Posts Tagged ‘woman’

One impressions I get from many women is that deep in your heart you may have a subconscious belief that you’re cheating others and are somehow bad if you make a profit.

Do you feel guilty when you make a healthy profit on what you do?

Do you charge enough for your products and services or do you undercut yourself at times?

Yesterday I had a meeting with a lovely woman who owns a business but spends all her time promoting others. She doesn’t take any money for doing this. In fact, when she’s tried to charge for helping others in this way – sending out notices for others on her e-newsletter and other promotional strategies – people are actually angry with her and say she should be doing it free.

In the meantime, her dear husband is working his tail off trying to make ends meet and his job is based on earning commissions. Unfortunately over the holidays the commissions were very low and now they’re trying to figure out how to pay all their bills.

I asked some probing questions of this woman and discovered that her Mother was a stay at home mom who only worked part time on an infrequent basis. My client got a lot of deeply negative messages about women who promote themselves and try to be anything but humble and meek. Messages like:

“Don’t get a big head.”
“Don’t be conceited.”
“Don’t be selfish.”

The message she got was that when she is nice and gives everything away and constantly helps others she’s being “a good woman.” When she does something for herself – she’s not a good woman. So, she keeps creating circumstances that reinforce that perception.

The challenge is when it’s time to pay the bills – if you’ve shorted yourself on what you charge, you end up falling short when it comes to your lifestyle and paying your bills. You can’t exactly go to your mortgage company or the grocery store and say, “Um, I’m a really nice person. Would you give me a little extra discount?”

Of course we know that’s silly. Why? Because these real businesses don’t give extra discounts. So if you consider yourself a real business – why are you undercutting yourself?

Here’s where it comes back around: In the real business world people don’t say, “Gee, that’s so nice. She’s only charging me $$ instead of $$$.” Instead they silently think, “She’s charging so much less than market rates – she must not be as good.”

Traditionally women always gave away our work. We have a history as volunteers. And, for centuries we were at the bottom of the totem pole when it came to jobs. Women were praised for being selfless and for constantly giving with no expectation of ever receiving anything in return except the warm fuzzy feelings of knowing we’ve helped. We made our husbands look good in the community while he took care of the messy job of going out and slaying dragons. Additionally, many of us have dealt with boyfriends, husbands and partners who became threatened when the woman they love made significant money or enjoyed a level of success.

We live in a very different world than the world our mothers lived in when they raised us. We were raised to be good wives, moms, sisters, daughters, friends and maybe a good employee. But we certainly weren’t raised to be a good business owners. And, it’s extremely difficult in this day and age for husbands to carry the whole load.

What thoughts, beliefs or attitudes were you raised with regarding the money you earn? Was it different for a girl in your home or your community compared to a boy? How much is enough? Is it fair for you to get a healthy profit? Will those warm, fuzzy feelings pay the rent or the mortgage?

Women are now starting businesses at double the rate of men. This has been true for over five years now. But many women business owners struggle because they’re uncomfortable about what it says about them to be successful when they feel a societal expectation for women to keep give everything away. Is it a good thing to make a profit? Or, does it mean you somehow had to claw over others to gain success? Is your business struggling because you’re new and just getting off the ground? Or are you struggling for other reasons?

All the best,

Denise Michaels
Author, “Testosterone-Free Marketing”

PS: Sign up for my free Marketing and Empowerment Tips by clicking here.

By Denise Michaels

In recent years many of us have become drawn into finally understanding and caring about what life is like, in many other places and among different cultures around the world. We see more clearly how we’re alike and how we’re different from
other people we didn’t take much time to care about before.

Look at the common thread running through each of these holidays celebrated by people with different religious and spiritual beliefs:

• The wise men followed the light from a star in the East to leading them to a manger in Bethlehem to find the newborn king bathed in light. That’s the reason for the season: Christmas

• Hanukah, celebrated by the Jewish people is about the miracle of the oil in the lamp lasting for seven days when it should only have lasted for one day and so candles are lit on the menorah.

• The Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins when the light of the crescent moon is seen. For 30 days, the fasting ends and celebrating begins when the crescent light is seen again.

