More money, more money, more money!

Are you someone who thinks that if you just had more money all  (or most) of your problems would  be solved? 

I am sure you have heard the stories of the thousands of individuals who have won millions of dollars via the lottery only to end up broke in a few years or perhaps, you can think of entertainers or professional athletes who make millions of dollars per year but find that it is not enough to make their ends meet.

How can this be?

When, I was a little girl, around 7 or 8, I remember my cousins and I standing in my grandparents’ yard playing a game in which we would ask each other, if you had a million dollars what would you do with it? To us a million dollars was so much money. A million dollars would make life so much sweeter.

But the fact of the matter is that had we been given a million dollars, we may have ended up just like the lottery winners, the professional athletes, and the entertainers who acquired money without developing their minds to deal with wealth.

And, this is the premise of the book Wealth Mentality: Program Yourself to Get and Keep the Wealth You Want by Mrs. Sherrin Ross Ingram. In Wealth Mentality, Sherrin makes it clear that reaching true wealth requires far more than simply making a lot of money.  She explains that “it requires that you establish a way of thinking that promotes and preserves true wealth before looking for ways to earn more money, make better investments, and buy better things.”

You may be wondering, well how in the world do I do that? I would love to develop that kind of thinking.

Listen to today’s show.

By the end of it that question will be answered and you will walk away with insight into the faster and easier way to achieve true wealth. 

Some of the Questions I Asked Sherrin 

• Sherrin, as America’s Leading Power Strategist, you help entrepreneurially-minded professionals get strategic about defining their markets and unique positioning, raising their expert status and staying top of mind with clients and prospects. Tell us about a time when you developed a new system or procedure for a client that totally transformed his/her career or their business.

• Sherrin, in your introduction you make this statement, “People want to be rich.” You point out that this desire isn’t “limited to a specific gender, race, social or economic background, or any other characteristic.” What exactly is the difference between being rich and being wealthy?

• Now, Sherrin, somebody listening right now is still probably thinking, “More money is the answer to my financial troubles.” What would you say to that person?

• The title of your book is Wealth Mentality: Program Yourself to Get and Keep the Wealth You Want. Black Enterprise has called you and they want to do a new segment on their show each Sunday that focuses on people who possess a wealth mentality. Who would be the first person that you would showcase and why?

•   Sherrin, I love the fact that you blatantly ask “Why aren’t YOU wealthy already? in chapter three. You pinpoint 8 underlying reasons. What are the three most prevalent reasons most people have not acquired wealth?

• On page 43, you state, “Two of the most important parts of creating a Wealth Mentality are thoughts and beliefs.” Sherrin, why do we think the way that we do and what specific steps can we take to develop thoughts and beliefs that exemplify a wealth mentality?

• One of the many interesting concepts you teach is that “a wealth mentality thinks gooses.” How do we know when we have elevated to the level of “thinking gooses?”

• I love this quote from page 61: In most cases, those who have earned their way to wealth found work that exploits their full potential and gives them the opportunity to express the best that is within them. They’re motivated by something larger than making a living. They love what they do. I believe that the listeners of this show are entrepreneurs who want this to be their story. As we close, please give them 3 action items that will help them achieve wealth easier and faster in the remaining 11 months of this year.

• Sherrin, who are your ideal clients and what kinds of exciting products and services do you have available for them in 2013?

Hearing From You

What did you get from this interview that will help you change your mindset in regards to acquiring wealth?

Share one thing that really “stood out” for you in this interview.

It’s Time for A Praise Report

If you were blessed by today’s show, go ahead and share a praise report. Click here to access the Praise Report Builder. I do appreciate it very much!

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

Solo Small Business Entrepreneurs, you are in for a treat!

Jeanna Pool, author of Amazon’s #1 Bestseller, Marketing for Solos was on Books That Transform, today. What a blessing she was! She shared so many tips with us on how to become effective marketers and thereby attract more clients to our businesses. The time just went by entirely too fast.

