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What My Search for a Bissell Sweeper Taught Me about Marketing

January 8, 2012 By Cara Lumen Leave a Comment
close-lookThis is really a story about targeted persistence. 
 
I wanted to replace my small hand-run Bissell sweeper that I keep handy for light sweeping between major vacuuming.  So I went on line to Amazon and looked around. I put a couple of models in my cart but did not make a purchase. 
 
For Amazon that could have been the end of the story because I ultimately found what I wanted locally.  But Amazon doesn’t give up; it kept sending me options – sweepers on sale or sweepers like the ones I was interested in. 
 

They kept trying to fill my need!!!!!

That is so brilliant and so basic.  Our products and services must fill the needs and wants of our target community.
 

Sometimes we have to educate our target community

Perhaps we need to help our target community understand what our product or service can do for them.  We can help them see how they will benefit from using it and what it will help them accomplish. We can talk about the change they will experience.  I’d never heard of a lightweight electric Bissell.  How long did it run between charging?  How good was its suction?  I read the promotional material and I made a decision that was different than the one I started out with.
 

Sometimes we need to show why we are unique

When I found what I wanted in a local store I had two choices with a little different price range.  What made one better or more appropriate for my use than the other? What makes you unique? What about your work is different from others and won’t be duplicated anyplace else.  We need to let them know about that. Our personal uniqueness and how we express it will ultimately provide the final attraction.  They will identify more with us than with someone else. 
 

Sometimes we need to build trust

I trust Amazon.  They have earned it over time.  I trust the Bissell brand because it’s been around for years.  What are you doing in your business to help people trust you, to know that you will over deliver and the quality will be outstanding? 
 

Be persistent, not annoying

Since I bought my sweeper elsewhere there will be a point where I don’t want Amazon to send me any more suggestions on sweepers and I bet you they know when to quit.  But what if I still wanted a sweeper?  What if I hadn’t found what I wanted?  What if I felt better about spending the money on it a few weeks later?  There are many factors that influence a purchase.  Time and the degree of desire are primary.  A little persistence can go a long way. But know when to quit.
 

How do you put this lesson into action?

Look for and understand the needs of your community. You can find that in the comments on your blog, the questions from your clients, the ideas expressed in the blogs you follow.  Then you need to adjust your approach to include what you find.
 

Keep showing up  

I’m a business coach and everyone who has joined my community knows it.  However, in a recent newsletter when I wrote a gentle observation on what I can do for others in my coaching capacity it inspired several people to step forward to work with me.  They had been considering it and were finally ready.  My nudge was low-key and gentle.  And I had been consistently showing up in the form of my emagazine. 
 
I don’t remember the statistics and they may have changed but at one point I was told that a contact has to be made nine times before a sale is made.  That’s a lot of gentle persistence.  What are you doing to continue to deepen your relationship with your target community?
 

© 2012 Cara Lumen 

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How Well Does Your About Page Convert?

February 8, 2011 By Cara Lumen Leave a Comment
partnersAfter your landing page, the second page people most frequently visit is your About Page. They go there to find out about the website they’re on. They want to know who it is for and what’s in it for them. And it’s also where they decide how they want to connect with you next. Here are some tips for helping your About Page convert.

Who Reads the About Page

 First time Visitors. They may there because of a Google search or they may have been referred to your site by a friend but they are definitely new to what you offer. They like what they see. They want to decide if they should keep coming back. They go to the About Page to see who the person is behind the content and the service. The About Page is an opportunity to convert a visitor into a user.
 
Regular Users: These people are connected with you through your RSS fees or emagazine list. The About Page helps them connect with you more personally and can give them reasons to keep coming back. They may be considering buying a product or taking a next step with you. The About Page is an opportunity to tell the visitor what you do and how you can serve them.
 
People who want to work with you. This group is interested in what you can do for them. They are ready for action. They want facts and your history. They want to see your credentials and the results you have achieved. The About Page is an opportunity to encourage people to contact you to see how you can work together.

The Purpose of Your About Page

The purpose of your About Page isi to let the visitor know why they are on the site and if they are in the right place for what they need and want.  You want to :·        

  • Introduce them to the person and the personality behind the blog or web site
  • Help new readers easily see whether your blog or product or service is for them
  • Direct the reader to do something specific once they’ve read it. 

Introduce Yourself: Your name and photo

Give your name rather than use “I” to discuss what you do. Have a professional photo that represents who you are. If you have a personal brand use it. For instance, I’m Cara Lumen, Your Idea Optimizer.

