You’re a service provider and you love creating value for your clients.  You’re passionate about the work you do and the results you produce. Yet, you feel weird about self-promotion.  You’ve heard that you need to get comfortable with “shameless self promotion” to be able to grow your business.  How can you embrace authentic marketing?  There’s a great article by Paulette Rao in the Library of Professional Coaching that I’ll excerpt a bit from here:

Many people are turned off by marketing because they see it as self-serving advertising aimed at taking money from people. I’ve seen loads of this type of shameless, self-promotion out there, and it’s a turn off. Of course, you wouldn’t want to be known as that type of self-promoter.

The conundrum is that, as an entrepreneur, you have to get your message out there in a big way and, as a coach, you want to live on purpose. You want to grab attention without being pushy, and make sincere promises to deliver that don’t violate your integrity. Without applying pressure, you want to inspire clients to take the action you know they need to take. And without using a gimmick, you want to appeal to a sense of urgency. You want to attract the attention of the people who need you and let them know that you’re the answer to their prayers. And you need to communicate full-out so that those people can find you! Otherwise, you’re a well-kept secret!

So how do you put it out there in a way that feels aligned with your values–where you feel genuine and filled with integrity?

Authentic Marketing

The answer is to market authentically, to learn how to communicate in a clear, sincere, and compelling way. Marketing shouldn’t be slinging sales talk at someone or getting on a soapbox. Authentic marketing is having a real conversation that speaks to someone’s needs. Its genesis is in uncovering your passion, finding its voice and allowing it to be heard. It’s a dialogue that flows from the inside out.

To uncover your passion, you need to reconnect to your vision—why you started your business in the first place. When you do that, you’ll clear the mental cobwebs and connect back to what has always been there but got mucked over by those voices that play in your head. Tapes like “I’m not a sales type. I don’t have the personality for it.”  “I don’t want to be intrusive.” “I don’t like to talk about myself.” “I’m embarrassed that people might think I need money.”

People are attracted when you speak from your passion. When you are…[READ MORE]

Perseverance pays off!  It only took about 4 years, but finally, my bestseller Seal the Deal: The Essential Mindsets for Growing your Professional Services Business is available for Kindle!

Here’s the link to get your copy now, and if you’re an Amazon Prime Member it’s free:

Of course, you can still get the book in the usual paperback form, if you prefer:

Either way, please share this info with anyone you know who might benefit from learning how to integrate networking, marketing and sales for their services business!

Chicago based master coach, Jody Michael, has some amazing job search strategies for those of you whose new year’s resolution was to find yourself another job! Her strategies extend beyond relevance to job seeking and also apply to  sales conversations and getting yourself a promotion or a raise in your existing environment. In fact, I’d go so far as to say her strategies are universal and can be applied to getting what you want, regardless of what that is.  These are basic strategies of influence. You can download the article at the Library of Professional Coaching, but here are a few of her key tips that are my favorites from her top ten:

1.  Make small appointments with yourself: schedule smaller periods of time—60 to 90 minutes each—during both the week and weekend. This will decrease your feeling of overwhelm and help avoid burnout.

2.  Maintain positivity: If you start to engage in negative self-talk or focus on the economic state of the country, you will derail yourself energetically and behaviorally.  Keep your focus on what you want rather than what’s wrong.

3. Use the Internet relationally to leverage your personal and professional relationships strategically.

7. Know exactly what you want:  focus your energy on the right processes and questions and find the answer much more quickly.

9. Remember—it’s a numbers game.  Manage your expectations and use many methods simultaneously to speed up your results and decrease the time it takes.

(and my favorite one:)

What is relationship marketing? It’s all the actions you take online and offline to nurture the connections you have with your prospects, customers, alliances and partners… even with your so called competitors.You’ve heard of B2B and B2C (business to business, and business to consumer). Mari talks about how it all comes down to P2P: People to People.

Many businesses have not fully embraced the power of today’s social technologies due to a number of reasons, including fear of exposure, fear of negative comments and fear of wasting time and resources. In her new book, Mari skillfully walks you through her proven nine-step program for building a large, loyal and profitable network using the social web.

Join the Leading Coaches’ Center Mastermind Community Call with Mari Smith

Tuesday, December 13th (12 noon Eastern/9am Pacific)!

Take a break from the holiday frenzy.  Go ahead and mark your calendar now!  This free call will set you up to win big in the new year.

