No one signs up for your newsletter. You are frustrated!

Here is the secret for turning that around. It is simple but most people miss it.
 
It begins with empathy! If you manage to get people to your website, you want them to stay and get involved. You have to build empathy with your clients before anything else.  
 
Empathy is what you want from your best friend when you’ve had a bad day.
 
You want someone to get how you feel. When that happens you feel heard and cared for. There is no substitute for that feeling of being understood. Look at your home page and see if you have done these following three things before anything else:
 
1. State your client’s problem or issue in their own voice, using their words.
2. Say how your client feels the way they would speak if asked. “You feel _______ and _________.”
3. State the benefits your clients say they want and why.  How do they feel it will it change their life.
 
This is all about them and their perspective on themselves; not about you, your programs and how you can help. You will get to the help part later but first you need to build empathy. Until you do that, they won’t feel any connection or trust with you.

Too many people who are anxious for new clients, launch right into to talking about their programs and packages. They think that if they explain how they can help, people will want to buy. It doesn’t work that way.

Here is your free tip: Instead of telling about your programs right off, after building empathy, give immediate value right then and there. This can be in the form of a video, a downloadable ebook, tips or of course on your blog. Whatever you offer, it needs to always begin with building empathy first.

If you are not sure what words your potential clients would use, then here is the first step. Begin to listen to them closer and ask them how they feel. They will tell you and it will transform your business when you follow this formula. It will also give real value to the people you truly want to help.

If you want more help with learning how to do this and the next steps,  join the 90 day Leap Forward Program.

Do you know your clients words? Does every page on your website begin with empathy?

I was laser focused on how to tell people about what I was offering, how I could help them and what my services were.

I thought if this was articulated clearly, people would get it and then grab it.

I was soo wrong. People don’t actually want to hear about you and what you are offering. At least not yet. They are focused on themselves and their problems.

What they want, is to know you get it. They want to feel empathy from you.

You might remember a time when you were facing a big problem that was making you feel confused, overwhelmed or discouraged.

How wonderful it was to talk with a friend who listened and didn’t immediately tell you what to do or try to give advice. They had no agenda and you felt supported.

Active listening offers this and it includes empathy, paraphrasing and support.

•  People feel really heard and understood.
•  Allows the person to then go deeper.
•  Builds trust with the listener.

Your home page content can do all that. Way later you can gently suggest some next steps.

How to do active listening in your marketing message and on your home page?

First, you need to have listened to enough of your niche clients so you know what they would say, how they would say it and how they feel.

•  Post a video on your website where you speak to them using their words and paraphrasing.
•  Put those same words in text.
•  State the  benefits they want.

Next you can offer valued help right then and there with free downloadable tips.

If you look at my 7-step marketing circle, you will see that talking about your programs is not until step number five. It comes way later. In fact, ideally people will ask you about it because by then, they feel supported, understood and they trust you.

Have a look at your home page via the eyes of your niche clients. Do you build empathy and trust first or do you offer help too fast?

I know what it’s like to not be able to sleep due to fear and panic around money.  It’s not fun.

I guess I’ve become somewhat of an expert at beginning a small solo business, now that I have made every mistake in the book! I know how important it is to build a strong foundation first.

Do you freeze when someone asks you what you do?

One foundation piece involves developing a strong core marketing message and to know your niche clients inside and out. It doesn’t work well to only know them, sort of.  Sort of doesn’t pay the bills.

However, there is a process for figuring this out and it’s important to stick with it until you get that gut feeling that you’ve nailed it.

If your core marketing message isn’t quite there, it will affect your cash flow. You will get some business coming in without it just from your passion, but your passion will only go so far. You need passion and clear steps.

So why is your core marketing message so important and why is it one of the foundation pieces of your business?

•  You can’t build a good marketing plan without it.
•  You will confuse people and a confused person goes away.
•  You will end up offering the wrong products or services.

A core marketing messages has three components.

1. The strong but narrow niche group of people who you are speaking to.
2. Their problem, issue or strong desire that is a burning need for them.
3. The benefits they want and how it will make a huge difference to them.

You might be wondering, where you come in? What about your expertise?”

You are the specialist at helping the above people with their problem and the benefits they want.

Simple yes? Easy, not so much. Important? Absolutely.

