In five years, I took my business (an award-winning coaching studio) to the top of its industry. My studio helps Hollywood celebrities, world leaders, CEOs, politicians, executives, lawyers, and other industry leaders develop charismatic confidence to effect maximum change in their audiences, and achieve mega success. While I’m proud to say that it’s one of the most respected coaching studios in the industry, I have to admit that success didn't come easily. We worked for it. When my studio was young, I was working without a template and had to move forward no matter what, showing up every week to teach workshops and classes even when there was only one person.
Looking back, it definitely was a struggle, but I can easily pinpoint the three major pillars that helped to accelerate my success.
Frustration into Inspiration
I’ve always been inspired by the words of acclaimed Vogue editor, Diana Vreeland, “show others what they didn’t know they wanted yet.” When it came to developing my studio, my intention from the very beginning was to create a singular product in a niche market—something no one had ever seen before, and that no one else could reproduce. This was in part due to frustration. I was aware of how many useless coaching studios there were in Los Angeles that squandered the talent of so many promising actors, helping only to aid them in fostering bad habits, while extinguishing the love of the craft out of them. I knew that if I created an original product, I would never have to look over my shoulder at other competing businesses. For me, and for many successful entrepreneurs, the secret is creating something truly original, without modeling it off something that already exists. A great product is never static. It is constantly honed, updated, and developed to meet the demands of an ever changing world and market. Prizing this singularity as a cornerstone of your business, will see you through any change and help you weather any storm, as it will always give you that little extra competitive edge—it is often the difference between “good” and “great.”
Celebrity Endorsements
I had the instinct to get testimonials from clients before they became famous. These testimonials put a spotlight on my studio, even when it was brand new, because I had authentic words from famous actors endorsing my work. These endorsements were priceless. I can confidently assert that no branding, marketing, or value proposition can compete with a celebrity endorsement. I really believe that everyone is six degrees of separation (or less) from a celebrity connection. It would be beyond insane to not take the time to reach out to your network to reach that famous name, especially as there is zero risk involved. It may take repeated attempts to reach or hear back from them, but I truly believe it can launch your business to mega success.
Objective Marketing
I’ve found that in order to see off the charts business growth, you need to let go of what you think is awesome about your business, and take notice of what your clients may think is awesome about you do, and make it the DNA of your marketing. When I laser-focused my marketing towards what was really important to my customers, it triggered record growth almost instantly. I tweaked my value proposition, asserting it in terms that mattered most to my students: Every client leaves every session having experienced an undeniable breakthrough and transformation.
These three elements continue to grow my business, and often offer the highest guidance and clarity, even as my studio approaches its thirteen-year anniversary.
This article was originally posted on Inc.