Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

Yeah, free is not free. For example, have you ever answered a lot of questions, for a potential client only to have them go somewhere else? If so, you played the free advice game. And that costs way too much. And you’re the one who pays.

But I have a couple of pointers to help you avoid this situation.

A client of mine of mine found out, the hard way, how free is not free.

As he and I have worked together, I’ve helped him build his System to avoid this situation. But as we all tend to do, he fell back into an old habit.

He’s a nice guy. So, he always wants to help. And that got him caught in the question and answer whirlpool with some potential clients. A couple of questions turned into a few more. And before he knew it, his whole consultation calls turned into QandA sessions.

And those went on way WAY longer than he ever dreamed (uh, nightmare) they would.

Tons of valuable time gone. For good. And he knew he could never get it back. Because that’s how time is. It goes. And you never get it back.

And that’s why this is so important to you and for you.

Because it can cost you too much of your extremely limited time.

Sure, you gotta build relationships before you give out much of your knowledge. Yes, you need to show your potential client or customer you care. But you can do that much more effectively by asking questions instead of answering them.

When you’re the one asking the questions, it does two things right away. It shows the other person you’re truly interested in learning more about their business, their needs, their life. And you get better prepared to help.

Another even more important than that?

You can stay in control of your precious time.

Like I’ve said before (and you’ve probably heard before) it’s like giving away all the milk before they’ve invested in your cow.

And if you’d like to set things up to avoid be the “answerer”, my RondaReady System can help. And it won’t cost you anything but your time to find out. Click or tap the button, below, and let’s invest some of our limited time to talk about your business ideas and plans. Free is not free. But you don’t need money to schedule a call and…

Stay Ready,

Ronda

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Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

A few years back, I mentioned my successful home staging and home construction business. And I said, if you can’t picture me with a framer’s hammer in my hand, great. Because I didn’t drive any nails into any lumber. But I did get hands-on when it came to building and staging houses to sell.

And there’s a lot to home construction and staging.

I probably don’t need to tell you about all the phases a house goes through during construction. Suffice it to say, there are plenty. And I had to learn at least a little bit about all of them. Then, after construction was complete, we had to sell the house, naturally. Because that’s what you gotta do if you wanna make money.

And that’s when I staged the house.

I had an extensive list of things to do. The prep work, alone, was a mountain. Then, there was…

  • pillows on furniture,
  • setting the table for dinner,
  • making sure the exterior’s painted and the lawn mowed,
  • fresh towels in the bathrooms,
  • pictures in key places on the walls,
  • making sure there are no empty rooms, and
  • everything dusted before every showing.

 

And I’m still giving you the overview.

But the main thing is, it’s a ton of work on something a lot of home sellers neglect or overlook. So, naturally, being the stickler for a system that I am, I certainly had one then, too. Because I valued my time. And I do even more, now.

But there was something I didn’t do then, that would have been an awesome extra mile to go. A home staging video. For one thing, back then I didn’t carry around a high quality video camera in my pocket like I do now. Because there weren’t any. And I probably would’ve been petrified to even think about being in the videos back then.

But now, after making literally hundreds of videos, I’m way more comfortable adding my mug to a message. If you’ve been getting my posts and emails for any length of time, you notice I use video a lot. Right?

It just so happens that this month’s UNversity lesson (August 2022) is about video and YOU. It’s about how you can (and must) simplify the process. And get a video process that works for you and your business. Because video marketing isn’t going away. And you almost won’t find a better way to share information (and entertainment) about your business.

This month’s video lesson is/was today.

And if you’re not already signed up, you missed it. Or you will. But I share valuable how-to lessons every month on the first Thursday. So, enroll right now to be in time for next month’s fun class that features YOU. It’ll be way easier than home construction. Your link is below.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

Video marketing is the future. At least according to every single marketer who sells video marketing services. And they’ve been saying that for a few years now. Of course it’s just a bunch of hooey.

Nobody watches videos. Right?

And nobody has had their eyes glued to videos for the past 100 years or so. Yeah, I never watched any TV when I was growing up. How about you? And who’s got time to watch YouTube? I’m sure, by now, you get my sarcasm.

Yeah, video marketing is the future. AND the past and present.

