Recently, I received a phone call from a woman who has been part of my online community for several years and who had contacted me a year earlier as well. She had attended many of my free trainings and left appreciative comments on my blog. Curious, I checked out her website and saw that since our conversation a year earlier she had made little progress and was still at the starting gate. She hadn’t taken any of what she’d learned and applied it to making her website professional looking and attractive to prospects. She didn’t even have an opt-in form. And according to Google’s ranking system, she had no ranking and no visibility.

When we spoke she told me that she thought she might finally be ready for coaching. I asked her what had changed. She said that she just wasn’t making much money and was tired of working for practically nothing. I asked her what she had done to make progress since we had spoken before and what she had done to put into action all she learned from my free trainings. She admitted that she hadn’t done much differently but had appreciated the information and learning. I asked what was holding her back and she said she didn’t really know. She just felt stuck and confused and discouraged.

When we dug further we discovered that she was facing some roadblocks and beliefs that were stifling her business growth. First of all, she didn’t believe in herself enough to invest in her business. She treated it like a hobby and deep down didn’t have the confidence that making crucial investments in coaching, education, technology and marketing would yield real results. She also suffered from poor money health. She charged too little, was in debt, barely paid her bills each month, and had relied on her ex-husbands income until they divorced. Now she was on her own and financially lost.

These entrepreneurial mindset roadblocks were stopping her from stepping into her power, saying yes to opportunities, getting the help she needed, and most of all they paralyzed her and prevented her from taking action. No action equals no results.

At this point in the conversation there were tears because sometimes the truth hurts, but it can also set you free. We agreed that for her to move forward there would be some discomfort and fear but that’s where you find growth. And she found a way to sign up for coaching to get her business on track. She was finally ready for a breakthrough. She was finally ready to step away from playing the part of the little girl dependent on others and step into being the powerful, brilliant, talented and independent woman she was capable of being.

I often meet brilliant women who are in the same situation. They have lots of knowledge but don’t know what to do with it. So they don’t take action. I get it because I was there too. For many years when I was in my 30’s and early 40’s I spent more time focusing on my late husband’s brilliance as a chef and building his reputation then I did on my own talent as an entrepreneur. He never really even asked me to do that. What’s up with that? Once I had my “aha” moment I was so scared because it meant I had to go after my dream and not someone else’s. That breakthrough eventually led to the successful business and financial independence I enjoy today, but it was hard won.

Each year I invest thousands into my business and I get a better return on the investment than I ever would in the stock market! If I’m not stepping out of my comfort zone, I’m on default. If I ever start feeling defeated or like a victim it’s a warning sign that I need to step right back into my powerful, confident self. It means I take 100% responsibility for the results I get.

If you find yourself working to get everything just right before you take action and start promoting yourself, that’s a warning sign that you’re scared someone might not respond to what you offer. Yet only when you have the courage to boldly state your position, what you believe and what you offer, will you start to see real money and wonderful clients flowing into your business.

For me, the tool that keeps me in my power is meditation where I can reconnect with the part of myself that is beyond my daily experiences and is my deepest knowing. This is the place where I find a well of joy, confidence and endless creative ideas. It’s also where I summon the courage to take action. Then I get the help and support I need and I meet my goals.

You can read this and keep doing what you’re doing, or you can read this and say, “This is the day, my day, when I start to change”. Which will it be?

However, are you taking a similar approach to other life and business situations? All of us have blind spots. Maybe it’s in a relationship that’s having problems, maybe it’s around keeping in shape and healthy. But without a doubt most of us have blind spots in our businesses.

These blind spots can cause you to keep doing things even though they aren’t working. Are you working hard and not getting the results you want? Chances are you’ve got a blind spot. Most often, I see people trying to market their business in a way that just doesn’t work simply because they don’t know what they don’t know. You may be trying certain marketing activities and assuming they will bring in new subscribers and clients, only to be disappointed.  I call this your Marketing Blind Spot. Very simply, you need to pay attention to your blind spot and eliminate it so you can move forward.

