Elinor Stutz

First, let me explain the Power of 10 concept and it’s exponential impact on the growth of your business. When you are a sole entrepreneur with a core business eg. healthcare practitioner, you have one audience. 

by Elinor Stutz, CEO Smooth Sale

By expanding your service offerings with one product and one service such as a book and supplements, you will  have 6 audiences.  Your audience has grown to include  patients, a readership, and those concerned about nutrition plus the wonderful phenomenon of overlapping audiences such as those who both read your book  and then request your core healthcare program or those who want nutritional supplements with your healthcare service.

Exponential Business Growth

Now imagine having a combination of 10 products and services. The audience potential with all the overlap grows to 3,628,800. This number was calculated by multiplying 10 x 9 x 8 x 7 x 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1.

As an entrepreneur, it is very important to understand the Power of 10 in all forms of possibility. This is a powerful concept to implement for your business development and to strengthen relationships already in place.


Following are 3 of many Power of 10 possiblities:

1.  Establish a combination of 10+ products and services


2.  Collaborate with 10 or more like-minded and complementary service oriented business people


3.  Provide 10  testimonials and referrals without being asked 


Now let’s examine how to apply the Power of 10 to Twitter.

1.  Thank people who mention you and those who Re-Tweet your tweets

2.  Participate in Follow Fridays – return the favor to those who RT your messages and who mention you plus take the lead for those you admire

3.  Scan favorite quotes and RT those

4.  Be a helpful thought leader by offering wise advice

All of these activities will exponentially increase awareness of you and your business. Your number of prospects and clients will increase which in turn attracts far many more sales.

Make certain everyone on your team operates with the same rules and pays close attention to customer service while building relationships.
 By keeping a focused mindset on insuring that all the pieces are in place, you will soon attract far many more prospects and clients, and experience the Smooth Sale!

Elinor Stutz is CEO of Smooth Sale, LLC sales training company. She is a speaker and author of the best selling book Nice Girls DO Get The Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results, published by Sourcebooks.  Elinor also provides team training and coaching.

You can reach  Elinor via e-mail or by phone (800) 704-1499. You can also follow her on Twitter or join the Smooth Sale Facebook Group. To learn more please visit Elinor’s  website and blog for her latest insights.

If you enjoyed this article and want to share it with a friend or the world:) …it’s easy. Click on the Share/Save button and you can e-mail, Tweet or Bookmark it!

Related posts:

1. Grow Your Small Business with the Art of Giving and Receiving!
2. Are Your Marketing Messages Consistent?
3. Increase Your Sales Success by Avoiding these Mistakes!

Ellen Looyen

A well-crafted marketing message should be made up of “sound bites” that emotionally connect and move people into action. Emotionally compelling sound bites are a critical tool for building a charismatic personal brand and for writing marketing materials that turn prospects into paying customers!

by Ellen Looyen
Personal Branding and Marketing Strategist

A “sound bite” is a way to string words together that will connect your marketing message to both sides of your prospect’s brain.

The words that you use to describe what you do and the benefits your product or service deliver, need to connect first to the emotional right side of the brain…to leave people with a positive feeling.  Then their left-brain needs to justify and rationalize that good feeling,  by believing in the promise of a tangible benefit and guaranteed results, before a sale can happen.

The right-brain thinks in pictures and is always in the present moment. That’s why using emotionally compelling sound bites (for brand-building, writing marketing materials and for use in sales presentations) is so effective.

The left-brain, on the other hand, wants tangible results and benefits because it thinks linearly.  Your left-brain is always asking “what in it for me”; and it’s all about the past and future. The left-brain carefully categorizes and organizes all information and associates it with our past, or projects info into the future.

So the sound bites you use for writing your marketing materials need to first grab someone’s emotional attention; and then they need to justify the claim, logically, in order to back it up, so the left-brain is also satisfied that it’s actually getting a tangible result.

Describe what’s in it for your clients…

For a sound bite to work, it must do double duty—connect emotionally first, and later it must make logical sense and answer (in a very tangible and beneficial way): what’s in it for your client.

You can compose sound bites for your marketing materials with:

♦  a fascinating phrase
♦  an interesting fact
♦  an anecdote of human-interest
♦  using emotionally charged language

The first step to creating your own sound bites is to think about what you want your clients to do, think, or know.

Take a moment to answer the following questions.

♦  What do people need to know?
♦  How can I help them?
♦  What action do I want people to take?

