One of my favorite quotes comes from Basil S. Walsh, who simply asks, “If you don’t know where you are going, how can you expect to get there?”

Do you know where you are going in 2011? Have you drawn out a ‘road map’ for the direction you plan to take and assembled all the tools necessary to assure you will reach your business goals in the coming year?

I know people who refuse to ask for directions when traveling. They think they will be able to eventually figure out where they are and where they need to be – and they may – but at what expense? An extra cost in gas? Arriving late to their destination, perhaps missing out an important opportunity? Or at the very least, experiencing more frustration and stress than necessary, potentially spoiling what could have been an otherwise enjoyable journey. Wouldn’t it be easier to just stop, regroup, and ask for help from someone more familiar with the area?

While you alone are responsible for following through on your New Year’s Resolutions – here are some simple strategies for service professionals which are sure to assist in making that resolution a reality:     MORE

Interested in public speaking but totally intimidated? Participating as a panelist can help! Find out how to create exposure, get feedback from your market and develop powerful partnerships by being on a panel.

An Easy Way To Successfully Break Into Public Speaking (SSMS Episode 27) [ 6:26 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (74)

Believing in yourself and your business is crucial to your success as service professional.    Learn how to approach your business from a place of confidence and overcome common mindset pitfalls – TODAY!  It will mean the difference between barely surviving and successfully thriving in your business in the coming year!

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So often, it isn’t a lack of knowledge which prevents service professionals from achieving their business and marketing goals.  Instead, a lack of focus and motivation are more often the culprits.  You may be a person who knows exactly what you need to be doing, having the head knowledge, but not enough confidence in your ability to make it happen and succeed as an entrepreneur.

Throughout the many small business communities that I belong to, both online and offline, I often see a LOT of untapped potential.  I see service professionals who have the potential to command top dollar for their work, to create businesses that truly give them the flexible schedule they crave and work only with clients who respect them and value their contributions.  I see this in them, but many times, they just can’t see it for themselves.

“WHY?” you may ask?

It’s because they don’t believe in themselves.  Perhaps they doubt their worth or don’t believe they can truly succeed.  Perhaps they are accustomed to bosses, HR departments, and companies that look down on them.  Perhaps they have limiting beliefs (i.e. "I can't charge that much" or "I can never be as good as ...") and, as a result, just can’t see the abundance of opportunity available. MORE

Feeling overwhelmed can make it difficult to consistently market your business.  I invite you to learn my “7 Simple Steps to Eliminating Marketing Overwhelm” which can be the difference between spinning your wheels and realizing your goals. If you find yourself too busy to think, take action, or make decisions regarding marketing your business, this week’s podcast is for you. Learn how to overcome instead of being overwhelmed!

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Have you ever felt overwhelmed when trying to market your business?  Perhaps you are confused by the many options available and you don't know where to start?  Or maybe you are an entrepreneur who finds yourself so busy working with clients, putting out fires, and trying to catch up that you don't see how you can possibly add one more thing to your already overwhelming schedule.  If this is the case with you, you’re not alone.  These are common challenges faced by service professionals.  The danger of being overwhelmed is that it can lead to “analysis paralysis”, but I want to encourage you - there is a cure!

These challenges CAN be overcome and you CAN break through your “overwhelm” to begin marketing your solutions to the people who need them most.  To do so, you just need to follow a few simple steps:

1. STOP and re-boot - If you are feeling weighed down and confused, the best thing you can do is STOP.  Really!  Stop dead in your tracks.  Just like you need to re-boot your computer when it’s running sluggishly and taking forever to load, you need to re-boot your mindset and your action plan when you find yourself feeling overwhelmed.  Recognize that you need to re-set your psyche and give yourself at least one morning or afternoon (preferably a full day) just to re-group.
2. Get organized - Not having your marketing ideas, materials and plan in one easy to access location is a sure fire way to undermine your efforts.  So if you've been writing your "plan" on sticky notes, random pieces of paper or just have your ideas floating around in your head, it's time to get organized.  Use your re-boot day to gather all of your marketing information in one place so you can access what needs to be tackled first.

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Sticking to the basics and focusing your time and attention on simple, proven strategies is what creates the best marketing results. This week I'm sharing three specific marketing tactics that are easy to tailor to your individual budget and schedule, can be implemented immediately, utilized with minimum effort, and maintained consistently. This is smart simple marketing advice at its finest! MORE

3 Easy Ways To Earn More Money In Your Service Business (SSMS Episode 24) [ 6:33 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (424)

Marketing your services is what keeps you in business -- so using the best marketing tactics to support your goals only makes sense. There are dozens of simple ways you can add impact to your marketing strategies -- and many of them are right under your nose.

The best marketing tactics are the strategies you can implement right away, utilize with minimal effort, maintain on a regular basis and work into your budget and schedule. Here are a few of the best marketing tactics you can start using TODAY to create more profits in your business.    MORE

Time.

It's the most precious resource we have and one of the very few that cannot be replaced.  For service professionals looking to create a highly successful, lifestyle-focused business it is essential that we use the gift of time well so that we can achieve our goals.

One of the top challenges service professionals face in marketing their business, is overcoming the perception that they don't have enough time to market their business.  For a number of reasons, most service professionals I know fail to use their time wisely each day.

It's easy to get distracted and, at the end of the day or week, find yourself frustrated with not having accomplished all of what you set out to do.  If this happens to you week after week, you may find that your business is not as profitable or successful as it could be, simply because you aren't working efficiently and marketing consistently.

Understand -- you DO have the time.  You simply need to "buy" it out from some other activity AND start utilizing the time that's being wasted.

Following is my five step system for eliminating the time wasters that are hindering your success:   MORE

In this week's free marketing podcast I discuss the immeasurable value of market research, how critical it is to know and understand the immediate needs and challenges of your current clients and ideal prospects, and how making yourself easily accessible to your target audience is paramount to reaching your goal of finding clients! Listen in as I share proven tips on how to consistently attract ideal clients -- those who will appreciate and benefit from working with you – while ensuring outstanding success for your business!

How To Attract Ideal Clients With Ease (SSMS Episode 23) [ 7:26 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (628)