Bring Em’ Back! Tips For Implementing An Effective Lead Nurturing Strategy.

Bring Em’ Back! Tips For Implementing An Effective Lead Nurturing Strategy.

by | Sep 18, 2016 | Business Strategy

Even the most leak-proof sales funnel will have some leads will drop out for one reason or another. It’s inevitable that not all of your prospects will pan out, and that’s okay.

“But wait,” you say, “I lost out on a potential sale. How am I supposed to be okay with that?” 

It’s simple: not all is lost. Just because someone wasn’t ready to buy in the past doesn’t disqualify them as a future customer. Perhaps they weren’t ready to commit, or it just wasn’t the right time.

If you stay in touch with them via a lead nurturing campaign, you can make sure that they remember you when they finally are ready. And as a bonus, implementing a lead nurturing strategy ensures that they won’t come back as a cold lead. The point of lead nurturing is to keep them warm and toasty so that your company remains at the top of their mind, and to continue to persuade them that your business is the best choice.

Let’s take a look at some tips for implementing a successful lead nurturing strategy:

  1. Target and segment your strategy

The more targeted your marketing efforts are, the more effective they will be. And you have an advantage in lead nurturing because you already know your audience. You segment your strategy by building out lead nurturing campaigns that are personalized to different segments of your list.  These folks will feel as if you  really understand their needs and can offer the most relevant, helpful product. That way, when they’re ready to buy, they perceive you as the right fit for them — not your competitor.

If you have a resource or content library, make sure to include relevant content in your lead nurturing campaign to position yourself as a thought leader in the industry. There’s a reason why content marketing is all the rage: it works!

  1. Schedule each touch

The entire point of lead nurturing is to stay in touch so make sure that you’re not letting too much time go between each message. Be consistent and try to make sure that every piece of your campaign is planned, completed, and scheduled in advance. That way you’ll be sure that no one will fall through the cracks. Automated email marketing software is particularly useful here, and it can save you a lot of time and energy.

  1. Consider Multi-channel marketing

The focus in lead nurturing often falls on email marketing but there’s a whole world out there! Think of how effective it would be if someone received a well-crafted marketing email and advertisements on social media that followed up on that email’s messaging by providing more information or a different perspective on the same offer.

Your leads are all over the place so you should be, too. Ensure that your lead nurturing strategy is as successful as possible by creating it as a targeted, holistic marketing experience for every prospect on your list.

Schedule A Session To Create Your Strategy

Yes!
Ready to Blog? Here are 12 great tips!

Ready to Blog? Here are 12 great tips!

by | Sep 11, 2016 | Business Strategy

If your company has an online presence, you should be blogging! Even if it doesn’t, you should still blog. Why? Because a good blog will draw potential customers to your site, help spread the word about your business, and improve your conversion rate. It can also help build your reputation as a trusted, reliable expert in your field. 

To help you get started, we’ve rounded up the top dozen blogging tips from around the web.

Post new content frequently

According to this article on HubSpot, “Over a two-month span, businesses that published blog entries on a regular basis (more than once a week) added subscribers over twice as fast as those companies that added content once a month.“  Consistency is key, so create a content calendar to help you stay on track with your posts.  

Keep a spare blog post handy

We all have busy lives and sometimes things happen. Keep a spare blog ready for publication when life, or the flu, interferes with your content calendar.

Use a catchy title

People will decide whether or not to read your blog after reading just the title. So make it a good one! CoSchedule’s free headline analyzer tool can help you create a great title. A catchy title might even translate into more shares on social media. Just make sure the content is as interesting as the title. No bait and switch allowed! 

Speaking of content…

There’s a lot of competition out there. In order to stand out from the crowd, you need to write content that’s interesting or unique. Reading takes effort, so make sure that what you’re posting is worth that effort. If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas, this article should help.

Structure matters!

Most blog visitors are actually skimmers rather than readers. Structure your blog so that it’s easy to skim– otherwise you may lose your visitors!

Subheadings break up blocks of text, making it easier to read. They also give your viewers a taste of what’s coming up next.

Use images

Photos, drawings and other graphics add interest and actually increase your blog’s believability. Great images are more likely to get your blog shared, too.

Socialize 

Know the most popular social networking sites and make sure you’re a part of them. Keep track of interesting questions, quotes, or other tidbits that you hear from your contacts on social media. These are often great for generating blog posts that will spread through that same media.

Also make sure you provide share buttons – and make them easy to find!

Build trust

If you offer your blog viewers the opportunity of asking questions or leaving comments, you’ll build trust, and increased trust often leads to improved sales.  

Get to know your target audience

You need to know for whom you’re writing for and what their interests are. That way you can write posts that resonate with them. Hint:  your target audience is usually your target customer!

