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Bringing In the Experts: Saving Time and Money, and Reaching Goals Faster

admin Posted in Working for Success Comments Off on Bringing In the Experts: Saving Time and Money, and Reaching Goals Faster



Because many women business owners are solopreneurs, they often learn the ins and outs of business ownership on their own. They may not recognize what is possible for themselves or for their businesses because they haven’t had the experience or exposure. The good news is that it is possible for these female entrepreneurs to become successful with ease – by receiving support from experts and from people in the community.

Combining community and expert support is a powerful way for a female entrepreneur to become successful with (relative) ease. Community support is support from people who care about the woman business owner and want her to succeed because she is special to them. Expert support is support from people who are competent and capable in the areas where a business owner needs help. In each type of relationship, it is essential that the business owner trust the person in the support role.

Support – in either form – provides a female entrepreneur with:

  • More time and less frustration. A woman business owner who goes straight to a trusted expert can learn how to do something the right way, immediately. Businesswomen may consider working with experts or a support network in both their personal life (i.e. a personal trainer or nutritionist) and their business life (i.e. an accountant or banker), so they can create a work-life balance that runs smoothly. Also, a female entrepreneur may confide in a mentor who has achieved the kind of work and life success she looks forward to achieving – someone who sees potential in the female entrepreneur to do the same. A business owner looking for a mentor or role model should take care to ensure that her values align with those of her prospective mentor or role model. For example, both people should have similar goals for their business, whether it is high revenue or quality of life, or both
  • Inspiration. Experts can inspire a female entrepreneur in their area of expertise. Community support networks can inspire female entrepreneurs with emotional support during those times when a business owner is struggling or discouraged.
  • Resources. At some point, every female entrepreneur will need resources, from a Virtual Assistant to an accountant she can trust. Members of her support network can provide her with important connections, saving her time and lowering her risk.
  • Opportunity. Whether it’s in the form of leads and referrals or a formalized joint venture partnership, members of a businesswoman’s support network can provide her with opportunities to grow her business.
  • Celebration. When a hardworking female entrepreneur reaches her goals and experiences the successes she aims for, celebrating is all the more joyous with likeminded people who know exactly what she’s been through.

For a woman business owner, “solopreneur” doesn’t have to mean going it alone. Finding support in the form of experts or community members dedicated to her success can pave the way for a smooth journey to success exactly as she defines it.

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Michele DeKinder-Smith, is the founder and CEO of Linkage Research, Inc, a marketing research firm with Fortune 500 clients such as Starbucks, Frito Lay, Tropicana, Texas Instruments, Hoover Vacuums and Verizon Wireless. She parlayed this entrepreneurial knowledge and experience into founding Jane Out of the Box, a company that provides female entrepreneurs like YOU with powerful resources, such as educational blogs, teleclasses, newsletters, and books. Take your Jane assessment to determine your own business type at www.janeoutofthebox.com Also, she is the author of two successful books for female entrepreneurs, “See Jane Succeed” (at www.seejanesucceed.com) and “See Jane Collaborate” (at www.seejanecollaborate.com).

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Ten Ways to Market Yourself in 2011

admin Posted in Working for Success Comments Off on Ten Ways to Market Yourself in 2011


