I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of Sean D’Souza or Psychotactics.com. If not, you should! I’ve enjoyed their website, newsletter and products over the years and have found it to have very useful marketing information.

This morning, I got an invitation that said Sean was giving away a workshop he normally sells for $2500. And that he’s doing a test and giving a limited number of copies away absolutely FREE… No charge. This workshop, the Brain Alchemy Masterclass, explains why structure—not marketing—is critical to grow a business effectively. He teaches you how to build your business around YOU, something I’m a HUGE proponent of!

If it’s anything like the other Psychotactics products I own, I know this workshop will create HUGE changes in the way I run and market my business(es)!

A free giveaway like this would normally have a catch of some sort, but this one (strangely) doesn’t. I’ve (of course) signed up to their waiting list, so that I can get my copy of these goodies soon. You should check it out, and if you find it useful, you should get on the waiting list before it’s filled.

I’m sending you this note because I thought this workshop could help you in marketing your VA business. You should check it out and judge for yourself.
Here’s the link: http://www.psychotactics.com/free-goodies

P.S. I read somewhere on the page that there’s a deadline for this free offer, so have a look and decide.

*Disclaimer of transparency: I get absolutely NOTHING for promoting this program (actually, Psychotactics has NO affiliate program!). I’m sharing this with you because I believe what Sean teaches is truly innovative. He’s a down-to-earth, no-nonsense kind of guy. When I signed up for the free Brain Alchemy Masterclass workshop, Sean asked me to share this with people I think would appreciate such an offer. This is what I’m doing!

“Don’t be distracted by criticism. Remember- the only taste of success some people have is when they take a bite out of you.” — Zig Ziglar

Mike Brown over at Brainzooming wrote a short article earlier this year on an alternative to defining your business brand called Have You Tried a ‘Not’ Definition?

Start by asking, “What doesn’t our brand stand for or represent?” By beginning with a “not” definition, you may subsequently be able to more readily express a succinct, targeted definition.

Because I still have branding on the brain and I struggle with nailing down the details, I thought this was a great way to flip branding over on its head.

Hope it helps you get clearer about what you don’t do too!!

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. — Marianne Williamson

Normally, October is Anti-Procrastination Month here on The Savvy Entrepreneur blog. Since all my time is spent working on my new venture, Mompowerment, I decided not to post daily procrastination-beating tips, tricks, resources and suggestions this time ’round.

However, Chris Lloyd was kind enough to submit an article for me to share with you here!

Enjoy!

Planning To Beat Procrastination

Scientists have conducted research into procrastination and what causes it. You can read the report for one study here (pdf), but I’ll try and sum up the results and what they mean for you without all the big scientific words.

The researchers gave two groups of people a task to open a bank account. The researchers made one group think abstract thoughts about the task by asking them to imagine what a bank account can mean for their life. Researchers tried to make the other group think concrete thoughts about the task with questions about the specific steps of opening an account. It probably won’t surprise you to find out that the second group completed the task much quicker than the first group. In some cases, the first group never completed the task.

This contradicts some procrastination advice. People have advised imagining the benefits of completing a goal to get the motivation to overcome procrastination. This research suggests that advice will make your problem even worse. You probably already know the benefits of starting your own business. That’s why you’re reading this blog. Daydreaming about good things that might happen probably won’t help get the job done.

Instead, when you find yourself procrastinating, try and break down the task into smaller, concrete steps. Write them down or just think about them. This will make you more likely to actually do the task. You’ll be on the road to accomplishing your goals instead of just daydreaming about it.

This has been a guest post by Chris Lloyd. He still daydreams more than he should about helping people find great Austin apartments.

Great ability develops and reveals itself increasingly with every new assignment. — Baltasar Gracián

You won’t be successful by accepting to do tasks you don’t enjoy (no matter how good you are at them), and you certainly won’t be any happier.

Keep growing your natural strengths and abilities by choosing to do only those things which “juice” you.

And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful that the risk it took to blossom. — Anaïs Nin

This metaphor can be applied for so many different aspects of our lives. I use it as a powerful image for change in my business.

Holding yourself back hurts you more than it keeps you safe. What are you waiting for?

