The Success Magnets with Cara Lumen

New Vision = New Direction = New Action

My business has made a 90 degree turn in the last two months and I'm looking over my foundation again to realign it with my new vision. I was very happily helping people develop web content and create information products until I became a Book Yourself Solid Coach and found the system and the structure that allowed me to take people from vision to venue. It was like being shot out of a cannon. My vision expanded, my expectations increased and my target market sharpened. All because I added a certification to my credentials and positioned myself differently in my business. Now I have to match my actions to my vision so I can make it happen.

The "Why I Do It" Statement

 

At the core of your business must be an understanding of why you do it. And why you do it must be filled with passion. Why do you get up every morning and joyously go about doing whatever is necessary to make your business grow? If you are not happy, not excited, not eager to get to work you are not in the right place doing the work you were meant to do. You might want to do something about that.

My core reason for being and doing is to learn and teach but I get more excited about learning and teaching some things more than others. Does my new vision make me even more excited than my old one? It sure does. It expands my thinking, changes my target audience and opens up new opportunities.

 

The "Who and Do What" Statement

 

Your who-and-do-what statement takes time to develop and it often changes as you change. You have to keep an eye on it to be certain it reflects your passion and will take your business where it needs to go. This new vision changed my target market. Not a lot, I just upgraded my expectations about who would come play with me and what we could do together. It got me very excited and made it necessary for me to reexamine everything - my web words, the structure of my offerings, my tag line even the bundling and pricing of my offerings.

 

I had to have a coach to help me do it. I knew I wanted to change my target audience but I couldn't do it for myself. I was standing in my own way. So I got help from my coach and was propelled into greater expectations and infinitely more possibilities. If you need help making the leap, ask for it.

 

What's working?

 

Every quarter I examine my measurable results to see what is working and what is not. I examine how the needs of my target market might have changed, how I have changed, what new skills I have learned, what new friends I have made that are potential joint ventures.

 

I reexamined the goal I had set myself for the year to see if it still is the perfect goal or if it should be shifted or expanded. Then I looked to see if everything I am doing helps make that goal a reality. If it does, it stays, if not, it goes.

 

How does your new vision make you feel?

 

Every once in a while I feel like I'm spinning in place there are so many interesting choices. Taking time to evaluate where you are, how you got there and where you want to go should include how you want to feel. Do you want to learn more or are you full up of information? Do you want to get involved with a community service so you can get out of your home office? What new hobby would you like to undertake that would offer a change of pace and rhythm?

 

What is your body telling you? What needs adjusting on your emotional level? How are you nourishing yourself spiritually? A new vision means making new choices.

 

How can I expand my vision?

 

My vision seems to expand with everything I learn. There are always so many possibilities that present themselves. Check out your excitement level. Hold up the new vision with your core passion and see how it expands your thinking. Let your vision expand. Tweak it. Let it fly. Let it show you the new direction you can go and then design the new action steps to get yourself there.

 

Cara Lumen, The Vision Distiller is a Book Yourself Solid Certified Coach who helps entreneurs move their passion from vision to venue and attract the people they are meant to serve. If you are ready to become a Sucess Magnet and Book Yourself Solid visit Cara at www.caralumen.com

 

How to Identify the Red Flag Client

She was abusive, disrespectful, and bad-mouthed the person she had worked with before. How on earth did she get through the Red Velvet Rope Policy and how can you identify a red flag client before you start?

Define Your Red Velvet Rope Policy

 

You know those soft red velvet ropes that are lowered to let certain people in and keep others out. We each get to create our own red velvet rope policy to be certain we work with people we are meant to serve.

 

The client I described was not mine, it was a client of a friend of mine and my friend was in knots because even when she said she wanted to end the client relationship the woman cried which made my kind friend have a hard time sticking by her decision. And it was an example of how manipulative the woman was.

 

We talked about how she was not serving in the role of friend to this needy person. She needed to place herself in the role of a professional keeping a professional relationship with her clients. She needed to define and set boundaries for herself. She gets to make choices about how she wants to work with people and who she wants to work with.

 

Why you must do the choosing

 

Think of a client that you do not like to work with. Are you resentful? Do you drag your heels a bit when it's time for her call? Will you be glad when the time agreement has expired? That's not a good match. That's certainly not your ideal client.

 

Now remember how great you feel when you love the client you are working with -  the great work you do -  the satisfaction you feel at your clients' success. That's why you must choose your clients carefully. So you can do your best work.

