Last week as I was standing around wondering what I would write about, I received Jack Canfield’s newsletter – and bang! Here is Part II of the article.

Tomorrow I start presenting my two “Money and Marketing” classes at the International Window Fashions Expo -
and that always leads to some “asking.”

Have a great rest of the week!

Here’s to Designing Your Success™,

-Mary Larsen

The 5 Secrets to Successful Asking

The first stumbling block for most is knowing how to ask. There are five secrets to great asking that can guarantee you results, however big or small.

If you ever find yourself hitting brick walls and coming up short in responses, come back to these five tips:

Ask Clearly: No one likes getting a vague or fuzzy question. Be precise. Think clearly about your request. Take time to prepare. Use a note pad to pick words that have the greatest impact. Words are powerful, so choose them carefully.

For example, if you throw out the “How am I doing?” question without specifics, it may take time for the other person to understand what you’re talking about. Instead, try, “How is my attitude with customers? Do you see room for improvement? Where?”

Ask with Confidence: People who ask confidently get more than those who are hesitant and uncertain. When you’ve figured out what you want to ask for, do it with certainty, boldness and confidence. Practice in the mirror if you have to, or write out your question in advance.

Be prepared to hear the unexpected or the unwanted. Try to have an open mind and heart (it’s okay to feel intimidated by the experience, but don’t show it). Don’t get defensive if you hear something you don’t like or that makes you uncomfortable. It’s good to get a little uneasy once in a while upon the observations or insights of others. They will inspire you to stop, reflect, and take steps to make a shift for the better.

Ask Consistently: Top producers know that they can’t quit if they ask once and don’t get a good response. Keep asking until you find the answers, and try different ways of asking if one doesn’t seem to be working.

In prospecting there are usually four or five “no’s” before you get a “yes.” You may, for example, want to ask a co-worker about your performance on an important team project, but you sense reluctance from that person to offer an opinion.

You can always ask another person who is more receptive to the question, or consider how you are asking it and try again. Because people don’t normally go around asking others for opinions on how well they are doing, it’s not a question typically heard. So be prepared to ask over and over again before you hear a clear–useful–answer.

Ask Creatively: In this age of global competition, your asking may get lost in the crowd, unheard by the decision-makers you hope to reach. There is a way around this. If you want someone’s attention, don’t ask the ordinary way. Use your creativity to dream up a high-impact presentation.

Bear in mind that asking someone to stop and evaluate you can seem awkward or time-consuming. Show respect for them first and find the ideal time to ask the question. Here’s one way to engage the insights of a superior: “I highly value your opinion and honest perspective, and would love to know what you think I could be doing differently on a daily basis that would make your life easier and make our clients happier.”

Ask Sincerely: When you really need help, people will respond. Sincerity means dropping the image facade and showing a willingness to be vulnerable. Tell it the way it is, lumps and all. Don’t worry if your presentation isn’t perfect; ask from your heart. Keep it simple and people will open up to you.

Like speaking a different language, asking takes continual practice until it becomes a regular, reflexive habit. The sooner you build your “Ask Muscle”, the sooner you’ll see the results you’ve been waiting–and searching–for.

Don’t think asking only relates to work-related goals and tasks. Bring this practice home to enrich your relationships with your family members and your friends, too!

I trust you’ll be surprised and delighted at what you discover about yourself in this process.

Happy asking!

Jack Canfield, America’s #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you’re ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com

Just as I was standing around wondering what I would write about today, I received Jack Canfield’s newsletter – and bang! You’ve got an article!!!

Today I am sharing  “Part I – 7 Ways to Boost Your Business” – and I know you will love it!

This was perfect timing because I am getting ready for my presentations at Expo (have you signed up yet?) and that always leads to some “asking.”

Have a great rest of the week!

Here’s to Designing Your Success™,

-Mary Larsen

7 Ways to Boost Your Business, or How to Ask to Get Ahead
by Jack Canfield

Ask and you shall receive.

How many times have you heard that? But how many times have you used this fundamental truth in your daily life recently?

Let me put it this way: when was the last time you asked for a written endorsement from a client or colleague?

How about feedback from your customers? Or the opportunity to renegotiate something that just doesn’t work for you?

I can’t tell you how often I watch business professionals–especially those in sales and marketing positions–falter because they simply stop practicing the art of asking.

