Power Goals

Most small business owners are surprised to learn why they're not getting what they want in life.  The main reason is that their goals are too small, too vague, and don't have enough power behind them.  Your goals will never be reached if they fail to stretch your imagination and excite you.  What really excites the imagination is the setting of a large and specific power goal.

Most goals are pretty insignificant.  A power goal is a goal that takes on a huge reality.  It provides life and motivational energy.  It gets you out of bed in the morning.  You can taste it and feel it.  You see it clearly in your mind.  It's written down in a place where you can see it every day.  It gives you clarity and purpose.

In his audio series, "Visioneering,"  Dennis Deaton teaching the power of lofty goals.  He talks about creating a "mental movie" that you watch over and over again.  The movie stars you... living the results of achieving your goal.

Walt Disney left a legacy of many great things... Disneyland and Disney World, classic animated films, and great characters.  But I believe his greatest contribution was how he summed up his life's work:  "If you can dream it, you can do it."

A power goal is a dream with a deadline.  The deadline motivates you.  People with power goals live on purpose.  The know what they're up to.  How can you tell if you've got big enough power goal?  Observe the effect the goal has on you.  It's not what a goal is that matters; it's what a goal does.

Do you know?

Do you know what you want your business to look like 5, 10, 20 years from now?

Focus

There was interesting motivational talk on this topic given by former Dallas Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson to his football players prior to the 1993 Super Bowl.   

"I told them that if I laid a two-by-four across the room, everybody there would walk across it and not fall, because our focus would be getting across the two-by-four.  But if I put that same two-by-four 10 stories high between twod buildings, only a few of you would make it, because your focus would be on falling.  FOCUS is everything.  The team that is most focused today is the team that will win this game."

Johnson told his team not to be distracted by the crowd, the media, or the possibility of losing, but to focus on each play of the game just as if it were a good pracitce session.  The Cowboys won the game 52 to 17.

There's a point to that story that goes way beyond football.  Most of us tend to lose our focus in business becays we're too worried about so many negative possibilities.  Rather than focusing on the two-by four, we worry about all of the opportunites to fall.  Rather than focusing on our goals, we are distracted by our worries and fears. 

But when you focus on what you want, it will come into your life.  When you focus on being a happy and motivated business owner, that is who you will be.

Quote of the day...

"A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song." ~ Maya Angelou

STOP INTERUPTING!

Interruption marketing is the "olden days" way of getting potential clients' attention, and it just doesn't work like it used to. Some examples of this include tele-marketers and radio ads. It can be annoying because it usually interupts you right in the middle of something (usually those annoying calls come right at dinner time). Regardless, the interruption doesn't make you feel  excited about the product or service from the very beginning.

In small business today the world of interruption marketing is quickly dying and is being replaced with permission-based marketing. As a small business owner, you can make these changes in your business now to see results tomorrow.

Basically up to this point, everything you know or have been doing with interruption marketing is wrong. For one reason above all others - clients are already overwhelmed and feeling attacked with information overload. So instead, you'll need to get them to "raise their hands" and sign up for more information from you.

Using special tools on your website, you get them to "raise their hands" by signing up for your free offer, VIP mailings, or whatever you're using to entice them to ask for more (not just a free consultation). Then you use this to educate your clients about your story, what makes your products and services different, and what you can do to give them the results they want. This converts them to paying clients much more than hoping for luch that your interruption marketing will work!

When "stuff" hits the fan...

How do you cope when everything goes wrong at work??

Click on this link to read the full article:  http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/02/the-fire-this-time/

Fun!

I know. You love what you do. You started your business because you have a talent and passion for what you do. You're great at what you do ....

But you also started your business to make some real money so that you don't have to work for someone else. You didn't want to work a regular "job" anymore.

Right?

You already know how passionate I feel about being a business owner. You know how important it is to truly care about your clients and customers, and want to serve them in your business.

But, let's face it. It's also FUN making money.

Because everything you want to do in life (well, almost everything) costs money. So, in order to do this and to live a fuller life, I want you to remember that you are in business to make great money WHILE having the time of your life. You can do BOTH!

