I've learned many things over the years but one thing I always remember is never to chase money. If you choose to Chase Opportunities...Chase Experiences and Chase Your Passions, the money will follow. --JW
creating (9)
Earlier in January 2013 I became extremely depressed and had to disconnect and BE STILL for while to examine, re-discover, re-organize and re-energize my life. In the midst I was able to finally finish a book I've been writing for the past 6+ years. At times I didn't think I was worthy enough to even be writing on the subject matter but these past few months gave me new hope. When it finally appeared on amazon I could feel the noose of life around my neck literally loosen its grips. If you are interested it is now available at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BQ4M8S6. Download it, read it, then tell me what you think. Please leave a review on amazon and recommend to family, friends and anyone else if you believe it has helped you and can help others.
If you want forgiveness, you must first be forgiving. If you want understanding, you must first understand others. If you want to good people in your life, you must first be a sample of goodness. If you seek happiness, you must first find your peace. --JW
Because I am a business and marketing coach and I work with entrepreneurs, who are by nature extremely creative people, I find that many of them get caught in what I've affectionately called the "cute syndrome." You know, cute little names for programs and services, a pretty website with lots of color and no content or call to actions that produce results and create income, catch phrases and buzz words and sometimes even jargon. The big challenge when you're stuck in the "cute syndrome" is that it is seldom clear and effective in getting your ideal clients to see you as the only solution to their problem, which after all is the reason we are all in business, right?
Once I explain to you what I explain to my private clients, they get it almost immediately. Cute doesn't attract clients, cute doesn't have money deposited into your checking account; cute seldom pays the bills. I assert don't be cute if clarity is the sacrifice.
To become a successful service based entrepreneur, you've got to move beyond cute and focus on clarity. People only take action when the next best step is crystal clear. To create an environment where your ideal clients can move easily and effortlessly through your prospect and sales funnel, you've got to get clear on the transformation you provide as well as the results and benefits they will experience in working with you and displaying it in a language that is compelling, engaging and action-oriented.
Here are a few quick questions/tips you should consider to ensure that your content, sales copy, programs, products and services are clear and not just cute:
1. When I visit your website, will I immediately be able to tell the transformation that I will experience if I opt to work with you?
Most first time visitors to your website will never look beyond the fold of your website so, your best stuff, the clarity of what you do must be laid out in a "power statement" making it obvious who you work with, how you solve their problem and the results they get from moment go. If you fail to do that, ideal client prospects will click away, never to return.
Most first time visitors to your website will never look beyond the fold of your website so, your best stuff, the clarity of what you do must be laid out in a "power statement" making it obvious who you work with, how you solve their problem and the results they get from moment go. If you fail to do that, ideal client prospects will click away, never to return.
2. Is your marketing messaging and website content compelling, engaging and easy to read?
Again, don't be cute; be clear about your compelling marketing messages and case studies to illustrate what you do, how you do it and what others will gain when they hire you. To write compelling copy is essential if you want to allow your website to make you money while you sleep.
Again, don't be cute; be clear about your compelling marketing messages and case studies to illustrate what you do, how you do it and what others will gain when they hire you. To write compelling copy is essential if you want to allow your website to make you money while you sleep.
3. Do you have social proof to validate the transformation you claim to provide?
It's great that you say you can do something amazing for your clients. Really, it is. But who else is saying it? Are you previous clients singing your praises? are the signing up to work with you again after their program is complete? Do you have one page on your website designated to reflect success stories or testimonials?
It's great that you say you can do something amazing for your clients. Really, it is. But who else is saying it? Are you previous clients singing your praises? are the signing up to work with you again after their program is complete? Do you have one page on your website designated to reflect success stories or testimonials?
4. Does your Incredible Factor (USP, HUG, secret sauce and signature move stand out)?
Your Incredible Factor is your unique selling proposition, value proposition, hot undeniable gift, secret sauce and signature move all rolled into one yummy client magnetic package. When a prospect lands on your website is it clear to them how you stand out in the marketplace or do they look at your pictures and whisper, "aaww, that's cute;" before they click away?
5. Are your call to actions clear, strategically placed so the prospect doesn't get lost of confused?
Do you clearly lay out a path for prospects to follow to get closer to working with you or do they need to poke around until they find that needle in your website's haystack?
Do you clearly lay out a path for prospects to follow to get closer to working with you or do they need to poke around until they find that needle in your website's haystack?
6. Are your programs designed to make the results clear and are the next steps that should be taken clear and easy to follow?
Are you so focused on selling the contents of your programs that you never tell what participants have gained by being enrolled? Do you tell them what to do next if they'd like to enroll?
Are you so focused on selling the contents of your programs that you never tell what participants have gained by being enrolled? Do you tell them what to do next if they'd like to enroll?
