Biz Coach Steve

Tag: Coaching

  • 3 Elements of a Successful Coaching Engagement

    3 Elements of a Successful Coaching Engagement

    Just pick up any business periodical, view them online, read industry journals, blogs, and posts, to see the hundreds, if not thousands of articles stating the benefits of executive coaching. Executive coaching has now become a buzzword and something many high-performing organizations are using within their business.

    Executive coaching is still often misunderstood in terms of how it differentiates itself from performance management and other leadership development offerings. The International Coach Federation (ICF) defines coaching as “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential, which is particularly important in today’s uncertain and complex environment.”

    A professional coaching engagement helps improve performance and personal effectiveness while reducing stress. It offers a rare opportunity to stand back and take a fresh look at the experiences and assumptions of a lifetime. Keep in mind that a professional coach is potentially the only person one interacts with who has a single focused agenda: the success of their client.

    The coaching process is highly personal, and structured to meet the needs of both the leader as well as all the staff within that organization. Different leaders focus on different goals; different approaches or methodologies are effective for different leaders; and different coaches are needed for different leaders.

    The Harvard Business Review conducted an online questionnaire for coaches and consultants to provide feedback on their insight into their own practices.  The results showed 3 main factors that are critical to a successful coaching engagement.

    Level of motivation of the executive. According to the survey, executives who get the most out of coaching are those with a fierce willingness to learn and evolve – these individuals are often referred to as “coachable.” Leaders who are motivated and prepared to make changes are more likely to make dramatic positive results within their businesses.

    Chemistry between coach and leader. The relationship and dynamic between the coach and the leader is critical to ensuring success. Allowing the leader, the opportunity to meet several coaches in person, or to consider their biographies, allows the leader to make the determination of which coach is best suited to working with them. There are many factors that are involved chemistry on the part of the coach – background, advanced degrees or training, expertise or niche, etc. This alliance will allow the coach and leader to build trust and rapport.

    Commitment from the leader or top management. The final key element to a successful coaching engagement is support and commitment from the leader and their organization. There must be a desire to develop and retain the leader who is taking part in coaching; at the same time, there must be alignment on the goals and objectives that the leader is undertaking during the coaching program. Conversations with key stakeholders, such as the leader’s manager or Human Resources business partner, ensure buy-in and support.

    These elements are just three of the many factors that are critical to support coaching engagement. Others include utilizing appropriate assessments to understand personal leadership capabilities and environmental dynamics; creating an individual development plan with actionable or SMART goals; and having an underlying methodology or process to follow, with milestones to track progress.

    #bizcoachstevef #business #stevefeld #smallbusiness #smallbiz #entrepreneur #marketing #leadership #coaching #businessowner #businesscoach #businesssuccess #businesscoaching #businesstips #entrepreneurship #success #entrepreneurlife #keynotespeaker #podcast #author #smallbusinessowner #speaker

  • Difficult Conversations – Use your coaching skills

    Difficult Conversations – Use your coaching skills

    Many owners and leaders have confided in me that one of the most difficult aspects of their job is those difficult conversations that have to have with their employees. A lot of those leaders either ignore them or hope they will go away by themselves. But wishful thinking is not managerial thinking. To face up to personal employee habits that may upset customers or colleagues, team leaders need to have a strategy, a plan, and the skills to confidently know how to put things right. As with everything, there are right ways and wrong ways to have these sensitive discussions and I hope you choose the right way.

    Difficult Conversations: A 5-Point Plan

    The following plan can be applied to any difficult conversation with an employee whose habits need to be changed. These include employees with unpleasant personal habits, such as poor personal hygiene, as well as employees with attitude problems.



    1. It’s Only Difficult If You Think It Is

    Drop the idea that this will be a “difficult” conversation. Look at it in terms of a performance issue. Focus on the desired outcome which is always to bring the person up to the standards required of everyone. Remember that you have the assertive right to raise the issue if it is something that affects you or the people you are responsible for. You don’t have to justify, explain, or excuse yourself.



    2. Even When It’s a Personal Issue, Don’t Make It Personal

    Many “difficult” situations arouse strong emotions in people which in turn make the exchange appear personal. The only feeling you should have is a desire to help the other person. If you are feeling angry, anxious, or embarrassed, stop. Connect your head to your heart. Discuss what the person is doing and what they can do differently. This is not about who they are.



    3. Ease Your Way In

    In any conversation that deals with personal issues, it is best to ease your way in while not misleading the person about the subject under discussion. One good route into the personal is to start with clichés, such as “How’s things going?”, then move on to facts, proceed to their views, and finally to how they feel. Do this without skirting around the issues or trying to sneak the issue in under the guise of something else.



    4. Link Your Feedback to a Business Issue

    If you are the team leader, you need to relate everything in the conversation to business issues, e.g. “Your appearance (manner; hairstyle; hygiene; grooming; attitude) isn’t what our customers expect from a business like ours”. While they may want to explain why they are behaving as they are, “why” is not what it’s about. Acknowledge their reasons, but don’t go there. For you, it’s more about “what” – what they are doing and what they can do differently.



    5. Have a Neutral Spot Where You Can Both Go If Things Become Awkward

    If people become defensive, you’ve likely hit a raw nerve. It’s at this stage that you need to back off by going to a neutral third spot where you can both look at the behavior dispassionately. Don’t challenge them by saying something like, “Your personal hygiene needs to be improved”. Instead, say something like, “Let’s try to figure out why you and I see this issue differently”.



    Difficult Conversations: You Can Succeed

    Difficult conversations are unavoidable in the workplace but, given the right approach and the right skills, they can be managed. You should aim to put emotions, stress, and personal issues aside and bring behavior, performance, and the business center stage. Keep your composure, be compassionate, and be determined to create a successful outcome.

