DarnyelleSpeaks

How to JUMP Into the Business You Were Born to Run–Darnyelle A. Jervey

Posted on January 24, 2012 by Darnyelle Jervey

“When you come to the edge of all the light and are approaching the darkness, faith is knowing that one of two things will happen – there will be something solid to stand on or you will be taught to fly.” Unknown

“Jump, or you’ll spend the rest of your life being pushed.” Sam Bishop, I have to tell you honestly that when I heard this quote from Sam recently, I immediately got goose bumps. This profound statement is so true, especially in the lives of entrepreneurs. I mean we start businesses jumping in the deep end because we can’t stand being pushed by a boss and told how to perform, what to say and when to say it.

Sam’s quote also got me thinking about those people who are afraid to jump into living their dreams because of the economy, fear of losing security and knowing where their next paycheck is coming from. While I don’t judge the latter, I know that it is possible to take a calculated leap so you can build a business that will allow you to live the life you desire for you and your family. Many of you are looking to transition from being pushed (Full-time job) to jumping (entrepreneurship) and I understand how you feel. I made the leap 7 years ago and it was the best leap I have ever made to live my best life. While I learned a tremendous amount of stuff in my corporate career, I always knew that one day who I was would be too important to sit behind someone else’s desk and it was then that I started to prepare my transition plan so that I can jump ship from the financial services company where I was employed at the time.

Here are my strategies for JUMP-ing into building the business you were born to run:

J – judge the quality of your business idea by the universal law of business – “Find a group of people who have the problem that you solve that are ready right now to pay for a solution to that problem.” When your business idea solves a distinct problem that currently exists in the market place, it will be viable if your solution is robust and can be marketed to the people who are looking for it NOW.

Ask yourself:

What problem could I solve for others easily and effortlessly out of my unique gifts and talents?
What have those that I have helped in the past told me that I helped them to do? Do other people have the same problem?
What could I create to be a solution to that problem for other people?

U – understand your reason why you’re starting the business AND be sure that it connects to your core values and life vision. Entrepreneurship is not easy. It requires discipline and desire to keep moving in spite of the obstacles which are destined to arise. In order to make it through, you’re going to need to be crystal clear about why you are starting the business now and why this business is important. Its success is non-negotiable so when you hit a rough patch, you’re reason why can carry you through. Hint: your reason why isn’t about you and it’s seldom as superficial as making money. While we all go into business to earn income, it is not the sustaining force. The income is the vehicle through which we get to live our dreams out on a daily basis.

Ask yourself:

Why would I want to start a business?
What would doing this work to help others do for me?
Who would benefit the most from me if I do this work in the form of my own business?
What is my ultimate vision?
How could this business help me to fulfill it?

M – master the mindset shifts that accompany productivity to increase your businesses success. Your thoughts and feelings equal your beliefs and your beliefs affect your actions and ultimately your results. With the average person having 60,000 thoughts a day and 57,000 of them being subconscious, it is essential that you master how to tame the fear beast within. While most entrepreneurs will never let fear keep them from living their dreams, they take steps each day to keep their roaming thoughts, doubts and fears in check. I recommend starting with a journal, visualizing what you desire and then writing it out in positive, present tense and reading it back to yourself each day. I also recommend creating a deck of goal cards and reading through them each day as soon as you wake up because you’re still in your alpha waves state and can alter your subconscious mind.

Ask yourself:

What am I really afraid of?
Is there any evidence to support that fear right now in my life?
What would I be able to do if I wasn’t afraid?
What do I truly believe about my abilities to build a successful business?

P – prepare for your dream business with a full blown business and marketing plan. Prior planning prevents poor performance and it is no secret that what gets written down is more likely to manifest itself. So plan it out. You can get tons of resources to help you write an effective business plan using sites like www.sba.gov. I recommend taking the time to develop your business plan, hiring a coach or mentor and validating each step in this process against your ultimate mission and desires.

Ask Yourself:

What resources do I have access to right now that could help me build my business plan?
What do I know about marketing and how can I use it to create a marketing plan?

While I agree that you should JUMP, I also agree that you can take a look around and make sure that the way is clear and your landing solid so that as you jump, you are landing in the place that will best serve your goals of building the business of your dreams.

So if you know that you’ve been pushed for the last time, starting running, build up your momentum and prepare to JUMP, those you were born to serve with your problem solving business are waiting on your to help them in a big way.

©2012 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, The Incredible Factor Business Mentor and Coach, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises.com and the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System® a proven step by step program for turning your passion into profit. For more information and a FREE audio download “How to Use Your Incredible Factor to Attract MORE Ideal Clients”.