In case you are not familiar with Jeanna, here is her bio:

Jeanna Pool is the author of the Amazon #1 Bestselling Book, Marketing for Solos^® which has been praised by 11 of the world’s top marketing experts including: Jay Conrad Levinson, C.J. Hayden, John Jantsch, Dan Kennedy, Bob Bly, Ali Brown, Yanik Silver and others.

Jeanna has been called “One of the world’s foremost experts on marketing a one-person small business successfully.”Jeanna is a rare breed, in that she’s an expert in both marketing that actually works and design that actually sells—two disciplines and competencies that very, very few can bring together successfully.

Today, Jeanna owns and operates Marketing for Solos^® which is her own, highly successful, award-winning, marketing and design firm in Denver Colorado.

She works exclusively with solo small business owners all across the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and around the world. All of Jeanna’s clients have one thing in common—they are really good at what they do, but sometimes really struggle to market their services successfully as a solo.

Jeanna is in the trenches day in and day out, putting into action marketing strategies that she preaches about and teaches others to use. With Jeanna there’s never any fluff or theory to what she teaches about marketing. Instead, she focuses only on marketing that actually works in the real world.

Her love and passion is helping other solo small business owners be as outrageously successful as they possibly can be. For more information about how Jeanna can help your solo small business attract more clients on a consistent basis, call 303-380-9100 or visit www.MarketingForSolos.com

 The Interview 

As usual, I had a ball and write pages of notes during the interview. The questions I asked Jeanna and the player (so that you can listen right now) are included below. Enjoy!!!

1.      Jeanna, since you have been in business, you have helped thousands of solo small business owners take their businesses to the next level of growth, profitability, and success. Tell us about a time when you were able to identify serious problems in a client’s branding and marketing efforts and then provide solutions that tremendously increased sales.

 

2.      Jeanna, the tagline for this show is changing mindsets, transforming lives. Coincidentally, chapter 3 is called Change Your Thinking. Please breakdown for us the four areas in which our thinking about marketing needs to change.

 

 

3.      One of the hardest things for solopreneurs is choosing a niche. Why is it so important to focus on a specific target audience? And, how do you know that you are targeting qualified clients?

 

4.      Solopreneurs serve others through their products and services. Trying to price the information products, coaching, consulting, speaking, & even performing can be challenging. Jeanna, what method or general rule should solopreneurs use to set pricing?

 

5.      Jeanna, some solopreneurs choose the DIY (Do It Yourself) avenue when it comes to creating their website and marketing materials or they choose the cheapest designer they can find. In chapter 9, you say, “Unless you’re an expert in design with a degree and years of experience, stick to working at the business you know, and leave the design work to the designers.” You go on to say, “If your materials project a professional, consistent image, then that transaction pays you in good will, trust and future business. If the image is amateurish or inconsistent, then you lose trust, confidence, and money. “

Jeanna, what are three tips you can give us on hiring the right graphic designer?

6.      Jeanna, one of the problems for the solopreneur is actually making marketing manageable and doable with our busy schedules. How can we go from this day forward prioritizing everything we must get done?

 

7.      Jeanna, since the show is entitled How to Successfully Market Today’s Solo Small Business, I’d like to use real solopreneurs who could benefit from your expertise. They are Alaina Odessa of Alaina Odessa Expressions, who is the author of the book Slow Running Honey and Jerry Head of Jerry Head Photography who has been providing superior photography services for the Triangle area (Raleigh, Durham, & Chapel Hill, NC) and beyond for over 20 years.

Client #1

Our first solopreneur is Alaina Odessa of Alaina Odessa Expressions and if you are at a computer and want to follow along with us go to www.alainaodessa.com. Jeanna is going to give Alaina advice on how to make her website what she calls a comprehensive workhorse website.

Good Afternoon, Alaina. Thank you so much for joining us and allowing Jeanna to advise you on the air. Jeanna, take it away.

Client #2

Wow, Jeanna, I am excited for Alaina. You really did a fantastic job of remodeling her site, if you will. Now, let’s help out my friend Jerry Head of Jerry Head Photography. Jerry’s website is www.jerryheadphotos.com. But, this time, we are going to focus on choosing the right marketing tools and activities that will successfully relaunch his business. So, Jeanna, what do you advise for Jerry?

