3 Lessons That Help You Fly High Above Your Competition!
CLICK ABOVE TO LISTEN!
Who knew so much could be learned from the moral of a children’s fable. I bet the lesson I’m sharing in this podcast isn’t the one you initially took away from the story when you were first introduced to it.
Being an entrepreneur and being successful at it can sometimes seem like an insurmountable task. To feel some semblance of success, you have to go against those feelings that tell you you’re not good enough, no one’s interested, or the dreaded “IT WON’T WORK” tape that plays over and over in our head.
This podcast is my way of helping you prepare your mind for the success headed your way.
3 Reasons You shouldn’t Care What Others Think, It’s Your Brand
This is definitely not a case of the little boy who cried wolf.
In the story of the little boy who cried wolf, the towns people stopped coming because the little boy was purposely making false claims about the sheep being in danger. Just because you are taking a little longer to find your groove in building a successful business doesn’t mean you are crying wolf. Don’t allow naysayers to plant seed of doubt and ruin the dreams you have of building it big.
If you’ve ever felt the stares or heard the whispers of people hating on your talents, this podcast is for you. I’m sharing a secret that has fueled my entrepreneurial fire for a couple of years and helped motivate me to fight for, what I believed was, the vehicle in which to share my talents with the world.
You see, I no longer care if people think I’m nuts for testing the entrepreneurial waters a couple of times before I finally settled on the one that is most fulfilling and is allowing me to use my gifts.
CLICK THE PICTURE ABOVE TO LISTEN!
Then, read the partner post to this podcast and also, make sure to download a copy of this Emergen-C worksheet to formulate a plan to EMERGE Restored, Replenished and Fortified from these experiences once and for all.
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10 Strategic Marketing Habits That Keep You On Your Ps & Qs – BONUS
For the last two weeks I’ve shared my strategic marketing habits that keep you on your “p’s” & “q’s”. In our final edition of this series, I’m giving you a bonus! PRIORITIZE….
Recently, I interviewed a financial expert, Ms. Jillian Verdun-Gilbert. As the financial expert inside The Haute Society, I wanted to talk with her about the importance of maintaining healthy finances and the best way to do that while incorporating one’s productive preferences. One of the challenges she mentioned a lot of her clients having, was a lack of understanding for the financial basics.
PRIORITIZING is a good habit to form when building your brand. It’s important to know the basics of everything in order to understand the order in which EVERYTHING should be placed to achieve success. While building a brand that resonates with your audience, how do you know which comes first, the egg or the chicken?
I can’t answer that question for you, but I can give you a few helpful tips:
First: Know yourself. Know how you like to do things, what motivates you, and what discourages you and takes you off task.
Second: Create templates for activities you do frequently. This will make it easier for you to complete your tasks and ensure consistency in the finished product.
Finally: Prioritize your schedule to reflect the first two tips. While you are making your “to do” list or putting your tasks in your calendar, keep the following in mind:
- How do you like things to be done? Order your schedule in a way that gets you the most satisfaction at the end of your day (or the beginning, whichever floats your boat),
- What discourages you and could keep you from completing your tasks?
- What motivates you and can keep you on task or help you complete the items on your list faster? Some people need those dreaded items to be at the beginning of their schedule to get through them quicker. Doing the more pleasurable things towards the end of the day becomes the reward for completing the tasks you dislike. Just know which you prefer.
- How can you make it easier on yourself? Creating templates is helpful in prioritization. They keep you focused and are just another tool to use to further your success.
Prioritizing is a strategic marketing habit, the BONUS habit, because there is so much involved in building a successful business and the only way to get through it and maintain sanity is to know what needs to be done first and what can wait.
Have you reached a level in your business where you know your productive preferences well enough to confidently prioritize your tasks? Do you know what your productive preferences are? The Haute Society is a place to learn the answers to both questions. Are your pre-registered for enrollment notification? If not, now’s the time. Open enrollment is starting very soon. Follow where the link leads and get on the list TODAY!
10 Strategic Marketing Habits That’ll Keep You On Your “P’s” & “Q’s” PART 2
Last week we talked about the first five strategic marketing habits that would definitely keep you on your “P’s” & “Q’s”. I shared the definition of a value proposition we use here at Keep N It Haute, as well as why you need one and I concluded the post with how you could use it. This week I’m sharing the final 5 habits.
