60s_S2_Ep24_Online Biz-p2

[00:00:00] Hello my friends, and welcome back to 60 something. I'm so glad you're here. Today's episode is a follow up to one of the most popular episodes from earlier this season, episode seven, where we talked about starting a business after 60. In that episode, we covered the basics, why entrepreneurship at our age is such a great option, how to brainstorm ideas based on your skills and interests

and the very first steps to take to get moving. After that episode, I heard from listeners who said, okay, grace, I have an idea. I've thought it through. Now what? What's next? Well, that's what today's episode is all about. Consider this episode seven, part two, taking your idea and turning it into real action and growth.

Where do we leave things? Let's just do a quick [00:01:00] 62nd recap. Before we move forward in episode seven, we talked about why this is the perfect stage of life to start a business, how to come up with an idea. How to get over that first fear of starting imposter syndrome and those basic first steps like market research and setting up an online presence.

If you haven't heard that episode yet, you might wanna go back and listen to it first. This episode builds on that foundation. Today we're looking at what happens next after the spark, after the brainstorming. This is the what now? Phase. So step one, narrow your focus. When we left off in episode seven, you had an idea.

Now it's time to sharpen it. Ask yourself, who specifically am I helping? [00:02:00] What exact problem am I solving? What makes my approach different from. What's already out there? This is the bridge from, I could do this to, I could do this for these people. Step two, build visibility. Your voice matters. Episode seven was all about creating that foundation.

Now, in part two, we're stepping into the spotlight In 2025, people hire people they feel connected to. That connection happens when you show up consistently. Share tips, share stories. Share why this work matters to you. Now, that could be on social media. Uh, create an email newsletter and sign people [00:03:00] up for that.

All, both of those are really effective ways are for increasing your visibility. So if episode seven was the planning phase. Episode 23 is the showing up phase. Now, step three, where clients actually come from. I said this in the previous episode, and I'll say it again now, your first clients are usually closer than you think in this stage.

Start by telling everyone what you're doing. I know it might be hard, but you should do that first. Show up in Facebook groups, LinkedIn, or communities where your audience spends time. Don't solicit them there. Just contribute thoughtful comments and suggestions and people will seek you out. Promoting your business in most Facebook groups is [00:04:00] actually prohibited.

Recently I was watching a video of this lovely woman in her mid sixties trying to explain her new business to the audience. Um, someone had asked her in the comments, so what do you do five minutes later? After a long story about her background in education, her passion for helping people, her various certifications and her complex methodology, uh, a lot of the listeners, you know, their attention spans had probably taken them away from this video.

Uh, she never actually got to the part about what she does. Or who she helps. Here's the thing, if it takes [00:05:00] you five minutes of backstory before you get to what you actually do, you've lost your audience, and more important, you've lost any potential clients. Clarity. It means being able to say in a clear sentence who you help, what specific problem you solve for them and how you solve it.

And when I say problem, I don't necessarily mean something dire or life threat. It's could be as simple as I help new retirees plan. Bucket list trips they'll actually take, instead of just talking about for the next 10 years. Or I help busy grandparents stay meaningfully connected with their grandkids through personalized monthly photo books and memory projects.

Notice [00:06:00] how specific those examples are. They don't try to help. Everyone with everything, they identify a very particular person with a very particular challenge. If you're sitting there thinking, but Grace, I'm not exactly sure yet who I wanna help perfectly, okay? Start with your own experience and the wisdom you've accumulated, and then ask yourself what people always come to you for advice about.

What challenges have you solved for yourself that others might still be struggling with? What do friends say when they introduce you to someone? Oh, you have to meet Sarah. She's amazing at whatever that is. Just start there. When I first [00:07:00] began moving into online business. After spending decades in the hospitality industry, I made the classic mistake of trying to talk to everyone about everything.

My message was too broad and. It made it, uh, basically invisible. I thought I was being inclusive and helpful by casting a wide net, but what I was actually doing was confusing people and making it impossible for them to refer me to anyone or hire me because they couldn't succinctly. Explain or even understand what I did the moment I started speaking directly to a specific person with a specific need, which was small hotels who need a [00:08:00] sales office set up or need their sales manager trained.

