Simple Marketing 12 Sept

Simple Marketing

The Simple Way To Big Business Growth

Disclaimer This book is copyrighted 2008 © by Jen Blackert. No part of this may be copied, sold or used in any way without express permission from Jen Blackert. The author makes no representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy, applicability or completeness of the contents of this book.

The Author’s Intention I intend this book to ignite your peaceful mind, inner creativity and original thought so you can follow inspired actions to deliver strategic and powerful branding, marketing and sales messages that attract your perfect clients with ease. I offer my expertise and ideas as inspiration.

Contents Introduction

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How to read this book

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Law #1: The Simple Way

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Law #2: Creative Space

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Law #3: Your Imagination

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Law #4: Your Gift

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Law #5: Targeted Intentions

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Law #6: Gift Expression

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Law #7: Compelling Messages

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Law #8: Aligned Methods

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Law #9: The Universal Internet

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Law #10: Automate Your Business

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Afterword

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About The Author

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Acknowledgments I would like to acknowledge my hubby Joe, who supported me through all my internal fears of writing this system and starting my business. My son, Jason, for understanding that sometimes I need to stop playing and get down to writing. And profound gratitude to Dave Duggins my editor. The creation process flowed smoothly with his support. I am forever grateful.

Introduction I used to have a high-stress job. I’m glad I did. Without it, I never would have never discovered yoga. Yoga is the foundation of my marketing business. I know it sounds crazy, but let me explain. I started my professional career in 1993, after receiving a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition from Virginia Tech. I got my first job as a nutritionist at The Diet Center. Since I was a thin 20-year-old, I wasn’t taken very seriously as a weight loss counselor. So I started working on The Diet Center’s marketing. I designed their brochures and flyers. I have always had a natural talent for manifesting what I want. Family members would comment on it. I would just smile. I had no idea my belief in myself and my abilities were really what took me to my next best job. As soon as I got bored and tired with the pay at one job, I would make a decision to get a better one. I usually doubled my income when I obtained a new career position. In 1999, I decided to teach myself HTML and make a website of my own, which started my computer programming career. I quickly learned that if I moved into management, my current position would become easier and would pay more.

Simple Marketing

This is also when I started to get serious about yoga. Yoga was just exercise at first. Later, it became stress management. And these days, it is quickly becoming a way of being. Yoga has taught me how to consciously listen. Once I learned how to listen to my thoughts and identify their craziness, I began to learn how to manage them. The power of changing your mind is absolutely incredible. Napoleon Hill said, “Thoughts are Things.” The Buddha also teaches that thoughts are powerful energies that mold our reality. We are what we think! It’s simple. After a few years in technology marketing and management, I left to start my own business as an emotional eating nutritional coach. The purpose of the business was solely to teach others how to change their thoughts and their beliefs so they could change their eating behaviors and their lives. Recently, I realized how everything fits together like a lock and key. My marketing business is based in the Law of Attraction, the powers of our passionate thoughts and practical marketing know-how that gives us confidence to believe it will happen. Ready to get started?

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How to read this book “Don’t I just start at the beginning?” The simple answer is “yes.” However, you may have a profound transformational shift in perspective and approach to life and work if you do all the exercises. For your best benefit, consciously answer the questions I include. They will help guide you. A journal will be very useful in completing the exercise examples in this book. You may need more space than I can provide. Please read this book only if it calls you to read it. This book has been placed in the universe for my intended audience. If it doesn’t intrigue you, then it was not intended for you at this time.

Law #1

The Simple Way “Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand.” - Henry D. Thoreau

Understanding simple universal wisdoms is fundamental to creating a successful business. Entrepreneurs fail to achieve their goals and intentions for one of two reasons: 1. They have inner conflicts, challenges and beliefs that result in poor business decisions; Or 2. They lack the education and skills needed to grow their business. The path to business growth is simple. When we live by a few basic principles rooted in time-honored spiritual 13

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practices and energies, we can create an extraordinary experience - and a remarkable business.

Laws of Nature There are many laws of nature. For example, everything has a purpose and that purpose is to grow. You can see this in the trees, grass etc. We are going to focus on the law of resonance. The law of resonance is all about energy. This vibration can be a thought, mood, emotion, feeling, hunch or belief. Whatever its form, it transmits an energetic vibration. The law of nature responds whether the message is what you want or what you don’t want. It obediently chooses to give you what you are focused on and feel to be true whether or not it is something you desire. For example, if you are thinking, “I don’t want to have to wait in line,” lines will appear all around you. What you focus on and feel becomes your reality. This is the law of resonance. The law of resonance is always working just as the law of gravity is always working. It isn’t something you can turn on or off. However, you can deliberately manifest what you want if you think, feel and be the simple way. “That’s why the wise soul does without doing …” ~ Tao Te Ching 14

The Simple Way

This is The Simple Way to Manifesting.

D.R.E.A.M. Desire: What is your fantasy? Think about it. Feel it now and hold that feeling. Feel it as yours. Conceive it and achieve it. Be clear and specific about what you want, and ask for it. Real Love: Do you feel passion about your desire? Do you feel thankful and grateful for everyone, everything and the experience? Be in love with the journey. Emotional Decision: Commit to feeling your heart’s desire in the moment. Let go of your perceptions of fear, worry, doubts and regrets and walk in faith with God. Act Now: Take action on what is available now. Do what can be done now. The next step will appear if you allow it. Don’t “try” to figure it out in the now. Manifest: The desire becomes completed in the physical world. “To bear and not to own; To act and not lay claim; to do the work and let it go: for just letting it go is what makes it stay.” ~ Tao Te Ching 15

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Subtle Energy Tantra yogic teaches that subtle vibratory energies are in everything. Yogic methods teach that energy is not simply as an abstract vibration, but has divine power. This is referred to as Shakti. This divine power takes form and becomes our reality. In Hindu traditions, Shakti can become form. Different energies make up different powers of the divinity. This makes up our consciousness. You may understand that the thoughts in your head are a part of you, but consider these thoughts as divine energetic vibrations sending you signals or intuitive nudges about what you could do next.

Energetic Attraction Albert Einstein proved that energy = mc². M represents mass, and c² is the square root of the speed of light. Which means energy and matter are essentially the same. We think of a chair as being solid, but it is really just a lot of atoms and vibrating energy. Nothing is really solid. Your thoughts are energy as well. This means that clutter, annoyances and random unclear thoughts are getting in the way of your good energy - a bunch of unwanted atoms whizzing around distracting you from your true purpose. 16

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Your challenge is to align these atoms and get them pulling in the same direction. Sending out crystal clear messages about what you want. Get rid of all negative energy drains and add as much positive focused energy as possible.

