The Business Growth Blog by Rob Cuesta

Are you standing on the shoulders of giants?

It was Isaac Newton who famously declared that he was "standing on the shoulders of giants", referring to the fact that all his knowledge was a development of ideas that other, greater, people had developed before him.

In that sense, it has a role to play in your positioning as an expert--however I think of it in a very different sense when it comes to running and growing your coaching, consulting or training business.

How Big is Your Business Card?

Success as a coach, consultant, trainer, or indeed in any profession where you are selling your knowledge, experience and advice, comes from your ability to position yourself at the top of your field.

One of the key ways to do this is by writing. 

Even though society as a whole seems to be leaving the book behind, when it comes to choosing our "experts" we still hold authors in awe. So one of the key things I encourage all my clients to do is to write a book; a physical book, not an ebook.

It doesn't have to be War and Peace.

I see a role for two kinds of books in building your business. I call them your "Expert Manifestos" (or should that be Manifestoes? anyway, I digress!)

More reviews

Loved this review of my new book, "More Clients, More Money, More Fun" - hadn't thought of it being ` "must read" :) http://tinyurl.com/5ven9wl

Six Figure Blueprint Brief 22: Automate

via www.youtube.com

Setting up your coaching, consulting or training business so it can run without you is the subject of today's Six Figure Blueprint Brief from marketing expert Rob Cuesta

Six-Figure Blueprint Brief 17: Strategy & Tactics

! uploaded a new 6-Figure Blueprint Brief video called "Strategy & Tactics" entitled to Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/6FigureBlueprint.

Visit www.PracticeMomentum.com to get a copy of my new book "More Clients, More Money, More Fun"

 

#PRACEXPLOSION Quick Growth Tip #11: Just because you've sold to them once...

One of my first ever assignments when I set up in business as a growth strategist was to help a 12-man coaching and consulting firm get back on their feet. They'd gone from £1.5m turnover to £500k and it was painful.

So I went in, asked a few questions, and asked why they weren't going back to any of their past clients. Their response flummoxed me: "if we've done our job right, then they shouldn't need us again."

Could this be a Vistaprint Killer? And could YOU be a category killer too?

For a long time now, Vistaprint.com has dominated the printing of short-run full colour business cards for small businesses. Indeed, I've been a devoted customer and champion of Vistaprint since I started my own company back in 2002.

I've just discovered a new company, however, that has taken the flexibility of digital printing and run with it way further than VP has.

Quick Growth Tip #3: Get Things Done

How do you create and maintain *visible* accountability for your projects? Here's one approach.

On the wall of my office there's a whiteboard divided into three sections labelled "Do" "Doing" and "Done".

When I plan a new project, I write the name in the "Do" area and an approximate deadline.

When I start to work on the project, I move it to the "Doing" area, and give it a definite deadline. Every week I review progress on the stuff on my "Doing" board.

Finally, when I complete the project, I move it to the "Done" area and keep it here for 4-12 weeks, so I can acknowledge what I've achieved, not just what I haven't done yet!

It's a great way to keep yourself on track

#PracExplosion Income Strategies For Coaches, Consultants and Professional Advisers - 1 of 7

OK, so you make your living by selling your thoughts: your opinion, your advice, your creative ideas, your experience, whatever it may be.

The problem with that kind of industry is that it tends to be driven by trading money for hours, which means that most professional "thinkers" end up in a trap that says: "I have to work as many hours as possible, because when I'm not working I'm not earning". That's not a comfortable place to be. Trust me, I've been there!

So how do we get out of that trap? In this series of seven blog posts I'll be highlighting seven easy-to-implement strategies that will help you escape the time-for-money trap and release you to enjoy the lifestyle you want while being paid the rewards you deserve. Some will fit your business better than others - after all, we all provide different types of support to different types of clients, and I'd be foolish to try to suggest that "one size fits all" in every case

With that in mind, read on...

"Your account has been credited"

I'm fanatical about looking beyond words to the meaning behind the structure. It's something I picked up even before I got into NLP and marketing, and the study of the mind and motivation, when I was studying linguistics at university, more years ago than I care to admit these days :)

As a result I almost can't help myself when it comes to questioning everything that I see or read.

Which is why an email from my VOIP provider caught my eye a moment ago.