If you don’t feel comfortable selling yourself, then here’s some good news…

Client testimonials can effortlessly bring you more sales and more qualified prospects.

That’s because your clients sell you better than you can.  Client success stories create trust and prove your credibility.  They speak to your prospect’s doubts and desired results. They create community.

Then why do business owners resist using testimonials?  Why do people neglect to ask for testimonials from their clients?

Sometimes it’s laziness or forgetfulness.

More often than not, they’ve bought into the “play small” mindset that keeps solo-businesses stuck at the same level year after year.  They’re nervous to appear boastful or to market their client successes.

Bottom line:

If you won’t create marketing systems that share your awesomeness with the world, then you’re leaving a lot of money on the table.

Get over it.  Get some testimonials. And post them for all to see!

Here are my top tips for getting great client testimonials that will Uplevel your Business™ and your sales…

#1 – Get results!

Obviously, you have to provide great service to your clients and know that they are indeed getting great results.

If you’re new to your business and haven’t gotten results yet, consider offering a “pilot program” for a small group.  In exchange for your free services, you can request testimonials (as well as valuable feedback!) after your program is over.

#2 – Know WHEN to Ask

The best time to ask for a testimonial is when a client tells you about a result you helped her achieve.  You can use this as a springboard to ask her to write you a formal testimonial.

Another optimal time to ask is when you have finished your work with a client, or when a program is complete.  Email your students with a request for success stories and results.

#3 – Know HOW to Ask

HOW you ask for a testimonial is every bit as important as asking for one.

Consider this:

“I need to get some testimonials for my website. Would you consider writing something for me?”

Versus this:

“I love that you made that happen, Lucy! Would you be willing to let me feature you on my website as a client success story so that other people can be inspired by you?”

Position the testimonial as something of service (because it is!) and something that will promote them. (Because it will!)

#4  – Know WHAT to Ask

Make sure you ask for THEIR story and THEIR results.

You do not want a testimonial telling the world how very cool YOU are.

You may indeed be the hippest baddest weight-loss coach to walk the planet.  But if my ass is still ginormous, then you didn’t get the results I wanted.  And your prospects will question this if the testimonial is ONLY about you!

RESULTS make a testimonial. Not a manifesto about how hip and fun YOU are.

#5 – Give Your Client Clear Testimonial Guidelines

Tell your client exactly what you want in your testimonial.

Here’s a formula:

1 – Share where you were before.

2 – Share some tangible results you got.

3 – Share where you are now.

If your client is daunted by writing (as many people are), ask them to just jot down a few bullet points. You can help edit and let them give the final approval.

#6 – Use your client’s full name and photo

Have you ever seen a glowing testimonial followed only by a set of initials and a city?

Kind of wrecks the whole vibe, doesn’t it?

That’s because it seems fake!

We don’t know who “T.K. , Springfield, IL” is.

But “Traci Kimmel, Springfield, IL” is a real person with a real smile.  Do not ignore the impact of this.

Always include a photo, full name and (if applicable) website address or business name.  This provides valuable exposure for your client – and also lends credibility to the testimonial.

#7 Give Thanks

Your clients are the reason your business exists.  So please don’t forget to thank them for taking the time to help you build your business.

Consider sending a handwritten thank you note or even a small token of appreciation.

At Uplevel YOU, we go out of our way to thank our clients and students for sharing their success stories in my eZine and on my website. (I’m won’t say what it is. After all, you may send us a testimonial some day.  And I don’t want to blow the surprise!)

——————-

In the comments below, let me know if you are currently using testimonials in your business and what you’re going to do THIS WEEK to Uplevel this piece of your marketing!

In the business world, when the conversation turns to success mindsets, there’s a clear message about jealousy, envy and comparing yourself to others.  It goes something like this:

If you don’t celebrate everyone else’s success, then you block your own success.

It’s true, yes.  It’s true that reveling other people’s victories will open you to your own. It’s also true that your joy attracts more joy.

But here’s the thing.

If you can’t think your way to that joyful place, then the confusion and pain that accompany your envy can be devastating.  Amazingly, messages about blocking your own success rarely help transform the situation.

In fact, I’ve yet to hear a client in the throes of comparison say to me: “Boy I’m really loving this feeling of envy I’m having. I haven’t had this much fun in weeks!”

In other words, sometimes your feelings can’t be transformed out of sheer force of will.  So I created this little guide to help you when ickiness strikes.  You can read it quietly and we won’t tell a soul that you were ever here.