What you don’t know can keep you stuck and frustrated. There are many areas in your business where you can unconsciously overlook a blind spot. This is often caused simply by a lack of knowledge or skills. I see people overspending on poor web design, or spending huge amounts of time doing things manually that could be automated, or chasing after every idea that comes along.  I see people struggling year after year with ineffective marketing because they don’t know enough about how to best promote their products and services.  But if you don’t know the elements of an effective website, or what it should cost, or if you don’t know what tools to use to automate, or that they even exist, or you really don’t have a proven marketing system, then those blind spots will cost you lost time and money.

Your blind spot could also fall in the area of what I call the “entrepreneurial mindset”. You could be blind to the true value of your services and what you really could be charging. Or you could be blind to an ingrained belief or habit that’s sabotaging your best efforts. That’s why it’s so important to get feedback from people who you trust and who will be very honest with you and hold you accountable. It doesn’t matter how successful you are, we all have our blind spots.

Here are a few steps you can take to identify and begin to eliminate your blind spots:

1. For one week make a list of situations in your business that make you feel stuck, overwhelmed, frustrated or confused.
2. Hold a magnifying glass up to each one and ask yourself—“Is there something I’m not seeing here that is causing this problem and that I need to change?”
3. Then ask yourself where you can go to brainstorm the problem and get a new, fresh perspective. Make sure you go to someone who doesn’t have the same problem. So for example, if I had a rough time being organized in my business, I’d seek feedback from someone I trust who is very organized.

Sometimes you will not be able to see your blind spot, so you’ll need to work with a coach, mastermind group, or trusted colleague who will delve deeper to identify where you are overlooking something important or where you need to learn a new habit, change a belief, learn a new system, gain a new skill or master new knowledge.

Make it a habit to check for blind spots every time you feel stuck or you’re not happy with the results you’re getting. Maybe you had a product launch that didn’t work (we’ve all been there). Maybe you’re trying your hand at article marketing and you don’t see any results. Maybe you’re having trouble closing sales with people that you know need your help. You can be sure there’s something you’re not aware of, something you’re not seeing, or something you need to learn to turn it around.

If you keep asking yourself and those you trust, “where is my blind spot in this situation”, rather than just feeling disappointed and discouraged, you’ll be able to not only avoid potential “collisions”, but you’ll gain the sight you need to really soar.

Last night I was watching American Idol. It was the episode where the final 48 become the final 24. To have even made it that far is amazing, so of course the level of talent was outstanding. Yet some singers were eliminated in spite of the fact that they had the same level of talent as some of the winners. The differentiators were subtle but really came down to three “it” factors:

1. their level of self confidence and self belief
2. their understanding of who they were as an artist and what makes them unique
3. their ability to be vulnerable and open and let their true essence express itself in their performance

I remember when I was a performer in New York many years ago. I struggled with all three of these “it” factors. I look back now and realize that although I had some success, I barely scratched the surface of what might have been possible.

So how is this relevant to your business? There is a lot of noise out there and it’s easy to look at the competition and think “I can never stand out. I can never compete with these amazing people.” You’d be wrong about standing out, but you’d be right about competing. Standing out is about mastering the “it” factors. Once you’re doing that you won’t need to compete because you will be unique and certain people will be drawn to your style, while others will be drawn to your competitors.

Two of the best ways to express your “it” factors is through your speaking and written marketing messages. This expression of who you are becomes your brand. There is a tendency, especially when you are starting out in a small or solo business, to imitate what other successful people are doing. That will make you an imitation of them. Learn from your mentor, coach or successful colleagues, but then spin it with your “it” factors and make your business uniquely represent you, your style, your approach, your process, your personality and your values.

Then be BOLD about expressing yourself. When you get up to speak, whether in person or on a tele-class or webinar,

•    Tell your story.
•    Talk about what you believe without fear.
•    Openly explain your unique approach with confidence. Sure not everyone will respond, but the people who do will be your loyal fans and ideal clients.

In order to do this, you will have to regularly take some quiet time to get to know what makes you unique. Ask trusted colleagues and friends how they see you. Notice when you feel “less than” and ask yourself if there is a belief about yourself that’s holding you back.