Jenna, you have a special offer for the BTT listeners, today? I am so thrilled about it because you are the first author to do this. Please share it with them now.

Listen to The Show Now

Jeanna’s Amazing Special Offer (FREE Training on Niche Marketing)

For people who listened to the  show, if they buy my book from Amazon by December 31st and email me their Amazon receipt (proving the purchase), I will send them a special 1 hour audio program called Niche Marketing for Solos. The program normally sells for $97 but I will email the digital recording of the program to EVERYONE who purchases the book (paperback or Kindle) on Amazon by December 31st. The email address to send the receipt is: info@marketingforsolos.com and put “Amazon” in the subject line.

I hope you take her up on her offer. The book itself is an invaluable resource. You will love it!!!

“You want me to give that for free?

A client exclaimed emphatically when I expressed that she needed to select several communication tactics that would educate and bless those she had been called to serve.

“Yes,” I firmly and unapologetically replied.

I was not going to sugarcoat what I knew to be the missing link in her marketing efforts. It was apparent that it was hard for her to grasp the fact that we are standing in a time where the Biblical principle of Seedtime and Harvest is the foundation of effective marketing. 

This is a concept that I want you, the Christian entrepreneur to learn as well.

In fact, since you have already experienced the benefit of God loving you so much that He gave His only begotten son—yes, He gave to you first—then, this principle should resonate well deep within you.

It is imperative that you share your experiences (lessons learned), your revelations, and your expertise with those you have been called to serve on a regular basis. How you do that is up to you. There are several communication tactics that you can choose:

• Speaking to Groups

• Writing articles

• Using direct mail

• Using Social Media—YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, etc.

• Podcasting

• Teaching through webinars, teleseminars

• Blogging

• Providing workshops or seminars

• Sending newsletters or ezines

• Teaching courses online

The reality is that you must give something to others before you can expect to receive from them.

You can create all of the content “for sale” that you want.

You can work steadfastly on developing your products and honing your skills so that your services are top-notch, but until you give first, in service, you are not positioning yourself to reap a harvest.

No seeds. No harvest. It is just that simple.

Now, I could tell you–

• That people are tired of being marketed to or sold to every single second of the day.
• That people are skeptical of hype and newcomers who are here today, gone tomorrow.
• That people do not care about you, your product, or your services; but, they care about how you, your product, or your services can release them from a pain, an ill, a discomfort, or displeasure.

I could also tell you—

• That it takes 6 to 8 non-sales-y encounters with you before you even catch the attention of those you have been called to serve AND even longer for them to begin to trust you.
• That the foundation of your marketing is in building relationships with people and those relationships take time to develop.
• That the only way you will see momentum and growth in your business is when you consistently, frequently, and graciously connect with people without fail.

But in the midst of this Thanksgiving season, I would rather bring your attention back to the Biblical principle of Seedtime and Harvest—a principle that existed before you started your business and will remain long after your business has run its course.

“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, will never cease.” Genesis 8:22 (NIV)

Quick Self-Assessment

Ask yourself this important question:

• What seeds am I planting in the hearts and minds of those I have been called to serve?

As a Christian entrepreneur, I want you to think of your target audience solely as those God has reserved for you to minister to, to serve, to bless. If you begin to think of them that way, you will not see them as dollar signs or means by which to create increase in YOUR life, but you will begin to view yourself as a servant created to assist, support, and heal.

Giving great content to them for free is your gift of service.

I want to leave you with a portion (v. 10 &11) of one of my favorite passages of Scripture which is 1 Peter 4: 7-11:

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.  If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To HIM be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. I Peter 4: 10,11 (NIV)

 

 You Are Invited

I invite you to learn more about how you can serve those God has called you to serve. Get your very own complimentary audio training on 10 Things Your Ideal Clients Need You to Do when you access The Personal Branding Toolbox. Get started learning how to walk in your divine personal brand, today.

Click here.