Help Clients Discover Their Pathways To Business Success

Just the other day, while hosting my live talk radio show a listener called in to ask what does it take to lead a successful business. He asked a good question and I replied, an entrepreneur and or leader of a company must put themselves on a path to success and love the process and all it entails.

Entrepreneurs and business leader do what they do because they are passionate about the services and or products they provide their clients. Sometimes, business leaders get so caught up into the business,they forget to understand business is all about relationships with the leadership team, employees, customers and the community they serve.

In order to help business leaders discover their pathways to business success, they should consider the following:

1. Create a vision for the business.

2. Create an ideal business.

3. Define what success is for you and your business.

4. Empower others to breakthrough problems they encounter.

5. Business leaders must understand the importance of self motivation.

6. Honor values because they represent the core of ones being.

7. Visions are dynamic and continuously evolve.

8. Embrace challenges in order to learn and grow your business.

Let's start from the top, creating a vision for your business establishes the foundation that leads to success. In other words, you can't have an ideal business without having an ideal life which means light attracts light. If your personal life is in shambles, the likelihood of your business being successful is very remote. Harmony between one's personal and business life must exist in order for success to occur.

One creates an ideal business through the harmony that exist in one's personal and business life. In other words, work is play because of the passion a person has for their specific niche, be it real estate investing or leading a flower shop. Passion and purpose drives entrepreneurs and leads to an ideal business for the business leader who taps into their genius.

Success is different for everyone, thus it is simply a matter of what one considers success. For example, personal success may consist of being the best entrepreneur you can be. In other words, being a good business leader may very well be all of the success you want to achieve. On the other hand, business success could be defined as providing the best customer service to your clients over a sustained period of time and being in love with the process everyday.

Empowering others to breakthrough problems they may encounter, entails understanding every problem has a seed of greatness within it. We must understand problems are for our benefit, we grow and develop into better business leaders and employees in our efforts to deliver the best products and services to our market.

Business leaders must understand the importance of self-motivation, meaning they bring the combination of burning desire and positive expectations in all they do in support of the business. In other words, a made up mind is unstoppable.

When business leaders honor values, it means they are living an empowered life. We live, work and breath our values. Values represent the core of our being and it represents who we are.

Visions evolve as our values change and are grounded in time. Business leaders must craft a vision for success and consistently evaluate the new possibilities for their life and consider the legacy they are establishing for themselves and the business. Visions represent how we see ourselves, however it must include other people in order for it to assist in business success.

Embracing challenges is perhaps one of the keys to business success. Why? The bottom line is that we all have struggles and challenges and we must have the ability to grow from the challenging struggles we face in business.

Have you considered your pathways to business success and grow your business in any market? If you have not, consider working with a Certified Business Success Coach to help you get clear about growing your business in any market and realize the success other businesses are experiencing.

Putting Together a Business Plan Helps Manage Your Time and Business Success

Setting goals for your business is important. It gives you a plan and structure to work with to grow a successful business. A person may fail in business because they fail to plan, and they do not have a structure to work with.

When a business owner decides to open a brick and mortar store they know that it can be successful. When that business fails it's because they have the experience selling their product, but they fail to plan the success of their business.

When planning to open a brick and mortar store, the business owners action steps should be: to first find a good location where his target market lives, to talk to the rental agent who represents the property, write a business plan to secure financing for the store from a bank to cover the overhead, decide what products he wants to sell in the store, and secure contracts to purchase the products from the wholesaler. Once he secures a lease to rent the space, before he can open the doors he has to put out deposits for utilities, remodel the store, and finally hire and train staff, before advertising and opening the doors for customers.

Some business owners fail to plan out their strategy to build a successful business, that is why many fail. The biggest drawback to having a brick and mortar store is having the finances to cover the overhead before getting started. This is why it is important to sit down with a mentor who can help you strategize putting a plan in place to build a successful business.

No matter what business you are in, business owners also need to consider having a strategy for a presence on the Internet. This gives the business owner a storefront or website that is open 24/7. There are many people who buy online today. This gives the business owner an opportunity to establish multiple streams of income for his business. It gives the business owner an opportunity to earn income even when the doors are closed.

When the business owner puts together a strategy for building a successful business, and has a written business plan that lays out each action step they will take when putting the business together, they give themselves an opportunity to increase the success of the business in today's marketplace.