The most persuasive, powerful speakers I’ve heard don’t always have the best content. They have the most conviction and the most passion. The most mesmerizing marketing messages are not about selling but about passionate persuasion.

Work on your “it” factors and you’ll find yourself standing out as a star in your niche.

I’d like to help you unleash your “it” factors and discover the speaking system that I use to create 6 figures in annual sales from different forms of speaking. Speaking to Sales Success Workshop

One of the reasons many small or solo entrepreneurs fail to promote is because they aren’t sure what will work or they don’t want to feel like they’re being pushy or “salesy”.  Another reason may be that they are not doing any active promotion. Active promotion requires you to speak with a prospect in person or over the phone, not through an e-mail or Facebook message and it’s much more powerful in establishing a real connection.

Speaking is the fastest, easiest way to catapult your business to a whole new level and have clients seeking you out. Developing a speaking strategy can fill your business with eager clients very quickly. It works perfectly whether you’re just starting out or have been in business for some time. In fact if you’re at the starting gate, pick up the phone this week and start calling local organizations whose members are in your target market and offer to speak at one of their meetings.

Before you seek out speaking opportunities, you’ll want to prepare so you get the results you want by creating a signature speech or presentation that gets people interested in working with you. Here is a simple formula that will get you started. Ask yourself these questions:

•    What are the top 3 problems people in my market have that I can solve?
•    What are the top 3 mistakes people make that create these problems?
•    What are the top 3 results I can deliver?

Now develop a 45-minute talk that explains these problems, the mistakes people make that get them there, and the changes that will eliminate these problems. Start with your story or the story of a client who you have successfully helped navigate the path from problem to result. Conclude your talk by mentioning the programs or products that help you clients achieve these results.

Even if you are not permitted to “sell from the stage” you can offer people a wonderful gift—your giveaway—in exchange for their name and e-mail address so you can add them to your subscriber list. Or you can offer the first 5 people who approach you after your presentation an opportunity to pick your brain in a “complimentary phone discovery session”.  These are just a few of the many ways you can almost instantly turn speaking into clients.

There are so many ways that speaking can attract people to you and give you what you need to succeed, like–

•    More subscribers
•    More social media followers
•    More website traffic
•    More interested leads
•    More clients
•    More visibility in your market
•    More online sales….
And more income.

I’m going to challenge you to make this a key marketing strategy in your business and you’ll easily fill your business with eager clients who are excited about working with you.

If you’d like to learn more about how you can turn speaking into sales, join me and 7 other top experts at the Speaking to Sales Online Conference.  You can get the entire conference audios and transcripts when you register for the Speaking to Sales Success Workshop — 6 weeks to speaking success.

Each week I’ll list the weekly challenge below. Take me up on a challenge, then let me know if you need help or better yet, share your results with others who are doing the same. Let’s have a conversation and build your business!

Challenge #1 – Set up prospect enrollment conversations

Get outside your comfort zone by setting up 3 phone conversations with prospects who are subscribers or social media followers. Offer your them a limited opportunity to talk with you by phone, but tell them what they’ll get from the conversation, for example “3 fast action steps”. Offer it as a complimentary assessment, discovery session or laser focus call. Then take the opportunity to get to know them and gently lead them toward a product or program that will help them get the results they need. This is a really effective and fast way to easily enroll people who need your help into the programs or products that will help them quickly.

If you’re going after organizations, then set up “get to know you” phone calls with prospects you’re connected with on Linked In or Facebook. Offer to share some insights or knowledge that might help them. Either way, take the challenge! If you did this each week, can you imagine how busy you’d be?

Challenge #2 – create speaking opportunities

1. Make a list of local organizations where you could find members of your target market
2. Identify and write down the top 3 biggest problems your prospects face that you can solve
3. Create a presentation outline and title it to address one of those challenges. Include 3 to 5 key points you’ll cover that will give people a reason to listen and to want to learn more from you
4. Call these organizations and tell them you have a wonderful presentation that their members will benefit from and ask what to do to get on their speaking schedule.

Come back each week to see the new weekly challenge. Are you TAKING ACTION or just reading these and forgetting about them. As Suzy Orman says, “stand in your truth”. Challenge yourself to grab your dream!

