Tag Archives: women

Smart Women Buy

on August 25, 2011 in Education, Women in Business

Guest Post by Jeanie Douthitt

Did you know that women’s buying power tops $2.4 trillion annually and that they control or influence 85 percent of all household purchases?  For years, women have been recognized as the chief purchasing officers for their households and they still are the primary decision makers for household goods.  But women also drive the big-ticket expenditures for themselves, their families and their businesses.  For example, women drive the purchases of:

  • 91% of new homes
  • 80% of health care
  • 93% food
  • 65% new cars
  • 93% over-the-counter medications

Have you ever had a light bulb moment that you thought could change your life? It actually feels like lightening striking you.  That happened to me after I had been in real estate for a short time and again recently when I was trying to figure out how to take my business to the next level.   The first time it happened after a very good girlfriend called me and reminded me of the “less than positive” real estate experience she had gone through when buying a home as a single woman.  My friend actually had a homeowner say to her “Honey, do you think you can afford this house?” while seeing his home.  Unfortunately, that was just one of many hurdles during her journey to finding her dream home. She had recently suffered great loses with the deaths of both parents and her divorce.  Added to her worry, she had been diagnosed with cancer and that was the driving reason for her decision to purchase a home.  My friend implored me that I “MUST” help single women buy or sell homes.  That was the beginning of my journey to create Smart Women Buy Homes, a program for single women.

In my research, I found single women buy approximately one million homes a year.  Between 2002 and 2003, women spent $550 billion buying homes.  That dollar amount is expected to continue to rise according to a study done by Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing.  This information combined with the current housing market and record low  interest rates means more home buyers can purchase homes and attain more affordable mortgages.  Jenay Bowen, a Senior Loan Officer with Service First Mortgage  says, “We often talk about the PRICE of buying a home versus the COSTS of buying a home.  Of course, price is a key component of the cost.  The other key component is the interest rate of the mortgage.  Just a small increase in interest rates can have a BIG impact on your monthly payment. For example, a $100,000 loan at a current interest rate of 4.75% for 30 years would equal a principle and interest payment of $521.65 a month.  This exact same home with a $100,000 loan at 8% for 30 years would equal a principle and interest payment of $733.36 a month.  This is a difference of over $200 a month just because of the higher interest rate.  If you are looking to buy a home and are waiting to see what will happen with prices, remember interest rates will also impact your housing cost”.

So why are so many women buying homes now?  Women are earning more money than ever before in our nation’s history.  They are waiting longer to get married. Becoming more educated and financially stable has given single women the confidence to procure a home.   Single women are now building their own financial nest egg, which includes home ownership.  No longer do women feel like they need to settle down with a husband before they buy a home.  Purchasing a home gives them a sense of security economically, and a place to live when they retire.  Since women understand a good home investment brings equity, many of them are investing in a second home.  Single females accounted for 13% of all second /vacation homebuyers in 2001/2003 according to the Realtors Profile.

With the number of women purchasing homes increasing, there is a real demand for experienced professionals to help navigate single women through the home buying process. InCharge Debt Solutions article “Single Women Are Buying Homes in Large Numbers”, points out that the biggest obstacles to single women are the lack of information about the home purchasing process, and understanding the dynamics of credit issues. This leaves many women feeling intimidated by the whole home buying process. Because the real estate market offers many challenges for a novice homebuyer, it is essential to find a real estate professional that understands the wants and needs of single women homebuyers. Single women can realize their dreams of home ownership through Smart Women Buy Homes, a program specifically designed to help women through the home buying process.

I wanted to take my business to the next level.  Unsure of which direction to go, I attended the Chairman’s Circle with eWomenNetwork and lighting struck again!   I began to understand that women are making buying decisions every day.  Though these choices are not all as large a financial decision as purchasing a home, women still are looking for very definite things when making their purchasing decisions and I have the ability to facilitate this process through my business.