    Whatever you do, don’t avoid these conversations otherwise the issue will grow and fester. It will impact more of your business operations than you know. Develop a plan of action before having these difficult conversations and you, the employee and the business will be much better off.

  • What did you learn in 2023?

    What did you learn in 2023?

    What lessons did you learn this year?

    Were they positive lessons? Or negative lessons?

    Recently I read the Fast Company magazine on their top 30 most productive people, and I found some very interesting similarities within ALL of these interesting people.  Here they are (in no particular order):

    • They all get adequate sleep. Anywhere from 6 to 8 hours. If you have not been exposed to the mounds of research showing that sleep is very important for us, then here is a summary. You need to get at least 6 to 9 hours of good REM sleep per day. Being sleep-deprived and proud of it is not a positive thing.
    • They all have set schedules made in advance. They know before they go to bed what they are doing the next day, and then they review it in the morning to stay focused and productive.
    • They all have filters on their email and social media. Having a set routine on when they look and respond to emails as well as setting up filters to avoid junk improves their productivity. Same with social media. They all stated they do look at social media, but narrowed down which sites they look at, for what reason, and only in small doses.  They are not scanning Facebook looking for cool GIFs.
    • Most of them exercise. They do some form of exercise, whether it be yoga, working out, etc. Some of them even told us their food habits, which works well for them.
    • They all read – BOOKS. Yes, real paper books.  Studies have shown we retain and process words better on paper than on a tablet, computer, phone, or any other electronic device.  So, set some time out of the day and read.

    Speaking of books. I do a mix of real paper books along with audiobooks within my schedule. Do yourself a HUGE favor and stop listening to the talking heads on the radio while you drive and educate yourself with an audiobook. As Brian Tracy says, turn your car into a rolling university by listening to books while you drive. In 2023, I have read/listened to 67 books.  Many times, I will be reading one book and listening to another in my car.

    Here are some great books that I read/listened to in 2023 (in no particular order):

    • Think and Grow Rich lost secret – Vic Johnston.  This is a great expansion to think and grow rich with a lot of deeper insight into the original book by Napoleon Hill.
    • The One Minute Millionaire – Mark Victor Hansen. Great insight into how to achieve extraordinary wealth and success. Easy to understand examples of wealth creation.
    • The Coaching Habit – Michael Stanier. If you own/lead a business or manage anyone, then this should be on your reading list in 2024. It provides great insight on how you can be a better leader/manager and get more out of your people just by asking great questions.
    • Power of Habit – Charles Duhigg. You may have heard that to form a habit, you need to do it for 21 straight days. This book is right up that alley and gives some great advice on how to develop that positive habit a little easier.
    • ABC’s of Success – Bob Proctor.  An older book, but still very relevant today. Great for new business owners and those business owners looking to get a reboot within their business.
    • Think and Grow Rich – Napoleon Hill. This is always on my annual reading list and it should be on yours as well.  Reading this “Workbook” every year will keep you on your path to success.  Get into a mastermind group to get the most out of this book and improve your life.

    No matter what, we all have learned something this past year. If you haven’t learned one or more new things, then make a plan to learn something new in 2024 and put it into practice to grow your business, or improve your life, maybe move up in the company you work for, get a new job, mentor someone, share your time by volunteering for an organization that you have no affiliation with.  Just learn something new.  I learned how to use a new CRM in 2023.  What did you learn?

    By continually learning you are growing as a person.  Right now, decide what action you are going to take to learn something new in 2024. Read more real books. Take an educational class. Learn a new computer program. Learn martial arts. Just learn.

    I wish you much learning success in 2024.

    Let me know what were your favorite books that you read/listened to in 2023 and why.

  • 11 Simple Ways to Develop a Daily Discipline

    11 Simple Ways to Develop a Daily Discipline

    A business owner I recently reconnected with, who in my opinion is one of the most disciplined business owners I know.  As we were talking, I had to ask him how he stays so disciplined in his business and personal life.

    He shared with me some simple ways anyone can be disciplined. He even stated he does struggle with his discipline every now and then, but he also knows if he stays disciplined, he reaches his goals faster.  He understands how discipline works, and how it shows you are in control of your life. It’s the path to getting anything you want.

    So how do you maintain discipline? By combining an automated brain program—doing whatever needs to be done—with an incredible commitment to your goal.

    It becomes increasingly harder to be disciplined in a society that prizes instant gratification. We are more concerned about feeling good all the time, so we seek immediate pleasures, whether it’s a new car, an exotic trip, or a new partner. Our long-term goals are not so important anymore. We get comfortable and wait for a special event to give our lives meaning, happiness, and success.

    Discipline is the difference between being in control of your future and letting your environment dictate your destiny.

    Discipline means freedom and happiness. It gives you the ability to do what you want because you know you can learn how to achieve any dream you set your mind to3.

    Discipline teaches you how to control your thoughts—and how to be happy in any situation, to visualize positive emotions and triggers, and optimistic mood.

    Discipline builds self-confidence, and mental and physical strength, and inspires you to grow as a human being. With growth comes the ability to enjoy life in deeper, more meaningful ways.

    Anyone can develop discipline. It’s a skill and it’s not complicated—you just must train yourself for it.

