Mike Michalowicz's Blog, page 38

My favorite part of The Pumpkin Plan

 



 

What do you want? A successful business!

When do you want it? Now!

And you can have it now. Even with the ebb and flow of uncertainty happening.

A couple weeks ago the audiobook for The Pumpkin Plan was re-released. When it was, one of my employees asked me what my favorite part of the book is. Hm…all of it? But overall, that it works. That companies see rapid growth when they apply the methodology.

Now that The Pumpkin Plan has been out for some years, I have been able to see how the system has strengthened businesses – specifically when it comes to growth. I see it in my own business. I see it from the emails I receive from those who read the book and implement the system and see success.

Remember the fundamentals to rapid growth:

Concentrate on a community
Clone the best clients
Remove the unhealthy pumpkins (I know, no one is quick to get rid of clients right now, but if you then focus on those healthy pumpkins, that energy spent will show a greater return)
Nurture the healthy pumpkins

Also – Around here we like to get “transformonials”. They’re testimonials, only better, and about real transformation. Do you use The Pumpkin Plan in your business? If so, we want to hear how The Pumpkin Plan strategy transformed your business. Post your transformonial here in the comments. If you’re feeling shy, email them to us at jenna@mikemichalowicz.com (she will compile a list and make sure I read them all!)

 

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A Simple Hack to Succeed in a Challenge

 



When things get challenging, what is the main quality you have that gets you through?

For me, it’s adaptability. It’s integral and a catalyst to make positive changes and to grow.

For instance, maybe it means switching up your routine anticipated run to a HIIT workout. (Ahem, cough, cough, watch the video.) I still worked out, and hard. However, I achieved it by adapting to the challenge.

If you don’t adapt to change, you won’t move. If you won’t move, you’ll get left behind.

Did you know that humans are the most adaptable of all species? It’s science! From an unexpected change to your work out, to your business, to a global pandemic, how you move through and adapt to transitions will determine your success. Your joy. Your life. (Full disclosure – I am only human, so sometimes, this sage insight occurs after the dust has settled!)

It’s easy to expect or want stability. But change, and adapting to change, does not equal instability. In fact, if you find yourself at a crossroads and adapting is in order, you are likely moving the dial toward more stability and success.

Right now I am writing my next book, Different is Better. It’s about marketing. Differently.  And when you are doing different, there will always be a little bit of concern when it comes to adapting to the changes you make.

Adapting to new circumstances isn’t easy. Here are some of the roadblocks and what I do to surpass those suckers. Fair warning, this can be a workout for your mental muscles. But I know you have what it takes.

Refusal of acceptance. Change is a natural part of life. Fighting change will not make the need go away. And, you may end up regretting now making a change later (do deal with this, check out the last blog on regret!) Most of life’s greatest opportunities are baked into challenges. And you must accept those challenges to be open to the changes required for your success.
Fear of risk. You’re going to have to drop the fear. When there is change there is risk. I get it! Try to focus on your values instead of your fears. Take baby steps. Each small step you take is a step in the right direction in eliminating those fears. Eventually, you will have taken enough steps that you feel more confident and comfortable with risks. I’m not saying bet the house in Vegas. But let’s not do the same thing over and over and expect immense success.
The forest through the trees. When a challenge arises and you are faced with 100 moving parts, it’s hard to see the proverbial forest through the trees. Take pause and ask yourself, how do you want the landscape to appear when this challenge is over? (Close your eyes and picture it, I’ll wait…) Ok, good. Now, what goals do you need to achieve to get there? Checking those goals off is an empowering step in the process.

Adaptability. It doesn’t mean not staying true to yourself. Adaptability equals the stronger you. The even better you. The more evolved you. The more successful you. 

I am, as always, rooting for you!

-Mike

 

 

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What Now?

It’s not business as usual, is it?

The last few months have been disconcerting. Your business may have taken a hit, and at the very least, you may have had to do some unexpected pivoting. Leaving you and your fellow business owners asking, “What now”?

You need actionable advice from experts who have been here before and built systems in response. Systems that drive real results and have enabled hundreds of thousands of businesses to succeed.

For this reason, we have created The What Now Series . It was created in order to help navigate you through today’s rocky environment – with the expertise that you need.

The first webinar in the series will take place on August 19th at 6pmEST. In this free webinar, we will get into the nitty gritty of marketing – because you need sales right now – am I right?

