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Leaving town and getting away for a few days can be revitalizing and good for business. We just enjoyed our best ever weekend away at The Broadmoor. Playing with grandkids, taking walks together, eating fabulous food and meeting new friends—not totally relaxing, but outrageously fun. We feel refreshed and renewed!
A note on the next Café: it will be held at the Riverfront on June 25. And not Mount Vernon Country Club as announced. We look forward to our next Fall Day Retreat at Mount Vernon on September 11, when we're planning a very special line up.
Our very best regards,
Dave and Victoria
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Susie Hayes, MA, CHT
Susie Hayes has been helping people improve their lives through counseling, hypnosis, life coaching, business coaching and energy psychology since 1982. “I provide a powerful integrative approach to change to help you achieve the best quality, most lasting results you want in your personal, professional and relational life in the most cost-effective, time-efficient way,” Susie says. |
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Q: What do you find most fulfilling
about running your business?
SH: It is not an overstatement to say that, even after 27 years in private practice, I am still amazed, exhilarated and humbled as I watch people’s lives transform through the healing process. People entrust their deepest wounds and most intimate secrets to me.To watch as their pain transforms to peace, to see them stand back up on their feet with renewed strength and hope, to watch as they accomplish what they once – or perhaps never before – dreamed possible, that is to know I’m privileged to be a part of their lives.
Q: What motivated you to start
this business?
SH: My own pain. I was in graduate school, completing my first master’s degree in education. Upon approaching graduation, I realized I was incredibly dissatisfied and unhappy – disillusioned really. So I entered my own personal psychotherapy, to discover I was one of the many walking wounded on the planet – I looked incredibly successful on the outside – I was bleeding on the inside. It was a powerful change point for me, and I was fascinated by the process. So I stayed around in my graduate program another year, got an additional master’s degree in counseling, and “hung up my shingle” (while building two counseling centers, marketing for a psychiatric hospital, working as a social worker, and developing several other businesses along the way).
Over the years, my practice expanded into life and business coaching as I recognized my clients often needed a different kind of support – a structure, a vehicle, a road map - to move forward in their personal and professional lives, as they were healing on the inside.
And it was from my own pain, once again, that my practice expanded in a new, and yes, unexpected direction. After decades as a clinician, having gone through psychotherapy, psychoanalysis and other healing modalities, I had mushroomed to 100 pounds overweight – unhealthy, miserable and frustrated. A friend suggested hypnosis – I was skeptical but honestly desperate. Again – another powerful change point in my own personal journey. Seeing the value in my own healing process, I began integrating hypnosis, as well as other rapid change technologies, into my practice. It transformed and accelerated my work with clients beyond measure. And honestly, I have been revitalized and re-energized, as a clinician, healer and change agent.
Q: What book has been most helpful
to you in your business?
SH: The Richest Man Who Ever Lived – King Solomon’s Secrets to Success, Wealth, and Happiness by Steve K. Scott.
Q: Who has influenced you most
in your life?
SH: My father – a carpenter, with an eighth grade education. A quiet man of great faith and integrity. A devout conservative Christian, he told me, “Be careful what you believe. All that appears to be of God is not. You will know in your own heart what is true if you watch and listen.” He never anticipated that his words would move me away from my traditional roots – on a spiritual evolutionary journey that neither of us could have imagined. He respected my choices. He taught me to learn through asking questions, asking questions, asking questions – to be tenaciously curious about life. He gave me permission to respectfully challenge authority. He encouraged me to use my mind and my talents – to cherish and use the gifts I had been given. His wisdom served me well.
Q: What has proved to be your most
successful marketing strategy?
SH: Fully showing up and meeting the needs of my clients.
Q: What have been the greatest
challenges you have had to overcome, or are currently facing,
in your business?
SH: With the economic shift, my greatest challenge has been to not freak out when the phone stops ringing. I quickly rallied around me a support team – several who are now cherished fellow Make-it-Flyers – to keep me on my feet, tethered and focused. My mantra the past months has been keep breathing, keep moving, even when it’s dark.
Q: How did you benefit from participating
in a Make-it-Fly® board?
SH: Make-it-Fly® is in alignment with my belief system. Right now, we’re all being challenged on this planet to shift our paradigm from competition to collaboration. Collaboration and community is foundational to Make-it-Fly®. There is a powerful synergy in Make-it-Fly® that I’ve lapped up like a hungry puppy. Resources, resources, resources – an ever-expansive treasure chest.
