From watching, mentoring and working with various business owners I’ve noticed some common traits that lead people to constantly go through that cycle of feast  / famine. You know, one month you’re rolling in enquiries, the next it’s crickets.

Here are the top five reasons you could be stuck in a cycle of feast and famine… Which ones do you need to address?

You stop marketing when you’re busy

If I put a post on social media about the importance of marketing your business when you’re busy, I sometimes get people who comment defensively about it not being possible, the kids need me, I am tired, I am working 18 hours a day…

We’re all busy!

While you’re not marketing yourself your competitors are and so when you’re not busy, guess who people are going to flock to?

It’s likely it’ll be your competitors because they’re in people’s minds through their consistent marketing.

So many times I have mentored business owners who say; ‘I’ve not got any clients / new clients’.

Okay, when did you last tell your audience what it is you do, the change it can make and how much it’ll cost?

Sometimes, I’m given a ‘oh, at least once a week’ and then I check and it’s been three months. People are more often honest and say ‘not for a while’.

That’s why you’ve not had any bites!

It’s like me saying; I never win the lottery. I don’t play it!

You must keep marketing. Only stop when you’re ready to close your business.

You’re not responding to enquires quick enough

This one literally shocked me so much that I had to include it as a business fundamental in my second book.

If people are invited to get in touch with you via email you need to be checking your emails at least twice a day! I have my emails open from 7am to 8pm, every day, and I am not unique.

People probably aren’t emailing just you for information about your services or to start working with you, they might be contacting lots of people. If you don’t reply in a timely manner the deal is probably already done with your competitor.

You take the work / life balance too soon

‘I’m taking my daughter to the zoo on Friday!’

Hang on, I thought you had to borrow some more money from your parents last week to pay your rent because you’ve got no clients / work coming in?

That’s a true story.

Yes, you may well have started your business to have a wonderful work life balance, and you can achieve that – but you can’t be skipping off to the zoo, or anywhere else that costs money, on a working day if you’re not yet bringing in any money, or worse still – borrowing it!

Your time needs to be dedicated to building your business. The days out at the zoo will come.

You agree to do things you can’t do well

You’ve likely heard the saying

“If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity but you are not sure you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later!” I think it’s attributed to Richard Branson and I could not disagree with him any more if I tried.

It’s one of the biggest downfalls of new and old business owners. You need the income, so you’ll say yes because it’s, well – it’s money! There’s bound to be a few YouTube videos on it, aren’t there?

How would you feel if you hired someone to do something for your business and they were going to learn how using YouTube?

You negotiate your rates before the client even mentions a discount

I’ve had this so many times. I’ve contacted a business owner or had a tradesperson round for a quote and what comes back is; ‘it’s £xx, but happy to offer you a discount of xx’

Why?

It’s probably 50/50 whether I go with the person offering me the discount, I’m more likely going to work with someone I like and trust, but why offer a discount from the off? You’re depriving yourself of money you deserve.

You need to get comfortable with your rates and others need to as well.

It’s not your prices that are stopping you getting clients, it’s a multitude of factors!

Grab a copy of my second bestseller, The 20% Rule today and let’s ensure your small business is safe, sustainable and profitable and less feast or famine.