How to Plan for Ridiculous Amounts of Success

What Are Your Strategies? Today’s topic is marketing strategies. Things are about to get seriously exciting up in here!!

What’s the Difference Between Goals, Strategies, and Action Items? To start, let’s distinguish the difference between strategies and goals. Goals are what you want to achieve. Strategies are the methods and channels you will use to accomplish your goals.

A word of caution for all of you who want to run to the finish line before you finish tying your shoes. Slow down a second. Strategies are not actions. That comes next. Strategies are the big, overarching tools/methods you will use. Since my mind automatically gravitates toward marketing, if one of your goals is to increase exposure and expand your audience by XX% in XX days, think of strategies as: social media, email marketing, research on a specific topic, networking, writing on a topic, speaking on particular topics or to particular audiences (aka the channels you will use to achieve these goals).

How Many Strategies Should I Implement at One Time? I wouldn’t recommend implementing all of these at once – especially if you’re a lone ranger solopreneur like I am. Pick 1,2, or 3 strategies where you will laser-focus your time that you set aside to dedicate to reaching this particular goal. Otherwise, you’ll be spread too thin and will end up spinning your wheels and/or getting burned out. Not a recommended goal. Don’t go there, please!! There are several problems when you approach it this way. For one, you will get burned out because no one has time to do everything. For another reason, you won’t stand out if you’re only doing a little of this and a little of that. You want to go big in a few places.

Ideally, you want to identify a few methods where you can dive deep. Base these on your strengths, personality, and the type of business you have. I recommend implementing 2-3 strategies at a time.

Make sense? Ok, then. Moving on…

What are some examples of marketing strategies? I love to help my clients plan their success and focus on specific strategies to help them get there. We create a map together based on what makes the most sense for them and their business.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of marketing strategy examples, just a few to get the juices flowing in your brain to determine what is right for you. Here goes: social media channels, video, free giveaways, freebies/freemiums, blogs, guest blogs, networking groups, networking on social media, public speaking, writing a book, creating a book tour, email marketing, Facebook/Google/other social media ads, webinars, courses, podcasts. Phew! That’s a bunch. Write these down and start doing some brainstorming. Which are right for you? You might want to link a few of these together. What you choose will depend on your personality, business, and target audience.

How to Have Ridiculous Amounts of Success with Your Marketing Strategies. I recommend implementing a strategy for a minimum of 3-6 months before determining whether or not it will work for you. How many of you know someone who tries something once or 2-3 times and then decides it’s not right for them?

Everyone I know who has become truly successful says that it takes persistence and consistency. These are keys to your strategies. Once you determine what you will do, you repeat the process over and over. Humans like routine and consistency. I’m sure you’ve heard that when it comes to marketing and advertising, it takes 6-7 touches for someone to decide they trust you enough to work with you. If you only make 2-3 attempts, you’re never going to achieve the success you want – the success you see others have and it seems to come to them so easily.

Whether you realize it or not, people are watching you. They are watching the way you conduct yourself, the way you run your business, and the way you develop it. I can’t tell you how often people tell me that they notice I’m consistent with my blogs, my videos, my social media. This consistency translates to trust. They know that I’m not going anywhere, that I stay in one place long enough to dig deep. So, they trust me as an authority and someone they can trust. This is what I recommend to any business owner. Find your sweet spot and plant yourself.

This doesn’t mean that you should never try anything new or that you can’t experiment with new strategies to see if they work for you. I’m merely saying that once you try something new and decide that you want to jump on that band wagon, stick with it!

If you have any questions at all on strategies, please let me know in the comments below.

The Smarter Approach to Goal Setting

If you've been reading my blogs lately, you know I'm writing on the theme of marketing strategy and you've probably been wondering when I'm going to bring up goal setting. For some of you that means today is your lucky day and others of you are quietly moaning as you read this.

Goal setting might sound time consuming, intimidating, or like a way to bring disappointment into your life when you don't achieve your goals. Cheer up, Sugarplum! Goal setting can and should be a fun process that brings you hope, laser-sharp focus, with a path and a plan, not dread. If you stick with me, I will show you a smarter way to go about it that will make you excited, inspired and ready to get after it!