If you're confused about why your business is failing, I can guarantee that you're also struggling in the marketing and selling.  Because I will promise you that when you turn a profit, marketing and selling is FUN!  There's absolutely nothing wrong with being passionate about what you do and making money doing it!

But, if you're just in business because you love what you do, you might as well find any old day job to help you use those kind of skills.  Now for those of you who are ready to not only follow your dreams and pursue your passions, but you're also ready to see some real serious numbers in your bank account, let's get down to business!
Look at what you're doing in your business.
Do you consider yourself a successful entrepreneur, or a hobbyist?

Do you market to your clients every day with a plan of action and confidence?

Are you consistent closig the sale?

Do you make time to do what REALLY needs to be done in your business?

Do you cut out all the unnecessary "fluff" around you to see your goals reached?

I could go on for days, but hopefully you know what I mean...

Here's this week's challenge for you: keep a journal of what tasks you're doing every single day for the next week. Then go back through it the following week and ruthlessly evaluate your practice. What activities are giving you the most "bang for your buck"??
PS...If you're looking for more in-depth help with growing your business, be sure to get in contact with me at shauna@shaunacrandall.com

BIG NEWS :)

I am hosting a 2 day Bridal Business Strategies Superconference this October in sunny San Diego!  If you work in the wedding industry, and are looking to improve your marketing or business operations,  you won't want to miss this!  Details available on my website:  http://bridalbusinessstrategies.com/ 

What can you learn from the Royal Wedding??

This is a great article!!  Click here:  Marketing Lessons from the Royal Wedding! 

http://www.thestreet.com/story/11089581/10-companies-going-to-your-wedding.html

Check out this great article!  :)

I love this...

The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It’s as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer. – Nolan Bushnell

Quote of the day...

Operations manuals are the individual “ownerʼs manuals” for every employeeʼs position.    -Michael Gerber

Just starting out?

This is a great article from DollarDays.com.  If you are just getting started, be sure to check it out!

All business owners want their business processes to be completed as smoothly as possible, this is especially true for small businesses that are just starting to operate. If you are a business owner looking for ways to help your business obtain a smooth start then keep on reading.

Save Some Money, and then Save Some More

While SBA loans are an advantageous financial tool to lean on when starting a business, saving one’s money should always be the first thing listed on one’s business-starting checklist. There are too many people that believe they can take out a business loan and start repaying it immediately with the profits their business brings in; however, for most businesses it takes several months (sometimes even a couple of years) before profits are gained. So, for the first several of months a business is in operation a business owner should remember that loan repayments will probably have to come from their own personal savings.
All business plans should include a way for the business owner to make the first year’s loan repayments, while at the same time keeping in mind that personal living expenses will have to paid too. Most small business owners find it very helpful to first save up enough money to pay loan repayments for a year and also have enough money saved to pay their living expenses for a year; this helps them to keep their financial stress levels down, enabling them to focus on expanding their business, which helps them to begin enduring profits as soon as possible.

Think Realistically

It is always important for small business owners to remember to think small when first opening their business. While renting a huge workplace and hiring on a number of full time employees may seem very adventurous, it is not realistic for most small businesses when they are first beginning. Employees should never be hired on until they are absolutely necessary. In fact, there are a large number of temps that can be hired on until full time work becomes available.
Most small business owners that start out small endure less harmful consequences when they make mistakes, and any early screw-ups they make most times do not lead to harmful debt issues.

Understand Your Legal Business Entities

Many small business owners have learned the hard way that any business debts they incur become personal debts if they are not protected in the proper manners. A large number of small business owners find it financially wise to open their business as a corporation or LLC; this helps them avoid becoming personally liable for any debts that are incurred during their business operations.

Watch Who You Hire

There are a large number of job seekers in today’s society that are perfect candidates for small business operations. Instead of hiring average, competent employees, small business owners should hire employees that have special training in the job duties they will be performing.

Great Article! Being Organized Equals Small Business Success

You started your own business because you have a burning passion for what you do. You are also - we hope -- good what you do and have a desire to help others. Little do you know that running a business includes, well...running a business. This little bombshell can throw many a new business owner for a loop.

