3 Days To Cash Workbook
Module 4
BUILD IT: Partner Options
A powerful way to grow your business quickly and continue earning fast cash is
to find someone to partner with. A partner will help in sharing the workload and
motivate you to stay focused on the end goal. This will be someone who is
passionate about the same things you are and is wanting to build a secure future
for themselves as well.
As you build your first Cash Machine, the quickest way to get started is to start
offering a service. As you begin to generate cash, you can look at options to hire
others to do the work and expand your reach.
Buy, Build, Partner
Just so you’re clear on all the possibilities and some of the things to consider as
we move through this process, I want you know what criteria you can use to
decide if buying, building, or partnering for your new Cash Machine is your best
option.
Buy Build Partner
-You have the $
-Can find the $
-Want a jumpstart
-Have/know of a way to go
quickly
-Passive buyer
-Skills-Ideas
-Want out of job
-Ready to build
-Already have one
-Entrepreneurial spirit &
determination
-More time than $
-Not an entrepreneur
-Prefer to work in teams
-Operator
-Maintainer
-More analytical
-Great skill sets to run
companies as manager,
but not start them
-Entrepreneur with limited
time
Buy: Operational/Managerial
This means that you are investing your money and managing the company. You
have employees, and established clientele, and you’re cash reserves are in a
great place.
Build: Entrepreneurial
This is when you have great skills and ideas that could translate into a successful
cash machine. There may not be anything like your idea out there and you’re
really breaking new ground. You’re ready to be out on your own and be the
master of your own destiny.
Partner: Technical/Supervisory
You bring a technical skill to the equation and you need someone with practical
manufacturing skills. You might have the engineering ability to design a product
and you need someone who can manufacture it. You’re good at managing the
production process and getting the product out to customers.
The option you select will depend in part on your experience and your skill sets.
Do you consider yourself to be more entrepreneurial or more managerial? An
entrepreneur has the desire to charge out there and build something from
scratch. A manager often wants to step in and run an existing operation, improve
efficiencies, and increase productivity. Entrepreneurs are often highly creative
and looking for a new market to occupy, whereas managers are detail oriented
and like to know the rules of the game.
Some people are more technical in nature and want to focus on doing the work
itself – building, manufacturing, and fabricating. Someone who is technical might
want to partner with someone who is more outgoing and experienced in
marketing and sales – they will do the selling while you make the product.
Think of the creative team that founded Apple Computer with Steve Jobs focused on
marketing and sales and Steve Wozniak on development and production. That
dynamic team started small and built a game-changing company that competes
in a global market and has redefined personal computing. That was two guys
creating a Cash Machine – and the rest is history.
If you partner with people, look for people with complementary skills; they are
able to do something that you’re not so good at. This partnership will make the
end goal of putting new money in your pocket easier than you doing it on your
own.
There are a lot of ways to establish a partnership. Some might require sharing
ownership in the company, others might mean a paycheck. Regardless of the
agreement, you always want to write a contract that outlines the roles each of
you will play and what’s expected. Don’t assume you’re on the same page until
you have it in writing. It doesn’t matter if you have been best friends for years or
this is someone you just met. Having this partnership spelled out on paper will
ensure your relationship stays intact as your Cash Machine grows.
Partner for Growth:
Here are a few of the factors to consider as you select partners to work with.
Both parties have SKIN in the game
What is your level of commitment? Are you absolutely committed to make your
Cash Machine profitable? Do you think it makes sense to make sure your partner
has the same level of commitment? You bet it does!
Entrepreneurs often suffer from a tendency to chase the bright and shiny. That
means starting one thing, but getting easily distracted and starting to work on
something else. Sound familiar? If this isn’t you, you’ve probably seen it play out
before with people you know. You want to make sure your partner is not going to
jump in with both feet to support your Cash Machine only to turn and pursue
some other opportunity a few weeks down the road.
You need to look for ways to make sure your partner is committed to stay
focused on your Cash Machine for the long haul. One of the ways to do this is
make sure that both parties have skin in the game. That usually means that both
parties have invested in the Cash Machine with financial resources. That may not
mean taking and putting cash in the bank account but it might mean investing
money in equipment, marketing, or sales initiatives.
