How to GROW your Business Starting NOW

A practical and motivational guide for entrepreneurs

Author Mark Jay Scott

Mark Jay Scott is the founder of Bizz Buzz Local, GrowMyLocalBiz.com, and handles web management and SEO for many, many other websites. Mark has been a writer and speaker for nearly 20 years, formerly as a radio personality for a major market FM station in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan region where he produced and hosted two weekly programs, Real Life Matters and Essential Radio. Today, as an entrepreneur and business consultant, Mark loves to help people succeed by motivating them and showing them practical

ways to grow and keep their productive edge in life and business. Mark specializes in business related web content, social media, and SEO. Connect with @markjayscott on Twitter.

Introduction

I think I know why you’re an entrepreneur. Sure, you don’t like the idea of having a boss.

But there are plenty more reasons than that. You’re wired this way. You love the challenge.

You love that there aren’t any limits to how far you can take it. You get to do what you want

to do. You love the opportunity to build your own dream business by doing the things

you’re passionate about.

You’ve probably also come to the realization that the idea of “job security” is a myth.

Countless are the stories of those who worked for the same company for years, poured

vast amounts of time into building something for someone else, only to get laid off or

replaced. You realize that if there is ever going to be any security in life, you’ll have to build

it yourself.

So one bold day you took the brave step in to the world of entrepreneurship and you

never looked back. And while you don’t have any regrets about that decision, you do still,

at times, find yourself frustrated at how slowly things are moving.

You hate the plateau.

You want your business to grow.

Far too many local businesses climb only so far. They get to the plateau, and there they

camp. As I speak with my fair share of frustrated entrepreneurs, I can hear that even

though they’ve successfully built a solid business, they haven’t lost a desire to grow.

They just aren’t sure how. And it isn’t that they haven’t tried. They’re so mired down in the

day to day nuts and bolts of their business that they’ve all but written off growing beyond a

certain point.

They had huge dreams at one time, but it’s almost like they’ve become domesticated by

the idea that small is all there is. So they’ve settled for where they are -- small and

frustrated and working their fingers to the bone every day only to stay the same.

Too many home improvement company owners are still running to Home Depot instead of

running the business. Too many cleaning company owners are still cleaning toilets instead

of cleaning up in profits.

Whatever the niche, the story’s the same. And I hear what they’re saying. Things like, “If I

don’t personally do it, it won’t get done right and the quality will suffer.” Never mind that

quality also suffers if you’ve reduced your day to juggling and fire fighting because you’re

all tapped out trying to do it all.

But also realize, believe it or not, there are other people that can do your job as good as

you and they’d be perfectly happy to do it for the pay that you can afford. But more on that

a little later.

Look, this isn’t about being too good to do the small things. It’s about the fact that if you

continue to do these things you simply can’t grow. The hands-on business owner who

insists on staying in the role of fieldtech is the number one bottleneck to growth and a

source of stagnation in most small businesses.

Name any small business niche and you’ll find plenty of business owners still doing all the

things that they did from the very beginning -- and that’s one very big reason they stay

small potatoes.

But listen: There is a way to GROW.

If I told you that there is a way to stay out of the day-to-day minutiae and enjoy all the

dignity of being a business owner with a growing business, would you hear me out?

If I told you that you could have a thriving, growing business with ever-increasing profits,

would you be willing to read on?

Business as usual doesn’t have to be. There is only one real reason why your small local

cleaning company can’t be the next booming national franchize: Your own self-doubt and

self-imposed limitations.

In this book, I’m going to give you some very practical and very doable things that any

business owner can begin doing RIGHT NOW to grow, flourish in business, and expand

profits.

There is a ton of practical how-to in this book. But I also want to motivate you. So I’m going

to offer you some life-changing ways to think. Because all of this starts in your head.

All of it.

And please hear me, I’m not simply talking about “positive thinking.” Although there is a

place for that. I’m talking about productive thinking. If you can train your brain to think

differently about your business, then you are well on your way to growth and success.

A True Story About Two Small Business Owners

I once did some consulting work for a home improvement company. There were two

partners who operated completely differently, and they each made a separate amount of

money based completely on their own productivity.

Jim never left his home office and handled sales, estimates, scheduling subcontractors,

ordering materials, and handled any beef that a customer may have had.

Randy, on the other hand, was never in the office, he was always on the construction site.

He was a master craftsman and loved building decks, additions, and all the other gritty

facets of home improvement. Like Jim, Randy also handled some sales, went on estimates,

scheduled subs, ordered materials and handled customer complaints. No question in my

mind that Randy worked three times as hard as Jim.

Who do you think made more money?

Jim made more than twice as much money, sitting on his couch with his laptop and phone

-- and even got wrangled into fixing some of Randy’s customer’s dissatisfactions.

This is an absolutely true story. So what is the difference between Randy and Jim? Why

does Jim get more jobs done to completion and make more money?

Jim delegates. Jim refuses to do any of the hands-on work. And it’s a good thing. He isn’t

good at it. But he is good at running a business.

Randy is a great craftsman and I'd recommend him for any job. But he's also way too busy,

only has time for work and nothing else, and there's no way his body can keep up with his

mind. Add to that, he's getting older and won't be able to operate this way much longer.

Now maybe you're more like Randy and there's nothing wrong with that. But the reason

Jim makes more money, closes more sales, and gets more jobs accomplished annually is

that Jim is a true entrepreneur, while Randy is a carpenter.

This isn't about who is better; it's about which do you prefer to be?

If you're interested in being a carpenter, then drop this book like a hot potato and get your

ass back to work. But if you're interested in being a successful business owner, keep

reading this book because I'm going to tell you how.

Chapter 1 Just Start

“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.” ― Pablo

Picasso

Stop Hitting Snooze

The only problem with snooze is that time will still march on without pity and without you. I

won’t bore you with a discourse on the brevity of life. What I’d prefer we all do is make the

most of what we have. And sometimes that simply means forcing ourselves to begin if we

ever hope to see a breakthrough.

Often, the most powerful thing you can do is simply start. We can analyse ideas to death. If

snooze doesn't murder your goals, over-thinking sure can. I've seen hyper-analysis go on

and on in committees and boardrooms ad nauseam successfully accomplishing nothing

but the slow death of what otherwise could have been monumental achievements in

business.

The truth is, most plans have a window.

See, in life, not only do we have the game clock -- our lifespans -- but we also have the play

clock -- the amount of time that it takes to execute a great plan. Miss the window and

eventually your plans will: 1) stop making sense for your business, or 2) cease to be

relevant due to emerging technology, or 3) atrophy and that sucking sound is all your

passion going away.

Snooze is a bad idea. It’s a new morning. Just start. Sometimes the power of start is all the

fire we need to get on the road to growth in business.

You Gotta Have a “Want To”

Staying stuck is a choice. There are always ways to get unstuck if you want to bad enough.

One wise old friend put it this way: “Mark, you gotta have a want to.”

I can’t remember where I heard it, but let me offer a thought that helped me get unstuck:

“We don’t think ourselves into a new way of living; we live ourselves into a new way of

thinking.”

Another way to put it is this: New actions create new attitudes. Our minds have a way of

talking us out of doing great things. We have limiting beliefs. But they are unfounded.

Successes in smaller achievements leads to successes in larger achievements. That’s

momentum. We create momentum by starting small, or what some like to call “low-hanging

fruit.” Doing the easier things creates momentum and the encouragement to take on the

harder things.

So think of ONE small thing that you can do to grow your business today. Something that’s

entirely doable. A simple example might be writing an email to a client or to your client

database. Or writing a blog to share on your social media platforms.

