What if you developed such a stellar reputation for delivering outstanding results that people lined up to work with you?

What if your clients were so thrilled with the service they got from you, they told everyone they could and referrals poured in?

How awesome would it be to create that kind of reputation in your market?!

It all starts with creating exceptional client experiences. Creating real results and a great experience is a win-win for you and your clients. You get a raving fan and the confidence that comes from a job well done. The client gets the result–the change–they came for. And by serving them well, you’ve made a difference in their life.

But it’s not always easy to guarantee long lasting results when you provide a service like coaching, consulting, training, speaking, or advising. So many other variables are at play in your client’s life (and often yours), including:

• Competing priorities and life’s many distractions
• Fear, doubt, resistance and the stories that hold people back from taking action
• Overwhelm, indecision and procrastination
• Unspoken (and often unmet) expectations in the relationship
• Lack of outside support within family, friends, community, etc…
• Lack of resources (financial, energy, people, skills, etc…) to take the required action

As service providers, you can’t avoid facing these issues (and many others) with clients. Even if you avoid them, they are there, often working at cross purposes to the goals both you and the client are working toward.

But the better you are at creating an overall client service EXPERIENCE that supports clients at multiple levels, the greater results your client’s will get (and the more referrals you’ll get!)

So what do I mean by creating an “experience”?

There are five areas to factor in and manage when providing a service to clients:

1. Environment
The environment you create—through your physical (or virtual) presence as well as policies, processes, systems and actions—can make a huge difference for the client. You want to structure your services in a way that showcases how firmly committed you are to providing the RESULT they hired you for. Think about how your enrollment processes, scheduling, meeting, and follow up approaches support the goal of creating a positive experience and a solid outcome for the client.

2. Expectations
Everyone comes into a new relationship with both spoken and unspoken expectations. The better you are at uncovering and addressing the hidden expectations, the better the relationship will go. For example, many people hire a coach or consultant to work on a specific goal. But they probably also have an unspoken expectation that the coach or consultant take the lead in some way.

If you understand that on some level, the client is asking you to lead—lead the process, lead them through their own resistance, take a stand for them—you can step into that place with confidence. The client might not be able to express this directly but they will definitely know it when they experience it (or not).

3. Energy
There is a natural rhythm and flow that people go through when taking on big goals and making changes. Typically they start out hopeful, excited and very motivated. There’s immediate gain because of that initial upswing in energy. Then, at some point the client hits a plateau. The breakthroughs aren’t coming as quickly. The energy they had isn’t as high. The work is more challenging. Other distractions and priorities vie for their attention and time, which usually leads to a ‘dip’. They wonder if this is going to work. Resistance kicks in. But on the other side of the dip is often a surge in energy, breakthroughs and results.

When you understand the natural energy rhythm in your work and prepare the client for the likely stages, you will have a far lower check-out rate, far fewer complaints and frustrations. Clients will experience smoother sailing through the tough spots of the process—which means a better success rate and true results.

4. Emotion
Emotions are tied closely to the energy flow. When people are paying for a service—especially if it’s a service that involves making some sort of life change—they will experience a whole host of emotions throughout the process. Hope. Excitement. Fear. Disappointment. Frustration. Confusion. Overwhelm. Motivation. Flow. Peace. Stress. Doubt. Accomplishment . Pride.

It’s important to recognize and normalize the common emotions of fear, doubt, resistance, breakthroughs, breakdowns, plateaus and anything else you see as typical in your work. Clients need to hear that they are ‘on track’ and that they can handle any feeling that comes their way. Without this validation they are likely to assume that negative feelings are signs something is wrong—with them, with you, with the process, whatever—and quite likely quit working with you.

5. Expertise
The client is ultimately hiring you for your skills, knowledge, process and expertise. But I put this one last on purpose. You see, too many service professionals get so wrapped up in their content, their credentials, their expertise that they overlook the other four areas. It’s important that you be skilled, knowledgeable and talented. But if you are ONLY that—without being adept at managing the other aspects of the overall client experience, you won’t get the raving fans, the results or the referrals.

