Archives for August 2012

Two Most Important Launch Dates

August 31, 2012 Launching by Kelly Leave a Comment

When you’re in a launch it’s easy to get overwhelmed by how much there is to do and often I talk with entrepreneurs who say that they will keep their cart open “as long as it takes.” Learning how to launch involves knowing when you should start a launch but also when to end the launch and in this video I share how you can determine 2 of the most important launch dates for your business.

Watch the video below to check out my new reusable Launch Calendar that I’m utilizing when creating launch sequences and plans for my clients as I show you the two most important dates for your launch!

Launch Dates Recap

Your launch start date is often determined by the best time of the year and week to announce a new offer and should be added to your launch calendar once you know what other things need to be done. If you choose a launch start date next week then you’ll likely be overwhelmed and quit before you start.

Equally important is your launch end date to give a deadline for buyers and to close out your launch. Putting the end date on your launch calendar can help you design your marketing messages for the launch.

Create a Plan Before You Launch

Using a calendar like mine allows you to move around the dates easily when you’re in the planning stage. If you don’t have a white board or idea paint on your wall try creating a calendar on a sheet of paper and then marking your dates using Post-It notes to denote the events that happen in your launch.

While this video introduces 2 dates, you’ll also want to include others such as:

early notification of the launch
pre-launch content
early bird pricing available
bonuses expire
live calls/workshops/webinars for leads
dates for Q&A
when the program begins, service starts or product ships
last day to process orders
final day for refunds

I hope you enjoyed this video about launching – there’s more in our launch category here on the site including posts to decide what technology you need for your launch and setting a budget for your launch.

Before Your Next Conference

August 27, 2012 Personal Development by Kelly Leave a Comment

Y’all know that I’m a systems gal and one of the things that really tests my application of systems in my own life and business is going out of town. Because it’s really easy to have everything running smoothly when you have an entire office at your disposal but on the road it’s much harder.

So today I want to share how you can prepare for you next conference both physically and mentally.

Are You Physically Prepared?

For me this is the paramount question because once I know that the “things” are ready I can fully focus on engagement. I start with a specific packing list, whether for vacation, a conference, a workshop, wherever this trip is taking me. It’s pretty simple to start, just write down all the things you think you’ll need at this conference and when you get home review the list and add or subtract items.

A physical packing list will help you ensure you don’t show up without business cards, your cell phone charger or no dress shoes but just as important is making sure you show up ready.

Let’s face it, a conference is a germophobe’s nightmare. Lots of people from all around the country crammed into one space sharing the same creamer and bathrooms. The last thing you want is to be stuck in a hotel room sick or in such a daze that you don’t engage with the conference teaching or networking opportunities.

Take Care of Yourself

In the weeks before the conference focus on self care. Wash your hands thoroughly (especially when traveling), take your vitamins and eat well, exercise in the days leading up to an event and stay hydrated with lots of water. It’s temping to pile on the stress before leaving for an event, thinking that you have to prove something or complete all open projects. But staying up to all hours of the night using coffee to stay awake while you push to finish another project will leave you drained and exhausted when it’s conference time.

Rest plays a huge part in both your physical and mental preparedness so make sure you’re sleeping well and taking time to adjust to a new time zone if you’re traveling far.

While most people appreciate the physical prep for an event or conference, most will neglect the emotional and mental preparation. It’s easy to do because the external is what we show to the world but the internal work, that’s what will transform our lives and businesses.

Set Intentions, Not Expectations

It’s easy to say “I’m going to get 3 new clients” or “I’ll pass out 1,000 business cards!” when it comes to setting goals but it’s also very tempting to get overly enthusiastic and then discouraged when reality happens. Instead of making expectations of yourself or the event, set intentions. Here’s the difference:

Expectation: I’m going to get 3 new clients this weekend who’ll pay me $10,000 each and then refer me to 5 new clients!
Intention: I will remain present and engaged with the people I meet to discover if they’re my ideal client and if I’m their ideal coach.

Another example:

Expectation: I’ll have a huge breakthrough and cry at the microphone and get sudden clarity on my business vision.
Intention: By taking in the content, staying open to the wisdom of other attendees and engaging in the work I will discover new clarity.

I prefer intentions because it looks inward, what will I do, instead of focusing outward with expectations.

Once you set your goals, the hard part begins. There are typically so many distractions between the travel, sponsors, the content, meals, friends, colleagues, networking, partying, hotels and more that it’s easy to let an event go past without engaging in the actual work.

So here are a few additional tips on staying present and accounting for your focus during an event.

It’s okay to break the rules and not do every assignment if you’re exhausted and need rest. Or go to lunch with friends who know your business instead of strangers who can’t remember your name. It’s okay to network in the hot tub or spend the evening watching television alone. The conference coordinators are giving their suggestions that will work for most people so reflect on what you need in the moment and accept if it derives from the advice given.

