productivity Archives - Page 7 of 15

Marketing: The Bottom Line Your Business Needs You to Pay Attention To

by Kristine Carey | Marketing Plans & Strategies

Your business has multiple aspects to it, things that need attention. Some are more important than others, some more fun than others. There’s one bottom line that needs consistent attention no matter what though, and that’s marketing.

Marketing can have vague connotations: does that mean posting fliers, or hiring a consultant? Does it mean going to mixers, or investing in social media? It could mean any or all of these marketing strategies; while it’s important to find the right marketing strategies for you and your business (you can read more about that here), what’s most important is that you do some kind of marketing on a regular basis. If not, your business will soon be in trouble. The question is, what’s the best way to do that?

Hard Work + Smart Choices Aren’t Always Enough to Land Clients

by C.J. Hayden | Marketing Mindset

You’ll often hear me say that the secret to finding clients is to make effective choices about what to do to market your business, then do those things over and over. While that advice is absolutely true, implementing it sometimes runs into some roadblocks.

What happens when you deliver what you think is a dynamite 10-second introduction, but your prospective clients don’t seem impressed? Or you have several lunches with potential referral partners that seem to go well, but no business results from them?

Keep Your Marketing Well Full

by Kristine Carey | Marketing Mindset

There you are, sitting at your desk, ready to get the word out about your business. Trouble is, you not sure what to say, or how to say it. Adding to that, it seems like you’ve said everything 100 times before. Bottom line: you’re feeling a distinct lack of inspiration. Sounds like the perfect time to fill your marketing well!

What does it mean to fill the well? It’s a phrase I learned from reading The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. The book is a guide to uncovering your creativity, and one of its first suggestions is to set aside time each week to replenish your well, the source of your creativity.

Consistency and Accountability: Complementary Bedfellows

by Kristine Carey | Getting Things Done

Are consistency and accountability related?

Yes!

Consistency is the capacity to show up for something over and over, to produce results that are equivalent over time; stay the course, steady as she goes.

Accountability means you stay true to your word, that you can be counted on. You say what you’re going to do, and you do it, holding yourself answerable.

What do these have to do with getting the word out about your small business?

You, Your Marketing, and Staying Accountable: Why Does it Seem So Hard?

by Kristine Carey | Success Ingredients & Tools

Perhaps this sounds familiar: you think about doing marketing, put it on your calendar, call an accountability buddy, tell yourself you got this, and… an hour later you’re watching YouTube videos of fluffy kittens and eating chocolate.

What happened? You did what the experts say to do to keep yourself accountable:
Get a buddy – check
Put it on the calendar – check
Give yourself a pep talk – check

Are You Hearing the Siren Song?

by Kristine Carey | Success Ingredients & Tools

Recall this story of Ulysses: his ship is passing the Sirens who live along the rocky shore, and he asks his men to tie him to the mast so he won’t succumb to their Siren Song, smashing the ship into the rocks.

Flash forward to your business today and compare this story to your marketing. There are plenty of Sirens calling to you; are you in danger of smashing into the rocks and wrecking your business ship? Below are several Siren Songs, and how you can safely navigate through them.

7 Ways to Overcome Sales Call Reluctance

by C.J. Hayden | Fear & Resistance

No matter how many emails you send out, how much time you spend on social media, or how many networking events you attend, you still need to pick up the phone sometimes and call potential clients.

As a self-employed professional selling your own services, you may believe that you feel uncomfortable about calling prospective clients on the phone because you’re not a “real” salesperson. But studies reveal that 40-90% of experienced, full-time salespeople still have episodes of call reluctance at times.

The good news is that the fear or resistance you experience about making calls doesn’t have to be permanent. Research also indicates that for 95% of people who are reluctant to make sales calls, their fear subsides once they make contact. If you stop avoiding the calls and start making them, there is a very good chance that you will feel better once you start talking to someone.

Are You Circling Dallas?

by Kristine Carey | Fear & Resistance

I’m not sure where I first heard the term but I fell in love with it immediately: Circling Dallas. Being a Texan I naturally think everything orbits the Lone Star State; however, that’s not what I’m talking about. Circling Dallas refers to that state where you are going somewhere and you just can’t seem to land. You could be going to an event and you just can’t seem to make it out the door. Or you’re going to write an article and you can’t sit down and get typing. Or, you’re going to get around to your marketing any minute now, just as soon as you do the dishes, walk the dog, rearrange your desk, and plant those petunias. Even if you’ve gone to the effort of making a marketing calendar, and choosing your preferred marketing strategies, you find yourself still not taking the necessary steps to get going.

Not Feeling the Marketing Love?

by Kristine Carey | Marketing Mindset

Ever have one of those days when you’re just not feelin’ it? You can’t seem to get yourself to do any marketing. The marketing you’re doing doesn’t feel inspiring. You’re not sure where to start to make things different. The thoughts swirling around in your head are making you suspect you might be a business fraud. Sounds like you’re not feeling the marketing love.

The good news is you can do something about it.

To minimize the days where you’re feeling out of sorts, marketing-wise, allow the following to serve as inspiration to help you feel the love again.

Distracted from Doing Your Marketing? Try These 3 Simple Tricks

by Kristine Carey | Marketing Mindset

Noticing the dishes piled up in the sink? Feeling like you need to do the laundry right now? Realizing the dog hasn’t been for a walk yet? Sounds like you’re suffering from distracted-itis.

When you sit down to do your marketing, it’s entirely likely there’s something else that needs to be done or seems more interesting -– yes, the dishes, laundry, and dog, and also starting your new exercise regime, watching YouTube cat videos, or learning how to create a bullet journal.

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