Selling Is Easy, When It's Automated
We agreed the other day that no one likes to be sold to, your customers included. You noticed that when you're really consistent on the right things, your income is just as consistent. Which of course means you are going to have to sell to your customers.
Selling is easy when it's automated.
We agreed the other day that no one likes to be sold to, your customers included. You noticed that when you're really consistent on the right things, your income is just as consistent. Which of course means you are going to have to sell to your customers.
Selling is easy, when it's automated.
There's a lady out here who is perfect for your biz. Let's call her Ava. Ava could have problems figuring out her tax code. She watches your video on Youtube on how to figure that out and she's hungry for more of your brains.
She sees on your website that you have a freebie saying 'Top ten things entrepreneurs need to do for more tax breaks".
BOOM! Insta-fan (and subscriber).
But after she gets your freebie she doesn't hear from you in a while except when you send out your newest offering. By then the honeymoon love has faded and she unsubscribes/couldn't care less.
Fear not! You don't have to let that loving feeling go. Here's how you can create 1,000 raving Ava's who all have that loving feeling (without having to be there): Show Me The Money: From Reader to Buyer
People Hate Being Sold To- Do This Instead!
When you're in the mall and the creepy dude from the kiosk jumps up and asks to feel your hands you immediately start walking closer to the perimeter of the store across from the kiosk and smile. All the while he's telling you how amazing his hand salt is.
His hand salt, hair extensions, phone case, insert anything else that might be sold in a mall kiosk might be the one thing you really need. His methodology and process just isn’t ideal. When this is mastered he can sell product after product.
When you're in the mall and the creepy dude from the kiosk jumps up and asks to feel your hands you immediately start walking closer to the perimeter of the store across from the kiosk and smile. All the while he's telling you how amazing his hand salt is.
His hand salt, hair extensions, phone case, insert anything else that might be sold in a mall kiosk might be the one thing you really need. His methodology and process just isn’t ideal. When this is mastered he can sell product after product.
Online marketing which ALL online Solopreneurs do- even those that suck at marketing and just don't get why you need to do it- still do some type of marketing. It might not be that amazing, hence the PayPal balance.
You need to have a true and tested process with your sales funnel from beginning to end. Spoiler Alert: your PayPal account is not the end.
Let's be real, people don't pay for inspiration.
Inspiration may get someone to sign up for your mailing list, but the inspired usually unsubscribe when they see a series of sales emails. That isn’t what they signed up for, and we all know people hate being sold to.
If inspiration is your sole sales funnel it's going to take prospects a lot longer to get to their desired outcome, if ever. People pay to reach their desired outcome.
Point A - some internal/external hell/chaos a prospect is experiencing
Beginning annoyance with said hell/chaos - the prospect is introduced to your brand and thinks you can assist in diminishing the chaos.
Mid breaking point with said hell/chaos- the prospect has a bit of awareness and engagement with your brand and believes that you can assist to diminish the chaos.
Point B is the holy grail. Point B is wedding day for little girls that have been dreaming of being a Disney princess all their lives and they have been planning this wedding since they were four. Point B is pretty iconic.
You are hired between breaking point and point B. The prospect becomes a client and they are expecting results (point B). Now it's times for you to do your thang!
Your thang/gift/expertise is your brilliance and it’s transformational. It can be inspirational, but in order to truly help and to keep your clients happy, there must be a transformation.
Look at your current sales funnel:
How are you getting your prospects from point A to point B?
What tools are you using?
What strategies are effective?
How long is your sales funnel?
What are the requirements for your new clients to advance in tiers to work with you?
Set it up, move on, and get clients while you shop!
The number two reason why people never set up systems is because they don’t have time. The irony in that- systems provide more time.
The number one reason why people never set up systems is because they are cool with the chaos.
Today is a new day!
I don’t want you to get caught up in reason one or reason two. Deal? Deal!
Every week if you set aside 30 minutes to set up one system. By the end of the month you would have used two hours total to free yourself an hour each week going forward. So 2 hours can provide you with 52 hours.
Do you really not have time for that type of return on time?
