soartosucessmagazine.com BuildYourWay toSuces SOARTOSUCCESS WhatisYour PublicistDoing? 7WaysYouCan WriteEngaging EmailMesages August2022 Magazine
PAT ALTVATER The Importance of Being Intentional Elite Experts Network AFP Marketing PatAltvater.com The root of the word “intentional” is intent; in a business setting, being intentional is to act in a deliberate way to guide our businesses. It’s about bringing a focus and attention to goals. If we want to be intentional, we need to get clear up front about what we want to achieve and then take specific actions to achieve it. That clarity allows us to know where to focus our time and energy, so that the areas of our business and life that matter the most are getting our attention. Once we are clear about the results we desire, then we can be deliberate about our days. We will know exactly what to do, which increases productivity, if we actually do it. This brings us to the other important aspect – accountability. How can we stay accountable to what we want to achieve? Can we do it on our own or does it help to have an accountability partner or group, like a mastermind? I personally enjoy participating in a mastermind because often the ideas that surface are ones that I may not have considered in the past and knowing that there are others holding me accountable to my commitments does make a difference. What do you do? Let me know. Enjoy the articles in this issue and be sure to take advantage of the links for further information.
Personal Growth Strategies SOAR to SUCCESS CONTENTS Magazine 04. 10. 24. 12. 16. 18. 14. 36. 38. 34. 32. 30. 21. 29. 22. 26. 40. 42. Core Business Strategies Business Acceleration Strategies Build Your Way to Success By Jack Klemeyer The Importance of Gratitude By Pat Bennett How Do We Deliver Price Increases That Stick? By Mark Roberts Feedback Matters in Employee Engagement By Lisa Ryan The Power of No By Megan Patton Reframe Closing With Agreement By Diane Helbig Are You An MSP? You NEED To Take Advantage of MDF Funds. By Jeanne DeWitt Choosing the Correct Business Entity, Part 3 By Jim Fisher Elements of Emotional Intelligence are the Building Blocks of Agility By Janet Kendall White What is Your Publicist Doing? By Melanie Rembrandt 7 Ways You Can Write Engaging Email Messages By Holly Kile Book Recommendation Soar to Success With Speaking Podcast Six Habits to Building Generational Wealth By Karen Cupp Stop and Breathe By Heather Wiegering, PhD Our Favorite Videos Our Contributors Cover Feature: Julie Broad Helps Authors Soar to Success
Julie Broad & Book Launchers Helps Authors Soar to Success
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Feature Article Do you feel you have a great idea for a book, but every publisher you have reached out to has given you a resounding, “We’re Not Interested”? Julie Broad has been there. Eventually, she proved the publishers wrong and today her team at BookLaunchers.com can help you get your big idea on paper and ready to sell. Years ago, Julie had a real estate training and education company in Canada and as her platform of speaking and YouTube content grew, she was contacted by an editor for a major publisher. As a littler girl, she’d dreamed of writing a book, but until the publisher expressed interest, she hadn’t done anything about it. The publisher didn’t like her book idea, but they gave her one to create a proposal for. Three months of back and forth ensued and a proposal was created. All that remained was a contract. But the contract didn’t come. Instead, the editor said the marketing team didn’t feel that she could sell enough books to make it a profitable deal for them. Julie told us, “The initial rejection of not getting a book deal was devastating, but after my ego recovered, I rebounded and told myself, I’m getting a book published and I’ll do it better than if I had gotten a book deal!” That rejection forced her to delve into studying theworldof self-publishingandbookmarketing. When her book, “More Than Cashflow: The Real Risks and Rewards of Profitable Real Estate Investing.” was released it topped the charts for print books on Amazon in Canada. That personal experience opened Julie’s eyes to not only the challenges business owners and professionals face when wanting to publish, but also to the opportunities available. You don’t need a gatekeeper to write, publish, and succeed with a book. “It opened the door for me to dream up a company that I would have liked to hire to help with my book.” Book Launchers began to help potential authors in the United States and Canada write, self-publish and sell their books through distributors like, Amazon, Independent Book Stores, and Barnes & Noble. Book Launchers staff includes editors and writing coaches that work on the content and marketers that will pitch you to media and guide the author through the challenging waters of promotion and marketing. “One of the cool things about our process is that the author owns 100% of the content and has total creative control, plus they keep all the royalties. They are surrounded by professionals the entire time – doing work with them and cheering them on.” A past client, Kelly Lewis gave a very strong vote of thanks to Julie and Book Launchers, “Working with Book Launchers was wonderful! Their team helped me feel confident about my content and message, the book, “Tell Her She Can’t,” was a #1 Amazon Bestseller in four categories. They’ve helped me secure media placements, and in general, have been
