Sandra Martini's Success Strategies

Does your business need a reality check?

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During a consultation last week, I was speaking with a 5-figure business owner who wanted to make $150,000 this year.

Doable?

Absolutely!

Doable with the plan she had?

Absolutely not.

So many business owners create good solid goals and then take haphazard action, constantly led astray by another bright shiny object or thinking the Law of Attraction will deliver it all to them.

The “reality check”?

It’s a combination of taking the RIGHT action in the RIGHT way at the RIGHT time WHILE maintaining a positive and abundant mindset that will propel you forward to your goals.

While you may think this sounds a little tough, it’s a whole lot tougher to close your doors and get a J O B working for someone else, especially after spending thousands of hours and dollars on programs and products, all designed to get you “to the next level”.

Make It Real: My Request To You

First, revisit your goals for this quarter (July through September) and this year.

Second, determine if your goals are REALISTIC given where you are now and your plans (HOW will you bring in the revenue, which projects, implemented when?) for the rest of the year.

Third, either revise your goals, your plan or both so that they’re in alignment and doable.

Fourth. . .take action. Now!

If you want help determining if your goals are realistic and building a plan you can implement to reach those goals (or others we set), you’ll want to see if a strategy session with me works for you.

Where do you go from here?

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Just yesterday I was talking with a new client who’s invested thousands of dollars on programs, plans and info products and came to me asking “What should I do?” as she was so overwhelmed with all the options and wanted to get the *right* things done in order to achieve her goals.

In a time when information – good and bad – surrounds us and we’re hit (it actually feels like I’m being hit sometimes) with thousands of marketing messages every day around what we should do with our business, it’s no wonder you’re confused about the best way to get where you’re going.

Mapquest gives you a choice when it comes to driving directions:

• Shortest distance or
• Scenic route

I’m guessing you want the “shortest distance” to your business goals as opposed to the longer scenic route.

Knowing that, it’s time to decide which steps, in which specific order will get you there:

1. Write – don’t type -- a list of all your goals (there’s a greater connection to our desires when we write them out)
2. Put each goal on a separate piece of paper
3. Write the projects which will culminate in the completion of each goal
4. Decide which goal you want to work on FIRST (now I know you want more than one, but you can only do one thing well at a time, so pick a #1)
5. Decide which project within that goal you want work on FIRST
6. Write a list of tasks/action steps for that project – complete with timeframes
7. Delegate what you can to your team
8. Do what only you can do (if you don’t yet have a team, prioritize the tasks – there is usually a natural order to these)
9. Take this goal as far as you can and move on to the next

It’s key to remember that no matter how much you “want it all”, you’ll get there quicker by picking one thing, getting it done and moving on to the next. The “all” will come before you know it.

And if you’re confused about which goal/project to start first?

Answer this one question: “What *pain* keeps you up at night or which goal makes you giddy with joy?” and you’ve got your first goal.

If you want help sorting out which priority is THE priority or need to brainstorm the right steps to get you there, you’ll want to see if a strategy session with me works for you.

LinkedIn -- A simple way to get "Recommendations"

Anyone who's ever used LinkedIn knows that one of it's many features is letting others write "recommendations" about you.

And to help encourage people to do this, LinkedIn's gone one step further. . .

The recommendation will not only show on your page, but on the person's page who gave it to you.  This way you can see who uses "canned" recommendations, who offers a recommendation when perhaps they shouldn't, etc.

If you're looking for a quick and easy way to get recommendations, simply connect with those colleagues/clients/customers who have given you a testimonial and ask them to copy/paste their testimonial into the Recommendation field.

Done! You now have a Recommendation and it took them less than 5 minutes to do.

Want to make it even easier for them?

In your request for the Recommendation, include the latest testimonial you have from them so they don't have to look it up -- just be sure to give them the option of updating it to reflect current work done together.

(This is a GREAT project for a team member!)

Now stop reading and go delegate!  :-)

7 + 1 Summer Resources To Keep/Get You on Track

Despite the rain, wind and chilling temperatures today, it's officially the first day of summer here in Massachusetts.

As you prepare to have the kids home from school and determine your own summer projects, here are a few resources -- both business and personal -- which may make things easier:

For the kids as they start hanging around the house (and your office) asking "What can I do? There's nothing to do, I'm bored", etc. -- free guide on 50 Easy Ways Your Kids Can Make Money

Okay, now that they're taken care of, on to you. . .

1.  If you've been struggling to get your first ebook out, I recommend Connie Ragen Green's Ebook Writing & Technology Home Study Course 

2.  If you've been wanting to get your first teleseminar under your belt, but have been unsure of how to pull it all together, I recommend my own "How to Host Your Own Teleseminar: The Tools to Make It Happen...without fear

3.  If you're looking to clean up your eating habits some, summer is a perfect time to do it and I recommend Karen Knowler's ebooks on incorporating more raw foods into your meals (note that you don't have to be a total raw foodie to get tons of ideas and recipes from Karen's stuff!)

