Creating Success Part 3 - Applying Knowledge

Knowledge must be attained before attempting to create techniques to apply them. This is an internal process and development.

This is not the most common way of going about it. Usually people jump into trying techniques with the belief that by using them they will become successful. The outcome is only partially successful at best and temporary. If it does produce positive results, it still lacks any feeling of success. This is the reason that so many people that have made a lot of money lead depressed lives.

When we create knowledge first, we change the dynamics totally. We become successful internally, which then magnetically draws us to the best techniques and solutions. We are attracted to and attract what we are supposed to be doing. We are passionate and attract those things that sustain and enhance our passion. Our lives become totally transformed because we attract what we are. Then the results of our efforts make us successful people and not just people who can do a few things well.

When we apply knowledge we engage the external. This creates an active connection between our inner and outer realities. We have developed a constant contact with knowledge and extend it to the world around us. We use the absolutely essential skill of concentration to maintain this awareness.

Success is a biological imperative dictated by the spiritual element deep inside each of us. Without realizing the process, we are compelled to search for our true nature, which is perfection. The exact meaning varies from person to person, but the goal is the same. We intuitively know that there is something more, something great inside of us. By using concentration, we can penetrate to our true nature and make it a part of our awareness. You can call it spirit, life force, chi, motivation or any other term you are comfortable with, but it is the same energy that sustains all life and gives momentum to our search for success, happiness and love.

Knowledge

This is what you get when you attract all possible information about the subject or task at hand and understand its meaning. The meaning part is something the universe presents to us as a gift when we learn to concentrate the mind. We see all the parts and the meaning “dawns” on us.

Focused concentration activates inspiration! A direct link with the universe opens up and universal intelligence flow in.

The 3 critical skills of Creating Knowledge are:

Concentration + Passion + Sustained Effort

1. Concentration

It enables us to look with great clarity at the task at hand without being distracted. We can examine something from every aspect and look at every detail. When we learn concentration we have the ability to focus on our own thoughts, desires and reactions. We can then be selective in the way we think and act. In this way we begin to have control and decide what we want and don’t want.

2. Passion

Passion is the energy we need to stay focused. It’s a total body sensation. We feel excited, we’re energized. It is much easier to stay focused if we are passionate about what we are doing.

3. Sustained Effort

Sustained effort is what makes us great at concentrating. It’s a skill that gets better with use. The longer we can sustain it, the more focused we become.

Applying Knowledge

We take knowledge and direct it.

The ability to apply knowledge depends on our level of concentration. Any amount of concentration will enable us to do things. Training ourselves will enable us to do things well and prevent us from making mistakes. Our personal relationships will benefit from the ability to be more aware of the wants and needs of those around us.

When we have knowledge, we connect to the most efficient techniques and methods. We determine what we want to accomplish, study it, learn what we don’t know and then put it to use. We are in control. We are not just responding to what life puts in our path. We know what we need and find out what it will take to achieve it. Then we do it until it is achieved.

Once we have reached this stage, we have or can easily get the information we need to solve problems. Concentration enables us to be very selective and discriminating in the information we use. The result is always good. We feel good about ourselves and this encourages us to try new things and energizes us more and more each time we do.

Our intuition at this stage has been activated and we get hunches. They turn out to be true and we’re elated. We trust it more and more and we’re energized even further. Once this process gains traction, it is unstoppable. We know what we know and people can’t talk us out of it. We have proof. Our energy level has increased because we are paying more attention to things that turn us on. We’re having a great day!

The most successful people are the ones who can focus completely on what they love. They have total absorption with white-hot concentration combined with the next critical element of applying knowledge and creating success; love.

When we have the feeling of passion, connection, of doing the right thing, it really is the beginning stage of love. If we do it long enough, we discover it is very much like being in a personal love affair. It has all of the sensations and emotions of being in love with a person. We feel all the care and tenderness that we might share with that person and want only the best for them. We want to care for them and be with them always. This is exactly what it feels like to love what we do with that white-hot passion. We don’t care about the outcome; we just want to do what we love. And you know that what we do will be successful.

We started out thinking that we were just doing something pleasing. We discover that it was the beginning of a love affair as deep as any personal relationship. We have opened our hearts.

