#BookReview On Your Terms by Rachael Watt @rachaelwatt #Coaching #NonFiction

Title: On Your Terms

Author: Rachael Watt

Category: Business/Marketing

My Rating: 5 Stars

Book Blurb:

Rachael Watt, the Business Experts’ Advisor, international speaker and mentor of mentors, brings together the learning and experience of over 20 years to show you that building a successful business doesn’t have to mean pain and compromise or a huge financial investment. Your journey to success starts here…

My Review:

As an author and writing mentor I’ve read other books on business development and marketing, but they’ve all gone over my head. I’ve only worked for myself for the past ten years, so my business experience is limited (and flawed!). Stumbling around in the dark and hoping for the best is how I’d describe my approach to being a businesswoman.

When I heard about Rachael Watt’s book, On Your Terms, I feared it would be as confusing and complicated as the other marketing books I’ve tried, but I was delighted to discover a fresh and relatable approach.

Watt knows her stuff! Not only does she talk the talk and walk the walk, but she does it in a fully accessible way. Her personal story and the introduction resonated with me, and I was immediately drawn in by her honesty and authenticity. To then discover that she tells it how it is rather than blinding you with unrelatable terminology was genuinely refreshing.

The book is divided into five sections plus bonus material, and Watt guides you through each chapter using easy to follow language and clear examples or case studies. I filled an A4 notebook with ideas and exercises as I followed each section.

Her methods work, and she shares proof throughout the book. The importance of understanding your client and doing everything in your power to solve their problems was driven home at every opportunity, and I appreciated this. We all have a story behind our reason to start a business, and sometimes we get so wrapped up in our WHY that we forget about the people we are trying to help.

Excerpt:

“Yes, there’s a place for your story, how and why you have been in business for years and so on. But your clients want to know what’s in it for them – the solutions, benefits, resolution or favourable outcomes. Most will have a dire need, want or frustration to be solved. They aspire to something more and they are seeking assistance to make that aspiration a reality. You need to convey that you/your business is the one with the solution.”

Compared to some of the companies Watt has worked with, and the millions in annual revenue they make, I’m not even on the same page. My much (much!) smaller income did make me question if I was out of my league. However, Watt shares detailed examples and allows you to work out your own calculations based on your business’s turnover using a six-figure sales grid.

Part of me was thinking ‘there’s no way little old me could ever earn six-figures’, but after I’d done my calculations, and worked out my money-making model possibilities, the evidence was there in black and white on the page – it WAS possible, even for a solopreneur author and writing mentor like me!

Watt does stress that to achieve this sort of income takes preparation, planning, action, time and dedication. I couldn’t do these calculations and then sit back and wait for the money to roll in. However, it does give me an incredibly clear picture of how my business could look, what I need to do, and how I need to do it.

On Your Terms isn’t aimed at big companies with never-ending marketing budgets, she’s written this book for businesswomen (and men) like you and me. The micro-business, the freelancer, the solopreneur, and she’s written it in such a way that you’ll understand, absorb, and execute her strategies to benefit your business and lifestyle.

My favourite section was probably part five as it’s where Watt taps into personal development (a topic I can relate to), and shares her advice on staying true to you. I welcomed the tips and could fully resonate with her quote, “There’s nothing stronger than a woman who has put herself back together.”

I’ve been fortunate to meet Rachael Watt a couple of times in person, and her enthusiasm, confidence, and bubbly personality shine through in her words. She’s down to earth and straight-talking, and I couldn’t think of a better business mentor.

If you have a small business or are a solopreneur, I would highly recommend you grab a copy of On Your Terms and work through this book. The brainstorming I did as I worked through the chapters has given me so much to work with for the success of my business, and more importantly, it’s given me hope and confidence in my own abilities that I can grow a profitable business that allows me to live the lifestyle I want and deserve.

Be sure to check out the beautifully crafted companion journal designed to guide, inspire, and support you are you explore the five stages of Watt’s Your Way Business Blueprint.

About the Author:

Rachael Watt is an award-winning marketer, author, international speaker, strategic business advisor, chai latte lover and a solo mum on a mission – to create a business and life she loves, that fits the lifestyle she wants, on her terms and to help as many others as she can, to do the same.

Best known as the straight-talking strategist of the Australian business community, Rachael mixes her tough love message with infectious passion as she shares how to take your business further, faster and achieve six-seven figure success on your terms, no matter where you might be.

Connect with Rachael via her Website, Facebook Page, Twitter, or LinkedIn profile.