5 Steps to Creating a Successful Marketing Plan

By Dr. Maya Bailey

RISMEDIA, December 18, 2009—As a Master Business Coach, I often hear from my clients the following story: “I feel stuck in my business. I really love to help people, I am excellent in negotiations and contracts, but I really hate prospecting. I just can’t seem to bring myself to pick up the phone.”


How often have you had those feelings, or have known of someone else who does? The thought of marketing makes most people clench their teeth, tighten their stomach and engage in marketing avoidance behavior that sends their business down the drain.

My clients tell me: “If only I could learn to market myself, I would love my business. I would be making a fortune.”

If you have these feelings, you’re not alone. There are specific reasons, including the following, why people avoid marketing:

1. “I don’t want to bother people.” How many times have you said it yourself before you picked up the phone? The fear of bothering people is huge. In the same breath, most business people tell me that, “I hate it when a telemarketer calls me at home and I don’t want to do the same thing to other people.”

2. “I don’t like tooting my own horn.” So many of us have been taught, especially women, that it’s not good to promote yourself. This is especially difficult for women who have come from a background other than sales before they started their own business. Often times they were employed in a company and marketing was never a part of their job.

3. “I don’t want to be rejected.” Some people are so terrified of being rejected or disapproved of, that they will even avoid calling their former clients. I have written previously in other articles about the phenomena of having a sphere of influence, which is your “goldmine,” but being afraid to “mine it.”

Fortunately, there are solutions for creating a successful marketing plan. Here are 5 easy ways to transform “marketing” into a pleasurable and profitable experience.

1. Think of giving - Whenever you think of marketing yourself, think about the fact that you are actually “offering” a valuable service. We get back what we give out. If you think of giving out a valuable service, and you focus on what you have to give, you will radiate a powerful force of positive energy which you will attract back to yourself in terms of clients and sales. The “secret” is to focus on being “the giver.”

2. Know your unique selling points- Most of the time when I coach my entrepreneur clients, they hugely underestimate what makes them unique. When I ask them, “Why should I work with you instead of someone else?” They honestly don’t know. Here’s the “secret”: make a list of the compliments you have received from former clients. Did they tell you that you were friendly, easy to get along with, very knowledgeable, extremely dependable, or great with follow-up?

As you make the list and think about it, you will start to become aware that what you have to offer as a business person is yourself.

You are unique. There is no one else like you. The more you like yourself and approve of yourself, the more you will radiate out a positive energy of self-love, gratitude, and appreciation. These energies are the highest energies that you could send out. They are guaranteed to magnetize back to you the ideal clients that you want.

Read more: http://rismedia.com/2009-12-17/5-steps-to-creating-a-successful-marketing-plan/#ixzz0b0BscbOA





Read more: http://rismedia.com/2009-12-17/5-steps-to-creating-a-successful-marketing-plan/#ixzz0b0Bhs9sj

Show Up For Yourself.

This is the title of the this months Life Balance track in the coaching program. And boy did I have to tell myself that this morning when the alarm went off at 5:30a.

Practicing yoga and listening to my audio MAP has been working and I didn't want to break the habit. Its nice and quiet in the house and allows me to fully concentrate without being disrupted by husband, dog, foot steps, refrigerator opening -- any of that. And I so appreciate this time.

Both of the clips I listened to this morning were timely as usual. The life balance one talked about not expecting perfection. I attempted to let go of this when I got married. Knowing that my house was not going to be in order all of the time because certain things (rooms) were out of my control. I was stressing myself and my husband out with these expectations and getting the same results. Instead of being overwhelmed by it, I accepted that things are perfectly fine how they are. She reiterated that for me this morning. But I also realize I need implement that in other areas of my life as well. I'll concentrate on areas where I can do that today.

The Career and Money track talked about owning it!!  Yesterday's homework was to become aware of where you wanted to be and think about what was holding you back from being there. What were you resisting? Once finding that out, the next thing is to take personal responsibility for it.