The most important thing I can leave you with is this: you are responsible to provide an experience that is in service of the outcome the client is paying you for. That doesn’t mean you take on FULL responsibility for their results. In most cases the client is ultimately responsible for the result because achieving it depends on the actions they take. But when you honor the relationship by handling the environment, expectations, energy and emotions along with providing your expertise you will become known for your exceptional level of service and results.

I’ve had several conversations with my clients about their business model. There seems to be a lot of misinformation in the coaching, consulting and expertise market about how to build a business capable of making a big impact and big income without sacrificing your freedom, time or talents.

So here’s the deal. There is no one RIGHT WAY to build a successful expertise based business. But there is definitely a way that’ RIGHT for you.

Simply put, your business model is how you deliver value and get paid for it. It’s how you make money and serve your clients and customers. It’s also how you can stand out in a crowded marketplace—by having a model that delivers results in a way that’s authentic and true to who you are.

In any industry there are multiple business models. And that’s a good thing. It allows the companies to leverage their unique strengths and position themselves in the market. It gives customers choice and it creates more opportunities. If everyone in a market had the same business model it would be a lose-lose proposition. The businesses would lose out, the customers would lose out and money would be left on the table.

Your business model is, in fact, one of the single most important strategic decisions you will make. And far too many service providers and experts leave it to chance. Or they attempt to do what their mentor or their colleagues are doing—only to wonder why it isn’t working for them.

So, how do you choose a business model that’s right for you? There are so many options—from memberships and associations to multiple streams to info marketing funnels to premium pricing—it’s tough to know what to do.

The most successful business models are a strategic match between who you are, what you are naturally gifted at, who your clients are, and what they value. When you understand how to position your skills and talents with what your clients want and HOW they want to receive it, you will be successful.

It starts with these 7 questions:

1. Who is your just right client?
2. What do they value? (what will they pay for?)
3. What space do you naturally occupy in their minds? (why do they choose to buy from you?)
4. How do your just right clients like to receive your services/value?
5. What “stand” do you take for your clients—what is your mission?
6. What are your natural strengths and talents?
7. What are your goals (personal and business) and priorities?

In a previous blog post I shared “Why they Buy” so check that out if you’re not sure what people are buying from you. Because this is critical to understand when choosing your business model. If you deliver your service in a way the customer wants it they will buy. If you over look this piece, they will keep shopping.

So before you jump on the next ‘blueprint’ bandwagon, make sure you’ve carefully assessed these key factors and are confident that the business model you are trying to implement is a perfect match for you, your lifestyle, your customers and your mission.

I’m going to be talking more about how to choose the right business model and your Signature Advantage positioning in future articles and classes…so stay tuned.

I admit it. I’m a summer slacker. And I’m done feeling guilty about it.

I live in a state with long winters, so when the sun is out and the heat is on, I want to soak it up. My son and I both have birthdays in the summer so we celebrate with ice cream at DQ. There’s fourth of July fireworks to see, fireflies to catch, and parties to attend. We vacation ‘up north’, play at the beach (the picture at right is at one of my favorite Lake Michigan spots), and hang by the pool. I fuss in the yard, grow my own vegetables, try new recipes. I shop the farmers market. We go to concerts in the park and stroll through art fairs. We enjoy cookouts with friends. I visit with my mom, we sit in the sun, I hold her hand and enjoy a few peaceful moments without thinking about her stroke or the nursing home or medical issues. We ride bikes and go on treasure hunts. I sleep in and stay up late reading fiction books and fashion magazines. My husband and I go out to dinner to places with outdoor patios, and people watch. I make a list of projects to complete–but rarely do. I love summer.

Yes, I work a little. I see private clients. I do a few VIP days and strategy sessions. I write a few times a month. I brainstorm. I play with new ideas. I put a strategy together for the fall and into the New Year. I occasionally check in on Facebook and Twitter and connect with my mastermind buddies. But mostly, I slack. I relax. I restore. I soak in summer and life and leisure. And I’m ok with that. It’s EXACTLY the reason I chose this path instead of staying in my six figure corporate job. Freedom. Flexibility. Time with my kids. THIS is my idea of a lifestyle business. But I used to feel so guilty about it. I didn’t want anyone to know my little secret. I worried it meant I wasn’t a ’serious business woman’ or I wasn’t committed to my goals of growth and impact. I worried about what people would think if they knew how non-productive I could be.