If you were to ask successful top executives how they got to where they are, I bet most would admit they “asked to get to the top.” In other words, they knew when and how to ask the right questions so they could gather the right information, build their reputation, seek useful referrals, generate new business, and expand their audience or customer base.

If the simple act of asking is so critical, then why don’t more people do it?

Because for some reason, people falsely think asking implies weakness and sets one up for potential rejection. It’s easy to come up with all sorts of excuses to avoid asking questions that can return unexpected or critical answers. Yet the world responds to those who ask.
If you are not moving closer to what you want, you probably aren’t doing enough asking.

Here are seven asking strategies you can implement in your business (and in life) to boost your results:

1.) Ask for Information
You can never have too much information; in fact, the higher up you go, the more you need to know. To win potential new clients, you first need to have an understanding about their current challenges, what they want to accomplish and how they plan to do it. Only then can you proceed to demonstrate the advantages of your unique product or service.
Ask questions starting with the words who, why, what, where, when and how to obtain the information you need. Only when you truly understand and appreciate a prospect’s needs can you offer a solution.

2.) Ask for Business
Would you believe that more than 60 percent of the time salespeople never ask for the order after giving a complete presentation about the benefits of their product or service?!
It’s true, and a painful statistic that could put anyone out of business quickly if it’s not changed. Always ask a closing question to secure the business. Don’t waffle or talk around it–or worse, wait for your prospect to ask you. No doubt you have heard of many good ways to ask the question, “Would you like to give it a try?” The point is, ask.

3.) Ask for Written Endorsements
These can be difficult to ask for if you don’t like tooting your own horn, but well-written, results-oriented testimonials from highly respected people are powerful for future sales. They solidify the quality of your product or service and leverage you as a person who has integrity, is trustworthy and gets the job done on time.

When is the best time to ask? Right after you have provided excellent service, gone the extra mile, or made your customer really happy. Simply ask if your customer would be willing to give you a testimonial about the value of your product or service, plus any other helpful comments.

4.) Ask for Top-Quality Referrals
Just about everyone in business knows the importance of referrals. It’s the easiest, least expensive way of ensuring your growth and success in the marketplace. Your core clients will gladly give you referrals because you treat them so well. So why not ask all of them for referrals? It’s a habit that will dramatically increase your income. Like any other habit, the more you ask the easier it becomes.

5.) Ask for More Business
Look for other products or services you can provide your customers. Devise a system that tells you when your clients will require more of your products. The simplest way is to ask your customers when you should contact them to reorder. It’s easier to sell your existing clients more than to go looking for new ones.

6.) Ask for Feedback
This is an important component of asking that is often overlooked. How do you really know if your product or service is meeting your customers’ needs? Ask them, “How are we doing? What can we do to improve our service to you? Please share what you like or don’t like about our products.” Set up regular customer surveys that ask good questions and tough questions. It’s a powerful way to fine-tune your business.

7.) Ask to Renegotiate
The negotiating room should never be locked up for good. Regular business activities include negotiation and often re-negotiation. Many networkers get stuck because they lack skills in negotiation, yet this is simply another form of asking that can save a lot of time and money. All sorts of contracts can be renegotiated in your personal life, too, such as changing your credit card terms and rates. As long as you negotiate ethically and in the spirit of a win-win, you can enjoy a lot of flexibility. Nothing is ever cast in stone. It’s only in stone if you don’t speak up!

Jack Canfield, America’s #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you’re ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com

She went on to write a great article that I have adapted here.

The word “but” is simply a great big road block in your business as you try to move forward. An acquaintance described it as a “verbal eraser.”  When you make a point and follow it with “but” – nothing that you said before matters.  Basically, you just erased the first thought you had.

Try it out for yourself. Say you want to go to the next conference so you can learn the next best thing for your business.  Then add “but.”

“I want to go to the next conference cause it will really help my business grow, but….”  Nothing you said before that “but” matters anymore, because you have just erased it with your big but!

Following are a couple of situations you may find familiar  – with some tips on how you might get rid of your “big ole but” for good!

1.  Holding Your Business Back. As the owner of your business, you are constantly being faced with new opportunities that have both positive and negative outcomes.  Consider the conference example used above.  When you consider attending the event very often you state the positives – such as I will learn new business techniques and meet more people I can share ideas with” and then you throw in a “But it will be costly, and I am not sure I will put what I learn to use.”

Suddenly – the reasons why you SHOULD go to the conference are completely erased by the ‘but.”