 

How you can spot the red flag clients

 

What intake structure can you put in place that will help you recognize a potentially poor relationship and never undertake it? Well, you need to have a really clear picture of your ideal client  - particularly the qualities you want to attract. Do you want to work with people just beginning in business, ones that have established themselves and are ready for a big next step, or a high end client that needs someone to help them keep a larger company on track? Do you want a person who is decisive or one who prefers to ask five of their friends for an opinion before making up their mind? Does your ideal client keep her agreements and exhibit innovative entrepreneurialism to solve their problems? Is your client capable of achieving success? Do they want it? Do they expect it? Will they accept success? 

 

You need to create a few questions that you can ask in your initial conversation with a potential client that will let you know that this is a person you are meant to serve.

 

How much business/marketing knowledge do they have?

 

This is important because if a client is new to business they need to be very clear why they are in business and who they want to serve. They need to have a business plan and a marketing plan. If they haven't done that you will need to help them through those steps. This is foundational work that needs to be in place and be continually reviewed. It is the holder of their vision and the design of their path. .

 

What do they have in place and what is working and what is not?

 

When I work with people on web page development I need to know what they have in place - opt in, shopping cart, web host, merchant account, blog, etc.

 

I need to know their vision.

 

And they need to know what is working and want is not. When they know where their strengths are it shows me they have set up measurable guidelines and continually monitor their progress.

 

How pro active are they?

 

Will this person do their homework, follow up on their agreements, and think up new ideas and possibilities? Those people are wonderfully exciting to work with. If they are really full of ideas will they allow you to help them focus and accomplish one step/project at a time? Will they take direction and do they value what you have to offer?

 

Listen to what they don't say

 

It's trickier to discover what their personality is like to work with.  Ask them about their relationships with other professionals and listen to what they do and don't say. Are they kind, respectful, honest? Or disgruntled, and complaining? Ask some open questions and then just listen and you'll get some good clues that will alert you to any potential red flags.

 

Make it ok to say "no"

 

Expect the best from everyone but listen to your intuition. Don't take a client because they have a pulse and a pocketbook. If it doesn't feel right see who else you can recommend, or simply say, "This isn't something I can help you with." If you are their last chance or they are under a last minute deadline that is a major red flag. That means no one else wants to work with them and they wait till the last minute to get things done. Don't fall for their story. Your life and business is yours to design. You are the director who casts the play and directs the action. Cast the players in your business thoughtfully.

 

You are not meant to work with everyone. There are certain people that you are meant to serve and when you do you can help them achieve amazing results.

 

Cara Lumen, The Vision Distiller, is a certified Book Yourself Solid Coach who helps entrepreneurs move their passion from vision to venue and attract the people they are meant to serve. If you are ready to become a Success Magnet and Book Yourself Solid visit Cara at www.caralumen.com

How Green is Your Office?

You know the saying "pretty is as pretty does"?  Well, "green is as green does."  The planet is cared for one person at a time. So I looked around my office to see if it was a green as I could get it.

 

Print on both sides of paper

 

This is such a simply one and I really fussed about doing it. "How can I tell which side is which when it's all my stuff?" "It confuses me. I want things to be neat."  I gave that one up. I use binders a lot and so if I punch the holes in the right side I'm always looking at the side of the page I need to see.

 

Don't print a lot

 

There are so few things I really need to print out. I have three pieces of paper I continually update and keep printed out by my desk – my family phone numbers (which I could program into my phone or look up on my computer) my most frequently used passwords (again, they are on my printer but I use this paper a lot), a calendar of my own making upon which I color my scheduled events. The only other things I print out are sometimes teleclass scripts (although I usually read those off the monitor) or notes for a radio interview (which actually go better if I don't look at my notes). I take notes on my computer while I am coaching my clients or listening to a teleclass, and my "to do" list is always open on my computer.  There is no need to print. Besides, when it's on my computer I can edit it, underline it bold it color it, move it forward– whatever it takes to call it to my attention in the future. Next time you start to print something ask yourself if it is really necessary.

 

Get email fax

 

We don't need to print out those faxes, we just need to have them as record and since email faxes come as a PDF we can print them out if we do want to. This eliminates paper usage and the need for a separate machine cluttering up your office and using electricity.

 

Buy recycled paper

 

It may be a bit more expensive but I'm also not using very much paper any more so recycled works for me.  And since I print on both sides I get even more value from each sheet.

 

Turn off electronics not in use

 

Anything that is plugged in, whether it is turned on or not, is pulling electricity. I have two surge protectors. One I willing turn off at night because it holds my lamp and speaker system and printers. The other has my modem and computer so I have a choice about whether to turn that off or not.

