As I peel away the surface and go deeply into the core of my own life and the many lives of the students who I am fortunate to work with , I come to you today with a message I feel is very much needed right now. SHOUT OUT to all the women out there - this is not a time for us to shrink into weakness and obscurity, of course that is the easy thing to do if we submit to the negativity surrounding us, however, this is a time where true grace and resilience will resound. Your absence has very much been noticed. I speak this to myself and to all of you. There has been a cloud of darkness surrounding so many this season, where most find it difficult enough to rise from bed each morning let alone work on their businesses.
I wanted to share that I know where you are – I have had days like that too. It’s time we collectively move past the fear of authenticity and work harder than every to cross the bridge together. We are women who innately need each other and part of stepping up is stepping out into the unknown. Entrepreneurship and the pathways of womanhood are often lonely roads but that doesn’t mean we have to go at it alone. If we are struggling personally, we will most certainly struggle professionally (and visa versa), so let’s get it all out on the table.
I am and will always be committed to helping women personally and professionally and therefore continue to put a lot of thought into the best ways that I can serve you now and in the future. By serving you, I refresh and renew my own soul. My request is that you come as you are. Soon you will learn more about the “Come as YOU are Campaign” officially launching through the Women’s Wellness Society, but in the meantime, I have two requests: First – is that you stay plugged into a weekly gathering of women. If one does not exist in your area, start one. I will help. Two – email me with your most pressing business challenge. I will stay up late at night until I have answered all of your emails and if I don’t have the answer, I will find it. By joining hands and taking small steps, we can move mountains.
I have come to realize that our lives are measured by how much we give rather than how much we get and I hope you have come to know the same. Although this letter may not apply to you, I trust that you know someone it does and therefore, I will be the first to lead the way. From my heart to yours, cheers sister!
With much love and gratitude,
Founder
Women that Win
Women’s Wellness Society
kellie@womenthatwin.com
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Tips for Creating the Perfect Business Pitch
By Kellie Kuecha
The numbers vary but I am sure you have heard at some point in your career that you only get a few seconds to make a good first impression. Because our society reacts so instantly and without much forgiveness, getting the attention of our potential clients needs to be quick and effective. Here are some of my thoughts on creating a perfect pitch.
1. Always remember that your pitch is so not about YOU and all about THEM. I am sure you have given pitches in the past where the prospect’s eyes glaze over and you get the standard reply “ohhh, nice…(with a half cocked smile), can I have your business card?” I am sure you have done it and I am sure it’s been done to20you. Bottom line; the first sentence must immediately engage their thoughts around something that is familiar to them. Here is an example of what not to do, “Hi, my name is Kellie Kuecha, I own a few companies for women, one is called Women’s Wellness Society and the other is called Women that Win.” By giving this kind of pitch I am saying first that it’s all about me and the second problem is, I have not engaged them. Here is a better way of saying the same thing, “Hi Lisa, I love your pin, what kind of work do you do?” That type of questions always comes back to you where you then have the chance to leave your indelible mark forever in your potential clients mind, so when Lisa gets around to asking what I do, here is my response, “Do you ever feel like you are so talented but not sure how to execute that talent in the most profitable way, or better yet, do you ever feel like you love what you do but you have just lost that spark and would really love to get it back?” pause, “well that’s where I come in, within 30 minutes of looking over your business model, I can help identify several key profit centers for you that can immediately infuse new revenue streams into your business. The process begins with a quick analysis and from there you have a multitude of options available to you, and the best part is, my programs offer quick and effective cash generating solutions that work with almost any business model. Does that sound like something that might interest you?” It takes me less than 30 seconds to deliver that pitch/commercial and the entire time I am keeping the other party engaged. In the end, I am getting permission to move to the next step which is the beginning of the sales process. This is quite a different approach than those of us who simply deliver the standard, “I am a personal trainer, Realtor or financial planner.” Which leads me to the next point…
2. When people ask what you do, they are not asking what your company does, instead they are interested in what YOU do within your company. Oftentimes the above conversation leads to the question, 8 0what exactly do you do?” Never begin the response with,” I own a…”, or “I work at…”, or “my company does…” but rather “I am responsible for…”, “I offer solutions…” Here is what I frequently say, “I help my clients center their companies around themselves and their story and by doing that, they become more relatable and profitable. I do this through my Profit from Being YOU system which helps my clients build their unique brand essence and ultimately launch their first product on the web.” I would love to have your card so I can send you my 10 tips on How to Profit from Being YOU.
3. Always close with a call to action. You can do this a number of ways, the first is by putting the call to action on the back of your business cards. This option is great20for the shy networker. The next way is to end your pitch with a call to action as I did in the example above however, you will want to be sure to have this memorized so that it flows smoothly off your tongue. Lastly, your website needs to reflect the same call to action. The days are gone where your potential clients will opt in to your list for a newsletter. Your call to action on your site should always include a free gift that can be downloaded on the spot.
