For small business owners who are struggling to gain clients/customers, a common problem I see is…well…that I can’t see them!!
Despite their fantastic business ideas and useful services/products, no one is noticing them because they are ‘invisible’ online.
Do you feel like your business is invisible? Or that no one is noticing you?
Unfortunately, the online world is not a game of Hide & Seek! Instead of waiting for people to find you, you’ve got to get yourself put right in front of them. The internet has enabled us to advertise our businesses literally INSIDE someone’s home on their computer screen!
It’s time to take full advantage of this. 🙂
Today I’ve got a few tips to help you put yourself out there and get noticed by your dream clients:
#1 WHERE Are Your Dream Clients?
First, you’ve got to focus on your ideal or ‘dream’ clients. Who are they? WHERE are they hanging out (which social media platforms, websites, etc.)? What are their pain points? What problems do they have that you can solve? Figure out the answers to these questions so that you can be more effective in your marketing! Most platforms now allow you to select specific demographics and types of people to show your advertising campaigns.
#2 Write Consistent, High-Quality Content
Thought blogging was dead? Think again! A great way to become a respected leader in your industry is by providing accurate, high-quality content regularly. This also helps you to appear on search engines when people are looking for services like yours. Filling your website with useful content will attract new clients and also opportunities such as telesummits, speaking gigs, guest author requests and more.
#3 Connect with Influencers
An influencer is anyone with a large, engaged social media following. Try to find influencers that are in your niche or who publicly support the type of products/services you offer. Take any opportunity to connect with them and build a positive image for your business. A strong network of influencers can help to promote your work and get you in front of a wider audience. They also build your reputation and credibility by showing their followers that they trust you as a reputable brand.
#4 Leverage Co-Marketing Opportunities
Unless you have deep pockets, one of the most effective ways to promote your business and brand is through co-marketing. What is co-marketing? It is connecting with other business owners in your industry and working together to host a webinar, telesummit, social media campaign, retreat, giveaway, etc. You can also create share deals on your social media platforms (You share each other’s content on your social media pages, give each other shout outs, do guest emails to their list, etc.).
#5 Be Yourself
Some coaches out there will tell you to do things you really don’t like to do. Granted, sometimes you DO need to step out of your comfort zone to learn and grow, but there is also something to be said about just BEING YOURSELF. Find what type of marketing resonates with you most. Are you a great writer? Focus more energy on your blog and/or Instagram posts! Do you prefer speaking on camera? Create videos or do Facebook Lives and Instagram Stories. Are you a graphic designer? Create beautiful infographics, quote pictures, diagrams, etc. There are so many options, find what works for you! You can use the online video maker Lumen5
#6 Focus on Standing Out
As you know, your potential clients are being bombarded with hundreds if not thousands of advertisements every single day. In order to get noticed, you have to stand out. There are a lot of ways to do this. Think about how you can be slightly better than what’s already out there. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel- just take the wheel and make it bigger, better, flashier, more unique, more affordable, more customized etc. than the other wheels on the market.
#7 Answer the Questions Your Dream Clients Are Asking
Get into Facebook groups or other online groups where your target market is hanging out. Examine what questions they are asking the most. Figure out what their biggest pain points are. Take their questions and frustrations and build your brand around their needs. Can’t find the perfect group? I’ve seen many entrepreneurs create social media groups just for their target market! They create a safe, no-pressure community where their tribe can connect, support each other, ask hard questions, celebrate together and be exposed to the admin’s brand.
As a small business owner, you are likely your own project manager! Especially in the beginning, many entrepreneurs start out as a one-man show.
Launching a new project can be daunting and is often the hardest part. Depending on the scope of your idea, it can seem complicated, overwhelming or intimidating.
A few simple outlined steps can really clarify your vision and make the task seem less scary. Here is the 5-step process I recommend when preparing to launch a new project:
1. Do your homework. Have you ever tried to build IKEA furniture without reading the instructions? It usually ends badly! Take the time to do your research so you can launch your project successfully the first time. Do digging on numbers, projections, other companies who have done similar projects, read articles, etc. Don’t spend forever on this step, but budget an hour or two each day leading up to launch.
2. Set up a clear and focused plan. Write down WHY you are doing this project and WHERE it will take your company. Make sure the destination/outcome is worth all the energy you and your team put into it. Keep the plan simple and focused, with a solid roadmap of how you will get from start to finish. Include DATES of when things will happen.
3. Build the project team or acquire training. Choose exactly who you want to be working on this project with you. This may look like picking people from your team with the most experience or talent relating to the project or bringing on a contractor. Utilizing people with expertise in project launching can make or break your bottom line! If you choose to go at it alone, get the necessary training so that you feel confident about what you’re doing.
If you’re looking for the launch manager to help you launch a new project, let’s chat. I specialize in making your project launch run smooth, successful and profitable! Click HERE to schedule a call.
