8 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Use Feng Shui for More Business

by Kathryn Weber 

One of the greatest rewards of being an entrepreneur is the ability to call the shots in your business. But, that’s also one of the greatest risks – you’re responsible for all the decisions.

Fortunately, with feng shui, you can use the principles of this ancient technique to help you draw more clients to you, create a harmonious business that attracts business, and builds a financial foundation for your life that gives you more control, greater freedom and feeling of personal achievement.

But how can you put feng shui to work as an entrepreneur? I’ve put together a list of eight ways that feng shui can help generate more flow – and that means more success and more sales for you.

1. Put money first.

When it comes to your business, money should always come first. Why? Well, because you’re in business. Emails can wait, filing can wait, but money can’t.

Write your bills every Monday and every day ask yourself if the activities you’re doing are money-generating. Busy doesn’t always equal financially productive – so do those things that are and delegate the busy work to someone else.

2. Water is wealth.

Make sure you are surrounded by financial energy and that energy’s element is water. Keep a clear, running and full fountain in your office to help keep you relaxed and stimulate business opportunities. North, the business opportunity sector, is also the direction associated with water. Adding metal here will also stimulate water energy – and that stimulates business and money from your business.

3. Have a vision.

What is your symbol of success? If you want to be the world’s best cookbook writer, then wrap some cookbooks in a cover with your name on it. Seeing is believing. Find a symbol that is meaningful for you and keep it where you can prominently see it while you work. Pick a symbol, any symbol and keep it in front of you.

4. Feng shui your website.

Yes, feng shui can even be applied to bytes and pixels! I often see businesses that have websites whose colors conflict, such as red and silver, green and beige, or green and yellow. These are color combinations that fatigue visitors – meaning the website is less sticky and more likely to be abandoned and with fewer repeat visitors.

That’s because these color combinations make your website work against itself – and that gets you nowhere. Select feng shui compatible color combinations. This would include blue, black, and white or yellow, purple, and red, or green, black, and blue. Not sure about your site? Call me for a feng shui assessment of your website to check your color combinations.

5. Open communication.

Sales depend on making it as easy as possible for the customer to reach you. Get yourself a 1-800 number, a fax number, and a land-line if you’re in business. Interestingly, when I moved from a cell phone as my primary business phone and got all the other lines installed, I began receiving many more calls. Think of it this way: no talk, no sales; more talk, more sales!

6. Get more clients.

Many “solopreneurs” have a poor filing system (if any). Make sure you have a file cabinet with a specified drawer just for client files — and keep your clients in red folders; this energizes the client and keeps them in contact with you (read: repeat customer!).

When you want more clients, have three blank folders on your desk at all times, just ready for the next one. Also, get a label maker and make a label for each new customer. The more respect you give to your customer files, the more customers you’ll have.

7. Beauty pays you.

If you’re a work at home entrepreneur, chances are you may have a less-than-inspiring work area. Invest in your office and make it attractive, organized, and functional. Having a beautiful work space is motivating and encourages creativity.

When you are surrounded by beauty and inspiring views, objects, or artwork, you are more likely to think creatively, come up with new approaches to your business, and be more productive – and that makes you more money!

8. Use the Power of One.

One is the number of opportunity and money from business in feng shui. There is probably one thing that you could do to instantly make a difference in your business. What is it? For some, it would be to create that first product, for others it would mean publishing your book, and for others it might be making sales calls. But, chances are you know the one thing that’s standing in the way of your success. Get to work on just that one thing.

You know what it is.

Do it now and put it ahead of everything else.

© K Weber Communications LLC 2002-2010


Kathryn Weber is the publisher of the Red Lotus Letter Feng Shui E-zine and certified feng shui consultant in classical Chinese feng shui. Kathryn helps her readers improve their lives and generate more wealth with feng shui. For more information and to receive her FREE Ebook “Easy Money – 3 Steps to Building Massive Wealth with Feng Shui” visit www.redlotusletter.com and learn the fast and fun way how feng shui can make your life more prosperous and abundant!