    Here’s how:

    1. Set BIG goals. When you challenge yourself to achieve bigger goals, you dedicate yourself to the craft. The more time you spend on it, the harder it becomes to quit. Once you have spent so much sweat, time, and effort on it, if you quit, it will be for nothing. The bigger the goal, the more invested you become.
    2. Set CLEAR goals. Clearly define what your goal means to you and what you will specifically do to achieve it. If you set a goal to live healthier, for example, will you go running every day? At what time and for how long? If there is no clear goal, there is no opportunity to create the specific steps you’d need to do to accomplish it.
    3. Know that everyday matters. When you wake up in the morning, do you know what’s most important for you to accomplish that day? Every goal, every priority, you have set for yourself has to be done – it will determine whether your dream lives or dies.
    4. Don’t argue with the plan. If you want to go to the Olympics, each training session matters; there isn’t one that’s less important than another. It’s the same with everything else in your life. When you start the process, you cannot question it, you cannot hesitate, you cannot back down—you must work hard every single day to reach your dream, full force.
    5. Build a no-matter-what mindset. Build the mindset that no matter what, you will accomplish things when you said you would. No matter what. You must create pressure on yourself, otherwise, nothing will get done. There is good stress and bad stress, and you must make sure you are operating under good stress – butterflies in the stomach, and manageable adrenaline that stimulates you.
    6. Plan a routine. Create a routine that becomes second nature, automatic, and normal. Athletes, for example, know what hours they train, when to break for lunchtime and dinnertime, and when to rest. In training, they know they must do warm-up, main training, cool-down, and recovery. By following the same routine, it becomes second nature—the discipline preps them to win. Planning your routine—and sticking to it until it becomes automatic—can prep you for success, too.
    7. Commit. Maybe your parents told you this when you wanted to join an after-school activity. “Be careful in choosing where you will spend your time because you won’t be able to quit. You will have to follow through with it until the end and do it well.” So, I really considered whether I would be able to commit to something for a long time. And when I knew, when I chose the one thing I wanted to do, it made me want to figure out how to keep getting better at it—it made me want to commit.
    8. Understand the transformation process. Your body and brain will do everything they can to resist change and growth. You need to know that it’s natural to feel lazy and undisciplined—but you also need to know that you have all the power to fight it. Start with your thoughts.
    9. Go above your feelings. The hardest part about discipline is maintaining the actions needed to achieve your dream or state of happiness. It requires constant hard work and fighting against comfort and instant pleasures. To do so, you must separate yourself from the feelings that stop you, like fatigue, laziness, or self-pity. You must go above them, even if your feelings tell you that you are tired, stressed, and alone in this struggle. Discipline is the direct training of a fighter.
    10. Resist the brain. All people are lazy, even the most successful businesspeople, the most accomplished athletes, and the most talented actors. But it’s not simply laziness—it’s your brain saving energy for you. Any movement takes energy, and the brain is doing everything to stop you from moving by sending body signals about how hard it is to move and thoughts about how scary it would be if you fail. But you can trick your brain. Imagine your body is a beautiful machine and you are operating it as a higher force from above. Separate yourself from your body. Play it as a computer game. You are the one who commands your body to accomplish tasks.
    11. Find pleasure in the hard work. Shift your focus to the process and concentrate on getting the work done faster and better every time. Speed is important; you must move quickly to achieve perfection in a set amount of time.

    So many people quit too early. Success is all about persistence, and discipline is what gets you to your destination. It’s the realization of your dream. The more you learn about your craft and your capabilities, when you start seeing yourself improve, the results will make you hungry for more. Self-improvement is an amazing drug.

    Self-discipline is a source of power. It is an engine that helps us understand and explore our capabilities and life’s opportunities. Discipline is not boring; it’s the freedom to put all our energy into creating something meaningful and beautiful.

    It’s up to us to choose life with discipline or without, with a goal or without, with a dream or without.

    #

    Steve Feld, MBA, Certified Business Coach, and Author, a coffee enthusiast, provides training and business performance coaching to business owners, professionals, and executives. Steve also speaks to organizations and conducts workshops and training.  Focusing on lead generation and revenue creation to get growth results for the business.

    Contact Biz Coach Steve today to see how he can assist you to get the results you want in your business, [email protected], or www.bizcoachsteve.com. He is in the business of growing businesses. Need a speaker, contact Steve today.

    #bizcoachstevef #business #stevefeld #smallbusiness #smallbiz #entrepreneur #marketing #leadership #coaching #businessowner #businesscoach #businesssuccess #businesscoaching #businesstips #entrepreneurship #success #entrepreneurlife #keynotespeaker #podcast #author #smallbusinessowner #speaker

  • Money-Leverage!

    Money-Leverage!

    How to leverage the maximum amount of money out of every hour you spend working.

    I’d like to talk about one of your most precious, but grossly under-valued commodities…

    Your Time!

    You see, most of us are taught that you’ve got to work long, hard hours if you want to be a “success”.

    By the time you’re through reading this article – it’s going to become “crystal” clear to you that…

    Nothing Could Be Further from The Truth!

    I’m going to reveal to you my little-known but highly effective system for working “smarter” not “harder”. How many times have you told your spouse, friend, or significant other “I work so damn hard, I should be a millionaire by now” or ” My competition must be doing something illegal to make all that money since I work three times harder and make one-third less money than they do!”

    If you haven’t figured it out yet, making a lot of money has absolutely nothing to do with how “hard” you work.

    Let me try to be more specific with you.

    A renowned business consultant named Michael Gerber wrote a book called The E-Myth (which I highly recommend all business owners should read). This book is great in dispelling many business E-Myths.

    I strongly urge you to read it for yourself, but here is a brief synopsis of the invaluable lessons within the book.

    1. Most Business Owners Are “Technicians” NOT Entrepreneurs.

    Gerber explained that most successful employees figure to themselves that they could make far more money if they owned a business rather than working for someone else.

    So, what they do is go out, start their own business, and create a “job” for themselves.

    In most cases, these people end up working harder for themselves with less money to show for it because they now also have a dozen other “jobs” to worry about, and there are no other employees to do them. These business owners are worse off with their own business than they were working for someone else because they never truly understood what it meant to be an “entrepreneur”.

    2. You Must Work “On” Your Business Not “In” Your Business.

    If you truly want to be successful in your own business, you cannot and should not do everything yourself.

