OK, before we go any further, let’s agree on one thing. There’s no such thing as ‘hands-free offline success.’ That’s something that people seeking get-rich-quick scams believe in. You’re not one of them are you?

Now we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get to what needs to be done. It’s quite simple actually, but don’t take my word for it…yet.

You Already Know Whether You’ll Succeed This Year or Not

How’re things shaping up as we close out week 4 of 2012? I hope you do realize that your trend over the last four weeks is a fairly decent indicator of how you’re likely to invest your resources this year overall?How would you like to have more time away from your offline consulting business this year, but, at the same time, experience an increase in how much you make?

You can, and part of my goals this year is to help you make it happen.

As I write this post, I’m currently vacationing with my wife after settling the kids back into college. We’re back on Friday and we are focused on starting the year right.

The Theme for 2012

This year, you may have noticed that the theme for success I’ve been spreading is simple:

“Implement what you already know”

…but first you have to be clear about what you do and don’t know before you go seeking help with implementation.

Back in 2007/8 when ‘offline meets online’ was gaining momentum there was a lot to be uncovered. That era has long gone, and with a handful of strategies and tactics you can certainly have the lifestyle of your dreams.

The implementation of your knowledge is the key to your success. There are no secrets. Everything you need to get more clients is already available. If only you would implement.

The missing ingredient if you’re not moving upward and ahead is you and a lack of willingness to implement.

Make a Choice Today

When I decided to focus on businesses and professionals that face similar problems to those I faced in going from unknown local business and ‘offline’ consultant to where I am today, its implementation that made all the difference.

You absolutely must be clear about what to do with the information you possess.

Business owners are indeed paying large sums of money on a regular basis in their search for solutions to their problems. If you want some of that money, you must get to know how to apply what you know to their individual situation.

You must know how to put what you know into action and that’s the gap that you have right now.

But that’s not all…

After knowing how to put what you know into action it doesn’t end there. You still have the business part.

The ‘Business’ Part of Local Business Consulting

What do I mean by “the business part?”

In my business and what I teach is that it’s about 5 specific things:

1. Identifying a hungry and profitable market
2. Getting past gatekeepers and in front of decision-makers
3. Making effective and compelling presentations
4. Closing sales
5. Retaining more of the business you have

You’ve got to be able to run your offline consulting business like a real business, which is what it is or at least what it should be, and not like an internet/part-time hobby like so many people involved in offline consulting have been and still continue to do.

You need to know how to keep your books, keep accurate records, and data on WHAT you’ve done, WHAT you’re doing, and WHAT you want to do in the future.

(TRUTH) How well you succeed (or how badly you fail) as a local business consultant is largely dependent on all of these things.

Of course, the more educated (knowing the right information as opposed to misleading and theoretical information so readily available and common nowadays through special offers) and the more prepared you are, the better chance your chances of achieving the success you not only DESIRE, but that you are capable of.

But education and preparation themselves, is just not enough.

APPLICATION, the actual IMPLEMENTATION of what you know and what you’ve prepared carries much more weight than anything else.

How much have you IMPLEMENTED with the time you’ve had available so far this year?

If you’d like some honest implementation feedback, share your biggest challenge below and I will share my thoughts on how to overcome it.

Over to you!

BAYO

This is a “No B.S, “love it or leave it” post that I originally wrote for my loyal subscribers. By the tie you finish reading through, you’ll either have a smile on your face or a frown on your brow.

You’ll either leave this page and feel wiser and pumped or treat it as interesting trivia…The beauty is that YOU get to choose this year and for as longs as you decide.

Did You Know?

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Did you know that how you’ve used this first week in is a good indicator of how you’ll use the rest of the month and the rest of your month AND the rest of 2012?

In my life and business I am already doing the things that may not be exciting and getting my name ‘out there’ with offline consultants. You know the drill, but as a quick reminder to help you be successful this year just remember:

• you don’t need more ‘special offers’
• you don’t need to gain more information
• you don’t need more time

In case you’re wondering “What do I need then Bayo?”

5 Step Break-FREE Success System

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I don’t know your goals but you DO need…

1. A plan for yourself i.e. your own personal development and growth. What do you need to do less of so you can do more of what matters?
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2. A plan for your offline consulting business that allows you to achieve more by offloading things that hold you back so you can leverage what you already have or know
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3. Clarity so you know what NOT to focus on and what you should Focus, so you can easily eliminate those never-ending distractions
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4. Daily or weekly actions you commit to so you can identify slippage and gaps as soon as they happen on a daily basisA way to become ACCOUNTABLE for your growth and the growth of your business
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5. A way to measure your success or deviation from what you should be doing, EVERY day

I’m here to help you but this year. That’s part of my vision for this year and beyond…BUT, at the same time, I’m staying focused on working exclusively with success-seeking people that are committed to doing what they may not like to do, but realize has to be done to rise above this year.