Understand the Mind It’s important to understand that the conscious, subconscious and unconscious parts of your mind are always in communication--whether they agree or disagree. The conscious mind includes thoughts that you hear in your head. (“Am I saying this out loud or in my head?”). The subconscious mind is like a computer’s hard drive. It starts out empty when you are born and you add information bytes that become beliefs and habits as you experience life. The unconscious mind includes behaviors that you don’t realize such as breathing, blood flowing – body functions that just happen by being alive. From now on, you need to choose what you believe. What you take in and place on your “hard drive.” Words are very powerful energies. If you were told as a child that you were great at math, you will always have confidence in your math abilities and be great at math. Isn’t

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it amazing how people can tell us something and we trust that it is true without even questioning it? How about your own words to yourself? What do you tell yourself? Make a list to bring awareness so you can decide if you want it on your hard drive. As an emotional eating disorder counselor, I saw many patterns in self-talk. If you were once overweight and you told yourself that you were fat for years, you believed it. Then you lost weight and the rest of the world considered you thin, but you hadn’t changed your thoughts. You continued to tell yourself you were fat and you couldn’t eat. This is what happens with anorexia. What are you telling yourself? Are you listening to yourself? Are you telling yourself the truth? What you want to believe is the truth. It doesn’t matter if the information is true or not. What you know to be true becomes true. The subconscious mind also houses thoughts that we are not aware of, but can be brought to our conscious mind when alerted. In Tibetan meditation, a bell is rung periodically to help clear and focus the mind. This discipline is supported by a breathing technique. It is not said, “If the mind wanders. It is when the mind wanders.” The mind’s programming is embedded so deeply we are not consciously aware of it. Tibetan monks practice for years to bring conscious control to subconscious programming.

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Change Your Old Way Emotional changes do not have to be difficult, but it may take time and effort. Change has to happen on a subconscious level. To do this, we must observe the behavior and continually and consciously repeat the desired behavior in place of the undesired behavior. This change alone may be a grand step in changing your way of being. Inner challenges may be because your conscious and subconscious minds are not aligned. If your mind is not aligned, you will experience mental chatter. Examples include when you become “mad at yourself ” or you have bad habits like smoking, overeating or drinking that you don’t “like about yourself ”. You may consciously want to change, but hidden subconscious benefits prevent it. The secret lies in the words, thoughts and feelings you choose. Be conscious of them. If your dominant thought is “I don’t want lose my security,” you may be attracting poverty. Focus on abundance instead. In your quest for deliberate positive focus, you may still feel sad, angry or irritated. Accept and allow those feelings. Experience them fully. Learn from them. Then release them and move on with new zest.

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Align Your Mind Use the 10% of your conscious mind to change your unconscious mind. It’s as easy as setting goals and following them for 60 days solid. This begins to change the subconscious so the behavior changes permanently. Tell the Truth We are attracted to authentic people - “warts and all” is the popular phrase. Much of our world is illusion; we may not be consciously aware of it, but we sense it. Integrity aligns your mind. What is integrity? It means to be true to your values. This concept traces back to ancient society, and the beginning of written language. One early written reference, the Sanskrit “Sat Nam,” is over three thousand years old. Tell the truth – particularly to yourself. Be truthful about your money, body and family! If you say you are going to start an exercise program on Monday, do so. If you promise to start your diet, follow through. Never tell yourself you are fat when you know you really aren’t. If you are doing these things to yourself, you need to stop. It can really cause mental chaos.

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Do you think you have integrity? If you tell yourself you are going to do something, do you always do it? Are there promises you are not keeping? Intentions you are not reaching? We often make promises we don’t keep. You might tell yourself, “I am going to start a diet on Monday.” Monday comes and goes. No diet. This behavior causes a misalignment of the unconscious and conscious minds, which may manifest as procrastination, fear, or unfocused intention. Integrity is critical. If you set intentions, but never follow through, your own mind stops believing you. Listen and live consciously. Stay aligned with what you really want and need. Then you will be successful. We are all human. We all face these challenges. With awareness and positive action steps, we will find ourselves back on the path. Align Habits with Desires If you want to be rich, but you spend all your time sitting around surfing the Internet, you are out of alignment. It is time to make a change.

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In your journal, create a table similar to the one below. List all the things in your life where you feel you may be out of alignment. Next to each item, describe a way to change. Prioritize the changes you believe will have the greatest impact. Work your way through the list, one item at a time. Get Help If you have identified a belief that needs to be changed but can’t seem to change it on your own, get help. There are three great techniques that access the subconscious immediately. Research one of these techniques; if you feel aligned with one or more, find expert practitioners to help you make changes. Technique 1 – EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique). This technique addresses the belief and releases it from your subconscious hard drive. Technique 2 – Hypnosis. Hypnosis goes in to your subconscious hard drive and changes it. Technique 3 – NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming). NLP is similar to hypnosis, but employs techniques that can be used in daily life to help install new beliefs.

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Assignment: Where are you getting stuck? What do you fear? What specifically is getting in your way? Make a list, then include the action steps you need to take. I am out of alignment…

What do I need to change …

Example: I fear public speaking

Read, communicate and learn steps to overcoming this fear. I intend to face my fear of public speaking by…

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Law #2

Creative Space “Space abhors a vacuum.”

Successful business owners use universal laws to attract clients in abundance and with ease. They know what they want and they put out aligned energy to get it. Space is probably the biggest attraction principle that aligns us with our source. I like to think, “I am creating space so my fairy godmother can bring in what I want.” If you want something new to come in, get rid of something old. That holds true for both physical material objects and mental chatter and beliefs. If you have ever cleared out a dresser drawer, you know how attractive space is. But how long before that dresser drawer is packed again?

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We are all born to be phenomenally attractive and successful, but sometimes a few things can get in our way. By creating space, you can naturally increase your ability for success and have more energy. Let me share a few ways to increase your natural attractive energy. As you read these techniques, please open your mind and let your intuition be your guide. Ask yourself, “What do I need to clear out of my mind and my life?”

Take Action Clutter includes anything that you don’t like or need both mentally and physically. If your car trunk is loaded to the lid, the additional weight will decrease your fuel efficiency. So I say, “Get the junk out of your trunk!” If your workspace is messy, it takes additional energy, time and brainpower to get your work complete. If your schedule is cluttered with unnecessary meetings, it creates a feeling of chaos. If your mind is cluttered, the gateway to clear thoughts is not possible. If your diet is cluttered with unhealthy food or habits, you will experience lack of focus, energy and success.

Assignment: Take a trip around your house and office and discover what needs to be:

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Completed Delegated Filed Disposed of Walk into each room in your office and/or home (heck, get crazy and do both—especially if they are under the same roof!). Start a list in your journal. It will give you a big smile when each item is checked off. Write down what needs to be done and what date/time you will plan to do it. For example, “clean linen closet” or “get printer cartridge.”

Get Organized Organization is much deeper than what is on the surface of your desk. Organization is a behavior that allows you to complete tasks and projects, and avoid emotional damage. If you don’t complete things, they will eat at you. Anything that you don’t complete has continuation, and gathers emotions that will attack you from the inside out. Organization prepares the foundation for future abundance. It helps keep the mind clear of other decision making, like 27

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“Where should I put this?” It helps create space for more prosperity and abundance. And of course, it’s also attractive to others visiting your space.

