Managing your ROI Expectations

What’s the big deal? You’re a talented entrepreneur with tons to offer, quality content, and a desire to lead your industry. I’ll tell you the BIG DEAL… it’s that no one knows who you are. You’re fresh out of the gate with aspirations of being on the leader board and potentially, unrealistic expectations. You believe it’s just a matter of serving the masses a heavy dose of your skills and ideas.

You hang out your sign and fully expect the payments you deserve to flow in. I mean… it’s your time, your knowledge, and your experience…right? Well, that’s not exactly all you need. NOPE… It doesn’t always work out the way we dream it (at least not at first). You have to do a little more than SAY you’re the expert, you have to WALK it out by developing relationships with your potential customers and establish your expertise among your peers.

It’s so easy to get too far ahead of yourself here. Sometimes falling into the trap of what I call, “NEWBY BLUES” is a problem. This is when you start believing your own hype and think you should be compensated for your grand opening, but not realistically managing your expectations regarding the credibility of your NEW business. If you’ve just hung out your sign and no one knows who you are, then you may not be able to command the same pricing or respect as your competitors.

It’s in situations like this, an open mind to ROI could be helpful. ROI, for those not yet familiar with the term, is your RETURN ON INVESTMENT. I believe it’s important to be intentional as you build your brand identity and in doing so, you should always consider your returns. There are tons of articles about ROI, and there are even calculators to help you compute what yours should be. What’s a little less available is a REALITY CHECK. As you start building your brand identity, consider the following as good examples of ROI’s that aren’t often considered by new entrepreneurs. They may not be top of mind when thinking about your return, but they’re ROI’s just the same:

Experience – the more you have, the more confident you are, the more you can charge later.
R&D – Getting a better understanding of the market helps you develop better policies and service.
Exposure – Sometimes you find yourself in front of people you would have never been exposed to.

I’d love to hear about your returns. Share your experience with “Newby Blues” and how you’ve managed your owb ROI expectations. Your offered experience is a hand out to other entrepreneurs who need to know they aren’t alone; that they weren’t the first to experience something. Sharing how you overcame will help others do the same.

Finally, be sure to join my VIP-LIST using the form below. It’s where the juicy goodness is shared. I share content there, I don’t share anywhere else…

How to Become a Successful Fashion Stylist with Willie Johnson

I’m getting a sneak into the mind and behind the business of Dallas Fashion Expert, Willie Johnson. In this interview he is talking about staying motivated as a fashion stylist, why being intentional is so important in the success of your business and why it’s not a good idea to skip steps during your brand growth.

If you’ve considered becoming a fashion stylist, this is definitely an interview to watch.

Please be sure to like this video by giving it a thumbs up, share it with your friends, and SUBSCRIBE!

Thinking about KICKING IT UP A NOTCH??? Grab this check list and get started right now… https://andreapatrick.com/kickitupanotch/

3 Irrefutable Benefits of Developing Brand Consistency

“Small disciplines repeated with consistency every day lead to great achievements gained slowly over time.” That is a quote from leadership expert, John Maxwell.

As I work with clients, engage while networking and read comments on social media, it’s becoming harder and harder to ignore the need for a conversation about brand consistency. I’m taking it upon myself to get it started. I believe 2018 is the year to really make strides in our businesses, so here are 3 reasons to research, develop, and maintain a plan for brand consistency.

I’ve never considered myself a type “A” personality, in fact, I’m pretty sure I identify much more with any of the “creative” personality types. That said, over the past 6 years of working a variety of businesses, I realized I have to have systems. I need to develop a standard for doing my business and working with clients. This brings me to my first benefit of developing brand consistency…

TEMPLATES: I don’t know if I’d say these are a benefit of brand consistency or rather, your brands consistency benefits from them. You can ask anyone who knows me… I love ASANA. When I crack the code on ANY aspect of my business (whether it’s a great system for social media calendar or a checklist for doing the perfect event), I’ve found ASANA to be the best place to capture the template that ensures I can duplicate that awesomeness again and again…

There are a ton of websites that offer TEMPLATES for forms, websites, and more…proof that the creation of templates for your business systems and strategies make life easier.