If you’re at an event where you know few people set a small goal to meet 5-10 new people each day to share something you’re learning. By focusing on what the event is teaching you, you’ll have relevant and fresh topics of conversation.

However, if you’re attending a conference surrounded by familiar friends and colleagues be sure to guard your energy. Instead of checking in with everyone to find out what they’re learning, what support they need, if they’re filling out their workbooks, give all your attention to your business and personal development. Remember that you’re not attending as conference support, you’ve paid and traveled for your own edification.

It’s okay to let people know that you can’t coach them, or support them throughout a multi-day event because you’re focusing on your own transformation and education because the purpose of such attention and focus is so you can become a better professional and that ensures long term support for your clients.

Finally, a mix of strategic planning and mental preparation in this final tip: Set aside at least one entire day when you return to sort through your notes, reach out to new contacts and reflect on what you’ll be implementing in your business from the conference. It’s very easy to jump right back into your day to day business but setting this time aside will help you solidify the intention to grow during the event. You’ll be looking for the things you want to explore in detail or implement so star or highlight them so when you review they’ll stand out to you.

August Guest Posts

August 24, 2012 Resources by Kelly Leave a Comment

This week I was honored to have two guest posts go live and wanted to share them with you!

On Monday I was posting over on lkrsocialmedia for Laura Roeder writing about 3 Ways to Hire Support For Your Business (even if you’re just starting out).

You can read the full article here.

And on Friday, I guest video blogged at Video for Shy People for Bianca Filoteo about How to Incorporate Videos to Your Day!

If you haven’t checked out Bianca’s 30 day video challenge yet it’s not too late to join!

Not Launching? Stop Acting Stingy, Selfish or Scared

August 20, 2012 Launching by Kelly Leave a Comment

Recently I shared a video where I showed my utter frustration with seeing so many talented entrepreneurs who are trained, brilliant and filled with passion for their fields but who are not sharing those gifts with the world.

I have seen and experienced just how frustrating it can be – coaches and mentors say that you need the right brand and business plan, a fully optimized website, business cards, social media plan, landing pages, custom shopping cart, professional video studio… and the list goes on.

While I recognize that each of these components makes up the bigger picture of a successful business, I kindly call bullshit. I’m sure you’ve seen the infographic claiming the internet is made up of “marketers selling marketers” and for the most part it’s true!

But I ask : do you really need all that extraneous stuff to announce and sell your offers?

Especially if you’re just getting started, your ideal clients don’t always care that your business cards match your logo and your Twitter page background. They just care about how you’re going to help them reach their goals.

So if you’re not getting out there by launching in a big way there are three common reasons:

1. You’re scared and can’t get past the fear to launch.

Many people assume that a fear of failure is paramount but I also see a deep fear of success as brilliantly identified in this quote from Marianne Williamson:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

No matter what the fear may be, if it’s keeping you from moving forward with decisive action and you need a little push.

2. You’re selfish and want to be the student for as long as possible.

I believe in lifelong learning but also wholeheartedly understand that the best way to learn is to put your knowledge to action and teach. It’s an incredibly intense process to put yourself out there and teach what you know, admit what you don’t and guide others to success.

It’s much easier to play the part of the student, but once you get caught in that mode it’s very hard to break out – there’s always something new to learn and I’ve seen talented entrepreneurs avoid launching their businesses for years because they’re still “not ready.”

Understand that if knowledge exists on a scale of 1 to 100 and you place your knowledge level for a particular skill at 30 then there’s plenty of clients in the world with knowledge ranging from 0 to 29 who can learn from you. And the sooner you begin to teach and put your knowledge into practice the faster you’ll accelerate your own skill level.

3. You’re stingy and don’t want to put yourself out there and share.

Personally, I don’t think this is often the issue internally. Most of the entrepreneurs I know, whether healers or coaches, trainers or marketers, are driven by the desire to support others. So what does this apparent stinginess boil down to? I think it comes back to a common fear of being too braggy or showy as you’re sharing what you know.

But the problem is that you look stingy when you have so much expertise, skill and knowledge and you’re not sharing it with those who are struggling. Because the truth is there are thousands of people out there who are stuck – they may understand that something’s not working and might have and idea of the outcome they want but they’re absolutely lost figuring out how to get there. And you have the answer but you’re not sharing it.

No matter which of these reasons is holding you back, there is just one single solution: launch. As I shared on Friday, it’s time to get off your assets and make a big splash. To stop putting yourself through class after class and take some action.

So I challenge you to launch and don’t let selfishness, being scared or stinginess hold you back any longer.

What is a Launch and How Does Your Team Fit In?

August 16, 2012 Launching by Kelly Leave a Comment

Let’s start by the very basic understanding of a launch by asking a few questions. How do you know McDonald’s has a new menu item? Why do you know there’s a big Labor Day car sale at the dealership in town? How do you know that a marketing coach is promoting a new event?

