4 Big Things that Hold You Back from Reaching Your Peak

You’re probably doing pretty well in your career. You did well in college, you’ve got a good job, or you’re establishing a business. But there’s something that is stopping you from reaching your peak. You’re not quite where you want to be. Maybe your career trajectory feels like it’s stalled a little or even plateaued.

Have a good look at yourself and see if you’re being held back by one or more of these four big things that commonly stop people from reaching their career peak.

Procrastination

We all do it. Putting off doing mundane or difficult tasks is all too human. But the longer you delay making that phone call or having that tricky conversation, the worse it’s going to get. You know deep down that you should just do it.

The other big area of procrastination is failing to act. How many good ideas have you had, but you haven’t acted on, because you weren’t ready, or you didn’t have the right skills or enough money yet? There will never be the perfect or right time to start a business, launch a project or pitch a new idea. The right time to act is now. And don’t forget: acting on an idea doesn’t mean you leap into the final product straightaway. Acting means doing your research, allocating budget, testing the market.

If you stop procrastinating and start planning, you’ll be ready for success when it comes.

Fear of failure

Fear of failure stops you from taking risks and seizing opportunities. It can be paralyzing, but only if you let it. And to free yourself from the fear of failure you need to reframe what failure means for you. Failure does not mean disaster. It means you haven’t found out what works yet. Edison famously failed to invent the working light bulb more than a thousand times before he hit on the right formula.

The converse of failure is persistence. And persistence will out-perform innate talent every time.

Distraction

Staying focused is the key to achieving success. It’s easy to be distracted by side issues and the demands of your email or phone but staying productive requires attention and focus. Make it easier to produce high-quality, consistent work by keeping focused on the current priorities and sticking to your plan.

Self-doubt

Self-doubt can undermine all your efforts if you let it. The best thing you can do to build your confidence is to stop comparing yourself to others. Your success story is totally up to you. Look back, see all the stepping stones that brought you to where you are now. You have the skills, and you have the know-how to get where you want to go.

https://bit.ly/44bNClg

Do You Have a Success Mind-set

Success does not happen by accident. And neither does YOUR Success Mindset!!

Creating your success mindset does not just happen. It takes both planning and commitment. Are you ready to embrace success and start achieving those goals and dreams you have? Using the principles of the flow state you can create it for yourself. Apply the principles outlined below and watch the magic happen.

Choose a goal and create a plan.

Decide what you need to complete to achieve it. It's important that the task contains challenge but that the challenge is matched to your skill and ability not too easy and not too hard. That will keep you motivated and interested and prevent you from getting bored or disheartened.

Eliminate all distractions.

Choose a location where you will be comfortable and undisturbed. Make sure that you have everything you will need to accomplish your task to hand.

Have all the tools and resources you will need.

Make sure that they are the most appropriate and best for the task but also that they suit you. Using oil based paints to complete your masterpiece won't work if you are used to working in watercolor. If you do have to use new tools

Harness the power of visualization.

By using visualization, you will give yourself the crucial ability to see yourself successfully completing the task and achieving your goal. You'll now be really changing your mind-set and making sure it is primed for success. Forward visualization is a powerful strategy used by coaches, Neuro Linguistic Programming practitioners and hypnotherapists.

Stop conscious thought.

Working within the flow state is only successful if you 'go with the flow' and don't consciously think about what you're doing and why. You can do this because you'll be engaged in completing a task that engages you, has meaning and has intrinsic value.

Focus on your task. This will be easy as you've eliminated distractions, visualized what you have to do and yourself successfully completing it. You have everything ready and you are primed for success.

Do it! It's now time to action. The only way to achieve anything is to take action. If you do nothing, then there cannot be any change or progress. Achieving a successful outcome therefore requires you to take action and create change.

Using the principles of the flow state you can create a mind-set that will ensure your success in any task or challenge. Positivity is a crucial factor and there is no room for self-doubt or anxiety. You are they key to your ability to achieve your goals and dreams.

https://bit.ly/3pwr9Az

6 Steps to Get into the Flow Zone

Getting in the Zone -- the FLOW ZONE - increases your Success!!

You've got a task that you need to complete. It's something that you want to do and it contains enough challenge to keep you engaged and on-task without feeling anxious or doubting your ability. What's the best way to get it done? Get yourself into the flow zone and you'll find that you'll complete it more quickly than you thought possible. So how do you get into the flow zone?

There are six simple steps that can get you into the flow zone.

Step 1: Time - make sure that you give yourself enough time to complete the task.

For that you'll need the right environment.

Step 2: Environment - you will need a calm, comfortable and distraction free environment to work in.

Make sure that you are wearing comfortable and suitable clothing, have been to the bathroom, had a snack and drink and that the temperature is neither too hot or too cold.

Step 3: Focus on the Process - while you are working towards an end result (goal), it is essential that you focus on the process itself.

By doing this you are able to remove all expectations and restrictive thought patterns so that you can release your creativity and problem solving skills.

Step 4: Engage Your Emotions - to be in the flow zone you need to be alert and fully engaged because it's a positive state of being.

Negative emotions will only hamper your ability to get into and remain within the flow state.

Step 5: Action - maintain a state of action and keep the momentum going forward.

It's important to not stop and think as this will prevent negative emotions such as self-doubt creeping in. You need to remain in a state of immersion in the activity without any awareness of yourself or your ego.

Step 6: Practice - Practice makes perfect as the saying goes.

So by practicing getting into the flow zone regularly you will create your own set of rituals and cues that will help you get into the flow state. Over time these will become second nature and your body will respond by entering the zone more quickly and easily.

If you want to get into the zone and make positive things happen then you can use the six simple steps above to help you. Regular practice will help you create a unique set of cues and rituals to make the process simpler. Achieving a more fulfilling and enriched life is yours for the taking.

https://bit.ly/3XznGxI

6 Elements that Indicate that you are in the Flow State or the Zone

How Can You Tell When You Are In the Zone

"The zone" is another term for the flow state. This state of being was named by Mihly Cskszentmihlyi, a Hungarian positive psychologist. His research showed that people felt happier and more fulfilled while undertaking activities that held intrinsic value, absorbed them and provided challenge.