Who You Serve: Your Who and Do What statement

Your “who and do what” statement lets people know if this site is for them and if it provides what they are looking for. It defines your niche and says what you will do for them. Complete this statement: I help (type of people) to do (your benefits) so that they (do what?)

 This statement defines your target audience and what’s in it for them. My who and do what statement is “Cara Lumen, Your Idea Optimizer, helps entrepreneurs craft compelling information products that educate, motivate and inspire their target community.”

 Be patient with yourself as you craft this statement. It is often an ongoing process.

What You Do: How are you accomplishing what you claim to do?

This is not detailed like your “Work With Me” page but it does need to give an inspired account of the results you achieve. As you write this section be aware of the difference between benefits and features and don’t just list features. This is where you can share your excitement and passion for what you do. This is where you tell them what’s in it for them. And this is where you can put a link to your Work With Me page that expands on the details of your products or service.  For instance, in this section I can talk about Magnetic Custom Coaching and the Magnetic Signature Products Guild and perhaps a relevant product. Make this section an overview that focuses on benefits more than features.

Credentials

Which of your credentials apply to what you are marketing in this niche? Can you group them in major categories with sub-lists to give a better indication of what you do? For instance, I might divide mine into Coaching Credentials and Product Development Credentials since both are included in what I do. Using major categories with sub-lists makes for easier reading while it emphasizes the major components of your work.

 Testimonials can go here if they are very relevant and from a good source. I use testimonials to answer unasked questions

Call to Action

Like every landing page, you want there to be a specific call to action. And you want the steps to be clearly outlined so they are easy for the reader to do. Preferably give them only one choice – the choice to connect with you though your opt in offer or by phone to talk about how you might work together.

Contact Information

List links to your email, web page and blog URL’s, as well as your LinkedIn, FaceBook, and Twitter accounts. End with your phone number (I like to add the time zone). And Skype address if you have one. Add a “contact me” by email form.

 Give yourself a day or two after you write your About Page then read it again with your Beginner’s Mind to see what kind of impression you make and how clear your next step instructions are. The purpose of your About Page is to deepen your connection which those who come. Whether it is about converting first time visitors, encouraging subscribers to connect more deeply or inviting people to work with you, make your About Page warm, inviting, and informative with a clear call to action that coverts each reader to their natural next step.

 © 2011 Cara Lumen

 

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Does Your Target Community Know Why They Need You?

June 16, 2010 By Cara Lumen Leave a Comment
 
reach-outAt a recent face-to-face Linchpin meeting, one of the participants had just sold his business of ten years and wasn’t sure what he was going to do next.  His company created specialized software for other companies. He said the problem was that his potential clients did not even know they needed what he had to offer or how to find companies like his that specialized in creating it.  Educating our community is an ongoing process.
 
I can talk till I’m blue in the face about what can be accomplished by working with an experienced coach, but if my community is content to spend a lot of time searching out new information for themselves they won’t understand that I could save them time and money. I have already spent years exploring and learning many of the choices available and I could get them off to a really fast start by helping them choose the right ones for their strengths and passion.  
 
If someone came up to you and said “What do you do?” what would you say?  

Your who and do what statement

 The who and do what statement goes like this: “I help (your target community) do (what they achieve with your help) so that (the emotional reward)  
 
“I help entrepreneurs who love to write create meaningful signature products so they can increase their expert status and make passive income. “ 
 
“I help beginning bloggers create a well optimized blog site and the cornerstone content that attracts the community they are meant to serve.”
 
“I am the Idea Optimizer, I help visionaries capture their ideas and organize them into a profitable product or service. I help them believe they can.”
 
Your turn. What is your “who and do what statement.” 

Express your passion

At this same Linchpin meeting I turned to the woman beside me and asked, “What are you taking away from this meeting?” She said, “That not everyone knows their passion.” If you don’t know, others won’t get it and your passion is the most attractive thing you have to offer – your passion and your enthusiasm for following it.  
 
Get clear about you want to offer.  Don’t look at what others are doing or even that long list of what you could be doing.  Follow your heart. 
 
Another person at the meeting is a real estate person who specializes in people who are downsizing.  She is doing well because people are referring others in their same situation to her.  Downsizing is an emotional process and people will gravitate to someone who understands their emotional needs.  She has some coaching background and it all seems to flow together.  She said she didn’t want to shut out other potential clients, but as we all know, the more focused your niche; the more focused your success.