my partner and sounding board for all things publishing.” Speakers have seen the benefits of having a book to sell, when they are hired to address a group. Speakers may earn a fee to deliver a speech to a conference, or business group, but they can earn more either by selling a published book to the event organizer to give to each participant or selling at the back of the room for attendees to purchase. Julie advises potential clients that writing a book is not for everyone and it is certainly not an overnight exercise. “Most people have sufficient content for a book, but they may lack the skills, energy, or time to finish it. Authoring a book is not an easy path, plus it can take nine to 24 months to complete the process and get to market. Authors who believe in their story and are motivated to have an impact on the lives of their reader, are more likely to actually succeed.” Book Launchers only works with non-fiction writers because they want to be the best at non-fiction before they expand
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Feature Article into anything else. Julie and her team also really understand the model with non-fiction, where the book becomes a tool for thought leadership, brand awareness, and business expansion. Authors may make money selling their book but that’s not the first goal for their authors. Watch this video where Julie shares what makes a great book idea. Mou – insert box for video Julie gave us two tips for successful book writing: 1. Have absolute clarity who the reader of this book will be. “The reader has to be a specific person, ideally with a specific problem that you can help solve. It means you have a particular niche that will help market the book.” 2. The book needs to be aligned with the author’s goals and knowledge “Write about something that you know, whatever it is. Your knowledge and goals must align to create a successful book.” Julie has refined the publishing process over the years and found that initial conversations
with potential authors need to focus on marketing as much as book content. “Previously we wouldn’t have an author talk to the marketing team until after the book was drafted, but we found that understanding the potential reader is vital to the success of the book. Plus, the marketing team looks at how to position the author in the marketplace and how that needs to impact the book. These marketing insights play a powerful role in the drafting of the right manuscript.” Book Launchers can also research the potential market, book positioning and salability. “We do extensive market research to assure a clear audience for correct category placement, the right keywords, and the right pricing strategy.” It’s ideal to work with Book Launchers early in the process so the marketing can start right away but people who already have a first draft can work with Book Launchers too. In that case, they still start with the marketing person and then send the draft to editing, or if needed a writer or a writing coach steps in. The next step for authors is editing, cover and interior design, and distribution, all the while layering marketing in throughout the whole process. The marketing team does audits: reviewing the author’s social media, email funnel, website, as well as influencer research. A launch strategy is prepared along with a launch roadmap which outlines where the author will be pitched, how they will get reviews, and any other goals that are important for launch and beyond. Book Launchers has been in business over five years and they have helped over 350 authors. They are constantly evolving to meet the needs of their clients and to adapt to environmental changes. “Paper supply is short, and the cost of printing is higher due to paper shortages and some ongoing staff challenges with the printers. This, combined with people enjoying multitasking while consuming a book, has meant that audio books are more popular now. The good news
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Feature Article 3 Keys to Soar to Success When Soar to Success asked Julie what three personality traits she found in most successful people, she said: 2 1 3 Clarity “The person understands who they are serving and why they are serving them. “ Determination “A determination to not let any challenge stop them from achieving the end goal.” Get It Done “The person has the will and drive to get it done and see the project through to the end.” for authors is that there is less competition in that segment.” Even though Julie is involved in the day-to-day grind of running a business, it’s not all work and no play for her. She has a five-year old son, who loves to swim and play with Legos. She also takes care of herself and enjoys working out at the gym and going for hikes at Red Rock Canyon and Mount Charleston outside Las Vegas where she lives. You can also find her occasionally playing Texas Hold’em Poker at the local casinos. Our interview with Julie contains great information for would be authors. You can watch it on YouTube or listen on iTunes. Julie is easy to find. BookLaunchers.TV is her channel on YouTube. If you would like to learn more visit her website: https://booklaunchers.com/. Potential authors can download her informative, “The 7 Steps to Write a Book That Will Sell.”