While working with women, I learned a lot about them and what they really want.  Women want information. They want to know the basics of the product/service and then some.  Every aspect of a product/service is important to women. The size, color, material, weight, look and feel, warranties, etc.  They want to know it all so they can make an informed decision.   Women want to be respected as savvy consumers; supported and educated during the sales process rather than have an advisor take the role of the know-it-all expert using acronyms and terminology they do not understand.  Using pictures or showing women in a more visual way goes a long way towards helping them understand and feel more comfortable with buying decision.  Going at a woman’s pace during negotiations, without rushing her to close the deal today, will serve all parties. Women generally take longer to make a buying decision, however, once satisfied with their purchase and experience with your business, women statistically are more loyal then their male counterparts, and more apt to go online and write a positive or negative review.  Women want to work with someone they trust and respect.

With the knowledge I gained while working with these women, I saw a real need to replicate what Smart Women Buy Homes offered them.   I launched Smart Women Buy, a service for women focusing on the consumer experience as well as the provider experience.  We help women by providing them insights, clarity, direction, and resources for the products and services that they plan to purchase.  In addition, we train and certify those who provide services to our Smart Women buyers.  As a consumer, you can count on Smart Women Buy to give you information that is direct, no-nonsense and uninfluenced by advertising. And because there are no sales here,  just good information to educate you in your purchasing process, you can make the right buying decision for you. We only align with providers who care about women consumers and treat them the same way “they” want to be treated because we understand that that is how Smart Women Buy.

 

Jeanie Douthitt is a Platinum Member of the Chairman’s Circle

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Six Things I Learned at the eWomenNetwork 2011 Conference

on August 8, 2011 in Annual International Conference & Business Expo, Events, Motivation & Inspiration, Relationship Networking, Success Stories, Women in Business

Guest Post by Vikki Loving, The InterSource Companies

This was my FIRST eWomenNetwork Conference!  I know, I know what you are saying – “Girl, you have really been missing something special!”  You would be so right!

Here is some of what I learned:

Women Power – It has been a long time since I immersed myself in women-only activities.  I have many girlfriends, however most of my work has been with men.  I forgot what it was like for someone to say,  “We need a girlfriend over here!” and up rushes more than one person to help, to hug and to offer a hand.

The Importance of Purpose – “There are two days that are important in your life, the day you are born, and the day you figure out Why”.  Sandra Yancey, thank you for that line in your keynote speech!   I know WHY I was born.  In my role as an Executive Recruiter and as an Executive Coach I will certainly use that line!  The power in knowing what you are good at, what you have to sell to others and what you are built to do makes all the difference in how motivated you will be in your life.  When you can answer that question the rest becomes an adventure!

Carry a Credit Card – After an evening of Chocolate Decadence you might find, as you are walking back to your room, the opportunity to speak to someone you wanted to connect with at the Conference.  For me it was Marcia Wieder!  There is something about her that just glows.  And as the universe would have it, she just happened to be in the lobby sitting there and available.  She still had space in one of her wonderful workshops, an enrollment form in her tiny little purse and I happened to have my credit card securely tucked in my Spanx!  I am grateful for the moment to connect with Marcia Wieder and for remembering to carry a credit card.

Structure will Set you Free – Thank you Lisa Sasevich!  I know for myself that I love spontaneity and the ability to change priorities as I see fit.  Lisa’s main stage presentation showed me the value of structure and the flexibility to be spontaneous all in the same moment.  She helped me remember that “you cannot ask others to invest in you at a greater level than you are willing to invest in yourself.”  While our many family members back home think we are off at the Conference playing, it really was a BIG week of investing, absorbing all that you can learn and remembering that a commitment of time and resources can set you free.

New Friends – You meet the most amazing people, like Dr. Michelle Robin the author of “Wellness on a Shoestring” and the founder of Your Wellness Connection, a healing center in Kansas City.  I met Nikkea Devida, founder of Accelerated Results Expert, a songwriter and a female veteran. Nikkea‘s heart has been moved to write a tribute song to female veterans. She would like to sell the song and have all the proceeds go to the eWomenNetwork Foundation to help the women’s veterans initiative.  These are just two of the women I met who instantly made a difference in my life and in the moment of knowing them.

