Posts filed under 'Professionals'
In today’s email, Suzanne Falter-Barns asked a somewhat ~ like very ~ vulnerable question:
“Has your business ever made you cry, Bonnie?”
My answer without a moment’s hesitation! You bet it has… Has yours?
Suzanne went on to say:
I know, I know. We’re not supposed to talk about these things. We’re supposed to be INDEPENDENT, BRAVE and STRONG … and not have inconvenient feelings like fear, shame and serious self-doubt.
Thing is … those feelings are unavoidable. And the real truth is that when you find yourself planted face down on your bed, wracked with sobs, that’s usually a really good sign.
It’s an indication of an imminent breakthrough – a complete break with the way you’ve always done things. A chance to be liberated from whatever is currently sticking you … so you can make the surge forward that you need.
This is the reality of entrepreneurship:
We’ve all been in tears with our businesses.
We’re going to be asked to do hard things.
We’re going to feel like complete idiots from time to time.
We’ll have to do things sometimes that make us feel crazy, weak or just plain out of our league.
And yes, we’re going to have dark nights of the soul.
Which means …. we also get the chance to GROW. To pry ourselves OUT of the comfort zone which is totally a great thing.
And isn’t that why Spirit put you in business in the first place?
My note: Thanks, Suzanne, for bravely stating there’s an elephant in the room.
In fact, I’m going through yet another expansion of my comfort zone. What a relief to be reminded that the waves of emotions, sometimes tears, are a good thing!
How grateful I am to be traveling with you, Suzanne. Thanks for being who you are, showing up as you are. I am encouraged and empowered!
I’m ready to do some yoga, then get to bed early so I’m fully charged to show up in the world in a new, bigger, bolder, and better way tomorrow.
P.S. That was yesterday, and today has been a better day. Energy ebbs and flows in nature, and I’m part of nature! So are you… I’m learning to relax and go with the flow, to trust that I am the right person to do the next thing that’s right in front of me, and then to do it. Being in motion makes it easier for me to be in the right place at the right time, to say or do the right thing, meet the right person… you get my point.
So, I invite you to laugh when you feel like laughing, and cry when that feels right, too. And I will, too. Together, being our real, authentic selves, we can hold each other’s hand and JUMP! Right through the next ring of fire. Let who you no longer need to be, what you no longer need to say or do be burned away a tiny bit at a time. It’s part of the journey of life.
To quote Suzanne, “Isn’t that why Spirit put you in business in the first place?”
And remember, if it’s got to get done, let me help you make it fun!
Tags: Professionals, Strategies for Success
May 3rd, 2010
Do you want to make more money doing what you’re already doing? Do you want to serve more people doing what you love?
Do you want to love the life you’re living?
One way to achieve all this and more is to be known as an authority in your niche. Here’s the direction I recommend you go to be well seen and well heard so you can be well known and well paid.
You need to be a VIP with VIP ~ a Very Important Professional with Valuable Intellectual Property, AKA Valuable Information Products.
“Why this path?” you may be wondering.
Because once your expertise is out of your head and in physical and digital form, you can contribute it to the world. That way it can generate leads and income.
Content may be king. The question is what content? Before we can create content that others will find valuable, we need to know who those others are who we want to attract and serve.
We may need to create and share clear, concise, and compelling messages and to know where to put them so they can be easily found by those looking for us. Before we can we write messages that leave a trail of breadcrumbs that lead to our door, we need to know who we want to talk to, who we want to attract, who we want to serve.
So start by building a strong foundation. Here are a few questions I suggest you answer.
Who are our ideal clients? Think of 3 categories:
- ones we love to work with (our passion) and who love to work with us (their passion)
- ones we’re expert at helping (our expertise)
- ones with whom we make the most money (income)
What problem(s) do they have that you solve for them or help them solve?
How do you do that?
What results do they get when they work with us and how do they benefit from those results?
What makes us, what we do and how we do it unique so people would be crazy to work with anyone else?
In the coming weeks I’ll be blogging more about what you can do to be a VIP with VIP. I’ll be offering tips, tools, techniques, and strategies you can use. I’ll be creating Success Activities you can do quickly and easily. And I’ll be offering programs to help you get unstuck, overcome Marketing Resistance Syndrome, and take the next steps that help you take yourself, your business, and your life where you want to go.
