Whose Goals are they Anyway???

I work with soooo many clients who say they aren't reaching their goals and are super frustrated.  When we actually get to work looking at those goals, challenges, obstacles, etc., more often than not the goals they were working towards weren't really in sync with what they really wanted.   Goals often conflict with each other because most of us don't really take the time that's needed to REALLY think about what you want ... we're sort of on this ever moving treadmill and anchored to a life of busywork... STOP!!!  Take time to identify what YOU want and I bet you'll be amazed how much more motivated you'll be to reach them.  Grab a friend, an accountability buddy, a coach, create a mastermind group - whatever it takes for you to take the time to think, brainstorm and yes, get feedback.

Here are things to be careful of when setting your goals:

1. Make sure the goals are yours - not your manager's, your spouse's, your friends, parents etc. or society's in general.

2. Your heart isn't in it - you really don't care - you're simply doing it because you think it's what you should do.

3. You're hanging around soul suckers - you know who they are - they are toxic, they poo poo on your dreams - they don't want you to outgrow them.  Find positive, motivated, inspirational and giving people - there are lots out there.

4. You're over extended - you can't accomplish are your goals at once and you can't do everything yourself.  Be realistic - have laser focus on one goal at a time...multi tasking is a myth!!!  Delegate whenever possible.  We all need a support team - figure out what your team looks like for you.

5. It's toooo hard (insert "whine whine" here) - yeah - some things are hard.  Don't be one of the "yeah but" people... or the "if only I could.... but..."  Really???? 

Grab on tight - go for it - be persistent!!!  It's a lot more fun if it's a goal you really want - Good Luck!

Do you know the #1 way to increase sales?

Improve your sales skills!!!

I know so many business owners who shake in their heels when we start discussing sales.  The “I’m not a salesperson” statement is probably the most common one that I hear.  Well I hate to tell ya…. If you own a business, regardless of what type of business, you are a sales organization and by default, a sales person!  Now that we have that settled stay with me and I’ll show you how you can make more money without doing any extra work… I’ve gotcha don’t I???

First and foremost you need to know your numbers….and by that I mean that you need to know your “conversion” rate.    Let’s work backwards.  If you have an average sale of $1000 and you want $100,000 in revenue that means you need 100 customers  - easy right?  You need to know how many clients you need to propose to or how many consider your product in order for you to make those 100 sales.  If it takes talking to 200 customers to get 100 sales, then your conversion rate is 50%.    If you invest resources in improving your sales skills and your conversion goes from 50% to 75% you’ve just increased your sales from $100,000 to $150,000.  That’s an increase of 50% without having to talk to even one additional potential customer.  Chances are that the additional $50,000 didn’t cost you as much as the first $100,000 because your fixed costs were already taken care of, therefore your profit margins are higher on the incremental business.

This is just one component of a much larger number formula that you need to consider when developing your sales goals and forecasts. 

The bottom line is that sales is the process of providing a solution to a problem for someone who would welcome your product/services.  I consider sales just GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE!

People hate to be sold to, but they love to buy!

You can have a great Team with or without employees

For most of us it was our passion that inspired us to go into business for ourselves.  We wanted to do what we love, help our clients and generally live to beat of our own drum.  Before long the reality of running a business on our own hit – suddenly we realized there are many different hats to wear other than the one that inspired us to entrepreneurship.

A great team is essential to all success – especially  the success of a “solopreneur” or small business owner.    Based on very focused objectives my decision to not have employees doesn’t diminish the need for additional resources.  I work with an amazing team of professionals that serve a variety of purposes.  I focus on what I’m good at to generate revenue and outsource everything else.  Each person only has so much capacity – why not use that time to make money and delegate the things that can be done by someone else?  It’s also important that your team include colleagues that assist, inspire and motivate you to think and reach beyond your comfort zone to create YOUR ideal life – whatever that means to YOU.