4.  If summer's the time you're going to get your article marketing in gear, my favorite places include: Ezine Articles, Best Article Marketer and Submit Your Article. Submit Your Article charges about $37/month, but they'll forward your article out to several other sites for you which makes it a bargain (cheaper than doing yourself or hiring someone to do it for you)

5.  If you're thinking about turning your knowledge into product, but need a little nudge, here's a free (no opt-in required) video for you. . .

6.  And if you're planning on hanging out and manifesting some great things, here are two of my favorite manifesting tools: Magnetize Absolutely Anything audio and workbook and Wildly Wealthy book and workbook

7.  Or if you're looking for some organizing tips, tools and assistance, you'll want to check out my two favorite organizers: the MomMentor, Debbye Cannon and Elizabeth Hagen

My best wishes for a VERY Happy AND Productive Summer!

 

 

When You Give (on Twitter and elsewhere), You Also Receive

One of the questions I've often asked is "What should I post on Twitter and Facebook"?

While there are several things you can post (check out my post on How to Become an Expert Using Content here) on Twitter and Facebook, the simplest of all is to let your friends and followers know when they've helped you in some way.

Rather than send a private "direct message" on Twitter, openly thank or congratulate someone for something they've done.

In addition to showing gratitude/recognition to someone, openly posting "thanks" or "kudos" does a few things:

1. It shows that you're happy and willing to give credit or thanks when appropriate.

2. It links you publicly with the person you're thanking/giving credit to (and puts you in their stream).

3. This type of post counts towards "valuable and informative" content and isn't self-promotional.

So what are you waiting for?  Go share some gratitude and recognition today!

And if you're not yet on Twitter or are ready to take it to the next level (while freeing up your time), you'll want to check out Social Networking: Done 4 You today!

[SmarTini Tip] Expert Credibility: How to let your clients give it to you

If you've been around the "online world" a while, you know that "content is king" -- after all, it's generally expected that you should:

* publish a weekly/biweekly email newsletter

* "touch" your clients in offline ways

* post 2-3 times a week to your blog

* host your own teleseminars and be guests on others

* contribute daily to Facebook and Twitter

and the above is all *at a minimum* and we haven't even discussed videos.

Assuming you're here to connect and build relationships with others in a true and meaningful way (and if you're not, you may as well stop reading now) and aren't in it for the "quick sale", where do you find all the information to post/send out?

After all, the quickest way to build your expert credibility is to share "expert" information with others.

So how do you "know what you know" in order to share it with others who are looking for that very info?

Here's one of my favorite strategies. . .

Marketing Your Business -- The Line Between Effective and Annoying

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In marketing your business, there's a line *out there* between what's effective for your ideal clients and what's just plain annoying.

That line is different for every one of your ideal clients and for every business owner (even in the same industry).

I recently heard a very successful business owner say "These days you have to market your heart out and I'm going to hammer my list with. . ." and the name of the latest program.

While I agree that you do need to market your business, and do so effectively, I completely disagree with "hammering" people, even knowing the business owner above meant it in the sense of sending tons of promotional emails.

There is a point where your marketing becomes annoying and not worth the benefit your readers otherwise receive.

So how do you know when you're getting close?

1. Are you seeing more "unsubscribes" than usual?
2. Are clients leaving your membership programs -- while this absolutely relates to the quality of the program and your relationship with members, it also relates to your client's overall perception of how you do business. I've left good programs simply because I didn't like the way someone marketed their business.
3. Are you out of integrity somewhere with what you say versus what you do -- are you walking your talk?

These are all signs that you're getting close to "that" line.

Keep in mind however, that as long as you're providing valuable content in your communications with your readers -- ezine articles, blog posts, tips and strategies or resources they can use in their business, etc. -- the "price" of all that f.r.e.e. information is that you will also share info about your programs, products and services.

It essentially comes down to two things:

• you CONSISTENTLY providing ENOUGH valuable content so that even if your latest product or service isn't right for your reader, they stay on because another product or service may be just what they're looking for and
• you remember the adage "Do unto others. . ." when it comes to how much promotion you're sending out.

Make It Real: My Request to You

I mention above that there's a point where promotion exceeds other benefits to your readers -- it's important to remember that this point is:

1. defined by your readers, not you and
2. different for everyone

Your responsibility is to decide what's appropriate for you, in your business and then "live up" to that responsibility.

One way to promote your products, programs and services without overwhelming your readers is to mix up the media. Include some:

• email promotions
• blog posts
• video and audio snippets
• direct mail
• fax and voice broadcasts (be sure you're in compliance with the law)

By mixing up the media, you have a great chance of getting through all the *noise* out there without overwhelming or annoying your ideal clients.