Stay true to yourself and your brand 

Best-selling author and expert blogger Jeff Goins says: “Writing isn’t about picking the right topic; it’s about finding the right voice.” Make sure your voice accurately reflects you and your brand.

Get help when you need it 

There are a lot of aspects to a successful blog: analytics, SEO rankings, keyword choices, social media shares. It’s perfectly okay to ask for help when you need it. Just make sure that you’re choosing experts who have the expertise you need.   

Realize that you’re in it for the long haul

The web is a very big, very busy place. It might take a long time before you start seeing results. Be prepared to stick it out, learn, grow, and improve. Eventually, your patience and your efforts will pay off! 

 

The Key Steps To Slay Your 4th Quarter And Finish The Year Strong

The Key Steps To Slay Your 4th Quarter And Finish The Year Strong

by | Sep 5, 2016 | Business Strategy

 

The end of summer is approaching. The kids are back to school, and it will be the official start of your business’s 4th quarter. As you sip on your pumpkin spice latte, ask yourself this question:

 

What’s your plan to finish the year strong?

 

If you don’t have an immediate answer, then use the four tactics below to get organized, focused and committed to having your best end of year that you’ve ever had!

 

1) Be crystal clear on your financial goals.

What is your revenue goal for October? November? Exactly how much money are you going to earn by December 31st of this year?  If you can’t answer that with absolute clarity, then this is your No. 1 priority.

 

Knowing exactly how much you’re going to earn acts like a magnet that attracts clients, opportunities and business your way.  Having this exact number also motivates you to take action and continue taking action throughout the quarter.

 

Take some time today to identify these numbers and then write them down on a card and keep it with you at all times.  Post it at your desk, on your bathroom mirror, in your car, anywhere that you will be sure to see in several times a day.  Remember that you will create more of whatever you focus on.

 

2) Call your best clients first.

Your greatest lead generator is your current list of clients. I’m not just talking about selling them new offers, but tapping into them for new client referrals. They will be your best referral source by far.

Make a target list of these clients and begin calling them this week.  Once again, identify a number you expect to generate from these clients. Maybe the goal is to sign 5 new clients or sell 20 new seats to your e-course. What’s the goal? Do you have it? Okay, now, I want you to add 10% to it. The idea is to REACH for it.

 

3) Call the low hanging fruit next

Identify your most valuable leads next and make attempts to reach them by mid-month.  These leads should include people that have shown interest in working with you in the past.  They are your “warm” leads.

 

Maybe you had a discovery call and the timing just wasn’t right for them. Or they could be someone that has downloaded an eBook or other lead magnet. I recently contacted someone that I had conversed with in the past. The timing wasn’t right for when last spoke. It had been a few months so I decided to check in. Her first response was, “I was just thinking about you!”. Turns out she was ready to take the next step and my timing was perfect.

 

If you are a health coach that works with busy moms, now is the PERFECT time to reach out. The kids are back in school and moms are ready to focus on themselves again. If you are a social media strategist, focus on how busy the holiday season can get and how hiring someone to manage social media will reduce stress for them and allow them to keep focus on their business while enjoying their personal life.

 

Prioritizing your leads in this way will make sure that you spend your time wisely early in the season, focusing on those leads that will give you the best return for your effort.   

 

The bottom line is to increase your visibility and engage!

 

4) Start visualizing how it feels now that you’ve accomplished your revenue goal.

A great motivator and mindset exercise is to visualize and start acting like you have already achieved your goal. Pretend “as if.” It’s like the exercise of feeling happy–you smile for a minute in the mirror and you just naturally start feeling happy. So, act “as if” you have surpassed your revenue projections.

Visualize that it’s the holiday season. Ask yourself:

  • What does it feel like to have accomplished your goals?
  • What are things are you now enjoying as a result of your efforts?
  • How is your family feeling now that you’ve made your goal? 
  • How confident, positive and happy are you?

 

These are the feelings you should identify now and begin affirming every night before you go to sleep and every morning immediately after you wake up.   Again, you will become what you think about all day long.

 

These are the four keys to having a great 4th quarter.  I’ve organized my business to be in alignment with them, and I can already feel how good it is to have accomplished them.  It’s a great state to be in and I encourage you to get in alignment with these keys, too.

 

If you need some help in crushing your 4th quarter goals and starting your 2017 strong, sign up for the FREE Business Breakthrough Mini-Course. The course starts September 12th. You will receive daily emails and videos guiding you through creating your own 4th quarter growth strategy.

