Know what you HATE

To help me stay focused on only working with ideal clients (meaning those folks with whom I can do my BEST work and create the BEST possible results), I've developed a simple system that you too can model.

Prospects are not allowed into my door if they don’t meet certain criteria. This is in the best interest of my client. If they aren't ideal for my work style and what I offer, they aren't going to have a great experience in working with me and they won't enable me to achieve my goals. That scenario, of course, doesn't do either of us a bit of good. So, I've developed an Ideal Client Profile (ICP), which reminds me exactly what kind of clients I should be working with. The first step in developing this profile for yourself is to know what you hate. Perhaps "hate" is a strong word, but it's just as important to know what won't work in your business as it is to know what will.

There are several things that you must decide when creating your ICP. First, start with personality traits. What qualities do certain people possess that you do NOT want to allow into your business? What qualities absolutely make you want to scream?

For example, if you do not like to work with people who procrastinate or frequently miss deadlines, do not work with them. You may have an aversion to people who are not self-motivated. If so, avoid them at all cost. You won't do your best work with them.

In addition to personality traits, there may be some industries that you are not necessarily attracted to. If you find the fitness industry absolutely boring and pointless, would you get excited about working with fitness professionals? You know the answer.

I think you get the picture, right? Make a list of the personality traits, behaviors and industries that turn you off. This will allow you to see clearly who IS a great fit for your business and where you should focus your marketing efforts.

Know what you LOVE

Now that we have all that negative energy out of the way, let’s pick up the pace and talk about the things that you LOVE! [Notice how that smile just came across your face ] Take the same points we discussed earlier (personality traits and industry), and make a list.

Think about your favorite people in the world. These are the people that you would love to spend all of your time with. In a working relationship, you find it hard to believe that you get paid to serve such wonderful folks.

What qualities and personality traits do they possess? Are they happy, outgoing, generous or self-starters? What do they do in their spare time? How long have they been looking for the solutions that you provide? If your clients have their own business, you certainly want to make sure that you choose clients who work in an industry that you can get excited about.

I really enjoy working with clients who are in the personal wellness industry. So, when I’m helping them to grow their business, it makes me feel really good. Nowadays, I never cringe when it is time to speak with my clients. They all fit my ICP. Make sure your clients bring you the same fulfillment.

Listing all of these excelling qualities and traits will help you as you search for ideal clients. The importance of creating this Ideal Client Profile cannot be over-stressed. If you would like help with creating your ICP, I invite you to click this link and review my Profit Breakthrough Application. (If you need additional help, fill out the application and we can discuss it over the phone).

This application allows me to learn a lot about my prospective clients. It is also a deterrent to those who do not fit my ICP. My ideal client appreciates the application process. Please feel free to model my application and create one that fits your business.

I know that you want to avoid working with clients that make you SCREAM!! I encourage you to create a process for eliminating the problem before it starts. Integrating an Ideal Client Profile into your prospecting process will prove to be a time saver while allowing you to fill your practice with clients that you absolutely LOVE. This will lead to better experience for your clients, a faster, easier path to achieving their goals, more profits and more referrals for you. What could be better than that?

What can you tell me about your ideal client? Share your thoughts by posting a comment below.

Your Action Plan For This Week:

1. Create your Ideal Client Profile by listing qualities and personality traits that you both hate and love.
2. Review my Profit Breakthrough Application and tailor it to fit your business.
3. Accept further assistance by clicking HERE.

Here are the resources I mentioned in the video:

• Domain Registration - GoDaddy
• Web Hosting - HostGator
• Web Hosting - BlueHost
• Content Management - WordPress.org

If you have other resources you'd like to share, feel free to do so by posting a comment below!

A lot of folks marketing "strategy" is throwing stuff out into the world and seeing what sticks. Some jump from idea to idea, concept to concept and never make any progress. To me, marketing is like cooking (which I LOVE) and to create real success in your business you need to follow a recipe. One that is customized to your personality, your business and your goals. In this week's episode I teach you how you easily find your recipe and "cook up" delicious success in your business!

I had the opportunity to attend a briefing on Capitol Hill regarding taxes issues and health care reform as it relates to small business owners. This is what I learned:

I know it's easy to get caught up in what the media spews out. But you'll be much more profitable and successful in your business if you ignore all the negativity and focus on doing what you need to do to achieve your goals. That includes choosing simple, effective marketing strategies and being consistent in your efforts.

