Do you know exactly who you have been called to serve?

I mean, if I were to ask you to list all of the characteristics of your ideal client, would that be easy for you to do?

And if you can do that, do you know how to position yourself  as the authority in your field so that when your ideal client is looking for a solution to the problem that you solve, you are their ultimate problem solver—without reservation?

Well, yesterday’s show is entitled How to Dominate Your Niche and I was blessed to have Ms. Stephanie Chandler, author of Own Your Niche, on Books That Transform for 47 minutes.

Stephanie shared some of the incredible, results-oriented tips and strategies in her book that focus on choosing the right audience, demonstrating authority in  your field, showcasing your unique skills, and bringing value to your audience.She talked about building loyalty, community, and brand recognition, giving more than receiving, and about growing your business.

All About Stephanie Chandler

Stephanie Chandler is an author of several books including Own Your Niche: Hype-Free Internet Marketing Tactics to Establish Authority in Your Field and Promote Your Service-Based Business, From Entrepreneur to Infopreneur: Make Money with Books, eBooks and Information Products, and LEAP! 101 Ways to Grow Your Business.

Stephanie is also founder and CEO of BusinessInfoGuide.com, a directory of resources for entrepreneurs, and Authority Publishing, a custom publisher specializing in non-fiction books. A frequent speaker at business events and on the radio, she has been featured in Entrepreneur magazine, BusinessWeek, and Wired magazine, and she is a contributing blogger for Forbes. To learn more about her, visit stephaniechandler.com.

Listen Now

Share Your Thoughts & Spread the Word

Wasn’t that some great, applicable content? I had so much fun talking to Stephanie, but more than that, I know that the information that she gave in that short amount of time is really simple, powerful, and effective.

Share your thoughts on the interview and go tell a friend (who wants to sustain a relevant, profitable business enterprise but needs a little direction on how to increase visibility and loyalty with the right audience) all about it.

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• Next show: Friday, March 29th at 12:00 p.m. (EST), The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women with Dr. Valerie Young author of The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women: Why Capable People Suffer From the Imposter Syndrome & How To Thrive In Spite of It

Questions I Asked Stephanie

Stephanie, since your book is entitled Own Your Niche and the show is entitled How to Dominate Your Niche, I’d love for you to “educate” us on a couple of things—

• What is a niche?

• How does a small business entrepreneur or solopreneur choose a profitable niche by which he or she can dominate?

Now, that you have defined niche for us and we have a clearer understanding on how to select a profitable one, how then do we establish or niche identity and why is that so important?

Stephanie, on today’s show, I promised the listeners that they would learn online and offline methods that would get them the kind of exposure that will establish them as leaders in their industries. I am counting on you to be our tour guide on this journey. So, let’s divide our discussion into two parts—online strategies/tactics and offline strategies. Is that okay with you?

 Great! Well, let’s start with online tactics first.

 One of the things that made me want to really get into your book was when you began by addressing some of the unethical behaviors that are going on online these days. Stephanie, explain to us the difference between the kind of marketing tactics that most of us are bombarded with today and the kind of marketing that you advocate?

Stephanie, I’d like to share a website with you and the audience and that is www.guzymusic.com. It is the website of a music producer in the Greensboro area where I live named Luguzy Atkins. Now, Luguzy just created his website this year and he is open to any advice you might give him. So, let’s use his site as our model for this portion of the show.

Share with us specific online strategies that he could implement that would—

• Establish his authority as a producer

• Build his audience & engage his community

• Turn his website into a “client conversion machine”

• Increase his website traffic

 In chapter six which is entitled Blogs Rule, you say that “A blog is hands-down one of the most important elements of a successful website.” What are entrepreneurs who do not consistently blog missing out on?

 While we are in this vein, let’s talk about content marketing. If you were starting your business from scratch in 2013 what would be the top two types of content marketing you would implement consistently to establish yourself as an authority in your industry and why?

 Stephanie, I love the fact that you devote an entire chapter to internet revenue streams—multiple streams of income. Give us an example of a client or an entrepreneur in your book who has mastered the art of creating multiple streams of income online.

 Stephanie, now it is time for us to delve into becoming a rock star offline. Professional Speaking is the first offline method that you address. What would you say to the person who 1) does not know exactly how to create interesting speaking topics, 2) needs pointers on how to actually get on the speaking circuit?

