| Greetings!
I feel like my brain has been opened up and had massive amounts of information poured inside. In fact, I think it's leaking out my ears!
All kidding aside, this has been a completely transformation two weeks. I'll give you the details in my musing, but what I learned inspired this issue's feature article - "Are You a Victim of the Entrepreneurial Lie?" which was inspired by a series of ebooks and reports by Rich Schefren.
Please enjoy!
Karen
| Are You a Victim of the Entrepreneurial Lie?
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Or - Which Spaces Do YOU Fill in Your Organizational Chart?
I found myself laughing out loud at my computer screen again this week. I probably do that more than I ought to admit. This time it was the laugh of "recognition of truth."
Let me set this up for you.
You've probably seen an organizational chart before. It's the thing with all the bubbles and lines which depicts who does what in the company. I never really thought about creating an 'org chart' for my business.
I was reading a series of e-books by Rich Schefren (which I'll give you a link to at the end of the article). Rich is the Guru's Guru in the realm of Internet marketing.
He suggests that, if you were to make up an org chart for an Internet marketing business, you would most likely come up with a bubble in the middle surrounded by 30 - 50 bubbles. The surrounding bubbles would include stuff like create product, write sales letters, upload web pages, research domain names, manage newsletter, etc. You get the drill.
Stay with me here. So in the middle bubble, is "you," which is fairly typical. What Rich is saying is that in most Internet (and offline solo-entrepreneurial) businesses, the problem is that the word "you" also appears in every other bubble which is precisely why most self employed people spend so much more running around with their hair on fire and making no money doing it.
He also gave some additional sobering statistics.
You've heard that 80 percent of all businesses go out of business in the first five years by now, I'm sure. Further, of those that are left, 80 percent of them will be out of business in the next five years. That's a long term survival rate of about 4 percent. Here's the really scary part, the surviving businesses, the "lucky ones," most of them are just glorified job owners!
Remember the definition of a business that I constantly refer to from David Neagle: If your business requires your presence to make money, you don't have a business - you have a job that you own.
A job trading time for dollars, providing services for your clients.
Let's think about time for a moment. It's the one resource you want the most and yet, you can't "make more".
Rich's point in the books I was reading, is that the simple "lifestyle business" (Like Alexandria Brown, the Ezine Queen) where you make a ton of money all by yourself and put in very little time, is a lie - The Entrepreneurial Lie - unless you make it into an actual business. And I kind of have to agree.
So what does all that have to do with networking?
I can teach you about networking and marketing all day long but if you don't have a business - not a job you own - a business, then by following what I teach, you are only going to create more misery and frustration for yourself.
The best case scenario is that, at some point, your practice will be full and you'll be able to support yourself. Cool. Ever wonder what would happen if you got sick? How about a vacation? I think you already know the answer.
There are lots of people way smarter than me who could teach you about business management and outsourcing etc. But jumping headfirst into that world that would be overwhelming. - because then you'd have even MORE to do in that same finite amount of time.
Where to start? Here's what I recommend: What if you could take some of the "you's" off the org chart and replace them with someone or something else?
I've been preaching outsourcing for a long time now, but recently I've heard some very scary stories about people who followed my advice and the outcome was, well, less than spectacular.
One woman I know needed a brochure which ended up being a two sided sheet of paper filled with words. Another gentleman needed a sales letter written and even though he had received a referral to a writer and spent hours interviewing him, received a final draft which was described as "disastrous"
Bottom Line: Just because you offload the task doesn't mean it's going to get done right. Just because you networked and got a referral to someone to do the job doesn't mean they have a clue what they're doing as it relates to what you actually need. Sometimes they're just plain bad and sometimes it's because you don't really know what you need or who to ask.
For years I too have been the victim of the Entrepreneurial Lie. After the vast onslaught of information I've been exposed to over the past few weeks, I know I can fix it. I want to help you fix it too.
Here's what I'm cooking up for you: A new members only website! While finding the right domain name is still on my "to do" list here's the gist:
How frustrating is it to hire someone to do a job only to find out that they:
- didn't know what they were doing
- had skills that didn't match your needs
- thought they were more experienced/knowledgeable than they are
- are >>brand<< new (i.e. they just started a business and have zero training in what they are trying to sell you)
- are "faking it until they make it"
- are "guru wanna be's" who have never accomplished what they teach and/or are lying about (or grossly exaggerating) their success stories
The result? You need to do it all over again, wasting precious time, potential opportunities and money.
I've paid good money to people and had all of these outcomes because I didn't have a system for asking the right questions.
Now I do - and I am sharing it with you.
Coming soon! A website with reports and checklists to make it easy to ask the right questions of any vendor or professional.
No more botched projects. No more "re-do"'s. You'll know what questions to ask, combined with a system that takes the "emotion" out of your decision making process.
The result?
You'll flush out all the wanna be's, pretenders, newby's and charlatans BEFORE you spend time and money AND you'll get the job done right the first time. After all, if you don't have time to do it once, how will you find the time to do it twice?!?
If you want to be on the "pre-release" list, or want to partner with me in this exciting new venture, please email karen@misskarensproductions.com and put "Way Easy" in the subject line.
