I was having dinner with a few colleagues last night and we got to talking about different ideas on getting the word out about our businesses. We started talking about all the great events that are taking place here locally - like the Grower’s Market, Swinging Summer Thursdays, the Turk’s Head Music Festival and the Restaurant Festival.

We were getting excited because these are going to be such good opportunities for us to get out in the community and meet new people. As you can see, these events aren’t typical networking events. These are community events and they will put us right in front of our potential clients. And the best part is, we can enjoy the events and have a great time, while energizing our business!

Here are three things to help you leverage the event.

1. Don’t make it about getting clients, make it about meeting new people. If you go to events with the expectation that you want to walk away with clients, that can put a lot of undue pressure on you. That pressure can make you pushy and edgy. The chances that you’ll sign a new client the first time they meet you are slim. Make it about having fun and just meeting new people.

Once you’ve met some new people, chances are good some of them will be potential clients and they’ll be interested in joining your newsletter list. Once they’re on your list, they can get to know you and may become clients down the road.

2.  Have an escape plan. My friend Lisa told me this tip. Think about how you might end a conversation with someone. There are always so many people to meet and there’s always so much to do at these events, it can be hard to break away from some conversations. Here are a couple of conversation breakers: “It’s been great talking to you, I see someone that has a question.” Or “I’m so glad we met, feel free to stop back and tell me how you’re enjoying the event!” Of course, remember to be sincere. Having a few phrases like this can help you easily end a conversation without feeling awkward or rude.

3.  Don’t wait too long to follow-up. When you make a great connection at an event, make sure you follow-up within a couple of days. If you let it go too long, you may just forget all together. I always have a small notepad with me and I make a to-do list during the event. I jot down who I want to touch base with and what I want to chat about. That way, I can focus on the event, and not worry about forgetting any details.

Community events are great opportunities to get your business in front of new people. Check your local area and see what you can get involved in!

**There are still spots available for my Thriving Business 1 on 1 Intensive Coaching Program. If it’s taking you longer than you thought it would to build a steady client flow in your business, this program may be just what you need. Check it out here.

I’m starting a new blog series where I’ll answer questions from readers about building a healing practice. If you have a question, if you’re facing a challenge, if you need help with something, submit your question and I’ll answer it right here on the blog.

When I answer your question, I’ll include your name, and a link to your web site or blog. If you’d like to remain anonymous, that’s fine too

Please e-mail your questions. When I receive your e-mail, I’ll respond to your question via e-mail and let you know when your question will appear on the blog.

I talk to people all the time about newsletters, and how they benefit a business.

Maybe you’ve kicked around the idea of starting a newsletter. It sounds like a great idea, lots of other businesses seem to do it, and it’s a great way to stay in front of your potential clients. But it also seems a little overwhelming, and really, what would you write anyway?

The other thing I hear practitioners worry about is, they feel they may be pestering people by sending them something on a regular basis.

As long as you don’t over-do your newsletter (meaning sending something excessively), the risk of pestering people is minimal.

If you have a way for them to “opt-in,” it’s their choice whether they sign up or not. Also, if you’re up front about how often you’ll be in touch, people will know what to expect when they sign up for your newsletter.

The truth is, people want that connection from you.

A newsletter serves more purpose than just being a vehicle for your upcoming workshops and services. A newsletter is the perfect way to help you make a strong, deep connection with your potential clients. By staying in front of your audience regularly, they get to know you, and they get to have a small sampling of how you work.

The people that say they want your newsletter are telling you that they want more of you – they want to hear from you regularly, because they’re interested in how you can serve them. And, they want to deepen the connection with you.

This might be sounding like a lot of work - but I promise you, it’s really not all that bad. 

Your newsletter can be exactly what you want it to be – exactly what fits into your life, your schedule and your business.

Here are three essential things to include:

1. Include a personal touch – like the Note from Jenn above, adding something personal allows your subscribers to connect with you on a deeper level. They see things they may have in common with you aside from your business. They get to know the you outside of your office.

