Why do entrepreneurs struggle getting clients? Simple. They aren’t marketing their business in an effective way.

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Oh it’s been one of those days…

I notice my wedding ring is not on my hand – oh that’s right – I took it off to put on lotion, and now where did it go????

Halfway thought he day I think “Did I take my morning supplements?”  Gosh, why can’t I remember? Oh well, a double dose of fish oil will do me good.

I make notes from a client conversation, now where did that piece of paper go?  Did it create legs or are there really gremlins?

Gee, it’s awfully quiet around here, Tucker must be sleeping. Hmmm, where is he? Oh yeah, I put him out on his lead to sit in the sun and chew on his favorite bone.

Do you ever feel scattered and unfocused?  Do you spend more time chasing after and finding things than being productive?

I have those days once in a while, but to be honest, I have very low tolerance for them. I find that kind of lack of focus totally distracting and unacceptable for myself. Even though I know I’ll have my moments, , I’ve disciplined myself to pay attention. I hate the feeling of being scattered.
 
Try these tips:

1. Focus on the moment. If you’re worrying about what comes next, or thinking about the past, you’re bound to forget what you’ve done and have to retrace your steps. You waste time and the mental energy is a drain.
2. Do things consciously. Have an awareness of your surroundings, sensations and thoughts, and do things intentional. Pay attention. (Especially while driving!)
3. Enjoy being in the moment. Be thankful for the healthy skin you’ve got when you put on lotion, bless the client you just made notes on, kiss and hug your dog when you put him out, thanking him for their loyal companionship even though you’re too busy to give them all the attention they crave.  Slow down to enjoy each moment.
4. Put things away and in their place.  This makes a huge difference for me. If I put my ring in that little dish, it’s always there for me. Habits are good to have. 

We are all rushing too much and taking on too much. If we run around scattered and unfocused, we don’t get anywhere. Slow down, breathe, be intentional, and stop losing your car keys….they are right where you left them.

p.s. Share with me what kind of strategies help you be more organized?
 

When I think about summer, I think about how much I love spending time in my garden, taking road trips on the motorcycle and my husband Joe,  or spending time with my friends and family.  I’ve also learned to think of summer as the perfect time to . . . .focus!  Not what you were expecting?  I know! 

Summer is a great time to choose a goal.  I usually pick something I’ve been avoiding or slacking  – but make sure it’s something you can accomplish in three months.  There’s no better way to start your fall knowing that you’ve chosen a goal, worked hard to achieve it, and savor the joy of finishing it. 

Unfortunately, sometimes choosing the goal is harder than actually accomplishing your tasks.  What’s the best way to figure out what goal to tackle?  And how the heck do you focus on it, when there are so many delicious diversions?  We’ll take it one step at a time. 

1. Pick a project that has been building in your mind.  If it’s something you’ve put aside, but want to do – it’s perfect for a summer session.  Make sure the goal you choose is realistic to complete in three months.
2. To succeed with your goal, and to enhance your focus, it’s important to declutter physically.  Make sure your work space makes you feel calm instead of stressed.  Declutter mentally. Are you volunteering too much at school or for other types of organizations?  Saying yes to everyone?  Not focusing on your business?  Take a long look at what you spend your time on, and if it’s too diverse, start shutting them down.  
3. Look at where the lion’s share of your money originates.  If you make most of your money from meeting others at networking meetings, get out there and be the  money maker. Networking events and social gatherings are all excellent places to refine and explain who you are and what you need to be successful. 

As a final suggestion, customer appreciation is always an easy way to generate goodwill as well as new business.  It’s the easiest way to get new clients – word of mouth and business referrals are the best type of marketing!  It’s easy to forget the power of your previous clients.  A good summer goal might be to get in touch with your clients from the previous year.  You can offer them something new, reconnect with them, and tell them what kind of business and clients you are looking for.  Asking clients what they think of your services or a new product is a great way to get them engaged with you again. 