People have a tendency to focus on the success of a business when they have
invested in that business with an expectation of a return on that investment –
there is a reason why large corporations give stock to employees, the success of
the company means even more money in their wallet.
Two or more skill sets COMBINED
Look for people to partner with that have multiple skills you need to make your
Cash Machine thrive. Marketing and sales often go hand in hand. Operations and
customer service often come together. You want to find people with versatile skill
sets.
More than when you start out, these multiple skills sets will come in handy when
it’s time to come up with ideas to grow and expand your Cash Machine. You
want to have people around who can give you ideas, tap into their skills, and
contribute to the next stage of growth.
Being able to rely on someone to do more than one thing will also save you
money and increase the bottom line.
Both skill sets and operations are COMPLEMENTARY
Find people who complement what you are capable of doing. Don’t look for
people who are just like you. You want people who can do things you cannot. If
you’re great at organizing, there is no need to partner with someone else who is
great at organizing – you’ll probably argue about the best method of organizing
and never get anything done.
You want people who can offer a different perspective and can bring new ideas
to the table. You want to find someone who is different but still passionate about
your Cash Machine and able to focus on the areas of the business that seem
boring to you. This will make for a match made in heaven.
Working with a partner who has a vested interest in the success of your
business, brings new ideas to the table, and has complementary skills to your
own will mean that the resulting products/service you offer are ultimately
BETTER that what you could have done alone.
Some entrepreneurs have a tendency to be Lone Rangers – they think that their
way is the only way, and to do something right you have to do it yourself. They
do not solicit help and their business suffers from it, they end up drowning in their
own pride and incompetence. No amount of great ideas can make up for poor
implementation of those ideas.
If you want to build a successful Cash Machine, you need to ask for help and get
feedback on your idea. When you partner up with someone, you want to let them
expand your idea and encourage you to think bigger. They may also have
relationships with influential people who could end up being a huge part of
building your cash machine, finding new clients, and expanding your success.
This type of network connection can lead to fast growth and big opportunities.
A great partner for your Cash Machine may also be able to create additional
REVENUE opportunities by bringing new customers to the business. A good
partner will also be a natural promoter – someone who will talk about the
company and engage potential customers. You want to trust that when the
opportunity arises to talk about your company and the services you offer, your
partner is ready to talk it up and close some deals.
Look for people who will talk, share and communicate the message about your
product or service anytime, anywhere. This will help to bring new revenue for
your Cash Machine. Look for people who attend networking events, are
members of associations and who are comfortable making phone calls.
Finding a partner who knows the value of building relationships and cultivating
new leads will mean faster growth in your company and a long-term, sustainable
customer base.
*Selecting the Right Type of Business for yourCash Machine
As we move through this workbook, I don’t want you to get bogged down and
stuck, the answers you need are here – and you can always talk to a strategist in
my office or even work with one of my personal coaches if you really want to get
moving quickly. So stay focused on your overall goal, to put NEW money in your
bank account as soon as possible. That means starting your Cash Machine as
soon as possible.
One of the areas where new entrepreneurs have a tendency to get stuck is in
selecting the type of Cash Machine they want to build. Let’s consider 3 different
types of businesses opportunities along with the advantages and disadvantages
of each.
Franchises
You probably already know what a franchise is. It’s the McDonalds, Carl’s Jr.,
Wendy’s, Starbucks, Subway, TCBY, and many others. They are companies that
started out at one location, expanded to several locations, and then started
selling the rights to open locations to other people not associated with the original
company.
Most franchises have rules about where a store can be, what it looks like, prices,
discounts, advertising, and others that ensure each franchise location is similar to
another even if they are owned by different people.
For some people, buying a franchise might be the right answer, especially if they
have cash assets, like to have an established operating plan, and feel more like
managing rather than creating from scratch.
A franchise might be a great opportunity for someone with a lot of available cash
because the cost of getting started can be anywhere from $15,000 for smaller
(lesser-known franchises) to over $1 million for a McDonalds. It’s an excellent
way to invest money into an established Cash Machine brand – but may not be
the best way to start out.