I receive numerous phone calls every week asking me how to start a business as a professional organizer. The first thing I say is that the organizing part is easy because it is a natural gift (sometimes a curse); it's running the business that can trap you. This is not to scare a potential entrepreneur away, but to help them realize that it's not all fun
and games doing what you do best.

You have to:

Find an accountant
Buy insurance
Get legal advice on how to set up your business
File for the company name with the state
Find working capital if necessary
File all the proper tax forms
Open up a checking account
Get office supplies
Market the business
Build a network
And the list goes on and on...

In the initial start-up stage, entrepreneurs are often so excited about starting a new business that they pay little or no attention to what is happening with all the paperwork and electronic data you are generating. That is typical and expected. However, around the six to twelve month mark, entrepreneurs start calling people like me - a professional organizer - begging for help in setting up a system to help them be organized. I envision a hand protruding from mounds of papers reaching for help.

The sad news is that many small businesses have never taken the time to set up systems once they've built up paper and electronic backlogs. They just keep generating documents without stopping to assess what is being created.

I firmly believe that the healthiest small business is the one that visits and reviews their organizational systems every six to twelve months. The small business that keeps doing the "same old, same old" is losing money. So where do you stand?

Something that has really hit home in the past year or so is that you don't GET organized and have long lasting success. You have to BE organized. Getting organized is a quick fix of cleaning up and putting things away - usually a Band-aid (r) approach - that doesn't last for more than a few days.

Being organized is recognizing that organization is an ongoing journey. Life doesn't stop happening the minute you GET organized. You have to have systems in place that will help the daily flow; a lack of systems will cause clogs. These clogs come in many forms:

Piles of papers
Lost documents
Misplaced items - glasses, phone, pens, keys
Running late
Stress and frustration...

You get the picture.

When it becomes clear to you that you are running through your day feeling like you've accomplished nothing, you may need to reassess your organizational skills and systems.

Your small business must overcome many hurdles to be successful. Fortunately, being organized is one hurdle that you can learn to overcome. Or you can work with a professional organizer to set up customized systems that make you functional, productive, and more pleasant to be around.

I challenge you take a deep look at the state of your small business' organization. If you see your passion being overrun by disorganization, it's time to take some action.

Here's to simplifying your life!

Author BioPatty Kreamer, owner of Kreamer Connect, Inc., is a professional organizer, speaker, and author of the Making Life Simple... Again! e-course available at http://www.ByeByeClutter.com/MLSAHome.htm. If your business or organization is looking for a fun, dynamic, and effective speaker, you can email Patty at patty@ByeByeClutter.com or call her at 412-344-3252.

You're invited!

If you are in the northern Utah area, be sure to stop by for this event!  I'll be sharing some free small business tips to help you get more clients, more money, and more free time!! 


Register here:
http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1381364699

Another great quote from one of my favorite authors...

Systems run the business and people run the systems. – Michael Gerber

Where will you be on Wednesday??

Love this quote...

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." - Einstein

Upcoming Event

FREE SMALL BUSINESS TRAINING

Join us for a free 90 minute training featuring “The 5 Small Business Essentials”. The seminar will be taught by small business expert, Shauna Crandall.

This info-packed training is essential for any type of small business owner looking to gain more clients, increase their business revenue, and find more free time.       

Shauna Crandall is a sought after speaker and small business coach. Along with her other passion (dance), she studied Business Marketing at Utah Valley University. Subsequently, she owned and operated her own successful small business for nearly a decade. She has trained under some of the nation’s best business coaches, including Michael Gerber, Jack Canfield, Steve Chandler, and Sam Beckford.

Shauna is the creator of the Synergy Business Coaching System, which allows her to assist many other small business owners as they set and achieve goals for their business… and their life.

Shauna’s mission is to help small business owners see the entrepreneur in themselves as they learn to put smart strategies into action.

Shauna lives in Centerville, UT with her husband Mark, and their four children.

REGISTER HERE: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1381364699

Thursday,March 24^th

7:00 to 8:30 PM

The Thatcher-Young Mansion

35 W 100 South, Logan, Utah

For details contact:

Synergy Business Coaching

801-577-8657

info@myutahsmallbusinesscoach.com

More clients.

