Question for Business Founders

[sean02116]

Those who have already successfully started and scaled a business, what did you do differently when starting that business, compared to your failed businesses? Did you notice anything different about how you worked on it, or how you felt about it?

 

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[Bounce Back]

Those who have already successfully started and scaled a business, what did you do differently when starting that business, compared to your failed businesses? Did you notice anything different about how you worked on it, or how you felt about it?

I didn't give up and I never allowed failure to be an option.

That sounds just about as corny as it can get but when you actually live and breath that it is the difference between the colors black and white.

 

[sean02116]

I didn't give up and I never allowed failure to be an option.

That sounds just about as corny as it can get but when you actually live and breath that it is the difference between the colors black and white.

How do you know when to pivot? I don't want to give up too soon, but I also don't want to waste time trying to make the wrong vehicle work if that makes sense.

 

[Bounce Back]

How do you know when to pivot? I don't want to give up too soon, but I also don't want to waste time trying to make the wrong vehicle work if that makes sense.

Depends a bit on the market and your offering and what exactly you mean by pivot. If I asked you how long would it take to clean my house you'd have no clue right? You don't know how big it is or how dirty it is.

That aside with a heaping amount of generalization:

If you've validated the opportunity and by pivot you mean move on to so something new because you haven't been able to make it fastlane yet - I think that term "pivot" is just window-dressing for giving up.

Usually you end up with a stack of various problems to solve in the business that you need to prioritize. If instead of prioritizing and chipping away at them one day you just throw your hands up and say "this isn't working" then that would be a wrong time to pivot - thats when you need to double down and improve your character/business grit.

If you've tried solving all the top issues holding it back from scaling in say 20 ways (making numbers up here) and asked for help on each of those ways and done research, etc. then I'd say its reasonable to pivot at that point - not a representation of your character it just might not be a fit for your skills/business level.

 

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[sean02116]

Depends a bit on the market and your offering and what exactly you mean by pivot. If I asked you how long would it take to clean my house you'd have no clue right? You don't know how big it is or how dirty it is.

That aside with a heaping amount of generalization:

If you've validated the opportunity and by pivot you mean move on to so something new because you haven't been able to make it fastlane yet - I think that term "pivot" is just window-dressing for giving up.

Usually you end up with a stack of various problems to solve in the business that you need to prioritize. If instead of prioritizing and chipping away at them one day you just throw your hands up and say "this isn't working" then that would be a wrong time to pivot - thats when you need to double down and improve your character/business grit.

If you've tried solving all the top issues holding it back from scaling in say 20 ways (making numbers up here) and asked for help on each of those ways and done research, etc. then I'd say its reasonable to pivot at that point - not a representation of your character it just might not be a fit for your skills/business level.

That's great advice, thank you. I admit I am guilty of labelling "pivoting" as giving up early on, but now it's more because I value my time more and I don't want to waste my time trying to build a dead end business. I haven't switched businesses for that reason yet, but I'm debating it.

Right now I'm trying to build a web design agency, offering websites for local/small businesses, along with monthly services like management and SEO (hammondwebsolutions.com)

When I started this business, I wasn't aware of the commandment of need yet, so I decided to pursue it purely because I saw price tags upwards of $7,000 on websites. Now that I'm actually talking to prospects and doing cold outreach, I'm beginning to doubt the amount of real value I'm giving them.

What do you think, what would you do?

I appreciate it a lot man

 

[Bounce Back]

hammondwebsolutions.com

Is that your website or an example?

Distilling down your last post I wouldn't say its time to pivot (off that little data). It sounds like you haven't made your first sale yet and are at point in time where you can choose to grow your selling-chops or give up.

What I'd recommend is stop reaching out for one day. That whole day read through @Fox free content on this subject (or buy INSIDERS for $30 bucks for 3 months or whatever) and consume everything he has posted there as well the whole day regarding value proposition/selling websites.

The next day time to grind. BUT HOLD ON - don't you dare go pitch websites by email. Email in a saturated market is a good way to learn nothing about sales (or learn it extremely slowly). Add email back into your flow after this exercise.

