Friday, March 23, 2007

The Hidden Benefits of Writing Your Book

The Hidden Benefits of Writing Your Book
by Christine Kloser, "The Conscious Business Coach"

Are you losing business and missing out on opportunities because you don't have your book done yet? If you're an entrepreneur with life-changing knowledge... the answer is, "YES"!
Nine out of ten people have a book inside them, but most of them never get their book done. I'm sure you can relate. You KNOW you need a book to grow your business especially when you consider these OBVIOUS benefits of becoming a published author:

-Position yourself as an expert
-Reach a larger audience
-Get more speaking engagements and more publicity
-Increase value by "bundling" books with other products/services
-Give as bonus/promotional item for your business
-Gain instant credibility
-Increase revenue through book sales
-Build relationships with “centers of influence”
-Make a difference in your readers’ lives

Your book is the BEST business card you can have; especially because nobody throws away a book! What you may not realize is this… there are a ton of HIDDEN benefits of writing your book.

After helping nearly 200 entrepreneurs become published authors, these are the top 3 hidden benefits my clients have received:

Clarity
Many new authors approach their book with unbridled enthusiasm and a TON of ideas. The truth is you could fill several books with your insight and information. But, tons of information in a huge book doesn’t make for a best-seller. That’s why the #1 hidden benefit of writing your book is clarity. Through the book preparation, research and writing process, you’ll quickly discover the core essence of your message and the simplest, most logical way to present your information.

You’ll also gain clarity on where the book fits into your “sales funnel” and what systems you need to implement to maximize your exposure through the book. You’ll become clear on new products, new services and new ways to get your readers to “opt-in” to your list (so you can market to them over and over again). After all, you’re writing your book to make more money, right? It’s amazing how easily you can put together a clear plan to turn readers into future buyers. Most new authors believe this kind of clarity rarely comes from anything other than writing you own book.

Confidence
The #2 hidden benefit of writing your book is a level of confidence most people only dream of. When you proudly introduce yourself as the Author of ___________, and show people your brand-new book, you’re confidence goes through the roof! There’s something that happens inside of you, when you finally put pen to paper and take a STAND for yourself by putting your valuable information in print. Not to mention WHO you have to “BE” to complete your book.

You’ll discover an entirely new side to yourself when you step up the plate to write your book.
You’ll stretch and grow in surprising, challenging and fun ways as you go through the process of writing your book. You get to discover more and more of who YOU are and the value you offer to the world. With each page your write, you uncover more of your brilliance and at the end of the process, you’ll see (and value) yourself in an entirely new light.

Courage
Once you experience total clarity and confidence from writing your book, you’ll discover a newfound sense of courage. Many of my clients say it wasn’t until they became published that they had the courage to ask for more money, more speaking engagements, more referrals, more publicity… and know they DESERVED it 100%.

Just imagine there’s someone you want to meet (who can further your success) and you’ve never had the courage to contact them. Once you’re a published author it’s EASY to contact anyone, because you can introduce yourself as an Author and even give them a signed copy of your book. The hidden benefit of courage can literally mean thousands of dollars in your pocket because you’re finally ready to ask for what you want.

If you’re thinking of writing a book, keep these “Three Cs” at the top of your mind (and heart) as you bring your brilliance out in the pages of your book. Yes, the expert status, credibility and new revenue from your book are valuable rewards, which will be maximized through the hidden benefits of Clarity, Confidence and Courage.

© 2007 Christine Kloser

Want To Use This Article In Your Ezine or Website? You have my permission, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Christine Kloser "The Conscious Business Coach," publishes the revolutionary 'Conscious Business Connection' ezine. If you're ready to transform “what is” to “what’s possible” for your business, get your FR^EE tips now at www.ConsciousBizReport.com.

Thursday, March 1, 2007

Biggest Lessons

Going through the transition of NEW (a business I’ve loved for nearly 7 years) has been quite an experience. It literally took my miscarriage in December to have the courage to make this major change in my life. Miscarrying shed a lot of light on my priorities, energy, and how I spend my time. It showed me I had no choice but to make a change.

I had to accept that unless a business is making money, it really isn’t a business; it’s a hobby. And NEW (as a stand-alone entity) lost money! With this realization, I was faced with the most challenging business decision I’ve ever had to make.

Here are a few of the biggest lessons I’ve learned:

1. If you’re willing to sacrifice yourself and place other’s feelings above your own, you are actually being a disservice to them. As an entrepreneur, your priority needs to be taking care of yourself so you have a FULL tank to GIVE from. I knew this in my head, but this experience helped me “get it” on a whole different level. And, it’s true! I already feel so much more energy and excitement about creating new ways to help you with your business challenges.

