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From The Publisher
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all is here – and back to school season signals back to business for me. It also means SUCCESS Summit! I’m SO excited to host 250 women (and a few men) at our 6th Annual Success Summit here in Los Angeles.
It’s October 10th and 11th – and we have an AH-MAZING speaker line-up. This is NOT a pitchfest. My mission – and promise to you – is CONTENT, N E T W O R K I N G , I N S P I R AT I O N AND IMPLEMENTATION! This is a NOT TO MISS event!! Grab your ticket today – www. SuccessSummitandExpo.com! Other big news? We have launched our magazine APP! Yes, Today’s Innovative Woman now has a FREE app in the google play and itunes store. Download it today to read the latest national and city issues, hear our latest podcasts, read our latest blog posts – it’s for the busy woman on the go, just like you! Whether on your phone, tablet or other “smart” device, you’ll always have Today’s Innovative Woman with you for a quick read and implementable tips! You can scan the bar code below – or go directly to the app page for your free download here…. Google Play store - http://bit.ly/TIWgoogleapp ITunes Store - http://bit.ly/TIWitunesapp
Enjoy the cooler weather of Fall – and crank up the heat in your business for the last few months! Here’s to your success!
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IN THIS ISSUE All About You 22 Sleep Your Way to the Top
12 Video Killed the Radio Star
26 3 Reasons Why Single Men Are Attracted to Empowered Women
14 Increasing Cash Flow Requires More than New Clients
All About Food
18 Pack Your Triple D in Your Sales Backpack
30 No - Bake Bars , A Perfect Pick Me Up Snack
20 This Practically Tanked My Business
All About Business
24 Federal Payroll Tax Benefits for Hiring Your Child in Your Business
8 Thrive at Sales Calls with Your Potential Clients 10 Grab Their Attention with Images
28 Prospect to Client: Make the Process Painless
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City Director’s Note
Linda Ashley Hello San Francisco Bay Area!
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I am excited to present issue #2 of the digital edition of Today’s Innovative Woman San Francisco Bay Area featuring our cover girl Caterina Rando! I hope you enjoyed all the great articles including the Featured Innovative Woman articles from Barbara Hoffer and myself in issue #1.
BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! Our North Silicon Valley edition is now the San Francisco Bay Area edition that encompasses the 9 counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma) and 101 municipalities that make up the San Francisco Bay Area. And, there are now 14 Local Editions across the country. I ask you to share Today’s Innovative Woman San Francisco Bay Area with the women entrepreneurs that you know. One of the many expert articles included in each issue might be just what they need to be successful! I hope you have a happy & super successful fall!
Linda
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All About Business
Thrive At Sales Calls With Your Potential Clients by Caterina Rando, MA, MCC
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aving a sales call process that you use consistently and continue to upgrade with each sales conversation will make you more and more effective at selling. Start by acknowledging your potential client for their interest, then ask them what prompted their interest, what challenges they want support for, then ask them if they would like to hear how you can serve them and then tell them. Here is a simplified version of my Thrive at Sales Calls Success Formula I teach my clients to increase their sales and gain more clients: 1. Acknowledge the individual and tell him/her you would really like to work with them. 2. Ask for permission to take some time to chat with them or make a phone date. 3. Ask them what results they are looking for.
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4. Tell them what you heard them say and tell them how you think you can help. 5. Ask if these things sound good to them and is in fact what they are looking for. 6. Ask for permission to share how you work with your clients. 7. Share features/investment/ results they can expect and if applicable the transformation they will receive. 8. Ask how this sounds to them or what their thoughts about arewhat you have shared. 9. Address any concerns and answer any questions. 10. Be willing to dance through objections. Be really engaged and honest here. 11. Ask if they have any additional questions and address them. 12. Ask if they would like to get started.
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13. Get the agreement. Make sure you have a clear decision. 14. Celebrate their smart decision to work with you. 15. Ask for payment. Always get payment with agreement. Follow this Thrive at Sales Calls Success Formula and you will up your revenue with ease.