Now go do it.

Okay you did it. Seeing how easy that was, make a goal to do it on a consistent basis,

perhaps daily, or whatever makes sense for your business niche. Make it a non-negotiable

habit, and don’t look for immediate results. See, the point is that you set up a new habit

and you stick to it. You may not see immediate results for your business, but know that the

residual benefits are:

1. The long-term health of your business

2. You’re living your way into a new way of thinking

3. You're posturing yourself to take on bigger challenges

Old-think has to pass away for new-think to have its way. So you successfully lived yourself

into a new habit. Now what?

Rinse and repeat. Next!

List some next steps you can take, new goals to accomplish.

EXERCISE

Complete the following:

1. Often, the most powerful thing you can do is simply _______________ .

2. “We don’t __________________ ourselves into a new way of living; we ________________

ourselves into a new way of thinking.”

3. Write down ONE small thing you can do today to grow your business today.

Chapter 2 Nine Musts

Here’s an overview of 9 revolutionary things (I’ll expand on in coming chapters) that will

improve your business and get you on the road to growth and you’ll begin seeing results

within the first 30 days.

Are you ready? Buckle up.

Moore’s Law demonstrates the commonly accepted observation that technology changes

every 18 months. The rules are constantly changing in business. The old adage “if it ain’t

broke, don’t fix it” could very well leave your business in a vulnerable and unprofitable

position. At the very least it may leave you camped on a plateau.

Here are 9 MUSTS, and I’ll be breaking all these down in coming chapters, that will help

your local business grow in today’s quickly changing and highly competitive marketplace.

1. Get your website right.

Does the language, style, and tone of your website’s content honestly resonate with your

market? Your company website says everything about the quality of your business. Take

extra time to get this right, or hire a gifted copywriter who knows a bit about your industry.

Search engines favor a lot of authoritative content. So do smart consumers who are

looking for your products and services.

2. Local Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

 

How does your business rank on all three of the major search engines? Yes, all three: not

just Google, but also Bing and Yahoo. Your competition is on page 1 of all these, and

usually with local listings, and that’s where all your market is spending their money. Search

engine optimization (SEO) requires some basic knowledge and if you’re too busy to learn it

you should hire someone to do it for you. You won’t bank until you rank. More on that

later.

3. Go mobile.

Is your company website mobile-first? Notice I didn’t say, “mobile-friendly.” Business sites

have to be mobile-first. “In early 2014, the landscape in which businesses operate changed

forever when Internet usage on mobile devices exceeded PC usage,” writes Search Engine

Watch. The sheer number of people using mobile to find stuff is growing every single day.

Not being mobile-first may also affect SEO.

There are plenty of web platforms that will optimize your site for mobile. WordPress, a free

and open-source content management system and Weebly, a drag-and-drop website

builder, are two platforms that are built with mobile in mind. Get found!

4. Improve social media content.

Do we really have to talk about this? Yes. Social media takes thought and commitment.

Social media success can’t be measured after a few haphazard months of selfie posts.

Honestly, #whocares. Sounds harsh, I know, but your customers care more about how

your business benefits them than it does you. Inspire your market to engage with smart

content and heck, they might even share it. Beef up your brand through a solid

commitment to quality social media content.

5. Prioritize email marketing.

Keep building your email marketing list and treat it like gold. Smart email communication

that consistently brings actual value to your audience is the most effective way to boost

business with an audience that has taken time to opt-in.

6. Be persuasive, but not over the top.

Sleaze is pervasive in the digital marketplace and click-bait is everywhere. Smart

consumers want to know if you’re for real. Language designed to compel customers has to

feel genuine and not “salesy”.

The best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing at all. Well-written websites will establish

your business as the best solution out there for savvy consumers—the ones who will reach

for their wallets and keep you in business.

7. Create fresh company blog posts.

It’s not uncommon to see a business website with the latest blog entry dating to 2013.

Nothing screams that you’ve reached a new low of irrelevance more than that. Fresh

content says you are an up-to-date expert in your niche. Be a fully engaged influencer in

your market by keeping those timestamps fresh.

8. Give stuff away for free.

When clients or customers get something of value, and results in advance, guess what

you’ll get? The indispensable value of their trust. I know the owner of a small-but-growing

cleaning company. She has a 90% close rate on every estimate she gives. Why? She isn’t

salesy. In fact, if she were a saleswoman she’d surely starve. But she knows her industry.

While every other company is charging almost 2x the amount for a first time clean, she

reduces her rate for a first time in. She delivers results and wins trust for the long haul.

9. Beef up your leadership.

There are things you can learn and do to increase your leadership effectiveness to get the

results you need to consistently take your business to next levels. I’ve dedicated a chapter

to teamwork and leadership and I think you’ll benefit from reading it.

EXERCISE

1. Not “mobile-friendly”; it’s about getting your website “mobile- _______________.”

2. Your website says everything about the _________________ of your business.

3. To gain trust, it’s often good to deliver results in __________________ .

Chapter 3 Marketing Essentials NOW

If you want to grow, you simply must market smart. Promote, promote, promote. And

there’s a way to do consistently without pissing people off and that keeps customers

coming to you with their money.

3 Essentials for Local Business Marketing in 2015

The lines have been blurred. More and more businesses are mashing up a good chunk of

digital with traditional in their marketing efforts. 25% of dollars spent on marketing are

now dedicated to digital formats and that’s on pace to go to 33% by the end of 2015. It’s no

stretch to imagine digital dollars ascending to account for the majority of ad monies

invested in a time not far from now.

To survive in these changing times, smart businesses must have a digital marketing

strategy.

Here are 3 things you'll need to be smart about going forward.

1. Be smart about email marketing.

People are getting increasingly pickier about who they give their email addresses to.

They’re tired of sorting, deleting, and unsubscribing. This forces us to rethink what we

send.

Think: How do my emails truly benefit my subscribers? Instead of that same ol' same ol'

newsletter, creative businesses will provide short, well-written communications, like

e-Books, filled with truly helpful content. Clients and customers will read your stuff if they

see you as the guru. They'll buy your products if you prove yourself to be the expert. And

less is only better if less is actually better.

2. Be smart about identifying with your customers.

Nowadays, you have to connect with customers in an authentically human way. This builds

the trust that people seek in the wasteland of noise out there in social spaces. Being pushy

is out. Being human is in. Seek to attract rather than push. The best marketing doesn’t feel

anything like marketing.

3. Quality content is king.

Poor and hastily-written web content, emails, and social media posts will actually become a

detriment to businesses who crank that crap out. Link-bait will go the way of the dinosaur.

If you are a subject matter expert, then be smart about the kind of content creation that

sets you apart from the rest of the crowd.

Branding Trends for 2015

Your “brand” is what sets you apart. It’s describes who you are in a short and sweet way.

It’s the communication of your business values. It’s imagery. It’s a motto. It’s a logo. It’s the

you that you want everyone to see.

The branding trend for 2015 is H2H: Human to Human. The human approach to branding

means authenticity, approachability, and fun. Those once walled-up, fortified brands that

sat comfy in towers of power are realizing that the human touch is what works, and thanks

to social media, this looks more like a conversation than a monologue.

It’s so HOT to listen. It’s okay to be flawed. “Now, can you help us? How can we make this

better?”

What does this mean for your branding efforts? Here are 4 essentials.

1. Be real.

Institutions are just things. But a brand that excels today lets down the guard and

welcomes interaction and thrives on engagement. Acknowledging that business is a blur

that’s constantly changing, new brands admit that they ain’t got it all together. See what I

did there? Because after all, they’re human, too. So while not perfect, they want you to

know that they’re always striving to improve. And guess who makes that possible? You.

