Guest Post: How To Clone Yourself To Create More Income

Posted on March 23, 2012 by ebourne

By Yvonne Bynoe

As a coach or solo-entrepreneurs one of the biggest challenges that you have is that your income is directly tied to the number of customers that you can serve in a given day, week or month. For some of you, you’d literally have to work around the clock to earn a decent living. Rather than burn out, why not expand the ways that you can generate revenue.

There are three things that coaches and solo-entrepreneurs can do to “clone” themselves as a way to increase their incomes, without personally working with more clients.

1. Consider Hiring “Understudies”:
In the theater understudies perform when the lead actress is ill. It’s a concept that’s perfect for many businesses. For instance, in many upscale hair salons, the owner only personally services a handful of clients—the ones who are willing to pay a premium price for her time. In this business model the majority of clients are delegated to understudies; these stylists and colorists are trained and supervised by the salon owner. Coaches and solo-entrepreneurs can easily use this model by hiring and training other people to use their signature systems with clients (people the owner brings into her business).

The main benefits of this arrangement are:

1) the owner can still work with directly with clients; and

2) there is more income generated because there are more service providers.

The only caveat is that the business owner has to ensure that her understudies provide the same quality of service as she would. An array of businesses owners could use this or a similar model including: consultants, web designers, photographers, personal trainers, day spa owners, personal shoppers, aestheticians, virtual assistants, etc.

2. Create Service Packages:

Stop offering single sessions and instead create bundles of services or ”packages” geared toward particular outcomes. You and I know that single sessions rarely solve your clients’ problems. It usually takes several sessions to accomplish most goals. By offering a package you are actually providing more value to your clients by giving them a clear pathway to reach their goals. This strategy also allows you to ethically raise your rates; meaning that you receive more money per client. Your package’s rate reflects the transformation that the client receives not your “hourly” rate. Lastly, by offering packages you can request payment in advance; this alone could increase your monthly revenue by thousands of dollars.

To create packages think of 1-3 main goals or outcomes that your clients routinely seek. Then create specific multi-session packages that achieve those results. Be sure that the packages’ names clearly spells out the aim of the package. Some ideas: ”End Your Sugar Cravings in 30 days” ; ”Attract Your Soulmate in 90 days”; ”21 Days to a More Productive Home Office”.

3. Home study courses:
One of the things that entrepreneurs overlook is that many people want to learn in the privacy and convenience of their own homes. What this means for you as an entrepreneur is that there is a big opportunity for you to provide your guidance and expertise, without actually meeting your clients.

I tend you use the term “homestudy” loosely. A make-up artist can create a video (or video series) to teach women how to properly apply their cosmetics. Ditto for yoga, pilates instructors and personal trainers. There are “how to” books and ebooks on nearly every imaginable subject. If you’re not a fan of video or writing, then do a series of audio recordings could be just as effective.

Virtual classes and retreats are also a possibilities to work 1-to-many. You have the ability to work with a group of people around a particular subject for any length of time from a few hours to a few weeks.

Homestudy courses are a gateway to establishing a long-term relationship with your clients. Clients have the opportunity to test-drive your business—your methods and your results. If the client is satisfied, then she or he will want you work with you personally or will buy the next product that you make available for sale.

Yvonne Bynoe is an expert in holistic business and wealth development. She is the founder of the Business Alchemy System(TM). the proven, step-by-step program that shows you how to create a more profitable business…quickly.Click here to download her F.R.E.E. report “15 Secrets To Help You Charge What You’re Worth and Get It!” and to receive her weekly marketing and success mindset articles on attracting high-paying clients and catapulting your income.

Residual Income Formula To Build The Life of Your Dreams (deanrblack.com)
Are You Doing Business By Design? (kevinwmccarthy.com)
Dear Entrepreneur: It’s All Up to You (lifehack.org)

Your Ideal Client: How to Find Them, Target Your Niche and Refine Your Marketing Message

Posted on March 14, 2012 by ebourne

I had a client meeting this morning with one of my ideal clients who is working on launching a new initiative for her existing business. We were talking about marketing and I was trying to give her some ideas for narrowing down her niche so that she could refine her message and reach the clients that she was trying to attract.

