In 14 days, it will be 2013 and everyone will be focused on making 2013 their best year ever. I don’t disagree with you; in fact, I wholeheartedly endorse and recommend that you look closely at your goals and your plans and ensure that you have covered all of your bases. Your success next year could depend on it. As you look at your list, it is my recommendation that you use this article and the assignments that accompany it to help you to ensure that you are primed and positioned to change lives with your brand, business, message, products and services in the new year.
At the top of each year, there are consistent tips and strategies that I recommend to followers, students and clients. 2013 is no exception; I created a list that I believe will elevate your Incredible Factor if you commit to doing the work from day one.
1. Make a non-negotiable decision. Yes, make (which takes action to decide to do something unconventional) something that may rattle feathers of others but something that will solidify your brand and allow you to stand out. Gone are the days of entering your industry as a carbon-copy of whoever is on top. Today, it is necessary that you carve out your place amongst the many who technically do what you do but could never do it quite the way that you do. As an early business owner, I struggled with this. I thought it would just be easier to be just like what was already available but what I found instead is that by being just like what was already in the market, I became easily replaceable. In making this non-negotiable decision to do something different, set a non-negotiable goal to determine what “it” is in the remaining days of 2012 and at the latest the first month of the new year. That way you can create the strategies to use the rest of the year spreading your message to the masses you were called to reach.
Questions to ask yourself to apply this tip to your 2013:
1. What makes me different from the others in my industry?
2. What would my previous clients say was my defining strategy/content/etc?
3. When I make this decision and ultimately the goal, what will I have to do to ensure that I see it through to completion this year?
2. Upgrade your ideal client. Many of you are trying to serve everyone, mainly those who can’t afford your expertise and wondering why your business is not growing. As you set a new goal, you must ask yourself who must I be to attract clients who can pay me at this level? You’ll realize that when you up-level your business so must your client, your circle of influence, your products and services – everything must up-level as well. To upgrade your ideal client, it’s going to take time, strategy and marketing that is experiential in nature so that you create an emotional response with your prospects that tells them that if they plan to solve THAT problem, they need you.
Questions to ask yourself to apply this tip to your 2013:
1. What is your 2013 income goal?
2. Who must you attract to achieve this goal easily and effortlessly?
3. How must you market and what must your marketing say to attract the type of clients who will choose to work with you this year so that you achieve this goal?
4. Who must I become to attract the kind of clients who will gladly pay my rates?
5. What must my brand message and positioning be and reflect to attract clients at my upgraded level?
PS – If you have yet raised your rates for 2013, now is the time to do it!
3. Shift your Circle of Influence. It’s been said that if you’re not going where you want to go, it’s because you’re following people who can’t help you to get there. Your circle of influence includes your family, friends, colleagues, associates, mentors, etc. As you review this list of people, it’s important that you complete the “Inspect the Incredible” process, checking the Incredible levels in the people whose company you keep.
Here’s my simple legend for determining who should get some of your time:
1. List the 5 to 7 people that you spend the majority of your time with.
2. List the colleagues, etc that you spend time on the phone with or networking with on a consistent basis.
3. As you list them, go back over you list and apply a + – or /+ = they make you feel like you can fly, they support you in any way that they can -= you dread seeing their name come across your cellular phone. You frequently send them to voicemail and make excuses to avoid commitments with them /= you feel indifferent about them, they could go either way but they are neither consistently.
By now I know you’ve guessed it – + means they get to stay; – minus means you should reduce or eliminate time spent with them and / means you need to decide the kind of impact they are having on your life. Hint: / if they are a slash, they usually are more negative than positive.
A great way to shift your circle of influence is by joining a mastermind group led by a proven expert or leader in offering transformative results to their clients.
Questions to ask yourself to apply this tip to your 2013:
1. Who do I want to spend time with so that my life and business are a reflection of my 2013 goals?
2. Who do I currently attract to my life? Why? What in me needs to change in order to attract more quality people?
3. If I started to attract people who are where I desire to be, what would that do for my life and business?
4. Get a coach or mentor. Okay let me be clear – if you could do it, it would already be done. 6 and 7 figure entrepreneurs don’t recreate the wheel they follow systems that work and they are usually found with qualified coaches and mentors. Since I realized this, I have always had a coach or mentor. To grow my multiple six-figure business to millions, I recognize that I need guidance and support at another level. The truth is because you don’t even have a clue what you don’t know that ultimately impacts your success, it is best to locate a person who can cut out the extra steps and lead you to the breakthrough and result faster than you could on your own. Now, it will require a mindset shift in order to make it happen. You must look at it as an investment not an expense because the first thing you learned as a business owner when things aren’t progressing is to cut expenses. Investing in yourself and your business through other qualified coaches and mentors is what will allow you to upgrade your client, raise your rates and change your lifestyle.
Questions to ask yourself to apply this tip to your 2013:
1. What is my ultimate goal for my business in 2013?
2. What is my income goal for 2013?
3. What amount have I decided to earmark to invest in my personal and professional development this year? (My recommendation is at least 10% of your income goal for 2013)
4. What do I need most to achieve my ultimate goal for 2013?
5. Who do I know and resonate with who has proven through their own consistent effort is accomplishing what I desire to accomplish?
6. What am I looking for in a coach/mentor? For help with this check out my post on the qualities your next business coach or mentor should possess.
7. Do the members of my inner circle have coaches and mentors? Who do they recommend? (If they don’t they probably need not be in your circle)
If you are unsure after answering these questions, make it your goal to attend an event of mentors you’re considering to learn from and see if they’re the right fit for your next level.
5. Take consistent action. The only way to Unleash Your Incredible Factor in 2013 is by taking inspired, consistent action. You must do something each day to influence the success of achieving your goals for the year. And you must also check yourself by consistently asking, “Is what I’m doing right now getting me closer to the achievement of my 2013 goal?” Whenever the answers is no, you must immediately stop, delegate and get back on task. When you take steps each day toward completing your goal, you will achieve them.
Here’s to Unleashing Your Incredible Factor in 2013!!
©2012 by Darnyelle A. Jervey. All Rights Reserved. Darnyelle A. Jervey, MBA, The Incredible Factor Speaker, Business Coach and Marketing Mentor, is the founder of Incredible One Enterprises.com, Incredible Factor University® the Leverage Your Incredible Factor System® a proven step-by-step program for more clients, more income and more leverage in your business. For more information and a FREE audio CD “7 Critical Mistakes Entrepreneurs Must Avoid When Unleashing Your Incredible Factor So You Attract More Clients, Make More Money and Gain More Leverage” just fill out the form below.
