5 Quick Strategies for Finding Money Hidden in Your Business - Darnyelle A. Jervey

It’s the end of another quarter in your business and you’ve not hit your revenue goal. You’re slightly irritated and very frustrated because you told yourself that you’d be more focused on growing your income this year. Before you throw in the towel on another month and quarter end in your business, take a step back and re-group by looking at what’s right in front of you.

Sadly, many business owners are busy being busy in their business and therefore they fail to see the opportunities that are present right in front of them. When you build an effective team to handle the tasks that are not profit producing for you, you will be able to see what’s been there all along. Ever lost your keys? You looked high and low and traced your steps only to take your focus off of your search for two minutes and find them right in front of you, where they were the entire time. The same is true right now in your business. There’s money on the table right in front of you. Don’t see it? Look a little more closely. Still can’t see it? Let me help you.

Every month, it is my personal recommendation that you complete the following steps (and complete these assignments) to make sure that the money on the table lands in your wallet:

1. Review your list of prospects who have expressed an interest in working with you (also known as ‘low hanging fruit’) in the past 6 to 12 months. Make a call – DO NOT EMAIL - them to see if anything has changed. Keep them abreast of service offering changes and find out what their current needs are. While you’re on the phone, inquire as to a new great time to touch base would be – and update your list accordingly.
2. Complete a review of your existing inventory. What have you already created that is just taking up space (on your shelf, or hard drive) that could be re-purposed into a product that could be sold at a lower investment (it’s selling for nothing right now)? This could be books, checklists, templates, audios, videos, etc.
3. Review the offerings you’re providing to your current clients. Is it time for an upgrade? Or do they require a service you offer that you've yet to tell them about? Maybe they came to work with you for one thing and now they may be in need of another. Are you verifying if they need more of your products and services?
4. Identify key strategic partnerships or joint ventures that may lead to increased website traffic and sales. Who, if you partnered with them, would get you in front of your ideal client prospects faster than you could on your own? What can you offer to them to create a true win/win joint venture opportunity?
5. What organizations would like you to speak that you have yet to nail down a date for? Call them today and increase your visibility and exposure to your ideal clients.

As you can see, these are simple yet effective strategies for finding the money on the table. What else can you do TODAY to find more hidden revenue in your business? Now, go do it!

©2011 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, The Incredible Factor Business Mentor and Coach, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises.com and the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System® a proven step by step program for turning your passion into profit. For more information and a FREE audio download "How to Use Your Incredible Factor to Attract MORE Ideal Clients" visit http://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com.

How to Manage and Maximize Your Business Relationships - Darnyelle A. Jervey

When busy entrepreneurs network without a system, they lose key prospects and strategic partners in the shuffle. Although all would agree that networking is essential to growing a small business; most would equally agree that following up can present a serious nightmare for those who are not prepared for the influx of contacts that can meet over the course of one week.

As a business coach who teaches one of the essential marketing streams for your business is networking, I have helped my clients to develop a systematic approach to managing new contacts so that they can maximize their relationships and keep Top Of Mind Awareness (TOMA)

Here are my tips and an assignment to help you do the same:

1. When you are meeting a prospect for the first time, be sure that when you’ve walked away from them to make notes on their business card. Doing so will help you later as you sift through all the cards you collected to determine who are ideal client prospects or potential strategic partners for your business.

2. Have stationary made with your company logo, tagline and contact information so it becomes effortless for you to send a quick hand written note to your prospect or new connection.

3. Make sure you make the first contact within 48 hours. This contact should be with a personal touch – meaning refrain from sending an email. Most people’s inbox is already overflowing with requests that seldom get reviewed. Your goal should be to stand out from the crowd and using a handwritten note, personal phone call (even if they don’t answer, leave a voice mail) or use video messaging to get and keep their attention while extending your reach in the TOMA category in their minds.

4. Within 2 weeks, you should be in touch with a hot connection again, this time to deepen that initial contact – with coffee, lunch, a conference call, or other type of meeting….you should be prepared, having done your due diligence. You should have fully researched their company and identified ways that you can help them based on your product and/or service as well as how they can help you (if a strategic partnership is the goal).

5. Your next touch point and each subsequent touch point should occur within 2 months. Perhaps you are just touching base with them via telephone or you send them an article that reminded them of a previous conversation the two of you entertained together. The point is, you want to remain on their radar so as soon as they develop the problem that you solve – or someone they know does, you are the only solution that comes to mind.

