This post will definitely ruffle some feathers.
If you spend (ahem…*waste*) a good chunk of your day on Facebook or other social media trying to “promote” your home-based business, read this closely…
The point of having a business is to make sales. Period. If you’re not making sales, then you’re not running a business — you’re running an expensive hobby, while perhaps kidding yourself about the nature of that hobby.
Having a hobby is fine. But don’t ever mistake it as having a “business.” The two are vastly different and require different approaches to make them work.
If your goal is to increase online sales in your business, then it’s wise to separate the two out.
Sales are important in business. Without sales, you’re stuck. Sales represent the measure of how much value you’re actually delivering to the marketplace.
Some biz owners will say, “The point of my business is to HELP people [or insert other lofty aim here] – not to be focused solely on money.” In which case, those people might be better suited working for a CHARITY. Like a hobby, a charity is another thing that should not be confused with business.
Business = making sales.
Those who fully grasp this concept will be able to help as many people as they want through their business. Those who DON’T fully grasp this concept will most likely be broke in 2-5 years or less…and possibly have to give up their business and go back to a J-O-B. Their toxic views on money have already defeated them.
As a business owner, you cannot reach your full potential or help the most people if you’re broke and not making sales consistently. That is a fact. You cannot help people to the fullest extent if you continually lack the resources needed to invest in YOUR own continual growth…including the growth of your business.
The most expensive “hobby” I see people engaging in is the pursuit of likes, clicks, followers, and views on Facebook or other social media.
These are nothing more than vanity metrics.
It’s totally your right to chase vanity metrics, if you want — but just know they don’t translate into sales. As I like to say, “R.I.P. to those obsessed with their follower count.” By follower count, I’m referring to the number of followers you have on your social media profiles.
Again, there’s nothing wrong with having a high follower count. But just know this by itself doesn’t translate into sales.
A follower is not a sale. 10,000 followers is not a sale, either.
A click to the link you posted is not a sale. 10,000 clicks is not a sale, either.
A view is not a sale. 10,000 views is not a sale, either.
The only thing that counts as a “sale” is someone taking out their wallet, entering their information into your store page, and buying something from you.
And yet…strangely, so many home biz owners are hyper-focused on getting more views, clicks, followers, and likes on social media…while barely focusing on getting sales. “Click like on my FB page,” they plead. “Share this around, so it can get more views.” “Follow me on Instagram.”
At best, these external things – likes, clicks, followers, and views – just feed the ego. They also make you feel like you’re getting work done, when you’re not.
At best, these forms of “external validation” can provide a short-term adrenaline rush while you’re sitting there hearing your phone buzz every other second.
But they don’t lead to sales. They don’t create real, long-term value. It’s a dead end.
Over time, chasing likes, clicks, followers, and views becomes draining.
Vanity metrics can only take you so far.
What generates a sale? What causes a person to voluntarily and happily hand over their money to you?…time and time again?
Sales come when you’re able to show people the value you can deliver to them. You give people something they want. And they pay you for it. Simple.
A sale can actually change the customer’s life in a positive way.
In that sense, being in business (and having a PROFITABLE business) is one of the greatest ways you can serve humanity. Sales are what drive positive change in the world.
Would you rather have sales, or would you rather get your ego fed?
Quite honestly, the answer to this question will determine your fate.
I’ve seen too many people fail and go broke and/or struggle needlessly, because they were chasing vanity metrics instead of focusing on sales.
You always have a choice as to what you focus on.
When you focus on delivering value — it’s like telling the universe, “I’m serious about this business. I’m sincere. I’m ready to grow this thing.”
Nothing is better suited to communicate and portray the value of what you offer than a sales funnel. A sales funnel is an elegantly designed system that makes it easy for people to hand you money over and over again. (See also: For Home-Based Business Owners Selling Products: “10 Ways You Make it Hard for People to Give You Money.”)
With a sales funnel, you get to convey in words the value of the product you’re selling. The person reading those words gets to benefit from consuming your information. The right individuals will make a purchase. You get to deliver the product you’re selling. And the customer gets to experience the benefits of the product. Everybody wins.
A sales funnel makes all of this happen automatically, 24/7.
There’s only one important metric to track in business: sales. How much money are you bringing in each month? How many units of product are you selling? How much profit are you earning? How much value are you delivering?
If you’re serious about growing your business, then you need at least one good sales funnel that makes it easy for people to buy your product.
P.S. Remember, if your goal is to increase online sales — STOP chasing after likes, clicks, views, and followers. I’ll also add “comments” to the list of things to avoid chasing. Getting tons of comments on your social media posts or blog does not represent a sale. It might make you feel popular, special, excited, or loved…but it doesn’t generate sales. It might be entertaining or fun to read in the moment, but in general online comments are usually a waste of time…especially when they deteriorate into online bitch-fests and endless arguments. (See also: A Case for Closing All Comments: Why Life is Too Precious to Read Blog, Video, and Article Comments.)
There’s only one type of “comment” you should listen to — feedback from satisfied paying customers telling you how much they loved your product, how it changed their life, and what else they would love to purchase from you. Use their positive feedback as part of your sales funnel! IGNORE comments from everyone else. 🙂
Michelle Lopez Boggs is a copywriter, copywriting mentor, and author of "The Anti-Marketing Manifesto: How to Sell Without Being a Sellout." She's helped her clients sell millions of dollars' worth of products and services online by using the MEI(S) principle — motivate, educate, and inspire, and sell. 