 

Sign Up For The 4-Day Business Breakthrough Mini-Course

Yes!
The 5 Key Steps To A Killer Launch

The 5 Key Steps To A Killer Launch

by | Aug 16, 2016 | Business Strategy

 

Are you getting ready to launch your new business? If so, you’re probably feeling a little overwhelmed and are wishing you could clone yourself. Instead of dreaming of a clone, take these five steps to launch your business with more impact and less stress.
1. Know who you are and what you want of your brand
After all, you are your brand. A clear mission and value statement will help you focus your time and energy where it counts instead of flittering it away in a confusion of directions. You had a vision when you first dreamed of starting your own business. Don’t lose track of the vision; instead, enhance and grow it.
2. Know your buyer persona
In order to build a customer base, you need to know who those buyers are and what they’re looking to find. A buyer persona can help with that. These fictional customers reflect the specific concerns and purchasing criteria that will help a customer choose you rather than a competitor. They can even help you entice an indecisive lead into making the leap at all. Defining your buyer persona is key to developing your marketing strategy. Ultimately it will save you time and money. And increase revenue..now do I have your attention?
3. Use social media to build a following
In order for a business to grow and thrive in today’s world, it needs a social media following. Blogging is also an important part of developing that following. It establishes you as a knowledgeable source of information in your field and allows you to connect with potential customers or clients.
Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Tumblr… Decide which social media sites are a good match with your business and establish a presence there. As part of developing your buyer persona, you will find out where your ideal client is hanging out on social media. That’s where you want to focus most of your efforts. When using any social media, it’s important that you stay on top of your account. Regularly posting new, interesting, and relevant content will help get your business’ name shared and liked.
4. Reach out for support
Realize that you can’t do everything yourself! Whether it’s hiring an assistant, networking with other businesses, or getting professional guidance, get the support you need. You can’t grow your business if all of your time is spent on its day-to-day operations. Learn to delegate and ask for help so that you can spend your time on those things that only you can do.
5. Know your pitch
Your potential customers want to know specifics about your business. In particular, they want to know what they’re getting and its value to them. They also want a guarantee that you’ll stand behind your product. Don’t promise something that you can’t deliver! Instead, know what you’re offering, believe in it, and deliver what you promise. That’s the way to keep your customers happy, so that they’ll not only return to you but will also spread the word about just how awesome it is doing business with you.
Conclusion
Knowing and improving yourself as a person will transfer over to your business. You need to nurture yourself before you can effectively nurture your business. Your business is an important component of your life, but it isn’t the only one. Strive to make it part of a healthy lifestyle that is balanced with your home and family.
If you need some help with launching your business or new idea, sign up for my e-course, Launch by Design. It will take you step by step through the process of launching with impact.

How To Overcome Imposter Syndrome

How To Overcome Imposter Syndrome

by | Jul 9, 2016 | Business Strategy, Entrepreneurial Lifestyle

Have you ever asked yourself, “Who am I to be doing this?” or “Is my work good enough?” even when your clients are telling you how awesome you are? You are not alone. What you’re feeling is known as Imposter Syndrome, and it’s much more commonplace than you might think.

 

The Birth of Imposter Syndrome

 

The term “Imposter Syndrome” was first used in 1978 by Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes in their study of 150 highly successful professional women. The study found that despite accolades from their colleagues, and despite having advanced in both rank and salary, many of them felt like imposters, attributing their successes to outside factors such as luck. They weren’t able to attribute their achievements to their talent or skills and understandably felt fearful about performing well in the future.

 

Since that time many others have studied the phenomenon and have found that it still endures today.  Even celebrities who’ve been nominated or have won prestigious awards experience Imposter Syndrome. Michele Pfeiffer, who has a vast body of Award-nominated work, has admitted to feelings of self-doubt and worrying that one day, people will realize that she’s not all that talented. Kate Winslet has also admitted to moments of fear and to feeling as if her talents are “a sham.”

 

It’s Not a “Woman” Thing

 

Once thought to be a condition strictly afflicting women, subsequent studies have found that men suffer from Imposter Syndrome as well, although in smaller numbers.Oddly enough, the syndrome affects mainly high-achievers who have found real success in their fields.

 

How about that? We are high-achieving, go-getting badasses! Naturally, the condition can feel like a challenging and debilitating roadblock to happiness and fulfillment, but here are a few real strategies that can help you learn how to overcome Imposter Syndrome:

 

Seek Support

Seek support by discussing your feelings with a trusted friend, mentor or colleague. Because Imposter Syndrome is so prevalent, if other high-achieving women surround you, some of them are likely to be feeling the same as you. In fact, every accomplished woman I’ve ever met has felt this way at times. It’s important to remember that you are not alone.

