I thought about this last week when I had two people ask me who my ideal client was. Before I tell you how I answered, I want to give you my simple definition of these two categories.

Ideal client: A small business owner who has chosen to get help before spending a heap of money on a new website. ( for ex.)  It is always more fun to work with someone before they make huge mistakes.

My ideal person is committed, really wants help and willing to do the work involved. This person sees the return on investment of hiring me.  In other words- someone who I enjoy  working with! My ideal client is really about me and who I enjoy helping the very most.

Niche client: Is the person powering my core marketing plan. A small/solo business owner who helps other people with their service. They are highly skilled and experts in their field, however they struggle with business decisions, skills and no-how. They need more clients, more cash flow and clearer focus on how to get their business stronger.  It is all about them, not me.

I had to really think about how to answer the questions that were asked of me. Part of my response depends on who is asking me. The first person was a client I had worked with last year. She was wanting to get more marketing clarity. The second person was a potential new client.

For the first person, I explained the difference between ideal and niche to help her understand her own marketing focus. She  was mixing up the two and was focused on her ideal, but was calling it her niche. This is a common challenge service based business owners have because they are thinking about what they want to do. Her  definition was too general as well.

Your niche needs to be a narrow, specific group who you are aiming your marketing toward.

With the second person,

I responded with who my niche client is because I knew that’s what she was asking. She cared about  her own business issues and this is what i needed to speak to.

In order to build a strong, powerful marketing plan you need to learn to really focus on your niche and use this definition as this is who will help you to grow your business. Does this make sense?  Have you been confusing these two things?  I would love to hear your comments.

Free tele-class with more help on this topic!

I get asked this question at least once a week by solopreneurs who are highly skilled but are struggling to have enough clients and enough cash coming in.

It can seem logical that defining a niche will make your money flow smaller, not larger.  Some comments I hear from solopreneurs owners include:

•  I know what I want to do and there are many people I can help.
•  I know exactly what I don’t want to do, what I don’t enjoy.
•  I have tons of experience and training so I know I am good!

Although the three statements above are true, they will not, by themselves, bring you more clients.  Why is that?

Your potential clients are focused on their own issues or problems. They want something to change in their lives. They know what’s not working for them but don’t know how to fix it. Sometimes they feel desperate, anxious and urgent.

When they begin to feel those ways they begin to look for solutions or someone who can offer them support, help them shift and make changes. They want a specialist or expert  who is focused on working with people just like them.

If you refuse to name your niche, you become a generalist, not a specialist. The people who you are wanting to attract won’t be attracted to you.

To better  understand this, imagine your niche were all people who are teal blue. Teal blue people have certain specific issues. They are a strong but narrow group that can be defined by their situation. They want help on how to put their teal blueness out into the world more and be more successful, happier, make more money, have better relationships or whatever.

They look for someone who speaks to them.  They end up on your website but all they see if a someone who is specializing in dull grey people. Grey is a mixture of all the colors and becomes undefinable. You seem skilled to them but not a teal blue expert.  They son’t feel empathy so they click off and keep searching.

Lets imagine that you have focused and decided to clearly define your niche speciality as lime green people who need what they need. Funny thing is that if a teal blue person ends up on your website they will still recognize you as a specialist and might think, “Well, if you can help  the lime green folks, maybe you can also help me.” They will never think that if you present as a grey.

The moral of the story. Let go of being grey. Specialize and speak directly to those specific people who you want to attract.  If you want more help figuring out how to do this, check out  Find Your Niche Market Ready-Set-Go

When you boldly name your speciality, those people will feel connected to you as someone who “gets,” them. It is all about building empathy. Do you know what your color is?

Here I am another week of dealing with paying bills, sorting out the stack of papers on my desk and my own issues to face. It all makes my energy plummet.

What I need is to be be energized for the week and transform my state of mind.

If you feel similar you might also appreciate the five tips I came up with. Just writing them has made me feel better and more inspired!

1. Get out of your office and walk around the block before you do anything. When I lived in New Zealand I  would walk on the beach and that was immediately transformative. The beach is now 90 minutes away so not an option. But walking and looking at people’s gardens is also lovely. It reminds me that I am part of a community and also my greater purpose is to just be peaceful and  in the moment.

