Dear Optimal Level Members and Friends,

In this Issue of our Monthly Newsletter, be sure to read Spotlight News to find out about seminars and events offered by your sister members, to give a referral for one member, and to support them in their events and efforts.  Also in this issue:

      • Linda’s Tip of the Month for some ideas on what to do at this time to create more money for your business
      • A new valuable Members Resource document on our blog site about Financial Statements
      • A great offer and discount in Of Interest To You with wonderful, effective branding and marketing ideas for your business. 

It seems everyone is craving spring!  March has definitely come in as a roaring lion this year.  With my ears perked up for any good news, I take some pleasure hearing the weather report say we may have some warm weather after one more week of brrrr!  Not only is our appetite fierce for warm, dry weather, we are longing for the end of the crumbling economic woes.  Maybe both will occur at the same time.  Wouldn’t that be great?

Among the many observances for this month, including Music in our Schools Month, National Noodle Month, and more germane to us Women’s History Month.  Follow this link: http://womenshistory.about.com/od/womenshistorymonth/a/whm_history.htm for the history of this special month observance.  My blog on the Optimal Level blog site is related in some way to women’s history. If you visit "Linda's Thoughts" this month at www.womenbizpower.net you can read about a possible changing tide in the history of women and our place in the world of work.

Welcome to our New Members:
Chicago: Amy Riley, Shoop Consulting Group, Valencia Ray, Core Confidence Coaching; Glenview:  Audrey Skor, Scharm Floor Covering;
Deerfield: Tracey Samlow, MJ Catering & Events;
Lisle:  Diane Homolka, Lisle Convention & Visitors Bureau, Sue Cotch , Let's Dish! Personal Chefs;
Schaumburg: Karuna Bhatia, Agent, New York Life Insurance Co.

Congratulations to our Members Who Re-Enrolled: 
Glenview: Dawne Simmons, Wordstorm Communications; Chicago: Mandy Mackowiak, Fireman’s Fund.

Spotlight News about our Members:  

    • Beth Ciesla, Ciesla Media Strategy– Schaumburg
      Beth’s Lunch and Learn  at the Northbrook Chamber of Commerce on February 25th  was sold out and a fabulous success.
    • Karuna Bhatia, New York Life Insurance Company - Schaumburg
      Karuna is presenting a seminar March 5th at Maggianos in Schaumburg from 12-2. Reservation is required. The seminar is on some very important areas of our life: estate planning, your retirement, and your options.  For reservations, please call Karuna at 847 942 6223.  Again, please support your sister members and attend this event.
    • Dawne Simmons, Wordstorm Communications – Glenview
      Seeking: A financial planner.  Qualifications: Willing to work with a couple who are inexperienced investors.  Must be very PATIENT and willing to explain (repeatedly) financial vehicles, pros and cons of recommendations, offer options, help determine financial goals.  Must be a strong LISTENER (able to discern the subtext of financial concerns).  Willing to work with a couple with both high/low risk tolerance.  Additional Info:  Hourly or fee-based planner preferred, but willing to interview commission-based planners.  Willing to review current financial plan.  Honesty, ethics and integrity are non-negotiable.  Looking to interview 2-3 planners within the next 30 days and make a decision within 14 days after the last interview.  If you're not a financial planner, but know a good one, please feel free to make a recommendation.  For more information or to schedule an interview, call Dawne Simmons at 847-675-1060.
    • Cosette Yisrael, Yisrael Communications – Chicago
      Exoticise, Franklin Business Consultants & Harmoni Group (another of Cosette’s Companies) presents A Team In Training Fundraiser.  Saturday, March 21, 2009, 12:30pm – reception and silent auction, 2:00 pm the play, Saint James Infirmary.  For more information about the play, the cost, and where the money goes, click on this link.   

Optimal Level’s Pamper Yourself Day
This was such a wonderful, happy success thanks to the efforts of Sandy Roos who helped coordinate the event, the women at the Transcendence spa, and all of the incredible participants who came ready to share in networking, fun, and a spirit of joy.  Linda has had so many requests to “do it again” that she is planning to hold a 2nd Pamper Yourself Day in June.  If you have ideas and suggestions on how to improve on something that was great the first time around, please be sure to talk to Linda about it.

