Do you have enough money?

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I am writing this article because I want to help you get back on track with your finances, keep the money coming in and move towards more abundance.  In the past I did a couple posts on fulfillment and balance and in those posts I discuss the four dynamics of life (Relationships, Spiritual, Physical & Financial), but I haven’t really focused on the financial dynamic on my website yet.  And the truth is that money does matter, at least to some degree, and most people would enjoy having their needs met more easily as well as having financial freedom. (To view one of the past Balance articles, click here).

What I will need from you is some feedback on where you are at with your situation regarding money and your goals, because I have some cool ideas to help you take things to the next level, but I don’t want to throw this stuff out there if you aren’t interested.  So, leave me some feedback in the comment box or shoot me an email and let me know what you’re thinking…

The economy has only been in a transition, and now is the time that your dreams are supported energetically more than ever!

Listen, there have been so many people who have been effected by the past and recent economic conditions in a negative way, that many people have been rethinking their plans.  Have you been one of those people?

I am writing this because I wanted to share something with you, something that may redirect your thinking, and will hopefully help you put some things into a different perspective.  Now is NOT the time to give up on your dreams, whatever they are.  The economy hasn’t been crashing, it is transitioning.  And just as with anything in a transition, you can either adapt and transition with it, or you can go the other way…which so often causes people more problems.

What do you do when things are in a transition?  Think about it for a minute (aren’t your dreams worth a few minutes of consideration?)

Likely what you do is you stop and re-evaluate what is going on and adjust your mind-set, actions and goals.

I have done so many coaching & reading sessions in the past few months where a similar message has been passed on…”Don’t give up on what you have been wanting and aiming for…”  This is true especially in light of financial security.

Many people had gotten to a place of comfort a while back that allowed them to start new things in light of income; when the economy appeared to be pretty stable and predictable, starting a business venture (to whatever degree) seemed a lot less risky.  But now, because of the shifts taking place and numbers (and profits) going down, people are starting to question whether or not they should get out of their current “job” and find something more secure and with a little less risk.

I’ve had people of so many different professions come to me with a heavy heart, wondering if they should give up.  Massage therapists, cosmetologists, mechanics, investors, independent contractors, private therapists, and even doctors asking the same question:  “My business is suffering, and I need to know if I should make some drastic changes or go in a different direction altogether.”

Yes, implementing some changes is probably going to be beneficial, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to do a complete overhaul!  In this transitioning structure of the economy, certain ‘old school’ ways may need to be let go of and new approaches tried.  I mean, even the way that people communicate has been changing, but if your financial income was founded on an old (and fading) structure, consider what steps you could take to adapt to the new structure.

The bottom line is that energetically, dreams and desires are supported more now than ever in my opinion.  But the thinking around creating those desires needs to match the new (and higher) energy that we are bringing in.  You might think that is sort of fluffy, and I get it…so look at it from a more earthly and ‘practical’ standpoint:

Your services (and products) are probably wanted and needed no less than they used to be.  That means that there is likely a sufficient demand out there.  If that is true, then look at what has changed if people are spending less money for what you offer.

For one, people are looking for more ‘bargains’, they want to feel like they are getting a value.  This doesn’t mean that you have to provide more of something that will cut into your profits!  What it could mean is that you start to put your focus (and shift the focus of your consumer as well) on what other benefits the people you serve are getting.

Right now, because of what has been happening in people’s lives, they are longing to feel cared about, connected to and taken care of by people, and that includes the companies they are investing their hard earned money in.

People want to be shown that they matter, that their time is valuable, that their problems will be addressed…they, they, they!  When you go to see your doctor, you probably don’t want to sign in without being greeted by someone.  You probably don’t want to wait longer than usual.  You probably want to be shown that you matter.  That scenario can apply to getting your hair done, your car fixed and many other ones.  But if you are made to wait, or made to feel like you don’t matter in some way, you will likely think twice about spending your hard earned money in that place again and start to look for other options.  If money has been scarce (or if there has just been a concern that it might become scarce) you will spend with more consideration.  You will want more of something in return and tolerate a lot less of what you don’t like. So even evaluating what your consumers want more or less of can be a huge benefit!