I hope this article sheds some light on the correct way to pitch your commercial. Remember, people don’t like to be sold but they love to buy so staging your product or service the correct way will make a monumental difference in the outcome. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for the unveiling of my own brand makeover and personal website that is guaranteed to offer everything that a growing entrepreneur needs to stand out at any level! For a sample of my work please visit www.profitfrombeingyou.com
Love and Success,
Kellie Kuecha - Founder
www.womenthatwin.com
www.womenswellnesssociety.com
The numbers vary but I am sure you have heard at some point in your career that you only get a few seconds to make a good first impression. Because our society reacts so instantly and without much forgiveness, getting the attention of our potential clients needs to be quick and effective. Here are some of my thoughts on creating a perfect pitch.
1. Always remember that your pitch is so not about YOU and all about THEM. I am sure you have given pitches in the past where the prospect’s eyes glaze over and you get the standard reply “ohhh, nice…(with a half cocked smile), can I have your business card?” I am sure you have done it and I am sure it’s been done to20you. Bottom line; the first sentence must immediately engage their thoughts around something that is familiar to them. Here is an example of what not to do, “Hi, my name is Kellie Kuecha, I own a few companies for women, one is called Women’s Wellness Society and the other is called Women that Win.” By giving this kind of pitch I am saying first that it’s all about me and the second problem is, I have not engaged them. Here is a better way of saying the same thing, “Hi Lisa, I love your pin, what kind of work do you do?” That type of questions always comes back to you where you then have the chance to leave your indelible mark forever in your potential clients mind, so when Lisa gets around to asking what I do, here is my response, “Do you ever feel like you are so talented but not sure how to execute that talent in the most profitable way, or better yet, do you ever feel like you love what you do but you have just lost that spark and would really love to get it back?” pause, “well that’s where I come in, within 30 minutes of looking over your business model, I can help identify several key profit centers for you that can immediately infuse new revenue streams into your business. The process begins with a quick analysis and from there you have a multitude of options available to you, and the best part is, my programs offer quick and effective cash generating solutions that work with almost any business model. Does that sound like something that might interest you?” It takes me less than 30 seconds to deliver that pitch/commercial and the entire time I am keeping the other party engaged. In the end, I am getting permission to move to the next step which is the beginning of the sales process. This is quite a different approach than those of us who simply deliver the standard, “I am a personal trainer, Realtor or financial planner.” Which leads me to the next point…
2. When people ask what you do, they are not asking what your company does, instead they are interested in what YOU do within your company. Oftentimes the above conversation leads to the question, 8 0what exactly do you do?” Never begin the response with,” I own a…”, or “I work at…”, or “my company does…” but rather “I am responsible for…”, “I offer solutions…” Here is what I frequently say, “I help my clients center their companies around themselves and their story and by doing that, they become more relatable and profitable. I do this through my Profit from Being YOU system which helps my clients build their unique brand essence and ultimately launch their first product on the web.” I would love to have your card so I can send you my 10 tips on How to Profit from Being YOU.
3. Always close with a call to action. You can do this a number of ways, the first is by putting the call to action on the back of your business cards. This option is great20for the shy networker. The next way is to end your pitch with a call to action as I did in the example above however, you will want to be sure to have this memorized so that it flows smoothly off your tongue. Lastly, your website needs to reflect the same call to action. The days are gone where your potential clients will opt in to your list for a newsletter. Your call to action on your site should always include a free gift that can be downloaded on the spot.
I hope this article sheds some light on the correct way to pitch your commercial. Remember, people don’t like to be sold but they love to buy so staging your product or service the correct way will make a monumental difference in the outcome. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for the unveiling of my own brand makeover and personal website that is guaranteed to offer everything that a growing entrepreneur needs to stand out at any level! For a sample of my work please visit www.profitfrombeingyou.com
Love and Success,
Kellie Kuecha - Founder
www.womenthatwin.com
www.womenswellnesssociety.com
Thursday, July 23, 2009
3 Quick Ways to Leverage Sponsors to Grow Your Business
The sky is the limit when it comes to ways that you can leverage your business. I love the idea of leverage and with most everything I do, I find a way to leverage one thing for another. While I am clear that most don’t fully understand leverage, I am quite certain that you will after reading this.
Think of the term If…then… In other words, the full sentence might look like this, "If I can help you bring a high quality group of business leaders from our community into your establishment, would you be willing to sponsor some events for me?" Now take a very high end Boca Raton restaurant, who after doing a little research, I find out would like a younger, business clientele. I know based on my demographics, my clients are their ideal demographic also. Basically I am making a bold statement that I can fill a marketing need that they have simply by trading exposure or access to my clientele for their sponsorship of my event. Keep in mind that very seldom is money is changing hands. Certainly that restaurant can spend their marketing budget on print ads however that would not be an effective use of their dollars as it is next to impossible to track the return on investment with a print ad.