Our hearts are the door to the Universe. On a personal and cosmic level this is how we connect. This is the sense organ that enables us to feel other people and the world around us. It is also the gateway for people and the universe to connect with us.

All of our feeling, all good comes through the heart. All the things that enrich, sustain and uplift come through the heart. Everything that makes us feel good and alive comes through the heart. The language of the Universe is Love.

When we use our concentration skills with love, we have unlimited energy and divine wisdom at our disposal. This is because what we create through the heart returns to us magnified. By opening our heart we allow wisdom to enter along with all the energy we need. We will never get tired of doing what we love.

Sustaining this in all our activities will produce personal wisdom. When we align ourselves with cosmic intention, we have all the power, energy and resources to Create Success.

CREATING SUCCESS

Creating success starts with having and using the best information to create knowledge. Once we develop the skill of using concentration, we begin to do successful things. Once we learn how to use white-hot concentration with things we love, we begin to be successful. Our connection to the universe through our hearts gives us energy, intuition, inspiration and wisdom.

We are doing what we are supposed to be doing and truly love. We are inspired and have unlimited energy to sustain it. Our understanding and choices are good and produce good results. We live at peace and harmony. All our needs are taken care of, we can have whatever we want.

We are now living success. We are success.

Ron Pettell 2011-2018

Creating Success Part 2 - Knowledge

In Part 1, I described the importance of high value information as the foundation of success.

When you are after good information, it takes more effort. There is more of a process in thinking and evaluating the sources and material. Still, this can be a semi-passive involvement where you are just searching for and collecting bits of information. Storing it away like a squirrel for later use.

There is some effort involved in reaching out to find and get it, but there doesn't have to be much internal involvement at this stage. Things change when you're ready to turn information into knowledge.

To create knowledge out of information, you have to use more of yourself. You have to stir the pot of awareness with your internal energy. This is what you feel when you are excited about something and really into it. This is passion.

This is the second secret of creating success. Passionate Involvement.

This internal energy, your passion for what you love to do, is responsible for focusing your attention and extending your awareness sufficiently to enable you to assemble knowledge out of information.

You stay engaged with your focus and you have sufficient energy to do this for an extended period. Think of Albert Einstein.

So, the next secret of creating success is concentration.

You link your passionate involvement with unwavering concentration.

The application of concentrated awareness results in cognition. This fancy word means understanding. You understand what you are looking at without having to ask someone else. Imagine that!

The act of concentrating the mind on one thing has extraordinary affects. In modern quantum physics it is well understood that you can't take the observer out of the equation. The very act of looking changes the outcome. The power of the mind has an affect when it is focused on something.

At the next level of concentrated awareness, the alchemical process of integration begins. Now pay attention:

This is when the Law of Attraction starts to work.....

Do you understand? Things begin to flow to you, instead of away from you.

This is called integration. It means bringing things together.

The opposite is differentiation, which means to break apart. This is the state of our minds normally. We split and break-up everything we look at. Everything we see is separate from everything else. Everything is moving away and getting harder to reach. Nothing is within our grasp... All we see are the parts, never the whole. That's differentiation.

Integration, which comes naturally from concentrated awareness, stops and reverses the flow of everything away from us. We begin to see things starting to get better. We're not as unhappy, we're even noticing that all of our luck isn't bad. Wow, maybe there's hope!

This process of integration, if continued, brings all the elements together to form a more complete picture. A mosaic of all the bits of information we have stored on any particular subject.

When magic has stitched together all of the pieces into a whole for us, we have a puzzle turned into a beautiful picture. Let me be clear, this is real magic. This is the real law of attraction.

So, knowledge is attracted. You see, knowledge is not about being an expert in one subject, it is about knowing that subject with all its relationships. All of the things that it affects and are effected by it.

You are an expert when you can predict what will happen under any situation. Experts are highly prized for this ability.

Knowledge is not possible without concentration. What separates people who recite information from those who are experts, is concentration. The ability to focus on one thing to the exclusion of all else.

That focus can be on one object or idea. To have knowledge about something means to have many information streams that converge on the center, which is an object or subject you want to know about. This all-at-once characteristic comes in small steps. The more you use it, the more use-full it is. However, at every stage you can benefit from the effort.

