Episode 34: Stand (for Something), The Success Series, Part 2 of 4
This month we are in a series called The Success Series and it might not be what you think. If you’re just tuning in, go back and give episode 33 a listen because it’s foundational before moving on to these next 3.
Okay - done that? Then let’s dive in.
In order to be successful, you need to Stand for Something.
When I say stand for something, I don’t mean politically, although that is good, what I’m talking about is planting your styling flag in the sand and saying: this is who I serve, this is how I serve them, and this is my tried and true process for doing that.
I see SO many stylists using the same stock photos, the same language (and I’ve been guilty of that too!), and the same set of services. And they wonder why they are struggling or not meeting their own definition of success?
It’s because they’ve built their business on someone else’s model.
That will NEVER be successful any way you try to define success.
To put it in more business terms Standing for Something in this context of success means:
Creating an ideal client
Honing in on a super specific niche
Creating a signature service
Marketing it correctly
I want to talk a little about each in turn.
Creating an ideal client. Yes, I know - you’re probably sick of hearing it. And you’ve probably done this exercise! But I would bet money that you really haven’t done this in an in-depth way. I teach a better method in our modules in Biz Bootcamp and really expect stylists to dig deep. We create full on ideal clients to where I can literally visualize that person. If I can’t visualize them, it’s not deep enough. This is your driving force for everything else you do or create in your business. If you’re lacking here, you’ll lack elsewhere.
Niching down - Again, you’ve probably done this and you’ve probably thought you got it right. But i would guess that you’re WRONG. Most people stop too soon with defining their niche and don’t go deep enough. Your niche needs to include specificity as well as something only you do.
Signature service - if you’re creating a la carte services, then you are doing your clients a disservice and most likely you’re not getting repeat clients either. Creating a signature service allows you to give your clients the full transformative experience of working with you, gets them more invested in the process, and often times results in more money for you.
Marketing - any time I come across a stylist using phrases like “are you too stressed to get dressed”? I groan a little because I know they haven’t done the deep dive they need to in order to stand out and stand for something in their business. Since they aren’t stand-in gout, they are blending in. And again…wondering why they aren’t getting clients.
And I do not believe that you are competing with any other stylist out there - When you can Stand for Something - what you’re really doing is making it SUPER clear to your unique clients that YOU are the stylist for them. There are enough clients to go around for everyone. For everyone to live their most abundant life. When you can get out of sounding like everyone else, scarcity, comparison, mode, uncover what you stand for as a stylist, then you are on your way to YOUR successful world.