PUSH That EJECT Button!
By · CommentsDo you ever get that antsy feeling – like you’re on the verge of something big and you want to switch things up and shake loose anything that isn’t working for you?
I was feeling that way just recently.
Thanks to Joanne Russell for the image
I had my finger on the eject button and was ready to cast off a few things that weren’t rocking my business world……BUT…I was noticing a slight hesitation to PUSH that EJECT button because I was worried about what people might think.
I was afraid that people would think I was flaky or unreliable, and they would be mad at me for changing up the things that they were used to.
Have you ever been there- afraid to ditch the stuff that isn’t working for you because you’re afraid someone won’t like it or think poorly of you?
I had to laugh at myself when I sat down and looked at my hesitation and I realized what was going on!
I’ll be the first one to tell you that what other people think about you is none of your business- you can’t control their thoughts. When I waste my time worrying about what other people think, I am not honoring what feels right to me. If I continue to offer programs that don’t feel right to me, just because I’m afraid that someone else won’t like it, I’m not acting from a place of alignment.
Doing things that don’t feel right is no way to run your business, or you life!
But we still do it way too often.
Where are you doing things in your business now that don’t feel right?
Maybe it’s the way you communicate with your list, or the programs that you offer, or the way you work with people?
I’m committed to flying my freak flag and creating from a place of alignment, and that means NOT doing things that don’t feel right to me. If that means hitting the ejector button every now and then so be it!
Eject Away!!!!
I took a good hard look at my business and realized that there were a number of things I was doing that didn’t feel right to me.
I was creating group programs because I was told that it was the way to make money- but for me it didn’t feel right- so I ejected it! Now I’m having fun getting up close and personal with you during Unfurl Your Freak Flag Sessions!
I also decided that I didn’t like the formality of the fancy e-zine template that I had. I’d wanted to ditch it for a while but felt attached because I had spent a good chunk of money on it; so I might as well use it. But every time I thought about writing my e-zine and coming up with all the content I felt pressured and unwilling. So I ejected it! Now I write love notes and whisper sweet nothings in my peoples ears.
The last thing I ejected was a private online community that wasn’t working for me. I created it because I thought it was a good idea and everyone else was doing it, then I realized I wasn’t a group site kind of girl. I’ve always drifted away from every group site I’ve been a member of and gone off in pursuit of something new and shiny. Now I embrace who I am and have set myself free to flit about as I like.
I’m now creating my business form a place of alignment and it feels good!
What about you?
What are you ready to eject?
I’d love to read your thoughts in the comments below.
4 Fool Proof Ways to Make Your Marketing FUN
By · CommentsToday’s guest blogger is Cheryl Heppard
Do you sometimes feel like your marketing isn’t FUN? If you aren’t excited, inspired and energized by your marketing plan, imagine how your readers, website visitors, and clients might feel? What kind of marketing do you personally feel drawn to? What types of social media posts do you enjoy the most? If you’re like me, anything that is witty, creative, imaginative and just plain FUN is what makes me sit up and take notice, and even click the “like” and “share” buttons!
If your marketing feels too serious, businesslike and boringggggg, here are some strategies you can use to make your marketing a lot more interesting and memorable.
1. Don’t be BOSSY
When writing your blog posts, newsletters, blog posts, articles and any other narrative types of marketing, stay off the soapbox. Avoid positioning yourself as the example to be followed, the worthy mentor, and the pillar of strength. Preachy pieces of advice are rarely received well, it can be perceived as overbearing or condescending. Use personal stories and case studies whenever possible, stories are interesting and memorable. Try to write clearly and use a light, undemanding tone. Keep in mind that presenting an image that is too “perfect” can have the opposite intended result. Be real, just be YOU!
2. Be HUMOROUS
Humor is a universal language, which means that by using your sense of humor, you can influence the way people see things and the way they view YOU and your business. Whenever possible, try to include humor into your writing and marketing. Be FUN and write with enthusiasm. If you’re bored, it will be reflected in your promotions. Don’t be afraid to make people laugh because people are drawn to things that make them happy. (The ridiculous Halloween videos I created last week got more responses and comments than ANY other videos I’ve ever created! And guess what? They were the most fun I’ve ever had creating videos too! Our crazy caricature card got a lot of rave reviews as well)
3. Less is MORE
Some of the most loved and well-known writers used simple, easy to read language. Anne Rice, Stephen King, Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck,(my FAV) Paulo Coelho and Isabel Allende are the kind of writers that did not require their readers to read with a dictionary next to them. As a result, their readers found it easier to understand and appreciate their work.
To keep the mood of your copywriting upbeat and fun, don’t try to exert too much effort to impress your readers. They want to be entertained and to be informed, not bewildered or confused. Don’t make it too hard for them. If they have to work at, they simply won’t.
4. Don’t try to please everyone.
There is no way your writing and marketing will resonate with everyone. Even the best and most talented writers haven’t been able to do that. This is why writers have target audiences or niches, and so should businesses. Can you imagine if scary Stephen King wrote a romance novel? Of course not.