Join us at the next call as we discuss The New Relationship Marketing (a proven nine-step program for building a sizable, loyal network comprised of quality relationships that garner leads, publicity, sales, and more) by my friend, Mari Smith. If you don’t know Mari, she’s one of the foremost leaders in the social media arena – with particular expertise in Facebook marketing.  In fact, I hired Mari years ago to teach me about a new social network called Facebook that was growing like gangbusters!  I can tell you from experience that she’s the real deal…she actually practices what she teaches and is a delightful, authentic, sparkly gal!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN.  Click here to get the dial in number: http://bit.ly/jLhXw

Topic: The New Relationship Marketing: How To Build, A Large, Loyal, Profitable Network Using the Social Web

I’m excited to share with you a brand new book that is a must-read. It’s The New Relationship Marketing (a proven nine-step program for building a sizable, loyal network comprised of quality relationships that garner leads, publicity, sales, and more) by my friend, Mari Smith. If you don’t know Mari, she’s one of the foremost leaders in the social media arena – with particular expertise in Facebook marketing.  In fact, I hired Mari years ago to teach me about a new social network called Facebook that was growing like gangbusters!  I can tell you from experience that she’s the real deal…she actually practices what she teaches and is a delightful, authentic, sparkly gal!

Mari wrote this book specifically for those business owners and entrepreneurs who have only just dabbled with social media marketing, or who have reached a plateau with their online marketing efforts, and wish to propel their business to the next level and beyond. The pressure is on to shift your approach to using social media marketing, to better understand the new soft skills required for success on the social web, and to improve your own leadership skills through emotional and social intelligence.

What is relationship marketing? It’s all the actions you take online and offline to nurture the connections you have with your prospects, customers, alliances and partners… even with your so called competitors.You’ve heard of B2B and B2C (business to business, and business to consumer). Mari talks about how it all comes down to P2P: People to People.

Many businesses have not fully embraced the power of today’s social technologies due to a number of reasons, including fear of exposure, fear of negative comments and fear of wasting time and resources. In her new book, Mari skillfully walks you through her proven nine-step program for building a large, loyal and profitable network using the social web.

Go pick up a copy now! http://marismith.com/relationship-marketing-book-trailer/

But wait, there’s more! As if that’s not enough, Mari is including a special FREE 4-part webinar series to dive deep into the principles she teaches in her book. When you get a copy of The New Relationship Marketing, you then simply sign up here to reserve your place: http://www.marismith.com/books-by-mari/relationship-marketing-free-webinars/

Now that’s value!

In true Mari-style, you get to register for the free four-part webinar series on the “honor system!” That is, you do not need to scan/fax/email/snail mail any proof of purchase before you get access to the online classes. Once you order your book, just register here http://www.marismith.com/books-by-mari/relationship-marketing-free-webinars/ and that’s it!

“The fear of loss is a path to the dark side… Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.”~ Yoda

Yoda said this to Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.  I was watching part of this movie again yesterday with my 7 year old son, who was watching it for the 5th time this week.

Anyway, when I heard Yoda’s wisdom, I wrote it down right away so I wouldn’t forget to blog about it in the context of business development.

You see, one of the key components in successful sales is to not be attached to any particular outcome.  That means not being attached to the money, to the possible deal, to getting the work, to nailing the pitch, etc.  No attachment.  When we are holding on tightly to that which we think we need, we indirectly influence in a negative way the results we intended to produce.

It’s a tricky distinction.  We must be committed to the outcome we’re selling, we must have clear intentions of how we’d like it to go, but we must then let go of any and all attachment to how it goes.

So, my Jedi younglings…your mission is to practice letting go of all that you fear losing.  It’s the only way to win!

Here’s a clip of the video where Yoda shares this profound nugget:

Woohoo!  Break out the champagne! It’s re-launch time!

We are super-excited to share with you the wonderful news regarding the Library of Professional Coaching. Thanks to the contributions of our angels and sponsors, we just re-launched and are now celebrating the new platform that is sleek, streamlined, organized, easier to access, easy on the eyes, and best of all no charge for you to use! Visit now and tell all your friends! LibraryofProfessionalCoaching.com

We have new categories and subcategories to explore, and you can more easily download as well as submit articles and book chapters. You can also become a sponsor to take advantage of the great SEO exposure (the site gets 1,000 – 5,000 organic search hits per day). There are currently over 150 articles loaded and we have more rolling in each day, so check back often!

Visit now and tell all your friends! LibraryofProfessionalCoaching.com

Call for Case Studies!

If you have written and own the copyright to any case studies related to coaching in any of the sectors listed on the new site, please submit your articles HERE as soon as possible!

