Mindset « Zenworkz Blog

Mindset

How to radically alter the potential of your business

Some one moderately famous once told me: “Immersing in a sound structured process of examination and reflection, conducted by a skilled professional has positive spin offs”. I have been reflecting on that and the positive reaction that always happens when clients start working with me.

The structured process of thinking about themselves, their business, looking at their strengths, imagining a new future, triggers such positive actions and feelings that circumstances will change, and clients do become more successful in their business. The action of working on your business radically alter the effectiveness of your mind and the potential of your business. This occurs because:

We are challenging your mind. Neuroscience has now proven the old saying “use it or lose it”. The process we go through uses your mind productively to learn new skills. The benefits of increased mind function is an elevation in feelings of positivity, that more things are achievable or possible.

We begin with the end in mind. To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination or purpose. To know where you are headed, is to better understand where you are right now and what steps will be needed to continue in the direction for positive results. My coaching process fosters a mindset of outcomes focus and optimised marketing, that will help you create solutions, and not keep you stuck in the problems of your business.

Reflection is the key to changing mindset. The process of finding quiet time for reflecting on your current business situation and the negative responses that comes up, provides insight about what you need to change. Through my coaching we work on a positive mindset combined with effective marketing, because it will be 80% of your success in business.

Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story. The mind must believe it can do something before it is capable of actually doing it. By being aware of your mental self-talk, your thoughts, and being honest about your current situation; through reflection and answering questions about yourself and your business – it’s amazing what insights you will be provided.

Without awareness and giving yourself an opportunity to examine your business and learn new skills, you’re not likely to be able to do something about your business situation. If you don’t like the results you are getting, if you aren’t achieving your business goals, then knowing yourself, your strengths, and what you’ve been doing in the past to influence that situation is key. My structured process reveals both your personal and marketing barriers to business success. It helps you take control of what you can control.

There is no need for unconscious or disengaged marketing in 2013. Smart businesses make conscious, mindful marketing a part of their daily working lives.

Remember, if we’re unable to learn about ourselves, how we work and maximise our strengths, how are we to help ourselves excel at the business we have chosen?

Love to know what you think? Please leave a comment below.

About the author: Teresa Bassham is the boss lady of Zenworkz Authentic Marketing and educates businesses to think, create, engage and optimise their marketing effort. She coaches customers in strategies for traditional and online marketing; and implementation. If you would like free how-to-do-it-yourself marketing resources or to subscribe to free e-news about all things marketing, please visit the website:

http://www.zenworkz.com/

For daily marketing tips and references, connect to our fabulous community on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Zenworkz.Authentic.Marketing

Coaching / Mindset / Value Proposition — No Comments
17
Apr 13

Focus on your Strengths to be Successful

When I begin a coaching journey with a new customer, I get them to complete a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Analysis on themselves and their business. A SWOT analysis is a fairly simple, low cost way of assessing work preferences and current business situation.

It presents information that is vital for both parties in developing business and marketing plans, enabling the coached customer to focus on transforming strengths into capabilities, matching them with opportunities in the marketplace.

There are other practical applications from completing a SWOT analysis. The more you focus on your strengths the greater your strengths become. It is a solutions focussed approach which understands that setting objectives in the weaknesses area are not likely to be successful or completed for a long time.

So how do you identify your strengths? If you have a partner, they would be the first person to ask, although you might not like what you hear. If you need to make this assessment by yourself, a good way is to think about the activities you do that make you feel invigorated.

Strengths are tasks or activities that you always do first because they are enjoyable or easy; or because you love doing them. When you focus on your strengths, you do the activities that give you energy and drive, so you don’t want to stop doing them. Have you ever been totally engaged in something you love doing and were shocked when you realised how much time had past? This is working with your strengths.

The reality when you are starting out in a business is you do have to do a lot of activities that do not energise you. This is unavoidable until you can build your business and outsource tasks to those who are energised by tasks that you dislike.

A business should be built around a product or service that really works for you, energises you, is easy to do, and has good customer demand. Working this way will provide you all the energy you need to build a base of customers that adore your product or what you do, because you can do it better than anyone else.

