I was just thinking today about my days as a "professional" Girl Scout. One of the first jobs I had after leaving the Navy was as the membership specialist and adult development manager for our local Girl Scout Council. I loved that job for so many reasons, one of which is because I was often invited to speak at area high schools. The council was a member of the Chamber of Commerce and Chamber volunteers were asked to give talks each year to high school students, encouraging them to become Arkansas Scholars.
I loved being part of this opportunity. I would walk into a classroom full of bright and curious minds. And we would talk. We would talk about success. We would talk about their hopes, their dreams, and what they wanted to do with their lives. And then I would outline the benefits of becoming an Arkansas Scholar. "Who wants to take this challenge?", I would ask. And I would get a chorus of I do's and me too's. Then I would list the requirements. And then I would ask, "Now, who still wants to do this." And although I would get another round of "I do, I do", it wasn't quite as enthusiastic as the first time.
Except for one or two students in the room. You could tell just by looking at them that they had already decided they were going to accomplish this. Most of the class wanted the benefits of success. Not all of them had enough desire to take the necessary action.
As I sat remembering those days, it came to me that many of my clients are in the same boat. They want success. But they aren't quite willing to take the necessary action.
You have to get up and move if you want to achieve anything. You have to go for what you want.
All the hopes and dreams in the world are meaningless without action to help you achieve them. YOU HAVE TO ACT.
I have said it a dozen times, but I will quote Carrie Wilkerson one more time: "In order to reach your goals, you have to take MASSIVE ACTION to COMPLETION."
It's time to take that next step towards success. It's time to move your business to the next level. Focus. Concentrate. Bring all your skills and knowledge and confidence together and reach for the next step. Decide now to go for what you want from your business.
Today! Right now!
Take the challenge. You won't believe what you can achieve.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Monday, April 9, 2012
Build Your Network - Build Your Business
First, let me clarify one point. Networking is NOT going to every event in town and handing out your business card to 100 people whose name you won't remember 10 minutes from now. Nor is it joining every online networking site and blasting all of your friends with SPAM. Networking is all about building relationships. Anyone who can understand that concept can network their way to more business.
To get started, you have to create a network. Start by making a list of all the people you know. You'll be surprised at how many there are! This is your immediate circle of influence. If you maintain regular contact with some of the people on your list, great! Keep it up! For those you haven't had much contact with in a while, it's time to renew that connection. Send an email or give them a call. Invite them for coffee or lunch or just to chat. The idea here is to re-establish the connection between you, so do not spend your first get-together listing all that you have been doing and how they can help you. You want to find out what's been going on in their life. Let them do the talking. You'll make a much better impression that way.
Once you have rebuilt your initial network, be sure to check in with these people regularly. Whether it's a quick email or phone call, a note to say thanks for some small favor, - even a gift - make sure you keep in touch. If you find yourself in need - your network will already be in place.
Now that you have your initial network established you want to continue to expand it. There are many ways to do that. Get involved - in your church, your children's school, with community groups. Join any professional associations related to your field. When you go to parties, mingle and chat.
You can also network online. The internet has spawned a wide variety of social networking sites, each one offering access to literally millions of people. My personal favorites are Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. Each is a little different but all three offer easy and fun ways to connect and share with others. There are tons of other sites as well - Facebook, MySpace, GooglePlus+, and CafeMom are just a few. Each one is a little different but all give you the chance to expose yourself and your business to more people.
How do you build relationships through networking? Follow these steps:
1. Show interest in others. Ask open-ended questions in networking conversations to get discussions started. This means questions that ask who, what, where, when, and how as opposed to those that can be answered with a simple yes or no.
2. Share what you know. When you become known as an expert and one who is willing to share that knowledge, people will turn to you for information and they will tell others about you. This keeps you visible to them.
3. Follow through quickly and efficiently on referrals. When people give you referrals, your actions are a reflection on them. Respect and honor that and your referrals will grow.
4. Don't join groups or social networking sites solely to get referrals/followers. If you do not have an genuine interest in the group or it's members, you will find it difficult to establish relationships with others.
5. Keep in touch. Do favors for your contacts whenever possible. Be genuinely grateful for any assistance they provide and be sure to acknowledge it with a card, a call, or even a gift.
6. Make sure your contacts know what you do for a living - and make sure you understand their businesses. Otherwise, how will you send each other referrals?
7. Participate - whether in person or by posting on the online networks. As I said when I started this post, it's all about building trust and relationships. Do that and the rest will fall into place.
