It happens to everyone. Sales stink sometimes. You haven’t gotten traction yet, your message isn’t resonating, or you haven’t found your deep niche. Or you have, and the economy changed, the market made what used to work ineffective (take gym memberships for the biggest example in the history of gyms). But it can also be that you took a risk and tried something and it did not work.   Good for you! Celebrate! Taking a risk is a big deal.    This episode is all about …   How to Pivot When Sales Stink    So let’s just do one thing first, and that talks about when and why it will happen if you’re going to grow and scale a business!    In order to grow you will go backward sometimes. There are so many instances of this.  You’ll hire contractors or employees for the first time and gulp, realize your monthly expenses have gone way up… but your revenue has not gone up immediately. Long-term is that necessary? Yes, it absolutely is!    If you begin selling some products…. A journal, supplements, merchandise of any kind and you have to buy the inventory first, then pay to have it distributed when your customer purchases, there’s a somewhat hefty bill you’re going to have to pay ahead of the actual revenue which ideally includes a profit margin but it’s a one step forward two steps back game for a while.    Let’s dive in … with no special intro… let me ask:    What do you think would motivate someone to take a first step with you?    How well you answer that question will tell me if you can find out something very important: do you know your customer’s motivation?    Notice I didn’t say your motivation level. But instead, something very different, it’s their motive. What moves them to do something different, reach for different content or information?    What was YOUR motive for listening to this episode? What did you hope or think you would get out of it? Did you listen just because it was up next and you listen to them as they come out? Or did you return to this one, skip ahead to this one, or have it pop up when you were searching for answers?    Now, potentially, I know your motive for making a decision at the end of this conversation. Do you understand?    If you want more sales, you may be perfect for the Marketing to Women Copywriting course. Or you may find that you’re here knowing I build my business from 0 to 6-figure months in about 4 years and you want to know more about working with midlife women and getting them results.    Next, What do you do?    How you answer that question may tell us a lot about why sales stink. Is what you say something anyone can say? Is it what a lot of coaches or trainers with the same qualifications as you say?  Then you’re not getting anyone’s interest. And you have to have it.    If no one is really finding you interesting such that they have interest in learning more… a sale isn’t too likely.    Do You Surprise Them?  Michael Bernoff would call this intrigue. Interest of course we discussed. But intrigue is when you go a little further.    Let me give you an analogy. Or two. First, when you want to get media experience and you’re green reaching out to people, fitness pros often reach out with I have this degree, that degree, am an elite so and so… and no one cares.  A producer wants ratings. A producer wants to know you understand that an audience loving your content gets ratings up. When audiences tune in more often due to great content and because you share you’re going to be on, were on - these things matter. It’s not about you talking about “your passion.”    It’s not about a potential podcast guest reaching out to me saying So and So’s book xxx is coming out and they’d love to talk about it on your show.    That’s lovely for them. That’s them winning from exposure on my real estate with my audience. But what’s in it for my audience?    “The mistake people often make is that I do this because I’m passionate about fitness and love to exercise. The truth is, I love seeing clients get results