Consistency – doing the same thing, in the same way, over and over again. Sounds dull, right? But if repeating a particular set of actions results in more sales in your online business, why wouldn’t you keep doing them and improving them?
Consistency is one of the least talked about parts of being an online business owner, it’s the key to business success.
Don’t believe me? Keep reading. I’ll explain what business consistency is, why it matters and share some things I do to stay consistent as an online business owner.
What is Business Consistency?
Whenever I ask my community what the biggest problem they have in their business is, I tend to only get one answer back:
“How To Make More Sales”
I wish I could wave a magic wand and solve this problem for them (and me!) but I can’t.
You see, making more sales in your online business comes from being consistent in your actions across all the different areas of your business, which all come together perfectly to persuade someone to buy from you.
You can’t just post once on Instagram and expect people to take action. We all know we need to post consistently to build that ‘know, like, trust‘ factor, grow our following and turn strangers into superfans who ultimately buy from us.
What Should You Be Doing Consistently?
Social media is just one area of your business you need to be consistent in. Where you need to be consistent depends on the type of online business you’re running, the stage you’re at and the time you have available. Here are some areas for you to consider:
- SEO & blogging
- Email marketing
- Financial checks
- Branding & tone
- Showing up in your business
Why Does Consistency Matter So Much in Business?
Being consistent lets you focus your efforts in your business so you do all the right things, at the right intervals to make more online sales because it:
Establishes Credibility and Trust
Showing up consistently on social media builds community. Blogging regularly establishes you as an authority (and helps with SEO). Emailing your mailing list helps to build a connection with potential customers.
By being consistent in all these areas you are building the ‘know, like, trust‘ factor, the key to successfully selling online and building customer loyalty.
Grows Your Audience
Building an online community and getting your messaging right takes time. Having an engaged community is great for sales and retention, but it’s a long game that you’ll need to show up consistently for.
Gives Your Plans a Chance To Work
Marketing campaigns need time to work. Did you know in marketing they say it takes 7 “touches” before a potential customer will take action? If you’re bouncing around from one idea to another you won’t be giving your potential customers time to “hear” your message and you’ll be losing potential sales.
Let’s You Measure Your Success
Consistency lets you see how successful (or unsuccessful) your efforts have been. They are an opportunity for you to learn what you’ve done right and wrong, so you have the opportunity to be even more effective the next time around
How to Achieve Business Consistency
So now you know how much business consistency matters, how do you achieve it? Especially if, like me, you have limited time because you’re juggling your business with a family or a job, for example. Here’s some ideas for you:
Know What You Want to Achieve Long Term
Write down why you want to work for yourself. Whether you’re new to the online business world or have been in it for a while, it can be easy to forget what set you on the path of self-employment. This ‘why’ is also known as your vision and once you know every action you take in your business contributes to getting you there, being consistent will be much easier.
Develop a Plan
Consistency is much easier once you’ve decided on the steps and actions you need to take. Once you know your vision, map out all the things you need to be doing and at what frequency to get yourself to your end point.
If you need a template to help you map out your plan, then you can use my free Business Plan workbook.
Put Systems In Place
Having automation and systems in place that keep you consistent will ultimately help you to drive more sales. Automating tasks like social media posting with a scheduler means you can show up online even if you are busy elsewhere. With email sequences, you can automate emails when subscribers take specific actions, helping you generate revenue without sending individual emails.
Putting systems in place means your business will be consistent, even without you.
Commit to Consistency
Sometimes, despite the busyness of life, you just have to commit to being consistent and prioritising your business.
Whether you started a business to get out of your full-time job, bump up your household income or make money around your family commitments, it won’t happen by magic and if you truly want to achieve your vision you need to commit to business consistency.
Struggling to take consistent action in your online business?
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