Monday, August 10, 2009

Your Business Card: Is it working for you?

Tip: Your business card is an important and inexpensive tool to build trust and credibility as a solo-professional. Here are some tips to make your card work for you:
  • Essential info to include on the front of the card: Name, phone#, email, web site, positioning statement.
  • Only include primary degrees or qualifications (don't have a long alphabet soup of letters after your name. Showing off too many certifications may denote insecurity about yourself)
  • If you work from home, don't put your mailing address, unless you receive clients at your home office. This avoids junk mail. Also, with Google Maps people can find you too easily and arrive at certain conclusions depending on which area of town you live in. If a contact absolutely needs my postal address, I can give it to them separately by e-mail or writing on the back of the card.
  • If you do consulting or knowledge work, include a 1-800 toll-free number. It's inexpensive (ask me how) and denotes professionalism and that your clients are not only local (builds credibility)
  • Avoid fancy logos, extra flaps, foil stamping. When in doubt, stay conservative and keep your cards simple and sober. The best people carry simple business cards because they don't need to show off.
  • Use thick card stock, contrasting colors.White or light-colored backgrounds are easy to read, even in the poor lighting of networking events.
  • Make it easy to read. If it scans accurately with an OCR like CardScan it's a good layout.

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Thursday, April 23, 2009

Book Yourself Solid Radio: Thomas Mangum on Making Strategic Conversations

Join me as I chat with Connection Expert Thomas Mangum on "Making Strategic Connections", during our next Book Yourself Solid Radio episode, Friday 24 April at 2PM Eastern.

This conversation explores ideas about personal branding, being memorable, and conscious networking, always linking back to the Foundation concepts of Michael Port's Book Yourself Solid System.

Thomas helps Service Professionals to Make Connections & Make It Rain so they can Get Their Business Booked Solid on THEIR Terms!

Find out more about Thomas at ​connectwiththomas.com​

Listen to this episode live at http://is.gd/udb1

Join this spirited discussion about how the Book Yourself Solid system can help you achieve business success, even if you hate marketing and selling!

Book Yourself Solid Radio is a webradio show inspired by the bestselling book by Michael Port. Hosted by Certified Book Yourself Solid Coaches Trish Lambert and Davender Gupta, they interview fellow Coaches to help you succeed in filling your practice.

The show takes place every Friday from 2PM to 2:30PM Eastern

Check out the latest guests, listen to the show or download podcasts of past episodes at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bookyourselfsolid

You can also access podcasts via iTunes (search for Book Yourself Solid Podcast)

Coach Trish's Homepage: http://www.4rmarketing.com
Coach Davender"s Blog: http://www.frompassiontoprofit.com

Book Yourself Solid Community: http://www.bookedsolidnetwork.com

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Monday, March 16, 2009

"The Perfect Referral" - From Passion To Profit Action Hour Tuesday 1PM East

Want More and Better Clients for your service biz? Join the "From Passion to Profit Action Hour"
Tuesdays at 1PM EASTERN (10am pacific):

THIS WEEK'S THEME: "The Perfect Referral"

What would you do if you found a "Networking Genie" who was ready to grant you ONE wish... who is the referral that you would ask for?

Are you ready to describe your Perfect Referral? The clearer you are, the more help you will get in gaining that referral. In this session, we will review the elements of asking for the Perfect Referral, and give you an opportunity to practice.

This discussion and open coaching session focuses on helping you develop your network and get qualified referrals so you can book More and Better Clients. Report your successes big and small from the previous week, and share your Big Hairy Audacious Action Step for the next seven days!

Your action step should be focused on Getting More and Better Clients, using the Networking strategies based on "Book Yourself Solid" by Michael Port (Networking, Direct Outreach, Referral and Keep-In-Touch)

Bring your questions, we'll discuss them!

With Coach Davender
Conference Dial-in Number: (218) 339-4600 Participant Access Code: 191192#
(live teleconference, FREE - you pay the long-distance toll to the conference number)

This accountability call normally takes place every Tuesday at 1pm Eastern, same number. Join us!