Women Entrepreneurs The Secrets of Success for Monday, October 25th

Christine Gallagher

Christine Gallagher is a relationship marketing specialist and social media business coach. She graduated Cum Laude from Temple University in 2000 with a Bachelors in Communications and Mass Media and received a double Masters in Information Systems and Information Science from Drexel University in 2003.

Through her consulting, coaching and training business, Christine helps entrepreneurs and small business owners maximize their business profits using an integrated social media and online marketing strategy with a particular focus on blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube. Christine also has a strong background in the world of Internet technology and is passionate about showing solopreneurs how to create powerful relationships using social media as well as teaching them how to stop trading dollars for hours by using online information marketing techniques. Christine currently has over 15,000 people in her social media community and on her email list and was recently featured as a social media marketing expert in the book Get Scrappy: A Small Business Owner's Guide to Marketing On Less. Her blog, CommunicateValue.com was also just chosen as one of the top 50 small business blogs by Konector.com

After applying Christine's proven online marketing methods, her clients typically experience a significant increase in traffic, subscribers, clients, affiliates and lucrative joint venture opportunities. Christine is an in-demand speaker both locally and virtually and regularly delivers social media and online marketing presentations and in-depth training. Christine lives in Southern New Jersey with her husband Sean and their 2 crazy cats.  http://communicatevalue.com


8:00 pm EDT
Listen to the live or archived show at:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/CoachDeb

What Makes a Writer

By Sophfronia Scott

Lately I’ve been thinking about what makes a writer. I get emails with questions about how to put a manuscript together or what to put into a query letter or how to get editing services.

But I hear very little about the writing itself. Sometimes I get questions I can’t answer because I need to know more about what the person has written so far. When I ask, nine times out of ten the person has written little or nothing. They’re out there putting the proverbial cart before the horse.

Please don’t forget: whatever your book, whatever you want to create, you must address the writing. Maybe your book is fiction, maybe it’s non-fiction. Maybe you know you can’t write a word—and that’s good too! At least you know your first task is to find someone to get your ideas down on paper for you.

But one way or another, your book must be written before anything can happen. (If you’re seeking to get published traditionally, you’ll have to write a book proposal, not the whole book, but even then you need to submit sample chapters.) Nothing else matters at this point. I encourage you to find the writer in you. What makes a writer? Well, here’s the list I came up with. I’ll add to it as time goes on. Let me know what you think should be on the list!

1.    Knowing you must finish what you write. Not finishing guarantees you won’t publish.
2.    The desire to read as much as you can so you’re constantly learning what’s possible with language.
3.    Knowing there’s a world of potential in what you’re about to write.
4.    Understanding the magic is in the details–and a detail is more than just naming the brand of a car or a shirt.
5.    Understanding this is a craft and the editor is not the bad guy (or girl).
6.    There’s a story inside of you dying to get out–and you know you’ll absolutely love it when it’s done.
7.    Knowing the work is good because you made someone feel something, not just because someone told you it was good.
8.    Knowing that re-writing is just as much a part of your job as writing.
9.    Understanding that words are magic and a willingness to strive to find the right ones.
10. The ability to trust that you can create something new and bring amazing work into the world.
11. The desire for that moment of connection when the reader sees in your work a feeling they didn’t have words for before.
12. Awareness & recognition of moments of grace, beauty & horror, and the desire to render them in print.

© 2010 Sophfronia Scott

Sophfronia Scott is Executive Editor of the Done For You Writing & Publishing Company. Learn what a difference being a published author can make for your business. Get your FREE audio CD, “How to Succeed in Business By Becoming a Bestselling Author” and your FREE online writing and book publishing tips at www.DoneForYouWriting.com.

How to Handle Customer Complaints

by Brad Campbell

You start a business and you juggle the life between kids a spouse and everything else which gets heaped on your plate. The only thing you want to hear in regards to all of the hard work you have put into everything is accolades. The problem is this is hardly ever the case. When people are happy with what you are doing, they are silent. It is only when there is a problem you hear about it.