Sell Your Thing – It is not enough to be knowledgeable about what we do for a living. It is important as well to teach others to do what we do and better yet, make money doing it!  All the speakers provided us with great content, great ideas, great advice and they were all willing to teach us what they do and how they do it.  It made me reflect on the eWomenNetwork saying, “lift as you climb”.

I am back home and busy creating product offerings that I can share with my client companies and with my executive coaching clients.  My new post-Conference focus is to teach my clients the process I utilize to find the absolutely RIGHT Person to Hire and the absolutely RIGHT Job Fit.  Even though I have recruited for companies ranging from Coca-Cola and Dell Computer to smaller companies with fewer than 50 people, I never once thought about selling them the process I use rather than the service I provide.  I LOVE the thought of teaching others how to do what I do!

Thank you Sandra and Kym Yancey for your vision, for your commitment to excellence in all things and for your willingness to bring us those who will put a hand out and help others along the way.

 

Vikki Loving is a Platinum Member of the Chairman’s Circle

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Take Your Mind off Auto-Pilot – It Really is a Choice!

on July 2, 2011 in Chairman's Circle, Education

Guest Post by Becky Shook-Wotzka, Fairway Divorce Solutions

If we choose to focus on the past, then we cannot live in the present. Likewise, if we choose to focus on the future, we cannot be present in the now.   In my practice as a divorce negotiator and relationship coach, I recently worked with a couple who were in the earlier stages of a relationship. His biggest complaint:  she was focused on her prior marriage and all the things that had gone wrong.  So?  Shouldn’t we be supportive of our spouse if he or she is having emotional difficulties? Of course.  However, here is the profound lesson for any relationship.

Usually, a sure sign that we are negatively focused on the past is the feeling of fear or guilt. A sure sign that we are focused negatively on the future is worry. While all those feelings are real and certainly do show up after any relationship has ended, if they take too much space in your day, then you are destined for a very slow emotional recovery.

OK, but how do you snap yourself out of it? The answer is honestly much too simple. STOP thinking and TALKING about it!  The first step to emotional recovery is to stop the storytelling to friends and family, and most importantly to stop the negative self-talk. Even if you are totally tempted to sit and stew over the injustices that have been done against you, stop yourself. Choose a person who you can ask to snap you back into the present when you are getting stuck.  Call the person, and say “I’m stuck.”  That person should ask you the following questions.  “Where are you right now? What do you see?  What is right in front of you?”  This shouldn’t include your thoughts or your emotions.  It’s about what’s really happening right now in the tangible reality of space.

As you begin to stay more present-focused, you may be able to snap yourself out of the past by saying the word out loud “STOP”, and then refocusing yourself on what is around you.  Are you driving down the road?  Do you see the cars around you? What about the trees with beautiful leaves?  What establishments do you see that might be of interest?  In time you will notice that the amount of time that your brain is occupied with destructive thought will diminish. Remember it takes 30 days to break a habit and believe it or not – negative thought is a habit. One day you will go to bed and realize that you did not think about it once that day. That is a sign that your heart has opened and you are truly on your way to achieving a Clean Break.


Becky Shook-Wotzka is a Gold Member of the Chairman’s Circle

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The Woodpecker’s Secret to Getting What You Want

on April 11, 2011 in Coaching Corner, Motivation & Inspiration, Women in Business

Guest Post by Premier Success Coach Kim Griffith, MA,  Parenting & Wellness Coach/Educator

Everyone seems to be teaching the secret to realizing our dreams. The main ingredients are usually:

  1. Vision work
  2. Positive thinking
  3. Taking action

But if it were that easy, wouldn’t we all have what we want?

These ingredients are great, and I use them in my coaching and personal life. But why is it there are times that amazing opportunities and unexpected collaborations open up for me with no effort, then there are other times when I am clear about my vision yet find myself struggling, pushing hard to make forward progress and getting nowhere?

As I was considering this dichotomy, I noticed a woodpecker working diligently on building his home. I’d seen him earlier in the week, but today he was about to reinforce a simple (but not so easy) lesson.

