How to Raise Your Prices by Adding More “Flavor”

Of course you should raise your prices … if you’re adding more “flavor” to your products, programs or services, that is.

The other day I ate the most wonderful watermelon – wow! It was a surprise to my taste buds! I realized that it had been years since I’d eaten a watermelon with such flavor. So many fruits and vegetables today are mass produced in a way that they’ve lost their flavor, but this watermelon had come straight from field to table. Yum!

I don’t know about you, but I would be willing to pay more for a watermelon that has such flavor – that is such a high quality. And the same applies to your offers.

So many expert entrepreneurs today are focused on mass production. How many units can I sell? How many copies of my book can I get people to buy? How many people can I cram into my event? Of course, high numbers can be a very good thing, but never, EVER at the expense of quality. Particularly if you’re interested in raising your prices.

When you add “flavor” to your products, programs, services and events – in other words, when you focus on making things even better – that’s when your product becomes more valuable to your clients. For me, adding more flavor means putting my attention on the details: How can I make that download more visually appealing? How might I make my audio recordings clearer? What experiences might I add to the Italy Retreat for Women Entrepreneurs to make the event even more transformational?

When you do that – when you pay more attention to “bettering the details” – that’s when it’s time to consider raising your prices.

So here’s your “watermelon challenge”. Take a close look at your offers and decide where you might add more “flavor” to raise the quality of that product, program, service or event. Because the more you crank up the quality level, the more valuable that product or program becomes to your clients.

The result? You’ll be able to charge higher fees – and your clients will be pleasantly surprised – just as I was with the taste of that wonderful watermelon.

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Pamela Haack’s Italy Retreat for Women Entrepreneurs 2013 is now open for early-bird enrollment. Save $1,000 by enrolling NOW before this limited-time offer goes away!

How to Fill Your Events with the Right Audience

When you fill your events – both online and offline – with the right audience, it feels like magic! However, when you have people attending your events that aren’t a “match”, that don’t resonate with you and your content, it can seem like everything just feels off.

Of course, you want to attract people to your workshop, seminar or retreat who want what they’ll be getting (in terms of content). In order words, you want to be sure that you won’t be delivering valuable content to the wrong people! I doesn’t matter how good your content is, if the content and your audience don’t match!

So here’s a 3-part strategy that can help ensure that the right people attend your events:

1. A Clear Title: Be sure that your title – or subtitle – clarifies who should attend your event. “How to Make Money in Your Business”, for example, would be way to vague. “How Yoga Instructors Can Make More Money” is a specific title. In my case, I host The Italy Retreat for Women Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs. The title states exactly who the event is designed for.
2. Dig-deeper Description: The description that follows your title should dig deeper in terms of clarifying who should attend. For example, I follow the title, The Italy Retreat for Women Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs, with a description that states that the event is for women entrepreneurs who wish to lead and inspire their audiences in a bigger way. Clearly this retreat is not an event for start-ups, right?
3. Benefit Bullets: Listing how your participants will benefit by attending your event, should be placed on your sales pages somewhere after your description. (I like to keep this lists towards the top of the page.) Bullets are easy to scan and should specifically state what attendees will learn – what they’ll take away – by attending your event.
4. Optional Part 4: Yep, a fourth piece to the 3-part strategy. It’s an optional one, but I think it’s really important, and that’s video. By adding video to your event marketing plan, you’re including a medium that allows people to get to know you better so that they can decide whether or not they resonate with you and your message. It’s important that people can decide for themselves – they can select you and your content, or deselect you and your content. Either way, it’s best for you and them because you end up with just the right people – the right audience/content match – for your event.

This simple, but very effective, 3-part or 4-part strategy for marketing your events is a framework that can be used for both online and offline events. Whether you’re conducting a teleseminar or a multiple-day retreat, the same tried and true strategy applies.

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How to Grow Your List With Live Online Events (3 Ways!)

By far, the most successful list-building strategy that I’ve used personally, is hosting live, online events (usually free). Through live online events you’re able to share your expertise with attendees so that they know more about you and your work, and you’re also able to build a rapport with your audience and let them know how you can help them in some area of their lives. It’s powerful stuff!

Of course, there are a multitude of ways that you can share content through live events. I prefer teaching “how to” information by sharing tips, strategies or techniques that participants can put into use right away. (Hint: The more “how to” you share, the better!)

You must also choose a modality – an online hosting platform – for conducting your live online event, and that’s what this post and the video (above) are all about.

