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

Perseverance

In the spirit of the athletes who must overcome so much to achieve their Olympic dreams, what can we borrow from that spirit to keep us going in business when times are tough?  How do we keep going – persevere – when we’re feeling discouraged, disheartened, tired or directionless?

The definition of perseverance is: Steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles or discouragement.

I think the answer is in this definition.  I know as I create my ideal business, one of the dominant features has been to cultivate calm, comfort and ease in my personal and business life.  Living in Canada, it’s quite possible to do this.  Not that I haven’t faced strife and struggle – I guarantee you I have – but I’m always searching for the easier way; the path of least resistance. 

But when it comes to achieving a goal that I’m passionate about, this desire for the easy path can act in opposition to my success. Facing tough obstacles with this mindset can lead to giving up, giving in or becoming discouraged because something got in my way.  A fly has entered the ointment; a rough spot on my smooth journey.  In my business this can manifest as avoiding doing the things I don’t like or that are hard for me.

 Accepting that perseverance is about achieving your desires and reaching the goals you have set for yourself in spite of difficulties, obstacles or discouragement wakens me to the knowledge that my success depends on my ability to overcome and persist in the face of a challenge.

The truth is, obstacles will appear, and this reality check prepares me for such eventualities while I hold the vision of my desired future.  We build strong muscles through resistance training and without resistance our muscles become weak and flabby.  I know that overcoming resistance makes me and my business stronger, and so I soldier on. 

Like the Japanese proverb says: Fall seven times, stand up eight.  

How to Manage Your Time and Energy Through the Holiday Season

The holidays are fast approaching and with them come the addition of items to our already full ‘to-do’ lists!   At the best of times, an entrepreneur struggles to get everything done in their day, and with the addition of entertaining, party planning and emotions running high, it’s easy to get burned out and off course.

When it comes to time management, the basic principals are:

• Set clear, compelling goals daily, weekly and monthly that align with your annual goals
• Prioritize based on importance and time-sensitivity
• Use a planner to keep & book your appointments – including personal
• Be proactive vs reactive (where possible)

Sometimes though, even when we do all of that, we can find ourselves depleted. 

There is a growing school of thought that you will be more fulfilled, happier and get more done if you focus on managing your energy rather than your time.

In an article from Harvard Business Review by Tony Schwartz, Catherine McCarthy, Oct. 1, 2007, they identify 4 key areas as being critical to well-being while you work.  Even though their article is based on a corporate setting, the principals are sound and worth reviewing as good practice for entrepreneurs and their staff to keep ourselves and those who work with us, motivated, happy and productive. 

The article talks about creating “renewal rituals” for each of the following 4 areas:

1. The body: Find ways to increase physical energy ie: frequent breaks, getting enough sleep, eating well, exercising
2. Emotions:  Raise awareness of feelings at different times of day. Incorporate relaxation exercises to deal with stressful situations. ie: deep breathing, expressing appreciation to others.
3. Mind:  Focus. Multi-tasking is inefficient. “A temporary shift in attention from one task to another – stopping to answer an email or take a phone call, for instance – increases the amount of time necessary to finish the primary task by 25%…”  It is far more productive to focus on one task at a time, for an extended period (60-90 min).
4. Spirit: Engage in activities daily that are in alignment with what you value most, and that which provides you a sense of meaning and purpose in all areas of your life.

You can read the full article here: http://academy.clevelandclinic.org/Portals/40/HBRManageEnergy.pdf

At any time of year – especially at the holidays, it’s a given that the list of things to do is never ending.  There is a sense of reward when we accomplish the critical things on our task list for the day, and good time management is a vehicle for this success.  Having the energy to accomplish those tasks is the fuel for our entrepreneurial engine, without which we can end up stuck in ‘Park’ (or lost in the woods!).

If this is a topic of interest to you, and you’d like to read more, there is a great book on this topic that I’ve read called “The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal” by Jim Loehr & Tony Schwartz.

7 Ways to Make Your Clients Feel Important

 “Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, ‘Make me feel important.’ Not only will you succeed in sales, you will succeed in life.”

Mary Kay Ash
1918-2001, Founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics

 Mary Kay’s quote reminds us that the key to success in business and life is to value the important people in our lives – be they clients, family or friends. 

So how do we do that?  This is done by making them feel; seen, heard and understood. When people feel seen, heard and understood, they feel valued. 

What do you do in your client interactions to make your clients feel unique and honoured?  Making people feel valued is very important for building relationships and a strong business.

