Why it takes more than intentions for success to occur

I’m on a flight returning from a couple of days of high energy, teaching, networking, inspiration and motivation. I had the opportunity to keynote and coach at a private event for over 150 private clients of powerhouse entrepreneur, Suzanne Evans.

As is true for most conferences, participants left on a high note with a lot of information to process. Most left filled with the thought they would implement so much of what they learned. I sure know I have a lot to process and have every intention to implement the most important things I committed to.

You see, even as one of the faculty, I always learn something that is going to be instrumental in my personal and professional growth.

Although the intentions of 99% of the entrepreneurs are sincere, the reality is, many get caught up in their usual routines putting off until tomorrow what they committed to starting today.

I’ve been on both sides of the participant and trainer fence at conferences for years. In the decades I’ve been attending and speaking at conferences, I’ve watched what seemed like magic happen for some, while most fell right back into their daily habits.

The thing that amazes me are those people who will go to conference after conference, buy book after book, invest in training after training, and not do all they can to implement all they can that applies to them. They continually look for the “one thing” they need to do to make changes, yet, what they ignore is the “one thing” has been shared with them over and over and over.

What is the “one thing?” Different action for different results. Different actions will likely take effort, risk and money. Contrary to what one popular office supply store would have you believe, there is no easy button. Success takes work. Success takes effort. Success is not always convenient.

No matter how often some people hear this they continue to search for the easy button, the magic dust, the quick fix pill. Truth be told, none of these things exist.

Many people have a misguided belief that when someone who is extremely successful is having fun, being playful and having an outright incredible attitude that this means the person didn’t have to make any sacrifices for their success.

Consider this; one reason people who are incredibly successful are having so much fun is they know what they had to do to get to where they are at. Mind you, incredibly successful is relative to one’s definition of success. It’s not based solely on the externals. Actually, many of the externals people enjoy are a result of first starting with what goes on inside their head.

They learned to manage their state, focus on their big why and take action in spite of setbacks and obstacles that would stop most in their tracks.

Although most people can use a daily shot of inspiration and awareness, most appear not to do anything to get on track with a great state of mind.

I experienced this throughout my morning. From the 20 minute cab ride from the hotel to the airport I was a very captive audience to the miserable cab driver who packed years of how unfair life had been to him into a nonstop monolog, to the airline representative checking my bags telling me how unhappy and tired she is of her job, to the security team who must have all swallowed their sour pills and just about every traveler I observed, most seemed to be in a very grumpy mood. Granted, I don’t know what their personal situations are and yet, I do know that our mood isn’t dependent on outward circumstances, but rather our perception of what is going on around us.

As with taking action on an idea, consciously choosing to be happy is just that; a choice.

Every day we make choices. Most are unconscious due to our daily routines and habits. The greatest gift we can give ourselves is to become more aware of what we are doing. Be fully in our bodies moment by moment. Be aware of how we are impacting others in either a positive or negative way.

It’s amazing what this can do, not only for our well-being, but for the domino effect it has on others. We never know what the impact of being kind to the person who seems to need kindness can do. Often, something as simple as calling the security guard, clerk or ticket agent by name and sincerely thanking them for what they are doing can have an incredible impact on them.

By being fully present in the moment we tend to get more done in our day. We are more aware of the time wasters and energy suckers that are obstacles to achieving what we say we want.

Life truly is about choices. The choice to be kind… or not. The choice to be happy… or not. The choice to take action on what we committed to… or not.

What is your choice for today?

Why it takes more than intentions for success to occur

Why email marketing is less effective than ever before...and what you can do about it

Ask most anyone who’s been online for any length of time if open rates on broadcast emails have gone done and the majority will give you a resounding YES!

By some accounts email marketing is in proverbial toilet. Yet, there are others who say email marketing is still one of the most effective methods they use to promote products and services.

So who’s right; the majority or the handful who swear email marketing is alive and well?

Actually, both. Here’s why.

The majority of people who use email marketing are still throwing mud on the wall and hoping something will stick.