Fred’s Frustration Fred, a senior vice president of a software company, was inundated with work and found himself piling and stacking papers. The more work he had, the bigger the stacks became. Though the stacks were orderly when we first met, they were not organized. We’ll leave it at that. Fred came to me for advice on creating a strategic marketing plan. When asked what he had already planned, he said he had an 11-page marketing plan on his desk. He began looking. Ten minutes later, Fred handed me his formal marketing plan. He apologized for the wait, but when I reviewed the plan, I found it was completely disorganized as well. After working with him on his marketing program, I brought up the subject of organization. Today, Fred has two detail-oriented secretaries, his business has tripled in size, and Fred has more focus, more time and more energy.

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Assignment: Hold yourself accountable. Figure out what systems you need to be successful. List systems that need to be created and when they will be created. Create these systems or find someone that can help you create them. This will help free some negative energy spent on disorganization. If you suffer from chronic disorganization, you may need to look deeper in to your psychology. If you organize, but 3-5 days later everything needs to be re-organized, then your mind may be cluttered and you need to learn to clear the mental clutter first.

Assignment: Take a deeper look into organizing your inner being. Take 3 deep breaths and ask yourself: How clear are my thoughts? Can I create more focused thoughts and ideas? Is so, what do I need to do? Why am I operating unconsciously or mindlessly?

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What can I do about it? What will I do about it?

Fix It or Recycle It If it doesn’t work, don’t just let it sit there! It’s time to start removing these petty annoyances in your business and your life that you are putting up with for no reason. These annoyances are negative energies that drain you. It is more difficult to be successful if you are continually distracted. You may not even be aware of it. These annoyances include that light bulb that needs to be changed, those clothes that need to be sewed and that ice maker that needs to be fixed. If you don’t plan to fix it, trash it or recycle it.

Add Success Habits Successful people take conscious care of themselves by eating well, exercising, and cultivating bliss. These healthy habits bring successful attractive energy into their lives. You’ve probably heard a lot about bad habits, but not so much about developing good ones. You may be doing a few things that limit enjoyment, clarity and fun in your life. You can change them. You can eliminate bad habits, and create new ones that help rather than limit you. 30

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Vicky’s Victory Vicky, a former coffee addict, kicked the habit and now openly admits that the coffee was draining her energy and her time due to more intense mood changes. Vicky is now more energetic without coffee and attracts ample clients.

Assignment: What good habits will you add to your life? Write them in your journal. Tell the universe what you want. Express it in positive terms. Some ideas: I will to email or call a friend each day. I will practice yoga on a daily basis. I will have dinner with the family every night. Recall your childhood. What did you do for fun when you were twelve years old? Are any of those activities still fun today? Talk to your younger self as if you were asking another person. Pay attention to the answers. Your intuition will never steer you wrong of your true desires. Start with five things you would like to transform into new habits. Are these things you would be interested in doing daily, weekly, monthly? Write them down. Do you see your future self doing these things regularly? Will these new habits bring clarity, focus or fun into your life?

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Once you come up with your list of five new habits, think of some ways you can reward yourself for successfully applying them. This should not be nearly as hard as coming up with your new habits! What is your favorite way to “baby” yourself? Pedicure? Manicure? Gourmet dinner? You decide. Start a tally sheet to hold yourself accountable. A simple check box method will do just fine. Predetermine what you reward will be for each habit. Before you know it, you will start enjoying yourself! 1. ________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________ 4. ________________________________________ 5. ________________________________________ Now. Look over these habits. They must be things that you truly want. I will exercise more, I will eat better, I will -You fill in the blank.

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Law #3

Your Imagination “I can teach anybody how to get what they want out of life. The problem is that I can’t find anybody who can tell me what they want.” – Mark Twain

What Do You Really Want? Before you can design a crystal-clear, complete, concise marketing message, you first need to know what you want your life and your business to be like. What does your future business look like in your mind’s eye? Poof! Your fairy godmother appears in a cloud of smoke. You have two minutes to tell her in detail what you want. What do you say? Do you already have realistic intentions and visualizations that you can tell her? Do you know, clearly and completely, what you want? 33

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The clock is ticking. What will you tell her? If you’re not sure, we have some work to do. How can your fairy godmother give you want you want, if you can’t tell her what it is? What, you don’t believe in a fairy godmother? Well maybe she will stop believing in you, too. What if you did have a fairy godmother? What would you tell her? How clearly could you tell her? Are you thinking about what you want or want you don’t want? To what are you giving your attention?

Assignment: Coach Yourself Coach yourself by answering these 5 questions. 1. What is the most important goal in your life right now? 2. How long have you had this goal? 3. What has been your biggest obstacle to achieving that goal? What excuses are you making they may be keeping you from complete it? 4. What actions have you taken toward the accomplishment of your goal in the last 24-36 hours? Where does it fall on your priority list? 5. How will you feel once you reach that goal?

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Now, look at what you wrote under #5. Is this really your goal? Is this what you really want?

Visualize with Your Imagination Using your imagination can be fun and easy. As if you were a child imagining yourself as a princess or firefighter. Use these 5 techniques to engage your mind and experience your imagination.

The Sensory Engage all the senses. What do you hear, see, feel, smell and taste? If you have ever sung a song in your head, you know you can “hear” mental sounds. Explore the possibilities. Enjoy it! Example: Imagine owning a new car. Engage all your senses. What do I hear? The hum of a quiet engine. What do I see? A brand new steering wheel with no peeled leather. What do I smell? That wonderful new car smell.

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What do I feel? The steering wheel is smooth under my hands. What do I taste? A fresh strawberry I just bought at a farmer’s market. Engage in a virtual reality. Example: See the interaction with the sales clerk while you are purchasing the car. What are you saying? Then see yourself driving it off the lot.

The Movie See yourself as a curious observer as you view yourself participating in your dream. It is almost like you are watching a movie or seeing a play in which you are the star. Watch yourself act out the role. Example: Close your eyes and start watching yourself as in a movie. The movie ends when you are driving your new car in your driveway.

The Finish Line Encode the experience in your being by seeing yourself enjoying the gift of achieving the goal.

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Example: How do you know when you get there? Are you writing a check? Are you driving your car home?

External Pictures with Internal Focus Collect pictures of ideas and things you want. Imagine yourself in these pictures. Example: A picture of you in your new car could be posted on your bathroom mirror.

Assignment: Short and Long Terms What short-term visions/intentions do you have? Write down what you plan to have, do or be in the next 3 months. 1. ________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________ 4. ________________________________________ 5. ________________________________________ What long-term visions/intentions do you have? Write down what you plan to have, do, or be in the next 6 months, 12 months, 2 years, and 5 years.

