Dr. Brenda Wade

Q - Dr. Wade, what did our Conference attendees share with you was their largest issue with Love and Money?

A - Entrepreneurial women want to have it all.  The problem is that they have all the stressors of running a business, maintaining relationships and raising a family in addition to the economic stresses that we all face.   Women business owners are at a higher risk for divorce.  It is possible to have it all, you just have to learn how to do it. When we learn better, we do better.

Q - Could you elaborate?  I know you base your approach on scientific studies by major university marital labs.

A - If you don’t know how to do something, it is critical to reach out to someone with the skills to help you improve.  We need to invest time and money in our relationships. We invest less money in our relationships than we do to maintain our cars!  It costs $325 billion dollars to support our current divorce rate of 51%.  This includes healthcare costs, counseling expenses, loss of productivity, extended leave, juvenile delinquency, higher crime and jail costs.  And, children of divorce are 70% more likely to end up divorced themselves.  In today’s economy, families and couples need to understand that if you want to invest in anything right now, it should be your families.

Q - It is your mission to cut divorce in half by 2015. That is an incredible challenge. What would it take to accomplish this?

A - In my latest book, 99 THINGS YOU WISH YOU KNEW BEFORE FALLING IN LOVE, I reference research that indicates that the divorce rate should never be above 8.5%.  It has been between 50% and 51% for the last forty years.  If two-thirds of all couples did premarital counseling, it would cut the divorce rate to 17%.   If the remaining couples did marital coaching, it would cut the rate to 8.5%.

Q - You talk about four important secrets that can help you build lasting love and grow your money.  Would you share these with our readers?

A -

1. You need personal insight.  What things do you need to learn to improve your personal relationships and finances?

2.  You need skills.  Start with yourself.  Do you give yourself appreciation, admiration, affection, and acceptance?  You have to give yourself these things before you can share them with others.  And you need to withhold criticism, contempt, coldness and competitiveness from yourself and from your relationships so that they can flourish.

3.  Your next step is to create action to keep your relationship growing.  Everyone has heard, “Oh, we just grew apart.”  We need to develop ways to grow together.

4.  And the last secret is don’t accept things the way they are.

Q - What is the main take away that you hope our readers will get from this discussion?

A - Learn better and you do better.  In order to tackle these issues you need strategies, tools and daily action steps.  I look forward to talking more about these issues with eWomenNetwork members during my upcoming Success Institute Tele-Session on November 16, 2010 and at the International Love and Money Summit on December 9-12, 2010.

Ellen Hart, President of Careerbags, Inc.

Guest Post by Ellen Hart

In these days of long airport lines, increased security and carry-on restrictions,   women travelers need be savvy to arrive at their destination ready for business.          Pre Nine-Eleven travel was already filled with delays, packed airplanes and inefficient and often surly customer service. Over the past nine years airline travel has only become more difficult as security breaches, flaws and threats occur on a regular basis. Now merely packing for a trip, whether for a quick meeting or a four-day conference is a constant challenge. Ellen Hart, president of  Careerbags shares how to de-stress your travel experience without compromising on style or your personal and professional needs. Smart traveling begins with a laptop bag or business tote that also functions as a handbag.   Mary Repke, founder of Coakley Business Class (a designer featured on www. careerbags.com) designs and manufactures laptop bags and business totes “that have a system including a clutch and easy access from outside the bag when it’s on the body.   I can easily unzip the bag without removing it from my shoulder and get cash to buy coffee, present my ID and tickets. ” This removes the frustration of setting your bag down and rifling through it. “Having one bag that you can wear and easily access necessities frees women up to simply feel and look more together,” says Repke.   Another idea is to try and find the smallest travel bag you can tolerate and challenge yourself to pack within that.

If you’re traveling more than three days consider sending a bag ahead via Federal Express or UPS. It just makes life so much easier to do that. To avoid time in security lanes put as many carry-on items as possible into Zip-lock bags for fast TSA access and scrutiny.   Take those bulky power cords and chargers and store them in Zip-lock bags in your suitcase and save room for in-flight necessities to carry in your laptop bag. You can’t use them on the plane anyway. Since removing shoes is now standard operating procedure carry thin cotton travel socks in your bag’s side pocket so you won’t have to walk barefoot through grimy security check-points.

