Send Out Cards and Show Your Clients You Care

One way to look at marketing is that it shows your clients (and potential clients) that you care about their needs, challenges, dreams and desires. Consider that by not marketing consistently, it quietly demonstrates to your clients that you don't really care - about their well being, your business and being a professional. While that may not be the truth, it's what people think.

So consider how you might show up differently in your business by seeing your marketing efforts as a way to express your loving care toward those you serve.

Here is a simple way to show your clients (and potential clients) you care: Send Out Cards

Cards are perfect for those in transformational work. There are lots of ups and downs, self-doubts, celebrations and most of us work with people over a period of time so there is lots of life stuff that happens. Sending out cards helps you AND YOUR WORK stay present in your clients' (and potential client's) lives and essentially creates connection.

It's so simple. So thoughtful. Yet few professionals do this. Why? No systems in place to make this an easy, consistent part of your business. To show you care and do so regularly, you'll need to make this systematic (read: organized process that doesn't require too much energy).

Example 1: Low tech version: Next time you go to Target or your local card shop, stock up. Buy $50 worth of cards - select a variety of birthday, sympathy, congratulations, and whatever inspiring cards are appropriate for your business model.

Now you've got your own little card shop at the ready for all the events of a client's, friends and associates life. Keep it handy in your office with a roll of stamps, favorite pen, and return address stickers all in one area.

Repeat this process when your supply dwindles. If you wait until you need to get a card, it's a waste of time (I live in the country so running to the store is a big deal) and usually doesn't get sent (or shows up weeks late).

Example 2:  Get Cards that BRAND YOU: Again, next time at Target or Papyrus, purchase several pacs of blank cards that match the color of your business and marketing materials. Alternatively, pick up a neutral, high quality card stock with the first initial of your name or business name. The idea is that it's speaks to tone, feel and look of your business brand.

I have very simple, elegant, blank orange cards that I can personalize to any business situation - a referral thank you, a note to a client,  follow-up, etc… My little packet of orange blank cards and thank you cards are at the ready next to my desk, with pen, stamps and return address labels, all in a beautiful little basket.

They are near my desk because connecting with people I work with and those I could potentially work with is very important to me. (I'm an old fashioned girl in that way. I love receiving cards in the mail so I love to give them too.)

Alternatively, you can have branded cards designed for you by a graphic designer and then print them locally or via a website like VistaPrint.com.

Example 3: High tech version: Sign up for Send Out Cards.com. I have heard great reviews. It's an online membership site that automates all of the above for you.

One of these examples, implemented consistently, is a super simple way to show you care while promoting your services.

To your continued success,

Karin

About the Author and WellProNet.org: Karin Witzig Rozell has been teaching health and wellness professionals how to grow their business since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners using the power of authentic marketing strategies. In 2009, she expanded her private practice and launched The Wellness Professional Network as the go-to place for practitioners to learn about making more money doing what they love.  Karin lives in Upstate New York and works from home with her husband and baby boy.

How Client Policies Help You and Your Clients Thrive

This summer I'm working with a group of wellness pros to show them how to brand and launch their wellness business the right way. After getting clear on their brand, message, niche market and service offerings, the first thing I asked them to do was set up their private practice systems that help their wellness biz grow, and make them look and feel like a total pro.

And one of those systems is getting clear on your private practice policies.

Things like:

• cancellation and no-show policiy
• make-up for missed session policy
• payment plan
• business hours and in-between appointment availability
• how to book appointments with you
• pre-framing testimonial and referral requests
• session time frame and what happens when clients show up late (hint - you end on time no matter what time they show up)
• and whatever else is relevant for your modality (IE - if you're a massage therapist, let people know if they are supposed to tip you or not, it can be really uncomfortable for your client if they're not sure)

This should not be pages and pages of do's and don'ts, but should fit neatly onto one page and languaged in client supportive verbage. IE - "I want the very best for you. Please try not to cancel your appointment. If you do need to cancel your appointment… ENTER POLICY HERE."

Very often, policies are non-existant or entirely way too loose in the wellness profession.This gives the client too much wiggle room to well, wiggle out of their committment to themselves and to you, and subjects your practice to the whims of your client. Not a great way to ensure you'll be in business years from now.

No matter what you put in your policies, the first thing to understand is that they are designed not to create strict rules and regulation, but to be in service of your client AND your business. It's not unusual for a wellness pro to make sure everyone gets what they need, no matter the cost to their own personal and professional well-being.