So, before we “go there,” let me start with some basic truths about you.

What I know about you:

1 – You’re not a jealous person. You are not your envy.  This is not the truth of you.

2 – Your emotions are like clouds that move in and cover the sun. The essential amazing you is still back there. This is just an episode.

3 – You are capable, competent and magnificent. You are on your own awesome path of success.

4 – A bout of envy will not block your success. I promise. (Though it will make you feel like shit for as long as you let it stick around.)

5 – You are a really really good person.

What to Do When You Feel Envy or Jealousy or Start Comparing Yourself to Others

1 – Stop trying to “figure it out.”

News alert:  Your mind does not have the answers.

Trying to “figure out why” can keep you stuck. “Why am I so envious? Why can’t I be more like that guy over there who’s never jealous?”

Those questions don’t serve the situation. Those questions are just your ego. Your ego doesn’t want you to experience the actual feeling because that would be unbearably uncomfortable. So it creates a smoke screen by asking why and then taking you into the spin cycle of obsession.

This might make you feel even worse, but at least it prevents you from having to be present to the awful feeling. Feeling bad is sometimes easier than feeling uncomfortable.

2 – Ask yourself if you can allow this feeling.

When you’re having a jealousy episode, just ask yourself if you can allow it to be there. This one step alone will ease up on the shame and the discomfort. Even if the answer is “no,” then you’re at least acknowledging the feeling. Just keep sitting with it and asking, “Can I allow this to be here? What would happen if I just allowed this feeling to exist for a moment?”

This creates space. It shifts the resistance.  It releases the shame. Then the jealous feelings have a chance to move and diffuse.

3 – Let emotions be your teachers.

Becoming aware of these shadow aspects of ourselves is a process and a slow release. It’s not a matter of seeing that your shirttail is hanging out, and quickly tucking it back in. (Though eventually, with some work, you’ll get better at saying “huh-uh” when jealousy pops into your consciousness.)

If you’ve been prone to the pattern of jealousy throughout your life, then most likely, this emotion is your spiritual teacher. It will ultimately help you evolve. But probably for a while, you will have to face it, not just tuck it in.

4 – Laugh at Yourself

Many years ago, after I performed on the main stage at a big music festival, I was standing in the crowd with my friend Steve.  He had performed the same day as well.

We were watching another act, and the crowd was going crazy.  I looked at Steve, and I said, “Look at them. There they were cheering for me and acting like I was the best thing ever. Now they’ve moved on.”

Steve laughed and said, “Yeah. It’s like a lover who’s now in bed with someone else making all the same groans and sounds as she made with me!”

Eventually, we had tears rolling down our cheeks from laughing.  It shifted the pattern. You don’t have to take it all so seriously.

5 – Ask friends not to agree with you.

The worst thing a friend can do when you are feeling envy is to meet you at the level of your envy.  Like, when she agrees with you that the envied person is, in fact, an undeserving bitch. Or saying, “Well you’re better than her anyway.”

These things don’t heal. They keep you stuck at that level.

If you need to talk a friend, then start by asking that person to listen and not “go there.”   Or better yet, call someone you know won’t go there. It can feel really nice to have someone bolster you up and tell you that you’re better than so-and-so and that you deserved it more. But it doesn’t clear the original hurt.

You need to be listened to so that you can move beyond the feelings, not so that you can feel vindicated.

6 – Get to Work.

One great remedy for any negative emotion is just to get creative and get to work. Write your next chapter.  Write a warm letter. Do something that makes you proactive. Get out of the reactivity. Creativity is a powerful place. And it shifts everything.

7 – Are you tired or hungry?

Being tired or hungry can make you more vulnerable to old patterns. Take a nap. Get a good night’s sleep. Eat when you’re hungry. These are very real things.

8 – Get quiet and centered

Sit still. Be quiet. And just feel the feeling without the story. Feel where the jealousy resides inside of you. Feel the envy without the story of the envy. If you can sit and breathe long enough, then it will pass. I promise.

9 – Mastery

Whatever business you’re in, you can choose the path of mastery.  Not just a master of your skillset. But of you.  If you want to reach, inspire, help, encourage, heal in any way, most likely it’s going to require that you face your own demons in that process. If jealousy comes up, then it’s a teacher for you. That’s all. Let it be. That’s where your biggest treasures will be.

10 –  Focus on where you want to be

Don’t forget the power of intention. Take a moment to remember that this is not where you want to be. State out loud, even in your jealousy, “I ultimately want to rejoice in the success and good fortunes of others. I want to be clear and happy. I want to celebrate all victories.” Just knowing that you want this will start you on your way, even if you’re not there yet.

