by Ann Evanston | Jan 29, 2015 | Business Strategy, Mental Mind Shifts
You should dream. You should dream really, really big. And then you should
work really hard and do everything in your power to make those dreams
happen.
See, action turns dreaming into living your dreams. Action is what makes
your dreams your life not just something out there that you hope for.
I believe there is something between having the dream and putting in the
work to make the dream your life. I believe that is a simple mindset that
highly successful people have that differentiates them from others.
I believe that the people who make their big dreams their life also believe
with every fiber of their being, “it is possible.”
I believe the people who live their biggest dreams also know that “feeling”
cannot get in the way. Feelings like “I’m tired” and “I don’t feel like it
right now” are not allowed to stand in the way of taking action.
You should dream big and then take action and make it happen.
by Ann Evanston | Dec 11, 2014 | Business Strategy, Speaking Strategy
In the Mastermind I frequently talk about the importance of knowing your potential customers’ problems and helping them think and talk about them. This is often a struggle but it’s vital for building the compelling language you need in order to get them to buy.
The reason this is so critically important is that the majority of the time people don’t know they need you. How many times have you been out having a conversation with somebody and in the back of your mind you were thinking: “Wow do they need what I do!” Then you dive into telling them what you do, telling them how it can help them, and nothing happens.
That’s because they don’t know they need you. And this, honestly, is the majority of the people out there. So often when you want to sell more, you have to be able to tap into how they talk about what their problems are versus how you expertly share your knowledge.
The challenge is really twofold.
First you must know who your market is. If you don’t know who they are then it’s difficult for you to find out what they talk about, what their concerns are, and the language they would use to describe those issues. It is difficult to ask them what they worry about. And you will find you start getting generic, and generic isn’t compelling.
And second, you have to be willing to listen to what they’re saying. It’s so easy to go out and network and hear somebody talking, and all you were thinking about is “boy do they need me!” instead of truly listening to the language and words they use. Next time you are with that person, that you surly knows NEEDS YOU, practice Habit #5 of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Seek First to Understand, then Be Understood. Heck, really listen to THEIR words!
So spend time clarifying who it is you serve, and then listen to them. In person and online! There are plenty of ways to find the words and language that they use in their lives that will help you sell more of what you do. In my MasterMind, COMPEL. Speak Sell, we work together to make this happen. Linda Patten, a MasterMind member said: “concentrated time on words that powerfully position your message was a true breakthrough for me.”
Are you ready to transform your language to be compelling to your buyers, and more importantly POTENTIAL buyers?
by Ann Evanston | Dec 4, 2014 | Business Strategy
I remember an epiphany I had that solved my constant struggle with content strategy. Let’s face it, in this day and age, content rules! It is critical if you want:
- to get visible,
- to sell more,
- to get more speaking engagements,
- to build your list,
- and close more clients.
Bottom line, you have to have great content.
I can remember sitting at my computer or with a notepad, struggling with “what” to share. So let me share my epiphany that helped me overcome the struggle.
First and most important, I work so hard with all my clients to understand this…. you’ve got to build your Bad-Assery Branded Resource© (BBR). Your BBR becomes the way you build content. I found that when I was able to focus on the steps in my program, when I stopped the limiting belief that “every client is unique” and ORGANIZED my KNOWLEDGE (step 2 in my MasterMind) it was easier. This allowed me to really think about all the things I want to teach a paying customer, more and more ideas and content just kept coming to mind.
This brings up a second important point. When developing content for marketing: blogs, your list, once they opt in, a speaking engagement, social media…WHEREVER and HOWEVER you market….start first with your clients. If you prioritize the people who already pay you, and what they say they need from you, you should be able to come up with endless amounts of content!
Of course, when marketing you want to reuse and repurpose everything you have. Once you write stuff for your paying customers, then you can tweak it and turned it into a marketing and sales strategy. Learn to apply this (it is BRILLANT) strategy that will save you so much time, and is REALLY simple to do!
In my 30 Days to Confident Content Creation program I show you every day how you can take 30 minutes, and continue to build enough content to use everywhere you need it. It really is that simple to become a content generating MACHINE!
by Ann Evanston | Nov 20, 2014 | Business Strategy, Speaking Strategy
Leverage, such a simple word yet at the same time so complicated! In my MasterMind, leverage is one of the MOST IMPORTANT strategies I teach…why? Because we all need to get off the roller coaster and frustration of inconsistent highs and lows (or maybe even consistent lows) in the money we make.
