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As creative entrepreneurs, we want to make our wisdom available to as many people as possible. A great way of do this is to take valuable material we have already created and, through repurposing, present it in different formats. We can be of greater service to others as well as making our own lives easier when we do this.

How can creative entrepreneurs and others benefit from repurposing?

Repurposing saves you time and energy because you don’t have to start from scratch. Instead of procrastinating, you’ll start realizing how much you have to offer, maybe things that you previously took for granted. Here’s an important mindset reminder for creative entrepreneurs – what you know has value.

Another benefit of repurposing is it gives your audience the ability to digest your message on their own terms, not just yours. People take in information in different ways. Some people love to read. Some people prefer to listen. They may be both types at different times. At different times, I’ll grab transcripts or have my CDs in my car. Sometimes I have my iPod and need my MP3 format. Sometimes I enjoy watching something. It really depends on the situation.

If you’re not putting your message out there more in multiple ways, formats and streams you’re not allowing yourself to help as many people as possible. Creative entrepreneurs want to be able to touch people in different ways and give them a sense of who you are. That’s the beauty of what you bring to your business when you embrace the repurposing concept.

So creative entrepreneurs won’t focus on what you DON’T have, but will focus on what you DO have. You might find that you can be repurposing something of real value and touch the lives of many more people. You can also really maximize your limited time and energy and yes, get a lot more done!

What example of repurposing content has worked for you?

So often it’s easy for creative entrepreneurs to get distracted by what others are doing. You start feeling a little envious about your colleague’s new website, info-product, etc. and you think I want that too! Now this isn’t necessarily a bad thing for creative entrepreneurs unless you start spinning in too many different directions at once… and end up going nowhere.

Sometimes it’s about taking a deep breath and saying what do I have right now at my disposal that I can work with, that’ll be easy? What resources do I have already that I can start repurposing and repackaging?

Repurposing is taking what you already have created in one form and putting it out there in a different way or a different format.

As creative entrepreneurs we have so many great ideas we want to use, but this can lead to entrepreneurial ADD – we’re always creating but we’re not really getting things done. Repurposing is the simple solution for creative entrepreneurs.

Here are some other examples of repurposing:

• If you’ve been blogging for awhile, see if you can create an ebook based on a series of tips from your blog.

• If you have a huge newsletter archive but haven’t started blogging yet you don’t have to start writing new content from scratch. Recycle some of your newsletter articles and use them in your blog.

• Here’s one of my personal favorites, repurposing my transcripts. Sometimes I don’t have time to write an article from scratch but I’ll remember having done a teleclass on the same subject. I pull it out and have my assistant make a few necessary edits and voila I have a new article.

• Read and record articles you’ve written in the past and you can quickly create a podcast for your blog.

When you start thinking along these lines, creative entrepreneurs will find a wealth of valuable material that, through repurposing, can be offered to others. Check out my upcoming blog to see why repurposing your content is so beneficial.

You may also want to check out the MP3, transcript and highlights of:  Leveraging Your Knowledge for Profit – How to Repurpose the Content that’s in your Head (or on your Hard Drive) into Powerful Multi-Media Marketing.

Have you as an entrepreneur ever been nervous about asking someone to buy what you’re selling? Fear of selling is a problem for many – whether it’s in person, via email or a sales page on your website. We don’t want to appear pushy.

Here are a few tips that will help you feel comfortable asking for the business. (And if you’re comfortable you’re more likely to do it.)

1. Be Direct.

Let’s think about it from the perspective of your prospective client…

Imagine being invited to someone’s home for a “business presentation” and you’re not clear what she wants from you. Your head’s racing with questions. Is she selling me something? Expecting me to buy? What does she want from me?

Now imagine the same situation but this time your host is more direct in her invitation. “I’m working with a great company and I’d love for you to see it. If it makes sense, I’d love for you to become my partner, or at least my customer. Come listen with an open mind and see what you think.”

You need to put your cards on the table and state what you want directly, the tension of the situation dissipates. People are greatly relieved because they understand your expectations.

Being clear at the beginning is usually the best approach. This way there are no surprises. I know I’ve had great success simply explaining my expectations upfront. It helps them, and it helps me as an entrepreneur to overcome my fear of selling.

2. Allow Your Authenticity to Shine Through.

Don’t put on a show. Let them get to know the real you. Be straightforward and authentic versus pushy and overeager. Keep it simple and easy-to-follow, you’ll come off more sincere if you’re not too fancy and overly polished.

3. Keep It Compelling.

Tell your prospect your WHY. Why were you motivated to share your product or service? This answer will create your connection. You can even share a compelling story. What’s great about a story is instead of feeling like your pushing yourself on them; you’ll know you’re sharing something authentic and of value.

Speak about the benefits of your products or services. Communicate the value of what you’re offering by showing your prospect how this opportunity will make her life better.

Your focus on service will help you overcome fear of selling.

Applying these suggestions will help you as an entrepreneur overcome your fear of selling and make it much easier for you to ask for the business, help more people and make more money. Remember that sales is not a 4-letter word, it’s the opportunity to provide someone with a solution to their problem.

