To keep your “well full” of new clients, there are 3 easy steps you can take to create a lucrative, joyful business.

Surprisingly, many business don’t do these 3 things, which keeps their businesses earning far too little income…and them working way too hard for too little money.
Here are 3 easy, ”must do” steps to keep clients flowing to you.

1. Market consistently

This seems like an obvious tip. But, it is one of the most common problems I see as to why women entrepreneurs aren’t getting enough clients.

They speak once or twice a year (or not at all). They send out an e-newsletter once every 3 to 4 months (or not at all). They attend 1 networking function a month.

This is not consistent, nor enough marketing to build your business!

To build your business you must market it every single day.

Choose 2 to 3 different marketing activities you will do consistently. Do at least one of them on a daily basis. To get the most impact, also attach a goal to the activity. For example, if one of your chosen marketing activities is speaking, set a goal to book 2 speaking gigs on a particular day.

If another goal is to publish an e-newsletter, then make a pact with yourself to publish it, at a minimum, bi-weekly.

2. Follow-up with people you meet

Networking, attending live events, and meeting people is a wonderful way to meet prospective new clients. But, if they never hear from you again guess what happens? You guessed it. They never become clients. Letting people “fall through the cracks” is another biggie mistake I see.

Keep track of every person you meet or speak with who is interested in your services. Then, follow up with them on a timely basis after meeting them with a phone call, ‘nice meeting you’ card sent in the mail, or even email.

By keeping in touch, this comes across as caring, and is deeply appreciated. Just because someone says, “not now,” doesn’t mean it’s a “not now” or “no” forever. Continue to follow-up with them periodically.

3. Get people past FREE

I’m sure you’ve heard that once people invest with you one time, there’s a high likelihood they’ll invest again.(like 80%!)

That’s why making a super high value, low cost, “no brainer” offer makes sense. You want to get people investing with you so they can see first-hand how valuable your services and content are.

Get people over to the “land of the first purchase” as quickly as possible after meeting them

With consistent marketing, follow-up, and intensely attractive, high value, low cost offers, you will experience steady income growth, and create a business you love!

Talk to you again soon

"Marketing is hard." That's what we independent professionals tell each other, anyway. At meetings, workshops, and online, wherever entrepreneurs gather, the difficulty of getting clients is a frequent topic.

There's certainly some truth to this statement. Marketing your services can be one of the most challenging elements of being in business for yourself. But does marketing have to be as hard as we seem to think it is? Maybe not.

In fact, I've noticed that professionals often make marketing much harder than it needs to be. Here are six ways that entrepreneurs frequently turn marketing into much more of a struggle than necessary.

1. Refuse to choose a target market.

If you don't limit your marketing to a specific category of likely clients, the alternative is marketing to anyone and everyone. That makes everything about marketing harder. You have to network more often, in more places, with more people, to run across enough prospects who might hire you. Building referral relationships is rarely possible, as you can neither identify who might be most likely to refer you a client, nor describe to them who they should refer.

Without a defined target market, you can't even talk about your business effectively, because there's no way to get specific about the benefits and results you produce. Whether you market yourself online, in person, by mail, or on the phone, trying to reach an undefined audience with a generic marketing message will wear you out before it produces results.

2. Spend time on your approach without tailoring your message.

I'm often asked to supply a universally effective cold calling script or sales letter, as if it were possible to craft such an item without explicit details about what is being sold, to whom, and for what purpose. No matter what marketing approach you choose, it's not going to work without a message that's tailored to your business and your audience.

But I see countless professionals fall into the trap of thinking marketing success is all about the technique - social media, let's say, or public speaking, or pay-per-click ads, or a leads group - while giving little thought to what they wish to communicate with these approaches.

3. Do what's easiest instead of what works best.

Most professionals already know what works best to market their services. When I ask them, they answer with "networking," "word of mouth," "referrals," and other strategies involving direct contact or personal connections. But when I ask those same professionals where they are spending the majority of their networking time, many of them sheepishly admit they are avoiding these strategies and instead sending out email, running ads, or trying to attract web traffic.
It may seem easier and less confronting to sit at the keyboard, buy an ad, or hire website help than to spend time connecting with people personally. But is it really "easy" to put money and effort into the least effective ways to market yourself, instead of doing what you already know works better?

4. Change marketing approaches every week.

Successful marketing is an ongoing process, not a collection of unrelated events. Whether you are blogging, networking in your community, writing a newsletter, or building referral relationships, persistence and consistency pay off while one-time or occasional attempts fall flat. Letting go of a marketing tactic after a handful of tries, only to pursue a different approach, is a guaranteed recipe for struggle and failure.

5. Avoid follow-up.

Similarly, any marketing strategy requires follow-up to produce results. Exhibiting at a trade show will do nothing for you unless you follow up with the people who stopped by. Public speaking won't produce results until you follow up with those who attended. Attending networking events won't bring you clients unless you follow up with the people you meet.

Yes, follow-up can seem difficult or confronting, but consider the alternative. Expending all that effort on exhibiting or speaking or networking without landing any business because you neglected to follow up - now that's hard.

6. Continue to search for hidden marketing secrets instead of doing what's in front of you.

One of the hardest ways to go about marketing is spinning your wheels in analysis paralysis, second-guessing, or perfectionism. "Should I do this? Maybe I should do that. Perhaps something else might work better. I wonder what else I could do? Maybe I need more information. I'm not sure I'm ready." You can wear yourself out this way just thinking about marketing, without taking a single step.

Make it easy on yourself instead. Choose a few simple, effective things to do about marketing, using the suggestions above as a guide. Then get going. And keep going. You'll find that marketing won't seem so hard once it really starts to work.

Talk to you again soon

It doesn't matter how passionate you are about what you do; sooner or later your passion will flag. Talking and listening to other business people and encountering new ideas is one great way to get that passion back.

Innovation is the Key!

What does innovation do for our small businesses?

It makes them "more competitive and better placed to capitalize on business opportunities that arise”

Would it help you achieve greater success if you knew:

1) Realize that innovation can be simple.

• We tend to think of innovation as a formal and complicated process, but it doesn't have to be. Innovation is just a fancy word for improvement and invention. When you come up with better packaging, find a supplier who will give you a better rate, or try out a new marketing idea, you are involved in innovation.

2) Build innovation into your business routines.

• Set aside an hour each week to think and exercise your creativity. Build innovation into your business planning by setting goals that focus on improving products and processes. For example, one of your business goals might be to find and try out a new way to communicate with your customers.