Words I need to keep repeating to myself:

The vitality of thought is in adventure. Ideas won’t keep. Something must be done about them. — Alfred North Whitehead

[Beware: Grab yourself a fresh cup of coffee or make yourself a green smoothie; This is a long (but important) one.]

Today, I presented Secrets to Using the Know, Like and Trust Factor to Get Clients at the 4th annual Online International Virtual Assistants Convention (OIVAC).

I think I loaded the audience with WAY too much information, but overall I think it went OK!

At the end of my presentation, I apprehensively made my first public announcement about the new direction I’m going. So I thought I’d share it with you here before you hear it from someone else.

[I wanted to write it here first, but I was too busy putting my presentation together -- last minute as usual.]

So… I’m taking my business in a new direction, as I already said.

Since having all 3 kids at home with me full time since January, I’ve been painfully reminded each day that I’m less and less “in the know.”

My days are now spent refereeing parenting, gagging changing diapers, making peanut butter sandwiches cooking, cleaning sticky mystery stains, wiping runny noses, washing pee-saturated garments, and doing the Hokey Pokey playing with my kids. To pretend I’m doing anything other than that, for the sake of appearances or to feed my ego, is just wrong.

At 8pm, when I finally get to put on my ‘ambitious entrepreneur’ hat, I have 3 hours to play catch up, pick up where I left off the night before AND try to make headway.

During that time, I have to squeeze in preparing presentations, going through email, catching up on social media sites, writing blog posts, working on an awesome JV project, coaching/being coached, hosting/attending teleseminars, planning, implementing the plan, and more…

Don’t get me wrong, I still LOVE marketing and I still love the VA industry.

But… (there’s always a but)

… I’m just not in the thick of things like I used to. My finger is no longer on the pulse. It feels forced. And because I’m not tapped into –not keeping up with– the fresh marketing sources coming out each day, I feel like an outdated broken record.

I’ve built my business around sharing and being the go-to person. As such, I’m recognized as a trusted resource for anything having to do with the VA industry. I’m actually doing everyone a disservice by staying on the VA/marketing path, since I know I’m no longer IN the action, at least not in the way I want to be.

So… where does that leave me?

My husband would like me to give up the whole running-a-business-from-home thing and just be happy raising our kids.

Unfortunately (for him), I’m a born businessperson. Being an entrepreneur courses through my entire being. I walk, eat, sleep business. I would rather read a book on kick-butt guerrilla marketing techniques over a novel anytime. A relaxing outing for me is when I can spend long, uninterrupted hours at Chapters pouring over books and magazines from the Business and Self-Help sections.

So… NO! The whole giving-up-of-the-running-a-business thing isn’t happening anytime soon. (Sorry hon!)

Because I’m in a transition phase, it’s hard to know EXACTLY where this path leads. I will tell you what I do know:

1. I’m getting away from the marketing arena. The marketing industry is going through a transition of its own, and I’m just not in the head-space to lead you safely and successfully through it.
2. I want to empower people to be the absolute best human beings they can be, not on anyone else’s terms and not based on what/whom others think they “should” be.
3. My passion is helping people grow from where they are now, by discovering their unique combination of strengths and personality to unlock their true potential.
4. I want to get people excited about their lives and I want to show them how totally awesome they are, just as they are.
5. I want to create a movement.

As you can tell, the details are still vague. What is the exact phrase, term, or title? I don’t know. What will people pay me to do? I don’t know. Will people give me their money doing my thing? I don’t know. Will I be serving women, moms, parents, everyone? I don’t know.

And I’m OK with that.

I do have this burning fire in my chest, aching to just get out there and spread my empowerment message — which I plan to do (more on that in another post).

What does that mean for The Savvy Entrepreneur? I don’t know.

Should I sell/hand it to someone else? Do I keep publishing quotes and random posts about stuff I pick up on marketing? Do I shut it down or do I leave it up to gather cobwebs? Do I archive everything and build a new blog over top? I don’t know. This is all new to me, and I can’t help but be excited about the possibilities!

I’m open to suggestions.

So… that’s the big news going on around here.

I look forward to getting your feedback!

Do you use money as an incentive (like cash discounts) to attract new clients? Science may not be on your side on this one…

Watch as Dan Pink presents his case, then decide.