Recharging those batteries!

This is the first summer I’ve taken this many vacations! 

   The beach! The mountains! Overseas! Time off to visit friends! 

   I don’t say this to impress you, but to impress upon you. 

   You need a vacation! 

   My neighbor asked me point blank, how I can afford to take off so much.

    He’s an entrepreneur (in a sense) who has fallen victim to the “I’m a slave for my own company” attitude. 

   I explained to him that vacations are just as important to an entrepreneurs mindset as making money is.  Maybe more so! 

   Taking time away from your business gives you an appreciation for the business you created (or bought, traded or otherwise acquired). 

   Your mind, body and spirit become refreshed, rejuvenated and renewed. 

   Thinking about your business 24/7 is fine… when you’re working! But, don’t do it while on vacation. Give yourself time to escape the business and have fun. 

   When I start to get the “pain” from working too much…I know it’s the sign to take a vacation and recharge those entrepreneurial batteries. 

   Speaking of pain… Here’s an article I wrote last year (6/22/2010) that I feel fits right in… 

LISTEN TO THE PAIN!    

I took a few days off, did you miss me? 

After 6 months of what seemed like non-stop work…I felt burned out! 

I needed some desperate me time. No phones! No computer! No checking emails or facebook! I just totally unplugged!  

And why not I thought… it was the perfect weekend to escape. 

I went dancing with my wife (something we haven’t done it awhile). Took the kids to see Toy Story 3, celebrated my 41st birthday, then celebrated Fathers Day, ate at a creperie, took a couple naps in between… it was awesome! 

Now I’m back! Refreshed and ready to rock! 

A few days before I left I was really starting to feel the passion slipped away…it seemed my mind was always intune to business, marketing and helping others…and I was losing focus on what really mattered. Oh, don’t get me wrong…I love helping people. But, after many months of non-stop, nose to grindstone, this marketing maniac was starting to feel the pain. 

My friend, Charlie McDermott, shared this very important message with me, “Pain is good…it teaches us a lot “if” we listen”. He went to say, “sounds like your pain is speaking to you!” 

Most entrepreneurs will eventually feel the pain. Some choose to ignore it. Others noticed the pain they are feeling and prescribe themselves with a few days of R&R (rest and relaxation).  

My buddy, Scott Linde (yeah the bug guy from New Jersey) eliminates his pain by taking multiple vacations a year. He says, taking vacations actually makes him more money. Strange right? Not really! When he comes back from his trips, he is refocused, reenergized and recharged.  

Taking time away from your business, getting away from all the distractions, enables you to focus on your goals. Focus on why you really started your business.

In the book, “The E-Myth” by Michael Gerber, your business is suppose to fund your personal life, not your personal life funding your business. If we are focused on constantly building our business, we are taking away the time needed to build up ourselves. 

What do you enjoy doing?  

Why aren’t you doing it? 

In the book, “The 4 Hour Workweek” by Timothy Ferris, Tim loves to travel and experience all that life as to offer…his book will help guide you to refocus your business energies in such a way that you are maximizing your work load and spending more time on what you really enjoy. Work Less, Make More!  

But, how do we get there? 

Well, here’s Charlie again to share his thoughts on how you can do it. “Get away for a day or better yet two…no phones, email etc. Focus on your long range goals and dreams. Set up a plan or a timeline that will get you to the point where you are spending most of your time doing what you love. Then come back recharged and work your plan.” 

Great advice Charlie…thanks! 

So before you get to the breaking point and start to feel the pain or have that feeling where you want to go “postal” on everyone, maybe it’s time to take a break and schedule some days away so you can refocus.             

   Well my friend, as I type this, I’m also busy packing! Yep, I’m off again!  

   Actually, this time… it’s with my whole family! Sort of a family reunion vacation. 

   Lots of lazy river tubing, shooting stuff and enjoying life to the fullest!                          

  Until Next Time,          

     “Live with Passion!” 

