There are a few things to put in place.

1.)    Your schedule – when are you working, what are you doing?  Make sure your schedule fits with your goals.  Work on projects that are income producing, bring you closer to your dreams or are fun for you and something you WANT to do.  Make sure to also schedule in family time and fun time.  Put your personal care on your calendar as an unmovable appointment.  This is extremely important also for your success.  Even if it’s an hour a day to exercise, make sure it gets on and stays on.

2.)     Your marketing – who is your target market, where are you going to find them and what are you going to do?  It is extremely important to have your target market in place.  This will allow you to be able to find them, market to them and get them into your inner circle. People do business with people they know, like and trust.  In your marketing you want to focus on your target, speak directly to them, show them the problem they are having and your solution and let them get to know you as a person.

3.)    Your sales – without sales you have no business.  You probably think you’re not a salesperson but you are.  You sell someone on the restaurant you want to eat at, the movie you want to see, etc.  Children are master salespeople so watch a child sometime and pick up some tricks on how to get someone to buy what you are selling.

Spend a day and map out all the above.  For example: When are you doing your blog, social media, marketing tactics, networking etc.  Put this all on a marketing calendar so you know the plan and can follow it daily.

Planning is how you will hit the goals you set for yourself.  If you are just winging it each day you will not get very far, you will burn out and you will end up out of business.  That is not what any entrepreneur wants to have happen!

Remember that a strategic plan is what’s going to keep you on track and moving forward.  The only place to go is up in your business when you know what you want to achieve!

In sales copy there are a few things you have to make sure to have; the selling points of your offering, emotions that make the reader feel the pain they are having, and the benefits or relief the buyer will have once they buy your offering with the solution they need.

You want to make sure you engage your target audience so they are interested and want to buy.  If your sales copy is boring people won’t read too far in.  Make it easy for people to find the info they want.  There are a lot of people that skim and don’t read the whole page because really who has time to read entirely the long sales pages they come across.  Make the subheads stand out so people can easily see what the following area is about.  Give your copy bullet points to make the different problems and your solutions to them stand out.  

Today I want to share 5 steps with you to write enticing sales copy that sells!

1.)  Know your target audience – think of who you are writing to.  Use a tone in your writing that speaks to them and evoke the emotion in them that makes them realize they need to buy from you now to get the solution they’ve been seeking.  Think of them as a friend.  Write your copy the same way you would tell a good friend how you can help them solve the horrible problem they are having.

2.)  List the benefits – Make a list of the benefits that are most important to your target market. This is one area you want to bullet point so it jumps out at the reader and they are drawn to it.

3.)  Look to the future – Go beyond the buying experience in your copy.  Point out how the buyer will feel after their problem is solved.

4.)  Have a catchy headline – make sure your headline draws the reader in and use subheads throughout the copy so people that skim can find the points they are looking for quickly.

5.)  Tweak – Review your copy.  Make sure you have everything you need in there.

Writing can be tough but it doesn’t have to be.  Have fun and be creative when you write copy.  If you really hate writing invest in a copywriter to help you.  This will free you up to do what you really love while still having incredible copy that will sell for you!

It’s great to keep connections with all these people but if they are the only ones you are connecting with it is going to slow you down in growing your network or your business.

You need to have a diverse network that you branch out to of people that can help you as you grow.  Look for people in other industries that complement what you do to connect with.  This is a great way to build new relationships that could turn into possible joint ventures down the line.  It will also provide you with resources that you may need in the future.

You need to nurture your networks in order to have them grow.  Be helpful, give advice, answer questions in groups if you have a valuable answer.  Don’t respond to questions that you are just guessing the answer to.  Make sure you know what you are saying and are able to back it up with fact if asked to.  This will show you are the expert on your topic and will have more people wanting to connect with you and do business with you.