In his book, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, Cskszentmihlyi identifies certain elements that indicate you are in the zone or in the flow state.



1. Lack of Self Awareness -

There is no room for thinking about your performance or doubting your abilities. Athletes push through discomfort to achieve their goal when they're in the flow. Their concentration is totally on the process. This holds true for any activity undertaken in the flow state. The process is all not the end goal.

2. Total Focus and Concentration -

You'll find that you're totally immersed in the task at hand with no room for thoughts on anything else. This is because you are enjoying the challenge that the task holds and feel motivated to complete it.

3. No Blockages -

By totally immersing yourself in the task and not thinking of anything else there will be no self-doubt, fear, stress or anxiety. While in the zone there are no negative emotions or states. All blocks to peak performance are removed. Being in the flow state is a positive, energized and beneficial state.

4. Increased Productivity -

Tasks are completed more quickly because activity flows due to your total absorption in what you are doing. There is no stopping to think about the process. You just do it and with seeming ease, as it will feel as if completion required very little extra effort.

5. Time Flies -

You've heard the saying, 'Time flies when you're having fun!' This can be applied to being in the zone. While you are in the flow state you are not aware of the passing of time as you're totally absorbed by what you are doing. You lose yourself in the activity.

6. Energy -

While in the flow state you'll feel very positive and full of energy. You will be keen to complete the task and work tirelessly towards achieving that goal.

If you want to feel happier and more fulfilled, then getting yourself into the zone and working in the flow state to complete a task is definitely something you should do on a regular basis. Knowing what it feels like to be in the zone will help you understand how and why it is beneficial to you.

https://bit.ly/3CDR1x9

6 Steps to Get into the Flow Zone

You've got a task that you need to complete. It's something that you want to do and it contains enough challenge to keep you engaged and on-task without feeling anxious or doubting your ability. What's the best way to get it done? Get yourself into the flow zone and you'll find that you'll complete it more quickly than you thought possible. So how do you get into the flow zone?

There are six simple steps that can get you into the flow.

Step 1: Time - make sure that you give yourself enough time to complete the task. For that you'll need the right environment.

Step 2: Environment - you will need a calm, comfortable and distraction free environment to work in. Make sure that you are wearing comfortable and suitable clothing, have been to the bathroom, had a snack and drink and that the temperature is neither too hot or too cold.

Step 3: Focus on the Process - while you are working towards an end result (goal), it is essential that you focus on the process itself. By doing this you are able to remove all expectations and restrictive thought patterns so that you can release your creativity and problem solving skills.

Step 4: Engage Your Emotions - to be in the zone you need to be alert and fully engaged because it's a positive state of being. Negative emotions will only hamper your ability to get into and remain within the flow state.

Step 5: Action - maintain a state of action and keep the momentum going forward. It's important to not stop and think as this will prevent negative emotions such as self-doubt creeping in. You need to remain in a state of immersion in the activity without any awareness of yourself or your ego.

Step 6: Practice - Practice makes perfect as the saying goes. So by practicing getting into the zone regularly you will create your own set of rituals and cues that will help you get into the flow state. Over time these will become second nature and your body will respond by entering the zone more quickly and easily.

If you want to get into the flow zone and make positive things happen then you can use the six simple steps above to help you. Regular practice will help you create a unique set of cues and rituals to make the process simpler. Achieving a more fulfilling and enriched life is yours for the taking.

https://bit.ly/43HWv61

Is Your Mind Still Getting In Your Way?

We’ve all heard the talk about positive thinking and how our own thoughts can create our reality.  And, it is hard to argue that positive thinking is in any way a bad thing.  But could your negative thoughts really be a bad thing?  Could your own mind be part of your stumbling block?

The reality is that positive thinking is an extremely powerful force. I am not talking about the law of attraction or the power of attraction. Rather, your personal power to navigate change and challenges effectively, and maintain your personal power. If you are or plan to be a business owner then you have to acknowledge that your success is dependent upon your ability to think and stay positive and embrace the challenges that come your way and learn the valuable lessons hey have to offer.  If you choose to be taken over by challenges and sink into negativity, questioning your vision and your abilities you will sink.

Keeping focused on your vision and staying open to the possibilities; are two of the keys to staying positive. Some businesses die from lack of creativity and willingness to change when necessary.  Keeping your positive outlook and evaluating the possibilities as they arise will keep your business on a positive swing. Open your mind to the possibilities that can keep your business successful and not add you to the heap of the dead and dying.

Stay Focused On Your Plan:

Look back at that original vision and plan.  Evaluate where you are right now and where you need to refocus.  Often business owners get distracted from the plan by the day to day business.  It is a perfect time to look back and see if you are still on track.  It is also an opportunity to decide if your plan needs to be revised or changed.  Staying open to the possibilities also leaves the door open to add new products or services to your offerings.  It is important to evaluate each of these in alignment with your overall business plan.  Do they fit well?

Keeping your mind out of your way is easier when you are focused on your plan and each decision you are making fits well into your business and marketing plan.

You may have decided on one course of action to get the business started. Now could be the perfect time to niche into a more defined product. Here are the advantages:

- More targeted marketing strategies

- Higher sales

Success has its own rewards, but only if you are willing to pursue it. When you allow yourself to dream big, the sky is the limit. You won’t grow without the attitude and vision to see beyond where you are now.

https://bit.ly/426UwGY

List Building -- Does It Help Grow a Business?

The Power of Lists for Small Businesses

Small businesses are also using list building to expand their reach in market-place. Being a small business owner, focusing on building a targeted list of interested prospects can grow your business, but it starts with you sharing YOU and your knowledge through content.

List building should be your top most priority of your marketing strategy. Generating a valuable list can be challenging for small business owner. A list has the power to become the focal point of your business. When you have a list of customers, you can keep them informed of new services or products and increase revenue through repeat business. When you have a list of interested prospects, your first goal is to build rapport and educate.

You do not want to start off selling.  It is a real turn off to people, as they do not like to be sold.

Building Rapport can be achieved through your emails and through your content.  Provide value, right off the bat.  Give, give, give.

