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Unstoppable Entrepreneur

My Notes From Unstoppable Entrepreneur Jonathan Budd Event: 5 Tips from Top Achievers

By on November 27, 2012 in Affiliate Marketing, Business Planning, Business Success, Internet Marketing, marketing, mindset, productivity

My Notes From Unstoppable Entrepreneur Jonathan Budd Event

Ok, so we’re home from the event Unstoppable Entrepreneur and I’m writing today feeling that it’s the first day since getting back from our trip to the USA that I have a clear head.  For some reason (we won’t mention age), it has taken a bit longer to get back into the swing of things but now we’re good to go!

Unstoppable Entrepreneur This was a truly amazing event.  Yes, I spent over $3000 and more than 70 hours in travel to be there but just for being a reader of my blog, you get all the little marketing titbits I have learned at no cost..  is that cool? If so, please click the “Like″ button at the very top of this blog, just off to the left to show me some love! Did you do it? OK, proceed to my notes!

All the speakers varied in age, experience and income levels.  But there was a common denominator to them all…. Persistence and determination!

At Unstoppable Entrepreneur there was also lots of talk about Mobile Apps, Facebook, Traffic, Sales Funnels and Mindset.

I’ll share more over time, but today….

5 Tips From Top Achievers…

Build the Plane While You Are Flying It

I first heard this saying from a brilliant marketer Lisa Sasevich.  The concept is that you don’t need to have everything in place before you take action. When you get an idea, start to put it into action immediately. Make yourself accountable by announcing to your community what you are going to do.  It might be a webinar, a presentation, a product or an event. Then the fact that you have placed yourself on a deadline will mean you are much more likely to follow through.

Unstoppable Entrepreneur Jonathan Budd EventBuild A Team

It’s important to recognize that your team is not only a reference to people who you may hire to build your business with you.  It is also your colleagues, your list or community.  It’s about building relationships with lots of people who you can rely on to support and encourage you to achieve your destination.  Alone you will go a short way slowly; with a team you will go far, quickly.  I know which I would prefer!

Include High Ticket Offerings

While many people have made a lot of money selling $9.95 e-books, you should recognize that it is much easier to achieve high income goals if you include a high ticket offering.  There is information you have in your head that other people want!  One of the easiest ways to create a high ticket offering is to offer a VIP day or private mentoring.  You can offer this in any niche extremely successfully.  My very first product ever was a VIP program that I sold for $5995, so you don’t have to wait until you’ve been in business for years before you offer personal or high ticket offers.

Fail Forward

If you focus on implementation and take action quickly you will soon discover that not everything will work out as well as you planned.  But that’s ok!

Taking action and not getting the results you want is still better than taking no action at all.  We all learn very quickly from our mistakes. I hate to burst your bubble… your business will never be perfect. It’s why so many wannabe entrepreneurs go to the grave with their “idea” that’s never fully realized. Don’t let that happen to you. Don’t live life with regrets.

Create An Effective Sales Funnel

Which do you think is more important – Product or Traffic or Conversions?

The answer is ALL three are equal.  These three things do not stand alone and if any one part is missing – then you are leaving big dollars on the table.

It doesn’t matter how big your community is or how many people you have on your list – your first priority is to create an effective sales funnel.  You have people opt in to get your information and then you offer at least one product (yours or someone elses).  You track your results and tweak where necessary. THIS my friend is what will build your business.

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AND COMMENTS BELOW!

 P.S. If you would like to have a proven sales funnel working for you, check this out.

P.P.S. If this resonates with you, please pin, tweet or like this.

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systematize my business

Create A System The Simple Way

By on September 13, 2012 in Business Planning, Business Success, mindset, productivity

The Simple Way to Create a System

systematize my businessThere’s no point in building an online business only having to be stuck to your computer all day answering emails and putting out fires. That no fun at all!

After all, this type of business is about FREEDOM.

And you need to master something that most people ignore. We focus on “traffic” and “google”, when you should start with this one word..

SYSTEM

Now I have to admit that I have taken far too long to understand the importance of this – and this is why I don’t want you wasting loads of time like I have done in the past.

No matter what you do, you must be able to create a system out of it. And your system doesn’t have to be complicated to start.

