tag:www.womencorpradio.com,2008://140 2008-01-05T22:56:06Z Women in business can access advice, coaching and mentoring from to women executives and successful woman business owners at WomenCorp Radio, the Radio Show designed to help women succeed AND have more fun! Lifestyle and business programs are available at WomenCorp Radio. Movable Type 4.1 tag:www.womencorpradio.com,2008://140.3558 2008-01-05T20:56:19Z 2008-01-05T22:56:06Z

Ok, so you took those great low rate credit card offer and you used it. Then got another...and…YIKES! You’re now in debt and finding that making all those payments is about to overwhelm you. Repair your credit now.

Roxanne Batson http://www.callrox.com repair your credit ? Many business women are finding out just how valuable having a good credit score can be when growing a business. But past credit problems can certainly get in the way. You can repair your credit on your own with a Credit Repair Toolkit. Accessing a free anual credit report is just one easy step, but there are other steps you can take too. Listen to the latest show on womencorp radio. Just click the arrow to begin.

Download this Podcast]]> tag:www.womencorpradio.com,2007://140.3194 2007-10-18T12:00:00Z 2007-10-18T12:00:10Z

Women in business are leaving their nice safe corporate jobs in record numbers to start their dream business. The businesses are wide and varied from products to services to online businesses. If you are one of those who has become...

Roxanne Batson http://www.callrox.com start up business that is successful ? ]]> One way to insure more success is plan everything before you leap. Write down your business plan including what you will offer in product and/or service, what you will charge and how much money you plan to make. But there is so much more than just the basics. There is also, how often you want to work, when you want to work and where you want to work. Plan your business around your ideal and you will enjoy it so much more and find it easier to keep going when obstacles pop up. Another thing you should seriously learn is whether there is really a market for what you want to offer? One rule of thumb is that if there is NO competition, it's going to be tough to break open the market. Think about it, can you afford to stay the course while you're breaking new ground and new market? One way to learn some of the most important aspects of home based business from what product and service to offer that will be most popular all the way to how to launch it, market it and finance it is to access the minds of people who've already done it. One entrepreneur that I know, Bart Smith, was one of the first online entrepreneurs who learned how to make money and enjoy a profitable business that fits the lifestyle he wanted to create himself. Bart has just come out with a new training program online that you might want to take a look at called PJ Camp. In other words, how to work from home and make money training. If you're interested take a look at this training for the woman business owner. tag:www.callrox.com,2007://140.3160 2007-10-06T22:03:17Z 2007-10-06T22:11:56Z

We work too hard, don't you agree? For years and years women in business have slaved away just trying to get ahead in a man's world. Now the doors are more open, but many of us are tired from all...

Roxanne Batson http://www.callrox.com

Download this Podcast
( length 12 minutes 16 seconds)
Subscribe To Podcast Below:
]]> tag:www.callrox.com,2007://140.3090 2007-09-26T18:20:25Z 2007-09-26T18:29:47Z

Have you considered what you earn? Most of us think we're stuck earning what we earn because our income is controlled by outside sources. But that's proven not to be true. There are many women who've broken the income barrier....

Roxanne Batson http://www.callrox.com

Download this Podcast
( length 8.20 minutes )
Subscribe To Podcast Below:
]]> tag:www.remember.org,2007:/womencorp//140.2292 2007-04-19T17:56:45Z 2007-04-19T18:07:16Z

Prospecting to get an appointment is hard enough so you want to be sure and capture their attention when you have the opportunity. Here's some ideas to engage them in the presentation and keep 'em thinking of you.

Roxanne Batson http://www.callrox.com Reader Question... I can’t figure out where I lose my prospects, but though I manage to get in front of them, they’re still not buying. What am I doing wrong? Roxannes' Answer... Oh Lordy (as us southerners are prone to say). That’s a tall topic for such a short blog. Here’s my advice. Begin to tune in to subtle changes in body language when your prospect begins to get restless, dismissive or starts looking around the room. It’s your cue as to where in the presentation you’re losing them. It's crucial to analyse in order to solve the issue. It could be you are talking too much. That often happens because we’re nervous. For some reason I've noticed many people assume their job is to TELL all they know. Listening to someone go blah,blah,blah,blah...is just plain boring! But asking them questions precisely aimed at discovering how you can help them is far more effective. You get them talking and they’re always interested in what they have to say. Then reconfirm what they told you were their issues by repeating it back “So I understood you to say that …”. It takes practice so try it on your spouse, friends, kids or whomever. Finally, ask “if I can provide a solution for that, would you be ready to implement immediately?” Don't despair, though. Even bad sales skills can be overcome with good marketing. Just keeping in front of your prospect can make a hugh difference. That is why many smart marketing gurus and small business owners use entrepreneurs tools like Audio Generator to engage their prospects on a regular basis with informative or helpful hint audio postcards. I've had plenty of prospects who in the short term told me no, just to come around a year or two later. I've done a little side marketing to help my husbands architectural business at various times over the years. It took me 3 years, four visits and three different contacts to land one of those prospects for my husbands business. That same prospect has given him over $400,000 in revenue since then. The longest one took 12 years, but they have now been a client for 6 years and keep on giving him work. Remember, no matter what they tell you, things do change and if you're in contact so they remember you, it just might be that you'll benefit. Don't forget tools like Audio Generator that help you stay in front of your prospect without annoying phone calls. ]]> tag:www.remember.org,2007:/womencorp//140.2291 2007-04-17T17:29:46Z 2007-04-17T17:38:48Z

