As a business owner you’ve probably got several projects that you’re dying to get started or some you desperately want to finish.  But something always gets in the way and it seems like you never get to it.  

It’s time to change that.  Think of a project you’d love to complete.  If you don’t have a project in mind, here are some ideas to get you thinking:

- Starting an ezine

- Creating a new product or service

- Being more active with social media and/or blogging

- Making videos for your business

- Creating a structured referral plan

Keep your project in mind as you read through the reasons you might be stuck and what you can do about it.

1. Not sure how to do get it done, lack of skills

Whenever you do something for the first time there is always a learning curve.  And you’re probably not the first person who has done this type of project.  So ask around, see how others do it.  You can also post a question on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter.  Learn it yourself or outsource it.

2. Don’t know what the content could be

You know heaps more than you think you do. Take a look at all of the information you’ve created, talks you’ve given, assessments you have, articles you’ve written, and questions from your clients.  Think about the biggest problem your clients face and address it.

3. Lack of time

Start monitoring how you are spending your time and see if your activities match your priorities for your business.  Maybe it’s time to let something go that isn’t bringing you the results you expected.  And if you really can’t free up any time, you can always outsource.

4. Lack of resources

If it’s an important project that will increase the bottom line of your business, and your budget is limited, consider finding someone to trade services with.

5. You want to wait until you figure it out completely

This is a biggie for a lot of people.  Trust me; perfectionism does not necessarily deliver better results.  You will learn by doing and improve as you go.  Now I’m not advocating being sloppy or having a half-hearted strategy.  But if you wait until everything is perfect you’ll be waiting forever.

This quote by Anne Lamott captures the essence of this, “Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life.”

If you’re still not sure what the block is, try writing down all of your thoughts about the project.  Don’t worry about structure, just do a brain dump and get everything out.  Then go back and read it and see if you can identify the cause or a thread of reasons that point to the cause.

I hope you’re feeling an urgency to dive in and tackle that project that’s been hanging over your head.  You’ll be amazed at how good you feel once it’s done and you start attracting more clients. 

And you may wonder why it took you so long and wish you had done it sooner.  But don’t let that be a negative, take it as the lesson that it is and remember it for your next project.

Action creates momentum, so get started and keep going!

© Stephanie Ward 2010

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this information with it: Stephanie Ward is the Marketing Coach for Entrepreneurs who want to set their profits on fire!  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.

Disorganization costs your business money.  Not only that, it’s just plain stressful.

You know the feeling, you want to find a certain document or an article you need for a project but you can’t find it.  Or, things may be in such a state that you’re discouraged from even trying to look for something because you know you won’t find it.

Now think about how you will feel when you want to find something and you can access it within seconds.  That feels great and even better it keeps you in action which creates momentum.  When you have momentum, you get better results.

As a business owner your work environment is intertwined with your effectiveness.  It is critical to be able to find things quickly and easily and make use of what you have (but may have forgotten about). 

When you’re organized, your business goals are clearer and easier to implement – including your marketing plan.  The clarity you feel from being organized gives you peace of mind and the confidence to take action.

So when it’s time to do a particular marketing activity you’ll know exactly where you can find the information you need to make it happen.

I can imagine you’re thinking you don’t have time to get organized.  But can you really afford not to?  Think of it this way, what if you took all of the time that is wasted every week looking for e-mails, files, and notes and used it to actually get organized. 

You can’t do it all at once so just pick one area and get started.  Once you get organized, staying organized requires minimal effort.  And, you’ll have more time to spend on other things, including yourself.

Areas that can be organized:

- Client database

- Computer files

- E-mail folders

- Paper files

- Bookshelves and drawers

As you tackle the structural organization, there’s another aspect of your work environment to consider.  Think about creating a work space that is visually appealing and inspiring.

Add colors you love and include living things like plants and flowers.  Lighting can also transform the vibe of a space.  It’s often the little things that can make a big difference.  And it doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

Yes, it will take some time and effort to get organized and it’s worth it.  To avoid overwhelm, start small and tackle one area at a time.  You can even give yourself rewards as you go to keep yourself motivated.

In addition to making marketing easier, being organized eliminates mountains of frustration in all aspects of running your business.  Make the decision to create order and harmony in your business and experience the joy of doing your marketing more efficiently.

If you’re ready to take action and would like some practical tips on how to get organized, I have several f’ree resources for you:

- A 42 minute audio recording of an interview I did with professional organizer Elizabeth Hagen.

- A one page .pdf file that outlines Elizabeth’s FAT System which is fabulous (and it’s not about being overweight).

- 31 Tips to Simplify Your Life written by Elizabeth.

Enjoy!

© 2008 Stephanie Ward

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this information with it: Stephanie Ward is the Marketing Coach for Entrepreneurs who want to set their profits on fire!  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.

Do you know how much time you spend on your business being ‘in motion’ instead of ‘in action’?  Are you aware of the difference?  Motion keeps you busy.  Action creates momentum and the results you want.   

Think of it this way, action is something that moves you closer to your goals.  Action has direction.  Motion is simply movement in no particular direction, and can mean going in circles. 

I don’t want to introduce a new tactic or strategy, I want you to take action on strategies you already have in place (or have been planning to put into place).  You know enough, you are ready, now is the time.  No more waiting!

You probably have a list of things you are planning to do.  What is one thing on your list which appeals to you, that you are willing to take action on right now? 

Here are some possibilities:

* Pick up the phone and make that call you have been avoiding

* Follow through with a prospect by sending an interesting article

* Send out that press release

* Get your articles published

* Start your own ezine

* Sign up for that networking event and go

If you’re not quite ready to start a new action why not take a look at what is working in your business and do more of it.  If speaking attracts new clients to your business speak more.  If networking brings you business, attend more events.  If direct marketing works, expand your list.  Get the idea?

I can hear you saying, that’s a good idea but…  Imagine what would happen if you chose to skip the “yeah butts” and just went ahead and took action.

Delaying action is a waste of time and energy.  Every time you think about doing something and then don’t, is time you could have used to actually get it done.

Fear is often the cause of inaction.  See if you can identify the specific fear you have about taking a particular action.  Then ask yourself, is it real?

What would be the worst thing that could happen if you moved forward?  Usually you’ll find that the reality of the situation is much less scary than you had imagined.

Keep moving forward by taking one step at a time.  What could you do right now, no matter how small it seems, to move your business ahead.  You are creative, find a way to make progress even if it isn’t how you originally planned. 

Action does require courage.  If it’s not just a little bit scary then my guess is that you are not stretching yourself.  The good news is that you can take action even if you feel scared; it doesn’t have to stop you. 

Scary can be exciting, think about taking a ride on a roller coaster.  You might be scared but you do it anyway because you know it will be thrilling. 

But that’s just part of the story.  When you take action, in addition to building your business, you also build your confidence which will inspire you to take even more action.

At the end of each day you want to ask yourself this question: ‘What action did I take today that will help me reach the goals I have for my business’?  And you want to have a clear and resounding answer!

The bottom line is you have the power to take action right now, today, and every day after that.  So tap into your courage and be willing to do what you know will create a more profitable business.

© Stephanie Ward 2007

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this information with it: Stephanie Ward is the Marketing Coach for Entrepreneurs who want to set their profits on fire!  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.

Would you like to increase your business?  In Jay Abraham’s book, Getting Everything You Can Out of All You’ve Got, he says there are only three ways (or a combination thereof) to increase your business and make more money.  They are:

1. Increase the number of your clients

2. Increase the average size of sale per client

3. Increase the number of times clients return and buy again

Before we take a closer look at each of these methods, it is important to be sure that the prices you are charging are in line with the value that you deliver.  Meaning, if you are undercharging please consider increasing the investment for your products and services.

Now, let’s take a look at each of the ways to increase business and get you brainstorming about how you can apply them to your business.

INCREASE THE NUMBER OF YOUR CLIENTS

Look at your client data to see where and how the majority of clients find you.  If you haven’t been tracking this start now and in the meantime just go by memory.

Add up the number of clients from each source, see which marketing strategies are working the best and start spending more time doing them.  It’s all about doing more of what works.  This may sound simple, and it is.  It’s just a matter of doing it!

If none of your marketing strategies are working very well, take time to reevaluate and then begin with something new.

INCREASE THE AVERAGE SIZE OF THE SALE PER CLIENT

Take a look at all of the products and services you offer and do two things.  First, think about new valuable products or services you could add to the existing ones to create more interesting packages for your clients. 

Next, consider all of the ways you could bundle existing products and services in various combinations to create new packages.  Look for logical themes or groups that will appeal to your clients.  You could even sell all of your products as one giant package at a discounted price.

INCREASE THE NUMBER OF TIMES CLIENTS RETURN AND BUY AGAIN

A well known fact is that it costs around seven times the amount of money to acquire a new client as it does to sell something to an existing client.  Take a look at your existing clients, as well as your previous clients, and think about what kinds of products and services they would like.

Consider creating ‘follow-up’ or ‘next step’ products and services.  A great way to find out what they really want is to actually ask them what they need.  You can ask via: the phone, e-mail, or a web based survey.

Are you starting to see how you can use these three ways, or a mixture of them all, to increase your business?  Take the time to analyze your business, create a plan, and get into action on increasing your business. 

© Stephanie Ward 2006

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this information with it: Stephanie Ward is the Marketing Coach for Entrepreneurs who want to set their profits on fire!  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.