As I began to work with more and more clients I realised that every time I was repeating the same information over and over to them.  They would need to know how to set up their WordPress site – so I’d help them do it.  They would need to know how to set up Aweber, so I would walk them through it. They would need to know how to get their product approved on Clickbank, so I’d walk them through it.  I’d go over the process of how to create an awesome Opt-in offer.

Now, FINALLY!! I have created videos, templates and checklists for all those things that get repeated over and over again no matter who I am working with.

Or, if I have a new project or product I’m creating, I simply write down EVERY STEP and put it into a google doc. This makes it easy if you want to share it with a team. That’s it. I don’t leave anything to memory.

But it’s not just about documenting any processes, I also document what tasks need doing during a new product release.

For example, if there is a new product I’m creating, I might have the following in the document… (and yes, it’s a fictional product!)

  1. 1.      Product Title and Summary: How to build your own membership site. It’s 4 online videos showing people how to build their own membership site. Step by step. We are going live on October 1st.
    2. Price: $495
  2. 2.      Set up sales page
  3. 3.      Record a video
  4. 4.      Write sales page copy
  5. 5.      Create a new list in Aweber
  6. 6.      Write autoresponder series
  7. 7.      Link payment System
  8. 8.      Refund Policy
  9. 9.      Online Access page
  10. 10.  Schedule date for promotion cal
  11. 11.  Decide on Bonuses to offer
  12. 12.  FAQ’s: this is where I’d add some typical questions like “is this for newbies?” “does it include software?”

Once this list is finished, I allocate deadlines dates to each of the tasks. Next step is to decide who is responsible for completing each task.  It is mine, or am I going to delegate that to a team member?

Just by creating a simple document saves me dozens of hours in email, confusion and overwhelm.

Now get out there and start documenting everything.

Your coach has spoken.

DO YOU LIKE THIS? HAVE SOMETHING TO SHARE?
ADD YOUR COMMENTS BELOW

 

P.S. This is the most comprehensive systematized business model I’ve seen if you don’t already have your own.


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Be Profitable

Keep Your Home Based Business Profitable – 5 Tips

By on December 5, 2011 in Business Success, mindset, productivity

How to Keep Your Home Based Business Profitable

Be Profitable

Why It’s Important Not To Take Your Eye Off The Money For Too Long!

It drives me NUTS when I hear people say ‘Don’t focus on the money.”  While that may be true for some things, at the end of the day you are in business to make money. If you think otherwise, then you are running a hobby.

For so many businesses, the reason they fail is lack of cash flow. I see it all the time. It’s typical for many home based business owners to appear all happy and chirpy, but the truth of the matter is, their business is often struggling for regular cash flow and long term financial growth.

Have you ever been out for the day and started out with a purse or wallet full of cash and by the end of the day you open it up and glare with amazement at the few dollars or cents that are left? And worse still, you can hardly recall where all the money has gone?

Even though you may operate a home based business, it’s still vitally important to track where you spend your money.  You probably don’t have the same expenses a brick and mortar business has such as rent, rates, or rubbish collection, but there are plenty of expenses related to an online business that add up very quickly and can see your bank account looking like a leaky bucket at times.   Some of what I have, and you might too, are shopping cart fees, web hosting, audio hosting, video  hosting, membership sites, product purchases, email services and there’s more…..

I’m not talking here about being a scrooge. It’s about how to get more for your money.

I want to share 5 tips on how you can keep more money in your bank account and increase your cash flow with little effort at all….

Record every single expense you have related to your business. (In the interview you will hear how I take this even one step further!).  Allocate each expense into a category such as advertising, subscription services, virtual assistance, graphics, etc.  This will allow you to track how much each area of your business is costing you and you can access whether or not you need to make any changes.

Review all your subscription services.  List every site that you are paying a monthly subscription fee. This will be things like your autoresponder service, shopping cart, video or audio hosting.  Check the level of plan you are on and be sure you are only paying for the facilities you require at the time.  I recently dropped a level of service on one of these and saved myself $70 per month!  You may want to downgrade, or change providers to amalgamate with another service you already have to get the level of service you need.

Research – Sometimes, by allocating a small amount of time to research, you can often find the piece of information you need to move forward on a project by searching You Tube, Yahoo Answers or asking for help on Facebook rather than purchasing a whole product just for one tiny piece of information.  Stand firm to only order a product if you are commitment to take action and implement it into your business immediately.  Keep a spreadsheet of all the products you order and how effective your results were so you can track the return on investment.

