Firefly Coaching

12 Tech Resources Small Business Owners Need to Know

Stephanie Ward — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 11:24:12 +0000

Ever felt like throwing your computer out of the window or smashing your keyboard with a sledge hammer? I sure have.

As a business owner you rely on technology to connect with prospective clients and keep your business running smoothly.

And like everything else, technology is constantly evolving and changing which can be challenging and frustrating.

So how do you keep up? What do you need to learn and do yourself and what can you hire someone else to do? Because those are really your only choices you have.

Here are resources you can use to figure it out your technical issues as well as resources to help you find the right person to support you.

Be sure to bookmark this page so you can find it again later on when you need it. I use Evernote to capture things I want to keep, read more on this in my post, How to Never Forget Anything Every Again.

Teach Yourself

Grovo is a resource for free online technical training. They cover topics like MailChimp, Google AdWords, and WordPress among dozens of others. You can search for your topic alphabetically by clicking on the ‘Browse’ button at the top of the page.

You’re probably familiar with the “Dummies” book series which sells books on all kinds of topics including technical issues. But, did you know they also offer free step-by-step technical instruction as well as how to videos on their website. When you select a topic they also offer links to similar content on the web.

Use YouTube to search your technical question. I’ve found many solutions there and love to actually see how to do something.

And of course, you can always Google your technical issue and see if you can find the solution you need there.

And for a global view of your overall technology plan get your free 45 page ebook of ‘The Ultimate Guide To Technology For Independent Professionals’ from the Digital Dragonfly.

Get Support

Geek Squad (US Based) can be hired to help you with your tech problems virtually from anywhere and in person if you live in the US.

The Dummies folks also offer technical support, more on that here.

I could not survive without my WordPress support person, Chantal Coolsma, who is also a tech wizard on other topics. I was reluctant to share this because I was afraid of losing her to a flood of new clients. But she assured me that she’ll always have time for me. These are her two websites ict4smb and Webpressed (NL Based) Chantal works in English and Dutch and she is amazing.

Jim Blue (US Based) of BlueTutor offers diverse support from how to brush up on your basic computer skills to making sure you have the right technology. He interviewed me for BlogTalkRadio about tech tips for small business owners, listen to the interview here.

If you’d like to get someone to help you with a technical issue on your computer from a distance check out this free service TeamViewer that allows someone to access your computer virtually and fix it for you.

You can search for an answer or ask a new question for free on Quora.

If you have a small technical issue you can always ask your Facebook friends if they can help you.

And while we’re on the topic of outsourcing some of your technical requirements, this is a good time to consider outsourcing other areas of your business. For more on this check out my post, 9 Outsourcing Options You Should Not Ignore.

Don’t let fear or frustration about technology stop you from moving forward with your business. Make the decision to tackle any technical challenges you are facing head on and either teach yourself or find someone to help you.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER, BLOG OR WEBSITE? You can, as long as you include this information with it: Stephanie Ward is the Marketing Coach for Entrepreneurs who want to create meaningful and prosperous businesses. Grab your FREE copy of the special report ’7 Steps to Attract More Clients in Less Time’ plus business building tips, at: http://www.fireflycoaching.com.

What are your favorite technical resuorces? Share your thoughts and questions in the comments section below.

12 Tech Resources Small Business Owners Need to Know is a post from: Firefly Coaching

Insider Tips for Getting Started with YouTube: Your Channel, Videos, & Views

Stephanie Ward — Fri, 17 May 2013 08:29:55 +0000

As a business owner if you’re not using video you’re missing out on an enormous opportunity.

In this video I will share with you how to get started with YouTube. I’ll show you how to set up your very own channel, give you tips for your videos, and tell you how to get more people to watch your videos (views).

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here are instructions on how to set up your own YouTube Channel.

Learn more about how to get started with video by checking out my additional Video Tips.

Share your questions and experiences with video below in the comments section.