Build Your Way to Success By Jack Klemeyer Building real relationships doesn’t happen overnight. Author C.J. Hayden said, “All things being equal, people do business with people that they know, like and trust.” It takes time and intentionality to get to know people, to get to like people so they get to trust you. As a businessperson or entrepreneur, one of your ongoing goals should be to make yourself known to the people you want to do business with, and then elevate the connection to a relationship and to the trust level. This process of building relationships can take many forms. Think of the great relationships you have now and then take a few minutes to review what is working for you in this area. Then consider the following ideas to add to your relationship building toolkit. Have a ready to go 30 Second Introduction Have you upgraded your 30 second introduction lately? If you don’t have one or if you haven’t revised it in the past year, chances are the impact may be stale. A new revised or enhanced introduction can spark your own energy which will definitely show when you introduce yourself. Consider the use of
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Business Acceleration Strategies powerful action words such as create, design, compose, organize, generate, solve, produce, and supply. Deliver it in front of a mirror and see what others see. What do you have to give? Author Gary Vaynerchuk wrote a little book a few years ago, “Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook” Which means, give, give, give, and then ask. Too often we think of what we want to get from our interactions. Things like a request for proposal, anewresource, apotential alliance, or abusiness contact or sale. Flip this over and consider what you are willing to GIVE to your network of potential customers. Do you have free information that your ideal client can use? Can you provide a free evaluation of your client’s current service provider? Keep in mind that building relationships is a two-way street that begins with you. Approaching these relationships in a giving, proactive mode is a terrific beginning. Follow up, Follow up The simple act of following up with individuals that you meet for the first time will make you stand out. You want to become, TOM to the people you meet, that is Top Of Mind. Very few people use a consistent follow up method. You’ll need to have their contact information to implement this step. Successful follow up actions include handwritten notes (they stand out), e-zines, newsletters, holiday or birthday cards, an article of interest, and invitations to an event. Choose several actions that fit your personal style and do them consistently. Watch your network grows as you demonstrate an interest in building relationships. Learn what is important to them and then deliver. Tracking System Consistency in building relationships will be difficult to maintain without a method to capture and maintain contact information in a practical way. Contact Relationship Management (CSRM) software such as ZOHO, Daylite, and Outlook were created for this purpose. An excel or google sheet will work too. Other options include business card files, your address book on your phone, or a planner system such as Day-timer or Franklin-Covey. Choose the system that fits your work style and schedule time for communication with your contacts and maintenance of the database. This foundational step is an important part of building relationships over time. Always be Planting Seeds Remember the Parable of the Sower and think of building relationships in the same way as planting seeds. For the seeds to grow, they need water, food, and sunlight over time. For relationshipstogrow,youprovideopportunities for your network to get to know you, what you provide, howyou provide it and ultimately trust you with their business.
How Do We Deliver Price Increases That Stick? By Mark Allen Roberts As inflation and supply chain challenges continue many companies are experiencing raw material increases, they simply cannot absorb anymore. How do we deliver strategic price increases that stick? Each of my clients have experienced raw material and service increases far exceeding what they can absorb, and they must pass along some, if not all, of the increases to their customers. to review when was the last price increase? How has your performance been? You may not want to raise prices today if your customers are not satisfied with the buying experience. History When was the last price increase? What did you experience with this customer the last time you increased prices? Price and boundaries Do you know the price sensitivity of your products What do we need to know to deliver strategic price increases? Timing History Price and boundaries Your negotiation style Buyer’s negotiation style Strategic considerations Data by item by customer Training Timing Now is the best time to raise prices since most companies are doing so. However, you need
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Business Acceleration Strategies based on data? What is the market price for your product or service? Do your customers have a contract and does the contract have a price escalation clause? How many contracts are old and need to be updated? When does the contract renew? Your Negotiation Style When we work with teams, we help their salespeople understand their personality style and how that will impact their negotiations. Buyers Negotiation Style Just as your team members all have unique personality styles and process information and conversations differently, your buyers do as well. We must You will find 20% of your customers, after we consider the cost of sales, are profit leaking accounts. Strategically price products by customers to drive net profit increases including the cost of sale. Training Train your team on how to deliver price increases professionally. Provide them skills training on negotiations and how to handle objections. The above are key considerations when implementing a price increase. If your team needs help strategically delivering price increases that stick, let’s schedule a call. recognize their negotiation style early and adapt. Strategic Considerations Here we review things like does the customers buy 100’s of items from you or less than 12? How hard would it be for the buyer to replace your product or service? What are your competitors doing? Are your products and services priced by market vertical served? Data Now is the time to capture the cost of sale. You know your raw material costs and your margins, but we must capture the cost of sales by customer and develop a net profit by customer by product report.