I have some gems that will help you think smarter about the way you set goals and make sure that you're setting the right goals for where you and your business are at right now. I could go on and on about the importance of goals but I bet you're here because you already know all that. So without further ado, here are my smart, strategic gems as you prepare to create your goals.

First, I want you to think about who you look up to in your industry? Who do you aspire to be like? Identify 2-3 individuals who are killing it doing whatever it is that you do or want to do. Google them, check out their websites, see how they market and sell themselves. What are they doing differently? What are they doing consistently? If you had to describe them in 3 words, what would those be? Ok, if I'm getting a little too excited here by giving you too much homework, just pick one of the above 3 questions to answer.

Second, think about what sets you apart from the others on the playground. What do you do differently? If you want to make it easier, or maybe harder, think of what 3 words describe you? Maybe it has to do with your passion, your background, the reason you got into this business in the first place?

If you are reeling off differentiators you thought of 4 years ago, check 'em to see if they're still accurate and relevant. What are you doing right now, today, that distinguishes you from others? Think about your strengths and the ways that you feel comfortable getting yourself in front of your target audience.

If you’re stuck here, I recommend doing some journaling or talking with a trusted friend, colleague, or coach who can listen to you, question you, and give you trusted feedback as your brainstorm. This is the fuel you will need as you create goals that will grow your business and help you differentiate yourself in the marketplace based on your strengths.

Now, if you’re working with me on your Marketing Strategy Roadmap where we get into both your core messaging and your goal setting (see the bottom for more info on this), then we’ve already discussed this before getting to this point. If you are doing this on your own, feel free to jump into this thought process right now or reach out to me for some help.

Third, you’re ready to create some amazing SMART goals tailored just for you, and yes I mean SMART as in (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timebound). Don’t go overboard creating too many. You will want to focus on just a few (3-5 to be exact) that you can laser-focus to achieve in the next 60-90 days.

These should each hone in on one specific outcome you want to achieve. Here are some examples of what a goal isn't: posting a blog a certain number of times each month, starting a podcast, attending two networking events a week. These are strategies used to achieve goals and we'll get into these next time.

Examples of goals are:  increasing online sales by 10%, adding 2,000 more names to my email list, selling $5,000/month from speaking gigs. Your goals should be a stretch and a challenge but definitely doable to accomplish in the next 2-3 months.

Bonus tip: I cannot stress enough the help that having an accountability partner will do to help you accomplish these goals in your given timeframe. If you don't have one, find one or come to me and I'll help you.

Extra Bonus tip: First, when you're choosing an accountability partner, make sure they they won't let you off the hook easily when you aren't taking the needed steps to move your toward your goals. Second, make sure that they are both someone you trust and someone who you consider to have valuable insights to help you. Third, make sure they're a good listener and will draw out the reasons behind fears, distractions, or anything else getting in the way of accomplishing your goals. Soooo, you need to feel comfortable being vulnerable with this person.

What to do next: If this has been helpful and you would like to know more about how you can quickly develop your core messaging (mission, vision, values) and goal planning (goal setting, strategies, and action plans) then we really should connect. Surprisingly, when we work together, we can create all of this in only three sessions! I know, crazy, right?!

If you have questions or want to publicly declare your goals right here, I would love to hear all of it in the comments section. Thanks again for stopping by!

Are You Seriously Telling Me This Matters??

Today’s blog is going to share why you really should make the effort to focus on your company’s values. They have more value – pun intended – than you realize.

I’m not gonna lie. Today is one of those days when it is tough for me to write this blog. It’s the end of summer and it’s harder for my brain to focus because drinking a margarita in the pool this afternoon sounds more my speed right now. It’s been a busy week and I would love to chill out a little. Can anyone else relate? But I’m gonna stick this out because you’re worth it and I want you to learn how powerful values can be to improve and grow your business.

What are you going to learn? - how values help your business - the structure to create or reevaluate your values - how to transform values from empty platitudes to the meat that draws in more clients. If you do this one, you won’t get brownie points from me, you’ll get more money in your account from clients who trust you and want to buy from you.

Definition of Business Values First of all, I guess we should start by defining what I mean by your values. I see values as the meaning behind your vision if you take it apart and look at its’ components, deconstructed.