Insider Tips for Getting Started with YouTube: Your Channel, Videos, & Views is a post from: Firefly Coaching

Technology Tips for Small Business Owners

Stephanie Ward — Tue, 14 May 2013 10:47:12 +0000

Jim Blue interviewed me for BlogTalkRadio to get my take on technology tips for small business owners.

Listen to internet radio with Jim Blue on BlogTalkRadio

Share your top tech tips or questions below in the comments section.

Technology Tips for Small Business Owners is a post from: Firefly Coaching

Why All Clients Are Not Equal

Stephanie Ward — Fri, 03 May 2013 08:37:01 +0000

As a business owner you know that it costs anywhere from 5 to 7 times more to get a new client than to keep an existing client.

But beyond the cost, there is also inherent value in knowing more about your existing clients.

And knowing which of your clients are the best, and worst, you can save yourself an enormous amount of time, energy, and stress as well as make you more money.

Your best clients are no trouble, they pay on time and most likely they are loyal and eager to give you referrals.

Your worst clients drain your time, don’t pay on time, are demanding, and probably complain about you.

Don’t be afraid to ‘fire’ bad clients. Once they are gone, a space will remain for fabulous new clients.

So how do you figure out who needs more love and who needs to go?

How to Analyze Your Clients

It may not be fun or sexy but you’re going to need to start by looking at the numbers. Do the math and figure out who your best (biggest and most consistent) clients are.

Next, identify smaller clients who require a lot of your time as well as clients who are difficult to work with. Think about letting them go.

Even if you happen to adore all of your clients and don’t need to part ways with any of them, you can still figure who your best clients are and make an effort to do more for them. I’ve got ideas for you about how to do that in a minute. But first, let’s take a look at a fascinating concept.

You’ve probably heard of Pareto’s Law or the 80/20 Principle which can be applied to a multitude of situations. According to Tim Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek, “Pareto’s Law can be summarized as follows: 80% of outputs result from 20% of inputs.”

When you apply this concept to your clients, you may find that 80% of your revenue comes from 20% of your clients. And that the majority (80%) of hassles come from a small number (20%) of your clients.

Tim Ferriss was motivated to apply this concept to his business over ten years ago because he wanted to take one year off and travel the world. The result was that he was able to double his monthly income and reduce his weekly work hours down to 15 hours a week from 80 hours a week.

Let’s recap the benefits of analyzing your clients so you can start paying more attention to your star clients and stop working with your dud clients.

Benefits of Client Analysis & Shifting Attention

– You are able to build more loyalty with existing clients so they stay with you longer.

– You can put more effort into creating and selling new products to existing star clients.

– You save time because you no longer deal with difficult clients.

– You get more, high quality referrals.

Convinced it’s a smart move to analyze your clients? Great, once you’ve identified the fabulous ones, you need to show them the love.

Ways to Give More Love to Your Best Clients

1. Give them additional time with you

2. Give them extra products

3. Offer new products and services to them first

4. Promote them on social media

5. Give them referrals

6. Send personal notes in the mail

7. Share valuable resources with them

I hope you’re starting to see the value of making the time to evaluate your client base. Once you know who’s who, you can prioritize the amount of time and attention you give the most to your best clients. And when you do this, you’ll have more fun in your business and be more profitable.

What are your thoughts? Do you treat your clients differntly? Share below in the comments section.

Why All Clients Are Not Equal is a post from: Firefly Coaching

Shortcuts to Feeling Confident: Tips for Business Owners

Stephanie Ward — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 08:21:08 +0000

As a business owner, there are times when you may not feel so confident. In this short video (less than 3 minutes) I’ll share simple tips to help you feel more confident in a flash.

Click here to view the embedded video.

For additional tips about how to deal with fear, read my post: How to Overcome This Four Letter Word in Business.

What do you do when you need to feel more confident? Share your ideas in the comments section below.

