Most wellness professionals struggle to really grow their business, but they only know one way to bring money in: That’s to charge an hourly rate or a monthly rate.

But there’s another way, which can not only eliminate the periods of feast or famine from your business, but also raise your income AND better serve your clients! This is by moving away from dollars for hours and into creating programs for success!

Now, what do I mean? Imagine working with a client where you BOTH know you’ll be working with him or her for 3, 6, or 12 months. There’s something magic that happens when your client knows they have you for a set period of time.

A few blogs ago, I shared the 6 essentials to starting a thriving wellness business, and one of those ways is to turn away from dollars for hours and towards programs for success, which is what I want to address, today.

How can working with clients in programs be more effective for them, and how can you set that up?

First, here are the ways that working with clients in a program rather than by the hour or by the month better serves your clients to achieve their goals:

• When a client knows they are working with you for a set period of time, they relax and know you are there for them for the duration of the program. This helps them dig into the roadblocks to their success deeper than when you just see them for a visit here and a visit there.
• When you work with a client over a pre-planned period of time, you are able to help them set up short-term and long-term goals that they know you’ll be there with them to achieve. It takes away the uncertainty they have about continuing their work with you.
• When you work with a client in a program instead of by the month, they are able to experience ups and downs without wondering if they should quit. When you work with someone on a per visit basis, or by the month, when they are struggling, they begin to wonder if they should continue or not. What often happens then with clients is they stop working with you because they are struggling, and feel they are failing (we often hear “failing again”).

When you are working with them over a period of time, instead of per visit, they know you are there for them, thick or thin, even when they’re struggling. THIS is the biggest power of working with clients in programs rather than per hour! Quitting no longer becomes an option and for the first time in their lives, they can work THROUGH those roadblocks that have held them back all those years previously. I see it all the time.

So these are great reasons your client will benefit from working with you in a program, but how do you set your programs up?

First - Think about what ultimate outcome your client wants in working with you. That’s the outcome you want to strive for. The ultimate outcome my clients want is a thriving, rewarding practice that represents their life purpose AND be able to enjoy a personal life, too.

Second – In order to take your client from where she/he is now, to where she/he wants to be, how much time would you need to help them achieve that outcome? Often it’s 3 months, 6 months or even a year. Most of my clients work with me for 6-12 months in order to achieve their goals.

Third – In that length of time, how often would you like to see them or work with them? And, while you’re thinking about it, would that mean working with them in person or virtually? Even for healthcare, working with clients virtually is an option, today. I work with all of my clients virtually, although I do have a live option for my intensive coaching service.

Fourth – Now create your programs. If you wanted to offer all three options, such as a 3 month, 6 month and 12 month program, start with your 12 month program and ask yourself about all the services and offerings you would include in that program. This should be the ‘whole enchilada‘ as we say out west. It might include a live or virtual supermarket tour, or some special sessions, or meal planning sessions.

Fifth – Once you have your programs determined, then look to take out some of what you offer in your 12 month program and term them as ‘bonuses’ and remove some from your 6 and 3 month programs. Your 12 month program should offer services not available to the shorter programs. Now, if you wanted to offer them as ‘a la cart’ add-on’s, that’s fine! But if you don’t want to just offer them to the public, price them so it makes more sense to sign up for a longer program.

Sixth – Now it’s time to price your programs. This is when you WILL look at what you want to make per hour for your time. Let’s say it’s $100/hour (which is the going rate for dietitians around the country). Consider your 12 month program first, and calculate out ALL the time you would spend either working with, or working on, everything you do like to do for that client. This would include reading emails, calculating out meal plans, planning a supermarket shopping tour, actually talking to a client, etc, etc, etc. Once you have that time all calculated out, then do the math for the full program.

Something important to remember, here: When you price your 3 month and 6 month programs, they should not just be 1/4 or 1/2 of the 12 month program. There should be an incentive for your clients to sign up for the 12 month program.

You’re set! Make it happen, now, and move away from periods of feast or famine, raise your income level and help your clients achieve greater levels of success!

Let me know how it goes!

Margie
MEG Enterprises, Inc

Do you need help setting up your programs? Or maybe just setting up your BUSINESS! It’s not too late to join us in the Business Basics 101 90 Day Mastermind program, where you’ll have a mentor who will show you what to do, how to do it, and in what order, so that your business is up and running AND you start getting clients, in 90 days or less! Click here to learn more and sign up.

