Is This Launch Myth Costing You Big Time?

Quick question: when you hear the world “launch” in the context of your business, what do you think of?

If you’re like many solopreneurs building a business online, you think of a Launch-with-a-capitol-L: affiliate partners all promoting for you, a list of thousands, hitting the “send” button on the fateful email with the link to your order page and your inbox overflowing with orders as the stampede of hungry clients hits….

Well, I hate to be the one to burst any bubbles, but… it doesn’t quite work that way.  As you may know all too well if you’ve ever tried to launch a new program and didn’t get the results you were expecting.  (Believe me, I have been there, done that.)

I think of a launch this way: A launch is simply a marketing campaign to enroll your desired number of clients into your upcoming program. You can substitute selling a product for enrolling a program, if that’s what you’re up to.

The myth I see so many spirit-rich entrepreneurs falling for is that you have to have all this “stuff” (a big list, JV partners, affiliates out the wazoo) to have a successful launch.  This belief costs them BIG time: waiting until they have a bigger list, putting all their eggs in the launch basket (otherwise known as “If this doesn’t work, I’m screwed!”), spending lots of time/energy/money when there’s an easier way, and more.

Here are 3 things you DO need in order to successfully fill your next program:

1.  A decision to create the outcome you want and a commitment to serve your clients. As with manifesting anything in your business and life, a successful launch requires you to make a clear and powerful decision.  Your decision should include:

• How many clients do you want to serve?
• At what investment point?
• How much money do you want to create?
• When will your program be full?

You want to be very clear about these numbers before you get started.  As with Bold Goals, be realistic and stretch yourself.  Remember that not every launch has to be a big payday – if your goal is to just enroll a few clients in a slow month, that’s fine!  But make a decision, and be sure it includes numbers.

2. A group of people with whom you are in conversation. No, you don’t need a big list to successfully fill a program!  What you DO need is people to talk to.  The good news is, you can get into conversation with people right away, even if you don’t have a list.

To start, reach out to the key people in your existing network (and you DO have a network, even if it’s only friends and family to start).  Next, select some key networking events where your clients are sure to be.  Line up some opportunities where you can connect with people and share your message. Recognize that every gathering is an opportunity to share your message in an authentic way.

If you do have an existing list and communicate with your peeps regularly (think once per week), great!  If you’re not in touch with them very often, now is the time to start.

Yes, this might mean getting over being shy or a fear of emailing too much.  Which leads me directly to the 3^rd thing you’ll need for a successful launch…

3. A willingness to move beyond your comfort zone. Otherwise known as “getting uncomfortable.”

Are you willing to send that extra email to encourage more people to sign up for your preview call, or are you afraid you’ll upset someone (or they’ll all unsubscribe)?  Are you willing to have an open, authentic 1-on-1 conversation with a potential client to find out if your program is a fit for them?  Are you willing to pick up the phone and call the client you know would benefit and would love to work with, and invite them personally, from the heart?

If you want to fill your programs, you MUST be willing to go beyond where you stop and do what it takes.  Remember, you’re not asking your peeps for money for nothing – ultimately, your program is about being of service to them.  When your “come from” is one of service, and you act boldly and with sincerity, you can take fearless action and remain in the utmost of integrity.

© 2010 Elizabeth Genco Purvis.  All Rights Reserved.

Want to use this article on your website, blog or in your own ezine? No problem! But here’s what you MUST include:

Elizabeth Genco Purvis, “The Marketing Goddess” teaches spirited solo business owners and conscious entrepreneurs how to attract an abundance of clients, income, freedom and satisfaction in their business while staying true to their values.  Visit MarketingGoddess.com to claim your copy of “Grow Your Business With Spirit And Soul,” a 7-part audio workshop with everything you need to begin attracting more clients right away.

Why They’re Not Buying From You (And What You Can Do About It)

There’s probably nothing more frustrating than pouring your heart and soul into creating a program, putting it out there into the world and… nobody buys.  It’s like planning an incredible party and then nobody comes.  Not fresh!

The great news is, the reason why nobody’s buying usually comes down to one of just a few things.  Once you get a feel for what makes an offer fizzle or fly-off-the-shelves, you can design your programs and offerings to be irresistible.

Here are 4 questions to ask yourself the next time you’ve made a great offer and are still wondering, “Why won’t they buy?”