 Another method that you address is event promotion. Betty Brand Specialist is only interested in hosting paid events. What are the pros and cons of having this kind of perspective?

 Stephanie, there is no way we could touch on all of the offline strategies that you cover in your book, but if I gave you an apple pie and I asked you to divide it into pieces that represent the fresh new marketing plan of a start-up or start over entrepreneur, how many would go to online strategies and how many would go to offline strategies?

In 2010, women comprised 47% of the U.S. Labor Force.

Today, it is said that figure has tipped over the 50% mark.

Even with so many women at work, it appears that we have yet to obtain the positions of authority in our work or business environments. According to Selena Rezvani, women’s leadership author of Pushback: How Smart Women Ask For and Stand Up For What They Want:

Despite some of our gains, women continue to make up a meager portion of senior leaders in government, business, and even those fields that are female dominated. Our low presence in top decision-making roles diminishes our contributions, gives us little say in corporate and societal directions, and reduces us to mere observers.

Hmmm…..Ladies.

I say, it is time for change. It is time for us to do what COO of Facebook Sheryl Sandberg advises--Go Get It!

The only way for us to go get it is to ask for it. In other words, we must first change our mindset about what we deserve and then hone our negotiating and self-advocacy skills.

To get a better understanding of the negotiating process, I called upon women’s leadership author, speaker, and consultant, Selena Rezvani.

Who is Selena Rezvani?

Selena Rezvani’s goal is to propel more women into the top echelons of businesses — an objective she achieves through her writing, consulting, and speaking engagements. She is the co-owner of Women’s Roadmap, a consulting firm that elevates women into leadership through assessment, the design of gender-inclusive policies, and coaching. Outside of her consulting and coaching work, Selena promotes her message through training programs, teaching some of the brightest minds in business at eBay, Harvard, Accenture, Princeton, Duke, Johnson & Johnson, The Clinton Foundation, and many others. 

She has been quoted, interviewed, and profiled by The Today Show, CareerBuilder, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, ABC, and NBC. She is a regular commentator on NPR’s syndicated 51 Percent: The Women’s Perspective, blogs for Forbes.com and writes an award-winning column on women and leadership for The Washington Post. She is the author of the acclaimed career guidebooks PUSHBACK: How Smart Women Ask–and Stand Up–for What They Want (Jossey-Bass, 2012) and The Next Generation of Women Leaders: What You Need to Lead but Won’t Learn in Business School (Praeger, 2009).

Selena received her bachelor of science and master of social work degrees from New York University, and has an MBA from Johns Hopkins University, where she graduated first in her class. She lives near Philadelphia. For more information, visit: www.NextGenWomen.com or www.WomensRoadmap.com.

Listen to Our Discussion Now to Learn the Four-Step Model of Negotiation & The  Importance of Self-Advocacy by Women in the 21st Century Workforce

Questions I Asked Selena

1. Selena, one strategy that authors are given to help with crafting their message is to visualize that one person they are writing to. Describe for us the ideal reader you were thinking of when you wrote Pushback.

2. Selena, to some, the term Pushback may sound a little combative and therefore have a negative connotation. Give us your definition of pushback and share a few examples of some “pushback scenarios.”

3. I love the fact that you did your own research for this book by interviewing what you call “a new set of 20 women leaders in the top echelons of their fields.” As you analyzed your data, what was the most shocking thing that you learned from this experience?

4. Selena, it is apparent that women struggle with pushing back, even today when there are more of us who are educated, more of us in the work force, and more of us as even head of our households. What would you say are the top 3 reasons that women shy away from pushing back?

5. Selena, for older or more seasoned women who say, I am sorry, I am just not going to risk negotiating or advocating for myself given today’s climate, what would you say are the consequences of such a decision?

6. Selena, you say that “One of the best investments you’ll make in your career is spending time learning a reliable and effective system for negotiation. As you build your skills and learn the art of negotiating, you’ll begin to see it not just a one-time or occasional (and somehow mysterious) transaction but an everyday necessity.” So, in the book, you give us a four-step model of negotiation. Please take your time and breakdown those four steps for us.

7. You provide an assessment in the book that can help women pinpoint the areas of strength and identify their weaker areas. Give us an example of how a woman would use this information to become better at asking for and standing up for what she wants.

