Are you networking or wasting your time?

I have written on this topic before but it is time to revisit it. We all love going to events. However, honestly, they all cost money. Even if there is no initial cost of attending an event you still will probably be required to purchase a meal or at a minimum a beverage at the event. There are also hidden costs associated with attending networking events. You will be spending your time in the car commuting and while at the event. Your time is a very precious resource. You will also be spending money on gas to get you to and from the event. Do not forget you may also catch yourself wanting to splurge on a new outfit or visiting your favorite hair or nail salon prior to the event.

Now, I am not saying do not attend events but I am going to tell you to be selective. If your target niche is not going to attend then why are you going to go? Do not say that everyone is your target niche. We all know that not everyone is our ideal client. I think it is very appropriate to call the organizer of the event and ask the demographics of the attendees. Evaluate the event with the same scrutiny you would use when evaluate where to spend your marketing dollars. After all, you will be there marketing you and your business.

After you have attended the event, do not let the contacts you made fade away. You will want to have a system in place for following up with the people you met. You may want to send them a hand written note or an email letting them know you enjoyed meeting them at the event. I often hear my clients complain that they attended events and met great people but no one followed up with them. This is because the other person did not know how to effectively network.

Networking effectively requires that you have a plan to evaluate what networking events are for you. You must have a system in place to follow up with people you met at the events. You can learn how to networking effectively by completing my free ecourse My 5 Secrets to Networking Success.

 

STOP TALKING AND START DOING! Coach Jaynine is a business coach who gets people to take action. She will get you to move from talking about what you want to do- to doing what you want to do. Jaynine has over 20 years experience as a United States Marine, psychotherapist, and business owner. If you are ready to take action, increase your revenue and take your business to the next level contact Jaynine today at www.coachjaynine.com or 910-539-2810. You can sign up for Networking Detox: My 5 Secrets to Networking Success at www.coachjaynine.com.

 

Are you establishing rapport or hurting your business success?

Recently, I had a client call and tell me about her experience on the telephone with someone she had looked forward to hiring. My client called a business owner to inquire about her services. The business owner in her attempt to establish rapport ended up losing the sale. The business owner talked excessively about her hobbies. She talked about how she loved to be outside instead of stuck indoors. Her remarks made my client question her commit to her business and the quality of services she would be providing. Another example of a rapport building blunder was when someone told me about her “Girls Gone Wild” weekend and made it sound like it was a regular part of her week. It left me wondering why in the world I would trust her with my personal or financial information.

Have you made a similar blunder when attempting to establish rapport? We all learn that people do business with those they know, like, trust and see as the expert. Take a moment to think about your past conversations. How may the listener have perceived what you were saying? Are you giving away too much personal information? Does the topic of conversation present you in a favorable light? Does the topic discussed present you as an enterprising person or a Negative Nelly? Were you smiling during the conversation or were you tired and grouchy? Could the listener hear the enthusiasm in your voice over the telephone or did you come across as unknowledgeable or disinterested?

Establishing rapport is key to business success. You must:

1. Active Listening: You must actively listen to what the caller is asking. Answer the callers’ questions concisely and confidently. If you do not know the answer just say you do not know.

2. Be prepared: Be prepared to answer any questions the caller may have and provide a written proposal or contract and references to the caller. Do not act like sending a written proposal or a contract is a foreign concept. It will make you look like you do not take your business seriously.

3. Do not be pushy or nosy: Do not be overly aggressive and ask for a credit card payment within the first few minutes of establishing rapport. This scares off potential clients. Also, do not sound or act offended when the potential client states they must discuss your proposal with their business partners. Do not sound amazed or shocked that they are a business with business partners. You must relay to the potential client that you respect their need to review the documents with their business partners or Board of Directors. I do encourage you to set an expiration date in your proposal or contract when sending one so that someone does not wait a year or two and expect the same fee for the product or service.

4. Follow up: Follow up after the phone call with the potential client. Ensure that they received the contract or materials they requested. Ask to clarify any questions they may have. Do not lose the sale because you assumed they received the information when in fact it was eaten by the email gremlins or lost in the mail.

5. Learn from Your Mistakes: Learn from your blunders. Take time to self reflect after a phone conversation with potential clients and think about what went well during the conversation and what you think you may need to improve upon next time. Use step 4 above to clarify anything you think you could have explained better during the phone conversation. Embrace each conversation as a learning experience.

Falling in love with selling over the telephone is not easy for everyone. Establishing rapport sounds easy to do but often it is not. If you do not know the caller extremely well and cannot see them to view their body language, you may not know you are steering the conversation down a slippery slope. Using my five tips above will help you ensure that you are successful at establishing rapport with new clients. When you master rapport building you will grow your business.

