Marketing Plan for Health and Wellness Entrepreneurs

So what’s your marketing plan for this year?  What?  No plan!

Ok, truth be told, marketing plans haven’t been my forté either. But, it’s a new year and so maybe we can do this together.  First, let’s talk briefly about the value in doing one.  A good marketing plan will give you two extremely valuable things – a better understanding of your customers, and of your market.  In the end that translates into business growth. The better you know your “market” the easier it is to communicate to them and build strong, client-focused relationships and offerings.

For many health and wellness solo-preneurs, their marketing plan consists of coming up with ideas on a whim or when the mood strikes, then sending out a communication here and there without constancy.  Often this leaves your audience confused and unsure of how to respond to you.

If this is your first attempt at doing a marketing plan, make the main goal here just to be doing one.  Don’t get hung up on too many details.  The act of giving this area of your business attention for a period of time will bear fruit for you – I guarantee it.

We’ll touch on a couple of main points to get you started and I’m going to include a link to a great article with more information for those who are ready to delve deeper.

You’ll need a touchstone to refer to when doing a marketing plan. That touchstone is your written vision statement for your business – for this year, and a business plan with your overall goals and strategies.  These 2 items set the intention and direction of your business.

For your marketing plan, this brief outline will get you started:

1. Objective – Define your primary marketing objective. Is it to: Build better customer relationships? Bring in more clients? Establish a presence in the community?
2. Know your market – Include everything you know.  Who are they? (Demographic) Where are they? How much are they currently spending on the services/products you will be offering to them? What form of communication do they prefer?  The best case scenario is to survey them to understand them most accurately and to fill in the blanks.
3. Value – Define the unique value you offer your clients that others in your field don’t.  How will you present your unique value? (both verbally and in your print material)
4. Action steps – Identify the top 2 or 3 marketing-related activities that if you do them this year, will have the most positive impact on your business.
5. S.M.A.R.T. – Take those 2-3 items and make them Specific (what and how), Measureable (ie: revenue your action should result in), Attainable (with a stretch!), Realistic (something you WILL do) and Timely (put a ‘complete by’ date on it)
6. Budget – Determine the amount of spending you will allot to marketing per month or quarter. What revenue do you estimate your expenditure will bring in?

Completing a marketing plan is an act of treating our business like a business – and not just a hobby.  Attention to ‘how’ and ‘who’ we get our message out to has a direct effect on our business results.  There’s joy in that!

For more information and resources on marketing plans, check out this article from Inc.com  http://www.inc.com/guides/writing-marketing-plan.html

3 Steps For Business Writing That Makes An Impact

In our previous blog we spoke about writing as a way to boost your business presence.  If you’ve decided to add writing to your marketing toolkit for 2010, today we’re offering 3 things to consider so that your message will leave the right impression on your readers.

1. Start With The End In Mind – What’s your goal in writing this piece?  What outcomes or next steps are you looking for the reader to take through the information you’re presenting?  Business writing often moves people to take action.  Knowing what action you’re inspiring, will help you to write in a way that will deliver a result that’s rewarding for both you and your readers.
2. Know Your Target Audience – What are the key challenges, gaps in information or primary areas for development in your target market?  To have the most impact and benefit to your potential and existing clients, your message should be written with them in mind.  If you write too generally, with the hope of connecting with many, you will actually end up connecting with few or none. People just won’t see that you are speaking to them.
3. Write On One Topic At A Time – Sometimes we have so much to say and to share with our clients we can inadvertently bombard them with information. It’s easier to digest information in small bites. Make one point really well and stay on topic. Be clear about your message so that readers know what action to take and feel inspired to do so, rather than overwhelmed by ‘all of the possibilities’.

Business writing could be described as ‘writing with a purpose’. Even if that purpose is to entertain, it still has a purpose.  Your readers will get more out of the information you provide for them if they connect with the message you’re sending.  The purpose of this article is to share business writing tips with health and wellness entrepreneurs to help them build their business when using writing as a marketing tool.

