With the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak around the world and alot of nations doing their part to stop the spread, one thought kept coming tomy mind. No, it wasn’t fear (although I’m scared), nor the angst (althoughthere’re moments I’m anxious). It's been HOPE.

All the stories I’ve heard about hope helping people survivethrough the nightmares of World War II came back to me. I’m Polish, so I’veheard many of them. Not just from my beloved grandfather, who fought in the warbut also at school, through movies or Sunday dinner conversations. WWII was an extreme event in our history, andyet it ended. The affected nations moved on to build prosperity that most of uscan be grateful for today.

That’s how I know this outbreak will end very soon. Why?Because we’re peaceful, because as humans we’re coming together, and becausewe’re doing the right thing.

As a result of these thoughts came my inspiration to crackthe HOPE code and write the blog. What is hope? Why is it so important for allbut especially entrepreneurs? Read on and find out :).

Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness. - Desmond Tutu

In simple words, hope allows us to see the possibility of a better future, and with that brings optimism that it will happen. But it’s not just that. Hope also gives us the desire to pursue that future, take steps towards achieving it. A pioneering psychologist who studied hope at the University of Kansas, Charles R. Snyder, Ph.D., developed a model of hope with 3 components: goals, agency (belief in our ability to shape our lives and motivation to do it), and pathways (plans to achieve our goals).

This model of hope applies to anything we do in life:wanting to lose weight, adopt a child, or grow our business. I've broken itdown from the entrepreneurs’ point of view with a few quotes 😊.

May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears. - Nelson Mandela

I’m sure, at the beginning of this year, you’ve created andwritten down goals for your business. Ifthose goals are aligned with the vision you have for yourself, they reflectyour hopes. In other words, they reflect a better future you want for yourselfand your family. Because your business is part of that future.

In the event, you haven’t set any business goals, or youdidn’t think about aligning them with your vision, take the time you have anddo it now. Your Vision is your Northstar. Let is guide every aspect of yourlife.

Hence, my free 4-video Clarity & Focus training can walk you step by step of how to do it for your business. You can click here and download it now.

There are always positives in any negative that happens tous. And one of the positives nowadays is that we do have more time. Our livesslowed down then we should make the best out of it.

Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who had kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all. - Dale Carnegie

The second component of hope is the agency: the drive andmotivation to achieve the goals despite hurdles life throws on our way. It’salso the belief that we shape our future.

I think most entrepreneurs have such drive because it comesfrom our passion. Entrepreneurs create businesses out of nothing. Therefore,without the belief that the best is yet to come, without the motivation to keepgoing when the results are far from sight, none of us would build any businessever.

Moreover, this drive and passion allow entrepreneurs to beflexible and innovative when the environment changes. The vision and long-termgoals might not change, but the way we achieve them has to as the circumstancesaround throw the curveballs at your plans.

Everything that is done in this world is done by hope. - Martin Luther King

Lastly, pathways. It’s hard to achieve a goal without a planshowing our brain how to get there. It’s like trying to open a 3-digitcombination lock without the code. There are over 18,000 combinationpossibilities – so good luck, right 😊? Instead, when you havethe code (a plan), it takes you so much faster to get where you want to be.

And going back to the point above, flexibility and abilityto adapt to a changing environment are crucial in planning. At present, you cansee that skill being used by entrepreneurs all around the world as thein-person events are canceled, and physical locations closed. Those who haven’tbeen online are moving to that medium now. They're changing their plans,embracing their unknown. Such resilience and quick action to adapt to change isvital nowadays in building and growing a successful business.

Hope is a renewable option: If you run out of it at the end of the day, you get to start over in the morning. - Barbara Kingsolver

Before we part, I wanted to help you get more hope if you’re struggling right now. Intending to help female entrepreneurs adapt to the new reality and move online as much as possible, I created a FREE online 5-session training challenge on How to Find More Clients Online. I'll be running it starting Sunday, March 29th, and all ladies are welcome 😊.

Here are your registration details for the Challenge:

Kick-Off - Sunday, March 29, 7:30 pm EST - Launch of the Challenge with the first key lesson and homework

DAY 1 - Monday, March 30, 7:30 pm EST - DREAM - We'll be dreaming up your ideal client and you'll find out why it's so critical to know who that is.

DAY 2 - Tuesday, March 31, 7:30 pm EST - PLAN - This day is all about online marketing

DAY 3 - Wednesday, April 1, 7:30 pm EST - PLAN - Even though it's April Fool's Day - knowing how to sell in a way that feels natural to you is no joke ;)

DAY 4 - Thursday, April 2, 7:30 pm EST - DO - By the end of this session, you'll be ready to go an apply what you've learned to find more clients online and get results!

If you register now, then you’ll get a bonus guide with 10 Instagram Hacks You Must Know About.

REGISTER HERE & BOOK YOUR SPOT NOW

I’m super excited about it! I HOPE and know that it will help you grow your business even in such difficult times 😊. Embrace the unknown and join us!

Hope is a​n embrace of the unknown​. - Rebecca Solnit

This week it’s going to be week 7 of social distancing and staying at home for me. I’m guessing you’re more or less similar in this respect. With the new reality, over the past few weeks, we all had to adapt or create an entirely new way of working to stay productive, educating our kids, and living overall.

Have you noticed that maybe after the initial shock that certain things are becoming more of a routine now? That they're not as stressful or inconvenient anymore? All it means is that you're adapting and creating habits that serve you.

Hopefully, soon the governments will be slowly easing on the social distancing rules, and a new reality will start shaping. It will be different than pre-COVID and different from now. It will require us again to adjust, switch, and adapt to it.

That’s why this week, I wanted to share with you 10 practical tips that helped me become highly productive over the past couple of years and with small adjustments to stay like this in the current situation.

And no matter how the new situation will look like, I know I’ll be able to tweak my habits to remain focused and keep getting results. So here we go.

1. Establish clear boundaries between your activities

What I mean by that is knowing when is work and focus time for you, school and homework time for kids, and when it's family time and leisure time. Whether you create a schedule that's posted on a fridge or have a mutual understanding of the boundaries, the format doesn't matter. What matters is that most days, everyone does their best to follow it. And as difficult as it might be in the beginning, I promise you that within a few days you’ll all feel calmer, less stressed, and be more productive.

2. Eliminate screen distractions during focus times

When the schedule calls for business or school time, ensure to eliminate all distractions. Turn off the TV, close all unnecessary windows in your browser, hide the phone in a drawer in the room furthest away from your area of work. This way, you might actually finish your tasks earlier 😊.

3. Have designated times for social media or TV.

Scrolling thru Facebook or Instagram just to catch up on feeds (not for business reasons) can be a quiet time stealer and productivity killer. I know because I used to fall into that trap too. You try to look for a piece of info that you need, and from one link you click on to the next and next only to realize that 30 mins or more have come and gone from your life.

The best way to deal with it? Have designated times for social media scrolling or TV watching. Maybe it’s 30-45 mins after dinner or at the end of your workday? Avoid times in bed before falling asleep. But other than that, you pick and keep it to the minimum.