Streamlining your business can be stressful and boring, but so is grocery shopping. Some things we just have to do until we don’t have to do them anymore.
The day grocery delivery is available in my area - I am signing up! Part of automating and systemizing your business is first assessing the things you don’t like to do and don’t do that well. This way you stay in your lane of genius much more.
One thing most chic + savvy solopreneurs don’t like doing is constantly repeating herself:
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
Instead of answering the same questions over and over and OVER again in your email, create a thorough FAQ PDF and send it to your prospects in your welcome auto-responder. If the prospect doesn’t know how amazing you are yet and isn’t on your email list. Create a canned response in your email to send them the FAQ PDF. Do it once and you’re done. It may take you 15-30 minutes to create. However, that’s a one time investment of 15-30 minutes. Don’t want to create a FAQ PDF? Add a FAQ page to your website. Send the prospect your link.
Another thing is worrying about the money:
FINANCIAL
Use Freshbooks to get your financial system organized. Once your account is set up, Freshbooks will do the work for you.
Once a week you should set aside time to review the financial systems in your business. There are many aspects to this system. However, having a service to track and keep it organized is a great start.
Chic + Savvy Solopreneurs have big visions and respect their time. Hence, scheduling is a BIG system.
SCHEDULING
Emailing or messaging on social networks to schedule is a BIG waste of time. You know your schedule better than anyone. Enter into google calendar and sign up for Acuity Scheduling. Acuity links with google calendar and allows you to set your availability for your clients. You can also link your paypal account and have your clients to pay and schedule their sessions at the same time.
I’ll be doing a review of three schedulers next week, so stay tuned, if you haven’t found one that you adore yet.
Once you set these systems up, move on, and go do what you please. Maybe it’s shopping with your bestie mid day on Friday. Or taking a nap before your spa day because you want to be WELL rested before pampering. Or reading to at-risk youth before a lunch date. Whatever you decide, you can do it in peace without checking your email to see if you need to complete a biz process.
Are you ready to organize the chaos in your business? Let me help you automate your biz, maximize your time and profits!
Invest in Yourself Audio
Here is a quick podcast I recorded earlier on investing in yourself. Short and to the point.
Circle "Yes" or "No" to yourself...stop giving others the pen
As a kid I always needed to know why. I asked a lot of questions. There wasn't Google or wifi back in my day.
via
If you wanted to know something you asked. So I asked questions all the time to any and everyone.
My father is a very scholarly man (he has several post graduate degrees...masters {plural} and an unrelated PhD). Daddy Warbucks values knowledge, dedication, and hard work.
So he wouldn't just GIVE me the answer(s) to ALL my queries.
Instead he gave me tools to figure things and life out.
Let me just tell you NO 7 years old little girl wants encyclopedias as gifts. Now an iPad for on the go and an iMac...yes please sign them up!
Daddy Warbucks even made me do book reports if he felt I needed to "learn" something related to a question I may have asked. Growing up I was conflicted that my father was half CRAY and half brilliant. To top it off my father is hilarious and incredibly kind.
My mama on the other hand is a therapist who began as a nurse so she's very optimistic and caring, YET rational. Rational and logical to the point where if your feelings are hurt easily she will slice and dice those bad boys then help you to process your emotions.
Talk about reverse psychology.
Holistic home life full of travel, rich education and experiences, but most importantly love. The good life.
Fast forward >>because life goes forward.
I was about to graduate college and decided I must go to graduate school because I knew I needed to put my dent in the world in a BIG way.
To get in grad school you have to write long essays convincing the board why you are a perfect fit. Crazy? I have to convince you to award me the opportunity to give you 60k on top of all the hard work I did in undergrad & passing the GRE with exceptional scores (the second time but who is counting-I only claim to be 85% awesome).
I applied to two universities, one for a PsyD program and one for a masters. I got into both programs. The PsyD program still wanted me to prove myself, I had to interview with the board.
Being the little girl that asked why and inquired about everything...I went in the interview asking them questions. My rationale was at this point to get a PsyD was $120,000, what could they offer me and why were they a good fit for making my dreams come true. I became the interviewer.
