Posted on Sunday, February 3, 2019

Love and Self-Care

Ahhh February, the month of love! Besides being loving to the people in your life, I want to talk about the love you give to yourself. Self-care is so important to our well- being, and yet many times we push it aside because we are caring for others.

Many successful people start their day with a morning routine. Maybe you have one. If you don’t, here is a sample that you can adapt to your schedule:

Imagine beginning your day thinking about what makes you happy. Smiles of people you love are flowing through your brain. You pray or meditate on what you have planned for the day. Next you drink a glass of refreshing water to get your day started. You do some stretches and take a 20 minute walk or do a dance to some of your favorite music. You shower and eat a nutritious breakfast that gets you energized for the day. You write a few sentences in your journal about what you are thankful for.

And you’re off…to work in an office or work at home.

I want to ask you how satisfied you are with your work because as we all know, stress can be a significant factor in how we think and feel. Constant stress can take a toll on your health and relationships. I would love to help you design a career you love so you can choose joy every day!

That is why I want to invite you to talk with me in a free Design a Career You Love Strategy Session.

You will obtain a sense of clarity about what you want to accomplish next in your career and discover what is holding you back from achieving your goals. If you have a small business, we will talk about how to boost your results.

Leave the consultation knowing what steps you need to take next in your career journey.

Please click on this link to reserve a time on my calendar. I am excited to speak with you and help you make this a great 2019!

Posted on Saturday, August 11, 2018

How to Get What You Want

I recently attended a women’s luncheon where we were asked to discuss questions that we should ask ourselves in business. One of our sets of questions was “What do you really, really want in your business and life? and Is what you are doing now lining up with what you say you want?

Another set was “When was the last time you experienced uncertainty in your business and what did you do to get you through?” Summer is the perfect time to reflect on these questions so we can move forward with clarity and increased productivity.

Take your favorite beverage, a pen, and paper to a quiet place. As you slow down, you will have the time to think about ways to move further in the direction you want to go. What will be your answer to, “What do you really want?”

Posted on Thursday, April 5, 2018

42 Ways to Lead Generation

Spring is finally here and so is the time for new ideas. Whether you work for a business or have your own, we are constantly looking for ways to reach and serve our customers.

There is so much noise out on the internet that I can barely hear myself think. Instead of trying too many methods at once, I suggest tailoring the methods to your specific audience and meet them where they are gathering.

When I was searching for the best way to reach my customers, I found a guide that was very helpful at Lead Pages.com. Just go to https://www.leadpages.net/landing-pages and download your copy.

It is called 42 Lead Generation Ideas. Look through the sections and see which ones appeal to your style of communication. I know it will give a boost to your business.

Posted on Sunday, February 11, 2018

What the World Needs Now is Love and Kindness

February is the month we think a lot about love in our lives. At this time in our country, many people are feeling so divided over politics and issues of many kinds. There is a lot of anger and frustration. You can feel it among your friends and family members. Yet in all of this, the one uniting factor is the kindness we can show for one another. Kindness transcends race, religion, political views, and the opinions of young and old people.

If perhaps we spend more time trying to find what we have in common with each other, the divide would not seem so great. Do you ever notice how one person can change the mood in a room? If we become the one person in the room who remains calm and extends a hand of friendship, imagine the difference we could make.

I was recently in Lynnwood at the Mind, Body, Spirit convention. Welcome to the new members who have joined our community from that event!

There is actually an event called The Kind Fest which will be held the third week of August in Snohomish, Washington. Please click on this link for images from the first Kindness Fest in 2017. www.thekindfest.com. I think it would be a great idea to attend this year.

Please take this quick survey so I can serve you better: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XTX8R76

Posted on Monday, January 1, 2018

What Will Your Choices Be for 2018?

Life is about the choices we make. It is easy for people to get caught up in negativity, considering the current political climate. I have decided that I will choose joy every day.

Demands are put on us at work, by significant others or spouses, children, and pets that use up the precious time we have. Please take some time and ask yourself, “What do you want?” for 2018.

The answer to this question can lead to significant changes in our personal lives and businesses. One concept made clear to me in the past year is that less is definitely more. Freedom comes from making deliberate choices about the most meaningful activities for me. Simplify your life in order to avoid the noise.

Write down your plan.

When doing your planning for this year, get out your calendar and put in all the important dates right now. Schedule that vacation that you know you want to take. What business conferences do you want to attend?

Next, think about your main goals for the year and write them down. When you write your action plan, be specific on your calendar and set dates, then engineer the steps that will get you where you want to go.

Think about what word you will use to describe your goals for 2018. Last year, my word was Focus. This year’s word is Momentum. I am excited for what 2018 will bring and I have been writing down my plans. So I can be of the best service possible to you, please click on the following link and answer the two questions that you find there: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XTX8R76

Posted on Sunday, December 3, 2017

Make Your New Business Plan for 2018 Now!