   Rob Anspach   

 

Contact Information

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Email: rob@robanspach.com                                   Phone: (717)330-7947 

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 Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube & WordPress!

                    

 

Rob Anspach is a “brilliantly savvy” entrepreneur who helps frustrated business owners regain the passion they once had by showing them how to be more effective in the marketplace, how to dramatically improve their business so they enjoy coming to work again and how to win over customers regardless of price. Discover how easy it is to make money in your online or offline marketing, to attract and retain clientele and profit from your passions… visit http://www.robanspach.com  today!

 

Rob is also the creator & dynamic force behind Success Secrets TV, the new online show dedicated to helping entrepreneurs stay successful… check it out by going to… http://www.SuccessSecrets.TV

It’s hard to be one, so this will help guide you!

      In 1998 I joined my local chapter of the Optimist Club.

      Oh, believe me, it wasn’t because I wanted to belong to a service group, that was the furthest thing in my mind. To be honest, I was really looking to plug my business and pick up some extra accounts.

      Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know purely selfish reasons, right?

      Okay, I’ll admit the food at the luncheons was really good too!

       Somehow, I impressed upon enough people in the group that I began President of the chapter the next year. 

       At the time I was 30 years old and most of the members were double my age and set in their ways. I felt like I was king of the pessimists not optimists.

       It was discouraging to say the least. I had to remind these people everyday why their creed was as important then as it was when it was written.

       I was told by many of the old-timers, that my new fangled approach to fundraising, new member acquisitions and publicity wasn’t going to work. They had been doing things the same way for a million years and my ideas weren’t going to fly.

       Time after time, I would prove them wrong, and that year we had the highest collected amount from fundraisers ever in the chapters history.

       Sure, being a pessimist is okay sometimes, but don’t be one all the time.

       So here to help you be a stronger person and live a more fulfilling life is the Optimist Creed. Read it!

       Even if don’t ever intend to join the Optimist Club, you can still follow the creed. 

        The Optimist Creed Promise Yourself …
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

  Until Next Time,   

     “Live with Passion!”

   Rob Anspach   

 P.S.  My 2nd oldest child graduated from Lancaster Catholic High School last night – so I’m taking a long weekend off to celebrate her accomplishment. If you need help in any way, email me or wait until Tuesday. Oh, and have a fantastic Memorial Day weekend.

It works for them, why not you?

Can I get personal with you?

I’d really like to get to know you better!

Sorry, does that sound like a “come-on” line?

No, I don’t want to date you…but, I do want to know more about you.

I want to know the real you!

How did you start out in business? What made you the entrepreneur that you are today? Why do people feel comfortable using your service?

Yes, I know, lots of questions.

But, it’s these exact questions that most of your customers are dying to know too! They want to know you. They want to hear your story!

What makes you tick? What drives you? What do you read? How do you spend your time when you’re not selling a product or pleasing a client?

The entrepreneurs who have discovered how to share their story, ultimately make more money, have more success and yes, seem to get all the spotlight.

My friend Andrew Mazer of ModernCoupon.com tells people how he got started. He lets them know his background and what led to the development of his company. He’s open and honest.

In my interview with Charlie McDermott of Stand Out Video, Charlie shares his backstory. What he did before creating Stand Out Video, and how that shaped his future. He’s proud of his past. He’s passionate!

Anne Beiler the creator of Auntie Anne’s Pretzels would tell her story to everyone she met. In time her market stand was transformed into one of the most lucrative franchises in the world. Even though Anne is no longer involved with Auntie Anne’s she still tells her story. In fact, she ended up writing a book called, “Twist of Fate”.

Your life to you may sound uninteresting, or perhaps embarrassing…

but, it’s your story, and it should be shared.

Sharing your story of how you got started as an entrepreneur helps your customers get to know you. It forms a connection! It’s that’s connection that allows people to know you, and trust in you. And, the more they trust in you, the more they will buy from you and tell their friends about you.

Until Next Time, 

   “Live with Passion!”

