Business Insights

We’ve just added fresh content to our Business Momentum Club and it’s now better than ever! This upgraded version is based on valuable feedback from small business owners such as yourself. We have a proven system that will lead your business on a path to success. There is no fluff or theory…just relevant and applicable strategies that many small business owners are using right now to take their businesses to the next level.

Here’s what your fellow business owners are saying about this revolutionary online program:

“I would just like for you to know that the audio and video have made such a significant difference in my life that I personally know that my business will never be the same again. The Business Momentum Club has given me so much insight that I now know that I can resolve the difficulties that I have been experiencing in my business and take it to new levels of success. They have opened up a new world for me!”

Judith C.

“AWESOME STUFF! Finally, after all these years and so many businesses that I’ve started I’m finally getting great information with the Business Momentum Club that actually helps build my business at a ridiculously low cost.”

Jim J.

The Business Momentum Club is a very affordable way to gain access to the strategies and tactics used by business experts all over the world.

Plus you can try the Business Momentum Club for only $1 for the first 14 days, and you can cancel at any time! There is no risk for you.

Click here to learn more about the Business Momentum Club!

Are you looking ahead and setting goals for 2010? Here are a few quick tips that your business can use to flourish in the New Year:

1. Find out who your ideal client is and make sure you’re marketing to them.

For any business to succeed, knowing your ideal target market is an absolute must have. Who are the ideal people to purchase your products and services? Why do they want to come to you instead of your competition? Which group of people would you love to work with? Take some time to interview some of your top clients to create an “ideal client profile” and adjust your marketing so that it will speak to them and their wants and needs.

2. Find the time to work on your business, not in it.

When was the last time you evaluated your business operations? Are you too busy dealing with customers, answering phones, creating invoices and running your company? Acquire the necessary infrastructure so that you won’t have to rely on yourself to do everything. Get help in the areas where you don’t excel so that you can spend more time on the things you’re good at. The goal is to have your business perform well without you so that you can spend time on the things that will make your business move forward and grow. Create a model that will ensure things get done right from top to bottom.

3. Create a long-term plan.

What is it that you want from your business? Where do you want your business to be next month? In a year? In five years? Set step by step goals that are achievable. For example, figure out how many sales you must have in order to meet your revenue goals. That way you know what to aim for. Find out what is working and what isn’t and make sure you’re spending time daily to reach toward your goals. Find the right people to help you get the proper strategies in place and keep you accountable. This will help you avoid mistakes and prevent having to rebound from any major setbacks later.

4. Build strong social media channels.

Every business should have a strong presence in social media. It’s not going away. For example, a few months ago Facebook was close to 300,000,000 users. It’s now accounting for more than 70% of the entire Internet population. What’s more is that social media will significantly increase in 2010. Your clients are out there. Whether you’re a dog trainer or a business consulting, it’s very important to start engaging with your target market online.

5. Seek help.

We know that running your business can be difficult and growing your business is even harder. You’ve put all your time and energy into your business and you’ve sacrificed time for yourself and with your family. That’s why at OneCoach, we help our clients take the right steps, in the right order to grow their businesses. We’re committed to helping you achieve your business goals and to live the life you’ve always wanted. If you’re ready to take your business to the next level, we’re here to help. Click here to learn more about our Business Coaching programs that are specifically designed to help your unique business succeed.

Is this the year that you and your business will grow to extraordinary levels? That’s up to you.

Business ownership is the 21st century version of the American Dream. But of the millions of people taking the leap into entrepreneurship, about 50% of them will fail within five years.

That is a staggering number of casualties, and the ironic part is that not one person thinks they will be one of the many who fail. Even when they do fail, they will blame it on almost anything else but themselves. This doesn’t have to happen.

In working with thousands of small business owners worldwide, I will share with you a few of the classical errors we consistently see business owners make. Avoid these mistakes and you’ll share some of the big bucks.

Mistake #1: Not knowing exactly who your customer is.

This is what we refer to at OneCoach as your “Ideal Client Profile.” If you are thinking that anyone and everyone is your client, stop immediately and get real. For every product or service, there is a very specific personality that is just right for it. As a business owner, your job is to identify the characteristics of your perfect buyer and then craft all your marketing and sales efforts to meet their needs. Do not try to be everything to everybody.

Mistake #2: “The Vanilla Syndrome.”

What this means is that you must discover as soon as possible how to separate and differentiate yourself from your competition. It doesn’t matter if you are a lawyer, dentist, direct sales expert, or a dry cleaner. If you look and feel like everyone else, that is what your potential customers will think. Set aside some time and figure out if you are faster, cheaper, environmentally safer, more knowledgeable, etc., until you determine how you can be and feel different to potential and existing clients. Think about the reasons you choose companies’ products or services to use, and then create compelling reasons that appeal to your ideal customer.

Mistake #3: “Money Matters!”

It never ceases to amaze us how many small-business owners operate their business without having an understanding of their cash flow (or lack thereof). The days of running “by the seat of your pants” are over. It is imperative to know exactly how much is coming in, how much needs to go out for basic operation costs, and how much is needed to invest in the growth of your business. Each expenditure needs to have with it an anticipated return of investment (ROI). You must understand the financial details in your business or they will bite you in the bum before you know it!

Follow these three simple suggestions and you’ll shave a bunch of percentage points off your chances of being a negative statistic.

Is your website fulfilling its purpose? Is it driving leads, building relationships and generating sales to your business every day? Watch this strategy video with John Assaraf and Adrian Ulsh to learn the fundamentals of making your website effective and stand out from your competition.

To learn more ways to grow your business, sign up for a complimentary Business Growth Assessment.

Most people hate being marketed to.

Why?

Most marketers don’t provide any value! But if you’ve been following some of our previous posts about identifying your ideal client, mapping out their decision making process, and developing an elevator pitch, then you already have all the tools to create a killer marketing message that crushes your competition.

These tools will allow you to clearly inform your prospects on how you benefit them and you can establish yourself as an expert they can trust and respect.

Take the information you previously created for your elevator pitch, and use this to write your marketing message.

Write compelling headlines that hit the “hot buttons” of your ideal clients. If you’ve worked on your ideal client’s decision-making process, this should be easy.

Ask your current ideal clients to review your headlines and marketing message. Ask them if it compels them. It’s better to hear their feedback than to assume their perception of your marketing.

It sounds simple, but it is important to consistently use these steps to develop value-based marketing that gets results. If you don’t target your ideal clients and their hot buttons, then your marketing will sound like your competition’s and you will forever compete on price alone.