Challenge # 3 – get more traffic and subscribers

• Write a 500 word article about a topic covered by your product or program, making sure you have great keywords in the title and content
• Make the article into a 2 minute video or record it as an audio. You can talk into the camera or create a powerpoint video with audio using Jing
• Post the article on your blog and keyword tag it (this is what gets results).
• Be sure your keywords are what someone might search for who could use your product
• Post it to 5 article directories, including www.ideamarketers.com and www.ezinearticles.com. You’ll need a short bio and a link back to your product page
• Post the video to YouTube and other 4 other video sites. Be sure to tag your video with your keywords.
• Post the links to your blog and video on Twitter and Facebook over several days and encourage people to check it out.

• Do the same thing every single week and you won’t believe the results. CONSISTENCY is crucial.

Here’s a video I did with Marnie Pehrson who owns IdeaMarketers.com.They get 600,000 page views each month and you could be on the landing page!

Challenge #4- Uncover your BIGGEST game

Here’s a challenge that will help you knock down any wall that is keeping you from expressing your heart felt inner power in your business. As women (guys do this too!) we often sacrifice being all we are meant to be by focusing the majority of our energy on nurturing others or supporting their dreams, goals or even dysfunctions at the expense of sacrificing our own. It’s easy to do this unknowingly.

I’d like you to write a short paragraph answering this question,

1. If I could play the BIGGEST game I’m capable of playing; if I could wake up each day on top of the world absolutely thrilled with the impact I’m having with my business, what would my business look like?
2. Where am I scattering my energy in my life, or putting too much else ahead of my dream? How is this holding me back?

This is the time to really GET HONEST. Picture your DREAM SELF- the one who people are drawn to, the one who people are thanking for the help you given them, the one they talk about with respect. What do you need to do to BE that person in the world, since it’s already inside you.

Challenge #5 – Create an Income Boosting Product Tree- Time Goal – 30 Days

Create a 3-level Product Tree to work less and make more.

Here’s a challenge that will help you convert more new prospects to clients and keep more clients buying from you again and again. I often see coaches and knowledge experts selling time for dollars instead of packaging their knowledge to lead prospects to them. Here is your assignment–

List the 3 biggest and most specific results people want in your market that you can provide
Create 3 products at rising price points based that help clients achieve these results.

1) The first should be something simple that can sell for under $37 like:

• an e-book
• an audio recording with a worksheet
• a 2 or 3-part video tutorial

Explain what people need to do to reach one or all of the 3 results and give them some
“get started” ideas,  but to get a deeper level of help they’ll need the next products in your sequence. Title your product using one of the results. For example: How to Get More Clients in Just 30 Days

2) Create a second product that goes deeper into this topic. This could be

• a home study course
• a membership program
• an audio or video tutorial with worksheets

Again, be sure the title creates a desire to learn more, and price this product between $197 and $497.

3) Create a third high level product

Make this product a program or service where the client gets personal attention from you. Make this a higher priced, more in depth product with some hand holding an price it over $1000. Now call this a personal mentoring program, an intensive or a VIP program. Make it more exclusive and really create value.

Make sure that when clients finish with each product they are introduced to the next level with an INCENTIVE to purchase.

When someone subscribes to your mailing list, make an offer for product #1 within the first week. Then wait several weeks while you build the relationship with some high value content before introducing them to product #2. Contact your product #2 clients over time to invite them to learn about product #3. You can also work with joint venture partners to promote product #2 to their subscribers for an affiliate commission, building your prospect list for product #3. This is a simple description of a process that can fill your business with clients again and again and have you working less and making more.

Challenge #6 – Make more money in less time

Create a one to two hour time block each day where you eliminate all outside distractions. No email, phone calls or interruptions. The best time to schedule it is during the time of day when your energy is highest and you are most productive.

Dedicate this time to the project that will generate cash flow for you as fast as possible. This could include:

• creating a new info product that you know your market needs and wants
• connecting with good joint venture partners
• making a one time, time-sensitive special offer to your subscribers
• having a sale of a current product or service
• setting up phone calls with prospects and enrolling them in an upcoming program
• creating a sales page that will increase sales conversion of a current product

If you do this each week, you’ll be jumping up and down with excitement at the results. Then you can go on vacation with a clear mind!