• The Winter Solstice is celebrated by Pagans on the darkest day of the year, December 21st, to pay homage to the fact that very soon the days will be more and more light.

• Kwanzaa, a newer holiday for people of African descent celebrates the virtues of Unity, Determination, Responsibility, Cooperation, Purpose, Creativity and Faith. Beginning December 26th, a different colored candle is lit each day.

• In India, a nation of 80 percent Hindus, Divali, known as the Festival of Lights is celebrated in November. There are joyful lights everywhere and countless millions splurge on sweets.

• New Years Day is about new beginnings and is celebrated with noisemakers, bubbly champagne, music, fireworks, the ball dropping in NY City and sparkly, light-attracting clothes.

Why discuss the common thread of light in the midst of all the festivities?

Because marketing your business is about letting your light shine. Not being afraid to let others know how proud you are of your business and what you offer to others.

Are you letting your light shine? Are you getting out of your comfort zone a little bit more each day to shine a light on your business and yourself? Or, do you feel uncomfortable when another person let’s her light shine? Do you try to pull her down because her light makes you aware you’ve missed opportunities to shine your own light? Do you fall into the predictable pattern of waiting for others to notice you?

I want to wrap up by sharing these famous words from Marianne Williamson’s book “A Return to Love.” Williamson wrote:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves,
“Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.”

By Denise Michaels, Author, “Testosterone-Free Marketing”

Last Sunday morning I was watching, “Meet the Press” on NBC. The moderator, Dick Gregory, wisely decided to skip politics for once and talk about giving and gratitude since it was the week of the Thanksgiving holiday. He interviewed a couple of heavyweights on the topic.

The first half of the show he interviewed Rick Warren, pastor, of the huge Saddleback Church in Orange County California. Warren is also author of the mega-bestseller, “The Purpose-Driven Life.” Only the Bible has sold more copies than his book. The second half of the show, he interviewed Bill and Melinda Gates about their work with The Gates Foundation.

Early in the show Warren was asked about the old Chinese proverb, “Give a man a fish or teach a man to fish.”

Warren wisely replied that we also have to teach a man how to sell a fish – otherwise we end up with a glut of fish and poor fisherman who can’t sell their wares. And, I might add, then the fish start to stink.

Okay, I’ve been banging this drum for a long time now. I have many readers of my books, attendees at my workshops and marketing mentoring clients who’ve seen the light – however a lot of people still mistakenly believe that their ability to have a successful business lies in having a skill. It doesn’t. Your ability to have a successful business lies in having a salable product or skill and the ability to sell it.

I see people all the time who constantly go back for more skill training because they mistakenly believe that upgrading their skills will result in more business. Now, I’m not against upgrading your skills and keeping up. People do this because they’re fascinated by what they do – they want to learn more. People also do this because it’s safely within their comfort zone.

What I am against is the notion that increasing your skills and the services you can offer will create more cash flow. Most of the time it won’t. Learning how to market and sell effectively will increase your cash flow.

It’s like that ol’ quote by Albert Einstein, “Insanity means doing things the way you’ve always done them and expecting a different result.”

Here’s the good news about selling and the FIRST thing you need to learn: it doesn’t have to be pushy, obnoxious or anything negative. It should be win-win. It should be positive. After all, if someone buys your product or service they get to enjoy all the benefits. Start from that premise instead of the idea the mistaken idea that selling is always yucky or awful. After all, sales is what keeps our economy going.

By Denise Michaels,

(This is a continuation from Part 1.)

So, I knew I needed to make big changes. I knew I’d have to get out of my comfort zone to find true love.

I wrote an essay about what I wanted in a man. This is important. It doesn’t have to be an essay. It could just be a list. But here are a few crucial things to remember:

* If you want something in a man – you must be his equal because nature abhors a vacuum. If you want him to be fit and healthy it helps if you’re fit and healthy, too. If you want him to have a college degree it would help if you do too – or you’re working on it. It doesn’t have to be even-steven, but it has to make sense. If you want something you don’t possess – it helps if you have something else that compensates for that lack in a specific area.

