If you are a music artist that has a need for someone to: filter communications between you and third parties that have expressed a professional interest in your services as an artist, or the use of your music; negotiate contracts and offers of employment; schedule and coordinate your professional activities; direct and interface with the various members of your support team; and provide counsel pertaining to the most advantageous or strategic career moves to make, then you need a competent professional manager.

If you don’t have such business affairs pending, then you don’t really need a manager. Many music artists cling to the false notion that their manager will help them get gigs or a record deal. While those notions are not entirely true, they are not entirely untrue either. Some managers will (illegally and unknowingly) book gigs for their acts in an effort to become immediately and actively involved.

Some ambitious mangers may even take on music artists before they have any real business affairs to manage, and pursue a record deal for them with the intent of generating activities and income that warrant their involvement. This is not the norm, so consider yourself very lucky if it does happen to you. Managers get paid a commission on the income that you make, so if you are making nothing, then what do you think they will be paid? This is what managers refer to as a “non-commissionable” client - which is what you are until you generate revenue.

While every professional started out with no experience at one time or another, you must be aware of the exploitive and predatory nature of the music industry. Personal managers who do not fully understand the dynamics of the music business can not efficiently help navigate you through the illogical maze of industry operations that make success so elusive.

If you happen to find an inexperienced manager (or if one finds you) that you trust and feel will be dedicated to helping you achieve success, then work with them; but accept and understand the following: a) there is truly no substitute for experience, b) their experience may come at your expense and c) if they ever feel overwhelmed or unsure, they can - and should - consult with an entertainment attorney.

Before you get a record deal or have a myriad of activities to handle, your inexperienced manager will be very eager to execute whatever business related tasks you have for them. But if you do get a record deal and are suddenly thrust into the cryptic and methodical music business game where the players are savvy, seasoned veterans who know the finer points and strategies of deal making, you will find that your attorney will provide much needed guidance to your inexperienced manager, and a reason for you to relax.

With a lack of experience, your personal manager will rely heavily on his/her communication, follow-through, and people skills. They should also do whatever they can to learn more about the music industry. If by chance you find that you are telling them what to say to people, or what to do and how to do it, then you have a problem that begets the question: Who’s managing your manager?

If you harbor any doubts or suspicions about your manager’s competence (or in this case motivation and potential) you should end the relationship as quickly as possible. In the end, you would much rather be an artist whose inexperienced manager is gaining confidence and experience as a result of being managed by an attorney, than an artist who is managing their manager.

© Copyright 2007 All Rights Reserved.

As a solo-entrepreneur you’ve chosen to really stand on your own two feet. You are a renegade. This is very different from working for someone else. The objective isn’t about ignoring or hiding from these feelings; it’s simply about managing them when they appear. To pretend they don’t exist or get down on yourself when they show up just keeps you stuck in the low-level energy of these emotions and further away from your success.

One of the best ways you can manage your energy around fear is to have a clear, powerful vision of what you want. Great success stories start with a compelling vision that pulls you forward, even on those days when you are feeling very doubtful about your business.

So then, you have to ask yourself—what’s my vision?

Too many business owners float along, believing they do have a vision, when in reality, they don’t. I often hear things like: “I want to transform people’s lives.” This is not a vision. If you REALLY do want to transform people’s lives, then your vision must be clear, focused, and electrifying! It’s gotta get your heart pumpin’ and specifically zero in on how you will serve the people you are meant to connect with.

Another example I often hear sounds like this, “I want to get more clients.” Again, this is nothing more than an unclearly spoken minor goal. This lack of clarity is a true “Come on in!” for all those fears and doubts. The vaguer you are, the more room for the mind to say, “You can’t do that. How are you ever going to make that happen? I can’t get my arms around that. We’re outta here.”

Here are 7 steps to focus your vision and move it from your head into your heart:

Clear the Decks Step #1: Look At How Fear Has Affected Your Business Actions

I don’t recommend dwelling here, but we do need to have an understanding of where we’ve been to get clear about where we want to go. So take some quiet time to connect with yourself and go inside.

List ways fear and/or doubt led you to under-value, sell-out, or give away your services in the past. Just let the list flow and resist the temptation to get down on you. You are going through this so you can do it all differently the next time around.