It just amazes me that many retail businesses are still not web savvy. They are still doing the same old, tired print advertising, and their websites are often vintage 2000. In the same way, service based businesses who rely on online sales can fall behind by using marketing methods that worked like gangbusters five years ago but are much less effective now. Let me give you some examples.

E-mail marketing was king a few years ago, but is less effective today. Open rates are down and if you are relying solely on e-mail you may be struggling a bit. Today you have to give people a compelling reason to open your emails or they’ll hit the delete button in two seconds. Tele-class marketing was also more effective than it is now, although it still works. But just like emails, people have so many choices now that they’ll only chose you if your subject and content are tightly focused on delivering information they really want.

Some marketing activities are timeless and continue to be effective, like one-to-one phone calls, focused networking and well written direct mail. It’s just that the way you implement them changes as the technology changes. Many people now use an online scheduler to schedule phone calls. Networking groups are more savvy and focused then they were years ago. And there are many more options for getting creative with direct mail, like using SendOut Cards for example.

What’s currently working?  Video and webinars. If you haven’t dipped your toe into video marketing, I’d start right away. Video is like watching TV for many people, plus it gives you a chance to personally speak to your prospects. Audio is a close second. Combine the two and you have a really effective way to build a relationship with your prospects that result in sales.

Websites have changed too. If you haven’t updated your website in the last few years chances are it looks outdated and may be sending visitors straight to someone else’s website. The look that works now includes clean, bright colors, lots of white space, videos on key pages and a call to action on every page. If you’re not using WordPress, think of making the switch. It has so many advantages I can’t even list them in this short article.

And don’t forget about creating a social media strategy. Building a following of people in your target market on Twitter, Facebook and Linked In is a must, and that means spending a bit of time daily interacting with your followers and offering them great tips, insights and resources on a regular basis, as well as sharing a bit of the real you—who you are as a person. The more you open up and build a real relationship the more likely it is that your followers will become loyal fans, clients and buzz builders. And the more people that recommend you through social media, the larger your following will grow.

What’s emerging now are technologies like automated audio and webinar systems that deliver content to your prospects as if live, and allows them to choose the time that’s most convenient for them to “attend”. This allows you to re-cycle your webinars and tele-classes over and over and invite new people on a regular basis without a lot of time required on your part.

Take some time to really study what’s working today and then update your marketing to use those tools and strategies that people are responding to now and you’ll see a dramatic increase in subscribers, fans, leads and clients.

To get started, make a list of what you’re currently doing each week to promote your business and see if you can add any of the suggestions I’ve made here.

This is the time of year when you may find yourself slowing down in your business to focus on the holidays. It’s easy to use this as a reason to put your business on the back burner, when instead you need to be doing the opposite. Okay we all need time off and you know I’m a big believer in wrapping your business around your life. So I’m not talking about taking a week off to enjoy your family and friends and to celebrate. I do that as well, and have always done so, even when I owned restaurants.

I’m talking about getting everything ready to have a stellar year next year. This means

• asking yourself what is working, what’s not working and what needs to change
• taking time to create a 6-month to 1-year Business Design so you can hit the new year running
• thinking through what is taking up too much time in your business and implementing systems or getting outsourced help to eliminate these time thieves
• having the courage to be completely honest with yourself about what habits need to change, such as money mindset, fears, procrastination, thinking you need to do it all alone
• figuring out how to build the support team you need to soar.

What problems, challenges or questions have been baffling you or holding you back? Sometimes just having access to the answers can start you on a new road to eliminating a roadblock and getting more clients.

Here are just  few of the questions I get regularly.

• Why am I not getting more subscribers?
• How can I create a more effective website?
• How can I quickly generate some cash flow?
• How can I quickly get more clients?
• How can I create an audio product?
• How can I sell using tele-classes?
• How can I lower my expenses?
• How can I get past my fear of promoting my services?
• How can I learn the technology I need to succeed? It scares me.
• What are the marketing strategies that work best?
• How can I get clients from social media?