2. Do something that will inspire others first thing. Think of something that connects with people and will make a difference somehow. Do that first. It will remind you that who you are and what you do, can make a big difference. ( ex. I’ve just written this blog post)

3. Give gratitude to the people who are helping and supporting you- your team. You are not alone and without these folks, you wouldn’t be able to do what you do as easily. Send an email, write a thank-you on Facebook or send a card with a real stamp!  It will feel good and remind you how important it is to acknowledge the people who are standing with you.

4. Create an affirmation for the week. It could also be one word that describes the energy or focus you want to have for this week while you are working. Write that out and post it on your desk where you can see it everyday. Make it positive and affirming. It will help you to stay tuned all week as your eyes read it here and there. Every time you read it, just breath it in and smile.

5. Decide on something important you want to accomplish this week and write it down on your white board or  somewhere that works for you. It may be something you’ve been avoiding because you are unsure or you just keep putting off. Writing it down gives you a positive goal to work toward and then at the end of the week you will feel good because you did it and you can celebrate and pat yourself on the back!

These are all things you have likely done before but it is so important to be mindful. Each one of these alone will make a huge shift and doing all five will be transformative. Please comment and let me know what you think. You might have others to add to these five.

If you haven’t done my Free Prosperity Challenge I invite you to do it. You will get an empowering email everyday for 14 days.

]]> http://www.awakeningbusiness.com/blog/5-things-you-can-do-this-week-to-transform-your-business/feed/ 0 http://www.awakeningbusiness.com/blog/plugging-leaks-in-your-marketing/ http://www.awakeningbusiness.com/blog/plugging-leaks-in-your-marketing/#comments Mon, 28 Mar 2011 18:26:04 +0000 kaya singer http://www.awakeningbusiness.com/blog/?p=2643 Today I am going to share something so simple and obvious but often overlooked.

If you are someone who is motivated by your passion for helping people or your creative ideas, this is what makes you tick and keeps you connected to your purpose.  However, much of running a business is not about that. For the first 5-7 years it takes about 4 hours a day of marketing to really keep your business energized and afloat.  That’s a lot of hours and a lot of focus.

It is easy to get out of focus and off track if you are not mindful. One of the biggest leaks in marketing is caused by this lack of mindfulness in two areas:  Organization and follow-through.

Organizational systems are essential. Here is an example of a huge organizational leak that took me hours of valuable time to fix.  I decided to send an email out to all of my old clients and seminar participants about a new program.  I  only wanted it to go to this special group and not my whole list.

The problem was that they were not all on their own list somewhere.  I didn’t think of this years ago, so they were scattered all over the place on different lists. It was an organizational nightmare and could have been avoided if I had thought ahead, had spent the time to set things up correctly and created a system for keeping this information. The good news is it is never too late. I am starting that list now for all the new people!

In order to put forth your marketing plan, these systems need to be in place. If they are not, like mine weren’t it will not only be frustrating but will slow down your momentum.

Follow-through is the other big one. Let’s say you put out a notice for a new program. A couple people respond that they can’t do it this time but sy, “Let me know next time.”  Do you actually keep those people’s names somewhere? If you do keep them, do you follow-through with those people? Do you call them?  So much business is lost because of poor follow-through.

Another example: You write up a marketing plan with steps to take. It involves writing articles, setting up  programs, making changes on your website, etc. And then you only do part of it! Why?  You get side-tracked with other stuff, you don’t know how to do it or you don’t feel like it. All those reasons are leaks in your business and will keep your marketing from working effectively.

In order to grow your business so you can actually help the people you want to help and do the creative part, you have to find your leaks and fill them!   Do you know what your leaks are? I suggest you begin by making a list of every possible leak and what you need to do to fill the whole so you don’t lose energy and productivity.

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If you were selling washing machines it would be very straight forward. You would talk about the features and benefits, the price and the specials. People come in your store and they compare and decide. The only part about you, is your customer service.

If you take the time to talk with them, answer questions and smile, they will feel like buying from you. Otherwise it has nothing to do with you.  You didn’t make the washing machine so you are not attached, except in wanting to make sales.

But if you are a coach or web designer, it is all about you because you are selling yourself.  People can’t see a product sitting in front of them. They can only trust that you will provide the help they want and that they will receive the benefits.  This is where marketing comes in.

