5 Proven Ways to “Boost” Your Response From Your Marketing Efforts

While driving back in the pouring rain from Mike Capuzzi’s Response Boosting Workshop in Philadelphia, it dawned on me that the pounding rain on my windshield was much like all the ads I get bombarded with each and every day online and offline.  (The fact that my windshield wiper blade broke in mid trip didn’t really help me see better either! Good thing Philadelphia is only 90 minutes from my house.)  It was  a fantastic thing, attending Mike’s workshop. Because, I left there with boatloads of information on how to increase my response rate for my marketing.

Since we are being bombarded by ads each and every day, much like the rain pounding on my windshield, as marketers of our business, we have to find a way to get through the rain/clutter and get your message through to your prospect.  And it’s not only getting through to them, it’s also then getting them to take that next step, whether it’s to contact you, sign up for you free offer or buy your product.

So how do you get through that clutter and get more people to respond to your marketing efforts?

1)     Know your ideal client - This one is huge, you have to really know who you’re communicating to in your marketing. And not just know their age, you need to know what keeps them awake at night. You need to know their challenges, their hopes, their fears, their emotional hot buttons.  Then, you need to speak to them in all of your marketing, like when you are writing your copy, your headlines…  just about everything.  Here are some examples of emotional hot buttons: (These speak to why people buy.)

• Avoid Pain
• Avoid Loss
• Avoid Missing out
• Be Popular
• Be Unique
• Make Money
• Protect Their Reputation
• Save Time
• Gain Attention

2)     Looks do Matter - Your copy should be laid out in such a way that it’s attractive for the reader.  In fact, your typefaces for online are different than for offline copy. 

• Offline Ads, sales letters, cards, etc., to be printed – It’s best to use serif fonts like Garamond, which is the best, then Times Roman. A serif font has things coming off the letters.  Most newspapers use Times Roman or Courier.
• Online web copy – Sans serif copy works best and is more readable on the screen. Best fonts are Arial and Verdana, and 12 point size works best.

3)     Your Copy Ought to be Personal - This is really big, the more personal your copy is, the more people will open your direct mail, read your emails and response.  Some examples of making it personal – always use the readers first name, use a handwriting font to make it look like a personal note, use copy doodles (handwritten drawings that make your copy standout). Also, connect with your audience and share something about yourself. Ask them questions, get to know them, and build a relationship with your prospects BEFORE you try to sell them anything.

4)     Why won’t they buy - Do you know your prospects objections to why they wouldn’t buy your product? This is really important. The number 1 most overlooked psychological reason why people don’t buy is because they don’t believe in themselves. They don’t believe  that they can make whatever your offering work for them.  There are many ways to overcome this according to Bill Glazer, President of Glazer-Kennedy Insider’s Circle and author of Outrageous Advertising. (This is an awesome book, a must have in your library if you do a lot of advertising, direct mail and want to get your letter opened!) The best one is to write down all the reasons why people won’t buy and focus on your prospects, NOT your product.

5)     Build a Relationship - This goes back to number 3, it’s not about so much “selling” your prospects, but it’s about building a relationship and adding value.  It’s been proven that people will eventually buy from you over time.  So your job is to connect with your prospects at least once a month and be in touch with them on a regular basis, adding value to their lives.

There’s a lot of great ideas in this post, so don’t get overwhelmed, just pick one of these things and do it today. These ideas are proven and they work, so now just go ahead and implement, one, two or maybe even three of them!

Planning Promotes Perfect Performance…

Have you ever heard this phrase before: “Planning Promotes Perfect Performance!” ? I’ve heard this many times from my inspiring and wonderful Executive Coach, Debbie Phillips.  Back in my Corporate America days, when I was the Director of Corporate Communications and we did many employee events, it was always incredibly stressful. And when I had my calls with Debbie, she would always remind me of the 4 P’s of planning – Planning Promotes Perfect Performance.  Because once you have your plan, the rest will simply fall into place, albeit sometimes you need to have a good team in place to help. Yet sometimes the team is just you, so planning becomes hugely important.