Connect others that you think would be a good match.  You have a wide network and there are lots of people that would probably be a good fit with people you know.  If you see one of these opportunities take a moment to send an introduction email to both of them saying how you think they could benefit each other.  Once you do this they can each connect with the other if they choose to. This is a win- win situation for everyone because more business is being done!

Spend a little time each day in your networks.  It will be very productive for you as you grow your relationships.  It can be a little time consuming but if you put a system to it you will have it go much smoother.  Don’t spend all day finding out what updates people are sending out.  Take some time in the morning and at the end of the day to find out what is going on, respond to posts that you find interesting and post something about yourself as well.  This will keep you in the loop and opportunities often arise in these networks that you may not have found otherwise.

Now, as important as online networking is, offline is just as important.

Networking is a continual effort and human contact is a critical component.  You want to make sure you get out from behind your computer from time to time.

Go to events for networking and learning opportunities.  You can find out more about your target market when you are talking to them directly.

Offer others advice and resources that can help them with any problems they may be having.  Don’t constantly sell to people.  Build relationships by serving.  Eventually the selling will come naturally.

Be professional, dress nice, speak clearly and maintain eye contact in conversations. Be in charge of yourself and what people know about you.

These in person times are important so people get to connect a name with a face, get to know, like and trust you and want to learn more about you.  Not everyone is going to be a client.  Don’t go into the events thinking that you are going to come home with a ton of new clients.  Instead, go into the events with an open mind and a friendly attitude.  Reach out and connect to others that are there and learn all you can.  These people you meet can become good friends, valuable resources, and yes, on occasion great clients.

Have fun networking and building relationships!

A good mentor wants to see you succeed, gives you advice you can use right away, and are honest with you.  They love to connect you with other valuable connections as well that they know will help you on your journey.

A mentor will tell you the things you need to know to succeed, give you connections that will help you and resources to learn more from and they will ask you questions that you hadn’t even thought of.

When looking for a mentor, first go to someone you trust.  That may be another local business owner, a teacher, or an old boss.  Then start to expand.  Join online groups or associations that resonate with you, or go to local business meetings.  These are great ways to meet new mentors.

I have learned much from my mentors.  Some I have followed through their Ezines and calls, others I have taken courses with or gone to their 3 day event.  Each time I go in with an open mind to learn.  I learn new takes on even things that I knew before and ways to tweak what I am doing to add more successful outcomes.

Listen when your mentor speaks.  This is invaluable information that can shorten your learning curve and help you to NOT make the same mistakes your mentor did.  Don’t go into the experience thinking “I already know that” because I can tell you that even if you already know something there are many different ways to go about it and others have had success in new ways that may benefit you as well.

To make the most of your relationship with your mentor, know clearly what you expect and have regular meetings.  Don’t think any of your questions are stupid.  Ask everything you want to know because believe me, your mentor has asked the same thing at one time or another to reach the success they now have.

Be open minded so you hear new suggestions and don’t take criticism as a personal attack.  It is constructive to help you learn.  Take into consideration what your mentors advises you to do differently and if it works for you give it a go.  You never know what kind of results you are going to have.

If you aren’t comfortable with your mentor find a new one that resonates with you.  You won’t learn anything from someone that you don’t like and respect because you are going to be focused on those dislike feelings instead of having an open mind.

When you feel you have enough experience, start to mentor others that need your help.  This will help you to sharpen your own skills and expand your network while you have the pleasure of knowing you are able to help someone else just starting out on the entrepreneurial journey.

You can’t be feeling lack when you are in gratitude. As one of my mentors says, you can’t feel two things at one time.  If you are in gratitude you can’t feel lack.  If you are feeling lack you need to change your thoughts so you are feeling gratitude. When you are in gratitude more wonderful things happen to you.

Law of attraction says like attracts like so wouldn’t it be wonderful to be constantly attracting good things?  If you are now in a fear mentality based on the lack in your life you are bringing more of that lack back to you.  In order to change that return you need to change your thoughts.  Focus on what is good in your life, what is working for you, and what you want. This is what you will be able to bring into your life…as long as your subconscious and conscious mind are on the same page.