Shortcuts to Feeling Confident: Tips for Business Owners is a post from: Firefly Coaching

5 Low-Cost Ways to Get Clients Now

Stephanie Ward — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 15:21:44 +0000

You Want More Clients Now, I Can Help You Get Them

Is your marketing taking too long not bringing you the results you want? Is it costing you too much money?

You want low-cost and super-fast ways to attract more clients that work, and I want to share them with you in brand new webinar I’ve created.

I’ve talked about most of these strategies in various blog posts and videos but I’ve never put all of them together in one place. And I’ve never gone into this much detail before on each strategy.

The strategies I’m going to share with you will get you into immediate action and produce quick results, meaning more clients. It’s all about leveraging your existing connections and stepping up your visibility.

I still absolutely support medium-term and longer-term marketing strategies like offering a valuable free giveaway and ezine. And you can continue to do these strategies in parallel with the faster strategies that I am going to focus on in this seminar that will allow you to attract more clients in less time.

Who It’s For

The marketing strategies I’m going to cover apply to your business, whether you’re a B2B or B2C or you sell products, services, or both.

And they also work whether or not you have a brick-and-mortar store or if you’re only online, or a combination of both.

What Is Covered

In the ‘Five Low-Cost Ways to Get Clients Now’ webinar I’ll cover:

1.Referrals

a. How to ask for them

b. Who to ask

c. 3 Tips for asking

d. When to ask

e. How to thank people who give you referrals

2.Direct Business

a. Who you can ask

b. How to ask

3.Speaking

a. How to arrange it yourself and 4 formats to choose from (it doesn’t have to be ‘in person’ and it doesn’t have to be ‘live’)

b. How to promote a talk you arrange

c. Have someone else arrange it for you and 2 formats to choose from

c. Strategies about free vs. paid speaking

4.Strategic Alliances

a. 5 examples of Strategic Alliances

b. 4 reasons to be specific with your Strategic Alliance agreements

c. How to reward Strategic Alliance Partners

d. 7 ways Strategic Alliance Partners can promote you to their audiences

5.Get Promoted by Others

a. 4 ways other people can promote you

What You’ll Get

– 1 hour Webinar packed full of practical information described above

– 20 minutes of Q & A at the end of the webinar

– Webinar Recording: so you can watch and listen as many times as you like

– Resource Guide: Links to all information discussed in the webinar as well as links to additional helpful information

– Action Plan Template: An easy to complete form on WHAT specific actions you will take as well as a schedule for exactly WHEN you will take them.

How Much

Investment: You’ll pay only 47 euro exclusive BTW ($74 USD) for the Webinar, the Q&A after the webinar, the Resource Guides, and the Action Plan Template.

What is a Webinar?

A Webinar is a video presentation on your computer screen where you hear my voice presenting the information and see the presentation on your screen.

In this webinar I am going to show you what you can do, right now, to start attracting more clients.

CLICK ON THE ‘BUY NOW’ BUTTON BELOW TO PURCHASE

And in case you’re not sure, let me address any issues you might have with moving forward and joining me on this webinar.

Sounds good Stephanie, but…

If you’re having doubts about joining me on this webinar I want to help you make the decision, either way. Seriously, if it’s not right for you that is also what’s best for me. Know what I mean?

I want to be completely transparent and address all of your possible concerns head on. So I’m using this Zig Ziglar quote as a guide and added a couple more bonus obstacles just in case.

“Every sale has five basic obstacles: no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, no trust.” Zig Ziglar

No Need

You might be thinking that you don’t really need this webinar and the resources that come with it.

And that may be true, but if you don’t have all of the clients you want right now what are you going to do differently to change the situation?

I’m sure you’ve head the Einstein quote: “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

So something has to change, what are you going to do differently? If you’re not sure, then joining this webinar is a smart move. Scroll down and click on the ‘Buy Now’ Button.