This determined woodpecker seemed to know exactly what he wanted. He was working hard, that’s for sure. But there appeared to be no urgency in his actions even though his project was taking what I thought was a long time to complete.

If he experienced any type of obstacle, I was not aware of it. He just continued on, accepting exactly where he was at every moment. I knew he wasn’t thinking “I have so much to do, and how in the world am I going to get it all done?” or “I don’t know if I can reach my goal.”

Our capacity as humans to feel emotions and question our process is unique to our species. It can come in handy at times, but it can also cause us to struggle, force, worry and control when there’s something we want but don’t have. Resistance is the opposite of acceptance. When you truly accept what is without judgment, you have no resistance. When you have no resistance, a space opens for creative solutions, and your inspired action step will appear.

You can ask yourself — on a scale from 1-10, how much energy am I spending resisting or trying to control my outcome? Acknowledging the truth, the reality of our situation, often brings up uncomfortable feelings, which is the main reason we find ourselves in denial, resisting or pretending we are somewhere else. But avoiding our feelings just creates more resistance, which pushes us further away from realizing our dreams.

Accepting where we are allows us to relax, which naturally creates a pause in our attempts to control. That’s when the magic happens; when “invisible doors” to what’s next are revealed with ease.

I’m sharing my lesson from the woodpecker with you, what I am calling The Woodpecker’s Secret to Getting What You Want:

  1. Know what you want (you may find that it is already hard-wired in you)
  2. Accept exactly where you are right now (don’t judge it, just accept it)
  3. The next door opens naturally (an inspiration, idea, phone call, person)
  4. Then you take action …

Simply continue to repeat these steps from your new vantage point. And just like the woodpecker, knowing what you want and feeling acceptance with where you are assures that what you want is coming your way.

Connect with Kim Griffith at eWomenNetwork or

The Wellness Way

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Getting Your Bio in Great Shape Offers Rewards that Show Up in The Balance Sheet

on January 17, 2011 in Women in Business

Guest Post by Nancy Juetten

A client-attracting bio is a universal tool in the marketing toolbox for business owners serious about growing and attracting the right clients. Read on for tips to help you get the mission accomplished in short order.

Not every business owner has the interest or inclination to get interviewed by the media, become a popular public speaker, or step into that dream of becoming a best-selling author. However, it is a universal need among business owners to position themselves to attract more of the right clients right now. Those who want to stand out and shine as they attract more clients need to say who they are, the mission they are on, the results they bring about, and why it matters in compelling terms that capture attention straight away. That means using your bio as a tool to attract exactly what you seek in terms that actually compel prospects into action.

For example, if you were seeking a personal fitness trainer, which of these two descriptions would compel you to lean in and engage?

A. I am a personal fitness trainer who serves 50-something rich people who reside on Mercer Island who want to get in better shape now.

B. I am a Jewish mother with a PhD who is also a fitness maven on a mission to get 50-somethings off the couch and taking the stairs with a smile because they look to the second half of life as the best half of life.

As for me, I’d choose B. because the message is steeped in authenticity, wow, and the promise of great possibilities that really resonate in a compelling, emotional way. And it all happens with one line of text.

The fact is, everyone’s business bio can be made better to showcase more authenticity, better messaging, and delicious benefits that really resonate with their target market. Best of all, a better bio can invite more of the right opportunities to reflect well in the balance sheet. Like all things — including exercise — it’s a matter of getting into action and selecting well chosen words that deliver the goods.

As you ponder those words, consider these marketplace realities:

1) There are 27 million independent business professionals trying to make a go of it beyond the scope of “cubicle nation.” Some have exited voluntarily, and some choose never to return or can’t find their way back in. These people have to make their way in the world somehow, and that means it is essential to differentiate and stand apart quickly in an online search. Blah, blah, blah and boring messages don’t get the job done.

