The Secret to Any Problem, Even in Business!

I’m curious, on this Valentine’s Day, how’s your love life? And how is that effecting your business?

I don’t mean your earthly relationship–I’m talking about the relationship you have with the Lord Jesus. Have you lost your first love?

Because without His love pouring out in your life, you will struggle in your relationships. In every area of your life, actually, even in your business.

Without believing in your worth, you will not be able to attract customers to your business. Something will always hold you back.

For me, pursuing my relationship with Christ is essential. It is the central pillar of my life. A daily quiet time is something I MUST do. Because God is my CEO.

Perhaps you’re having a hard time knowing where to start, or maybe you have this sick feeling that you will never be where God wants you to be.

Plus, your busy schedule always seems to get in the way of having dedicated quiet time. Or you don’t know where to start so you try nothing.

Maybe you are experiencing what I’ve experienced many times–so overwhelmed by challenges that you feel like a sinking ship, like you’re drowning. Or being choked by desperation. It could be financial problems, problems with your business, marital problems, problems with your children, with your extended family, challenges you are facing with your health.

Whatever it is, you feel like your problems are overtaking your life.

Can I ask you some questions about that?

What’s that like for you? How is that affecting your life and business–your relationship with the Lord, your marriage, your parenting? Your ability to magnetize clients? What do you want instead?

Maybe you want to be secure in God’s love, no longer living in fear, but living in a vibrant love relationship with Him that will get you through any hardship and ultimately glorify Him.

Maybe you want to truly believe in yourself so others will believe in yourself and your business can grow!

Perhaps you want to be closer to Christ. You want to rekindle your love for Him. After all, as believers we are God’s Bride and are destined for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

How would it feel if you got that? If you prepared for that ultimate day starting NOW!

That would be an incredible way to live, wouldn’t it?

Can I share something with you? God sees you as a jewel. He sees you as worthwhile. He sees you as a precious treasure. He sees you, yes, as His bride!

How do I know that? I’ve studied key passages about Jesus’ love for for years. It is changing my “stinking thinking” and has completely transformed me. I have gone from a very insecure person filled with self-hatred and self-rejection to a woman willing to embrace new, scary challenges. By studying these passages, I have come to accept that God has called me as an entrepreneur and I am gaining victory over the feelings of worthlessness that held me back for years and years. I have more peace and joy and love than ever before! Because I know Jesus’ loves me and He’s going to see me through even the very hardest of times.

That’s why I know that Jesus sees you as beautiful. If He can do that for me, He can do that for you.

If I could help you get that kind of security, that kind of transformation, would you be interested in hearing more?

Well, read on to find out more!

Here’s how I can help you. You know how some people don’t understand Jesus’ love for them or don’t even know how to have a quiet time or don’t think they are worthwhile? I help them find a solution to these problems by showing them how God sees them by guiding them through amazing passages of Scripture.

I help believers become closer to Christ through a quiet time guide called Falling in Love with the Bridegroom Devotional. These are not my words. I am giving you a plan of around 100 verses that you can read, meditate on, soak in, and journal about.

These are verses that will deeply impact your life. Because they are all carefully selected verses to help you fall in love with Jesus, your Bridegroom.

And don’t worry. I never encourage taking the Word out of context. In fact, I stress reading the passages in their full context in whatever versions you are most comfortable with. Go to the Scripture first and foremost! This is just a plan to help you achieve your goal of becoming more intimate with Christ.

I give you questions you can ask to get the most out of your study of God’s Word. I help you create a beautiful quiet time with the Lord by sharing with you some ideas based on tried and true principles handed down to me by godly men and women. I help you gain insight into how to have quiet times when you are frantically busy, even if you have young ones and never can get a moment to yourself.

And plus, I make it very convenient. You can either print out the journal pages and write on them or you can type your responses interactively into your desktop.

How does that sound to you?

Imagine you were able to focus on God’s character and on His love for you instead of dwelling on your problems or living in insecurity and fear. How would that benefit your whole life? What would it be worth to you? Imagine if you were able to take bold risks in your business because you know God believes in you and therefore you can believe in you?

