Category: Business Tips

What Do You Do When You’re in a Valley?

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So if we could, we all would live on a mountaintop, right? We would always have enough. Actually, more than enough. More clients. More products sold. More services sold. More revenues.

But life is full of ups and downs. And business is no exception. What can we do when we experience valleys in our business?

Here’s a few ideas to help:

1) Adjust your mindset

A scarcity mindset will trip you up. It will lead you to be not only in a valley, but in an endless sink hole. Get rid of those poverty emotions!

For instance, the other day I found that my husband was wearing a ragged shirt. I made him get rid of it. Hanging on to rags just perpetuates the cycle. I’m going through my clothes item by item and when I find a whole or tear I am throwing it away. I do this in full confidence that God is going to provide. I rely on Matthew 6 that says that He clothes the lilies of the field. He will clothe me, too! He will take my rags and turn them into riches! So I act in faith and let broken things go.

2) Discipline yourself to not spend

I can’t tell you how many times we ran out of money before the month was over. We would wonder how we were going to make it. Whether or not the lights would be on. Whether we would have the money for groceries or gas.

But each time, God provided. Sure, we had to “tighten our belts” but this discipline was actually good for us. We learned that, like Paul in the Bible, we could be content whether we had much or little. I became very adept at not spending unless I absolutely had to.

3) Move forward in faith

Sometimes the stress of being in a valley is so overwhelming that you don’t know what to do. Just do the next thing. One little step at a time.

Is there a thought nagging you that you need to do? Just do it! Are you procrastinating on something because you are afraid you will fail or that it’s too difficult? Just set a timer for 15 minutes and work on it!

Make that phone call, send that email, or write that article that will move you forward.

Being in this valley is not forever. You will climb out. It may be the climb of your life. But in the process, you are exercising your faith. Faith is what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. You are becoming more strong. You are becoming mature.

And that will empower you to help more people. To make a bigger impact.

4) Work toward having multiple streams of income

Think about different ways you can bring in money. For instance, if you sell a health product, think about how you can become a coach. Develop informational products.

For my husband’s architectural business, he is working on blueprint plans he can sell so he is not trading hours for dollars and this will be another stream of income for us, especially in those times when the construction business goes through dry times. My business is crucial, too, in this so we have several income streams.

5) Create a savings account for the valley times

This seems obvious but if you are living payment to payment like we did for a long time, this is often hard to do. Start saving up until you have at least one month’s expenses set aside.

And that will mean your brand sizzles and your future dazzles!

Photo by Sam Beasley

Tammie discovered her Brand Identity. Would you like to find yours?

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A Note from Dana

So I kind of disappeared for awhile. So many responsibilities I’m trying to handle at once! But until now this blog was my last priority because frankly I wasn’t sure how it all fit into the big picture of my business.

But it’s becoming more clear to me now. And also what’s become clear is I can’t do it all by myself. That’s why I’m excited to announce that I have a new team member, Tammie Polk. Below please find an important note from her:

 

I discovered my Brand Identity. Would you like to find yours?

 

image-15It was February 2013. I was headed back to work after being on maternity leave for 12 weeks. I knew I didn’t want to be there. I knew that we could’ve made it for at least six months with our income tax refund. I had to do something! When the email came out asking for those who wanted to leave at the end of the year (I worked at a school), I was the first person to respond! It was then that I told myself that it was time!
But, I changed my mind. I started another job in August that offered more flexibility. I said to myself, “Okay. I can make this work.” And then, my husband got a promotion that caused me to have to let that job go. We were a one-car family and that wasn’t going to work out. I was stuck! I needed to do something, so I turned to the Internet for help.
Months later, I met Dana. I’d already established my business to a degree, but it wasn’t sparkling like she was talking about. Something was missing. She reached out to me and told me about Brand Identity Quest, which I was hesitant about at first. Like many others, I looked at the price. Even with the monthly payments, I was like, “I don’t know.”

Then I saw the 7 Day free trial and all of the bonuses—videos, teleseminars, support being a click away, valuable resources—and it made me think.

 

All of a sudden, 3 payments of $27 really didn’t look that bad. Dana challenged me to invest in myself. She told me how important that was to do, so I did! I had to. Why?
I found myself wanting to give up on what I started. I was ready to quit. I was about to close my business, pay the taxes I owed, and wait for a better time. Then, I had my strategy session with Dana. The roadmap she gave me not only brought me down off the ledge, it helped me to strengthen my business, start writing again, and led to me starting a second business with her support still at my side.

