STOP! Here’s your solution


Social media is full of solutions, I get out my credit card and hey ho! I’ve bought a solution to a problem I didn’t realise I had.

Once I’ve looked at their advert, or even stumbled across it, that’s it, it’s everywhere. You hear about mattresses in a box, well look at it once and you will become the world’s expert in all that are on the market. Social media will chase you; they will hunt you until they make that sale. The solution to a problem I never knew I had. Eventually, I start believing them and then I start believing a new mattress is the solution. Well I’m one step forward as last week I didn’t even know I had a problem with my mattress.

Take dandruff for example – it never really existed until a popular brand of medicated shampoo told us it was a problem that we needed to cure and then created massive sales on the back of this. Today they are still the number one medicated shampoo even doing a version for non-dandruff customers I believe.

All this has got me thinking as business owners surely if we start with really understanding our clients, having proper conversations with them, finding out their real problems and as a result we are really able to help them. We can help them not just by being part of their solution them but by moving them on – in life, in their business. What can you do to help your clients get better clarity in their lives and make better decisions? Who in your life can help you get clarity and make better decisions?

When I work with new members at AVN for Inspiring Accountants for example, we spend our first call on a strategy session, and this is followed up closely by a Clarity Call. Why? We want to make sure we are the right solution for you and so we understand your business and the things that aren’t working right for you – they may not be problems, but things you would like to change. Our view is let’s get this right and the rest will follow.

So next time you look under your stairs and see the carpet cleaning machine you really needed- well it was such a bargain and you knew you would use it every six-months, and think about how much money it would save you in having dirty carpets cleaned. In reality, you have used it once (and it still has nearly a full bottle of shampoo with it) what would have been the better option to get rid of the stubborn mark on the carpet?

I would love to know what have you bought and never used?