WE ARE ON TWITTER!  Follow us here: @LibraryProCoach

WE ARE ON FACEBOOK!  Like us here!

Are you seeing these crazy designs all over? In magazines, on products, in stores?  I first encountered them at TEDxPotomac, where these codes were on our nametags.  It’s a super-cool, Jetsons kind of space age thing we can do now.

First, you have to get a QR reader for your smart phone.  They are usually free to download.  Then, you point your phone at the code using your reader app, and it takes you directly to whatever website was coded into the design.  Magic!  Just go to the app store for your smartphone and search for QR readers. (See below for recommendations on QR readers – often called scanners)

Janet Slack, of http://www.solopreneur.biz teaches, “There are as many ways to use QR codes to promote your business as there are codes already out there. Perhaps you simply decide to have a QR code for your website or blog on your business card. Then someone that meets you could instantly go to your site and find out more about your services. In a different QR code on your marketing materials, you could provide instant access to a free gift such as a special report or recording in exchange for contact information. The applications of this technology are amazing. To get your own QR codes, use one of the free online QR code generators such as Kaywa or Kerem Erkan.”  That’s how I created the design above.  You can click on that with your reader and it will take you to my free podcast offer page.  Cool, huh?  Go make some for your business!

QR Readers:

The best scanner software for iPhone is Qrafter. It is available on the App Store and it is free. It is able to understand all actions on this generator (and more) and is the most advanced scanner for QR Codes on iPhone. Download it from here. You can also visit Qrafter’s Facebook Page here.

For Android, the best option seems to be the Barcode Scanner app from ZXing.

For BlackBerry, QR Code Scanner Pro is a good choice according to Josh West, one of the commenters on this page.

For Nokia Maemo/Meego, you can use Mbarcode according to Ryks, another commenter.

For other devices, you may find one, suitable for your device from Kaywa or QuickMark.

The publishing industry has changed greatly in recent years, opening more options for today’s author. While being accepted by a publisher may still come with increased credibility for your work, the public is widely embracing self-published authors more than any other time in history.

But why are so many authors choosing the self-publishing route instead of waiting for a publisher to come along? The answer lies in these top five reasons.

1.  Saves time! One of the biggest reason self-publishing is such a hit is because of its ease of use. Traditional publishing could take years to get your book on the shelf, whereas a self-publishing author can finish the process in just months.  If you are building a business or a brand around your book, this gives you faster access to potential clients and ability to earn money back sooner.

2.  You’ve got to market yourself anyways. I’m always a bit concerned when I hear an aspiring author believing that a publisher will do all of the marketing for their book. In reality, the success and marketing of your book is really up to you.  A publisher will start marketing your work ONCE you’ve proven that you can get the sales. I say, if you’ve got to market your book anyways, why not take the credit for it and self-publish.

3.  You get final say in just about everything. Want to choose your cover artist? Know an exceptional layout designer or editor? When you self-publish you retain 100% control over your work.  If you choose professionals to support you, you can create a stellar book on your own. If you decide to update and print a new-edition or simply change a few things, it’s a relatively easy process as well.

4.  The royalties are higher. When you self-publish you will typically earn a few extra dollars in royalties per book. Those extra few dollars can add up to a lot of extra cash over the lifetime of your book.

5. You can get picked up by a publisher later on in your career. One of the greatest things new authors forget is that you can always get picked up by a publisher later. I love the story of the author who wrote The Shack, who sold millions of copies on his own and then signed on with a publisher for a very delicious price.

Self-publishing is a rewarding option for today’s entrepreneurial minded authors.  With faster publishing options, increased exposure through the internet, and a little elbow grease, your self-publishing efforts can take you a long way in the book world.

And if you are ready to take the leap and write your book this year, then check out Andrea Costantine and Lisa Shultz’s latest book… http://www.bringyourbooktolifethisyear.com – Grab your copy today and receive two months accountability and writing support in their monthly mentoring group and other bonuses valued at $150.
Authors Andrea Costantine and Lisa Shultz

I’m not mathematically savvy, to say the least, but this is math that explains why Facebook works, and why you can benefit through networking a LOT!

Professor David Reed claims that the value and impact of networks scale exponentially with the size of the network – expressed mathematically as 2 to the nth power.

For example, with a goal to sell more product by making your company better known, if you can do this through a network of five groups, your impact is 32 times (2 to the 5th power) what it would be if you spent the same time and effort and only got to one person. Adding a sixth group would take the benefit to 64 times (2 to the 6th power).

Have you seen this at play in your online networking? Share your story!