Top 9 Keys to Relaxing into Making More Money in Your Business

Owning a business can be an isolating experience because you are the ultimate decision-maker and you are an expert in some or even many areas, and yet other areas of your business may feel challenging to you. You are the creator of the product mix of your business and most likely it is your expertise that is the main service or focus of your business. That part is probably easiest for you. The supporting pieces could be an area of vulnerability.

For instance, do you have a well-thought-out profit plan for your business? Do you know how much money you want to bring in for the year? Do your products and prices support your money goal? You are not alone in your business if you sometimes feel like you do not have a clue in a certain area. The great news is that someone else has the clue. Believe me, we all have been in a spot where something happened, and we are left sitting there scratching our heads in wonder.  The good news is that any time you get stuck; there is an answer or help that can come to you.

Set an intention and use this affirmation: “I am surrounded by all the help and support I need.” For example, if you need help with infrastructure, organization, marketing… know that all the help you need is available to you. So the second you feel like: “Wow, I can’t figure this out; affirm: “I have all the help I need”.Do not accept anything that is not working. If it is not working eliminate it, fix it, or find someone who can fix it. As soon as you stake a claim for what it is that you want for your business, do not settle for anything less. If it is not an “Oh, Yeah, Baby” answer in your heart, it is a “No”.

Your business has an energetic charge.  If you wonder what I mean by an energetic charge, think about the different businesses you have visited. You have probably walked into a business and even though everything looked okay- you just did not feel comfortable. And you most likely have walked into a business and felt welcomed and delighted right away. A brick-and-mortar store gives off an energetic charge that repels or attracts- or leaves you feeling so-so, and a website also has this same effect. A website can be beautiful and seem to have everything but still not resonate with you, and yet another website draws you in and you connect right away.

Notice the energetic charge of your business. Are you giving off a welcoming, friendly, and helpful vibe?  You will know this by how you feel about your business. Are you frustrated with some aspects of your business? Have you become too wrapped up in trying to survive in biz that you have forgotten why you even decided to be a business owner? 

What else are you feeling about your biz? This is a time to get honest and write down everything that you are feeling.  Your business is absorbing all your “feeling” energy. If you are worried, you will give off a worried vibe, no matter what your copy says.

Here are some tips to turn around the energy of your business- or tweak it a little if that is all you need.

1. Write down ten reasons why you decided to be in business.

2. Ask yourself, how can I be more in-love with my business right now? What would that look like?

3. How do you help people every day with your business? Write these down.

4. If you are overwhelmed with a list of tasks, delegate what you can. Then when you look at the list, do what you would love to do first or what seems most exciting.

5. Bless your business, website, email list, services, and products. Do this by saying “I love…”

6. Open your list of contacts, look at each person’s name and say, “thank you”.

7.  Have more fun. Make time for golf, picnics, volleyball, concerts, leisurely walks, or your favorite hobby.

8. Manage your emotions through a daily journal practice.

9. Celebrate every win in your biz.

10. Laugh more.

Cheers to You Relaxing Into Making More Profits!

Ready for 9 Ways to Relax into Making Money in Your Biz?

Tip 1: Change Your Story, Change Your Biz

Take a moment to check in with yourself. How is everything really going? Is it time for a new story?   If things are not going the way you want them to be going, take a look at the story that you have created. Have you created a story that makes things hard, challenging, and frustrating?

For instance, lots of people create this kind of story around their business, money, raising kids, getting a house, etc. But you can choose to tell a different story.

I realized that I had created a story around specific bills, not all my bills in general, but there were two where I felt resentment and guess what, it became extremely hard for me to pay those bills. They just seemed to never get paid down in any significant way, I realized I was creating a story around them that was different than the story I held for my other bills. I made a conscious choice to create a new story.

My new story was that these two bills were teeny-tiny in the big picture. I focused on how easy it is to pay them. My energy shifted. As I focused on my beautiful big picture, less negative emotion was attached to these two bills. I freed up my time and attention and became less attached. It was a breath of fresh air.

Here are a couple of examples that demonstrate how story can make an impact:

• Jane* had everything going for her. She was smart with opportunities to go to all the right schools. She picked up new skills and talents regularly. But each time Jane got to the edge of success, she would back down. She would quit, leave, or get sick.
• Sue* on the other hand, struggled in life. She often did not have enough to eat and rarely had new clothes growing up. She had to work hard at everything. She studied hard because remembering things was difficult for her. She would have to listen to instructions several times to learn new procedures. But once she learned something, she took off.  Sue’s business was thriving, and Jane struggled with constant debt and feeling like she never really achieved what she really wanted.

