Money in general is not discussed much except in financial journals. Most of us don’t grow up learning about money. I want to help you become more comfortable with money. Interestingly, the Bible mentions money almost as many times as it refers to prayer. If treated properly money can be your friend; not your enemy.
I know what it’s like to live on overdraft, making monthly payments, credit card bills. Personal experience means I can share what I’ve learned about it with others.
If you are stressed about money, it’s very hard to work and to sell. Customers can sense your desperation. I suggest that you ‘Fake it till you make it’. This you can achieve by breathing slowly and relaxing.
There’s nothing more powerful than not needing a sale. You will be naturally more relaxed in your body language and clients pick up on this. Allyson Koekhoven, a creative copywriter on my team knows very well how this can negatively affect your business. “After losing my only two clients in a two-week period, I was in a very depressed state of mind. I desperately pursued prospective clients and, without fail, each time they slammed the door in my face.”
Allyson started goal setting, finding more creative ways to manage her finances and in her words, putting her faith in God’s master plan for her. The result? “Once I stopped beating myself up and portraying a more relaxed and confident exterior, the work started rolling in and I now have a number of ideal, high paying clients who I love working with.”
I have spent a lot of time studying how to attract money to me. Authors I have studied include Brian Tracy, Dan Kennedy, Michael Masterson, Joe Vitale, Napoleon Hill. Hill interviewed 100 of the world’s richest men and studied them for years under the direction of Andrew Carnagie and the result is his amazing book ‘Think & Grow Rich’.
Sharon Killion of Brilliant Success Marketing is passionate about mentoring high achieving entrepreneurs in smart marketing and soft selling so they experience clients, cash and abundance.
An USP (Unique Selling Proposition) is that distinct and appealing message that sets you and your business or practice favorably apart from every other generic competitor. Examples of really good USPs are: FedEx – “When it absolutely has to be there overnight.” Their mission is very clear. Another is Domino’s Pizza: “You get fresh, hot pizza delivered to your door within 30 minutes, or it’s free”. They don’t tell you the pizza will be delicious-just fresh and hot.
You need to focus on one point when you choose an USP. KFC’s “Finger licking good” clearly identifies the taste for us, with no mention made of speed of service or its high fat content. You must create a clear message. Raid does this with its USP: “Kills bugs dead”.
Think of the one thing that sets you apart from your competition. Is it price, quality, selection, customer service, strongest guarantee, performance, reliability? You really, really, really need to think of the one thing that distinguishes you. What is different about your business? Look at your competition and see how your business differs from theirs. You need to look at your business as if you were your own client. You must put yourself in their shoes – what are they looking for when they buy?
If you are trying to attract a certain income bracket sector, then it will make sense to target your marketing accordingly. Look at exactly how your customers will benefit from doing business with you. What will they get – fast service, lowest cost? The USP therefore needs to be tangible and measurable.
Your USP needs to be so compelling that it could be the headline of an ad. You need to work on distilling your USP into one sentence. When you are writing your USP you need to think about what pain you are solving for your client. Make sure you can deliver on what you promise in your USP. Once you have tied down your USP, make sure you use it in all your marketing efforts.
It’s also important to think about a USP for yourself personally. This then ties you into what you are doing in your business.
I must caution you that you need to know that your USP is not going to appeal to everybody. Perhaps the lower price you are offering is not the purchase decision making factor for certain clients. Perhaps higher quality levels are the swing factor. You cannot be all things to all people. Remember this when drafting or tweaking your USP
To find out more about the secrets to successfully marketing your business and capturing a constant stream of ideal, high paying clients sign up for Sharon’s free offering at: http://www.brilliantsuccessmarketing.com/smart_marketing_signup.php
Sharon Killion of Brilliant Success Marketing is passionate about mentoring high achieving entrepreneurs in smart marketing and soft selling so they experience clients, cash and abundance.
Blog 2:
Seven reasons to start an ezine
If you haven’t already got an ezine (electronic newsletter), you are missing out on a simple, cost effective, yet incredibly powerful marketing tool. A good way to generate a mailing list for your ezine is to make use of a free offering on your website which provides potential and existing clients with valuable free information and which offers the promise of regular, update information in your ezine.