4. Communicate expectations clearly and effectively. A great team can only do their job well if they know exactly what it is! Make sure to be clear and effective when communicating what you want. Be present and available for questions and suggestions. Your goals for the project should be crystal clear and the expectations you have for each member laid out in a way that is easy to understand. Also, make sure everyone knows how and where to communicate about details of the project. This could be through email, a project platform, a work-based chat group, etc.
5. Trust the process. If you’ve done your best to research, set up a plan, build a team and create solid expectations, the next step is GO! You may not have all the answers and it may be frightening, but in order to push forward you’ve got to set sail. You can tweak and adjust as needed throughout the project journey.
BONUS
6. Get Advice Where You Need It If your project is focused on wider scale operations, you may need to gain some advice on productivity, systems and processes to ensure that your project is managed as efficiently as possible. If you’re launching a project to a team of people, this is especially important as it will help you to communicate expectations clearly and gain advice on how leadership could be structured. On a similar note, you may want to work alongside industrial supply chain consultants who can help you to unlock the full potential of your business. If you’re unclear on the best solution and implementation processes, this will allow you to put your best foot forward. This is particularly relevant if you feel as though your supply chain might be holding you back; streamlining these processes will allow any new projects to kickstart without any issues. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a startup, or a larger scale company, you can use tailored advice to adapt to changing markets and achieve fully sustainable success for your vision.
I hope this helps you feel more confident about launching new projects in your business! If you want more information or need help with the technical aspects of your project, I have some openings on my calendar this week for consultations. Let’s see how we can get your project running the most effectively so you can gain maximum profit!
This includes hours spent working on your business AND/OR hours spent at your day job.
Was it more than 30?
40?
50…?
As an entrepreneur, it can feel like you need to be pulling 12 hour days to keep your business afloat and see it to success. No more clocking in and clocking out. As a business owner, you may feel like you are ALWAYS on the clock.
The problem is, when you are pulling 12+ hour days, you are bound to hit exhaustion at some point. And if you keep pushing you are going to become completely burned out.
Some common signs that you are going to or have already hit “burnout” include:
Dramatic/impulsive lifestyle changes (stop working out, start eating out all the time, drinking more than usual, ending a relationship suddenly, moving)
Difficulty in relationships (not feeling social, snapping at your partner, feeling like a bad mom/wife/girlfriend/daughter/friend)
Chronic overthinking/worry (inability to focus on the present, head always somewhere else, overthinking every situation)
Health decline (unhealthy eating, frequent illness, new or worsening medical conditions, chronic fatigue)
Cynicism (chronic negativity, poor mood)
Do you recognize any of these symptoms in yourself? Don’t worry- acknowledging you are experiencing burnout is the first step to turning things around and pointing yourself in a better direction!
If you’re a “push through the pain” kind of person you may be tempted to keep going at 100 miles per hour. But even if you feel like you are getting a lot done, research has found this is NOT the case. Lack of sleep, overworking, and failing to take care of yourself will result in POOR quality of work that will hurt you AND your business in the long run.
Think of it this way…if you were sawing down a tree in a forest, it would actually take you much longer to do it if you never took the time to sharpen the saw, versus if you took regular breaks to sharpen your equipment.
Sometimes, slowing down is IN YOU FAVOR and in the favor of your business!
Here are some tips for beating entrepreneurial burnout:
**Turn down clients that aren’t right for your business. This may seem completely counter-intuitive, but some clients just aren’t right for you. Either they don’t pay you enough for the time you invest in them, they aren’t reliable with fulfilling invoices, or they simply are not the type of client you want to work with.
**Outsource, outsource, outsource! You can either spend your time or your money! There are areas you should be spending your time on, and others that you would be better off spending your money and outsourcing. I imagine a huge reason you chose an entrepreneurial lifestyle was for time, freedom and flexibility. Well, if you’re spending 5 hours a day doing things that you could pay someone to do in 1 hour…you’re not getting time and freedom! Some people hesitate to outsource because their budget is tight. There are ways around this. You might consider finding students that are willing to work for experience, or other business owners you can trade with. There are always options.
**Create processes and systems that make you more efficient. What is taking up the most of your time? What could you do more effectively? Is there anything you can automate? Are you multitasking and being less effective versus focusing on one thing at a time? Your time is a valuable resource- treat it so!
**Take a vacation that is electronic-free (as much as possible). Go on a vacation! Even a short one. And have a no-electronics rule as much as possible. Get out of your head, breath, spend focused time with those that matter to you and remember why you do what you do.
If you truly take these techniques to heart, you can dramatically reduce the number of hours you spend working while also increasing your efficiency. You will be able to take weekends and holidays, you will be able to spend valuable (and uninterrupted) time with your loved ones, and you will avoid burnout.
If you need help automating systems in your business, I would love to help! Let’s chat and see what I can take off your shoulders, so you can spend more time in your passion zone!
Telesummits are virtual events where experts gather together to educate attendees on specific topics.
What are the benefits of hosting a telesummit?