——-

I would ask you to leave a comment, but I know this is a sensitive topic that is rarely discussed in business circles, so feel free to just wave hello!

Seth Godin once wrote: “In order to monetize your work, you’ll probably corrupt it, taking out the magic in search of dollars…”

In other words, when you choose to follow your passion, and make it into your business, there will be a point when the magic and heart will take a back seat to commerce.

It’s enough to stop you in your tracks, isn’t it?

It almost stopped me way back when I was contemplating going full time as a performer and songwriter.  The “business vs passion” thoughts raced through my head at top speed when I was first debating that leap.

These same thoughts worry many people I meet who are just beginning their businesses.

The deeper truth is that until you decide to do something, all the deliberating in the world means nothing.  Your business, as it turns out, is a lot like marriage.  You’re entering into a relationship with something – be it music, consulting, marketing or coaching.

When you enter a relationship with something, you are almost certainly going to love it sometimes, hate it sometimes, obsess sometimes, and want to take a one-way flight to Anything-But-This sometimes.

This is what most people would call “taking the joy” out of it.

(As in — “Wow. I used to love sitting around writing songs. Now I just freakin’ hate it because I have to make money from it. I wish I’d gone to law school and just stayed in that Skynyrd tribute band on the weekends.”)

Will this happen to you if you start a business from your passion or purpose?

Yes. It will. Many times. (Minus the Skynyrd part.)

But, as with marriage, if you’re aware and committed to your relationship (in this case with the business, the service, or your purpose) you will move through this phase into a deeper place.

When I was a musician, did I — as Seth Godin describes — “corrupt” my work “taking out the magic in search of dollars?”

Oh, let me count the ways. (Hey, even Bob Dylan did Victoria’s Secret TV spots!)

But here’s the thing.

Many people have done this.  And lots of them recognize when they’re being inauthentic, and they stop doing it.  Some of them end up loving these aspects of it. It’s a part of the story of that relationship!

Besides, you’re only stuck in those situations if you think you’re stuck in those situations.

And this is not one of those: “Do what you love and the money will follow” speeches.  There may be some truth in sayings like that. But mostly people think this means you’ll never have any challenges along the way.

Here’s the truth.

Regardless of YOUR purpose, the purpose of your (or any) business is to make money.

Many people don’t want to face this reality.  But they’re missing out.  This is actually another lovely element that can build that relationship.  Sort of like when you have kids in your marriage.

For me, the most painful part of going pro as a musician was the bitter moment I recognized that no one – be it manager, agent, label, etc -  was going to come along and rescue me so I wouldn’t have to deal with all that money stuff.

This was when I realized that if I loved my career, and if I wanted to indeed make a successful living at music, that I’d also have to learn how to kick some ass at business, marketing and money.

This moment of disillusionment lasted about a year. (Hey, I wanted to make absolutely certain there was no chance of rescue.)

But then my relationship with music (and with myself) got deeper.  I got better at business and marketing. I got stronger as a person. My passion for everything got more fierce and, in so many ways, more real.

And that’s when I began to make much more money.

I’ve now coached and taught thousands of people who have created successful businesses out of their purposes and passions.

The happiest are the ones who step up and fully embrace their business and the importance of making money at what they do.

They go through ups and downs in this process.

And they screw up along the way.

But they use the relationship with their work, their passion and their business to Uplevel who they are. They stay committed. They stay awake. And they recognize that the passion part is really a daily choice they will always continue to make.

So, now, I’m curious about you.

Has your business ever squeezed the joy out of your passion?  And what did you do about it?  Share in the comments below please!

One is a scary number in your business.

In fact, one of anything biz-related can be a surefire path to failure.

One employee running the show?   What happens when that person has an emergency or has to quit for some reason?

One major client who brings in 80% of your revenue?   If something happens to that person’s business, then the impact on yours will be devastating.

Great to remember.

However, there is a place where avoiding the number one is NOT the best option.

Email.

Email (and all marketing and communicating you do with your peeps) is where you MUST elevate the number one to royal status!

ONE purpose.

ONE call to action.

ONE story or angle.

Many businesses (and yes, that includes the lone self-employed person) drive away responses and customers because they give too many options on their websites and especially in their emails.

I was chatting with someone who leads a neighborhood association and who was complaining that no one responds to his emails. And once I read his email, I was not at all surprised!  In that email alone, I counted six different calls to action!