Caterina Rando, MA, MCC, shows women entrepreneurs how to be loud and proud about the value they bring in order to massively monetize their mastery. Discover how to catapult your revenue at one of her three two-day, live and inperson events: The Business Breakthrough Summit, www.bizbreakthrough.com, The Sought After Speaker Summit www.soughtafterspeaker.com or Enliven: How to Plan, Produce and Profit From a Women’s Retreat www.enlivenprogram.com For a 75% discount use code TIWMAG and get started catapulting your business today. Caterina can also be reached at cat@caterinarando.com and by phone at 415.668.4535.
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All About Business
Grab
Their Attention With Images by Debbie Saviano
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ou have Heard it, seen it, Experienced It and probably agree, images are easier and faster to understand than text.
Recently, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter have all unveiled updates for cover photos allowing for more space for images. The social media redesigns encourage you to tell your story through images. Research confirms that up to 80% of content can be conveyed through images in less time than traditional text. Couple that with the fact that between 60-75% of the public identify themselves as visual learners. Thanks to APPS and computer programs, there are a multitude of resources available to help you on this journey. A popular favorite is www.canva.com, as it has 18 templates along with custom dimensions making it user friendly! CANVA enables you to create custom designs by providing layouts, text, backgrounds as well as the option to upload your own Images. 1. Select a template to create a social media design for (Facebook Cover – Twitter Header – etc.) a. If You need a new LinkedIn cover photo select “custom dimensions”. The new cover is 1400 x 425 Pixels (4MB) 2. Select Images, which speak to your skills and expertise. a. Canva has stock images for only $1.00 per image b. Use images that you own or purchase ones from Canva.
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3. Determine the colors – a color scheme to engage your community. 4. Life is busy – hectic – chaotic and noisy. Design something that is unique and you! 5. Canva has a large selection of free tutorials to provide step-by-step instructions. Start designing by using CANVA to communicate visually! Debbie Saviano is a solopreneur whose daily mantra is to “help professionals take
action and create an online presence by developing, nurturing and maintaining relationships.” Debbie utilizes social media to connect, network and engage with others. She is an advocate for “continuing the conversations”. Thanks to the internet highway, borders are no more; people can interact and communicate around the globe. Professionals from across the country call Debbie for her unique skill set in designing LinkedIn profiles & Pinterest platforms aimed at engagement and retention toward a target market. Debbie also provides business solutions to small businesses who seek to utilize social media to enhance their brand, improve skills of their employees, expand social proof and establish an online presence. www.DebbieSaviano.com.
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All About Business
Video Killed The Radio Star by Linda Cotter
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o you have video on your website? Do you appear anywhere on You Tube, Vimeo or Bing Video? If you answered no to these questions, you need to ask yourself, why not? Without video, you are forsaking the emotional immediacy only video can offer. In order to invest in you, visitors need to experience you, not just your sales copy.
Video is an easy and affordable way to drive traffic to your website. It can also establish your expertise, educate your visitors, provide testimonials and promote a special event. How you use it is up to you. Here are a few suggestions to keep you on the right track. 1. Make it relevant. Keep it short. Online videos generally receive about 90 seconds of visitor attention; keep your video under five minutes. Longer discussions can be broken into multiple videos. A video posted once a week is enough to keep visitors coming back to your site. Allow people to embed your videos on their websites as well. 2. Words are key. Take the time to select the right keywords for your market. Keywords will assist in creating a title for your video as well as providing effective tags and descriptions. In addition, providing a transcript of your video is good for SEO.
Key Words
3. Submit a video sitemap. This task can be done using a sitemap generator and Google Webmaster Tools. A video sitemap helps direct potential clients to your website specifically, not just your video; it also allows you to have a video thumbnail on the search engine results page.
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Not sure about all of this? Seek advice. If your video isn’t being seen, then it’s not worth the initial effort you put into it. If you’re just getting started, a company like Animoto.com can help you explore some possibilities. Linda Cotter is a graphic designer and web developer who is known for her fresh, simple and elegant designs. Linda’s goal is to help her clients produce better results through great design and creative solutions while using imaginative and innovative development methods. Whether it is a logo, business card, website or brand development, she incorporates each client’s unique personality and style into the design with an eye-catching flair and business sensibility. This creates the opportunity for them to attract the desired clients and results they are looking for. Visit Linda’s website at www.LindaCotterDesigns.com. She can be reached at (310) 486-3108 or by email at Linda@LindaCotterDesigns.com.