Pick up the phone (crazy concept now in days). Be prepared to have 100 awkward calls. After every call write down what objections did they have. Yes some are going to be about you and your experience - write it down in a word doc as a section. Under that section but a bullet point list of 3 ideas of how you can overcome it. Try them in future calls - record what happens in your doc. After batches of 20 conversations review everything holistically (don't assume just because overcoming didn't work one time everyone responds that way - treat it like a science experiement and get more data on each as they come up).

I gurantee by the end of the above you will be 5000% closer to selling websites than where you are today.

 

[sean02116]

Is that your website or an example?

Distilling down your last post I wouldn't say its time to pivot (off that little data). It sounds like you haven't made your first sale yet and are at point in time where you can choose to grow your selling-chops or give up.

What I'd recommend is stop reaching out for one day. That whole day read through @Fox free content on this subject (or buy INSIDERS for $30 bucks for 3 months or whatever) and consume everything he has posted there as well the whole day regarding value proposition/selling websites.

The next day time to grind. BUT HOLD ON - don't you dare go pitch websites by email. Email in a saturated market is a good way to learn nothing about sales (or learn it extremely slowly). Add email back into your flow after this exercise.

Pick up the phone (crazy concept now in days). Be prepared to have 100 awkward calls. After every call write down what objections did they have. Yes some are going to be about you and your experience - write it down in a word doc as a section. Under that section but a bullet point list of 3 ideas of how you can overcome it. Try them in future calls - record what happens in your doc. After batches of 20 conversations review everything holistically (don't assume just because overcoming didn't work one time everyone responds that way - treat it like a science experiement and get more data on each as they come up).

I gurantee by the end of the above you will be 5000% closer to selling websites than where you are today.

That's my website. And you're right, I'm yet to sign a client. I've sent out about 300 (extremely personalized) cold emails, so that might be one thing I'm doing wrong. I will give cold calling a try tomorrow morning, thank you. That is an amazing idea with the doc and everything.

As far as the entire business, I really want to leave a big impact on people and utilize the law of effection and the commandment of need, do you think I'd be able to do that with just a cookie cutter web agency? I have bigger plans in the future like real estate and my very own car company, but I'm 17 and I have nowhere near enough money for that right now. So, do you think this web agency is good or am I just trend following and chasing money rather than providing value?

 

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[Bounce Back]

am I just trend following and chasing money rather than providing value?

That's completely up to you to decide.

But I do want to comment that you need to update this default text in part of your wordpress template before things get really awkward on sales calls:

 

[sean02116]

That's completely up to you to decide.

But I do want to comment that you need to update this default text in part of your wordpress template before things get really awkward on sales calls:

View attachment 53355

Hahaha thank you man, I realized while building my own website that I might be wasting my time if this business isn't for me, so I'm not quite finished it yet I'm more focused on actually being able to sell.

 

[ZCP]

How do you know when to pivot? I don't want to give up too soon, but I also don't want to waste time trying to make the wrong vehicle work if that makes sense.

post a progress thread. we'll get into the details with you

 

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[ZCP]

That's my website. And you're right, I'm yet to sign a client. I've sent out about 300 (extremely personalized) cold emails, so that might be one thing I'm doing wrong. I will give cold calling a try tomorrow morning, thank you. That is an amazing idea with the doc and everything.

As far as the entire business, I really want to leave a big impact on people and utilize the law of effection and the commandment of need, do you think I'd be able to do that with just a cookie cutter web agency? I have bigger plans in the future like real estate and my very own car company, but I'm 17 and I have nowhere near enough money for that right now. So, do you think this web agency is good or am I just trend following and chasing money rather than providing value?

who is doing what you want to do? go work for them for a while. help them build their thing so you learn how to build yours

 

[IceCreamKid]

Those who have already successfully started and scaled a business, what did you do differently when starting that business, compared to your failed businesses?

I began to focus less on tactics and more on strategy & systems.

