This is the very reason that we need coaches and mentors; we just can’t see what we can’t see! As I shared recently, I had much failure early on with building a business because I was going it alone. I did not know what I was doing wrong. I thought that my business idea was wrong, so I tried several different businesses. And when this did not work, it felt like there was something wrong with me!

It was after I discovered coaching and mentoring and began working with my own coaches and mentors that I saw what was missing from the equation. And added this quickly! The result has been a fast turnaround, with more clients, earning more money, doing work I love. I now help women to experience the same transformations in their businesses!

If you are still trying to build a DIY business, with the resulting failure and frustration as you struggle to get clients and make money, I invite you to download my FREE ebook: 12 Reasons Women Business Owners Struggle to Get Clients, here on this page (see right) or at http://tinyurl.com/33yqlcu You will learn helpful tips to move your business forward and beyond 12 possible blind spots!

Is it bigger than last year’s?
If yes, are you planning to grow your revenue serving your clients one-to-one or trading time for money?
If you answered Yes to these questions, it is my mission to inform you today that you are seriously sabotaging your revenue goals with a “one-to-one” or “time-for-money” business model. If you keep things this way, you may not achieve the revenue growth you desire! Let me explain:

A “one-to-one” business model means you earn your revenue by serving one client at a time. For example, a coach, consultant, photographer or therapist who sees one client at a time.  A “time for money” business model, also known as “hours for dollars,” means you sell your time, for instance, a trainer or consultants who bills by the hour. The reason that these models will sabotage your efforts to grow your revenue is this: your revenue goal has increased but the number of hours in a day stays the same! If you tried to see more clients in a day in order to boost your revenue you would be sacrificing quality for quantity. And in so doing, you would be reducing your unique services to a generic commodity. Not what you want, is it?

To increase your revenue this year you would therefore need to review the way you earn money.
Since you cannot increase the number of hours in a day and do not want to sacrifice quality for quantity, what you need is the power of leverage! My definition of leverage is: to increase your productivity with the help of other people or things. These “things” could be a new system, a new format, new technology, for example. Here are 6 ways to make leverage work for you and increase your inc0me this year!

1.    Productize: Is there anything you teach people to do? Could they do this themselves if you provided the instructions? Then instead of repeating this process with each of your clients, package the information in a leveraged format e.g. books, CDs, videos, workbooks, templates, self-assessments etc. Make these available for purchase on your website and your clients can access the
information 24/7, without your help, from anywhere in the world. The results: More sales without your input, freeing up your time
and reducing stress. Your support is also made accessible to people who might not be able to see you one-to-one or who cannot afford
your one-to-one support.

2.   Serve one-to-many: Instead of serving one person at a time, start serving groups! Examples: Workshops, webinars, masterminds
etc. You reach more people in about the same amount of time and make more money for working smarter!

3.    Hire other people’s time and expertise! Take on associate coaches or consultants to deliver your programs and trainings. Take on additional photographers, therapists or assistants to serve more clients. They work in your business, delivering a part of the fees they earn to you.

4.    License your programs: Allow others buy the rights to deliver your unique systems, tools, software, workshops etc. If you have a proven resource, leverage it this way! Licensees are different from associates in that they work in their own businesses and not yours.
You could either offer a one-time license, which lasts forever or a renewable one so that you earn revenue every time a licensee renews.

5.    Joint venture partnerships: Expand your reach and serve more than your own prospects. Get permission from people with
established lists to market your services to their people. This also includes affiliate programs. Your partners do the hard list-building and you seize the opportunity! As long as this is mutually beneficial, you will grow not just your revenue but your list also; which means the bigger potential to earn more money tomorrow – a smart move that keeps on yielding!

 
6.    Create and offer premium products and services: A small percentage of your clients and prospects want a premium service – faster support, exclusive access, added value, more benefits, more comfort and ease etc. And if they are ready to pay more for the privilege, why not give it to them? If you are not already providing this premium support, there is a great chance your clients are seeking it elsewhere! Applying the Paretto Principle, this is your Vital 20 per cent with the capacity to generate 80 per cent of your revenue; which could mean you personally serve less people on a one-to-one basis but earn more money through the power of leverage!