What could you accomplish if you put your mind to it this summer?  Whatever your goal, I wish you the best for your summer.  Enjoy it, and your life! 

I know many seasoned women business owners.  And even with our experience, there  seems to be a  common trait that gets in our own way. We worry about what other people think of us. We want to be accepted.  Instead of daring to be different, many women are being conventional and doing things the safe way. 

Being different is what sets you apart from your competitors, plain and simple.  By not owning your power – your difference – your uniqueness – you will definitely not attract as many clients. Being unique might REPEL a few, however, by being unique, you will attract the RIGHT kind of people and business, and they will be excellent fits for you. 
A good friend and client of mine is an EFT practitioner (Emotional freedom technique) and is successful using that gift and talent with her clients. She is also an angel reader, channeling angel’s wisdom.

She used to hide her uniqueness, and was nervous about telling others about her angel readings because she fears their judgment.  I’ve taught her how to embrace her gifts, and she has become tremendously popular.  She knows that by holding herself back, she is also holding herself back from truly finding success and fulfillment in an area she loves, and from helping those who most need her services.  

 There is something about each of us that makes us unique and wonderful. It could be your intuition, organizational skills, empathy, and sense of humor, quirks, or spiritual beliefs.  Whatever it is, we should recognize and cherish it.  Don’t run from it, or worse, hide it from others.  Own your individuality!

Owning your individuality won’t make everyone love you, and that’s just fine.  The most important thing is to love yourself and be proud of what you do best.  There are many, many people in our world. A good rule to remember is that  1/3 of these people will not be “your” people.  1/3 will feel neutral about us – and the remaining 1/3 will be those you bond with, and who love and respect your wonderful, unique self. 

What unique gift or talent are you ready to embrace and show to the world??? 

The new “good”  word =  NO. 

Because women tend to be helping and nurturing creatures, we often find it hard to say no.  We often end up wanting to help everyone, while sacrificing our own needs.  When this happens consistently, we find ourselves overwhelmed, crabby, short tempered, or exhausted.  Learning to prioritize what’s important, combined with the ability to “say no” without guilt or bad feelings are essential skills. 

This is stating the obvious, but bears repeating:  it is impossible to say yes to everything we are asked.  We are not Super Woman, though we see her depicted on TV.  I’m  going to help you learn an easy way to say NO to requests you cannot or do not wish to do. 

Here’s an example: A client of mine was struggling with one of HER clients.  Her client wanted her to turn an emergency project around over the weekend – and didn’t let her know this until 4 PM on Friday!
 
My client had plans to take her children to the beach for the weekend.  She wanted desperately to help her client, but didn’t want to spend her limited one on one time with her children on her Blackberry or laptop. 
 
I recommended the “USA METHOD.”  It’s easy to remember, and easy to implement!

THE USA ACRONYM STANDS FOR:

U=Understanding.  Empathize with the person asking you for something.  In this case, my client told her client that she understood the emergent need of the project and reiterated the deadlines the client wanted her to meet. 

S=Situation.  She then explained her situation briefly, but honestly.  She stated she was unavailable over the weekend and why.

A=Alternatives.  She then told her client what she could do for him.  She suggested blocking out Sunday night when she returned for the project, and committed to meeting the deadline by Monday afternoon. 

In my client’s case, she took control of the situation before letting the client stress her or get her to agree to something she knew she wouldn’t be able to complete without sacrificing something important to her.  We don’t always have to say no, but we do need to take control of what is realistic for us to complete, and without the guilt!  In many cases, the “Alternative” in the USA method works for both parties.   

Without being able to be honest about your needs and say no, you are making the needs of the other person more important than your own.  Saying yes without considering the real cost behind it is a trait of passivity, and often leads to resentment and anger.  The USA method is a strategy for assertiveness. 

Share your success stories, a time when you needed to be assertive and say NO!