Many wellness professionals hear the term “brand”, but they don’t really know what it is. The best simple explanation comes from The Branding Blog, who explains it this way: “A brand is a source of a promise to its customers. It promises relevant differentiated benefits.” And your brand should be consistent, no matter what it’s for.

In a previous blog, I addressed the 8 essentials to starting a thriving wellness business. I then addressed the first essential, your niche, in a more detailed blog.

Today, I’m going to help you develop your wellness brand, so that you can easily, and authentically, attract a HOARD of ideal clients.

Step 1: Identify what you’re all about, no matter what.

Forget what you offer for the moment. What do you STAND for? What beliefs do you hold, no matter who you work with or what you are doing? For me, I empower people to create their dreams. It used to be to help them create the health of their dreams, but today it’s creating the businesses of their dreams. It is your big vision of what you want to be known for, irregardless of the specifics. It’s what you’re really good at, that you also have a passion for. But, again, without the specifics!

Step 2: Describe, in one sentence, what the ultimate outcome is of your ideal client.

Since you’ve already determined who that ideal client is, from my blog on niche, you should know this. In order to attract that HOARD of ideal clients, you need to be able to do this easily and succinctly. They need to know you ‘get’ them. It needs to spell out the results they’ll get, which fits with their needs and wants.

The ultimate outcome for my ideal clients is they want clarity and focus so they can create prosperity.

Step 3: Spell out your system in tangible and results-oriented language.

As an example, my system is “7 Steps to 6-Figure Success“. It’s simple and you quickly know what I’m offering. It makes my coaching and consulting much more tangible; something you can grab hold of.

Once you have these three steps figured out, you then can create your tag line and your physical look, which then lends itself to creating your logo, website and overall presence. The next steps are to work with a color expert who can help you further represent your brand. You can spend time on my site and see my colors and style. In my ‘about‘ section, you can see a picture of me, that represents what I’m all about. I actually did work with a color and style professional, Kailash Sozzani. My tag line fits me well, which encompasses everything I believe: “With vision and planning, you can accomplish anything you can imagine.” I developed my brand with the help of a team, however. When it comes to developing our own brand, we tend to have blinders on, so we need others to help us see our strengths and pull out what we’re all about.

Developing your brand is your key to growing a name for yourself, be it locally, nationally or internationally. It really is the key to attracting your ideal clients, which leads to your success, which thus leads to you making a HUGE difference on the health of the world.

Work on each of these steps, and then share with me how you do!

Margie
MEG Enterprises, Inc.

Do you struggle with developing your brand? Not sure how to really get started? This is one of the 6 areas you’ll walk away with in the Mastermind group starting on May 16, 2012. To learn about “Business Basics 101: How to Create Business Success in 90 Days“, go here.

I love the Shark Tank! It is a show that brings entrepreneurs in front of five venture capitalists, all who try to get one or more of these very successful business professionals to invest in their venture.

One of those investors is Barbara Corcoran, who started her business with a loan of $1,000 in 1973 and sold it for $66 million in 2001. She did a presentation for Inc. Women’s Summit in NYC in 2011 on her 8 lessons for entrepreneurs. Here is the link to watch these lessons.

I’d like to share how wellness professionals can use these lessons that she talks about in a very entertaining way.

Lesson #1: Perception creates reality.

This has a lot to do with mindset, and what to do to create what you want to become. Think about where you want to go, instead of where you are. Keep the eye on the goal! For your wellness business, stop thinking about the clients or contracts you do NOT have. Start envisioning exactly what you DO have. Ask yourself, “What would a thriving business professional do?” and then DO it! Fear will only hold you back.

Lesson #2: Everybody wants what everybody wants.

The lesson here is to CREATE demand and all entrepreneurs are in sales!! This is a key piece to marketing, you create demand and you also create scarcity. No one is interested in what there’s no interest in. You must CREATE the demand for what you offer! For your wellness business, decide what service, program or class you want to offer and create the campaign that builds up a feeding frenzy! Make offers that will stimulate interest by limiting the number of seats or spots available, and provide an incentive to sign up now, and get the word out as if your life depended on it.

Lesson #3: Expand before you’re ready.

I have said this for the last few years! The best time to expand your business is when the economy is poor. This cuts the competition, and many services and products are cheaper, because people are struggling. It also boosts your brand, because you’re in front of the competition. Wellness professionals are cautious. They are afraid to spend, they are afraid to hire, they are afraid to step out of their comfort zone! Thus, most of them stay small or can never leave their business, because of that fear and that ‘safety’. Thus, the advice for you is to step out of your comfort zone and do what’s necessary to grow! This usually means investing.