2. Speak humanese, please.

Lofty business lingo is out; colloquialisms are in. Wait, what? I meant to say everyday talk is

in. Cultural gems that you might see in the Urban Dictionary are common fare now. And it

isn’t about being hip. It’s about being accessible.

3. I feel you.

Brands that are aware and responsive to real life needs are the ones that get business.

They empathize. They know you’re busy. They know you’re hungry. They know you’re

strapped for cash. They know you want to lose 10 pounds. Because after all, they

experience all those things too. They feel your pain and they’ll let you know they do.

4. Put a face on it.

The personification of products works. What comes to mind when you think Progressive

Insurance? Flo. She’s a person. She may be an actor, but her quirky shtick makes her

approachable. She’s real, she’s funny, and you want her over for dinner. And you might

even buy her insurance. Because she’s not a company. She’s a working girl.

As you brand your business for 2015 and beyond, remember H2H. Be authentic,

approachable, and above all -- fun.

EXERCISE

1. H2H = ____________________ ______ ______________________.

2. The best marketing doesn’t feel anything like _________________________.

3. Quality content is _________________.

Chapter 4 Social Media: Love it? Hate it? Do it.

Like it or not, Social Media is here to stay. The medium is powerful. And not always in a

good way. If it can mobilize hoards of people to riot in Baltimore, just think of what it can

do for positive things.

The great thing is that it’s quick, easy, and free -- and even to the extent that if you do

spend ad dollars on it, it’s cheap compared to other ways to advertise, and you can

hyper-target the people who would be interested in what you have to offer. But first things

first.

First: Social Media is about Reputation Management

Social Media activity will one day "put Minority Report to shame," quips entrepreneur Mark

Cuban -- specifically warning of the “permanence” of our activity on these platforms. Our

posts and tweets says Cuban, “provide more information on our proclivities than just

about any other current source of Big Data aggregation available.”

Scary stuff. What we post can leave indelible impressions. Especially when it’s concluded by

most people that we generally put our best face forward in digital spaces. What does it say

about me if my best is an impulsive tweet or post? A reputation that took years to establish

can be wrecked in under 140 characters.

If you understand your social media activity as more than your social life and grasp this as

integral to your professional life, then it’s crucial to establish — and maintain — your

personal social media brand because now more than ever, your credibility is on the line

with prospective jobs, clients, and business opportunities.

Like it or not, this world is driven by consumer perception where people make sweeping

judgments based on something as seemingly trivial as a bad day’s status update. This

includes the pictures you post, how you comment, mentions about you from others, and

even what you “like.”

If you care about your social capital, here are 3 important things to do about your social

presence.

1. Have a consistent communication style.

People notice what you say and how you say it. Thoughtful posts and comments — and

even what you choose to like — become the essential you in the eyes of the digital age. So

communicate in a way that’s smart and that makes you look as smart as we all know you

really are. What are you really interested in? Make your mark by speaking intelligently

about those things.

2. Sometimes silences are as eloquent as sayings.

A single post or comment isn’t going to change the world, so if it’s highly controversial or

emotional, consider: is it worth saying it? Often not. Here’s a good exercise: Go back into

your timeline and read what you wrote 2-3 years ago. After you’re done making all those

deletions, remind yourself of how you felt looking back. No one can judge you for what you

didn’t post.

3. Resist the temptation to speak ill of others.

This never looks good on you and you will always regret it eventually. People who “troll”

and “flame” are seen as petty, childish, and not good for a workplace or to be any kind of

business associate. Your mother was right: If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say

anything at all.

If you’re an entrepreneur, or if you represent your workplace in some significant way — or

even if you just care about what friends think — your personal brand will affect the

audience that you’re hoping to influence. This is life in the digital age.

How to Build Your Facebook Audience

Success with Social Media can’t be measured after a few months of one-offs. A

commitment to social media requires consistency and patience.

Successful business for the long haul requires building an audience. The bigger your

audience, the more influence you’ll earn. Establishing yourself as the go-to guru for your

target market is the way to build a business that’ll sustain lasting results. And this means

giving a lot of your expertise away for free for a good while.

There is no get-rich-quick success in social media if you want to establish yourself as a

lasting brand with integrity and substance. People know sleazy when they see it and you

don’t want to be numbered among all the fleeting purveyors of opt-in bait out there.

Your business will thrive on social media when you determine to do 3 things:

Stay committed. Stay consistent. Stay current.

Here’s a simple daily to-do list to begin establishing your brand on Facebook. And if you

don’t have time to do it, think about paying a college kid to help you.

Once you’ve setup your Facebook Page with the look you want and all of the correct

information in the About tab, here’s what you’ll want to commit to:

1. Promote your Page by spending at least $5-10 a day for awhile.

Make sure you target your niche with Facebook’s simple targeting tools. You can garner up

to about 2000 likes in about a month or so. You can probably get a few hundred of those

free by simply inviting your Facebook friends to like your page.

2. Update your status at least once a day.

After a few weeks begin to study the Insights tab to see when your niche audience is

viewing most. Send those updates at those best times. You can also schedule posts in

advance.

3. Engage with anyone who comments on your updates.

Engagement communicates accessibility and shows the world that you’re human.

Remember, H2H Marketing (Human to Human) is the most effective way marketing works

these days. Gone are the days of faceless monologue brands. The best marketing doesn’t

feel anything like marketing.

4. Make sure your status updates offer things that are free but convey value.

Solid information is value. Something as simple as tips. This can even be a link to a helpful

article from another trusted business source. Even though you’re linking them to another

business, you’re establishing yourself as a helpful source of information.

5. Add a call to action to well thought-out posts.

"Buy now" or "learn more." Call-to-action buttons drive clicks and get traffic flowing into

your business. Follow Econsultancy’s super simple tutorial to learn more. See what I did

there? Calls to action can convert when relevant to the reader.

Here are practical ways to engage your growing audience with each post:

● Post a picture. Images engage visual people. And images with quotes are even

better. Create an image with a quote and your web address using PowerPoint or

Google Slides then save as a .jpg to a folder and upload it to your Facebook post.

● Add a little more text to your status update. It’s been shown that photo posts with

accompanying words get twice as much engagement as shorter posts without a

picture. But don't write a book.

● Punctuate your posts. Did you know that posts with question marks perform 23%

better? See what I did there? #Hashtags garner 60% more interaction. Even

something as simple as an exclamation mark does 2.7% better! So always add

punctuation to get #results.

● ALWAYS add a link to your website.

● Link to your blog posts. Write at least one great blog post a week and use it as your

status update during peak traffic times.

● Add a video. Is there a helpful video on YouTube that will help your growing

audience? Share it.

● Paid Post Boost. Got a blog post that you’re particularly proud of? Write one

compelling blog post a week and boost that post for just $10 a week. That’s lunch

money well spent!

Follow these steps every day for a year then look back and see how your audience has

grown. Building on a foundation of integrity, your business will earn a good reputation and

a loyal audience who will happily buy your products or use your services.

Lunch money on Facebook advertising

41% of Facebook Pages have lost more than half their organic reach. Here’s why the sky

isn't falling.

The good news is that Facebook advertising is cheap and they make it super easy for you

to zoom in on your niche in ways that organic never could.

It’s not about traffic, it’s about the right traffic. It’s about focusing on the audience who will

best benefit from your business. Targeting, not trending, is what businesses need.

Remember “That dress”? That dress would be amazing if you could sell 50,000 units of it.