 

Keep temperatures down and wear warm clothes

 

Let's face it, sitting at a computer doesn't keep the blood flowing and your feet warm from natural activity. I have a colorful shawl I put around my shoulders if I get cold sitting at my computer and a soft blanket for my knees. And I now have a wonderful collection of colored thermal shirts for the winter and I live in California! Wearing layered clothes allows you to adjust to your own body temperature.

 

Can your lunch scraps go in with the yard waste?

 

They can in my city. So the leftovers from your lunch (if you don't have a dog) can go in with the yard waste to decompose. I keep a special lidded container on my kitchen counter and use it instead of the disposal. It is for organic waste, not meat products. Check with your local waste management company and if they don't do it, suggest it!

 

Make one shopping trip a week

 

This isn't for everyone but working out of a home office means I don't have to go out much. But when I do I make certain I get everything done that needs doing. Bank, groceries, etc. all in one trip. And I keep my car tuned and its tires inflated. It happens to be a 95 Honda Civic which has gotten 30 mpg all its life and for my purposes has only reached a healthy middle age.

 

Green is in the small things

  

I don’t know if buying a refillable pen counts but it eliminates my throwing away a used up stick pen. I'm using pencils a lot and like them for my calendar and for note taking. I have a lot of left over index cards that I will never use so I now keep them on my desk in an easy-to-grab place to take notes on. Once one side is handled I mark a line through it and turn it over ready for more notes. I cleaned out my office and emptied a lot of binders. All of that paper is waiting to be recycled. I have at least 18 inches waiting its turn. I keep plants in my office – for my health and for my pleasure. My recycle waste basket is within arm's reach and makes a regular trip out to the curb in my paper recycle container. On the one day a week I water my flowers, I catch the water that is lost as I wait for my shower to warm up and use it for that purpose. I'm not yet willing to haul water from upstairs to down in order to recycle water on the rest of the week but I'm aware of it as a possibility. What are you willing to do? What one or two things can you do in your office today that will make it a shade greener?

 

Cara Lumen, The Vision Distiller is a Book Yourself Solid Certified Coach who helps entrepreneurs move their passion from vision to venue and attract the people they are meant to serve. If you are ready to become a Success Magnet and Book Yourself Solid visit Cara at www.caralumen.com

7 Ways to Change Overwhelm to Success

Ok. I'm in overwhelm I admit it. I have so many exciting ideas and opportunities that I'm almost frozen in place. So I made up some criteria to guide me.

 

1 - Does it bring in income?

 

The bottom line is you have to stay close to the money. But you also have to maintain balance.  Schedule your client appointments to suit you. Don't fit yourself in around their schedule. Set aside three days, pick the time slots that let you serve the number of clients you want. Allow time in your schedule to take a break and prepare for the next client. That's the foundation of your schedule. Once that's filled, check your income, your time, and your financial goals before you add another day of clients. Then only fill one more day at a time. With conscious scheduling you will earn the income you desire and have time for family, friends, personal pleasure and self care. 

 

2 -Have I scheduled time to grow my business?

 

I keep Mondays' open to grow my business. Writing is one of my major core strategies because I love to do it and I’m good at it. So Mondays is about communication: my emazagine, blog, posting articles on line, adding posts to the Think Big Revolution, the Book Yourself Solid Network and FaceBook.  It's also time to scope out my week and add projects and set specific goals to accomplish. Set aside one whole day to market and grow your business.

 

3 -Does it offer networking opportunities?

 

To network effectively you have to go hang out where your target market is. Michael Port's Think Big Revolution is a dynamite site that is drawing big thinkers with big projects. Time spent exploring and posting there is inspiring. My other favorite place is again a brain child of Michaels' the Book Yourself Solid Network. As a BYS Certified Coach I'm always adding new information to enrich that membership site. These are both networking and credibility builders. For me it is time well spent. I do this on my Monday grow-my-business-day.  Chose your unique networking venues and be a steady participant.

 

4 - Does it offer educational and skill building opportunities?

 

This is one of my favorites and the one I have to work hardest to keep in balance. I love to learn. But just how many emagazines do I want to read, how many teleseminars do I want to attend, how much formal training do I want to get?  What about the books that are piling up to be read? There is a point when I am full up of information and can't hold a drop more. Set a goal to add one new insight or piece of knowledge a week. For me those often end up being passed forward in articles that I write and share with others.

 

5 - Is it just plain fun and will it make you happy?