The board told me how amazing I was. I thought to myself DUH!!! Didn't they see my GPA, my essay was stellar, my GRE was short of perfect and my recommendations were God sends.
And then they asked me if I wanted to "try" the masters program because my “spunk and amazing” may just not be right for their program.
Immediately I wanted to tell them with all my “spunk” where they could go. However, I wasn't a fool. I asked why one last time.
The quietest board member told me sharply "hunay because no one in this room has the balls to tell you that they are scared to see what wonders you will do with their training that they haven't even managed to do."
That was the answer my hurting soul needed. I wasn't sad nor was I angry. I didn't know if she just said it to make me feel better because at this point I know my feelings were all over my face if not fleeting from my tear ducts. The other board members were trying to put on a poker face so I assumed she hit a nerve and was genuine.
"Thank you so much" I smiled as I left the room.
“I am thankful for all of those who said NO to me. It’s because of them I’m doing it myself.”
The next day I enrolled in the other university’s masters program.
Amazing decision: the professors were free and liberal thinkers. Pretty rare in the psychology field. I met two of my best friends/sisters. I couldn't imagine life without them. Those two years my life began. Not a career but my whole life began and I evolved.
To rewind for a second: (because we do that in life too-reflection is amazing when you pull the lessons learned out)
The board member that told me how awesome I was contacted me and offered me a position to consult for her private practice business. Between her and my at the time mentor they taught me everything I needed to know about running a business offline and the structures on top of essential training in psychology.
The PsyD program sent a letter a week after my interview saying I was accepted to their program with a two year scholarship.
I laughed.
3 Chic Tips To Mastery:
1. Say yes to yourself. Say yes to your dreams. Say yes to your happiness. Say yes. Don't leave it in anyone else's hands.
2. Ask questions. Ask google. Learn everything you can about the things that perplex you. Seek understanding from those that you KNOW can help you to get where you want to be. If you aren't sure if they can help...keep seeking until you know. Lies & confusion you can find on your own.
3. Shine bright!! Gatekeepers were designed to hold you back. When you choose yourself and say yes, it doesn't matter what they say or do.
We Made It - Happy New Year + a download
Mama we made it!
If we were to ever hang out, which we really should in 2015 I would probably blurt that out randomly. You would be having such an amazing time that you wouldn't mind my animated silliness.
This year has been incredible.
IN-CRED-I-BLE
I can't pinpoint one thing or even ten that made this year so awesome, but that in itself just shows how miraculous it was.
For the record I hate all those buzz words (juicy, magical, miraculous) I see them everywhere which demeans the juicy magical miraculous goodness people were intending.
Off the record I think you're amazing and we can use that word as often as we please!
My wish for you is that you reflect on the last hours that we have in 2014 and truly examine the past year.
What are you grateful for?
When did fear and doubt almost stop you in your tracks?
What challenged you the most?
What were your three biggest WINS?
Who did you support?
Who supported you?
Describe a good day in 2014
Describe a remarkable day in 2014
What new experiences did you have?
What baggage did you pick up this year?
Save these questions to your google drive so you can easily reflect on your own.
I also wish that you take time in the next few days entering 2015 and visualize on how you want your year to look. Take your time with this. When done right this process is amazing *insert juicy, magical, or miraculous if you must*
I challenge you to unsubscribe from emails and newsletters that you don't read. If by chance I fall in that category, I wish you nothing but the best. Anything that isn't serving you don't take it with you to 2015, friday, next week, or next month. That's anytime.
That junk drawer in your kitchen and office, sort through it and get rid of all that junk. Fabulous Solopreneurs only have junk in one place and it isn't in a drawer.
Secondly I challenge you to set aside four days in 2015 exclusively for you. If you want to sleep all day or pamper yourself. Whatever you fancy..four days...they don't have to be consecutive. You'll thank me next year. You're welcome in advance.
Thirdly I challenge you to verbalize the one thing that you hate doing in your business and create a system to optimize it if you aren't in a position to outsource it.
In January I’m hosting a series of webinars and trainings on organization and productivity. If these fall under your one thing, join me and I'll help you sort it out. I promise I won't embarrass you and scream "Mama we made it."
