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Bad Decision But Now I’m Back!

By on April 16, 2012 in mindset, Uncategorized

I believe  where we are in life is simply a result of the decisions we have made to get to that point.

During my life I’ve made some great decisions and I’ve made some not so great decisions.  Watch this short video to hear about a bad business decision I made and where that leaves me – and you,  now…

So go ahead.. tell me below how I can help you grow your online business… and let’s step it up a notch together.

Are you with me?

HOW CAN I HELP YOU?
TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT BELOW IN THE COMMENTS.. AND I’LL CREATE IT FOR YOU!

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Blog Traffic

Create A Blog That Others Visit

By on March 8, 2011 in Blog, Business Success, marketing, Uncategorized

Blog Traffic

Create A Blog That Others Visit!

If you’ve ever created a blog before, then you know that the saying, “build it and they will come” just isn’t true. However, you can get more clients interested in visiting your blog by following these five tips…

1. Offer good content.

By “good” content, I mean you should blog about topics that your audience wants to know about. To find out what they want, just follow these steps:

  • Find out what types of information products they’re already buying – then write blog posts on the same topic.
  • Use a keyword tool (like WordTracker) to find out what topics prospects in your niche are looking for.
  • Drop by busy niche forums and other blogs to see which topics are generating the most views and discussion.
  • Survey your readers to find out what they want.

In addition to great content you should use your blog as an opportunity to build relationships with more clients.  Let them see more of the ‘real’ you.

2. Update frequently.

Sometimes  solopreneurs and small business owners start a blog, post a flurry of articles and then abandon the blog for months at a time. If you allow dated posts, then your ideal clients aren’t likely to come back again if they notice that you don’t update regularly.  I’ve noticed myself that I always take note of the dates of the blogs and if there is no new content, I assume the person is not actively servicing their clients or growing their business.

What you need to do is dedicate a set time each week to posting to your blog at least twice a week. If you don’t want to be chained to your blog like this, then create the content ahead of time and automatically “drip” it to your audience using the pre-schedule option  on your website. You can hire a ghostwriter to write articles for you. I do give caution to this option though because it is important that all of your posts are in ‘your’ voice. It will take an excellent writer to be able to sound just like you.  You can hire a Virtual Assistant to help with the actual uploading of the blog posts to your website while you focus on more money making activities.

Point is, you need to post often to keep your blog from looking like a deserted island.

3. Create regular features.

Here’s a great way to turn a one-time visitor into a repeat visitor. Specifically, by creating “regular features” and multi-part blog posts that your visitors can look forward to.

Example: Maybe you create a seven-part article about how to make money with pay per click marketing. And maybe you space it out so that you’re posting one or two articles per week. You can bet that your readers will return at least once a week just to finish reading the series.

Another way to get more visitors is by creating a regular feature, such as a “tip of the week” feature or even a “questions from our readers” feature.

4. Write about hot topics.

One way to get a surge of traffic and increase in your blog is by writing about hot or even controversial topics. You can include relevant keywords and “ping” the blog directories (like technorati.com) to make sure that those who are searching for the hot topic see your post.

Another way to leverage a hot topic is by joining in on the blogosphere conversation. Simply find a popular blog discussing a hot topic, and use a trackback to add your response.

5. Get someone influential to endorse your blog.

Finally, you can get others to visit your blog by first getting someone influential in your niche to endorse you (and your blog). You can do this indirectly, such as by offering to be a guest author on the other person’s blog. Or you can ask your joint venture partners to directly endorse you on their blogs and in their newsletters (and you’ll return the favor).

It’s also a great idea to get a group of like minded friends to agree to all support each others blogs and use the T-L-C method.  That is, Tweet, Like and Comment on each others blogs.  This will make an amazing difference to your Alexa ranking and organic search rankings with Google.

This T-L-C approach is like free advertising. But it’s also extremely powerful, because you’re using social proof to increase your readership.

You just discovered five proven ways to get others to visit your blog – and to visit it again! Your next step is to take action.

Starting today, apply these tips… and then keep an eye on your traffic statistics!

