5 Simple Strategies to Avoid the “Gaper Delay” in Your Business--Darnyelle A. Jervey

In case you’re wondering, yes, this is a business article about traffic. Well, it’s actually NOT about traffic; it’s more about how you, a creative entrepreneur, can get caught in traffic that is not beneficial to your business if you are not careful.

I admit I got the idea for this week’s article while driving on the I-90 heading toward Chicago. It was a mess, cars everywhere, going nowhere fast. Primarily because there was an accident on the other side that had nothing to do with us going toward the city, yet everyone was so busy seeing what happened that they couldn’t drive their car to their destination. It’s easy to get side tracked when you’re driving if you’re not clear about your ultimate destination.

See my point? Your business is suffering because you’re too busy seeing what’s going on with others in the marketplace that have nothing to do with you. Instead of picking a lane and staying in it and preparing for the journey ahead of you as you endeavor to attract ideal clients, you’re changing lanes to get a better look at what they are doing.

Focusing on what others are introducing to the marketplace has the potential to kill your business. Now, don’t get me wrong, knowing what your competitors are offering is important; however, you can’t be so focused on what they’re doing that you aren’t doing anything but watching them. I’ve seen it happen many times in my business of helping entrepreneurs unleash the Incredible Factor in their businesses. I ask one question, like what does your business do? And they respond with something like this, “you ever heard of X? Well, I’m just like them, I do the same thing,” instead of offering their own power statement, one that has them starting a trend as opposed to living in the shadow of their competitor.

When I hear that, quite honestly, I just shake my head, because they’ve been caught in the “Gapers Delay” syndrome – too busy watching others and not spending enough time building their own brand.

Hopefully, I’m not talking about you. But if I am, no worries, if you really want to avoid the effects of the Gapers Delay syndrome, I recommend that you:

1. Turn on your GPS – Your GPS is your business and marketing plan. You know, that thing you wrote when you started your business (I hope you did anyway) Pull it back out, check your destination and let it tell you which turns to take. When you gain a clear vision of the transformation your products and services will provide for others, you will gain perspective and that perspective will lead to prospects. Deciding to start a business without a clear intention of who you are and what you will offer to others in service to solve their problems is one sure fire way to find yourself on the business roadway caught in a traffic jam.
2. Avoid hitchhikers – oh, those pesky little distractions that appear out of nowhere. Sometimes they’re holding a sign; sometimes they are bold enough to stick their hands out. When you remove those hindrances that challenge your ability to be fully authentic about how YOU will serve your ideal clients, you can breathe and with each breath, you allow abundance to flow toward you and your business. It’s important to know when you drive your car and when to pull over and let traffic die down. Taking much needed time to retreat, with your team or advisors can make all the difference as you grow your business. Avoiding the bright shiny object syndrome is essential to becoming known for offering quality service to your market
3. Check the rearview mirror only momentarily – more often than not, a mindset shift can easily prevent road rage or an accident. I recommend that you watch what you feed your mind by putting quality information in. Look in your rearview mirror just long enough to assess that the way is clear. Focus instead on the open road ahead of you by creating daily mindset shifts that keep your breakthroughs consistent to the speed at which you desire to drive your car. Remember, your thoughts are equal to your feelings and beliefs which affect your actions and alter your results. If you believe that you are the only solution to your ideal client’s problems and work toward ensuring that they know you exist through effective and compelling marketing, you will be rolling down the freeway toward your ultimate destination.
4. Crank up your car radio – while you are driving, to avoid the need to text or look away from the wheel outside of the occasional rearview mirror check, play your theme song loud and proud. In fact, if you don’t have a business theme song, get one immediately. It will stop you from focusing on what’s happening around you, you’ll be so into “rocking” it out for your clients, you’ll arrive at your choice destination easily and effortlessly
5. Create YOUR roadmap – this is your business; no one can do it like you. Your plan of action to grow your business is your roadmap – what to do and when to do it to achieve the results you crave. When you stop focusing on others and focus instead on your plan and do the work it will take to make it a reality, you will realize that who you are and what you were created to be is Incredible – in and of itself and truly no one else can hold a stop light to your brilliance. Focus on ways to achieve your plan through concerted effort daily, remembering that it is the little and not so little things that add up to the unassailable difference in your business.

Bonus: let the wind blow through your hair. When you are driving, really driving toward your destination, clear and focused, you will breeze your way through. You’ll be able to relax in full authenticity because who you are is exactly what your ideal clients need to grow to their next level.

©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.

What Gets Attended to Gets Done - Video by Darnyelle A. Jervey

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

It's Cheaper to Keep Her - Low Cost Strategies to Retain Ideal Clients - Darnyelle A. Jervey

It's Cheaper to Keep Her - Low Cost Strategies to Retain Ideal Clients

It's one problem that everyone in business wants to be able to solve: how in the world do we build clients and customers for life without spending all we earn to keep them?

Perhaps you've never considered this insightful phrase relevant in business, but "it is cheaper to keep her." It's true; customer retention is still 4-5 times less expensive than securing a new client.