No Money

In this webinar you will get a full hour of my practical tips to get clients now, 20 minutes of Q & A, plus the webinar recording, a Resource Guide, and an Action Template all for just 47 euro exclusive BTW ($74 USD). For reals!

OK, let’s say you’re quite clear that you need to be on this webinar but it’s not in your budget to invest in it.

I’m going to throw some tough love your way, if you are not willing (or able) to invest 47 euro plus BTW ($74 USD) so you can learn how to get more clients then you might want to rethink having a business.

Ouch, I know that probably ruffled some feathers and it is something to consider.

Think about it, 47 euro exclusive BTW ($74 USD) is less than the total of a few printer cartridges and your monthly phone/internet bill.

And this webinar is an investment, not an expense. The return on your investment will far exceed the money you invest. And you will leave with knowledge that you can keep and use over and over again to grow your business.

To put the price of this webinar into perspective, my one-on-one clients invest 227 euro exclusive BTW for one 45 minute coaching package that includes Q&A upfront and an e-mail recap after the session.

So this webinar is quite a deal when you look at everything you’re getting.

Ready to invest? Just scroll down and click on the ‘Buy Now’ Button.

No Hurry

If not now, when? How much longer will you put this off? When will it be the right time to invest in growing your business? What will change that will make the time right for you?

It may be time that you make the decision to take action even if you are nervous or scared about making some changes.

Will you decide to join? Scroll down and click on the ‘Buy Now’ Button.

No Desire

A desire is something you want, something you really crave. If you want more clients for your business you probably have a desire to make that happen.

A synonym for desire is to choose. Turn your desire into a decision and join me on this webinar by scrolling down and clicking on the ‘Buy Now’ Button.

No Trust

You may be wondering if you can trust that I’ll deliver information that will really help you get more clients.

If you’ve been an ezine subscriber for any amount of time you know I share practical marketing tips that work.

If you haven’t had a chance to see my work I highly recommend you sign up for my Free Special Report, 7 Steps to Attract More Clients in Less Time, on any page of my website.

And take a look at my blog and Topic pages.

You’re also invited to see what other people have said about working with me and the results they’ve achieved.

Feel confident that I can help you with this webinar? Scroll down and click on the ‘Buy Now’ Button.

Bonus Reason: No Time

If you’re not currently at capacity and you need more clients you probably have more time than usual.

It’s easy to fill a day being ‘busy’ but are you spending your time wisely and focusing on the most profitable actions?

And even if you are busy, this is the kind of activity you want to make time for. And using the handy action template that comes with this webinar will keep you on track.

Taking action to grow your business is absolutely one of your highest priorities.

Take the action to join me and scroll down and click on the ‘Buy Now’ Button.

Bonus Reason: Fear of Trying Something New

I mentioned this above in the ‘No Need’ section and it is quite important so I wanted to address it further here.

Doing something different, especially if it’s out of your comfort zone, can be scary. But don’t worry, I’m not suggesting you start cold calling people using the phone book.

Far from it, first off I don’t believe in cold calling. And I always make sure to give my clients marketing options that fit for them. On this webinar I will share many marketing options that you that you can choose from.

So even if you choose a marketing strategy that feels like a stretch for you because it’s new, it will be something you’re willing to do.

And all the strategies I’m going to share are easy to implement so there’s no reason to say it’s not for you because it’s too complicated (cause it’s not).

Willing to go for it? Scroll down and click on the ‘Buy Now’ Button.

If you have concerns that I didn’t address here, I’d love to hear from you. Send me an email (Stephanie@fireflycoaching.com) and let me know what’s on your mind.

You want your business to thrive and to have all of the clients you want. Now it’s time to take action and stay in action so you can create momentum in your business.