So let’s get to it. Here are 3 live online event “modalities” that are excellent platforms for building your list:

1. Teleseminars: Teleseminars are my go-to way to host online events, because they’re super easy to conduct and participants may attend by phone (or via their computers) and listen-in while “being mobile”. In order words, they’re not tethered to their computer in order to hear your content. They might be taking a walk listening through their ear buds or using speakerphone while making dinner – they can listen in from virtually anywhere, and that’s super convenient. Plus, since teleseminars are audio, you can host in your pajamas or sweat pants and no one will ever know!
2. Webinars: The difference between webinars and teleseminars is that webinars include visuals – usually slides – and some content is just better delivered with visuals. You simply create a PowerPoint presentation (or Keynote on Mac) and then upload your slides to a webinar hosting site. During the webinar, you talk through your content and flip through your slides. Some webinar platforms also allow participants to submit questions or event comment and question in a live-time chat.
3. Live Stream: Live steaming video is getting more and more popular all the time, because the technology for hosting seminars with this online platform is easier to use then ever before – and getting easier by the minute. A live, streaming video means that your participants can see you in real time (as apposed to a recorded video) and you’re able to interact with them through an online chat. This is the closest thing to an in-person event, and by using this modality you can interact with an audience in real-time all around the world. Exciting, isn’t it?

Where to begin? If you’ve never hosted a live, online event before, I would highly recommend you begin with teleseminars. They’re super easy to conduct – all you have to do is talk into your phone – and they’re a highly effective way to grow your list! Then it’s on to webinars and live streams … and who knows what the future has in store!

Grab your copy of my brand new FREE report: Aim to Inspire – 15 Ways to Take Your Brand and Offers From Good to Extraordinary! Click here or on the image below.

You’re Not Dituling Your Purpose, Are You?

Your purpose. Now that’s a phrase that is thrown around a lot today, and that (unfortunately) creates a problem.

The more often we’re exposed to virtually anything repeatedly, the more its impact on us is diluted. In fact, brain research shows that over-exposure to things that initially pleased you, surprised you or sparked your curiosity, causes you to feel less enthused or excited about that thing. For example, over-playing a favorite song can make you never want to hear it again, right?

Well, the sames applies to words or phrases, and that’s what’s happened to the words “your purpose”. We’ve heard the expression used so often that it’s become diluted. And what a shame! Because realizing and (as I like to say) tapping into your purpose is hugely, amazingly, incredibly important both for you and for those you serve. Once you are rooted in your purpose, you have the ability to lead and inspire others in a much bigger way!

But here’s the thing. For many of us, our purpose does not seek us out. It would be nice if it did, but for most of us, sitting around and waiting for our purpose to appear is an endless wait.

The surer way to finding your purpose is to be continually moving forward – perpetual motion, so to speak – always learning, growing, seeking and sharing. And if you’re anything like me (and thousands of other people!) it’s while you are learning, growing, seeking and sharing that your purpose begins to appear. Not a sudden grand entrance, perhaps, but more like a gradual, sure feeling that you’re on the right track – and when you are, that feeling grows stronger and stronger over time.

My purpose, I now know (after a long, long road of discovery) is to help people create products, programs and events that inspire others in a deeper way. That’s why I host a retreat for women business leaders and entrepreneurs in Tuscany. It’s a magical setting, combined with inspirational curriculum, that helps high-motivated women tap more deeply into their purpose, and to become an even greater inspiration for those who follow them. It’s powerful stuff.

So if your purpose is eluding you, stay the course of discovery. You’ll see glimpses of where you should be steering as you move forward, but the key is to keep moving forward – keep learning, growing, seeking and sharing – and watch your purpose become clearer and brighter. Love that!

By the way, if you’re interested in joining a group of highly motivated, heart-centered women pursuing their true purpose in Tuscany, Italy! Jump on board the Italy Retreat for Women Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs. There are just a few slots left, and one of them could be yours! It’s not just a retreat, it’s a movement and we’d love to have you along. Click here.

2 Big Mistakes to Avoid Making with Your Videos, Newsletters or Blog

Actually, the title of this video tip should really be ” 2 big mistakes to avoid making in your videos, blog, newsletter or any other modality you use to communicate with your target market”! The truth is that the vast majority of people make these 2 mistakes all the time!

Mistake Number 1: No Schedule

Ever sign up for a free newsletter – get one or two installments – then stop receiving it for several weeks? When the newsletter finally appears again, you suddenly receive several installments in one week – all promoting the sender’s new product, program or service. Ugh! That’s a terrible practice!

Too many people create a video, write a blog post or send a newsletter only when they can “fit it in”, when they feel like it or when they’re promoting something, and that means sporadic communication with their audience. That’s a huge mistake! Setting up a schedule for your communication “vehicle”  – i.e. video, blog, newsletter, podcast, etc. – is essential to building trust and rapport with your audience.

Mistake Number 2: No Structure

Too many people make the mistake of not considering the structure of the content that they share with their audience. Without a clear “framework” your content can be confusing.