Your 3 Immediate Next Steps

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Don’t take what you’re about to read for granted because this is similar information that I share with my paying offline consulting coaching students.

So your next steps are as follows:

1. Find out the gaps you’ve got by using the list above
   I tell my local business clients that one of the most important actions they can take is to figure out where they are right now BEFORE they talk to any marketer. You too need to do this so that you know where you are and can orient yourself.
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2. Decide if you’re really committed to closing those gaps (and btw, you’re running a business, so if you expect everything you need to be free, you should expect to attract clients of the same mindset)
   Knowing you’re lacking in some areas e.g. not positioning yourself as a problem-solver, feeling like you’re not qualified to help local business owners, not having a presence online and/or offline etc
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3. Take action
   You can’t continue to do what you’ve always done and expect to get better and different results

Closing a $25k law firm deal just before Christmas last year made me realize that less is more. It took just 6 weeks from first contact to the agreement being made – WITHOUT fancy mobile marketing, Jedi mind games, begging for business or feeling afraid of talking to such a big prospect.

You can do it too.

To your success.

BAYO

P.S. So where are you headed this year? How has this post helped you? Leave your comments …

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Make 2012 Your Best Year Yet – Here’s How

There’s a quote that applies to the start of a new year and beyond. It says:

“In absence of clearly defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily acts of trivia” – Author Unknown

One of the greatest challenges faced by anyone who wants to serve local businesses is having goals. These re are just so many ‘possibilities’ that having real goals seems like an impossible task.

Tasks and Actions Are Not Goals…

You know this to be true. You know that it’s rarely a lack of knowledge about what problems local businesses face. 90% of your potential local business customers or clients would love to sell more and make more money. You have knowledge of marketing and business development solutions that can help them and you’re fairly confident you can deliver on your promise if given the chance.

So where’s the problem?

It’s in not having clearly defined goals both for yourself and your business. Solve that and you’re going to be more focused and more productive, not matter what you want to offer.

Does This Seem Familiar?

A subscriber of mine sent me an email just before the end of 2011. it was in response to an email I’d sent wishing my loyal subscribers and business partners a great time and a prosperous 2012.

In her reply she thanked me for the ‘nudge’ and wrote about how she “hopes” 2012 is the year that things actually materialize for her and her family because in her own words:

“I am feeling physically and emotionally sick and tired of under-achieving. Spinning my wheels, taking on more knowledge but not being able to take action because of all sorts of fear, lack of self confidence and just bad time management. I hope you can help me become a better person this year and I am committed to doing whatever you say I should do.

I need your help”

You know how bad it is when you feel physically sick because of a problem you’re facing? I do and I know it can be debilitating. It jams your thinking and paralyzes you from taking action.

Overall, unless you have some way forward or out of the situation it most likely will get worse.

My words back to this subscriber were that she should realize that she should follow a very simple formula:

1. Get clear about what exactly you want to do in you local business consulting (sticking to her business only here)
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2. Figure out the gaps in what you need to KNOW and DO
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3. Do whatever you need to do to close those gaps e.g. prioritize your time better, actually talk to local business owners, hire a coach, mentor, someone you wouldn’t want to disappoint, someone you respect etc to help you AND hold you accountable each week
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4.  Take action (Implement) e.g. host your own lead generating events, move prospects through your marketing and sales funnel, eliminate unqualified prospects ASAP
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5. Measure your results and make adjustments as appropriate because you can’t improve on things you don’t measure

Many of these are the same success tools my students used to get revenues between $50 to $100,000 in 2012. Many of them with little knowledge of business development, marketing or what you know in the IM circle as ‘offline marketing.’  And if they could do it, I believe you can too.

Next Steps

You should always offer help at no cost when you can. There’s a think called Karma that works whether you believe it or not. Its a great way to also pre-pave your way to attracting more business and clients.

I did go into a lot more detail in my private response and I’ve invited her to schedule some time for us to talk if she is really serious about maximizing her results this year.

That’s the first step and if she can’t find the time to do that, then she will have proven to herself (forget about proving to me) that she isn’t serious about wanting to rise above this year.

Achievement – How About You?

What do you need to do in 2012 to ‘rise above?’ No matter when you read this post, the steps I mentioned in my reply earlier on will still be 100% applicable.

Here’s a challenge for you …

Can you make a public commitment right here, right now to rise above, or are you comfortable not having any accountability to anyone including yourself, your family and those that are out there in your local area, waiting for you to serve them

2011 was my best year yet in local business development and marketing consulting (offline marketing). It was a blessing to be able to work with so many different business owners across different service industries and niches. In 2012, my focus is squarely on professional service businesses (and businesses that offer services) because after working with Chiropractors, Dentists, Law Firms etc, it just makes so much sense to continue this way (more information will be available here but primarily through the Instant Offline Guru Academy – http://InstantOfflineGuruAcademy.com)

I also had the opportunity to work with some wonderful Offline Consultants that were prepared to do what it took to get the goals they were seeking.