Now you have 6 ways to modify your operations in order to make more money this year!

Apply one or more to break out of the “time for money” business model.

Let the power of leverage open up new possibilities for you!

Reflections:

• Which of these tips will you apply to your business this year?
• How do you see this helping you grow your revenue?
• What challenges will you face in making these changes happen

Reply below and you could win a complimentary consultation to make more money this year!

If you are struggling to get clients, focus your attention on your marketing activities. Then pick the one marketing activity that could bring you the best and biggest results.

If you need to make some quick cash, what is the one revenue-generating activity that could bring you the money you need, the soonest? Get to work on that!

Are you overwhelmed with all your uncompleted writing projects and do not know where to start? Think of why you write in the first place. Is it for visibility? Credibility? Lead generation? As a revenue stream?  Pick the writing project that would best serve this purpose and work your way down the list according to priority.

This one tip can help you take back control of your situation and move past the overwhelm.

When you have too much to do, focus on the one thing that could make the biggest difference!

To continue getting more clients in the New Year it is necessary to review your niche to be sure your business remains relevant

Take the Quiz!

Instructions: Following are 26 statements. Read carefully and rate how well each one describes you on a scale of 0 – 5, where 0 = Far from true; I need help (!) and 5 = Full marks; I’ve nailed this!

1.          I am very clear about my target audience and can describe them in one sentence.
2.          I can list at least 5 places where my target audience congregates, online and off, where I can interact with them.
3.          I can describe my ideal client clearly, so I know who I am looking for.
4.          I can describe my non-ideal client clearly, so I know who I do not want to work with!
5.          My target audience is easily and affordably accessible. I can find low and no-cost ways to reach them.
6.          My target audience is willing and able to pay for the solutions I offer.
7.          My target audience is a large market (i.e. there are enough people to serve continuously) not likely to run out any time soon!
8.          My niche (i.e. my target audience + my solution) has long term potential; it is not a passing fad based on fleeting trends.
9. I know without any doubt what the most pressing challenges of my target audience are.
10. My target audience is already actively seeking solutions to these most pressing challenges. I do not need to create awareness of these challenges; they know they have them and desperately want them solved!
11. I know-how to stay abreast with my target audience’s needs.
12. I consider myself to be abreast with my target audience’s needs.
13. I deliver my own customized solutions to my target audience’s biggest challenges.
14. I clearly communicate to my target audience how my customized solutions are different from those of my competitors.
15. I have a clear plan for establishing visibility among my target audience. I have a written/drawn up plan.
16. I have identified at least 10 possible cross-promotion partners to help me become known, liked and trusted in my niche.
17. I regularly interact in person with my target audience to improve rapport and make myself accessible to them.
18. I am active in other communities who share a target audience with me. E.g. an accountant who does not just interact within accountant-related communities but also participates in small business owner forums, local business groups, other professional associations etc.
19. When asked, “What do you do?” I respond in a way that often attracts requests for further information.
20. I have several marketing activities in operation that regularly bring interested enquirers to me instead of my having to chase new prospects all the time.
21. I have a list of my top 10 competitors (these could be anyone supporting your target audience with the same problems that you handle; they may not necessarily be in your industry).
22. I have completed a competitor analysis of my top 10 competitors. I can demonstrate to my target audience how my services and products are different to theirs.
23. Where my prices are different to my competitors’, I can confidently justify this difference to my target audience.
24. I am able to demonstrate my credibility to my target audience e.g. with:
    • Client testimonials (third party validation);
    • My personal/business story (i.e. your “been there, done that “ story or your motivation/mission for doing what you do);
    • Recognition in my industry or community (e.g. through awards or recommendations from known industry or community leaders or bodies);
    • The body of work I have contributed and continue to contribute to my industry/audience e.g. my publications, contributions through various media and forums, research etc
    • Media mentions, where others feature me or  talk about me (not self-promotion)
25. I know what terms my ideal clients use to search for solutions online.
26. I am abreast with the market trends affecting my niche.

How well do you feel you performed on this quiz?

You might be expecting me to provide some interpretation of your total score. However, I have decided not to! This quiz is a self-assessment tool.

