Happy New Year!!! With daily headlines on bailouts, bankruptcies, etc., business owners everywhere are bracing themselves for 2009. There are no quick fixes for fear, still some small changes can make a big difference in how you think, feel and function. Here are SIX (6) ways to make the best of 2009.

1. Resist playing it safe – Break away from the pack. While everyone else is chewing their fingernails, you can stand up and stand out by getting noticed for your talent and contributions.

2. Skip the “pity party” – It’s tempting to commiserate with family, friends and fellow business owners but don’t do it. All it does is stoke your fears and shake your confidence even more.

3. Form a posse – Create an inner circle, a small support group or just one other person, who you can trust and turn to when the going gets tough. Take turns injecting a daily dose of hope and optimism.

4. Grow your skills – Expand your capabilities and boost your marketability. Invest in YOU.

5. Think big – Select one major action that you want to achieve for the new year and break it down into little steps and get started.

6. Get ready for the rebound – Plan for a brighter tomorrow as the economic clouds will lift, they always do. Start thinking about where you are and where you want to be AND how to close the gap.

NOTE: Never, ever stop marketing your business. Promote your business whether the economy is strong or weak; promote even when you may not have the money.

Businesses that promote while others cut their marketing budgets have a better chance of making more money…even if the economy is shrinking.

If you need some new fresh marketing ideas or just need a sounding board for your existing ideas, feel free to call me at your convenience.

“You do what you do best and let me do the rest”.

Business cards that are imprinted on only one side are half as effective as those that have valuable information printed on the other side. Place a description of your shop on the flip side, your hours of operation, mission statement, shop specialties or a map that shows the location of your shop and delivery area.

An initial, one-hour, consultation will give you an opportunity to “think about tomorrow, TODAY”. – A $50 investment in YOU!!!

As a business owner like you, I have learned that time and money are very important. Hiring a business coach is one of the best investments you will ever make in your company’s bottom line. An initial, one-hour, consultation will give you an opportunity to “think about tomorrow, TODAY”. One hour + you + me + your goals = $50!!

Don’t Wait, Contact Me Now!!!!

One of the problems people often have when they establish a referral network is that once they feel unsatisfied with their referrals, they blame people in the network for not doing their job.

The truth is that if your network isn’t working the way you expect, it’s your fault …. So… what are you doing to compel them to refer you? Do you follow up on a regular basis? Are you interested in what they do or are you more concerned about how interested they are in what you do? In other words, are you helping them in the same way you want them to help you?

Remember: if your referral networking isn’t working, it’s your responsibility to make sure it does!!!

The 3 M’s of successful mail marketing:

The Market – the number of people who need or desire the product or service enough to be willing to make a purchase.

The Message – The words and images and special offers used to get attention and get customers to take action now.

The Mailing List – The people who receive a mailing and how closely these people match up to the types of people who are known to have a need or desire for the product or service.

To get good results from a mailing, you need to send a compelling message to a carefully selected list of people who need or desire your product or service AND have the means to acquire it now.

The marketing budget of your company is often treated as an unnecessary burden that does not add anything to the bottom line, but that is simply “bad logic”. While the sales department only meets the demand for a company’s product, it is marketing that creates that demand in the first place. In a competitive world, good marketing gets your product noticed out of the clutter of dozens of similar products and creates a preference in the mind of the customer.

A good marketing strategy is direct and focused. It concentrates NOT on the products but on the customer – their needs, their tastes, their aspirations and their feedback.

*Carol’s Confident Comment: “A thing does not go wrong because of some perverse fate. It is more than likely that you lack the proper approach.” - Norman Vincent Peale

You can increase the likelihood of your voice mail being returned by remembering these basic tips:

• Speak slowly and clearly.
• Give your name, company name and complete phone number at the beginning of the message.
• Briefly and slowly explain the reason for your call. Voice mail is not the place to launch into a lengthy sales pitch or long, detailed explanation of a problem you are having.
• Ask for a callback.
• Leave an alternate method of contacting you such as email or evening phone number.
• Repeat your name and phone number slowly at the end of the message so the recipient can write it down to return your call.

*Carol’s Confident Comment: “A thing does not go wrong because of some perverse fate. It is more than likely that you lack the proper approach.” – Norman Vincent Peale

Sales is a lot like dating and the secret is paying attention to the details – just like you would on a first date.

Some tips for attracting-and keeping-new clients!!

• Desperation is NOT attractive. Approach prospects as if you didn’t need their business – but would like it.

• Make them know you want them. Be interested but not too interested and if the match doesn’t fit, you must be willing to walk away.

• Confidence is key. Prospects want to work with people who are confident – please don’t be arrogant!

• Listen more than you talk. Ask questions.

• Image is everything. You wouldn’t leave for a hot date without looking your best, so don’t show potential clients a less-than professional appearance.

• Go where the people are. You can’t find prospects by sitting at home.

• Nobody likes a whiner. Let clients vent, but don’t expect them to listen to why you had a bad day.

• Always call. Call them the next day to follow up on previous conversation.

*****If you would like to receive additional tips on how to attract AND keep clients, call for an appointment today!*****

People-pleaser’s often say “yes” quickly without thinking it through. Use these guidelines before taking on a commitment in the future.

• Think about any commitments for at least 24 hours prior to agreeing. Try this verbiage – “that sounds really good, but I need to check my schedule before I can commit. I will call you tomorrow to let you know if I can help.”

• Help in areas that match your core values instead of trying to help at EVERYTHING.

• When you agree, clearly outline the level of your commitment, “Yes, I could help with that for 2 hours per week.”

******If you are always saying “yes” and are over-committed and find that you don’t have time to run your business, call for an appointment and learn how to effectively say “no”.

When you think you should give up on your business idea or the business itself, think about these people who overcame serious handicaps!!

*Beethoven handled the violin awkwardly and preferred playing his own compositions instead of improving his technique. His teacher called him hopeless.

*Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor for lack of ideas. Walt Disney also went bankrupt several times before he built Disneyland.

*Inventor Thomas Edison’s teachers said he was too stupid to learn anything. When Edison invented the light bulb, he tried over 2,000 experiments. A young reporter asked him how it felt to fail so many times. He said, “I never failed once. I invented the light bulb. It just happened to be a 2,000-step process.”

*Louisa May Alcott, the author of Little Women, was encouraged to find work as a servant or seamstress by her family.

******Before you give up on your dream or business, call for an appointment and get some direction.