When you join us, the return will be priceless. You will receive expert guidance from not only my trusted friends, but each one is an authority in marketing. They know how to help you reflect your brand, communicate your offering – and get real, actionable takeaways that you will apply for your business to succeed now.

Joining us are:

John Jantsch – Author, Duct Tape Marketing

Melinda Emerson – Author, Fix Your Business

And me, too!

I am so excited to dig in. Now is the time to take action. Let’s get these marketing tools under our belt and kick some major butt.

Here is the link to register: What Now Series
Join us!

See you then!

-Mike

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Creating Opportunity from Regret

 



 

Ok. Time to get real. We have all been there. We all have something (or somethings) we regret.

Ouch. Ok Mike. Real fun blog, Buddy.

Hear me out. What if we could make that regret – a success? Ah ha!

The world may be feeling a bit heavy for you right now. But take pause and take a look around. There may never be a better time for you to reconcile a regret and find ways to apply those lessons to new opportunities.

These days, I am taking my regrets, and OWNING those pesky little beasts. In my personal life and in my business. I am actively seeking out regret and turning them around. I am turning regrets into opportunities. And it feels so good.

In this video I give just one example. Confession. I am not flexible. Not in a stringent, old grouch kind of way. More like oh say, an anti-Gumby kind of way. Even after all the years of sports, running, HIIT workouts and competing with, well, myself, I feel like the least flexible man on the planet. You get the picture.

So whaddya going to do about it, Mike?

I have stopped ignoring that little voice in my head that taunted me for nearly snapping when I try to touch my toes. I began hyperbolic stretching. And guess what? It. Is. Working!

I have changed the messaging in my head. Instead of saying, “Ah Mike, too bad you never stretched, you inflexible old man”, now I say, “I want to be flexible, so what techniques will I apply to meet my goal?” Again, this is just one example. I know you may have much larger regrets. But the lesson is the same.

How will you transform your regret into your success? That question is really the sum of all of this. Don’t accept your regret as a life sentence. If it will make your life or your business better, start now! (Like now. Stop reading and start now! I’ll wait.) Here are a few actions I take:

Own it! Make it yours. Once you’ve owned that regret deep down, you can use that regret as a building block. If you truly own it then you won’t make that mistake again, and will have a clear vision of what you DO want to do. You know, like learning from your own bad example.
Revisit and prepare. What was the lesson? Turning regret into opportunity doesn’t necessarily translate into correcting that exact regret. It does translate, however, into a raised awareness about what you want your life to look like. What questions could you have asked yourself when a missed opportunity took place? What would you have done differently?
Reframe the past, reframe your mindset

Don’t let regret drag you down. We all know we can’t change the past. But the past doesn’t dictate our future. The future is yours! How will you apply the lesson you learned to shape your future?

Remember – regret equals opportunity. In your personal life, and in business. Harness your regrets. Learn the lessons. Apply them to an opportunity. You can build something wonderful.

I am wishing you many, many opportunities for success!

-Mike

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Transform Your Business – 5 Simple Steps

 

Have you ever wanted to transform? Yourself? Or your business? Or both?

Were you successful?

Or, are you on the brink of a great transformation? Great! How are you planning on achieving it?

(Is that crickets I hear?)

How powerful would it be if you truly transformed? You CAN.

Many of us have visions of transforming, but oftentimes don’t experience true transformation. We get stuck in this loop. This loop, better known as, ”being human”! We get grand ideas, we start thinking and planning. But as soon as we feel like we’re not making a ton of headway, we tell ourselves our dream of transformation won’t be realized. 

Yes. Your transformation CAN be realized. And if you do experience transformation, your life can be profoundly shifted for the better.