Twitter Tip Thursday –

Twittercal

http://twittercal.com/

Twittercal allows you to post  an event to your Google Calendar. You must follow gcal which you can do at the above link. After that you can send a direct message to gcal with your event details and it will post to your Google Calendar.

Happy Tweeting!

Oprah spends money on advertising/marketing: Do you?

Oprah advertises on television. She makes sure that viewers know what channel to watch her show.  Are you letting your customers and clients know how to get in touch with you?

 Advertising/marketing must be done regardless of your budget. Below are my tips for advertising/marketing your business.

 Free

Article writing

Blogging

Social Networking

Word of mouth advertising

Speaking Engagements, (you may be paid as a speaker and actually make money)

Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce Member to Member Flyers

Internet Radio interviews

Host your own radio show

Free Business Listings on various websites

New Jacksonville-Onslow County Chamber of Commerce members get a free 8-minute interview on The Talk Station or five free advertising spots.

Host a free teleseminar

Start a newsletter using a 60-day free trial and use Merchant Circle newsletter option

 Small Fee – under $100

Networking Events

Classified Ads

Advertising space in Association or Group newsletters

DIY Brochures

DIY Business cards

DIY Rack cards

(DIY projects can end up costing more money than you anticipate due to errors you make or time you are not working with clients while you are busy designing your items)

Promotional materials such as pens, pencils, postcards, magnets, coffee mugs etc.

Guerilla Marketing

Print flyers and hand them out

Newsletter

Pay for someone to write your articles

Pay for someone to manage your social networking

 Medium Fee – $101 – $500

Newspaper advertising

The Talk Station radio advertising

Brochures designed by a professional

Business cards designed by a professional

Rack cards designed by a professional

Window graphics

Movie theatre advertising dependent upon location

Promotional materials such as pens, pencils, postcards, magnets, coffee mugs etc.

Expo fees

Coffee News

Membership fee to join various Associations

Networking registration or meal fees

Money Mailer

Banner Advertising

Pay Per Click Advertising

 High Fee – $500 or higher

Advertising in National Magazines

Car wrap

Professional Website design

Movie theatre advertising dependent upon location

Expo fees

Television advertising

Billboard

Banner Advertising

Pay Per Click Advertising

Direct mail

Telemarketing

Radio Advertising

 As you can see, there are many free or low cost ways to market or advertise your business. The lists above are just a few suggestions. Do you have a marketing plan? I want you to take out a calendar and design a 90-day plan. Write down what or how you are going to do to advertise/market your business.

 I also want you to take a hard look at your finances. Be honest and realistic. How are you going to spend your money? Design a plan incorporating the suggestions above based upon your budget. Do not be embarrassed if your 90-day calendar is filled with free or low cost ways to advertise or market your business. Only you know your budget. It is better to do something than to do nothing.

 Remember, it is your responsibility to let customers and clients know you are still in business. It is not their job to track you down to see if you are still in business.

Five Tips to Control Summertime Chaos

Regardless of your age, marital or socioeconomic status, at one time or another, you will experience stress and anxiety. Each changing season produces different stressors. Summertime has the pendulum swinging from how to keep children from fighting and saying they are bored to keeping them free from sunburns to an upcoming move to a new neighborhood. The body’s initial reaction to stress is fight or flight. Symptoms of excess stress include feeling mentally and physically exhausted, problems sleeping, tension headaches, bowel disturbances, a lowered immune system, and irritability.

Here are five tips to control summertime chaos:

 1. Laugh. You have probably heard that laughter is the best medicine. Research shows that laughing produces endorphins which cause you to relax, experience joy, and ease pain. When feeling stressed picking up the telephone and speaking with a friend can often bring a smile to your face that will aid in producing the feel good endorphins. Also, turning on the television and watching your favorite sitcom can aid in reducing stress and anxiety.

 2. Evaluate your diet. Limit caffeinated products because caffeine is a stimulant. Alcohol consumption should also be restricted since alcohol is a depressant. Choose fresh fruits and vegetables over commercially processed items. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables are easier for your body to digest than commercially processed foods such as cookies and chips. However, there is nothing wrong with occasionally indulging your chocolate craving.

 3.  Exercise. Engaging in exercise is another way for your body to produce endorphins. Taking time for a walk after dinner or meeting a friend for a game of racquetball can raise your level of feel good endorphins while getting you in shape physically and mentally.

