Happy Holidays!
My Best Wishes to you
for a wonderful career
and beautiful life!
May 2011 be the year that propels your career
and business beyond your wildest dreams!!
Thank you for all your support during the year.
My gift to you this holiday season is “How to Be Happy for No Reason”, my radio interview with best-selling author Marci Shimoff.
This is the perfect time of year for gratitude and joy!
Warm wishes,
Bonnie
The Big Juicy Payoff
Our decision to buy a new car is often more about the status and sex appeal than transportation and functionality.
We can purchase a great looking pair of jeans any where, but we are more likely to choose a popular brand that has some status and recognition. The advertisements tell us we will be more attractive and appealing in these jeans and we believe it. We pay more money even if we can’t afford it, for the opportunity to wear these status symbols.
So what’s this all about?
It’s all about the emotional connection. The advertisers create an emotional benefit for you when you purchase and use their products; a big juicy payoff. You will be more attractive, sexy, respected, admired, etc. That’s the big payoff; not the specific features of the products themselves.
As entrepreneurs, we often make the mistake of focusing on the features and details of our products and services instead of the big emotional payoff. We don’t make the emotional connection between what we offer and what our customers need.
Think about your target audience. What is their need or their pain, and how does your product or service fulfill their need?
Making this emotional connection is the most powerful way to promote your business. Identify the big juicy payoff or emotional benefit and clearly communicate that to your prospects. You will grab their attention and win their business.
There can be a big payoff for you in more clients, more referrals and more money!
I’ve designed a 90-Day Intensive Program for Entrepreneurs that starts January 20th for entrepreneurs who are challenged promoting themselves and their business.
Is this you? Do you have a pitch that falls flat and doesn’t get you new clients? Do you freeze when asked to promote yourself at a networking event?
Start 2011 off with a big bang and learn how to overcome your barriers to self promotion, create a powerful message to attract more clients and business than you thought possible AND if you register before January 1st, you receive a special $700 discount.
Also, a very special bonus gift for the first 3 women to sign up: a FREE 60-minute consultation with PR expert, Lisa Elia, who will help you plan how to increase your visibility in 2011. This consultation is worth $500!!!
Check out the program now and invest in yourself and your business. Imagine feeling confident and comfortable selling your services! Register now and take advantage of the special discount and gifts.
Do You Want a Seat at the Table?
This past week I had the opportunity to not only attend the MA Conference for Women, but also to participate in a leadership panel about women and corporate board positions. My role on the panel was to speak about how women can promote themselves and increase their credibility and visibility so they can get a board appointment. It was a wonderful experience and I was pleasantly surprised how many women attended the panel discussion and had a keen interest in serving on either a non-profit or corporate board.
I sure that most of us are aware of the current studies that prove that having a diverse board (at least 30% women representation) contributes directly to a company’s performance. In fact, companies with more female representation, outperform companies don’t have women. This is critically important for companies to understand and implement, especially companies that wish to improve their bottom line (and who wouldn’t be interested in that?).
So what’s in it for women to serve on boards, non-profit or corporate?
There are many advantages. Board experience can offer you:
1. The opportunity to learn and apply new skills that you can add to your portfolio and resume.
2. The opportunity to network and leverage relationships with other board members who can potentially help you advance your career and broaden your influence.
3. The opportunity to give back to your community.
4. The opportunity to further develop and use your expertise.
5. The opportunity to create visibility and credibility around your personal brand.
6. The opportunity to build relationships that will bring you business.
7. The opportunity to be a part of a team that works together toward a common goal.
8. The opportunity to contribute your time and energy to a cause that you are passionate about.
In summary, a seat at the table can help you in your own career efforts. Board positions often help widen your web of influence and acquaint others with your expertise and talent. Other board members can be great connectors or influencers for new job opportunities.