Happy New Year my love! May 2015 be filled with your hearts desires and lots of laughter. Oh and of course automation and a chic streamlined business.
Systems vs. Tools
Every business needs systems and tools. With the new year, I see so many business owners throwing out the word systems but when I look closer they are only talking about tools.
Tools and systems are not synonymous.
Tools + productivity hack + strategy x repetition= system
Tools help to carry out systems and enhance a system in automating your business.
My favorite tools this week are asana and streak. The systems behind them are a bit strategic.
For example I use Asana to manage:
TDL
CRM
Podcast pitches
Project manager
So many things [working on a guide to share all the goodness]
In order to create a system look at what you do over and over. Make note of the steps that are needed and those that aren't. Assess where you can shave time, automate, and or outsource. Write it down and follow those steps from here on out. That is a system.
Here's an example of my Podcast system:
Research potential guest
Interact with potential guest casually and genuine
Send potential guest an email informing of the podcasts mission and invite them to be a guest.
Once the guest accepts the invitation, send guest an email explaining recording process and a link to podcast scheduler. [The scheduler is linked to my main calendars]
The scheduler sends the guest reminders before the interview date. If needed they are able to cancel and reschedule through the scheduler.
Edit the podcast
Record Intro
Upload Intro
Type up show notes [I use a template]
Create bit.ly links for the download url and show notes
Edit image [I use a template]
Create blog post for podcast show notes
The day before the podcast goes live I email the guest with the show notes, an image to share on their social media if they choose, pre written tweets about the show, and the download link.
This system is composed of a few moving parts and tools, but it's fool proof. There's a checklist to make sure everything gets done and in order.
The templates make it so I can easily pick up where I left off and not have to wonder if XYZ was completed. No time is wasted trying to figure out where to start, because I know it's done if the task below it is completed. The checklist also makes it possible to pass it off to my assistant if I don't have time to finish some tasks and the deadline is nearing. She knows exactly where to start and what to do.
Systems automate your business. Automation leads to more time which is freedom.
I made a mistake
On my way back in town this past Sunday, I was editing my podcast in the car because I knew my schedule was thrown off, and it wouldn’t have been done. I haven’t outsourced my editing to my assistant, because I like to keep my personality and quirks part of the episode. So I edited the podcast in a car full of disgruntled traveling children. Note to self: just don’t!
When I recorded the podcast Skype cut out for a few moments while I was telling Chivon my story. When it reconnected I told her I would edit that part out. So when editing in the car full of distractions that was the one part I did not edit.
So as I listened to the uploaded episode this morning driving my babes to school and I heard myself say, “no worries I’ll edit this part out.” I felt like such a loser. How could I listen and MISS the one part that needed to be edited out. Immediately the perfectionist in me couldn’t get home fast enough. I wanted to delete the current episode, edit the portion out, and re-upload like it never happened.
Then I thought, “girl, you do not have time for ANY of that in your schedule today.” I was thinking how I could move things around to get it done, but it wasn’t plausible. Sometimes I have to have pep talks with myself.
So today’s pep talk went something like this:
Mistakes happen. You aren’t perfect. Get over it. No one cares. Really, no one cares. So what.
After my pep talk, I was fine. I went on with my day. I promoted the episode, because it’s a great conversation. Even the bit I had planned to edit.
3 Chic Tips to Mastery if you ever make a mistake:
1. Own it! Acknowledge that you made an error.
2. Apologize if necessary.
3. Move on! Try not to make the same mistake and keep moving!
Even with systems, you will make mistakes, and thats okay. Don’t let them hold you back. Download the episode on Self-care for solopreneurs. Being kind to yourself is definitely a self-care tactic.
System's aren't sexy
Systems aren't sexy.
Most people believe it or not, don't wake up and say "I really need to get my systems together."
They may say “WTF/WTH...why isn't this working for me? I'm doing everything right. I'm doing EVERYTHING my XYZ coach says do. I'm doing EVERYTHING from that course and academy I took.”
Oh it happens.
No one thinks to look at their systems or processes, because systems just aren’t sexy.
Wanna know what is sexy?