This includes educating. Educate your prospects about you, your business and your solutions to their problems, but do it with a style that is not salesy, pushy or overbearing.

You want to think about the "What's In It For Them" as you develop content.  Can you provide them with your expertise and help them learn HOW to solve a problem that they are having?

List building helps you to reach the perfect audience.
List saves your time, money and other resources
You can customize your message to the correct audience to get a better return on your investment.

With list building, you will be able to get huge success in your niche market if you do it in a correct way. Here I am going to show you the strategies to empower your list building –

- Reveal products to the new audiences with Joint Venture:

Joint venture is one of the most effective list building marketing strategies where you advertise or promote a product and service of another party or to a segment of your list. The commission is generally divided into 50/50 but some of marketers set it as high as 75%.

Joint venture helps you to build a deep-rooted relationship with a specified list that have happy customers and you can sell them numerous times. It is not one-time deal when you have closed a sale and deal is completed. In real, you get a new customer that will be happy to from you again.

When you have a joint venture partner endorsing you, that helps the people on their list to be interested in your offering.

- Creating Specific Videos to motivate the prospects:

Videos are the quickest method to grab the attention of your audience. By creating short and informational video, you enable them to get complete info about your products or services

Before starting with videos, you need to keep in mind the 10 X 10 X 4 content creation formula which includes –

- 10 most general queries regarding your business and 10 prime queries your visitor can ask.

- You can create 20 videos to solve these issues within a three minute video.

- You can also build four more video that have the basic focus on leading prospects into your sales funnel and facilitating ultimate purchase.

You can include a link of your website with relevant keywords in the description field and create a channel on video sharing sites such as YouTube, Vimeo and Dailymotion etc. or you can create them via Facebook LIVE and then share them to other sites.

- Hosting Free Webinars Offers New Sales Opportunities

Webinars are a great method to build interest, get leads for your list and possibly make sales.  With the help of webinars, you can add a punch to increase your email list which enhances your communication with customers.

GoToWebinar, Zoom and ZohoMeeting are the popular webinar services that have some pros and cons. You can include a “BUY NOW” button at end to hamper your marketing efforts.

Or even better is to create an On Demand Webinar that people can register for and attend whenever they want. You can use an incredible service such as Webinar Kit to accomplish it.

The bottom line -- list building should be prioritized.  Get people on your list FIRST, then build your relationship and then make an offer.  Do not reverse the order because people will RUN.


https://bit.ly/38yFK2b

3 Simple Morning Routines

Simple Morning Routines to Start Your Day with Purpose

How often do you groan when the alarm goes off?

You hit the snooze button and repeat until it's essential you must get up. Now you're running late, grab a coffee, stagger out of the door still yawning, skip breakfast and start the day feeling rushed and resentful?

Or perhaps you begin your day scrolling through emails and social media before you even get out of bed, so your mind is distracted from the get-go.

There are some simple things you can do to start the day calmly, mindfully and purposefully before you reach for your cell phone. Try these three techniques to get your day off to a better start.

1. Breathe mindfully and connect to your inner self

Before you get out of bed, before you even open your eyes, take a few moments to focus your breathing and connect deeply to your inner self.

Take three long deep breaths through your nose, gently and slowly breathing out through your mouth. Then return your breath to its normal pattern, noticing the breath, and the rise and fall of your chest and belly as you breathe.

2. Bring to mind your intention for the day

How do you want to feel? What state of mind will support you best? How will you choose to connect with others?

Resolve to check in with your intention during the day and adjust your mindset and behavior accordingly. What impact do you want to have in the world today?

How can you take the best care of yourself as you go about your daily business?

Set a simple intention for how you want to be in your day. Make it a positive, straightforward statement. I can be as simple as Today I want to be kind to myself and others or Today I will stay calm and grounded. Make it appropriate for where you're at and what you have to do.

3. Hydrate -- NOT just coffee!!

You know you need to drink more water. Make it easier on yourself by starting the day with a big glass of water, before coffee, before breakfast, before exercise.

You can keep a water glass or bottle on your night table so you can start the day as you mean to go on - well hydrated! Follow your first glass with another before you have your coffee.

Make your second glass an Ayurvedic drink of warm water with lemon. That is a traditional way of giving you a boost of Vitamin C, detoxing and stimulating your metabolism.

Create your daily practice to maximize your day!

Pick up my guide to meditation -- another daily practice that can help your results within The Purpose Project!!

Adding meditation to your daily practice gives you a few moments or minutes of completely private mindfulness time.

It is a time to quiet your mind, take a break and rest from your go, go, go life. Slow it down and rest.  No, it's not about sleeping... it is about awake mindful rest.

I always thought that meditation seemed too hard. How do you quiet your mind?  But the guide gives you some real world ways to spend just 10 minutes per day meditating.  It doesn't have to be hard.  It can be simple.

Check it out: HERE

Join the Purpose Project and dive deeper into figuring out YOUR life's purpose.  What makes you dance?  What gets YOU into the flow?

Inside the purpose project you will find a beautiful guide book, checklist and video guided training.  It's actually not training, but more of a process of looking at yourself, your passions and figuring out the answers for YOU.

The workbook helps you organize your thoughts, and really hone in on what matters for YOU.

Check it out: HERE

https://bit.ly/41OR6rS

Visionary Womenpreneurs Radio with Amanda Blackwood

Trauma vs. Forgiveness - why they don't mean what we've been made to believe

TRIGGER WARNING: In this episode I'm talking with a trauma survivor about their history and recovery. Suicide, child abuse, and PTSD are common themes. This episode covers a difficult topic and parts of the conversation may be hard to listen to, but so important. Amanda's story is one of incredible courage, resilience and inspiration.

