The ad was plugging the “hands-free” features of the car.

There was lots of jumping, like young people jumping off buildings, not in a suicide type way, but a happy way, like catching air. It looked almost like the jumps were synchronized to bright and happy music.

There was lots of movement and energy.

Lots of freedom.

There were unicyclists (hands free) carrying umbrellas, smiling happily.

The coolest part?

They didn’t show the car. Well, for about 3 seconds they showed it.

So what can we learn about marketing from the Ford Fiesta ads?

Well, I think the lesson is this: It’s not about the car.

In other words, your offer is not about you, what you do, your features, your process, blah, blah, blah.

Your offer is about your client and what they need and want.

So if you’re a coach or a consultant you’re like the bridge to that happy place every client wants and needs.

That’s what you’re offering, right? Not the bridge but the happy place.

Your clients don’t care about coaching or your process.

All they want to know is “How will my life be better or different after working with you?”

So tell them.

You can do it. I’m with you all the way.

Photo: Flickr elvire-r

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Beth Cole is a web consultant and business coach specializing in small business launches. Tweet with her @websrvnt,  comment on her blog or say hello on Facebook.

This is a feature called Friday LiFT where I write about everyday people (I mean non-celebrity people like you and I) who inspire me to grow, change or do life better.

Today I want to send a LiFT out to Linda Hedberg of LifeStories Coaching. Linda has been quietly impacting lives for many years as she stays true to her calling, trusts God, and believes the best about her clients.

I admire Linda because her heart beats for the perfect coaching question which she has asked of me more than once. I know the same is true for many others. She is intuitive, intelligent and creative.

In addition to being a fantastic coach, she supports many new coaches with her Christian Coaching Resources website and her Christian Coach Training ebook.

Linda is a super mom, a loyal friend and a loving daughter.

Thank you for the many ways you have LiFTed me, Linda. Hope this small note of gratitude LiFTS you, too.

by Beth Cole

As long as a candle has plenty of wick and air it will keep flickering and giving off light. But watch out. Too much air too fast will blow it out. So will not enough. And even a sprinkle of water will quench it fast.

Your business is kinda like that precious light and I want you to protect your flicker from going out from too much to do, not enough boundaries, or too many Debbie Downers.

It can happen to anybody.

Grab a piece of paper and a cup of joe and give yourself a small break from your day to interact with these questions to help you keep that flame alive.

1. Think back to the time before you launched your business, remember the excitement? What was motivating you to start your new adventure? How can you keep it in sight?
2. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear “What do you do?” If you have trouble answering that question, what does that tell you?
3. Is there one client (or more) you wish you didn’t have? Why is that? Make a list of the attributes you don’t like about this client. Then thinking of opposites, make a list of what you are looking for in your ideal client. Remember, you’re the boss! Give yourself permission to say “no” to clients like this, so you can say “yes” to your ideal clients.
4. Take a look at your surroundings. Do you like what you see? If not, what would you change?
5. Make a list of all the things that are sucking your energy dry right now. I you could eliminate just one, what would it be? What would that do for you?
6. Make a list of the tasks you are doing in your business right now. On a new piece of paper create three columns: Marketing; Finance; Products/Services. Now categorize everything from the master list into one of these columns. This will help you get a sense of what is taking the most of your time. Is there anyone else you can involve in your business to help carry the load? (Think Virtual Assistant or Accountant).
7. Think about what it takes to deliver your product/service to your clients. Write down all the steps from the beginning agreement to when you cross the finish line. This is your process. Are you satisfied with it? Can anything be automated or improved?
8. How did you arrive at the price for your services? How is that working for you?
9. Think of the last time you felt really joyful and energetic. What was giving you that feeling? Is there a way to tap into that energy every day?
10. Who is the one person who will always be in your corner, you know the one who will have a good word no matter what? Is there a way to interact with this person more?

There will always be pressure and difficult circumstances in your business. Finding ways to cope with these pressures will help you grow as a person and enjoy the benefits of being your own boss.

So can you keep your flame alive? I think you can — I believe it and I’m with you all the way.

What are your thoughts?

Photo: Flickr Ezioman

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Beth Cole is a web consultant and business coach specializing in small business launches. Tweet with her @websrvnt,  comment on her blog or say hello on Facebook.

This is a new feature called Friday LiFT where I write about everyday people (I mean non-celebrity people like you and I) who inspire me to grow, change or do life better.

The doorbell rang yesterday and it was the florist. Imagine my surprise when she handed me the cheeriest bundle of bright pink, green and cute flower balloons —– with curly ribbons aplenty.

I was so surprised.

This Friday LiFT goes out to the person who was responsible — my daughter Laura who continually LiFTs me in small ways like that balloon bouquet.

I am inspired by her because she is on a quest to live a story that can be remembered and retold…..because she loves adventure and isn’t afraid…..and because she has a knack for pushing and pulling random elements until something beautiful emerges.

There is so much more I can say but for now, my heart is grateful and LiFTed.

Thank you, Laura.

Hope you are LiFTed, too.

BUT.

I hate to clean.

I have had cleaning help off and on so I get the RESULTS I want without any effort, but you know what? I think I enjoy my clean house that much more when I do the cleaning myself.

I have a love/hate relationship with exercise, too.

I don’t like the plank pose, and the treadmill is boring. But I love the RESULTS of exercise. I feel better, I have more energy, and my pants aren’t too tight. Hooray! It’s enough to keep me going.

