Archive for July, 2009

You can be your own best friend or your own worst enemy.  It is the beliefs you have about yourself, others or situations that moves you forward or holds you back. Your belief system creates how you see the world and the possibilities or barriers within it.   When self-limiting beliefs create roadblocks to your success, the result can stop you from living your best life.

A couple of months ago I attended the W.I.S.E. Women’s Annual Breakfast hosted by the Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce. The guest speaker was Hank Phillippi Ryan successful author and award-winning investigative reporter for WHDH TV Boston.

Hank told the story of when she was writing her first book, Prime Time. She was speaking with her mother telling her that she was unsure if she could finish the book; she questioned if she had what it took to complete the project. Very simply her mom replied, “You will if you want to.”

How many times have you started a new project or was in the process of announcing a new product or service when you stopped and began to have doubts whether or not you could pull it off? I know that I have had those doubts creep into my mind on more than one occasion. But I also know that Hank’s mom was 100% correct when she passed on those words of wisdom to her daughter.

I want you to think for a moment about the conversations you have had with yourself today. Did you tell yourself you were phenomenal, successful and talented or did you tell yourself you were unorganized, forgetful, and lazy?

Most of the time we don’t even realize that the negative thoughts are playing like a tape over and over again in our head.  They have found a place in our mind so comfortable that we accept them as true rather than what they really are, an unproven self-limiting thought.

Your mind is an incredible tool that believes what you tell it, so why not challenge the self-limiting beliefs you currently hold as true.  What if you discovered that they were not true and could finally discard them and create true direction instead of a misguided story line?

When you banish self-limiting thoughts, you can make significant changes and begin to live life with joy, power and clarity. That clarity will allow you to see things differently.  It is a wonderful experience to be free of those negative beliefs and to make room for positive thoughts that move your forward!

As a business coach, I hear these negative beliefs from my clients all the time. We work through them by having them challenge their thinking and replace them with a new belief that is true or truer than the original.

Author Byron Katie, has done a phenomenal job in addressing limiting beliefs in her book titled The Work. I suggest you read the book to get the full understanding on the methodology. In part Katie suggests that we challenge each limiting belief by asking four questions:

1. Is it true? The answer is a “yes” or a “no” only.  If your answer is “no”, continue to question three.
2. Can you absolutely know that it is true? What proof do you have that it is true?  It most cases you will find it is not true.
3. How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?
4. Who would you be without the thought? Close your eyes and drop your story just for a moment and notice, who would you be without that thought? Who would you be without your story? How about if you were not capable of believing that thought.  Turn the thought around. Reverse the thought as many ways as you can and ask yourself if these reverse versions seem as true as or truer than your original thought.  http://www.thework.com

By challenging those negative thoughts you are now free to replace it with thoughts that empower you and move you forward into the business and life that you want.

Everybody wants to be rich.  But few know how to make it happen.  So unless you win the Mega millions drawing tomorrow night you are probably going to need another strategy to be successful.

Here are some of the top strategies of successful entrepreneurs….

1.  Do It Daily

The one thing that successful entrepreneurs understand is that in order to move their business forward they must engage in marketing activities each and everyday.   Daily?  YES… DAILY!

2.  Time Is  A Precious Commodity

How do you spend your time?  Do you watch TV during the day?  Chat with your girlfriends instead of working?  Do you allow others to interfere with your time and schedule?  If you answered yes to any of these you do not understand how valuable your time really is.  Successful entrepreneurs understand that how they spend their time NOW will determine their future.  Spend your time wisely.

3.  Stop Procrastinating

Successful entrepreneurs don’t’ put off what they know they can do today…in others words they don’t procrastinate.   This sense of urgency is borne not only from their understanding of how valuable their time is, but also from wanting to keep their clients happy.  By acting immediately, they are ensuring client satisfaction.  And happy clients are clients that will return to buy your products and services over and over again.

4.  One Thing At A Time

I always loved the phrase “one day at a time”.  Well this is the same concept except instead of one day a time, it’s one thing at a time.

If you find yourself in a constant state of overwhelm and confusion because you think your to do list is out of control, remember that all that’s important is that you do something…anything each day.  Worry won’t decrease that pile.  But taking action and doing one thing and then the next and the next will.