To get started, you have to create a network. Start by making a list of all the people you know. You'll be surprised at how many there are! This is your immediate circle of influence. If you maintain regular contact with some of the people on your list, great! Keep it up! For those you haven't had much contact with in a while, it's time to renew that connection. Send an email or give them a call. Invite them for coffee or lunch or just to chat. The idea here is to re-establish the connection between you, so do not spend your first get-together listing all that you have been doing and how they can help you. You want to find out what's been going on in their life. Let them do the talking. You'll make a much better impression that way.
Once you have rebuilt your initial network, be sure to check in with these people regularly. Whether it's a quick email or phone call, a note to say thanks for some small favor, - even a gift - make sure you keep in touch. If you find yourself in need - your network will already be in place.
Now that you have your initial network established you want to continue to expand it. There are many ways to do that. Get involved - in your church, your children's school, with community groups. Join any professional associations related to your field. When you go to parties, mingle and chat.
You can also network online. The internet has spawned a wide variety of social networking sites, each one offering access to literally millions of people. My personal favorites are Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. Each is a little different but all three offer easy and fun ways to connect and share with others. There are tons of other sites as well - Facebook, MySpace, GooglePlus+, and CafeMom are just a few. Each one is a little different but all give you the chance to expose yourself and your business to more people.
How do you build relationships through networking? Follow these steps:
1. Show interest in others. Ask open-ended questions in networking conversations to get discussions started. This means questions that ask who, what, where, when, and how as opposed to those that can be answered with a simple yes or no.
2. Share what you know. When you become known as an expert and one who is willing to share that knowledge, people will turn to you for information and they will tell others about you. This keeps you visible to them.
3. Follow through quickly and efficiently on referrals. When people give you referrals, your actions are a reflection on them. Respect and honor that and your referrals will grow.
4. Don't join groups or social networking sites solely to get referrals/followers. If you do not have an genuine interest in the group or it's members, you will find it difficult to establish relationships with others.
5. Keep in touch. Do favors for your contacts whenever possible. Be genuinely grateful for any assistance they provide and be sure to acknowledge it with a card, a call, or even a gift.
6. Make sure your contacts know what you do for a living - and make sure you understand their businesses. Otherwise, how will you send each other referrals?
7. Participate - whether in person or by posting on the online networks. As I said when I started this post, it's all about building trust and relationships. Do that and the rest will fall into place.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Building Customer Loyalty
I love my car salesperson. I know that is an odd thing to hear someone say, but it's true. I have lived in NWA for 19 years. In that time, we have purchased several new vehicles - and all but one were purchased from the same person. Not necessarily the same dealership - but always the same person. We are such loyal customers of hers, we follow her to whichever dealership she is working for at the time.
Imagine how much easier it would be to build your business if you already had an band of loyal customers. It takes much less effort and cost to keep loyal customers than it does to gain new ones. They are less susceptible to offers from your competitors. They are normally less likely to let price be an issue in their decisions - as long as you don't get too outrageous. And they can provide some of your best marketing efforts. Nothing beats personal recommendations from loyal customers. Wouldn't you love to instill that kind of loyalty in your own business? Well, you can. Here's how.
1. Know your customers. One reason I follow Jeri wherever she goes is because she knows me. She knows exactly what type of vehicle I like - and also what type I need. So when I call her to tell her I am in the market for something new, she only shows me makes and models that meet my needs. Since she knows I my time is precious to me, she normally has several selections lined up and ready for me to look at and test drive when I get there. Because she knows me so well, I can usually complete the entire transaction in record time and without all the annoying sales tactics that drive me crazy. Why would I go anywhere else?
Your products or services are meaningful to your customers only if they fulfill a need. Show your value from their perspective. Jeri doesn't sell me cars anymore. She sells me convenience. She sells me time and efficiency. Because that's what I'm really in the market for.
2. Provide over-the-top customer service. I recently purchased a new Jeep - from Jeri, of course. I wanted some accessories added so after finishing the paperwork, I left it with the service department, intending to pick it up the next day - Friday. Unfortunately, things got a bit hectic and I wasn't able to make it. I called the service department to let them know. Shortly after, I received a phone call from Jeri. She had stopped by the service department to make sure that everything was ready for m. When they told her I was not coming in that day, she quickly called and offered to bring it to me - an hour drive - so I would have it for the weekend. We had already completed all of the paperwork so she knew she had the sale and yet she was willing to give up 2 hours of her time so I could have my car. Did that make an impression? Yes!