Consider trying this instead “Going to the conference will allow me to learn new business techniques as well as meet more peers.  It will require an investment and I may need to deal with change within my business. “

No “but” allows you to weigh BOTH the pros and cons of the situation, so you can make the logical choice for your business.

2.  Stopping Growth Cold. You’ve just been presented a great opportunity to speak at a large event that is directly in front of your ideal client – finally a great way to get in front of the perfect people!  And what does your brain say? “But!  I’ve never done that before.  I could fail.”

Immediately you start thinking of all of the reasons why you can’t, shouldn’t, and won’t take the speaking gig.

Get rid of your but!  Replace it with AND.  Now you say “I have a great chance to speak to my ideal  market for great new clients AND I have never done this before.”  All of a sudden this speaking gig kind of looks like a challenge.

Here’s the one way to use BUT to erase a negative – “I’ve never done it before – BUT – I CAN do it!”  Now accept that challenge and do it.

3. Creating unnecessary guilt. You likely have a computer if you’re reading this. And if you have a computer, you’re among the world’s population that has an enormous amount to be grateful for. You might even think to yourself sometimes, “I am so blessed with so many things, BUT, I would really like to have more.”

Look what that ‘but’ did: it erased the thought where you recognized you’re blessed and concentrated on that SELFISHNESS of wanting more. BAM! You feel guilty and bad about wanting more.

Try this: “I am so blessed with so many things, AND I would really like to have more.” That sounds pretty good. And hey, it’s actually right. No guilt. No bad feelings. You are grateful for what you do have AND you’re eager to pursue getting more: More knowledge, more relaxation, more job responsibility, more productivity, and yes, even more money.

Work on eliminating ‘but’ in your conversations. See how much more powerful your ideas will be, and how much more positive your own thinking will be.  I’d love to hear how powerful it is for you.

Here’s to Designing Your Success,

-Mary Larsen

A couple of years ago – 3 to be exact – she launched a daily calendar for woman by woman – daily biz tips to help inspire and encourage.  And I am very proud to say for the 3rd straight year one of my business tips has been featured in the calendar!

You can check it out today at www.womenentrepreneur.com

and learn more about Mary and her work at www.WomansAdvantage.biz/calendar

Hope you enjoy!

Here’s to Designing Your Success,

-Mary Larsen

March 25th – I’ll be giving a live seminar in Atlanta -  and it’s F*r*e*e* – Turn Your Marketing into Money – if you think you’d like to attend, shoot me an email for more information

March 29th – I am one of ten experts hosting a 10 part teleseminar – Marketing that Works for the design field.  You can find out about it and register for it at www.businessofdesigntelesummit.com and again, it’s F*r*e*e*

May 3rd – 7th – 4 day hands on training to learn how to become a redesigner or stager – in Raleigh – shoot me an email for more information

May 12th – 13th – I’ll be teaching at the Window Fashions Expo and teaching 2 classes – one on Money – one on Marketing.  You can learn more about and register for it here.

Let me know if you’ll be able to attend any of these events – I would love to meet up!

Here’s to Designing Your Success,

-Mary Larsen

I am very pleased to say that I was recently featured in the latest issue of Window Fashion Vision magazine.  It was on my favorite topic – helping women in the design field make more money – and not just give all of their talents away.

This was one of those great articles where I was asked to submit the article, went to bed that night, and woke up with a whole LIST of things that can be done.  I love it when that happens.

In fact, that was one of the reasons I went into consulting with people in the design field.  I started having ideas about how to make my business better and more profitable show up  in the middle of the night - and -those ideas worked. It’s very cool.

Just click HERE to enjoy the article in full – I know you’ll like it.  And please leave me a comment and share what you think!

Here’s to Designing Your Success,

-Mary Larsen

The book is GREAT (and I highly recommend it as a gift to any woman in the corporate world who needs a bit of encouragement and support) and was filled with very valuable lessons.  But ONE thing really really REALLY stood out for me, and was found in Lynette’s opening remarks on page 4.

” We are all waiting and yearning for something”

Regardless of the situation we are in – how great it seems to be or even how bad – we are all always waiting and yearning for something.

Lynette goes on to say it is the tension between our VISION (that thing we are yearning for) and the Challenges of WAITING that often bring discouragement and stress. And I don’t know about you – but yes!  Waiting for the vision to become reality DOES bring discouragement and stress.