Your potential client is focused 100% on what they want and why. They want solutions to their problem and want to be convinced that if they hire you, you will provide those benefits.

The only way to do that in your marketing it to focus on:

•  Who they are.
•  What they want.
•  Why they want it.
•  How you can help them to get that.

It is super simple, but so many solo business owners want to talk about themselves and explain how they work. It is because of their own self-doubt usually. They may not really understand their clients.

However, people  will connect with you much more when you give empathy to them and show you understand their situation and what they want. This allows you to exude confidence as well, and that goes a long way.

It is simple. The trick is to get out of your own way! Can you relate?

•

For the last few years I have wanted an assistant. At certain times there was definitely a need. I actually began to keep a running list of tasks I could pass on to her or him.  Other times the cash flow waned and I felt it wasn’t the right time. However, I  decided to give it a try.

I advertised and interviewed people.  What I discovered is that people who need a small part time job are also not the most skilled at the jobs I need.  Here are a few phrases I would hear over and over.

•  I  am a quick learner.
•  I don’t mind being trained.
•  I learned a lot cleaning houses.

What I wanted to hear was:

•  I have skills in doing exactly what you need.
•  I have experience doing exactly what you are wanting.
•  I have worked with other small businesses as well as my own.

It’s not unreasonable to want what I want. However, I can only begin to hire someone at 5-7 hours a week. It has to be certain hours that I need and in my home office.  What I want is an angel to appear!

I have had many virtual assistants who want me to hire them. That didn’t appeal to me in that I wanted  a team member and someone to be a part of my business.  I had had some good people on and off and learned a lot in the process.

Here are my tips to anyone who has been in this same position and ready to hire an assistant.

1. Have a very clear detailed job description.
2. Make sure you have tasks to pass on that will make a significant difference.
3. Be clear about your expectations.
4. Offer a wage that will attract someone skilled.
5. Talk to someone who has successfully hired someone and get advice.

Your business can’t grow if you try to do everything yourself. Hiring the right person can help your business move to the next level but only if you do it with awareness and clarity.

•

One thing they all had in common was that their business was their service.  There were a couple life coaches, a sales coach, massage therapist, nutritionist and more. These are all people who are their product.

The real challenge is that when you are your product you tend to over-identify with your service and take everything very personally. It is hard not to really, but it brings up a lot of self-doubt and fears. Much of that can get centered on money.

People say they want more money. They have sleepless nights worrying about money and how to pay for everything, they  feel stressed about cash-flow and on and on. However, they drop the ball when it comes to charging for their service.

They feel afraid that no one will think their service is valuable, or they don’t believe people will pay over a certain amount for it.  They look at what other businesses are charging and decide to make their price no higher.

For one thing, if people don’t think your service is valuable why would they want it at all, for any price?  People don’t make decisions based on price. They choose value every time. We all know that cheap does not mean better.

Lastly, why would you give  your competitors the power to set your prices? Just because they charge X amount doesn’t mean it fits with your business plan.

So I tell people, Be Willing to Receive Large Amounts of Money. This requires you to re-align your self-esteem, let go of your fears, own your expertise and develop a business plan that is based on your business goals. Are you ready to do this?

It requires a combination of following a clear process and strategy as well as facing your own inner issues. What holds you back from doing this? I would love to hear from you.

•

If you were starting a retail enterprise you would likely be selling products that you would buy wholesale. You aren’t attached. If they don’t sell well you would dump them and bring in something else.

When it’s your own service you are selling, you are likely attached to it and if people aren’t buying you get discouraged, frustrated and start giving it away rather than not do it. Or you struggle with pricing.

If you were selling a widget that you bought at a certain wholesale price, there is a formula to figure out a retail mark-up. When it’s your own service, it is easy to fall into the trap of selling an hour of time, rather than seeing your service as a product with hidden costs as well.

Self-doubt and low-self esteem will help you to frame of image of yourself and your business that is small and poor.

From that place of struggle, people will often contact me for help with marketing. I wish it was that simple.  Marketing itself is just a part of the  problem.