8. Selena, as I was reading your book, I immediately thought about Sheryl Sandberg, the COO of Facebook and how she states that women hold themselves back by lowering our expectations of what we can achieve. And, then, as I read on, lo and behold, you actually talk about the speech she gave in which she urged women to “go get it” rather than waiting for permission. Why is it so important for young women who are just entering the workplace to possess the pushback kind of mindset?

9. Selena, you have registered for my English 101 class, and your first assignment is to write a persuasive essay. This is your writing prompt: This is a great time to elect a qualified woman for the presidency of the United States because…..

Please share your thoughts about the interview below and if you haven’t already, don’t forget to subscribe to Books That Tranform!

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• Next show: How to Dominate Your Niche with Stephanie Chandler, Tuesday, March 12th at 12:00 noon (EST).

So, you have several social media accounts.

You interact with your network on a regular basis, but still you aren’t receiving enough traffic from those sites to your home base from the people you have been called to serve.

You need a strategic social media marketing plan that will attract clients & increase your bottom line.

To learn more about effectively using social media as a solo entrepreneur, I interviewed Gail Z. Martin, the best-selling author of  30 Days to Social Media Success: The 30 Day Results Guide to Making the Most of Twitter, Blogging, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

Listen Now

Interview Questions for Gail Z. Martin

As usual, I asked Gail the questions that I thought you might want to ask her if you had the opportunity–questions that would get right down to the root of using social media marketing in the best way.

1. So, Gail, your bio is so impressive and it is apparent that not only are you good at what you do, but you are passionate about it. When did you realize that being a marketing expert is what you were called to do?

2. Gail, you are known as the “Get Results Resource” for marketing that works, helping small and start-up businesses, consultants, coaches, authors, and solo professionals succeed through affordable publicity. Tell us about a specific client you coached who had more time than money to invest in his or her marketing budget but were still able to meet their business goals.

3. Gail, I love the fact that you refer to your book as The 30 Day Results Guide. You say that we will see our social media marketing go from zero to full speed if we apply the RESULTS approach for the next 30 days. Please break down the RESULTS approach for us while we take copious notes.

4. Gail, I think it is so important that we now go back to the basics and by that I mean we need to discuss what you call the most powerful marketing tool—the business plan. Unfortunately, there are small business and solo entrepreneurs who are in business without a plan. Give us your take on what should be included in our business plan.

5. The next important document that you layout in the book is the action plan. On page 41 you say, “Your action plan is the key to the rest of your 30-day success because it’s your map and your to-do list.” Let’s say that one of Molly Marketer’s business goals is to increase her list of subscribers to her ezine from 200 to 2000 in the next 12 months. What would her to-do list possibly look like for just the next 30 days?

6. Gail, you have been selected to be a member of my debate team. We affirm that social media is a marketing essential for the small business or solo entrepreneur. What would be three of our arguments to support this stance?

7. Gail, you cover the gamut of social media in your book, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Squidoo, Digg It, YouTube, Flickr and blogging. Now, Pinterest, Instagram, and several other new sites can be added to the list. What would you say to the entrepreneur who feels pressured to be on as many sites as possible?

8. Gail, one of the most intriguing concepts that you explain is the “touches and trigger points” concept. What are touches and trigger points and how do social media play a role in them?

9. Gail, this is my favorite part of the show—the part where the expert gets to consult with an entrepreneur live. Today, we have Stevii Mills, the Shepreneur’s Best Girlfriend of www.juststevii.com. Stevii would like to get your help with developing her social media marketing plan. Would you take her through the process you outline in chapter 2 and then give her some advice on how to best align her social media marketing efforts with her business goals?

10. Gail, after that amazing mini-consultation I am sure that someone listening would love to work with you or have you speak to their organization. How might they get in contact with you and what kinds of programs, products and services do you offer?

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Riding the exercise bike at the gym.

Even with sweat coming down profusely, I am intensely focused on the book that lays in the tray, covering my heart rate, mileage, and calorie burn report.

The book, Wealth Mentality, published in 2002 is reeeaaalllly good. 

It gets my attention with stats right out of the gate.

In 1999, Americans spent 36 billion dollars buying lottery tickets.