 

I happen to love what I do, so being at my computer is just plain fun and it makes me happy. But balance is good and changing what I am doing most of the time would be beneficial.  Longer walks with my dog? Calling a friend just to catch up? Reading a novel? Actually going somewhere? Schedule in some play time and mark it on your calendar if it will help make it happen.

 

6 – Does it grow you spiritually?

 

What do you need to add to your life that allows you to simply move within and be still? Do you need to meditate, journal, read some inspiring poetry or an uplifting book?  Do you need to drive to the ocean, or walk through a forest?  Do you simply need to be more conscious and appreciative around those you love?  Make time to nourish your inner self.  Be certain that what you choose to do touches your heart.

 

7 - Leave room for surprises

 

I have recently discovered that my version of needing control is to map out a version of how it could work so that I can see at least one way to make it happen so I feel prepared. Then I let go and stay open to whatever shows up.  I've learned that just because I have an exciting idea doesn't mean I'm the one that has to do it. So, make your list, create a schedule so you can see that you are choosing balance, then let it go and enjoy the organic flow. If it doesn’t get done, ok. If something comes along that is much better to do, do it. Trust that every opportunity that comes along is accompanied by your ability to do it. Just keep choosing the things that you love to do and the people you love to do them with and you'll be scheduled for success!

 

Cara Lumen, The Vision Distiller is a Book Yourself Solid Coach who helps entrepreneurs move their passion from vision to venue and attract the people they are meant to serve. Join the Success Magnets and get yourself booked solid at www.caralumen.com

 

7 Ways to Energize Your Business

The great thing about being an entrepreneur is that we are responsible for our own success.

 

The scary thing about being an entrepreneur is that we are responsible for our own success.

 

I am so far removed from where I started my business that I make it a policy to rethink my business every year. It often happens organically. Things slow down and I have time to think about how I'm doing. I love those times. Every time I take time to realign my business to my vision, good things start to happen. There are seven elements I examine and the first is always my business plan.

 

#1.  Rework your Business Plan

 

Every time I rework my business plan I uncover another layer that brings me clarity and a new sense of purpose. It gives me an opportunity to drop what's not working and expand on what is.  I use my business plan to expand my vision based on the new skills I have developed and the new possibilities I see. I look carefully to see that my passion is still high or if I've developed a new area of interest that needs following. And then I set new objectives and make the changes I have discovered that will take my business to a new level.

 

#2 Keep on marketing

 

Start marketing smarter. Find creative, innovate, inexpensive ways to uplevel your marketing plan. Find new ways to get free publicity. Interview and be interviewed, have a podcast, add another specific subject blog to attract people to one particular aspect of your business. Offer free introductory calls to stimulate interest. Survey your clients. What do they need? How have their needs changed since you started marketing to them. Are you supplying them with what they want?  Rethink your product positioning and bundles.

 

#3 Cut Expenses

 

This may be a bit tricky if you are a solopreneur. But look closely. Reexamine your phone bill, shop for better long distant rates, cell phone deals. Shop your internet provider for combo offers. Sometimes you pay less when you pay for an entire year of a service like your shopping cart or web host rather than monthly.  Get creative. What service can you share with another entrepreneur?

 

#4 Add new money-making services

 

It's usually easier to add new services than new products because there is only the investment of time. For instance, group coaching allows more people access to your services at a lower rate. There is the potential they will become private clients. Bundle your services to encourage larger sales. Change your services packages to encourage people to sign up for longer periods of time. Once I found my copy writing services were needed, I added that as a service. I can do that on the days I don't schedule coaching clients. Ask your clients what they need that you might provide and see if that is something you can add.

 

#5 Keep the cash flowing

 

I have a friend who hates to put out invoices. Her cash flow would improve if she would set up a monthly payment plan. Think of the time the money is not in her account earning interest. My coaching clients are on monthly automatic payments through my shopping cart. My invoices are updated every time I finish a task. If I'm doing a copy writing job I send them invoices in increments of $500 so the amount is manageable. Offer a discount to people who pay you within 30 days. Add a penalty to slow payees. Put a percentage into savings for those one a year renewals.

 

#6 Stay close to the money

 

Your time is your most valuable asset. Be certain you are using it wisely. Don’t spend your time doing things that other people could do for you even if you do them well. You are the brains, the creative fire that fuels your business.  Your time and focus should be directed at ways to make more money.