Here we are in the first month of a new year. This is one of those years where many professionals are feeling more optimistic than they were at this time 12 months ago.
That’s refreshing. It’s a much better feeling than we had at the beginning of 2010. But while the stock market has been rising, tax cuts have been extended and business is picking up, these are far from ideal times. High unemployment persists, and the economy still has a cautious, uncertain feeling to it.
Today’s business environment remains somewhat perilous, but at the same time, there are great prospects for those who play their cards right. That’s why it is so important for you to build your personal brand and create opportunities.
Whether you want more/bigger clients or a better career opportunity, make a commitment to market yourself in 2011. To get you started, here are 10 items to consider:
Live actively and focus externally – Be active and involved outside your home or office. Show up at networking events. Go out of your way to talk to people when you are in public venues. Remember that 75% of all jobs are never advertised and a similar percentage of big clients only come from relationship-building.
Determine what is most interesting – You need an “area of self-marketing expertise,” something about your business or career that is fascinating to people outside your profession. Focus on this when you are networking or using social media.
Focus on results when networking – When you go to networking events, go in with a goal in mind. Sure, you should try to enjoy your conversations, but make it a mission to find a good lead or a golden opportunity.
Exploit social media – Don’t just have a presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. Make sure you post material that is interesting and not just inane personal stuff. Use social media to strengthen your reputation by building on your area of self-marketing expertise.
Make people feel important – When you are talking to someone, make him or her feel like the only person in the world who matters to you at that moment. This will help you develop advocates, people you can count on when you need help.
Build your “Google trail” – Rest assured, that people are Googling you on a regular basis. A prospective client will probably Google you to know who he or she is dealing with before meeting with you. That’s why a Google trail is so important. If nothing or very little pops up when someone Google’s you, there’s a problem – they’ll assume you don’t have much going on. Therefore, Google your own name on a regular basis. If you’re not very visible on line, deliberately get your name out there to build an Internet presence.
Ask probing questions – Don’t just chit-chat and make small talk during networking conversations. Ask some questions designed to uncover the critical information that leads to new opportunities.
Refresh your elevator speech – Does your 20-second intro speech need updating? You need to be able to say what you do quickly, clearly and in a way that captures a person’s interest.
Listen to your clients and colleagues – When we get too busy, it’s easy to start making assumptions. Those assumptions can cause you to lose opportunities. Instead, ask the important questions and truly listen to the responses. Don’t just go through the motions. Let the other person’s words sink in and make an impression on your brain.
Never let up – When things are good, don’t let complacency stop you from perpetually marketing yourself. When things are going poorly, don’t let discouragement be an excuse for apathy.
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Jeff Beals is an award-winning author, who helps professionals do more business and have a greater impact on the world through effective sales, marketing and personal branding techniques.  As a professional speaker, he delivers energetic and humorous keynote speeches and workshops to audiences worldwide.   You can learn more and follow his “Business Motivation Blog” at www.JeffBeals.com.


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What Does Your Customer Really Value?

admin Posted in Working for Success Comments Off on What Does Your Customer Really Value?



Sell to the customer’s value expectations, not to your value propositions.

We’ve all heard the rule of listening to what the customer has to say, and there’s not a salesperson who thinks they don’t listen to the customer.  Reality, however, is quite the opposite.  I find time after time when I’m working with salespeople across any number of industries that the failure to listen is a huge issue.
Too many salespeople believe because they know the products they represent much better than the client, they know exactly what the customer will see as real value.  Yes, you as the agent are going to have a general indication of what a typical customer wants. However, when it comes to interacting with a specific customer, you can’t rely on a “general indication” of value.

The only way you are going to know what a customer will place value in is by asking them and getting them to tell you what they’re looking for. Sounds simple enough, and yet so many salespeople don’t do it.

If you don’t believe what I am saying, then let me share about the situation my wife found herself in while buying a car.  The car she was looking at was an SUV with all the amenities of what people expect when looking for an SUV (4-wheel drive, ability to handle rugged winter driving, etc).  The salesperson continued to press my wife on the value of these features of the SUV. The problem was that my wife wasn’t particularly interested in those features.  Yes, we wanted an SUV, but my wife — the primary driver of the vehicle — was looking for an amazing sound system and heated, comfortable seats.

I can’t tell you the number of salespeople who lost the sale because they failed to understand what my wife’s value expectations were with regard to the car.  We could easily have been sold on an SUV other than the one we bought, had the salesperson listened and put aside their pre-conceived notions of what a “typical buyer” of an SUV might be most interested in.

I share this example so that you can see that it’s not just about “understanding” this dynamic; it’s about learning from it and changing how you interact with customers.  The learning is simple: Listen to what the customer is saying. They will tell you what their needs are when you ask them the right questions.  This means not only do you need to ask the right questions, but you also need to hear what the customer is telling you and then ask them a follow-up question on what they just told you.  Asking the follow-up question is key, because the vast majority of time, the customer will share with you much better insights when you show interest and involvement in what they’re telling you.

Once a person feels the other person is truly listening, it’s only natural for the quality of the conversation to become more real and engaging.   By asking the follow-up questions, the salesperson will learn what the customer’s value expectations are. The salesperson can then finally work to close the sale to the customer’s expectations. When that happens, they will do more than just close the sale. There is a significant likelihood the sale will be closed at a higher profit, because the customer sees more value in what they’re buying.

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Mark Hunter, “The Sales Hunter,” is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability.  For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com. You can also follow him on www.Twitter.com (TheSalesHunter), on www.LinkedIn.com (Mark Hunter), and on his Facebook Fan Page, www.facebook.com/TheSalesHunter.


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