• Create an innovation action plan to implement your innovation goals.

3) Actively solicit suggestions for improvement of your small business's processes and products.

• Use both formal and informal methods to get customers to make suggestions for innovation, such as questionnaires, surveys, and casual one-on-one conversations.

• Talk to your suppliers and see what suggestions for improvement they might have.

4) Involve staff in the innovation process.

• Make problem solving a part of every staff meeting. For each meeting, for instance, you might set a question for discussion on a specific product or process that asks, "How can we improve...?" Publicize the topic of discussion a week ahead of time so people have time to think about it.

• Have a suggestion box.
• Reward staff for suggestions that are followed through on.
• Talk to staff impromptu. Get out of your office if you have one and make personal visits to chat about how things are going.
• Provide creativity/innovation workshops for staff.

5) Invest in innovation.

• Invest in technology that improves your business operations and make your company more competitive. Information and communications technology are particularly worthwhile.
• Invest in machinery and equipment that will allow you to make productivity improvements.
• Invest in developing new products and services.

6) Cultivate an innovation mindset.

• Continue to educate yourself about innovation by attending workshops, webinars, conferences, reading blogs and articles, etc.
• Stay on top of developments, technological and otherwise, in your industry. If you're not a member, join at least one professional or industry organization and participate in its meetings and events. (Like us for instance :--)

7) Investigate possibilities for your business.

• If you are part of my “tribe” :-- you know by now that I firmly believe that the two most important words in the Bible are, “Behold and Beware: Behold the opportunities they are everywhere; Beware the temptations that stops you from taking those opportunities and possibilities :--

8) The Key to Innovation Success

It's not enough to say that innovation is a priority; you have to actually work at it

Talk to you again soon .

Are you tired of the roller coaster ride, at least when it comes to your business?

Are you frustrated with doing nicely one month and being desperate for cash flow the next? If you want to beat that feast- famine cycle that many solo entrepreneurs experience there are some simple things you can do that will definitely smoothen the ride.

The key to regular business income is regular marketing. Some people market until they have some clients, and then they get so busy with clients they lose their marketing focus and simply stop marketing. Don't make that mistake. Instead, continue to market yourself so you don't have to start from scratch and build up the momentum again when you need more clients.

Fortunately, such ongoing marketing doesn't have to be hard or expensive. Here are some key strategies that will help you keep that funnel filled practically on autopilot:

1. Network all the time

Don't just network when you're at networking events. Have your cards with you and make a habit out of talking with people everywhere you go. That way, you continue to meet new people who might be potential prospects or who might send you referrals.

2. Focus on developing referral partners

The great thing about referral partners is that if you have established relationships and keep nurturing them, they'll send you referrals over and over. Start by seeking out other biz owners who service or have access to your same ideal target clients. Getting that steady stream of referrals will really smooth out any ups and downs in your business - in the upward direction!

3. Be visible and credible online

Have a website and a blog, and be active in social media. And demonstrate your expertise by writing articles, posting on your blog and contributing to discussions. It's important to be visible - you want people to see you wherever they go. It's equally important to be credible as well, so be selective about the venues you use.

4. Be consistent online

In addition to being visible, you also need to make sure you aim for consistency. Don't spread yourself too thin. Instead of trying to have a "presence" on every new forum or platform that comes along, focus on a select few and participate on a regular basis. It's about being part of a community.

5. Communicate regularly - online and offline

And speaking of consistency... Be sure to send out a quality newsletter - and do so regularly. Predictability builds trust. The people on your list should be able to count on your newsletter and information. When they know they can count on your newsletter to arrive like clockwork, they're more likely to purchase one of your services as well.

And communicating regularly is not only important online but also offline. Stay in touch with your contacts and even your former clients. That way, you'll be front-of-mind when they need your services.

As you can see, it doesn't take expensive ongoing advertising campaigns or aggressive marketing. With a few simple steps and attention to opportunities that come up, you'll find that you can easily grow the number of prospects year-round. And that will go a long way towards getting off the rollercoaster and start smoothening out those ups and downs in your business

Talk to you again soon

In meeting with many of my clients the past few weeks, when I asked them how their businesses are doing, many of them say, “Slow!” Contacts who expressed interest don’t return phone calls, missed appointments aren’t rescheduled, and buying decisions are delayed.

Any business can slip into a slow period. But, the trick is to know WHAT to do to get your business back on track as quickly as possible…and better yet, HOW to avoid slipping into a slow slump in it in the first place.

Here are 4 tips I personally use to coach my clients out of slow business period:

Tip #1 Reach Out and Touch Someone

When a sales slump hits, your energy seems to drain away as well. Before you know it, you hardly have the energy to open your email much less put out the effort to market your business.

The solution to this problem is actually very simple. You MUST reach out and reconnect with past and current clients. Send out an email to your clients, past clients and business associates, explaining the benefits of working with you, and ask for a referral. Include a f-r-e-e article as a way of demonstrating value, and you may find you’re on the path to picking up new clients in a few weeks (I have seen this happen!).

Tip #2 Remind Yourself You’re “Not Bugging” Someone by Contacting Them

If you have clients, who haven’t used a package they purchased from you or have missed appointments without rescheduling, then it is up to you to reach out to them. I recommend making a friendly call, or sending a hand written note reminding them you want them to get the results of the service they purchased. You’ll be surprised at how often your clients express appreciation and gratitude at your thoughtfulness for reminding them to use your services!

Tip #3 Refocus on Your Business

Sometimes sales slip because our attention and focus has been directed on anything BUT our business. If that’s the case, then this is the time to give yourself a break, stop feeling guilty, and give yourself the breathing room to make a fresh start. Set small daily goals that include reconnecting with past clients and colleagues, then build up your energy and actions from there.

Tip #4 Keep Your Eye on the Prize

Twice each year, spend a couple of days evaluating my goals and income, and then take a fresh look at where you’re headed with your business. The start of a new year is a perfect time to do this activity, as well as the end of every quarter year.

This allows you to plan new events, programs, and product launches that will keep your income flowing smoothly, and growing year-round.

So, if your sales are slower than you’d like, or you want to 1ncrease your sales, then now is the perfect time to reconnect to WHY you do what you do, reach out to WHO you love working with the most, then follow up, follow up, follow up to keep your relationships strong and profitable!

How do you get your business out of a sales slump? Share your expertise and write a comment for our readers.

