Archive for the 'Manyon’s Musings ~' Category

Savvy business observations, thoughts and advice from Lisa Manyon.

Why Your Brand Matters

Thursday, February 2nd, 2012

There seems to be some confusion around branding and I want to help you simplify it. Are you ready to reach your full potential? Wouldn’t you like for people to recognize you as the extraordinary professional you are? Of course you would and that’s why I’m sharing brand secrets, from the best of the best, with you.

My friend Robin Roffer (yes, we’re really friends — I ADORE her), expert Brand Strategist and founder of Big Fish Marketing, knows the one secret that will take you from under-the-radar to biggest-fish-in-your-pond. She’s revealing her juicy secret when I interview her on a free call, “8 Steps to Creating a Personal Brand for Success.”  I encourage you to save your spot now. Just click on this link.  Here’s a hint: it’s all about branding.

No matter what size your business, you need to define your business and your brand – create its own unique fingerprint within your tribe and community of ideal clients. When you create a strong brand, you become unforgettable in your field. You stand out from your competition. Your ideal clients (also known as your target market) are clamoring to work with you. Most importantly, though, you reach your full potential.  Because I so highly believe in what Robin teaches (she’s is truly AMAZING at what she does and I don’t say that lightly), I’m interviewing her and you’re invited to attend, for free, on THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9th at 6pm PT 7:00pm MT and 9pm  ET. When I talk with Robin on “8 Steps to Creating a Personal Brand for Success,” she will show you what it takes to create your own world-class brand. You’ll discover:

  • Why a job title just doesn’t cut it (and what exactly you DO need)
  • One of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to bring their desires to life (don’t feel bad, everyone does it, but you won’t after you learn this)
  • Why you should never try to be something you’re not, and how to get that positive emotional connection – every time, with every contact.
  • Fear is the biggest obstacle to success. You’ll learn Robin’s simple system for overcoming fear — every time.
  • 5 simple changes you can start doing right away to appeal to your audience with a new look that’s all you.

You’ve likely heard me say “plan your work and work your plan.” When you create a plan, things really happen and Robin is going to share exactly what  kind of plan works for ultimate brand recognition. Here’s that link again to reserve your spot on this complimentary interview, so you can realize your potential – you have more than you know, and Robin will show you how — she has a magical way of illuminating that.

If you’re not sure you can make the call, I suggest grabbing your seat anyway. Robin promised me that everyone who signs up for our interview will receive a recording of the call to have on hand when you’re ready to listen. But you won’t get that recording if you don’t save your spot. Click this link so you don’t miss out on the FUN.  AND remember, this interview is free and there is no cost or obligation, but you should know I am an affiliate of Robin’s, which means I believe in what she’s doing (and I’ve promised never to share any resources or people with you that I haven’t personally experienced). You can read more about my personal experience with Robin and why I’m so passionate about what she does by reading this post on the Write On Creative Blog

What Happened to Integrity?

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

IntegritySomething is really bothering me and I bet it’s probably bothering you, too?

Within the past several months I’ve received incredible feedback from my preferred clients about my Manyon Marketing Web Makeovers and the value they are getting out of having a clear strategy and plan to improve their current website. It’s quite humbling. Now, that’s GREAT news and I always like to hear when my clients are satisfied. I also like to know if there’s anything I can do to better serve them.

What’s bothering me is the reason people are so satisfied with what I’m doing is because they are so dissatisfied with what others are doing or in many cases not doing.

I cannot feel entirely good about that because it really ticks me off when I hear my preferred clients have poured thousands upon thousands of dollars into products, services and advice from so-called experts only to be absolutely disappointed. Of course, on one hand, I love hearing that they’ve finally found a perfect match when working with me but the fact that this is a recurring theme is troubling. It makes me wonder how people can do business and not deliver high-value. It feels like it lacks integrity to me.

I’m the first to admit that some people do have unrealistic expectations. It often boils down to dedication, accountability and ownership. You cannot expect anyone to do all the work for you (unless that’s what you’ve contracted them to do).