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Monday, March 09, 2009

How do you answer "What do you do?" (Telediscussion Tues 10 Mar 1PM East)

Want More and Better Clients for your service biz?
Join the "From Passion to Profit Action Hour"
Tuesdays at 1PM EASTERN (10am pacific):


THIS WEEK'S THEME: "What do you do?"

What do you answer when someone asks you this question? Better be ready... your conversation partner will base their split-second decision on the words that you speak.

This discussion and open coaching session focuses on helping you develop your network and get qualified referrals so you can book More and Better Clients. Report your successes big and small from the previous week, and share your Big Hairy Audacious Action Step for the next seven days!

Your action step should be focused on Getting More and Better Clients, using the Networking strategies based on "Book Yourself Solid" by Michael Port (Networking, Direct Outreach, Referral and Keep-In-Touch)

Bring your questions, we'll discuss them!

With Coach Davender
Conference Dial-in Number: (218) 339-4600 Participant Access Code: 191192#
(live teleconference, FREE - you pay the long-distance toll to the conference number)

This accountability call normally takes place every Tuesday at 1pm Eastern, same number. Join us!

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Monday, March 02, 2009

Get More And Better Clients Accountability Discussion **NEW TIME 1PM EAST

Want More and Better Clients for your service biz? Join the Open Accountability Group Tuesdays at 1PM EASTERN (10am pacific):

"Get More And Better Clients" Accountability Group with Davender

THIS WEEK'S THEME: Be The Conversation

To attract people who value what you have to offer and who are ready to commit, you need to be at the center or a conversation. What is the message you are most passionate about? How are you creating a conversation out there?

This open coaching session focuses on helping you develop your network and get qualified referrals so you can book More and Better Clients. Report your successes big and small from the previous week, and share your Big Hairy Audacious Action Step for the next seven days!

Your action step should be focused on Getting More and Better Clients, using the Networking strategies based on "Book Yourself Solid" by Michael Port (Networking, Direct Outreach, Referral and Keep-In-Touch)

Bring your questions, we'll discuss them!

With Coach Davender
Conference Dial-in Number: (218) 339-4600 Participant Access Code: 191192#
(live teleconference, FREE - you pay the long-distance toll to the conference number)

This accountability call normally takes place every Tuesday at 1pm Eastern, same number. Join us!

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Distinctions between Facebook and LinkedIn

I've been getting questions lately from my clients about the difference between Facebook and LinkedIn, two major social networking sites. This is how I distinguish between the two:

- Facebook: Informal network, encourages personal connection through games, photos, videos, links, other entertainment. Promoting your products, services and activities is permitted and encourages through Group Pages and (in a different way) Fan Pages. The links between you and your Facebook Friends range from strong (you know the person well In Real Life) to weak (you did not know the person before they friended you on Facebook and you would not recognize them on the street).

- LinkedIn: A formal, professional network for business and career networking. Little if any personal information is acceptable. Your profile reads like a resume. No selling of your services, activities or products is allowed. The connections between you and your LinkedIn contacts are strong, meaning that you know your contacts In Real Life and you have worked or collaborated with them, or can otherwise provide a credible testimonial as to their professional performance. Mainly for business-to-business connections.

Personally, I recommend that solopreneurs be simultaneously on Facebook and LinkedIn, and to keep a consistant positioning between both networks. On Facebook, please maintain a decorum, it's okay to loosen your tie a bit but don't take off your shirt.



Go ahead, friend me on Facebook: http://profile.to/coachdavender
and see my profile on LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/coachdavender

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Monday, February 23, 2009

Are you a Rainmaker?

"Pessimists complain about the noise when opportunity knocks."
- Chuck Gallozzi

In sales, a "rainmaker" is someone who is able to generate lots of sales really fast, usually because they have a very good network of contacts. In the way I use the term, "Rainmaker" is someone who is the go-to person within a network to find a resource or to get something done. A Rainmaker is someone who makes it rain opportunity for everyone around them.

Are you a Rainmaker? Here are some practices of successful Rainmakers:

1 - Rainmakers love people.

