Stephanie Frank is the best-selling author of The Accidental Millionaire and co-founder of the Whole Wealth Institute Business Accelerator. Her personal story of rising from a college dropout to a multi-million dollar business owner at the young age of 22, walking away, starting over and duplicating success has inspired thousands. Upgrade to a Wild WE Gold membership for access to Stephanie's inspiring articles!

Actually, I should have failed - I should have been the "intentional bankrupt" instead of the accidental millionaire. I did absolutely everything wrong in my first business and still made a million dollars. I didn't go to business school or have education as a business leader - much like many of my clients I just jumped into business because it seemed like the right thing to do.

As it became increasingly difficult to manage, I began to discover exactly what I had to do to duplicate success over and over again in any business I wanted to.
I now teach these four skill sets to my clients so they can achieve success faster than they ever thought possible. I don't want anyone else to be an accidental millionaire. I want YOU to be an INTENTIONAL millionaire. I want you to be wildly successful because of yourself.

They are so successful because what I've done is developed a step by step methodology, a recipe for creating success in any business. Using my skills as a former computer hacker, I break down systems into bit-sized steps - a complete process for developing their success.

I can take any business that has an existing product or service and make them a millionaire in as little as 12 months. The process is documented. If they can follow simple steps, they can find million-dollar success too.

The biggest trap that business leaders fall into is not knowing how to trust others to get a job done. They are unable to relinquish control long enough for someone else to prove that they have the skills to be helpful. They feel that they must do it all themselves in order for the job to be done right. Or they are on the other end of the spectrum, overwhelmed and believing that they can't lead the business without a partner to assist them.

Both are dangerous. The controlling leader finds him or herself alone and overworked, and the overwhelmed leader finds him or herself in a variety of partnerships that do not work.

Carly Fiorina, in a speech to the MIT class of 2000 said "A leader's greatest responsibility is to make possible an environment where others can aspire to change the world.' When business leaders learn that leading doesn't mean strapping on the wagon and carrying everybody up the hill, success can begin.

There are really 4 major areas so let me tell you all four. All business leaders need duplicatable and understandable systems to define their leadership vision, communicate their marketing message, build and manage strong teams, and be financially solid in their business.

These four things are what every business leader needs to build a thriving profitable business. And here's why. You have to have leadership strength because weak leaders kill business. It's as simple as that. According to Harvard Business Review (Jan. 05), 2 out of 5 new CEOs fail in their first 18 months: "We live in a world where organizational failure is endemic," says Jena McGregor in her article "Fast Company" (Feb. 2005).

You have to be able to communicate your marketing message so customers can be clear on how your business solves their problems. You have to build powerful teams to keep the business running, and you must understand money because without it, you don't have a business at all.

The secret to creating exponential growth in business is mastering and following the 4 skills I just mentioned. Use formulas for each step in the process, so you won't have to guess at which decisions are right for the business, which people to hire and how to sell your next product.

Let me break it down.

Because this is a process, I can't tell you everything but I can tell you this. Let's take an example that every small business leader faces - cash flow problems. "If I could only make more money, I'd be fine..." says many a small business leader.

With all challenges, including cash flow, you must ask yourself four questions?

1. What do I want specifically? (How much per month?)


2. Where am I now? (What is coming in per month?)


3. What is the gap? (What is the difference?)


4. How can I close the gap? (How many sales do I need?)

Once you ask yourself these questions, you can begin to formulate the plan to get the clients to close the gap to be financially solid.

A lot of people have discussed this theoretically, including Michael Gerber. He's given some really big picture ideas of how its supposed to work, but nobody has really broken it down for the small business owners to really apply the leadership techniques and skills to before they can apply it and lead their organization through it. All of these books assume that people are in the position to create systems.
There's a difference between knowing you have to create a system and actually putting it in place. It prepares the business owner fundamentally to create the fundamental shift in thinking and empower the business owner fundamentally to begin the process of creating the systems without being bogged down in theory and details.
The book is for people who are already running a business and don't have time to go to business school - those people who want quick, simple and do-it-now techniques for getting to a position to create systems, and who want accelerated results.
Anybody can start a business but if you've never done it successfully, you just need knowledge. The blueprint in the book sets business leaders up for success by providing a recipe.