By asking people to sign up to your newsletter the element of coercion that is evidenced in spam mail, is effectively removed and you are able to build up a credible database of truly interested readers.
Other benefits to sending out a regular ezine (monthly at least) are:
1) It positions you as an expert to your ideal client.
2) It’s an easy way to stay in touch with your clients.
3) You can build a list of clients that you can repeatedly market to.
4) It helps you capture email addresses of your web visitors.
5) It is extremely cost effective as there are no postage or delivery costs. The only cost involved is the time invested by you.
6) It builds the “like, know and trust” factor. In today’s tough economic climate, it’s a known fact that it takes seven to 12 touches (client contacts) to get someone to buy from us. These touches could be in the form of personal visits, ezines or phone call. By sending relevant information in your ezine you can effectively reduce the number of touches needed.
7) You can list your other services and products in your ezine. You could choose to focus on one specific product/service one week and another the next week.
Your ezine also allows your readers to create a two-way flow of communication. They will hopefully tell you what they want and you can react (or not) to these suggestions and requests.
To find out more about the secrets to successfully marketing your business and capturing a constant stream of ideal, high paying clients sign up for Sharon’s free offering at: http://www. (whatever the landing page is for this Freebie in a bitly or whatever format you prefer for shortening URLS)
Sharon Killion of Brilliant Success Marketing is passionate about mentoring high achieving entrepreneurs in smart marketing and soft selling so they experience clients, cash and abundance.
Do you find yourself floundering sometimes in your business unsure of what to do next? The best thing I’ve learned to help keep my marketing on track is to choose 3 different methods that I LIKE to do and just do them. I’ve found if I don’t LIKE a particular marketing method I’ll be resistant to doing it and guess what? It won’t get done if I don’t like to do it.
Here are some marketing methods for you to choose from:
1. Writing an e-zine (newsletter by email) 2x a month to your clients & potential clients. This takes commitment and time but once you get a template designed and you have your format set you’re ready to roll.
I have a client who owns a furniture store and she puts herself and her personality completely into her bi-monthly e-zine and her clients love her for it. She has people drive 2 hours away to meet her in person because of her personality driven, authentic newsletters. She gets plenty of on-line orders for furniture from customers 7 hours away I might add.
2. Write articles to be published in your e-zine and to the e-zine article directories such as e-zinearticles.com. You can recycle the articles you write for your e-zine have them published in many other places. You’d be surprised at how many newsletter article directories are looking for good content to supply their readers. If you enjoy writing (and the articles only need to be 300-500 words) this is a great avenue to pursue.
3. Collect Testimonials from your happy clients and customers and with their permission put them on your website, your newsletter, in your e-books, your seminar hand outs and everywhere you possibly can. This can be very easy, but it is a discipline. You must be very diligent about asking for the testimonials-the more specific they are in describing the results they’ve gotten from your product or service the better. It takes a lot of follow up but it is SO worth it. I always get a head shot and my client’s website from my clients so I can promote them on my website and my materials, too. Google gives more points when you promote your clients and if any other websites promote you. So give testimonials yourself for higher exposure.
4. Speak before organizations and associations on your topic. Speaking is the number one way to “get leads” in business. There is nothing better than someone experiencing your energy in person to want to connect with you further. No amount of email or Social Media can replace in person energy. You don’t have to be Dale Carnegie to do this either. All you have to do is share with a group from your heart about your topic and make sure you have some type of feedback or sign up form so you can collect their information and add them to your e-zine list.
5. Be active on Facebook and be signed up for Linked-In and Twitter. I’m sure you know by now Facebook has over 500 million users and would be the 4th largest country in the world if it were a country. Facebook is not to be ignored as a marketing tool. Start with making your profile your main page and use it 70% for business. My Facebook page is a mixture of both personal and business. I even have a sign up box for my newsletter on my Facebook page and I get signups for it each week.
