Category Archives: Darnyelle Speaks

How to Use Your Story to Attract More Paying Clients

Posted on April 10, 2012 by Darnyelle Jervey

People love stories. More importantly, people love to hear stories of triumph and perseverance. And furthermore, people love to hear stories that they resonate with that give them hope that their struggles will soon end. As an entrepreneur, you no doubt have a story, a powerful story to tell. I am often asked by entrepreneurs two questions when it relates to telling their story:

How much do I have to share?
How do I share it in a way that will lead to more paying clients for my business?

Both are excellent questions and both are important to the overall trajectory of your business revenue. You see, people like to buy from those they know, like, trust and believe can solve their problem. One sure-fire way to get people to know, like, trust and believe in your ability to help them, is to tell them your story.

I always share this caveat here. You only need to tell the part of the story that is congruent to the end result they want to experience. Period. If there is a part of your history that has nothing to do with why you can help them solve their problem, you don’t need to tell it.

Go ahead, take a deep breath. I know I just liberated many of you.

The thing is this; you want for people to understand that you know what they’re going through right now because you’ve been there, done that and gotten the t-shirt. When they feel like you “get it,” you will get “it”, and “it” in the last case is their business.

People like to know that everyday people just like them figured out the magic little secret that will lead to the biggest breakthrough they’ve ever experienced in their life. And how, do you ask, do you help them to see you as that person?

I’d like to introduce you to something I like to call the “Why Story.” I didn’t originate this concept, I must admit, I first learned of it when I was in Mary Kay Cosmetics. In Mary Kay, your “I” story was designed to help others understand why you started your Mary Kay business.

While I am no longer in Mary Kay, I loved the concept so much that I made some important tweaks and now apply it to my marketing message for my business and what I show my clients how to create so they can enjoy the same result. At the end of the day, your goal is to get “me, toos” from your prospective clients. You want them to identify with you so strongly that they say, “oh my goodness, me too!” And more importantly they say, ‘If she is just like me and she used to struggle with what I struggle with now and she got out of it, then I know she can help me get out of it, too.”

And that, Incredible One, is the golden ticket.

So, while this story still answers the question about why you decided to start the business you now run, it more importantly helps to ensure that you generate the “me, toos” from the audience. Your “Why Story” in my newly created form includes three (3) components:

Your Robert Frost Moment
Your Moment of Change
Your Harriet Tubman Moment

Your Robert Frost Moment – In his poem, The Road Less Travelled, Robert Frost discusses a crossroad of sorts. Many of us, including you, have found ourselves at a similar crossroad. Usually it is the choice we make at this crossroad that becomes a defining moment for our lives and businesses. What is that moment for you? How did you recognize it? How did you decide which way to go? What happened that made you take the first step toward change?

Your Moment of Change – after starting in the direction of that less travelled road, what was it that created the need to change and follow the steps it would take to complete the cycle of change? How can you relate the work that you now do to that all important change?

Your Harriet Tubman Moment – Upon getting to the other side [solving your own problem], why did you decide to go back to help others? All of us, once we get a taste of “freedom” desire to help others experience it as well. When did that moment happen for you in the timeline of your business? How did you know it was time to tell others? Did you formulate the steps you took into any proprietary system? Did you test your theory and get some success stories?

When you create your “Why Story” to include these three elements, you will produce an authentic and compelling reason why you are the expert you claim to be and that when paired with an incredible follow up strategy will add more ideal prospects to your sales funnel and ultimately to your business.

Happy Story Telling!!!

©2012 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, MBA, The Incredible Factor Speaker, Business Coach and Mentor, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises.com and the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System® a proven step by step program for helping entrepreneurs create a 6 figure business in record time. 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, attracting paying clients, Building a six figure business, Business coach Delaware, Charging what you're worth, growing your business, Incredible One Enterprises, Marketing systems |

5 Keys to Setting the Right Rates for Your Products and Services

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Darnyelle Jervey

If I were to survey 100 entrepreneurs about their biggest challenges, more than half of them would say, knowing what to charge. You see, it’s different when YOU are calling the shots. You could work for someone who has the courage to charge $500/hour and while you may think it’s too much, when asked about the company’s rates, you’ll confidently reply “we charge $500/hour.” But, when asked that same question in your own business, doubts and fears that you may be not worth it start to creep up to the surface.