 

   Rob Anspach 

  P.S. Actually tell your story! Not just a small bio that says, “Hi, I’m so-so and I’m Gemini and I like long walks on the beach”. This ain’t the dating game. Providing an open, honest, believable story will create a foundation of trust and a long lasting relationship with your customers.

Seminars designed exclusively for the self-employed!

Contact Information

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Email: rob@robanspach.com                                   Phone: (717)330-7947

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 Follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube & WordPress!

                    

Rob Anspach is a “brilliantly savvy” entrepreneur who helps frustrated business owners regain the passion they once had by showing them how to be more effective in the marketplace, how to dramatically improve their business so they enjoy coming to work again and how to win over customers regardless of price. Discover how easy it is to make money in your online or offline marketing, to attract and retain clientele and profit from your passions… visit http://www.robanspach.com  today!

Rob is also the creator & dynamic force behind Success Secrets TV, the new online show dedicated to helping entrepreneurs stay successful… check it out by going to… http://www.SuccessSecrets.TV

YOU Time!

When was the last time you broke free of the business and just did something for you?

Today was my day!

I woke up early as I usually do. But, instead of turning on my computer and peaking into the world of social media, checking the magnitude of emails, or listening to the voice mails…I ignored them!

Yep! It was my day!

It had nothing to do with ignoring deadlines or responding to inquiries…it was just that I needed a free day (a personal “hookie” day).

I didn’t want to think about logging in, pushing papers, pleasing people or writing brilliant content. Nope!

I’m taking the day off. Rob has the left the building.

Most entrepreneurs would have a serious problem with just up and taking time off…even if it’s just for a day. And to be spontaneous…

…don’t even think about it!

Yet, sometimes taking time away from the business is exactly what’s needed to re-energize those entrepreneurial batteries.

You need a recharge!

Take a deep breathe! Clear your schedule! Relax!

It’s not that easy is it.

You have programmed yourself into thinking that you need to be available 24/7 for your clients and potential customers or you might miss out on that sale.

Well, my friend, the only thing you will miss out on is your enjoyment of life.

Take time to smell the roses! In fact gardening is therapeutic!

That’s what I did today! I put up a fence around my garden to keep the animals out, and then helped my wife plant all kinds of vegetables. It was fun!

I didn’t think about business, websites, Facebook, customers…and yes, I turned my cellphone off so I was not accessible to anyone.

Deals don’t need to be conducted 24/7!

Downtime is required!

It’s okay to play “hookie” from your business every so often…in fact I insist!

Go out and just enjoy the day. Turn off the cellphone, unplug the computer, no TV, no radio, don’t read the newspaper…No distractions.

Go fishing, see a baseball game, plant a garden, just do something that isn’t business related. Give yourself permission for YOU time!

When you return to work, you will feel refreshed and ready to tackle the world.

Until Next Time, 

  “Live with Passion!”

    Rob Anspach

 P.S.  Take a day off and tell me how you felt? Was it uncomfortable? Was it relaxing? How did you feel when you returned to work?

Contact Information

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Email: rob@robanspach.com                                   Phone: (717)330-7947 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rob Anspach is a “brilliantly savvy” entrepreneur who helps frustrated business owners regain the passion they once had by showing them how to be more effective in the marketplace, how to dramatically improve their business so they enjoy coming to work again and how to win over customers regardless of price. Discover how easy it is to make money in your online or offline marketing, to attract and retain clientele and profit from your passions… visit http://www.robanspach.com  today!

Rob is also the creator & dynamic force behind Success Secrets TV, the new online show dedicated to helping entrepreneurs stay successful… check it out by going to… http://www.SuccessSecrets.TV

I’m a non-conformist! How about you?