So many sales professionals focus on closing. They craft clever ways to ask for the sale. The emphasis plays at the end of the process and then they are surprised when no deal is made. I submit this is because they are under the misconception that closing happens at the end of the process. In reality, closing happens at the start, and really throughout the sales process. Ifwe let goof the ideaof closingandreplace itwith agreement we will look at it very differently. The Reframe Closing With Agreement By Diane Helbig whole idea of closing suggests ending something. It means finishing the process of selling. So the whole thing is centered on what the seller does. If the seller does a good job of convincing, then when he asks one of those ‘closing’ questions the buyer will surely say ‘yes.’ So, we see that the issue with closing is that it is focused on the salesperson being persuasive. It has nothing to do with the needs of the client or problem solving. When salespeople operate from
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Business Acceleration Strategies a position of persuasion and convincing, they miss the entire point of ‘selling.’ Selling is about providing a solution to a problem. The only way to ensure that happens is for the salesperson to be focused on learning as much as they can from the prospect. It requires being genuinely curious and attentive. When the salesperson engages in a conversation with the prospect and actively listens to what they need, how they operate, what matters to them, and what kind of customer they would be, she can determine if she is able to provide them with a solution. She can also identify if she wants to work with the prospect. Having listened and connected their solution to the prospect’s situation, the salesperson can have a conversation with the prospect sharing how they believe they are the best resource. And, because everyone has been engaged in meaningful conversations, they move together toward an agreement. They both see the value in working together. It is not a closing. Rather it is a continuation of the relationship. The prospect and salesperson move together to the next chapter of their relationship. Some would say this is a beginning; it’s the beginning of the client/provider relationship. Moving forward, let’s reframe the idea of closing to the idea of agreement. This way, we will remember to work with our prospects instead of taking them through a process. The result will be more meaningful client relationships. Our prospects will enjoy the experience, and so will we. We won’t be at the end of anything. We will be at the next phase of a mutually beneficial, long-term relationship. ©2022 Helbig Enterprises
Feedback Matters in Employee Engagement By Lisa Ryan Managers tend to have a complicated relationship with giving feedback. Good feedback is easy, negative feedback, not so much. Yet, feedback is an essential part of employee engagement. Why? Because employees want to know how they’re doing. They also want guidance as to how feedback. A recent study found that 65% of workers would like more feedback than they are currently getting, even if the feedback is challenging. Here are three reasons to let your employees know how they’re doing on a regular basis. they can do better in their work and grow personally and professionally. Feedback helps them to do so. Although some employees may feel that no news is good news, it’s easy for people to feel directionless and unmotivated without regular
They make stuff up. If employees are not receiving concrete feedback, their minds may work to fill in the gaps and create a story of what’s happening around them. In many cases, the stories created are negative, and then the employee will look for the “proof” they need to support their theory, thus negatively impacting their performance. It reinforces good behavior. Positive feedback helps keep employees motivated in achieving their targets and goals. It also helps them feel more confident and able to face challenges. Bonus! Positive reinforcement helps build strong relationships between the person providing feedback and the person receiving it. SOAR TO SUCCESS / Business Acceleration Strategies It’s essential for growth. Managers who regularly offer feedback, whether positive or negative, support a workplace culture of ongoing talent development. When employees are offered advice and support to improve their skills, they become more self-assured. The focus of challenging feedback should be to improve, tweak, or adjust a behavior, rather than just telling someone they’re not doing a good job. A manager’s validation can be incredibly useful when focusing on enhancing employee performance. The key is to provide feedback that is objective and accurate and focus on both positive and developmental feedback. A recent study found that 65% of workers would like more feedback than they are currently getting, even if the feedback is challenging.
Such a simple word, yet so hard for many of us to say. However, the word “no” must become part of our vocabulary if wewant to set an intention for our business, create goals and maintain focus throughout the year. There are two parts to saying no – internal and external. Internal to our business or our work life, we must identify what isn’t working, what behaviors may hinder our growth, and what current activities are not critical to the success of the business. As we approach our new planning season, we have an opportunity to look critically at our business through the lens of the year just coming to an end. What worked, and what did not work? For the things that did not work, can you pinpoint why? Are there things that we have learned about our business this year that helps us decide what we will no longer do or no longer tolerate in our business? By Megan Patton The Power ofNO!
A simple exercise is to take a look at what is not working in your business. Then, determine what you must stop doing to make the problem go away. Finally, what will you do differently now that you have said no? Saying no to current unproductive, or possibly destructive behaviors will allow room for improvement. Saying no to a difficult client can open the door for a new client who is better aligned with your own mission. Saying no to a cumbersome process can pave the way for new efficiencies in your company. There are lots of reasons to say no; I encourage you to find your NO! We canapply theNOprincipleexternally, toour personal lives and obligations as well. Many of us are asked to domany things – takemeetings, jump on zoom calls, be present at networking events, volunteer in the community, at school, church, etc. It is easy to get overbooked very SOAR TO SUCCESS / Business Acceleration Strategies quickly if we don’t use NO judiciously. Of course, I am not suggesting that we turn down every request for help that we receive, rather, I urge you to consider each and every request cautiously and with an eye towards balance. Have an intentional approach to handling requests. What fits in with your individual priorities? Focus on your personal mission and say yes to things that align with what you believe in, and that you have the time for. Say no to everything else. If it does not align with your personal mission or your company direction, it is easier to say no, than to agreewith something that could potentially pull you off course. One of the simplest words, yet often, one of the most difficult to say! Practice with this and see how it enables you to find and hold your focus throughout the year.