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All About Business
Increasing Cash Flow Requires More than New Clients by Nafissa Shireen
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hen entrepreneurs experience cash flow hiccups, the first reaction is to throw all their time, attention and money towards getting more clients. Despite a possible income boost, often they aren’t much further ahead financially, and sometimes, even more money seems to be going out! It’s quite common that increased sales can put even more pressure on cash flow. Focusing solely on sales to fix cash flow problems is like trying to fix a leaking bucket by adding more water. You just make a bigger mess. You need to look much deeper than just your sales funnel. By simplifying the various complex moving parts and pieces of a business into 3 key areas (The Profit Principle™), you can start to focus on what really needs attention and maximize your cash flow. • Sales • Systems • You
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Sales Everything you do to market your business, generate leads and close business. Systems The structure that builds a strong foundation. It includes financial, legal, admin, operational, program delivery and other systems. No matter what stage of business you are at, you must have these in place. You You bring: vision, values, leadership, skills and expertise. You also bring fears, doubts, and other emotional roadblocks. Getting clear on what you do, how you do it, who you do it for, and unpacking your mental junk, are critical for the other two key areas to work!
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ix your “bucket” first!
Just like that leaky bucket needs you to find and fix the holes before you add more water, it’s the same for your business. To increase cash flow, you need to find and fill the holes in all THREE key areas. From there you can add more sales and clients and build a profitable and thriving business.
Known as The Profitability Expert™, Nafissa Shireen is passionate about helping entrepreneurs create an amazing life and business where cash flows freely, profits are sustainable and wealth is consistently created. Combining her transformational coaching skills with her business expertise, she brings together the deep inner work needed to help move you forward, with practical yet simple, systems and strategies that will help you build a solid business foundation. She will help you to build a profitable and thriving business that is in alignment with your ideal lifestyle.Connect with Nafissa at www.NafissaShireen.com.
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All About Business
Pack Your Triple D in Your Sales Backpack! by Debbie Mrazek
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am not a proponent of using certain God given qualities to increase sales, but I am all for the Triple D being packed in your sales backpack! Now before you start getting your feathers ruffled, let me explain, I’m not talking about your Cross My Heart or Push Up bra – I’m talking about Desire , Determination, and Demonstration! If you are not packing the Triple D, turn around and go home because without it, you will more than likely fail.
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esire – If you are not packing desire, and I mean that deep yearning desire to succeed, and go off thinking just maybe you will make a sale today – guess what – your halfhearted desire will shine through! When was the last time you wanted or felt compelled to buy something from someone who came across as less than invested in the product? More than likely you tuned them out, turned your back, and walked away. – Right?
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etermination – Some might think determination and desire are similar – wrong. Desire means a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen whereas determination is a quality that compels you to keep trying to do or achieve something that is difficult no matter how many times you may fail. You have to bring that undying determination and hold fast to it no matter how many “no’s” you may hear. The next could always be a “yes!”
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emonstration - The act of showing someone how something is used or done and PROVING the results.
If you can’t back what you are packing, you are not carrying the Triple D!
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Debbie Mrazek is founder and president of The Sales Company, a Texas-based firm that is helping hundreds of entrepreneurs, individuals, and corporations better assess, understand and engage in practical purposeful selling. With “Mrazek Energy” (believed to be from another world since it is a constant flow of happiness and enthusiasm). Debbie Mrazek teaches the tools, techniques, and talents every individual possesses, and how to transform those into S-A-L-E-S. Mrazek has counseled, constructed, and completed sales programs, workshops, and individual and team coaching across the nation. She’s also a speaker, author of Field Guide To Sales and conference facilitator. Connect with Debbie at www. FieldGuidetoSales.com.
Have you made your SALES number for 2014? If yes, Call me for the CELBRATION! If no, IT’S NOT TOO LATE! Call for SALES HELP TODAY! Debbie Mrazek :: Sales Coach | Sales Speaker | Sales Trainer
Contact 972 618 1880 or www.FieldGuideToSales.com Subscribe for FREE at www.TodaysInnovativeWoman.com
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All About Business
This Practically Tanked My Business by Kimberly Pitts
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ne of my most valuable assets in business was being ignored when I first launched my company over a decade ago.