When and how should you take money from your small business? There is a forumla that will help keep your business in good financial shape AND give you enough to keep your motivation and enthusiasm high. Read more about it here.

Roxanne Batson http://www.callrox.com Readers Question... I'm finally making a little bit of money in my small business but I don't know how to manage it. So I have two questions. 1. When should I pay myself? 2. How much should I leave in the company? Thanks, Mary Anne Roxannes' Answer... Great Question! The reason I say that is that too many women business owners struggle and wait too long to take money from the company OR they spend it all which is not smart. If you never reap the benefits of being a woman business owner, you'll get tired of it pretty fast. What happens is you start to lose your enthusiasm. In short, there's nothing to fuel your desire to work hard. Plus, you're not treating your business as a real business owner would. Instead, make a plan. Because I have no idea what your profits are, I'll use a rule of thumb I used as a financial consultant with my clients. ALWAYS pay yourself first by setting aside 10% in savings for your long term goals. This could be a retirement or other investment account. I've seen many clients get rich over time this way. Then, save 10-20% for short term needs. I've also seen companies go bankrupt when they hit a dry spell only because they had no savings. For a business, set aside 5-10% for marketing to bring in more business as it's crucial to keep growing. About 40-60% of business income should cover your expenses including salaries. Pay yourself a small amount as a bonus and use it to just have fun! I f you enjoy the results of your hard work, you are likely to continue. We use to set aside money to take a trip with our team, but I always paid myself a little bonus too for each sale I personally brought in. Then I might go buy a new pair of shoes or go out to a nice dinner as a reward to myself. It keeps you fresh and enjoying life! That helps keep your enthusiasm high and many a business has been built on enthusiasm.]]> tag:www.remember.org,2007:/womencorp//140.2290 2007-04-12T17:20:54Z 2007-04-12T17:37:02Z

Prospects information is not always easy to find. Here are some ways that you can get current information to fill your prospecting funnel with leads.

Roxanne Batson http://www.callrox.com Reader Question... Where can I find a list of prospects to pursue? Roxannes' Answer... There are several ways to develop a list of prospects. I got my media contacts by buying the Industry Resource which had a list of every newspaper, radio station and television station. I got School prospects by digging on the State Dept of Education website and going to each districts' site which list each school including their staff. Use Industry Guides as much as possible. Type your industry into an internet search program along with the word “guide” and see what comes up.Sometimes, professional or industry organizations have that list for sale or you can get it for free by joining the organization. For example, if you are marketing to women business owners you might join and get the list of all those members of NAWBO, the National Association of Women Business Owners. Lastly, there are list brokers. They specialize in putting together lists by industry and by zip code so you can break it down however you want. The cost could be 5 cents to 20 cents per name, but will save you a lot of time. ]]> tag:www.remember.org,2007:/womencorp//140.2289 2007-04-10T16:59:47Z 2007-04-10T17:14:48Z

The most effective advertising is done with a coordinated campaign to release a flood ways for your prospects to see you within a concentrated period of time. This article discusses how.

