The Online Prosperity Experience

7 ways to win friends and influence people.

Naturally, coaches, consultants and small business people want to get the attention of people with power and influence--and that can mean being assertive.

I frequently reach out to busy people who should not have time for me and succeed in connecting nonetheless--because as in so much of business, execution is everything.

When you ask someone for help, advice or an opportunity, keep these seven tips in mind.

1. Don't go straight to the top
2. Find out how this organisation works
3. What value can you provide?
4. Offer to do any legwork required.
5. Clarity on the ask.
6. Offer a long rope.
7. Know what a self-serving request is.

High-level executives and other successful people with a lot of demands on their schedules need to be selective about who gets their attention.

Seeking a connection that's all about you and your goals is a recipe for failure.

If you want to get ahead, do your research, think about the other person's time and needs, and make a great first impression.

If You Want More Business – Simply Ask For It.

If you have been listening, reading or watching our content, you will agree with this. I’ve said it here often enough that people are probably thinking I sound like a broken record, but one of the easiest ways to grow your business as a coach, consultant or small business owner is to do more business with your existing clients.

Once you have become a trusted advisor for your clients, it is much easier to increase your wallet share with them than to go out and find new clients.

A lot of business owners get this notion, but they constantly come back to me and ask – How. I mean we only install air conditioners and heating systems. How do we do more business with our existing clients?

I tell them that your relationship with your customers must not end at the bottom of the order form.

• You can set up subscription services.
• Create courses,
• Look for profitable avenues to help your customers.

Go to your current clients and ask them what you should add to what they are buying from you right now.

Find out what they can’t get right now or what they would prefer to buy from you.

Find out how you could serve them better, keep an open mind to some seemingly odd suggestions, and you may find yourself going in entirely new and profitable directions.

How to sell to the elusive small-business owner…

If you are a coach, consultant or small business owner in the business (or thinking of getting into the business) of selling to small-business owners, beware.

It’s a tough market to reach and tougher even to sell.

Small-business owners are very busy people.

They may need your product or service, but they don’t have the time to think about it.

They are up early and deep into their work by the time that first cup of coffee hits their lips. Although they sometimes fantasise about kicking back in their chairs and casually reading through the marketing material in their inboxes, they seldom can.

When the time comes to make buying decisions, small-business owners are impatient shoppers, demanding buyers, and tight with their wallets. (The average small business has a net income of only 6.3 percent of revenues, so owners tend to pinch pennies.)

But if you get their loyalty – earn it and keep earning it – they will stay with you for life.

Marketing to small-business owners is a tough game. But if you have a good product, can sell it at a competitive price, and have the tenacity to work hard for that first sale, you’ll be rewarded with a loyal, profitable customer for life.

Design your daily checklist for high performance and success.

The quality of your life, business or relationships is the reflection of your standards.

You could make millions and still stay poor in your mind. Being poor is not about making less money.

Being poor is a mentality. It’s a choice to live a low standard of life. You have an opportunity to change this daily

When I say low standard, I don’t mean the luxuries and pleasures that rich people can afford.

You can raise your standards regardless of how much money you make. It’s not about money, it’s about mindset.

Different people have different values. We can have high standards in some areas of our lives while we may avoid the other areas.

Here are the five major areas of life where you can raise your standards :

1. Health
2. Wealth
3. Relationships
4. Self-discipline
5. Mindset

Your thoughts determine your actions. If you want to put quality thoughts in your mind, you must craft your environment in a way that most thoughts in your mind are useful or helpful.

Destructive thought patterns lead to depression, worry or anxiety. Your internal self-talk is the way to speak with your subconscious. Make sure you talk to yourself from a higher perspective.

Become your own life coach. Use the power of self-affirmation to feel powerful and inspired to become great.

What beliefs do you hold for yourself?

Chronic Takers – How to Get Them Out of Your Life

I am in a service business, and I get a lot of requests for advice—sometimes for free.

I know that many of my clients in various advisory roles (e.g., a career like me, financial planning, life coaching, etc.) also get asked for free advice.

The natural inclination is to say Yes because many of us got into a service role in the first place because we like to serve and help.

Furthermore, a free, no-obligation conversation sometimes leads to paid work, either directly with that person or with someone they refer to you.

On the other hand, as your business grows, and you get more well-known, these requests for help also grow.

Unchecked, people who ask for free advice can consume your calendar and overwhelm your energy. Therefore, you need a process for deciding what to do for free, how you structure your freebies and when it’s a better move to decline. Ideally, you outline when to say No (or Yes) in advance, so you can be thoughtful when you respond to requests.

Done right, you can say No and still be helpful.

You Don’t Need To Sacrifice Your Income To Do What You Love.

I am here to say, You CAN Have Both. Let Me Walk You Through My Simple, Step-By-Step Plan To Show You Exactly How Easy It Can Be.

Listen Now.

There's no surefire formula for instant success, but you can boost your business's growth with these tips from other coaches, consultants and small business owners we work with.

When you first launch your business, your main goal is to establish your brand and start growing.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen overnight.