Consider policies as another way of setting empowering boundaries and making sure you as the wellness pro is well taken care of too. Anything less than that makes your practice unsustainable and does not support you doing what you love in any dedicated way.

Your policies (or "details of working together" as I like to call it) are designed to help your clients succeed. And they are designed to protect your business from the very nature of the the business that you are in.

In any transformational work, where your client base is attempting to heal, transform or achieve something they have not been able to do so on their own, it's natural for them to get scared and want to bail, even as they enroll in one of your programs and plunk down some money.

To ignore this is simply bad business. To acknowledge this is to create policies that gives them the nudge they need to follow through and honor their word. IE - If you offer a payment plan, consider shortening your clients' payment plan to complete BEFORE the end of your program . Your client is more likely to finish their program and continue showing up for their sessions, and therefore create success for themselves, when they've already paid.

Another example: If you know that a certain percentage of your clients will not show up or follow through with your recommendations, no matter what you do, then plan for it and create a supportive policy. This is a GIVEN in the wellness industry. If you ignore this, you would be taking a serious financial risk every time you took on a new client. Fitness centers know this and that's why they have automatic monthly billing. If they left it up to their clients to pay them when they showed up to work out, they would be out of business fast.

Bottom line: Clear private practice policies help you and your clients thrive. And who doesn't want that?

To your continued success,

Karin

About the Author and WellProNet.org: Karin Witzig Rozell has been teaching health and wellness professionals how to grow their business since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners using the power of authentic marketing strategies. In 2009, she expanded her private practice and launched The Wellness Professional Network as the go-to place for practitioners to learn about making more money doing what they love.  Karin lives in Upstate New York and works from home with her husband and baby boy.

Template for Post-Seminar Follow-up

When you give a seminar or tele-class, you already know it's good to follow-up with those who attended. In my work with clients, I notice that wellness professionals unconsciously go into the off-putting "follow-up mode".  

It goes something like this:

Example 1

Email subject: Follow-up from last night's seminar

Hi Jane,

Thank you for participating in the seminar last night.

I wanted to personally follow-up with you and see if you have any questions or if you'd like to schedule a free consultation.

A few sentences about the wellness pro here, their experience/credentials/etc…

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Wellness Pro Name and Title

When you slip into "follow-up mode" you sound like you're trying to get the sale.

The verbage "follow-up" is not what your potential clients use, but what sales professsionals use.

And naturally, you don't want to connect your transformational work with pushy selling.  

A closer look at the above example also shows that this email is all about the wellness pro's needs and desires. This means your email does not create any real connection in the reader's life.

So here's a more effective and authentic way to follow-up after a seminar or tele-class. I'll use a nutrition counselor example.

Example 2

Email subject line: taking control of your family's health

Hi Jane,

Just wanted to drop you a personal note to thank you for coming to Monday's seminar on easy ways to get your kids to eat vegetables.

If you're like many of my clients, these are the 3 core challenges you may be facing right now in your family's health:

1.  Stressful meal times that force you to "give-in" to family junk-food cravings which lead to sick-days and less than stellar school performance

2.  Lack of time and organization that makes healthy eating for your family simple, fast and a no-fuss zone

3.  Limited understanding of what healthy foods to buy and how to cook them in a way that your family will love

Are these or other similar issues on your plate that you're looking to solve?

If you're open to some different ideas around how to solve these issues, drop me a quick note and maybe we can chat a bit.

Warmest regards,

Your Name, Title, Contact info

Did you notice the difference between example 1 and example 2?

The latter demonstrates how you can help your potential client in the issues they are facing right now and keeps the tone warm, inviting and full of connection. It makes your work relevant to their life. And invites them to take action without the fear of being pressured to buy something.

Obviously you can adapt this formula to your modality, your personality and seminar topic.  

Try it after your next seminar or tele-class.

Hope this helps!

Karin

About the Author and WellProNet.org: Karin Witzig Rozell has been teaching health and wellness professionals how to grow their business since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners using the power of authentic marketing strategies. In 2009, she expanded her private practice and launched The Wellness Professional Network as the go-to place for practitioners to learn about making more money doing what they love.  Karin lives in Upstate New York and works from home with her husband and baby boy.