And remember, if it’s got to get done, let me help you make it fun!
Fun is a prerequisite to excellence.
Play is the behavior of enlightenment.
P.S. If you want to be known as an authority in your niche, join Mari-Lynn Harris and myself every Wednesday 2-3 pm est on BlitzTime. It’s the coolest place to meet like-minded people. We gather on the phone to network, build relationships, and learn how to do what it takes to become well seen and well heard so you can be well paid. Click on this link. You’ll land on our event’s page. You’re in the place to register for one or more calls for ”How to Be an Authority in YOUR Niche.” Your first 2 calls are free! Try it. You’ll like it!
Tags: Become an Expert, BlitzTime, Develop Your Audience, Effective Communicating, Independent Service Professionals, Information Marketing, Marketing for Professionals, Marketing Resistance Syndrome, Strategies for Success, Take your business to the next level, VIP with VIP
April 28th, 2010
Hello all you ISPs (Independent Service Professionals) ~ I’m curious… what’s keeping you up at night? What’s got you stuck? What do you wish you knew or knew how to do? If you could wave a magic wand, if you knew you would succeed, what would you do next?
I have a hunch… if you’re like me and other ISPs I know… we know where we’d like to be, like to go, and we even know our next few steps… and yet sometimes because we can’t see clearly through the fog or the bend in the road beyond those next known steps and we can’t guarantee they’re the right steps or we’ll do them right enough, we freeze and spin our wheels. Does this sound familiar?
I’ve decided I can only see so far down the road ~ like how far headlights illuminate at night isn’t the whole road yet I drive on. Just like I drive with faith that the road continues and the next part will be lite up when I need it, the next steps will be revealed when I need to know.
Like that scene in Indiana Jones when the big ball is rolling after Indiana, he’s standing at the edge of a cliff, he’s told to step out and he does… the chasm was an illusion. He stood on solid ground and kept walking.
What if it’s that easy?
Tags: Become an Expert, Independent Service Professionals, Marketing Resistance Syndrome, Strategies for Success, Take your business to the next level
April 23rd, 2010
I immediately bought the book and signed up for Tim’s e-course I receive via emails.
Today’s issue #29 was exactly what I needed to read today. By the time I got his email, I had created the draft of a PowerPoint presentation for a project I’m working on for a client, I had a meeting with him while taking my morning walk, I wrote another blog post, read and when appropriate answered about 40 emails, and discovered about 10 new sources of knowledge and expertise I’ll explore after I finish this post.
Yet, even having done all that before noon, I felt pushed and pressured by myself to do more faster. Then I read Tim’s advice. I found what he had to say so helpful I wanted to share it with you… I know I am in good company with others like myself 
Here’s what Tim shared:
Making your life a direct expression of your purpose is the most fulfilling and rewarding choice. It is also something that doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time to make an orderly transition from how you are currently living to a new, purpose-centered life.
This may or may not involve changes in profession or other life circumstances. Remember, a purpose isn’t a job, a job is an expression of a purpose.
Living fully from purpose requires consistently making purpose-based choices. More on that in a later issue.
There are a couple of significant disadvantages to this strategy. The most common problem people face with this approach is fear of the unknown. They imagine that they will be unable to support themselves, that people they love will reject them, or any of a number of other fears. These fears rarely come to pass, but the imagination of them can deter people in their movement towards manifesting their purpose.
The other “problem” is an interesting one. Moving towards your purpose tends to increase the amount of serendipity and synchronicity in your life: people show up to help you and things that you imagine will be difficult become easy. This creates a feeling of “acceleration” which can be both exhilarating and nerve-wracking.
Of course, it’s hard to imagine a better problem to have: the question becomes, how much exhilaration, meaning, passion, and success can you tolerate? It seems like a silly question, but it really isn’t. I often find myself “hitting the brakes” a little bit to keep the rapid progress towards my purpose at a rate I can manage.
Copyright © 2003-2009 Timothy A. Kelley. All rights reserved. “Know Your Purpose” and “Purpose Hunting” are trademarks of Timothy A. Kelley
Back to my thoughts…
I’m wondering if Tim’s perspective was helpful to you. If so, how specifically?