 

#7 Keep high expectations

 

Expect the best. Do not settle for second best. Expect to attract people who value what you do and easily have the money to pay you. Keep an eye for the unexpected joint venture possibility that suddenly appears. Keep a list of your ideas and periodically check them out to see what you should do next.  Then take action. When I decided to offer my Magnetic Business Plan teleclass I wrote the sales page in one evening and the class in the next two days. Let your passion create your next service and product.

 

Remember, the great thing about being an entrepreneur is that we are responsible for our own success. And we can have a great time doing it!

 

Cara Lumen, The Vision Distiller, is a Book Yourself Solid Certified Coach who helps entrepreneurs attract the people they are meant to serve. If you are ready to become a Success Magnet and get yourself booked solid visit www.caralumen.com

Does Your Business Need a Bigger Frame?

I was holding my business back. I was staying comfortably within the framework I had designed. Sure, my business had grown from my original idea but my original idea wasn't very big. And then someone handed me a larger frame and I had to think bigger….

 

I added a certification to my credentials - a certification that allows me to think bigger and play bigger. Actually, it demands that I do. And I m now fitting what I have been offering into the bigger business and expanding the service I offer.

 

I Started Out Too Small

 

I started from a very small place – both inside and outside. My web designer complained that her clients didn't know what copy they wanted on their web pages and I said, "I can help with that." So I started positioning my business as a content developer – someone who helps focus services, clarifies navigation, and develops compelling copy for a web page. In the course of that I found myself continually coaching people in the foundational steps of marketing – helping them discover their target market, defining their benefits and features, creating tag lines, etc.

 

My next marketing step was to expand and offer the clients additional services. So I started coaching people in other marketing strategies and information product development.

 

And then it all changed. A new frame was offered and I jumped at it.

 

I'm now playing in a bigger vision - and it's someone else's.  And oh, how that has made me grow!

 

You see, I'm now part of a bigger group and the founder of that group is really thinking big. And now I am too.

 

Thinking Big Widens Your Stance

 

What I was doing is now just a piece of what I now offer. You see, I've recently been certified by Michael Port to be one of his first Book Yourself Solid Coaches. And Michael is known for Thinking Big.  So what happened is that all I was doing in the form of content and web development, and information product development is now a small piece of a coaching a system that helps people get booked solid. See how different that feels?

 

Expand Your Vision by Joining in Another's Vision

 

My vision has been freed to expand because I am now a part of someone else's bigger vision. Coaching the BYS system gives me a powerful method that has already been proven successful. I'm not saying you have to go out and get certified in anything. I am saying that you might want to consider looking around at the bigger players in your field and see how you might add to what you already offer. Place your business in a bigger frame.

 

My framework changed.  I started thinking bigger.

 

My target market expanded. I raised my red velvet rope policy and upleveled the description of my ideal client

 

My web site got more focused.  I was no longer promoting all the bits and pieces of the many things I do, it all came under one umbrella – the steps it takes to get yourself booked solid.

 

My pricing and packaging changed.  I thought in terms of a 15 week program rather than the shorter segments I had been offering.

 

My branding changed.  I could add credentials that identified me with a very large brand.

 

My expectations changed.  I was coaching a system that was proven to bring success. I now expect even greater results with my clients.

 

My possibilities expanded. Having certified coaches is only part of Michael's big vision but because I'm in on this next step, I have new opportunities I wouldn't have had by myself. We're offering online interactive coaching services that allows easy financial entry to the BYS program by adding levels of self-coaching, and e-mail coaching to 1:1 coaching. That opens up Michal's work to everyone because the self-coaching can be done online very inexpensively. I will be able to serve people I couldn't before.

 

My leveraged opportunities expanded. I want to train to teach the BYS program as a teleclass. I have the potential to expand into doing workshops with this work.

 

All of this is because I widened the framework that was holding my business. 

What Else Can You Offer to Your Clients that Places You in a Larger Frame?

 

I had already been looking for how I could engage my clients longer. I looked at what services I could offer before they were ready for a web site. I looked for ways to continue helping them after they had received my web content development services. But it was the addition of this new skill set that exploded my vision into a new framework that took me way, way further than anything I had ever conceived of before.

 

Look outside the box. Look at what others are doing. See how what you are now offering fits into a bigger picture.

 

Vision from a larger framework and see what doors open. Think bigger, grow bigger be bigger. That's what happens when you place your business in a bigger frame.

 

 

© 2008 Cara Lumen

 

Cara Lumen, The Vision Distiller, is a Book Yourself Solid Certified Coach who helps entrepreneurs attract the people they are meant to serve. If you are ready to get booked solid visit Cara at www.caralumen.com

 

Is it Really Money you Want?