    Your job should be marketing and sales, getting and keeping customers. Not ordering office supplies, doing your own bookkeeping, answering your own telephones, making copies, faxing, typing, and doing everything else your business requires.

    If all of your time is spent doing administrative “detail” work, you will never have time to focus on truly important things like marketing, getting new customers, and keeping current customers happy.

    3. You Must Have Predictable “Systems” Set Up for Running Your Business.

    Every single business, no matter how large or small it is, must have a “systematized” way of doing things.

    Otherwise, your business will operate in constant “chaos” which will ultimately lead to customer dissatisfaction, and probably the failure of your business.

    A perfect example of a system is a franchise like McDonald’s. They have systematized every single aspect of their business so that any new franchisee can open a McDonald’s restaurant in their area, and their customers will have the same exact experience as they have had at any other McDonald’s restaurant across the world.

    Virtually every aspect of your existing business can be reduced to a “step-by-step” procedure that is repetitive.

    There are very few things that will happen in your business that are totally new or unfamiliar to you.

    Understand that most aspects of business are repetitive, and then set out to put together your own “operation’s manual” which explains how to do every function of your business in step-by-step detail.

    This way, when you start hiring new people, most of your training can be done by handing them your manual and telling them to read it. It will make running and growing your business much easier.

    Now, let’s talk about “Money-Leveraging”.

    What Does “Money Leverage” Mean?

    Good question. Let me explain.

    A famous copywriter and marketing expert named John Carlton coined the term “money leverage”.

    What he meant by this is that the goal of every entrepreneur or business owner should be to literally “leverage” the maximum amount of money out of every minute they spend working.

    To be more specific, he explained that most entrepreneurs have a difficult time differentiating between $15/hr. work and $250/hr. work.

    In other words, every time you make a copy, send a fax, answer your own phone, order office supplies, or do your own telemarketing or bookkeeping – you are “hiring” yourself to do $15/hr. work.

    I’ll bet you’re saying to yourself right about now – “But Brian, I don’t have the money to pay someone to help me do these things – I’ve got to do everything myself.”

    If this is the case…

    You’re Costing Yourself a Ton of Money!

    “How could this be?”, you ask.

    Let me explain. Every hour you spend doing $15/hr. work is a “working” hour you can’t spend doing $250/hr. work.

    Since most of us work about 8 – 10 hours a day, every hour you waste is money lost that you can never regain.

    To put this more simply, there are two types of jobs in every business, I don’t care what type of business a person is in:

    1. Money Dissipaters:

    These are jobs like administrative work, bookkeeping, running errands, etc. They don’t make the company any money, they cost the company money.

    These jobs must be done to run a business, but they do not bring any money into the business, and without sales, these jobs are useless.

    2. Money Makers:

    These are jobs like marketing and sales, setting up joint ventures, etc. All of these activities bring money into the business. These are the $250/hr. jobs. And if you haven’t figured it out yet…

    These Are the Only Jobs You Should Be Doing!

    You see, the true definition of an entrepreneur is a person who is a “Rainmaker”.

    You’re the one who “makes things happen”.

    Your job is marketing and sales, and keeping existing customers happy so they keep re-purchasing from you.

    All other jobs should be hired out – period!

    Let a $10 – $15 an hour person help you with every aspect of your business other than “Getting and Keeping Customers”.

    For example, if you’re still handwriting names and addresses on your postcards, mailing out the FREE reports, doing your own telemarketing, and filling out the financial aid forms yourself – you are now doing $15/hr. work.

    The only, and I repeat only thing you should be doing is conducting seminars, doing sales presentations, and continually staying on top of your marketing (i.e., making sure postcards are sent out every week, doing 1st, 2nd, and 3rd notice mailings, sending out a monthly newsletter, etc.).

    Every other job that you’re currently doing should be off-loaded to someone else who is probably far more capable in that area than you are.

    In fact, this is exactly how I was able to grow my businesses and help my clients grow theirs as well.

    I’m always asking myself the question, “Can someone else do this job cheaper and more effectively than I can?”

    If the answer is “yes”, I immediately pay someone else to do it!

    Every time you start doing $15/hr. jobs, think to yourself…

    “I’m Burning Up $250 Bills Right Now!”

    That should put you in the proper mindset, and make you feel guilty that you’re “costing” yourself hundreds of dollars.

    This is the “secret” to money leverage and making a fortune in your business.

    It’s not working “harder” that makes you rich, it’s working “smarter”.

    So, the next time you hear someone say, “I work so hard, I should be a millionaire by now!” – ask them if they have employees, or if they have an “operator’s manual” for running their business.

    I’ll bet you the farm these people don’t know how to delegate or differentiate between $15/hr. and $250/hr. work!

    #

    Steve Feld, MBA, Certified Business Coach, and Author, a coffee enthusiast, provides training and business performance coaching to business owners, professionals, and executives. Steve also speaks to organizations and conducts workshops and training.  Focusing on lead generation and revenue creation to get growth results for the business.

    Contact Biz Coach Steve today to see how he can assist you to get the results you want in your business, [email protected], or www.bizcoachsteve.com. He is in the business of growing businesses. Need a speaker, contact Steve today.

    #bizcoachstevef #business #stevefeld #smallbusiness #smallbiz #entrepreneur #marketing #leadership #coaching #businessowner #businesscoach #businesssuccess #businesscoaching #businesstips #entrepreneurship #success #entrepreneurlife #keynotespeaker #podcast #author #smallbusinessowner #speaker

  • Manage Yourself 

    Manage Yourself 

    Business leaders often get caught in the weeds within their business and may lose sight of the big picture. Leaders juggle many different items/crises a day and they should examine each crisis in three steps. 1) Fix the problem, 2) Find out how the problem became a problem, and 3) Make sure that problem never happens again.  This management tip has been passed down from many different sources, but still holds in running a business.

    Here are just a few tips to assist you in “defining the problem.”