If you are in the market for a franchise, buying the right one is critical. Making the
wrong decision can be costly – then you’re out your cash and you’re still
frustrated. I have some clients who know how to produce a hundred percent
return on those opportunities, and they do it over and over again. Mastering the
development of new and existing Cash Machines is an important skill to develop.
This is a way to be able to double and triple your investment over time and build
greater wealth.
For the purposes of this workbook and building your immediate Cash Machine,
we are not going to consider franchises. They are great vehicles for building
wealth, but are not the fastest path to cash.
Products
Let’s be honest, the shorter the path that money has to take to get into your bank
account, the better. Most businesses either deliver a product or a service And
some deliver both. For your Cash Machine you can find an existing product to
sell, or you can create your own product – either could be a good fit for you.
Many people have great ideas for new products. Sometimes it’s an invention that
meets a common need, or it might be a home-cooked item that family and friends
have suggested would be a big hit in stores. These are the kind of ideas that
have been the basis for some of the world’s great companies. In fact, every
product you can buy in the store was once the invention of a single person
looking to create a Cash Machine. Through innovation, perfection, and marketing
they got that project into stores. Some of them sell their recipes to HUGE
companies and never work again – it could be you someday.
Every year, the number of people with new product ideas grows. In 2007, there
were over 485,000 applications filed for U.S. patents. That’s a sign that the
American dream is alive and well, and people just like you are making
innovations to improve everyday life.
A few of those patents will be the foundation of successful companies. The
inventors who filed the patents will profit in a big way because their creation may
become the foundation of businesses, innovations, products, and manufacturing.
Some patents will end up being sold to existing companies, turning the inventors
into millionaires. Unfortunately, most of those patents will lead nowhere – not
because they’re not great ideas, but because the inventor doesn’t know what to
do with it to make money.
In general, even the most successful of these product ideas will take a long time
before they get out to market and start to generate any cash for the inventor.
That’s because starting a business around an invention or patent may have a
very long and complex money path full of capital investors, banks,
manufacturing, distribution, marketing, and the rest.
Many product ideas take a lot of effort to produce. Sometimes this can mean
designing and building a prototype or sample. That takes time and money. Once
you have the prototype or sample, you will need to sell the concept to potential
manufacturers, distributors or retailers. Or you need to manufacture, distribute
and sell it yourself. That means more time and more money out of your pocket.
If an idea requires extensive tooling, manufacturing, exotic parts and materials,
or even completely new forms of marketing, it can be a daunting task to turn
even the best idea into cash – and isn’t this program about putting new cash in
your bank as soon as possible?
Establishing a new product could take years to actually start making any money.
That can be a pretty SLOW path to cash. But your dream product can happen
someday. All it takes is gaining some financial stability and business experience,
someday may come sooner than you think once you get your Cash Machine up
and running. But today your goal is fast cash. We want to put money in your
pocket now, not years from now.
Services
I have found that most fast moneymaking ideas are service oriented, not
products. And though you may find a simple product idea that nets you cash fast,
such as beaded necklaces at the right price, products are usually not the easiest
route when you combine the manufacturing time with the marketing and selling
time, you’re doing twice as much work to make half as much money. Since you
may be starting Cash Machine by yourself, building a product on your own may
not be the best place to start.
Service-based Cash Machines have proven to be the fastest path to putting new
money in your bank account. When it comes to putting an extra $500 – $1,000 in
your pocket now, providing a service will get you there faster.
Let’s look at a simple service business such as house cleaning. On Monday, you
decide this will be your new venture. That night, on your computer, you design
and print some posters advertising your service with your phone number. You
also print out a bunch of order forms.
On Tuesday, you put the posters up at the supermarket, library, a children’s
clothing store, the drugstore and the bookstore. On Wednesday, you get a call to
come the next day to clean the house of a woman who’s throwing a party.
On Thursday morning, you spend two hours cleaning and then hand the woman
an invoice for $60. She hands you three $20 bills.
It took just four days for you to go from starting the venture to making money.
