Your Business Needs YOU!

sign-36834_150.pngYour Business Needs YOU!

Hi everyone,

Making money online is easy, right? Even as a total beginner, you know exactly what you’re doing, where you’re heading and how you’re going to get there, no? Hmm okay, maybe you’re thinking, “Not me!” and you’d be perfectly entitled to think that way. Sure, some people may just take to making money online like a duck to water but I think it’s safe to say that the majority of us find it a little more difficult, especially at the beginning.

What Holds You Back?

I’m sure that we could all come up our own lists of different obstacles, each person viewing each obstacle with a differing degree of hindrance. I think if we compared notes, though, then we’d see that we likely share a few common enemies, objections such as:

Do any of those hit home for you? I’ve certainly had some of those and many other objections that have held me back. Well I’m not going to cover all those things right now, but I will be making these objections and others like them the subject for my next post, so be sure to look out for that.

What I am going to talk about can contribute to a few of those objections and it’s something that I feel is of paramount importance in your business, especially if you’re a writer on a blog or a creator of e-books, audio/video products or anything that involves you presenting yourself in some way.

Fake It ‘Til You Make It

Don’t! The ‘Fake It ‘Til You Make It’ approach is something that beginners are often encouraged to take, but the name of the approach itself contains the very reason why you shouldn’t take it – it’s fake. People can spot a fake and if you find yourself branded as such then it can stick to you for a long time.

Rather than faking it, it’s much better to be open, honest, transparent and genuine. People will respect you far more and will be much more likely to engage with you on a personal level than if you’re just some cookie cutter hack who’s blagging your way through whatever it is you’re doing. Remember, you want people to know, like and trust you and this is something they’re unlikely to do with a fake.

You Need a USP

“I need a what?” You need a USP. Right from the beginning, you need this. What is a USP? It stands for, “Unique Selling Point” or “Unique Selling Proposition”. What this basically means is that you need something that is unique to you, something that no-one else has, something that makes what you’re offering attractive to your potential customers.

“But I’m only starting out, how can I have a USP?”, you may ask.

 
Well, I’m going to let you in on a little secret…

 
 

Sshhh! Don’t tell anyone…….

 
 

Maybe you have already guessed what it is….

 
 

For those of you who don’t know, then I’ll reveal it now….

 
 

You already have a USP!

That’s right, you – yes, you – already have a unique selling point. Now, it’s true that there may be some people who have more than one USP, but there’s one thing that every single person has, but it’s something that’s unique to each person. Have you figured it out yet? Well, how about I share with you what my USP is?

Okay, here it is….

 

 USP

 

 

Okay, it’s not the best picture, but that’s my USP – me! Yes, I have something that absolutely no-one else on the planet has – myself!

Yes, each of us – you included! – has our own unique selling point, something that no-one else has. Each of us is an individual with our own personality, skills, experiences, outlook, feelings and perceptions. We can inject a bit of ourselves into everything that we do, whether it be our blog posts or our products and it’s this that can tip the scales in making what we’re offering attractive to another person.

So if you don’t know what to write about then write about what you know! Tell your story, chronicle your online journey, write about what you feel strongly about. If you find something that you feel could benefit others then share it. You don’t need to be a wordsmith or technically brilliant, you just need to be sincere, honest and yourself.

The more experience you gain and the more knowledge you acquire then the more things you’ll be able to write about, even doing so as an authority. That’s right – an authority. There’s always going to be someone who knows less than you do and  you can use what you know to help them.

Ultimately, whether you’re just starting out or you’re more established, always be yourself and always remain true.

Have you noticed just how many products there are out there that teach about making money online? Have you noticed how many gurus there are? There are lots of good products and there are lots of good, genuine gurus. Oftentimes they’re teaching pretty much the same thing, so how is it that each is successful? Well let me ask you this: do you have a favourite brand of soft drink? Or perhaps a favorite beer or wine? Why is it your favourite? Isn’t it because it’s unique, that there’s something about it that the rest don’t quite have?