Amanda Blackwood is an accomplished artist and author, public speaker, podcast host, trauma recovery mentor and a survivor of human trafficking. A portion of every book sale goes to help fight human trafficking. Amanda lives in Denver, Colorado with her rescue cats and supportive husband who keep her sane. "When I managed to escape human trafficking, I was left with mental and physical scars for many years. The anger wouldn't fade until I learned the truth about who I was, what forgiveness really means, and how to finally let go of the past. So let's have a discussion about the power of forgiveness, and why it doesn't mean what we've been made to think it does."

https://youtu.be/Q3AEiuXPFLY

Amanda is the author of the Growth From Darkness Series with the first book available now: https://growthfromdarkness.com/workbooks

Other books that we discussed are available on her website: https://growthfromdarkness.com/amandas-books

Amanda also co-hosts a podcast "Detailed Pieces" https://growthfromdarkness.com/podcast

You can find organizations to support locally that are working to end domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking. It is so important that we each raise our awareness and recognize the danger that is here in our communities. I personally work with DASI, a local non profit that has the mission to end domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking. I do my work through a business women's networking organization called BW NICE that organizes women business leaders to raise awareness and funds in their local communities. Be sure to check out organizations that you decide to support and work with.

Contact host Donna Price at: https://CompassRoseConsulting.com

To be a guest on Visionary Womenpreneurs complete an application!!

https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/visionarywomenpreneurs/episodes/Trauma-vs--Forgiveness---why-they-dont-mean-what-weve-been-made-to-believe-e230tkj
https://bit.ly/430gs7n

How Accountability Is Key To Self-Discipline

Accountability is important if you want to succeed in disciplining yourself.

If you've ever tried disciplining yourself on your own, you know just incredibly hard it can be. And it's really no fun. You have no one to share your successes and rewards with, and over time, you may end up eschewing your goals altogether because you had no one to push you or cheer you on to continue working on your goals. So you just up and quit.

Accountability is important if you want to succeed in disciplining yourself. It comes in two forms: self-accountability and accountability to others.

The first key: self-accountability

Self-accountability is pretty self-explanatory and works great when you have a strong sense of ethics, integrity and self-control. You wont cheat on yourself and you'll keep yourself pushing forward and upward.

To make yourself accountable to yourself, you'd need to start off by writing down your goals and what steps you need to take to get there. Then you need to start a daily journal where you write down all the things you've done for the day.

If you have had doubts about your abilities, if you've questions about your sanity or your fears, write it down. And then make sure you write the answers to your negative thoughts so that when you ask the same question again in a month or so, you'll have the answer to look back on and you should be able to appease your doubts.

As you can see, this method is quite lonely and can get boring which is why I suggest the second method, accountability to others.

The second key: being accountable to others

Accountability to others is simply letting other people in on your goals and asking them to help you reach them. Depending on your arrangement, you can ask your accountability buddy to give you a good talking to if you ever get tempted to do something that's detrimental to your success. So choose your buddy wisely.

Pick someone you know has the discipline to actually help you out and would probably have a vested interest in your success. A spouse, parent, sibling, best friend or even your psychologist can be your accountability buddy. Someone you look up to, someone you would like to impress and someone you'd hate very much to disappoint.

Being accountable to yourself and to somebody will change your perspective about reaching your goals. You'd be more conscious of every step you take and you'd have the discipline to actually stick to the path you've chosen to follow.

Join me for a workshop on how to build your accountability to get more done, finish your big projects and take massive action!!



Learn why you aren't getting done what you wanted!

Learn how to shift the paradigm from proactive to reactive

Learn why building in accountability changes the game

Learn how to create new habits

Check Out the Workshop
https://bit.ly/3MFXj5v

Daily Profitability Practice

Do you have a daily profitability practice? That is your business growth practice.

How do you connect with new prospects?

My daily profitability practice is largely built on my Content Repurposing Strategy. I use content publishing as a large part of my daily profitability practice.

What do you do to increase profits in your business?
What is your daily practice for growing your business revenue?

Create a plan.

Join the weekly training on Wednesdays -- connect, share, collaborate... Be sure you are on the update list -- HERE

Having a daily practice can totally shift your business outcomes. It is part of focusing ON your business instead of IN your business.  CEO's and business leaders NEED to be the leaders that focus ON the business. It is your vision, your strategies and your actions (practices) that totally shift what is and is not happening within your business.

Profitability practices are essentially the daily practices that lead new prospects to your business and keep them moving through your process. If you are just "winging it" or using "HOPE Marketing", then you most likely will not have daily practices that produce predictable and reliable results for you.

Once you do have those types of results -- then you are in LOVE with marketing and your business is scaling UP.

 

https://bit.ly/42G0uiO

5 Actions to Take To Create a Self Care Daily Practice

Add Self Care to Your Daily Practice

Where does self care happen? If you think it stays solidly at home, you're not alone. Most people would expect self care to be something which takes place after the workday is over.

What if you considered self-care something which can happen anywhere? How would this change your life? Read on to discover five actions you can take at work daily to practice self care.

Get Out More

The idea of escaping from your workplace might seem pretty appealing, especially when you've been having a rough day. Sometimes your best form of self-care is to get out for a while. If possible, take some of your breaks outside. Go for a short walk. Breathe some fresh air. This will help restore your equilibrium and feel better about the rest of your day.

Initiate Conversations

It doesn't matter whether you go to work or are working at home, you probably still have coworkers. Taking a few minutes to connect with them, even in a short text or conversation helps to build connections you sorely need. This is more than just networking. We all need to feel like we're not alone. Building work friendships starts in these conversations and keeps you feeling like you're not alone. You especially need this when you're spending a third of your day with these individuals.

Ask for Stuff

Self care makes sure your needs are met. This means having conversations with your boss when you have questions or concerns, and in making sure you're part of things, especially on projects you feel passionately about. Self care means sticking up for yourself to get these things when you feel like they're not being offered. Doing these things is what makes work meaningful and fulfilling.

The same is true for your personal relationships. Ask for what you need from your partner or family or friends. Don't expect that people will just know or can read your mind!!

Drink More

No, you don't need a shot of tequila. We're talking about water. Staying hydrated is one of the simplest forms of self-care which is overlooked more often than you think. Did you know 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated? This affects cognitive function, which in turn affects your work. Is it any wonder self-care means drinking water throughout the day?

I have to concentrate on this. When I am cycling, I drink tons of water. When I am in my office -- I drink coffee!! I work to drink at least two water bottles per day off of my bike!!

Play Games

Gamify what is not usually a game!!

