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Prosperity Comes From Overcoming Fear (So Do Clients) |
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Fabienne Fredrickson, Knowledge Level: All Levels, Keywords: Prosperity, Client, Attraction, Fear, Overcoming
QUOTE: "Until one is released, step by step or all at once, from the roots of fear-based thinking, no amount of Mo-ney will give prosperity. This is fact..." - Anonymous
Even though I'm totally unplugged from what's going on in the world, by choice, stuff is still trickling in. You see, I've made a conscious choice for years not to listen to the news, read the papers or listen to talk radio. It's not just that I'm a very sensitive person and I react to negative stuff more deeply than others seem to, it's that I don't like what it does to my mindset. Somehow, I seem to focus on the bad news and then it affects everything else in my life. Some people have told me in the past years that my "unplugging" is foolish, that I'm missing out on what's going on in the world, or that I'm na?ve, thinking that if I don't hear it, it doesn't exist.
Well, in a way, that's true for me. If I don't know about it, then it can't affect me. And so, while the rest of the world seems to be spiraling in a big mess of fear, worry and doubt, I'm oblivious to it, in a good way. Because my mind isn't tainted with this "stuff", I'm continuing to prosper, we continue to grow, and more abundance is flowing into my life in every area. And I wish more people would do what I do. Here's why.
You have to understand that the news media is only interested in one thing, and one thing only: Advertising do11ars (I know, I used to work in advertising.) The more people are tuned in to their show or read their publication, the higher they can charge their advertisers. And to artificially grow the numbers, the media has to do ANYTHING it can to get your attention. And FEAR is the best way to get someone's attention, and to get them to keep coming back for more, for "fear" of missing something important.
When you understand this, you get clear that there's a lot of hype out there, and it's all plugging in to what I call the "collective fear". And when you're in fear, you cannot be prosperous, no matter how much money you have. Why? Because prosperity is a state of mind. Let me say that again: When you're in fear, you cannot be prosperous. Here's something I read recently in a channeled text:
"Until one is released, step by step or all at once, from the roots of fear-based thinking, no amount of Money will give prosperity. This is fact..."
Listen, I get that fear is a biggie. It's easy to get sucked in. I know a few people right now who are gripped with fear. They're holding on so tight to their mo-ney, that they're "white-knuckling" it through life. They are absolutely miserable. And you know what? They actually have plenty of mo-ney in the bank! But because they have fear, it doesn't matter. Because prosperity is a state of mind.
The key to attracting prosperity is to refuse to focus on things that cause you fear, and to eliminate fear from your life. Now, some clients say to me, "Fabienne, how can I *not* focus on fear? There is evidence all around me that things aren't going well." My answer to them is that you can CHOOSE not to struggle.
Look all around you. Nature doesn't struggle. A blade of grass doesn't struggle to grow. It just does. Instead of focusing on all the things that appear to be "going downhill", shift your focus. Look at everything around you that IS going well. There's a way that we, as humans, tend to focus on the 2% that's NOT going well, as opposed to the 98% that IS going well in our lives. What are YOU focusing on?
The best way that I've found to get out of fear these days is to focus on the present moment. If I'm in a bad mood or noticing that the collective fear is leaking into my world, I stop everything and I tap into the present moment. However simple this may seem to you, it's actually miraculous. I throw on a scarf, go down to the beach and take a walk along the water. I put my attention on the subtle scent of the sea air, I listen to the seagulls, I watch my footsteps in the sand. I stay totally present. Why?
Because you CANNOT be in fear AND in the present moment at the same time. It's impossible. When you are in the present moment, you are in direct connection to Spirit or God or the Universe, whatever you choose to call it. And that is your direct pipeline to love. And love and fear cannot coexist. It's a universal law.
What does this have to do with Client Attraction? EVERYTHING. Here's why: If you're gripped with fear, sitting at your desk, wondering where the clients are or why people are leaving, you are feeding yourself with this collective fear. That stops you from marketing and the energy that you DO put into your marketing when you actually do it is a negative energy. Which brings more of the lack into your life, which then repels prosperity.
Instead, focus on what's going well. Be in gratitude for what you DO have. Take a break from work, walk away from your desk, tickle your kids, go walk the dog, focus on the air outside, whatever it takes to just take your focus OFF of the fear. When you do that, you will watch the fear literally disintegrate right in front of your eyes. Then, when you go back to work on your marketing, you'll find yourself coming from a totally different perspective. Instead of coming from "lack", you'll be coming from "attraction". And that's when the clients come in. That's when the mo-ney pours in.