You can get great benefit from just a little, and in fact most things that take up our time in everyday life don't really require a lot of concentration. You can start where you are and develop it by practice. In time it will become real for you.

The one crucial thing that you MUST do is start trusting what you see. A sign of the beginning of knowledge is the awareness that some of the things you see aren’t obvious to your friends and family. Luckily, you can explain it to them.

When you reach the point in your life when you are really motivated to succeed, your passion can be channeled by your concentration to begin the integration process. You stop the leaks in the boat and start attracting knowledge.

Perhaps it has occurred to you that this was exactly what napoleon Hill was talking about in his book titles The Law of Success. Precisely!

This is how the Law of Success (Attraction) begins. It's activated with your mind!

Now you can begin to accumulate the knowledge which will become the tools you use to transform your world into what you deeply and passionately desire.

Part 3 of the Creating Success Trilogy will be on Transforming Knowledge into the Tools Used For Creating Success.

Ron Pettell 2011-2018

Creating Success Part 1 - Information

In this first part of the Creating Success Trilogy, I develop the ground floor of success. The basis of Success is Information.

If you think about it, information is what enables us to function in the everyday world, no matter where, or when. From birth we are handed huge volumes of information to consume and integrate into our thought patterns. The human child goes through 15 to 20 years of absorbing information to be able to function as adults in our complex society. 

Our access to information determines what kind of life we have and how much wealth we accumulate. Kids in rich families don’t get the same information as kids in poor families. They’re taught different things and to think in different ways than poor kids. The information we have access to determines our expectations and affects our choices. The information we are exposed to even affects what questions we ask and predetermines the answers.

The reason that there are so many unhappy people in the world is because they know that something is wrong but they don’t know what it is. They can’t define the problem or the solution. The quality of information available to the average (non-affluent) person is limited, narrow, obsolete, opinionated hearsay. 

The daily conversation of the working class is filled with one-liners from the most popular sitcoms. Social standing is dependent on the advanced art of the best comeback to witty statements. In this environment nothing is accurate or original. You don’t get points for originality. This is where the problem starts. 

Everybody is in the same boat, and it’s leaking. The average person can’t step out of their world temporarily and look at it objectively. They keep getting the same information presented in the same way which gives the same answers. I believe it’s called a treadmill.

It’s quite amazing to me that there is so much information available to anyone with a computer and a connection to the internet. Before the internet era, getting information meant having access to libraries. The elite university libraries were where the really neat books were. Of course access was limited to upper class kids. The rest didn’t even know those books existed.

Now, we have a vastly different problem. There is so much information available that we’re totally overwhelmed. “There just isn’t enough time, and I have people I need to text.” “So, how do I know what’s important anyway”? “Is it going to make me popular”? “Will it help me get the right job”? 

People have been trained to accept information “bursts”. They don’t seek information, they’re hit with it, sometimes with consent and sometimes not.

So, the real value of information is not comprehended. The simple truth is that Information tells us about the nature of anything we care to look at. What it looks like, how it functions, what qualities it possesses, how it fits in with everything else, what it affects and how it is effected. It also enables us to look at the very abstract idea of meaning. 

What does what I am looking at “mean”. Meaning is the hidden gem in information. Meaning is what elevates and transforms information into knowledge.

The more competent the source of the information, the more we can trust the picture the information is revealing to us. Accurate information in problem solving produces positive results. Failure to use accurate information usually brings negative or disastrous results. And here is the point of separation between the upbringing of rich and poor kids. 

The information shared in daily contact between rich parents and their kids is filled with information about being successful. How you talk, what you wear, what you do, how you recognize business opportunities, how you make money, how you use it, how you relate to those you hire. Years of exposure to this eventually build a world view ideally suited to being successful and wealthy. The total information/belief system is complete.

Contrast this with the upbringing of the poor (economically challenged). Visualize the dinner table (or couch) of a poor family. The information shared is about not being able to pay which bill this week, intermingled with comments about something stupid on the TV. “And you had better graduate so you can get a good job”. They’re not easy to find these days”.” Look what they’ve done to this country”. “All my buddies say we’re in for bad times, I don’t know what we’re going to do”! ”I’m just too old”.