It sounds really simple and many are surprised when I recommended working with their strengths and not focusing on their weaknesses; but it’s how great businesses have been built successfully for decades.

Any questions or comments, please feel free to leave a comment here or on Facebook?

About the author: Teresa Bassham is the boss lady of Zenworkz Authentic Marketing, and is passionate about educating business professionals to create their differential advantage, attract more ideal customers and create a marketing plan to achieve success. She coaches customers face to face, online and by phone – if you would like to request coaching – please contact me.

For daily Marketing Tips visit and “like” my Facebook page:http://www.facebook.com/Zenworkz.Authentic.Marketing

Authentic Values / Inspiration / Mindset — No Comments
26
Feb 13

What Inspires You?

Today I am writing about inspiration. And the question, what inspires you? My inspiration is: Being loved, having gratitude, being alive with very few (not zero) health problems, being resilient, having an inquiring mind, and a drive to help others through my knowledge and skills?

Inspiration or being inspired is what pushes us to do big things. It can come in so many ways – other people, music, books, or simply being in nature. No matter what form it takes for you, inspiration is what moves us to dream bigger dreams, to plan action and push us out of our comfort zone; and learn or achieve something worthwhile. Inspiration can be that little push we need to turn an idea into an action.

People inspire me, especially those who have tougher than normal lives, but focus always on the positive. One person I think of whenever I feel unmotivated is a friend called Kylie and I have written about Kylie before. Kylie runs an online and market based business selling babies and children’s needs (Nic-Nac). If this isn’t hard enough as the Mother of a ten year old, she is also the full time carer of her quadriplegic husband.

That’s not to say that Kylie is positive all the time, because there are days when it gets too much and she reaches out to friends and family for emotional support. It’s that she bounces back stronger each time, and is always grateful for what she has; the love of a wonderful husband and daughter, a big network of friends and her extended family (overseas), her health, strength and resilience, inquiring mind and her business skills. She makes a difference to so many people lives through her involvement in her daughters school, teaching dancing, and volunteering for a local women’s business network.

What does Kylie’s story teach us about using inspiration?

1. Engage with people through living your inspirational story. Almost everyone wants to connect, involve your customers and fans. They have a yearning to learn from you, to translate your achievements into lessons of their own, to adapt pieces of your story and re-imagine them into something that works for them. Listen to what people who inspire you have done, how they’ve done it and how you can learn from their mistakes and successes.

2. Have an open-mind. Learn something new, even if it’s not related to your business. You will be surprised how elated you will feel through the process of learning and how that will affect everything you do.

3. Open your eyes and open your ears. Unplug from the connected world. Leave your phone at home when you go for a walk, go to a dance class, listen to the music in the cafe and take in your surroundings – some of the best inspiration is outside your office and home!

When you’ve discovered what inspires you, it’s time to use it! Leverage the feeling you get when you experience these inspiring things? Does it make you want to start that research? Does it make you want to learn a new skill? Does it make you want to try new big adventures?

Whatever your sources of inspiration are telling you, write it down. Use a mind-map and dream big. Map the ideas that your sources of inspiration reveal. These are values and energy sources that are important to you, that drive you. It’s necessary to discover these before you can excel in an authentic and aligned business.

Love to know your thoughts on sources of your inspiration?

About the author: Teresa Bassham is the principle of Zenworkz Authentic Marketing, and is passionate about educating small and medium business professionals to create their differential advantage, attract more ideal customers and create a marketing plan to achieve success. She coaches customers online and by phone – if you would like to request coaching – please contact me.

Coaching / Marketing Plans / Mindset — 4 Comments
20
Feb 13

Are you just surviving or planning for abundance?

As it rains heavily outside, I am thinking about why some gardens are so abundant. In a well tended garden there is usually no scarcity. Through planning and preparation a savvy gardener plants for abundance through the seasons of the year. The same can apply for a well tended business.

Through marketing planning and prioritising activities there also should be no scarcity of customers or rewards.

