Are you confused by the “noise” of all the different strategies available to market your business?  You may hear one “expert” saying you HAVE to do social media or else you can’t have a thriving business.  Someone else is saying that you HAVE to do pay-per-click advertising to drive traffic to your website.  Still another claims that blogging is the “golden ticket” to your success!

Then there’s the fact that, as entrepreneurs, we often find it difficult to get through everything we’d like to accomplish in one day.  You may be so busy serving clients and doing your work, that your well-intentioned marketing plans fall by the way side.  If you don’t have a head for marketing or aren’t tech savvy, it can seem downright impossible to make any headway in growing your business.  And what happens then?  Because you can’t decipher what to do next, are pressed for time and have limited marketing knowledge you become overwhelmed and wind up doing nothing.

Doing nothing to market your business is not an option.  If you don’t consistently market your services, you won’t continue to attract new prospects and eventually your client base will dry up, leaving you with no revenue and no business.

So what’s the solution?

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As the year starts to wind down, perhaps you're starting to think about taking a well-deserved break.  Maybe you're planning a vacation or a holiday getaway to visit family.  Whatever the case, consider how you can use the opportunity to create more exposure for your business.

Nothing can boost your income quite like tapping into a "new" market. Think about it - if you have done any networking in your local area, you know the power of connecting with ideal prospects and building relationships.  Meeting new people, the RIGHT people, is often the quickest way to enroll new clients into your practice.

The same can be true when you go out of town.

Take the time to research what networking or speaking opportunities are available in your vacation area.  Whether you visit another BNI chapter, a Chamber of Commerce meeting or some other event, you'll be introduced to a fresh group of people with whom you can develop relationships and create opportunities.

Of course, for best results, you want to be sure to focus your attention on events that will connect you with a group of your ideal clients or prospective Power Partners. Remember your goal is to meet new people and start relationships with them - NOT sell to them.  You want to build visibility for what you offer, do some market research by asking questions and extend/receive referrals.

Following are a few ideas for finding events to attend:
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As you consider which marketing strategies to pursue that fit your voice and your message, it's important to remember that offline marketing is just as powerful as having a strong online presence.  In some cases it can even be more powerful.  One way to position yourself as the expert and attract your ideal clients is to host your own fr.ee event.  People are always looking for fr.ee resources, seminars and training opportunities.  Maybe they just want to learn a little more about a particular topic, or maybe it's the way they entertain themselves.  Either way, fr.ee events can help fill your practice.

Think about fr.ee events kind of like your blog and ezine, you give out lots of fr.ee content to attract visitors and get them interested in your expertise. Then you give them an opportunity to learn more and get one-on-one support from you by means of your programs and services.   Fr.ee events are the same thing, but they just take a little more planning to be effective.

To create your own lead-generating event, follow these simple steps: MORE

How different would your business be if every time you offered a product, program or service your ideal client jumped at the opportunity to work with you? How would you feel? And how would that make a difference in your life? It would be pretty awesome, right?

I'll let you in on a secret. Turning this scenario into your reality is completely possible and has nothing to do with what YOU think your clients want. It has everything to do with what THEY want! Discover how to determine what that is in today's episode.

SSMS Episode #11 – I Hate To Break This To You...But What You Want Doesn't Matter! [ 11:12 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (154)

It's all too easy for entrepreneurs to be stuck in their business and NOT take consistent action because of feeling like each step has to be "perfect".  The truth is "perfect" (a term I use loosely) action doesn't create results.  What DOES create results is taking consistent (even if imperfect) action on the right things.  Last week we talked about creating your marketing plan and this week it's all about HOW to work the plan and achieve your goals.

SSMS Episode #10 - How To Create More Profits In Your Business While Taking Imperfect Action [ 13:36 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (159)

Did you know there are pockets of money "hidden" in your business that you don't even see? It's true! For EVERY single client that I work with, the first thing I do is assess the opportunities in front of them (that they are too close to their business to see) and then create a "Money Map" to help them dig out the additional profits they're looking for. You can do the same for your business...starting NOW! Listen to today's episode as I share details on the importance of creating your own marketing plan, what benefits you can expect to enjoy in doing so and how to get started.

SSMS Episode #9 – How to Find The Hidden Profits in Your Business [ 8:48 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (163)

Have you set a goal for yourself and your business and find yourself struggling to make it happen? Are you wondering why having the business you desire seems just out of reach? If so, you're not alone. A lot of solo service professionals feel this way. The good news is the answer is very simple. And it has nothing to do with the economy, how long you've been in business or what type of business you have. Listen in as I share the secret and how to overcome this common challenge.

SSMS Episode #8 – The #1 Thing Holding You Back from BIG Profits in Your Business [ 6:48 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (199)

It's hard to believe that more than half the year is over.  It seems like time moves faster than you can keep up with when you are a solopreneur.  There is so much to do and yet so little time.

If you have felt "stuck" with where you're at in your business, especially as it relates to accomplishing the goals you've set for yourself,  I want to assure you that it is possible to get "un-stuck", breakthrough the challenges you're facing and get back in gear.

How?

First, stop being so hard on yourself.  Many times when I start working with a new client, I find that they've been spinning their wheels trying to move forward and are feeling very frustrated that they aren't making progress.  It's all too easy to put undue pressure on yourself and to feel buried under feelings of guilt.  All this is doing is draining your energy and distracting you from moving forward.