Something to do with the sales office using my expertise. People began to lean in. They started saying, oh, I know exactly who you should talk to, or, I need that. That's the power of clarity. Okay, I've got a mini action step for you. Write your one sentence clarity statement right now. Don't overthink it.

Just get something down on paper. Then test it out on a friend or a family member. See if they immediately understand it, and they might even say, oh, I know someone who could use that. If they do, then you're on the right track. If they look confused or ask three follow-up questions, you might need to simplify.[00:09:00]

It should go like this. I help blank do blank. It's That's simple

so to expand a bit on this last, uh, subject, you've got to make your offer crystal clear. I can't tell you how many times I've visited someone's website or social media account and come away completely unclear about what they're actually selling or how I could work with them. It's like. Going to a restaurant where the menu just says, food with no specific dishes or prices.

Here's a mistake. I see a lot, well, I can do a little bit of this organizational [00:10:00] work, and some life coaching, and I also help with technology. And if someone needs meal planning, I could do that too. I have a background in finance. I could help with budgeting. And while that versatility might be great in life, it's totally confusing in business when someone is ready to invest money and work with you, they don't want to assemble their own package like they're at a cafeteria buffet.

They want you to tell them. Exactly what you'll do together, how long it will take, and what the process looks like and what specific result they'll walk away with. This is where packaging comes in and it's one of the most powerful things you can do for your business. Give your [00:11:00] offer a clear, specific name, outline exactly what's included be.

Transparent about the timeline, and most importantly be crystal clear about the outcome or transformation they can expect. For example, you might offer the Fresh Start package over three, two hour sessions. We'll tackle your master bedroom, create simple systems that actually work for your lifestyle, and you'll wake up every morning to a peaceful, clutter-free space that sets a positive tone for your day.

See the difference This. It tells the potential client exactly what they're buying, how long it will take, and what specific result they can expect. No guesswork [00:12:00] involved. Don't be afraid to start small with your first offer. It doesn't have to be a massive, comprehensive, all, all inclusive program that solves every problem your client.

Might have. In fact, starting with something focused and manageable is a great way to test your process, build your confidence, and get some testimonials under your belt.

Here's a little action step for you. Draft a one page description of your first offer. You have your. Mission statement, which was the previous discussion, which was I help blank. Do blank now. Create a package. Include [00:13:00] the name of your package, what's specifically included, the timeline, the results, or outcome.

And yes, be brave the price. Keep it simple and clear. Let's jump into pricing. You know, you need to get a proper mindset on this pricing without apology. Uh, here's the thing that makes so many new entrepreneurs break out in a cold sweat pricing. And this is especially tricky for those of us starting something new later in life because we often fall into the trap of thinking, I'm new at this business, so I should charge less.

Completely forgetting. [00:14:00] That our decades of life experience, professional background, and accumulated wisdom count for something significant. Here's what I want you to remember. You're not just charging for the specific task you're performing.

You are charging for the experience, judgment, maturity, and perspective that allow you to perform that task exceptionally well. When a 65-year-old helps someone organize their finances, they're bringing decades of financial decisions, good and bad. To the table. That's incredibly valuable. Do your homework.

Look at what others in your field are charging for similar services or products. Check out three to five people who seem [00:15:00] to be at a similar level to where you are at. Don't compare yourself to the guru who's been doing this for 20 years, but also. Don't sell yourself short by only looking at complete beginners.

Then pick a number that you can say out loud without immediately feeling the need to apologize, justify, or launch into an explanation of why it's actually a good value. If you find yourself saying your price, and then immediately starting to explain or defend it. That's a clear sign. You're not confident in it yet.

Here's a practical tip. Practice saying your price out loud until it feels natural. The investment for Fresh start package is $450, period. No hemming. No hawing, [00:16:00] no. I know it might seem like a lot, but just stated it clearly and then stopped talking. Remember, it's much easier to raise your prices over time as you gain experience and confidence than it is to start too high and then have to drop them 'cause they don't pay.

Or they don't sign up to begin with. But don't start so low that you feel resentful. Every time someone says yes, your energy and attitude matter, and if you're working for less than you think you're worth, it will show up in your quality of service. Next, let's talk about visibility. You've gotta let them see the real you. You know, once you [00:17:00] know what you do and who you help, and you have a package constructed, the next step is to let people see you. Doing what you do, and by cu I don't mean perfectly led, professionally shot, heavily filtered Instagram glamor shots, unless that's your thing, of course.

