When the news media first started talking about the recession – honestly I pretty much dismissed it. 9 months later we can no longer dismiss the fact that that the condition of the economy has changed and it is dramatically affecting many small business owners and their families.  For many families out there this is a very scary time – especially families that have one or more breadwinner in a traditional JOB where they do not have control of their own income.

And here is the truth:  YOU CAN’T CONTROL THE ECONOMY.

But you can control how you CHOOSE to react to the economy and how to run your business in the economy.

I also think there is a lot of hype out there from leading marketers which I believe is a huge disservice to small business owners.  Want to hear my opinion?  Let me know your thoughts.

Watch as I share my perspective on the economy:

PS. More to come about the next several days…so stay tuned.

Learn how to recession proof your business at the Marketing to Millionaires Retreat October 22-24, 2009. Learn more and register at www.marketingtomillionairesretreat.com.

Have a question about the Marketing to Millionaires Retreat?…call us at 866.615.8150.

Article by Kelly K. O’Neil, Million Dollar Marketing to the Affluent Coach and Creator of the Marketing to Millionaires™ Programs

Profitability Point #2 – Affluent Clients Shop on Value, Not Price

Affluent clients will pay the asking price even if it’s 100% more expensive than the competition IF they perceive there’s added value what you are offering whether that is one-of-kind exclusivity, proven results or VIP customer service.  Higher price points create more wiggle room for higher profitability margins.

If you missed the first Profitability point, check it out here!

Listen to Kelly’s Profitability Point #2 here!

Thanks and let us know your thoughts. I encourage you to leave your comments or questions below.

Article by Kelly K. O’Neil, Million Dollar Marketing to the Affluent Coach and Creator of the Marketing to Millionaires™ Programs

Bernie Madoff recently went to jail. Most might not consider Bernie a success because of his dishonesty and criminal activity. And I would agree that he needs some serious help in the ethics department. But, regardless of how much of a scum bag he may be, one thing is true. He operates with the same success principles that all people who know how to succeed do. (No, I am not talking about the lieing and the cheating.) Bernie, still knows what it takes to navigate success and he spent years hanging out with others who play the same success game. I’m sure he picked up a few things.

So what is the first thing Bernie did when he went to prison? What all important effort did he make to try to guarantee his success in prison? He hired a coach and consultant. That’s right.

I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a prison consultant. The bottom line is that those who know how to succeed never blindly do it alone.  As quick as they can they hire someone to help guide them to the success they want. It really doesn’t matter if the success is in business, life, or even in prison.

The unsuccessful never hire the coach or consultant and wonder why success eludes them. It doesn’t matter if the success you want is in business, life, relationships, or tiddly winks. Don’t be foolish enough to go it alone or try to power your way through on your own. Invest in yourself.

Thanks and let us know your thoughts. I encourage you to leave your comments or questions below.

Article by Craig Miller, New Million Dollar Marketing to the Affluent Coach

One of the easiest and most beneficial ways step on your soapbox by speaking publicly is by holding your own teleseminar.  Setting up teleseminars is really as simple as 1-2-3: create your topic, set-up a phone line and invite your followers to register on your site.

The advantages of this type of speaking are four-fold:  you drive traffic to your site for registration; you have a captive audience on the telephone line with whom you may take the time to provide your subject matter expertise as well as up sell high ticket items requiring a little extra sales pitch; you can repurpose the recording of your teleseminar into a passive income product or free offering; you build your list as a result of listener registration; and last, you create trust and extend your expertise with your list by providing valuable content.

Remember, public speaking helps you reach the kind of “stardom” where prospects recognize your name as soon as they hear or see it and you are looked upon as an expert. The affluent want access to the brands and service providers who are the expert in their field as it fulfills their desire for the best things in life.  In addition to saving time and money, working with an expert helps deliver the emotional benefit to your millionaire clients that come from bragging about you to their like-minded, wealthy friends who are willing and able to pay premium prices for your services. Get started now so you don’t miss out!

Thanks and let us know your thoughts. I encourage you to leave your comments or questions below.