Posted in Blog, Darnyelle Speaks | Tagged attracting more clients, Building a six figure business, Business coach Delaware, business coaching, business growth strategies, Charging what you're worth, darnyelle a. jervey, growing your business, Incredible One Enterprises, Marketing systems |

3 Simple Strategies for Creating Movement Based Marketing to Grow Your Business–Darnyelle A. Jervey

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Darnyelle Jervey

As we celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and honor the work he did for civil rights in the United States, I can’t help to pause and pay homage to the marketer that he was. Yes, I said marketer. I am fond of saying that we are not in the business we think that we are in; we are in the business of marketing our products and services. His product was civil rights and equality and he marketed that product with what I like to call “movement-based” marketing. He was able to inspire a group of people to take immediate, consistent action because he positioned himself as a problem solver. He aligned his message to his marketing and created a movement.

A leader is someone who has people following them. As a business owner, you are a leader if you are able to create a product or service that solves a major problem for others and then they will want to follow you to get the solution. While that last statement isn’t news to any business owner, the way in which you go about getting people to follow you should be more experiential if you want to work smarter and not harder to grow your business.

Answer this question for yourself: how would your business be different if you aligned your message to your marketing and created a movement…a group of dedicated clients who attend your events, buy your products, and enroll in your programs? Now this one: how would you be different if your business became a message…a defined strategy for moving people to a level of transformation using your products and services?

In the last four years, I have built my business by creating experiences with my clients, students and prospects. I’m clear that this strategy is the reason we are so successful. To help you begin to do the same with your business, I have three simple tips for you. Take the time to do the corresponding assignment so that you can be one step closer to creating your movement based marketing.

1. Clarify your message. You can’t create a movement without something worthwhile to say. So, think about your vision and mission of your company and take the time to answer the following questions:

What does your company do?
How does your company do it?
What happens when you do this over and over?
How are others changed when your company does what it does consistently?

2. Clarify who cares about your message. When you are clear about who wants to hear what you’ve got to say, you’re on your way to create a platform and from your platform you can begin to move the crowd into consistent action toward your ultimate goal for them.
Questions to answer:

Who do I know who is concerned about the problem I solve?
Where do they congregate?
How would they like to be told about the solution to their problem?

Knowing the exact person that your message is for is key to building a sustainable movement based business.

3. Create a plan for disseminating your message. Plan out when, where and how you will share your message with the audience that wants to hear it. This is your marketing strategy. Engage people who can help you get your message to people who you don’t know that are just like you so that you expand the reach of your message in record time. Do that now, what is the next step you must take to advance your business?

You are a leader. People want to follow leaders who care about transforming the lives and businesses of those who have major problems and have effective solutions to those problems. What are you waiting for?

©2012 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, The Incredible Factor Business Mentor and Coach, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises.com and the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System® a proven step by step program for turning your passion into profit. For more information and a FREE audio download “How to Use Your Incredible Factor to Attract MORE Ideal Clients” visit http://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com

Posted in Blog, Darnyelle Speaks | Tagged attracting ideal clients, attracting more clients, Building a six figure business, Business coach Delaware, Charging what you're worth, darnyelle a. jervey, growing your business, Incredible One Enterprises, Marketing systems, Movement Based Marketing |

3 Simple Strategies to Align your Income Goal with Your Ideal, Paying Clients–Darnyelle A. Jervey

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Darnyelle Jervey

Does price matter? Some would argue yes, while still many more others would argue no. Take laundry detergent as an example. Specifically, let’s look at Tide. It’s clearly not the most affordable detergent on the market yet, many buy it no matter what. What about a bottle of water. At the super market it’s $1.50, at the movie theater, it’s $3.50 and at the stadium it could be as much as $5. So again, I ask you, does price really matter?

I say no. I say no because it’s not the price that determines whether it is purchased, it’s the perceived value and the belief that the product will completely solve the problem. Now, let’s look at your products and services. You’ve set your prices and people aren’t buying, no matter whether they are high, moderate or low. Why? Because you haven’t done a good job of clarifying the value of purchasing your product or service and you haven’t illustrated in its entirety the problem that will be solved when they do.

It’s that simple. Make the problem you solve obvious via your marketing, charge a price that makes you feel good for it and people will buy. Period.

Is it really that simple? Yes.

So why don’t more people understand this principle and sell tons more? Because they don’t know what they don’t know.

