Aug 06

Your Comfort Zone May Be Keeping You Invisible

Cape Cod BikingOur vacation this year took us to many stops along the East Coast over five weeks’ time. We were able to do a lot of biking, and it helped me get out into nature. Being a natural homebody, I am perfectly happy staying at home in my comfort zone. But I know that it’s healthy to get out of the house from time to time. So these trips are good for my physical and mental health.

The bike path in the above photo is the Shining Sea Trail on Cape Cod that we took from Falmouth to Woods Hole (about 10 miles). It ran through woods, estuaries and then along Falmouth Beach (in the photo). Consequently, I got to spend lots of time in natural surroundings. I also got lots of healthy exercise. So the trip was good for my mind and body. If I had stayed home, that wouldn’t have happened.

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Aug 05

5 Mindset Blocks That Stop Coaches From Collaborating

 (and How to Overcome Them)

Many coaches know that collaboration could help them grow their business—but they still avoid it. Why? Because mindset blocks often hold them back without them even realizing it.

If you’ve ever found yourself resisting the idea of working with other coaches or business owners, this article will help you spot (and overcome) the most common mental barriers.

1) “I’m Not Enough of an Expert Yet.”

This belief is incredibly common. Coaches often assume that collaboration is reserved for the “big names” or those with large audiences. But here’s the truth:

Collaboration is one of the fastest ways to build your authority, not something that comes after you’ve established it.

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Jul 23

8 Quick Tips for Standing Out From the Crowd

Standing Out from the Crowd

When I started my coaching business the last thing I wanted to do was “stand out from the crowd.”

That’s probably because I was taught to blend in for most of my life. I was encouraged from an early age to not call attention to myself – the kids who did were considered to be obnoxious and no one took them seriously.

In high school, instead of sports, I played the flute in concert band and sang in in a special choir. Once again, you were supposed to blend in. The instrument and voice must be perfectly in tune with the others.  For my senior year in band, I took second chair because I didn’t want to be the soloist flute (which is what the first chair was if there was a solo). In college it was the same. Plus I participated in the theater always working backstage with props or costumes.

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Jul 14

Biltmore trip

Bob & Jeannette At the BiltmoreI recently visited the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, and I took a lot of photos. It was really like visiting a museum with all the fine art and architecture.

To give you some background, George Vanderbilt was the eighth child of William Vanderbilt, who was the second child of Cornelius Vanderbilt, who created the Vanderbilt fortune through a ferry business in Manhattan and later through investments in the new railroads. Because George was more interested in books and art than business, his early life was spent reading and visiting museums and famous places around the world with his family.

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Jul 01

Why You Should Subscribe to Your Competitors’ Email Lists

Why Subscribe to competitors' listsHey fellow coaches! Have you ever thought about subscribing to your competitors’ email lists? It might sound counterintuitive, but trust me, this little strategy can be a goldmine of insights.

When you subscribe to other coaches’ email lists (especially if you know they’re successful), you get a front-row seat to their marketing strategy. You can observe the content they create, the language they use, the products they recommend, and more. It’s like getting a behind-the-scenes peek at what’s working in your niche!

Here’s what you can learn by subscribing to successful lists:

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Jun 18

Know What Result You Want Each Blog Post to Generate

Know what results you wantIt’s one thing to give your blog post a ‘job’, but also make sure that the job is based on the result you want to create!

Getting the result clear in your head before you ever start to write and refine your post will help you write a clearer, more focused piece and a better-converting headline. How do you do this?

…by defining your blog post’s success metric before you write.

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Jun 16

Use a QR Code…Creatively

Use a QR code creativelyThink ‘Easy’ when writing for mobile users. Short posts, graphics that fit … and don’t forget about QR codes. They’re not at all dead – but like anything else in marketing, however, you need to provide people with an incentive to check yours out (something ninety per cent of other marketers often don’t think to do).

  • Make your QR code fun – incorporate it into a graphic
  • USE A CTA. Ask a question or hint at a Big Promise or reward at the other end of the code.
  • Tell them exactly how to scan
  • Make sure that if they take the time to scan your QR code, what they find is either entertaining, irresistibly appealing or really helpful.

The good news is, people don’t have to download and learn how to use QR code scanners nowadays – most mobiles have these built-in.

As for your reward, that’s where even more creativity comes in. Depending on what people are used to from you or what they’re looking for, try things like:

  • Secret Discount Code
  • Extra resource
  • Free digital download
  • Joke of the Day or Horoscope (or whatever fits your brand)
  • Extra juicy tip or recommendation
  • Game or quiz
  • Write your own! __________________________________

Jun 01

Overcome Client Objections with Language That Converts

Overcome client objectionsPreviously, we discussed why paying close attention to how your ideal audience talks is important. (See this article) By studying your audience’s language, you can learn what type of words persuade them to make a buying decision about a product or service, overcome client objections, and handle those objections more effectively.

Finding Your Audience’s Objections and the Most Common Ones

One way to discover your audience’s objections to buying products or services is by observing complaints they might make: on social media, in message boards, and in groups. Note complaints about their problems and/or about things they have bought. Check their reasons for not buying something that has been recommended. These are all issues you can incorporate into your content.

You can also make a note of what potential clients say on your discovery or sales calls.

There are common objections that almost all audiences share. If you start with these, you can then discover more as you study your particular audience.

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May 23

Say goodbye to I don’t know how

Why are most people choosing entrepreneurship?

Flexibility. Many want more than a 9-5, seeking growth without limits and the freedom to control their income.

But why do so many fail?

Lack of knowledge and not focusing on the right tasks to increase their influence and impact. They jump in blind, not knowing how to be efficient.

But not you, not today.

Here are 4 tips on how to be more efficient and move the needle in your business:

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May 14

How Climbing Trees Relates to Business

How Climbing Trees Relates to BusinessThe Tree Climbing Competition

Last week, I accompanied my husband to a tree-climbing competition in Cedar Rapids. The Iowa Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) annually holds these timed events. My husband, a career arborist, was helping that day. Finalists get to compete in the international competition.

You may not have known that there is such a thing as tree-climbing competitions, but they are held to showcase skill, and to reinforce safety measures when tending trees. All contestants must have their gear inspected as part of the contest, and they’re judged on safety, speed, and expertise, in various events.  Each event has 2-3 judges and 3-4 timers.

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