Debra Kasowski

Is Work-Life Balance Possible for The Entrepreneurial Mom?

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Courtesy of Ambro/freedigitalphotos.net
Courtesy of Ambro/freedigitalphotos.net

Work life balance. I have heard many people scoff at the term is as they believe there is no such thing.

They often tell me,  “Not in my life anyway.” I simply smile because I know that we all  make choices you the time we have. I have also learned that some of these choices that we make are not helping us get closer to the dreams we wish to achieve .

I believe that every  woman (moms included)  can achieve a sense of harmony doing the work that they do and in life they wish to create.

Considering that we all have the same amount of time, I have noticed that people spend a lot of time distracted by e-mail notifications, social media update and replies, chat conversations, and meetings that they really don’t need to be attending.

Time is a commodity.

Entrepreneurial women  are passionate about the work that they do . They are creative innovative individuals who want to make a difference with their products and services .   These women are often self proclaimed workaholics.

Although being a workaholic may seem productive  and profitable , it can be a detriment.

Work can become all-consuming and take over your life and your health – and even what matters – most your family.

The entrepreneurial mom focuses on what matters most while achieving her dreams .

Some of the tips and tricks for creating the harmony of work life balance  start with personal habits.

Take an inventory.  What is working ? What is not working ? What do you need to stop doing ?

Plan and prepare ahead.  You cannot skip this step!

Plan out your calendar of events for the next 4 to 6 months.  Make your family a priority by booking dates with your spouse or partner and each of your children individually.   What networking events do you plan to attend ? Mark them on the calendar.  Consider meal planning as well.

If you are familiar with the Pareto principle , you will learn that 80% of the results that you get will have to do with the 20% of time that you spend planning and preparing for your harvest.

Step out of your comfort zone.

Not stepping out of your comfort zone , is the number one thing that holds the entrepreneurial mom back from achieving their dreams.  They live their lives based on the fears of what ifs and guilt that they should have been doing something else to support their families .

This can be paralyzing – they just don’t know what to do.

I have been there and I have learned that reading books and listening to audios can help trigger thoughts and ideas but I learned that having accountability of a coach can make a big difference in having the support to take the next step.

Ask for the help you need and hire out what you can – involve your family members if you cannot take the step to hire out. Get them to takeout the trash, stamp the mail, run small errands, or clean the house so you can focus on what you need to do in order to reach your customers.

Make a choice to create a business and life that you love.

Embrace the concept of balance each day by creating habits that support your dreams.  After all, you are in charge!

 

Transform Your Business and Bottom Line in the Next 28 Days

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In the world of business, there are good books and then there are great books! I discovered a great book entitled, “Get Clients Now!” by C.J. Hayden.

Courtesy of ImageryMajestic/freedigitalphotos.net
Courtesy of ImageryMajestic/freedigitalphotos.net

Marketing is  one of the key pieces to being successful in business.

In this book, there are four simple action plans that can transform your business in the next 28 days. I know firsthand as a business coach that these small shifts are worth their weight in gold . The small shifts start with discovering what is holding you back from your ultimate success .

 When you discover your greatest fear,  you can challenge the fear and realize it wasn’t as big as you thought.

The 4 steps discussed in this book are :

  1.  Filling Your Pipeline
  2.  Following up
  3. Having Sales Conversations
  4. Closing Sales

If you feel that your business has hit a plateau or is not generating the income you would like it to have , you definitely want to take a look at where you are not giving 100% accountability to these four areas .  Why wait until your pipeline is dry to step out of your comfort zone and achieve what you want ?

The magic formula lies in the universal marketing cycle.  

Think about the ways you are filling your pipeline with clients.  How are you reaching out to them?  Remember your client is listening to , “What is in it for me ?” They do not want to hear about every accolade you have.   Yes it is important to share your successes and accomplishments with your followers , however , if the message is one-sided or not coming from a place of service – they will just tune you out .

They want to know that you are able to help them achieve the results that that they want. 

Take a look at your newsletter and ask yourself, if you are you writing it from the perspective of giving a hand up versus putting your hand out.

Follow-up tends to be one of the weakest links in the sales cycle. There was a time when I would feel weak in the stomach when it came to follow up and I would talk myself out of it due to the fear of rejection. I also learned that if I don’t follow up and offer to help someone achieve their dream with my knowledge and skill, I am robbing someone of the greatest gifts I can give.  If you if you can relate, imagine the impact you would have by not only helping one person achieve what they want but many.  This can also create a ripple effect.  Many of the people that you impact, will want to share their experience with others.

One of the greatest actions that you can take is having the sales conversation.  The actions can be as simple and asking for an appointment, sending  follow-up letter or email, or soliciting testimonials .  See a pattern here – everything is about relationship marketing and caring about people and what matters to them.

Finally, who could resist the topic of profits and closing more sales, especially if you  are running a business.  There are some people who are afraid to talk about wanting money in their business for fear of being labeled as materialistic or greedy . Businesses are meant to make money providing a solution to a clients problem or pain. If you are not making money , perhaps, you are dabbling in a hobby and not as serious about running your business and you say you are.

Build the relationships in your network and discover ways you can help others get to their goals.  The more you help others in the process, the more you will attract clients to your pipeline.

Go out and make a difference like I know you can!