I have been studying the Universal laws for three years now and can tell you that I am constantly learning but when I put those lessons into practice I find a whole new life around me.  At first I wasn’t entirely sure of it  all but as I have studied I have found that the successful people and millionaires in this world all practice the laws and manifest sometimes instantly the people they need in their life, the opportunities they need and the things they want.  It is amazing when you start to really pay attention to what is around you and you start to change your feelings from what you don’t what to what you do want.

I see the sky in a new shade of blue, I take time on hikes with my son to get a good look at the little insects.  I notice things I didn’t notice before and the night sky takes on a whole new meaning for me.

I go outside each night, look at the stars and say thank you for all the wonderful abundance I have…and any problems I may be having don’t seem so bad anymore.

I strongly suggest starting a gratitude journal.   This can be a small notebook even and each night write the date on top and list what you are grateful for.

I write in my gratitude journal each night.  I also script out what I would like to happen the next day.  The next night I review my script and write down the positive evidences that I have found in my day.  It is really gratifying to see and is also an eye opener that things are happening to benefit you all day but you may not have found them if you weren’t looking.

This journal is a pick me up every time you open it.  You focus on what has gone right for you each day which takes the focus off anything that went wrong and you can flip back through any time you feel a little out of sorts.  This will raise your vibration back to a space of hope and gratitude.

I invite you to try this and start to be thankful every day for what you have in your life.

Don’t halt now because you are afraid of what to do.  This article will help you in that process.  You can push past the fear and move forward.  Remember the fear only has power if you give it power and you can chose not to have fear. 

This project really isn’t as scary as many people make it out to be. You need to outline what you want for your business.  You don’t need a huge business plan, but you do need a strategy to manage your business.

Start small, you can always add to your plan as you grow.  Know what capital you need to start up and also what you need to cover monthly expenses with a little extra each month to cover any unforeseen expenses that may come up.  Don’t forget to add taxes in there also otherwise you will get hit with a large bill at the end of the year.  Try to set aside some money toward taxes each month if you can.

An important part of success is identifying your target market and how you plan to reach them.  Have an idea of what type of marketing you are going to do to get your name known and also how much that may cost you.  Put in a marketing budget if you can.

Have an idea of how much revenue you plan to make your first year and third year.  This is going to help you to see how your business is doing in regards to the goals you have set for yourself.

If you need some help or a template www.sba.gov (Small Business Administration) is a wonderful resource.  Another great resource is www.score.org.  Both of these sites specialize in helping small business owners to succeed.  They have many free resources to help you in all aspects of  your business as it starts up and grows.

Have a backup plan in case you don’t hit the amount of money you need to be profitable.  Are you going to cut costs in some way?  What are you planning on doing to reach the goal you have set to make a profit in your business? 

Schedule a few hours each month to review your plan and see if it still matches up with your goals.  You can tell what’s working and what’s not so you can make any needed changes.  This will help you to keep your clarity and focus as well.  If your goals changes you have the opportunity to change them on your plan so you are always in alignment with what you really want to accomplish.

A business plan is a great way to focus your thoughts and lay out your ideas in a way that will make you money and allow you to have a successful business.  This isn’t scary, instead it is going to become one of your greatest assets in your business…one that will help you over and over again to reach your goals!

Continual Learning For Success

As an entrepreneur the key to success is to never stop learning.  To expand your business you need to learn new skills, polish up your original skills and keep your mindset in the right place – geared to be a success and move forward.

I invest in myself every year to keep moving towards my goals.  I didn’t always though.  My first year in business I held back and worried about “cost” of everything…and I stayed where I was.  The following year I learned that it wasn’t an expense but rather an investment in myself and I doubled what I made.  This year I invested in a few different large investments and have already exceeded my previous income and still have the last quarter of the year to finish even stronger.

