I remember as child of about nine years old, I wandered off from my parents at the Illinois State Fair as the lure of some smooth and sing song “Carnival Caller” mesmerized me with their rhythmic call,  “Be a winner. Yes, you. Come on, now. You can do it. One straight throw and the BIG  bear is yours. There’s a winner every time.  No one goes away empty handed.”

Loud and crisp the voice called out. I strayed to the voice and did not even notice that I no longer could see my mom or my dad. I wanted what the caller offered. I wanted to see the BIG bear. I wanted to throw the ball. As I came up to the booth where the caller was, I realized he  was not really  speaking directly to me; he was just calling out to anyone who would listen. It was at that moment fear gripped me like a mighty vice and  I realized that I could not see my mom and my dad. I instantly began to cry. I did not know how I would find my way back to them. It was only a matter of seconds that I cried, and then my dad was right there in front of me as if by a miracle. I was glad that I was back with my parents where I felt safe.

Have you ever been lost in your business quest; gotten off track, wandered far from your love and passion? Have you ever been lured away from your true calling by the sing song chant of the employer who promises a dollar for your minute of life?  Did you hear the chant ? Were you mesmerized? Did you wander?

Don’t worry if you  have had this happen to you. We have all been lured. We have all thought we should head a different direction than we were going. We have all looked for safety in stale places…at least once  on our business journey. What matters most though, is not being lost; it is finding your way Back; Back to the path of income source that makes you happy. Back to a safe place that allows you to be creative. Back to work that helps others while supplying a living for you. If you are lucky a true friend will come take your hand and rescue you. That is the mark of a real friend; one who cares enough to throw out the life line and bring you back to the “pasture of peace”.

Coming home is always good. It feels right and easy. The hard part is leaving the land of the lost…and finding your way back. Just know that the trip is more than worth it as you do that which you love everyday.

Blessings of a straight path home!

Jennifer

       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 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

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

I really do not like scams. You know the kind that say “get rich quick, never lift a finger, sit at the beach eating carrot cake”..well, something like that. (Of course, the line about the carrot cake is my own take since I love carrot cake, but YOU get the message and I am sure you have gotten the scam talk.

and…..

Honestly, I have found some Universal Truths when it comes to making money with products or services in any business. The tips I have found to really produce great revenue are not the ones listed in the first paragraph. Sorry. What I will share with you are a few of the essentials to any great selling products for any business. As you read these tips think about what you are offering your clients. Ask your self if your products have the qualities that create dynamic sales. Remember, these are just a few of the areas to consider when assessing your current offerings and when creating new products and services. There are certainly others.

In the six figure businesses I have started, the following tips became universal truths to me, for regardless of the business I was starting or the economy I was starting it in, applying these truths never failed me in income production.

Go ahead, read them over and think about your business products and services. If you find that your business is struggling and that your business services and products do not hit upon some of the below listed tips, then I would ask you to consider what you might do to change your offerings so that they DO flow with the concepts of these tips to produce some of the greatest money making products/services.

The greatest money making products are those that are:

• Target Market Specific
• Content Rich
• Current and Relevant to the times
• Packed Full of Benefits for the customer
• ALL about the customers needs, wants, and desires
• Make the customer’s life easier, richer, and happier

How did you do? My hope is that your business is one of those “mighty money machines”, if not, then you might want to check out how we might work together to get your business on track and really producing the income you desire.

Blessings to you for the greatest money making products your business can offer,

Jennifer

WORDS….We write them, speak them, pray them, share them.

We sing them, shout them, whisper them, and chant them.

Often times it is only after they have left our lips we so long to retrieve them. But alas, this can not be done. No, once words are spoken, they can never be retrieved.

Today I ask you to STOP and think about your words.

Are the words you speak “building up” others or are they “tearing down” others?

There is power in our words including the power of life.  Speaking well of others and to others is of utmost importance in creating closeness of spirit with others. It is through the power of our words that great relationships are fostered.

In business, great relationships =abundance; in customers, success, and prosperity.

Are you striving for greatness in life, in your relationships, and in your business?

If so , consider adding some of these phrases and words to the words that you speak. You will immediately see and feel the difference. The Law of Attraction works to return to us those things we “sow”or “speak”, in this instance so speak up, speak out, and attract that which you give.

1.Way to go*   2.Now you’ve got it*   3.Terrific*

4.That is incredible*   5.You have done a beautiful job*

6.Great discovery*  7. That is the best*   8.You are a joy*

9. Magnificent*  10.Outstanding*  11.Good for you*

12.Remarkable work*  13. Super job*  14. Excellent*

15.You are important*   16.You are right on target*

17.Fantastic*  18.Well done*  19.You brighten my day*

20.Nothing can stop you now*

Go out and speak WORDS that build up others and in the process you will find that you too will be built up in every aspect of your life.

Many blessings to you as you share life giving words with others.