MANAGED EXPECTATIONS: Next up on this list of irrefutable benefits to developing brand consistency, is the ability to manage your expectations. How often have you worried about the outcome of an activity? I know for me, calculated risks are best. I want to plan as much as possible to set myself up for optimal success. When I do this, I am prepared for most anything and handle those unexpected outcomes with less anxiety. You’re expectations are not ONLY expectations you’ll be managing … If you produce content, your readers will have their expectations managed as well. Through your brand’s consistency, you’ll be teaching your readers what to expect from you. The brand consistency you develop is a way to give your followers confidence in you and what you have to offer.
POSITIVE COMPANY CULTURE: As you grow and have the need to bring on employees, you’ll find the development of templates, policies and procedures will help you on-board much quicker. It will also serve as a guide for how they represent your company when you’re not around. Just like in life (we teach people how to treat us), we teach people how to see our brand. Developing templates, managing expectations, and teaching people how to see your brand all come from developing brand consistency.

Do you need to create templates for your business? How can you begin to manage expectations? Your’s and your customers? How serious are you about how others represent your brand? If brand consistency is an area you need to work on, now is a good time to join my VIP LIST…

You’ll receive a plethora of valuable content that will help you create the success that stands the test of time because it’s created through organic relationship building and shared clearly, consistently, and authentically.

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5 Tips to Live Beautifully and Grow Your Brand

You may be wondering why this is a blog post the website of a marketing professional.

The truth is, this marketing professional is an proficient in living authentically, knowing her value and understanding the importance of consistency. Because of this, I know the difference it can make in your life and business to implement these tips in your life.

Living beautifully is a term I first heard from my friend Lauren Palmer. She and I met years ago in a place we both still love to this day, Sharla’s Boutique in McKinney-TX. Listen to Lauren as she shares her tips for living beautifully in your area. You will be surprised by the difference it makes in how you feel about yourself and your business, but most importantly how OTHERS see you and your business.

If you liked this video, you’ll love the checklist created to help you live beautifully (in general). Join my VIP – LIST (Fill in the form below) for all the great content that is created from my amazing guests. It’s the stuff you’ll only get there… Also, please give this video a thumbs up, share and most importantly….

SUBSCRIBE to my channel.

The 3 R’s of Organic Engagement Everyone Promoting a Business Should Know

I’ve worked with entrepreneurs in many ways throughout my stint in entrepreneurship. I’ve even grappled with things like engagement, messaging, and social media (the truth is, I still do at times – anyone that says they don’t may not be telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth…lol). There are a few things I’ve noticed that are true for everyone and I have labeled them the “3 R’s of Organic Engagement”. You may have heard them mentioned as other terms, but by and large, they are the foundation of amazing and organic customer engagement.

The first “R”is REPUTATION: I’ve said it before, you’ve heard others say it, so by now you SHOULD believe it’s true… People do business and buy from those they KNOW, LIKE, and TRUST. When you are sharing your content on social media, going to networking groups, or partnering with others… you’re building a reputation for your brand that helps people know who you are. A reputation can PRECEDE you, it will speak for you when you aren’t there to speak for yourself and it’s the first opportunity to impress and/or peek the interest of your buyer.

The second “R” is RELATIONSHIP: Having peeked interest, you can expect conversion of some kind. During this initial period after the conversion, you should work hard to build a relationship with the buyer/collaborator. Share more of yourself. Start opening up and helping them see how you relate to them. Remember, people do business with people they know, like and trust…

The final “R” of Organic Engagement is RAPPORT: As with any quality relationship, there needs to be a solid foundation in order to build a sturdy structure. What are the benefits of a sturdy structure, you ask? Well, let me tell you… That whole KNOW, LIKE, AND TRUST mantra I’ve been repeating? Well, when a solid foundation has been built, the reward is loyalty and champions for your business. Not only will you have a loyal client, but you’ll have cultivated a relationship with people that produces exponential growth in your business. When you’ve found someone who just gets you, don’t you want to share them with others having similar issues? What do you do? You share your good fortune with any and everyone you can, right? That’s the value of these 3 R’s of Organic Engagement.

So what do you think? Now I want to hear from you. Which of the 3 R’s are you finding yourself in these days? How do you see yourself using this blog to help you move to the next “R”?

If you liked this blog post, please share it on your own social media platforms. Part of building relationships is sharing stuff you think they will enjoy! If you haven’t already become a member of my VIP – LIST, now is the time to do so. Use the form below to grab your seat at the table, my friend!

2 Unspoken Rules for Finding Your Change

2017 was a season of learning for me. I learned how to engage better and more effectively, I learned how to interview guests for a blog post and magazine article, I the learned true value of google analytics, and I learned (or was reintroduced to the idea) that change is necessary.

During a conversation with master blogger, Alex Snodgrass of The Defined Dish, we hit on the topic of finding your change. Change is inevitable, and we all know it… RIGHT?! The issue is acceptance and expectations. In today’s post, I want to explore them both and hopefully RE-INTRODUCE you to acknowledging the concept: Change is Necessary.