4. Channel your energy only on important things

In other words, be proactive. You’ll do that when you define your priorities for the day ahead of time and review the day before. This way, when it’s work time, and you know exactly how you’ll invest the time you have, you’ll 10x your results! I have been pre-planning my days for quite some time and the improvements I've seen year over the year on how much I can accomplish in the limited time I have each day keep astounding me.

5. Focus on things in 90 mins chunks

Our brain has difficulty focusing for more than 90 – 120 mins at a time without losing on its productivity. Therefore, sitting at your computer for 3-4 hours at a time without breaks is not going to give you better results. Schedule 90 mins chunks of focus time throughout the day (even if it's only one or 2), and you’ll accomplish more in a day than some people do in a week.

6. Renew your energy throughout the day.

Your effectiveness and high productivity are highly dependent on the energy you have each day. Therefore, taking breaks in between tasks, eating healthy, and getting enough sleep (we’ll talk movement below) are not luxuries you cannot afford but necessities you must do to achieve a long term success.

With that, I have a quick exercise for you. Assess what do you do now each day that helps you restore your energy? And what did you do that doesn’t? Once you know, commit to doing more of the former and less of the latter 😊.

7. Get some fresh air and exercise.

I know I sound like a broken record, and everyone is saying that. It's because fresh air and movement are critical to our mental and physical health. Without that, you can't achieve balance and be highly productive in every aspect of your life.

One thing I’m going to say is that your movement doesn’t have to be a crazy work out in the gym three times a week. As amazing as they are, I’m not a huge fan of gyms. I like to be active with my family or do things at home. Hiking, bike riding, even walk in the neighborhood, 20-mins of stretching/ yoga, or even 1 min of jumping jacks - these are all movement activities that help. And routines don’t mean locking yourself in a schedule that doesn’t serve you. They mean creating an overall structure that works for you and is flexible inside to adapt as needed.

8. Be present: "in the moment."

Switching from business time to homeschooling or family time might not be easy right now. Trust me, I know that all this can blend in one big time blob. But that's why now more than ever you should learn to focus and give your undivided attention tot he task at hand. Why? Because only when you're truly in the moment, you can fully benefit from it. And you can do that if you implement short breaks, short meditations, getting outside for fresh air in between the daily activities. Pick the ones that work for you, use them for a few days, and see what a big difference this will make in your life.

9. Spend time socializing with key people in your life

Yes, now it’s all remote but such a saver for sanity! We still got quite creative: zoom parties, facetime coffee chats, Goggle meet dinners, or What’sApp calls. There are many ways to stay connected to those you love and cherish. And hey, when the situation changes, you’ll be able to hug them for real. What’s important is the time you spend with each other, the connections you build, and the fuel for heart and soul you get when doing that.

10. Know yourself

Knowing how you function, when your energy is at the peak, and when it isn’t can help you schedule your activities accordingly and maximize your productivity. Do the most challenging work when you’re at your peak as more energy is required then. This way, you’ll increase your results exponentially. Non-critical but necessary work can wait for times when you're not at the top of your game.

I'll finish with James Clear’s quote: “You choose the future with your actions each day."

Whatever you do now in your life and business will determine your results in the future. And for your actions to have the maximum positive effect they need to follow this route starting from the bottom:

Such alignment is what my Dream-Plan-Do coaching model is all about. I work with you to create a step by step plan for aligning everything in your business. Only this way, you'll be able to achieve your dream results the fastest possible. If you’re curious now how working with me looks like, then read more here first, and let’s talk after 😊.

We're in times where every business should not only have a mere presence online and but also fully benefit from this world to build brand recognition, marketing, and sales. And if it wasn't that apparent pre-COVID-19, it has become a necessity now.

Even when the governments will ease the restrictions, the new reality is going to be different. And the savvy business owners will pivot in the direction of where the new normal is going.

Therefore, whether you're just starting your business and know the online world is the place to be or expanding your presence online, avoiding these 5 common mistakes will save you money, time, and sanity.

Mistake 1: Being present on wrong online platforms

The key to achieving maximum visibility in your business is to be present where your ideal clients are hanging out. If your audience is mostly on LinkedIn, and you put all your marketing efforts into Facebook, you won't get much success even with the best campaign ever.

Solution: Do your research first.

Find out what platforms your ideal clients go to, especially for information on issues that your offer solves, and be present there. That's how they will notice you and get to like you.

Additionally, with consistency and positioning yourself as an expert that's able to help them and you'll start gaining their trust.

If you want to learn more about this topic, including online marketing and sales, then download my free-mini course How to Find More Clients Online here.

Mistake 2: Starting your presence on too many platforms at once

Trying to be present on all the social media platforms there are, especially when you're new to the online world can be overwhelming. Every platform is different, so trying to learn their intricacies all at once can affect your consistency. And consistency is KEY in building an audience with whom you can create real relationships.

Moreover, spreading your focus and energy in too many areas, in the beginning, will most likely lower the quality of the content you put out on these platforms.

Lastly, once you have an audience, you need to nurture them by staying active, replying to their comments, showing that you care. If you don't have proper time and/ or other resources to help you with that, your brand image will suffer.

Solution: If you're just starting out, pick one or two platforms you want to be present on and get very good at.

Build the audience there, nurture them, and stay consistent. Once you've mastered them, then move on to the next one.

Mistake 3: Writing online content in your expert language

To attract your ideal client to your website and sign up for your newsletter, follow you on social media or buy from your landing page, you need to write content (a.k.a. copy) that speaks to them (a.k.a. converts). The two most common mistakes entrepreneurs make when creating content are:

a) writing in their own expert language;

b) tooting horns about their offering without really showing how it can benefit the ideal clients.

Solution: Write your content in a language that is not only understandable to your audience but also to which they can relate.

When we're passionate and knowledgeable about a topic, we tend to think everyone has the same level of expertise in it. Let me tell you that it's not true. What seems obvious to you isn't so evident to others.

So, try to go back in time to when you were a newbie to your industry. What did you think about similar offerings? How did you describe the concepts you want to share with your audience?

Additionally, talk to your ideal client and listen to what they say. Tune in to their language. How they are describing their issues? What do they want the solution to bring them? Because all they want to understand about your offer is what's in it for them. How can you help them solve their issue or reach their goal?

Once you know that, convey it in your content. This way, it will be valuable for your potential client and will attract them to buy from you.

Mistake 4: Focusing only on Likes and Follows

The purpose of your presence on online platforms is to build an audience filled with your ideal potential client, who one day will be ready to buy your offerings. Therefore, attracting a qualified audience to your platforms is vital. It's not about having 10K likes and follows from random people that will never buy from you. Because then you're just busy without really doing anything to grow your business.

Solution: Focus on attracting the right audience to your platforms rather than only a sheer number.

It's better to have 1K people following you that are your Ideal Clients than 10K who are not. The 1K people will be the ones who will sign up for your newsletter, read it, be grateful for the value you offer, and ultimately buy from you.