Trust me, I get it. I experienced the same thing when I first started my business. I bought into the popular misconception that you have to “pay your dues” by charging lower rates or working for free. I say this is a myth, especially in my case because I hold the advanced degree, have the certifications, etc. I had already paid my dues when I invested in my education to serve my clients in excellence, but the truth of the matter was that I wasn’t confident that people would actually pay me what I wanted to be paid.

And that leads me to you. Perhaps you feel the same way. Perhaps you have the degree or certification or experience getting big results for the people you serve BUT you’re afraid that people won’t pay you what you want or worse, you’re unclear about what you must be paid to earn a profit. Either way, setting the right rates for your products and services comes down to these five considerations. Take heed before you tell another person what your rates are.

What will your market bear? Based on the ideal client that you’ve chosen to serve, what will they pay for your service? While I am of the mindset that you can charge more when you have social proof or results substantiating the value you add, you don’t want to price yourself too low or too high based on your market. You must, dare I say it, do some research. You need to ask yourself, “what are people who buy products and services similar to mine paying for those products and services?” My recommendation is that you start by asking those who would buy your products and services instead of just looking at a colleagues website and determining that is the right price. Just because their price is listed doesn’t mean people are buying it. If you can prove your results that can lead to you charging a little more in your market. While research is important, do not look at another’s prices, set yours and move on. You don’t know how they priced themselves, and again you have no clue if anyone is even buying.
What is your overhead in producing the product or service? Do you have to bring in a subcontractor to help you complete the work? If so, how much will that cost you? Have you added that into your price? Do you have to set aside a massive amount of hours when you can’t be earning other money to complete the work? Being clear on your numbers is essential to setting your fees. Many people pull a number out of their behinds but can’t back it up and as a result they end up undervaluing their products and services. So be clear on what it will take for you to produce the product or service, as well as how many you’d need to sell to break even and ultimately to create profit in your business.
How much time will it take to deliver the product or service? In general, you should charge more when you must be active to provide the service. If you have created a passive or leveraged way to get what you need to your clients, you can charge a little less. But you need to be clear on what your time is worth and how much you must make in order for it to be profitable for you.
What is your overall revenue goal? Again, knowing your numbers is essential. Let’s say your goal is $100,000 but you charge $250 a month for your services with a 12 month commitment. That’s $3,000 per client. To achieve your goal with no other revenue streams, you’d need 33.3 clients for the year to hit your income goal. Now, if that’s doable for you, great. But that means you have to work with 33 clients each and every month to make $250 per client each and every month. I don’t know about you, but that seems like a lot of work to me.
Will charging that rate make you feel good? It’s no secret that when we feel good, we do better work. So, if looking at the number makes your stomach hurt, it is probably too low. You want to feel good about the contribution you’re making and ultimately getting paid for. So while some would tell you how you “feel” has nothing to do with your prices, I believe it has everything to do with your prices. If you are excited, grateful, appreciative and passionate about your work and prices, you’ll be in a positive energy space. When you send positive energy into your work, you attract more people who want what you have to offer. It’s all about attracting more of what you’re passionate about.

So, before you settle on a price for any product or service, get clear on these 5 considerations. Have a comment? Share it below. I’d love to hear your opinion on this pressing matter.

©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 achieving your goals, attracting ideal clients, Building a six figure business, Business coach Delaware, business goals, business success, Charging what you're worth, darnyelle a. jervey, growing your business, Incredible One Enterprises, Marketing systems |

Getting Your Next Paying Client in 5 Simple Steps–Darnyelle A. Jervey

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Darnyelle Jervey

I think we can all agree that nothing happens until somebody sells something. Regardless of what is being sold – the next restaurant where you and your special person will have dinner, a new television or one of your products or services – the sell predicates everything that happens from then on out. So what happens when you can’t sell? What happens when you have been working tirelessly for months and months doing what you believe will yield a successful selling situation and yet you still sell nothing?