    • Make your calendar your best friend.  As soon as you book an appointment or meeting, also book a date to prepare for it and make a to-do list for the appointment. Take time and prepare for the appointment or meeting.
    • Don’t waste precious time sweating over the small things out of your control. There will be items that “pop up” over which you have little or no control.  When that happens, go with the flow and don’t fight it, just work through them and get it over with.  
    • Manage the function, not the paperwork.  Remember that your job is to manage a specific function within the company, whatever that may be.  There might be a lot of paperwork that goes with the job, but don’t let that distract you from your real responsibility.
    • Get out of your office.  Make yourself more approachable and walk around your organization. You find out what is really happening and will get information firsthand from your staff.  
    • Delegate out the easy stuff.  Right now, there are people within your organization that will be more than happy to handle the small easy items that will eat up your time if you do them. Focus on the hard stuff. 
    • Don’t get caught up in “looking good.”  Appearances can be deceiving.  Don’t try to act big.  Don’t exclude rank-and-file employees.  And don’t think you know it all.  Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honest. Getting out of your office will assist with this.
    • Learn from the mistakes of others.  Benjamin Franklin believed you should learn from the mistakes others made, so you don’t do them.
    • Open your ears and close your mouth.  You have two ears and one mouth, so you should be listening twice as long or more than talking. Listen to what your associates, your employees, your suppliers, and your customers say, they all have something of value that will assist you.  Listen to the people around you.  You will never learn what it is if you drown them out by talking all the time. Shut up and learn.
    • Practice what you preach.  To lead, you have to lead by example.  Don’t go on an office spending spree for yourself and then tell your people to watch their expenses.  Walk your talk.
    • Know your numbers. Always be looking at your financial statements to know how your company is performing which will avoid those, “I should have looked at the financials more.”

    #

    Steve Feld provides training and business performance coaching to business owners, professionals, and executives. This is accomplished through one-on-one coaching in an environment of continuous learning, positive support, and results-driven accountability.  Steve also conducts workshops and training on a variety of subjects for business owners, executives, and their staff which he customizes to every organization to provide the greatest positive impact. Steve has spoken to a large variety of organizations in different industries of all sizes.

    All businesses have the same foundation and that is what Steve focuses on. Growing and getting positive results in the business, the leader of the organization as well as every else involved within the business. Contact Steve today to see how he can assist you to grow your business, at 602-750-3017. He is in the business of business.

  • 7 Marketing Strategies that will Skyrocket your sales and profits

    7 Marketing Strategies that will Skyrocket your sales and profits

    I know what you are thinking.

    OMG… not another marketing program that costs lots of money.

    Nope. Just 7 simple marketing strategies that you can use to grow your business.  There are literally thousands of different marketing strategies that you could be using to grow your business, but only a few that you need to do it consistently and that will allow you to make all the money you desire.

    Strategy #1: Create a Marketing Parthenon

    The only constant in business is change. Therefore, you need to be brilliant at the basics.

    A marketing Parthenon means having multiple different sources of revenue and lead generation instead of relying on just one. What worked yesterday, may not work today.

    To give you an example, we have private coaching, group coaching, mastermind, automated courses, book sales, speaking revenue, affiliate programs, and a formal referral program.

    What is your revenue Parthenon?

    Strategy #2:  Consistency

    This one seems so easy, yet so many people fail to be “consistent” in their marketing efforts.

    If you just mailed out 200 postcards, then you should be working on the next round of mailing out the next 200 postcards.  Just like running an ad in the local papers, or online. You need to create momentum and be seen. Not one and done marketing strategies that so many businesses perform. 

    Strategy #3:  Sequenced Mailings

    This is probably the most important marketing strategy you could implement, yet very few businesses put systems into place to allow them to tap into the power of consistent sequenced mailings. ** This also goes for email marketing – drip campaign.

    Here’s why this one is so powerful. Most people are gathering information before they purchase some items. If they see your ad once, they will forget you when they are ready to purchase. But, if you keep in touch with them through a consistent marketing program, then you will be top of mind when they are ready to purchase.

    Most marketers believe you should “touch” (not physically) your prospects 11 to 15 times before your message breaks through and they are ready to buy. Why do you think fast food restaurants advertise so much – repetition?

    Strategy #4: Monthly Newsletters

    Do you send out a monthly newsletter to your clients?  This could also be done via an email newsletter.

    It’s easier to re-sell to an existing client than to sell to someone who doesn’t know, like and trust you.

    Interesting stat: Did you know that you lose 1 ½ of the value of a client every 30 days you don’t communicate with them?

    It’s not just selling stuff but providing your clients with content that they can use and that is related to your product or service.

    Just keep in touch with your clients.

    Strategy #5: Create Joint Venture partnerships for your business

    As I just said, it’s far easier to re-sell to an existing client than to an unknown prospect.

    You’ve spent money and time acquiring a client, it’s relatively inexpensive to send them a letter promoting another product or service that is RELATED to yours.

    You can send (including email) a guide on behalf of your JV. If anyone from your list purchases anything from your JV, they will pay you a flat rate or percentage of the sale.

    This works for complimentary products and services to yours.

    Strategy #6:  Testing

    It is surprising how few marketers actually “test.”

    One example of this is A/B testing.

    • Test one marketing piece against another
    • One headline against another
    • One price against another
    • One guarantee against another
    • One medium against another (local papers versus city papers, Facebook versus Instagram, etc.)

    The list goes on.

    Most of the time no one tests to see what resonates with your target market to have them buy from you.

    I have done this before and it saved me $2,500 a month if I would have gone with one postcard with a negative return, versus a postcard that cost $100 a month and had over a 20,000% return. Yes, you read that right.

    Strategy #7: Create a Deluxe Version

    Airlines have “First Class,” nightclubs have “VIP” rooms, and hotels have “Suites.”