More income.

More Free Time.

FREE TRAINING!

Hey Everyone!

I'll be speaking at this FREE Small Business Training on March 24th in Logan, UT.  Be sure to check it out!

REGISTER BY CLICKING HERE

Crafty??

Lately I'm obsessed with reading these blogs filled with crafts, home reno projects, and cupcakes.  I find all of it so appealing... but alas... these types of things are not my strong points.  I wish they were.  I wish I had the patience to sew, or scrapbook, or edit amazing photos.  I usually shy away from Relief Society craft projects... mostly because mine NEVER looks like the sample.  NEVER!

But, I have come to the realization over the years that I have my own sense of "craftiness" or creativity.  Having spent many years as a small business owner, I grew to LOVE small business. I love the science of it.  I'm fascinated by it.  I'm also fascinated with teaching... and helping others learn new strategies and concepts.  I guess its okay if I don't know how to hang wallpaper... I know how to create an effective small business.  I can walk into a business and within seconds tell you if it's working...or not. 

I love that I can help people apply new concepts to their businesses (often at very little expense), and that those concepts can have far-reaching personal and finacial rewards.  I love that I can help a small business owner who feels "stuck", get excited again about their business.  I love that.

I believe we all have natural gifts and abilities.  We are destined to create things.  Even though I'm not so crafty-  I love what I create!!

A great quote by Elder Uchtdorf...

"The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before.



Everyone can create. You don’t need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty.


Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty—and I am not talking about the process of cleaning the rooms of your teenage children.


You might say, “I’m not the creative type. When I sing, I’m always half a tone above or below the note. I cannot draw a line without a ruler. And the only practical use for my homemade bread is as a paperweight or as a doorstop.”


If that is how you feel, think again, and remember that you are spirit daughters of the most creative Being in the universe. Isn’t it remarkable to think that your very spirits are fashioned by an endlessly creative and eternally compassionate God?"

Let's take the talents we've been given and use them to create great things!



Shauna
http://www.mysmallbusinesscoach.com/

Make it easy on your customers!

Click here to read the article: Share!

This is a great article from Orange Soda.  I can't stand shopping online when the website isn't easy to use.  If you want a customer to buy from you... make it easy for them to find what they need!

Recommended Reading!

I know I've said this before... but I love this book, so I must mention it again!!  This book will help you evaluate the way you do business and live your life!!

What can you learn from Mark Zuckerberg??

http://www.allfacebook.com/what-every-entrepreneur-should-learn-from-mark-zuckerberg-2010-06

This is a great article I found online.  I think we can all learn something from this guy in the way he dared to dream big when creating Facebook!

The 7 Deadly Sins of Social Media

With everyone trying to figure out the best ways to use social media for their business, I thought this was an interesting read...


CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE

Small Business Marketing Strategies

This is a great article I found here:  http://www.originalquill.com/blog/

Here’s a simple tip to increase your small business revenue:

Don’t think outside the box… make your own box.


Here’s where most people go wrong and make costly mistakes in their marketing: they find their most successful competition, copy their marketing strategies, and sit back and wait for success.
While there’s nothing wrong with copying successful strategies from your competition (in fact, it’s a topic I’ve blogged about in the past), by limiting yourself to that strategy, you’re limiting your potential for success.
Pioneers in any industry are the ones who make it big. Copycats can find success, but the ceiling is often lower than that of the people they have copied.

So what’s the solution? Create your own marketing paradigm within your industry.
What’s the easiest way to become a pioneer in your industry and set the gold standard for success? Look to the successes in other industries and apply them to your industry.
By looking to other industries to see what’s working and applying their successful marketing strategies to your small business, you’ll stand out from the crowd and uniquely position yourself in your market.
Example: About a year and a half ago I decided to put my house on the market. The housing market had already started it’s down-swing, but I felt that if I could market my home differently, I’d have a great chance to sell my house at a price I was happy with.
What did I do? I looked to the web for examples.
Most successful internet marketers use a lead generating product that’s free to collect leads, then a follow-up system to close a sale or make an upsell. I followed that example in real estate.
I set up a website offering a free e-book on selling homes in a down economy and collected leads. My follow-up system sent out a series of auto-responders that talked about selling strategies and promoted my house. To get even more local leads into the system, we called local real estate agents to tell them about the free e-book and our house.
Within a couple of weeks we had shown the house on a daily basis and had offers coming in.
By thinking outside the real estate paradigm, I was able to set a new precedent that generated more interest in my house than anyone else in the region was getting. It was easy to do (didn’t require unique, earth-shattering ideas) and it worked.
So how can you come up with an outside-the-box marketing strategy that will work for your small business? Here’s an action plan:

