Success Hot Sheet for Busy Entrepreneurs

Greetings and a big thank you to all subscribers who wrote and asked, "What happened to The Success Hot Sheet? Am I still subscribed?" Yes, if you're reading this, you're still on the list. Ready to Evolve Coaching has remained true to the name and together with Indra Successful Coach Marketing, I just finished a major overhaul to my website, blog, and menu of services.

I am thrilled to debut the new look with this issue and I welcome your feedback. Without any further delay, enjoy this week's issue.

Even if it sounds too good to be true, you've got to be at least a little intriuged by the title of this book by Timothy Ferriss. As a way to kick-off the launch of my blog, appropriately titled The Business Blog, I'm sponsoring a drawing to give away 5 copies of this provocative book. To read more about it, including how you can throw your hat into the ring, visit this post.

Do you remember the last time you hired a new service professional such as an attorney, physical therapist, general contractor, or graphic designer? How did you come to the conclusion that the person or company you selected was right for you? Maybe you made your decision based on price, geographic location, a recommendation, or responsiveness. It doesn't really matter. At some point you had to decide that this was the best person for the job.

Let's face it. People want to hire the best. That's why companies pay big bucks to have their web sites optimized because we rarely hire the person known for being the 10th best at what they do or whose web site is hiding on the third or fourth page of an Internet search.

Every potential client gets to define what the "best" means to them and then they conduct their search based on whatever criteria they have decided is most important. Your job is to decide how you can be the best, have the ability to clearly and convincingly state your case, and then get yourself in front of the folks who truly value what you do.

Choose mastery over mediocrity: You must first decide how big a game you want to play in life and in business. I once interviewed a fitness instructor who gave a very tepid performance during her audition. I asked her whom she considered to be the best instructor in the area and suggested she could rise to that same level with a little effort. She replied, "Oh, I could never be that good." And I saw that she had written off mastery and decided to settle for mediocrity. She was content with just getting by. As a business owner, you have to consciously choose to either be average or be the best. Once you make that decision, then it's much easier to ask the question, "How can I be the best?" And then all the stepping stones become apparent.
Pick your specialty: Have you ever heard the saying, "Jack of all trades, master of none"? In some ways, versatility can be a great advantage. But in marketing and sales, you're asking for trouble when you try to be all things to all people. It's a little like those restaurants that promote too many, unrelated specialties on their signs: donuts, hot dogs, cappuccino, and Internet services. Makes you wonder if they are really great at any one of those things. You probably can't be the best at both lowest price and highest quality. At some point the executives at Wal-Mart had to determine to become the leaders on lowest price and then stick with it. Nordstrom's stands for superior customer service. Starbucks is cornering the market on convenience and location. What does your business stand for?
Check out the competition: Learn from them. Who are they? What are they doing and how can you improve upon it? In order to explain the difference between you and the next guy on the list, you need to know what they offer that you don't, how or if they guarantee their work, and how they operate. And don't be afraid to refer a prospect elsewhere if they are not a fit for you. If you excel at above-and-beyond customer service but the client is searching for lowest price, tell them about your lower priced competitor and explain that they cost less but you deliver more.
Create your Unique Competitive Advantage (UCA): Evaluate how you and your competition compare in the following areas:

Geographic location
Price
Speed
Convenience
Style
Audience/Target market
Guarantee
Payment policies
Experience/track record
Quality

Have you ever had a brilliant idea pop up when you were at the airport, in a meeting, or any place where you didn't have access to your computer or even pen and paper? Or have you ever wanted to send an important email or text message to a whole group of people when you were away from your desk? What's the solution? Jott.com has a nifty and currently no-fee service which allows you to call from your phone and dictate a mesage up to 30-seconds. Your message is then transcribed within minutes and sent to you or anyone else in your contact list via email or text message. Read more about it on The Business Blog by clicking here.

You are receiving this because you signed up for a free special report download, The Success Hot Sheet, or The rEvolution. If you no longer wish to receive this publication, simply use the "unsubscribe" link below.

If you received this newsletter from someone else, sign up for your own free subscription at http://www.readytoevolve.com. I will never release, sell, or give your name or email address to any other party or organization. Contact me with any feedback, questions, ideas, or your own personal success stories by sending an email to kim@readytoevolve.com. Many thanks and best wishes to your continuing success.

KIM NISHIDA works with service professionals who struggle with being their own boss and helps them attract more clients and fine-tune their business so that it runs smoothly even when they're not there. For more information, visit http://www.readytoevolve.com.