Coakley Bag

Lightening up is what it’s all about. Boarding an aircraft and getting organized prior to taking your seat is always stressful with anxious travelers at your elbow. Organize all your immediate on-board supplies like reading material, glasses, medication, water and food in zippered cases, pouches and Ziplock bags. This way you simply grab the bags, stow your carry-on and slide into your seat in seconds. Since liquids and lotions are currently capped by the TSA at 3 ounces do take hotel amenities home. If you need a camera simply use your cell phone or a disposable.   For that “just in case my checked bag gets lost” scenario a change in underwear and a clean top can easily fit in with your laptop bag. Forget your entire day planner if you don’t use a Blackberry, Iphone or PDA. Just copy those critical pages containing necessary schedule and contact information. Consider investing in a great cashmere shawl or pashmina for traveling. It’s the perfect feel and look good travel accessory. Use it as a cozy blanket for an in-flight nap. It adds significant style to your business attire and works as an evening wrap.   Now you’re ready to travel smart.

Want more valuable information on how to measure your laptop for the perfect Careerbag?  Check out http://blog.careerbags.com! Ellen Hart the President of www.careerbags.com has been involved in designing, manufacturing and selling of laptop bags, business totes and luggage for professional women for over 18 years.  (Original post)

Our last post elicited a bigger response than any Maria on Money post ever. Thanks to all of you from Washington, Idaho, Ohio, Maine, New York, and Oregon who shared your experiences. Let’s keep the dialogue going.

It sounds like your business situations are broad-ranging and in sync with a number of national trends (both negative and positive) —  Read More

A woman was seated next to Picasso at a restaurant and wanted him to just “scribble” something for her on a napkin…So she boldly approached his table, with her napkin in hand and said,

“If you would be kind enough to just scribble something on my napkin, I will gladly pay you whatever you think it is worth.”

Picasso did just that; and when he handed her back the napkin, he said, “that will be thirty thousand dollars.” She gasped and exclaimed, “but that only took you 3 seconds!”

To which Picasso replied, “no my dear, that took me thirty years!”

What is your value…and how confidently do you articulate your gifts and talents?

How Do People Typically React or Respond to You?

Tony Robbins says that “the way you make people feel, influences their purchase decisions.” It’s no coincidence that we call people who we like and feel good about, “attractive.” Most “attractive” people are confident, positive, comfortable in their own skin, open, authentic and likeable.

According to Tim Saunders, author of “The Likeability Factor,” the Four Keys to Likeability are: Friendliness, Relevance, Empathy and Realness.

If you possess all four of these things, you’re much more likely to instantly connect with others and have them like you, trust you, open up to you and eventually do business with you.

Wherever you are in your career and in your life, don’t waste any more time not knowing the “Four Keys to Likeability.” Mark McCormack, super agent for celebrity athletes, says, “we don’t always judge people on their performance, instead, we judge performance based on how much we ‘like’ someone!”

“In a world where you can be anything…be yourself!” –Anon

There is something most attractive about people authentically being themselves…they seem very comfortable in their own skin…they feel more authentic…and thus, they put others at ease, too. They’re more likeable, trust-able and therefore more connectable. And typically, they’re also much more comfortable and effective in their communications with others.

Usually that comfort comes from a deep self-knowledge and self-appreciation of who you really are…being aware of your strengths as well as vulnerabilities; and being astutely aware of the IMPACT you have on others…the first step to building a powerful personal brand! 

http://www.ellen4branding.com/articles3.html

Don’t Miss “The Art of Personal Branding…

How to Emotionally Connect to your Market and Sell with Charisma”

7/27/10,  1:30pm CST https://events.ewomennetwork.com/event/details.php?eid=13522

Over the years I have attended many conventions and I have never felt so immediately “at home” in my life. I attended all of the break-out session that were available and got more usable information than I’ve acquired from innumerable sources in the past five years! The keynote speakers all had real meat for content and were as entertaining as they were informative. My only question is why am I just now finding out about this incredible group of women?

I won’t waste time fretting about what I can’t change because I’m so grateful that I got to join and I’m already registered for the 11th convention next year. I made a lot of new friends that I know I will know for the rest of my life and I’m counting down the days until next year.

If this sounds like a prepaid ad I’m sorry….but I have never been able to keep good news and good people to myself. If you’re a woman in business and you like motivated, positive women who want to grow and succeed you will love eWomenNetwork! There are chapters all over this glorious country of ours so look online and find the closest one to you. I joined the Plano, Texas chapter and am looking forward to my first chapter meeting.

If you are one of the ladies I got to shop with on Nordstrom Night….I won’t tell how much you bought if you won’t tell how much I bought!

http://www.growingupziglar.com/

 For coaches, psychologists, attorneys, physicians, and many others, writing a book is an important part of a successful career.  In case you aren’t convinced, we think there are seven dramatic impacts a successfully published book can have on your professional practice.

