Jun
16
Introducing The Incredible Business Building Bullshit Detector
I know a guy who lives in northern Ontario. The economy kind of sucks up there and for a variety of reasons, he can’t get a conventional job. His skill set is limited, he doesn’t have a lot of spare time to work and competition for traditional small town ittybiz options (lawn cutting, snow shovelling, that sort of thing) is high.
He does, however, have one particularly unique skill.
He has freakishly good luck when he hunts. I don’t know a whole lot about hunting, but I know you don’t score a dead deer every time you take a walk. It’s an art and a science, and not every buffoon with a rifle gets to take home venison steaks.
So this guy decides to create a business as a hunting guide. He comes with you when you hunt. He finds them, you shoot them.
This dude is pretty bright, and he knows that it’s going to be hard to convince a bunch of people who have never paid for a service to fork over a bunch of cash. He knows that saying to himself, “You know what I’m gonna do? I’m gonna be a hunting guide” and leaving it at that does not fill the college fund. So he makes himself a little plan and then… wait for it… executes it.
He made flyers. Great, vibrant flyers with a photo of him next to a dead deer and a huge smile on his face. (His face, not the deer’s.)
He knows that hunting in small town Ontario is an insular community and that people trust the opinions of those they know. So he courteously asked for testimonials and highlighted them every chance he got.
He put the flyers up where people can see them. Instead of thinking to himself, “where do people put flyers?” he thought “where can I find people who like to hunt?”
He realized that hunters are a grumpy, misanthropic bunch so he figured, “Maybe hunters don’t go out all that often. Maybe I should deliver some flyers door to door.”
He followed up. He sent more flyers. Why? “I figure people mighta been busy. Maybe they didn’t see the first set. Or maybe they did see them and they needed to know I was serious. Maybe they forgot.”
This guy did very well last hunting season and between repeat customers and incredible local word of mouth, this year’s going to be a banner year for him. If he has a free weekend during deer season, I’ll be surprised. He’s even a little concerned that he might not be able to keep up with the demand, because he’s pretty busy on the weekends.
Fourth graders get a lot of homework, you know.
It would appear that my 10-year-old has a better understanding of social proof, repetitive exposure and market analysis than we do.
What happened to us?
Why does he understand that nobody fucking promised him a perfect business? Why does he understand that he has to do the parts of his business that he doesn’t like (traipsing around looking for clients) in order to do the parts of his business that he does like (shooting things for money)? Why is he willing to man up and risk rejection instead of moping around on Twitter, wondering why he’s broke?
I seriously wonder when we got it into our collective adult heads that there’s an easy way. That there’s a way that doesn’t force us to do oneittybittyteensything that we don’t absolutely adore. That there’s a way to avoid anything that might be a little bit uncomfortable.
But sales makes us feel icky!
And promotion makes us feel gross!
And marketers are mean, mean poopyheads!
Enter the Fourth Grade Bullshit Detector Test
Every time you don’t want to do something, think you shouldn’t have too, or find yourself using words like “uncomfortable” or “nervous”, run your excuses through the Fourth Grade Bullshit Detector.
Would an entrepreneurial 10-year-old agree with your logic or would they hear, “But I don’t waaaaaaaaaaaaaaanna”?
Choose your next actions accordingly.
Aw hell, that kicked me right in my Tweetdeck…
But Mommmmmmm! I don’t waannaa get out of bed!
(Actually I am in bed as I do this – at least on it working with the laptop. I love the mobile office!) ;)
(rubs backside) I don’t know whether to wince with embarrassment at having found this stuff difficult (and putting it off) or sulk at myself for having been so rubbish about promoting my own business.
I need this detector. I also need a perfect cup of tea, no distractions and several oiled men draped on my office carpet just aching to give me a massage before I can write copy for my new business website.
