Think Buddy Holly. See those nerdly glasses right away, don’t you? Here was a guy who skewed traditional cool, inverting the image of the hot Elvis rockstar. With a pair of eyeglasses, Buddy Holly changed our expectations. He became a nerd who’d broken free, finally classed “cool”.

I mention this because recently I gave an intuitive reading to a woman entrepreneur, and a pair of eyeglasses told me the whole story. This entrepreneur was in computer consulting. To make a long story short, her business wasn’t working… not enough clients, not “hitting the mark” she said. Who were her clients? I asked. She gave me a vague answer, like, Everyone.

Uh-oh.

So I put on my intuitive hat, and I immediately saw this techie nerd-wearing Armani glasses. His hair was slicked back, Euro style. Beneath those Khaki’s and Oxford shirt, I could make out a yoga-sleek body. He was smooth, but low key; stylish, but quiet. Within his brain, I saw dozens of numbers and a passion for problem solving. He was thinking computers, he was breathing computers, but he was looking good doing it.

This woman entrepreneur knew that smart computers meant smart business. But she hadn’t realized that smart business meant smart people-not just on the inside but on the outside. In other words, she wasn’t catering to a hip market. She was missing out on all those chic people who have iPhones and Blackberries. These people were her business niche, but she hadn’t recognized it. Why couldn’t computer consulting be chic?

We talked about a lot of other things, but I have to tell you-and I can because you’ll never know this woman-she hadn’t thought of appealing to this group of people because she hadn’t claimed her own ability to be gorgeous, savvy, and smart. She had rejected that part of herself. For whatever reason, she didn’t think that she could be stylish, hadn’t given herself permission to buy her own Armani shades.

Clearly, it was time for this woman entrepreneur to own that part of herself. In the meantime, she was learning to own her business.
Jennifer Mills Kerr gives intuitive readings to women entrepreneurs to facilitate greater fulfillment and profitability in their businesses. Her intuitive readings give entrepreneurs a deeper understanding of and clarity about their business, its direction, needs, benefits, power, and true essence.

Jennifer believes that one woman’s success is every woman’s success. In all of her readings, she maintains the clear-eyed intention to provide insight that gives women the ability to thrive in their businesses and in their lives. Contact Jennifer through her blog, http://www.jennifermillskerr.com She would love to see you and your business thrive.

The great thing about being an entrepreneur is that we are responsible for our own success.

The scary thing about being an entrepreneur is that we are responsible for our own success.

I am so far removed from where I started my business that I make it a policy to rethink my business every year. It often happens organically. Things slow down and I have time to think about how I’m doing. I love those times. Every time I take time to realign my business to my vision, good things start to happen. There are seven elements I examine and the first is always my business plan.

#1.  Rework your Business Plan

Every time I rework my business plan I uncover another layer that brings me clarity and a new sense of purpose. It gives me an opportunity to drop what’s not working and expand on what is.  I use my business plan to expand my vision based on the new skills I have developed and the new possibilities I see. I look carefully to see that my passion is still high or if I’ve developed a new area of interest that needs following. And then I set new objectives and make the changes I have discovered that will take my business to a new level.

#2 Keep on marketing

Start marketing smarter. Find creative, innovate, inexpensive ways to uplevel your marketing plan. Find new ways to get free publicity. Interview and be interviewed, have a podcast, add another specific subject blog to attract people to one particular aspect of your business. Offer free introductory calls to stimulate interest.Survey your clients. What do they need? How have their needs changed since you started marketing to them. Are you supplying them with what they want? Rethink your product positioning and bundles.

#3 Cut Expenses

This may be a bit tricky if you are a solopreneur. But look closely. Reexamine your phone bill, shop for better long distant rates, cell phone deals. Shop your internet provider for combo offers. Sometimes you pay less when you pay for an entire year of a service like your shopping cart or web host rather than monthly. Get creative. What service can you share with another entrepreneur?