Yesterday I received an email that took me by surprise, yet provided some awesome content for todays post.It’s a hotly debated subject…One that most likely won’t be resolved in this post or in my lifetime. The email read… “Hey, here’s some constructive advice for you. Dress for success. You do not look professional in your videos at all. If you’re trying to sell yourself as a professional, dress the part. Have a great day!” My first reaction was, WTF! (short for what the fudge) Then I thought okay, he’s trying to be helpful. So I replied,     “Thanks for watching! I do wear a nice dress shirt or sweater in my videos, but I’ve found that people want me to be real and not overly dressed. I use the videos as a way to educate not to sell. A suit and tie would diminish the personal feel and defeat the whole non-selling attribute of the video. Even when I do one-on-one consulting or seminars I usually wear something non-intimidating. This puts the client at ease and they are more receptive to my ideas.”       Well, after several exchanges back and forth on the why proper attire helps or hurts the sale… I finally realized that neither one of us would win this game. Here’s what I know… Your image, the way your portray yourself, is your brand! It’s not how you dress, it’s how you act and how you come across to others. Corporate America has been programmed to wear suits and ties, to dress professionally and those that buck the system get labled as non-conformers. Is not wearing a suit and tie wrong? Nope! Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple, never wears a suit and tie…is he wrong? Doubt it! Most marketers that I know, rarely wear a suit and tie…are they wrong? Again, doubtful! Like I said, this whole suit & tie debate could go and on. I’m sure both sides have adequate data to support their respective claims. It comes down to personal choice. I believe there is a time and place for suits and ties, and one has to know when to wear such things. Have I lost a few sales because I wasn’t wearing a suit & tie? Probably. I will tell you that in 16 years as being an entrepreneur, I have made more money when the tie comes off and suit is left in the car, then I have with them on. But, hey, that’s just me. I have fun doing what I do! Sure, I’m a non-conformist! But it works for me! Until Next Time,     “Live with Passion!”        Rob Anspach         P.S. What’s your take on the whole “dress for success” debate? Are you for or against wearing a suit and tie? Do people perceive you differently when you wear a suit and tie? Is the information you give out somehow different when you wear a suit or tie?

Contact Information ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Email: rob@robanspach.com                                   Phone: (717)330-7947 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rob Anspach is a “brilliantly savvy” entrepreneur who helps frustrated business owners regain the passion they once had by showing them how to be more effective in the marketplace, how to dramatically improve their business so they enjoy coming to work again and how to win over customers regardless of price. Discover how easy it is to make money in your online or offline marketing, to attract and retain clientele and profit from your passions… visit http://www.robanspach.com  today! Rob is also the creator & dynamic force behind Success Secrets TV, the new online show dedicated to helping entrepreneurs stay successful… check it out by going to… http://www.SuccessSecrets.TV

Focused!

Over the last month, I’ve contemplated what my business stands for, who my client base is and why I do what I do. Maybe, you’ve played that game before too? Being an entrepreneur is not an easy thing. It’s not like going to a job, performing certain duties, getting a weekly paycheck, maybe a pat on the back or an ”atta boy”… no way, it’s nothing like that. Most entrepreneurs I’ve known, worked with or for, know how grueling life can be as the quintessential business owner. Long hours, sacrifice, waiting for money, advertising, employees, accountants, lawyers…doesn’t seem worth does it! An entrepreneur becomes not just a master of his field, but needs to know how to market themselves, how to socialize, and where to look for opportunities that others might have overlooked. So, back to my contemplations… What do I stand for? Well, for starters…Fairness! Freedom! Opportunity! I love having the ability to work or not to work, to create my own opportunities and share them with others and to be fair to people I hire or work with. Who is my client? This is a question every entrepreneur needs to know. What defines a client? What makes them appealing to you? Well, to be honest and somewhat forthright… my ideal client is someone that desperately wants my help and can afford my service. A client that understands the value of my service and is grateful for all that I do. One that follows my advice and gets excited when I present new ideas. Why I do what I do? It’s challenging! It’s fun! It’s a bit frustrating! It’s rewarding! I help right the mistakes entrepreneurs make in their business. I help them cut through the crap of their everyday business struggles and guide them back to the path of prosperity. So, that being said… I’m making changes in my own business structure. Some prices are going up! Some services eliminated! Some projects are being explored and some are being tossed. In the end, I’m doing some much needed housecleaning and putting my business back on track. Focused! Until Next Time,     “Live with Passion!”      Rob Anspach     P.S. Are you focused? Do you know what defines your business? If you’re ready…I’m just an email or phone call away!

