Archive for the ‘Business Plans’ Category

List and analyze your core competencies, then meet with a business partner, coach or mentor and work through the same process.
One of the reasons business owners find it so hard to implement systems in their business is that they don’t really know what’s contributing to the end results. Do you know what your core competencies are? Do you give yourself enough credit for what you bring to your business? What are the things that you are doing in your business that you could replicate with a system?
Finding Core Competencies
One of the exercises I do in my workshops is to pair people up. I do this so that they can begin to discover what their core competencies are. Experience has taught me that you won’t know what to systemize unless you know what is contributing to the end results of your business. People often overlook everything that is involved and this is where it is helpful to get an outside perspective. You need someone to ask you the right questions so that you can pin point core competencies. You can also do this exercise with a personal coach or mentor.
Recently I worked with a client that wasn’t sure how to implement systems in her business. We were talking about the 80/20 principle. I asked her just how much information that she covered in a session was the same with every client. Was it possible that 80% was basically being repeated for every client and that only 20% of what she was doing was being tailored to the individual? When she had a closer look she realized that this was true. Taking that core competency we then started to look at ways to communicate that 80% of information to her clients without her physically having to be there. We settled on the idea that she should record a tele-seminar. This would have more than one benefit. She could invite clients to tune in live to the tele-seminar. But for those that couldn’t make the live seminar the recording would be available for download on her website. In this way her clients were still getting access to the information but there was less involvement on her side.
4 Steps for Finding Core Competencies:
#1 Reflection: Take some time to reflect on what you are doing in your business. What actions or tasks are contributing to the end result?
#2 List & Analyze: Make a list of everything you do on a daily or weekly basis and then analyze this in terms of the end result.
#3 Get Perspective: Sit down with a business partner, coach or mentor and work through the same process. Often an outside perspective will highlight things you haven’t thought of.
#4 Systemize and Automate: Once you have your list, try to think of ways in which you could systemize these core competencies. Specifically be conscious of how you can automate processes so that there is less personal involvement on your part.
To create systems for your business you first need to understand what you are doing that is ultimately contributing to the end result. What is actually feeding your customers information and bringing in the sales? Once you know what these things are you can start to find ways to automate the process.
I’d love to share more about what it takes to Create A Successful Business That Works For YOUR Life, and makes a DIFFERENCE to others. I’m running a FREE teleseminar series exactly on that topic. Join me by registering here: www.clientmagnets.com/successcalls
If you’re looking to sell to corporates, visit my new Corporate Clients Summit page – new articles with loads of free advice and tips: http://www.attractcorporateclients.com
Here’s a question for you to think about: Do you run your business or does it run you? Most people start out with a business idea thinking that when it’s successful they will have more time and money to do what they want, yet that is seldom the reality. Too many business owners get bogged down in the day to day running of their businesses and end up working ridiculous hours just to keep it afloat. If you are smiling and nodding your head in agreement perhaps it is time that you sat down and re-evaluated your business strategies and your personal goals. Maybe it’s time for you to get back in the driving seat and for you to run your business rather than the other way around.
Two Important Components of Successful Goal Setting
#1 Revenue goals form the backbone of your business strategy. They create a target for you to work towards and help you define budgets when implementing tactics to reach your goals. It is one of the first questions that I ask my clients: “What are your revenue goals for the next 12 months?” It is important that the figure you set is something that is tangible and achievable. Don’t imagine that you want to be a millionaire and that it will just magically happen on its own. Your revenue goals need to be a target that you think is possible.
#2 Lifestyle goals relate to what you personally want from the business or your working career. This could be something like you want to only work a three day week, or you want to travel less and spend more time at home with your family. Now most people will sacrifice their lifestyle goals because they think that their business will suffer if they try to implement them. Yes, there may be a transition period where you earn a little less and have to implement the necessary changes, but most often when you implement lifestyle and revenue goals together you come out with a win-win solution. In my case I chose to relocate, move more of my business online and the results really paid off. Even though the transition was not without its challenges, I found I was more focused on my work efforts during your work hours and more motivated generally because I could see I was moving towards my lifestyle goals at the same time.
Things to remember when setting Goals
• Quantify your goals. Put a figure to your revenue goals and clearly define what you want from your lifestyle goals. Don’t make it dreamlike, be realistic about what is possible to achieve. Also define your goals within a specific time frame.