I’ve finally shed the guilt and I’m coming out of hiding. I’ve realized that even when I slack–and maybe BECAUSE I do–it all turns out just fine. My business doesn’t spontaneously combust. My interest level and my creativity don’t disappear (in fact they get clearer, stronger and more focused). And before I know it, fall is here and I’m in high gear again. Its just part of my natural rhythm and it’s ok to roll with it rather than resist and judge it.

In fact, I’m realizing ways I can redesign my business to support this lifestyle and rhythm even more fully. What about you?

What if you let yourself off the hook a little? What if you built some slack time into your plans and just did what you wanted to do? What if you gave yourself full permission to design your business to support the life you really want–rather than staying tied to a notion of how you ’should be’ working? What if you said goodbye to the guilt and embraced your inner-slacker?

I’ll be here sitting in the sun and cheering you on!

Question for you: What is an easy and effective way to:

• Increase client confidence in their decision to work with you?
• Get better, more lasting results from your work?
• Preserve your energy and focus for the mission critical parts of your work?
• Boost the perceived value of your service?
• Strengthen your ability to handle sticky client situations with ease and grace?

Answer: Service Policies.

(I know…not a very fun topic! But bear with me…this is really important stuff!)

Having and communicating really clear business policies can accomplish all that, and more. Yet many service based entrepreneurs resist having clear policies. They don’t want to appear ‘strict’ or inflexible. They want to be helpful and of service, not rigid and bureaucratic. For many, relationships are key and policies seem so impersonal. And, truthfully, they fear enforcing policies will lead to conflict with a valued client.

But the truth is, well crafted policies are just as important to the overall client experience—and results—as is your content and skill. They are a critical part of the way you deliver your expertise and service. In fact, policies create a solid foundation upon which your business can grow and serve more clients. They put decisions on auto-pilot so you can focus on your mission critical work. They give clients clarity and confidence that you know what you’re doing, and are taking care of business. They demonstrate the stand you take in your business—for the client, for their experience and for the results you have promised, not to mention for your own sanity and well being!

Here are the Top 5 Power Policies you must cover in your service agreements to ensure a great overall experience for you and your clients. (It’s important to note that you may end up having some variations of your policies across your different levels of service or products, so it can be really helpful to walk through this list for each program, product or service you sell.)

1. Payment Policies
How and when should payment be received? What forms of payments will you accept? Do you provide payment plans? What happens if payment is late, a check bounces or a credit card is declined? Do you give a discount for pre-payment? Do you charge more for payment plans?

2. Withdrawal or early termination of service
What is the duration of the contract or service agreement? What happens if a client wishes to end the agreement early? What happens if a client chooses to stop participating without giving you any indication? What is your policy for letting clients quit or leave a program? When would you support it and when would you hold them to their original commitment?

3. Guarantees/Returns/Refunds
Do you offer a guarantee of any kind? Often we’re told it helps in marketing—but you have to be sure that using this strategy makes sense in the overall delivery of the service. Clearly state the policy and procedure for when and how to request a refund, if you choose to offer them. Will you give full refunds? Prorated refunds? How will you calculate it? If the customer is returning a product, who will cover return shipping fees?

4. Cancellations and No Shows
If you work on an appointment basis, what is your policy for cancellations? Within what timeframe will you reschedule? And at what point is the appointment not going to be rescheduled? How many no-show’s will you accept and is it cause for terminating your agreement?

5. Time Frame of service
How long will you honor unused parts of the service or program? For example, if you give a client a specific number of private sessions as part of their package, at what point do they forfeit the sessions unused? If you offer a bonus, how long is that bonus good for? Are they good forever? Is there a specific frequency you expect clients to schedule with you or will unused time ‘rollover’ from month to month?

There is no clear cut answer to what is ‘right’ or best for each of these policies because your policies need to be congruent with your overall business strategy and the level of service. For example, if the service is an individual service you may allow more flexibility than if you are running a group program where you have to consider the overall experience of the group.

