I always like to draw inspiration for my articles from what’s happening around me.
(No, don’t worry…not going to draw ANYTHING from the U.S. election madness!)
And what’s around me today? Signs of Witchery, Wizardry, and other Delightful Magic.
It’s nearly Hallowe’en and I will admit that I have a passion for all things “Witch.” There’s a broomstick on my front porch propped among the fall mums and pumpkins, a street sign on my house that reads “Witch Way,” bottles of potions and brews covering random surfaces throughout my house, and on the main table in my living room lay my favourite witch’s hat (purple, of course), shoes (imagine purple, orange, black, and a million sequins), and spell books all ready for whenever I have a few moments to step fully into the persona of my Inner Witch.
Ah, Magic…
It is, to me, what makes the world go around.
Yesterday, when coaching a client on how to best design her sales call strategy to suit her personal style, she asked me: “What’s the one key question you ask each potential client?”
(It was a very insightful question…)
And here’s what I replied:
The one thing I always ask my clients whenever we get “stuck” and we need to enlighten ourselves about what’s really going on begins with:“If I could wave my magic wand…”
“If I could wave my magic wand, what would be the one thing you’d like to ensure each and every client that used your services left that experience with?”
Asked when we were trying to determine what her core deliverable really was.
“If I could wave my magic wand, what is the number one outcome you would like to see magically solved by our work together?”
Asked on a sales call when supporting a potential client to really get to the heart of her worries and fears and dreams.
“If I could wave my magic wand, what is the feeling you would like each person who visits your website to be overcome by?”
Asked during a discussion on branding.
“If I could wave my magic wand, how many of your existing clients would continue to work with you next year, and how many new clients would you like to see come in the door?”
Asked when working on strategic plans and budgets.
“If I could wave my magic wand, what’s the single best thing that could result from this truly difficult time you’re experiencing right now?”
Asked when trying to shift perspective around some of the crappy things that life brings.
It’s a truly versatile phrase, and allows us to slip into the World of Imagination…Magic…and Possibility. And that’s the World I truly like to play in, because in that World, anything is possible.
I invite you to try it out for yourself.
When you’re feeling perplexed about what to include in your group program, ask yourself, “If I could wave my magic wand, what are the three key outcomes I would like my clients to experience as a result of participating in this program?” And design your program with the elements required to allow those outcomes to come to pass.
When you’re pondering how much time to take off next summer,ask yourself, “If I could wave my magic wand, how many weeks would I be on holidays next summer?” Because deep down, you already know how much time you want off, but putting it into the context of something Magical means you can release the guilt or fear or worry that might otherwise accompany that desire.
When you’re trying to decide if you should advertise on Facebook or not, ask yourself, “If I could wave my magic wand, would I wish for clients to come to me through Facebook ads or not?” Because somewhere within you is the idea that these leads would either be “good” or “not so good,” and it’s easier to bypass what the gurus are telling you and do what you want to do when you throw a bit of Magic at it.
And if you’re struggling to determine your vision or mission statement for your business, ask yourself, “If I could wave my magic wand, what is it that I would like to see changed in this world as a result of my work?” And let yourself dream into that and feel all the delicious possibilities that present once you’ve set aside logic (just for a few moments, anyways!)
It is, as I say, a truly versatile phrase…and there’s hardly a soul I’ve met who doesn’t enjoy a bit of Witchery and Wizardry in life.Take, for example, one of the men I met last week on my travels in England. He was curious about my work, and asked me what I do. I gave him the brief, cocktail-party answer because I really thought he was just being polite while we had tea.
But I was wrong.
And he turned to face me and locked eyes with me and said: “No…I mean, what do you DO, really?”
“I make Magic with my clients, ” I said and felt myself getting flushed with excitement, “I work by their sides to ensure that each and every aspect of their business is so freakin’ delicious to them — so decadent, so juicy — that they can taste it on their tongues, smell it in their noses, and feel it vibrating in every cell of their being. I want them to feel the Magic of that in every single freakin’ moment because that feeling, that energy, is what it is all about, what business, what life, is all about.”
He sat quietly and nodded, thoughtfully.
“No wonder they hire you.”
And I grinned and waved my imaginary Magic Wand in the air, sat back, sipped my tea, and marveled at just how delightful, just how delicious, just how magical my work and my life really is.
And so, my friend, is yours.
Fully completely,
Did you enjoy this post? You can have articles like this, insights, and opportunities sent directly to your inbox each week. Click here to stay connected.
Rebecca Liston helps her clients predict, pivot, and compete in an increasingly complex global marketplace. Her clients quickly uncover the root of their challenges and know the actions to take to overcome them. A six-time nominee for the RBC Canadian Woman Entrepreneur Award, Rebecca combines business strategy with intuition, giving her clients the edge on forward-thinking, elegant answers to their most complicated problems. Her clients are entrepreneurs with CEO-mindsets and executives with entrepreneurial instincts. She is based in London, Ontario. What if you could get the answer to your biggest business challenge, in one sitting? Visit rebeccaliston.com to find out more.
