Boost Your Program Value - Without Piling on the Content (or Doing More Work)

Here is a mistake that some coaches make - they think if they are to increase the price of their programs, they need to pile on the content (and create more work for themselves).

To get over this misconception, first, you need to realize that people are paying for the results/outcomes/solutions to the pain points that you are delivering, not the process of resolving the problem (they are paying for the destination, not the plane ride... nor the painful line at airport security!)

Then, realize that if you can get them to push a button and have their problems resolved in 5 seconds, they would - rather than going through a 6-week program and spending 3 hours each week on implementing the changes. Here is a story to illustrate the point:

Back in the days, a farmer went to a tooth doctor to get his rotting tooth taken out.

Farmer: How much do you charge? Tooth doc: 2 pieces of silver Farmer: OK, that's steep. How long will the process take? Tooth doc: A minute. Farmer: What? I am paying you 2 pieces of silver for a minute of work??! Tooth doc: I can stretch it out to 30 minutes, but you will be in pain for 30 minutes, instead of 1 minute.

Most people who are looking for solutions want to get their problems taken care of quickly and painlessly. Don't make them jump through extra hoops, i.e. read or listen to more content that does not get them from point A to point B in a straight line.

So now you ask, how do I ask for more moolah if I am not giving them more content?

Here are the 3 "C"s and 1 "B" that you can play around with, to increase (or decrease) the value of your program...

Before you go into structuring the Cs and the B, ask yourself - what do I want this program to do for my business model? E.g. if you have two programs at the $500 price point, and nothing at the $0-$500 range, you may want to create a "scaled-back" program at entry-level to capture potential clients who are interested in your services but don't want to drop the big bucks yet.

The three "Cs" are: Content, Community and Coaching

Content: content should be relevant and succinct, focusing on delivering effective solution to a problem.

Community: support from like-minded peers is essential for some people to "stick with it" and achieve results. There are many online tools these days to help you build a community through groups, message boards and forums. There are a few WordPress plugins for creating membership sites. Ning is also a good tool. Or, you can just create a closed Facebook group (I actually like Facebook groups best because most people are already on Facebook, so they don't have to make a point of logging into another site. From my experience, it's the best in terms of encouraging interaction and support among participants.)

You can also offer a support group as an individual product, and add a membership to the group as a bonus to your program for the duration of the training (no extra work, no extra cost!)

Coaching: either one-on-one or group coaching, this is a great way to boost the value of your program without much additional time involvement other than the few hours that you need to hop onto the phone (position the calls as implementation support and Q&A, so that you don't have to prepare for additional materials.) This helps increase the effectiveness of your program (leads to more and better testimonials) and boost the "like, know and trust" factor your clients have with you, making upselling to other programs that much easier.

The "B" is Bonus

Bonus: people like extra stuff for free. However, don't throw everything plus the kitchen sink into your program - doing so may make your potential clients think that there must be something fishy or inadequate about the "main course" - i.e. the program - that you are selling.

You don't have to do a lot of extra work to add bonuses to your package - here are a few ideas:

Ask other coaches or practitioners who have the same target market as you do, but not a direct competitor, to contribute a product - they will get the exposure, and your clients will get something relevant. Look at the materials in your program - is there one or two really juicy pieces that can standalone as a product (e.g., you can pull out all the recipes and create a xx-day menu plan ebook)? Pull these materials out, re-package them, and make them as "bonuses" - no extra work required! You can even sell it later on as a separate product. Look at the information product that you already have (or plan to create anyway), or recordings from classes that you did previously. If the topic is relevant to your program, add them as a bonus. You can also create a special report that you can later repurpose for use as a free gift for newsletter sign up.

One more way to use bonus is to have a couple that are only available for limited time or quantity. This adds urgency to your offer and entice people to take immediate action.

Workers Compensation For Office Workers

If you work in an office, chances are you haven't thought too much about workers compensation. However, workplace injuries do affect those people who work in offices as well. We will discuss some opinions about workers compensation and what you might want to know. Please note that we are not giving professional advice and if you need help you should seek professional assistance.

