She Talks Business

The next book in our summer of reading is by the brilliant, kind, and curious founder of Strategic Coach, Dan Sullivan! In this episode, Dan and I speak about everything from the great information in Who Not How, to the importance of knowing what your unique ability is, to why Dan says he is going to live to be 156.

They told me it was impossible. “Dan Sullivan works with celebrities. He works with rockstars. There’s no way you will get to speak with him,” they said. But I didn’t give up, and to my surprise, the next thing I knew I had confirmation that Dan was actually happy to speak with me!

That said, I am so excited for you to hear this episode of She Talks Business. Thanks for listening!

What’s in This Episode

• Why you need a WHO to help you get things done
• The truth about procrastination
• How to find your WHO and what to do when you find the wrong ones
• Why being in charge actually requires you to give others control
• Dan’s view on teamwork and technology as multipliers
• Harnessing your unique ability

What To Do Next

Visit lisalarter.com/e17 for the transcript and all resources from this episode.

The impact reading can have on your business when you nurture your insights and take action

This week, on She Talks Business, I am joined by special guest, John Lee Dumas! 

John is the founder of Podcasters’ Paradise, the host of Entrepreneurs on Fire, and the author of various books. He has created uncommon success in his business, so when I heard about his new book, I knew I wanted to read it in Thought Readers.

When I reached out to him and asked him if he would do an interview for our business and book club community, he graciously agreed! So, what you are hearing in episode 16 is a special recording of that interview that I am gifting to you. 

What’s in This Episode

1. How to keep more of your money

2. Knowing your number and what is “enough”

3. Tips for achieving financial freedom

4. How to respect your time on your calendar 

What To Do Next

Visit lisalarter.com/e16 for the transcript and all resources from this episode.

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Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers. – Harry S. Truman

In this episode, I’m sharing some of the books that have been hugely impactful in my life and business.

Books have been part of my life since I was a child. When I go an extended period of time without reading, I feel like my creative spark, my zest for life, and my inspiration dims a little bit. Books propel me forward.

What I love about books is they allow you to acquire all of this information that you can couple with your own insights. And, as you move forward in the world, you can draw upon the things that you've learned through reading to be more impactful in the work you do. 

I want to inspire you to read, because reading can really change your life, especially if you read with a pen and a piece of paper, and you capture your own insights, that you glean from the wisdoms of others, and then take action. It's incredible what you can do. 

What’s in This Episode

1. How I turned my love for reading into a profitable book club

2. How to apply what you read to your business

3. 10 books that have made an impact in my life

What To Do Next

Visit lisalarter.com/e15 for the transcript and all resources from this episode.

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Your Questions, Answered

This season’s talk about business strategy has sparked some brilliant listener questions. In this final episode of the first season, Lisa is joined by Stephanie Rainey to answer questions from listeners, clients, and others who have worked with her.

Strategy is such an important part of what we do. The more strategic you become and the better you get at executing on your strategy, the more your confidence and your competence grows as a business owner.

They take it back to the very basics by defining strategy to get started and cover everything from systems and operations, to team development and hiring , the KPIs of business and more.

Tune in to episode 14, Strategy Mash Up to hear them answered and take a deeper look at the intricacies of creating the right strategy for your business!

What’s in This Episode

1. What the "magic" behind a business strategy is

2. Where growing your team and creating systems fit into your strategy

3. Who to know when it’s the right time to hire

4. Why it takes time to make time

5. How to DIY your own business strategy

6. The most important KPIs to measure in your business

7. How strategy can help you re-ignite your passion for your business

What To Do Next

Visit lisalarter.com/e14 for the transcript and all resources from this episode.

Rethink Your Strategy and Get To It

Can we talk about your business strategy coming into a post-pandemic economy? In this week’s episode, I sat down for a candid talk with the brilliantly innovative owner of Flowers Talk Tivoli, Elizabeth Young. We are unpacking how she dug in and got creative to pull her flower shop through a global crisis, and we’re giving you ideas on how you can move into this new economy with confidence, too. 

Hear what helped Elizabeth keep her business focused through fear, ever-changing Covid-19 protocols, being alone in her shop to fulfill orders, 80% of her flower supply disappearing overnight, and going from crickets to a boom in the demand for her shop’s products.  