These habits aren’t necessarily instinctive in entrepreneurs, and in some cases, they are the hardest habits to master. For this reason, it’s not imperative that you master them, but it is important that you practice them. They say practice makes perfect and in this case, practice makes possible…achieving success that is. Practicing these habits or faking it ‘til you make it, is half the battle but it’s the half that wins the war.
Let’s dig right in, shall we. The first habit to keep you on your “P’s” & “Q’s” is being PROACTIVE. Don’t wait for the problem to arise, actively seek them out and solve them before they become a major issue in your business. This goes for areas like customer service, marketing, and your finances… Do everything in your power to ensure nothing falls between the cracks of your business. If you’ve ever participated in our Be The Brand VIRTUAL Bootcamp or our Be The Brand LIVE Workshop, you know what it means to use your replication of productive preferences as filters through which you run your brand decisions. If you haven’t, suffice it to say… once you understand how much of YOU is in your brand, you’ll have a governing source that helps you create policies & procedures which make being proactive a little easier.
Isn’t it interesting how brains work? Just this week, I was meeting with a potential client and she was telling me how she didn’t know if her current business model was the right one for her. She felt she had strayed from her original path. As I’m writing this blog post, I’m realizing the response I gave her brings me to the next habit. When you are clear about your niche and how you want to service it, it is easy to be PERSISTENT… You don’t have to spin your wheels trying to make the “wrong path” work, but instead you can capitalize on the opportunities that will most likely convert into a sale. You can be persistent! You know your product or service is meeting a need and you know you are the only one who can deliver that answer YOUR WAY. You can confidently pursue your consumer. The example I gave this potential client was this:
“Instead of paying for a vendor table just because one is being offered, be strategic and only pay for tables where you know your niche will be. This way, you’re not as consumed with making your money back in sales at the event (though you definitely want some), but instead you will (a.) connect with them, (b.) share when you typically run deals on the items they’re eyeing, (c.) add them to your email list (where you can make an even bigger sale later because it’s clear they want what you have to offer) and (d.) continue building rapport. This will most likely result in not only a higher sale, but also a loyal customer that refers friends.”
By doing all of this and adding them to the email list, she can be PERSISTENT! Get it? Now in this scenario, it is very important to know your niche. Not only who they are, but what they like, where they typically get their information, and most importantly…. How you can make yourself their super hero. This requires our next habit…. You should always be QUESTIONING the way you present your brand message to your consumer. Is it relatable? Does it meet a need? Does it peak interest? Does it provoke action? All great questions, but they are only the tip of the iceberg.
“Growth is a series of answered questions” ~Andrea Patrick – (your welcome, that’s an original…you’re welcome to use my quote where appropriate). The more information we have, the better decisions we make and the better our decisions, the more likely we are to achieving our goals. That said… question away!
Next on our list of the 10 strategic marketing habits to keep you on your “P’s” & “Q’s” is being POSITIVE. Positivity is often referred to as a “tape” that we play in our head. The problem is, the other side of that tape is negativity. That’s probably where most people find themselves. It’s hard to maintain your positivity when everything in your business seems to be crumbling at the exact same time.
The advice here is to STOP! LOOK! & LISTEN! The steps look like this:
- Stop the negative thoughts, words, actions IMMEDIATELY
- Look back from whence you’ve come and
- Listen to what you know to be true, thereby turning that tape over to the positive side.
Dark clouds have no place on a sunny day. As an entrepreneur, sometimes we have to find the silver lining and on those days where it doesn’t seem like one is there, practice this STOP, LOOK & LISTEN technique.
Our final habit, and in my opinion the most important, is to always pick QUALITY over quantity…. I learned a long time ago to value myself and what I bring to the table. If I’m careful to bring my A-Game, then by golly, I want quality from others. Don’t settle for anything but the best and that goes for the people with whom you partner, the clients with whom you choose to work, the events you attend, the people with whom you associate, the networking groups you join, the collaborations you agree too, and so on and so on… Surround yourself with like-minded people. Preferring quality over quantity means sometimes leaving the money on the table, but like Dr. Phil says… “If you do the deal for the money, you’ll earn every penny”. True, when I’ve heard him say this it’s in reference to marriages, but I think you see the parallel…
Developing strategic marketing plans will sometimes be difficult, but hopefully you will start practicing some of these habits and find your plans will get easier and easier as time goes by.