The bigger problem is self-concept and  the willingness to step into the world of prosperity and big vision. This is scary for people who say they want to change, but in fact are afraid of leaving the comfort zone of the world they have created. They say they want  more clients and the money to come first, and then will make the inner changes.

This is backwards. Those inner shifts needs to happen first. The old saying, “If you want to be a millionaire, begin to dress and behave like one now,”  is true.  From a place of success and sound business sense, you need to develop a vision and plan for your fully developed business. It requires building a professional website, having an upscale office, pricing that reflects high value and creating multiple income streams that are way beyond your initial service.

When I see one of my clients make that transformation, I smile because I know it’s only a matter of time before the money will roll in and  their business will be on the upward growth. I guess I know why it is hard for people to make this shift, but I also wish I could wave a magic wand so they would wake up faster.

•

This is my story. I was talented, I knew I could help people and I had huge, huge self-doubt. I compared myself to other entrepreneurs who I thought were smarter.

I was jealous and I was so tired of the financial struggle.

We all have our story and the details are not the same, but for me it  was about smarts. When I was a child I somehow got the message that I wasn’t exceptionally smart. I was average. It wasn’t  true, but I believed it was, so I stayed away from anything that I thought would be too hard. Finance was one of those areas.

One day I woke up and realized I had chosen to be poor, so I wouldn’t have to challenge my brain and fail. The problem was that I hated being in that place. So I began to climb out of that hole and the first thing I had to confront were my own beliefs about what I thought I could do.

I began with marketing thinking I just needed to get more clients. What I quickly realized is that marketing is simple strategies but I could have spent years reading books and going to tele-classes and seminars and still nothing would change. Why? Because I needed to shift at the deeper levels first and  be willing to:

•  Confront my beliefs that held me back.
•  Let go of being small.
•  Move through my fears and self-doubts.

For most solo-business owners who help people, those three things above are  part of marketing. It’s true! Anyone can learn the steps. It’s all written in books, but you won’t do it and you will keep sabotaging your success until you confront the three areas above. I know!

I decided to teach a marketing program that included getting past fears, confronting self-doubt and developing a bigger vision because this is what people need.   If you really want to help people with your service you need to be willing to delve into these areas. Only then will you stop spinning your wheels and begin to shift and change.

People need your help. You have a lot to offer them, however until you develop confidence, higher self-worth and step into bigger boots, your potential clients won’t see you and you will continue to stay stuck. Is this your story?

Free (not just) Marketing Tele-class February 23rd!

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Everyone knows marketing is important and in fact, essential. What most people don’t get is how to do it so it gets the results you want.  Take this short self-assessment to see where you are at.

• Do you go to lots of networking groups, share your elevator speech, and get no response?

• When you tell people what you do, do they seem confused or don’t get it?

Do you struggle to get more clients even after six months of marketing?

• When people go to your website do they sign-up for something and leave their  email address?

• Do you put out a lot of effort with not enough results and don’t know why?

If you answered yes to most of these questions you are wasting your time. This is very important because as solo business owners you are doing everything yourself and it is important to use your time wisely.  If you are going to run a business, put in that much effort, why not  make it work?

1. Know who your niche market is and their problem and make that your elevator speech.
2. Grab people’s attention when you speak about your business.
3. Watch your client load increase easily.
4. Offer many free tastes on your website so people get involved and sign-up.
5. Create a marketing plan that works and focus your time and effort.

I know this works by the way. I do all the above and I have watched my business grow by leaps and bounds. It means you have to be willing to make changes, get help and be willing.

Join with a focused group of entrepreneurs just like you and to easily figure this out. Awaken Your Money Stream . Is it worth it? Only you know that answer. I have had my best month ever this month while I recovered from knee surgery. Why?  I am reaping the benefit of my marketing from the past six months. It works.

•

I talk to people everyday who call me for help with their marketing or business focus. They know things aren’t working. We talk and begin to peel back the layers and by the end of the conversation they  hesitantly admit that they are scared to really face their fears and self-doubt. Have you ever felt like this?

•  Worry if you charge a too much people will feel they’re not getting their money’s worth.
•  Not good enough to work with high paying clients.
•  Uncomfortable having a vision that’s too big.

You really have only three choices:

1. Do nothing, keep struggling and envy other people who seem to be doing well.

2. Quit your business and get a job where you don’t have to deal with your inner demons. The steady paycheck has it’s value.