Why You Must Keep in Touch

When you communicate and keep in touch regularly with your list of potential clients, say weekly or twice per month with a short and sweet, helpful message, it says this about you... "I'm here for you when you're ready. In the meantime, please accept this quick tip to help you address X challenge I know you're facing. My treat. It's on me. Glad to be of service! I'm thinking of you and I'll be in touch in a week or two with another valuable tip."

(Replace "tip" with insight, video, audio message, article, resource… you get the idea. There are so many ways to deliver your know-how. You get to choose what works for you. Use the language that suits you.)

If you communicate to them infrequently, your potential clients get the sense that you only reach out to them when you have something to sell.

This is contrary to what most people thing. Most wellness pros think if they only communicate to their list now and again, they'll avoid bothering their audience, but the exact opposite is true.

The greater truth is this…

1 - If you write once in a while, you and your services will be forgotten.

2 - If you write once in a while, you actually end up bothering people (contrary to popular belief!).  It makes it seem like you only reach out when you have something to promote, instead of staying in communication like a good, reliable, trusty-worthy advisor that you are.

3 - So stay in touch regularly. I recommend twice per month to get started. Keep it short and sweet and valuable and people will love hearing from you.

To your success,

Karin

About the Author and WellProNet.org: Karin Witzig Rozell has been teaching health and wellness professionals how to grow their business since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners using the power of authentic marketing strategies. In 2009, she expanded her private practice and launched The Wellness Professional Network as the go-to place for practitioners to learn about making more money doing what they love.  Karin lives in Upstate New York and works from home with her husband and baby boy.

How to Follow-Up After Your Initial Consultation

My first business coach, Fabienne Fredrickson, shared this simple, yet powerful strategy with me many years ago and now I’ll share it with you. When you follow-up with a potential client (or opportunity), it needs to be all about them. Not you. Wellness professionals unknowingly make the mistake of following-up with an email message that is all about their experience, their program and the process of working with them. This doesn’t create connection or action for your client.

In my “drafts” folder of Outlook, I keep a very simple follow-up email that I tailor to each client situation for authenticity, warmth and taking a stand for what I know is possible for them. And I send this email immediately after having an initial consultation.

I use this type of email script in two different situations:

1) Clients who have just signed up for one of my packages.

I like to “re-enroll” my new clients and reassure them that the big chunk of money they just put down will bring them the results they desire.

I do this by sending a “welcome” message, (and this is the really important part) reiterating the top 5-10 things they can look forward to in our work together. This list is gleaned from listening to them in my preliminary consultation.

This will help them review what they signed up for, give their brains something to chew on (and thus help them relax) and soothe their nerves around taking a big step forward in their business (or in the case of your business, their wellness).

This is also something they can easily print out and show their partner/husband who’s wondering what they just spent money on. It’s written in “results oriented language” so their partner can see what they’re going to get, too.

Here’s an example of this:

Hi Jenny,

I’m thrilled that you’re in my schedule for March and can’t wait to get started on creating your unique message and materials.

I love doing this work – I admit it, I’m a total marketing geek and find this work FUN.  :)

Based on our preliminary conversation, here are some things you can look forward to: (I’ll write this part with words and concerns they expressed in our conversation)

-   All the marketing materials you need to launch your business big time including

-    Identifying a profitable, enjoyable niche for you to serve and finally getting clear what you do and for whom

-   Organizing your ideas into programs and products that not only  help others, but make you money

-   Pricing your services so it's easier to hire you and understanding how to charge what you're services are worth

-   Designing a clear focus and direction in your business that speaks to who you are and what you’re about

- Understanding how to use your new materials to give you a new level of confidence in how you present yourself (giving that fraud factor a swift kick out the door)

-   Simple, practical strategies for using your new materials that creates ease in how you work and attracts new clients and business growing opportunities

-     and a lot more for sure!

Jenny, I’m ready and can’t wait to talk with you in the Spring! (What a nice way to go through the holidays, knowing you got this handled!)

If questions pop up before then, just contact me.

Until then,

Karin

PS – Attached are two forms outlining the program you chose and the details of working together.

(By the way, I'd also send a little welcome card in the mail too, to make them feel extra special.)

2) Clients who need a few days to think about it.

About half of these clients will sign up and the other half are simply not ready to invest in themselves for one reason or another. In any case, I do the same thing with these potential clients.

I send them an “it was nice to chat with you today” and “here’s what I understand you’re looking to achieve” and then I list a 5 -10 specific goals they shared with me in their first consultation that I can solve for them and, (and here’s the really important part) the benefits they can expect to experience as a result of achieving these goals.