Your Assignment:
Take special notice of when you get sucked in to the collective fear. Put yourself in a place of being unplugged from it. Stop watching the news, stop reading the papers, and change the conversation when your friends and neighbors begin talking about things having to do with lack. Shift your focus to what IS abundant in your life.
1) Appreciation and Gratitude
List at least 10 things/people you are grateful for in your life right now:
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2) Choose one item/person and describe "why" you are grateful for this. Describe how it makes you feel:
3) Acknowledge your successes
List at least 5 successes you enjoyed yesterday. These can be very little (like making your bed) to very significant (like getting a new client)
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Do this every day. Then, once you're in a place of feeling abundant again, it's time to get back to marketing. Remember, you've got to take ACTION too. You can't just sit on your sofa and wish for new clients. You've got to implement authentic, compelling and consistent marketing that will have people REACH OUT to you, credit card in hand, wanting to work with you.
Fabienne Fredrickson, The Client Attraction Expert, is founder of the Client Attraction System?, the proven step-by-step program to help you attract more clients, in record time and consistently. To sign up for her freebie how-to articles and no-charge teleclasses on attracting more clients, visit www.ClientAttraction.com. Article on Prosperity, Client, Attraction, Fear, Overcoming by Fabienne Fredrickson
Read more: http://www.zeromillion.com/business/Prosperity-%20Client-%20Attraction-%20Fear-%20Overcoming-Fabienne-Fredrickson.html#ixzz0FsPZaMJi&B |
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Business Fundamentals: Forecasting, Operations, and Planning |
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Robert Krueger, Knowledge Level: Moderate, Keywords: sales forecasting, business operations, business planning, business basics
Although knowledge of forecasting methods and applications is essential to all businesses, it is especially important in small and medium size companies. Smaller firms cannot afford to hire a trained forecasting staff. Software is expensive and management must be knowledgeable to insure the package is actually suited to the company. Developing its own systems may be a better solution. The total body of forecasting methodology is complex, but help is available through the literature. Research, analysis of sales, and model selection are within the grasp of smaller firms, perhaps with outside help.
The following paragraphs are an introduction to forecasting, operations, and planning. One thought to keep in mind: are my forecasts the best possible and are they integrated into the operational and planning functions?
Plans and budgets guide the company, operationally and strategically. Forecasts and sales are the raw materials from which planning and decision-making issue. More than one ���"type” of forecast is required, each based upon the purpose it serves. However, the sales forecast can be the basis for the others. Frequently, forecasts are not fully integrated into the planning system. They become lost in the details of the process or ignored because their accuracy is too far from reality. Because forecasts (sales estimates) are important, they need to be considered at each stage of planning.
Forecasts may be categorized as short-, mid-, and long-range. The short-range forecasts support operations, to the immediate planning horizon, usually one to six months; and include such activities as planning and scheduling production and purchasing or buying product for resale or distribution. The mid-range forecasts, say, six month to one year in the future, assist in planning equipment purchases, marketing campaigns, manpower requirements, cash flow, budgeting, etc. It is also the window required to plan and execute longer-term raw material and component purchases in manufacturing or product purchase for resale. Short- and mid-range sales estimates are often combined into one forecast. Anticipating sales allows the company to systematically determine needs and allocate resources. The long-range forecast supports the strategic element, the long-term future of the company. Strategic forecasting is beyond the scope of this article.
Forecasts come in several flavors: sales, revenue, and profit, for example. The primary forecasts are the sales estimates, with other forecasts typically derived therefrom. Operational forecasts permeate all company operations.
Company operations encompass all departments that are consumers of forecasts. Consumers are Manufacturing, Materials Management, Master Scheduling, Purchasing, Sales and Marketing, Merchandising, and Finance. The same basic functions apply to retail and distribution operations with product purchasing replacing manufacturing. Sales forecasts are used to determine what materials and products will be needed and when they will be required. Other typical uses are establishing inventory and safety levels, estimating sales and planning marketing programs, projecting cash flow and financing requirements, planning capacity and manning levels, and planning distribution. Forecasting and planning are bound together.
Before testing different forecasting models, it is a good idea to determine how forecasts will be used, what critical functions will the forecast serve. An integrated approach is appropriate. How will each department make use of the sales estimates? How will planning come together in a master plan? Although the sales plan and the production plan are different, for instance, they support the overall company goals.