 4. Have a MAP (Master Action Plan). When you stop to think about what is causing anxiety such as an upcoming move or the absence of a spouse during a deployment you can develop strategies to cope with the stress. Creating a step by step plan on how to walk through the action will allow you to empower yourself by taking charge of the situation. If you are experiencing stress on how to keep the children entertained during summer vacation you can develop a daily schedule so that the child knows what to expect throughout the day; children thrive on routine. Having a Plan A is great but having Plan B and Plan C will ensure you have covered whatever may be thrown at you with minimal disruption.

 5. Increase Productivity. Productivity creates an atmosphere of positive change and is more fruitful than worrying and doing nothing.

 It is impossible to ignore or reduce all stressors from our lives. However, when you are able to recognize your limits of stress and know how to use practical strategies to reduce stress you will control summertime chaos. Therefore, laugh and exercise to raise your endorphin level. Be productive and design your MAP to navigate stressful situations. Lastly, don’t forget to occasionally indulge your chocolate craving and enjoy your summer.

 Coach Jaynine turns Dreams into Reality. She teaches business owners how to develop their presence in the community by having the necessary systems in place so they are seen as the EXPERT. Jaynine has over 20 years experience as a United States Marine, psychotherapist, and business owner. If you are ready to be the expert, increase your revenue and take your business to the next level contact Jaynine today at www.coachjaynine.com or 910-539-2810.

Twitter Tip Thursday

 TrackThis

track packages using http://www.usetrackthis.com/   you must follow on Twitter TrackThis and send them a Direct Message (DM) with the tracking number and assign it a nickname. Then you will receive DM’s when the package changes locations. This is great for following your packages that are being shipped using FedEx, USPS, UPS, or DHL.

You and Your Business: Do You Have a Mission Statement?

Why are you in business? What problems do you solve for the consumer? Do you have ethical standards? Where is your moral compass pointing? When was the last time you reviewed your Mission Statement? Do you even have a Mission Statement?

A Mission Statement is not just for business owners. Families can have a Mission Statement too. A Mission Statement is a clear concise statement that expresses your purpose in a way that resonates with employees and customers.

There are three main parts to a Mission Statement:

 1. Purpose of the business, organization or family – what need or opportunity does the business address.

 2.  How does your business address the needs – what do you do to take away the customers pain point.

 3.  Organizational values – what principles or beliefs guide your work.

Your Mission Statement should be reviewed at least every five years. The reason you want a Mission Statement is so that potential customers know what you do and how you do it and the direction your moral compass is pointing. People do business with those they know, like, and trust. You will also want to review your mission statement when expanding your product line or expanding your business to see if you are staying true to your Mission. Your employees need to know your Mission Statement so they know what the purpose of the business is so they can focus on fulfilling the Mission.

 When you are writing your Mission Statement, you will want to:

1. Express your purpose in a way that inspires loyalty.

2. Motivate those affiliated with your business.

3. Articulate your mission in a way that is clear and easy to understand.

4. Use proactive verbs.

5. Skip industry jargon.

6. Keep it brief.

As we celebrate Independence Day, I challenge each of you to sit down at your family gathering and write a Family Mission Statement. Lead a family discussion on what is important to your family and how you would like future generations to remember your family. Do you want to be remembered as the family that argued all the time or the family that did volunteer work and contributed to society? Older children can write the statement after soliciting ideas from all generations of family members and the smaller children can draw pictures depicting your family’s Mission Statement. Get creative, have fun, and let your family know where the family moral compass is pointing.

 If you are a business owner, I challenge you to dust off your mission statement and review it. Has your mission changed? Do your marketing materials reflect your mission? Do your products and services align with your Mission Statement? When I see your logo or brand, will I know what your mission is? If you do not have a mission statement NOW is the time to write one. 

 

If you would like to learn more about growing your business I invite you to join my Dynamic Business Owners Coaching Club. I coach business owners who want to make more money on the systems and strategies needed.

Time to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Coach Jaynine

Do you know what your comfort zone is? Do you recognize the physiological and psychological symptoms of when you are pushed by events or people to get out of your comfort zone? Your comfort zone is often the place where you are able to operate on automatic pilot and produce stellar results. So why would want to get out of your comfort zone? The list is endless. Maybe you want to pursue a new dream or goal. Maybe you want to grow personally or professionally. Maybe you are bored and really do not like being in your comfort zone. We all have stayed employed at jobs where we did not like the people or the work yet we stayed because it was comfortable. We made up excuses on why we could not job hunt or do something different.

Today is the day to take action to get out of your comfort zone. I want you to implement my five tips below so you can turn your dreams into reality.

1. Dare to dream. Find a quiet spot and take time to reminisce on things you wanted to accomplish in this lifetime. How many do you still want to accomplish? Write them in a journal or on a piece of paper.