Mistake 5. Creating a sales funnel without a promotional plan

Sales Funnels, i.e., a series of landing pages and emails that take your ideal client on a purchasing journey, are popular because they work if done right. They automate some of your selling activities. There are many ways you can utilize them in your business.

The most important thing that many entrepreneurs overlook at first is that creating a funnel with an excellent copy on the landing pages and in emails is only one side of the coin. Only this side won't bring you email opt-ins, consult calls or sales.

The second side of the coin is equally essential and also requires a budget (sometimes even more significant than the first one). And that is promotion and advertising. You can have the best funnel in the world, but if no one knows it exists, you won't get any results.

Solution: When deciding on using a sales funnel to grow your business ensure that you have a solid promotional budget.

A robust marketing plan will help you detrmine the right amount for the budget and support the whole project.

And before I close off, I wanted to talk about the primary root cause of these mistakes.

In most cases, it's the lack of an overarching STRATEGY for the business. As you can imagine from the mistakes above, the consequences of that can be dire and painful. The crazy amounts of time spent creating posts that bring no or minimal results. The money spent on funnels that don't generate any sales. The stress, the overwhelm, and lost opportunities for spending all that time and money on activities that would actually grow the business.

That's why the main piece of advice I have for you is to start by creating an online presence strategy. It will allow you to consider all the aspects I have mentioned here and in my free mini-course How to Find More Clients Online.

Once you such a strategy, the rest will be much easier, less painful, and produce faster results. And if you don't know how to go about creating it, then let's connect for a free strategy session. During our chat, help you get started and point you in the right direction. Click here to book one.

I love motivational and inspirational quotes. They bear the truths that sometimes we forget about. Since entrepreneurs deal with lots of challenges regularly, not to mention the current virus crisis, a great motivational quote can change your outlook for the day.

That’s why I decided to handpick 23 of my favorite quotes for you to read whenever you need a bit of inspiration.

1. Guard your mind, be intentional on what you allow to come in.

What we think affects our feelings, feeling drive our behaviors and our behaviors are directly collated to our results.

Keep your thoughts positive, because your thoughts become your words.
Keep your words positive, because your words become your behavior.
Keep your behavior positive, because your behavior become your habits.
Keep your habits positive, because your habits become your values.
Keep your values positive, because your values become your destiny.

Mahatma Gandhi

2. We create our own life.

We might not have an influence over everything that happens to us, but we get to decide how we react to those things and what we do about them.

I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.

Stephen Covey

3. Chose simplicity.

No one can operate in unnecessary complexity. Complicated is overwhelming, creates chaos, especially in hard times.

Life can be as simple or as complicated as you make it be. Chose simple, it's a faster way to happiness.

Maggie Perotin, Stairway to Leadership

4. Alignment

Align what you do in your business with your strategies. Align your strategy with your vision and dream. This way you’ll stay on course.

You’ve got to think about big things while you’re doing small things so that all the small things go in the right direction.

Alvin Toffler

5. Creativity is like a muscle

Innovation is creativity. Creativity is one of the essential skills to nurture in our businesses. It helps us be unique and stand out in the market.

You can't use up creativity. The more you use the more you have.

Maya Angelou

6. Failure

In the new COVID reality, the times are hard right now for a lot of us. J.K. Rowling knows something about that. Let’s learn from her.

Failure is so important. It is the ability to resist failure or use failure that often leads to greater success.

J.K. Rowling

7. Success

The daily habits and routines we set in our lives have a more significant impact on our success than motivation to pursue our dreams.

It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through.

Zig Ziglar

8. Excellence vs. Perfectionism

Perfectionism is limiting. We cannot grow when we wait for the things to be perfect (will they ever be?). The only way to grow is to put yourself out there and do the best you can with the knowledge and resources you have in every given moment. The more you do that, the better you become.

The world needs your excellence, not perfection. Don’t hold back, lean into it.

Maggie Perotin, Stairway to Leadership

9. Passion

Have you been dreaming about doing what you’re passionate about but waiting for the right moment? That moment is now.

Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.

Oprah Winfrey

10. Habits

A keystone habit is one that ends up having a ripple effect on your life. Create good keystone habits that have a positive influence in many areas of your life. Start small, now, with one. You have the time.

If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude.

Colin Powell

11. Optimism and Hope

I wrote a whole article about hope. If you’re out of hope right now or think hope is just wishful thinking, it might help you. You can read it here.

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.

Helen Keller

12. Simplicity

Sometimes we are so close to the problem that we don’t see solutions. And quite often the solutions are very simple. If you’re in this situation and need help, I’m happy to offer a free consultation to help. You can book it here.

Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.

Dr Seuss

13. Dealing with challenges

In every challenge, there is an opportunity waiting to be taken advantage of.

When you see a roadblock or challenge as an opportunity, it is amazing how you are already halfway there.

Frances Hesselbein

14. Don’t let fear paralyze you.

The path to success is to take massive, determined actions.

Tony Robbins

15. You have time for what's important.

If you really want to do something, you'll find a way. If you don’t, you'll find an excuse.

Jim Rohn

16. Self-development

To become the person you dream of with the results you want, self-development is the answer.

The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.

Albert Einstein

17. Don’t give up.

You should never view your challenges as a disadvantage. Instead, it's important for you to understand that your experience facing and overcoming adversity is actually one of your biggest advantages.

Michelle Obama

18. Pivot and keep going.

Most great people have attained their greatest success just one step beyond their greatest failure.

Napoleon Hill

19. More about time

Use the time you have now to bring you closer to where you want to be. Don’t let it slip through your fingers wasted.

Time is really the only capital that any human being has, and the only thing he can’t afford to lose.

Thomas A. Edison

20. Dream

Dreaming is the first step of the universe telling you you’re capable of achieving it. DREAM-PLAN-DO!

If you can dream it, you can do it.

Walt Disney

21. Plan

Once you have a dream, the next step is to plan it. DREAM-PLAN-DO

A goal without a plan is just a wish.

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

22. Do

Don’t wait. Start today. DREAM-PLAN-DO

Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.

Mother Teresa

23. Have courage

Without fear, there would be no courage. Any antidote needs its trigger. Next time you feel scared to go after your dreams, remember that only this way you'll find the courage to do it.

Maggie Perotin, Stairway to Leadership

Being an entrepreneur is not easy, especially in the beginning, but even later on. There's so much to learn and to do, so much information to filter through, no wonder that can be completely overwhelming. That overwhelm is like tuition fee to the school of hard knocks, a.k.a. Entrepreneurship.

If you're there now: feeling like you don't know what your next steps should be or where to even begin or paralyzed and unable to make a decision, then wait no more and read this.

First, gain awareness by understanding why you feel overwhelmed, and then pick one or two ay below that will help you deal with it.

5 Reasons Why Entrepreneurs Get Overwhelmed

1. Comparison to others

Social media is a fantastic way for many of us to run our businesses online. But on the other hand, it has a dark side to it that, if not controlled, can overshadow the bright side.