2. Provide something valuable – people love to have tid-bits of information that will help them in their lives. Give your readers handy tips, write articles, give recipes – whatever your potential clients think is valuable is fair game for your newsletter. Just remember to keep it simple so you don’t overwhelm them.

3. Tell us what ya got – make sure to include information about how you can serve your clients. Again, they’ve subscribed to your newsletter because they’re interested in how you can serve them. Definitely include information about your services and products.

Questions for discussion:

Do you have a newsletter? Why, or why not?

Do you have questions about newsletters? What are they? We’d love to help!

What is your biggest newsletter pet peeve?

There is so much technology out there for web sites. It can be confusing and overwhelming to know exactly what to include.

In your opinion, what are the really important pieces to a web site? What is absolutely necessary and what isn’t?

I am absolutely honored. I’ve been asked to be a guest on Katherine Reschke’s BlogTalk Radio Show tomorrow at Noon EST.

Katherine and I are going to be talking about mind-set traps. We’ll discuss what they are, how they effect you and how they may be sabotaging your efforts to build a thriving business.

Katherine is a phenominal person. She’s a coach who helps people figure out what their passion is. Then, she helps you build a business around it.

I know first-hand that her show is interactive, fun, and dynamic! Oh - and the best part is - you can CALL IN LIVE and speak with us. Ask us questions, offer a perspective - how cool is that? Do join us!

“The message for business people contemplating their place in cyberspace is simple and direct:  get linked or get lost.”  ~Vic Sussman and Kenan Pollack

Ok, so that’s a little bit harsher than I would present the topic! But, there is truth to this quote.

Where do a majority of your clients come from? In other words, where is it that people find you? Many holistic businesses that I speak with say that a majority of their clients come from word-of-mouth. Which, is a great thing! It means your current clients are talking about you, and they love the work you do for them.

So, really, what is all the fuss about web sites, and why do you need one if most of your clients come to you from word of mouth anyway?

Five years ago, when people asked me if they really needed a web site, I would tell them that it was completely up to them. That a web site wasn’t completely necessary.

Today, my answer is quite different. I always tell clients that a web site – an effective web site – is a must.

The truth is, we live in a world that is relying more and more on the internet. People use the internet, not only to find local services and businesses, but also to sort of window shop before they decide which service or business to visit.

I’ve done it myself. Just last week, I was looking for a yoga class. There are three schools in my immediate area, plus dozens of others in the surrounding area. I got online to check out the schools close-by. Two schools had web sites. I checked out both schools – and never even considered the school with no site. I found the school that resonated best with me, and I’ll be signing up for classes this week. And this is not a slam on the school with no site… it’s just that I found what I was looking for via the internet. Is the site-less school a good one? I have no doubt. But, I didn’t look into their school – and who knows who else they’ve missed because they’re missing a web site.

Don’t fret if you don’t yet have a web presence – this is not meant to be a scare-you-into-a-website sort of message. But, this is the reality that exists for businesses – including spiritually conscious businesses.

Luckily, it’s not difficult to set up a simple web site. You just need to know the key ingredients, and put a little time and effort into it. You don’t need all the bells and whistles – you just need something that connects with your potential clients.

This is not to say that you need to move your entire business to an online entity. It’s simply that having a web site will really help people find you, and it will help people connect with you in a whole new way.

The fact is, the internet is evolving, and is now a place where people go to window shop and find services. Having a web site can really help your potential clients find you, and it can help people connect with you.

What are your thoughts on having a web site? Do you have a site currently? If so, how is it doing to attract clients to you?

Next week, we’re going to talk about what the key ingredients are for an effective web site.

Hey everyone! I am privileged and honored to be the host of the March 29 edition of the Carnival of Healing. This will be my second time hosting and I’m really excited!

We are looking for submissions. Please feel free to submit your posts using the links below.

