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Creativity

Let Writing Expand Your Sales Cycle

March 7, 2010 By Cara Lumen

by Cara Lumen

writer_0 Your marketing strategy should be built on your strengths.  If you are a good networker, focus on networking, if  you are a good writer you can leverage that strength into a complete sales cycle. 

Michael Port has put out a call to his Book Yourself Solid Coaches to help him revise his cornerstone book Book Yourself Solid and of course, I answered.  In fact, I volunteered to organize the original signups for what sections people wanted to work on.  And that’s what gave me the idea for this article.  Several coaches had really focused on networking. It is their natural strength and they have developed that into their major marketing strategy.  There’s going to be a new section on Social Media and several coaches had been taking more training in that as they made that a major marketing strategy for themselves.  But me, I signed up for the Writing Strategy – my absolute favorite thing to do.

Writing is good for your soul

It’s Sunday morning as I write this and although I have 12 to15 posts in varying degrees of completion, it was important for me to bring something new to life – to explore this topic and see what I uncovered.  I use my writing to sort myself out, to expand a concept, to learn something new, and to teach.  It allows me to capture the ideas that are swirling around me in nebulous form and bring them onto the physical plane for examination and consideration.

Write to sort yourself out

Journaling has long been a cornerstone of self-understanding.  When we write it down it stops spinning around in our head and becomes concrete for us. We can make lists and compare opportunities and make choices once we bring our ideas into form. 

I wrote an article about my cat Sebastian who was busy pulling push pins off of my bulletin board.  I saw that as an opportunity to think and write about curiosity and exploration and how we might increase that in our lives.

When I moved from California to Kansas City to be near my children I wrote all sorts of articles on choices, and giving stuff away, and rethinking where you put things in the new environment. 

Emerson says  “For the instinct is sure, that prompts him to tell his brother what he thinks. He then learns that in going down into the secrets of his own mind he has descended into the secrets of all minds. He learns that he who has mastered any law in his private thoughts, is master to that extent of all men whose language he speaks, and of all into whose language his own can be translated. The poet, in utter solitude remembering his spontaneous thoughts and recording them, is found to have recorded that which men in crowded cities find true for them also.”.
 
Our thoughts have value.  Our insight will be the insights others need to hear. Writing is a great way to think outloud on paper and figure things out for you and for others.

Write to expand a concept

This article is an example of expanding a concept by writing about it.  My participation in Michael’s book revision made me very aware of how I very much prefer the writing strategy above all others and I wanted to look to see what that meant for my choices and my results and how that might also be applicable for others.

Write to learn something new

When I read a book I underline and I take notes.  Then I go type those notes into my computer.  And ultimately I try to explain some of those concepts to someone else – which helps me learn it even better.  And often there is a phrase or a word or a concept that inspires me to write about it.  What does it mean to me?  How can I apply that to myself. 

Write to teach

When you teach you learn.  I love to do this.  Several years ago I wanted to get better at writing and submitting articles so I created a teleclass Article Magnetism, How to Write Articles that Attract.    Recently I spent a lot of time creating my own marketing plan and decided to teach a teleclass on that, which I did and will again.  Ultimately I put many of the great systems I had created into an ebook How to Write a Magnetic Marketing Plan

As I coach I create new handouts for my clients.  They are part of my coaching library and many have become articles.  I’ve created so many great systems that I’m working on combining them into one book Your idea Generator. 

Writing as your sales cycle

So here’s what writing has produced for me so far. 
1.    I have lots of blog posts which are often the starting point for exploring and expressing my ideas.
2.    These turn into articles which I post in article directories like Ezine Articles where I am a Platinum Expert
3.    Posts and articles often become part of my radio show Passionately On Purpose
4.    I write articles that become my cornerstone series
5.    I turn those ideas into ebooks
6.    I turn them into teleclasses and home study courses
7.    My coaching handouts become articles and enter this cycle of possibilities

A sales cycle consists of products and services at different price points so people can join you wherever they will.  Think of it as a merry-go-round where people can choose their adventure – their entry point – the steady benches, the off-the-ground-but-steady pony or the exciting and adventursome galloping horse.  Your sales cycle must contain a product for each of those levels.  This may mean price point and it may mean beginning, intermediate and advanced levels.  Think variety, think levels of opportunity and engagement.

