If you get your nose all out of joint and throw a hissy fit when someone asks you for a discount…then today’s article is for you. Actually – it’s for all entrepreneurs and small business owners, but truth be told, I wrote it with you in mind.
There’s no room for self-righteous indignation in smart business…cut it out. There’s a better way. And I’m here to show you…
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Nothing kills the buzz of a business faster than an unanticipated snafu or dropped ball.
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The biggest reward for us entrepreneurs is knowing that we make a difference in the world. That we end each day filled with all sorts of warm fuzzies. That we can artfully curate our coffee and cookies during co-working sessions, or be a Boss while wearing our jammies.
Really? Is that the biggest reward?
Or is it earning enough money to keep us in coffee and cookies (and wine…) while still investing in our business? Hmmmm….. Let’s take a closer look at getting smart, and pricing for profit.
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Satisfying customers and providing excellent, custom solutions is the name of the game for many entrepreneurs. Cookie cutter approaches and tired strategies don’t cut it, so we start asking clients broad questions like ‘What do you want?’ in order to gain intel. But this backfires.
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Nothing frosts my cookies more than hearing stories of entrepreneurs doing great work for clients and customers...and then having to work twice as hard just to get paid for that work.
In today's Smiley Session we're taking a look at what you can do right now to get those payments rolling in pronto.
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We do it to ourselves. Or rather, those little voices inside our heads do. They tell us stories of who we are, what we should do, and how much we're worth. And those stories keep us stuck.
It's pretty much as if hanging out our shingles as entrepreneurs is the signal they've been waiting for to really start kicking up a fuss and whispering those stories louder and louder.
It sucks. And it needs to stop. Let's change the story.
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Sealing the deal with a new client is exhilarating. But when you've been in the thick of discussions, the adrenaline gets pumping...and once it wears off? The deal isn't so sweet.
In today's Smiley Session we're taking a look at how to avoid coming down with a nasty case of negotiator's regret.
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If you’ve been in business for any length of time, it’s bound to happen. You get stiffed.
You’ve delivered a great design, site, product or strategy…and the check never arrives. It’s not even in the mail!
Having a client pay late, or skip out all together on their invoice is frustrating. It throws our cash flow out of whack, and brings up some serious doubts about human nature. And while you may not be able to recover payment 100% of the time, there are actions you can take to resolve the situation, and make sure it’s not as likely to happen in the future.
Let’s get you paid.
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Are you stuffing your clients full of cookies...only to realize that your jar is empty?
Here's how to up client sweetness, without the stomach-ache.
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Truth time: I don’t wake up every single day with pep in my step and a fire in my heart when it comes to getting shit done in my business. Some days are more of a crawl to the coffee, then a bunch of procrastination.
And on those days, I need a swift kick in the butt to get back into business mode.
I’m betting that when it comes to negotiation, you feel the same way. You know you should. You know you could. You know that it’d probably get you some pretty great results. But. Ugh. Getting that motivation to make the Ask is tough.
When you’d rather tweak your blog graphics, or read just a few more articles in the name of research than jump into a negotiation, I want you to press play on the Negotiation Motivation Playlist below, and get ready for some serious Make The Ask Mojo.
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