Lesson #4: Shoot the dogs early.

The way I have learned this lesson, myself, is to make sure that everyone on my team is making me money AND are focused on how they can help me grow. Otherwise, we need to let them go. I’ve seen too many people struggle to try to fit INTO their own team. It costs you money when you expend energy trying to get your team behind you and your success! And that energy weighs you down, so not only does it impact your business, but also impacts the enjoyment of your life. A big part of what I help clients to is set up the criteria for who, when and what they need when they’re ready to bring on team.

Lesson #5: People are either expanders or containers.

This has a lot to do with team, again. But the way I relate to this is to be very clear what you need, and what type of person you need in that position. Granted, Barbara does this differently than I teach my clients: I suggest FIRST being very clear what you need and the type of person (and personality and strengths) you need in that position, THEN hunt for the person. Barbara did things differently.

Lesson #6: Recognition motivates more than money.

We read this in all leadership materials! And I studied this issue while in business school. Sure, people want to be paid what they feel they’re worth, but give people recognition, and they will bend over backwards to continue to perform. But, the other point is that when you recognize other people in a team, it sets up the drive of others to also succeed.

Lesson #7: Fun is good for business.

This lesson relates to employees, which creates a corporate culture for your business. But when you listen to lesson #7, note the buzz she created in her industry. As a wellness professional, perhaps what you can do is create events, virtual or live, that build buzz. My marketing team is always pushing me to insert more fun into my own brand. This is why we created Biz!

Lesson #8: You have the right to be there.

Basically, the lesson here is the same as my book, “Just Jump“! You have to take a chance in order to achieve your dreams! I love what Barbara says; when you’re afraid, to remind yourself that you have just the same amount of right to be there as anyone else! As a health professional with a lot of education, you have MORE right to success than so many others! Imagine if there were no fear of failure, then what would you do? Do that!

Take each of these lessons. Write them down, and then determine how you’ll implement. It’s one thing to just read this, or to listen to Barbara’s videos; it’s another to take action on them! If success is your desire, and impacting the health of the world is your life purpose, then you need to step forward and make things happen for yourself!

Let me know which of these 8 lessons you’ll implement FIRST!

Margie
MEG Enterprises, Inc.

Do you struggle with implementing? Do you have a business that’s not getting off the ground? Or maybe you still are thinking about your business idea, but aren’t taking any action. If that’s the case, come join us in Business Basics 101 and get clients in 90 days or less, and start YOUR path to success! To learn more, click here.

Many health and wellness professionals struggle with exactly how to start a business that will thrive. And thrive sooner rather than later! You really don’t want to spend years growing a business to the point where it will support you really well! You want it supporting you QUICKLY!

In my last blog, I shared the 6 essentials to starting a thriving wellness business, which includes creating your niche, developing your brand, moving away from dollars for hours and into programs for success, breaking through money roadblocks, getting comfortable with sales and marketing, and learning the nuts and bolts of starting a business.

Today’s blog is all around creating your niche.

What is a niche?

Your niche is more than just identifying and speaking to your ideal client. It’s combining what you you love to do with solving the problems your ideal client has!

Why you want a niche

Although many people realize they need a niche, they still resist having to CHOOSE a niche as soon as you tell them they have to CHOOSE, period! Many health professionals want to see everyone! That is more based on fear than just wanting to work with everyone. They think that they won’t be able to adequately grow their business if they don’t work with everyone.

However, when you are crafting your marketing materials (elevator speech, website content, even your blogs and other promotional materials), you have to speak to someone, not everyone! You want your audience to hear your message and feel what you have to say! If you’re speaking to “Generic Joe”, no one will hear you! When you’re clear and focused on who you are speaking to, your audience will see that you ‘get’ them and respond! If someone outside your ideal client tribe contacts you, you can STILL see them!

How to create a niche

If you follow these simple 6 steps, you will be on your way to filling your practice:

1 – Ask yourself what business you’re in, no matter what you offer. Remove yourself from this service or that. Even remove yourself from the details of what you offer. What is the big picture of what you are all about. For me, I empower people to create the businesses of their dreams. It’s that simple.

2 – Choose a lucrative category of groups you would like to work with. This is a large category, such as do you want to work in the health/wellness industry, helping people look or feel better? Or maybe you’d like to work with companies in corporate wellness. It might be another large category I didn’t mention.