Think of it this way - anybody can go through and they can make a cake, but if you've never baked before and even if you have a recipe, your cake won’t be as good as the chef's. Would it be better to have the chef sitting there with you, helping you every step of the way and showing you the pitfalls?

Anybody who went to school will understand what I'm about to say. There are behaviors programmed into us during our school years that we dangerously carry into adulthood and our business. The most dangerous is the "do it all by yourself or flunk the test" program.

Think about it. You're sitting at your desk in sixth grade math class, about to take a test. The teacher says "All eyes on your paper. If you look at or talk to anyone else, you're cheating and you fail."
So what do we do in business and in life? We think we have to do it by ourselves or risk failure. Success is the opposite – you need a support team, mentors, coaches, and advisors to help you along the way.

Math class also teaches us that there is only one way to solve a problem. Have you ever gotten an F in math class because you didn't use the exact steps you were shown to solve a problem, even though you got the right answer? I have. Successful people use creative problem solving strategies to come up with unique answers to challenges, despite being told they are wrong for doing so.

We need to break free of that limiting programming and realize that in order to grow, we must find new ways of doing things, working with people and overcoming obstacles.

Do you know what the most important thing a business leader can do to accelerate their business? Know what it's like when it's built. Most people have never done that. They don't know where they're going. They simply start out with an ill-defined objective, and see how it goes from there.

Ask yourself some questions:

1. What will my business income ultimately be?


2. Where will my business be located?


3. Will I have staff or outsourced assistance?


4. How many product lines will there be?


5. ...and so on

Huge corporations like IBM are successful because their founders literally dreamed - they considered what they future will look like, then set out to build it, much like an architect builds a building. First they draw the blueprint, then set the foundation and finally build the structure so the building doesn't tip over.

In addition to lack of systems and process, which can be learned, many businesses simply need more customers, AND they need repeat customers. Small business leaders must focus on these three things to grow their customer base:

1. Who is my customer?


2. What benefit do I provide my customers?


3. When they are attracted to my organization, what do I want them to do next?

Starting with the first question, the biggest trap you can fall into is to say "everyone is my customer". Not true! While "everyone" may be able to use your product or service, the reality is that not everyone wants it. So don't even try.
Imagine you’re standing in the cereal isle at your local grocery store, perusing the huge variety of colors, pictures, boxes, bags, and flavors available. Now ask yourself this: Where do they keep the kids' cereal? On the bottom shelf, of course - it's where there customer can see it!

The next thing to think about is what your customers walk away with after they have interacted with your business. A simple formula to use is "People (or specific type of customer) call us when they want ___________." Here's an example for a company that has a hair-replacement remedy and wants to cater to women.

"Women who are embarrassed about losing their hair call us when they want a simple, easy to use and fast-acting hair replacement option."

Next is to get your customer to take action with you. If you've just met them, send a card with an option for future contact. Give them a reason to contact you with each step they take, and they will continue to buy from you again and again.

As a young business leader, I learned this lesson the hard way. At one point in my career, I was a highly paid security analyst - I broke into computer systems and was paid to do it by major corporations. During one high-paying project, I was interrupted by an employee who asked me how to make coffee. They asked me how to make coffee because I was very picky about how I wanted it done. At that moment, I realized I could be making money or making coffee - and I chose to make money.
I immediately went into the kitchen with the employee and wrote on a piece of paper: "Here's how we make coffee" and proceeded to have them document the process while I made my final cup of coffee. Applying that same concept to administrative, marketing, sales, production and even household functions will allow you to take the time you need to live the life you want.

Have you ever delegated something, only to have it UN-delegated? I'm sure a lot of people will understand and have probably used the phrase "just forget it, I'll do it myself." Well, it doesn't have to be that hard. There are five simple steps for successful delegation every time.

1. Get buy-in for the task before you delegate it. ("Mary, I need some help with a writing project. Are you up for it?")


2. Explain the task in detail. (Put it in writing)


3. Ask the person if they need anything to be able to perform the duties.


4. Agree on a follow-up date.


5. Put it on your calendar and follow-up!

These simple steps will take the stress out of delegation.

For years, I hid behind what I thought was my biggest obstacle. I was embarrassed because I had so much trouble sitting still, staying awake in meetings, prioritizing tasks, focusing and keeping myself organized that I believed there was something truly wrong with me. I learned that these are traits of attention deficit adults and began to learn more about how to use my boundless energy, quick wit and creative, big-picture thinking patterns to my benefit.