Today’s economic environment (read, recession) is demanding more than a couple pivots from you. A whole dang transformation may be in order. Since the old I Dream of Genie nod isn’t sufficient, here is the model that I follow when I know it’s time to make that shift:

Choice – This is when you are considering a new ideation of what or where you’d like to be. You’ve likely arrived at the decision to create transformation in your business out of necessity or dissatisfaction. We see the options and then we…
Commit – This is the phase of optimism (“I’m going to DO this!”)…but it’s unenlightened optimism. You may understand what you want and what your results may be. But that understanding is from a logical perspective. You don’t really know what the necessary work is. 
Clarity – Now you see what will be required of you. You have a new awareness – along overwhelm of what tasks need to get completed in order to succeed and see your transformation unfold. (Hang in there, don’t give up!)
Effort – Work without reward. Look, this can be frustrating for a bit. I get it! You have to keep your eye on the prize here.The results are not going to come overnight! (If they do, tell me your secret oh wise one.) This stage is where it’s imperative to keep at it no matter what. I know that there is a sense of urgency with a recession knocking on your door. Do not get distracted or discouraged. I don’t care if you have to wear your vision board as pants.
Results – Work with reward begins to motivate you and up goes your momentum. Ah, sweet results.
Transformation – BOOM. You’ve arrived, baby! A new identity. One that builds resilience, too. 

There is one aspect of all this that will drive you through your journey – your driving purpose. The journey to transformation is expedited by this driving purpose. Make this purpose visual for you. Keep focused on it. And do not give up. You didn’t get all this way in a blink of an eye, so make sure to keep your expectations in line. At the same time, do not let go of your dream. You want to transform? Whether it’s in your personal life or your business, you have it in you to do it!

If you’d like a copy Journey to Transformation to download, check out The Recession Response page. Print it out, keep it in your workspace, and stay focused!

As always, I am wishing you tremendous success!

Here’s to your health and wealth, 

-Mike

 

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The Shortest Marketing Lesson

 

The shortest marketing lesson?

Be different. 

It is critical to stand out. And when you are different, you get noticed. 

Think about your mail. Full of mailers. Do you look at them? I know we have a tendency to toss them in the garbage at my house. Why? Because they all look the same, aside from this “letter”/mass mailer I received (if you didn’t watch the video this will make no sense to you!). The letter was a great idea, but kind of failed the test on the whole. So, no sales there.

Let’s check out how to be different, and really pass the test:

Be different – for real:

No really. Be real – When you’re different you immediately get the attention of the customer. Ok good. But are you being authentic? If not, you’re going to fail at this whole awesome marketing strategy, and that would make me sad. And it will result in no sales. You see a pattern starting here, yes? 
Check your marketing style – How have you been marketing up until this point? Ok good. Now stop doing that. That way has already been your established method. If you are doing what your industry is already doing, you’ll be hidden in the mix. (Uhm, the opposite of being different.) 

Attract:

Meet the attractor factor – Once you have mastered being different, the right audience must be compelled to take action. Who is the audience you want to reach? How will you attract or compel them to take the action you want? One thing I have learned in this department is to always be myself when marketing. It is one thing to be different, but it absolutely must be rooted in your authenticity. (See above!)
Build trust – Trust is paramount. Be truthful with your customers. Customers and clients know when they are being manipulated in your marketing shenanigans. Remember you are not just selling a product, you are serving your customers the best thing for them. Serve well. When your customers trust you and know you have their best interest in mind, it will attract them to your company. 

Trigger

What is your call to action? What is the one simple step you want the customer to take? Maybe it’s emailing you, or clicking a call to action box. Whatever it may be, make sure they are compelled to do it, friction free and in the easiest way possible.

I love being different – stop laughing. Being different allows us all to be ourselves. If we truly do that, our businesses will move forward. 

Drop me an email or comment below – how are you different in your industry? If you’re not, tell me what you plan to do about it! (See the call to action here?) I look forward to hearing from you!

You’ve got this!

-Mike

 

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Recharge Yourself – Recharge your Business

You cannot move your business forward by worrying.

You cannot grow if you are burnt out. At this point, I doubt you’re firing on all cylinders.

It’s time to recharge.

The last few months have been one tumultuous roller coaster – and even though I enjoy a good challenge, I know well enough that there’s only so much we can take. We’ve been caught up in a tailspin – financially, mentally and possibly physically. Business owners or not, we’re all only human. Maybe you’re feeling this surge of adrenaline and you think you’re cruising along just fine. My friend, if you want to steer this ship though this storm and out the other side, you are going to need a lot more power behind the wheel.

Did I mention it’s time to recharge? Because I’m not sure you’re with me yet.

The landscape as we’ve known it is changing. It’s hard to know exactly how it will look when the dust settles. So it feels like a strange time to take a vacation. Your business is likely changing a bit, whether you’re pivoting your offering or still making decisions about your next move. But even if it’s a stay-cation, you must take a break from your business. You must reset your mindset.