3. Communicate freely. When there is a problem, don't hide it. Be upfront with your customers and let them know. If you are going to be late, let them know. If things are not going according to plan, let them know. Customers will usually allow for unexpected mishaps, provided you keep them informed.
4. First and last impressions are invaluable. When I sang with the NWA Symphony Chorus, the director told us to make sure we always started perfectly and finished with a bang. He said the audience would remember the beginning and the end of our performance more than anything that happened in between. The same is true of any customer transaction. Customers will remember their first impression and the final minutes more vividly than anything else. The DFW Hilton Executive Conference Center has mastered this concept. As soon as you step up to the entrance you are quickly greeted, the doors are opened for you (even if you are empty handed), and you are welcomed to the property. The customer service throughout the hotel is impeccable, but it starts right at the front door, which just sets the tone for the rest of the stay. And when I leave, the last thing I hear is a thank you, as the doors are once again held for me, and an invitation to return when I am in the area again. And I will.
5. Reward your loyal customers. It doesn't have to be expensive. Just show that you appreciate them. I love shopping at Sephora. I get free samples with every purchase. My daughter and I were at Starbucks in Dallas yesterday where she picked up an code for a free Golf app for her husband's iPhone with her coffee. Jeri always gives me a free oil change with my vehicle purchase. My insurance agent never fails to send me a birthday card. Customer rewards can be as simple as a follow up service call, a discount for future purchases, a free product, or just a small token of your appreciation for their business.
6. Be consistent and credible. You have to be both. Consistency is worthless if you consistently fail to measure up to expectations! Do what you say you will do. If you set an appointment, be there on time. If you say you will call back, do so. If you guarantee your product or service, honor that guarantee. If you say your hours are 8:00 to 5:00, then make sure someone is available to help your customers from 8:00 - 5:00, not 8:15 - 4:30. And do these things all the time - not just on your good days. I used to have a hairdresser. Some days I would go in and I would be treated like a queen. Scalp massage, hot towels, scented oil - the works. While she was doing my hair, she would stop frequently to make sure I was happy with what she was doing. Other days, if she was in a hurry, or maybe had a bad day, it was a shampoo and haircut without a word until she was finished. I would have been fine without all of the other amenities. I just hated not knowing what to expect. I never recommended her to anyone else for the same reason - I wasn't sure what level of service they would get. And I wasn't sure that if she had a REALLY bad day, it wouldn't show up in my hair! Needless to say, I soon found someone else.
7. Be loyal to your customers. You get what you give. If you want loyalty, you have to give it. Make sure your customers know you are there for them if they need you. Like Jeri delivering my car, or my lawn care man who is coming on Easter Sunday (his suggestion not my request) because he knows I have been out of town, and that my yard is already resembling a jungle, sometimes loyalty takes a little sacrifice. But the rewards are amazing!
Imagine how much easier it would be to build your business if you already had an band of loyal customers. It takes much less effort and cost to keep loyal customers than it does to gain new ones. They are less susceptible to offers from your competitors. They are normally less likely to let price be an issue in their decisions - as long as you don't get too outrageous. And they can provide some of your best marketing efforts. Nothing beats personal recommendations from loyal customers. Wouldn't you love to instill that kind of loyalty in your own business? Well, you can. Here's how.
1. Know your customers. One reason I follow Jeri wherever she goes is because she knows me. She knows exactly what type of vehicle I like - and also what type I need. So when I call her to tell her I am in the market for something new, she only shows me makes and models that meet my needs. Since she knows I my time is precious to me, she normally has several selections lined up and ready for me to look at and test drive when I get there. Because she knows me so well, I can usually complete the entire transaction in record time and without all the annoying sales tactics that drive me crazy. Why would I go anywhere else?
Your products or services are meaningful to your customers only if they fulfill a need. Show your value from their perspective. Jeri doesn't sell me cars anymore. She sells me convenience. She sells me time and efficiency. Because that's what I'm really in the market for.
2. Provide over-the-top customer service. I recently purchased a new Jeep - from Jeri, of course. I wanted some accessories added so after finishing the paperwork, I left it with the service department, intending to pick it up the next day - Friday. Unfortunately, things got a bit hectic and I wasn't able to make it. I called the service department to let them know. Shortly after, I received a phone call from Jeri. She had stopped by the service department to make sure that everything was ready for m. When they told her I was not coming in that day, she quickly called and offered to bring it to me - an hour drive - so I would have it for the weekend. We had already completed all of the paperwork so she knew she had the sale and yet she was willing to give up 2 hours of her time so I could have my car. Did that make an impression? Yes!
