5 Love Practices For Your Business

Love practices for your business?

Yes!

Love is the most powerful of emotions… we also know it as joy, passion, inspiration, connection, flow, beauty, creativity, and leadership.

We are literally yearning for more love in our businesses. We are tired of the same old sales letters and boring products that lack creative fire and beauty.

Love in your business makes your day feel full of joy. You are engaged and alive. You feel like you just resuscitated lives by helping make someone’s life better through your product or service. Love is that spontaneous flow of inspiration and ideas that you don’t know where it’s coming from, but you trust it for how awake and engaged you feel and the impact you can see you have on others.

Here are 5 ways you can consciously practice infusing love in your business:

1. Love Your Creativity – Freedom to creatively express yourself in your business is one of the highest values for most passionate entrepreneurs. If you find yourself nodding in agreement, then you want to make sure you schedule time for your creativity. As your business grows, it’s easy to lose touch with your creativity if you aren’t consciously giving it attention and time. Schedule creative retreat time each week to get out of your office. Spend some time journaling and mind mapping and reviewing what’s working in your business and where it needs to go. Then use some of that scheduled time to create the program, project or article ideas. Put your attention on what you want to grow!

2. Love Your Marketing - Let go of old stereotypes about marketing and what it means to market your business. These old-style limiting beliefs will just hold you back. Today’s marketing is all about creating relationships with your clients, potential clients, and potential collaborators. The more creative, fun and authentic you are, the better you’ll connect with your clients and grow your business. Successful marketing is also about having a generous mindset to help each other increase visibility and success. So… love your clients, love your colleagues… and focus on loving them in success. While you do, you’ll find you’ll be more successful too.

3. Love Your Money – Money loves being paid attention to. That means learning about money strategies, keeping your Quickbooks™ up-to-date, and knowing how much money you’ve spent and created. If you ignore money, then don’t be surprised if you aren’t making very much! Spend time nurturing your money and its flow in your business. Welcome sales into your business as a sign that you are getting your purpose (your love) into the world!

4. Love Your Life and Relationships – If you are like me, you started your business to have more freedom and flexibility in your life. So make sure that you build a business around your life, not the other way around. You want to love your life – your family, friends, hobbies, travel – whatever you love. Your personal joy is to make room and time in your life and let your business support your life.

5. Love Yourself – As your business grows, you’ll keep running up against your upper limits of success. Those beliefs that will limit how much joy you’ll allow into your business as far as money, success, recognition, great clients and enjoyment. Be aware that everyone hits upper limits of how much success they’ll allow into their businesses (think lottery winners who lose all their winnings within two years). You have to love yourself enough to allow the success in.

Where in your business can do you need to make room for the love? Which area do you need to start with first?

En-joy

Laura

If you would like to use this article in your newsletter or blog please feel free to do as long as you include our credit information: Written by Laura Howard West, Center for Joyful Business, http:/www.joyfulbusiness.com I would also appreciate it if you'd send us a copy for our media files. ©Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.

Laura West is an award-winning online entrepreneur and president of The Center for Joyful Business. If you are ready to shift your marketing and mindset for more success with joy and ease, get your free report: Business Attraction Success Kit

Inspiration for Today’s Woman

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What You Need to Breakthrough to the Next Revenue Level in Your Passion-Based Business

You’re a passion-based entrepreneur, which means you’ve created a business you love, that feeds your soul, fuels your passion, and gives life to your purpose.

And for that business to be viable – to *really* make a difference – it – and you – needs to be profitable. What most entrepreneurs don’t understand is that there are revenue plateaus. You reach a certain level. You stay at that level.

At any level you can’t keep doing the same things you’ve been doing and expect to double your sales results. There are only so many hours in the day.

Here are some of the revenue levels, as well as their breakthrough points, that I’ve worked my own business and my clients through.

$25,000 Breakthrough – You are at a choice point. Is this a hobby or a business? You have to choose to truly be in business. Which means it’s time to attract more clients. Decide that you do want more clients and are willing to put yourself out there to increase your visibility through a website, blog, writing and speaking. Then, you claim your clients and step into the next level.

$50,000 Breakthrough – Not only do you have a breakthrough to work beyond, but you are also at a choicepoint. To break through this level, you have to decide that, in fact, you are not just in business as a coach, consultant, speaker, author or whatever your service is, but that you are a business OWNER. There is a mind shift that happens when you decide to be a business owner delivering your particular services. You stop running your business haphazardly. You make different decisions. You market your business at a new, deeper, committed level. You also have to trust that you can still enjoy your business, even as it grows into a “real” business.