I've just finished going through my email and I've never felt so pushed and shoved in my life. All that hype about getting rich. This person made $100,000 in two weeks, that person became a bestselling author over night. And I stopped to think – is money all I really want?

 

No, In fact, money has never been a motivating factor for me – the joy of doing is.

 

How do you measure success?

 

For me success is about waking up every morning eager to get to my desk and work my business. It is about my creative Saturdays when I write for myself all day and maybe produce a product for my clients. It is the excitement that comes when I help a client breakthrough and create a new success. It is the joy of sharing ideas with my fellow entrepreneurs as we move our busyness forward.

 

Yeah, I want money. I want to feel valued and appreciated for what I do. But that's not why I do it.

 

Up level your feelings of self-worth

 

As a metaphysician I believe we attract to us what we think.  So how do I think about money in a way to attract it when I'm not very motivated by having money?  It has everything to do with how I see myself. How much I value what I have to offer. I much I want to help others.

 

I need to stay in service and be certain I am continually helping others achieve their greatest success. I have to be willing to accept money when it comes, especially when someone offers to pay me more because they value what I have done... I have to value myself and my services enough to put a healthy price on them. Then I have to have the intention to attract clients and customers who love what I offer and can't get enough of them. They also have the money to pay for it and willingly do so. That's my ideal client.

 

And I have to keep producing services and products that express my values and my self-worth.

 

Raise your expectation

 

I recently filled out a questionnaire that asked me to name an income figure I would like for next year. I put in a wimpy amount because I couldn't imagine a larger amount. I was all caught up in what I could see not what I could imagine. Why couldn't I earn in the high six figures?  The only person stopping me in my business is me – my attitude, my beliefs, my fears, my expectations.

 

The change begins with you

 

The success or failure of my business and my life resides solely on my own shoulders. It is in my actions, my choices, my interactions, my stubbornness, my generosity, my loner-ism or my outreach. My business is a reflection of who I am and how I see myself. 

 

Write down the great things people say about you and start believing them. Get clear about where you can be in the deepest service. It's going to be doing what you love to do because that's what you are best at. Then go do more of it.

 

Money is a symbol, not the reward

 

If we were an ancient culture our wealth might be measured in horses or sheep. In others it may be the size of the roof over our head. In today's world I personally have no concept of billions of dollars. I have to measure my success close up and personal.

 

A smile, a hug, a kind word? A well written article, a new idea for a workshop, an appreciative email from a client?  A bill finally paid off, a new savings account opened?  A trip to see family, a trip just because you can? A favorable earnings comparison with others, a new job title? How much you can give away? Who you can help?

 

They tell us in business to always find a way to measure your success so you know when you have achieved it. How do you measure your success?  Is money really all you want?

 

Cara Lumen, The Vision Distiller, helps entrepreneurs make a difference in the world. Her Magnetic Marketing Method guides you to prosperity from your inside out. You can find more articles like this in The Success Magnets Emagazine at www.caralumen.com

 

Why You Are Worth More Than You Think You Are

It's time to raise my prices. Why? Because I am worth more. I know more than I did a year ago. I have more experience than I did a year ago. I am more skilled in how I offer what I do.

 

So what's stopping me?

 

Me.

 

It's not about time

 

I have a web designer friend who sometimes says, "But it only took me an hour to do that." And I have to remind her to think what the value of her design is to her client. How many years it will be in place. How much income it will bring her. It's not about how much time we take to do it, it's about the value we give.

 

It's not about money

 

Sure, there are people who spend time looking for the lowest price and pit vendor against vendor to save a few pennies. We have to let them be the judge of how best to use their time and resources. But each of us offers so much more than money and we must incorporate that added value in our pricing.

 

It is about the intangibles

 

You want to attract people who value you because they relate to you, because you understand their needs Look beyond the tangibles to place a value on the underpinning of the service you offer.

 

Reliable service has value

 

Never underestimate the value of offering reliable service. Only if you have wasted time waiting on someone to fulfill an order or create a project upon which others must act do you understand the full impact of reliable service.

 

If you get things completed when you say you will and if your back end system is efficient and fulfills orders on time, that is worth money to your customers and clients.

 

Understanding your clients' market adds value

 

As you expand your own knowledge of your clients' market base, you increase your value to them. Because of your knowledge of their competitors, your client will be miles ahead in their field. Think how that enriches the value of your offerings.

