Marketing Effectively: Create systems for leverage

Marketing Effectively: Create systems for leverage
There are two things that I commonly hear from my marketing
clients. The first is that they don't have enough clients -
they are struggling to keep their sales pipeline full.
Often they are so busy one month that they don't take the
time to market themselves and as a result, their business
declines drastically.

The second problem is one of capacity. In this situation,
my client has a steady stream of business but feels
overwhelmed, exhausted, and stressed. If you fall into
either one of these scenarios, rest assured that you are
not alone. There are many entrepreneurs who are in the same
boat. The good news is that there are solutions you can
incorporate into your business to solve either of these
problems. The answer to this problem involves creating
systems - these systems leverage your time and your
knowledge. By doing this, you can attract an ongoing flow
of clients into your pipeline and serve more of them with
less effort.

Here are tips to help you systemize your business:

1) Delegate, delegate, delegate: Are you still doing your
own books, running your own errands, or organizing your own
files? If so, ask yourself, "Is this activity my highest
pay-off business activity?" Or is there something else you
could be doing with your time to bring revenue into your
company? Be ruthless with your time and delegate the busy
work to an assistant. You can also outsource to graphic
designers, copywriters, bookkeepers, and website
programmers to save you money, time, and energy.

2) Document your processes: Take the time to write down the
specific way your company does things. You should have a
specific method for closing sales, storing your files,
developing proposals, pricing your services, and
communicating with your clients. By creating "How-to
Guides" for all of these activities, you begin to
standardize these processes. This makes it easy for an
assistant or other person to step in and take over these
tasks. It also makes it easier for you to repeat and refine
these actions so that they improve over time. When systems
work, they will lead to the same positive results over and
over.

3) Cluster your activities: It takes a lot of energy to
switch gears. And when you switch gears constantly, you
lose time and money. Therefore, the best solution is to be
ruthless with your time. Group like activities together and
then create a schedule on your calendar and stick to it.
For instance, if you know that a high payoff activity for
you is to make phone calls to your clients, then set aside
blocks of time to do this each day or each week. During
this time, do NOT answer e-mails or begin other project
work. Commit to these activities and follow through without
fail.

4) Put it on autopilot: Look at your business to see if
there are any activities that you can automate. For
instance, when people sign up for your ezine, you can set
up an autoresponder to thank them. Another example is
placing a page on your website that answers all of the
questions your prospects typically ask. You can direct
people to this page instead of spending time on the phone
answering the same questions.

By creating systems for your company, you'll have more time
to do the things you enjoy and the ones that bring in
revenue. Instead of spending your day scrambling to get
your daily tasks completed, you'll be able to focus on the
high payoff activities that will make your company more
successful. You'll also be able to reap the rewards of
having more time to market your company leading to a steady
stream of clients. Begin the systemization process today
and you'll enjoy the rewards for years to come.

Maven Action Tip: Start by making a list of your daily
activities. Just keep a piece of paper next to your desk
for a week and make a note of every task that you do and
how long you are spending on it. Once you've done this for
a week, notice how much time you are spending on technical
(busywork) aspects of your business and how much on
business-building activities. Then add to this list
everything that is not getting accomplished because you
don't have enough time. Once you have this list completed,
begin to develop strategies to delegate, document, cluster,
and automate.

----------------------------------------------------
Wendy Maynard, the Marketing Maven, publishes the Maven
Marketing Ezine, featuring marketing strategies for
business owners, marketing professionals, and
entrepreneurs. If you're ready to learn the best techniques
to market your company, sign up now at
http://www.gomarketingmaven.com/ezine_3.html

Repeat after me: "I have only one business."

Repeat after me: "I have only one business."
Imagine you're ten years old, and there are huge stacks of
cardboard boxes towering over you. It's a maze. It's a
fortress. And you're allowed to climb all over them.

Inside every single one of those boxes is a dozen bottles.
Fine wines, liquor, you name it. It may sound like a
caterer's dream, but I was just hanging out in the
warehouse of my grandfather's wine store. My parents worked
with him, and so I kinda grew up there.

1000's of bottles. One business.

The store ran ads every week, because every week there was
a different special, a different deal. A new wine, a new
vintage, a new label. Customers came in, and often the
parking lot was jammed, with a line from the cash register
snaking towards the back door.

