STOP Giving Away Free Consults. I Beg You.

“Nobody ever paid top dollar for a cheap imitation.

Don't let somebody else's business move dictate yours.”

I wrote that in our TMF Facebook page yesterday.

Here's why:

Keep in mind that the people you're watching are winging their next move just as much as you.

Yet, so many new business owners who are fighting tooth and claw to make a name for themselves online, in particular, are being quietly indoctrinated into a school of sameness by one or two or three or four thought leaders—likely including myself—who have fancy websites and ARE LARGELY JUST WINGING THEIR NEXT MOVE, TOO. The only difference is that they're better at seeming like they aren't.

So don't second guess your own opinion. Please.
Don't surrender common sense in favor of commonly done.
Don't waste your time imitating anyone.

Trust yourself MORE.

Those things they're telling you to do?

To offer a “free consult,” or start a “newsletter,” or “figure out your ideal customer”—or anything else facilitating the cringe-worthy sea of sameness?

Consider, first, if what you're saying or doing is something YOU would get excited about.

I don't care if you fit into “your ideal customer profile” or not. You're still a human being. And as a human being—WOULD YOU FIND YOURSELF WORTH LISTENING TO? PAYING ATTENTION TO? WORTH GIVING YOUR MONEY TO?

If the answer is no, then you have important work to do.

Too often, I think you'll find that if you ask yourself this question honestly, you'll find that a lot of the very things you're doing, with all the best intentions, are very things that would make you say, “No, thanks” to someone else.

PAY ATTENTION.

Stop taking advice at face value, and start thinking for yourself.

Your business depends on it.

And maybe even your integrity.

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