5.  Always Have A “Plan B”

Those of you who know me well know that I live by this rule.  Although I don’t worry about the big stuff, I always have a backup plan if something goes wrong.  What do I mean by this?  Well if I am planning a retreat I don’t worry about filling the retreat, but I do worry about if the retreat center is not ready for us when we arrive.  I focus my attention on the details and have a backup plan for if something needs to be “tweaked”.

This insures that I have thought out all of the potential problems that could arise and already have a solution ready at hand.  I always have my “plan b”!

6.  Don’t Do It All

Successful entrepreneurs understand how important a team is to the ultimate running of their business.  Doing it all is a recipe for burnout and disaster.

Smart and savvy businesswomen create teams and delegate effectively.  Hiring a virtual assistant, bookkeeper,  personal assistant, house keepers, etc.,  help to keep your mind of the small stuff and instead keep you focused on the big picture.

7.  Have The Right Mindset

Successful entrepreneurs are focused on three things:  security, comfort, and money.

The focus on security allows the successful business women to develop systems and programs that reinforce that need for security with an overall focus  on the big picture as opposed to doing tasks and activities that have only short term results.  So remember to invest in yourself and your business for long term success.

No matter where you are in your business I encourage you to implement these strategies.  If you are new in business, start with one idea and build on from there.  Take the first steps toward building that successful business.

Picture this…

You’ve just had a great meeting with a potential client and you’re ready to reveal your fee.  You smile and tell them your rate; you go cold waiting for their response.

While you are anxiously awaiting their response crazy thoughts are running through your head like a steam roller.

Will she hire me?

Will she think I priced my service too high?

You hear “Your hired!” and a wave of  other thoughts begin to flood your mind…now you begin to second guess your pricing!

Did I low ball it in order to get the job?

Should I have gone higher?

You know what I am talking about; you’ve been there and you know what’s coming next.  The project always takes more time than you realize and you end up feeling overworked, undervalued and underpaid.

So what is a phenomenal woman to do who knows that she is worth so much more but is not sure about setting her fees?  Follow these tips for better fee setting.

1.  Know What You Are Worth

When you are setting fees how do you go about landing on a price?  Do you throw darts and see where it lands?  Pick a price out of a hat?  Or worse yet do you look to your competition to see what they’re charging?

None of those methods are going to give a price point that addresses YOUR worth.

If you bill hourly remember that many factors go into determining your price point.  So many entrepreneurs fail to consider all the factors so remember the following:

• First figure out how much you want to be making a year
• What are your subcontractor expenses (if you have any)
• What are your other expenses
• How much profit do you want to make
• All these factors make up  your “required revenue”
• Divide your “required revenue” by number of billable hours and you have your rate.  Don’t forget that your total number of billable hours is never 40 hours a week.

Is this rate acceptable?  If not raise your fees.

2.  Give Them Results

Clients are paying you for results.  Technically they’re paying for a service but in reality they are buying a solution.   It’s your job to make sure that you communicate those results clearly so that people know what to expect.

Will she get more clients?  Streamline her processes?  Be more confident when having a selling conversation?  Know the benefits and communicate them effectively!

3. Create A Haggle Free Mindset

Don’t haggle with clients about money.  You’re not selling junk at a yard sale  you’re selling yourself and you have allot of value!  When you engage in haggling it immediately lowers your perceived worth and once that happens you are sunk!  When you haggle you set yourself up for a continuous relationship by which your clients will nit pick you to death over everything…and NO ONE wants that kind of client interaction.

4.  Not Everyone Is Your Client

There will be times when you will have to walk away; when a potential client will not be willing to pay your fee.  That’s OK; they were meant to be your client.  The right client who IS willing to pay your rate is just around the corner.

Pricing your services is one of the most difficult  tasks a business owner will ever undertake.  Be a smart and savvy businesswoman and be prepared by reviewing the project and price.  It will save you a ton of heartache in the long run.

One of my  tips was posted in the Toilet Paper Entrepreneur!  Read it here:  Over 100 ways that mom entrepreneurs excel in business AND as moms! http://budurl.com/MomEntrepreneur

Many of you who read my blog regularly know that DARE To Be Phenomenal runs a Women’s Only Networking Event once a month.  We have a new location and are now meeting at Boxwood Grill in Methuen, MA from 7 pm -9 pm. This new location should solve some of our space problems.  Not only do we have a private room with private bathrooms but we have our own bar and bartender along with a gorgeous private balcony with plenty of seating.   This month we are meeting on July 29th!

