In another issue of 5 Minute Clarity, we shed light on the decisions that we make.  Do you know the 3 words that every business owner and leader need to avoid using?

The key thought for you to consider today is:

Are you executing what you already know?

It is critical that business owners and business leaders act intentionally each day in this area.  Executing more of what you already know, more consistently, is how you can reach your destination twice as fast with half the effort.

I have just released my new resource called 5 Minute Clarity.   Each week you can use this no cost introspective guide. 5 minutes multiplied by 52 weeks over this year plus your introspection will create a transformed mind. With that stronger mindset, you will be even more productive and a different person by the end of 2012. Imagine what you can accomplish this year…

I invite you to join me on this journey.

Download your copy today. I encourage you to leave your feedback in a comment on the download page.

Is your business “gift wrap” or real substance?

This question was an essential part of Debbie LaChusa’s presentation at the 2011 SuccessNet Summit.  Debbie is known throughout North America and Australia as The Business Stylist® because she helps business owners design a business, brand and marketing that “fit” them perfectly.

I have seen many great marketing and branding presentations throughout the years in a variety of industry settings.  What made Debbie stand out was her real time and real life business experience.  Debbie began her presentation by challenging us to look inward for the answers to the following questions:

What do you truly want?

Why do you want to start a business or be in business?

Do you want your business or someone else’s business?

In her research, Debbie conducted her own survey of hundreds of people to determine what people truly want.  Her findings reported that 6% of respondents ranked money as the top achievement they seek.  9% claim that success is the most critical to them.  The 85% who were left, responded that happiness is the key ingredient that they seek in the recipe called life.

From these results, Debbie compelled us to understand that the responses shown above come from an old societal path that we have walked and accepted.  She noted how so many business owners and people run their life based on a series of should of, could of, have to, what if and only others can (but not me).  I found this to be a unique start to a “marketing & branding” presentation.  Where’s the nuts and bolts of building a successful brand and business?

Debbie noted that most people subscribe to this formula:

Happiness = Success & Money

Debbie then went on to present the new model of she called her Business Success Formula or Happiness²:

Value you bring your clients  +  Packaging  = Success & Money

Happiness squared is derived from value plus how you package and present that value to your clients and customers.  Adding value comes from your ability to solve real problems and deliver tangible outcomes for your clients or for whomever you serve.  This is an excellent reminder for any of us involved in running a business.  I would argue that the same formula would work well in any relationship or household to improve your quality of life.

Debbie then split up the packing of your services into two buckets called marketing and branding.

Marketing by Debbie’s definition is your ability as a business or promoter to make a connection and resonate with the prospect.  You only need 3-4 methods to do this.  Debbie made special mention that video, blogging and social media are easy ways for us to reach, connect and resonate with our audience.  It is critical that you pick the method(s) that you will feel comfortable with and be able to sustain in the long run as part of your messaging.

The word “messaging” arrested my attention.  I feel that many people struggle with the concept of marketing because it is a mammoth sized subject area.  Sometimes it is very vague and we struggle with taking action to improve our marketing strategy because we are distracted.  However, I can think about a message.  A message is singular and has the single task of conveying one specific idea to the audience.

What message do you convey to your audience about your business?

I urge you to think about the 1, 3, 5 or 100 messages you and your business are telling the world about.  Take the time to improve each message one by one or perhaps it may be time to simplify into one strong, powerful and memorable message.

Debbie transitioned immediately into the branding process.  She laid out two very key questions that she has successfully used with her clients to help them rebrand their image and messaging.  These questions are intended to help you define your brand.

1. Who are you?
2. What do you stand for?

What do you think of when you read the list below?

• Martin Luther King
• Lady Gaga
• Madonna
• Oprah
• Trump
• Starbucks
• Disney
• Energizer
• Tiffany & Co

Each person or entity in the list creates very specific reactions from people.  Whether you favour or dislike the list, it is undeniable that each one stands out among the average crowd.

Brand Discovery Process.  What I liked most about Debbie’s content was her style and simplicity of how she presented and categorized the content to create a real experiential learning (and profit) experience for all of us in the room.  This unique process has you answer three distinct questions which if you give enough time and creativity to, will yield tremendous results for you.

1. What do you want to do?
2. What business are you in?
3. What’s your Point of View?

I never had heard the phrase “point of view” used this way in a branding discussion.  Your point of view is similar to a USP or unique selling proposition.  It is the one thing that immediately and quickly separates your value proposition from the rest of the competition.  Think Nike, Domino’s Pizza, Fed Ex, Dairy Queen and other businesses in your area that do this well.