I’ve been enrolled in training and mentorship programs with people who had very different experiences than I did and most of the times when the program didn’t work it’s because those who didn’t get results didn’t work the program –(those people are the notorious complainers and blamers and not my ideal clients by the way). That’s not really the case with my preferred clients. They are smart, savvy and invest in programs they believe will work because they trust what’s being offered.  So, what’s happening is some people are over-promising and sorely under-delivering. This lacks integrity and it’s got me pretty riled up.

Some examples that surfaced during Manyon Marketing Web Makeovers and candid conversations with preferred clients (I’m not naming names because I keep my client info confidential –unless they want to share– but I can share the scenarios).

  • Investing in ongoing coaching to help create a marketing plan and not getting any tangible plan in over 7 months… (OUCH).
  • Pouring thousands of dollars into a branding specialist who insisted upon a niche that wasn’t even in alignment with the clients purpose and mission…
  • Paying over 10K for copy that didn’t resonate with web visitors and didn’t include any tangible strategy…
  • Hiring “experts” to help with accountability and clear action plans for marketing to get little to no results for a very large fee... (word on the street is they are not listening to what people really need or taking the time to truly explain WHY things are important and HOW to accomplish them)…
  • Being held hostage by high-priced web designers who have really slow turn around time and don’t understand the Internet marketing flow or simply refuse to make design changes that are being requested (to the tune of thousands upon thousands of dollars not only in lost revenue because the websites aren’t working like they should but also because any changes require the webmaster and incur additional charges)…

To that I say WTH? AND the sad thing is there are more stories like this. I don’t even want to know who it is that is over-promising and under-delivering. AND I’m not interested in being in alignment with people who clearly lack any sense of integrity. I am willing to bet you feel the same way.

Since I cannot control what others are doing I’m going to start offering something of great value to my Write On Creative Community for no charge (at least for while). We’re going to start having some “Cut to the Chase Conversations about Copywriting and Marketing” so you can make better decisions about how you’re investing your money and who you’re choosing to work with AND get some valuable info for FREE.  You’ll receive more information about my FREE calls soon and you can expect No Chit — Just Chat! Plus, you can only get on the “No Chit List” if you’re a part of the Write On Creative Community or a preferred client. If you’re not yet a member of the Write On Creative Community visit the Write On Creative Website and click on the “Grab Your Free Stuff Here” Icon or click on it at the top of the Write On Creative Blog here.  This is the only way you’ll get info about No Chit! Just Chat.

Getting Really Clear About Your Values, Goals and Vision

Monday, January 16th, 2012

GoalsAs the New Year unfolds you’re probably thinking a lot about values, goals and vision (and if you’re not, you’ll probably start after you’re done reading this).

I know being forced to slow down has really made me appreciate life even more (and I already loved life). I firmly believe that we experience whatever comes our way to teach us something.

Being sick for several weeks has been a sign for me to slow down and it’s also been a gift to evaluate what’s working in my life and what isn’t. AND evaluate I have!  I know without a doubt that 2012 is a year for change and I’m ready to step up and take action (as soon as I’m 100% healthy again and I’m taking small steps now to get ready).  I challenge you to do the same (in a friendly, let’s make changes to support you kind of way). (more…)

Have You Experienced Business or Success Envy?

Wednesday, December 21st, 2011

Have you ever had a moment when you felt a little jealous of someone else or maybe you started comparing yourself to others? Perhaps you even went so far as to say “who does SHE think SHE is?” when you saw how a mentor or industry expert was doing business?


During the recent live webcast interviews with James Roche and Ali Brown, Doreen Rainey touched on the topic of “Business Envy”. She was very transparent about her initial reaction to how much Ali Brown charges for programs. She openly admitted that she had “Business Envy”. AND she got over it, enrolled in Ali’s program and invested in herself. I think if we’re all honest with ourselves, we’ve each felt this way a time or two and I applaud Doreen for coining the phrase “Business Envy”.  I told Doreen I was going to quote her in my ezine because I always like to give credit where credit is due. I checked with her to see the exact phrase she used because I wanted to quote her correctly and I  thought she said “Success Envy”. The two are similar but a little different.

With “Business Envy” you look at someone else and think “who does she think she is to charge that much?’

