So here’s the thing… we all want to become millionaires, right? Yes, for the most part. But most of us haven’t reached this goal yet or we believe (our inside voices) that we probably can’t or won’t. Well, think positive. There are two ways that you can put yourself on the path to becoming a millionaire, but you have to work hard and you have to remain steadfast.
First, write down 3-5 of the best people in the world who do what you do. Yes, there are others… if there wasn’t, you’d already be a millionaire. So, write down the names and then write down one step you know each person took to get to where they are at. Now, you have a road map and you just have to develop your very own plan that can mirror it.
Second, show up. I know people who want to strike it rich. They create a product or service, they launch it, they walk away and head to their latest and greatest idea. Well, where is the investment? It takes more than money to make something work for you. You have to invest time and effort and energy and love and so forth. Anyone can invest in creating a product or service, but not everyone is willing to show up to promote it and sell it and really go to bat for it. Create a routine and move your life forward by showing up for what it is that you work on. Think about it in book terms. If you hire a ghostwriter to create a book for you, it’s done. There is no love. You can sell it but are you really showing up for it? Now, let’s say you work on the book yourself for a year. You believe in it. You’ve loved it. You’ve hated it. You are more likely to really believe in it and pitch it and see it through to your earned success.
If you take my advice, and I hope you will, these two steps will put you on the right path to becoming a millionaire.
Twyla N. Garrett
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
3 Things You Need To Do Right Now
If you want to know how to succeed in business, stop overthinking everything. We tend to overthink and not listen, which can be problematic for many business owners. We have this need to pitch, to sell- not to listen. Well, the truth is that we have to get out of our own head-space and consider the customer’s needs. To help you do this, I have created a list of 3 Things You Need To Do Right Now in order to get out of your head and into that of your customers…..
1. Stop focusing on what your competition is doing right. Who cares! You need to focus on what your customers need from you. Yes, it really is this simple. If you spend too much time looking at your competition then you’re not spending enough time looking at your customer…..
2. Focus on customer service. We forget this. We look at how we can be innovative or how we can spend more time “connecting” on social media. Be personal. Make phone calls. Send cards. Say “thank you” more often. Be involved, outside of social media, with your customers. Yes, this will pay off.
3. If your heart is not in it, neither are you. If you’re feeling like you need a mental health day to shut your phone off and regroup, do it. Nothing is worse than painfully working with a client when you are mentally somewhere else. If you’re truly in a funk, work your way out of it without working alongside the client. If this means refunding money and cancelling a session or service- do it. Your worst performance can be reviewed online and there is no fixing it.
Until tomorrow,
Twyla N. Garrett
1. Stop focusing on what your competition is doing right. Who cares! You need to focus on what your customers need from you. Yes, it really is this simple. If you spend too much time looking at your competition then you’re not spending enough time looking at your customer…..
2. Focus on customer service. We forget this. We look at how we can be innovative or how we can spend more time “connecting” on social media. Be personal. Make phone calls. Send cards. Say “thank you” more often. Be involved, outside of social media, with your customers. Yes, this will pay off.
3. If your heart is not in it, neither are you. If you’re feeling like you need a mental health day to shut your phone off and regroup, do it. Nothing is worse than painfully working with a client when you are mentally somewhere else. If you’re truly in a funk, work your way out of it without working alongside the client. If this means refunding money and cancelling a session or service- do it. Your worst performance can be reviewed online and there is no fixing it.
Until tomorrow,
Twyla N. Garrett
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
3 Phrases To Stop Saying Now!
If you look up any marketing or PR strategy, you will notice that visibility seems to be priority number one. Well, yes. Visuals do help any cause but content is always going to be king. With this said, what you say is important and it can harm you, your reputation, your company, or cause major turnover within your company!
So, what are the top 3 phrases you must stop using ASAP?
1. "I need you to be more like..." Wow, so much for treating people like individuals. People are not the same... not even twins. So, why are you expecting certain individuals to live up to the expectations of others? Don't drag other people into the conversation when you're having a one-on-one with anyone. Be specific and be direct.
2. "How do you think you're doing?" This is a set-up. The person on the other side of this question will become defensive and this will turn into a game that you don't want to play personally or professionally. Instead of asking someone how they think they are doing, tell them how they are doing at a job or as a client regardless if the news is good or bad.
3. "Hopefully, soon." This is not a commitment to anything and a waste of words. Again, be direct with people, employees, and clients. Don't give a rough and round about way of when someone is going to get started on something. It is OK to say, "I don't know when but my eventual plans within the next (months, years... whatever) are to have you...." If you can be specific, do so. If you can't, say so.
Until tomorrow,
Twyla N. Garrett
So, what are the top 3 phrases you must stop using ASAP?