So, it’s your turn…What are YOU committing to do to ‘Rise Above in 2012.‘

Share your thoughts below and if you have a question I’ll give you my personal input.

Let’s do it together in 2012 and may it be your best year yet!

BAYO

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I conducted a teleseminar event for another line of business for professionals that run their own professional practices (http://MakeMyPracticeFamous.com)

The theme was on why Traditional Marketing Doesn’t Work

I’d like to share this bonus recording on that topic with you, so you can understand why traditional marketing doesn’t work and how you can explain this to your offline local business clients too. When you do, you position yourself as a thought leader and someone credible.

It’s yours for free

BAYO

Download audio file (BAYO-Why-Tradiional-Marketing-Does-Not-Work.mp3)

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Dear fellow Offline Guru,

Normally I open most of my conversations with a question: “Are you doing everything you feel you know how to do but you’re not getting the results you want?” – The reason why I use this opening is simple. It works to help people decide if the next bit of information is for them or not.

This is critical if you’re going to be successful with using the information and recommendation in this audio cast.

In a Hurry?

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If you’re in a hurry here’s what you’ll discover in this audio cast.

From talking with business owners and conducting regular monthly surveys, it’s a fact that local business owners dislike vendors and other suppliers that take up their time letting them know about their own opinions about Facebook, QR codes, Google+ etc

Why?

Because they just don’t have any time or interest in spending their valuable time hearing you talk about when you formed your offline marketing business, how many ‘employees’ you have or why you’re the ‘real deal.’  The quickest way to lose a sale you don’t even have yet is to do exactly that!

Local business owners aren’t interested in you or your spectacular, problem-solving offline small business…and I’m not kidding.

If you look closely at my face you’ll see I’m not smiling!

Just like you and me, these folks are selfishly interested in solving the problems they have in growing their local business and making money – but here’s the catch and the truth that you can use to your advantage.

The only way that they can solve their problems is by discovering new and relevant information. To learn new information it needs to be taught to them.

That’s where you come in and what you’ll discover in the audio cast.

The 4-Step Transformation Process

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Listen to the audio to connect the dots…

1. The importance of uncovering the 3 biggest industry or niche problems of your target market.
2. Uncovering your specific offline prospect’s biggest pain point through questioning (I use and teach 2 systems for keeping this ‘on point,’ increasing the likelihood that their needs practically beg for your your offline solution. One of the O.P.E.N 20-part question system, the other I’ll keep under lock and key for now).
3. Offering the solution which, if you’ve done your homework should be relatively easy to do.
4. The importance of allowing time for what you’ve shared with them to sink in

Look, listen to the audio and you’ll ‘get it’ much easier than anything I could write about it.

Enjoy and be sure to leave your comments below.

Audio Training

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Download audio file (Teach-and-Attract-Offline-Clients-BAYO.mp3)

BAYO

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Would you like to remove the guess work from planning how to attract the right type of local offline client YOU prefer working with? If your answer is “Yes,” then you’re in luck!

The best type of Offline Marketing consulting business that you could ever own is one that ‘attracts’ clients naturally. Having that kind of business is like Offline Marketing itself…simple, but definitely not easy.

When I got started in local business consulting (after kicking around and not really getting anywhere for all my honest efforts) I decided that I had to re-evaluate what I was doing or get out of the whole offline thing.

Life is too valuable to waste it on ‘dabbling’ when you’ve got responsibilities, you could be dealt an unfair hand by the economy at any time or if you want to improve the quality of your life before it’s too late.

Here are some of the outcomes you’ll get from implementing the contents in this program:

• You’ll easily uncover and find your very own profitable offline consulting ‘niche’
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• By following simple steps, you define your winning USP for your offline business, so that your most ideal local business prospects are naturally drawn to you
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• Answer a list of specific questions (that you need to ask yourself), so that you eliminate any guess work from planning and setting the foundation the successful foundation of your entire offline consulting business
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• The 2 things you need to know before as you plan or re-plan your offline business so that local businesses are more likely to invest in themselves with you rather than the competition

The exclusive workbook for the workshop provides you with 8 steps/questions.

When you complete the exercise, you have your own marketing planning blueprint that you can put into action immediately to increase your visibility and generate genuine interest for your offline business. It doesn’t matter what you may have tried in the past that hasn’t worked.

Workshop contains:

• Workshop Audio
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• Workshop Workbook

Download ‘How To Stop Struggling To Attract Local Business Clients: Workshop 1 – Planning here

To your success!