Most entrepreneurs, honestly, get to where they’re doing this in years five and six! Heck, for me, it was years 10-11!!!! (I’m a rebel remember?) I actually had the chance to work with eh “Ezine Queen” over 7 years ago, and thought she was crazy talking all this emails for sales stuff! You know who the Ezine Queen is now right? (If not go to my Facebook page and ask me…I think you will be surprised!)
In the MasterMind, COMPEL, Speak, Sell we first teach you to build your Bad-Assery Brand Resource© (BBR), and create compelling stories, you’re ready to speak and sell at a whole other level. Leverage is about how you make sure that is happening in a process so you’re not continuously freaking out about making the money!
To get ahead of it is always the challenge. Today, I want to give you some things to think about in terms of leverage.
- You need to understand most importantly, that leverage is really about building a plan and creating abundant cash flow. This means that you are proactive in your business building process versus reactive or constantly on the hustle to make a buck! You have to choose a proactive process versus a reactive one. You have to move out of the hustle phase of being an entrepreneur and start implementing systems.
- You need a list building strategy. All the research shows that people who have a list ,and a strategy for what happens when people opt-in sell more than people who do not. Of course, this reinforces what I say early on, you have to have your brand resource and stories ready!
- You need an editorial calendar, a place for you plan when you will do your online events, your live events, launch a new giveaway. A place with all of those things put into it so that you can plan and prepare accordingly. Your calendar should also indicate what marketing content you need to write so you don’t miss deadlines.
- You need visibility online! In this day and age being known for what you do is important on the Internet. If nobody can verify your credibility you lose the opportunity to grow. And there are a ton of people on the Internet who probably need what you sell! Build your marketing to include an online presence.
- You need exclusive sales opportunities built into your planning calendar. How will people that know you get the opportunity to work with you at an amazing rate? If you ALWAYS discount, it’s never an exclusive opportunity!
- You need to learn the power of repurposing everything. This is a HUGE time saver, and builds a consistent Brand message. If you were truly working the five steps of the system, you can use all of that content in your leverage strategy! It also supports the sales statistic that says it is 7-9 touches before they buy.
- You need develop advanced giveaway strategies. Have more than one way for people to get on your list! If you built your resources you know that there are many ways that you can share that same information.
- Ultimately, you need to evolve to partnership. As entrepreneurs, if we do it all alone, we work harder, not smarter. Build your list, and affiliate program. Then partner with others that also serve your clients and watch easy money grow!
Right now this might seem overwhelming! I get it. That is why I take such pride in thoroughly, and completely teaching these systems to entrepreneurs like you. I have an AWESOME series of emails that will give you specific insights to building your COMPELLING and EARNING business, which you can get here
My goal, through the Mastermind, is to continue to train and teach you on this so that in three years you have abundant cash flow! Join us in this powerful and business changing program!
by Ann Evanston | Nov 3, 2014 | Business Strategy
Viral. Visibility. Traffic. More Likes. Shares. Retweets. More opt-ins.
I am always asked…HOW do I get more visibility?
When I work with my clients on Marketing, Media and Messaging, we have to decide if they want to be aggressive and get traffic faster…without paying for it (paying is faster too, these tips are free).
So learning to apply a strategy that will REALLY work with your brand is the secret sauce!
Learn the FIVE FASTEST WAYS to go viral today
by Ann Evanston | Oct 30, 2014 | Business Strategy
Marketing is about building credibility, vulnerability, and your tribe as I have said in previous articles I have written. I’m sure you’ve heard me say this many times! If that is marketing, then sales this is truly the test.
Napoleon Hill, author of “Think and Grow Rich”, would actually argue that the accumulation of money; i.e. sales, is actually the litmus test that you have organized your knowledge in such a way that people understand the monetized value of it.
Sales is the ultimate test that they want what you have to offer. It is the test that demonstrates you are clear:
- About whom you serve,
- What problem you solve for them,
- What logical way you solve those problems,
- What you charge for doing it, and the difference between the actual and perceived value,
- Owning this knowledge and being able to clearly and concisely share it with others is a struggle for most creative and intuitive entrepreneurs. I totally get it. It was for me. That is why my MasterMind is all about helping you make it happen.
Ask yourself:
- Do I have a clear organized plan about the service I sell?
- Am I clear as to who I serve with that clearly defined service?
- Have I clearly defined the problems I help them solve, in their language, so they recognize they need this service?
- Have I created the compelling language that makes them interested in the
offer?
- And am I willing to ask for the price that I have set?
These questions are critical to moving from marketing to sales. Without knowing and owning the answers to them you will probably be well-known, very inspiring, and sell very little. Which is great, but you deserve to earn!