    Get the point?

    Give your clients more than one option. Offer them the “No Frills” service for one price, and the “Premium” service for a higher price.

    Put those extra bells and whistles into the “Premium” service and create a much higher “Perceived Value” and I GUARANTEE most of your clients will choose the “Premium” service.”

    Give your clients a “Yes” or “Yes” decision NOT a “Yes” or “No” decision.

    Which strategy will you implement in your business today to grow your business?

    #

    Steve Feld, MBA, Certified Business Coach, and Author, a coffee enthusiast, provides training and business performance coaching to business owners, professionals, and executives. Steve also speaks to organizations and conducts workshops and training.  Focusing on lead generation and revenue creation to get growth results for the business.

    Contact Biz Coach Steve today to see how he can assist you to get the results you want in your business, [email protected], or www.bizcoachsteve.com. He is in the business of growing businesses. Need a speaker, contact Steve today.

    #bizcoachstevef #business #stevefeld #smallbusiness #smallbiz #entrepreneur #marketing #leadership #coaching #businessowner #businesscoach #businesssuccess #businesscoaching #businesstips #entrepreneurship #success #entrepreneurlife #keynotespeaker #podcast #author #smallbusinessowner #speaker

  • Start today to change EVERYTHING

    Start today to change EVERYTHING

     Think about where you were 5 years ago.
     
    Seems like only yesterday, right?
     
    Are you where you thought you’d be 5 years later when you looked forward back then?
     
    Are you leading the life you envisioned?
     
    Do you have the income, lifestyle, freedom, health, relationships, poise, and skills you thought you would have by now?
     
    Guess What?  Now you get another chance to look forward to the next 5 years
    Over the next 5 years, you can accomplish what people spend a lifetime trying to do. How do you visualize your life to be in 5 years? What job do you have in what industry? How much money are you making? What city do you live in? What kind of car are you driving? What kind of house/apartment/etc. do you live in? Who are you within your relationship? How are you viewed in the community?

    Be as specific as possible. Take the time to visualize all areas of your life. I only mentioned some of them. Write them all down and look at them every month, week, and even day. Start today moving to where you want to be in 5 years.
     
    A Goal vs. A Promise
    It makes a big difference if you turn your goals into promises.  That’s because most of us have set goals and know of other people that have set goals and didn’t fulfill them.  Our mind tends to see goals as something to strive for, something to aim at…but if we don’t “hit the target”, it’s fine because “we’re not the first or the last that have set goals and didn’t achieve them.”
     
    On the other hand, when we promise someone that we’re going to do something, our mind goes to work for us and we do everything that’s in our power to fulfill that promise because we don’t like to feel the pain, shame, or embarrassment of letting somebody down.  Our integrity is such that a promise means more to us than setting a goal.
     
    The Power of Accountability Partners
    Commitment is doing the thing you said you were going to do, long after the mood you said it in has left you.
     
    The pressures of life will not come to an end just because you have decided to begin this program.  It has been my experience that those who have the most success with the program are those who had 2 or more Accountability Partners (not within the same household) doing the program also.
     
    Some benefits of utilizing Accountability Partners include:

    • Assistance in organizing ideas, thoughts, and tasks into specific, measurable, attainable, and realistic goals
    • Assistance in prioritizing an effective and consistent plan
    • Ensuring accountability for task follow through
    • Mentoring through difficulties and indecisiveness
    • Sharing advice, personal knowledge, and experience
    • Follow up on your success


    During your search for appropriate Accountability Partners, keep in mind that the right person should be someone who will challenge, engage and evoke a sense of accomplishment in you.  Confidence, creativity, and strength are all traits that will be useful to you.  Also, consider choosing an Accountability Partner who you trust to keep confidence as you may get into financial and personal discussions that are confidential in nature.
     
    Promise yourself and your Accountability Partners that you will become a better person and achieve your goals.
     
    Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life
    Unlocking your full potential for Wealth, Success, and Achievement
     
    Your THOUGHTS,  your WORDS, and your ACTIONS are building blocks to creating the life that you want!
     
    Doing the same things over and over expecting different results is insanity.  The only way to get different results is to change what we do.  The process of change begins in our minds.  Our thoughts help shape and create our circumstances in life.  “As A Man Thinketh, So Is He.”  When we change our thinking, we change our lives.
     
    What does it mean to change?  Change = to transform or convert.
     
    When we find ourselves stuck in a rut or not quite where we want to be in life, it is time for a change.  Old habits, old thoughts, and old ways of thinking must go.  We literally have to cleanse our minds of negativity, scars, conditioning, and mental blocks.
     
    Living Your Dream is a continuous process of training and transforming our minds to achieve optimal living.  There are many ways to begin the process of changing the way we think.
     
    What we feed our minds affect how and what we think.  When we bombard the mind with negative images, fears, bad news, violence, pain, and suffering, etc.…our mind responds by conjuring up matching thoughts.  When we feed our minds with positive images, good news, peace, happiness, and prosperity …our mind responds accordingly.
     
    Our mind will produce thoughts based on the information we provide it with.  The thoughts that our mind produces set a wheel of events in motion.  Thoughts are creative and whatever thoughts we find ourselves preoccupied with always manifest in our lives.
     
    What you do with your life is up to you.  Life is what you make it.  You have everything you need to create life, destroy life, improve life, and touch the lives of others.  For every cause, there is an effect.  Every life represents a mission, a purpose, and a cause.  What will be the effect on your LIFE?

    I promise you if you commit today to reach your goal with the help of accountability partners, and change your thinking to positive thoughts you will be in a much better place in 5 years.

    How do you visualize your life in 5 years?

    All long journeys start with one step.

    What one step are you going to take today?  