One idea wears many hats

I think of ideas as actors – they can put on different costumes and play different parts.  When you have an idea that appeals to you, begin immediately to see how many ways it can be presented. Chunk it up, or chunk it down.  Make it a series.  Take each point in one article and write a separate article for each point. Leverage your ideas into your sales cycles from many different directions.

If you are a writer, there are many wonderful ways to add value to your business.  Go exploring and see where it takes you.

©2010 Cara Lumen

Filed Under: Content Development Tagged With: content development, Creativity, entrepreneur, Marketing, sales cycle, writing

Are You a Natural Entrepreneur?

March 5, 2010 By Cara Lumen

by Cara Lumen

natural-entrepreneurIt’s possible we are all born with the entrepreneurial spirit of curiosity and independence and a desire to learn, but not all of us keep it going for one reason or another.  If you’ve kept your free spirit going, you may know yourself as a bit different, a lot curious, and having a great time in life.

An entrepreneur naturally looks for new connections, different ways to do things, and is always walking to the beat of their own personal drummer.  Some entrepreneurs go into business for themselves.   And others don’t.

There is more to being in business for yourself than the idea.  YOU are the major factor in creating your own online business.  Here are some of the qualities I think are helpful for entrepreneurs.

1. Entrepreneurs are Passionate

The whole point of being in business for yourself is to be able to follow your passion, wherever it leads you – to take your dreams and bring them into reality.  So don’t choose an idea because it might make you money, choose it because you HAVE to do it, you NEED to do it, and you WANT to make a difference the lives of the people you will serve.

2. Entrepreneurs are Flexible

Entrepreneur Magazine says 2010 will be the year of the entrepreneur   because unlike a large company we are fluid and flexible and can respond quickly.  Are you flexible?  Can you change directions easily?  I sometimes get going so thoroughly in one direction that to turn me in another direction is like stopping a freight train.  I could handle that if I would periodically stop and question my direction along the way to see how things are working.  If I still want to go in that direction – great.  If it needs tweaking – tweak.  If it needs to be abandoned have the courage to drop it.

Do I dare bring up control issues?  I have recognized that I have a need to figure out at least one way a project could be done so I can see that it can be accomplished.  Then I’m open to the suggestions of others and am willing to go whichever way seems best. It’s a bit tricky to be controlling and flexible at the same time. Going with the flow, being fluid in your expectations is a helpful trait for an entrepreneur to have.

So flexibility is a necessary quality – the ability to change direction, to toss out something that isn’t working and expand on something that is.  To respond quickly, to know your own mind, to make decisions quickly and surely, and be prepared to change direction if your choice proved to be wrong.

3. Entrepreneurs are Creative

In this instance, creative is not about drawing and painting, but it is about an art. It is about the ability to look for new ways to do something, new applications, new insights, and new approaches.  There is a constant questioning quality here, of choosing everything with fresh eyes.  The natural entrepreneur sees connections that others don’t and sees possibilities where none seem to be.  He/she is flooded with ideas and has to work at choosing the best ones. Managing ideas and shaping them into form is very creative, whether they turn out to be organized ideas on a page or a gizmo that makes something work better.  Ideas are the gift of possibility.

4. Entrepreneurs are Independent

The natural entrepreneur has a willingness to be different, to stand apart from others, to stand alone if necessary.  The entrepreneur is seldom part of a herd – unless maybe it’s a herd of other entrepreneurs and then that’s like trying to herd cats.  There is a bit of bravery involved here, to be willing to go it alone, or do it your way when no one else seems to be going in that direction.  It can be a bit lonely, but with every step you stay true to yourself and follow your own passion, your own dreams and your own intuition.

The natural entrepreneur can manage criticism – if it is good they will absorb it and implement it.  If it is not they will ignore it.  They stay true to their vision while being open to change.