I can’t wait for you to hear Elizabeth’s advice on how to move out of analysis paralysis and let your creativity take the wheel to develop and execute new products and services. As well, if you’re a high-touch kind of business with a lot of in-store customers, you might want to listen carefully to how Elizabeth took her interactive, highly personal approach, and brought it online. 

Oh, and if we’ve given you a craving for a bouquet of beautiful flowers (and you’re in the Ottawa, Canada area) you can always reach out to Elizabeth at FlowersTalk.ca.

What’s in This Episode

1. Ideas on how to thrive in business post-pandemic 

2. The genius behind moving live workshops online

3. When to make your crazy idea a fantastic business venture  

4. How to adapt to a huge economic change (like a pandemic!)

5. What to do when your business becomes the target of haters

6. How to keep your focus when everyone else is afraid or falling apart

7. Tips on finding the “new normal” that’s right for your business

8. How to shift your die-hard, in-store clients to online customers

What To Do Next

Visit lisalarter.com/e13 for the transcript and all resources from this episode.

Lead Like Your Business Depends On It 

Jackie Foo was my first boss at Clearnet (before it was Telus) and the way she modelled leadership forever altered the way I lead in my business and coach others to lead in their businesses. 

Tune in to hear Jackie and I get real about what it takes to lead, really lead, in your business and how the simple act of learning to bring out the best in people can grow your profit and change the lives of your team members, your clients and impact the legacy you leave. We also talk about how to build the right team to fulfill your business vision and the art of hiring for your gaps.  Hear the story of the first time Jackie sat in on a final warning conversation I had with an employee and how, when the employee left and I was sure I had done a less-than-perfect job, she floored me with her feedback. Learn what Jackie refers to as her 1-10 Rule for giving feedback that not only offers a team member ways to improve, change or refine, but also builds a strong relationship of trust and partnership between you and them.   Do you see mistakes or do you see the good people on your team are doing? Jackie gives fantastic advice on how to train yourself to do both. 

What’s In This Episode

1. How to lead in a way that inspires and gets results

2. Jackie Foo’s 1-10 Rule for feedback

3. How to build the right team for your business vision

4. The two things you need to give your team every day

5. Tips for keeping the A players on your team

6. The difference between a ‘busy list’ and a priority list

What To Do Next

Click here to get the transcript and all resources from this episode.

Build Your Business with Influence

You probably know her as the go-to expert for all things Instagram, but did you know Sue B. Zimmerman is a serial entrepreneur whose first business hit 7 figures at the age of 22? In fact, she was busy running a retail store in Cape Cod when she was struck with the idea to become the Instagram expert and has since built a 7 figure business around the platform.  

In this episode, learn the 3 reasons why Sue B. fell in love with Instagram and how she manifested being the world’s leading expert. You’ll also hear about the secret tool Sue B. relies on to build and manage her dream team, which includes her very own daughter, Morgan. Think you could work side by side with your son or daughter? Sue lets us in on how they do it.

Is generosity a business strategy? It is. Hear how generosity and bringing people joy, without expectation, can be an effective strategy, not to mention a great way to show up and be yourself inside your own business. 

Listen in as Sue B. shares how she learned the difference between ‘the hobbyist’ and her ideal client the hard way. Sue tells us what she had to change in her business to attract the right people and move away from hobbyists sucking her time and energy. You’ll also hear the crazy story of SBZ Enterprise’s Facebook ad account being shut down and how her team had to pivot to keep revenue from drying up. 

What’s in This Episode

1. How to build a 7-figure business around a social media platform

2. Tips on how to shake off “hobbyists” and attract your ideal client instead

3. How to identify the red flags that a team member is not the right fit for your business

4. Generosity as a business strategy

5. What tool Sue B. relies on to help her manage her team

6. What to do when Facebook shuts down your ad account 

7. Advice on letting a team member go

What To Do Next

1. Sign up to be notified when I run the next Roadmap Workshop. 

2. Subscribe to receive this podcast and regular weekly strategies to grow and shape your business. You’ll also be the first to know about upcoming courses, programs and exclusive LIVE training.