Many entrepreneurs find themselves in this predicament as they endeavor to grow their businesses and as you might guess, it is utterly frustrating. While we can all agree that this is not the energy you want surrounding your business, if you happen to be one of those who’ve yet to master selling conversations, this may be exactly what you experience on a consistent basis.

I happen to be of the opinion that your next client is closer than you think. In fact, I think that if you follow the five simple steps outlined in this article, your next paying client will materialize in days. Don’t believe me? Give these steps a try:

Find out what they’d pay anything to fix – the universal law of business corroborates the statement that nothing happens until somebody sells something. But it suggests that the sale is predicated by a problem that needs to be solved. If people only buy to fill a need or solve a problem, what need or problem would your ideal clients pay anything to fill or solve? Knowing their problem is the key to creating Client Magnetic Marketing. Brainstorm all of the problems that you solve, and then find the one that is there top of mind, tossing and turning at 3 am problem and build a solution around THAT.
Focus on the transformation – most business people are so focused on the steps and jargon and technical step by step processes that solve the problem of their client that they fail to show the result, outcome or transformation that one who buys their product or service will get. If you begin to focus on the problem they have and transformation you provide when you speak to prospects, they will start to pay attention and eventually they will even open their wallets. You see, the problem is so big to them that they can’t think only in terms of the solution so your marketing has to include both if you want them to take note of what you’re offering.
Go to where they’re already hanging out – if you go to where your ideal clients are and focus on the problem they have and transformation you solve, the law of averages say that someone will buy. I’m just saying, it is sometimes the simplest things that go undeveloped. So, where are your ideal clients gathering right now? Are they in a group or association? Do they frequent a particular type of event?
Give them multiple options – when you only have one option for them to work with you, you create a “take it or leave it” scenario and most will leave it. If you present several opportunities to get great results from working with you and those options represent multiple budgets, you will usually get them to take you up on one of them, which will allow you to close more clients.
Ask for the sale – I know this seems like a no-brainer, but many people go through the trouble of sharing the value and blah blah blah, only to never ask for the sale. They assume that people are just going to tell you that they want to work with you every time. While I believe that sometimes people will just come right out and tell you they’re ready, especially when you learn how to create compelling selling conversations, more often than not, you will have to ask them if they’re ready to work with you. You can only get a yes if you ask….

Posted in Blog, Darnyelle Speaks | Tagged achieving your goals, attracting ideal 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 Strategies for Handling Business Detours

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Darnyelle Jervey

When you become an entrepreneur, part of you knows that it’s going to be a long journey toward achieving your business goals. You start the journey by conducting some market research and write your business plan, which includes taking the time to get clear on your ideal client, which helps you to start making some money and before you know it, things are going according to plan. You’re feeling good, cruising along, and making strides towards your journey, slow and steady. And then all of a sudden you hit construction and the orange and black signs get closer and closer and before you know it, you’re taking a road you weren’t expecting and it’s got you a little fearful.

Sound familiar?

As an entrepreneur, trust me I have been there and I know exactly how you feel. What I learned four years ago as I was starting my business is that sometimes the detour is for your good. In my case, an opportunity presented itself that would supplement my business, while giving me some great experience and allowing me to exercise my expertise to prefabricated audiences. Now, at first when the opportunity showed up, my ego was bruised and concerned that it would take me too far off my path. But quite the opposite happened. I realize today, four years later, that the detour is actually a big part of the reason that my business is widely successful. You see, along my detour, I met some strategic partners who now help to support Incredible One by referring clients, suggesting me for speaking engagements and hiring me consistently.

You see, while a detour is designed to provide an alternate route, you still get to arrive at your original destination usually a little bit more relaxed and better prepared for what’s waiting for you. Perhaps you’ve experienced or are currently on a detour. If so, be grateful for the detour and look for all that you are to gain as you take a fresh approach to achieving your goals. At this time, I recommend that you assess your situation by asking yourself:

What is this detour sparing me from?

What would have happened if I stayed on the original course?

What can I learn to grow my business during this detour?

As you prepare to maximize your detour, here are five strategies to aid your journey:

1. Believe that the detour is for your good. In faith, believe that the detour has arisen because you need to avoid some congestion or better still some confusion that would prevent you from unleashing your Incredible Factor in the best way for your message.