That said, what's next on the horizon for you in your business? What are you working on right now? Do tell by sharing your thoughts with me below.

My friend Kristine Maveus-Evenson, President of Capture Hits, shared this great list of recommended apps that I want to pass along to you:    

• Static HTML (tabs 1-12) -- She likes this one because you can simply drop/insert HTML
• JotForm -- No coding needed. Easiest way to add a capture form, though you won't get email list management.
• Pinterest tab -- Offers easy sharing of your Pinterest board. (She's  a Pinterest junkie and really likes this app, especially if you sell products with images!)
• Wildfire -- For handling contests
• Ecwid and InstanteStore -- FB friendly carts/ecommerce that works with a website and FB
• PostPlanner -- Allows scheduling of posts to FB Page/group within FB. Haven't seen it impact Edgerank the way 3rd party apps do.
• Booshaka -- For Fan of the Week. Why she  likes this one? Stats! Great info about top fans and their engagement.
• Forum for Pages -- Creates a tab to have threaded discussions exactly like a forum. Love this to keep the wall clean for engagement and the forum to talk about topics, provide support, etc.
• Fotobabble -- Allows lots of engagement (one of her favorites) because fans can upload photos -- such as "show us how you use our product" -- and make it a fun contest to get engagement.
• Coupon for Pages -- Allows/encourages sharing of coupons from fans to their friends.
• Networked Blogs OR RSS for Pages -- 2 different apps that bring your blog into FB easily
• YouTube for Pages -- Highlights new videos (or selected videos) you add to your YT channel.
• FAQ tab -- Allows a section to capture questions and created a searchable database of FAQ.
• Lujure - Great for customizing apps, particularly if you want to pull in content from elsewhere online. Easy to add images (eg. logo) to assist with branding. Love the hotspot function and drag, drop and resize nature of its features. $30 per month min buy in.
• Shortstack - Easy template driven app builder with loads of options for customizing. Free basic sign up which is sufficient if only managing one Page and simple apps.  This is where she sends beginners for their first attempt at DIY. Notice tabs a little slow to load at times, but so are all aren't they?

You can search for any of these apps by typing the name in search box inside your Facebook account and then following the steps indicated.

Personally, we've been using Static HTML and Networked Blogs for a while now with great results. I'm eager to try out the others and report back to you on my experience and the results. Which of these apps have you added to your Business Page? And with what result? Do tell by sharing your thoughts below!

The Create Your Money Map program, is designed to teach you many things about marketing, but the two most important are:

1. Identify who wants your services
2. How to find those people in droves

Who wants your services?

Please answer the following question for yourself: who is your target market? When you choose a target market, you will find that it is so much easier to find prospective clients and for them to find you.

A target market is a specific group of people who not only need your services, but they can be found congregating, just waiting for YOU. Focusing your efforts on this ONE group will allow you to create solutions that are easy for your ideal clients within that group to say yes to.

For example, if your expertise lies in helping young families to choose the right school for their child, you might target a 35 year old, married, mother of one in a metropolitan area who is eager to make the perfect choice for her little Susie. You would market to the fact that as a new mother it can be overwhelming to make this decision on their own, there are many choices available, and having a helping hand will ensure the best possible experience for her child. Those are issues that would keep a young mother up at night.

Thus, when you clearly speak to those needs and provide the exact solutions she is looking for, she’ll not only jump at the chance to work with you, she’ll tell others in her network about how you made a difference in her life.

If you follow the example above, you can instantly position yourself as THE expert these folks need, you set yourself apart from your “competitors” and you create a steady stream of leads for the work that you do. What specific group can you focus on in order to get your message out into the world in a bigger way?

How can you find your target market?

By hanging out where they hang out. People generally like spending time with others who have similar interests, which makes your target market easy to find. A quick search on the Internet is likely to uncover your target market in all sorts of places such as:

1. Internet discussion forums
2. Support groups
3. Networking groups
4. Social media platforms

The list goes on an on. By finding your target market (both online and offline), reaching out to them and extending a genuine offer to help them solve the problems they are facing, you will position yourself as an expert in your industry.

To you marketing may not be the most exciting way to spend your time (I’m just kind of a nerd that way), but you can learn to appreciate it. Especially when you see the RE$ULT$ showing up in your bank account and are able to help people to improve the quality of their life.