To me, Jesus is worth everything. He asks me to love Him with my whole heart, soul, and mind. But this can be difficult if you can’t grasp in your heart how much He loves you. Even if you know that He died for you, that is knowledge in your brain. It has to travel a few inches down, or deep into your soul. I know this because I have experienced it and now I want to help you overcome this thinking.

So you know you want that. What’s the next step?

Take advantage of my special flash sale! This is my special Valentine’s Day gift to you! A gift of God’s love!

How can you take advantage of it?

I have reduced my Falling in Love with the Bridegroom Devotional to a phenomenal price.

Today only you can purchase your copy for $2.

Two dollars for months and months of incredible passages that will bring you closer to Christ and transform your life.

What do you think? Is your relationship with God worth that small investment?

After all, you spend more money on a cappuccino at Starbuck’s or a smoothie at Kiva Juice.

But maybe right now the thought of spending $2 is overwhelming to you.

If it wasn’t for the money, is this something you would want to move forward with?

Think about this. What is it costing you to live in this overwhelm and insecurity? Is it costing you success in your business? If you don’t invest in yourself and in your relationship with your Savior, where is it going to lead you? Are you going to reach the goal that you are committed to, of growing in godliness? Will you be able to love others if you don’t realize yourself how much you are loved and fall head over heals in love with Jesus?

Think about the $2 as a gift to God for Valentine’s Day. After all, didn’t you spend more than that on a card for your husband? I know I did!

Perhaps you are concerned about the time involved in completing this devotional.

Can I ask you a question? If I waved a magic wand that created plenty of time in your schedule, is this something you would want to move forward with?

What would your life be like if you chose to spend time with Jesus learning how you can fall in love with Him instead of worrying about your problems constantly?

I heard a terrifying statistic awhile ago. Less than four percent of Christians have a quiet time. No wonder the church is in so much trouble right now. Do you want to be in that statistic or make it change?

If you don’t spend the time on your relationship with Christ now, how is this going to effect you in the future?

Can I share what I see is possible for you if you were to do this devotional?

You will know how to focus on the character of Jesus and His love for you rather than focus on your problems and worries. You will be transformed day by day into the person God wants you to be. And you will know where He wants you as you seek Him with your whole heart, with total love and adoration. You will have the courage to take leaps of faith in your business so that you will achieve success.

So I’m wondering, if you don’t make this a priority now, what will happen?

Isn’t Valentine’s Day a perfect time to start? After all, how important is your relationship with Jesus to you?

And what would it take for you to be able to really live this dream?

Just like when you fell in love with your husband, it took an investment of time and money.

So I’m wondering if you did create the time and if you did really trust and have that faith–had the courage and went for it–how would that be?

Are you ready to create that time for God, for yourself?

Then click here to grab your copy before it’s too late! The sales ends at midnight Eastern time tonight! You will be taken to my 100% secure server.

And enter the coupon code FLASHSALE upon checkout to get your special Valentine’s Day Gift!

May you have an amazing Valentine’s Day filled to the brim of God’s abundant love and may you pour that love on others around you so God gets all the glory!

P.S.  Want to get the companion study Becoming God’s Bride for FREE? Fill out my survey and you will have access to a free copy upon completion by clicking here. More than a $10 value!

How to Make Extra Income–Create Your Own Family Economy!

How to make extra income.

It is a very popular question to ask these days in light of what’s going on these days.

Listening to the constant news of rising unemployment, exploding deficits, and weak economy growth can give us depressing thoughts about our futures But don’t worry. In today’s article, I am going to share with you some hopeful news! Yes, it is possible to make extra income!

No matter what is going on with the economy, you can recession proof your life! You can make money in a bad economy!

How? By creating a family economy!

What is a family economy?

It is creating several streams of income by each family member starting and running their own businesses.

It’s a lifestyle of entrepreneurialism.

What if you are single and have no spouse or children? Think about creating multiple streams of income.