You see, people are too busy trying to mirror what they see others doing in the market instead of finding a way to market the differences that they and their products offer. Change the way you position your products and services and you will sell tons more. To help you wrap your arms around this new way of thinking, allow me to share three simple strategies with you:

1. Clarify the need of your ideal client prior to creating a product or service. Let’s look at the bottled water example again. Anytime someone purchases a bottle of water, the need is thirst. Thirst that is so bad that it creates strain and stress on the thirsty individual. Have you ever been so thirsty that you you’d pay anything for your next drink? If you can find out what your ideal clients are thirsty for, so thirsty that they’d pay anything or do anything to quench the thirst, you’re off to a good start. Offering quality products and services and ultimately setting prices that will allow you to achieve your goals.

2. Communicate the need in your marketing consistently. To really create experiential marketing, you must consistently speak to the primary need of your ideal clients. When you do this with consistency, you show them that you understand their thirst and that you are holding THE bottle of water that they must have to quench the thirst once and for all. Many business owners miss this point because they only market when they need clients. But if you want to have a steady following of clients, you must market daily and each day you must illustrate that you know the problem and have the solution. Learning to share this in a voice that resonates with your ideal clients each day is a skill that can easily be learned.

3. Set a price that feels good to you, is comparable in your market based on the value you offer and will make achieving your income goal easier so you can work smarter, not harder. Pricing really doesn’t matter as we’ve observed as long as you can clearly substantiate the value to be gained and the problem to be solved. So, when setting your price, simply:

Determine your income goal.
Determine how many people you want to work with over the course of the year.
Compute how much your time is worth
Design your package offerings – I do not recommend that you offer hours for dollars. Instead create packages that easily blur the lines of your “per hour” rate.
Set the price that will allow you to earn the income you’ve set the goal for at the number of clients you’ve designated you want to work with and market to attract those clients.

4. Bonus: be sure that you are clear on your ideal client and that your marketing language is what they need to hear in order to invest at the level you need to hit your income goal.

When you follow these simple yet effective strategies, you will find ideal, paying clients at every turn.

©2012 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, The Incredible Factor Business Mentor and Coach, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises.com and the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System® a proven step by step program for turning your passion into profit. For more information and a FREE audio download “How to Use Your Incredible Factor to Attract MORE Ideal Clients” visit http://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com

Posted in Blog, Darnyelle Speaks, www.incredibleoneenterprises.com | Tagged attracting more clients, Building a six figure business, Business coach Delaware, Charging what you're worth, darnyelle a. jervey, growing your business, Incredible One Enterprises, Marketing systems |

5 Things You Must Do to Unleash Your Incredible Factor in 2012–Darnyelle A. Jervey

Posted on January 3, 2012 by Darnyelle Jervey

It’s 2012 and everyone is focused on making this their best year ever. I don’t disagree with you; in fact, I wholeheartedly endorse and recommend that you look closely at your goals and your plans and ensure that you have covered all of your bases. Your success this year could depend on it. As you look at your list, it is my recommendation that you use this article and the assignments that accompany it to help you ensure that you are primed and positioned to change lives with your brand, business, message, products and services this year.

At the top of each list, there are consistent tips and strategies that I recommend. This year, being no exception, I created a list that I believe will elevate your Incredible Factor if you commit to doing the work from day one.

1. Make a non-negotiable decision. Yes, make the decision, which takes action, to do something unconventional, something that may ruffle feathers of others but something that will solidify your brand and allow you to stand out. Gone are the days of entering your industry as a carbon-copy of whoever is on top. Today, in 2012, it is necessary that you carve out your own niche.

Early on in my business, I struggled with this. I thought it would be easier to be a carbon-copy of others in my industry, but soon found out that I became easily replaceable. In making this non-negotiable decision to do something different, set a goal to determine what “it” is in the first quarter of this year. That way you can create the strategies to use the rest of the year spreading your message to the masses you were called to reach.

Questions to ask yourself to apply this tip to your 2012:

What makes me different from the others in my industry?
What would my previous clients say was my defining strategy/content/etc?
When I make this decision and ultimate goal, what will I have to do to ensure that I see it through to completion this year?

2. Upgrade your ideal client. Many of you are trying to serve everyone, mainly those who can’t afford your expertise and wondering why your business is not growing. As you set a new goal, you must ask yourself, who “I must be to attract clients who can pay me at this level”. You’ll realize that when you upgrade your business, so must your client base, your circle of influence, your products and services – everything must upgrade as well. To upgrade your ideal client, it’s going to take time, strategy and marketing that is experiential in nature so you create an emotional response with your prospects that tells them that if they plan to solve THAT problem, they need you.

