Bridging Heart and Marketing 4

My friends, colleagues, coaches, and mentors, Judith Sherven and Jim Sniechowski, are convening amazing learning sessions in the fourth of their Bridging Heart and Marketing events. Two have been live events; this one is the second as a virtual event. (Very cost effective.) Judith and Jim have assembled a roster of great teachers aligned with the heart-based, soft sell marketing tribe that they lead.

Things are changing so fast online that it’s not always easy to keep  up. In particular, conscious business owners and heart-based healers, caregivers, and service providers find that the speed of change in the online world coupled with the frantic urgency of many of the (especially hard-sell) offers just makes them decide to bow out. Ignore it and hope it goes away.

It won’t be going away any time soon. As Judith and Jim point out, the internet has become the new virtual shopping mall… For finding a do-able and high-integrity path through the online marketing jungle, Judith and Jim are guides that I’ve found to be both trustworthy and transparent in sharing their knowledge.

They came to online marketing after many years as therapists.  Their profound knowledge and gifts for healing relationships informs this crucial aspect of online business. After all, what is business but a varied array of relationships?  They came into online marketing only a few years ago — when both were in their 60s. To hear their story alone offers huge lessons and insights you can’t get anywhere else.

I’ve participated in the last two Bridging Heart and Marketing events, connecting with partners, mentors, friends, and thought leaders I wouldn’t  have met any other way.

Bridging Heart and Marketing Number 4 starts tomorrow, so don’t miss it.
Click here for more details and to register.

Do You Know Your Internal Marketing Platform?

Why do I ask? Well…..

My friends/ colleagues/ mentors Judith & Jim
(Judith Sherven, PhD and Jim Sniechowski, PhD)
spent years struggling to understand what a real business is
and what all is involved to build one on solid ground…

They realized that it MUST start with a clear Internal
Understanding of what it is you are doing –
first and foremost for your
own sake — and also for your customers.

Most people struggle with this issue big time, but
never talk about it. I know I have.
Most people just hide their desperation
and misery  –  but Judith & Jim are doing something
completely different.

They’ve realized that clear understanding needs
to start with a clear Internal Marketing Platform!

That’s why I am inviting you to attend their FREE
Virtual Workshop this Thursday —

Register by clicking here

So You Can Get Clear About YOUR Internal Marketing Platform

There always seemed to be something missing with all
the well-meaning marketing and promo advice.
It’s this internal focus that needs to come FIRST is what
I’ve realized is key.  My coaches and mentors are sharing —
for the first time in a live no-cost workshop  — a true
self-discovery experience (It’s much much more than
Judith & Jim just teaching or training, as great as that is!)

It’s really all about  YOU . . .

*** How to discover, in yourself, what you need
in order to build and stand firmly on your own
successful Internal Soft Sell Marketing Platform ***

http://budurl.com/JJInternalPlatfm

They’re calling it

“Discovering Your Internal Marketing Platform”
It’s The Foundation of Your External Marketing Success

It’s FREE  –  So give yourself this gift — and
get registered now:

http://budurl.com/JJInternalPlatfm

It’s Thursday, July 8th, at 5:30 pm Pacific/8:30 pm ET

Judith & Jim will start by clarifying what a Marketing
Platform IS,  what it is NOT, and why it’s SO important to you —

And then you’ll experience a Marketing Workshop that’s
truly different from what you’ve ever experienced before
.

Because Judith & Jim will guide you, taking you deep
inside yourself to help you discover and integrate
the important values and other qualities that will
serve as the basis for your out-in-the-world
marketing platform.

Remember, if your marketing platform does not begin
within, you can only stumble and fall, losing faith
and energy as you continually jump around trying to
make things work.

So make sure you are registered for this
FREE, life-changing event –

http://budurl.com/JJInternalPlatfm

AND you can certainly invite your friends and colleagues
to get registered too! That way you can share your
discoveries and support each other in moving forward
into greater success through your Internal marketing platforms!