1. For the next five days, keep a sharp eye out for good marketing strategies that you encounter in your every-day life. Pay special attention to local commercials, sporting events (minor league baseball is a gold mine for unique marketing ideas), the internet, and local excursions to places like the coffee shop, breakfast cafe, and home improvement store.
2. Jot down the 10 best ideas you encounter (even if you don’t think you can use them for your business).
3. At the end of the 5 days, go through the best ideas and narrow the list to the top 3.
4. Talk to your mastermind group (or a group of trusted associates) and share your top 3 marketing ideas. Ask them to help you brainstorm how you can apply them to your business.
5. Take action! Once you have your ideas and a strategy for implementing them in your business, take action and put them to the test. Brainstorming is great, but what separates the cream of the crop from the rest is action… so make sure you implement those ideas!

FREE Teleseminar Training

Join me for a FREE 60 Minute Teleseminar Training

5 Ways to Recession-Proof Your Business

Wednesday, February 23rd

7:00 PM MST

Register today and you'll receive an email containing the call in number and access code a few days before the event.

REGISTER HERE:
http://mysmallbusinesscoach.eventbrite.com/

NEW Business Spotlight!!

Be sure to check out our latest business spotlight:  KD Portraits

Kris Doman has created numerous portraits for my family... and each of them is a work of art!  Be sure to visit my Business Spotlight page to learn more about her, and see a sampling of her amazing work.

http://mysmallbusinesscoach.blogspot.com/p/business-spotlight.html

Why have a coach?

In the sports world an athlete doesn't get to the top of their profession without the guidance and support of a coach. Without a coach they would not be at the peak of their performance and achieve success.
Coaching can come in many forms - but a coach is someone who will enable you to improve, motivate you and hold you accountable to your goals and enable you to grow.
Some of the positive benefits to working with a coach are:

• Time to focus on YOU and what you want to achieve.
• Someone to challenge, motivate and support you.
• Enable you to come up with a fresh approach to an old problem.
• A safe supportive environment to discuss your issues and test out your ideas.
• Give you accountability and commitment.
• Create an action plan and support you in achieving it.
• Someone to provide unconditional support and praise.

A coach also offers a totally objective point of view.  They can be a sounding board for your ideas.  You will have an environment in which you get a chance to spend time on ‘you’.  Your issues, ideas and goals.  You will challenge yourself more because you have support, motivation and can afford to stretch yourself further than doing it on your own.  Your coach will keep you accountable and on track.

If you commit your goals to writing you are 40% more likely to achieve them.

If you tell someone else you are 60% more likely to achieve them.

If you have a coach you are 95% more likely to achieve your goals.

I often hear people say that their family is their support and they don't need anyone else.
"Although family members mean well, they often have a preconceived notion about your limitations, strengths and your future. It is difficult for family members to project beyond what they themselves achieved and or experienced. When you hire a coach who has worked with executives across numerous industries, you gain access to a wealth of information, insight, techniques and strategies used by other successful achievers."

Coaching is becoming a must for success!

IBM has more than sixty certified coaches among its ranks. Scores of other major companies have made coaching a core part of executive development. The belief is that, under the right circumstances, one-on-one interaction with an objective third party can provide a focus that other forms of organizational support simply cannot.

And whereas coaching was once viewed by many as a tool to help correct underperformance, today it is becoming much more widely used in supporting top producers.

In fact, in a 2004 survey by Right Management Consultants (Philadelphia), 86 percent of companies said they used coaching to sharpen the skills of individuals who have been identified as future organizational leaders.