When people get that many choices, they end up doing the one thing that feels easiest:

Nothing.

So, why do we business owners do this? Why do we feel compelled to give people so many options and choices?

Two reasons.

1 – Assumptions.

We assume everybody remembers who we are.  We assume they’ve read every email we’ve sent.  We assume they know we’re in the middle of a membership drive/launch/campaign.  We assume they know why they’re on our list.  We assume they know why they do anything.  We assume they know how to find us or what to do next.

Assumption is the enemy of all marketing. (It’s the enemy of all communication.)

2 – Fear.

Many business owners come from a “lack” mindset.

A lack mindset makes us try too hard. It makes us “grab” at people.  We try to tell them too much.  We give them every possible option because we’re scared we might lose SOMEONE.  So we try to get everyone.

This is acting from a mindset of fear and lack.

And here’s the problem with both of these things:

Everyone is just a click away from leaving your site or your email. If they’re confused, they have other places to go, other sites they can visit — someone else who is NOT going to confuse them.

So, from now on, every time you communicate with your clients or prospects ask yourself, what is the one thing I want them to do?

What is the one thing I want them to do when they come to my site?

What is the one thing I want my prospect to do when they read this email?

What is the one next step?

Don’t fire-hose them. They’ll go away if you do.

Just focus on the rule of one and you’ll be surprised at how much faster your clients and customers respond!

“Yeah, but what about if you have lots of great stuff to say??”

If you have this problem, then most likely you’re not communicating regularly enough with your peeps!

Consider communicating much more often – but in smaller doses.  If you’ve been sending a monthly newsletter, try moving to a weekly format.

When you do this, your customers will be able to consume your information. They will know what to do next.

And they’ll love you so much more for making their lives less confusing and for serving them at a higher level.

So, here’s what to do next:

In the comments, tell me your #1 biggest question or challenge about composing and sending emails to your list.

My very first house had a big lawn.

I mowed it myself.  (I prided myself on being a tried-and-true DIY gal.)

Only problem?

I hated mowing the lawn.  I dreaded it all week. I was always happy once it was finished… but I started dreading it again the very next day!

At that time, I was just beginning to Uplevel my business, which required that I view my time differently.

I realized that the simple act of writing content or creating a product could, in the long run, pay me WAY more than the short-term money I saved by mowing my own lawn.

So – even though I was scared – my first hire was a lawn guy.  Sounds simple, but that taught me how to value the Return on Investment of my genius work.

These days I have an in-house team working for me at Uplevel World Headquarters.  Delegation is no longer a question mark.

But I do work with clients and students who need to hire people – sometimes for the first time. They resist. They fight. They wonder if it’s time. And they wonder if they should pay for work they feel they “could” or “should” do themselves.

I tell them there are signals that it’s time to hire someone. Here they are:

1 – You don’t have enough time to do the thing you’re best at.

What are you good at?  What do you want to be good at?  How much time do you actually spend doing that thing?

If you’re running around getting menial tasks done – and you have no time to pursue your passion, or engage in your high-pay-off, high-delight activities – then ask yourself why.

Even if you let go of one item (like cleaning your house) you’re proactively choosing the value of your time.   And choice is a game-changer.

2 – You keep trying to get good at what you were born to suck at.

The Quickbooks tutorial you’re taking?

The “How to Be Your Own Accountant” book you’ve been trying to read?

The “Guide to Creating an Operations Manual” you’re plugging away at?

Unless you are an accountant, a bookkeeper or an operations manager – these are things you – face it – were born to suck at.

But I’ll bet you are masterful at the things you were born to do!

Hire all that other stuff.  (Yes, you can start small.)

3 – You’re worried about the economy.

Waiting for the economy to get better before you’ll hire someone? Why not become a part of the solution and use your money to improve the economy?

While everyone else is pulling back and firing people – you can experience what it’s like to be the change you wish to see in the world!

4 – No one can do it as good as you.

If you just shouted “Amen Sister!” – then please step away from your computer. Go to the bathroom mirror. Look into your eyes and say the following aloud:

“I have a bit of a control issue.”

The belief that no one can do it better than you serves only to keep you in the role of the Martyr.  Unless you are a brain surgeon, then there are many people who can (and will) do it as good as you. (And I doubt that brain surgeons run around cleaning the floor after surgery!)

5 – You’re playing not to lose.

Ask any coach or athlete about this.

When you play to not lose, all you’re doing is surviving, relying on yourself and hoping no one notices you.

