Recently I attended Jeff Goins’ Tribe Conference 2016. It was power-packed. I couldn’t write fast enough all the good information and resources flowing at us from the great list of speakers they had lined up. From Jeff Brown, Nathan Barry, Ray Edwards, Chris Ducker, Asha Dornfest, Carrie Wilkerson, and others, here are my top 10 takeaways that will change the way you do business.

1. Don’t give excuses. Do the work

Consistency was definitely a sub-theme of this conference. I think every speaker drove home the idea that consistency wins. Say no to those nagging doubts and reasons “why” you can’t do something and focus on doing the next thing on your list.

2. Your platform means defining what people need from you

This concept was game changing for me. The idea that I’m not in it to “be who I want to be” ( even though that’s a huge reason why I’m an entrepreneur), but the focus of my business is to help other people THE WAY THEY NEED HELP. When you define what your customers need, you’re a lot closer to your platform.

3. The Story of “what do you do?”

When people ask this dreaded question, especially at conferences, you can tell them about how you help people. No one cares if you are currently being paid to do it, or if you fit the rest of the world’s idea of “professional” just tell people how you help. There you go, something you can finally say when they ask (do you dread this question like I do?) I felt so empowered with this advice.

4. Nathan Barry’s Top 10 Rule

This was one of my biggest takeaways on how to grow your audience to 1000 in a week. It was a big claim, but his points were so actionable it was awesome. Since I’m pretty sure the writing fairies will find me and burn my house or something if I put a 10-thing list inside another 10-thing list, here’s the nutshell version: cold-email 10 people who might like your product and ask them if they are interested in your service. Follow up by asking their biggest struggles and where they go seeking solutions. Voila, people + content + places to advertise

5. Put a call to action at the bottom of your posts

So simple, so direct, so life changing. Duh! At the end of your post put a call to action that drives email sign ups. Simple one liner with a link. Done. (scroll down, I have one too. Putting them on every post now. It’s revolutionary.)

6. Talk like you’re drinking coffee

How you talk to someone can make a big difference. When you’re writing, or when you’re doing a podcast in Jeff Brown’s case, talk in a voice that is the same as what you use when sitting down to coffee with just one person. I sit down to coffee way more than the average person, so this one really resonated me on multiple levels.

7. Done is better than perfect.

It’s so tempting to think you need a better header image, a more polished follow up series, or one last tweak to the website. Just launch. Go for it. Just do it, change and improve over time as you go forward.

8. The key to networking is following up

Networking is often intimidating. Having some key ways to do it was helpful to me. Say hi, gather emails, then follow up. If you told them you’d send something, send it. If you were recommended a great book, read it then tell that person what you thought of it. Follow up.

9. People don’t teach because they are experts, they are experts because they teach.

When you teach something to someone else, you learn it better than if you were just learning on your own. It’s true in the academic classroom and it’s true for entrepreneurs. If you want to become an expert AT something, TEACH someone else how to do it.

10. Take yourself seriously.

Treat yourself as a real business. If you wouldn’t accept slacking off behavior from an employee, don’t accept that behavior from yourself. Set a work time and be there. Dress the part. Do your best work. No excuses.

Did you like this list? It’s the condensed down version. From the notes I took while at the conference, I actually had 50 Takeaways but I took the top 10 (hence the title) to put here in this post. If you would like to get the full 50 Takeaways from Tribe Conference in all their neat, tip-filled, tweet-able, and immediately actionable glory, please click here and I’ll send you the snazzy pdf.