The aim is:

(1) To boost your confidence in the areas where you are doing well (let’s call these your “Green areas!”) and

(2) To alert you of areas that may need tweaking in your marketing (let’s call these your “Red areas!”).

Where necessary, you can now take steps to sharpen your marketing and get all the clients you need in 2012!

I am happy to offer you support with your “Red areas” should you decide you need help. Why struggle alone, repeating the mistakes of last year when support is readily available? Take action here today to find out how I can help you “Own Your Niche” and create your plan to get more clients in 2012!

Testimonials:

“I recently underwent a free consultation with Oma as I was having trouble with focus for my business. My main concerns were that I didn’t have a target market to sell myself to and that I didn’t know how to go about selling myself and my business to them once I’d found my niche! Oma is extremely friendly and personable; she put me at ease very quickly. Oma has a knack of asking just the right questions to draw the information out of you. I didn’t even know I had this information inside my mind. After my 45 minutes was up, I spent a couple of hours brainstorming the information and questions Oma asked. I came up with my niche market and some very good ways to market my business. If you have the chance, this is something you should try. Oma helps you to provide a clear, focussed and intelligent strategy for marketing your business. It was wonderful working with you Oma!” Melanie Berry, Office Heroes (Virtual Assistance), http://www.office-heroes.co.uk

“After 90 minutes with Oma I had my target audience, attractive marketing messages (one short and one detailed), description of my unique difference plus 10 places to find ideal clients, all sorted! Oma also gave me resources to take away to help with researching my chosen niche. Now I feel confident talking about my business and know exactly where to find clients!” Katherine, Event planner, UK (details withheld on request)

Let me help you own your niche and create your plan to get more clients this year.

Find out more here.

Happy New Year and Congratulations!

We have made it through to another year of great promise!

One of my favourite business books is Brian Tracy’s 100 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Business Success. Under his Law of Cause and Effect, Brian says, “You create your entire world by the way you think. All the people and situations in your life have only the meaning you give them by the way you think about them. And when you change your thinking, you change your life, sometimes in seconds!”

So, how will you be thinking in 2012?

Will you be at cause or at effect?

Thinking or being at cause means you accept responsibility for your outcomes and take proactive steps to create the results you desire. You know you have the power to change things and that setbacks are merely temporary stepping stones. On the other hand, thinking or being at effect means you blame others or circumstances for your results and feel powerless to change them. You consider yourself a victim, looking to people and situations for a change, if any.

As for me and my team, we shall definitely be at cause in 2012! As I type this, my white board is covered with my marketing plan for 2012. My diary is out and filling up with appointments and engagements to make my revenue goals happen! I have a pile of uplifting books I will be reading to stay informed and empowered.

There is a saying that the best way to be sure of the future is to create it yourself! I urge you therefore to make a conscious effort to operate at cause in 2012. Don’t let people, situations, the news or the economy hold you down at effect. You were created a creator! You have a mind and a mouth to make things happen. Do not give your power away to people and circumstances; embrace and employ it in the realization of your goals!

Feel free to drop me a line and share your aspirations for 2012 with me. I would love to support and share with you on your journey. If there is ever anything I can do to help, be sure to let me know. Ancient Scripture says, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.” Let’s defend ourselves and our dreams together!

Here’s wishing you a Happy and Prosperous New Year. And remember to stay at cause!

Love and light, Oma

Do you wish you had a clear plan to follow, to get all the clients you need in 2012?

Then my convenient and affordable Client Attraction Planning Session is just what you need!

Here’s how you will benefit from your Client Attraction Planning Session:

1. You will leave the session with a plan for getting clients in 2012. No more stumbling along blindly, doing ad hoc marketing, chasing shiny objects and hoping things will work. With a plan you can eliminate distraction and follow a focused route to success!
2. It is a one-off planning session so you are not locked into a long-running program. Perfect if you are currently on other programs, can’t afford a large investment or just want to get this issue sorted!
3. No need to travel; we work over the phone or via Skype from wherever you are.
4. You receive objective feedback on your lead conversion tactics plus tips to improve your conversion rates. This alone could result in more clients for your efforts.
5. Imagine how relaxed you could be feeling, knowing exactly how you will get clients in 2012. This so much better than a “spray-and-pray” approach.
6. We will identify and handle possible self-sabotaging habits and limiting beliefs that could stop you taking action on your plan. This could greatly increase the chances that you will take action and get results.
7. After your planning session with me you get a 45 minute follow-up call (2-3 weeks afterwards) to support you and to hold you accountable to following your plan. I want to be sure you keep the ball rolling!