Questions to ask yourself to apply this tip to your 2012:

What is your 2012 income goal?
Who must you attract to achieve this goal easily and effortlessly?
How must you market and what must your marketing say to attract the type of clients who will choose to work with you this year so that you achieve this goal?
Who must I become to attract the kind of clients who will gladly pay my rates?
What must my brand message and positioning be and reflect to attract clients at my upgraded level?

3. Shift your Circle of Influence. It’s been said that if you’re not going where you want to go, it’s because you’re following people who can’t help you to get there. Your circle of influence includes your family, friends, colleagues, associates, mentors, etc. As you review this list of people, it’s important that you complete the “Inspect the Incredible” process, checking the Incredible levels in the people whose company you keep. Here’s my simple legend for determining who should get some of your time:

List the 5 to 7 people that you spend the majority of your time with.
List the colleagues, etc. that you spend time on the phone with or networking with on a consistent basis.
As you list them, go back over your list and apply a + – or /+ = they make you feel like you can fly, they support you in any way that they can. -= you dread seeing their name come across your cell phone. You frequently send them to voice mail and make excuses to avoid commitments with them. /= you feel indifferent about them, they could go either way but they are neither consistently.

By now I know you’ve guessed it – + means they get to stay; – minus means you should reduce or eliminate time spent with them and / means you need to decide the kind of impact they are having on your life. Hint: / if they are a slash, they usually are more negative than positive.

A great way to shift your circle of influence is by joining a mastermind group lead by a proven expert or leader in offering transformative results to their clients.

Questions to ask yourself to apply this tip to your 2012:

Who do I want to spend time with so my life and business are a reflection of my 2012 goals?
Who do I currently attract to my life? Why? What in me needs to change in order to attract more quality people?
If I started to attract people who are where I desire to be, what would that do for my life and business?

4. Get a coach or mentor. Okay, let me be clear – if you could do it, it would already be done. 6 and 7 figure entrepreneurs don’t reinvent the wheel, they follow systems that work and they are usually found with qualified coaches and mentors. I got my business to multiple 6 figures on my own but to take my business to millions, I recognized that I needed guidance and support at another level. The truth is, you don’t even have a clue what you don’t know that ultimately impacts your success, it is best to locate a person who can cut out the extra steps and lead you to the breakthrough and results faster than you could on your own. Now, it will require a mindset shift in order to make it happen. You must look at it as an investment not an expense. Investing in yourself and your business through other qualified coaches and mentors is what will allow you to upgrade your clients, raise your rates and change your lifestyle.

Questions to ask yourself to apply this tip to your 2012:

What is my ultimate goal for my business in 2012?
What is my income goal for 2012?
What amount have I budgeted to invest in my personal and professional development this year? (My recommendation is at least 10% of your income goal for 2012)
What do I need most to achieve my ultimate goal for 2012?
Who do I know and resonate with who has proven through their own consistent efforts is accomplishing what I desire to accomplish?
What am I looking for in a coach/mentor?
Do the members of my inner circle have coaches and mentors? Who do they recommend? (If they don’t they probably need not be in your circle)

If you are unsure after answering these questions, make it your goal to attend an event of being sponsored by a prospective mentor or coach to learn if they are a good fit or can take you to the next level.

5. Take consistent action. The only way to Unleash Your Incredible Factor in 2012 is by taking inspired, consistent action. You must do something each day to influence the success of achieving your goals for the year. And you must also check yourself by consistently asking, “Is what I’m doing right now getting me closer to my 2012 goal?” Whenever the answers is no, you must immediately stop, delegate and get back on task. When you take steps each day toward completing your goal, you will achieve them.

Here’s to Unleashing Your Incredible Factor in 2012!!

©2012 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, The Incredible Factor Business Mentor and Coach, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises.com and the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System® a proven step by step program for turning your passion into profit. For more information and a FREE audio download “How to Use Your Incredible Factor to Attract MORE Ideal Clients” visit http://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com

Posted in Darnyelle Speaks | Tagged attracting ideal clients, attracting more clients, Building a six figure business, business branding, Business coach Delaware, business coaching, Charging what you're worth, darnyelle a. jervey, grow your business, growing your business, ideal clients, Incredible One Enterprises, marketing, Marketing systems |

Do You See What I See? — Darnyelle A. Jervey

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Darnyelle Jervey

Although this song makes me think quickly about the Christmas favorite, it also helps to bring home the point I want to empower you with today and everyday.