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Message the Universe 1. Phrase your intention in the present, as if you are already experiencing it. Example: I am the owner of a 5,000 square foot beautiful home in Austin with no repairs needed. I have a 20% down payment and can easily make monthly mortgage payments. NOTE: Have an inner visual associated with this message. Maybe your inner vision of the home has a spiral staircase and an elevator. 2. Be grateful. Example: I am grateful and thankful for my new home. 3. Let it be easy. Let it be right. Example: I receive my new home in a positive meaningful, relaxed way. 4. Affirm the purpose. Example: For the greater good, the universe and myself. 5. Complete Example: So it is!

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The completed message may sound like this. I am the owner of a 5,000 square foot beautiful home in Austin with no repairs needed. I have a 20% down payment and can easily make monthly mortgage payments. I am grateful and thankful for my new home. I receive my new home in a positive meaningful, relaxed way. For the greater good, the universe and myself. So it is!

Assignment: Write out your messages for each vision you created.

Conceive It, Believe It, Achieve It If you can think it up, it can be yours. The trick is to know it is yours – you must believe before you can achieve. Stating these messages may seem strange and unbelievable at first, but as you continue to state them, they become true. Consider changing your morning and evening ritual. For example, after you brush your teeth (and floss) read and speak your visual messages. If it’s short and memorized, you may want to state it as often as possible.

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Reminder post-it notes, e-mail reminders, a booklet by your bed, or even audio recordings are great ways to send your message out often.

Chasing Butterfly Disorder (CBD) Now that you have a created some space and a crystal-clear vision, you must watch out for butterflies that start rapidly flying around your periphery. Example: Someone offers you a dozen donuts while you are trying to drop some pounds. What is CBD? If you find yourself chasing all sorts of new opportunities or ideas that are not related to your current business or your vision of your life, you may have chasing butterfly disorder. Think back to when you were 10 and had slumber parties. One person would get out the flashlight and the rest of you would be in a pitch dark room. Do you remember the focus and attention given to that light? What if that light was focused only on your future vision? Where do you think your life would be today? Read these questions and see if you can relate. If you can, you may have CB disorder. 1. You are asked to speak at an upcoming event and you jump at the chance without knowing who will be in the audience. 40

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2. You accept an invitation to collaborate on a project that is completely unrelated to your business and your target market. 3. Your church group has asked you to volunteer for a large summer camp. It will take up to 8 hours of your time and you agree to help because you feel obligated. There’s an easy way to tell the difference between intuitive ideas and butterflies. When an opportunity comes along, quickly evaluate it with the following questions: 1. Will this help me accomplish my intentions? 2. Is this where I want to be spending my time and money? 3. Will this support growth, change or improvement to my current habits, environments or relationships?

Krissie’s Catastrophe Krissie, a family physician, came to me to help her automate her marketing efforts, particularly follow-ups and postcards. After our first coaching call, I soon realized that what Krissie thought she needed was very different than what she actually needed.

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Krissie was frustrated and overwhelmed with the day-today activities. When I asked why she started her practice, she had no clear answer. She had never taken the time to create a vision for her life and her business. She was told as a child she would become a doctor like her dad. She simply followed the steps to get there. Krissie told me she liked being a doctor, but she disliked all the other aspects of her business. I worked with Krissie over several weeks to create a new vision for her. Armed with a clear picture, the obstacles of day-to-day life seemed to vanish. She began to tackle tasks without procrastination. She also became very aware of the “butterflies” in her office and banished them.

Make Conscious Decisions You may think you are living in the present moment, but are you? Do you consciously eat, dress and shower? How often do you find yourself daydreaming in the shower and washing your hair twice? What were you thinking about? Do you know? Was it beneficial? What can you do to make sure that you’re conscious and mindfully present? There’s a Sanskrit word that means non attachment—vairagya. It’s about embracing life - the sounds, sights, smells, tastes and feelings - without needing to own them. 42

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Here are some simple tips to help in achieving vairagya... so you start working and living more consciously every day!

Assignment: Present Moment In your notebook, describe your present moment: How does the air feel? How do your clothes feel as they touch each part of your body? Is there a certain smell in the air? Do you taste anything? What do you see? Open yourself. Notice everything. Begin every sentence with: ‘Right now…’ or ‘At this moment…’ or ‘Here and now…’. Get an egg timer and set it for 10 minutes. Go find some business work to do, like checking e-mail or logging bills. When your timer goes off, ask yourself these questions. Did you consciously tackle each item or did you start daydreaming? How long was it before your mind wandered off? Get back on track by setting your timer for 5 minutes. If you are still having trouble here are a couple tips that might help.

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1. Write down your random thoughts in a journal and “capture” them in the closed book. 2. Throw them in a mental blender and then toss them out. Get in the present and create the life that you want. Think of it like this: an hour from now is fantasy, while an hour ago is only a memory. The present is what you have to create now. IMPORTANT: When you do this “getting present” exercise, you don’t have to do this sitting still. Do it at any time! The more practice you get at being present, the longer you will be able to feel present. To re-acquire the full feeling of mindful-presence is an experience of tremendous impact. And you will definitely know it when you get there. When you are mindful, you are an enlightened being.

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Law #4

Your Gift ”If you think you can do a thing or you think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.” – Henry Ford

Now that you are clearer on what you want, it is time to get clearer on your brand and how to promote it. Your personal brand needs to be rooted in your mind and your prospect’s mind as a form or image of your natural being. It also needs to be aligned with your vision so you intentionally attract your perfect clients. To create an instant impact, your brand needs to be genuine, authentic, compelling, universal and rooted in integrity.

Are You “Brandable”? 1. Do you have a service or product that is wanted or needed? 45

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Regardless of how much you love your idea, you need to know that others want to buy from you. If you ever saw the show, “The American Inventor,” you would know plenty of people have passion for a product, but often, no one else shares it. What benefits do your product or service offer? 2. Am I willing to “let go” and immerse myself completely in my own success? Many business owners just starting out continue to hold on to a safety net. If you plan for success, a net is not needed. 3. Are you passionate? If you are not driven every morning to work on your business, then you may not be following your ideal path. 4. Do you know exactly what you want in detail? If you answered yes to these questions, collect $200 and pass GO.

Create Your Personal Brand Creating your own brand is easy. God made us unique. All you have to do is tap into “you.”

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Take a moment and think about the relationship between you and your brand. The next exercise helps you search your psychology and discover your unique self. That is how you “stand out”.