Okay, Darnyelle, that sounds good but how in the world do I do it? Well, first you must create a system. A Customer Relationship Management System that will allow you to keep in touch with all of your clients/customers even once they are done with your current program or after they purchased that stand alone product from your website.

By the way, yes I did say system. I told you, you need a system for EVERYTHING you do in your business - well, that is if you want to create wealth without creating a ton of more work.

I'm sure you've heard of TOMA - Top of Mind Awareness - if you haven't, take some notes. Without TOMA (which occurs when your clients remember that you exist and the purpose you serve in the marketplace), you will be constantly spinning your wheels in pursuit of your next set of clients. Now, as I have mentioned in the past, a good business person never stops marketing and ensures that they have establish a weekly marketing plan that accounts for 10-20 hours of their work week EVERY WEEK. Yes, I did say every week. If you don't learn how to stay in touch with your previous and current clients and customers in creative ways via your weekly marketing plan, you are leaving money on the table.

Most small business owners dread marketing because they ASSUME that it's going to cost all the money they have to grow their business. Well, that's not entirely true. Yes, marketing can cost money but there are several low cost solutions to creating TOMA which will allow you to build clients for life if you create a system that includes:

1. Sporadic phone calls - each week, when I am completing my weekly marketing plan, I make a list of 2-3 clients - current or previous that I can call just to see how they are doing. I do not call them to sell them a product; I call them to show that I care for them. Note: If you create a client database and keep a list of birthdays and anniversaries, you can use this as the schedule to determine when you call. I still do this frequently and sometimes I am the only birthday wish a client receives. Talk about TOMA!
2. Send a weekly e-zine - be sure that your e-zine is more about content that adds value and solves problems then pushing your latest and greatest product. Now, there is a balance to strike here because you also want to ensure that your clients know that you still can solve their problem with your products and services. It is not acceptable to send a monthly or quarterly e-zine, you must keep in touch with your clients on a weekly basis.
3. Handwritten notes or cards - on that weekly marketing plan, be sure to list who's going to get a handwritten note from you that week. First of all, email IS overrated and many of your clients and prospects' mailboxes are flooded with messages that do not add value, so it is quite possible that they will miss your high-value, high content e-zine. To combat this, send handwritten notes. Make your goal to send at least 5 each week (just one per day). Use those who've purchased from you in the past, previous clients and hot prospects in this list and be sure to write a handwritten note to them. Trust me; it will make a big difference. Note: Create your own note card with your company logo and keep them on hand so you can keep your branding clear and succinct.
4. Send all clients and customers a warm letter - this will let them know what you are up to and it can also serve as a way to get them to become brand ambassadors for you. When you remind them of what you do and who you work with (you can simply use the 30-second commercial formula I shared with you previously) and put it in writing, they can begin to refer people they know to you. These should go out every month if possible with a different theme or focus or minimally, every quarter. These should also go to family and friends. If they know exactly what you do, they'd refer people that are complaining of the problems you solve. You'd have more clients to add into your other systems and to serve with your Incredible Factor.
5. Offer free tele-classes or training that highlights your ability to solve the problems of your ideal clients. No matter what you do, there is something that you can share via a tele-class that will help your clients and prospects see you as the solution. You want to again, offer high-value, high content, but you also want to ensure that you have a full resource available (some sort of solution) from your catalog of products and services that will allow them to learn more or completely solve the problems they are currently experiencing.

In today's marketplace, you have to stand out if you want to be seen as the ONLY solution to the problems of your ideal client. If you want to stand out, you need a system that allows you to remain TOMA with a low cost to you. Try these tips; let me know how they work for you.

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.

5 Ways to Show Your Ideal Clients Some LOVE - Darnyelle A. Jervey

Entrepreneurs are extremely creative people and they typically love what they do. They love solving problems for their clients and they love showcasing their gifts and talents for the benefit of others. When you love what you do, it's a natural inclination to want to share it with other people. As an entrepreneur, it must be your goal to show your clients and prospects some love by not trying to "sell" to them; instead, show the value that you add to their lives and businesses by solving their problems. A successful entrepreneur knows how to show the love and uses their marketing efforts to build clients for life. Here are five ways that you can use your marketing efforts to show your clients some love:

1. Handwritten Notes - sending a handwritten note to an ideal prospect, previous client, or even a current client is a great way to show them that you love the value they add to your work and you love solving their problems. It's the personal touch, the fact that you've taken time out of your schedule to write a note to them that gets your TOMA - top of mind awareness. It is recommended that you send 3 to 5 handwritten notes each day. Handwritten notes should take the place of emails if you want to focus on building clients for life. Try this: Instead of allowing the business cards that you gather at networking events to sit in your office untouched for weeks and weeks at a time, create a system to send handwritten notes to those you've met so they remember you within in 48 hours of the initial contact. Be sure to have your own stationary created, to extend your brand positioning.

