Life Success Strategies for Soulpreneurs®

Your Four Best Business Breakthrough Strategies

I read an enlightening story in Daily Guideposts recently about a child who was color blind. It's hard for me to imagine going through life not being able to dress myself with coordinating colors of pants, tops, dresses, shoes, etc. But apparently there are many born with the inability to do just that.

This dilemma led me to think about what else is not the norm for the majority of the population, yet feels normal to some people who live with these challenges on a daily basis. I have lost the peripheral vision in my left eye. It feels so normal to me that I don't even think about it the majority of the time. Like me, many people have learned to live with the inconvenience these types of situations cause -- so much so that it feels normal. Would it be productive to stress and strain over it? Not likely.

When it comes to your business, what have you learned to live with that may feel normal, yet may not be the best, most productive way to grow a business? I have the ability to create websites, but it's not my strength - it's an ability. If I focus on websites, it keeps me from focusing on those things that are my strengths, like working with clients, writing, creating information products, and planning out my business.

Are you spending time working in areas of your business that could be done easier and faster by someone who specializes in those fields of expertise? You may not realize that when you work in parts of your business that are not directly revenue producing, you are stifling the growth of your business.

There is a process called a SWOT Analysis that can help you determine the highest and best use of your time, as it relates to building your business. As defined by Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia, a SWOT Analysis is:

"A strategic planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture. It involves specifying the objective of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieving that objective. The technique is credited to Albert Humphrey, who led a research project at Stanford University in the 1960s and 1970s using data from Fortune 500 companies."

Strengths - What can you do that is unique and/or better than your competition.

Weaknesses - What do you need to improve to help you attract more customers? Maybe you need a stronger marketing plan or to work on staying in touch with your customers more often.

Opportunities - Do you have trade shows or business conferences coming up that can get you in front of your target audience?

Threats - Is a new retail store opening in the same area that you serve? Is a competitor stepping up their marketing efforts?

Because this analysis looks at your business, and yourself, from multi-dimensional angles, it has the ability to reveal information that can become the catalyst to your success. Utilized to your fullest advantage, it can lead you to a happier, more successful life and business.

Taking the time to analysis your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, as they apply to your business, may provide just the leverage you need to set your business apart from other businesses providing the same type of service and/or products. Use it as a starting point to find your competitive edge when creating a business and marketing plan, and to increase your awareness of what you have to offer to your clients, and at the same time increase your level of confidence.

A Rose by Any Other Name...

When our residential construction business was brand new, back in 1985, and we were excited about where it could go - not having a clue what it would take to get there - I wanted it to have a name that gave out prospective customers the feeling of quality and exceptional service.  This is what I wanted to provide then, and now.  After much brainstorming, we decided on the name "Exceptional Habitats, Inc."  To me it meant that we create environments in our customers homes that are exceptional.  It didn't occur to me that other people may not understand the meaning behind the name...

Now here we are all these years later, and I can see that our name has been an advantage - and a disadvantage. Many folks will call us thinking we are affiliated with Habitat for Humanity, or they think we have something to do with wildlife habitats.  Luckily there are also many people who "get it" and understand that we do residential construction.  A tag line is critical for clarification. 

If I knew then what I know now, would I name our company differently?  Probably - possibly... 

I have learned over the years that when prospective customers read the name of your business, it's really helpful if they have a clue what your business provides in the way of products and services.  To quote the great Marketeer, Dan Kennedy, "When you develop your business name, product names, and service names, think in terms of telegraphing, or targeting, and of giving yourself a marketing advantage."

This is the best advice I have read on the topic of naming and branding your business.

Where's Your Business Coming From in 2009?

According to the Census Bureau, 305,529,237 Americans are now living in the United States.  This is an increase of 2,743,429 persons in one year.  That's a lot of potential customers for our businesses, don't you agree?  The question to ask yourself is, "how do I reach the right ones?" 

Branding your business is becoming quite a buzzword in the online marketing world.  We all want to differentiate ourselves from the masses, so we don't get lost in the huge numbers of businesses - people who are trying their best to make a living.  But branding alone is not enough.  Even if thousands of people know your name and what you have to offer, they won't necessarily give you their business - unless they know you care about them, not just their ability to pay you.

How can you demonstrate that you care?  By listening to what your customers want, without any preconceived notions about what they should have. 