People will always buy what they need, therefore, a good business strategy is to decide what your niche is, where the holes are, and how you can fill it. A good example is when a chiropractor decides they can run their business home rather than an office. There are people who need chiropractic care but don't have transportation to get to the office. The chiropractor can work from home and visit those clients in their home to make the adjustments.

This is something that massage therapist have always done in the past to fill a niche. The idea here is to look at what you have a passion for and if there is a niche that you can fill for people who need your services or products, but can't get out of the home.

This is also why products used to be sold door-to-door. When you were able to go into the home and demonstrate the product, many times it led to a sale for the salesman. What seems to be an old strategy for business, can also work today, as a new strategy. At one time encyclopedias where door-to-door, before companies began selling them through telemarketing. Today, they can also be sold through a website on the Internet.

When the business owner is planning their strategy, they should break it down to its smallest action steps. This gives them the opportunity to set up multiple streams of income just selling one product. The problem is for many business owners they moved towards the new strategy of selling their products and forgot the old strategies that worked before. When the business owner combines all of these strategies together, they are putting together a plan for a successful business. Plan to succeed and succeed to plan!

Ms. Shensky is a professional speaker. writer, and coach. As a Career Coach she works with clients to help them find their passion and build it into a high paying career. As a Life Coach she works with clients discover their limiting beliefs the subconsciously put the brakes on and prevent them from reaching one's goals.

Two High Impact Steps to Transform Your Business

As a business growth strategist who works primarily with small and mid-sized businesses, one question I often hear from business owners is, "What's the quickest way to grow my business?"

There are multiple things business owners can do to inexpensively (and quite immediately) see an increase in gross revenue. Many options are merely a "band-aid" approach. But, a few strategic changes can truly transform a business from the inside-out. It's the kind of transformation that makes future marketing so much easier.

We all have limited time and resources, so I try to make sure that business owners obtain the highest possible bang for their buck...for the same investment of time, emotion and money.

So, where can a business owner invest their marketing time and energy to get the greatest impact? What's an inexpensive, yet powerful, way to grow your business?

The one strategy that typically yields the highest return on investment is simply to take control of your marketing message.

This seems pretty basic and self-explanatory, but so many business owners misfire on this step...and the negative results can cause marketing headaches for the life of the business.

Before we break down the steps of taking control of your marketing message, let's define "marketing message."

What is a "Marketing Message"?

A marketing message is the message or "point" you are communicating (or trying to communicate) in your marketing, advertising and sales. That message is the essence of who you are...and what you're all about...as a business.

All it takes is a discerning look at the advertising and marketing of a typical local business to identify that business' marketing message.

Sadly, what most local business owners communicate in their "marketing message" is, "Hey, we're in the xyz business (restaurant, dry cleaners, etc...) and here's our address!" The message is nothing more than, "WE EXIST!"

If you don't believe me, pick up any local newspaper or magazine and look closely at the advertising. The typical ad identifies the type of industry/business and includes an address and a phone number...not much else.

The marketing message that such an ad conveys is, "We are 'a' restaurant and there's nothing special that differentiates us from any other restaurant." Not very exciting, engaging or memorable.

Ok, so we've defined marketing message.

Now how do you take control of it?

The two high-impact steps to taking control of your marketing message are 1) creating a Unique Selling Proposition (USP) and 2) integrating that USP throughout all of your marketing channels.

To Take Control of Your Marketing Message:

Step 1: Determine Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

The first step in taking control of your marketing message is to clearly articulate for your target market precisely what makes your business different/unique and why they should do business with you (rather than doing business with one of your competitors).

To skip this fundamental marketing step (as most local business owners do), is to leave it to your prospects and customers to come up with their own definition of what your business is all about. They are left to categorize your business in any way they want, and their perceptions may or may not be based upon reality. Your marketing is now in their hands.

And, in the minds of your target market, you'll likely remain "a" restaurant (or "a" dry cleaners, doctor, lawyer, etc...)... instead of "The only restaurant in the Cleveland area that serves 100% organic foods, that has received the Governor's Award for Green Cooking five years in a row, and that gives 10% of all profits to local organic farmers."

Do you see the difference? Now THAT'S a message you can proudly communicate to the world! It's descriptive and memorable.

Do you see the danger in not taking control of this powerful and crucial step?

If your restaurant can actually brag about such things...and you don't find a way to clearly incorporate those bragging points into your marketing message...you're leaving money on the table every single day. And, I can guarantee your marketing is much less effective than it could (and should) be. Thus, you're simultaneously leaving money on the table AND flushing advertising/marketing dollars down the drain.