The only time I do not send this is when I don’t want to work with a client after speaking with them or I didn’t get a strong sense that they were ready to move forward (I don’t like to convince people).

Hi again Jane!

I’m glad we had an opportunity to talk today. I enjoyed getting to know you and about your business vision.

Based on our conversation, here’s what I understand you’d like to accomplish: (I’ll write this part with words and concerns they expressed in our conversation)

-   outline a super clear idea of what you do, who you do it for and for how much

-   create content on your website that reflects this clearly, powerfully and in your own style

-   relax knowing you also have content to put into a media kit to begin presenting yourself as the expert you are

-   feel ready to go by having clear, profitable programs & packages that sell themselves

-  create a clear approach or "signature system" to your work that you can stand behind that helps you distinguish your services from others

-   design a clear message and business identity that expresses your work effectively  and authentically

-   and quite a few more perks!

I’m ready when you are Jane. I love creating a unique message for my clients. It's a fascinating process of gaining clarity, renewed confidence and a whole new level of prestige.

Let me know if you have any further questions or need any clarifications. If you’d like to move forward, then we can start on the 20^th. Otherwise, I look forward to connecting next Wednesday. (Set a follow-up date where they call YOU back in the following week)

Talk with you soon!

Karin

In both cases, my clients feel understood and know that I have a grasp of what’s going on for them and what they want to achieve. By the way, you can also use this format for following-up with potential speaking engagements.

I hope this is helpful! Consider taking these two scripts and adapting them to your practice.

It's such a simple thing but it really works! It's just one of the super, simple systems I use, again and again, right after my initial consultation.

Karin

About the Author and WellProNet.org: Karin Witzig Rozell has been teaching health and wellness professionals how to grow their business since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners using the power of authentic marketing strategies. In 2009, she expanded her private practice and launched The Wellness Professional Network as the go-to place for practitioners to learn about making more money doing what they love.  Karin lives in Upstate New York and works from home with her husband and baby boy.

WellProNet Tele-Training: How to Talk About What You Do, Nov 4

Do you really have to create the PERFECT 30-second one-liner to explain your wellness services? Maybe, if you spend most of your time going to professional networking events and cocktail parties as a marketing strategy.

For those of you who cringe at that idea, I have a better approach.

I would like to show you how to HAVE A MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION about your work, that will naturally guide the person you're connecting with to decide if continuing a professional relationship with you makes sense for them.

I have found that these types of authentic conversations between two people (be it at a party, in a one-on-one networking situation, telephone chat, coffee date or meeting) follow a series of questions that if you know how to answer, in a relaxed and confident manner, will be infinitely more client attractive than some elevator speech.

In this month's WellProNet training I'm going to share with you what these questions are and how to answer them effectively and authentically.

In fact, once you start using this approach to talking about what you do, you'll be amazed how often these conversations flow using THE EXACT SAME QUESTIONS. So in no time you'll become really good at answering them.

I'll also show you how to elegantly end this conversation when you sense someone is just trying to pick your brain for free info (and never plans on doing anything with it) or when someone wants to debate you on the merits of your modality. (Both have happened to me countless times as a wellness pro until I learned a few empowering tricks!)

It's all happening in the next Wellness Professional Network tele-training...

Thursday, Nov 4, 2010, Noon eastern

Topic: How to Talk About What You Do (Without Using an Elevator Speech)

This tele-training is for current members of WellPronet.org only.

Not a member yet? Then join us! Click on the following link to find out if membership is right for you: http://wellpronet.org/whyjoin

Can’t make the live call? No problem. WellProNet members receive a word-for-word transcript and audio recording of the monthly tele-trainings. So you can listen to the training on your own time.

Hope you decide to join us!

Karin

About the Author and WellProNet.org: Karin Witzig Rozell has been teaching health and wellness professionals how to grow their business since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners using the power of branding with archetypes.

In 2009, she expanded her private practice and launched The Wellness Professional Network http://wellpronet.org as the go-to place for practitioners to learn about making more money doing what they love. Karin lives in Upstate New York and works from home with her husband, Drew Rozell, who also runs a successful coaching business.

Do You Really Need Office Space?

