Love What You Do

Wales is my spiritual home. When I think of a romanticised Wales, I imagine rolling green hills and wonderful stone built workshops isolated in the countryside, with beams of sunlight glittering in on a lone artisan working inside his stone-brick shop. I imagine peering in through the dusty window, watching an old master at work using hand tools, working with his hands, creating Celtic instruments, while in the background the gentle strumming of a harp made by his hands sings Celtic music.

There is beauty in tradition. Today, however, old handicrafts are replaced by computerised technology; the mechanisation of harp making is a prime example. The end of the old ways might seem sad to some, but it is also about passing the craft on to the next generation. It's about taking the baton on to the next generation, and expanding what the old master has done, because eventually the pupil should exceed the master, or the master has failed.

Computerisation mainly frees up drudgery (breaking the donkey work down) for the artisan who then has more time to be creative, which will eventually help improve the instrument. If this can give the youngster the buzz of creating, then it means the craft will survive. And although there is a danger that all the old ways might be replaced, generally human skill will always be needed for the soundboard and acoustics.

Youngsters brought up with computers can use skills the old artisan might not have, and that is great - it's a cross-fertilisation where the artisan needs the young apprentice, and the apprentice needs the artisan's skills - to make the partnership more balanced.

It's the way of the world, balancing the old with the new, and making sure that the best survives for the generations to come. But I suppose what is most important is not the tools used for the craft, but the passion behind it.

I've talked about achieving a state of bliss, but loving your job, or going after your passion in the workplace can add help to add meaning and purpose to your life. It makes sense that if you enjoy your work, you can be a happier person. It is necessary to focus more on being, rather than just doing, but if you love what you do, then you can love what you be.

Anyone can replicate products and services. Anyone can offer things for sale. Anyone can put up a website. Anyone can post notes on social media sites. Anyone can buy a success system and follow the step-by-step pattern. So why don't more people win at business?

Because they forget the "you" factor. They forget that at the heart of every successful business is a sales engine. There is a real, live human being that has discovered how to reach across the mail, email, websites, banners, billboards, and store fronts, and convince his fellow human being to pay him/her money for his/her wares.

This real, live human being has discovered that it is their unique insights, characteristics, and style that does the selling. Once they unlock the recipe for how to sell what they are offering, they can teach it to employees and replicate it.

But the first and most important job we have is to inject the "you" factor into the sales process.

You must discover the answer to this question: "Which, of all the selling approaches I could use, would I personally be best at putting to use based on my skills and talents?" Let me give you an example of how this works: When my twin flame started his own business, we went to a seminar by Bob Bly called "Selling Yourself".

Bob is a very smart fish. During those four days, Bob presented us with more than a dozen different techniques and strategies for marketing ourselves. He also brought in guest speakers to give us their perspective.

But, the most important thing Bob did was give us the underpinning principles of marketing ourselves. He not only told us "what" to do and "how" to do it - he told us "why". He then told us that in the real world, his ideas would not show up as they had in the seminar. Things would be different. We would need to adjust and adapt. We would need to personalise it to fit our unique style.

At the time, we did not realise how powerful this was or how wise Bob was in presenting it to us this way.

But, my twin flame took his advice to heart. He tried a number of different approaches. In the end, he found that his best success came in picking up the phone and calling people. He has a natural ability to create instant rapport with people in person and over the phone. People just like him and trust him when they meet him.

Over the course of hundreds of calls, he discovered a script and approach for closing deals. Today, he can close a consulting deal, almost at will, if he can speak on the phone or in person to someone.

Why? Because he combined proven sales tactics and strategies with his unique style and approach. He discovered the answer to his sales question and his business boomed.

Ways to sell your business

For this article I asked my twin flame to provide a short, simple list of ways he has seen people successfully market and sell profitably. All will work. But not all will work best for you and your business. Your task is to discover which ones will and focus on them until you master them.

• Direct mail
• TV ads
• Billboards
• Social Media
• Pay-Per-Click
• Door-to-door (yes, people are still getting wildly rich doing this)
• Telemarketing
• Retail
• Swap-meets, farmer's markets, and such
• SEO
• Magazines
• Video marketing
• Live events

What can you add to the list? There are many, many more approaches.