Here are some examples from clients of mine, using some of the above suggestions:

♦  A Professional Organizer said: “80% of the paper you keep is never referred to again.”

♦  A Management Consultant, who specializes in team building and organizational development, said: “How you make others feel, is the most important factor in the quality of your relationships.”

♦  A Financial Planner said: “It’s never too early or too late to develop a customized plan for accumulating wealth.”

♦  A Nutritionist said: “I will help you show hungry who’s boss.”

♦  A Landscape Architect said: “Landscaping is the only investment that’s guaranteed to grow.”

♦  A Marketing Consultant said: “Not spending money on marketing is like stopping your watch to save time.”

Here are some more tips for writing compelling Sound Bites, followed by a real-life example:

1.  Angle your message to the kinds of people you want to attract…

“We have a customized workout plan for busy people who can’t find the time to exercise.”

2.  Demonstrate how you can solve their problem…

“Cosmetic dentistry doesn’t have to be expensive—it can be as simple as whitening and shaping.”

3.  Ask a gripping question, for which you have the answer…

“Are your people driving your business where you need it to go?”

4.  De-bunk a commonly held belief/myth…

 “Working with a professional image consultant is not about buying all new expensive clothes…it’s about how you put your look together with what you already have.”

5.  Connect emotionally first, and logically later…

“Experience the self-empowerment of being a published author…I’ll show you how, with my easy, step-by-step writing process.”

The hardest thing about writing marketing materials is creating emotionally compelling sound bites. Hopefully, I’ve given you several good starters…so grab your laptop and fill in some of the phrases and questions from above. Even if you can’t create a professional marketing message, hopefully, you will, at the very least, get an enhanced sense of your own value and have a few more ways to communicate it out into the world.

Join Ellen and learn more about Personal Branding at her July 27^th National Tele-Seminar,

“The Art of Personal Branding: How to Emotionally Connect to Your Market & Sell with Charisma“, sponsored by eWomenNetwork. 

Ellen Looyen,“America’s Leader in Personal Branding” has been in her own Branding, Marketing and Training business since 1988. She has helped all types of businesses (from entrepreneurial start-ups to major corporations, like Chevron and Kaiser Permanente), discover their unique Brand identity and articulate their value in a compelling and charismatic way. Learn much more about branding-building and creating a charismatic marketing message by visiting Ellen’s website: www.ellen4branding.com .

Related posts:

1. Secret Confessions of a Branding Expert: Branding Blunder #1…“The Coke Blunder”
2. Overcome Sales Objections the Charismatic Way!
3. Personal Branding: Your State of Mind Makes a Difference!

Elinor Stutz

Are you able to give and receive?

Over the past couple of years, I changed my business development model of “going it alone” to that of collaboration. There was indeed a learning curve involved.

by Elinor Stutz, CEO Smooth Sale

I smile now as I hear the discussions of so many who say they find it hard to “receive”. In my former days, many others and myself included had the opposite problem.  We found it difficult to “give”. 
As salespeople we kept to ourselves for fear our competitors would discover our secrets.

Find the Balance of Giving and Receiving

Luckily I awakened to a new reality.  Should you truly wish to attract sales, one of the better strategies is to find that balance of giving and receiving. An excellent first step is to find groups online whose discussion topics are complementary to your business model.

Take an active role by answering questions that speak to your specialty. By doing so others will automatically be drawn to your expertise making your business development effortless. As you become comfortable with the group, you may then confidently pose your own questions and receive the help you need.


Next, find a collaboration or mastermind group comprised of people with similar goals and complementary services. The giving and receiving should be natural for all.  Learning both from the expert information available along with a dedicated collaborative team will help you achieve your goals far more quickly.

Grow Your Business with Less Effort

As your activities and relationships build, you will find increased attention from new prospects and clients. When your mindset is focused on delivering your expertise freely and helping those in need, it becomes a marketing message that you are there to serve. Your reward will be receiving greater opportunities than previously thought possible. It’s an entrepreneurial dream to conduct business with much less effort.

Take My Challenge to Find:


1. Social media groups to join discussions


2. Collaborative partners


3. Brainstorm new ideas for products & services with your new team(s)



When you work openly you will not only attract more sales, but will also have more fun and enjoy the Smooth Sale!
Elinor Stutz is CEO of Smooth Sale, LLC sales training company. Based in Petaluma, CA she is available for team training, coaching, motivational speaking and includes the Smooth Sale product line as part of her program. Her book, Nice Girls DO Get The Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results, published by Sourcebooks sells worldwide.