To keep your marketing upbeat and fun, be yourself, take a stand, use stories and case studies. Out yourself when necessary, show that you’re human and have your own struggles, troubles and mishaps. This is what people relate to and appreciate most.
What types of marketing do you find is fun and memorable? If you have any comments or tips of your own to share, I’d LOVE to hear them if you have the time to leave me a comment below.
Cheryl is founder of CherylHeppard.com, a company dedicated to teaching health and wellness entrepreneurs all around the world learn how to utilize proven internet marketing and strategies to attract loyal subscribers, sign more clients, and produce more revenue, freedom and fun in their business, all while sharing their talents, gifts and message in a much bigger way.
After applying Cheryl’s proven online marketing methods, her clients typically experience a significant increase in traffic, subscribers, clients, media exposure, and income.
To get Cheryl’s popular, free “Website Wellness Guide” as well as her weekly tips and ezine on marketing and client attraction for entrepreneurs, visit CherylHeppard.com.
Viva La Revolution (Part 2)
By · Comments
As promised, I am back with part 2 of – Viva La Revolution- how to identify your Revolution.
It’s all about showing up fully, differentiating yourself, and giving people a compelling reason to hire you so you can stop settling and make some real money doing what you love.
I left you thinking about your point of view.
In case you forgot- Your point of view is your unique perspective. It’s what you know to be true and feel passionate about. It’s the thing that drives you and the wisdom that you live by. It’s also what makes you special and unique.
It’s important to take the time to identify your point of view and be conscious of it because doing so helps you stay true to you, and sends out a powerful signal that attracts other people who resonate with it into your experience. They will quickly become your friends and allies.
Your Revolution
Once you have your point of view down, it’s time to move onto your Revolution.
Your Revolution springs out of your point of view and is based on what drives you crazy, what you see as missing, and where you constantly want to take action to change things. In most cases, this is what got you into the business that you are in. It’s the WHY and the driving force behind what you do.
Don’t be afraid to claim it!!!
I want to throw out there that your Revolution is about you taking a stand for what you believe in. Don’t be afraid to take a stand for the change you really want to see and raise up your flag. It doesn’t need to be popular or politically correct. It can go against what other people are doing and saying.
Matter of fact…it’s better to be bold! That is what a revolution is all about…shaking things up and saying “This can be different and I’m going to show you how”.
Your revolution is that thing that you can’t stop talking about! It will compel you to write a book and launch a website because you are passionate about it! You want to show other people how to avoid falling into this trap!
Your Revolution is a rallying point for people. They will get behind you and want to be part of it.
My revolution –
My revolution springs from being upset that so many talented musicians, coaches, and healers feel they have to give up their dreams, conform and settle for soul-sucking jobs in order to make money. If they do choose to do what they love, they think they have to conform to the standard way of doing things or settle for not making any money and barely getting by.
It breaks my heart because I know that they CAN make money doing what they love and being themselves; if they would just go for it and believe that it can happen and trust that there are plenty of people out there who will buy what they are offering.
My revolution is: Making money doing what you love while being 100% you in your full freaky glory! No settling or conforming!
I want you to pursue what interests you, do your own thing and own that special something –something that only you can share with the world. The goal is to be excited about what you’re doing and loving what you offer.
Love it! Own it! And fly that freak flag high and proud!
Is this a revolution that you want to be part of?
It’s your turn- What’s your revolution all about?
Remember-your revolution is personal. Think about what your journey in life has been about, what you have to learn and what you feel compelled to share. Who cares if 100 people are already talking about the similar thing! No one can do it like you.
Unfurl your freak flag!
Share what you come up with in the comments below.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you need any help figuring out your revolution-sign up for an Unfurl Your Freak Flag Session!
Unfurl Your Freak Flag Sessions are 90 minutes of you and me time on the phone talking about all the ways you can make more money by bringing all of you into your biz. We’ll talk about your revolution, eliminating competition, standing out and shining, and rallying up the folks who are excited about giving you money. When we are done, you will have some clear strategies for unfurling your freak flag and flying it high and proud so you can make some real money!!! Contact me here to lean more-
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Viva la Revolution! (Part 1)
By · Comments
If you want to make money, you need to differentiate yourself from all the other people offering similar services. It doesn’t matter if you are a musician, healer or life transformation expert; you need to give people a compelling reason to hire YOU.
The question is- How do you go about doing that?
I’m going to say right up front this is not about the nuts and bolts of what you do and how you do it. There are plenty of coaches, musicians and healers out there, and everyone has different tools in their tool box. People don’t hire you because of how you do what you do. They hire you because they resonate with your message and what you stand for. They want to participate in the revolution that you are leading!
Claim Your Revolution!!!
When you are creating your own business it is all about you and what you bring into your biz. It’s your vision, skills, personality and perspective that you are selling. If you’re a freak like me-blindly following some guru’s blueprint for success won’t work .
Embracing who you are and what you stand for will get you much farther and it will feel way better. This is what flying your freak flag is all about!