Work becomes more interesting when you feel like you're challenged. Sometimes this means you have to be the one to set the challenges. Make your day interesting by setting mini goals for yourself. Set a timer and try to beat the clock when it comes to getting things done. See how much of your To Do list you can cross off before the end of the day. Be creative and have fun!

By doing all of these things daily, you'll find your workday is much more interesting and you get more done. More important, you'll feel better, both mentally and physically when you get in the habit of self-care at work.

Self care is up to YOU. You have to decide to focus on your own self care. No one is going to do it for you. Especially as an entrepreneur, it is critical to have a personal self care plan. When you spend time each month focusing on your self care, being intentional about it, your business will benefit. When you get consumed by your business and neglect your self care, then business suffers.

https://bit.ly/3lBDGhP

Join this week's training!!

Join this week's training!! It is going to be good... because we are going beyond the basics to why you need to focus everyday on your list... and why that list is so much more than that!!

https://compassroseconsulting.com/weekly

#listbuilding

#businessgrowthstrategies

#visionarywomenpreneurs

#makeithappen

#businesshelp
https://bit.ly/3LJbW7m

Earth Day Marketing

Are you passionate about Earth Day?  Do you use that passion in your marketing?

This past Saturday was Earth Day.  I was outside at the bike event.  But I realized that I missed an opportunity to share the ways that I celebrate the earth within my business!! AND, I wanted to share with YOU that you can use these things within your marketing.

Acknowledging events or days such as Earth Day can benefit your business.  It can be another way for people to connect with you, be impressed with the steps that you take to care for the earth and increase your attraction factor.

This can be true for many things, but environmental awareness and practice is a big one. Yes, definitely use the other holidays and celebration days throughout the year to market your business. In Bizology CORE we actually have a press release calendar that outlines many opportunities for PR related to these events.

Social consciousness, social responsibility, environmental awareness and active practices are all things that can be a differentiator for your prospects and customers.

If you participate in an Earth Day clean-up in your community, post pictures, articles and send out a press release!  If you sponsor others in doing so, do the same steps. If you have practices that are year round, this is a great time of year to post about them and share that info with your community.  Earth Day is once a year and at the same time, it is every single day!!

Green America is a great organization for learning and education about ways that as a company, you can take more action!!

Coming up in May are several holidays that you can focus on in your marketing -- Mother's Day, Memorial Day (in the USA) but there are many many more!!  This website is a great resource for identifying days that might be a good fit with your business: Holiday Insights

May is National Bike Month,  Asian American Month, Pacific Islander Heritage Month, along with many other monthy, weekly and daily holidays!

Get creative and see what ones fit well with your business!!

https://bit.ly/422kWKh

6 Successful List Building Secrets

6 Successful list building secrets

List building is one of the best ways to enhance the earning potential of your business. By having a strong base of customers, you have a good chance of catering to their needs, and subsequently, earn profits in the long run. The following pointers will enable you to make list building process a success for you-

1. Make your content relevant-

The most important tool for a successful list is to give content that has utility value for the readers. One of the most important tool for high rate of attrition is that people keep on publishing without actually keeping a check on its readability. So, be precise, to the point and don't lose out any single visitor.

2. Offer a lucrative incentive to sign-up-

A general saying in business world states that to get something, you need to give something. Keep this in mind and keep giving some benefits to them. Also, the incentive being provided should be relevant to the niche of operation. Remember, to catch the fish, you will have to offer some good bait.

3. Effective use of pop-up windows-

Pop-up windows are not the latest, but their worth in capturing the leads cannot be taken for granted. Although there are different pop-up windows available, their utilization value does not diminish with their continuous usage. However, careful analysis should be done before putting up these lead capturers. In case they are used in a wrong way, it could have dire consequences for your business.

4. Use sales letter to your benefit-

In today's scenario of information sharing, sales letters have proved to be an easy support for your selling efforts. Businesses are actually creating a sales letter to get the attention of subscribers, and at the end of it, instead of an order button, they have a subscribe here button. If used correctly, sales letters can significantly increase your ROI.

5. Design your Swipes carefully-

Swipes, also known as short e-mails, have gained value in business industry. They have a link included that gets sent across to various subscribers. Swipes can become a great source of lead generation, but the most important thing you need to keep in mind is that they have to deliver the maximum value, using the minimum possible space available.

6. Make the best use of Auto-responders-

Auto-responders are a well-known name in the advertising industry today. Autoresponders are emails sent to subscribers automatically when triggered by certain events. Be careful to use the best auto-responders, and don't fall prey to various free mail sending softwares that promise a lot, but seldom stand on their promise, Mailchimp being the exception. Mailchimp has been very stable platform and starts off with a free level.

These points surely will prove handy for the growth of our list building activities. Make their best use and move on the path of progress.

List building is critical to your business growth. When you focus on growing your list and not selling your product, you then have a list of targeted people that you can sell to.  But if you fail to get the person's email address, they are lost to you forever.  Once they leave, you cannot continue marketing to them.  If you try to sell first and they don't buy, they are lost to you.  List building should be your focus.  Focus with strategy so that you are capturing leads consistently and then following up effectively. List building is step one.  Then you can marketing and sell.

https://bit.ly/37F6vBs

Solve Your Sales and Marketing Problems: This week's free training

How to Solve Your Most Pressing Sales and Marketing Problems!!

Check it out in the Visionary Womenpreneur's Facebook Group or via YouTube, Wednesday, April 19th 2023 at 3:00 PM EST. On YouTube you can click the NOTIFY ME button to get a reminder to jump on live. During the LIVE session you will be able to post your questions or comments.

I am planning to be live for about 30 minutes, so it's not a HUGE commitment, but should be great value!!

During the training I will be talking about some of the keys to solving your sales and marketing challenges! You are not alone! Most business owners and leaders are challenged with sales and/or marketing at some point in their business. The key is sticking with it and overcoming the challenge!

Join me live or watch the replay!!

https://bit.ly/3ot4dRy

The Bizologist's Success Path

Live Training is Starting on Wednesday. Learn more about what we will be covering!!

https://www.youtube.com/live/A1jHDehDRPs
https://bit.ly/41dYuND

Bizology Membership

Bizology.Biz -- The Business Growth System

Building a business is not easy. It takes courage, persistence, a willingness to take risks and ultimately -- massive, imperfect ACTION!!