“See” you on the call. I’m certainly going to be there.
As I like to say, “the inner journey IS the journey.”
Hope you will join me and my mentors in Soft Sell Marketing.

Embody Excellence — Blog Challenge Post 24

For compulsive perfectionistas, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that excellence equates to perfection. It doesn’t. That’s one of the (many) things I love about the work of Don Miguel Ruiz. In his bestselling  The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom, A Toltec Wisdom Book, the agreement most pertinent to this discussion is “Always do your best.” This agreement plants the whole of his work firmly in the physical world we inhabit.

I love Don Miguel’s gentleness. In his new book, The Fifth Agreement: A Practical Guide to Self-Mastery, he recaps the first four agreements. For this one he says, in part, “Your best is, in fact, the only thing you can do.” Maintaining the intention to do your best means that one day when you are battling an allergy,  your best will look different than on a day when you are feeling well rested and not suffering from the pollen count or cat hairs in your nose.

Embodying excellence implies it’s in your bones. It means giving yourself fully to what is square in front of you, doing whatever you need to do with a level of mindfulness and care that turns everyday actions into moving meditations. This refers to making the soup or mowing the lawn or walking the dog as well as writing the blog post or being with clients.

Embodying excellence is in fact the daily practice that helps you traverse the Write Synergies Path to Owning Your Greatness. Embodying excellence is also related to Don Miguel’s “Always do your best,” in that both imply the daily, even moment-to-moment practice. Like writing, like doing scales on a musical instrument, the intention to embody excellence is in itself a practice that builds mindfulness. We get better at the important things by choosing what they are and then practicing.

Just about a year ago, I had the great privilege to spend an extended several days in a sacred vessel called Magnify Your Excellence, a weekend workshop convened by Judith Sherven and Jim Sniechowski. My time with these master wisdom teachers changed everything, opened up doors and windows I didn’t even know were there. During that time and after, we occupied a space of truly standing in all the power and immense beauty of our deepest authentic selves, abundant with gifts to offer our communities.

Your excellence? It’s you. It’s your presence in the moment. It’s bringing your shiny highest and best self to the party every moment you can possibly wake up and remember to do it. It is the process and practice of consciousness and mindfulness in all you do. And in doing this, you will be owning your greatness — whether you write a word or not.

Connect on Twitter with the #blog30 community.  Connect with Judith and Jim through the Soft Sell Marketers community.

Delight Your People — Blog Challenge Post 22

What will it take to bring spine tingling delight to your people, your perfect customers, clients, to your tribe, circle, audience, community, readers, viewers, listeners?

Following this Write Synergies Path, we’ve traversed the inner path of awakening awareness. We’ve added accountability, built momentum (inner and outer) for your foundation, and we’ve talked about creating and implementing.

But who is it all for? And how can you create your vision in such a way that it really resonates down to the tippy toes of your perfect people? People talk about niches, of not trying to serve the whole world. But that often feels, in particular for the heart-full soul-preneurs, visionaries and thought leaders who don’t want to leave anyone behind, that they are being forced into a box that they’ve worked so hard to get out of, the smallness box.

You don’t want to leave anyone behind, and you resist forcing yourself and your message back into a tiny, ill-fitting box.  Reflect back to your own experience working with people. You know there are certain people who are more fun to be with, people with whom it’s hardly “work” at all to serve them, to offer your products.  These are the people who need to “hear it from you,” as Jan Stringer and Alan Hickman like to point out. (You also know in your bones that there are people for whom the whole thing is just an uphill climb. Those may be the clients who need to hear the message from someone else, not you!) The people who can only hear it from you: This is the essence of a niche — your tribe.

There’s something compelling about the basic idea of like-attracts-like, the law of attraction. In the coaching I’ve had with Jan and Alan, co-authors of  BEE-ing Attraction: What Love Has to Do with Business and Marketing , and with their BEEing Attraction work, this like-attracts-like principle leads to a “trick” question. You ask, “What makes my perfect customers/clients tick?”  As it turns out, it’s probably the same thing that makes you tick.

