Marketing Confidence: Get from Shame to Fame with these
5 Winning Traits of Successful Women in Business Online.

December 17, 2009 By Gina Bell 4 Comments

Sad businesswomanOver the years I’ve met a lot of success-driven multi-passionate women in business online who are frustrated.

They desperately want to master their marketing. They want to take action and do the things they know they need to do to grow their business but they are stuck. And the prime saboteur much of the time is SHAME.

• about the look of their website (or not having one);
• because of their growing to-do list;
• because of incomplete projects (launchitis);
• because they’re scared and procrastinate;
• because they don’t know what to do first or next;
• because they can’t figure it out on their own;
• because they feel like a fraud;
• and so on… shame, shame, shame!

Shame in any of its forms sabotages confidence and forward momentum.

How do you successfully market yourself online if you secretly don’t want people to see your website?

How do you solidify your expertise when info products are incomplete or you have “launchitis” and are scared to go public with it?

How do you share YOUR passion in an authentic way when you’ve been “modeling success” after celebrity gurus sacrificing the life and business YOU really want to have?

How do you get new clients when you feel like a fraud?

And so on…

So the REAL shame is how these limiting beliefs and barriers create a less than desirable reality and results. And until the shame goes away it will continue to be a barrier to success.

The good news is the transition from shame to fame can happen fast!

Here are five common traits successful women in business online share in common. They are essential to winning the shame game and are easily adoptable. If shame is holding you back it’s time to try these on for size!

1. Clarity: What is YOUR definition of success? What do YOU want your life and business to be like? What is the difference you make for your clients? What are your specific goals – short term and long term? If you could wave a magic wand what would you change about your business? Do you have a clearly defined description of your ideal client? Do you know how to find them? What is your revenue goal? How do you plan to achieve this? And so on… I could ask you questions all day to help you gain clarity. When is the last time you thought about these questions? When is the last time you actually wrote this down? Do it now. Get clear in an as many areas as you can.

2. Believability: Belief is the bridge between our dreams and our dreams come true. Do you believe you can be successful? Do you believe in the difference you can make for others? What does your inner voice tell you? Is it keeping you stuck? Recognize that your “inner critic” that voice within you is trying to keep you playing small and safe. Statistics show that more than 80% of our self talk is negative. Begin to realize what is truth and what is self-preservation. Just this one step alone will increase your believability which will allow you to stretch your comfort zone which is where our goals and dreams live.

3. Originality: How do you stand out? How do you do things faster, better, easier than others? Do you allow your personality to shine through your business or are you “buttoned-down” and “reserved”? What is your fresh approach to solving the biggest problems your ideal clients are facing? Are you taking a cookie-cutter approach when you create or are you being innovative and unique? One of the biggest personal revelations I’ve had in my business was the day I woke up and realized that the companies, products and programs I had created didn’t come from originality they came from comparing myself to others. Originality fuels passion. Comparing and copying sabotages authenticity and confidence. Be Original. Be You.

4. Conviction: What do you do that no-one else does? What is your claim to fame? What is your expertise? What is the promise that only you can deliver? Successful women in business online define it and claim it. They declare it and share it with passion and certainty.

5. Tenacity: Successful women in business online are tenacious and driven. They have a level of persistence that borders stubborn. They do whatever it takes and they don’t give up easily. They go the extra mile. They constantly explore how they can do things bigger and better and faster than others. The next time you feel overwhelmed or want to put something off, remember this quality of tenacity and do it anyway!

ACTION STEPS:

Take out a pen and some paper. Note: Self-honesty is essential.

1. Spend time on each trait questioning and brainstorming how you can incorporate them into your business.

2. What specific actions do you need to take to infuse them into your business?

3. Is there a specific area that you need to work on most? What is it? Who can help you with that?

Want to take it up a notch? You can give your marketing and mindset a motivating kick in the pants in my next Get Clients Now! Marketing Action Group for Women in Business Online.

You’ll gain the advantage of a proven marketing system that relies on your authentic input. This is the key to marketing that is easy and even fun!

We will focus together for 6 weeks. I’ll keep you on track and motivated, inspire you and guide you. Together, we’ll tackle your biggest marketing barriers – helping you to get past them once and for all!

Seats fill quickly… register now or learn more at http://www.ginabellinc.com/gcn (One-to-One programs also available.)