3 Amazing Strategies to Create a Presentation People Will Remember

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Courtesy of Ambro/freedigitalphotos.net
Courtesy of Ambro/freedigitalphotos.net

You have probably heard the phrase, “They may not remember what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.”

The funny thing is many people have gone into presentations with fact, details, and numbers and unless those items are the most important pieces to your agenda your presentation will not be memorable.

When you are presentation making a , you are presenting yourself as a credible expert and sharing the message that is informative and perhaps even entertaining.

    •  Personal stories/examples.  Storytelling is the most powerful way to get a message across with the greatest impact.  People can relate to stories through their emotions and experiences.  Share some of your personal stories.  The best advice I can give you is live an exciting life. Testimonials or client success stories can share a beginning along with the transformation.   Not only is this exciting, it can stimulate the emotions of your audience and their want to know more about what you plan to say.
    •   Quotations.  Quotes and famous words can inspire and motivate. you can use these to share your interpretation and related it to your audience.  You may also leave your audience with a thought-provoking question or challenge related to the quotation.
    •  Collect information, articles, or quotes from books that intrigue you. Chances are if something has piqued your interest, it will pique the interest of others. Comparison and contrast examples can also be a very powerful way to get your message across.

Avoid clichés as they can be overused.

They can almost be like missing the punch line altogether.

Make your presentation memorable.

I know you can do it as you probably already share some of those stories with your family and friends.

Look for the lessons that you have learned and how you can teach others to achieve the same.

How has storytelling help you in getting your message across?

4 Surefire Ways to Get More Comments on Your Blog

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There are so many reasons that I love blogging but getting comments from other people really jazzes me up!

Courtesy of imagerymajestic/freedigitalphotos.net
Courtesy of imagerymajestic/freedigitalphotos.net

Your blog is what makes your website alive.

It is the one page on your website that is not static. This is the platform where you can build a community, share information, and engage with your followers. I find that blogging is one of the most underutilized platforms.

 Why?

Some people feel that they don’t want to be vulnerable and feel exposed.

I find that if you share your story in your style and  your way- you become relatable.

Blogging does not position you as being intimidating. it’s about developing your voice in a conversation just like you would be writing an e-mail or a letter to a friend.

There are several ways that you can start getting more comments for your compelling content:

  1.    Ask for comments –  Although this is the most obvious thing you can do, you do not want to make this request every post.

If you do not ask, how do you expect to receive?

2.  Share your blog posts with a close circle of friends.  Ask your friends to comment and give you feedback on the post and to share your post with others.  You may also do that for them in return.

3.  Take a stance – you may have a controversial opinion. I don’t know about you  but I do know when there’s controversy  –  many opinions seem to come out of the woodwork .

Why not let your voice be heard ?

4.   Become a guest blogger.  By becoming a guest blogger, you can share your content on another person’s platform and with their audience.  Be sure to include a bio at the end of your blog post with your website address  so that people will go to your website and check out your other blogs and comment.  There needs to be a call to action to build the relationship and serve in the process.

Blogging is a very powerful tool that I highly recommend to everyone. You need to develop your voice in the marketplace and blogging is an awesome way to do it.

Not only are you seen as a credible expert and leader in your field but you can be making an impact  globally every day.

I would love to hear what blogging has done for you -comment below.

Money and the Book Writer

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Guest Blog by Connie Dunn

connie_dunn-sm250People write books for a variety of reasons. In my classes (publishwithconnie.com), I ask my students to define what they want to get from writing their book. While logical thinking says, “book writers want money,” it isn’t the only reason people write books. Some of those reasons are: desire to show a parent or other important relative their accomplishment; to tell their story; gain notoriety or credential; or to help other people. Understanding the relationship with their book helps them understand their relationship with money.

 

The “starving artist” too often applies to book writers. However, when the writer understands what experience they want to have as a result of writing their book, they can better understand what monetary remuneration that they wish to have. Naturally, to make money, the writer also has to understand how to market their book.

 

Learning the details of marketing can be rather fun. The newest method of marketing includes creating a “Virtual Book Tour,” which includes writing articles for “guest blog” spots. This can be quite enjoyable. “Press Releases” are used to promote the “Tour,” and then, you will hopefully begin to make money.

 

Passive income, such as that from a book, allows you to make money while you sleep…and that’s the best sort of income to make! Do the work once, and continue making money. Every business person needs to include passive streams of income into their business plan. One of the easiest ways to do that is through book sales.

 

PR2If you have a business and you are writing a book to establish a passive stream of income, you may find that the process gets easier and easier. Some books, of course, are more valuable as “free” incentives. It is the wise professional who can determine which one is which. That wise person can also repeat the process of writing a book for the purpose of creating a passive stream of income. Success for most folks lies in their ability to create multiple streams of income.

 

Book writers, like almost everyone, have relationships with money. It just needs to take on the mindset of making loads of money fast or a steady stream vs drips of cash or dried up assets.

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Connie Dunn is taking a Virtual Book Tour promoting “Press Release Made Easy” (www.conniedunnbooks.com/books/press-releases-made-easy) visit her Blog at www.conniedunnbooks.com/blog/ or Events Page at www.conniedunnbooks.com/events/ . Follow Connie on her tour from July 1-21. On the 21st, a Trivia Quiz will be posted to her Blogl Prizes will be awarded for the first six people. For details see www.conniedunnbooks.com/events/trivia-contest/