But I mean, let them see your face, hear your voice, and get a real sense of your personality and approach. Here's something that might surprise you. People hire people they feel connected to, not necessarily the most qualified person on paper. And connection comes from showing up consistently, not just when you feel like it, like me.[00:18:00]

Or when you have something profound to say like me, but regularly, authentically helpfully, that might mean a weekly Facebook post where you share a quick tip or an observation. It could be twice a month email newsletter where you tell stories and offer guidance. Maybe it's a short video you record on your phone even and share on Instagram every Friday while you're having your coffee.

Okay, good idea. Maybe I should try that. The key word here is consistently your audience needs to know they can. Count on hearing from you. It builds trust and keeps you top of mind when they or someone they know needs what you have to offer. [00:19:00] Here's something that took me years to fully grasp. Your first clients are often much closer than you think they are.

They're friends from your previous career, former colleagues you've stayed in touch with, uh, people you met through hobbies or volunteer work or community groups. Even someone you sat next to on a flight three years ago who remembered your conversation and held onto your business card, don't be afraid to let people in your existing network know what you're doing.

You're not being pushy or salesy. You're sharing something they might genuinely be interested in or know someone who you could help.

A friend I have, uh, put a book together [00:20:00] and she was initially a little hesitant about promoting herself to people she knew personally when she finally shared about it on social media through email too. She was amazed by the response. Three neighbors immediately commented that they'd been looking for exactly this kind of help that the book provides to former coworkers shared her posts with friends.

Within a week, she sold some books. And if you're feeling shy about posting or sharing, here's a little secret that I wish someone had told me earlier. Your audience doesn't scrutinize you as much as you think they do. They're busy living their lives, dealing with their own challenges. So even if you repeat yourself or feel like you're [00:21:00] saying something obvious or goofy.

It's often the first time they've actually heard it, paid attention to it, and I think it makes you more human. So I got another mini action step. Pick one place, just one to show up regularly for the next. Month. It could be Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or just sending a weekly email to 10 friends. Commit to posting or sharing something once a week.

It could be a helpful tip, a personal story, or even a behind the scenes peek Peak at what you're working on. This content, the content. Actually matters less than the consistency. Okay. I think it's time to talk about marketing. Now. [00:22:00] What I just talked about is marketing, but perhaps we need to get a little bit deeper into it.

The elephant in the room. Marketing. I know for many of us. Uh, it conjuress up sleazy images of used car salesman or those aggressive people who corner you at parties and talk about their multi-level marketing opportunity. Nothing against multi-level marketing, but. Here's the truth. Good marketing is simply clear, consistent communication about how you help people about your offer.

It's not about tricks or manipulation or pushiness. It's about making sure that people who need what you. Offer, know that you exist and understand how you can help them. You don't need to be everywhere. You don't need to [00:23:00] master every social media platform or follow every trend. You just need to be consistent where you are showing up regularly with helpful, relevant content that demonstrates your expertise and gives people a sense of who you are.

A strategy I've always admired, it's one that works particularly well for those of us who didn't grow up with social media, is to create one main piece of content each week and then break it into smaller pieces to share throughout the week. For example, you might write a blog, for example, you might write a, for example, you might write a blog post every Monday about organizing with tips.

Then you can pull three key points from that post to share as separate social media posts throughout [00:24:00] the week. You could record a short video to explain one of these concepts. You might create a simple graphic with a quote from the post. One piece of content becomes five or even six touch points with your audience, and here's something that might surprise you.

You can repeat yourself. In fact, you should repeat yourself. People don't see everything you post. And even if they do, uh, repetition helps reinforce your message and ensures that people who missed it the first time have another chance to see it. I have a lady in a Facebook group I'm in. She was worried about boring her audience by posting similar content too often.

Then she ran into this, guy at the grocery store. He said, I saw that tip you posted [00:25:00] about, organizing financial paperwork. And I finally tackled my big. Pile on my desk. The post he was referring to was something my friend had shared at least five times in different ways over the previous six months, but it was the first time this person had really seen and absorbed it.

