It’s like you want to throw a big costume party.
You call a few friends, “hey, I’m going to throw a costume party.”
“Great idea!” we say. We make supportive noises, offer a few ideas, and say we’ll be glad to help. Because we are, we will be, glad to help.
Then you work out a bit more on your own, and you send out the invitations, and you prepare like mad.
And you wait. Nervously. For guests you *hope* will arrive. “What if no one comes to my party?”
We all get that feeling in business. I think, “What if they don’t drink on Halloween this year?” Jon thinks, “What if no one turns up for the services?” Chris thinks, “What if PodCamp is a big flop?” You know, it is absolutely universal.
The waiting is the killer.
But when you actually get started, a few friends turn up early, and you get busy with them, and then suddenly, there is a party happening.
You have a network. You’ve positioned yourself and done all that self-selling already. You are like a well known hostess. (you’re giggling now, aren’t you?) If you announce your party, people will show up. Really.
The waiting is much worse than the reality.
You say, “But imagine throwing a party and then charging at the door. FREE is easy. Getting people to pay is ridiculous. Isn’t it?”
What on earth makes you think that it is that much harder to get people to pay?? It’s not!
It’s just a business. Really, just like any business on the face of the earth. If it’s valuable to you, you’ll pay for it.
If you put on the invitation that there’s a cover charge, people will get it. They only get upset when you SURPRISE them by charging at the door.
[Thanks to Jon Swanson for encouraging me to post this.]
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Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.
After nine years I still get that feeling when we open the theatre doors, Becky.
I get it – good way to make the point.
Tiffany sent this comment by the contact form:
I thought your title was hilarious which is why I clicked to read it. I never realized before how close those two things correlate! As I get my business rolling, I’ll remember this post and try not to let the fear of ‘waiting for the party to start’ get in my way. Thanks for the fun read!
Thanks, Tiffany! The sooner you get busy with those early party guests (early customers) the easier it is to get the party started.