We all know change is coming. Like my pastor says…”We’re either going into a storm, in the middle of one or FINALLY on our way out of one”. That, in and of itself, proves change is inevitable. The question is… do we accept it? I believe there are lessons to be learned from each experience. The lesson could be meant to teach us NOT to do something, to do MORE of something, to trust/ have faith in something/someone, OR to just BE STILL and wait. We have to accept where we are and learn the lesson before moving forward. One of the highlights of my conversation with Alex was her tips for starting a blog (Listen here). In them, she starts off with the idea of STEPPING UP YOUR GAME. I love this! Just because you’re accepting a need for change doesn’t always mean you’re doing the work to make that change positive or productive. With anything, effort is necessary to be the change you want to see. That’s why I created the KICK IT UP A NOTCH checklist. Doesn’t it make sense acknowledging change is necessary also means an opportunity to do and be better?

Now that you’ve accepted that intentional change should be positive and productive, it’s important to manage your expectations. Even though change is inevitable, results can often be slow and tedious. Sometimes I feel like I’m watching paint dry or water boil. The other issue I’ve found to rear its ugly head is, even with the effort to create positive and productive change, the results of that change may not look exactly like we envisioned. With this in mind, we have to be careful to manage expectations. We should be open to the results of our change and allow it to form organically. Believe me when I tell you…. ORGANIC results are LASTING results. Don’t force a square peg in a round hole. Eventually, it becomes uncomfortable.

You know what I’m talking about…. You think you have to be something you’re not to get the sale, you’re told you should do something you’re not at all interested in doing – EVER just to make a dollar. Allowing your change to be organic means being honest with yourself and being authentic throughout the process. Listen, I get it… Change is hard. Waiting on results is hard. There is help though…

If you’re tired of forcing a square peg into a round hole and need to make an intentional change, here’s help. To jump start your efforts, grab Alex’s checklist. It’s the beginning of VIP treatment you’ll receive from me. Who doesn’t want to be a VIP?

Next, if you like this blog post, be sure to leave your comments below. I’d love to hear how you’re acknowledging the need for change and managing your expectations.

2 Common Video Content Mistakes You Should Avoid

I discovered some very profound things in 2017 about how I need to do business, but one thing stood out more than all the rest. The passion I have for what I do is most evident when I’m seen and heard. Blog posts are great and I love doing them but the responses from my videos and podcasts were INCREDIBLE. They were received so well and I believe it is because people can relate to my content abut the challenges faced when authenticity isn’t a key component of building a business. Danielle Hawthorne, of The Confidence Collective Company, was a guest on one of my podcasts and she reminded me just how valuable these two platforms truly are. As a video content expert, Danielle shared a couple of mistakes made by those starting out with video that I thought warranted a blog post.

Danielle says:

1. People make the video about them (me! me! me!): Here’s the thing…. relationships are a two way street. If you want to build one with your audience, you have to talk about things they want to talk about and stop hogging the conversation. I’ve thought long and hard about WHY this is an issue and my conclusion is this… Their focus isn’t on the 3 L’S of a successful business: LONGEVITY, LOYALTY, & LEADERSHIP. As an entrepreneur we want to be around for a long time, right? For that to happen, we need our audience to find value in what we are sharing because that’s how you obtain and secure their loyalty. Leadership only comes when you begin to see people taking action from your guidance.

2. People are not prepared: Take it from me, “fly by the seat of your pants” videos are not recommended when trying to establish yourself as an authority. In addition to the 2017 discovery of how I need to do business, I learned the value of preparation. I’ve been told repeatedly that I don’t need to create anymore content. I HAVE PLENTY! That being said, the question became, how do I repurpose the content I have? The answer lies in the preparation. Because I’m consistent with my messaging (even if it’s taken some time to find the verbiage that resonates), all of my content is interchangeable. When I sit down and prepare my content calendar, it’s easy to pull content from various platforms and shape it into a clear, consistent and authentic campaign. It’s very important to be intentional during your preparation process if the goal is to come across as an authority.

That does it for the 2 video content mistakes you should avoid, but that isn’t all of the knowledge Danielle shared during our conversation. If you’ve been thinking of adding video content to your content calendar, you should definitely grab Danielle’s complete video content checklist. It will ensure you’re not making any of those common mistakes she mentions. Also, if you liked this blog post, be sure to share and leave your comments below. I want to know how you’ve maneuvered video content creation for your brand.

3 Tips to The Art of Living Beautifully

Recently I had a conversation with “The Art of Living Beautifully” publisher, Lauren Palmer (LISTEN HERE). During this conversation, she shared her definition of the term “art of living beautifully” and I was intrigued. It got me thinking about what it looked like for my life and how others could discover it for themselves.