But all “trending” did was draw attention to something we already knew: Everyone sees

things within the bounds of their own subjective views. Even if someone did seize on the

opportunity to sell that dress based on it’s trending popularity, no one would buy it

because it would be “so yesterday” by the time it even made it to the production line. If the

goal is to be trending then know that the goal will ultimately mean imposing a shorter shelf

life on your efforts.

100 targeted likes is better than 1000 scattered all over the place. Spend a few dollars a

week and you can be well on your way to getting the calculated exposure you need in a

very short period of time.

A one-click send to all your social media platforms — at once

If you’re like most business people these days, you use social media to get the word out.

And you likely do that on multiple social platforms, because it’s smart. So you probably

have Twitter, Facebook, maybe Google Plus, Linkedin, or Instagram.

So you go to get on your megaphone on the regular to let the world know why they need

you. You have all your tabs up and you meticulously go from platform to platform copying,

pasting, and posting.

What if you had one place where you could send that same message to all your platforms

at once with a single click? Well, you do. Go to hootsuite.com and join the 10 million+

others who are maximizing their social capitol with single-throw campaigns.

On a single tab, you’ll see as many columns as you need, each one displaying that

particular social media channel. Then, easy-peasy, you go up to the upper left hand corner

and pick some or all of the platforms you want to broadcast on, write your post and send.

Done.

This is also great if you live in two worlds. Some of your social media is dedicated to

business and some to family or fun. Simply select which platforms and send this to that

and that to this.

Do you yourself a big favor. Go to hootsuite and spend 5 minutes getting setup and

acclimated so that you can save many hours of your precious time.

EXERCISE

1. Sometimes, Social Media is about reputation _______________________.

2. Make sure your status updates offer things that are free, but convey _____________.

3. 100 targeted likes is better than _______________ scattered all over the place.

Chapter 5 Websites and Content

What gives you the edge over every other business in your field? With all the digital noise

out there, what distinguishes your website as click-worthy?

When you sit down to write anything business related (email to a client, a client list,

newsletter, webpage, blog post, social media post, etc), ask yourself: How will this content

legitimately meet real or even perceived needs?

● What is the goal of my writing?

● Is there a real reason anyone should open it or click for business or insight?

● Does it paint a compelling picture?

● Does it make an emotional connection and have persuasive quality?

These days you have one click to make your case. Maybe two. Poorly written content will

always be a detriment. Reputation is a bit like fine china: It’s easy to break and practically

impossible to replace.

The Internet is saturated with cheese-on-the-hook link-bait designed to drive traffic to

useless, ad-laden sites. You’ve seen it: “And what happened next? WoW just wOw…”

Digital consumers have every reason to be skeptical.

If you have something that legitimately helps your readers, why not take the time to really

make your content reflect your passion and professionalism? Show them why you’re the

right solution. Smart business people will always rise to the top through well-written

content.

5 easy ways to make your digital content effective

Food tastes better when you’re hungry. Vacations are more relaxing when scheduled

between seasons of productive work. Great things are even greater when there’s pace and

space.

It’s good to be smart about how often you highlight certain things. If everything is bold,

then nothing’s bold. It’s better to publish one content-rich article a week than ten lame

posts because readers won’t come back to you if they don’t find consistent value. There are

just too many other places to go.

Here are 5 things to remember for the long haul when writing website content to get

targeted results and a better reputation.

1. Write content that gets to the point.

The quote, “If I had more time, I’d write a shorter letter” has been attributed to various

sources like Twain, Churchill, Pascal and even Bill Clinton. This tells us at least two things:

(1) The quote is true; it’s harder and better to write shorter and (2) it’s good to not cite a

quote if you aren’t sure who said it. (If you’re just dying to know where that quote came

from, find more possibilities here.)

If you can impart the meat of your information in 700 words rather than 1500, then that

makes a great article even better. Even if it takes more time to write. Of course there are

helpful posts that are even shorter.

It’s a important to know that any page or post on your website should have a minimum of

300 words for search engine optimization (SEO). More on that a little later.

2. Be calculated about pushing your content out.

As far as sending to email lists or posting to social media platforms, you don’t want to be

like the hum of a refrigerator that goes unnoticed a minute after it’s plugged in. With so

much noise out there in digital spaces, the way to stand out is to push great content out

with thoughtful and planned regularity. You might have three great articles written and

ready to go, but that doesn’t mean you should send them all out that day like some

batched digest.

Have a pipeline and use the scheduling tools that many social platforms offer. Hootsuite

makes this exceptionally easy and effective. All your platforms can be scheduled and posts

deployed from one place at one time.

3. Grow your audience through paid and targeted boosts.

If your budget for Facebook is just $5-10 a week, you want to maximize that investment in

a boosted post that will showcase your offering, establish you as a credible resource, and

legitimately help your readers. You’d be surprised at how much targeted activity that just

$10 per week can render. Facebook makes this super easy and takes you through a quick

process to narrow your throw to the specific audience of your choosing.

4. Pin your most helpful content to the top.

In the digital marketplace, the old adage has never been truer: You don’t get a second

chance to make a first impression. You know that some of your posts are better than

others. Not that they aren’t all great! But the ones that most directly help your market are

the ones you want to showcase. With the “pin to the top” function on your Facebook page

and “stick this post to the front page” in a WordPress blog, or a landing page for your

website, you can put your best content first in cue.

5. Re-purpose your best content.

“Evergreen content” is the stuff you write that stays relevant despite changing times and

technology. You won’t always write evergreen emails or posts if you have information

that’s bleeding edge, but there’s a place for that too. You probably have content that

stands the test of time and there’s nothing wrong with reusing great content at

appropriate times. Keep a “best of” file on hand, and this will come in especially handy if

you’re having a bout with writer’s block.

Great things are even greater when there’s pace and space. Write your best and move it

out in thoughtful and calculated ways.

How to compel through great headlines

Your content is important to you and you work hard to make it just right. You love all the

tweaking, smithing, and proofing. Your brand, business, and reputation hinges on it. But all

that work is for nothing if it goes unread.

Your headline, heading, page title, post title, or subject line will determine how many

people will read your stuff in the matter of a second or two. In the digital marketplace,

headline writing has come to be a soft science in the delicate craft of quick persuasion. All

you’re asking for is a simple click and you have to work hard to get it in a sea of bait. And

there’s a simple psychology to what works.

Here are 3 elements to consider:

1. Word choice and balance.

This has to do with the overall structure, grammar, and readability of your headline.

Compiling word choices that appeal to emotions in a well-structured and grammatically

sound way is priority one in the pursuit of clicks.

2. Headline type.

“How to” or “5 ways to” or an appealing question are examples of headline types. Those

three examples are proven to be the most effective in today’s digital spaces.

3. Headline length.

If it’s too short you may not sufficiently describe your point. If it’s too long, the punch gets

diluted. Approximately 6 words is shown to be the most effective length.

A simple headline analyser is a great tool to use every time you craft your subject or

headline. Here’s one from CoSchedule.

Finally, if you’re shaping your brand, forward-thinking, and have the long view in mind,

remember that great headlines need to deliver the goods. If you make amazing how-to

promises in your headlines but fail to impart the relevant value in your content, people will

relegate your brand to the rest of the noise out there. With all the click-bait these days, just

one over-the-top headline that doesn’t deliver can cost you returns and tarnish your

branding efforts.

“Mobilize” Your Website: Mobile First, Not Mobile-Friendly

There is an expression in marketing known as “friction in the consumer experience.” This

refers to any obstacle that stands between the customer and the point of sale.