Shipments are often the raw data from which sales estimates are made. Better is to estimate demand (sales orders). Shipment do not necessarily reflect what has been ordered (think cancelations, etc.) nor the timing of when goods are wanted. The demand record (actual sales) with its estimates tells what is needed and when. Shipping data is collected and compared with demand by time period. It reflects how well the company is performing.
A hidden, insidious problem in many companies is that data is not as accurate as it is thought to be. Even though this unrecognized problem is present, the company continues to function well; however, data inaccuracy may affect the sales estimates and other programs. Thus, a review of the data files is pertinent.
Frequently, departmental objectives are in conflict. Sales, for example, wants to maximize orders whereas Manufacturing wants to minimize cost by optimizing throughput, which may not serve on-time delivery of customer orders or may inflate inventory above acceptable levels. Each activity may have its own estimates or criteria and may not understand the impact of its decisions on other departments. Ideally, these estimates are in agreement with the capabilities of the operational activities. If the forecasts exceed capability, it is a signal for examination.
The literature is replete with a multitude of forecasting models, one or more of which will probably be suitable. At times it may be a little more complicated than selecting a model, but that is not an unsolvable problem. There are two basic statistical approaches to forecasting: time-series analysis and regression. (Econometrics is another possibility.) Time-series analysis uses demand history to estimate the future. There are many models. Regression mathematically compares demand with one or more outside influences. The outside influences (independent variables) may be economic in nature, for example. For operational purposes, a time-series model will likely be the best choice. The model selected must fit the historical pattern of sales. The pattern can be statistically determined. Assuming time-series is the way to proceed; the company should still collect certain outside series and compare them with company sales: economic factors that may influence sales, industry sales overall, etc. Regression or econometrics, however, is generally more suitable for strategic forecasting.
In forecasting, objectivity is the key. This indicates that a mathematical model is more fitting than one of the methods dependent upon judgment. Historically, forecast accuracy must be established. During the development stage (when various models are being evaluated to find the most satisfactory, most accurate), the latest historical sales data are set aside and accuracy is calculated by comparing forecasts with the actual demands that were set aside. The accuracy determined by this test indicates, in general, the accuracy that may be expected in the future. The historical series used to develop the estimates needs to be of several years duration normally.
The question arises, should a single-point estimate be provided or should a range of possibility be given? The point estimate can be flanked by high and low forecasts. This allows a ���"what-if” scenario. There are several methods to calculate a range forecast. Standard deviation is an excellent choice.
Often forecasts are partially (at least) disregarded in formulating departmental plans. Departments do not coordinate with each other. They act independently. Managerial effectiveness, however, is dependent upon integrating forecasting and planning in a coordinated effort. The beginning is the sales projections (the forecasts). They are the basis for a combined planning effort because they indicate what can logically be expected. The idea is a master plan agreed to by all functional departments and approved by top management.
A first-rate approach is a process called Sales and Operations Planning. The APICS dictionary defines S&OP as a ���"process to develop tactical plans that provide management the ability to strategically direct its business to achieve competitive advantage on a continuing basis….” Individual plans are integrated into one operating plan. Revision to individual plans may be necessary to achieve one overall master plan.
The S&OP team develops demand and supply plans. Meetings begin with product group forecasts. Sales estimates are discussed to determine the impact upon each department���„�s activities. Realize that departmental objectives may be in conflict: Sales/Marketing wants to maximize sales but that sales level may not be sustainable by Production, for instance. Such issues are sorted out by the team.
Statistically based forecasts are objective, however, it may occur that a modification is necessary, say, when there are unusual or one-time activities (think sales promotion). The forecasting model is modified to account for these conditions.
Forecasts are the guiding light to planning; they begin the process of integrated planning and operational execution.
A comprehensive text is a necessity, for instruction and reference. A good choice is one that is not only comprehensive but practical, that is easy to understand. You may wish to check out my book on Amazon: Business Forecasting: A Practical, Comprehesive Resource for Managers and Practitioners.