Why does this matter so much to me? Because my husband and I have also needed to know how to make extra income. Last summer, we attended a homeschooling family economy conference. It was inspiring and confirmed for us that we are on the right track.

Then not long after that event he came home from the office saying, “That’s it!” It was another frustrating day of strange events and he decided he had to do something about it to advance his career. He contacted a possible freelance client and discovered that the best way to contact this company was through Facebook. He has never jumped on the social media bandwagon and he doesn’t even have a cell phone!

So he came home determined to do something about that. I helped him get a profile on Facebook and he connected with his prospect. The prospect wrote back and wants to meet with him to see how they can work together! Now he’s committed to developing a relationship with this potential client so he can eventually do freelance work for them. His plan is already working!

This was a little step he took to reach his goal of being self-employed.

Because our vision is for us to run several successful businesses out of the home. Not only that, we will involve our son and teach him to be an entrepreneur, encouraging him to run his own business at a young age.

There are many benefits to this, not just monetary. For one, we are all helping each other as a family unit. This makes us stronger and deepens our relationships. We will have the joy of spending time together working hard toward a common goal. Our family will truly be integrated, and our son will learn the value of hard work. He will be prepared for his future, whatever he decides to do.

Single? Create multiple streams of income. Think about cross-selling and upselling. For instance, if you provide a service where you blow out sprinklers using an air compressor, also provide pool service or sprinkler repair service.

Just make sure you don’t spread yourself too thin and not give 100 percent to each business!

Creating a family economy is an exciting endeavor! And the benefit is you will learn how to make extra income!

An endeavor that will enable you to have a dazzling future!

Want to learn more about how to make extra money? Download my free ebook on how you can create your own family economy.

Planting a tree © Monika Adamczyk | Dreamstime.com

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Why You Should Make a Plan for 2013

Since it’s the New Year, I’m recycling a post from last year, since it’s just as relevant today:

It’s hard to believe that 2013 is now upon us!

Soon I will be setting goals for the year. In 2012, I aimed high and I achieved more than I ever thought possible.

In fact, I recorded a video of my planning last January.

Below, I have posted an excerpt of that video where I explain why planning is essential and how to find that time, even if you have small children.

[vsw id=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TozE4AY8U4&feature=player_embedded” source=”youtube” width=”425″ height=”260″ autoplay=”no”]

If you have a hard time viewing the video, click here.

I will be announcing soon my new planning system that will rock your 2013! In the meantime, please sign up for my free 30 day devotional that will transform your stress into blessings!

Market Research: 3 Powerful Ideas that Will Increase Your Leads and Sales!

Low Cost Powerful Ways to Spark Growth in Your Business!

One of the first rules of blogging, design, and communication is to know your audience, your target market. This is extremely important in marketing, product development, and in business in general.

So what are some low-cost but powerful ways you can find out more about your target
market?

Below are some ideas I am practicing as I embark on some incredible changes in my
business. I will be blogging about this more in the next few months! But in the
meantime, here’s some ideas to get you started in your own market research!

Now obviously, your first step is going to be choosing your own target market, your
niche. Don’t be afraid to narrow it down! For instance, I just recently bought a
selling course for holistic practitioners even though I am an Internet publisher.
I can certainly apply what I learn to my particular situation!

The same is true for my business. My target market is the Christian homeschooling
family entrepreneur because I am one and that’s who I can relate to the best. But
solopreneurs, small business owners, writers, students, artists, authors, coaches,
bloggers, and more can benefit from my courses as well.

So without further adieu, here’s some ideas to get you started!

1) Make a Poll in Facebook. This sounds pretty obvious, but here’s an additional
idea. Create a Facebook group just comprised of your target market.

This is exactly what I’ve done and it’s an amazing source of information and support
for me. Plus, I have provided a service by creating a group of like-minded individuals
who can help one another through our journey through life. It’s all about showing
up to serve your target market!

Facebook is full of blogging masterminds. Create one or get involved! Ask for feedback and you will get amazing support!