It’s absolutely NOT the only marketing. But you’d be hard-pressed to find any seriously successful company who isn’t using some sort of video production in their marketing plans.

It’s such an important part of marketing your business that it’s the lesson I’ll be sharing with my UNversity class next month (August 2022).

And it’s not accidental that my lesson (and previews) will be coming to you in video form. If you’ve been around the RondaReady ecosystem for a while, you’ve seen lots and lots of videos from me. Hundreds over the past couple of years especially.

So, obviously I think video marketing is mighty important.

My suggestion, to any serious business owner or entrepreneur who’s looking for a way to take their marketing up a notch, is to enroll in RondaReady UNversity. Don’t worry. Next month’s lesson won’t be techy. And it won’t be tutorials on how to get your lighting and audio just right. But it will include valuable how-to information to help you make the most of your videos.

But the deadline to enroll in UNversity, and be in time for next month’s class on August 4th, is July 31. Because the deadline is always the last day of the preceding month. So, don’t put it off. Enroll today. And I’ll see you in the videos. Click or tap that link below.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

 

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

Stats. They’re not always reliable. Because they can be manipulated so easily in this digital world. So, you gotta be careful when you quote any. But I found some stats that back up what I had already found to be true. That video is green. Just kidding (a little). Actually the stats show that video can be the turbo boost your business might need.

That being said, I got some stats, about video marketing, from a pretty reliable source. Entrepreneur Magazine (the online version). Here’s a quote from that website:

This year, 59% of marketers said that video marketing showed a positive ROI, and 58% plan to incorporate more videos into their marketing strategies in the future. These stats are a great indication that video is serving businesses well.

Here’s how videos powered marketing campaigns in 2021:

  • 65% of marketers said they wanted to build awareness for their brand, and 64% said that video helped them achieve that.

  • 55% of marketers said they wanted to increase engagement, and 60% said video helped them with this goal.

  • 37% of marketers said they wanted to boost conversion, while 57% were able to get results.

Now, you might think you have a face for radio.

And so you’d NEVER want to be in a video. Well, hold on there, Sparky. Nobody said you have to be in your company videos. But it’s probably a very good idea to figure out how you can get some company videos to help you build your brand, increase engagement, and boost conversion.

In next month’s UNversity lesson, I’ll be talking a lot more about the power of video for your business. And in a few days I’ll share some quick thoughts about it in…you guessed it…some videos. I know you can benefit from this lesson. Because I sure did.

And, you can ask the guy who helps me with production, I fought against me being in videos. Didn’t like the way it made me feel to be on camera. But I’ll show you how I overcame that. And I’ll show you why it’s so important to think about adding video marketing to your overall marketing plans.

Oh, and one other benefit. Video IS green these days.

Sign up for UNversity, before the end of this month (July 31) to be in time for next month’s lesson. That’ll be August 4, 2022. One week from today. Because UNversity classes are the first Thursday of every month. Your link to enroll is below. Don’t put it off. Beat the deadline. Enroll now.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

You’re familiar with bone broth. Right? I mean, surely you’ve heard of how good it is for you. Because health “gurus,” all over the internet, talk about it. A lot.

One article I read mentioned their 9 Top Benefits of Bone Broth

I’m not gonna share all the data. You can look that up if you’re interested. But here are the benefits:

  1. Boosts Immunity
  2. Alleviates The Common Cold And Bronchitis
  3. Fights Inflammation
  4. Strengthens Bones And Teeth
  5. Promotes Weight Loss
  6. Improves Hydration
  7. Restores Exercise Capacity
  8. Builds Muscle
  9. Improves Mood with Bone Broth

 

OK, who in the world wouldn’t want those benefits? Especially when the solution is so tasty.

Well, one guy figured the benefits of bone broth were so awesome that people would be searching for it online. So he did something pretty unusual in the business world. He started a website for a bone broth product he didn’t have ready yet. And he actually promoted the website so people would find it.

And they DID!

So, Justin Mares was able to start his Kettle & Fire Bone Broth company before he even had any bone broth available. Fortunately, orders poured in. And that provided the money he needed to develop the product and supply the demand.

But what does any of this have to do with you and me?