Talk to you again soon

Getting off the Rollercoaster - How to Make Your Business Growth More Consistent

Are you tired of the roller coaster ride, at least when it comes to your business? Are you frustrated with doing nicely one month and being desperate for cash flow the next? If you want to beat that feast- famine cycle that many solo entrepreneurs experience there are some simple things you can do that will definitely smoothen the ride.

The key to consistent business growth is regular marketing. Some people market until they have some clients, and then they get so busy with clients they lose their marketing focus and simply stop marketing. Don't make that mistake. Instead, continue to market yourself so you don't have to start from scratch and build up the momentum again when you need more clients.
Fortunately, such ongoing marketing doesn't have to be hard or expensive. Here are some key strategies that will help you keep that funnel filled practically on autopilot:

1. Network all the time

Don't just network when you're at networking events. Have your cards with you and make a habit out of talking with people everywhere you go. That way, you continue to meet new people who might be potential prospects or who might send you referrals.

2. Focus on developing referral partners

The great thing about referral partners is that if you have established relationships and keep nurturing them, they'll send you referrals over and over. Start by seeking out other biz owners who service or have access to your same ideal target clients. Getting that steady stream of referrals will really smooth out any ups and downs in your business - in the upward direction!

3. Be visible and credible online

Have a website and a blog, and be active in social media. And demonstrate your expertise by writing articles, posting on your blog and contributing to discussions. It's important to be visible - you want people to see you wherever they go. It's equally important to be credible as well, so be selective about the venues you use.

4. Be consistent online

In addition to being visible, you also need to make sure you aim for consistency. Don't spread yourself too thin. Instead of trying to have a "presence" on every new forum or platform that comes along, focus on a select few and participate on a regular basis. It's about being part of a community.

5. Communicate regularly - online and offline

And speaking of consistency... Be sure to send out a quality newsletter - and do so regularly. Predictability builds trust. The people on your list should be able to count on your newsletter and information. When they know they can count on your newsletter to arrive like clockwork, they're more likely to purchase one of your services as well.

And communicating regularly is not only important online but also offline. Stay in touch with your contacts and even your former clients. That way, you'll be front-of-mind when they need your services.

As you can see, it doesn't take expensive ongoing advertising campaigns or aggressive marketing. With a few simple steps and attention to opportunities that come up, you'll find that you can easily grow the number of prospects year-round.

And that will go a long way towards getting off the rollercoaster and start smoothening out those ups and downs in your business.

Watch out for the next post where we will build on this practice of 'business building.'

Love and respect

Would you like to learn a simple skill to "skyrocket your business success?

Would you like more referrals? How about better referrals?

Read on for a key 7-step strategy that will help you get both more and higher quality referrals that are a better fit for you.

You've probably heard it before. To get more of what's working for you... do more of what's working. It seems almost too obvious but it's surprising how most of us miss this and instead keep trying to come up with something new. So the good news is... you don't need to reinvent the wheel to reap huge benefits :o).

So how do you figure out what's working when it's coming to referrals? Start tracking your results. One of my favorite sayings is "you can't manage what you don't measure." So start measuring your referral success by scheduling a coffee date with yourself and complete the following seven steps to get even better referral results.

1. Make a list of all your referrals

Start by making a list of all the referrals you've received in the past 3 - 6 months regardless of whether or not they resulted in any business. Make a note of which referrals you've received that did NOT turn into clients. This is a key step you don't want to miss

2. Consider how did you get those referrals?

Next, for each referral, record detailed information about who referred them. In addition, write down what follow up you did that may or may not have resulted in a sale.

3. Add the product and service(s)

List which products and services each referral purchased and the total value. Also note if they become repeat clients.

4. What do the successful referrals have in common?

Now go back over your lists of all referrals -- and look for a pattern. Look at the referrals who became clients as opposed to those who didn't. What seemed to have made the difference? Did they come from specific referral partners or referral sources? Were they looking for or purchased a specific product or service of yours?

5. What do the referrals who did not buy have in common?

Do the same for those referrals who did not end up buying. What happened? Was there a specific reason they did not buy? Were they looking for something else? Make a note of who referred them.

6. Which referrals became your ideal clients?

Now look back over the list of successful referrals and pick out those clients you'd consider as your ideal or best clients. What makes them different from your other successful referrals? Who referred them? Did they come through a specific referral source or were they referred by other clients?

7. Follow up with everyone who referred you

First of all, thank everyone for their referrals once again. You hopefully thanked them when you first got the referral! This time, though, also take time to give them some feedback on the outcome of the referral - even if the referral didn't turn into a client. This will give you the opportunity to share information that will help them find more and better fitting referrals in the future.

Taking time to work through this 7 step process helps you get clear about a few things:

1. How much business you're actually getting from referrals
2. Your success rate in closing referral business
3. Who's referring you and whether or not they understand enough about your business to do it successfully
4. Helps you build better referral relationships

As well, you may even get a better sense of who is your ideal customer - something that I find most biz owners often skip past!

Talk to you again soon

Yes, You Can Learn to Surf the Economic Wave When Everyone Else Is Getting Drowned

When the global financial crisis started to hit in mid-2007, everyone figured we’d just have to ride it out. The economy tends to move in cycles, after all.


But here we are in 2011, and you might have noticed that for many, times are still very tight.


Looking around, we have to recognize that we’re not just in another cycle — we’re in what some people call a “reset,” a basic shift in how money moves around.


That means that unless you have a trust fund, you’re going to need to take a hard look at how you make a living.


If you work for a company, there may be some big shifts behind the scenes that you can’t see yet.


If you run a business, your customers (or your customers’ customers) may be facing a lot of uncertainty — and it’s hard to sell in times of uncertainty.


The last five years have been a massive wave that’s swept over the world. That wave can cause destruction and misery … or you can learn to surf it. That’s what I want to talk about today.


Tough times create surprising opportunities


When times are tough, there are lots of people who need help.


And as it turns out, helping people is one of the strongest foundations you can build any business on.


That’s just as true for tiny part-time solo businesses as it is for giant Fortune 500 conglomerates. The trick is to find the right problems to solve, and then let the world know you’re here to solve them.


(We’re going to talk later in the series about ways you can identify the types of customer problems that you can build a great business on.)


Normal people are afraid of running a business right now


Fortunately, you’re not normal. (Neither am I.)


The normal human brain sees all of this uncertainty and risk, and thinks, Danger! Run away!


But if you can manage that fear, you start to notice some things.


The fact is, small businesses (including very tiny businesses) are going gangbusters right now. According to Inc. magazine, privately held startups (in every industry, not just tech) are where most of the new jobs are coming from … even while so many giant companies are laying people off in record numbers.