Explain it to a child

It’s way too easy to fall into jargon when trying to explain your business.  Keep it simple.  Keep your words basic so the meaning is clear.  I used to use a phrase “I help you uncover your passion, define your purpose, identify your path, make money from what you already know and attract the people you are meant to serve. But most of all I help you believe you can!!!”  That’s way too much and that’s how I do it, not what I do.  “I help you turn your ideas into profit.” That ultimately sounds too commercial for me; my business is more spiritually based; my emphasis is on building your business from your inside out but that phrase is a bit airy-fairy.”I keep you passionately on purpose as you work to make a difference in the world.”  I like all those phrases, but they are not emotional enough or results oriented enough.
 
My blog is rather philosophical and the less concrete your business is the trickier it is to explain it.  What is “serenity,” what is “inner peace?”  Identify your benefits in concrete terms, “Sleep better at night.” “Feel the relief of being safe.”
 
“I’m your Idea Optimizer” won’t do for a child but it might open a conversation.  To a child I might say, “I help you take your best ideas and make something special from them that others will love.”
 
When you get really fundamental about how you explain your business, you will get clear and then others will get it too.

Write good cornerstone content

Someplace on your web site or blog, you need to do some educating.  You have to address the emotional need of your target community and the problems that keep them awake at night and let them know what you can do for them.  For a blog it’s your Cornerstone Content, that series of posts that lay a foundation for your reader to understand what they need and how you will provide it.  
 
For the phrase “I help you take your best ideas and make something special from them that others will love.”
I might write a series like:
 
• How to choose your best ideas
• How to leverage your ideas into a profitable signature product.  
• Who needs what you have to offer?
 
I have written: 
 
 
Write a series of articles that address the concerns of your community as it relates to what you have to offer.  Show them how you can help, how their lives will be different after they use your product and service and how to recognize others that might need you too. Educate your community so they know they need you.
 
©2010 Cara Lumen

 

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Affiliate Links – One Way to Monetize Your Blog

April 24, 2010 By Cara Lumen Leave a Comment

by Cara Lumen

Monitize-your-blogEveryone wants to create income. And multiple streams of income are an important goal particularly when some of it is passive income. So it makes sense that we all want to monetize our blogs.

How to monetize your blog

One blogger loves bicycling so besides blogging about cycling he began reviewing bicycle products on his blog. Some were affiliate links some were not. His blog became so influential that manufacturers now send him products to review. The monetization was a natural extension of his desire to share his knowledge with others who share his passion. His blog came out of his passion. He simply loves to bike.

Another person did s similar thing with cameras. On his blog he kept providing how to tips to create better photographs. Organically he became a resource for product reviews and product sales and gradually his blog became monetize

You get the picture. How can you organically create money with your blog while staying in the spirit and integrity of your passion?

What does your target community need?

I’ve had a few affiliate offers that I’ve promoted for years. When I help people develop a web site I set them up on Blue Host because it has great service and great bandwidth. I suggest Easy Web Automation  for the shopping cart because it can grow as big as your business and has everything you could possibly need. Practice Pay Solutions is the merchant account I use and recommend. And for recording audio and video I love Audio Acrobat.  I use all of these myself and have for years.

All of these particular companies are core services that people who are building a web presence need. So it was very simple for me to join their affiliate programs and begin to recommend them. I use them myself; I think they are great, so I share those resources with others.

Now that I have added Magnetic Blog Builders  to my services I recommend Word Press Thesis Styles which is a highly optimized theme , Thesis Styles because they are elegant and powerful and Scribe SEO which helps you optimize every posts.

And I have two learning opportunities that I love Teaching Sells which opens only occasionally and Third Tribe Marketing  which is a great community of bloggers helping bloggers.

Only recommend products and services that you use or have thoroughly investigated so you know they are high quality and meet the needs of your target community.

How do you find affiliate links?

What products and services do you use right now? Do they have affiliate links? Sign up and list them on your resource page. Write how you use them in a blog post. If they fit your client base, make them part of your recommendations.

Look at other sites in your niche. What are people selling that fit your target community? Check out the biggest sites first. They may run advertising (if so, what sort), what affiliate promotions do they have? I’m not going to talk about advertising here because I don’t know much about it. Affiliate links are an easy way to start monetizing your blog. As you look at these sites start making a list of things that your community would appreciate knowing about.