If you're spending time scrolling through your FB or Instagram feed mindlessly, notice the pattern first. In the beginning, you enjoy the posts, comments, and contribute yourself.

But the longer you do that, the more you start comparing yourself to others. You look at their businesses' successes beginning to think: "I'll never get there. I'm not as good as them; I don't have the same resources, I don't know as much..." etc., etc. And by the time you finish, the fear of failure and imposter syndrome get activated. You're so down that you don't even feel like starting anything to move your business forward.

2. Too much to do

Running a business is a challenging and busy undertaking. And there's always SO MUCH to do. If you wanted to, you could work 24/7/365 non-stop and still not get it all done and just get burned out instead. Feeling overwhelmed is only a natural consequence of trying to do it all.

3. Focusing on the things, you can't control

When you watch the news, read conspiracy theories on the latest events, get into discussions over things that you can't really control or change, all it does to you is make you feel helpless at first and then hopeless. As humans, we like to instill change, be helpful and productive. If all we bring on ourselves throughout the day is a feeling that we can't do or change anything, the will to action goes away … on our own request.

4. I want it all, and I want it now.

Those might be great lyrics for a song, but lack of patience doesn't favor the entrepreneurs. Trying to jump to your BIG Hairy Audacious goals in one leap does nothing else but overwhelm you. Why? Because your logical brain tells you that such a huge jump is impossible. And you know it's right.

5. Distractions

I wrote about the Shiny Object Syndrome before, so I will make a quick point here. Distractions, such as social media, laundry, need to clean, etc., take you away from working on your business when you plan to.

Moreover, the realization that you wasted your time and didn't move an inch forward often takes away the will to create and do the productive things in your business. You start building a habit for distraction, not creation, which in turn gets (yes, you guessed it) overwhelming.

Now that you know why you're feeling overwhelmed let's move on to how you can overcome it.

10 Things You Can Do to Deal with Overwhelm

1. Declutter your mind and environment

If your environment is messy, it's hard to focus. So yes, do clean if needed but pick a time to do it separate from your business time. I'm sure you'll feel much better and will get working on your business with a renewed spark of energy afterward.

Most importantly, though, declutter your mind. You don't need to do it all, all the time. What you need is to focus on is 20% of the essential things in your business that brings you 80% of the results. And that's best achieved when you're clear on what's important and prioritize those things. If challenges with prioritization are what you struggle most with, then my Ultimate Guide to Reduce Stress & Increase Results is what you need. It's free, and you can download it here.

2. Build your patience muscle

Rome wasn't built in one day as they say. As an entrepreneur, you need to have patience. Or if you don't have it yet, learn it. Building a lasting successful business is a long-term game. What helps with it is being proactive, strategic, and patient.

How to develop your patience muscle?

Well, if you have kids, I'm sure they're teaching you some right this moment (as mine do 😉). If you don't or want to work at it more, be kind to yourself.

Self-care such as proper rest (sleep and time off), staying active, eating healthy, mindfulness is not a luxury. It's a prerequisite to running a successful business.

As women, we often feel guilty when taking time for ourselves, but as a CEO, it's your duty. You are the most critical asset of your business, and you need to invest in yourself. Self-care is an essential part of such investment. Once you do that, patience will follow along.

3. Focus on things you can control

I cannot stress this enough. All of us sometimes get into that trap of getting all wrapped up and upset over something we heard in the news. Unless you can do something about it, following the news is only going to shrink your circle of influence and drain your energy.

When energy is low, it's hard to be motivated to run a business. But didn't you start it to help others? Those clients are waiting for you to find them, to solve their problems and bring them closer to their dreams.

When you focus on things that you can control in your life, you do make a positive change in the world, one client at a time. And the more you help, the more you expand your circle of influence.

4. Break down your goals

Big Hairy and Audacious Goals are great to start working on your dream. But if you leave them at that, they'll overwhelm you.

The trick is to break them down int into small achievable chunks. When you do that, you can then take one step at a time towards them.

Why is it important? Because one step doesn't feel overwhelming; it's more like: "oh yes, I can do that!" So when you take it and progress one step after another, and then combine it with focus and patience; there's nothing that can stop you from achieving your BHAG's. You'll climb that mountain, and to others it'll seem like you did it in one big leap.

5. Journal

Writing down your thoughts has magical powers. And not only for your mind to keep it calm and focused on your goals but also for creativity.

Ideas come to us all the time, but if we don't write them down right away, they will dissipate in the vast abyss of other thoughts never to be remembered again. What if an idea you had while driving was the 1million $ idea?

So, create a habit of having a notebook with you at all times. Jot down ideas that come to you and review them from time to time. I also use my journal for planning, gratitude, and content creation. It's one of the essential tools in my business and personal development.

6. Plan

Planning is being pro-active. Planning is knowing the three most important things you need to accomplish each day, each week, and each month. Planning reduces the number of urgent things that pop-up unexpectedly each day, raging havoc in your business and just adding to a never-ending to-do list. It reduces overwhelm.

Dale Carnegie said: An hour of planning can save you 10 hrs of doing.

7. Control what you do on social media

As you read above, social media is great when you use it for or your business but evil when it sucks you into comparison and mindless scrolling.

Keep your phone at bay when you focus on business work that doesn't require you to be there. Stay alert and aware when you're online to notice when you start drifting to the scrolling mode instead of business work.

The key is to be aware and catch yourself. You can then re-shift your focus from comparison to growing your business.

Also, please don't look at your phone the minute you wake up. Take time to ground yourself for the day first.

8. Ask for help

When you feel overwhelmed, talking to a supportive friend, spouse, mentor, or coach will help. Getting stuff out of our head helps, and journaling can accomplish that too.

However, getting a different perspective on things takes that experience to a whole new level. Talking with another human can create breakthroughs, bring you clarity on things that are right in front of your nose, but you can't see them because you're too close to your problem.

So, who are you going to talk to today?

9. Take time to reflect

Sometimes it's good to pause, look back, and map your progress.

It makes you appreciate how much you've accomplished in your business. You can feel grateful for good things that happened, and for the lessons you've learned from more challenging moments.

Such reflection allows you to breathe, calm your mind, and restore motivation to keep going.

10. Do something you love.

Take a break and do something you love: watch a movie, eat chocolate (with moderation 😉), or go for a walk. Nurturing our inner child helps us stay in an abundance mindset. This mindset supports motivation, willingness to act, and kills overwhelm.

Before you go, remember, overwhelm is a feeling we all experience at times. The key to success here is learning how to overcome it and not let it paralyze you.

I hope that these ten steps can help you do that. However, if you already know that you need a step by step plan personalized to your unique situation, then I'm here for you. All you need to do is schedule a free initial consultation with me here.

Success doesn't just happen to you. You need to create it.

I've seen many articles on why most people will never be successful. But, today, I wanted to write one on how you can be.

Because those who achieved their dream success (and what that means is different for each person) aren't smarter than you. They didn't have an easier life or better circumstances than you. They just did things that most people don't want to do long enough to see their dream results come to fruition.

