Self Employed Success

I just got finished reading Seth Godin’s “All Marketers Are Liars.” The crux of the book is that to effectively market your service or product, it’s not enough to list the benefits, you have to tell a story to an audience who is ready to listen to and connect to the story. For instance, the “story” at WholeFoods Supermarkets is that the experience of shopping for organic foods is healthy, luxurious, good for the World and shows that you really care for yourself, your family and your environment.

It seems to me that as small business owners, we have a great story to tell AND that there’s an audience out there who are ready to listen to it. Knowing your story and what worldview the audience has, allows those with shared beliefs to connect to one another. For some businesses, their story is “Living your dream is as important as breathing.” For others, it’s “Having a healthy family is worth any price.”

Has anyone else read this book? What’s your take on the ideas that Seth Godin proposes? How can the self-employed get better at matching prospective clients’ worldviews and beliefs with the story you tell? How can you get better at telling the story via your marketing techniques?

Passion For Business (and me!) announce our new company: The Success Alliance, MasterMind Groups for the Self Employed!

I have been running MasterMind groups since 1984. There is synergy of energy, commitment and excitement that participants bring to a MasterMind group. The Success AllianceTM Groups (TSA Groups) offer a combination of masterminding, peer brainstorming and support in a group setting, along with private one-on-one coaching and consulting, and educational teleclasses.

The beauty of TSA Groups is that participants raise the bar by challenging each other to create and implement goals, brainstorm ideas, and support each other with total honesty, respect and compassion. TSA members act as catalysts for growth, devil’s advocates and supportive colleagues. This is the essence and value of MasterMind groups.

Visit The Success Alliance website to find out how MasterMind Groups can help your business grow! http://www.TheSuccessAlliance.com

THE BENEFITS OF A MASTERMIND GROUP MEMBERSHIP

• Increase your own experience and confidence
• Sharpen your business skills
• Create real progress in your business and personal life
• Add an instant and valuable support network
• Get honest feedback, advice and brainstorming
• Borrow on the experience and skills of the other members
• Create plans and have the group hold you accountable for fulfilling your plans and goals
• Receive critical insights into yourself and your business
• Work ON your business, not just IN it; make the transition from being self-employed to acting like a business owner
• One-on-one time to work with a small business coach/consultant
• A sense of shared endeavor – there are others out there!

Visit The Success Alliance website to find out how MasterMind Groups can help your business grow!

For many small business owners, search engine marketing and internet marketing are a big part of their marketing plans and budgets. MarketingSherpa has surveyed 3,271 businesses as to the effectiveness of their internet marketing (and, especially search engine marketing) tactics for the past 12 months. The results can help you to understand which techniques are hot and which are waning. You can read the survey results here:

http://www.marketingsherpa.com/sample.cfm?contentID=3078

Microsoft Live Meeting is being used by many people to conduct interactive presentations and educational programs over the phone and internet. You can view past educational presentations for business owners here:

www.livemeeting.com/archive