Reach Out – Some of the best money you can spend will be to hire someone to do a task for you. This leaves you free to continue with what you are good at, and do more of the money making activities in your business.

Reward Yourself – Get excited when you reach your money goals!  Regularly set money goals that are a stretch, but at the same time achievable.  As you set these goals and implement some of the strategies we’ve talked about, you will also begin to see opportunities that will allow you to reach your money targets even quicker. Regularly take a set amount of your income and pay yourself.  You will feel rewarded for your efforts and commitment and after all, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy!

Doing what you love while running a home based business can be extremely profitable if you decide to operate every area of your business like a professional.

The choice is yours….you can fritter away your money or you can keep more of it to help others and have more fun!

I’d love to know your thoughts….. please quickly do me a favor and share with others and comment below.

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The Best Home Business Models That Never Fail When Done Right

By on October 12, 2011 in Blog, Business Success, Product Creation, Sales Skills

 

It’s really can be relatively easy making money on the web. What are important are the decisions you make when choosing the ideal business model. Sadly, this decision process is often neglected.

Where are you at now? Are you struggling making money on the web? Are you spending loads of time, energy and money looking for a good business opportunity online? How much time do you want to be working on and in your business each day/week?  Do you want to work from home?  Do you need to be able to work from any location?

By now, it’s likely you are aware that there are many ways of making a great income using online strategies.  Some have different disadvantages and advantages than others.

Here are some of the most successful internet business models.

  1. Sell Your Own Information: There has been an incredible rise in information products like e-books, online training and video tutorials sold as a way of making money on the web in recent years.  This has become a good business opportunity for anyone who is an expert on any topic that helps other people to solve a problem.  If this is you, then this is the most successful online business model for you. It is inexpensive and easy to create your own information products. As your business grows, there is a point where your expenses increase as you add team members to manage the client load and administrative and management tasks. You should have a clear vision for what you want your business to look and how committed you are to long term growth if you include selling your services personally into group programs and masterminds.
  2. Blogging: For people who love to write, blogging can be a very successful business model. Blogging is not as easy as affiliate marketing. Because you are relying on driving traffic to your blog, it might be that at first you earn very little. As your followers grow and you become more skilled at driving traffic to your blog, you can make many thousands of dollars using this method of making money on the web.  It’s a very flexible business and can be worked from any location.  Your returns will depend on how much time and effort you devote to your online blogging. You can be very creative with a blogging business model when you research and write about topics that you have a great interest for. Spend some time researching your topic first to be sure that people are already buying information on your blog topics. It all depends on how you start, how you keep working and how long you can devote your time and effort to your online blogging business.
  3. Affiliate Marketing: This is one of the easiest and best ways of making money on the web.  I recommend and use it personally to earn money on line. This is where you can make money by selling other people’s products. You are given your own personal affiliate link to promote and then you earn a commission each time people buy through your affiliate link. This is one of the best home business models because it involves less hard work and less investment compared to some other models. It is really very easy to start and can be how to get cash quickly. I prefer to only recommend products I have purchased or use myself.  I think the products you promote should have a good customer service. After all, it is your reputation on the line when you recommend products to others. Personally, I take that very seriously and would not risk my reputation by recommending shonky products.
  4. Sell Physical Products: Personally I am yet to try this as a business model. I’ve only sold some personal items on eBay – and even that was very profitable. This model can be how to get cash quickly from selling physical products on eBay or your own on line shopping store.  There is less sales copy, reviews and testimonials involved when you sell a physical product compared to selling digital products. You do need to be available to ship the product promptly so that you keep a good reputation with your customers.

Which is the best home business model would you recommended for newbie?

Whenever I get asked this question, I recommend affiliate marketing and selling your own information. You can easily start them with very little investment and without too much preparation.

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Do You Have A Lead Capture Page?

By on October 3, 2011 in Blog, Business Success, marketing, Sales Skills

Are you leaving thousands of dollars on the table?

I was conducting a marketing seminar a couple of years ago and I asked the question “How many people know exactly who is visiting their website?” I remember one lady as she chimed in saying “I have Google Analytics so yes, I know exactly how many hits I have and where they come from.”

