#114 Standing Out in Business
There are currently 2.4 million small businesses in Australia, not to mention the number of businesses we interact with online. That’s a very large pool that we’re all swimming around in. In that vast number of small businesses, how do you stand out?
Standing out is often heard in the context of business coaches, niching, and strategy. However, there's a really valuable way that you can use your legal documents, combined with solid processes and systems, to stand out. I explain how your legal documents provide a great deal of power when it comes to standing out from the crowd and can act as an important point of difference between you and your competitors.
There is also power in having solid, sustainable processes and systems in place. I explain how, when a potential client receives your proposal or quote with your terms and conditions that are branded with consistent language, their expectations are managed. Your offer and the next steps for the client to take are crystal clear. When you deliver in accordance with what you've outlined in your documents and offboard them effectively, the client has been through an amazing experience with your business. You have up-leveled the experience that a client would otherwise have in your business. That's how we build and grow sustainable, authentic businesses.
When we don’t have these set up, things fall through the cracks. When we don't follow through, or when we don't follow up, we can lose a potential client and we lose a sale. But having proper processes and systems set up in your business, especially when they are set-and-forget, will set you apart.
If you haven’t yet got your legal documents and systems and processes set up, I encourage you to look at these. You can use these to up-level your presence in the business space and deliver a stellar client experience.
Full Transcript:
-
[00:00:00] Tracey Mylecharane: Hello everyone. Welcome back to another episode of the Rise Up In Business podcast. If you're a regular listener, thank you for joining me again. And if this is the first time you've tuned into the podcast, welcome and thanks for being here. In 2022, the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed that there were just over 2.4 million small businesses in Australia. And if you look over the historical data, that number continues to climb. So just over 2. 4 million. small businesses in Australia. Then when you take into account the digital space, the online space, there is just no way that I could get data on how many small businesses we are exposed to on platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook and TikTok.
[00:01:10] So really it's a very large pool that we are all swimming around in. How then do you stand out? So I hear this a lot in the context of marketing speak. I hear this a lot in the context of business coaches and niching and strategy, how you stand out and tips and tricks and all the things. But there's a really valuable way that you can use your legal documents and your framework around processes and systems to stand out.
[00:01:37] And I'm really passionate about this because I think that most business owners don't appreciate the power within their legal documents and their processes and systems. They don't appreciate the power and the impact that solid frameworks can have can have when you're trying to stand out. So I want to talk about that in today's podcast episode. So in previous episodes, you have heard me talk about the importance of legal documents- your business terms and conditions, your client service terms and conditions, your website documents, all the things. And I talk about that as a component of your risk mitigation strategy.
[00:02:13] So it's very much preventative versus cure. I always say prevention is better than cure in business. And when I talk risk mitigation, I'm talking about setting you up for long term sustainable success in your business. I'm talking about protecting your business and managing your client expectations, and building frameworks for positive word of mouth. Growth. I talk about legal documents in that context,
[00:02:36] But what I haven't talked about a great deal is the power that your documents have to stand out from the crowd, and as a point of difference between you in your business and your competitors. I can't tell you the number of times I've been referred to another small business for some type of support and I've reached out, we've had some great email communication, we jump on an initial chat, so a discovery call or an initial chat. It's been lovely. There's been a connection and then I'm promised a proposal or I'm promised an email with some details and nothing happens. And I know from talking to clients that they too fall into this basket when they're busy as business owners, doing all the things and wearing all the hats, things start falling through the cracks.
[00:03:23] And it can be the followup, the proposal, the quote. It can be the follow through in what business owners say they're going to do versus what they actually do. And that's not a criticism. It's simply an observation. It's the reality.
[00:03:39] Things fall through the cracks if we don't have solid systems and processes set up. When we don't follow through, or when we don't follow up, we can lose a potential client, we lose a sale. So there is power in having proper processes and systems set up in your business that can then be set and forget.
[00:03:59] And your legal documents form a vital part of that. Because when you're talking to somebody new in your business, and you have a great discovery call, and you say, I'll follow up within the next week when I put a proposal together for you or I'll put a quote together for you, I'll send you some further information.
