The past few months have been soooooo crazy for me.

In addition to running up and down (…….all while being pregnant might I add), I have been dealing with a lot. There are two major lessons I learned recently and I thought “why not share what I’ve learned with my people?” So here I am to share my experience so that it doesn’t happen to you in the future.

So first things first, there seem to be a lot of people of late who have been indeed keeping up with me, and while they say ‘imitation is the highest form of flattery’ it’s downright annoying to see my marketing strategy being implemented by someone else, or seeing my sales copy being used by others.  Unfortunately, it happens and there’s just no way to prove it. Has that happen to you? Have you sat down for weeks crafting the perfect plan of action and sales material, only to turn around and see someone who’s seemingly more established just take it and run with it? Doesn’t it just piss you off???? I call it the five stages of annoyance:

  • STAGE 1: Shock. You just can’t believe that this happened.
  • STAGE 2: Doubt. Yes it happened but maybe it’s just a coincidence
  • STAGE 3: Anger. It aint no damn coincidence!!!! This person just stole from you.
  • STAGE 4: Sadness. You ask yourself ‘why did this have to happen?’
  • STAGE 5: Acceptance. You give yourself a pep talk “Well, I guess I must be doing something right.,” and you move right along

Can you relate to these five stages? I will confess, I hover around stage three for a while, but the quicker you get to stage five, the better. You can’t let it consume you, or you’ll go crazy!!! If you’ve never had this happen to you, then that’s great……. but be forewarned, it will and you need to be prepared, cause it hits you like a tonne of bricks when you see your stuff floating around out there. If you HAVE been on the receiving end of this, then you know exactly what I mean and you’re probably shaking your head in agreement right now.

My advice to you is to remove yourself from the situation. Delete, unfollow, unsubscribe whatever it takes to not have that reminder around you. Forget whose feelings might be hurt or what people might say, you don’t need that constant reminder that this person exists and you really don’t need that negativity in your life. Try not to let it consume you to the point that you want to give up or wondering what the point of moving forward is. Keep doing what you’re doing, because you’re definitely on the right track.

 

Second major lesson learned is that some people are just not above board. They will do anything, say anything to get you to invest with them. It’s bad business over promise and under deliver on your product or service. I have seen entrepreneurs sell programs that were not suited to customers, not live up to their end of the deal, and then blame the customers themselves. Yes people – it’s that crazy out there.

Please do not be this type of business owner. Ensure your clients are satisfied and are willing to shout your name from the rooftops. As my mentor Jennifer Kem says: “in business, there are different types of currency!” Don’t be so focus on the money that you disregard your ethics and your integrity. A great testimonial will work wonders for you, rather than an irate customer who would just love to be rid of you in a heartbeat.

Also, it is a lot easier to easier to get repeat customers rather than try to get new ones, so treat the ones you have right. I was reminded by a client of mine who actually said “I like that with you it’s wasn’t just about the sale”, I was so flattered that I shared it on my business page and my personal page. The fact is, it’s never just about the sale, it’s about helping others with your gifts and ensuring that they are indeed happy and have gotten value from your offerings.

I would suggest that if you do want to invest with someone do your research and get as much information as possible from past clients. Ensure that you know what you’re signing up for by checking their terms & conditions and refund policy to ensure that you’re not stuck paying for something that is of absolutely no use to you. If you want someone to invest in you, ensure that they’re suited for what you have to offer and give them value for their investment.

 

Well, there you have my two major (and expensive) lessons I learned. I truly hope you are not on the receiving end of any of these and that you take my advice moving forward. You know you’re friendly neighborhood marketer wants you to be successful and will provide the tools for you to do so, even if it means making the mistakes myself so you don’t have to.

Before I go, I want to offer you my free downloadable ebook The Four Pillars for Building a Successful Brand. Click the link to get your hands on the step by step guide used by multibillion dollar global companies to build their business and keep their customers coming back time and time again. It’s free and it’s yours for the taking.

Also, once you sign up, over the next few weeks I’ll be sharing my incredible journey on how I came to be known as the friendly neighborhood marketer and why I’m so passionate about helping my people succeed. I do hope you stick around and keep up with free marketing training and advice on my Facebook business page at Carli Communications. (Don’t forget to click the follow button and set your notifications so you don’t miss a thing)