Whether you’re a burgeoning empire builder or simply want to have a successful home-based business, having a steady stream of ideal clients flowing in is essential to your success.

Problem is, many entrepreneurs make the process of getting new clients into a bigger deal than it needs to be. It’s actually really simple, once you know which basics to put into place.

Thing to keep in mind is this: people are happy to invest in you and your services if you are clear and confident about how you can help them. That means getting focused on your niche, making sure you can clearly talk about the results you deliver and making certain you have a step-by-step program you take clients through.

These are the same business essentials you must do over and over. Like shampoo, you know? “Rinse and repeat.” It doesn’t matter whether you’re brand new, have been in business for a year or are preparing to launch the next income stream of your growing empire; these essentials never change.

To help you get your next three clients, fast, here are three simple tips taken from the same system I used to leap from frustrating 5-figures to what is now a multi-million dollar coaching business in just a few short years. Truth is, I still use this same system, so you know it works!

Tip #1 How Clear Is Your Niche?

Undoubtedly, this is the single biggest reason most entrepreneurs stay stuck in low 5-fgures. Ladies, let’s get clear about something right here and now: your niche is not “women who want more clarity” or “everyone who wants to live their authentic truth.”

Think of your niche this way: It’s the intersection of:

* What you love to do, with…
* What people are having a problem solving or accomplishing, with…
* What people are willing to invest in to fix or improve

Your niche must clearly name who you work with, what the problem is that they’re experiencing and what solution it is that they’re seeking. Chunk down until you get to a very practical description of their situation. Remember, your description of your niche needs to be so crystal clear that when anyone hears it, they’ll know exactly who to refer to you.

Tip #2 Are The Results You Deliver Tangible, Specific And Measurable?

This may be a new way of thinking about your service, but the more you focus on the practical, tangible results clients get from working with you, the more clients you’ll have to work with.

Even if you offer a “softer” service such as energy healing or intuitive counseling you can still focus on the tangible results that show up for your clients. All it takes is a commitment on your part to look at the impact your service has on every aspect of your clients’ lives. One of the exercises I take my coaching clients through is discovering how their service impacts their clients’ finances, health and well being, relationships and their future opportunities. I love seeing the look of confidence on my clients’ faces when they realize just how far reaching their work truly is.

Tip #3 What Is Your Signature System?

People love to invest in step-by-step systems, which is why I innovated a process that helps you quickly uncover your Signature System, often in just a few minutes.

Keep in mind that with chaos, disorder and overwhelm rampant in our culture, people crave and are attracted to systems that make it easy for them to get their needs met and their problems solved. I recommend taking a good look at how you work with clients and transform what you do into a compelling, simple system. You’ll be surprised at how easily this helps your potential clients understand how you can help them.

Here’s How To Put It All Together…

You’re only three or four conversations away from your next three clients. All you need to do is put together your clear, specific niche description with a few of the results you help clients achieve and finish up by saying how you have a simple x-step system that helps your clients achieve those results.

So, what are you waiting for? Give this simple system a try and send me an email letting me know how well it worked for you. You have nothing to lose and new clients to gain!

About the Author:

Kendall SummerHawk, the Million Dollar Marketing Coach, is an expert at helping women entrepreneurs at all levels design a business they love and charge what they're worth and get it. Kendall delivers simple ways entrepreneurs can design and price their services to quickly move away from 'dollars-for-hours work' and create more money, time, and freedom in their business. For free articles, free resources and to sign up for a free subscription to Kendall's Money, Marketing and Soul weekly articles visit www.kendallsummerhawk.com.

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The dictionary defines entrepreneurship as the process of managing an enterprise that involves considerable initiative and risk, and anyone who is familiar with this term knows that to be an entrepreneur, you must be willing to take risks and do business boldly and on a large scale. But that is not all that being an entrepreneur involves; true entrepreneurship is defined by individuals who are capable of:

* Working in tandem with their instincts and their brains: Some people get lucky with random ideas while others put a lot of thought into their plans. But a true entrepreneur is one who ensures that the risks they take are calculated, which means they are not really risks but well-thought out decisions made after careful deliberation and taking into consideration all the factors and facts that are relevant to the situation. They know when to expand their business and when to hold back; they’re not pressured by outside influences and don’t take undue risks just because they want to go one up on the competition.