Like I mentioned in my last blog on vision, the difference between your mission statement and your vision statement is that your mission states exactly what you do right now for your customers. Your vision tells the greater purpose and heart or the reason why you do what you do. Your values should break this down and spell it out in greater detail.

For instance, my vision is Help others maximize their God-given gifts through their businesses or organizations.

My vision statement could be interpreted all sorts of ways. My values will clarify what I mean. Our vision statements can be broad enough to give us some wiggle room to grow and evolve while also serving as the compass keeps us on course. My values communicate how I define my vision:

Cherish Clients Focus on Results Create an Environment of Trust and Truth Silver Lining Thinking Leading with Character

These are listed at www.stellanovastrategies.com/character-attributes/ with a sentence or two for each to provide more detail.

Creative Exercise to Define or Reevaluate Your Values Here is where you get to tap into the creative part of your brain. Close your eyes and think of a time when someone did something positive for you that shocked you because it was unexpected and impacted/transformed the way you think, work, or behave. Now draw a simple image that symbolizes what this means to you. Do this a few times thinking of different people and situations that have made an imprint on you, shaping the way you conduct yourself and your business and voila!, you have the main pieces for your core values. Now do a gut check and see if you are truly living these out in your business.

Do you do these for your customers?

This exercise will do one of two things. It may reinforce what you do and allow you to break down your values into tangible words and phrases that help you teach others who you are, how you are different from your competitors, and what they can expect when they work with you. OR, it may help you realize that you need to reevaluate your values and the way you do business with others. How Values Help Your Business Think about why you decide to work with one person over one of their competitors who offer something similar. Chances are it fell into one of these categories: - you had a better connection with one person over another - one seemed more transparent and genuine that you knew you could trust them - one had a lower price

While you might think that last one is most important, I’m here to tell you that it really isn’t. Many people will pay a premium simply because they enjoy someone more and/or they know exactly what to expect and know they can trust him or her.

How to transform values from empty platitudes to the meat that draws in more clients If the three reasons listed above shape many of our buying decisions, let’s focus here. Oh wait, we just did. It’s called walking out our values!! When you do these three steps, it will make all the difference: 1. Become aware of exactly what others can always expect from you that is straight from your heart to theirs 2. Communicate these in concrete terms to your audience consistently 3. Let your audience watch you demonstrate this in your interactions with them and with others.

There you have it. You now know what your values are, you’re communicating them consistently, and you’re demonstrating them in the way you work. When implemented, this will go a long way in quickly gaining clients and referrals.

How have your values worked for you in your business? Let me know in the comments.

Create a Vision Statement that Gets Noticed

When it comes to creating a vision statement, most people realize it has to do with their purpose and heart-felt reasons why they are in business but it can be difficult to boil down into a few phrases or statements. Today, I’m going to break it down into a really simple structure for you. What is a Vision Statement? Let’s start with exactly what it is. Your vision statement has a couple of really important purposes in your business. First, similar to your mission statement, it should serve as a guide for all that you do with your business. While your mission statement describes what you do, your vision statement outlines why you do it. Think of it as the greater good that you do to serve humanity with your business or organization. As an example, here’s mine: Help others maximize their God-given gifts through their businesses or organizations. Clearly Communicate the Heart of Your Business The second reason you have a vision statement is to clearly convey to others why you do what you do. It shows the human side of your business and the heart behind why you do what you. Since people want to do business with other people, not businesses, they want to know who you are, what you do, why you do it, and they want to know they can trust you. Your vision statement is one way to convey why you need to serve others with your business. When you delve into branding, your mission, vision, and values are the mighty three pieces from which all branding and messaging springs.

Steps to Create Your Vision Statement Ok, let’s move on to how you create it. First, spend some time brainstorming (by yourself, with a coach, or friend). Write down or tell them the purpose of your business very conversationally – like you’re speaking to your best friend. Tell them why what you do is helpful to humanity + emotions that draw you to this business + the part of your heart that makes you want to get out of bed and work on this every day.

Don’t get frustrated if this takes awhile to put into concrete language. Fitting something emotional into a statement or two that fully encapsulates why you’re drawn to your business for the greater good is pretty difficult.

Second, go back and revise this to make sure it’s clear to others – also difficult – but definitely doable.