Today, I think my ADD is my biggest gift, and I help others to learn how to use that gift instead of hiding behind it.

You can go to www.AccidentalMillionaire.com for a special offer on our 2-for-1 book with Power Pack and over $3,200 in bonus gifts for a limited time. The book also comes with over $1,574 in forms, checklists and tools that I have used with my exclusive coaching and mentoring clients. It’s available for only $47.

You can also get the book at bookstores and Amazon.com. Ending paragraph

Labels: wild we member of the month

April 15th and we all have tax season on our minds. For those of you receiving a refund read this first. And for the rest of you, consider this as planning ahead for the next time unanticipated or "bonus" money comes into your lives.

Most people tend to fall in one of two camps when unexpected money arrives. The first camp holds the "happy-go-lucky" mindsets. They are the ones who think, "What can I buy?" And proceed to spend the newly arrived money on something they want in the moment. The second camp says "how nice" when the money arrives. And then burdened by debt and haunted by their monthly payments they send the full amount and anything else they can scrounge up toward their credit card, home equity or whatever overdue bill is close by.

I propose a better way, a new and improved mindset for the tax refund, job bonus or a surprise financial gift from great uncle Henry. The "thirds approach" is a simple idea and can be start of a new way of handling your money. By encompassing the concepts of financial planning and taking care of yourself, this system allows for immediate and long-term rewards.

I advocate the thirds approach because it is a balanced approach. The first thing you do is divide the money into thirds. So if it is a $900 check, recognize that you have three amounts of $300 to apply to this concept.

The first amount goes toward paying down your debts. Any one debt or combination of debts you choose. The payment will go to the principal. This should not replace the monthly payment. Send this check in and consider a bit of your past taken care of for the moment.

Your second amount is earmarked for the future. A future goal such as retirement, college education, or a large house project you are saving towards. This money will be building something for you and your family in the long run. This way you are looking forward with your money.

Finally, the last third is for the present. Yes, you may get a present for yourself to enjoy and appreciate the gift. You deserve to do something nice for yourself. And besides you have already taken care of other goals. So think of this as part of your vacation, next shopping spree or that new computer you have been craving. Knowing that money is to be appreciated and enjoyed is essential to handling your money well.

Having this three-prong purpose for your money creates a more realistic view of money in your life. It will remind you of the division of responsibility that money holds in life: taking care of a variety of needs and wants in your life. You also have a planning tool from which to make smart decisions for future unforeseen income flowing into your life.

There are a few twists and layers that can be added to this approach and that involve some additional saving and charitable donations. I will discuss those details in future issues. For now, take a moment to make your money plan for your unanticipated income or immediate tax refund. If you have a spouse or partner, sit together and come up with the three areas to have your money work best for both of you according to the "thirds approach."

A year from now, you will still have something to show for your windfall. And as time goes on and debt dwindles you will have more money to take care of the present and your future.

C.D. Moriarty is a financial speaker, writer and coach. She is dedicated to empowering others around their money so they can achieve their dreams. She is living her dreams by residing in the Green Mountains and helping others make peaceful, practical, prosperous financial choices. Her website is www.moneypeace.com.

Want to make an impact with your online business in front of thousands of people just by talking? Stop dreaming about Oprah... and start doing radio.

Did you know that American radio stations need more than 10,000 guests per day to fill their shows? Plus there are thousands internet radio shows on the Net. And, the internet's next big thing: podcasting, is now becoming a great way to talk about your products or services. The sky's the limit with opportunties for any online business.

Radio producers are constantly looking for compelling guests. And the key to getting their attention is to make sure that whatever you're going to talk about is:

1. Controversial. Producers LOVE anything that gets their phone lines going. And nothing does the trick like a good argument.


2. Entertaining. If you can make people laugh and tell them fascinating stories, you'll always be in demand as a radio guest.


3. Informative. Give people useful, timely information. Give them stuff that makes them say, 'Wow! That's amazing! I didn't know that!'

Or a combination of the three.

Your first step is to come up with topic ideas that are interesting, fun, controversial, new or unusual. Make sure that your topic is appealing to the listeners. You need to focus on a problem and why you're the solution. Don't focus on the product or service you want to promote.