2. Reflect on what about your journey needed modification. Take the time to steal away from the day to day and focus on what you must modify so that you arrive on time to your business growth.

3. Revisit the map (your business plan) while you are driving along the new route. IS your initial vision still the same? Have you shifted your ideal client? Are you offering the same or different products and services? What in your business plan needs to be updated to reflect your current operations?

4. Do you have an operations manual? If so, this is a great time to update it to reflect new processes and procedures followed by your company to offer amazing customer service to your clients. Don’t have one? Now is the time to start one. Once you get back on the main road, traffic will be moving fast and you will need to bring on assistants to help you finish the journey. Having an operations manual will make it easy for them to get up to speed.

5. Need a pit stop? Perhaps this is a good time to stop for a few minutes and reenergize your business’s most precious resource…you. When was the last time you took a vacation? Even when your business is not yielding the finances to allow you to go away, you can get away from your business for a few days and tend to your needs so that you will be fit to continue the rest of the drive.

What do you think is necessary to do when you’re on a business detour? Share your thoughts here.

Happy travelling the best part of your journey is yet to come

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

4 Life and Business Building Principles as Taught by Whitney Houston–Darnyelle A. Jervey

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Darnyelle Jervey

What I got most from Whitney Houston’s music was hope and inspiration. She had a way of singing each song to make you believe that anything was possible and in that possibility you could change the world through love, talent and determination.

As an entrepreneur, it is my goal to inspire the same in the lives of those I touch when I speak, through my workshops and of course my clients. As I celebrate the life and legacy of Whitney Houston, I’d like to share four (4) business building principles that she has taught us. I believe that our lives and businesses are congruent so while it may appear that all of the questions are personal in nature, their answers are essential to growth in other areas of your life. So be open and complete the assessment I suggest

1. Believe in your talent. Before you can be viewed as a star that illuminates the lives of others, you have to believe that you have what it takes to make a difference in the lives of others. You must hone your talent, use it consistently and look for opportunities to enhance it. Entrepreneurs are people who use their innate gifts and talents to solve problems for other people and it is in belief that they build companies that globalize our economy. When you have belief in your talent, you won’t apologize for it; instead you will use it to help others in any way you can through your service. What I always loved about Whitney is that she knew that her talent was designed to solve problems for other people (in the form of creating more happiness and fulfillment) and she focused on using her talent in a way that would not allow anyone she came into contact with to forget that they too were loved and special.

Inspect the Incredible:

What is my talent?
What would it take for me to fully believe in my talent?
Who do I have access to that can help me employ this strategy to boost my business building success?
To operate fully in my talent, what would I need to eliminate? Why would eliminating it be valuable?

2. Be Yourself. Everyone else is already taken. By being yourself, you inspire authenticity and your clients will be moved to invest in you when they feel that knowing, liking and trusting you is easy, necessary and the only choice if they want to solve the problems that you offer a solution to. Whitney was always herself…she had flaws but she embraced them and found a way in strength to keep progressing. In your own business, you will make mistakes and if you’re lucky, those mistakes will serve as valuable feedback so that you can continue to grow your business.

Inspect the Incredible:

What is the contribution that I was born to make?
How close am I to making it?
What do I need to do/modify/change to achieve it?
What is the best thing about being myself?

3. Create authentic relationships with others. When you take the time to get clear on who you are to serve with your gifts and talents, it is easy to create relationships that support those you are to serve. While I have never met her, I have only read positive accounts from people who spent time with her. These accounts discuss her grace and desire to always make others feel special. True servants recognize the significance of this and use it to grow their businesses by building clients for life. Whitney’s fans were always her fans because in everything there was an authenticity that made her human, which meant her fans could pray for her and encourage her when needed as well as celebrate her successes with her as well.

Inspect the Incredible:

Can I honestly say that I am fully authentic?
What would it take for me to be more authentic?
Am I prepared to do that?
What is the worst thing that would happen if I was more authentic?