Contact Information ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Email: rob@robanspach.com                                   Phone: (717)330-7947 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rob Anspach is a “brilliantly savvy” entrepreneur who helps frustrated business owners regain the passion they once had by showing them how to be more effective in the marketplace, how to dramatically improve their business so they enjoy coming to work again and how to win over customers regardless of price. Discover how easy it is to make money in your online or offline marketing, to attract and retain clientele and profit from your passions… visit http://www.robanspach.com  today! Rob is also the creator & dynamic force behind Success Secrets TV, the new online show dedicated to helping entrepreneurs stay successful… check it out by going to… http://www.SuccessSecrets.TV

The Mulligan

I finally watched Hot Tub Time Machine!  A movie where four buddies are whisked back in time with the help of a hot tub. To be honest, if the cursing was toned down and the nudity done away with it probably would have been a much better movie. Well, in the movie, these four guys are given a chance to change the mistakes of their past and alter their future selves. In sports terms…they were granted a “mulligan”! A do-over! And, it got me to thinking about something my friend Jeff Cross likes to use in his Totally Booked University marketing workshops. It goes something like this… If you could go back in time, and were granted a “do-over” or a “mulligan” what would be the one thing that you would do differently if you were just starting your business? Would your answer be something like ?… -be more careful of who I hire. -be more selective of clients. -don’t get involved with a franchise or partnership. -learn more effective ways to attract clients. -get involved with a mentor. We don’t need a time machine to help us make improvements in our business or heck, even our lives… “Be the change you want to see in the world” – Mahatma Ghandi We just need a helping hand now and then to guide us in the right direction. Mistakes happen! That’s the beauty of being human! With each new day we are given an opportunity to do-it-over and make things right. Use that opportunity, your “mulligan” to improve your business and make changes in your life. Just curious… What would your “do-over” be? Until Next Time, “Live with Passion!” Rob Anspach P.S. I’ll be teaching the social media, newsletter and QR marketing aspects of Jeff Cross’ Totally Booked University ‘Mini-Clinic’ on Thursday August 28th (6pm-9pm) in Langhorne PA. Although it’s designed around the carpet cleaning industry…any service business will benefit. This is real world advice that is guaranteed to get that phone to ring and put money in your pocket. Click the link to learn more. http://cleaningprofessor.com/philadelphia-cleaning-marketing.html

Contact Information  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Email: rob@robanspach.com Phone: (717)330-7947 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Rob Anspach is a “brilliantly savvy” entrepreneur who helps frustrated business owners regain the passion they once had by showing them how to be more effective in the marketplace, how to dramatically improve their business so they enjoy coming to work again and how to win over customers regardless of price. Discover how easy it is to make money in your online or offline marketing, to attract and retain clientele and profit from your passions… visit http://www.robanspach.com today! Rob is also the creator & dynamic force behind Success Secrets TV, the new online show dedicated to helping entrepreneurs stay successful… check it out by going to… http://www.SuccessSecrets.TV

Don’t Give Up!

You’re tired!

Maybe depressed!

Your business isn’t moving in the direction you had hoped!

The thought of giving up has crossed your mind many times!

The passion you once had is slowly being zapped from your being!

Everything you do seems to backfire! The phone isn’t ringing! Money is being spent faster than it’s earned.

You keep thinking one more, just one more great ad, just one more big sale, just one more press release and everything will be fine…then it happens…

…something goes wrong!

Now, you’re scrambling to fix it…with money you don’t have and patience that’s not there. You’re at your wit’s end.

Hey, I’ve been there! I know how it feels! Not knowing when the next sale will be and if it will be enough to pay the bills! It’s frustrating!