6. Blog 3-5x a week on your blog about both personal and business tips. Blogging is fun, quick and you can just jot one and get it out there. My clients are always a bit surprised when I tell them to share with their clients a bit about their personal lives. They want to know how your children are doing. They want to know where you’ve been going and what you’re up to. In this information age people WANT to be connected to whom they are doing business with. They DO care about you so let them in on your life a bit.
7. Of course there is the long standing method of asking your current clients for referrals. It’s actually quite easy when they are your clients and they’ve gotten great results from working with you. You just ask them something like, “I know you’ve experienced amazing results in the time we worked together in our program (6 months coaching, a VIP Day, a Mastermind, whatever the deliverable was) and I would love to work with more high-achieving entrepreneurs such as yourself. Do you know of anyone in your coaching circles who is struggling or might need a quick start to success? I’d love to speak to them to see if there is even a possibility of a fit. There may not be, but I’d love to discuss it further with them in case there is.”
There are more methods than these but these 7 methods stand out for me. Just don’t use all 7 at one time. Choose 3 and stick to them weekly, week after week. You’ll be surprised at the results you’ll see from following this deceptively simple strategy.
Do you find yourself floundering sometimes in your business unsure of what to do next? The best thing I’ve learned to help keep my marketing on track is to choose 3 different methods that I LIKE to do and just do them. I’ve found if I don’t LIKE a particular marketing method I’ll be resistant to doing it and guess what? It won’t get done if I don’t like to do it.
As you read this I am in Los Angeles attending James Malinchak’s Speaker Boot Camp. James is known as “The Big Money Speaker” and is an amazing marketer.
Me and my wonderful Dallas friend, Nancy Black, who flew out to see me in South Africa in 2008.
He’ll be seen on an upcoming TV show that Joan Rivers is hosting with ABC called “The Secret Millionaire.” He’ll easily make 3 to 4 million dollars this year and he’s only like 37 (or somewhere around there-he’s young!). He has mastered the art of becoming a celebrity in his field. More than that he’s mastered the art of getting celebrities to endorse him! Eva Longoria, Jack Canfield, Brian Tracy, Dr. Bill Dorfman and TONS of big sports figures are just a few of the hundreds of celebrities he works with and is endorsed by constantly.
I’m excited to go because I’m going to learn some great things not only for my business but great tips and strategies I’ll share with you, too. I’ll be looking to meet new potential joint venture partners and just some new great people in general. There will be 500 in attendance so this is a BIG event. I’ll keep you posted on Facebook & Twitter for sure. Please be friends with me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter it so you can get the updates.
I just got word today that I am FINALLY moving into my condo on Friday the 17th. The kitchen and bathroom people say they will be doing finishing touches on this date. I told them I’m moving in no matter what! So there is hope of my settling in the week before Christmas. I have so much to do and it will be easier from my own place. Everything happens in its perfect time and for a reason so I know it’s all as it should be.
Positioning yourself as an expert or specialist in your field is easy once you start doing it. You may feel uncomfortable with it at first and that’s o.k. If you do, just keep in mind the payoff for doing it-more clients, cash and abundance. Remaining in the background and “hiding out” will not help you help more clients one bit.
1. Begin using the term Expert or Specialist on your business cards, E-Signature, Proposals, Brochures, Hand-Outs, Website-everywhere you possibly can so your audience will know you know what you’re doing.
2. Study in your field at least 30 minutes a day. Read a book in your field, attend seminars and workshops in your field whenever possible, listen to mp3′s or CD’s while driving around town or on the road for a long time. Learn everything you can about your industry. Soon you will be seen as a recognized expert in your field-if you do this for 30 minutes a day it’ll be impossible for you not to do become one.
3. Write an E-book. These are books you write on a particular subject after some research where you discuss your subject but with your slant and experience. There’s really nothing new under the sun so YOUR slant on the topic is what will make it appealing. These can be put on your website for sale from $27.00 to $97.00 and more.
4. Begin Speaking. Start booking yourself to speak before groups and organizations to build up credibility and to generate leads. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again now…………..you don’t have to be the world’s greatest speaker to present talks before groups and organizations. You just need to be authentic and want to help your audience by sharing your information with them. You build credibility with your clients when you are a speaker, too.
