HOW TO GO FROM GIVING IT AWAY TO SELLING
*and make more money *
Advice for female entrepreneurs who can't stop giving it away!
Several years ago - within 12 hours - three highly talented, brave women asked me:
'Esther, how can I earn more money? I want to invest in my business!'
'How can I go from giving my things away to selling it, without pissing everyone off'?
' How can I make money with my services, when I love doing it as much as I do. Should I regard it as a hobby?'
I clearly remember how shocked I felt hearing those questions. And those questions eventually lead me to a path where I focussed more on selling from the heart. So, fast forward to today.
I'M GOING TO HELP YOU BUST LIMITED BELIEFS AND MYTHS AND GIVE YOU HANDS-ON SOLUTIONS! ARE YOU READY?
Behold the limited beliefs that are hidden behind the 'How Can I make more money without feeling like a greedy monster' questions:
* 1. Making money is hard, difficult, horrible, probably very non-spiritual, greedy and awfully common .
* 2. Business stuff will kill my happy creative bubble. I just want to create my things without having to deal with the money stuff.
* 3. Asking money for my magic will upset people. *and I want people to just like me*
* 4. Sure, I can ask $ 4,500 for program but I just KNOW 'they' will not have the money.
Let me start with the hard cold truth: there is only one way to go from 'giving it away to selling' and that is doing it.
But before you can successfully sell your course, art, program, coaches, products and services you have to go deep.
And that means set yourself up for some big fat insights, possibly some hair-pulling, leaning into the fear, moaning, surrendering and ultimately earning your lovely well-deserved cash.
Allow me to use myself and my many failures as an example. Are you ready?
I am not your average entrepreneur (by the way: there's no such thing as the average entrepreneur). I'm seriously sensitive, a huge introvert, fiercely bright and gloriously multi-passionate. Being 'wonderfully weird' is a blessing and also a bit of a curse.
Because we undervalue our worth and think that just because it's easy to us, it's easy to the rest of the world. And you can't ask money for something that's easy and fun, right? We somehow associated earning money with hardship! Ouch!!
"I can ONLY make money with something that is ridiculously difficult"
HOWEVER IT ALL STARTS WITH OWNING YOUR ZONE OF GENIUS
You probably live in the center of a constant stream of ideas.
Before my morning coffee, the universe has provided me with at least three amazing ideas. When I talk to my clients I know - without a blink of my eye what they need to do to make more money, create a bigger impact or get more clients.
No, I'm not bragging. I'm describing my Zone of Genius. You have a Zone of Genius too!
It's that place where everything fits perfectly and everything is so delightfully freaking easy that you cannot believe an-y-one would pay you for that.
" Seriously! Why would they pay? It's So Easy! I don't have to bust my ass. So it doesn't count as real work"
But my clients do pay me. Like your clients will pay you too. And I receive money for it. Why?
Because whatever comes from your Zone of Genius has real value.
DO YOU KNOW YOUR ZONE OF GENIUS?
When you don't know your Zone of Genius and try to please everyone, try to do everything - except what comes super easy - you're constantly proving yourself. It's exhausting.
My friend Lisa Peek, who's a Money Expert told me: Money is a reflection of your self-worth.
The first time I heard that I was flabbergasted. It is SO in your face! It basically says: if you don't ask money for your services and products you don't value yourself.
Even when I type these words, I'm gasping. It's hard you know! It means that when we look at our bank statement and it says: 'No Money' that it is a reflection of our self-worth too!
Okay, let's go back to limited belief 1:
'Making money is hard, difficult, horrible, probably very non-spiritual, greedy and awfully common.'
Come on, be honest. How many of you (secretly) feel that way about making money?
I'm raising my hand.
In the Netflix series The Crown Queen Elizabeth and her mother reluctantly open the doors of Buckingham Palace to the Hoi polloi, the riffraff, the Car Salesmen. Those commoners who have to work for their money.
The look of disdain on their faces is the same I used to have when looking at Rich People.
It's So Not Pretty.
