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

       Isn’t it funny how we seem to “stumble” upon some of life’s greatest gifts?  It happens so often, but the secret is that it ONLY happens when we stop to think about HOW it happened. You see, everyday there are opportunities thrown our way repeatedly. We run in the grocery store to pick up a few items after work, and run into an old friend who happens to tell you he is selling the family’s well used, but mechanically sound vehicle. You just happen to be searching for a car for your sixteen year old son that is budget priced and in sound working condition. Bingo!

      You take your son to the doctor for an ear ache, the last thing you really felt you had time for that day, as you were dealing with getting a crashed computer back up and running. Just so happens that while you are waiting in the doctors office, you sit next to a computer technician who tells you in three easy steps the exact “cure” for your “sick computer”. Bingo!

      You realize as you are driving to work, already fifteen minutes behind schedule, that it is Secretaries Day and you have not gotten anything for the office secretary. Your mind races for ideas on a gift that is easily, quickly accessible, yet something that would be appreciated by your secretary. As you sit at a red light pondering what you should do, two young college students stride across the cross walk carrying a box boldly advertising the words, “Cutlery” . Your mind flashes to the last conversation you and your secretary had with reagards to hobbies. You remember that your secretary has recently started a night course in culinary arts. Bingo! 

     Time after time the gift of great ideas is before us! The fun comes in spotting them!

     Put on your “idea finding glasses” and start seeing everything that comes your way; It sure is fun and surprizing! and I don’t know about you….but I love a surprizes!

Blessings for great ideas that bring you a delightful day, a joy filled life, and a prosperous business!

Jennifer

       I attended a networking event today in a large city two hours from my home. There were twenty business professionals in attendance, all sharing openly for the good of all. As I listened to each business owner talk about their strategies to grow and expand their businesses this year, I was overcome with a sense of pride in these people for they spoke with passion and belief in what they do for a living. The talk lightly touched on the challenges that are present in today’s world economy, but loud and clear the resounding voices spoke of determination, reinvention, embracing change for the good, and supporting each other as only fellow entrepreneurs can do. 

       And then, there was a very young woman who spoke up. I guessed her age to be around twenty four years old. She talked vividly about her new business. She spoke with passion and love for what she would provide her clients with. Her voice did not quaver,  even though I knew she was nervous as all eyes were on her as she spoke.  Her words bounced with zest and her spirit soared with enthusiasm. As she finished her presentation, I could not help but remember back to my first business venture; the joy and passion I felt were enough to launch a rocket ship and now here was a young woman embarking on her first entrepreneurial adventure. Yes, the enthusiasm was there; that much needed element to sustain one through the beginning phases of a business start up.

       Enthusiasm is not a “fad” it is a “must” for any business owner to succeed. It does not go out of style and it must not be lost in arrogance The rate of return for the enthusiasm shared with others is astounding.

Be hip…be happy…be enthused…and then by all means, be SUCCESSFUL!! Happy networking to you.

Blessings of joy and enthusiasm in your business and life,

Jennifer

Thanksgiving is such a reflective holiday for me. I truly have so much to be thankful for. I do not believe though in giving thanks only on special occasions. No, I believe in giving thanks always and IN all things. This is not to say that I am thankful FOR the event that is quite painful and challenging occurring, but that AS IT is occurring I try to focus on and LOOK for the many things that I am thankful for. So often we get caught up in the vicious whirling life of “trying to make a living” that we lose our ability to feel gratitude. So when a holiday finally arrives, we pause for the day, think about how hectic, scrambled, mixed up, lost, weary our life is as we strive to create income in exchange for our life energy, and we feel trapped, tired, and less than thankful!

Sound familiar? If this sounds like your life and you are wondering how I could write as if I know what it feels like, well, that is because I too lived that exact way for years. It was not until I learned the secret to Living and Loving Life While Earning a Bountiful Income that I realized how different life can BE if your LOOK for it to be! Just know that if you will look at things in a different way than usual, you will see things you have never seen before. You may see that:

• BOUNTIFUL INCOMES and BEAUTIFUL LIVES really do go together.

• BOUNTIFUL INCOMES  and BEAUTIFUL LIVES can be created where ever you are in life.

• BOUNTIFUL INCOMES and BEAUTIFUL LIVES are not reserved for a select few (though they only occur for a select few…purely because only a select few LOOK for that life)

If you believe that there is ONLY one way to creating a bountiful income then that WILL BE the ONLY way you will generate income. Now it might be bountiful and it might not be.…The BIG question though is will it ever produce a beautiful life for you? What I mean by this is: will you love what you do to create that income? Will you feel like what you get up and do everyday is worthwhile? Does it allow you to serve mankind at the greatest level you have the potential to serve, and will this income source allow you to focus on the great people in your life, when you want and in all things that you want?

This is a BIG order I know, but then, BIG, BOUNTIFUL, and BEAUTIFUL lives are not just your ordinary lives.

I challenge you this holiday season to think about all the things you DO have to be grateful for. LOOK at the many ways you have available to create the life of your dreams. They really do exist, if you will SEE them.

Instead of watching “It’s a Wonderful Life” several times this holiday season, why not watch it once and then get busy working out the details for your Beautiful life! The rewards will be bountiful!

Blessings for the most beautiful life you can imagine!

Jennifer