Force multipliers - are you getting the most out of yours?
Force multipliers - by definition - give you immense bang for your
buck. Are you making the most out of yours? It may be a term
originating with military science but they can really help small
business owners get better results.
Here's what we're going to cover:
- What the hell is a force multiplier
- Identifying your two most important force multipliers (or just one if you're 'lucky'!)
- How to put this into practice to get results
What's a force multiplier anyway?
Force multiplier is a term originating with military science. It's
basically a tool or asset that lets us do more with what we've got. In
the original case, it meant literally doing more with the troops
(force) available without adding more people.
But we're - I'm going to say fortunately - not involved in military
matters. What does it mean to small business owners?
I'd say it's as simple and as nuanced as 'getting greater rewards for
the same effort'.
Can you balance books ten times quicker than the next person? Can you
create landing pages that convert twice as often? Can you coach people
so that they achieve things they otherwise wouldn't?
That's a force multiplier.
So what are these two 'most important' force multipliers?
Your business' force multiplier (FM from here on), is the thing you
sell. What are you so good at, that you can sell it, as a product or
service? What value are you selling that is so powerful that it's
cheaper for someone to buy from you than to do it themselves?
Your personal FM is perhaps less obvious. Within your business, what
is it that you do really well that makes your business successful? It
could be the same FM as the first but it's probably different. If
you're a copy-writer or social media guru, then that could be the
thing you do that makes your business successful. But if you're a
coach, or a book-keeper, or an architect then being good at what
you're selling doesn't necessarily make the business successful. What
is your FM here? Sales, marketing, building products, operational
efficiency… The list isn't endless, but it's damn big.
Putting it into practise
So far, all really interesting. Sure. But how does knowing your force
multipliers make you more successful?
Here's the first thing. To sell more, make it really obvious what it
is you're selling and what the impact will be for the lucky souls
buying it. Your customers are essentially buying your force
multiplier. Make it clear what that is and what it does for your
customers. Demonstrate why they should care. On your website, on your
social channels, everywhere.
You're probably already doing this, but worth checking!
For your personal FM, think about what you can do to make the most out
of it. Leverage it, you might say. If you were into that sort of
thing. Lean into what you're good at. At the same time, look at where
you're working outside your strengths. Where can you best invest your
resources into buying other people's FMs?
If you're not good at balancing your books, get someone to do it for
you. If you're an architect that's unreasonably good at marketing,
then lean on that skill. Do more of it. And find other things to very
deliberately not do.
I hope that was useful. Writing isn't my force multiplier, so you
never know! If you have any feedback or comments or ideas, I'd love to
hear them.
I'll leave you with the actionable stuff.
Until next time,
Stay Clear. Adam.
Stay Clear. Adam.
The actionable stuff
- Do you know what your 1-2 most important force multipliers are?
- Are you making the most of them or are you leaving good craic on the table?
- What can you do right now to make the most of your hard-won skills?
Feeling like you want to discuss this here info-grenade with
like-minded folks? Or want help staying accountable for action? Get in
touch to join the community [[link coming soon]].