Posts with the tag 'Strategies for Success'
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
When we solo-preneurs start our business, we’re often responsible for every single function in our business. We do the marketing, sales, administrative tasks. We answer the phone and emails, we take care of the financial and legal matters. AND we create, deliver the programs, products and services we sell. In other words, it doesn’t matter how we set up and structure our organization. Our name appears in every slot on the organization chart.
If you want to stay small, if you like doing all those things, if you never plan to sell your practice or business, if you don’t want to go on vacation often or have a life and a business, you can continue to do it all as long as you’d like.
If you want to take your business to the next level, if you want to serve more people and make more money doing what you love, if you want to share your expertise with others and leave a legacy, if you want to take vacations, and might someday want to sell your business, you need to start working your way out of jobs. Whether you hire employees and delegate to them or outsource, you need to get others to do what you don’t like, don’t know, or don’t have time for if you want to spend your time serving your ideal clients.
And if you do want to sell your business, eventually you’ll need to have someone else doing everything required to run your company… or nearly everything. You could sell if you were the only one doing something that’s mission-critical. It’ll mean you stay on for a while to train someone in the new organization to do what you’re the expert at doing so the company can run without you.
Here’s a BIG tip about how to get from where you are to wherever you want to take your businses: Start documenting what you’re doing.
If you know you’re going to do something over and over again, write down the steps. Next time you do that job, follow your own steps to see if you need to make them clearer. Continue doing this until someone else can follow your instructions and get the job done right.
In other words, create your operations manual. Start today. The sooner you have a job documented, the sooner you can hire someone to do it for you.
Yes, you could hire someone to figure it out and document their way. They’ll probably cost more than the person who would be able to simply follow directions.
I know I’m making this sound quite simple. For example, I know you don’t have to train a bookkeeper to keep your books. You might need to give them special instructions about the categories of expenses you track or specifically how you want something done. So why not write down those types of details.
That way, you know the job will be done the way you want, you can go on vacation, and someday you might decide to sell your business and move on.
So make your business and your life more enjoyable and more profitable. Work yourself out of this job, then that one… until your name doesn’t appear anywhere on your org chart. Then your are free to stay and do what you love or move on to something new.
Either way you win!
Tags: Business development, Strategies for Success, Take your business to the next level
March 26th, 2010
I’ve been listening to Donald Trump’s book, Think Like a Champion.
Toward the beginning of the book, Donald addresses what he thinks we need to do to Think Like a Champion. I found myself so intrigued by his thoughts that I played the section over and over until I typed almost word for word what he said.
Thank you, Donald, for your words of wisdom and inspiration!
“What is the best choice for each individual is the highest that it is possible for him to achieve.” Aristotle
Champions are born and champions are made.
Here are a few ways people define a champion.
- A champion is someone who shows marked superiority.
- A champion is winner of first prize or first place in competition
- Olympic athletes are champions. What comes to mind when I see their amazing ability is the amount of training they have endured, sacrifices they’ve made, and the courage they’ve to have to get where they are. those are the attributes
- A champion wants to achieve something special. Ordinary wouldn’t be enough for someone who has the mindset of a champion.
- Champions think big work. Champions work in a big time way.
- Champitions are focused
- Champitions are disciplined
- Come to think of it, Champions think like a champion.
“A champion is someone who gets up with they can’t,” said Jack Dempsey.
Let’s hope that applies to you.
When I’m having an especially tough day, I think of it as a race and I’d better have the endurance to get through it. Somehow the endurance will surface because I don’t want to feel I’ve been beaten.
Champions have the endurance.
Champions take responsibility. Billy Jean King said, “When the ball is coming over the net, you can be sure I want the ball.”
You can learn alot from watching the experts, whether you’re interested in sports, the arts, whatever.
One thing they all have in common is the Same mind set – want to win, they want to be the best, not the runner up, but the best
Very important thing to consider. I’ve seen very talented fail because deep down afraid of winning
Winning comes with responsibility. Champions rise to that responsibility.
Search yourself to make sure you’re ready and capable. If you’re not, do something about it.
It’s an important element of success.
The Energizer Bonnie’s closing thoughts: I hope you found Donald’s thoughts affirming and inspiring.
In the past, when I’d read a list like the one Donald crafted about champions, I would quickly and easily get caught up in comparing myself to the list and, of course, as the list describes the perfect… in this case the perfect champion, I’d focus on where I didn’t measure up. And there I’d go, energy and emotions swirling down a negative, self-defeating rabbit hole.
Now I catch myself before I fall too far! I STOP, breathe, relax and remember…
Life is a journey. So is success. Be nice to yourself. Treat yourself lovingly, gently, and with respect. We are all human beings always evolving, becoming, actualizing our fullest potential.
So enjoy your journey toward becoming a champion YOU
Tags: Become an Expert, Strategies for Success
December 23rd, 2009
It’s time to take action. Securing your website(s) and blogsite(s) is a good precaution.This is is the type of thing I hear myself saying, “I’m such a little player (no matter how big I really am…) Why would someone choose my site?
Several months ago, my blogsite (worth reading, I might add) had been spammed many times over. I installed an akismet and the problem went away.
So I can no longer think, “This can’t happen to me.”
That’s why I’m going to follow the suggestions Michelle Shaeffer made in her blog post entitled Seven Steps to Secure WordPress.
I suggest you do the same.
Better to be safe than sorry, don’t you think?