Yes, you can learn to ride the wave (if you’re strategic)


Learning to ride the wave instead of getting creamed isn’t just a matter of “feel the fear and do it anyway.”


You also have to be able to look at the situation clearly, and see where the points of opportunity are.


You don’t have to be some kind of Steve Jobs or Richard Branson, an entrepreneurial and marketing genius.


And you don’t have to risk losing it all. In fact, it’s a myth that the great entrepreneurs are huge risk-takers. In reality, they’re just the ones who see the hidden opportunities where everyone else just sees crisis and panic.


The foundation is always the same: Provide value


Every successful business is built on the same foundation — providing value in a way that resonates with their customers.


The luxury goods house Hermès provides value in the eyes of its customers when it sells a $96,000 crocodile handbag.


Apple provides value in the eyes of its customers with impeccable design and usability in everything they create, even though they’re virtually never the cheapest option.


(We’re going to talk more specifically about Apple in a later article as well, so stay tuned.)


Mcdonalds provides value in the eyes of its customers by delivering a break in a busy day, a consistent product, and the “third place” between home and work that was the driving vision for its CEO.


You may very well think people are foolish to buy from one (or all) of these companies. You may not see the value.


But you and I don’t get to decide what’s valuable. Customers do.


Good businesses know what their customers value today.


Great businesses know how they can deliver that value in an irreplaceable way. Their customers would never consider switching brands — because only their favorite can deliver the value they crave in the way they crave it.


What I want you to do this week


Think about what your customers value.


(If you don’t have any customers today, you can still do this exercise — just think about the kind of customer you want to work with.)


What does that person care about today? What’s difficult or painful? What’s so stressful they can’t sleep at night? What feels overwhelming, in this time when so many are overwhelmed? What’s changed for them in the past five years? In the past year?


Next week we’ll talk about how to take this essential of business — the customer who seeks an experience of value — and use it to discover a foundation we can build a business on.


Looking forward to seeing you there!


If you'd like to know more about my system for attracting more high-end clients, please join us for one of our workshops where I'll share details of this system. It's on Tuesday in PTA North or Wednesday in PTA East Click here and go to Events for more detail on specific workshops
http://ockertmoller.com//


Talk to you again soon

Tips to overcome your Fears and Really Start Building your Business

"Start by doing what's necessary. Then do what's possible. And suddenly you are doing the impossible." ~ St. Francis of Assisi

This quotation reveals a powerful promise. Let's face it, at some point in time almost everyone dreams of independence and of having the lifestyle and financial freedom to call your own shots, make your own choices, do what you want, when you want, with whom you want; and enjoy the personal fulfillment of knowing that you're valued and contribute in a significant and meaningful way to others, without being limited or constrained by a lack of money or suffering in an unrewarding job or unsatisfying vocation.

Many people dream of the independence and freedom of business ownership but most fail to realize that dream because of the fear of failure or the uncertainties and doubts they have about what's really possible for them. These (often subconscious) beliefs paralyze them and keep them from enjoying the abundantly and rewarding life available to them.

But the truth is that people do not fail at what they try because of a lack of, subject-knowledge, desire, commitment or a scarcity of effort. They fail because they do not command the key inner resources and disciplined success skills necessary to achieve what they desire.

Here are 5 simple things you can do right now that will automatically advance you significantly toward achieving all that is truly possible for you in life and business.

Begin with the end in mind -

Actor Ben Stein says "the indispensible first step to getting what you want, is knowing what it is." And he's right! In order for you to achieve the success you seek, you will need a clear and unambiguous mental image of exactly what success means to you in 7 different areas of life: Business or vocation, Money and finance, Personal Relationship, Health and fitness, Recreation and fun, Personal growth and Community contribution. Whatever business you decide to build must serve your heart's desire in all 7 of these areas. If not, no matter how much money you make, you will not experience it as success.

Take the time to create a list of the success accomplishments you intend for each of these important aspects of life. Record them on paper in declarative affirmations. Review them at least once every day.

Focus your most powerful mental energy on your strengths -

Each of us has strengths, talents and skills of a particular kind or in particular areas. None of us are good at everything. It is clear that when you are in a position to focus your energy where you are most talented and capable, the likelihood of increases dramatically. Failing to do this has disastrous consequences. Because you would be focused in areas you are less skillful, the quality of the work will not be what it must be, the results will suffer and your business will falter.

Take the time to identify your individual strengths. Confirm your perspective with others who know you. And organize the majority of your focus and activities around them.

Do the RIGHT research before you begin -

One of the principle reasons business ventures fail is because the founder failed to do the right research before they began. Some-one had a brilliant sounding idea, got a few others excited about it and went to work investing in and building a product. Most of these end up as solutions looking for a problem. I can tell you from personal experience, there is nothing more difficult than creating demand for a product that does not solve a problem or dissatisfaction people care about solving.

If you have an idea for a product, invest the time necessary to clearly identify and articulate the problem your product is intended to address. Is it a mild annoyance, a problem of some importance or something that needs and urgent solution? Then thoroughly characterize who has the problem and how important it is for them to solve. Then verify with a representative sample of prospects to learn how they would go about making the decision to invest in your product.

This will allow you to quantify the time, money and effort involved and accurately calibrate your expectations of a return, BEFORE you sink some or all of your life savings in the idea. If an idea doesn't pan out during the research phase, no problem. You'll still have plenty of time and money left to try another.

Plan your work and work your plan -

Having an action plan is one of the easiest ways to overcome fear and uncertainty. Start simple. Read through the list of intentions you created for all 7 of the success categories you defined previously. For each, list 3 simple 1-step actions or activities you can complete immediately to advance you in the accomplishment of that goal. Estimate the amount of time it will take to complete the task and dedicate a corresponding block of time on your calendar.

Now all you have to do is what your calendar instructions you to do and you'll be making steady progress to enjoying the accomplishment and success you desire. Then repeat the process each and every day and you'll have everything you expect and deserve in no time at all.

GO FOR IT - What are you waiting for?

The right time to come along to start a business? I am here to tell you, the right time is now. Follow these simple steps, trust yourself and your vision, develop the skills necessary to make the right decisions and take the right actions, overcome your fear and uncertainty about starting the business you have always dreamed of and suddenly you will be doing (what today seems like) the impossible. You can start now by visiting one of our business group coaching sessions on relevant business building techniques in an area near you. Drop us an email ockert@icon.co.za and we’ll send you the detail

Talk to you again soon :--

Myth 1: All it takes to run a successful company is common sense

The biggest myth about business is that all it takes to run a successful company is common sense. “How hard can it be?” you might ask. The truth is that many of the characteristics of successful businesses run contrary to what common sense might dictate.