Establish yourself as an expert in your field
Provide your audience with valuable content
Connect & work with other professionals
Increase your email list and reach
Create products to sell after the summit
Boost your popularity
Increase revenue
Host without ever leaving your office or home
In the past, to attend an event with multiple experts speaking about their areas of expertise, people would have to travel great distances and pay a lot of money. Now, thanks to the vastness and capabilities of the internet, people can learn from top professionals from the comfort of their home. Telesummits are a tremendous opportunity for both the host and the attendees, which is why I am such a big fan!
What holds people back?
If they are such a big business booster, why don’t more people host telesummits? From what I’ve seen, business owners are often afraid of rejection; from both speakers they want to interview, and possible attendees. Luckily there are ways around these potential roadblocks!
If you’re interested in hosting a telesummit, I can help! I take care of all the tech needs of a summit as well as the launch, organization and other details! Set up a free, no obligation consult with meHERE.
Steps To Hosting A Successful, Profitable Summit
Organizing a telesummit may sound like a lot of work and as someone who just finished doing one, it is! But it is a great way to gain experience and can be a lot of fun. I’ve found the pros of hosting a summit to far outweigh the cons.
Step One:Choose A Theme.
What is your summit all about? What is the main focus? Normally the theme is centered around a pain point of your target audience.
Step Two:Choose Event Details
This entails deciding on all the details of your event. When it will be held, how many speakers you will invite, the presentation format (interview, lecture, etc.), technology, registration, if your summit will be free or paid, live or pre-recorded, etc. You want to be extremely clear on these details before moving on to step 3.
Step Three:Choose & Invite Your Speakers
Decide who you want to invite to participate in your event. Find people who align with your own beliefs and the theme of the summit. It’s likely not everyone will say yes, so you can invite more than you are planning on speaking and be flexible with the final number.
Step Four:Promote Your Event
This is probably the biggest and task-heavy part of your event! You are responsible for all promotion of the telesummit. You can provide your speakers with promotional emails and content to send to their audience to use if they want. But remember their main job is to show up and provide an interview.
Step Five:Run the event
This may involve pre-recording all content and sending it out on specific days, or it may involve live interviews. The great part is you get to make all the decisions! Do what is most enjoyable and logical for you and your situation.
To be a gracious host, send a personalized thank you to all the speakers, as well as a general thank you to your audience. When you send these emails, have a survey set up for feedback. Both speakers and attendees can provide valuable feedback to help you know what they loved and what they didn’t. Not only will this help you run better telesummits in the future, but it will also help you streamline your business and products/services to better meet the needs of your customers/clients .
You can also create a summit package for people to purchase who want to re-watch the summit or who missed it in the first place.
Are you ready to run your first telesummit?Book a no-obligation consultation with mewhere we can discuss your vision and see how I can support! Helping clients run successful, profitable telesummits is my area of expertise and I would love to work with you.
Becoming an entrepreneur can be both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. You become your own boss, you set your own hours, you call all the shots. You also bear the weight of generating your own income, selling a product or convincing other people that you have something they want and need.
According to statistics, about 20% of small businesses fail in the first year, and 50% fail after five years in business. So what makes the difference between someone who succeeds and someone who fails?
Many women mistakenly believe that they need business, programming, accounting or marketing skills or even a degree if they want to run their own business. But I’ve found this isn’t necessarily the case.
I’ve found that most powerful entrepreneurial women possess the following:
#1 Resilience
Many women go through several different ideas and business ventures before finally creating something profitable. Others have to work for months or even years before they start earning the income they want. Resilience to stress, failure and discouragement is paramount if you want to be a successful entrepreneur. Do you consider yourself resilient? Can you “bounce back” from tough experiences? Then you just might have what it takes.
#2 Self-Confidence
When you run your own business, you become the boss! Entrepreneurs need a healthy amount of self-confidence to navigate the ins and outs of running a company. Do you believe in yourself and what you have to offer? If you are not confident in yourself and your business, your clients, customers and employees are going to feel it. People are naturally drawn to confidence and passion.
#3 The Ability To Take Risks
Women who like to think outside the box, get excited at the thought of adventure, and who aren’t afraid of imperfection tend to do much better as business owners than those who like to live by the rules. Those who get easily stressed when things go awry have a hard time seeing the opportunities that may be present when things don’t go as planned. Are you willing to take risks and embrace the beauty of imperfection?
#4 Vision
Good entrepreneurs know how to create a powerful vision that gives them motivation and strength to overcome challenges. They see things in the world that could be better and are able to spin ideas and solutions that address problems. Instead of accepting life as it is or being satisfied with “normal” they want to push boundaries and make things better. They see opportunity everywhere they go!
#5 Strong Sense Of Responsibility
Successful women entrepreneurs have a strong sense of responsibility for their lives. They know they are the authors of their own story. They don’t make excuses for their failures instead, they accept and learn from their failures. They take ownership of their thoughts, emotions, reactions, mistakes and successes.
If any of these traits resonated with you, it’s likely you would make a good entrepreneur. If you feel you are lacking in any of these areas, don’t be discouraged! We are ever changing beings and can learn and evolve as much as we choose. While some people may be naturally gifted in these areas, anyone can acquire these powerful traits with commitment and action.