3. Connect on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn and share your insights from the show.

4. Join Thought Readers and connect with other like-minded entrepreneurs in this popular book club for business owners.

Up Next

In episode 12, The Role of Leadership in Your Business Strategy, Jackie Foo and I get real about what it takes to lead, really lead, in your business and how the simple act of learning to bring out the best in people can grow your profit and change the lives of your team members, your clients and impact the legacy you leave.

Books Mentioned in This Episode

1. Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman and Mark C. Winters

Where to Find Sue Zimmerman

1. You can connect with Sue on Instagram (of course!), Facebook or her website. And, don’t forget to check out her Youtube channel!

2. The Sue B. manifesting video that started it all. 

Episode Transcript

Download The PDF Transcript

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Tune in to Your Customer Journey

Does the subject of sales make you sweat? You’re not alone! Many of us have tunnel vision when it comes to our sales process. We’re so busy giving ourselves a high five after the first sale or get so caught up in doing the work for our client that we completely miss the opportunity of the second sale strategy. 

What is the second sale strategy, anyway? I’m so glad you asked because this week’s episode dives deep into the customer journey and how the 3 tenets of the second sale strategy will completely change the way you look at marketing and selling in your business.

Did you know that 79.4% of customers* (in retail) never make a second purchase from the same company? Why is this? What does it take to bring a customer back for a second purchase? Learn why only 21.6% of customers* buy again and how studying the lifecycle of your customer can help you build a sales process that dramatically increases how many first-time clients buy from you again. Heck, maybe they work with you for years!

Learn how selling is like an avocado, how to use a loss leader and how to craft the perfect second sale. You’ll also hear why one of my clients says he’ll never stop working with me. After hearing this episode, you may decide you want to drill down and figure out your business’s customer journey and how to put the second sale strategy to work for you. The good news is that sales is stop number four on the Strategy Roadmap. So, why not join us for my next Roadmap Strategy Workshop? Simply click here to be notified. 

*based on statistics from this Bluecore article. 

What’s In This Episode

1. Why the Customer’s Journey is critical to your business

2. The secret to bringing in long-term clients

3. How selling is like an avocado 

4. The most powerful question you can ask yourself about your business

5. How to tell if you’re followers or subscribers are cheerleaders OR potential clients

6. Learn what a loss leader is and how it can bring you repeat business

What To Do Next

1. Sign up to be notified when I run the next Roadmap Workshop. 

2. Subscribe to receive this podcast and regular weekly strategies to grow and shape your business. You’ll also be the first to know about upcoming courses, programs and exclusive LIVE training.

3. Connect on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn and share your insights from the show.

4. Join Thought Readers and connect with other like-minded entrepreneurs in this popular book club for business owners.

Up Next

1. In the next episode, Betting it all on Instagram with Sue B. Zimmerman, Sue brings us behind the scenes of SBZ Enterprise to reveal exactly what it took to build a profitable seven figure business around Instagram (and it’s not all selfies and cute outfits!).

Blog Post Mentioned in This Episode

1. Check out the blog post that sparked the idea for this episode The Second Sale Strategy.

Books Mentioned in This Episode

1. Never Lose a Customer Again: Turn Any Sale into Lifelong Loyalty in 100 Days by Joey Coleman

2. Getting Naked: A Business Fable About Shedding The Three Fears That Sabotage Client Loyalty by Patrick M. Lencioni 

Episode Transcript

Download The PDF Transcript

Fix Your Messaging to Attract Your Buyer

Meet Ashlee Klevens-Hayes, the owner of RX Ashlee, an executive-level career coach for women in health care. Ashlee stopped by to pick my brain for solutions on how to get unstuck in her business. 

It’s not easy to sit in the She Talks Business Hot Seat and spill what’s not working! But it is a fantastic way to build courage, grow as an entrepreneur and get a coach’s view of what’s holding you back. In Ashlee’s business, it’s a case of mixed marketing messaging! 

What do you do when the clients you attract are NOT your ideal buyer? How do you up-level your marketing to reach this new person? Ashlee has done a great job creating content and marketing her services, but there’s one lethal mistake she’s making in her messaging. Tune in to find out what it is and see if you’re making the same mistake. You’ll also hear the steps I recommended Ashlee take to attract MORE ideal buyers. 