You would think that there should be no shortage of small business owners who would be tending their business for longer term results? In the harsh reality of the current economic circumstances, there are many small businesses operating with short term thinking and actions. I wanted to understand why and looked at some interesting research published in Psychological Science into why perceptions of scarcity leads to risky spending.

This research points to people behaving very differently to the constant messages of gloom in the current economic environment. The results are based on whether as children we perceived our family situation as well off or poor. Those that perceived themselves as having a well off childhood, tended to look for delayed gratification and taking calculated risks for a longer term focus; whereas those who perceived themselves as having a poorer childhood, tended towards looking for short term gain and taking risks, bordering on gambling with their money.

The research suggests that this may reflect a survival mentality where the focus on short term goals may be a deeper evolutionary key to survival under conditions of scarcity (or perceptions of scarcity). Therefore, spending behaviours that would seem foolish from an economic perspective could seem quite rational from a survival perspective.

My take out from this research is that small business owners may act depending on deeper reasons than their current perceived economic circumstances. Perhaps this is why despite these dire economic conditions, they will still invest in short term, “get rich quick” schemes rather than thinking longer term about their business.

The concept of scarcity is not a philosophical position, it is a basic concept of economics when having less of something forces people to make choices about supply and demand. Scarcity is then a measure of perceived availability.

The perceptions of scarcity are very powerful in people’s minds. It doesn’t help that in Australia, this is a federal election year and certain parties are talking down the economy for their own political end. Customers are affected by commentary of poor economic conditions; and as a result small businesses have been suffering from poor sales, even though the economic indicators are relatively good by world standards.

The solution is to block talk of scarcity from your minds and tend your business as an investment for long term abundance. Understand that short term survival strategies may provide short term gain but never longer term abundance. An abundance mentality comes from having a strong belief or positive mindset, good strategic customer insight, and a marketing process to develop a plan to grow your business over the seasons of the year.

What are you doing to plan for abundance? I’d love to hear your thoughts?

Coaching / Developing Resourceful People / Mentoring / Mindset — No Comments
8
Feb 13

The Secret of Success is Investment in YOU!

Wow, what a week it’s been, I have had many calls for help; and my immediate response as a coach is to listen, analyse and suggest positive actions. All week I have been encouraging my customers to take deep breaths, put issues into perspective and return to their agreed strategies which bring the real results.

Today I am focussing on an often overlooked aspect of being successful – investment in yourself and your mind.

I have observed through many hours of coaching excellent people who have chosen to invest in themselves; that 20% of our time together is building good strategic frameworks and 80% is about improving mindset. We set strategies, goals (sometimes multiple goals) and actions. I am there to support, encourage, refocus and problem solve throughout the coaching journey.

The customer relationship is very close because as a coach, I need to understand your strengths, weaknesses, dreams and family priorities. This is because underpinning strategies, goals and actions; “mindset” is the balance of your business ambitions, family responsibilities and maintaining good health. When any one of these key aspects are out of alignment the coached customer can’t be positive and work to progress their strategic plan.

I wrote about mindset in a blog about how simple business habits can have the potential to radically alter the effectiveness of your mind and the success of your business.

In a nutshell, the mind must believe it can do something before it is capable of actually doing it. So we must always be aware of our mental self-talk. “The way to overcome negative thoughts and destructive emotions is to develop opposing, positive emotions that are stronger and more powerful” said the Dalai Lama. Think about the positive emotions you could use to replace your negative self-talk.

Fostering a mindset of outcomes focus and extreme optimism will help you create solutions, and not keep you stuck in the problems of your business. Think about what clear outcomes you need to create to achieve your purpose and goals?

Building a successful business is like dancing the cha-cha, two steps forward and three steps back; the trials of business are great opportunities for learning and improvement of process, not for beating yourself up.

One final tip, “reflection is the key to changing mindset”. Find some quiet each day for reflecting on any negativity that enters your mind, and look for habitual patterns that you need to change. Remember:

“The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” ~ Sylvia Plath.