We all gravitate to things that we feel a connection with, whether it be a taste preference or someone to whom we can easily relate or enjoy listening. That is why a lot of people may gravitate to one particular guru and then others gravitate to someone else. Even if they’re teaching similar things, each has something that the other doesn’t – his/herself.

So whatever it is that you’re doing, remember your USP. Be yourself, infuse yourself into what you do and you will be sure to make those personal connections that are so vital to the growth and longevity of your business.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post. Don’t forget to tell Mr Einstein below what you thought about it and please remember to share if you enjoyed it 🙂 Don’t forget to look out for my coming post all about removing obstacles. Talk soon!

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24 thoughts on “Your Business Needs YOU!”

    1. Hi Shaun,

      You’re so right. Hype and enthusiasm are one thing, but when they start making claims that simply aren’t true or giving the impression that they know more than they really do, then they just lose credibility in my eyes.

      While faking it may work for some, I believe it can only ever be a short-term thing as they’ll eventually slip up. Whereas those who remain open, honest and true to themselves, although it may be a hard slog at first, it will pay dividends in the long run.

      Thanks for stopping by, nice to see you here again 🙂

      Regards,
      Glenn
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…Are You Sending Your Visitors Away?My Profile

  1. Everyone needs a Unique Selling Proposition. I actually thought about this a lot. There are thousands of proportional products websites, why would someone buy from me as oppose to someone else. We all claim to offer outstanding customer service, best pricing and fast turnaround. I started to ask my customers why they come back and buy from me. The comments were that they had a good experience, no hazzles, felt that they were treated as they were my only customer, appreciated that I was nonsense and made things happen. So I was having trouble figuring out my USP but my customers knew. What a better way brand yourself then what your customers want.
    Arleen recently posted…Jay Z + Samsung Reap the Benefits of Giving Things AwayMy Profile

    1. Hi Arleen,

      That’s a great point. You could end up spending a lot of time trying to figure out your USP when to other people it’s as clear as day.

      If you concentrate on always giving value and putting your customers first then you’ll be on the right track. It also pays to listen to them to so that, like you say, you can be what they want you to be.

      No-one is going to appeal to 100% of the people 100% of the time but a good USP will definitely help things along.

      Thanks for visiting again and for sharing your thoughts, it’s very much appreciated.

      Kind regards,
      Glenn
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…What is Your “Because”? Eliminate Your ObstaclesMy Profile

  2. What a wonderful post Glenn and I appreciate you sharing this with us all. There are so many people coming online today that are still being taught the wrong way.

    So you asked some questions above about what was holding people back and I had said yes to all of them in the beginning too. I just knew that there were literally millions of people online and knowing that they could possibly see what I was doing was scary. Not that all of them would but I didn’t know how all of this worked when I started.

    For many it takes years to really find where we all belong. The one thing that I’ve learn over everything else is to always stay true to yourself. You read my recent post on branding and as I had said in there what you put online stays online forever so just watch it.

    If you fake it hoping you’ll someday make it then that will catch up with you and I don’t think most people can really do that anyway. It’s uncomfortable and hard to keep up with.

    Be yourself, take the right action steps and you’ll start to see results. You’ll have the opportunity to meet some amazing people and form some lasting friendships. That will take you much farther in the long run.

    Enjoy the ride because trust me, it’s a blast!

    Great post Glenn, thanks again and enjoy your week.

    ~Adrienne
    Adrienne recently posted…Why You Are Your BrandMy Profile

    1. Hi Adrienne,

      Thanks so much for coming by and for sharing your thoughts, it’s much appreciated.

      I’m 100% with you on staying true to yourself, that’s what I’m all about too. Of course it’s going to take some time establish ourselves, find our place and truly ‘bed in’ to the industry, so this will naturally result in changes and adaptations. But the most important thing is to always remain true to ourselves, honest and strive to give value in all that we do.

      One of my favourite tasks is blogging and blog-hopping for the very reason that you mentioned, that of meeting amazing people. In addition to discovering some awesome content I’ve already built up relationships with some great people who are always ready to help in any way they can and whom I am happy to help also. All my networking has only been done online so far but hopefully I’ll soon get chance to attend an event and expand my network even further.