Rainmakers are passionate students of people. They know what questions to ask to determine what makes people special. You can either get to know someone deep, like Harvey Mackay's "66 Questions" (http://www.harveymackay.com/tools/mackay66.cfm ) or start with the "Coach Davender Three":

- What is your highest priority at the moment?
- How do you envision success at achieving this priority?
- What are you looking for to help you move forward towards success with this priority? (contacts, resources, assistance)

2 - Rainmakers are connectors.

Creating value goes beyond providing our products and services in a commercial way. Rainmakers understand that the highest value we can provide someone is connecting them with someone who can help them win at what's important to them. Rainmakers look for patterns in the information they collect, and from those patterns determine who in their networks would benefit from mutually connecting. They master the art of giving good referrals.

3 - Rainmakers make friends first.

Rainmakers are master trust builders, because they know that trust is the ultimate currency. They do what is right for the other person, not just what is profitable financially, acting first and foremost from a place of love. By first ensuring that a connection of personal trust is in place, they create loyalty that lasts a long time.

4 - Rainmakers are open.

Rainmakers keep their eyes open and their ear to the ground, alert to opportunities that can benefit their network. Rainmakers are comfortable in a sea of information, and know how to recognize the nuggets that can be valuable to people around them.

5 - Rainmakers make opportunities

Rainmakers don't wait for things to happen, they make them happen. They understand that to become prosperous, you need to be the one that puts the wheel of prosperity into motion, by giving without expectation of return. It takes faith, in the future, in others, in oneself, to be a successful Rainmaker.

When I first arrived in a new city (Quebec) and a new language (French) back in 2005, with no connections or friends, the first thing I did was to become a Rainmaker. I made connections with many people that I met, finding out about their priorities, their vision of success and what they wanted. As I met more and more people, I started connecting them together, a practice I continue even today. And the effort I've put into this has come back to me many times over, as trust, respect, and opportunities.

How can you start becoming a Rainmaker? Meet someone today for the sheer pleasure of meeting them. Get to know who they are, their needs, desires, their projects and priorities, then help them to win at what's important to them. The more you give, the more you eventually gain!

So, for whom will you make it rain opportunities today?

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Open Coaching Tuesday 2PM east - Are you a Rainmaker?

Want More and Better Clients for your service biz? Join the Open Accountability Group Tuesdays at 2PM:

"Get More And Better Clients" Accountability Group with Davender

THIS WEEK'S THEME: Are you a Rainmaker?

This open coaching session focuses on helping you develop your network and get qualified referrals so you can book More and Better Clients. Report your successes big and small from the previous week, and share your Big Hairy Audacious Action Step for the next seven days!

Your action step should be focused on Getting More and Better Clients, using the Networking strategies based on "Book Yourself Solid" by Michael Port (Networking, Direct Outreach, Referral and Keep-In-Touch)

Bring your questions, we'll discuss them!

With Coach Davender
Conference Dial-in Number: (218) 339-4600 Participant Access Code: 191192#
(live teleconference, FREE - you pay the long-distance toll to the conference number)

This accountability call normally takes place every Tuesday at 2pm Eastern, same number. Join us!

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Monday, February 09, 2009

This Week: More Clients, Your Web Site, Content Marketing, Business Networking

Tuesday, February 10, 2:00pm-2:30pm Eastern
"Get More And Better Clients" Accountability Group with Davender

30 minutes of Laser-Focused Accountability, focused on helping you develop your network and get qualified referrals so you can book More and Better Clients. Report your successes big and small from the previous week, and share your Big Hairy Audacious Action Step for the next seven days! Your action step should be focused on Getting More and Better Clients, using the Networking strategies based on "Book Yourself Solid" by Michael Port (Networking, Direct Outreach, Referral and Keep-In-Touch)

With Coach Davender
Conference Dial-in Number: (218) 339-4600 Participant Access Code: 191192#
(live teleconference, FREE - you pay the long-distance toll to the conference number)
This accountability call normally takes place every Tuesday at 2pm Eastern, same number. Join us!