I bet your thinking- Who me? Lead a revolution? Am I even qualified to do that?
Oh yes you are! I bet you already have one in mind, you just don’t know it yet, or you’ve been afraid to claim it.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve coached someone to reveal their revolution, but they back away from it already convinced that they can’t do it or no-body wants it.
Once they embrace it; things start shifting and new opportunities appear. Like the musician I worked with who wanted to be the Soul Drummer and lead the revolution of music as a spiritual practice. He embraced it and within a few weeks the money started rolling in. He landed a new steady gig with an awesome church band and attracted other musicians who feel the same way that he now collaborates with.
Discovering your Revolution
Let’s start with identifying your unique perspective.
We all have a unique perspective and way of seeing the world; let’s call it your point of view. Your point of view is what you know to be true and feel passionate about. It’s the thing that drives you and the wisdom that you live by. It’s also what makes you special and unique. It’s always there whether you recognize it or not.
Take the time to identify your point of view and be conscious of it. Doing so helps you stay true to you, and sends out a powerful signal that attracts other people who resonate with it into your experience. They will quickly become your friends and allies.
Here is my point of view- I am here to be fully self-expressed and create my life anyway I want too and you are too! We are both here to fly our freak flags high and proud and do the things that feel totally kick-ass to us. I’m responsible for all my OWN outcomes and happiness…just like you. When we take 100% responsibility for our own lives and do what feels best to us; our lives will be totally kick-ass and we will be tapped into our ever abundant flow.
What’s your point of view?
This piece can be tricky because it requires you to take a stand and have a strong opinion.
How does that feel to you?
I see so many entrepreneurs who are hesitant to take a stand! Is this you too?
You don’t want to offend anyone or miss out on potential clients who don’t have the same point of view, so you water down your message and get wishy-washy with your opinions and become a jack-of-all-things. This back fires because then people get confused about what you do so they don’t buy from you, or you end up doing a bunch of work you don’t want to do.
You want to have an opinion and to take a stand for what you believe in- in your life and your biz! There is nothing worse than someone who is whishy-washy and doesn’t take a stand for anything. It’s hard to trust them or know who they are.
People buy from people they resonate with!
Ok…I know this is getting a bit long….in the next few days I’ll post you- Viva La Revolution Part 2- where I talk about how to come up with your specific revolution.
For now – spend some time identifying your point of view and send me what you come up with in the comment section down below.
Running For My Life (plus a cool video)
By · CommentsThere is a really cool video called Dare-Change that has been kicking around the web for a while that brings me to tears every time I see it, because it reminds me of something from my child hood; a powerful event that made me the neighborhood hero for one summer and shaped the way I deal with fear and challenges to this day.
I’m curious how you deal with fear and challenge?
Do you step away from it- or as in my story below; run for your life- or do you take a stand and meet it head on?
Here’s my story of running for my life-
It was a beautiful summer afternoon in 1978.
I was 13 years old and I was setting out to do my paper route. Somehow I had managed to convince a bunch of the kids in my neighborhood to come with me. There were 8 of us laughing and screaming and having a grand old time.
At the beginning of my route, there was one long stretch of road that we considered to be the danger zone.
There was a scary house up a long driveway with a crazy old man living in it. He had a bunch of mean attack dogs penned up in the yard. They would bark and howl whenever I would walk by.
It was scary!! Our parents warned us to stay away from that house because there were all kinds of stories about the dogs attacking people!
As the gang of us approached the house, we quieted down our laughing and shouting and tried to sneak by unnoticed, but it didn’t work! The dogs started barking and howling, and next thing you know they were running down the long driveway after us!!
“Holy Shit!!!!”
We all looked at each other in panic and someone yelled RUN!!!!
All 8 of us took off in different directions.
I was running for my life!!
I sprinted down the road faster than I’d ever run before. I glanced back and saw a big German Shepard coming after me; barking and gaining fast! I was petrified! I knew that if that dog caught me I would be dead meat.
I was getting panicky; the vicious beast was right behind me! He was nipping at my heals.
Then something switched over inside of me. I was still scared but I knew that running was not the answer.
I need to take a stand!
I stopped dead in my tracks and spun around and screamed right in the dogs face- “Get away from me!!”
I remember the dog looking me right in the eye, with a surprised look on his face. I prepared to be attacked, but the dog turned tail and ran away!
WOW!!! I was still alive and not bleeding! Whoot-hoot!!
Can I tell you how powerful I felt!!
Within the next minute or so the owner of the dogs drove up and called them all home. The ordeal was over!
The rest of the kids emerged from their hiding paces one by one in awe of my bravery and power! I was the hero for the rest of that summer.
From then on I stood up to my fear and any challenges that came along. I learned take a stand and meet it head on.
This came in handy later on in life when I was a bouncer at a cool Boston nightclub, but that is a different story( ask me and I’ll tell you about it sometime).
Here’s the video-bet you can’t make it through without tearing up!
Did you get through without crying?
I’d love to hear YOUR stories of dealing with challenge and fear in the comments below.