Optimize Success Factors There are four simple factors to being phenomenally successful. T.E.A.M: Tools, External & Environmental, Action Awareness, Mindset

Assignment: Tools or Skills What tools need to be added to your toolbox to be successful? Do you need education or any additional skills to be successful? Make a list and include projected dates for completion. 1. _______________________________________ 2. _______________________________________ 3. _______________________________________ 4. _______________________________________ 5. _______________________________________

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Assignment: External & Environmental Awareness Are you trying to live up to others’ expectations of you? If so, what are those expectations? Where do those expectations come from (you or others)? Why is it important for you to do something for someone else? Stop comparing yourself to your “competition.” You are on your own path. Stop allowing people to get in your way. If all your friends ate fast food every day for lunch, could you go with them, drink water while they eat and then eat organically later? Or do you follow the pack? List external forces that may be pulling you from your inner attractive brand identity. 1. _______________________________________ 2. _______________________________________ 3. _______________________________________ 4. _______________________________________ 5. _______________________________________

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Assignment: Action Awareness We talked earlier about adding joyful habits to your life. Focus on good habits, behaviors and actions. If you sell nutrition products but eat poorly, then you are not aligned. You are sending out contradictory messages to the universe. Abundance will not come your way if you are not aligned. List any unattractive habits and describe how unaligned habits will be discarded. 1. _______________________________________ 2. _______________________________________ 3. _______________________________________ 4. _______________________________________ 5. _______________________________________

Assignment: Mindset Awareness What are you doing that you shouldn’t be doing? Yes, this includes that donut you ate this morning. 49

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Take care of yourself. No one else will do it for you. Hold yourself accountable. Be present. You are either “NowHere” or “Nowhere.” Take action. The past is gone. The future is an unknown quantity. “Now” is all there is. List what are you doing that is not aligned with what you could be doing: 1. _______________________________________ 2. _______________________________________ 3. _______________________________________ 4. _______________________________________ 5. _______________________________________

Personal Brand Boundaries Boundaries are your standards. They earn respect. If someone is saying or doing something that bothers you, don’t hold it in. If you have trouble with boundaries, just follow the four-step approach below.

The formula for setting boundaries Inform: Tell them what they did. Do so without anger. Start with “Do you know that…” 50

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Request: “I request that … ” Demand: “I insist that you … ” You can add consequences. Leave: Stop associating with them. You can just leave the room. You can leave either temporarily or permanently.

Assignment: Want to make some boundaries? Great! Start your list. Make a list of what people can’t do to you or do around you. 1. _______________________________________ 2. _______________________________________ 3. _______________________________________ 4. _______________________________________ 5. _______________________________________ Brad’s Breaking-Point Brad owns a thriving advertising firm. He knew hiring a college student would offer some challenges, but had no idea how many of his boundaries would be tested.

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Jeff, Brad’s newly hired college student, was given responsibilities and told he could ask any manager for clarification and information. Jeff was likable and eager do a good job. However, he popped into the other manager’s offices multiple times in an hour, often speaking while the manager was on the phone or in a meeting. It became clear the young man did not know the boundaries of good office manners. One of the managers met with him privately to make him aware of his actions. I was coaching Brad on other personal issues at the time and realized Brad hadn’t set any clear boundaries in his business or his life. I informed Brad how to handle the situation with my four-step process. Jeff, the college student, realized he was interfering with business protocol, but his poor behavior didn’t stop. Brad took the next step by insisting Jeff change or he would be let go. Jeff’s annoying behavior did not stop suddenly, but over time, continued to improve. Thanks to Brad, Jeff learned the boundaries of office manners and the consequences of not using them.

Define Your Brand Assignment: Create a list of everything that you see as unique about yourself and your business brand.

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How am I unique?

How is my brand unique due to my personal uniqueness?

Now, answer these five questions and your brand will be created!

1. Position: The position describes what you do and for whom. Write your unique value and how will clients benefit from your business. What’s your position?

2. Promise: A promise is something you will deliver every time. “Your way, right away.” As a personal brand it may be your passionate personality or guaranteed quality. What’s your promise?

3. Traits: What do you want your business to be known for? What adjectives best describe you as a personal brand? Examples 53

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are ambitious, detail-oriented, conscious, and qualityminded. What are your personal brand traits?

4. Story: Where have you been? What’s your history? How did you get here? Your story adds credibility and character. What’s your story?

5. Associations: What are your name, logo, tag lines? What are the associations people see that reflect your brand’s promise? What associations are related to your company?

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Targeted Intentions “ It’s really the popularity with the target audience that counts.” Stephen Greyser

This wouldn’t be a marketing book if I didn’t address target markets. Even if you already know who you are trying to reach, this section will be useful if approached from a different mindset.

Your Perfect Audience As a business success coach, it’s my job to bring in fresh positive energy and get rid of negative energy. Have you ever worked with clients who seemed to draw energy from you? Those clients are not aligned with your business principles and values. They sap the precious energy you need to be at your best for your clients. That’s why every client must be your perfect client. They will be if you send out clear, concise messages to them. 55

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Pretend a coach is asking you the following questions. Do your best to answer them consciously.

Assignment: Who is your perfect audience? Answer these questions in detail. Occupation: What do they do for a living? Demographic: Age? Gender? Income? Education? Family Size/Children at home or in college? What are other common characteristics? (hobbies, health …) Geographic: Where are they located? Cities? Countries?

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Subdivisions? Psychographics: What books and magazines do they like? What TV and radio shows? What fears, struggles and frustrations? What beliefs? Reachable: Can you find them? List where they gather? Can you purchase lists? Where? Can they afford your services? What actions do you need to take to reach them? Once you have answered these questions, you will have a clearer vision of your targeted audience. Problems: List all the problems and struggles they face and how you can provide a solution.

Reach Your Perfect Client Now that you know your perfect audience and how to reach them, you are ready create a vision of your perfect client. Who’s your perfect client? Here are a few questions 57

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that will help you see a clear vision of your perfect client. 1. Do they pay you what you desire without hesitation? 2. Do they know you are the only person who can provide your services? 3. What rules and boundaries do they have to obey to work with you? For example, I won’t work with anyone that isn’t open to multiple options and problem-solving ideas. 4. What intentions do you have for your perfect clients? For example, I intend that every client I work with becomes successful due to my marketing efforts. A perfect client becomes unpaid sales staff, because they are so happy with your services they can’t wait to tell the world. You can intend that they feel this way. A perfect client represents your targeted audience and is a gravitational force that pulls in other perfect clients. Remember the universal law… like attracts like. One perfect client will magnetically pull in other perfect client and so on.

Lisa’s Lost Market Lisa is a bookkeeper who makes upwards of $40,000 a year doing basic business bookkeeping. I met Lisa at a women’s networking group. I asked her who was in her target market. She responded with “well … everyone.”

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Of course, Lisa didn’t market to everyone. If Lisa met a computer programmer that worked at a software company, would she sell her bookkeeping services to them? What about Fortune 500 companies? Did Lisa have the skills to handle that kind of bookkeeping work? I asked her who her clients were and we determined that she is a bookkeeper for small businesses with fewer than five employees. Assignment: Describe your perfect client. Name: Occupation: Demographic: Geographic: Psycho-graphic: What’s in his/her head? What is his/her age range and ethnic group? What is his/her personality? What are his/her challenges? Write a description of your perfect client: Example: My perfect client’s name is Cindy. Cindy is a successful speaker, author and coach, but lacks regular 59

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coaching clients without expensive spurts of marketing when she doesn’t have clients. Cindy trusts universal energy principles, but can’t envision how smooth her life will be when she has regular marketing systems in place that attract all the clients she needs. When I write, I write to my friend Cindy.