3. Communicate freely. When there is a problem, don't hide it. Be upfront with your customers and let them know. If you are going to be late, let them know. If things are not going according to plan, let them know. Customers will usually allow for unexpected mishaps, provided you keep them informed.
4. First and last impressions are invaluable. When I sang with the NWA Symphony Chorus, the director told us to make sure we always started perfectly and finished with a bang. He said the audience would remember the beginning and the end of our performance more than anything that happened in between. The same is true of any customer transaction. Customers will remember their first impression and the final minutes more vividly than anything else. The DFW Hilton Executive Conference Center has mastered this concept. As soon as you step up to the entrance you are quickly greeted, the doors are opened for you (even if you are empty handed), and you are welcomed to the property. The customer service throughout the hotel is impeccable, but it starts right at the front door, which just sets the tone for the rest of the stay. And when I leave, the last thing I hear is a thank you, as the doors are once again held for me, and an invitation to return when I am in the area again. And I will.
5. Reward your loyal customers. It doesn't have to be expensive. Just show that you appreciate them. I love shopping at Sephora. I get free samples with every purchase. My daughter and I were at Starbucks in Dallas yesterday where she picked up an code for a free Golf app for her husband's iPhone with her coffee. Jeri always gives me a free oil change with my vehicle purchase. My insurance agent never fails to send me a birthday card. Customer rewards can be as simple as a follow up service call, a discount for future purchases, a free product, or just a small token of your appreciation for their business.
6. Be consistent and credible. You have to be both. Consistency is worthless if you consistently fail to measure up to expectations! Do what you say you will do. If you set an appointment, be there on time. If you say you will call back, do so. If you guarantee your product or service, honor that guarantee. If you say your hours are 8:00 to 5:00, then make sure someone is available to help your customers from 8:00 - 5:00, not 8:15 - 4:30. And do these things all the time - not just on your good days. I used to have a hairdresser. Some days I would go in and I would be treated like a queen. Scalp massage, hot towels, scented oil - the works. While she was doing my hair, she would stop frequently to make sure I was happy with what she was doing. Other days, if she was in a hurry, or maybe had a bad day, it was a shampoo and haircut without a word until she was finished. I would have been fine without all of the other amenities. I just hated not knowing what to expect. I never recommended her to anyone else for the same reason - I wasn't sure what level of service they would get. And I wasn't sure that if she had a REALLY bad day, it wouldn't show up in my hair! Needless to say, I soon found someone else.
7. Be loyal to your customers. You get what you give. If you want loyalty, you have to give it. Make sure your customers know you are there for them if they need you. Like Jeri delivering my car, or my lawn care man who is coming on Easter Sunday (his suggestion not my request) because he knows I have been out of town, and that my yard is already resembling a jungle, sometimes loyalty takes a little sacrifice. But the rewards are amazing!
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Expect Success
What do you suppose would happen to your business if you started each day expecting to suceed? How would that attitude affect your actions and decisions? What might you do if you had no thought of failue? Imagine it - expect success and it just happens!
Unfortunately most of us tend to carry all of our doubts and fear of failure into our business. No matter how sure we are of something, in the back of our minds is that little voice - the one that keeps saying, "What if I'm wrong?"
I have stated repeatedly in this blog that what you focus on grows. And it is equally true here. Focus on failure and that's what you'll get. Expect success and it will happen.
There are several things you can do to help keep yourself focused on success.
1. Surround yourself with positive people. Get rid of the naysayers. No one wants to be around negative people. Why would you? The people you associate with and share ideas with have a major influence on how you choose to act. Positive people - positive actions. Negative people - inaction, doubt, failure.
2. Think positive. Make it a habit to repeat some positive affirmations each day. If you tell yourself you are successful enough times, eventually you will believe it. And once you believe yuo are successful, you will start to act like a successful person. And once that happens, the sky is the limit!
3. Take small steps. We all know the old joke "How do you eat an elephant?" The answer, of course, is one bite at a time. Approach your business the same way. Take small steps and celebrate your success as you accomplish each one.
