Posts Tagged ‘Sydni Craig-Hart’
A Simple Analysis That Defeats Marketing Paralysis – Part 2 of 3
You may be familiar with the phrase, “throw enough against a wall and something is bound to stick.” That might be true, but as you market your business (which is really just sharing solutions with people who are already looking for them) wouldn’t you rather know what is going to stick before you start? This trial and error method will eventually become exhausting. You’ll waste a lot of time and energy and end up with one ugly and messy “wall” in your business.
When it comes to increasing your profits, you want to focus your attention on the activities that will get you the best results in the shortest amount time possible. The only way you’ll know which strategies work the best is if you track where your clients are coming from. (If you would like a FREE copy of our client tracking tool, click here NOW.) By tracking your efforts and completing a quick and easy analysis you will see clearly: Read more about A Simple Analysis That Defeats Marketing Paralysis – Part 2 of 3
A Simple Analysis That Defeats Marketing Paralysis – Part 1 of 3
The term analysis paralysis is fitting when a person over-analyzes a situation to the point where a decision is avoided or action is not taken, thus paralyzing the outcome.
Success ALWAYS responds to decisive action. So even if an action you take leads to an outcome you didn't expect, it doesn't mean you've made a mistake. The goal is to create results!
Make this easy on yourself! Instead of wasting time and energy worrying about which step to take next, review what you've done in the past to help determine what you should be doing now and into the future. Read more about A Simple Analysis That Defeats Marketing Paralysis - Part 1 of 3
10 Time Management Tips That Get REAL Results!
This guest post was written by my good friend Liz Dennery-Sanders. Liz wants you to build your brand with style. As the CEO of Dennery Marks Inc., a brand development and celebrity outreach firm, she founded SheBrand, to help female entrepreneurs build powerful personal brands, attract more clients and position themselves as authorities in their industries. You can reach her directly at info@shebrand.com or www.shebrand.com.
We all have a million demands on our time. None of us are immune to meetings, email, voice mail, deadlines, doctor’s appointments, bills to pay, kids to pick up, etc. But if you’re not taking an active role in how you spend your time, then you’re allowing life to spend you.
It’s almost too easy to let life take control and run away with the little bit of time you have left in your calendar. If you allow it, your time will get eaten up by a gazillion things that have nothing to do with what you value.
As I’ve built my businesses over the past 12 years, I find that I’m always looking for the best time management tools and hacks. Remember, focused intention + action = massive results. Self management is the key to making this equation work for you.
Here are my 10 best tips – the ones that continue to work for me and produce REAL results: Read more about 10 Time Management Tips That Get REAL Results!
Posted in Time Management | 5 Comments »
3 Keys to Making a BIG Leap In Your Business!
Wil and I just spent the last 3 days working "on our business" instead of "in our business." There is a huge advantage to that and I want to tell you why our first trip to InfusionCon was an exceptional one. First, what is InfusionCon?
InfusionCon is Infusionsoft's software user conference. Infusionsoft is a sales and marketing automation software that is designed exclusively for small businesses. (If you click on the links you can learn all about both. 
So, what made it such a fabulous event? I know that's what you came here for, so let me get right into the 3 BIG reasons why I look forward to attending this event every year. Read more about 3 Keys to Making a BIG Leap in Your Business!
How to Know Exactly What Your Market Wants to Buy From You
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that you want your target market to be giddy over your services and products. You are in the business of serving others and you want to help as many ideal clients as you could possibly manage. Right?
To be of service and create a profitable business requires that you speak directly to the market that is already seeking the solutions that you provide. The first step to getting your target market to be giddy over your offerings (and increasing your profits) is to get CRYSTAL clear on who your ideal client is and what it is they want from you. Not sure how to do this? Let's break it down.
Your Ideal Client - This is the ONE individual in your business that you can't believe you get paid to work with. The one who happily pays your fees and appreciates the value you add to their lives. The one you get excited to talk to and look forward to meeting with. What does this person's life look like? What are they interested in? What do they read? Where do they vacation? What is their family structure? (These details help you understand their priorities and how they spend their time.)
Take a few moments to reflect on all of the clients you've worked with in the past. Write down the demographics of each person and whether or not they were an ideal client. (If they were not ideal for your business, note the reason(s) why). Then look for patterns. What do these individuals have in common? Read more about How to Know Exactly What Your Market Wants to Buy From You
How to Tune Up Your Marketing Efforts for Better Results and More Profits
One of the most important elements of profitable marketing is often the most difficult for solo service professionals to maintain. That is sharing your solutions consistently. To keep your pipeline filled with ideal clients who happily and readily pay for your solutions, you MUST market your business regularly (meaning EVERY week...YES, that often).
I find though, that many service professionals feel that they don't have time to do so. It can be easy to become so consumed in serving the clients you do have and running your business that your marketing efforts may unintentionally be pushed aside.
If you've ever found yourself having "fallen off the wagon" when it comes to your marketing efforts, you'll be happy to know that a quick and easy tune-up can get you right back on track.