The information available to these two groups couldn’t be farther apart. The rich group can’t imagine what the problem is? “If they’re poor, it’s their own fault”. The poor group can’t imagine why the rich treat them so badly. “Can’t they see what we’re going through? They're making life hard for us!”

What separates the rich from the poor is what separates the successful from the unsuccessful. Accurate, complete, relevant, timely, meaningful Information. No matter what you are trying to do, then you owe it to yourself to use good information. 

Start with a conscious effort to see how good the information is you normally rely on. Develop the habit of accepting only the best information upon which to base your views and decisions. Don’t be influenced to accept inferior information by those around you. This step is the critical one. If you aren’t already doing this, then begin now.

When you are trying to solve a problem, define what you are looking for to the best of your ability. Then find the sources that contain the appropriate kind of information. Sources tend to specialize. Develop a method for analyzing the quality of information. 

One simple method involves posing the same question to multiple similar locations. Then compare the answers to get a sense of the quality. Pick the best one and use it. Academic sources can be useful for certain kinds of information because they tend to be more accurate and rigorous in their citations. They also have access to the latest research. Their information is shared more readily than with proprietary private research.

The information that you use determines your world view, which determines the options you have in life. If you are unsatisfied with your life, look at your bottom line to find the source of the problem and the solution.

The second part of the Creating Success Trilogy will explore Knowledge.

Ron Pettell 2011-2018

One Tool That Will Double Your Creativity in Half the Time

I've been noticing how creativity, passion and time management are related.

A lot of things we do as entrepreneurs seems to suck the creativity out of us because they take too long or the method is not enjoyable. We have to find a better ways to do things.

With the vast amount of things that I have to do during the day, the mindset and space I need to be creative is pushed into the future even when I think I'm managing my time effectively.

That's why I get excited when I discover a tool or technique that shrinks a bloated process into a sleek one.

For example, I write and create videos to communicate and explain my ideas. When I do research to identify what people are interested in, I collect nuggets of information, images, data, graphs, spreadsheets, and many other snippets that I have to assemble and store in a useful way. If i do it right, it will enhance my ability to create a clear story that people will find useful and want to read.

After doing a number of projects, the volume of stored information is staggering and is starting to feel like a library basement. By that, I mean that everything is categorized according to subject matter because how else are you going to find it?

Unfortunately, this doesn't make me "feel creative" and the whole process of writing just takes too long....

Now maybe I'm a little slow is grasping things that are right in front of me, but I can blame it on being focused on "more important things". I'm talking about something that's been in my computer all along without me realizing the fabulous tool for what it's worth. Perhaps everyone else but me knows about it and has already been using it for a while. I wonder...

To make a long story short, I'm talking about a piece of software which has had a major impact on my time management and creative writing process. It actually lets me store and organize my material in the same way I think about it. I guess you could call it relational. I can see how information is related. I can easily picture how the information flows together to create a story.

So, after the buildup, the software that I've "discovered" is called Microsoft OneNote. I can put text, pictures, flowcharts, notations, pictures, videos and embed any type of information to create a "creative brainstorm" environment for my projects. It makes it nice because I can collect all my information in one place so I don't misplace or forget about something.

The way it's set up and the way I interact with it just feels creative to me and keeps my passion alive. For a writer or anyone doing creative things, this is a big help.

You Can't Sell To Everyone!

Everyone with an online business is selling to a niche. It may be a large niche, but it's a niche.

Think about it. If you want to sell products or services online, how can you possibly craft a message that will appeal to everyone? Not possible.

No matter how clever you are, the words you choose will not resonate with everyone. And selling is about getting people to feel like you're talking to them. Otherwise, you won't get their attention or business.

So, selling online is about finding your niche, the audience that responds to you and what you offer.

This is where most startups go wrong. Not understanding this idea.

It leads to unending confusion and mistakes.

Wrong businesses are chosen, wrong products are developed, wrong marketing is used and little or no money is made.

If there is one thing that will help new online businesses to succeed, it's to realize that it's all about finding the right niche and then developing a product or service that fills an existing need.

This is usually backwards from the usual way of starting a business by first developing a product and trying to sell it.