1. Is there a demand for what you’re offering?  (In other words, do they really want it?) I often hear my clients say they need to “drum up interest” in their latest product or program.  Straight up: drumming up interest is not only exhausting, it’s a losing battle.  It’s much, much easier to find a demand and fill it.

Now before you start groaning or pulling your hair out in frustration here… this is easier than you think!  I’m willing to bet a milkshake (my favorite wager) that at least one of your offerings provides an outcome that your clients already want.  What do they say they want solved, in their own words?  Which of your products or programs provides that outcome?

Your job is to position that offering so that it meets your clients where they are.  Which leads me to…

2. Are the benefits and outcomes stated clearly? We transformation pros loooove our process.  For example, I heart coaching.  However, nobody really pays me for coaching.  People invest with me to build their business, to create fabulous income for the work they’re meant to do, and to create freedom in their lives.

Your clients are not paying you for your process, either.  They want a very specific transformation… and they must value that transformation enough to invest in it.  When you show them that what you do will provide what they want, they’ll happily invest.

Bonus tip: One tool to powerfully communicate the value of your work is a Signature System.  Packaging your process into a step-by-step system positions you as the go-to expert and makes it easy for clients to “get” what you do.

3. Do you have payment plans to make it easy? One of my mentors loves to say, “Don’t make it hard for people to give you money!”

Payment plans are a great way to support your clients in saying yes to your offerings AND they help even out your cash flow.  Always offer a full pay option and at least one other payment plan.  (Important tip: make sure to structure your plan so that you’re NOT giving away a ton of service before your program is complete!)

4. How’s your energy? Whatever your doubts, fears and insecurities around your offerings are, they’ll be mirrored back to you in your clients – guaranteed.  So if you’re wondering, “Will they pay for that?” don’t be surprised when you attract a lot of people who can’t – or won’t – invest in your program.

Make sure you’re crystal-clear-certain on the value of what you’re offering first.  Also, remember that you don’t have the right to decide what people will or will not pay.  (This is a biggie!)

While there will always be people who truly can’t pay, 99% of the time “I can’t afford it” is an excuse.  When you’re certain that your deal is a no brainer, and you refuse to accept excuses, the clients you attract will match your energy with their energy… and their commitment and their money.

How Many Clients Do You Really Want?

Have you ever wished for more clients because you want to help more people and increase your in-come, AND at the same time, felt a little hesitation at the prospect?

Often I hear “spirit-and-soul-preneurs” say they want more clients.  But when it gets right down to it, they don’t really want as many clients as they think they do (or think they “should”).

The biggest fear?  Overwhelm. (Otherwise known as “too many clients, not enough time.”)  Sometimes they’re conscious of this fear, sometimes not.  Either way, they hold themselves back, and end up more frustrated than before.

The good news is, as a purpose-driven service-based business owner, you CAN design the business that supports you best. Here’s a simple 6-step formula to hit your target in-come while working with “just enough” clients.

1. Be honest with yourself. One of the very first articles on business I ever read was by James Wells, one of my favorite Tarot consultants.  (We both wrote for Llewellyn’s now-defunct almanac The Tarot Reader.)  James presented a formula:

Money you want to make = (Number of clients) x (Amount you charge)

It was the first time I’d heard the notion that I could decide how much money I wanted to make, instead of just taking what I thought I could make or what was offered.  My mind was blown!  (Funny how the simplest ideas are the most powerful, no?)

First things first: decide on your numbers. But beware: there’s little point in designing your business unless you’re really honest with yourself.  Don’t worry about what you think is “right” or what you think is possible.  Think about the numbers you really want, and WHY you really want them.

2. Drop the “shoulds.” Divide your desired in-come by the number of clients.  That’s how much you’ll have to charge each one. Simple!

Want to make six figures while only serving 10 clients one-on-one?  Sweet!  You can do that.   Trouble is, many spirited entrepreneurs see that number and hit a wall… because it’s a lot bigger than they’re used to.  And they feel really uncomfortable raising their fees.

You CAN raise your fees and stay in integrity. Remember, it’s all about the value you provide your clients.  Get clear on what they’re really getting out of working with you, and put a real dollar value to it.

If you find yourself saying “yeah but…”, ask yourself, “Yeah, but WHAT?” As your clients will undoubtedly have to do the work to get those results, it’s their responsibility to show up and get them.  Your responsibility is to provide the way and the support.  Both have real value to the client who takes the work seriously.  (Which are exactly the kind of clients you want, no?)

