Are you giving away too much?

By Lisa Sasevich

During this season of giving, I want to address the other side of the coin. I believe in generosity, as you know, but some of you are giving away too much.


Here's what I mean. Let's say you've just received an offer to speak. What's the first thing that you think? If you're like many people, you think, "Oh, I have to go out and create some new bonuses!" And then you start running around, creating new products: recording new CD's or writing a special report, booklet or even a whole book!

In short, you cost yourself a fair amount of money, create a lot of unnecessary stress, and, perhaps, worst of all, the creation of all of those bonuses completely pulls you off track from focusing on your sales.

Bonuses are very important and you should definitely include them with your offer. But rather than spending time and money creating new products, take a look at what you're already offering. Often there are real jewels hidden in your package that you could take out and offer as a bonus. Your bonus may already exist, but you've got it tucked away in the package, where people can't see how extraordinary it is.

And when you tuck away that amazing item, you may be hiding from your prospects the very thing that will make them say YES to your entire package - on the spot!

A great example of that was a client of mine who came to work with me before speaking on Dan Kennedy's stage.

Originally, this client was going to include a manual in his package on how to have your virtual assistant implement the system that he was selling. It was a valuable item, but it was hidden among 27 other bonus items that were included.

I looked at his package and I thought, "Hmm...as an entrepreneur I probably wouldn't buy this because I wouldn't have the time to implement it. BUT if you gave me this little manual, and all I had to do was give it to my assistant for her to implement, that makes me want to buy the package. That is gold!" So, we pulled out that manual and made it the Today Only Bonus.

On Dan's stage that day, my client made more than $200,000 in 70 minutes!

Other valuable bonus items you can include are:

• A private strategy session with you or someone on your team.

This serves two purposes. It helps you sell more up front and it helps you upsell on the back end because now you have built in a chance to talk with that client to identify their future needs.

• A ticket to a live event you're having.

If you hold an event that provides value while also offering opportunities to register for future programs you offer, why not include your new client in the event? After all, he or she has already displayed a willingness to invest in your work.

Ask yourself, "Is there something I'm including in the main dish of my offer that is really special and getting lost there?"

I recently worked with a photographer who was including re-touching photos in her packages. We asked the question above and the light bulb went off. Now she offers her three photo packages, and if they invest TODAY, they get the re-touching done free. After today, re-touching is $100 per photo.

Big results really can stem from seemingly simple but savvy actions. I see it happen every day when people implement the simple Invisible Close strategies that I teach.

So, take a look at what you're offering and see if a valuable bonus is hiding in plain sight. With a little bit of adjustment, what you're already giving may be more than enough

Sales-from-the-podium expert Lisa Sasevich has x-ray vision for seeing the sales opportunities that exist in every company, and the creativity to convert them into gold! If you're looking for simple, quick and easy ways to boost sales without spending a dime, get your FREE Sales Nuggets now at http://www.theinvisibleclose.com

Change is Good

Change is Good. It allows us to embrace new things about our lives that can make us a better person. I made a change for the better when I decided to become an entrepreneur. I decided that it was time to change the old way of doing things, like working long hours for very little pay and not getting where I wanted to be in life. I worked hard but I barely made enough to pay my bills. Now, I still work hard, but I love it. I can take time off when I want to and do things that others only wish that they could do.

Another change I was made was deciding that it was time to go full force with the marketing for my book, "Foolish". This book is a tool that though it be fiction, is being used to educate people about the dangers of being in a toxic relationship. I say toxic because the wrong relationship can prove to be dangerous to both parties involved. The reality is that someone could lose their life. In the book I share the signs of an abusive partner, as well as how to tell if someone you love is being abused.

My hope is that you realize what needs to be changed in your life and then take the needed steps to make that change happen. Trust me, your life will improve dramatically.

Change is Good.

~ Sandra Peoples~

How to choose the right business structure

When deciding to embark on the road to being an entrepreneur, it is crucial to take some time to decide what type of structure you are going to organize under. There are three main types of business structures common among entrepreneurs: Sole Proprietor, Corporation, LLC (Limited Liability Corporation or Company).

Sole Proprietorship is a business structure that many entrepreneurs choose. There are two main reasons of which they do so:

•  It's inexpensive to form (in Michigan, the fee is only $10.00)
• There's less paperwork involved

While forming a sole proprietorship may prove to be the least expensive and simple to form, there are three major reasons why I suggest you don't go this route:

• You are personally liable for everything
• If someone decides to sue your company, they are actually suing you, because you are liable for all of the business debts as well as your own. If the person is awarded a judgment against you, that judgement will appear on your personal credit report.
• Sole proprietors often find it more difficult to borrow money to start or grow their businesses because lenders fear that if something were to happen to the business owner, the debt will not be repaid.

Corporations are often expensive to form, however, the major reason people form them is because these business owners can enjoy limited liability. In other words, they are only responsible for their own personal debts and not those of the business.

• Corporations are heavily regulated by the state, and owners face double taxation. Double taxation means that the profits of corporations are taxed twice.

The LLC, or Limited Liability Corporation (Company) is fairly simple to form. LLC owners are taxed like partnerships, which means you only pay taxes on your own personal income. A big plus of the LLC is that its owners enjoy the benefits of limited liability as does the corporation.
So, which structure is for you?
To sum it all up:

• The sole proprietorship is the easiest and least expensive to form but the owner is responsible for all debt.
• The corporation is the most expensive to form, but the owners are only responsible for their personal debts. Corporations are also heavily regulated and double taxed.
• LLC's are fairly simply to form, are taxed only on personal income and owners enjoy some of the same benefits of a corporation.