Here are 7 ways to leave your clients feeling seen, heard and understood:

Seen:

Connection – Make eye contact and/or engage clients in conversation around a topic you discussed the last time you met.  If it’s a first meeting engage in some small talk to find similarities. This helps to put you both in the moment and builds a connection.

Use their name – This tells them “I see you”, not just another body in the crowd.  Something happens in us when we are called by name.  We feel remembered, important and, in a way, special. 

Heard:

Listen to the other person when they are speaking.  A way to show that you are listening to them is to acknowledge or paraphrase their point of view – weather you agree with it or not. You can try something like “I hear what you are saying.  If I got it right, you’re telling me that it would be helpful to have a package for seniors that includes education on stretching.  Did I hear you correctly?”

Body language – Open and attentive.  That means, no crossed arms or reading emails/texts or texting/writing while listening. Albert Mehrabians study on effective communication showed that, in the way messages are received: 7% is what you say, 38% is how you say it & 55% is non-verbal (incl. body language & facial expression.)

Get feedback – Everyone likes to be asked for their opinion.  You can ask for feedback in many ways: after each session verbally, or more formally through the occasional written survey.  It makes your clients feel like you care about their experience and gives you a great way to get to know more about them and their experience with you.

Understood:

Acknowledge their point of view even if you’re in disagreement.  Use the technique above in “Listen” to let them know you do understand what they are telling you.

Add a little extra something – Everyone likes to feel that they’ve received a little extra value for their money; it makes them feel special and valued.  It can be an extra few minutes of treatment or a cup of coffee/tea/water that lets them know you’re thinking of them.

Opening of the Heart

Becoming a best-selling author was actually not in my plans.  I’m not saying that I’m unhappy it happened. On the contrary – I couldn’t be more elated!  But, it was the gifts I received along the way that surprised me the most.

 I’m going into my 4^th year of business with my coaching practice and things are going well.  Any entrepreneur will tell you that having your own business is the quickest route to self-discovery there is, and now I need to add that so is writing and publishing your story! 

 I’ve always been a very “just the facts ma’am” sort of business person.  15 years of corporate service will do that to a girl.  This process-driven approach has brought me success and contributed to my leadership strengths. 

 Running my business has opened me and softened me as I threw off my corporate constraints and practiced the heart-centered work of coaching.  The journey of writing my chapter in the best-selling Overcomers, Inc. anthology brought me a little deeper. 

 I can’t pin-point exactly what happened along the way; perhaps it was the candor and honesty of my fellow authors that permitted me the courage to express my feelings more deeply, or it was the realization that “Oh well, now my words are out there, for better or worse, so I’d better be prepared to stand behind them”.  (Translation: There’s no turning back!), but a sort of courage came over me.  A sense of confidence that only comes with accomplishing a challenging task started to move in.  I believe it’s through this heightened courage and confidence that I felt an opening and strengthening of my heart.  

 Thank you my courageous, beautiful co-authors for lighting a path for me.  Sometimes a book is more than just a book.  (Even when it’s a best-seller!) 

 With deep gratitude and love,

Kimberly

Best-Seller

Our book, Overcomers Inc: True Stories of Hope, Courage, and Inspiration became a best-seller yesterday!

I contributed a chapter to this best-selling anthology entitled “Willy Loman I Am Not!” where I share my journey of self-discovery through facing three major career changes, each one bringing me closer to realizing my life’s purpose, finding true happiness and living an authentic life.

It’s still sinking in that I became a best-selling author on the same day I became a published author for the first time.  Wow!  I have so many people to thank for getting me here.

I couldn’t have done this without the love and support of my wonderful husband Dave and our special dog Emma – who is able to read my mind and know when I need her kisses.  Ok, Dave knows too .

Thank you to all of the special people in my life who encouraged and believed in me throughout this process, and to those who have supported this project through their book purchase.

This all began as a dream just to write, then a dream to one day have my words published.  Becoming a best-selling author was so beyond what I could have imagined that I’m still digesting it all, and being grateful for this blessing.

If you purchase the book today, you are still eligible to receive over $5000.00 in bonus gifts.  You can buy the book at: www.overcomersinc.com/booklaunch

As an endorser of this book, Author Max Wellspring says, “At the end of reading the beautiful poignant stories, the first word that came to my mind was “Wow!” These are extraordinary and brave stories….not only inspiring, but soul stirring. Each one of these narratives is proof that there is a choice to co-create with Source that will inevitably bring healing. 