If you are still a little shaky, help is on the way. As you know, we are almost ready to launch The Haute Society and if you are struggling with developing strategies for you brand it’s in your best interest to find out a little more about everything The Haute Society has to offer. To be notified about open enrollment, click the link below:
10 Strategic Marketing Habits That Will Keep You on Your “P’s” & “Q’s”
Before we get to that list….What’s your value proposition? Do you know what a value proposition is? Have you discovered yours? These are questions you’ll be able to answer after reading this post. It covers what a value proposition is, why you need one, and how to use it once you’ve discovered it.
WHAT IS A VALUE PROPOSITION?
The official definition of a value proposition is an innovation, service, or feature intended to make a company or product attractive to customers. The Keep N It Haute, Be the Brand version is “What makes you a SUPER HERO to your niche”. Regardless of whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned business owner, now is the time to get clear about your super powers.
SO…..
WHY DO YOU NEED ONE?
When asked her opinion about small businesses most challenging area, my good friend Chica Pennix-Brown, a strategic marketing and social media guru, pointed to the area of marketing. During our recent interview she talks about the importance of resonating with your audience. Being a super hero to your niche means giving your tribe exactly what they need the way they need it (but in an authentic way). If they can relate to you and your message, the odds of them choosing you over your competitors is much higher. The point Chisa made about the value of FREE was sooo important, especially when you’re creating an event or promotional campaign. Discovering your value proposition, sharing your experiences and how you’ve either developed solutions or found ways to overcome challenges is how you connect with your audience and it’s what makes you their super hero.
AND…
HOW TO USE IT
Now we can get to that list… When you understand what makes you a super hero to your niche, you’re much more (1) POWERFUL. Knowing your strengths and capitalizing on them to grow your business is powerful. Promoting yourself and your brand strategically means showcasing what you have to offer from a position of power. That said, you also need (2) PATIENCE. Building a brand reputation takes time and once your message resonates with your audience it may still take a little time to get the response you’re looking for. On average, it can take seven times of exposure before there’s a decision to make a purchase so schedule your campaigns accordingly. When you know what makes you a super hero to your niche, you can be much more (3) PERSUASIVE in your marketing. You know what your consumers struggle with because you’ve developed a business to help them overcome it. Now it’s a matter of sharing your solutions in a way that not only peaks interest, but also evokes an emotional response from a relatable message.
Next on our list of “Ps” & “Q’s” is knowing when to be (4) QUIET. When you know your value proposition, you don’t have to toot your own horn. I recently read a quote that said “Great leaders don’t need to act tough. Their confidence and humility serve to underscore their toughness”. Stand tall in your confidence; it makes it easier for your desired audience to find you. It’s not always necessary to be the loudest or flashiest to get the business, instead, let your reputation, referrals and results speak for you.
(5) PRODUCTIVITY is another way discovering (re-discovering) your value proposition can be used. When you’re clear about your super powers, you don’t waste time on things that don’t fall into the super power category and delegation becomes your friend. Early in my business (and sometimes, even now) I would waste time doing tasks that were outside of my proverbial wheelhouse and I felt like I was chasing my tail. What happened next was my confidence would decrease and I would second guess myself much more often than normal. I became a complainer instead of a motivator. Have you ever felt like this? If so, that brings us right back to the reason for this post…Habits for strategic marketing. I believe the first step to overcoming decreased confidence is to discover your SUPER POWER…your value proposition…
Well, that was 5 of our 10 habits. If you’d like to receive the other 5 items on my list of “P’s” & “Q’s”, subscribe to our email list. Click the button below and they’ll come directly to your inbox the minute they post.
