It’s December. Do You Know Where Your Business Goals Are?

Did you set goals for your business back in January of this year? It’s a fairly common practice among entrepreneurs to set new intentions when the year begins. So, how are you doing on those January goals?

It’s also pretty common for business owners to get to December, and realize:

1. They’re nowhere near reaching the goals they designed for the year.
2. They don’t remember what their goals were, or have just now recalled they even had some.
3. They feel like a failure because they didn’t reach their goals.
4. 4. All three of the above.

Are you ready to make a commitment for next year to be different? Here’s what you need to do:

• Know exactly what your goals are. Don’t just state your goals; define them. Goals often fail to be realized because they aren’t specific enough. “Get more clients” isn’t a goal; it’s a wish. “Get 4 new retainer clients paying $500 each per month by March 1st” is a goal.
• Design a way to track your progress. When you make a goal numerical, it’s easy to track. If you’re shooting for four clients and you have three, you’re 75% of the way there. With a goal that’s more qualitative, you can still track your progress by assigning a starting and ending grade or score. Then instead of the vagueness of “learn to sell better,” you can benefit from the exactness of “raise my sales skills from a C- to a B by June 30th.”
• Check in with your goals on a regular basis. This reminds you what your goals are, motivates you to work toward them, and helps you plan what to do about them each month, week, or day.
• Build in an accountability structure. You need something or someone that will remind you of your intentions on a regular basis. Depending on the level of accountability you might need, this can be notes in your calendar, phone calls with a business buddy, meetings with an action group or success team, or sessions with a business coach.
• Divide your goals into projects and commitments. Goals are often too large to tackle all at once, and that can make them seem overwhelming. For every goal you set, define either a project (something you do once and then it’s complete) or a commitment (something you do repeatedly). “Write the copy for my home page” is a project. “Go to my BNI group once a week” is a commitment.
• For motivation, use rewards, not punishment. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t reach a goal; instead design a juicy reward you will earn when your goal is achieved.
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If you didn’t do any of these things this year, December isn’t the time for blame and remorse. Instead, use this yearend time to follow these steps so you don’t end up in the same place next year.

Copyright © 2015, C.J. Hayden

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7 Tips for Avoiding GoFundMe Tricksters

People helping people - there’s nothing better, and that’s one of the reasons why the crowdfunding site GoFundMe has become so popular.

It’s not so much for people with business ideas to find backers but more a great way for us to show support for charitable causes and individuals with ambitions or financial woes.

But it’s inevitable that, just like charities, fundraising sites like GoFundMe are also attracting their share of scammers.

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©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.

Reprinted with permission.

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Bogus Loan Default Agency Threatens Jail

If you borrow money for any purpose, there’s hardly anything scarier than receiving an arrest warrant claiming you defaulted on the loan.

That’s the kind of fear factor that crooks often count on in trying to convince victims into clicking a link or attachment that will install malware onto their PCs.

In its latest guise, scammers kick this trick up a notch by claiming their communication is from a government department called the Bureau of Defaulters — which actually doesn’t exist.

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©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.

Reprinted with permission.

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Bogus Auto Insurance Victims Could Lose Their Cars

Imagine buying a car insurance policy from a reputable company, then seeing your auto being towed away while you’re accused of being part of a scam.

It happens. And here’s how it works.

When you buy your new vehicle, you encounter a supposed insurance agent who says he can get you a great deal with a big-name insurance company.

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©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.

Reprinted with permission.

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This Credit Repair Scam Could Land You in Court

In addition to the sheer misery that scams cause, there’s a handful of con tricks that can also land victims in trouble with the law like some credit repair scams.

One of these scams is based on a code called a Credit Privacy Number or Credit Profile Number (CPN).

A CPN is supposedly a nine-digit code that they’ll tell you can be used in place of your Social Security number (SSN) when you apply for credit, thereby bypassing your existing credit record.

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©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.

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Scammers Exploit Launch of New Chip Cards

Chip cards a new-fangled credit and debit cards embedded with a microchip have been dropping into mailboxes across the U.S. for several months.

The cards are supposed to make transactions more secure and reduce the risk of credit and debit card fraud something we obviously applaud.

Many people have already received their replacements, but the rollout is expected to continue right through 2016 before everyone has them.

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©Copyright Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved.

Reprinted with permission.

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Find Your Marketing Muse: 5 Types You Can Choose

Are your marketing activities in need of a boost? Motivation? Inspiration? Consider adopting muse.

A muse is a person or being that serves as a source of inspiration. To adopt a muse means to intentionally choose a model individual to inspire your work. Following a chosen muse can guide you as a self-employed professional to sort out what you need to do in order to market yourself successfully.

Here are five Marketing Muses you might consider adopting. Each one embodies a different set of abilities and personal qualities which you might be able to relate to, or to emulate.

1. The Networker – This muse loves to attend events, meet new people, and expand his circle of contacts. He’s often found engaged in conversation, either in person or online. The Networker gets business by becoming acquainted with a wide range of people, getting to know them, and staying in touch with them over time.
2. The Writer – The Writer muse authors articles, blog posts, case studies, or even a book. She builds her credibility and inspires trust by becoming known as an expert resource. As she continues to publish and promote what she writes, she stays visible to her target market. When they need someone with her specialty, they naturally think of her first.
3. The Speaker – Often found at the front of the room instead of in the audience, this muse enjoys sharing his expertise interactively. Whether he’s speaking at a professional meeting or delivering a webinar, he lands new clients by giving his audience a taste of what he can do. The Speaker makes a positive connection with his listeners that leads them to want more.
4. The Colleague – Unlike the Networker, the Colleague prefers interacting with people one-on-one. She may think of herself as being shy or an introvert, but instead of seeing this as a disadvantage, leans on her strength: relating to people more intimately. You’ll often find the Colleague meeting someone for lunch or coffee, and these meetings lead to ongoing referral relationships.
5. The Cold-Caller – Not everyone dislikes making cold calls. The telephone is the Cold-Caller’s friend. He loves the challenge of finding the right person to talk to, and the rhythm of placing one call after another. Rather than feeling rejected when he hears “no thanks,” he’s happy to move on to the next call. Each new conversation holds the promise of a welcoming response and ultimately, a sale.

Do none of those examples seem like the best model for you to follow? Invent your own Marketing Muse. Consider the type of activities you are naturally drawn to that might be useful for marketing your business. What are the environments in which you thrive? What personal strengths do you possess? The answers to these questions will suggest what might be the right muse for you to adopt.

Whenever you’re feeling confused, discouraged, or stuck about marketing your business, invoke your personal Marketing Muse. Following the example of a model for success — one that you’ve chosen yourself — may give you just the inspiration you need.

  Copyright © 2015, C.J. Hayden

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