I found that whenever I had a plan, everything pretty much fell into place, according to my plan. The times when disaster struck was when I didn’t have a concrete plan written out with specific information, who was responsible for each task and the date it needed to be completed by.  Holding yourself and others to tasks and ultimately to your plan of success is imperative in order to be successful in business and in life.

The one cool thing about having a plan is it actually helps me get more done, seriously.  Why you ask? The reason is when you take the time to put your plan together, you create your own road map, and for me, I call it my Marketing Road Map for my business.  It’s everything that needs to be done and it’s split into categories – what needs to be done for my clients, for my two businesses, and for my personal life.  I’d totally recommend when writing out your overall plan, to do it in categories that work best for you – your business, your clients, your family, etc.  The beauty of this is, after I take the time to write out my plan, I can then get a very clear snapshot on what I will do AND (this is a very important and huge step) what I will OUTSOURCE to others to do FOR ME.  Did you get that?  Once you have your snapshot of what all needs to be done, than you can CLEARLY see how to break up the tasks and outsource to the best people accordingly.

So if you’re stuck in overwhelm mode and have way to much to do, I know the last thing you want to do is put together a plan. Or better yet you already have  a huge  ”to do list.”  I know, I used to have that one too.  But really, the key to getting more done is the planning phase, not the old “to do list.” Write out your big plan, then write your weekly and daily “to do list”" from your overall big plan.  It’s helped me immensely in both my businesses and personal life.  Plus because of my plan, it’s certainly promoting perfect performance for me to end the year amazingly well.

If you’re in overwhelm mode, and want a way to get out of it and have an awesome finish in your business this year, my Marketing Road Map to Riches might be the best thing for you… Here’s a link to my 5 REcession Busting Tip and an Offer to help you put together your Marketing Road Map Plan. You have to HURRY though, my slots for creating these plans are almost all booked up!

Happy Planning!

Conferences – Love Them or Loathe them

Shannon & Rory Fatt at the Info Summit

I have had the pleasure of attending various conferences a year for the past several years. I know what you are thinking – conferences yes they are fun, great place to network and even learn some new tools to help your business. BUT, they take up so much time and all the hassles of traveling… Yes, they do have good points and as I like to think, challenging points. However, I want you to think of conferences from another point of view: How I can maximize my investment? How can I take conferences one step further and enhance my business?

I have put together 12 secrets to achieving much more out of the conferences you attend. Here are the top 5: (if you want the whole 12 secrets leave me a comment or send me an email – info@marketingimplementer.com and I’ll send them to you.)

1. Have a specific focus on why you’re there. What do you want to accomplish at this conference? Write down some specific goals and outcomes from your conference.

2. Socialize – Don’t eat alone in your room. You’ve come a long way and need to maximize the most out of meeting new people and networking or JVing with other businesses. There will be plenty of time to sleep when you get home!

3. Bring a big note book, highlighter and even post-it flags. Take notes and highlight those things that you will take action upon right away or when you get home. Put together your action plan BEFORE you leave your conference.

4. Don’t forget to pack your digital camera or digital video recorder. Take note of specific rules of filming and photos at conferences. Take advantage of getting photos of people you want to

Shannon & Michael Cage at the Info Summit

be identified with when promoting your business. Have your camera with you at all times and don’t be shy about asking someone for a photo opportunity. Take these photos and use them on your web site and in your newsletters. Get as much out of attaching yourself to a celebrity as you can. This will pay off huge in the long run!

5. Make sure you pack enough business cards and that it has the right information for people to contact you. There are a few schools of thought on business cards, some don’t have them because they don’t want to be on everyone’s list or radar. Others have plenty and pass out like candy. My preference is to be in the middle of the road. Be calculated on who you give your card to and take notes on them so you can remember who they were when you get home. Also ensure your correct information is on your card.