 

ttmcfinallogosmallI found my Brand Identity through Dana’s Quest. Choice Home Education Consulting and Tammie Terrell Mompreneur Coaching exist today because I saw that, for the price of a night out with my family of five, I could have that sparkling future that she talked about. From One King’s Daughter to Another and The Virtuous Business Woman—my book projects—exist today because I worked through the thought-provoking, engaging, and challenging lessons I found in Brand Identity Quest—TWICE! Plus, the additional investment of Dana’s coaching time was well worth it, including the design of one of my logos.

Now, I’m challenging you! Dana only has 1 bonus left that includes three FREE STRATEGY SESSIONS.This is a $197 value as after this slot is filled, she will be re-packaging the program and raising her prices.

How frustrated are you in your business endeavors right now? How much better do you want things to be? Do you believe in yourself and what you’re doing enough to invest in it? What is your business and happiness worth to you? How long are you going to sit here and stare at this email?
Are you ready to take this plunge into discovering your Brand Identity? If so, click here now to register into the program and claim your 3 free strategy sessions!

The journey of a lifetime begins with a first step! Will you take it?

“Selling Stuff”–What to Do When You Aren’t a Sales Person

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KONICA MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERAToday I saw a post that made me think of this issue. An excuse I often see that prevents people from becoming entrepreneurs:

“I am not good at selling stuff!”

Want to know a secret? Neither am I!

Sure, I know branding, graphic design, publishing, and marketing techniques, but I am not a natural salesperson.

And I’m glad.

Why?

Because the world is full of slick sales people! The world is full of advertisements and hokey messages and unpleasant, high pressure telemarketing phone calls.

Doesn’t that just make you go, “ick?”

Think about that last sales call you got that drove you crazy. I can definitely remember a few times professional sales people tried to cram their product or service down my throat. It was not pleasant. I did not buy from them. I ran from them.

But when you offer a product or service based on your passion in life, your calling, your unique skill set, and you make yourself available to serve a target market that has a desperate need for what you have, you don’t have to sell!

Yes, I know that sounds impossible. How could that be true?

It’s all about your mindset. It’s about deciding to show up to serve, to help fulfill a need. After all, isn’t that what free market economies is all about? You find a void, create or offer a product or service that fulfills that need. It’s called supply and demand.

So how can you change your thinking? Look at your sales as conversations. You’re just trying to find a fit for you and your potential customer. If it isn’t a fit, that’s great. If it is fit, that’s wonderful! It’s about dialoguing, and it’s about listening more than anything. And the more nos you get, the better! You are just making room for more yesses!

Be there for those who are experiencing pain. Offer them a solution. It’s that simple. Then ask boldly. “Is this something you might want to hear more about?” “If I could help you with that (problem), would you like to hear more?” “Is this something you would like to get started with?”

Let me give you a real life example. My husband. He is not a sales person. Far from it! He is an architect. And furthermore, he is an engineer. He doesn’t like sales. He even thought of getting a job at one point because the idea of doing sales was overwhelming to him.

Then I mentioned that if he was to get a job, he has to market himself. He has to perform in a sales meeting. That’s called an interview. He has to negotiate for his salary. And if he gets the job, he still has to do sales and marketing. He has to continually convince his employer to keep him as an employee!

He saw my point, and now he’s actively engaged in sales and marketing (okay, with my help, but you get the picture). Last night, he came back from a networking meeting excited. He had connected with the speaker. He resonated. That’s the thing. When you resonate with others, it isn’t about selling. It’s about offering a valuable product or service that people need, want, and desire.

This is the dirty little secret: we ALL have to learn how to do sales and marketing! Whether you are looking for a job or become an entrepreneur.

But when you build a brand, you attract customers to you rather than trying to force a prospect to buy from you.

Doesn’t that sound promising? If you’d like to know more timeless principles of business, take my free mini course, 5 Secrets to a Wildly Successful Home Business! Click here now! The sooner you get started on this valuable knowledge, the sooner you will get that successful business you’ve been dreaming of!

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Business Success–5 Essentials You Need to Succeed!

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IMG_0069Last Saturday, I had the honor of being a guest on a local radio show. The topic was how to make a business wildly successful. Here are some ideas to help you succeed beyond your wild imaginings!

1) Integrity.

This is the number one factor of success in business. Truly. Don’t take shortcuts. Strive to have integrity in your business, in your client relationships, with your vendors.

When you take shortcuts, you will be hurting yourself in the long run. And it will come back to haunt you sooner or later. If you do not walk in integrity, your reputation will suffer and this will damage your brand.

2) Come through with your promises.