Hmmm. So in essence you are creating your business or program or service that addresses a singular challenge or obstacle that you have somehow successfully dealt with for yourself. The delight comes, on your customers’ side, when they so totally “get it” that you “get them” and their obstacle. They see themselves reflected in the words on your site or that they hear in your teleseminar or in your conversations. They know that you have a deep understanding, not only of the pain of the obstacle, but also the solution to release that pain. That is the beginning of the delight. And there’s more.

More than even the solution to their problem or a way to address their challenge, what they most appreciate is your Presence, loving them and their problem, loving offering the solution, listening for their particular nuances.  Developing Presence in your own way, your authentic content and presentation and voice, creates a dramatic result, a Presence you can share with your customers. By taking the time to develop yourself on this inner path work, you have more to offer the people you are here to serve, and you will be serving them at an even more profound level.

Your Presence — in your words, in your articles, blog posts, videos, audios, in your conversation –  is a source of delight to the people who need to hear it from you. It is the deep listening that you bring to your client interactions. It is the deep understanding and empathy that you have for the challenges they are going through.  It is your authenticity and the love that you bring to heal the pain of the obstacle, problem, or challenge by offering your services and products as solution. And at the foundation of your products and services: It’s you. Your Presence, honed to a crescendo of power to be totally with your clients, meeting them wherever they are on their path.

Delight is a pale imitation of what they will really feel when you, your Presence, is completely in the moment with your clients.

As my mentors, Judith and Jim say, “It’s all in the connection.” Developing your Presence is the path to creating the connections that matter.

Connect with our 30-day blogging challenge on Twitter at #blog30

The New Follow Friday Round-Up — Blog Challenge Day 7 Post 8

Heart-based, community-building mentors and coaches: all people worth paying attention to. On Twitter, it’s called Follow Friday, or #FF. These are a few of the people on my list–for starters anyway!

Connie Ragan Green’s 30-Day Blogging Challenge has gotten me to step deeper into the fast rushing river that is Twitter.  So in addition to doing the posts, I am tweeting them out — finding ways to let people in the social media universe know about the content I am creating. So, my first #FF (or “Follow Friday”–It’s a twitter thang) recommendation is Connie Ragan Green.  #FF  @ConnieGreen

I met Connie in 2008 at Judith and Jim’s Bridging Heart and Marketing Conference for soft sell marketers. As founders of the Soft Sell Marketers Association, Judith and Jim are on my #FF list too. Their association offers exceptional value. And I want to highlight Judith and Jim’s tagline: They say “It’s all in the connection.”  This rings a resonant bell with me!  #FF  @JudithandJim  (and hugs!)

I’m taking a course with Molly Gordon, founder of the Shaboom County community, to learn the process to finding clients who fit just right. Molly is a #FF resource. Totally outstanding.  Molly’s coaching is bringing us to a foundation and structure for listening for the words of clients who fit just right (or in my case, “write,”).  Molly, like the other folks I so appreciate, really walks her talk over on Twitter   @Shaboom  (and elsewhere too!)

I learned about the Chris Brogan’s latest post from @ToddTemaat who had created his own #FF blog post at his interesting site, http://www.winyourlocalmarket.com.  Todd, you might be interested in a Facebook group all about shopping local: Over on FB I just became a fan of the 3/50 Project. (They’re at the350project.net)

It was such a good idea that Chris Brogan introduced @ his blog.  It inspired Todd in his first #FF round-up today on his blog. Todd reported that he heard about it from @HelenRappy.  Scope out the original inspiration:   http://www.chrisbrogan.com/turn-twitters-follow-friday-in-blog-traffic/   So #FF love to all of you, and it’s so much fun playing together in this social media river and on #blog30

There’s additional thanks to Molly Gordon  @Shaboom  who retweeted this link (below) to an inspiring piece from Anne LaMott. I mentioned her book, Bird by Bird in blog post #6. So it’s synchroninstic to see a link to one of her recent essays today — well, it’s just this amazingly connected universe that we are playing in.

http://www.sunset.com/travel/anne-lamott-how-to-find-time-00418000067331/

Trying to get a little bit ahead on 30 days of blogging challenge, so it’s post 8 on day 7. #blog30

On Connections and Disconnections

Creating results greater than the sum of the parts (Synergies) implies that you are making connections.