I've been sharing that my job was holding me back, but upon further contemplation about this yesterday. I found out that I'm in my own way. It isn't the full time job. Its my lack of clients in my business that is holding me back. I can leave that job at any time, that is within my countrol. But in order to be able to pay my bills I need to be building my other business.

I so appreciate these moments of thought that the daily MAPS provide. I feel more focused and ready to conquer another day.

Until next time.

Finding the Right Program for Me

So today was my first group coaching session, since it was my first one, I am still trying to determine how successful or beneficial I think its going to be for me in the long run, so I'll return to that in the coming weeks. However, my coach is concentrating on the Overcoming Overwhelm track this month and while I can always benefit from life balance. My immediate need surrounds career and business a bit more. So I decided to add that track to my homework/MAP for this month.

In catching up with Ms. Kim George's audio clips for last week. I really just wanted to cry. The Career and Money track is focusing on The Power of Choices -- how appropriate for me. She talks alot about being living your greatness now. Its very intersting that the workbook that goes along with the audio speaks alot about resisting. Resisting is more than saying "Aw, I'm not that great", its giving yourself execuses not to be great. I believe that is where I am now. I'm actually blaming others -- if I were married I would have just left that job by now, figuring out the finances as it came. What really made me want to just burst out in tears is when she said that many people are living in Satin Coffins... OMG... I mean is she talking to me or what.

Its cushy and probably pretty, but every day a little bit of you is dying.. WOW.

Her final thought for today was.. Let go of BECOMING and focus on what you can do TODAY!! and with that, I have alot of thinking and soul searching to do.

October MAP - Monthly Action Plan

I am three days into this Month's Action Plan. The title of which is Overcoming Overwhelm. Honestly, all this time I never knew that I was overwhelmed. I just figured that I needed focus. Which actually is me being overwhelmed with my thoughts. So Monday, I decided that I was going to just try something new. Afterall, I have until the end of the year to change my life.

Monday's Action Plan focused on identifying your obligations in life. The next day, we had to prioritize them, today was the day that we were to figure out what we could delegate.

Monday and Tuesday I got up, did yoga for 20 minutes, listened to my MAP for the day, did my homework and then started my day. I was very focused with clear understanding of what were priorities and tasks that I needed to accomplish to take me towards my goal. This morning however, I did not wake up and do yoga or listen to my MAP. Instead I got up and started the day without centering myself. I have felt frazzled all day long. I was late to two calls and I really couldn't find my focus. Maybe there is something to this MAP thing. Stay tuned...

90 Days to Change My Life

I've just returned from a trip to Turkey with my husband. Prior to that trip, I told myself that when I returned my life was going to be different. I think the decision came when I had a slight breakdown on the way to work one rainy morning during rush hour, where every alternative route I took was just as bad at the original route. This is when I screamed and yelled at myself through tears and rain that I just can't do this anymore. You see, I have worked with this company for over 10 years now -- and while that may be an accomplishment to some, I find it a painful fact. Yes, they have paid for both my undergraduate and my graduate degree but its is doing nothing to further my future plans of growing my business and adding progressive value to my life. Therefore it must go.

Its amazing how things happen. I mean, I've always known that things happen for a reason, but within a day or two after this rush hour melt down a client of my business introduced me to a coaching program. I've always thought about coaching as a need but could never find the money to make it so. The program she introduced me to addressed that concern head-on. Today, I have signed up for group coaching, which is not only more affordable than I can imagine but gives me an automatic support system which we all need.

I've decided to chronicle my progress via this blog. There is a point when you grow sick and tired of being sick and tired. And this just isn't to get rid of that corporate job, but its also to grow both my virtual project management business as well as set systems in place for my real estate clients and opportunities. Its going to be a lovely ride and I'm looking forward to it. So today - October 1, 2009, I have given myself 90 days to change my life.