While many people dream of being their own boss, setting their own hours, and raking in money, the truth is that most people don’t create a business – they create a glorified job for themselves. The problem is – if you are your business, you don’t have a business but the worst job in the world. Let me explain …

Michael Gerber first wrote about this in his seminal book, The E-Myth Revisited, which talks about how many small-business owners become workaholics chained to their business. Most small businesses are started by “technicians” – people who love and are good at doing a particular task (i.e. musicians, bakers, lawyers, computer programmers, designers, etc.). When these “technicians” start their own businesses, they continue to focus on doing work they are skilled at, while ignoring the fundamental tenets of business. They never set real business goals for themselves. They hate marketing and sales. And they aren’t good at managing their finances or delegating work to employees, outsourcers, or partners. They may do these things because they must, but they do them reluctantly.

As time wears on, these technicians fall into the following cycle:

• they realize they need customers and clients so they do a bunch of marketing
• they get a few projects and quickly focus their attention back to being “technicians”
• as they finish up their projects, they realize they don’t have any work coming in, so they again return to marketing

The cycle repeats itself and leaves the technician burnt out, often living paycheck-to-paycheck and never knowing where their next client will come from. During the times they have a few client projects, they find themselves overworked and understaffed, but because they aren’t good at money management, they find themselves too cash-strapped to hire people to help them. Often, they may come to hate the work they do.

In order to break out of this cycle, every business owner must initially see themselves in, and set time aside for, three roles: the technician (who produces the product or services the client), the manager (who manages operations and finances), and the entrepreneur (who sets goals and keeps the business on track). Eventually, the goal is to hire employees, virtual assistants, and partners to fill these roles and take some of the burden off the small-business owner.

Myth 2: Your business serves you.

Most small-business owners go into business for the lifestyle. They want to work less, have flexible schedules, make more money, etc. The truth is that if you want to create this type of lifestyle, or even create an asset you can sell or pass on to your children, you must expand the business beyond a one-person shop. Doing this takes hard work.

Raising a child. As an infant, your business needs a lot of care and guidance from you. You’ll likely put in long hours marketing and selling your products and services, serving your customers, generating income, managing expenses, finding people to hire, and dealing with bookkeeping, legal issues, and taxes.

Like a child, as your business grows, it will require less effort on your part. You’ll have put in place people to tend to the daily operations, systems to automate common practices, and marketing that you’ve tested to generate measurable results. The bigger the business becomes, the easier it will be for you to step out of the day-to-day grind and take on a management role. Usually, at this stage, you’re able to achieve some of your lifestyle goals (you can take vacations, you’re making good money even when you aren’t working, etc.) – but the business now no longer serves you. It’s beyond you and has taken on a life and purpose of its own – and now it has become a sellable asset.

Myth 3: Selling means convincing customers to buy what you offer.

Pick up most sales books and you’ll find techniques for how to get people to buy what you are selling. Often, they use high pressure sales tactics that focus on you making money at the customer’s expense.

Instead of creating win-lose situations with customers, start with them. Ask your prospects and customers what their biggest problems, concerns and fears are – and then create a product or service that solves or alleviates those issues.

Myth 4: Your marketing materials must tell prospects who you are, what you do and what you’ve accomplished.

Most marketing materials focus on the company. They describe the company history, what products and services are offered, the company founders and staff, and awards won – details that aren’t remotely interesting your prospects and only serve to boost the ego of the business owner. These types of marketing materials are a waste of money and do nothing to sell your services.

Instead, the best marketing materials are written by putting yourself in your prospect’s shoes and asking: “If I was this person, what, specifically, would I be going through? Where would my biggest problem or pain lie? What would I be feeling?” The marketing piece would then be written to that person, describing in detail the problems he faces, the frustrations he feels, and finally, how to solve or alleviate those problems.

The truth is, your prospects don’t know or care about you. They are much more interested in their own problems and concerns and don’t have time to figure out if and how you can help them. When your marketing talks of specific problems they have and offers them a way to take steps immediately to relieve that pain, then you have their attention because you’ve demonstrated you understand what they’re going through.

Myth 5: You should focus on short-term results.

It’s human nature to want something as quickly, cheaply and easily as possible. We don’t like to delay gratification when we can have things now, so when we make a few sales or take on a few big clients, we’ve already spent the money in our heads.

Small businesses aren’t alone in this type of thinking. Wall Street is obsessed with quarterly reports. If large companies aren’t showing growth quarter after quarter, investors dump their stocks for more-lucrative investments.

The problem with short-term thinking is that it’s not always in line with your long-term goals. For instance, you may decide to take on a new client’s big project because of the short-term cash influx without weighing the amount of resources and work required to complete the project against other potential (and more lucrative) projects in the future.

Myth 6: You should pursue every opportunity that comes your way.

Trying to take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way is a recipe for failure. The more projects you get involved with, the less resources you have to devote to each – which often means you end up with lots of half-done projects and no results to show for any of them.

Creating goals and a business strategy for your company requires that you determine upfront what types of opportunities you’ll pursue and turn down any opportunities that aren’t a good fit – despite whether they’ll be good in the short term.

Myth 7: Go with your gut.

Small-business owners are notorious for hiring people they “like” or pursuing opportunities because they have a “good feeling” about them. Often, these gut decisions lead to taking on more risk than your company needs to.

When hiring new people, make sure to check out references and do a thorough background check. Hire them on a short-term basis with the potential for long-term work and start them out with smaller projects to evaluate their working style and results.

When making decisions about which opportunities to pursue, find ways to test different options and make your decisions based on testing and data rather than your gut instinct or making an impulse purchase.

Myth 8: Do what everyone else is doing.

There’s a common perception that if other businesses like yours are doing something, you should be doing that, too. This is extremely common with advertising and marketing as companies feel if their competitors have a cool new feature on their web site, are sending out postcards, or are advertising in certain publications, they should be too because their competitors must know what they are doing.

Unfortunately, doing what every other company out there is doing is often like the blind leading the blind. Few companies base their marketing materials on their prospects’ needs (Myth 3) and even fewer companies test whether their marketing and advertising brings in consistent results. You’d most likely be more successful taking what everyone else is doing and doing the opposite.