5 Ways to Help a Friend or Loved One Overcome with Holiday Stress

The holiday season can be a time of great joy or great sadness.  If you have a friend or loved one who is coping with a job loss, death, serious illness, or financial strife, it can be hard to know how to help.

These tips from the authors of Overcomers Inc: True stories of hope, courage, and inspiration will help.

1. Be sensitive to your loved ones’ limited financial resources. If your brother’s just lost his job, bragging about your holiday ski trip would be cruel.  Instead, suggest low-cost or free holiday gift suggestions so that everyone can participate, even if money is tight. 
2. For the recently widowed or others who are in mourning, don’t avoid mentioning the departed family member. Gently reminisce about favorite family memories.  It’s better to speak of the departed that to carefully avoid all mention of his or name.  Follow the lead of the person in grief.  If the discussion is too difficult, she will change the subject.  Many times, the widow or widower will appreciate the chance to share a memory of the lost loved one.
3. Allow people to have their space, but watch out for isolation.  Stress and grief can be exhausting.  Your friend or family member may not be up to the traditional all day shopping trip or noisy holiday party.  Let her set the pace.  However, if you sense that your loved one is withdrawing from everything, consider stopping by for a quiet visit or a cup of tea.  Loneliness is most acute during the holidays so some extra loving care will be very helpful.
4. Invite your loved one to an uplifting community activity.  Holiday concerts, drives to see colored lights, and religious activities can be a source of connection and enjoyment.  It’s hard to not to smile when you see a child’s joy or a humorous holiday play.  Fun is often in short supply, especially when things are hard.  Strive to bring some joy to your loved one and increase their contact with their community.
5. Be patient and understanding.  Your efforts to bring joy and comfort will be appreciated, even if your hurting loved one can’t express that gratitude right at the moment.  A person dealing with a serious life challenge can be emotionally fragile so be gentle, encouraging, and present.  That understanding is the best possible gift you can provide.

  

 
 

6 Steps To Write A Compelling Vision Statement

It’s not just important to have a vision of where your business is going – it’s critical.  If you can’t “see” where you’re headed, then how will you know if you get there?  Those who are in alignment with the concept of attracting what they want in their lives, know it all starts with a vision of what they desire.

Oddly enough, many health and wellness practitioners are attracted to this thinking, but resist taking the steps to do this with their business.  There is a feeling of wanting things to develop organically and by getting into the details and specifics; this will somehow “jinx” the result, so it’s avoided.  Others think that if they “dream” too big, they will just be disappointed, so it’s better to just be happy with what they have or with whatever comes vs. setting their hopes on a vision that seems too far out of reach.

Both of these are faulty thinking.  They keep you from moving forward, growing and creating the level of achievement you deserve and desire. 

Lacking a clear, compelling vision for your business is like getting on a plane, not knowing the destination, flying with your eyes closed and after 36 hours in the air, ending up pretty much right were you started. With the addition of feeling exhausted and jet-lagged!

If you’re looking to grow your business and create the practice you’ve been dreaming of, it all starts with a clear, compelling vision.

Here are 6 steps to creating it:

1. Dream Big – Write freely without judgment, questioning or being “realistic”; your highest vision of what your business and life could be.  Write it in the present tense as if it’s already here.
2. Make it a Stretch – Your vision should paint a picture of what you can achieve beyond where you currently are. 
3. Tie it to the Bigger Picture – Answer the questions, “What will it bring me to achieve this?”  For example: Will it bring you freedom to spend more time with loved ones, or inner peace and harmony? Understand what’s at the root of your desire to achieve this vision.
4. Be Accountable – Share your vision with someone else.  Write it down and post it where you will see it every day. Our motivation is heightened when we declare it out loud to ourselves and to others, and it resonates more strongly with the universe.
5. Take action Every Day – Do one thing every day that moves you towards your goal.
6. Remain Flexible – Be drawn to the vision, not attached to it.  This is about the journey, not the destination.

A clear, compelling vision draws you toward it.  It’s doesn’t strangle or intimidate you.  Like a flower reaches towards the sun; your vision propels you forward, grows you and encourages you to expand to your greatest potential.