Clear the Decks Step #2: Look at How Fear Has Affected Your Business Speak

One of the biggest blocks that I see facing entrepreneurs is a resistance to talking about what you do. There is a fear of being questioned, judged, called out as a fraud, or jumping ahead and assuming the person you’re speaking to doubts what it is you have to say. The thing is, if you don’t tell people what you do, then no one will know about it. I know that sounds silly and obvious, but it’s true, right? It’s like throwing away a gift before you’ve unwrapped it. You don’t even know what it is, but you’ve determined it’s no good.

It is a MUST to shift the vision around how you speak about what you do. So let’s start by listing times when fear and/or doubt affected the way you spoke about your services in the past.

Clear the Decks Step #3: Look At How Fear Has Affected Your Productivity

Entrepreneurs can be experts at appearing busy. They check email, move papers around on their desk, run errands, research websites, and have coffee meetings. At the end of the day, not one action has been in support of the growth of their businesses. This is about hiding. You tell yourself that you’re busy, you tell others you’re busy, but when it comes down to it, we know we’re avoiding what really needs to be done. And that’s about putting ourselves out there.

Let’s be honest. List ways fear thwarted your productivity in the past. It’s the best way to move through it all. The relief and success on the other side is so worth it.

Clear the Decks Step #4: Put the Fear Pieces Together

Looking back at the 3 lists you created, what can you identify as your main fear? What are you afraid of?

There is usually one main thread that connects it all. One big “yikes” that we’re convinced if THAT happens it will be the end of us.

What is that for you?

Clear the Decks Step #5: Connect the Doubt Dots

Looking back at the 3 lists you created, what are you doubtful about? This is the sticky part. This is the part where most folks want to jump ship and blame it all on outside stuff (my work area is a mess, my family doesn’t support me, it rained today), so they get stuck, totally stalled in their tracks.

It’s tempting, I admit, to want to abort. My coaching request here is…don’t. Every time you doubt yourself, go back to your vision and ask, if not me, then who?

Clear the Decks Step #6: Make Peace

What are some ways you can begin to “make peace” with your doubts and fears?

First, start by looking at why these little buggers are showing up. Are they trying to protect you? Is it natural to want to stay with what you know? Did this path work for you at some point in the past?

Thank them for the messages of guidance they are giving you. Every time you feel a ‘pang’ of fear or doubt, it’s a message something is off track from your vision. So you gently guide yourself back. Give yourself some powerful self-talk (I CAN do this!) and begin releasing the fear as you put one foot (or one toe if you need to start there) in front of the other.

Clear the Decks Step #7: Make a Choice

What do you want more: fear or success? If you chose success, clearly state WHAT you are inspired to create. So instead of the loose “I want to make a difference” story, envision something state-of-the-art, specific, juicy, dripping with the details of what excites you and attach a time frame to it. Go for it!

How does that feel? Now, what are you willing to do to create that?

EnergyRICH Call-To-Action:

Find someone you can speak to about these entrepreneurial doubts and fears. Be very conscious about who you choose. Often individuals who don’t have their own businesses cannot completely relate, even if they are one of our closest companions. Ask for support. Ask for accountability.

Put this into consistent practice.

Continue to develop techniques that are easily available to you, which you can reach out and grab onto during times of fear and doubt, which can help to restore your energy and confidence.

Accept this road will become smoother, but it will be constant. As an EnergyRICH Entrepreneur, you are on a constant road of growth and expansion. Better to embrace all that comes with that; otherwise, you’ll stay right where you are in all areas.

Oh, and prospects smell fear and doubt from a mile away. You want to step up to be present to those you serve and for yourself.

The result is extremely powerful.

Heather Dominick, Solo-Entrepreneur Expert, has over 10 years of teaching and coaching experience. Heather’s primary focus is in coaching entrepreneurs to identify sources for increasing business profit and making successful business changes. To sign up to receive your
free e-course “How to Avoid the 5 Major Misconceptions Solo-Entrepreneurs Make”, for her freebie how-to articles and no-charge teleclasses on creating your most energized business, visit
http://www.energyrichcoach.com

When networking, do people open up to you or do you they ignore you?

In networking, time counts. You only have ten seconds to pique your new contact’s interest and initiate a conversation, or else your contact will lose interest and dismiss you. That’s why it is so important to prepare and practice a way to present yourself to a new contact. A strong introduction communicates who you are and what you offer, inspires confidence and openness, and signals that you are interested to find out more about them.