Workers compensation is what employers and their insurance companies will provide to employees who are duly injured while at work. Of course, for office workers there are fewer types of bodily injuries that can occur, but there are some situations where it occurs. The most pressing issue would probably be something along the lines of stress induced symptoms at the computer, such as carpal tunnel or neck disorders. There could also be accidents that occur that are unforeseen, such as something being dropped, or slipping on wet floors. All of these constitute workplace injuries because they happen on the site of the employer's property.

In these situations, workers should know their rights and approach the right staff to help. If you trust your supervisor, you may need to report it in. Perhaps in your company there are other ways to report a workplace injury as well, such as by going to Human resources department. (Everyone's situation is different and we are not giving any advice whatsoever). After you report it, there will be an assessment, as well as an interview. Then the claim will either be approved or rejected, as well as an explanation of what workers compensation benefits are conferred.

Sometimes workers are afraid to report workplace injuries because they think it will affect their job stability. In truth, an injury will probably already affect your performance on the job. While it is up to you do determine what your needs are, in practice the law does protect workers who file a claim for workplace injury (again check with your local state government or an attorney). These laws are in place to protect against any wrongdoing the employer may do. Employers necessarily must give you a document stating your rights as sanctioned by your state and their refusal or neglect to do so will probably result in allowing some legal action.

That is why it is important for workers to stay abreast of workers compensation laws. Read up about developments in your state, since there is a chance that court cases change how labor laws are governed in your state. If you are in a larger company, chances are they will keep you updated as well to avoid liability issues on their part. You can also probably schedule an appointment with someone in HR who can brief you more on how workers compensation works. Talking with someone who is an expert before you take action can reassure you, as well as inform you of your rights. Then you will be better equipped to figure out what to do in your situation.

5 Tips to Make Your Holiday Emails More Effective

You will notice that your inbox is flooded with so many holiday emails from different businesses during the holidays. This is because consumer spending is always increasing during the holiday season. Many businesses take advantage of this trend to get more sales even if it means giving discounts and deals.

The holiday season is fast approaching and if you haven't started sending out such emails yet, you better start now so you don't get mixed with other emails that will flood many people's inbox when the season arrives.

Here are some holiday email tips for you to help you get the most out of such email.

• A highly effective email plan - devising a weekly promo or discount can be an effective means for you to generate more income from this marketing strategy. You can promote different products each week leading up to Christmas Day to keep people interested in coming back to your website often. Map out all the emails you will want to send out and organize each email your staff will have to send to make them more efficient and effective.

• Build your list - one of the most effective tips you can get is to start developing your list now. This can help boost your holiday marketing outcome. One way you can start building your list is by promoting all deals and discounts you are offering only by email. You can do this by promoting your deals and promos through Facebook ads or through LinkedIn ads.

• Create urgency - the best way to make your email as effective as you want them to be is creating a sense of urgency to people. Because the holiday season is already fast approaching, you need to let your customers think ahead of the game. We all know how hectic Christmas shopping can get especially if done at the last minute. This is why you will want to create demand now such as promos valid for a certain duration only or freebies they can only avail of now.

• Testing the waters - different people respond to promos and deals differently. Test whether your customers will respond better to free shipping or giving discounts. You can observe this by running through your metrics from the last year and check how well customers have responded to different promos and deals that you offered. You can also test this by placing different subject headlines to see how many people will actually open the mail when you place such subject.

• Go the mobile route - many studies have shown that many people nowadays search the internet through their smart phones. This is why an email with a mobile option can definitely be helpful to your business and marketing strategy. You must pair your emails with mobile websites to ensure that people who browse using their smart phones will still be able to view your email and know of your latest promos and deals.

These tips on how to make your holiday emails more efficient can definitely help you increase your sales and profit this holiday season. Follow these tips and you will get your rewards soon.

How to Choose the Best Ecommerce Hosting

The Internet has provided what is perhaps one of the best channels for business growth. More and more small and medium sized businesses are taking advantage of this powerful medium to improve their sales and increase visibility for their brand. Businesses that have an online store are able to reach a much greater number of customers.

