As I probed a bit deeper into their situation, I began to pick up on an interesting theme in all of his answers. Regardless of what I suggested they consider doing - think about expanding into additional markets, add new products, test different lead generation processes - he rejected everything. For every suggestion I made, he told me he didn't think that it would work as well as his current method.

I reminded him that his current method had sputtered out or he wouldn't be calling me in the first place. And that testing can be done on a small scale to let the market prove what will work and what won't.

But again, nothing I suggested seemed to satisfy him. Finally, I asked him point blank, "It really doesn't seem like you want to change anything that you're currently doing or test anything new. Is that correct?"

"Yes, that's correct", he answered. "You had helped a friend of mine sell a lot more of their services and I just wanted to check and see what's available."

With that, I wished him well and ended the call.

So what happened here? Did I do a lousy job of presenting a these new options to him? I doubt it, primarily because of his lack of interest in everything I suggested. Plus, there was a strong undercurrent of negativity.

No, what was really going on was...

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A bad case of Entrepreneurial Fear
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The fact is, the guy was quaking in his boots. He desperately needed to solve a steeply declining situation, but he lacked the guts to take even the first step.

I see this happen all the time. People want to change jobs to something either more lucrative or more fulfilling, but are afraid to. Companies know they need to develop new products or services to keep ahead of the competition, but they find dozens of reasons to never get started.

The CEO knows that their marketing needs a shot in the arm, but sits back hoping that some miracle will restore sales to previous levels. A consultant knows that raising his fees is long overdue, but still can't bring himself to do so.

These, and other fears, keep too many people from taking action. But if you're ever going to grow your business to the next level, you're going to have to make some changes that are somewhat uncomfortable. That's just a fact of business life.

There are a number of ways to reduce this discomfort from sheer terror to an acceptable level. I'll show you precisely how to do this in just a minute. But first...

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Two resources to help you bring in more business
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Do you need more leads for your business? Highly qualified leads who contact you rather than you chasing after them? My comprehensive program, "Power Prospecting for Consultants, Trainers, and Coaches" gives you everything you need to generate as many new leads as possible for your business using both online and offline marketing methods. You can get all the details at:

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Have you tried to market your services online and been disappointed with the results? Or is your online marketing doing alright, but you know it could do even better? In my new program, "The Ultimate Guide to Selling Professional Services Online", five leading experts show you everything you need to know to sell more of your services and products online. You'll discover dozens of proven techniques for effectively using web sites, ezines, ebooks, and pay-per-click advertising to fill your appointment book with paying clients. Click here for complete details:

http://www.consulting-success.com/online.html

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The Cure for Entrepreneurial Fear
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There are a number of ways to conquer the fear of making changes. We'll take a look at some of the best methods in the remainder of this issue.

First of all, it helps to remember that not all fear is bad. The fear that bristles the hair on the back of your neck when you walk down a dimly lit street is a good thing. Likewise, fear of making business changes signals you that you may want to proceed cautiously. But it also signals you that there are a lot of exciting possibilities.

So pay attention to your fear, but learn to work with it rather than letting it stop you.

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Limit your exposure
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Making any change can be tested on a small level before commiting to a larger or permanent change. Want to raise your fees? Test it with a couple of projects. For example, test a fee increase with a long-time client to see how well its accepted. Then test it with a new prospect and guage its acceptance there as well.

Your risk is minimal. By testing in small doses, you limit your exposure and potential loss. Besides, you can always back off of the fee increase and work for your prior rate. But - and this is a major "but" - you can rarely raise your fees once you've agreed to do a project at a lower price.

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Have a sense of humor
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Most of us take our businesses far too seriously. Almost all the things you worry about never actually happen.

Years ago, I advised a marketing consultant to increase his fee for a project he was bidding on by 70%. He was terrified to do this, even though he realized he was charging substantially less than other consultants with similar skills.

When it came time to submit his bid, he could only garner enough courage to increase his fee by 50%. Even then, he told me he was terrified that he would lose the client.

The next day, the client called to tell him he had signed the contract and put a check in the mail. Then the client told him, "I was wondering when you were going to raise your rates. It's long overdue."

The client called me and told me he was elated. He also added, "I wish I would have increased it the full 70%!"

The point is, again, most of your fears are just that - your fears. They aren't anyone else's. So lighten up. Relax a little and take some calculated risks. I promise you'll be glad you did.

Copyright 2004 by Bob Serling All rights reserved
Consulting-Success.com
2039 Bruceala Court
Cardiff, CA 92007

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