Another way to find appropriate affiliate products and services is to type in Google “keyword affiliate product” and see what shows up. And you can also check out Commission Junction  or PepperJam  or e-junkie  to see if there are relevant products listed for your niche. These sites want to know how you are going to promote the products – through blog, web content, email, etc.

When you find a product or service that is a match for your target community and sign up as an affiliate, within their documentation you will find simple e-mail links to use in your blog posts and emagazines and emails. And you will find banner links, usually with a variety of sizes you can put in your side bar or resource page. Just copy and paste the code and you’re in business.

There are people who create landing pages designed to simply sell a product they think they can easily monetize. They give affiliate marketing a bad name. I’m not talking about those people. I’m talking about the kind of referrals you would give to anyone in your community – something you know is good, gets results, and you have had personal experience with. Affiliate marketing for me is about passing along great recourses you believe in.

How do you promote your affiliate links?

Just as you would share your resources with a friend in person, you talk about the products as you blog. Or you may write a specific article on the topic. For instance, it’s easy for me to talk about shopping carts and merchants accounts when I am writing about blogging – those are things people need to along the line. I can write a post on choosing the right WordPress theme and mention both  Word Press Thesis Styles and  Thesis Styles. It’s important that you use and like what you are promoting so they can be organically and authentically mentioned.

My affiliate products are all listed on the resource page of both my blogs Passionately on Purpose and Magnetic Blog Builders  along with other valuable resources that are not affiliate links.

Some of the products or services my readers will need most often are promoted on my sidebar.

I have a list of resources for my web presence clients. I write articles about them like What’s in Your shopping Cart, and How a Thesis Theme for WordPress can set you free and “Scribe is a Built In SEO Optimizer that Effortlessly Uplevels Your Game!”

I write content that gives my experience and then sends them to the site where the product is offered. Those sites are well structured to do the selling.

I’m very careful about what I send in my Passionately on Purpose emagazine  I don’t want it to be a sale pitch, but I do want to give value. So as I find new resources, both free and affiliate, I include a one-time mention of them and then put them on my resource page. I could do more. I could mention it several times but I’d prefer to set up my editorial calendar to mention some of them in a planned cycle. People will be ready for them at different times.

If you want to set up separate web sites to promote a particular product, make the site as compelling and conversion optimized and as authentic as possible. Y At this point, I’d rather send them to a site that is focused on making the conversion than writing a new one myself. It’s a matter of my focus and time.

Here’s a simple trick for adding affiliate links to your blog post. I have all my affiliate links listed in a Word document labeled Affiliate Links in alphabetical order and I just copy and paste them into the blog post. That’s the same technique I use to fill my posts with links to past posts.

Oh yes, another way to promote your affiliate links is to write a post like this one!

What do you earn?

You’ll get emails from people saying they are making big bucks which is certainly something to aim for. But I think a lot of those are heavy duty promoters – which I am not. I’m in service so I am quite content to keep recommending products and services that I really like and use. However, once you decide to add affiliate links to your marketing strategy, you’ll be on the lookout and will keep discovering new ones to add.

Right now my affiliate income covers the cost of doing business – my shopping cart, my web host, my merchant account fees, and a couple of other business product and learning subscriptions that I use. But I’m upping my game around affiliate marketing. I’m going to keep looking for and letting people know about the products and services that will make a difference in their life and business. Authentically, from my own experience, from my own enthusiasm. That’s my version of monetizing my blog.

©2010 Cara Lumen

Filed Under: Blogs, Marketing, Resources Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

A Natural Way to Link to Others

April 20, 2010 By Cara Lumen Leave a Comment

by Cara Lumen

reach-outLinks are important in blogging. They add to your SEO rankings. You want to include internal links to articles you have posted and external links to other bloggers. Internal links are easy; you know what you’ve written. Hopefully you have written your Cornerstone Content and can refer back to that. But I wasn’t certain what to do about external links until I read this article from Dan Schawbel 5 Personal Branding Tips to Help you Gate Jump.  He has some great ideas for reaching out to others but the one I jumped on was his suggestion that we “Create linkfests on your blog that link to some of the best articles you read that week in your niche.” What a great idea! I’m forever reading posts that inspire and motivate me. It’s easy enough to start a collection of links with a short descriptive sentence and turn them into a once a week post. Dan continues, "This is a great way to aggregate good content in a central place on your blog. Just put the title of the article and then link to the original blog post to give credit to the author. Your link will notify the blog author and they will usually make their way to your blog to see who linked. You will be providing awesome content and also be driving the powerful personal brands in your space to your blog.”

