#133: Win-Win: The Secret to Authentic Growth
In the midst of preparing for my book launch, recording these podcast episodes, and being a guest on other podcasts, I've had some heart stopping conversations that have really made me pause.
People are so consumed with the pressure to spend a lot of time on social media and because of everything that they're seeing, it's making them question if it's even worth building a business at all.
Some are so overwhelmed with trying to keep up with all of the demands and forge all of the paths forward, that they are ready to burn it to the ground.
They're seeing it as a race to grow their business. The “not enoughness and the worry if they're doing it right and whether or not they're giving it the correct effort overwhelmed them because in their view, they've failed unless they can make enough money.
So in this last episode of my Win Win book series, I will discuss the secret to authentic growth.
For a limited time, if you preorder the book, you will receive a relationship marketing toolkit free of cost (valued at $1,200). Head to createyourwinwin.com and click on the preorder button. Then, go back to the website, put in your order number and look for your free training in your inbox.
Listen to the Show:
Laura 00:00
Have you heard? I wrote a book, it's coming out on December 6. And this podcast is part of a series that I have recorded in anticipation of the book release. The book is called Win Win. And it's all about how to grow your business leveraging the power of relationships. And if you would like to preorder the book, I have a special gift for you. And is a relationship marketing toolkit that is completely free when you preorder Win Win. In order to be able to enjoy this free gift go to createyourwinwin.com that's createyourwinwin.com go ahead and click on the preorder button. And then go back to the website put in your order number and we will be providing you this training. And we will provide you with immediate access a $1,200 value just for pre ordering the book.
Laura 00:52
Welcome to the Next Level Leap podcast. I'm your host Laura Meyer top growth strategist to some of the country's fastest growing brands, and mentor to consultants. My signature leap methodology has changed the way 1000s of companies look at growth strategy, and this podcast shares best practices and inspirational interviews to help you make that next level leap in your business. Stick around and join me as I share the journey of how we as founders can multiply our income impact and influence by landing on the other side of our next big leap. Let's go!
Laura 01:26
In the midst of preparing for my book launch and recording these podcast episodes and being a guest on other podcasts. I've had some heart stopping conversations that have really made me pause. And for the women who have confided in me and entrepreneurs at various stages, really successful people in industry I adore and the opportunity we all have in entrepreneurship to create new rules around wealth to create change to leave a legacy. This has been something that I've noticed is a pattern and somewhat unexpected. And their experiences are similar. And the general just goes like this. They are so consumed with the pressure to spend a lot of time on social media. And because of everything that they're seeing, it's making them question if it's even worth building a business at all, some are so overwhelmed with trying to keep up with all of the demands and forge all of the paths forward, that they are ready to burn it to the ground. What they're seeing as this perceived race to grow this business, the not enoughness and the worry if they're doing it right and whether or not they're giving it the correct effort. Because in their view, they've failed unless they can make enough money to be on the stages and win the awards or they're giving up way too much at home.
Laura 03:01
And yes, a lot of this can be limiting beliefs. But the point here is this: many people are trying to build a business creating something that doesn't suit them. And the constant pressure on social media to do more and go bigger and do it differently. And by the way, are you making
your kids lunch the right way, makes them question themselves and their choices. And this is particularly something that women are susceptible to. But the truth is, is that there is an answer, a place where we can find authentic growth and cherish the rewarding moments in business by relishing in the most important asset that any business owner can have, particularly any human on this planet can have which is their relationships. And we see this all the time out in the marketplace. brands can build trust more quickly by leveraging relationships than any other type of marketing activity. building authentic relationships allows you to stand out as a leader in your industry in a way that very few other investments can. The more known you are the more powerful you are connections with new audiences are fast tracked, allowing you to grow your visibility further. And it's challenging to get new clients who are willing to invest in your services or pay a premium when you're unknown. And that's why consistently creating collaborations but true, authentic genuine collaborations, results in new leads and sales and makes you more visible and known.
Laura 04:33
Your ultimate goal and collaborating with others is to build a brand and help people understand the value of your services by showing up authentically, not chasing what other people's version of successes, but by defining your own version of success and developing only the relationships that feel aligned to that path. Where are the people that you're connecting If you're supporting and receiving support and return from share the same values as you that care about the same things you do that prioritize the types of purpose and mission that your organization embodies. So how do you even make time to make these connections and creating Win Win relationships in a way that maximizes your time? And how do you find these seemingly magical connections that I've been describing? We all know what it's like to feel alone and entrepreneurship. We all know what it's like to have that sense of, does anybody else understand what it is that I'm going through? Or Is anybody else building a business with the same mission and vision and values and sense of purpose that I am? And the answer is, yes, they're out there. They're everywhere around you. But it's hard to see when you don't have focus.
Laura 06:03
If you follow me on social media, you'll likely know that I am an avid tennis player. So the first fall where I was getting back into the game after our third child, I was really struggling and started at the bottom of the ladder to build back up my skill set and I joined a local doubles team, and two ladies played one cord down from me, Jane and March. During our season, March celebrated her 80th birthday, and Jane casually mentioned that she wasn't too far behind. Despite being in their golden years, Jane and Marge won all their games, every single match. So being that that was not the case on my court, I observed them to find out why. And their opponents often women in their 30s and 40s and 50s would frantically run around the court, trying to anticipate what Jane and Marge would do next, applying brute force to every
attempt at the ball. But Jane and Marge handled every shot like the Queen's they are one of them when simply and accurately placed the ball in the holes left wide open by their much younger opponents. I often look over and hear groans and squeals as their opponents watch the ball fly over their heads and land six inches in or effortlessly put the ball in the perfect spot that not even Rafa Nadal could reach.