Design Your Profits Action Plan:

  • Commit time to your calendar to produce at least two new blog posts every week.
  • Research topics your target market are already reading and interested in
  • Make up a group of at least three people to regularly T-L-C each other’s blogs

Start right now if you like by giving this blog post some T-L-C.  Tweet and Like are at the top of the post, and the Comment box is here below!

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Speaking Effectively Using The 4 C’s

By on February 17, 2011 in Branding, Business Success, marketing, Sales Skills, Uncategorized

I know you  might be one of those people who simply detest the idea of speaking in public. But the fact is that you are ALWAYS speaking, even if you didn’t realize it!  Whether you are talking with a friend, meeting someone new at an event, or posting comments on Facebook or Twitter, you are speaking.

When you are talking at a function, in the school playground, in a group or on Facebook or Twitter – you are ‘speaking’  you just might not have recognized it.

Every time you speak, you represent your business, so I want to share with you the 4 C’s you MUST use every time you open your mouth! I learned these great tips from my mentors Carrie  Wilkerson and Paul Evans.

Watch this short video – and I also share some of my story that you may not already know….. Have a great day :-)

What Did You Think? Please leave us a comment!

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Mastermind for Entrepreneurial Women

By on November 24, 2010 in Uncategorized

Have you ever done something where everyone thinks you are mad – but you loved it?  Well that’s what it was like for me on the weekend.

There was a business event that I really wanted to attend, but alas it was in Chicago, United States.  This is not exactly ‘down the street’ from my home here in South-West Western Australia.  I am not against travelling for my education one little bit, and in fact have spent thousands of dollars travelling the world to learn and be with experts in the marketing field.

However, for 2010 I had made a personal commitment to focus in implementation rather than hide behind lots of trips away that disrupted my focus and tempted me with ‘shiny bright objects. So when an opportunity came up to be part of an incredible Mastermind experience with an extremely successful female entrepreneur, Sandi Krakowski, I was to say the least – extremely tempted.  In the end, I decided to contact Sandi and see if there was any way I could attend this event via video and audio set up.  Needless to say, we made it happen.

It was a fabulous experience despite the massive time difference meaning that I was up for almost a day and a half so that I didn’t miss a moment of the 14 hour event.

I took a few minutes along the way to share my thought with you….. Enjoy!

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How To Put Money In Your Bank!

By on November 24, 2010 in marketing, Uncategorized

You can be as passionate as you like about what you do, but you still want to be making money!

Many people have a hard time making the decision to move from doing what they love as if it were a hobby, and making a commitment to treat their expertise like a proper business.

Unfortunately, this is often where service professionals get stuck. I hate to tell you (actually no I don’t – you need to know this….) A great business plan won’t make you money.  A strategic marketing plan won’t make you money.  Taking another workshop or training course won’t make you money.  A brilliant coach won’t make you money.  What WILL MAKE YOU MONEY is to simply start taking action!!! Make more money

If we let it, perfection paralysis can set in and we can find ourselves overwhelmed, spinning our wheels, wasting time and accomplishing nothing.  Every successful marketer is unique.  The one thing they do all have in common though is they are action takers! They don’t stand around waiting for results to land in their lap. They take action and are willing to ‘fail forward”.   Mistakes are an incredibly good thing.  We can learn some of our biggest lessons from our mistakes.

The three most common excuses I hear for not taking action are:

  • “I don’t know where to start”
  • “I’m too busy and don’t have time”
  • “I don’t have the mo.ney to make it happen”

If any of these thoughts have ever crossed your mind, you may be wondering how to go about breaking the cycle and at last, start putting some mo.ney in your bank.

