I was engaged in a fiesty brain storming session this morning with a friend of mine who is also a business and marketing strategist. We were  “wildly spewing forth” ideas in rapid fire succession. Our mission was to determine WHY a particular product was not selling as we felt it should have been. In what I would call a “battle of the mouths and minds” we went at it for about fifteen minutes, back and forth, reciting every marketing rule we had ever learned, whether through a book, a class, the school of real life business; the rules came out of our mouths one by one:

1.  There should be a compelling offer

2.  There should not be anything other than one thing to do on the “squeeze page” or “one banana”

3.   There should be a CALL to action

4   There should be the easiest , most simple, and clear place for the client to check out.

On and on, we recited all the rules….an then as if I she were stung by a bee, my friend stopped her reciting to let out the loudest gasp, followed by a long ohhhhhh!! I immediately asked, “Are you ok?”

“Oh my gosh,” she replied. “I can not believe I did this.”

“Did what?” I asked, not sure whether she was talking about our conversation or some other thing that might have just happened on her end of the phone. I waited for her response.

“I can not believe that I did not see this until now, ” she said.

“See what?” I asked.

“Well, let me explain. ” she began, “You know as well as I do that we can tell our children to do something because it is in their best interest and often times they DO not choose to do it. There is often times negative consequences associated with their choice. We KNOW what would be best for them…but it is up to them to choose to do it…WE can NOT MAKE them DO IT!!!”

I could see right where she was going with this. “Yes, I understand what you are saying., ” I replied.

I will summarize the concept here:

 When we tell our customers that a specific product or service will benefit them…it THEIR CHOICE whether to accept and initiate or decline and DO NOTHING.” and worse yet…IF you were in front of the WRONG clients, those that absolutely have NO interest in your product or service, or anything new, they will NOT be the least bit interested and your product, regardless of its remarkability, will not appeal to them.

      Save your time…save your effort…and PLEASE… save your tears…If you are in front of the WRONG crowd…don’t give up thinking your product and business is wrong…move into the “right neighborhood” so to speak, and see incredible results with your offering! It puts the FUN back in business because you have people interested in your offering….and they are LOOKING for the right CHOICES for their business and life.

     You know what…business and fun go together….so go enjoy!

Blessings for a “playful” day in your business!

Jennifer

I was working with a client yesterday who is on a”warrior’s path” to getting her very niche specific business generating a great income within a short time period. Wow! Isn’t that something we all are trying to do?! Well she is going to do it, that I am sure!

During our coaching and brain storming session she said what I hear from so many clients, “BUT I don’t know whether they will pay for that” as she was referring to her target market. Her statement really stopped our session right in it’s track and I asked her how many visitors she already had coming to her new blog which had just been established 3 weeks earlier. She responded that she had 140 visitors already in that short period of time!! Yes, that is right, 140 visitors in less than a month!  For those of us who have walked the “start up path” and fought the good fight of generating visitors to our sites, well…her rate of new comers is astounding!

It is right here that she can get her own questions answered and answered by those “that really matter”, her “raving fan visitors”. It is also a great place to ASK the visitors….These questions: What do you want to see me offer? What will help you the most? What is it that you really struggle with and that you feel I can help you with? and THEN what would you consider to be a great price for the answer for just exactly what you are looking for?

A survey is one of the smartest business tools to use to get to the truth about what your customers really want! Survey monkey offers great survey capabilities and is easy to use.  Be sure to check it out! and remember if you can not figure out how to do it….hire someone who can help. This is a definite must for those seeking to go “straight to the bullseye” in their business earnings!

Remember in the movie, Oliver Twist, when Oliver gathers the courage to walk up to the headmaster and speak that mighty question, “Please, sir, may I have some more?”

You too will reap huge benefits as you ask, “Please customer, what is it you desire?”

Blessings on your business journey!

Jennifer

I met with a business friend last week . She too is a coach and marketing strategist. We laughed and talked for hours sharing our many successes and challenges that have transpired throughout the past year. It is always heart warming to have someone in a similar field to share with. Our talk did navigate toward the “new and upcoming” year, 2009. We both have “Big Goals, Big Dreams, and Big Plans”.  Our outlook is positive and our hopes set high. Such is the view of the optimist, but it too is the view of the realist. I say realist because it is VERY real to wake up each day and have an abundance of opportunity before you. Opportunity for business start up, growth, happiness, health, wealth, and all good things. It begins in the mind and it starts with a plan.

There was one common denominator in our “2009 Plans” and that was our vision for “New Income Opportunities”. You see, even though we both have experienced effects of the economic roller coaster this past year, we both feel that there are great and New Income Opportunities on the horizon of 2009. I am very excited and so is my friend.

Today, I want to leave you thinking about your “2009″ new income opportunities.

1.  How are you generating your income?

2   Are you happy with what you make?

3.  What would you rather be doing to generate your income or are you satisfied with what you are doing?

4.  If you are wanting change, what interests you and what are you skilled at?

5.  Write down three ways you could get your boss or company to “pay you more” for what you have to offer.

6.  If you own your own business, what is your best money making product and service?

7. List three ways you have not tried to market this “best seller”.

8.  List two new products or services that you have been thinking about creating for your business but have not taken action in getting it up and going.

I hope these questions give you some direction and thought toward your income for 2009. The great thing about life is that each day that you wake up is another twenty four hour opportunity to plan, see, do, feel, and create what you desire.

Start thinking about your new income opportunities and make a plan to take action. Be sure to write down your thoughts and re read them over the next couple weeks. I would love to hear from you about your new ideas that spring forth from this posting.

Blessings for many, many new income ideas!

Jennifer