The important thing to do when there are customer complaints is to stay organized in the way it is handled. There should be an organized response to the complaints you encounter no matter what form the complaint comes in. If the complaint comes in the form of a letter, it needs to immediately uploaded into the computer and organized through your document management software. If the complaint is in the form of a phone call, make sure it is written down or recorded to be transcribed. By having all information on one easily accessible spot, it makes it easier to reference it later.


Owning Responsibility

Once the complaint is logged in the document software, it is important to get out in front of the response. Assure the client their complaint has been received and it is receiving your full attention. By making sure they will not have to wait, you will be able to save face. Many expect their complaints will be ignored. When they get an immediate response about the matter being looking into, it empowers them and makes them willing to trust in you.

Look into the Problem

Rather than paying lip service to the client just to quiet them down, look into why the complaint occurred. Too often companies can improve if only they pay attention to the complaints they receive. You may discover there is a serious flaw in the way products are being processed or the manner in which service is being rendered. By ignoring the problem, you run the risk of losing more clients. Fixing the problem will allow your company to grow.


Fix the Problem

If there is anything which can be done, take steps or make plans to fix the problem. Not all fixes are easy or immediate, but getting started will make all of the difference in the world. It will show not just those who have complained, but all of your current and potential clients you are always in the process of providing better products or services.


Follow up with Your Client

Once a situation has been handled, it is important to check back with the client to make sure they are satisfied. Give an appropriate amount of time for the client to evaluate the changes or the plans to fix the problem mentioned in the complaint. By doing so, you will get an understanding of how effective your methods of handling complaints are.

Remember your clients are willing to give you feedback on your products or services. It is your job to listen to your clients and to ask them how you can improve your company to make them happier.


Resource Nation provides free tools, tips, and purchasing advice for business owners and entrepreneurs in over 100 business categories ranging from phone systems to credit card processing.  Whether it's connecting businesses with local and national pre-screened vendors, or offering easy service comparisons on VoIP service, Resource Nation empowers business decision makers by providing the information they need to make smart choices.

Keep the Wrong Customers - My version

When a business opens, no customers are the wrong customers. Long term business success, however, is dependent on finding profitable customers. Good customers refer good customers. Bad customers refer other bad customers, promote ill will, and require an inordinate commitment of resources to service. Pruning bad customers from a customer base is almost always a profitable decision.

When it comes to customer behavior, you will train your customers. You have no choice in that. But you can either choose to train them well or train them poorly. If you train customers well, they will respect your time, value your services, and pay on time. They will be happy customers. If you train customers poorly, they will pay slowly, complain repeatedly, and torture your soul.

How can you determine if a particular customer is a good customer? My business partner, Paul, and I consider ourselves experts at dealing with difficult clients in our CPA firm. Our client base consists mostly of small business owners. If you are a small business owner, you will undoubtedly agree that business owners can be a difficult bunch on a number of levels. First, you don't overcome all of the problems associated with producing a thriving business without a healthy dose of stubbornness. The meek don't survive long. Second, small business owners like to control their destinies and environment. People, who like to be in control, have strong opinions. Third, successful small business owners are financially savvy. They aren't afraid to ask for lower prices. They are difficult clients by any reasonable definition. I am one too. I share all of these characteristics.

Given that most successful small business owners are a bit difficult, and given that we want successful clients, Paul and I have learned to deal with difficult clients. We rate clients in the following way. Our top clients are those who pay nearly immediately and don't gripe incessantly about price. That doesn't mean these clients aren't demanding. They usually are demanding. Clients, who pay well and quickly, expect and deserve the best service. We give it to them. If they need a letter written to a bank or a financial analysis completed immediately, we provide that level of service. When they need to meet with us, our schedules magically open for them. When they call, our office staff knows to interrupt us and put their calls through. They are happy clients, who provide a wealth of referrals for us. Great clients tend to associate with other great clients. We consider these clients “A” level.