The good news is that YOU can do this!! You are about to learn about Bizology, my program that gives you the tools to grow your business.

The challenge is that most business owners went into business because they love what they do, OR they lost a job, OR they had a dream to be an entrepreneur. But most do not know the ins and outs of growing a successful business, or all of the pieces to running a thriving business. YOU are not alone! This is literally, the majority of business owners I meet. In fact, it was me!

The key is learning. Being an entrepreneur is the greatest personal growth journey you will ever take! You have to learn to lead, to be the visionary and to be the systems creator.

You have to master the Four Pillars of Success!! You have to learn marketing and how to put yourself out there. And you have to learn NOT to buy every "solution" that is pitched to you.

You need to have a clear and compelling vision -- a strategic plan to make it happen and a marketing plan.

Bizology is built on Four Pillars of Success:

- Leadership -- Vision, Values & Strategy

- Marketing, Marketing, Marketing -- Creating a Strategic Marketing Plan that Works and incorporates the profitability accelerators -- to GROW your business!

- Operations -- Planning for smooth and efficient operating procedures

- Products and Services -- Business is built on products and services.

- These are all standing on a Foundation of Work/Life Balance!!

There are real ways to grow your business!!

When you join Bizology -- you have access to the Bizology Core Course and....many bonus courses, plus new courses every month!!

We focus on the
Eight Profitability Accelerators!



These are the way that your business grows.

Really there are just eight factors that you can focus on to grow your business. When you focus on these profitability accelerators (systematically and consistently) then, you can intentionally and strategically GROW your profits. There are many, many tactics that you can use to effect a profitability accelerator, but if you do not understand what the accelerators are and HOW to impact them, then you are going to throw darts at the board, BLINDLY.

You, as the CEO, need to be strategic in your growth! We focus on the Profitability Accelerators consistently to change your results and impact your bottom line!!

AND then we ACCT
Assess - Create - Convert - Track

Assess what you are doing right now. Know YOUR numbers!!

Create a strategy to increase each profit accelerator.

Focus on Conversions: convert, convert, convert! It is all about conversions and increasing your conversions at each profitability accelerator.

Track -- know your numbers (again!!) Track what you are doing. Look at your conversion rates and then assess, create, convert and track again. It is a cycle and a system. Keep it moving over and over again.

The combination of the Four Pillars of Success Framework and Profitability Accelerators gives you the foundation for ACCT!!

Bizology CORE includes:

Pillar #1: Leadership --- Vision, Strategy and Implementation

- Vision, Strategy & Implementation: (I have found in all my work with clients that this is the best place to start.  What is the vision of the future?) Strategy (I will guide you through putting together a simple to use strategic plan for your business.  This gives you a clear framework to work from)  Implementation (This is where so many small businesses fall short.  Great ideas, great plans and lack of follow through. You will learn ways to make sure you are following through on your plan)

Pillar #2: Marketing, Marketing, Marketing -- Creating a strategic marketing plan

- Marketing(We will cover many marketing areas and in each area you will create your business strategy)  Some of these topics include:



- How to generate leads for your business

- How to put together an effective follow-up system so that those leads convert to business

- How to create an effective web presence and what that presence should be

- How to set up your own newsletter either print or electronic

- How to build yourself as an expert

- How to use articles and press releases (how to write press releases and building a press release calendar for your business)

- What to do with articles and press releases that you write

- How to set up a customer appreciation program that keeps your customers coming back AND sending you more business!

- and more....

Pillar #3: Operations -- Creating that well oiled machine.

- Operations (I will give you templates for building effective systems within your business) Each business needs to have it's own unique way of doing business. It is part of your brand, part of who you are.  By creating operational systems you document that part of your business.  This in itself makes your business more valuable.  Even if you are a one person show you need to have operational systems.



- We will look at what systems you need and what you have

- What are the roles and responsibilities in your business and who carries them out?

- You will develop an operations manual. Why do you need an operations manual if you are a one person show?  Well, hopefully your vision is bigger than one person, even if that bigger is adding an administrative assistant, bookkeeper or other outsourced personnel.  Even those people need to know how you do your business.  An operations manual adds value to your business, especially when you are ready to sell the business.  (okay, I'm getting to far into the lesson here!!!)

- Bookkeeping and finance-- we will look at what books you need to keep, why keep books and why you want to develop an annual budget for your business.  Tax time is not the time to figure out your level of business success or failure.

Pillar #4: Your Products and Services

Products and Services -- Without your products and/or services, you do not have a business. In this pillar, we look at what you have, how to innovate, bundle, improve upon, what you are offering.

This includes how you can use different products or services to upsell, down-sell, cross-sell, bundle or package. Often your products or services can be repackaged or repurposed for increasing your sales and profits.

Of course, your product or service needs to solve the problem that your target market has. If it misses the mark then you will have a hard time selling it!!

Plus: The FOUNDATION -- What we are all working for--

- Life/Work Balance (Do you have good life/work balance?  We will work to improve that balance with you.  By building a business that is thriving, that has good systems in place it becomes easier to attain the life/work balance piece)



- Leisure -- did you know I have Master's Degree in Recreation Administration.  One of the areas of study in my Master's program was Leisure. I used to be good at play and leisure.  Now, as a business owner, I find that I have to be more intentional about it.  It is really one of the reason's that I started a business to create great wealth and have MORE time.  We will focus on bringing play back into your life

- Work/Life Balance Assessment -- I have a great tool I will share with you so that you can assess your work/life balance.  I know you know where you are at right now, right?  Well this assessment helps you identify areas to focus on improving.

Bizology CORE has 20+ lessons that include videos, workbooks, downloadable resources.

Is your business standing on a strong foundation with massive pillars supporting it? If not then you need Bizology.Biz.

But YOU need to be, YOU have to be -- STRATEGIC in your thinking and HOW you put into motion -- the methods of growth.

For instance -- I have included a bonus course on Instagram. But Instagram is NOT right for every business. Paid advertising might be the answer for you right now. Strategic means thinking through all of the pieces and not just doing stuff to LOOK like you are doing marketing.