Your assignment:

Look through the business cards you collected last week and sort them in three categories:

1. Ideal prospect
2. Strategic partner
3. Not a good contact for me or anyone I know

Once sorted, prepare your follow up strategy by asking yourself the following questions:

1. How is this a good contact for me?
2. What do I have to offer this contact?
3. What does this contact have to offer me?
4. What follow up strategy will I use to stay connected to them?
5. How will I stand out from the crowd in my interactions with them?

Repeat until you have a full blown plan for each new contact for that week and do the same thing each week going forward.

©2011 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, The Incredible Factor Business Mentor and Coach, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises.com and the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System® a proven step by step program for turning your passion into profit. For more information and a FREE audio download "How to Use Your Incredible Factor to Attract MORE Ideal Clients" visit http://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com.

It's cute but is it clear? - Darnyelle A. Jervey

Because I am a business and marketing coach and I work with entrepreneurs, who are by nature extremely creative people, I find that many of them get caught in what I've affectionately called the "cute syndrome." You know, cute little names for programs and services, a pretty website with lots of color and no content or call to actions that produce results and create income, catch phrases and buzz words and sometimes even jargon. The big challenge when you're stuck in the "cute syndrome" is that it is seldom clear and effective in getting your ideal clients to see you as the only solution to their problem, which after all is the reason we are all in business, right?

Once I explain to you what I explain to my private clients, they get it almost immediately. Cute doesn't attract clients, cute doesn't have money deposited into your checking account; cute seldom pays the bills. I assert don't be cute if clarity is the sacrifice.

To become a successful service based entrepreneur, you've got to move beyond cute and focus on clarity. People only take action when the next best step is crystal clear. To create an environment where your ideal clients can move easily and effortlessly through your prospect and sales funnel, you've got to get clear on the transformation you provide as well as the results and benefits they will experience in working with you and displaying it in a language that is compelling, engaging and action-oriented.

Here are a few quick questions/tips you should consider to ensure that your content, sales copy, programs, products and services are clear and not just cute:

1. When I visit your website, will I immediately be able to tell the transformation that I will experience if I opt to work with you?
Most first time visitors to your website will never look beyond the fold of your website so, your best stuff, the clarity of what you do must be laid out in a "power statement" making it obvious who you work with, how you solve their problem and the results they get from moment go. If you fail to do that, ideal client prospects will click away, never to return.

2. Is your marketing messaging and website content compelling, engaging and easy to read?
Again, don't be cute; be clear about your compelling marketing messages and case studies to illustrate what you do, how you do it and what others will gain when they hire you. To write compelling copy is essential if you want to allow your website to make you money while you sleep.

3. Do you have social proof to validate the transformation you claim to provide?
It's great that you say you can do something amazing for your clients. Really, it is. But who else is saying it? Are you previous clients singing your praises? are the signing up to work with you again after their program is complete? Do you have one page on your website designated to reflect success stories or testimonials?

4. Does your Incredible Factor (USP, HUG, secret sauce and signature move stand out)?

Your Incredible Factor is your unique selling proposition, value proposition, hot undeniable gift, secret sauce and signature move all rolled into one yummy client magnetic package. When a prospect lands on your website is it clear to them how you stand out in the marketplace or do they look at your pictures and whisper, "aaww, that's cute;" before they click away?

5. Are your call to actions clear, strategically placed so the prospect doesn't get lost of confused?
Do you clearly lay out a path for prospects to follow to get closer to working with you or do they need to poke around until they find that needle in your website's haystack?

6. Are your programs designed to make the results clear and are the next steps that should be taken clear and easy to follow?
Are you so focused on selling the contents of your programs that you never tell what participants have gained by being enrolled? Do you tell them what to do next if they'd like to enroll?

7. Do you have a way for them to sample your offerings that is irresistible?
An irresistible free offer is like the pink spoon at Baskin Robbins...it's just enough to entice them to buy the full size...do you have one that they'd do anything to have?

As you can see, cute doesn't pay off in the world of entrepreneurship. So take my advice - stop being cute and get clear.

If you desire to gain clarity so that your cute creates cash, contact me for a Play Big Strategy Session - in 60 minutes I will replace your cute with clear so that you become an ideal client magnet.