Today we have over 150 members  and we are growing everyday.  In the last month alone we added almost 50 new members.  Is that phenomenal or what?  What is really spectacular about this group is how much the women spread the word and tell their friends.  This has really helped the group grow.  So if you know any women that would benefit from this group please let them know that we are meeting next week.

You know what else is phenomenal?  How many women are dedicated to coming out and helping other success minded women grow their business.  We have a little tribe here…well actually, a big tribe and our tribe is growing all the time.  So if you are looking for a group of like minded women who are dedicated to supporting one another as they strive to have the most phenomenal business and life, join us next week on June 29th.  We would love you to join us.

Daring you to success…….

I received an email today from Mike Michalowicz.  He writes a blog called the Toilet Paper Entrepreneur.  He had send a request out asking for tips on how to get bigger and better clients.  My tip was chosen and it is in today’s blog post.  Follow the link to read my tip (which is #15) and some of the others. http://budurl.com/nf52

Maureen and Hank Phillip Ryan from Channel 7 News

Last week I discussed with you some basic marketing strategies that every small business owner should be implementing in their business.  This week I would like to highlight three more advanced marketing strategies that can help  push your business into higher profits.

Tip #1:  Create Mini Celebrity Status

I remember when I first learned of this marketing technique it made me feel VERY uncomfortable.  The notion of creating celebrity status for myself seemed icky.  But once I understood this concept and the power behind it I quickly embraced it as a technique that could help me build my business.

For a very long time women business owners have taken a passive role in their marketing, blending in with all the rest of the business owners out there.  But when you embrace this strategy you take a powerful stand and become known and seen as a true leader and successful entrepreneur.

But you are probably wondering how you do it?  One way that you can build up your celebrity status is by rubbing elbows with other celebrities.  Look for opportunities to be photographed with high profile people.  This could mean having your picture taken alongside a famous key note speaker at an event or training that you are attending.  Post these pictures in your newsletter, blog or on Facebook.  It will automatically up your status!

Tip #2:  Grow Your List

Now I am not talking about growing your list one name at a time.  I am talking about growing your list significantly each time you make a concerted effort at it! How will you make yourself known to others?

There are many different strategies that you can take to grow your list.  When I was researching the best ways to grow my list I found several different strategies that would work for me and my business.  Each time that I have implemented one of the techniques I have been able to grow my list significantly.  And the more people on my list  the more people I reach.

Tip #3:  Have a Marketing Plan

Do you wake up each day and do a different marketing activity without any clear sense of how they work together?

Successful marketing is based on a clear well thought out plan of action that takes different marketing activities together to produce a clear outcome.  When you willy nilly market yourself do you get the type of results you are looking for?  Probably not.   So stop what you are doing right now and develop a clear game plan of what you are going to do and when.  Then track your progress and make adjustments as needed.

There are so many different strategies out there.  Pick at least three strategies and do them consistently to get the best results possible. Follow your plan and you will be on the road to higher visibility and more clients!

I read a great article the other day about the use of basic and advanced marketing strategies and how you need to use more advanced techniques in this economy.  And while I agree with the author, what I find more times than not is that people are not using the basic marketing strategies to there full advantage.

Here are some easy and simple tips that will help you get a grip on the basic strategies so you can move into the more advanced and see your business grow!

1.  The first basic marketing strategy is the development of your  marketing message. Who you work with, what their challenges are and how you solve their problems.  Trouble is, most new entrepreneurs particularly coaches (I can pick on coaches because I am one myself) have no idea who their target market is and what problem they want to solve.  I have told you over and over again how important it is to be crystal clear on this point or you will suffer greatly in trying to create a captivating marketing message.  It is impossible!  I know because when I first became a coach I mistakenly thought I would be a “life coach” ~ what the heck does that mean?  I wasn’t sure myself so I know no one else knew what that meant either.

2.  Your web site is a marketing tool and one that  people will visit. The problem with most websites is that they read like a brochure.  They don’t speak directly to the clients biggest challenges and they certainly don’t tell anyone how a problem will be solved.    And that my friends is what clients want!  They want to know that someone out there understands their problems and will help them fix it.