Here are a few suggestions that will help:

  1. Don’t try to do too much at one time. There are four motives to most business growth:    List Building  /  Cash Flow/  Platform Building and Credibility/  Product Creation. Decide which of these motives has the highest priority for you right now. Then select ONE strategy you can implement to move you towards your goals.    Complete this one, before moving on to the next one.  For example, if you’ve decided List Building was your priority and you want to start blogging,           sending a weekly email newsletter, and Search Engine Optimization to attract more ideal clients, don’t try to tackle all three at the same time.  You might decide to focus on one strategy per month to give yourself ample time to fully execute all of the necessary tasks. It’s a cliché, but “You can only eat an elephant one bite at a time”. The speed of implementation will depend on how much time you are willing to commit and whether or not you outsource for some assistant (which I highly recommend). Don’t put so much pressure on yourself!
  2. Schedule the time to plan. My clients will always hear me tell you how I believe some structure and planning is crucial to your success.  This doesn’t mean that you need every moment of the next twelve months mapped out.  Flexibility is also important. What you do need is to have some clarity around how your next 30, 60, 90 days and beyond will look like.  If you are telling yourself you don’t have time to market your business, I’m here to tell you that this is absolutely not true! You simply need to “buy out” the time from other activities in your day and eliminate distractions and time wasters. Working efficiently rather than for longer hours is the key.  I find I like to schedule planning time at the end of the week and at the end of each day.  Create appointments with yourself to write your blog or article content, make client calls, follow up with prospects, product creation or attend networking events. You wouldn’t break an appointment with another profession, so don’t do it with yourself!  Don’t leave your money making activities to chance – or do it when you remember- or when you finally get around to it. Ask yourself each day “What am I doing today to create income?”
  3. Know what’s next. From your overall 12 month plan, know exactly what you are taking to the market place next.  Are you going to make use of a promotional date that is coming up?  Do you have a product launch to plan?  Are you promoting your website? Being clear on this allows us to keep the ‘blinkers’ on when there are attractive distractions that pass us by.  Yet we can still look at opportunities that arise and see if they are a good match right now.  Instead of resigning yourself to the fact an opportunity is out of your reach; look for “HOW” you can do what you need to.   Ask yourself “How can I make this happen?”  Make a list of the mo.ney, resources and people you need to make whatever is ‘next’ happen. With this new focus you will have what you need before you know it.

The most important element of the formula is that you take action! So start today!

Review your #1 motive for business and take the first step towards accomplishing that goal. Don’t worry if you haven’t figured out all of the other steps yet. As you focus on taking the first steps you will build momentum. Then every day continue to build on your progress. Before long you will proudly look up in admiration at what you’ve been able to accomplish!

I’d love to hear about your #1 goal and what first step you plan to take to achieve that goal! Share your thoughts with me by posting a comment below.

Your Action Plan For The Week:

  1. Keep track of where your mo.ney is currently going. Change your thoughts from “I can’t afford to” to “How can I afford…”.
  2. Improve your efficiency.  Schedule blocks of your time for client call, writing, tracking and other business development activities. Focus and prepare for maximum productivity.
  3. Be assertive in setting time boundaries.  Don’t allow unnecessary disruptions that take away your focus.
  4. Do a ‘stock take’ of what information or products you have on hand that you could rejuvenate some marketing on to create instant cash flow.
  5. Limitations are only in your mind.  Choose to overcome obstacles, rather than allowing them to overcome you.
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Which Social Networking Is Right For Your Business – If Any?

By on November 16, 2010 in marketing, Uncategorized

SocialNetworkingThe BIG 3:  Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Everybody who’s anybody has a profile in each.  And it seems everybody is preaching the same thing:

  • You HAVE  to have a Facebook Fan Page
  • You HAVE  to be on Twitter
  • You HAVE  to join LinkedIn and participate in groups

But, how essential is it REALLY to do any of this?  Will your business sink and disappear if you don’t?

The answer depends on your target audience.

Having determined where your target audience spend THEIR time, this is where you should be too. If you have followers who like to be on Twitter, then that’s where you want to be to grab their attention. Sometimes the limit of 140 characters makes it slightly more challenging to have a fully engaged conversation, you can still provide great info and resources.  You can also find out what their challenges are, and develop a reputation as a trusted advisor.

The same thing applies if your target audience hangs out on Facebook.  Maybe they prefer to interact there because there’s no character limit (like the 140 characters on Twitter.)  They may like the back and forth conversation of posting comments on each other’s wall and seeing their updates throughout the day.

