In my newsletter last month I revealed that, while struggling to maintain a regular cash flow from copywriting and consulting projects, I decided to schedule a meeting with SCORE — a program that provides free business counseling and mentorships. Here’s what happened:

I wanted to get the most out of that meeting, so I did some journaling beforehand. I wrote down the target audiences I was pursuing and the pros and cons of each one. I also made a list of my current business issues and the goals I wanted to achieve. (Take a peek.)

At the Meeting

I sat down with three different counselors, and they asked some questions about my business: What do you do? Who do you write for? How do you they find you?

These questions seem simple, but they quickly made me realize that my focus is still scattershot. Basically, I’m making the most common marketing mistake in the book: I’m trying to be everything to everyone.

I’ve counseled countless people against this very impulse, yet I didn’t even recognize it in myself.

This made me feel silly.

What Else I Learned at SCORE

I also realized that while my true passion is helping other women in business, I’m still not sure how to make money from it. I’ve tried offering different marketing “packages” and classes in the past, but they weren’t a big hit at the time.

It might take me awhile to develop a sustainable business model for this passion. In the meantime, I must continue copywriting to generate a cash flow. (And, y’know, pay my mortgage.)

The Big Picture

I’ve always been an overachiever, so when I first started my  business, I wanted to make sure I was doing everything right. Four years later, I’m just starting to learn that you can’t always go around the hard parts. Sometimes you have to go through.

This identity crisis is my “through.” I used to think that creating the perfect brand at the beginning would set me on a path of continued successes. I didn’t anticipate that I would grow and evolve.  And I didn’t anticipate that my business would have to grow and evolve with me. And I certainly didn’t anticipate that it would take so much work.

Will my business ultimately evolve to include coaching for women? Training programs and seminars at the corporate level? Writing a book or selling other info products? I’m not sure yet, but I’m going to try one thing at a time until I find something that works.

Where YOU Come In

You can help, of course. What kind of marketing products or services do you wish existed for women in business? Would you ever consider hiring a coach, or do you prefer to learn in a class setting? Leave a comment, or e-mail me and let me know.

I can’t succeed without your input. And meeting with SCORE made me realize that outside perspectives are a necessity too. I’ve become so close to my work that I couldn’t escape from my own narrow perspective … until that meeting.

If you’re in the US, find a local SCORE office and set up your own appointment. If you do, let me know how it goes!