With “Success Envy” you compare and you question your own worth and what you have achieved because it seems others have achieved a higher level of success than you.

Both are stumbling blocks to getting what you really want because the answers are within you. You have the ability to choose to create a profitable business and to define what success means to you.

I remember when I first started  Write On Creative in 2003. It was only a dream and I sought out industry experts to strategically align myself with so I could quickly position myself as a leader in the industry. Naturally I was attracted to Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero (one of the top female copywriters in the industry, my first high-level mentor and someone who was, at that time, commanding $750 an hour). I experienced a little business envy when I first started following her and I secretly wanted to know “who she thought she was?”. I also knew I wanted to achieve that level of success. So, I took action, set my ego aside and I invested in myself. It paid for itself many times over and I’m happy to count her among my friends and trusted colleagues (one of the very few copywriters I’ll cross-refer business to).

I’ve also had my fair share of success envy where I’ve compared myself and my business to others instead of owning my definition of success and fully celebrating how far I’ve come and everything I’ve achieved. An example of this is wishing for a bigger home instead of being really happy that I was wise enough to invest in and purchase my home.  My point is, we all experience business and success envy to some degree and when we recognize it we can move on and and we can celebrate who we are.  When we experience success envy we tend to give our power away and hide behind the success of others which sometimes diminishes our own gifts.

The question “who does she think she is?” has come up about me lately because I’m raising my rates for the 5 Page Web Copy Packages. I’ve also had a few prospects wonder why my rates are what they are and WHY they should invest in my services.

So, here’s who I KNOW I am (not who I think I am). I feel really blessed to give women a voice to turn your ideas into something that matters via web copy and marketing strategies to build relationships, truly connect with your ideal clients and ultimately increase your income online. I do this with a combination of specialized training and real world experience that gets results. Simply put, I meet you where you are in your business. You may need copy, have copy that needs help, want to learn to write better copy yourself or you may need one-on-one individualized business building strategies. I also don’t judge you or your personal definition of success. I help you leverage your own time and talents with proven strategies I know work.

Specialized training and real world experience:

It takes money to make money and investments in your business are just that — investments — not expenses (often they are a tax write off). I have invested in my craft by mentoring and studying with the best of the best including Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero, John Carlton and Peter Bower (author of The Well Fed Writer a book that features me as a success story) and achieving the Glazer- Kennedy “Creating Copy that Sells” certification. I blend my training with my ad agency experience and have created my own unique style of writing to match my ideal clients voices (this means it sounds like you and isn’t cheesy or overly salesy yet it still sells).

Beyond honing my craft I’ve invested in business building training with James Roche and Ali Brown. So, I have practical knowledge of how to create, operate and run a profitable business based on your own level of success (never let anyone define this for you).

Results:

I help my preferred clients get results. My Manyon Marketing Web Makeovers streamline the online sales process to increase opt-ins and sales by improving strategy and copy. My 5 Page Web Copy Packages help clients create or rewrite web copy to increase results while saving time and money (if you don’t invest in your copy wisely and it falls flat you’re missing opportunities to be of service and profit). Finally, for more advanced preferred clients, my Content Strategy Plan helps organize and streamline your online marketing editorial calendar for a year at a time (with room for adjustments) and has generated $40,000.00 for a one client when she utilized the techniques in ONE email campaign.

So, between real-world experience, investing in mentorship and business training as well as being really confident in the results generated, that’s who I know I am. But, it’s taken time to own that and to accept the responsibility that comes with being a leader.

With that being said. How will you invest in yourself and your business?

If you’re interested in discovering how we can work together, be sure to visit my website here.

 

Success Tips and Tax Advantages

Tuesday, December 20th, 2011

Do you surround yourself with like-minded people who move your business forward? Are you clear on how to make smart investments in your business and in yourself? Do you understand the advantages of investing in your business before the end of the year (if not, consult your CPA).