So for me, doing the hard things like exercise and cleaning are all about RESULTS.  I think this mindset of getting through hard things applies to almost anything in life, especially your business.

Launching a business is EXCITING, but not every part of launching your business will be fun. Much of it is hard.

For example, many of our clients want a steady flow of prospects from a well-written, compelling website, along with vibrant Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook spaces, but most dislike claiming a specialty (niche), writing website content, or figuring out how to tweet, link and face with people.

What if you could focus on the RESULTS of pushing through these things? Would it be easier to create awesome content, unique services, and a marketing presence online?

What do you think, are you motivated by RESULTS? What helps you push through the hard things?

Look forward to your comments.

[Flickr: Pink Sherbet]

by Beth Cole

John Maxwell is a master of illustration. Everyone Communicates, Few Connect, is jam-packed with quotes, stories and examples to help you become a better communicator.

The book is divided into two sections: Connecting Principles, and Connecting Practices. Each chapter is a pleasant and fast paced primer on communication. You will understand how connection and likeability can improve one-to-one, small group and large audience relationships, and how connecting is all about others.

Maxwell says when people enter into a relationship with you they may think:

1. Do you care for me?
2. Can you help me?
3. Can I trust you?

He demonstrates how to tap into the emotional pipeline of any interaction by caring more for the other person’s needs, and less for your own. He will lead you step by step through a process you can apply right away to improve your interactions with others.

One takeaway I have from the book is this very special quote that has been a favorite of mine for many years:

“People will not always remember what you said.
They will not always remember what you did.
But, they will always remember how you made them feel.”

I love this! It is a beautiful summary of  Everyone Communicates, Few Connect.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Yuck.

I wouldn’t like that for very long, would you? Think of all the beauty we would miss if we didn’t have color.

Color has so much power.

Think about how you feel when you see that first burst of color in your flower bed in the spring. Or [ladies] how you feel in a pair of red shoes. Or the difference it makes when you write with a purple pen.

This post isn’t about color psychology or color theory – color is a huge industry in and of itself – but I want to bring out the importance of using colors in your web design that are relevant to your readers. They may not be the colors you would choose, but they might be more appealing to your prospect because he sees them in use everywhere.

Ideas to research color.

I like to look at colors in the latest product packaging, clothing & fashion, or room décor. You can sleuth these trends by just paying attention on your next visit to your local box store [love Target], or upscale department stores. Look for how color is being used in clothing, product packaging and merchandising , especially for people in your target market.

Another way is to pay attention to online design galleries. Dieline for instance is a very cool gallery of package design. You can browse Smashing Magazine for other great examples.

I enjoy color palette galleries and tools, check out the TRENDS feature at Colourlovers.com. There you will see web design color trends, as well as other interesting color applications.

Nature is one of the best sources of color inspiration. Visit Flickr and search using color terms for example orange+ yellow, and hold onto your hat. You will find some inspiration for sure.

There are tons of tools to create a color palette for your project, some of my favorites are:

• http://www.colourlovers.com/
• http://colorschemedesigner.com/
• http://kuler.adobe.com

What are your thoughts about color?

[B/W Image: Flickr]

This is a new feature called Friday LiFT where I write about everyday people (I mean non-celebrity people like you and I) who inspire me to grow, change or do life better.

This week I want to write about Allison Johnson, author and professional coach, owner of Resurrected Girl Life Coaching.

Allison inspires me because in addition to managing a busy family and coaching practice, I see her pouring sunshine into so many people’s lives on Facebook, asking powerful questions on conference calls, tweeting lots of goodness, and modeling what it means to live authentically.

I admire her because her cup is half full. That attitude spills over instantly when you rub shoulders with her. I also admire the goals she is achieving as a runner, a writer and a coach. Though I have never met her in person, I am privileged to consider her a long-distance friend.

Allison’s new book, Waking Up in the Middle of Nowhere, will be released next month and will be available on Amazon.

Love all your good stuff, Allison, thanks for the LiFT!

by Beth Cole

How did you choose your last web designer? Was it because of a referral, possibly?

I think referrals are an awesome way to find a great web design partner, but in addition to checking out design portfolios you might also consider interviewing your next web designer with questions like these.

1. What projects do you love working on? [Learn if your project is a good fit.]
2. Who’s responsible for setting timelines and keeping the ball rolling? [Can this person meet a deadline.]
3. Tell me about your repeat clients? [Satisfied clients are a great indicator of good quality.]
4. What project has been your absolute favorite and why? [Gives insight into whether your project is a good fit.]
5. What makes you different than other web designers? [Differentiation is tricky so the answer will give you good insight into what makes this company tick.]
6. Do you recommend and use a content management system (CMS)? [Projects vary but I would say a CMS is quite important to keep your site fresh.]
7. What kind of training do you provide? [If you want to learn how to manage your site and you can find a teaching attitude, you will be in great shape.]
8. Are there any ongoing fees for your services? [In addition to hosting, there may be other fees, you don’t know unless you ask.]
9. How long will it take to finish the project? [Timelines can be thrown off by indecisiveness, too many opinions, or too many projects, but you need to start off with some time expectation in sight.]
10. Why should I hire you? [Will tell you if this company knows its strengths.]

To find web design companies to interview you might try 37Signals new gallery, Sortfolio, or a matching service like Elance.

What have I overlooked? Look forward to your comments.