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Smart Women And The Fear of Commitment

Guest post by: Joy Chudacoff

Article Overview: In my work supporting women entrepreneurs, I find fear of commitment in business can make the difference between mediocre results and extraordinary results. Here are some tips to help you commit and get your ideal clients.

Smart Women And The Fear of Commitment

Commitment. It’s a powerful word that conjures up a mix of emotions and can be a scary thought– especially in business. Being committed to something means you’re choosing not to be committed to something else – sounds simple, right? In essence, you’re pledging or engaging in a relationship to the exclusion of others. In my work supporting women entrepreneurs, I find fear of commitment in business can make the difference between mediocre results and extraordinary results.

For example, making a commitment to “niche” yourself and serve a specific target market is unsettling to some entrepreneurs. There’s a fear of losing business or potential clients when you make this bold move. Oftentimes, I hear the phrase, “Everyone can benefit from my service!” While that may be true, if you want to attract more clients and increase your income, it’s essential to overcome your fear of commitment once you’re clear on who your ideal client is.

Why? With the enormous amount of information we receive each day, it can be challenging for people to make qualified referrals to you if they aren’t sure exactly who you serve. Helping your referral sources understand exactly how your business helps others can boost business quickly. Making a commitment to serve a specific target market also keeps your marketing efforts clear, directed and focused.

I, too, experienced the fear of commitment in my business early on. When Smart Women Smart Solutions® was in the early stages of growth, I coached women of all ages (and a few men too!). I started out with the belief that my service was for women of all ages and stages of life. What I learned from this experience was that I love working with women entrepreneurs in service-based businesses who are motivated to accelerate their growth and income. This provided me the clarity I needed for my marketing message which saves time and money.

If you’re ready to commit to your business and attract your ideal client, here are some tips to get you going:

1. Keep a Journal – After every client interaction, take some time to reflect on what worked well and any areas that might need improvement. Did you enjoy being with the client? Did you enjoy the process? Was it smooth and seamless?

2. Peel Back The Layers – What part of the process did you like best? Do you enjoy the process more in the beginning? Middle? End? Where do you sparkle? Where does your genius show up?

3. Create an Ideal Client Profile – Over time, you’ll begin to see similarities in the clients you enjoy working with. It could be a targeted age range, or specific industry. Notice if you are helping them with a specific challenge. The key is to create a profile with as much information as you can.

4. Get The Word Out – Once you become clear about who you serve best, it’s time to get this message out to the world. Make sure all your marketing materials reflect your ideal client profile - from your business card to your web site.

Overcoming my fear of commitment to serve a specific target market wasn’t easy, however using the steps I shared with you helped me get clear and focused on who I should be spending my time with and understand the importance of this for my business. When I’m working in my genius with my ideal client, it’s magical. It’s why I’m so passionate about the work I’m doing in the world with women and why the business has grown to where it is today. It can happen for you too. Just make the decision and take the leap.

Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.

*****

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Article Tags: business, fear of commitment, ideal client, passion, purpose, success, women



Related Forum Posts
Re: History of Women in Business in the United States - Yes. Women have increasingly made positive economic contributions to society and their position is being recognized more and more as seen on the Forbes List of Executive Women. In general, women can be a bit more practical in their approach as entrepreneurs too.
A ton of Great Women - You might want to profile Teresa Cascioli of LakePort Brewery. She has an amazing story! I met her at at the celebratory luncheon for the Profit/Chatelaine Top 100 Women Business Owners. The Top 100 list is also a great resource for inspirational stories of Women Entrepreneurs.
Re: Are entrepreneur women more organized than men? - Women are generally more organised than men. They have good instincts more than men. Women are generally aggressive when it come to business. You don't want to mess up with them.
Re: Are entrepreneur women more organized than men? - The issue of women being more organized than men is true, start from you home, just see how messy the boys are. Women are also very cautious, unlike men who take any risk, a woman will analyze the risk first. Women are also go getter when it comes to business, once they make their mind, then they go for it.
Re: Why aren't there more women entrepreneurs? - My opinion on this (being a women, and being disabled), is; Women in general like security. Women are the caretakers, in general. In the work environment we are the one to have children. We are the ones who leave work to do this. We deal with a stigma that we are bad mothers if we work, but we are a bad mother if we do not work. I feel there is no way a man could ever understand this. Sure they can try, and some do a good job of it, however they truly do not understand. How could they?? Being a entrepreneur is throwing cation to the wind. It takes believing in yourself. It takes a women who can have someone say no, put us down or just plan old negativity and for us to turn it around. Women who can do this are called names, while men in the business world are just expected to have a thick skin. Studies show in the work environment that women are more apt to be bullies. Women are more apt to turn on each other. We expect more out of each other. Many women also use the work environment to socialize and to find a mate. Men and women are not created equal. Once we understand this and take what we are and "run" with it; the better all of us will be. Women business owners, women entrepreneurs are still considered a minority. Since there are more women then men in this world, some day this will turn around. This too is why men need to protect themselves and keep us under some kind of control. What bothers me to no end is when women give in to the mans world using sex as a selling tool. We need strong women leaders, not those who use their bodies as a step up. This is just my opinion on this subject.


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