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Book Recommendation Fortune Is In The Follow-Up Five Power Strategies to Grow Your Business By Heidi BK Sloss More than just a productivity book, Fortune is in the Follow-Up® provides business owners with simple, effective, and proven strategies that get real results. Even though this book was published in 2014, the principles revealed by Heidi Sloss have stood the test of time. She shares with business owners the critical, but often overlooked, secrets to thriving in any economy. Not only will you learn how to find a fortune in your follow-up, but you’ll also save time, energy and money as you learn, among other things: • Why your current marketing strategies aren’t working • How to get the most out of your leads and referrals This book has all of the critical components to consider when creating effective marketing and follow-up plans, from defining your target market to creating your plan. You’ll also learn about successful delegation, customer service strategies and my favorite, mindset! A bonus for me is that there are charts and highlighted sections to guide you through the book. I always buy paperback books rather than read on Kindle, so that I can write in the book and never have to search to find the notes I took about the book. How about you; do you prefer digital or paperback books? I encourage you to grab a copy of this book; it might just have a tip or two that could propel your business this month. By Pat Altvater About the Author Heidi Sloss is a national sales expert whose best-selling book, Fortune is in the Followup® teaches business owners, consultants and independent sales agents, 5 POWER Strategies to grow a thriving business in any economy, including a follow-up strategy that will make the difference between knowing someone and actually doing business with them. Heidi is also a co-author of the book, 10 Powerful Women 10 Strategic Insights into Successful Business, 2012. Heidi has presented at over 200 conferences and sales trainings across the country on proven sales and leadership strategies learned from her 35+ years as a serial entrepreneur and sales professional. Heidi teaches people how to think, breathe and behave more entrepreneurially so they can increase their prospect-to-client conversion rate. She shares tips and tools that are time-tested, action oriented and motivational. Learn more about Heidi at https://www.heidisloss.com/.
Six Habits to Building Generational Wealth By Karen Cupp Families who build and retain generational wealth do much more than accumulate money. They adopt healthy mindset habits and take action! Ben Franklin said, “all mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are moveable, and those that move.” Families that build generational wealth are willing to embrace the belief that being wealthy is a positive attribute. Six Habits that will help you get started shifting your trajectory toward generational wealth and building a legacy for your family, include: First, shift from depending on making an income, to following the balance sheet. The Income method depends on the income that an employer pays you. The balance sheet method follows assets (what you own) less liabilities (what you owe) ending up with what it purely yours to keep. Secondly, utilize the balance sheet to take an honest look at where you are. Most people mistakenly believe that their home is their biggest asset when in fact it is
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Personal Growth Strategies their biggest liability. Taking this courageous step of establishing a reality check, will set you up for success. Thirdly, surround yourself with others who understand the value of building wealth. Those who have grown up with a healthy mindset around building a legacy of generation wealth; people that work smart and enjoy their life. Fourthly, open an investment account. At first you may put a small amount of money in this account but over time you will develop the habit and start to see results. A great book that promotes this success with called The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy. This book really helps you build your saving muscle. Fifth, become familiar with the psychology of money by reading books, listening to podcasts and training your family on the values of money. Now you notice that I did not say “the love of money.” Most 20- to 30-year-olds say that their parents never taught them about financial literacy and money. Instead, they said - grow up, go to college, get a good job and be like everyone else. What if you could give themmuch more…by teaching them the life skills of financial literacy. Sixth, solidify your transformation by changing your identity. Changing your beliefs about yourself, your judgements and your relationship around wealth and money. I had a sister in-law who grew up poor and long after she grew up, married, and had a husband who earned an excellent income, still claimed that she was poor. This defeatist philosophy not only kept her from enjoying life and building a legacy for herself and her children, it was also very detrimental to her relationship with her husband. Outcomes are about what your get. Processes are about what you do. Identity is about what you believe.
The Importance of Gratitude By Pat Bennett Gratitude is a powerful experience that will change your life for the better. The word gratitude is derived from the Latin word gratia, which means grace, graciousness, or gratefulness. It will shift your focus towards the blessings that you do have rather than focusing on what you don’t have. As a result, you’ll feel happier and have a greater sense of peace, joy and hope in your life. I started a daily practice of gratitude 235 days ago. It began in earnest to remind ME to be grateful, if only for the smallest things. Why did I choose to do this? Truth be told, I was looking
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Personal Growth Strategies at a glass that was half empty, rather than half full. Two years of never ending “breaking news” pulled me into the vortex of the next bad current event. Picture this: at the end of a seemingly perfect day, you receive a piece of bad news. The bad news overshadows whatever great day you may have experienced. You then dwell on that one thing rather than the cumulative experience of a wonderful day. This was me and I felt ungrateful. I chose to be purposeful and elevating. By journaling publicly, I shared my gratitude. I didn’t expect anyone to comment on the posts. But people did and expressed to me (both online and in person) that they start their day by reading my posts. Given the polarities of the world now, I often write about being kind, because it continues to lift others up around me. Two psychologists, Dr. Robert A. Emmons of the University of California, Davis, and Dr. Michael E. McCullough of the University of Miami have done extensive research on gratitude. In one study, they asked participants to write a few sentences each week, focusing on topics. One group wrote about things they were grateful for that had occurred that week. A second group wrote about daily irritations or things that displeased them, and the thirdwrote about events that affected them (with no emphasis on them being positive or negative). After 10 weeks, those who wrote about gratitude were more optimistic and felt better about their lives. They also exercised more and had fewer visits to physicians than those who focused on sources of aggravation. Read their article here. Another leading researcher in this field, Dr. Martin E. P. Seligman, a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania, tested the impact of various positive psychology interventions on 411 people, each compared with a control assignment of writing about early memories. When their week’s assignment was to write and deliver a letter of gratitude to someone who had never been properly thanked for his or her kindness, participants immediately exhibited a huge increase in happiness scores. This impact was greater than that from any other intervention, with benefits lasting for a month. Gratitude shifts focus from what your life lacks to abundance that is already present. Bring gratitude to your experiences, instead of waiting for a positive experience to occur. Gratitude shifts focus from what your life lacks to abundance that is already present.
