This post is based on a talk I did recently for the Home Business Alliance. The guidelines presented can work for both business owners who are in startup mode and those who have been in the game for a while.  I also offer this as a coaching program. Here are the 6 steps:

Revisit Your Business Foundation 
It is easy to get busy with the daily needs of business and lose sight of what really matters. This can leave you feeling unmotivated, stuck or focusing on the wrong priorities. Revisiting the foundation of your business monthly, quarterly or even twice a year will stimulate new ideas and energy and keep you on track to your goals.  Some of the things to look at are:

• Your business mission, vision, or “why”
• Your business plan, including ideal clients, marketing strategies, competition, profit streams, etc.
• What is working?
• Where is there room for improvement?
• Are you focusing on the most important and effective areas?
• What are the priority next steps for your business?
• How will you make them happen?

You can read more about business planning here.

Refine Your Marketing Message
It is commonly said in the marketing world that in order to get people to buy, they need to know, like and trust you and your product. For this reason, creating more visibility and credibility should be at the core of your marketing plan. You need to fine tune your message and know how to articulate it in a way that inspires potential clients to connect with you. And, you need to be able to do it quickly because people have short attention spans. Check your marketing message to ensure it:

• Is clear and consistent
• Creates credibility and trust
• Engages people and evokes feelings
• Focuses on benefits instead of features
• Includes a call to action
• Is put in front of your ideal clients often

Learn how to create an elevator pitch here.

Re-Energize Your Selling Process
Telling people what you have to offer is only a small part of an enrollment conversation, yet this is where many people get stuck. We end up talking at clients the entire time and then wonder why the energy feels off and clients don’t enroll. The true value of these conversations is about your potential clients feeling understood, trusting you can help them, and trusting themselves to use what is provided. Elements of successful sales conversations include:

• Letting the client tell their story about the issue and the negative feelings it brings
• Helping them identify what success would look and feel like
• Connecting them with what will happen if they do nothing
• Sharing a story of a client with a similar issue that had a successful outcome
• Letting them know you believe in them and their ability to succeed
• Inviting them to work with you or buy your product

Read more about enrollment conversations here.

Refresh Your Mindset
If you want to build your business super powers you need to avoid kryptonite.  And, while this can mean staying away from people who bring you down, you may also find that much of the toxicity comes from inside of you. Here are some successful business mindset strategies to focus on:

• Own the value of what you do by focusing on your successes, education, and happy client stories
• Identify what keeps you stuck by completing the sentence, “I want to _____, but _____.”
• Sidestep blocks by asking yourself what you would do next if not blocked and then doing it.
• Revisit and shift beliefs about money, the world, success, and yourself that no longer serve you.
• Celebrate your wins, even the tiny ones.

Learn how to shift a bad mood here.

Rev Up with Action
Your goals are just wishful thinking if you don’t take action. If you are finding it difficult to move forward, you may want to work through the mindset tools listed above, re-evaluate your priorities to free up time, and remind yourself what you will have and what it will feel like when you achieve your goal. The process for successful, goal oriented actions includes these steps:

• Set an overall intention for what you want to achieve
• List goals that support that intention
• For each goal write at least the next 3 baby steps that will move you forward easily
• Celebrate each step completed, no matter how small to create a pattern of success
• Add more baby steps until the goal is complete

Learn how to stay focused on your priority goals here.

Replenish Your Body, Mind and Soul
You are the heart of your business. In many cases, entrepreneurs risk losing their income if something happens to them, making health a priority. And yet, it often falls by the wayside. There are other exciting reasons to embrace self-care. You will be more effective, have less stress, improve brain function, and increase your energy. You will probably live a longer, happier life too. Here are some basic ideas for you to focus on.

• Take breaks – your brain will work better and you will be more effective
• Give your body the nutrition it needs to function well
• Find a stress relief practice you can enjoy
• Move your body regularly
• Get 7-8 hours of sleep at night – get ideas here
• Do something that brings you joy at least once a week

If you are interested in going deeper into these 6 super powers, I offer this process as a coaching package. You can contact me to learn more here.

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