Hmm…maybe nothing.

But then again, maybe you’ve got ideas like Justin did. And maybe one of your ideas could turn out to be a winner, like his was. How awesome would that be? Right?

Guess what would be even better than building a website first? OK, I won’t make you guess. The answer is, build a System first. A System to help you automate, delegate, and grow your business to the point where it can run even without you swimming in the day-to-day details.

Or you could skip the “build” part and plug your business into a proven System. Let’s see now. Where could you possibly find something like that?

Oh yeah, right here. My RondaReady System is the best there is. Because it has the one advantage no other business building system has. Me. So, book a call with me. And I’ll show you what it’s all about and how it can help. Your link to do that is below.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

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Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

Well, I heard it again last week. Another story from a business owner who tried to fill a seat with a friend. And, once again, it turned out to be a horrible mistake. Because his friend didn’t have even a tiny bit of experience for the position.

When you fill a seat like that, you empty it just about as fast.

That kind of turnover is bad enough. But what’s even worse is how often friendships pay the price.

Yeah, you just can’t design a position around a person.

And in all my years in the business world, I’ve never seen that work successfully. That’s why I always (with a capital A) advise my clients not to do that. Because I wanna help them avoid issues that can bring up much bigger issues.

But I get it. I know you might wanna “keep it in the family.” And that can be great. I even talk more about the many benefits of that in my RondaReady System.

But remember, you shouldn’t tailor your business to fit someone’s personality. Because it’s a recipe for future resentment. Not to mention, total business failure (but I just mentioned it). And I’ve seen that happen. You can love ‘em. And family members and friends can be awesome assets.

But leave ’em out of the business if they aren’t qualified for the POSITION you designed.

But maybe you think it’s too much work to design positions and find people who fit them. Yeah, it can feel like more work, up front. But there’s something you can use to take the pain out of it. In fact, if you do this, it might never be an issue for you again.

And when you do this, you can see the relationships among the different positions in your business. It’s so important to do this I believe you stand almost no chance of having a successful, scalable business without it.

As I mentioned, it’ll take a little work up front to get this set up. But my RondaReady System can help you do this faster than you can say

“Fill up that seat”

OK, maybe not literally that fast. But it’ll probably be way faster than you can do it on your own.

If you’re a business owner who hires others, book a free call with me. And let’s see if you’re Ready to invest in the System that can pay for itself over and over again. Click or tap that link below.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

Book an appointment with RondaReady

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

You’ve heard of Apple. Right? The computer and phone company. Not the fruit. Well, anyway, they’re one of the best companies ever when it comes to knowing their people. And they serve up products and content, year after year, with a clear focus to serve those people. And their people are willing to pay more. Because they know Apple delivers the excellence and precision they promise to deliver.

And you need to get you some of that clear focus.

You can see it right there on their website’s home page. Not blatantly obvious, at first glance. But it’s there. And it’s everywhere on their website. It’s in their advertising. And in their stores. Because they already did what you need to do, if you haven’t already.

Well, you do if you’d rather not be left in the dust by your competitors. And don’t be fooled. A lot of marketing people will say not to think of other companies in your business as competitors. But you DO have businesses, like yours, who’d love to have any and all of your customers or clients. If those aren’t competitors, what do you call them?

Regardless of how nice some business owners play in the sandbox, there are plenty who’d just as soon see you go out of business. And it takes clear focus to make sure you don’t.

Just so you know, I practice what I preach. A client of mine said this about me:

“I appreciated your approach being personal to me as your client and not ‘canned’. It never felt ‘one size fit all’. And you were quite credible, likable and focused. Your demeanor is easy and delivery smooth and direct. Plus, you are very attentive as well. I enjoyed our time immensely and looking forward to more. Thanks again!”

And another client said this after he plugged into the RondaReady System:

“By defining and implementing the processes that drive my business, they will allow the focus needed to achieve our goals for growth. And, we will achieve this growth in a manageable and measurable way. Personally, I have gone from near burn out to a renewed enthusiasm in the company. And using your recovery calendar has allowed me to balance my personal and professional self without sacrifices or regrets. My business no longer consumes me. So thank you Ronda for bringing out the best in my business!”