If sitting on a board is one of your goals, it is important to learn how to communicate your value and to network strategically so others know what you can bring to the table. First of all, let people know you want to sit on a board. Once you verbalize your intent, people will connect you to others who can possibly help you achieve this goal. As opportunities surface, evaluate them carefully based on their expectations of your time, financial contribution, and if your skill set is a good match for their needs. Most importantly, evaluate the opportunity based on whether or not this particular board can help you reach your overall career goals. Who are the other board members? Are they potentially good connectors and influencers? Look at the opportunity strategically and focus not only what you can contribute, but what this commitment can do for you.
For women who are interested in advancing their careers, please check out the 90-Day Coaching Intensive for Managers starting in January. Learn how to communicate your value, develop your web of influence and successfully navigate the corporate environment.
I am offering early bird discounts and special bonus gifts for the first 3 women who sign up.
The program is limited to 10 women, so if you’re interested please register soon!
Dating, Mating, and Marriage Advice
First of all, let me set the record straight. I am not providing the advice here. This is hardly my area of expertise. That being said, last week I went into New York City with a girl friend to see the off Broadway show, Miss Abigail’s Guide to Dating, Mating, and Marriage. It was hilarious.
Eve Plumb (you may remember her from her role as Jan in “The Brady Bunch”) played Miss Abigail, a middle aged women who’s specialty is giving advice to other women (and men) on how to attract, date, and marry the opposite sex. Her assistant, Paco, is at her side to help her every step in the way. He is obviously hopelessly in love with Abigail and she is so wrapped up in memories of her past love and giving advice to others that she hardly notices him.
The 90-minute show had us laughing out loud, not only at the interaction of Abigail and Paco, but at all the members of the audience who were dragged up on stage (hesitantly at first, but then enjoying every minute of it) to participate in some of the lessons on love.
What is the proper way to kiss? Do you know?
What is the best body language to attract a man? Do you know?
Well, you may think you know, but you haven’t heard the answers from Miss Abigail.
I am offering 4 FREE tickets to this fun filled show to the first woman who emails me.
And another bonus, you can also get discounts on tickets, by putting in the discount code DATING when you order.
Click here to order online.
Have You Asked for a Promotion?
According to Donald Asher, author of Who Gets Promoted, Who Doesn’t and Why, “Bosses assume that any employee who doesn’t ask for more is satisfied with his job.”
If this is accurate, which I suspect it is, why don’t we ask about opportunities to move up?
Our hesitancy to ask for a promotion is more than likely related to our overall fear of self promotion. When we contemplate asking for a promotion, that nagging voice in our head chimes in with, “Who do you think you are?”, “Do you really think you’re worthy of a promotion?” “Your boss will laugh at you!”, “Aren’t you full of yourself?”
Do any of these negative questions sound familiar to you?
It’s time to put aside the negative self talk and focus on your talent and what you bring to the table. Listening to the negative self talk is sabotaging your career and can very well stand between you and a promotion.
Has it every dawned on you to be proactive and take control of your career?
Has it very occurred to you to ask for a promotion?
In preparation for a conversation with your boss, I recommend you do a bit of homework.
- Write out your value proposition and accomplishments.
- Describe how the work you do benefits the organization and your boss or department in particular.
- Make it clear in your request for a promotion that it has nothing to do with not liking your boss. State up front that you enjoy working with him/her and love the organization and are interested in new opportunities to rise to the next level.
- Ask for information about new opportunities and what, if anything, you need to do to move up. Determine if you need additional skills or if you need to enlist allies within the organization to support your promotion.
- Once you set your sights on a specific position, put a strategic action plan in place to communicate your value proposition to the key influencers and decision makers.
If advancing your career is what you want, you need to take action. Don’t assume that your boss knows that you are interested in moving up. Asking about new opportunities will lead to a dialogue about what is available and what you need to do to get promoted.
Join me for a free call, this Thursday, December 8th to help you communicate your value to others to get that promotion or get new clients. Using Benefit Language to Sell Your Way to Millions or Hit the Top Rung.
For more information and registration, click here.
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