I gave a presentation this week to 25 entrepreneurs and began by asking them this question, “How many of you know what your core marketing message is?”   I was a bit shocked to see not one hand go up. Two people raised their hands half-way, which meant they sort of knew but not confidently.

I assumed that most people would know, as many had been in business for years!

People giggled because they’d been caught with their pants down (so to speak).  In fact, Most of them were quite busy doing marketing activities, and likely not getting the results that equaled the time they were spending. Does that sound familiar?

Once you know your core marketing message, not only will your marketing activities become more productive  but you may also discover new strategies that will be even more effective than what you are doing now.

What is a core marketing message? It is a clearly focused statement that specifically states what your business is about.  It is not a mission statement. As a mission statement is usually much more general.

This is very specific and it is the message you use over and over to communicate to your potential customers.  Most new business owners are afraid to do this because they are worried that “other” people won’t hire them if they get too specific. Anyone who understands how marketing works, will know that  it is actually the opposite. A strong message clearly answers these following questions.

1. Who are you selling to? It needs to be very specific and narrowed down.
example: An athlete with a painful injury.

2. What is their  emotionally compelling problem?
example:  Chronic pain, feeling hopeless and frustrated.

3. What is their need?
example: To feel better, pain-free, to be able to move again.

4.What is your expertise?
example: Providing body work to help injured athletes heal and reduce pain.

5. What are the benefits your customers will receive?
example” Pain relief, support, movement, hope

If you can accurately answer these questions you are on the road to defining your core marketing message. If you have trouble defining this, get help!

After starting numerous small businesses over the years I have discovered that it is easy to start a business. It is much harder to sustain it over the long haul.

Wow- I began all my businesses based on my passion and purpose and I had no idea what it took to run them.

Like most of you, I wanted to succeed but I didn’t know “how” to do it at first.

Many small businesses begin from their product or service. This is particularly true for people who offer a service that requires skill and expertise such as web developers, writers, coaches, health and wellness businesses, organizers and virtually anyone who offers some kind of support services for people. People study, get certified and then decide to begin a business.

I struggled early on so  I  dug in and learned the tricks and tools for making my passion into a real business. Here are 5 essential tips to help you move toward sustainability in your business.

Here are 5 essential tips to help any small micro-business owner overcome the obstacles to sustainability.

1. Your product and service is only a very small part of your business. It is important to focus on the other parts as well which include organizational systems, money management and leadership.

2. Know your core marketing message. Too many solo-business owners try to market to “everyone,” instead of focusing in on a niche.

3. It is important to make a business plan that allows you to see the steps to growing your business over the next 10 years. Most solo-business owners begin under financial stress and focus entirely on immediate cash flow instead of planning for steady growth.

4. Find a mentor to help you overcome any self-doubt that will hold you back. Most solo-business owners are too cautious and make decisions from fear rather than empowerment. Regardless of your age or what you are selling, developing a positive attitude and focus is essential.

5. Be willing to do whatever it takes, even if this means doing some things you don’t enjoy. Every business has elements that are not as fun, but in the long run will be gratifying.

Enjoy the freedom that comes from knowing you have overcome all odds and made your small business a big success.

What is the one big thing you want to accomplish by the end of next week?

I like to begin each week with this question because I know the week will get busy with all kinds of demands, but if I am able to focus on one main goal I will feel successful when Friday rolls around.

Especially for solo business owners this  focus is essential. The reason most people struggle is the lack of focus. It’s easy to feel pulled in a million directions, have too much information swimming around in your in your head and lose track of your purpose.

Lack of focus can cause small business owners to lose momentum.
Having a clear focus can increase productivity in these five ways.

1. It will decrease the chances of mistakes. Having a clearer mental focus will help you to slow down and do each job well.

2.  Focusing will help you to overcome obstacles that might seem impossible to deal with. There is always a solution if you have the ability to clearly focus.  This will allow the solution to appear.

3. It will keep you on track with your overall plan instead of feeling like a leaf in the wind. It can be fun to be a leaf sometimes, but in order to accomplish a goal, focus is essential.

4. Focusing allows you to move from the superficial to going deeper into a project. This deeper process is not only more stimulating, but will give you much more quality results.

5. You will have that sweet sense of accomplishment of putting out an intention and then actually meeting that goal.

At the beginning of each week, put forth one clear focus intention that you want to accomplish by Friday. Allow the magic to happen.

I encourage my clients to publish articles online in order to build their expertise and brand.

This is true for many kinds of businesses but very advantageous for service based business owners, like web developers, coaches, health practitioners, etc.

Regardless of what industry you are in, there is something you can write about that would be helpful to your potential clients.  Writing articles and getting them onto online article banks will:

•  Get you more exposure.
•  Establish your expertise in your area of focus.
•  Help you build a relationship with your community.

One of my clients who is a naturopath specializes in children. She wrote an article called “5 Ways to Get Your Children to Eat Healthy Food,” and the traffic to her website increased dramatically, as she  offered free kid friendly, healthy recipes on her website.

Some business owners are thrown into major anxiety when I encourage them to write articles. They are unsure about writing and feel blocked, so I am offering an easy formula that takes the fear and anxiety out for the process. If you follow these  5 easy steps you can write a good article in less than 30 minutes and it will be meaningful and offer value to your potential clients.

1. Make a list of questions your clients or customers are asking you?
Questions that have emotion are the best ones. If you have followed my 7-step marketing circle you should know exactly what your clients want to know.  Pick one question that you feel you could respond to if you were talking one-on-one to someone.

2. Write a short paragraph or two about this question and why it is so important to them. How will this make a difference to the reader and what benefits will they receive?

3. Come up with 5 simple keys, tips or steps you can offer. You will be delving into your own expertise here and giving valuable help or advice. It won’t be a struggle if it is something you really know about.

4. Write a couple sentences about each of these 5 points and use bullet points or numbers as that makes them easy to read. Elaborate on each one and flesh it out.

5. Write a short paragraph at the end, summarizing the benefits again and what will happen if someone follows these 5 points.

You are done. All that is left is to create a compelling headline using the number 5 or 3 or whatever number you have chosen.  For some reason odd numbers seem to be better,  The number is good because people like articles that offer clear information. The number makes people curious. Online, people have a short attention span so 500 words is a good maximum length. Notice how easy this was to do. Every time you write it gets easier and faster.

Today is Valentines Day and I know a lot of people feel this is just another commercial holiday and not very meaningful, however I beg to differ.

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