The question “How do I get customers to choose me over the competition” is an age-old question. From the time of Cleopatra to the present business owners and sales people all wonder the same thing. Why is it that some people never have a lack of customers and others seem to struggle for every single one? Is there a magic spell or ritual that they use to “bewitch” customers? Were they just born with a special talent, or maybe they are just lucky.

Well, the answer is yes to all of the above. But it’s not what you think . . . There are a set of skills and actions you can take to become “one of those people.” Some people were lucky to learn them early on in life, while others weren’t exposed to them until later. The bottom line is by learning these skills and actions everyone can be one of the “lucky” ones and have customers come to them in droves.

The most important piece to the puzzle is you. Are you trustworthy? Are you credible? Do you live up to your word? People choose to work with people they trust. People who make them feel secure. People they know they can count on if something goes wrong. You may look great on paper, have all the experience and credentials, but if your customer doesn’t get a warm fuzzy feeling from you, he or she will go elsewhere. Remember, people claim they make decisions based on logic, when in reality they make decisions based on emotion and then justify them with logic.

How much time to you spend developing who you are as a person? Have you taken a good look at your level of self-confidence? Do you believe in yourself? Do you follow through on what you say? You can snow people for awhile, but deep down their gut will tell them you’re a fake. Take time to work on developing yourself. Find out who you really are and who and where you want to be.

So many people are operating on autopilot. They are doing what they think they should be doing or what someone else told them to do. Unfortunately, many times it is not what they truly want to do. The saddest part is that they are miserable and they have no idea why. Take the time to get to know your true self and them progress from there. Once you are true to yourself and you are doing what you like, your customers will have a higher comfort level with you and your business.

Make each and every customer feel special. Remember little things about them and take care of them. The more you engage with your customer and become a trusted resource the less likely they are to go elsewhere. Just remember, you’re not trying to become their best friend, just a very trusted resource.

This is much easier now with CRM programs and computer sales records. You can keep track of things you learn about your customer on the computer so you don’t have to keep everything in your head. For example, a Happy Birthday message is almost always welcomed by customers, even if you haven’t done business with them for awhile. This will keep you on the top of their mind when a need for your products or services comes up again.

Finally, stay relevant. Make sure your knowledge and skills are current with the market. Invest in extra training or read trade magazines or books. Schedule a few minutes every day to increase your knowledge base, it can be as little as 15 minutes. Just do it! This is another attribute that your customer will appreciate and will put you ahead of the competition.

What do you really want in life?

Most people don’t discover what they want in life until it’s time to die – and that’s a shame.

People spend the best years of their lives doing things they dislike or watching television. An author described humanity by saying, “Most people die at twenty and are buried at eighty.” Are you one of the living zombies?

What do you really want in life?

Most people struggle in answering such a question. Many are unsure when asked what they want or what their goals in life are. They flitter throughout their days, hardly giving any thought about what they want in life. People without definite goals are letting time pass them by. Are you one of these people?

If you are undecided about what you want out of life, don’t worry.  There are many ways of discovering your purpose in life.

To discover what you want in life, try looking deep into your heart. Oftentimes, people are ruled by logic. People live by what they think they should be or by what others want them to be. The discovery process is the perfect time to listen to your heart. What your heart desires comes from the whispers of your authentic self. Your authentic self is the real you.

You must listen to your heart to hear your authentic self. What your heart says usually feels right. What your heart desires is what you usually love to do and this represents your passion. Anything done with passion is like play where the task is accomplished without hesitation. You pour out your very best and feel no pressure or resistance.

You will completely enjoy doing things that are your passion. Setbacks, difficulties, and obstacles will make it more challenging, but should not deter you from pursuing your goals. Naturally, there may be barriers that may prevent you from reaching your goal, but your heart’s desire will find ways to overcome these barriers so that you may ultimately get what you want in life. Remember this: the universe supports people who are pursuing their passion and those who are pursuing their destiny.

However, this does not mean that you don’t use your head. People are born with both the mind and heart. Your duty is to live your best life and be in harmony with your mind and heart. The poet Rumi wisely said, “Live completely in the head and you cannot feel the breath and rhythm of life. Live completely in the heart and you may find yourself acting like a love-struck fool with poor judgment and discipline. It’s all a fine balance – the head and heart must forge a lifetime partnership if one wants to live a beautiful life.”

Listen to your instinct. Part of human nature is the mysterious and spontaneous reaction to things. Often times, these are called instincts. Your authentic self communicates with you and guides you via instincts. Instincts are those gentle nudges that urge you to act and follow a certain path. Your role then is to listen attentively.

Often times, we listen to what others say and allow them to run our lives. Parents often do this to their children. “We come from a family of doctors, so my son must also be a doctor.” How often do we hear this from parents who have good intentions for their children? Parents unconsciously block the true expression of their child’s real self and calling. Friends and critics will discourage you and point out the impossibility of your dream. Before heeding their advice, evaluate the accomplishments of the critics. Did they achieve their dreams? Do they dream big at all?