So, if you've been feeling this way...let it GO!  Stop being so hard on yourself! Getting distracted can happen to the best of us and if this has happened to you, it doesn't mean you're a "failure".  You can't change the past, but you can most certainly take control of your future, starting today. Forgive yourself, make the commitment to change and open your eyes to see all of the possibilities in front of you.

Second, take stock of your assets.  You likely have a lot of good things going for you in your business.  (You may have been too busy focusing on the "negative" things to see this.) So make a list of all the things that are going RIGHT.  Also, make a list of all the opportunities you have at your disposable.  The prospective clients that have expressed an interest in working with you.  The referral partners who would like to partner with you or send client leads your way.  The request you had to speak at an industry event or conference.  Also, I want you to start capturing all of your great ideas in one place so you can refer to them again and again.  Once you've organized your thoughts and opportunities you can start to see clearly what your next steps should be to take advantage of them and grow your business.

Next, set some achievable goals for yourself for the next 90 days.  This isn't the time to focus on your long-term goals.  While I wholeheartedly agree that you should have a BIG vision for what your business can become and steadily work towards that, what you need to get back in gear right now is a few "small" victories.  So make a list of 5-7 things you'd like to accomplish that seem manageable, achievable and inspiring to you.  Then break this list down into actionable tasks and schedule these on your calendar so that you have dedicated blocks of time for working on your business.

Finally, I want you to reach out for support.  Just because you are a solopreneur, doesn't mean you have to be "in the trenches" alone.  No one who is successful in business has become so on their own.  We all need a helping hand.  If you feel overwhelmed by all that you have to get done in a day, partner with a Virtual Assistant to whom you can delegate.  Consider working with a coach to keep yourself accountable and on track with your tasks.  If you really want to leap ahead and overhaul your business within the next six months, contact me about my VIP Coaching Program and enjoy the support of working one-on-one with me AND a group of likeminded entrepreneurs.

At certain times in my business I have faced feelings of being "stuck" and have had to work my way through the challenges I was facing.  By implementing the steps I just shared with you, I was able to breakthrough my difficulties, get re-aligned with my goals and start making progress.  If I could do it, so can you!

I'd love to hear about how you've conquered your own challenges and how you can implement today's strategies in your business. Comment below and let me know your thoughts!

Sometimes, the most difficult part about being a solopreneur is keeping yourself accountable.  When you're the boss of yourself, there's no one looking over your shoulder to see if things are getting done.  Of course there are clients, but since they pay the bills, getting their work done isn't usually the challenge.

Growing your business and achieving your goals is often the biggest challenge solopreneurs face.

As a business owner, you know all (or almost all) of the things you need to do to make your business successful and prosperous.  For example, you know you should:

• Keep your website up to date
• Network strategically
• Have a plan for marketing your business
• WORK your marketing plan
• Stay abreast of trends in your industry
• Outsource non-revenue generating tasks
• Keep your financial records in order
• Invest in continuing education opportunities
• Apply what you learn

...and the list goes on.

But, while your to do list and wish list get longer, there's often no one holding you accountable to make sure you get things done.  That's where a mastermind group comes into play and can be the critical piece you are missing to move your business ahead.

The basic principle of a mastermind group is that like-minded professionals join forces and commit to helping each other accomplish their goals.  As a group, you celebrate each other's victories and support each other in times of need.  One of the essential players in a successful, profitable mastermind group though, is a strong leader.

The leader of the mastermind group should be someone whose success you admire.  In other words, they need to be successful themselves first to be able to give you the direction you need to create the same type of success in your business.  Think about it, would you want to learn from a ski instructor who's never been on the slopes?

Here's what you want to look for in a potential mastermind group:

• A strong, seasoned and dedicated leader that has created the same results in their business that you want to create in yours.
• A group of like-minded professionals - While they don't all have to be from the same industry, it helps if there is some common ground for support and they are at the same general place in their business.
• Regular access to the leader and other members - A forum is a great way to interact with the group and get fast answers to your questions.  It needs to be a safe place, where no question is off limits.  You also want to have regular interaction with the group through virtual and live meetings.
• A structured program designed with your needs in mind - Having structure is necessary to ensure that each individual receives what they need.  There needs to be clear expectations for the leader and each group members, which creates a supportive environment where each entrepreneur can thrive.

There are many benefits to participating in a mastermind group.  First, you receive ongoing support in your business from people who know and understand what you are going through.  While your family may be cheering you on, even the most supportive family can't understand all the moving pieces in your business.

Second, you have friendly yet professional accountability.  While you won't get beat up over not accomplishing your goals, a good accountability partner and/or mentor will help you identify why you didn't reach your goals and then help you overcome those challenges.

Third, you get real life education while avoiding common pitfalls.  Working with a successful person as the mentor of the mastermind group will save you time, money and needless aggravation. Their insights and experience will help you avoid common pitfalls and give you the support you need if you've made a few mistakes.  And, ultimately knowing someone who has "made it" is a great motivator and will keep you inspired.

At the end of the day, you are still solely responsible for your success.  However, that doesn't mean you have to do it all yourself.  Consider joining a mastermind group to reap the benefits of collaboration and help you leap ahead towards accomplishing your business goals.

Have you participated in a mastermind group?  Or are you interested in participating? Please share your thoughts with me by commenting here on the blog!

We've just passed the mid-way point of 2010.  How are you doing with achieving the goals you established back in January?  If you're not quite where you want to be, not to worry, there's still plenty of time to regroup.  Check out this week's episode for a simple 3-step plan to get back on track!

SSMS Episode #5 - Reconnect With Your Goals and Start Creating Results [ 7:20 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (202)