After congratulating her on having the tracking statistics I went on to explain that knowing the number of ‘hits’ was of absolutely no use if she wasn’t capturing the visitors or prospects’ email information and name.  This is the only way she is able to develop a list of people who are interested in her product, and to continue to market to them.

It’s one of the most basic strategies for successful online marketing, yet one I still see so many people not using.

The process is what’s called a Lead Capture Page.  It can also be referred to as a Squeeze Page but they all serve the same function.

 

If someone lands on your website, we can safely assume that they have an interest in something to do with the information you have.

The sole purpose of a Lead Capture Page is to collect the name and email address of someone who may be interested in your product or service. In other words, the main purpose of your Lead Capture Page should be to generate a lead..

A good Lead Capture Page is usually a one page site with some intriguing copy that encourages the visitor to fill out the form, commonly called an ‘opt in form’, with their name and email address and request more information. When a new prospect fills out the opt in form on your website with their name and email address, they can then be automatically directed to another page to receive the information they requested.

If you then connect an Autoresponder system to this opt in form, you can continue to provide your  prospects with additional information about your product or service through a series of automated follow-up messages.

You can generate more opt in leads by giving away something free in exchange for a prospect’s contact information such as a free report or free download. This is often the bit that prevents most people from taking action to create their lead capture page.   This free report doesn’t have to be an enormous long report.  In fact short, concise, useful information is best. The information should be about what your prospects want most.  You might choose to create a 5 or 7 step video series instead of a written report.  Videos are proving to be converting well at the moment.

Here’s a great example of one: ==>>www.5figuresmonthlywebinar.com

If we look at the page as a whole; an effective Lead Capture Page will have an emotion grabbing headline, some short body copy or bullet points, and a Call to Action. This page should have all the components of what is known as the AIDA formula:

A     Attention

I       Interest

D     Desire

A     Action

The Call to Action is the text that is used to get the prospect to request more information.

Once again, the main purpose of the Lead Capture Page is to .Generate A Lead..

If you do not have one, it is time to get one! …

 

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What Colour Are You?

By on September 23, 2011 in Blog, Business Success, mindset, productivity

Are you a Red? Maybe Blue?  Or maybe you’re Yellow and Blue?

What on earth am I talking about?

I’ve heard colours related to skin tones, but never to personality types before. That was, until I was attending a personal development day a short while ago.  I enjoyed their explanation of personality ‘colours’ and what they mean and wanted to share it with you today.

Have you ever wondered why you enjoy doing some things and not others?  Or why you like connecting with some people more than others?

Well, here’s the thing; many psychologists believe that each of us has a leading personality type with behaviors unique to that type. These personality types are described and categorized by colors.  The way we think, act and feel all play a part in defining our personality and our “color”.

Once you know your color, it’s an eye opening experience to see how your unique traits play out in life as compared to working and communication with different personalities. The better we understand ourselves and others, the more effective we can be in all our relationships.

How well do you know yourself and others? How would you characterize your personality?

Knowing your personality and how you relate to others can also give you a distinct advantage when it comes to business relationships.  Let’s take a look at the meanings of the four primary colors: red, yellow, blue, and green, and what those colors represent when it comes to defining your personality traits.

Red Performers

Red personalities love to perform. They are action-driven and love to be recognized for what they do. They are creative people who think well on their feet and like to get things done NOW. Also known as the movers and shakers, reds work extremely well in crisis and are good at troubleshooting and negotiating. They are direct communicators and will tell you “like it is.” They welcome, promote and adapt well to changing situations and have very open and accepting personalities. Usually seen as “characters” they are the easiest to read – “what you see is what you get.” They like and need to have control, especially of themselves. They like to do things “their way” and have a great need for freedom which allows for self-expression.

Yellow Planners

Yellow personalities are the worker bees of the world. They are excellent organizers and always have a plan and back-up plan in order. They tend to be very structured in their personal and professional lives. Yellows tend to be more disciplined than the other types and that means having follow-through skills. They are goal-driven and known for “making lists” to ensure all things are completed in a timely manner. It would make sense then that yellows respect authority, rules and regulations. Order is important to them and you will find the yellow individuals picking up after everyone. They are extremely good with details and work in professional settings that will draw on their skill sets.