Remember, it is your destiny that is on the line, not theirs. It doesn’t mean, though, that you will not listen to what other people say. Hear them out just the same. But the final decision should be yours.

There is only thing to remember: Every person, to live truly and live greatly, must define how he wants to live and what his brightest life will look like. Listen to your instincts and follow your heart’s desire. You will never go wrong.

Recently I was given a book that has made a significant impact on my view of giving and charity. Actually, it turned my entire concept of giving, charity and philanthropy upside down. The book was written by best-selling author and self-development guru Joe Vitale.

The premise of this book is that people who give freely without expectation of return will experience prosperity from unrelated sources. Things will show up out of the blue, people will help you in ways you never imagined, etc. By starting the cycle of giving freely it will come full circle by benefitting you. If you give only to receive you have defeated the purpose and you will most likely see nothing in return.

Many of us grew up going to church and putting money in the offering tray. It felt like an obligation, you would be ashamed if you didn’t contribute. We really didn’t know what we were contributing to. We just knew that it was what you had to do to be a good person. The money was given as an obligation and not given freely with joy. In fact, if the offering was done in secret, I’m guessing a majority of the people wouldn’t contribute because it didn’t make them joyful.

I’m not condemning contributing to churches. I know how beneficial houses of worship are to society. I’m just suggesting churches would be much more successful if the parishioners were more connected to how the money was used and didn’t feel as if they “had” to contribute, but instead “wanted” to contribute. When people know how they are helping, and when they give with a warm and joyful heart, they feel joy and happiness themselves. This is a critical aspect of Joe Vitale’s book.

As I grew up I realized how critical it was to contribute to charities because in many cases these charities were providing help to people who had no other resources. Giving to them felt good. I knew where the money was going and how people were being helped. And when I gave to charities with a good feeling in my heart, I usually experienced something good happening to me. This was also the case when I helped out people who were in a tight spot. In both cases I expected nothing in return, yet I always seemed to be the recipient of something good from a completely unrelated source.

It wasn’t until I read Joe Vitale’s book that I put two and two together. That is when I finally realized that my giving freely, with an open heart and with no expectation of return was causing those good things to happen to me. Wow, that was quite a realization.

Vitale provides real stories from real people of how they freely gave without expecting anything in return and how they benefited in unexpected ways. He also talks about some of the great philanthropists of history and how their giving increased their net worth substantially.

As an example, John D. Rockefeller began giving money away as a child. As his income grew the amount of money he gave away grew. By the time of his death he had given away $550 million. PT Barnum was another example. He coined the term “profitable philanthropy.” He knew that giving would lead to him receiving, and he become one of the world’s richest men.

At first when I was reading, I felt a little uncomfortable because it seemed these people were focusing on how they were benefitting. It seemed a little selfish. Then I started thinking about it; they were able to continue to give and to increase their giving because they were receiving. I realized there is nothing wrong with receiving as long as you do it with gratitude and continue to give and help others.

I strongly recommend anyone questioning giving and charity read this book. It will not only change your life but the lives of countless others in need. Additionally, by living by this example you will inspire others to do the same. You will be expanding the circle of prosperity to people throughout the world.

By the way, the name of the book is “The Greatest Money Making Secret in History.”

I feel so strongly about the power of giving and receiving I am giving this book away to anyone interested. Go to www.powerimage.com/giving to request your copy.

Finding the right business for you. Some of you may know exactly what kind of business you want to start, or you may have already started it. Others may have an intense desire to start a business, but they don’t know what type of business. Deciding what your business will be is a critical step in your journey to business and financial success.

To begin, take a piece of paper, a pen or pencil, or open a word processing document and start listing all or your skills and talents. What are you good at? What do you enjoy doing? What skills have you learned throughout your life? And most importantly, what are your passions?

It is important to be objective because often we don’t give ourselves credit for the skills and talents we have. We just assume that if we can do it everyone can. That is definitely not the case. If you are having problems doing this ask family members, coworkers or friends to tell you what your skills and talents are. We are seen much differently by others than we see ourselves.

Once you have determined what your strengths are, it is important to truthfully identify your weaknesses. We all hate to admit we are not good at something, but when it comes to running a business, it is critical for everyone to know what they are good at and where they need some help. No one can be good at everything, so admitting a weakness has no relevance to whether you will be successful or not. In fact, by admitting and accepting your weaknesses you can proactively find alternative solutions to handle that area and you can focus on your strengths.

Something else to consider is your risk tolerance? Are you pretty cautious with your money and are looking for a lower rate of return for your business but a higher chance of success? Or, are you ready to take more risk for a higher rate of return? That is a personal decision and neither is right or wrong, it just depends on you.

It is important at this point to honestly determine how you are going to finance your new business. Are you going to finance your business from savings or from your current salary, or do you plan on borrowing money from a bank, friends or family members? Or maybe you are taking on a partner, giving them a percentage of the company in exchange for start-up capital.

How much money do you have to invest? I guarantee what you estimate you will need to start your business will be at least 25% short if not more. So, when determining how much money you need be sure to overestimate. If you are borrowing money from friends or family it is a good idea to have the agreement in writing in case there are any discrepancies in the future. It is much better to lay out the agreement in the beginning than to try to piece it together after there has been a misunderstanding and feelings are hurt.