Also I spent a lot of time focusing on sales skills. Don't be fooled by those gurus with their BS courses labeling $5k as high ticket sales. The real high ticket sales is in the enterprise arena closing $100k deals and up.

That's my website. And you're right, I'm yet to sign a client. I've sent out about 300 (extremely personalized) cold emails, so that might be one thing I'm doing wrong.

This is a controversial one, but I'm convinced that personalization isn't nearly as important as relevance. You can create the most custom 1:1 email ever, but if isn't relevant to a bleeding problem that the prospect is facing then they'll be less interested to jump on a call.

I'd invite you to try a different channel as well. Cold email is EXTREMELY crowded now ever since Instantly and Smartlead burst onto the scene and made cold email easy to launch. Smartlead had a 1200% increase in revenue for 2023. If you want to succeed in that arena then your offer and messaging needs to be really good.

You'll get a much higher response rate with Facebook DM's and text message outreach(cold SMS text outreach is illegal, so best to run ads first to collect numbers with a really good lead magnet).

 

[Andy Black]

I'm with @IceCreamKid. The problem with cold anything is you learn so slowly what works and what doesn't. I'd use that to scale once you've figured out who you help and what you help them with.

What advantages do you have? You're 17, you're keen, your local, etc.

Post to your social media profiles.

Go to local business meetups. Join Facebook groups of local businesses.

Post that you're getting started in web design and ask if they know anyone who needs any help or what advice they might have for you.

Check out the inbound/sales braindump in my signature.



Here's something I posted to LinkedIn recently:

 

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[Andy Black]

I really want to leave a big impact on people and utilize the law of effection and the commandment of need, do you think I'd be able to do that with just a cookie cutter web agency?

Websites connect consumers with service providers (lead gen) or product sellers (eCom).

Do you think you're doing good by helping panicking homeowners find an emergency roofer, and roofers get more work (and keep a roof over their head, haha)?

What about helping parents of autistic children find and buy chewable jewelry that helps them concentrate in class?

Focus on who you're helping and what you're helping them with rather than how you're going to do it.

 

[sean02116]

I'm with @IceCreamKid. The problem with cold anything is you learn so slowly what works and what doesn't. I'd use that to scale once you've figured out who you help and what you help them with.

What advantages do you have? You're 17, you're keen, your local, etc.

Post to your social media profiles.

Go to local business meetups. Join Facebook groups of local businesses.

Post that you're getting started in web design and ask if they know anyone who needs any help or what advice they might have for you.

Check out the inbound/sales braindump in my signature.



Here's something I posted to LinkedIn recently:
View attachment 53360

Thank you, I'm living in Vermont right now so not many business meetups ever haha, but I'll make a facebook account today and look for groups. I also just checked out all of your links in your signature and theyre extremely valuable soo thank you.

 

[Andy Black]

Thank you, I'm living in Vermont right now so not many business meetups ever haha, but I'll make a facebook account today and look for groups. I also just checked out all of your links in your signature and theyre extremely valuable soo thank you.

You're welcome.

Get on LinkedIn as well.

 

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[sean02116]

You're welcome.

Get on LinkedIn as well.

I skipped school today to cold call, and I've done about 30 so far. 3 have commented on my voice, saying I sound like a teenager (because I am one). Also, my profile picture on my email is myself, and I'm worried that will also deter prospects. What should I do, just go completely incognito on Facebook and not turn on my camera for zoom calls? I'm not sure which would be best.

 

[Bounce Back]

I skipped school today to cold call, and I've done about 30 so far. 3 have commented on my voice, saying I sound like a teenager (because I am one). Also, my profile picture on my email is myself, and I'm worried that will also deter prospects. What should I do, just go completely incognito on Facebook and not turn on my camera for zoom calls? I'm not sure which would be best.

If worries about your age come up use it your advantage - for example @piano has a thread filled with showing how his age helped his hustle when he thought it would hurt at first too (HOT! - SIDE HUSTLE - I'm going to wash windows for money tomorrow for the first time in my life. Any tips?)