It will NOT work!!

I call that HOPE MARKETING and it just is not as effective as strategic marketing. Do things that have an impact on your profits. There are 8 Profitability ACCELERATORS! Focus your strategies on these 8 key areas. These are the keys to increasing your profits.

In Bizology.Biz -- my goals is to give you the framework and the system so that your strategies work for you.

When you join Bizology.Biz --
you have choices,
so that it works well for you.

Bizology offers 3 LEVELS of support!!

Bizology CORE -- DIY

Bizology CORE course plus all of the add-on courses!!

This is for the DIYer. You want access to the courses and resources but are a pure do-it-yourselfer! That's cool. I like to do alot myself as well.

Inside of Bizology.Biz -- there are workbooks, video lessons, guidebooks, checklists and more!!

The CORE gives you access to all of the resources and materials in the Bizology program. You can take massive action as a result.

Bizology Group

Bizology CORE + GROUP Coaching

This is our incredible mastermind group. The strategic plan is central. We have a different focus each week. We start the month off with Self-Care -- focusing on the Foundation!! We have two calls each month that are each focused on ONE of the Profitability Accelerators and strategizing for each business how to implement. AND we have a Make it Happen call -- this is the action call. What actions did you say you were doing to take and what actions DID you take.

The first of the profitability accelerators, for instance is TRAFFIC. Every business needs traffic. It can be foot traffic or web traffic, but new potential buyers are the life of a business.

During the TRAFFIC call, we talk about strategies for bringing in more traffic. If your business is a restaurant, that strategy is going to be different from an online shop. The online shop will be different from an online information business. That is the value of the calls. Brainstorming and hearing what other people are doing in their businesses and figuring out the RIGHT strategy for YOUR business!!

So, twice per month we cover a different Profitability Accelerator!!

That means that every 14 weeks we have covered each of the profitability accelerators and you (if you do the work) have potentially increased your profits by a significant amount.... typically nearly double what they were.

Profitability Accelerator calls are group calls that you have access to every two weeks! We kick off with a talking about a specific Profitability Accelerator and strategies that could be used to increase the conversion of that particular accelerator.

ONCE per month we hop on the phone for Make it Happen calls and at the beginning of each month, we will have a Self Care System call!!

Make it Happen calls are all about YOU! What you said you were going to do and what you did! It is YOUR chance to get feedback, input, ideas, and then you go and Make it Happen!! We all need to get to work and be accountable. Sometimes, going it all alone, just does not work.

The Make It Happen calls are the Bizology Mastermind calls. Gather with other business leaders and get into massive action!!

Bizology ONE

Bizology CORE + GROUP + ONE on ONE Coaching

One on One coaching focuses solely on YOUR business!! We dive deep. We do a complete assessment of your business -- where you are right now, and where you want to go! Then we work together to create a strategy.

As a coach, I totally believe in the power of coaching. I have witnessed it's power as a coach and as a client! I have found great value in working with a coach myself. So, that is always an option as well.

I work with you once or twice per month individually. You can jump on all of the Profitability Accelerator calls and the Make it Happen and Self Care calls. Together, we work on your specific strategies and create a powerful plan for growing YOUR business. And at the same time, you have access to all of the materials within Bizology Core and the power of the group.

Pick the plan that is right for you and your business growth!

You cannot afford to waste time on every social media platform, WITHOUT a good reason and a great strategy. There has to be an ROI and it has to impact one of the 8 Profitability Accelerators.

There are really just eight factors that can impact your business' profitability. EIGHT!! If you are NOT focused on these factors -- that I call accelerators, implementing strategies that impact those numbers, then you are just spinning your wheels (or pedals!).

Just want the course, that's fine!

Want to jump on the bi-weekly Profitability Accelerator calls and the monthly Make it Happen call and monthly Self Care System call, cool!!

Want one-on-one coaching -- I've got you!!

Bizology is designed to give you the training, resources, ideas, and support to grow your business! You choose the level of support that works for YOU!!

Choose what works for you!!

With Bizology you are investing in your future. You are taking action to GROW your business and understand HOW to consistently improve your outcomes!

No business owner should have to go it alone. Heck, it gets lonely. When you join Bizology GROUP, you gain an entire group of other business owners committed to growing their business. They become like an advisory board or peer board. They are there to focus on their business, but they also help you with ideas, feedback, strategies. It is always amazing how one idea can transform a business.

Of all the choices -- GROUP is my favorite! I see great power in the group coming together, whether it is just a couple of people that show up or many. Everyone has something to offer and everyone has something to learn!

Plus all of these BONUS courses!!

Bizology CORE has 20+ lessons that include videos, workbooks, downloadable resources.

Here’s what you’ll get and specifically benefit from with Bizology.Biz:

1.       Vision + 2. Vision Building -- All business building starts with vision. Without vision you have no direction.  You will learn how to put together your vision and keep it alive.  These two lessons are filled with ideas and resources for visioning.

3.      Vision –Values: Your Guiding Principles --Values guide your decisions.  Identify your guiding values and how they impact your business. Use them throughout your business to guide each decision and your overall direction.

4.      Vision: Strategy – Building an Effective Plan --A solid strategic plan outlines for you, your key directions and key strategies for achieving your vision, your goals and ultimately the success of your business.

5.       Marketing – Your Target Market --New leads keep your business booming.  Learn effective strategies for generating leads for your business.  We review multiple lead generation strategies and teach you how to implement them within your business.

6.      Marketing – Building Relationships --Doing business is all about relationships.  Learn strategies for building relationships with prospects and customers.

7.       Marketing – Follow up --Follow-up is the biggest gap that I see with businesses.  You receive a solid lead or referral and fail to follow up effectively.  Or you follow-up once and then drop the ball!  Learn how to follow-up effectively over time and convert prospects into customers.

8.      Marketing – Building a Web Presence --Websites are almost required for business owners.  Learn different types of web sites and figure out what you need to serve your business most effectively.

9.

https://bit.ly/3KPvl6o

List Building a Key Growth Strategy

The Power of List Building for Small Businesses

Small businesses are also using list building to expand their reach in market-place.. As being a small business owner, you should reach to your prospective customers with an individual and targeted promotions to convert them into close deals. The number of your potential customers is directly proportional to the size of your list.