5. Entrepreneurs are Visionary

A visionary sees potential, explores possibilities, and always presses against their own boundaries.  Seth Godin in Lynchpin suggested that working “outside the box” is not what we want to do because we are all alone out there.  He thinks we should always work along the edges of the box – pushing those boundaries further and further out to expand the entire contents of the box – which includes everyone. 

However, when we let our vision stay too close to what we know on the physical plane, we naturally accept the limitations of the physical plane.  When we actually sit down to vision, we must allow ourselves to wander in the field of infinite possibilities and allow the connection to the earth-plane limitations to break so we can really go exploring into new territory.

If you’ve ever been around a visionary who is sharing a great idea, the worker bees are all sitting there saying “how do we get that done”  And the point is, the visionary does not stop her vision based on how it can happen. If you think it can happen, it can.

6. Entrepreneurs Believe in Themselves

Natural entrepreneurs have a strong belief in their own value, what they have to offer and their ability to deliver it.  They are tuned into their inner calling and simply go make it happen.  They maintain a positive attitude and know that they can figure out how to do or get done by others, anything they want to accomplish.  There are driven by their belief that they can!  http://caralumen.com/wordpress/philosophy/do-you-believe-you-can-and-why-not/

7. Entrepreneurs are Constant Learners

There is a constant curiosity about a natural entrepreneur, they are always learning new things, taking classes, reading books and blogs on their topic, networking with others in their field.  They try new ways to accomplish tasks; they look for and see new connections between the things they learn, and they rush out to share what they have discovered with others. 

8. Entrepreneurs are Commited

Whether racing across the finish line in the lead, or consistently moving forward one step at a time, a natural entrepreneur maintains a steady and persistent forward motion toward their goals.  They are not discouraged by small steps; in fact they break their work down into small projects so they can see a completed step and a steady progress.  They keep their eye on the top of the mountain and move steadily and persistently up the path leading to the summit.

0. Entrepreneurs are Resourceful

There is always another way to do something that might be easier, faster, or more lucrative.  The natural entrepreneur finds the way around the barrier, or a short path to the top of the hill.  They are the scout that leads the pioneers across the mountains.  They explore, they examine, they consider, and they choose.  And if one way is blocked they find another way.

Are you a Natural Entrepreneur?

It’s OK if you’re not, but if you want to be you can always develop the qualities that will help you reach your goals.  Look at your strengths.  Build on them.  Forgive yourself your weak areas.  They aren’t really weak; they are for someone else to enjoy doing.  Follow your passion, be flexible, know that bringing your ideas to life is an art form, keep looking for a new path, be resourceful and always believe you can!!!!

©2010 Cara Lumen

Filed Under: Content Development, Self Mastery Tagged With: commitment, Creativity, entrepreneur, entrepreneur magazine, entrepreneurial mindset, natural entreprenuer, seth godin, vision

The Creativity of Conserving – How to Spend Less Money and Get More Value

February 20, 2010 By Cara Lumen

There is something very creative about trying to figure out how to get what you want without investing any money.  You look at a situation and think “Here’s the problem, how I can solve it in an unusual way.”  I’m not saying you have to do something cheaply, just cleverly, with innovation, and out of the box thinking. Here are some ways to spend less and get more

One of the things I do every quarter is examine my business and see what I can leave behind.  Like lightening the load so you can go faster.  I look at my services, information products, clients, and partners and the more I toss out the more I have room for something new to come in.

There are a lot of things we put in place when we started our business that we need to periodically question.  I recently adjusted the level of my shopping cart to reflect the reality of what my business was doing and saved some money. I had subscribed to a “what if” level more than a “what is” level.  I look at the statistics on sales and decide what courses should be given live this year and what can stay as home study courses.  I had a demand for my early metaphysical books  so I made them available again.  I decided to turn a course I gave into the extremely useful Magnetic Marketing Plan workbook rather than a home study and give it live once a year.