Can you imagine if every time a new bottle came in, my
grandfather had to open a new store to sell it? Create a
new and separate ad? That's crazy thinking, isn't it?

One business can handle a whole lotta bottles.
============================

You can breathe a sigh of relief. While you may be the
world's most amazing neurofeedback practitioner, just
because you also want to provide nutritional education and
support doesn't mean you have to start a second business.

If you're consulting around marketing and brand
development, you don't have to kill yourself trying to
start a new consulting practice to offer organizational
development and leadership training.

You're just adding more bottles to the shelf. Seems kinda
obvious when you think about it. But, what if you need
another website? Or another stream of income? When does it
become separate business?

A business is defined by the people it serves.
===========================

A business exists to help people solve a problem. Not just
any person, or just any problem. The same business that
fixes holes in your teeth isn't going to be the same
business that fixes potholes in the road.

If your message is talking to the same kind of people,
about the same kind of problem, then no matter how
radically different the offers are, you can keep it all
under one roof.

Meditation CD. Spiritual healing session. Hot rock
massages. Pilates classes. Nutrition consultation. Health
strategy session. Spans quite a bit of territory, but
because it addresses people healing from traumatic
injuries, all of these offers connect. One business.

One business. Two businesses. Why does it matter?
===============================

Well, aside from the overwhelm that can rise up when
thinking about running more than one business at a time, it
all boils down to one word: Momentum.

A customer that buys a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau one
week, may buy a case of Burgundy the next. And then the
next week, on your recommendation, they may end up trying
some white wine, and finding out they like that, too.

All people, including your clients, are complex human
beings, with a large variety of needs and wants and
challenges. By the same token, problems are rarely solved
with only one solution or approach. A good dinner may need
both a rich red wine for the steak, and then a sweet
dessert wine for afterwards. An injury may need massage,
exercise, nutrition, and spiritual connection to heal.

But if you're already known as a specialist in
neurofeedback, say, how could you ever expand your business
without losing clients? Good question. Let's take a look.

Keys to Adding Bottles for Momentum =======================

* Single Answers Can Be Suspect

After touring through the world of healing, where there has
to be at least one gazillion different ways of doing it,
I've come to the conclusion: there is no one single 'best'
way. If you are dedicating yourself to just a single
modality, it's hard to do that without having a least a
little bit of unconscious modality chauvinism creep in.

Offering a sensible variety of approaches that work
together and support one another can actually increase the
trust your clients have in you. They'll know that you're
growing and learning, too. And that you are more concerned
about helping them, than in just doing "your thang."

* Variety is the Spice of Life

Even people who have the most "dog with a bone" tendencies
still like change and variety. By providing variety and
change that is sincerely helpful, and yet still has focus,
it means that they will be able to change focus, without
leaving your business.

They'll stick around and drink more deeply at your
fountain, just because you've got different flavors. And
this means that not only are they getting more and better
help from you, but for you, that's one less client you have
to replace.

* Quality leads to Quantity

Because you've got multiple solutions all supporting the
same issue behind Door #1, people are getting even better
results. Which means they come back, as we've already said.
And bring their family. And tell their friends.

Even your best clients may feel like your services are
especially profound, or different, or, let's face it, weird
in some way. If you have a few different bottles available
for different tastes, chances are it will be easier for
them to think of something that a particular person would
like.

Go ahead, take that breath, and start stacking your shelves
with whatever bottles float your boat, and support your
focus. Your clients will thank you, and your business will
have that much more help going into momentum.

----------------------------------------------------
Mark Silver is the author of Unveiling the Heart of Your
Business: How Money, Marketing and Sales can Deepen Your
Heart, Heal the World, and Still Add to Your Bottom Line.
He has helped hundreds of small business owners around the
globe succeed in business without lousing their hearts. Get
three free chapters of the book online:
http://www.heartofbusiness.com

Top 10 Components of Successful Surveys

Top 10 Components of Successful Surveys
Are you an entrepreneur, small business owner or solo
professional who wants to know what your customers and
prospects are thinking? It's really simple to find out:
just ask them! The answers you are seeking can easily be
found by conducting a simple survey.

Here are 10 things you need to do to make your survey a
success:

1. To begin, get very clear on the issue you want to
address. What exactly is the purpose of your survey? What
do you want to learn? The clearer you are before you begin
the process, the more valuable the answers will be for you.

For example, are you trying to get the Zone views, access
their knowledge, or determine their needs?