7. Do you have a way for them to sample your offerings that is irresistible?
An irresistible free offer is like the pink spoon at Baskin Robbins...it's just enough to entice them to buy the full size...do you have one that they'd do anything to have?
An irresistible free offer is like the pink spoon at Baskin Robbins...it's just enough to entice them to buy the full size...do you have one that they'd do anything to have?
As you can see, cute doesn't pay off in the world of entrepreneurship. So take my advice - stop being cute and get clear.
If you desire to gain clarity so that your cute creates cash, contact me for a Play Big Strategy Session - in 60 minutes I will replace your cute with clear so that you become an ideal client magnet.
©2011 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, The Incredible Factor Business Mentor and Coach, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises.com and the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System® a proven step by step program for turning your passion into profit. For more information and a FREE audio download "How to Use Your Incredible Factor to Attract MORE Ideal Clients" visit www.incredibleoneenterprises.com
Create Your Online Branding Strategy in 5 Easy Steps
As a small business owner building your brand online is essential in this new economy. A few weeks ago I attended a webinar presented by Coach Tanya, of BePromotable.com, a branding consulting company in Dallas, Texas.
In the webinar, Coach Tanya detailed these five steps to online branding. Follow these five online branding tips and you’ll be on your way to creating a solid brand for your small business.
- Develop a Visibility Strategy. Be seen and be heard. It used to said that– “it’s who you know”, but in this new economy, it’s “who knows you” that matters. To accomplish this strategy, create a blog for your business, use social media such as Twitter and Facebook but don’t forget about affinity groups like LinkedIn and Ning. Create a profile and get active on these sites.
- Be Known for Something. Become a thought leader. Define your strengths. What comes natural to you? What are you good at? What makes you think “I can’t wait to do that again?” Determine whatever it is and become a known leader in that area.
- Decide Your Style. Just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t mean it’s right for you. When it comes to marketing your business online, there are so many ways to do this. There’s social media, article-writing, press releases, blogs, etc. and so on. Don’t try to do it all. Test them out, then decide what’s right for you and go with that.
- Manage Your Time. Outsource what you don’t have time to do yourself. A tool like HootSuite is a real time-saver when it comes to posting to your social media accounts. Another way to save time is to hire a virtual assistant or outsource company to handle administrative or marketing tasks you don’t have time to do yourself.
- Monitor Your Brand. You can measure how well your brand ranks online by using sites like Klout.com and OnlineCalculator.com. These sites will let you know how strong your online brand is currently and give you some tips to leverage your online clout.
Dana Williams is an Internet Marketing Virtual Assistant specializing in online promotions for small businesses. Visit http://www.YourInternetMarketingAssistant.com for her special report "Internet Marketing for Small Business".
We all have habits, some good and some not so good. These are behaviors that we've learned and that occur almost automatically. And most of us have a habit we'd like to break, or one we'd like to develop.
For most people, it takes about four weeks for a new behavior to become routine, or habit. The following steps can make it easier to establish a new behavior pattern.
1. The first step is to set your goal. Especially when you are trying to stop or break a habit, you should try to phrase your goal as a positive statement. For example, instead of saying "I will quit snacking at night", say "I will practice healthy eating habits". You should also write down your goal. Commiting it to paper helps you to commit. It can also help if you tell your goal to someone you trust.
2. Decide on a replacement behavior. (If your goal is to develop a new habit then your replacement behavior will be the goal itself.) This step is very important when you are trying to break a habit. If you want to stop a behavior, you must have a superior behavior to put in it's place. If you don't, the old behavior pattern will return.
3. Learn and be aware of your triggers. Behavior patterns don't exist independently. Often, one habit is associated with another part of your regular routine. For instance, in the snacking example the trigger may be late night television or reading. You automatically grab a bag of chips while you watch. Many people who smoke automatically light up after eating. Think about when and why you do the thing you want to quit.
4. Post reminders to yourself. You can do this by leaving yourself notes in the places where the behavior usually occurs. Or you can leave yourself a message on the mirror, refrigerator, computer monitor or some other place where you will see it regularly. You can also have a family member or co-worker use a particular phrase to remind you of your goal.
5. Get help and support from someone. This is kind of obvious. Any job is easier with help. It works even better if you can form a partnership with someone who shares the same goal.
6. Write daily affirmations. Write your phrase or sentence in the present tense (as if it were already happening), and write it ten times a day for twenty-one days. This process helps make your goal a part of your subconscious, which will not only remind you to practice the new behavior, but it also keeps you focused and motivated.
7. Reward yourself for making progress at set time intervals. Focus on your goal one day at a time, but give yourself a small treat at one, three and six months. The rewards don't have to be big or expensive, and you should try to make it something that's associated in some way with the goal. Doing this provides you with both incentive and extra motivation.
Following these steps is no guarantee of success of course. Depending on the habit it may take several tries to finally make the change. But if you stick with it, you can do it. Good Luck.