Stop and Breathe By Heather Wiegering, P D Have you ever felt so overwhelmed that you cannot think straight, your chest is tight, and palms are sweaty? As long as you are not having a severe health issue, then stop and breathe. If your brain and body are too overwhelmed, they cannot help you reach your peak performance. Having a calm, clear mind is vital for all decision-making moments. At work, this could mean the difference between forming new partnerships, closing a deal, and getting a promotion. Thinking clearly is key to success.
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Personal Growth Strategies Stop and Breathe Try these 5 steps of focused breathing to help to restore balance to the body, supporting a healthy flow into the senses, emotions, and mind. 1. Stop. Yes, this means stop your body, mouth, thoughts, and actions. Just stop. Do not say another word or do anything else. 2. Take your left hand and gently place it over your bellybutton. 3. Slowly, breathe in and outmaking the belly raise and lower. 4. Repeat 10 times. 5. Pause in silence and stillness before choosing whether to continue breathing, to re-engage in the conversation or to move on to a different situation. BONUS: To further enhance your breathing and results, try diffusing 2-3 drops of Breathe essential oil by DoTerra. The primary benefits of this indigenously sourced oil are to support feelings of clear airways and easy breathing, to promote a restful night’s sleep and to minimize the effects of seasonal threats. Contact Heather with questions on how to use this special essential oil. Mindfulness Meditation Next, after finishing the above breathing exercise, chooseanappropriatemeditation, such as Mindfulness Meditation. This could also be done while diffusing Breathe essential oil. Mindfulness Meditation focuses attention on breathing to develop awareness of the present moment. This can result in measurable changes within the brain. Mindfulness Meditation is showing the potential to increase memory, learning and emotional intelligence. In a research study involving a Massachusetts Hospital, Medical School and Germany, images from meditation show gray matter concentration in the left hippocampus. Gray matter also increased in four other brain regions. This is exciting and a big deal! So start to GROW and STRETCH your mind today with the above breathing exercise and Mindfulness Meditation. Reach out to Heather to learn more about the items in this article.
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Soar to Success Podcast Karen Cappello Karen received her Associate Certified Coach credential from the International Coach Federation in 2002, her first year of coaching; accruing 250 hours of coaching in less than 9 months. In 2015, she earned the Master Certified Coach credential, which is held by only 4% of coaches in the world. Karen is the former Chief LearningOfficer of International Coach Academy and has trained coaches for six different coach training organizations. Her own executive coach training program, Leverage for Leaders, is a founding accredited program with the Center for Credentialing and Education. In every area of her business and life, Karen’s passion for both the outer and the inner game is evident. Withher exuberant style and her commitment to living by her own values, vision and purpose, Karen is a role model for other coaches who want to grow their practices and achieve success with ease and joy. Her book, “TheClients You are Seeking are Also Seeking You” is an Amazon bestseller. Karen’s Niche Remedy program will be starting soon. Connect with her at: https://karencappello.com/ Coach, mentor and trainer, Karen Cappello, MCC, BCC is a master certified coach who works with coaches, transitioning from the corporate world to coaching, to help them grow their businesses and create the lives they have dreamed of. She is passionate about supporting these new coaches to develop successful coaching practices with ease and joy. Karen has been a presenter on the coaching niche for the International Coach Federation’s Business Development Series since 2014. She’s been asked back each time to present on this topic andhas been told she received themost positive comments on her presentation than any other presenter. She was my inaugural guest on the new Soar to Success Weekly podcast, Grow Your Business With Speaking. It was an enlightening conversation about how to grow your business using webinars, something she’s been doing for quite some time. Karen gives details about: • how to format your webinar, • when and how to make your offer, • how to follow-up, • how to use data to find audience members that were most interested, and • what results to expect immediately and then shortly afterward. You can either watch on YouTube or listen to the podcast on iTunes or other places where podcasts are found. Karen Cappello Offers Insight Into Using Webinars to Attract Clients