3 Steps To Strategy Creation & How It Relates to Your Personal Brand
How many times have you heard “Create a strategic marketing plan” and think to yourself, ”Check, got that”? Well, I ask you… Do you? Do you really? I’m only asking because in recent weeks while working with my clients to create a personal brand that resonates with their audience, I’m not seeing that as the case. Time and time again, clients are unable to clearly explain (if they even have an explanation at all) the purpose of the marketing they ARE doing. I get answers like, “well, I just want people to come to my event” or “I am trying to sell my service” or “Well, I need more people visiting my website”. While these are all great GOALS, there isn’t a strategy in either one.
A strategy is a plan of action or policy designed to achieve a major or overall aim. Wanting something really, really bad isn’t enough to guarantee your victory. A plan of action is needed. Michael Porter, a professor at the Institute of Strategy and Competitiveness at Harvard Business School, said: “A sound strategy starts with having the right goal”. My clients had goals, a good start, but not a strategy or plan of action to get there.
Another issue I’ve found (and I had this conversation with my husband) is the fact that people don’t seem to understand the difference between “A Strategy” and “Being Strategic”. Now that you know a GOAL isn’t a strategy, let me suggest to you,” being strategic” is more than just a plan…It’s putting you plan into action. Actively considering the best path to achieve the desired result FROM the plan…It’s actually allocating resources to pursue the strategy…
Now that we have the preliminaries out of the way, let’s get to the meat of this post. I want to leave you with, what I consider to be valuable tips…There are two tips we will cover (one this week and one in next Tuesday’s blog post).
They are:
- 3 STEPS TO STRATEGY CREATION &
- 3 STEPS TO BEING STRATEGIC
This week, let’s look at my
3 STEPS TO STRATEGY CREATION:
- Understand your circumstances – The whole reason you’re contemplating a strategy in the first place is because something needs to change. You either need to do something better, do something different, or stop doing something altogether. Before you create a strategy, doesn’t it stand to reason you should understand the need for change?
- Trim the Fat – I’ve found simple is best, get down to “brass tax”. When creating a strategy, think about the simplest way to achieve your goal, get the most bang for your marketing buck and then build out your plan as necessary. It’s much easier to see your path to success if you aren’t distracted by the unnecessary fluff. The value of creating your personal brand is understanding what works for you and what doesn’t, defining your brand identity, and having clarity when creating your strategies.
This brings me to my last step to strategy creation…
- Stay true to your brand identity – When you first begin to create strategies for your business, you may be attracted to the marketing strategy of someone you admire. This is a great way to identify tools and platforms, but you have to be careful to maintain YOUR authentic voice. Imitation may be the highest form of flattery, but it could also be what’s keeping you from seeing the ROI you’ve been longing for in your business. My advice is to get clear on your message and your value proposition. Doing so will help you craft a marketing strategy that attracts your ideal client and increase conversions.
So let me ask you, do you need to get clear on creating the right marketing strategies for your brand? Don’t continue to do the same thing expecting a different result. Stop the madness! Get clear on your brand identity and create an authentic brand message that makes planning your marketing campaigns easier. Find out more with a 30 Minute FREE Personal Branding Consultation. Book yours today!
The 3 “Must Cover” Areas of a Personal Branding Audit
The keys to a personal brand that converts and engages is transparency, accountability and authenticity. Consumer now longer are convinced by pretty logos and the letters “Inc.” or “LLC” behind the name of a company. They are looking for connections. People need that special something that helps them justify the cost, the time, or the effort involved in doing business with you. You aren’t the only rodeo in town so you have to give them something they can hold on to, relate to, and/or be enthusiastic about. Do you have it?
Creating a personal brand is more about YOU than anything else. Yes, by creating one you are opening yourself up to some criticism, but you are also opening up to the positive feedback that brings success. In an attempt to help you get started with the process of being more transparent, accountable and authentic, I want you to do an “internal Personal Branding audit“.
This audit consists of 3 areas imperative to the authenticity of your brands identity and message:
- 1. YOU: The first area that must be covered is you. In order to present any level of transparency, you have to know what others are going to see. What you WANT others to see. Yes, authentic means the REAL you but you don’t have to expose EVERYTHING about yourself. Here is where you have to discover your passion and why you do the things you do. What is it about you that drives you to want to solve the needs of your consumer. What is your “WHY”?