The next step is to do some research. Take a look at the types of businesses that match your skills or talents. Take some time to research the market for these products or services. Is the market young or mature? Is it under or over developed? Are there changes that can be made to existing businesses to improve the market or service? Don’t be afraid to be creative, but do market tests before committing to something entirely new.

You can also look at prepackaged business or franchises. For example if you want to invest at least $1 or $2+ million, you could open a fast food restaurant and everything would be laid out for you. Of course you would have to find a location, have the building either built or fit out, hire employees, learn how to run the business per the franchise rules, etc.

If you decide to open a shop or restaurant on your own you will have the same issues as above, plus you will be completely on your own in regards to purchasing merchandise, marketing, policies and procedures, hiring employees, etc. This can be a very rewarding experience, but make sure you have the capital, a great idea, stamina, and business acumen to be successful.

If you are looking for something smaller, there are many opportunities in direct sales and multi-level marketing (also known as MLM or network marketing) that can generate a good income if you devote the time necessary. These are generally a small, home based business which you can run out of a bedroom or den in your house. Additionally, many of these opportunities are now internet based business opportunities so there are no meetings to go to or inventory to manage. This is nice because it cuts down drastically on your overhead costs and gives you flexibility on how you spend your time.

Unfortunately, these businesses have gotten a bad rap lately, not due to the businesses themselves, but because too many people were promising great income generation without having to lift a finger. Well, we all know that work is required to be successful in business. If you are dedicated and committed to building these opportunities then you will prosper.

Finally, be sure to consult with your attorney and accountant as you set up your new business. They will be able to make sure everything is set up correctly and you are off to a great start!

“I worked for a menial’s hire,

Only to learn, dismayed,

That any wage I had asked of Life,

Life would have willingly paid.”

Anonymous

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past few years, it is no longer a secret or surprise that your current life was created by none other than YOU through your thoughts. This fact has been studied and scientifically proven by some of the greatest minds that ever lived and are living. What a gift it is for us today that this information is freely shared through our vast forms of communication.

When the famous football coach, Lou Holtz, was twenty-eight years old, he lost his job, had no money, his wife was eight months pregnant with their third child, he felt totally defeated and had lost all his motivation. What he did then was the most life-changing thing he had ever done. He read a book that said to write down everything he wanted to achieve before he died. He wrote down 107 goals on that list and has so far achieved 81 of them. Many of them seemed absolutely impossible to him at the time, but he achieved them anyway.

What advice could this book have possibly given him? It gave him permission to dream! And, it told him what to do with his dreams.

The same thing can happen for you. Here are the first steps to take to begin your exciting journey.

1. Write down all of your wishes and goals ? all of them. And, like Lou Holtz, they don’t have to all make sense or seem achievable. They just need to be something you really want and are passionate about. Don’t be afraid to put what you may think is “ridiculous” on your list. After all, these are your dreams and goals, and you don’t have to share them with anyone right now.What is important is that you WRITE them down. They then become real “things” and are no longer just thoughts and wishes. ?You’re hanging up your sign that says “I’m open for business.” This alerts the Universe and your brain to pay attention. By the way, our mind is a miraculous thing.
2. Next you must watch for all the signs and signals that the Universe is sending to help you ? and they will be there as surely as the sun rises in the morning and sets at night. Sometimes they will be subtle; sometimes they will be very strong and persistent. You must take action, whatever feels appropriate. Nothing will happen if you don’t take action. Then fill your heart with gratitude and give thanks for the assistance you have received. The more gratitude you give, the more you will get to be grateful for.
3. Be in the receiving mode for these signs and signals, you must get rid of all the feelings you have about your fabricated deficiencies. Those feelings and thoughts belong to only you, and you can do whatever you want with them. You can give them the power they would have if they were real (the misdirected power you have been giving them all these years), or you can replace them with positive thoughts that are real and will actually move you towards your goals and dreams. It’s your choice!At first we think that would be impossible. After all, we can’t control every thought we think. No, we can’t, and you would drive yourself crazy if you tried. Your limiting thoughts will fall away one by one, and they will never be missed! I don’t think you’ll want them back, and you’re the only one who knew (thought) they existed in the first place, so good riddance!
4. You can accelerate the process of achieving your goals and dreams by reading your list of goals every day (remember, they now are “things”) and imagine how you would feel if you had already achieved them. Begin by taking one goal at a time and concentrating on it (baby steps). I know, you’re thinking this whole process is not easy. Actually it is; and with practice and devotion to a successful outcome, it will happen quickly. You’ll become a pro before you know it – and then watch the things fly into your life!

It all boils down to one thing; you create your own reality. So, if you want things to change, you must change the way you think; bring in the positive and throw out the negative thoughts. It’s that basic! It’s such a simple fact, but most people either miss it completely or they think they will never be able to control their thoughts. ?The real truth is that we all can. Why? Because this is how we were created.? It is only the erroneous information that has been passed on for generations upon generations that has made us forget who we truly are.