I focused on getting my website up, making the “right” contacts, attending all the networking events I could find and making sure I had attractive and marketable marketing materials. My results? Zilch. Nada. Nothing. I forgot my most important asset, and that was focusing on my brand equity. Brand equity is associated with visibility, recognition, customer loyalty, and the market share enjoyed by the branded product or service. Brand equity is rooted in 3 key attributes: Understanding the true value of your products and services, Translating that value in a differentiated way, and emotionally connecting the value to your audience. Brand equity does not depreciate. Think about it. Your car depreciates, your computer and electronics all depreciate in value. However your brand equity can increase in value, year after year. Does your company follow a defined strategy for your brand? Which one describes you?
1. Finally Arrived Your target audience is clear on who you are, what you deliver and they understand the value you deliver. Gaining new clients comes easy for you because you don’t have “pricing shame”. Your audience values working with you. What do you do if this is you? Keep Going! Continue to build leverage on what is working for you.
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2. Brand in Progress…I’m Getting There! You have a lukewarm response from your market. You find that you don’t focus on branding as much as you are focusing on trying to get your audience to say yes. You recognize that something is missing. What do you do if this is you? Make a list of 10 ways your products/services bring value to your clients. Check all your marketing materials to see whether you are communicating your value. If not, start infusing those benefits in your marketing. Kimberly Pitts, is a Branding & Marketing Strategist. She is also Founder of UImpact, LLC. Kimberly is dedicated to helping women entrepreneurs all over the world learn how to use authentic business building tools, marketing and branding strategies to attract raving fans, attract more clients, and enjoy more income and freedom in their business. Kimberly helps women entrepreneurs through Thrive Academy, UImpact’s premier training based mastermind program. If you want to make an impact in the lives of others through business you can begin today. All you need to know is where to start. Kimberly can help you create the business you desire to have. Whether you are in the start-up stages of your business, ready to grow and up level your business or you are looking for coaching and strategy to really expand your reach...Kimberly is here to provide expert coaching and mentoring to up level your business. www.uimpact. net
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All About You
Sleep Your Way To The Top by Joy Chudacoff
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here’s one slight shift you can make in your daily habits that could reap BIG rewards. In fact, this habit has been linked to better decisionmaking, creativity, health and even weight-loss. Do you know what it is? Sleep. Making a commitment (experts say seven to eight hours is preferable) to sleep can create a dramatic impact in every area of your life. The lack of sleep impacts mood, ability to focus, creativity and generally affects our mental performance. Mental performance is a top requirement for
hours of sleep last night – working on a big project.” “I had so much work to do that I just couldn’t get to bed before midnight!” Lack of sleep has become a status symbol. If you get too much, somehow this gets translated into: “She doesn’t have enough to do-she’s not busy enough.” Stop the madness. Move away from this mindset.
I entrepreneurs! Ever notice when the topic of sleep comes up, the conversation goes something like this: “I only had four
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personally set the intention to get a full eight hours of sleep each night. I realized a long time ago that sleep was a secret weapon for me. Eight hours of sleep gives me the energy I need to serve my clients in achieving the results they are looking for, navigate the many decisions in a growing company, managing a healthy and loving family, all while sustaining good health. I guarantee, that you’ll see a difference in the quality of your day and a better bottom line result in your business.
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The key is making a solid commitment to sleep. Here are five smart solutions to help you relax and create the one habit that could change the course of your business and your health: Get a new pair of comfy and relaxing pajamas. 1. Make sure the pillow and bedding you have is comfortable.
2. Use soft lamp lighting in the evening to bring the mind and body to a calm, relaxed state. 3. Take a warm bath with bath salts or your favorite bubble bath. 4. Eliminate all electronics from your bedroom (no phone, computer, tablets or TV) at night.
Sleep tight!