Do you want to learn their attitudes or weaknesses?
Perhaps you're looking for feedback on a new product or
want to determine their level of satisfaction with your
services.

Maybe you want to launch a new product and want to make
certain there is a need for it.

Ask the right questions and you'll get all the information
you need.

2. Consider using an online survey creator such as Survey
Monkey. ( http://www.surveymonkey.com ) You can have up to
100 participants without paying a fee,and you can design
your survey any way you like, e.g., multiple choice, rating
scales, drop-down menus,etc.

3. Include "other (please specify)" in your
multiple-choice options to ensure you get all the
information possible. In spite of all the time and thought
that you put into creating your questions, there will
always be room for other answers than the possibilities
you considered. Make sure you allow people every
opportunity to tell you what they're thinking.

4. Limit the number of questions you ask to 10 or less.
Anything more than that and people become overwhelmed.
They don't mind helping you out, but they do want to do it
quickly.

5. Entice people to participate in the survey by offering
something of perceived value in return for their
participation. In my last survey, those who answered all
the questions were entitled to enter a draw for a Starbucks
gift card. Needless to say, I got an overwhelming response.

Your offering need not cost you anything. A special
report, a template you created, or an article on something
in your area of expertise might do just as well.

6. Create a sense of urgency by having a deadline.
Without a time frame, people will put off responding and
forget about your survey. Try something like this, "The
draw will take place on August 1st and the survey is only
open to the first 100 people who respond, so you'll want to
hurry on this."

7. Send a special mailing to your list as well as
including information about the survey in your newsletter.
You really want to get as many people participating as
possible so be sure to use a compelling subject line in you
e-mail notification that lets people know you want their
help and that you're not trying to sell them anything.

8. Make sure each question must be answered before
participants can go ahead to the next question. Survey
Monkey allows you to set your questionnaire in this manner
and I'm sure other survey creators do too.

9. Include at least one question that participants must
answer in their own words. Ask this question in a way that
will allow you to learn what is missing for them. For
example, "what is your single biggest challenge when it
come to gardening, public speaking, financial planning,
etc.?" The answers you get will give you lots of ideas
about product creation, marketing strategies, potential new
services and so much more.

10. Analyze the data. Pay close attention to the answers
you receive-particularly on the open-ended questions-so
that you understand the respondents' personal concerns and
what is missing for them. Don't be surprised if you
uncover valuable information you have not previously
considered.

Bottom Line: Whatever questions you want answered, the
knowledge you glean from a survey can move you and your
business light-years ahead.

Copyright 2007 Leni Chauvin

----------------------------------------------------
Leni Chauvin, The Client Attraction Coach, helps ordinary
people build extraordinary businesses. If you want to
attract more clients, make more money, and achieve more
success, you'll find TONS of f.r.e.e resources to help you
at http://www.AttractClientsGalore.com

In Client Attraction, Focus on Service, Not Accumulation

In Client Attraction, Focus on Service, Not Accumulation
"I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do
know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are
those who have sought and found how to serve." -Albert
Schweitzer

I've mentored a few already-successful solopreneurs
recently who walk the line between 'high-achiever' and
'overachiever' and let me tell you, there IS a difference.
You've heard me say many times that I work best with
high-achieving go getters who know exactly what they want
(usually it's more clients, more in-come, with more time
off to enjoy it all) and who say to me, "Fabienne, show me
how to do it and I'll do exactly what you say." That's the
kind of person who sees results.

But sometimes, there's a different breed of person. The
person who takes on too much, too fast, and seems to always
be RACING towards the next level. (I know firsthand about
this, I used to be one.) The 'high-achiever' sets high
goals and then does what it takes to make those goals
happen. The 'overachiever' seems to want to accumulate just
for the sake of accumulating. (I know, because again, I
used to think like that.)

A few years ago, a coaching colleague asked me, "Hey, I
notice that you move at a very fast pace. What's the deal?
Why do you feel the need to accomplish so much in such a
short period of time?" I was stunned actually. Didn't quite
know how to answer. So I said, "It's a game for me. Seeing
how much I can accomplish is fun." But it took me a while
to "get" what he was trying to say.

I think that I was focused on accumulation rather than
service. It was about amassing clients and in-come,
probably having to do with proving something to someone
from a bazillion years ago. Yes, it was a game, a
competition against self, but was there a point to it all?
Probably mo-ney, but even that is just a number sometimes.
It began to feel like a hamster wheel, an empty process.
There seemed to be no meaning to accomplishment at a fast
pace.