“We Don’t Ask for the Business” is one of the sins I cover in my Action Guide “The Seven Deadly Sins Women In Business Make…and How to Avoid Them”. Learn from my mistakes and how by making a few, small changes you can become the entrepreneur who overcomes your fear of selling, attracts more clients, makes more money and has more fun. Click here to learn more.

As I was picking up pizza last week for my kids I had a very interesting conversation with the owner about his business. It illustrates what fear of selling can do to an entrepreneur.

With some stores in the shopping plaza closing he shared that his business was slow. He said people weren’t even calling for deliveries. As a regular customer I had no idea he even offered delivery. Clearly he was not communicating this information.

“Why not put it in a big sign in your window to capture the traffic from plaza?” I asked.

“Oh, they should know that I deliver. All pizza places deliver.”

The fact is it’s very easy for an entrepreneur to blame the economy but the truth is no one will buy if they don’t know what you’re selling.

Here’s another example…

One of my favorite clients called me to say that she was discouraged that she hadn’t made any money from an information product she’d created. She felt frustrated that she wasn’t getting it done.

As we backtracked a bit, I asked her what she’d done to spread the word about her product. “Nothing,” she said, “I was scared that if I told them I was selling something they’d think I was being salesy and get off my list.”

Now the plot thickens…

The interesting thing about this woman is that she (like most of us) has something REALLY helpful that she’s created and would like to share with her community and sell it. She’s got a product that can help a lot of people.

The question then is “what’s getting in her way of putting it out there?”

Fear of selling. Fear of “someone” thinking she’s selling something. Fear of people dropping off her list because she’s doing more than just sending out nice content newsletters. Fear that she’ll be perceived a certain way.

Remember the Value of What You’re Offering

The good news in her case was I knew the prescription. It’s clear (at least to me) that the “simple” action she needs to take to get it done and achieve her short term goal of bringing in more money is to write an email to her list sharing with them what she’s offering. She needs to overcome her fear of selling.

Simple task but overwhelming to her because that email feels scary and has lots of strings attached. But I reminded her, “You’re not selling heroin, or used cars, you’re selling a product that makes people feel better.”

She’s offering a valuable service. I’d even go as far as to say that if she doesn’t offer it, she’s being selfish with her gifts.

Will some people unsubscribe from her list because they think she’s being salesy? YES

Is that okay? YES

She’s in business and the definition of being in business means that you make money by providing value to people. The more people you, the entrepreneur, help, the more money you make.

You can’t make money if you don’t let people know what you have to offer. Having the fear of selling is a mistake that a lot of entrepreneurs (especially women) make over and over again.

If you’re ready to move forward, but are still struggling with the fear of selling, check out my next blog. I’ll share with you 3 tips on how you can get the right mindset to sell so that you can attract more clients, make more money and have more fun!

I love hearing stories of other people’s successes… partly because it’s always inspiring to see people doing well, but mostly because there’s ALWAYS something that I can learn from them.

A few months ago I had the good fortune of participating in Sandy Grason’s Fabulous Formula. I learned about her concept of the Empire Chart which really shifted how I look at my business, and gave me one of my biggest inspirations for all my Get it Done programs.

She’s releasing a series of Case Studies  which are detailed, in-depth video reports on people (myself included) who have done very well for themselves using her Fabulous Formula — including exactly what they did that made their business breakthroughs so successful.

I highly recommend taking a look at her free videos.

Also, please join us for our Virtual Cocktail Party where Sandy will be sharing all about her Empire Chart model.

Many entrepreneurs struggle with how to find the right prospects for the great products and services they have to offer. During the Metromom Online Success Telesummit, I spoke about this with Alicia Forest, founder of ClientAbundance.com.

With only one sign-up page Alicia has very effectively grown her business to six figures! She shared with me how she did it and some great tips that you can use to grow your list in a way that people will ultimately want to do business with you.

There are two foundational pieces that have to be in place to start building your list:

1. Develop a “free taste” to offer to anyone signing up. Alicia recommended a five-part written e-course (a series of emails sent over a short amount of time) on a topic that will benefit and interest the people in your particular target market.

2. Have an “invite site” they have to sign-up on in order to receive the information. This is a single, one-page website where they will put their name and email address. There are ways to approach this invite site:

· A squeeze page will require them to enter their information before they can see the rest of your website.

· A slide page gives them the option to click on a button to enter the site first (so they can check out if this is truly where they want to be) and when they do sign-up it will be because they really like what you have to say.

Here are 5  effective (and free) strategies Alicia Forest shared for inviting new subscribers:

· Utilize your email signature. Every email you send out should have your preset signature with your salutation, your name, business name with a link to your website, and a line that describes the free taste you’re offering.

· Find places, like Yahoo, Google, Ascend, LinkedIn and Rise, where groups gather to discuss your area of expertise and join in the conversation. Offer some information of value; remember you’re being of service, not selling.

· Utilize the power of Facebook and Twitter. Facebook allows you to create a profile that describes what you do and for who. You can also add an opt-in box on the front page. As people friend you and want to know more, the box is right there with your free taste so they can easily sign-up for your list.