Elinor welcomes your questions through e-mail or phone: (415) 615-6887 or (800) 704-1499. To learn more please visit her website and blog for her latest insights. You can also follow her on Twitter!

If you enjoyed this article and want to share it with a friend or the world:) …it’s easy. Click on the Share/Save button and you can e-mail, Tweet or Bookmark it!

Related posts:

1. Grow Your Business: Harness The Exponential “Power of 10″
2. Are Your Marketing Messages Consistent?
3. Improve Your Sales with a Heart-Based Approach

It’s called White Space Time!
(You can read this article in the SF BAWJ magazine here.)

by Michelle Lisenbury Christensen and
Sara Harvey Yao

It’s a special kind of appointment with yourself:  you protect it from any pre-set agenda.  Crazy as it sounds to block out an hour (or three) when you don’t plan to do anything in particular, it really helps women find equilibrium and get amazing things done.

Your To-Do List Expands to Fill Your Time

Have you noticed that your to-do list expands to fill the time you have? That you feel like you never have a moment free? 

Take an open or “white” time on your calendar and block it so it STAYS open!  Then when you get to that appointment in your calendar, you will find a gift to yourself…freedom. 

You now have time before you, and the opportunity to ask, “What do I really want to do with this time?  What do I need right now?”  If you’re disciplined enough to give yourself full permission to follow those desires (instead of checking e-mail or ticking off errands that aren’t your deepest desire), surprising things begin to happen. 

White Space Makes Time for Amazing Things to Happen

One of our clients needed to get a marketing plan created.  What he really wanted to do during his White Space was go to the driving range.  Within two days, he got a great idea for the marketing plan, because he’d cleared his head while hitting golf balls. 

Another began writing again after a long dry spell, because she used her White Space to daydream about her perfect life and realized she needed a space to write in.  Right then – because she had the time – she cleared a spot in her guest room and created a nook where she now writes each morning.

Come Up for Air with White Space

White Space is a place to come up for air during your busy work week.  It helps you to not feel so “behind,” the same way a $100 bill in your wallet makes you feel abundant, even if you don’t spend it.  

Here’s How You Do It: 

 1. Find a block of 1-4 hours (more, if you dare!) that’s not already committed, and reserve it.  Take it from “blank” on your calendar to an appointment – with yourself.

2. If any other uses for the time come up, deflect them.  Tell others you’re committed.  Remember that this time is deeply important, even if it feels indulgent.

3. Show up.

4. Give yourself permission not to be productive, not to do it “right,” not to meet any pre-conceived linear notion of what you should do.

5. Ask yourself, “What would I really like to do with this time?”

6. Do THAT.

Take the White Space Challenge

People who’ve committed to taking White Space at least once a week for three weeks have reported phenomenal changes in their energy, focus, and feelings of satisfaction.  You can read some of their stories at whitespacetime.com.  We hope you’ll join them and let us know what happens when you take the White Space Challenge.

Michele Lisenbury Christensen and Sara Harvey Yao are the authors of “Succeeding without Side Effects:  Burnout-Proof Your Leadership and Life” and the “White Space Time” audio program.  They help business owners and executives create more success with fewer side effects.  Their retreats and seminars for women are transformative and deeply rejuvenating.  They can be found online at WorkingWithPower.com .

If you enjoyed this article and want to share it with a friend or the world:) …it’s easy. Click on the Share/Save button and you can e-mail, Tweet or Bookmark it!

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2. The New Path to Job Security: Bringing Feminine Power to Work
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by Ellen Looyen
America’s Leader in Personal Branding

After 22 years of successfully branding divisions of major corporations (like Kaiser, Chevron and Wells Fargo), to launching countless start-ups, I thought my own brand was feeling tired, old and out-of-date…and just like the Coca Cola Executives (who wanted to change their successful formula), I tampered with my own successful brand and lived through my own “Coke Blunder” and my subsequent “Coke Classic” brand resurrection.

Why tamper with success, when branding is all about…
consistency, uniqueness and emotional connection?

It all started when I was invited to speak at the Ritz Carlton in New York City last year, by The Conference Board (at a Senior Executive Marketing Conference, where I was on a panel with the President of Rolls Royce America and Google’s top Marketing guy) to discuss “The Future of the Brand.” They actually gave me the brand name I now use, “America’s Leader in Personal Branding” (that’s how they wrote me up in their conference program).

