Last month, I sent out an article about creating a dream board with the steps to take. Here's what Heidi, an advisor and subscriber had to say: "What great timing for this article!   I just scheduled a workshop for clients to create vision boards. Your suggestions are great. Keep them coming!" Her note went onto say that Heidi is hosting a Vision Boarding event for her clients. Intimate marketing a "non-salesy" way to market a business and continue to retain clients.  They are small gatherings of ideal clients and 2 of their friends for an event.  They allow clients to get to know you on a deeper level, you to get to know your clients on a deeper level AND for your client to bring in their friends to get to know you, too. Lot's of intimacy and connection.  Something we hear often younger clients are looking for, too.  :) In my opinion, gone are the days of massive dinner events.  I don't remember the last time a client actually told me they were holding such events.  Although clients have told me that they conduct quarterly or semin-annual meetings where they invite all their clients (and their friends) to an event that happens after they eat dinner at home.  It's a coffee, cake, and learning event. With so many businesses selling the same services and the internet making all business "close to us", the trend in marketing is about niching, for sure, but also about finding ways to connect 1:1 and much more deeply with your ideal clients. 

Market A Seminar Off and Online You’re hosting or participating in an event, virtually or in person. If it’s your event, for sure, you’ll market it. If it’s an event you’re participating in, that’s another opportunity to get your name out there. In addition to the ways listed in this article, there are plenty of ways to pay for marketing. Things like: targeted paid advertisement on social networking sites, ads or events notices in trade papers, newspapers, and magazines as well as using USPS’s local bulk mail for businesses system often brings new eyes to your work, too. Often library systems offer free access to databases of individuals or businesses you can target, too. MARKETING FOR FREE Below are 11 ways to market that for free (although it will take your marketing person to do the marketing). 1) Submit a press release online to your local newspapers, including business journals.  They will tell you if your event is an ad or real news.   (Here’s a sample of a press release online https://www.elevatingyourbusiness.com/8533-2/) 2) Visit the online magazines of the industry you’re in or that your ideal clients read for an opportunity to submit a press release. 3) The associations of your ideal clients often have newsletters and if you catch them at the right time, you can get your event in their newspapers.  Remember to contact all the local chapters of groups you’re a member of, too. 4) When you attend meetings, bring copies of the Press Release with you to

You’ve probably read an article or two about the 4-8 different learning styles.  If you take a course on the best ways to provide trainings, you're bound to learn about the importance of considering learning style elements when you plan your seminars, workshops, or speeches.  Important why?  Because you want your audience to retain and take action on the information you’re providing.  Right? It's helpful to consider the learning styles of your staff or clients as you create systems and processes for them, too.   But I digress. A hot sheet is often used as an internet marketing tool.  I think it’s an extremely important element for financial advisors to include in your marketing toolbox, too.   Why Use Hot Sheets? Have you noticed that advisors take a lot of written notes at conferences?  They're not the only people taking notes, of course.  But many in the industry, including me, take notes of various lengths.  Some people use the notes later and for some, just the process of writing allows us to retain the new knowledge we've learned. A hot sheet is a tool to help advisors do that and more. When you’re developing your talk, you write notes that contain the talking points or you put the entire talk into writing. What you could do next is to choose 3-5 of the more important (hot ) areas you’ll be discussing.  Next you take these hot topics and write the concepts in a way that the audience

Would you like to attract more of your most profitable clients, have more time to spend with your clients, and re-energize your practice? This 6-month intensive provides the arena and accountability you seek to implement positive change in your practice with direct feedback and support. Sharpen your practice management skills and get ahead of the competition with this virtual workshop. With business best-practices and proven systems, you will become a sought-after specialist in 2015 and for years to come. How you will benefit: • Discover how to attract more of the right clients • Distinguish and focus on income-producing priorities • Leverage your time and increase productivity • Implement time- and money-saving systems for your back office • Breathe easier as you create more time for the things that matter most What you will cover: • Conduct a business and life audit for clarity and focus throughout the workshop • Define your client niche and how to attract them to your practice • Create a comprehensive One Page Business and Marketing Plan® • Execute your plans with accountability and feedback from your peers and Coach Maria See the full Course Curriculum and a Week-by-Week Course Description here Who should attend: • Financial professionals - advisors, planners, managers • Business owners who work with advisors • Founders of advisory firms or service businesses It benefits financial professionals to attend courses with owners of other types of businesses and vice versa. That's why we're opening this program up to

Happy New Year to my Jewish clients, blog readers, subscribers, and social networking connections.   For those of you reading this, who would like to learn more about this special holiday, go to http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday2.htm