The thing to remember is, participating in social networking is just like participating in live networking or going to any other live social event.  You should only attend the “events” that make sense for you and your business.  This way, you will be sure to spend your time where your target audience is hanging out – otherwise you’ll miss the boat completely.

Nothing is more frustrating than spending your efforts pursuing a particular marketing strategy only to find that it generates ZERO results.  Has that ever happened to you? If so, it’s likely because the strategy (or in this case the platform) didn’t fit your business.  You may be chasing an opportunity that doesn’t even interest your target audience — and they’re not going to go looking for you either.

An important element is to be consistent.  So that you can  provide the solution to a problem, you need to be visible when your ideal prospects need you.  Marketing yourself and your services is about being visible on a regular basis, top of  mind for your prospects and about educating your target audience about how you can solve their problems.  You can’t be late to the party! Take the time to do your research and find out EXACTLY which social networks your target market is hanging out in.  This will tell you where you should be spending your time.  And most importantly, you will see the return on your time investment as you’ll be connecting directly with the people who are already looking for you.

Doing your research always plays a big part in determining how successful your social networking marketing will be.  Take the time to interview your current clients, as well as any prospects whom you’ve met with but aren’t working with yet.  You can send them a short survey via Survey Monkey or simply pick up the phone and ask them.  You can also use a tool like Flowtown which will analyze your email list and tell you exactly which social networks your subscribers are participating in.

By taking the time to research which social networks your ideal prospects are interested in, you will demonstrate that you are committed to helping others and serving their needs. You’re not just following the crowd because it’s the “in” thing. These networking tools are no longer just for high school friends to hang out on.  They are valuable resources for your business if used wisely.

This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have a presence on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn or ever engage there. All of these platforms are also great tools to boost your search engine ranking.  So if you have a well-developed profile that will help folks to find you when they’re searching for you online, that may be enough.  But what you want to seriously consider is which social networks you should concentrate your time and marketing efforts on. Think about it, wouldn’t you rather have 100 highly qualified and targeted potential clients to engage with and learn from rather than 2,000 people on Twitter who have no idea of your expertise and talents? Of course!

So, which social network will it be for you  – or rather your target audience? There are other communities to consider in addition to the “BIG 3”.  There could be a smaller group on a Ning network just waiting for a trusted advisor like you to join in the conversation.   Take your time to do the research and find the best solution for you and your community.  Make the commitment to participate in the conversation for at least 3 months before evaluating your performance.  You’ll need at least that long to get comfortable and start developing relationships with the folks you meet.

Let me know what you find!  Leave me a comment and let me know what’s working for you.

Your Client Building Task:

  1. Create a simple survey using Survey Monkey and ask people in your network which social media sites they participate in.
  2. Register for an account with Flowtown and analyze your email subscriber list to see which sites your audience frequents.
  3. Research what other industry or niche specific social media networks are available.
  4. Optimize all of your social media profiles and start actively participating in the sites where your ideal prospects are most active.
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What to say when you hear “I can’t afford it…”

By on November 10, 2010 in Sales Skills, Uncategorized
LackofMoneySo, you’ve spent time getting clear on your ideal client. You’ve created some packages, and the marketing you are doing is paying off. So, people are now contacting you to ask you about working with you.
 
You’re sharing your fabulous program with a potential client. You both know it's perfect and you can feel her getting excited about the transformation within her reach! You mention your fee and…
 
… the next words you hear are "I'd love to, BUT…"
 
"… I can't afford it…"
 
"… It's not the right time right now…"
 
"…I need to check with my partner…"
 
"… I need to check with my gut – can I get back to you?"
 
First things first: don't freak out! The "yes, but" is a concern, or objection… and you'll hear them around 80% of the time. (Remember, where there's the opportunity for big breakthroughs to occur, there is also fear.)
 
Many people dread objections, but they most likely represent a good thing. They mean that your client is really interested. They can see that you’re giving them an chance to change their lives and they want to step into it. Problem is, they're just a little fearful. And this is the time you need to support them through it.
 