3 – Narrow down that large lucrative category into specific tribes of ideal clients. It’s time to look at the people in that tribe. Examples that fit into the above group might be a corporate woman who wants to lose 50 pounds or more, or a particular company with 100-200 employees. It might even be a new mom who wants to lose the baby fat, or a 40-year-old family man who is newly diagnosed with diabetes. Do NOT be afraid to narrow it down that closely!

4 – Identify the marketing language. Now you need to imagine that you’re following that person around or the company around.

Answer these questions:
A: Who is it? (hint: it’s what you came up with in step 3)
B: What problem are they experiencing? Imagine following them around from the moment they get up in the morning until they go to bed at night. It should be a big list.
C: What solution do they want instead (actually the mirror image of the problem)? This should also be a big list.
D: What do they need to learn, know or do to resolve their problem? Another big list.
E: What is the ultimate outcome they want?
F: WHY do they want that outcome? This is the HUGE reason!

5 – Now you want to ask yourself some questions to see if this is actually a niche that will pay the bills.

There are five questions to address:
A: Is the niche big enough to be viable? It needs to be a population of at least 10,000 or larger.
B: Do your services flow with the mindset of the culture of this market, or against it? Some services are more popular with particular audiences than others. If you don’t know the answer to this for your tribe, do your research.
C: How important do people within this niche rank solving the problem they have? If you were to base it on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being highest, it should be ranked at least a 6 for it to be a viable tribe.
D: Do the people within this niche invest in things of a similar nature to what you offer? If not, why would they invest in you?
E: Do you love this audience? I’ve actually had people stop right here and say, “Well, not really.” If that’s the case, you do NOT want to put more energy and time (which is money) into this niche!

6 – Now you want to create a sentence that includes all the parts from step 4, starting with A and ending with F. When people do this step, they are amazed at how it all comes together! It also helps you narrow down to the most important problems, solutions and things they must do.

Once you have completed this exercise, you have the wording for your website and in your sentence from step 6, you have your elevator speech! Now sit down and get your website created or updated and get clients! This process really will help you fill your practice!

Margie
MEG Enterprises, Inc.

Do you struggle with YOUR niche? Does this process seem too overwhelming? Then join us for the “Business Basics 101: How to grow your business in 90 Days or Less” Mastermind group! Sign up today for Early Decision offer.

I hear it all the time from people who dream of stepping out to build the business of their own. They want to enjoy living a fulfilling life that includes not only doing exactly what they LOVE to do, but working the ideal schedule AND having lots of free time to spend with family and friends.

In fact, even though many of them dream of this, few know how to make it happen! And some even don’t think it’s really possible. They think it’s just a pipe dream.

Well, no, it’s NOT a pipe dream! I help people turn this dream into reality all the time! Today I’d like to FIRST address the 6 essentials to starting a thriving wellness business, and then in upcoming blogs, I’d like to break each step down into more specifics. Reading these blogs will get you on your way to creating the dream that’s just in your head right now.

6 essentials to starting a thriving wellness business:

Essential #1 – Creating the niche that will draw unlimited clients to you

You’ve all heard it before; you have to have a niche! But what IS a niche and how in the world can you create YOURS? A niche is more than just your ideal clients; it’s what makes YOU unique, combined with the problems you solve for your ideal clients. I walk readers through a process in my book, “Just Jump“, where I have them close their eyes and imagine their ideal person sitting across from them. Do this now: Is that person male or female? What age is that person? The age really impacts what their issues are. At certain ages, whether they are male or female impacts how you work with them, too. Is there a particular health issue you particularly enjoy working with? That is your passion.

Essential #2 – Developing your brand that spreads your name across the nation… OR the world!

This is also something you hear about: You have to develop your brand! But what IS a brand? A brand is your consistent message and look and feel, no matter what you offer. All of your services should be based on your consistent message and brand. But developing it can be really challenging for people at first. But when you find it, it’s like a key fitting into a lock! You hear the click! What is true about you, no matter what? What is your style? What are you really good at? That’s the start of your brand. I address this in my book, also, in the chapter about your “Unique Essence.”

Essential #3 – Turning away from dollars for hours and towards programs for success

It breaks my heart when I read or hear from wellness professionals “This is what ___ professionals charge around the country.” It’s as if that belief has become the RULE! But it isn’t a rule! And it’s a limiting paradigm that holds wellness professionals (dietitians, nutritionists, physical therapists, nurse practitioners, personal trainers) back! Why not move away from dollars for hours and set up a way to work with clients that sets the stage for expectations that change their lives! We all know that working with someone in a visit here and a visit there does NOT change their way of thinking of their health! It actually just problem-solves in the short term. If you were to create a program that spanned a length of time, what would that look like?