One of my most important team members is my “right hand”.  The one that helps me by professionally and reliably completing the necessary on-going tasks that are essential to the success of my business but not my forte.  It’s not enough to have only a typical Virtual Assistant, you need a professional that can think like you, know what clients expect and works with initiative and innovation.  Whatever that means to you in your business I guarantee that as soon as you hire them it will feel as though a weight has been lifted from your shoulders and your business will start to become what you initially dreamed about.

Being a entrepreneur – there’s no life like it!

Who Is In Control?

Are you setting the ground rules for your life or are you letting others set them for you?

Before I started my business I wrote a list of the 'criteria for my life' - not my business, my life. Only after that did I tackle what I wanted my business to look like. All too often we are where we are, not by carefully selected goals and choices, but by opportunities that arise along the way that we respond to. When we respond to opportunities offered to us, the details of those situations are usually on someone else’s terms. The hours and location of work, how we dress, who we work with... all are outside of our control. But once you take the jump into entrepreneurship shouldn’t you be the one steering the boat?

Figure out what you want your life to look like, where and when you work, what type of clients you want to work with, etc. - the big stuff. Here’s a great form to start with for this exercise.

Now to tackle the day to day. Every time someone has a brain fart they tweet it, text it, email it... you get the picture. And then they expect you to respond NOW. Because of the speed and extent of technology it’s all too easy to become a slave to it instead of using it as a tool in your life. Use these wonderful tools of technology in a strategic way, not at the whim of others. If the first thing you do in the morning is to check your email and social media, remember, these are usually someone else’s agenda... not yours.

Try one week with YOU in control - you’ll be amazed the difference in your productivity.

• Check your email only 2-3 times per day
• Write down your goals for the day.
• Plan your day in advance.
• FOCUS!!! Multi-tasking doesn’t work!
• Don’t get sucked in to the 'busy' work.
• Schedule your social media time.

The most important thing: make sure you experience joy in each day.

Originally published in Work Better, Not Harder on May 16, 2012

It's All About Them

How many times do we have to hear, “It’s all about them?", meaning the customer. It’s all about them! It’s all about them! It’s all about them! Will that do?

So many times I see ads, marketing material, policies, you name it, that have not taken the customer into account. They scream in their messages that they’re all about you, have great customer services, would be nothing without you – but their actions speak louder than their words.

Consider the airlines – all of them! I recently went to Cuba on vacation and imagine our surprise when the flight attendant wouldn’t accept our cash. No siree, cash is no good on the airlines, only credit cards. Is this about the customer? Hardly. It’s about how much easier it is on the airline not to have to make change. And boy, was she nasty about it! (Air Transat) Did my husband and I stay thirsty? No, but that’s not the point. We didn’t want to pay by credit card!

What about all the industries that use acronyms? Give me a break! We don’t all take a course in each industry so that we can understand what all the initials are that you are using, or your industry jargon. Follow the proverbial rule – KISS, Keep It Simple Sweetie (the nice version... you know what I really mean).

And now in the day of social media and online conversations, it’s more important than ever to be clear, concise and simple. We are not living in a bubble. The internet is global so your visitors and friends are from all over the world. When you start an online conversation, remember to put it in context for your connections that may not be in your little corner of the world.

Don’t confuse people. KISS! Remember – It’s all about them!