That might have worked in the stone age, but in the super competitive environment of today's internet, it doesn't stand a chance of working,

Passion Is Critical for Success

Passion Has The Power To Transform:

I want you to know how intensely important passion is to your life and business.You can be anything you want to be.

On this blog I focus on passion because it is the core emotion that makes success possible. Without it your business will die a lingering painful death.

When you have passion you have energy and momentum that will take you from startup to crushing it.

As an entrepreneur, you are aware of what it means to be striving to be "more". Growth, learning and succeeding are part of your mindset. I'm talking about the next level. Step into your success.

Passion Can Be Cultivated:

You can cultivate passion by paying attention to it. It's that simple. It's not about choosing things to do and then trying to feel passionate about them. Start by looking at what does make you feel passionate.Don't take those things and people for granted. They are very important to you and where you need to go and what you need to do. 

Learn to recognize when they're trying to give you direction. Think of them as a magnet attracting you to your "niche". Whenever possible, choose the passionate route. Identify those things and people that bring out your passionate feelings and try to pay more attention to them. I'm not talking about lust, passion involves all of you. Passion has a sense of being "right" about it.

This is a slow process. Everyone gets bogged down in their 'situation". Just begin and it will gain momentum. Passion is magnetic. The more you have of it, the more it will bring people and situations into your life that will help you succeed.  

Cultivating Passion Will Change you Life:

You can't wait for opportunity or outside influences to change your situation. Until you get "bigger" by cultivating passion, nothing will happen. You have the power to transform your life. Grab hold of it.

To your Success

Ron Pettell

Angel Investor Capital Could Be the Solution to Your Startup Nightmare

The startup and early stage of a new business is a "live or die" situation which depends on having enough money to operate with until your revenue exceeds your expenses. 

This can take at least 6 months or more while everything gets figured out and you have enough customers. You need operating capital and mentoring. The right angel relationship can give you both.

Angel capital fills the gap in start-up financing between "friends and family" who provide seed funding, and venture capital.

Although it is usually difficult to raise more than a few hundred thousand dollars from friends and family, most traditional venture capital funds are usually not able to consider investments under US $1–2 million.

Thus, angel investment is a common second round of financing for high-growth start-ups, and accounts in total for almost as much money invested annually as all venture capital funds combined. 

There is evidence that angel-funded startup companies are less likely to fail than companies that rely on other forms of initial financing.

Who Are Angel Investors?

Angel investors are usually wealthy individuals that provide start-up funding to companies in exchange for part ownership in the business they are providing funding for. Angel investors take on extreme risk and expect a high rate of return on their investments.

Although they are very strict on their rate of return, they are generally more laid back when it comes to the time frame of repayment. This is a drastic difference from Venture Capitalist who are very strict on when they get their return on investment. 

Angel investors also provide roughly one-seventh or more of the funding for start-up and early-growth firms in the U.S. This investment group far exceeds venture capital sources in volume.

Here is a "typical" profile of an Angel Investor:

• Angel investors prefer to invest in companies usually within one day of travel.

• An angel investor tends to invest with a group of other investors to maximize available funds while also reducing any single investors risk.

• Their typical investment range is usually from $10,000 to as much as $500,000.

• Angel investor involvement in your company is typically through board membership as a director. As a result, the angel investor does not seek as much control over decision-making as a venture capital firm would.

• While both a venture capitalist and an angel investor will seek a high rate of return on their investment, the angel investor will generally be less aggressive on valuation and is usually willing to wait longer for a payback.

Angel private investors are typically successful entrepreneurs that consist of ex CEO's and business owners. These investors offer expertise, experience, and contacts that can be invaluable to the new venture. 

Although there are many angel investors across the country, they can be difficult to find.

What to Know:

Despite the relative obscurity of angels, it takes much less time, on average, to meet with and receive funds from a private investor than a venture capital firm. The due diligence (investigation of a companies principals and background) is less involved with an angel investor. 

Unlike venture capitalists, angel private investors are willing to wait for longer periods of time before receiving their return on investment and they also are willing to fund investments well under $500,000 which is the minimum amount of funding that venture capitalist provide.

Angel private investors are mostly concerned with the success of the business and are willing to do what it takes to see the business grow and succeed. 

