Playing a bigger game in business

What do you want to accomplish in 2011 for yourself and your business? Do you have your plan together for how you're going to do this? Here are three tips to help you make that happen.

1. Invest. You've heard the idea that in order to really succeed, you need to spend some money. I know RDs are VERY fearful of doing such a thing. However, when you fear investing in yourself, and keep thinking small, you get small. So, invest in what's necessary to take you to the level you feel you need to go. This can be consultants or coaches. Imagine if you were to invest in such a way that it took your breath away. If you were to invest THAT grandly, do you think you'd step up to play that higher game? Oh, you bet you would!

2. Push. We often create our own stories in our head. You've heard them, "I can't do THAT!" and "THAT" could be anything, from calling former clients to offer them a new program you have available, standing your ground during negotiations for what you KNOW you're worth, or even (heavens!) asking a potential client who just called you to hire you! Granted, you need to know HOW to do these things. See #1.

3. Believe. You have to believe that you can accomplish anything you can imagine doing. That really is the base for being able to do #1 or #2. If you believe you have the talent and expertise and can change people's lives, then it's just a matter of putting the systems in place to make it happen AND enjoy being paid for your worth.

What will your 2011 look like? Mine is shaping up to be INCREDIBLE!I have just challenged MYself to step up and play a VERY big game. And I am in the process of re-vamping all of my services in order to help my clients do the same.

We're all about changing lives, right? How many lives would YOU like to change in the upcoming year? You can't do that if you're sitting in your home office afraid to step out of your comfort zone.

It's been my pleasure to guest blog on SCAN's site. I thank all of you for your readership and comments. I invite you to come visit my site and blog and even let me see if I can help YOU play a bigger game!

And, if you're coming to FNCE, make sure to hunt me down and say hi!

Margie
Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT
MEG Enterprises, Inc.

The power of Networking

Networking is one of those topics I keep saying that one day I'm going to do a workshop on. It certainly is one of those areas of 'love/hate' that many of us feel.

I've written about networking before, but with FNCE (ADA's Food and Nutrition Conference and Exhibition) just around the corner, I thought today would be a good one to get your head in line with networking.

If you are going to FNCE, or any networking event, for that matter, what can you do to take the fear out of networking and make it fun? Here are a couple tips:

1. Do NOT make it about you! We so often anguish about how to tell people what we do. However, effective networking isn't about US, but about the people we meet! It really does help your anxiety when you take it away from being about you - just be curious about the people you meet and ask them a lot of questions. Trust me; we all are experts about ourselves and can talk on that subject quite easily.

2. Always have more business cards than you think you need. Hand them out like candy at Halloween, too! You never know who might pass your card onto someone who would be interested in your services. In some pieces on networking, they say be stingy with your cards, but I don't agree with this. What good are those cards sitting in your pocket??

3. When you receive a card from someone who interests you, make a note on their card with something that will remind you about them. Then, when you get home, always follow up with the people you met. Ideally, within that first week. Naturally, there may be people you don't care to follow up with (I've met TONS of insurance agents at networking events!), so don't feel you have to follow up with them all. But, I imagine there will be at least one to three people you'd like to at least say hi to, to create some type of relationship with. You may not stay in close touch, but you never know when you might want to contact them or they you.

4. Set one goal to achieve at the event. An example might be to meet one particular person. Or meet one NEW person who you might have something in common with. Maybe to meet someone who would be nice to get to know better, either as a friend or someone to collaborate with. Another example could something as simple as speaking to three people you don't know!


And, as you start to plan your trip to FNCE, I encourage you to plan what YOU would like to achieve at the various networking events!

Naturally, you'll want to attend all the SCAN events.

But, as Chair of NE (Nutrition Entrepreneurs) DPG, I also would like to invite you to our Pay it Forward Networking reception on Saturday night! Only a few tickets are available, so you should sign up, now. But, would you like to meet someone like Nancy Clark? Or perhaps you would like to win her book? This event isn't JUST a time to come and browse around with others; it will be an event where you learn HOW to network!

Make FNCE, or any event, count for you! By taking control of what you would like to GET out of these events, you take control of the power networking can play in growing your business OR your career.

Margie
Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT
MEG Enterprises

The cost of perfection - Success

I hear it all the time: "I can't start seeing clients until....." and the list of all the things they need to do FIRST is rather endless. Does that sound like you?

What's REALLY going on?

Dietitians are great perfectionists. And they are great at planning... and planning.... and planning.... It wasn't by ACCIDENT that my book is called "Just Jump"!

When a person spends all their time trying to make things 'perfect' and keep planning, and don't actually get out there and DO IT, this often means one big thing: They don't feel confident inside!

So, yea, you can spend all your days (forever) planning and making things just right, but while you're doing that, time is passing and people who might be calling you are calling other people!

So, your planning for making things perfect is costing you! It's costing you money; it's costing you business; it's costing you success! It's costing you your dream!

OK, we've painted the picture of what can hold you back. Now, how do you step out of that pit of perfection and turn it around into creating success?

1 - JUST DO IT. You've heard that saying, I know! You're never going to really know what works and doesn't until you get into the 'trenches', so to speak. Take a client! Tell people you're ready. Yes, inside you may not be, but trust me; you know much more than you give yourself credit for. And I PROMISE you know more than your clients know! And where you may feel you're flying by the seat of your pants, they may walk out of that first session saying, "Wow, that was better than I thought!"

2 - SAY YES. Honestly, there is no other way to start creating success on the inside than to 'just do it'! Now, what may happen after that first session is that you didn't like how that first session went. NOW you have something to work on, though! But, when that second call comes, TAKE IT! With every yes (with exceptions - see #3, below), your self-confidence grows.

3 - FOCUS. This means stop going in 1,600 directions. For every opportunity that comes your way (or every new educational option), ask yourself, "Does this help me achieve my goals right now?" Grin; all my clients know this question. If you do NOT answer "Yes", then say "no" and let it go. The first few times you do this, you'll feel nervous, but soon your confidence will start to grow, because the yeses are more focused and enhance what you want to do, and what you do well. Embrace this tip and take it seriously. This is a HUGE key to success at every level.

I could go on, because once I get going, I LOVE this topic. But I'll stop there. Let me know what works for you AND let me know you've actually stopped planning and have JUMPED!

Margie
Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT
MEG Enterprises