2. Irresistible Free Offers - your clients will know you love them every time you introduce a new irresistible free offer (IFO) for them. An IFO can be a tele-class, a webinar, an audio download, special report or a video tip where you add value for free, just because you love what you do and the value you add to the marketplace. An IFO is like the "pink spoon" at Baskin Robbins for your business. They give your ideal prospects a taste of what you offer to solve their problems and create a love affair that leaves them wanting the full sized solution. Of course it may go without saying, but be sure that your IFO has a call to action so they know how to extend their love affair.

3. Schedule a Client Appreciation Day or Night - schedule an opportunity to thank your clients virtually or in person. You can hold office hours where they can call you for a free laser coaching/consultation session of 5 minutes or you can get them all together and allow them to network with other clients and prospects that you are currently working with/connected to. People love to build relationships and create new partnerships and networks. So by opening your database to your ideal clients and prospects, you can help them to begin to build their own and they will love you for that. Additionally, with technology, if you have an account with one of the live streaming video sites, you can schedule a live broadcast and welcome your clients and prospects into your virtual event and share the love with them. When hosting a live client appreciation event, be sure to engage an event management team to give your event those special touches that leave clients and prospects ready to take their love to the next level.

4. Share Success Stories - everyone wants to be celebrated and loved and when you share the results and highlights that your ideal clients have gained in working with you, they will get some love from your prospects and website visitors that may need a product or service that they (your success story) offers. Highlighting others on your website is a great way to show the love and grow your client base at the same time. Remember social proof is a must if you want people to buy from you and success stories are the best way to show social proof.

5. Client of the Month feature in your e-zine - featuring a client in your e-zine each month is a great way to show them you love them and also celebrate a non-competing client and the products and services that they offer. This is different from a success story; this is a business spotlight and/or product highlight that helps to extend the reach that your client of the month has within their own business. This isn't about you; but you will gain clients for life when you show the love by highlighting their business to your database.

Your assignment:

Determine which way you will show your clients some love this week. You may select more than one if you'd like.

Create your plan of how you will get this done. List out each step that is necessary to get the task done this week. Can someone else help you? Always consider delegation to be sure the task doesn't get lost in the shuffle.

Be sure the task is completed by Friday so you can enjoy your weekend and get ready for next week's Incredible Factor Moment and Tip.

I love you!

©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.

Speak Their Language - Darnyelle A. Jervey

In today’s marketplace, many entrepreneurs struggle with consistently attracting their ideal clients using marketing systems and strategies. It’s believed that this challenge stems from a lack of taking the time to get clear about who your products and services were created for. Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs start a business out of lack or desperation instead of with a clear plan and strategy. When this happens, those entrepreneurs will consistently find themselves behind the 8-ball in their businesses because they do not have a calculated method of attracting clients and growing their business.

Many believe that marketing is something you can do when you need to and that it can easily be done to produce results. Unfortunately, this is a big misconception in business. Marketing is essential; what I like to call oxygen for your business – without it your business will die because your ideal clients aren’t receiving information that suggests that you exist to solve their problem. To alleviate this challenge, I recommend that you create a detailed ideal client profile. In doing so, you will become crystal clear about whom you desire to work with and the problems they are experiencing. Your marketing materials will then speak to them in such a way that they will choose you as the solution to their problems. When you’ve taken the time to complete a client profile, you will find yourself ready to create compelling marketing materials that immediately speak the language that your ideal clients understand and take action as a result of.

Until you learn how to speak the language of your ideal clients, it will be like trying to call your scattered friends and family together for a meal using a dog whistle – they won’t hear you and as a result they won’t take action. But when you do learn to speak their language, the benefits to your business will include:

1. An influx of ideal clients who recognize the solution you offer to their problems. Remember, people purchase when the problem they have is causing pain and they want to alleviate the pain. They chose from people they know, like and trust who have proven to offer the exact solution they need. When your marketing materials clearly speak to your clients, you won’t have room enough to manage the requests they will submit for your services.

2. Referrals from your ideal clients who quickly become your unpaid sales force, sharing with everyone they know that you are exactly what is needed to solve a problem. When we have received great service, we can’t stop talking about it. If you are able to speak their language and successfully deliver exactly what they needed with results and benefits, your ideal clients will start telling everyone they know and they will all start seeking you out as the solution they also need to ease their pain.

3. Increased exposure, a sense of fulfillment and more income – okay this is really three benefits rolled into one. The key here is that when it’s clear that you are talking to a person who you can help, you get personal satisfaction. Your Incredible Factor is changing lives and solving problems, which leads to success stories that increase your exposure and more income. The value of the service you provide goes up with every ounce of clarity you represent in the marketplace.

So go ahead and speak up, they can’t hear you.

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.

7 Quick Tips for Adding More Value to Your Products and Services--Darnyelle A. Jervey

In order to consistently attract ideal, paying clients, it must become your mission to ensure that everything you do and offer to your ideal clients exceeds their needs and expectations. Gone are the days when you can get away with an attempt to solve a problem, today you MUST be the clear solution and add enough value to stand out amongst your peers in the industry. Gone are the days when "just enough" will lead to an influx of ideal clients. In today's marketplace, you must go above and beyond if you want to keep a steady flow of ideal clients on your roster.