* Rapidly adapting to any situation: The mark of a true entrepreneur lies in rising to the occasion. They never panic or lose control and are generally able to adapt rapidly to any situation; they can compete with the best in the business, raise their game depending on the level of their competitor, and have a never say die attitude even in the face of failure. But that does not mean they don’t know when it’s wise to withdraw or foolhardy to continue. In short, a true entrepreneur knows how to minimize their losses in the face of an impending disaster.

* Admitting their drawbacks: The entrepreneur who is confident about himself is not afraid to admit when he/she is not familiar with something, neither are they afraid to learn new things and broaden their knowledge. They know their limitations and are not hesitant to listen to and take the advice of people who are experts in the fields where their own knowledge is lacking. They don’t think that they know everything and in the process risk making wrong decisions that could hurt their enterprise.

True entrepreneurs are chiselled as they gain experience in the business world; they’re not made in a day or even in a year. Rather, they grow from strength to strength based on the sum total of their experiences and interactions with the rest of the world.

About the Author:

This guest post is contributed by Brenda Harris, who writes on the topic of online executive mba programs . She can be reached at her email id: brenda.harris91@gmail.com .

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Success in sales does not go to the one who has the lowest price.

Nor does success in sales go to the one who has the best customers.

And, success in sales does not go the one who has the most intelligence.

Who really achieves success in sales? The people who practice integrity with every person with whom they come in contact. There is no substitute – no alternative – to consistent integrity.

Eleven years ago, I left my corporate career working in sales management for a Fortune 100 company. I began traveling the globe, working with salespeople across more industries than I can even begin to count. Over the years, I've personally met with thousands of salespeople, each with their own level of success and failures. I also have met with hundreds of sales managers, VPs of Sales, CEOs and others from the "C-Suite." All those interactions and opportunities to learn about so many industries has revealed to me more than ever what it takes to remain at the top.

People who are at the top year in and year out are those who walk and breathe integrity in everything they do. This is true in good economic periods and bad economic periods, through global upheavals and company chaos. The consistent factor to success is not an external circumstance, but rather an internal commitment to a high level of integrity. These are the people who do not necessarily close every deal or land every new big hot account that comes along. However, in their actions and attitude, 365 days a year, they walk with integrity.

How would you define integrity? I would define it as adhering to strong moral and ethical standards, regardless of the situation or result of such commitment. In other words, integrity is not a commodity you can casually use when it benefits you, and carelessly throw aside when it doesn't. Consistency is one of the hallmark signs of true integrity.
As a consultant for more than a decade, I have had the opportunity to watch several people over the course of not just weeks or months, but years. If you have been in sales a long time, you too have had the unique perspective of spotting the people others trust and want to follow. Sometimes this person holds official capacity as a leader, but often the "leader" is not high up in an organization. Regardless of a leader's "official" position, they likely wield much influence because of their integrity.

Integrity starts with allowing yourself to be personally and publically accountable for everything you do and everything you think. In fact, integrity is more about holding yourself personally to a higher degree of accountability, because the real onus of integrity is how it guides you each day in your actions and activities. Accept 100% responsibility for how you carry yourself and do so with a high standard.

When it comes to strengthening integrity, here are some points to consider:

* No one can be forced to operate with integrity. It's completely an internal choice that is reflected in external actions.

* It's never too late to start. If you have struggled with integrity in the past, begin today to set a new course. In small ways and big ways, begin to line up your actions and attitudes with a strong moral and ethical standard.

* Accept the fact that you may not close every deal, because you are not willing to compromise your standards.

* The real measurement of integrity is what you do when nobody is looking and when nobody will ever find out what you have or have not done.

* Learn from those around you who live and breathe integrity. Become a student of their approaches and reactions – not just when the circumstances are good, but particularly when the circumstances are hard. As much as you can, surround yourself with these people. More than likely, they will not only have the highest degree of integrity, they will also be the most optimistic.

Whether you have been in sales a short time or for years, you owe it to yourself to achieve a level of success that is rooted in integrity. That kind of success cannot be matched. You will find yourself experiencing long-term success, and best of all, it will come in ways you least expect it.

About the Author:

Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter," is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com. You can also follow him on www.Twitter.com (TheSalesHunter), on www.LinkedIn.com (Mark Hunter), and on his Facebook Fan Page, www.facebook.com (The Sales Hunter).

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One of the most difficult parts of a salesperson's job is dealing with purchasing departments. Whether you are a new salesperson or a seasoned veteran, you likely will agree that dealing with a purchasing department can create a tremendous amount of stress for a salesperson. Unless you are truly unprepared, there's no reason for anyone to fear dealing with a purchasing department.