* Sometimes we don’t realize it consciously, but what we THINK we want is actually what OTHERS want for us. Usually parents, girlfriends or someone else we have a close relationship with. These people have influenced us for years. They’re also the people whose approval we want so much we will unconsciously sacrifice perfect love (okay – almost perfect love *wink*) so they’re happy with us.

* Think about what will make your heart and soul happy. In my essay, I described how I wanted to feel when he touched me or held my hand. I described how I wanted his smile to affect me. I wanted him to be a good listener and have an easy sense of humor. I wanted him to be kind, gracious and liked by others but 100 percent true to me. I wanted him to have a good relationship with any children or exes. If he had children I wanted them to be grown.

* I didn’t care how tall he was as long as I could wear a medium heel and he’d be a little taller. I’m only 5’4″ tall and Ernie’s about 5’8″. After previous husbands who were 6’1″ and 5’11″ tall I learned height, though attractive, has nothing to do with real love. I also wanted a man who had a college degree who understood business but I didn’t want to be in competition. I wanted him to be supportive of my crazy ambitions and comfortable letting me shine. Ernie is all that.

* I didn’t care how much money he made but I wanted him to be self-sufficient and responsible with the money he did have. Traditionally women wanted men who make big bucks because at a primal level it was about looking out for the welfare of our future children. Now, its more about him being able to afford bling and a MacMansion. Don’t you trust in your ability to make your own money?

* Sweet, kind, supportive guys usually aren’t Wall Street Wonders or Captains of Industry slaying dragons and doing multi-million dollar business deals. Those guys want you to endlessly support them and be the Trophy Wife, not the other way around. The good guys are the men most women don’t notice. Or you’ll say, “He’s not my type.” They’re a teacher, web designer, social worker, computer geek, physical therapist, police officer or some other average position. These men can have a heartful of love to give.

* Millions of women are so busy drooling over “bad boys” and “players” – they never see the good guys. Open up to the idea that your type is an “unconditionally loving” man not a particular “look” or someone whose a constant challenge to your sanity or your self esteem. Slick guys lead to heartache. Why? Because they’re not emotionally available. They don’t know how to love a woman. They don’t have the maturity to be a loving husband to you.

* Don’t try to make him more loving, affectionate or communicative. The magazine headlines are wrong. Many women try to turn a person into a project. Stop wasting your time. Look for a guy whose naturally loving, affectionate and communicative. Upgrading his wardrobe and his hair isn’t difficult – but just about everything else is. It’s easy to change a man on the outside and almost impossible to change him on the inside. Besides, loving a man’s “potential” isn’t loving him – it’s loving what you WANT him to become.

Back to my story…

I didn’t date for almost a year – but I noticed when I started dating I was connecting with nice guys. I dated these men about a month and decided as nice as they were – we didn’t have enough in common to sustain a relationship. I looked at it as “practise.” I practised being open and vulnerable. I practised what it was like to share my feelings with a man and not have him whomp me over the head with ‘em later. Being vulnerable did make me more powerful.

When I finally met Ernie I just KNEW. I’d changed my perspective and my expectations of men. I changed what I thought of as important. So when I met that guy – my wonderful husband Ernie – it was instant. And yes, his smile still melts my heart, his touch makes me feel I’m home and he’s still a great listener.

When you get away from what you THINK you’re supposed to want and make different conscious choices that really work with the love you want to feel – that’s when you find love that’ll make you feel happy and fulfilled the rest of your life.

Isn’t that what you really deserve?

Tomorrow’s post: back to business. *smile*

Denise Michaels is author of the business bestseller, “Testosterone-Free Marketing.” Get your copy by clicking here. And, get Denise’s weekly empowerment and marketing tips by clicking here. Come join Denise Michaels in a movement to empower women business owners like you to be all you can be and to have more joy, more fun and more success in your life.

Denise Michaels, Author, “Testosterone-Free Marketing”

In a few minutes I’ll get up, go to the kitchen and go make my whole-grain blueberry pancakes for breakfast. Ernie’s home. I wouldn’t make ‘em for myself because I’m not really a breakfast person. I’m more of a yogurt, granola and berries kind of breakfast person. You know those cups they sell at Starbucks or Panera Bread? Love ‘em.