2. It's OK if everyone doesn't "like" you. While nearly all of the feedback I’ve received about this transformation has been very positive, encouraging and enthusiastic; I have received a handful of hurtful accusations about my character and integrity. What I’ve learned from this (again something I’ve known in my mind, but “get” on a new level) is not everyone is going to like me or the decisions I make. And, it’s OK. Granted, it’s not easy to stay focused on the positive when these accusations are thrown; but is has given me deeper acceptance of not being liked by everyone and deeper conviction of the principles I stand on.

3. Entrepreneurs need to face the “business” of their business. This is especially important for creative entrepreneurs who care about their business and customers like I do. I was willing to ignore the bottom-line losses because all I wanted to do was support you. But, once I finally “got” that I needed to face the “business” of my business, I saw the reality I’ve been ignoring for years. If you haven’t done so lately, make a date with your PNL (Profit and Loss) statement and be willing to see what’s there. And, if you have multiple businesses (like I do), look at them INDIVIDUALLY... you can't ignore what's really going on when you separate each entity. I couldn’t do this until after my miscarriage when I was evaluating my entire life. Please do this now, and don’t wait for a major life event to catapult you into re-evaluation.

4. New beginnings bring new possibilities. I’ve simultaneously been experiencing the completion of the “era” of NEW, AND an abundance of new possibilities that come along with a new beginning. My creativity has never been higher; my enthusiasm about what I’m consciously creating for my business (and clients/customers) is awesome. Are there new beginnings occurring in YOUR life, perhaps a new way of thinking, a new business, a new product, a new relationship? Embrace the joy of your new beginnings and expect success.

Copyright 2007 Christine Kloser

Christine Kloser "The Conscious Business Coach," publishes the revolutionary 'Conscious Business Connection' ezine. If you're ready to transform “what is” to “what’s possible” for your business, get your FR^EE tips now at www.ConsciousBizReport.com.

How to Choose the Right Live Events to Attend

How to Choose The Right Live Events To Attend
by Christine Kloser, "The Conscious Business Coach"

Are you bombarded with an abundance of opportunities to attend “live” events? It comes along with being an entrepreneur; you get on everyone’s list and the next thing you know… you spend your entire year (and budget) attending seminars, workshops, retreats, conferences, programs and expos to further your business.

I’ve got good news and bad news about “live event overload.” The bad news is if you attend every event that crosses your path, you’ll get confused, unfocused and frustrated about what to do next for your business. You’re inundated with so much information, (all of which sounds exciting and like the perfect solution to your problem) you get pulled off course in pursuit of an idea that wasn’t even on your “radar” before you attended the event.

Now, for the good news!

Picking and choosing the RIGHT live events to attend can change the course of your business… and your life. How do I know? I’ve experienced more success in my business, more personal fulfillment in my life and more money in the bank than I had ever imagined possible… by choosing the right live events to attend.

Here are the questions to ask yourself when evaluating event opportunities that come your way:

What appeals to you about the event?
Asking yourself this important first question will lay the foundation for determining if it’s the right choice. As a conscious business owner, it’s important to be “conscious” about these decisions and not say “yes” because you think you SHOULD, or everybody else is. It’s your responsibility to put yourself in “live” environments that support your highest and best good; and nurture your soul along with your business. Deciding to go to an event should feel good because it’s appealing to you!

What doesn’t appeal to you about the event?
If the list of things that don’t appeal to you is longer than the list of things that do, it’s not the right “live event” choice for you. Look at all the aspects of the event and clearly identify what doesn’t feel like a fit for you. Once you have a clear list, it’s easy to decide if it makes sense for you to attend. Consider everything from the topic and speakers to location, meals and daily agenda.

What result would you like to experience from being at the event?
There’s a big difference in going to “live” events purely for the knowledge you’ll learn; and to attend because you want to network, get new business, increase creativity, find needed resources, shift your physical environment, feel inspired, or take a break from your hectic routine. Before making a choice about an event, know what results you’d like to experience and assess if those results are aligned with what the event promises to deliver.

Does the event fit with your goals and intentions for the year?
If you haven’t done so yet, you’ll want to identify some specific goals and intentions for the year. Once you are clear on the direction you’re taking your business in the next 12 months, the easier it is to identify if a live event will help you get there. For example, if one of your goals is to write and publish a book this year (by the way, details on my brand-new “Get My Book Done” coaching program will be revealed next month) you’ll be best served investing in an event specific to book writing/publishing, rather than Real Estate Investing. Choose events that will help you achieve the goals you’ve ALREADY set forth for yourself.

Live events are an essential part of every entrepreneur’s business, spiritual and personal growth. Just be sure to make the best choices for YOU based on these questions. Then, watch “live event overload” disappear and “live event success” emerge!

© 2007 Christine Kloser

Christine Kloser "The Conscious Business Coach," publishes the revolutionary 'Conscious Business Connection' ezine. If you're ready to transform “what is” to “what’s possible” for your business, get your FR^EE tips now at www.ConsciousBizReport.com.