Exceptional customer service remains a top reason why people return to a previous supplier for a new repeat or additional service. Despite what economists tell you, people are still buying, but if you want to be the recipient of your ideal client's spending dollars, you must add value.

If you're not getting the response you want from your ideal clients it is because you've not fully expressed the value of your product or service in terms that makes them want to buy right now.

When the focus on your business practices include adding significant value to your ideal clients, you will increase your brand perception - that is, the way others see who you are and the value you add in the marketplace. As your brand perception increases, you are also earning brand equity, just like equity in your home, increases the value you represent in the marketplace, consistently over time.

When it comes to adding value, your goal must be to offer additional items or services that do not take additional time for you. It is very likely that right now, in your business inventory, you've got tons of products, services and value-add items that are just sitting there collecting dust. If you were to dust them off and prepare them to be used by new and existing clients, you'd find yourself a lot busier than you may be right now.

When we are looking for new money opportunities in our businesses, more often than not, the tools to get more are right in front of us. Because we are accustomed to looking at what we offer, we often miss the "value-adds" that we have had access to since the creation of our business.

This is why participating in masterminds or having a coach can be a valuable addition to your business plan. An outside person looking into your business will quickly identify the value adds that you already have that will cost you no additional time or effort to make available to your ideal clients.

So, how do you create more value and increase your brand equity, ensuring return clients and more referrals than you ever thought possible? Consider these quick tips:

After you create products and services for your clients, ask yourself these questions:

1. "How can I add value to this offering to ensure that my ideal clients will be satisfied, keep returning for more and share me with others they know who have the same problem they used to have?"

2. "What do I have sitting in my inventory that would further enhance the experience my clients get when they work with me?" Note: these items add value but do not increase your work output.

3. "How can I create value that will increase my Top of Mind Awareness amongst my clients?"

4. "What are five little things I can do now to add up to the unassailable difference that I offer to my current clients to get them to upgrade their level of service with me?"

5. "If I were my ideal client, would this add enough value for me to take advantage of the offer?"

6. "What would I want to make me open my wallet over and over again to purchase my products and services?"

Here are some of my favorite quick tips to add into your products and services to add more value, increase your ideal client count and grow your business:

1. Add a gift with purchase component to your service offerings. Think like a make-up counter, when your clients spend a certain amount, offer them something for free. The gift should be something you've already created: like a book, audio CD, DVD, etc. No additional time should go into supplying this item when a client makes a specific dollar amount purchase.

2. Offer a product sampling with a coupon should they decide to buy the full-sized offering. A great way to do this is by offering a sample session for 15 minutes - at the end of the sample session sell them on getting the full hour session.

3. Offer a "done for you template" as a bonus for your consulting services. There are many things that you do easily and effortlessly that others wish they could do. You've probably already created your template; offer it as a free bonus when they become a new private client.

4. Re-purpose some existing content in the form of a free report or audio download as a bonus when someone becomes a client. Everything you do should be recorded, which can easily be turned into a transcript, free report, article, etc. Because you've already done the work, it's easy for you to offer, but it will mean the world to your client.

5. Create a referral incentive program to let your ideal clients know that you are not only accepting new clients but if they refer you to a new client, they will earn a special incentive like more private access to you, an additional product or a significant discount on a future purchase.

6. For your top-tier clients, offer them a significant discount to attend a live event.

7. If you offer phone sessions with your clients, give them the recording for free - your clients will LOVE you if you do this as they will be able to listen back to the value you add and solutions you offer over and over again.

Final thought: It's important to ensure that every time you work with a client, they give you a testimonial based on the results you offered to improve or resolve their problem, which ultimately can be used to further add value to others. People love to know that other people with their problem found value working with you. Highlight those testimonials and success stories on your website, in your e-zine and wherever your ideal clients might see them.

Here's to adding more value!

©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.

4th Quarter Comeback - Darnyelle A. Jervey - Author, Speaker, Coach

4th Quarter Comeback: How to Position Your Incredible Factor to Play BIG


It's the first week of the final quarter of the year and many of you are panicking. You're panicking because you've been playing small all year and now that it's time to pay the piper, you're trying to figure out how to make this thing [your business] work. Let me clarify what I mean by playing small: playing small occurs when you are not enacting your divine purpose and serving others in a big way. I have a few other examples of playing small indicated below:

1.You set a goal to grow your business this year by 25% in new clients, yet you've not learned or implemented any new marketing strategies to attract new clients. 2.You knew that in order to go to the next level in your business you needed a coach, yet you've convinced yourself that you could encourage, motivate and offer accountability to yourself.
3.You know that you have a big message that the world needs and opportunities keep presenting themselves and you are still sitting still because they're not showing up the way you thought they would.
4.You keep making excuses instead of plans in any facet of your business development.