Gone are the days where all wellness pros needed a brick and mortar office space to be taken seriously. With the rise of user-friendly technology that allows you to look and feel like a pro - things like online scheduling systems, do-it-yourself website platforms that look sharp, high-quality mobile phone service that sound great and more - you can set your professional practice up rather quickly and without digging yourself into a traditional debt load of starting a new business.

This is especially true if you're just starting out and you're not exactly sure what your return on your investment will be.

So here are a few pros and cons to consider when thinking about renting office space:

WHY YOU SHOULD GET OFFICE SPACE

• You're a local based practice 
• Your work requires hands-on approach (like massage)
• You want to see people in-person
• You have an existing client base so you won't be paying rent for nothing
• You have a referral source that can quickly set you up with clients
• You have money to blow

The better solution: If this is you, then instead of renting your own office space, and creating overhead expenses, consider sub-letting one or two days (or half days) in someone else's office. (In my early days of practice I shared one small office space with a colleague and a therapist.) Once those days fill up, then inquire about another half day. This ensures you won't be weighed down by the stress of rent and works beautifully.

WHY YOU SHOULDN'T GET OFFICE SPACE (AT LEAST NOT YET)

• You have no clients
• You're just starting out and don't really feel like you know what you're doing
• You don't have a clear idea how to attract a steady flow of clients
• You're doing it to make yourself feel professional
• You're doing it because that's what your colleagues do (definitely not a good idea)
• You're on a tight budget
• Your local economy isn't one that invests in personal development / experts like you
• Office space = overhead. Overhead = financial pressure.

The better solution: If this sounds like you, consider setting yourself up with an online based business model. You can still work with local people, and even meet them in-person for the first session. Or if you really want to work with people in-person, then offer an in-person program at a higher rate and a "convenient telephone consulting program" for a slightly lower rate. (This works well for hands-off health and wellness work.) Then get a one half-day or full day office sublet for your in-person consulting. Only see in-person clients on that day. And when that day fills up, then inquire about adding another day. If your potential clients can't meet you during your in-person availability, no problem, offer them your telephone program. Either way, you have the best of both worlds without breaking the bank.

Another way this idea can work for hands-on healing work is to sublet office space in the same manner and instead of offering a telephone program, offer a "I come to you" program at a higher rate. You would tell your potential clients you can come to me on X day or I can come to you on A and B days. This will also be an opportunity to test what your client base prefers.

Times have changed and you don't need a pricey office space to look and feel professional. A little research and creativity will ensure that you get what you want and can comfortably grow your practice on your own terms.

Wishing you continued success,

Karin

About the Author and WellProNet.org: Karin Witzig Rozell has been teaching health and wellness professionals how to grow their business since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners using the power of authentic marketing strategies.

In 2009, she expanded her private practice and launched The Wellness Professional Network as the go-to place for practitioners to learn about making more money doing what they love.  Karin lives in Upstate New York and works from home with her husband who also runs a successful coaching business

Resource: The Price for a Healthy Staff

[JP-Facebook-Like] If you're a wellness pro with clients in the corporate world or you serve the corporate world directly, take heed.

In this month's issue of Inc Magazine, top small company workplaces were highlighted. These are companies do more than talk smack about creating a great company culture. From setting up inspiring environments that keep employees connected to the organization's purpose, to sponsoring volunteer work, to greening their environments, and yes, to helping employees get and stay healthy.

Three specific companies opened their books and shared how "they keep morale high and blood pressure low with robust wellness programs." According to Inc Magazine, 80% of the companies featured in the "top small business workplaces" offer wellness programs. "Some companies splurge on in-house workout facilities and basketball courts. Others keep costs low by bartering for healthy snacks."

As a wellness pro, this is the kind of information you want to be aware of. Both for generating your own ideas and for when pitching your wellness programs to organizations. Your ability to sound relevant, current and lead your "thinking about hiring you conversations" is a skill set that sets the successful wellness pros apart.

You'll notice a few things in this Inc Magazine feature:

• Companies need not spend a lot (they can barter for services - see Honest Tea's examples a no-cost benefits including, honoring employees who set and achieve health goals at company meetings - Honest Tea's "Wellness Awards")
• Companies must subsidize the actions they want their employees to take (offering wellness programs and making employees pay out of their own pocket is significantly less effective)
• Companies can work with local businesses to provide perks to their employees at cost (See Honest Tea's "purchase a bicycle at cost" program)

There are tons of ideas for wellness pros if you know how to look.

