In December took a hiatus from the news.

For context, I've read political news multiple times a day for over a decade.

Not a day goes by when my fingers don't type cnn.com.

But now I avoid the news.

I blocked most of it.

I'm no longer visiting those sites - X, drudge, cnn, even Reuters.

I still catch the occasional story about White House Foreign Policy Meltdowns.

And I have a general idea about what's going on.

This avoidance - and mushrooms - has been great at reducing anxiety.

(I won't get into the mushrooms now.)

The effects have been fantastic.

I got back a lot of time.

And my Mental health is also really improved.

Because the news isn't important. It doesn't move my life forward.

Sales Avoidance

I'm in a sales mastermind group

We talk about - you guessed it - selling.

I've noticed something

Many people in the group avoid sales.

(I suppose that's why they are there).

They have created their own avoidance to it.

Rather than talk to people

They "get ready"

They Automate.

But this comes later.

First comes the conversations.

You have to validate your idea and find people interested.

The truth is you don't have a business until people want something.

No people = You have a hobby.

But people want to avoid this - it creates anxiety

They find other things to do that they think builds their business.

"what software do I send 200 cold messages with?"

"I need to make sure I'm ready for all the interest!"

"I have to build my program first"

It's a trap we often fall into.

But ... Work from your Strengths

There's a theory

That you should only do what you are good at.

And delegate everything else.

There's some truth to that.

But building a business

means conversations

It's unavoidable.

You can't delegate them

In my last business I did

I tried to avoid them

And it didn't go well.

It ended it.

Because I didn't understand

The simple truth that you don't have to sell to sell.

My Sales Gurus

I'm a big fan of April Dunford - who is known as the positioning expert.

That's most of her focus on many podcast interviews

Her book is great and easy to read.

She also wrote a book on selling.

Which helped me to stop avoiding selling.

Her premise: solve the problem at a higher level

If you are talking to a prospect, your job is to bring them clarity.

Your product might be a good fit - or not.

100% you should position it

and find people who align

But don't go in, guns blazing.

Help them understand their decision making

"what ways can I solve this problem? What are my options"

If you answer those questions, you are the expert.

and the expert often gets more time

From my sales coach -

I received a second simple idea.

Don't sell. Instead - Invite people to you.

"By the way, Im doing this thing that solves your problem - if you are interested"

That's it. No selling.

Sounds easier?

100%.

If you are trying to grow - these two things helped me immensely.

Thanks for reading.

- Matt

PS: If you are looking for help growing your business, I'm happy to chat. I'm not offering anything right this minute other than free advice. I am working on something for Late march.

PPS: for those of you watching, no new baby #4 yet. (Once this happens I'll be opening up for working with a few select people).

MK