This kind of goes along with integrity, but this is so important. Increasingly, it seems like the work ethic is lost to business owners. The path of least resistance seems to be the modus operandi. This can encompass not returning phone calls promptly, missing deadlines, and performing shoddy work. You do not want your customer to be dissatisfied, you want your customer to be dazzled, so they’ll come to you over and over again. Because the best customer is a repeat customer.

Under promise and over deliver. That is the sure way to dazzle your customer. And your brand will sizzle as a result!

3) Support from your family.

I would say this is one of those nice things, that would be icing on the cake, but sometimes not always realistic. It is great to be on the same page with your family members, especially your spouse. If you are not, then I would devote some serious prayer to the matter and explain to your spouse or loved one your vision and ask lovingly for concrete ways they can support you.

God has worked amazing circumstances in our lives because my husband and I have the same vision. He thoroughly supports my business and I support his. The result is incredible. And most importantly, it has brought us closer together as a couple. I have never been so in love with my husband. And he knows I have full respect for his talents and a desire to see him succeed. This has helped him in the process of launching out on his own. And conversely, his belief in me has given me courage to stretch myself in new ways.

4) Take care of yourself.

Now, full disclosure. I don’t do so well with this. I am trying to change that one little goal at a time. But adequate sleep, nutrition, exercise, fun, relaxation, and quiet time for yourself is so important. If you are not taking care of yourself, there is no way you can take care of your family and your business.

It’s like what the flight attendants tell you before takeoff: if there is an emergency, first YOU breathe into the oxygen mask BEFORE you give it to your child!

5) Don’t let relationships suffer.

It’s easy, as an entrepreneur, to work all the time. And when you work at home, it’s even easier. There’s no barriers, no fences to say this is the time to work and this is the time to be with my family or to spend time with your husband or to spend time with friends. You have to set those boundaries yourself, boundaries that will work for you and your family.

My husband and I struggled with this early on in our relationship. He would wait to spend time with me until after whatever project he was working on was done. I would get resentful. This became a vicious cycle. Finally, we learned to spend a few moments together before he spent time on his project so I was able to let him go for his “cave” time–his projects. Then he had more energy later to be with me later.

And now, a weekly date night is a MUST on our calendar. We almost paid a very steep price for neglecting us and letting busyness get away. Make regular date nights with your spouse a priority, even if all you do is go out for coffee.

May these ideas help you have a sizzling brand and a dazzling future!

Want more ideas on how to have a wildly successful business? Take my free mini-course, 5 Steps to a Wildly Successful Home Business at http://www.WildlySuccessfulHomeBusiness.com

Photograph by Sam Beasley.

What is a Brand?

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What is a Brand?

In order to kickstart this blog, which I have sorely neglected, I am going to reach back into my archives and share one of the first instructional videos I ever made. This is basic and will serve as a foundation for everything you do in business. Enjoy! There will be more to come and some new ones soon!

[fvplayer src=”http://youtu.be/je-cu7DgqyY”]

Would you like to find out more about creating an effective brand? Sign up for my free video course at http://www.MakeYourBrandSizzle.com!

 

Online Business–3 Web Resources

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HomeworkIn today’s blog, I’m going to do something a little different. I’m going to let you know about some resources to help you create a stellar Website for your online business. Your Website is your ticket to a sizzling brand and dazzling future. These days a Website is absolutely essential, no matter what kind of business you have. But it’s especially important if you have an online business.

What I am going to share is my experience of hard knocks. My background is in print design, so translating that to Web design has been a learning curve.

So here are three of my favorite resources. I will share more resources as the weeks go on.

1) Design shack website

Last week I stumbled upon a really helpful blog on the subject. It inspired me so much that now I have finally begun the process of re-designing my Websites.

This article described exactly how to design a Website. I don’t mean step by step, I mean the guiding principles behind how a design should look. This was extremely helpful to me and I learned a lot. This tip will vastly improve your online business.

You can read this article by clicking here. http://designshack.net/articles/layouts/10-rock-solid-website-layout-examples/

2) Hosting companies

My favorite hosting companies are Rage Software, GoDaddy, and Hostgator. I use Hostgator and Rage to host my websites. I get my domains from GoDaddy. While I have heard that Hostgator has been down a few times recently, I have never had a problem with Rage. I like using a couple of hosting companies so that if there is a problem, not all of my sites will be unavailable.

The one critique that I have heard about GoDaddy is that it is likely to be labeled as a source for spam. I would not recommend using one of their build-a-websites. I started out this way with my first website and let me tell you, it was atrocious!

You get what you pay for. When you use a template, it is extremely difficult to customize your site. If your site looks unprofessional, it will not get the attention that it needs to succeed. From my experience, a template from GoDaddy made my Website look “cookie cutter.” There was nothing to differentiate it from other sites. This is especially important if you have an online business.