Bob has more than thirty years experience in forecasting, operations, and planning at the managerial level and as a consultant. He is professionally certified by the Association for Operations Management. He is author of the book Business Forecasting: A Practical, Comprehensive Resource for Managers and Practitioners. See http://forecastingsales.blogspot.com as in sales and business forecasting.. Article on sales forecasting, business operations, business planning, business basics by Robert Krueger
Read more: http://www.zeromillion.com/business/Basic-business-planning-operations-forecasting.html#ixzz0FsOfWSOM&B |
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Patience and Perseverance Are Essential Ingredients to BIGTIME Success |
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Fabienne Fredrickson, Knowledge Level: All Levels, Keywords: Patience, perserverance, success
"The day you plant the seed is NOT the day you eat the fruit. Don't worry, don't get frustrated, be persistent. It's on its way to you." That's a thought that always stays with me in taking my business (or one of my clients' businesses) to the very next level. Thing is, we're conditioned through the media that everything is supposed to happen miraculously quickly in our lives:
"Thinner thighs in 30 days"
"Quit smoking in 2 hours"
"Build your list to 30,000 people in 4 months"
"Sell $100,000.00 worth of products in 2 hours"
Whoa. Slow down for a second!
Yes, I guess these can be done... by some who've been at it for years. But what I see is that, for most people, this sometimes sets up completely unrealistic expectations of what we're capable of, and when our initial efforts don't meet those grandiose self-imposed expectations quickly, we begin to go into a place of doubt, worry, fear and then inevitably, resentment and anger, wanting to throw the baby out with the bath water.
As solo-entrepreneurs begin to implement BIG steps in their marketing, they often see results immediately, which is comforting. But then, as they begin to stretch beyond their comfort zone and tackle even bigger projects that require some effort for implementation, and it takes some time to do so, sometimes the results need some time to take root. The entrepreneur diligently puts things in place, and it seems like it's taken a lot out of them.
Then, once all the work's done, some entrepreneurs turn around and say "So, where are all the results? I mean, I've been working my butt off over here! Where are the millions of dollars? I expected to see results instantaneously!" I know I've felt that sometimes too, on big projects that I'd never tackled before.
Here's the process that sometimes occurs:
1) Doubt begins to creep in
2) Then Worry
3) Followed by Fear
4) And then irrational Anger (at themselves, at others, at anything)
Here's the thing you must remember, as you're charting new territory in your business:
Understand that it sometimes takes some time for the seeds you've planted to grow roots, to sprout, grow and then bear fruit that you can eat. That's why you have to be diligent about planting them quickly and doing whatever it takes to foster them. At the same time, it's important to plant as many seeds as possible, so that you have different things cropping up and you're not relying on just one thing in your business to bring you mo-ney.
Instead of being in a place of resentment (which will NEVER attract quickly what you want), remember to keep yourself in a place of Positive Expectation. Here is a mantra I created for myself that hangs above my computer in my office:
"I am positively expecting great results, no matter what I see in front of me. The Universe is rearranging itself for my best interest right now."
If ever I get caught up in "Why isn't this happening fast enough?", getting into a place of self-doubt or blaming the process, I remind myself of this, and things seem to just work themselves out, rather quickly. That's the Mindset part of the equation. Then, a sign shows up, the project advances and the results start coming in, quicker than I imagined. But if I stay in that place of doubt, worry or worse, blame, it surely gets worse.
You are ultimately responsible for your own successes, your actions, and most importantly how you see your own progress and success. YOU create your future and your results, based on how you choose to see the world and the way you react to life. A person coming from a VICTIM point of view will always see fault in the process. That's Universal Law. A person coming from a VICTORIOUS point of view will always see opportunity, no matter what's in front of them.
How do YOU see what's in front of you? From a victim perspective, or from a victorious position?
Your Client Attraction Assignment:
Understand that sometimes, the seeds you plant take time to grow. Just as you wouldn't rush Mother Nature and expect a tree to grow in one day, blaming the process of nature for being too slow, is unrealistic. Tend to your marketing seeds. Understand that different plants sprout at different paces, do everything that's required of you, and then get yourself in a place of POSITIVE EXPECTATION.
Miraculously, that's when the results happen, quicker than you think. You'll see...
Fabienne Fredrickson, The Client Attraction Expert, is founder of the Client Attraction System?, the proven step-by-step program to help you attract more clients, in record time and consistently. To sign up for her freebie how-to articles and no-charge teleclasses on attracting more clients, visit www.ClientAttraction.com. Article on Patience, perserverance, sucess by Fabienne Fredrickson
Read more: http://www.zeromillion.com/business/Patience-%20perserverance-%20sucess-Fabienne-Fredrickson.html#ixzz0FsMnZ1MZ&B |
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