As you can see, business often isn’t just common sense. To be successful, you must create long-term goals and make decisions based on those goals. You must pick projects and opportunities that are aligned with those goals, turn down projects and opportunities that aren’t aligned with long term goals, and focus your time and resources on high-priority tasks that will move you closer to achieving your goals.

Talk to you again soon

Do you want to attract more high-end clients?

In the article below I talk about what it takes to attract more high-end clients. These simple but powerful strategies are what you need if you're going to transition from average clients to clients that pay your more and are much more fulfilling to work with.

Attracting High-End Clients

Everyone wants to attract more clients.

But I think it's even more important to set your sights on attracting more High-End Clients.

Right now, I'm working with 15 high-end clients through my"Get Clients Now" Marketing Program. This transition from "average clients" to "high-end clients" over the past few years has transformed my business and my lifestyle.

I define a high-end client in the following three ways:

1. They are "ideal clients." That is, clients you can really make a difference with and whom you love to work with.

2. They are "long-term clients." These are clients with whom you can offer programs and services for a year or more.

3. They are "high-paying clients." They understand the value you offer and are willing to pay you more than average clients will.

By attracting a consistent stream of high-end clients you have several advantages over attracting average clients.

1. Both you and your clients will experience more fulfillment in working together. This is no small thing. When the experience of working together is one of partnership and possibility, your work doesn't feel like work. It's more like play.

2. By working long-term you will get to know and understand the needs of your clients much better. This often leads to even more long-term work. And of course, you'll earn more money than with average, short-term clients.

3. When you charge more, you'll feel that you are being valued for what you're worth. You'll be able to give better service and make a bigger impact, without feeling you are being taken advantage of.

So how do you attract more high-end clients?

Well, all the marketing approaches I've taught over the years also apply to attracting high-end clients, but there are a few other steps that you must follow:

1. To attract high-end clients, you need to design high-end services. It's like selling a Mercedes instead of a Ford. And you need to put in the commitment, time and energy into developing high-end services and programs that will deliver higher end results than you offered previously. The good news is that it's easier than you think.

2. Your marketing messages, materials, marketing strategies and sales processes need to communicate the message that you offer higher-end services. Perception is essential. Every impression you make should communicate: "I offer high quality, pay attention to details, follow-up professionally and produce great results."

3. Then you have gained the right to charge more for your services. After all, you've organized your business to produce higher-end results, and done it in a way that makes your clients feel special. They feel like they're at the Ritz Carleton, not the Holiday Inn and they'll be happy to pay fees that give them that experience.

Marketing and selling high-end services isn't something you can transition to overnight, but if you really want a sustainable business that makes a lot more money and is more fulfilling, there's really no other way to go.

The More Clients Bottom Line: Attracting more high-end clients is a choice. It won't happen accidentally. I needs to be done by design. If you commit to developing this design and implementing it consistently, there's no reason that in a year or less most of your clients will be high-end clients.

If you'd like to know more about my system for attracting more high-end clients, please join us for one of our workshops where 'll share details of this system. It's on Tuesday in PTA North or Wednesday in PTA East Click here and go to Events for more detail on specific workshops

http://ockertmoller.com//

Talk to you again soon

If your life doesn't inspire YOU, how do you expect to inspire the people you're here to SERVE?

The fact that you're reading this probably means that you want to make a difference in the world... in your life, and in the lives of others... to live with meaning and purpose... to be true to yourself, and to create a life that really lets your light shine...

Yet I've been working with a vast amount of different people from diverse backgrounds for years, and I've discovered certain patterns that stop them from giving their gifts fully

In fact, I've identified "10 Dirty Little Secret Archetypes" that I see showing up again & again for people who have a genuine desire to live an inspiring life. I'll share them with you in a moment so you can see if you identify with any of them, but first I'd like to tell you what their impact is...

When a person is trapped in one of these 10 Dirty Little Secret Archetypes, it stops them from...

Being 100% true to yourself and letting your light shine. Authenticity is one of the most powerful "change-agents" there is when it comes to attracting clients and helping them truly transform their lives. Imagine feeling 100% comfortable & inspired as you tell a person or group of people who you are and what you believe. That's an expression of who you really are, but when you're trapped by the dirty little secret, it doesn't seem OK to be you.

Creating a lifestyle that truly supports you in giving your gifts to the world, & making a real difference in the lives of others. Whether it's having the freedom to fly round the world, learn from the best, work when & how you want to, or whatever your idea of a beautiful life is... The fact that you can dream it means it's possible for you, but the dirty little secret will tell you it's not.

Fully able to create the material wealth you need to give your gifts to the world, secure in the knowledge that you're a creator, & your true wealth comes from within you. Imagine receiving a text from your bank telling you about the 4 & 5 figure sums that are being paid to you from delighted clients. Meaningful wealth is your birthright, but the dirty little secret says no.

In just a moment, I'm going to reveal the "10 Dirty Little Secret Archetypes", but first I'm going to tell you what the dirty little secret is, in a nutshell...

The dirty little secret that most people are hiding is.... THEY AREN'T LIVING A TRULY INSPIRING LIFE!

And if your life doesn't inspire YOU, how do you expect to inspire the people you're here to SERVE?

So here's the list of the 10 Dirty Little Secret Archetypes. Most people who are inspired to make a difference in the world & share their gifts with others can identify with at least ONE of these – have a look & see which ones you can identify with...

The Hider – The Hider feels deep down like they're not enough, like there's something wrong with them. Some Hiders literally keep themselves invisible from the people they want to help, while others "hide in plain sight", working with others but feeling like a fraud; not living their own lives to the full, not bringing their "whole self" to the party. Either way, they're hiding their light under a bushel.

The Seeker – "I'm nearly there, I'm nearly there!" The seeker keeps searching for the next thing. Each time they find it, they feel like they're close, & like this time it's really going to work. They're always "nearly there", convinced that someone else has the answer, & if they can only find it, they'll be OK. Sometimes they try & "think their way there", and feel like they're only minutes away from what they want, but they're looking in the wrong place.

The Desperado – The Desperado feels like time is running out. They need something and they need it now! Whether it's more clients, more money or more whatever, the Desperado is DESPERATE for it. What makes matters worse is that he knows his desperation stinks – that it actually repels what he wants, but he just can't help it. After all, he's desperate!

The Idealist – The Idealist has a mental image of the circumstances they think would make them happy. Depending on their personality, they're either working hard to create it, or they've got an eternal "bow-wave" that has their goals always being a year or two away. Unfortunately, the Idealist often finds that if they do achieve them, their goals fail to deliver the hoped-for happiness and well-being. "Oh well – it must have been the wrong goal", they say, before moving on to the next one.