• Your goals should be tangible and achievable but at the same time you should look at all possibilities if it is something that you really want. When you define your goals you should already have some idea as to how you plan to achieve them.
• Be willing to put in the effort to achieve your goals. Don’t just set strategies and expect them to materialize on their own.
• Break your goals down into bite-sized chunks so that you can start implementing tactics to reach them. Make sure each step you take consistently moves you closer to achieving your goals.
• Your goals should be personally rewarding and meaningful as this will motivate you to work towards them. When setting your goals keep in mind the link and balance between revenue goals and lifestyle goals.
Setting goals is a way of defining your business and lifestyle strategy. They are absolutely essential if you want to feel fulfilled in your working career. Goals provide a meaningful framework in which you can implement short term tactics. They also help you to stay on track and keep you motivated though the tough times. Having goals provides you will a big picture to work towards and ensures you are consistently moving in the direction you want your life to go.
Bernadette Doyle specializes in helping entrepreneurs attract a steady stream of ideal clients. If you want to get clients calling you instead of you calling them, sign up at http://www.clientmagnets.com
Tweet
You wouldn’t ask a newborn baby or toddler to go out and earn an income would you? Instead you would nurture and care for them until they are old enough and mature enough to stand on their own two feet. Starting a new business can be a bit like that. I’m a firm believer that you need to let it grow a little before you start depending on it too heavily to meet your financial needs. But what do you do if you have no other options, if you started your business because you were part of layoffs?
Why you need to Balance your Financial Needs
Trying to grow a business while depending on it to meet your financial needs can be very stressful. You will be constantly juggling cash flow and trying to keep just one step ahead of paying bills. Not everyone has a strong financial base when starting a new business. In fact, most people don’t. But you need to find ways of earning a little extra income, even if it is working part-time, to take some of the financial burden off the business. That stable income, no matter how small, can make a big difference in how you approach your business. It can give you a huge psychological boost to know that you have your most important responsibilities covered. Instead of stressing about where your next week’s income is coming from you can start working on strategies that will consistently grow your business. Then in time as your business becomes more successful, you can start to depend more on it for your income.
So much of it is about timing. There will be a time when you quite literally have to burn bridges. If you have a specific goal in mind with your business, such as working only three days a week, or taking it online, then at some point you have to take that leap of faith. Sometimes it may mean turning away business and other sources of income and that can be scary. But it also spurs you on to make a success of things. Ideally your business should be well established and on track to meeting your goals before you take these kind of steps.
Helpful Tips for Balancing Financial Needs and a New Business
• Draw up a budget so that you know what you need to make in order to meet your responsibilities.
• Try to establish how much time your new business will need out of your work day, and if there is a possibility that you can schedule in some part-time work.
• Have some sort of stable income – it needn’t meet all of your financial needs but it should provide a base to work from that is greater than zero.
• Have a clear strategy in place so that as your business grows you can start to put plans in place that shift your focus away from part-time earnings and full-time into running your business.
• Be aware that timing can be key and is an important part of balancing financial needs with growing a business.
Starting or growing a business is not easy. It requires a lot of determination, effort and investment. Trying to balance all of that and at the same time depend on the business solely to meet your financial needs often just adds to the burden. Earning part-time income to ease a bit of the financial burden is a good way to fast track the growth of your business. It helps you to focus on growing your business rather than stress about how you are going to pay the bills. Because of the time and discipline involved in balancing more than one job, when the time comes to implement bigger strategies in your business, you will have the confidence to take that leap of faith.
Bernadette Doyle is a marketing specialist who helps entrepreneurs become client magnets and attract a steady stream of their ideal clients. If you’d like to receive invaluable tips and advice on how to attract clients with ease, register at http://www.clientmagnets.com
TweetCreating a high-end coaching program doesn’t require special training. It’s something that anyone can do, with enough expertise and the right approach. How do you know what a high-end coaching program should look like? Consider joining a similar group to get an idea of how it operates from the inside, and take away valuable information about how you can structure and format your offering.
Find a Similar Group and Join It
Once you’ve really decided to expand your offerings and create bigger programs where you’ll get more actively involved with clients, it’s time to think about what to offer and how you can offer it. What is a top-level coaching program supposed to include? One of the best techniques for starting a high-end coaching program is to find a similar group – and join it.