As you can see and feel, playing small is a place of comfort and if you want your Incredible Factor to play big, you must get uncomfortable. There are still almost 3 full months left in this year and there are still tons of strategies that you could implement to grow your business by 25% this year if you get up, get out and take action. Here are tips to help you make the most of your fourth quarter:

1.Review your goals. Take a close look at what you planned to do this year. Determine which goals, if any, need to be reconfigured and make a non-negotiable decision to recommit to working hard and taking calculated, consistent action over the next 85 days.
2.Breakdown the big goal into smaller pieces so that they feel doable. As an example, if you still need to gain 20 new clients this year and you've already gotten 5, that leaves 15 with 13 weeks left in this year, that equates roughly to 1 new client each week, and if you on average talk to 3 prospects to get one client, begin to schedule five prospect calls/meetings each week so that you can boost your results.
3.Go back through the list of people who've expressed interest in working with you. Pick up the phone and follow up, one more time. Prepare to remind them of the problem you solve and illustrate why working with you is exactly what THEY need to begin 2011 in the perfect position.
4.Plan, Plan, Plan - complete a weekly marketing plan on Monday, 1st thing when you enter your office each week. AND plan each work day in advance. Before you close the door and turn off the light, take 15 minutes to plan the following day so that you don't have to "hit the ground running" the next morning. Doing so will restore your confidence in achieving your goals and create a plan of implementation so that you can do what must be done to hit your 4th quarter comeback goals.
5.Shift your circle of influence. Other the next 85 days, commit to spending time with people who are where you want to be. No Incredible SNATCHERS, No weeds, only fertilizer. Your seed must be surrounded by light to grow so find some light - hire a coach; invest in a mentor. Turn off the television during the work day and give your business the same respect you once gave your job. When you commit to give yourself what you gave your boss, you will start to comeback!
6.Affirm your business goals. I recommend you write your revised 4th quarter comeback goals in positive, present tense on index cards and at the start of each day, review them before you begin your work for the day. 7.Take action - do what must be done each day so that you can wake up on January 1 ecstatic that you accomplished your 2010 goals and are ready to exceed them in the new year.


Your year long setback has set you up for a BIG comeback if you take action now!

www.iamreadytoplaybig.com

Want to reprint this article? You may by ensuring that you include the following at the conclusion of the article:

©2010 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, The Incredible Factor Business Mentor and Coach, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises, LLC 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.

Speak UP and Grow Your Business - Darnyelle A. Jervey

"You don't have to see the entire staircase to take the first step" is one of my favorite quotes by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Sometimes we do not take steps to grow our business because of fear. The reason you started your business was because of your vision but your EGO stops you from making the difference you know that you were created to make. Misguidedly, you may be thinking that the only way you can gain your ideal clients is by pounding the pavement and getting referrals. While these are viable ways to grow your business it can happen much faster when you develop a marketing system to use speaking to grow your business.

Speaking helps build creditability. Your products and services give you an immediate presence in the marketplace. If you learn to leverage your presence by speaking about your business, your presence will grow and your ideal clients will come to find you and begin to work directly with you. In fact, I encourage you to take every opportunity to share information about your business.

Go to your local Chamber of Commerce and ask to speak at their meetings. In the last year, I spoke at five different Chamber events and each speaking engagement resulted in major contracts. Your ideal clients are attending Chamber events and they are looking for a solution to the problem they have right now. I'd also recommend seeking out other networking groups via www.meetup.com. They are always looking for speakers to come in and share their expertise. The key is to ensure that you add value, very high value, so that the participants are learning how they can benefit from your Incredible Factor. I recommend researching the nature of the group you are seeking out to speak to and verify that your ideas clients are there. Sometimes it is a great idea to pick up the phone and talk to the meeting organizer in advance of sending a proposal to be a speaker. Another suggestion, if the group allows open visitors is to attend and meet everyone in person. If you do, remember the article "You Only Get 30 Seconds," so you can be sure to maximize your introduction to the key leaders of the networking group.

It can be a challenge to funnel all of your knowledge and expertise into a well crafter signature talk that adds value and attracts your ideal clients. I'd love to share some of my pointers with you to get you to make sure that attendees see you as the only solution to the problems they are currently experiencing. Here are a few tips:

Start by pulling them in
Remember those pull marketing questions I shared with you a few weeks back? Engage your audience immediately by letting them know that you've got the solution to their problem and the best way to do that is with a powerful leading questions that grabs them immediately and clearly say, 'I know what you need and I'm here to demonstrate that I'm the solution."

Begin with the End in mind
This principle is taken from Stephen Covey's The 7 habits of highly Effective People and adapted to make sure that your signature talk is dazzling and does exactly what you intend for it to do. The power of intention and visualization of the over all theme and message you want to leave with the listeners is key here. Start your speech with the ending in mind. What is the purpose of your message? Once you have this definitive point prepared as an objective, it should drive all else beneath it. Please be sure that each of your objectives (3 to 5) are measurable, have a time frame, and are absolutely easily to attain.