A great way to use Twitter to build relationships is to ask a quick question like: “What’s your biggest challenge in…?” You’ll find out what is important to them and, as you share your wisdom with them, they’ll think, “I like what she says. I’m going to sign up for her list.”

· Do a signature talk via teleclass. There are a lot of free places online where you can post a free teleclass. Take your free taste and expand it so that it’s an overview of what you’re offering. Invite people to come to your class. When they register for it, they’ll be adding their name to your list, with their permission of course.

· Be a guest speaker. Whether it’s on a telesummit or in person, speaking is the fastest way of building relationships. They’ll sense your credibility and trust you. When you invite them to your website, they’ll want to sign-up for your list.

No matter what stage of your business you are in, put yourself out there, and grow from there. And remember to do it in an honest, authentic voice because that is what draws the right people to you.

You won’t want to miss out on learning about another great way of building your list. Sign up now for my Get It Done Action call, “Quick & Easy Guide for Entrepreneurs: How to Use a Blog to Build an Effective Internet Presence.” It’s as EASY 3-Part System that I used to create a high-traffic blog AND increase my list by 600% in just one year.

What is the most powerful marketing strategy in today’s online world? The answer – blogging. It allows us to create motivating content that helps us establish a rapport with our prospective clients. By blogging we build credibility, attract new clients and drive traffic to our services and products.

At my Metromom Online Success Telesummit, I learned a great deal from blogging expert, Wendy Maynard. Her easy-to-use suggestions will help an inexperienced internet user get started quickly as well as help others improve the blog they already have.

Here are some blogging tips that Wendy and I discussed:

A blog is a lot easier to use than a website. You can go to www.Blogger.com or www.WordPress.com to set up your blog in less than five minutes. It’s as simple to use as Microsoft Word, with additional plug-ins so you can set up sidebars with information that tells all about you and what you have to offer. As you grow, you can add other pages: About Me page, Hire me page, even pages with PayPal links to sell your products and services.

Posting a blog two or three times a week allows you to establish your credibility as you write about your area of expertise. As you write in your own consistent voice, people will get to know and trust you.

And with a blog you have dialoguing power—readers can post comments in response to your questions or comments. Instant feedback like that can help you know in what direction to grow your business.

If you use content that is keyword rich, search engines will direct traffic to your blog. It’s also easy to tie your blog into things like Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin.

As the traffic flows to your blog, you can build your list. The key is to have a free offer accessible from your blog. Wendy recommends placing a sign up box in the upper right hand corner of your blog.

If you don’t have a product to sell, be an affiliate for someone you want to promote. If you do have a product or service to sell, make sure you provide links to a landing page that will give more details about these products. As you write an informational piece, you can embed appropriate links in the content.

Blogging is one of the easiest and fastest ways to get your brilliance out there. I’d like to share with you the secrets I’ve learned in using this wonderful marketing tool. Sign up now for my Get It Done Action call, “Quick & Easy Guide for Entrepreneurs: How to Use a Blog to Build an Effective Internet Presence.” It’s as EASY 3-Part System that I used to create a high-traffic blog AND increase my list by 600% in just one year.

Do you have a message and expertise you’d like to share?

How would you like to have a list of people interested in your products and services?

If you’re not getting out there as you’d like I want to invite you to my GET IT DONE Action Call so I can show you some of my favorite techniques that have helped me create a high-traffic blog and increase my list by 600% in one year!

The reason I decided to host this call is I’ve had dozens of coaching calls this last month with the same theme! The entrepreneurs I’m speaking with are feeling very overwhelmed with the prospect of internet marketing.

- They want to build their list and develop their business platform.
- They want to get their message out there and share their expertise. And,
- They want to begin to develop a following to whom they can promote their products and services.

They know they should be doing it and they certainly want to be doing it… but they don’t know how to do it.

And they definitely don’t want to invest a ton of time and a ton of energy and not see any results.

In my class called a Quick & Easy Guide for Entrepreneurs: How to Use a Blog to Build an Effective Internet Presence I will teach you my 3-part system to build your platform, communicate your message and expand your list.

I will walk you through all the steps so you can follow my roadmap and get it done – quickly and easily. I’ll be providing you with very specific information (along with really detailed handouts) teaching you to “close the loop” so to speak – so it’s easy for you and your potential client to connect online.

To learn more and grab your seat, please visit this page: http://metromom.com/GIDActionCall/blog

As a woman in business for yourself, who you are – including your relationship with money – translates into your business. A few months ago I interviewed my good friend and mastermind buddy, Linda Hunt, for a training call for my members on The Language of Money – Understanding Your Language Around Money So You Can Change Your Relationship With It. I want to share just a few highlights from that call on how to improve your relationship with money.

 

 Women In Business - How to Improve Your Relationship with Money [Metromom Podcast] [6:20m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The kids are back to school, summer vacations are over and everyone seems to have renewed focus. This is the perfect time to start prioritizing your business. Get practical, “real-life” tips that will keep you on track so you use your limited time wisely and build some momentum in your business.

 

 Work at Home Moms – Fall is the Perfect Time to Refocus and Prioritize [Metromom Podcast] [5:36m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download