Build a Perfect Marketing Messages By having a vision of your perfect client, you can create all your marketing messages just for them. Speaking or writing to one person? Why? Only one person will be reading your message at a time. Why not plan for it to be your perfect client? Writing directly to that perfect client will help you relate to his/her issues and build stronger relationships. I’ll talk more about communication in the next chapter. First, I want to introduce the marketing cycle – a foundational principle in solid business-building.

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Launch Your Marketing Cycle

There are six stages of target audience awareness in every marketing cycle. 1. Exist Does your target audience know that your gift exists?  How will you let them know?  Some ideas for methods of expression is covered in Law #8: Aligned Methods. 2. Interest: You have to get ‘you’ on their mind. We do this by continually educating and sharing information to our perfect prospective audience. 61

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3. Prospect: You have been on their mind; now they come to you. They want to know more. They want to know exactly – “WIIFM: What’s in it for me?” 4. Client: Under promise and over deliver! Keep them excited. 5. Referral: You want your clients to tell all their colleagues and friends. Put a reward system in place, so they will refer clients to you. 6. Repeat starting at step 3 for Prospect: When you receive a prospect as a referral, you need to make an immediate connection with them. Introduce them to any articles you’ve written, any audio files you have to offer and any other free information they may need to decide to hire you.

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Gift Expression “Helpful gives someone what they seek; profound gives them something bigger than they knew was possible.” – Thomas J. Leonard

Listen Consciously You think you are a good listener. But are you? We weren’t taught how to listen except when we were told to “listen to the beep” during a hearing test in elementary school. Imagine what the world would be like if we were taught to listen to everything so intently. Listening is very attractive. It makes the speaker feel that the listener understands, knows, likes and trusts him. Interesting isn’t it? Persuade naturally by listening. Next time you are in a conversation listen consciously and review what was said in your head before you respond. If you find 63

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you’re talking to yourself, or you’re suddenly jolted by the thought, “Oh, no! What did they just ask me?” Then you need practice. Don’t worry – most of us do!

Assignment: Listen profoundly during your next five conversations. Journal your insights. Implement action steps to improve your listening abilities, based on what you’ve learned. Speak Consciously Now that you are listening more, you must be talking less. You have a wealth of knowledge, but a prospect comes to you with problems they are trying to solve. Focus your communication. • Respond to only your prospect’s problems. • Offer scenarios and powerful stories so your listener knows they are understood. • Point out their unique gifts and respond to their emotions. • Feel their feelings and speak at that level or a notch higher. This helps you become more energetically aligned with them. • Deliver profound, memorable statements – they’re a kind of emotional shorthand. I use “believe to achieve,” “chasing butterflies” and “now here or nowhere.” 64

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• Don’t compliment, but do make note of their true being. Make note of who they are. • Turn complain ts into requests.

Write As You Speak Write as if you are talking to your perfect client. Strive for simple, clear communication. The last thing you want is “lawyerspeak” or “technobabble.” How would you talk with your best friend? Write like that.

Make an Impression The Average American’s attention span for new information is 9 seconds. Stand out and make a powerful first impression. If I saw you walking down the street, what would I think about you? Have you perfected the environment of you? What assumptions are made about you? Are you comfortable with those assumptions?

Assignment: How profoundly do you affect others? Test yourself: 65

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Communication: • I talk positively • I speak about the present moment vs. future or past • I impress others without trying • I match tone and mood • I hear what’s behind their words Style: • I am trustworthy • I am put together and polished and feel great • I only work with passionate people • I embody quality and people can tell __ I shine Integrity: • I am honest and fair at all times • I live a simple life • I always do my best • I am always on time • I feel in balance

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Charisma: • I am humorous and live light-heartedly • I’m hip • I’m generous • I’m strategic • I’m present

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Compelling Messages compelling adj 1. attracting strong interest and attention 2. tending to make somebody do something, make something happen, or be necessary – Webster Dictionary

Understand the Psychology of Marketing Before I talk about compelling messages, it’s important for you to understand why advertising works. Advertising works when your message reaches people. By reach, I mean they actually hear it. By hear, I mean it goes in to their brain and hits a subliminal need or emotional desire World Class Chef Gordon Ramsay chooses to yell at his chefs to get work done. While I don’t recommend yelling at people, Gordon knows that by provoking an emotional 69

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response in his chefs, they will remember and make necessary changes. It’s the same with marketing and selling. If you are reading this, you probably have heard that people buy with their emotions. Do you know why? And how? Let’s start with the “why.” The human brain has three main components: The brain stem The limbic system The cerebral cortex The cerebral cortex analyzes sensory data, performs memory functions, learns new information, forms thoughts and makes decisions. The limbic system is responsible for emotions and feelings like anger, passion, and sadness. Information retention and long-term memory are stimulated by the firing of the amygdala, which performs a key role in processing nearly all emotional events. Emotions cause us to pay attention and help us decide which messages to remember. The brain stem is responsible for bodily functions, which is very important in sustaining life, but not for marketing and advertising. 70

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Luckily, it is almost impossible to be emotionless. We are emotional beings. When writing or speaking your marketing message, it must be processed by the limbic system. Emotions tell the reader when to pay attention. Emotions are not only processed faster than logical thought; they make the final decision. Your marketing message needs to stimulate an emotional reaction. Now for the how! To stimulate a human emotion, the brain needs to make emotional associations. Your targeted audience needs to hear a marketing message 6 –9 times to really understand it. More importantly, your message needs to be heard three times in seven nights’ sleep to move it from short-term memory to long-term memory. To get on someone’s mind, you need to make an impact. How do you make an impact? You need to make it emotional. You must deliver emotionally charged messages. It doesn’t matter if the words provoke a positive or negative emotion. The Great Depression, 9­11, April 15, taxes, and Uncle Sam are examples of words which provoke a negative emotional response. Numbers are also used to evoke emotions. For example, 75% off, 9 in10 people, 13 surefire ways. Though you may think numbers would be factual, they really cause emotional urgency. Many times, numbers will evoke urgency, fear of loss or security. Teachers love asking questions about numbers. Numbers are easy to memorize. 71

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How to Formulate Compelling Messages Your prospective clients will never know what you really do until you consistently deliver the same messages to them over and over again. There are so many consistent messages which need to be created. Some examples are: elevator speeches, postcards, flyers, sales letters, business cards, advertisements, articles, speeches, website pages, newsletters, e-zines, reports, and audio recordings. Your message must be contain the following elements: #1 Must-have: Pick a need/emotion 1. Security: (What will they gain or lose? Wealth, comfort, health etc.) 2. Love: (Can they receive love or lose love? Both are strong emotional needs that hit us at our roots.) 3. Recognition: (Will you have the best, most luxurious, will you be acknowledged, are you worthy?) #2 Must-have: Address these 4 elements to construct elevator speeches, postcards, business cards and small ads. 1. Speak personally to your perfect client. 2. Address their problems or issues.