The idea is not to join a group and steal all of its techniques and resources. You might want a group that relates to a totally different industry than you’ll be covering, or even a group that works with how to create and market high-end coaching programs. The point is to find a group and join it so you’ll experience how a group like this operates, and get take-away points for your own planning.
Get an Insider View of What You’re Offering
Joining a high-end coaching program gives you an insider view of what you’re offering. This provides an opportunity for you to watch an expert in action, and look at how someone established is offering their programs to participants. This gives you an insider perspective of the types of things that need to be included in a program like this. It might also give you tips and techniques that improve your business overall, or as related to the program you intend to create.
Joining a high-end coaching program can give you valuable take-away points to implement in your own program. You may find that you really like something the mentor offers, or you may decide that something lacked information or you’d rather see something presented in a different way. Look at both the good things and the things you didn’t like about the program, and find ways to integrate that knowledge into the program you’re developing for your own clients. This can help you evaluate your potential offering with an insider’s perspective, and better gauge what clients might like or want and what might not provide value to your clients.
Think of a High-End Coaching Program as an Investment
If you join a high-end coaching program to get a better idea of what to offer in your own program, think of it as an investment. Having this inside knowledge can help you better craft your own program to appeal to your clients, which can create better testimonials and generate interest and buzz among your potential prospects. By having your own experience with a top-level program, you know what clients expect and you can create a program that provides real value for your clients. This benefits everyone involved, and you might just find other aspects of your business improving as a result of the program!
Bernadette Doyle specializes in helping entrepreneurs attract a steady stream of ideal clients. If you want to get clients calling you instead of you calling them, sign up for her free weekly e-zine at http://www.clientmagnets.com
TweetOne of the biggest things that most often holds us back from achieving our full potential is permission to succeed, or the feeling that we’re somehow not fully qualified to offer our advice and expertise to others. Have you ever felt that way?
Whether you’re thinking of starting a high-end coaching program, marketing a new product or putting together a conference, the most valuable thing you can do for yourself is to give yourself permission to succeed. The people who achieve the most in life aren’t stronger than you, or smarter than you; they succeed because they give themselves permission to try.

Self-Doubt is Common, and Deadly To Your Success
Self-doubt isn’t an unusual problem to face when we begin new projects, or undertake new endeavors. When we try something for the first time, there’s always the question of failure. Sometimes people even wonder if they have a right to try what they’re trying, as though only other people can undertake massive projects.
One of the best things you can do for yourself is give yourself permission to try the big things you want to try. Most people know a lot more than they think they know, and have a great position from which to strike forth and begin a new endeavor.
For example, if you’ve been in your business for ten years and have built your business from the ground up, you’re absolutely qualified to talk to people about how to build a business like yours, or how to operate in your niche. The accumulated experience of those years is your qualification. You don’t have to be a coach or a guru to offer something valuable; in many cases, your personal experience is the most valuable thing you can share.
Successful People are Ordinary People Too
It’s important to understand that successful people aren’t magical, or special in some way that you’re not. Successful people are ordinary people, too. Successful people typically have talent and know-how, but the key factor that sets them apart is a willingness to actually do the things they do; not a unique qualification or special asset that other people don’t possess.
For me, joining Yanik Silver’s mastermind group was extremely valuable, because it quickly became clear that Yanik, one of the most successful people in his field, is just an ordinary person. He’s got a lot of talent and know-how, but he’s still a flesh-and-blood human like the rest of us. Getting to know Yanik was the key to realizing that an ordinary person can do wildly successful things, such as starting a high-end coaching program or organizing huge events.
Don’t make excuses to avoid starting your new projects. Don’t wait until tomorrow, or next week; don’t wait until you’ve taken that class or landed that big client.
These are all excuses that self-doubt uses to prevent you from succeeding. Do yourself the biggest favor of all: give yourself permission to try the important things. It doesn’t matter if you’re just an ‘ordinary person.’ We’re all ordinary people. It’s time for you to really start creating your own success!
TweetHow does it make you feel when you receive a thank-you note, penned in your friend’s own hand? Or how revealing is it for you to study someone’s signature, or to appreciate the time that they invested in writing a unique, personalized message with good, old-fashioned ink?