The underlying principles of their success aren't complicated. However, this doesn't mean they're easy. What doesn't make them easy is that you need to persist and keep going no matter what happens, giving you a myriad of excuses to stop.

So what are those things that if you master help you achieve anything you want?

Your thoughts

Everything starts in your mind.

Everything is created twice, first in mind, and then in reality.

Robert Sharma

For example, this creation can be fear and thought that you cannot achieve your dreams and live at the level you want. And we all know that this thought isn't that difficult to have.

Our brains are wired to look for danger, to be negative to keep us alive. What worked for the humans in caveman ages a long time ago is an obstacle that we now need to learn to deal with and control to achieve our full potential.

On the other hand, when you do that and intentionally redirect your thinking, you make your mind an ally in pursuing the dream life you want. The success you want to achieve. It doesn't matter how in the beginning. What matters is that you intentionally paint that picture in your mind, so it starts looking for it and help create it.

It's just like buying a new car. Before you decided on a make and model, you barely saw such cars on the streets. But then, once you made the decision, all the same vehicles (even the same color as you want) appeared on the road. Just as if everyone went and bought the very car you want the day you made the decision about getting it.

Has this happened to you?

I bet it did. This was your brain having a thought you implanted in it working for you and scanning the environment to confirm that thought and help you make it a reality.

Now you can do the same thing with your dream business or life in general. Start knowing what you want and planting those images in your brain to work for you, not against you. And whenever negative thoughts come back, redirect them to the ones that serve you.

So once you have the right thought, then what's next?

Your Feelings

What we think about affects how we feel about ourselves and the environment around us.

When you think negative thoughts: "I'm not good enough," "I'll never be able to do it," "I'm too busy." How do you usually feel at that moment? I'm guessing not very motivated to take action.

And when you don't take action, procrastinate or just take it half-convinced, it's hard to achieve anything you want, don't you agree?

Now, think of the last time you had positive, creative thoughts. The ones that say, "Yes, you can do this!" "You did this and this in the past, so you can do anything." Or even "I'm choosing to believe that I can do this, despite my current reality, and I'll take action towards it now." How do these make you feel? Motivated, wanting to act now, excited, and happy? Exactly!

Just like you can help your mind with intentional thoughts, mediation, affirmations, and other positive inputs, you can also help yourself with feelings.

Practicing gratitude, doing things that bring you joy, or spending time with the loved ones are all things that can help you raise your vibe.

I don't want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy them, and to dominate them.

Oscar Wilde

When you're able to positively impact your thoughts, you'll also be able to influence how you feel. And when those feelings serve you, they will push you to the third part of success, which action.

Your Actions

Taking action is the third step to achieving success. All 3 are equally important, and none can be skipped. You can have the best thoughts and feelings in the world, but nothing good will come your way if you don't act on them.

Actions require discipline, routine, and habits that help you push through even on the "I feel not so good days." Action creates momentum that beats procrastination. As well as building plans and focusing only on essential things.

To paraphrase Jim Rohn, you don't want to major in minor and trivial things. You want to major in major matters 😊.

And if one of the essential things is your business, then taking strategic action is key to its growth.

In summary, as humans, we are beautiful, complicated, and holistic beings.

Our thoughts, feelings, and actions affect each other and cannot be separated. Those who achieve their dream level of success learn how to control all three and direct them to play into their advantage.

And don't get me wrong, they don't do it all by themselves. The most successful people intentionally get help along the way. As I said in the beginning, this formula is simple but far from easy (that's why most people cannot do it).

But I know that's not you. Why? Because you're here reading this article. You're someone who wants to achieve your full potential, someone who's willing to learn how to get there. And if you're ready for help with that, schedule a free consult with me here.

Even though North American work ethic is not as extreme as Japanese, we're still not taking as much vacation as our European neighbors. And yet vacation has sooooo many benefits that it should be easy to choose it over karoshi (a Japanese term for death by overwork).

Because the vacation season has begun and COVID restrictions lessened, it's good to remind ourselves why taking some time off is soo beneficial.

Even if this season you stay within your region instead of traveling abroad, you can still reap all the below benefits of vacation.

Our Stress Levels Go Down

Let's be real, the recent few months have been quite stressful for most of us for different reasons. Our bodies and minds have been impacted even if you've been dealing with the situation like a pro.

The research shows that when removed from the typical day to day environments that may cause stress, we tend to relax faster. Our stress hormone levels go down, and with that, the symptoms, such as headaches, backaches, or other pains lessen or go away. Our bodies have time to heal and repair.

We Sleep Better.

Thanks to stress reduction, we began to sleep better. No wonder we get to really REST on vacation. We end up having less on our minds keeping us up at night and experiencing longer sleep with fewer interruptions.

Physical Health – improved!

I don't know about you, but I love to be active during vacation. Definitely more active than usual. Whether it's hiking or sightseeing, swimming, or just playing more with kids. Along with stress reduction, that's definitely one of the reasons why taking vacation significantly lowers your risk of heart disease.

We Gain More Mental Power

Vacation provides us with ample opportunity to Taking Time to Think. As we recharge, this lets our creative brain flourish, and new ideas come out. Less stress, more time outside breathing the fresh air, sun, and just having fun - all these things act as a power booster for our cognitive abilities. And then, when it's time to come back, we actually become more focused and productive during the business work time.

Vacation Strengthens Relationships

This one is a no brainer. Whether you're traveling with your partner only, friends, or the whole family, the relaxed fun time you have during vacation creates memories. Can you recall the last memories you have form one?

That's one of my favorite reasons for taking a vacation. Even if it's a staycation, it can become the most focused quality time you spend with your loved ones.

Vacation Makes You Happier

Did you know that even planning your vacation brings happiness? I know how excited I am when we do as a family. My trick to overcome January/ February Canadian winter blues is to plan summer vacation during that time. Booking camping, planning other trips, and talking about it as a family creates lots of excitement and joy.

Having vacation planned also gives you an additional thing to look forward to (outside of all the fantastic things you have planned for your business 😊!).

And then when the time comes, and you are present in the moment … Yes! How amazing is that?

So when are you taking your next vacation?
It’s not only good for you but also for your business.

Mine is starting now … I'm already packed and ready to create new fantastic memories with my family and embrace all ideas that come to mind during the Thinking Time. 😊

I'm sure you've already heard that journaling has many benefits. It can raise your spirits when you practice gratitude in it. It can help you increase self-awareness. It reduces stress levels when you download all the thoughts mixed in your mind onto paper and then take time to analyze them.

And in the process, you become a better writer – if you've ever wanted to write a book or your own marketing copy as an entrepreneur.

But there are many other ways you can use journaling to your benefit, especially as an entrepreneur.

Below, I share with you 5 ideas on how I use journaling to grow my business.

1. Weekly planning

I'm an avid planner. My weekly plans align with the strategic plan and vision I have for my business. A remarkably simple planning system I use fits on one page of my journal. It doesn't take longer than 15 mins to plan my week each Sunday. But, at the same time, it massively improved my productivity.

