Don’t use your “inside voice” to promote your business.

It will bomb every time.

This is a rookie mistake when it comes to marketing. Especially if you are accustomed to being direct and plain talking. That’s the American way, right? Say what you mean, and don’t sugar coat it.

This alone will cut your income off at the ankles.

As poet Emily Dickinson wrote, “Tell all the truth but tell it slant/success in circuit lies.” This is the clearest advice out there, when it comes to learning to speaking the language of your ideal clients.

Tell all the truth, but … Read the rest >

From the “it’s all connected” files: a quick run-down of a documentary Stella had the good fortune to watch yesterday.

BUCK follows the work and life of Buck Brannaman, an American cowboy who runs training clinics for horsemen across the country. Or, as he likes to say, he helps horses with people problems.

What’s remarkable, though, is the way he goes about his work. There are some valuable marketing and sales lessons in there, for folks like you and me.

The old-school method of training horses was, apparently, to “break” them. Strong arm them into understanding, in no uncertain terms, … Read the rest >

Silence is golden.

But not only that… Your email inbox is a sacred space, too.

Do you treat your email inbox like a precious pool of valued communion and info? Where you hear from people—personal and professional—that you actually like?

Or have you allowed Tom, Dick, and Harry to send you tripe you aren’t putting into action…and it’s cluttering up your inbox and making you bananas?

Now hear this: Stella doesn’t care how many freebies you’ve scored because you’ve given up your email address. That’s a fine strategy when you’re shoestringing it.

But if that means you … Read the rest >

There’s a myth out there, and it’s making me crazy. Let’s bust it, shall we?

It goes something like this: to get clients, you need a slick website, fancy business cards, and a whole bunch of marketing “stuff.” As in, things you send or give people. Professional things. Impressive things. “Look how many certifications I have and what schools I’ve attended” things.

Horsefeathers.

You don’t need that stuff to attract clients.

(Recovering Perfectionists: I’m talking specifically to you, here. I know this is hard to believe, but you don’t need to have your whole brand or entire program … Read the rest >

Have you ever talked to a person who isn’t much fun at all?

They just go on and on. About themselves, mostly.

They don’t ask any questions about you or your day. They make zero attempt to get to know you. It’s almost like they are running on autopilot. Lights on, nobody’s home.

You may even leave the conversation—if you can call it that—with a feeling of depletion. Or mild irritation.

On the other hand, a person who is fabulous company has a totally different approach to conversation.

She is lively. Fun. Aware of your time—and the preciousness of it. … Read the rest >