In a recent newsletter, executive coach Todd Herman outlined the three mistakes most small business owners make when they fail to gain traction in their businesses.

Mistake 1:  Not focusing on a specific audience or niche and solving a relevant problem for those individuals.

This mistake happens when there’s too much focus on what you’re offering and less concern for the real pains or problems a market is experiencing.

To fix this, focus on a specific problem someone cares about solving.

Mistake 2:  There is friction between how you market, how you sell, and what you charge.

This mistake happens when there is a lack of clarity about the perceived value of what you’re offering.

People hate to be ripped off, but they’re more than willing to pay a fair price for a valuable service. They also want to be marketed to in a way that feels respectful.

To fix this, spend some extra time clearly defining what you’re offering and how much it’s worth from the perspective of your prospect.

Mistake 3:  Poor execution.

A lot of great products and services sit around collecting dust simply because the resources of the business owner aren’t being focused properly.

A lack of discipline and focus on the most valuable activities are to blame for these failures.

To fix this, get serious about dedicating time, energy, and resources to the activities that truly produce the most revenue, opportunities, and wins for your business.

These three mistakes are the same ones that consistently show up in the experienced agent recruiting process.

What you’re asking your agents to do when running their small businesses needs to be mirrored in how you perform recruiting.

It’s a great way to lead by example.