When you play to win – you take risks, you keep your mental attitude strong, you rely on the team, you look for the goal.  Decide that you want to play to win.

6 – You’ve used this phrase at least once in the past month: “By the time I show someone how to do it, I could just do it myself.”

This is the mantra of someone who refuses to succeed. It’s the mantra of the struggle-addict.

Learning how to delegate is empowering. Not just for you, but for others as well. Besides, when you show them how to do it once, they can keep doing it so you don’t have to!

7 – You dread certain things so much that they don’t get done.

It’s okay to not enjoy certain aspects of your work or your life. This is the exact thing you can hire someone to do.

What items do you dread?  No matter what they are, when you get them off your plate, you’ll experience more energy just knowing they’re getting done – and you don’t have to worry about them anymore!

——-

Share with me, my peeps!  Which signal is on your radar right now? And who are you going to hire?

A butt-ugly turn-around moment in my life happened when I was trying to fall asleep in a freezing cold room with cinderblock walls in New York City’s East Village after a hellish performance at a premiere listening room.

I thought my career was over.

I laid between the threadbare sheets, questioning my existence, pondering a degree in accounting, a lone tear rolling down the side of my face…

You’d think I was primed and ready for a Spielberg-like spiritual breakthrough involving some angels.  Or, at the very least, a spaceship.

But what happened instead?

A cockroach walked across my face.

(True story. You can read how it turned out here.)

I sometimes tell this story when I speak because it hits my point home:  You can Uplevel your life regardless of the circumstances that surround you. Or crawl on you. (Plus, it’s pretty hysterical to me now.)

One of my colleagues heard me tell that story once and suggested that I stop telling it. “It makes you sound really pathetic,” she laughed.

A valid point, I suppose.

(Though I constantly hear from students of the Uplevel Your Life Mastery Program that the “cockroach” story was what made them hit the “buy” button! And over 2000 people have hit that button!)

This idea of revealing the bare truth about ourselves is something that we – as solopreneurs and business owners – often struggle with.

After all, aren’t we supposed to be experts in the know?

My students ask me:

How vulnerable should I be?

How much should prospects know about my story?

In other words: If I share this stuff, will I still be seen as professional?

When it comes to your story, here’s the million-dollar truth:

You must tell your story.

It doesn’t have to include cockroaches.

But it does need to open your prospect’s heart and give meaning to WHY you do what you do.

Your story builds trust and creates a memorable brand. (Yeah, I don’t love that word either – but just roll with me here.)

There are three reasons for this:

1 – People remember stories.

Your prospect might not remember a thing you said with your facts, features or data…

…but tell her about the time you got laid off the same day as your husband and that’s what propelled both of you to start a business?

THAT is what she will remember.

That’s because stories are visceral.

Stories are universal. They connect with our hearts.

2 – People need connection.

More than ever, we’re all seeking deeper connection beyond just a “thumbs up” button. (Though we still like those too!)

When it comes to your marketing materials, always think in terms of connection. And make sure your story is a part of it.  Your story builds trust. It tells your prospect that you’re real. It tells her that you “get” her.

3 – The C-V Cocktail

“C-V” stands for Credibility-Vulnerability.

Let’s start with Credibility.

Knowing how to position yourself is crucial in your marketing.

I teach what I call the “CREATE Formula” for positioning yourself as the go-to expert in your field.  The very first letter stands for Credibility.

Your credibility speaks to your prospect’s head.  This, of course, means your results, numbers, certifications, publications, sales, speaking dates, etc.  Your credibility is a part of what attracts people to work with you.

But it’s only ONE PART of our little marketing cocktail.  The other part is vulnerability.

Vulnerability speaks to the heart.

Both head and heart matter to your clients.

So, when it comes to your work in the world – whether you’re trying to get customers, clients, readers or patients – your story, your vulnerability has to be a piece of the puzzle.

Now, I’m not asking you to share about the time you drank too much at your cousin’s wedding and fell down the stairs and yacked all over her shoes.

Nor am I telling you to post on Facebook that you’re totally miserable today and you just forked your way through three plates of mac and cheese.  (We all have bad days. But there are some things that do not serve to build your business!)

I am, however, proposing that you get very clear about the turning point in your life that started you on the path to doing what you’re doing right now.

So, here are some questions to get you started creating your story:

What were the circumstances in your “before” scene?

What was your struggle, your low-point?

What was the turning point?

What happened after that?

What made you do the work you’re doing?