Create more profits by strengthening your marketing efforts. Choose a target market, focus on creating specific solutions to address their needs and connect with them regularly to share what you have to offer. If you need help in reaching out to your target market, use this tool I have created to help you.

What target market do you have your eye on? Do tell by sharing a comment with me below!

Your Action Plan For This Week:

1. Choose a target market. (Hint: Think about the profile of one of your clients. Why does this person need your services? How can you find more prospects like them.)
2. Search for a total of 5 online and offline locations where groups of your prospect can be found. (Hint: You may find 5 different LinkedIn groups who meet your criteria.)
3. Develop a strategy that will allow you to reach out to the people in those 5 groups.

If you’ve ever felt invisible in business, been deflated by lacklustre marketing results or struggle to spark a 2-way conversation with your target market…

– take a look-see at this:   

My biz girlfriend Gina Bell invited me to write an article for the newest issue of Rebelations Magazine!

The “Visibility Boom” issue is devoted to helping you get noticed, get clients and get your business growing!

Inside this top-notch resource for innovators, trendsetters and entrepreneurial go-getters you’ll enjoy 17 other rebelicious articles AND a special feature that will have you creating your own Visibility Boom in no time!

Imagine hearing your ideal clients say…“I see you everywhere!” and “I want to work with you!”

I’m biased for sure but I’m certain – this is a must-have resource for any aspiring woman in business!

And what I know about Gina Bell is she’s a “don’t just do it REALLY do it” kind of gal so fasten your seat belts and hold on tight – you’re going to looooove this magazine!

And the best part – it’s totally FREE!

Be among the first to join the Rebelution and jump inside the newest issue of the digital magazine at:

http://smartsimplemarketing.com/rebelations

You know I only share top notch stuff, right? This is one of the most valuable resources I’ve seen recently so don’t miss out! Get your copy and post a comment below to let me know what you think!

At the very least you need to decide what to say on your business card and on your website. If you decide to blog you’ve got to figure out what to write there, and participating in social media requires a steady stream of interesting, engaging and results focused content.

So, what are you to do if you have ZERO writing skills and don’t even particularly like to write?  

A few things:

1. Don’t panic! And don’t procrastinate! This is an easy fix. You first need to admit that you need help.
2. You can easily hire a professional copywriter for a reasonable investment. There are a multitude of options and I know several folks I will happily refer you to, all you have to do is ask.
3. Keep in mind that you don’t actually have to write ANY of your content. You can use audio and video to create compelling messages that speak to the problems your ideal client is looking to solve.

If you do decide to tackle writing your own copy, here are a few tips to help you sound like a pro and get the results you’re looking for:

1. Write to ONLY one person. I realize you are writing to a group of people that may number into the tens of thousands. But really, each of these folks is only concerned with their individual needs. When they interact with you they only care about their relationship with you and what you can do for them. So use that to your advantage. Write as if you were talking with just one person and speak in that tone. Your message will be much more engaging and this will work wonders to strengthen the trust and credibility you are working so hard to create.
2. Be conversational! Resist the urge to craft the “perfect” message. There is no such thing…so called perfection is WAY overrated. Instead, use your normal voice! Imagine you are sitting down with a good friend, enjoying your favorite beverage and they’ve come to you because they need help with the exact problems that you solve. What would you say? What questions would you ask? What would your tone be? Write from that place. You’ll get a much better response because the person reading your marketing materials will feel a personal connection with you and be compelled to take the next step.
3. Include a specific call to action. I know you think what you do is so incredibly simple that everyone already knows what to do to get the results they want. Not so. Don’t take for granted that your reader will know what step to take next. It’s not that he or she is not an intelligent person, but they simply won’t see the path as clearly as you do. So instead of an ambiguous, “If there’s anything I can do to help you, please let me know”, tell your reader this: “if you want XYZ, do this first”. Give them a specific phone number to call, web-page to visit, email address to write to, link to buy from. Connect the dots and tell them exactly what to do next. Again, you’ll get better results and your reader will appreciate your clear, simple instructions.

Fortunately, writing great copy is not rocket science and is definitely a learnable skill. So there is no need for you to be intimidated and procrastinate on a project because you feel you don’t know what to write. With practice and a diligent focus on helping the person you’re writing to, you can learn to at least be decent at it to get the results you want. And of course you can always call in a professional if you need to.

What writing project will you tackle next? Do tell by leaving me a comment below!

