Last weekend, we took our kids trick or treating ![11-05-09Article[2]](https://i0.wp.com/smartwomensolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/11-05-09Article23.jpg?resize=175%2C226&ssl=1 "11-05-09Article[2]")
in our neighborhood and it was exciting. I enjoyed watching Jack and Jenna’s faces light up when they saw a friend from school or someone dressed as their favorite character. One observation from the evening that intrigued me was watching which houses the children gravitated to most often. The houses that were adorned with lights, decorations and an irresistible “come visit me” feeling were the ones the children ran to first. They would actually skip over homes that had little or no “invitation.” They would stand in long lines at homes that had that welcome feeling, waiting for one piece of candy rather than use that time to visit two or three homes that had less of a welcome presence. This got me thinking about how Smart Women entrepreneurs could learn a lot from Halloween when it comes to attracting their ideal client.
Having a business is one thing; creating a successful plan to attract your ideal client to your business is another. With all of the choices that people have today when searching for products and services, it’s essential that you create that “welcome” feeling or “I have exactly what you need” feeling so that when they arrive at your web site or meet you in person, there’s no question that you and your business are exactly what they need to solve their problem. Marketing is about solving problems for people. You need to quickly and effectively let your ideal client know that you have what they need and want. The people in our neighborhood that went the extra mile to create a true trick or treat “experience” were the ones whose homes were visited the most.
Are you going the extra mile for your ideal client? In my Women’s Success Circles, we spend a lot of time creating marketing plans that will generate more ideal clients for each woman’s business. What “experience” are you creating so they want to return to you again and again for your product or service?
to me that I was feeling exhausted—I mean really tired. As I made a mental scan of my day, I realized that I had been in a “reactive” mode most of the day rather than a “proactive” mode. We do need to react to situations that occur in our lives as best we can at that moment, however, Smart Women know that living a “proactive” life where you plan, prepare, and practice conscious living is clearly more rewarding.
It’s a fun song that makes me want to jump up and dance around the room. It also motivates me into thoughts about the “jump” in my own life–to take the leap to the next level. This got me thinking about how Smart Women take the leap into realizing their Big Ideas, Dreams, and Goals.
women I support is “How do I find and attract more new clients?” After all, new clients are necessary for your business to survive and thrive. The good news is, “new” clients are closer than you think. What do I mean? Have you ever heard the old phrase, “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush?”
I initially didn’t want to get away for a family vacation. I mean it is not that I didn’t want to go to Park City. I love Park City. It is a peaceful, cozy town nestled between some magnificent mountains. It is not that I didn’t want to have special time with my family. Then what was it? This is the same conversation that I bet you’ve had over and over again when it is time for you to get away. The conversation goes something like this:
lot—especially at how silly we all looked in our 3D glasses! In the movie, the character Ellie was both adventurous and feisty. Ellie had a wild imagination and Carl (her young friend who later became her husband) found her enchanting and fell in love with her. After their marriage, Ellie created a very special “Adventure Book” and inside she had written, “Stuff I’m going to do.” This got me thinking about why Smart Women should have their own special adventure books and make plans and set goals around the “stuff they are going to do.”
water on this hot summer day! When I asked her about it, she exclaimed, “Mommy, I was having so much fun playing tennis I forgot to eat or drink!” Jenna was doing something that energized her. She found an activity that caused her to forget about everything. She was in her “flow.” This got me thinking about how Smart Women find their “flow” and live energetic, passionate lives.
by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (“chick-Sent-me-high”) to be quite thought-provoking. Csikszentmihalyi believes that many people walk through their lives without ever becoming aware of what energizes them or where they find themselves in the “flow.” Athletes sometimes refer to this as being “in the zone.” “Flow” is the place where you lose yourself and all track of time. You know when you are in the “flow” when you finish a task or project and you feel more energized than when you began. Have you ever done something and forgotten to look at the clock or stopped to take a break for lunch or even go to the bathroom? I personally find my “flow” in my work with women, watching my children play sports and listening to solo piano.
hockey, tennis, music, art, drama, playing at the park. The baseball league, in particular, is quite popular. They have a well thought out program in place with an Opening Day celebration, an organized season, and Closing Ceremonies to honor the players. Our family attended the closing ceremonies last weekend and this got me thinking about how Smart Women could learn a lot from the local Pacific Palisades Baseball Association.