Jennifer

Yesterday I took my dad to the doctor at a large hospital. As we entered the atrium to head to the elevators, we noticed several eight foot tables fully accessorized with needles, syringes, and vials of medicine; as well as, two  uniform clad, medical persons who were injecting the arms of readily awaiting receivers of the newest flu vaccine. I laughed as my dad jokingly said, “Sure looks like a flock of sheep, where one goes they all follow.”

I have thought about the sight of all those people lined up to get that flu shot several times since getting home yesterday, but more than that I have thought of my dad’s comment. He was absolutely right. People do gather for that which they want and  if they REALLY want something, they may even appear to “flock” to get it. In the case of a flu shot, it is the fear that arouses the people. Fear that they will “catch” the flu because the flu is CONTAGIOUS.

I thought about my business, how in the past when I have had a new product to offer, my customers often times would “flock” to purchase that which interested them. When the product really was powerful in answering a tough problem in the market the enthusiasm is contagious. As one customer tells another how wonderful the product is, how it has helped them make tons more money than they could have on their own, or the unbelievable fact that eight new customers climbed on board for the new teleclass in the last thirty minutes allows is very energizing.  It is this ENTHUSIASM that is contagious. when our cutomers really, really want our services …because they find an answer to the biggest challenge they are facing at that particular time, they will tell everyone they know about YOU, YOUR BUSINESS, AND WHAT THEY FEEL YOU CAN GIVE OF VALUE TO THEIR FRIENDS. Yes, it is true…enthusiasm is contagious and it definitely can drive your customers straight to your door. Not all alone mind you, but in flocks!

Remember:

Enthusiasm creates an upbeat spirit, a positive mindset, and most importantly an inner drive. It is the ignition of your “inner flame”. Enthusiasm is contagious, not out of fear…oh no, it is out of desire to be inspired, alive, and leading the way for others to achieve their highest level in life and in business.

Live enthusiastically! Create your living on fire with passion and purpose and be sure that you GIVE your enthusiasm to everyone…even those who will try hard not to catch it. Even the most AFRAID of “catching it” can usually not stop the CONTAGIOUS aspect of this wonderful occurrence.

Blessings for the enthusiasm to lead the flocks!

Jennifer

“Business is business,” is the truth told by my dear friend and mentor coach, Tina Forsyth.

In her latest and most brilliantly written book, “Becoming an Online Business Manager”,

Tina clearly spells out that REGARDLESS of the fact of whether your business is traditional or online, creating value that people will pay for, is a key element to phenomenal business growth and success.

I could not agree more with Tina. Every person who seeks help for a problem or situation is looking for one thing and one thing only…and that is a SOLUTION. Solutions solve dilemmas and give forward direction to stumped and stalled progress. When a business owner is stalled they can not make money, they do not focus on creativity, and ultimately they will not be able to grow their business. Period.

Investing in your business by adding the support, direction, and alliance of someone who can help you navigate, reinvent, and automate your business is sheer genius. It solves many of the dilemmas that cause you to generate far less income than you deserve, and it makes perfect sense that by working with an expert you yourself gain concrete steps that eliminate blunders that come when you wade blindly through the business world alone.

Ahh! Imagine:

1.Twice the clients

2.Tripling your income

3.More free time to do the things you love doing

It takes intention. It requires your willingness to reach out to others who can help you, and it most certainly insists that you value yourself enough to invest in that which will guide you to achieving the “business smarts” that will help you give the VALUE your customers expect from you. Adding a coach, mentor, or online business manager to your team is absolutely genius. The benefits are valuable, in fact one could say they may be “priceless.” Priceless is what your customers will say about you and the solutions you are able to offer them.

Become a sought after business, one that gives value that people will pay for. Remember solutions sell because they solve problems. Look to those resources that help you create solutions such as a mentor coach, an online business manager, or a group master mind program.

Tip today: What is the one thing your customers tell you everyday that keeps them awake at night thinking about? or what is the one thing you are asked when someone calls you with a question?

answer these questions and you will have a priceless solution to your target markets problem and remember…Solutions sell!

To order Tina’s new book go to www.onlinebusinessmanager.com

One of the definitions of the word celebrate is “to uphold a notable occasion with festivities.”  Notable occasion could mean many things, but unfortunately we have fallen into some false belief that unless we win a Nobel Prize, or find the cure for cancer, we have not accomplished anything  notable, much less deserving of a celebration. How mislead we are when we fall into this “limited mindset”.

Running a successful business is a notable event and when it is done from home, doing the very thing you love doing, it is even more remarkable. Today is a day of rest. It is a day to refresh the spirit and mind in preparation for the upcoming week. Celebrate all that you have accomplished in the past week. Know that it is notable and good. Let yourself be inspired and enthused so that each day of your life plays out as the biggest and best festivity of them all! Celebrate now!

Jennifer