4. Learn from your mistakes. We all make mistakes. Accept them as the learning experience they are and move on.
5. Be persistent. With enough determination and persistence, you can achieve almost anything.
6. Greet each day with excitement and enthusiasm. Expect success!
Unfortunately most of us tend to carry all of our doubts and fear of failure into our business. No matter how sure we are of something, in the back of our minds is that little voice - the one that keeps saying, "What if I'm wrong?"
I have stated repeatedly in this blog that what you focus on grows. And it is equally true here. Focus on failure and that's what you'll get. Expect success and it will happen.
There are several things you can do to help keep yourself focused on success.
1. Surround yourself with positive people. Get rid of the naysayers. No one wants to be around negative people. Why would you? The people you associate with and share ideas with have a major influence on how you choose to act. Positive people - positive actions. Negative people - inaction, doubt, failure.
2. Think positive. Make it a habit to repeat some positive affirmations each day. If you tell yourself you are successful enough times, eventually you will believe it. And once you believe yuo are successful, you will start to act like a successful person. And once that happens, the sky is the limit!
3. Take small steps. We all know the old joke "How do you eat an elephant?" The answer, of course, is one bite at a time. Approach your business the same way. Take small steps and celebrate your success as you accomplish each one.
4. Learn from your mistakes. We all make mistakes. Accept them as the learning experience they are and move on.
5. Be persistent. With enough determination and persistence, you can achieve almost anything.
6. Greet each day with excitement and enthusiasm. Expect success!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
A Box of TNT
I received a gift in the mail today. I had been talking to a friend and client recently and mentioned to her that I was having trouble staying focused lately. There was so much going on in my life right now that it was difficult to know where to start and so I very often found myself putting things off until tomorrow. Only tomorrow never seemed to come. Her gift was a reminder that I needed to get back on track.
I am grateful for my friend. She knows how important it is to stay focused on our goals. It's so easy to lose our way at times. Something happens - a business setback, a family matter, a change of circumstances, an illness or injury - and suddenly our attention is diverted away from our objective.
So, now that I have been reminded of the need to refocus on my goals, what am I going to do? Well, thanks to Linda, I've gotten back onboard and recommitted myself to achieving them.
Unfortunately, not everyone has a Linda to give them a good, swift, kick when they need it. So I decided I would be "Linda" for anyone who is struggling to regain their footing. It's time to step up and recommit yourself to achieving your goals. This is, after all, what separates winners from losers. Many times, the only difference between the two is that the winner simply refused to give up.
What do you need to refocus on? Your business? Your family? Your health? Remember why you set this goal. A better life for your family, more time for your spouse and children, a healthier life? Think about the end results, of how your life will be different once you reach your goals. Don't worry about the fact that you got sidetracked. It happens to all of us. Focus on success. Remember - you become what you think about.
It's a new day. Let's make it count!
Oh, and what was this wonderful gift from my friend? A box of TNT - Today Not Tomorrow. Cute idea, Linda. I don't know where you came up with it, but I will be sure to pass it on!
.
I am grateful for my friend. She knows how important it is to stay focused on our goals. It's so easy to lose our way at times. Something happens - a business setback, a family matter, a change of circumstances, an illness or injury - and suddenly our attention is diverted away from our objective.
So, now that I have been reminded of the need to refocus on my goals, what am I going to do? Well, thanks to Linda, I've gotten back onboard and recommitted myself to achieving them.
Unfortunately, not everyone has a Linda to give them a good, swift, kick when they need it. So I decided I would be "Linda" for anyone who is struggling to regain their footing. It's time to step up and recommit yourself to achieving your goals. This is, after all, what separates winners from losers. Many times, the only difference between the two is that the winner simply refused to give up.
What do you need to refocus on? Your business? Your family? Your health? Remember why you set this goal. A better life for your family, more time for your spouse and children, a healthier life? Think about the end results, of how your life will be different once you reach your goals. Don't worry about the fact that you got sidetracked. It happens to all of us. Focus on success. Remember - you become what you think about.
It's a new day. Let's make it count!
Oh, and what was this wonderful gift from my friend? A box of TNT - Today Not Tomorrow. Cute idea, Linda. I don't know where you came up with it, but I will be sure to pass it on!
.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
High Self Esteem is Good For Your Business
When you look at lists of requirements for a successful business, chances are you won't see "good self image" as one of the items on the list. However, self esteem can have a distinct impact on the success - or failure - of your business. Entrepreneurs with good self esteem are confident of their ability to achieve their business goals. If there are stumbling blocks along the way, the person with high self esteem does not take them personally but works to find a solution to the problem. However, those with low self esteem often go into a business already expecting it to be difficult and unsure if they will succeed. When problems arise, instead of focusing on the issue, they tend to focus on their own perceived shortcomings. They get exactly what they expected - failure.