- 2. YOUR NON-NEGOTIABLES: The next area is a product of the first area. In identifying your “WHY” it will inevitably uncover behaviors and circumstances you don’t want to find yourself or your brand in (or around) while conducting your business. The great part about the first area is you come out feeling confident in yourself and what you have to offer, so saying “No” becomes easier and easier. You resist the urge to explain it. It begins to stand alone as a complete sentence.
The last area of the personal branding internal audit is:
- 3. YOUR UNIQUENESS: As I said earlier, consumers want transparency, accountability and authenticity but they also want to justify doing business with you. You have to give them something to work with. You are the only one in the world like you. Here, you need to tap into what it is that makes you the ONLY choice your consumer can make. Often in coaching other entrepreneurs, I find a propensity to cast a “wide net”, so to speak, with regard to marketing efforts. Once you discover your true value proposition, devise a strategy that includes uniquely expressed brand messaging (your “WHY”), you become a big fish in a small pond to your consumer. Attracting those who truly want it the way you’re giving it will rise to the top like dumplings.
Are you ready to do your Personal Branding Internal Audit? Take advantage of our FREE 30 Minute Coaching Session TODAY! READ ALL ABOUT IT HERE
Is Your Personal Brand In A State of “Emergen-C”?
I recently saw a commercial for Emergen-C, a dietary supplement for occasional sleeplessness. There motto is “Emerge and see… Emerge Restored, Emerge Replenished, Emerge Fortified”. I couldn’t help but think of how applicable their motto is to an entrepreneurs Personal Branding process. Keep reading to see how REBRANDING also plays a role in this post.
First, let me share a story about how intimately acquainted I am with the rebranding processes. I’ve been criticized for “having too many businesses” or “changing my business to often”, but the reality is… The primary reason I started a business in the first place has not changed. Keep reading to see what I mean…
As I’ve mentioned many times, I received my degree in Marketing but what you may not know is this… due to circumstances out of my control, I wasn’t able to realize that dream (the way I originally intended). Instead, I was blessed with twin girls and I wouldn’t change THAT for the world. Since I couldn’t do what I planned, I did the next best thing. I started my first business, I was a hair stylist (beauty) – making men and women look fabulous. I had my own suite and built a clientele that I serviced for many years (or at least until the news of my 3rd daughter, Hannah came). Almost immediately after my daughter was born, I was whisked off to Kentucky (my husband got another job). It was a place where I knew no one (except someone I was introduced to via phone by a friend but had never met).
This is where the Rebranding begins:
I thought it would be a good time to reinvent myself so I started my first “fashion” business. I sold Premier Designs Jewelry. I knew I didn’t want to do hair in a new city, hence the need to rebrand, reinvent myself. Premier Designs started out as something to do in a new city to meet people and get out of the house but quickly became something I could build on and achieve another level of success. It was during this reinvention of me I further fell in love with seeing people achieve a more COMPLETE expression of their best self. It was wonderful, even after our return to Texas a year and a half later.
Fast forward to Rebranding #2:
After doing Premier Designs for six years, and reaching the second level of leadership, my desire to help people look and feel their best was further sparked but this time it brought me back to my first love, marketing. It was during one of those evening solicitation visits at my door, I met Monica. She and her children were raising money for a new non-profit that delivered mugs filled with goodies to rest homes in the area. We talked for a while and I was so impressed with their mission, I wanted to help. It was from this encounter, Butterfly Marketing Group was born. I started this business to work with small businesses and non-profits to help them reach their target audiences. I worked hard and helped my clients create marketing strategies that did just that. After a couple of years of “selling” the idea of marketing, I realized the demographic I WANTED to help either didn’t have the budget for my services or just didn’t understand the value of marketing. I had some wonderful clients, but after a while I felt something was missing. I needed to work on how to fit all of my skills into a neatly packaged business…
Curtains up, que the music… Rebranding #3 is starting:
I went back to the beauty and fashion industries… You see, I realized there was much more I could do with the knowledge I gained from Premier Designs Jewelry and started a business doing women’s consignment out of my home, Fashion Forward Consignment Boutique. I helped women create a polished look for a fraction of retail prices. As customers caught on to my ability to pull from my consignment and get them exactly what they were looking for without them having to spend the time doing it themselves grew, I was quickly able to transitioned my consignment business to a full-fledged styling business (Keep N It Haute).