Back to the original question: Is your business “gift wrap” or real substance?

Gift wrap is the trappings we get caught up in and diverts our attention from the substance and value we offer along with the problems we solve.  Your logo, business colors, website, pens, signs, stickers, badges and business cards are components of gift wrap.

Debbie closed by calling us to action to ensure we all present integrity in the substance that our business has to offer.  She also shared with us that significance is success.

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Shane Fielder is The Innovative Samurai and can be found at SamuraiInnovation.com or via Shane@SamuraiInnovation.com.  Samurai Innovation blends the Secrets of the Samurai with cutting edge strategies to sharpen you and your business results.

John kicked off the 2011 SuccessNet Summit with a very powerful, fast moving and thought provoking presentation.  John talked about how each one of us can make dramatic changes in our lives if we commit to “100 Days of Greatness”.  John laid out a plan that can help any of us break through our limitations in order to achieve greater results 100 days from now.  The key element to John’s program is having a goal card in your pocket at all times.  The goal card John handed out is memorable and comes in a protective sleeve so that you can carry it around with you.

The key to the card is having a definite major goal written on the card.  John mentioned that several studies conducted have proven that people who use a goal card accomplish 10 times more than those who don’t.  From the studies, the average is that only 3% of the population has a goal card.

Do you have a goal card?  Do you want to accomplish 10 times more in the next year than you have in the last year?

Afterwards, John shared with us the 5 Basic Principles we can all benefit from by integrating them into our daily actions:

1. Clarity – Knowing exactly what you want and why you want it
2. Belief - In order to achieve more, you will need to OVERCOME two negative beliefs far too many people have accepted so far in life:
   i.      You don’t believe you can pull it off
   ii.      You don’t believe that you deserve it
3. Non-Negotiable Commitment – You need to cement your love of action.  Decide upon something and then commit to actions that will move you closer to it each day
4. Consistency - Most people fall down when they are not doing what they know they should on a regular basis
5. Standards - John asked us if the standards we have for ourselves are acceptable?

John also shared some incredible thoughts that I wrote in my journal and titled “Kanary Bites” that I thought may inspire you to break through your limitations as John taught us to do:

“Reasons come before answers.  You have only one decision to make and that is to choose” – John laid out for us that choice is where we can begin the seeking process.  He urged us to choose a new path, make a definite decision.  Once we do so, the answers we need will begin showing up.

“Everyone wants to make a significant difference, but that will only come when you quit lying to yourself” - There will come a day in our life when we look in the mirror and quit telling ourselves a lie or sharing the same old excuses for why we are not where we want to be.  Perhaps today is that day for you?

“There is no allowance for ignorance” – This statement made me look inward after John’s presentation.  The quote highlights our need to claim personal responsibility for our knowledge, choices and actions.  It is our job to seek out the training, coaching and answers we need to help move forward in life.

“Are you on the 40/40 plan?” – I had never heard of the 40/40 plan before.  John described this as the 40 hours per week for 40 years of work plan.  This came up in John’s segment on raising our wealth consciousness and prosperity.

“So many people tip toe in life hoping we make it comfortably to death” – Did you know that John Kanary and Bob Proctor both started working at the Nightingale Conant company with the late, great Earl Nightingale?  John mentioned this was a phrase that Earl himself shared many times with his employees.  It certainly made me assess whether I am risking things for my dreams, goals and desires or playing it safe hoping to just get by.

“You will only have to do it until you want to do it and then you won’t have to do it any longer” - WOW! The audience asked John to repeat this again and explain it.  John mentioned that we start out sometimes forcing ourselves to do something to move us towards our goal.  After a while and with enough consistency, we begin to want to continue doing the actions until the actions become a part of us.  It is at this point we are free from the “have to” feelings.

I can personally think of many people who have completed massive physical transformations having gone from obese to amazingly fit.  Fitness and healthy living for these folks is now a way of life, not something they just did to drop 60 pounds and then revert back to the poor habits that got them out of shape and overweight.

This brief summary certainly cannot replace the energy and strength that John brought to the attendees of the 2011 SuccessNet Summit, but the key nuggets of wisdom above could be part of your personal growth and business transformation in the coming year.  John closed his presentation by noting that we will never improve beyond the current self-image we have of ourselves.  He urged us all to work on improving the image we hold of ourselves and to break through the limitations we set for ourselves over the next 100 days!