    #

    Steve Feld, MBA, Certified Business Coach, and Author, a coffee enthusiast, provides training and business performance coaching to business owners, professionals, and executives. Steve also speaks to organizations and conducts workshops and training.  Focusing on lead generation and revenue creation to get growth results for the business.

    Contact Biz Coach Steve today to see how he can assist you to get the results you want in your business, [email protected], or www.bizcoachsteve.com. He is in the business of growing businesses. Need a speaker, contact Steve today.

    #bizcoachsteve #business #stevefeld #smallbusiness #smallbiz #entrepreneur #marketing #leadership #coaching #businessowner #businesscoach #businesscoaching #businesstips #entrepreneurship #success #entrepreneurlife #keynotespeaker #podcast #author #smallbusinessowner #speaker

  • START 2023 OFF RIGHT

    START 2023 OFF RIGHT

    14-DAY GOAL SETTING

    “Any road will get you there if you don’t know where you are going,” – Lewis Carroll

    ” A goal without a plan is just a wish” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery

    As they say, a goal with a plan is just a dream. Do you often find yourself daydreaming of having something-whether that’s a brand new car, increasing your monthly income-personal and for your business, but then never working towards that goal?  That’s because you don’t have a plan of action.

    This 14-Day Goal Setting exercise is for anyone who is looking to achieve a specific goal in their personal and professional life, no matter how big or small. If you’re unsure of how to go about starting on a path to achieving your goals, then this exercise is for you.

    By completing this exercise, you’ll gain clarity into exactly what you want to achieve in every area of your life and determine a clear-cut plan for how to achieve those goals. We will be focusing on your BUSINESS goals. Of course, you can apply this exercise to your personal life as well.

    The 14-Day Goal setting exercise outlines exactly what you need to do during each day of the challenge to be successful. We want you to set yourself up for a fantastic 2023 and take your business to the next level and beyond. Over the next year, we will be expanding on your business goals and providing you with some more information that you can use to achieve your 2023 business goals.

    Day 1 – THINK: Think about your business as it is now and write down the things that are most important to you for your business.  I.E. What do you want your revenue to be at the end of 2023? How many new customers do you want to have every month?

    Day 2 – IMAGINE: Imagine that you could wave a magic wand and make your business perfect in all areas. What would it look like? I.E. Having a team that is all on the same page, working effectively to grow your business.

    Day 3 – WRITE IT DOWN:  Using your thoughts from Day 2, write down each goal you’d like to achieve in your ideal business. Make your description clear and detailed in every sense. I.E. You need to make X number of calls a day to close Y number of clients that equal Z number of revenue per quarter, per month, per week, or day.

    Day 4 – DECIDE UPON YOUR MAJOR DEFINITE PURPOSE: Ask yourself: If I could achieve any business goal on this list within the next 2 weeks, which one goal would have the greatest positive impact on my business? I.E. Upgrade the computer system to streamline the sales process.

    Day 5 – SET A DEADLINE:  Think of a reasonable date for you to achieve your goal. If your goal is big enough, set sub-deadlines. I.E. Will upgrade the computer system on X day and test it out on Y day, everyone will be on the new system on Z day.

    Day 6 – IDENTIFY ANY OBSTACLES: Identify any potential obstacles that you will have to overcome to achieve your goal. Determine how to overcome each of them.  I.E. Getting the IT department to install and upgrade the system. Find an outside IT firm that can do the job within the next couple of days.

    Day 7 – IDENTIFY THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS YOU’LL NEED: What one skill if you developed and did it consistently, in an excellent fashion, would help you the most to achieve your most important goal? I.E. If you are not well versed in accounting, speak to your CPA or take a basic accounting class so you can understand your numbers to make better decisions within your business.

    Day 8 – MAKE A LIST: Make a list of everything (every step) you will have to do to achieve your goal.  I.E. Just start a list of each step that needs to be taken to move your business from where it is now to the goal. 

    Day 9 – ORGANIZE YOUR LIST INTO A PLAN: Organize your list into a series of steps from the beginning through to the completion of your goal. I.E. If you need to make 10 calls a day, then your list should be made the day before on who to call with their contact information the day before, why you are calling, and even have your call script ready to go.

    Day 10 – WRITE YOUR PLAN DOWN IN AN AGENDA: Write down each phase of your plan in your agenda through the completion of your goal. Plan each day, week, and month.  I.E. Block time in the day to make the calls, then put the result of that call in your sales tracker.

    Day 11 – DETERMINE YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM: Make a list of every person in your life that you will have to work with or work around to achieve your goal. I.E. Contact your CPA to have them explain your numbers. Contact an IT company to upgrade your system. ETC.

    Day 12 – MAKE YOUR GOAL PUBLIC: Tell others what goal you intend to achieve and by when, especially those in your support system.  I.E. Get a Score mentor and tell them your goals along with the result you want with the date you are going to accomplish the goal.  Join a mastermind group.

    Day 13 – PRACTICE VISUALIZATION OF YOUR GOAL:  Create clear, vivid, exciting, emotional pictures of your goals as if they were already a reality.  I.E. Visualize yourself, and your business after you achieved your goals. What does your business look like? How does that make you feel?

    Day 14 – DO YOUR FIRST TASK:  The hardest part is starting. On the last day of this exercise, complete the first task you’ve outlined for yourself and get started on the path to success.  I.E. JUST DO IT!! Your first task may not be perfect, SO WHAT?  Just do it! Do not put this off and start taking action TODAY.

    Following this 14-Day goal-setting challenge, it will get you to develop your 2023 business goals. Be as descriptive as possible with realistic deadlines. Get the people in place to help you achieve your goals.

    Every month we will give you more information to keep you moving forward in your business, but you need to know where you want your business to go before anything else. An archer needs to know where the bull’s eye is on the target before they pull the string back and fire an arrow.   Start today to be successful in 2023.