She is a personal trainer, so potentially she could serve many different kinds of people, right? But this trainer is different from other personal trainers. She has her own style and approach to fitness and healthy living that she has been refining over the 20 years or so that she has been involved in the fitness industry.

In the process of rolling out this new product offering, it is necessary for her to create a profile for her ideal client so that as we begin to develop marketing materials, she will know exactly who she is looking for, and those people who are in her target market will resonate with her marketing messages and come to her.

Here’s a round-up of some articles that tackle this issue of finding your ideal client:

How Psychographics Strengthen Your Small Business Marketing

by Lisa Mininni

“Know who your audience IS, not just what they want… to find the ideal client.

Whether you’re starting up your business or have been in business a while, you must be exact to attract your ideal clients. However, when the going gets rough small business owners cast a wide net hoping to pull in someone. They quickly become disappointed when their prospect pipeline dries up.

One tool to keep that prospect pipeline full is your ideal client profile.

Your ideal client profile is the description of the person you would be happiest to work with. It focuses on a specific kind of client. One that reads your materials and is so mesmerized by your message they keep reading. It means that when you speak to them, they are compelled to. . .”

Guest Post: Social Media: Balm or Bane for Authors?

Posted on March 12, 2012 by ebourne

photo credit: JupiterImages

Today we’ve got another guest post about how authors can make the best use of social media without feeling overwhelmed. This is a topic that I know many writer’s struggle with including myself, so I hope you’re able to glean some helpful insights from Amy’s article.

Social Media: Balm or Bane for Authors?

By Amy Atwell

How many of you use some form of social media? Facebook and Twitter seem to be the bastions most popular with authors today. But there’s also LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest, StumbleUpon and more. Social networking is what drives GoodReads, Shelfari and LibraryThing. Even Pandora radio lets you create a profile page and encourages a community of listeners.

Many authors find it all overwhelming. It’s a challenge to find enough time to write fiction, much less post and pin and tweet. So where is the sweet spot? Just how important is social media to authors?
If you’re serious about a long-term writing career, social media will continue to be an important and viable source of promotion and audience building. But, and here’s the key, it’s only going to work for you if—

1. You find at least one of social network that you enjoy.
2. You strike a balance between your online social networking and your writing.
3. You approach social networking with the same imagination and commitment you bring to your writing.

Doesn’t sound too scary, does it?
Here’s why I think it’s important—the Internet isn’t likely to disappear. Millions of people are on it, and millions more are buying smart phones and tablets because they can’t get enough of it. In some ways, our society is growing more fragmented, with less person to person interaction in real life. At the same time, people seek out and savor their interactions on social media.
This is where social media works so well for authors. Most stories have some element of human connection at the core of the story. A hero learning to trust. A heroine returning to confront her hometown memories. A family on the brink of disaster brought whole again.
The readers who love those kinds of stories are out there in social media as squawking and hungry as birds. Keep tossing out birdseed on a regular basis, and those birds will find their way to you. Readers who connect with you and your stories will become loyal fans. They will spread the word for you. Remember the old shampoo commercial? “And they’ll tell two friends, and they’ll tell two friends…” and so on and so on.

That’s the magic of social networking.

You may be a pantser when you write but plotting or, rather, planning ahead will save you a lot of headaches with social media. Make a game plan for yourself so you can make the most of your social networking. And if you’re not published yet, it’s not too early to get a jump start on this. By all means, start to build your tribe now.

1. Study the different social networks and decide which one(s) best match how you want to communicate with potential fans and fellow authors.

2. Secure your profiles on any (frankly, I would do all just in case) social network you plan to use. Ideally, use your writing name.

3. Find an image and write a short bio so your profiles are consistent.

4. Make a list of the topics you will discuss—and not discuss—on social networking. You want to be personable and friendly in your interactions, but remember anything you say can come back to bite you and your career.

5. Start slowly and blend in. Join in other conversations, repeat items of interest, help your fellow authors. Don’t just pop in and shout about your book.

6. Ask questions! Experienced users love to help newbies.

7. Set aside some time weekly, 30-60 minutes to seek out people to follow and friend.

8. Be gracious. Send thank yous to people who repeat your messages.

9. Tend your social network account(s) daily, whenever possible. Each day you miss, you will lose a bit of momentum. 15 minutes is all it takes, really.