A purchasing department is nothing more than a group of individuals assembled for the sole purpose of trying to save money for their company. The key for you as the salesperson to remember is that even though the purchasing department's number one objective is to save money, this doesn't mean they are out to attack you on price.

Purchasing departments view their role as the supply-chain managers. It is their job to ensure the company does what it is supposed to do in an efficient manner that requires as little capital as possible. What this means is very simple: The purchasing department's job is much more than beating up salespeople. Granted, many purchasing agents do enjoy the thrill of securing a lower price, but that's no different than you. As a salesperson, you enjoy the thrill of securing a new sale. Accept the fact that the purchasing agent is doing nothing more than what they are supposed to do.

A few vital points to keep in mind when dealing with a purchasing department

* Low price may appear to be what they are after, but if they buy something that's cheap but doesn't work, then it's suddenly anything but a "cheap" item. If it doesn't work, they now have to replace it. In doing so, they are stuck with a double-cost. Low price is really secondary to the performance of the item they are buying.

* Rarely does the purchasing department have huge amounts of power in a company. This means they're not at the top of the food-chain. As a result, they can't afford to upset those above them. Although they may harass you to lower your price, the last thing they want to do is be harassed by others in the company for not buying what those people wanted them to buy in the first place. In other words, purchasing agents will put up a good fight on the surface, but in the end, they can't afford to upset anyone in the company – regardless of how much money they think they can save.

* Purchasing agents may say they must have a lower price, but in reality their goal is really to save "x" amount of money – and it doesn't necessarily have to come from you. Purchasing agents will always pick on the salespeople who appear to be the weakest and most vulnerable. This only makes sense, as they are simply trying to manage their time. Therefore, they will secure the savings they need from whomever they believe will give it to them with the least amount of hassle.

Don't hesitate to call a purchasing agent's bluff. Purchasing agents love to posture themselves with salespeople as if they control the salesperson's career. All they are really doing is seeing how far they can push you. Until you stand up to them and push back, they'll keep pushing you to get additional benefits and lower prices. When a purchasing agent demands a lower price, the only thing they're doing is going with the demand they know works the best since they know there is almost always flexibility in pricing. It's the strength and confidence of you the salesperson that is going to be the best indicator as to whether or not they'll be successful in pushing you to lower your price.

Purchasing agents love to bluff people by saying they will buy from one of your competitors if you don't lower your price. This actually happens far less than salespeople realize. Upon hearing the threat of going to another supplier, most salespeople will cower and give the purchasing agent what they are after. Too bad the only thing the salesperson has done is give up profit. It's this type of a response that gives salespeople a bad reputation. The entire time the purchasing manager is demanding you lower the price or they will switch, they know full well how expensive switching to a new supplier can be.

About the Author:

Mark Hunter, "The Sales Hunter," is a sales expert who speaks to thousands each year on how to increase their sales profitability. For more information, to receive a free weekly email sales tip, or to read his Sales Motivation Blog, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com. You can also follow him on www.Twitter.com (TheSalesHunter), on www.LinkedIn.com (Mark Hunter), and on his Facebook Fan Page, www.facebook.com (The Sales Hunter).

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This is one of those questions I get ALL the time.

"I never read those long-copy sales letters. They can't possibly work, can they?"

"MY target market doesn't read those long-copy sales letters, they want shorter letters."

"I can't imagine anyone reading that much."

And so on.

Okay, before I get around to answering the question, let me quickly explain what a long-copy sales letter is. It's those sales letters that are dotted across the web where you have to scroll down and down and down before you finally find the price.

Yeah. You know the ones.

So do they work? Yes they do -- IF they're done right.

Here's the thing. The reason they work is NOT because they're long. Length doesn't equal sales. What DOES equal sales is if you properly answer all of your ideal client's questions and objections and demonstrate your product/service/program will solve your ideal client's problems.

And all that takes words. How many words depends on how expensive an investment your solution is.

Think of a conversation. Let's say it takes you 30 minutes to have a sales call with a prospect. Well, if you take that call and transcribe it, it's going to be around 10 pages long depending on how fast you talk. And that's just one person.

Now you have a call with another person selling the same program. That person asks different questions, but it's still 30 minutes. Now you have 20 pages worth of transcripts.

Are you starting to see how the long-copy sales letter gets so long?