Joy Chudacoff is Heralded as “The Coach for Women” in the millennium, Joy Chudacoff has x-ray vision when it comes to helping women discover their Big Ideas, Dreams and Goals! Joy draws on both her personal life and entrepreneurial experiences to support women in achieving better ways of living. It’s her passion, her purpose and her business. She is a Professional Certified Coach, highly skilled group leader, motivational speaker and a gifted communicator. Visit Joy’s website, SmartWomenSolutions.com, where you’ll find more articles plus information about her Women’s Success Circles, Smart Women Smart Solutions Coach Certification Programs, Speaking engagements, teleclasses and upcoming events for women. Joy can be reached at 310-4542005 or by email, Joy@SmartWomenSolutions.com.
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All About Business
Federal Payroll Tax Benefits For Hiring Your Child In Your Business by Candy Messer
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iring a minor child may allow you to get help you need in the business and offer tax benefits as well. If you are a business owner operating a sole proprietorship or partnership where both partners are the biological parents of the child, you can employ that child and take advantage of the benefits available. The child’s income would be subject to federal withholding, however if they earn up to the standard deduction for the year ($6,200 in 2014), no tax will be due. They would be exempt from Social Security and Medicare taxes until they are 18 years old, unless employed in domestic service which is exempt until age 21. They are also exempt from federal unemployment taxes until age 21. Based on your state guidelines, they may also be exempt from state payroll taxes too.
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o how does this benefit affect you? If you hire your minor child to assist in the business (doing age appropriate tasks for compensation), you will expense this salary reducing your profit in the business therefore reducing your taxable income for the year. For instance, if your business pays 25% income tax and you pay your child $5,000, you will save $1,250 in income tax. You would also save the Social Security/Medicare employer match that is paid on employees. In our example, that’s an additional savings of $382.50. And don’t forget, most likely you won’t have the state taxes either. Hopefully some of the wages your child earns is put away for the future (college fund, saving for a car, etc).
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ou probably have your minor children helping in your business, so take advantage of this benefit! If you have questions regarding processing payroll, contact your CPA or our office. We’ll be glad to answer any questions you may have. Candy Messer is President of Affordable Bookkeeping and Payroll Services and energizes business owners by removing the burden of the bookkeeping and payroll processing from their shoulders. With 15 years of experience, Candy understands the stresses business owners face and offers customized services to meet their varying needs, including bookkeeping, payroll, Quickbooks consulting, and bill pay services. Candy works with service based business owners who are overwhelmed with the paperwork required to stay in compliance for filings and frees them to focus on what they love to grow their businesses. Visit her website at www.abandp.com for more information.
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All About You
3 Reasons Why Single Men Are Attracted to Empowered Women by Jonathan Aslay
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s a single man, I can tell you that there is nothing sexier or more attractive than an empowered, innovative woman. We want women who live their own lives and make room for us in them. We love women who make their own decisions. We want you, and here are three reasons why.
Empowered women challenge us. Contrary to what you hear and read, men love intelligent women who can carry their own in a conversation. If you challenge us in a lighthearted way, we can’t help but fall for you. Tease us, joke with us, and play with us. We like excitement and spontaneity just as much as you do.
Innovative women thrill us. You keep life interesting and exciting. You’re game for anything (and I’m not just talking about behind closed doors), and your zest for life excites us. Your ability to come up with new things to do and new ways to do them amazes us. We really are in awe of you, and we love how you live life to the fullest and take us along for the ride. Just be yourself, and the men—good men—will come running.
Empowered women inspire us to be better men. Every man wants a woman who challenges him to step up and be the best man he can be. When you can do this with a man, he will cherish and adore you… and he will never let you go.
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The easiest way to do this is to simply let him be himself, and show him that you’re proud of him and trust him. Your trust and faith give us an indescribable feeling. The best way to explain it is that we feel powerful and able to take on the world. We want to be your perfect partner and your safe haven. We want to protect you. Men want a woman who is innovative, empowered, and truly everything it means to be a woman. We want YOU. Jonathon Aslay is a defender and protector of women’s hearts around the world. He helps women transform from attracting Mr. Wrong into finding their Mr. Right. Jonathon, a successful entrepreneur, coach, speaker, and author of Unlocking the Male Mind, Finding Love Online and Why Men Pull Away: 3 Ways to Keep Him Close. Jonathon is like A GUY SPY to the male mind who truly understands the way a single or divorced man thinks and acts. He’s a master at helping women recognize and distinguish the difference between men who are emotionally unavailable from those who are truly ready for love. www.UnderstandMenNow.com.