If you’ve never done a blog carnival, this is a great one to jump in with. Blog carnivals can help drive traffic to your blog - giving you exposure to 1,000’s of people. If you want more information about Blog Carnivals - if you’re not sure what it is or specifically how it can help your blog be seen, feel free to ask your questions in the comments section. I’m happy to help you out!

Check out the Carnival of Healing here:

Carnival of Healing Home Page
Carnival of Healing Archives
Carnival of Healing Submission Form
To volunteer to host future carnival

Are you trying lots of different things to promote your business or practice, but client flow is still sporadic and unpredictable?

You want a thriving practice. You want a regular, steady flow of clients – you really want to be able to help the people who need you. You’re doing what you can, and think you should to promote your practice, but it’s frustrating because clients only come in drips and drabs. Nothing really seems to be working to bring in steady work.

You get a little antsy about promoting yourself because you don’t want to come on too strong. Most marketing methods seem inauthentic, and you definitely don’t want to “sell.” Maybe you don’t even really know what to do to promote yourself – you’re doing what you feel is right, but it just doesn’t seem to be working.

There are effective, mindful marketing techniques that will connect you to your ideal clients, help you grow your business consistently, and help you reach potential clients in a way that sales happen organically and are not forced.

When promoting your business, you need to have four processes working for you to really begin creating momentum in your business. 1. Clear Vision. 2. Strong Foundation. 3. Reaching, Connecting, Building Relationships. 4. Consistent, Supportive, Foundational Strategy.

If any of those pieces are missing, marketing can feel intimidating and inauthentic. Marketing is meant to support the larger goals of your business – not to be in your face, aggressive, or pushy.

Promoting a spiritual business is a lot different than promoting a “traditional” business. You know some of the marketing techniques you see out there would definitely not work for you – so what do you do?
I’ve developed the Mindful Marketing process to help spiritually conscious business owners build thriving businesses.

The Mindful Marketing Group Coaching Program will teach you step-by-step how to promote your business in a way that is spiritually centered, non-invasive, and that helps you reach your potential clients, and helps them feel a deep connection with you.

You’ll come away from the program feeling stronger in your business, knowing exactly what to do to effectively, and mindfully promote your business. And, you’ll not only get support and guidance from me, but you’ll meet and connect with other practitioners who can relate to exactly what you’re going through.

The energy created during these group coaching programs is amazing. You’ll come away with very strong relationships with people you can reach out to on an ongoing basis.

To learn more about this program, check out the following web site:

http://createathrivingbusiness.com/mindful-marketing-group-coaching

“You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result.” — Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi’s words are very wise. And, I’m sure you know that you need to take action, or nothing will change. But, when it comes to promoting yourself, what actions are the right ones? And, where do you even start?

That feeling of overwhelm can really get you stuck in inaction. And then, as Gandhi points out, there will be no result.

It all starts with planning. And, if you’re anything like me, the thought of making a plan sort of feels stifling… or confining. I mean, what’s the sense in planning when you have no idea what’s going to come your way in the next few weeks or months – you want to have the flexibility to take advantage of any new opportunities, right?

I’m not a natural born planner, I had to learn the value of planning, and I had to learn to do it in a way that allowed for a certain degree of spontaneity, but also helped me move forward and feel productive, and full.

The first thing to realize is that – the plan can change. Anything you develop can (and probably will) change. The second thing to remember is, stay true to yourself and only include things in your plan that feel really good deep down in your soul.

To begin planning your business promotion efforts, the first thing to think about is, what types of business promotion activities do you love? Things like speaking, networking events, teaching, writing, are all activities that can be included in your plan.

Next, think about how much time you have to work in your business. You’ll want to spend at least 8 to 10 hours on marketing activities per week. If you’re brand new in business, you’ll want to up that a bit to maybe 15 to 20 hours.

I know that seems like a lot of time, but you really need to spend a good bit of time each week on promotion activities. Without getting your name out there, clients won’t know about you, and therefore, won’t know where to find you. And this is not about being obnoxious and “in-your-face.” This is about using different types of promotion activities to be in front of and connect with new and different people.