2) Use Survey Monkey. Survey Monkey is a service that will help you make surveys
and polls very easily and for little or no cost. They provide templates or you
can design your own. They have markets who want to take your surveys. You can put
them online, embed them in your websites, or send them to Facebook.

Email services such as Constant Contact (which is what I will be using early next month) offers survey services as an add-on. They have templates available which you can modify. Often it comes with a free trial.

3) Get to Know People Online and Offline. Just hang out and have fun! Be alert for
opportunities to serve! Get involved in groups and forums that is in your target
market. Ask questions. Listen. Go to networking groups and learn. Be a friend and
provide gold nuggets of information and you will learn a treasure trove about your
target market!

Above all, be yourself, be authentic! The other day, I got a huge compliment from one of my fans. I was just being me! She liked what she saw and wants to know more. That’s what it’s all about–building a relationship!
So now that you know the basic ways to survey your target market, what do you want
to ask?

You want to ask them questions about what problems they experience, what fears they
have, what they are afraid of losing, and what their biggest challenges are around
obstacle they face, just to name a few. You want to tie this in to a product or
service you offer.

For instance, one of the questions I often ask is, “What is your biggest challenge
around getting your brand designed?”

The more you get to know your audience, the more you can offer solutions to the
problems they face. And the more urgent these problems are, the more they will be
drawn to your business, IF you have done your homework and aligned your products
and services to precisely target your market!

And like I mentioned before, I will be conducting market research in the near future. Look for some posts along these lines.

I’m revamping my programs, including my ezines (which I have an extremely exciting vision which I can’t wait to start!) so I REALLY value your opinions!

If you are ready to conduct powerful market research, your brand will sizzle and
your future will dazzle!

Want to get started right away on your sizzling brand and market research? Take my free video course and get my free report! Your dazzling future awaits you!

© AngelArt

© Oscar1319 | Dreamstime.com

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Is Your Commitment to Success Bigger than Your Circumstances?

Is Your Commitment to Success Bigger than Your Circumstances?
It’s been an emotional, topsy turvy few weeks.

After the election, I have to confess that I was very disheartened. In fact, I wept, because I felt like I had lost my country.

Government only stands in the way of prosperity. Wealth does not come from government, it comes from hardworking people committed to pursuing their ideas that will better mankind. Wealth has always and will always come from free market capitalism. That is giving way to European socialism, and it is very scary to watch.

I saw the election results as a huge obstacle to my pursuit of this goal, that I would always be stuck in the same place that I am in now. It is not easy developing a product and getting it out in front of people! It takes time and effort for a target market to recognize the value you bring to them. And it seems like society does not value the small business owner or entrepreneur!

Then last Thursday I attended a teleseminar. It was life-changing!

On this call, I realized that I need to be more committed to what I want in life than to the circumstances that are holding me back. I needed to make an investment in me. Because as God’s child, I deserve better!

But the story progresses. Last weekend, I watched an incredible, inspiring movie, Faith Like Potatoes. In this movie, based on a true story, a farmer/pastor from South Africa takes a bold step. He plants potatoes even though the country is in drought. He did this as a step of faith: since he prayed for rain, he followed it up with a risky action, laying it all on the line for Jesus. The result? He had a bumper crop of potatoes! God came through for him, despite how impossible it was.

So after much prayer, I have taken the bold step I believe God is prompting me to take. I don’t know how it will turn out, but I know that just making a decision is the step in the right direction, one that will lift the fog that I’m feeling right now!

This is what I’m committed to: first, my business belongs to God. He owns it and He’s my CEO. In fact, He’s my King and I belong to Him. He is the only one I worship. My citizenship is with Him.

As far as down here on Earth, I am committed to being a transformational leader. That has always been my heart since I started my business. Now I have a fresh vision for it. I want to have a part in freeing thousands of families (including my own!) from being a slave to the system so they have freedom to raise their families according to their values. I am committed to helping people tap into their passions and callings so they can be equipped to help others.