I realize there is still a pandemic going on and we’re on the cusp of a recession. I get it. But business owner to business owner, I am here to remind you that grinding your gears over and over is not going to move those wheels forward. A recent Wall St. Journal article discussed staving off burnout by taking some time off. Guys, even WJS agrees with me!

To be candid, I never feel that there’s a completely perfect time to take off. I need to build my business, write books, create new products… You know what else? I need to hit the reset button from time to time and get a fresh perspective. I come back invigorated, even more creative and excited for what’s to come. And, I have a team who backs me up 100% so I am able to take that time off and know that everything is under control. They support me – and I them when it’s their turn to take their vacations too.

Employees are worried about taking PTO. Some are concerned about their finances or feel they may be penalized for taking time off. Fortune recently published an article citing 5 ways employees took vacation time during the pandemic. It’s just something to share with your employees in support of their vacation plans. Let them know that their well being is important to you – and that you need them at their best.

Before you and your employees head out for your well advised break, I have a homework assignment for you. Write to me and tell me where you’re going. Better yet, send a photo and we’ll post it on social media!

Let the world know you are taking action to recharge yourself to recharge your business.

You’ve got this my friends!

Mike

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A new way to increase sales

Just about everything you read lately starts off with some reference to “these uncertain times”.

It’s true, there is so much upheaval. We are facing a global health crisis, a financial crisis and are on the brink of a recession.

But we are not helpless. And I believe in silver linings. Especially for small and medium sized businesses.

While I don’t have all the answers to Covid-19 and the repercussions of the pandemic, I do have a few business solutions. These solutions will help you navigate the recession and sustain your business.

You have heard me say this a lot lately: the world needs you to succeed right now. According to Forbes, you are “the lifeblood of the global economy”. We need small and medium sized businesses to stay in tact. It’s not the larger businesses who are the backbone of the economy. It’s yours.

Ok thanks Mike, but how? For one thing. You need money. And not to oversimplify things here, but to get money, you need to increase sales. Since this economic crisis has begun, entrepreneurs and business owners have asked me what to do as a recession approaches. My first answer is to increase sales. This is vital, now more than ever. You must increase sales in order to sustain your business and come out of the other side of an impending recession.

It’s a sensitive time for everyone, so it may feel a little uncomfortable trying to “get out there and sell”. I get it. You (as do I) pride yourself on maintaining integrity. You also want to keep your business. You may feel a little weird focusing on increasing sales, but you must!.

Furthermore, as a business owner you have an obligation. You are obligated to serve your business community with the best possible products that will serve your customers. Customers are going to turn to small and medium businesses now more than ever, too. So what is the best way to increase sales in a way that allows you to sleep at night?

It’s comforting to me that there is a way to sell with your client and customers’ best interest in mind – and your integrity intact. Phew. The method to use to ensure you increase sales while serving your clients is called Serve Selling. I developed this method when business owners started telling me they didn’t want to “sell” to anyone.

I realized you need to be serving your clients and customers, not selling to them. Now that feels better, doesn’t it? That simple shift in your mindset may just make all the difference.

The method of Serve Selling focuses on persuading, not manipulating. It is based on getting someone to buy because it’s better for them, not you.

Eureka!

Let’s break Serve Selling down:

Serve instead of sell – When you have a sales offering, assume the role of a servant versus a salesperson. Take away the fake concern and manipulation. Focus on the real pain points and challenges your customer is facing. Now how does your product help them?
Do your research! Prior to your sales call or meeting, research every option for your client and be sure your offering is the best fit for your customers’ unique needs.
You need to be convinced. Yes you. You need to be the most convinced that your offering is the best fit for your customer. If you believe it will be of service to them, your communication will be clear, sincere, and well received.
You bridge the gap. There is a gap between a customer’s fear and the end result they can obtain through your sale. Make sure you can show them what their benefits will be.
Go into your sales as a servant. Tear away the fake concern while actually manipulating them to do what you want.
Remember. Selling is not telling. Selling is satisfying your customer.
Every time you make a sales call, make it a service call. I am positive your sales will improve.

I am all about getting you resources to help you navigate through these choppy waters we are facing. In light of this I will host a webinar to do a deeper dive into Serve Selling. If you would like to join, I would love to see you there. You may register here: Serve Selling

Also, to revisit this business solution as well as utilize the growing list of downloadable resources, go to The Recession Response. I am adding resources and updates often.