Most of us do not work on improving our self esteem. We tend to think it's either something people have or do not have. Perhaps it was a result of our childhood. Whatever the cause, most people don't realize that good self esteem is something that can be developed with practice. Here's how.
1. I highly encourage you to take a lesson from the Girl Scouts. Tonight sit down and make a brag bag! Or a box like I have done. Get a brown paper bag or an old shoe box. I went to Hobby Lobby and got a plain wooden unpainted little box that looks like a treasure chest. Decorate the outside anyway you want. I found some very unique metal discs with great uplifting sayings on them - "Believe", "Love", and "Laughter" for example. I glued them all over my box.
Now, get some index cards and write all of your attributes on them - one on each card. Can you sing? Write it down. Are you an organizational whiz? Do people clamor for your cheesecake recipe? Can you sell the proverbial ice to Eskimos? Write it all down. Put them in your Brag Bag. Then write down all of your accomplishments. If you were the homecoming queen, or the valedictorian of your class, it goes in the bag. If you were promoted at your job in record time, if your kids are the world's greatest, if you lost those last 10 pounds, if your business makes enough to support you, if you have 20 people in your downline - it all goes into the bag.
Now, put your Brag Bag somewhere accessible. Because in order for this to work, you have to use it. Remember - what we focus on grows. So get your bag out regularly and review all the good things that you are. Bask in the glow of your accomplishments. Relish the good things you've drawn into your life. Watch your attitude improve and your accomplishments increase and your business boom. What we focus on grows. Get out your Brag Bag and let's focus on the right things. And while you're at it - maybe sign your daughter up for Girl Scouts. Look at the cool stuff they teach you!
2. I realize that we all have some things that we need to work on. So do it! Choose an area that you want to improve, and get to work. The trick here though is to work at it properly. You have to have the right attitude. I have struggled with my weight for years. But once I stopped hating myself for my perceived weakness because I couldn't lose weight, I discovered it became easier to take the pounds off. When you begin your self-improvement program, look at it exactly that way. You are simply taking what is already good and improving it.
3. Picture the new you. While you are working on your self-improvement projects, envision yourself as you will be once you are finished. While I am working to improve my health and fitness by losing weight, I picture myself running with my grandchildren or hiking with my sister. Or I see myself on vacation with my husband wearing a fabulous new outfit and dancing the night away. If you afraid to talk to people, while you work on overcoming this, picture yourself making presentations with ease and confidence. Visualize yourself being sought after as a speaker. See yourself having conversations with clients that have winning results.
Imagine your whirlwind social life as you get invited to all the best events because everyone admires your witty conversation!
4. Keep a success journal. Every time you reach a goal - no matter how small - write it in your journal. Or jot it on a card and add it to your brag bag!
5. Set goals. Having a goal will give you a sense of purpose. It provides you with a target. How can you know if you have achieved success if you don't know what that is?
6. Surround yourself with positive people. There are more than enough people willing to point out your every flaw. Who needs them!? Yes, we all have faults, and a true friend will help you face up to them. But they will also be the first to applaud your successes and provide encouragement when you embark on a new path. Surround yourself with people who see failure as simply a step on the way to success, who expect success from themselves and others.
7. Create a positive environment. No negativity allowed! Hang positive affirmations in your office. I have one that simply says "Attitude" as a reminder that attitude is everything. Listen to CDs with empowering messages. I have banned all music in my car and my home that is not uplifting and empowering. If I can't find anything suitable on my radio, then I have an assortment of CDs by people such as Mike Litman, Bob Proctor, Tony Robbins, and Joel Osteen. Make flashcards with positive affirmations on them and keep them on your desk. My latest are "I am exactly the right weight for my body" and "I am healthy and vigorous and living life to the fullest." When you begin to feel the old doubts creep in, grab a flashcard and remind yourself that "Every day and every way, I get a little better."
Healthy self esteem is good for your business. Follow the steps above and watch your self esteem and your business grow.
Most of us do not work on improving our self esteem. We tend to think it's either something people have or do not have. Perhaps it was a result of our childhood. Whatever the cause, most people don't realize that good self esteem is something that can be developed with practice. Here's how.