So here are a few important considerations to help you think through your strategic business policies:

1. Does the policy demonstrates that you take a powerful stand for the ultimate goal the client wants and is paying for?
2. Does the policy preserve your focus, energy and resources so you can be of maximum service (rather than mired in minor client administrative details)?
3. Does the policy simplify your ability to deliver on your promises and the client’s ability to receive results?
4. Does the policy reflect the level of professionalism and quality service clients have come to expect of your company?
5. Does the policy clearly communicate the standards and values you and your business hold dear?

With your service policies firmly in place, everyone—not the least of which you—knows exactly what to expect and can focus on creating great results. Your team can handle routine questions. Your clients respect your professionalism. You eliminate doubt and confusion. And you close off ‘loopholes’ which might allow a client to get less of a result than they came for.

I remember the exact moment I realized my “Plan B” was an illusion. I was talking to my husband about my then-struggling coaching practice. I had been in business as a coach for two years and had barely pulled a profit. I was frustrated, feeling like a failure and dreaming of getting a ‘real job’ where I could experience success again.

I told Mike “I will give this business one more year. By that time, both kids will be close to school age and if I’m still not profitable, I can go back and get a corporate job.” It sounded like a smart, solid plan. I felt certain he’d be 100% on board.

“Well, I don’t know how I feel about that” he said. “I don’t like the idea of our kids going into day care and latchkey. I like the way our family works when you have flexibility in your schedule. You know if you go back to corporate you’re not ever going to have that again. You’ll be back to 50+ hour weeks. Life will be a lot more stressful.”

Poof! In that moment I knew he was right and my “Plan B” was seen for what it was—an illusion. In my heart of hearts, I knew I was lying to us both if I thought I’d ever be happy in a corporate job again. It felt like the rug had been pulled out from under me. I had always been comforted by the thought ‘if this doesn’t work I can always get a job’ but I suddenly realized I was not going back to corporate life.

The blessing was that without my Plan B to lean on I became incredibly focused. I now had a singular purpose—to figure out how to make this business work for me and my family, and deliver great value to my clients. I couldn’t entertain the possibility of “it not working” anymore. Nothing motivates like that kind of clarity!

I’ve thought about my lack of a Plan B a lot lately. I’ve been hearing from some discouraged entrepreneurs wondering whether it might be time for Plan B—to get a JOB or to take on work they really don’t enjoy, or to run away to some deserted island! To help them get clear, I start by zeroing in on how they got here. I’ve learned that when passionate people start looking for a Plan B—an escape route—any combination of the following are happening:

1. Burn out.

Pushing hard, working crazy hours, trying anything and everything to get the business to grow, make a huge leap, and be profitable leads to burnout. Operate at the burnout level long enough and your body, your mind and your soul will crave anything that promises a reprieve—a job, running away to a deserted island—you name it.

2. Constantly saying ‘yes’ to things just to get by.

If the money isn’t rolling in the way we need or want, we get desperate. We lower our standards. We tolerate work or clients or situations that drain and discourage us. Sometimes we lower our prices or modify our services in the hopes of selling more. We start saying yes to just about anything to bring in a few bucks, and soon find that our passion for what we do is drained, and our financial situation isn’t much better. Plan B starts looking mighty attractive!

3. Focusing on the wrong tactics, strategies and priorities, at the wrong time.

This one is tricky. What’s right for one person isn’t necessarily right for you. And yet, in our deep desire to make this business work, we start looking for solutions. And what we look for, we find—in abundance. Solutions are everywhere, and before long we’ve invested in one solution after another with the promise that each will deliver us to our goal—a thriving business that gives us freedom to live our lives. But the problem starts when you choose an approach that is all wrong for you and your business, at least right now. For example, if cashflow is your number one priority, investing in creating a ‘passive’ info product is not the best use of your time—right now. You’d be better served putting together a mid to higher priced offering for a few key clients and getting your financial house in order before you invest months creating a low-profit margin product.

4. Broken Business Model

This is one I see all the time. Everything you do should strategically fit the business model you’ve chosen. But the truth is, most entrepreneurs aren’t exactly sure which business model they are building. And that leads to mismatched strategies, mismatched marketing, mismatched pricing, mismatched offers and so on. Nothing fits together just right. You feel like you have all the pieces, but you just can’t figure out how to pull them together in a way that works.

So is it time for a Plan B?