To tune up your marketing systems, you'll first want to do a quick assessment of your business and ask yourself the following questions: Read more about How to Tune Up Your Marketing Efforts for Better Results and More Profits
How to Get Back on Track With Your Goals and Increase Your Profits
Do you remember the goals that you set for 2012? How are you doing with being on track with those? I am asking you this for a VERY important reason. I want you to focus on your goals, remember them and crush them!
Every year, people in general start the year off with fascinating expectations. But what normally happens to those expectations, goals or aspirations? By March or April, the target often becomes blurry and the objective is not accomplished.
It is my hope as a friend and mentor to keep you on track with the goals that you have set for your business and even your life. If you have fallen off track, try not to beat yourself up. Pull out those goals and put them in the forefront of your mind.
Being goal oriented and stretching yourself is part of being an entrepreneur. Sometimes, you miss the mark and don't get the exact results you were looking for. That is understandable. But, it's also preventable. Creating your version of a successful business is yours for the taking. All you need is a little planning, organization and consistency.
No matter the objectives that you have for your business, you can absolutely reach them if you create and implement a simple marketing plan.
Goal setting is easy! But for business owners who want to be successful, this is a MUST.
If you want different results in your business, you have to take different action. Perhaps you're more of a "fly by the seat of your pants" entrepreneur, which means sitting down to create a plan isn't exactly your idea of a good time. I get that. But this is why you do it.
Creating a plan helps us to change behaviors that aren't working. It helps us to see specifically what we need to do to get where we want to be. That's why you plan.
If you've struggled with planning and executing your marketing in the past, you may be wondering, "Sydni, where do I start?" The answer is simple.
Look at the 3 important points in your career: 1) where you have come from, 2) where you are now and 3) where you want to be. Now you can determine the gap between where you are currently and the end of your target.
Once you're clear on the gap, then you want to determine exactly what you need to do to bridge the gap. While it's nice to think "I want to create 5 new referral partners," or "I want to increase my profits by 50%," you'll never see those goals accomplished unless you've got a marketing plan to pull you towards such a future.
Keep these questions in mind when you are planning your marketing activities going forward: Read more about How to Get Back on Track With Your Goals and Increase Your Profits
Referral After Referral After Referral for You!
Simply click the play button to watch my video tips for you:
Take Action Notes
- Decide what kind of clients you want. If you haven’t yet created your ideal client profile, it’s time to get it done. You want to be specific and detailed as to exactly who you want to work with and what problems you will help them solve. Getting clear on this before you start asking for referrals will make it easy for you to explain to your referral partners what kind of leads you are looking for. Be sure to identify a few key phrases or situation “triggers” for them to watch for. This will help your clients and contacts to prequalify the referrals for you.
- Time your requests just right. Be sure to stay in touch with your referral partners regularly to maintain and strengthen your relationships. Schedule a monthly coffee or lunch date. Or stay in touch with a letter to let them know what you are up to. With your clients, the best time to ask for a referral is when they have commented on the quality of your work. Graciously thank them for their feedback and then ask, “Who else do you know who is looking for [SOLUTIONS CLIENT HAS ENJOYED]?” As they brainstorm who they can introduce to you, listen carefully to the contacts they have in mind. Be sure to explain simply how they can best introduce their contact, both so the individual is comfortable and so you can effectively follow-up on the lead.
- Don’t be afraid to ask! Many service providers stop themselves from asking for referrals because they are intimidated. But honestly, you have nothing to be afraid of. If you’ve been doing a stellar job for the client, it’s completely acceptable for you to ask for a referral. And what’s the worst they could say? “Probably, I’ll keep that in mind.” That is a good thing! The only thing you have to lose is the opportunity to be of service to a new client and increase your income.
- Many seasoned entrepreneurs have grown their business strictly by referral. If you like, you can be one of them. As with all effective marketing, creating the desired result, it simply takes focused, consistent effort on your part. By making it clear who you serve and what you do for them, you empower your clients and contacts to make referrals that will be beneficial to you and the people that they refer as well.
Posted in Attract Ideal Clients | 1 Comment »
Use Your Past Success to Create More Profits Now
Simply click the play button to watch my video tips for you:
Take Action Notes:
Leverage is the key to a profitable and sustainable business. When you think about leverage, what comes to your mind? One definition says it is the power to influence a person or situation to achieve a particular outcome. So, what is your "particular outcome"? To create and maintain a profitable business, of course!
There are 3 ways in which you can leverage previous triumphs and turn that into current success:
- Leverage what IS working NOW - Sure you could complain about the many things that are not quite perfect in your business. A more productive and effective path to take is to focus on the activities that ARE working well for you. If you get clear about those items and do more of it, you will boost your level of success and increase your income.
- Leverage profit opportunities - Where have you spoken or networked in the past? Are you still in touch with the wonderful people that you have served way back when? Get in touch with them and show them that you are available and willing to help them now.
- Leverage the people who have helped you in the past - Just as it is important to focus on what is working in your business, it is a good practice to keep in touch with the people who have helped you get where you are. Perhaps your target market has changed or you are offering new packages or products. Notify your supporters so that they can share your excitement and new direction. Keep in touch and watch your business soar.
Getting Your Prospects to Buy What You’re Selling
Simply click the play button to watch my video tips for you:
Take Action Notes: MORE