A powerful, upward cycle

Let me continue by giving you an outline of why it is so vital and rewarding for you to focus your unique abilities on discovering the best possible sales strategy for your business.

When you focus on discovering your unique ability to sell to your market, experts say a magical chain of events happens in your life and business.

• You specialize and begin to master your unique talents and skills.
• As you get better and better, you grow in confidence. Confidence is a key part of all success.
• Confidence gives you great doses of courage. Courageous people are always willing and able to do scary, "impossible" things. This separates them from the crowd.
• Doing scary, unique, uncomfortable things because you have courage allows you to produce unique results, products, and services.
• This draws people to you. People love new and unique and special. And, they pay for it!
• The more you focus on "just you" sort of tasks, the more money you make because you are specializing, growing in confidence, etc. People notice that and will pay you more for it.
• As you make more and focus on your strengths, you will sell more, grow in joy, peace, wealth, and fulfilment. It's fantastic!

There is no escaping that fact.

You see, I've always wanted to start my own business – a business that would empower the working mum. A business that would provide the tools for EVERY working mum to lead a healthier, wealthier, and more balanced life.

It is my belief that working mums have more influence on what our world will look like than any other single group of people. Plus, they have the responsibility to match.

But I already have a job. And not just any job. I have one of the best jobs in the world. But it is a passion of mine for the future that I am researching.

These are the three most valuable lessons I have learned thus far:

1. Less is more. A friend of mine recently left her corporate job to start her own marketing consulting firm. The first thing she did was find office space. I asked her why she was doing it. She told me that, with the real estate market in the dumps, space was a bargain. So she was able to rent space for $1,500 a month that normally went for three grand.

   But she did not stop there. She bought a desk, chair, filing cabinets, and a couch. She spent £5,000 before she wrote a sales letter or had a website built.

   After two months of trying, she finally landed her first client. That client is paying her a £2,000 a month retainer. You do the maths.

   Back in 2009, when my twin flame started his own business we did not have a library, den, or office, but still he did not go out and rent space. He converted our rarely used dining room into his office. (Heck, we're kitchen people anyway.) It overlooks a forest, and he find it very conducive to working. When he or I need a change of scenery, we take our laptops and sit out by the trees. He did not buy filing cabinets or print business cards. He had a really good computer and he understood the value of knowing how to use it to it's fullest.

2. Work on your business every day. When you are starting a brand-new business that is going to be your livelihood, there are no weekends. You don't get the day off because it is your wedding anniversary or your kid's birthday. You have to make sacrifices.

   Now does this mean my twin flame missed his loved ones' birthday? Of course not. But after I went to bed, he worked. He worked until he finished everything he needed to do. Sure, the goal of having your own business is to get it to the point where you are living your desired lifestyle. But this does not happen overnight.

   You must take your business seriously. For this very reason, I vowed that I would not work in my pyjamas. I still get up and get my bike ride in first thing in the morning. I then shower, dress, and dive into my work. My twin flame does the same.

   We don't stay in bed an extra hour or talk on the phone. We treat our work with respect. I know far too many "entrepreneurs" who are still in their pyjamas late in the afternoon. These are the people who are always asking why they are not doing as well as their competitors.

3. Know your market intimately. It's best if you are a member of your target market. If you are not personally in your target market, there are several things you can do to get yourself up to speed. Start with these:
   • Study your competition. Understand what they do and figure out how you can do it faster, better, and cheaper.
   • Use Amazon to get insider information about your prospective customers. Read reviews on products similar to the ones you are thinking of developing. Decide how you could address buyers' concerns and enhance the features and benefits they like.

These lessons alone will help you make more money and gain more flexibility in your business.

And this is important - my work speaks to my passion, but starting and cultivating a profitable business is important. And, managing that business while procuring flexibility adds tremendous value to your life.

As you can see all three sides of the triangle, money, passion and flexibility should be considered in starting and running your business. As your business grows the priorities will shift. Some days all three may share in equality. Some days one or two may take a strong lead. Just like all aspects of your life your business in continuously evolving.

Ultimately you'll discover that if you love what you do, what you do will love you.

Yours in love,