How To Make More Money 2016

December 31, 2015 By Leave a Comment

When we look forward to a new year, we have hope it will be better than the last, that there will be less violence and poverty in the world, that we will weigh less and have clearer skin (ok, that one is definitely me:) and that we will make more money in our businesses than last year.

Hope is a beautiful thing when it comes to staying positive, but it is a terrible strategy for increasing your profits.

If you are serious about increasing your revenue in 2016, you need a clear PLAN.

When the path is clear, execution is successful.

Look at the New England Patriots. Love ’em or hate ’em, they have been a consistently great over the past several years with eight trips to the Superbowl since 1985. That kind of success does not happen on a wish and a prayer. Each season they show up with a detailed strategy for winning and so should you if you want to make more money in your business.

Here is your game plan for more money in 2016: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Business Building Strategies, Goal Setting, Sales, Success Strategies, Winning Strategies Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Eenie, Meenie, Miney, BRAND

January 22, 2014 By 2 Comments

What would you say the number one difficulty most people have when trying to brand themselves or their businesses? Not a big enough marketing budget? Maybe struggling to find the right graphic designer? Or perhaps even finding the right niche? Nah…none of those are the biggest stumbling block getting in the way of most entrepreneurs trying to create successful brands. Want to know what is?…

LACK OF CLARITY.

As the saying goes, “When the path is clear, execution is successful.” So it goes to follow, when the path is not clear, there’s a whole lot ‘a shakin’ goin’ on, meaning the foundation is not stable. When your intention is not clear, your results fizzle. Clarity is the foundation to any strong brand. But what’s a girl to do if she’s not feeling clear?

YOU NEED TO [Read more…]

Filed Under: Authentic Branding, Brand Building Tagged With: , , ,

Pop-Pop Part II-What’s my Purpose?

December 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Julius StuckLast week I blogged about our beloved Pop-Pop who has recently suffered a heart attack. I am happy to report Pop-Pop is doing much better. He really is the miracle man. In my last blog I talked about what a good connector Pop-Pop is, how he reaches out to people and stays in touch and how we would all benefit from following his example. Actually, Pop-Pop is an incredible role model for many reasons.

As I mentioned before, Pop-Pop had to be revived three times when he had his heart attack. That means he actually died and came back three times! Afterwards the doctors had to put him in a forced coma for several days to protect his brain. I guess all that rest gave Pop-Pop a chance to think because when he finally gained consciousness one of the first things he said was “You know, I think I came back for a reason. There must be something more I need to do. I’m not sure what it is yet, but I feel like I have something left to accomplish.” WOW! This is a 93 year old man who has traveled the world, met thousands of people, had a career and has had a wonderful family who cherishes him. Yet, there is still a sense that he has more do to, more to give. He still has a purpose. Pop-Pop is not yet clear what his mission at this point will be, but that’s ok, we’ll cut him some slack since he’s just come out of a coma and all.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Finding Your Purpose Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Find Your Path with Personal Branding

October 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Find Your Path with Personal BrandingWe live in a world where everyday there are more and more options available to us, especially for women. It used to be that as a woman your two main career choices were either nurse or teacher. Nurses and teachers happen to be my personal heroes so I’m not knocking those professions. Now, however, a woman can choose to be just about anything her heart desires. This is a great improvement, but it comes with its own set of challenges. With so many options it can be hard to choose a direction. Wouldn’t it be great if there was some magic wand you could wave that would just point you in the right direction? Well, there is and it’s call personal branding.

At its core, personal branding is about clarity, clarity about who you are, what you have to offer, and how you want to express that in the world. When you are clear about what makes you tick and what your unique contribution can be, your decision process becomes infinitely easier. You start to recognize which opportunities will enhance your life experience and which ones will lead you further away from home base. You personal brand is always there for you to tap into like a life compass.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Decision making, Personal Branding, Simplicity, Clarity & Focus Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Who are you singing to?

September 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Who are you singing to?It may come a surprise to some of you, but not everyone likes opera. "How is that possible?" you say. Shocking, I know. There are actually people on this planet who would rather shoot a staple gun into their foot than listen to a soprano screech out a high C. It's just not their thing.

This used to really bother me. How could not everyone love opera? Who wouldn't want to hear the most pure and powerful sound a human voice can make? And what about the sheer beauty of the music, the swell of the orchestra, the pathos, the drama, the spectacle? It was hurtful to me to realize that one of the things I love the very most actually revolts some people. I used to think maybe those people just didn't understand opera, that they had to be educated. Perhaps they just hadn't heard it enough times, or heard the right piece, or the right singer.  If they did, they would get it. They would see the light.

You may feel that way about your business. You love what you do. You provide a great service, great value. You feel like you've created something beautiful that people will absolutely love, but when you put it out there, you realize not everybody does. They may even think what you do is silly or unnecessary. I know that feeling hurts, but don't let it get you down. The good news is there are other people in the world who will love what you do.

The thing about great brands is that they do not and should not appeal to everyone. If a brand is really strong it should actually repel some people. The goal of branding is not to attract and convert the whole world. Focusing on the whole world takes a lot of time, energy and money and the results are disappointing.  When you narrow your focus and have clarity with your brand, you attract the right people, those people who resonate with you, your services, your message and your style. Those are the folks who will become your biggest fans and you won't have to strong-arm them into liking you. You will draw them to your brand with your authenticity and excellence.

So you have a choice, you can stand on the street corner singing your little heart out hoping and praying  passersby will throw money into your tip jar OR you can refine your voice, clarify your niche and find just the right audience for your talents. When you do, you will find and grow a raving fan base. Not everyone is going to love your brand and what you do, and that's ok. You can still think they're crazy, just don't waste your time trying to convert the nay-sayers. You've got a show to do!

Filed Under: Finding your Niche Tagged With: , , , ,