Handwriting has become a bit of a novelty. We communicate with texts, IMs, emails, and spoken words. The handwritten, post-marked letter has virtually gone the way of handlebar mustaches and hoop skirts. So when you see your name and address in script on the front of an envelope, your curiosity is piqued, right?
In marketing, it can be helpful to put yourself in the shoes of your prospects. If you’d like to receive a handwritten note, most of them probably would, too.
The handwritten note theory has been tested by direct mail experts and copyrighters, and the results have been overwhelming: it works.
Here are some arguments for hand-lettered script on envelopes and in correspondence:
• Since the early 1990s, even before email was the overwhelming choice for correspondence, handwritten notes were endorsed by professional marketers. If hand-crafted script was a welcome addition to mailboxes back them, imagine how novel it will seem now that we’re fully immersed in the Information Age.
• “Pen and ink” catches a mail sorter’s eye. Think of how you sort your own mail. If you’re like most, you separate it into two piles: the “I need to read that later” pile and the “ditch it, it’s junk” pile. Handwriting gives your correspondence a better chance of landing in the more favorable stack.
• A note, card, or letter with a personalized feel will always feel more valuable. It flatters its recipient, and makes him or her curious to know who would spend so much time on the thought of them.
• If you use handwriting to communicate, at least a portion of the time, your communication will be among the minority, making it unique and worthy of a second glance. Many marketers have heard of the advantages of handwritten notes, but few will make the effort to do it. This gives your effort a “noted” advantage.
Now maybe you’re thinking, “Geez. I’m already buried under a mountain of work. Where in the world am I going to find the time to sit down and write out notes to prospects?” Here’s the beauty of this approach: it’s so simple, anyone can do it.
Your niece or nephew can do it. The neighbor kid can do it. Your grandma can do it. A student or intern can do it. The handwriting doesn’t have to be yours, it simply has to be handcrafted.
Actually, adding one more demand to your growing business isn’t advisable. Instead, think “automated.” A good idea or good fortune shouldn’t equate to more work. But it should call for a system to handle it. Even if you’re only writing 30 cards per month, and you have no problem fitting that task into your schedule, you must have a plan on the back burner…for when a big idea, or a big success, hits.
There will always be marketing trends to follow. There will always be the next big thing, onto which you’ll want to pounce before your competition gets the chance. But, putting all of that aside, some things simply never go out of style, and handwriting is one of them.
In marketing, your handwriting grade isn’t earned with sweeping curves, crossed Ts, and dotted Is, but rather, it’s earned with the regular use of this versatile tool that simply never seems to go out of style.
Bernadette Doyle created Client Magnets Ltd to help self-employed people solve one of their biggest business problems: attract a steady stream of clients. If you’d like to receive invaluable tips and advice on how to attract clients with ease, register at http://www.clientmagnets.com
Tweet
How many things do you have to do today? Or this week? How many of those things are springboards for the bigger and better things that are waiting on the other end of your procrastination? The things that are going to lead you and your business to satisfying success!
Often, many of us feel overwhelmed with all of the things we need to do by allowing the end results of a virtual to-do list mill around in our heads. Maybe your current brain-contained list sounds a little like this:
• build a website
• schedule a teleseminar
• research trade magazines
• start outsourcing – find a VA
How many times have these items (or similar items) drifted around the outside of your brain, bouncing off the inside of your skull, clouding your view of current events, and dampening your motivation?
If these words in any way resonate with you, let me share with you my prescription for de-cluttering your head and getting things done.
In order for any grand task to be accomplished, it must first be dissected into small, manageable task chunks. For instance, building a website might involve defining your website budget, asking business associates for webmaster recommendations, interviewing copywriters, and choosing styles for the individual pages. And the best way to break that large task into smaller tasks, without further cluttering your brain? On paper.
To-do lists are the ultimate back-patters. Think about it. How good do you feel when you accomplish something that you’ve been putting off? When you can check an item off of a list, no matter how small, you’ll experience that feeling, and will, in turn, feel motivated to do it again and again…ultimately accomplishing the large task.
Here are some tips for making a list that will work for you:
• Keep the end in mind, and only include tasks that will contribute to that end. For instance, don’t commit to writing a free report just because it sounds intriguing to write a free report, or because you’re proficient at writing reports. Everything on your list should contribute to your desired result.
• Remember to delegate, wherever you can. And mark that delegation on your paper!