2) There are many people who need to invite additional streams of income beyond traditional employment to make ends meet in this demanding economy in which many states are still reporting double digit unemployment. What potential clients find out about them in a quick Google search can mean the difference between getting a call to get into action or sitting indefinitely for calls that never come in. Conduct a “Google” search for your name, your company name, and the key words for which you want to be known as the expert. If the search reveals a disconnect, consider that your wake up call to take inspired action to change that for the better.

3) Speakers who want more paid speaking engagements can invite plenty more of them and the compensation that goes with them, provided they lead with a provocative, timely headline and describe their message points in ways that get meeting planners to say “YES” right away. Those who ramble in broad generalities are often disappointed by their results, whereas those who describe the value they bring in bold terms often welcome the compensation.

4) In today’s economy that the Wall Street Journal has called “the age of going solo,” decision makers recognize that they are doing business first and foremost with PEOPLE as opposed to COMPANIES. People want to know about that energy healer, financial planner, or business coach before putting their money on the line to benefit from their unique ways of serving clients. How quickly a consultant, expert, author, or media personality can get to the “like, trust, and respect” place has a direct impact over how much influence they can command and how much money they can make. A well crafted bio that makes clear the stunning results, sassy sound bites, succinct stories, and relevant social information that guides ideal clients to get there faster can bring plenty more qualified sales opportunities than leading with an old school bio that reads like yesterday’s news.

5) There are a great many people who struggle GREATLY with talking about themselves. For those who want to get seen, heard, celebrated and ultimately COMPEN$ATED, this is a huge problem. Those who are willing to articulate the value they bring for their ideal clients in terms that resonate and are sufficiently compelling to invite prospects to become paying clients can advance along their path to revenue generation a whole lot faster than those who don’t or won’t. It’s an exercise well worth the effort, as you’ll soon find out when you plug in these lessons to your expert advantage to scoop up the marketplace opportunities that await.  (Original post http://biznik.com/articles/getting-your-bio-in-great-shape-offers-rewards-that-show-up-in-the-balance-sheet)

Success InstituteJoin Nancy Juetten on Success Institute 1/18/11, 1:30pm CST to  ”Take the Rock Start Status Reality Check”

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Long Term Care and Your Taxes

on December 3, 2010 in eWomenNetwork Members, Women in Business

Having just completed Long Term Care Awareness Month, the end of 2010 is the perfect opportunity to consider your best long term care options for the new year and beyond.  The Administration on Aging reports that by 2030 persons 65 years or older in the U.S. will represent 19% of  the population and most will be women. Unexpected care expenses for an individual, a spouse, a parent or a family member can greatly impact your finances.“In America 3 in 4 of us need long term care after we turn 65.  But most of us aren’t insured for it, and waiting to insure carries great risks,” says Denise Gott, Chairman of the Board of LTC Financial*.  A long term care insurance policy protects against asset loss by paying long-term care bills and avoids dipping into savings or selling investments to cover the costs.

Under current U.S. tax law, long term care insurance premiums offer a tax deduction that is often overlooked. In addition, when a policy is paid for out of a Health Savings Account there can be tax advantages.  Based on federal tax information from the Internal Revenue Service, for 2010 the maximum amount of qualified long-term care premiums you can include as medical expenses has increased.  For businesses, there are tax breaks that can be especially attractive. Some business owners can deduct premiums without having to satisfy the 7.5% medical expense threshold amount.  In addition to federal tax benefits, there may also be state tax benefits as well. For those who don’t currently have policies, investigating long term care now could position you for deductions next year.  Be sure to ask your tax expert to check into every deduction that may apply in your case.

Take advantage of this opportunity to educate yourself about your options.  For more facts on long term care, click here.

*LTCFP does not offer tax advice, but teams with consumers’ financial advisors and accountants to provide information on long term care insurance options affecting one’s financial situation.

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What is Coaching?

on November 11, 2010 in Coaching Corner, Women in Business

coaching

Coaching is a jointly-designed partnership that supports you and forwards your actions toward the achievement of your goals and vision of your business, career, or personal life.  Success means different things to each of us, and this partnership allows you to reach greater personal and business success. Strategic coaching principles and tools are used to empower you and restore a dynamic state of balance in the key areas of your life.

