Month: May 2013

  • Finding Inspiration for Marketing, Products and Services

    Inspiration is very important to entrepreneurs.   It can provide motivation to get them through the tough times.  It can spark ideas for new products, services, or marketing efforts.  Or it can simply make an ordinary day a little brighter.

     

    Although we may not realize it at first glance, inspiration is all around us.  It can take many forms, and it can show itself in things that look like the exact opposite of inspiration.  By keeping our eyes open and looking at things in the most positive light possible, we can find all sorts of inspiration in everyday life.

     Baby Steps

    Kids

     

    Children are a wonderful source of inspiration.  Whether they are our own, a friend’s or a family member’s, kids never cease to amaze.  Small children are especially inspirational, because they have so much to learn and tend to keep at it until they get it right.

     

    For example, think about a child who is learning to walk.  It’s certainly not something that happens overnight.  First he gets up on his knees and crawls, and then when he’s mastered that he pulls himself up and stands.  Eventually he’s holding onto things and taking small steps, and before you know it he’s walking all over the place on his own.

     

    Kids go through many similar learning processes.  When they find something they want to do, they keep at it until they get it right.  If a child can be that motivated, so can an adult, right?

     

    Think about a new business.  Doesn’t it remind you of a young infant or child? It needs to grow and evolve and learn to stand on its own.

    Desert cacti Nature

     

    Nature is a beautiful place to look for inspiration.  There are tons of examples that entrepreneurs could follow from plants and wildlife.

     

    Beavers work together to build and repair dams.  Plants sometimes grow and flourish in places that we would never dream that they could.  I live in the desert and it amazes me how cacti grow in rocky areas.

     

    Birds search high and low until they’ve found everything they need to build nests for their babies.  These are just a few of the things in nature that can inspire us.

    Theater 

    Art and Entertainment

     

    Inspiration can often be found in art.  Just looking at the artistry and craftsmanship of our favorite pieces can be inspiring.  The attention to detail can inspire us to put the same amount of effort into the things we do for our business.

     

    The movies and television shows we watch and the music we listen to can provide inspiration.  Think of some of the media that you may have watched recently that left you moved, encouraged and motivated.

     

    These are just a sample of the things that we can look to when we need inspiration.  If we look at things in the right way, we can find inspiration all around us.  This inspiration can then be channeled into our business endeavors, giving us the fuel we need to succeed.

    At Strategize Your Success we help entrepreneurs, coaches and small business owners with online strategic goal setting, marketing and planning.  We know what struggles you face and offer solutions to help make your business THRIVE. Contact us today for a FREE 30 minute Discovery Session.
    https://strategizeyoursuccess.com

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  • 5 Ways Coaching Can Help You Succeed with Your Business Goals

    Business GrowthStarting and growing a business is hard work.  If you’ve never done it before, it can be confusing and overwhelming.  You may be in the business of your dreams, but frustrations can make it seem like you will never get off the ground.

     

    Ambition and motivation are two key factors in success.  But sometimes you need something more.  A coach can share knowledge and inspiration with you and help you find the things within yourself to help you succeed.  So let’s take a look at some ways that a business coach can help you to reach your goals:

     

    1. Coaches can help you gain an objective view of yourself.  Often we are the last people to realize our own strengths and weaknesses.  A coach can give you insight into which traits are standing between you and success, and which ones you need to concentrate on using to your advantage.

     

    Choose a direction
    PRESENTERMEDIA

    2. Coaches can help you discover how to work more efficiently.  When you have a million things to do and little or no help, it’s not unusual to become overwhelmed and not work as efficiently as you could.  Your coach can teach you how to sort out priorities and get your work done more quickly and with less stress.

     

    3. A coach can help you delegate and outsource effectively.  Sometimes you may be tempted to do it all yourself, but that’s often just plain impractical.  A coach can help you determine whether you should hire employees or outsource work.  She can also give you pointers on how to assign and keep track of work for optimum efficiency.

     

    4. A coach can share knowledge and connections that you might not otherwise have access to.  Coaches have experienced the ups and downs of business, and they’ve gained insights along the way that only come with that kind of experience.  This makes them uniquely qualified to help with a variety of problems.  And if they don’t know the answer, chances are they know someone who does.

     

    5. Having a coach can give you more confidence.  It’s comforting to have someone with knowledge and experience on your side, supporting you all the way.  This results in an increase in confidence can kick your motivation into overdrive and help you take your business to the next level.

     

    As an online marketing coach I have been through the stages of starting and running a business, and I know what elements you need to succeed online.  I offer advice and support that can help you achieve your business goals and assist you with the overwhelming choices that you face daily.  Visit here to get more information about working with me.

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  • How Can You Reach Your Target Market?

    Gambling Your TimeWhen people set about marketing their business, it can be a big gamble.  If you are putting up money, it can be scary to think that you might not get a good result.  And if you are using free marketing methods, then you are putting up a lot of your time.

     

    Either way, once your time or money has been spent, you cannot retrieve it.  To make the best use of time and money, it is important for any business owner to make sure they are delivering their message to the right target market.

     

    For instance, a business which sells high-end baby clothes is not likely to see a good result from advertising on a frugal mom website.  Yes, moms are in need of baby clothes, but a site catering to moms who are trying to save money isn’t the place for the ad of a business which sells $40 onesies.

     

    So how do you define your target market?  It’s your ideal audience.  These are the people who would be your best type of customer. If you have already generated clients in the past think about which ones worked out the best for your business. These are the ones that you had a connection with and looked forward to working with.

     

    There are also other ways to determine your target market.  One of these is to take a few minutes of quiet time and visualize exactly who is in need, or want, of your product or service.

     Targeting Your Market

    You can also do a search for competing and complementary products or services and take a look at their websites.  When you look at it, who do you feel they are marketing to?  Do you find a similar image to their target market and your own?

     

    Once a business owner begins to target their marketing efforts and has made sure their message is being sent to the right market, they will see a much better return on investment. Take the time and really hone in on who that is for you.

    There really is no sense in putting time and money into marketing if the message is being delivered to the wrong audience.  In fact, it is a big waste!

    At Strategize Your Success we help entrepreneurs, coaches and small business owners with online strategic goal setting, marketing and planning.  We know what struggles you face and offer solutions to help make your business THRIVE. Contact us today for a FREE 30 minute Discovery Session. 

     

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