©2011 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, The Incredible Factor Business Mentor and Coach, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises.com and the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System® a proven step by step program for turning your passion into profit. For more information and a FREE audio download "How to Use Your Incredible Factor to Attract MORE Ideal Clients" visit http://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com

The Secret Millionaire and Your Incredible Factor - Darnyelle A. Jervey

Last night, I watched the premiere of the Secret Millionaire on ABC and it really moved me to tears. I applaud the creators of the show for finally creating a reality show that stirs the hearts of those of us who desire to serve the world in a big way with our Incredible Factor. I got extremely choked up as I watched Dani Johnson award the three organizations and a family where she was able to volunteer with a total of $100,000. I cried, "Man, that is why I get up in the morning and work hard - so that I can one day in the very near future give back with a financial gift to further the dream of another. I serve my clients so that I can serve the world. Man, that is so fulfilling and it makes me so grateful."

What I loved about each of the organizations visited by Dani is that each founder created their organization out of their passion and desire to be a blessing to others in their community. Make a note of this: Your passion can be your career and it is from your passion that lives will be changed, dreams born and hearts filled in abundance. That, dear friends is why I left corporate America in 2005. That is why I created Incredible One Enterprises in 2007.
I was watching the show with a friend and we agreed that this was exactly why we do what we do. Being a successful business person is little about the business person; it affords us the opportunity to serve the world and offer the fruits of our labor to help someone else live their dream.

I'm totally excited about this show and I look forward to watching each week so that the dreams that I have will be fueled by watching what others just like me have done first by owning their Incredible Factor, second by starting their own companies and living their passion and third by sharing their wealth to create abundance for another.

©2011 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, The Incredible Factor Business Mentor and Coach, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises.com and the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System® a proven step by step program for turning your passion into profit. For more information and a FREE audio download "How to Use Your Incredible Factor to Attract MORE Ideal Clients" visit http://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com/.

5 Keys for Being More Authentic in Business - Darnyelle A. Jervey

5 Keys for Being Authentic in Business

When you're a new entrepreneur, it is easy to see others doing what you desire to do and decide that the best thing to do is copy them. I do not recommend that because the grass is seldom greener on the other side. If we just learn how to consistently water our own grass, we will soon have grass that is just as green. The same holds true in business. Instead of trying to be like your competition, get MAD - make authentic decisions about the way you will operate your business.

I recommend that you take some time to "Inspect the Incredible," or complete a self-assessment, business plan review and strategic outline of your business goals and assess why you started your business, what makes you different.

Your Incredible Factor (your secret sauce, signature business move, unique selling proposition and hot undeniable gift all rolled up into a yummy client magnetic package) is the first clue that will enable you to serve your ideal clients despite what's happening on the other side.

To grow your business in true authenticity, I recommend the following tips and you should complete this process every 90 days in your business to ensure that you are always being authentic to your purpose, gifting, goals and objectives and ideally your customers.

1. Clarify the reason why you started your business. Your "why" is not about you; it should be about those who will benefit from your gift. If, when you ask yourself why you are in business you say, "to make money;" "to increase my lifestyle," or "to show my naysayers that I could do it," you've missed the point and should get a job as you will never achieve your goals when you are selfish-minded and narrow-focused.
2. Ensure that your gifting is completely innate in you. As an entrepreneur, you will trade working 8 hours a day for someone else for working 24 hours a day for yourself, so be sure that your gift is innate and you could do it all the time, without break because you will have to.
3. Surround yourself with people who support and edify you. It will get tough and having the right circle of influence will make the difference. You should evaluate your circle as often as needed to make sure you always have the right mix directly next to you and your goals. Don't be afraid to let friends go. Everyone is not for every season and you have lives to change and it's very challenging with lots of dead weight.
4. Set authentic goals. You want to be sure that your goals resonate with you on the deepest level- in your core. Set goals you can't wait to achieve, illustrating a desire to do whatever it takes to make them happen. Ensure that the goals you set for yourself and your business correspond to a problem that needs to be solved in the marketplace. It should be a problem you can solve easily and effortlessly because the solution is innate in you. This, my friend is authentic business at its best.
5. Establish a vision statement, a mission statement, a brand statement and a power statement you can share openly, easily and effortlessly as needed. This will ensure that others understand the value you offer to the marketplace through your authenticity.

Before you can get to the profits and loss of doing business, you should be clear that the business you endeavor to offer to the marketplace not only resonates with you on the deepest levels but it authentically solves a problem. If you solve a problem with your gifts and talents, your business will profit - not only you, but those you serve.

Want to reprint the article? Sure, just be sure to include the following:

©2011 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, The Incredible Factor Business Mentor and Coach, is the founder of IncredibleOneEnterprises.com and the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System® a proven step by step program for turning your passion into profit. For more information and a FREE audio CD "How to Use Your Incredible Factor to Attract MORE Ideal Clients" visit

http://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com.