Written by “Stop Doing This.”
I hate that phrase almost as much as “You need to be doing…” when it comes to business advice. I think the only time I’ve ever been a hypocrite and uttered that phrase was when I told people they needed to stop using their personal emails for business. But to be fair:
- Google totally backed me on that with the Email Authentication push last year, and
- Most email clients tell people the same thing – no free email addresses when sending bulk emails.
Honestly, that one just seemed like general common sense – would you buy from validcompany@companyname.com or maynotbeheretomorrow@yahoo.com?
In either case, I logged into LinkedIn this week and saw a big “STOP” in all caps, paired with some new theory about what entrepreneurs should or shouldn’t be doing. The message? Apparently, if you don’t follow this newfound wisdom, your business might implode because, heaven forbid, you decide to run your business your way instead of following the crowd.
Here’s the Thing: Your Business is YOUR Business
One of the most frustrating questions I get is: “Hey, what is your client doing for XYZ?” What my real estate client is doing is not going to look anything like what my accountant client is doing – or my yoga instructor client, for that matter. Why? They have COMPLETELY different audiences, buyer profiles, and pain points.
All Audiences Are Not Created Equal
Yes, you can apply the basic fundamentals across the board – that’s why the buyer’s journey of Awareness, Consideration, and Decision exists. BUT what you do within those stages has to be tailored to your target audience and, more importantly, the personas within that audience.
For example:
- A person seeking out my yoga instructor client is likely focused on health and wellness concerns. That audience might need quick tips, videos, or content that helps them figure out if they can “fix” their problem themselves before committing to professional help.
- On the contrary, someone about to invest $20,000 in real estate? Quick tips aren’t cutting it. They want case studies and white papers to decide:
- If they even want to invest,
- How to invest, and
- If the person they’re considering working with actually knows what they’re doing.
Trust Your Gut
My point is this: what works for one business might not work for another. YOU know your audience better than anyone else, so stop letting some random voice on the internet – someone who knows nothing about you or your business – tell you that you’re doing it wrong.
To be crystal clear, I’m referring to generic advice. For example, an Email Marketing Specialist telling you to stop sending emails, not realizing you have an incredible open rate, even though you send three emails a week because your particular audience LOVES hearing from you.
If someone is in the same niche as you, by all means, consider their advice – but take it with a grain of salt. Yes, imitation is flattery, but as a potential client recently told me about his intentions for a new workflow, my immediate thought was: copying 99% of what someone else does isn’t flattery. You’re not showcasing your identity; you’re showcasing someone else’s.
Take what resonates with you and adapt it to your own business. It’s just like relationship advice – you need to consider your partner’s personality as well as your own. Treat the advice as adaptable guidelines: keep what’s relevant, and toss what’s not.
Why the Beef?
What also makes those general “STOP” posts so frustrating is how contradictory they are. One “expert” will tell you to stop offering free consultations and charge for your time, while another will swear free consultations are essential and charging upfront will scare potential clients away. Some will push cold emails, constant DMs, and relentless follow-ups, while others will insist it’s about building relationships first and selling second.
No wonder people are confused!
Over the years, I’ve lost count of how much “advice” I’ve been given:
- “You need to be the face of your brand.” Every single place Kopf Consulting appears, you’ll see my logo – not my face. My face isn’t even on my website, and yet, this June, I’ll celebrate 18 years in business.
- “You need to do more podcasts and speaking events.” Fun fact: I’ve never done a single one, and I’m still doing just fine.
- “You need to constantly post on social media and email nonstop!” Don’t even get me started on social media (SocialBee – love you!), and I email when I feel like it because I want those emails to be genuine, not forced.
Not Everyone Is Genuine
If your business is still running and growing, you’re doing things right. And if it’s not growing as fast as you’d like, or you’re not earning as much as you’d hoped, stop looking at what the person to your left or right is doing. (Okay, I know that technically counts as “stop doing this,” so strike two for me!)
Full transparency: I’ve seen the backend of some businesses run by these so-called “successful” people. Not everyone is doing as well as they claim. Many of them are making their money by convincing you they’re successful and gaslighting you into paying for their “secrets.” What they’ve really mastered is selling modern-day snake oil.
How to Find the Answers
Take a breath. Step back. And look to your audience for answers. Send surveys (I swear I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again – people LOVE sharing their opinions). Build buyer profiles. Go where your audience hangs out and ask them the questions that matter.
DO. THE. WORK!
If you’re an accountant, join a group of entrepreneurs and ask what they want from an accountant. What services are they looking for? If you’re a yoga instructor, go to health and wellness groups and ask what people value most in a yoga instructor.
Don’t try to sell underhandedly – be upfront about why you’re asking. These are your potential clients, the people you’re trying to connect with. They’ll tell you why they’d say “Yes” or “No” and be honest because they have nothing to gain.
One of my clients had a list of over 6,000 people and launched a product that didn’t convert. I was proud of her for being brave enough to ask her audience what she missed and what they actually wanted. Their responses helped her realize she wasn’t giving them what they needed; she was giving them what she thought they needed, based on someone else’s business model she’d been trying to emulate.
You’ve Got This!
To all of you reading this (thank you for being here, by the way), don’t let yourself get discouraged if you’re doing XYZ and see a post that says, “Stop doing XYZ.” If it’s working for you, keep doing it! If you see something that says, “You need to be doing XYZ,” and it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it.
If you aren’t sure, go to a Facebook group or community of entrepreneurs and ask for volunteers to help you test an idea or product. I did that years ago with a potential copywriting software – way before AI – and it saved me so much time and energy because no one liked the software’s output.
You’re doing fine.
And if you’re struggling, trust your gut when seeking help. Too many people profit by making others feel insecure and dependent. Don’t let yourself fall into that trap.
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