Growth is an ongoing process that requires hard work, patience and dedication. There’s no special step or secret way to surpass other businesses in the industry or achieve immediate success.

There are, however, proven ways to reach growth milestones that can catapult a business to success.

In this podcast, I share some tips for accelerating growth.

Don’t gamble. Just invest smarter.

Have you ever been to a casino? I know you have, but maybe the best question is, have you ever gambled at a casino?

I don't gamble. And that's a strange thing, really, because other than gambling, I've never met a bad habit I didn't like. I don't gamble because I get no pleasure from it and because it's so clear to me that I’d lose money.

If you believe you can beat the system, I’m not going to try to talk to you about it. Just ask yourself this:

1. How are these billion-dollar properties being paid for?
2. How is it that the Crown Casino can have a garden so opulent that it takes 70 full-time employees just to maintain it?

It ain't charitable contributions.

If you stick with Online Prosperity Experience Podcast, you'll learn dozens of ways to get a piece of the action and, just as importantly, you’ll be encouraged and motivated to do so.

Then you’ll be on your way.

You'll be getting richer every day. But to become wealthy, you'll have to learn to keep the wealth you earn. And that means saying no to gambling.

Gambling is a sucker's game.

The odds are stacked against you. The compensation, well, the comps are about as useful as a bouquet of flowers from your wife’s boyfriend.

I don't gamble. Not in Vegas, Melbourne or on a cruise ship at least. But every once in a while I run into a business deal that sings, Play me!

Don't gamble. Not in Vegas. Not in the stock market. Not in your own business.

Next time the sirens sing to you, tighten up the ropes of self-restraint and wait till you sail on by.

A good coach, consultant or small businessman owns a piece of the casino. He doesn't gamble there.

Five ways to better connect with your customers.

Your customers drive your business, which is why it’s so important to note how they interact with your brand. Don’t just reach out to them when you want their business; find ways to continuously show them you care.

This podcast is for coaches, consultants and small business owners who want to find ways to better connect with their customers.

We understand you’re outsourcing some of your marketing, social media or sales processes, but when our money goes to your business, our customer service is coming through your social media and the product says "your Brand" on the box - it’s all your responsibility. 

Customers don’t see funnels - and all points of contact with your business are part of your brand. 

Don’t say “policy” as an excuse for what you feel like doing at the time and then backpedal immediately when asked.

Few things anger an already frustrated customer, like the word “policy”. There is always something you can do, at the very least listen to and be empathetic.

Don’t act as if you’ve been put out when a customer wants to make sure they’re getting what they paid for. 

Service is part of the job description in business - every job description.

If your market is humans, you’re eventually going to need to speak to one of them. 

Branding doesn't end with the sale, its ends when the customer decides it’s over.

Customising your user interactions improves relevance and authenticity.

The Value of Loose Referrals

We all know that referrals are the number one way to grow our businesses. 

The most effective way, the most desired way, and the cheapest way to gain new business is to have happy current customers who let others know how awesome you are.

• A lot of coaches, consultants and small businesses may not have a lot of money in their marketing budget, but a strong network of business relationships can be their biggest asset.
• You can build and nurture business relationships through cold calling, giving away something for free, using social media, and settling disputes quickly.
• This Podcast is for entrepreneurs and small business owners who want to develop and benefit from strong business relationships.

It’s common for business startups to be short on cash and supplies. However, their most valuable resource doesn’t appear on the balance sheet: quality business relationships.

Depending on the business, a strong network may include

1. customers,
2. clients,
3. suppliers,
4. buyers,
5. outsourced service providers,
6. the government,
7. media and even
8. competitors.

While the context may vary, every element in a business’s network requires a foundation of amicability and trust. 

Social media has allowed me to get to know people in countless industries whose services and products I have yet to use myself — but whom I would still give a loose referral.

The more people you know, and more importantly, the more people who know you (even before they have been your customer), the greater your social network.

The old idea of focusing on talking only to leads, or even referring to people as leads, is dying.

People on social media don’t leads; they are people.

They are connections.

And when these connections grow, others get to know, like, and trust us, even without ever having used our products or services.

1. What is the value to you in building a community where you can ask advice of people you trust—both personally and professionally?
2. What is the value in not wasting your time and money on a product or service because you asked first and were given recommendations online? 

I think loose referrals alone are worth all the time and energy spent engaging online.

Improve your sales and reduce your marketing costs

Customer loyalty can help your business become profitable and enjoyable in the best of times, but it can also help you survive in tough or challenging times.

• Customer loyalty is especially important during the pandemic, as consumers are extremely conscious of their budgets.
• Repeat customers tend to spend more money on your brand than new customers because they trust your business.
• Retaining customers is about five times cheaper than recruiting new customers.

This podcast is for coaches, consultants and small business owners who want to increase their brands’ customer loyalty in the pandemic era.

As a business owner, you know your customers are the reason for your business.

That’s why it’s important to consider your customers in everything you do. Your customers’ needs should be at the forefront of your business. This will not only drive more sales but also build customer loyalty for the long haul.

Here’s why cultivating customer loyalty is important and tips on building it.