With deep gratitude,

Kimberly

Overcomers Inc Book Introduction

Today’s the big day!  Today is the launch of the amazing book I’ve co-authored about the power of the human spirit; Overcomers, Inc., True Stories of Hope, Courage and Inspiration. 

When you buy this book today, you will receive over $5000.00 in bonus gifts!  Wow!  Definitely an offer you want to take advantage of.

http://www.overcomersbook.com/booklaunch

To learn a little bit more about the genesis of this anthology, our good friend and publisher Lynne Klippel describes her journey of overcoming seemingly insurmountable tragedy.  It’s been Lynne’s strength, faith and compassion towards every author in this book that has made her dream – and ours collectively – a reality.

Book Introduction from publisher, Lynne Klippel

At one point in my life it seemed like everywhere I looked, I saw tragedy. My brother, both of my parents, and a dear friend were all battling cancer at the same time. Other friends were losing jobs and fearful about the prospects of finding new work. The evening news was full of financial scandals, plant closings, kidnappings, and war.

As I sat in the sun on my front porch in March 2009, I wished I had a book to send to my brother to read during his chemotherapy treatments – something to remind him that he was not alone and to encourage him to fight for his life. I wanted a book that could give him hope, inspiration, and encouragement on every page.

Due to a series of miracles, the book you are now reading is my wish come true. In a very short time a team of wonderful people came together to create this book with just one purpose: to encourage you, the reader, to overcome whatever obstacles are lying in your path to happiness.

As you read the stories in this book, you will find real life tales of remarkable courage, strength, and perseverance.  You will be inspired, entertained, and uplifted. Some of the stories will make you laugh. Some of them will make you cry. All of them will make you proud of the power of the human spirit. 

You will find this a book of diversity. There are many authors, from many walks of life. However, they all share a common bond. They triumphed over tragedy and gleaned wisdom in this process. While this is not a religious book, there are stories full of faith, of many kinds and flavors. It is funny how in your darkest times, faith often becomes your brightest light.

All of the contributors to this book want to encourage you to hold tight to your belief that a better day will come. It is their sincere desire to pass along what they’ve learned through their own trials, to make your journey easier.

I hope that you wear this book out by highlighting meaningful passages and bending down the corners of the pages you want to read over and over again. There is true wisdom in these pages that can help you feel strong, brave, and hopeful.

May you be blessed by this book and inspired to overcome!

Lynne Klippel
St. Peters, Missouri
September, 2009

To get your own copy and receive dozens of bonus gifts go to http://www.overcomersbook.com/booklaunch

Overcomers Inc Book Summary

Only 2 more sleeps until the highly anticipated book Overcomers, Inc: True stories of hope, courage, and inspiration which I’ve co-authored, is launched!

This Thursday October 22, a long time dream of mine will come true; the dream to become a published author.  We all have a story – actually many stories about our lives.  From the outside our stories may seem similar, but what makes each story uniquely our own is how we’ve perceived our experiences, how we’ve responded to life’s circumstances and how we’ve played the hand we were dealt.

This book is an anthology of 37 stories plus my own.  The courage is not only in what happens in the story, but also in the sharing of the story.  If you’ve ever put your work into the world in a public way as in the form of a book, you’ll know what I mean when I say it’s a “coming out” of sorts.  When you read the stories in this book, you will be inspired by the courage of each and every writer; how they overcame their adversity and that they’ve shared it with the world.

Here is a short summary of our book.

Overcomers, Inc: True stories of hope, courage, and inspiration will give readers the knowledge and emotional resilience to face the most difficult times of life by sharing inspiring stories of triumph.

You will find this a book of diversity. There are many authors, from many walks of life. However, they all share a common bond. They triumphed over tragedy and gleaned wisdom in this process. While this is not a religious book, there are stories full of faith, of many kinds and flavors. It is funny how in your darkest times, faith often becomes your brightest light.

All of the contributors to this book want to encourage you to hold tight to your belief that a better day will come. It is their sincere desire to pass along what they’ve learned through their own trials, to make your journey easier.

To get your own copy and receive dozens of bonus gifts go to http://www.overcomersbook.com/booklaunch

Overcomers Inc Book Reviews

We’re ramping up to the big Overcomers, Inc. book launch this Thursday October 22 and I’m so excited!  Today I wanted to give you a few more tid-bits about the book. 