The Wuggler – The Wuggler is someone who worries and struggles. The chronic Wuggler is so concerned about failure that they're paralysed, while the acute Wuggler takes action but is terrified that it's all going to go wrong. Acute Wugglers are often outwardly successful, but the price of creating it is stress, anxiety & exhaustion.

The Pretender – Someone told them to "fake it til you make it" and they've been faking it ever since. Unfortunately, they just got better & better at faking it. If you ask how they are, the answer's always the same regardless of the circumstances. "Fine!" In the Pretender's case, it stands for "F*#%ed Inside, Nice Exterior".

The Prisoner – The Prisoner feels trapped in a set of circumstances. Whether it's a job they don't like, a relationship they've outgrown, or a limiting belief that no longer serves them, the Prisoner feels powerless, like there's nothing they can do about it. While the Prisoner thinks they know why they're trapped, no matter how obvious the solution seems to everyone else, the Prisoner can't see a way out.

The Waiter – The Waiter has perfected the art of waiting. Waiting until they've been on enough courses. Waiting until they feel confident enough. Waiting until they've read enough books. Waiting until they've got enough "tools for their toolbox". But the more you wait, the better you get at it. There are things you can learn by taking action that you'll never figure out in the privacy of your head, but the Waiter's missing out on all that learning because... well... they're waiting!

The Spartan – The Spartan has learned that if they exert a vice-like grip on themselves & their lives, then they'll be OK. Their answer to any problem is "more discipline", and the Spartan definitely sees results, but at what cost? Spartans often have trouble experiencing the richness & fullness of life. Secretly, Spartans want to "just let go", but they're terrified of what would happen if they did.

The Workaholic - The Workaholic is one of the most tragic of all. Suffering from the only addiction that gets used as a term of praise (“Jim's a great employee – he's a total workaholic!”), the Workaholic is in a painful double-bind. He gets a sense of identity from his work, and when he's not working he's distracted, thinking about work instead of being present in his life, his relationships, his experience. He can always justify doing more work, and is probably telling himself that he's too busy to attend our meetings

Did you identify with any of those Archetypes?

If you did, I've got some bad news & some GREAT news...

Here's the bad news: These Archetypes are the result of a misunderstanding of the how the mind works. They are based on ground-level SUPERSTITIONS that inform everything you think & do. Left to their own devices, your archetypes are likely to torpedo your success, and stand in the way of you living a life you deeply love.

Here's the GREAT news: The antidote to the misunderstanding & superstition that every single one of the Archetypes is based on is simple: UNDERSTANDING. As soon as you deeply understand the nature of how your mind works, these Archetypes lose all their power, the Dirty Little Secret disappears, and you start living your most beautiful life. It's what I call...Effortless Transformation

Love to hear your feedback on this one

Did you identify with any of those Archetypes?

It’s really simple to change these archetypes into empowering believes about you/your business. Drop me a mail ockert@icon.co.za and I’ll show you how

If you are struggling to capture and follow up with leads, you are not alone. Running a successful small business often means working more than a regular 9 to 5 job. But, if you learn to take things one step at a time, you can break down any overwhelming task into manageable, bite-sized chunks. Here is a 5 step lead follow up system that any small business can use to start converting leads to clients quickly.

1. Capture leads – Any lead system starts with getting leads for your business. You have a variety of ways to capture leads such as buying leads, advertising, using pay-per-click, setting up a lead generating website, mailing postcards, networking, etc. There are plenty of ways small businesses can promote their products and services on a limited budget. The trick is to figure out what works for you and tweak your campaigns for the best results. Regardless of your method, you need some way to collect leads so you can follow up with them.

2. Lead follow up via phone calls – Ideally one of your lead capture methods involves people telling you they want to talk with you. They might request a free consultation, info session or analysis, for instance. Or they might have questions about making a purchase on your website. Most people want to know that there is a real person running your business before they will buy from or hire you. Before you call someone, take some time to create an agenda with a few simple scripts you can use to start the call, transition to different subjects or if your recipient has objections. You don’t have to read the script word-for-word, but use it as an outline just in case. Then, listen and take careful notes about what your prospect says.

3. Lead follow up via email – No matter what lead capture system you use, you should always get an email address. On the web, you can capture leads through your website with email service providers like Aweber. They give you the subscriber form code that you can copy and paste into your site. Then, when someone signs up, you can follow up with them. Only follow up with people who opt-in to receive correspondence from you. However, once someone opts in, you can set up an autoresponder to automatically email them at regular intervals.

4. Lead follow up via information kits – Direct mail is also an effective tool if you capture your prospect’s mailing list. Consider using direct mail for prospects you speak with over the phone or who have requested an information packet from you through your website or via email. You can put an information packet together pretty quickly with a business card, flyer about your services, a helpful article or two, a case study or list of clients, list of frequently asked questions and other information. After you send your information kit, follow up by phone within a week to see if they have questions.

5. Lead follow up via postcards – If someone doesn’t specifically request an information kit, you may choose to send something less expensive like a postcard. Postcards can be sent quickly and don’t require your prospect to open an envelope to view the contents. By putting together a postcard campaign of several follow ups, you will convert more prospects into sales with repeated exposure.

Keep in mind – it usually takes 7-12 exposures to get someone to do business with you, so having a good lead follow up system is extremely important. Whenever you follow up, always include valuable, educational materials mixed in with your sales literature so prospects read your follow up materials.

Love to hear your feedback on this one, which of the above are you applying or not applying, where are you experiencing a bottleneck?

Ockert

If you're like most small businesses, you send the same marketing material to everyone regardless of whether they are a prospect, suspect or first-time buyer. Unfortunately, this is a very ineffective way of marketing your business.

The fact is that everyone comes to your business at a particular stage of need. Some people are just hearing about your company for the first time, others know about you but just want additional information, and some are ready and willing to buy on the spot. However, treating all these customer stages the same is a drastic mistake.

By learning to market to your customer types based on their stage of need, you will be able to move people from Suspect to Prospect to Buyer in a much more efficient and effective manner.

In every business, you'll find the following four customer stages.

Suspects
Suspects are people you think might be interested in one or more of your product/service offerings. A suspect has not established any contact whatsoever with your company. When you define a target market, you have essentially created a bucket of Suspects. You're goal is to get these suspects to raise their hand and let you know they are interested.