It all comes down to the same reason: you know new offers are made when they are launched to the public. Otherwise it’s very unlikely you’ll just show up in the right city on the right date with the right amount of money for the conference you wanted to attend.

Launching is all part of the sales process, making your audience aware of the things you offer. When done correctly, launches build excitement, grow your leads list and fan base and can bring in thousands (or tens of thousands of dollars).

What does a launch look like?

A launch can be as simple or elaborate as you want – or I should say as needs to be to make your sales goals. Typically with higher priced products and services and more detailed launch may be necessary but if you have an audience who is regularly buying and primed for the next service then the process may be shorter.

Launches typically include an announcement, emails, a sales page, an online ordering page, possibly a free call or preview event, and a deadline. Now all of these are variable and can be done many ways but the most important one for this topic is the announcement.

Here’s the problem… most people never announce when something new is available (and I’ve been guilty of this as well when business is full and time is pressed!). Unless your audience is psychic you’re not going to have the awareness of your programs or the sales you envision until you tell them. How else would you know if the price is right, the offer is compelling and your audience is ready if you don’t ask?

I see far too many entrepreneurs giving up on offers that were never properly promoted! A launch is a way to put your offer out there, make sales and tweak the process. This time you launched on a Wednesday, next time try Monday. Maybe your launch had one price point, next time offer two. This launch may have been basic, no frills or extras, so next launch add bonuses to encourage fast sign ups.

It all seems like a lot of work, doesn’t it? Then get your team involved so they can support you and earn their keep!

Here’s a brief list of the ways your team can support your launch:

1. handle the things you normally do so you can focus on the launch
2. answer customer service inquiries
3. write copy for websites, email or your teleclass
4. track the metrics of traffic, buyers and attention
5. handle the affiliates who are supporting your launch

If you don’t have a team or even a VA who can help keep you sane check out the free video series 5 Days to Finding Fabulous Help for Your Online Business on this page. It’ll give you my hiring system for getting the help you need and can afford for your business.

How do You Make Your Clients Feel Special?

August 9, 2012 Customer Service by Kelly Leave a Comment

Watch this short video about 2 gifts I received in the last week and read below for gift #3!

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Surprisingly, the same week that these two gifts arrived I received yet another from EzineArticles.com as a thanks for being an expert author – a package including a new mug, coaster and coffee.

How are you showing your clients that they’re special to you?

What is Your Business Reboundability?

August 6, 2012 Personal Development by Kelly Leave a Comment

If you’ve been watching the Olympics from London this summer you probably know the story of Russian gymnast Ksenia Afanasyeva who fell on her face during her floor routine. During the difficult routine you could hear the thud when this strong competitor hit the floor which is not cushioned to enable falls.

What impressed me the most was that Ksenia as a competitor had trained and practiced and perfected the routine to the best of her ability. But when the time came and she misstepped, Ksenia picked herself back up and continued on. There wasn’t any time to wallow or whine or be concerned with how the judges were perceiving such a fall. She simply got right back to work.

Which leads me to the question, are you and your business rebounding from missteps?

We all like to think that we cannot fail, but as the Olympics prove every few years, the best in the world still fall, trip or miss on occasion. What matters when we do misstep is how we keep on going. Preparation is key, of course, but even the best concerts have sound issues and the best cameras sometimes fail.

I’d go so far as to say that we, as a culture, like to see people trip on occasion. It’s part of the reason gossip magazines are so popular – we love to see how the mighty have fallen and know that the lives of the rich and famous are not so perfect after all. How you react, on a scale of grace under pressure to John McEnroe, will reveal more about your character than a perfect performance.

It’s tempting to wallow, especially when the frustration is so great you’d just like to acknowledge that this sucks. But if you have fallen down and stay down it becomes increasingly difficult to get perspective on the finish line. Which is why when an athlete falls but picks right back up and keeps on with a smile the crowd cheers. Because we all know how hard it is to keep going. You’ll never reach the finish line if you sit down and cry – even when that’s all you want to do.

Here are some tips to help you get back up:

Keep your perspective by remembering that your teleclass, event, launch, video, presentation, or other business opportunity is not as big as the Olympics. Millions of people are not watching you and there is not a panel of judges noting every movement in your body. Sure the stakes are high but they’re not insurmountable. You can do this.

Build it into your story. No one likes a liar or someone who pretends to be perfect despite evidence to the contrary. So share your success and failures and use it to grow your credibility having ‘been there and survived that.’

Focus on getting back up, not the fall. If there’s anything people like more than the fall it’s the story of redemption. It may be easy to think that everyone in the world is thinking of your fall, but take a lesson from the Olympians and let them see your dedication and strong finish. While you make a commitment to always put your best foot forward, take the missteps into your story and grow along the way.

As the Olympics come to a close what has been your favorite story of a stumble or success?