Since I started my business 3 years ago, I’ve used conferences to help enhance my business more than 100%. When you really take them seriously, and write out your goals for what you want to achieve, conferences can really help your bottom line.In fact, I’m heading out the end of the month to the Glazer-Kennedy Marketing Superconference.

This will be the 4^th time I’ve attended this conference. And every time I go, my business grows because of it. Pick a few conferences in your niche and go to them once a year. I wouldn’t recommend more than 3 or 4 conferences a year because at some point it becomes overkill and there’s only so much you can implement and discover. So go to come conferences, get some great photos and above all, meet some great people and form some wonderful lasting working relationships and friendships!

Nothing happens in marketing until something moves…

It’s the beginning of 2009, and all best laid plans are being drawn out now for a fantastic 2009.  For some people they’re fearful, worrisome and pessimistic.  For others, they’re enthusiastic, energized and know as long as they’ve mapped out their plan,  and stick to it, they will achieve all their goals for the year.  Which camp are you in?

I’m in the enthusiastic, can’t wait, this is going to be an awesome year camp!  I know things look bleak in the economy.  Yet,  I can’t focus all my energy on gloom and doom, it won’t help me, my business or the economy.  I need to stay fast, true and focused on growing my business.  I need to stay positive, have a plan, stick to it and have faith- then amazing things will happen.  I know if I don’t take any action, nothing is going to move…

Now more than ever is the time you need to shut off the TV, don’t read the paper and focus on positive, enlightening things that will help you grow your business. One of my favorite quotes is “when you hang around 9 broke people, guess who will be the 10th? YOU!” Surround yourself with happy, positive, successful and focused people. Success breads success.

This leads me back to my plan, you see nothing will happen in your marketing of your business until something moves- meaning you take some action.  And it’s usually harder to take action when you don’t have a plan.  I would suggest mapping out some time for yourself- schedule it- and put your game-plan for the year down on paper. It doesn’t have to be anything sophisticated or look good, it’s really a road map for you for the year. I call it my road map to success.

Here’s how I recommend you start-

1-Write down everything you want from this year- break it down into 4 categories- financial, personal, physical and mental

2- Write your goals in a positive format

3- Ensure they are measurable, attainable and within your control

Here’s some ideas-

Financial goals- Will focus around how much money you want to make on a monthly or even annual basis.  Just ensure you are specific and these goals are measurable.

Personal goals- These are things you want to attain in your relationships, family, focusing on hobbies or learning new things, going to a conference,  etc.

Physical goals- Revolve around your physical health, wellness, exercise, eating, etc.

Mental goals- Are things that will improve your psyche like meditating, reading new books, going to a yoga workshop, or attending mental health and wellness workshops at Kripalu, Esalen or  The Omega Institute.

The best thing you can do for yourself this year is make some time to write up your plan and to focus your energy on what you want to achieve in 2009.  Those who have plans, and goals achieve them. Those who don’t have plans, aren’t focused and are all over the map, have difficulty in achieving what they want and even struggle because they don’t have this clarity and focus.

I would urge you to discover more, take time to write up your plans, goals and even dreams for this year and maybe even the next five years!  It will be totally worth it, I promise.  If you’re struggling, find a coach, find a mentor, or find a friend or someone who can help you.  There’s also something that I do every year, in fact I’m going this year for my birthday to do my Vision Day.  This is where I work with my two executive coaches and figure out my plan for the year.  Whatever works for you, just take the time and don’t wait- take action now. Nothing’s going to move in your marketing, your life or your business until you take some action- now get to it!

What’s Really Behind The Movie, The Secret?