3. Think outside the one-on-one box. Classes, information products, programs, affiliate programs… the possibilities to be of service to your clients are endless!

Ask yourself: Can I leverage my time and work with more clients by designing a package or program?  This can help you create more in-come in your business while working less, and also provides help and solutions when raising your fees is too much of a stretch. (We all grow in stages!)

Creating a high-value program with a focus on results will also allow you to confidently increase your fees.  You can offer more to your clients when you work with them over longer periods of time, and charge accordingly.

4. Leave some wiggle room. When designing your business, your solutions will always be based on your current experience – i.e., what you already know.  Undoubtedly, there are solutions out there that you haven’t heard of yet.  Leaving a little “wiggle room” will invite the Universe to send a better idea your way and allow you the freedom to act on it without feeling overwhelmed.

For example, let’s say you decide you want to make $80k and work with 20 clients total.  You can see how to do it: Create a package or program for $4k and enroll 20 people.

It’s a good solution!  But there might be an even better way to reach your goal out there – an idea from a future session with your coach, a class you haven’t attended yet, a conversation with a friend, whatever.

So leave yourself a little room.  Instead of 20 clients, focus on the first 5 or 10.   This way, you’re in action and building momentum while leaving room for new and exciting possibilities.

5. Get into action as quickly as possible! What steps will you need to take to reach your goal?  Create your plan and begin implementing.

6. Course-correct with confidence. With entrepreneurial power comes the need for flexibility.  As you implement, you’ll make new discoveries (including, perhaps, a better way of reaching your goal, as mentioned in step 4).  Pay attention to what works for you and what doesn’t, and don’t be afraid to adapt to what you learn.

© 2009 Elizabeth Genco Purvis.  All Rights Reserved.

Want to use this article on your website, blog or in your own ezine? No problem! But here’s what you MUST include:

Elizabeth Genco Purvis, “The Marketing Goddess” teaches spirited solo business owners and conscious entrepreneurs how to attract an abundance of clients, income, freedom and satisfaction in their business while staying true to their values.  Visit MarketingGoddess.com to claim your copy of “Grow Your Business With Spirit And Soul,” a 7-part audio workshop with everything you need to begin attracting more clients right away.

Is Your Business Model Setting You Up For Success… Or Failure?

Every business has a business model, including yours! The question is, does your business model allow you to create incredible income while serving lots of your choice clients, or… not?

If you’re like most of these business owners, you started in business by hanging out your shingle and serving clients one-on-one.   Working 1-on-1 is the prevailing business model for self-employed service businesses, including spirit-rich, purpose-driven owners like coaches, metaphysical consultants, designers, and healers.

Trouble is, in the 1-on-1 business model, you’re always limited by one key factor: your time. When you’re out of time, you’ve also capped your income… and you’re overwhelmed and exhausted to boot.  Not good!

Luckily, the problem of 1-on-1 burnout is completely avoidable… with the right business model. A robust business model will grow with you (instead of breaking down), frees up your time, and creates generous income for you.  Best of all, the right business model helps you transform more lives while actually working less.

To help you get started shifting your business model from one that drains you to one that sustains you… and so much more, here are some quick tips taken from the proven business model planning system I share with my clients, The Profit Pyramid^TM….

Tip #1. Select your income streams. You’ll want a variety of income streams and price points, starting with freebies (articles, free teleseminar, mini audio courses, short video tips) all the way up to high-end offerings.  By creating offers at different price points, you’ll give many more people the opportunity to be served by your work AND create more opportunity to receive income for that transformation.

Bonus tip: Create your income streams using the “rinse and repeat” strategy. Start with one signature system – your expertise packaged into a step-by-step system that your clients can easily follow to get results.  (Examples: one of my signature systems is The Abundant Business System, another is Clients & Cash Flow Secrets.)  Then offer your signature system in a variety of formats, such as a teleseminar series, a 1-day intensive, a 30-day bootcamp, and more.  Creating a signature system and offering it in a variety of formats keeps you from burning out on creating new content and provides “readymade” income streams that you can tailor to your clients and situation.

Tip #2. Always know what comes next. Part of the beauty of a correctly designed multiple streams model is that it creates leverage – big results (income) through very little effort (your time, energy and money).  To get leverage, one stream of income must flow into the next, into the next.  The design can be summed up in a simple question: “What comes next?”