“Until you can see with clarity and in living color the fulfillment of your dream, it will not begin to manifest in your life.” Darnyelle A. Jervey

Vision is so important, it is so important in fact that the Bible in Proverbs says “without vision, the people will perish.” When empowering people I talk a lot about walking based on what you believe and not what you see…I know this sounds contradictory based on the thought of “vision”, but vision is an encapsulation of an intensely held belief transformed into a picture that tells the story of what one is expecting in their life. (Darnyelle’s definition)

As I begin each day, it is the vision (what I believe) that solidifies in my heart the work I must do the manifest my dreams.

So let me encourage you this today to begin to see the vision you have for your life. Twenty days into a new year and a new decade, this is the time to transform your life and move from mediocre to magnificent. With a few strategic steps, you can begin to encounter unexplained favor in your life, like that I’ve encountered since I started my company in 2007.

When you look over the goals you set for yourself this year…do you see what I see?
When you look at yourself in the mirror…do you see what I see?
When you are daydreaming at work…do you see what I see?

Here’s what I see:

Men and women who can do anything to which they put their mind.
People using their favor and influence on behalf of YOUR vision.
Words and actions of power that match the vision that you have for your life.
People are ready to make significant change and experience a quantum leap in their life in business.
People in full expectation that the vision in their heart will manifest with hard work, honesty and integrity.

If for some reason you do not see what I see, here’s a few tips that may help you:

Get clear – clarity for the vision that you have will only come when you get in touch with your spirit in a quiet place without distractions and begin to visualize what it is you really want for your life.
FOCUS – there are a lot of distractions and people (the peanut gallery) that want to interject their thoughts into your vision. Put on blinders and look not to the left or right but FOCUS on YOUR vision.
Write it down – a vision in your head is not nearly as powerful as a vision on paper. We know that what gets attended to gets done….writing it down shows a commitment to the vision and helps to solidify the non-negotiable decision to work everyday in honor of the fulfillment of the vision.

When you see what I see, you will see yourself achieving your goals and manifesting your vision. Let’s get eye to eye and connect.

©2011 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, The Incredible Factor Business Mentor and Coach, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises.com and the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System® a proven step by step program for turning your passion into profit. For more information and a FREE audio download “How to Use Your Incredible Factor to Attract MORE Ideal Clients” visit http://www.incredibleoneenterprises.com

Posted in Blog, Darnyelle Speaks | Tagged achieving your goals, business coach, darnyelle a. jervey, goal setting, goals, growing your business |

3 Quick Tips for Business Growth by Tithing Time–Darnyelle A. Jervey

Posted on December 13, 2011 by Darnyelle Jervey

If I were asked “what one thing you did differently in the past year of your business that contributed to your overall growth,” I’d answer hands down, tithing time to my business. While many have considered tithing a religious term, I assure you that despite the original of its tenets, it is a term that can also be used in business and personal life.

A tithe is ten percent. So, if you look at any given week there are 7 days and 24 hours each day or a total of 168 hours. But, let’s make an adjustment because you more than likely only work in/on your business during the work week, making the total hours in your work week 120 hours. That means that 12 hours should be spent on your business – not actually working in your business. 12 hours is basically one and a half days each week that should be spent on the planning, marketing, strategizing, and the operational management of your business.

Let that sink in for a moment.

How would your business be different if you designated 12 hours each week to plan, market, create strategy and manage your business?

WRITE YOUR ANSWER IN YOUR JOURNAL OR NOTEBOOK

With that much focus and attention on marketing, planning and strategizing, what goals could you set and achieve?

How much more productive would your time with clients be? How many more clients could you add value to?

AGAIN, WRITE THE ANSWERS IN YOUR JOURNAL OR NOTEBOOK

While I know that planning in advance is essential if you desire to grow a business to six figures and beyond, I also know that it seldom happens because we do not often give our business the same respect we once gave an employer. Let’s face it, if you worked a job and your employer made it mandatory that for 12 hours each week you planned and strategized about how you would achieve your goals, not only would you do it, but you’d be a rock star at it.

What would happen to your business if you began to respect it like you respected your job? I mean, minimizing distractions and personal phone calls and actually got some core things done each day?

WRITE THE ANSWER IN YOUR JOURNAL OR NOTEBOOK

Now what?