I remember reading a website of a woman, who happens to be a coach, and in fact was one of my instructors at coaching school.  Her website missed the boat completely… it talked about what coaching was and how the coaching calls would go, etc, etc.  Frankly, clients don’t care about stuff like that.  They care more about their problems than how you coach.

If you have a website,  find a professional to evaluate your site and give you honest feedback and suggestions for improvement.  I am currently working on a new program and this particular service is being added as a bonus to the participants so that I can show them how to build a more captivating site!  Watch for the details coming soon!

And by the way you should know your web site stats!  But that is a blog post for another time.

3.  The third basic strategy is that you regularly engage in marketing activities. I like to suggest that you pick three activities and do them regularly.  Two of the three should include writing and speaking and the third can be your choice.  The problem here is that although many entrepreneurs start out with good intentions, their writing or speaking activities fall by the wayside.

If you are blogging you MUST do so consistently.  To blog every once in a while will never yield you the kind of results that you are looking for.  Plan on blogging at least three times a week for it to be effective.

If you are doing a ton of public speaking, make sure that you pick your speaking engagements with your ideal clients in mind.  For example,  if you are a business coach for women speaking at the Men’s Auxiliary Luncheon  is probably not the best use of your time.

Finally,  by excelling in these basic techniques you build a strong foundation for taking your marketing activities to the next level. Next time I will discuss some more advanced strategies and how you can propel your business farther and faster!

Are you a confused?  Do you know who you should be approaching to ask for business? Do you feel awkward when asking the question, “Would you like to work with me?” Learning to ask the right questions, to the right people, at the right time is not as complicated as you might think.  Follow these simple tips to  bust through your fear.

1. The first thing you must understand is what you are asking for. This may seem obvious,  but for a lot of solopreneurs it’s as foggy as an early morning in San Fransisco.  What does your ideal client look like?  What do you want from your ideal client?  How will you know when you find your ideal clients?

When you bring clarity to these questions it becomes really easy to know what you are looking for AND to know when you have found it!  Without this clarity you are mulling around looking for clients in that San Francisco fog.

2.  What is your plan? How and where are important pieces to the puzzle.  This step is where you take action!  If you never ask, you never get clients.

When you ask a potential client to work with you, you are leveraging the value of what you do.  It allows others to know how you share your unique talents and gifts and ultimately how you help others.

3.  Make a goal and determine how many people you are going to ask to either work with you or, have a complimentary session, or come to a free seminar.  Whatever it is, make a goal to ask!

4.  Finally, be consistent and keep on asking. Don’t think that this is a one shot deal.  You must constantly and consistently ask for business or you won’t have a business because you won’t be bringing in any money!  Remember, without the money, it’s just a hobby.

Change happens! Everyday we handle those life adjustments that come our way. Maybe the doctor’s office just called and had to reschedule an appointment, or a traffic jam has forced you to take another route to work or possibly your child woke this morning sick and now you find you will need to stay home. Whatever it is, change is all around us.

People who are good at change focus on the positive that will come from the transition. Instead of focusing on the negative, they tend to focus on what lies ahead. They often ask themselves, “What good can come from the situation?”

These “gifts of change” do not always come as a direct result of what you are experiencing. For example, I lost my job several years ago and as a result I was able to spend the last six months of my father’s life caring for him. The “gift” I received was the opportunity to spend unlimited time with my father before his passing.

Do you stress out when you are faced with the unexpected? Not sure how to move beyond it? Here are some tips to help you manage change with grace and ease:

1. Use your support system. Friends, family, co-workers, or the support of a professional coach can help you better manage transitions. All of these people can listen, support and encourage you as you navigate your way through the vast ocean of change.
2. Remember that your higher self never changes—it’s the one constant. Reconnecting to your source of power through prayer, meditation, time in nature, writing in your journal or any other activity that helps you to reconnect with you’re your higher self will help you through the process.
3. Use what you have learned from your past. Our life circumstances make us stronger human beings; you can never loose what you have gained through experience.
4. Make a choice. When you experience negative thoughts or self-defeating feelings understand that they are temporary. At that moment you have a choice to continue to feel self-defeated and negative or to turn those thoughts and feelings around.
5. Accept change! There is no progress in holding onto the past. Once you accept change then you can focus on the future, develop a plan and an optimistic view of what’s to come.

Remember, changes provides an opportunity to lead you down a new and exciting path — you CAN find the positive in change and learn to love your life more.