Essential #4 – Breaking through your money roadblocks

What are your beliefs around money that are holding you back from truly thriving in your wellness business? Do you instantly feel resistance around the discussion about making SUPER money? If so, even if you don’t believe it, you’re holding yourself back! Where do those beliefs come from, though? We all go through life thinking we have a great grasp on the opportunity to change the health of the world, but then too many health professionals struggle just to pay the utilities! Uncovering your own limiting money clutter uncovers the limits to your success. And if you can’t achieve REAL success, you can’t make the impact on the health of the world you envision.

Essential #5 – Sales mojo for unlimited success

When you read the word “sales,” what comes up for you? As a wellness professional, it’s probably not a POSITIVE thought, huh? But why is that? Because we all think of the used car salesman (sorry to you used car salesmen!); it’s “push marketing” instead of a more authentic and gentle “pull marketing” process. Would you like to feel a sense of joy instead of dread when talk to someone about your services? From now on, think of what you would like to know about them, instead of what you want to tell them about you and what you have to offer. Instead of talking, ask questions when someone calls to ask what you have to offer.

Essential #6 – Nuts and bolts of starting up your dream business

Everyone starting a wellness business has tons of questions around the actual start-up phase. What are the most important things? Well, first, you need to decide what type of business structure you want to be. It can always start as just a sole proprietorship, which is the easiest and cheapest form of structure. You can always change, later. Then you need to set up a separate bank account. Don’t try to combine your personal finances with your business finances. Next you must determine how you will take payment. This is critical! Without incoming revenue, you have no business! Where will you see clients? WHEN will you see clients? If you don’t set your boundaries from the beginning, you will not have a life. And part of why you’re starting your own business to begin with is to have a life! There are many more nuts and bolts, but these will get you started.

Becoming clear what your essentials are for your business will open up more possibilities in your mind around actually turning your business dreams into business reality. I encourage you to write these down and answer the questions that come up for you as you read this! And then come on here and share what comes up for you and what you NOW will do, as a result of your new mindset!

Margie
MEG Enterprises, Inc.

Would you like an easy, done-for-you process to work through all of these essentials with a mentor who will not only challenge and support you, but also hold you accountable? And all in just 90 days? Come join us in the “Business Basics 101: How to Create Business Success in 90 Days” 90-Day Mastermind program. To learn more and sign up, go here.

How many times have you had an idea for really taking advantage of an opportunity to start or grow your wellness business, but don’t take action?

We all have tons of ideas. In fact, I have my clients create an opportunity booklet, so all of the ideas they come up with are written down. But there’s been hundreds of wellness professionals who have said “I’ve been thinking about starting my business for years, but something keeps happening to hold me back.”

Does that sound like you?

We sit back and don’t take charge when we’re uncertain as to what to do, or we’re afraid. It might be fear of failure. It might even be fear of success. When people are honest, I actually hear a bigger fear of success than failure!

Regardless of the root of the fear, often the biggest reason is because people are afraid to let go of what they know and step into something new and uncertain. Because I work with so many perfectionists,this is a HUGE roadblock!

So, how DO you take charge of your life, instead of sitting back and let it pass you by, letting your dreams pass by, too? It’s a much greater sorrow to look back at life with regrets of not striving for a dream than jumping for it and not making it… at first.

Let’s take a look at 3 ways you can overcome that fear of the unknown and step onto your platform of success:

First, decide what you want.

This is easier said than done, huh? People often tell me “I don’t KNOW what I want!” BUT, I don’t believe them! I trust that they DO know, but they’re afraid to go for it! Sometimes their fear is that it might not be the ‘right’ thing. But, SOMETHING is better than nothing! So, when you read “decide what you want,” pick the first thing that comes to mind when you read that. Trust yourself.

As success coach Dr. Philip E. Humbert said in his piece “Top 10 traits of highly successful people,” successful people “..make decisions and move on.” You can ALWAYS change your mind, later, but first you have to make UP your mind!

Second, decide on your first action to make what you want happen.

Again, don’t worry about if it’s the RIGHT first thing. For YOU, it’s the right first thing. All businesses do things differently. It’s the IN-action that does more harm than what might be perceived (get that?) the wrong action.

Third, acknowledge yourself for FINALLY taking action!

