We hear a lot of talk about your “sweet spot”. I want to share a different way to think about your sweet spot as your business evolves. Because the truth is, your sweet spot will evolve as your business grows.
In case you’re a word junkie like me, the term “sweet spot” is taken from the world of sports engineering and refers to the central spot on a baseball bat, or tennis racket, or golf club that is the most effective place to hit the ball. When you connect with the ball at the sweet spot, the ball soars further and faster with the same amount of effort on your part.
The same is true in business. When you find your sweet spot, you get better faster results with the same amount of effort. You’re working smarter!
Typically when we hear about sweet spot, we talk about your strengths. Or we hear about the intersection of your strengths and passions. Sometimes we hear about the intersection of your strengths, passions and what the market wants.
In other words, the intersection between what you love to do, what you are good at and what people will pay for.
The truth is, all these things do need to come together. But the reality is, sometimes, the balance will shift toward one as the key factor vs. the other. Because we’re all different and driven by different things.
I’ll also share a fourth element that can help you find your sweet spot, and allow your sweet spot to evolve.
Let’s start with strengths.
A client I was working with was struggling to build her coaching business. She has tremendous strengths in many areas, but above all, she has had personal experience overcoming cancer. She decided to focus on empowering others who have overcome cancer to thrive and live their dreams. Your sweet spot can also be driven by professional experience. A client spent many years working with nonprofits. She is now leveraging that experience helping nonprofit consultants grow their business.
What about passion?
Your sweet spot might look great on paper, but if you’re not passionate about it, it won’t be sustainable. I had a client who on paper had a niche that made total sense. But as she sat with it, she realized that her heart wasn’t in it. She didn’t want to spend all of her time and energy on the solution or the target market. So we switched gears and tweaked the niche to one that not only leveraged her strengths but was a true passion for her.
What about market?
A friend is starting a new business after having successfully built another business. She has so many strengths and passions but none are related to the industry she’s in. Could she bring her skills and strengths to a new industry? Absolutely? But it will take hard work and she won’t be able to fully leverage the relationships she’s built. Could she look at the industry she’s in to discover a new need that she can help fill, or fill in a new way? Absolutely. In this case, market takes the lead.
In an ideal world, your sweet spot includes all these elements: your strengths, experiences, passions and what the market wants.
I look at myself. I have innate strengths in language. I’ve studied 5 languages and have a natural knack for words. Experience. I worked in strategic communications throughout my career, as consultant and for big companies like Coke and Visa. What the market wants. Yes, the people in my community definitely know they need a clear message if they want to stand out and attract their ideal clients. My passions. I’m passionate about helping my clients transform their brilliance into authentic messaging and multiple streams of income.
But there’s something else, a fourth ingredient that I think is even more important when it comes to my sweet spot.
That 4th element that drives everything I do and guides me in my business and my sweet spot is my Core Message.
Your Core Message represents your unique perspective and what you stand for in your business. It’s the heart of your brand (click here if you want to learn more about how to create your Core Message).
My Core Message is this. To be a smart marketer you have to know your ideal clients. But to grow a profitable business you love you have to know yourself.
I truly believe that knowing yourself and allowing yourself to show up fully in your business is the key to marketing success. It’s not always easy. There are lots of layers of self protection that we have to release. It’s really hard to be vulnerable especially publicly.
But it’s only when you can share your authentic message of what you stand for, that you can attract your dream clients.
As my business has evolved, my sweet spot has evolved as well. Yes, I looked at my strengths, experiences, passions and marketplace. But above all, my evolving sweet spot has been guided by my Core Message.
It’s what led me to rebrand in 2015. It’s what led me to create a program about how to Stand Out With Your Message. It’s what has refined my vision of who my dream clients are (they connect with my Core Message). I can’t tell you how many times clients tell me they chose to work with me because the resonate with my Core Message.
Your greatest Sweet Spot driver may be your experiences, passions, market or Core Message. If you want to learn more about how to find your Core Message and your Sweet Spot, click here to watch this free online training.
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