CLICK ON THE ‘BUY NOW’ BUTTON BELOW TO PURCHASE

Recap of What You’ll Get

-1 hour Webinar packed full of practical information described above

-20 minutes of Q & A at the end of the webinar

-Webinar Recording: so you can watch and listen as many times as you like

-Resource Guide: Links to all information discussed in the webinar as well as links to additional helpful information

-Action Plan Template: An easy to complete form on WHAT specific actions you will take as well as a schedule for exactly WHEN you will take them

If you have any questions send me an email Stephanie@fireflycoaching.com and ask away!

And if you’d like to share this webinar with your network you can use the share buttons above. Or check out other fast and easy options click here to see how you can share.

To your business success,

Stephanie Ward, Firefly Coaching

5 Low-Cost Ways to Get Clients Now is a post from: Firefly Coaching

9 Free Online Platforms to Increase Your Visibility

Stephanie Ward — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 08:53:45 +0000

Would you like more visibility for your business that doesn’t cost you a thing?

Connecting to free online platforms is one way to get more exposure and reach more potential clients.

It’s good for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) because the wider your digital presence is, the more visibility your business gets. And you have the opportunity to meet and connect with interesting new people.

Contact Information & Profile Links

About.Me

About.Me makes it easy for people to learn about you and find your content on the web. You can also add your blog, audio, or video in addition to other links. View Tim Ferriss’ profile.

Flavors.Me

Flavors.me allows you to easily build a personal information page. Here is Julie Stanford’s profile. Have a look around the various profiles in the ‘Community’ section to see all of the possibilities and to get ideas. In addition to English, they offer the service in the following languages: Español, Português, Français, Deutsch, Nederlands, 日本語, Norsk (bokmål), Svenska.

Zerply

Zerply says they are “the makers: the designers, hackers, writers, artists and creatives of the world. Zerply is a simple professional network focusing on your experience and talent while presenting you in the best possible way.” Take in Dan Martell’s profile.

Share Your Experience Visually

Vizify

Vizify creates cool graphics of your experience. You could share your Vizify profile link in your email signature, put it on your website in your ‘About’ section or send it to people who want to see your Resume/CV. You can customize the amount of pages as well as the topics of your pages. See Dani Fankhauser’s profile.

Re.vu

Re.vu makes it simple, fast and free to create a compelling visual resume. I’ve included a link to my profile.

Online Influence

Klout

Klout incorporates more than 400 signals from seven different networks (Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, +Klout received, foursquare, and Wikipedia) to calculate your influence. We process this data on a daily basis to generate updates to your Klout Score. Here is an example, Pam Slim’s Klout profile.

Kred

Kred scores reflect trust and generosity, the foundations of strong relationships. And they are calculated from your Twitter and Facebook profiles. Here is Facebook Queen, Mari Smith’s profile.

Social Media Content Aggregators

Rebel Mouse

Use Rebel Mouse to see the content from all of your social media accounts in one place. Take a look at Becky McCray’s profile to get an idea of what it looks like. Here are some tips on how you can use your account.

Twylah

Twylah lets you organize your Tweets into categories and share them on all of the platforms. Check out an example, here’s Jason Fried’s profile.

I’m not suggesting you join every single one of these platforms. Take a look at the ones that fit for you and join those. Then start reaping the rewards of increased visibility for your business and a bigger network of cool people.

What are your favorite profiles? Share them below in the comments section below.

9 Free Online Platforms to Increase Your Visibility is a post from: Firefly Coaching

Are You Making This Mistake When You Talk About Your Business?

Stephanie Ward — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 09:03:09 +0000

The most effective way to talk about your business is to make it about your clients and not about you or your business. Does this sound contradictory? Watch this short video to find out why it’s not.

Click here to view the embedded video.

For even more on this topic check out my post, Do You See Through Your Client’s Eyes?

“Make it about them, not about you.” Simon Sinek Click to Tweet This

What kind of information do you share when you pitch your business? Share your thoughts and questions below in the comments section.

Are You Making This Mistake When You Talk About Your Business? is a post from: Firefly Coaching

Why You Should Stop Giving It Away

Stephanie Ward — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 08:55:37 +0000

Recently at a networking event I was talking with two friends and the subject of doing work for free versus paid came up. We all had strong opinions about it.