And every time we look down on someone who's wealthy, we basically tell the Universe: 'Please don't make me rich, I don't want to be a superficial, greedy, non-spiritual bastard! '
In other words: Making (more) money starts with diving into your money obstacles. Working through the blockages might be the best thing you can do for yourself!
Now, imagine all 'money blah-blah-blah' is gone and think about 'Making Money is Hard' again. It's just about making money.
Every time we look down on someone who's wealthy, we tell the Universe: 'Please don't make me rich, I don't want to be a superficial, greedy, non-spiritual bastard!'
Next, limited belief 2:
"Business stuff will kill my happy bubble. I just want to create my things without having to deal with the money stuff."
Ah! The ever-learning and creating entrepreneur!
Right.
I'm going to be tough now. Get a pen and paper and write down the amount of money you already spent on learning, your equipment, your paint, all the courses, your computer.
Go back to age 18 all the way to where you're now and write down every penny you invested in your education, add the personal development courses you took, everything you spent on your business.
... and now look at the amount of money you earn now and your rates.
Is it well-balanced? More coming in than going out? Or on your way? Congratulations! Is it completely lopsided? Because you give everything away ... keep reading.
"
Today I spoke with a woman at a marketing meeting she started to talk about art. Instantly I felt like an expert, she asked me a lot of questions, and I could easily sell a program on learning how to paint. This meeting helped me measure the difference before and after the programs I have been through with you, Esther!
Kristina Kasmauskiene - artist
The third limited belief is:
"Asking money for my magic will upset people."
There's no denying here. If you have been giving away your magic to people for a long time people will be upset. And you know what? Those people are NOT your soul clients. That doesn't mean they are not great people, but your soul client will see the worth of your services and products and will pay for it.
You can't convince people to buy from you when they don't want to.
The first sale is always to yourself: "Would I buy it myself?"
So, how DO you ask money for your services and products?
A. Mindset + Self-Love and Visualizing!
Start thinking, feeling, visualizing much - Much - bigger. You want a sustainable profitable business? You want to make an impact? Even when you're not after the 100K figures business you need to think and act outside your "Hey I'm okay hanging out here " comfort zone.
Find your Zone of Genius. Find what comes to you with ease but not to other people. Go deep, I'm not saying it's easy but do it anyway.
Remember your Zone of Genius is a Divine Gift. It is given to you to help others AND as a gift of joy for you to play with. Honour and worship it! And do this all on a foundation of abundant self-love. Daily actions of radical self love.
For instance, maybe creating joy, food or things of beauty is super simple to you. It's not to other people. As long as they don't know you can help them they can't buy it from you!
B. Ask for it!
I'm amazed to see how many entrepreneurs never dare asking people to work with them or buy from them. Even when they have a website! Imagine going to your favorite shop and seeing the proprietor behind her counter, but keeping the doors firmly closed.
No, Go Away! You cannot buy from me!
Don't be like that. Make sure you've got a product or service your soul client can buy from you. A coaching session, a painting, food, offer a solution to their problem. Make it easy for people to buy from you. Offer it more than once (I used to do that, too scared to send out a second email!).
C. Get support
Find a group of fellow entrepreneurs Always join a group that challenges you. I run Masterminds and Sisterhoods that support entrepreneurs to act bigger, dream louder into their next level. Change doesn't happen overnight. It always takes time.
D. Start small but think with the end in mind
You can think, ponder and reflect on your new or service, but as long as you don't beta test it, you never know if it's going to work. Ask for testimonials, share your work, create your own buzz, don't wait for others.
You are on your way to something bigger! Be sure to walk to your next destination.
E. Tweak, don't stop!
Selling, creating, communicating, your tone of voice, finding your perfect niche... it's never right at once. It requires the guts and perseverance. I worked 4 Months on my first program. And then nobody bought it. Imagine what had happened if I had stopped?
Want me to be brutally honest? It took me almost 2,5 years before I dared to sell. So I know what it feels like. But I also know that the right support, action and focus you can learn to sell from your heart (and like a pro!)
Now it's your turn? What is the first action you are going to take?
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