"Coaching has evolved into the mainstream fast," says Michael Goldberg, president of Building Blocks Consulting (Manalapan, New Jersey), whose clients include New York Life and MetLife. "This is because there is a great demand in the workplace for immediate results, and coaching can help provide that."
How? By providing feedback and guidance in real time, says Brian Underhill, a senior consultant at the Alliance for Strategic Leadership (Morgan Hill, California). "Coaching develops leaders in the context of their current jobs, without removing them from their day-to-day responsibilities."

At an even more basic level, many executives simply benefit from receiving any feedback at all. "As individuals advance to the executive level, development feedback becomes increasingly important, more infrequent, and more unreliable," notes Anna Maravelas, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based executive coach and founder of TheraRising. As a result, she says, "Many executives plateau in critical interpersonal and leadership skills."

So, should you have a coach?
If you want to be the best you - YES!
And my small business coaching program is affordable and easy...
Plus... you have a dentist to help with caring for your teeth.
You have a doctor to help caring for your body.
You need a coach to help with your thinking and your business...  after all how you think is the single biggest factor in whether you are happy with your life or not.

Recent studies have shown that 20 % of your success is from how you work and 80% of your success is from how you think - What's going on in your head is driving 80% of your results!

-Clarity Point Caoching

To thine own self be true

Guest article written by Natalie Bradley- I think this applies to all small business owners.  Do what you love!!




When I’m not connected to what my heart pulls me to do, I literally feel like I’m suffocating. I’m not one of those people who’s great at faking it ‘til you make it. When you talk to me or see me, you pretty much know I’m feelin’ it (and I’m happy) or I’m not. There’s not really a gray area here. And what’s very interesting to me right now is that I see a lot of people out there feeling the exact same way.

It’s so important for entrepreneurs like us to check-in and do what we love. If you aren’t enjoying what you’re doing right now, it’s usually time to move on. Part of the reason I stopped planning weddings as my primary business is that my heart was no longer in it and I could not bear to put a smiley face on a restless, unhappy part of me.

So, if your business or parts of your life just aren’t working for you any more, make a drastic change. The last few months, I’ve felt many times like I’m suffocating again, and couldn’t figure out what the problem was. On the surface, everything was perfect in business and at home. But beneath the surface it was like a violent storm, and I knew it was a matter of time before it came to the surface.

When this happens, I suggest journaling a lot, being quiet, meditating, going for walks, and embracing your creative side. It helps you reconnect with what’s really going on. A lot of times when you can’t even figure out what it is that you actually want it’s because we’re lying to ourselves so much that we don’t even know what our truth is any more. So you must break through whatever those barriers are that are holding you back.

Be weird. Take a risk. I’ve never been what you’d call “normal”. Honestly, what does that even mean? Maybe none of us are “normal,” but so many of us have bought into the “American dream” or whatever the dream is where you live right now that we think it’s what we want, and then wonder why we don’t appreciate anything we have right now. But if you feel like you’re suffocating and feel handcuffed to a life that you don’t even want, change it.

And when you change this, the interesting part is that you’re ALWAYS “rewarded” for being authentic to yourself. Once Edward and I realized (and every time in the past when we evaluated) what was off, we knew the decision would be hard to make. Not because it’s not what we wanted or that it would require a lot of work on our part, but simply because the people around us wouldn’t get it because it’s not what they want for us. But it’s worth it even it it’s hard because you must understand that true success ONLY comes when you are truthful with yourself and what you really desire.

 So I actually challenge you to go for what you want even if it seems like the dumbest thing you’ve ever heard. What we desire doesn’t always make sense. But that’s okay. Follow your heart - and like Shakespeare says - “This above all, to thine own self be true.”

Quote of the day...

 ‎"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."-Eleanor Roosevelt

Great Article on Multitasking!!

Click this link to read the article:

http://www.wickedlocal.com/medford/news/lifestyle/columnists/x1651175472/Matthew-Casey-The-reality-of-the-multitasking-myth

It's Simple!

"Success is simple: do what's right, the right way, at the right time."

-Psychologist Arnold H. Glasgow

   

That's a simple concept, yet very profound.