It seems this is an issue that all business owners face and one that needs a lot of attention.

I mentioned that I would send them this fabulous article, No, You Can’t Pick My Brain, It Costs Too Much.

They both encouraged me to write about this topic myself. I felt like I already had but realized that I although I have covered several aspects of this issue in separate posts, I had not tied it all together, which is my aim here.

You spend time and money to market your business and attract potential clients. Don’t throw your hard work out the window by giving away your time, your expertise, and your money.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for being generous and giving loads of helpful information away. I do it all the time with my free special report, ezines, blog posts, how-to videos, and tips on social media.

But you have to draw the line somewhere. And if you don’t set the limit, others will set it for you. It’s your business, it’s up to you to set the rules and decide how it works.

Furthermore in my experience, people who want things for free aren’t that serious or motivated to take action. People who are willing to invest are much more committed to the process.

Here are three reasons why you need to stop giving away your time, your expertise, and your money.

Your Time

Time is money as a business owner. Just because someone else wants your time doesn’t mean it’s always a fit for you. Before you agree to meet up with someone in person make sure that it’s even necessary.

Sometimes if you first ask for more information via email, that will tell you everything you need to know to make a decision about how to move forward.

And if you determine you would like to talk with the person, go for a phone call or video Skype first. You can always meet later if things progress.

For more on setting boundaries and saying no, check out my posts: Grow Your Business By Saying No and Do You Have a “To Don’t” List?

Your Expertise

I hope it goes without saying that you should not give away your expertise for free. It is valuable and if you don’t value it why would your clients?

Awareness is the first step to changing any habit so when you’re clear about the things you do not want to do, it will be easier to make that happen.

This is about being proactive and setting boundaries in advance about what you are willing, and not willing, to do for free.

That way you will be prepared when someone asks you for your help. You will be able to confidently direct them to your paid products and services.

Your Money

Stop discounting in your business. Don’t fool yourself; although it’s only a portion of the total, discounting is still just another form of giving your knowledge away for free.

Here are five reasons not to discount your prices:

1. It’s no fun

2. It requires a time and energy you can use elsewhere

3. It creates a standard for other clients

4. You’re not getting paid what you’re worth

5. It can lower confidence in your business

I also think it’s a smart move to post your prices on your website. It’s transparent and it saves you time and energy on people who are not willing to invest. Plus it provides a concrete structure that does not invite negotiation.

For more about discounting read my post: Why Discounting is Hazardous to Your Business.

You can also spell out the way you work in your Frequently Asked Questions, have a look at my FAQ’s as an example.

Now having said all that, be sure you exceed expectations and provide remarkable experiences for your clients. That way they are satisfied with their investment and they will be enthusiastic about recommending you to others.

Experiment to find the right balance between free and paid that works for you. Then clearly communicate the expectations and boundaries so people know how you work and what they can expect from you.

If you take action on this you will be happier, more confident, and more profitable. Now who doesn’t want more of all that? Make the decision today to be courageous and take a stand to value what you offer.

What are your thoughts on this hot topic? Share them below in the comments section.

Why You Should Stop Giving It Away is a post from: Firefly Coaching

Choose Your Clients: Two Ways to Find Your Ideal Clients on LinkedIn

Stephanie Ward — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 09:21:35 +0000

You’re already spending time and money in an effort to reach potential clients.

Why not shift your aim, and make it focused on specific people or companies instead of a random blast into the market? Watch this short video to find out how to do it.

Click here to view the embedded video.

For even more on this topic check out my post, How to Work Exclusively with Ideal Clients.

How do you use LinkedIn to connect with potential clients? Share your thoughts and questions below in the comments section.

Choose Your Clients: Two Ways to Find Your Ideal Clients on LinkedIn is a post from: Firefly Coaching