#4 Add new money-making services

It’s usually easier to add new services than new products because there is only the investment of time. For instance, group coaching allows more people access to your services at a lower rate. There is the potential they will become private clients. Bundle your services to encourage larger sales. Change your services packages to encourage people to sign up for longer periods of time. Once I found my copy writing services were needed, I added that as a service. I can do that on the days I don’t schedule coaching clients. Ask your clients what they need that you might provide and see if that is something you can add.

#5 Keep the cash flowing

I have a friend who hates to put out invoices. Her cash flow would improve if she would set up a monthly payment plan. Think of the time the money is not in her account earning interest. My coaching clients are on monthly automatic payments through my shopping cart. My invoices are updated every time I finish a task. If I’m doing a copy writing job I send them invoices in increments of $500 so the amount is manageable. Offer a discount to people who pay you within 30 days. Add a penalty to slow payees. Put a percentage into savings for those one a year renewals.

#6 Stay close to the money

Your time is your most valuable asset. Be certain you are using it wisely. Don’t spend your time doing things that other people could do for you even if you do them well. You are the brains, the creative fire that fuels your business. Your time and focus should be directed at ways to make more money.

#7 Keep high expectations

Expect the best. Do not settle for second best. Expect to attract people who value what you do and easily have the money to pay you. Keep an eye for the unexpected joint venture possibility that suddenly appears. Keep a list of your ideas and periodically check them out to see what you should do next. Then take action. When I decided to offer my Magnetic Business Plan teleclass I wrote the sales page in one evening and the class in the next two days. And of course I’m going to leverage it and turn it into a home study course. Let your passion create your next service and product.

Remember, the great thing about being an entrepreneur is that we are responsible for our own success. And we can have a great time doing it!

Cara Lumen, The Vision Distiller, is a Book Yourself Solid Certified Coach who helps entrepreneurs attract the people they are meant to serve. If you are ready to become a Success Magnet and book yourself solid visit Cara at http://www.caralumen.com

The recent downturn in the United States economy is concerning to most citizens, especially small business owners.  It is possible that the shaky national financial situation could lead to a loss of interest in certain products and services with a resulting loss of revenue for some businesses, but this does not need to be the case for your company.  The following suggestions can help you bolster your small business against the current sluggish economic environment.

Promote Your Business to the Masses

Press releases and guest appearances on local television and radio shows can keep your business name in front of your current and potential customers without costing you anything but your time.  Use these media opportunities to give up-to-date and meaningful information to your audience about your business and what your products and services can do for them.  Volunteer to submit an informational article to a community newsletter, magazine, or newspaper.  Most publications are constantly searching for interesting news pieces, and this will be an excellent chance for you to demonstrate your expertise in your field and give your business greater visibility.

Use Downtime to Build Business Relationships

The cornerstone of every successful business is the quality of relationships built over time.  With the constant demands of operating a small business, there is often limited time to devote to establishing solid business relationships.  If your business experiences a slow period, use this to your advantage and reconnect with your business associates.  This is an excellent time to either initiate or strengthen relationships, particularly those with existing or potential investors.  While other businesses may struggle with their financial issues during this uncertain economic period, you can reinforce your financial backing and, in turn, your business credit profile, which is one of your most valuable assets in good and bad financial times.

Improve Your Business Processes and Customer Service

Even wildly successful businesses have room for improvement.  Take an objective look at all aspects of your business and determine if there are any adjustments you can make to operate more efficiently or give your customers an even higher quality service.  During tight economic times, consumers are more cautious with their money, and a business that stands out as a reputable, dependable leader will attract and retain more customers.  Most consumers are willing to pay a little extra for products and services, no matter what the national economic outlook, if a business consistently treats them with respect and is sincere about meeting their needs.

Robbi Gunter is a staff writer for Strong Business Credit, a free educational web resource for small business owners and businesses seeking to obtain business financing and credit cards.