• Start with the items that you feel most confident in completing. If you’re most proficient in research, hit the internet and get to know some webmasters. The quicker you can get that first checkmark, the quicker you’ll fuel your own motivation to tackle the tasks that aren’t as simple.
• View your list-making as a brain dump. Give your tasks to the paper, and envision space clearing in your head.
• Understand that the writing of the list is a checkable item. Simply making the list brings you one step further to accomplishing your grand tasks.
• Don’t stress over every little detail. As you conquer the notable tasks on your list, small details will fall into place. For instance, if you’re planning a workshop, you’ll need to establish a date, a time, a method of advertisement, and you’ll have to know its main benefit (the problem it will solve). You’re not going to have to figure out how coffee will be served or whether lunch will be chicken salad or turkey. Once your motivation is in full swing, the details will fall into place as you move along.
• Commit to your list. Feel the momentum that’s generated when you accomplish even the smallest of tasks and use that to propel you forward…but remember, you can’t experience that momentum unless you keep the check marks coming.
Some of us are natural list-makers. Others manage our busy lives in our heads…or at least we like to think we do. No matter our natural or learned tendencies, there is a wealth of potential just waiting to be realized…on a blank page.
Building your list of potential clients is necessary for landing deals, filling seminars, and realizing the revenue that you desire. But in order to build your list of interested parties, you must first organize your thoughts into manageable pieces of doable tasks. There’s no better method for accomplishing this than a list.
You want a list of for-sure, ready-to-buy prospects and clients, right? Then get your pen, grab your paper and prepare to clean your brain’s RAM with your new list!
TweetWhen you meet someone for the first time, you have a chance to make a real connection, or you can just pass on your name and be forgotten. Successful relationship-building requires more than just handing out business cards. To build long-lasting, solid and mutually-beneficial relationships, a little homework and a little thoughtfulness goes a long way. Here are my tips for making an impression that brings lasting results …
Research the People You’re Meeting
If you’re meeting someone in particular, research the person or people you’re meeting. Lots of resources exist that can give you both professional and personal reference material. The Web is a source of myriad information, with things like company websites, personal bios, work histories, resumes, portfolios; depending on who you’re meeting, you may be able to find a wide range of information about your contact.
If the Web doesn’t yield any useful information, you could check with the company where your contact works, to see if they have any marketing information containing professional info about your contact. You could also check periodicals, such as magazine stories, newspaper articles or professional interviews. Depending on how public the person is that you’re meeting, you may be able to find everything from the name of a spouse to the first place he or she worked out of college.
Use the information you find when you meet your contact. Talk about common interests, such as being dog owners, adoptive parents, yachters; whatever common bond you can form with your contact can help you form a good relationship. Ask about things near and dear to the person’s heart – not just business talk – and you’re well on your way to forming a real connection.
Ask Questions and Show Genuine Interest
Get to know people to form real connections. Ask questions about everything; not just their professional life, but their personal interests and family life, too. The more you can show that you understand, know and really “get” the person, the better your relationship will be, and the more business opportunities you’re likely to gain. Be a real person to your connections, too – if your new business partner volunteers information about his wife, talk about your wife. The more personal you can make your relationships with people, the better your long-term success with those relationships will be.
Have Fun Making Connections With All People
Everyone can have fun building good relationships – all you have to do is be genuinely interested in people. Enjoy getting to know your business colleagues, or even that woman you met on the street the other day. Forming connections with people can help in all aspects of your life, and even random connections can help your business in unexpected ways. You never know when someone will refer a key contact; an affiliate who may have great products for your prospects, or a business or distributor that could make your product a high-demand success!
Don’t just see people as stepping stones to a better business. Form real, legitimate connections by getting to know people, and I promise good business will naturally follow.
TweetThe thank you page is one of the most overlooked places of real estate on the web.
That quote, from one of my mentors, Yanik Silver, speaks volumes. There is so much opportunity to promote more business and further your relationship with a new client on your thank-you page.
That client has just indicated that they trust you by opting in to your offer. Signing up to your list is a sign that they want to hear more from you. Don’t let them leave wanting; offer them even more before they click off your thank-you page.
When developing your thank you page, think about what you can do to increase your client’s involvement. Marketing research has shown that the more people are involved, the more likely they are to buy – again.