Now, that’s a fast path to cash. It may not be sexy, but it gets the job done. It
may not be a long term solution, but it will solve some of your short term
problems, right? You’re making extra money NOW that you can put in the bank
to pay bills, save up, and ultimately invest in bigger, more lucrative Cash
Machines.
*Identify what you have to work with
Resources
Make sure that you have the necessary resources to build your Cash Machine.
Many small businesses fail because they don’t start with enough money to set up
the business and keep it going until it begins making money.
Money is already tight, so the last thing you need is to spend more to set up your
Cash Machine. What you need is a business that requires almost no cash to get
started and uses the skills you already have.
When you know what Cash Machine you can start right now, make a list all of the
things you’ll need to run your moneymaking venture. Once you have the list
complete, start to check off what you already have – including your own skills.
Be as specific as possible, digging down into the nitty-gritty details. If you are
launching a lawn-mowing business, you’ll need a mower, trimmer, rake and leaf
blower, but you’ll also need a vehicle to get around, bags to pick up the clippings,
a trailer to haul the waste. You may also need an independent mobile phone so
you can be reached throughout the day, and voicemail.
If you are going to do office work for small businesses, you’ll need a computer,
telephone, printer, fax machine, copier and maybe a scanner. You want to make
sure you already own these things. You may require specific software programs
that are compatible with the work you’re doing – see about borrowing them, or
even using free versions from the internet.
At first you want access to inexpensive resources that can create immediate
money and get the job done. Borrowing someone’s lawnmower is the same as
borrowing cash from the bank – it’s leveraging someone else’s tools to make you
money, and that’s what this is all about.
List any special resources you have that could help in starting and running your
Cash Machine. This could include other people who want to lend their support
and talents to help you. Maybe your spouse has a skill, such as tax preparation,
that would eliminate the need for you to hire outside help.
Try to figure out exactly how much it will cost (if anything) to get started with your
Cash Machine. There may be something on your list that you don’t have now and
don’t have the resources to get it, do you really need it to get started?
Your personality
It’s also important to think about your personality as you create your Cash
Machine. If you like details and not the big picture, you want a Cash Machine that
will thrive on your ability to dig into the specifics and check them off a list. If you
are friendly and outgoing, a Cash Machine that has you out there meeting
people, networking, and engaging one-on-one might be more suitable.
You want to take into account your personality, likes, dislikes, attitudes and
behaviors, when choosing your Cash Machine. If you don’t like dogs, don’t
become a dog walker. If you are allergic to grass, don’t cut lawns (even if you
have a mower). Be sensible.
If you’re not sure about your personality, talk to someone who knows you well.
Ask them what to watch out for in a business. Maybe it’s a spouse, friend, parent,
or even your children. The key is their willingness and ability to be honest with
you. They can tell you things like, “don’t do anything that requires getting mud on
your shoes; I know how much you hate that.”
When they give you their answer you will have a chance to decide if that is going
to be a problem, or if this is the perfect opportunity to get over it. You may find
that your aversion to getting mud on your shoes is completely swept away at the
prospect of raising enough money to buy as many pairs of shoes as you want.
Tell them your idea for a Cash Machine and ask if they think you have the
personality to succeed in that business. Tell them the process of doing the work
and what’s on your checklist. They may see some things that you missed, and
also tell you if they see you doing the work well, or if they think you would enjoy
it. Be aware of the possible negativity – make sure you ask a number of people
so you get a broad spectrum of opinion.
If you realize an idea doesn’t fit your personality, don’t test it any further. Dump it,
pick another from your list and start the testing process over. There are unlimited
possibilities for Cash Machines and this is just the first one. If it really isn’t a good
fit with your personality, walk away. On the other hand, if the personality issues
or conflicts can be overcome easily, then do it. It’s your future we’re talking
about, maybe it’s time to get out of your own way.
Your past
Using your past experience to drive your decisions today may be a great way to
gage the potential success of your Cash Machine.
Think back over your past and see if you can come up with a time when you did
the kind of work you’re considering. Maybe it was your first job, or a college
internship. Maybe it was an activity you did in the summers, or a project you were
assigned at work one year. From that experience you can determine if you are
able to do it now.