Roxanne Batson http://www.callrox.com Reader Question... I don't know where to spend my advertising dollars. Is it better to spend it on newspaper or magazine publications that might stay around longer? Roxannes' Answer... The answer is, it depends. What are you selling and how often are you willing to advertise it? If it’s a product or service that’s easy to order by phone or stop by, then sure, go ahead and advertise in the newspaper. But be sure to give incentives within your ad for people to actually take action. That could be a limited time coupon or discount just for “call now!” If it's a magazine, is it one that gets circulated a lot and if so what can you offer that will cause a person to tear out your ad and take action? Is it a lot more expensive or a little more expensive? How many people will see it? The reason it matters is that effective advertising is FREQUENT advertising. Can you afford it? Industry studies have show that it takes people 5-7 times of seeing your message to begin to even recognize the name. It’s the rare bird who buys on first glance. More often, people have to get the idea in their head, mull it around, hear it again and again before they will take action. Therefore, if you commit to advertising anywhere it is not going to work unless you set up a program of doing it frequently and at least 5-7 times. It doesn't have to be all in the same place either. Set up a campaign where you can be seen multiple times within a short period of time. For example...you can set up a scheduled campaign to insert an ad in the regional magazine, submit press releases to the largest newspaper, submit a story or press release to other publications like "widget today" if that's your market and send a note to your prospects with a copy of something that got published. Plan it, then coordinate the timing to release all this within a few weeks time and take action. If you're really ready to rock, also see if you can get set up as a speaker or event coordinator for an organization where your prospects will see you. You can then suggest to the local radio station that they interview you for a few minutes to promote the event. Send email audio postcard to everyone you know including your prospects who are on the membership list to promote it further! ]]> tag:www.remember.org,2007:/womencorp//140.2286 2007-04-05T20:48:35Z 2007-04-05T20:55:14Z

Have you ever wondered how to figure out what makes women jump at the chance to buy your product, service or attend your seminars? Here's an idea...ASK them.

Roxanne Batson http://www.callrox.com Reader Question... What messages get women to stop and say "I need to be there!" when advertising to women in a newspaper for seminars? Roxanne's Answer... Now that's a question I bet a lot of marketing people ask themselves! Getting women to stop their busy day and attend seminars can be like pulling teeth. Many women in business still manage their families lives too. Therefore, it has to be something that really makes them think they're going to improve their life or financial circumstances before they'll consider it. Here's what I would do since I don't know what your seminars offer... 1. Find out what they want through a survey 2. Find out what words they use to describe what they want by reading their answers 3. Write headlines for your ads that use their words to describe the benefit they said they want. 4. Make it a limited time offer in which they can reply by offering a bonus or discount if they respond in a certain period of time, and make it short. This creates urgency. 5. Offer a discount if they bring a friend....some people do two for the price of one as an example. 6. Follow up by phone to build your relationship and once again encourage them to bring a friend so you double your prospects that way. Hope this has been helpful. Women are the main purchasers of products and services in the average household, so marketing to women is smart. Just be sure it's what THEY want, rather than what you THINK they want. This company offers easy tools to build online surveys that you can send to a network of women to identify what they want. You can also run ads that give the link to the survey and get even more response to help you in marketing to women. Go now and take a look. ]]> tag:www.remember.org,2007:/womencorp//140.2285 2007-04-03T20:25:33Z 2007-04-03T20:29:28Z

Capture prospects and convert them to clients by becoming more visible. People can't get to know you unless they meet you or hear from you regularly. Here's a couple of ideas for gaining visibility.

Roxanne Batson http://www.callrox.com Reader Question... With limited financial resources, I have to determine the best way to become visible to the audience. Is that direct mail, websites, or simply pounding the pavement? Roxanne's Answer... That's such a good question, I could spend all day on it. For the sake of brevity, let me say that you are most visible when you're physically in front of the prospect. That can be done through public speaking, working side by side with them on committees or visiting them at their business, trade show, conference or wherever they might be located. That's where you have a chance for them to get to know, like and trust you. People throw away loads of mail, they spend 8-10 seconds on a website and it's pretty hard to get past the guard just by dropping in. So you must find a way to get in front of them where they have to notice you. I'd say one of the easiest ways and least expensive ways of prospecting is to find an organization where your particular prospects can be found. Then, get visible by participating. Volunteer on committees that will either put you in front of a prospect, make them connect to you or let you work side by side with them. Would you believe most people don't ever make the effort? They just go to lunch and hope someone remembers them. Waste of time in my opinion. Public speaking is also another easy way, if you like public speaking. Just be sure it's focused on where your prospects are going to be, not any old public speaking opportunity. You can build that same relationship through continuous direct mail, but it's expensive. Emails are a good substitute, but then there are issues with sending mail to people who don't already know you and I wouldn't recommend it. Blend your marketing to include getting in front of the prospect, then staying in front with the other methods of direct mail, press releases, emails and phone calls. The objective is to build their confidence in you because they won't buy from you unless they believe you. Good luck with your marketing. I just know you'll succeed if you put yourself out there where you can be visible. Roxanne ]]> tag:www.remember.org,2007:/womencorp//140.2284 2007-03-29T20:11:39Z 2007-03-29T21:12:48Z

Public speaking can be a highly effective marketing tool. Here's some pointers on how to make your public speaking most effective in grabbing prospects and converting clients.