Our “B” clients pay mostly on time and also don't complain much. We also provide a very high level of service to these clients, but they don't get the immediate turnaround on projects that “A” clients demand and get. Their telephone calls are returned on a timely basis, and we can normally schedule meetings with them within a few days. Of course, if an “A” client and a “B” client are both on hold, guess whose call gets answered first? “B” clients are also happy clients, who provide us with a few referrals each year.

“C” clients are normally people, who don't pay on time, but are nice people, who don't complain much. They respect our time and have reasonable expectations for turnaround. Many times, these clients have businesses that are in some financial difficulty. We aren't happy about not being paid on time, but as long as “C” clients are nice people to deal with, they are still valued clients. Over the years, we have seen a few “C” clients become “A” or “B” clients when their business fortunes have improved.

We have a technical term for “D” and “E” clients. We call them ex-clients. They don't pay on time, they gripe about price, and generally just aren't nice people. These clients are also among the demanding about our level of service. They expect immediate turnaround. A few years back, one “E” client asked me why it always took so long to complete his projects. I told him, “You are going to pay me in six months. I have other work I can do that pays immediately. What would you do if you owned my business? Would you work for paying customers or nonpaying customers?” I knew he didn't have any money, and his business was barely one step ahead of bankruptcy. He went somewhere else. I was glad. I had been willing to have him as a client as long as he understood the deal between us. Slow pay means slow service. When he no longer understood that, it was time for him to go. I don't miss him. Bad clients also refer other bad clients. When you get rid of one, you are saving yourself the headache of dealing with several more. This guy's referrals had all been struggling business owners, who paid poorly. My life measurably improved when he was gone.

During tax season, Paul and I also keep a top secret list called our bucket list. This is a list of clients, who have become “D” or “E” clients by violating established standards of human behavior. For instance, they made our lives difficult during our busiest season by just generally being pains in the ass. We might have had problems getting them to provide information for their tax returns, or they might have lousy payment histories. In general, that isn't enough to get on the bucket list. These attributes usually have to be combined with general nastiness. That gets them on the bucket list. The bucket list is our list of clients, who are dead to us. We want them dead and gone from our lives.

A couple weeks after the April 15th tax deadline, we sit down and re-evaluate the clients on the bucket list. My bucket list will normally consist of five or six clients, who have fallen to the level of vermin in my eyes. A couple weeks after tax season, I reconsider the situations that have put clients on the list. With tax season over, my emotions have calmed, and I am in a position to really consider if a client is a bad client. In a lot of cases, I have to honestly admit to some blame myself. By the time I am done, the bucket list normally shrinks to two or three clients. They get the firing letter. The firing letter is just like the breakup letters high school girls send ex-boyfriends. The general theme is, “It's not you. It's me.” I don't mean that any more than high school girls do.

One client a few years back had his banker call me about when his corporate tax returns would be done before this client had even sent me his tax information. During tax season, I don't have time to deal with useless telephone calls. There was nothing I could tell the banker. Because of confidentially laws, I literally couldn't discuss anything with him since I didn't have the client's permission. This was an absolute total waste of fifteen minutes of my precious, limited time on earth. When the client's tax information came to our office the next day, I packed it back up and sent it right back to him. This guy had become an ex-client before actually becoming a client in the first place. Here is a hint for you. Don't have your banker call your CPA before you have given permission for the communication. This maneuver will get you on your CPA's bucket list. Yes, he / she has one. We all do.

Going the Extra Mile will Get You Even Farther

by Jack Canfield

In life, victory often goes to those who make a 100% commitment to the outcome. They give it their all and put everything they have into getting their desired result... whether it be an Olympic gold medal, the top sales award, a perfect dinner party, or an A in microbiology.

It's a simple concept, yet you'd be surprised how many people don't stick to their disciplines, follow through with their plans, or go the extra mile.

Are you someone who consistently goes the extra mile and routinely over delivers on your promises?

It's rare these days, but it's the hallmark of high achievers who know that exceeding expectations helps you stand above the crowd. Almost by force of habit, successful people simply do more.