I still remember when I did a ropes course, many years ago. I did great climbing up this 30 foot pole, even as it swayed in the wind and rain of an oncoming hurricane. But when I got to the top and realized I had to let go of the rings of the pole in order to step up on the tiny platform, I froze! It was the anticipation that I’d do it wrong! But once I let go of both the rings AND the fear, and just accepted that any action was better and no action, I succeeded in standing up on that platform!

What do YOU want, more than anything? What is the first step you’re going to take to make it happen? Let me know!

Margie
MEG Enterprises, Inc.

Do YOU struggle with that uncertainty and mental chaos that leads to inaction? When will you really step forward onto YOUR platform? Come join us for the Business Basics 101 90-Day Mastermind program for those who are “thinking about it” or “start-up” phase of a wellness business. Sign-ups are being taken, now. To learn more, go to http://www.meg-enterprises.com/classes/business-basics-101

Do you ever wonder what people who are really successful do differently than those who continue to struggle?

It’s routines!

I’ve seen it over and over and over again: A person pays lip service to the dream of living a life of freedom and success, yet I can’t get them to focus or settle down to actually ACCOMPLISH anything! And when I ask them every few months how things are going, they are STILL talking about that dream, without taking action. I can’t accept these types of people as clients until they’re ready, and this indicates to me that they are not ready.

If this sounds like you, I challenge you to sit down and write down what it is you want and then read it back to yourself. Then, go back to the last blog to determine how you’ll turn that dream into reality. THEN create your routine to put your plan of action into play.

For years, people have told me that they don’t know how I get so much done all the time. It’s because I am very focused and I incorporate routine into my days! You can ask me at any time what my Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will look like, and I can tell you, based on the day of week. As an example, today is Monday, which is a day I coach clients and is also the day I write my blogs for the week. This is how I have built a 6-figure business coaching business from my home office.

What does YOUR routine look like? If you don’t have one, it’s time for you to change how you do things, if you want to achieve success in your wellness business.

How DO routines help?

First, think about this quote: “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” – Jim Rohn

The point is you have to develop some type of discipline in order to achieve the success you desire. I know that if *I* don’t stay very focused on what I have to achieve each day, I end the day feeling defeated and restricted in my sense of accomplishment for the day. But, when I have a plan, and a routine for how to achieve it, my day ends on a SUPER note of success!

Second, routines help by setting expectations for yourself.

One thing that Mark and Angel Hack say in their blog, “12 things successful people do differently, is that”… successful people focus on being productive, not busy. Personally, I want to be as productive as possible, so I can PLAY, not work all the time!

When you have set expectations, you then want to achieve them through your actions, which makes you focus. When I totally set my mind on accomplishing a particular task, AND I close off all other distractions, I get that task done, every single time!

Third, routines help you develop habits for success.

Habits for success? Why not? We really can develop habits for failure OR habits for success, just by our actions! If you set up expectations for yourself, you really have set the stage for creating habits. Often we think of ‘healthy habits’ when we think of our wellness clients. Well, I’m here to propose that we also can set up ‘success habits.’ Just think of them as habits, period. Then ask yourself what habit must you FIRST develop in order to achieve the success you want for the day.

These are simple ways routines can lead to success for YOUR wellness business! Now you just have to implement to make it all happen! Let me know how it goes and what you struggle with.

Margie
MEG Enterprises, Inc.

Do YOU struggle with focus, clarity, habits and routines? Are you stumped as to how to take your business to the next level and feel what you really need is a mentor who can hold your hand and guide you along the way? There is still time to apply for the ONE opening in the MEG Enterprises Diamond-level, coaching service. To learn more, email Support.

Last time I mentioned that I had just read a great blog by Brant Secunda and Mark Allen on how to use structure to boost your fitness motivation, and because I work with wellness professionals and fitness professionals who want to grow a thriving business, maybe even from their home office, I included it in my weekly newsletter last Tuesday. While I read it, however, I couldn’t help but look at each of their points and see how they could be applied to business! So, this is the second blog based on their tips to help wellness professionals create thriving wellness businesses.

I often hear from people that they don’t want to be a slave to a schedule. That they can’t stick to it, anyway. So they just “go with the flow” because they are intuitive and that just fits better for them.

Well, that’s all well-and-good, but if you are someone who resists setting a schedule, how much are you really getting done?

If I want to go out and play and STILL easily grow a multi-6-figure business, I HAVE to implement a well-thought through schedule! This doesn’t mean it needs to be cut in stone, or minute-by-minute. Each person needs to determine what works best for them. But it DOES mean planning your day and setting small goals to achieve.