Consumers now will take their business elsewhere -- and fast -- for even the tiniest

reasons. Like the amount of clicks it takes to get what they want.

With that in mind, it’s important to know that your marketing will only ever be as good as

the ability of your audience to access and read it. Know this: Mobile devices are quickly

surpassing computers for web access in 2015.

If you want your marketing efforts to be effective, you’ll simply have to optimize all your

digital media for mobile. The term mobile-friendly is out; mobile-first is in.

This is just one of many reasons that I’m an avid user and proponent of WordPress. It's

better than a standard blogging platform because you can do more than simply write

posts. You can create pages. In fact, WordPress is a complete Content Management

System (CMS).

But here’s the best part: Most free WordPress templates are already optimized for mobile.

Whatever you create on your laptop will look perfectly legible on your phone or tablet.

Spend a little money and you get even more.

I’ll admit it, if you aren't familiar with WordPress, there is a learning curve. But the time and

effort is tiny compared to the rewards you'll reap in your marketing efforts. If you haven’t

already, go to wordpress.com and start using it yesterday.

But if you really want a website that’s easy to create and will automatically render your site

for mobile consumption, then you might opt for a simple drag and drop

website builder like Weebly. But Weebly’s simplicity does limit you to some extent.

EXERCISE

1. Smart businesses will rise to the top through well-written __________________.

2. Write content that gets to the ________________.

3. If you want your marketing efforts to be effective, you’ll simply have to optimize all

your digital media for _________________.

Chapter 6 SEO is absolutely essential for local business

I’m a huge proponent of social media marketing. You can achieve results through a

thoughtful social campaign and a thorough ROI analysis often proves it. But there is a big

difference between passive prospects and finding those people who are actually looking

for your products or services.

Certainly, targeted social media efforts can capture the fleeting attention of a passerby, but

when your business is effectively using Search Engine Optimization (SEO) you garner the

attention of consumers who are actively seeking what you have to offer.

If I need a local photographer, yoga studio, or carpet cleaner, I’m not going to Facebook.

I’m going to the same place you’re going: Google.

It seems pretty basic, I know. But I’m still mystified why many startups neglect the power of

ranking in search engines and would rather pour most of their time, money, effort, and

energy into passive audiences targeted through direct mail and paid social media

campaigns.

Maybe it’s because SEO seems like an elusive art -- a quest that involves lots of nerdy

knowledge and arduous work over a large amount of time. Thomas Edison was right:

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like

work.” Hear me out -- these next 4 points are crucial to growth for local business.

1. Compete and Grow, Locally

Let there be no question about it: SEO is work; it takes time and it does require a good bit

of specialized knowledge. Business people are often just too busy running a business to

get into all of that -- I get it. Yet, if you want your business to compete and grow locally, I

offer these suggestions to you:

2. Don’t bag social media.

 

It’s true that social media is a must in today’s marketplace. “Globally, 46% of consumers

with a digital device used social media to help make purchase decisions” and “71% of

Internet users are more likely to purchase from a brand that they are following on a social

networking site such as Twitter or Facebook” (Top Rank Online Marketing). At the very least

it’s another hook in the water. It’s simple and it’s a worthwhile use of your time and

marketing resources. But if you’re serious about growth and success in business, you’ll

need to rank high in search.

3. Even if you’re too busy, get to know a few SEO basics. Start right here...

There are many accessible aspects to SEO. Even Google, with the release of Google My

Business, is on a mission to make it “easier than ever to update business information

across Google Search, Maps and Google+” by offering a rudimentary CRM platform for

small businesses.

Even if you’d never have the time to devote yourself to it, it’s good to know SEO basics if

you hire someone to take it on. This way you’ll have a good idea of what they’re doing and

what you’re paying for. It will also help you better understand your role in the process,

such as making sure your website content is authoritative and contains keywords that flow

in appropriate context.

4. Hire an SEO professional.

Just as you would allocate marketing spend to any other effort, create a budget line item

for SEO. Remember, SEO is a long-haul process. It takes a firm commitment. You can’t

simply “set it and forget it.” Getting to the top of search engine results pages (SERPs) isn’t

the same as staying on top.

SEO is a long view marketing strategy and it’s worth every penny—especially local SEO for

niche markets. Find an SEO professional who speaks in layman’s terms—geeky, but

accessible. They don’t just spout off industry jargon like SERP. Instead they say “search

engine results page” and communicate in a way that is helpful.

Search engine optimization takes work, but so does any other worthwhile effort in

business. Marketing to a passive audience may render decent results, but when you

connect with people who are actively looking for your products and services it will take

your business to the next level.

EXERCISE

1. SEO is absolutely ___________________ for local business.

2. If I need a local photographer, yoga studio, or carpet cleaner, I’m not going to

Facebook. I’m going to the same place you’re going: _________________.

3. Search Engine Optimization takes ______________, but so does any other worthwhile

effort in business.

Chapter 7 Making the Transition

Hopefully you’re ready to stop working in the field and you’re ready to get serious about

being a business owner. Listen, you can’t do both, at least not at the capacity that’ll take

you past your plateau.

I say pick one and commit. I can also tell you that people who take that bold step from

techie to business owner never regret it. This is when their businesses begin to take off.

Letting go and delegating can be scary. It may mean a season of less profit. But that’s all

going to change soon.

Maybe you have hired in the past, or at present you have a couple of people working for

you, but you’re still working in the field. You still haven’t made the complete transition into

full time business owner.

Before I get into specifics about hiring and getting yourself to the capacity of getting out of

the field and into the office, please let me explain something.

I know what you’re probably telling yourself. “I can’t do this right now. I’m busy running a

business.” But are you? Or are you busy putting out fires and staying stuck?

You Can Accomplish Anything — Starting Now — And Here’s How

You know the voice in your head that likes to bring up the worst about you? It’s that voice

that accentuates bad things in your past. In its more generous moments it may upgrade

you to mediocre.

It’s very convincing, articulate, has a way with words, sounds logical, relevant, rational, and

resonates in tones that flow. The message is simple: “You can’t. You’re not good enough.

You aren’t ready yet. You already tried that. In fact, while we’re at it, you don’t deserve it.”

You know that voice, you’ve bowed to that voice for a long time.

Everyone knows that voice. To greater or lesser degree, everyone hears The Voice of Can’t.

But some people have a way of resisting the dictates of that voice. They have a way of

rising above the clamor of self-doubt. But others are persistently demoralized by that

voice. They let that voice own them.

Here’s the secret that this voice doesn't want you to know: It isn't real. It isn’t really even a

thing. It’s not fact. It’s not audible. It has no real power. It has no legitimate author. It’s

nothing from nothing. It’s an illusion, a figment, a fake, a complete zero.

So why do we give that voice even one ounce of credibility?

We need to learn to hear and heed a new voice. It’s a little harder to hear. It’s not as loud.

It’s not as bossy. But it’s there if we’re willing to listen. It’s the voice of CAN. You really can

do anything you set your mind to accomplish. And accomplishments beget

accomplishments. You really can make the transition from a self-employed employee to a

true business owner.

Eventually you learn to distinguish between the voices, and as you practice following the

right one, the Voice of Can begins to get a little louder, more believable and credible and

small successes substantiate its credibility. Those small successes become bigger

successes and you eventually learn that there’s no limit to your doing.

So start!

As we move along the continuum of Can, we see each new opportunity as truly doable.

Old-think must pass away for new-think to have its way.

So name one thing you need to do to transition: _______________________________.

Next. List some steps you’ll have to take to make it a reality; actionable items that will get

you closer: 1) ________________; 2) _________________; 3) _________________.