But he loves a big breakfast and now that he’s finally home from his big project in SoCal, I’m more than happy to fire up the griddle and give him the big, weekend breakfast he loves.

The last five weeks he’s been working on a project in Southern California. He took the short-term assignment because it was very good money and he’s starting a business soon – so it gave him a short-term cash cushion before getting started. He’s come home most weekends – but by Sunday afternoon he had to turn his car around and drive away for another week. Now he’s really home.

Funny how when he’s around most of the time – I find him a little annoying. He’s always interrupting me to talk as I’m working at the computer. Sometimes I’ll get up from my chair and give him a hug and a kiss because I discovered if I give him a little attention he gives me more space. These last five weeks I’ve missed those annoying interruptions. I’m so glad he’s home. After twelve years his smile still brightens my world and his touch makes me feel I’m right where I belong.

This isn’t a regular post on marketing, personal growth or common sense. But, it’s the weekend so I’m sharing how much it means to me to have a wonderful love. Even when I get mildly annoyed I don’t take it for granted. If you look under my archived posts for October 18th 2009 there’s a post about how we met. You can read the story there.

This post is about the things I did before we met to manifest Ernie. This isn’t a blog on finding love or dating. And I know you can be in a space where you’re perfectly happy without a love. But I know so many wonderful, single women who want to find the man of their dreams, either they’re divorced or never married, and it’s eluded them. (I’ll go back to business focused articles on Monday.)

A year and a half before meeting Ernie I was in a relationship with a man that became physically abusive. That’s how low I’d sunk in my ability to choose a good guy. I was 37. One day I was driving home from a busy day and I didn’t want to go home to the arguments, the drama and being flung on the floor or punched again.

I thought, “I’m too smart for this.” I suddenly realized with blinding clarity, “Based on results, obviously I’m not too smart or I wouldn’t be in this situation.” I passed by the small house I rented and kept driving. I drove to a Burger King, sat down and had a soda. I went home and announced he had 30 days to pack up and move out. Or, I’d get a restraining order. I helped him find a new place and that was that. Fortunately, he didn’t who come back or stalk me. He was gone and I was relieved.

I was working part-time in sales. I made pretty good commissions so I could do my own thing when I left the office about one-ish in the afternoon. I went to my boss. He and his wife were also friends and hiking buddies. I announced, “If I’ve seemed distracted, out of it, unfocused or anything – this is why.” and I explained. “But it’s over, he’s gone and thank goodness, I’m moving forward.”

My boss’ jaw dropped. He said, “I’d never guess anything like that could happen to you, Denise. You come to work in a good mood, you’re focused, you do a great job. I’m stunned.” He and his wife gave me hugs and we talked a little more. He recommended I buy a book titled, “Conscious Loving” by Hendrickson and Hendrickson.

I made a commitment to myself:
1. I would give myself time to heal. Not just form “emotional scar tissue” – but truly heal.
2. When I was ready I’d do whatever it takes to find true love – even if it meant getting out of my comfort zone.

I bought the book and started reading. I was sitting at my kitchen table with the sun streaming in the window on a Saturday morning. I read, If you want a true, loving, co-creative relationship you must be willing to give up all your emotional baggage from the past. You can’t bring it into a new relationship because it’s almost like a third person – and a negative one at that.

I had a panic attack. I’d never had a panic attack before – there I was clutching my chest and gasping for air at the kitchen table for about 30 scary seconds.

The book went on to say being vulnerable and open about your feelings in a loving relationship gives you power. I had so much scar tissue from two divorces by age 34 and other bad relationships that thought was totally opposite from what I’d come to believe. My experience was if I was open and vulnerable about my feelings people would find a way to hurt me. I wore my scars and hurts with pride like The Red Badge of Courage. This was be a total change. I took a deep breath. After all, everything I’d done in the past didn’t work. I was ready to change even if it meant stepping into some scary places.

More to come tomorrow…

Denise Michaels is author of the business bestseller, “Testosterone-Free Marketing.” Get your copy by clicking here. And, get Denise’s weekly empowerment and marketing tips by clicking here. Come join Denise Michaels in a movement to empower women business owners like you to be all you can be and to have more joy, more fun and more success in your life.