4. Never give up. I believe that the reason you can’t give up is because your next level breakthrough is just beyond the point of defeat. So, it is when you take one more step, create one more product, and call one more prospect that you meet victory. We all have personal setbacks and as Willie Jolley’s book suggests, “a setback is a set up for a comeback.” By watching her life, we can observe many examples of how to keep moving even in adversity. Entrepreneurship is a journey and often not one devoid of struggle but if you focus on the three preceding business building strategies, you will align your vision with enough clarity to slow down if you must but a determination to never give up.

Inspect the Incredible:

How can I use my latest setback to come back stronger in my life and business?
Who do I have in my circle of influence that can help me to recover from a setback and set up a plan to prevent it from stopping me?
What can I do differently the next time to minimize the need to repeat critical mistakes along my journey?

Her life was purposeful. In addition to some amazing music, she gave us inspiration for our lives and businesses. She taught us how to love ourselves and serve others and for that I am extremely grateful. Thank you Whitney Houston for inspiring me to always reach for the moon.
©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 more clients, Building a six figure business, Business Building Principles, Business coach Delaware, Charging what you're worth, darnyelle a. jervey, entrepreneurs, growing your business, Incredible One Enterprises, Marketing systems, Whitney Houston |

5 Simple Strategies for extending the life of every potential client inquiry — Darnyelle A. Jervey

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Darnyelle Jervey

It’s no surprise if you’re in business to have people inquire about your products and services. What may be surprising, is how to handle the inquiry so that you maximize the exposure to your business while also doing your due diligence to help the prospect solve their problem using your products and services.

One of the most essential skills to be learned in business is how to inspire the sale, which includes the entire selling process – from introduction and closure. Many entrepreneurs, because they don’t feel comfortable selling, end up stopping the process before its maturation, costing them a new client.

My recommendation is to focus on the value you provide to the prospect and when leading with the value, ensure that you are helping them to understand that not only do you understand their problem, but you also have a solution that will change their current pain to pleasure.

When a prospect inquires about your products or services, there are five things that you should do so you can maximize the interaction and advance the process to inspire the sale:

1. As soon as they inquire, if not part of the inquisition process, begin a prospect profile. On this profile, be sure to collect as much information as you can about them and their challenges so you can validate if this is the type of client you’ve chosen to work with. Included in the necessary information should be:

a. Full name
b. Mailing address (for future direct mail marketing efforts)
c. Phone number
d. Email address
e. Reason for the inquiry (to help them, you can create a short list of the problems your ideal clients have before hiring you and then leave a small space for something other than the core problems you solve)
f. How they learned about you (this is so you can thank any referral partners appropriately)
g. What they are hoping to gain to consider their problem solved
h. Other things they’ve tried to solve the problem

2. Based on the scheduling process that you use, if the profile warrants the scheduling of a conversation, get it scheduled so you can talk with them to clarify the problems and offer how you can solve their problems using your products and services. In this conversation, be sure to share your solutions, while also offering the one you feel would be best for them based on how you understand their problem. (They see you as the expert, so they will be expecting your recommendation.)

3. During the meeting (in person or virtual) be attentive, ask key questions and summarize before you share your solution. When you share your solution, focus on the benefits and value, not the features and process. Seldom will the prospect care about the step-by-step, typically they want to know that their ultimate goal can be achieved using your product or services.

4. Ask for the sale by focusing on how your solution will lead to the achievement of their core goals concerning the problem area. Say something like, “I’d love to work with you, is now a good time to discuss my service options?” Listen and wait for their response.

5. After the meeting, enact your follow up strategy in this way:

a. Send a thank you card, a hand written note, thanking them for taking the time to meet with you. You may also opt to send them a small token of your appreciation but a handwritten note will go very far in the process.
b. As a 2nd thank you, opt for a video email or traditional email thanking them for meeting with you, summarizing the highlights of the discussion and next steps for each of you. Be sure to include the timeline you set to follow up for the decision. Include any documents you promised to send highlighting your products and services for their review.
c. Hold a follow-up call/meeting. If they’re not ready to become a client, ask them when it’s a good time to follow-up with them to see where they are in the process. I recommend following up every 60 days after that initial meeting until they say otherwise. Low hanging fruit is the easiest to pick and often the follow-up is what helps you seal the deal.

When you focus on creating a systematic approach to handling service inquiries, you will naturally extend the life of the inquiry and close more new clients.