Equally important, how do you manage the pace you operate at because you’re driven by your passion ?
Please share as I know we are in good company and what’s working for you may help me and others, too.
Thanks in advance for your comments!
Tags: Become an Expert, Information Marketing, Information Products, Internet Marketing, Marketing for Professionals, Professionals
December 15th, 2009
I’m still reading Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne. My business partner and friend, Russ, had been recommending it for a while now. I’m glad I am. It’s one of those pivotal books for me.My dear friend and business partner, Russell Cox, has been talking about Blue Ocean Strategies for some time. He brought it up again during a recent conversation with Rick Hadsock, the third in our team.
What’s a Blue Ocean and why is it important to you and me? “Blue oceans are defined by unknown, and therefore, untapped market space, demand creation, and the opportunity for highly profitable growth.”
This is compared with Red Oceans which represent all industries in existence today in which “industry boundaries are defined and accepted, and the competitive rules of the game are known. Here, companies try to outperform their rivals to grab a greater share of existing demand. As the market space gets crowded, prospects profits and growth are reduced. Products become commodities, and cutthroat competition turns the red ocean bloody.
“Although some blue oceans are created well beyond existing industry boundaries, most are created from within red oceans by expanding existing industry boundaries. In blue oceans, competition is irrelevant because the rules are waiting to be set.
“It will always be important to swim successfully in the red ocean by outcompeting rivals. Red oceans will always matter and will always be a fact of business life. But with supply exceeding demand in more industries, competing for a share of contracting markets, while necessary, will not be sufficient to sustain high performance. Companies need to go beyond competing. To seize new profits and growth opportunities, they also need to create blue oceans.”
If you want to learn more without (or before) reading the book, click on this link. You’ll be taken to a website from which you can download files about Blue Ocean Strategy ~ a few summary slide presentations,
The best files start with Blue Ocean Strategy. Start with them.
Enjoy and happy sailing!
Tags: Become an Expert, Information Marketing, Marketing for Consultants
December 3rd, 2009
Once again Patricia Weber offers excellent suggestions in her blog post, How to Prevent Your Business from Death on the Vine.
Below you’ll find her original post with my comments in italic wherever I insert them.
In times of plenty, when there is more certainty and confidence, businesses may have the luxury of customers or clients showing up on their front door step. These are not necessarily those times for many businesses. But just because there’s no crowd at your front door right now, you must continue to bring people to that door step.
1- Maintain a focus on your prospective client’s problem or pain. Even difficult economic times are NOT about you. In sales and marketing, it is always about the customer. What is your customers most prevalent problem? What do they want to avoid or what do they want to get? Keep that at the heart of your message.
When you talk to your prospects, focus on the results you will deliver to your customers and how they’ll benefit from those results. Another way to think of it is, “How will working with you improve the quality of your customer’s business and their life.
2- Plan to drip on your prospects. Tougher economic times usually can mean longer decision making cycles. You must plan to follow-up more than before. Before what? Well, before the internet. The International Marketing Association reported an average of 6 contacts with a prospect before they moved through the “know, like, trust” cycle to buy. With the onslaught of television, radio, direct marketing, and internet advertising, the time line is now between 6 and 21 times.
I’ve heard many times that many a successful person will actually say ‘no’ the first time or two just to see if you are confident enough to follow-up again.
Once you’re conversing with your prospect, consider ‘no’ as a request for more information. And when you deliver, tell them ‘what’ and ‘why.’ Remember to save telling someone about the ‘how’ for after you’ve been hired.
3- Drip with purpose. Business graveyards fill up quickly without purpose because, people aren’t interested in you! Plan to be systematic with reasons that prove you were listening to them. Something personal like a birthday, something that shows you were listening, like their interest in red wines, fine valid business reasons that are purposeful in connecting.
What are you finding is working to keep your company, your business, alive as the economy in general continues to remain stuck in many areas of the world?
Thanks, Pat for reminding us that we can contact a prospect or a customer for either personal or professional reasons. The purpose of staying in touch is to let them know you care. You’re building relationship. You’re helping them get to know, like, and trust you, so when they’re ready to buy, you’re who they want to do business with.
So drip, drip, drip with a purpose. And enjoy watching your business flow.