We had a customer contact us recently who was in the market to either buy an existing home or build a new one.  We were astounded when he told us that there were Realtors who refused to show him properities and write offers on houses because the Realtor didn't believe it was in his best interest.  In other words, judgments were made based on personal preferences and opinions, without allowing the customer to come to their own conclusions.  What if this customer was specifically looking for a fixer-upper and didn't want to go into details, for personal reasons. You never know...

If you want to be sure and reach the right customers, think about how you would want to be treated and give your current and prospective customers the same consideration.  Take the time to find out what they want, and focus on providing that - to the best of your ability - and make 2009 your most profitable year yet.

Writing Sales Letters that Get Your Phone to Ring – How Much Money Are You Leaving on the Table – Part 2

It’s a known fact that people buy from people they know, like and trust.  Most often, they buy from people – not from companies, unless you happen to have a company with a nationally known brand such as Pepsi, GE, State Farm, etc.  So, building rapport in a one page sales letter and brochure may be a tall order.

Before you begin the process of writing your sales letter, imagine your ideal customer is sitting before you.  Ask yourself these questions, and any others that may feel appropriate.

ü  Who are they?

ü  Where do they live?

ü  What’s their income level?

ü  Where do they shop?

ü  Where do they work?

ü  How many children do they have, if any?

It’s easier to write a sales letter, if you know who you want to reach.  You can then write as if you are having a personal conversation with your target audience.  Think about what you want to tell them that will make buying from you the next logical step.

Here are 5 more elements to help you get their attention, build trust, and entice them to buy your product or service.

1.       Keep it short and sweet.  The letter should be no more than one page.  You will rarely find someone who doesn’t know you that is willing to read pages of sales copy after a busy day at work.   Think about what you want to say and get your message across without wasting space on unnecessary, flowery words. 

2.      Fun works!  Get their attention in the first paragraph by starting off with a humorous or pithy statement.  Here are a couple of examples from the famous Marketeer, Dan Kennedy.“It’s April Fools MONTH.  And sometimes it seems like the entire federal government, the entire nation, many once-leading companies, even some clients’ businesses have all become Ships of Fools wandering about on the high seas absent navigation.”

 

“I hereby strip you of all rights to ever complain about your income or wealth.”

 

 

I don’t know about you, but these statements got my attention!

3.      Give them a reason to act now!  Offering time sensitive discounts or free offers, with a deadline, will give your potential customers incentive to act now instead of putting off the buying decision until later.

4.      Offer a guarantee.  It’s tough to build trust in a one page sales letter.  Offering a guarantee will let your audience know you stand behind your products and/or services, so they will be more inclined to pick-up the phone and call you.

5.      Why would they buy from you?  Get your competitive advantage across quickly and succinctly.  Use bullet points and bold type to help emphasize key selling points.  Don’t be shy about telling people what you have to offer and how it can benefit them. 

Using these five elements in your sales letter will help you get your letter read and the phone ringing.

 

© 2008   Sandy Reed - All rights reserved

Want to use my articles in your ezine or website?

You're welcome to, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

"Sandy Reed is the President and Founder of the International Association of Women in Family Enterprises (IAWIFE).  She is a professional business coach, writer, and co-owns her own successful family business.  If you're ready to take your family business to the next level of success; receive support, education, and connect with like-minded women, join her members at www.iawife.com.  Sandy's business building articles have been published in True Wealth and Simply Home magazines."

5 Keys to a Winning Website

As a new business owner you may wonder how important it is to have a website.  When you have multitudes of other tasks on your plate to get your business on its feet, you may think that a website is not that important.  However, a study by Interland (Dec. 2003), a web-hosting firm for small and mid-sized businesses, stated that 78% of small businesses believe their company benefits from having a website. 

In the same study, between 20 and 30 percent of these small businesses said that they rely heavily on their website for sales and that it helps them reduce other marketing costs.  Personally, I have found that our website provides the best return on investment, as compared to direct mail, which costs a significant amount of money to implement.

Once you have decided to invest your time and money on a website, you will want to make sure it has all the ingredients to give you the best return for your money.

Here are 5 key ingredients you will want to include on your website.

1.    Be clear on your website to whom you are marketing your products or services.  Picking a niche market makes your marketing easier, and gives you a specific area in which to focus your time and money.  Think of it this way, if you were in need of heart surgery would you want to see a heart specialist or a general practitioner.  Your clients will feel the same way.  They will be attracted to those businesses that specialize in their specific needs.

 

2.    Use keywords and meta tags that apply to your specific target audience and the products or services you offer.  If this sounds like Greek to you, your web designer will be able to help in this area.  Just be aware that keywords and meta tags are needed to drive the right traffic to your website – the traffic that needs what you have to offer.