Below is a sampling of some of the reviews of the book I’ve co-authored; Overcomers, Inc: True stories of hope, courage, and inspiration:

“A seriously terrific book. I was moved to tears and laughter within pages, and can’t wait to order a box to give as gifts. Overcomers, Inc. also happens to be a genuine reflection of the humanity of the authors. Both book and authors are wise, light, and make the world a better place.”~ Andrea J. Lee, Author, How I Wonder…Thought Leadership in a Noisy World, AndreaJLee.com.

To get your own copy and receive dozens of bonus gifts go to http://www.overcomersbook.com/booklaunch 

It is no coincidence that happiness, gratitude in practice, and simple yet time-honored truths are key themes in this beautiful collection of stories where faith, hope, optimism, and sheer determination triumph over the worst of odds. If you’re stuck in a rut, or doing well, either way you’ll enjoy the unfailingly positive message and relish the tools Overcomers, Inc. provides to surface deep gratitude and awareness to empower your life.” ~ Maryam Webster, author, Everyday Bliss For Busy Women, MaryamWebster.com.

To get your own copy and receive dozens of bonus gifts go to http://www.overcomersbook.com/booklaunch

“At a time in the world when so many people are feeling fear about their future and questioning their faith, Overcomers, Inc. comes as a Divine answer, reminding us that when faced with what seems to be insurmountable odds, miracles occur when we approach life with a loving, open and courageous heart. After reading each story, you cannot help being transformed in some way. This is one book you’ll keep by your nightstand for when you need a dose of hope and inspiration!” ~ Lorraine Cohen, Spiritual Life Coach & Advisor, Speaker, Broadcaster, Powerfull-Living.biz.

To get your own copy and receive dozens of bonus gifts go to http://www.overcomersbook.com/booklaunch

“These pieces will make you want to cry and smile at the same time. They are heart-wrenching, inspiring, and right from the heart. If you’re going through a tough time and need inspiration, the words in Overcomers, Inc. will remind you that you’re not alone. The authors remind us that even in the midst of terrible change and crisis, hope and transformation are not only possible but inevitable.”
~ Anna Stookey, MA, MFT, Bodymind Specialist and Psychotherapist, AnnaStookey.com.

To get your own copy and receive dozens of bonus gifts go to http://www.overcomersbook.com/booklaunch

Book Launch

This is a very exciting and emotional day for me.  Today I’m “coming out” as an author! It’s been many months in the making, and this Thursday October 22, 2009 the book that I have co-authored will be released. 

Information about the book follows:

Kimberly L. Martin offers her inspiring Story in the New Book Overcomers, Inc: True Stories of Hope, Courage and Inspiration

Love Your Life Publishing will launch a compilation of 38 inspiring and thought provoking stories in the new anthology Overcomers, Inc: True stories of hope, courage, and inspiration on Thursday, October 22nd.  http://www.overcomersbook.com/booklaunch

Overcomers, Inc: True stories of hope, courage, and inspiration will give readers the knowledge and emotional resilience to face the most difficult times of life by sharing inspiring stories of triumph.

Kimberly L. Martin has offered a chapter entitled “Willy Loman I Am Not!” She shares with us her journey of self-discovery through facing three major career changes, each one bringing her closer to realizing her life’s purpose, finding true happiness and living an authentic life.

As an endorser of this book, Author Max Wellspring says, “At the end of reading the beautiful poignant stories, the first word that came to my mind was “Wow!” These are extraordinary and brave stories….not only inspiring, but soul stirring. Each one of these narratives is proof that there is a choice to co-create with Source that will inevitably bring healing. 

All the authors had the trust, willingness, and courage to make that choice, and surrender to the mystery of life’s unfolding, demonstrating how tragedies, illness, disappointment and betrayal can be shape-shifted into miracles.  It is a noble book not only for these unprecedented turbulent times, and serves as a beacon of hope for all of us in the human condition.”

Over 90 top authors, industry experts, coaches and visionaries are supporting 38 contributing authors by donating nearly $6000 in life changing bonus gifts, including e-books, audio and video downloads, reports, special event offers and more.  http://www.overcomersbook.com/booklaunch

Among these supporters are Dr. Wayne Dyer, leader in the field of personal transformation, Best-selling author of Excuses Begone!, Chris and Janet Attwood, renowned authors of the recent bestseller, The Passion Test: The Effortless Path To Discovering Your Destiny, visionaries, leaders and authors including Dr. Joe Rubino, David Mathison, Alexis Martin Neely, Erin Blaskie and over 85 others.

The book will be available for purchase on Thursday, October 22nd at which time buyers will receive dozens of bonus gifts with the purchase.  http://www.overcomersbook.com/booklaunch

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