 

Be Aware

Awareness is the first step to change. Become conscious of your thoughts when you find yourself feeling inadequate or fraudulent. Are there certain triggers that bring on these ideas? Perhaps it’s a client that isn’t the right fit for your business or certain tasks that just make you uncomfortable. Remember that there doesn’t have to be a justification for the way you are feeling.

 

Simply track the situations, people, and things that make you feel as if you are an imposter. Once you can identify the situations, people, or things that cause you to don the imposter disguise, you’re in the optimal position to change your story about yourself.

 

Question Your Thoughts

Question those often automatic thoughts and challenge them. Create a mantra for yourself. Remember Stuart Smalley from SNL? His mantra was “I’m good enough. I’m smart enough. And doggone it, people like me.” Create something similar but perhaps not as corny! Something like, “I’m on the path to success with grit and determination. Nothing will stop me, especially not fear.” I’ll share mine. It’s “F*ck fear! Right…in..the..face!” That’s it–and it works for me.

 

Pat Yourself On The Back

Acknowledge your wins, frequently and often, no matter if they are big or small. This is a big one in putting Imposter Syndrome back in its cage, which is where it belongs. You can do this without becoming arrogant or self-centered.  You can do this simply because it’s true.  You did reach a particular goal, you did get that promotion, you did receive that atta-gal from your boss.  When you win these wins, feel them. Relish them. Exult in them.  You’ve earned accolades because they reflect your value to yourself and the work you’ve created. Make sure that you are celebrating yourself.

 

I’ve always admired people that wear their accomplishments on their sleeve. They ooze self-confidence and self-assurance.  Those qualities are magnetic, drawing people to them. Do you think Bethenny Frankel has self-doubt? Of course, she does, but she also knows that she works hard for what she has accomplished, and she knows her shit.

 

Do a reality check

It’s important to realize that there is a difference between feelings and reality. Just because you feel inadequate doesn’t mean that you are. The fact that someone has hired you says that there is something that drew them to trusting you and your abilities. Make sure you believe you are that right person for the job and you are the right person to do that job.
Challenges can be difficult, especially when you’re suffering from self-doubt. The important thing to remember is that they are not insurmountable–they can be overcome! Working with a business advisor can help you tackle those fears and put them behind you. Contact me and we can put you on the path to self-confidence and success. Join my 6 Week Course – Launch by Design-  to gain the freedom you need to propel your business to the heights you wish to achieve.

The Powerful Wisdom of Successful Women

by | Jun 16, 2016 | Business Strategy

The ongoing emergence of female entrepreneurs has changed the way the world looks at female power figures in the business world.  It’s no longer enough to have a few great ideas and good business sense.

Entrepreneurs today must have a strong passion for their business. They are the leaders and the risk-takers, using their strength to create a thriving business from the ground up.  They know how to savor the sweet success of building something from nothing.  They know how this empowers the spirit and they purposefully use this power to propel their lives to new heights and accomplishments.

Today’s female entrepreneur is the new super-hero of the business world. Even as a sole proprietor, these working women exhibit the same traits that large corporations value the most.  Their abilities and wisdom are very powerful and nowhere is that more evident than in those agile entrepreneur brains that fuel their dreams.

The modern female entrepreneur must have a thousand different irons in the fire while keeping a laser-like focus on one end goal of her company—to make a profit.  In short, they must possess the ability to quickly assess a situation and then navigate it so deftly that they leave the competition swimming in their wake.

How does one acquire or improve that mental agility in business?

Honestly, sometimes it can only be improved by ignoring it or pretending it doesn’t exist.  And here’s why:

Female entrepreneurs are driven by the passion they feel for their company and their goals. Rather than being intimated by what lies ahead, female entrepreneurs are comforted and inspired by their dreams.  Because quitting is not an option, they instinctually develop the mental agility to think around a problem in order to find not only a solution, but an advantage.

It’s equally true that the drive for accomplishment and the need to make a difference fuel the daily actions of every female entrepreneur, giving them the ability to make plans and see them through.

The most powerful secret of successful women is how they trust their instincts.  Because the business world was mainly filled with men only a few decades ago, we’re still experiencing some values that were held over from those days.  One of those “old boy” values is to disregard our instincts.

Women today trust their instincts, and when they act on them, success follows.  Women are also willing to admit that they need occasional coaching or advice from others.  While in the middle of solving a business problem or a marketing approach, a person can’t always see exactly what is going on because they are too close to the problem.

In times like these, women are more likely to reach out to a coach to help them negotiate a rough patch or solve a problem.  Women are also more likely to hire someone that helps them move forward not only in their business, but in many areas of their life.

I love helping women realize their dreams.  If you have a relentless need to achieve, to make things happen, and to do great things, contact me, Kelli Coviello.

We’ll work together to make your business dreams come true.