Can you see how easy this is to do and why I got so excited when I read it. The Search Engines will love it – as will the bloggers you link to.

I found the post from Dan because my friend and fellow Book Yourself Solid Coach Lou Bortone, The Online Video Guy  tweeted it. So not only has Lou added to his expert status as a go-to-guy, he has given me valuable content and an idea – that I should tweet my article finds too. I now add interesting article links and resources to my Passionately on Purpose Emagazine and will start adding them to my resource page. I have Lou on Google Buzz and get all his tweets. He sends 20 or more a day linking to things he thinks will be of interest to his community.

Don’t you love it when one idea jumps out at you and you know that it just jumped to the top of your “I’m doing this today” list!

© 2010 Cara Lumen

Filed Under: Blogs, Marketing Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Why You Should Write Your Cornerstone Content First

April 18, 2010 By Cara Lumen Leave a Comment

by Cara Lumen

build-business

Like laying any good foundation is important in any business endeavor. You identify your target audience, define your products and services, and make a myriad of decisions about what you are going to offer.

Cornerstone Content serves your blog in the same way. Writing a series of foundational posts will help you clarify what you are going to write about in your blog, what you need the people you serve to understand first. Just as you would do when teaching a course, you orient your readers to the focus of your blog. You set your ideas out in a form you can refer back to in future posts.

What is my Cornerstone Content?

What is the core information you need your clients or customers to know about your product or services? What do they need to know in order to make an informed decision? Write a series – yes, a series – of posts that elaborate on each core point. For instance, my cornerstone series for Passionately On Purpose  is about Build an Online Business. It starts with Should Your Start Your Own Internet Business and moves on into how to develop one in Build your Online Business on What You Already Know . I have even added a page titled Business Building Ideas  and I have put links to articles in several categories including creative and personal development.

For the Magnetic Blog Builders  I’m working on a different set: To Blog or not to Blog, that is the Question, How a Thesis Theme for WordPress can set you free, 
Scribe is a Built In SEO Optimizer that Effortlessly Uplevels Your Game!

I learned this concept of Cornerstone Content (sometimes called Pillar Content) from Brian Clark  His cornerstone content begins with a Copywriting 101 series.  In fact, he has a whole series of cornerstone topics including Content Marketing 101 Start thinking in terms of a series that covers detailed aspects of a larger picture. What ideas are you getting for your cornerstone content?

Glen, very successful a 20-year old who built a $1,000,000 web site in 12 months has a page on his www.viperchill.com blog that is simply called “Base” that lists his cornerstone content 

How Do I Use My Cornerstone Content?

You link back to your cornerstone content in future posts. It becomes the way for you to make a point in a post and link back to a another post that goes into greater detail on the topic or puts it in a greater perspective if the reader wants to explore that point further. Internal links help your SEO ranking but better still, they keep your reader reading. From now on, when I mention the concept of Cornerstone Posts I will link back to this article. Internal links add to your SEO. What better way than to link back to the core concepts in your Cornerstone Content.

Cornerstone Content Clarifies

Writing your cornerstone content anchors your blog. It clarifies your purpose, and will give you ideas for many more posts as you explore and expand on each topic. Think beginner’s mind here. What do you want them to know and in what order? Put that in your cornerstone content.

In my cornerstone content I first addressed the question whether the reader even wanted to have an online business./ I can write more posts about the entrepreneurial spirit and our characteristics  and refer back to that post. I can write about decision making, and building your business from the inside out and being flexible in your business.  But deciding whether you want and are suited for starting your own online business is the first step. Therefore, it is the first post in my cornerstone content. See how this works?

It’s Never Too Late to Write Your Cornerstone Content

I wrote my cornerstone content after my blog was up. I had written all sorts of post and of course they are in categories on my blog. But when I wrote my Cornerstone Content (and I’m still adding to it) I created the separate Business Building Ideas page to hold it and added links to some of my other guidance-giving posts. I may create a series of cornerstone posts off of my original posts. For instance, I will write one major one on how information products add to your income and expert status. And then I will write separate posts on ebooks, radio shows, telecourses and what they do for your business and link back to that cornerstone piece.

Cornerstone copy anchors your reader to your topic. It helps clarify your vision and keep your reader reading. Start blogging with your cornerstone content.