For part of January, our broadband was down. The disconnection seemed profound at the time. For more than a week, I was more distracted by the disconnect than even the distractions of being connected. I managed to do work by cobbling together time with my laptop at various outlets with WiFi, cafes, the library, until finally home base was back live. So there’s deep gratitude for the connection, but also awareness of just how hooked I am to this world of online connections.

Worried about the disconnect, it seemed overwhelming to give myself over to creating, to the projects that begged for attention. This made me aware of online connection as a kind of addiction.  Here are several lessons that arose from the disconnect:

  • Be aware of, and wary of, your addictions.
  • Learn the backup systems and have several options in place.
  • Call for help sooner.
  • Don’t worry if you can’t connect. You’re probably not missing much anyway.
  • Step out into the real world and do analogue for awhile as a refreshing break.
  • Make your connections in other ways. Remember face to face?

Shortly after our outage, I had the great fortune of taking a yoga session for “the seasoned body” with a master teacher and friend. The reconnections that the class sparked within were amazing. How disconnected I had been from my own body, even though it is the vessel for doing things in this world. Going through the stretches, releases, and alignments, I suddenly felt like I’d rediscovered a connection, a vein of creative flow.  The body disconnect was not even something that I noticed!

As my friends and mentors, Judith and Jim say, “Because it’s all in the connection.” That’s their email signature, and a profound statement of the soft sell marketing approach that is also their signature.

As I write this on the newly designed blog (the old theme seemed to have a vulnerability and a page of mine was hacked/hijacked), I am happily connected and also reaching out to make connections. It’s better than being disconnected.  But that said, it seems like the last lesson needs to be: Make the occasional conscious  decision to disconnect so that you can give yourself over to the creative projects and manifesting the gifts and greatness that are the living embodiment of “Living Your Legacy!”

Soft Sell Marketing!

Today I received a heart warming email from
my friends and colleagues Judith & Jim
(husband and wife Judith Sherven, PhD and
Jim Sniechowski, PhD)

thanking me (and all their affiliate partners)
for

“. . . joining [them] in making sure that anyone
in [my] list community who wants or needs
training in techniques and strategies, in the
mindset and intention of Soft Sell Marketing ”

…gets an Invitation to attend their Virtual
Conference “Bridging Heart and Marketing III”

AND that’s exactly why I’m featuring this message.

Why this conference?

Because it gives you lots to care about –

*** Selling As Spiritual Service
*** Soul-based Pricing
*** Business as Extended Prayer
*** Buyer-Seller Partnership
*** Building Your Business as You Grow Your Self
*** Through 15 Training Sessions to Help You Expand
Your Success and Open Your Heart to Your Customers
and to Yourself – at the same time!

And, that’s the beautiful invitation that can
change your life forever.
Learn more at:  http://budurl.com/BHM3BJM

Now it’s up to you to trust your intuition
to tell you whether or not it’s right for you
to go to:

http://budurl.com/BHM3BJM

And (in a wallet friendly manner) invest in your
spiritually rich business future where you get to

*** Build Your Business
while you
*** Grow Your Self

Because (as Judith & Jim say) It’s All in the Connection.

PLUS: You’ll be able to
join me as I head into the Success Spotlight
just over halfway through the conference.
Since I attended the live Bridging Heart and Marketing last September,
I have uncovered new possibilities for my business
all thanks to Judith and Jim and the companions
and mentors I connected with.