$100,000 Breakthrough – This is a big one for many business owners – it’s that place where you know you are a business owner (see the previous breakthrough), and seems to be the point at which you really feel legitimate – breaking through six figures. This means that you have to move from delivering your services hourly to creating and offering packages of your services.

You shift how you spend your time. You apply more of your creativity to marketing - building your visibility and credibility within your tribe. To shift into six figures, you need to start hiring more team members so that they can take care of your behind-the-scenes to-do’s, and you can be out there developing relationships, creating new programs and content, and delivering your services.

Here is where you realize that systems = freedom. Implementing systems, procedures, and checklists for your team will make things go more smoothly, which is where you get to be free to create, attract, and connect. Here you have to let go of those things *you* can do but that aren’t your genius. Having other team members do what’s important (and doesn’t need you personally doing it) is what will move your business forward.

$250,000 Breakthrough – First of all, at this level and beyond, self-care becomes non-negotiable. Your business won’t grow if you aren’t taking care of yourself and you are stressed and tired. To grow your business bigger--reach more people, have more clients go through your programs, launch bigger programs--you have to do things differently. There aren’t more hours in the day to expand your business – it’s about doing things more efficiently and effectively. It’s also about letting go of control so that you can let your business grow. Any money issues or limited beliefs about how much you can charge, how much money you can make, or how having more success will change your life or impact your family need to be shifted into supportive and empowering beliefs. This is a time for strong, clear boundaries to protect your creative time and your life enjoyment time. To more than double your income at this l evel, you’ll need to reexamine your systems, teams, pricing, packages and your time to see what needs to change, shift or be let go of so you can reach more people, attract more visibility and make more money.

What’s interesting about these breakthroughs is that it’s not necessarily about creating more products, programs, or services, although that’s certainly part of it. It’s really more about the limiting beliefs you have to change and the mind shifts you have to work through.

What do you need to break through in order to get to your next desired revenue level?

En-joy

Laura 

If you would like to use this article in your newsletter or blog please feel free to do as long as you include our credit information: Written by Laura Howard West, Center for Joyful Business, http:/www.joyfulbusiness.com I would also appreciate it if you'd send us a copy for our media files. ©Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.

Shift Your Energy for More Joy & Success in Your Business

I am so excited to share with you that I recently spoke with Velam Gallant the Queen of Joy, on Welcome Changes Radio! Velma is an author, speaker, teacher, and healer.  As the host of “Welcome Changes Radio," she has interviewed over 100 personal growth and development experts.

We really enjoyed discussing how to Shift Your Energy for More Joy & Success in Your Business. We talked about how I went from the highly intense and stressful corporate world to my Joyful Business today. I even shared the 4 C's for a successful business, one of the many tools from the Joyful Business Guide!

Listen in here and join Velma and I so you can begin to achieve more Joy and Success in your business! 

En - Joy

Laura

6 Ways to Make More Money While Changing Lives In A Bigger Way

As a passionate entrepreneur, I know you want to get your work out into the world in a bigger way. You also want to make great money so you can reinvest and keep growing your business to reach more people and, of course, to support a life and family you love.

To move into “growth mode” in your business, it’s important to start looking at what you will do differently. If you want to make more money – you can’t just work more hours and do more of the same. There’s a limit to how many hours in the day your energy will support.

Even when your intention is to make more money, it’s not just about the money. (I keep getting reminded of Cuba Gooding Jr.’s line in Jerry Maguire – “Show me the money!”) It’s also about your passion. Of course, you don’t want to work hour after hour just for the money. You want your work to be an expression of your deepest self; you want to inspire others and change their lives while adding to your own full joy – which includes making great money to support your life!

By shifting from hourly services to creating packages and programs for your clients, you will be able to serve them in a bigger way by including experiences, products, knowledge and inspiration in whole new ways – that they will be willing to pay for!

Here are six ways to shift from hourly services to leveraging your time, knowledge, and expertise into bigger money making programs – which, by the way, will change your clients’ lives in an even bigger way than when they came to you for a few hours at a time.