If any answers are percolating in your head, here’s your assignment…

In the comments below, give me a brief overview of a story that you think would really resonate with your prospects and clients.

Oh, and one other thing…

If you have your own business…

…or if you want to start one…

My Uplevel Your Business LIVE Retreat is happening in Atlanta, GA, June 2 – 4. 

During those jam-packed three days, I’m going to show you how to find and consistently make money in your business. I’m going to pull back the curtains and share how I have built my own business, while staying 100% true to myself, my soul and my story. (Yes, cockroaches and all.) Best of all, we’ll do the work right there on the spot, and have me to coach you on the ride.

Sound good? (I think so too!)

Click here to grab the details!

You consider making your first video for your website…

…and this is the voice that pops into your head.

You think about following up with the woman you met at that event who expressed interest in working with you…

…and you hear it again.

You know you should raise your prices…

…but that same voice just keeps holding you back.

You know this voice all too well.

It’s the snarky voice in your head that likes to mouth off whenever you think about being bold, a little decadent, or more self-nurturing.

And it slings out the same six syllables that steal your mojo every time…

“Who do you think you are?”

Usually this voice doesn’t act alone.  It’s a collective.  It’s your worst high school nightmare mean girls mob hanging out in the smoking lounge sneering at you.

Every woman I know has her own version of this mob waiting in the wings.

Even Oprah admits that every time she wanted to achieve more, the first voice she heard was:

“Who do you think you are?”

In other words:  Stay down, play small, shut up, and don’t embarrass yourself. Don’t even bother because you won’t make it, you don’t deserve it, everyone knows it, and they’ll all laugh at you when you fail.

So, next time that voice tries to rob you of your divine right to make a bold move, here’s what to do to take your mojo back…

Answer it.

Really.

Who DO you think you are?

————-

A little background:

Many years ago, I told my first coach about some fears coming up around a choice I was making.

I said, “…and all the voices in my head are saying, ‘Who do you think you are?’”

And he looked at me and said, “Well? Who do you think you are?”

I smiled and continued with my story.

He cut in.

“Stop! I really want to know, Christine. Who DO you think you are? Tell me right now.”

In a very tiny voice, I told him.

Then he made me say it again in a bigger, stronger voice.

And again after that.

And one more time.

He said, “There. Now you have an answer for your voices.”

And I am STILL living into the amazing results. (Thank you, Thom.)

—–

So, dear reader, here’s your assignment:

In the comments below, answer this question:

Who do you think you are?

Answer it AUTHENTICALLY.

Don’t get all lofty or holy on me.

Don’t get all “I’m a divine being, living in divine perfection with power and grace.”

Okay, fine.

True as that may be, if these words don’t resonate with you, you’ll never feel any bolder. And the mean high school girls will put their cigarettes out on your shoe.

Get gritty. Get granular.

Share it with the world, with the mean girls, with your family, with the snarky and the un-snarky, the Upleveled and the Downleveled…

Who do you think you are?

(And after you share your answer, I DARE you to go take that one bold step you’ve been avoiding…)

Let’s say you had a baby.

Congratulations!  Your baby is the best human ever!

You love your baby. You celebrate as it starts to crawl. You and your partner delight in this baby’s every new adventure.

Then, one day, the baby stands up on her own. “Yaaaaay!” you cheer. You clap your hands. The baby smiles and laughs. You think, “Wow. She’s gonna learn how to walk. Isn’t that great?”

One evening, you and your partner are on the carpet playing with your baby. Suddenly, your perfect child stands up again. She braces herself on the coffee table. Your partner grabs the movie camera. You call your parents in Idaho so they can listen to the play-by-play.

Your child lurches forward. You all gasp and hold your collective breath.

Then, CLUNK. She falls onto her butt on the carpet.

“Awwwww,” you say.

“Dang,” your partner says.

“Well, I guess that’s it. This one just wasn’t cut out for walking,” your parents say from their home in Boise.

“Oh well,” you say. “It just wasn’t meant to be. Bummer.”

You hang up the phone. You turn off the camera. You take the baby up to bed. Tomorrow you’ll begin the search for a bigger stroller because your kid’s obviously gonna have to get through life on wheels.

Get the idea?

And yet, how many of us are already acting like this with our own new ideas or ventures?

Your project, your dream, or even your business is your baby. If we all gave up on our kids as much as we give up on ourselves, then we’d have a race of humans with big calluses on their knees!

The Best Way to Create Anything…

Every big project or goal can be broken down into baby steps. Little lurches forward. Sometimes they’re clumsy. Sometimes they don’t even seem to make an impact. But this is how anything gets done.

