Strengthening Faith Management Systems In Your Small Business

By Wendy Burge

Recently, I was speaking with a woman who was considering starting her own small business. As we talked, she stated her husband’s concerns over her idea and then remarked, “Who would start a business in this economy right now, anyway? I mean, there is so much going against this idea during this economic time!”

My response surprised her. “I would.” I replied, and then I explained my position as she listened. Shortly thereafter, I wished her well with her decision, and we went on our ways.

Her concerns for stepping into the world of an entrepreneur were definitely warranted yet, before she even could let her dream get off the ground she had already shot down her idea with all the reasons why it would not work. And in my experience, it surely would not, because she lacked an under-acknowledged ingredient to being a small business owner: Faith.

During the 16 years I have been a small business entrepreneur, I have experienced many challenges that directly have affected my business. Over this period, I have discovered that if I wanted to keep my doors open I needed to stop focusing with worry about potential external influences that may or may not directly impact my bottom line. Instead, I learned what I call risk management systems that allowed me to weather through a variable of challenging times.

However, to step into the domain of entrepreneurial stewardship requires more than business acumen, it requires faith. Faith is essential to moving any business venture forward. It means you clearly trust not only yourself in serving high quality skills that you’ve developed to help others, you have faith that this is the path you are intended to walk in alignment to fulfill your life’s purpose.

While there are many factors to how faith can be applied to business, I have found the following 5 points are essential to creating a solid faith management system as an entrepreneur – many of which are keys in “recession proofing” small businesses. I have even offered a series of questions at the end of each point to help you create your own faith management system in your business.

Clarify Your Real Values

Many solo-professionals and small business owners often refer to their businesses in terms of what they do: accountant, personal coach, massage therapist. However, their real value is found not in the service specifically, but in what they personally solve as identifiable problems their clients have. Consider why you chose your profession in the first place-what was that calling? What were you trying to achieve by being in service?  This will often show up in your conversations with clients or how exactly you enjoy working with your clients. The value you create in people’s lives is often tied to the purpose you felt compelled to follow. This makes your market position unique and not mainstream. And if you are unsure what exactly this is, do not hesitate to ask your clients. They will often provide incredible insights into your business that you can utilize to enhance their experience and your value. Now, answer this question for yourself and see how it applies to your business and marketing: “What is the intention in which I created my business that is a refreshing alternative to my competitors?”

Strengthen Client Relationships
          
It has taken larger corporations a while to catch on that people like quality, competent service; however, small businesses know this fact all to well. It is incredibly costly to attain a new client initially at the front door, so strengthening relationships with your clients is essential if you want to keep them. Once a business owner understands the real value of each client, they can enhance their experience with them through more personalized services and close the back door from their leaving. (Starbucks does this incredibly well, in spite of being a large corporation.) Hand written thank you cards, special VIP incentives, and customer appreciation days are just a few ways businesses can recognize the value of their clients while adding more value to their service. The client experience becomes less about ‘making the sale’– as it is now about enhancing their lives with your service or product. People love personalized recognition and they want to see those businesses succeed that make them feel special and valued. And, because this is the purpose of passion-based entrepreneurs, it is a natural extension of their work to treat clients as if they were dear friends. Now, answer this question for yourself and see how it applies to your business and marketing: “How can I personally make my clients’ lives better because of my business?” 

Leverage Your Expertise

A mentor of mine recently stated, “It takes guts to follow your passion–to fulfill your soul’s work, so while it’s important to pray for guidance, you must still move your feet into action if you are to take your message into the world.” Positioning yourself as an expert is an absolute necessity for your success and empire building. Showcasing your divine gifts is essential in this process and there are many ways to start building your credibility as an expert in your field. Developing your own systems, courses, and digital teaching tools are now even more easily do-able with web based software – especially when it comes to accessibility and deliverability. There are traditional methods that still work just as well, like speaking, book publishing, and writing articles and ezines.    If there are still things that you feel you must understand about your industry, then invest in learning. It is often the marketing not the mastery that catapults expertise status. There are people already waiting for your help right now – you just have to find them and lead the way. Now, answer this question for yourself and see how it applies to your business and marketing: “What problem can I best solve for my clients that will enhance their lives and others?”

