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“Start a business,” I thought. “It'd be fun,” I thought. Uhm, turns out there's a bit more to it than simply deciding to start a business. A lot, actually. Starting and running a small business can be an incredibly rewarding journey, but it's also fraught with pitfalls and challenges. In the first ever episode of The Write Space podcast, I spoke to business owner and brand designer Giovanni Clinkett about the common small business mistake to avoid, and how to overcome them.
Common Small Business Mistakes to Avoid
The Danger of Chasing Followers
LinkedIn is still one of the best B2B marketing strategies out there. It's a powerful tool to establish your personal brand, business, and authority in your industry. However, in the pursuit of potential clients and relationship-building, it's easy for business owners to get caught up in chasing after followers instead of building genuine relationships and potential leads. While it's true more followers allow you to cast a wider net, it's important to focus on quality over quantity.
Giovanni Clinkett warns against this approach, pointing out that it can be detrimental to your business in the long run.
Focus on Personal Development, Not Just Social Media
When starting a business, it can be tempting to put all your energy into marketing and growing your brand. However, neglecting personal development and self-care can quickly lead to burnout and hinder the success of your business. Yet, investing yourself and your growth as a business owner and human is the greatest gift you can give to your business. It's a lesson I had to learn through the school of hard knocks, and one that Giovanni also stresses as a top small business mistake to avoid.
Face it, you are the captain of your ship. If you don't take care of yourself, your business will suffer as well. Back when I started The Write Space, I got a ton of leads and opportunities really fast, however, I didn't have the “right stuff” at the time to capitalize on them. I had been an excellent writer, but I knew nothing about pricing, contracts, project management, business development, or sales and marketing. All these factors compounded to create a stressful and chaotic environment that ultimately led me to burn out.
It wasn't until I took a step back to focus on personal development and invest in my growth that I was able to truly make strides in my business.
So, while LinkedIn marketing is an amazing space for lead generation, don't forget to nurture the person behind the brand. Take time for self-care, continue learning and improving your skills, and surround yourself with a supportive community that can help you navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship.
Ignoring the Value of Outsourcing: Biggest Small Business Mistake to Avoid
Outsourcing can be a game-changer for small businesses. Giovanni shares his experiences and insights on how to delegate tasks effectively without losing control over your brand's voice and vision. He also emphasizes the importance of focusing on your strengths and outsourcing tasks that may not be within your skill set or interest.
Outsourcing can save you time and energy, allowing you to focus on growing and scaling your business. It also helps you tap into a pool of specialized talent without the commitment and costs associated with hiring full-time employees.
But how do you choose what tasks to outsource? The key is to identify which tasks are essential for your business success and which ones can be done more efficiently by someone else.
Tools such as the Eisenhower Matrix or a task management decision matrix can also help you prioritize tasks and determine which ones to outsource. An exercise you could try is to make a list of all the tasks you currently do for your business then, split group them by importance and urgency. From there, you can identify which tasks can be delegated to others.
When it comes to outsourcing, communication and collaboration are also crucial factors. Make sure to clearly communicate your expectations and goals with the person or team you are outsourcing to. Set up regular check-ins and establish a system for feedback to ensure that the work being done aligns with your vision.
Learn from other Business Owners
Finally, a critical small business mistake to avoid is not seeking help from experienced entrepreneurs. Mistakes are inevitable in any stage of your entrepreneurial journey, but it doesn't mean you have to hit every pothole along the way. With these tips, you can avoid common pitfalls and build a successful business that works for you.
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