Find out how you can access this service at less than half the usual investment here.

Please note: Only a limited number of slots are available due to scheduling constraints.

Owing to demand, the price slash offer has been extended to January 9th, 6 p.m. GMT.

Get more details and book your slot today! I look forward to supporting you soon.

Oma Edoja

If you need support with getting clients but cannot presently afford to invest in a high end program,

And a friend!

I am offering you the chance to work with me at a very affordable, promotional rate.

Now wait, it gets better! You can bring a friend to the session to also work on their business AND be accountability buddies for each other!  What’s even better is that you both pay less than half price yet you both receive my full support!

PLUS you both get one week of email support after your session (Value: £175) So if questions or difficulties come up afterwards, I am still there with you!

Now what could be more generous than that?

Don’t have a friend to bring along? Then come solo and let’s work one-on-one!

What we will do at the session:

1.            Review your niche;

2.            Clarify your ideal client;

3.            List places where you can find them;

4.            Map out strategies to find out what they want and

5.            Review or create your compelling marketing message to use on your website, in your bios, in your literature and at networking

events!

“So many light bulbs have now gone on in my head the glow is showing to the outside world! The questions that you asked me were exactly the questions I needed to hear, I did a lot of soul-searching on Tuesday afternoon and before 7pm I’d come up with my target market! Melanie Berry, Office Heroes (Virtual Assistance), http://www.office-heroes.co.uk

“You covered more than I expected – which is great value. I now have a list of 6 or so areas to focus on. It was really good to get clear on where I needed to focus my attention – sort through the mess and find a clear path.” Susan Andrewes Career Coach http://www.getajobyoulove.com

 Benefits to you/why you need to book your slot today!

1.            You leave the session with clarity and focus regarding your business and marketing, better equipped to get clients;

2.            I review your current marketing activities, providing tips and feedback, so no more confusion and doubt!

3.            You get expert support at a fraction of the cost!

4.             I will not be offering these Nail Your Marketing Strategy Sessions again this year, definitely not as a 2-for-1 deal!

5.             Only 2 slots remain!  Once they are taken, this offer closes.

6.            It’s conveniently affordable, with 55% savings. I don’t plan on repeating this offer any time soon!

7.            No travel; we meet online. You save travel time, expenses and stress;

8.            Laser sharp focus; we get it done and dusted quickly so you can go on and implement;

9.            You have an accountability partner to support and be supported by, who understands your new learning, making sure you take action. Also, you learn from the tips I share with your buddy!

If you get one new client as a result of this session would it be worth it to you? Certainly it would!

“Since working with Oma (for 5 weeks), I have taken on 2 new clients and 10 clients for complementary sessions, which may lead to full blown coaching programmes. Oma’s support contributed as clients have come from presentations, which I’ve amended according to her suggestions. I feel that my learning has made my message more compelling.” Claudia Crawley, www.WinningPathwaysCoaching.com

Duration: 2.5 hours; I am known for achieving much in a short time!

Location: Online or Skype (if you don’t have Skype it’s easy to set up and helps to keep your investment down)

Prefer an alternative medium? Let me know and I’ll consider it!

Investment: Only £197 per participant

My usual hourly rate is £175 and a 2.5 hour session would require an investment of  £437.5. You can now access a 55% savings by buddying up with a friend for your “Nail Your Marketing” Strategy Session!

**  Only 2 places still available. Act quickly!

**  This is a one time offer which I will NOT be repeating.

What next?

-              If this is for you, click here to email me:

(a) your name,

(b) your contact phone number,

(c) your email address

(Or email to info@getcleargetknowngetclients.com)

-              I will contact you by phone shortly!

I look forward to supporting you and your friend soon. I love helping to make your marketing easier!

