Tag Archives | marketing plan template

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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Eliminating Marketing Overwhelm

By on August 15, 2011 in Blog, Business Success, marketing, productivity

Have you ever felt overwhelmed when trying to market your business? It’s easy to be confused by all the latest and greatest options. It can be difficult to know where to start.As a solopreneur, when you get busy with clients there are so many other things that need to be done. There are always firest to put out and it’s easy to feel like you are constantly playing catch up. So how can you possibly add another activity to your already overwhelming schedule? If this sounds like you, you’re not alone. These are the same challenges faced by most solopreneurs. The danger with becoming overwhelmed is that you can become paralyzed and sit like a rabbit stunned in bright lights.

This feeling of ‘analysis paralysis’ CAN be overcome and you CAN get out of overwhelm and market what you do to those who need it most. I’m giving you 7 easy steps here to follow:

  1. STOP and step back – If you feel like it’s all getting too much, the best thing you can do is STOP. Honestly – take a break! Just like you need to pull over and give your car a break if it gets overheated, you need to take a break and rejuvenate when you feel yourself getting overwhelmed. Take a few hours or a full day off to gather your thoughts and re-set.
  2. Get organized – Do you have things written on bits of paper or sticky notes lying all over the place? Being organized and having all your marketing ideas and plans in one place will make your task much easier. Buy yourself a few bright coloured files or folders and label them so that any ideas you come up with can be put straight into these. Now you can review all your marketing information in the one place.
  3. Focus on what you need most RIGHT NOW – When you’re overwhelmed, it’s difficult to know what you need to be marketing for the next 6 or 12 months. Instead, consider which specific marketing strategies you need to focus on what will add more income to your business right now. This way you can focus on the marketing activities that are priority for achieving your short term goals. Perhaps it’s a workshop or program that needs filling? To write copy for a web page? Then you focus ONLY on these activities.
  4. Make marketing a priority – marketing is too important to leave to chance. Start TODAY to allocate chunks of time to plan your business development and marketing. Begin with making time to constantly review and update a rolling 60 day plan. Then also schedule time to take action and implement. These are priority activities in your day, week and month. Create new habits so that your marketing activities get done before you are distracted by anything else, especially email.
  5. Systemize wherever possible – Consistency with your marketing will reap you greater rewards. Leave less to chance by creating systems for as many of your marketing efforts as possible. This includes mapping out topics for your newsletter and blog well in advance. Your scheduled writing time will be so much more productive. You want an effective follow up system for people you meet and business cards you collect. There is software that is available to help you manage your social media and contact management. As you perform a new marketing activity, write the process down in detail so it’s ready for you or someone else to follow each time. This stops you from having to re-learn each time and makes delegating tasks (to your standard) much easier.
  6. Get an outside opinion – You don’t know what you don’t know. It can be easy for there to be great opportunities right in front of us that we simply don’t see ourselves. By spending even just one session with an experienced marketing coach or consultant, you can be given valuable information on ideal strategies that will best suit your goals. You’ll get confidence and clarity to keep moving on the right path.
  7. Get going – You might not feel like you have all the information you need just yet but get started anyway. Your marketing materials don’t need to be ‘perfect’. In fact, they will develop over time either way. Each step you take will mean you are better educated to make the next decision. Marketing and growing your business is something that will continually evolve. Get a clear vision of your goals, choose one strategy and then just take ACTION. Don’t stop to think on it.

More often than not, it’s lack of action that keeps us from experiencing our success. It’s much easier to achieve your goals once you understand what has been preventing you from getting there. Everyone experiences overwhelm at some stage, but to stay stuck in overwhelm is a choice. Make a decison today that marketing overwhelm will not prevent you from having the business success and profits you deserve.

Your Action Plan For The Week:
  1. Block out a specific time – preferably a while day if possible – to get grounded again on what your goals are.
  2. Organize. Use one specific notebook to keep all your marketing ideas in one safe, easy to find place. Get things out of your head and write them down instead.
  3. Decide on ONE specific task this week – and get it accomplished. You will be amazed at how much lighter your load will feel when you do this!
  4. Decide to take action. Starting today, begin to do ONE thing that you have been putting off.
  5. Do this for the whole week and you’ll love the feeling of exhilaration and liberation as you get out of the overwhelm that has held you back for so long.
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Is Your Business Model Right?

By on August 8, 2011 in Blog, Business Success, mindset

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This past week we had a bit of a shake up when Murray was cycling home and was hit by a car. Fast forward…….and I’m sitting beside his bed in the hospital for hours while x-rays, testing and observations are constantly being done.  The longer I’m there the more the nursing staff are wondering how it’s possible for me not to be at all concerned with missing ‘work’.

For a short time, the flexibility of self employment will usually mean we can be there for our friends or family in a time of crisis or need.  What happens beyond the ‘short term’? I have friends who have just spent the last month sitting beside their son’s hospital bed. He’s in a coma after a serious car accident. To be away from their work for a short time has been okay, but the seriousness that this situation will extend into many months is starting to take its toll for them.

Do you have a business model that would mean you could be absent for extended periods of time and still receive on-going revenue during that period? In fact, some solopreneurs have their business model set up in such a way that even getting away for a few days or one week’s break can be difficult.

By a business model, I mean the activities that your business performs to generate revenue, and the relationships, information, and product flows you have with customers and suppliers.

While entrepreneurialism can be rewarding, the business model that is right for you will depend on your expertise, financial situation and goals. Each business is a little different. This is an area I just love working on with my VIP clients – making sure their business model is designed to give them lifestyle and financial security.

As long as your only income comes from you working with clients in person or being the first point of contact for your business, you  expose yourself, your business and your financial security to high risk of having it all crash down around you when you may need it most.

I can lift three principles from our own experience and those I see others involved in, all of which have to do with designing your ideal business model.

Leverage Your Knowledge:  Rather than relying on all your income to come from one-on-one work done in person, the sooner you can create your own information products, you’ll be able to have some passive on-going revenue once you have created a substantial community of prospects and clients.

Team: Include other people in your business vision and have regular meetings with them to monitor progress and make any changes that may be necessary.  Hiring an assistant who manages your calls, calendar and customer service will remove you from much of the daily activities to allow more freedom. Projects can be managed in software systems such as Basecamp.com means everyone involved in a project will always know where it is up to and who is responsible for what.

Systems: Have systems for everything!  Systems will take the guess work out of customer service, refunds, client enrolment, marketing and more.  By having a systematized way to marketing your business means that much of this can be put on ‘auto-pilot’.  Regular marketing will avoid you experiencing periods of ‘feast or famine’ that is so evident in businesses that only do spasmodic marketing efforts.  If you have your own personal ‘crisis’, it’s comforting to know that there is still a constant flow of new clients and that systems you have in place will ensure they continue to receive high value service.

Being an entrepreneur, and self-employed, is no easy task – but it sure does have its rewards. It gives a tremendous sense of freedom – and if you want to take off for holidays or you have your own personal ‘crisis’ – just be certain you have all the systems and processes in place to support you and that will help to create on-going revenue during that period.

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