What else can you get for what you’re paying?
5. What can you stop because of redundancy or lack of use?

Internal:

1. What’s changed for you in the last year? Have you taken on new staff? Started a new program? Written a new book? Added a new product?
2. Have you told your clients?
3. Have you reminded them?
4. Have they heard you?
5. Would it hurt to tell them again?

You might just find you can get a lot more out of the products and services you’re paying for, AND bring in a lot more money by clearly telling your clients what you do, and how they can refer you.

Ciao for now,
Debs

* I didn’t say it was an amazing epiphany!
** My first job, after a paper round (lol!) was selling fruit and veg in a Kwiksave to pay for my first trip abroad to Salou, Spain

PS: My new book is coming out in the Autumn, Stop Writing Books Nobody Reads, you’ll be first to know.
PPS: I’m starting another cohort of authors who want to write their book and take advantage of group accountability, learning and marketing activities – Short Valuable Books. If you’re interested let me know and I’ll pop you on the waiting list.
PPPPS: I’m running an Uncover Your Hidden Assets masterclass in September, let me know if you want to be on the list – only 10 places!