Best wishes,  Oma

Here are 2 very important questions that you must

(1)    Why YOU?

(2)    Why TODAY?

Simple but potent!

You must help your prospects to see the unique value in working with you. This must be something they cannot get from your competitors.

You must also help them see the benefits of working with you from TODAY, so they are less likely to keep putting the decision off till tomorrow, which may never eventually come!

Here are some questions to help demonstrate “Why you?”

• What is different about what you deliver?
• What is different about your personal interaction with your prospects and clients?
• Is your solution faster?  Easier?
• Does it have a proven track record?
• Is it structured? Flexible? Mission-centred?
• Does it save time/money/effort?
• Does it help create more time or money or provide more support?
• Does your solution positively impact the environment?
• What common experiences do you share with your audience that your competitors may not?
• Does this portray you as being better able to understand them than your competitors?
• What unique skills or personal characteristics do you have?
• Is this difference of any value to your prospects and clients?

You must be able to show how your difference could benefit your prospects or someone/something they care about.

Here are some questions to help show “Why today?”

• Will your prospects save money/make money if they work with you?
• Would it be more beneficial to start saving/making this money TODAY?
• How much money could they save/make if they start with you today?
• How much money could they be losing for every day they are not working with you?
• How much time could they save by working with you? (Use their hourly rate to quantify this time savings. Ask what they could do with this spare time/saved money).
• How much time could they lose by not working with you? (Quantify this time loss monetarily. Ask what they could do with this saved time).
• Who else benefits when they work with you to solve their problem?
• What is the impact to this person if they delay the solution?
• How would it impact this person if they start the solution TODAY?
• Would they receive any kind of bonus if they started with you today?
• What/how much could they lose in bonuses if they do not start today?
• If your solution brings prestige or makes the prospect feel good, what is the benefit of gaining this prestige or feeling good starting today?
• What is the impact of living without this prestige/without feeling good for another day?

In your selling conversations be sure to demonstrate to your prospects why you are the best person to help them. Also be sure to show, in terms they appreciate, why it is to their advantage to start today and what they lose for every day that they do not work with you. Quantify this in the ways that matter to them. Not everyone, for instance, wants to save money. Find your prospects’ hot buttons and “press” these in your demonstration.  This way, you will convert more sales, make more money and be able to make a bigger impact!

P.S.  Remember to always use your influence with integrity. Remember that as a heart-centred entrepreneur your aim is not to manipulate but to help your prospects get the solutions they need. By showing them why you and why today you help your prospects overcome procrastination and invest in a solution that will in some way improve theirs and others’ lives.

Do you ever struggle to stay motivated as a solo-preneur?

1. Connect your business to a higher purpose, your Big Why or raison d’être. If all you do is work for a living, then that can get very depressing once the novelty of a new business wears off! Find a cause to support and use your business to further this cause. Align your business with your purpose. Your Big Why may be to give your children a bright future, to fund the fight against human trafficking or to send missionaries to the ends of the earth. Whatever it is, this higher purpose, outside of yourself, will give you greater inspiration to keep going! Create a vision board for your Big Why and keep it close to your work station. Share this higher purpose with others for accountability. Meet up with other purpose-driven entrepreneurs to keep your fire burning. Then get back to me in December to share your success stories!

2. Operate an authentic business, aligned to your values. Just as in connecting to your higher purpose, you will gain much more satisfaction and stay motivated if everything you do supports your values. Are you working with just any old client because you need the money or have you chosen to work only with ideal clients who will do what they promise and pay your fees happily? Are you working on weekends or after hours when you would rather spend this time with family and friends? Are you tolerating the proverbial client from hell because you do not know where the next one will come from? It is your business and you call the shots. Operate your business in line with your values and watch your motivation soar! You will find it much easier to run your business and get clients with a positive state of mind.

3. Re-appraise your niche! You are constantly growing. Your clients’ needs are changing. Society is dynamic. Technology is rapidly evolving. For these reasons I recommend a niche review on an annual basis. If you find yourself regularly feeling unmotivated it may just be that you have out-grown your current niche and are no longer stimulated by it or your niche has moved on and left you behind! If you find that you need a new niche, re-brand and re-launch your business. Invest in some new training. Do whatever it takes to stay current and top of your game.