"Yes I am still rather young but you know kids these days we grow up with devices glued to us - hahaha just joking around but yes I've made X # of websites and would love the opportunity".

"Yes I am on the younger side but that is why I am able to do it at a more reasonable price"

"Yes I am young but I offer a 100% money back gurantee ..."

Overtime you will both a) get older and b) not have to rely on money back gurantees or low price but you gotta get your feet wet. Otherwise you could just accept higher call volume needed to find someone who looks past it.

I will tell you this from someone who has done a lot of cold calling. IF someone brings up your age they actually are not 100% disinterested - it means you got their brain away from "I don't need a new website" into the "I may need one but who's this bloke?" then they came up with their first defense.

Great job making the calls - I like your trainability. Don't give up and you will go far. By the way when I said 100 calls above I am talking about actual conversations don't count ones that don't answer

 

[Andy Black]

I skipped school today to cold call, and I've done about 30 so far. 3 have commented on my voice, saying I sound like a teenager (because I am one). Also, my profile picture on my email is myself, and I'm worried that will also deter prospects. What should I do, just go completely incognito on Facebook and not turn on my camera for zoom calls? I'm not sure which would be best.

Lean into your age. Check our @EthanH 's thread. So many people on Facebook loved how a young looking guy was doing good for rhe community.

Consider not cold calling. At all.

 

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[sean02116]

Lean into your age. Check our @EthanH 's thread. So many people on Facebook loved how a young looking guy was doing good for rhe community.

Consider not cold calling. At all.

Both @Andy Black and @Bounce Back , thank you guys for your valuable advice, I really appreciate it and it's helping me a lot. I am considering just using social media but I don't want to give up cold calling so fast. One obstacle I've been running into is calling the right number. Often when I call, I just get some customer service employee who doesn't even know the person that would make decisions on the website, or I get some outsourced agency from another country that doesn't care. How do I find the right numbers to call, to reach owners/high level employees?

 

[Bounce Back]

Both @Andy Black and @Bounce Back , thank you guys for your valuable advice, I really appreciate it and it's helping me a lot. I am considering just using social media but I don't want to give up cold calling so fast. One obstacle I've been running into is calling the right number. Often when I call, I just get some customer service employee who doesn't even know the person that would make decisions on the website, or I get some outsourced agency from another country that doesn't care. How do I find the right numbers to call, to reach owners/high level employees?

So I want to echo what @Andy Black said that eventually the web agency game is not traditionally played via cold calls after a certain extent. You should be having enough organic inflow (referrals and your website linked at the bottom of each site you designed, google ads, etc.). But hopefully you see the point in this sales exercise and even if it is harder it will most likely lead to your first sale quicker (maybe even faster would be in person small businesses near you but I think that has the chance of being slower too).

With that out of the way yes a lot of times you won't reach the right person on the first call. Here is a classic approach to your literal first sentence:

"Hello (optional to switch it up sometimes: could you please do me favor?), do you know whom in your company makes the decisions for your website? [they answer] Could you transfer me please?"

 

[sean02116]

So I want to echo what @Andy Black said that eventually the web agency game is not traditionally played via cold calls after a certain extent. You should be having enough organic inflow (referrals and your website linked at the bottom of each site you designed, google ads, etc.). But hopefully you see the point in this sales exercise and even if it is harder it will most likely lead to your first sale quicker (maybe even faster would be in person small businesses near you but I think that has the chance of being slower too).

With that out of the way yes a lot of times you won't reach the right person on the first call. Here is a classic approach to your literal first sentence:

"Hello (optional to switch it up sometimes: could you please do me favor?), do you know whom in your company makes the decisions for your website? [they answer] Could you transfer me please?"

Great, thank you. I have a website for inflow right now (hammondwebsolutions.com) but its not completed, it just has some basic info and my portfolio from when I was a freelancer. I'm going to focus 100% on cold calling at least for the next week, and if its just not working out I will finish my website, do SEO for it, and then network on linkedin and facebook.

 

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