Don’t give up!

Back in 1998 after struggling for three years to figure out how to turn my business around, I finally asked for help. It was almost too late. I had maxed out my credit cards and my debt was huge. I honestly didn’t believe that anyone could help me. I was desperate and willing to do whatever it took to get my business in the black again.

Yes, I was reluctant and yes, I questioned everything. Some of the advice I was given went against everything my competitors were doing and seemed counterproductive to my own success.

Yet, it worked!

I would like to share with you three things you can do right now, to turbo boost your business, to help re-energize your passion and get the phones to ring.

First, and foremost… raise your prices! A low rate may be attractive to some people and you might gain some new clients, but higher rates bring in affluent clients that will help build your business and keep you profitable.

You see, in my service business when I advertised low rates, all I got were cheap clients. These cheap clients wasted my time, didn’t appreciate my work, took forever to pay me, told their friends how cheap I was then didn’t stay loyal. Yet, when I raised my prices and focused on higher end clientele, a funny thing happened…not only did I make more money, but the work actually seemed easier, these clients appreciated my service, praised my work, referred me to others just like them and stayed loyal to me.

Next, always, always ask for referrals! I can’t stress this enough! The single best way to build a profitable business is with a referral program. Truth be told, a referral will spend more money with you than a customer who came to you through an advertisement. Referrals have been told about your service by existing clientele and are already prepped into what to expect from you, making the sale easier and more rewarding.

Finally, offer an iron-clad guarantee of some sort! Show the customer that not only to you care about them, but you are willing to put your own butt on the line to protect them. This alone, can help convince a potential client to use you over your competitors. A guarantee is the single most powerful reason customers will use to decide to hire someone. So, make your guarantee a big part of your marketing. Show your customers that they have absolutely zero risk in using your service.

I was a bit skeptical on this one too! A guarantee! No way! People will rip me off! But, I did need a way to show people that I could do what they were hiring me for and why they were paying me a higher rate than my competitors. So, I established a 100% no-risk money back guarantee. And, to my surprise people weren’t trying to take advantage of me, in fact they hired me because they wanted the best service. They hired my service because they knew that if for any reason they weren’t happy I would refund their money, but they were confident enough to know I would try my best to make them happy.

So, if you’re tired of struggling, frustrated at not making enough money in your business and yearn to get that passion back, don’t give up, fight back, start by raising those prices, asking for referrals and guaranteeing your work.

Until Next Time,

“Live with Passion!”

Rob Anspach

P.S. If your business isn’t moving in the direction you would like it to be, let’s talk! I have room in my schedule for a few more clients. Just send me an email ( rob@robanspach.com ) and tell me a little bit about yourself and your company. Tell me why you think your sales aren’t where they should be, tell me what you’ve tried and why you think it didn’t work. The more I know about your situation, the better equiped I can be to help you improve and make money.

Are you insane?

Is what you’re doing right now moving you closer to your goals?

I would bet dollars for donuts it’s not!

Yeah, I know, it’s those shiny objects that distract you.

I’ve been down that road too!

Everything looks great on paper until you try to implement it…then the insanity begins.

You try everything, well, that’s what you tell people! You attempt a few things and then fall back to copying what your competitors are doing.

Have you ever heard the expression, “the blind leading the blind”? Well, if you copy your competition you my friend are not only blind you are clinically insane!

Sorry, I didn’t mean to be the one to tell you, but it had to be said!

Did you ever wonder if what your competitor was doing was making them money? I bet you reckoned that they were, huh? They had to be, right? Their ads were  everywhere! How can a business not be making money with ads everywhere?

Stop thinking that way! It will lead to more insanity!

“Sell at a loss, make it up in volume!”

Let me tell you, if you are thinking about doing this or are currently participating in this type of client attraction mechanism…stop it right now! The fastest way to end your business is selling at a loss. Believe me, the “make up in volume” never works. It leads to a dead-broke business with a whole bunch of non-loyal customers.