Damn, if only that were true. When you’re a writer, it can be so easy to come up with reasons why something hasn’t been done yet, but when it’s copy for your own business, it’s just crapola. I’ll just get on with it…
Oh, dude. I’m feeling this one (as I sit down to conquer the pile of Get Off Your Ass emails…). Time to start figuring out where my hunters at.
Ooooohh! I am so busted. I feel shame. Is the kid hiring?
but i don’t WANNNNAAAA read this article.
Sulking in shame now…!
Anytime someone tells me they want to work for themselves, but thinks that means there won’t be stuff they don’t want to do….you know, just ‘do what you love and the money will follow’…..I worry.
;-)
At the same time, you just kicked my ass and there’s stuff I gotta do today.
All the best!
deb
@ Emma — Don’t worry… I’m wincing too. Some day, ask me how much marketing I’M doing.
I had a guy who butchers hunting “wins” for a living. I told him to do neon orange signs and tack them on trees in hunting areas, then show up for pancake breakfasts. Never did find out if he followed through. Now if only I could come up with clever ideas like that for myself.
What I’d really like to do is set up a table on our “commons” (where our wee gutter punks, social service recipients, and local shoppers mingle over bongs, craft gallery art and cappuccinos, and put up a sign ALA “Lucy” that says “Gotta a business idea? $1 per minute to talk discuss. ” I can sit next the chair massage lady.
Naomi, you are my favoritest marketing coach ever! I hate doing the stuff I’m not good at or that pushes me out of my comfort zone. And that little “but I don’t wanna” voice is pretty powerful stuff, let me tell ya. ;)
Now it’s time to get back to the stuff I don’t wanna do, so I can do more of the stuff I do want to do. :)
Ms Dunford, I follow you on RSS, and usually enjoy, but I’m utterly baffled by this piece (and apparently the only one). Unless your 10-year-old is the gentleman in northern Ontario.
So forgive me, if I’m being thick, but is there a piece of this piece missing? How did we get from hunting guides to fourth grade and “I don’t wanna?”
Help?
Hi Sunil! Michael is my oldest son — he’s 10. He lives with his grandparents (my ex-husband’s parents) in northern Ontario. And yes, he is, well, not so much of a hunting guide but a hunting companion, anyway. He goes hunting with people as a sort of good luck charm. :-)
Great post. Just the reassurance I needed. Kind of like that kid in my 4th grade class that would encourage me to do that slightly uncomfortable thing. Hmmmm….sounds a bit like peer pressure. Thanks Naomi.
Most people are just way more comfortable in the “dreaming it up” than the “getting it done.” Telling people this is true is helpful; then you need a baby steps plan… and some accountability.
I found your website through an article on Copyblogger and I wanted to drop you a line to say I loved the article and I love your website. Aaaaand I’m always THRILLED when I see a fellow Canadian who has “made it” online! Congrats on your success in this market! And keep up with the fabulous articles!
I needed this post today. There are projects that I’ve been putting off and I know they will help me grow my business. Of course there is only so much time in a day, but it’s picking the ones that resonate with my customers. That means reaching out to them where they are.
Now time to get to work.
My I don’t wannnnnnnnnna voice made me read this article. Now I have no excuses!! I have to get the new website articles done. :(
I love this post. I hate that I love it, but I do anyway.
Damn….. You just kicked me in the butt…..
Lol, that’s a prolific way of putting it. :D Very nice euphemism as well, and I know for a fact there’s no such thing as a ‘perfect’ business, do you?
Happy Summer Solstice!
Over the past four years, I have been doing part-time freelance writing. Early this week, I sent out my first offline direct mail package. I don’t feel icky for doing it (I find marketing fascinating, if a bit overwhelming)….just scared to death that it will work! Please tell me that I’m not alone.
As for the 4th grader, I don’t need one. I have an 18 year old daughter who will do the same thing. If I’m complaining, she’ll look at me in that way of hers and say, “You’re the one that wants to be a full time freelancer. Get over it.” Yeah. It irks me when she’s right. :-)