I’m asking these questions because I believe it’s imperative to invest in yourself — not just sometimes but ALL OF THE TIME. I recently flew to LA and was interviewed by Ali Brown and James Roche on the Elevate  web-cast.  Not only was it a blast to share my story it was a nice reminder of how far I’ve come. Plus I was surrounded by amazingly successful entrepreneurs who understand what it really takes to be successful in business. The Elevate Webcast Lineup -from left to right– Tonia Gabrielle, Doreen Rainey, Angelique Rewers, Christina Hills, Lisa Manyon (me), Ali Brown &   James Roche

Some of the takeaways from the webcast:

  • You must invest in yourself to create your own economy
  • True entrepreneurs are risk takers who don’t always know exactly how things will turn out
  • You must have deep passion for your work and know you have a BIG mission to help others (while making a profit)
  • Without the support of a like-minded community, you’ll likely remain stuck
  • It takes money to make money and investments in your business are just that — investments — not expenses (often they are a tax write off)

James Roche, Lisa Manyon & Ali Brown

Here are some reasons you should consider investing in your business and yourself. The most valuable thing I’ve ever done for my business is to invest in the products, services and coaching that I needed to move my business forward. I continue to do this and believe in order to succeed you MUST invest in yourself and surround yourself with likeminded , successful people. The creative energy and ideas alone make it well worth your time and money.

If you’re concerned about making investments now, consider how it can benefit you. Are you committed to turning your dreams into reality and sharing your true voice? I recently shared information with my community about how investing now could be a potential tax advantage when you make the investment before the end of the year. Of course, you’ll want to check with your CPA to get the full scoop about how making investments now could be a tax advantage for you. So, why don’t pick up the phone and have that conversation? Then, take action and make an investment in yourself and your business.

I mentioned that one of the investment I’m making is a BIG website revamp for the New Year and I urge you to take an objective look at your website to make sure it’s supporting your business vision, mission and your ideal clients (especially if you honestly want your website to work for you).  I feel really blessed to give women a voice to turn your ideas into something that matters. You’re probably already aware that I do that by writing web copy to build relationships, truly connect with your ideal clients and ultimately increase your income online.  I’d love the opportunity to support you if it feels right — get the details here.

 

Invest in Yourself To Create Your Own Economy

Thursday, December 15th, 2011

I know many people are putting off investing in themselves and their businesses and I’m concerned about that. I believe that we need to create our own opportunities and economies in order to succeed.

I’ve mentioned that I feel BIG changes coming for 2012. I’m both excited and a little scared. This tells me I’m exactly where I need to be. How are you feeling about life and business?

Personally I’m excited to work with Ali Brown in 2012. I have some BIG ideas to help other copywriters achieve the level of success they desire. I’ll be working on that project as well as diligently striving to meet my 2012 projections.

I hope you’re one of the savvy people who have BIG plans to finish this year strong.  I’m also investing in yet another website revamp so I can fully support my vision for 2012.

  • What are your BIG plans? How are you going to make “IT” happen (whatever “IT” is for you)?
  • What are you going to do to help more people?
  • How are you going to invest in yourself and your business?

If you’re concerned about making investments now, consider how it can benefit you. Are you committed to turning your dreams into reality and sharing your true voice? I recently shared information with my community about how investing now could be a potential tax advantage when you make the investment before the end of the year. Of course, you’ll want to check with your CPA to get the full scoop about how making investments now could be a tax advantage for you. So, why don’t pick up the phone and have that conversation? Then, take action and make an investment in yourself and your business.

If you really want to succeed, you really need to take action.

If you’re interested to know how I can help, feel free to visit my website here Write On Creative. I’d love to support you. I feel really blessed to give women a voice to turn your ideas into something that matters. You’re probably already aware that I do that by writing web copy to build relationships, truly connect with your ideal clients and ultimately increase your income online. But, most of all I’d love to see you invest in yourself and take another step forward to reaching your goals and dreams.

 

Tired of “Cookie Cutter” Coaching Programs that Over-Promise & Under-Deliver?

Wednesday, December 7th, 2011

As I’ve been mapping out my Content Strategy Plan for 2012 and gearing up for a BIG website revamp, I’m  more grateful than ever that I’ve made the smart business decision to invest in ongoing mentorship and business training.