 Understand Your Goals

Traditionally, goals are set as a measurement of success. Attainment of a material, monetary, or professional status is also a sign of success in our culture, as well. Unfortunately, we often see public figures reach these heights only to be jaded by personal feelings of un-fulfillment with their status. They chose to play out destructive behaviours and the world watches wondering “why?”- when it appears they have “everything”! I believe goals are misunderstood. Most people create their goals based on the concept of their worth. They get caught in the trappings by questioning if they are worthy of their goals and whether they will ever achieve them. Although, as a conscious entrepreneur, one who has mindful intention to the purposeful service they offer, there must be a belief that the success you desire in your life is based on the utilization of your divine gifts. Goals serve a completely different purpose then. The real question of goals becomes more of a statement “Are your goals worthy of you?” You must have confidence in yourself, your ability, and the vision you hold for your life. Then with big dreams, step into it with the confidence that the Universe has gifted this space for you to achieve your goal. Therefore, the purpose of any personal or professional goal is meant for us to step into our personal greatness-it is a way for us to tap into the gift of living life to its fullest expression. This is evident when you have big dreams about your business-how it looks, acts, and responds to the care of people. Now, answer this question for yourself and see how it applies to your business and marketing: “Are my goals worthy of me and the purposeful path I am on?”

Accept Your Profits

Spirituality and money are rarely seen in the same sentence, let alone the same topic. However, the concept of being spiritually sound in your service, but living barely within your means does questions the intention of a fulfilled life purpose. While miracles and manifestation are a means to tapping into the divine, payment for service is essential to tap into the human soul. Money can actually be seen as a spiritual experience. Yes, you heard me correctly! Let me explain. Choosing the path of purpose-filled work required an openness to tap into your connection to the divine – through mediation, prayer, or a calling. In return, you discovered that you were actually good at a skill, talent, or gift–if you will. The highest respect to life then, is to live out your purpose in service using this divine gift. In exchange of honouring your gifts people must pay you for your service. Money is a Universal form of appreciation in return for offering your gifts. I must also address the value in receiving payment. The deeper you understand this concept, the more you will see this enhancing your self-worth – it honours your soul’s purpose. Over time this leads to wealth generation allowing you to move into greater offerings where money can make substantial differences in people’s lives through charitable contributions, foundations, grants, and sometimes by just being able to fund the initial start-up of another project that will directly impact the well-being of people. Not having money is counter-intuitive to living a life full out! Now, answer this question for yourself and see how it applies to your business and marketing: “What value do I place on my own services in order to increase my worth, which allows me to be profitable in my business?”

 To be an entrepreneur takes courage, an openness to learning, and faith that this is the best opportunity for you to express your divine gifts. To have a faith management system in place allows you to trust this path. While, it does not mean you will not encounter challenges in your business, it does however, make it much easier to course correct when you are solid in your belief and understanding about your business intention – for this truly is the soul of your business.

 © 2009 Wendy Burge – Radiant Edge Consulting.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Conscious Business & Marketing Coach Wendy Burge publishes the On the Edge! weekly ezine–Where business, marketing, and lifestyle meet. If you’re ready to jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now at www.RadiantEdgeConsulting.com

3 Simple Steps to Make Great Introductory Statements

by Wendy Burge 

Networking is a MUST as a small business owner if you want to grow a healthy business filled with the right clients. This doesn’t matter if you work in a business with four walls or online in a virtual community. Communicating clearly what service or product you offer aids people in determining how you can help them; this is especially true when you attend networking events.  A one-minute marketing pitch must be well-developed in order to deliver the right impact and interest to your prospective clients who may be in the room.  Unfortunately, some solo-professionals, healers, coaches, and consultants have a tricky time explaining what they do because they are so well versed in various techniques which can help multiple issues that they have difficulty identifying just a few topics to “pitch” in their introductory statements.

My most recent experience of a poorly crafted introductory statement happened this past week at a networking group I was attending. Everyone had a 1-minute to introduce themselves and their business, as typical with these kinds of events. This went well for the most part.  Then it was time for the woman sitting near me to speak about her business. She quickly hopped out of her seat and stated with uncertainty, “Hi – My name is Jane, I am a healer, I do massage therapy, energy healing, and EFT – a tapping technique, and well, I am looking for people who are open to my kind of work.”  Then she sat down.  OUCH!

I watched the room as people scrunched up their face trying to figure out what exactly this woman had to offer or how to make a referral to her.  All I will honestly say is that she missed the point of this type of marketing opportunity. Most especially, what she could gain from introducing herself with a well-crafted introductory statement and offer. Hint: CLIENTS!

This happens often when people describe what they do not how or who they can help.  In this case, she made it hard for listeners to determine if they were able to use her services or if they knew someone else who could. So how do you explain everything you do in under a minute?

Here are my 3 Simple Steps to Make Introduction Statements, and equally important how to leverage your service in the offer. So, grab your paper and pencil and let’s get you started!