The quote lays out three easy steps to simplify success, but those steps must be integrated to work effectively. You can't afford to skip even one of them.

The first step is to do what is right. If you skip the FIRST and most important step, you're eliminating your chances to succeed. But how do you know what is right for you?

Simply put, the decisions you make every day must reflect your true purpose in life. Every step you take must enhance and solidify who you are and what you were meant to accomplish in this life. When you have a purpose, your actions naturally become more powerful because they are focused and united to fulfill a sole objective. Consequently, you achieve faster and better results.

The second step is to do it the right way. If you skip this step, you'll find yourself in a never-ending loop of trial and error where you'll just keep re-inventing the wheel, instead of re-inventing yourself.  It has often been said that the easiest way to become successful is to find someone who is already successful and follow  in his footsteps.

Take that advice and learn from the best. Look for successful people who have reached the same level of success you want to reach, and learn from both their mistakes and their accomplishments. Imitate their lives, learn their methods, and discover their secrets.

The third and last simple step to success is to choose the right time. Take small actions every single day that lead you toward fulfilling your purpose. Prepare yourself so that when the right opportunity presents itself, you'll be ready to seize it and ride it to unimaginable levels of success.

The right time to start taking action is NOW. Even the smallest action can

make a big difference. Don't worry about the magnitude of your every move; focus instead on the collective power of all your small actions combined. "Success is simple. Do what's right, the right way, at the right time." Do what is right by discovering your true purpose in life. Do it the right way by learning from the best. Do it at the right time by taking small actions and preparing yourself to seize opportunity when it presents itself. Can success be that simple?

It can be if you start NOW!

What is a Business Coach?

Here are a few words on coaching from Jack Canfield, author of Chicken Soup for the Soul.

"You would never expect an athlete to reach the Olympic Games without a world class coach. Nor would you expect a professional football team to enter the stadium without a whole team of coaches- head coach, offensive coach, defensive coach, and special teams coach.  Well, today coaching has moved into the business and personal realm to include coaches who have succeeded- and who can help you traverse this same path or even one far greater.

Regardless of whether the program is designed to achieve a specific business goal- or whether it is specifically designed to help you simply gain more clarity and progress in all aspects of your personal and professional life, a coach can help you

- Determine your values, vision, mission, purpose, and goals
- Determine specific action steps to help you achieve your goals
- Help you sort through opportunites
- Keep you focused on your top priorities
- Achieve balance in your life while still accomplishing your business goals

As humans we tend to do only some of what we are required to do but virtually all of what we want to do.  A coach can help you discover what you truly want to do- and help you determine the steps and take the actions necessary to get there."

A little creativity goes a long way...

Yes, marketing can seem complicated and scientific.  But sometimes it just pays to be a little creative. 

The best ideas are the ones that are fun, creative, budget friendly, and get you results!

Business Spotlight

Just updated our Business Spotlight!  If you like Ice Cream... you better check it out!!

Business Spotlight

I'm looking for a Utah small business to spotlight for free on my blog! Leave a comment if you're interested!

Small Business Marketing Strategies

The essence of marketing is to understand your customers' needs and develop a plan that surrounds those needs. Let's face it anyone that has a business has a desire to grow their business. The most effective way to grow and expand your business is by focusing on organic growth.

 
You can increase organic growth in four different ways. They include:

• Acquiring more customers
• Persuading each customer to buy more products
• Persuading each customer to buy more expensive products or up selling each customer
• Persuading each customer to buy more profitable products

All four of these increase your revenue and profit. Let me encourage you to focus on the first which is to acquire more customers. Why? Because by acquiring more customers you increase your customer base and your revenues then come from a larger base.
 
How can you use marketing to acquire more customers? (PS...I can help you with this!)

• Spend time researching and create a strategic marketing plan.
• Reach out to customers you aren't currently attracting.
• Price your products and services correctly.
• Develop your message and materials based on direct response marketing.

The Importance of a Target Market in Small Business
When it comes to your customers keep in mind the importance of target marketing. The reason this is important is that only a proportion of the population is likely to purchase any products or service. By taking time pitch your sales and marketing efforts to the correct niche market you will be more productive and not waste your efforts or time.
 
