The last 6 months have been a time of tremendous change in my life. Heck, this whole year has been a roller coaster, but especially the last half of 2008.
Things have been so crazy, and stressful, and frantic, and exciting, that my doctor told me I needed to lighten my stress load before I became another family statistic.
So I got cast in a musical, created a new direct sales training course with my good friend Ruth Fuersten, and agreed to help a friend create a website for a local comic and entertainment publication that's being born in my home town.
And I didn't break a sweat. Well, okay, I sweat a lot during the musical, but that was because it was hot on the stage under all those lights.
I've lost 15 pounds (and counting). I feel less stressed most days (remember, I've got 2 kids!). And I have never felt better about my business and financial future.
Why? I'm building better customers. My businesses now revolve around me, instead of revolving my businesses around my frustomers - those frustrating customers that seemed to exist oly to make my life more difficult.
So I finally said "ta ta" in 4 simple steps.
Wanna know the steps?
I'm sharing them FREE of charge on a call this Monday night. I'm not holding anything back, either. You'll not only hear from me, but two of my "guinea pigs" that I've already shared this process with. They'll be telling you how it's helped them. And if it will help us, I know can help you, too.
Clear away the "frustomers" in your life. It could save your life, too!
Breakthroughs Are Often Disguised as Breakdowns
If your whole world tipped on it's axis 3 degrees, what would you do?
What if your whole world dried up and blew away?
Welcome to December, 2008 for me!
In the last 2 weeks, my entire upline at my primary company was dismissed due to breach of contract - the problem? Recruiting downline members into a new biz op using genealogy lists while they were still associated with my company.
We lost 6 Director-level leaders in our state which could be an incredible blow to my business.
Essentially, I am "leaderless".
But honestly, I'm dancing in the streets.
The dead weight is finally gone. YAHOO!
Then I got word that a coaching client was now without a direct sales company because they're closing at the end of the month.
She's also dancing in the streets.
Why?
Because we're both using the concepts of personal branding to grow our reach even in hat would seem like hard times.
But also, because we recognize that BIG Breakthroughs are often disguised as breakdowns.
You know:
Whenever God closes a door...
That's TRUE even more now than ever before. The problem most of us have is that we're too busy looking at the closed door - and knocking on it - that we don't hear or see the window open.
Don't keep staring at a closed door - look for a window!
What's happening for me? Because of the recent changes, I now have more opportunities to create a name for myself in this area - lead training and grow a new culture that doesn't include dead weight.
Plus my new coaching system - Build a Better Customer is slated for release in early 2009 - and having the ability to devote my time to helping others create teh same level of freedom just jumped incrementally.
Can you say excited?
December really came in like a lion for me - and it seemed to be NOT in a good way. But when I stopped staring at a closed door (which didn't last long, I'll admit), The big gaping picture window sure looked inviting.
Where's your window?
What if your whole world dried up and blew away?
Welcome to December, 2008 for me!
In the last 2 weeks, my entire upline at my primary company was dismissed due to breach of contract - the problem? Recruiting downline members into a new biz op using genealogy lists while they were still associated with my company.
We lost 6 Director-level leaders in our state which could be an incredible blow to my business.
Essentially, I am "leaderless".
But honestly, I'm dancing in the streets.
The dead weight is finally gone. YAHOO!
Then I got word that a coaching client was now without a direct sales company because they're closing at the end of the month.
She's also dancing in the streets.
Why?
Because we're both using the concepts of personal branding to grow our reach even in hat would seem like hard times.
But also, because we recognize that BIG Breakthroughs are often disguised as breakdowns.
You know:
Whenever God closes a door...
That's TRUE even more now than ever before. The problem most of us have is that we're too busy looking at the closed door - and knocking on it - that we don't hear or see the window open.
Don't keep staring at a closed door - look for a window!
What's happening for me? Because of the recent changes, I now have more opportunities to create a name for myself in this area - lead training and grow a new culture that doesn't include dead weight.
Plus my new coaching system - Build a Better Customer is slated for release in early 2009 - and having the ability to devote my time to helping others create teh same level of freedom just jumped incrementally.
Can you say excited?
December really came in like a lion for me - and it seemed to be NOT in a good way. But when I stopped staring at a closed door (which didn't last long, I'll admit), The big gaping picture window sure looked inviting.
Where's your window?
Make it Black Friday EVERY Day
Well, it's official. According to a post at CNN.com:
"The National Bureau of Economic Research said Monday that the U.S. has been in a recession since December 2007, making official what most Americans have already believed about the state of the economy."
And yet, despite the horror stories and deep discounts, retail sales were still up 3% over last year on Black Friday.
Where's the disconnect? And how can we apply that to Real Life Marketing?
The day after Thanksgiving in the US signals the beginning of the end - the mad shopping frenzy that beats a path to Christmas Day and leaves a trail of exhausted shoppers in it's wake.
For most Home Party consultants, however, the holiday season is quickly winding down, and many consultants find themselves in a slump from around December 9 through the end of the year. In fact, many consultants - and some companies - close their doors for the last two weeks of the year - despite the potential for additional sales, parties and possible recruits.
Black Friday shouldn't be a one-day-of-the-year occurrence. Retailers pin their profit dreams on the single biggest shopping day of the year - and many find their dreams dashed on the rocks if sales aren't all they imagined.
What can you do to make your sales cycles more consistent? What can you do to make every day Black Friday - that is, more profitable?
Diversify. Don't pin all your hopes on one show on your calendar - or one month (or day) of the year. Every day that you have a show, your office is "open for business".