P.S. Michelle’s suggestions apply to WordPress blogs. You’ll need to do additional research to find out what to do to protect other blogsites and websites. Or contact your webmaster. If you don’t have one, and you’re not a techie, I’d be glad to share mine. His name is Rick and you can reach him at rich@wwwebfx.com. He’s excellent, he’s quick, he’s priced to delight your pocketbook, and he’s valuable t o have on you team. Take it from me!
P.P.S. I like to know why I’m doing what I’m doing… That’s why I asked Michelle about why people would even want to hack our sites. At her post you’ll find her answers. I guess it takes all kinds to make the world go ’round.
Tags: Strategies for Success
December 19th, 2009
I’ve been studying and practicing all this metaphysical, “new age” stuff… actually you can trace its origins way, way back in time… about
- Put your attention on your intention
- Keep your eyes on the prize
- You get what you focus on whether it’s what you want or what you don’t want
- Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right
- Ask for what you want, the Universe does answer. It’s our job to align with the vibration of what we’ve asekd for – so in advance of receiving what you’ve asked for, practice an Attitude of Gratitude.
- The Law of Attraction is as powerful and real as the Law of Attraction
The list goes on and on…
In today’s blog, Different Kinds of Work, Seth makes a great point…
My interpretation and the thing I’m practicing so I’ve got the time, energy and mental space to do all of the above… I’m eliminating complaining, blaming, shaming, and guilting (if there is such a word) from my thought and speech. I’m telling happy, healthy stories about what I want instead of scary stories about what I don’t want.
Honestly, right now that means I’m interrupting the old pattern and replacing them with the new ones. It’s true… practice, practice, practice makes permanent… and I want this new pattern to become my default habit as quickly as I can … I’m happier, I’m getting more done and it’s better work, I’m just plain enjoying my life more…
I invite you to join me. I promise, the benefits and results and the way you’ll feel as you tell happy, healthy stories, and joyfully do what needs to be done on your journey to your own success ~ they’re all worth the effort… and so are you!
Tags: Seth Godin, Strategies for Success
December 18th, 2009
So, you know in your heart of hearts that a large part of Marketing Resistance Syndrome can be linked back to negativity: negative beliefs, negative self-talk, negative behaviors. I know when I first discover negativity around anything I tend to get down on myself ~ making myself feel even worse.
Here’s something written by Brian Johnson in his Philosophers Notes that is turning my thinking/feeling around. I hope it helps you, too.
Big Idea – Vernon Howard : Detecting Negativity Is Positive
“Encourage yourself by remembering that any detection of negativity within you is a positive act, not a negative one. Awareness of your weakness and confusion makes you strong because conscious awareness is the bright light that destroys the darkness of negativity. Honest self-observation dissolves pains and pressures that formerly did their dreadful work in the darkness of unawareness. This is so important that I urge you to memorize and reflect upon the following summary: Detection of inner negativity is not a negative act, but a courageously positive act that makes you a new person.” ~ Vernon Howard from The Power of Your Supermind
Powerful.
Vernon reminds us that the (often not so) simple act of observing our own negativity is a POSITIVE event.
Why? Because most of the time we’re TOTALLY unaware of when we’re off! We can’t change something within ourselves we aren’t aware of, eh? Having the ability to more and more consistently SEE the negative aspects of ourselves is like turning on a flashlight in a dark room. We need the light of awareness to do the clean-up.
So let’s remember: “Detection of inner negativity is not a negative act, but a courageously positive act that makes you a new person.”
Bonnie’s closing comment: if you like what Brian said, you might want to subscribe to his PhilosophersNotes. –> Like CliffsNotes. Only shorter. And cooler. (And a *lot* more inspiring. 
) You’re busy. Books are heavy. Get PhilosophersNotes.
You can get the little notes for free – they’re great. If you want you can subscribe to getting the more indepth mp3 and pdf of each author and book he covers. For now, I’ve only been getting the emails. Someday, when I’ve automated everything, gotten my teleclasses going, and created the Valuable Information Products on my plate I probably will subscribe to the whole package… certainly before the price goes up again…
In the mean time, may you enjoy your creative journey to Shatter Your Marketing Resistance.
By the way, be on the lookout for announcements that it’s time to register for the teleclass! My goal: by the end of August… Yahoo!
Tags: Information Products, Marketing for Professionals, Marketing Resistance Syndrome, Strategies for Success, VIP with VIP
August 3rd, 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 ~~~>
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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
I love following relevant discussions on my favorite social networking and group collaboration sites.
I know it’s easy on LinkedIn and sites built with Ning and CollectiveX. With discussions on these sites, I see all comments regarding one discussion below the initial post. It doesn’t matter how long it’s been since my last visit. It’s all in one place. I don’t have to go anywhere else to follow what’s been said or to post my own comment.
So far from what I’ve been able to figure out, the discussion threads on these Facebook and Twitter are spread out on different people’s profiles/sites. Things don’t seem to be archived for a long time either.
Is there any way ~ especially an easy one ~ to follow the threads of a discussion on Facebook and Twitter? I’m hoping I just need a few tips here and there to do this, right?
Thanks in advance to any of you who can help me (and I’m guessing many others) follow and participate in the great conversations happening out here in cyberspace.
P.S. Learning things like this one step at a time is one winning strategy for overcoming Marketing Resistance Syndrome. It helps so much to have specific know-how to take the fear out of jumping into the deep end. Having someone teach us how to swim or throw us a life preserver ~ either way we all win!
Tags: Information Marketing, Marketing for Professionals, Marketing Resistance Syndrome, Social networking, Strategies for Success, Web 2.0
May 25th, 2009
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