If you enjoyed it in the past, you can enjoy it now. Even if you stopped doing it
because you were burnt out, bored, or just restless to do something else, that’s
okay. If there was even one time that you can remember enjoying this kind of
work, then you can do it again.
*Identify your market
From the start of your Cash Machine, it’s important to know your business and
the flow of cash into your bank account. You know that the money that will
eventually end up in your bank account is currently in someone else’s bank
account. Coming up with your fastest path to cash is knowing where the money
is right now and how to move it into your hand.
Part of identifying the market for your Cash Machine is knowing the type of
individuals and companies that will use your service.
Visualization Activity:
I like to have my clients draw a chart of money flow from the banks it is in now to
their own bank. On one side of the chart may be pictures of offices, homes, and
people – and on the other side is a picture of themselves holding the cash. Inbetween
the two points is your Cash Machine. It is literally the mechanism you
use to move money from one side of the chart to the other – from one bank
account into your own.
So take a moment and draw a chart of your own. Detail your Cash Machine
process in the middle – from the moment you meet the person, set the
agreement, provide the service, receive the check, and then cash it. Get all the
details into the picture.
Where is your customer?
Since you know that there is a need for your service, you must identity who has
that need. If you’re working with companies, take a look at the type of company
that would use your service. Decide if they are big or small companies, or if their
location will play a part in working with you.
If you know your Cash Machine is primarily aimed at individuals or families, take
a moment to figure out where these families likely live, or what age these
individuals will likely be.
You want to take the time to KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER so you can more easily
find them, and offer your service.
Take a moment and make a list of several places you think you can find
customers for your Cash Machine. This could be at a networking event, an
association, or a store – it could even be specific neighborhoods. Think
creatively.
Action Item: Make a list of 3 or more places you can find customers:
1) ___________________________________________
2) ___________________________________________
3) ___________________________________________
You really need to know the market for your idea and figure out if it is a local
service business that will serve customers from your town and the outlying areas,
or is it an Internet-based business attracting customers from all over the world.
If you’re going to draw from a specific geographic area, get a hold of some of the
telephone directories for that location and start using them as a resource to find
companies that are doing something similar to what you are about to do. If you
don’t have directories yourself, you can find them at your local library or online.
Go through the business sections of the directories looking for local business
already doing what you plan to do.
Cast a wide net, looking for businesses and individuals which, while not doing
exactly what you plan on doing, may do something closely or related. List the
names, addresses, phone numbers, and web pages of every similar business
you find.
If you’re going to provide service regionally or nationally, turn to the Internet. Use
all the major search engines to find businesses that do what you plan to do or
something close. Once again, write down all the information you find.
Write down the names, addresses, phone numbers, and URLs of similar
businesses you found in your local telephone directories because in the next
workbook, you’re going to use this knowledge to help set your pricing, create
business forms and promote your business.
Assess the market
Part of doing research in your market is assessing the viability of your idea. This
consists of looking around to see if anyone else is doing what you want to do – or
at the very least, something similar.
If you have one of those, “oh my goodness, how has no one thought of this
before” kind of ideas, that may not be a good sign. The old adage, “all the good
ideas are taken” has some truth to it.
Lots of my clients, finding no businesses like the one they are planning to start,
think they’ve hit on a gold mine. “I couldn’t believe it,” they tell me. “No one else
is doing it. I’m sure to make a fortune.”
The fact that no one else is running a business based on your idea most likely
means there isn’t a readily accessible market for the product or service. That
doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea, but it might mean that it requires a lot more work to
get it off the ground. Don’t get discouraged, but it’s probably best to put that Cash
Machine idea on the back burner and move on to something you know has a
market and demand.
Sure, there are companies that have been able to make millions by developing
original products or services and carving out a whole new product category
people didn’t even know they wanted – once again, Apple Computer is a great
example of this. But these are big, well-financed ventures that can afford to
advertise and market and shape public opinion long enough to develop a need in
people that didn’t previously exist. You are not Apple or Sony yet and the time
required to make that happen is not your fastest path to cash.
