http://archive.aweber.com/mt_teleclass_09Marketing Tips teleclass series 2009 bulletinsFri, 17 Sep 2010 10:22:16 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/mt_teleclass_09/1gCie/t/_4_Are_you_a_perfectionist_.htmHi , Remember I told you I haven't gotten this perfect yet? I spent all day Wednesday with my Canadian buddy Ed to mastermind and brainstorm about each others' businesses. I love to do this with him, because we bounce off of each other well and always come away enthused and inspired about our work, and with some darn good ideas. Wednesday was no exception. So one of the things we threw around for me was the name of my "smarts." He wasn't kicked in the pants with how I was calling the messages I've been sending you "Business Smarts," even though that's what they are. My intent, I told him, was to help small business owners be smarter about their businesses -- to be a source for business smarts that you don't get anywhere else. "But the phrase 'business smarts' sounds too boring," said Ed. After what seemed like forever going around in lots of different directions, we stumbled on "PowerSmarts." Okay, we didn't stumble on it -- Ed came up with it. (Hey, Ed, did you think I was going to take credit for that myself? Ha!) I love the sound of PowerSmarts -- don't you? And speaking of not getting things perfect yet . . . Business Conundrum #4 Q. "I keep hearing about how I should be taking 'imperfect action,' but I'm a perfectionist, and I just can't do that. I take pride in my work, my name is on the door, and I want things to be perfect for my clients. Is there a way to reconcile my need for perfection with my business so that I can be profitable, too? I don't want to drive myself crazy!" PowerSmarts #4 A. One of the reasons you may already be driving yourself crazy is that you insist on getting everything perfect before you act. This is a perfectly understandable state for a business owner, we've all been there -- but it's not always a profitable one. The very nature of business is to make a profit. If you are not doing what you're doing to make a profit, you may as well just have a hobby, or do volunteer work -- right? In fact, I recommend that you DO have a hobby or volunteer work where you can satisfy your desire for perfection so you don't have to expect it from your business. The truth is, you're going to evolve naturally as you go along and as your business matures.  And you aren't going to be able to predict everything that happens in your business from the get go -- it's seldom a straight path. So it's more important to just get started, to not wait until things are perfect. Just get close and put the website up anyway. Don't worry that your sales copy is perfectly on the mark -- it's probably close enough. Now, I never thought I'd be saying these things, because I used to be one of those people who wouldn't let anything go until it was perfect -- and I let a lot of opportunities pass me by that way, too. (To find out how I stopped being a perfectionist in my marketing firm, read this article on my blog.) http://bit.ly/aSJnJK In order to keep focus in your business, you need to take action and not worry that it's the perfect action. Stopping to be perfect leads to second guessing and indecision, which all ruin focus, and breed doubt and inactivity. Don't get caught here! You can adjust as you go -- but you can't course correct until you're under way. (Read that line again -- you can't correct your course until you're under way. So just like a jetliner flying from Detroit to San Diego, nothing happens in your business until you get off the ground. And it's expected that you'll fly off course a bit because of the turbulence you'll encounter. But it's not a problem! Why? Because you can correct your course.) Things change so quickly in business today, much more quickly than ever before, that you really can't afford to not keep moving.  Your business is changing, too, and the way you're doing business is changing. So if you're waiting for something to be perfect, your own business is not going to be the same in six months when you've got whatever you're perfecting perfect -- and you'll have to start again! So get moving. Instead of focusing on making things perfect for your clients, focus on making things happen for your clients, on getting results for your clients. And if you run into turbulence, adjust your course. Always be real, Marcia P.S. Here's that link again to find out how I stopped being a perfectionist in my marketing firm: http://bit.ly/aSJnJKFri, 17 Sep 2010 10:22:16 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/mt_teleclass_09/1nnfK/t/_3_Ever_feel_like_a_fraud_.htmHi , This is a "hush hush" topic that isn't talked about a lot, but almost every business owner feels it at one point or another. You know, that panicky feeling of not being good enough at what you do, that maybe you shouldn't even be running a business. But you can't admit it to anyone -- if the word got out, no one would ever hire you again! It's the Fraud Factor, and it sounds like this: Business Conundrum #3 Q. "Sometimes I feel like a fraud in my business. How can I get over the feeling that I'm not good enough to be running a business, and that 'someone' might find out I don't know what I'm doing?" Business Smarts Insight #3 A. It's incredible that, just like