List building should be your top most priority to work on while determining you marketing strategy. Generating a valuable list can be challenging for small business owner. A list has the power to become the focal point of your business. With the help of this, you can facilitate selling to your existing customers instead of searching for new. You need to discover new and powerful ways to connect and focus on creating significant relations with your customers in the long run.

You already have a list, you can segment your list and create custom list according to geographical location, demographics and type of their interest for great results. List building benefits for your small business are:

* List building helps you to reach the perfect audience.

* A list saves your time, money and other resources

* You can customize your message to the correct audience to get a better return on your investment.

With list building, you will be able to get huge success in your niche market if you do it in a correct way. Here I am going to show you the strategies to empower your list building

1. Reveal products to the new audiences with Joint Venture:

Joint venture is one of the most effective list building marketing strategies where you advertise or promote a product and service of another party to a segment of your list. The commission is generally divided into 5050 but some of marketers set it as high as 75%.

Joint venture helps you to build a deep-rooted relationship with a specified list that have contented customers and you can sell them numerous times. It is not one-time deal when you have closed a sale and deal is completed. In real, you get a new customer that will be happy to from you again.

Set up a meeting with me to create your Joint Venture Ladder

2. Creating Specific Videos to motivate the prospects:

Videos are the quickest method to grab the attention of your audience. By creating short and informational video, you enable them to get complete info about your products. Using YouTube shorts, you can get in front of prospects more quickly.

Before starting with videos, you need to keep in mind the 10X10X4 content creation formula which includes

* 10 most general queries regarding your business and 10 prime queries you visitor can ask.

* You can create 20 videos to solve these issues within a three minute video.

* You can also build four more videos that have the basic focus on leading prospects into your sales funnel and facilitating ultimate purchase.

You can include a link of your website with relevant keywords in the description field and create a channel on video sharing sites such as YouTube, Vimeo and Dailymotion etc.

3. Hosting Free Webinars Offers New Sales Opportunities

Webinars are the best method to build interest, make secure sale and get leads for your list. With the help of webinars, you can add a punch to increase your email list which enhances your communication with customers.

GoToWebinar, Zoom and WebinarKit are the popular webinar services that have some pros and cons. You can include a BUY NOW button at end to hamper your marketing efforts.

List building is an everyday activity. No matter what strategy you are using -- it should lead to your list in some way.

I've just added my List Building -- free report to Becoming a Bizologist -- Pick up a copy now to access the free report!!

https://bit.ly/3nUtc01

10 List Building Do's and Don'ts

Do's & Don'ts of List Building

Do's:-

1. Provide the audience with lots of opt-ins: - Just because e-mail marketing is permission based, its not like that you cannot go creative in your list building techniques. Do try that it is easy for your subscribers to find the link on your home page or the other web pages. Your opt-in form should be short and precise. Also use a double opt-in list so that it will ensure that your customers really want to receive your mail.

2. Use segmented (via tags) e-mail list: - Its necessary that you reach out your targeted customers. Using demographics, customers likes and dislikes the mailing list can be divided. This will help you in targeting customers according to their interests. Always try to communicate in a manner that appeals them. Your existing opt-in list is the best source to expand your upcoming opt-in list.

3. Consider the 4C's: - The matter you write should be Clear, Concise, Compelling and Customer-centric. The audiences are not interested in listening to your sales pitch. They need to save time, money and effort. Your content should be short and attractive enough to convince them to sign-up and also it must be useful and beneficial so that they are ready for more.

4. Connect via Social Media: - Use all other social-media to connect with the audience. It is the fastest and easiest way to build-up your list. Post your articles, free offers etc to your social media channels. Let your followers, connections, friends KNOW what you are doing and what you offer so that can connect to you via your email list. It maximizes your reach.

5. Keep your list private and clean: - Your list should be free of abusive content. You should not send something that would lose your customers trust. Use a list cleaner to get rid of any bad emails on your list. Having a recaptcha on your opt-in page can help with this.

Don'ts:-

1. Do not rent or purchase e-mail list: - As a responsible marketer you should not do this ever. To you it may seem as a time saving task but will decrease your status. Also it may happen that people won't even open your mail. Always build your relationship from the start. Your audience should always be aware of what they are getting into.

2. Don't forget to create a separate landing page: - a successful e-mail list building process requires a well-organized strategy. In this, creating a separate landing page is one of the important tasks. A separate landing page should be dedicated to your Opt-in form. Promote your free product or provide with some discount offer that will benefit your customers.

You can check out my different landing pages:

- Micro Memberships: https://compassroseconsulting.com/micro-memberships-for-success/

- Success Mindset Guide: https://compassroseconsulting.com/success-mind/

- 7 Practices to Finish What You Start: https://compassroseconsulting.com/7-practices-to-finish-what-you-start/

3. Don't lose patience: - List Building and management can be a time consuming task initially. But, losing patience can prove to be a bad sign for you. Once you are into this process, you will surely come up with higher opening rates and remarkable responses. With all this you will enter into healthier and a successful marketing campaign. You have to provide VALUE to people. If your open rate is LOW then you need to look at what you are providing. What is the subject line, what does the article offer inside? Does it speak to your target market's problem. Does it solve the problem?

4. Don't kick off the replies: - Communication is a two-way process. So never send mails using donotrevert@etc.com etc. It doesn't leaves a positive impact on the customers when they open their mails and especially when you are not a very renowned organization. Always be friendly and send mails with your company name. Always reply to people that email you. Do NOT have a no reply email. I just experienced this with a company the other day. They sent me an offer and the link didn't work. I sent them an email and their reply was: "this account is not monitored, reach out to our support desk at this link...." It puts the customer in the position of going through many more steps to get to you. Not cool.

5. Don't share irrelevant information: - The customers are not interested in reading what they dislike. Never show the information which is full of non-purpose ads or which is irrelevant to them. Only send the useful content to which is valuable to them so that they get attracted.

What is your first step in this?

Saying hello!! Always start with hello. It's a relationship. So start building one -- authentically.

https://bit.ly/2VX4tKW