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3. Tell them the benefits of your solution. 4. Ask them to take action Example: (Must-have 1 & 2) Are you struggling with finding clients online? I’ve developed a 10-step system that teaches small business owners how to book their business solid in 8 months or less. Get started for free with my weekly marketing tips ezine. Put your first name and email address in the below box.

Additional elements #1: (Use for newsletters, ezines, sales letters) 1. Educate 2. Give testimonials 3. Share features with your benefits

Additional element #2: (for speeches, long audio i.e. radio interviews or podcasts, reports, ezine and newsletter articles, sales letters) Stories Stories help develop relationships and move your reader to feel as if they “know” you.

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Here are some questions that will help you write compelling stories. Do you think the story is interesting? What is important for them to hear? What would shock them? What would sound almost unbelievable? Can you add a hook that will make them stop and think? Example: Story (for article marketing) For the longest time, I wanted be thin, but I kept having recurring thoughts that I couldn’t be. I had all kinds of excuses. I would have to go hungry. I would have to run 5 miles a day. I didn’t have the time to exercise rigorously daily. You name it. I thought it. I had every excuse in the book. I was making untrue statements in my head. In fact, I was manifesting that there was no possible way I could be thin. One day, it dawned on me after several years of reading and applying Abraham Hicks’ and Wayne Dyers’ work. I had already been using some of the principles of the law of attraction and didn’t even know it. For years, I would find myself saying, “I don’t like this job, I am going to quit in the next four weeks and find a better job making $20,000 more.” In the joy of my new job, my sister would make some comment about the universe loving me. And then I figured it out. I knew 74

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what I was doing and I knew that if I wanted to be thin, I just had to be willing. And although I want the scale’s number to say a couple pounds less, I trust that number change. I also know today, I look great and feel thin. By following in the law of attraction and universal energy, I already know that whatever I want and believe will be, will be.

Additional Element #3: Emotionally charged copy & hypnotic punches When you read something that brings up some emotions (tear of sadness, tear of joy or excitement), you have read emotionally-charged copy. Have you ever read an email that says, “I’m so excited to tell you about…”? It’s simply copy that gets the reader excited to read on. Whenever you can present emotions in your copy, you can provoke a mental charge. It’s like a little energetic charge in the mind that causes the reader to take action. Here are some easy, effective strategies to quickly turbocharge and give a 1-2 punch to your copy. 1. Use captivating language that excites the reader. Make them want to read more. Don’t use adjectives. Do use powerful verbs and other descriptive words.

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2. Tap into their fears. The strongest emotion is the fear of loss. If people feel that are going to lose their chance to receive the product or service they are more likely to act now vs. later. Fear of loss can be demonstrated with a limited time offer, a deadline, a price change or a bonus offer. 3. Make them curious. Another great emotion that gets our prospects to take action is curiosity. “(Your Name), Do you know Sally”? This makes the users curious and they have to click to find out if they know Sally. 4. Answer their mind’s FAQs. What’s the conversation going on in the reader’s head? Are you answering their questions? How will it make their life better? 5. Write and speak in the present tense. Instead of: “This program will change your life.” Use “This program changes your life.” 6. Use second-person “You”. ”You may begin to wonder…”

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7. Make a relationship. Relate to the reader by feeling their pain, problem or struggle. People buy from people they know, like and trust. The best way to do this is to offer value. This means giving them education, information, facts and ideas on how your products fit their needs. Be consistent with your offers. ”I know how you feel, I have been there too.” 8. Use clear process instructions. Tell your prospect exactly what you want them to do. What benefits you have to offer. What steps do they need to take? “Go here now.” “Visit this page.” “Click here.” You are a consumer, too. Be an intentional, conscious consumer and make note of what works. More than likely, it is a proven tactic that you can use in your own business. 9. Add some hypnotic power-punches.

Map Their Experience This is a hypnotic technique that reaches your reader on the subconscious level. You describe what they are experiencing in that given moment. Example: As you are reading this you are becoming more and more interested in these hypnotic power punches. You are curious, and want to learn more. 77

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Here are some terms that can be added to your copy. You already know… Some people have told me when they... I would like you to discover something… When you think about... As you bear them in mind... Before you buy… As you are getting excited… While you are reading this letter and as you are getting excited, you will benefit… Imagine the benefits... I’m not sure what aspects you will find the most magnetic for you… I am not sure what it is next that will… Can be available to you… 78

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As you find yourself thinking...

Assignment: Write an elevator speech and a 50-word ad description for your perfect client.

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Aligned Methods “ My success just evolved from working hard at the business at hand each day.” ~ Johnny Carson

A marketing strategy is simply a plan, while methods are the pieces within a strategy. Many small business owners only choose one marketing method and don’t create a marketing strategy. In this chapter, I outline marketing methods that make up your strategy.

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In Chapter 5, I addressed the marketing cycle.

Law #8 covers three marketing cycle phases (Exist, Interest and Prospect). As you read these methods, mentally select methods you feel aligned with. Do not choose a method if you can’t visualize it in your business.

Discover Your Aligned Methods Method #1: Networking Networking means building a system of alliances and education in order to receive referrals.

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It is not a place to find customers! I will say that again. It is not a place to find customers! Choose groups that surround you with your targeted perfect audience or powerful people with whom you can make alliances. Again, networking is about creating relationships that will bring you referrals. Improve the effectiveness of networking by creating a free information-packed report or CD that can be shared to educate interested colleagues. Method #2: Speaking Before speaking to any audience, get answers to these questions. What is the size of the audience? What are their demographics? What are their intentions? Will this reach my perfect clients? Choose your speaking engagements. Start by speaking for free locally. Find groups by asking colleagues and search the Internet for previous speakers that reached your perfect clients. You can find many speaking engagements by letting everyone know that you are a speaker and asking them if they know of any groups that are in need of speakers. Plenty of organizations and associations are looking for speakers. Call first and then follow up with an e-mail if they are unreachable. 83

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Method #3: News Release If you have REAL news, this is a great way to get your word out. REAL news includes at least 3 of these 6 components: • Conflict: Is there a conflict within your news release that you can help solve? • Unique: Is your product completely different than any other thing on the market? • Timely: Is your article similar to a topic on Oprah? Is it a hot topic? • Prominent: Are you popular or working with someone that is well-known? • Proximity: Is it relevant to your area? A new store opening is an example. If you have REAL news, then do your homework, learn how to write news releases and get going with your writing and releasing. Method #4: Promotional flyers Distribute and post promotional flyers where, when and if appropriate. Remember, start with your target market. Are you going to reach them? Is the information timely? Does it add value to your business? I’m sure you can easily answer these questions. 84