Share testimonials from satisfied clients
Case studies and testimonials help your listeners to see you as the solution to the problem. It also helps them to find a place to identify with people that you've helped previously. You always want to weave these stories into your message to sell who you are and how you help your ideal clients without being a used car salesman. It will take skill to do this so practice offering a key point and illustrating by telling a client success story to drive home the value of having the information to resolve the problem the objective references.

Repeat what's essential that they take away
Remember, repetition is the mother of skill. Key learning objectives should be repeated in a few different ways so that your listeners can be clear that you can help them solve their problem. It also helps to solidify in each listeneers mind that you are clear at what you do and how you can help.

Give high value content
The whole reason you are speaking to the group is because you have high value information to share with them that can help them to get closer to solving a problem. Be sure that you don't "fluff" your way through the talk but instead offer insight that truly shows off your expertise. Using statistics and a few significant steps that can lead to solving a problem is also key. Trust me, fluff will get you know where but high value, high content information will turn prospects into paying clients.

Smile and incite laughter
You're probably going to be tense if you're not a professional speaker. Tell a related joke, be yourself and show your fun side. Loosen up. No one wants to work with a stick in the mud. Remember, 1 minute of laughter boosts your immune system for 24 hours. Your Incredible Factor is magnetic and engaging, be sure that your communication style reflects that. You want your ideal clients to know that not only will you solve their problem, but you will have a good time while you're doing it!

Offer a powerful Call to Action and Irresistible Offer

Remember the reason why you are speaking: to build your business. And although you will not be a used car salesman, your goal is to ensure that your ideal clients know how they can learn more about working directly with you. You want to ensure that you offer a powerful call to action - give them a task to complete, the next step to take so that they can get the full solution to their problem. Please note: Although you MUST offer a high value, high content presentation, you should not solve their problem during your free talk. You must invoke a reaction and a need to learn more. If you have a product that can aid the listeners, offer it in an irresistible way, so that they feel that because you gave all this value, they must continue the experience by taking you home with them.

Thank the audience and follow up
You've heard it said that the "fortune is in the follow up." Be sure to pass a clip board to collect names and email addresses for your mailing list to keep them abreast of future events, products and services. Add them immediately so that they can get into your auto responder series and get to know you better. Send a thank you card to the meeting organizers soliciting feedback to be used as a testimonial to help you speak to more groups in the future. Some won't buy on the spot, but if you follow up with them, they will learn more and become a client if you've done your job correctly.

You see, speaking to build your business just got a little bit easier.

Be Incredible,
Darnyelle


©2010 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, The Incredible Factor Business Mentor and Coach, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises, LLC 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 "How to Use Your Incredible Factor to Quantum Leap in Business" visit http://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com.

Get Your Incredible Factor Back in the Game - Darnyelle A. Jervey

Part 2 in the series on how to prevent fear from blocking your Incredible Factor

Are you watching the NBA Play-offs? Are you excited to see the Lakers and the Celtics battle to the end? Has the renewal of the age-old rivalry gotten you excited? Just as there's lots of pass interference in basketball, there is pass interference in your life and business. This week's Incredible Factor Article is all about Pass Interference. Please note I'm aware that "pass interference" is a football term....but work with me! In the spirit of the NBA Finals, I got to thinking....

How many times have you interfered with passing your product or service on to your prospect because FEAR crept into the conversation just as it was time to make your pitch? How many times have you come to a screeching halt because you didn't want to seem salesy, although you knew your prospect needed what you've got to offer? When was the last time you had the perfect line prepared but decided they wouldn't think you were authentic and instead went against your gut and intent and left with the very product or service you declared you'd sell?

Pass Interference is nothing more than letting the fear of going out of bounds keep you from playing the game. (Of course you know I had to keep with the basketball theme! Pass interference is the fear of failure, the fear of success, the fear of talking to new peopl.e, the fear of making a mistake....it's got to stop. You are blocking yourself. Typically pass interference involves another player, but you Incredible One are interfering in your success all by your lonesome. That's right, The only one who can change your situation is you.

Well, as promised, I've got some strategies that will help you to stop interfering with passing your product or service onto your ideal client. Yes, ideal client. if you are attempting to pass to someone who is not your ideal cleint, they will not accept the pass, so...

First up... Get clear on who your ideal client is. This has nothing to do with fear per se, but it is a necessity if you want to score points and win the game of growing your business. Despite popular belief, you cannot help every and anybody. There is an exact, specific profile of your ideal client. See the blog from last week for more information on how to do that.

Now on to eliminating Pass Interference:

1. Determine the root cause of the block. What is really holding you back? What limiting belief or self-sabotaging thought has infiltrated the game? Is is fear of rejection - you've gotten so worked up that you believe that they will reject you and so you go sit on the bench?

2. Think of a time when you thought you'd be rejected but you pressed through it, completed the task and in the end you weren't rejected. In fact, you were embraced and loved on. How does recalling that time make you feel? How will reminding yourself of that time help you face this fear today?

3. Ask yourself, "Where is the evidence that I will be rejection if I share my Incredible Factor with my ideal client?" Write down ONLy concrete evidence. Are you surprised to see that there is no evidence?