Granted you're probably not going to hear completely different questions time after time. But you can see how the pages will start to add up. (The reality is, a sales letter is actually much shorter than any of your one-on-one sales calls.)

Okay, so now you understand how these letters get so long. But what about the whole "you-don't-read-them-or-your-ideal-clients-don't-read-them?" Well, I have 2 reasons why that happens:

1. You're not the ideal client. I don't care how great or how poor the sales letter is, if you're not the ideal client, you're going to have very little interest in reading the letter. (And here's the kicker -- reading is a hypnotic activity, which means you don't remember when you ARE reading but you DO remember when you don't finish something. So you're going to remember all those half-read sales letters much more clearly than the ones you actually finish.)

2. The sales letter is poorly written. This is probably even more common than the first one. Look, you can't bore anyone into buying anything. And there are a lot of people who don’t understand the long-copy sales letter, so they simply throw a lot of words on the page and hope for the best. That is NOT how to write a sales letter. You need to connect with your ideal client and do it in such a way that they feel compelled to keep reading. A whole bunch of words ain't going to make the sale (especially a whole bunch of boring words that don't inspire anyone to do anything).

Bottom line -- studies have shown over and over again that long-copy sales letters sell more then shorter sales letter. (Just as long as they're well written.) So, even if you don't completely understand it, don't worry about it. Give your ideal clients what they want to make a decision to invest with you -- a well-written, interesting long-copy sales letter.

About the Author:

Michele PW (Michele Pariza Wacek) is your Ka-Ching! marketing strategist and owns Creative Concepts and Copywriting LLC, a copywriting and marketing agency. She helps entrepreneurs become more successful at attracting more clients, selling more products and services and boosting their business. To find out how she can help you take your business to the next level, visit her site at http://www.MichelePW.com.

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To become a successful entrepreneur you basically need these qualities- Innovation, Hard work, Positive attitude, Confidence, Determination and Courage to take risk.

But, no two entrepreneurs are alike. Some of them take more risks than others, while few prefer to play completely safe. Quality is the top most priority for few entrepreneurs but for others quantity is more important. So in this article I have tried to divide the entrepreneurs in to nine animals on the basis of their working styles and how they correspond to a particular animal. Without further ado here is the list.

Rooster- These are the entrepreneurs who start their business at a very young age. They are basically the self-starters who do not need any kind of instructions. Entrepreneurs in this category always consider themselves as Perfectionists and are most affected by ego problems.

Rat- These are the hardest working entrepreneurs. Work is their topmost priority due to which they can’t create a perfect balance between their personal and professional life. They take a lot of time to open up with others and always prefer to remain in their comfort zone.

Goat – These entrepreneurs can’t take quick decisions. They always remain confused and depend on opinions of others to take their decisions. They are the most sensitive and take things to their heart. They are the creative persons and can’t perform well under pressure.

Monkey – Entrepreneurs in this category are the attention seeking entrepreneurs. They can’t sit idle and always need something to work upon. They are creative and problem solvers but get bored very quickly. These entrepreneurs are always ready to learn new things.

Snakes – They are basically Solo Entrepreneurs. They do not have any employees and prefer to do all the work themselves. It doesn’t mean that they do not work in teams; they do but prefer to keep a distance and work like a virtual team member.

Ox- These entrepreneurs are the slow learners. They are hard working, persistent and have a lot of patience. They need lot of time to take any decision but after taking the decisions they stick to it in all conditions.

Dragon – These entrepreneurs are full of energy and leadership qualities. Their aim is to grow fast. They are very optimistic and always remain full of enthusiasm. The entrepreneurs under this category can make you crazy with their wildest ideas.

Horse – These entrepreneurs know how to use their resources effectively and are very good in handling money. They can’t focus on their goals for a longer period of time. They love meeting people and are very good in creating effective business networks.

Pig – These entrepreneurs are the most productive entrepreneurs. They believe in long term investments. They are goal oriented and always complete the project they start with great enthusiasm.

So these were the nine categories I found suitable to divide the entrepreneurs. Do you know any other animal we can add to the list? We’d love to hear about it. Feel Free to share your opinions in the comments.

About the Author:

Gagandeep Singh is working for Fortepromo which creates high quality Promotional Products that help companies to promote their brand in market.