Have you ever seen the movie The Secret?  Well, I had the most absolute pleasure of attending a workshop by the two original people behind The Secret, who never made it into the movie. In fact it was a bit controversial how Rhonda Byrne let them fall onto the cutting room floor.  I found this out by reading a fascinating article in the New York times about them.  I had no idea about how connected they were with the whole law of attraction concept and all the incredible work not to mention all the books they’ve written.  In fact my first taste of the Law of Attraction came from reading Napoleon Hills, Think and Grow Rich, which is a classic that was written in 1936.  I have to admit this whole concept was very new to me over 2 years ago.  I never grew up in an atmosphere where I was taught that anything was possible and to think and be positive.  So I won’t go into my life history, suffice to say these books helped me incredibly and have opened my eyes to a new way of being.

So I thought it would be worth it to shed some light, especially because of of this dim outlook the world seems to have lately.  Before I go any further, I do need you to open your mind on what I’m about to tell you about Esther Hicks.  You see she didn’t write the books, or the teachings behind the Secret.  Esther channels an entity of energy which calls itself Abraham.  And Abraham is the one who’s written all the books and all the teachings of the law of attraction. For some this might be hard to swallow.  This concept of channeling is a bit woo woo and requires you to stretch past your logical mind.  Hence Rhonda didn’t want to take the gamble and their piece wound up on the cutting room floor.

I love new and different things and love to be open about new things. So when I saw they were coming to New York, I went by myself to see their workshop.  It was a simple one day workshop where Esther speaks as Abraham.  The audience members ask tons of questions and Abraham speaks and answers them all. I have to say it was the most fascinating workshop I’ve ever gone to. I learned so much about myself and about others there, it was incredibly worth it.  The gist for me is that I need to pay attention to whatever I’m thinking at all times.  I need to focus on my emotions and feeling good.  When the world is trying to bring me down with doom, gloom and falling stock markets, I focus my attention to things that make me smile like my business and my wonderful clients who I’m enjoying helping make their businesses incredibly successful.

The teachings here to take away from this blog are very simple- to have a more positive outlook on life,- life is an exciting adventure, don’t get caught up in the complaining  mode.  Slow down, be nice, be loving and kind to all of those you meet.  And realize this ONE thing- you can’t control what others think of you, what you can control is NOT to CARE what they think!

So if you want to discover more- check out their latest NY Times Best-Selling book- Money & the Law Of Attraction. It’s a wonderful read and I promise, you won’t be disappointed, in fact, I think you will walk away somewhat enlightened. Let’s all work to shift our own minds and the sheer force of that outlook will most certainly have an impact on the world.

Meeting Paul Newman and other Celebrity Tales…

Yes, it’s true, I had the total pleasure of meeting Paul Newman back in the fall of 2004.  I had just been laid off for the second time and was basically a “professional audience member” for the now defunct Jane Pauley Show.  Jane and I hit it off ever since I met her at her first taping and invited me to keep coming back.  Every time I was in the audience she always had a great show.  So I kept coming back. I was Jane’s “Mrs. Miller, “  who was a “professional audience member” for The Merv Griffin Show.  When Paul Newman was on, I got my front row seat.  After the taping, I was able to shake his hand briefly and say hello.  He was a quiet and very gracious man with not a lot of words, just kindness in his amazing steel blue eyes.  The show on Jane was focused on his Hole in the Wall Kids Camps. In fact, most of the kids were in the audience from the camp.  For someone so ensconced in celebrity, he never let it go to his head and always gave back with whatever he could.  My only regret was that I wasn’t able to get a photo with him, but I will always remember that smile and his amazing eyes.  I was fortunate to have met him and even though it’s been a few weeks since he died, I know there’s a huge hole now that he’s gone.

That fall I also met several other stars and had some interesting encounters- I met Richard Branson who was promoting his then book- Losing my Virginity. He was incredibly sweet and so gracious.  When I shook hands with him, he saw I had his book and offered to sign it for me.  I then proceeded to tell him how much he had inspired me with all he had accomplished and how he was giving back.  He was so enamored with my comments he leaned over and gave me a big kiss on my cheek and said that was the sweetest compliment he’d gotten all day.  Again, I wasn’t able to get a photo with him either.  You see the rule on the set was no photos- so another opportunity I’d have to rely on my memory to savor that wonderful experience with him.