My friends. There will be good days and not so hot days. Just remember – YOU GOT THIS!

Wishing you health and wealth,

Mike

*****

Join me on the journey INSTAGRAM

Check out the new courses to help propel your business forward: Mike’s courses

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Who is Your Customer Avatar?

Now more than ever, you need to pinpoint your market. But how?

There is a common known concept for small and medium business owners. It’s also the least executed. And it’s critical! Give up?

Well, who is your ideal customer? I mean, if you could sum them all up? Do you know their persona and what they need from you? What are their challenges and how can you serve them?

Above all, how can you serve your customers far better than anyone else out there?

You must know who your customer is in order to serve them well. Knowing their profile is the key to relationship building, product development, marketing and sales. It equals success for both you and your customers.

Welcome the customer avatar. What’s that? Sounds a little sci-fi to some old schoolers. And no, it’s not that animation of you on social media. Forbes defines your ideal customer avatar as a customer profile that is the best case scenario for your business.

You know how you build your avatar on social media or your email and it looks…well, nothing like you? You can’t do that with your customer avatar. You cannot reach your customers and help them with their challenges and goals if you don’t know who they are.

Ouch.

Ok, ok Mike! Now what?

How do you find your customer avatar?

Pro tip. You don’t make your customer avatar up – you discover it. Your ideal customer is already a customer of yours.
Beyond age, demographics and company type, ask yourself these questions about your customers: What podcasts do they listen to? Are they on email lists? Where do they congregate? Who do they follow on social media, and what subscriptions do they have?
Why do they need you? Be sure you know your avatar’s specific challenges and pain points, and you will be able to serve them better by.

Concentrate your marketing efforts in the area where your avatar is and watch your business improve.

Let’s talk benefits:

Products. You can’t develop solid products if you don’t know what will help them right now. Knowing who you serve will help you create better (not sucky) products that they will use today. The trend these days is action and your customers need actionable products.
Marketing and sales. Speaking directly to specific customer needs. If you are trying to appeal to everyone, you are probably appealing to no one. Know what their present challenges as well as future goals are. Be the one who helps them nail both.
Relationship building. Connecting with who your customer is, is the key to success. When you focus on who your customers are as individuals, you build trust. In turn, you will attract more of the kinds of people you are currently serving.

Something I pride myself on is the personal relationships I develop with my clients and customers. So while an avatar may seem impersonal, knowing who your avatar is will enable you to serve your customer base in a more personalized way. And that is a win win in my book.

Wishing you tremendous success.

You’ve got this!

-Mike

 

For more tips like this go to mikemotorbike.com

Join me in the journey! Instagram

What’s one of the key factors holding your business back? Confidence!

How is your confidence these days? How is your clients’ confidence in you?

The Confidence Course is being discounted for Mike’s audience.

See how much more success is achieved when your conviction meets action!

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Independent and Black Owned Bookstores – And how to support other black owned businesses

There is an obvious economic shift these days. How can we not only work toward building and sustaining our own businesses, but support each other as well?

What I love about small business is our comrade, and how we rally together in times of need. We are a community and we act as such. I just love that.

As you know, I am always seeking new ways to lift up small businesses. This time, I wanted to bring attention to black owned businesses. 

The crisis facing the economy and the racial unrest is a far more robust and ongoing conversation than this short blog. It’s important to have options when deciding on who to engage in business. In light of this, here are some resources should you be interested:

 

Independent, black owned bookstores:

Many of you have written to me about buying my books through independent bookstores, and the author in me loves exploring them. Earlier this month, Literary Hub put out a list of independent, black owned bookstores. Thanks Lit Hub! Do they all carry my books? No, but I’m interested anyway! Here is the list: Independent black owned bookstores

Hungry? There’s an app for that

I also found there is an application to help locate black owned restaurants in over 20 US cities.your area. EatOkra can help fill your belly, and support a black owned business. 

It’s not for Wall Street

Official Black Wall Street is the largest platform for black businesses.It includes a robust directory with everything from accessories to construction to finance to writing, all provided by black owned businesses.(And yes, there’s an app for this too!)

 

We’re in this together in many different ways. Coming together has never been more important for the world, and that includes our businesses. 

What are some of the new things you have been trying to support small business now?

We’ve got this!

-Mike

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