1. "I need you to be more like..." Wow, so much for treating people like individuals. People are not the same... not even twins. So, why are you expecting certain individuals to live up to the expectations of others? Don't drag other people into the conversation when you're having a one-on-one with anyone. Be specific and be direct.
2. "How do you think you're doing?" This is a set-up. The person on the other side of this question will become defensive and this will turn into a game that you don't want to play personally or professionally. Instead of asking someone how they think they are doing, tell them how they are doing at a job or as a client regardless if the news is good or bad.
3. "Hopefully, soon." This is not a commitment to anything and a waste of words. Again, be direct with people, employees, and clients. Don't give a rough and round about way of when someone is going to get started on something. It is OK to say, "I don't know when but my eventual plans within the next (months, years... whatever) are to have you...." If you can be specific, do so. If you can't, say so.
Until tomorrow,
Twyla N. Garrett
Monday, August 3, 2015
Business Book Recommendation
I want to start recommending books that I have read and have found helpful in my continuing journey as an entrepreneur. Success doesn’t happen overnight and it doesn’t come easy. While everyone may have advice for you, the best thing I can say is to create your own path. You should learn from others but apply it to your own situation. Don’t copy others because then you’re simply repacking an existing idea.
All this said, my first Monday Book recommendation is called ‘The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future’. I am in NO way affiliated with this book. I don’t know who wrote it nor do I have a relationship with anyone who worked on it. I simply love the content and feel that it can help so many of you, too. Here’s the link to buy it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/100-Startup-Reinvent-Living-Create/dp/0307951529/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1438646501&sr=8-13&keywords=business
It’s over 300 pages and there is a video trailer on the Amazon site for the book. I love this book because it doesn’t present a roadmap as to how you can get rich. Instead, it presents options to really look at yourself, what you want, and how to get yourself in the right mindset to get there… even if it is with only $100!
When you’re doing reading this book, please share your thoughts with me. I am eager to read what you liked and hated about this book.
Until next time,
Twyla N. Garrett
All this said, my first Monday Book recommendation is called ‘The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future’. I am in NO way affiliated with this book. I don’t know who wrote it nor do I have a relationship with anyone who worked on it. I simply love the content and feel that it can help so many of you, too. Here’s the link to buy it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/100-Startup-Reinvent-Living-Create/dp/0307951529/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1438646501&sr=8-13&keywords=business
It’s over 300 pages and there is a video trailer on the Amazon site for the book. I love this book because it doesn’t present a roadmap as to how you can get rich. Instead, it presents options to really look at yourself, what you want, and how to get yourself in the right mindset to get there… even if it is with only $100!
When you’re doing reading this book, please share your thoughts with me. I am eager to read what you liked and hated about this book.
Until next time,
Twyla N. Garrett
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Gaining Control Over Social Media
Tonight I want to address an issue I am seeing on an continued basis. Your personal online content. I read a terrible Facebook rant over the weekend and I’m sickened that a business professional would put her hateful opinions for clients and peers to read on her personal Facebook page.
Now, some of you might say that it is her personal page. Sure it is, it is just archived onto Google’s search engine for the world to read. She is entitled to her hateful opinion but she is going to have business lost to it. Peers will soon catch on and stop referring her too. I will not repeat what she said, only that it is filled with hate and aimed at a certain demographic of sexually orientated people.
I can’t stress enough that nothing you write is personal anymore. Friends can quickly become enemies and take screen shots of your “private” social media accounts for all the world to see. Don’t ever write anything on your personal pages that you wouldn’t want to proudly read- out-loud- in front of a client or potential client.
As a business professional, you don’t have a personal life. Your clients’ lives are your obligation- both personally and professionally when it comes to branding and visibility. Voicing your own opinions online (even via a personal account) will harm your own reputation- right or wrong, this is the culture we live in.
Keep it professional and keep those negative or opinionated posts off of social media!
Twyla Garrett
Now, some of you might say that it is her personal page. Sure it is, it is just archived onto Google’s search engine for the world to read. She is entitled to her hateful opinion but she is going to have business lost to it. Peers will soon catch on and stop referring her too. I will not repeat what she said, only that it is filled with hate and aimed at a certain demographic of sexually orientated people.
I can’t stress enough that nothing you write is personal anymore. Friends can quickly become enemies and take screen shots of your “private” social media accounts for all the world to see. Don’t ever write anything on your personal pages that you wouldn’t want to proudly read- out-loud- in front of a client or potential client.
As a business professional, you don’t have a personal life. Your clients’ lives are your obligation- both personally and professionally when it comes to branding and visibility. Voicing your own opinions online (even via a personal account) will harm your own reputation- right or wrong, this is the culture we live in.