I also met Bette Midler (Loved her- she was so sweet, gracious and loves her charities), Carolyn Kepcher (who signed her book Carolyn 101 for me), Bill Murray, Martha Stewart and more… Let’s just say it was the most fascinating year for me.  After my whirlwind experience being a “professional audience member,” the show was unfortunately canceled after the first season and I ironically then found another corporate job- funny how it all happened.

Yet, the interesting moral of this story is now looking back at how far I’ve come since then. I had to be laid off one more time before starting my own successful marketing, coaching and consulting business.  And the one thing that I regret about that summer and fall of 2004 was that I wasn’t able to catch any of it on camera.  (Ok, yes there are several shots of me on those tapes laughing, and crying as an audience member.) But I wasn’t able to get any photos with any of the stars I met from the show, with the wonderful exception of Jane Pauley.

Now of course I bring my camera wherever I go and get my photo taken with a lot of people.  (I also have other celebrity tales which I’ve mentioned before- like meeting Gene Simmons and Dan Kennedy and some I haven’t wrote about- meeting Phil Donahue, Melissa Etheridge and having an inspiring one on one meditation with Marianne Williamson) The real lesson is- don’t under estimate the importance of attaching yourself to a celebrity.  I’m not just talking about movies or TV stars, there are celebrities everywhere in every industry.  By attaching yourself to an important and notable celebrity in your industry, it will really help establish you as more of an expert in your field.  It will give you more stature, presence and people will look up to you, be interested and even possibly intrigued by you.

Don’t ever leave home without your camera when traveling about. Here’s my favorite traveling around camera- Canon’s G9- it’s a little pricey, but THE BEST point and shoot there is!  So grab your camera and bring it along where ever you go-and don’t hesitate to ask to have your picture taken- just don’t forget to smile!

How 2 Days of personal strategic planning will set the stage for 2009

When was the last time you spent two whole days on your personal strategic plan for your life and your business?  Well I can tell you, I just came from doing that, in none other than Martha’s Vineyard.  Wow, what a workshop- I attended a Group Vision Day on MV and it was truly amazing.

This time the drive going to Martha’s Vineyard, seemed to go quicker than the last.  I made it to Wood’s Hole in 4 hours, so early, I had 2 hours to kill before the ferry.  So I waited in the stand by line and got on the earlier ferry- the freighter ferry- now that was cool- not a very big boat, small in fact, and flat, you can see the ocean almost 360 degrees.  It was really cool being so close to the water and the waves coming up and splashing over the sides- got a little damp.  It was truly refreshing though and of course I got some pictures to savor the moment.

Now I did a bunch of work before I got there, which of course made everything I did in the workshop so much more worthwhile.  I spent two days with 17 other people- all perfecting our personal goals, career goals and life plans.  I left with a wonderful road map of where I’ve been, where I am now and where I want to be.  It was incredibly inspirational to me.  One of the many best things about it was this Group Vision Day was run by my two most favorite people in the world- Rob Berkley and Debbie Phillips.  Not only did they bring some stellar people together to work hard, we also played hard, had some wonderful food, laughed a lot and totally enjoyed each others company.

Rob and Debbie also do individual Vision Day’s. I’d highly recommend this if you want to get your life, and/or your business on track and in order.  I’ve done 3 Vision Days and this one was my 4th. My incredibly successful business would not have been possible without me taking this really important time to put my plan together.

One of the exercises I loved doing and still do today is write down the 10 things I’m most grateful for every night before I go to sleep.   It’s a wonderful feeling writing them down and just makes drifting off to sleep so much more fun with a huge smile upon my face!  Take out a pen and some paper and start now, don’t delay, this is a wonderful exercise that will surely help you live a happier more fulfilled life.