Filed Under Desk of Gina Bell, FREE Articles, Marketing Wisdom

Start Where You Are

November 3, 2009 By Gina Bell 4 Comments

red running trackIt’s really easy to beat ourselves up for the things we wish we did differently in the past or the success we wish we had today. We can waste a lot of time with that mind junk and negative self talk can’t we! ;)

But… when we ever so slightly shift our attention and allow ourselves to accept the reality of where we are right now we become empowered to take action.

A common limiting belief many entrepreneurs experience stems from the idea that we should be able to do it all and figure it out ourselves.  (You know… “solo”preneur)

The inevitable mistake that follows  is forgetting to tell the people we already know

1) what we are doing, and

2) how they can support us

or in other words… to ask for help.

“You’ve got to ask. Asking is in my opinion, the world’s most powerful and neglected secret to success and happiness.” ~ Self-made Multimillionaire and Philanthropist, Percy Ross

So, here’s what I want you to do…

Go through your address books, holiday card lists and membership rosters to see how many people you know that aren’t yet aware of your business. Start reaching out to them in what ever ways feels comfortable to you… this could be with cards, letters, e-mails, or phone calls and let them know about what you do and areas that you are looking for support.

And here’s a tip… instead of just ASKING for help, whether it’s referrals, advice, introductions etc… remember to approach it from mutual benefit perspective. Find out how you can help others and watch how what goes around comes around.

“Start Where You Are” is one of five essentials of being a successful woman in business online that we discussed today on our first Gold VIP Strategy call for IAWBO, the International Association of Women in Business Online.

The call was fantastic and we are just getting started! At the very least I do recommend getting your FREE Starter Membership right now ;) http://iawbo.com

Filed Under Desk of Gina Bell, FREE Articles Tagged With essentials of success online, Gina Bell, IAWBO, internet-based women, women in business online

Clarity From My Closet Conundrum…

September 7, 2009 By Gina Bell 1 Comment

closetI spent the better part of this morning staring into the depths of my closet trying to decide what on earth I would wear to present a keynote for a business networking event this coming week…

Several hundred business professionals expected to attend with me and my “Curious Case of Elmer Letterman” presentation as the big draw. (eek!)

After some time scrutinizing every piece of clothing I own I thought “Hey, what a great reason to buy a new suit!”  But then, I had another thought sneak up behind it…

“A business suit is not authentic for you AND you don’t feel comfortable wearing one.”

The voice was dead on and I realized immediately that it was not my inner critic speaking to me, this was my authentic voice. (cool right!)

My original reaction to my “what to wear” dilemma was that I needed to wear a suit. It fit’s the occasion and common advice is to dress to suit the occasion right. But…

Now I’m not saying I was thinking about wearing jeans and a t-shirt but,  if that was authentic to me and if supported my authentic business identity – why the hell not?!

So, what I’m trying to say is… I caught myself again.

I caught myself trying to please others rather than be myself.

I’m still not sure what exactly I’ll wear to the event but I do know it’s NOT going to be a business suit.

I’ll keep you posted ;)

~ Gina xo

Filed Under Desk of Gina Bell, FREE Articles Tagged With authenticity, clarity, confidence, Gina Bell, pleasing others

Meaningful Connections – What’s Your ONE THING?

August 28, 2009 By Gina Bell 3 Comments

handshakeHave you ever had a conversation like this?

THEM: [Insert your first name], thank you SO much!

YOU: Oh, it was my pleasure. I’m so happy I could help.

THEM: Seriously, I really appreciate this. If there’s ever anything I can do to help you please let me know?

YOU: um, er, oh sure, thanks, I will.

Okay… stop! Reality shift time…

How often does this dialogue occur? Probably pretty darned often – and more than you realize.

And, how often do entrepreneurs make the most of it? Rarely (which is such a shame!). The good news… you’re not alone. The bad news… this is a HUGE missed opportunity.

Now, let’s flip this around. What if the next time this dialogue unfolds you were prepared with a relevant response, a specific way that they could help you if they are able?

Wow! right?

So… what is your one thing?

What kind of “help” do you need right now? What challenges are you facing? What one thing can others do to help you?

  • Can they connect you to someone in their network?
  • Make an introduction? Provide a testimonial or endorsement?
  • Take you as a guest to their networking group?
  • Provide advice or feedback on something specific?
  • Teach you how to do something?
  • Recommend a resource?
  • Help you spread the word about something exciting?
  • What exactly can others do to help you?

The possibilities are endless!

Okay, now it’s your turn…

ACTION STEPS:

1) Think about this and set a goal to be able to answer specifically and relevantly the next time someone offers to help you… Make sure it is clear and specific.