And we also know people who are phenomenally successful and do not seem to work that hard.

What is the explanation for these strange anomalies? Hard work does not always equal success (we know people who work hard all their lives with little to show for it). Slacking does not equal success either. So, what is that something extra that high achievers have?

I have been studying for over 25 years why some people succeed and why others seem to fall short. Yes, starting with a lot of potential does help, but we see the cliché over and over where people full of potential do not live up to what they really could be doing.

Here is what happens:

People often have a ceiling where they get to a certain level and then if they make more money or achieve more than that level, they make choices to go back to the level of comfort. By comfort I mean what feels normal. We see professional athletes lose everything after a few years. We see lottery winners lose everything after a few years. One of the answers is to increase your wealth and achievement set point.

The only way to do this is by working on your beliefs about yourself. A good start is to look at the story you are telling about any given situation. For instance, when I was younger, I had limiting beliefs around owning my own company. I saw my grandfather close his music store. My own husband has been in business for over 30 years. In the beginning of our over 20 plus year marriage, things were tough financially. I started telling myself stories that it was tough to be in business.

Banks do not understand small business and insurance companies do not support small business. That is one of the stories I told myself. When I started my company over 14 years ago, I did not realize that I had internalized so many negative stories. And guess what? It was hard to be in business.

Thankfully, I realized, that I had some deep, internalized stories about being in business. I decided I could tell a new story. My new story was that small business is terrific. Small business supports our country and neighborhoods. There are banks that support small business and there are insurance companies who specialize in small business.

I loved my new story and my company started growing. I could not imagine not owning my business and I couldn’t imagine not coaching small business owners. Over the years, I have helped business owners and coaches get clear about their purpose matching their business and uncovering new gifts, talents, and product ideas. I have helped people make their dreams a structured reality.  Note: I changed my story first, and then reality began matching my story.  Just changing your story, even it feels like pure fiction at first, has an energy shifting effect. Really successful people can keep their story strong in the face of adversity and craft a new story when needed.

Recognize, today, the stories that you tell about your life and your business.

Awareness gives you the power to change that story. So… what is your new story?

*Note that the names in this story were changed.

If things are not working, decide today that you can and will choose differently. Choose a new powerful story. Choose a story that lifts you up, excites you, and makes you inspired.

Create a new story by deciding how you want the story to be- not how you are currently seeing the story.

Steps to a new story:

•           Recognize that you have created a story about where you are now.

•           Decide how you would like to be and feel.

•           Create a new, better feeling story.

•           Notice your shift in energy

•           Take one or two inspired action steps based on your new, better feeling story

Tip 2: Get Rid of Tolerations. Decide on the Lifestyle You Want to Be Living

What Are You Tolerating?

Tolerations have a way of sapping the joy and energy in your life. Tolerations are the things that we habitually allow in our lives.

As business owners, we often tolerate paying ourselves last, working long hours, not taking vacations, poor boundaries on projects, over-giving our time, not saving for retirement, and other low level stressors.

We give up our power when we have tolerations. What are your tolerations? Chronic under-earning? Having the same argument over and over? Constant clutter? Or fill in the blank… The first step is to face and own that you have been putting up with undesirable situations. Make a list of everything that is not wonderful. Then ask- “What am I going to do about it?”

If a choice or situation does not feel good, change it. Decide how you want it to go. Create a picture of the life you want.

As you eliminate what you are tolerating, your stress will go down, your energy will skyrocket, and you will be more motivated and inspired to really do what you want to do.

You are a deliberate creator in your business; you can have the life you want.

Before you look at your business planning, first decide what lifestyle you want to be living.

•           Who do you love?

•           What difference do you want to make?

•           Where do you want to live?

•           What do you want to do for fun?

•           What do you imagine your perfect day to be?

•           What is important to you on a personal level? A professional level?

As you allow yourself to see a picture that is beautiful and inspiring, you will then create a business plan to support it.

Tip 3: Get Crystal Clear on Who You are Serving

Does your business look like you are trying to serve everyone? Get really clear on your optimal client. What does your ideal client want and need from you? What is his or her pain?

Make a list of every type of service and product you have provided for your clients. If you are new in business- make a list of everything you think you can offer.

•           What felt the best?

•           What was most popular?

•           What felt almost effortless to deliver?

•           What need did that product or service fill?

Then look at these questions:

•           Who do you like to serve?