4 keys to get your business life in order

By Sandra Peoples
http://www.buildsuccess.info/

One of the important things any business owner must do is to put things in order. Prioritizing is the key to success. Knowing what to give the most importance to may take some creativity, but it must be done. Here are a few keys to help you take control over your business and get organized.

1. Create a file. I would suggest purchasing an expandable file that has slots and tabs for you to label things. This way, you can file things in order of importance and finally get certain daunting tasks done.

2.Label your files accordingly. Make a section for each project that you are working on so that when you come across something that belongs in that section, you can file it away and know where it is at.

3. Do high priority tasks first. Let's face it, the things of most importance must be done first. High priority items may be the most tedious to perform, so the most allowable amount of time should be spent on seeing these tasks through to completion. For writers, formatting your book may be the most tedious task you may ever find yourself doing, but because it can be done, you should do it first.


4. Label tasks of less importance in order from least to highest priority. Maybe you still need to choose between writing that first draft of your business plan, or putting the finishing touches on that new article you've been working on. Whatever the case may be, you have to figure out which things MUST be done, and which ones could stand to wait a day or two. Do the things that must be done first, and the others once the high priority projects are done.


Hopefully these four keys  can help you to get your business life in order.

Two ways to save your business big bucks

By Sandra Peoples
http://www.buildsuccess.info/



Are you, like many other small business owners, searching for ways to keep your business afloat? These days it seems as if everyone is looking for ways to save a few dollars. Entrepreneurs are the hardest hit, since most do not have a few dollars to save. But what if you were told that you could actually save money while consistently gaining new clients?



One way entrepreneurs can save money is to look at how much they are spending on excess. Here are a few things you may be spending too much money on and not even realize it:



1. Your website. Let’s face it. While it is virtually a necessity for your business to have an online presence, having that presence should not be costing your business an arm and a leg unless you are bringing in two or three. Instead, consider putting up a free site. Sites such as webs.com (formerly freewebs) and weebly.com offer free websites and hosting packages that include templates to help building your site a breeze, and have a professional look to it. For a small monthly fee, you have the option of upgrading from a sub domain (yoursite.webs.com) to your own domain altogether, (www.yoursite.com).

If you just have to have a fancy site, consider having a graphic design student design the site for you and simply pay for the domain name. You can still have the site hosted for free.



2. Advertising. With so many people flocking to the information super highway, better known as the World Wide Web, there is really no reason why you shouldn’t be able to cut back on your advertising budget by taking advantage of some of the free opportunities available to you on the web. There is blogger.com, where you can set up a free account and write ‘blogs’ or articles about your field of expertise. You can also write for associated content.com, and many other sites. You should also be collecting the emails of those that visit your website. You can set up your webs.com account to collect information from your subscribers, and inexpensive services such as aweber, that allow you to create opt-in subscription boxes for your websites.



Remember, nobody starts a business to see it fail. Be wise in your endeavors and watch your business blossom.





Like this article? Would you like to use it in your ezine or website? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Business and Success Coach Sandra Peoples is devoted to changing the lives of entrepreneurs by helping them to take their businesses to new heights while getting them to think outside of the box and harness their own creativity. Check out her blog at www.coachsand.blogspot.com

Are you truly ready to be an entrepreneur?

An entrepreneur is an individual who is in a class all be his or her self. There have been no how to guides written that breaks down what you really need to do to be an entrepreneur. Even if you take a business class, or get a degree in business, you are not really prepared to be an entrepreneur. Why? Because being an entrepreneur is not taught: it is learned and experienced. When you decide to make the leap to go into business for yourself, you are really jumping off into uncharted territory. You don't know if the idea you have will prove to be a success or failure. You don't know if your marketing techniques will work, or if they will prove to be a complete and utter waste of time. So, let me ask you this: Are you a risk taker or are you afraid of risk?  If you are afraid to take risks and venture out into the unknown, chances are you are not ready to be an entrepreneur and be in business for yourself. Entrepreneurs take risks every single day. They have to have confidence. They have to negotiate contracts, obtain new clients, balance checkbooks, etc. Ask yourself this tough question: Am I a risk taker? If you cannot truly say yes then please don't quit your day job. And if you happen to be unemployed, I suggest you embark on a quest to find work.

Until next time,

~Sandra~

Welcome

Hello my fellow entrepreneurs. I would like to welcome you to my new blog,  "It's Just Business". I created this blog with you in mind. Being in business for yourself  can be quite the task. I mean, let's face it, we all have lives. Some of us still have to work a 9 to 5 in addition to our own business. We have children, husbands, wives, mortgages, rent, car notes, and the list goes on. But what if I told you that being in business could be easy with the right help? That's where I come in. My name is Coach Sandra. I am a business coach for the new entrepreneur with the goal of not only getting into business, but staying in business and being successful at it. No one starts a business with the hope of seeing it fail. No, we start our businesses to live a life free from bosses, deadlines, and time clocks. Working with me can bring you to a level you never thought you could reach in your business ventures. I will be posting helpful hints, information, and advice to help you along on this complicated road called entrepreneurship. It's a road most often traveled alone, but isn't it great to know that now you have someone that can travel it with you?

Until next time,

~Coach Sandra~

P.S. I would love to hear from you. Send your thoughts, questions, and comments to coachsand@gmail.com