Roxanne Batson http://www.callrox.com Reader Question... You speak of marketing and sales techniques. Isn't public speaking part of this? What can someone do to improve their public speaking or communication skills? Roxanne's Answer... The answer is YES! public speaking is definitely one of the great ways to capture prospects. I've known master marketers who got all their prospects that way. You can only improve your public speaking abilities by practice. I know that’s scary but that’s why organizations like Toastmasters are excellent for people who want to do this because you’re in a room with a lot of other people who have the same fears and goals. So you are all practicing. The first thing you need to know about public speaking is you have just a few seconds to capture someone’s interest. But many speakers start off with all the gory details of who they are, who their company is, blah,blah,blah. Who cares?! Your introduction doesn’t need to be blah,blah,blah and blah. It needs to be ATTENTION GRABBING. Make a bold statement, a headline if you will. A bold statement for someone presenting an educational product or service might be “87% of students will fail one course in the next five years”. For someone who is a financial advisor looking for more clients, they might start with… “One in four of you in this room will no longer be working for the same company or working at all in the next three years and 70% are unprepared!” For someone selling a management program it might be… “The most successful people are those who are good at plan B !…..James Yorke said that and it’s true. The problem lies in that most people don’t have a plan “B” and are flying by the seat of their pants. It is said that those who fail to plan, plan to fail. Where are you in your business…failing to plan or planning to succeed?” You can get headline ideas to grab attention by looking through magazines and books to see what short phrase, story or "headline" grabs your attention. The point is...if you're going to use public speaking to get prospects and clients, make sure you are worth listening to! Happy Prospecting! Roxanne]]> tag:www.remember.org,2007:/womencorp//140.2283 2007-03-27T18:00:32Z 2007-03-27T19:30:03Z

Everyone has 24 hours in the day. Unless you want to work 18 hours of it, organize your time so you're focused on money making activities and hire the rest. It's cheap, it's easy and it's effective if you know how. Work less. Make more.

Roxanne Batson http://www.callrox.com Question From A Reader... Greetings Roxanne: My BIGGEST personal challenge in home business (besides the challenge of walking through the kitchen several times a day without stopping to snack) is: I know well how to organize my business, then I get too busy to "put it where it belongs", then I am too busy to clean that up - hence, piles of papers! I have the FAST TRACK tape named: IF YOU HAVEN'T GOT TIME TO DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME, WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GET THE TIME TO DO IT AGAIN? - I have learned a few very good points from that tape which have helped, but not taking time to put the paper away is still my biggest issue. Funny how seeing it written here makes it seem so ridiculously simple: Don't put it down except where it belongs! Thanks again. Joy Roxanne's Answer... Ha! It seems you've discovered the answer all by yourself. An alternative is to find a high school student or parent who wants part-time work a couple of days a week and pay them to organize for you which frees you up to find clients. If you hate doing something, it's almost assured it takes you twice as long as someone else who likes it. Therefore, you're draining your energy and resources to focus on things you don't like when you could focus on income producing activities that you do like where your professional skills are most valuable. To run a profitable business you have to think like a manager and delegate. Another way to look at it is... You only have so much time in a day. You can spend your time on the money making activity and be worth $50-$100 an hour, then pay someone $7-$10 an hour to do the lower level work. OR, you can split your time between money making and administrative work and reduce your per hour value in half. When looked at this way, you can see how paying someone else is actually saving your money OR enabling you to make more money.]]> tag:www.remember.org,2007:/womencorp//140.2033 2007-01-24T00:39:05Z 2007-02-27T08:21:14Z

If you're a small business owner, you might feel intimidated when coming up against the products and services of a giant corporation. Just remember the advantage for you is that they can't do what you do....they can't react as quickly...

Roxanne Batson http://www.callrox.com If you're a small business owner, you might feel intimidated when coming up against the products and services of a giant corporation. Just remember the advantage for you is that they can't do what you do....they can't react as quickly nor give the kind of personal attention that you can. To pull this off you must be dedicated to customer service. There's nothing like it to beat the giants AND to earn referrals that grow your business. That's also your marketing message. Promote your original, award winning service and point out any obvious differences between what you can do and what other big companies can't..like make instant decisions. Don't discount your price in an attempt to get business. You can't give top notch customer service if you're not making enough to afford the time. People like working with people who care! Love your prospect, show 'em you care and watch what happens. tag:www.remember.org,2007:/womencorp//140.2017 2007-01-19T23:27:15Z 2007-03-25T18:55:57Z

Once upon a time, we were all just kids with lots of hopes and dreams. I wanted to be a rock star. Endart, my Australia friend wanted to be a pilot. Edward...well he wanted to be a girl...but that's a...

Roxanne Batson http://www.callrox.com Send me your question now! ]]>