By Denise Michaels

A couple days ago I wrote about something I dubbed, “cupcake marketing.” Women business owners who tend to expect everything free because they’re not so good at making decisions about their own business and hence they never have any money. So, they give everything away free – and then, they expect you to do the same because you’re a woman. They wouldn’t dare ask a man to do the same – but they expect you, a woman business owner to jump at the chance.

One woman commented in a Facebook message that she had three people today who EXPECTED her to give away her products for free. Can you imagine the gall? Expected her. Not even very polite. More threatening than anything else.

I told this woman if so many people are asking her for freebies that there’s gotta be something about her demeanor, her message or something that people seem to expect it. She needs to check in with what she’s doing first to see what it is about the impression or perception she’s giving off that’s creating that result. She can’t control others but she can certainly control what she does.

In my business, I don’t get a lot of this. But I hear it happening with other women a great deal.

I recently had someone start up a chat with me on Facebook. She was singing the blues about her financial situation – most of which I know is a result of not this recession but very poor decision making. She has a husband and two kids from a previous husband that are in her parents custody. She wanted money from me. She wasn’t even trying to sell me something just wanted a donation as if I’m some kind of patsy or something. I said, “Please, don’t ask me.”

She shot back, “Okay, I’ll just tell others you don’t care about mothers with children.”

Wow!

We need to learn what it truly means to support other women business owners. It means BUYING their product/service and paying for it. Not expecting freebies all the time That’s one way we can really step toward getting out of the pink collar ghetto of struggle and financial dependence.

Here’s the deal: you aren’t a charity. The women you know who are business owners – they’re not a charity either. No matter how much you may be struggling at the moment and would like someone to just write you a check. It’s not going to happen because you’re not a charity and you’re not a victim. Stop expecting others to treat you like one. Start learning how to market and sell effectively. Treat your business like a business and set the intention that others do the same.

I give money to charitable programs all the time. I give a monthly donation to public radio. I give money to efforts that help the homeless. I gave ten percent of the proceeds from my workshop last week to the charity Dress for Success helps women entering or re-entering the work force with training and a business-appropriate wardrobe. Occasionally, I’ll give money or help to someone who doesn’t ask for it but I can tell really could use it.

Last week I had someone offer to do a professional makeover on me: she’s a makeup artist. It was fun, I learned some great new tips and tricks that made my face look better. When it was done I purchased $100 worth of her cosmetics from her. They’re pretty high end so $100 didn’t buy everything but it’s a good start and an empowering way I could show support for her business. Click here to see Lisa Monette’s line of amazing OLA products. I supported her by buying her product – and when I’m ready I’ll buy more.

Many women have the mistaken notion supporting other women means offering a hug and a listening ear. Well, it does. But if you do only that – and then stop at the Estee Lauder counter to buy cosmetics – it’s not enough. Buy products and services from other women business owners. Tell other women to buy their products, too. When you do you’re setting up the Universal flow of prosperity and abundance so people are more likely to buy from you. If you’re a cupcake marketer and always expect freebies – the Universe gets that your mindset is in lack. And you get to have more lack. Don’t let it happen. Don’t be a cupcake marketer. Or, do things that attracts other cupcakes, too.

Denise Michaels is author of the business bestseller, “Testosterone-Free Marketing.” Get your copy by clicking here. And, get Denise’s weekly empowerment and marketing tips by clicking here. Come join Denise Michaels in a movement to empower women business owners like you to be all you can be and to have more joy, more fun and more success in your life.

By Denise Michaels, Author, ‘Testosterone-Free Marketing”

You had to be living under a rock if you didn’t hear the story out of Fort Collins Colorado last week regarding the six year old boy who parents said they were afraid had blown away in a homemade weather balloon on Thursday. The nation sat gripped with awe as we watched images of this aluminum foil looking balloon buffeted along over empty fields and up to heights of over 15,000 feet. Finally it was discovered the boy was hiding in a box in the attic of the family’s home the whole time. Happy ending?

Police discovered the event was a hoax. The father is a publicity hound whose been on a couple episodes of reality TV. He did it to improve his chances of getting on another reality TV show.