Blue Relationships

Relationship is the only meaningful word in the dictionary to a blue personality. Relational by nature, blues are excellent at forming and maintaining relationships of all sorts. They tend to be people pleasers and work hard at building harmony within and outside the home. They are very aware of feelings within themselves and others. Blue types need to be praised for who they are. They need to be involved in meaningful activities that give them a sense of fulfillment and joy. They tend to be subjective and make decisions based on feelings. They have great empathy and compassion which will assist them in their uncanny ability to influence and persuade others.

Green Problem Solvers

In order to solve problems one needs information. Green personalities truly value learning and exploring new horizons. All their lives they have been asking questions and seeking answers. Investigative by nature, greens tend to begin with logic, objectivity and rationale. They prefer to analyze things and are very logical in their thought processes.

Like Bill Gates, they are the visionaries of the world. They are BIG picture people who tend to think about the future. They are skilled at anticipating problems and implementing systems to avoid obstacles. Greens need mental/intellectual challenges for motivation and thrive when they are provided them.

Taking risks, having adventure and excitement are not high priorities for you. Spontaneous actions are not the norm or part of your make-up. You tend to be more serious and focused. You do not think well on your feet and usually need a plan before moving forward. You are not the first one to jump in and get started on projects. You need time to think things through first.

Having fun at work may not resonate well with you. Work is a place to work. Having fun is for other places. You prefer the tried and true vs. testing the limits of the unknown. Being the center of attention is not you and you may get tired of those always seeking it. You do not do well in crisis situations and prefer jobs or careers that are more predictable and stable.

So how do you know what color you are?

Here’s a quick way to find out …

For over 11 years Family IQ has been helping others lead more satisfied, focused and happier lives with their simple assessment tests and courses.

Here’s a quick test you can take that will help you define your true personality color.

It’s simple, easy, and fun…. And it’s also FREE as my gift to you!

Click Here to Take Your FREE Colour Test

PS.  I’m Red/Yellow!;-)  What color are you?

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Do You Need More Money?

By on September 19, 2011 in Blog, Business Success, mindset, Pricing Your Services

There is barely a week goes by that I don’t see a news story based on the dwindling funds that our elderly have to survive on.  So many of these folks are going without so many of the bare necessities just to survive week to week.

When I think of the years these people have dedicated to working and raising families, my heart sinks and I silently bless every one of them.  I have special place in my heart for the elderly because I believe many have a lot of experiential wisdom to share with us which is priceless.  In other words… they have been there and done that already.

Did you know that 95% of our elderly are broke and in debt?

As an example of our current economic state, let me show you what the statistics are for 100 men starting at the age of 25.  Do you have any idea what will happen to those men by the time they are 65?

…one will be rich

…four will be financially independent

…five will still be working

…thirty six will be dead

…fifty-four will be broke

Where will you fall in those statistics?

I want to share the results of a large selection of people who owned their own business and were asked what motivated them to start it. The one thing that became clear and common is that the desire to ‘be my own boss’ is the most common reason selected by these business owners for starting their own business. There was a clear driver amongst these entrepreneurs; to be independent and in charge of their own destiny.

Australians are proud to be leaders when it comes to sporting achievements or new inventions, but the leading position no one wants to hold is that in the race to be the nation with the highest personal debt.  Each Australian adult is currently in debt to the value of around US$56,000.

Australians’ mortgage, credit card debt and personal loans total over AU$1.2 trillion, which is an increase of 71 per cent from just five years ago.

The knowledge and understanding of the principles of wealth is available to all who hunger for more out of life than what they have achieved so far.

 

What about money? Why is it constantly on our minds? Why has financial independence eluded 97% of the world’s population? Why is it that people who live and work in one of the greatest nations on earth, end up living below the poverty level? Why have we not achieved our financial goals?

What is the missing link?

Many of you have experienced that in spite of “doing all the right stuff”; you did NOT achieve financial freedom using the formulas you were taught in school or in any of your professional training.

Has it ever occurred to you that you were NEVER TAUGHT TO BECOME WEALTHY?

What will make you wealthy is the knowledge of how to create wealth regardless of where you are in the system. This starts with implementing your personal plan for wealth.

How do you effectively do that?  I’m glad you asked.

Keep in mind that you already possess everything you need to obtain your wealth and abundance. Even if you have failed before and think you have tried everything. You only need to make a few adjustments.

