Transforming your business means looking at all aspects of it, even those pieces you think are sacrosanct, like your target audience. I know you spent a lot of time defining your perfect customer and even more time building relationships with the customers you have.
Here are some “what if” questions to ponder that might open your eyes to new ideas:
WHAT IF you could serve the people who also serve your customers? For instance, I’m a small business coach. What if I could serve the financial advisors, accountants, virtual assistants, human resource and training companies who serve my customers?
WHAT IF you could serve a different target audience? Let’s just pretend for a moment that you didn’t want to offer one-on-one private services anymore, but you didn’t want to throw away all that knowledge and experience either. Could you create a training program to teach people how to become what you are? Then they could serve your original target audience.
I just received an interesting question from a client and thought it was important enough to use as a blog post, so here goes:
Question: Should I write and distribute a press release when I join my local Chamber of Commerce this week?
Answer: Congratulations on identifying and joining an organization that will help you in your business! It’s so important to surround yourself with people and organizations that provide you with opportunities you wouldn’t have otherwise.
If you were appointed to the board, the media would be interested in running that in their version of “People on the Move.” But they can’t run something on every new member of every organization in town so I wouldn’t waste your time in sending out a press release.
When a Winter Storm Warning was issued in Durham recently I could only envision the ensuing panic as residents rushed to the store to buy water, milk, bread and other essentials. And this was just at the threat of snow! When people think someone is going to run out of something, it doesn’t really matter what it is, they are more motivated to buy that product. You see scarcity marketing all the time. QVC and other home shopping networks are masters at this by showing consumers a countdown clock and the rapidly decreasing number of remaining products.
You can use that same scarcity model when promoting your products and services. Words and phrases like “limited time offer”, “while supplies last”, “only a few spots remaining” are very effective calls to actions that get clients to make a purchase. Always be honest when using this approach.
In my experience as a coach, consultant and trainer I have learned a lot about the differences between coaches who find success easily, and those who tend to struggle.
One of the distinctions is the more successful coaches exude confidence, and they have structure to their coaching; structure that makes it easy for them to talk about the value they provide.
Beyond coaching hundreds of clients and training literally thousands of coaches, the one thing that has helped me exceed a 6-figure income as a coach has been the use of assessments. Not just any ol’ assessments, though. I use scientifically validated, heavily researched assessments.
Ready to break through into 6 figures-- working less than you are right now?
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From the desk of Terri Zwierzynski, The Solo-CEO
Business Strategist and Marketing Consultant
August 5, 2010
Dear Freedom-Loving Solopreneur,
If you answered 'yes' to any of these questions, you're in the right place! At Solo-E, you'll find the best resources on the Web for growing a business on your terms--making more money, having more time off AND getting your vision and gifts into the world in a bigger way.
That's exactly what I had in mind when I was laid off after after 15 years in Corporate America. I always wanted to be an entrepreneur (be my own boss!) and I took the opportunity of being laid off to finally live my dream. Today Solo-E draws its success from what I've learned as a solo entrepreneur along with what I learned from the entrepreneur experts I follow. (And in fact I'm proud to say many of my mentors are also Solo-E experts!)
I'm not here to sell you on a particular system. (I may have an MBA, but I know as well as you do it takes different strokes for different folks, and everybody's business is different.) What I am here to let you know is that every single expert on this site has a real and proven system that has produced real results for solopreneurs just like you.
If you're ready to...
Hire a dynamic team that will free you up from the "administrivia" so you can make better use of your gifts (and avoid the trial and error of bad hires)
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...consider this: nowhere else on the Web will you find so many PROVEN resources for building a successful, freedom-based business, 100% screened and vetted by a community of successful solopreneurs. Imagine -- no more worries if this "guru" or that "information" is any good or not. If it's coming from Solo-E, you KNOW it's a solid, high-quality, PROVEN resource.
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Finding time can begin with finding your heart. That might seem counter-intuitive, but think about it. So often, when we are busy, the connection to our heart feels fainter. That, in turn, can start a constriction that leads straight to urgency, frustration and feeling that there’s simply not enough to go around.
When you feel yourself tighten like that, don’t panic. Instead, know that you have found the perfect time to transform your world from the inside out!
Here’s how: BE gratitude.
This dramatic shift in consciousness generates instant fulfillment. It may sound unbelievable, but give it a try. ONLY when you experience how gratitude transforms your approach to life will you truly come to understand. You already possess EVERYTHING that you need in order to live with joy. And that is abundance!
When making a big business decision, I’ve found it helpful to ask myself- What is the financial reward of doing this? The emotional reward? The energetic reward? I write out my answers.
Then I ask myself- What is the financial cost of NOT doing this? What is the emotional cost of NOT doing it? What is the energetic cost of NOT doing it? I write this out.
As an example, if you are pondering which events to attend this year- why not use this technique? Think about which events speak to what you need right now to move forward. Are there networking opportunities? Is it small enough for you to get your questions answered? Are the presenters in a place that you want to be?
How will the program help move you forward financially? Emotionally? Energetically? If you DON”T do it, what are you leaving on the table financially? Emotionally? Energetically?
Test this out with our EXCEL event- for small business owners and entrepreneurs who want outperform in today’s economy http://bit.ly/ccKNE0 and let me know what you think!
While I was in Dallas a few weeks ago for the eWomenNetwork International conference, I met two women from Dell Computer. The women were from a new Women Business Owner Initiative and spent a long time talking with me about how they are trying to connect with women business owners to meet their needs.
I told them that they should try to connect on a personal level, as many, many women business owners are small companies operated out of their homes by moms just like me. As Nika Stewart says, we’re Laptop Moms!
