Feeling like you’ve lost passion for business? Does the business that used to get you bouncing out of bed in the morning now feel like a chore? Here are four ideas for you to try to reignite your passion for your biz and make more money.
Remember when the ding of PayPal used to give you a buzz? And visiting the post office was soooo freaking exciting because every sale gave you confidence that people wanted your products.
But now? Looking at your products waiting to be sold doesn’t make you excited – it just makes you anxious. And packaging up your orders is no longer fun – it’s just another chore you have to do every-damn-day.
Look, it’s completely normal to not get excited about everything you do in your business. Frankly I’ve never believed those peeps who say that if you do what you love, you’ll never work another day in your life.
(As much as I want to, I cannot get myself to a place where I love doing my bookkeeping – although I do it with a glass of wine in my hand of a Friday afternoon now so at least it feels somewhat fun.)
But if you have lost the passion for what you’re selling, now’s the time to shake things up in your biz. Because, trust me, your customers can tell the difference between a loved online store and one that’s the equivalent of a synthetic woolen jumper shoved in the back of a cupboard.
Even just a small tweak in how you do things or what you sell can give you the boost you need to reignite your passion and get your business rocking again.
4 Things to Try When You’ve Lost Passion For Your Business
1. Change up the way you do things.
Are you still working with the same systems you set up when you first started your business? Look, there’s nothing wrong with sticking with something when it’s working for you. But if you’re feeling a bit blah about what you do in your business, then see if there’s a new way of doing things. Especially if that way saves you time, money or sanity.
And if you can’t think of a way to make your systems better? Then at least make them more fun. Hop onto Spotify and pump up the tunes while you pack orders. Everything’s more fun with Katy Perry blasting on the radio.
Hey, I even made a playlist for you to get started.
2. Outsource what you hate doing
Are there some things that you have to do in your business that you hate? Maybe it’s updating the products on your website. Or writing your blog posts. Or it could just be doing your bookkeeping (oh I hear you there).
Well get that stuff off your plate, dude. Do an assessment of everything that has to get done to keep your business going (and growing) and then figure out what you can afford to outsource.
Sure, it may mean a hit to your profits in the short term. But you’ll get a boost of energy for the things that you actually like doing. And that means a better business and more dinero.
3. Figure out if your prices are right
Still charging the same stuff for your products that you did when you started? The cost of manufacturing goes up, exchange rates change (don’t even talk to me about the USD-AUD rate right now), and your business is now operating on a different level.
If you aren’t making what you think you should, you’re on a fast track to Broketown, population – you. And it’s no wonder you’re losing the passion for your products if they’re not making you enough money.
It’s time for a full review of your pricing – at both ends. Can you get better deals from your suppliers? Chances are if you’ve been buying from them for a while they’ll be happy to negotiate – remember you’re no longer a newbie business.
And are you really charging enough for your products? If you’re worried that people won’t pay what you’re asking – don’t. If stuff is selling well at your current prices, there’s no need to think adding 10-20% on top of it will make a difference to your sales.
If you’re reluctant to increase your prices because you’re not confident customers will see the value in what you’re selling, then it might be time for a review of your website copy and product descriptions. Jazz those babies up to make your brand stand out and watch those sales come in.
4. Change up your offerings.
There’s a corner store near my house that looks like nothing’s changed since the 90s. The same product range, same layout and same tired posters in the window. Frankly it’s depressing and I avoid shopping there for that reason.
If you’re still selling the same products from five years ago, then it’s no wonder you’re feeling passionless about your biz. And your customers are probably feeling it too.
Now’s the time to clear out some of that old stock that is taking up room in your warehouse/garage/shop. Hold a warehouse sale if you need to or sell them at a steep discount, but clear out those old products and make way for a fresh, sparkly-new range.
That’s not to say you have to always be introducing new products for the sake of it. But as trends change, you do have to make sure you’re bringing in some new stuff to keep up with what customers want to buy now.
Get the Passion Back
“Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.” – Oprah Winfrey
If you’ve fallen out of love with your business, then it’s time to get that passion back. Change up what you do and how you do things to keep your business fresh, and keep you on your toes.
Tell me, is it time for you to try something new in your business? What change(s) are you going to make?
Great list! This works for products, but also for writers. Sometimes the “same old, same old” seems like the way you’re supposed to do it, even if it’s an old habit you weren’t intentional about from the beginning. Inviting yourself to change it up can go a long way to restoring some creativity!