If only the six year old boy hadn’t ratted him out and thrown up on national television – his scheme probably would’ve worked.

On September 9th a Congressman from South Carolina shouted, “You lie!” during an important speech by the President. He apologized to the President, but within a week he raised over a million dollars in campaign contributions which will probably ensure his re-election in 2010.

Back in the 1960s, artist Andy Warhol said, “Everyone will have 15 minutes of fame.”

In both cases I don’t agree with what these people did. What blows me away is their results.

Here’s what I see: unless someone is brought up on charges for breaking the law, in 2009 people are often rewarded for “bad behavior.” It makes headlines and if you leverage it the right way, it’ll keep you in the headlines. It used to take extraordinary talent to become a celebrity – now it takes something like a sex tape leaked on the internet and crazy behavior aka Kim Kardashian. Bingo! Instant fame and reality star of a show now in its sixth season.

What does this mean for you and your business?

You can be a nice girl and say, “I’d never do anything like that!” Or, it may be time to suck up your confidence and make some noise about your home-based business and stop waiting for people to discover you. After all, publicity can be an incredibly valuable form of marketing.

Tell the world. Say something controversial. Plan a publicity stunt. Get your phone ringing off the hook.

According to Wikipedia: “A publicity stunt is a planned event designed to attract the public’s attention to the event’s organizers or their cause. Publicity stunts can be professionally organized or set up by amateurs. Such events are frequently utilized by advertisers, celebrities, athletes, and politicians.”

Can you use a publicity stunt in some way?

Don’t automatically say, “No, I could never pull off a stunt.” Consider the possibilities.

By Denise M. Michaels, Author, “Testosterone-Free Markieting”

These ten tips are absolute classics and something every woman home-based business owners needs to not just know but absolutely let it sink down into your bones. Many people think they KNOW these basics but it never hurts to let ‘em sink in a little deeper and find creative ways to let ‘em permeate your marketing message and everything about your brand. It would even be a good idea to print them out so you can see them over and over. I’ve posted the first five of these ten tips and tomorrow I’ll post the second five of the ten tips.

1. Know Your Market

Many entrepreneurs have no clue who their customers are and why they really buy their product. If you say, “Everyone is my market,” unfortunately no one will be your market. The more specific you get about the kind of person who buys your products or services – the more you can zero in on the perfect message and venue for that message that will make those people stand up and take notice.

2. Create Your Product or Service Around Their Needs

Some people come up with something they believe is a great product but they never take the time to determine what needs it fills and what problems their product solves. They talk about features and gizmos no one really cares about. That’s an expensive mistake. Find out what problems your customers have that are in need of a solution. Not the other way around.

3. Offer Real Value

Ask yourself, “Would you buy it?” And, “Would you recommend it to your best friend?” Make it a value that’s too good to pass up. Don’t undercut yourself. You deserve to cover your costs and make a fair profit. If people aren’t biting, don’t assume the price is too high. Instead assume maybe you’re not doing an effective job of communicating the value.

4. Be Passionate

Your enthusiasm, positive energy and problem-solving skills are sometimes exactly what it takes to save the day and the deal. Also, chances are what you offer is something you’ll be offering for a long time. Be passionate first about serving the customer, not just from a customer service standpoint but also in the marketing message you create.

5. Love Your Customer Not Your Product

It’s easy to love your product. Perhaps you use it personally. Maybe you enjoy the features and benefits. But, cash flow doesn’t come from the product. Your product can’t love you back. It also can’t reject you the way you might feel a customer can, either. Learn everything you can about customers and potential customers. Ask questions. Let that caring reflect back to your customers in your marketing. They will “get it” and want to do business with you.

This is Part One of a two-part article. Part Two will appear tomorrow.

Discover more about Denise at Empower U Academy and Mentoring with Denise. And if you’re going to be in Las Vegas on Monday November 2nd come to my “No-fluff, Testosterone-Free Marketing Magic Workshop.” Click here for more information and to register today.