If I see something I want to add, I first look to see if I have some version of it already that I just need to bring out and spruce up.  I found a half started marketing book when preparing for that class.  And another book on masterminds that is inches away from completion.  At the top of my list will be “Go finish some of the great ideas you have started.” Does this sound familiar?

How can I do more marketing without spending more money?  My radio show  is free to do.  I just have time invested. My article campaign  is free to do, again it’s a time investment but those articles often end up as radio shows, and blog posts and even courses.  And then there is my blog which allow me the flexibility to write about a variety of things, cast my thoughts on broader waters, so to speak, and see what ripples back in the form of interest.  The blog continues to attract new people and writing for it is one of my favorite things to do.

Yes, I invested in a blog course. Yes, I invested in a course about building your platform which can be translated into building your market share.  But the rest of my investment is my time.  Time to get better at some software that will open up some new opportunities for me.  Time to create some videos.  Time to read some business books. (Do check out Seth Godin’s Lynchpin)  Time to think up new ways to be in service.

How can I take an idea and turn it into something of value to my target audience?  And better still, how can I make that so affordable by my clever version of it, that everyone can easily afford it.  It’s fun and challenging to be creative about conserving my resources and those of my clients.  

© 2010 Cara Lumen

 

Filed Under: Content Development Tagged With: conservation, conserve, Creativity, economy, entrepreneur, home study, metaphysical books, organization, save money

5 Ways to Help Your Home Office Keep the Ideas Flowing

February 13, 2010 By Cara Lumen

by Cara Lumen

I love working at home. I get to set my own rhythm.  I take a break when I need one, go for a walk or read a bit whenever I need a change.  It’s my call.  And it’s also my call about how well I arrange for my office space to support my creativity, my concentration, and my effectiveness.

1 – Organize your clutter

It is way too easy to put off putting something away.  I even have a basket that I put things in that I want for reference as I write.  It would probably be a good idea for me to put that in some order and maybe next time I go searching for something in it I will, but it is in one place – a basket.  Order is good.  I have a great shelf to put things on at my desk but my cats Sebastian and Sabrina like to lie there, so I’ve made another plan.  Their company is supportive and nurturing and they are an integral part of my home office.  I have labeled folders within reach to place the paid bills.  I bank on line and set up my bill payments the minute I receive a bill.  I have the papers I use during the day handy – all my passwords, a calendar, phone numbers I use a lot.  They are in a pretty napkin holder on my desk and don’t take up much space while staying within easy reach.

But here’s a trick I learned a long time ago when I worked in a regular business office.  Each day before you leave spend the last five minutes organizing yourself for the next day, putting things away, making a short list of what you need to do next. That way when you come in you know exactly where to start and you have a tidy space to get started right away.

2 – Acknowledge your successes

I created an acknowledgement/tracking system for myself in which I write the things I feel good about accomplishing.  I don’t necessarily do it every day but I like to do it at the end of the week and if something really great gets done I’ll write in it at the time.  This Magnetic Momentum Builder is my version of the 5:15 report  also lets me track and acknowledge my forward progress

3 – Bless your work

I used to do temp work so I’d go into a company where I knew no one.  And I would bless the pieces of paper I was preparing. It was fun to wonder how many people would handle that piece of paper and unknowingly receive the positive energy I sent along.

When I am waiting for my radio show Passionately On Purpose to begin, I look out my window and the great nature view I have and bless the words I am about to speak and the intention behind what I am about to present.  I fill my thoughts with loving energy to go with what I offer.

I hadn’t thought to do that with these posts, but I will starting right now.  As you post an article or a blog post or begin to give a telecourse, center yourself and align your thoughts with the people you hope are touched by what you offer.  And they will be.

4 – Listen to your inner wisdom

The beautiful thing about working at home is that when a creative idea shows up you can simply make it happen.  I was thinking up ideas for my radio show when I realized that particular topic would make a good post so I started writing and here it is in post format.  And elements of it will be a future radio show.  Now that I’ve begun to do interviews on my show all sorts of related ideas are showing up and I’m hard pressed to keep track of them all. But the trick is to put your ideas all in one place. I now have a folder called “Idea Bank” in which I keep all those things I think up to do or create. Those ideas you get – they may or may not be  yours to do but if you choose to act on them then you definitely are the chosen one for that idea.