And the best part?

Once you create a plan, dare I say it. . .a SYSTEM, for the above, you simply have to follow the steps for each promotion.

Remember, this is about making and keeping it simple. . .

Facebook Profile -- be sure to get your name

Facebook opened up their system last night to let us create our own Facebook profile URL.

 

Rather than the former hideous URL which looked something like:

 

www.facebook.com/people/yourname/123456789  (this isn't a real URL, just an example of what Facebook profiles looked like -- not the prettiest URL I've ever seen!)

However, now you can have www.facebook.com/yourname

I set mine to be www.facebook.com/sandramartiniso it's consistent with my Twitter name (@sandramartini) and website URL (www.SandraMartini.com)

To get your own Facebook profile name, go to http://www.facebook.com/username

You will see a form that will give you several suggested usernames, and the ability to choose your own. Either choose one of the names suggested or type in your own.

Now here is NOT the time to get creative.  After all, you want people to be able to find you without having to search and wonder what you may have come up with in a creative moment.

The goal is to make it EASY for everyone -- when it comes to branding your business, consistency is key.

You may choose to use your name, your business name, your title, etc., but know this. . .once chosen, you can't change it.  Facebook doesn't allow changes or edits so be sure to choose well and double check spelling before confirming.

And, if we're not yet friends, I'd love to connect with you:

http://www.facebook.com/sandramartini or @sandramartini (Twitter)

Multiple Streams of Income -- Begin Your Journey

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Have you ever seen the movie "Bridge Jones Diary"?

There's a scene in it where Bridget notes that one of her friends had one hit song in the 1980s and realized that was more than enough to carry him through the 1990s and so didn't bother doing anything new.

When you look at your business, have you TRULY set it up for success in the long term?

By this I mean, are you offering, and marketing, more than one product or service or are all your eggs in one basket?

If they are, no problem. . .acknowledge it and start to build another nest or learn to market the other products/services you have and can offer.

There was a time when over 60% of my revenue came from one client and my clients have had as much as 90% of revenue coming from one source.

This is a dangerous place to be, especially (sorry, have to say it) in this new economy.

It's time for you to think outside the box -- here's an example from one of my clients:

Heidi focused on marketing herself as a bookkeeper. She's an amazing one (I've used her), but she also has this natural skill of streamlining and optimizing computer systems so they run faster than they, or you, ever imagined.

She would "just do" all this computer optimization "stuff" because it was easier for her if her clients' computers ran efficiently. She never thought about actually charging for this service -- despite her clients telling her how much easier their lives were as a result.

Can you see where Heidi originally had a "one hit wonder" business and, with a little tweaking to her marketing, was able to create a second stream of income from existing, as well as new, clients?

Make It Real. . .My Request to You

Knowing the above and seeing businesses around you either thrive or fail, what step can you take right now, today to change things?

• Is it a phone call to a prospective client or joint venture partner?
• Is there a service that you *just do* for your clients that you can (and should) be charging for?
• Is it the information page for that product you've had "on the shelf"?
• Is it signing up for an affiliate program of someone you admire and sharing their products/services?
• Is it scheduling that teleseminar to get more people on your list or to share a new program with them

What *one thing* can you do today to actually create multiple streams of revenue for tomorrow?

You'll notice that I'm asking for only one step today. . .and other tomorrow. . .and a third the next day. Before you know it, you'll have that new revenue!

Integrity -- Has It Lost Its Meaning?

From www.Dictionary.com, the word "integrity" means:

1.	adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.

2.	the state of being whole, entire, or undiminished: to preserve the integrity of the empire.

3.	a sound, unimpaired, or perfect condition: the integrity of a ship's hull.

Looking at the first definition only and then PAYING ATTENTION to several online businesses, I have to ask, has the definition changed?

For example, one online business recently promoted that there were only X number of a physical product available so "get it before we run out".

Subsequent emails trying to get us to buy and showing how many more were sold (plus other calls the business owner was on pitching the product), added up to almost double the original "get 'em before we're sold out" quantity.

The issue for me -- aside from the blatant untruths -- is that this business owner, like so many others out there, preaches and teaches the concept of integrity.  It's become a case of "do what I say, not what I do".

This is just one example, I could easily cite many more.

You could ask, so who's being hurt by the above scenario...particularly if it's a good product/service/whatever and has the potential to help many people.

My answer is simple: All of us. 

After all, there are better, more honest ways of doing business and if someone is willing to lie (let's stop dancing and call it what it is) about something as small as "how many widgets" they have to sell, what about the bigger things?

I'd love to hear your thoughts as I have some pretty strong opinions around this topic and I know they may not resonate with everyone.