4. Break your own limits! Set new targets and go for them. Come out of that comfort zone. Enter a competition and benefit from all the growing it can bring. Do something bold and daring, in line with your purpose. Even though you are a solo-preneur, there is no need to work solo. Hire a coach or mentor who will push you beyond your limits.

5. Declutter! Get rid of all the things you do not really need or things that are not supporting your purpose and mission. Not just physical belongings. This could also mean relationships, routines, memberships, negative people or even lifestyles. Clear out the old in anticipation of the new. I once heard how one business owner’s client base grew after she cleaned out a negative relationship that had unknowingly been holding her down.

Who would you rather work with, an exciting and highly motivated business owner or one who is lacking in confidence and zest? The more motivated you are about your business, the healthier it will be. Follow these tips to keep your fire burning and get clients!  Remember, nothing will move until you do. The good thing is that change is within your power!

Your feedback: Do you have more motivation-boosting tips to share? How do you keep your enthusiasm up while working as a solo-preneur? Why not share them with us in the comment box below? Your tips may be someone’s answer to prayer!

Have you ever thought of how much each No is costing your business?

Say your most popular product or signature program goes for £1,000, just for illustration purposes. Everyone Yes you get brings in £1,000 and every No means a potential loss of £1,000.

Let us also say you pitch your product to 50 people, via your teleclasses, complimentary consultations and your newsletter (I am keeping the figures low for easy demonstration). And you have a conversion rate of 10%.

This being the case, you will convert 5 out of 50 sales, meaning you will generate £5,000. Clap! Clap!

But you are also losing 45 out of 50 sales = £45,000! Frown! Frown! Not good, is it?

I am not sharing this with you to cause panic, but to help you see why it is important to work on getting more Yeses and reducing your Nos. Your Yeses mean money in the bank. Your Nos are bad leaks that need to be plugged!

No one ever gets 100% conversion every time. But the better our conversion rates, the more money we gain with our Yeses and the less we lose through the Nos!

So, here are 3 ways to boost your conversion rates and get more Yeses:

1.  Make absolutely sure to do your market research BEFORE you create your product, so that you know for a fact that there are enough people who are ready to pay for it. This may seem obvious but I often meet people who do it the other way round. They create the product, based on their own thoughts and feelings, and then try to persuade people to buy it. I support my clients through the market research and product creation phases so that we know we are going to market with a winner! This makes it a great deal easier to get more Yeses than Nos!

2.  Only sell to pre-qualified prospects. This way, you increase your chances of getting a Yes. Create and administer some kind of screening exercise so that you are only having consultations with people who are likely and able to buy. If you allow everyone to book your one hour fr*ee consultations you will spend your day with tire kickers and get Nos all day long! The more qualified your prospects, in advance, the greater your chances of getting a Yes!

3.  Clearly communicate the benefits of buying your products. If people cannot see that you can solve their problems they are not likely to buy. Also, highlight the consequences of not investing in your product so that it makes far more sense to buy from you. For instance, investing £50 a month or £600 a year on health supplements to relieve arthritic pain may sound steep! Till you compare it with the consequences of not investing: Continued absence from work due to arthritic flares could mean losing clients to competitors; cleaning bills because you are unable to do your own cleaning;  delivery charges because you cannot make it to the shops, not to talk of all the family gatherings you miss due to ill health. I do not know about you, but £50 a month now seems like a small price to pay for good health!

Stop leaving things to chance. Take control! By doing your market research, pre-qualifying your prospects and effectively communicating the value of your offer you stand a much better chance of getting more Yeses and making more m0oney! Apply these tips consistently and watch your business grow!

If you are struggling with your market research, need help pre-qualifying your prospects or do not know how to effectively communicate your value I highly recommend my Breakthrough Strategy Sessions where I can help you. Why let your hard nurtured prospects and potential revenue slip through your fingers when help is available? With one new client you could recoup your investment. But leave things as they are and you will continue to lose m0ney. Till August 31^st I am offering these at a special rate of £250. That’s a savings of £50 plus the chance to get more Yeses and stop losing money. Go for it here!