What can make it easier?
Learn the steps and process instead of going around in circles.
Work on this with people who don’t have your blind spots.
Join the Leap Forward Program which includes tools, steps, process and huge support.

Take the free business self-assessment and learn more.

How confident are you with your core marketing message?

If you are going to work so hard, why not make “real” money?

You have likely heard of those success stories of people who went from zero to six figures in seven months. It is mouth watering and it makes you think anyone can do it.

Well, in theory anyone “could” do it that quick, but there are a ton of things that would need to be lined up for that to happen.

I know a woman who spent $20,000 she didn’t have, to attend a program that promised this outcome; plus the cost to fly there and stay in a fancy hotel.

However, at the end of the year she was still at the starting gate and felt discouraged.

A very small percentage meet that goal, and yet she ended up comparing herself to them and felt even worse.

I have to admit, at one time those programs grabbed my attention, but something always held me back. I have invested at least that much money in my business, so that’s not the issue. What I do know is that there are steps to building a business and it takes time to do it correctly.

If you are new in business- you might be thrilled to get to the first income level $50,000 a year. You wouldn’t be rich yet, but you would be building the foundation to grow from.

If you compare your business to building a house from scratch, the foundation level is the beginning. The six figure income  lives on the second floor.

The foundation is the most important piece.
• The foundation is the blueprint for the rest of the building.
• If you make big mistakes there, you will be having to deal with them constantly as you build higher.
• The mistakes have more  impact the taller the house gets.
• When the foundation is solid, it is much easier to add the next floors.

My advice to you, is to get it right at the beginning!

• Slow down and let go of your hurry to make money so fast.
• Make sure you don’t skip essential pieces in the foundation.
• Go for quality and value when you make decisions.
• Face your inner self-worth issues.
• Acknowledge your blind spots.

Do you want to know more about how to develop your  business blueprint in a step-by-step format?  Check out the Leap Forward Program.

Is your foundation blueprint built correctly? Take my free Business Self-Assessment to find out.

You have a great service to offer.
You help people to solve their problems.
And yet your challenge is to get your own business activated.

Maybe for some months you’ve been trying to do it all yourself, and yet you are aware of blind spots and it can feel discouraging.

It’s a smart to get help right away, otherwise it can feel confusing about where to focus your energy.

•  There is an actual proven system to follow where one action builds on the other.
•  It is important to be crystal clear on your intentions and goals for your business.
•  You can create a map, plan and set benchmarks to see and know you are on track.

If you are a therapist, designer, coach, writer, educator or a health and wellness practitioner, you probably have had very little business training and even if you have had some, when you begin your own business, it is another story.

• You own emotions will derail you.
• You feel desperate to make money and that can affect your decisions.
• You aren’t sure where to focus first.

If this sounds like you, the “Leap Forward Program” is perfect. We focus on helping you build your business with the core components that need to be put into place.

What are your answers to these questions?

Do you know exactly where you want to go?
What it will take for to get there?  Can you answer with a huge YES?

When asked what you want, it’s easy to state your dreams of more money, more clients and a freer lifestyle. That question is not so difficult to answer in general. It can be harder to be more specific and say exactly how much money, where it will come from and how many more clients.

The best question to ask is, “What is holding you back?”  What is going on inside of yourself that keeps you stuck in your familiar habits or ways of being? There is something comfortable and safe in just staying right where you are.

What you want often lives just outside of your comfort zone!

If you truly plan to double your income this year or triple it- what will it require? It can feel scary and overwhelming to shift into a new mindset. But that’s what it takes in order to make this jump.

Whatever it is you want to accomplish in your business has been done before by many, many people. So, it is not impossible. Everyone faces internal demons that want to hold you back. You are not alone. In fact, you already have overcome many, or you wouldn’t be where you are now!

The good news is that there is a formula for figuring out that “Right Question,” and then creating easy steps to get there. Here is the order:

1. Know specifically what you want.
2. Identify what fears or self-doubt hold you back.
3. Look at what you need to get past those feelings.
4. Begin mapping out simple steps.
5. Start with step one.
6. Breath.

If you follow these steps, before you know it, you will be moving forward. I am following my own advice and am working on the next piece of my own business plan. Let me know if you want to chat about it. My wish is that in 2012, we all leap forward together. Are you in?

Here is a simple process for overcoming this common obstacle; how to shift your mind-set to do what feels hard.