Bayo

Glad you made it here

All the details you need are contained in the video, including my no-strings-attached offer for you.

Feedback and comments welcome and they let me know if we’re on track, so feel free to leave yours too.

BAYO

Logically, it makes sense for you to feel that no one will take you seriously or be willing to hire you if you’ve never had anyone pay you for what you’re saying you can offer.

But that’s logically thinking…

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The reality of the situation is that local business owners are more concerned about what you can do for them and their business specifically.

In a conversation with a local business contact the other day this same topic came up. Her view was that if you’ve never provided the results you want to provide before, how can you (as a business consultant) legitimately say you can deliver for a local business?

My response back to this contact was as follows:

1. Even if someone has worked for local businesses in the past, do you really expect them to go and get references from any past client that wasn’t happy with their services?
2. The fact that a local business consultant did deliver for one business is by no way a guarantee that they can do the same for your business
3. What’s more important to you? The fact that they claim they’ve done it before (whatever ‘it’ is in terms of a service or product) or that they can work with you to get the results YOU want in your business?

It was a pretty interesting discussion and at the end of tit, she did agree that the past i.e. having clients who paid you in the past or even having glowing testimonials, didn’t guarantee that that consultant would be a true winner.

By the time we finished the discussion she was a lot wiser to the fact that, at the end of the day, her priority was in feeling confident that you can deliver for her business.Not her ‘type’ of business, but her specific business situation.

That should be a comforting thought for you and should also help you understand where you should be placing your focus when it comes to planning your marketing and having selling discussions.

You should always focus on what you can deliver for that particular local business owner. What can you deliver for them based on their needs.

The fact that you read about the exploits of gurus and other people you feel are more competent than you (and who may indeed be more experienced and more competent than you), that doesn’t mean that you cannot connect on a deep level with local business owners and get them to hire you even though yopu don’t have past or any paying clients.

Next step

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Consider what it is that you can provide for a specific local business specifically. Don’t theorize and generalize.

Be specific.

For this to happen, it assumes you’ve got a particular local business you want to work with AND you understand their problems that they want to solve. You can start out with a type of local business in order to understand the broad business problems that the type of business faces, but you can’t generalize when you speak to Mr or Mrs business owner.

Through your contacts and discussions with them, you have to hone in and know what they are motivated to solve and eliminate. Being new isn’t a disease or a handicap – And remember. Even that local business owner had to start somewhere!

BAYO

Welcome to Part II in this series, Offline Marketing: The Naked Truth

In case you’ve not yet experienced the other two parts of this series please do your best to go through and let the messages (or parts relevant to you) sink in and lead you to re-evaluate what you do, why you do it and how you do it. We can all blame ‘gurus’ for any lack of success, but at the end of the day, it’s up to you and I to course correct.

To get Offline Marketing: The Naked Truth Part I – Click Here

To get Offline Marketing: The Naked Truth Part II – Click Here

I got tired of the embarrassing trend in what we call ‘Offline Marketing’ and through this series, I hope to send a big wake up call to you and anyone else that may have fallen asleep at the wheel!

Help spread the word

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I need your help. I can’t call out the impostors and make a difference alone.

The only two things I ask of you, apart from taking action on what you discover in this series, is that you spread the word and do your part to curb the insanity that’s now become Offline Marketing aka:

‘Who can sell the cheapest and lowest-priced crap, to the desperate and unsuspecting Offliners, make the most amount of money by doing so off of their fellow forum members, and also openly ‘brag about it’ by boasting about how many copies they sold in 24 hours!’

That kind of stuff is pathetic, but it’s what you see everyday, in your inbox, in forums and anywhere where unsuspecting Offline Marketers congregate. Enough is indeed enough.

So, feel free to post links to the series in forums, share this on social media sites, give the content away. Heck, you want to say it’s your idea? Feel free, you’ll be doing someone a service IF you keep the messages undiluted and you believe in what you’re saying.

Leave your honest feedback and help others.

If you have anything to say that is from your heart please leave comments. My training in this series has been fuelled by your feedback and comments. There’s no such things a s ‘negative feedback’ in my books. It becomes negative when a personal weight is applied to it.

In series II someone stated that I had excluded people with hearing disabilities i.e. because there was n PDF or script (just 1 slide). While it was totally unintentional, I acknowledge that the delivery method did not cater for that demographic. Just like some of the things we do in our offline marketing will inadvertently leave certain local business owners out.

The only way you’ll know is off of feedback, BUT, you’ve got to be out there in order to know what the market wants.

So, dive in!

Bayo

Download the FREE P3 Audio Version – Click Here

Many other took the time to leave comments in previous series of this free offline guru training. You can do the same too. If you found this series to be useful, please vote with your feedback.

Also, let me know if there’s something specific you want to know more about and I’ll consider publishing it!

Have a great day.

Bayo