•   Years and years of built up clutter get sorted and thrown away one drawer at a time. (Plan for 30-minutes a day in one zone of the house – not “Get rid of clutter.”)

•   Years and years of reckless eating and unhealthy habits get shifted one work-out at a time. (Plan a 45-minute work-out 5 days a week, and a once a month visit to an acupuncturist for a year – not “Lose 50 pounds by June.”)

•   An entrepreneur builds her business one client at a time. (Schedule a daily system for authentic marketing. Not “Get 50 new clients by March.”)

That’s how it works.

Stinks, doesn’t it?

Actually, no.

This is the good news that no one ever tells you.

When you get this concept, you’ll never be afraid of failure again.  When you learn how to break a goal down into baby steps, and how to complete something fantastic using this method, then you have the key to doing anything.  When you understand that everyone falls down and gets back up again, then you need only to trust in your strength to get back up again.

The only block is your ego.

Your ego wants it to be done now. Your ego wants to move through life risk-free, foolish-free, discouragement-free, mistake-free, tired-free. And the best way to trick your ego (and yourself) into letting go a little bit is to take baby steps.

I just started coaching people in my Uplevel Your Business Program & Blueprint.  These entrepreneurs are the most courageous clients I can imagine having. That’s because they are taking the biggest risk of all. They are taking Baby Steps!

Baby steps take courage.  Baby steps are a huge risk to your ego because they are so easy.  SO easy!  The ego wants big deals, major accomplishments, huge weight-loss, and fast results. In other words, the ego likes adjectives, not nouns. Those adjectives guarantee that you’ll stay stuck and never try anything new. Over time you’ll get that deals, accomplishments, weight-loss, and results feel pretty good — even without adjectives.

Now, try this:

Take a goal you want to accomplish by the end of this year, and ask yourself, “What one baby step could I take every day to complete this goal?” And then (and this is the big challenge) get out your calendar and schedule it in there daily for the rest of 2013.

I was standing in line waiting to buy kombucha at Green Life, my city’s beloved organic grocery store.

The guy in front of me had a few small items. His total came to $14.38.

As he pulled out his debit card, the cashier asked, “Would you like to round up to $15 and donate the rest of that money to this month’s charity?”  She shared the name of the local organization where the money would go.

He said yes.

This local charity idea has been going on for years. Each month the grocery store picks a cause and asks for donations at the check out line.

Until this particular day, however, the question posed at check out has always been:

“Would you like to donate anything to our local charity this month?”

The new strategy intrigued me.

So when it was my turn to check out, I asked the cashier how this new question was working for her. She leaned over to me and said, “Ohmigod, last month we raised $900 more than our usual amount!”

Now – regardless of how you feel about the politics of raising money in this way – the lesson here is important to you as a business.

People respond to definite calls to action. They respond to CLARITY.

Let’s look at what happens in the mind of an average person when you ask the first question…

1 – Would you like to donate something to this month’s charity?

This question requires first that you make the decision to do it or not to do it.   That’s a big decision right there.

But then, you also have to decide what amount you want to give. That’s a lot of deciding when you have a long line of people behind you.

I mean, hell, is a dollar is too little? Would that make you stingy?

Or should it be more like $5?  Or does that make you a total pushover who just gives money because you can be guilted into pretty much any cause that’s out there?

And wait just a minute!  Didn’t you say yes the last time you were here? (Hey, when was that anyway?)

Too much thinking and your mind will just give in and say, “Screw it. No.”

When given too many choices, people will default to not taking action. It’s just easier to do nothing than it is to make all those decisions.

Now, let’s look at the second question…

2 – Your total is $14.38.  Would you like to round up to $15 and give your change to our local charity this month?”

The cashier did the math for you.  She didn’t make you wonder whether or not you should feel guilty for only giving 62 cents. She gave you a clear choice. Yes or no.

And as it turns out, the results yield a much bigger take for the charity.

So, what does this have to do with your business?

Well, let’s look at what the typical solo business owner might tell her prospects.

“Hey, just give me a call. You know where to find me.”

Or,

“If you know anyone who needs my service, let them know about me, okay?”

This is called a “call to action.”

Many people think that the reason they aren’t getting clients is because they’re charging too much or because their industry is too tough.

But one reason people aren’t calling you is that your call to action stinks!  It doesn’t give clear direction. It doesn’t tell people exactly what to do, or when to do it.  It just sits out there assuming that if people want to work with you…they know what to do.