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All About Business
PROSPECT TO CLIENT Make The Process Painless by Bibi Goldstein
How much revenue you could potentially have from the consultations you do this month?
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o you know how long it takes for you to convert a prospect to a client? Better yet, do you know what it costs you to gain a client? To lose a client?
Most importantly, do you know how your revenues this month stack up to last month’s, or this month’s last year? As business owners we want to believe that we know in our gut what is happening in our business, especially financially. But what I’ve discovered first hand is that if you don’t know your numbers and trends, and are solely going off your gut, your gut will let you down in the worst way. By utilizing the sales management
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component in Infusionsoft, I can now document when I have a potential client and forecast what future dollars that client represents from the moment they reach out to me. I then document my consultation, calls, and emails with them right in Infusionsoft so I can see exactly how much time I’m spending on each prospect. My favorite part is that I can then see what the actual time versus the forecast time is, and pinpoint exactly how much I’m spending to make that sale. If the prospect does come on as a client, I send them a contract via EchoSign and tag them as a new customer. Infusionsoft then initiates a campaign where they get a welcome email and a link to complete our intake form. Once I get the signed contract back, I set my new client up with a monthly recurring subscription that allows me to set the amount and date they are charged. The signed contract gets uploaded to the client’s Filebox in their Infusionsoft contact record. In the same campaign that sent them the welcome email, I’ve set up an automated 30 and 60 day check in email where clients can complete
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a brief survey on how everything is going. Infusionsoft also prompts the client with a link to my calendar to schedule a call with me if they need to. My sales process is fully managed and automated with the help of Infusionsoft to save me time and money and make my clients feel like they are well taken care of. Bibi started Buying Time with a friend to give everyone the opportunity to have access to support and assistance with any task. With over 22 years in the transportation/logistics industry Bibi has specific experience in space and time efficiencies through Six Sigma training for warehouses from 1,000 to 30,000+ square feet. This provided her the ability to visualize the final outcome even when the client cannot. Bibi recently co-authored “Get Organized Today� with other organizing experts hoping to reach out and help more people. Bibi can be reached at www.buyingtimellc.com.
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All About Food
No - Bake Bars A Perfect Pick-Me-Up Snack! Gluten-free, Sugar-free, Casein-free,High Protein, High Fiber by Chef Varouj Loaded with fiber, healthy fats, proteins and antioxidants. The grass fed butter and the chia seeds will add a boost of omega3 fatty acids. A bar that is sure to keep you full without the classic crash of the regular carbohydrates, sugars and unhealthy oils loaded snacks. Best of all, makes a great addition to the school lunch box, your kids will get a healthy and nutritionally dense “candy” treat without even knowing it. Ingredients: 1 cup walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped 1 cup pistachio, roughly chopped 1 cup pumpkin seeds 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 1 cup pure unsweetened almond or macadamia nut butter 2 tablespoons coconut oil or grass fed butter 1/8 cup chia seeds 1 tablespoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon sea salt 2 tablespoons bitter cocoa powder ½ cup chopped 80% Bitter chocolate 1 cup cocoa butter, melted ½ to 1 cup Xylitol, melted Zest of 1 orange (optional) Zest of 1 lemon (optional) ¼ teaspoon cayenne (optional) ½ teaspoon turmeric (optional) Preparation: 1. Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl until well blended. 2. Line a 10x10 baking dish with parchment paper and spread the mix evenly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. 3. Cut into desired portions. Enjoy. Chef Varouj is an expert in the Gluten-free lifestyle. He is a professionally trained chef with 20 years of experience and a Certified Gluten Practitioner. His mission is to provide you with culinary and nutritional support to repair damages cause by unhealthy eating habits. He develops individualized healthy meal plans and offers menu recommendations to support wellness, weight management, increase energy and self confidence. Visit www.CulinaryCreator.com.
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