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One of the biggest roadblocks many women entrepreneurs have to growing their business is thinking they have to first invest in office space, a fancy website, a blog and more before they can be successful.
When I first started what is now a multi-million dollar business, I had a tiny budget. And I thought I would be perceived as more legitimate if I had all of the trappings of a “real” business. So I spent money where I didn’t need to, wasting a lot of my time, effort and my limited budget in the process.
It wasn’t until later that I realized it isn’t the trappings of business that make prospective clients take you seriously. Which is why I want to share with you simple budget-stretching tips to help you attract high-end clients, without breaking the bank.
Tip #1. Focus On Getting Clients Before You Invest In A New Website
While a website is eventually necessary for you to invest in, early on in your business (or when you’re launching the next phase of your business growth) you can skip this time intensive and expensive step. Instead, focus on getting your first few clients, then use your increased cash flow to fund your new website.
I recommend using networking to meet potential new clients. Invite them into a complimentary Discover Session. Then, complete your Discovery Session by offering a Virtual VIP Day. VIP Days are nearly 100% pure profit for you and clients love the high-content value they receive from this intensive format. And the best news is, you don’t need a website to offer VIP Days.
Tip #2. Skip Expensive Office Space In Favor Of This Strategy
Paying for office space that you may only use a few times each month to see clients in is a waste of your budget. Instead, check out many of the shared office rentals that may be available in your city.
Or if you have your eye on an upscale building, ask the receptionist which business might be open to an office sharing arrangement with you. Many businesses have unused space that is expensive for them to maintain, which can make them happy to recoup a bit of their investment.
If your only live client meetings are with VIP clients, where you’re delivering a day of coaching and mentoring, you can check out area hotels as many of these have executive boardrooms or special suites they rent out by the day. Just be sure to negotiate and be prepared to walk away if they won’t accept your budget.
Tip #3. Make Sure Every Penny Is An Investment, Not An Expense
Every networking meeting, coaching program, training course or marketing tool you invest in should give you back a return on your investment. The mistake most women entrepreneurs make is that either they’re not clear ahead of time what the return is they expect or they don’t fully implement what they’re learning and instead, rely on hope to be successful.
Early on in my business, I vowed to implement everything I was learning, no matter what. And as a result, I built up trust in myself and I continually looked for ways to maximize my investment in every course, training or program I invested in. Sometimes that return was in feeling different about myself, helping me to emotionally and energetically leap to the next level.
This helped me grow my confidence to invest at higher and higher levels, even when finding the money to pay for those investments seemed daunting.
Tip #4. Get Your Relationship With Money Handled
Women hesitate to invest in the training and mentoring they need to grow their business because in their heart, they often doubt either their ability to succeed or their ability to handle rapid growth.
This may shock you to hear, but 95% of the success you’ll achieve in your business is due entirely to your relationship with money (and only 5% can be attributed to your marketing). So it makes sense that the more you heal your relationship with money, the quicker and easier you’ll find it is to grow your business, without the overwork, overwhelm or under earning that many women entrepreneurs commonly experience.
A Budget Need Not Ever Limit You From Achieving Your Next Level Of Success!
If you have any thoughts of “I can’t afford it” I recommend taking a closer look at this barrier and apply the tips I’ve just shared with you. “I can’t afford it” is a cover up for fear and doubt, both of which are far more costly than the investment in what you need to grow your business.
Remember, this YOUR business and don’t let anyone, or any hidden doubts or fears, hold you back from achieving what it is you truly want!