Originally published in Work Better, Not Harder on April 26, 2012

Magic Happens in the Hussle

There are lots of 'P's in Marketing – Product, Price, Place and Promotion. Now let me share some other 'P's that I see many entrepreneurs (and people in general) adopt in their lives: Perfectionism, Paralysis, Procrastination. Many times I hear the statement, “Oh, I’m a perfectionist” ...like it’s a good thing. It’s not!! The goal to be perfect is IMPOSSIBLE – just like wanting everybody to like you. There are just too many people, with too many different views and opinions, for your work to be perfect to everybody. When you satisfy one person, you irritate or fall short with another – it can’t be any other way. In most cases. Perfectionism leads to Paralysis or Procrastination to actually DO SOMETHING! You know how I feel about Planning (another 'P') - it sets you up for success, but only if you actually DO SOMETHING with your plan. Strive for excellence, not perfection – and then set systems in place to make you take action. Here are some systems and supports that can Propel (another 'P'!) you into action. 1.     Have a Plan - Know what you want to accomplish and identify the actions it will take for you to get there. 2.     Systems – Set up systems within your business that enable you to DO things with the least amount of effort possible. 3.     Project Manage – Break every project, initiative, event, whatever, into smaller action items. Identify every task needed, who needs to do it, what money or resources you need. Then set a timeline for EACH task. (Click here for the form I use for myself and with my clients.) Which leads me to... 4.     Set Timelines FOR EVERYTHING – Know when you want to start something, when you want to finish it, and when you need something from others. Even when you ask for something from someone else, or are providing something to someone else – set a timeline! 5.     Accountability – What makes you accountable? An accountability buddy, rewarding yourself, a mastermind group, a coach or consultant - what does it take? (I have clients who pay for my services on a monthly basis, not just for the expertise, but because they know if they’re spending money and know we have a meeting coming up, they will get things done. After all, I’m known as the slapper!) 6.     Just DO SOMETHING - Sometimes you should just Ready, Aim, Fire! (I know a business owner who has been in a state of perfectionism, procrastination and paralysis for over a year – no money being made there!) YOUR ASSIGNMENT 1.     Set up a system of accountability. I suggest you do this first because it will actually help you to do the following steps. 2.     Identify one thing you’ve wanted to do but haven’t because of one excuse or another. (Notice I didn’t say reason?) 3.     Before you do anything else, what is ONE thing you can do in the next 24 hours as a step forward with this goal? 4.     Take this form and break down your goal into tasks and set timelines to each task. Some of the tasks will require a form of their own. 5.     Start setting timelines to everything.

Let me know if this kick in the butt has helped get you started on something... I’d love to hear from you.

Originally published in New Life Business Newsletter April 2012

The Outsourcing Solution

More and more companies are choosing to outsource services that may have typically been performed by employees. There are many benefits to this option for the organization. The following issues are being considered and measured when choosing a service solution:

1.     The services being outsourced may be required on a part-time or sporadic basis, making outsourcing the logical financial winner.

2.     Outsourcing allows organizations to retain specialized expertise that they may not be able to afford on a full time basis.

3.     Relationships and contracts with freelancers or contractors are more easily terminated with little or no financial ramification.

4.     What you see is what you pay! No employee benefits, payroll costs, or government submissions.

5.     There’s a shortage of skilled labour and it’s only going to get worse. With the onslaught of the retiring baby boomers in huge numbers and those entering the work force in much smaller numbers, the sustainability of the current numbers in the workforce is impossible. Employers will have to fight for employees so, when possible, contract work will be a great solution.

6.     Freelancers and contractors ARE business owners and understand that their client’s satisfaction equals their success.

7.     Freelancers and contractors are usually much more flexible with their time than employees.

8.     Freelancers and contractors have access to other resources and can often act as the project manager, making them just one contact for multiple services, and sometimes at a much better rate than the organization could get on their own.

9.     Contracting out opens doors to fresh ideas and new solutions.

As you can see, contracting out can be a viable and timely decision!

Originally published in Work Better, Not Harder on February 14, 2012

Show Up and Follow Up

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “90% of Success is just showing up”. This means simply doing, being engaged, following through. You don’t have to be smarter, richer, better looking, more well connected... none of this. Just decide what you’re going to do and then DO IT!

When you consider the number of people that don’t follow through with their plans, it is staggering. By you just putting that one foot in front of the other and taking the steps that others aren’t prepared to do, you’ve beat your competition by a mile. It takes so little effort to be better than most, so why not just commit to following through this year and see what happens.

There are some key areas where “Showing Up” will make soooo much difference.

