With my client Debbie

So, you’re looking for some simple strategies, step-by-step direction (what to do first, where to start) and accountability to help you grow your business and reach your goals, right?

I know you need help because I’ve been there myself. I know what it’s like to try to build a business on your own, especially if you have no one to support your dream and keep you moving forward. I know what it’s like to be caught in the cycle of quitting and stopped dead in your tracks by fear.

I also know in my heart that the only way out of that cycle is by getting help and taking massive action, like my client Debbie.

That’s why today I’m excited to open my coaching doors to you! Before going any further I’ll let you know right up front that I have space available for up to 3 new PRIVATE clients and I wonder, is one of them you?

Now, here’s a little bit about how I can help you get and keep your business on track:

1. Clarity Regarding Your Vision and Uncovering Your “Star Quality”

If you haven’t clearly identified your passions, purpose, brilliance and “Star Quality” yet and/or you need help fine-tuning your vision, I will help you get PROFOUNDLY clearer than you are now because THIS IS the key to your business success!

2. Get Out There in a BIG Way

Feel like you’re the best kept secret in your field? Is fear of “tooting your own horn” holding you back from sharing your talents with the world? The truth is that there are people out there who need your help and who want to do business with you, but they just don’t know about you!

I can help you determine the best ways to get the word out about you and your business! Whether it’s social media, PR, writing your book or speaking at events, I can help you determine the best marketing strategies for your business and build a strong community of raving fans who are ready and waiting to do business with you!

3. Hold You Accountable to Taking Massive Action

One of the biggest missing pieces silently keeping you from the success you deserve is that no one is there for you consistently supporting your dream and holding you accountable for implementing the marketing strategies that will bring you more clients. If you’ve never worked with a coach before, you can’t even imagine how great it feels to have someone you can rely on to “have your back” and push you toward greater success than you could ever achieve on your own.

I promise I will provide much needed support and a gentle “butt-kicking” if necessary to keep you moving toward your BIG vision.

4. Focus On Getting Known, Getting Clients and Making Money

In the end that’s what it’s all about, right? After you get the clarity you’re missing and uncover the personal “Star Quality” you need to get out there in a BIG way, I’ll help you create a plan for bringing in new clients on a consistent basis, which of course will lead to more income. Not only that, I will help you identify how you can start making more now, while still keeping your business model and systems simple and easy to manage, and true to who you are.

Ultimately, I will provide the guidance you need to no longer feel overwhelmed and uncertain about which actions will result in the greatest return for growing your business. Just imagine what we could achieve together!

If you’d like to learn I’ve helped other entrepreneurs get known and get clients, click here to read reviews from some of my raving fans. I have several coaching packages available for you. It’s likely that I have a program that fits your needs. Investments start at $600.

Our most popular packages right now include:

• 90-Day Buzz Building Coaching Program
• Red Carpet VIP Total Access Coaching Program
• GKGC Full & Half-Day VIP Sessions

With social media fever running at an all-time high, it’s easy for business owners to lose sight of the fact that these tools are only the start of your overall online marketing strategy.

Are you putting too much emphasis on social media to bring you new clients? While Facebook, Twitter and other social networks are fantastic marketing methods, but they are not the end-all-be-all of marketing for your business. For best results, you need to have a variety of marketing tools and strategies – including building your email contact list.

Social media is a visibility and relationship building strategy. It is a lead generator. I hate to break it to you, but you are not likely to get a client the first time they visit your Facebook page. You have to build relationships with your fans over time. Marketing with social media has a long sales cycle.

So, you put up a Facebook page for your business – congratulations! However, that’s only the fist step. It’s not enough just to have a Facebook page for your business. You then need a good content strategy to keep people coming back for more.

I read a statistic recently that only 8-10% of people who initially “Like” your page actually visit your page again. Getting the “Like” is just the start. You must give people a reason to come back. Strategies like offering coupons, special discounts or exclusive content (articles, videos, etc.) for your fans will keep them engaged and coming back to your page on a regular basis to see what’s new.

Next, you need to get your fans to opt-in to your email contact list. You can even add an opt-in box right on your Facebook page if you use a 3rd party page design tool like Tabsite.com or Lujure.com. Once prospects are on your list, you can stay in touch with them and “drip” your expert knowledge (your content – articles, videos, etc.) to them via email newsletters, e-blasts, etc.

Remember the old advertising statistic that a prospect needs to see your ad 7+ times before they take action? It’s no different with social media marketing. Your fans need to read and view your content multiple times before they will take any action (like sign up for your teleseminars, buy your product or contact you for a consultation).

Just being on Facebook doesn’t bring you more clients – engaging and building relationships with your social community over time definitely will!

I can’t emphasize enough that now, more than ever, your website MUST have an irresistible FREE offer (in addition to your regular eNewsletter or eZine) to get prospects to sign up for your email list. With ever-crowded inboxes, people are more and more hesitant to give out their email address if there isn’t a darn good reason or they are getting something they really want in return.

Your email list is GOLD in terms of online marketing and keeping in touch with your leads and prospects. Boring and bland offers no longer work! Here are some great ideas for getting people to opt-in to your email list.