Tuesday, February 10, 8pm-8:45pm Eastern
"Get More and Better Clients" Open Telecoaching with Coach Davender
Your Web Site: Four Myths and Fallacies That Could Cost You!

An open discussion about various aspects of attracting More and Better Clients so you can Power your Big Dream from Passion To Profit... without selling your soul!

Are you thinking of spending big money on a new web site (or improving the one you have)? Then you need to be aware of the myths and fallacies that could cost you, big time! In this telediscussion we well explore four widely held (but misguided) beliefs about web sites. You will also discover tips, tools and techniques that will save you thousands of dollars, as well as help you generate true trust and credibility on and off the Web.

With Coach Davender - Tuesday, Feb 10 2009, 8pm-8:55pm Eastern
Conference Dial-in Number: (712) 432-0800 Participant Access Code: 556643#
(live teleconference, FREE - you pay the long-distance toll to the conference number)
See the other calls for February here: http://is.gd/iltv

Wednesday, February 11, 3PM-4PM Eastern
AuthorTeleseminars.com: Get Content Get Customers
Hosted by Elizabeth Marshall with with Joe Pulizzi and Newt Barrett, Brian Clark, Rohit Bhargava

This is the 2nd call in the Get Content Get Customers book tour featuring Joe Pulizzi and Newt Barrett and experts Brian Clark (copyblogger) and Rohit Bhargava (big following on twitter). Content-based marketing is a remarkable opportunity for you to connect with customers like never before. (Hint: there's much more to it than just writing articles and blog posts.) They will discuss the key shifts and steps you must take in order to effectively reach customers and to leverage this powerful way of marketing. Their first call was a BIG hit, so I know this one will be great as well. (Hint - their first call has me re-thinking some basic assumptions about how I'm marketing myself!)

Hosted by Elizabeth Marshall of AuthorTeleseminars.com
Register to get dial-in number and links to recordings of past calls:
http://www.authorteleseminars.com/getcontent2.html
See the other AuthorTeleseminars.com calls for February here: http://is.gd/iLHc

Friday, February 13, 2PM-2:30PM Eastern
Book Yourself Solid Radio with Coach Davender and Coach Wil Hart
Turbocharge your Network with Business Networking Groups

This week, Certified Book Yourself Solid Coach Davender Gupta will receive Certified BYS Coach Wil Hart to discuss Networking Groups, especially BNI (Business Networking International). Business Networking groups are a powerful tool to implement the Networking and Referral strategies of the Seven Core Self-Promotion strategies in the Book Yourself Solid method. Both Davender and Wil have extensive experience being part of these groups, and will share practical tips and advice on how to make them work for you. Wil is a fun and loving gentleman who gets excited about almost everything that is good. Life is invigorating and he makes it his aim to derive as much joy as possible from each day! Wil is passionate about working with people who run their own business. In January of 2006 Wil and his wife Sydni Craig started Craig Hart Consulting as a springboard for her to work from home. Since then, they have cultivated the business growth of many of their clients by utilizing simple methods which help entrepreneurs save time and increase their profits. Find Wil at http://www.craighartconsulting.com Join this spirited discussion about how the Book Yourself Solid System can help you achieve business success, even if you hate marketing and selling!

Listen live through the web at http://is.gd/iz99 and access past shows with hosts Davender Gupta and Trish Lambert at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bookyourselfsolid


See the full updated calendar at
http://www.visioneering-institute.com/calendar

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Thursday, February 05, 2009

Upcoming Events: Building communities, Get clients, Don't touch that blog!

Here are some upcoming events:

Friday, February 6, 2:00pm-2:30pm Eastern
Book Yourself Solid Radio
Booked Solid Friday with Trish Lambert and Michael Port: Building Communities

Join Certified Book Yourself Solid Coach Trish Lambert as she welcomes Michael Port, author of the best-selling book “Book Yourself Solid”. Trish and Michael will talk about building communities, with Michael sharing his experience building online communities through his Book Yourself Solid 15-Week Intensives, his new Booked Solid member network, and his Think Big Revolution. Check out the Think Big Revolution Online Community at www.thinkbigrevolution.com

Listen live through the web at http://is.gd/hLcs and access past shows with hosts Davender Gupta and Trish Lambert at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/bookyourselfsolid


Tue, February 10, 2:00pm – 2:30pm Eastern

"Get More And Better Clients" Accountability Group with Davender

30 minutes of Laser-Focused Accountability, focused on helping you develop your network and get qualified referrals so you can book More and Better Clients. Report your successes big and small from the previous week, and share your Big Hairy Audacious Action Step for the next seven days! Your action step should be focused on Getting More and Better Clients.