being a parent, you don't have to get a license or be 'certified' to be a business owner -- it's amazing what you can do without a license, isn't it? And just like parents, we business owners often think knowing how to run a business will just come to us naturally, and that we don't need direction, so we don't get help. We read books on the sly, we look at a few websites, maybe go to a workshop or two and -- ta dah! We open a business. Sure, we know our craft, or our skillset, but we don't know squat about the business end of things, or marketing, or how to get clients. We don't really know what we're doing -- but we don't tell anyone. We talk big at networking meetings, we tell people our business is working fine. I did this for years. Then inside me was this little voice that said, "I hope no one finds out I don't know what I'm doing." This held me back for a long time -- because I was too hard headed to stop and look at my business and see how I could improve it. I held on tight, like I see so many entrepreneurs do, believing it was my right because my name was on the door. That I SHOULD KNOW. And it was my right to strangle my business, I guess -- all by myself. It's actually amazing that we do this to ourselves. I mean, here we are -- entrepre- neurs, for crying out loud. We've done difficult things -- we've put it all out there by starting businesses! People think we have all the confidence in the world. But we don't. Many of us are second-guessing ourselves all the time. Maybe this happened because you left a big business or corporate situation, where you had a big machine behind you and, sure, it was easy to be confident with that kind of name and back-up. But now, on your own, it's just little old you -- what if they find out you don't know everything? (Which is ridiculous, of course, who does know everything?) Believe me, no one expects that -- your clients are far too busy to be worrying about what you do or don't know, and they're not hiring you for everything, anyway. Are you good at what you do, at what your clients hire you for? Can you back it up? Do you have resources to fill in the gaps for the parts you don't know how to do or can't personally handle? Good. That's all you need. Or maybe you have it in your mind that you have to measure up to some kind of ideal or pass some kind of invisible test before you can graduate to being "an expert" or be thought worthy to teach, train, or give advice. Who's going to finally give you permission to be that expert, to move your company up a notch, to be great? It's certainly not going to come from your competitors, and your prospects and clients are waiting to hear it from you. If you know how to do something that other people don't, and it's something valuable that can help them and they're willing to pay for it, then you're an expert already. Claim it and move on. Add some cool whiz- bang products or services and move your company up that notch. Just be sure to keep sharpening your skill -- keep learning about business and giving your clients the benefit of your increased knowledge. And ask for help when you need it. As the comic strip "Pogo" once put it, "I have seen the enemy, and he is us." We limit ourselves. Stop it. You're good enough already. Always be real. Marcia P.S. For more about believing in yourself, read this article on my Breakthrough Business blog: http://bit.ly/croMFs P.P.S. I'm almost ready to show you my new Business Smarts site! And please be sure to forward this Business Smarts to someone you think could benefit from it. Mon, 13 Sep 2010 10:18:36 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/mt_teleclass_09/1Ccp4/t/_2_A_woo_woo_method_for.htmHi , I'm taking a chance here by contacting you three days in a row. I know many people will unsubscribe because of this, and that's okay. I also know that there are those of you who really want and need this information. It's for you that I'm writing. Yesterday I talked about how decision making becomes easier when values are defined -- here's a second "woo woo" method for making decisions, before you get too far off that tack. (If you missed yesterday's Business Smarts, check it out here:) http://aweber.com/b/1UKrK Here's the 2nd "woo woo" method: Business Smarts Insight #2 Decision Making This is a decision making process I've used for years, and also with my kids, to help them make some tough decisions. In the past few years, I've heard other people talk about similar methods. It's kind of like slowing down and listening to your own gut reaction. After you've done the logic thing by comparing pros and cons and have measured your decision against your values and still haven't come to a conclusion, this method works well. It works best if you've got to decide between two things. Go someplace and get quiet and picture yourself in each of those places, one at a time. Let's say for example you've got to make a decision on whether to make a financial investment for your company. There's something your business needs, and it's an investment, but it's a stretch for you - and you might be able to get along without it. You've done all the logical thinking you can and can't come up with the answer. Instead of just avoiding making a decision until it's just too late and the decision gets made by itself, get yourself quiet, close your eyes and