Knowing is half of the battle. Now, you must make a non-negotiable decision to be the change you desire to see in your business. Here are my tips for helping you to tithe time to your business so that you can experience exponential growth in the coming year:

1. Set aside at least one full day each week, preferably a Monday as your business development day. That means, on that one day each week, your sole responsibility is to work on tasks that develop your business – marketing, following up with prospects, calling low hanging fruit, creating marketing materials like warm letters, strategic partner update letters, articles, blog posts, etc – anything that if written in an authentic and compelling way with a strong call to action could lead to more prospects entering your sales funnel. I also recommend that you complete some sort of weekly plan, similar to my weekly marketing plan that outlines all of the activities you will complete that week to advance your business. What networking events will you attend? Which center of influence will you have lunch with? Which past client will you reach out to in order to discuss the possibility of working with them again?

2. Set aside at least 2 hours for your own personal development each week. This time should be spent learning how you can serve your clients better, gaining a new skill that increases your market reach, reading a new book, attending a workshop or webinar , etc. Personal development is an important part of growing your business.

3. Spend at least 2 hours each week setting and measuring your business goals – new clients, renewed clients, sales revenue, etc. Also be sure to incorporate time to manage your financial records during this time. Keeping track of your key metrics on a weekly basis helps to ensure that you are paying attention to what drives your business growth while also helping you to work on your business.

I have watched my business double each year since 2009 as I began this concept for myself. I always want to share what has worked for me rather than theory. I have watched the businesses of my clients significantly increase each year as a result of this one strategy. Your business growth and success is worth a tithe and that tithe will create significant increase that you won’t have room enough to receive! Trust me, tithing to your business is that Incredible

Posted in Blog, Darnyelle Speaks | Tagged business coach, grow your business, growing your business, marketing |

5 Quick Tips for 2012 Planning Your Year in Advance to Solve More Problems For Your Ideal Clients–Darnyelle A. Jervey

Posted on November 29, 2011 by Darnyelle Jervey

Retailers do it and if you want to stand out from the crowd in your industry, you must begin to do it as well. Of course I’m talking about planning your year in advance through a strategic alignment of your core business goals with the needs of your ideal clients.

Let’s be clear, if you want to be able to pull this off, you MUST be crystal clear about your potential client’s needs and wants.

You must know their challenges, setbacks, frustrations and you must know what they want instead. Your success is assured when you can offer new products and services that satisfy your clients needs and wants.

As an example, if you are a personal trainer and you’re looking ahead to next year, you must anticipate the challenges of your ideal clients. You must be preparing to introduce a weight loss program that is easy, flexible and consistent so that they lose the 10 pounds they put on at Christmas and the 20 pounds they gained before that.

Anticipating the needs of your ideal clients can be simple when you are clear about your “audience of one.”

Imagine for a second being in a crowded room attempting to converse with someone on the other side of that same room; it would be challenging to say the least. That is most likely how your marketing is being received by your ideal clients until you get into their heads and understand what they must have to solve their problems.

As soon as you get clear on the one type of person that has the one problem that you solve, it becomes like this: when you have an audience with them, the conversation and exchange would be life changing for them. After you clarify who they are, and the problem they have, your goal is to create products and services that are a complete solution for them. Makes sense, right? Then you must strategically make them available over the course of the year so that they perceive you as always having exactly what they need exactly when they need it. It’s almost like living in their heads….being able to tell where they are in the cycle so you present the right option at the right time.

And when you do this effectively, you will build clients for life

To help you to use this strategy to plan your products and services in advance, I have a few suggestions:

Take the time to understand your ideal client in full detail. Doing this will increase the success of your business and ensure that you always have people ready to pay you for a solution to their problem.
Create a “problem cycle” of your ideal clients. What is the ultimate solution that they’d love to encounter? In order for them to get that solution, what challenges or problems must they be experiencing? As you list each problem, list the counter problems that can occur as a result of the first problem. Then, list them in order as they should occur. As an example, my ideal clients ultimate solution is to create a thriving 6 figure income while doing what they love. A few of the problems they’d encounter on the way to this solution include: clarifying their ideal client, creating valuable packages of their products and services, setting prices that show their expert status and offer incentives to their clients, create marketing sequences that will help them to reach more of their ideal clients. Of course there are more, and of course, we’ve created products and services that offer the solutions to those problems.
After you create the “problem cycle” create a solution continuum so that for each problem they encounter, you have the solution.
Take the solution and determine what format you will offer it in – a group program, a home study, a live event, private consulting or coaching, etc.
Create a schedule for when you will offer the solution in the format you decided over the course of the next year and stick to it.

BONUS: Create the marketing to accompany each solution.