What was I thinking?

For some reason, I decided that I needed to update my brand for the marketing conference; and after 22 years of success as Ellen Looyen Communications, I thought I should match my business name and its look and feel (i.e., it’s brand) to the name of my recently published, DIY Personal Branding Kit, entitled, “Branded with Charisma.”

“Doctor, heal thyself”…and Branding expert, “Do not re-brand yourself (especially if your brand is working for you)”…

I now know, that at the time, I was having the branding equivalent of a “mid-life crisis”…I felt adrift in my business, not clear, re: where I wanted to focus my marketing efforts; bored with my own brand, overwhelmed by the whole new online world of social media and in need of some big changes in my business.

“In a world where you can be anything…Be Yourself!”         –Anon 

I also felt like I needed to feel more relevant to a younger demographic. Not to get too psychologically deep here…but…I was trying to appeal younger and more hip, instead of highlighting my 22 years of experience and wide range of expertise, which could help younger people build, launch and sustain a successful brand (just like I had over the long haul).

The important “take-away” is that we all create our own versions of the Coke Blunder…and just like Coke did, we can pick ourselves up, admit that we made a mistake and go back to Plan A. Some of my clients actually admitted to me that they almost didn’t hire me, because my new cartoony brand image did not seem to fit me!

Perception can be managed…and VALUE is only a perception!

Branding is all about thinking backwards…about how you want to be perceived by your market…and then crafting a brand that’s emotionally connecting, authentically representative of the real YOU and consistent over time.

You’ll know it when you find it…it should just fit like an old glove. Once you discover and articulate your true brand, people will energetically feel your enhanced confidence (the #1 reason people buy and choose anything); and any uncertainty or doubt about hiring you will simply vanish.

So take a good, honest look at your brand and see if some minor “tune ups” are in need to help keep you relevant, but true to your core value and values at the same time.

Ellen Looyen, “America’s Leader in Personal Branding” has been in her own Branding, Marketing and Training business since 1988. She has helped all types of businesses (from entrepreneurial start-ups to major corporations, like Chevron and Kaiser Permanente), discover their unique Brand identity and articulate their value in a compelling and charismatic way.

Please visit Ellen’s new/old brand and website at: www.ellen4branding.com and let her know what you think about returning to her old (Coke Classic), tried and true, brand. Send her an e-mail or pick up the phone and call her  (925) 284-5828. 

Reserve your space for Ellen’s popular SF Bay Area Summer Branding & Sales Intensive (6 Wednesdays, June 23—July 28 in Point Richmond, 10am-4pm).

If you enjoyed this article and want to share it with a friend or the world:) …it’s easy. Click on the Share/Save button and you can e-mail, Tweet or Bookmark it!

Related posts:

1. Charisma…The Secret Sauce for a More Powerful Personal Brand!
2. Personal Branding: Your Value, Confidence and the Likeability Factor!
3. How to Write a Marketing Message using Compelling Sound Bites

by Kristin Southwick
CA Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

How do you balance these competing roles and keep your head above water without feeling depleted at the end of the day?

This article is part 1 of a 4 part series that will help you learn ways to create structure and balance in your life. Today we’ll focus on the workplace. Future articles will discuss finding time to nurture and care for yourself, ways to balance relationships, and family life.

Career Demands versus Home Demands

A common issue that I often hear is the high-stress conflict of dealing with career demands and expectations while balancing that with home demands and expectations.  One of the best ways to help yourself navigate these two key issues is to set boundaries. Start by developing clear boundaries around your work life. Whether in a corporate setting, your own home, or anywhere in between you should be realistic and clear with yourself about what you can feasibly accomplish.

5 Tips to Help You Balance Your Work Life

1. Listen to your body. Your body will give you some great clues into how you are affected by external factors. For example does your stomach turn or do you clench your teeth when you think about the conflict of going home at a reasonable hour versus staying to finish a high priority assignment? Let your body guide you to set limits where you can.  If that means leaving at a certain time of day, then prioritize your tasks and focus on what needs to be completed before the end of the day.

2. Create boundaries that will help you manage others who are pressuring you into taking on more than you feel comfortable doing.