That’s just the tip of the iceberg.

I’m doing something unprecedented. I want to help you get unstuck and moving forward toward next year in a big way. So I’ll be answering your most pressing questions in a video. All you have to do is ask your questions below by Friday December 16th.

I’ll be answering your most pressing questions. So Get Coached. It’s absolutely FREE access to some top level insights and strategies.

Why am I doing this? It’s to celebrate the launch of my best coaching program ever– Step Up & Soar, where a small group of serious entrepreneurs will get personal mentoring from me, high level marketing, mindset and strategy training, mastermind calls, how-to videos, templates, scripts, specific action plans and 20 hours of website and traffic generation assistance from my outsourced team.

So go ahead and put your questions in the comment box below.

Some months ago I became involved in a relationship. In spite of my initial hesitation and after being patiently but ardently pursued by the other person I slowly let go and began to trust that it could work. I began to open up to trust and love. Things seemed to be blossoming until I began to see subtle signs that he might not be capable of fully participating in a deeply intimate and emotionally committed relationship even though he desired it. Unfortunately I ignored the signs, hoping that maybe an open two-way communication could resolve the bumps along the road even though I could feel my serenity slipping away.

Not long afterward I returned from vacation and found a message waiting for me in my email inbox from this person suddenly ending the relationship, and with only a vague explanation. Wow. My immediate reaction was hurt, shock and disappointment that commitment and trust could be so lightly discarded. I always like to see the best in people and assume they will honor the trust you’ve given them, or at least be able to have an open and honest conversation if they can’t. However not everyone is capable of this because, let’s face it, open and transparent communication can be scary and it takes a certain type of courage.

Most of us have probably been in this place of heartbreak and sadness but I determined that I would not get stuck there.  I immediately turned to what I call my “transform-it toolkit”. These are the tools I have mindfully chosen that can create a true mindset and heart-set shift so I can accept what is, and create inner change.

Your toolkit can include regular practices that work for you such as: meditation, prayer, contemplation, nature walks, yoga, reading inspirational books or scriptures that help you shift, and powerful conversation with loving, safe, trustworthy and non-judgmental friends. Using your toolkit regularly is what keeps you emotionally and spiritually open to amazing possibilities in your life that you can’t even imagine because you haven’t experienced them yet.

The purpose of this toolkit is to help lead you quickly toward healing and toward total honesty with yourself.  You see, it’s easy to get stuck in anger, blame or sadness, or simply shut off your feelings but I knew that wasn’t where I wanted to stay because I chose to live in joy.  My toolkit helps me quickly release old pain, anger, shame, guilt, sadness or indifference and reveal these 4 Big Truths–

1.      Everything happens for a reason. Our job is to figure out the reason and the lesson

2.      Everything that happens holds a mirror up to me to show me where I need to change and be more honest with myself. It can be hard to swallow and I may chose to ignore it and stay in my comfort zone, but I do so at the expense of never knowing deeper love, greater joy or never feeling or experiencing life fully

3.      Each person is at a different place on the path we all travel toward knowing ourselves fully and being emotionally mature, open and loving. If we each try to respect where the other is, then we can let them move at their pace, not ours, even if that means leaving them behind.

4.      I am totally responsible for the life I create and how I react to every situation that occurs in my life.

So when that unexpected email landed in my in-box signaling the end of my relationship my first step was to surround myself with loving, spiritually grounded friends to get some perspective on the situation. Next I worked on revealing these 4 truths by using the tools that work for me. One powerful tool is The Work of Byron Katie and her book “Loving What Is”. With her simple but profound 4-step process I can uncover the answers to these questions:

• What is the reason and what is the lesson?
• Where is the situation a mirror I need to hold up to myself? What judgment have I made of the other (person or situation) that also mirrors something I need to look at in myself?
• How can I accept the other—the person or situation I’ve judged—as being exactly where they are, not where I want them to be? Our minds keep saying “what if?” but that thought just keeps us stuck expecting the other to be something they can’t be at this point in their life’s journey. They aren’t ready and maybe that means they will never fully experience what you know is possible, but that is their choice to make.
• How can I surrender the person or situation and let it go with light and love, even when I know it’s not what I would have wished, but it is WHAT IS.
• How can I use this new understanding of myself to transform my life, my situation, my relationships, my business for the bette

Other “tools” that reinforce this work for me are meditation and contemplation.  One of several revelations I had was that I needed to express –and stay grounded in–the essence of who I am more openly and powerfully in my life and my business (I’m starting here), and that I need to be in loving relationships only with others who want to do the same. This will take courage and I’m working on it each day.