Throughout the coaching relationship, your coach will engage in direct and potent questioning, and may, on occasion, be directive.  You can count on your coach to ask honest and straightforward questions designed to open new thought processes, to make inquiries that offer inner discovery, and to make requests that lead to action and achievement.

Why does eWomenNetwork think that it is important to include two complimentary Coaching sessions as a Member Benefit?  Sandra Yancey, CEO of eWomenNetwork, believes that entrepreneurs and solopreneurs need a way to break through the isolation that comes from doing it all on their own.  “I would have never made it without help.  It was a pivotal turning point in my business.  Coaching represents an honest and objective  third party who can help you with your challenges and conflicting demands.   It’s similar to why you may hire an exercise trainer or join a weight loss group.  You know what you need to do, you just want someone to guide, support and hold you accountable.”  I asked Sandra how to select the appropriate coach.  “If you have several challenges and not sure which one to focus on first, think about the one thing that keeps you up at night,” she said.  “It can be either your greatest pain-point or that single burning idea you are so excited about.”

Coaching provides  an opportunity to gain clarity, translate your dreams and ideas into achievable goals, change old beliefs and patterns that hold you back, develop and maintain focus, design structures and systems to support your journey, and choose how you are going to live the rest of your life in a whole new way!  To learn more about coaching, go to  http://www.ewomennetwork.com/coaches.html.

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Women’s Business Opportunities take off at the DFW Airport

on November 8, 2010 in Women in Business

With a major seven year project underway to bring new businesses into the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)  International Airport  community, opportunities are ripe for women owned businesses.  Over 153,000  passengers pass through the airport on a daily basis.  It covers more than 29.8 square miles and employs 1,775 people.

The DFW Airport is committed to increasing opportunities to involve disadvantaged, minority and women-owned businesses in all Airport contracts.  The Airport has recently issued a request for proposals (RFP) for multiple concession locations throughout Terminal A for retail, food and beverage, passenger services and shoe shine locations.  This is the first of many opportunities for women owned businesses, no matter where you are headquartered, to become a part of this seven year project.

A certification process gives greater opportunities to businesses that meet specific criteria, though certification is not a requisite to submit a proposal.  To become certified, business owners need to go through North Central Texas Regional Certification Agency which has a 90 day application timeframe.  ACDBE (Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Program)– Request  for Proposal prefers that business owners have a hands-on involvement as equity owners or as subcontracting suppliers.

Here you can find more information on how to do business with Dallas Ft. Worth Airport.  The first proposals are due December 3, 2010.   Don’t wait to take advantage of this opportunity to engage passengers from across the country and around the globe with your unique business!

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Do You Think You Are Too Small to Do Business With the Government? Think Again!

on October 15, 2010 in Education, Government Contracting, Women in Business

If someone told you that you were missing an opportunity to earn millions in government contracts, what would you do? After a decade of commentary, delays, rewrites and litigation, the U.S. Small Business Administration has begun implementing a federal contracting program for Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSB) that will directly impact you.  The Women’s Procurement Program focuses on 83 industries in which women are underrepresented in the federal contracting marketplace.  To be eligible for the program, firms must meet industry based small business size standards,  be 51% owned and controlled by women who are U.S. citizens, and must qualify as a small business in their primary industry.

“Women-owned businesses are one of the fastest growing sectors of our nation’s economy, and even during the economic downturn of the last few years, have been one of the key job creation engines in communities across the country,” SBA Administrator Karen Mills said.  “Despite their growth and the fact that women lead some of the strongest and most innovative companies, women-owned firms continue to be under-represented in the federal contracting marketplace.  This rule will be a platform for changing that by providing greater opportunities for women-owned small businesses to compete for and win federal contracts.”  Mills added.*

Two things really are surprising.  One, less than 80,000 women-owned businesses are currently registered to take advantage of this opportunity!  Two, categories that are included might easily fit your business description (here are just a few).