November 9th, 2009
Professionals I know are passionate about sharing our gifts, strengths, and talents ~ our knowledge, wisdom, and expertise ~ with those who have a problem they are looking to solve. You, too, right?
Here’s the thing… if you aren’t sharing your message with YOUR World, with the world, these people who need your help can’t find you. That’s why Suzanne and I are both passionate about helping you Shatter YOUR Marketing Resistance.
Suzanne does such a good job of expressing my thoughts that when I received the following article in her e-newsletter, I asked her permission to reprint it here for you.
It’s a Gift, Not a Job!
By Suzanne Evans, Helping Professional Expert
As a solo professional building your practice and reaching the right people, discovering your gift and embracing is not something you do. It is not your profession or your title. It is your gift.
When you leverage your unique gift and embrace your inner helping guru you will move past any fears about marketing in ways that feel uncomfortable for you, and into authentic marketing that naturally attracts your ideal clients and builds your business.
One of the concepts I teach is that marketing is a moral obligation. When I tell people this they kind of scratch their heads and say, “Marketing is a moral obligation?”
It really is if you get clear about two things – what your gift is and who needs you most. If you don’t market to that group of people and share what you have available, your gift, how you can help them? If you don’t share your gift that will benefit your ideal clients, help them solve problems, grow, and be successful, you are really not fulfilling your moral obligation.
We’re all given a gift for a reason and it is about what you do with that gift, or embracing that inner helping guru that is essential.
And making a good living at sharing your gift is also a moral obligation, because it allows you to pay your bills and have a lifestyle that empowers you to continue teaching and benefiting more and more people. Remember that concept the next time you’re feeling unsure about stating your rates, raising your rates, or setting your payment policies.
I would very seriously doubt that there are many people in the coaching world that don’t already know what that is for them – what that special gift or talent is. To embrace it is to agree to put it at the forefront of your message and share it with others so that you can really make a difference.
HOMEWORK
TRY THIS OVER THE NEXT WEEK!
Think about how your gift has changed the lives of those you share it with. I’m sure you have clients who tell you everyday how much you’ve helped them. Take time this week to reassess this value you’re sharing and consider, is now the time to think about changing your rates?
Take action on your homework – it will help! Let me know how you did! Email me suzanne@helpmorepeople.com.
In success,
Tags: Information Marketing, Marketing for Professionals, Marketing Resistance Syndrome
August 10th, 2009
This post is my comment to what Hans van ‘t Riet posted on the LinkedIn Group, “Inbound Marketing for Marketing Professionals.”
The title of his post is The TRUTH about Online Marketing! The Comfortable Illusion vs. the Uncomfortable Truth. Here’s what Hans wrote:
The Comfortable Illusion —– The Uncomfortable Truth
Remarkable advertising sells —– Only remarkable products are bought
You can target consumers —– Consumers might target you
Claim & seduce the market —– Honesty invites good customers
Marketing is about control —– You never have control
Your time, place, message —– The consumers time, place, content
Push hard enough and it works —– You need to work very hard to get pull
He also asked a few questions and made a great suggestion:
What are your take aways when you read this? Do you have other examples which underline this further? Please let me know here or even better, let me invite you to join this and other interesting discussions/news like this in our Strategy, Marketing & Innovation Forum by clicking below link: http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=1899487
Of course, I had to agree with Hans. I started what I thought would be a short comment. Half an hour later I was still writing. So I said to my VIP with VIP self, “Bonnie, this is good stuff. All professionals who want to be well seen, well heard, and well paid need to read this. Go add it to your blog right now. And then really polish it and submit it to a few article banks, like selfhelp.com, ezinearticles.com, and biznik.com. You’re an Information Marketing and Business Development Specialist. Model what you teach.”
So here’s my comment to Hans’ post:
Hans, thanks for being so honest. I know there are people making lots of $$$ online, many of them selling their products promising we can do the same ~ promising us instant success, no less! If only we’d buy and follow their proven method. I wish it were that quick and easy. As The Web Woman says, “Success on the Internet isn’t instant pudding.”