I want to share with you what you MUST do when your client says "I'd love to, but…" (This change will have you sailing through concerns easily so your client can experience the breakthroughs they truly want…)
 
What people do in one area of their life, they generally do everywhere. So your client’s “Yes, BUT” has stopped them before, and it is showing up somewhere else in their life too. It will continue to stop them again and again.   That is why what they really need in this moment, is support from you.  
 
Coaching your potential clients on their "Yes, BUT"s and getting to the real truth, is actually a tremendous gift.Thankfully, it is also a skill that can be learned. Here's how to easily move through the top 3 (make that only 3) "I'd love to… but"s so they can say yes to the change and success they truly want…
 
1. "I'd love to, but… I don't have the money."
 
Most solopreneurs take the money objection at face value, without realizing that "I can't afford it" is rarely, if ever, really about the money. Your job in that moment is to find out if it's really about the money, or it's about something else. (Again, 90% of the time, it's the latter.)
 
Here's a great response to the money objection:
 
“That’s a shame. I’m sorry can’t afford this right now.. It is a big investment and often people see it as unaffordable when they have not yet experienced the incredible results that can be achieved.”
 
If they say start to make excuses as to why they can’t afford it… then it really isn't the money. You can just say, "You sound hesitant, is there something else?" This will open the door to discovering the real issue… and coaching them through it.
 
2. "I'd love to, but… I don't have the time."
 
We all have the same 24 hours in a day, so the time objection is really about priorities. You can find out if they're truly swamped (or just a little scared) with this question:
 
"If I waved a magic wand and created all kinds of time in your schedule, is this something you'd want to move forward with?"
 
If they say "Yes, absolutely," then they only think they don't have time. At this point it will help them to discover where they are using their time and to establish what’s really priority for them.
 
3. "I'd love to, but… I need to think about it."
 
You need to be careful with this one, because without your love and support, because the fear your client is undoubtedly feeling can quickly take over during "thinking time." And that would be tragic.
 
If your program is a fit for them, "I have to think about it" usually means "I'm afraid" or "I don't know if I can do this." To open the dialogue, simply say, "That’s not a problem. What is it that you need to think about?"
 
After they answer you, you can ask “How long do you need to make that decision?” And then set a time frame for them to get back to you with their decision.
 
That might sound a little blunt, but when delivered with sincerity and grace, your client will actually breathe a sigh of relief. They will know that you care and that they need not be alone with their fear as they take this powerful next step.
It can often work well to offer a “Fast Action Bonus” to help nudge them along in their decision.
 
If you think about it, every time you get your client close to a decision, they have had to reach their emotional pain point. If you allow them to ‘think’ about it, that means they have to re-visit this pain point again. This can be tragic, as they may never make the ‘yes’ decision. You will be serving your client best, by giving them a very limited time in which to come back to you.  
 
Remember: these strategies are NOT designed for persuading people into doing things that are not a good fit. Rather, to help people move through any blockages they may have and accept a moment of empowered action that could change their life forever.   Being fully present and pointing out what you see is blocking their success is a gift of caring, generosity and love.
 
I would love to have your comments on this subject….
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It’s not pretty, but you had to see this anyway

By on October 1, 2010 in marketing, Uncategorized

This is a ‘no frills’ video that I just had to shoot after having such inspirational conversations with many of you over the past week or two, thanking me for my motivation, encouragement and support.  I have to say, it’s easy, when I am surrounded by such beautiful people.

This video is a reminder of how important it is to take a moment to reflect on what you your unique abilities.  So often, especially as a heart -based entrepreneur, you can become blind as to what you natural hidden talents are, and how you can share those with the world.  It is easy to get caught up in overwhelm, frustration, or even hype, and lose sight of your true gifts and values.

No matter where you are in life right now, you have had unique experiences that stand you out from everyone else, and it is simply a matter of discovering what those are (digging if necessary) and working out how you can best share them with the world.

I am really excited about supporting, motivating and sharing success with those of you who are joining me on the Client Building Blueprint journey.