One thing I know for certain is that if you don’t invest in yourself and your business, it’s going to be a real challenge for anyone else to invest in you. I mention this because too many smart entrepreneurs reach out to me on regular basis when they are frustrated with their level of business success (or, quite honestly, lack thereof). The common thread for this frustration comes from a place of being stuck and not knowing how to move forward.  It also comes from investing in the WRONG coaching or consulting programs.

I’m going to share some ways I can help you move forward and we can work together if it feels right to you but first, I want to make sure you’re not missing the FREE business building videos from my mentor Ali Brown…  If you’re considering investing in an ongoing program, you’ll want to check this out (and just between us I’m getting feedback from people who have invested in other programs and they’re really frustrated because those programs are falling short of what has been promised. I’m even told the FREE content Ali is giving via this video series is delivering more than some of the paid programs from so called experts… that speaks volumes)

(I urge you to get your free business building tips right away by clicking here).

If you’re interested in one-on-one, no cookie cutter, individualized attention, I do have a few openings to work directly with me to acheive your personal business goals. Not only can I help you get really clear on your marketing message, I’ll share proven techniques to market and grow your business with ACCOUNTABILITY (you can schedule one-on-one time by the hour AND  if you’re interested in ongoing, 3 or 6 month Individual Accountability Partnership Plans you’ll have to apply.) Get an overview here One On One Coaching and Consulting with Lisa Manyon

Is Your Website Ready for The New Year?

Tuesday, December 6th, 2011

The New Year is right around the corner and if you’re anything like me when it comes to business planning, you have BIG goals and need your website to support them. That’s why I’m in the process of completely revamping my website yet again.

You’ve probably heard me say you need to review and revamp your web flow and web copy at least once quarterly. This is important because you need to meet your prospects where they are and the marketplace is ever changing.  If you want to remain competitive, you’ll need to have fresh content and make sure your prospects know how to work with you so they can become paying clients.

If any of this sounds familiar to you, or you simply don’t know where to start, it may just be time to get the support you need…

  • You have a beautiful website but it’s not converting prospects into paying customers
  • You feel challenged because you have yet to find someone who can help you with your website copy and strategy who REALLY gets you and your message
  • You are embarrassed to send people to your website because you know you need to make revisions to your copy and you just haven’t had time
  • You struggle to find the right words to craft a marketing message about your business that really connects with your ideal clients
  • You make excuses for your website and/or it is not getting you the results you’ve hoped for
  • You feel like your website isn’t really reflecting you, your mission and your business AND you don’t know where to start to fix it
  • You’d feel a great sense of relief to have someone partnering with you to help you fine-tune your messaging and strategy

The good news is, I want to help you eliminate the frustration that comes with not knowing where to begin when it comes to making the website copy changes you know you need to make (I’ve been there and done that).

I also want you to know exactly how we can work together before my rates for some of my services increase (I’ve been pre-warning my community about this and the time is near).

1) If you want to DIY (do it yourself), the 24-7 Web Sales Secrets Course is the perfect tool to get clear on your web strategy and rewrite your copy so it’s more effective (or even create your copy from scratch if you like to write). I offer a comprehensive course to help you do this and when you invest you’ll automatically save $100.00 off a Manyon Marketing Web Makeover. Get the details here .

2) If you prefer one-on-one time with me, the Manyon Marketing Web Makeover is ideal because we review everything together, you get headline suggestions, action items to implement (or better yet, delegate) and you save on editing and rewrites if they’re needed or you don’t want to write your copy yourself. (Oh, and I’ll even rebate your MMWM investment towards rewrites and editing if needed and I offer a convenient two-pay option . PLUS, I only offer 6 of these a week so you might want to schedule soon). Get the MMWM details here.

3) If you don’t want to write your copy and prefer to outsource, my 5 Page Web Copy Packages are perfect and we work closely together to create an overall strategy, individual page strategy and create copy that works. It’s important that I let you know time on my calendar is limited and I don’t accept all projects. It’s also only fair to let you know that the investment for my 5 Page Web Copy Packages is increasing by $500.00 in the next few weeks. You can lock your package in now and get started in the New Year. I even offer convenient payment options and a 10% savings when you invest in full. Get the details here.