Because we all want a quick and easy path to success, we are vulnerable to thinking this guru or that product is the answer. We buy, maybe we read and/or listen. Then we find ourselves back where we started ~ suffering from Marketing Resistance Syndrome. If you’re feeling confused, overwhelmed and intimidated by what to do next and how to ‘do it all,’ welcome to MY World.
Maybe you’re uncomfortable promoting yourself and your product, maybe you don’t think you know how to language your message so ‘they’ get it, maybe you want to turn your knowledge, wisdom and experience into information products and don’t know where to start, maybe it’s how to package and price what you’re offering so your prospects KNOW you’re the right person for them.
The good news is these are obstacles we all face at one time or another. The difference between those who succeed and those who flounder? Those who persist and make continuous progress turning their dreams into reality are willing to overcome any obstacle that appears in their way whether it’s real or imagined. How? their dream, their passion, their purpose, their vision for a better future for themselves and their clients/customers is so BIG they are willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.
THIS IS HUGE! The attitude of “I CAN & I WILL!” assumes there is a solution ~ probably more than one, or two, or three. The challenge then is to find and implement one.
This is a much smoother path to success than what happens when we wonder, “Can I? Is there a way?” Why? because implied in those questions is the possible no. Then you have to convince yourself there is.
Having worked with thousands of professionals and spoken to thousands more, I’m convinced there are a first things we each need to do before we start another new marketing project:
* Shatter YOUR Marketing Resistance.
Start with believing YOU CAN!!! YOU WILL!!!
* Look at what you’re already doing and give yourself credit for those things. Then ask yourself, others you trust, and maybe even an expert or two, what you could do to make it better. I’ll share A simple example: what’s your email address? If you nave a domain, yet your address ends in aol, yahoo, gmail or the like, you’re hurting your professional presentation. Contact the company where you registered your domain name and have them set you up an email box that looks like this: YourName@YourDomain.com. That’s so easy.
A bit more challenging to set up a way for you to receive emails sent there. For example, I use Outlook so I had to set up Outlook to check my email box, bonnie@marketingtoyourworld.com. Notice I said only a bit more challenging. Either the customer support person at the domain registration company, or your web master, or a friend will help you do this. All you have to do is ask. For someone who’s done this before, it’s a very quick and easy task.
Then next time you get your business cards printed, change your email address. Go change it on your website, blog, all social networking profiles immediately.
You may think it’s only a small thing. And in one sense it is. Yet every little thing you do to build a solid, well-crafted and integrated brand is one more brick in your solid foundation. It’s one more thing you can feel good about doing. And taking action is one of the best ways to Shatter YOUR Marketing Resistance!
* Learn more about the “new-to-you” marketing tools and techniques.
While there are lots of them, there are only four, yes 4 ways to share and receive information… Yes, you read that right. Here they are: text, graphics, audio and video. Everything, yes everything you hear about uses one or more of these four to communicate: blogs, webinars, websites, articles, podcasts, ezines, e-radio… all new words used to describe unique ways of producing, packaging, and delivering information. I
* Develop a strategic plan to achieve your desired business outcomes.
It’s not instant pudding AND it’s not ‘one size fits all.’ If you know you don’t have the expertise to evaluate your current marketing / media mix, STOP! Before you choose the next thing you start, before you dive into the deep end ~ again ~ waste precious time, money, and energy, and worse ~ feel even more disappointed, frustrated and overwhelmed than before, spend the time and, if necessary the money, to evaluate what you’re already doing, how to optimize these, and what is the smartest, best, most powerful thing or things that are best for YOU to learn, do and master next.
A few things done well ~ woven into a Hi-5 Marketing Strategy ~ one that’s Heart-Inspired, Interactive, Integrated, Internet and Information-based ~ will produce far better results than many things done poorly, haphazardly, without focus of purpose.
And remember, marketing alone isn’t enough to produce the success of your dreams. While you are developing the strategic plan and taking daily actions to do what needs to be done, take the time to look at how you run your business. You want to have a solid business infrastructure with tested and proven processes for things like practice management and customer care so you can easily take exceptional care of new clients while treating your existing ones like gold. And remember, to look at your systems and procedures for managing basic business functions like finances, administration, human resources,legal and such.
In addition, it’s time to turn your expertise from words you repeate day in and day out into information products. Your clients and prospects would LOVE to take you home, learn from you at their convenience, and share with others how you’re helping them. It’s time to become known as an expert in your field.