Are you coming across to your potential clients as an Influencer or an expert? What’s the difference? There is a huge difference and only one of them will win you your ideal client. It depends on what type of business you own. Listen in to hear which one you want to be in your business. 

What’s in This Episode

• How to identify if you are an expert or an influencer
• The lethal messaging mistake you may be making
• Tips for using your LinkedIn recommendations in your marketing
• The must-have copy for your homepage
• The book I recommend to clean up your marketing messaging 
• Tips on how to audit your own Instagram feed

What To Do Next

1. Sign up to be notified when I run the next Roadmap Workshop.
2. Subscribe to receive this podcast and regular weekly strategies to grow and shape your business. You’ll also be the first to know about upcoming courses, programs and exclusive LIVE training.
3. Connect on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn and share your insights from the show.
4. Join Thought Readers and connect with other like-minded entrepreneurs in this popular book club for business owners.

Up Next
You’ve got big dreams for your business! How do you achieve the goals you’ve set? The answer is... with your marketing strategy. 

Tune in to episode 10, The Second Sale Strategy, where I ask you to forget about traditional “Getting the sale” thinking and instead, focus on how you can lay the foundation for a long-term relationship with your buyer.

Books Mentioned in This Episode

• Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller
• Marketing Made Simple by Donald Miller
• The 50 Year-Old Millennial by Mark Pettipas

Where to Find Ashlee Klevens-Hayes

• You can connect with Ashlee on Instagram, Facebook or via her website. 
• Check out her new book being released June 19th.

Episode Transcript
Download The PDF Transcript

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Humanize How You Attract Clients 

Lately, the noise coming out of the online marketing world has me worried that we’re dehumanizing how we attract people to our businesses. In today’s episode, we’re going to look at lead generation in a whole new way!

Business is relational, not transactional. That’s why we’re going to pull out from the narrow, microscopic view of lead generation to look at things from the big picture 5 step sales process I use in my business. We’ll look at how to bring a human touch to all five steps so the right people find you, do business with you and become your greatest referral source. This is lead generation on a whole new level!  

Hear how over-delivering and customer retention is, in my opinion, the most overlooked and most profitable lead generation strategy a business can have. Lately, UPS has renewed my hope in this strategy.

Learn how I almost bankrupted my brand new wireless retail store in trying to follow someone else’s lead generation strategy! I can’t believe I’m sharing this with you, but hey—it’s time we normalized failure, don’t you think? Me, too. 

Let’s get started!  

After hearing this episode, you may decide you want to drill down and figure out exactly how you can generate new leads and create a sales process to sell to your current clients. Guess what? That is stop #6 on the road map of my Roadmap Strategy Workshop. Want to join the next workshop? Simply click here to be notified. 

What’s In This Episode

• My 5 Step Sales Process (aka the way I think of lead generation)
• How UPS over-delivered for me
• The magic question to discover where your leads come from
• How to calculate your conversion rate
• Why your current clients are the best leads of all 
• How to tell if someone is a browser or a lead

What To Do Next

• Sign up to be notified when I run the next Roadmap Workshop. 
• Subscribe to receive this podcast and regular weekly strategies to grow and shape your business. You’ll also be the first to know about upcoming courses, programs and exclusive LIVE training.
• Connect on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn and share your insights from the show.
• Join Thought Readers and connect with other like-minded entrepreneurs in this popular book club for business owners.

Up Next

• In the next episode, Ashlee Klevens Hayes of RXAshlee is in the Hot Seat, hear where Ashlee’s stuck in her business and my coaching on how to hone her marketing to attract her ideal client. Are you making the same messaging mistake Ashlee is? Tune in to find out! 

Resources & Links From the ShowTALK the TALK & WALK the WALK:

1. Download the free My Lead Generation Strategy Worksheet
2. Carve out an hour to complete this worksheet to dive deep into how you’re already attracting leads and how many more leads you need to hit this year’s revenue goal!  HINT: Don’t get scared off by the calculations. Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to knowing the numbers in your business. I’m cheering you on! 

Blog Posts Mentioned in This Episode

• Check out these three blog posts How to Get Clients, 3 Ways to Create Meaningful Content and Five Steps to Get More Leads and Clients with LinkedIn for helpful articles on how to attract the right people to your business.

Episode Transcript
Download The PDF Transcript

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