It's when I stepped back and looked into the REASON for why
I started this business that it stopped being a race. I got
focused on SERVICE again, on my purpose and skills, and why
I got into this in the first place. I think I'd lost that
along the way. The minute I realized this, Client
Attraction became less about filling a void, and more about
being of service. Less about accumulation, and more about
really making a serious difference in people's lives and
businesses.

Being focused on service, I started being happier, clients
got even better results, our friendship was deeper and even
more satisfying, and the best part was, it stopped feeling
like WORK. I started getting a feeling that I couldn't
believe I was being paid (well) for doing something so
gratifying. And then I noticed something...

Ironically, when I tapped back into SERVICE, that's when my
in-come began growing much more rapidly. That's when the
referrals started pouring in again. That's when my numbers
started really increasing dramatically. That's when bigger
and bigger opportunities began coming my way.

"He who wishes to secure the good of others, has already
secured his own." -Confucius

Your Assignment: Notice how you approach your business.
Does it feel like a race for the mo-ney, rather than being
of service to others in a BIG way? Has the MEANING of what
you're doing gotten lost along the way? Is it more about
accumulation now? If so, take a step back and reconnect to
the reason you got into this in the first place: service
and the DIFFERENCE you can make in people's lives. That's
what's going to make you happy.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not even close to suggesting
that you should stop marketing and setting up systems for
everything in your business. What I am saying is, couple
this with consistently working on implementing your
marketing and Client Attraction strategies, and attracting
clients will become big time easy (then the in-come will
naturally follow).

----------------------------------------------------
Not sure on where to start creating these marketing
systems, even if you're already successful? I recommend
getting a copy of the Client Attraction Home Study System™.
It gives you the most important things to do to set up
simple, solid marketing systems, so that you consistently
fill your pipeline and continually get new clients. You can
get it at http://www.TheClientAttractionSystem.com .

Epoxy floors - They are all the same, right?

Epoxy floors - They are all the same, right?
When I though about putting an Epoxy floor on my well worn
warehouse floor, I tackled the task with the optimism that
my only job was to find out which company was the most
reasonably priced and still gave a quality install. My
education began there. All epoxy floor products are not
created equal!

The first part of my education began with the discovery
that there were several different types of epoxy floor
applications - Epoxy paint, poured applications,
self-leveling and troweled on. Wow!

So, lets put these in perspective before I get into the
details. The quality and durability of these products ranks
from Epoxy Paint on the lower end to Troweled-on at the
upper end, with self-leveling being the middle of the road.

It is important to identify the needs of the job you are
considering. Is it high traffic? Will there be heavy
equipment rolling across it? How about chemical spills?
Will smooth and slippery cause a problem? What do you
expect its longevity to be? Is beauty an important factor?
If your are doing, say, your garage floor at home to make
it easily cleanable, the high traffic and beauty aren't a
factor, and longevity probably won't justify a higher
price. On the other hand, if you are doing a hotel hallway,
hospital halls or a loading dock, most or all of these
factors need to be considered.

Epoxy paint. For the home owner who uses his garage as a
workshop, the cost and ease of application probably
dictates your choice. If you have to redo it in five years,
it still justifies the choice, and it is available in
several colors. You can install it yourself or hire a local
odd-jobs contractor. It would be a very bad choice for
hotels, loading docks, kennels, and other high-traffic or
heavy equipment areas. It is always slippery, it is a thin
application compared to the other two, and there isn't much
beauty to it.

Self-leveling Epoxy floors. These products work great for
small areas. Some can be done by a handy homeowner, others
may need a skilled handyman. If you are doing a shower
area, a small bathroom, steps or small kitchen areas and
many other small jobs that don't require choices such as
smooth or non-slip, this may be perfect for you. Although
they will outlast many other flooring materials and
withstand a lot, they aren't the choice for large areas
that receive lots of abuse. Most self-leveling products
offer a range of color choices.