With Coach Davender
Conference Dial-in Number: (218) 339-4600 Participant Access Code: 191192#
(live teleconference, FREE – you pay the long-distance toll to the conference number)


Tuesday, February 10, 8pm-8:45pm Eastern

"Get More and Better Clients" Open Telecoaching with Coach Davender

An open discussion about various aspects of attracting More and Better Clients so you can Power your Big Dream from Passion To Profit... without selling your soul!
Topic of the Week: Your Web Site: Four Myths and Fallacies That Could Cost You!
Are you thinking of spending big money on a new web site (or improving the one you have)? Then you need to be aware of the myths and fallacies that could cost you, big time! In this telediscussion we well explore four widely held (but misguided) beliefs about web sites. You will also discover tips, tools and techniques that will save you thousands of dollars, as well as help you generate true trust and credibility on and off the Web.

With Coach Davender - Tuesday, Feb 10 2009, 8pm-8:55pm Eastern
Conference Dial-in Number: (712) 432-0800 Participant Access Code: 556643#
(live teleconference, FREE – you pay the long-distance toll to the conference number)

See the full updated calendar at
http://www.visioneering-institute.com/calendar

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Monday, January 05, 2009

How to get your phone ringing after vacation

I thought this is a good piece to repost - this is what I'm doing this morning to get the phone ringing again! See the original article here.

One of the biggest problems that solopreneurs have when coming back from vacation or an extended absence is that the phone is not ringing and the bills are piling up.

Here's a quick little game to get things moving again.

Take a piece of paper, and make a little list of ten people whom you can call right away (or when you get back from vacation).

These can be past clients, networking colleagues, or even among all those business cards you have collected and which are still not filed.

The object of the game is to find at least four people on this list who are willing to meet with you over coffee or lunch in the next five working days, for a little "discovery" session.

Share with your coffee partner your goals for the next ninety days, and what kind of clients you like to work with. Encourage your partner to do the same. Do a little brainstorming, aim to come up with at least one referral name for the other person and for you, then do the same with the name referred to you.

The key to making this game work is the two-level request for referrals: first with the person that you contact, second with the person that is referred to you, whether that person is a potential client or not. If the referral is truly ready to work with you, they will do so and give you a referral right away!

This will start to stir the energy around you, and before you know it, that phone will start ringing again with clients who are looking for what you have to offer.

That is, if you make that list right now... Do it! This little game can pay off big. Once you've made your list, and your calls, you've won!


This article is published on EzineArticles.com: http://ezinearticles.com/?id=1649237

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Tuesday, November 25, 2008

More thots from a twit

My Twitter postings labeled "thot" are ideas that come from recent coaching conversations...

Thot: Adrenaline makes us feel alive. Two ways to create it: destructively thru drama, or constructively through purpose. Which way for u? 9:00 AM Nov 24th from web  

Thot: When you let people talk, they come around to your point of view so much faster! 10:29 AM Nov 23rd from web  

Thot: Entrepreneurs-Ordinary people doing heroic things by relentless focus on getting the right things done @guykawasaki http://is.gd/5gcn 6:03 AM Nov 22nd from web  

Thot: Overcome the inertia of fear with bold goals and massive action. Ignore the chatter. Value creators win. NOW is the time to act! 9:58 AM Nov 21st from web  

Thot: Master networkers ask "What can I do for you to make YOU more successful?"
( @lizmarshall w/ @guykawasaki http://snipr.com/61f78 ) 6:49 AM Nov 20th from web  

Thot: Financial freedom is a mirage. True abundance is the freedom to act, a mindset. It's what you do, not what you have that counts. 7:02 AM Nov 19th from web

Follow me on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/coachdavender

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Wednesday, August 06, 2008

A stranger is a customer that you have not yet met

"A stranger is a friend you have not yet met."
-- Jim Reeves (among others)

When planning strategies to find new customers or business associates, the usual reflex is to approach people we know well: friends, family, colleagues.

