Call to Action

Monday Morning Motivators for the Week of September 14, 2009

Enjoy your java with an eclectic collection of tips and ideas to use today and to get energized for the week ahead. The archives are stored at: MondayMorningMotivators.blogspot.com

“Miracles happen for people who believe in them. Opportunities happen for people who expect them.” Rita Milios

This week's topics include:
• Where is Your Call To Action? - Linda Fayerweather
• What to Do When Business Sours - Rebecca Booth
• Awakened Entrepreneurs Treat Themselves Well! - Pat Altvater
• 29% Solution – Looking Forward - Paula Fraizer

Where is Your Call To Action
On Thursday, I presented a stellar 20 minute educational program. And, it was just that - educational. I did a free presentation for 30 local women business owners, expecting in return some free promotion - which was provided, have something the participants will purchase in the back of the room and anticipated garnering some business. I have created a new presentation that demonstrates a simple way to develop a Vision Statement which is a small part of my 6 hour workshop on business planning. After the fact, I received 10 emails of praise and thanks which are greatly appreciated with two requests for One-to-One meetings, but no requests for engagements. What did I do wrong?

No Call To Action.

I was so focused on the content that I forgot to build that burning desire in my audience to
~Learn MORE,
~Tell them what MORE was,
~Explain to them why MORE is going to make their life saner and
~Show them the actual flyer to get MORE with a special 24 bonus.

This would have taken 2 minutes of the 20 minutes and I missed the opportunity.

Without a call to action, my presentation activities were short circuited by me. I can only blame, myself and take it as a great learning lesson.

How about you? Let me know your examples of Great calls to action and not so much calls with an email to: linda@changinglanes.biz

Copyright 2009 Linda Fayerweather
What's working in your Business?
Changing Lanes LLC
www.ChangingLanes.biz

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What to Do When Business Sours
Many of us are faced with cutting costs these days. Yet what happens when your entire demographic or way of doing business changes? Learn a lesson from these two folks:

David EisnerWhat Happened: Customers weren’t renewing annual contracts
Solution: He shifted to monthly contracts and improved customer service.

Kim Matheson Shedrick
What Happened: The high-end business of building spas slowed.
Solution: She turned to the Web to target less affluent clients and expanded the corporate side of her business.

I like to think of the current economic situation as a time for creativity. Instead of slashing people, prices and expenses; consider job sharing, cutting hours and/or reshaping your business radically like the two individuals above. By keeping in tune with what your customers want and how they need to do business, you’ll both be better!
Source: August/September 2009 SmallBiz

Copyright 2009 Rebecca Booth
Marketing Goddess
Imagine That!
419.855.3399
Celebrating 10 years of delivering results for our clients.
www.rebeccaboothmarketinggoddess.com
www.marketinginabox.biz

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Awakened Entrepreneurs Treat Themselves Well!
Experts say that a full 70 – 80% of our thoughts are negative. Shocking, isn’t it? However, the unfortunate reality is that we are constantly judging ourselves and others. Listen to yourself during one day and see how many judgmental thoughts you have. Do you look in the mirror in the morning and criticize your appearance? Do you reprimand yourself if you make a mistake, realize that you’ve said the wrong thing, or handled a situation poorly?

Keep in mind, too, that our criticisms of others always reflect how we feel about ourselves. Those judgments mask our own fears that we don’t measure up and typically what we judge in others is what we don’t like about ourselves and haven’t had the courage to admit! When you catch yourself judging someone else, immediately bring the thought into your awareness and see if you can find the lesson there for you.

Awakened entrepreneurs don’t waste mental energy on critical thinking.

The minute you hear yourself think a judgmental thought say “Cancel that” and instantly substitute a new and powerful thought about you. Keep doing this and eventually those judgmental comments will subside and you’ll free up your brain to think other more creative and empowering thoughts!


Copyright 2009 Pat Altvater
Transforming Bodies and Minds
http://www.outsmartweight.com
http://www.transformationsinstitute.com
http://www.ignitethepowerwithinbook.com
419-344-6613

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Review and Looking Forward
As someone that relies completely on word-of-mouth to build my businesses, I’ve found The 29% Solution, written by leading referral marketing expert Dr. Ivan Misner, to be instrumental in my success. He offers 52 weekly networking success strategies (one per week) and specific actions to take to experience success through focused, purposeful networking efforts. I look forward to sharing them with you in the coming weeks.

Weeks 1-7 were all about you and your business. Weeks 8-14 we went through exercises to identify and connect with specific people to build our network. Now it’s time to go deep by going the extra mile!

Let’s take a sneak peek at week’s 15-20 before we dive into the details:

Week 15: Be A Value Added Friend takes a look at the value you bring to your relationships.
Week 16: Become a Catalyst shows you how to be a person that takes the lead and makes things happen.
Week 17: Find an Accountability Partner helps you find someone that you respect and answer to regarding specific goals.
Week 18: Volunteer and Become Visible encourages you to give back to the community you do business in.
Week 19: Send a Thank You Card focuses on a simple but powerful 2 minute activity. Believe it or not very few people still do this!
Week 20: Follow Up TODAY offers the importance of timely follow up to keep moving forward in the relationship.

Now is the time to delve into the archives and revisit past weeks in The 29% Solution as we continue to take this 52 week journey together. See you next week!

Paula Frazier is a referral marketing trainer, consultant and keynote speaker. She is an Executive Director for BNI and part of a select team of Master Trainers for Referral Institute. Paula's business networking articles have been published internationally. She is also acknowledged in the New York Times best seller, Truth or Delusion - Busting Networkings Biggest Myths. Check out #33, Delusion with a twist! Paula can be contacted at paula@referralinstitute-va.com

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Have a profitable week.

Linda Fayerweather, Editor
Changing Lanes LLC