1.    Developing and profiting from your intellectual property

Writing a book forces you to really think through the content and the methods of what you tell your clients.  You can gloss over things or not fully develop your ideas in speaking or working with clients, but you really put your ideas to the test when you write them.

You can then figure out what types of products you can produce from these ideas – it may be a book, but it might also be audio CDs, seminars, teleclasses.  These marketing tools, but these are marketing tools that pay for themselves directly.  You also have something to sell to prospective clients and every time you speak.  The perception of the value of something you sell is higher than the perception of something you give away like a sales kit.

2.    Expanding your audience reach

You probably have clients locally, or maybe even regionally, but to do business nationally or internationally, clients need a way of knowing who you are and what you do.  A book tells a client more about how you think, what your values are – real insight into you.  And you can reach many more people than you could personally.  People you can get to come to your web site, become part of a mailing list and then regularly communicate with.  It is particularly important to publishers that you have a larger emailing list – preferably 2,000 or more.

3.    Getting much closer and more connected with your target audience

It is important to not only broaden your reach, but also to deepen it.  The sweet spot is the intersection between your exact expertise and your clients needs and wants.  You need to get intimately familiar with the audience – using demographics, psychographics, and understanding how they behave in problem-solving and where they look for help.  When you write a book, your most powerful place is where your ideal client is the same as your ideal reader for that book. Describe blogging, using blogging to create content for the book as well as to get audience reaction to your thoughts before you write or as you write.  You can test concepts and see what attracts the most attention or discussion.  Blogs that can demonstrate they are widely read are a current hot button for publishers.

4.    Proving your credibility as an expert in your field

Experts write books to communicate their wisdom in ways their audience will relate to.  Experts have their pick of clients and can set higher fees.  A book differentiates you and puts you at the top of the list.  Would you rather do a strategic plan with Tom Peters or Jack Welch, or just someone who claims to be an expert?  A book allows clients to see who you are and how you work independently – before you ever meet them, and then decide to seek you out.  Saves a lot of sales time.

5.    Building your platform to sell your core business and other products besides your book

It is a lot easier to get speaking engagements, to get booked on radio and TV, to get to be interviewed as an expert by magazines and newspapers and to begin to build your list of media contacts and corporate and association contacts when you can demonstrate your expertise without having to be there.

6.    Increasing the number of marketing tools available to you to sell your core business

As an author, you have written intellectual property you can use as marketing tools. You can write articles that are really excerpts of your book or pieces from your blog.

You can also take much better advantage of free PR opportunities that come your way when you are asked to comment on current news and trends as the expert.  Virtually all the expert commentators on news shows are authors.  They get free publicity for their products and services every time you see them on TV.

7.    Putting you on par with the most sophisticated competitors to your core business

Who else is competing with you for the same clients?  Aren’t the ones who command the greatest fees and get all the free publicity the experts who have demonstrated their expertise with books?

With a book, you can take pages and pages to show how you are different than your competitors, and cover what you see that they don’t, and show why your approach is more in tune with what clients really need.

You don’t want to compete with the other local attorney, or psychologist or life coach – you want to compete with the nationally know experts in your field and leapfrog over the local competition, even if you still want local clients.  They will line up to work with someone with a national reputation.

Writing a book is a rewarding experience personally and professionally.  Once you’ve done it, your resume has the word “author” on it forever.

Ó Jan B. King 2009         888-337-0636       www.janbking.com

Don’t Miss “The ROI of a Book for Your Business!”  6/30/10, 1:30 CST https://events.ewomennetwork.com/event/details.php?eid=13513

The third Key4Women Confidence Index is hot off the press, and results point to increased optimism about the economy. Women business owners who responded to our twice-a-year survey by the Center for Women’s Business Research said they are seeing signs of an upturn. Look at these comparisons with surveys taken in the spring and fall of 2009: Sales are up. Selling prices are up. Planned hiring is up. These improvements seem to be boosting positive outlooks. In our latest research, nearly 60 percent said they believe business conditions will improve over the next six months, compared with 48 percent a year ago. Similarly, the number of women business owners who believe the economy will worsen in the next six months dropped by half.

(Guest Post by Katrina Sawa)

I work with hundreds of women entrepreneurs every year and unfortunately so many of them come to me for advice on these two things in particular… they ask “How can I get more clients right now?” or “I need to make money now, I’m struggling to pay the bills?”.

I know times are tough and many of you have probably been hit by the economy one way or another so I don’t want to mess around in this article with fluffy information that could help you grow your business in the long run….let’s talk about what will work for you RIGHT NOW, shall we?