Let’s then look at the 4 steps to setting up a schedule that will set you free:

1 – Clarify the time you have available to work on projects.

Pull out your calendar. What does your day look like? If you prefer, you can look at the week. It all depends on what works better for you. Some people can’t plan more than a day at a time. If that’s you, you’ll want to look at tomorrow in order to plan your schedule. Unless you’re reading this in the early morning, today is already too late for you to really be productive. If you have client sessions scheduled already, look at the time you have before or after clients, or between clients. I usually need a nice block of time for my creative work, but I can use small blocks of time for checking email or social media (with a timer!). I prefer to plan my upcoming day’s goals the end of the previous day, because I’m never sure how much I’ll complete each day. Regardless, be clear what large or small blocks of time you have available to you.

2 – Clarify your ‘to-dos’.

I shared in the last blog the importance of creating goals and even how to do it, so I’m not going to go into detail, here. But you DO need to set daily goals. For me, today, it’s to write 2 blogs and to complete my sales copy for a new service and to create a promotional email for an opening in my Diamond program. I have clients today, too.

3 – Prioritize your ‘to-dos’.

Without prioritizing your goals for the day, you won’t know how to move forward with your schedule. For me, first on my list of priorities is to complete my blogs. I do this first thing in the morning on Mondays before checking email or coaching calls because I get distracted very easily. Second on my priority list is to check email. I can do this about 30 minutes before coaching calls because then I have something that will push me to end, so I’m prepared and energetically ready for my clients.

4 – Decide how to handle your ‘to-dos’.

Everyone does this differently, so you need to determine what works better for you, again. Some people plan exactly when they’ll do what, more based on the time they have available. Others will start with #1 on their priority list and work down their list in the blocks of time they have. Regardless of how you do it, the key is to now work on the ‘to-dos’ to get things done.

You now have a system that can help you get things done! Close off your distractions and get busy! I’d love to hear how it goes for you.

Margie
MEG Enterprises, Inc.

Do YOU struggle with how to be productive in your day? If so, you would benefit from “6 Figure Time Success Secrets.” Learn how to save time so you can make more money, today!

I just read a great blog by Brant Secunda and Mark Allen on how to use structure to boost your fitness motivation, and because I work with wellness professionals and fitness professionals who want to grow a thriving business, maybe from their home office, even, I included it in my upcoming weekly newsletter. While I read it, however, I couldn’t help but look at each of their points and see how they could be applied to business! So, I thought I’d write a few blogs motivated from their tips to help wellness professionals create thriving wellness businesses.

Today, let’s look at the 5 ways goals help you build a thriving wellness business:

1 – Set your BIG goal.

You’ve heard me say this before. If you don’t know where you’re going, how can you get there! What is the purpose of all that time you spend working on growing your business each day if you don’t have something to show for it by the end of the day? Sit down and write down your ONE big goal. It might be a goal for the year. An example could be “I will bring in $50,000 in revenue this year.” Once you’ve written it down, it suddenly feels real!

2 – Break down your BIG goal.

Once you’ve created your BIG goal, in order for you to make it happen, you have to break down your big goal into smaller pieces. You might not know exactly how you’re going to achieve this bigger goal right now, but when I ask you, “What do you need to do to make that happen?” things start to come up for you. Examples might be that you need a website, you need a way to capture visitors, you need to create your programs, you need to develop your marketing materials. Yes, for a start-up, the list CAN feel endless! But writing them down can help you organize it all.

3 – Prioritize your small goals.

Now you need to determine what has to happen FIRST! This is hard to know when you haven’t done it before. And the ideal way to determine this is by working with a coach who can guide and support you. However, this step is so critical that you might find yourself paralyzed with uncertainty, and NO action is worse than what feels like the WRONG action! In fact, there IS no wrong action! If you don’t work with a coach, at least find a friend who you can talk through your priorities with. Just ask yourself, with each small goal, what is the FIRST thing you need to do to achieve that goal?

4 – Create your action plans from your small goals.

Now you know what has to happen first. Putting down how you’re going to make it happen is essential to successfully achieving each of your goals. Working on each action plan for the smaller goals will help you take incremental steps towards your BIG goal. Again, thinking through how you will make each goal happen will help you create your action plans. When I work with my clients around this area, we map out exactly what they will do and when on their marketing calendar. We create a creative model of a marketing plan where they are clear what their objectives are (for example, how many clients they want), what specific marketing strategies they will use (networking, email, events, etc), and when they will implement each strategy.

5 – Take action on your plan.