Well, they might know what to do.

But they’ve got a lot of other things on their mind. And it’s just way too easy not to do anything.

And if you know that your product or service is a high level for people and will change their lives, essentially what you’re doing is letting them give up on themselves.  That’s not only bad business – but it’s bad service.

Do NOT go on sale.

Instead, get clear. Communicate clearly.  And you’ll get results.

Not sure how to do this?  Join me in my 2013 Uplevel Your Business Program. (We start on April 1. And doors close this Friday at 4pm EST.)

Hey, and leave a comment and tell me how YOU can be more clear in your calls to action!

Fact:  There are lots of cranky people who will hear you talk about your business or your idea – and they’ll tell you to “get real.”

They’ll remind you that 6 million people start a business each year.

They’ll tell you that one out of three of these will fail.

They have no stomach for phrases like “follow your passion.”

But, let’s not fault these grouchy self-proclaimed realists, okay?

After all, building a successful business isn’t for wimps.  And yes, it IS challenging at times.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t succeed.

Take me for instance.

I started out soaring high on my crazy-ass music dream convinced that if I built it, then the money, fame and fans would flock to my door.

When that didn’t happen in a month or two, I was crushed.

But then I learned how to build and run a business that supported the work I loved to do.

And when it came time to change my business model into coaching and training, I did that almost effortlessly based upon what I had already learned along the way.

And guess what?  I never had to get grouchy or drop my original passion.  (In other words, I know what I’m talking about here.)

So, here are 5 truths about building a successful business doing what you LOVE…

1 – Growth is Often Proportional to Investment

One of the gifts of owning your own business is that you learn how to be financially empowered and how to invest in yourself while creating a high return on that investment.

The old employee mindset says:  “Hey, when the company pays for it, I’ll do it.”

As an entrepreneur, if you live in this entitled state-of-mind, you’ll never succeed.

You must learn to see money differently – which means that money is not something you “lose” when you spend it.  Instead, you INVEST in your growth and education.

2 – Clarity Trumps Practicality

One of the most common questions I get from clients is this:

“Do you think my idea is practical, given this crazy economy?”

My answer is based on years of experience.  You must decide to do it first, and then you can look at the practical aspects of it.  That is the power of your commitment.

“Practical” is often a procrastination device! (Apologies to the sworn skeptics out there.)

Clarity trumps practicality. When someone is clear, and they take action from that place of clarity – then practicality becomes much more do-able.

(One of the “Laws of Money” that I teach in my free Money Master Class is that “Money Likes Clarity.” Watch the webinar to get more in depth on this topic.)

3 – Systems are Sexy.

If you are an entrepreneur, you’re probably great at “winging it.”

Only problem is that you live in chaos, and everything on your to-do list is urgent.  Keep this up – and you’ll eventually burn out.

Systems require that you step back and look at your daily activities.

Systems require that you ask: “How does this work? How can I make it work better?”

Systems allow you to step away from your work, take vacations, have weekends – and most blessedly, have lots of free space in your mind for creativity.

4 – Ignoring Marketing Doesn’t Make You Humble.  (It makes you fail.)

I used to be a fan of the mantra: “Do what you love, and the money will follow.”  It’s a beautiful philosophy. And true on some levels.

But I also used it as a way to ignore the business side of my work.

After all, hey, if I’m aligned with my purpose, the cash will follow – then I don’t ever have to deal with it, right?

Uh, wrong.

I’ve since learned that avoidance is not a game plan.  Neither is hope.

Just because you’re scared to market yourself doesn’t mean you can’t do it!

When you learn how to authentically market yourself, you’ll never need money again.

5 –Be the Pioneer AND the Engineer.

Your Pioneer self is your right brain.  The right brain is far superior when it comes to writing, consulting, coaching, creating programs, training, speaking, and all of the stuff that makes your business great.  You will want to go there often.

The problem is that many people ONLY want to live in the right brain. (Hey, it’s a pretty happenin’ place!)

However, your Engineer (your left brain) must play a role in your success.  That’s because you need to communicate, strategize, build a team, create systems and do numbers, too.

In other words, a successful business owner is both a Pioneer AND an Engineer.  When you understand this, business gets a lot easier.

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HEY!  If you want more help with this, get in on my Money Master Class. The full four-part training is up and available for the taking.  (We’ve already had over $10K in extra income reported by people who went through this free training!)

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Leave a comment and tell me which one of these has been your biggest learning curve as you grew your business…?