By Denise Michaels, Author, “Testosterone-Free Marketing”

Maybe you’ve been reading my blog for awhile now. Maybe you know me from when I used to be a trainer and mentor for a mega-bestselling author and seminar guy. Maybe you’re a previous marketing mentoring client. Or, maybe you’ve never heard of me before.

It doesn’t matter. If you’re a woman, home-based business owner and you really want to discover the secrets to take your business to the next level – but do it your way – without all the testosterone – come to Las Vegas and discover how to:

* Attract ideal customers who pay on time and are a pleasure to deal with
* Get them to happily say “Yes!” and know you’re aligned with them and have their best interests at heart
* Do business with people you like – so you don’t waste time on customers who are a pain
* Create a plan to help you easily draw in more people who want to and DO say “yes” to you
* Discover why you’ve held back from success and how to get the word out in a woman friendly way

… and much more.

My “No-fluff Testosterone-Free Marketing Magic Workshop” is being held Monday November 2nd in Las Vegas from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm. Get to Las Vegas. Attend the workshop and get more great ideas that’ll work for you as a woman business-owner than you ever imagined. Average temperatures for Las Vegas the first week of November are sunny and in the high 60 degree to low 70 degree range, Farenheit. Share your travel expenses with a girlfriend whose also a business owner and attend together. I just checked on Expedia.com and the hotel where the workshop will be held has a special rate of just $49 Sunday and Monday nights.

I’ll be presenting. The event will be limited to just 35 attendees. It’s small and intimate – so check into it now. Plus, there’s an Early Bird Discount right now that you don’t want to miss out on. For more information and to register click on the link at the top of the page that says, “Denise’s Events.”

I’d love to meet you in Las Vegas and help you enjoy the rest of 2009 and 2010!!! *smile*

The ten trends listed below I got from a website called Brand Strategy Insider. We must understand, even as a woman, home-based business owner that branding is important to surviving, thriving and creating success in a world of ecommerce and change where you might hear about a product or service on Twitter or Facebook before you ever see the logo or connect with the products.

1) Value is the new black
Consumer spending, even on sale items, will continue to be replaced by a reason-to-buy at all. This spells trouble for brands with no authentic meaning, whether high-end or low.

2) Brands increasingly a surrogate for “value”
What makes goods and services valuable will increasingly be what’s wrapped up in the brand and what it stands for. Why J Crew instead of The Gap? J Crew stands for a new era in careful chic –being smart and stylish. The first family’s support of the brand doesn’t hurt either.

3) Brand differentiation is Brand Value
The unique meaning of a brand will increase in importance as generic features continue to plague the brand landscape. Awareness as a meaningful market force has long been obsolete, and differentiation will be critical for success –meaning sales and profitability.

4) “Because I said so” is so over
Brand values can be established as a brand identity, but they must believably exist in the mind of the consumer. A brand can’t just say it stands for something and make it so. The consumer will decide, making it more important than ever for a brand to have measures of authenticity that will aid in brand differentiation and consumer engagement.

5) Consumer expectations are growing
Brands are barely keeping up with consumer expectations now. Every day consumers adopt and devour the latest technologies and innovations, and hunger for more. Smarter marketers will identify and capitalize on unmet expectations. Those brands that understand where the strongest expectations exist will be the brands that survive – and prosper.

6) Old tricks don’t work/won’t work anymore
In case your brand didn’t get the memo here it is -consumers are on to brands trying to play their emotions for profit. In the wake of the financial debacle of this past year, people are more aware then ever of the hollowness of bank ads that claim “we’re all in this together” when those same banks have rescinded their credit and turned their retirement plan into case studies. The same is true for insincere celebrity pairings: think Seinfeld & Microsoft or Tiger Woods & Buick. Celebrity values and brand values need to be in concert, like Tiger Woods and Accenture. That’s authenticity.

7) They won’t need to know you to love you
As the buying space becomes even more online-driven and international (and uncontrolled by brands and corporations), front-end awareness will become less important. A brand with the right street cred can go viral in days, with awareness following, not leading, the conversation. After all, everybody knows GM, but nobody’s buying their cars.

It’s not just buzz
Conversation and community is all; ebay thrives based on consumer feedback. If consumers trust the community, they will extend trust to the brand. Not just word of mouth, but the right word of mouth within the community. This means the coming of a new era of customer care.