I tend to vacillate between my two extremes. I focus on doing the things I am good at, and then I worry and stress about the stuff that’s a challenge.

In my case, the easy parts are marketing, customer service and anything creative, like writing or product development. I love doing things that involve directly communicating with and helping my clients. As a result, I have developed mastery in these areas.

All the back end parts like organization systems, live in the other end of the polarity. It took me awhile to figure this out I  love having everything neat and put away. I get a warm feeling when I walk into my office and the desk is clear and I know where everything thing is. However, this has happened maybe five times in the last five years

My solution is to over-compensate with tons of filing cabinets and I actually have it under control, but this isn’t the issue. I don’t do it easily and stuff piles up because I put it off.

Back to the question; how do I use my strengths to get me to be more excited about organizational tasks ?

On the surface it looks like my strengths are creativity and relationships. It can feel like a huge jump to marry this to cleaning my office and I have to really stretch to see any relationship connection to organizational tasks. However, I decided to dig deeper into my own psyche because I know the secret lives there.

It’s really about motivation. I have read tons of books on how to be organized but they are all written by people who are good at it and don’t have my issues. One book I do love is “The Color Code,”  by Taylor Hartman. Great book that helps you understand yourself and your motivations. He has an online personality test. I have done the long book version of this test multiple times and no matter how I answer the questions, I come out a Yellow.

Yellows are people who are motivated by fun. Organizing my office doesn’t feel fun to me. It feels tedious. The obvious question is, “How can I make this process fun?” When I look at my strengths, I have to ask what makes those  things fun?  The common denominator is communication. Marketing, customer fulfillment and product development are all about communication. I love any form of communication. It’s in my genes. It gives me a buzz. Organizing feels like work.

From that place it is easier to see a way to make that jump. It is about bringing the process of communication into organizational systems. It immediately feels more creative  Re-framing this transforms the whole process.

My example:  Motivated by  fun. Communication is my key. Marketing, customer service and writing are all about communication = fun. Organizational tasks = responsibility, tasks. work = not fun.  Shift: Organizational tasks = communication processes = more fun.

Your story will be different from mine but the process will work regardless. Here are the steps I followed to get from A to B.

1. Figure out what your strengths and weaknesses are. You can use my nifty Whole Business pie chart process to help.
2. Make a short list of what you like  about your strengths.
3. Figure out what motivates you forward. Take The Color Code assessment to get help and find out your key.
4. Determine how your motivation operates in your strength and weakness areas.
5. What is one way you can bring that key that motivates you, into your challenged place?

This takes a bit of a focus to get your head around this. If you are a blue, you might feel confused but just breath! It works. Please come back and tell us what color you are and how this has made a difference.

I write about self-doubt a lot. It’s not because I am obsessed with this topic. It’s because it comes up all the time.

Self doubt comes up for me regularly, and I have become an expert at seeing what triggers it and how to get past it.

It is one of the first things new small business clients share, regardless of how long they have been in business.

Self-doubt leads right into fear and panic and you might feel:

• I’m not good enough or smart enough.
• No one will want to hire me because…..
• I will fail and look bad!

There are more and I am sure you could create your own list. My own list has caused me more pain and suffering than anything else. Here is what I learned and it still works.

1. Have a crystal clear and detailed vision and picture of where you are going. This needs to include how much income you will get and the income streams that will provide it. Check out Chapter 5 in my book, “Your Money Map.”  I created this process during one of my most fearful times and it really helped me to shift. Remember your vision is about your business, not about the lifestyle you want.

2. Keep a positive attitude. Instead of saying, “I can’t or don’t know how,” say “Who can help me and how can I find out how?” Your own limiting thoughts are your worst enemy if you are a business owner. An important entrepreneurial trait is to have the ability to keep your focus positive. When I wake up to a bad day, I immediately look at ways to get more empowered. For me it is often about talking to my support team.

3. Take calculated risks. If you stay where it is safe, you won’t move forward and won’t grow. If you don’t want to take risks, it is better to have a job. To grow a business you have to get out of your comfort zone and invest in yourself. This can mean investing money, and jumping in with both feet.

These three points are intertwined and related. For example: You might have a fear of spending more money and creating another debt. Fair enough, however if you have a clear vision of where the money will come back, it makes it easier. Your fears can also be part of your limiting thoughts.

Tell me what you think about these three points. Can you see how they can work to help you stay away from self-doubt?