 

Strong project management adds value

 

Remember a time you had to work with someone who was disorganized? It was a mess. Things got lost, they didn't get their work done and there was confusion even in the conversations you had. Huge amounts of time were wasted.

 

I've worked hard at my project management. I have a strong intake form that helps both my clients and me identify what is in place and what is missing that we need to develop. I developed a Coaching Call Prep Form that allows the client to report their weekly progress. It allows me to quickly tune in before a call to see where we left off and what we planned to do in the next call. I send them their weekly assignment right after each coaching call.

 

Strong project management keeps efficiency at a premium and saves both you and your client and money.

 

What your time is worth to satisfy your own financial objectives

 

This is not about anyone but you. What do YOU think you are worth? How does your financial math work out? How many hours do you need to spend with clients to meet your personal financial needs? How much time do you spend with marketing, with administration? How many hours are there that you want to work? How many do you not want to work? These are choices only you can make.

 

Do you just want to "get by?" Are you playing it "safe?" Or can you raise your vision and your expectations of what you would like to earn? Even if you are staying within your comfort zone at least move to the outer level and set your intention at least two steps beyond that. Growth is good. Higher expectations are good.

 

Giving wise counsel has more value than you can ever put a price on

 

My brain is worth more than my service. My brain things up fabulous ideas, it sees possibilities where others don't, it recognizes the connection between one idea and another, it holds a vision of success for my clients.

 

What possible price can I put on that?

 

It is invaluable.

 

NEVER permit competitors, industry norms, or community norms to set YOUR prices.

 

Look at these intangibles. Give some thought to how much value they add beyond the time you spend with your clients. YOU decide what you are worth. Then find the kind of client or customer who has reason to accept your evaluation of that worth.

 

Cara Lumen, The Vision Distiller, helps entrepreneurs expand their vision, extend their reach and touch lives all over the world. Her Magnetic Marketing Method helps you create prosperity from your inside out. You can find more articles like this in The Success Magnets Emagazine at www.caralumen.com

Follow Your Strengths to Success

There are seven marketing strategies I could use to promote my business Two I'm really, really good at, one I have the talent to be good at but I need to step up to the plate, The other four vary from medium to definitely less than medium and I feel a great resistance to pursue them.. My question is do I stay safe in the comfort zone of my strengths, do I push myself out of my comfort zone and broaden my spectrum, or do I bluff my way and do them all?

 

Let your strengths be your guide

 

There is a reason we tend to favor some activities over others, we love doing them and we are probably very good at them. I love to write, I love to teach and I've been doing them all my life. So I'm going to keep those at the core of what I am doing. Fortunately my strengths are in the most technical aspects of marketing: a strong Web Presence Strategy, a Writing Strategy that includes information products and a steady article writing campaign and Speaking and Demonstrating Strategywhich even with teleclasses, I'm not fully taking advantage of.  

 

But what about the other four marketing strategies I could use to promote my business? They are the ones everyone should be able to do. They are the "easy" ones. And they are not yet my strong points.

 

Check out your second best strength and develop it

 

But hey, I'm into growth – both personal and business. So I really ought to just pick one and strengthen it. But they are all about reaching out to others. They are all about connecting and relating and talking to others. So in the midst of my discomfort over these strategies I have to find what I am willing to do; how can I adjust how I view them and find my own unique ways to get the results these strategies produce?

 

Align with your passion and purpose

 

I love what I do and I love sharing it with people. I write an emagazine and a blog. But those are one-way conversations from me to them. It's not a two way exchange.

 

The Keep in Touch Strategy is one of the most important and effective of the seven strategies and would be within my comfort zone. I already know these people. This is just a matter of emailing a personal note, picking up the phone for a chat, or sending them a card. The point is to have an exchange, to reach out on a personal level and see how they are doing. I need to listen to what's going on for them.

 

I'm going to schedule an hour a week to reach out and acknowledge someone I know. There now, that's one strategy added.

 

Flex those muscles!

 

That leaves three strategies and I don't have to do them all. But being aware of them helps me notice when I do them organically. I activate the Referral Strategy when I connect my client who makes home-made gourmet dog treats with a client who wrote a wonderful book about a dog. I activate the Networking Strategy when I volunteer to help people connect with potential roommates for an upcoming training we are taking together. And the Direct Outreach Strategy may just be as simple as reaching out to someone I admire to explore some joint ventures.