•           Who has not worked as a client?

•           Where can you find your ideal people?

Have other people been paid well for the service or product you are offering? (Research)

Then try out a statement (elevator pitch)

• I work with (insert the kind of people you help)
• Who have (this problem)
• I help them (name your solution)

Give an example of a successful story:

See how that feels.

Keep in mind that there are 4 mega niches:

• Money/Finance/Business
• Spirituality/Personal Growth
• Health and Wellness
• Relationships

You will struggle with your marketing message if you try to reach 2 mega niches. And your niche will be narrowed down within a mega niche. Defining your niche will also evolve, so relax and allow yourself to turn to your inner guidance to help you get clear. You can combine things like- Spiritual Business Coaching. And personal development occurs with all coaching, so don’t put yourself in a box, but use the guidelines to narrow your focus.

Tip 4: Create a Money Plan That Serves YOU

When you are creating a revenue plan you want to start with the amount that you want to make and then work backward. So, for instance, let’s say you are a coach and you wanted to make $300,000 and you priced your coaching package at $300 per month- at 20 clients- if each client coached for 12 months you would make $72000 per years in sales (not including expenses) – well short of $300,000.

However, if your package was $600 per month for 12 months with 20 clients– that would bring you to almost half your goal- $144000.  If you had 20 clients at $1200 per month- that gets you to $288000 and then add in some lower priced intro products and you are much closer to your goal.

Instead of thinking- “I could never charge my clients $1200 per month” how about thinking- “What would a $1200 per month 12-month package include. What would I put into that package to make it valuable and worth way more than the price?

These prices are just examples, but I think that you have the idea about working backward. I have coached many coaches who started off their pricing at $300 per month- (and my prices were there at one time also) and then, they realize that 20 clients coaching for 12 months each gets them only to $72000. It is tempting to think a person could coach 40 individuals but a lot more time than just the hour of actual coaching goes into the client.

If you don’t start with the big picture and work backward, you could fall into a pricing and product/service mix that will never support your financial dreams. You also will want to factor in your spending plan which has two parts, your biz expenses, and your personal bills and spending. Clear profit plans are an area of specialization in my biz.

Tip 5: Go for the Gold- the People who Already Love YOU

Even if you are new in your business, you most likely have some people who love you and what you offer already. In fact, you probably started your business because of some of these people. If you have a service business, you probably had clients even before you officially started your business.

These fans are your gold. These people believe in you already and your services/products. Ask for testimonials and referrals. Let them know that you give referral bonuses and/or payments. Ask yourself, is there an additional higher-end service that I can offer people who are already using my services? Maybe you could offer an exclusive private forum or another bonus gift. Do not take these people for granted; treat them like they are made of pure gold. Give them your best service and over-deliver on your promises.

These raving fans also provide clues to what your market wants.

Give them surveys or have them fill out questionnaires. Pay attention to any new services or products they say they want. Pay close attention to new problems or needs. Look for opportunities to learn and grow. Delivering the service that your customer wants is a lot easier than finding customers who want what you have created.

Study your blog posts or social media posts that get the most attention. Figure out why and decide how you can reach those people with a service or product.

For instance, one of the things I learned when working with clients is that business planning for profits was not a natural skill for everyone. Some people were confused about building pricing and packages that would be profitable. I made a note of this and made sure to include detailed teaching on how to create Profit Plans in my masterminds, private coaching, and coaching groups.

I also learned that many people felt confused about setting spending budgets for businesses that are appropriate for growth. If your budget is too low, you cut off growth. If it is too high, you cut into profits.

Wouldn’t you love to have ten more or 100 more raving fans? When you devote your attention to the people who are already your raving fans, you open the door wide open to more raving fans.

Tip 6: Methods for Quick Cash

If you feel like your money goals are drifting away, there is no need to worry. You can act and get cash in your account quickly when you need it.

First set your intention this way. Affirm: “I am perfectly capable of making money fast” “My products and services are magnetic”.  “People want what I offer.” “My services and products offer extremely high value.”

Start by making a list of actions steps that you feel will make the most difference in your business. Your list might include holding more discovery sessions, following up with contacts, sending email updates to your list, holding special offers, and more. Try to come up with at least 20 ideas.

Then start with the easiest, most profitable one to implement. For example, following up with people who are already interested in what you have to offer is a good place to start.

Here are my top ideas for quick cash:

1.         Hold a sale. Offer a new special- one you have not offered before and will not again for a while (use this sparingly).