I am committed to taking care of the needs of my family and friends, and beyond that, to be a giver. To bless others with what I have been given. I am committed to rising above my own personal circumstances and let God work mightily, so I can be a witness and encouragement to many.

I have been on this journey for many years now, but in a sense, I feel like I am just beginning.

What about you? What circumstances are holding you back? What do you want out of your life? What are you committed to?

Whatever that commitment is, you deserve better than whatever is stopping you! Join me today in this journey in taking a powerful stand to live out the callings God gave you, to get what you want out of life and business!

Because if you invest in yourself, you will have a life that dazzles!

© AngelArts

If you are ready to make a commitment, then download my free ebook! This will get you started on your road to economic freedom!

Designing Brand Identity–5 Ways You Can Make Yours Stand Out!

Designing brand identity. How do you go about it and how do you make yours stand out?

And what’s more, why should you care?

As a matter of fact, your brand MUST stand out or you will be lost in the crowd!

So how do you that and where do you start?

1) Make sure your branding is based on thorough analysis.

I see this mistake over and over again. A logo is chosen to represent a brand that has nothing to do with the company. It just looked good. Or perhaps it was cheap or just designed arbitrarily.

To make your logo and brand truly stand out, you need to do some research up front. This takes thorough analysis. You need to know what makes you unique from your competition, what your vision is for your company and brand, who your target market is and much, much more.

2) Make sure your brand image communicates a specific message.

After you have done thorough analysis, you need to synthesize what you want to communicate in one sentence. What is it that you want your audience to “get?” Will they understand your message in ten seconds or less? If not, you will not get the attention you need!

For instance, awhile back I designed a logo for my husband’s new business that he is building. I had it imprinted onto a sweatshirt and one day he was wearing it in public. A person unfamiliar with Travis and his company looked at the logo and said, “Oh, you do… “

This is what you want your prospects to understand immediately. Exactly why your company exists and what you can do for them.

3) Make sure your brand is authentic.

You need to present yourself as an original. After all, there is only one of you! Like a snowflake, we are all unique individuals. Your brand needs to reflect this.

When the perception of your target market equals reality, then you will have an effective brand. Think through this exercise: what are the five words that I want my target market to perceive me as? Now be that perception and reflect it accurately in your brand image.

4) Use an appealing mix of fonts, color, and graphics.

You need to approach your brand image with a design concept. Don’t just use Helvetica for the fonts for your business name! Make it different with the use of typography.

And remember that color sells. Use it to your advantage. Graphics will make the appealing difference that can make your logo image stand out!

But be careful. Remember that logo images are above all symbolic. It’s easy to get carried away (don’t I know it!), but above all you want your logo image to be readable and recognizable.

5) Be consistent on all mediums.

From the moment your prospect sees your business card, signage, catalog, website, or however they encounter your brand, you need to guide them through an experience that builds trust and credibility. For instance, when you give them a business card, it should stand out with your unique brand image, which should lead them to your website with the same brand image, which should lead them to the next step, and on and on.

You want them to feel comfortable with you, create name recognition, and build an unconscious awareness that indeed they are doing business with a person they like, know, and trust.

So there you have it. Five ways you can make your brand stand out. When you follow these steps, you will have a brand that sizzles and a future that dazzles!

Branding Yourself–How Your Brand Is Like an Exquisite Bite of Chocolate!

Branding Yourself. What makes it successful?

Well, think about it like an exquisite box of chocolates!

Recently I gave a presentation on 10 Ways to Make a Brand Sizzle to a local women’s networking group. Being a homeschool teacher, I had to have an object lesson.

I chose Dove chocolates. They are, after all, my favorite treat! It was truly divine!

Before I spoke, I gave each lady a chocolate and requested that they not eat it until I spoke.

So following is what I had the ladies do with the chocolates and how I used them to illustrate my teaching on how to make effective brands. All about branding yourself. You might want to get a Dove chocolate and follow along:

Open up your chocolate. Imagine that this chocolate represents your brand. It is a treasure. It is precious!