Watch for signs.  Whether it’s an email from a friend with something in that sparks an idea, or you read a phrase in a book that would be translated into what you do, or you’re just sitting there and the idea comes in – those are yours to at least capture and think about doing.

5 – Create meaningful scenarios

Can you look up from your computer and see something you like?  I can look up and see a plant I love doing it’s thing in a corner or a lithograph of an old typewriter I’ve had in my office for years as a symbol of my being a writer, a Treasure Map I made of my intentions years ago that still holds true, and my cats curled up in a nearby chair. Surround yourself with things you like to look at and be with. That’s another reason to keep your working space organized so you have space for your treasures.  Stop and admire the small scenarios of meaningful items you have created.

They don’t call it “home” office for nothing – you spend a lot of time there.  Honor yourself by making it visually pleasing and organized in support of what you do.  Periodically schedule a put-away morning and tidy up every corner of your space.  Love your office.  It reflects who you are and what you are thinking.  It should be nourishing and welcoming.  Fill your home office with inspiration and it will support your creativity, your concentration, and your effectiveness

© 2010 Cara Lumen

Filed Under: Positive Change Tagged With: Creativity, Home Office, Planning, positve change

Ya Gotta Do What Ya Gotta Do

February 3, 2010 By Cara Lumen

by Cara Lumen

Don’t you love your intuition – that inner knowing that helps you make decisions?  When I decided to move from California to be around my family in Kansas I decided in a nano-second.  There was a knowing, a certainty that it was the perfect step to take.  And within two hours I had given notice to my landlord, called my daughter to say I was coming and got on line to check out places to live.  That kind of certainty makes decision making easy.

But what if you are not so sure?

Cultivate your inner knowing
You need to learn to trust your inner wisdom. So check it out.  Listen to those silent words you hear, or the sudden feeling that gives you a clue, and test it out.  Keep testing until you are comfortable with how you are interpreting those signs.  

Ask for signs
I love this one because it’s rather like going on an adventure.  Ask the Universe for a sign that the step you are considering is the right one and watch what happens.  Periodically I have to say, “OK Universe, what am I to do now?” And I read something that gives me a great idea, or I talk to someone on the phone and explain something to them and there is my answer, or someone is explaining their thoughts and I get the one that’s applicable to me.  

Know what you really want
If you keep looking deep enough you’ll find what is at the core of your passion.  I have gotten as far as learning and teaching as my passion but beneath that is a need to organize – thoughts, ideas, learning procedures.  And one of the signs I keep getting is people asking me to create exercises for their books. I create great systems for myself and I share them with others in my courses and in my coaching.  My latest thought is to make a collection of worksheets that simplify and clarify any project.  Keep defining your passion and see what others recognize in you. You have to know what you are good at but you have to be willing to experiment and keep trying things until  you find a way to make it work.  

Do your research
Sometimes we can’t take a step because we don’t have enough information.  Gathering information doesn’t mean you have to do it, it simply means you can make an informed decision.  Go exploring.  Get more information.  Find out what others are doing.  See what you can offer that other’s are not.  See if what you find appeals to you.  What do you want to do?  What do you want to offer? What are you not willing to do?  Listen to your intuition and inner knowing and follow your passion. Then make your choice.

Take action
Nothing’s going to happen if you don’t start.  Make an outline, devise some steps.  Start.  Take one step at a time.  Remember that business is a series of projects so divide your idea into measurable steps and congratulate yourself when you get one completed.  

Do what ya gotta do

Life is a series of choices.  The more aware we are of our passion, our desires, and our strengths, the more on-target our choices will be.  Look, listen and choose and go do what ya gotta do.

© 2010 Cara Lumen

Filed Under: Content Development, Self Mastery Tagged With: change, choice, Creativity, goal setting, personal growth, Planning, Self Mastery

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