(above art by Rogenetheartist)

Those are all positive traits that help them to be great at helping people via their services.

Creative people are also notorious at struggling with getting their businesses to be successful.

If you can relate to this statement, you most likely have a vision for your business that is way too small. This can hold you back and will affect every decision you make!

Here are 5 things to consider. Look at this list and ask yourself if this sounds like you.

1.  Not seeing multiple income streams.
All business owners have blind spots; areas you just can’t see.

If you offer direct service to clients, this is the easiest route to begin to bring in cash flow, but there is a limit to how many clients you can see in one week or how many direct jobs you can take on.

In order to develop a business it is important to look at how to leverage income by offering programs to  groups of people or creating passive income by offering products to your niche clients. If you know your niche client, it is all about offering more and more value and a variety of ways you can help them.

2. Not wanting to invest more money.
Solo business owners tend to feel hesitant to invest in their own business.

Maybe your lack of confidence makes you question your ability to be successful, so you view investing as creating another debt, rather than helping you to grow in prosperity.

It is hard, if not impossible, to grow a business without investing money, however you need to perceive a return on your investment and  in order to do that you need to see with your entrepreneurial hat on.

3.  Incorrect priorities.
It is easy to spend time doing the things you love.  Most people end up focusing the majority of their attention on their services and products learning more skills and developing more expertise.

Although those activities are important, it may be more important to focus on business skills; your marketing plan, organizational systems and your money map. Without those, you will never grow a real business.

4.  Limiting thinking.
I often ask my new clients about their financial goals and how much money they want to be earning per year when their business is fully developed.

People are notorious for giving a very low figure based on what they think they are capable of, what they think people will pay and generally undervaluing themselves. Your own limiting thinking could be your worst enemy.

•  Self doubt
I always mention this one because it is the biggest culprit!

Your own self doubt will stop you dead in your tracks and make you question your decisions, your ability and will undermine your confidence.

The best cure is to get help from someone who sees more in you than you see in yourself and then to act as if.

How many of these five things could you relate to? I am an expert at each one   I would love to know I am not alone!

It’s great to see so many people speaking out about topics that effect everyone’s quality of life.

Last night I heard a man, who identified himself as a community activist,  interviewed about Occupy Portland. He said that Occupy is not about one particular issue, but many and all are important. Makes sense!

Wanting to make a difference is an inherent entrepreneurial trait, regardless of your specific points of view. It’s about listening and giving value to people.

As small business owners, you are in a unique position. You are an integral part of your community and within your businesses you face many of the same issues yourself everyday, including health insurance, social security, retirement and other financial issues. You also want to have a sustainable business.

Here are a few things you can do right within your own world that can make a huge difference. It is not all about camping down in the park. It is about fully occupying your own business in a more conscious way.

1. Be an excellent listener. Listen to your clients, their issues, concerns and desires. Your business is all about them and how you can help them. In order to give them excellent service, you need to hear what they have to say first.

2. Be open-minded and accept new points of view. Most people begin their business with knowing a lot about their product and service but very little about how to be a business owner. Let go of your subjective ideas and get help so you can really lead your business.

3. Present yourself as a professional. Acknowledge your self doubt and share that with your mentor but make decisions from a place of empowerment. Build a professional website and see yourself as a successful person.

4. Get out of your office and connect with other entrepreneurs in your community. Find a variety of business groups and people. Staying in your comfort zone won’t help you to grow.

5. Create a plan and keep updating it. New business owners waste a lot of time going around in circles and then feel frustrated. A good plan for marketing and growing, will keep you focused and on track!

These five things might be obvious but it is easy to forget how important they are. Doing each of them will keep you grounded and you will be able to help way more people and make a much bigger change in your community. Can  you see how they will make a difference?

•

It makes me wonder if this problem is contagious!

I also think this is more a women’s issue. I want to whisper this in case it is not politically correct to imply this, but women do seem to end up giving and giving without getting paid enough.

Here are some examples I have heard already this week:

•  Under-acknowledging the value of your service. One woman admitted to me today that she has no trouble expecting a hefty bill from her lawyer or paying her counselor, because she needs those services, but she is not seeing her own service is equally important. She wonders if people will really value it.