  • Business Support Services
  • Office Administrative services
  • Other Schools and Instruction
  • Outpatient Care Centers
  • Lessors of Real Estate
  • Motion Picture and Video Industries
  • Computer System Design and Related Services
  • Specialized Design Services
  • Investigation and Security Services
  • Services to Buildings and Dwellings
  • Independent Artists, Writers and Performers
  • Printing and Related Support Activities
  • Newspaper, Periodical, Book and Directory Publishers
  • Software Publishers
  • Data Processing Hosting and Related Services
  • Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers
  • Legal Services
  • Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping and Payroll Services
  • Advertising, Public Relations and Related Services

Want to learn more?  Be sure to visit the eWomenNetwork Success Institute and join us for the Success Institute Tele-Session, “Gain a Competitive Edge in Government Contracting”, October 19, 2010, 1:30pm CST featuring Lourdes Martin-Rosa.

*http://gtpac.org/2010/10/sba-releases-final-women-owned-small-business-rule-for-implementation-in-early-2011/

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The Client Attractor Factor: 7 Steps for Attracting Your Ideal Clients

on September 23, 2010 in Branding, Marketing, Motivation & Inspiration, Women in Business

Guest Post by Ellen Looyen

In my 22+ years in business, I’ve seen so many talented service-based professionals enduring a never-ending struggle to attract more clients. They often squander the few opportunities they have with viable prospects, by not being able to talk about their own value in a way that connects with their market.

Here are some simple tips that will ensure your success as a client magnet:

1. Connect Emotionally First and Logically Later

Prospects for your services want to get a FEELING about you and your practice or consultancy.

The easiest and most direct way to do this is to tell them your “Branding Story”, using compelling language, laden with emotionally-connecting sound bites, that hit both sides of their brain at once.

Get real good at telling the “story” of your value (using compelling words and visuals that convey the essence and energy of your business). Your messaging needs to confidently convey your value, experience and unique style to those in need of your services.

2. Share the “Experience of Your Value and the Value of Your Experience”

Give people thinking about hiring you a direct experience of your work, in the form of a complimentary consultation. This is your opportunity to demonstrate your value in real-time; and it will give your prospective client a chance to see how it feels to actually be working with you.

Once you capture their imagination (the hallmark of charismatic people) and they feel comfortable working with you, they will feel an instant resonance and in their gut they will want to hire you.

3. Inspire Confidence

Most don’t realize it, but confidence is the number one reason people buy or choose anything.

People will never buy into feelings of doubt or uncertainty—yours, or theirs.

If you don’t believe in yourself and your own value as a service-based professional, how will your potential clients ever feel confident enough to buy from you? Your whole being must confidently exude that you offer the best solutions for their specific problems.

4. “We Convince by Our Presence”…Walt Whitman

Present people seem totally focused on whomever they are with.  They seem to possess an enviable peace about themselves and to have nothing to prove.

They make people feel like they are their only client in the world.

They are totally with people in the present moment, with no agenda (attention focused on a desired future outcome) and they truly want what’s in the best  interest of their clients.

5. Become More Likeable

In his terrific book, author Tim Saunders shares “The 4 Keys to Likeability” and they are: Friendliness, Relevance, Empathy and Realness. Develop these 4 personality strengths and you’ll have a much easier time attracting people who may become your clients in the future.

6. Position Yourself as an Expert in Your Field

Brand-building is about consciously creating the “perceptions” you want people to have of you and your practice.

Position yourself as an expert by writing articles, blogs and newsletters and by developing first class marketing materials that highlight your expertise and experience.

Learn how to expertly articulate the many things that you know and how others could benefit from it.

7. Enhance Your Charismatic Influence—It’s Your Very Best Attractor Factor

Charismatic people throughout history have possessed the unique ability to capture the imagination of others and inspire them to be supportive and devoted to a cause. Charismatic people know how to instantly create trust and rapport and can quickly influence others to see things their way.

Don’t Miss Ellen Looyen October 5, 2010 on Success Institute as she discusses “The Client Attractor Factor: 7 Steps for Attracting Your Ideal Clients.” REGISTER HERE.



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