The book is intended to help you become more satisfied in your what you do with the majority of your time -work - and the 10 lessons shared can help you do just that.  The first several chapters work on the theme of “Finding Meaning in the Job You Have NOW!” – not yearning and waiting for a better job or a better situation that will surely bring you that meaning – but finding the meaning in your current job.  Later chapters work on moving from “Great Ideas to Dreams Come True. ”

I think the final chapter is one of my favorites – “Different than What I Thought – Better than What I Imagined.”  Cause really – when does IT show up just like you thought?

Having just been through a serious case of burnout (and taking a good 10 days off to cure it!) this book was just what I needed – a compassionate look at appreciating and enjoying the work you do now, as you prepare for what comes next – since we are all “waiting and yearning” for that elusive “something.”

What is it that you are “waiting” for – what do you think it will “get” you – and is there maybe, maybe, just a chance that what you have now is giving you some of what you are waiting for?  When you find some of that in where you are now… perhaps the wait won’t feel so long.  Feel free to leave a comment!!

Have a great week!

-Mary Larsen

However, I have found over the past week that though I have eaten a dozen Kit Kat bars and many other delectable chocolates – it’s not that easy. I truly, really need a break.   And perhaps not surprisingly, one of the outward signs that I actually do need a break is the amount of chocolate I am consuming!

Don’t forget the VERY SPECIAL DISCOUNT for those of you on the call…..  it ends on Friday, May 29th!

Register for the Mastermind Group NOW by visiting the link below and getting the new improved discount pricing

www.growyourdesignbiz.com/mastermind.htm

If you missed the fabulous call you can order it here for $10 – the audio download will be available next week and I will send you a link to the program.  It is filled with things that you can do RIGHT NOW to boost your summer biz!

AAAANNNNNNDDDDDDDD…..

Another fabulous opportunity for you – I know you are really going to love it!

The Society of Design Professionals is hosting FIVE F.R.E.E. webinars NEXT WEDNESDAY on great fabulous topics (and yes, I am presenting - which include:

DesAnn Collins
Tools for Success

Mary Larsen
Clients through email Newsletters

Jill Butler
Tools for Transforming You and Your Business

Kathryn Bechen
PR Pizzazz: How to Get Free PR for Your Interior Design/Decorating/Redesign/Organizing/Real Estate Business

Diana Hudson Kresnye
Win Clients by Creating Computer-Generated “Design Boards

You can learn about EACH PRESENTATION by clicking HERE, then scroll down the page a bit for ALL the info.  For each seminar you can push the “show details” button in the lower right of each descriptor box.

I THINK you need to register for each webinar individually – I know several of the presenters personally – this is going to be good stuff!

Fit it in if you can – and if you can’t make it I think you can get each webinar for $10 or $40 for all five.

Hope to see you on the webinar!

Here’s to Designing Your Success™,

-Mary

While brainstorming topics for the call, of course there were many things that came up that I would love to share but just didn’t seem to fit the call.  So here are just a few additional quick tips that might help you out in your business today.

-Mary Larsen

Quick Tips to Use Now!

1.  When Opportunity Knocks – Open the Door. Sadly, a lot of design firms have had to close their doors recently.  Are you ready to step in and take their place?  How long has it been since you spoke with your client base?  Do they think YOU are out of business because they never hear from you? Use this time as a time re-evaluate and change your business – you’ll be stronger on the other side.

2.  DON’T.  Gggoooo. Slow. You run your business. You make things happen.  When you find your clients saying a lot of “let’s wait and see” and slowing down the design process, be prepared to share with them why Right NOW! Is the best time to be doing business. Vendors are quicker than usual – lots of subcontractors are offering special pricing – shipping fees are often being waived – be prepared.  Act Fast.

3.  DON’T.  Gggoooo. Solo. This can be a lonely business.  Now is not the time to wallow in self doubt while you wonder what is going on in the rest of the design world.  Join a professional group.  Meet a new vendor so you can cross advertise. Volunteer for a committee.  Support each other, and boost your own biz.

4.  Assumptions Make an …. You know the saying.  There are plenty of people still working on their homes.   There are plenty of people still purchasing.  Don’t assume that everyone is looking for a deal. Many people what the BEST.  Show your clients the best.  Don’t assume to know what they are willing to invest – show them the best, and they will invest.

5.  DON’T.  Give. Up. This cycle in the design field is just a challenge.  You have met many of them in the past – you will meet them in your future.  Rise to the challenge. Do your best.  Give it everything you got.  You will get through – and be stronger on the other side.