2.         Plan a 5 to 12 day event on your blog (I have done this and it has been very successful). Each day, I offered a tip, plus a special- either a freebie or a paid item.

3.         Bundle your products together in a new and unique way, then offer to your list.

4.         Offer a webinar. Sell a product or service at the end of your webinar that is a time limited offer or book strategy sessions.

5.         Create a product of the month idea and offer the paid subscription to your list. They get the product each month (e.g. – a report, or audio).

6.         Offer gift certificates for your services and/or products.

7.         Scheduled a live virtual event and sell tickets ahead of time.

8.         Get involved in being an affiliate for someone else.

9.         Add a new service that is not labor intensive to create. For instance, you could add email support to a package, or add a higher-level service package to existing clients, etc.

Tip 7: Repurpose and Refine

If you have been in business for a little bit, you probably have created several different product and service offerings.  This is the time to look at everything you have done or offered already. Ask these questions for each product:

What do I love the most?

Can I make changes that make this even better?

Do I need to streamline and delete some offerings?

Can I combine offerings?

How can I use this in another way? (For instance, an eBook that is available in pdf, then on kindle, then becomes a course).

What is my signature free offer?

What is my intro offer (a lower priced item?)

How does that intro offer lead into the next offer- my medium-priced offering?

Does this medium-priced offering lead naturally into a higher end package?

You want what you offer to make sense and have a natural progression. This is true for just about any type of business.

Tip 8: Make Your Schedule Your Best Friend

Have you been using your schedule to punish yourself? Did you know you can be friends with your schedule?

I talk to so many men and women who give me long lists of everything they have left undone and how they must do better at managing their time. In truth, I have met very few people who are lazy or terribly bad at time management. But I have met a lot of people who constantly overschedule and over-commit. I see people who demand way too much busy-ness in their day from themselves.

I used to be like that. I looked at my watch constantly. I often had back-to-back appointments all day long and then would say yes to almost every volunteer opportunity.

I was constantly running, and I often would have my appointments end up overlapping and then felt like I wasn’t making anyone happy.

Sound familiar? Several years ago, I finally decided to stop the madness. I knew that just scheduling my time more effectively was not the answer, because I would just try to pack more into any open blocks. I decided to view time as a gift, not an enemy. I decided to embrace time and look at it as moldable.

If you have a runaway schedule, consider telling yourself a different story about your schedule. How about, I am the master of my schedule. I choose what goes on my calendar. I can freely choose to block out free time and rest time. Even if you have kids, more than one job, etc.; view your time as a place where you can tell a new story. What story would you love to be true about your time? Where do you really want to be spending your time?

My new story about time ended up being something like this:

“I choose how I use my time. I have wide open blocks of time on my calendar where I can decide to be spontaneous and creative. I have time to do what I love to do. I have time for the people I love. I schedule appointments at times that benefit both me and the other person. I say yes to what I truly want to do. I gracefully say no to what is not important or only marginally important. I stay present. I am calm. I do not rush. When other people are in control of when something happens, I am calm and flexible without compromising what is important to me. I am always on time in perfect timing.”

This is my story about time. How would you like to create yours?

Tip 9: Align Your Energy with the Solutions for Your Clients – Not the Problems

Affirmations for your Biz

Shift your energy of your business in just a few minutes of daily practice.

If you hold free strategy sessions or discovery sessions as a way of attracting new clients, I have some powerful affirmations for you to use before the session or daily if you hold quite a few sessions.

Why are affirmations helpful for this process?

1. They help you get out of your own objectives and agenda and into the energy space of what your possible new client needs. This person has needs and desires that you can fulfill, otherwise you would not be having the session.  However, if you focus on how much you need the client- your energy alignment with the session will be off.

2. These affirmations will help you be able to hear the client’s needs (spoken and unspoken).

3. You will be able to confidently describe how you can meet the needs.

4. You will be able to be more confident answering questions and signing your new client.

You probably have used affirmations in the past, so you can relate to the experience of making an affirmative statement and your brain starts screaming at you- “That is a lie!” To make affirmations shift your energy, you need to make them more believable. You need to shift your energy with them.

Here is a helpful process (affiliate- adapted from Louise L Hay’s book: You Can Heal Your Life) to use with affirmations that really do not feel like truth to you right now:

Let’s use this affirmation as an example:

“I am now converting all of my free strategy sessions into clients.”

• First release the resistance:
• I am willing to release the need to not convert free sessions into paying clients.
• 2nd – I deserve:
• I deserve to convert my free sessions into paying clients.
• 3rd- I am.
• I am converting all of my free sessions into paying clients.
• 4th- affirm your worthiness with “I approve of myself. I love myself. I am open and willing to change.”

