Taking time to survey your community is always such a valuable process, and I would encourage you to survey yours especially if you've not done one for a while. With the available free survey tools such as Survey Monkey, it really is an easy and effective way of finding out, not only what is happening within your community, but what they are wanting from you as well.

I want to thank you all for taking the time to complete the survey, and sharing with me what your biggest struggles were in marketing and building your business.

What you've told me was very revealing....

More than 46% of you said that you didn't have enough clients. As you know, lack of clients means a lack of cash; a business can't operate without clients. I know you are passionate about what you are doing, otherwise you would not have taken this leap into starting your own business. No matter how long you've been in your business there are always ebbs and flows, and with cashflow an issue, I'm guessing that you are working long hours and are more stressed now than what you want to be or need to be!

Sometimes it's because you've come into your business as the technical expert, and the actually promoting of your business is something you're not quite sure of, or maybe you begrudge having to do it. I really understand that, because when I first started out nearly 20 years ago - I too came in as a technical expert, and also breaking new grounds into an industry that was just beginning here in Australia.

There's a saying: "You don't know what you don't know!". And at that time I didn't have any idea that to build a successful business, marketing and promoting was so important. I thought by delivering results that was enough! It was enough to keep the doors open, but it wasn't enough to grow and thrive.

40.2 % said you lack time.....which as you know becomes a cycle whereby you are always chasing your tail. This means you try to do the right thing by blocking out time in your diary to focus on getting more clients, and than become stressed when you don't have time for the other areas of your business.
The other interesting result was around products, 63% said you were not producing any type of information product at the moment. Does this mean you're stuck in a business model of working dollar for hour?

In the 'further input section', where you could write and tell us more, many of you said you want to build a successful business, but don't know where to start or who to get support from. You asked that we share articles and stories from other successful entreprenuers, and some simple tips to get you started.

I'm pleased to say that we have started to do this for you. I don't know if you've noticed but in our weekly Business Booster Inbox Magazine, we're gathering a panel of experts to provide you with informative articles that show you ways you can build your business, and look after yourself. Please let us know what you think of our new format over the next few months.

I also believe I've come up with something that will support you to get more high paying clients, and we will get to work together on this. Keep an eye out early next week for this announcement.

Best regards,
Deb

Ps., Thanks again for taking the time to complete the survey - I do really appreciate it!

We’re currently two-thirds of our way through our 90 Days - Get More Clients Coaching Program.

This program has specifically provided participants with a step-by-step framework to allow them to grow their business. Over the next few weeks, participants will be stepping up to the plate and presenting their business to other members of the group. 

When you first started your business, did you make the same mistake that I made?  Did you feel you   had to take on every new client who approached you?  I did!  When I started, one of the strategies I thought would build a successful business was to see everyone as a potential client.  I would chase them until I became exhausted.  It didn't guarantee me new clients, my bottom line didn't grow, and my business wasn't successful.  Something had to change. 

I knew what I wanted to create, but at that time I didn’t really know or understand how to create it successfully. It took me time, and a high level of commitment, but after reading, studying, and being mentored, I knew I had the skills and knowledge to build a business that I would be proud of.  A business that would be successful! I realised that it took focus and persistence, because building a business is a marathon, it’s not a sprint.

Over a period of time, I developed a formula that worked for me. I called it my Success Formula.  It goes like this:

Make a Decision + Stay Focused + Be Persistent = Success

So how does this look in reality?

Make A Decision

So, you’ve blocked out your 2011 planning time, begun to thrash out your goals and intentions for creating the best business year yet.  Research has been completed. You’ve worked with your business mentor or advisors around how to stretch yourself further, and achieve these goals.  Now it’s time to make a decision! 

Ask yourself:   Are you excited by the goals and intentions you have set?  If yes: 

Have you stretched yourself?  If yes: 

After intensive research, are you willing to back yourself?  If yes:

Are you willing to make the decision that these are your goals for 2011?  If yes:

It’s time for you to commit to this decision.

Now if we go back to the very first question around being excited by your goals – if you answered ‘no’ to this question, than its back to the drawing board for you.  Keep working on your goals and intentions, until you feel the excitement, until you know internally that the goals you are setting will set you on fire.

Okay, now you’ve made the decision, what’s next?

Stay focused & be persistent!

As mentioned earlier, building your successful business is not a sprint, you want to treat it as a marathon.  Don’t make it hard.  If you read anything about successful entrepreneurs, you know that in most cases they persist when others give up.  Now that doesn’t mean at times you may need to change or modify your decision, but what you want to do is make the necessary changes, get back on track, and continue to be focused and persistent.

When working with my mentoring clients, and step up their marketing efforts – by doing research, developing extraordinary products and services, and focusing in on their target market.  Often what I will begin hearing from them is “Deb, you are relentless, and this is a lot of work.”  And they're right, but this is business, and this is the legacy they are creating. 

When you put the right work in, focus and stay persistent, results will happen.  If you’re not sure what the next step is for you and your business, why not check out my Marketing Blueprint Workshops.  What’s the worst thing that could happen?  You could come away with your 2011 marketing plan.  Remember all it takes is making that decision.

I always believed that being a member of the Royal Australian Air Force gave me a great foundation for my life, both professionally and personally.  The things I learnt from my time in the military have been invaluable to my business success.  The expansive skill set of strategic planning, competitive intelligence, decision making, leadership development, high standard enforcement, and innovation in execution are just a few of the skills that I walked away with.

When I first started out in business, I looked at the skills I had, but then quickly realised that to be effective, I needed to translate them from a military context, into a context that would provide me with the greatest value to my business.

I am reminded of these skills whenever the end of the year is upon me, as I normally will spend the last couple of months of the year planning and preparing for the next year. 

Here are three of the skills from the military that I find most useful for my business:

Intelligence:  In the military, there is always a systematic and ongoing analysis of competitors.  Understanding and reviewing the intelligence of your competition allows you to stay alive!  So when was the last time you spent time studying your competitors?  Do you know who your top five competitors are and what can you learn from them?

Action Step: Before now and the end of the year, take time to identify your top 10 competitors.  Use the questions set out in my previous article – Competition is not a Dirty Word and diligently work through these questions, so you have a better understanding of what your competitors are doing.  Use this information to either make changes to what you are currently doing or allow it to show you that what you currently do is cutting-edge. 

Planning and Preparation:  The military are known for their comprehensive and structured planning – which they do very well.  Not only is the planning  comprehensive, but it is timely and well executed.  There are only 64 days until 2011 hits us – have you begun to put together your strategic plan for 2011?  What are your goals and targets?  Have you started to develop your 2011 Marketing Plan?  Remember that 90% of all small businesses don’t have a marketing plan in place.  Make sure you are one of the 10% that does.

Action Step:  Block out time between now and January 1st to plan for 2011.  If you're not sure what you need to do here, now is the time to identify the specific type of support you need to help you develop your plan.  Get clear on this, and 2011 will be your best year.

Leadership Development:  The value of a great military leader was more than just what they did, it was how they did it, how they made decisions, lead their teams and presented themselves overall.  Many had to learn to be great leaders, and often in very trying circumstances.  I often find that when working with SME’s, they either don’t understand or don’t see the importance of being a strong leader.  But I would like to challenge you to think about this differently, whether you are a solopreneur or have a small team, your leadership skills and development is vitally important. 

Action Step: Please don’t make the mistake of not seeing yourself as a leader.  Take time to create a vision of the leader you would like to be and see the impact this can have on your business.

I look forward to hearing how you plan to spend your next 64 days.  Feel free to let me know.