The past few weeks we’ve had the pleasure of my 92 year old father-in-law staying with us. He wanted to be here for his son’s B-day, (my husband) which was yesterday. We surprised my husband Joe with a skydiving experience- yikes!

Having a guest for 2 weeks straight, especially an elderly one,  is not something we are used to, and pushes routine out the window. This experience made me thoughtfully prioritize my days and take into account how to spend my time, as we wanted to be able to spend many quality moments with him, yet we both have a business to manage. 

I learned a lot from Bob’s visit; how to sit and be still, the power of quiet conversations, and to appreciate every moment life offers us. Read on for a powerful thought on a way of life: 

“This is the beginning of a new day.

You have been given this day to use as you will.

You can waste it or use it for good.

What you do today is important, because you are exchanging a day of your life for it.

When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, in its place is something that you have left behind….let it be something good.”

I’m working with a group of small business owners and new entrepreneurs going into business for themselves.  As they develop their business plan with me, I can sense their excitement as well as fear.

Because I have years of experience, I am able to quickly pinpoint what their strengths are.  I can also spot areas where they will struggle. 

I ran across a self assessment test for small business owners titled “Is Self Employment for You?” by Paul Casey. It’s a quick test to see how many skills you have that generally point toward being a successful entrepreneur. I scored 94; this is the “good to very good” scale. It also pointed out the areas where I need improvement.

Personally, I need to work on making decisions more quickly and easily, including executing tasks and organization. One message I consistently give to my clients is to focus on their strengths, outsource what they don’t do well, and improve on the core business competences they are missing. I’ll take my own advice and work on the areas where I need to improve. 

Take the test yourself here (it takes just a few minutes) and let me know how you did.  I would love to hear your comments and feedback on what you discover. 

Jane Morrison, Certified Coach & Trainer, teaches success programs to women entrepreneurs. She empowers women to live their passion and effectively promote themselves. With their improved sales and marketing skills, they become the success they deserve. Let her help you make your dreams come true with confidence, courage and clarity of vision.

Look for her signature program “The Ultimate Step by Step Business Building Success Guide for Women Entrepreneurs” on her website, www.janemorrison.com

No matter what you are trying to accomplish, such as getting a job promotion, selling a product, convincing your mate to see your side, being “real” will more likely help you get the job done better.

Being “real” means a few different things.

1)    It means being honest and open with your emotions and communication. It means using the old familiar “I” statements.  For example, “I think I really deserve this raise. I’ve taken the extra training to advance my skills, I’ve taken on extra assignments, and I’ve gotten rave reviews on my reports.” It’s not always easy to speak up for yourself, but you need to be a strong advocate for yourself. 

2)    Being  “real” also means having the courage to sing your own praises.  For example, telling a client prospect about the success your clients have working with you, or mentioning the length of time they stay a customer does not make you a braggart.  Instead, it demonstrates the confidence and success you have.  It shows that your clients see the high return of investment that your services brings to them, and will impress your prospect also.
 
3)    Being “real” also means being able to share the good and “not so good” moments with others.  Being  “real” also means that you can make mistakes.  One of my most embarrassing moments was when a new client showed up at my home, early in the morning, for her coaching session.  I was waiting for her phone call in my office.  I had to answer the door in my robe and face her square on, taking responsibility for the mix up about the location of our meeting.

Not exactly the way I wanted to present myself to her!

Being “real” will have you kicking yourself at times, but people like when they know you are authentic.  That means they can relate to you, allowing them to trust you more.
 
So don’t be afraid to show your true colors.  You will attract those who relate to you and that’s your perfect customer!

Jane Morrison, Certified Coach & Trainer, teaches success programs to women entrepreneurs. She empowers women to live their passion and effectively promote themselves. With their improved sales and marketing skills, they become the success they deserve. Let her help you make your dreams come true with confidence, courage and clarity of vision.

Look for her signature program “The Ultimate Step by Step Business Building Success Guide for Women Entrepreneurs” on her website, www.janemorrison.com