1. I highly encourage you to take a lesson from the Girl Scouts. Tonight sit down and make a brag bag! Or a box like I have done. Get a brown paper bag or an old shoe box. I went to Hobby Lobby and got a plain wooden unpainted little box that looks like a treasure chest. Decorate the outside anyway you want. I found some very unique metal discs with great uplifting sayings on them - "Believe", "Love", and "Laughter" for example. I glued them all over my box.
Now, get some index cards and write all of your attributes on them - one on each card. Can you sing? Write it down. Are you an organizational whiz? Do people clamor for your cheesecake recipe? Can you sell the proverbial ice to Eskimos? Write it all down. Put them in your Brag Bag. Then write down all of your accomplishments. If you were the homecoming queen, or the valedictorian of your class, it goes in the bag. If you were promoted at your job in record time, if your kids are the world's greatest, if you lost those last 10 pounds, if your business makes enough to support you, if you have 20 people in your downline - it all goes into the bag.
Now, put your Brag Bag somewhere accessible. Because in order for this to work, you have to use it. Remember - what we focus on grows. So get your bag out regularly and review all the good things that you are. Bask in the glow of your accomplishments. Relish the good things you've drawn into your life. Watch your attitude improve and your accomplishments increase and your business boom. What we focus on grows. Get out your Brag Bag and let's focus on the right things. And while you're at it - maybe sign your daughter up for Girl Scouts. Look at the cool stuff they teach you!
2. I realize that we all have some things that we need to work on. So do it! Choose an area that you want to improve, and get to work. The trick here though is to work at it properly. You have to have the right attitude. I have struggled with my weight for years. But once I stopped hating myself for my perceived weakness because I couldn't lose weight, I discovered it became easier to take the pounds off. When you begin your self-improvement program, look at it exactly that way. You are simply taking what is already good and improving it.
3. Picture the new you. While you are working on your self-improvement projects, envision yourself as you will be once you are finished. While I am working to improve my health and fitness by losing weight, I picture myself running with my grandchildren or hiking with my sister. Or I see myself on vacation with my husband wearing a fabulous new outfit and dancing the night away. If you afraid to talk to people, while you work on overcoming this, picture yourself making presentations with ease and confidence. Visualize yourself being sought after as a speaker. See yourself having conversations with clients that have winning results.
Imagine your whirlwind social life as you get invited to all the best events because everyone admires your witty conversation!
4. Keep a success journal. Every time you reach a goal - no matter how small - write it in your journal. Or jot it on a card and add it to your brag bag!
5. Set goals. Having a goal will give you a sense of purpose. It provides you with a target. How can you know if you have achieved success if you don't know what that is?
6. Surround yourself with positive people. There are more than enough people willing to point out your every flaw. Who needs them!? Yes, we all have faults, and a true friend will help you face up to them. But they will also be the first to applaud your successes and provide encouragement when you embark on a new path. Surround yourself with people who see failure as simply a step on the way to success, who expect success from themselves and others.
7. Create a positive environment. No negativity allowed! Hang positive affirmations in your office. I have one that simply says "Attitude" as a reminder that attitude is everything. Listen to CDs with empowering messages. I have banned all music in my car and my home that is not uplifting and empowering. If I can't find anything suitable on my radio, then I have an assortment of CDs by people such as Mike Litman, Bob Proctor, Tony Robbins, and Joel Osteen. Make flashcards with positive affirmations on them and keep them on your desk. My latest are "I am exactly the right weight for my body" and "I am healthy and vigorous and living life to the fullest." When you begin to feel the old doubts creep in, grab a flashcard and remind yourself that "Every day and every way, I get a little better."
Healthy self esteem is good for your business. Follow the steps above and watch your self esteem and your business grow.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
A Letter of Appreciation
So many people have helped me get where I am today. Etiquette says I should write each of them a letter expressing my thanks. And I would gladly do that. But then, no one else would know about these wonderful people. So I have decided to show my appreciation a bit more publicly!
First, many thanks to Ken McArthur. You took a chance on an inexperienced event planner while you were launching jvAlert. Through the course of our relationship, I learned a great deal about marketing and building a business and you built jvAlert into a phenomenon. Along the way, I think we became friends. And when it was finally time for me to step out on my own, you were one of the first to encourage me to follow my heart - and to give me some much needed guidance. And you finally convinced me to attend a jvAlert event, which is where I met so many of the others who have helped me. Such as...