After you revise it, share it with a few different people, separately, and ask them to communicate back to you what they think you’re telling them. This will let you know if you’ve really clarified it the way you think you have.

Next, after you receive their feedback, you will want to refine it even more to make it really concise and polished.

Some may be able to whittle this down into one sentence. For others, it may be two-to-three sentences. As long as it condenses your ultimate reason with one or two of your core values that you live out by offering what your business does as clearly and succinctly as possible, you’re in good shape.

Practical Applications From the practical side, where are you going to use this, and how? This should definitely be displayed on your website to help people quickly get to know you and your culture. Since a prospect may Google you, it’s a good idea to share this in more places than only your website. It is great to include in marketing materials, as part of a long description of your business on social media, or as a theme for social media posts you create.

It is a key message point to use when you are presenting to a group, a sales presentation, or at a networking event. You might share your vision statement or you may again use it as a compass for your messaging and talking points. Let people know more about who you are and why you are in your business. Boiling your vision statement down to a concrete statement or two keeps you from stumbling trying to tell people what you really mean. You need to know this inside and out, forward and backward, and incorporate it into your branding and messaging consistently and constantly.

Why Do I Need This Again? As I mention at the beginning of this blog, it should be a guide for you, as is your mission statement, and when you are considering offering something new or doing something differently, you should be able to come back to this vision statement and make sure it still rings true with whatever you plan to add or change. If it doesn’t, should you really do it? A vision statement gives you boundaries so that you and your audience know exactly what to expect and not expect from your business. This helps you hone in on your niche and ensures that everything you do is never strays from what you set out to do.

This will help you clearly articulate your heart for others and how your business is the instrument that accomplishes this. People will understand you and want to get to know you more. In essence, you have just done a great job at establishing trust, and when people trust you, they will be ready to buy from you. So what are you waiting for?! Get out there and create your awesome vision statement. If you need some help, I am here for you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out and set up a session with me to get this fleshed out, polished, and ready to use.

Once you accomplish this, you will be well on your way to building a strong foundation for your business to take off and grow.

Bonus for All the Over Achievers Out There For those of you who stuck with me here to the end, I have a special nugget. This one goes out to all of you over-achievers who demand absolute polish in all you do – have a specific story ready to share about what led you to want to do your business: what sparked it. Not only will you have the structure in place but people will see you are more than words when you provide evidence of a story that demonstrates how this has played out in the life of your business. Not only that but everyone loves stories and it’s a soft way to sell who you are and your values.

Biggest Marketing Frustration Ever...

Hmm, I'll go with running in circles trying everything under the sun to build your business until you’re exhausted and burned out. If you've tried this and are now laying on the ground out of breath and panting, here's some help. Let's simplify by getting laser focused.

I hope you enjoyed the tips I offered in my series about overcoming business fears. This next series focuses on marketing strategies.

The first way I recommend you simplify is by creating a concise mission statement that speaks to the core of exactly what you do to help your clients. It should be specific and may be inspiring as well.

The focus of your mission statement shouldn’t be about creating pretty, fluffy verbiage that looks good on your website. You should be able to hold it up to every action you take with your business to make sure everything you do is moving your business forward in its mission. If not, either you shouldn’t do it or you should consider rethinking your mission statement. It is a vital and powerful tool that should be every business owner’s compass.

If you remove all of the fluffy language and boil down your wording to only the key phrases that tell the crux of what you do, you have the making of a potent mission statement.

As an example, here's mine: I help clients overcome fears, create successful marketing strategies, and tell stories that sell.

Everything I do in my business reflects these and if it doesn’t, then I shouldn’t do it. You may need to update your mission statement from time to time. It may change as the scope of what you do changes.

It should be action-oriented, explain your company's purpose.

Here are some examples of other mission statements.

"The mission of Trader Joe's is to give our customers the best food and beverage values that they can find anywhere and to provide them with the information required to make informed buying decisions. We provide these with a dedication to the highest quality of customer satisfaction delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, fun, individual pride, and company spirit."

“Warby Parker was founded with a rebellious spirit and a lofty objective: to offer designer eyewear at a revolutionary price, while leading the way for socially-conscious businesses.”

“Google's mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful.”

I would love for you to leave me a comment below and let me know your company’s mission statement or where you’re stuck in writing your mission statement.