 

© 2010 Cara Lumen  

 

Filed Under: Blogs, Content Development, Creativity, Marketing Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Developing the Service in Service Provider

April 8, 2010 By Cara Lumen Leave a Comment

radio Passionately On Purpose Radio with Cara Lumen, Your Idea Optimizer, who keeps you passionately on purpose while you make a difference in your world. As a Business Coach, Content Developer and Educator she talks about how to uncover your passion, define your purpose, identify your path, make money from what you already know and attract the people you are meant to serve. But most of all, she’ll help you believe you can!!! Join her Mondays on www.blogtalkradio.com/passionatelyonpurpose

 

The Show

What does serves mean to you? How to you accept it? How do you offer it? Let’s talk about how you can become a more conscious and connected service provider. 

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:07 — 6.7MB)

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Trust. Do You? Do They?

April 4, 2010 By Cara Lumen Leave a Comment

by Cara Lumen

reach-outTrust is the cornerstone of all relationships. It is a two way street. We have to learn to trust in ourselves, in our judgment, and our choices. And as a friend and business person we have to earn the trust of others.

There are so many powerful synonyms for trust: faith, belief, hope, conviction, confidence, expectation, reliance, and dependence for starters. When I read those I wondered how many of those I had going for me.

How much do you trust others?

The issue of trust is coming up for me because I’m going to have knee replacement surgery in a few weeks and I have to trust a lot of people I have never met before. I’m new in town so I followed my insurance to the orthopedic surgeon. I simply called up the office and said, “Who does knees?” It turns out this surgeon has an exceedingly fine reputation. So I trusted my instincts that had me ask for the one who does knees and trusted that this unknown choice would be the right one. I have faith that I have been guided to the right team of people for this particular moment in my life. And I have the expectation of getting literally “back on my feet” easily and rapidly. Faith and expectation – both elements of trust.

There are a lot of people that I don’t yet know that I now have to rely on. The operating team, the nurses, the physical therapist. I have to trust that these people are well-trained, love their jobs and are doing their best work. I have to expect that – its part of trust.

So I’m sitting here thinking about how we are inspired to do our best work when we are with our ideal client; how they motivate and inspire us. And I wondered, what can I do to be the ideal patient so those people are inspired to do their best work on me? I’ll remember their names, or try to since I think drugs are on my agenda. My daughter who has done orthopedic surgery three times says I’ll hurt but I won’t care. I have to be prepared to do my best work as a patient: do the exercises I am given, send healing thoughts to my body so I recover rapidly. And I’m at a bit of a disadvantage because I’m the recipient, not the giver. How do I become a cheerful, cooperative, appreciated receiver?

I have never before been so aware of how I must trust others and how I can inspire them to do their best work – on me.

Do you trust yourself?

I’ve had a really good life so the idea of signing up for pain with this surgery had me worried. I did some EFT Emotional Freedom Technique)  and I can no longer get a rise out of that concept any more. I’m a Reiki Master Teacher so I’m already sending energy ahead to the whole experience. I can’t drive for six weeks so the thought occurred to me that I would be lonely. But I’ve figured out that before I go in I’ll go to the library and get books on the history of the Kansas City area – the Indians, the pioneers, all that took place in this jumping off place for the untamed West. That would be fun. If I read a business book I’ll want to get up and create something, so I want balance there. I have confidence on my inquisitive mind to keep me entertained. Confidence and expectation – both elements of trust.

Why do others trust you?

Now that I’m on the need-to-trust others half of trust I have a better idea of how I can earn trust in my own life and my business.

Have I built a reputation of being really good at what I do (like my surgeon has)? He obviously is skilled, he keeps up with the latest innovations in his field, and he loves what he does. And from the experience I’ve had with his staff so far, he over-delivers.

Can people tell I care about them and what I can do for them? I have seen my surgeon for about 5 minutes so far because I think that’s the norm with surgeons but I have spent 45 minutes with the former surgical nurse who he has selected to orient me to my choices. She was kind, articulate, and thorough and I felt well informed and well cared for.

Does my team reflect competency and caring? The scheduler for my surgeon was warm and efficient. There have been great follow up literature to assure me all is well and will be fine. I have some special class room orientation with a nurse that will give me information on what to expect. Good follow up is an important part of building trust.

Do I offer high quality services and follow up? My sense of the mid-west is that this is the most kind and caring community I have ever met. So yes, I expect to be well cared for.