Photo from illuminationconsulting.com

Here we are at the end of 2017! Get a jump start for the new year and make your new business plan now. December not only means a time of celebration with our families but it is also time to celebrate what we have done in our business! Take some time to review your accomplishments for the year. It will give you a boost when you begin to plan for the new year. Block out some time for you to think about what goals you want to achieve and what your focus will be.

When you do your business planning for the new year, take a look at what your customers truly want and create something uniquely special for them. It may be a new product or a premium service offering that brings them the results they have been craving. In the age of connecting everything to the internet, I believe people are starving for personal interaction. If you take the time to follow up with your customers by calling them or sending them a handwritten note, you may be surprised at what happens.

For your social marketing portfolio, look at your target market and where they are on social media. Here are a couple of ideas you may not have thought about:

Instagram is a great place to market your products or services. Remember that it is a visual platform so make your images beautiful. Look for influencers who have a big following, contact them and see if you can purchase advertising or a shout out from them. Use their big followings for leverage to expand your business and provide their followers with value.

Pinterest – If your product or service caters to women, this is also a good place to make passive income by posting eye-catching vertical posts with links to your sales pages, affiliate links, or coupon codes. Make boards of interest with gift ideas, or topics that your clients would be interested in.

Whichever social media platform you use, find a place in your schedule each week to write and produce your posts for the entire week so you don’t have to worry about what you are going to post each day.

Make a plan and take action. That is the mantra that is running through my head as we move into the new year.

If you need to take action by finding a different direction in your career, grow your business, or are thinking about starting a new business, please go to my calendar at www.calendly.com/choosejoy/discoverysession and schedule a time for us to talk or visit www.marialuchsinger.com for more information.

Posted on Monday, September 11, 2017

10 Ways to Grow Your Business

We are two-thirds done with 2017! As we venture into to the rest of the year, what goals do you have for business growth? Most of us would agree that we want to become more visible to potential clients and helpful to the ones we already have. Here are ten ways to help you do that:

1. Think about the needs of your customer and ways you can inform, educate and entertain them.

2. Go to the places your clients choose to be on social media and join the

conversation.

3. Involve your clients in a promotion to help a cause that both you and your

clients believe in.

4. Write thank you notes to your customers on a regular basis.

5. Periodically send a gift of appreciation to your best customers.

6. Go out into your community and be visible through networking opportunities.

7. Think about the clients that most need your product or service and partner

with people who already serve your client base.

8. Provide useful information in a report, or a handy online tool your customers

can use.

9. Always strive to provide massive value.

10. Call your clients to see how they are doing and what they need. It might

surprise them to hear from you personally on the phone. (If they are the kind

you can reach by phone.)

We know that whatever we do to help our customers know, like, and trust us, is going to help grow our business. Providing quality service is a mindset. Investing in service to our clients pays big dividends in business growth and personal satisfaction. Set your goals and get growing for the rest of 2017!

If you would like help with growing your business or reinventing your career, please email me at Maria@marialuchsinger.com for a free strategy session.

Posted on Friday, August 4, 2017

Focus + Action = Results

School is out for the summer, but I want to talk about one equation we all need to master for maximum success in life and business. Focus + Action = Results. You can be laser focused on your results and have the best information available, but without action you will not move forward. By contrast, you can be very busy taking action every day without focus and not achieve the results you want. With a clear plan, you will take less time to get further.

We know this, but it can be challenging to decide where your focus should be. In business, one great question to ask yourself is, “What income-generating activities am I going to do today?” Then make those the first priority of the day. This way you can feel accomplished and not get lost in the minutiae.

Try a different method to achieve better results

One example I want to share is I recently wanted to find a new way to engage my customers when they come to my web site. Many web sites now have chat bots that pop up when you visit. I wanted to see if these would make a difference for me. I found a company called Drift.com. The free version of the program makes it possible for me to interact with customers when they visit my site. The chat bots will also make it possible for customers to leave messages when I am not online. If you are interested, the paid version will schedule appointments for you.

To see how these chat bots work in real time, please visit my web site at MariaLuchsinger.com. I would love to hear from you!

Focus + Action = Results. If you do not produce the results you want, you can use the information you learn to make your products and services better.

Appearance:	E Magazine

Posted on Saturday, July 1, 2017

Celebrate Your Success!

Do you ever take time to think about your achievements? I don’t need to remind you that life is moving very fast these days. Phone calls, email, deadlines, client appointments, children’s schedules, and numerous responsibilities are part of every day. Congratulations. In the middle of all that activity, you have managed to achieve success! People have been helped. Projects are finished. New ideas have been generated and innovation applied to your business and your life.

My father once told me, “Take a little time each day to think about what you have accomplished.” I think he said this because when we reflect on the progress we have already made, it builds our confidence and gives us fuel for future endeavors.

So when you are reflecting on your day, celebrate the small successes as well as the big ones. I want to encourage you to write down your accomplishments in a journal every day. I believe you will see a significant difference in your energy levels and you will find inspiration for the future.

Note to Women: There is a place in the paperback journal I developed called The Queen’s Journal: Inspiration for Action to record your accomplishments for the day.

Maria Rushing

The Joyful Career Strategist for Midlife Women