Networking
If you’re going for a glass of wine and some munchies and chatting with your friends or the people you already know - just stay home or go to dinner with them! Networking is about learning about the character and competencies of others and for them to learn about yours. Pull up your sleeves and get in there - volunteer on committees, be a speaker, hang up coats, help with registration… get involved, really involved.

Implementation
It’s great to develop a plan and put it on nice paper in a pretty binder but, if it stays on the shelf after that, it’s just a waste of time and resources. Work the plan! After the Big Picture Vision, you need to break down each initiative or goal into monthly, weekly and daily action items - and then you need to DO THEM! If you don’t have the personal discipline or motivation to get it done on your own, create a system to provide a system of accountability for you - with a colleague or a professional. If you’re paying someone to help you stay on track, it’s more likely that you’ll do what you need to do when there’s pride or money on the line.

Follow Up
Don’t drop the ball. The hardest part is getting the ball in the air and small action steps after that are all that’s required to keep it there. When you don’t follow up on your promises or commitments, either to yourself or others, your character and integrity are questioned - it’s as simple as that. If you have too much happening and things are falling through the cracks, you need to develop a system to ensure you follow through. That may mean operational systems, hiring, outsourcing, or perhaps just not overextending yourself.

Take the time right now, at the beginning of the year, to tackle your niggly naggly issues, one at a time if necessary. Get focused, focused, focused! Set goals, follow through, and then reward yourself handsomely!

Originally published in New Life Business Newsletter January 26 2012

The Road to Hell

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Are you in a hell of ‘busy work’ resulting in mediocre achievement? Sometimes you’re in this situation because you’re doing what you love or what is easy, not necessarily the difficult or non-fun activities that will get you where you want to go.

There are very few desirable outcomes that happen without performing mundane or difficult tasks. That’s where DISCIPLINE comes in. It is said that 90% of success (or something like that) is a result of just ‘showing up’ – showing up means doing! Doing what needs to be done to achieve your goals. I believe that DISCIPLINE = FREEDOM, not self-denial as some believe. When we do what we need to do, when we need to do it, we get the results we want. Those results provide us with more options. For example, if I do what needs to be done Monday to Friday morning, then Friday afternoon through to Sunday are free for me – yippee!!! It’s soooo worth it!

When we take 100% responsibility for our actions and the consequences of those actions, we understand the power of self-discipline in our lives – for our business, our health, our relationships – you get the picture. A lack of self-discipline is a major cause of failure, frustration, under-achievement, low self-esteem and general unhappiness in life. It causes us to make excuses and play the blame game or became a “yeah… but” person.

We all take the path of least resistance at times so it’s important to establish behaviours, habits and systems for us to overcome this. Figure out what works for you – admit it, you already have a good idea of the excuses and habits that are keeping you from ‘showing up’.

The following tips may help you develop the self-discipline to achieve great things in 2012. Be honest with yourself and remember, every time you WON’T do something it eats away at your self esteem. Self discipline means that you can depend on YOU... making you feel more self-respect and a more powerful person. Self Discipline is a habit!!!

The price of success must always be paid in full – in advance!

• Set goals – know what you want to accomplish
• Plan your year, month, week and day in advance
• Re-write your 10 big goals each morning
• Set priorities each day – does this help me reach my goals?
• Focus single mindedly on one thing – multi-tasking is not productive!
• Feed your brain daily with great ‘food for thought’
• Learn, Learn, Learn… stay curious and keep learning
• Invest in yourself – professional and personal development
• Develop a system of accountability that works for you… with yourself, with the help of others, or by hiring professional support
• Manage your technology - don’t let IT control YOU
• Assess the true value of everything you do, then either do, delegate, delay or drop
• Learn to say NO – to others and yourself
• Surround yourself with great people

Your ultimate goal in life is to achieve your own happiness. No one else can do this for you. So enough of the excuses, blame game, and “yeah… but”s – it’s your life, what are you going to do with it?

Originally published in New Life Business Newsletter December 2011