Ways You Can Write Engaging Email Messages 7 By Holly Kile One of the most important aspects of your email list outside of the subscribers is the actual emails that you send to your lists. You want them to be read and enjoyed. You want your audience to actually look forward to getting an email message from you. Here are some things for you to consider when you are writing an email message. 1. Personalize Everything – Don’t be too creepy but use the automation tools for personalization to add your audience member’s name to each message you send. Saying their name at important points in your message can bring the message home in new way. You want each email to sound personal to the recipient insteadof like amass email. It doesn’tmatter if you have a list of 100 or 1,000,000,000 - each message can feel very personal to the receiver if you write it to your audience personas as if they’re the only one reading it, instead of “all” your subscribers at once. 2. Invite Them to Other Channels – Don’t exist for them only in email. People still sometimes forget to open their email, so invite them to your social media channels, too. Invite them to follow you, like you, friend you and be in your groups. This will
help them get to know you even more so that they’re more likely to open your emails when they get them. 3. Craft Thoughtful Subject Lines – Each subject line should explain what’s inside the email message so that the recipient wants to open it. It’s not the time to write puns or be tricky. You can be creative but put yourself in your audience’s place and understand who you’re writing the subject line for. 4. Only Send Out Useful Emails – If you have nothing to say or offer of value you don’t want to send an email just to send an email. Granted you do not want to wait too long between emails. If you plan to take a break, tell your audience, but otherwise try to make every message something useful for your audience. 5. Use Your Real Name – The days of being anonymous on the net are over. You need to use your real name in the return field. People will be much more likely to open the message and feel as if the message is from a real person if you use your real name. 6. Add Value – You want your audience to be excited to get an email because they know they’ll learn something really valuable to them by reading it. You might share with them someone else’s blog post, or a hot tip you’ve learned, or you might offer them a sale on SOAR TO SUCCESS / Core Business Strategies your products and services. Everything should be put in the words that make your subscribers feel important and thought of. 7. Test Everything – Sometimes assumptions, even very well-educated assumptions can be wrong, therefore it’s imperative that you take the time to use split testing (also called A/B testing) to help you determine the best subject lines, thebest timeof day to sendanemail and the types of offers your audience responds best to. By spending a little extra effort mapping out the emails you’re going to send over a period of time, based on the products and services you plan to promote, you can make each person receiving yourmessages feel unique, special and important. That’s one of the best ways to build relationships with email.
You’ve done your research and found the perfect public relations person to promote your business. Then, you leave them alone to do their job… but do you know what they’re really doing? You may see some fantastic results in their monthly reports, but you may not be aware of what’s really going on. With this in mind, here are three key questions to ask… By Melanie Rembrandt What is Your Publicist Doing? (Psst. They may be hurting your brand.) Does Your Publicist: 1. “Spray and pray”? How does your publicist spread the news about your business? Do they simply write a press release, click a button and instantly distribute it to thousands of media members hoping for a response? This is done A LOT today because it’s easy.
SOAR TO SUCCESS / Core Business Strategies However, it’s a great way to get media members to ignore all of your news in the future and build a bad reputation for your company! If you really want good media coverage, it’s essential to communicate with each media member on a one-to-one basis and provide unique and valuable information. Yes, this takes time, effort and expertise, and good publicists know this. 2. Use the wrong press release distribution service? Speaking of press releases, how does your publicist distribute your news? There are numerous distribution services available, and bad publicists will just choose the cheapest one, charge you a fortune and keep the difference. Sure. You get media mentions that the publicist can include in their monthly report that look impressive. But, in reality, this can be very bad. Why? Media members, and the search engines, know which news distribution services are legitimate and which ones aren’t! If your publicist distributes your news on the wrong service, this can reduce your credibility with customers, media members, the search engines, and more. Know how your news gets distributed to protect your brand image! 3. Communicate with the media the right way? Does your publicist only talk to media members online? Are they there for you when a crisis happens? Do they use the same templated press releases, emails, and more for all of their clients? If you don’t have positive answers to these questions, find a public relations expert who actually cares about the success of your organization and doesn’t just “check boxes” to get the job done! What your publicist is doing to your business may surprise you! When you hire a new publicist, check their processes, the press release distribution services they use and how they communicate with media members, so you know what’s going on. After all, while things may look fantastic in their month-end reports, some major issues may be hiding that can ruin your business reputation!