      Thanks again, Adrienne for stopping by and sharing your thoughts and experience. Please come again 🙂

      Kind regards,
      Glenn
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…What is Your “Because”? Eliminate Your ObstaclesMy Profile

  3. sherman smith

    Hey Glenn,

    People tend to skip the USP. they’re always marketing their company and products/services without questioning why would prospects do business with you. We all been taught to brand ourselves, but for the most of us, I believe we’ve been so conditioned from watching tv and movies, we feel that we need to be this “fast talking sales person” that can sell ice to an eskimo.

    It’s great to think positive, but the best way is to sell yourself to your prospects. They have to go through you before they get to your offers. As a matter of fact the cliche “never judge a book by it’s cover” doesn’t apply here. Since you are the cover, your prospects are going to judge you regardless.

    So yes, I definitely agree in focusing on “YOU”. Build up YOU Inc. and you’ll attract the people that you want. Thanks for sharing!

    1. Hi Sherman,

      You’re absolutely right. So many people focus on selling but fail to realise that once you establish yourself as a source of trust and people are attracted to you, then your products and services can pretty much sell themselves.

      People don’t like being sold to, so they must be the ones who make the decision to buy based on what they observe and experience about the seller. So yes, first impressions last and you are definitely judged on them.

      Thanks so much for visiting and commenting 🙂

      Regards,
      Glenn
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…What is Your “Because”? Eliminate Your ObstaclesMy Profile

  4. Hi Glenn!

    Great advice to all! Oh that Fake it till you make it just gets on my nerves every time I hear that one. I cannot fathom how people can do this. It is a lie and you know what happens when you start off with a lie, more to come and eventually one will fall down.

    As for USP – Once people understand that they are a unique individual that can bring to the table their own edge, they’ve got it! I can read several blog posts on the same subject and will be attracted to those that I resonate with.

    Just like your example of what is your favorite drink? Well I can go out and order wine. I like a semi dry Reisling. Now there must be hundreds of that kind. But what brings me back to the same label? I like it!

    Same goes for all of us out here. What brings us back to certain people? We like them. And we, as marketers cannot expect everyone to resonate with us. Well heck, I wouldn’t want to do business with anyone who didn’t want to work with me. It would be exhausting.

    So, I bring to the table who I am, what I can offer and of course like to go the extra mile. If people like it great, if not, no skin off my nose. That is how business is run. I rather have folks enjoying the experience on my team than those who won’t. I like quality not quantity!

    We all are different and we must acknowledge to overcome anything that holds us back from what we want to achieve. If we get stuck, there is always help out there for whatever reason we may “think” we cannot go forward.

    I don’t like technical stuff, so I hire someone to do that for me. My followers all know that about me because I tell them. And when I do install a plug in they all laugh and egg me on.

    Point here is have fun! Keep things light and share what you know. Grow as a newbie and don’t let anything stand in your way.

    Sorry for the novella….I’m passionate about this subject lol.

    -Donna
    Donna Merrill recently posted…Lead Magnet CreationMy Profile

    1. Hey Donna,

      Thanks so much for visiting and commenting! And there’s absolutely no need to apologise, I really enjoy reading people’s thoughts on here. Besides, I think the post I recently left on your blog was probably around three times as long! lol!

      You’re so right about quality, not quantity. It’s like traffic or e-mail subscribers, for example. I’d much rather have 10 people who visit my site, enjoy what they see and find it useful rather than 10,000 visitors who don’t care and are never going to turn into subscribers or customers.

      It should always be about quality and that quality should absolutely start with us.

      Thanks again for stopping by, you’re welcome any time 🙂

      Regards,
      Glenn
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…Are You Consistently Consistent?My Profile

  5. Hi Glenn

    First of all, your site is great and a lot of valuable content! I’m also a member of MWA and Dean Holland’s quick start challenge, and some other courses and communities online. I will get going with the challenge soon as well 🙂

    This is a great post and something I have personally struggled with in the past. I just launched my site, but before that I was always thinking of ways that would make me unique enough to stand out in the crowd. So you are absolutely right that the UPS should be YOU. What is really more unique than yourself? I don’t think anything can beat that!