Those who are getting incredible open rates are doing something the others are not; segmenting more than ever before.

You’ve heard how important it is to have a “sweet spot” niche market, but have you heard you need to go deeper into the process?

Case in point… The Women In the Pet Industry Conference. By far, it is one of the best conferences I’ve not only participated in, but also presented at.

As the title indicates, it is for women – and a few brave men. Additionally, the majority of those in attendance are entrepreneurs. Some are in manufacturing. Others are dog trainers. Still others are service providers such as Debra Hamilton, attorney at law, who is committed to educating pet owners on the ins and outs of making sure you and your pets are protected in case of accidents, illness, death and any unforeseen circumstance life may throw your way.

Although a woman who owns a multi-million dollar company that manufactures dog doors is in the exact same industry as someone who has a $100,000 dog training business, how you market to each is likely different; or at least it should be.

It’s the same with your niche market; there is likely an umbrella industry that has multiple segments within the industry.

Let’s say your market is the dental industry. Would you market the same to dentists as you do hygienists as you do office managers?

If you market the same to each segment there’s a great chance your email open rates are minimal at best. If you segment your marketing, there’s a great chance you’ll have a much better open rate by not throwing “marketing mud” on the wall and hoping it will stick.

According to one report by MarketingSherpa, 32% of marketers say segmenting their email database is one of their organization’s top objectives, while 52% of marketers say they have a great need to improve email database segmentation.

Not all buyers in an industry are alike. Nor do all buyers have the same buying cycle. Nor will they all buy the same thing.

In my business, I have various levels of investment my buyers make. There are those who are very seasoned, have been in business for years, make a great living and need something very different than those who are just starting out.

More seasoned entrepreneurs may choose my private consulting services over a $27 eBook. Or they may find a small group coaching program is far better for their needs than a $7 report.

What an entrepreneur who has been in business for 20 years needs is very different than the person who is just starting out, doesn’t even have a DBA and is trying to grow their business on a shoestring budget.

What the entrepreneur who has a wealth of knowledge looks for when they create multiple streams of revenue is night and day from someone who wants to create their first eBook.

So before you jump on the bandwagon of those yelling from the mountain tops that email marketing is dead, perhaps you need to look at your marketing behaviors and your overall messaging. Are you lumping all your subscribers into one group over and over? Or are you fine tuning what you’re doing in order to more fully serve your market with your messaging?

Here’s a real life example. On August 27th I’m hosting a webinar for established experts who are ready to turn your knowledge into multiple streams of revenue. This event is perfect for bona fide experts who are ready to quit trading dollars for hours.

If this describes you, join me for a content driven hour of exactly what you need to do to set yourself up for the next level of success.

http://www.powerupforprofits.com/wp/pcwebinar

So what are you doing to fine tune your marketing efforts? Are you clear on the needs of the various segments of your market? If not, isn’t it time to make the necessary changes in order to have a laser beam approach to what you do? I daresay it is.

Why email marketing is less effective than ever before...and what you can do about it

My business has gone to the dogs

We’ve all heard how important it is to niche what we do and who we do it with. Yet, a great many businesses are so flipping general in what they do they continue to flounder from day to day.

Then there are those who are so clear on what they do, who they do it for and why they do it, business literally comes out of the woodwork.

Something else almost every entrepreneur has heard is that it’s so much easier to do something you’re passionate about in business than to do something strictly for the money.

It’s true. When you find your niche and you do what you’re passionate about, you can weather the storms that are inevitable in virtually any type of business.

Case in point…Over the past couple of days I’ve been at the Women In the Pet Industry Conference. I’ve met dozens of entrepreneurs who are incredibly passionate about the businesses they run.

Many have their businesses set up to raise awareness about issues specific to animals. Whether it be dogs, cats, horses, birds, ferrets, goats or any of the other animals we have an affinity to, there are those who are overt about their love and passion for animals, and there are those who have businesses outside of the animal industry who continually contribute through a portion of their profits going to causes to improve the quality of the lives of our furry friends.