If you sign up with the link below, I will receive a referral fee.

http://budurl.com/BHM3BJM

“Bridging Heart and Marketing III” is really
an awesome Soft Sell Marketing Academy
which gives you the Perfect Preparation for a lifetime
of marketing and selling — not only what you provide
or plan to provide now  but anything and everything
you’ll develop as you grow your business!

AND you have three options
for how to get in on this practical 15-session can-do
Soft Sell Training Panorama!

If you want to check it out right now, just go to:

http://budurl.com/BHM3BJM

Your First Steps into Internet Marketing

As some of you know, I have been re-imagining my business and adding the tools and processes of internet marketing to strengthen my efforts at tribe-building and getting the word out.  Lots of new things are in process in this fledgling Write Synergies world I’m creating, so look for more announcements soon.

One place where I’m developing my expertise — a really a critical piece of the ongoing communication infrastructure — is this thing called internet marketing.  The thing is, there’s lots of hoopla out there, plenty of scams, and also some really good teachers and coaches who make a LOT of assumptions about what you already know.

Many of us who are interested in using these tools don’t even realize what we don’t know, and so jump into those learning situations and find we’re in over our head.  It’s all painted as “so easy.”

Well, it’s not rocket science, but it does take a certain attitude and most certainly it requires a step-by-step approach starting with the VERY basics.  We need guides who acknowledge the true  newbie nature of many of us who want to add internet marketing to our bag of tricks.

I have been in their circle and working with/learning from Judith Sherven and Jim Sniechowski for more than a year.  I am impressed anew every time they do their teaching magic.  For this course, Judith and Jim have teamed up with Tom Justin to create First Step Internet Marketing. It is a true step-by-step learning experience that I refer to often in my own process of business building.

The Best Deal
They have a special that’s wrapping up by the end of the day on Sunday.

Their course is only available through August 9th
at their Stimulus Incentive price of only $147.

That’s right – only $147!

http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/aftrack.asp?afid=961738

That’s 6 step-by-step sessions emailed to you weekly, so you don’t get overwhelmed.  Plus, they have some added and immediately useful bonuses.
(I could go on a rant about bonuses for courses that are overwhelming and unrelated, but I’ll save that to another time.)

So, if you are able to act now, you will get this hands-on course
for only $147 — before they raise it back to
very nearly their pre-Stimulus price in honor of
the growing signs of recovery.

Still a Good Deal
Starting August 10th their special course price
will be $100 more — $247.  (And this too is still a very good value for the detailed step-by-step info you get.)

If you are able to check it out and make a decision before the end of the day on Sunday, you will save $100.

Get their course now by going to

http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/aftrack.asp?afid=961738

AND there’s no risk to you! Judith, Jim, and Tom
are so certain that you will be totally delighted
with their course that they provide a
60-day satisfaction guarantee!

So get more information and get signed up for the
course right now –

http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/aftrack.asp?afid=961738

Full transparency: The link identifies me as the source of your interest, and I receive a referral fee if  you choose to order.

To your tribe-building success!

Bobbye
Bobbye Middendorf
The Write Synergies Guru
Bringing heart to your marketing…
And perfect clients in your door

The Paradigm Shift in Soft Sell Marketing

Enter a dialogue to create a new model of business that reflects your authenticity, connection, community with Judith and Jim at http://bridgingheartandmarketing.com/blog/soft-sell-marketing-as-a-deep-paradigm-shift/

Like it or not, the business paradigm shift is here.  You can always see how far business as usual takes you, although right now I’d characterize that as a  head-in-the-sand approach.

Or you can enter a dialogue to create a new model of business that reflects your authenticity, connection, community.  You can stand up, express your gifts, and own your greatness as part of the Soft Sell Marketing trend.  Judith and Jim are opening the dialogue for Soft Sell Marketers to come together to see how we might consciously co-create this paradigm shift.  See their blog post at:

http://bridgingheartandmarketing.com/blog/soft-sell-marketing-as-a-deep-paradigm-shift/