Q:
What would you say to other business owners who are contemplating
getting involved in a Make-it-Fly® board?
SH: Don’t wait. Don’t be timid. Be smart. Dive in!
Susie Hayes can be reached by phone at: 303-745-1816, or visit her web site at: www.SusieHayesCounseling.com.
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 Dave’s
Networking Nugget:
Continually refine your networking skills.
Read a book on networking. By reading just ten pages a day, you’ll both hone your networking skills and learn valuable insights you can share with others. |
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 Unleash Your Marketing Creativity and Increase Sales
By Victoria Munro
“Creativity involves breaking out of established
patterns in order to look at things
in a different way.”
– Edward de Bono
Marketing is the lifeline of your business. As an entrepreneur, you can't afford to neglect it. Growth and survival won’t happen without marketing. Unless your current marketing is working really well and you have more customers than you know what to do with, don’t keep doing what you’ve always done! Unleash your creativity and try out some new ideas! We’ve listed several to start your creative juices flowing.
Hold a Brainstorming Session
Gather a group of friends, colleagues or employees to brainstorm marketing ideas for your business. Make it worth their while – perhaps treat them to dinner first. Make and follow a clear agenda.
A Possible Agenda Might Include:
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Explain your current and past marketing activities and the results. Ask for suggestions on how each could be more effective. |
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Ask participants take a critical look at your marketing materials and offer suggestions. |
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Have a no holds barred ‘wild marketing ideas’ brainstorming time, and list as many out-of-the-box suggestions as possible. |
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Discuss ways to increase the number of qualified leads. |
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Ask for ideas on services or products you could offer that meet a current need in the market. |
Brainstorming can be invaluable, but will only work if you resist the temptation to become defensive or comment on ideas generated., This will quickly stifle creativity. You may have already tried a suggestion made, with pitiful results, but keep quiet and keep an open mind! Record everything and take time to review it later.
Never shoot down wild ideas. In his best-selling book Marketing Outrageously, Jon Spoelstra writes about his time as president of the New Jersey Nets. They had a page in their company manual that said: “If people fall down laughing when you present an idea, that idea has a chance of becoming a breakthrough idea. When an idea is so outrageous that it causes people to laugh at the idiocy of it, then it’s time to push the outrageous envelope and see if that idea can be developed.” Joe’s marketing efforts with the Nets proved to be wildly successful.
Study Your Competitors
How are they marketing? What is working for them? Why is it working? Are they using methods you could adopt and improve on?
Take a Trip
Visit or talk to those in similar industries or professions in other cities and states. Find out how they are marketing and what is working in their area. Keep in touch and trade marketing suggestions.
Start a ‘Marketing Ideas’ file
Always be on the lookout for fresh ideas. Every time you come across an article, a brochure or an ad that appeals to you, drop it in the file. When you need to create a new marketing piece, write an ad or rewrite your marketing plan, you have a file full of ideas and you won’t have to start from scratch.
Avoid Creativity Killer Comments Like:
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That will never work for us |
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Great idea for another business |
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I don’t have the time it would take to do that |
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Our budget won’t stretch that far |
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People in our profession/industry don't do things like that |
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Sounds like something my kids would come up with |
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We tried that last year and it didn’t work |
If you don’t feel very inspired and imaginative, remember creativity is like a muscle: the more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes. Start working out today with some of the above ideas!
Click
here for printable version.
Click
here to read more articles like this one.
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Victoria’s
Marketing Advice
Marketing—A Definition to Think About:
“Marketing is getting people, who have a specific need or problem to know, like, and trust you.”
~ John Jantsch, Duct Tape Marketing
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Networking
Up to 20 professionals, each representing one profession,
meet one on one at customized speed networking events, allowing
you the opportunity to have a five-minute conversation with
each participant to generate leads, referrals and business.
Rev Networking is not a group, as you will meet new professionals
every time and people that attend are serious about growing
their business by networking and power partnering with other
professionals.
Reservation only $48
Marilyn Manning 303-763-1865
marilyn@revnetworking.com
www.revnetworking.com
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The Riverfront specializes in well
crafted, richly satisfying occasions that balance
aesthetics, personality and party. The site is versatile, accommodating
groups from fifteen to five hundred. Features include: two dance
floors with professional sound and lighting, a fireplace nook,
three bars, outdoor patio, and gazebo. Our personal chef, custom
menus, and full suite of inclusions rank us paramount in our industry.