It's because I start each week knowing exactly what my tops priorities are and when I'm going to accomplish them. Thanks to it, I don't over-schedule myself either. I completely eliminated the never-ending to-do-list that just used to always keep growing on me and stressing me out.

And finally, the longer I use this system, the more productive I get with my time. I can accomplish in one week what some people need a month or two for.

2. A Running list of:

This one is not for a never-ending to-do list, but more of a list of business ideas and topics for your content. Also: books to read and resources you came across and want to check out.

I do it because our minds tend to forget (or talk us out of) any fantastic new idea our creative side comes up with. So if you don't write it down right after you think of it, you'll likely never think of it again. And what if that idea was the one you needed to create a massive breakthrough in your business?

So even if hate journaling, then at least get into the habit of writing down your ideas as soon as they cross your mind. You'll thank me for this later.

3. Brainstorming

Once you wrote down an idea and decided it's a great one to implement, a journal can help you get your thoughts organized. Once you're ready to action, start with brainstorming about it.

Is it a new offering you want to introduce?

Think about how it would look like, who'd be the ideal person to benefit from it, what it would take to create it, and then sell it.

Then start organizing your brainstorming into stages of a project. And keep going deeper into details. You won't even notice how fast you'll have a full draft version of a project plan!

4. Taking control of your mind

We all have moments when our brain is trying to convince us that we're not capable of going after and achieving our dreams. When these negative thoughts overtake your day, it can be demoralizing and even paralyzing.

I found journaling to be an amazing tool to quickly turn these negative goblins into positive elves. It helps make my thoughts intentional.

There are many exercises out there that help with that.

The simplest one is to write down your thoughts as they are and then rewrite them into positive and believable affirmations.

For example, from "I'm not a known expert in marketing, who'd then buy from me?" to "I developed skill on marketing through …. I know I'm good as my clients love my work and keep coming back. Not everyone can afford a known expert. Only because I'm not famous doesn't mean I'm not an expert in my field." - I hope you get the gist of it now.

5. Maximizing the investment in self-development journey

If you're an entrepreneur committed to growing your business, I'm assuming you're investing in your self-development. As you're learning new skills through books, podcasts, courses, or coaching, journaling can enhance such learning and maximize your investment.

How?

First, track your progress. For example, if you've decided to develop a new habit of reading every day, track the days when you read and how long. Or if you've decided to connect with 10 new people each day, track how many people you connect with each day.

Tracking will give you awareness of how you're doing with that skill. It's not meant to be a tool for you to beat yourself up every time you miss a day. Contrary, it helps you to realize when you're consistent with it and when not. Then ask yourself why? Once you know that you can improve.

Which brings me to the 2nd step – performance analysis. Analyzing what you're doing and how you can improve takes this to a whole new level.

For example, if you're working on improving your sales skills. You tracked how many potential ideal client conversations you've had each week.

Then, write down what went well and what didn't go as well as you'd like. Next, think about and write down what you can do differently next time. Then go and try it. You won't believe how much you can improve by this simple exercise.

Are you going to pick up one of these tips and start journaling today?

I hope you do. And then also that you'll slowly adopt all 5 or more.

Once you're ready and want to know more about my weekly planning or how to journal your way out of negative thoughts, reach out. Schedule a free brainstorming session here. I'll be happy to share some of my other journaling secrets 😉.

There has been a lot written about personal branding. Not so long ago, I wrote a blog about branding through leadership, and today I'm writing one more.

Why is it important to be intentional about your personal branding, you ask?

Because as an entrepreneur, especially a service-based one, you're also your business' brand. Your actions, services you provide to your customers, and how you behave create that brand. And even if you're selling someone else's products, your interactions with customers, posts on social media, and other behaviors represent you and the brand you're selling. All of this combined attracts (or deters) your ideal clients.

That's why today, I'd like to share with you three key strategies that'll help your personal brand not only stand out but also your ideal clients fall in love with it.

Tell an Intentional Story

Intentionally or not, whatever marketing content you put out to the world to make your business visible, you're telling a story. And not only through each individual piece of content but also cumulatively over time.

So, if put yourself in your ideal audience shoes and look back at all the pieces of content you have put out even this year. Look from their perspective.

What do you see?

• Does it portray what you stand for?
• Are you showing up consistently in places accessible to your ideal audience?
• Does it bring value to them?
• What type of person do you see emerging from this story?
• Is it what you intended it to be?

Once you look back, you'll get an idea of what your personal brand is shaping to be. If you LOVE it, your audience will too. If not, then maybe now it's the time when you become intentional on what stories you tell. And if you know what you want to portray but not sure how, then this blog on writing stories will help you. Click here to read more.

Let Your Clients Tell a Story

There are no better stories than those that your happy clients tell about you. They're not only the lifeline of your business but also the best storytellers, marketers, and advocates of what you're all about. That's why word of mouth from a delighted customer is such a powerful growth tool. Giving them all the material they need to prase you is your primary role as a business owner.

So, think about what you do to nurture your clients:

• Do you continually provide them with value?
• Do you have strong relationships with them?
• Are you making it easy for them to do business with you?
• Do you take 100% responsibility and being of service to them?
• Do you stay true to your values?

When your clients feel nurtured, loved, and cared for, you won't need to ask for them to spread a word about you and your business. They will be doing it on their own, reinforcing your personal brand and spreading your story faster than you can yourself.

Grow and Let Your Story Grow with You

I wouldn't be true to what I stand for if I didn't mention anything here about your growth and personal development 😊. One of my values is excellence. Excellence is doing the best you can with what you have now. It's a willingness to put yourself out there even though you'll make mistakes along the way. Excellence is taking the mistakes as learning opportunities and also being proactive about your growth. It's knowing that to be more valuable to the clients and grow your business, you need to above all invest in yourself.

And with all that, as you grow, your story will grow with you. Let it. Don't hold back. You don't need to be perfect, day 1. Personal branding should and will follow your personal development; that's when it truly tells a story.

As human beings, we love stories.

Everything we relate to evolves around storytelling. Stories bring out emotions, and that's how we remember things best. Every day you write your own unique story: in life and business. Because there is no one else in this world like you, make it intentional, consistent with what you stand for, and always growing. That's how you'll stand out and create a personal brand that your ideal audience falls in love with.

All businesses go through cycles: building up momentum, booming with having more clients than they can take on, and dry spells with fewer people buying.

The COVID pandemic has been a hard hit on many businesses. Some were able to pivot and thrive, some maintained their income, some had to shut down.

Running a successful, long-lasting business requires strategy and grit.

No matter the market conditions, successful entrepreneurs:

• are always able to pause and look inside their business;
• understand how the current situation is affecting them; and
• adapt to it to thrive.

And if right now you're in the dry spell seeing fewer customers, this read will help you pause and look inside your business.

Once you identify the reasons for your current challenges, you'll be one step closer to changing the situation for the better.