2) Go the extra mile by sharing exactly how others can help you here by posting a comment to this blog.  And, if you have a story or example of how you asked for help and got it – that would be great to showcase here too! {Oh and who knows… you may discover ways that you can help others too!}


Filed Under Desk of Gina Bell, FREE Articles Tagged With asking for help, entrepreneurship, Gina Bell, meaningful connections, Networking, sharing goals, Soulful Networking, success secrets

Conscious Networking… Are You Paying Attention?

August 20, 2009 By Gina Bell 1 Comment

soulful networkingToday, more than ever before, it’s essential that entrepreneurs develop and really leverage their networking skills so they can make meaningful connections and build strong and profitable relationships.

Here’s why…

When the economy thrives the focus tends to be on financial capital, financial equity, physical assets, etc… it’s a lot easier to access funding through a bank or investors right.

During times of economic uncertainty… purse strings are tightened, access to financial support is limited or non-existent. All of a sudden the same assets and equity no longer have the same degree of leverage.

What entrepreneurs often don’t realize is that relationships and the social equity developed as a result have a direct reflection on financial capital.

Surrounding yourself with a network of people who really care about your success is like having an insurance policy for success – regardless of the “state of the economy”. This network, your community, will provide strategic introductions, referrals, information, advice and more… all of which can have a dramatic financial result.

So, have you started paying closer attention to YOUR network yet? Do you have a follow up keep in touch plan? Are you staying visible? Are you memorable? Are you adding value and increase to the lives and businesses in your community? (this applies to your online networks too).

Action Tip: Spend some time thinking about this today and take it one step further… identify two people that you know who should meet based on mutual interest or mutual goals. Introduce them. Tell them why you think they should connect – who knows, you may have set the stage for their “million dollar connection”

Filed Under Desk of Gina Bell, FREE Articles Tagged With Conscious Networking, Get Your Networking Working, Gina Bell, Networking, Networking Skills, Relationship Marketing, Soulful Networking

Gain Marketing Wisdom From This ’80’s Vintage Commercial

August 19, 2009 By Gina Bell 4 Comments

calgonDo you remember the “Calgon, Take Me Away!” commercials from the 80’s?

They were awesome (giggle) and are a great example of a company that totally understands the emotional hot buttons of their target market.

When a busy, overwhelmed woman watched these commercials they could literally picture themselves in it! I did! And I can’t tell you how many times over the years I’ve said (or thought) “Calgon take me away!” in a moment of overwhelm or frustration! My mom used to do it too! LOL

It’s been over 25 years and I still remember and relate to this commercial.

I think that’s freakin’ BRILLIANT!!

As Peter F. Drucker says:  “The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him/her and sells itself.”

The question to ask yourself is… do your products/services sell themselves? If not, how can you relate so well to your audience that they believe you understand them better than they know themselves?

Sounds like a challenge doesn’t it? But, the end results is *SO* worth it. Just think, your target audience could be talking about your products and services 25+ years from now. That would be wicked cool don’t you think?!

Oh, and in case you don’t know what the heck I’m talking about, I’ve shared one of the commercials below.  (And, for those who do… enjoy! tee hee!)

Filed Under Desk of Gina Bell, FREE Articles, Quotes to ponder Tagged With emotional hot buttons, Gina Bell, marketing, marketing focus, marketing goals, niche, target market

Do You Need A Believability Makeover? Your Ability To Ask For Help May Be A Clue!

August 12, 2009 By Gina Bell 5 Comments

“You’ve got to ask. Asking is in my opinion, the world’s most powerful and neglected secret to success and happiness.” ~ Self-made Multimillionaire and Philanthropist, Percy Ross

Young Business WomanA big challenge faced by many entrepreneurs is feeling alone and isolated. And often, the isolation stems from the limiting belief that we should be able to figure out the challenges we face – on our own.

Not knowing the answers is frustrating, it makes us feel inadequate, like a failure. The new question I want you to consider is… are these feelings & thoughts based in reality? Are these thoughts true?

Some years ago I listened to a tele-class with Stephanie Franks, author of The Accidental Millionaire where she talked about this limiting belief that we should be able to figure it out on our own.

If you remember being in school, during exam time, students were required to complete the exam alone, in silence. The expectation was that we should know the answers or be able to figure them out – on our own.

If we dared to ask a fellow student anything concerning the exam it was a no-no and viewed as cheating. Our teachers didn’t encourage us to work in groups or “mastermind” with students who were top of the class.

These experiences impact our belief systems and as entrepreneurs a belief that once served us well and kept us out of the Principals office no longer supports our success.

