As a fledgling new writer, I started my business in 2006, by wanting to have my toe dipped in everything.
A little bit of work here, a little bit of work there…
Wanting to serve “everyone,” I served no one.
My mind was scattered in multiple directions, ineffective.
Years later, I landed my first millionaire client. Being scattered wasn’t going to work anymore. I had to sacrifice the habit of being “multi focused,” and learn how to be razor-focused on ONE thing at time…or else perish.
That’s when I learned a simple, yet valuable lesson:
“The power of one.”
This lesson applies to every aspect of your business.
For example, look at your brand. Is it primarily about ONE thing? One promise? One solution?
Or are you trying to jam too many ideas or promises into your brand…thus confusing people and making it hard for them to buy?
Companies who nail this down flourish.
They rein in everything they’re doing, and focus on that ONE essential thing they offer.
Everything else is secondary to that one, main thing…just like gravy is secondary to mashed potatoes.
Another example: Look at the emails you send to your list. Every email should be focused around ONE BIG IDEA.
(Introduce two or three ideas, and your readers get lost… they soon close the email without buying.)
Another example: Look at your landing page. Or your sales page. Or each page on your website.
Each page needs to be optimized around getting the reader to take ONE SPECIFIC ACTION.
(Ask them to take multiple actions, and they quickly get confused, and close the page.)
See the pattern?
“One” is powerful.
I’m sure there’s some spiritual metaphor buried in here somewhere…
Michelle
Anti-Marketing Manifesto
P.S. I’ve seen many amazing business owner miss out on lucrative opportunities, simply because they were trying to do too many things at once. This made them ineffective.
Don’t make that mistake! Focus. Go as deep as you can into ONE specific thing, and master the hell out of it! When you’re willing to do this, it will pay off big.
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. 