If you find that there are businesses, either in your local area or on the Internet,
that are doing what you plan to do, that’s fantastic. That means there’s a market
out there for what you’re doing – people are already spending money to have
what you are offering! You will make some money delivering a product or service
to meet the need that already exists.
Case Study #4 Update: Joe O.
Joe knew exactly who his market was for his new Social Media/Web Marketing
business. While he and his friends used the internet for everything from banking
to checking out the newest music not to mention their social networks, he saw his
former boss and other older small business owners frustrated by this “new”
Facebook and Twitter thing and not understanding why people would buy things
from the internet from someone they did not even know. With so many people
online and connecting, he knew these businesses were missing out on a huge
opportunity to capture a big audience and expand their business into a much
bigger space than just their local community.
*Selecting your Cash Machine
So, we’ve talked a lot about the process for discovering viable Cash Machine
options for you and the things you want to consider as you go through the
process, but now it’s time to actually start making some decisions.
This section is going to give you some actions steps you can take to sift through
all the great ideas and arrive at the perfect Cash Machine for you – the one that
will help you put new money in your bank account as soon as possible.
The actions below will help you identify the best Cash Machine for you.
Take a look at the following lists. They have examples of individual skill sets and
some Cash Machine ideas I have worked with my clients to create.
For example, if you have great accounting skills, some possible Cash Machine
ideas may include teaching people to work in Quicken, or giving tax strategies to
small businesses. You may find some extra cash in doing some data entry, or
even just keeping the books.
The point is, for every skill there is a Cash Machine waiting to make you money,
so look through the lists below for ideas or you can come up with your own.
These are really just a few to get you started.
Circle any of the skills and Cash Machines that appeal to you.
Skill Set Cash Machine
Accounting bookkeeper
Quick Books training
tax strategist
business systems trainer
data entry
notary
accountant
Cooking home chef
catering
prepared meals
cooking classes
team building by cooking
food critic
Animal Lover dog walker
groomer
house sitting
animal psychologist
obedience school
animal massage
Communication com. consultant
com. assistant
audio book reading
bilingual assistance
family communication
relationship communication
Cash Machine Ideas:
Cleaning Decorating Signage
Scrapbooking Dry Cleaning Vending Machines
Automotive Laundromats Daycare/Babysitting
Sales Hair Styling Researcher
Tutoring Financial Services Web Design
Food related Planning/Organization Reading
Packing/Mail Service Maintenance Voiceover
Senior Care Kitchen Dancers
Tanning Health/Beauty Fitness/Training
Logos Makeup Interpreter/Translator
Writing/Editing Personal Shopper Child Development
Maid Service Personal Concierge Parenting Support
Window Service Coaching/Consulting Computer Tech
Coffee/Beverage Service Public Speaking Lodging/Storage
Pet Care Retail Sales Party Biz/Supplies
Sports Pet Care Printing/Copy
Repairs Convenience Stores Teaching
Now that you’ve seen some ideas and had a chance to match your personal
skills to some possible Cash Machines, it’s time to select your Cash Machine!
In this action step, I want you to select three Cash Machine ideas you know your
skill would support and write them in the space provided or in your notebook.
Under each of the Cash Machine ideas make a list of “pros” and “cons” so you
can weigh the options with all the information in front of you.
Cash Machine Idea #1: __________________________________________________
Pros __________________________________________________
Cons __________________________________________________
Cash Machine Idea #2: __________________________________________________
Pros __________________________________________________
Cons __________________________________________________
Cash Machine Idea #3:__________________________________________________
Pros __________________________________________________
Cons __________________________________________________
Now that you have the ideas listed out in front of you and you’ve identified the
“pros” and “cons” you can finally make a decision as to what your Cash Machine
will be.
Even with all the discussion we’ve had, you may still be overwhelmed at the
prospect of choosing one and committing to it. You may be worried about picking
the wrong one or getting in over your head. It’s okay to feel that way, it’s natural,
especially if this is your first venture out on your own.
The key to gaining confidence in your decision to build a Cash Machine is
making sure that this new business represents your values. Values are the
driving force that will ensure you’re passionately pursuing your dreams and fully
committed to the successful outcome.