 

Follow Your Strengths

 

I'm not going to beat myself up for what I can't do comfortably. I’m not just going to focus on the things I do easily either.  I'm going to stretch a bit. I'm going to flex my muscles and look for my personalized version of a strategy that gets the results I want. I'm going to pick my moments and move gently into expansion. I’m going to follow my strengths to success.

 

Skills and talents are two different things.  You can learn a skill like riding a bike, but it takes talent and passion to win a bicycle race.

 

Cherish your gifts.

 

When you look carefully you will see your talents. They are about what you love to do. They are what others always ask you to do for them. These are your strengths. Build them up. Bundle them creatively. Use them as your foundation.

 

Develop your own version

 

I'm a whiz at coaching. I'm a really good writer, but networking is not something I’m very comfortable with. So how can I create my version of networking that will be comfortable for me and still work?  I've decided to start interviewing people for my podcast. That gives me a reason to call them and get to know them. That's my version of networking and that will be fun.

 

Morph your fears into productivity

 

What business strategy do you need or want to put in place that is outside your comfort zone. Morph it. Tweak it, adapt it, and personalize it till it works, but don't fret over it.

 

Build your own strategy

 

Go with your natural talent. Partner with or hire people with the natural talents you don't have. 2+2 make a lot more than 4. Create your own version of the seven core marketing strategies. Nurture your natural abilities and follow your strengths to success.

 

Cara Lumen, The Vision Distiller, helps entrepreneurs touch lives all over the world. Her Magnetic Marketing Method helps you expand your vision, extend your reach and raise your attraction level to draw to you the perfect clients and customers. Find more articles like this in The Success Magnets Emagazine at www.caralumen.com

 

Why You Should Start Hanging Out with People Who are Playing Bigger than You Are

I'm about to be stretched. I'm about to be asked to think bigger than I have been, to look at possibilities that I've never considered and to probably change my thinking. I'm going to start hanging out with people who are playing bigger than I am.

 

You can only take yourself so far

 

We need to surround ourselves with people who see our potential. From within our own lives our viewpoint of what is possible for us is limited by old beliefs and fears. But other people don't see that, they don't know what thoughts stop us, they only see our potential. We need to hang out with them so we can have a bigger view of what is possible for us.

 

I used to keep an acknowledgement book in which I wrote the nice things people said about me with the date it was said. When I started feeling dumpy about myself I'd read what was written. "Oh, they saw that in me? I didn't know." Now I simply save the lovely emails and the amazing testimonials that people give me. But I still have to go read them periodically to reaffirm my own value.

 

Hanging out with the bigger players shows you how it's done

 

Every time I have a conversation with someone about their services or the way they manage their business, I find some small nugget for myself that I can adapt or modify or just plain use.

 

I'm about to acquire another coaching certification and as I give thought to how I will work it into my current business I find my vision expanding. When I talked to another participant about how he structured his coaching practice I began to rethink mine. When I heard how much he charged I realized I was ready to reposition my fees and attract more clients who firmly believe that my coaching is well worth the money and are willing to spend it to grow their business.

 

And it's scary

 

I'm in a funny place. At 75 when someone asks me what my five year plan is my answer is "To still be here!" But that's a joke, because I'm building my business with all the intention of working it for another 30 years. But there is an energy about someone twenty or thirty years younger that I need to recapture.

 

That's another reason to hang out with people who are playing bigger than I am. I need to create my version of my business in a way that honors who I am, what I know how to do, and how I want to live my life. And I need to watch what other people are doing for ideas.

 

So I have to overcome the fact that only 10% of women my age went to college (I went back for my MA at 40) and that women of my generation were only expected to grow up and be housewives.

 

I have to overcome the loss of confidence I discovered when I reentered the work force after fifteen years of raising children to find what I knew how to do had no value to others in the work place.

 

And I get to celebrate my blossoming as my creative, enthusiastic self and the fact that at long last I am deeply involved in what I love to do.

 

Now that I've made it to this point I get to do more.

 

So I'm going to go hang out with people who are doing their business well and see what I can learn from them. And while I'm at it I'll keep an eye out on what I can teach them.

 

You see it's not about who is better or worse, who is more than or less than, it's a study in how beautifully different each of us are. I will engage in this training environment with a willingness to learn, an enthusiasm to share, and an expectation of both inner and outer expansion.

 

That's why it's important to periodically go hang out with people playing bigger than you are.

 

Cara Lumen, The Vision Distiller, helps entrepreneurs expand their vision, extend their reach and touch lives all over the world. Her Magnetic Marketing Method helps you create prosperity from your inside out. You can find more articles like this in The Success Magnets Emagazine at www.caralumen.com