Start with easy ones first -- the “low hanging fruit” -- and as each step is accomplished, feed

off the energy of accomplishment and get some momentum going. If you were able to take

step one, then surely you can take step two, and so on.

You really can be a successful entrepreneur and accomplish anything -- starting right now.

The Pain of Change

What would you give to see your dreams come true? The truth is that you can accomplish

them. The other truth is that change is the only way you’ll ever have a chance at realizing

those dreams of yours. Everything rises or falls in direct proportion with your commitment

to your personal change.

There was a time when some of us gave up on our dreams. We thought it was too late. Or

the opportunity came and went. Or someone said or did something to thwart your

dreams.

Demoralization can be a formidable enemy of our dreams and it has a way of spawning

negative behaviors like few other things can. We get discouraged and tempted to running

back to the old familiar ways.

And all the while that’s happening, discouragements are undermining our natural capacity

to excel -- and that’s not all -- they can take us out of the game altogether. Instead of

chasing finish lines, discouraged people find themselves looking for the starting gate all

over again.

Hey! The voice that tells you to give up is a liar.

Stay the course and start small. And as smaller dreams begin to come true, they serve as

an impetus for larger dreams, and there simply is no end to your possibilities. Most of the

time the only difference between a dream that came true and one that didn’t, is a person

who wouldn’t give up and the one who did. It all starts by choosing a new way of

productive thinking.

Don’t miss out on your dreams to establish a successful business. We all know that nothing

truly great in life comes easy. Sometimes it takes the pain of change to achieve things you

never thought possible.

Letting go

Remember my true story about Jim and Randy? Let’s talk about the art of delegation. See

the truth is, as great a carpenter as Randy is, there are hundreds of others who live near

Randy that can get the job done. Just ask Jim.

Hiring help can be a daunting task. But it’s really not that hard. Let me give you a practical

way a local cleaning company does it. Here’s their ad on Craigslist.

For $25 dollars you can run an ad like this on Craigslist and you’ll be flooded with email

responses from people who would love to work for you for $10 an hour. The link at the

bottom of this Craigslist ad goes to the company website and describes the company and

position available in detail and gives interested prospects a very simple form to fill out. It

looks like this:

The filled out form is automatically emailed to the cleaning company owner, and you’d be

surprised at how much the “A Little About Me” portion of the form reveals about a

prospective employee. Once you find the ones you like, simply set up some interviews and

narrow down the search even further.

Finding people is easy. You just have to be willing to take the steps to do it.

Establish Job Descriptions from the Get-Go

I love the art of communication. Done well, it minimizes confusion and helps people

succeed in all their relationships. That’s especially true in any work environment. No one

likes vague or unspoken expectations because they are confusing, unfair to everyone, and

impossible to live up to.

This is why, though it may sound a bit like a boomer holdover, I’m still a huge fan of job

descriptions. I think they are invaluable, not only for the success of any organization, but

also for the success and happiness of every individual in the organization.

A good job description gives team members confidence and a solid sense of mission and

purpose. And to that end, a well-written job description identifies the job by title, essential

functions and requirements. It also spells out the knowledge and skills required for future

hires.

If you are launching or growing a venture that’s always seeking to improve and move

things to next levels in perpetuity and are building to last, then you need to embrace the

fundamentals that get you there.

So you’ll need to implement job descriptions from the get-go. It’ll save you a lot of pain in

the early going and especially as things grow. It’ll prevent a lot of awkward conversations.

But while I do respect the value of job descriptions, I also value the concept of

“intrepreneurs.” I want each team member to feel the dignity of ownership in everything

they do, and nothing solidifies that for the organization and the individuals that make it

quite like a job description. Each member of your team will feel more secure about their

role and confident about what they contribute on a day-to-day basis. This isn’t to say that

they have the final say in all their duties, roles and responsibilities, but it is to communicate

that they are a vital part of the building process.

As founder, I’d start by drafting my own job description. Since I don’t believe it’s expedient

or effective to lead anyone where you aren’t willing to go yourself, I draft and share my job

description to get the ball rolling. I have my team members use my format as a template

and all they have to do is fill in the bullet points as they pertain to their unique functions.

Here are a few more reasons why job descriptions are vital to your success as an

entrepreneur and the success of any organization you build.

● Job descriptions can be used to set measurable performance goals based on duties

in the description.

● You can use job descriptions and possible job promotions as incentives for team

members to pursue classes, workshops, and other personal growth opportunities.

● There is nothing quite as dysfunctional as a team where players don’t understand

the roles of the other players. I can stay in my lane knowing that others have theirs’

in focus.

● Job descriptions can be helpful in developing comp packages and promotion plans.

They can also signal when team-wide recognition is in order.

● In some cases, if need be, a job description can reveal when a Team Member isn't

performing to agreed upon expectations.

Finally, flexibility is important. As things grow, roles may vary. It’s smart to create job

descriptions that describe general expectations, rather than specific tasks, thereby

encouraging everyone to focus on results rather than duties. A wider-ranging job

description is easier to manage and doesn't require modification with every minor change

in duties.

Making Decisions During Your Transition

People in business know firsthand how a single bad decision can affect the future, near

and far. Risk is exciting but vigilance is indispensable.

Some people have clear lines. Things are very black and white to them. Others live in the

gray and there's play in the wheel. Still others are manic, impulsive and ready, shoot, aim.

Hope you’re not that last one.

As a consultant, sometimes I hear questions like, “There’s a great partnership opportunity

-- should I take it?” “Should I quit my job to pursue this startup?” Opportunities like

investments, franchises, ventures, and partners are all decisions that involve varying levels

of risk. Since everyone needs to assess risk tolerance and make their own decisions, I

usually answer such questions by posing another helpful question:

Is it a wing or a weight? In other words: Will this decision help your business fly or

eventually drag you down?

It’s a great question. And the answer is often based less on the opportunity and more on

what you know about yourself. You might ask a parent, sibling, spouse, or life coach but at

the end of the day no one knows you better than you.

So you have this thing called a gut. And you’ve heard people say, “Go with your gut.” And

heck, gut spelled backwards is tug and sometimes it's right.

But not always. Your gut can be impulsive and short-sighted.

But you also have personal values and the indispensable inner value of truth-to-self. That’s

the arena of your life that runs deep and you’re the only one who knows the deep places

where your fears, impulses, and weaknesses live.

Something may look amazing on the surface. But it could be a major distraction down the

road. It could add the kind of drama that diverts you from your passion, dreams, gifts, and

focus. A short term jump in income could cost a long term gain in life pursuits.

So is it a wing or a weight? Does sync with my values or compromise them? A related

question might be, “Will this drag me into the funk of sideways energy?”

Now drill these questions down into two basic categories: People and opportunities.

First, let’s talk about people. There are some people that just aren’t good for your attitude,

dreams, or pursuits. They weigh you down. They're negative. They suck you sideways. They

compromise your values. You should probably limit your exposure to them. But there are

also those people who are great for your life. They sync with your values and resonate with

your dreams. They help you fly. So fly with them. If they’re a wing, they’re a win.

Then there are those seemingly amazing opportunities. Business opportunities.

Opportunities to partner with a venture that seems to be trending or lucrative. These are

all big decisions that can make or break your future. The same values apply. The same

questions apply. Will it drag me sideways? Is it a wing or a weight?

Consider your gut but also consider the deeper zones of your convictions -- your values,

vision, and uncompromising mission.

EXERCISE

1. Old-think must pass away for new-think to have its ______________.

2. Write down one thing you need to do to transition from fieldtech to true business

owner: ____________________________.