1. You stopped actively networking & building relationships.

If you relied on local, in-person, networking to find your ideal clients, then COVID changed that quickly and drastically. It's been a few months now, so you've probably switched to the online world and were able you start building the relationships here.

However, if you've always been online and stopped networking because you more clients than you could handle, that's why you're seeing a dry spell lately.

Consistent action in relationship building with your potential clients, regardless of how your business is doing, allows you to maintain a steady customer base.

2. The needs and wants of your customers changed.

As the market conditions change, the needs and wants of your clients will too.

As a business owner, you need to know what's going on. Even if you don't stay ahead of the game when conditions change, tuning in closer to what your clients are saying is vital.

Here is why:

• In a booming market, your clients will be optimistic, more ready to spend because they want the prosperity others are experiencing;
• In a recession - people become conservative, more scared and not as bold in taking risks;
• In a recovery market – your clients are starting to "wake up," they open their eyes to different possibilities and are less risk-averse.

Knowing how your client feels and what they need in each of these situations is key to understanding how to successfully shift and adapt your offering.

3. Your messaging is off.

If you're not speaking your ideal client's language, they won't relate and engage with you, your business, and your offering. So the question is, why is your messaging off?

Have you just entered a new market or are new to the business and need time and focus on getting to know your audience?

Or has the market shifted and with it what your client wants. If you haven't noticed that yet, it's time to do some research.

4. You stopped asking for a sale.

Many entrepreneurs don't like selling. It's because many have this stereotype of the "salesly" and sleazy car salesmen ingrained in our brains. So they'll avoid asking for a sale as much as possible to avoid being perceived as one.

The thing is, if you don't ask for a sale, you won't get it.

You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.

Oprah Winfrey

If that's your reason, then shift your perception of selling.

Selling is a fun conversation between you and your potential client. Especially if what your offer is of good quality and helps people. If you'd like to make that shift but don't know how to go about it, download my Sales Strategy Outline here.

It'll help you map out a real conversation that feels natural rather than pushy.

5. You are not in front of your audience consistently anymore.

Just like with networking, if you have an audience and aren't nurturing them regularly, they will stop seeing you in their feed.

Moreover, lack of consistency tells your ideal clients that you're not really committed to them or your business. No wonder they are buying less and less.

If that is your reason, I'm sure you know what to do 😊.

6. Your offering price is not at the right level for their current financial situation.

Just like the market, your ideal client's financial situation can change rapidly. If you're not in tune with that, your sales will plummet or not be as good as they could be.

Look at your offering. Are you only selling high-end ticket items, but your clientele cannot afford them anymore? It's time to pivot and create a new, more affordable offer.

This logic works the other way around as well. If your clientele is looking for a luxury item and you don't offer it, they will go somewhere else, and you lose the sales.

7. You shifted your focus to working on things you like in your business, not the ones that generate sales.

That's why having a strategic business plan that can guide you is so important.

It's also important to pause throughout the year and review this plan to see if it's still serving you or if it needs improvements.

Because as humans, we tend to drift easily. Without such regular checks, you might find yourself miles away from your goals without even realizing it while working hard and being busy every day.

8. You stopped following up.

Did you know that the majority of sales happen after 4 or even 7 follow-ups? If you're not following up with your potential clients, you're leaving money on the table.

So if you have never done it or stopped doing it, it's time to go back to this great habit :0). And doesn't it feel good to reconnect with all those fantastic people you chatted to once before?

9. You abandoned your marketing strategy.

As mentioned in point 7, your business needs a strategic plan.

And one of its most essential parts is the marketing strategy. Do you have one? If you do, go back to it and see if you're still doing what you initially planned. Maybe it's time to go back on track?

If you don't, then create one asap and start following it. You'll see your results improve pretty fast.

10. You failed to adjust your marketing strategy to changing market conditions.

And when you review your marketing strategy, don't forget to align it with the current market condition.

The places where your ideal clients hang out might have changed. The way they speak and what they want might have changed as well. Your marketing strategy needs to reflect that.

One last thing before you go, I hope that today's blog sheds some light on why you might be seeing fewer clients lately.

If you identified the reasons but still don't know what to do to change your situation, then a free strategy session with me is your next step.

Through it, I can help you identify your next steps and offer suggestions on how to go about it. Step 1 to receive this help is to click here.

Have you ever worked on something in our business that took awfully long to bring results you expected?

So long, in fact, that you were ready to quit a couple of times, but your gut was telling you to keep going? And then when the breakthrough came, you were sooo grateful that you did!

Or on the flip side, did you work on something for soo long without ANY results that you wished you stopped it and pivoted sooner? Because it would have saved you lots of time, stress and money?

Being an entrepreneur, a creative being that tries new strategies regularly isn't easy. Sometimes our ideas work instantly. While others need time to mature, flower, and bear fruit. And sometimes it's best just to let them go.

The trick is to know when. And that's a challenge for many entrepreneurs. Here are five signs that can help you pause and determine whether it's time to keep going, pivot, or let it go.

1. Your marketing efforts bring no or minimal results.

Depending on whether you're running a paid advertising campaign or soft organic marketing, the results need a different length of time to materialize. It's good to understand that and align your expectations with it.

For example, if you've done market research and your offering is viable for sale, paid advertising should bring you some results within days. If it doesn't, it's time to pause and see what should be tweaked and adjusted. Might be in your copy, landing page, audience targeting, etc.

Organic content marketing, on the other hand, intends to build an audience first and then softly sell, which takes much longer to bear fruit. Here your first gage can be the engagement of your audience. If that's working well, then it's only a matter of time for them to buy your offering.

On the flip side, if no matter what you post and do, you hear crickets, then it's time pause. Either tweak and improve or let it go and replace it with a new one.

2. When you're not clear on what problems you solve

As an entrepreneur, through your offering, you help people solve problems or reach goals they have (or both). To do that, you also need to know whom you're helping. Trying to solve all the problems for everyone is not a good marketing strategy. Why? That's a conversation we can have over a free virtual coffee chat ;).

So, if you're not clear on any of this, it means you're not ready to market your product or services. And in case you've started and not seeing any results, that's your queue to stop, get the clarity first, and only then resume your marketing.

3. Your gut is telling you this is not right for you.

Pushing yourself out of the comfort zone to grow as an entrepreneur and listening to your gut when not to do something because it's not right are two different things. The key for you is to know the difference.

Usually, when we're going in the right direction, we're super excited and feel expanded about doing things in our business. Yes, we might feel scared at the same time because we've never done it before. That's our comfort zone speaking. In this scenario, your job is to take the smallest viable step towards your goal and do it! Through baby steps and small wins, you'll slowly gain confidence, 100%!

On the other hand, when you've adopted a strategy in your business that's not getting you results and the more you try, the less comfortable it feels, that might be your gut telling you it's not the right strategy. Take the time to pause and listen to it.

Because there are MANY strategies for you to choose from when it comes to running your business. So pick those that feel natural, that make you feel expanded rather than contracted. I promise you; you'll get much better results with such a shift.