As a result, they experience not only greater financial rewards for their extra efforts but also a personal transformation, becoming more self-confident, more self-reliant, and more influential with those around them.

These high achievers stand out from the crowd because of their extra efforts. They are unwilling to give up, even in the face of difficult times.

They get the promotions, they get the loyal customers, they grow their businesses twice as fast, they get financial rewards, job security, and they go home feeling satisfied.

Do you exceed expectations?

Do you surprise people with more than they were expecting from you?

Do you have the opportunity - but also the personal initiative - to go the extra mile?

To be successful you must change your thinking. You can only win by making extra efforts. People who go the extra mile always get payback. You will discover yourself becoming more self-confident, more self-reliant and more influential with those around you.

People notice the special services and all the small touches that make dealing with you so pleasurable. And when they are talking to their friends they will mention you and recommend you because you are the one who stands out.

People will see that you pay attention to detail, that you consider all the small things that really make a business successful, that you care about your image, and that you belong with all the other people who work hard to achieve. You will attract new business and new opportunities.

Listen to any success story and you will hear of someone who worked exceptionally hard to get what they wanted.

You’ll hear how they put in the extra time, did what wasn’t part of their job description, and over-delivered on what was asked of them. You’ll hear how they stuck at it until they broke through, and usually you’ll hear how it only took them a couple of years to do it.

What have you been doing for the past couple of years? Think of what you could accomplish if you made it a habit to exceed everyone’s expectations. Image what doors could be open to you if you decided to be of better service and value.

How are you willing to go the extra mile? What kind of extra service are you willing to provide in order to stand out from the rest? What areas of your life could you be giving more of your effort and time, becoming more valuable, and improving your reputation?

Be willing to treat everyone like you’d treat your dearest friend. Don’t skimp on service. Don’t be mediocre or run of the mill. Show people what you are capable of. Show them that you care about your image and reputation.

When it comes to success, the people who are willing to go the extra mile get there that much faster!

* * *

Are you "stuck" in this area?
Send me your most pressing question about this topic, then join me for our monthly Ask Jack Canfield Tele-Clinic on November 3rd. www.AskJackCanfield.com
© 2010 The Canfield Training Group
All Rights Reserved.


Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com

"Think Like an Entrepreneur" Book Signing Today!

Date: Saturday, October 16, 2010
Time: 1:00 - 3:00 PM

Borders Books Princeton
601 Nassau Park Blvd. (Off of Rt 1)
Princeton, NJ 08540
609.514.0040


Meet author, Deborah A. Bailey at the book signing for "Think Like an Entrepreneur: Transforming Your Career and Taking Charge of Your Life."  

For directions and more information: http://www.borders.com/online/store/StoreDetailView_131

Can't make it to the signing?

Find out more and read an excerpt here:  http://www.dbaileycoach.com/thinkentrepreneurbook.html

"Being an Entrepreneur your journey is often YOU, alone, with many decisions and feelings. "Think Like an Entrepreneur: Transforming Your Career and Taking Charge of Your Life" supports you and your next steps to live your dream" - Susan Vernicek, Founder and Owner of Identity Magazine 

This book is for you if you want:

    * Guidance on reinventing your career in spite of what may be going on in the economy
    * A blueprint for moving from employee to entrepreneur directly from someone who has experienced it
    * Clear steps for managing fear of failure and self doubt
    * Motivation to pick you up (and point you in the right direction) when you're facing the emotional and mental challenges that come with making life changes
    * To know how to think like an entrepreneur so that you can constantly increase your income and your opportunities!

"Along with an entrepreneur class in high school, "Think Like an Entrepreneur: Transforming Your Career and Taking Charge of Your Life" should be required reading. So many people choose a career based on making other people happy only to find that years down the road they are miserable. Imagine what the world would be like if everyone had the courage to begin their career following their dreams."  - Julie Barnes, writer, aspiring artist and author of "So You Want to Start a Business...Now What?"