Indeed, big corporations recognize that their brands are their most important asset. So why don’t we as small business owners?

Because if we want to be taken seriously by our prospects, we need to take our business seriously. And that includes branding yourself.

I think Dove takes their brand very seriously. You know exactly what you are getting when you bite into one!

And it is a quality product! So often, small business owners settle for what is easy, cheap, and free. Instead of thinking outside the box, especially when it comes to creating logos, they think of taking short cuts and making it as easy as possible because they want it right now and they don’t want to invest anything into it.

What are you thinking of when you are branding yourself?

It should be the same with your business. What you offer, your brand, needs to be reliable to your customer. It needs to be built on a foundation of quality. A promise they can count on!

That’s what the Dove chocolates are called, Promises! That’s why I love to use them for this illustration. Branding yourself is like a promise to your prospects and customers. Are you going to deliver? If you don’t come through, then you will be fostering a sense of distrust. And this is going to be branding yourself in a negative way.

The perception of your brand needs to fit with reality. If you want to be perceived as making the best widgets out there, then make the best widgets out there!

So now eat the chocolate. Didn’t it bring you satisfaction? Aren’t you pleased? That’s how your customers should feel after they have purchased your products or services. That’s the power of branding yourself!

Okay, you’ve examined the chocolate, eaten it, and thought about how it relates to  branding yoursef. Now I want you to read the message on the foil wrapper.

But instead of the usual promise that Dove prints, imagine that the message contains this: five words that describe you and your business. What does it say?

Discovering your unique words is going to give you a clue to what your brand should look like. It’s going to help you brand yourself. Because with your brand, you are always communicating a message, from the moment your prospect enters your store, visits your website, or looks at your catalog.

I’m sure you have enjoyed this yummy exercise! And you have learned something valuable to boot–all about branding yourself!

Apply this lesson and you will have a brand that sizzles and a future that dazzles!

Want to find out more about how you can create a quality brand? Sign up for my free mini-video course and free report on how to brand yourself by clicking here now!

BOX OF CHOCOLATE
© Cristian andrei Matei | Dreamstime.com

Creative Brand Identity–Why Cheap and Free Is Not Always the Best!

You want to build a creative brand identity. But are you relying on cheap and free services to make your logo and business cards?

If you are, beware! This can actually hurt your profits because you will not stand out!

Watch the video to find out why!

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Want to know how you can make a creative a brand identity? Check out my free online course that will show you how to make a sizzling brand!

Building a Strong Brand–My AAA Approach to Logo Design!

Stock Photo: Markers. Image: 86380
You want to build a strong brand. But how do you exactly do that?

By my secret sauce of logo design! My AAA formula!

And what is that?

You make your logo:

  • Aesthetic
  • Appealing
  • Attractive

But how on earth do you do that, especially if you don’t know anything about graphic design?

Well, let me break it down for you:

The secret to building a strong brand, to constructing an effective brand image or logo, is in this AAA formula I’ve just shared.

1) Aesthetic. You’ve got to use design elements that are going to please the eye. Take advantage of color, typography, and art to create a unified image that not only conveys your company message, but screams I’m a masterpiece standing above the crowd!

2) Appealing. You have got to know your target market and their preferences. What is their age? Gender? Interests? Narrowing down your audience will help you make better choices when it comes to creating your logo. You want to make it appealing to your target audience.

3) Attractive. You want to pull your target market in, not push them. Your logo should be memorable and one that your audience can connect with. It’s all about magnetizing your target market so they will be converted into a lead and ultimately a paying customer. Your brand image needs to be compelling and leave your audience with wanting to know more about you.

Follow my AAA formula and you will have a brand that sizzles and a future that dazzles!

Want to know more about my secret sauce of designing a AAA brand image? Download my free report, “Your Guide to Building a Family Economy that SIZZLES.” In this 115 page ebook, I share step by step how you can build lasting businesses for your whole family by showing you how to create effective brands. Click here now to download your free copy!

© Photographer: O’jay Barbee | Agency: Dreamstime.com

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