That is where I (and you) come in. In today’s market, it is more important than ever to find ways to fund your business without using your own money. The same goes for your clients and your potential partners or sponsors. By getting clear about the demographic you serve and the needs of the market - you can structure win-win joint ventures with other businesses that are looking to gain access to your demographic and everyone wins! There are hundreds of ways to accomplish this but here are a few to start:
1. Survey your list to find out some more specific details about your customer demographics and buying trends. You can use www.surveymonkey.com to begin the process. Ask for info like, age, years in business and annual revenue. In my case using the example above, I may ask how often my clients do their business meetings in a restaurant, how much do they typically spend on food and drinks for a business meeting and do they typically do lunches or after hours, etc.
2. Get clear on the deliverables that you can offer on your end to create a win-win. In other words, what value does your company bring to the table in terms of services or exposure? Do you have a large list that you can give them access to through advertising, do you have monthly gatherings that you can move to their place or perhaps can you offer your services in exchange for theirs? Often times, sponsorship is as simple as putting someone’s logo somewhere on your material or website and often times can result in new revenue for you. But remember, money does not have to change hands for this to work.
3. Use proposals in helping to secure your potential deal. On the top of your proposal you will state something like – Women that Win will provide the following: Then you will list one by one the deliverables you are offering and their value. Next you will list what you are looking for in return. Such as, Women that Win would like the following: Here you will list all of the things you are looking for in return (you may or may not choose to list values.) Once both parties agree, have your contract ready for them to sign.
In every business conversation you have, you should carefully plan in advance how you might create a win-win deal without money changing hands. I have spent most of my business career doing this and have never had to go into de.bt, use credit cards and best of all, not go out of pocket for most of the resources I have needed to grow my companies. There are hundreds of ways to create these kind of deals but you first have to start with the mindset of how you can serve that person or business in a way that will help them to grow.
If you like what you read today, you will want to consider taking my How to Acquire Sponsors and Leverage Your Business C.ash and D.ebt FRE.E class coming up next month where I will give you loads of ideas and how you can apply this to your own business as well as all of the scripts, proposals and contracts you will need to create your own fabulous deals! Stay tuned for dates and times.
You may use this article in your e-zine, blog or newsletter providing you copy and paste the author's information in full located at the bottom of this e-zine. http://www.mynewsletterbuilder.com/tools/view_newsletter.php?newsletter_id=1409957411
Think of the term If…then… In other words, the full sentence might look like this, "If I can help you bring a high quality group of business leaders from our community into your establishment, would you be willing to sponsor some events for me?" Now take a very high end Boca Raton restaurant, who after doing a little research, I find out would like a younger, business clientele. I know based on my demographics, my clients are their ideal demographic also. Basically I am making a bold statement that I can fill a marketing need that they have simply by trading exposure or access to my clientele for their sponsorship of my event. Keep in mind that very seldom is money is changing hands. Certainly that restaurant can spend their marketing budget on print ads however that would not be an effective use of their dollars as it is next to impossible to track the return on investment with a print ad.
That is where I (and you) come in. In today’s market, it is more important than ever to find ways to fund your business without using your own money. The same goes for your clients and your potential partners or sponsors. By getting clear about the demographic you serve and the needs of the market - you can structure win-win joint ventures with other businesses that are looking to gain access to your demographic and everyone wins! There are hundreds of ways to accomplish this but here are a few to start:
1. Survey your list to find out some more specific details about your customer demographics and buying trends. You can use www.surveymonkey.com to begin the process. Ask for info like, age, years in business and annual revenue. In my case using the example above, I may ask how often my clients do their business meetings in a restaurant, how much do they typically spend on food and drinks for a business meeting and do they typically do lunches or after hours, etc.
2. Get clear on the deliverables that you can offer on your end to create a win-win. In other words, what value does your company bring to the table in terms of services or exposure? Do you have a large list that you can give them access to through advertising, do you have monthly gatherings that you can move to their place or perhaps can you offer your services in exchange for theirs? Often times, sponsorship is as simple as putting someone’s logo somewhere on your material or website and often times can result in new revenue for you. But remember, money does not have to change hands for this to work.
3. Use proposals in helping to secure your potential deal. On the top of your proposal you will state something like – Women that Win will provide the following: Then you will list one by one the deliverables you are offering and their value. Next you will list what you are looking for in return. Such as, Women that Win would like the following: Here you will list all of the things you are looking for in return (you may or may not choose to list values.) Once both parties agree, have your contract ready for them to sign.
In every business conversation you have, you should carefully plan in advance how you might create a win-win deal without money changing hands. I have spent most of my business career doing this and have never had to go into de.bt, use credit cards and best of all, not go out of pocket for most of the resources I have needed to grow my companies. There are hundreds of ways to create these kind of deals but you first have to start with the mindset of how you can serve that person or business in a way that will help them to grow.
If you like what you read today, you will want to consider taking my How to Acquire Sponsors and Leverage Your Business C.ash and D.ebt FRE.E class coming up next month where I will give you loads of ideas and how you can apply this to your own business as well as all of the scripts, proposals and contracts you will need to create your own fabulous deals! Stay tuned for dates and times.
You may use this article in your e-zine, blog or newsletter providing you copy and paste the author's information in full located at the bottom of this e-zine. http://www.mynewsletterbuilder.com/tools/view_newsletter.php?newsletter_id=1409957411
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