Clone Yourself

Have you ever wondered if it's possible to clone yourself? Well, the answer is yes, but not in the way you might think.

You are working hard to build your business and reputation. As your business grows, it’s become increasingly challenging to handle all of the responsibilities alone.

If you don’t want to work this hard forever you need to make more of you—clones if you will. Clones who can deliver the same superior results that make your services attract and retain satisfied clients. A way to deliver those results independently from you.

You know what that means—intellectual property. 📣 A methodology, process or training that allow others to deliver your promised results without sacrificing quality.

For example, let's say you've developed a DEI training workshop. It includes written exercises, video scenarios and a trainers manual. You have, of course, registered these with the US Copyright Office. Your workshop is in high demand; more demand than you can satisfy alone. One of your clients could keep you fully occupied for a year if you trained all of their employees, with no time left for other initiatives or business development.

Clones to the Rescue

Let’s talk about four types of clones:

1. Employees

2. Facilitators

3. Licensees

4. Products

Employees

As founders, we are the most expensive resource in our business. A common method of cloning yourself is through the use of employees. By hiring and training individuals who can deliver the workshop, you can free up your time for higher level activities. In addition to using a less expensive resource to deliver the service, employees reduce risk. If you are the only one delivering services, what happens when you get ill or hit the wall with burnout? Very few entrepreneurs have a plan for such contingencies which can devastate the business.

However, having employees deliver services independently of you will be very difficult if your clients are buying your time as the expert instead of buying your expertise, which can be delivered by others.

Facilitators

Outsourcing is a great way to expand your business without having to take on the responsibility of hiring and training employees.

Utilizing a facilitator or other subcontractor to deliver your trainings is an especially effective cloning technique when you have large corporate clients who want several cohorts to receive your training. You can serve a client that might otherwise dominate your time while still being able to focus on other parts of the business.

Protect your IP by entering written agreements with all facilitators that details the limits of their use of your materials, ensures that any modifications or improvements will be owned by you and prevents them from poaching your clients. It also helps to prevent them from diluting your brand or reputation by using your expertise without your permission.

Licensees

Licensing means giving another party permission to use your intellectual property in exchange for a fee. Similar to facilitators, this can be a great way to expand your business when hiring employees isn’t desirable or feasible. There are two types of licensees: (i) clients, and (ii) other service providers. You turn clients into licensees by training their in-house personnel to deliver your training; aka “train the trainer.” Other service providers become licensees by licensing your IP to provide the workshop to their own end clients.

I’ve heard from many of you that you are concerned that your training is being reused by a client without you or being stolen by competitors. With a license agreement, you put in place the structure to make sure that you are paid for all uses of your training and provides contractual remedies for unauthorized use.

Products

Books, courses, software and other DIY products are a great way to diversify your revenue. Depending upon the desired result, the customer may be able to get 100% of their needs met with a product. But that is not a requirement for creating a valuable product. Helping the customer advance toward their goal with your expert advice is also valuable. Also, you will be able to reach a larger audience of customers who might not be able to afford your in-person services, increasing your impact and brand awareness.

Conclusion

To no one’s surprise--cloning yourself is all about developing, owning and protecting your intellectual property.

By developing a system that allows others to deliver your services, you free up time to focus on other tasks, provide a consistent customer experience, and continue to grow without sacrificing quality.

While implementing the cloning process requires the dedication of resources, the long-term benefits make it a worthwhile investment. The key is proper documentation--via registration, agreements and internal tracking-- so you retain control over the use and quality of your assets, ensuring that your brand's integrity is maintained and you profit from your efforts.

LinkedIn Live Wednesday, April 26th at Noon ET

Got questions about how to protect your IP while cloning yourself? Join me next Wednesday, April 26th at Noon ET for a LinkedIn Live discussion. Register here.