Here are the top ten most appealing subjects to help you get thinking about your topic:

1. Sex and relationships


2. Saving money


3. School violence


4. Corruption


5. Sexual harassment


6. Health and fitness


7. Hollywood & celebrities


8. Sports


9. Making money


10. Travel

Now narrow that focus down to a title that's attractive to your target audience. For an online entrepreneur coach, you may come up with: "The No-Stress Way to Start Your Own Online Business." For a gift basket maker, your title may be: "Get Your Partner Ready for Romance with Small Gifts." A internet safety expert could use the title "Keeping Your Child Safe Online, Even While You're at Work."

Once you've got a great title, you need to create what I call a Hot Guest Sheet, similar to a speaker's one-sheet, this one-page document highlights the title and outlines why you are the perfect guest for the topic. This Hot Guest Sheet should also have the following information:

1. Your credentials. If you've written a book, articles or even an ezine, mention it. You're looking to show the producer you are an authority on the topic.


2. A brief bio that really sells your personality. Give information that gives people insight into who you are, not just what you do.


3. Give some idea of what the audience will learn from you. These should tease the producer, making him or her compelled to want to know more.


4. A list of other places where you've been interviewed previously.


5. Possible questions the interviewer can ask you.


6. Your contact info

Once you have all the information together for your Hot Guest Sheet, all you need to do is fax it to producers. But remember, just like any media outlet, each radio has a target market, or demographic, so be sure to only send your Hot Guest Sheet to producers who match your target audience. After all, if your target market is women in their 30s, your not going to want to send your sheet to a heavy metal station. Women in their 30s tend not to be headbangers, so you'd be wasting time and money sending it to that producer. Always keep in mind your target audience.

About the author: Shannon Cherry, APR, MA helps women-owned businesses & entrepreneurs to be heard. She's a marketing communications and public relations expert with more than 15 years experience and the owner of Be Heard Solutions. She is also the publicist and board member of Wild Women Entrepreneurs. Subscribe today for Be Heard! a FREE biweekly ezine and get the FREE special report: Be the Big Fish: Three No-Cost Publicity Tactics to Help You Be Heard. Go to: http://www.beheardsolutions.com/freestuff_3.htm

Stuck in a beauty quandary? Can't pull yourself out of your fashion rut? Feeling like a Glamour "don't"? E-mail your beauty and fashion questions to our expert beauty consultant, Charlotte Maddox, at ask@thewildwe.com. If we publish your question, we will offer you a free text ad in our newsletter. All questions will be published anonymously.

As entrepreneurs and business women, we deal daily with our customer's/client's perceptions and priorities related to money. I'd love to learn other WWE's experiences!

First, the brand of skin care and color cosmetics I offer has been around for over 40 years so I find that many women already have positive or negative reactions to the company, business model and products. Their opinions may be based upon previous experiences, fact or even "fiction."

Another factor that affects buying decisions in my business is women's views about "beauty." How much effort are they willing to put into their upkeep and looks? Washing their faces? Adding a "touch" of color? Giving themselves facial treatments and applying makeup?

Disposable income. How much of women's "ready cash" are they able or willing to spend on skin care and color cosmetics?

Then there are choices and customer service and season of the year and whim ... so many considerations that go into money and spending. Your appearance can project an air of confidence and success. You "wear" your hairstyle and face every day! So, why not invest part of your clothing and makeup budget into a few good quality products and services?

Labels: beauty inside and out

by Dina Giolitto

Did you ever read one of those sales letters written by top marketers on the web, and immediately feel envious of their success?

Do you ever wonder why the Big League web marketers have that Copywriting Voodoo Magic... but your website seems to be cursed?

I have some sad news for you. If you're not pulling in the cash that you well deserve for your talent; yes, there's a good chance your website may indeed be doomed. Keep doing (or not doing) what you're doing, and you can look forward to embarrassingly small sums of profit piddling in at a snail's pace, for the rest of your life.

But I also have some happy news: the curse can be undone. You CAN turn your luck around, and start enjoying prosperity and abundance, selling like a champ, doing what you love.

So, how to lift the web copy curse, and majorly up your profit potential?

1. Call upon the forces of that old dynamic duo, Copywriting and Web Marketing


2. Kick up the audience collection and involvement process


3. Eradicate ALL traces of "modest, humble, mediocre, ho-hum and so-so" from your web materials and replace with "Killer Confidence" Copy that really gets things humming!