Article by Kelly K. O’Neil, Million Dollar Marketing to the Affluent Coach and Creator of the Marketing to Millionaires™ Programs

Speaking on someone else’s stage, is a great way to perfect your speaking abilities, build your speaking resume and extend your expertise with an affluent audience without taking on the financial investment or risk involved in a self-sponsored event.  Because public speaking enhances your credibility and your reputation as an expert while providing important information to your affluent target audience, it is important that your speech does not turn into “sales pitches.” Keep references to your company’s products and services low-key while personally projecting your desired image especially on a stage other than your own. The key to success is making sure that you are in front of the right audience and then provide tremendous value to them.

When you are giving a speech make sure you do the following:

• Inform your audience on your subject.
• Establish yourself as an expert and a resource for further information.
• Encourage your audience to take action.
• Create a compelling leave behind with information about your product or service offerings.  Perhaps include an article you have written.
• Collect their information through business cards or a raffle for a free hour of consulting or a product.

Ideas for getting the word out that you are available as a speaker:

• Create a speaking resume that includes your bio and three compelling talks that you can give.  You can see a copy of my speaking resume at www.uplevelstrategies.com.
• Send your speaking resume to professional trade organizations, civic groups or non-profit organizations.
• Send announcement letters or network to let groups know that you are available and which topics you can address.

When you become known as an expert in your field as a result of public speaking, you will find that the affluent will beat a path to your door.  Don’t hesitate… get started today!

Thanks and let us know your thoughts. I encourage you to leave your comments or questions below.

Article by Kelly K. O’Neil, Million Dollar Marketing to the Affluent Coach and Creator of the Marketing to Millionaires™ Programs

Nothing will damage your business more than business myopia or short sightedness. In order to stay successful even when economic challenges make it difficult, you must always keep an eye on your long term goals and objectives. You will hit rough spots but do not get bogged down in the present. Instead keep your eyes on your target. And, in doing so, you must find the courage to INVEST IN YOURSELF.

When I think about it, every great achievement in my life has been tied to some kind of learning experience. Whether it’s reading a book, working with a coach, or attending a seminar, success-minded individuals like me tend to have an insatiable drive for mastery and an intense commitment to learning and growth.

And in today’s economy I am definitely seeing more value by investing in myself than in the Stock Market. That’s because a smart investment in your future can pay dividends for the rest of your life.  I Am My Best Investment.  Here are the top places I invest my money that have HUGE Returns on Investment.

• A business and marketing coach
• A mastermind group
• Training (Live events and Seminars)

The one thing a coach and a mastermind group will give you that you will NEVER give yourself is Perspective and Accountability… absolutely ESSENTIAL for massive growth.

Every year, I invest close to six figures on coaches, mastermind groups, trainings and live events in effort to grow myself and my business. To some, this may seem like an amazing amount of money. But I look at it as a small price to pay; an amount that quickly and easily returns on itself. I estimate that the strategies and new client connections I bring back from these sessions result in the range of $500,000 worth of growth to my business each year.

So, remember…stay focused. Every decision, every cutback, every improvement you make now must be beneficial not only in the present but more importantly in the future.  You are your future.  Invest wisely.

Have you heard America is in a recession?  I have a question for you….Are you having a personal recession?  That may sound like a silly question, but think about it for a minute.   No matter your situation, it’s up to you if your “Personal Economy” has a recession.

Invest in Innovation & Ways to Improve

An innovative business is one that continually adapts and evolves to meet changing market conditions.  Given that everyone else is cutting back, for every dollar invested in innovation, you get a larger return than you would have in the past. Regardless, the economy will rebound. Innovation is more like a marathon than a sprint. If you are not prepared, when market conditions improve, you will be behind the curve.

You should be constantly re-evaluating not just your marketing plan, but all of your business strategies including policies, pricing, and employee performance. The idea is to eventually be as efficient and effective as possible so your company runs smoothly and profitably. Look closely at your competitors. Talk to business leaders you respect and your coaches.  Read business management books and attend seminars. Experiment. Solicit feedback from your team members, mastermind group and customers. By doing several of these things you will accumulate a wealth of knowledge and experience crucial to the survival of your business.

I’d like to extend a special invitation to you to this summer’s most exclusive event The Millionaire Prodigy Sessions.   Coming this month, I’ll be hosting an exceptional one-day event specifically designed for success-oriented entrepreneurs, and I’d love you to join me.

