Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wednesday on Twitter from 8-9 pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with @darnyellejervey. Darnyelle A. Jervey, MBA is an award winning author, sought after speaker, award-winning certified business coach and marketing consultant. Darnyelle is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises, LLC, a full service marketing strategy, empowerment and business optimization consulting firm that specializes in offering business leaders marketing and business optimization strategies, empowerment and executive coaching solutions to individuals and organizations worldwide. For more info, visit: http://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com
SmallBizLady: What exactly do you mean by incredible factor?
Darnyelle Jervey: Everyone has an Incredible Factor. I believe that you start with your innate gift and clarify if it solves a problem that people are willing to pay for the solution to. Unleashing your Incredible Factor is two-fold; it is first and foremost managing your mindset so that fear and beliefs don’t hinder your actions. And secondly, it’s about movement – positioning yourself (via marketing and strategy) to take consistent action toward your target business growth goals.
SmallBizLady: Why don’t all entrepreneurs make 6 figures or more in their businesses?
Darnyelle Jervey: While there are many factors, I have narrowed it down to five, because they don’t take the time to create a balanced and effective business and marketing plan. Focusing on just five areas as a service-based business owner can be the difference in five figures and six or multiple six.
SmallBizLady: What are the five factors that make up a successful business?
Darnyelle Jervey: Sure, the five areas that entrepreneurs need to focus on to be able to successfully unleash their Incredible Factors are: Mindset, Message, Market, Money and Method.
SmallBizLady: What does HUG stand for?
Darnyelle Jervey: It’s your innate gifts and talents (which I call your HUG – Hot Undeniable Gift) plus your Signature System (which I call your signature business move) plus how you stand out from others who technically do what you do (your USP) in a client and brand magnetic package. Knowing your Incredible Factor makes developing a plan for your message, market, money and method much easier.
SmallBizLady: Why do you suggest shifting your mindset as a key component to unleashing your Incredible Factor?
Darnyelle Jervey: 95% of your success in life is based on mindset. Your business growth will always be stifled by your limiting beliefs. If your limiting beliefs are bigger than your desire to change the lives of those you’ve been called to serve with your Incredible Factor, you won’t grow your business. By taking the time to learn strategies to shift your mindset, you can experience exponential business growth, which will allow you to create experiences for many more people.
SmallBizLady: When it comes to my message, what is essential to consider when creating it?
Darnyelle Jervey: Remember the universal law of business and build your marketing message around it. Everything that you do, say and are must align to the way you want to be represented in the market while solving a problem for your “audience of one”.
SmallBizLady: How do you determine your marketing message?
Darnyelle Jervey: I recommend that you complete a SWOT analysis on your business concept. Start by considering the top of mind problems that exist in the market place. It’s easy to want to speak in a voice that is already in the marketplace; however, it’s about finding what makes you different. As you complete your SWOT, think differently. Ask yourself questions that look at the problem from a different angle. Don’t be afraid to burn the box.
SmallBizLady: You mentioned top of mind problems. What are they and can you give us an example?
Darnyelle Jervey: Sure, a top of mind problem is a problem that keeps your Audience of One awake at 3 am when they should be sleep. They are losing sleep and stressed because this problem is at the forefront of their minds. Top of mind problems fall into one of six categories: identity/purpose; health/wellness; love/relationships; wealth/money; time/life balance; sex/life fulfillment. If the problem you solve falls into one of these categories, great if not, go back to the drawing board.
SmallBizLady: How do you recommend you determine your target market or Audience of One, as you refer to it?
Darnyelle Jervey: The short answer is market research. Before you can get started, you have to get clear on the problem that you can solve for others easily out of your abundance – of content, information, strategy, etc. Remember the universal law of business. Then, the first step is to thoroughly describe who they would say that they are right now. It can be done in one clear paragraph. This includes demographic as well as emotional information that helps you “get into their heads” so that you can eventually create compelling marketing for them to self-select themselves into your products and services. Next, identify what their problem is right now in a full paragraph. Get clear on what they’re struggling with in graphic detail. Begin to use words they’d use to describe their problem. And lastly, build out a detailed paragraph about what they’re in most need of right now to solve the problem. This final paragraph is like your prescription for their problem or the product or service you will introduce them to as they progress through your funnel.
SmallBizLady: How do people’s attitudes about money enter into whether they are successful in business?
Darnyelle Jervey: Most entrepreneurs never see 6 figures worth of income in their businesses in a year’s time. It’s for a few reasons. First, they have problems with money that stem from their past, mostly their childhood. How their parents dealt with or felt about money, etc. And that trickles down into the prices they set. When you don’t know your worth, you undercharge and when you undercharge, you don’t take all of your business numbers into consideration so that each new client brings you closer to profit. It’s a vicious cycle if you don’t deal with your money consciousness.
SmallBizLady: So how do you pull this all together to run a strong business?
Darnyelle Jervey: After clarifying your message, market and money, you have to create a systematic approach to marketing to them in a consistent manner. I created the Magnetic Marketing Success Formula that includes setting up marketing sequences that move prospects through your funnel in an authentic way.
SmallBizLady: Can you give us an example of a potential marketing sequence?
Darnyelle Jervey: Sure. The formula I like to use is Value x 3 + Offer + Delivery + Value. If we were building your Free Offer Sequence, it would look like this: It starts with your free offer – make sure it addresses the first top of mind problem they are actively seeking a solution to and offers a high content and value sample of what it would be like to work with you. And also make sure it has an effective call to action so that they opt in. Then, create a sequence (video or email) that provides 3 pieces of value pertaining to that top of mind problem and additional content before making an offer for them to invest in your help to solve said problem. After you make the offer, deliver it, and then add more value to deepen the relationship to position the next solution to the new problem that will surface.
If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9 pm ET; follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter. Here’s how to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/S797e
For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.
This was a phenomenal blog post. Great questions and great specific, detailed responses by Darnyelle. Just wish their was a pic of the “speaker” so I could “connect” !
Thank you! Very valuable information. I’m so glad I read this since I was wondering whether or not to charge for a course I’m thinking of offering.