Perhaps that resonates with you.

If so, there's hope!

To begin the process of taking control of your marketing message: 1) figure out what makes your business unique and 2) provide a clear answer as to why your customers should do business with you. The purpose is to identify your bragging points.

Once you've done that, put those bragging points into a high-impact statement of 90 words or less. Make it memorable.

Now you've got a USP! You've got the cornerstone of your marketing efforts.

You've set yourself apart from your competitors.

Now you're taking control of your marketing message and no longer giving away that power and control to others.

However, if you don't use your newly-created USP effectively, there's not much sense in having one.

That's why Step 2 is absolutely essential!

Step 2: Integrate Your Unique Selling Proposition into ALL of Your Marketing Channels

This is where all of the hard work of step 1 pays off! This is where you take full control of your marketing message and begin to see real-world results.

In step 1, you created a high-impact USP that articulates clearly what makes you unique and makes it clear to your customers why they should do business with you.

It's time to shout that message from the rooftops.

Step 2 is to integrate and use that message in ALL of your marketing (business cards, banners/signs, website, etc...) and advertising.

The goal is to constantly expose your target market to your marketing message (the message that you now control). Prospects and customers need constant reminders.

It's time for you to take control!

This one-two punch of taking control of your marketing message is inexpensive and highly effective. It's the very best place to start if you've got limited resources because it impacts every aspect of your marketing for the life of your business.

It sure seems like something each and every business would naturally do. But, it only takes a quick glance at the advertising of most local businesses to see how rarely it's actually utilized.

How to Turn Small Business PROBLEMS Into SMALL Business Problems

Small business owners (like yours truly) are in a unique position. Not only are we the owner of a small business, very often we ARE the small business. Personal and professional are the same. The dividing line between where your business stops and your personal life starts is hard to find (if it can be found at all).

This also means that personal "stuff" will filter into your business, and business "stuff" will filter into your private life. If you are the one and only

in your business, and you're feeling "off", then your business is feeling "off" as well, that day. We're all trying to pretend that we keep our small business and our private life separate, but I am definitely fooling myself if I say I can do that.

How to deal with small business problems knowing this?

Well, the key to running a successful small business AND have a prosperous and fulfilling personal life is knowing your core values in both your small business and your personal life.

Core values are the biggest determiner of results in both your professional and personal life. The are the drivers for action, the answer to the question: "what is most important to you in your small business, and in your personal life".

Often, we come up with answers that depict the core values we would LOVE to see results of. Someone who does not have a successful business mentions "business success" as a core value. Someone who's life is totally unfulfilled mentions "purpose" as a core value. There is nothing implicitly wrong with this, other than that the results in these people's lives and businesses often are completely out of synch with the core value mentioned. Not always, but definitely often.

Here is a truth: your current results will show you your current core values. They will tell you what is important to you, as these results are the product of your choices (read: core values). If you would love business success, but you really want to spend time with your family more than you want business success, then that's probably your result: spending time with family over making a profit. If you would love to increase your clientele base in your business but dislike networking functions more, then that's probably your result: you will stay home more than visit networking functions.

How to solve small business problems using core values.

So, the first step to change is to be honest with yourself, and identify what your current core values are, based on the results you are currently producing. Where do you put your priorities? Those results generally come easy; you will be motivated to take action in their direction, you will be comfortable with the steps towards the results and with the results themselves. I have to admit: if I look at marketing strategies for my own business, I choose writing articles over finding and meeting new prospects. So, guess where most of my current results in my business are?

The second step is to identify what it is you truly want in your business AND in your life. Be clear about the desired results. Often, they are the direct opposite of what you do NOT want anymore, so that's a good start. For example: "I don't want to work 80 hours a week anymore". Great, that was your result so far, so: what DO you want? "I don't want to struggle in my business anymore". If that's what's happening right now, what do you WANT to happen, and what core value does that represent? Again, be honest, and be clear. WHAT is it, in terms of core values, that you are doing that you do not want to be doing anymore, and what is the new core value result? If, in my case, I find that writing articles is not bringing me enough business, and change is necessary, what do I want? Well, more business, obviously (be specific on "more" as well), which would signify a core value of business success.

The third step is to identify what you can do to change the results around towards the new core value. Pick a couple of steps, and implement. No, they may not be easy, as they will be outside your comfort zone, but in time they will become more acceptable, and results will start to change. In my case: if I want business success, and I know that networking is a good tool towards business success, then that is an action step I could implement. Taking that step long enough will change my results, and my future "current" results will then reflect my new core value!