But this is probably the WORST source of good contacts. Why?

First, these people know you. They have a preconceived idea of who you are: brother, mother, employee, professional. And all of a sudden, you show up with a crazy idea that you are now Mister or Miss Businessman, and you want them to buy this fabulous opportunity you are selling, because all of a sudden you "believe"? Yeah, right ... Be too pushy, and you quickly become a member of the NFL club (exclusively for those who have no friends left).

Second, sooner or later (probably sooner), you will exhaust your list of contacts. And once someone tells you no, it's much harder to go back to ask for references (and even less to ask if they have "changed their mind")...

That is why you must go beyond your circle of known contacts. You must develop the habit of approaching strangers.

The advantage of introducing yourself to someone who does not know you, is that the person has no preconceived idea of who you are. It is much easier in this case to get "in character". They do not know that you are a beginner (or experienced) in business, or that you just endured ten "NO"s in a row. For them, you are someone new, with no reason to doubt your conviction and sincerity.

And if things don't click with the stranger you have just met, no problem, what are the chances that you'll ever see this person again?

The important thing is to approach the people you meet for the first time with no other intention than simply to introduce yourself and your project. That's all. The decision to go further becomes theirs, and you've done your duty to make yourself known.

I have personally experienced the need to approach strangers. My professional and financial survival depended on it. During my last move to my present home, more than 3000 kms from where I lived my adult life up to that point, to a new city where I had no job, no contacts, no friends, no family except my old mother, necessity dictated that I start somewhere to rebuild a customer base. So I hitched up my courage to the engine of bold action, and I plunged into the adventure of meeting new people. Fortunately, the process was much easier than I thought because I could just be myself and thus attract people who were really interested to connect with me and even participate in my project.

Now my best customers and business partners, and even my best friends, all these are people I did not know before.

Banish your discomfort and step outside the circle of people you know. Go meet new people, simply for the pleasure of meeting them. Be visible, real, open, honest, enthusiastic. You will see that it is possible and fun to create an entire network of contacts who appreciate who you are and what you have to offer.

Because your best customer, and even your new business partner, is most likely someone that you have not met yet!

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Monday, August 04, 2008

The speed of freedom

There is an essential dimension to the success of any business plan, and that is speed.

And it takes momentum to create this speed.

Think of a tsunami. A sudden, powerful, instantaneous change in the Earth's crust creates a wave that can travel thousands of kilometers, increasing in size, generating speed and creating consequences far in time and distance of the event that triggered the process. That's the power of momentum.

Once you have speed, building and guiding your business requires less effort. Is it not true that it's much easier to ride your bike once you have huffed and puffed and sweated your way to the top of the hill?

When your project has momentum, all obstacles or disadvantages become smaller. If you do not have good momentum, each "no" or hiccup or disappointment becomes an obstacle that grows increasingly large, undermining your progress and eventually stopping you from reaching your goal.

Building quickly is much easier than building slowly.

What is the masssive action that you need to do now? It is approaching as many people as possible in the next thirty (30) days. Approaching people not to sell them or convince them, but to simply inform them of your project and your goals. Whether they agree or not is their choice. The important thing is they know what you are doing.

And your next thirty days beginning with your activity this week. The only mass action that you must aim for is to contact at least ten people per day for the next five days - it will be 50 contacts all grouped together in a short period of time.

Speaking with fifty people in your project this week will give a quantum boost to your confidence and will break through the discomfort and hesitation that is keeping you back from the results you want. What you do now, right now, will result in sales, contracts, income and profits within 90 days or less.

The key to this strategy is the concentration of your efforts. Instead of just planning, take action. Be bold, be a little crazy, but be in motion. Banish from your vocabulary the question "how?" and remind yourself of your who, what and why.