Prospects
A Prospect has made some sort of communication with your company. Maybe they signed up for your newsletter or called your company to ask a question. At this point, they have made some type of inquiry but HAVE NOT made a purchase. Your goal is to get your prospects motivated to make that first purchase.

First-Time Buyers
Once a Prospect makes a purchase, they are classified as a First-Time Buyer. Your goal for First-Time Buyers is to get them to become a Repeat Buyer. In other words, you want to retain them as customers. It is much easier and less costly to market to existing customers than to Prospects or Suspects. This is why the Integral Marketing System™ stresses customer retention.

Repeat Buyers
A Repeat Buyer is any customer that has purchased from you more than once. Once a customer makes that leap into repeat buyer status, the goal is not only to retain their business, but to move them up to more profitable products and services. Repeat Buyers are your most valuable customer group. Even if they become temporarily maxed out on your offerings, they can be a rich source of quality referrals.

You're now going to learn how to create a compelling offer with a very low point of entry for your Suspects. After this, you will create a different offer geared to your Prospects, another for First-Time Buyers and yet another for your Repeat Buyers. As you move people through the stages, your offers will focus less on creating trust and more on selling higher-profit goods and services. Notice I said "focus less" on creating trust. Your marketing materials will continue to build on the trust you have created, but the need for proof is much less for an existing customer than it is for the Suspect or Prospect customer types.

Weekly feedback question:

Which one of the above mentioned is your "bottle neck"?

Talk to you again soon, love to hear your feedback on this one :--

Ockert

PS. Drop me a mail ockert@icon.co.za and I'll send you a special report on how to to create different offers to the above mentioned....of course it's fre.e

Networking is about making connections. The more quality connections you make the better for your business. But making connections is a skill that some people find challenging. The good news is that it’s a skill that’s easily learned -- once you pay attention to it. Read on to find out more.

Prejudging People is one of the biggest mistakes you can make because it limits your success in making connections. Here are three things to watch for.

1. Everyone you meet could be a possible connection

Yes, everyone! Even if you can't immediately figure out how they will fit. But take a little time and you'll find that there are many different types of possible connections: casual, formal, business, referral and networking connections -- and every one of them can be valuable. Your goal is to find out where the people you meet will fit.

Of course if you're attending networking events in the hopes of finding a prospect or client, you're already off track and likely to be disappointed. Or maybe you're only looking for one or two of the possible types of connections, and if people don't fit, you don't see the point in connecting with them. Yet they might have led to a veritable goldmine of referrals down the road.

2. Find the positive

Most people spot the negative first, which is an even more disastrous networking mistake. Often the idea behind this "negative first" strategy is to eliminate people before you have spent (or "wasted") any of your precious time or energy on them. It's almost as if you're trying to find a reason to eliminate them so they can move on to the next prospect.

And we all make this mistake at one time or another. Maybe we don't like their voice, or the way they dress. Maybe they don't score very high on the physical attractiveness scale. Maybe they remind us of someone we don't like. No matter what it may be, looking for the negative can be a huge barrier to connecting with others.

In fact, discounting people because there's something we don't like about them at first glance is a key factor when it comes to missed opportunities. And, we'll never know what we've missed out on.

This is easy to turn it around. Just look for the positive instead. In my networking seminars I say - "seek to be impressed by everyone you meet". After all, aren't we all impressive! Everyone has done something, knows someone, been somewhere I haven't. So in my conversations if I come seeking to be impressed - looking for the positive, and set aside judgments it's a perfect combination for building connections.

3. Be careful how you read people

Here's a third way in which prejudging can hurt your sales and networking efforts: we often misread people. Instead of jumping to conclusions, get curious! -- start asking questions. The answers will help reveal their attitudes, their interests and much more, all of which can help you connect with them and, potentially develop a referral partner, collaborator, friend or yes, maybe even a sale.

There's one key point that's needed to do all of the above: an open mind. Luckily, you'll quickly find that if you consistently work on finding people's good points and where they could fit into your network of connections, especially if you get curious and carefully listen to their answers, you'll find a wealth of opportunities and build the most valuable asset you could possibly have - a connection!

Weekly Feedback Question

Have you ever made a mistake "reading people"? Give an example

Talk to you again soon, love to hear your feedback on this one

Ockert

Are you networking as a strategy to grow your business? Is you focus on constantly looking for more prospects? If you wearing yourself attending scores of networking events and still have very little to show for it.

It's time to try something else.

A good way to get started is by learning from your mistakes...

How many of these five mistakes are YOU committing on your quest for more sales leads? You go to networking events "expecting" to find clients.

· You try to pass out as many business cards as possible at every opportunity.
You don't like to waste time with 'chit chat' and instead tell people about what you have to offer as soon as possible.

· You try to close the sale right then and there -- after all, you may not have another opportunity.

· You follow up with everyone, making them an enticing offer they can't refuse -- and are puzzled that they decline anyway.

So what should you do instead?

1. If you're going to networking events focusing on clients, you'll miss out on what you COULD find: connections. Focus on getting to know people instead. They may not buy your product today, or ever, but in time they may send numerous people your way who could - but not unless you develop a relationship with them.

2. If you think passing out business cards is a numbers game, you're sadly mistaken. Instead, focus on getting to know people -- and get their cards as well. Quality is far more important than quantity. Make sure that you have made enough of a connection that people actually remember you when you call later or see them next time -- and remember you in a positive light.

3. Don't jump in with your offer. Instead focus on the other person, get to know more about them and their business. Start by building rapport and connections. Try and find ways that you can be of service or help them, make introductions and refer them if you can. Ultimately, just get to know them.

4. The hard sell is dead. If you want to chase away prospects, this is exactly how to do it. It's okay to talk about what you do or offer, the problems you solve and outcomes your clients get. Where you cross the line is when you assume what you do is what they need and start selling and pushing your product or service on them. If the person you're talking to is interested in your services - schedule a sales appointment. You'll be much more likely to make the sale once you've established a relationship.

5. When you follow up with people after networking events, don't start selling them. Again, develop the relationship by finding out more about them, seek to be of service and continue to build that relationship. If your follow up is by email - don't send a sales pitch. Instead reference a point in your conversation and offer them something of value - an informational article, resource link or introduction.

Keep thinking about ways to build "relationships" and be of service. You'll find your networking will start yielding more connections, friends, referrals and opportunities!

Love to hear your feedback on this one, and yes I know it's a bit of a schlep to register to do the feedback but once it's done it's done :--

Weekly feedback Question

Which one of the above mistakes are you currently making the most?

Ockert

The Miracle Man