Ronda Del Boccio. Together we sat and talked and laughed - and came up with the idea that became "The Adventures of Traveling Bob" which has since grown and will soon launch the new site It Should Be a Dog's World. Nose kisses to you from Bob and many hugs from me.
Carrie Wilkerson and Bob Jenkins - you both were already so successful and yet you took the time to sit and talk to a complete stranger and total beginner. Together, you taught me how to get started and never once did either of you make me feel out of place - not even when I bugged you both for photos so I could have proof that I had actually met you. It was you, Carrie, that gave me the idea for BoomerBizCoach and it was you, Bob, that told me about blogging - which was my first step online.
Bev Mahone - you decided I was a Diva and invited me to join you and an entire group of Divas. Along with forming many friendships with the ladies in your network, I learned so much about PR and marketing and interviewing. I've gotten pretty good at this whole self-promotion thing thanks to you!
Felicia Slattery - although we had never met, except online, you quickly extended a hand and made me feel at home in a roomful of people that were successful beyond anything I had ever imagined. I could have felt lost and out of place and therefore would have missed out on a wonderful experience. You quickly put me at ease and introduced me to everyone, never once indicating I was not quite in the same league as most of you. I was just your "Ryze buddy." And you did push me to finally get on Facebook - although I'm still not using it effectively. But I will! Promise!
PopArtDiva - yes I know your name but you will always be PopArt to me! You do such a fabulous job on all of my graphics - and you don't go crazy when I change my mind about something or get sidetracked and forget to forward photos or ideas to you. You held my hand when Bob was sick and you actually understood and prayed with me for his recovery. Thanks for understanding that he is a dog but he's also my four-footed baby! You have provided a shoulder to cry on through family crises and a cheering section for my successes. You have been a sounding board for ideas, encouraging me when they were good but not afraid to tell me when they were awful! You've taught me more than I could ever hope to need about design. Along the way you have become my very dear friend. And you taught me to make a darn good martini!
Thanks so much to all of you for all you have done for me. It is deeply appreciated!
First, many thanks to Ken McArthur. You took a chance on an inexperienced event planner while you were launching jvAlert. Through the course of our relationship, I learned a great deal about marketing and building a business and you built jvAlert into a phenomenon. Along the way, I think we became friends. And when it was finally time for me to step out on my own, you were one of the first to encourage me to follow my heart - and to give me some much needed guidance. And you finally convinced me to attend a jvAlert event, which is where I met so many of the others who have helped me. Such as...
Ronda Del Boccio. Together we sat and talked and laughed - and came up with the idea that became "The Adventures of Traveling Bob" which has since grown and will soon launch the new site It Should Be a Dog's World. Nose kisses to you from Bob and many hugs from me.
Carrie Wilkerson and Bob Jenkins - you both were already so successful and yet you took the time to sit and talk to a complete stranger and total beginner. Together, you taught me how to get started and never once did either of you make me feel out of place - not even when I bugged you both for photos so I could have proof that I had actually met you. It was you, Carrie, that gave me the idea for BoomerBizCoach and it was you, Bob, that told me about blogging - which was my first step online.
Bev Mahone - you decided I was a Diva and invited me to join you and an entire group of Divas. Along with forming many friendships with the ladies in your network, I learned so much about PR and marketing and interviewing. I've gotten pretty good at this whole self-promotion thing thanks to you!
Felicia Slattery - although we had never met, except online, you quickly extended a hand and made me feel at home in a roomful of people that were successful beyond anything I had ever imagined. I could have felt lost and out of place and therefore would have missed out on a wonderful experience. You quickly put me at ease and introduced me to everyone, never once indicating I was not quite in the same league as most of you. I was just your "Ryze buddy." And you did push me to finally get on Facebook - although I'm still not using it effectively. But I will! Promise!
PopArtDiva - yes I know your name but you will always be PopArt to me! You do such a fabulous job on all of my graphics - and you don't go crazy when I change my mind about something or get sidetracked and forget to forward photos or ideas to you. You held my hand when Bob was sick and you actually understood and prayed with me for his recovery. Thanks for understanding that he is a dog but he's also my four-footed baby! You have provided a shoulder to cry on through family crises and a cheering section for my successes. You have been a sounding board for ideas, encouraging me when they were good but not afraid to tell me when they were awful! You've taught me more than I could ever hope to need about design. Along the way you have become my very dear friend. And you taught me to make a darn good martini!
Thanks so much to all of you for all you have done for me. It is deeply appreciated!
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