And here’s another example I was reminded of just tonight by Billionaire business owner, speaker, coach & mentor Anne McKevitt… (google her she’s amazing!).

The average person… okay, 99.9% of people are aiming for middle ground, taking baby steps and playing it safe. Think of your childhood and how often parents and adult role models told you to “be careful”. That advice may have served you as a child (key word = may) but, as an adult and moreover an entrepreneur, playing it safe is keeping you small!

Your belief system has years of background stories just like these ones. Sculpted and molded through experiences, our culture, influential people and more.

If you’ve caught yourself doing things that sabotage your success or, not doing things to support your success and you can’t figure out why, start to listen to your inner voice.

Our beliefs influence our thoughts, dictate our habits, affect our decisions and ultimately create our results/reality.

Are you living a reality that you love?

If not… it may be time for your believability makeover ;)

~ Gina xo

P.S. My Believability Makeover Program is getting a makeover of its own! The easiest way to ensure you are notified the moment it becomes available is to subscribe to my “Fun Fame and Fortune e-Mentorship” by entering your name and email in the box at the top right of this page.

Filed Under Desk of Gina Bell, FREE Articles, Polls and Surveys, Quotes to ponder Tagged With beliefs, believability, believability makeover, Gina Bell, limiting beliefs

How Old Is Your Comfort Zone? The Older The Better I Say!

August 12, 2009 By Gina Bell 2 Comments

rings-of-treeOne of my favorite coaching analogies is to compare our comfort zone to the age rings found on a cross section of tree trunk.

Think of it this way… every time we stretch our comfort zone it’s like we have a new age ring, we have a new level of awareness, we have greater self-esteem, we have more confidence, we are more experienced, we have more wisdom, we make different decisions because of that and we’re open to new opportunities too (often ones that were always there we just couldn’t see them yet!)

At the same level, we are faced with new obstacles. For example, along with our new level of awareness, limiting beliefs that were once invisible rise to the surface.

This can be good or bad depending on our ability to identify them quickly and regain momentum in spite of them. This is a skill that is essential for long term success.

So, how do you identify limiting beliefs?

The best strategy I’ve found is to create “CONTRAST”.

First, you have to be crystal clear about your definition of success. This gets your inner voice chattering and providing commentary that becomes the contrast you need to weed out your limiting beliefs.

Next, you have to pay close attention to your self-talk, best known as your inner critic (statistics say 80% of our self-talk is negative – yikes!). The self-talk and mind commentary leaves clues to our belief systems.

bmcovers_combinedFinally, you have to choose which beliefs you’ll keep and which ones you’ll let go. Yup, I said “choose”. We can choose our beliefs. If a belief doesn’t support your success… let it go or replace it with one that does.

Your beliefs determine your thoughts, dictate your habits and influence your decisions. Does your belief system support your success or could there be some invisible saboteurs lurking?

Consider these two questions to test if limiting beliefs may be keeping you stuck.

1. Are you NOT doing things that you know you should be doing to support your success and are frustrated to feel stuck this way?

2. Are you doing things you know you shouldn’t be doing that sabotage your success and wonder why you keep doing them?

If limiting beliefs and negative self-talk are keeping you stuck or derailing your momentum, stay tuned for my next Believability Makeover Program… coming soon!

The easiest way to ensure you are notified is to subscribe to my “Fun Fame and Fortune e-Mentorship” by entering your  name and email in the box at the top right of this page :)


Filed Under Desk of Gina Bell, FREE Articles

“Niche to be Rich” Revisited: A breath of fresh air for the multi-passionate entrepreneur

August 6, 2009 By Gina Bell 2 Comments

istock_000004375181xsmallWe’ve all heard this advice at one time in our entrepreneurial journey… “You must niche to be rich”.

The problem is, this wise and foundational marketing advice, any advice for that matter, can only support you if the definition supports your authentic vision for your life.

Many of my clients fall victim to misinformed definitions… niche to be rich is a big one that keeps multi-passionate entrepreneurs stuck or worse… wondering why they aren’t able to “conform” to a concept that seems to work so well for everyone else. Does this feel familiar?

Here’s the problem…

Often the “Niche to be Rich” concept is looked upon as a governing rule for success, in that you have to choose one thing to focus on overall in business.

Here’s the formal definition of “niche”:
Niche: a position or activity that particularly suits somebody’s talents and personality or that somebody can make his or her own (i.e. “She carved out her own niche in the industry”); Commerce specialized market: an area of the market specializing in a particular type of product.