And those adjustments begin with how you think.

In 1999 I found myself sitting at an investment seminar filled with other individuals who all seemed to be asking the same question. “What can I do to make more money and create more wealth?”

The speaker at this particular seminar had just made a very profound statement.  He said, “95% of the wealth in the world is held by 5% of the population.”  He went on to say, “There is no shortage of abundance in this world.  In fact, there is enough wealth in the world for every person to have 10 million dollars.”

My immediate thought was “Wow!  How I’d like my piece of that!!”  For a family who was constantly making the weekly budget stretch as far as possible, 10 million dollars seemed like a huge goal. However, I am a firm believer in whatever the mind can conceive, it can achieve… and I was very determined!

So I set out to make a plan to earn my millions.  I have now spent many, many years researching ways to produce additional streams of income.

Australia is now tenth in the world when it comes to the number people with net worth above $US1 million excluding their home. I’m proud to say I am part of this number and I’m still setting new goals.  Ok…enough about me.

What about you?

Did you know around 15 more people became millionaires?  How close are you to being a millionaire?

The number of Millionaires in Australia today is about 180,000. Most of these people own their own businesses.

Perhaps being a millionaire is too lofty of a goal for you right now.  How much money do YOU really want?

What if the money that you bring home every week was yours to keep?  100% of it!  What would you really like to be doing with your life if you didn’t have to work just to pay the bills?

What is it that you are trying to achieve?

Time Freedom…

Financial Freedom…

Less Stress….

Security….

More Time with Your Family….

You need to realize that wealth is not achieved over night.  It is a step-by-step process.

The Internet will produce more millionaires than any other Industry.  There are over 890,000 people every day joining the Internet.  Many of them are seeking a way to make extra income!

The home-based business is one of the hottest trends affecting our economy today.  Regardless of the reason why you may want your own home-based business, starting one is an extremely important part of becoming financially secure.

In the next post, I’ll give you some tips on how to choose a business that’s right for you.

Until then, make it a fabulous day!

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Why You Need To Know Who Visits Your Website!

By on September 5, 2011 in Blog, Business Success, marketing, Sales Skills

After mentoring and coaching small business owners now for several years and I still see so many have websites that are nothing more than a pretty brochure. These sites are focused on information all about the business, rather than being an effective client attraction tool that will get more highly qualified leads and ultimately, more sales.

Entrepreneurs get an idea to create a business. First comes their new business card and then creating a website is often next on their priority list.  (I can’t say I always agree with this, but that’s another day.) They set about creating a beautiful looking website with a few words and lots of pretty pictures. Then sit back and wonder why their sales aren’t increasing.

It can be hard enough to attract new clients to your website, without having them visit your site, only to leave again and you not knowing who was there.  You might have some statistics from something like Google Analytics where you can look up your ‘hits’. But this statistic is really useless if you have no way of capturing your ideal clients’ details so that you can continue to provide them with interesting information and offers to buy from you.

So the goal becomes creating something that makes people say, “That’s what I want!” and they give you their name and contact details. Or you might say they ‘opt in to your list’.  Your list is one of your businesses major assets. It continues to grow as you grow your business. The size of your list is important; the bigger the better. But what’s more important is that you create a list of highly targeted clients who already want what you offer. I like to refer to this free opt in offer as your “Awesome Free Offer” or AFO.

When people are searching the internet, they are looking for a solution to something. They want their problems solved.  You have to understand that no one wants to read about how many certificates you have, or receive yet another newsletter. But they do want you to tell them how to make their problem go away. Here are some examples of ‘awesome free offers’.  A dog trainer might offer “5 ways to stop your dog digging holes”. A fitness instructor might offer “7 keys to an effective workout in less than 30 minutes per day”. A business trainer might offer “7 big reasons people don’t become millionaires and what you should do to become one.”

Use a ‘number’ in your offer title and decide if it is going to be steps, keys or tips that you are going to share. This gives the impression (correctly so), that it is relatively easy to achieve the result you are offering. And people like the sound of ‘easy’.

There are many ways you can present your opt in offer (AFO) that don’t need to take a lot of time or money.