So think of how your work or business could help provide people with more of what they want.  Could you take a few extra minutes and return some calls yourself instead of having your staff do it?  Do you think that the people you speak with would appreciate a little extra attention?  What about maybe putting emphasis on some of the other benefits for the people who spend money with your company…are their any perks that you can offer that would add just a little something to your customer’s experience?  How long has it been since you evaluated what your customer really gets from what you offer?  Are you offering what people want or what they need?  This is am important question.

Most people know that ‘word of mouth’ is priceless, and right now you are more likely to have negative things said about your company even if the customer’s experience was neutral because they want to feel like they matter.

And if you could take a few small steps to shift their experience just a little, that could not only reinforce your customer’s loyalty but also increase the positive word of mouth that is spread.  And if you think that this economy does not allow for business to prosper, think again.  How much is one or two more customers worth to you? How about ten?

The last thing that I want to bring up to consider is your marketing.  The mind-set of consumers has changed, whether you are ready to admit it or not, and people have become desensitized to traditional marketing strategies for the most part (TV & radio commercials).  And I think that in light of this, in order to really hit it home with traditional means, you have to 1. Corner the market with advertising (by having the budget to do so) 2. Hit people hard with repetition and/or boldness (again, needing a lot of financial capabilities) But the bottom line is that the amount of money it takes to reach the masses and only maybe bring a tiny percentage of those masses to your company is exhausting.  And smaller business just don’t seem to have the financial means to take that route and run that risk.

But if you can use the traditional means, look at some of the TV commercials that stand out in YOUR mind these days and compare them to the ones that did years ago.  While the ones that used to stand out were likely involving saving money, saving time and/or the longevity of a business (implying that the longer the company has been around, the more reliable it is), the ones that people notice nowadays have a different message.

I can name a few that have gotten my attention.  There’s a car commercial that has taken a new approach and instead of doing the “save this much money” or “our car is safer” approach, this one company worked to incorporate how their car promotes a feeling of LOVE.  They imply that owning a certain car promotes feeling love! What does that tell you?  That company gets it.  They understand that people want to feel better and feel connected..that this is what is becoming more VALUED.

There’s another company that stands out in my mind that sells car insurance.  The approach that they have taken shifted the focus off of numbers (costs) and put the focus not only on “bonus benefits” like customer support, etc., but also on creating a feeling in the audience of being connected to their spokesperson.  Whether or not people like the company, who knows, but I have heard many people talking about the commercials in a positive way, because people feel connected to the spokesperson.  Connected. And what happens when people talk about something in a positive way?  Those commercials play out longer than the minutes that they are actually being aired.

Successful marketing looks different than it has in years passed, and with the technological advances that people have grown so accustomed to (text messaging, always having a phone accessible, Internet usage) your marketing could likely use some adjustments.

Do you market to people in a language that they speak?  Are you using the means that people are most open to receiving your messages through?  I don’t know about you but the people in my house have and use the capability to push a “recall” button on the television remote as soon as a commercial comes on to flip to an alternate channel.  I’m not watching those commercials if it is easy for me to get around it.  And I’ll be bold in saying I don’t think most people do if they don’t have to.  Not to mention AT LEAST 90% OF THE WHAT IS PUT IN FRONT OF ME DOESN’T INTEREST ME!

I will also say that I have clicked on several advertisements while on my Facebook account because they interested me.  And they did so because those ads were specifically targeted to me based on what I had put in my user profile.  Do you see the difference here?  People used to think that marketing online was a less effective way to reach people because they assumed that it was less personal.  Now experts are saying that this is becoming the more effective way because not only can you reach masses for pennies on the dollar, but you can also target to the people who are actually likely to respond!

So what might you be able to do a little differently to help not only get your services/company known to people, but also help them know that you can give them what they want?  Sit down and see what resonates with you and your income source.  And then take the necessary steps to get educated about your options, and talk to people who have done the research and know how to maximize your business so that you don’t have to give up on your dreams.  Remember, the economy is only in a transition, so if you are open to making some adjustments and getting in touch with your consumers, your business will not only likely survive, but could quite possibly flourish.

Namaste’

Jennifer Tavana

If you feel like you are ready to step into the new marketing era, I have just the place for you to begin. My husband has been working to install new websites/blogs for people for free, and it’s very easy to get started!  Be sure to click the link for more information on the Free Blog Installation program:  www.joshbmagic.com/marketing