It’s sad really! Most entrepreneurs don’t understand their own costs of doing business, yet they will copy another’s in a heartbeat. Look, if you don’t understand the numbers why would you follow someone else’s. Chances are they have no clue either. Or, they could be running ads just to “kill cash” against taxes.

Don’t do it!

Some other examples of insanity range from not having a web presence, not utilizing all the free social media networking opportunities, not creating a business that “stands out”, not being unique, not learning about customers buying habits…oh, I could go on and on.

So, what is insanity and how do you avoid it?

The classic definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over again yet expecting different results.

Your business is you…it’s your energy, your time, your passion!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, passion is the fuel!

When you are passionate about your product or service, people will gravitate towards you with cash in hand.

Passion kills insanity every time!

If you struggle and struggle and still aren’t getting “it”, then stop and hire someone to do it. Focus your energies on moving forward. Be aware at what your competitors are doing, but don’t copy. Be unique! Be real! Be yourself!

Stop the insanity right now!

Create value and charge what your worth…and you’ll be amazed at how happy and profitable you become.

 

Until Next Time,

“Live With Passion!”

Rob Anspach

P.S. Over the last year in my phone consultations I’ve noticed that the majority of my clients need help making their websites more effective. Now, I like to help you with your website. Here’s the best part…I normally charge $249 for this…but the next 15 who email me get it for FREE! Hurry! I’ll critique your website and offer you ideas, tips and tricks that will transform your website into a money machine. To get started, visit my website at www.robanspach.com

P.P.S. A great way to keep clients coming back month after month is with a print newsletter. Not just any newsletter, one designed to trigger sales, enhance referrals and keep clients focused on you. To see how my Ultimate Newsletter can help you…go to http://robanspach.com/clientnews.html

 

Finally, I got some!

Yep, I got it alright!

And, it’s not what you’re thinking!

I got hate mail!

Yeah, me, can you believe it!

Via email!

I read it, reread it, then read a third time.

I let the words sink in and yes, they bothered me.

It was basically a 10 sentence rant that could have been summed up into 3 words… “go to hell”!

There was so much thought and structure put into this email, that I felt it deserved some air time.

Now, I’m not going to go into the why’s or break down this scathing letter, but I do want to talk about the power of fan letters.

You see, when we receive a fan letter in most cases it’s a warm and fuzzy, feel good, make your head swell with accomplishment that we want to show the world and tell them how we made someones day. It fills us up with joy-joy happy feelings. We use it to re-energize our passions for our business.

Then, it happens! You receive 1 piece of hate mail! And those hundreds of “I love you” letters turn to mush. Or do they?

You see, I could reply back and defend my case and allow my words to fuel the fire that is eating at this poor soul, or try to communicate in some fashion and hope to restore some sense of friendship…or simply dismiss it.

Here’s what Ron Krauch owner of Emerald Estates Realty Inc out of Baltimore Maryland does… “When I get an angry complainer, I ask, “Is there more?” You can’t communicate until they get all the anger out”.

I suppose I could do that.

Maybe even delete it!

I printed it out!

I taped it to my office wall.

I’m using it!

I’m using it to fuel my desire to improve my services.

Fan mail tells you how you’re business is doing, hate mail tells you how to improve your business.

“I love hate mail…it means you’re going in your direction not the world’s!”, explains Kim Stevens Shahan of KimShahan.com

Now, I’m not saying purposely go out on a limb to screw with people, just so you can get some hate mail.

Seriously,words are very powerful, they can be used to build or destroy!

Don’t let someone’s bitterment towards you destroy your passion. Take the words that people write and use them to build a more powerful you.

Always move forward!

Until Next Time,

“Live With Passion!”

Rob Anspach

P.S. A great way to keep clients coming back month after month is with a client newsletter. Not just any newsletter, one designed to trigger sales, enhance referrals and keep clients focused on you. To see how my Ultimate Newsletter can help you…go to http://robanspach.com/clientnews.html