[00:04:18] And when you don't, you've lost a sale, you've lost a potential client, the ripple effect, you don't know who that client was connected to or what work could have come. There is a significant ripple effect and you just don't know how far that goes. But when you have that wonderful discovery call and you tell somebody that within the next week, you're going to follow up with a proposal or a quote, and then you do. But when you do the documentation that you send is an extension of that call, it's an extension of your business. It's just as professional and as tailored and as on brand as that call.
[00:04:58] So the potential client receives your proposal or your quote, receives your terms and conditions, their expectations are managed. It's crystal clear what it is that you're outlining, what you're offering to do or provide for that client and the next steps are really clear.
[00:05:14] So there's a continuation of that positive experience. They then confirm acceptance of your proposal or quote, and you then proceed to deliver in accordance with what you've promised. And you get to the end and your offboarding process is just as streamlined and professional. And then, oh my goodness, that client has had an amazing experience with your business.
[00:05:34] Word of mouth is there. Guaranteed. That's how we build and grow sustainable, authentic businesses. But the power in that comes from those systems and processes and those documents helping you provide an exceptional service and an exceptional user experience for that client. So you see those documents have multiple roles to play. Yes, they will comply with your legal obligations and yes, they'll keep you legally protected, but they are enhancing the client user experience in your business. They're allowing you to deliver to a consistently high standard because in your documentation, your documents are branded.
[00:06:13] Your documents should look like you. They should sound like you. This is how you stand out. This is how you establish your point of difference in the market from your competitors, because your documentation and your systems and processes are so streamlined, are so tailored, they're so authentic, that it's second nature for you and your team to act consistent with those documents every step of the way. And that, my dear friend, is how you use your documents to stand out.
[00:06:43] When you're issuing proposals to a client and they are branded, the language is consistent with you, you're managing your client expectations from the outset, and then you actually deliver in accordance with what you've outlined in your documents. You have all of a sudden up leveled the experience that a client would otherwise have in your business. Your client knows what to expect every step of the way. If there's misaligned expectations, they can be dealt with really swiftly, in a really professional way.
[00:07:16] Things don't have to get ugly. They don't have to get awkward. Clients don't need to be left with a sour taste in their mouth if things start going off the rails, because if things are a little derailed, you can use your documents to bring things back on course and that is grounded in sustainability. That helps you deliver consistently to a high standard.
[00:07:38] So when we're talking about the more than 2. 4 million small businesses in Australia, not to mention the businesses that we're seeing in the digital and online space that don't necessarily fall within Australian statistics, we need to do all that we can to stand out.
[00:07:54] There's only so much marketing advice you can take. There's only so much your business coach can guide you through in terms of what to do to grow your business. But when we actually look on the practical level, we know that legal documents are vital. for your long term sustainable business success. We know that, so we need to have them. So let's use them on several levels up level your client user experience in your business to grow your business in a sustainable way and ensure client satisfaction at every touch point.
[00:08:27] My view is that you can use your legal documents and your systems and processes to really up level your presence in the business space and to really deliver a stellar client experience. If you've got questions at all about any aspect of your legal documents, what you need, how to use them, how I can help you implement solid processes and systems to deliver this stellar client experience that I've shared, please don't hesitate to reach out. I'm always happy to chat and I love nothing more than adding value and helping business owners up level.
[00:09:00] I hope you have found this episode to be a value. If you've got a business friend or somebody you know, that you think would benefit from listening to this episode, feel free to share. I'd be ever so grateful because that's how we'll get this podcast into the ears of even more business owners.
[00:09:14] Thanks so much for listening. I'll catch you next time.
LINKS:
Previous episodes mentioned:
Ep 71 - What legal documents does my business need?
Ep 20 - How Ts & Cs work with your business processes & systems
Ep 6 - Website documents
Connect with Tracey:
Get your copy of my Annual Legal Checklist here
Book a Strategy Session with me here
Join Me on Social:
Rate, Review and Follow me on Apple Podcasts
If you are loved this episode, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This supports me in helping to empower more coaches, creatives and consultants - just like you - protect what they're building, and move forward with confidence in their business. It's quick and easy - click here, scroll down to the bottom, tap to rate with 5 stars and select 'write a review'. As always, I'd love to know what you think, and what you loved most about this episode. Also, don't forget to follow the podcast to stay up to date with the latest episodes.