Here are some ideas you might want to consider to attract new clients:

  1. Ebook
  2. Article Packet
  3. Free Sample
  4. Recorded Audios
  5. Video Courses
  6. List of Resources
  7. Free Trial
  8. Tips Sheet
  9. PLR Product Download
  10. Live Conference Calls
  11. Email Courses
  12. Gift Certificate, Gift Card, or $ Off Purchase
  13. Training Video
  14. Live Webinar
  15. Free Consultation/Coaching
  16. White Paper
  17. Blog Instillation or Technical Help
  18. Phone Apps
  19. Software Download
  20. Membership
  21. Subscription
  22. Expert Interviews (Recorded, Live, or Written)
  23. Contest or Challenge

Any of these ideas can by used, or if you want to be clever, you can combine them to add more value.  Keeping it simple though is always a good idea.  Too much information can confuse your prospect.

Here’s the SECRET!  What is the result your clients want that you can create? This is what you offer in your Awesome Free Offer. For example, I can help you get more clients; Save $100 on your groceries. What are your results that you can teach, prove and achieve with any number of people?

People want a FAST FIX! The QUICKEST way to give them to what they want is key. What is the result that people want that you can deliver?  This should be the main statement of your opt in offer.

As your list grows, you can continue to use simple marketing strategies to turn prospects into loyal clients.

Take action today and create or re-vamp your opt in offer so that your website can become the money making machine you want it to be!

For more information on how to implement this strategy and others into your simple marketing plan, get your copy of the Client Building Blueprint. This step-by-step system will show you exactly how to attract and convert clients quickly and consistently.  It will walk you through the steps you need to consistently fill your client pipeline.. There are checklists, templates and scripts for you to follow so you get massive results.  Grab your copy now and start seeing results today!

 

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Business is Like A Long Distance Triathlon – Not a Sprint

By on August 29, 2011 in Blog, Business Success, mindset

When I was in my late thirties, I competed in the grueling half-ironman triathlon.

Swimming, running and cycling for 5 or 6 hours non-stop is not something you just go out and do. You must learn how to strategically put together all those different disciplines to compete in a journey that long, and how to prepare for the months leading up to it. While I didn’t hire a coach, I did follow a set program and was part of a group who all trained together and we stretched each other beyond our comfort zones day after day. I read lots of books and got lots of advice about how to train for longer triathlons.

Tip: You must learn how to do the things you’ve never done before if you want to be successful.

I’m sure you can imagine, the first time you run any triathlon, it’s quite a learning experience.

All the training in the world won’t prepare you for some things… like needing the toilet (when there is not one anywhere in sight) half way through a race and “hitting the wall” about 30 minutes from the end (yes, even with loads of training, this happens).

Thankfully my club mates, family and friends were always there to encourage me on through these tough kilometers…

What did I learn from all these experiences?

That no matter how much you plan and prepare, there will always be things in your environment that are out of your control. Sometimes once you’ve started something, you just have to push through to the end, even if the going gets tough. And, there is an enormous amount of self satisfaction when you achieve something, especially if you felt like giving up on it along the way.

When I first started to compete in triathlons, “swimming” meant bobbing up and down in the waves, the only “cycling I had done was as a child around the back garden and I only “ran” when I was late for a bus. Learning to perform and improve in all these three disciplines was certainly new territory but I’m the sort of person who has always enjoyed a good challenge!

I often think back to those days and realize how much of my triathlon training mentality I’ve brought into my business over the past 12 years.

Business really is like a triathlon.

To be successful in business, it really helps to:

  • Decide on your big goal and stay focused (remind yourself of this when you hit the tough spots).
  • Learn the strategies necessary to succeed from the people who have already achieved what you want to accomplish (instead of just “winging” it).
  • Run your own race rather than compare yourself to others (Every experience is an opportunity to improve on your personal best).
  • Be willing to do ‘whatever it takes’ (even if it’s outside your comfort zone).
  • Surround yourself with books, training sessions, mentors or coaches to help you prepare (rather than wasting time trying to figure it all out on your own).
  • Get the right equipment and support before you start (instead of just jumping in).
  • Have a support crew to cheer you on (instead of doing it all alone).

Commitment equals success

Long term success takes commitment, preparation and dedication. It takes learning and application of new strategies, training, and yes, sometimes you have to fall over before you can get back up and finish the race.