2. MAP. Start designing your master action plan on how you will accomplish each goal or dream. It is ok to take baby steps. Assign goal completion dates beside each task so you know the date you want to have each goal completed.

3. Reward. How are you going to reward yourself for completing each goal? You may have small rewards for baby steps and larger rewards for the bigger goals.

4. Tell the World. Announce to your friends and family your new goals. Solicit their help in pushing you out of your comfort zone and completing your goals.

5. Examine Your Environment. You will need to take time to examine your environment so you can pinpoint people, places, and things that are sabotaging your efforts to move forward and escape your comfort zone. You will need to recognize people that are jealous that you are moving forward and you will want to recognize places and things that keep you from moving forward i.e. fear, time, lack of knowledge, etc. Do not let people, places, and things keep you from turning your dreams into reality.

As long as you are in your comfort zone, you are not growing personally or professionally. I want you to embrace the butterflies in your tummy feeling. I want you acknowledge that sweaty palms are a sign of growth. Now is the time to take a deep breath, enter a room full of strangers at a networking event, and say hello first. When you implement my five tips above you will be able to propel yourself to take action and get yourself out of your comfort zone. I challenge you to get out of your comfort zone and start turning your dreams into reality.

 

Coach Jaynine turns Dreams into Reality. She teaches business owners how to develop their presence in the community by having the necessary systems in place so they are seen as the EXPERT. Jaynine has over 20 years experience as a United States Marine, psychotherapist, and business owner. If you are ready to be the expert, increase your revenue and take your business to the next level contact Jaynine today at www.coachjaynine.com or 910-539-2810. You can sign up for a free membership at www.coachjaynine.com

Get a Dog and Increase Your Productivity

Let me start by saying I have not always been a dog person. I love cats. Mr. Skittles is an 18 pound old cat that I rescued in 2002. He loves to sit on the edge of my desk or on the keyboard and supervise me as I work. He doesn’t need to go for a walk and rarely begs me for anything other than to refill his food dish. He is content to just lounge and sleep. The most nuisances he causes is making me vacuum the furniture to get rid of his cat hair. Mr. Skittles is content to let me work nonstop 10-12 hours a day at my desk as long as I don’t type too loudly.

 

Now, Miss Savanna joined our household this fall. She is a young Pit Bull who loves to be the center of attention. She begs to go outside at least once an hour. Just when I sit down to work she comes in with a toy and wants me to stop what I’m doing and play fetch or chase her throughout the house and play hide and go seek.

 

I have finally found the secret to getting work done now that there is a dog in the house. You have to take her for a walk so she is tired and sleeps all morning. Savanna and I get up an hour earlier than I use to; our day starts around 4 am. Oh, I hear you groaning now. Well, we get up and I have coffee and check emails, plan my day, and typically get one or two small tasks accomplished before it is 6 am and the sun is out. Savanna knows when it is light enough to go for a walk and she starts begging if I’m not moving to get dressed. I admit walking Savanna has replaced my morning run. But she is slowly working up her endurance and soon we will be running instead of walking.

 

The weather is getting very nipping this time of year.  The fresh morning air is great to get the brain working. I usually solve all the world’s problems and invent challenge questions for my clients while Savanna and I are out for our morning walk. We typically are gone about 40 minutes and I admit I do not like cold weather and if it were not for Savanna I would not be outside in the fresh brisk air.

 

While on our morning walk we see all the cars with people rushing to work and the children getting on school buses. I am always reminded why I love working from home. I have the freedom to plan my day as I please. I do not miss being part of the early morning rush to work crowd. I love being my own boss.

 

When I return from our morning walk I typically am full of ideas and I see problems more clearly. I work in my office very diligently and efficiently in the morning. At lunch time Savanna and I may take a break and go for a very short walk. Again, it clears the brain fog and I’m refreshed.

 

Afternoons will typically find me and Savanna watching an episode or two of the Dog Whisperer and napping. Then we go for a late afternoon walk. Again the brain fog is lifted and I find I am ready to easily work at my desk for another 4-6 hours.

 

Becoming a dog owner has increased my productivity by providing me with mental clarity. I also have reduced stress and strain caused by sitting at a desk too long. Again, the daily walks with Savanna remind me why I love being an entrepreneur; I can set my own schedule.

 

If you don’t own a dog that needs walked I still highly recommend forcing yourself away from your desk and going for a walk a couple times a day. Exercise will clear the brain fog and leave you focused and inspired which will result in you being more productive. You will get more work done in less time.

 

So, when you find yourself looking at your computer screen and not having a thought in your brain on what to type. Hit SAVE, grab your dog or stop by my house and get Savanna and go clear away the brain fog! You will find you are more productivity and inspired when you return to your desk.