Lauren defines the art of living beautifully as “your own personal culture”. For us to fully understand the enormity of this definition, we must first look at the word CULTURE. Though there are a plethora of ways to interpret this word, I choose (for the sake of this blog post AND with the context of my conversation with Lauren in mind) to use this one: “the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations”.

This isn’t just about habits and preferences, it’s about legacy and heritage (as I see it anyway). The idea of an “integrated pattern of human knowledge” implores us to examine our decisions and scrutinize our choices more intently. Because we are the sum of our experiences, it stands to reason our art of living beautifully would come from a place of influence, inspiration, and self-awareness. With this in mind, I’ve come up with these 3 tips to find the art of living beautifully in my life and I think you will find it a good start for your own life as well:

Find your center – I know this is a loaded tip but, the truth is, we can’t fill ourselves with anything beautiful until we empty the ugly. Whatever this process looks like for you, it’s important to tackle those skeletons, demons, and/or insecurities early. There will be periods in your life where they will rear their ugly heads and cause you to go off the rails. Because of this, it’s imperative to have a center that helps guide you back on track, faster.
Love yourself enough to be yourself – The sooner you do tip one, the faster you will tap into your value. When you know how valuable you are, that you are desirable and have esteemed characteristics, you’ll require others to respect you as such. Your experiences will be about quality over quantity, therefore you will be able to “Create Circumstances of Optimal Success”. In other words, you’ll be shaping your life beautifully.
Be intentional with your passion – I believe our passion(s) (that thing or those things we can do with our eyes closed, our hands tied behind our backs, out of a deep sleep and would do for FREE — if we didn’t need the make money, lol) are the vehicles in which we use to discover our purpose. As we live our lives with (and sometimes for) others, we shouldn’t allow our own dreams and goals to get lost in the hustle and bustle. We have to be intentional about what we want our life to look and feel like; especially if we want it to be a beautiful one.

Ultimately, the art of living beautifully, the way I understand it, is found from honesty and authenticity. It seems to me, you can’t create beautiful art from your life if you are busy imitating that of another. How are you carving out a beautiful life for yourself? Are you showing those around you how to treat you?, how to respect and love you? Start creating circumstances for optimal success RIGHT NOW!

These were my thoughts on how I have found my art of living beautifully, but Lauren had some ideas of her own.

Grab her checklist HERE

A Conversation with Mrs. Bold & Unique

As an entrepreneur, I can attest to the fact that it takes something greater than me to push forward and grow my business. I need to dig deeper and go beyond the surface of my being and truly tap into the value I can bring to the world. My guest this week on my podcast, P.B. & Style is someone who truly brings calm to her surroundings and has the spiritual depth to pull out an encouraging word when all seems lost.

Katrina Lokko is a Magazine Editor, Television Talk Show Host, Radio Show Host, Speaker, Author and Consultant. She is also my friend. When I decided I wanted to do a podcast, I had to think about who I would want to interview and she was definitely at the top of the list. Over the years I have watched her hustle and build her business, quietly survey a room, and speak profound words to those around her.

During our time together in this interview, she dropped some serious knowledge and it would behoove you to pay close attention. She spoke of “Asset and Liabilities” in a way that evokes deep thought. She speaks of a “Fake Existence” and how we should be careful to avoid it, and if that weren’t enough, she mentions a spiritual concept she and I share that guides our paths and makes us much stronger business owners (and quite frankly, better human beings).

This podcast was truly a treat for me and I know you will find yourself having ultra clear, ultra bright light bulb moments while you listen…

Enjoy my interview with Mrs. Katrina Lokko of (her new television show): “Bold & Unique Living with Katrina Lokko”

Be sure to click the links on the podcast page. It’s where you’ll find links to Katrin’a website, television information, and the book references she mentions during our interview.

ALSO….

Now’s your chance to opt-in to my P.B. & Style mailing list. It’s found at the end of this blog post. Every cook has her secrets and that’s where you’ll find mine… my interviews always end with something tasty from the guest and I don’t give that stuff away anywhere else.

Remember, I’m here to serve you up sustainable deliciousness because leadership is a journey, not a destination.

Join me for our next dish…

PODCAST

The Boss Mindset – Lessons Learned

It’s another week and that means another opportunity to reach the goals I’ve set for myself and my business. Do you do that? Do you set weekly goals and work like a dog to reach them by the end of the week? I haven’t really been practicing this like I should my self, but in recent days I’ve come to realize that is what has made the difference in my exciting accomplishments lately.