5. You feel like you're burning out.

When we're doing things that don't bring us joy, help us grow, or fill us with passion, working becomes soul depleting. And if we spend A LOT of time on those things, we get stressed out, tired, and overwhelmed. If your business is becoming a chore where you're just working crazy hours, burning out with no visible results, it's time to call it quits.

STOP. Reassess, see what's happening and why (you might need someone else to tell you that) so that you can escape the hamster wheel. Once you know what and why things aren't working, pick a direction that will expand and energize you. And you'll see, the results will follow.

5. Even though you're selling, your profits are low.

As the CEO of your business, your ultimate goal is to make a profit. If you're starting, then yes, making losses is OK because you're probably investing to get your business off the ground. At some point, though, it needs to start bringing in the money to support itself and you.

So if you're in a time when you should be profitable but aren't, then it's definitely the time to reassess your offering structure, pricing, sales and marketing, and make proper strategy changes. If you do it early in the game, you'll have a chance to save your business rather than let it go.

Now, before we part our ways, let me offer some help.

Because I didn't write this article only to point out where you might have a problem. If you're reading this and thinking OMG, Maggie, I do see some of these signs in my business, and clearly, I need to pause, then let's chat.

For FREE, I can help you figure out where exactly you have an issue and why. Once you know that, you can then decide whether you'll fix it alone or with my help. How does it sound to you?

All you need to do to book a free strategy session with me by clicking here and picking a time that works for you 😊.

Yes, I need your help to figure out the WHERE and WHY!

I hope to be talking with you soon!

Did you know that the probability of you selling more to existing customers is 60 to 70% when to new prospects it's only 5 to 20%? Also, 80% of your future profits will come from 20% of existing clients, and for most small businesses in North America, 65% of business comes from existing clients (Source: Small Biz Trends). And a customer who is “totally satisfied” brings 2.6 times as much revenue as one who is “somewhat satisfied.” Not to mention that they buy from you much more in their 3^rd year of being your customer than in the first.

Those and many more other stats prove that focusing on retaining your clients is a key growth strategy for your business. That's why today I'm going to talk about the four main ways you can do that.

1. Hone Your Customer Journey.

Your customer needs to have an excellent experience from when they start interacting with you, step by step, all the way to the end. Assuming your sales process wasn't too pushy to evoke buyer's remorse, your client feels super excited about their purchase and starting to work with you. Don't let that critical point in their journey evaporate. Remember, you have an eager customer who can't wait to work with you.

That's why customer onboarding is your most excellent chance to maintain the momentum and show your clients how excited you are to have them on board.

The next in line is your customer service.

Serving your customers is the whole point of your business existence. So make it easy for them to be in contact with you and have their questions or concerns answered promptly. Excellent customer service is one way to show your uniqueness and stand out from the crowd.

As your clients move along in their journey, make it easy for them to work with you again. For example, my Dad is an insurance agent in Poland, and he always makes sure to call his customers ahead of time to let them know when their policy is renewing and that they need to budget for that for this spent. He also reviews the policies with them finds ways for them maybe to pay less for the same or better coverage.

Even if you sell products, know when you sold them and when your customer would run out. Get ahead of the game and contact them before that time. Make it easy for them to reorder. Remember that most unsatisfied customers will not say anything, they'll leave and never come back. Most people stay quiet rather than be vocal about there dissatisfaction. I'm the primary example of such a customer.

2. Be More Valuable to Your Clients.

Always look for ways to deliver more value to your clients. And I don't mean here lowering your prices. Instead, being attentive to their needs and their problems will allow you to see if you have the solutions. It might bring ideas for innovation in your business in the form of a brand new offering or a change in the one you have.

Through it, you'll become the solution to your clients' problems.

But even if you cannot solve them yourself, refer your customers to trusted partners and collaborators. Your clients will still remember that you cared, listened to them, and help them in the time of need. That's how you'll build trust and make many deposits in their emotional bank account.

Another way you can be more valuable to your clients is by nurturing them the same way you nurture your potential clients,i.e., your free content. When you deliver valuable information that helps them for free, you'll always stay on top of their minds whenever they need something.

Personal development is another way to be more valuable to your clients.

Why? Because growing skills in your area of expertise will ensure that you provide better service or better products to them. Also, gaining business management skills will allow you to find better ways to run your business, which will ultimately benefit your clients. When you grow, your business grows because your clients benefit.

Lastly, be available to your clients, whether it's with a concern they have a concern or have a question. It doesn't mean you need to answer the second you receive their message, but don't let them wait days on end for it either. For example, in my coaching practice, I'm available to my clients in between our weekly coaching calls via email or chat to answer any questions or help them through anything they're working on that week. I am yet to have a client that has abused this perk.

3. Develop Genuine Relationships With Your Clients.

Genuine human to human connection builds trust and bonds. Be in regular contact with your client. And there are many ways to do that. Thank you cards, small gifts, regular check-ins, texts, PM's/DM's, or quick call will go a long way. Coffee chats virtual or in-person are also a great way to stay in touch and make emotional deposits in their trust account.

Moreover, asking for their opinion and feedback will not only be valued because people love to share their expertise, but also help you improve in areas we talked about in point one.

You can also read more on how to develop strong relationships with your clients here.

4. Be a Proactive Leader of Your Business

This last point summarizes and encompasses the other three. But because it's so important, I wanted to single it out here.

You are the CEO of the leader of your business and brand. Therefore, taking 100% responsibility for it, especially when things don't go right, is of utmost importance.

None of your clients is expecting you to be perfect because making mistakes is human. But when issues happen, don't blame circumstances or other things and take full responsibility for them. Your clients don't want to hear "the dog ate my homework" excuses. What they want and will appreciate is knowing what you have done to mitigate them and avoid them in the future. When you do that, most of your clients will be understanding. And compensating them with a gift will go a long way.

Being proactive

If you see ahead of time that you can't deliver to what you've committed, say it. Whether it's a deadline, delivery delay, or anything else, step in front of that and tell your client what's going on. Also, tell them what your plan to mitigate the issue is. One of the worst feelings as a customer is being blindsided when expecting something to happen, and it doesn't. You will be more trustworthy this way. When you proactively communicate issues, you show respect and care for the best interest of your clients.

Moreover, as a leader also listen and ask questions before speaking. Effective communication is key to a successful business. Most issues I've ever seen in my career happened due to miscommunications. Listen to understand and stay tuned to your clients' needs avoids problems down the road.

Last but not least, be focused on innovation. True leaders want to better their businesses to serve their customers better. Innovation is a state of mind and skill that you can have, and I strongly encourage you to develop.

Customers are the bloodline of your business.

If you're a bit like me, you started the business to serve and help people, your clients. Now you must ensure you do everything you can to enhance and strengthen the trust they deposited in you when they chose your solutions.

And if you need help looking at your customer journey to see where you could improve it, or figuring out how to be more valuable to your clients, schedule a free brainstorming session with me here, and let's get to work!