Choose what’s right for you.  What investment gets you excited?  Go for it.  Trust me – if you want success bad enough you find a way to invest in yourself!

Step Up and Try Something New

My 6 year old recently started Ju Jitsu. This is a form of mixed martial arts. It teaches strength, focus and discipline. I didn’t know how he would do at first but was surprised that he jumped right in, started learning, gets better every week and loves it!

This is not something I would have expected he would enjoy. It also made me nervous at first as they are doing all sorts of moves that I’ve never seen before and didn’t know anything about but now I’m not nervous, instead I’m proud.

He has wonderful teachers and they keep the kids safe and teach them the correct form. If they do something wrong they correct them and make sure they are doing things safely so they don’t get hurt.

I think this is something we should all do…step up and try something new.

By staying in our small box that is comfortable we don’t expand our mind and bodies. It’s important for each of us to stretch ourselves and expand our lives.

Sign up for a new class that interests you, read some new books on topics that interest you, go to seminars that you find resonate with you.

Each year I spend time investing in myself. Last year I took a copywriting class to improve my writing skills and went to an Abraham Hicks seminar to learn more about the Universal Laws that I find so fascinating. This year I will be attending an event to learn how to increase my business to the next level, I will probably be attending another Abraham Hicks seminar as I have been waiting for a new one to be local since last year, and I joined a coaching association so that I could increase my coaching skills and learn from the best…that are where I want to be in my business.

There are so many ways we can expand and grow if you just take the time to try something new. Find something that resonates with you and go for it!

The possibilities are endless and the rewards are priceless..and if you don’t enjoy it, finish out the time you invested and choose something new!

Do You Use Gratitude As A Stepping Stone to Success?

Do you feel stuck in your business sometimes? Like no matter what you do you just can’t seem to get ahead or come up with something new? I know that happens to me and this is where gratitude comes in.

I know, you probably think I lost it but this simple tip will help you to make big strides in moving out of the slump.

Take a notepad and pen and write “What I Am Grateful For” at the top of a sheet of paper. Now start to list everything in your life/business that you are grateful for. You will find the list just keeps getting longer and shows you how much awesome stuff you have in your life. You’ll also find that you will add to the list every day. Maybe it was a beautiful day or you had someone approach you about a new exciting project they want to collaborate with you on.

You will have moments every day to be grateful for. Sometimes you will have to work to find them as easily but they are there. Some days it may just be that no unexpected disasters happened.

I suggest spending 5 minutes each night before you go to bed to add to your gratitude journal with what you were grateful for that day. Reread what you wrote other days as well as a pick up for your mood. Trust me, you will feel so much better when you realize that no matter what is going on in your life that you don’t like at the moment, you really do have a number of things to be grateful for.

On days you are feeling the slump take out your gratitude journal and reflect on all the incredible things in your life. I guarantee it will open your heart and mind to new possibilities!

“It May Look Bad Now…But”

I recently read “The Power of Positive Living” by Norman Vincent Peal.  I absolutely LOVED this book!

In the book Dr. Peale tells about a friend of his that was always quiet but when he talked you listened.

One of the things he would says was “It may look bad now, but” which meant that yes, the situation looks bad now but there is a reason for that and there is something fantastic around the corner.

As things happen in my life each day I remind myself of this quote.

When I set the burgers and hot dogs on fire on the grill, (that’s right, I’m not a master cookJ) it looked really bad but…we got a great pizza for dinner instead!

It’s important to remember to look for the positive in situations.  I guarantee you can find something if you try hard enough.

Don’t give up on something just because it didn’t turn out how you planned.  That’s the Universe telling you that there are other plans for you that you may not realize yet.

Keep your dreams burning bright and be open to possibilities and opportunities you didn’t anticipate.

Sometimes it may take someone else that you admire to show you the path that you should be on.  Be open to receiving this advice and consider what they say.  It may just be the right thing that you needed to hear at the right time!

Surprises can be wonderful if your heart and head are open to receiving them.