10. Be prepared to adapt as the social networks grow and change.

I’ll mention that Facebook is in the midst of rolling out its new Timeline design. Both personal profiles and business (author) pages are changing. You can read a full article on it on Author E.M.S., the online business resource library for authors.

I hope some of that was helpful. I’m happy to field any other questions you might have about social media—so, tell me, what’s your biggest fear or frustration with social networks?

Visit Amy online at her website, Magical Musings, Facebook, Twitter and/or GoodReads.

The Social Media Landscape in 2012 – Infographic (futurelab.net)
The 10 Best Social Sites and How to Use Them (howtospoter.com)
2 Tips on Using Social Media to Get Found Online (morecustomers.wordpress.com)

Guest Post: 5 Ways to Generate Content Ideas Quickly

Posted on March 5, 2012 by ebourne

photo credit: sxc.hu/ rohach

Today’s guest post provides some useful tips for generating blog content ideas quickly and putting them to use right away. I saw this article in an email newsletter that I am subscribed to, and it was a perfect fit for my blog so I published it. Do you see how guest posting on blogs is a perfect win-win-win? You, the reader get a fresh point of view from a different blogger, the blogger gets exposure to a new audience and a back link to their blog, and I as the host get some fresh content that I didn’t have to create myself. Perfect.

5 Ways to Generate Content Ideas Quickly

By Dr. Rachna Jain

If you’ve been promoting online for any length of time, you’ve probably understood the importance of coming up with new content ideas. After all, you need content for your website. Content for your blog. Content for your Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn updates. Content for your guest blog postings and article syndication and videos and slideshows and. . . and. . . and. . . (You get the idea.)

Now, in between service delivery, marketing, and all the other things you do to keep your business running, who has time to come up with good content ideas over and over? And yet, you know you must, in order to keep your business growing. So here are 5 ways to generate new content ideas quickly:

1.) Scan your email and social networks. What questions are people asking? What kinds of content or updates are they posting? Can you find something to respond to or reply to?

2.) Create a list of 25-30 topics your target market is interested in- and then create a list of subtopics for each of these. Refer to this list whenever you’re stuck.

3.) Examine your own life for lessons or stories you can share. Your readers want to know you better, and a story is a great way to share about yourself and provide valuable information at the same time. You can also find good ideas in books you read or movies you see.

4.) Examine your website statistics. Which posts or pages are getting the most interest? Can you write a follow up article for something you’ve already written about?
5.) Create a case study. Case studies are a useful way to create content. Think about a client you are working with or recently helped. How can you create a narrative about their transformation?
These 5 strategies will help you build new content ideas rapidly. Once you get in the habit of generating content ideas from these sources, you might find that you have a lot more to share than you ever realized!

” Popularity is Good. Profitability is Better. Profitable Popularity is the Ultimate Goal.”
- Dr. Rachna Jain http://profitablepopularity.com

Case Study: How I Got 10 Powerful Links to My Infographic in Two Days (seosmarty.com)
Are You Guest Posting At The Expense of Your Blog? (davidrisley.com)
Are You Content Creation Impaired? Here’s Some Tips and Resources (bethkanter.org)

Traffic Generation Tips: 100 Tips for Attracting Targeted Traffic to Your Website

Posted on March 2, 2012 by ebourne

photo credit: sxc.hu/mmagallan

This is a quickie post to share this handy little pdf that is full of 100 practical things that you can do bring more targeted traffic to your website. Every day you can pick a tip and do what it says. Keep following the tips consistently and you will begin to see more traffic and exposure for your website.
Here’s a sneak peek at three more of my favorite tips from this free ebook:

Tip #30: Get your blog on Kindle
Tip #70: Make effective use of your default 404 page
Tip#86: Use a Translation widget

With this post, I am following tip #22. I am freely passing this ebook along that was given to me because I know that if you actually do what it says you will see results.
Of course, I would be remiss, and I might have to have my writer’s card revoked if I did not harp on the fact that the foundation of good traffic is excellent content. Write about what you love, what makes you insane with anger, share good, valuable information about your products and services and visitors will be drawn to your website and they will share your content.
Be consistent with your traffic generation strategies and you will see results sooner or later.

Read. Enjoy. Do it!