It was shortly after starting Keep N It Haute I began to understand how important the internet was to my business. Before this time, I thought if I built a website, people would just come. I thought my friends would help me get my businesses off the ground and spread the word because they knew me and my abilities…..NOT! Yes, I got referrals, but this was the first time being good at something didn’t work to get the client, at least the volume I wanted. Until this point in my businesses, I thought I was okay because I always had a client and I knew I could make the sale if I could get in front of someone.
I went back to the drawing board and took some time to think things through. I REALLY thought about what I wanted, what I had to offer, and with whom I wanted to share it. I learned the importance of having the right brand message, a consistent brand identity, and an overall authentic brand.
I realized I’ve always wanted the SAME THING! Even when others thought I was flip flopping from one business to the next, I wasn’t. I was doing the same thing in different industries; I was TEACHING, BUILDING CONFIDENCE, AND BEAUTIFYING. My “Branding” changed (i.e. Fashion forward Consignment Boutique, Premier Designs Jewelry, Butterfly Marketing Group, and Keep N It Haute), but my “Personal Brand” never changed. In each of my businesses, I left the impression of someone who taught people how to build confidence with consistency and beautify either themselves or their businesses with authenticity.
That brings me back to my thought from the first paragraph of this blog post….The Emergen-C commercial.
Once you discover your TRUE REASON for being an entrepreneur and understand your replication of preferences that create an external expression of you, my definition for my term STYLE THREAD, you will emerge RESTORED, REPLENISHED, AND FORTIFIED.
Your faith in your ability to achieve your entrepreneurial goals will be RESTORED, the stagnant supply of marketing/promotional ideas will be REPLENISHED and your desire to share your talents with new customers will be FORTIFIED.
I know this post was a little lengthy, but that was on purpose. I want to reach the people who relate to my story. I’ve been there, done that and have a t-shirt and a button. If you’re a member of my haleluiah choir, obviously I can help. Click the link if you find yourself in an EMERGEN- C.
The Force Has Always Been With You…Tap Into Your Personal Power!
At the end of The Wizard of Oz Dorothy was told she always had the power to go home. All she had to do was click her heels three times and she would be safely at home with her family.
I want to suggest to you, YOU’VE ALWAYS HAD THE POWER to do what you’ve wanted to do…
I believe, based on tons of research and experience, there are three things you’ve always possessed that fuel your attempts to achieve your personal and professional goals.
Studies show communication is 55% non-verbal. What does that mean? To me, it says before you speak, you are analyzed and judged…assumptions are being made and opinions are being formed ABOUT YOU! Now, you tell me….does physical appearance, your personal style, and your confidence matter?
HERE’S WHAT I THINK:
YOUR LOOKS: are appreciated. I mean…yes, if you are an attractive person, you will get a few second glances. Unfortunately, people still base competence on ones physical appearance so it may get you in the door, but talent and intelligence is what keeps you there. What I want you to focus on here is maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Establishing a skin care routine, exercise routine, and good eating habits are ways to ensure you continue to LOOK good. It also demonstrates your attention to detail, a since of pride, and loyalty. If you are all these things TO YOURSELF, it is conceivable you would be to an employer, business associate, or customer…right?
YOUR STYLE: influences. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… your personal style SPEAKS A MESSAGE! You are perceived as professional, sophisticated, creative, etc.. all by the way you dress. Much like your physical appearance, you are projecting qualities about yourself and your ability to get the job done. You are more powerful when you know what that message is..You have to know what you want to say about yourself through your choice of clothing. What is it you want people looking at you to think, feel, or appreciate about you? The best way to figure this out is to begin to pay more attention to how people make you think/feel about them….Start to recognize what it is EXACTLY about their look that resonates with you and start to interpret that for your own style.
YOUR CONFIDENCE: motivates. When you look good, you feel good and when you feel good about how you look, your confidence grows exponentially! Do I need to go on? We all know what can be achieved when we have the confidence to go after what we want, right? That’s power!!! Use that confidence to propel you toward your success..
How do you feel? Do you feel more powerful? I hope so, because it’s been in you the whole time. Now go and use your power for good…
I want to hear all about it. Leave me a message about how you exercised your power to achieve your goals. I want to hear all about it!
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