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Method #5: Article marketing Articles build credibility and can make you an immediate industry expert. Write articles for magazines, periodicals, books and online publications. You may even make a buck or two for your article. Leverage your articles by finding business owners that may hold a prominent role in the eyes of your perfect clients. Offer to share your article or other information with their audience. Method #6: Get Involved With Your Audience Spy on your perfect clients. Where do they hang out? What are they reading? Subscribe to their magazine, forums and support groups. After a quick online search you will find plenty of forum and discussion groups and other information. Get involved and help answer their questions. Never sell your services to them; instead educate them on how you can help. Method #7: Internet Marketing Buyers are looking for solutions online these days. This is the least expensive and the best strategy to getting more people interested in you and your services. More indepth information about marketing your business on the

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Internet is covered in Chapter 9. For now, just choose it as a marketing method. Method #8: Host A Teleclass A teleclass is charge for a class, consider offering a free teleclass first. This way people can try you out before they buy. Offer a transcript as a free downloadable report so they will keep in touch with you. Promote your class in teleclass directories. You may have to pay service fees, but it is worth it. Method #9: Cross Promote Create strategic alliances by identifying and asking other editors that reach your perfect audience to share your upcoming events. If you are charging for your event, you may need to offer an affiliate commission. Method #10: Paid Advertising If you plan to pay for advertisements, make sure you do your homework. Call previous advertisers in your targeted market and find out how much response they are receiving from their ad. Also follow the format for creating compelling messages. If you are considering pay-per-click 86

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search engine ads, research your keywords and keyword phrases. Ensure your perfect audience is searching for the keywords specified. Method #11: Direct Marketing A nice strategy is to have methods 1-11 as an avenue to get prospects in your database. Now, you are ready to reach them directly. Direct marketing is simply identifying your perfect audience and sending intentional messages directly to them. The most common approach is direct mail and email marketing, but there are other direct approaches. The Blockbuster coupon you received in the mail is an example of direct mail marketing. The last product you bought online because you searched for a solution is an example of direct response marketing. Direct marketing campaigns allow your captured audience to receive information on your upcoming workshops, teleclasses and speaking presentations. Direct marketing can also be an opportunity to educate your audience. By focusing on your prospects, they will begin to like, trust and know you. Solution + timing + (know, like, trust) = 99.99% purchase rate. 87

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Some people simply aren’t ready to buy from you when they meet you. Over time you can persuade them to know, trust and like you. Once you build a relationship, they will buy from you.

Create a Marketing Calendar Assignment: Step #1: Write down your selected marketing methods (from the above list) and implementation ideas. For example: Speaking, networking, advertising.

Assignment: Step #2:Write down your marketing strategy. A strategy is a selection method for sending out your intentional messages. For example: I will locate 2-3 speaking engagements per month and collect email addresses for my monthly newsletter.

Assignment: Step #3:Create a detailed task list.

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For example: Speaking Engagements 1. Research groups 2. Identify groups with my targeted audience 3. Identify leaders 4. Contact leaders 5. Create presentation 6. Schedule on your calendar

Assignment: Step #4: Put each detailed task on your calendar and reference any related flow chart. Don’t forget to add “review marketing model” as one of your tasks. Create process/flow chart notes below.

Calendar Procrastination Disorder WARNING: You may experience marketing calendar procrastination disorder. Remember, 90% of our functions are unconscious, which makes change difficult. A marketing calendar is a big change. What happens if you find yourself rescheduling

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or procrastinating? How do you change the behavior? The questions below will help you with your disorder. 1. Do you know how to implement the marketing method you choose? 2. Are you ignoring it or are you searching for a solution? 3. Do you fear implementation or rejection? Do you like this marketing method? If not, consider outsourcing the work. Don’t get stuck and stop; find help or support.

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The Universal Internet “Hitch your wagon to a star.” --Ralph Waldo Emerson

This chapter is written so you know how to speak intelligently to a web designer and/or a SEO (Search Engine Optimization Internet marketing specialist. You want to hire a web designer that is also an SEO specialist. Many web designers and developers tell you they are also SEO specialists. Don’t believe them! I have seen too many designers that just put a couple of keywords on your site and tell you that your site has been optimized. The first thing you need to do before you hire a designer is to ensure that you call all their references and ask them how their site is doing on the search engines. In addition, you want to view their portfolio to ensure that they do keep the below marketing strategies in mind while designing their websites.

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4 Simple Steps to �������������� Online ������� Success #1:  Website Set-up: Receiving Leads #2:  Deliver Traffic to Your Website. This includes (a) natural (b) paid traffic (c) other strategies. #3:  Build A Relationship With Your Perfect Audience. #4:  Call Them To Take Action.

#1: Website Set-up: Receiving Leads Make sure you website’s copy addresses the following: 1. Speak to your target market, specifically the individual that you identified earlier. 2. Understand her immediate problem. Do your homework. What does she need? In this situation, you want to know how to attract more subscribers and how to do it effortlessly. 3. Tell your visitor the benefits of your solution. For example, what would you get if you had all the clients you needed? Some benefits may be more cash flow, more profits, business development or growth. 4. Create a report or a short audio report that solves one of his biggest or issues problems. Use the formula in Chapter 7 and create a powerful compelling message.

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Here’s an example of a free report offer that can be listed with an ezine description in your opt-in box (the request for them to subscribe to your email newsletter with the form on your website) Are you struggling with finding clients online? Get my FREE Report that teaches you how to build your client list and skyrocket your profits. Do you see how I used the compelling message formula? The first sentence addresses your target market and his immediate problem, while the second sentence demonstrates benefits and invites him to opt-in. You can use this same formula when you create a compelling ezine description. These descriptions can be used in the resource box of every article you write and every blog entry you make. The ezine description’s purpose is to get visitors excited and interested in you and your ezine. Remember when writing a description-- consider making the offer seem irresistible – something that will change their business or their life. Make it something they absolutely can’t pass up!

#2(a): Deliver Natural Traffic Let’s talk about “Natural” search engine optimization (SEO). “Natural” means your link naturally shows up first on search engines like Google and Yahoo. 93

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SEO #1: Narrow down your list of keyword phrases to 3-4. Make sure they are highly targeted keyword phrases for your business. These are the keywords you think people would search for in Google, Yahoo or MSN (the major search engines). For example if you sell auto parts in New York, your keyword phrase would be “auto parts in New York” and not just auto parts. When people search for your site, they search for targeted phrases, and not just keywords these days! This is great news, because it is incredibly hard to get the ranking 1-10 for one keyword! SEO #2: After you have chosen your phrase, check it. Yes. Search for those words in Google, Yahoo and MSN (again, these are the big guys). If your keywords are extremely popular, you may want to rework your phrases to be focused on your business. Targeting a keyword that is not highly sought after could lead to big profits in niche markets. I had a small business that did very well with the keyword phrase “vegan baby.” SEO #3: You’ll want to look at your “tags” or have your web designer look at them. These tags include meta tags, title, header and anchor tags. They look like this --