Through strategy and implementation, you can plan your year in advance and you can serve more of the right now problems that your ideal clients have while creating a strategic plan to grow your business.

If this article has been helpful, please leave a comment below. If you require assistance in order to create your year in advance, consider a business breakthrough strategy session.

Posted in Blog | Tagged attracting ideal clients, business coach, darnyelle a. jervey, growing your business, ideal clients, marketing |

How to Use Public Speaking to Grow Your Business–Darnyelle A. Jervey

Posted on November 15, 2011 by Darnyelle Jervey

As a business and marketing coach, I am often asked what is a sure-fire way to attract more clients, and my answer each time is by speaking.

When you’re at a speaking engagement where your ideal clients are you can then help them to understand that you have the solution to their problem. Through a well prepared signature talk, you can offer them the opportunity to deepen their experience with you and add new clients incrementally every time you speak.

Speaking helps build creditability. Your products and services give you a presence in the marketplace. When you learn to leverage your presence by speaking about your business, you offer your prospects an opportunity to experience what it would be like to work with you on a more constant basis. In fact, I encourage you to take every opportunity to share information about your business.

Go to your local Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, Jaycees and other networking types of groups and ask to speak at their meetings. Year after year, I speak to groups of 20-50 people and because of the content I share, many of them decide to attend my events, join my mastermind programs or become private clients. Your ideal clients are attending networking events and they are looking for a solution to the problem they have right now.

Not sure how to craft your signature client attracting talk? Here are a few tips:

Create a powerful introduction

Crafting three to five client magnetic marketing questions will help you to immediately engage your audience and help them to realize that you understand their problems. You might also want to share a powerful story or poem that is relevant to how you came to be the expert that you are so that you can create vulnerability with your audience. Remember that in order to feel comfortable enough to take the next level with you, they have to feel like they know you, they must trust you and of course, it goes without saying, they have to like you. When I speak, I recite my most powerful affirmation which happens to rhyme while telling them all about me….it always goes over very well.

Position their pain in your promise

When you highlight their pain in such a way that your promise becomes the obvious solution, they will be on the edge of their seats to learn more. And positioning your promise can be easy, identify 3 to 5 simple strategies that will get them closer to their ultimate result and you’ll be golden.
Share testimonials from satisfied clients

Case studies and testimonials help your listeners to see you as the solution to the problem. You always want to weave these stories into your message to sell who you are and how you help your ideal clients without being a used car salesman. When they know that others who have been where they are found a solution in working with you, they will feel inclined to learn more about how you can do the same for them.

Repeat what’s essential that they take away

Remember, repetition is the mother of skill. Key learning objectives should be repeated in a few different ways so your listeners can be clear about how you can help them solve their problem

Smile and incite laughter

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

Posted in Blog, Darnyelle Speaks | Tagged attracting ideal clients, business coach, darnyelle a. jervey, growing your business |

3 Simple Steps for Starting the New Year with an Effective Plan to Grow Your Business–Darnyelle A. Jervey

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Darnyelle Jervey

Most entrepreneurs grow weary at this time of the year at the thought of the holidays coming while still needing to hit key targets so they can finish the current year strong. While I agree that this time of the year is the time when most become distracted, it is also the perfect time to plan for the coming year. To make your planning process simple, I recommend that you highlight 3 major initiatives for the New Year. What are the three objectives, if completed that would grow your business by attracting more clients so you can make more money?

Write them down now.

Congratulations, you’ve just set your three big initiatives for the New Year.

As the year draws to a close, let’s prepare for the coming year by taking a look back over your results, growth and income through an intensive self-assessment. Especially now that you know exactly what you’d like to accomplish in the coming year, you can review what you’ve experienced with a true desire to increase your success. Use this time to review what has worked well, as well as what hasn’t as a mechanism to make key shifts to refocus areas of your business as you consider your business growth strategies for the New Year. Start by asking yourself a few questions:

1. What was your big breakthrough this year?
2. Where were you lacking the knowledge and accountability to grow an area of your business?
3. What did you not consider when you set up your plan at the beginning of the year?
4. What would you do differently in the New Year based on these observations?

Successful entrepreneurs set aside time in the early fourth quarter of each year to solidify their goals for the New Year so they can enjoy the holiday without the stress or pressure of wondering what they will do to keep their businesses running in the New Year. My recommendation is that you plan now – before the turkey is stuffed and the tree is trimmed.