Instead of requesting a large share of ownership in the company being funded, angel private investors usually will want to have an active role in the management of the company and use their experience to get the business off the ground. 

Angel investors are a smart option to consider for a small to medium size business in need funding without giving up too much stake in the company.

Angel investments have extremely high risk and are usually subject to dilution from future investment rounds. As such, they require a very high return on investment. 

Because a large percentage of angel investments are lost completely when early stage companies fail, professional angel investors seek investments that have the potential to return at least 10 or more times their original investment within 5 years, through a defined exit strategy such as plans for an initial public offering or an acquisition. 

Current 'best practices' suggest that angels might do better setting their sights even higher, looking for companies that will have at least the potential to provide a 20x-30x return over a five- to seven-year holding period.

Angel Investor Networks

Finding the right angel investor could help you get your start-up off the ground. Angel-investor networks are a good place to start looking for funding. These national and local groups of angels meet -- formally or informally -- to discuss deals and learn about the best new business opportunities. 

Each network works in a slightly different way: Some may charge fees for making presentations and some may charge a fee to apply for consideration. Some even require an official introduction to the group by an angel member while others solicit ideas via the group's Web site.

Here are some National Angel Networks to get you started:

Investors' Circle

Nonprofit national network of angel investors, foundation officers and entrepreneurs. Businesses that are reviewed by Investors' Circle members must fall into at least one of the following interest areas: community development, education, environment and energy, health, and women or minority-led business.

Focus:

Socially responsible deals.

Average investment range:

$10,000 to $6.5 million

Number of angels/investors in the network:

110+

Contact:

Investors' Circle

165 11th Street

San Francisco, CA 94103

415-255-6844

inbox@investorscircle.net

The Tribe of Angels

A group of Jewish industry leaders who invest in companies primarily in the United States and Israel. Operates as a business network and angel group. A select number of start-ups are selected for presentation to investors, and deals that do not qualify for presentation may still be eligible to network with investors and other businesspeople in the group. Currently has operations in Boston, California, Chicago, Connecticut, New York, and Israel.

Focus:

High tech and biotechnology.

Average investment range:

$50,000 to $1 million

Number of angels/investors in the network:

300+

Contact:

Paul Allen

San Francisco, CA

paul@tribeofangels.com

415-710-0801

Gathering of Angels

Established in October 1996. A monthly meeting of private, high-net-worth investors that provide seed-level financing to start-up and early-stage firms. Since October 1996, the group has helped 87 companies find capital, including 14 in 2003 and 11 year-to-date in 2004.

Focus:

Invests in companies nationwide. Currently has investor groups based in Atlanta, Dallas, Hilton Head, Houston, Pebble Beach, San Francisco, Santa Fe, Scottsdale, St. Louis, Naples, FL and Maui.

Average investment range:

$200,000 to $1.5 million

Number of angels/investors in the network:

350

Contact:

Tarby Bryant

#4 Hawthorne Circle

Santa Fe, NM 87506

505-982-3050

tbryant@nm.net

Have a Love Affair With Your Ideal Customer

  

The #1 Problem for Small Business is Finding Customers

 This is what consumes the most time and frustrates startups to the point of depression. How do you know who your customers are and how do you find them?

I hear experts advise new businesses to “find your target market” all the time.

The problem with this marketing goal is that the demographics of a target market are too large and vague to be successful.

You can spend way too much effort and money trying to sell to everyone out there who “might” want your product or service.

There are a lot of people who meet a particular demographic profile but who wouldn’t be interested in what you offer. 

Your marketing efforts would have to be “huge” to reach all the “potential customers” with the hope of finding those people who would be interested. 

Unless you are a big business with a large marketing budget chances are that the people who do want your product or service won’t see your message.

It’s better to narrow your focus to a much smaller group who is tuned and receptive to what you offer.

There is an easy and effective way to do this. It’s called Niche Marketing and it’s very effective. 

You simply find your "Ideal Customer".

Your Gorgeous Date Is Your Ideal Customer

If you want to determine the right market for your business, start by looking at who your ideal customer is. This is the person who needs your help, is passionate about what you offer and is easy to work with.