Technology has sure come a long way, even in just 16 years! The year was 1998 and I was attended an introductory class to coaching BY PHONE with many other participants on the line. I was perplexed as to how I was going to learn anything via phone. But, I first used technology (computers) in 1973 and was willing to give it a "good old girl" try. After attending a few hundred hours of training via phone I graduated CoachU.com as a Life Coach and Certified Teleclass Leader. The technology is called a "bridge line" and the cost was $750 a year for up to 25 people listening in. That was way too much money for a new business owner to pour into one marketing strategy! So a few of us pooled our money and purchased a bridge line to produce our own teleclasses. Today, most audio only systems are offered free and can record each session, too. In 1999, I was asked to facilitate a marketing class online where 35 other participants, from all over North Carolina, would be sitting at computers located in rural Small Business Development offices. They'd be able to view my PowerPoint presentation, ask me questions during the event, and even write questions while I was talking. I terrified and again I pushed ahead. A month later, it took 45-minutes to set up the technology, but I was teaching a class looking like a Martian (with the headgear and technology I had

If you had a consistent and focused marketing and business plan, what would that be worth? Hundreds? Thousands? If you had a niche could you attract more AAA clients? Have you wondered -- as you stare at a stack of paperwork -- how much time and money you're losing every day because you don't have a pro-active plan? Imagine if you knew what you need to do in the office every day to be more profitable, efficient, and productive. No more being sucked in by marketing or administrative work. You'd feel more confident and clear about how you're spending your time and money, right? You'll know if you should be spending time calling clients, servicing clients, or working on your blog. Instead of forcing yourself to follow up with people who probably aren't good leads anyway, you'll have a system in place to determine the "level" of the lead and what process to follow. It's time to own your worth and stop playing small. Instead get crystal clear on the true value you bring your clients (and the world)! Quickly and easily create a marketing AND business plan guaranteed to keep you on track because it's designed for you to use daily. As an added benefit, you'll stop reinventing the wheel and wasting so much of your time and money! Spend 12 consecutive Tuesdays with me and 10 of your peers, virtually, as you define your niche, create your ideal client profile, and segment your client base.

Have you been searching for a surefire tips that will bring more clients through your door -- more easily? During your search, how many books and website pages have you read? How many speakers or webinars have you listened to? Has the information brought more clients to you? Guess what? You know what you need to do, but you keep looking. Yes, you KNOW what you need to do already! The best books, webinars or conference leaders offer you exercises to do. (You know, the ones you haven't ever done, but expected to get back to.) Growing a business takes... -- time sitting ON your duff, putting a plan down on paper -- education, new skills, and the right tools -- action to execute what you know -- monitoring tools so that you quickly catch what's working (or what's not working) There is no easy, surefire solution for developing your business. There are no cookie-cutter methods (although some "gurus" will tell you there are). The best methods take time to learn when you first execute them and less time when you update them. Shortcuts are really the result of deconstructing one's mistakes and putting them to use in ways that work. (Insider secret: that's where the exercises and templates you're given come from!) To achieve your wildest dreams of success, you have to transform yourself from plain advisor/owner of your company to CEO of your business. If you cannot truthfully say this, my dear friend, your business

Would you like to participate in a program that helps you build your business and avoid the massive mistakes that most financial advisors make? Mistakes that keep them from reaching their multiple 6-figure income goal?   (In a hurry? Just go here: https://www.elevatingyourbusiness.com/BAR/ )   If you want to turbo-charge your income in 2014 (many folks are saying this is THE year), join my Business Accelerator Roundtable!   Reserve your spot in this program where you'll get:   * Peer Support: You learn most from people who have walked in your shoes. * Peer Accountability: The program keeps you on track with your commitments and priorities. * Focus: The group supports you as you focus on just what you need at the time you need it. * Outside Perspective: Your peers will provide their experiences and you'll be able to better see the trees and leaves, as well as the whole business forest. * Peace of Mind: When your business structure is in order, you can work less, play more, and enjoy life. * Expert Support: Get the advice of a business leader with 35 years of business experience, who has worked in various departments in companies large and small, and who has worked with business owners in more than 40 industries. * Expert Accountability: I have various ways to keep you on track and moving forward. I'm known for asking the difficult questions and giving my clients a (gentle, loving) kick in the butt when necessary!

I just received the list of the Top 5 US Financial Advisor Webinars from BrightTALK.  One of my webinars is #2 for the year! If you know that your time is “NOW” and you're ready to improve your business, learn from the free educational content that’s in the line up! View the top 5 webinars at: http://go.brighttalk.com/Top5-USFA-2013.html   1. Marketing to Keep Your Prospects & Clients Warm Kristin C. Harad, CFP(R), President, Next10Clients 2. Marketing Smarter: 6 Steps to a More Profitable Client Base >>>>> Maria Marsala, Strategic Business EduCoach(TM), Elevating Your Business <<<<< Yours Truly