I'm sure this has happened to you. It's happened to me many times. Maybe I see something that interests me, but I don't really stop. I don't check it out. I'm busy or I'm not there yet. A million different things, and then I see it a week later, a month later, six months later, I'm like, oh yeah, I wanna do that and I buy it.

So here's another mini action step I want you to try. Choose one main content format for just the next month and [00:26:00] commit to creating it weekly. It could be a short blog post, even just on your Facebook page, a brief video or a thoughtful social media post with a photo. Then experiment with breaking that content into smaller pieces to share at different times throughout the week.

Okay. How about we talk about ads?

It can really accelerate your visibility paid advertising, and before you panic and start thinking about those overwhelming Facebook ads manager interfaces or complicated funnels, I'm not suggesting you drop thousands of dollars or hire a marketing agency. Just start small. [00:27:00] Start at. $5 or $10 a day on Instagram for, or Facebook for a week.

That's less than what most of us spend on our daily coffee habit, and it can significantly expand your reach. The key is to start with something simple and clear. Choose one specific call to action. Maybe it's downloading your free guide or registering for a short workshop or visiting your website to move to visiting your website to learn more about your services.

Don't try to do everything at once. Like for me, my first Facebook. In this period, I've run them before for other things, but in this period I would first advertise about the 60 something podcast and just [00:28:00] invite people to listen. Perhaps I would feature, an episode that I thought would be most popular that I've seen from the analytics. Has been popular and that would be where I would start to get more listeners and then go from there.

Here's an insider tip that can save you time and money. If you already have a social media post that's getting good engagement, people are liking it, commenting, sharing it, boost that post, instead of creating a brand new ad from scratch, it's already proven to resonate, so you're just helping it. Reach more of the right [00:29:00] people with a paid ad.

The beautiful thing about starting small is that you can learn what works without risking a significant investment. Don't make a significant investment at the beginning,

so. If paid ads feels a little too intimidating at this point, or you just prefer to start with if paid ads feel too intimidating, just start with the completely free strategy and collaboration is one of the most powerful ways to grow your audience and establish credibility. Here's an [00:30:00] idea.

Collaborate guest on a podcast. Just shoot a couple of podcasts that you admire in email, maybe those with a smaller following and see if they'd like to have you on as a guest, teach a short class online or at a local library. This is the practical work of moving from. I have a business to, I have clients.

Again, Package, what you offer. This is where Part two moves way beyond episode seven. That was about choosing an idea. This episode is about shaping that idea into something people understand and wanna pay for, a course or workshop with a, a name and promise that is very clear to your audience.

AI can save you time and energy in ways you wouldn't even [00:31:00] believe. Think of it as your personal assistant. Use it to brainstorm ideas for social media or for products, draft emails or posts. You can later edit them so they sound exactly like you. Research trends, plan out a content calendar. You stay in charge of your voice, but let AI take care of that heavy lifting.

The mindset shift. If episode seven was all about courage, this episode is about momentum. Take your idea out into the world. Get visible. Don't over complicate. Start small, but start consistently.

You can do that. And try this: Use AI to brainstorm 20 ideas for how to promote your business. Finally. [00:32:00] If the earlier episode got you dreaming, this one is here to get you moving. If you've been sitting for an idea for months or years, this is your gentle, loving nudge. It's time to go from idea to impact and action.

I can't wait to see what you. Build and hey, I'm right next to you in the building an online business trenches. In my previous career and in my businesses I did very well, but I am just getting going in my online business , even though I've been at it for quite a while. So share with me any discoveries you make that help you get results.

You know, it's possible. We know because so many others are making their living online now, and if they can do it, so can we. [00:33:00] Right. I'd love to hear from you. After you listen to this episode. Pop over to our 60 something Facebook group, the links in the show notes, and tell me what is your next step. Are you finding anything that really moved the needle for you and getting results if this episode lit a fire under you or even.

Inspired you a little. Would you take 60 seconds to leave a review on Apple Podcasts really helps the show. There are instructions for exactly how to do that right in the show notes. Your reviews mean so much to me. They really make my day. Until next time, as I often say, keep your sunny side up. I'll see you next time on 60 [00:34:00] something.