I’ve spent the past few days realizing how blessed I am to be one among many who love animals and have a commitment to doing what I personally (and professionally) can to raise awareness and funds for those whose life work is directly connected to the animals.

Between those in attendance, millions of dollars are generated yearly in their respective businesses and nonprofits.—money that goes to benefit our furry friends. Yet, there is so much more to be done. It’s truly a never-ending process.

On Friday, I was the opening keynote speaker for the conference. I succeeded in inspiring those in attendance to play at the highest level to do all they can to fulfill their mission with animals. Not only was the group incredibly responsive, we managed to raise a lot of money for some very worthy causes. More on that in a future post.

For now, I want to do a huge shout out to Shawna L. Schuh for creating such an incredible conference to bring together so many movers and shakers, who are incredibly passionate about the well-being of animals. When I think about how much is being done for raising awareness by each and every person here, it blows my mind.

With everything from solopreneurs to huge corporations being represented at this conference, this is business at its best.

My post wouldn’t be complete without recognizing the efforts of Yvonne DiVita—2015 Woman of the Year in The Pet Industry. As one of the founders of Blog Paws, Yvonne has worked tirelessly for years to create the largest community of pet bloggers. Blog Paws holds an annual conference that brings together bloggers from around the globe, who are also committed to the well-being and awareness about the needs of every type of animal.

Between Shawna and Yvonne, these two women are powerhouse entrepreneurs, who have overcome incredible odds to create a voice for the animals through their businesses.

They have shown, by example, that it takes more than simply having an idea, and that in order to make positive changes in the world you absolutely must put the idea into action.

Congratulations to Shawna for the success of the 2015 Women in the Pet Industry Conference! You knocked it out of the park.

And congratulations to Yvonne for being the well-deserving recipient of 2015 The Woman Of the Year In the Pet Industry.

I love and respect both of you! Keep doing such an amazing and PAWSOME job! You are a blessing.

My business has gone to the dogs

WTF or WTG? What’s going on in your head?

Have you ever had one of those light bulb moments where something became incredibly clear? I had one of those moments this morning.

My light bulb moment was this; to go from lukewarm to passionate is often as simple as changing one tiny thing… a letter of the alphabet.

WTF or WTG?

WTF = What the F&*K!

WTG = Way to Go!

One letter apart with a world of difference in the meaning and outcome.

I’m working on a new branch of my business requiring time to learn, study, implement and test. In addition, there’s a financial investment I’ve made and continue to make.

I have an incredible mentor who is teaching me step-by-step what to do.

“Don’t expect to make money right away Kathleen,” my mentor cautioned. “You’ll likely need to test, test, test several times before you hit the target. Once you do it’s magical,” John stated.

I chose to study under this expert because of his results. He is recognized as one of the most successful people in this particular industry. Last year he made $1,800,000 selling a particular product online. Yes, you read right… one million, eight hundred thousand.

Another reason I decided to work with John is his attitude. Not only his business attitude, but towards his family, friends, clients, God and life. People often tell him how lucky he is. Actually, luck is not his secret weapon. Attitude is. 

Building his business didn’t happen without obstacles, setbacks, failures and frustration. Yet, in spite of this (or maybe because of this) he maintains an incredible attitude.

I’m not talking a Pollyanna, head in the clouds type of attitude, but rather one that allows him to manage his energy when things don’t seem to be working out.

It’s the attitude that when you hit a wall you don’t keep beating your head against the wall saying, “WTF… why does this always happen to me?” but rather the “WTG… you figured out one more thing that isn’t working.”

You can learn the strategies. You can use the latest and greatest system. You can put a ton of money into training, advertising and a team and STILL get crappy results based on a crappy attitude.

95% of your business success is based on your attitude. An attitude where you are willing to put the time into learning what you need to, manage your energy when things don’t outwardly seem to be working and stay the course with an attitude of gratitude.