5. Present Seminars on your Topic. Once you’ve gotten your feet wet with a few talks go to the next level and look for opportunities to present a 2 or 3 one hour or a day long workshops on your subject. There’s always a certain percentage of any population who want to learn more and will pay to learn more. It’s a great way to introduce potential clients to what you do and help them right away.
6. Have your photo made with famous people whenever possible-this can even be the local weatherman! I carry a camera (separate from my iPhone) for this very purpose. I’ve been fortunate to have my photos taken with some really cool people like Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson (PGA Golfers) and John Smit (Captain of South Africa’s Rugby Team).
7. Make sure you have a very professional looking website and e-zine (electronic newsletter). These days it’s absolutely imperative to have your own website. The more information you can put on it about you, your services and products the better. It’s a great place to showcase your “expert” status in your field so visitors know you know what you’re doing. And of course it must look professional.
So there you have it 7 ways to position yourself as an expert to your clients and potential clients. Now go do it!
Here’s a photo of me with a friend of mine, Donna Vail of www.aninspirededucation.com. Her website swill be live soon. I’m sharing this because Donna and I met on Facebook two years ago and just met face to face about 3 weeks ago. Donna drove 85 miles just to meet me for lunch! She is the mother of 6 children and she home schools all of them! Her youngest 5 are still at home (ages 3 to 14) wile the oldest is now in nursing school.
Donna and I click because we both have a passionate desire to help our “tribes” in similar ways. Donna has developed an amazing home schooling system that works brilliantly for parents who want to take this on-but it’s not in the way you’d typically think of home schooling. She will have her own radio show starting in January on the largest internet radio station in the USA on guess what? Home Schooling. My point about telling you about my meeting Donna is that even though I personally have no children a lot of my tribe does. And we are definitely collaborating to see what we can come up with to work together in 2011.
We are in a new age of cooperation and collaboration. We will all get much further in our businesses by partnering with others. The old model of not working with your competition is dying quickly. I’m sharing this because I want you to think about how you can collaborate and work with other complimentary businesses so it’s a win-win for everyone.
I am in the middle of collaborating with some awesome people so I can bring you some really cool resources in 2011-Watch out for something big in February 2011. What I’m launching is totally based on collaborating with top minds in the business and I will set it up so it’s a win-win for everyone.
2011 is just around the corner. Who will you collaborate or partner with to help you BOTH take your business to the next level?
An another quick note, please let me know what you want more of from me in 2011. Kindly send me an email to support@brilliantsuccessmarketing.com this week so I can begin incorporating what you want into my business plan for 2011.
The great genius Albert Einstein said one of my favorite quotes ever when he said “Imagination is more important than knowledge.’’ To me it’s especially poignant coming from one of the world’s smartest men—ever. I’m grateful that God gave us this great gift of imagination. Can you imagine how dull and bland and backwards the world would be without it?
Imagination is critical for you to experience Brilliant Success in your life and business. Unfortunately we get really busy and stretch ourselves to where we have no down time to even think and imagine how we want our business and life to look. It’s important for us to have rest and downtime so we are relaxed and we can access the creative ideas that we already have in our mind.
Nothing has been brought into the world unless it was thought of beforehand by someone. If you’ve been given a burning desire to start a particular business I honestly believe that the means for your business to come to fruition exists or you wouldn’t have been given the idea from God. If there’s a product or program or business you’ve been wanting to create. Go for it. It’s there just waiting for you to create it.
Here are some simple tips to help you imagine your business & life to Brilliant Success:
1. Decide what you really, really WANT. You can’t imagine something in great detail unless you really, really WANT it so decide what you really want to manifest in your life. Be sure to decide on what YOU want—not what your spouse, children or parents tell you that you SHOULD want.
2. Write down what you really want in present tense as if it already exists. For instance if you really want to make $20,000 a month in your business, write down, “I easily earn $20,000 a month in my business.” Repeat this daily.
3. Imagine and Visualize what your life would be like if you had what you’ve written down. In our example imagine how great it’d feel to earn $20,000 a month in your business? What would your life look like? Go into great detail visualizing every aspect of every great thing you’ll experience by receiving $20,000 a month in your business. You can make your own mind movie that you can play over and over again so you’ll always be in touch with what you want to bring about in your life.