The connection between “who you are” and “who you can successfully sell to” is like dating. The passion that exists between two people in love is an excellent model of the successful business-client relationship.

So, create your wildly successful business by having an affair. Connect to your ideal client and have fun! Feel the interest, the excitement and the passion!

Of course, I’m not talking about hitting on your prospects, but I am describing a passionate and fulfilling relationship that is created when you find each other. 

They need and want what you offer and you need them to exist as a business. Take care of them and their needs and they will take care of you by becoming lifelong customers.

“They look into your eyes (pictures), they listen to your voice (copy, audio, video). You both feel the passion, (you both intensely love what you offer). They know you’re the one (you can give them what they want). You know they’re the one (your ideal client). Let’s dance”.

It really is an affair of the heart. Your appearance, personality, passion and values are what create interest and draw your ideal client to you. Instead of chasing after new clients, you can draw them to you. 

You understand them. You understand their needs and can provide real solutions.

Once you understand who they are, it’s so much easier to find them.

 How to Find Your Ideal Customer

Your ability to find your ideal customer depends upon having a clear picture of who they are and the world they live in.

You need to know their life situation, what they are passionate about, what they value, what their beliefs are, what kind of personality they have, what their fears and concerns are, their needs and their ability to pay for your product or service.

The best and easiest way to do this is by looking inward to find the answers. Understand yourself first!

Your personality, values and beliefs tell you who you really relate to, who shares your passions and who you would enjoy working with.

These are the people you would like and feel comfortable with. They are the ones who could easily be your friends and neighbors. Under the right circumstances, they could be the ones you date.

They are the ones who are the easiest for you to understand. You can put yourself in their shoes and feel what their challenges and needs are.It’s easy to provide solutions that really help them.

Your Success DNA Transforms Your Business

When you thoroughly understand yourself, you can solve your number 1 problem and much more.

You can build your business to take advantage of your talents, skills and your passion. When you are truly living from your heart, your passion permeates everything you say and do and create!

Your success DNA transforms your business. You understand it and can stay on top of things so you don’t get overwhelmed easily.  You’re energized and love going to work in the morning!

The perfect business for you is also the easiest business for you to run. You can devote more time to being creative instead of struggling with management issues.

Your passion and understanding of your business is obvious to everyone, so when you explain your business and products to people, they are excited and have confidence in you.

When you ask for money, you are very likely to get it because people can see your vision and your competence.

This is your success DNA in action.

 This Is What You Look For In Yourself

These 9 characteristics will give you a very clear and detailed picture of who you are and what to look for in clients so that they fit with you and your business.

Your personality traits determine who you can successfully work with and who you relate to best. There are 5 core traits: Extraversion, Neuroticism, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness and Openness.  All the other traits can be derived from these 5.

Your values and beliefs determine the products and services that are important to you and your ideal customer. It also shapes your marketing message.

Your demographics are you life situation. Your age, sex, occupation, income, location, marital status, etc. They give you a common frame of reference in relating to your ideal customer.  It points to where they hang out.

Your passions determine what you can really connect with others about. This is your heart. They are what you are interested in and get you excited. You have them in common with your ideal customer.

Your talents are what you were born with. This is what you do easily and well. Frequently these coincide with your passions.

Your skills are abilities that you developed through repetition and effort. Through sustained hard work, skills can replace lack of talent or add to your talent to propel you to the top of your chosen field.

Your success markers indicate what success means to you and how you are going to get there. They are milestones that indicate progress in your personal and business life.

Your fears are the obstacles that influence you and provide barriers to your success.

Your self-image determines your expectations of the outcome of your efforts.

Your passions, talents and skills determine what kind of business you have and the mediums of communication you use.

Your success markers, fears and self-image determine how large and successful your business is going to be. 

The Next Step Is To Meet Your Ideal Customer

 Your effort to know yourself will give you a real edge in your marketing.

 It will give you a clear picture of your ideal customer so you can easily find your niche market. When you know their life situation, their likes, dislikes and their passions, you will know where to find them.

Then you can talk to them, get to know them and find their needs and wants. You can share the excitement.

You can begin your passionate affair with them.

If you’re not having fun you haven’t met your ideal customer yet! 

To Your Success
Ron Pettell