3) Autoresponders and shopping carts

Now the big three are InfusionSoft, AWeber, and AutoWebBusiness.com.

I have been using AutoWebBusiness.com for several years now. I like it because I can sell digital and physical products, track sales, make recurring orders, send newsletters, and set up long series of automatic emails. I can also track ads, have a shopping cart, and maintain several mailing lists. All these are crucial for an online business.

You can integrate a merchant account with Autoweb, including PayPal. You can maintain an image and document library on their servers. It’s fairly easy to understand and doesn’t require much coding knowledge.

It is, however, fairly pricey. But not compared to InfusionSoft and AWeber. For what it delivers, the price is very reasonable.

As far as other services, I have used Constant Contact in the past. While it was a pretty good service and I liked their templates, I found it extremely frustrating to maintain two separate lists on two separate services. I decided to sreamline and just have the listing service with Autoweb.

If you want to check out AutoWebBusiness.com, click on this link. http://www.autowebbusiness.com/app/?pr=71&id=202375

Full disclosure: the above link is my affiliate link. Whether or not I was an affiliate, I would be sharing this resource with you.

Want to know more about the basics of building a business? Take my FREE mini course! Click here now to sign up!

Homework © | Dreamstime Stock Photos

Communicating Your Brand–How to Avoid Costly Mistakes that Will Chase Away Your Customers

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Talk timeYou communicate your brand from the first moment a prospect views your website, walks into your store, or hears a phone greeting.

So what are you communicating? Is it positive? Is it professional? If it’s not, you will chase away your customers and this will cost you!

What can you do to attract rather than repel customers?

Here’s some ideas you might consider. Some of it might seem obvious, but believe me there are business owners who have no clue about this!

1) Have a separate business line. On that business line, record a greeting stating your name, company name, and ask to leave a message.

Can’t afford a separate business line yet? Sign up for Google Voice and get your own phone number. You can forward this to any phone, even your cell. Or get Magic Jack. This Internet-based phone will cost around $70 for equipment plus about $21 per year. All the bells and whistles are included, except call forwarding.

Why is this important? If you hand out your business card and a prospective client tries to call and they get an unprofessional greeting or one that is clearly a home, it will confuse them. You will lose credibility and trust. Your prospect will throw away your business card and never try to reach you again. This reflects poorly on your brand and you will chase them away. This will cost you money!

2) On your Facebook profile page, in the About section and near the cover photo, include as much relevant information as possible. Let people know who you are. Include a link to your Facebook page or website so prospects can easily find you. Include this both on the About page and on the Timeline cover. On your Facebook pages, make sure you have a link to your website near your profile picture.

3) Be consistent in your imagery. The artwork and photos should be similar on your business cards, on your website, Facebook pages, ezines, etc. This gives your prospect a sense that you are credible and trustworthy and makes them feel comfortable that you are who they are looking for.

4) These days, with spam, there is much debate about displaying your telephone and email address prominently on your website. Personally, I think it’s worth the risk. I want my customers to know that I am easily reachable if they have a question. I want it to be convenient for them. This lets them know I am a real person, not a scam.

Additionally, I like to use a widget from vCita.com that encourages prospects to reach me if they wish to. It’s a popup that makes it very easy for them to reach me.

5) In your store or at a show, you want to be friendly and helpful. Don’t ignore customers. Of course, you don’t want to be breathing down their necks, but remember that excellent customer service speaks well of your brand. It puts your brand in a positive light. Especially at a vendor fair, it is amazing to me how many business owners act completely disinterested when a prospect walks by their booth.

6) Additionally, if you have a brick and mortar store, good signage is absolutely essential. If you don’t have your store clearly marked with signage consistent with your brand, you will confuse your prospects. And they will walk away!

Remember the purpose of your brand is to show your business in the best positive light. This is more than an image or a logo. It’s showing up to serve your customer. It’s creating a pleasant experience for your prospect that helps them to trust you and proves to them you are credible.

Do this and your brand will sizzle and your future will dazzle!

Want to know more ways you can have a dazzling future? Click here now to take my free mini-course, 5 Secrets to a Wildly Successful Home Business!

 

Talk time © Garry Wolsey | Dreamstime Stock Photos

Business Success–Keep on Swimming in the Face of Challenges

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Somehow while I was thinking of a title for this blog entry, I had a picture of Dory from the movie Finding Nemo. She kept on swimming in the face of huge obstacles.

I’ve felt like Dory a lot lately. Like I’m swimming against the tide. Exhaustion and confusion sweeps over me and I become lost.