Just like your life, your business is a reflection of you. If your thoughts and beliefs about yourself, your relationships or your situation are limiting; if you are blaming others and not looking in the mirror; if you are hiding from the truth so you don’t have to feel emotional discomfort, then how can you fully express who you are in the world and how can you attract the right people or situations to you?

So what do you do when you’re hurt, frustrated, stuck or discouraged? You get out your “Transform It Toolkit” and put it to work for you. Using my toolkit has created not only healing and a deeper understanding of myself, but is helping me land in a much better place, and putting together and using your own toolkit can do the same for you.

And yes, it takes courage, time and patience to be open and vulnerable, to admit mistakes, to change old habits and beliefs that are closing you off from the life you want to live. And this means—to borrow a phrase used by several of my colleagues—you have to put on your Big Girl (or Big Boy) Panties! But you do need to chose—do you want to simply survive or do you want to thrive.

Using your toolkit can clear your inner path of debris and darkness so you can let your Divine and powerful light express itself fully.

I’d love to know what’s in your toolkit and how it’s made a difference in your life. Please share your thoughts by posting a comment below…

As a small business owner, you’ve no doubt heard that even the best marketing and sales advice in the world won’t do you any good if you don’t take action on it.

And as true as the previous statement is, if you are like most entrepreneurs, you’ve never taken the time to reflect on exactly what “taking action” really means, much less how you can possibly improve the quality of the actions you take.

The word “action” simply means to do something, and here’s where most small business people excel…

answering endless emails, returning phone calls, running errands, spending time on the various social media platforms, sending out a promotional email for a colleague, listening to teleconferences and webinars and a thousand other things. By the end of a typical business day, you’re likely exhausted from all the actions you’ve taken!

But there’s another half to our definition of action…

the word “action” means not only to do something but to do something typically in order to achieve an aim or goal.

And here’s where many small business owners, perhaps including you, fail miserably. You don’t think about the actions you are going to take on a given day and just go running helter-skelter from one fire to another, from the time your feet hit the floor in the morning to the time your head hits the pillow at night.

And yes, to be fair, you probably do accomplish some things. But at the end of each day, how many of those things actually benefitted other people’s businesses more than they served to benefit yours?

Hmmmmm…does that hit a little too close to home?

I thought so.

But listen, you are not alone. All of us, me included, can all too easily get caught up in the world of information overwhelm, deadlines and expectations placed on us by other people.

There IS a way out.

This solution is not glamorous but when it’s applied consistently, can free you forever from days spent spinning your wheels and can be seen in the word “action” itself.

To act is the essence of action, but as a well-known Buddhist precept reminds us, only “right actions” that have value. In my business, I have a systematic process I go through to help determine if my actions are right. And although I don’t have time or space to go through my system here, I will explain one piece of it that can be very helpful to you.

Let’s take a look at what “right action” means in business using the simple acronym A.C.T.

A: assess the situation – Here’s the crucial question I always ask my business coaching clients when they ask my opinion on a course of action I’m about to take: What is the purpose of what you are about do? In other words, what do you want the outcome to be and what do you hope to achieve from this action?

Often, just stopping to reflect on this one question can bring immense clarity and focus to your plans.

C: calculate your next steps – taking the purpose of what you are hoping to achieve into account (from A, above) formulate your next step.

Example: if the purpose of your actions is to generate quick cashflow, then trying to put a membership site together which includes lots of valuable content and resources is definitely not the next step to take. Perhaps having a sale and sending a quick email out to your list is a better course of action. I think you get the idea.