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

Simple Strategies to R.O.C.K. Your Brand – One You Can Believe In and One They Will Seek Even When You’re Not Looking — Darnyelle A. Jervey

Posted on January 31, 2012 by Darnyelle Jervey

In a recent discussion in a class I was teaching about marketing strategies for social media, I was asked whether it was a good idea to keep your personal page separate from your business page. My response may or may not surprise you, but I said that I believe that you should have both a personal page and a business page but you should expect to be cognizant of your brand on both pages because others in the marketplace will not separate the two. They see life and business co-existing as they should because they are interconnected and you are you all the time in both venues.

Once you enter the public domain, you have to recognize that there isn’t any separation. Public figures are seen as such and everything that they put into the universe is being viewed as a sum total of their brand equity. While you can monitor how much private information you share, you should expect personal information to be consumed at the same rate as business related information.

Because a brand is how you illustrate your beliefs, confidence and esteem to others through your image, information and influence, it is important to be clear that personally and professionally you are one. I think it is also important to mention that you are your brand – your name, period. Your products, services, companies are sub-brands of you, the main brand. A lot of entrepreneurs and small business owners miss this and as a result they struggle to send a clear brand message into the market. And most importantly, please know that a brand culminates into an experience.

It is possible to ensure that you maintain an image that you can be proud of and one that can advance your positioning and market capture abilities. I have 5 simple strategies that I will share with you now to help you do just that:

R – realign your personal vision with your professional vision, image and goals.To do this, you want to take the time to think about your brand. Initially you want to define your brand so that you can prepare to unleash it. To define your brand, get clear on what makes you unique from others in the marketplace. I say start by writing down the words that you feel represent who you are and desire to be in the market. Then you want to expand on your initial definition by creating power statements that include the words you’ve determined must be a core part of your branding strategy. Lastly, be sure that you are ready to do the work; to be the brand you desire by clarifying internally that alignment is present.

Ask yourself:

1. What is the vision of your brand?
2. What is the mission of your brand?
3. How will you know that you’ve accomplished the vision and mission of your brand?
4. What are the five words that best describe the brand I want to represent to be seen as my truest, most authentic self?
5. When my brand is as I’d like it to be, how will I feel?

O – organize people, places and events that will support the brand you’re building. Associations can make or break your brand so be clear about how others affect your position and do not be afraid to disassociate from those who are unworthy of being connected to your brand.

Ask yourself:

1. Which organizations should I join to further establish my brand imprint?
2. What events should I attend so that I can extend my brand?
3. Who are my centers of influence and how do they affect my brand?

C – create an emotional response for others through your brand so you can grow your brand position, create brand equity and deliver your brand experience. To make your brand real for other people, your goal MUST be to create an experience for them through how you offer yourself, content, etc to them in the marketplace. One of the things I do, is to imagine my brand as if it were content…what tips, advice and title would you give it so that it creates an experience for the receiver of the content?

Ask yourself:

1. What about your brand creates an experience for others? How can you do more of that?
2. How will you articulate this to the market?
3. Who will benefit the most from your brand?
4. How will you reach them?

K – know the big reason why your brand must be visible by asking yourself the following questions:

1. What does your brand stand for?
2. Who do you want to be known as?
3. What do you want to be known for?
4. Why is it important that others get this message from you?
5. What will happen when they hear and receive your message in their lives?

When you have a powerful brand, your company and your name will become one in the same, there will be no separation (This is your goal.) Don’t be fooled, people are looking at your overall image: hair, clothes, shoes, makeup, presence, website, business card, brochure, emails, etc. They’re taking it all in and from your presence, deciding if you are worthy of their business. 55% of an exchange is based on your appearance; 38% of an exchange is based on your tone of voice and behavior; and 7% is based on the words you actually say.

To ROCK your brand, truly ROCK it, take the time to answer the questions I pose above and focus on creating consistency online and offline so that you can be clear in the way you represent yourself personally and professionally each and every day.

Posted in Blog, Darnyelle Speaks | Tagged attracting ideal clients, Building a six figure business, business branding, Business coach Delaware, Charging what you're worth, darnyelle a. jervey, growing your business, product branding |

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?

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.