The best way?
* Become a VIP with VIP ~ A Very Important Professional with Valuable Information Products.
You’ll be amazed and delighted at how easy this is to do and what it takes to market these products… when you develop a plan that’s right for YOU, your style, your budget, your current skill level, your available time and energy.
What I’m saying makes sense, doesn’t it? If you know in your heart you need to stop and build a solid foundation before adding anything new to your marketing, STOP! Take a deep breath, let it out slowly. Do that again… maybe a few times. Know there is hope. You have what it takes. KNOW THAT!
If you know that’s what’s next for you and know you can’t do it alone, find a coach, a specialist, a strategist who can help you evaluate, plan, and then execute a well-crafted marketing strategy. Everything you do from there will turn out far better, and produce far better results. The time, money and energy you invest in the big picture will more than pay for itself in the results you get. I promise!
And if you’re ready to Shatter YOUR Marketing Resistance, sign up now for my upcoming teleclass series. I guarantee you’ll be transformed from the reluctant marketer to VIP with VIP! You can do it! Yes, you can!
Tags: Branding, Hi 5 Marketing message, Information Marketing, Information Products, Marketing for Professionals, Marketing Resistance Syndrome
June 24th, 2009
I get a daily message from Neale Donald Walsh, author of the Conversations with G-d series…
Today’s message is perfect for you and the members of the Develop Your Audience class of April – May – June, 2009, taught by Russell Cox, Diane Eble, and myself, the Energizer Bonnie.
The theme for the class ~ LET FREEDOM RING! Freedom to express our expertise through various media channels.
Here’s the message:
“On this day of your life, I believe God wants you to know…
the greatest enemy of individual freedom is the individual himself.”
Saul Alinsky said that, and he was right. In almost every case, nothing is stopping you, nothing is holding you back but your own thoughts about yourself and about “how life is.”
Your personal freedom to experience yourself and life as you wish is not being limited. Step into your choices and stop telling yourself that you can’t, when what you really mean is that you don’t want other people to feel the way you think that are going to feel when they see you making the choices you really want to make. Got it?
Love, Your Friend….
Guess it’s time for us to look in the mirror, and shatter any resistance we’ve been harboring to do whatever it takes, to overcome whatever objections, to redesign the blueprints we hold dear and probably unconsciously – that stand in the way of our own freedom.
It’s time to SHATTER YOUR RESISTANCE!
~ Marketing Resistance
~ Writing Resistance
~ Speaking Resistance
~ Community Resistance
Shatter YOUR Resistance to anything that stands in YOUR way.
Stand up and step into the person you truly are so you can live your life on purpose. You are FREE to be yourself, express yourself, share yourself and your expertise with YOUR World!
Free to Develop YOUR Audiences around the different venues you’ve chosen as the vehicles to share YOUR Expertise ~ your knowledge, wisdom and experience ~ with those who are hungry and searching ~ for YOU!
To your ever-expanding Joy and Success!
The Energizer Bonnie
Tags: Develop Your Audience, Let Freedom Ring
June 11th, 2009
I’ve been thinking about the subject of this post for a long time.
I just read a great article in a great newsletter by Maria Marsala, CEO of Elevating Your Business, and am finally inspired to the point of taking action… ah, this comment of mine perfectly ties my post to the topic of her newsletter’s article So What’s Holding You Back? Which Excuse Is it?
I’m going to “Just Do IT!
When I evaluate someone’s mixed media tapestry, one of the things I look for is a dynamic balance between inbound and outbound messages.
An outbound message is one you send out to members of YOUR World who have granted you permission to connect with them. In other words, an outbound communication is one you send to your list, like an email, a newsletter, or an ezine.
An inbound message is one you put out into The World for anybody to find if they’re interested in andlooking for what you’re sharing. When people see or hear your message, they come into YOUR World to find out more. For example, advertising is inbound, as are all links to your website. Blogs, articles, and podcasts that are well designed for SEM (Search Engine Marketing) and are posted to online directories area also inbound messages. People search for what they want and if what you’re offering shows up high enough on their search, they’re inbound to learn more.
So what does this have to do with Maria’s article on excuses?