Here are some tips to make the most of the Golden Moment of the first impression:

1. Show your name with pride.

Introduce yourself by your name and your company name, and ask them for their name. Wear a quality name tag (plastic or metal) so they can easily see, and remember, your name. Naturally slip their name into the conversation a couple of times so you can remember it easier. By displaying your name with pride, and using their name, you demonstrate a confidence in who you are and what you represent, which will also give the other person confidence to continue talking with you.

2. Start with an open-ended question.

Questions stimulate curiosity. Starting with an open-ended question activates the interest of your contact, ensuring that you have their attention. An open-ended question begins with “who”, “what”, “why”, “where”, “how much” or “when”, so that they answer with something other than “yes” or “no”. For example “What do you like most about your company?” or “How did you get into this business?” Now you’re into a conversation about them… their most favorite subject! Listen carefully, they will tell you a lot about who they are and what they are looking for, giving you valuable clues on how to relate and deepen the connection with them.

3. Avoid describing what you do, describe instead what you can do for them.

As soon as you start talking about you, you will lose the connection with your contact. Even if they ask you “what do you do?”, what they are really asking is “What can you do for me?”. Your contact is trying to grasp what is the benefit you create for your clients. The best way to answer the “what do you do” question is to share a short, two-sentence testimonial of something you have done for a recent client: “I recently had a customer that had X problem, and I helped him to get Y result.” Keep it short and focused on the before and after picture. This is a lively and memorable way of communicating your value that keeps the energy focused on your contact, and therefore their attention on you.

4. Describe exactly for what you are looking for in terms of referrals, opportunities or resources.

Chances are, the person you are talking to is not a potential client for you, because either they don’t have a need, or their need is already met by someone or something else. By adopting this attitude, you reduce the “selling pressure” on your contact and they feel freer to continue communicating with you. However, they have a circle of contacts that may have what you are looking for in terms of client referrals, opportunities or resources. People like to help others, so by sharing what you are looking for, they may be in a position to help you.

5. Prepare a memorable tag line.

Sum up the main benefit that you create for your clients with a short, memorable tag line, no more than four or five words. Add spice to your tag line by making careful use of word play, alliterations (words beginning with the same letter), puns or rhyming. For example, to describe a Financial Planner, “I bring Wall Street to Main Street”, or for a Massage Therapist: “Let me rub you the right way!”

6. Say it naturally

Your opening must be prepared, refined and practiced. Use simple, short words that come naturally to you. And practice, practice, practice! By creating an opening introduction that puts your contact at ease, you can ensure that the Golden Moment plants the seed of a long and prosperous relationship.

Davender Gupta is a speaker, writer, trainer and business leadership and success coach whose mission is to guide you to accelerate your Vision from Passion to Profit. Subscribe to his FREE weekly SoloSuccess Letter and check out the extensive Success Toolkit at http://www.coachdavender.com He can also be reached directly by phone at 1-888-788-8844.

A few weeks ago there was a substantial article in one of the major business weeklies about a consultant to Fortune 500 CEO’s.

Originally from India, this gentleman seems like a genuine “guru.”

One or two of his clients’ names were dropped in the article, and they are quite prominent.

But absolutely nothing else was said about the CONTENT of his consulting, or about his specific advice. He insists on maintaining utter confidentiality.

The article went on to say his clients appreciate his discretion, and this aspect of his service is one of the main reasons he seems to stay so solidly booked.

As a long time management consultant, myself, I find his approach very interesting and highly appealing.

As consultants, what we do for our clients is really no one’s business, but theirs.

If clients felt everything they did with us or revealed would be blabbed about, they would either do projects so mundane as to be meaningless, or avoid getting outside assistance, altogether.

Recently, I wrote an article indicating that client references should not be disclosed until the final step in negotiation is reached, and our prospects are otherwise convinced they want to work with us.

By delaying the disclosure of references we accomplish at least five things, assuring that our clients aren’t needlessly bothered by strangers or by our competitors, or theirs.

But now, in light of this other consultant’s successful approach, I’m considering not supplying references at any time.

Will this discourage clients from working with me? Perhaps some, but I’m not sure I wish to do business with them, anyway.

Here is my reasoning:

(1) I’m a prominent name in my field, a brand name. If I weren’t, my inquiries probably would not have heard about me.