So, you might spend 2 hours at a networking event, 1 hour preparing a speech, 1 hour delivering a speech, 1 hour writing and submitting an article… you get the idea.

Business promotion is something that you must be active in pursuing. Posting fliers, sending post-cards, and having a web site are all excellent parts of your plan. However, you need to make a plan and take an active role in your efforts.

This week, we’re going to be talking about ways to easily create and take action on a good, solid plan.

For now, think about your current promotional efforts. In what ways are you actively promoting yourself? How many hours a week do you spend getting yourself out there – in front of the same people, and in front of new people? What are you doing to widen your reach?

You know that feeling… that horrible sinking feeling at the end of a conversation when someone you’ve just met asks for your card and says “I’ll definitely be calling you - I could really use your service!” But, somehow, you just know that you won’t be hearing from them.

That’s exactly what my client Sue was fed up with when we spoke last week. Sue has given out 100’s -maybe even 1000’s of business cards in the 5 years she’s been in business. She told me “I’m so sick of seeing them go out, and then hearing from so few people that have them…” But then Sue said “the thing that bothers me most is - I KNOW these people need me. I know I can help them! I WANT to help them!”

It’s really hard knowing that oodles of people are out there that definitely need you, but they just won’t call darn it!

Sue’s exasperated question to me was “what is it going to take to get these people to pick up the phone?”

There are pieces that you can put in place in your promotional efforts that will inspire people to call you.

Marketing (or, business promotion), is actually a support system in your business. Your marketing efforts support whatever it is that you do in your business. Your marketing needs to work for your business. The first thing that needs to happen is, people need to feel heard, and seen - they need to feel a connection with you, and they need to know that you deeply understand what they’re going through, and how you can help them.

Let’s look closer at Sue’s business. She’s a Reiki Practitioner. And so far, her marketing has included attending networking events. Developing a web site, creating brochures, and putting fliers up around town. She’d like to start a newsletter but doesn’t feel she has enough people on her “list” to make it worth-while.

Now, if you think about marketing as a support system - how exactly are your current marketing efforts supporting your business? For Sue, her marketing materials are beautifully designed. They are laid out nicely, they are well written… but they only talk about Sue and her practice. They say hardly anything about her potential clients. So, when someone looks at her marketing materials, they see that Sue is well qualified, and probably feel safe going to her… but they don’t leave potential clients feeling heard or seen.

In order for your marketing efforts to truly support what you do, they need to empathize with your potential clients - even before they talk about your business.

The empathy piece is vital to your marketing efforts. Vital. Without it, your potential clients don’t feel heard.

Look at your current marketing materials. What kinds of information do they contain? Things like your business phone number, web address, maybe some benefits of working with you… all good stuff - but - if you don’t empathize at all with your potential clients in those marketing materials… they may think you’re a very nice person, but it may leave a lingering question - “yeah, but can she really help ME - does she understand what I’m going through?”

When you meet someone for the first time, they are also meeting your business for the first time. When you meet someone for the first time, would you invite yourself over for dinner? Probably not - you build a relationship, rapport, connection before you get to that point.

Your marketing needs to support your business in the same way. When your business meets someone for the first time, that person needs to feel a connection with your business - and how it can specifically help them (or someone they know). Again - that’s where the empathy piece is so important.

From there, it’s vital to have way for that person to continue to build a relationship with your business. How to do that? With a newsletter. And we’ll get more into that next week. We’re going to follow Sue more, I’ll fill you in on what Sue’s doing (hint: she’s finally developing that newsletter!), and we’ll talk about how to do it.

For now, take a look at some shining examples of empathetic marketing materials and see if you can see a difference between what you’ve created, and these examples:

Create A Thriving Business <— Yes that’s me - I walk my talk

Extraordinary Women Thrive

Behind the Scenes LLC

Any questions about using empathy in your marketing? Any questions at all about marketing or promotion? Let me know!