How you can raise prices- right now- promise…

I know what you might be thinking- “how could I possibly raise prices right now with what’s happening in the economy?” The “sky is falling” down on Wall Street and banks are imploding.  In fact my little brother works for Lehman Brothers and still has a job- for now- thank goodness.  But the real deal, is you can’t get sucked into the negativity and mind set that all businesses are going to go under.  This is actually NOT TRUE.  There are many businesses who are making tons of money.  The fact is, you just might have to dig a little deeper and change the way you’re marketing or change the way you get new clients.

Let’s get back to the real point at hand- raising prices.  The one main factor why people don’t raise prices- is they think they’ll end up losing clients and just be another statistic.  Well here’s the reality- if you’re business is one that’s creating value for your customers and clients, and if you’re focused on the market that’s affected least by this tumultuous economy, then you’ll be just fine…

One of the biggest ways you can raise prices is by changing “who” you are selling to.  The key again is to go after those least affected by the downturn in the economy AND focus on their passions, not their needs.  The market that I’m talking about is the mass affluent. In fact in this  months printed newsletter I spent a few minutes talking about the new book I was reading-  No B.S. Marketing to the Affluent: The No Holds Barred, Kick Butt, Take No Prisoners Guide to Getting Really Rich by Dan Kennedy. This is a wonderful and inspiring book.  There’s tons of great information in here that you can take all the way to the bank.  Don’t delay, you need to get your copy now!

Here are 7 smart ways to raise your prices-

1) Charge for things you now give away for free (& others still give away for free)

2) Upsell with your sale- add on more value and bonus and increase your original sale

3) Always give away a premium version of what you’re offering- in fact the best thing is to give people a choice of three- hence Silver, Gold and Platinum memberships are offered more often than not.

4) Bundle products or services together to force a higher transaction sale

5) Upsell after you make the sale

6) Change what you’re selling or the way that you are selling it

7) Use forced continuity- charge monthly fees automatically- for example- online memberships or newsletter

There are many other ways to do this, but these are actually right on the money and are from Dan Kennedy when he spoke at the 2008 Marketing & Money-Making Superconference.  If you only do one or maybe even 2 of the things, your could be makingmore money.

I know what you might be saying, “But Shannon, you don’t understand, if I raise my prices that my clients might leave and find it cheaper elsewhere.”  Well here’s the deal- that’s fine, in fact, that’s good!  Because the reality is you after you raise your prices, you won’t need as many clients ANYWAY!  So just stop “yeah butting” me and just do it! I know you’re not charging what you’re worth, that’s really hard, so just don’t think about it anymore- you’re not your client- raise your prices.  Ok, I hope you heard me- go forth and reap your rewards.  Remember- surround yourself with positive people who are making as much as you, if not more.  You will become who you spend the most time with- so beware… (Ok, I don’t think my dog counts though.  Yet, if I were more like my dog, that might be a good thing!)

Back To School Night & Second Chances??

Last night I attended my 11 year old son Harrison’s “Back to School Night.”  He just started 6th grade and it’s his first year in Middle School which is a brand new school for him.  Typically most kids aren’t thrilled about change and starting school.  And starting a new school is always daunting, especially when you don’t know many people.  I remember how much I loathed starting school every fall.  I was extremely quiet and shy (yes-me- shy- go figure!)  It was just so scary, new teachers, new kids, new books, new everything!  Well, I digress… [Photo- Harrison's 1st day of 6th grade.  You can see how thrilled he is starting a new school. I'm sure my expression was exactly the same- "Awww Mom-why do we have to take this stupid picture anyway?!"]

It’s always been a bit surreal attending these back to school nights because it brings back so much about my own experiences in school.  (And of course when I was done with school- little did I know having a child I’d be thrown back into helping/doing homework once again!) So tonight, Harrison wrote out his class schedule for us and we literally went from class to class (6th grade is the first year they change classes, have lockers, etc.)- hearing from each of his teachers was fascinating and amazing.  To me it was kind of like hearing 8 different sales and marketing pitches- some were more than excellent and some were just so so.