Copywriting and web marketing go hand in hand, working to bring you greater reader response and better sales conversion. Simply said, you cannot ever have one without the other and expect real results. Rub those two magic stones together, and surprise... the curse of the bad web copy is forever lifted.

Lift the curse!

Breathe new life into your web copy, and present your readers with a powerful emotional argument as to why your product or service is the answer to their every desire - the cure for what ails them, the satisfaction that eludes them, and the peace of mind to quell their fears. One you have the copywriting nabbed, you're halfway there. The next necessary step is a web marketing campaign that stirs your audience to life and motivates them to take immediate action (ultimately, buy what you're selling).

What's web marketing? It's the plan or strategy that you will use to motivate your readers to act now. Your marketing could be an event, a limited time only promotion, a contest, a sweepstakes giveaway, a "get it now" incentive. It could be something as big as inventing a new holiday, or as small as inviting fellow article marketers to join you for a blog carnival. Every marketing campaign requires timed information releases, pre-written materials, specific instructions that tell your readers what to do next... and small "rewards" that will be the incentive for folks to keep following along.

Typical incentive rewards on the web:

1. free exposure (in the form of links, author spotlights or free classified ads)


2. price breaks (for members only, of course)


3. free information (perhaps an e-book download, original article or short tutorial)
   

Each time you promise and deliver one of these key incentives, you bind your readers closer to you, build confidence in your ability and establish trust in your business. From this transaction grows the potential for future sales. Again, the marketing is the "plan" that will become the catalyst for future success. And as we roll out the plan, we discover that copy and marketing are inextricably bound together... for if your copy lacks the punch and pizzazz that will have your readers catching "Me Too" Fever, you may as well quit trying to pull off the marketing!

Now, HOW are you going to ever kick off a web marketing campaign if you have no loyal readership? You can't do it. That's why the audience collection process is one of the first critical moves toward "big-time web marketer" fame.

Audience collection involves two actions: 1. bait, 2. capture. Gosh, that sounds so sneaky, but bait-and-capture is really just par for the marketing course. So put out the bait - start showing up in places where you know your target audience regularly checks in. For example, a web networking forum that you run yourself, or participate in regularly. A public posting area or classifieds site, an article or blog directory... these are all opportunities to cast your line so to speak, and be noticed by people who are primed for what you can offer them.

The "capture" (which is not a capture at all because it's purely voluntary), involves suggesting that your reader sign up to be on your mailing list. Give them a reason: "We offer special price breaks to our exclusive list members." Start passing out those incentive cards. You'll be shocked at how many web surfers willingly trade you their email addresses in exchange for immediate gratification (say, an instant e-book download) or the promise of excitement and freebies to come.

Finally: kick the modesty habit. Your sales letter or promotional mailing is no place to tell your readers, "Golly, we've never done this before and we've only got a couple sign-ups so far, but we sure hope you participate..." Humility might work at the local church ladies' luncheon, but not for your web marketing sales pitch. I mentioned Copywriting Voodoo Magic in the opening paragraph of this article? Learn how to pump up your energy levels and use your Superstar Marketer voice to communicate exactly why...

1. You're THE BEST at what you do


2. This offer is like no other


3. The item in question will fulfill your greatest needs, wishes and desires

And don't forget to tell your readers that...

1. Folks are flocking in droves and if you're anybody, you should be, too


2. Hurry, time is of the essence and you won't want to miss out!

Are you ready to start marketing like the professionals?

Here are three tasks for you to complete RIGHT NOW to get the ball rolling:

1. Get an email management system and autoresponder (try KickstartCart.com or ConstantContact.com)


2. Review your web copy and replace EVERY instance of "wishy washy" with "wild and wonderful!"


3. Grab a pen and paper and WRITE DOWN THE EXACT PLANS for your next marketing campaign.

That's all there is to it. Just those three easily-achieved goals for this week, and you're off to a running start. Think you've got what it takes to lift the curse and get your copy on par with the web's top marketers? It's going to take some work and possibly even some professional input... but you're bright, motivated, and I know you can make it happen!

Copyright 2006 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved.

Liked this article? Have more of the same emailed to your inbox each month. Sign up for the Copywriting and Marketing Ezine from Dina at Wordfeeder.com and learn to write SEO-friendly web copy and market your web based business for free.

Labels: communication corner