It’s an epidemic.
I see it every single day among even the savviest of business owners.
I’ve even been guilty of it myself (gulp.)
What the heck am I talking about?
Asking for opinions about your business. From the wrong people. Or, in the wrong way.
Take a gander at the following scenarios and see if one (or more) resonate with you:
:: You think of a brand spankin’ new name for your business, program, product, or service and then run it by everyone to get their opinion…family, friends, posting random polls on Facebook that not only reach your current posse but also reach your old high school boyfriend, your grandma’s neighbor, and a slew of people you just accepted as friends but have no clue who the heck they are. Then you end up with a trillion different opinions and are left more confused than when you started.
:: You freaking LOVE your business, but every time you share how it’s goin with family + friends they start to prod. Is this really the right decision? Do you really think you can make money doing this? Now you’re left in a sea of doubt and second guessing the reason you even started this biz.
:: You have an idea that gets you SO PUMPED and you start sharing it with your mom, dad, partner, grandma, best friend, tarot card reader, favorite client, and dog walker – only to get 47 different opinions ranging from “awesome idea” to “that idea is the shittiest thing I’ve ever heard.”
So, what’s the deal here?
Gathering information + reactions is important…even crucial…in business.
The problem? If you fit any of the scenarios above, you’re gathering opinions from a lot of the wrong people. And, when it comes time to do something with the information you gather, you start doubting your instincts. Heck, you may even begin doubting your entire business.
This is a vicious cycle I like to call over-polling. It’s something we do when our confidence begins to dip. We immediately start to poll for opinions and seek validation, which is really just a sign of insecurity. Then we’re left with a million hands in the cookie jar and feeling stressed and depressed that nothing is moving forward.
But, not all polling is bad. Here’s how you can “poll” for success:
Poll the Right People
When it comes to business, you should only poll people that are your ideal customers. (hint: not just the people that will give you money, but the people that you live + breathe + feel inspired by.) If you’ve been in business for awhile, you’ll know who these people are. If you’re just starting out, daydream a bit about what your ideal customer is like and create a little character sketch (think of it like writing a character for a novel or screenplay.) Then, work to find a real-life match to this character and ask them your question(s).
While it can be fun to let family + friends know what you’re up to, don’t let their opinions trump your ideal customer’s answers and your own instincts.
Ask the Right Questions
Keep your poll short, simple + easy to answer and avoid strange questions like “how much money would you give me for ______.” Instead, ask your ideal customers what their biggest struggle is and work to solve that struggle in your business.
Trust your Gut
Bottom line? You’ve got to have the confidence to own your instincts. And insecurity leads to muddled, weak-sauce offerings and a repellant business. Trust your gut…it’s a powerful business tool.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank-you, Melissa! I needed this reminder, and tonight was especially good timing
ps – Love your fresh, candid and funny writing style!
Melissa, You have a way of reading my mind. This is a great post and has very important points! Of course, many times you get unsolicited and wrong advice as well. Usually, it starts with: “Why don’t you…..” Do you have a nice way to answer those folks?
Quite often when I engage with qualified prospects, I find them giving me advice on what products I should offer which perhaps could be added but which would dilute the brand that I am trying to nurture. It is, however, a great opportunity to turn the conversation into a conversion by talking more about the core of the business and shifting gears into their problems and struggles. Even if the prospect does not convert they know they were dealing with a professional. @Nina, when I get the kind of question that you asked about, I turn it around by talking about how everyone is doing that and the need to cover areas that are not addressed in the market. I usually throw in a word like USP, niche, signature, platinum etc to create an impact. It works!
Love this, Melissa! How funny that I wanted to read this as it comes up all the time at my naming firm – and your first example is about asking people about a new name for a business! All of this rings so true. We have been using the “shows a lack of confidence” line lately along with, “What would have happened if Richard Branson had asked for people’s opinions about the name Virgin?” We know that when someone asks for an opinion, e.g. “What do you think of this name?” what the other person “hears” is “What don’t you like about this name?” BTW, if you want a professional opinion on any name, run it through our free SMILE & SCRATCH test…
http://eatmywords.com/tips/is-your-name-lame/
I love this post. Knowing when to ask and who to ask can save me a lot of energy. But at the end of the day, my intuition knows best.
Hi Melissa!
Signing up for B-school tomorrow and looking for the right affiliate. I think you may be her!
I’m in the beginning phase of naming my biznass and picking the right domain (a zillion name options vs. “the one”, “the one” vs. my name…), and this was just what I needed to read. Stop asking everybody.
In your experience, do you think it’s best to go with myname.com unless I’ve got one ultra-specific niche in mind? I’m dreaming big here
Hey Nikki, you should always own your own name as a domain (even if you decide to branch out and have other brands in the future) so, for now, I would do everything under yourname.com and then you can always add other brands later if applicable. Hope to have the opportunity to work with you post B-School! Here’s my link if you’d like to sign up to access my bonuses – http://rhhbschool.com/join-us/?orid=20720&opid=71