9) They’re talking to each other before talking to the brand
Social Networking and exchange of information outside of the brand space will increase. Look for more websites using Facebook Connect to share information with the friends from those sites. More companies will become members of Linkedin. Twitter users will spend more money on the Internet than those who don’t tweet.

10) Engagement is not a fad; It’s the way today’s consumers do business
Marketers will come to accept that there are four engagement methods including Platform (TV; online), Context (Program; webpage), Message (Ad or Communication), and Experience (Store/Event). But there is only one objective for the future: Brand Engagement. Marketers will continue to realize that attaining real brand engagement is impossible using out-dated attitudinal models.

Accommodating these trends will require a paradigm change on the parts of some companies. But whether a brand does something about it or not, the future is where it’s going to spend the rest of its life. How long that life lasts is up to the brand, determined by how it responds to today’s reality.

Contributed by: Robert Passikoff, President, Brand Keys

By Denise Michaels, Author, “Testosterone-Free Marketing”

Maybe this sounds like a big leap, but being successful in your business as a woman can actually make your marriage better and your husband more loving. I’m defining success as the perfect blend of enjoying what you do AND creating cash flow. Not one or the other – you get to have both.

Yes, I know there are men threatened by their wives’ success.

The first thing to do is unwind a couple powerful, but unhelpful beliefs out there that keep us twisted up trying to make money – but at the same time not make money. It’s like driving down the freeway with one foot on the brakes and the other on the accelerator at the same time. After all, a business without positive cash flow isn’t a business – it’s an expensive hobby.

Belief One: for men, there’s a strong belief that making money will bring love. The most lovely, caring wife, the family and the income to support it all. Most people have a belief this is so. It’s why many women – when they’re looking for love – also look for a man who can support her future family. We’re attracted to confidence and that begets success. Confidence and a can-do spirit is sexy. I’m sorry ladies, but 40 years of feminism doesn’t change four million years of human conditioning.

Belief Two: far too many women have a deep-seated belief, often subconscious, that making significant money will take love away from them. Many women fear if they make a good income he’ll be threatened and leave. Or, she might wake up one morning and say, “What am I doing with this turkey?” and leave. It doesn’t help that back in the day when women first started making good incomes in the 60s, 70s and 80s that happened – a lot.

If you’re married to a good guy – chances are his paycheck goes to taking care of many household expenses. It doesn’t really belong to him – it belongs to the family. But when things are flipped – for many women their paycheck never goes into the family checking account. Sure, it might pay for groceries and other things – but when you want a new pair of shoes – you get ‘em. When you want a little splurge or pampering you look at your money – and if you can do it – you spend the money.

When you truly want to be on an equal footing you stop looking at the money as his belongs to the family and yours belongs to you. Instead all the money is family money. You look at how your income can improve your lifestyle for the entire family rather than paying for splurges. You stop looking at your money as temporary and therefore fleeting and you look at it as part of your lives together.

You have a conversation with your husband. You say something like, “I want my business to be successful – because I love you and I love our family. It’s not just for fun – it’s for income, too. You’re the only one for me and I want us to have a great life together. I’m ready to stop sabotaging myself and really do the things that will make a difference. Which means putting less attention on _______, and more attention on marketing and selling.”

Then say, “Hon, I know you’re doing a great job and we’re a team together. But it’s really hard for one person to do it all in 2009. I want to learn ways to contribute more to our family as a team because I love you and I want us to have a great life together. I want us to be able to give our kids a good education and have a secure retirement someday. I’m not talking about putting more time into my business –I’m talking about re-focusing my energy into doing the things that will make more income in my business. I’ve avoided it – but it really means learning how to market and sell more successfully.”

Over the last eight years I’ve mentored over 1,400 women and a lot of men, too. In a few instances the women I mentored walked away from their marriages. These were very troubled marriages even before she started a business. In far, far more instances a woman making more money resulted in bringing a husband and wife much closer together because he felt a little less stressed and she saw her success not as something that split her from her husband – but something that brought her closer to him. After all, men find confidence sexy, too.