Seriously, this 1,2,3 step system is ironclad, and will work. Will you work it? Well, if it is important enough to you, you will (a core value!). If not, then there is obviously a core value at play that is even MORE important to you than change, and your results will show. Do the same exercise, and find out what THAT core value is, and apply the same process.

Small business problems can be small business PROBLEMS. By using this technique you can, slowly but surely, turn them into SMALL business problems!

To your business success!

Marc is a certified life/business coach, master NLP Practitioner and AusIDentities Personalities Facilitator on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia.

Working as an Executive Business mentor with Glenn Dietzel, Marc is among Australia's Law of Attraction (LOA) experts, and coaches/mentors internationally with the LOA principles in both business and private settings.

Business Coach Advises It's Not "Business for the Sake of Business"

Business coach will most certainly advise that before anyone commences the business venture it will be wise to formulate business expectations. Your business coach may call it performance and expectancy agreement between you and your business. I know you'll say there is no such thing as PEA and why on this earth you may need it but stay with me and I'll try to explain why this may be the critical success factor and denominator. Also, we will prove that it may actually mean difference between winning and losing in life and business.

Let's start with your beliefs and results that you expect from the business you have just started. Let's get closer to the main idea around your business. You've probably dreamed about it a lot, you devised strategies, planned and set goals, but have you put it writing?

What is it that you expect from your business?

Why is that important to you? What is it that business has to provide you and your significant others in return? What is the timespan that you are willing to devote to make it happen? What are rewards?

You see there are lot of untold and unexplained stories in the background... you need to know, trust me on this, how does End look like and how does going towards your vision or End, look like.

Start strong while formulating Business Vision and Purpose

Getting clarity around the Purpose steams from True Priorities and once they are established and confirmed you are free to make decisions based on what you are passionate about, what matters to you and what makes you feel good.

You see "I believe that my business exists to serve me and to enhance the lives of my family and myself. While its purpose is to serve others and make meaningful difference in the world we live in, we have to benefit from it as well. Business must support, nurture, take care of me & my family. We work to live, not the other way around. "

Too many business owners fall into a trap. And it happens all too soon. They start a company and get into a routine (you might even call it a rut.) The passion that fired them up in the first place, their families and their own needs all get shoved aside "for the sake of the business."

Don't let this happen to you. Resolve to avoid it. If it has already happened, resolve to change it. Everything that your business may become as a result of it depends on this one idea.

Every business has stakeholders, people and businesses affected directly or indirectly: owners, employees, lenders, suppliers, the community... the list goes on. If business is operated responsibly, all stakeholders benefit. If the idea "your business should serve you" sends up a red flag for you, know this: Doing right by others and benefiting from your business are not mutually exclusive outcomes. In fact, it's just the opposite. The more you benefit your stakeholders, the more successful your business will be.

Business game is not the ZERO SUM Game.

You don't necessarily need to lose for me to win it. You can win and I can win too, with you or independently.

Now let me tell you what is expected from You

3 things you must preserve, combine and utilise to the maximum

There will be demands for your time. You will make choices and decisions based on your priorities. Paint the picture and feelings in the following statements:

"I'd like to be out meeting new prospective customers but this order has to go out."

"My spouse is going to be upset that I'm working late again, but I just can't get caught up."

"Yes, business planning is important but how do I find the time?"

"My staff just can't do things as well as I can, so I have to do it myself."

Then there are demands for money. Visualise these statements:

"I pay my employees more than I make because the company can't afford to pay me more."

"I wish I could put money into retirement funds or into savings for my kids' education, but cash flow just doesn't allow it."

"I sacrifice my income for now so the company can be financially healthy."

Finally people will demand your brainpower, your opinions, thinking... The higher you go the more it will be valued, required, disturbed... Truly this is the only one that we can fully control, and more importantly one with the greatest impact.

The truth is that you need to learn to connect the dots, to assign responsibilities, determine true from fake priorities, and to do so while managing operations and personal commitments. If you can't do it now when things are relatively small and easily controllable how can you plan to do it 3 years from now...

Let us go back to our conversation and my question to you:

Are You ready to sign the agreement with your business?

Why this business in the first place?

Why NOW? Why You and others should care?

You're not in business for the sake of being in business. You're not in business with the single-minded goal of keeping your business afloat, to keep going till it is necessary, regardless of the impact on you and your family. There must be light at the end of the tunnel. End comes in first, then you decide to go for it.