That’s the realization I’ve made. I’ve got to keep on swimming no matter what.

And like Dory I will find success.

Because quitters don’t win prizes. Giving in to defeat is not an option. I may toy with the idea for an hour or a day, but I always come back to this truth:

Success in life is found in the intersection of persistence and desire.

I found that idea today while reading Napolean Hill’s Think and Grow Rich. You see, before I picked up the book and started reading, I wanted to give up in defeat. I felt useless, worthless and like all my efforts of late are futile.

Frustrated, I decided to rest and eventually I picked up the Napolean Hill book and started reading. It immediately caught my attention because it talked about not giving up when you feel defeated.

He told this incredible story of a miner who gave up his dreams of striking it rich after not finding anymore gold in the vein he was working. If he had dug a few feet deeper, he would have struck gold beyond his wildest imaginings!

The man who bought all the miner’squipment found this out because he got the knowledge necessary to become wildly successful!

So the lesson to me: I’ve got to keep on digging. Or, like Dory, keep on swimming!

Would you like key knowledge that will help you be wildly successful? Sign up for my free mini-course today! And you, too, can keep on swimming!

© James Hearn | Dreamstime Stock Photos

 

Software that Will Propel Your Business to New Heights!

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Okay, so I admit it! I am a software junkie! One of my favorite pastimes is looking at the App Store on my computer.

But software can be very expensive, especially professional programs.

What software do you really need to have to propel your business to new heights and how can you obtain it without costing an arm and a leg?

Well, let me tell you a few ideas I’ve gathered through experience as a software junkie!

Here is one you absolutely must have!

Financial software

I know this is obvious, but it may not be as obvious as you think. After all, some people are still operating in the stone age of ledgers done by hand. I know my husband’s boss does this! Every year, we wait while he prepares the W-2s by hand!

When I first worked for The Navigators as a graphic designer, I was amazed that all the records were kept the old fashioned way! It was one of my first big projects–to create a financial system for our internal ad agency!

These days, there are many options available. The industry standard is Quickbooks. Peachtree or Sage is another outstanding product. AccountEdge is an excellent program made for Macs. Excel or Numbers is extremely helpful for business expenses and income. I love how they have templates so it’s easy to create what I need!

If you are a freelance artist or a contractor, you will want software that includes estimates or quotes. A built in database of your customers is very important, too.

There is also software for keeping track of cash flow. This is very important, both in your business and personal life. Many of these software programs help you keep track of cash flow, as well as help you keep and maintain a budget.

You can also get apps for your smart phone or tablet. This is very handy to have, especially if your business is mobile. You just need to make sure you are disciplined enough to use it!

The best software is one that you will use on a consistent basis. You want to set up a system so that keeping up with your books is automatic.

I like to keep it simple, and for that reason I use iBank. It directly correlates my business expenses with the tax code. It also has an app for my iPhone so I can make entries on the fly and then sync it with my desktop. I try to download entries from my online banking service at least once a week.

This is tedious work, so often I will watch Netflix while I catch up with my banking!

Robust reporting is extremely important. I have mine set up where every quarter I can press a few buttons and presto–I am ready to create my sales tax returns!

Plus, I love that I can attach receipts to each transaction. My goal is to be completely paperless so I don’t have to worry about stacks of paper being buried on my desk!

But where do you get this software? It can be as simple as going to OfficeDepot. The Internet is full of accounting software that you can directly download. Or if you want to get an older version to save money, you can always find something on eBay or Craigslist. But be careful! You don’t want to end up with a pirated copy!

If you use a bookkeeper or tax accountant, these programs make it very easy to share your numbers so returns can be produced.

Every year, I print out a summary of our income and expenses and we give it to our CPA. I put the receipts and statements and pertinent tax information in an expandable, portable file, labeled by category. That way, if he has any questions, I can just pull a receipt out.

If you have employees, you may want to consider hiring a staffing administrative services company. I can’t imagine the complications of having to keep the books in that scenario!

The Bible says to “know well the conditions of your herd.” I think in today’s terms, that means we need to know what we’re spending and where our income is coming from. It means we need to keep accurate records of our inventory.

After all, we as business owners are stewards. Be faithful in a little, and you will be given responsibility for more! If you are not faithful in this area, could it be that is why you are experiencing roadblocks to your success?

Financial accounting is not something I am naturally good at. Learning how to use financial software has helped me grow in this area tremendously. It’s something I strive to get better at every day!

Because I want my brand to sizzle and my future to dazzle! How about you?

For more information on how to create a wildly successful business, take my free mini course!

© Johanna Goodyear | Dreamstime Stock Photos

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