Invest in yourself. Hire a competent and caring coach. Learn from your daily reflection. Work on a positive mindset every day because it will be 80% of your success in business!

What tips can you apply today? I love to know your thoughts?

About the Author: Teresa Bassham of Zenworkz Authentic Marketing inspires small businesses to foster a Positive Mindset – Develop and use an empowering Marketing and Communications Plan for Business Profitability … see my full services at www.zenworkz.com

Attracting Customers / Authentic Marketing / Authentic Message Creation / Mindset / Trends — 1 Comment
18
Dec 12

Zenworkz Marketing Predictions for 2013 – Be yourself, Believe in Yourself

If you have followed my blog for a while you would know that customers love marketing that presents a human connection which includes:

being sincerely valued,
being heard,
feeling important to your business, and
the experience of getting more than they expected.

Your unique marketing message is how well you personalise these emotions, and do it sincerely.

The creation of your unique message is finding which “wow factor” you can deliver that would mean the most to the customers that matter most to you.

Forget the distractions, like chasing trends or the next new thing. Go back to basics, talk to your customers and focus on your core package or offer that you haven’t quite nailed yet.

Zenworkz Marketing Prediction for 2013, be yourself, believe in yourself.

Coaching / Keep Calm & Keep Marketing / Mindset — No Comments
31
Jul 12

Keep Calm and Keep a Positive Mindset – part 4

These trading times represent a difficult period for small business. Up and down economic cycles are inevitable and if we just keep positive, hang in there, and get through this difficult period, we will get some relief at the next up turn. This series of Keep Calm articles has been created to help improve feelings of confidence and personal power; part 4 provides tips for managing your mindset.

Taking positive action is the first step to feeling more in control.

Here are three simple business mindset habits that will have the potential to radically alter the effectiveness of your mind and the potential of your business:

Give up trying to be perfect if you want to be successful!

We try to show customers that we are flawless to be liked and respected. But you can’t please everyone, and you shouldn’t try. When you embrace who you really are and decide to be authentic, instead of perfect; you open yourself up to authentic customer relationships, authentic happiness, and tangible success.

Manage your Negative Self-Talk!

Besides our own thoughts, there is nothing that is absolutely in our control. Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story. The mind must believe it can do something before it is capable of actually doing it. So, be aware of your negative self-talk – replace it with positive self talk and a positive outlook.

Reflection is the key to changing mindset!

Find some quiet each day for reflecting on both positive and negative experiences that came up, and look for habitual patterns that you need to change. Learn from your daily reflection. Work on a positive mindset every day because it will be 80% of your success in business.

Ask yourself: What is the positive mindset you can apply today? Please leave a comment – I’d love to hear from you?

Author, Teresa Bassham principle Marketing Coach at Zenworkz Marketing, inspires small businesses to foster a positive marketing mindset and develop a empowering marketing plan for business profitability. See full services at http://www.zenworkz.com

Attracting Customers / Integrated Marketing Strategy / Marketing 101 / Marketing Analysis Tools / Marketing Plans / Mindset — No Comments
25
Jun 12

4 Incredibly Simple Marketing Tips

Without ongoing marketing activity, you will likely experience the feast or famine business cycle – you know the one where you’re busy for one week and worried for three. Consistent marketing activities are the key to steady growth. But what can you actually “do” to get results from your marketing?

Have a Marketing Plan

Marketing planning is a process that helps you evaluate your business capability as a market offer; evaluates the target customer and marketplace; and prepares you for the many opportunities to achieve sales and business success. The simple premise of a marketing plan is bringing together all your relevant information, to set some business goals or objectives. Then, turning objectives into strategies, tactics, and activities, making your marketing to customers achievable and easier to accomplish in small bites of time.

Track your activities and the results

This can be as simple or sophisticated as you want. But for everything you do, make sure your can track results to your specific marketing activity. With time such a precious commodity, you don’t want to waste it on ineffective marketing. Track your results and use your time wisely on marketing efforts that yield results.

