last week I attended the last ever Ali Brown (annual) Online Success Blueprint Workshop. This event is dedicated to teaching her simple, proven and easy to implement a system of Internet marketing. This is actually my third time participating ... I first went in 2006, when I was still learning the ins and outs of internet marketing. That year I was the only virtual assistant, among 250 participants. Last year I was one of the 3 virtual assistants from the 250 + participants. This year there were about 10 of us (mostly from the Assist) among nearly 500 participants, which is wonderful to see.
Why do I say this? Since attending an event such as this, was a major contributing factor in my growing your business at its current level and beyond. Did it cost to attend this? YES! Fee $ 997 (which is a discounted rate of $ 2,997!) Besides, I paid my travel expenses and took off time from my business. But is it worth it? Absolutely! I am sitting on my desk right now looking at business cards of 15 people who are just itching to hire new VA to help them spend all they learned last week. And because they know that I am an expert on this subject, I do not have to "sell" yourself, so you'll want to hire me.
Even better than that, they may choose to work with as many or as few of these individuals as I want and have no qualms about charging my standard retainer and project fees. You see, working with one of those potential customers will more than pay for the time and expense it cost me to attend the event. As an added bonus, it was another great opportunity to hone their networking skills and connect with a lot of people who have never met face to face or not seen in awhile. As you can see, this experience is a win-win all the way around!
What is the moral of the story? We are entrepreneurs and we need to invest time, money and energy in our company to grow and market them effectively. I always get irritated when I hear you say, "Oh, I can not afford to go to any event, it cost too much money!" It is thought never need to cross our minds, let alone get out of our mouths. If you say you can not afford to go, then it will go. So, do not tell yourself that! If you think you can not afford to attend live or invest in programs to improve or acquire new skills, it is probably due to the double problem:
1) We do not charge enough money for their services and
2) You are not setting aside money and time each month / year to invest in yourself and your business.
If you really want to grow your business and start working smarter, not harder, you have to invest in your business. It is simply not an option. And if you're tired of working with clients failure, which drain your energy, you pay what you are worth and do not belong in practice then you need to identify your ideal client and start getting ahead of them.
OSBW was filled to the brim with their ideal clients, a smart, sassy, forward-thinking women who are ready, willing and eager to take their business to the next level. I am truly inspired by many people I met there and made some great connections that I know will lead to new joint ventures, projects and other opportunities. This is actually the reason I chose to attend the event. I am internet marketing all day, every day, but I was doing twice the content has not changed much. But recently I have gradually two non-ideal clients from my practice and sought to replace them. That is why I left. And that's what I got. Putting yourself in front of my target market and clearly articulate how they can help them improve their business we certainly new customers.
as you prepare your business and marketing plan for 2009, be sure to take time and money to attend live to the front of your target market. This is one of the fastest, easiest way to grow your business quickly.
I'd love to know your opinion about this article, as well as their experiences and questions, so please feel free to post your comments on the blog.