•  Giving too much! you offered a free 30 minute introductory meeting and then end up going for over 90 minutes. You offered tons of solutions to a potential client who has not yet hired you. Client hears too much and gets confused and then backs away. Giving is part of marketing but you have to know how much to give and how to lead it into a sale.

•  Poor communication about what you are offering. You lack clear written documents that outline exactly what is covered in your program. As a result clients keep asking for more and you keep giving more without any additional charge, because of your fear that if don’t, the client will be angry and feel not taken care of. Lack of clarity makes everyone confused.

All of these situations are a result of a mixture of low self-worth, self-doubt and not fully stepping into a full leader of your business. If you can relate to any of the above issues, here are a few things you can do.

1. Make sure there really is a burning need for your service. You need to see the value on a gut level, not just in your head. You have to feel the value 100%. If you don’t, this is the first place to begin. You can’t successfully offer a service you don’t really believe in.  If you do acknowledge the value fully, then the issue is about you, not your service.

2. Your own self-worth needs to come from knowing you are a really good person, skilled and an expert at what you do. You help people and make a difference.  If your self-worth depends on everyone liking you,  hiring you and paying you, your potential clients will feel your desperation or discomfort and it won’t make them feel secure and trusting that you can help them. When you feel good inside, you can put forth clear structures that then help people to feel safe with you. They know where they stand and won’t feel confused.

3. Be willing to step into those big leadership boots. Operate from a clear business plan and vision that states how much money you plan to earn and where it will come from. From that plan you can figure out what you need to charge in order to run your business. Get away from charging by the hour as you have a whole infrastructure to support. It is not just about the minutes you spend with the client.

By the way- I can identify with all the above. I used to be similar and it was painful to look at myself. The good news is that I followed my own advice and changed!   If I could do it, so can you.  I would love to hear your stories and comments below and if you want more help just let me know.

Read more about why people undercharge.
The dance of giving and receiving.

There are so many issues that are “women’s” issues.  Not to say that men never feel similar ways, but they are – different. I am not an expert at men. They are often a mystery to me. However, I do understand women entrepreneurs.

At one time I thought all the issues I had were unique to me. I realized that many, many women felt the same way and they could understand and empathize as well. What a gift.

There are some common things that block women from being a strong leader of their businesses and as a result, being wildly successful! Have you ever felt any of these ways?

1. Self-doubt that makes you either freeze or make really poor decisions.

Not being sure about something is not the same as self-doubt, which is all about you and your ability, your skill or your basic worthiness.

2. Afraid to take risks in your business. You don’t want to get more into debt or are unsure of being able to handle whatever it is. Without taking risks you stay stagnant and then wonder why your business isn’t growing.

3. You become emotionally attached to doing what you love and your identity is tied up with your profession. Instead you need to identify as a business owner first and then do whatever it takes to get yourself and your business strong.

In order to feel highly confident, take risks to shift and change and to wear the hat of a leader of your business, you need to find those cool new boots and step into them with a strong purpose.

One thing that can help to do that is to amass a strong team of other women in business who understand and will challenge, support and celebrate you and your success. Women are community oriented and need to connect with other women. Women who will see the strong leader in you!

If you work alone this becomes even more essential.

Does this resonate with you? If it does you and I are on the same wave length!

Do you have a team of women on board to challenge and support you and to offer you really good feedback?

If you are searching and wanting to find that community with a group of other strong entrepreneurs then say YES and make it happen. Take the risk, listen to truth instead of self-doubt and decide you are worth it.

Awake Women Visionary Mastermind Program
If you feel a strong YES!

It leaves you feeling confused and off-track.  It is actually a perfect metaphor for Halloween week!

When I began my very first small business many moons ago, I was sure I was the only one who had such huge self-doubts that rumbled around in my head.

I questioned my ability and secretly thought I was a fraud.

At the same time I wanted people to buy my products. I wanted to be successful.  I was like a yoyo.

Some of the ways that self-doubt manifests include:

•  Not knowing how to charge the correct price.
•  Worried that people won’t like your work.
•  Afraid that clients will reject you.
•  Comparing yourself to others who you think are better.
•  Feeling guilty for investing in yourself.
•  Not knowing how to make good decisions.

The list can go on but you get the idea. If you feel even some of the things on this list, your business has got to be suffering. It’s like running a race with your shoe laces tied together. Self-doubt ties you up and then you have to spend all your energy to just not fall over.