When you practice affirmations, use the above process for any or all of the affirmations below. (I am using the name “Esmeralda- nickname Esme- my mom used to call me this when I was little- she also called me Henrietta and Matilda- I know what you are thinking- how are those nicknames for Sheri?)” in place of the prospect’s name, this name is fictional, and you would insert your client’s name.

•           I am aligned with what Esme wants and needs.

•           I am confident in my ability to help Esme.

•           I am using the right words at the right time during the strategy session.

•           I am holding the strategy session with the intention for the highest good.

•           I am confident that my services will meet Esme’s needs.

•           I hear Esme’s needs, concerns and desires both spoken and unspoken.

•           I am offering solid techniques and processes that Esme can use now.

•           I am offering the right service and/or product package to meet Esme’s needs and desires.

•           I know that Esme will be more successful and happier if she works with me.

•           I am holding my strategy session within the specified time frame. I start on time and I end on time.

•           I deeply care about Esme’s goals.

•           My energy is aligned to meet Esme’s needs and desires.

•           I am confident and clear when I explain how I will meet Esme’s needs.

•           I am calm, peaceful, and energizing.

•           I am converting my free strategy session into a paid client relationship with Esme that is transformational and based on Esme’s success.

•           I deliver on my promises.

You will notice your strategy sessions changing as you practice this process.

Your business is energy.

Using affirmations is a great way to shift your energy and they are a form of prayer. Your business is energy … so your business will also respond to affirmations. To get the results that you desire in your business, your biz needs energy that is attractive and empowering.

I have also created 34 affirmations below to help you shift the energy of your business.  (Read through each affirmation- then repeat the whole series 2 more times- or as many times as you like). You can say the affirmations aloud or read them silently. It helps to touch your throat during this process, or you can try putting your hand over your heart. Notice which helps you shift more easily.  Feel the energy shifting- you might yawn, or have tears, or you might just feel a bit lighter.  When your energy shifts around your biz- your clients and your future clients will notice.

1. I am now working with exactly the right clients at the right time.

2. I am experiencing life shifting conversations with my clients.

3. I am seeing my clients’ abundance and prosperity surge right now.

4. I am at ease with my business.

5. Clients flow into my business and experience transformational changes in their lives.

6. I am with my clients as they achieve their goals.

7. I am celebrating with my clients as they create the lives they desire.

8. I am helping my clients achieve more peace, passion, energy, and joy every day.

9. I am seeing my clients’ successfully completing projects.

10, I am working with amazing and brilliant people who are willing to grow and change.

11. I am working with people who place a high value on self-growth and self-development.

12. I am working with clients who can easily afford my services.

13. I am working with clients who value what I offer.

14. I am receiving the help I need in my business with ease and flow.

15. All the resources I need to grow my business are readily available to me.

16. I am constantly learning and growing.

17. I easily manage my expenses.

18. I am organized in all areas of my business.

19. I am profitable.

20. I follow and am achieving my business plan objectives every day.

21. I am effective at getting my message out to my potential clients.

22. I am aligned with my purpose.

23. I am having fun with my business.

24. I can see the next right move in my business.

25. My marketing is effective and aligned with my core values.

26. My services and products are helping people.

27. I am delighting my clients.

28. I am surrounded by spectacular colleagues.

29. I am easily handling any challenges that come my way.

30. I am in love with each moment I devote to my business.

31. I am clear.

32. I am focused.

33. I am making a difference.

34. I am inspired, and all is well with my business.

Your energy is your most important resource. Choose energy amplifying options, actions, and people; and minimize the energy-draining or zapping people and actions.

If you like this, you will love my free pdf How to Book More Clients in Two Weeks or Less

In Happiness,

Sheri Kaye Hoff

Coach, Trainer, and Author, Sheri Kaye Hoff, is a Business Coach known for inspiring massive action and a catalyst for personal and business growth, joy, and profits in a way that is fun, relaxing, and fulfilling, Sheri inspires people to do the work they love and make more money. Sheri helps business owners and professionals to relax into success. She uses both spiritual and practical techniques to obliterate blocks and create dramatic change. She is a business, leadership, happiness, and inner game expert. She has overcome nearly dying, and the loss of her brother at an early age. She has made it her life mission to discover the keys to happiness and success and then share them with her clients and community. Learn More About Sheri

More affirmations from Louise Hay