Butts! The BOTTOM line! The bigger the better depending on who you ask.
I like butts. Big butts.
I'm a little obsessed with my booty. I worked hard for it. I sacrifice cupcakes and I love cupcakes. I do squats and weighted 180 pounds squats at that. Squats aren't sexy, burpee’s aren’t sexy. and cardio just plain sucks!
Yet the bottom line makes me happy!
Same thing with systems. Systems show you where there's holes in your business and life and help you to patch them up.
A big bottom line for your business equates to more time and more money. Now that’s sexy!
You aren't wasting time on unnecessary tasks if you have proper systems in place. That is sexy!
And you my friend, are a sexy beast! Don’t let the lack of systems or improper systems decrease your sex appeal.
Here are 4 systems that every business needs to have:
Daily System
Content Creation System
Money Generation System
Marketing System
These 4 systems can be broken down into itsy bitsy processes to make sure you don’t leave room for error. As sexy as we are, we’re prone to an error here or there.
If you don’t have any system in place today...I want you to pull your left hand out and put it in front of you then pop it with your right hand! Now that we got that minor portion of corporal punishment underway.
The first system that you should implement is a Daily System, which is a group of systems that is pertinent to everyone who has goals to be accomplished. Daily Systems include daily schedules to include personal [yours + your babes if that applies + your huni if that applies] and business; self care routine, time management processes and organization.
Soon, I’ll share a process with you that I use with my clients to help them to maximize on their day and add to their daily system. However, for now here’s a downloadble PDF that I use daily in mapping out my day.
Live. Love. Action.
Watch Ellen’s Anaconda vide for a good laugh
- Call a friend and ask them what was the funniest thing that happened to them last week.
Download the PDF and get your day(s) rocking!
Ignore the noise
People are full of a lot of things. One thing in particular is advice. We all love to tell someone what we think and how they should do things. Often times this advice is unsolicited. Then there are times when we ask for the advice.
Be Careful what you ask for.
Agendas. We all have one. Sometimes advice get tangled in someone's agenda.
And this isn't in the paranoid sense that someone is out to get you.
However, their agenda frames their thought processes. So in times things that they say to you truly don't apply to you because their frame of reference is coming from where they are & have been.
Ignore the noise.
Once you get clear. And I mean super clear of your values...don't deviate from them.
Your values will help define your goals, passions, and purpose.
If something or someone doesn't align then...ignore the noise.
If you are following social media accounts that aren't positive...delete them. Even if it's someone in your family...DELETE them.
If that makes you uncomfortable since social media is so important to many, hide (facebook) mute (twitter) them. I'll block someone, family or not so QUICK!
My peace and purpose are far more important than a simple "we follow each other." And it doesn't mean I don't love or like the individual. It just means we aren't aligned and I don't want their "stuff" in my subconscious.
Everyone does not deserve to be a part of your subconscious.
If you’re on email lists that aren't helping you to get where you need to be, unsubscribe.
Living intentional takes some work until it becomes automatic.
Learn to discern what's for you and block the rest.
Ignore the noise.
Noise is essentially anything that distracts you from completing what's necessary.
Some coaches will tell you to stop watching television. Television is not the devil. [SN: scandal comes back tomorrow. Let's all have a silent scream fest!!!]
Okay, back to business. Watching tv, reading books, and listening to podcasts or webinars are all okay. Now when these mediums distract you from completing what you need to do...they become noise!
Ignore the noise!
Comparison + Research
Remember in school when the teacher said to keep your eyes on your own paper. You know the saying "stay in your own lane."
This right here will eliminate all sorts of noise and self doubt. Comparing yourself to others takes time away from what you could be improving on. Researching others offerings and services and processes takes away time from you researching what you need to do. Carbon copies are so 1990. You're too fly for that.
Live. Love. Action
1. Unplug from social media from time to time + unfollow + block when necessary.
2. Brain dump weekly at minimum.
3. Smile & nod @ unsolicited and solicited advice and do what feels best to you.
4. Unsub from mailing lists you never read and (or) aren't providing you value.
5. Stay in your lane
6. Call someone you love & ask them what was the funniest thing that they have experienced today.