Troweled-on Epoxy floors. When traffic wear matters, when
you have to make a choice between slippery or non-skid, and
still receive a beautiful floor, this is the first choice.
Most troweled-on epoxy floor companies offer up to
twenty-four design and color choices. It can be installed
as either a smooth (hotel hallway) or non-slip (loading
docks) finish. This type has the longest life expectancy of
the three. It will stand up to heavy equipment, most
spills, and rough treatment. It comes with one caveat; it
is not a do-it-yourself application. In fact, you need to
be sure that the installers are well trained in this
particular product. Many a tradesman with years of concrete
finishing have a hard time getting this product right. If
this product is what you need, make sure that the company
uses well-trained installers before you move ahead.

The next time you walk down a hospital hallway, or Hotel
halls that have epoxy instead of carpet, pay attention to
the seamless beauty of this floor - it's probably a
troweled-on epoxy floor.

----------------------------------------------------
For more information on the process, pictures of floors,
color samples and installation pictures go to
http://www.commercialepoxyfloors.com
Lee is a freelance consultant for the DPS Group. Besides
content writing Lee specializes in consulting on websites
and E-commerce. Lee can be reached though his employment at
http://www.thedpsgroup.com

Printer/Photocopiers - Software-Driven Profitability is Your Next Step

Printer/Photocopiers - Software-Driven Profitability is Your Next Step
In recent years, converging technologies have meant that
the humble photocopier, once sidelined to a corner of the
workplace, has evolved into a machine which deserves to be
at the heart of the working environment. Indeed,
photocopiers have now become truly multifunctional
printer/copier systems - a networked scanner, printer and
copier and document management facility all in one, and can
be configured potentially to drive efficiency and increase
your bottom line.

Emerging software applications have the capability to
extend the role of the Photocopier/Multifunctional Device
(MFD) a long way beyond its traditional functions. The
potential of these applications is wide-ranging, enabling
businesses and organisations to procure MFDs which are
tailored specifically for the business workflow
requirements. Businesses are already developing their own
software applications in keeping with their needs. It is
important to be educated about these advances and to be one
step ahead in the world of print technology and document
management.

Remote Printing

For example, developments in Bluetooth technology means
that it is now entirely normal for users to send print jobs
to an MFD from their mobile devices. This makes it possible
for such users to print documents from any site of their
choosing - even a café or airport lounge - that has a
printer on-site. To ensure confidentiality, it is also
possible to encrypt the data so that only authorised
personnel can release the print job when they are
physically standing at the MFD.

Print and Document Security Considerations

Print manufacturers already work with third party software
developers to provide swipe cards to enable authorised
access to print devices. Developments are also under way
with biometrics and voice activation. Konica Minolta has
already perfected a recognition system which maps the veins
in a user's finger to ensure secure authorisation.
Applications have also been developed which link the
business CCTV system to an MFD. As well as monitoring the
building, the system can print out photos of any intruders.

Security - Plus Diverse Functionality

However, security enhancements are not the only major leap
forward in printer/copy technology. These days, the
interface of a Multifunctional Device can be used to access
emails to increase user productivity, and large capacity
hard disk drives can create an additional workstation with
secure access to document folders for each member of the
working team.

Additionally, with increasing pressure on all organisations
to focus on environmental issues, java developers are using
software applications to measure the energy that each print
device within their organisation uses. This enables the IT
manager to make judgments about the efficiency of its
entire range of office equipment.

Several enterprising companies are using the
Multifunctional Device as the environmental overlord of the
office by allowing it to control the office lights, while
others have set automatic timers so that it automatically
switches off out of office hours.

People-Oriented for Maximum Workflow Integration

To meet equal-opportunity obligations in the workplace,
companies are now specifying printers which are
specifically tailored to the needs of all. For example,
some are implementing larger buttons for the visually
impaired, and adjustable control panels and LCD displays to
enable comfortable access for wheelchair users. Education
establishments and events organisers have developed
software to enable attendees to register via the interface
of the Multifunctional Device. From this, a list of
attendees and an ID card for each entrant can be printed.
After the event, data about the attendees can be uploaded
onto a database and used to tap into potential sales leads.

Summary

Thus, print/copy technology is evolving in leaps and bounds
and, accordingly, the business of photocopier replacement,
has become an opportunity for a complete re-appraisal of
working practices

----------------------------------------------------
Jimi St. Pierre writes for several Office Equipment
suppliers in the UK, including office systems supplier
Principal Corporation. The Principal Corporation trades
under the slogan "Delivering Genuine Business Benefits" and
their range of office systems equipment, software and
document management services can be found at =>
http://www.principalcorp.co.uk/