I went on to share with them about how my girls like to play “office” on a daily basis and when they do, they staple two pieces of paper together to make laptops. My 8-year old even writes DELL across the top, complete with the slanted “E” in the logo, just like on my laptop!
Creating my own business put everything in a different light. Suddenly things I had avoided because they were out of my comfort zone changed perspective. Those activities were now challenges to overcome. To strive toward my goals I had to become comfortable with being uncomfortable.
Joining a high-level mastermind group gave me the impetus to step out of my comfort zone and expand my belief of what is possible. Connecting with my mastermind buddies provides support as I take each next leap of faith.
Well this week was no different. My business coach offered me and several other members in the mastermind group the opportunity to spend a day with her. It would have been easy to make the excuse that I could not go because of the time and expense to just meet with her for one day. Instead, I grabbed the opportunity.
Is article marketing not working for you? If it’s not, then ask yourself whether it’s really part of your overall strategy? Have you set a clear intention for your article marketing? Is it an extension of your expertise? Does it lead fluidly to your web site? This video is the 2nd in the series I put together on article marketing and explores why article marketing might not be working for you and how to remedy that.
As a small business coach and entrepreneur, I love to read customer service answers to questions that a business’s customers actually ask. Here’s one that came to my inbox this morning. Question: Do you take orders over the phone? Answer: We can take orders over the phone, but we go through the same account creation process that you would go through yourself over the Internet. If you want to phone in your order, we will be happy to help you, but you can do it all from the comfort of your own PC as well!
If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, chances are you know my beloved BlackBerry died last week — I love my “scroll wheel” and have had a similiar model for over 10 years (I know you iphone peeps are cringing).
They no longer make scroll wheels. Now it’s all touchpads and touchscreens.
As I tested the Droid and Droid2 (on the Verizon platform where I’ve been), I quickly realized that it wasn’t what I wanted. Luckily, BlackBerry came out with it’s new Torch and the ATT store was right next door.
15 minutes into “playing”, this is what I wanted.
Back next door to Verizon to see if they have anything comparable.
“Nope, but we’ll be getting new BlackBerries sometime before Christmas. Can you wait till then?” said the Verizon rep.
Yesterday, I read a post from Sandra Martini on why ‘blueprints’ don’t work. Of course, I HAD to leave a comment. I’m one of the people coaches and consultants come to for business mentoring after they’ve invested thousands and thousands on a blueprint, and still don’t see results.
Some of my business mentoring clients say that the ‘guru’ who sold them this blueprint throws it back to the customer, using language like:
“You’re not trying hard enough.”
“You have some blocks keeping you from figuring this out.”
“You’re not investing enough time in this”
“You’ve got to be patient… it will happen when you have everything else in order.”
“You need more help… I can do that for an extra $$$”
Did you notice the blame is put directly on the customer?
It’s wrong to blame the customer/client for it – after all, they paid the ‘guru’ to help them. That’s what the ‘guru’ should do: help, not blame.
Teaching via video, from my home office, the secret link between women, debt and self-esteem. This F.R.E.E. info has caused a big buzz on my blog. If you missed it, click here to get in on this awesome no-cost content. To be fair, I must warn you that this no-cost video series will only be live for a few more days.
Sharing this info with thousands of women feels like a dream come true. I had NO idea ten years ago, when I started my business, that I would be a mentor for so many on the topic of marketing AND money. What I love MOST is seeing the breakthroughs that happen for women in their biz once they heal their relationship with money. It’s like putting into place that final piece of the puzzle that’s been holding you back.
I’d love for you to get this info totally FREE as my gift to you, before we pull the videos. There’s no selling – just a refreshing boatload of awesome, all new content I created for you.
When you run a business—especially by yourself—day in and day out it can be hard to stay positive. Especially when things aren’t going exactly as you’d planned (and hey, that happens to all of us).
While I have a whole list of things I do regularly to keep my spirits up like exercising, making time for myself, and laughing as much as possible sometimes it isn’t enough.
That’s why I try to start every day by focusing on being thankful for at least five things in my life—no matter how small. Because I’ve learned you have to celebrate even the smallest good things in life since the big ones don’t roll around often enough.
And life is so good right now I decided I just had to share!
Hopefully reading my list will be uplifting and inspiring for you too…
Remember our couple who wanted the new $15,000 patio and outdoor entertainment area? (See How To Do Transformational Selling, Part One). I promised I would walk you through the steps of successful transformational selling and how it ties in to good customer relationships and collaborative marketing. Here’s what can happen when you are set up to sell this way.
Once you’ve figured out your niche (or you’ve at least narrowed it down significantly), it’s time to figure out what problems they are struggling with, and what they want by way of solutions. Remember, if you will only ask your market, it wants to help you create the products it wants to buy!
How do you find out what your target market wants? There are several ways to get this information and use it to help you create an offering that will solve your niche’s problems and make a profit for you at the same time.
The best way is to do your research. The most critical research to do is to join the conversations that your market is having:
Back when I was young and spry, I spent a semester hiking through the Yosemite back country for college credit (one of the perks of attending UCSC).
Whenever things weren’t going well -like when the bears ate all our food 3 days into a 5-day hike – my friend Terry Chan would say, “We’re not having
fun now, but it’ll make a great story!” (Terry had ample opportunity to use that line during those 3 months.)
As a solo service professional you are probably already clear on who your niche is, i.e. you know who those people are who want and need your services, but are you providing the solution to their problems in the way that they want?
If your products, programs, and/or services are not selling as well as you thought they would it could be there’s a mismatch between what your market wants and what you’re providing them with. In other words, are you providing the solutions based on what YOU think the problems are rather than what your target market wants? And how do you find out?