3. In some cases, if need be, a job description can reveal when a Team Member isn't

performing to agreed upon _____________________.

Chapter 8 Leading Your Team

It takes teamwork to make the dream work. When you make the brave decision to make

the transition from a self-employed worker of the field to a true business owner, you’ll also

eventually be challenged to choose the right people to hire and eventually move upward

into management roles.

Picking the right people takes time. It can be amazing sometimes and at other times, an

epic letdown. Hiring is often a crapshoot. But as you learn more about people and

personality types, you can take some of the mystery out of the equation.

There are tools that help us know personality types and these can save us at least some

frustration moving ahead to our business relationships.

It’s good to know the personality types of others, but it’s also good to know yourself.

Here’s a quick test you can take in a matter of minutes that may tell you some things you

didn’t really know, or confirm everything you always knew.

Go ahead, I dare you to take this great little test now...

http://www.16personalities.com/

After you do, they’ll email you your results, and shocker, here’s a screenshot of what I got...

While I’m not so sure I’m all that great at “People Mastery”, I do know that I’m an

entrepreneur and I love the role of “Explorer.”

Knowing a bit about myself is great for a lot of reasons. But it’s also good for team

building. As you’re building your dream team, it’s good to know just how every personality

fits together to achieve the most productive results.

This way, everyone stays in their lane. They function in a way that honors the dynamics of

each personality, seeing each other, not as “quirks” but as gifts, each to function in a

unique capacity.

This also helps when it comes to drafting the job descriptions we spoke of earlier.

Yet, while there may be differing personalities, one thing has to remain constant: The

company values that you establish as the business owner. You establish these and you

communicate them to your team.

Be the Leader

After being in a lot of different company cultures over the years, both as an observer, and

in many cases as a part of the company, I’ve come to the firm opinion that there has to be

one clearly defined leader. She or he has a team and takes team input very seriously. But

at the end of the day, they lead.

This can be a daunting calling. There will be an awful lot of times when you will second

guess yourself, at least I hope you will, and you’ll wonder if you’re doing the right things.

At some point you’ll need to come to grips with your own lack of confidence and

self-doubt. Let’s talk about that now.

Dealing with Self-Doubt

Self-doubt and limiting beliefs can be intimidating dream-killers. Many people go to their

graves with regrets and what-ifs and if-onlys, never able to shake their own self-imposed

limitations. But what are these oppressive thoughts, really?

There were probably times when you really put yourself out there. You made yourself

vulnerable. You went all out. But it didn’t go well. It was an abysmal failure and the

definition of suck. Maybe you swore you’d never try it again.

I know I’ve been there. Many times.

But after I finish thumbing through my long catalog of excuses and toxic people and

unfortunate events, I have to ask myself: Why do so many other people seem to go

through these same problems and yet rise above it all and go on to do amazing things?

Business leadership must come with the capacity to improve through negative experiences

and failures. In fact, the great business leader will have the ability to get better through the

learning experiences of failure. Friction sharpens.

If we can learn anything from the successes of others, we can learn that failures of the

past, difficult people, and unfortunate events can refine and eventually define the

greatness that’s in us. Or we can wallow in self-doubt, stay stuck, and schedule our funeral

on Mt. Regret. It’s simply what we choose to do with our pain.

Never doubt your edge and it’s ability to get sharper and more surgical each day. Your

edge may be sleeping but it isn’t dead. It’s a sleeping giant.

But there’s another thing about leadership that’s crucial to learn.

The Most Important Quality of a Leader

Who do you respect? A person who is arrogant and never admits being wrong, or a person

with a balanced estimation of self, respects the dignity of others, and is a thoughtful team

player?

Humility is an attractive virtue. And it’s the most essential key to effective leadership for a

business that’ll grow.

But what exactly is it?

Humility is about feeling, being, and acting “right-sized.” It’s a proper estimation of self —

not too big, not too small.

In Good to Great, author Jim Collins reveals findings from a ton of research done comparing

great companies with mediocre or failing ones. One major aspect of those comparisons

has to do with leadership and he unveils what sets some leaders apart from all the others.

The good to great companies usually have what he calls the “Level 5 leader.” This is that

woman or man who loves the trenches and honors the people who work in them. And

when things have gone wrong, the Level 5 leader looks in the mirror and asks what she or

he could’ve done better. But when things go well, looks out on the floor and gives due

credit to the teams.

Humility values self, but only as wholly enmeshed in the context of others. And to that end

there is a willingness to acknowledge and quickly correct personal faults. Humble people

serve the business mission and never see the business mission as serving them.

Sure, much more could be said about humility. But we usually know it when we see it.

So why does it seem so rare? Likely because we live in a world that values power. Humility

seems opposite. But is it? Humility has a beneath-the-surface, subversive strength that

power hungry people fail to see, and until they do, they’ll come up short.

We should all have deep and passionate dreams and aspirations for greatness. And we

should pursue these things with colossal determination and effort. But the very best thing

we can do in all our dream-chasing is to run hard after this often misunderstood quality of

humility.

7 Simple Ways to Increase Your Confidence as a Business Leader

They have swagger but they aren’t arrogant. The know nuance. They forego the strut. They

have the magic "it" of quiet confidence. It seeps, not spews, and it seems to shine at just

the right time. That’s what the effective business leader looks like.

Is this kind of quiet confidence a poise that’s purely natural, reserved for the born-that-way

few, or is it something that anyone can develop?

Here are 7 things people with quiet confidence do. And you can do them too.

1. Business leaders with quiet confidence show up prepared.

Whether it’s a deal to close or a presentation to give, some people seem to slam dunk it

every time. Sure, they dress smart. But there’s more to it. They come prepared. They don’t

like to wing it. Though they probably could. Do you get nervous about upcoming

presentations? Good. So do they. Nothing lessens the nerves better than knowing you

have great content to share. In fact, it would still be great even if your voice shook the

whole time. So next time you’re called upon to handle any nerve-inspiring event, know that

you’ll be better poised if you’re prepared.

2. Effective business leaders show genuine interest in others.

Some people dominate the conversation. The only thing they seem to be listening to is the

amazing sound of their own amazing voice. But people with the grace and poise of quiet

confidence seem to be more interested in you than getting you interested in them. And it’s

not fake. They seem genuinely interested. Because they are. And the more they take

interest in you, the more interesting they become to you.

3. The best business leaders never speak ill of others.

Some years ago I worked in an environment where a certain person constantly pointed out

the weaknesses of others. You’ve never met a person like that, have you. Even if she was

right about some people on a few occasions, what do you think the general opinion of her

became? Exactly. Some people seem to have this basic idea that the way to look better is

to make others look worse. But they’re exposing their own insecurity when they do that.

Leadership chooses silence when given the opportunity to speak ill of others.

4. Great business leaders seem to understand social psychology.

It’s a soft science that makes sense and knowing even a little bit about it goes a long way.

People with quiet confidence know the dynamics of a given group. They study the culture

of the circles they influence. They get to know the people. This way, they know what to say

and when to say it. Or when to not say anything at all. They understand and take social

cues. They use and understand body language -- they speak and read it fluently.

5. Leaders of businesses that grow invest in the success of others.

We all want to be around people who are positive, speak well of others, and love to help.

Don’t we? When people are confident in themselves, they lose nothing when they invest in

others. A candle doesn’t lose any fire by lighting another candle. They close the deals and

crush the presentations -- but they want you to, too.

6. Great leaders stay in their lane.

They focus on their strengths because they’re in touch with their weaknesses. They can’t

do it all so they stay where they shine and they seem to love it when others shine too. They

decide to delegate and disappear if they aren’t as qualified as someone better qualified.