Notice that it does not say “a position or activity that particularly suits somebody’s ONE talent and personality…”

And this is where a lot of the confusion comes from, that idea that you have to choose only one of your talents or passions to move forward with.

As my mastermind friend Helen Herman said just today… “Let’s face it: most of the traditionally employed world is stuck thinking that if you aren’t passionate about only ONE thing, you’re… I don’t know – ‘unfocused‘.”

As a multi-passionate entrepreneur I can tell you this is a sure-fire way to guarantee your life will feel unfulfilled, like you’re missing a limb, off balance. I know because I tried for a long time to fit myself into just one niche. It was not a lot of fun and I was not happy.

As a multi-passionate entrepreneur you can still leverage this solid and proven marketing wisdom. Each one of your passions represents a niche… as a multi-passionate entrepreneur you simply have more than one.

I hope you’re beginning to see that the concept doesn’t have to be complicated or limiting.

There’s another lesson here…

“Niche to be rich” is a concept, like other concepts, principles and strategies, we must look at the underlying principles and how it relates to our authentic vision for success.

Have you been stuck or frustrated based on a definition that doesn’t support you? Are you having fun? Are you getting noticed? Are you creating good fortune (beyond just money)?

One of the greatest skills I’ve developed is the ability to apply success and marketing principles to my business and life authentically – without copying, comparing or competing with others.

So I encourage you to revisit your definition of success and why you became an entrepreneur in the first place. Have you been creating and making decisions that support this vision? Or, have you strayed off course perhaps due to a definition – like an interpretation of niche to be rich – that doesn’t support you? Take a close look. There’s never a better time than now to correct your course.

If you have a moment, please share your comments and experiences below. I’d love to know if this is something that you’ve had to overcome or if perhaps a light bulb came on for you after reading this.

My Best,

Gina xo

Filed Under Desk of Gina Bell, FREE Articles Tagged With authenticity, Gina Bell, model success, multi-passionate, multipreneur, niche, niche to be rich

Got Social Equity? The Quality of Your Network Impacts Your Net Worth

July 25, 2009 By Gina Bell 3 Comments

social-equityIf you’re familiar with my previous posts you’ll know that this is a time of transition for me (and Steve too). It’s scary and exciting all at the same time!

Well today I’ve been thinking a lot about social equity, the strength of my network and quality of relationships within it.

Social equity is one of my favourite topics to teach and it has a great deal to do with why I’m able to move forward in a new direction with such confidence.

Social equity is simply the standards and mutual value of your personal and social relationships. The key to positive social equity is the element of mutual benefit.

When your social equity is high, the people within your network truly care about you and your success as you care about theirs. There’s a great deal of mutual benefit and as a result, transitions are much easier to manage because it’s easy to garner support in many areas.

They are relevant in that they are interested in your area of expertise.

They are responsive in that they read and comment on your communications.

They are loyal in that they stay around as you and your company(s) grow and evolve.

And, they care in that what you do and who you are really do make a difference for them, they notice and it matters.

Does this describe YOUR network?

When you have a relevant, responsive, loyal and caring network it’s almost impossible to fail. I like to call positive social equity an insurance policy for your success.

But the diversity of your network is equally important. There are specific relationships that are essential to long-term, high level success.

For example, if your network only includes customers and prospective customers, there are critical gaps you must consider.

Here are six specific types of relationships, in addition to your network of prospects and customers, that you should spend time developing high social equity with (and why):

1. Family and Friends who “get” what you do. What I mean by “get” what you do is these are friends who support vs sabotage success. When you share your plans and ideas they fuel your excitement rather than burst your bubble. They don’t look at you like you’re crazy ;)

2. Mentor(s) to inspire you and lift you to new heights of success.

3. Coach(es) to teach and motivate you to keep growing and moving forward.

4. Masterminds/Associations of like-minded and motivated people moving in the same direction as you to connect, collaborate, commiserate and celebrate with.

5. Complimentary Experts/Service Providers. These are business owners who share your target audience but serve them in a way that is complementary vs. competitive. These individuals or companies are perfect for co-promotion, collaboration, joint ventures, referrals and more!

6. Industry Experts to stay informed, remain innovative, and strengthen your expertise.

So as you build your own networks and strive to develop high social equity, remember the seven types of equitable relationships and the essential ingredient of mutual benefit.

Stay tuned to my next post where I’ll share some specific ways to build and nurture relationships to create positive social equity.

I’d love to hear how your relationships are supporting your success. Please feel free to comment :)

Gina xo

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