Agility is more than a buzzword. Ask any elite athlete, law enforcement officer or other professional where adjusting and adapting under pressure is not a luxury but a requirement. Now more than ever agility is required in organizations. The marketplace is constantly changing based on macro forces like technology, globalization, competition, and things like COVID-19 which not only could not be predicted but are certainly outside our control. We must be By Janet Kendall White Elements of Emotional Intelligence are the Building Blocks of Agility ready for challenges we could not have imagined or predicted a few years ago. Emotional intelligence (EQ) and Agility Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to read the emotional and interpersonal needs of a situation and respond appropriately; agility is the ability to do that even if it’s
difficult. Everyone can adapt to some situations, but others will be outside their comfort zone and more difficult. Value of EQ in theWorkplace I think we all recognize the importance of EQ in theory. In fact, in a recent survey byWiley & Sons, 86% of managers, directors and executives said EQ is a bigger factor in organizational success than it was five years ago. Managers spend more time on interpersonal issues which shape the employee experience, the culture and hit the bottom line. It is one thing to understand the importance of EQ but quite another to know how to develop it in individuals let alone a whole organization. A Starting Place Developing a scalable solution regardless of the size of your organization takes the right tools, training, and overall sustainable plan. Using Everything DiSC® Agile EQ™ for the assessment and initial training is a good start. The goal of Agile EQ is to empower employees from individual contributors to executives to move comfortably between eight mindsets, to become more agile. It shows each employee their strengths or starting place and then provides “effort meters” that show precisely how challenging each mindset is for them and specific steps to develop and become more adept at the mindsets outside their comfort zone. We recently had the privilege of utilizing this with a local court and a group of elite athletes and executives. The stories of application continue to come in with individuals practicing mindsets that prior to the training had been outside their comfort zone. They are becomingmore agilewith options, allowing them to deal with situations in ways they would not have previously. SOAR TO SUCCESS / Core Business Strategies Making it Sustainable What if…you were to invest in the assessment and training for all your current workers and then embed that same assessment and training into your onboarding moving forward? Would it be worth it from an ROI perspective? Statistics show that it would. Being competitive today and tomorrow means developing yourself and your employees to adapt to whatever they are faced with in real time. This requires sustainable solutions, not one and done or the flavor or programof themonth. If yourorganization is large enough to have your own trainers, we can certify them to administer and deliver the program. Regardless of the size of your organization, you can get started. To learn more about how you can develop agile workers and an agile organization, schedule a free consult by reaching out to me, janet@ berkshiregroupinc.com. Grab a copy of the full ebook on Agility an Emotional Intelligence.
Are You An MSP? You NEED To Take Advantage of MDF Funds MDF, or Market Development Funds, are offered by most vendors in the MSP space. However, the vast majority of vendors like this to be their best kept secret. No matter the size of your MSP, you are spending lots of money with these vendors. You should proactively reach out to vendors and ask forMDF for funds that you can allocate elsewhere. CommunicateWith Vendors Create a list of every vendor you use and list them on greatest to least. Don’t over complicated this. Write the company, your rep, and columns for howmany times and when you reached out. By Jeanne DeWitt Contact the rep and describe the marketing strategy you are planning the next quarter. If you have a true marketing campaign, you will have activity in every avenue of marketing. Ask your rep, what do you see getting approved the most? Is your organization more likely to approve the webinar or an in-person event? Have you seen telemarketing get approved? This insight will help you a lot when requesting MDF. Keep track of the communication and request MDF from every vendor, every quarter. You should hear back pretty quickly if your request has been approved.
Submit Your Results and Proof You will have to submit your results and invoices to show that this was completed. The vendor will then reimburse you for those activities. This is actually very simple. Results can be anything you add with that vendor that quarter…. Seriously. You have created and marketed content geared towards selling this product or service, and your clients and prospects have seen it. Any sales that you added that quarter with the help of the content you created will work. You are SOAR TO SUCCESS / Core Business Strategies to effectively bolster the marketing efforts of your business. Make sure to keep track of everything so you can consistently be awarded MDF. Better yet, have your marketing coordinator handle this as part of their scorecard. With these MDF funds, you’ll be able to allocate more money into your advertising and drive new leads and clients. This is money that you need to be taking advantage of. With any new client coming in the door, its inevitable to have a conversation about cloud services. If you need a provider you can trust, reach out to us. showing them you are growing sales. Now if you didn’t make any sales this quarter, there’s not much you can do there. It does not necessarily mean they will deny future requests, but it could make it harder with that particular vendor. You also want to include the graphics, videos, andadvertising you used to show proof that there was a marketing campaign. Allocate Your Funds By partnering with vendors, whether that be sales or a specific marketing campaign, you can receive MDF funds
One of the most important decisions you’ll make when starting a business is choosing the right business entity. It’s a decision that impacts many things--from the amount of taxes you pay to how much paperwork you have to deal with and what type of personal liability you face. So far in this series I have discussed By Jim Fisher, CPA/PFS,CTC Choosing the Correct Business Entity, Part 3 Sole Proprietorships, Partnerships and Limited Liability Companies (LLC). This month we take a look at C-Corporations and S-Corporations. C-Corporations. In forming a corporation, prospective shareholders exchange money, property, or both, for the corporation’s capital
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