3. Decide to do whatever it takes to move out of your comfort zone, stretch, grow and be willing to trip, fall and then get up again.

What makes one person grow a lucrative business and another one stay stuck. It’s that decision to step into number three and do whatever it takes to become a leader of your business, develop a much larger vision of what you are creating and overcome your inner fears that hold you back.

If you are reading this and thinking that you are an exception and have no inner demons, you are wrong.  Even the wealthiest, most successful people have them.  It’s the parts inside that gravitate to staying comfy.  Everyone has a default that is set at “comfort zone.” It’s like your comfort food that you like to eat when you are feeling vulnerable.

My comfort default is deadly for my business. It’s the part of me that says,  “You’re tired, you’ve had a full day so just go to sleep and you can write this later.”  My inner leader says different. I need to keep this deadline because what I am writing tonight is part of a bigger marketing strategy and a much bigger picture.

Are you ready to see your larger picture?
Are you ready to face your fears and go for it anyway?
Are you worth the investment of time and money?

If you say, Yes, yes and yes, good for you!
And here are two opportunities.

Awaken Your Money Stream 6 month seminar.

Unleash Your Visionary Leader Mastermind for Women Entrepreneurs.

If you are saying yes, the important thing is to make a change. You are so worth it!

If you are like most solo-business owners I know, you have worked hard all year, faced countless internal  demons and overcame many obstacles. You may be beating yourself up because you still don’t have the cash flow you want, however I think it is a good time  to focus on what you have accomplished.

Here is a short and empowering process that you can do this week as  we move to the year end and year beginning. Follow this three part process to begin your next year with more focus and empowerment.

1. Vision Sit down in a quiet place and take a some time to envision where you want your business to be at the end of 2011. Small solo business owners need to have a clear vision and this is much more important than a written business plan. Your vision needs to be based on your long term picture and realistic as to how you want your business to grow. You can create a vision board for the year if you are a creative type.

2. Intention Be specific about clear intentions. The more specific the better in terms of what you want to accomplish. Imagine the success you will feel and  how meeting these intentions will affect your overall business in 2011. Being able to focus in this regard will  help you to overcome any inner confusion as well.

3.  Empower What can  you do to empower your intentions?  Putting it in writing, talking to your mentor or mastermind group or  do a ritual to move this forward. All these things will help you to overcome any fear or self doubt.

This is a great process to do with other business owners and a powerful way to walk into the new year. I hope some of you will share here. I would love to hear  from  you.

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You have probably found yourself spending most of your time trying to figure out how to run your business and get more of those wonderful clients to help. It has probably pushed you right to your edge and more than once you have wondered if you should just quit!

I just watched this wonderful video of Bene Brown. Although she is a social worker and not talking about small business at all, some of her ideas totally relate!

You began your business of helping people for connection and wanting purpose and meaning. You wanted to make a difference.

When your business has struggled and not enough clients come through your door, you began to feel shame and not worthy. ( at least I did!)

A natural reaction to shame is to wanting to hide and not be seen. If you do that your business won’t grow and you will stay small and constricted. ( I could get an award for shame!)

In order to develop worthiness, it is necessary to be vulnerable, and know that being vulnerable is real and authentic! It takes courage to do that, but from that place, you will be able to stay tapped into to your original purpose of wanting to connect and help people. If you are busy hiding, that’s where your energy will be- hidden.

Once you are ok with being vulnerable it is way easier to be seen. And you know what? People trust people way more when they are real, authentic and vulnerable.

A very important part of marketing is “telling your own story.” If you stay hidden  no one can connect with you and you separate yourself from your clients. Your own story of struggle, pain and overcoming obstacles will allow people to see you.

Special- for women entrepreneurs- connect with other women, overcome your own tendency to want to  hide and learn how to tell your story and lead your business from that strong place.

I love my friend Michael Beck’s quote “People are attracted to you by who you are, rather than what you do…”

So, be real, authentic, vulnerable and make your business decisions from that place!

Here is a simpler way to understand what it means.  In a way, your USP is your businesses footprint. It is what and how you offer whatever it is you offer, in a way that your niche market’s antennae  perk up and  they pick you, because you are offering exactly and precisely what they need.