I really liked her article and her newsletter. Great value throughout the newsletter ~ otherwise I wouldn’t have known that Wayne Dyer has a new show on PBS ~~~ Thank you, Maria ~~~
“Did you see the latest Wayne Dyer PBS (Public Broadcasting Station) Special? It’s called “Excuses Begone” It is excellent, just what I needed to hear. Before you watch it take out a pad because I’m sure you’ll want to take notes. Click here to find Excuses Begone on your local station.”
I appreciated her honesty, transparency, and authenticity:
“The show was just what I needed right now as I go through some trying times. The show helped me realize that a good deal of my trying times is due to the fact that I’ve gone back to living my excuses. The last time I was in this space, I wrote an article about excuses myself.
“It’s this week’s tip. May it help you as much as it did me.
Stay positive and be confident,
Maria”
And I appreciated the article which I copied below.
Here’s the thing ~~~ I had to copy and paste all of the above into my blog post instead of simply copying and pasting the link to where I found the article.
This would have saved me time ~ copying a link takes way less time than copying and pasting all this content.
And, from Maria’s perspective, she would have created a powerful inbound message for others to find.
And here’s the good thing ~ because the newsletter is a private, outbound media, search engines don’t find and catalog it to offer in future search results. That means even though Maria has included the exact same content in two places, the search engines don’t consider it double content. Double content is when you post the exact same content on several different websites.And that’s good because you get penalized for having double content on the web.
So, the point of this part of today’s blog post is: If you have valuable information whether in the form of a tip, an article, or a link to another valuable resource (yours or someone else’s,) share it with people on your list AND with the rest of us out here in The World who might want to become part of YOUR World.
In other words, yes, include the info in your newsletter AND put it out into cyberspace for others who are hungry and searching for you and your expertise.
It’s a win for everyone. We who are looking for get what we need. And you get to be well seen and well heard so you can be well paid. And aren’t those both great reasons we’re here sharing our messages.
So, share your expertise every way you can.
No excuses! Just Do IT!
Thank you, Maria, for motivating me to write this post and for your valuable article.
And now, Maria’s article ~~~>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So What’s Holding You Back? Which Excuse Is it?
Summary: Want to be happier? Start to remove all the excuses you use… and gain more time and energy too!
I’m not sure what the history of “excuses” is, except to know that a majority of the time excuses equal some sort of self-dishonestly.
They’re part of what we thought we “should do” vs. being a “must do”! Excuses come from us not being able to take our own “no’s”. They’re what we say to people so that we “don’t hurt their feelings”. Excuses are what we say so that others don’t hurt us. Excuses are part of what we’re tolerating in our life (that which draws out our energy and squashes it)!
Excuses come back to haunt us unless we look at them as gifts from clients or friends or even ourselves. Have you ever received an excuse for “something” and thought — Is that person kidding with that excuse? Why didn’t they just say NO? OH! … I am doing the same thing to “so and so”.
Say NO!!! Sometimes saying “NO” to someone means saying “YES” to someone even more important — YOU!
What can you do when you give someone a “no” that they don’t accept? Take the time to think about what type of answers you can give and things you can do to protect your boundaries so that you can raise your standards. Check out these Top Ten Lists about boundaries. They are just wonderful! “Things to say pleasantly when people attempt to invade your boundaries” by Coach Diana Robinson, Ph.D. www.topten.org/public/BG/BG1.html and another wonderful Top Ten by Coach Dennis Tesdell www.topten.org/public/BN/BN1.html
Integrity Lesson
This month, write down all the excuses you hear yourself giving others and giving yourself. Look for the patterns. Are you not setting boundaries? Are you setting boundaries and the person isn’t listening? Are you setting boundaries and you’re not enforcing those boundaries? Or what other patterns do you see.
And remember: Yes, No and Maybe are all complete sentences.
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© 2009 Maria Marsala is a Strategic Business Advisor, Speaker, Author and former Wall Street Trader. She supports and teaches high-achieving, big thinking business women to expand their businesses strategically and get results — faster. See where your business is leaking profits. Take our Business Check up today at www.ElevatingYourBusiness.com
Tags: Email marketing, Information Marketing, Marketing for Professionals, Strategies for Success
June 6th, 2009
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