Just because you didn’t get the sale on your first call, you didn’t sell thousands of dollars’ worth of “stuff” with one email and you had only a handful of people show up on your teleseminar, webinar or live event, does not mean you’ve failed. It means you likely have more work to do.

Lots of people dream of running a successful business where no problems exist and everything works the first time they launch it. To me that’s a huge WTF!

Want to find out what it really takes to succeed? Why not ask experts who have highly successful businesses? I can assure you, they have crap happen all the time.

Crap that would likely shock you. Yet, when the poop hits the fan they don’t say, “This isn’t fair. Why did this have to happen? This is way too hard.”

Nope! They manage their thoughts and energy. Sure, they may have brief periods where they fall victim to an attitude that is not serving them, but they are quick to shake this off.

They evaluate the situation, adjust accordingly and start again.

If it seems you are hitting roadblock after roadblock you would be well served to pay very close attention to what you say to yourself and others. What attitude do you wake up with and hold on to throughout the day? Do you take responsibility for your actions or do you blame outside circumstances for why things are not working in your favor. Outside circumstances can be other people, the economy, competition, increased vendor costs, etc.

Whether or not you believe this your energy is one of the most significant aspects of success. As has been said, “It’s not what happens that matters. It’s what I do with it that makes all the difference.”

Some people are so conditioned to stay in the WTF attitude that even when they make a sale they say, “Yeah but, I need more sales.” Or when a solution is offered by someone who’s been where they are at they, “Yeah but!” the solution.

Seriously?!?!

The only butt you need is the one you sit on.

So what can you do to shift your attitude? Here are a few things I do on a daily basis that took me from an attitude that literally ended me up on the streets in my mid 20’s to one where I have such an appreciation for the blessings in my life that regardless of outward evidence, I KNOW things are all working out in my favor.

1. Count my blessings by focusing on what I have to be grateful for each and every day.


2. Surround myself with others who also live in the space of gratitude.


3. Realize that what I see in the natural is not all there is. The Universe is conspiring in my favor for things to work out. What may seem like a roadblock may be the very thing that’s necessary for me to be open to something bigger and better than I could ever think up on my own.


4. Manage my energy through prayer and meditation.


5. Have a mentor who I can confide in when I’m feeling small.


6. Find out what others did to achieve their success and rather than say, “That’s easy for you, but I’m so flipping unique, it wouldn’t work for me,” I say, “If you can do it, I certainly can too. I just need to find out what to do and then do it.”


7. Find someone who is less fortunate than me and help them out. When we willingly serve others from the heart it’s amazing how fast we get out of our “stinking thinking” and into a place of gratitude.


8. Get 100% honest about how much focused effort I am putting into a project. I can easily fool myself into believing I’m giving 100% to an end result by constantly checking emails, playing around on Facebook, cleaning out a drawer or any number of things that keep me from doing the one thing where I may get rejected so I completely avoid it. And if I’m not avoiding it, I’m kicking and screaming the whole way thus sabotaging my success.


9. This one is huge. I’ve gone through periods where I’ve been totally committed to my physical wellbeing and other times, not at all. During the times I put my health on the back burner, things go south pretty fast. I don’t feel good, my mood is not as good as it could be and I may even fall into the “life sucks” mode.


10. Avoid living in regret of the past and learn from those things that didn’t work the way I had hoped.


11. Stay as present in today as is humanly possible. Step #4 is crucial to being able to stay present.


12. Repeat #1 throughout my day.

Truth be told, you, and only you, are responsible for your mindset. Your mindset determines the kind of actions you take and the energy you bring to the game. Your actions are what create the juice in life.

You can live a lukewarm life or you can be so on fire with passion that people are incredibly attracted to you and what you have to offer.

Granted, not everyone wants what you have. However, I can guarantee that there is a community of people who could be rabid fans if you would simply give them the chance and get excited about all the possibilities that life has in store for you. Are you sure this community knows you exist? And if they do, what energy are you giving them…WTF or WTG?

It’s up to you.

WTF or WTG? What’s going on in your head?