For example, if something is asked of you that goes beyond your job role and duties, a clear limit will help you be prepared with an appropriate response. Tell the person you will get back to them with an answer.  This allows you to walk away from the situation, take a moment to consider what is being asked, and how long it will take to complete the task.  It also provides an opportunity to consider if the time investment is one that will have a positive career impact.

3. Offering to do more than expected at your job can cause you to end up feeling overwhelmed and resentful. But it’s easy to get caught up in the moment and “accidentally” put yourself into that situation.  Work at implementing helpful strategies that support you on these kinds of occasions.  Try counting to 10 before you jump in or perhaps you need to take 5 minutes to step away, catch your breathe and then decide the next steps.

4. Ask for others to help if too much responsibility is being put on you and be open with what you need to successfully complete your job.

5. Lastly, it is essential to remember that when you have multiple assignments being given to you in a day or even an hour, it’s important to create a structure that will help you manage your workflow. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or that you just need a break then allow yourself to take 5 minutes to just breathe and catch-up.  The key is to not procrastinate and to help yourself stay focused and organized.

Renewed Energy

You’ll find an abundance of renewed energy when you take more control of your work life.   I would like to encourage you to start by considering these suggestions.  Just choose one idea that resonates with you and add it into your day to day responsibilities. You’ll be amazed at how much that one little action will help you to feel more in control of your life and feeling renewed energy for yourself, your family, and your relationships!

If you enjoyed this article, you can find Part 2 of this series on Work Life Balance…Making Time for You here!

Kristin Southwick is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with the CA Board of Behavioral Science and received her Master’s from John F. Kennedy University. She has a private practice in San Francisco and Burlingame.

Kristin believes therapy is a meaningful experience that offers a supportive and confidential space to explore aspects of one’s life and relationships. She provides brief and long term counseling services to children, adolescent, adults, couples, and families. For more information regarding Kristin’s practice, please visit her website, KristinSouthwick.com.

If you enjoyed this article and want to share it with a friend or the world:) …it’s easy. Click on the Share/Save button and you can e-mail, Tweet or Bookmark it!

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1. Work/Life Balance: 3 Ways to Make More Time for Your Family!
2. Life Balance: Making Time for YOU!
3. Love, Marriage…then What?

by Dr. Barbara Mark, CEO Full Circle Institute

As the years go by, that process continues and we feel shifts in interests, priorities, and desires.

Different Perspectives

I remember moments for me when I wasn’t sure if I was in the right career, the right place in my career, the right marriage – or did I want to be married at all. A cottage by the ocean writing a book in front of the fireplace with my dog curled up near me seemed really appealing. I didn’t feel in crisis, I just felt in a kind of limbo where I was looking at everything from different perspectives.

When I work with clients experiencing this, I call it “being out of site of land”.  It seems to resonate with people.

What Now?

Most senior women leaders are interested in conceptual leadership. You may have climbed that ladder and are NOW in a position to contribute to your organization in a way that is more purposeful and personally creative.  The climb up that ladder has opened new opportunities. You may want to place your ladder against a different wall within your organization or in a different organization.

This is a good time to ask yourself some questions.

“How have I measured my success up to now?”  

“How do I feel about what I am contributing in my current position?”

“What do I want to do that will hold meaning for me?”

It is also a time to realize that as you ”gracefully mature” you achieve a different level of respect and wisdom.  And I mean that in the most positive way! You have gained life and professional experience that makes you a trusted resource to your organization, your peers and to those who are in the process of developing their careers.

It is a valuable way to look at yourself and appreciate the wisdom you have achieved!

The Door is Opening and Your Time is Now!

We are on the cusp of an important moment in our cultural evolution. We are beginning to see a great acknowledgement of what women bring to the table. Women are being recognized as needed and valued contributors.

It is time for you to acknowledge to yourself the contributions that you have made.  It is also time to access where you are, and where and how you want to make your next contributions. The door is opening wide and your time is now.

Barbara Mark, Ph.D. is the CEO and Founder of Full Circle Institute. FCI is a leadership development company for female executives. Dr. Mark is a thought leader in the area of Women in Leadership and Leadership for the Future. She has been working with women in business for nearly three decades and is committed to the advancement of women for the good of all. You can learn more by visiting Full Circle Institute.

If you enjoyed this article and want to share it with a friend or the world:) …it’s easy. Click on the Share/Save button and you can e-mail, Tweet or Bookmark it!