Well, you probably already know in your heart of hearts whether you are on the right path or not—even if it seems like it’s not coming together for you. But in case you need a few thought starters to help you figure it out, here are a couple of questions to play with.

1. What does Plan B represent to me? What ‘promise’ does it hold?

Perhaps your Plan B represents security, a steady paycheck, not having to work so dang hard, not having to stretch or risk. Get really clear with yourself what need is met by your Plan B.

2. What if I made it my top priority to spend 30% of my workweek dedicated to bringing more of that promise into my existing business and life? What would I be spending my time on?

3. Am I willing to do what it takes to make what I’m currently doing successful?

If you answer yes, some things are going to have to change. You may need to start saying NO to those tolerations. You may have to STOP working so hard and cut out low payoff activities that give you the illusion of accomplishment, but don’t move you forward. You may have to start making bigger, bolder moves toward your goal. You may need to ask for help.

More often than not, with careful thought and soul searching, we find that Plan B isn’t really what we need. And by admitting that we become more committed to purposeful, well planned action in creating the business impact and life that we know is possible.

One caveat/disclaimer*– I firmly believe that there are certain times where Plan B is NOT optional. If you are in financial crisis, if you can’t pay your housing, heat, food or vehicle costs you must take responsible action and be fully committed to Plan B or C or any plan that gets money in the door, food on the table and a roof over your head. The dream, the passion, the purpose path—will have to wait while you stabilize your life and prepare a solid foundation upon which to take action.

This is going to be EXTRAORDINARY!

Are you ready to close the gap between what your soul is calling out to do and making money doing what you love?

Sometimes there are events that are meant to inspire you, move you and get you into action. This is one of those events!

The Take Life From ordinary to Extraordinary Summer Telesummit Series was created to Bridge the Gap between Soul-Purpose and Prosperity. We have all been there as soul-inspired entrepreneurs and business owners: passionate about our ideas, ready to share them with the world – and broke – at least when we started out!

We believed that our wisdom and talents would make a difference, so we did what we had to do in order to find the missing piece to our success. To create the thriving success – and life – you really want you need the strategies to change the way you create success.

It’s Your Turn to Take Your Life From ordinary to Extraordinary!

http://soulpurposetoprosperity.com/telesummit/

My friend, Christine Laureano, is hosting this FREE series that will begin Tuesday June 15, 2010 at 4:00pm EST. This is a breakthrough event! Each week 3 amazing guest experts are going to share with you their strategies to uncover your soul-purpose and begin to create success, prosperity and your thriving business.

My interview is THIS WEEK! On Thursday June 17th at 4:00 pm Eastern. I hope you’ll tune it.

http://soulpurposetoprosperity.com/telesummit/

Each week you will be shown strategies and techniques that will carry you to the next amazing week of experts. You will walk away from the final session on July 22 with tools and information to begin creating success and life on your terms.

You don’t want to miss this great opportunity!

Thousands of people are being invited to this Extraordinary series so you will want to register now.
Visit the website for more information and to register today.

http://soulpurposetoprosperity.com/telesummit/

I’m looking forward to seeing you there!

It’s Effective Communication Month and you receive the gifts! My colleague, and communications expert extraordinaire Felicia Slattery has assembled 14 amazing experts (myself included) who are sharing their tips and techniques for free!

Research has shown that effective communication is an essential part of your overall business success. If you are an entrepreneur or small business owner, you don’t want to miss this opportunity!

In honor of Effective Communications Month – a real honest-to-goodness holiday listed in Chase’s Calendar of Events—throughout the month of June you can pick up loads of fabulous tools to help you communicate more effectively in your business with your customers, clients and prospects so you can enjoy greater success.

The best part? It’s all FREEEEEE! There is nothing to buy now—or ever. This isn’t some teaser offer where you only get to see what’s listed and then have to buy something in order to get the goods. This is completely 100% free to you. That’s right — we’re doing a real giveaway going on all month until the end of June.

What’s the catch? There really is none. If you don’t know her, Felicia is just that kind of person. She likes giving away useful stuff.