4. Feel all the fantastic emotions that go along with attaining or receiving what you want. Sit somewhere quite where you won’t be interrupted, close your eyes and allow all those great feelings come to the surface. Remember your sub-conscious mind doesn’t know the difference between what is real and what is imagined.
5. Relax. Let it all go. Know that you WILL receive what you are imagining as long as it is good and for your good and for other’s good. Don’t try to control anything after you’ve imagined you’ve attained your goal. Relax and it will happen!
Try these simple steps for 21 days on a goal that you want to bring about and see what happens!
I am really excited and grateful to be spending my 1st Thanksgiving back in Dallas with my parents and friends and other family.
Me and my new Nissan Rogue. I am really loving it.
It was hard being away in South Africa on certain holidays and Thanksgiving ranked right up there with Christmas. I know you have much you are thankful for as well. It’s a blessing when we can be grateful for all we’ve been given—whether it be our families, children, colleagues and of course, our clients and customers.
I am particularly grateful and thankful to God for orchestrating an amazing move for me back to my home country and childhood city. I can’t believe how much I’m really liking Dallas. It’s a real blessing to feel this way. I’m grateful that my condo is 2-3 weeks away from completion. I’m grateful I was blessed to purchase a fun new Nissan Rogue. And I’m especially thankful that all my money has transferred from South Africa to the US and I was able to pay my Dad back the cash he spent to secure my condo and to get the renovations going and to even buy my car. I’ve paid him back 100% for all of it and that is a huge blessing. I think he was worried there for a while I wouldn’t pay him back! LOL! And I did! Yay!
I’m grateful for all of you—my tribe of amazing, high-achieving entrepreneurs who always want to grow to new heights in their business and personal relationships. I am blessed to attract amazing women and men who aren’t satisfied with mediocrity and they do want to be in the top or near the top of their field. And my clients implement what I teach them. They are go-getters. Real Doers. And I LOVE them all and you!
Only 5 spots left…………………..I encourage you to reach even higher in 2011 and to consider enrolling in my 2011 Brilliant Success Private Platinum Program. It’s the only program to work one-on-one with me (unless you invest in a VIP Day with me) where I am there every step of the way teaching, mentoring you and guiding you with a specific plan of action for you and to help you put systems in place to get your marketing on auto pilot. There’s plenty of mindset work that ends up happening as well. To step up to Platinum is an acknowledgment to yourself that you are indeed worth it.
Even Tiger Woods has a golf coach………not sure if he has a personal coach, but he sure has a golf coach at all times and he is the best golfer in the world—still. You know I have an amazing mentor with Maria Gamb of www.MariaGamb.com As an entrepreneur in a small business I need someone to be accountable to and push me in ways I won’t push myself sometimes.
I only have 5 spots left. The program starts in January and will run through June and you even get a VIP Day with me valued at $2997 included. It’s an amazing program that will help you take your business to the next level.
Please request an application from my new assistant, Lisa, at support@brilliantsuccessmarketing.com to request an application and see if you’re ready to step up and make real income in a more relaxed, authentic, happy way in 2011!
If you aren’t collecting testimonials in your high-achieving entrepreneurial or sales business you want to start right away. Collecting testimonials is actually the MOST important marketing strategy you can implement for the BEST results to your businesses bottom line.
Testimonials are called “Social Proof’’—meaning real people out there use your products and services and are happy with you and what you deliver and other people take note of what they say about you. When people know that others are already using your products and services it makes it much easier for them to do business with you. This is why “Word of Mouth’’ advertising is best and produces the best results for businesses. Collecting testimonials and using them on your website and elsewhere is just another way for “Word of Mouth’’ advertising to work for you.
Ask your satisfied clients what results they’ve gotten from working with you or using one of your products. Most people are very happy to share the great results they’ve had. Ask them to be as SPECIFIC as possible. It’s fantastic to get a testimonial that says “Working with Sue was the best thing I’ve ever done, etc….” BUT that really won’t inspire anyone else to do business with you. Get specific results from your clients and then ask permission to share them.