Related posts:

1. Effective Leadership Begins with Knowing Yourself
2. Women Leaders: Economic Downturn or Opportunity?
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by Elinor Stutz, CEO Smooth Sale

The best speaker used her voice as a fine instrument allowing me to fully comprehend the analogy to its fullest.  Her talk was filled with emotional stories both funny and sad.  All the while her voice rose to a crescendo and then gently toned down to very soft notes of deep insight.  Her talk was as moving as an opera.

Contradictory Words had an Instant Impact

However, in my opinion, her ending spoiled the impact.  The speaker’s message was, “We should each stand in our own shoes.  It is important to enjoy our journey into the spotlight.” 

It was a very powerful message.  Everyone was engaged and on the edge of their seat.

The speaker’s power diminished when she made an offer contradictory to her message. 

Whereas she spoke of standing in your own spotlight, her offer was a collaborative project riding on her coattails focusing on her but not her clientele.  For me, the speaker’s offer ruined the entire message.

Consistency Builds Trust and Credibility

Consistency is a major factor to behold when building your brand.  Otherwise, trust and credibility will fade. Consistency must be perceived as your underlying marketing message.

Of the approximate 400 people in the audience, only about 28 people followed the speaker out the door to hear more.  This is a relatively low number considering participation fees will eliminate more prospects from becoming clients. 

Had the speaker instead offered a package whereby she would help members of the audience achieve their own success, it is a safe bet that many more people would have taken her offer.

What does this have to do with you, if you aren’t a speaker? 

The same principles apply no matter your field of endeavor.  When you convey you are working to help others and the benefit of working with you is clearly seen, you will attract greater numbers.  Business then becomes a very Smooth Sale!

Elinor Stutz is CEO of Smooth Sale, LLC sales training company.  Based in Petaluma, CA she is available for team training, coaching, motivational speaking and includes the Smooth Sale product line as part of her program. Her book, Nice Girls DO Get The Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results, published by Sourcebooks sells worldwide.

Elinor welcomes your questions through e-mail or phone: (415) 615-6887 or (800) 704-1499. To learn more please visit her website and  blog for her latest insights. You can also follow her on Twitter!

If you enjoyed this article and want to share it with a friend or the world:) …it’s easy. Click on the Share/Save button and you can e-mail, Tweet or Bookmark it!

Related posts:

1. Grow Your Small Business with the Art of Giving and Receiving!
2. Grow Your Business: Harness The Exponential “Power of 10″
3. Increase Your Sales Success by Avoiding these Mistakes!

by Ellen Looyen
Personal Branding and Marketing Strategist

Ellen Looyen

Objections Lead to Understanding

An objection is a great opportunity to find out what’s really going on in your prospect’s mind. It’s an opportunity to hear about any doubts or concerns that your prospect may have about you or your offering.

People do not buy when they feel doubtful or uncertain, so overcoming objections one-by-one is critical for removing any obstacles to a sale.

Answering Objections Clears the Path

Sometimes objections scare people…and they ignore them; and then they wonder why they did not make the sale. When your clients raise objections, you have a great opportunity to answer all of them, thus clearing the path for someone to buy your services.

Charismatic people think of a prospect’s objections merely as buying questions that still need answering.

Most objections fall into categories…

Price: It’s too expensive…it’s not in our budget…business is slow right now

Value: I’m not sure it will work for us…our needs are different than other companies

Fears: We hired someone just like you before and it didn’t work out…my staff will object to outside help

Excuses: They do not plan to buy anything and probably never did

Use These Three Words to Help You Understand Client Objections

The easiest way to handle objections is to confront them head-on, using the following three words:

Feel…”I understand how you feel.”

People want to feel really listened to and heard, regardless of whether what they are objecting to makes any rational sense; and empathy goes a long way in building a charismatic personal brand.

Felt…”Another client of mine used to feel the same way…until they worked with me or tried (insert your product name or service here)  _______________________.

Found…”Now my client is benefiting in the following ways.”

You now get the opportunity to share a real success story (of someone who once had the same objection(s) as your doubting prospect…(but who now has become a raving champion of you and your work) I even like to share an actual hand-written client questionnaire that cites the same benefits that this prospect could have, too…but only if they hired me or used my product or service.

Always be asking yourself…What’s in it for my clients?

Learn to speak in value statements…think beneficial outcomes that get others to respond with “I need that”…”I want that”.

Articulating value is the most important part of branding…as people are constantly translating your message into, “What’s in it for me?” And your benefits must answer that question in a succinct, credible, emotionally connecting and memorable way.