Now is the perfect opportunity for you to expand your business, attract affluent clients, network with other success oriented entrepreneurs in order to create a thriving business. Here is a sneak peak at what we will be doing at the event:

• I will share my personal business and mindset strategies that I have used to transform my time sucking consulting business into a thriving million dollar business empire.
• I will reveal my very personal details about the challenges I have faced on my journey to success and how I overcame them.
• I will tell you the life changing experiences that have allowed me to play a bigger game than ever before and attract ideal clients who are willing to pay premium prices for my services.
• And the best part…I am going to open the kimono and put myself in the hot seat so you can ask me absolutely anything about my journey to success!

Thursday, July 30, 2009
The Silicon Valley, California
Garden Court Hotel
520 Cowper Street
10 am – 4 pm

Seating is limited to only 75 guests, and spots are sure to fill up quickly. Please learn more and reserve your seat now at:

http://www.marketingtomillionairesprodigyclub.com/inviteonly

I look forward to meeting you personally and sharing some powerful new information with you to help you take your business to the next level!

Unlocking a niche market seems to be the Achilles heel of many entrepreneurs. These are professionals who are very talented, smart, and all around good people. Yet, they are frustrated because no matter how good their service is they can’t seem to generate enough income and clients.

Here is the truth:

The affluent pay more for specialized information and services. Products that address specific problems, like client retention in a dental practice, sell easier and for more money than general products on managing your business. Services that address specific issues are valued higher than general services like say, “coaching you to make your dreams come true”. People know there is too much involved in that to really get at the heart of what they perceive their problem to be.

This is why having a niche makes all the difference in the world. It enables you and your marketing to set a target with ease and hit it every time.

There are all kinds of examples of this. For instance, a car mechanic who works on Ferrari’s will charge more than one who works on Fords.

I am sure you can come up with plenty of other examples.

Now obviously, when you narrow down your niche, your target market gets much smaller. However, your ability to charge higher prices generally will make up for that. In addition, it is usually easier to narrow down your marketing so you are only reaching the specific folks who are interested in your product or service.

That last point has become MUCH easier with the advent of the Internet. This presents an opportunity that has never before been seen in the information marketing world.

In addition to providing this opportunity, the Internet also makes your research on a niche a whole lot easier.

You can find your competitors and judge the size of your market in no time at all… certainly not more than a day, and once you get a little experience it is more like a couple of hours.

Once you do this you can create a client attraction system that delivers results every time. You can measure and test these results for even bigger and better results.

The rich are attracted to services that seem to be tailored just for them. When you create a service that targets a specific niche within the affluent market you set yourself up to be an expert that they will beg to know.

Thanks and let us know your thoughts. I encourage you to leave your comments or questions below.

To learn more about how to market your services to people who will pay premium prices, value your expertise and build your business FOR YOU by raving to all their friends? Get your Free CD: www.marketingtomillionairesgift.com

Article by Craig Miller, New Million Dollar Marketing to the Affluent Coach

If you are not comfortable with the rich than you don’t stand a chance of effectively marketing to and working with the millionaires you hope to attract. Plus, if you want to attract the wealthy you have to emanate the same vibe that they have when it comes to success and money.

The first step in being comfortable with the rich is being comfortable with yourself.  Being comfortable with yourself means feeling equal to the people around you and the situation in front of you. When this happens you project a confidence that is intoxicating.

If you are still working on being comfortable in your own skin among the affluent then fortunately there are a three techniques that can help you project the confidence you are after.

First off make sure your posture projects that you know what you are doing and you are excited to be doing it.  Your posture communicates more than your clothing and your words. Posture tells the world what is really going on inside you, but luckily you can practice the right posture for any situation. Pay attention to what your posture is communicating and change to reflect the message you want to get across.  Walk with purpose, stand tall, look them in the eye, and keep your conversation optimistic.

Secondly, be yourself at all times. If you try to market yourself to a target market that doesn’t match your true self then you will be fighting an up hill battle. Pick an affluent market that matches your true self.

The third technique is related to the second. Let your natural energies shine through. If you are normally live, talkative and funny then don’t try to be calm, shy, and subdued. Let it out. Likewise, if you are serious don’t try to market your services in a “out there” or funny way. Let the real you shine through and you will project the energy that will attract high quality clients.

Thanks and let us know your thoughts. I encourage you to leave your comments or questions below.

To learn more about how to market your services to people who will pay premium prices, value your expertise and build your business FOR YOU by raving to all their friends? Get your Free CD: www.marketingtomillionairesgift.com

Article by Craig Miller, New Million Dollar Marketing to the Affluent Coach