The important point here is not so much on what specific action you take, but that you take time to reflect on your desired outcome before you take the action. This sounds simple, but is so often neglected.

T: tap into your resources – now that you have decided on your next step, tap into your resources to help you accomplish it. Perhaps you have decided to write a new blog post every day. Well, have you thought about asking some of your colleagues to contribute content so you can showcase them as experts (and so you don’t have to do all of the work yourself?)

And think also, before you take action, is this the best use of your most valuable resource, your time? Maybe answering all that email first thing in the morning is not serving you well. In this instance, a simple rearrangement of your schedule may be the most valuable action you can take.

So yes, as a small business owner, action is definitely required. But remember to A.C.T…assess the situation, calculate your next steps and tap into your resources.

Right action = right results!

To get on the path to consistently taking “right action” in your business, grab your free copy of Ellen’s highly acclaimed “digital conversation” Zen and the Art of Email List Building, at http://www.MarketingQi.com

Award-winning Online Marketing Strategist and Amazon best-selling author Dr. Ellen Britt is the co-founder of Marketing Qi, helping savvy women entrepreneurs (and a few cool men!) develop the business strategies they need to get the success they want. Ellen specializes in mentoring her clients to see their businesses strategically and then guides them to combine the results with a custom, highly leveraged business model designed to produce immediate cash flow and continued profits.

If you’re struggling in your business because you don’t have a BIG enough reach to connect with your potential clients, you’ll want to explore how Expert Interviews can boost your list building, power up your joint venture partnerships and generate income.

The simplest model of a joint venture is the Expert Interview. Here’s the Enlightened Listbuilding™ 8-step road map to grow your business with Expert Interviews:

1. Identify your Tribe’s burning issues. You need to know the problems and issues your Tribe is ready to resolve. Do your market research and hone in on the topics your tribe is ready to take action on.

2. Find and connect with joint venture partners that can deliver the solutions. Find savvy joint venture partners that are a joy and a pleasure to partner with AND who best align with you, your Tribe and the urgent problems they need help with.

3. Schedule a phone conversation to explore partnering on an Expert Interview. Craft a winning conversation that creates rapport, connection and synergy. Connect first, then explore the benefits of this collaboration – sharing your great content/message, building your list and generating income. Partner authentically to grow your business, share your joint venture partner’s expertise and serve your subscribers.

4. Create online event invitations that are compelling. Get your Tribe to connect with you and your offer with magnetic messages that elicit curiosity and engagement. You want to attract participants that are engaged by your topic, eager for your expert’s solution and ready to partner on a resolution.

5. Build buzz and visibility for your online event. Identify colleagues, clients, mentors and other partners who are willing to help you get the word out about your event. Use a targeted social media strategy to help you build buzz and drive traffic to your event registration page.

6. Host a sizzling expert interview. Create an experience; it is the BEST marketing you’ll EVER do! Host a ‘cool conversation’ that delivers great content, generates income and grows your list authentically. Create an Experience That SELLS, So You Don’t Have To.

7. Boost your impact and income by re-purposing your expert interview. Leverage you expert interview so that you continue to grow your list, share your message, create visibility and generate income.

8. Turbo charge your list building by hosting a targeted telesummit. Give your list building a quantum boost. This is an advanced strategy with a good number of moving parts. If you’re ready for it, and have the support, it is the quickest way to build an engaged following.

You cannot grow your business in a vacuum. It is through the power of partnership that your reach will increase at the speed of light. List building with Expert Interviews is a strategy that boosts your business in no time at all.

Learn how to grow your business with joint ventures at Enlightened Listbuilding™, where you’ll receive training videos and tips to help you build authority, increase visibility and position your message powerfully.

Adela Rubio is a Joint Venture Strategist who helps conscious entrepreneurs share their message and build their tribe using listbuilding strategies. She is an expert at creating engaging and experiential online virtual events that position you as a thought leader while leveraging your talent, tribe, and technology. Let Adela teach your how powerful partnerships can be. Download Adela’s free audio “Creating Powerful Partnerships” at http://adelarubio.com today!