Every thriving business must have a good website. The cost of hosting a website can be quite expensive if businesses were to do it on their own. If a business was to host its own website it would require a data center which is really expensive. It is with this in mind that companies simply cannot do without ecommerce hosting. The best ecommerce hosting companies offer hosting services to clients at a much cheaper price.

In order for businesses to choose the best ecommerce hosting companies there are different factors that need to be taken into account. Some of the factors that are crucial in choosing a hosting company include:

SITE UPTIME This is an important factor when it comes to choosing a hosting company. A website is a very important marketing tool for a business. Whenever an error occurs and the website is down businesses tend to lose money. Thus the ability of a company to correct the error and restore your website is very crucial. Uptime generally refers to the ability of the company to restore your website in case of a glitch within the shortest time period.

SUPPORT How good is the company support to its clients? How long will it take for the company to get back to you if you have a problem and how helpful are they if a problem does occur? A hosting company that has a good client support is worth checking out.

SECURITY Websites are prone to attack by hackers. Having a hosting company that has a well established security system is critical to the success of any online business. Security is a very important factor when it comes to ecommerce hosting especially when transactions are involved.

BACK UP SYSTEMS Having a strong backup system is another really important factor when deciding which ecommerce host to choose. What happens in case of a disaster? Does your data get lost or is there a way to back up your data so that you can easily recover it? Make sure all of your files can be recovered before selecting your host provider.

Good Low Carb Foods

Many people don't begin a low carb diet, or don't stay with it, simply because they can't find tasty choices that are also low in carbohydrates. Actually, there are many foods that can be used for meals, in recipes or for snacks, when you're trying to maintain a diet that is low in carbs. Consuming a variety of foods that are naturally low in carbohydrates will allow you to eat a healthy diet that's tasty and also good for you.

Everyone is unique, and the same foods won't work for everyone, but there are foods that are very popular on low carb diets, and you can tailor your recipes to suit your tastes. Fish is a popular staple on low carb diets. But you don't need to restrict yourself to just the well-known types. There are many good low carbohydrate foods, and fresh fish are a healthy part of your low carb diet that you should eat at least several times a week. The best fish for your diet may include orange roughy, Alaskan halibut, trout, wild caught salmon, sea bass, cod and mackerel. Shellfish are healthy low carb choices that are full of taste, too. They include scallops, crab, shrimp, oysters, clams and lobster.

Eggs and egg whites can be included as breakfast essentials or as ingredients in other meals. Free range eggs are often preferred in low carb diets. You're not limited to chicken eggs, either. You might wish to try quail or duck eggs, to keep your diet alive and different from one day to the next.

Red meat is an important staple in low carbohydrate diets, because it allows you to get enough protein for a healthy diet. Lamb is a good choice, as is venison or deer meat. Cattle that have been grass-fed will be a positive choice, as will buffalo or bison meat, as long as the animals were not treated with antibiotics or growth hormones.

Poultry can be included in many low carbohydrate recipes, to make them tasty. Consume only poultry that was never treated with antibiotics or hormones. Some of the most popular poultry choices are chicken, duck, goose and turkey. Wild bird meat is also on the list of good low carb foods that provide quality low carbohydrate recipe mainstays, so add pheasant, wild turkey and quail to your list.

You should include vegetables and fruits in any diet, too, so that you reap the rewards of their many vitamins and nutrients. Vegetables that are not starchy are the best for your diet, including collard greens and spinach. Good tasting vegetables to use for recipes and healthy snacks or salads include Romaine lettuce, cauliflower, asparagus, cucumbers, mushrooms, turnip greens and celery. You can also add cabbage, zucchini, cilantro and mustard greens. Vegetable leaves and stems can help you to prepare healthy salads that are low in carbohydrates.

Fresh fruits are good choices, as parts of recipes or as snacks. Include fresh strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, and deduct any carb count from your allowance for each day. These do contain sugar and carbs, so they should be enjoyed sparingly.

Oils add omega fatty acids to your diet, so use them as desired in your recipes. Some of the best choices are extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed and canola oils. By using all these different good low carb foods, you can add good taste to your low carb, heart healthy diet.