Oh, and here's the link for Rich Schefren. He's a very straight shooter and can sometimes be a little harsh, but the information he gives away for free is priceless! http://www.strategicprofits.com/
| | Karen's Monthly Musing |
Brain full...leaking out ears...must avoid plaid...
Over the past month, I've probably downloaded 20 or more products. It was a massive amount of information and my brain is doing its best to keep up.
Some of it was personal development. I'll talk about Centerpointe and Holosynch maybe next time. It's about personal development through meditating and VERY enlightening.
THEN there was the "stompernet" launch which had like 15 bonuses all having to do with Internet marketing, Search engine optimization etc, which, since many of you are looking for guidance, I feel is important for me to stay on top of.
Then there's Simplology which is a system for getting 10 times the amount of stuff done in the same amount of time - very cool and it works!
Which explains why my head feels kind of "full"!! So much for the positively restful September I anticipated! HA!!
Meanwhile, in the world of Bantam AA hockey, the team has come together and our tournaments for the year are set. We're going to Dallas, Colorado and Seattle and possibly Boston later on in the season. More incentive for me to create *hot* new products and services eh?
Finally, I had to laugh last night when Stephen (my almost 13 year old hockey player for those that are new) brought me his school picture. It was a fabulous picture of him, but the pose was quite cute. I guess they are doing "fancy poses" now.
Remember those old album covers - OK maybe you don't - those old photographs of the crooners (Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra etc) where they are angled and leaning a little forward, like you're below them and they are leaning out of the picture toward you...? Yeah, well that was the pose!
So now I have my new photo of "Stephen Frank Sinatra" on my desk. It makes me smile every time I look at it!
Guess I'd better get to work!
Til next time,
Karen
| Only One Left! If you want one, get it now!
|
This is it!! There is only 1 copy left and that's it! If you've ever wanted to attend a live event and were either too busy or too far away, this is your ticket! I won't be selling the home study course in this format ever again, so this really is is your LAST CHANCE to get your copy.
About the course:
Is your networking not working? Is your marketing unremarkable?
Do you hate going to chamber events? Does it drive you crazy when you ask people what they do, they tell you and then walk away without asking about your business?
The good news is that networking is a skill. The bad news is that networking can be time consuming and -without proper training - you may never be able to get the kind of business you really want.
Miss Karen's Secrets to Success in 30 Seconds is your answer.
After learning this step by step method, you too will be able to deliver networking messages that have people sit up and take notice. You will look more professional, spend less time networking and make more money.
You'll learn:
- Why it is critical to plan what you're going to say about your business every time you open your mouth.
- How to create infomercials that literally write themselves.
- 3 things you should never say in your infomercial.
- How to Introduce yourself in a way that will interest people in what you do Networking tips for networking groups and chamber events
Contains 2 CD's and follow along guidebook
Through easy to understand, step-by-step exercises and specific tips and suggestions, you will be able to create and deliver a message to your listener that will help them understand what you do and be interested in finding more business for you. Plus, you'll easily systematize your infomercials or elevator speeches so that you will look polished, professional and prepared even on a moments notice.
What I do know is that if you don't do things differently, you're going to keep getting the same results. Will you let me help you become a raging success with word of mouth marketing?
Don't leave any more money or opportunities on the table. Order your copy right now!
Click here to learn more or purchase
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| September Networking Tip
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| Features or Benefits?
It's all about problem solving really.
When you're out talking about what you do, remember that the people you want to do business with probably don't know they need you, or aren't ready to do business with you - YET
Make sure however, when you phrase what your doing, you address the following important points:
That you understand the problem you solve for your client from their point of view. It's the only one that matters, after all. Most likely the problem you actually solve is one they think they don't need to solve . Remember, you can solve the "important pressing problem you see, that they don't - only after you've received "buy in" that you're the person to solve the problem they think they have.
Case in point. Most people come to me thinking that they need help with networking or marketing something. It's usually true that they don't have a complete understanding of "how it all works" but it does them no good to teach them how because what they REALLY don't understand is who they're looking for in the first place.
Solving THIS problem (lack of clarity) is what I know they need, but what they ask me to do is teach "networking secrets"
By agreeing to teach them what they want to know, I now have a platform to teach them what they need to know to be successful.
Most likely this applies to your business too.
Maybe they want to learn how to have beautiful skin, but what they really NEED to know is the importance of nutrition. By giving a beautiful skin evaluation, you can teach them that they'll get what they want, just not the way they thought they would.
Remember, it's the client's perspective of the problems they need to solve that is most important.
If you don't know what that is, ask your clients. If you're new, go on the internet and research testimonials for businesses like yours and find out what people are saying.
Now, go out and solve some problems.
| Been Trying to Email Me With No Luck?
| Earthlink is dead!
|
Not really, but I got rid of my Earthlink account, so if you're trying to email me the current address is whatever you were using at comcast.net
So the three Earthlink addresses,
tulipbasket
tulipunicorn and
misskarensprodcutions
are now all at comcast.net | Does your group need a speaker?
|  | Networking not working?
Marketing un-remarkable?
If your group is looking for a fun interactive presentation, Karen Frank will fill the bill! Call 925-279-1004 to schedule Miss Karen for your next event.
Want something just for your group? Karen is happy to customise materials or come up with something just for you! Please call for rates and more information. | | |