Are you sharing tips, stories, interviews or step-by-step strategies? What newsletter layout makes the best sense for your content? What length video clips work best for you? What day of the week are you sending out your communications?

Creating a consistent structure for your communications provides familiarity for your audience – and that means (once again) that you’re building trust and rapport. Besides trust and rapport, there’s another important reason for setting a schedule and developing a structure for your communications – it makes things easier for you!

When you have a communication schedule and a consistent structure, you’re not wasting your brain power pondering the “when” and the “how”. The more your audience – your potential customers – can relate to you and rely on you, the more likely they will become your clients – and your raving fans!

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A Burrito, A Parking Lot and DLO

A constant challenge for expert entrepreneurs is turning ideas into income. Oh sure, we have plenty of ideas. That’s not the problem. The problem is focusing on one idea at a time, and actually transforming that idea into a money-maker.

If you already receive my weekly ezine, you know that I’m crazy about analogies, metaphors and visuals – those handy tools that provide mental anchors that help us process new information and remember it better later. Not only that, mental anchors can provide a framework for our goals. Another way to put it is that when you’ve set an intention to make something happen, mental anchors can help keep you on track.

So how can a burrito, a parking lot and DLO help you turn ideas into income this year? By providing a simple framework so you can sort through the million distractions in your mind (that might not be much of an exaggeration, right?), zero in on one product, program or service that you can monetize, and clarify what you’ll need to do to make that one thing happen.

This simple exercise is something I do on a regular basis to turn ideas into tangible, money-making products.

1. Fold a piece of paper like a burrito (if you’re not sure what that means, watch the video.)
2. Write these headings at the top of each of the 3 columns on the paper: Parking Lot, One Thing, DLO
3. In the Parking Lot Column list all the project, product and program ideas that are spinning around in your mind.
4. Write ONE of those ideas in the One Thing column. (There’s actually an exercise to help select which idea you should focus on now, but that’s another blog post.)
5. In the 3rd column, list all the things you must do, learn or outsource (DLO) in order to turn that thing – that idea for a product, program or service – into a reality.

That’s it! If you’re like me and you need to see a visual example, be sure to watch the video. Sometimes the simplest of strategies are the most effective to keep you moving ahead and focused on your big successes coming up in 2012!

Oh … and be sure to comment or post a question below!

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Your Marketing and My Mom’s Quilt

(Be sure to leave your comment or question below!)

My mom and dad were recently visiting (love that!) and my mom has been working on a beautiful scrap quilt for us made with a diamond pattern. (Yes, she does the quilting by hand!) As Mom and I were crawling around the floor arranging diamonds (fun!) I learned several “quilt lessons” that apply to your marketing!

I know it sounds a bit crazy, but it’s true. There are 3 very important lessons – straight from my mom’s quilting project – that you can use in your marketing plan right now.

You see, too many people are making these 3 mistakes:

• MISTAKE #1: NO consistent “pattern” to their marketing campaigns. Most people are haphazard in the marketing approach, They write a blog post today, send out an ezine next month and spuratically post in social media sites – no consistency, of course, equals no strong results.
• QUILT LESSON: Create “quilt pattern” consistency in your marketing. That means perpetually using certain vehicles for sharing free content with your audience – blog posts, videos, podcasts, teleseminars, webinars, articles, Facebook posts, LinkedIn discussions, etc. etc., etc. (Watch the video for more info)
• MISTAKE #2: No “zinger” in their marketing plan. People frequently promote their products, programs and events, but they don’t take the time to campaign them.
• QUILT LESSON: Campaigns are a series of value-based communications that you send out to your audience. They should be used periodically (like a quilt “zinger”) to garner attention and to “teach” your followers about your products.
• MISTAKE #3: Outsourcing their expertise. Many people have gotten carried away with outsourcing to the point that they’re actually paying others to create their “expert” content!
• QUILT LESSON: Cut your own quilt shapes and they will all be consistent, and your finished quilt will “line up” right. The same holds true when you share free content to campaign yourself as an expert! It’s super important – in fact, crucial – that you’re the one creating that content. (Watch the video for more insight on this point.)

Having a Crummy Day?

It’s a new year filled with new possibilities, but some days it might be difficult to feel the optimism. Being an entrepreneur can be a crazy, worrisome, exhausting venture. It’s easy to get discouraged – to even feel sad and defeated.