Your footprint is unique to you. When you walk on the wet sand on the beach, no one else’s  footprint will look exactly the same as yours. Your niche market will be attracted to your footprint because it is emanating this uniqueness and it speaks directly to their need.

If you want to stand out and be recognized by your potential  clients make sure you make your footprint sharp and clear!  Your message needs to be about your niche clients and what they need. Your specialty  is in helping them and how you do that is your unique way.

The best way to figure this out is to ask some of your happy niche clients, how you were unique in helping them. Listen to their words and you will have an aha moment.

Follow this template below and fill in the blanks for your business then feel free to share it below in the comments. Here is mine as an example:

1. Who is your niche: Solo serviced based business owners.

2. What is their emotionally compelling problem:
Overwhelmed and struggling to turn their service into a prosperous business.

3. What is your USP ( footprint) :
Clear Your Focus Grow Your Business

These three things above make up your core marketing message.

Can you relate, and what do you do to shift your energy?

Especially if you are a solo-business owner, it can feel like its all up to you to keep things going and stay on track. Some days you wake up and just don’t feel like it!  You wish  you could win the lottery and quit, or just take a long paid vacation.

Even if you love your business and it’s fun, there are still days you feel like this and yet you need to stay focused and on track.  Here are some things that might help.

1. Find your community and share. Isolation just makes it worse. Being part of a group you can connect with, can give you energy immediately.

2. Listen to how it is for other people when they feel this way. Again- this will help you feel less alone and more normal!

3. Create your goals for the week and tell someone.  Once you begin, your energy and focus will start to flow again. Accountability also helps  you to stay on track.

What do you do to motivate and inspire yourself when your energy is lagging?

Are you ready to find a community that works for you?  Does this question speak to you? Wouldn’t it be great to find a place you can respond to this question and connect with others as well?

Go to the Awake Business Teahouse Inner Circle. This question was just posted this morning. You can respond and be part of the discussion immediately!

There are only be committed entrepreneurs present. Only $1 to join so don’t let that stop you. If you are reading this, you are exactly the kind of person we are looking for.

Find out more about the Awake Business TeaHouse and how it can support  your business success.

Considering that we all live in a world that is overflowing with violence and fear, this is one sweet, peaceful opportunity to put forth positive energy. What can be more positive and peaceful than “love?”

Here are five loving things you can do today in honor of this heartfelt holiday.

1. Send a huge valentine and acknowledgment to each person on your team. They support you and are there for you when you need them. Show your gratitude in some way. Even an e-card will suffice.

2. Buy a card or flowers for someone special in  your life. This small act has two positive features. You will be doing something really nice for someone you care about, whether it’s your partner, your mom or your best friend. Secondly, buying something locally helps the local economy and supports another business.

3. Put some flowers in your office on your desk right where you can see them.  A feng shui person told me that the best place to put them is  at the far left corner of your desk, which is the wealth area. Your business will like this:)

4. Do something really nice for yourself today. Running your own business is a lot of work and sometimes feels overwhelming. Give yourself a pat on the back and reward yourself for all the hard work and focus.

5. Commit to work-life balance in your business. Plan a time away for at least a couple days. Go to the beach, the mountains or somewhere to re-fresh. Put it on your calendar and make the decision today.

Of course, putting for all this love and appreciation will come back one hundred fold. Just imagine your business smiling 

It is also possible to put forth a strong vision for your year by creating a collage. I do this every year and hang it on the wall of my office. Every so often a glance at it and am overwhelmed by the focus I have put forth.

In December at looked at my 2009  collage and was flabbergasted that I had actually manifested so much of my vision. Some of it materialized in ways I could never have predicted.

I met with a lovely group of  woman the first week of January and created my 2010 collage.  I had no idea really, what would emerge, but again it is perfect.  I have hung it on the wall of my office again and now will watch it take shape.

Instructions on creating your new vision board!

Let me know how it goes!

I’ve been working on my new book for the past two years. It’s done now, however writing it was the easy part. Finding the right title and book cover was the hard part. I struggled with the title for months and months. I had three book title parties, did flip charts,  thought about it in my sleep and finally I just picked a title because I needed to move on.  I had a cover made by a wonderful graphic artist, Dave Sparks. I put it up on my website and then,  it didn’t feel right.  I knew it deep down, but didn’t want to admit it because it was done!!