That’s one reason companies hand out scratch-off cards with prizes or discounts hidden beneath the ink. It’s called an involvement device. When someone physically has to do something, it increases their involvement, which increases response and increases conversion.
The content on your thank you page needs to be relevant to your target market. Think about what you want them to do next, where you want them redirected to, and if there’s an opportunity to make them another offer.
There are several key ways you can accomplish this.
• Make another offer. While letting the client know you’re glad they signed up, also let them know about another offering. Make a special offer. Offer a special prize or a special bonus that new clients will receive, but only if they sign up there and then. Remember to use language that encourages action. For example, “This is the only time you will see this offer. It’s for new subscribers only and you won’t have access to it again.”
• Ask for more information. Once a new prospect joins your list, ask them to describe their biggest problem. You can then direct them to other offers you may have to help with the problem, or develop that new offering if you don’t have one.
• Create a “tell a friend” campaign. Invite people to tell three friends about your offering in exchange for a special bonus. “Congratulations. Your place on the call is reserved. But just before we continue I would like to offer you this free gift……..”
Everyone who opts in helps you spread the word to other people. This will make a massive difference to your opt-ins and really help to increase your list. You can automate this process using Viral Friend Generator software.
When saying “thank you”, the key is to include only one of these options on your page. Either attempt an additional sale by making another offer, ask new clients for more information, or create a tell-a-friend page.
Any one of these options added to your thank-you page will start increasing your sales immediately.
Bernadette Doyle specializes in helping entrepreneurs attract a steady stream of ideal clients. If you want to get clients calling you instead of you calling them, sign up for her free weekly e-zine at http://www.clientmagnets.com
TweetMany entrepreneurs, small business owners and other professionals find themselves focused on earning an income, finding new clients and the day-to-day struggle to survive. Having enough income and cashflow to grow your business rapidly is not an uncommon problem. I often hear people talking about their expected income for the next day, weeks or months ahead. They focus on knowing where the next paycheck is coming from because they don’t have enough confidence in their existing client base or cashflow. They fear their income will dry up.
Have you ever felt like that? If that sounds like you, then it’s time to STOP focusing on your income. It’s time to start focusing on a long-term plan for success and diversification. But how? How do you free yourself from the day-to-day financial worry and really start to thrive?
The answer simply lies in starting your own high-end coaching program. A high-end coaching programme (when designed and delivered the right way) will provide enough guaranteed revenue to enable you to stop worrying about money and be free to focus on your long-term success!
This is how the strategy works …
Sell Once a Year to Generate Guaranteed Revenue
• With your high-end coaching programme, if you market and sell the right way, you will only need to focus on the selling once and then you’re done for the year.
• Create a program with a limited number of spots, and you’ll only have to sell long enough to fill those spots and then you can focus on serving your clients and creating alternate revenue streams.
• Create a program with a fixed time limit, such as my annual programme, and you only have to sell those spots once per year. Then you’ve got the commitment for the income, and you’re free to focus on other areas of your business. No more worrying month-to-month whether you’ll have enough cash for next month; with a high-end coaching program, you can earn enough money to free yourself up for other pursuits.
Free Yourself Up to Look at the Big Picture
One of the biggest benefits for you and your business of creating a high-end coaching program is freeing yourself up to look at the big picture. If you’re like most people, you spend countless hours per week working on finding enough business, and the rest of your time goes to satisfying your existing clients. You never have time to think about the long-term plans for your business, or how to diversify your revenue streams.
Once you have the committed income of a high-end coaching program, you can stop spending so much of your time selling yourself and your services because you have a guaranteed revenue stream. Instead, you can focus on creating the other steps to achieve success in your business, and put together a long-term plan for your business!
In order to truly become successful in your own business, you’ve got to stop focusing on immediate income so you can begin to build a road map for long-term success. Worrying about your day-to-day income is short-term thinking and can seriously hamper your long-term business success. When you start a high-end coaching program, you get financial commitments for a large portion of your revenue and begin looking at other ways to improve your business success.
So if you want to see an end to your day-to-day financial struggles and the beginning of long-term success, it’s time to start your high-end coaching programme!
Bernadette Doyle specializes in helping entrepreneurs attract a steady stream of ideal clients. If you want clients calling you instead of you calling them, sign up for her free weekly e-zine at http://www.clientmagnets.com
Tweet