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Many of you are starting up your own business, whether it is an online store or a brick and mortar, you will need a lot of new hardware and software. It is an important thing not to overlook is how your business will accept payments from customers, even in the early stages of the business development. It is crucial that you tailor your credit card processing service according to the specific needs of your business. A merchant account acts as a clearing account for credit and debit card transactions for orders made via the internet and/or a physical location. Now the question is: what do you need to know? Finding a merchant account provider can be tough, although, when you do a little research, you can find one right for your business.

For those that are just ready to open up shop, one way to go is with an independent sales organization. An ISO is a middle-man between your business and a financial institution. Many ISOs charge rates and/or fees for their services, although, it might be worth taking them on to reduce risk for the bank. Some of you have already started your business and want to research different merchant accounts and other possibilities. If you have a good sales history, you should be able to get an account with your own bank or one that concentrates on online sales.

Costing for merchant accounts vary. Most accounts have a fixed rate per month along with transactions (authorization) fees per sale. If you are a store front, there will most likely have extra fees for special transactions, terminal equipment and maintenance. Some merchant accounts have contracts where you are binded with that company for a specific term. The merchant account sector is competitive so just be careful of getting involved in an agreement that may not be best suited for your business structure. Rates are all based off of various assessments of your business, basically what is the risk of taking you on as a client. Some considerations include the products or services you are selling, average charge per sale, your projected monthly sales, what cards you will accept (visa, mastercard, etc) and your credit score.

When researching a credit card processing service, make sure you look for any hidden fees and then summarize the overall cost of the merchant accounts services to make sure it is within your projected budget. You should also inquire some of your own background checks to make sure the merchant service has not been reported by the government or consumer groups (ie. Better Business Bureau). A merchant account is an essential tool for all online businesses and it's crucial to explore all your options to find the right fit for your new endeavor.

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There comes a point in every solopreneur's business where they need to sit down and plan ... and I mean, really plan! Not just write down a few ideas on the back of an envelope and hope for the best, but really map out a long-term strategic plan for their business.

Creating this kind of business plan is so important as, for one reason, it immediately eliminates a lot of the overwhelm and frustration that you're probably feeling, but it also allows you to:

* See where you're going;

* Know how you're going to get there; and

* Lays out exactly what you need to do along the way to get from Point A to Point B

How do you know when you've reached this critical business planning point?

Well, there are a few indicators:

* You have LOTS of ideas swimming around in your head but don't know how to pull them all together (lack of a Big Picture Vision)

* You offer several different programs/products, at different price points, but get very few or no sign-ups (lack of a strategic Marketing Action Plan MAP)

* You get feedback from your clients and/or customers letting you know that they're confused and not sure which program is right for them (lack of a clear Product & Marketing Funnel)

Today I’d like to share with you three basic steps to business planning success so that you can start the year off on the right foot!

Step 1 – Create Your Big Picture Vision

This is the really fun part; it’s where you get to let your imagination run away with you. You want to sit down somewhere quiet with a pad and pen (writing is much better for this exercise as you can let your ideas flow) and start to write! Write about what you want your business to look like, the type of clients you want to serve, the sort of products and programs you want to offer – in fact write down anything and everything that pops into your head about what you want your business and life to look like.

Important: You want to write your Big Picture Vision in the present tense, as if you already have that business and lifestyle you’re writing about. Use terms such as, “I have, I own, I run”.

Remember that every part of your should say “YES” when you read your Big Picture Vision out loud!

Step 2 – Take Inventory

The next part is to take a look at where you are now and where you want to go. What needs to change in order to take you from where you are now to where you want to be? Is it:

* More/less clients

* More/less billable hours

* Offering more programs/products

And then create a timeline for making these changes. Put down dates of when you want the changes to have been made by, and set about implementing!

Step 3 – Plan Your Funnel

Now that you know what you want your business to look like and what you need to do to get there, start and map out your different income streams. The Product & Marketing Funnel is the perfect model for this exercise as it allows you to create different products/programs/services at different price points within your business. This way clients can move from free (your ezine and articles) to your paid info products, and eventually through to your high-end programs.

Follow these three simple steps above and you’ll instantly create a business plan that will guide your business to continued success this year … and beyond!

Online Business Manager & Virtual Assistant, Tracey Lawton, supports professional speakers, coaches, and authors to operate an efficient, organized, and profitable business. Learn how to create an efficient and organized office in 7 EASY steps, and receive free how-to articles at http://www.OfficeOrganizationSuccess.com.

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Square Payment

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Continued in BIZNESS! Newsletter Issue 96 >>>

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- Handy Innovation
- Cool Water
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