My RondaReady System is VERY comprehensive. There’s a lot to it. But here’s the good news. You’ll probably notice how much better you focus after just a few hours in the System.

But you don’t need to commit to it right away. After all, it’s not a tiny investment. And it’s not a simple 5 page pdf you can just download and forget about. There’s so much more to it. Book a call with me. And I’ll show you what it’s all about and how it can help. Your link to do that is below.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

Book an appointment with RondaReady

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

I just heard another story, this week, from a guy whose dad died shortly after retiring. The guy said his dad worked hard, all his life, at a job he actually liked. It wasn’t glamorous. And it didn’t make him that coveted 6 figure or 7 figure income. But it DID help him provide for a family of five. So, he worked it for about 40 years and then retired.

But why did he die shortly after retiring?

Well, I don’t know all the circumstances. But the son said his dad was actually in reasonably good health. And everyone thought he’d live another 20 years. So, I have a theory.

I believe his dad died because he stopped doing what he enjoyed. And he stopped working. And probably something inside him made him feel like he was less of a provider for his family. But like I said, it’s just a theory. But it’s based on quite a few similar stories I’ve heard and read about.

Maybe you’re a young person, just starting out in the Real world. And retiring isn’t even on your radar. If so, it might seem like none of this matters to you. But it does.

Because, like it or not, you’re not immune to growing old. And that future you think is so far off will be here before you know it. Believe me, time moves fast.

So, I think it’s crucial to get a clear vision, while you’re still young, for where you wanna go. And how you’d like to get there. In fact, I think that clear vision is so important that I created a whole section for how to do it in RondaReady YOUniversity.

And that section, alone, has lessons for how to get set up, organize files, and even how to determine how much money you wanna make.

It’s part of what I call “Envision Your Future”

Because I’ll bet, right now, you don’t see yourself dying just a couple of years after retiring. Right? And I hope that’s the case. But if you want to avoid that fate, you can’t avoid it by accident. You need a vision. And a mission. And you need to know what’s important to you. So you can FOCUS.

When you’re Ready to find out more about how RondaReady YOUniversity can help you focus on and envision your future, book some time to talk. We’d love to show you how you can learn to System Think and jump into the Real world with Real skills. Click or tap the link below.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

Book an appointment with RondaReady

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

Wanna learn some serious relationship skills? Then, there’s no better source for answers than  a couple of people who’ve been married for 50 years. I just read a short article about a couple, like that, named Macie and Sammy. And they were asked,

“What’s the secret to your long marriage?”

Macie answered, “I don’t really know if there’s any secrets. We just respect each other and we love each other. We’re best friends.”

And then Sammy chimed in, “We don’t do a lot of arguing. We try to get along most of the time and we got along pretty good. And we do things together. We go to the movies…we don’t like the movies anymore. But we just got along. I didn’t go to the bar and leave her home. And she didn’t go to places and leave me home. We just hung together. I’m still hanging.”

Yeah, those are some simple, but serious, relationship skills.

Macie and Sammy both know (because they spent the time to learn) if you wanna get something out of a relationship, you gotta put something in.

And you gotta hang in there.

And that goes for your business. In fact, your business can’t thrive if you don’t have (or don’t get) some serious customer relationship skills. Here’s an example of what I’m talking about…

A while back, a client of mine mentioned some of his “lower performing customers.” And his business is set up in a way that he makes money when they make money. And he said some of them weren’t “adding much to his bottom line.”

As I listened, I noticed there was a lot of talk about their shortcomings. But he didn’t talk about what he added to the relationships.

So, I just asked him outright, “What are you putting into the relationships?”

I know he has a lot of customer relationship skills from his days as a salesman. But I wanted to find out if he actually used any of them. Because, like I said, if you want something out of a relationship, you gotta put something in.

Relationship skills are all about service.

I asked my client if he offered regular advice, or suggestions, or tips to help them advertise his product. His answer?

“No.”

So guess what he’s gonna do now? Build a nice list of great tips for his customers. And show them how much he wants to help them in their business. The best part about doing that extra work is how he’ll benefit directly, too. Because, remember, he makes money in his business when his customers make money in theirs.