One idea that jumped out at me - If I were offering corporate wellness programs, I'd include a Corporate "Wellness Intranet"  memberships (using something as simple as Groupsite.com or Ning.com)  for companies that hired me to present or consult. That would allow me to stay in touch with employees and essentially attract clients from that ongoing relationship.

Take a look at this feature in Inc Magazine on "The Price of a Healthy Staff" and get inspired to get out there and lead the organization's you work with to the results they want.

To your success,

Karin

About the Author and WellProNet.org: Karin Witzig Rozell has been teaching health and wellness professionals how to grow their business since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners using the power of authentic marketing strategies.

In 2009, she expanded her private practice and launched The Wellness Professional Network as the go-to place for practitioners to learn about making more money doing what they love.  Karin lives in Upstate New York and works from home with her husband who also runs a successful coaching business

Why Waiting Makes You Go Broke

There's a place in time in your wellness biz when waiting is absolutely appropriate. 1) When you need to get more information before you make a decision.

2) You need a few days (not weeks or months!) to let yourself process some feelings about a decision instead of making an impulse choice (great if you have a habit of not thinking and feeling through your decisions)

Waiting is the number one way I see wellness pros sabotage their success. Be it waiting on someone else, waiting for their fears to go away, waiting for the perfect sign from the universe, waiting until they look the part, waiting until they feel certain and more.

I'm not talking about forcing outcomes and pushing hard to make things happen. I'm referring to using your creative skills and talents to consciously create the solutions you want. And solutions do not reside in the energy of waiting on something outside of yourself to do things for you.

A local business in my neighborhood, a fantastic fitness center, recently closed it's doors for good. The note on the door said "The bank won't lend us any more money. Let us know if you have any ideas."

Read between the lines and you get a sense of someone waiting on external factors, in this case the bank, to solve their business challenges. And not having enough income (clients, customers) coming in isn't a bank issue, it's a marketing issue. This note also highlights that waiting to ask your customers what they think until you're about to go out of business is way too late.

Waiting will make you go out of business.

So when does waiting make your wellness biz go broke?

Here are a few situations that are common to wellness pros to consider...

- when you are waiting on staff to get things done for you

If you're making excuses for your assistant it's time to seriously consider upgrading your support team.

It's a horrible feeling to be paying somone to do something for you and ultimately, take ownership of some aspect of your business, and you can't quite entrust the task to them when you know they aren't getting it done right. So you end up in this viscious cycle of having to jump in there and take over the task, fueling your belief that no one can do anything but yourself.

It's something I've done many times and it was costly - both in my finances,  in my energy and my business profitability and growth.  And truthfully, it was a way for me to hide out from my next step in my business. I kept hiring assistant who just didn't do a good job and I kept putting up with it.  Not good.

No more! I can not tell you what a relief it is to have an assistant who is whip smart and on top of everything I give her. It allows me to relax, feel truly supported and divert new energy to serving more clients or creating new products.

Certain qualities, in my opinion, are not trainable and you need to find them in people BEFORE you hire them. Things like thinking ahead, anticiapting your challenges, good work ethic, reliability, having no drama in their life, a sense of being of service to you and your clients and doing an excellent job.

- when you find yourself waiting, and waiting, on your website design team

If your website designer dissappears early on in the project or seems to have a recurring drama in their life that takes them offline for days/weeks,  it's worth it to change your design team FAST and start over with someone else. Yes, read that again. It's worth it to start over with someone else!

It's not unsual for a client to be waiting on their website for months when they make the wrong design team choice.

You need someone who takes their their projects seriously, runs it like a business (not a side business - don't hire friends in this regard!). Be willing to pay more for this.

- when you wait until you feel you know enough

The greater truth is, you never feel like you know enough. There's always more to learn. It's part of being someone who loves learning new things. But staying in learning mode without application and implementation is nothing else but a delay tactic and where many wellness pros hide out through endless certifications and trainings.

- when you put off making decisions

It's not the decision making process that is painful, it's staying in the in indecision that feels really uncomfortable. Better to make a decision, make a mistake and learn from it (I'll admit, I've made my fair share!!)  than to avoid this essential skill to becoming successful.

- when you find yourself waiting until you "feel ready" for the next step

If you wait until you feel ready to give a presentation or whatever your next step is, it will take you a year or more to get there. One of the secrets of success in private practice is the willingness to be able to be with your fear and uncertainty and to not let it stop you.