Then Bonnie from Silver Vixens,  offered feedback and I listened. Her feedback rang true and it all fell into place. My title was there all the time and I just didn’t see it.  I was afraid to tell Dave that the cover was wrong because he worked so hard on it. Good cover but not for my book!

Dave was great and helped me create a new cover. Here it is. I love it and love the title and the book hasn’t changed. It is still really good! It will be out in February but you can buy it now and save some money.

Clear Your Focus, Grow Your Business
7 Simple steps to empower your business and bring YOU money and freedom

I learned that it is ok to make a mistake and fix it. People understand, and it’s all part of the process of being a small business owner. I teach people about this, but that’s way easier than doing it myself! Please leave comments. I’d love to hear if this has ever happened to you.

Last week I  talked with to two different solo business owners who said they had lost the passion for their business.

In both cases they had worked hard for many years, put in blood sweat and tears and in the end,  the poor  financial return had affected their motivation to keep going. It reminded me of the job putting a big garden, doing the hard physical work and then seeing the crop yield poor. Very discouraging!

What was similar about both of these women is that they had a home based business,  not enough support and  felt a sense of isolation.

Passion and life force is something that needs to be “tended,”  It needs good soil , sunshine and love. Here are a five essential supports to help grow your business garden.

1. Mentor
A mentor is someone who listens and supports you, is positive, encouraging and can help you sort out issues and make decisions. Successful business owners have many mentors throughout their business life.

2. Mastermind group
This is a small group of five-six business owners who meet regularly and support each other, share their goals, learn from each other and build on each person’s strengths.

3. Community
All business owners need community in their local area. This often comes in the form of networking groups that meet regularly. as that offers the ability to build strong relationships. Online is good but nothing is a substitute for face-to-face meeting.

4. Inspiration
Everyone needs inspiration and this can come in the form of books, tapes, classes, webinars, videos and anything that brings you inspiration.

5. Spirit
This will take a different form for each person but it includes meditation, yoga, church, chanting. It can also include  anything that lifts your spirit and makes you feel connected to a greater purpose.

These five supports are good for everyone, but especially important for people who are running their own business. They will help you to keep your passion intact and your business life force strong.

As a business owner, your mental and/or emotional state can have a huge effect on your productivity, your relationships and your business as a whole.

It could be that you wake up one Monday morning and just feel depressed. You don’t want to get out of bed, you don’t want to be creative, deal with employees or face the tasks that need to be done.

Owning a business is similar to being married. When things are sunny and happy, you love each other and it feels great,  you are energized and passionate. But sometimes things feel blah and the passion has gone out the window. Everything your partner does irritates you and you just want to be left alone. The choice you make at this moment is pivotal.

You can choose to stay in the dark place and be grumpy or you can choose to do whatever it takes to change your state of mind. The first step is to be aware of the fact that you have this choice.  You are not at the mercy of your emotions. You can choose what you want and how you want to be.

Here are a few tips that can help any business owner to move into a more empowered place and choose how to begin your day and how to relate to your business.

1. Remember your business vision. If you have done a vision board, take a few moments to look at it. It will remind you who you really are and what you are creating.  My own vision board has words like, “clear vision, lose yourself in the magic, be lifted to your higher self and we hear you”. When I read those words it reminds me of how I felt when I wrote them.

2. Energize your physical space. Clean your office, get fresh flowers, move furniture, light a candle, play uplifting music or anything that will help to change the energy on the physical level. Just the act of doing this will affect your state of mind and will help you to move out of a doldrum.

3. Contact your mentor or a close friend and share. Just talking to someone who is a good listener can make a huge difference. Depression lives inside and when you begin to talk,  it moves the energy outward and brings you back in touch with your life force.

4. Make a list of what you want to accomplish this week. Write it on a white board so you can easily erase things as you complete them. Creating your list is good because it is concrete and will get you thinking about what you need to do.  Right action is energizing and can get you moving.

5. Acknowledge all you are grateful for in your life and business. Give appreciation to people who have supported you and cared about you. Give thanks to everything good that has come your way.

Now breath, smile and move forward in your day and week with a positive state of mind.