Get a new marketing mindset

To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination or purpose. To know where you are headed, is to better understand where you are right now and what steps will be needed to continue in the direction which yields positive results. Foster a marketing mindset of outcomes focus and extreme optimism that will help you create new marketing solutions, and not keep you stuck in a feast or famine cycle.

Leverage your existing customers – ask for recommendations

Ask customers who are happy with your product or service for recommendations, a testimonial or to write a review. Other customers will be positively influenced by seeing people who they know and respect, support and recommend you. Even if you don’t have a website yet, you can place your reviews or testimonials on brochures, emails or Facebook.

If you need support from someone who can guide you – a coach or mentor who can look at your marketing plan and your progress with an honest and objective eye; guide you away from costly mistakes and head in a direction that may challenge you, but also brings you the true success you desire – contact me!

About the Author: Teresa Bassham is Zenworkz Authentic Marketing; inspiring small businesses to develop and use an empowering Marketing and Communications Plan for Business Profitability … see my full services at www.zenworkz.com. While you are visiting my website – subscribe for monthly e-News updates on all topics related to authentic marketing. For daily Authentic Marketing updates visit and “like” my facebook page:http://www.facebook.com/Zenworkz.Authentic.Marketing

Business Transformation / Coaching / Developing Resourceful People / Mentoring / Mindset / Networking — No Comments
4
Jun 12

The Immeasurable Value of a Mentor

A mentor is: “An experienced and trusted advisor – one who expects more of us than we do”.

Mentoring, coaching, developing business people, and improving performance is a complex activity combining skill, knowledge, patience, values, and engagement. It is not one trait but the combination together with commitment and intent, which builds successful mentoring relationships.

I write these words as I complete a role as a mentor to three young entrepreneurs in a regional program. I have learnt, and still do, from many kind and wonderful people who have given their time and knowledge to help me. It was such a pleasure to pass on my knowledge and skills to help my small team.

My first true mentor was my Dad. Born in the UK, served in “Dad’s Army” as a young man because he lost his trigger thumb as an apprentice butcher; learnt other trades on the black market during the war; migrated to Australia in the 60‘s when the rest of this family said he was crazy; and worked for years as a small business owner, finally losing all his hard earned money by purchasing a pub, just before random breath testing was introduced. My values of hard work, being positive despite what life throws at you and always looking forward, is imbued with his values, approach and life observations.

In my early working life I have had many great managers that have challenged, coached, and supported me. They set clear development expectations with me, provided a series of assignments to widen my skills and competency, and ensured continuous feedback. The most valuable part of this experience was the ability to work closely with them, observing their approach; and values in decision making and problem solving.

The benefits from learning with the experience of the mentor include:

Exposure to different ideas and perspectives,
Insight into your own performance,
Support in development,
Avoiding and learning from mistakes,
Intellectual stimulation from interaction with a trusted and knowledgeable person, and often,
Increased visibility and an extension of influence within a community or group.

Where can you find a mentor? Mentors can be found both in the workplace and outside it. But first you must be clear about the reason you want or need a mentor, and then you can better identify who might help.

If you are just starting a business, wanting to do a business plan or marketing plan, you could start by using the mentoring services available through the various state governments.

If you are an established business and want advice on how to get to the next stage and access new networks and channels, join an industry association and network. Search online for an association or go to an industry conference and find out who the main players are. Take the initiative yourself and just ask.

Alternatively, try the informal type of mentoring, and think about your family and friends networks. Networking communities and university alumni’s are other good places to look for mentoring programs.

Mentoring is also good if you are facing difficult times. But maybe in this situation you could look at employing a business coach, management consultant to re-engineer processes, or an marketing coach to help with opportunity identification.

Finally, it’s important to observe the major ingredients in establishing successful Mentor/Mentee relationships, which are clarity of:

Mentor/Mentee development relationship goals, roles, and responsibilities,
Expectations and limits of relationship for all involved,
Mentor key areas of experience, competence, and attitude both professionally and personally that contribute to Mentee development needs,
Amount and length of time for development relationship,
Measurement of development outcomes.

I am deeply grateful for the many men and women who have given me the benefits of their experience and skill, and that I in turn, am able to repay their investment by mentoring others.