For example, in regards to presentations, all my clients book seminars, with a general idea of what they'll cover, but get to work on the curriculum AFTER the presentation is scheduled and people are signing up. It definitely feels edgy, but the other way around doesn't seem to work.

Confidence comes through experience, not through mental preparation alone.

- when someone tells you can't have what you want

There's always a way to get what you want. You are only limited by your imagination.

- waiting on someone who can't or won't serve you right now

Sometimes, people just don't want your business. It's not personal, maybe they are making a change in their focus, have a full practice, are extremely busy, etc...

The flip side of that is that really good experts are usually busy, hard to get to and will make you jump through a few hoops before they consider working with you.

If you get a sense, in your early conversation with someone that you want to work with in some capacity, that they will not be able to serve you in the way that you want, then move on. There's lots of fish in the pond.

- when someone is working on some aspect of your business and you want to wait until they are done before you move forward

You don't need marketing materials, websites, business cards or anything to go get your next client. Yes all of that makes it easier, but truthfully, you can make progress right now.

Here's to letting go of the habit of waiting and to embracing a new, more supportive habit of using your creative thinking to actively leading your wellness biz to the results you want.

To your continous success,

Karin

Tired of waiting on something to happen in your wellness biz? Let me work my magic on your practice in my new Brand and Launch Your Wellness Biz RIGHT program beginning June 3rd, 2010. Only 3 spots left. Get the details here: http://wellpronet.org/branding

About the Author and WellProNet.org: Karin Witzig Rozell has been teaching health and wellness professionals how to grow their business since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners using the power of authentic marketing strategies.

In 2009, she expanded her private practice and launched The Wellness Professional Network http://wellpronet.org as the go-to place for practitioners to learn about making more money doing what they love.  Karin lives in Upstate New York and works from home with her husband who also runs a successful coaching business.

WellProNet Tele-Training: How to Design and Deliver Get-It-Done-In-One-Day or Done-for-You Programs, May 6

Your clients want quick fixes and fast results. So let's give them what they want in a way that you can feel good about. (Hint - this is the art of making your services irresistbly relevant in action!)

In this members only WellProNet tele-training, I'll go over one of the hottest trends affecting the wellness market - Get-It-Done-In-One-Day and Done-For-You Programs.

I call these 1-day programs "Wellness Retreats".

They're like hosting a private workshop for a client.

And what they're essentially investing in is speed, instant results and your personalized attention in getting there.

I promise you there is a percentage of your clients RIGHT NOW, within your niche, who would really LOVE this idea.

And so will you once you understand the benefits of offering these types of 1-day Retreats and how effective they are for you and your clients.

In this Thursday, May 6th, 2010 WellProNet tele-training beginning at Noon eastern...

I'll show you why these kind of offerings are a super fast way to boost your income...

I'll explain why a certain percentage of your client base wants to spend more one-on-one time with you...

How you can deliver specific, high quality results in just one day... (this could be 3 hours, 4 hours or an actual full-day spent with you)

What kind of services work best in these types of one day programs...

How to creatively design a one-day program for a private client using YOUR talents (and add it to your existing offerings)...

Simple ways to deliver great results in one day...

And a little insight as to where in the world I got this idea from (I got one part from watching a popular Television show - Hint: That is another way to make your services relevant! -  and  the other inspiration from the business consulting world) and how I've been doing this myself for the past year.

This tele-training is for current members of WellPronet.org only.

Not a member yet? Click on the following link to find out if membership is right for you: http://wellpronet.org/whyjoin

We'd love to have you join us!

Can’t make the live call? No problem. WellProNet members receive a word-for-word transcript and audio recording of the monthly tele-trainings. So you can listen to the training on your own time. In fact, 75% of members access the membership resources on their own time, so you’re in good company.

Hope you decide to join us!

Karin

About the Author and WellProNet.org: Karin Witzig Rozell has been teaching health and wellness professionals how to grow their business since 2003. She started as a nutrition counselor who knew a lot about nutrition, but not a whole lot about business and marketing. After learning some tough lessons she cracked the code and now her passion is transforming practitioners into profitable business owners using the power of branding with archetypes. In 2009, she expanded her private practice and launched The Wellness Professional Network as the go-to place for practitioners to learn about making more money doing what they love.  Karin lives in Upstate New York and works from home with her husband, Drew Rozell, who also runs a successful coaching business.