The thing that struck me as we listened to each teacher talk for 15 minutes (of course we got lost trying to find some of his classes and got the tail end of others), things have really changed in learning, thank goodness, since I’ve been in school.  Like in his Language Arts class- they can’t earn extra points by doing more assignments or extra credit.  But what they can do is after they’ve written something, if they’re not satisfied with their grade, they give them second, third and fourth chances.  They can rewrite and revise to get a better grade.  Wow, now that was really cool!  This is something I wished I’d have had in school.

So it got me thinking- this is how I ought to be do my marketing for my business.  Stick with me here.  You see I hold on to things for so long until it’s “perfect.”  Which of course takes a long time to get done.  So what I need to be doing is simply get it done, so it’s good enough- then send it out, or post it, or whatever I need to do with it.  Then at some point I can give myself a second chance.  I can always go back to it and upgrade, or update it to make it even better.  I’d suggest doing this in your business.  Don’t hang on to things forever until “you get it perfect.”  This perfect state may never come and your “thing” will never get done.  Go now and finish a project and send it out, or post it- or just take some action with it.  Don’t wait till it’s “perfect.” Remember, mistakes are only terrific guide posts to get you moving in the right direction!

One last observation of my “back to school” night experience was I thought his science teacher and history teacher get an A+ for their efforts in teaching.  They’re using a new technique called experiential learning.  It focuses on having the kids experience what they’re learning. Like in history they actually build trenches for WWII and reanact this experience, along with many other reanactments.  The reasoning is by experiencing history they will retain and remember it- it works! Wow, now that would have been really cool to do when I was in school.  But hey, maybe this is something you can incorporate into your business.  How can you give your prospects and clients a more experiential experience within your business?  Let’s put our thinking caps on and let me know what you come up with! [Photo- Harrison and I shading ourselves from the sun while enjoying our time on Martha's Vineyard this past summer. I'm holding our video camera- in addition to marketing, I'm now doing video production! If interested- ask me more about it.]

Daring Escape from Corporate America

I don’t know about you, but I feel like 2 years ago I made a very daring escape from Corporate America. I’d be entrenched and chained to a desk since I was 22 and that’s a long time. I had always thought that I’d be like my Dad and work at the same place forever until I retired. Yet, that was not my story and that was not meant to be for me.

My career path took some long and winding and winded turns along the way. I started out in sales and then got into marketing. My tale is long and blogs are for short stories… So suffice to say- after being laid off 3 times in 6 years, I stopped banging my head against the corporate wall. I stopped for a moment to realize that maybe that wasn’t my path any longer. Thank goodness I had and still have 2 wonderful Executive Coaches in my life (Rob Berkley & Debbie Phillips www.visionday.com) who totally supported me and helped me create my wonderful marketing, coaching and consulting business that I have today. (Photo: Debbie Phillips, Me, and Rob Berkley)

I’m writing this now for a couple of reasons-

1. I was just highlighted in a colleagues blog which I wrote about here back in April- Pamela Skillings interviewed me and I talked at length about my experiences of daring escape. If you want to see more about my quest- check out her Escape From Corporate America blog
2. I wrote a chapter in the most incredible book authored by Debbie Phillips that will be out later this fall Called Women On Fire -20 Inspiring Women Share Their Life Secrets (and Save You Years of Struggle!) It’s all about my very intense, gut wrenching experience and struggles in corporate America and my interesting journey. I promise I will tell you more about this in the coming months.

(Photo- Pamela Skillings and yours truly)

The takeaway from today is not the outcome- that I’m now in a 2 year old incredibly successful business that I created (albeit that sure is nice!). It’s the incredible journey I had to take to get right here. There are tons of people in my support team and my success team (which I’d recommend you get some of these folks!) who were pivotal to get me here. So why not take a moment right now and write a short gratitude list thanking all those folks who supported and helped you get you where you are today. I’ve already started mine!