If so, then you need a plan to make this happen. Simply showing up and collecting a few business cards, is NOT going to create new money in your business.  

First, you need to research which networking opportunities are the best fit for you. Don’t just go to an event for the sake of going. Look for events, seminars, conferences, workshops, etc., that cater to your ideal client and/or individuals who could be referral partners for you.

To help you keep track of your research, I suggest you setup an account with Evernote. It's completely FREE and you can setup individual Notebooks to keep this information organized and accessible while on the go. Plus it's easy to update on your computer or your smartphone.

You also might look into Highrise,which is FREE (up to 250 contacts) and will allow you to keep track of your interactions with the people you meet. You can take detailed notes on each conversation and set reminders for yourself so that you remember to reach out to them and stay in regular contact. There are other, more sophisticated systems you can use for this purpose such as SalesForce and InfusionSoft, but Highrise is a great place to start.

Last but not least, you need a follow-up system! Your fortune is in the follow-up! When you’re networking, and meet a new person, you’ve established a connection. Your goal is to turn that connection into a mutually beneficial relationship. That means you need to continue the conversation long past the first time you’ve met.

To make sure you do this, don’t unintentionally collect business cards. Develop a system that tells you exactly what to do when you meet a new person. Your system might include:

• Entering the person’s full contact details into your database
• Reviewing their website
• Signing up for their blog - I suggest using Google Reader (It’s FREE!) which will pull all of your feeds into one place that you can read instead of visiting each site individually.
• Connecting with them via social media •Sending a follow-up email or handwritten note
• Scheduling a follow-up appointment
• Scheduling an appointment on your calendar to check in with them a few weeks or months down the line

Have a specific series of steps to follow will make your networking time more worthwhile and get you better results. Most importantly, you will build stronger relationships.

Keeping all of the information you’ve gathered organized is key to your being able to actually use it! And that is how you turn your networking efforts into dollars for your business. I’d love to hear a quick story about how networking and following-up lead to new business for you! Can you share the details with me by leaving a comment below?

I understand that it can be overwhelming trying to figure out what to do to grow your business and keeping to a schedule in actually getting the work done. However, there are a few tricks that will help you.

For a quick dose of clarity, review your business activity over the past 6-12 months, which will give you a clear picture of what's working and not working in your business.

As you review your client list you'll want to ask yourself:

• How were clients introduced to my business?
• What did they buy from me?
• How much revenue did each client relationship generate?

The point is this: all of your clients came from a source. Identifying these will help you focus your marketing efforts on the sources that get you the best results. (Here's a FREE tool to help you with this.)

Once you've gained some insight into your client list, you want to note which marketing strategies you actually implemented in order to engage those clients. Did you do networking, speaking, email marketing, or use social media? Whatever the activity, make sure you write that down and note EXACTLY what you did. Meaning:

• Which networking events provided the best connections and leads?
• Which of your email blasts got the best open rates and generated the most leads?
• Which social networks did you participate in? And where did you get the best response?

Next to each marketing strategy in your list, note how much income you produced from that activity. Organize the items from most income gained to the least amount.

Now the fun begins! After completing this simple analysis, you will see clearly which marketing activities have created the best RE$ULT$ for your business. Going forward, you'll want to do MORE of the activities that earn you the most income. Those that brought in the least amount, either discard them or re-strategize.

You'll want to use this information to do three things:

• Set new S.M.A.R.T. goals for yourself based on what's already worked in the past
• Commit to focusing on JUST the top three (profit-producing) strategies and nothing else
• Create a simple marketing plan to help you stay on track and implementing consistently

This means putting your "blinders" on and not allowing yourself to get distracted by opportunities or marketing strategies that don't specifically support you achieving the goals you've set for yourself. Which makes your marketing easier, less expensive, more fun and MUCH more effective!

Completing this simple analysis will allow you to breakthrough any paralysis you've been facing. There is no need to be confused about what you should do to grow your business. Keep your focus on the marketing strategies that actually earn you money! Which three strategies will you focus on in your business? Please share your thoughts on the blog.

Your Action Plan For This Week:

1. List the marketing strategies that you have implemented.
2. Note next to each strategy how much money you have earned from that activity.
3. Commit to only focusing on the activities that make you money.
4. Get your copy of my "Create Your Money Map" system, which will help you set SMART goals and outline a simple marketing schedule, customized to your business.