Consistency. Touch your business regularly. Have business hours - even if it's only one hour a day. People like consistency and prefer to do business with you when they know what to expect.
Over-deliver. Rather than slash your prices to the absolute rock-bottom - or create a loss leader for yourself to pull in more sales, consider adding more value to your customer's purchase. Perhaps free training on the proper use of a product, or a special recipe, or hand-written thank-you note. Not a coupon. Coupons are NOT value added. Coupons imply that the customer must spend money with you AGAIN in order to get the benefit. Give value, get loyalty.
Consistency. Say you're going to do something. Do it. Then do it again, just like you said you would.
Accept nothing less than the best for your clients. Notice that many of the companies going out of business over the 2008 holiday are the low-price competitor. Price is a minor consideration in the customers eye. If the value of the offer is 10-100 times greater than the cost of the investment, the customer will buy.
Consistency. There's nothing like getting what you expect time and time again. McDonald's is McDonald's is Mcdonald's. You've seen one, you've seen 'em all. Just like Krispy Kreme.
Reward your best customers. Give repeat buyers an additional incentive to continue shopping with you. It is far easier to keep a client than it is to gain new ones. Invest some of your advertising budget in client retention.
Consistency. It may be redundant, but it's important to be consistent in your business.
Serve ALL your markets. Do you have clients that prefer to shop online or in person? Don't ignore them. Use direct response mail and email to reach out to your customers in the way they want to be reached.
Consistency. Need I say more?
Building a profitable home party / network marketing business is a bit like dollar-cost averaging. If you do the same amount of work every day, over time you'll see a greater return on your investment. Some days may be up, and others down, but if you're consistent in building your business the RIGHT way, you'll be ahead of the curve at the end of the year, and every day can be Black Friday.
© 2008 Lisa Robbin Young. All Rights Reserved.
==========
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE?
I'd be honored - so long as you include this complete blurb with it: Lisa Robbin Young is Editor and Founder of "PartyOn!", a free newsletter for party plan professionals. A personal branding coach, Lisa is on a mission to educate consultants on big business ideas they can apply to their small business enterprise for stellar success. Get your free tips at http://www.homepartysolution.com.
"The National Bureau of Economic Research said Monday that the U.S. has been in a recession since December 2007, making official what most Americans have already believed about the state of the economy."
And yet, despite the horror stories and deep discounts, retail sales were still up 3% over last year on Black Friday.
Where's the disconnect? And how can we apply that to Real Life Marketing?
The day after Thanksgiving in the US signals the beginning of the end - the mad shopping frenzy that beats a path to Christmas Day and leaves a trail of exhausted shoppers in it's wake.
For most Home Party consultants, however, the holiday season is quickly winding down, and many consultants find themselves in a slump from around December 9 through the end of the year. In fact, many consultants - and some companies - close their doors for the last two weeks of the year - despite the potential for additional sales, parties and possible recruits.
Black Friday shouldn't be a one-day-of-the-year occurrence. Retailers pin their profit dreams on the single biggest shopping day of the year - and many find their dreams dashed on the rocks if sales aren't all they imagined.
What can you do to make your sales cycles more consistent? What can you do to make every day Black Friday - that is, more profitable?
Diversify. Don't pin all your hopes on one show on your calendar - or one month (or day) of the year. Every day that you have a show, your office is "open for business".
Consistency. Touch your business regularly. Have business hours - even if it's only one hour a day. People like consistency and prefer to do business with you when they know what to expect.
Over-deliver. Rather than slash your prices to the absolute rock-bottom - or create a loss leader for yourself to pull in more sales, consider adding more value to your customer's purchase. Perhaps free training on the proper use of a product, or a special recipe, or hand-written thank-you note. Not a coupon. Coupons are NOT value added. Coupons imply that the customer must spend money with you AGAIN in order to get the benefit. Give value, get loyalty.
Consistency. Say you're going to do something. Do it. Then do it again, just like you said you would.
Accept nothing less than the best for your clients. Notice that many of the companies going out of business over the 2008 holiday are the low-price competitor. Price is a minor consideration in the customers eye. If the value of the offer is 10-100 times greater than the cost of the investment, the customer will buy.
Consistency. There's nothing like getting what you expect time and time again. McDonald's is McDonald's is Mcdonald's. You've seen one, you've seen 'em all. Just like Krispy Kreme.
Reward your best customers. Give repeat buyers an additional incentive to continue shopping with you. It is far easier to keep a client than it is to gain new ones. Invest some of your advertising budget in client retention.
Consistency. It may be redundant, but it's important to be consistent in your business.
Serve ALL your markets. Do you have clients that prefer to shop online or in person? Don't ignore them. Use direct response mail and email to reach out to your customers in the way they want to be reached.
Consistency. Need I say more?
Building a profitable home party / network marketing business is a bit like dollar-cost averaging. If you do the same amount of work every day, over time you'll see a greater return on your investment. Some days may be up, and others down, but if you're consistent in building your business the RIGHT way, you'll be ahead of the curve at the end of the year, and every day can be Black Friday.
© 2008 Lisa Robbin Young. All Rights Reserved.
==========
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE?
I'd be honored - so long as you include this complete blurb with it: Lisa Robbin Young is Editor and Founder of "PartyOn!", a free newsletter for party plan professionals. A personal branding coach, Lisa is on a mission to educate consultants on big business ideas they can apply to their small business enterprise for stellar success. Get your free tips at http://www.homepartysolution.com.
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