Laura 07:33
It was pretty hilarious to watch, and proved an important lesson. Knowing where to place your focus is the key to winning. It's not how big your numbers are. It's not how hard you hit the ball. It's not how many stage speaking events you get or what celebrity you're positioned next to the latest selfie. Focus is actually the answer. And as you've likely discovered by now, to create Win Win collaborations in our companies, we often need to undergo specific shifts in our thinking with a new focus. Many marketing and sales experts advise companies to talk to as many people as possible, or to find someone to hire them or that you should sell your offer through cold outreach or random direct messages. They mistakenly teach that the person in front of you is the person you should be selling to all the time, and that sales is simply a numbers game.
Laura 08:26
Well, the cold hard truth is that it's rarely the case. Not only does this tend to attract the wrong type of long term prospects for your business, even if it creates a sale in the short term. It's also an incorrect assumption that everyone you speak to as a potential customer. So instead of seeking connections with potential clients, and constantly just gripping on to that next level of perceived success, I'm going to challenge you to start seeking out authentic relationships with potential collaborators.
Laura 09:05
Authentic connections helps you from feeling frustrated, overwhelmed and burned out. And if you're trying to do too many marketing activities, while you're scaling your organization, I recommend getting rid of everything else, and committing to relationship marketing, and both nurturing and connecting with both new referral partners, collaborators and business besties because we all need those right? Your relationships in your reputation are the most valuable assets as an entrepreneur. So if you want to kickstart the growth of your business, you need to develop these two areas more deeply. Relationships and reputation are like an invisible hand that pushes your company ahead and enhances all your direct response marketing efforts. So what are collaborations, I go into a lot more detail on each type of collaboration in my book Win Win, but as an example, I love podcasting and have made it my preferred method of collaboration. When I meet somebody new, I immediately asked Do you have a podcast we should do a collaboration.
Laura 10:14
You can make guest appearances on other people's podcasts or even create your own podcast to offer exchange guesting opportunities. You can grow podcast, advertise your programs or generate ad revenue from outside sources. At the end of a podcast, it's standard etiquette to ask an interviewee where listeners can go to find out more about their businesses, allowing guests to send new qualified leads to their email lists and elegantly invite listeners into sales conversations. A focus on authentic collaborations helps you grow your relationships and your reputation. It also allows you to keep building your audience and creating your platform. And in this situation, you'll have something to actually offer an exchange which allows it to be a lot more authentic when you meet a strong potential collaboration partner. So for example, you wouldn't go to a dinner party bearing only a single can of diet coke. In the same way, it's so important to bring something valuable to ease exchange with your connections. If you have a niche offer, then you want to be able to put yourself in front of a unique audience in which you solve a specific problem. And actively seek out connections who solve similar problems.
Laura 11:25
When you ask for specific introductions and what type of connections you're looking for, you'll make great connections and you'll have great conversations, instead of just being caught up in friendly chitchat. Although being friendly has merit, making business connections and developing collaborations is your highest priority. And in any collaborative relationship, the goal is to develop a trusted expert brand. We do this by conducting ourselves professionally and doing our homework. So we always bring value to our collaborations, and present our values and beliefs so we can attract people who believe the same things we do. And if we're consistently visible through our collaborations and give people a clear call to action will reap the rewards in new business. Participating collaborations is one of the most valuable marketing activities that you can prioritize for your business. Whether it's to grow your list, increase the frequency of sales conversations, or just give yourself the opportunity to show up authentically. So you can feel more aligned in this crazy entrepreneurial journey that we're all traveling together.
Laura 12:30
The truth is, is that these authentic relationships don't happen overnight. But they are the antidote to feeling like you're constantly trying to strive towards something that doesn't feel realistic for you. The reason is, is that authentic relationships are built on trust, communication and nurturing. And at the same time, partnerships with the right people will feel natural and inspiring. When you develop these relationships, you can develop a dynamic that's open and honest and confident and authentic. And when you share your values and your goals with the person that you're partnering with, you can develop conversations built on that mutual foundation. And you'll know when you've partnered with the right person because you'll both be energized and excited to move forward.
Laura 13:18
This is the final episode of my podcast series dedicated to my book coming out tomorrow called Win win. If you've loved this episode, I really think you'll love win win. And if you're listening right now, you'll likely be able to take advantage of my Relationship Marketing Toolkit, which is a free bonus when you preorder my book to make sure that you go to createyourwinwin.com and leave a review preorder the book let me know how you like it. I can't wait to hear from you. Thanks so much for tuning in. And I'll see you next week.
Laura 13:49
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The Scale with Joy podcast dives into the mindset and strategies of scaling your company to the million dollar mark and beyond. Each week, we follow the journeys of innovators, disruptors, experts and leaders - sharing behind the scenes stories of their most challenging moments and greatest lessons learned-all while building their multi-million dollar empires.