(2) A huge storehouse of information is publicly available about me. With 12 published books and well over 1,000 articles available at everyone’s fingertips, people can have a significant, first-hand experience with my ideas without leaving their cubicles or corner offices.

(3) They’re not hiring a cashier or a regular employee. They’re dealing with a professional who has five degrees and a number of licenses and certifications, all of which can be validated, again, without dusting their derrieres.

(4) Every program is unique, and at best, they would get a hint about the success OTHERS achieved, which is not predictive at all of what they can expect, given their unique cultures, circumstances, requirements, and budgets.

(5) They’re really asking my clients to sell them and to make their decisions for them, and this is unrealistic and unfair to everyone. If prospects so doubt the wisdom of their own judgment, they are probably so insecure, nervous, and tentative as to be undesirable clients from my viewpoint.

(6) I guarantee my results. So even if I am wrongly retained, this is an error that can be corrected swiftly and painlessly. Which would you prefer: to hear a past client singing my praises, someone who could actually be my next door neighbor or tennis buddy, or to be assured that you will get results or you don’t pay? Which would you rather rely upon?

By the way, I do have a long and distinguished client list, consisting of names you’ve heard and admired, and names you should have heard about, and one day will.

But if you’re seeking me out to do a quick speech or a few weeks of work, do you think I should ask a half-million dollar reference to counsel you?

Frankly, I don’t have many “little” references to supply, so if I’m making myself available to do your project, perhaps you should pat yourself on the back, and have the wisdom and good manners to simply say: “Happy to have you!”

Dr. Gary S. Goodman is the
best-selling author of 12 books and more than
a thousand articles. A frequent expert commentator on radio and TV, he is quoted often in prominent publications such as The Wall Street Journal and Business Week.
His seminars and training
programs are sponsored internationally and he
is a top-rated faculty member at more than 40
universities. Dynamic, experienced,
and lots of fun, Gary brings more than two decades
of solid management and consulting experience
to the table, along with the best academic preparation
and credentials in the speaking and training industry.
Holder of a Ph.D. from the
Annenberg School For Communication at USC,
an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School of Management,
and a law degree from Loyola, his clients include several
Fortune 1000 companies along with successful family
owned and operated firms. Much more
than a “talking head,” Gary is a top mind that you’ll
enjoy working with and putting to use.
He can be reached at: gary@customersatisfaction.com

Sickness is something that can not be completely avoided. Everyone knows this to be the truth. At some point or another, everyone gets sick enough to need the help of a doctor. Anyone who hasn’t, may have a problem that has gone undetected. So, there is just no truth to the old saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

Being a doctor is very difficult because he/she has to always be organized and there is no margin for error. The reason for this is because of the life or death decisions that are the daily reality of being a doctor. Unlike casino gambling where casual risks are acceptable, a doctor can’t gamble casually with a patient’s life. It goes against everything he/she has been taught to practice in thought and deed. People in the medical profession are there because they have the desire and are trained competently to preserve life and not to casually waste it.

Needed Tools Prepared in Advance

Before a patient ever enters the operating room, the doctor will make sure all the instruments needed for the procedure are in their proper place and sterile. He/she won’t have to actually do this job because there are nurses and scrub techs that set up all the items necessary. The doctor still needs to make sure that all is in proper order, though before beginning the procedure..

Once surgery has started, it can’t be stopped in the middle because the forceps or surgical sponges are either not on the tray or are in the wrong position and not easily accessible. Such an occurrence would waste time and result on more bleeding than is necessary. Since the life of the patient is in the doctor’s hands, he/she must use time wisely to maximize the patient’s good outcome.

The doctor must know exactly every instrument that will be needed during surgery so he/she can quickly see if any are missing or in the wrong position. Incompetence is not something that can be afforded in this situation.

Narrow Beam Focus

The doctor also needs to keep his/her focus on the immediate point of concern. If the patient is having a hot gall bladder removed, it is not the time to be examining the duodenum. That can wait until after the gall bladder has been remove and the area completely taken care of.

The surgery could become unnecessarily complicated if the surgeon’s focus strays from the task at hand. He/she must stay focused on the gall bladder or it could rupture if its removal is delayed because of a lack of focus.

Once concentration is diverted to another area, such as the appendix, a rupture could occur, causing severe infection and even loss of life. So losing concentration and focus would be considered an inexcusable error.

During medical training, doctors learn to keep a narrow focus in surgical and non-surgical cures and treatments. For this reason, a well-trained doctor is one that can be trusted when you get sick and need medical help.

Even so, there are still time when doctors make errors. Some have managed to complete training even though they are incompetent. These are doctors who should not be in the medical profession and really should look into a career change that would be a better fit. The medical profession is not the place for a casual attitude in focus and concentration.

The ability to focus and concentrate intensely is required of doctors. No one can be successful as a doctor without these attributes. If you have aspirations of becoming a doctor, work on developing the ability to stay intensely focused and concentrated on the task in front of you. This is especially important is you dream of becoming a surgeon.

Leon Edward helps people improve IQ, focus, memory, concentration, creativity, speed reading, public speaking, time management and reducing stress.
Download his IQ Mind Brain Memory Self-Help library at his website http://www.IQMindBrainLibrary.com

Leon Edward helps people improve in Goal Setting, Success, Leadership, Motivation, Self-Improvement, Happiness, Memory Improvement, Stress Reduction and more through his articles, blogs, reports and self-help success roladex-on-line. Visit his Success-Leadership Library, Articles and blog at http://www.AwesomeSuccess.org

Leon Edward Helps people to start, grow and maximize online business income with training articles, reviews, marketing log… ideas and opportunities. Download his FREE Report - How to Find A Solid Home Business Opportunity without Getting Scammed! - Find online business training articles, an internet business in a box, FREE Content , starting a business free ideas, residual internet income opportunities and top network marketing home based businesses…
all at http://www.HomeBusinessIT.com

I was talking to a psychologist the other day who said she couldn’t do a proper job of helping people if she thought she had to accept every case that came her way.

We talked about “professionalism” at some length, and we agreed a part of it is retaining one’s objectivity, one’s independence.

The moment you believe you are beholden to clients, utterly at their beck and call, dependent on their revenue, you distort your processes simply in the interest of keeping the relationship going.

True professionals seek independence for themselves and for their clients. Dentists, for instance, embraced the introduction of cavity fighting fluoride, which of course, reduced tooth decay and dentists’ incomes from repairing its ravages.

A right-thinking defense attorney doesn’t want the accused that he just helped to avoid incarceration to commit another crime, simply for the income that recidivism will bring to him.

Professionals trust by making clients as independent and self-sufficient as possible they’ll increase overall satisfaction, generate referrals, and ultimately produce more than enough to support themselves and their practices.

Professionals are also alert to when they should decline an offer of work, if it falls so far outside of our area of comfort or expertise as to make our successful involvement a question mark.

Of course, some of this philosophy seems alien to a person who sees things only from a strict “business” perspective.

The business person’s favorite model is dependency based, whether it is hooking people on cigarettes, on the best-tasting chocolate brownies in town, or on a subscription to a magazine or a set number of movies-by-mail.

Surprisingly, it was Karl Marx, famous socialist philosopher, who reportedly observed: If you offer a man a fish you have made a sale. If you teach a man to fish you have ruined a fine business opportunity.

So, professionals are not really business people, in the strictest sense.

Above profit, they place different values, and sometimes, being a pro means turning away a sure moneymaker for an ideal that is much less tangible.

Professionals permit themselves to accept more losses, deliberately pursuing what we might term a Lose-Win model, where their loss is the client’s, and society’s gain.

But part of being a professional is having the faith that the equities will even out and the books will balance in the long run, if they approach their practices with the proper outlook.

Dr. Gary S. Goodman is the
best-selling author of 12 books and more than
a thousand articles. A frequent expert commentator on radio and TV, he is quoted often in prominent publications such as The Wall Street Journal and Business Week.
His seminars and training
programs are sponsored internationally and he
is a top-rated faculty member at more than 40
universities. Dynamic, experienced,
and lots of fun, Gary brings more than two decades
of solid management and consulting experience
to the table, along with the best academic preparation
and credentials in the speaking and training industry.
Holder of a Ph.D. from the
Annenberg School For Communication at USC,
an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School of Management,
and a law degree from Loyola, his clients include several
Fortune 1000 companies along with successful family
owned and operated firms. Much more
than a “talking head,” Gary is a top mind that you’ll
enjoy working with and putting to use.
He can be reached at: gary@customersatisfaction.com.

Take 2 hours this spring to devote to cleaning up your home office! It doesn’t have to be a long or dreaded project! Just follow these simple steps:

1. Your desk (30 minutes)
   
• Clear everything off your desk. I mean everything!
• Wipe off your desk and clean your monitor, keyboard and phone with electronics-safe cloths and compressed air. Vacuum or sweep the floor.
• If you’re getting bored with your arrangement, move things around.

• Put back on your desk only the things you know you’ll use on a daily basis. Find a new home for everything else: trash, file, or your “to-do” pile.
• Open up a window, if only for a few minutes, to let some fresh air in.

2. Your paper files (30 minutes)
• Flip through your paper files. Toss files your don’t need anymore. Consolidate and organize. Keep some empty files ready to go for easy filing in the future.
3. Your computer desktop and files (45 minutes)
• E-mail: Delete old emails, create folders if you like to use them.
• Web browser: Do you bookmark sites? Delete bookmarks you don’t use anymore. Create a folder for the bookmarked sites you visit daily. Organize your other bookmarks in whatever way makes sense for your business.
• Desktop: Create shortcuts on your desktop for folders or programs you use often, and delete the shortcuts you don’t use anymore.
• Folders: Delete old folders, consolidate, create new ones if necessary.
4. Spruce up the place! (15 minutes)
• Create a warm environment for yourself by adding plants, art, candles, or pictures.

Angela Green is the author of “The Virtual Assistant’s Start-Up Manual: A 30-day plan to build your VA business.” Sign-up to receive free weekly tips on how to jump-start your VA business at http://www.vamanual.com.

To succeed, financially, as a business coach you really must optimize every relationship you have with your prospects and your clients.

I have worked with business owners for over three decades. To this day over 60% of my clients come from one of three industries. And each client ends up taking advantage of the widest possible range of services - because I have developed a process that keeps me in front of them long enough for them to do so.

What can you do to more effectively to invest your time and energy with each high probability prospect long enough for them to buy everything you have on offer?

It seems that most of the time we only have a few seconds to make a first impression or a few minutes to pitch our services.

What most of us do, out of necessity, is blast away about the features and benefits of our services - hoping we catch their attention with one of them. While we a barking out everything we can in the time allowed we try to focus on their body language for clues regarding the one thing that seems to interest them.

If our elevator speech and our sales presentation are well conceived and well delivered our prospect may show a sign of interest - which we will immediately jump on and ride for all it’s worth.

So we all spend time developing our USP so that it can be powerfully presented in forty-five seconds, five minutes, and fifteen minute versions.

I absolutely recommend that you spend whatever time necessary to create that USP. It is vitally important that you know precisely what you do more uniquely and better than anyone else.

Getting clear about the benefits you provide is critical - but perhaps not for the reasons you think.

For example I use my elevator speech, in all its variations, as my number one method of disqualifying people I am not ideally suited to serve. In 45 seconds eighty percent of them know I am not the right person for them. By the end of five minutes I have eliminated everyone that is not an ideal candidate for my services.

This may be the opposite of what you were taught - that everyone is a prospect for something. Read on. My career has been created using this approach.

Once I have eliminated everyone else I can focus all my effort on the people who want what I’m selling, have the money to buy it, and will buy it from me once they know more about me.

Instinctively good prospects want proof, before they spend their time or money. They want to see us in action before making a decision. In other words that want to see if we walk our talk.

But how is this possible? How can they get to know us better in a way that builds our credibility?

How about offering a free coaching session or a no-obligation interview? Maybe we can interest them in a trial program that is deeply discounted? Or maybe we can offer some sort of guarantee?

Give me a break! Anyone who’d fall for these obvious ploys is not the sort of person I want as a client and hope you feel the same.

Successful business owners aren’t stupid! They know (whether it is true in your specific case or not) that any of these deals are really a come-on to get your foot in the door. And every effort will be made during the free/discount sessions to sell them the services they were unwilling to buy in the first place.

Let me propose an alternative, a simple process that has been working for me for over a decade. It gives prospects plenty of time to see me in action and come to know what kind of a person I am.

When I meet a new high probability prospect - someone I want to know more about and who seems to want to get to know me and my services better - I make them a proposition they rarely refuse.

I describe the power of group dynamics and its impact on decision making that are present when a small group of people (like them) meet regularly with a persistent focus on the issues and challenges shared by them all.

