Stamping Is My Business!  

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 The Stamping Professional's Source 

for Business-Building Information, Products & Services!

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Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Happy New Year!!!

2009  is going to be a great year for stamping business owners! 

Now, it may surprise some of you to hear me say that, but you have to remember there are always opportunities in any economic climate - good or bad.

The important thing to be mindful of this year is the business landscape.  Just realize that it's always changing, and you have to change along with it.  If something isn't working anymore, try something else.  Don't give up!  Just change it up!

There are going to be some amazing success stories in 2009... and you could be one of them!

As always, if I can ever provide some help with that, please don't hesitate to contact me.

AND... be on the lookout for a very special announcement in the next week or so.  If you want to hear about it before anyone else, send me an e-mail and let me know.

Warmest regards,

 

In this issue
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Top 5 New Year's Resolutions for Your Stamping Business 

(and How to Make Them Happen)

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This is the time when we naturally take a moment to reflect on the year we've just had and the year we'd like to have.  Many stamping business owners make resolutions to help them focus on developing their business into a successful one.  Here (in no particular order) are the 5 most popular New Year's Resolutions for stamping business owners...and how to make them stick!:

 

1. I'm going to recruit more downline

To make this one happen, you have to make a list of everyone you know and speak to them about your stamping business.  Don't pre-judge and decide not to speak to people because you think they'll say no.  Recruiting is a numbers game, and the more people you speak to, the more people will say yes.  They'll be a lot of no's, too, but they won't matter as much when you see how much your network has grown.  Try and speak to at least one person per day in January.

 

2. I'm going to book more workshops and events 

Again, make a list of all of your customers, old and new.  Then, call them.  Touch base and see if they're ready to host another workshop.  If they're not, see #3.

 

3. I'm going to increase my customer sales

Even if your customers aren't prepared to host a workshop this month, they may want to purchase some product anyway.  Always ask.  Never wait for them to bring it up.  As a rule, you should try and speak by phone to every one of your customers once every three months.

 

4. I'm going to be more organized

Find a system and stick to it.  If you like to use Outlook to keep track of things, use it.  If you prefer a paper planner, use that.  A good system is one that you'll use.  Just make sure it allows you to keep track of all of your contacts, doesn't allow things to slip through the cracks and provides a way for you to make sure you're following up adequately.

 

5. I'm going to make more money

A little vague, but powerful nonetheless.  95% of you are not earning what you could be through your stamping business.  How do you change that?  Put together your Business Plan!  Take a good, hard look at the different aspects of your business.  Build on your strengths and eliminate your weaknesses.  Set a financial goal for this time next year and go for it!  If you don't know how to put together your Business Plan, the book, "Stamping Is My Business!", has an easy, 9-page Plan plus worksheets specifically for stamping business owners. 

 

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Last Chance To Sign Up for the...

The first Boot Camp of 2009 could be the most important one for your stamping business!

 

The Marketing & Advertising Boot camp will take place on four consecutive Tuesdays, beginning January 13th.

 

If you're looking for ways to find new customers or get your existing customers to spend more, this is the Boot Camp for you!

 

For more information, or to sign up, click here.

 

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Do You Have An Inner or Outer Scorecard?

Over the holiday break, I was reading the Warren Buffett biography, "The Snowball," and came across an interesting passage:

"The big question about how people behave is whether they've got an Inner Scorecard or an Outer Scorecard.  It helps if you can be satisfied with an Inner Scorecard.  I always pose it this way.  I say... 'If the world couldn't see your results, would you rather be thought of as the world's greatest investor, but in reality have the worlds worst record?  Or be thought of as the world's worst investor when you were actually the best?'  If all the emphasis is on what the world's going to think about you, forgetting about how you really behave, you'll wind up with an Outer Scorecard."

I know a lot of stamping business owners who are more focused on how others perceive them, rather than on how successful a business they're actually running.  Who are more focused on recognition than profit.

 

Now is a good time to take a look at your business.  If the things you're doing are motivated more by what others will think and say, rather than how they help you create a long-term, sustainable business, it might be a good time to reprioritize.

 

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Book of the Month

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The No Complaining Rule - 

Positive Ways To Deal With Negativity At Work

by Jon Gordon

You may have noticed there's been a wave of negativity in the stamping world lately.  I'm not sure why, and I don't think its warranted, but it can be difficult to deal with this kind of negativity without feeling discouraged yourself.

To help cope with this, I would recommend reading this book and employing some of the techniques you find within.  Staying positive is always important, but as we go into the new year, it's even moreso!

Select here for more information from Amazon.com. 

Happy New Year!

Time to Raise Your Prices!

(really!)

 

If you've been thinking about raising your prices, now is a great time to do it!

 

Consumers are conditioned to accept price increases at the beginning of a new year more than any other time.  

 

And raising prices means disproportionately higher profits!  Pricing expert, Rafi Mohammed, illustrates this in his book, The Art of Pricing.  He cites a study which shows how raising prices 1% means an 11% average jump in profits, while a 10% price increase causes an average 100% increase in profits!

 

And, believe it or not, raising prices is even more important when the economy is bad because it allows you to identify customers who put an emphasis on quality AND have the money to spend on it!

 

  

(If there's a question you'd like answered, or a topic you'd like me to cover,  feel free to 

send me an e-mail)

 

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Testimonials...

Thanks to you my sales have been great!  Your information is great and I try to get my recruits to take your Boot Camps!

- JP, West Virginia

I have begun listening to the CD's I ordered from Stamping Is My Business and I am very impressed.  There is a lot of specific information that I was looking for and I thank you for that.  I was already asking my upline for a formula that would show me how to make my workshops profitable.  The formula you give is exactly what I needed.  Now I can crunch numbers and focus on profits in 2009.

 - JR, Washington

Thanks again for being the BEST stamping business owner's Coach and instructor!

- GG, New Jersey

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Quick Links...

Order the Electronic Version of "Stamping Is My Business!"

Order the Printed Version of "Stamping Is My Business!"

Order one of the SIMB Training CDs

Join the Stamping Business Coaching Group

Find out how to book John to speak live to YOUR group

Learn more about the SIMB Referral Program

Sign up for 1-on-1 Coaching

Sign up for an @StampingIsMyBusiness.com e-mail address

Order the "Stamping Is My Business!" Tote Bag

Stamping Is My Business! Homepage

E-mail Me

 

Past Newsletters

November, 2008

October, 2008

August, 2008

July, 2008

June, 2008

May, 2008

April, 2008

March, 2008

February, 2008

January, 2008

NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE

 

Companies I Use

People always ask me what companies I use to run my home-based business. The links below are all companies I work with and recommend:

Constant Contact --> Your Email Marketing Manager

Demo to Demo - Creative Tools to Help you Grow Your Stampin' Up! Business

Register Domains at GoDaddy.com 

GoToMyPC Free Trial + $10 Off

 Free Delivery on most orders $50.00 or more

 

 


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If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.  As always, please pass this newsletter on to anyone you feel might benefit from it, especially if they have an AOL address (since they're probably not receiving theirs!).


     email:
john@stampingismybusiness.com
     voice: 518-647-2232
     web:
http://www.stampingismybusiness.com

Address: 43 Fir Street, Jay, NY 12941

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