    All the best,
    Navid

    1. Hi Navid,

      Thanks for the compliments, I’m glad you like my site 🙂

      With the fantastic teachings from Alex and Dean behind us we’re sure to be successful at this, so long as we apply what we learn. I’m sure you’ll enjoy going through Dean’s Quick Start Challenge, he keeps things nice and simple and the Facebook group is filled with lots of helpful people with a variety of skills and experience.

      Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting 🙂

      Regards,
      Glenn
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…You Have the Knowledge!My Profile

  6. Hey Glenn,

    Fantastic post yet again.

    What I think a lot of people have is the fear of ‘packaging’ their knowledge, as well as having the feeling that ‘I don’t have anything to contribute’. I must admit I felt the same way until I read some fantastic books, and went through training material by Alex, and a couple of other marketers, Derek Gehl and Brett McFall. It just opened my eyes to the many areas where I have a lot of knowledge that people out there are look for. The challenge is to package it ‘right’ for the market. 🙂
    Ben Solomon recently posted…Learning / Research vs ActionMy Profile

    1. Hey Ben,

      Yes I agree. There are so many self doubts that we can have but, at the end of the day, we’re unlikely to ever reach the point where we feel truly comfortable and ready so, as Alex always reminds us, we just need to take action and do something. It may not be perfect but so long as we get it going then at least we’ve made a start and then can always learn from and improve upon it.

      When I first started I hadn’t the first clue about writing a blog and definitely didn’t feel that I could contribute anything that people would find interesting enough or that they would benefit from. But I’ve been able to learn and improve as I go along and yes, I even get awesome visitors such as yourself! 🙂

      Thanks for the support, buddy, always appreciated.

      Glenn
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…What is your “Why”?My Profile

  7. Hi Glen,

    another of your awesome posts. I too liked your USP definition. I knew it from the standard unique selling point but I too never though of it as myself. It is not only your identity it is also your voice, the way you present your content and the way you interact with your visitors. That is the biggest selling point. If you are true to yourself you come out looking more honest and trustworthy and that is why people will buy from you.

    Take care,

    Dita
    Dita recently posted…Tips To Reduce Website Bounce Rate: What Does Bounce Rate MeanMy Profile

    1. Hi Dita,

      Another of your awesome comments! 😉

      You’re absolutely spot-on. I think that if I had tried to market myself according to some sort of preconceived idea about how I should be then I think that I would have found the process so much more difficult and not as enjoyable. Also I think that people wouldn’t have connected with me on the same level.

      When I think of all the marketers whom I admire, such as Dean Holland, Alex Jeffreys, Liz Tomey, Tom Ness, Justin Lewis, Lee McIntyre and many more, they all have something in common – they all present themselves naturally. Yes, they present THEMSELVES! It was this quality that attracted me to them the most; the human element, the personable approach.

      Thanks Dita,
      Glenn 🙂
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…Five Tips for Taking ActionMy Profile

  8. Neamat Tawadrous

    Hi Glen,

    This is one great article Glen. Indeed, faking is short-lived and you will be caught at the end. It is kind of the identity theft. You steal an identity that is not yours and you will always appear fearful not as relaxed as being yourself.

    I love how you explained the USP. Indeed, your USP is your brand and it is what YOU offer that is better than what others in your niche are offering. What’s so unique about YOU that others in your Niche are not offering. This basically means that a brand is how you’re remembered.

    I am working these days on narrowing my Niche and defining my USP. It actually needs lots of market research to find the right spot for you.

    Thanks Glen for a great share. Lots of value indeed.

    Be Blessed,

    Neamat

    1. Hi Neamat,

      I like how you liken faking it to identity theft, I’ve never considered it like that before. It’s so true though, if you fake it then you’re promoting an identity that’s not real, so even if you’re not using someone else’s identity then it’s just as bad as it’s still not being honest.

      I think that sometimes people can get so wrapped up in trying to work out a USP that they overlook the one that’s right in front of them all the time. Even if you’re not faking things, you can still fall into the trap of being someone you’re not, which can result in making your content seem forced or stagnant.