1.    Create Packages of Your Time – This is the first step in moving from an hourly consulting or coaching business model. You create package options that bundle your time into bigger commitments. Of course, you know that you’ll get better results when you have the opportunity to work with a client over time. It takes time to apply new strategies, concepts or advice. If you’re a coach, imagine moving from charging $400 a month to offering 6-month and 12-month packages. You’ll attract clients who are more committed and, therefore, will experience even greater results in working with you. They’re playing bigger, which means their results are bigger. It’s truly a win-win for all.

2.    VIP Day – Some potential clients want to get it all done at one time. They don’t want to learn what you have to share with them over time – they want a more intense or immersive experience. A VIP Day is an opportunity to work with a client for an entire day. This builds up momentum and focus. You will be amazed at how much they will accomplish when you have a big chunk of time dedicated to their success. Depending on your industry and experience, you can add VIP Days from $1,000 to $25,000 a day. Just one VIP Day experience each month can substantially add to your revenue for the year.

3.    Virtual Retreat – This is a great program for those who prefer not to travel, either because of the effort or the expense, or maybe they have family responsibilities, which would make taking time away to travel more of a burden. You can offer a 3-to-5-hour intensive meeting over the phone where you focus exclusively on them. You’ll take breaks along the way and send them off to do work and come back and check in. This is an easy way to pump up your revenue, and to offer a powerful and impactful program with very little expense on your part. You can also add a webinar, or webcam to make this even more robust. I have a Platinum client who is an image consultant, and she uses the web cam to have clients scan pictures in their virtual consultation.

4.    Strategy Sessions – Often when you start your service-type businesses, you offer free consultations. As you get experience, you can then offer hour-long strategy sessions on a specific topic. These are highly leveraged, hour-focused sessions where you give tremendous value, and your clients get to experience what it’s like to work with you. As an example, I offer a $597 Intuitive Business Consultation. It’s fast-paced, intensely concentrated time on a particular marketing strategy or business issue. I even record it, which is helpful since we focus and get on a brainstorm roll. They can always come back to the audio.

The idea behind the strategy session is that clients will then see their ideas come to life, get an experience of working with you, and will feel ready to commit to a bigger package with you. This session isn’t a sales session though – it’s very valuable on its own. It’s ver y compelling and they are sure to want more!

5.    Group Platinum Program – “Platinum” has a distinction of meaning high quality, premium, and special. With a Platinum Program, you put together a menu of products, experiences, coaching, and training to create a valuable supportive and transformative experience. Platinum clients may get individual time with you, along with valuable masterminding from the highly select members of the group. A group program like this is leveraged on your time – meaning you can serve more people in less time.

You don’t have to deliver all the information or coaching in this type of program. You just happen to be the one who pulls together all the support they need: products from other experts, additional audios or training programs you’ve created on specific topics, retreat time away from their office to focus on their life or business, and even providing time with other experts. As an example, one of my platinum group programs includes time with an image consultant because my clients are stepping into bigger visibility and credibility, which requires more confidence inside and out. They love that I have found an expert in this area whom they can automatically trust and who understands their businesses. They trust me to recommend the best, and it saves them time and frustration.

6.    Private Platinum Program – A certain number of your clients want a premium experience with you. Creating a Platinum Program for individuals is powerful for the client because you put together the ultimate experience for what they need to be successful in their businesses or lives.

This can include private time with you where your client flies in for a custom-created retreat, or you may meet at a spa, golf location or my favorite - an oceanfront resort hotel.

These programs can easily add tens of thousands or even six-figures to your business. They also attract higher quality and more committed clients. This means they get better results, and so do you!

And don’t forget… you’re helping your clients step into their bigger selves, at the same time as are you. You’re helping them bring their full gifts to the world, which is what your passionate business is all about.

Which program strategy will you choose to step into first? What do you need to know or do? Who do you need to be to put this program out to your list of fans? What support do you need to make this transition of stepping into “growth mode” in your business easier?What will you do differently next year?

En-joy!

Laura

If you would like to use this article in your newsletter or blog please feel free to do as long as you include our credit information: Written by Laura Howard West, Center for Joyful Business, http:/www.joyfulbusiness.com I would also appreciate it if you'd send us a copy for our media files. ©Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Laura West is an award-winning online entrepreneur and president of The Center for Joyful Business. If you are ready to shift your marketing and mindset for more success with joy and ease, get your free report: Business Attraction Success Kit