Small Business Marketing and Large Business Marketing are Different
If you are like the majority of small business owners your marketing budget is limited. The most effective way to market a small business is to create a well rounded program that combines sales activities with your marketing tactics. Your sales activities will not only decrease your out-of-pocket marketing expense but it also adds the value of interacting with your prospective customers and clients. This interaction will provide you with research that is priceless.
 
Small businesses typically have a limited marketing budget if any at all. Does that mean you can't run with the big dogs? Absolutely not. It just means you have to think a little more creatively. How about launching your marketing campaign by doing one of the following:

• Call your vendors or associates and ask them to participate with you in co-op advertising.
• Take some time to send your existing customers' referrals and buying incentives.
• Have you thought about introducing yourself to the media? Free publicity has the potential to boost your business. By doing this you position yourself as an expert in your field.
• Invite people into your place of business by piggybacking onto an event. Is there a concert coming to town, are you willing to sell those tickets? It could mean free radio publicity. If that is not your cup of tea, how about a walkathon that is taking place in your area, why not be a public outreach and distribute their material?

When you do spend money on marketing, do not forget to create a way to track those marketing efforts. You can do this by coding your ads, using multiple toll-free telephone numbers, and asking prospects where they heard about you. This enables you to notice when a marketing tactic stops working. You can then quickly replace it with a better choice or method.
 
Getting Started with Small Business Marketing
By being diligent in your marketing and creating an easy strategy such as holding yourself accountable to contact ten customers or potential customers daily five days a week you will see your business grow at an exceptional rate. The great thing is it will not take a large marketing budget to make it happen!

-About.com

GOALS

"Goals. There's no telling what you can do when you get inspired by them. There's no telling what you can do when you believe in them. There's no telling what will happen when you act upon them."-Jim Rohn

Quote of the day...

"You don't necessarily need a partner in your business, but make sure to surround yourself with great advisers and friends you can count on in good times and bad. You'll want to share your successes as well as your struggles in order to keep things in perspective."

Emily Dubner
CEO
Baking for Good
New York
www.bakingforgood.com

Book Review: The E-Myth Revisted by Michael Gerber

Here is a video from an entrepreneur in San Diego, sharing what he's learned from one of my all time favorite books.

If you are looking for a business book to read, but don't know where to start... The E-Myth by Michael Gerber is an absolute MUST READ.  In fact, I ask that all of my coaching clients read this book.

Quote of the day...

"You have to believe it's possible and believe in yourself. Because after you've decided what you want, you have to believe it's possible, and possible for you, not just for other people. Then you need to seek out models, mentors, and coaches."

Jack Canfield

The Myth of Multitasking

This is a great video clip from Dave Crenshaw.  If you are someone who tries to "do it all", you must watch this interview!!

Quote of the day...

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit. --Aristotle

Happy New Year! Where are you headed this year?

A new year is here!  I don't know about you... but 2010 was kind of crazy.  A new house, a new county, a new school for the kids...  I'm ready for 2011!  Maybe things will settle down?  Doubtful...

Anyway... I found this article online and it is so true!  We must have a clear picture of what we want to achieve, or it just won't happen.  Have you set business goals for this year?  Are they specific?  Have you written them down??

Click below to read the article:

http://www.jackcanfield.com/index.php?option=com_flexicontent&view=items&id=931%3Aget-clear-about-what-you-want

Add a comment and let me know!!

Quote of the day...

Each Monday is a chance to think new.
What will you do differently this week to improve the way you do business?  -Michael Gerber

This is a must read!!

If you are a small business owner and you read just one book this year... it MUST be this one!  Some details:

"Get ready to transform yourself for success. Jack Canfield, co-creator of the phenomenal bestselling Chicken Soup for the Soul® series, turns to the principles he’s studied, taught and lived for more than 30 years in this practical and inspiring guide that will h...elp you get from where you are to where you want to be."
http://www.thesuccessprinciples.com/

Great Article!!

http://www.e-myth.com/cs/user/print/post/entrepreneurial-artist-to-business-owner

This is a great article for those of us who would consider ourselves the "creative" type.  Is it really possible to turn something you love into a thriving business?