Luckily there are cures for this ailment. Are you willing to do whatever it takes?  Are you desperate enough to get help?

1. Find a mastermind group of other small business owners. As you share, you will discover you are not alone. You will also realize that your assumptions are all wrong when you begin to hear from others.

2. Find someone who sees more in you than you see in yourself. That person will challenge you and get you to stop making decisions from your self-doubt. When you are in a low place it can feel very real. Someone else can shake you out of your trance.

3. Develop a business vision/plan based on what your confident-self feels is possible. It might look scary but the plan can over-ride some of the doubts.

4. Begin to notice the two parts of your psyche. One feels unsure and the other feels confident. Focus on doing things to make the confident part larger. This can include the way you dress, how your office feels,  the people you hang out with and more. Choose things that are positive and supportive.

5. Take a risk to do something to invest in yourself. Make it something big. The bigger the risk, the larger the pay off.

By the way, self-doubt is like an addiction. You can gain mastery over it and then you have to keep on doing these five things for the rest of your life.  Are you willing?

Their problems were also similar; not making enough money, not enough clients, working too hard, out of balance, overwhelmed, frustrated and unsure.

I’ve been there myself so I could and can empathize completely!  It takes more than having a great skill to develop a great business.

It takes determination, focus and following a clear plan. When I encourage people to get help it’s not because I am trying to sell my services it’s because I really care and hate to see people struggle and make the same mistakes I made.

I tried to figure it all out myself in order to save money and all it did was help me to lose more money.

Blind Spots

I had blind spots ( I still do). What that means is I can’t see what I can’t see!  I was making major decisions in my business based on what I could see and that was a distorted and incomplete picture. Once I  had someone help me see past those blind spots it was like taking off a blindfold and seeing a rainbow!

Accountability

It is easy to think I will stay on track all on my own with no one to check in with. Not true. I am a creature of comfort and I shift right back into my rut of doing what I know how to do and “forget.” my new plan. Why? The new plan is hard work and it requires me to do things I feel less secure about.

From that place of insecurity I question whether it’s even important. Time goes by and I miss huge opportunities. Having someone to stay accountable to is huge to my success.

Right Steps

I remember the first month I brought in over $10,000. I was ecstatic. I thought, “If I can do this every month and increase it, I will have a real business!”  In truth, it was about looking at what I did and learning how to develop my business so I could do that every month.

It isn’t rocket science. It is figuring out what the steps are and then doing them consistently and with commitment every month.

If you put these three pieces into action you will be on the road to success and will avoid the biggest mistake most solo business owners make.

Ask me questions about any of these areas. Just put them in the comments below. I am happy to help! It is so gratifying to me when I see people “get it!”

I thought if I had only been born into a family of successful people, those mindset values would have been passed down to me and I would automatically be able to make the right decisions, take the correct risks and turn mud into gold.

Maybe you’ve had similar thoughts.

I wondered if my fate was pre-determined by my genes. But there are people like Oprah, who are born into poverty and are able to develop those leadership and traits in themselves by pure determination and focus.

I do think there are some characteristics of an entrepreneurial mindset. They can be developed! One of those is the ability to intuit or trust information or feelings that come to you even if you don’t see any visible truth.

I was moved by this quote by Steve Jobs and it reminded me one of the most important and essential entrepreneurial traits; that aptitude to trust your gut feeling and nurture the ability to listen on those deeper and less visible levels.

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”

I got a buzz when I read this because it gave validity to what I know I can do. When I began to trust that those dots would connect, it changed the whole way I ran my business.

I know that what I am doing now and how I do it, will make a difference in the my future and what I did in the past  has helped me to be where I am now. Steve reminded me to strengthen my commitment is to listen more and take heed to what I hear.

Move past your self doubt and begin to trust yourself!

How much do you look connect your dots?
Are you able to trust that those dots will appear in your future?

I would love to hear from you.

This morning when Facebook rolled out it’s newest change to the friend’s page wall, there were a mix of comments.

Some people threatened to leave, others complained about the sidebar ticker. People don’t like change, even if it might be good. Most of us are not technically minded and we want it to be easy. Every time it changes it means we have to learn something new.

Attitude is the very most important quality in running a business. Everyday I have to deal with challenging situations and the attitude I have greatly influences the outcome and my own process.

Your attitude is the one thing you have total control over. No one can take that away from you.