4. Take a deep breath, close your eyes and repeat after me: "I am a gift to the world. My ideal client needs my products and services to live their best, authentic life. I am in service to others and therefore living my passion when I own my incredible and share it with those whom I serve.

5. Visualize the exchange the way you intend for it to go. Be clear on each detail and speak in positive, present tense. This will allow you to act as if it has already happened.

6. Write down each benefit others will receive from your product or service.

7. Remind yourself that "no" simply means "next." As I've heard it said for many years, one monkey will never stop the show. One player fouls out and the game goes on.

8. Take a deep breath and repeat again, "I am a gift to the world. My ideal client needs my products and services to live their best, authentic life. I am in service to others and therefore living my passion when I own my incredible and share it with those whom I serve."

9. If you can't let the fear go, feel it, acknowledge it but refuse to allow the fear of going out of bounds and fouling out of the game keep you from playing.

10. Do it anyway....period.

Repeat as needed

(c) 2010 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved.

Darnyelle A. Jervey is a life & business coach, committed to imparting skills, strategies and solutions to define and unleash the Incredible in you. Darnyelle coaches on marketing, mindset, movement, branding strategy and empowerment to prepare her clients to share their gift for the world.

Pass Interference: What's Blocking Your Incredible Factor? Darnyelle A. Jervey

Part 1 in the series on how to prevent fear from blocking your Incredible Factor.

Okay, I'm the first to admit that I love some basketball... with the Lakers and the Celtics (the ultimate rivalry revisited) going on now, I'm loving it. There's just something about the play offs....You know the object of the game, use defense to minimize the other team from scoring, in offense get to the basket by any means necessary.... you know, score the points, make it happen. Please note that I'm aware that "pass interference" is a football term, but work with me...

What is the offensive strategy of your Incredible Factor? How do you endeavor to turn a prospect into a client? What, if anything is stiopping you from getting to the whole - making the prospect a client and offering a full range of products and services to meet their every need?

When we take this same approach and apply it to business, our goal becomes get the product or service in the hand of our ideal client by any means necessary. We must articulate our value and the results we provide by any means necessary so that they will see us as the only option with which to do business. Unfortunately, more often than not, we get blocked. As we begin to set a pick and look down the court for who will receive our pass, we get plagued by fear and as a result, we get caught off guard and the pass is blocked - interference presents us from being able to effectively close the sale and we are left holding the product that we so needed to leave with our prospect. No foul, no shot. sent packing to nurse our wounds.

Many get caught up in the hype of the game - the pursuit, the goal fresh in our mind, yet constantly stopped by the opponent.... lacking an effective strategy to turn a prospect into a paying client.

For many of my clients over the past couple of weeks, the opponent to which I refer include FEAR, lack of confidence and unbelief in the worthiness of a new client who is ready to pay what they are worth. I'm blessed to work with some pretty incredible clients. They've got talent, they are changing lives, yet they are afraid of what would happen if they really lived their dream and changed the lives of many. They invoke self-sabotage; they are the proponents of the pass interference they experience when attempting to pass their product to a new client. The fear they feel has the tendency to BLOCK their Incredible Factor. It is difficult to perform at a level that says "I'm Incredible," when you are afraid that who you are will be compromised in the transfer.

It's not enough to believe that what you've got the world needs. You must take that initial thought and back it with effective strategy and dream team talent (coach, VA, interns, supportive circle of influence, etc) to get into the game. Your Incredible Factor is a holistic approach to not only identying your gift and passion, identifying who needs it and developing the marketing, mindset and movement to ensure that others understand that they need your Incredible Factor.

What's blocking your Incredible Factor? When you lack the confidence to look ahead and begin to develop an effective plan for mitigating the voices in your head that are attempting to talk you out of your birthright, you will get blocked, the pass will not be complete you will be left holding the product.

Today, take some time to identify what's really blocking your Incredible Factor. Giving it a name - FEAR - is it fear of rejection, fear of success, fear of making a mistake? Whatever its called, it needs to exit stage left. It's got to go. Your clients are waiting for you. Stay tuned for my next post on ways to STOP Pass Interference allowing you to successfully get down the court and slam dunk everytime, converting more prospects into clients and getting closer to living the life of your dreams.

Be Incredible,
Darnyelle

Darnyelle A. Jervey is the founder and CEO of Incredible One Enterprises, LLC, a full service empowerment firm committed to imparting skills, strategies and solutions to define and unleash the Incredible in you through coaching, keynotes, seminars and workshops. For more information, visit http://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com

(c) 2010 Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved.

Do You Know Who Your Incredible Factor is Ideal For? - Darnyelle A. Jervey - Coach, Speaker, Author

When it comes to starting your business marketing efforts, it’s very important to realize two very important truths. Number one, marketing is the oxygen of your business. Truthfully, you are not in the business you think that you are in; you are actually in the business of marketing – marketing your products and services, that is. And secondly, if you do not get clear on who you are marketing your products and services to, you will not benefit immensely in your business life.

