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Covid-19 Is a Call for Renewal

In this time of uncertainty are you fretting about what may come next, financial calamity or worse, or are you regretting choices you've made in the past which brought you to where you are now?

If you are fretting or regretting, you are missing the opportunity.

This very moment - now - is a gift. We've been given the privilege and the opportunity to explore and experience, learn and grow, create and contribute. We have now been given the gift of making a monumental choice.

What are you making of your gift?

Now is always an opportunity; an opportunity to become a better version of ourselves, or an opportunity to resist. "Resist what?" you might ask. Resist life cajoling us to become all we are meant to be.

Speaking for myself, I can only imagine my angels are a frustrated bunch. They have been standing by my side, guiding and guarding me, and holding me aloft in times of trouble, and yet still, after fifty-plus years I fail to heed their quiet and persistent call - guidance offering me peace and love and joy. Instead, I resist. Can't do that; that would make me look the fool. Can't do that; that would take too much effort. Can't do that; that is beneath me. Can't do that; and a million and one other excuses. There's always tomorrow...

Until there isn't.

I usually think in terms of a lifetime. Yes I have this moment, but what I'm really looking forward to and waiting for is that fantastical moment in the hopefully not too distant future when all the stars align, all the ducks are in a row, and I finally arrive to my glory. Thinking of this perfection fantasy; it seems more like a description of my final passing then of some likely reality. Perfect is what life is; not what I'm waiting for. The challenge of living is not changing life; the challenge I took on and am immersed in is changing me. I must learn to live in, love and embrace the opportunity in each moment.

So, what should I do now, in this moment?

Covid-19 is a message so powerful and so pervasive - for me and for the world - it seems impossible to ignore.

My angels are once again watching and wondering, hoping and praying: 'Is he listening? Is he going to see the opportunity? And is he going to make the right choice?'

I have an opportunity before me, and so do you. In every moment the opportunity is to choose: to set my state - my emotional state - determine my course and act.

Covid-19 is upending lives all around the world and for what purpose?

It's a call for us to reconsider our priorities and determine what really matters. It's an opportunity for me and you, and perhaps ultimately all of us to change direction. Covid-19 is a call for a substantial course correction; a great reset. Are we going to heed the call?

Making a prediction is really difficult, especially about the future, but I'm going to speculate: the future we experience as individuals, families, communities and nations will depend on the choices we make here and now - in this moment.

Change is hard and sometimes painful. But change can also be beautiful and joyful and magnificent. Are we going to resist and shrink from the health, financial and economic challenges before us or are we going to embrace this opportunity to usher in a new and better experience?

People are dying because of Covid-19. The world economy is at risk of imploding. People are huddled in their homes. Many are fearful and afraid. But Covid-19 is not an emissary of destruction; it's a call to renewal. The Covid-19 crisis is a plea for us to replace the "every-man-for-himself" philosophy dominating society with a mutually connected, interdependent and supportive culture. Covid-19 is a call for us to unite.

Will we heed the call?

Now is an opportunity for the great reset - a reset of the world. That sounds like a daunting task. It is. So remember this:

"If I change myself the world changes. The great reset - in this moment of crisis - starts with me."

Scott F. Paradis, Leader, Thought-Provoking Writer, Inspiring Speaker, author of "Sheep, Herders, Wolves - Why We Are Where We Are: A Modern American Fable" and "Explosive Leadership - The Ultimate Leader Training Experience" focuses on the fundamentals of leadership and success. Scott@c-achieve.com https://ScottFParadis.com

Magazine

Keep Your Marketing Simple and More Effective With This 6-Step Model

Whether you are a professional in a solo-practice or own a small business, chances are you feel overwhelmed when it comes to marketing. While you may be an expert in your field, consistently attracting new clients probably isn’t one of your strengths.

Here is just a short list of "marketing culprits" that are likely keeping your business from reaching its full potential:

Unclear Target Market. It absolutely makes my marketing blood boil when I hear "our service can help everyone". How on Earth do you find everyone?
Confusing, Self-Centered Marketing Message. Since the early 1900 marketing geniuses like Claude Hopkins have been telling us that shouting "we are the best, come buy from us" doesn't work - no matter how loud you scream! Amazingly, over 90% of all marketing materials out there are doing exactly that!
'Hop-And-Drop' Approach. Any worthwhile skill takes practice. Yet most small business owners abandon each marketing tactic after just one try, without giving themselves a chance to get good at it. It's like a running rabbit - switching direction with every hop!
On and off approach. Spending a lot of time and effort on marketing when the business is slow, but then giving up on almost all promotional activities when business gains momentum!
Not Preaching To The Choir. Most businesses make the mistake of chasing new markets all the time instead of maximizing profits using their existing database of current and prospective clients.

If you can put a "yes, guilty as charged" checkmark next to any of those statements, chances are you are not profiting from your business as much as you could. To help unleash the extra profits currently hidden in your business or practice here is a simple Five Step Marketing Model.

Create a MAP!

You don’t need to kill a tree to create an effective Marketing Action Plan. Simply describe your target market, their problem, and the benefits your service or product offers. Identify five to ten ways in which you can get visibility and generate new leads. Finally, list all the action steps you need to take daily, weekly and monthly and assign specific deadlines and outcomes to each step.

Craft Your Magnetic Marketing Message!

Potential clients don't give a hoot about your titles, awards, and prestigious office location! All they want to know is that you understand their problem and have an effective solution to it. Communicate those two things clearly and new clients will flock to you like bees to honey!

Develop Attraction Tools!

Forget about the self-focused brochures! You need promotional materials that intrigue interest and generate response. Today’s technology allows to easily and inexpensively assemble and distribute information products - like special reports or CDs - that illustrate your capabilities and effortlessly promote your services.

Generate Leads. Getting all the visibility in the world will not do any good if you are not giving your potential client an irresistible reason to contact you. Try and test several marketing messages and media to see what promotional strategies bring in the biggest bang for the buck.

The key here is testing - tweak your approach multiple times before you decide to completely abandon it. What might have been a big flop at first, with a bit of tweaking can turn into a total goldmine!

Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up!

Studies show that over 80% of all sales are made on or after five contacts with the prospect. However, more than 80% of follow-up ends after just three attempts! Creating and automating a systematic follow-up process is a must to maximizing your marketing ROI.

Develop a series of 12 to 24 meaningful communications each addressing something of relevance to your prospects and find a way to periodically distribute them to prospects and clients.

Learn To Sell!

The thought of selling causes most professionals to cringe. Fact is, effective selling is not about memorizing hundreds of closings tactics or becoming an attack dog that corners prospects into saying “yes”. Instead, study a consultative approach model and become a master of asking powerful questions that compel others to action!

Author: Adam Urbanski the Marketing Mentor

Business

Plan today for your most prosperous tomorrow! A 4-step blue print for success.

Over the years, I've had the honour of working with 1000's of business owners - new and established - on many issues. The outcome has been the creation of a process that helps them ALL get their businesses rejuvenated. Yes, it doesn't matter if they are currently an $18 million dollar business or a start-up! When you don't have a business plan you've looked at recently or a marketing plan you use daily, the rest of the problems are very similar - only the dollar amount changes!

I've created the list below to walk you through the process I've been using with my clients for about a year now. It works. In fact, it works so well, to help them increase income and help them focus, that I decided to create the You-Can't-Lose Guarantee!

You know the funny thing here? When I first completed the steps below I remembered my time in Corporate America and realized that if business owners (including myself) acted just a little more like corporations - you know the busy-ness part of a business - from the start, they'd be more profitable out of the gate. I know that because when I work with newer business owners that is exactly what happens. And I know it's true for more established business owners because most often they're missing some of the major components and there success has been blocked.

There is no cookie-cutter process here. It's important to determine what pieces are missing or in need of updating and then bring those parts into the business.

So, if it's time for you to take your business to heights that even you didn't imagine possible, start at the top of this list and locate what's missing from your business.

Leverage your time for maximum success

Create a vision and mission for your business.
Identify your client from hell.
Develop a niche and ideal client profile.
Prioritize the most important business objectives and strategies.
Learn how to create a propelling action plan that helps you complete your to-do list.

Develop a positive money mentality

Learn to fully trust yourself with your finances.
Be able to talk about money more easily.
Create a pricing strategy and package of services.
Set your hourly, monthly and value rates.
Confidently tell others what your fees are.
Discover how to easily raise your rates.
Raise your standards with your self.
Set boundaries with others - including clients.

Design systems to monitor your success

Create compelling ways to articulate what you do.
Build a follow-up system for efficient networking.
Design referral and affiliate systems.
Help develop your Ideal Client Profile.
Become comfortable networking
Learn how to "market with integrity" using a marketing funnel.
Create multiple streams of small business income.
Develop a hiring/firing process.
Design important business processes.
Build support systems that will help take you through any situation.

Leverage Your Success With Follow-up

Balance to assure all of the critical areas in the company have been covered.
Track your company's performance.
Execute the activities you've stated in your plans.
Align to ensure that everything is working together.
Resolve issues right away that are impeding your success.

© Maria Marsala. Helping women business owners accelerate profits and improve productivity -- quicker, by providing one-on-one kick-butt, No BS, practical business and marketing coaching, consulting and training. Download your free reports and audio when you subscribe to "No BS Business Advice Ezine" Elevating Your Business.