1.  Ok so first things first….you must, must, must get in front of people more.  If you’re an extrovert, fabulous, you may not have too much trouble; however if you’re more of an extrovert, then pay attention.  If you want more business and clients right now you have to get in front of prospects.  You can do this through networking more in person, online, putting out video tips, more articles, emails or mailings to your database, contacts, etc.  You can also speak in front of groups of your prospects.  The point is to do MORE; if you’re not that busy you have to do more than you already are. 

If you work a job too and you don’t have the time to get out more then you’ll have to do more online during odd hours but this is the easiest way to get more clients right now.  Of course you need to know what to say to them, how to ask for the sale or entice them to the next step, etc….

2.  Secondly, to make more money now you must have easy ways for people to buy what you offer!

I can’t tell you how many websites I see still of women entrepreneurs seriously trying to grow their business without a shopping cart or options to pay online and take credit cards from their website.  You can sell anything you offer online, trust me; there is always a way.  You will make more sales if you make it easy for people to buy.

You also want to be prepared when you do go out networking, bring order forms with you for your services or products for example; don’t just give them your card and ‘hope’ they go check out your website.

Utilize technology for your benefit to make this all easier; there are so many systems and things you can process to save you time, make it easier for others to buy from you and more.

3.  Finally, the last thing you have to have in place to start generating more clients and sales right now is an Interactive Follow Up Plan or System.  Interactive being the keyword here; you need to interact with your prospects to keep them interested and for them to engage with you faster.

Pick up the phone and call everyone on your contact list today to see what’s up with them, how they are doing, etc. and find out if they need you or if you can help them now.

Conduct a survey to your list to get them interacting with you plus find out more about their immediate needs while you’re at it.

There are many things you can do to interact during the follow up process but most entrepreneurs hardly do anything at all much less make it interactive!

A random email follow up message these days or adding them to your ezine list is not enough if you want the business fast.

© Copyright 2010 K. Sawa Marketing international Inc.

Don’t Miss Katrina Sawa’s eWomenNetwork Tele-Event on June 22, 2010 1:30CST

Maximize Your Follow Up System for Million Dollar Results!

Step-by-Step Presentation on How to Build and Leverage Your Contact List into Own Personal Cash Machine!

https://events.ewomennetwork.com/event/details.php?eid=13252 

Katrina Sawa is known as The JumpStart Your Biz Coach because she literally kicks her clients and their businesses into high gear.  She works with highly motivated women entrepreneurs that want to maximize their business to make more money, enjoy more free time and fully embrace your happiest life ever.  Katrina uses online and offline strategies to leverage your resources, contacts and your expertise; plus she kicks you in the butt to implement it all too!  Katrina is an author, speaker and coach and she has been featured on the Oprah and Friends XMRadioNetwork and is a regular Business Expert on News 10 in Sacramento.  Get her Free Entrepreneur’s Success Kit online at www.JumpStartYourMarketing.com!

6/17/10 Tele-Insights with Lisa Cherney

Magnetize Your Marketing

to Attract Your Ideal Clients

Now, more than ever, it’s crucial to stand out in the crowd of competition. There are hundreds of businesses that sound like they offer the same services or products as you, and have the same certifications, degrees and title as you. Clients can’t tell the difference!

In this session you will learn:

• The critical difference between a target and an Ideal Client that can add thousands of dollars to your bottom line.
• A step-by-step method for finding the perfect words to communicate your unique approach.
• Powerful marketing strategies that will attract tons of your Ideal Clients and fit any budget.
• How to maximize the impact of all your marketing investments and get results fast.
• A simple system you can use over and over to market any product, service or business you ever have!

For more information and to register: https://events.ewomennetwork.com/event/details.php?eid=13252

Photo by jeffisageek – Flickr

On Twitter, hashtags (#) have become a favorite tool for conference and event organizers.  They provide a way to track topics and breaking news.  As more and more members register for the 10^th Anniversary International Conference & Business Expo, we want to provide you with easy access to Conference updates, trends and topics.  The hashtag for the 2010 Conference is  #ewomen2010, and utilizing it in posts on Twitter, will make your communication easy to share with other conference attendees.

For those who are unable to attend the Conference, a hashtag (#) will provide them with the opportunity to follow discussions and benefit from the insights of those who are experiencing the speakers and events in real time.  #ewomen2010 is registered at Hashtags.org (http://ht.ly/1VNrU )and Tagal.us. (http://tagal.us/tag/ewomen2010). 

eWomen Network is celebrating “10 in 2010”!  This conference will provide an unparalleled   opportunity to grow and expand your business, knowledge, and network.  For more information on the Conference, events, and speakers, please go to http://www.ewomennetworkconference.com.  And, don’t forget to let your network know about #ewomen2010 !