The Shocking Truth About Eight Deadly Diseases That May Be Affecting Your Health and Lifestyle

I came across an article written by Dr. Ray Strand, a family practitioner and author of several books including What Your Doctor Doesn't know About Nutritional Medicine May Be Killing You; Releasing Fat; Developing Healthy Lifestyles That Have a Side-effect of Permanent Fat Loss; and Bionutrition: The Amazing Health Benefits of Vitamin Supplements, to name a few. I would like to share with you what Dr. Strand has to say about "the eight deadly diseases that are sending people to an early grave".

Deadly Disease Number 1: Heart Disease

Truth: Coronary artery disease is the number one killer in industrialized nations today, accounting for over 7.2 million deaths a year.

Heart disease is an inflammatory disease of the artery, not a disease of cholesterol. Over half of the patients who suffer a heart attack have normal cholesterol levels. The underlying cause of inflammation of the artery is "oxidized" LDL cholesterol, homocysteine, along with excessive free radicals caused by hypertension, diabetes, cigarette smoking, fatty meals, and elevated insulin levels. All of these causes inflammation of the artery are either eliminated or reduced by the use of nutritional supplementation.

Deadly Disease Number 2: Cancer

Truth: 8.6 million people die of cancer yearly.

In spite of the great advances in the diagnosis and treat of cancer, the eventual outcome is too often a very difficult and painful death. Medical literature increasingly supports the fact that cancer develops from damage to the DNA of cells by unstable molecules over the course of 10 to 20 years.

Deadly Disease Number 3: Stroke

Truth: 5.5 million people die from stroke every year.

Stroke occurs suddenly and usually without warning. Dr. Meir Stampfer reported in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1995 that 15 percent of all strokes could be related to elevated homocysteine, a by-product of protein metabolism that is elevated in individuals who have low levels of folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12.

Deadly Disease Number 4: Diabetes

Truth: 194 million people suffer from diabetes, and it is estimated to rise to 300 million by the year 2025.

The overwhelming new cases of diabetes in the world today are the result of insulin resistance. Physicians are busy treating blood sugars rather than the underlying problem, the insulin resistance. Diet, exercise, and potent nutritional supplements all improve sensitivity to your own insulin and are critical in preventing diabetes from occurring in the first place or, if you already have diabetes, helping control your diabetes.

Deadly Disease Number 5: Osteoporosis

Truth: 25 million North Americans suffer from osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis and bone health depend not only on estrogen and calcium, but on a wide range of nutrients, including vitamins B6, C, D, K, folic acid, manganese, zinc, and copper. Failure to meet one or more of these nutrient needs could result in accelerated osteoporosis. Maintaining strong and healthy bones should begin early.

Deadly Disease Number 6: Arthritis

Truth: Over 165 million people have some form of arthritis,

More than 70 to 80 percent of the population over the age of 50 suffers from degenerative arthritis. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication does nothing to slow down the progression of the disease and is responsible for over 100,000 hospital admissions each year and 16,000 deaths. Glucosamine sulfate, along with complete and balanced nutritional supplements on the other hand, actually slows down degenerative arthritis and is even able to increase cartilage within the joint, without dangerous side effects.

Deadly Disease Number 7: Alzheimer's:

Truth: An estimated 29 million people suffer from dementia.

Alzheimer's dementia has been shown to be caused by oxidative stress. Patients who have the highest intake of antioxidants, which combats oxidative stress, have the lowest risk of developing Alzheimer's dementia. Dr. Strand believes that the absolute best way to protect yourself against the development of these neurodegenerative diseases is by taking highly potent nutritional supplements.

Deadly Disease Number 8: Obesity

Truth: For the first time in the history of the United States and other industrialized countries, there are more people who are obese than are of normal weight.

Researchers are beginning to realize that one of the main causes of obesity is insulin resistance. Eating in such a way as not to spike your blood sugar, modest exercise, and nutritional supplements all improve insulin sensitivity. This triad of healthy lifestyle has a side effect of fat loss.

Remember: When you are maximizing your body's health potential, we everyone wins. When you don't, we all lose.

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