Call 303.865.8500
today
and schedule your holiday event!
www.riverfront-center.com
We
manage your email marketing,
YOU run your business and increase profitability.
We make your email marketing easy by offering consistent,
reliable, managed email implementation.
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The Email Works brings 25 years of marketing experience
to its creation of high-impact, professional-looking emails
that build strong, successful, and lasting relationships
with customers, clients or members.
Cheryl is offering a free
30-minute phone consultation,
plus ask about the discount
for In-Flight Refueling readers.
Visit www.TheEmailWorks.com. |
Wanted: People with a Passion
and Heart to Help
Small Business Owners
Have you ever wished you could work with like-minded
business professionals to grow your own business, while doing
work that results in major positive changes in lives and businesses?
Make-it-Fly®, Your Small Business
Board of Advisors, has been changing the lives of small business
owners and professionals in the Denver metro area for six years
through peer advisory boards. We are now looking for franchisees
with heart and passion to do the same in their communities.
After testing and perfecting our advisory board
system with more than 800 clients, we are expanding. If you
have a sales and/or marketing background, outstanding people
skills and want to invest in your own business with a team committed
to your success, we’d like to talk to you.
Contact Dave Block - 720-962-8888.
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READING
THIS AD? THEN WHY NOT PUT YOURS HERE TOO? The
In-Flight Refueling Ezine reaches more than 2,700
entrepreneurs, small-biz owners, consultants and marketers. Reserve
your advertising spot today in the next In-Flight Refueling
Ezine,
http://www.make-it-fly.com/ezineads.html.
Paid Advertising Disclaimer: Make-it-Fly®
LLC does not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability
of any of the paid advertisements above or the quality of any
products, services, information, or other materials displayed,
purchased, or obtained by you as a result of an offer in connection
with any ad. It's common sense to do your own due diligence before
purchasing any product.
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The
Make-it-Fly® Advisory Board 101
Each
Make-it-Fly® Advisory Board 101 program
consists of 12 non-competing business owners who meet once a month
for five consecutive months. In the spirit of giving, they offer
each other solutions, ideas, resources and encouragement. Dave
and a co-facilitator lead each board sharing powerful tools to
assist business owners in reaching their goals and living more
balanced lives.
If you have experienced a Make-it-Fly®
program, please share the following openings with other business
owners who need support. Call Dave for more information at 720-962-8888.
Programs are held from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Current program openings in Denver:
- Mondays - July 6, August 3, August 31, October 5
- Thursdays - September 3, October 1, November 5
Click
here to sign up for Advisory
Boards.
Or call Dave at 720-962-8888.
Alumni
Boards are groups of 12-14 small business owners who have
participated in at least one Make-it-Fly®
Advisory Board 101 and wish to continue the support and accountability
with a group of like-minded, giving business associates. Members
meet once a month for a three-hour meeting.
If you completed the initial Make-it-Fly®
Advisory Board 101 and are interested in more information on Alumni
Boards, call Dave at 720-962-8888.
Make-it-Fly®
Café
High altitude networking, where exceptional people help each
other.
Next
Café:
Date: Thursday, June 25, 2009
Time: 4:30 to
7:30 p.m.
Cost:
$10 online, $15 at the door
Click
here to sign up now.
Location: The
Riverfront
2852 W. Bowles Ave., Littleton (One block west of Santa Fe)
Cafe Sponsor: Easy Entrées
Easy Entrées is a fresh approach to the meal preparation kitchen—helping you save time and money and bring back the joy of dinnertime. Let Easy Entrées do the hard work of meal planning and take away that nagging question of “What’s for dinner tonight?”
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Click
here to read previous issues of Make-it-Fly®'s
email newsletters.
Contact
Make-it-Fly® - Dave and Victoria:
email: info@make-it-fly.com
voice: 720-962-8888
web: www.Make-it-Fly.com
Reprint
Permission:
Please email or call Victoria if you'd like to reprint any information
contained in this newsletter. Thanks! © Copyright 2009. All
rights reserved.
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Make-it-Fly®
LLC
720-962-8888
355 South Teller Street, Suite 200, Lakewood, CO 80226, USA
http://www.make-it-fly.com
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