Question. Do you use Facebook primarily for your business?  Are your clients or potential clients on Facebook? If this answer is yes to both then read on.

Here are a few points to help you align your attitude about the changes.

•  Your business page is where you need to focus most of your attention. Put out valuable tips and updates for your fans.

•  Your updates are the best when they create conversation, ask questions and empathize with how people are feeling.

•  Use your friend page for business as well and go with the flow of changes. Model a positive attitude to people.

•  Re-share your business page updates to your friend’s page every so often as this increases the chance of people seeing it.

•  Post positive comments and likes on other people’s posts as this also puts forth a supportive attitude.

•  Figure  out how the changes work and share and help others who are grumbling.

I love facebook. The community is amazing, the contacts and relationships have helped me to grow my business and the instant communication is phenomenal. Change is hard but this is part of being an entrepreneur and business owner.

Just breath and flow with it.
What helps you to be able to do this? How do you keep your attitude positive?

Read more on Attitude

Keep your Focus on Growing your Business

If you’ve been in business a bit longer it can be even more discouraging because you think you “should,” be doing better by now so you start feeling like a failure. The stress can be overwhelming!

Does this sound like you? You have a great service and feel confident about helping people with your skills, but you need more people to help.

It was the same for me. I remember being discouraged and comparing myself to other people who appeared more successful. I assumed they had tons of customers and I didn’t know why I didn’t. Asking that question is the first step. Here is what I learned and now my sales are consistent. I hope these steps will also help you.

1. Move past your negative self-talk as that will just zap your energy and keeps you stuck like a rat in a maze. Feelings of failure will just etch way at your self-worth. It won’t help you solve the problem. Let go of shame and get help.

2. Decide to find out what is not working and why. There is always a reason and it can take a new pair of eyes to help you see past your own blind spots.

The tendency is to make more poor decisions and keep doing the same things that aren’t working. If they aren’t working, doing  them more doesn’t make it better. It just means you spend a lot of energy without a positive return.

3. Learn how marketing and sales are inter-related. When you follow a strong marketing plan, people begin to trust you and see you as an expert. They will self-select to work with you and tell their friends. Most people skip these steps and lunge right into trying to convince people, because of their own financial stress and not understanding the system. It doesn’t work. Figure out what is holding you back.

Your momentum and excitement at first will bring you some business, but it won’t last the long haul without staying focused on a strategy based on a sound marketing plan.

4. Listen to your customers or clients. The backbone of your marketing plan is based on knowing your niche customers intimately. What makes them tick and what is their problem they need help with. What benefits do they want and why.

The home page of your website needs to be all about these people and what they want. Make sure your home page is written in plain language, non-technical as most people are being driven by their emotional need.

5. Help people make the decision to hire you. Focus on the benefits they want and help them to see how receiving the benefits will make a significant difference to them. If they are hesitant then ask what that’s about.

Most people are stopped by either money, time or trust. They don’t want to spend the money or think they don’t have it. If they hire you they need to see the return on their investment and it’s up to you to help them see how that will work. Timing is always important and people will make time for something if they see it is being very important.

If you are offering a service, people need to trust that you can help them. You develop trust via your marketing process, listening and giving value.

Remember- just because you are a skilled professional and an expert at what you do, doesn’t mean you are an expert at running your business.

These five steps are essential and help and focus. It will be worth it in the long run when you begin to see your sales increase. Which of these five steps are you already doing and which ones do you need help with? Ask a question and I am happy to respond.

You know there’s is a big shift that needs to happen to grow your business to the next level. This is when it’s time to have a strategic planning session and  figure out the next steps.

However, it feels hard and as though you are up against a big wall and not sure how to get over it.

You may have an inkling that you need to get out of your comfort zone and do something completely different.

This could seem like a big risk. Why is that?

That wall you’ve hit against is the combination of your feelings, beliefs and actions.

Example:  Your feelings might be fear or self-doubt. It is terrifying to do something new or different that that involves investing money and time. Your emotions say, “What if it doesn’t work? What if I screw up again?”

Your beliefs come from experience or modeling.  Example:  ”It is better to not take risks. Be conservative. You’re not smart enough.” It is hard to change your inner mind-set.

Your actions are your habits, ways you are used to acting. You have developed routines and  modes of operating that you are comfortable with, but may not be serving you or your business.

Are you willing to let go and do things a different way?