Being in a position to need to trust others because they have skills I do not have has been revealing. It has given me ideas of how I can build trust. I can anticipate needs, give the best that I’ve got, be reliant in my delivery, and show up consistently so others know they can depend on me. I can help them get great results so they have confidence in me and believe that what I offer will make a difference in their lives.

Think a minute about who you trust and why. What do they do that makes you trust them? Then go forth and do likewise.

© 2010 Cara Lumen
 

Filed Under: Business Development, Marketing, Personal Development Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

What’s The Trickiest Thing To Figure Out In Your Business?

April 2, 2010 By Cara Lumen Leave a Comment

by Cara Lumen

close-lookThe title of your blog or web page is important, but not as important as the power phrase you put next to it. The URL or title is only a word or two that only suggests what you do. You need to have a seven to eight word byline that not only catches the readers’ attention but holds an emotional appeal that keeps them eagerly reading.

You have 7 seconds to convince people to stay on your site. So the first words they see better be emotionally appealing – not a feature (how you do it) but a benefit (what it will do for them.) Finding that short power phrase, that tag line, is one of the most important discoveries you can make. And it takes time.

Today I helped a client  find hers. We brainstormed for half an hour on our coaching call. Because she had created the system she was selling, she was filled with “how it works” phrases – phrases that mean nothing to the newcomer to the site. They don’t care how you do it they just want to know what’s in it for them.

How would you explain what you do to someone who knows nothing about your business? In seven or eight words? As my client talked about what she did I wrote down phrases based on what she was saying and we chose parts of them that resonated and built on those. Over and over we had to stop listing features. At one point we realized we liked positive, hopeful statements rather the ones that emphasized the problem. That was good to know.

This power phrase is an element of your brand. It is not your who and do what statement – I help (who) do (what) , It is an identity, a short statement that lets people really understand what you can do for them.

Adapt the beginner’s mind

Do you know where you will find that statement? When you try to explain what you do so others can understand it. When you search for the meaning of your work in the simplest of terms.

Begin by explaining what you do to your friends, particularly the ones that know nothing about what you do. Get in their beginner’s mind and figure out what they need to know. Eliminate jargon, those words and phrases that may have meaning in your field but mean nothing to the uninitiated. Look for airy fairy phrases like “It will bring you peace and serenity.” Restate those words into recognizable daily experiences that have an emotional appeal. One of my major lessons has been to learn to explain esoteric results in concrete terms. The more you explain what you do to people who know nothing about your work, the easier it is to find that power phrase.

Look out for features

It’s so easy to get caught up in features – the how you do it. That’s where your mind has been, you’ve been putting your system into place. You are steeped in how you are going to deliver your product or service. But people don’t care how you do it, they care what results you will get for them. Spend your time looking at the essence of what you do for others and then find the words to express it. Part of my power phrase is “I help you believe you can!” I don’t talk about how I do that, I don’t say what I can help you believe you can do, I just indicate that I help people believe in themselves, in their dreams, in their value. Look for that core message that encompasses what you do for others. We could call this your heart phrase – how you are touch the lives of others – heart to heart.

Know your power phrase will change over time

My client is working in Word Press which means she can easily make changes any time she wants. So putting the power phrase we found up on her banner is as easy as typing it in. If it were a web site done in DreamWeaver it would take a web designer to make that change in the banner. So we’re not worried that the phrase we chose might change. I hope it does. We found one that works but as she continues to develop her work she will find that perhaps her emphasis changes or her niche tightens, or she may find her clients are asking for one element she offers more than others. I was “The Vision Distiller” for a few years because I felt I was helping my clients bring their vision to life. Then I realized that I really am “Your Idea Organizer,” whether it’s for planning your web site, developing your initial business, or leveraging your ideas into signature products. It’s about helping you make money from what you already know. And yes, that last sentence has been a tag line along the way.

Allow your power phrase to evolve

Even if you hit on a hot power phrase, be open to letting it change. In helping my client today I realized that our power phrase for Magnetic Blog Builders is actually very weak. It needs to be strengthened. We put that site up in 48 hours so we were moving off of first impressions and making fast decisions. As we begin to define our offerings and write content to explain what we do and set up our packages, another phrase will emerge. And I also realized that what we have there now is a label, not an emotional hook that says what we can do for people. I can’t tell you what that will be right now because I haven’t figured it out. But now that I know I’m looking for a better power phrase, it will show up as I continue to talk and write about what we do.

