Imagine you’ve been living in a big city for a few years. You know your way around; maybe you know some shortcuts through small, sketchy alleys that tourists would never try.
You know how to get to and from the many familiar places you frequent.
Even so, you probably haven’t been down every street and around every corner.
And if you haven’t studied a detailed map or spent time in a tall building analyzing your neighborhood, you’re most likely not aware of how everything is connected. And you may have never seen some secret gardens and hidden nooks that only visible from up high.
Your business model and marketing are like the streets of a big city. Unless you are able to get a bigger picture view of the lay of the land from overhead you may not truly understand how everything is connected.
You can’t appreciate the entire flow and see things that may have been out of your sight.
Not being able to see the bigger picture, including your blind spots, affects the visibility of your business.
Even though you’ve had your business for a while, and it’s familiar to you, it’s critical that you are able to view your business model and marketing from a higher level so you can understand the totality of it and see what may be missing.
“True wisdom is knowing what you don’t know.” Confucius Click to Tweet
There are so many blind spots when you’re running a business.
You know that saying, “You don’t know what you don’t know”?
In addition from not being aware of what may be absent, I also hear many small business owners say they don’t know where to begin.
When you’re clear about all of the pieces of the puzzle, and you get them in place, you can focus on the moving forward with the confidence that you’re on the right path. This clarity will help you gain visibility for your business.
So how do you know what’s missing? You need to look with a new perspective and with fresh eyes.
How to Uncover Your Blind Spots
1. Create a Map
The first step is to create a map of your business model and marketing.
Start by listing out all of the big pieces:
* Business Model
* Marketing Messages
* Website
* List Building and Client Relationship Management
* All of Your Marketing Strategies
* Implementation
* Measurement
2. List the Details
Next, examine each piece in more detail writing down the specifics for each one.
Ask yourself, if the components are complete. Is there something that isn’t working that needs to be changed or removed?
Make sure you have the tools and systems in place to manage each part efficiently and effectively.
3. Connect the Pieces
Finally, take all of the pieces and connect them. Create a map of how they all fit together. You can draw this out on paper, use sticky notes, or use an online resource.
Then take a look at the details from each of the pieces and compare them to the details in the other pieces to make sure there is consistency across the board.
Let your curiosity take over and approach this task as a detective trying to solve a crime.
Also, look for any holes that may appear. Places where it’s clear that you may be missing out on opportunities that fit for you and that will increase your visibility.
I hope you’re starting to see the value of setting aside a couple of hours to lay out the pieces of your business model and marketing and looking at them from a different angle.
By doing this, you will see the opportunities you can take action on to gain more visibility.
And if you’d like support in figuring this out, check out my Visibility Scan & Action Plan offer which includes a thorough assessment, a 20 minute one-on-one chat about your results, and a written, prioritized action plan about your next steps. Get the details here: Visibility Scan & Action Plan.
Share your thoughts and questions below in the comments section. I respond to every single comment.