I’ve mentioned it before. In fact, I talk about it a lot. Serve others well. Help them get what they want .Because that’s the surest, quickest way to get what you want.

And that’s one small part of how I help business owners increase their sales and profits. And many of them (maybe most of them) have told me they wish they could go back in time. Because that way they could learn what I teach them when they were younger.

And that’s what inspired RondaReady YOUniversity.

It’s my online course to help young adults, just starting out in the real world, learn to System Think. Then, they can take their new Real world skills and build a better business. Or get a better job.

Are you a young person who’s about to head out on your own? Or are you older but ready to start over? Either way, RondaReady YOUniversity might be the perfect alternative to college. Because for a fraction of the cost of tuition, housing, and meals, you could build a business that could support you and your family.

When you’re Ready to invest in yourself that way, click or tap the link below and find out more. Your health, wealth, and financial security are worth it.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

https://www.rondaready.com/youniversity

Business Hub Consultant in Colorado Springs Posted on by

He was one of those thinkers AND doers you hear about and read about in success biographies. And he loved to keep his mind working. So he studied math and physics at the Technical University of Graz. Then, he studied philosophy at the University of Prague. Of course, those were only small bites of what went on in his head.

Real thinkers and doers are like that.

Way back in 1882, he went for a walk, with his notebook in his hand, and suddenly got some ideas. So, he immediately started to sketch his ideas, for what would turn out to be, a brushless AC motor, with rotating electromagnets.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention. I’m talking about, Nikola Tesla. He’s the famous scientist you can thank for the electric a/c current going through your house right now. And you might’ve heard of a tiny experiment in the world of electric cars named after Mr. Tesla.

Tesla (the man, not the car) is a great example of what I call Success Thinking. Because he knew precisely what he wanted to achieve. And he knew why it was important to him. He knew how to set goals for himself. And he committed to the necessary steps to achieve them. From what I’ve read about him, it appears no one could out-focus Nikola.

OK, hold that thought.

Everything starts as an idea. Right?

And that’s why great idea people, like Nikola Tesla, spend a lot of time thinking. Because idea people know that thoughts turn into ideas. And ideas help you get a clear vision. And if you can “see it” in your head, there’s a better chance you’ll be able to make it happen in the material world.

That’s a big part of my System Think teaching.

Since you spend every waking, sleeping, walking, talking moment with yourself, don’t you think it would be a good idea to avoid stinkin’ thinkin’?

You know what I mean. All that negative self-talk.

Those things you tell yourself which your self shouldn’t have to hear. Like “I never come up with good ideas.” Or, “There’s no way I could ever do what so-and-so did.” And maybe you’ve even wondered, “How am I supposed to compete with them? They’re better lookin’, have more money, and everybody likes them.”

Ooh, yuck. What a Negative Ned, right?

I’d like you to tell yourself you CAN reach your goals.

And I’d like you to see yourself as successful. Not a failure. But it doesn’t matter how much I’d like to see that for you. It matters how much YOU would like to see it.

The most successful people are almost always the ones who could see themselves in that position long before they got there. And they didn’t allow that ol’ Self-Doubt Thanos get into their heads.

To get yourself in Success Thinking mode, you gotta get control of your whole thought process. But how? Most parents don’t pass Success Thinking on to their kids. Because it wasn’t passed on to them. And Google schools that include a How To Think course. You probably won’t find one.

But I know where you CAN find that kind of teaching.

It’s the foundation of System Think that drives my new course for young people (and older people who know it’s never too late). And you can find it in RondaReady YOUniversity.

So far, everybody who’s dived into YOUniversity has told me they love how it helps them know what to focus on. And I’ve already seen light bulbs come on in their eyes. It’s fun to watch.

If you have young adults (or you are one) about ready to go into the “real” world, make sure they get these awesome skills and tools. Because they’ll (or you’ll) be able to use them, from now on, to build more successful lives.

I truly DO wanna help.

And I’m confident I can. I’ve seen lives changed. And I wouldn’t be surprised if you discover the next Nikola Tesla living in your house. Maybe even wearing your clothes.

So, do what thinkers and doers do. Click or tap the link below to find out more about how YOUniversity could help YOU.

Stay Ready,
Ronda

YOUniversity