picture yourself in each of those environments -- with and without the thing the investment will buy -- today, and maybe two years down the road. And put in all of the detail you can. Really breathe into it, one situation at a time, and while you're imagining yourself in that environment, ask yourself these questions: Does that make you feel excited and expansive? Do you feel "bigger" while you're in that environment, or does it close you off, make you contract, and feel "less than"? Listen carefully. You will get a definite body signal, your "body truth," for each situation. You can then compare those two body truths. It may be surprising to you, and you'll definitely get an answer that fits you, because internally, you really know the answer -- but your brain can't get to it without you slowing down to listen. You can do this for any choice you have to make -- for making a decision about a partner, a business direction, an investment, etc. I have found it to be really, really helpful -- because who knows what's best for me, better than me? Always be real, Marcia http://www.mybreakthroughbusiness.com P.S. Look for my new in-progress site, designed specifically around Business Smarts, coming soon! P.P.S. Please pass this Business Smarts Insight on to others you think may benefit from it. Thu, 09 Sep 2010 10:04:41 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/mt_teleclass_09/1UKrK/t/_1_Is_there_a_right_way_to.htmHi , Yesterday I told you to look for some new things from me as I rework my business. One of the things I decided I want to do right away is share some real, no nonsense Business Smarts with you, beginning today. Let's get started: Business Conundrum #1 Q. "I agonize over every decision I make for my company, afraid I'll do the wrong thing. Is there a right way to make decisions for my company? Are there any quick guidelines or rules of thumb I can use to make sure my decisions are always the best ones for me?" Business Smarts Insight #1 A. Do you know what your company values are? Decision making becomes easier when your values are defined. As entrepreneurs, we are always looking for opportunities, and sometimes opportunities come knocking that we're not sure about. Looking at your values and really considering them will give you great insight and guidelines to be able to say, "Yes, this is a great opportunity for my business," or "I'll pass on this. It's not for me." This may surprise those around you, who may say, "What!? Dude...this could be huge...what is your problem?" Your answer: "It does not line up with our core values -- it's not what we're passionate about." It's not the direction you're going. It doesn't fit you -- and you only have to look to your values to know whether it does or not. The bottom line is being real. If you live your values, and align them with your business, and use them to help you make decisions, and to act, you'll have a stable base, you'll be cohesive. You'll find yourself to be much less stressed and overwhelmed in the long run, because you have a structure to hang your business on, and it fits you. You can tweak it and refine it as you grow, and as your business grows -- and it will deepen over time. You'll find yourself letting go of the "shoulds" and doing what feels real and right for the heart and soul of your company. Always be real, Marcia http://www.mybreakthroughbusiness.com P.S. Please pass this Business Smarts Insight on to others you think may benefit from it. Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:12:02 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/mt_teleclass_09/qevK/t/I_ve_been_thinking.htmHey ! I don't know if you've noticed that I haven't been around, but I've been unplugged for awhile -- on purpose. I really needed some time to stop and take a look at my business. It just wasn't making total sense to me the way it was. I was doing a lot of things I loved, but it didn't feel as pulled together -- as real -- as it could be. So I knew it was time for me to do what I recommend my clients do: I stopped, took a good hard look at what I was doing and if I was moving in the right direction for my business and my clients. I decided to come at it organically and not rush it, force it, or make it happen -- which is a real challenge for me. The result of almost five months of stepping back, tearing apart, putting back together, thinking, not thinking, researching, percolating, expanding, simplifying, and being totally honest with myself -- is unfolding for my business now. And I can't wait any longer to get back out there and start communicating again -- even though it's still a work in progress. I'm definitely a believer in not waiting until everything's perfect to start things moving (and I wasn't always like this!) -- so you'll see my missteps and corrections along the way. Look for some new things from me - simple, basic new things. Things that will get your brain churning as they do mine, I hope. And I'd love to hear from you as I move forward with a business that will be more real - for you, from me. And this is what I keep reminding myself as I move along: Always be real. Marcia http://www.mybreakthroughbusiness.com Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:41:36 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/mt_teleclass_09/27AwW/t/this_will_help_you.htmHi , A