Be patient with yourself. Keep your eyes open. And let that power phrase find you.

© 2010 Cara Lumen

Filed Under: Blogs, Marketing Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Why It’s a Good Time to Hire a Coach

March 23, 2010 By Cara Lumen 1 Comment
 
partners A coach can save you money.  What, you say? But a coach costs money and that’s a consideration in today’s economy. But can you remember a time you didn’t read the directions and ended up with several mysterious pieces left over?  Or the preverbal don’t-ask-for-directions-I-can-find-it-myself attitude that put you miles out of your way?  A coach helps you create a map of where you want to go and then gives you step-by-step GPS directions. Of course you’re going to get exactly where you want to go. And that straight line from here to there can save you money.

A coach can keep you from making mistakes – wasting time and money going in the wrong direction

A coach holds your vision, sees the best route and clears the path ahead for you
 
Here’s the deal – if you don’t know where you are going you will certainly end up someplace else.  A coach knows the territory.  She knows the shortcuts and the pitfalls.  She knows the watering holes and rest stops. She is a valuable guide for your journey.
 
But first you both have to figure out exactly where you want to go.  That’s called laying the foundation – your target community, your niche, your branding, and the type of service and products you want to offer.  
 
This work, done right, will save you hours of going in the wrong direction  
 
Step 1 – Know Where You Are Going

A Coach Knows What You Need to Get You There

Remember the old trail bosses? They helped the travelers know what supplies they needed and how much they could actually carry.  You know the stories of scattered furniture along the way because those items, beloved or not, were just too heavy to carry.  Well, a coach can help you choose only the things you need to move you to your destination.  You can leave the rest behind for another time and trip. You travel light, you travel fast.
 
I have a client who is an extraordinary visionary.  She thinks up fabulous projects.  Big ones.  Time-consuming ones.  And my job is to keep her grounded so she completes basic things like her web presence and sets up systems to begin to build her community.  It’s hard sometimes, her ideas are tantalizing to me too, but my job is to be certain she has a strong foundation and puts the basic things in place like a web presence and personal branding.
 
Step 2 – Trust your coach to take you one step at a time and choose the steps you need to take next.

A Coach is a Source of Wisdom

Do you want to get your guidance from someone who is just learning or someone who has been there, done that?  You want the expert, of course, the person who is excited about their area of expertise and continues to study it and grow wiser in it and explore ways to teach it to others.  That deep knowledge and experience helps them guide you on your journey and choose the right path for you.
 
Once you find that perfect coach/guide pay attention.  When there is homework, do it on time.  When you start to go off on yet another great idea, allow her to pull you back.  If you have a project, allow her to help you break it down into small steps and stay with it till that phase is completed.  A good coach will honor your personal way of working, but she won’t let you aimlessly wander off the path
 
Step 3 – Listen to your coach and do what she says  

A coach can keep you from overwhelm

Entrepreneurs have tons of ideas and we can get pulled off course and get stuck in the mud of overwhelm.  A coach can see that pitfall ahead, and will help you focus on one step at a time instead of the mountain you are trying to climb. That saves you time, and preserves your energy for the task of moving forward.
 
Step 4 – Trust the coach to help you choose your best ideas.

A coach is your motivational partner

Working alone is great and it can be lonely.  How do you keep yourself on target when you are the boss?  A coach is a motivational partner  – a person who will call you on your “stuff”, creatively find ways around your blocks, shore you up when you falter, and stay by your side as the partner she is.

Is it time for you to hire a coach?

I’m a coach. I’ve had a lot of training.  I’m a Certified Book Yourself Solid Coach which makes me really good at building strong foundations.  I’m a Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach which makes me really good at creative, innovative, inexpensive ways to market yourself.  And I’m a prolific writer, so developing rich content for the internet is a talent and a passion. I can help you build an authentic business from your inside out.
 
And I’ve added a partner to help you with one of the steps. We are the Magnetic Blog Builders   If you want to establish a magnetic web presence, you begin with me.  We center and focus your vision and start moving toward your goal.  Shortly after we begin you work with my partner Nancy Hendrickson, the WordPress expert, who will help you create either a web site, a blog or a combination of the two. It takes both of us to get your web presence positioned and aimed in the right direction. Then you’ll be off like the proverbial arrow – right on target to attract the people you are meant to serve.
 
© 2010 Cara Lumen
 

 

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