Your values
Since this section of my program is about choosing your Cash Machine, you
want to make sure that what you do is in line with your values and your vision.
These values may be based on how you were raised, how you like to be treated,
your religious beliefs, or just a sense of being a good person. There is no right or
wrong way to have values, but it is important to honor them.
In this Action Step I want you to circle the values that are most important to you.
These are the non-negotiable values that you want to have in every aspect of
your life and business.
Values:
Honesty Peace
Innovation Intelligence
Integrity Wisdom
Self-respect Spirituality
Family Achievement
Loyalty Vitality
Learning Security
Order Wealth
Power Pride
Recognition Health
Accomplishment Community
Advancement Cooperation
Affection Creativity
Freedom
You’ve identified the values that are most important to you and circled them. Now
we’re going to take it to the next step.
Using the three Cash Machine ideas you listed earlier in this section you are
going to mark a 1, 2, or 3 next to the value that supports your Cash Machine
idea.
For example: if you chose Bookkeeping as your #1 Cash Machine and Honesty
is a value you circled, you will write a #1 next to Honesty if you feel they can work
together.
Go through each of the values and mark them with the appropriate Cash
Machine number, there can be more than one number for each value – this is
really just a way for you to ensure that your Cash Machine ideas fit with your
values.
FINAL SELECTION
Now that you have identified three possible Cash Machines based on your skill
sets and reviewed each Cash Machine against your values, it’s time to select the
Cash Machine you want to create.
For many people, this is the most difficult decision of all because you’re finally
committing to move forward – not just thinking about it. But, since you picked up
the program because you’re ready to take control of your life and create true
financial freedom, you can’t move forward until you actually pick a Cash Machine.
It’s time to be a decision maker and get the ball rolling on your future.
Entrepreneurs are fast to make decisions quickly and are willing to do whatever it
takes to make that decision a success. They put all their energy and emotion into
making the decision to make money. They keep moving forward.
Of the three Cash Machine options you identified above, write in the one you
have selected to move forward with. It might be the one that had the most of your
values, or the one you know you can do easily with your current responsibilities,
or even the Cash Machine you just know in your heart is the one for you. Write it
below.
My Cash Machine: ___________________________________________________
Congratulations! I’m proud of you! You have begun to create your first Cash
Machine and in the very near future, you will begin to receive cash. Remember,
the whole purpose of building a Cash Machine is to get more cash fast.
A DISTINCTIVE CASH MACHINE
Before you can deliver your message and start getting customers, you need to
create the content of that message – what are you going to tell these potential
customers about your business and what you have to offer. The content must
relay two important points of information:
1. How you’re different from others
2. What they are paying for.
There are many ways you can stand out from your competitors and there are
many reasons to charge a higher price than your competitors. People want to
know what’s different about you and they’re willing to pay more if that distinction
is valuable to them.
Consider the following distinct advantages:
-Better service
-Going the extra mile
-Higher quality
-Convenience
To stand out from the crowd, you need to establish your Cash Machine
distinctions. Keep in mind that you want to be distinct, not unique. They are two
completely different things in the mind of your customers.
When you create a distinction between you and your competition you are taking
about the combination of service you provide and values to maintain. This
combination represents a product that only you can offer – and that’s what will
get customers to chose you over some other company. When your service is
what they’re looking for and your values match their own, you’ve hit a homerun.
In this Action Step you’re going to identify your distinctive offerings, the things
about your business, your service, and your values that make you different from
the competition. These may include honesty and punctuality, or friendly service
and environmentally friendly products. Write 5 things that may stand out to a
potential customer as valuable.
Your Cash Machine: ______________________________________________
Distinction #1: __________________________________________________
Distinction #2: __________________________________________________
Distinction #3: __________________________________________________
Distinction #4: __________________________________________________
Distinction #5: __________________________________________________
Great job! You are well on your way to getting your first customer.
There may be certain points in this process where you get tired or discouraged
and just want to sit down and watch TV. Resist the urge. Remember, we are
working to create financial freedom and independence. It’s not easy, but it is
simple. Follow the step by step process I have laid out and you will get your first
cash within 30 days. Ready, go!