Yes, it will require time and effort on your part. But the investment you make now, NOW!, is a good measure of your probability of success in 90 days. Because, like a farmer who wants sweet, juicy corn, you have to plant the seeds of opportunity now to be able to reap later.

To create the results you want, you must start with a big, even a massive, push to overcome the inertia of the present moment. If your effort is not sufficient, you fall back into your zone of daily results, and you always get what you've always got.

What differentiates those who succeed from those who fail in business, as in life, is the will to act boldly.

The speed of your results depends on two factors: the intensity of your work and velocity of your actions.

A rocket, to take off and reach the Earth's orbit, needs to accelerate to a speed of 11.2 km / s or 40320 km / h. If this escape velocity is not reached, everything is for nothing, the rocket will not reach its orbit and crash back to Earth.

And to achieve this speed, a rocket like the Space Shuttle needs nineteen times more mass in fuel than the empty weight of the vehicle. Half of this fuel is to lift this weight so that it rises above the launch tower. Talk about intense!

So to achieve the objectives you have set for yourself in 90 days, you must take massive action now. Consider your goal for this week and double it - and even quadruple it. Massive, intense, rapid action - that is what is needed so you can reach the speed of freedom!

What bold, massive action are you willing to take right now so that you can create the future you want?

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Wednesday, July 30, 2008

What people really want to know

Another message from a great coaching session today...

With one of my clients we're working on how she introduces herself in networking situations. She came up with a competent answer to the question "what do you do?", in the form of "We provide xxx service using xxx platform."

Hmmm. My first reaction was "here's another person who wants to push their stuff on me"... not a good way to create trust!  So I shared with her one of my aphorisms:

When someone asks you "what do you do?",
they don't want to know what you do,
but rather
what you can do for them.

When drafting your positioning statement or networking intro, you have to grab the listener's attention.  Instead of features and services, focus on benefits and impact.

I remember an advertising exec once saying that people are motivated by five basic things:

- Basic Needs: meet my needs for eat, sleep and sex (satisfy appetite)

- Convenience:  make life easier for me (simpler, cheaper, faster)

- Ego: make me better than the next person (more money, status, attention) and make me more attractive (to others, to the opposite sex)

- Fun: make life more fun (exciting, sexier)

- Peace of Mind: make me smarter, stronger, live longer, healthier, more secure, more inspired.

Take any mass-market magazine, or watch an hour of TV and take note of the message of the ads. Rarely do they talk about features. Play a little game to identify which motivators are triggered by each of the ads, and you will quickly understand the power of good marketing.

Then look at your product or service the same way.  Your networking statement, especially in the one-sentence short form, should trigger one of these motivations.  The objective of your statement is to grab their attention.  Once you have it, you can then go deeper into how you do it better than anyone else!

Links to articles on my website

- Don't sell, TELL! How to write a powerful one-page sales letter

- Make your networking message sing!

And a great site about Memory Hooks, a great way to help people remember who you are and what you can do for them.

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Friday, July 25, 2008

A little game to get back on track after your holiday

One of the biggest problems that solos have when coming back from vacation is that the phone ain't ringing and the bills are piling up!

Here's a quick little game to get things moving again.

Take a piece of paper, and make a little list... of ten people that you can call right away (or when you get back from vacation).

These can be past clients, networking colleagues, or even all those business cards you collected last spring and that are still not filed!

The object of the game is to find at least four people on this list who are willing to meet with you over coffee (ice cappucino?) or lunch in the next five working days, for a little "discovery" session.

Share with your coffee partner your goals for the new season, and what kind of clients you like to work with. Encourage your partner to do the same. Do a little brainstorming, aim to come up with at least one referral name for the other person and for you, then do the same with the name you get referred to you.

This will start to stir things up around you, and I'm convinced that before you know it, that phone will start ringing again!

That is, if you make that list right now... Do it! I'm convinced this little game will pay off big for you!

Now that you've made your list, and your calls, you've won! Go out and enjoy the rest of the day!

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