1. Determine What Problem You Solve For People

Many people are not specific enough as to their service and offer too many choices about how they can help others with their business. While you may be able to help people with many issues, too many choices can overwhelm people when you first meet them. In general, most PROSPECTS think in terms of “How can this person help me?” So, if you have a laundry list of issues you deal with, it can appear that you dabble in everything and are really not a master at any one item.  This can put people off very quickly.

Typically, PROSPECTS are looking for individuals who appear to be EXPERTS in their industry. They want to feel they can trust someone who knows exactly how to help them solve their problem. By choosing only a few PROBLEMS which you can solve you can position your message easily. You can always introduce your other services to your prospect once they have become a CLIENT. (Then they will think you are even more fabulous!)

To narrow down your SOLUTIONS practice listening to the types of conversations you have with people in general, clients, and prospects, or review the successes you have had. Do you see a common theme?  Make a list of them. 

2. Develop 3 to 5 Specific Solutions With Features And Benefits

Now that you have determined what exactly you find yourself solving for people, pick only the three to five items that you really enjoy or have had success in resolving. Do not pick items that you dread!  You will not be convincing when you have to speak about them. Remember you are crafting a message that will capture the attention of your IDEAL CLIENTS so the energy you project when you speak about something can enhance or take away from the topic.
 
With these points clearly identified develop a FEATURE and a BENEFIT of your solution for that problem.  You may find that there are multiple features and benefits for each solution, list as many as possible, so you can work with a variety of options. Examples might look like this:

Business: Massage Therapist
Client Problem: Low back pain from pregnancy
Solution: Soft tissue massage and prenatal stretching
Feature: Gentle massage technique
Benefit: Relaxes muscles stressed by pregnancy hormones

Business: Certified Pet Groomer
Client Problem: Dog fur matting in winter
Solution: Regular mini-grooming session between clips
Feature: Conditioning of the fur and skin in winter
Benefit: Less matting of the fur in cold, wet weather 

 3. Craft A Statement Which Includes An Introduction

Now that you have clarified your problem and solutions and each feature and benefit, combine them into a well crafted statement with a simple introduction of your name, your business name, and profession.

“Hello my name is Jane, my business is Bodyworks. As a Massage Therapist I help pregnant women who have low back pain by using soft tissues massage and prenatal stretching. I offer a gentle massage technique so that it relaxes muscles stressed by pregnancy hormones.”

“Hello my name is Claire, my business is The Dog House. As a Certified Pet Groomer, I help keep long hair dogs from matting in the winter by offing regular mini-grooming sessions between clips. By conditioning their fur and skin in the winter, less matting of the fur occurs in cold, wet weather.”
 
Each of these statements clearly enables prospective clients listening to determine if they are an ideal client. What you have done by crafting your message this way is PRE-QUAILFY your PROSPECTS.  Members of the audience listening now know that you can help them with an identifiable problem. And in the case of our examples, care of their pregnant sister or their own little, long haired dog.

 
* BONUS STEP 

In marketing, these types of introductory statements posses a Hottest Undeniable Benefit or HUB statements. Now that you have a great HUB statement, leverage it with an offer to the group you are speaking with.  It may be that you offer a free consultation, maybe a savings or discount, or a special package deal to the members of the group. Examples might be:

“Hello my name is Jane, my business is Bodyworks. As a Massage Therapist I help pregnant women who have low back pain by using soft tissues massage and prenatal stretching. I offer a gentle massage technique so that it relaxes muscles stressed by pregnancy hormones. If you or someone you care for is pregnant and is experiencing this problem, come speak to me today and I will offer you a free consultation and a great prenatal stretching guidebook exclusively from Bodyworks”

 ”Hello my name is Claire, my business is The Dog House. As a Certified Pet Groomer, I help keep long hair dogs from matting in the winter by offering regular mini-grooming sessions between clips. By conditioning their fur and skin in the winter, less matting of the fur occurs in cold, wet weather. If your dog experiences this problem, come speak to me today and I will offer you a 10% savings on your dog’s first visit to The Dog House.”

 By clarifying your Introductory Statement with these 3 simple steps you will naturally attract the RIGHT clients. By enhancing your statement with a SPECIAL OFFER you can create a great marketing opportunity in under a minute. Simple, clear, and do-able!
 
Have fun crafting your Introductory Statements. Try creating 3 to 5 messages that you can use at different events, as well, to introduce yourself where ever you go.

 © 2009 Wendy Burge – Radiant Edge Consulting.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Conscious Business & Marketing Coach Wendy Burge publishes the On the Edge! weekly ezine–Where business, marketing, and lifestyle meet. If you’re ready to have radiant marketing, make more money, and have more freedom in your small business, get your FREE tips now at www.RadiantEdgeConsulting.com