 

3.    Make sure your contact information is on every page of your site.  You want to be as accessible as possible to your potential clients.

4.    You need a compelling message and a clear call to action.  There are thousands of websites out there just like yours competing for the same customers.  Make sure you use copy on your website that gets attention as soon as someone navigates to your site.  Don’t assume people know what to do once they get there.  Tell them in big bold letters what you want them to do, such as call for more information or sign-up for your newsletter.

5.    Have a way to get back to those people who may not be ready to buy now.  Offering a free report or monthly newsletter with information of value to your clients goes a long way towards building good will and credibility.  Have an opt-in box on the top of your home page with a prominent place to sign-up for your free offer.

There are many more elements of design that can help you market your business more effectively.  A good web designer, with experience in driving traffic to your website, is a worthwhile investment in the start-up phase of your business.

A website has been proven to be a necessary part of your marketing strategy.  The more professional it is the more clients you will attract, and the more opportunities you will have to prove your products or services can add value to your customers.

Want to use my articles in your ezine or website?

You're welcome to, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

"Sandy Reed is the President and Founder of the International Association of Women in Family Enterprises (IAWIFE).  She is a professional business coach, writer, and co-owns her own successful family business.  If you're ready to take your family business to the next level of success; receive support, education, and connect with like-minded women, join her members at www.iawife.com.  Sandy's business building articles have been published in True Wealth and Simply Home magazines."

© 2008   Sandy Reed - All rights reserved

Want to use my articles in your ezine or website?

You're welcome to, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

"Sandy Reed is the President and Founder of the International Association of Women in Family Enterprises (IAWIFE).  She is a professional business coach, writer, and co-owns her own successful family business.  If you're ready to take your family business to the next level of success; receive support, education, and connect with like-minded women, join her members at www.iawife.com.  Sandy's business building articles have been published in True Wealth and Simply Home magazines."

Advertising Your Small Business - Persistence is the Secret!

For all you business owners wondering when enough advertising is too much, here's a timeless reminder of just what it takes to get the attention of your target market.

The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

1. The first time a man looks at an advertisement, he does not see it.
2. The second time, he does not notice it.
3. The third time, he is conscious of its existence.
4. The fourth time, he faintly remembers having seen it before.
5. The fifth time, he reads it.
6. The sixth time, he turns up his nose at it.
7. The seventh time, he reads it through and says, "Oh brother!"
8. The eighth time, he says, "Here's that confounded thing again!"
9. The ninth time, he wonders if it amounts to anything.
10. The tenth time, he asks his neighbor if he has tried it.
11. The eleventh time, he wonders how the advertiser makes it pay.
12. The twelfth time, he thinks it must be a good thing.
13. The thirteenth time, he thinks perhaps it might be worth something.
14. The fourteenth time, he remembers wanting such a thing a long time.
15. The fifteenth time, he is tantalized because he cannot afford to buy it.
16. The sixteenth time, he thinks he will buy it some day.
17. The seventeenth time, he makes a memorandum to buy it.
18. The eighteenth time, he swears at his poverty.
19. The nineteenth time, he counts his money carefully.
20. The twentieth time he sees the ad, he buys what it is offering.

Written in 1885 by Thomas Smith, London, England

The moral of this story is, if you're going to advertise  be persistent!

Saying Goodbye to Bill Gates...

If you've listened to or read the news in the last couple of days, you've most likely heard about Bill Gates big exit from the Microsoft limelight.  He has been such a huge success story over the years, it's hard to imagine him moving on to greener pastures.  After all, what could be greener (money and otherwise!) than Microsoft.

What I found most interesting in the press I read about Mr. Gates wasn't his road to success, or his desire to spend all his time now doing charity work, it was his decision making process. 

As written by Jessica Mintz, AP Technology Writer, he disappears into his country cabin to study and analyze employee's written papers and ponder the future of his industry.  After spending time by himself, without outside influences, he then "emerged with manifestos, including the "Internet Tidal Wave" memo, that could shift the focus of the entire company.

What does this say to you about those of us who are too busy to take a vacation, much less take care of ourselves on a daily basis? 

I spend 15 - 30 minutes everyday in what I call "quiet time".  During this time I read inspirational books, meditate, and think about what I want in my life.  Over the years I have come to consider this a requirement of my ability to function at a healthy and creative level.  But there comes a time when this isn't enough.  I need to get away and regroup.  Vacations and rest and refresh time is not a luxury - it's a necessity.

What do you do to recharge your batteries, so you can live life to the fullest?