All too often, solo business owners create an offer, get a few clients, then complete the work… with no next step.  There is almost always an opportunity to serve your clients again – additional support, deeper work, solving a new problem.  Ask the question “what comes next?” after each offer and make sure you have a new offer to solve that problem.

Bonus tip: Know where 1-on-1 fits into your business model. Does creating multiple streams mean you have to give up the juicy 1-on-1 work you love?  No!  But you do need to know where it goes in your plan: your most exclusive, biggest ticket offers.   Your 1-on-1 time is of the highest value in your business – treat it accordingly.

Tip #3. Focus on your big-ticket (high-end) offer first. One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make when getting started with multiple streams of income, passive and leveraged income is… they spend waaaay too much time on freebies and lower-end offers.   They spend all their time on “the small stuff,” run out of clients & cash… then panic.

Instead, focus on the offers that will bring in immediate income first, such as a well-designed higher end program or VIP mentoring day.  Note that this might mean getting a little uncomfortable, as it involves reaching out to clients, having a conversation and asking for the business.  Remember, you help no one when you hide your light under a bushel!  When you come from a place of true service, your clients will appreciate your sincerity and are much more likely to say yes to your offers.

When is the best time to implement the right business model?  Right now! Even if you’re brand new in your business, now is the time to put your multiple streams of income business model in place.  Your multiple streams business model is critical to creating the impact and income you want while maintaining time and financial freedom in your life – don’t put it off!

Want  step-by-step instruction and my personal help on creating your own Profit Pyramid^TM, Signature System and high-end offers? I’ll coach you through each of these topics in depth when you join me for my next group training, The Abundant Business Marketing & Manifestation Mastermind, starting in February.  But HURRY – space is strictly limited and spots are filling fast. Get all the details and reserve your place here: http://www.6figuresoulbasedbusiness.com

© 2009 Elizabeth Genco Purvis.  All Rights Reserved.

Elizabeth Genco Purvis, “The Marketing Goddess” teaches spirited solo business owners and conscious entrepreneurs how to attract an abundance of clients, income, freedom and satisfaction in their business while staying true to their values.  Visit MarketingGoddess.com to claim your copy of “Grow Your Business With Spirit And Soul,” a 7-part audio workshop with everything you need to begin attracting more clients right away.

10 Simple New Year’s Habits For Soul-Inspired Business Owners

So the tree is taken down, the Yule log burned out, the eggnog all gone and the lights put away.  The new year is here!  It’s a time of reflection, looking forward, and making positive changes. Perhaps you’ve made a few New Year’s Resolutions for your life and business.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never had much luck with New Year’s Resolutions. I think it’s because the overall vibe of resolutions feels negative to me, not positive.  Resolutions have always felt like an admission that there’s something wrong, and now I’m going to have to work to change it.  While there’s always room for improvement, I’d much rather make those changes in a way that feels positive and do-able, not like I’m climbing a mountain, or even worse, because it feels like I “should.” (Can you relate?)

That’s when I hit upon the idea of creating New Year’s habits. Unlike the makeover-style overhauls, habits are small, simple shifts that are supportive, not punishing.  They’re manageable, so you’re much more likely to succeed (especially if you take them one at a time).  Best of all, they can add up to BIG results over the long haul.

Wildly successful people have long known and understood that the key to success is habit and consistency. Think And Grow Rich, one of the most widely read personal development books of all time, came about when Andrew Carnegie challenged Napoleon Hill to study the characteristics of successful people, including their habits.  Million-dollar marketing coach Dan Kennedy has said, “If you look at successful people, look at the things they do without fail every single day. That’s what makes them successful.”

Below are 10 tried-and-true business-boosting success habits for the new year. Use this list as a checklist to see where your marketing could use a tune-up.  If you’re not doing any of them yet, don’t stress out – just pick one or two and get them going.

As you read the 10 ideas below, notice how simple most of them are.  Turn even 2 or 3 of them into new habits and you’ll be amazed at how quickly you make positive shifts in your life and business.

1. Reconnect with your passion. If you’re a soul-inspired business owner, chances are you’re driven to do what you do – that is, you have a reason why.  Maybe you’ve lived what you teach and now you want to help others. Maybe want to spend more time with your family.  Write down your why and read it often. Your passion is the fuel that makes your business go.  Passion is also absolutely magnetic to potential clients.

