Tuesday, November 30, 2010

New Marketing Ideas for 2011


Happy Thanksgiving to those of you in the U.S! Did you eat too much like I did? I am now back to my workout routine and working off the turkey and the homemade pecan pie and pumpkin pie.  Every year when my husband offers to make pies I usually say, please DON’T because I know where the leftovers will go. You guessed it, right on my hips.

Today is the last day of November. Are you finished with your year-end planning? What new strategies and tactics have you selected to grow your business in 2011? My clients are busy finalizing their Marketing Plans for the coming year. Many are planning Client Appreciation Events. After all, showing your existing clients that you care about them will give you far more brownie points and referrals than spending many thousands of dollars marketing to strangers using seminars and workshops. If you've never hosted an appreciation event, take a look at this list of ideas. 

Another tactic my clients are using is creating a Client Service Matrix that delineates the services their clients will receive at each segmentation level. For example, all "A+" clients will have a private birthday lunch with the advisor, a holiday gift basket, and an invitation to the company's annual dinner at an upscale restaurant.   Having this matrix helps the advisory firm plan and implement their marketing so that a good combination of activities are directed at the firm's existing clients.

Lastly, my clients are setting themselves up for success by focusing on the right activities necessary to grow and get out of the old comfort zone. One way to do this is by purchasing my new 90 Days to New Clients Program.

So how are you planning to grow your business and yourself in 2011?

Suzanne Muusers

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

How to Grow as a Person - There Are Only 3 Ways to Grow YOU


Want to grow your business? You have to grow YOURSELF first. People come to me for help in growing their business. When I ask how they grow personally and professionally and what they read specifically, some say "I'm not a reader." I've never understood how anyone can say that. Readers are leaders –the knowledge readers gain shows in their depth of personality, their knowledge base, and their skills. Making a commitment to be a better person in the coming year depends on what you are willing to do to grow as a person.

In the new year, how are you going to grow YOU?  

There are only three ways that you can grow yourself. Here they are:

Grow by what you read
Want a short cut to learn a subject matter someone has spent many years of their life learning? Buy their book. I read a great statistic a few years ago: if you want to be a subject matter expert all you have to do is read five books on a specific subject and you will be among the top 25% of experts on that subject matter, in the world.  So find books that excite you and commit to reading them. You'll grow as a result.

Grow by the seminars and conferences you attend
Way back in a former life when I was an upscale retail maven, I travelled frequently on buying trips and attended many seminars and conferences. I would return with my head full of great marketing ideas, organization techniques, and growth strategies and I would wonder why my store managers were not as pumped up as I was. Then I realized that if I wanted my enthusiasm to spread, I had to invite my key management team. I may have been learning, but my managers were not and they were the ones to implement what I had learned. What conferences and seminars can you sign up for that will improve YOU as a person?

Grow by the people you hang around with
My husband formed a successful business in 2003 with a business partner who was less ethical, financially stable, and skilled than he. Of course he didn't know it at the time. This person was always broke, lived in a rental home, had a wife who refused to work, and was consistently using the company bank account as his personal piggy bank.  Unfortunately our relationship with this person cost us a lot of money but we learned a big lesson. If you hang around with broke people the consequences of their bad habits will automatically rub off on you.  Take a good look at who you are partnering or hanging around with. Do their ethics match yours? Does their income come close to yours? If not, look for new friends.

Yes, you can grow. There are three ways to grow YOU. What's your plan?

Suzanne Muusers
Business Coach for Financial Advisors

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Why Are Core Values Important?


Business growth, hiring the right people, and attracting your Ideal Clients –that's what establishing your Core Values can do for your business.  Entrepreneurs that fail to identify their Core Values are missing a great opportunity to grow both personally and professionally.  By identifying your Core Values you could completely change your business and where you are going in the future.

Ponder these questions:
*What does your company really stand for?
*What values are important to you?
*What do your clients receive from your company that is of great value?

At some point, you'll need to hire additional staff if you want to grow your business and have a life at the same time. When writing your employment ad, how will you position your company so that you attract talented, ambitious people? You can start with telling them what your company stands for and what you believe in.

When meeting with prospects, you'll want to educate them on your guiding principles and what makes you different. Communicating your Core Values helps you to attract the kind of clients that you are best at serving.  

Sample Core Values:
Responsibility – Transparency - Full Disclosure – We are paid to manage clients' accounts and there is full disclosure as to how we are paid.
Ethics – Honesty – Integrity – We do what's right for the client.
Holistic Approach - We look at our clients' entire financial situation, not just their investments.
Security – Protection – Safety - We help to limit risk for our clients.
Teamwork – Everyone in our office works together as a team to help our clients accomplish their goals.

What do you do with your core Values once you've created them? Write Your Mission Statement Based on Your Values.

At some point in time solopreneurs and small business owners alike seek to grow their business, get new clients, and hire new employees. Core Values can help you accomplish these goals.


Suzanne Muusers
Business Coach for Financial Advisors