Every triathlon training session you can see an improvement in your performance. In business you can see this improvement with each new marketing promotion, each new product or launch, with everything you do. After you’ve prepared, you learn by taking action. That’s why I encourage my cleints to learn as your earn and I continue to do the same.

There is no such thing as failure, only a result you’re not happy with. As long as you stay committed, and continue to apply what you learn to your next endeavour, you will experience success. The only reason this won’t happen is if you give up.

By the way… could I go out and finish a half-ironman triathlon today? – Absolutely not!

Even though fitness is important to me and I still work out or run everyday, I’m not focused on preparing and training for that kind of event. Competing in triathlons is not important to me right now, and the dedication it requires doesn’t suit my lifestyle these days. This is something to consider in your business too. Decide what you need to do to prepare and train for what you want right now. And, if what you want changes, don’t be afraid to respond to that appropriately. What you focus on is where you will see the greatest results. Understand that if you’re not focused, committed and dedicated; be reasonable about the results you can expect.

 

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Referral Marketing – The Easy Way To Get More Clients

By on August 22, 2011 in Blog, Business Success, marketing

I’ve been working with several small businesses lately on their marketing strategies and I have to say that I’m amazed by the fact that NONE of them had any way of systemizing a referral system. All of them said that one of their most effective ways for them to get more clients was by word of mouth. Yet they weren’t taking advantage of this in any way.

If you have a service that your clients already love, asking your current or past clients to tell others about your services is one of the easiest and most cost effective ways to grow your business and create a steady stream of warm leads.

So today I want to talk to you about some simple numbers. This is a lesson that comes from Internet Marketer, David Frey, who is one of a shrinking number of big-name internet marketers who I couldn’t complain about even if I wanted to.

Here’s David’s thoughts on How To Master Referral Marketing as he shares the following 3-1-3 Referral Strategy which has given his clients exponential results.

Most people do not like asking for referrals but you don’t even have to ask – in person. You can implement David’s 3-1-3 Referral Strategy and use cards to do the asking. Here is how it works.

You send a relationship-building card every month for three months. You don’t promote anything or ask for any business. The cards sole purpose is to build the relationship. Make sure you are sending fun, personalized, unique cards that they’ll want to keep on their desk.

Then on the fourth month, you send a referral card that reminds them that referrals are important to your business. You could send a referral card that on the front says “Who do you know?” Those are the four most important words in referral marketing. On the inside of the card you might write a personal message that says something like, “Hi Murray, this is Dave. You may or may not know that I’m trying to expand my business. I really need your help. Would you do me a favor? Would you refer me to two or three people who you feel would benefit from my services?” It’s a very simple message.

Then you repeat the process. The fifth, sixth and seventh months are relationship-building cards. The eighth month is a referral card. The ninth, tenth and eleventh months are relationship building cards. The twelfth month is a referral card.

So if you are sending a referral card once every four months – that’s three times a year you are asking for referrals.

Let’s just say that you had 200 clients. If you send out that referral card three times a month to 200 people, that’s 600 times that you have reminded people that referrals are important to your business.

Ask yourself how many times did you actually ask someone for a referral last year? Was it once, twice, or maybe three times?

It was probably none at all. Imagine if you ask 600 times. Do you think you could double the amount of referrals that you’re getting right now?

If you could just double the amount of referrals you’re getting right now, and your referral business is currently around $50,000 then doubling it would bring in an extra $50,000 and all you’ve done is send a few cards.

That is the 3-1-3 Referral Strategy. David Frey said he had implemented this with a group of pool builders in the pool industry and with hot tub retailers. They didn’t experience double. In most cases, their referrals have quintupled!

If you could quadruple (or even double) the number of referrals you get, what would that be worth to you?

Dont wait. Make it your top priority to implement the 3-1-3 Referral Strategy today.

You can implement it manually or you can use a system to automate the process. The system I recommend is SendOutCards. SendOutCards allows you to create and send custom cards with your photos in your handwriting and with your signature.

You can test drive it now and send a card with my compliments.

Let me know your results from implementing David’s 3-1-3 Referral Strategy.

Your Action Plan For The Week:

  1. Make a list of all your current or past clients (even better is to get your VA to do it for you).
  2. Decide whether you are going to send a relationship building card manually or using an automated system.
  3. Get your first bunch of ‘thank you’ cards out in the mail within the next 14 days.
  4. Watch your business grow!

 

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