As a business coach, I help my clients craft their ideal client profile by asking a series of thought-provoking questions – forcing them to look at the areas that they probably would not have otherwise thought about. Because they can’t see the big picture and their mindsets hinder their ability to achieve business growth and success and every time, they get BIG results….The result…every time is a concise encapsulation of their one ideal client. In doing so, they gain clarity on how to communicate to their ideal client and their ideal clients appear, ready to take action on their products and services. They begin to attract and turn potential clients into paying clients over and over again.

Because I want to see your small business thrive and I know that it will when you establish your ideal client profile, I will share a few of the most important questions you must ask yourself if you truly want to grow your small business with the right clients from the start.

• Is your ideal client a man or woman?
• Does your ideal client fit into any special groups, categories or professions?
• How much money does your ideal client make?
• How many times each year does your ideal client buy products and services like those you provide?
• How much money does your ideal client spend on products and services like those you provide each year?
• What is the pain point or struggle that your ideal clients have?
• How do you take away their pain? Show results not steps

There are many more important questions to ask to craft your ideal client profile. These are just some of the very important ones. I offer my clients an entire worksheet and framework for identifying and crafting their ideal client profile. If as you read the questions suggested that you answer and felt uncomfortable or anxious, perhaps a mindset shift is necessary. Working with a coach will help you to get out of your own way and open the flood gates to the success you started your business to enjoy.

Be Incredible,
Darnyelle

(c) Copyright 2010 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved.

Don't Stradle the Fence - Darnyelle A. Jervey, Speaker, Coach, Author

A few years back I use to hear this song on the gospel station called, "You Can't Stradle the Fence," and as I was preparing today's blog, that song came rushing back to me.....

For all intents and purposes, I'm, of course, referring to your Incredible Factor. And your Incredible Factor cannot stradle the fence - either your gift adds value or it takes away from the value in others (I guess you could argue if it does the latter then it's not a gift!) It cannot do both and you shouldn't want it to.

As you are out and about "doing you" take the time to ensure that every interaction adds value...your Incredible Factor (brand, gift) doesn't get a day off. ...Be authentic, people can see through your fakeness a mile away. Be genuine, smile, laugh, have fun, play up your passion and engage fully in every interaction as if the person with whom you speak has a sign that says "Make me feel Incredible," Apply your gift consistently and watch your followers and interactions grow because who you are is consistent and others are getting to know, like and trust who you are and the gift you offer to the world.

So to prevent your Incredible Factor from Stradling the Fence,

1. Get clear about the gift you offer to world
2. Review your daily activities and assess what activities are inconsistent to your gift
3. Make a non-negotiable decision to make adjustments where appropriate
4. Enroll the help of a coach to help define and unleash your Incredible Factor

Still stradling the fence, no worries. I have a solution coming for you real soon that will help you leverage your Incredible Factor and go from passion to profit when you get clear and systematize what it will take to share your gift with the world. In the mean time, get your F.R.E.E. copy of my CD "how to Use Your Increddible Factor to Quantum Leap in Life & Business" on this page or my company website: http://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com

Be Incredible,
Darnyelle

Copyright (c) 2010 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved.

Is Your Incredible Factor Authentic? - Darnyelle A. Jervey - Coach, Speaker, Author

One thing I can't stand is fake people. We all know them, they are all over the place. They as I say are people who sing in the choir....everything is "me,me,me,me,me" Can't you see right through those people?

Oh, I hope that you are not one of them....sorry but it's time that you stop singing that solo and start to invite others to be a part of your experience by positioning your Incredible Factor authentically.

Your brand, your product or service, your gift is a reflection of the best or worst of you....and if you don't spend time Inspecting the Incredible...you may miss the mark on ensuring that your marketing and branding efforts attract more clients and lead to the quantum leap you wish to experience in your business.

As a coach, I have a recommendation that can help you. Get to a quiet place without the distractions of your world - no tv, radio, blackberry, Ipod, etc. Just you, your heart and a notepad. Take a few deep breaths to center yourself and clear your mind and pallet of all that was happening in and around you.

Repeat after me: I am offering an authentic gift to the marketplace which is loved, purchased and enjoyed frequently.

Then the work begins: ask yourself a few poignant questions and answer them from your heart space, fully centered on your Incredible Factor - the gift you offer the world.

1. What three words do you want your gift to invite the world to experience?

2. What three words would others (previous clients, etc) use to describe how your gift makes them feel?

3. Are those three words consistent with what your Incredible Factor means to the world?

4. How can you make modifications that tap into the core of you and reflect your gift in its purest, most authentic form for others?

Struggling to answer these questions and relate them back to your gift? No worries, I will be introducing a solution to you real soon. In the meantime, get a F.R.E.E. copy of my CD - how to Use Your Incredible Factor to Quantum Leap in Life and Business. It's changing lives, you should be next. Visit http://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com for details and to register.

Be Incredible,
Darnyelle

Copyright (c) 2010 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved.