We've moved!

"Affluent Marketing, Fabulous Lifestyle" blog has now moved to http://www.SuccessfulFinancialWomen.com

Desire is the compass to success

************************
by: David Neagle
Your Million Dollar Income Acceleration Coach
http://www.davidneagle.com/

************************

Deep inside each person is a hidden desire to BE something, to DO something and to HAVE something.

I have found that secretly most people think they could never have what is really speaking to their hearts. I have had many opportunities to sit one-on-one with individuals and listen to them as they share secrets with me that in many cases they have never shared with anyone else.

These hidden desires are very tender for most and it almost seems that the reason some people keep them so guarded is because in some way those desires provide a distant kind of hope. Something to hold on to when the rest of their world seems out of balance or going in the wrong direction.

The desire is your guide – it’s your spiritual compass. You need to follow its pull on your soul because it wants to take you to another world. A world of power, possibility and promise. A world where you can be you and a world where you can experience creativity, love and harmony.

It’s scary for most to let go of their attachments and run with their hearts. Some will even try to tell you it's wrong. You know it’s right and you also need to know that no one else knows what’s in there but you! What God whispers in your heart belongs to you and you should never allow anyone else to con you out of your desire.

Your desire will also lead you to health, wealth, and happiness in whatever form that takes for you.

Follow it, you will be happy you did.

Follow The Money

You're in business to make mo*ney right? I hope so!

But here's a problem that I find with my small business clients.

They have not learnt to FOLLOW THE MONEY!

There are people that have been in business year after year after year and are struggling to make a profit, or attract the right type of clients.

Yet, they do not do an analysis of their business to find out not what's going wrong (this is a negative focus) however, but WHERE can we find those clients that have more money to spend and WHAT do we need to do to bring in more money faster.

In fact, I don't recommend that the business owner themselves do that analysis as they are much too close to the problem.

Hire a consultant or a coach to go in depth into your business.

Here are some questions that you may need to answer initially:

1. Do I need to move into a more affluent area to attract those clients I want to work with?

2. Do I need to change my business MODEL to do more business with my existing clients?

3. Do I need to focus on one target market rather than a wide cross section of people, thereby being recognized as the expert?

4. Do I need to CHANGE my target market entirely to one that will serve me better?

YOUR ASSIGNMENT:

Look at your business:

• your clients,


• your target market,


• your niche (this is what your focus is),


• your location,


• your business model,


• your revenue structure (how much are you making vs. how much you want to make),


• your lifestyle (is your business providing you with the lifestyle you want)

What do you NEED to do right now to FOLLOW THE MONEY?

*****************************

Service Professional Strategist, Chartered Certified Accountant, Published Author and entrepreneur, Sandra Baptist, F.C.C.A., teaches female financial professionals how to make more profit and attract affluent clientele while tripling their time off.

Visit http://www.SuccessfulFinancialWomen.com/ to secure your FREE Special report on the “New Insider's Secrets Revealed To Recession-Proof Your Financial Service Professional or Small Business."

Start a Club

The affluent are different. They expect more. They pay more. They want more. But they also want DIFFERENT.

The easiest way to offer something different and exclusive to your clients is to start a club.

Memberships are truly the best way to attract a more affluent clientele and charge higher
prices too!

In any type of business, whether you do this with your services or your products, you
should be able to create a membership around your offerings.

In any type of business, there will always be a certain percentage of people that will want
to upgrade to your top level.

There is a car wash that I know where you cannot just walk in to. They are too busy serving their VIP clients that book out the entire month before the start of the month!

In my accounting practice, we offer a certain level of services, including accounting, consulting,
admin work, payroll all bundled together for a certain price per month.

This is for the VIP clients. Membership is limited AND we make that known!

Our levels are Gold, Gold + and Platinum.

We also offer a Diamond level which is an annual pre-payment level where the client uses our services unlimited (between 9-5) for an entire year.

We call this the Ultimate VIP Club for Entrepreneurs and market the Club in the upscale magazines.

We don't market our regular retainer service in those media though.

This is crucial to remember - not to dilute your message to different audiences.


YOUR ASSIGNMENT:

Look at your business.

How can you start a high-level club or membership in your business?

How will you limit the services or products offered so that everyone cannot or will not be able to have access?

What will you call the club?

Think exclusive or members only or VIP or elite...you get the idea.

*****************************
Service Professional Strategist, Published Author and entrepreneur, Sandra Baptist, F.C.C.A., teaches female financial professionals how to make more profit and attract affluent clientele while tripling their time off.

Visit http://www.successfulfinancialwomen.com/ to secure your FREE Special report on the “New Insider's Secrets Revealed To Recession-Proof Your Financial Service Professional or Small Business."

Offline expertise

Here's a scan of my latest article in the Business Focus Caribbean magazine that I wrote for the August/September 2008 issue.

(You may not be able to read the article, though).



But here's the point...



I have always written for this magazine because it targets entrepreneurs, small business owners and executives.



This time I had no specific article ready, but the magazine always has a theme. This issue was health.



What would an accountant or service professional strategist know about health unless that's my target?


Nothing!


Here's what I did.


I contacted the editor and request the theme, then I simply tweaked my article for the magazine. This is called repurposing which we talk about in my system as well.


What's important is that you get your name out there as at low a cost as possible to your specific target market. This is a necessary in your Direct Response Marketing approach.


Notice on the bottom right-hand side of the article I have included my bio (about 30-50 words) as well as my website.


This is probably the most important thing you can do.


Here's your assignment:

1. Know who you're targeting. Define your market.
   
   
2. See what magazines or newspapers they read (I actually prefer magazines since they have a longer shelf life than the daily or weekly papers)
   
   
3. Contact the editor and request their plan for the upcoming issues
   
   
4. Request if you can send them some articles you have written
   
   
5. TWEAK the article to whatever the issue is or the season they're in (just make it relevant so they publish it!)
   
   
6. Make sure that you submit it BEFORE their deadline!!!!!
   
   
7. Wait for the magazine to come out, then LEVERAGE, LEVERAGE, LEVERAGE.

After a few months of this, you'll be seen and known as the expert in your industry and therefore command higher fees!

*****************************

Service Professional Strategist, Published Author and entrepreneur, Sandra Baptist, F.C.C.A., teaches female financial professionals how to make more profit and attract affluent clientele while tripling their time off.

Visit http://www.successfulfinancialwomen.com/ to secure your FREE Special report on the “New Insider's Secrets Revealed To Recession-Proof Your Financial Service Professional or Small Business."

What On Earth Is Continuity?

After reading my new report (you can pick it up at http://www.successfulfinancialwomen.com/ ), some people emailed me with questions about "continuity". So let me break down this phenomenon further.

Do you remember the "book of the month" club? Or think of cable TV even?

These are examples of a continuity program.

Or this can relate even to those companies that auto-ship…you know that Proactiv™ infomercial, don't you?

What happens is that you purchase their products once and for a monthly fee they supply you with a set of products every month and they charge your credit card.

Continuity or a forced continuity program (the latter occurs when you AUTOMATICALLY are included in the monthly program unless you opt-out), is when you make a sale one-time and that one sale results in multiple charges over and over again.

Here are some examples I could think of quickly.

* a bookkeeping service consults with you on how to keep proper records and automatically charges you a monthly retainer to keep your books

* you get a facial and massage at a day spa and you are automatically charged $x per month every month for a selection of premium services at a discount

* a limo company picks you up and you are enrolled into their VIP programme where once a month you are driven to wherever you want to go

* a CPA performs an audit for a company, and then enrolls you for the next year into their monthly accounting service ...

You get the idea?

What's important here for YOU, the financial professional, is that your income is GUARANTEED every month!

Once you provide continuous value to the client or customer, they are assured not to cancel!

I guarantee you that continuity will change your life, your bottom line and indeed your bank balance!

Instead of making a sale once, then attempting to find new customers by advertising and marketing, set up a continuity program and make 3x as much profit or more!

Think about the products and services that you offer.

How can you use this model in your business?


*****************************
Service Professional Strategist, Published Author and entrepreneur, Sandra Baptist, F.C.C.A., teaches female financial professionals how to make more profit and attract affluent clientele while tripling their time off.

Visit http://www.successfulfinancialwomen.com/ to secure your FREE Special report on the “New Insider's Secrets Revealed To Recession-Proof Your Financial Service Professional or Small Business."

KNOW YOUR CLIENT

When marketing to the affluent you have to know Who your client is and What they want!

According to Unity Marketing, as the young affluent are now really beginning to earn their wealth they are choosing 'one-time' luxuries - consumables like wines, fashion or vacations.

On the other hand, those consumers over 40 choose investment-type purchases (real estate) or consumables That Will Last or appreciate in value, like art, antiques or a luxury watch.

What this means is that you MUST focus your message to your affluent clients through an attraction-based direct marketing approach!

You must be so attractive in your industry that your clients know that YOU are the one to do business with.

Begin by fine-tuning your tag-line and your message and alter your marketing so that prospects come to you!

By understanding what they use their money for, you will know and appreciate Why they want your services and be better able to communicate your offerings and win a client for life!

Be Persistent

I'm visiting a client on Tuesday. We have a meeting for 1:30 in the afternoon.

This is a client that I have been courting for quite a while and that I Want to do business with.

He fits into my ideal client profile for my accounting business:

*he has an EXPANDING business
*his offices are in a good location and are extremely well kept with matching furniture and good interior decorating (signs of affluence)
*his receptionist and manager are very professional
*he is an entrepreneur (as opposed to a 'businessman'-KNOW THE DIFFERENCE, LADIES!!)
*he has great ideas on where he wants to take his company. This is a visionary! (I love those)

And so... I will court until I get his contract.

Persistence will pay off. But be selective.

Investing is key!

As an enterpreneur, it is vital that you use your business to increase your wealth.

And as a female professional this is even more important if you want to 'ramp up' your lifestyle, have time for the kids (if you have any) and time for yourself!

I just got a call today that a piece of land I purchased this year for just under $0.25m will increase in value very soon as an investor is building a 6-star hotel on my doorstep! (and I don't even know what a 6* hotel looks like :) )

Anyway here's the key point and one that we look at in depth in my FABULOUS Business system... this is the "S" in FABULOUS for "Spend Wisely. Invest in Yourself and Your Business".

There are so many ways to take money out of your business, but it's what you do with it.

Start by setting up a business savings account and/or a wealth account for investment purposes.

Of course begin by making monthly payments into this account.

Start scouting for investment properties or pieces of land that will appreciate in value quickly. This strategy does wonders for your portfolio!

Look for investments that will either bring you cashflow (eg. a rental) or that you can hold for speculation. (Please note that I am not an expert in investment strategies. Please seek the proper advice on this.)

I have been coached by Loral Langemeier's team at www.liveoutloud.com and they helped me see my investments differently and what having my business is actually for...

...Wealth Accummulation then

...Freedom based Lifestyle!!!

Client Attraction Mindset Retreat

Okay so I am going to Miami for Fabienne Fredrickson's Client Attraction Mindset Retreat in September.

Dealing with self-sabotaging issues is SOOOOOOO important when building your business. According to Fabienne, here are some ways we sabotage ourselves:

You often use excuses, usually about money and time, for not taking advantage of opportunities that are right in front of you

You sometimes come from a fear mentality

You regularly focus on what's lacking in your life, rather than on what you want

You most always stop yourself in the 'belief' process

You allow fear of rejection and failure to get in the way of taking action

You look at your existing situation, rather than focusing on your dream

Deep down, you may feel you don't deserve abundance and success on a grand scale (whether you know this consciously or not)

Sometimes, if you're really honest with yourself, you may feel you are not "enough" as a person

You resent rich people (even though you don't really mean to)

In fact she talks about 30 or more ways!!

Now I know for the ladies in the financial industry, we can't allow these saboteurs into our minds when dealing with our clients or they'll smell your fear a mile away!

So, why not join us in Miami September 22-24 2008 at The Trump Miami 5* Hotel.

See you there!

Belief=Confidence=Knowing

I spent this Sunday watching Gene Simmons Family Jewels and they were showing the episode with Gene Simmons on Donald Trump’s The Apprentice. This quote by the Kiss front man stuck me and stood out in my mind.

"Once I saw who else was on Celebrity Apprentice I had no inhibitions. Why? They are celebrities, I am an entrepreneur!"

One thing about Gene Simmons, he knows who he is and has an amazing confidence that blows you over and endears you to him. Having seen him speak at the Dan Kennedy’s Super Conference in April, I can assure you he is in fact an awesome guy!

So can you as a professional woman in the financial industry struggling to build her business learn something here?

Sure!

Unequivocal, unashamed confidence in what you believe.

Belief is a knowing.

Again an excellent quality to have to attract those affluent clients that you want!

It’s who you know!

To attract more affluent clients, you have to be seen around more prosperous people.

You become known by the company you keep.

Here’s what I recommend.

Get out of your office and start attending seminars and conferences that successful people attend. Go to those conferences where ‘well-to-do’ people are going to be speaking…published authors, celebrities, TV personalities.

Try and get a quick photo with them and then let your clients know
about it!

Your clients will automatically assume that because you ‘know’ these wealthy people (well enough to get a photo with them) that you do business with a more affluent type of client.

Word will soon spread and before you know it, you will begin to attract the client that will WANT to work with someone that surrounds herself with these types of people.

Invest a year in this strategy. It’s a win-win-win-win situation:

You’ll grow yourself.

You’ll grow your business.

You’ll meet some fabulous, successful people.

You’ll attract better paying clients.

How can you go wrong??!

Sandra & George Ross of "The Apprentice" =>

Your 3 year vision

What’s your 3 year vision?

This is a vital part of my FABULOUS business system for female financial professionals…creating a 3-year vision.

Do you have a vision for your business? One that will support you in whatever lifestyle you want?

You have to know where you want to be in 1,2 or 3 years…or you’ll continue working and struggling hard as an employee in your own business!

When you create a powerful vision of your life (first) then of your business (remember your business should support your lifestyle) you will start creative energies in motion to manifest that vision into your life.

If you don’t know what your vision should look like, get our FOCUSNOW™ Prosperity Program for Professionals that will help you create your own powerful and exciting vision.

How important is location?

Having moved our office to a more affluent area, I thought it would be good to talk about location for your business.

Yes it's true, people always judge you by how you look.. both personally and in business. So as a professional woman in the financial industry, you should know that you must look like you have your act together, but also the location of your office is very important as well.

When I first started my accounting practice (see http://www.antigua-accountant.com/ ), I worked from home mostly unless I had to visit a client. This was not only exhausting because whereas my client wanted the service, I was the one travelling so many miles per day, waiting on them if they were busy when I got to their office and not having good use of my time.

Then I moved into a house on the outskirts of town that we converted into an office. This was okay for a while but what I noticed is that we never seem to get the 'affluent' clients that we wanted.

We needed to move!

Although I resisted this for a while, I realized that if I wanted to play a bigger game, then I must employ the "BE-DO-HAVE" principles of success.

I must BE the professional I wanted to be, DO what they would do (including having my office in an upscale area which is frequented by the type of clients I wanted to attract) and then I will become the successful professional I wanted to be.

Me and Gene Simmons

I met the Fabulous Gene Simmons of KISS - 'the brand' (and not the band. His words not mine!) at the Dan Kennedy Superconference in Nashville this year.

I also got an autographed copy of his book Sex, Money, Kiss.

He gave us some incredible information on building your own brand. He's a great entrepreneur that has used his band as a spring-board for launching a multi-million dollar empire.

Do some home work on Gene Simmons and Kiss and see how incredible this network spans across the globe.

How many high net worth women are they?

According to an October 2007 article in the Phoenix Marketing Insights, there are about 2.5 million households were women are the most influential on financial matters.

Women are becoming richer, as they inherit more through death of spouses or divorce or start more businesses than ever before.

Where are the female financial service professionals in serving this market?

These women need advisers that are willing to educate them and that they can trust to handle their affairs.

Marketing to these women is a whole new ball game...which I help my clients to master.

Postpone your Procrastination indefinitely-5 ways to conquer this demon once and for all!

We’ve all done it at some time or other. We put off our exercise routine until tomorrow; we continually delay finishing that project or starting that business.

Procrastination is the mother of all demons and can literally stop you in your tracks from achieving all that you desire.

Sandra Baptist provides you with 5 effective processes you can use to slay this giant.


1. Do it now
Hold your breath and jump right in! Putting things off until the last minute is a bad habit and like all habits is ingrained in our subconscious mind and hard to break. It feels like the normal thing to do and we simply continue along our path. To complete a task immediately may even feel strange or like a forced action.

When your boss gives you a task or when your clients or customers request your expertise, do it right away!

You not only look well-organized to others, the feeling that the job is done, is complete before the deadline, will be one of relief and gratitude.

How would this efficiency look to your customers when you request a referral or to your boss when salary reviews are approaching? I would think, “Great”.

2. Take baby steps
Sometimes we procrastinate because the task may be intimidating to us. Perhaps we have no possible inkling on where to start.

In these cases, it is quite fine to take it one step at a time.

Say you are preparing a business plan and for the 5th time this week, you’ve turn on the PC and looked at the blank screen. Or you’ve just remembered you need to do some more research before you begin…you’re still not ready.

My friend you ARE ready.

You simply need to break down the project into smaller pieces and tackle each bit separately. Make each task an individual project and after completion of each one, celebrate and acknowledge your achievement.

Soon you’ll be finished and have no idea why you were putting it off in the first place!

3. Vision the perfect
Ah! I love this one. I use the Law of Attraction with my clients to have them easily and effortlessly achieve their dreams and desires and in effect, their vision.

Once you are aware that you are in fact procrastinating, creating a vision of you achieving the perfect plan is extremely helpful. When you create a vision you write in the present tense…as if you have already achieved your goal or if you are in the process of completing it.

For example, we go back to the business plan. Your vision may look something like this.

“I am so grateful that I have completed all the research I need for my business plan. I am finding the information easily using the internet. People that have written business plans are offering me advice that allows me to create an exciting plan that I resonate with. As I write, the words come to me effortlessly….”

In creating a vision and focusing on it daily, the universal laws state that things, people, processes will begin to occur in your life that will allow you to attract that vision.

4. Forget it
Why force the issue? If you have been ‘dragging your feet’ on something for a very long time, it may all be for the best.

Something, somewhere is trying to tell you something. That something is your intuition and it is usually right!

Think about something that you have been putting off again and again and again. What are the reasons that you need to complete this task in the first place? Does someone want you to do this? What is THEIR agenda? What are YOUR reasons for this lengthy delay?

I find it amazing that 99% of the time I put off doing something, I am thankful that I did! Disregarding a project after a long period of procrastination is however usually a last resort.

5. Support team
Do you put off tasks because you feel that there are too big and complex for you to handle alone? Or because you need assistance? Be honest with yourself. “No man is an island”.

Ask for help! There are many resources out there that can provide you with all you need to carry out your job.

If you’re a solo-professional and you put off answering emails, then don’t answer them yourself. Hire an assistant, find some college students that want experience, get a family member to help.

Procrastinating on life changing activities could be as a result of fear of the unknown. Get a mastermind group together, find a mentor, join a support group.

You don’t have to do it all by yourself. Just ensure that to kick this habit; you do what feels good to you in whatever method you choose. You’ll surely postpone procrastination for a very long time.