    #

    Steve Feld, MBA, Certified Business Coach, and Author, a coffee enthusiast, provides training and business performance coaching to business owners, professionals, and executives. Steve also speaks to organizations and conducts workshops and training.  Focusing on lead generation and revenue creation to get growth results for the business.

    Contact Biz Coach Steve today to see how he can assist you to get the results you want in your business, [email protected], or www.bizcoachsteve.com. He is in the business of growing businesses. Need a speaker, contact Steve today.

    #bizcoachstevef #entrepreneur #stevefeld #smallbusiness #business #smallbiz #coaching #businessowner #businesscoach #leadership #marketing #speaking #keynotespeaker #meetingprofs #eventprofs #meetingstoday #businesscoachnearme

  • Limiting beliefs

    Limiting beliefs

    I was speaking with a business owner that has been struggling for the last 3 years (started pre-pandemic). He was telling me how great business was. He had rockstar staff members. His marketing was firing on all cylinders. Then he was looking at expanding his business and adding another product line that would complement his current business. Then that is the moment everything started falling apart. He then went into detail about his spiraling descent to where he is now. After listening to his story, I heard him tell me the following limiting beliefs that were keeping him from reaching his goals. We as business owners/entrepreneurs have encountered these limiting beliefs and many others. Once we remove the wall, we put up in front of us, we can move forward.

    1. Everything has to be perfect before sharing it.

    Being a perfectionist keeps you in your comfort zone and nothing great comes from staying in your comfort zone. Having everything perfect just isn’t natural – nature is the greatest proof that perfect isn’t real. Flaws connect better for people. That video training you want to release where you stumble over the name in the intro, or your cat walked into the frame – put it out there! Own it! If you are in the business of people, put it out regardless of minor flaws. Do your due diligence to proofread but limit the number of edits and just get it out there. Done is better than perfect

    • I’ll do it tomorrow

    Procrastination is the sister of perfectionism. When you push something off it it’s usually either a) You don’t “feel” like doing it, or b) You’re afraid you won’t do it well. The way you do anything is the way you do everything, so if you are procrastinating on the little things, you are likely procrastinating on the bigger things too. When you know there is something that you want to push off, make that the exact thing you do right now. The sooner you get it off your to-do list, the sooner you can focus on the things you love to do.

    • I am here to help everyone

    It’s an ambitious thought, but it is totally unrealistic to try to help everyone. The idea that you are here to “change the world” is a starting point. We change the world through our work on an individual basis. Think about your gifts and talents, think about who specifically needs those gifts and talents. Dial it in! The clearer and more concise you are with who you want to work with or work for, the better your clients will be suited to you and the better you’ll be able to market to them.

    • Discounting my prices will help me get more clients

    Discounts devalue the worth of a good or service. If you discount your rates, you show your potential clients that you agree that your services are not really worth $X. If you feel like you *need* to discount your offerings, it’s more likely that you are not valuing your own worth and therefore, you are not showing your potential client your value. Next time someone says, “That’s expensive,” you are being told that you have not established your value properly. So, you need to show them, very clearly, how your service will take them from their pain point now to their desired destination – map it out for them and show what your services are missing like. Most people will immediately have some sort of objection to the price, it’s natural. But if you see this, not as a reflection of you and your prices, but rather as their reaction based on their personal financial situation, you can be of service and guide them through the process.

    • There are so many other people out there that are better at this than me

    Compare and despair! Everyone has to start somewhere, even your greatest inspirations were just getting started once too. Also, the fabulous life you see through social media is a highly edited version and doesn’t show much of “real life” stuff that’s happening behind the scenes. This pattern has to stop! If you find you are spending too much time focusing on what others are doing, you are likely not doing what you need to be doing in your own business or life. Turn off social media, do your work and commit to showing up as your best self, you WILL attract your people and they will adore you. Look to others for inspiration on how to be better and integrate what you like into your own special sauce. The more you step into YOU, the more you will attract your people

    • Self-care and time off are a luxury. If I want to be successful, I have to just work a lot.

    Self-care is a foundation of a successful entrepreneur. By taking time for your body, mind, and soul, you allow time to replenish your valuable resources: inspiration, energy, and joy. Splurge on a massage mid-day on Tuesday and see how much better you perform this week. Turn off your electronics and go camping this weekend – I guarantee you’ll have a breakthrough in the next few days after returning, if not while you are away. You solve problems in your business when you take your mind off your business. The more space you have in your schedule, the more space you have in your heart and mind to put it back into your business.

    What to do.

    The first thing you will do is write down one of your limiting – or negative – beliefs. Then below it, write a counter statement, known as a power statement, that turns that limiting belief around. Example:

    Limiting Statement: I don’t know if anyone will buy this new product and my staff won’t even try to sell it.

    Power Statement: I know this new product will provide a lot of value to people and my staff will love to sell it because of the benefits to our customers.

    You want to continue doing this for any limiting beliefs or negative statements you find yourself thinking, saying, or buying into. Use these Power Statements as affirmations. You can integrate them into your daily morning ritual by reading them aloud every day. If you don’t currently have a daily ritual, use this to start one

    #

    Steve Feld, MBA, Certified Business Coach, and Author, a coffee enthusiast, provides training and business performance coaching to business owners, professionals, and executives. Steve also speaks to organizations and conducts workshops and training.  Focusing on lead generation and revenue creation to get growth results for the business.

    Contact Biz Coach Steve today to see how he can assist you to get the results you want in your business, [email protected], or www.bizcoachsteve.com. He is in the business of growing businesses. Need a speaker, contact Steve today.

    #bizcoachstevef #entrepreneur #smallbusiness #business #smallbiz #coaching #businessowner #businesscoach #leadership #marketing #speaking #keynotespeaker #meetingprofs #eventprofs #meetingstoday #businesscoachnearme