After you’ve evaluated your current year and made a detailed assessment of the good, bad and the ugly, it is time to think about how you can use your marketing to create new opportunities for business, based on your top three initiatives for the coming year. Most solo-preneurs are lacking in this area, because they think that marketing once a month is sufficient. It is my personal opinion that you should look to market at least 2 hours each day – at a minimum if you want to keep a steady flow of ideal prospects learning about your products and services. When you think about your marketing, consider the following questions:

1. What worked well this year that led to new strategic relationships or clients?
2. What activities did you complete consistently and how did they grow your business?
3. What results did you achieve when you launched a new product or service?
4. Do you feel that your marketing language is authentic and compelling? Why or Why not?
5. What systems would be useful to the way you market so you could create more consistency in your daily operations?

As you can see, marketing truly is the oxygen of your business and by asking yourself the right questions NOW, you can set your new year up for great success – when you focus on what you need to achieve a new level of success, it begins to show up for you in the form of opportunities.

Lastly, my recommendation is that you start with mapping out in great detail, your first quarter initiatives, getting crystal clear about what you will do consistently to increase your results in the areas you’ve identified.

If you start by doing this now, you’ll be ready to relax with your family and enjoy all that the holiday has to offer all the while knowing that you’re setting yourself up for Incredible Success in the year to come.

Posted in Blog | Tagged attracting ideal clients, attracting more clients, business growth strategies, entrepreneurs, ideal clients, ideal prospects, marketing |

5 Quick Tips to ensure that your offer is Irresistible – Darnyelle A. Jervey

Posted on November 1, 2011 by Darnyelle Jervey

Rita’s Water Ice, Baskin Robbins and my favorite Japanese restaurant in the mall all do it. Most savvy entrepreneurs who know marketing is the oxygen in their business do it. You call yourself doing it but it’s not working for you. What am I talking about? Your free offer.

When I walk through the mall, I always go down to the food court to see what they’re offering because I know it’s going to be good, juicy, very tasty and make me want more.

I look forward to trying the latest flavor at Rita’s and Baskin Robbins because I know that when the sample is good, the full size won’t disappoint.

Can you say the same about your free offer to add new prospects to your sales funnel?

It is my personal suggestion that you create the same type of reaction to your products and services by doing something different, ensuring that your sample doesn’t disappoint. And, by the way, don’t say “join my mailing list;” instead offer them a sample of your Incredible Factor – that thing you do that sets you apart from the sea of others who do it too. If you want market share in your industry you’ve got to offer something irresistible – or as the Godfather puts it, “make them an offer they can’t refuse.”

Failure to do that leaves you sitting alone with your product or service in mass quantities – not serving the world, not changing lives. And that defeats the purpose of why you went into business, right?

So how, then, do you change your fate by offering low value “fluff” to those who visit your website and click away without joining your list or making a purchase?

The best way to get them into your funnel is by offering them a “taste” of the solution to a problem they (your ideal clients and prospects) have, showing them that you are that irresistible!

Your irresistible free offer should be juicy, leaving them wanting to deepen their experience with you. It should also be high value and content rich – no fluff allowed.

When you put your sample into a free report, audio download, CD, checklist or video series, you are guaranteeing they will want much more of you and therefore enter into your sales funnel, becoming a customer for life when you consistently treat them to more high value, high content information using your weekly e-zine and other “stay connected” marketing vehicles.

I’ll be honest here; it took me several tries to develop THE offer that is now adding tons of new people to my list each week. It might be necessary for you to really clarify what your ideal clients needs are so that your offer is the exact “sample” they were looking for.

Here are my 5 quick tips to consider when creating an irresistible free offer.

1. Consider what your ideal clients biggest problem is and use those words to name your IFO. I’ve said this before, we get cute instead of clear when we are talking about what our clients need from us.

2. Determine the medium through which you will offer your solution to their problem. You’ve got options and options are great – how do your ideal clients prefer to receive information?

3. Use social media to test your new IFO by posting something like this – “If there was a checklist/audio/special report/CD, etc. created that would do (insert problem it solves,) would you want it NOW?” See how many people respond. If not enough say they want it, go back to the drawing board. You failed to capture their attention from the beginning; you’ve got to “have them at hello.”

4. Have a graphic designer create a professional image for you that represents your offer and your brand nicely and professionally. Don’t try to do it yourself unless your Incredible Factor is graphic design. Shift your mindset and invest in your business.

5. Update your opt-in box and create your landing or squeeze page contents to begin attracting new prospects with your newly designed IFO! Congratulations, you’re now ready to give them something they can feel and grow your list by leaps and bounds because you’ve become a client magnet….simply irresistible.