I’m taking time off….

This week I turn 45, my husband and I celebrate 20 years together and my daughter turns 16!

So I’m turning off my screens (computer, phone, etc) and turning on conversation, sailing, swimming and just spending time with friends and family!

If you want my itinerary this week, here it is:

– Tuesday, July 18th –  Day of swimming, sailing, and cookout with family and friends for my birthday!

– Wednesday, July 19th-  My husband and I are spending the evening on a sunset cruise in Boston Harbor on a classic schooner and we are sleeping on the boat!

– Friday, July 20th-  It’s party time! We are wrapping up the week with a family and friends party while celebrating my daughter turning 16!

So, why am I telling you all this? Because as a business owner, I can’t afford to TURN OFF my business just because I’m taking time off!

Let me ask you this:  If you are running a small business, do you ever take time off?  At what cost? How do you keep the DOORS OPEN while you recharge?

Here are three strategies I rely upon:

• Marketing Systems:  Years ago, when I launched my business I understood that my clients hire me based on trust.  Somehow,  they had built a relationship with me either through an acquaintance we share or through my presence in the market. Either way, I had to make myself known and available for them to inquire about my services. Consistently being PRESENT in the marketplace requires a STRATEGY and a SYSTEM!  I now have a team that supports me– but at first, I didn’t. So  I had technology systems that I could program, automate and time release so that I consistently showed up in the market. Depending on how far along you are or whether you have a team or not, are you CLEAR on your marketing strategy and systems?
• Clarity of Deliverable:  My clients can’t wait for me to come back from vacation.  Our vacations are NOT synchronized…. so even if I’m off, they are NOT! They need to keep on working, keep on moving forward.  So how can I help them keep moving forward if they can’t meet with me?  Well, I’ve identified which part of my service needs to be one-on-one– me working directly with them– versus exercises, learnings and working with each other in my IDEApreneur community. This has allowed my clients to work consistently while allowing me to recharge my batteries. Are you tied to your desk? Do your customers rely 100% on you being at your desk for them to get value?
• My Team:  Yes, I now have a TEAM and they are AWESOME! They are CLEAR on my mission and what I’m looking to build. We have aligned our projects and actions so we are all working together towards a common goal. They are definitely the reason I’m able to really relax when taking time off! You might not be there yet, but as you begin to envision your growth, begin visualizing your dream team!  (If you already have a team–take some time to reassess–IS IT YOUR DREAM TEAM?)

The last strategy is to COLLABORATE. I’m constantly learning and partnering with colleagues and experts in the market to support each other and bring new ideas and learning to my audience.

As part of this strategy, I want to introduce  Angela Giles, a seasoned digital marketer who can help YOU identify Marketing Breakthroughs to gain visibility and get seen in your market.  She has put together a phenomenal list of speakers, movers and shakers of the Marketing Industry who have gathered to share their juicy tidbits which will help you skyrocket your empire. If you want to step up and level up your marketing game be sure to register for this event. It all starts July 31st  – REGISTER NOW! IT’S FREE!

I look forward to hearing about how YOU recharge while keeping your business running. Have a great week,

Dolores Hirschmann is an internationally recognized strategist, Clarity coach, TEDxOrganizer, Speaker & Author. She has over 20 years experience helping entrepreneurs, companies & organizations realize their potential—by guiding them to CLARITY—to define their CORE IDEA, message and market strategy needed to reach their next level of growth. As a Speaker Coach Dolores guides speakers to go from successful professionals to thought leaders in their field. If you would like to learn more visit: www.mastersinclarity.com or download her free resource “STAND OUT THE TED WAY”