      I believe that it’s much better to have real, honest content that comes right from within, from who you are really, than trying to be someone you’re not. It will be much more natural and less stressful. It’s also much easier for people to relate to you and for you to relate to them.

      Thanks for your visit and your insights, Neamat. A pleasure as always 🙂

      Regards,
      Glenn
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…Consistency is Key & the Golden RuleMy Profile

  9. Hi Glen,

    I read your comment at Neamat’s post “6 Steps On How To be brave In Your Business” and loved your comment there. If there’s a like button or I would’be liked your comment. And so I just come here…

    Anyway, I am lead to your website coz I want to know who this person is. And so you have done an EXCELLENT presentation writing what it really takes to be successful in your business online.

    In fact, I’m in the midst of writing “You Are The Product.” I wrote it last week but there is something missing there. But it got me to thinking about a lot of things.

    What a lot of us business entrepreneurs are going through have the same color and yet different context and structure. We all present it in our own perspective and grade of light. But it all falls in the same stream.

    I agree in everything you said.

    Somehow the USP reminds me of “ups.” We are all a package with different content and structure but we EACH have our UNIQUE capabilities. We are like our finger prints. Unrepeatable. Undeniable. No one is like us. Some people may say, “You’re just like me!” But the truth if the matter we are unique in our own way. Anyway, I just came by to say a quick “hello”. I hope to come more often. Thanks for sharing this post.

    Angela
    Angela McCall recently posted…Biggest Marketing ChallengesMy Profile

    1. Hi Angela,

      I really appreciate you stopping by to check me out, thanks. I’m certainly no expert and, as yet, I’m nowhere near the levels of success that I would like, but I just write about what I know based on what I’ve experienced. I always aim to write helpful content that people enjoy and find useful so I’m happy when I get feedback like yours, thank you 🙂

      I, too, often think of UPS when I see USP, although I hadn’t thought about it in the way you mentioned. That’s a really interesting way of looking at it, that we’re all a package with different content and structure.

      Thanks again for stopping by, it’s open house on my blog so you’re always welcome to come by any time and leave a comment. I really enjoy interacting with everyone 🙂

      Kind regards,
      Glenn
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…What is your “Why”?My Profile

  10. Hi Glenn,

    Good advice. It certainly does not pay to fake it as I am sure you would easily get caught out. in the end.

    When I first started blogging in IM and building a list I was always afraid that someone would ask me a question I did not know the answer to but I had a coach who was on hand to help in that respect.

    I didn’t endounter that problem but people will respect you more for admitting you don’t know.

    BTW, glad to see you are writing in shorter blocks of text! It really makes it so much easier to read.even though it doesn’t work for you.

    Sandy
    Sandy Halliday recently posted…Does Your Blog Text Size and Font Matter?My Profile

    1. Hi Sandy,

      You’re absolutely right about people respecting you more for admitting that you don’t know. After all, none of us know everything about everything and we’re always learning and improving all the time.

      I’m just thinking about Dean and how I’ve heard him on many occasions say that he doesn’t know about a certain subject. For example, on our iPro member webinars he’s sometimes been asked questions to which he’s admitted he doesn’t know the answer. But does that make a difference to us? I’m sure that it doesn’t, I know that for me it makes me appreciate him and respect him for his honesty even more.

      I actually have a personal experience about this very subject, but rather than relate it here now I’ll save it for a future blog post 😉

      I’m glad you like my new writing style. Now that I’m getting used to it it’s coming more naturally. It doesn’t really matter that I don’t like it if it means that it’s easier for the majority of my visitors. After all, I’m not the one who has to read it!

      Thanks for dropping by and for your continued support, it’s much appreciated as always 🙂

      Take care,
      Glenn
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…You Have the Knowledge!My Profile

    1. Hey Jerry,

      You’re absolutely right. I believe that everyone has so much to offer, they just need to recognise that and have the courage and determination to put themselves out there.

      Thanks for your comment, buddy 🙂

      Glenn
      Glenn Shepherd recently posted…Five Tips for Taking ActionMy Profile

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