I look forward to the opportunity to give you a voice and turn your ideas into something that matters via web copy that builds relationships, books more business and ultimately makes you more money. Click here for an overview of my offerings.

How Will You Grow Your Business in the New Year?

Sunday, December 4th, 2011

I don’t know about you, but I know I’m doing everything I can to make sure I have the right tools to succeed in business in 2012. This includes another big website revamp (did you know you should be updating your web flow and copy a minimum of once quarterly?– I digress –I’ll write a post about that soon).

People often ask me why I invest in business mentorship…

My answer: If you don’t continually hone your craft, learn to better market your business and get fresh perspective you’ll stay stuck where your are (even if you FEEL like you’re making headway).

What are your BIG goals for 2012?

How can I help support you in reaching them?

I’m going to share some ways we can work together if it feels right to you but first, I want to make sure you’re not missing the FREE business building videos from my mentor Ali Brown…  (I urge you to get your free business building tips right away by clicking here).

Second, I want to share a couple of interesting conversations I recently had with clients and colleagues about my business. Recently I was asked two important questions. Questions that not many people ask. I think probably because they’ve already become familiar with me and know the answers. Regardless of the reason it was a great exercise to answer the questions. And, I’m curious to know how you’d answer the same questions when you are asked?

The first question was “Who are your ideal clients?” This answer was easy for me because I love to work with visionary people and that’s who I attract.

My answer: The majority of my ideal clients are spiritual, heart-based entrepreneurial female authors, speakers and coaches who have a very BIG mission. The common thread is they all want to make a difference and the coolest part is they are all wildly different and absolute individuals. They’re successful, driven and creative, yet they struggle with their marketing message and need help articulating it in a way that doesn’t feel salesy or cheesy and truly connects with their ideal clients.

Sound familiar. I bet it does AND that’s probably why we’re connected.

The second question was asked by a prospective client. She wanted to know why she should do business with me. I honestly haven’t been asked that questions in a LONG time. I really didn’t have a polished pitch so I simply spoke from the heart and it really flowed (that’s when I know I’m on the right track).

My answer: I know without a doubt that my mission is to give women a voice to turn ideas into something that matters. I do this via copywriting, especially for the web, to build relationships, book more business and ultimately increase income. I’m the natural choice because I have the gift of writing in your voice to make true connections with your ideal clients. People come to me because they need copy, have copy that needs help or they want to learn to do it themselves. I meet you where you are, make the process painless and I’m told by many clients they wish they would have hired me first because they didn’t get what they were looking for from other copywriters and I could have saved them money by doing it right the first time.

I’m sharing this with you today because this scenario is more common than you might think and I would be honored to help you fine-tune your message to make a BIG difference. Often, we are too close to our businesses to see things clearly all of the time and it helps to get new perspective (this is true for me, too).

I also want you to know exactly how we can work together before my rates for some of my services increase (I’ve been pre-warning my community about this and the time is near).   So, if you’re interested in learning more, getting really clear on your messaging and getting professional support, visit this link.

A FREE Resource for Innovative Women

Friday, November 18th, 2011

There’s a new magazine in town and you’re not going to want to miss it. Primarily because it’s all about business, all about success and all about you (click here to get your FREE subscription).

Publisher, Cathy Alessandra has taken great care to create a magazine that speaks to today’s woman. You’ll find business tips, fashion tips, recipes, fitness advice and a success spotlight (my friend Joy Chudacoff was recently featured on the cover and you’ll love her story – she runs her own very successful business and is a coach in Ali Brown’s Elevate program, too).

Cathy has  hand-selected her feature writers including experts in legal topics, branding, publishing, fashion, fitness, food, marketing and more. I’m blessed to know most of the featured writers, including my good friends Joy Chudacoff and Jessica Eaves Mathews. I’m thrilled to be a featured writer, too (I share tips about copywriting and marketing).

The coolest thing about being a part of Today’s Innovative Woman is that all of the featured writers are real women (meaning no false pretenses — what you see is what you get). In addition to being in business, we’re wives (well, some of us), mothers, daughters, sisters, friends and more. In other words you’re getting the real scoop on business and success from women who truly walk their talk. I invite you to get your FREE subscription today.