Have you had a mentor and gained immeasurable value? I’d love to hear your story?

About the Author: Teresa Bassham runs Zenworkz Marketing, coaches and mentors small business in all aspects of authentic marketing. My website contains many useful and free resources:www.zenworkz.com

If you would like to know more about Teresa’s services, please contact her: mailto:teresabassham@zenworkz.com

Attracting Customers / Developing Resourceful People / Mindset / Relationship Marketing / Social Media — No Comments
27
May 12

7 Zenworkz Habits of Highly Effective Minds

Each day I invite you to work on a habit, a simple business habit that will have the potential to radically alter the effectiveness of your mind and the potential of your business.

No 1 Learn new skills and challenge your mind every single day! Neuroscience has now proven the old saying “use it or lose it?” – use your mind productively to learn new skills. The benefits of increased mind function is an elevation in feelings of positivity, that more things are achievable or possible.

“Curiosity about life in all of its aspects, I think, is still the secret of great creative people.” ~ Leo Burnett

What new skill or information are you going to learn today?

No 2 Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story! The mind must believe it can do something before it is capable of actually doing it. Be aware of your mental self-talk.

“The way to overcome negative thoughts and destructive emotions is to develop opposing, positive emotions that are stronger and more powerful.” Dalai Lama

What are the positive emotions you will use to replace your negative self-talk today?

No 3 Acts of gratitude are highly contagious on social networks! Human beings are social creatures. On a day you deliver one powerful thank you …

Your gratitude spreads to 6 people you know. (+6)
Then it spreads to 6 people they each know. (+36)
Then it spreads to 6 people they each know. (+216)
6 + 36 + 216 = 258 people who feel more grateful – just from one thank you!

When the human mind is happy, it is less stressed. And a less stressed mind is a more efficient mind.

How will you show your gratitude today?

No 4 Reflection is the key to changing mindset! Find some quiet each day for reflecting on any personal negative responses that came up, and look for habitual patterns that you need to change.

“The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” ~ Sylvia Plath

Learn from your daily reflection. Work on a positive mindset every day because it will be 80% of your success in business!

What is the positive mindset you need to apply today?

No 5 Your mind is part of your body! It just makes sense to fuel your body with healthy food and keep your blood oxygen levels high with regular exercise. Simply fuel, exercise and rest your body properly. A tired mind is rarely productive – ask any working Mum!

To begin the change today – what will you be doing differently?

No 6 Begin with the end in Mind! To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination or purpose. To know where you are headed, is to better understand where you are right now and what steps will be needed to continue in the direction for positive results. Foster a mindset of outcome focus and extreme optimism that will help you create solutions, and not keep you stuck in the problems of your business.

What clear outcomes do you need to create today to achieve your purpose and goals?

No 7 Develop the habit of Listening! Many of us today have such busy lives, that we often don’t take in the messages that we hear from potential customers, friends and family members. The best clue that you are not listening, is when you hear yourself asking why a customer doesn’t like this or that; or why you can’t seem to reach people? Giving a person your full attention, and showing them that what they say matters, will have a long-lasting impact on them and your relationship, and provide you with information to change your approach.

How will you listen effectively today?

Each one of the seven habits above has the ability to make your mindset more effective and change your business. But when you combine them together their beneficial effects increase exponentially.

I would love to know what works for you?

About the Author: Zenworkz Authentic Marketing inspires small businesses to foster a Positive Mindset – Develop and use an empowering Marketing and Communications Plan for Business Profitability … see my full services at www.zenworkz.com

Zenworkz BlogAuthentic Marketing Coaching

Mindset

How to radically alter the potential of your business

Focus on your Strengths to be Successful

What Inspires You?

Are you just surviving or planning for abundance?

The Secret of Success is Investment in YOU!

Zenworkz Marketing Predictions for 2013 – Be yourself, Believe in Yourself

Keep Calm and Keep a Positive Mindset – part 4

4 Incredibly Simple Marketing Tips

The Immeasurable Value of a Mentor

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