Everyone, now matter where they are on their entrepreneurial path has crummy days, so here are 4 things you can do right now to make sure those crummy days don’t get the best of you:

1. Pay attention to your body. If your crummy day includes a headache, backache, neck-ache – or all of the above, it’s often (duh) because you’re operating on overload. Pinpoint the cause of the worry, and deal with it NOW. My friend and  expert educational consultant, Mary Peterson, says if the cause of her neck-ache doesn’t have a simple solution, it gets eliminated entirely, if at all possible.
2. Practice rituals. Rituals are important because they provide an island of calm in a turbulent sea. Author, artist and creativity expert, Diane Cardaci, has a fabulous tea ritual that she practices daily. Diane turns tea-sipping into a special event. If you have such a ritual, take the time NOW to practice it. If you don’t yet have a ritual, create one. (A special tea-time is a lovely place to start.)
3. Surround yourself with things that stir your soul. It might be one special item or many – a picture, an object, flowers, artwork, a view – that brings you joy, excitement or peace. In the midst of a crummy day, those reminders can shift your thoughts from sadness and disappointment to happiness and hope in an instant.
4. Plan something extraordinary for yourself. Looking forward to something special is a sure-fire way to give your crummy day a good swift kick in the butt. What extraordinary event, trip, vacation, seminar, retreat, etc., is on your calendar this year? What reward are you giving yourself for all your hard work? Nothing on the calendar yet? Then it’s time to start dreaming and planning!

Look, crummy days aren’t optional for entrepreneurs. They come with the territory. They’re a trade-off for all the joy, passion and love we pour into what we do. But be sure you’re taking action – such as the 4 suggestions above – to make sure those crummy days don’t get the better of you!

~ Pamela Haack, host of the The Italy Retreat for Women Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs.

How to Get Massive, Impressive RESULTS in 2012 (not through resolutions!)

Making resolutions is fine. (Although, 80% of people – or more – never follow through.) Creating RESULTS is what it’s all about. Don’t you agree? And not just any results. I bet you’re looking for MASSIVE, IMPRESSIVE RESULTS. Am I right?

So here’s the plan I’ll be implementing in 2012 to bring on those massive, impressive results, and I hope that you’ll join me.

1. Print your Dream Lifestyle 2012 Calendar. If you already subscribe to my weekly Unlimited Possibilities ezine, you’ll see a link to download the calendar. If you’re not yet a member of our unlimited possibilities family, click the button below to sign up and INSTANTLY get your calendar.
2. Set at deadline for something you’ll CREATE in 2012 – a book you’ll write, an online program you’ll create, an event you’ll hold, etc. Use the goal setting pages in your calendar to reach your deadline(s).
3. a.) List the CAMPAIGNS that you’ll be implementing each week to promote you and your expertise. This means free content that you will share through blogs, ezine, newsletters, videos, podcasts, etc. b.) List the CAMPAIGNS that you’ll be implementing to promote your products and programs. These campaigns will be run periodically throughout the year.

Here’s to your unlimited possibilities in 2012!

Sign up NOW to receive your free Dream Lifestyle 2012 calendar!………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Pamela Haack helps women experts to elevate their impact in the marketplace by positioning themselves as leaders, teaching their audiences valuable content and consistently using online campaigns. Pamela is a speaker, seminar leader, author and an expert in online video marketing.

Ready to Quit Marketing?

Master It or Edit It

Have you ever gotten so frustrated and overwhelmed about marketing that you just wanted to throw your computer out the window? I know I’ve been there! Marketing can be an extreme challenge for expert entrepreneurs – those of us who are coaches, consultants, speakers, trainers and/or authors.

So why are you feeling all that frustration and overwhelm? Often times because a.) you have not yet mastered a skill or b.) you’re doing something that is counterproductive.

Have you ever watched a toddler trying to force a square shaped block into a round hole? He gets frustrated and even angry, right? That’s because he has not yet mastered the skill needed to put the square peg in the square hole. Well, it’s the same with we grown-up types who are trying to implement marketing strategies. Frustration (and stress and anger) can well up inside you when you have not yet mastered a skill that you’re trying to implement.

Although frustration over not having mastered a skill can lead to a lot of stress, that feeling can also kick in when you’re doing too many unnecessary things. Just as clutter in your closet is unhealthy, so is clutter in your marketing plan.

TAKE ACTION:

1. Take a good look at your online marketing plan – your posts, tweets, comments, campaigns, websites, blogs, email messaging – the whole works! Which pieces of your marketing plan are causing you the most stress?

2. Remedy the problem. Ask yourself these questions: Is this making me frustrated/overwhelmed because I need to master a skill? Is this making me frustrated/overwhelmed because it’s unnecessary (and counterproductive) and should be edited out?

If you need to get better at something – master a skill – then put that on your to-do list and start diving in. If it’s something that should be edited out, then don’t waste any more time. Get rid of that ugly time-stealer and move along with the productive marketing skills and strategies that will lead you to your most successful year ever!

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