They understand the power and benefits of teamwork and they’re satisfied to play their

part to benefit the bigger picture.

7. Amazing leaders stay teachable.

Because they are lifelong learners, they soak it up. They aren’t threatened by the words,

“What if we tried it this way?” They seem enthusiastic about new ideas, even if those ideas

didn’t originate with them.

Did you notice that most of these traits are others-focused? Did you notice the virtue of

humility laced throughout?

So, building and leading your team are important steps toward building a growing local

business. Here’s the summary:

EXERCISE

1. Take the personality test. What’s your personality type? ______________________.

2. Self-doubt and limiting beliefs can be intimidating ________________-killers.

3. Great business leaders seem to understand social ______________________.

Chapter 9

Building a Customer Base

When clients or customers get something of value, and results in advance, guess what

you’ll get? The indispensable value of their trust.

Smart business owners are looking to build clients and customers for life. They aren’t that

interested in a wham-bam-thank-you-mam one time sale. They want a reciprocal

relationship with their customer base because they have a long haul view of business.

But this all has to start somewhere. Getting new prospects into your pipeline seems like an

elusive quest. After all, you aren’t the only player in your niche. You’re competing with

other formidable companies that offer the same or similar services. So what sets you

apart?

You want to clearly define your brand and get it out there. The things that distinguish your

business as better than than the competitors is the on-point message that you want to

stay on and you need to communicated it with confidence.

Let’s take a little refresher on the ways you get your message out there, and let’s look at all

these as hooks in the water.

1. A great website.

You don’t get a second click to make your first impression. Your website has to look great

and be easy to navigate, but mostly, it has to be filled with helpful and authoritative

content that sets you apart from the fray as the go-to guru in your niche market. Invest in

getting this right, because guess what? Your competition has because they know that

market share depends on credibility and nothing communicates credibility quite like your

website.

2. Ranking high with solid local SEO.

This is worth repeating ad nauseam. Search Engine Optimization gets you to the top of

Google search (and Yahoo and Bing) and this is that hook in the water that catches the fish

who are actively looking for your service and they are ready to buy. For all the amazing

power of social media, social only attracts the passerby. SEO attracts the people who have

their wallets out and they’re looking to spend now. SEO should be your number 1 priority

in your sales budget. If you don’t know where to start, I’d like to humbly suggest that you

start here.

3. An effective social media strategy.

Social Media has come to be far beyond trendy. It’s here to stay and if you don’t do it, and

do it well, you’re going to lose a lot of market share in the long run. Create your social

strategy, use the targeting tools that Facebook and Twitter provide, and mostly guard your

social media reputation.

4. A growing email list.

An email distribution list is pure gold. Find a way to keep growing your list and use it

strategically. Know that you will get your fair share of unsubscribes, but this is not

necessarily a bad thing and it shouldn’t discourage you. People are getting pickier about

who they’re willing to get email from and you really only want subscribers who actually

want to get what you have to offer. Make sure that you use your list sparingly and that you

only send offers and information that will genuinely add value to your subscriber’s lives.

Southwest Airlines does this very well. I know when I get something from them, it’ll often

be of value to me -- and that translates into business for them.

5. A great reputation (word of mouth).

It’s not new news that word of mouth is the best advertizing. It’s an oft-repeated mantra

because it’s true. It’s easy to brag about yourself, but if you can get others to do all the

bragging for you, you’ll win great new customers and clients, and these will usually be

longer-term relationships. Innovate creative ways to help your satisfied customers get the

word out about you.

6. Giving value away free or cheap.

Building trust early on with new or prospective clients isn’t easy. There are a lot of reasons

to distrust businesses, and you probably have done business with companies that you no

longer trust. One way to build trust is to give valuable things away at the beginning. If

people see that you can deliver results for them in advance of any financial relationship

with them, they’ll be more prone to trust you when their need arises. In one of my areas of

expertise, SEO, I get prospective clients leads for free -- no strings attached -- for a period

of time. When they see that I get results, and that they can trust me, they’re happy to pay

me a percentage for the deals that I acquire for them. It’s all about trust and proving

yourself as trustworthy.

EXERCISE

1. When clients or customers get something of value, and results in advance, guess

what you’ll get? The indispensable value of their ___________________.

2. SEO should be your number 1 priority in your sales ____________________.

3. For all the amazing power of social media, social only attracts the passerby. But

_________ attracts the people who have their wallets out.

Final Thought: Harnessing the power of your naysayers

If you’ve been in business for any amount of time, you’ve likely experienced relationships

that have gone sour -- even when you did everything you could to play nice.

We hear the word haters thrown around a lot these days. It’s a strong word that can refer

to anyone from a mild antagonist to a sworn enemy. We all know people that have made

life unpleasant. We’ve all had naysayers. Whatever you decide to call such people, I’d like to

suggest that we learn to value their place in our lives. Here’s why.

They may not know it, but sometimes the naysayers can be a more profound impetus for

our successes than the "yaysayers" in our lives. Sure, we all prefer to be around people

who encourage us and we should spend most -- if not all -- our time with positive people.

But while it’s great to hear, “You can do it!,” sometimes it's more powerful to hear people

tell you that you can't.

If I’m honest, I’d have to admit that some of my best achievements have been more

attributable to naysayers than yaysayers. Maybe they didn’t intend for it to be this way, but

the naysayers have had an immeasurably positive effect on my life. Maybe they weren’t

seeking to help, but their contributions have been incalculable. They’ve raised me to a level

I never thought I could achieve -- had it not been for their wonderfully negative influence in

my life. :)

So a big thank you is in order.

This isn’t some twisted way to say nanny nanny nanny. Oh alright, maybe I am getting a

teeny bit of pleasure writing this. But this is more than some petty, veiled attempt to

school the naysayers of the world. In fact, I hope not a single one of them is reading this

right now. I don't want to mess up our little arrangement. We should want them to keep

doing what they're doing so that we can keep doing what we’re doing: Getting ahead and

always taking life and business to next levels.

I’m writing this to encourage you and to communicate a primal human truth. People tend

to rise to the occasion when they’re told that they can't accomplish certain things. There’s

something about it. It beefs up our resolve. It motivates us in those deep, psychological

mind-spaces. Sometimes a little naysaying is even more motivationally potent than money.

Maybe this whole idea is a little sick. But like it or not, it’s true.

In 1955, there was a 42 year-old African American seamstress on a Montgomery City bus

who was told that she couldn’t sit in a certain seat. But Rosa had the strength of her

ancestors with her -- a lineage of a people who were told what they couldn’t do. Her single

spontaneous action led to a national movement of change.

One last thing. Whatever you do, don’t let your naysayers in on this. It’s our little secret. I

know it’s not easy to hear people spew negativity your way. I know we want to retaliate.

But the best thing we can do is rise above it. Transcend. Just quietly go on to achieve

amazing things. People may be able to argue with your well-worded logic but they can’t

argue with your accomplishments. You can’t argue with integrity and a life well-lived. So

stay the course.

Next Steps

I hope this book has been timely and helpful to you! But please know that information

alone isn’t enough to grow in business. Information does not equal transformation. If you

want your business to grow, you’ll have to apply these truths to your daily business

activities.

If you want to keep in touch with me or have any questions, feel free to contact me

through my website: BizzBuzzLocal.com. Not only will you find good resources there, you

can contact me for coaching, consulting, or just a basic question. Simply fill out any of the

contact forms there and it’ll come to me personally.

Finally, I’d love to hear how any of this has helped you! Feel free to write me with great

news about your successes. :)