Most people spend too much time defining what something is…and then explaining how it works. They describe the features and the functions, or how a process works.

We only care about something that’s relevant to us…when it becomes personal.

When you focus on your clients needs, you change the sales objections conversation from what you want to listening to your clients concerns.  And this opens up the opportunity to thoughtfully answer their objections, clearing the way for a sale.  This is the heart of overcoming sales objections the Charismatic Way!

Ellen Looyen, “America’s Leader in Personal Branding” has been in her own Branding, Marketing and Training business since 1988. She has helped all types of businesses (from entrepreneurial start-ups to major corporations, like Chevron and Kaiser Permanente), discover their unique Brand identity and articulate their value in a compelling and charismatic way. Ellen is the featured branding expert in the bestseller, “Get Clients Now” and is a frequent Branding Commentator on SF’s #1 radio station, KGO NewsTalk 810.

Learn how to Promote Yourself with Charisma and take your business to new heights by particpating  in Ellen’s SF Bay Area 6-Week Branding & Sales Intensive, May 3^rd–June 14^th or purchase her DIY Personal Branding Kit! To learn more visit Branded with Charisma !

If you enjoyed this article and want to share it with a friend or the world:) …it’s easy. Click on the Share/Save button and you can e-mail, Tweet or Bookmark it!

Related posts:

1. How to Write a Marketing Message using Compelling Sound Bites
2. Personal Branding: Your State of Mind Makes a Difference!
3. Charisma…The Secret Sauce for a More Powerful Personal Brand!

by Michele Lisenbury Christensen and Sara Harvey Yao

Amelia is a manager at a company that sells images.  She recently got a promotion without applying for the new position.  “They said I was picked because I know how to connect with people, even while I’m producing results.” 

Amelia is one of our many clients – male, as well as female – who are finding that their capacity to bring enjoyment, caring, and ease into the workplace are valued even more now that tensions are running high and resources are scarce.

Feminine + Masculine = Turbo Charged Success

At first, women can be afraid to bring more of their feminine power to work.  Women think of their masculine power – driving, pragmatism, focus, providing, and so on – as the secret of their success.  And those elements of power are key to producing results. 

But when they learn to use both the masculine qualities and their feminine counterparts (receiving, sensuality, holism, and nurturing) women find their success is turbo-charged! A dynamic synergy emerges when both the masculine and feminine powers are integrated.

Melinda, a marketing manager for a wireless company, says

“I’m blown away by how much easier it is to drive for results now that I also use my feminine power.  I’ve got more energy, things are more fun, and results happen much more easily.”

Feminine + Masculine in Action

Some of the ways that Melinda and our other clients have learned to bring both Masculine and Feminine power to work include:

Conduct Effective Meetings:  When you lead a meeting, run it on time and using a good agenda (masculine qualities). Add the feminine by making sure there’s something visually appealing in the room.  Also allow for personal connection and appropriate humor in the meeting.   The combination of the masculine and feminine will bring more energy and ease, especially for difficult or complex meeting topics.

Listen First:  When employees come to you with problems there is a tendency to offer solutions (masculine quality). But quite often the best approach is to use the feminine qualities of  listening, empathizing, and letting the person find their own solution. Often, all that’s needed is the space to vent and then they see the way forward.

Seek Ease: Our work cultures have all of us driving for results and working in a self-reliant way (masculine qualities). While this is an important aspect of success; when it’s the only approach,  we end up missing out on other ways to creatively solve the problem.  And even more importantly we find ourselves depleted.

When you start feeling yourself “pushing and shoving” to solve the problem, that’s a sign to pause and ask, “How could this be easier?” and “Who can help with this?”  That’s feminine awareness in action.

As you start to apply both your feminine and masculine qualities, you’ll find that you produce even better results and feel energized.  Your ability to drive for results will be strengthened as you activate your power to receive, to connect, to use holism and sensuality, and nurture yourself and others. 

Your enjoyment of your job and your life will expand and your job security along with them!

Michele Lisenbury Christensen and Sara Harvey Yao are the authors of “Succeeding without Side Effects:  Burnout-Proof Your Leadership and Life.”  They provide executive coaching, training, and lively keynote presentations for co-ed audiences who want more success with fewer side effects.  Their retreats and seminars for women are transformative and deeply rejuvenating.  They can be found online at WorkingWithPower.com.

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