Felicia’s got some powerhouse folks on board with her like PR expert Shannon Cherry, blogging guru Denise Wakeman, video expert Lou Bortone and many more! You’ll see tools to help you with writing ebooks, creating your signature program, showing appreciation to your clients, creating a membership site and even how to raise business smart children.

Tell all your friends. And go right away to: http://www.EffectiveCommunicationsGiveaway.com and let the experts shower you with gifts!

See you there!

I am just back from a 4 day trip to Annaheim for Nancy Marmalejo’s “I Heart My Biz” event. It was a fabulous weekend connecting with my vision, my colleagues & friends, new friends and some great business strategies. I had several big aha’s which will influence future posts!

Whenever I attend an event I always pre-plan time in my calendar afterward to take action. For a live event like this I’ve blocked out the entire first day back, and half of the second. It’s really important to do for several reasons.

1. I need the time to reground myself at home and in my ‘office’
2. I need time to integrate what I learned so it doesn’t fade away in the busyness of everyday life
3. I need time to do the follow up so the event I invested time and money in continues to be a high payoff experience even after I’m home

So I thought it might be helpful to tell you the top five things I do during my post-event follow up. Feel free to share with me what you do as well to really get the most out of networking and development events!

1. Follow up with the people I connected with.

I send out personal cards and emails to those I met. I also upload my pictures to Facebook, tag them and thank them publicly. It really helps carry the relationship forward and people love to enjoy the afterglow of an event by seeing all the fun pictures.

2. Take immediate action on 3-5 things I learned.

I sit down and write out the top 3-5 things I am committed to implementing or taking action on. Then I immediately start. If I don’t do it NOW, I find that the ideas, inspiration and motivation I got from the event slips away in the shuffle of all the To Do’s that were on my list before I went.

3. Write an article (or three) based on the event

I love to share new ideas, insights, and information with my readers and followers online, and so a top priority is to synthesize what I learned and immediately begin sharing it with my clients, readers and followers. Yes, I go to events for my own development, but I also go so that I constantly have new and relevant content for my clients. So stay tuned for a few blog posts including–Are You a Sham-WOW or a Quicker Picker Upper, and What a Tree can Tell You About Your Business.

4. Schedule follow up calls

At almost every event I make a few really great connections where we talk about all sorts of possibilities to do business together. So again, rather than letting that excitement get lost in the day to day, I immediately follow up on those contacts with a phone call and book some quality time to talk through our ‘after thoughts’ in a week or two. Getting those appointments on the books fast makes a huge difference in whether the ideas we generated evaporate or get implemented.

5. Self Care

I happen to be a slight introvert (I know, it shocks some people, but I like ALOT of alone time to refuel). So after spending so much time in a conference room with very extroverted, social people, I need time to recharge, refuel and reconnect with my kids, my husband, and my life. So I make sure I do the things that recharge me. Long walks outside. Sleeping in. Hanging on the couch talking to my kids. Putzing in the yard. Spending time with my husband. All of these things are critical so I don’t get after event burnout.

That’s it!

Notice I didn’t put a priority on catching up on email, snail mail, grocery shopping, laundry and all the other little stuff that consumes our time. Those will get done in time. But I always make sure I tell my assistant and my clients I’ll be unavailable at least one full day longer than the event so that the day to day things don’t pressure me.

What makes your top 5 list of things to do after an event? I’d love to hear!

One of the greatest challenges many entrepreneurs face is riding the cash flow rollercoaster in their business.  Nothing triggers panic and sleepless nights like a cash flow crunch!

Yet, many clients struggle with finding proven ways to generate more cash in their business—fast. Instead of spinning around worrying, or taking months to develop a new product, program or service, I recommend that you take focused action on one or two things that can turn the financial tide fairly quickly.  

So here are 12 surefire strategies to improve your financial situation in as little as 30 days.  Choose a few to implement and watch the money start flowing in again!

1.Hold a sale on an existing product or service.
Choose one of your lower priced offerings and come up with a fun sale idea.  It can be a birthday sale, ‘end of school’ sale, holiday sale, or a ‘just because’ sale.  Send out an announcement to your list of prospects and clients and, if you use email, be sure to send at least 2 follow ups.  Limit your sale to a specific time period—5 days, 7 days or even 48 hours.