Yes, once you have the goals listed, prioritized and planned out, you have to actually DO IT! Your actions won’t happen by themselves. The easiest way to move forward is to literally keep your plan close at hand, have your daily schedule organized so you block out time to work on those actions, and you will see progress!

This is how I move forward daily with every small goal I have, in order to achieve my yearly BIG goal. This is how I have built a 6-figure business from my home office! And I know this works for others, because I witness their success when I work with them. I’d love to hear how YOUR progress goes by following this simple guide.

Margie
MEG Enterprises, Inc.

Do YOU want to build your business to 6 figure success? Margie has ONE spot open for her high-end, Diamond Prosperity Secrets Platinum coaching service. She is taking applications at this time. To learn about the Prosperity Secrets Platinum program, click here. Diamond is open to application process, only, and includes added exclusive access and services in addition to the Prosperity Secrets Platinum service. If you would like to receive an application to set up a Diamond Strategy Call, email Julie.

A colleague and I are currently putting the finishing touches on a 6-week webinar series we’re offering to wellness professionals and we just held a free preview call to showcase it.

We were QUITE successful at filling the preview call with HUNDREDS of people registered! How did we make it happen and how can YOU make it happen? Here are the lessons we learned:

1 – Create a plan and a schedule. You need to give yourself plenty of time. You need to create the website with compelling website text. You need an easy way for people to sign up for what you have to offer. You need to create your materials and if you’re doing a PowerPoint show, put your slides together. You must be clear what platform you’re using to present your webinar. Then you must have a promotional plan. There are a lot of pieces that go along with putting on a multi-week event. The better you plan in advance, the more enjoyable the experience will be for you.

2 – KNOW you will EXCEED your goals! When we know something, we act ‘as if’. As a consequence, if we KNOW we will not meet our goals, we’ll be right. If we KNOW we will meet our goals, we will. If we KNOW we will exceed our goals, we’ll find ourselves expanding and expanding and expanding them.

3 – Market as if you want TEN times your goal. If you want 30 people in your webinar, why not shoot for 300? If you end up with 100, you won’t be disappointed then! If you only have space for a limited number of people, wouldn’t it be nicer to have a waiting list than not fill your event?

4 – Be fearless in your marketing. So often we’re afraid of bothering people. But, as I said above, everyone is really busy! So, even if you are emailing, messages get lost or ignored. Thus, they miss what you have to offer to them! And, it might be JUST what they need! It still amazes me that people are also hesitant to post regularly on social media. Trust me; if you posted every hour you will NOT show up too often to your audience! Stop worrying about bothering people and start marketing as if you were fearless.

5 – Tell EVERYONE! Even if your market for your event is a very tight niche, don’t ignore people you consider OUTSIDE that audience! People know people AND there might be someone else who would LOVE to learn what you have to offer!

6 – Always expect a rush of last-minute attendees. It seems everyone waits until the last minute. As a planner, I don’t get it. BUT, we are all extremely busy, so often people don’t pay attention until the last minute.

7 – Have a plan for HOW to handle the last-minute attendees! This was a biggie for us, because so many people decided, 15 minutes before the event, to register! This is why the most important thing to offer is an audio recording of your event. This way no one misses out.

8 – Make a special offer for those who attend live. People need carrots to entice them to take action. In your event, offer a bonus handout or a free tip that they can ONLY get if they attend the event.

9 – Be clear what you want them to do NEXT. Our event was a preview event. This means it was a free webinar to showcase our full series on the same topic. People were offered a bonus handout that gave them specifics about the industry we were discussing, as well as a special offer code for those interested in our full series.

10 – Expect stragglers who couldn’t get into the event. This happens every time. They either lost the email in their spam folder, or they don’t have what they need on their computer to join the event. Be patient and have a plan for how to handle these issues. Think “Raving Fans” rather than ignore them as ignorant bothersome people.

11 – Create your plan for staying in touch after the event. Don’t just let the people who gave you their time drop off the face of the earth! You owe these people your appreciation. Also, these could be potential future clients! Make sure how you will stay in touch with them, perhaps separately from your main mailing list.

When you decide to offer a webinar, you naturally want it full. Follow these simple tips and you won’t be disappointed. And I’d LOVE to hear how it goes!

Margie
MEG Enterprises, Inc.

Are you a wellness professional who would like to learn how to expand into the supermarket industry? Come join Margie Geiser and Cindy Silver in this 6-week course that provides you with a step-by-step guide to success. Click here to learn more and to listen to the free preview call.