The television program Who Wants to Be a Millionaire was a worldwide sensation as we turned the century. Originally created in the United Kingdom in 1998, it debuted in the United States the next year, averaging a whopping 29 million viewers per night during the 1999-2000 season.

The show has become a worldwide success, with editions in the U.S., United Kingdom, India, Greece, Germany, Portugal, and Russia, as well as dozens of other countries. When a version of the program was announced in Singapore, more than 10,000 people called during the first few days in an effort to win a chance at the jackpot.

As the introduction goes on, I realize that I will NOT be putting this book down until I absorb every single word.

The Reality Check

The first chapter begins asking the question, Why Seek a Wealth Mentality? The author, Sherrin Ross Ingram, once again draws me in with facts:

• MC Hammer earned $33 million by 1990 and by 1996 was broke. (Yowsa!)

• William “Bud” Post of Oil City, Pennsylvania won a $16.2 million Pennsylvania lottery jackpot in 1988 and was broke by 1993. (My, my, my)

• Harry and Blanche Mandelbaum lost $100,000 after investing it in The Bennett Funding Group, Inc. which was involved in one of the biggest Ponzi schemes in U.S. history.

Whew!

Sherrin explains that all of these individuals “acquired money without developing their minds to deal with wealth.” She then reveals the characteristics of a wealth mentality and why it is a necessity.

Okay, so I move on to chapter two.

Sherrin then poses the question– Why Seek Wealth? She defines what it means to be wealthy and then lays out the reasons why one should desire wealth. They include–

1. To be of assistance to others.

2. To give your family every opportunity to develop their full potential.

3. To experience the benefits of having the goods and services that money can buy.

4. To have some insulation from the havoc that illness, disability, and economic downturns can wreak on your personal finances and the quality of life for you and  your family.

5. To really enjoy retirement.

Needless to say, chapter two was a heavy hitter–very thought-provoking, very “Hello, I am here to shake some senses into you.” But, the chapter that almost made me get off the bike and go sit in a corner and read until the manager of the gym put me OUT was chapter three–

Why Aren’t You Wealthy Already?

Ooooo, Sherrin!

I kept thinking, I love this woman! She does not play.

She actually pinpointed the specific reasons why I, YOU, ME, WE are not wealthy at this point in time.

OUCH!

That’s all I could say.

She broke down 8 possible reasons and even though deep down inside I already knew them, somehow they were much more enlightening coming from her.

In that moment as I neared the end of my 45-minute spin, I made a decision. I decided that nothing would stop me from creating a “lasting behavioral change” as I conditioned my mind to ACT. 

It was deep.

It  still is deep.

And, I believe it will forever be deep to me….because there are so many of us who are hustling, working hard or even hardly working, who will never experience the benefits that living in a state of wealth provides in this earth realm for very simple reasons.

We will continue to justify and rationalize our struggle, our survival mentality (as Sherrin calls it), our lack. We will continue to “wing it” and hope things work out in the end.

We will console ourselves  by programming our minds to believe that wealthy people are evil, selfish, money-hungry folks who are more concerned with riches than their relationship with God.

Or, perhaps we will continue to sing, “I’d rather have Jesus than silver and gold”–refusing to accept the fact that we can have Jesus AND an evolving state of mind that produces thoughts and behaviors directed towards achieving wealth.

As Sherrin clearly explains–

A Wealth Mentality is the opposite of being consumed with thoughts about wealth. Once programmed, a Wealth Mentality allows your thoughts and behavior to work toward building and maintaining wealth automatically (i.e. without conscious thought). Your mind is left free to seek and maintain balance in other areas of your life and enjoy the fruits of your efforts. p. 11

The Question Remains

So, in this 21st Century when so much information is available on how to increase personal wealth,

Why Aren’t You Wealthy Already? 

Sherrin Ross Ingram, America’s Leading Power Strategist on BTT

 Join us on Books That Transform with Kellie Gardner & Friends, this   Thursday, January 24th at 11:oo a.m. when Sherrin Ross Ingram will spend 45 minutes schooling us on the Wealth Mentality. I have so much I want to ask her. I can hardly wait!

For more information on the Wealth Mentality, click here.

To learn more about Sherrin, click here.

Show’s Topic: The Faster and Easier Way to Achieve Wealth