2.Hold Bonus days.
If you don’t want to discount your prices (or you can’t) then consider doing a special bonus promotion and promote an existing product or service with a special bonus.  Include a free product (one you would normally charge for), time with you, or some other limited bonus for those who buy during your Bonus Days.

3.(Finish & )Launch a new product.
Finish and launch that product you have sitting half done on your hard drive.  You probably have a ½ finished ebook, or an audio course, or a teleclass you could easily convert into a product.  Block out a day or two to get it done and then make a big splash about it to your list of clients and prospects.  Sell it to them at a pre-launch discount or throw in a cool bonus (see 1 or 2 above).  

4.Follow up.
Pick up the phone and follow up with leads that have come through in the last 60 to 90 days.  Perhaps you have had contact with potential clients in the last quarter, but they weren’t ready to commit.  Contact them, let them know you are excited to reconnect and hear how they are doing on their goals, projects, etc… and set up time to check in.

5.Offer a special package to past customers.
Perhaps you could reconnect with past clients and customers and, if appropriate, offer them a special program, product or service not available to the general public.  Give them a VIP treatment.  Create a special consulting or coaching package to help them kickstart their goals.  Find out what is relevant and make a compelling offer to your loyal fans.

6.Get referrals from happy customers.
If you have current clients, or very recent clients, who are huge fans of the work you’ve done with them, ask for referrals.  I know it can feel awkward, but if you time it right…like when they are raving to you about great results, it can become much more natural.  You can say something simple like “I’m thrilled you’re so pleased with the results you’ve been getting.  I have a few openings for new clients, so if you know of a friend or colleague you’d like to refer, I can offer them my special “VIP treatment.”

7.Offer complimentary consultations.
Send out a promotion to offer a complimentary assessment, consultation or session to your list.  The important thing is to be clear from the start that towards the end of the consultation you will, if appropriate, let them know about products or services you have that could benefit them.  Make the consultation valuable, learn about what it is they really want to achieve and show them how they can get there.  Just don’t go too far and give away the store!  They won’t value the time or advice and you will feel you’re wasting your time.

8.Offer a micro-program.
Know of a hot topic that your audience is interested in (and that you can help with!)?  Offer a short program to help with that specific issue or goal.  Think about something you can accomplish for your clients in a short time frame-like 30 days or less. Make your micro-program a 3 to 5 part class, for example, and offer it for an affordable price ($97-$297) with high perceived value.  

9.Clean up your energy leaks.
It may seem a little off topic, but it isn’t.  In my observation and experience, money follows your energy.  If you are energetically depleted and worn down, your money will soon follow suit.  So, by parallel, if you improve your energy and restore yourself, money will also follow.  I’ve tested this with clients and myself for years and it works 98% of the time.

10.Cut Costs.
Money drains are very damaging to your cashflow.  Take stock of everything you are spending in your business and consider if the payoff is really there.  Take NOTHING for granted.  Look at payment plans, pay attention to the $10 and $20 subscriptions you don’t use, find lower priced alternatives for must-have services.  This isn’t about ‘constriction’—it’s about being a smart, savvy shepherd of your financial resources.  

11.Raise Your Rates.
If you are operating at 80% or more capacity, then you can and should raise your rates.  Start with 10-20%.  Or perhaps just pump up the rates on your most in-demand service.  Make it a practice in your business to keep your rates current and in line with demand.

12. Hold a free workshop or teleclass.
Getting the buzz going, and getting yourself in front of an audience can immediately bolster sales.  Be sure to seed your services and the fabulous results clients get while working with you throughout your workshop or class.  Then offer a way for interested participants to schedule time to talk directly to you or enroll in a program.  You can tie this right into any of the other ideas in this list—book a consultation, give them a discount on a service or product, offer a bonus.  Just be sure to make a specific call to action that is easy and compelling.

Having a steady stream of quick-cash generators in the pipeline can help level out the cashflow rollercoaster and give your business a surge of new business, fast.  The key to success is follow through.  You have to have the confidence and consistency to follow through each of these strategies to truly get the payoff.

Looking for more strategies to turn up the heat in your business?  Book a complimentary FIRE Up Your Results consultation with Shawn by visiting www.ShawnDriscoll.com/fireupyourresults.html