Ask your clients to write the testimonial in a Before/After format. For instance, “Before working with Sharon my business was ____________________and I was very frustrated. After working with Sharon clients are flocking to me and I’ve increased my fees by 30%!” You get the picture. Just be sure and use specific results for the greatest impact.
It takes diligence and persistence to ask and to finally receive testimonials from your clients. If a client is really busy I will ask them about the specific results they’ve had since working with me and I’ll ask “I know you’re really busy right now and your testimonial is really important to me. Would you mind if I write it for you and then have you tweak or change it as you see fit?’’ Most people are thrilled to have you write it for them and for them to o.k. it. Of course, you never fake or write a false testimonial. The reasons are obvious!
Always ask for a head shot of your clients (professional is best if possible) and permission to use it and their website when you post their testimonial on your website or elsewhere. People like to see who has written the testimonial and it helps them bond to you more.
Finally, use the testimonials you receive in everything you do!
Website
Articles
E-books
Brochures
Free Report Giveaway
Individual Prospective Client Meetings
In your group Presentations.
Aim to collect at least two to three testimonials a week. Start using them and watch your business explode.
My current workspace on my parents dining room table!
Hello
I am honored and humbled this week because of all the loving and kind emails I am receiving from several of my South African Clients and Friends of this newsletter. They are all wishing me well in my new/old home country. I’m still adjusting but am almost surprised to say it does feel like home. I am really amazed at how comfortable I feel here even though I haven’t lived here in 17 years. I’m sure it points to the fact that my intuition was right for me to come back to my home country. For Now! Lesson: Listen to your intuition!
I’m doing my best to be FLEXIBLE and work from my parents dining room (I’ve got great high speed internet through networking to my Dad’s computer) which is a great. Learning to be flexible is a great lesson for me right now. It may be one for you, too. You want to watch out for getting too set in your ways as you age. Change and flexibility are good for the body, mind and soul so see where you are rigid in your life right now and work to let whatever rigid beliefs or thoughts you have go. I promise you you’ll feel so much better!
I’m busy preparing for my VIP day with my amazing mentor, Maria Gamb, in New York City to flesh out a very important system I’ll be sharing with you in the beginning of the year.
Finally, I’m fully immersed in my Coaching Mentor, Kendall SummerHawk ‘s new certification program to become a Certified Money Breakthrough Method Coach. I’ll be taking a few students in a 6 week Tele-Seminar program based on the materials and we’ll start in about 2 weeks. It’s a pilot program from the materials I’m learning. You’ll get recordings of all the classes and it’s an opportunity for you to get direct teaching and coaching from me and to have some AMAZING Money Breakthroughs if they’ve been holding you back.
And guess what? The cost is VERY reasonable for a 5 week program which consists of one 1 hour teleclass for the 5 weeks, the NEW beautiful Money Breakthrough Method Cards and a chance to be coached to money breakthroughs by me personally on your money issues. I’m excited to announce that the program is $197 USD (1379 Rands). It is AFFORDABLE and I’ll NEVER offer this low rate again.
Drop me a line if you want a money breakthrough in your life!
Do you find yourself floundering sometimes in your business unsure of what to do next? The best thing I’ve learned to help keep my marketing on track is to choose 3 different methods that I LIKE to do and just do them. I’ve found if I don’t LIKE a particular marketing method I’ll be resistant to doing it and guess what? It won’t get done if I don’t like to do it.
Positioning yourself as an expert or specialist in your field is easy once you start doing it. You may feel uncomfortable with it at first and that’s o.k. If you do, just keep in mind the payoff for doing it-more clients, cash and abundance. Remaining in the background and “hiding out” will not help you help more clients one bit.
it’s especially poignant coming from one of the world’s smartest men—ever. I’m grateful that God gave us this great gift of imagination. Can you imagine how dull and bland and backwards the world would be without it?
If you aren’t collecting testimonials in your high-achieving entrepreneurial or sales business you want to start right away. Collecting testimonials is actually the MOST important marketing strategy you can implement for the BEST results to your businesses bottom line.