I did a Facebook Live and in it, I talked about these lessons learned while I was on a business/girls trip to San Antonio. Below, I will briefly go over them but this post is actually about what I learned in the week following that trip. I’ll get to those right after the #BOSSTALK Wednesday recap…

If you haven’t seen this Live, you should definitely go and check it out. I think it really resonated with those who viewed it and shared it because it was one of (if not THE) best one’s I’ve done. I was pretty proud of it, if I do say so myself. Any way, here is the recap in a nutshell:

Get out of your own way: Don’t get in a rut and forget about being social and getting out there and immersing yourself with the actual people you are trying to help in the first place. It could make all the difference.
“Grab the pearl“: This one just came to and I really think it’s best understood by actually listening to the Live. To summarize, however, there is always something to be learned from someone presenting material you THINK you’re an expert on. It’ all about PERSPECTIVE.
A “Pay Day” is sometimes a “Delayed Day”: Manage your expectations when you’re vending, speaking, and networking. The rule of thumb here (as I see it) is to create circumstances for YOUR OWN optimal success. Don’t give others the power over your business.
Comparing is Despairing: Comparing yourself to others is a HUGE WASTE OF TIME! You are the only person (PERIOD) who can do what you do THE WAY YOU DO IT. No one compares to you!
Relish in the Relationships: Don’t always walk into situations thinking about what you can get from others. Remember, relationships are the cornerstone of successful businesses.

Great lessons, right? Now…onward and upward. After that weekend, even though I learned a ton..I couldn’t believe how things just kept getting better during the week. Take a look at the lessons I learned the week AFTER THE TRIP!

Be S.M.A.R.T Weekly: When I work with clients, I tell them how valuable setting goals for their business can be. I even have an exercise to help them set the goals. I set goals for my business and work hard to achieve them annually but after that trip to San Antonio, I came home rejuvenated and sat down to look at what I could achieve during the week. I set some GOALS. It was amazing. I looked at what could be done to make a huge impact on my week and that required SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ATTAINABLE, REALISTIC & TIMED goals. It worked.. I had the most productive week I’ve had in a LONG TIME!!!
REACHING OUT IS BUILDING OUT: Getting out of my own way led me to reaching out more to people I don’t know and CONFIDENTLY asking for what I want. Just taking this little step helped me book 3 people to my upcoming conference, land an opportunity for my nonprofit, and book 2 people on my new PODCAST!!! Watch out! You may be next on my list.
JUST JUMP: In the past I would stress over getting everything “JUST RIGHT“. I’m not a perfectionist, but YES… I’ve been a little vain. I like my stuff to look good and I would hold off and hold off until I thought it was okay. I worried about events and whether people would buy tickets. I would feel awful if ticket sales were low but I’m of the opinion now that there’s no room for that anymore in my business. I work with tons of people who value me and what I do. I get compliments from “Experts” all the time and I’ve worked with major corporations to style, train, and direct photo shoots so I’m not letting my “flesh” tell me I’m not good enough..
SHARING IS CARING: Yes, as a personal branding coach, I share my P.B & Style deliciousness with my clients and according to them, it’s pretty awesome. I’m not talking about that kind of sharing (the paid kind), I’m talking about that open, share my daily experiences, show my flaws sometimes SHARING. I’m the queen of clarity, consistency, and authenticity and I am (or at least I work hard to be) all of those things but I want to dig a little deeper. I believe, as my new (but good) friend Jackson Calame of Passion Pros says, “…Always. Be. Charitable. Giving genuinely is how you really win. Give value, give value, give value…“. It’s my new mantra! The Facebook Live I did last week was merely me sharing what I had learned for myself and from watching the light bulb moments I saw others getting during my visit but it was very well received. You spoke and I listened… More of that, coming right up!!!

That does it. The lessons from the lessons. We all have a journey but we don’t have to walk it alone. There is always a pearl to grab, a cliff to jump from, and someone to reach out to. Just keep keep’n on and do your best (I mean your TRUE best) and success, engagement, exposure (whatever it is you’re seeking) is just around the corner for you.

I’ve created a great little journey roadmap that may help you. It’s called “Hwy 8: The Road Leading to your Inner Influencer“. It’s a video series I created to jumpstart your brand personification journey. Don’t think, JUST JUMP… It’s FREE, What do you have to loose? Remember, you sometimes need to GRAB THE PEARL!

https://andreapatrick.com/hwy8videos/

Experience – the more you have, the more confident you are, the more you can charge later.

R&D – Getting a better understanding of the market helps you develop better policies and service.

Exposure – Sometimes you find yourself in front of people you would have never been exposed to.