Invariably they have been part of such a group, formally or informally, in the past. And in my experience they found it beneficial and were sorry when it ended. Often their association has sponsored peer groups among its membership. In many cases they have been part of a dealer peer group created by the company that manufactures the products they sell or distribute.

So when I offer to help organize a peer group for them and their peers - as a volunteer, they jump on it. We make a bargain. They put together the names of people they know and trust in their industry and I agree to take care of all the details.

These are smart people, so they know that my goal is to demonstrate my value to them and the other members of their group. No sales pitch - this is real.

They also know that I actually have to demonstrate that value over a period of time in front of a half-dozen business owners like them. This is trial by fire.

And I know that if I chose the first person well and by extension helped sort out the rest of the members based on that same criteria - that I could not spend my time more productively.

Just think, an hour or so twice a month modeling your best abilities in the presence of six successful business owners. Imagine the possibilities.

What you will have done is create a situation that is guaranteed to deliver results, if you deliver the goods.

Every time I organize a peer group like this I end up with a key account or two from the group.

And more often than not, one of the people in the group I never get as a client ends up referring me to one or more of their colleagues who become key accounts.

If you are serious about spending your time effectively, in front of groups of your ideal client types with money to spend on your services I suggest you visit http://www.iBizResources.com and click on the link to my new report http://www.21stCenturyPeerGroups.com a complete guide to creating, organizing, and manageing virtual peer groups profitably.

For some, giving classes may seem counterintuitive. Why would you tell people what you know so that they can go do it themselves without your help? The answer is this:

1. By teaching, you are positioning yourself as an expert.

2. Those that take what you taught them and do it on their own were never going to be your clients anyway, so do not sweat it.

3. You have just shown a group what you can do and you have made it look easy. However, many will realize, right there on the spot, that it will not be easy for them! Therefore, they look to you and become your ardent customer.

4. Those people in your class may not take you up on your staging, but will be impressed with your professionalism and pass your name along. As you know, word of mouth is the best form of advertising.
This is a great way to get your name out there, but you may be asking where you should go to get a class.

As a home stager or redesigner, your knowledge is based on your interior decorating skills. Therefore, think of those places that are design oriented. For instance, a paint and wallpaper store, or a furniture store. Consider giving short classes (10 minutes or so) at open houses or sales days. For longer classes, consider women’s groups or garden clubs.

No matter what venue you choose, you will find that classes give you the professional image you are seeking as well as the exposure to potential clients.

Teri B Clark is a professional writer and published author. Her most recent book, 301 Simple Things You Can Do To Sell Your Home NOW and For More Money Than You Thought, explains these tips in more detail and offers many, many others. To learn more about Teri’s latest book, visit http://staging-your-home.blogspot.com or sign up for a free newsletter

Have you given much thought to the question of where you position your business? What do your prospects see you as? And, why is this such an important part of the marketing jig-saw puzzle?

This question of positioning came up the other day when I was playing golf with a very successful plumber. I asked him the usual question that you ask people you’ve never met before: “what do you do?” And he came right back with a really good answer: “I’m an emergency plumber.”

Why was that such a good answer? Because it gave me an exact idea of what he did and the circumstances under which he might be useful to me. It was certainly good enough to make me ask for his business card on the spot.

(Of course, anyone who has given marketing as much thought as he obviously has would produce a business card instantly.)

Now, let’s just analyse why this is so important. He could have said “I am a plumber.” And that would have given me an idea of his occupation. But it’s a bit vague and general.

He could have said: “I’m a heating engineer.” And that would have told me a lot more about what he actually does. However, if you already have heating in your house that wouldn’t create instant demand.

But an Emergency Plumber! Now that is a business card you’ve got to have in your rolodex because you know that sooner or later an emergency will arise.

After I had stored his valuable business card safely in my wallet. I enquired: “Do you do any other form of plumbing?”

“Oh yes” he replied. “We do all the normal bread and butter stuff. But I have a team of plumbers working for me. When an emergency arises I just divert one of them away from his everyday work and send him to the emergency. It works really well because it breaks up the monotony of the everyday grind and gives my guys a bit of “extra” in their wage packets. You could say that the emergency jobs are the icing on the cake.”

“Why did you tell me you’re an “Emergency Plumber.”

He grinned “Because that’s what gets people to ask for my card,” was his honest reply.

Think about it – how should you position your business to get people to demand your card the moment they hear what you do? Look at the first line of my resource box below.

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