Keep it professional and keep those negative or opinionated posts off of social media!
Twyla Garrett
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Promoting Your Business with PR
Public relations is about managing the media and developing a brand. It isn’t about making someone famous through managing appearances or mingling with celebrities – which is one of the biggest misconceptions to date.
Public relations professionals don’t book work or appearances outside of media interviews, talent or literary agents do this. Public relations professionals book media appearances based on what a client is doing. If you have to do the work yourself (you can’t quite obtain a publicist just yet), please pay attention to my top 3 common PR mistakes listed below.
1. It is two different things entirely to pitch news your clients force you to pitch against your better judgment and pitch something to a reporter without the thought of you believing it is news in the first place.
2. Your timeline isn’t what the press cares about. In fact, you need to care what the media’s timelines are. I recently read this piece of advice and couldn’t agree more. “Let’s say you are sending a Christmas wish list to a monthly magazine. When do you send that pitch? October? August? Try June or July.
3. Know the news. Everyone thinks their clients are special, and they are. However, you will not get your clients picked up by every single news outlet. In fact, for every 500 outlets pitched, expect a 3% return and not right away. Remember, editorial calendars exist!
As you move forward, you will create connections that will make it easier for you to pick up the phone and bump competing press agents and their stories. Until then, follow the rules and don’t make these 3 major mistakes.
Until tomorrow,
Twyla N. Garrett
Public relations professionals don’t book work or appearances outside of media interviews, talent or literary agents do this. Public relations professionals book media appearances based on what a client is doing. If you have to do the work yourself (you can’t quite obtain a publicist just yet), please pay attention to my top 3 common PR mistakes listed below.
1. It is two different things entirely to pitch news your clients force you to pitch against your better judgment and pitch something to a reporter without the thought of you believing it is news in the first place.
2. Your timeline isn’t what the press cares about. In fact, you need to care what the media’s timelines are. I recently read this piece of advice and couldn’t agree more. “Let’s say you are sending a Christmas wish list to a monthly magazine. When do you send that pitch? October? August? Try June or July.
3. Know the news. Everyone thinks their clients are special, and they are. However, you will not get your clients picked up by every single news outlet. In fact, for every 500 outlets pitched, expect a 3% return and not right away. Remember, editorial calendars exist!
As you move forward, you will create connections that will make it easier for you to pick up the phone and bump competing press agents and their stories. Until then, follow the rules and don’t make these 3 major mistakes.
Until tomorrow,
Twyla N. Garrett
Friday, July 24, 2015
How to Engage Anyone....
In business you will have to engage and charm anyone and everyone. You have to know how to speak with people. You have to get employees to follow your vision. The media to pick-up your idea. You have to sell clients your concept or products. There is a lot of work to be done in the person-to-personal intercommunications realm. So, how do you do this effectively? 3 simple steps.
1. Treat others as they want to be treated. Don’t treat everyone nicely or how YOU want to be treated, treat them how they want to be treated. If someone hates candy, why send a box of candy to all of your clients during a holiday season? Be personal. Call people by name, remember minor details and use them.
2. Say goodbye to your smartphone for two days straight. Yes, two days. Why? It will help you focus on people. When you do this, you will see exactly what I mean. After you do this, and you see the positive results, you will be able to tuck that phone away during meetings and other important events. Showing up is important and you can’t fully do this – or engage anyone- if your head is engaged with your own phone as the primary distraction.
3. Know the difference between a fact and an opinion and use this properly. Don’t talk about people using opinions and don’t talk about business without incorporating facts. Only offer your opinion when you feel it will help someone and never say anything negative about anyone to anyone. It will come back and bite you. Be factual and helpful, not a gossip or a know-it-all.
Until Monday,
Twyla Garrett
1. Treat others as they want to be treated. Don’t treat everyone nicely or how YOU want to be treated, treat them how they want to be treated. If someone hates candy, why send a box of candy to all of your clients during a holiday season? Be personal. Call people by name, remember minor details and use them.
2. Say goodbye to your smartphone for two days straight. Yes, two days. Why? It will help you focus on people. When you do this, you will see exactly what I mean. After you do this, and you see the positive results, you will be able to tuck that phone away during meetings and other important events. Showing up is important and you can’t fully do this – or engage anyone- if your head is engaged with your own phone as the primary distraction.
3. Know the difference between a fact and an opinion and use this properly. Don’t talk about people using opinions and don’t talk about business without incorporating facts. Only offer your opinion when you feel it will help someone and never say anything negative about anyone to anyone. It will come back and bite you. Be factual and helpful, not a gossip or a know-it-all.
Until Monday,
Twyla Garrett
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