few days ago I told you about my friend Lorrie Morgan- Ferrero's close-out sale on her copywriting workshop, and the free lesson she's giving away. Today's the last day to get in on it. bit.ly/aLteBQ To let you know what a powerful teacher Lorrie is, I thought you should hear what some of her students say about this course: "Hi Lorrie, What can I say but, "Where have you been all my life? Having started out as a college professor, I have been trying for years to transform my boring academic writing into captivating prose. And it was a slow process until you came along! After taking your copy writing class all my writing has improved. I have a more engaging style, a clearer call to action, and most importantly better results! Total strangers are now signing up for my newsletters, eclasses, etc. And I also found I have a knack for writing titles. In my last marketing teleclass my classmates were literally clamoring for my help with their titles. Besides being so helpful to me--you are just, simply the best copy writer I've ever encountered (and I have read some of the best). Reading your stuff is like landing in colorful Oz after having lived in black and white Kansas. Thank you so much! " Dr. Lauren Outland, empowermentdoctor.biz Try Lorrie's sample lesson here: bit.ly/aLteBQ "As an entrepreneur I couldn't care less about copywriting. But I do want to know how to increase my sales. I had achieved a high level of traffic visiting my website, but I wasn't making the sales I needed to survive. It became clear to me that I wasn't meeting the needs of those potential customers. What I said on the site and how I said it wasn't capturing their attention. What's refreshing about Lorrie's material is that the content is extensive, thorough, and extremely adaptable. It's easy to modify her examples to fit your own copy. Her step by step process made it easy for me to learn the methods and apply them to my own site. When I applied her methods to the sites I use for my Google campaigns, my conversion rates increased immediately. Next, I began to see product inquiries reach all time records. And when I wrote my sales letters, suddenly I went from making the occasional sale to gaining new customers every day of the week." James P. McMahon, Ecologist, cleanairpurewater.com bit.ly/aLteBQ "Lorrie teaches you a SYSTEM for writing copy - nobody else I have ever studied under gave me a system I could follow and be successful with every time I write sales copy. Lorrie's teaching style is very interactive, while being very instructional." Diane Conklin, completemarketingsystems.com Check it out, and take the free copywriting lesson on this page: bit.ly/aLteBQ My goal is only to pass on things that will really help you. This is one of them. MarciaThu, 19 Aug 2010 09:50:44 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/mt_teleclass_09/22epi/t/Free_copywriting_lesson_but.htmHi , You haven't heard from me in awhile because I took the summer off to regroup. I'm just about to dig back in and tell you what I've been working on -- new and easy ways to make yourself smarter about your business, so it can really support you. But right now I want to let you know about a great course being offered for half price by a friend of mine. You probably know of Lorrie Morgan Ferrero of Red Hot Copy. She's CLOSING OUT one of her most robust copywriting systems, the *Speed Copywriting Home Study Course* at 50% off its regular price. You can take a free lesson from the course here: http://bit.ly/aLteBQ I know and have worked with Lorrie personally. She's one of the most real people I know, and she teaches substantial copy writing. That's how she became the highest paid female copywriter on the internet. Okay, you'll hear more from me in a few weeks, after I get back from my vacation at the lake. In the meantime, look into Lorrie's course -- at least take the no-cost lesson: http://bit.ly/aLteBQ Hope you're having a great summer! MarciaTue, 17 Aug 2010 09:50:34 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/mt_teleclass_09/1OnCY/t/_Marketing_Tips_Call.htmHi , I'm trying to decide whether to duck out for a quick dog walk this morning or just dig in to the stack in front of me, but in the meantime. . . HERE ARE THE CALL-IN DETAILS for our teleclass tomorrow: ****************************** Wednesday, November 4, 2009 at 1:30 pm EST (PLEASE NOTE: we're starting 30 minutes earlier this month) "Are YOU the Block That's Keeping Your Marketing From Working?" with Sue Painter, The Confident Marketer from Knoxville, Tennessee To access the call-in details, go here: http://instantTeleseminar.com/?eventid=9784875 ****************************** Listen in on our call on Wednesday to learn: - How to find out if your financial goals match your business model - The biggest stumbling blocks solo entrepreneurs run into in their marketing - What you really need to know in order to gain rock-solid confidence in your marketing To access the call-in details, go here: http://instantTeleseminar.com/?eventid=9784875 Hope to "see" you tomorrow! And don't forget, we're starting 30 minutes earlier this month, at 1:30 EST. Guess I'll skip the walk and have a cup of tea. The dogs are snoozin'. Keep smiling, Marcia P.S. Invite friends and colleagues to register at http://www.hoeck.net/teleclass.htmTue, 03 Nov 2009 09:04:29 -0500