2. Reconnect with your vision. Where would you like to be 1, 3 or 5 years from now?  If you’ve never created a vision for yourself, now is a wonderful time to make one.  Be sure to write in the present tense.  “I am so happy and grateful that…”  Keep your vision close to you and read it on a regular basis (once a day is ideal).  Reading your vision should light a fire in your belly.  If you’re not excited after reading your vision, it’s time to change it.

3. Track everything. We all know that what you focus on expands, right?  Simple, elegant, and it works.  Ideas:

• Your income (track your income and you’ll get more)
• Clients (track clients and you’ll get more)
• Signs from the Universe that you’re moving forward (track your progress and you’ll get more)
• Things you’re grateful for (give thanks for what you have and you’ll get more)

One thing you’ll definitely want to track is where your clients come from. That way, you can keep your focus on what’s working and release what is not.  Your time and money are precious, so keep your marketing accountable!

4. Go for the relationship, not the sale. The key to success in a recession economy is better relationships.  It can be hard to focus on creating a relationship when you need clients and income now.  But the more you do, the faster both will come (and the better you’ll feel, too).  Better still, by building relationships, you’ll create a business that sustains you long after the crisis point is over.

5. Follow up with potential clients. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve met someone whose service I really needed, told them I needed them, and never heard from them again.  Lack of follow-up is a money leak, plain and simple.  Potential clients want you to follow up because it’s one less thing they need to remember.  Make service your top priority and follow up consistently, especially when that little voice inside is saying one thing (“They’re not really interested,” “they must have hired someone else”) and your rational mind knows it’s follow-up time.  (I’ve made this mistake myself and always kick myself later!)

6. Reconnect with current and past clients. It’s well known that it’s much easier to get repeat business than new business.  Your best clients are one of your most precious assets: emotionally, spiritually, and of course, financially.  They deserve a little love!  Make a new habit of checking in from time to time.  They’ll appreciate it, and you’ll both get the benefit of working with each other more often.  (Proof: one of my recent check-ins with a favorite client turned into another project, authentically and gracefully.)

7. Be ruthlessly positive. Being positive isn’t just about making you feel good – it’s good business.  Good news is like acknowledgment and approval: people long for it.   I don’t know about you, but personally, I’m sick of hearing that the sky is falling!  So are your clients.  Turn the experience of working with you into a blissful, healthy alternative by shifting your attitude.

8. Reject excuses, embrace solutions. Excuses keep you stuck.  Solutions move you forward.  Time to replace the old habit of slipping into excuses mode (“That won’t work”, “Nobody will pay for it”) for a habit that supports you.  When you catch your mind feeding you excuses, give it something else to do: find a solution to the problem.  Ask, “How can I make this work?” or “What would make it worth it to them?”  (Want the answer to the latter question?  Ask your best clients!  They’ll tell you!)

Your left brain is thrilled when you give it problems to solve.  Better yet, when you give your brain a problem to solve and a little bit of time, it will help you!  Instead of roadblocks, you get a clear path to whatever you want.

9. Commit to “just one thing” daily. To keep marketing simple, stick to basic, tried-and-true strategies and adopt a truly magical practice that I like to call “just one thing”: every day, do just one thing to build your business, no matter how small.  “Just one thing” uses the Japanese principle of kaizen: big results come in continuous small increments over time.  Commit to just one thing daily and you’ll never have to worry about where your clients are coming from ever again.

10. Gratitude. You know it feels good.  You know it works!  Now all that’s left is to make it a habit.  If you haven’t been giving thanks DAILY for all the money, business, and success you DO have, now is the perfect time to start.

Want more tips on spiritual, profitable planning for 2010?  Check out this article by my colleague and fellow Platinum coach Alicia Forest, and this one by my Platinum client Joanna Powell Colbert.  (And don’t forget to sign up for my fr’e'e 2010 Marketing & Manifestation call series!  Register here: http://www.6figuresoulbasedbusiness.com)

© 2009 Elizabeth Genco Purvis.  All Rights Reserved.

Elizabeth Genco Purvis, “The Marketing Goddess” teaches spirited solo business owners and conscious entrepreneurs how to attract an abundance of clients, income, freedom and satisfaction in their business while staying true to their values.  Visit MarketingGoddess.com to claim your copy of “Grow Your Business With Spirit And Soul,” a 7-part audio workshop with everything you need to begin attracting more clients right away.

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