1. Clearly state what the offer is and the benefits in your description.
2. Craft a compelling and enticing title.
3. Get in the minds of your prospect to ensure the offer is tempting enough for them to say, “Wow, this is too good to pass up!”
4. Your offer must be in addition to your regular eNewsletter or eZine. Your free eNewsletter or eZine alone is not enticing enough any more.
5. Video is so effective for building your “know, like and trust factor” these days! Consider adding a squeeze/landing page with video to your website (make sure it includes a way for people to enter your site without opting in just in case people choose not to, or they’ve already opted in to your list).
6. Add a graphic representation of your offer (for example a custom branded graphic of your bound free report or CD).
7. Don’t forget to add your free offer and a link to sign-up to your email signature, so everyone you email will what you are offering.

Still confused about what to offer? Here’s a simple example of possible free offers for a Massage Therapist:

• eReport “The 7 Horrible Mistakes People Make When They Look for a Massage Therapist”
• eBook “Guide to Getting the Most Out of Your ________________”
• 5-Part Email Course
• Audio MP3 or short video of “The 7 Horrible Mistakes People Make When They Look for a Massage Therapist”
• 20-30 minute phone consultation
• Free hand massage
• Free shoulder massage
• Free 30 minute session with purchase of 60 minute session
• Free gift (ex: Starbucks, Amazon, iTunes gift card, hand lotion, bath salts)

By now, most everyone has heard that Facebook is changing the look of all business and community “fan” Pages to match the Timeline format now being used on personal profiles.

If you’re still wondering if you need a business “fan” Page, the primary benefit it that Pages are the only feature inside Facebook that is fully indexed by Google. Of course, this means greater visibility and SEO benefit for your business.

I still recommend you use your personal profile for both personal family connections, people you know, and strategic professional networking. You do that by adjusting the privacy settings and making friend lists. Use the fan page as an extension of your brand, blog and Twitter presence.

To make the most of your Page, here are a few tips:

1. Get a custom cover image. The large image at the top of your Facebook Page is prime real estate to promote your brand. You can feature a captivating image that represents your brand. The image size is now a very large 850 x 355 pixels so you have ample room to make a powerful brand impact. Just be careful to follow Facebook’s rather strict guidelines on what you can and cannot include in this image.

For example, overly promotional wording within this space, like your business phone number and email for example, will get you into hot water with Facebook. Visit www.facebook.com/about/pages for specific rules.

2. Get a vanity URL for your page. If you haven’t already done so, visit www.facebook.com/username to claim a customized page name so your Fan Page URL includes your business name (ex: www.facebook.com/getknowngetclients). Your business will look more professional and it’s easier to refer people to your page.

3. Designate a page admin. Be sure someone in your business monitors your fan page daily. Tasks like monitoring discussions, posing questions, linking to your blog, uploading vides, adding events, responding to posts and questions from your fans can be easily delegated to an assistant, virtual assistant or social media manager to keep track of. You must be responsive to your fans or you risk losing them.

4. Maximize interaction with rich, information-laden content.  You want to keep content on the fan page almost all business-related, but make it interesting enough to keep people coming back for more. For example, post links to your blog articles, add discussion topics weekly to keep fans engaged. Answer most frequently asked questions and even post cool videos of you answering the questions on camera!

Most importantly, do something! The new Facebook Timeline format for pages becomes mandatory on March 31, 2012 whether you like it or not. Make the most of the new space – especially that cover image!

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been deeply disturbed and shocked by the recent media and political assault against women (in particular Rush Limbaugh’s recent idiotic rant against Sandra Fluke and conservative political rhetoric regarding women’s issues). It’s like women’s rights are being pushed back 40 years and frankly it’s a little scary. The recent media assault only adds to our own self-doubt and self-criticism, which in fact may be the bigger thing that holds us back from our own greatness.

The fact is many of us still have a really hard time promoting ourselves without feeling as if we are bragging. Why is this? As girls, were never taught how to boast about ourselves. We play in a cooperative manner and are more concerned with inclusion, relationships and how everyone in a group is getting along rather than about winning or losing. While this is an incredibly valuable skill and women are known to be better relationship builders, we often do ourselves a disservice when trying to compete in a world where both sexes are competing.

Note that women are starting businesses at twice the rate of men, yet no more than 10% ever hit the $1 million mark. I believe big part of the reason for these statistics is that many women simply lack the confidence to ask for what they need. Ladies, the first step to confidence building is as simple as learning to like yourself.

Jennifer Read Hawthorne, co-author of Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul, believes that learning to like and even love oneself is a lifelong process. “You can surround yourself with competent leaders, but you can never really compensate for low self-esteem. Sooner or later, you will be discovered.” Hawthorne recommends several tactics for boosting self-esteem:

1. MAKE SURE YOUR BUSINESS IS YOUR PASSION. Your low self-esteem could be tied to not following your heart.

2. ASSOCIATE WITH PEOPLE WHO SEEM GENUINELY HAPPY. Happy people are usually at peace with themselves.

3. ASK FOR HELP. Don’t try to work on your issues alone.

I agree it’s important for women to pursue their passions and also believe women need to manage their expectations. The perspective that “only perfection is good enough” limits our advancement in both business and life. Once we accept that perfection is not the norm, we can have the freedom to take risks, make mistakes, and pursue our dreams. Learning to take “imperfect action” will propel our businesses forward.

What do you think?