I can’t wait to see your results!

Feel free to share with me, what you know, are your special gifts.

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Craft Marketing Questions That Attract Clients Easily

By on September 21, 2010 in Uncategorized

Imagine picking up the phone and hearing the other person say “Hi, we’ve never met, but I’d like to work with you. When can we start, and how would you like payment?”

You might think this seems impossible, but it is actually what each and every one of us wants deep down isn’t it?

Well, it doesn’t have to be something you just imagine!  It is totally possible.  The methods I use to attract clients myself work just like this.  I get emails from prospects saying they love what they see, and want to find out about my programs.   Here’s how I do it and how you can too.

You need to stop being desperate and chasing your clients with your marketing approach. Instead, you will want to spike a prospects interest and in turn have them become a client.  To do this, your marketing materials need to ‘speak’ directly to them.

You are looking to create a message that ATTRACTS them in and speaks to their emotions, so that they absolutely want to talk to you.

The easiest way to do this successfully is to:

Imagine you are in your client’s shoes

What are their struggles, fears, hopes and dreams?

When you know these answers,  it becomes easy for you to position yourself as the problem solver.

As an example of material that will ATTRACT your ideal clients in is a set of compelling questions. These questions should be such that your ideal clients has to answer a resounding ‘Yes’ when they read or hear each one.

Some examples of this are on my website:

  • Is it a struggle for you to attract new clients even though you are great at what you do?
  • Do you wish you had a way to separate yourself from everyone else who does what you do, so you could magnetically attract clients?
  • Are you noticing that potential clients are slipping through your fingers?
  • Do you sometimes feel like you’re just pushing too hard?

These questions have been designed based on what new clients were wanting help with. Some of these topics are areas within my clients’ businesses that we work on immediately.  So, as I began to recognize this, I could create a standard set of questions that began to develop a relationship of trust and credibility amongst interested prospects.  What would your set of questions be?

The easiest way to create your list is to imagine your ideal client as being a very real person. Step inside their mind for a moment and focus on what they are struggling with.   What are they saying to a friend over coffee about what they need help with? This way, you can get them to feel a little bit of the pain for the situation they are in, and to realize it isn’t as great as it could be.
Mostly though, these questions will make it seem like you REALLY understand your prospects situation and that you have been helping others solve these same problems for a long time.

This will help to create a sense of trust and your prospect will see that you can provide the results they really need. Now, they will be that much closer to picking up the telephone and calling you.

Things for you to do this week:

What questions can you use to ATTRACT prospects in, based on the struggles, challenges and hot buttons they have?

Be sure the people reading the questions will answer a resounding “yes” to all of them (rather than a mix of yes and no’s) and you keep it to just 5 or 6 of them, so you don’t overwhelm them in the process. After you have created your list, you want to make sure these are on your website, your business cards and any other appropriate marketing materials you have.

You’ll get their attention with the questions, and they’ll be much more likely to read the rest of what you’ve got to say, and if you continue to talk to them in terms of the results they can expect from working with you, you’re golden! Just be ready for new clients…

That’s just ONE of the many strategies you can use and easily implement to ATTRACT clients in (and stop chasing so hard to fill your business). Would you like to know more about all the tools I use myself and my clients have used for the same purpose?

Let me know what you think!  How do your ATTRACTION marketing questions stack up?
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How To Market Your Business

By on September 14, 2010 in marketing, Uncategorized

If you haven’t already, register your name and email below to get access the next video.


Small businesses often open their doors for business (online or offline) without any sign of a business plan or marketing plan in place.  Big mistake!!

Today’s video will share with you three essential elements that you need to have in place so that you can market yourself for massive success.

So many people are concerned with building their email list, creating products and other  methods of ‘getting out there’.  I am not saying that you don’t need to do these things, but there are some foundational blocks that you must have in place so that as you grow your business, it is strong, clear and stands for something.  This way you will avoid being ‘fluffy’ with whatever marketing activities you do participate in.

Check out the video, make sure you do the exercise I give you and then, let me know what you think with your comments below.

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