These three parts of you overlap and can take a strong hold. Take a few minutes and visualize the change you want to see in your business.  Write out a list of your feelings, beliefs and actions that emerge when you think about taking the risk to support this goal.

Once you have this insight you can choose to make decisions from a more aware place.

What feelings, beliefs or actions are stopping you? I would love to hear your comments below.

Please reassure me that I am not the only one that has these days! I sat down at my desk this morning and I couldn’t remember why I liked my business. I just felt disconnected.

I could probably dig down and figure out what might have triggered this, but it is actually way more important to know how to get out of this space. Luckily I did know this process because this is not the first time. I may have even written about this once before:)

Here are my super duper 5 tips to shift your attitude! I acknowledge that these are mine. Some of them might work for you but the important thing is to create your own list.

1. Find something you have been wanting to get done but haven’t had time. This needs to be something you want to do but have been putting it off. For me it is always something creative as that makes me feel good, happy and I remember what it’s all about. I managed to do that today and it feels like a huge accomplishment.

I can’t wait to get back and wipe it off my white board. I did have a wee technical issue come up but even managed to call Jocelyn and she answered the phone and fixed the problem!

2. Take a shower and wear something that feels good. When I feel blah, I feel like wearing blah clothes all day. Today I didn’t have any face to face meetings so this was a day I could have worn my sweats all day!  But I put on my favorite blue shirt and that color always lifts my spirits.

3. Get out of your office – especially if you work at home like I do. I have been working at the TeaHouse all day and it has been lovely to be here with other people and as a result,  I am not distracted by all the stuff in my office that is a mixture of clutter and piles of things that need to be filed or dealt with.

4. Get out and move your body. I packed up my computer and got on my bike and rode down to the the TeaHouse to work. Just the ride on my bike shifted my energy- almost like magic. Riding my bike feels like flying a bit and as a result I feel lighter. I still have the ride back home in awhile.

5. Listen to uplifting music. I have been sitting with my i pod. I have a playlist of my favorites; all songs that make me feel good. I’m listening to “Across the Universe.” while typing this.

I began to write this blog post early this morning. I put it aside while talking to clients on the phone, getting my creative project done and answering emails. Now it’s 3:00 and I have done all the 5 things above. I feel back to my real self again and I’m sure it’s because of these choices.

ok- here is the creative project I got done today. I am beginning a brand new program called  ”Wednesday Inspiring Biz Tips”. Every Wednesday you will receive a short, sweet and supportive email from me with one tool to help you shift from self-doubt into positive income.

You can be the first to join this free group! Just go to my home page and look on the side bar. I promise that this will be awesome!

What are your five things?  I would love to have you share below plus it would be nice to know I’m not the only one who has these days!

I thought about this last week when I had two people ask me who my ideal client was. Before I tell you how I answered, I want to give you my simple definition of these two categories.

Ideal client: A small business owner who has chosen to get help before spending a heap of money on a new website. ( for ex.)  It is always more fun to work with someone before they make huge mistakes.

My ideal person is committed, really wants help and willing to do the work involved. This person sees the return on investment of hiring me.  In other words- someone who I enjoy  working with! My ideal client is really about me and who I enjoy helping the very most.

Niche client: Is the person powering my core marketing plan. A small/solo business owner who helps other people with their service. They are highly skilled and experts in their field, however they struggle with business decisions, skills and no-how. They need more clients, more cash flow and clearer focus on how to get their business stronger.  It is all about them, not me.

I had to really think about how to answer the questions that were asked of me. Part of my response depends on who is asking me. The first person was a client I had worked with last year. She was wanting to get more marketing clarity. The second person was a potential new client.

For the first person, I explained the difference between ideal and niche to help her understand her own marketing focus. She  was mixing up the two and was focused on her ideal, but was calling it her niche. This is a common challenge service based business owners have because they are thinking about what they want to do. Her  definition was too general as well.

Your niche needs to be a narrow, specific group who you are aiming your marketing toward.

With the second person,

I responded with who my niche client is because I knew that’s what she was asking. She cared about  her own business issues and this is what i needed to speak to.

In order to build a strong, powerful marketing plan you need to learn to really focus on your niche and use this definition as this is who will help you to grow your business. Does this make sense?  Have you been confusing these two things?  I would love to hear your comments.

Free tele-class with more help on this topic!