Of Interest to You

  1. A new friend of mine, Tony Battaglia, of The BIK Controller|CFO Advisors, has provided a financial document which I believe is extremely important for any business owner.  It is titled, “What are Financial Statements?”  I think this is essential information and therefore Optimal Level is posting this document in Member Resources on our blog site so it is available for everyone at all times.  You can read it now by clicking on this link.
  2. Another friend of mine, Tom Gosche, The Business Strategist, is making a fabulous offer especially for Optimal Level members.  First, he is offering a free workbook on Marketing and Branding, which I highly recommend for anyone who wants new and effective ways to market and brand.  I know I am going to use many of his ideas.  For the free work book, click here:  http://www.marketingandbrandingstrategy.com/freebrandworkbook.  Wait, there’s more:  Optimal Level members will get 20% off of all of his products and services!  All you have to do is use the discount code “Optimal” at checkout.  This is a great deal for some wonderful products and services!

Tip of the Month:  Everything is Set Up – Where’s the Money?  

This is a rough spell for many people in business.  Many of the women in Optimal Level and others I talk to often seem to feel well, they’ve done just about everything they can to start bringing in the cash and it’s not happening.  In neither of my businesses, no matter how tough things may have seemed, have I ever felt that  I was done, that I have done everything possible to generate additional business.  There is always more to do.  And, it has always seemed to work for me.  Here are 8 suggestions to check and see if you are doing and if not, do them and see what happens:
  1. Time – talk less, watch TV less, visit less, think less, worry less.  Spend your time on sales, follow-through with clients and prospects.  Call, call, call, and then call more.  If you don’t know who to call, get out old business cards, call acquaintances (again) ask colleagues, ask for referrals from networking associates, make a plan and get to it!
  2. Visualize your daily goals - say them out loud, and check at the end of the day to make sure they were done!
  3. Simplify everything – don’t complicate.  People sometimes fall in love with process, organization, etc.  Those are nice, but they don’t bring in the green stuff.  Let papers fall on the floor, let piles creep up to staggering heights – you can tend to those things once you’ve brought in more clients!  Do only what has to be done to bring in more money now!
  4. Eliminate all negativity – that’s right all!  Every bit of it can set you back.  When a negative thought comes into that otherwise brilliant mind – take out your negativity broom and sweep, sweep, sweep.  Everyone in business has obstacles.  If one is to succeed – and that means at the top of the list with other components – making money, one has to face the obstacles and develop solutions.
  5. Focus your energy – I’m all for being strategic, making plans; those of you who know me know I believe that is very important to the operation and success of any business.  However, if you feel you have done all of your marketing and planning and need cash, now is not the time to do anything except focus on sales.  Selling is more than phone calls:  it involves email blasts, speaking, sending articles out, networking, etc.  However, your energy should be going mostly to contacting prospects.
  6. Active Networking - Sometimes in order to get those prospects, you must network.  That is not chatting, that is not spending time with people who are not, for whatever reason, going to buy from you or give you a referral for someone who will.  You must plan your networking goals and carry them out without wasting time or energy on any non-prospect or client developing activity.  You must set an agenda and be clear about why you are meeting with anyone.  This is not a time for social visits – it is time for business only visits.
  7. Read books about and model successful people -   Find books about successful people and read as many as you can – pace yourself so you are not just reading books instead of getting sales.  Study a way to be around successful people and see if you can model their behavior.  Learn what they do and then do the same thing.
  8. Have fun - if you stop having fun and see your business as a drudge, your business will react that way and produce the results that you feel.  Keep the fun level up.  Know your efforts will pay off (no negativity) and enjoy that knowledge.  If you need some more information on how to have fun while doing everything in your power to sell and make money, contact me and I’ll give you some specific how to’s.

Fact or Fiction? – Four days in the year actually have 24 hours.  (See the answer at the end of this newsletter.)

Meet Another Member Program  - This is a wonderful way to network.  Who wants to meet another member?  Any one interested this month?  Go to the blog (get your password and user ID from your welcome letter or send email to Sandy, sandy@ineedashadow.com for it) and read all the profiles.  Decide who you would like to meet and let me know.  I will send an e-intro.!

Member Profiles – Remember, every member's profile is posted on www.OptimalLevelMembers.com.   Your User ID and Password are in the Welcome Letter you received in email soon after you joined Optimal Level.  If you cannot find this information, send a quick email to Sandy, a sister member and my wonderful assistant, sandy@ineedashadow.com, and she will give you this information.  This is another great way to read about all of your sister members and see if you would like to call or email her to have a conversation or get together.  An Optimal Level member mentioned to me recently that so many members have not posted profiles.  We keep asking for them.  Any suggestions how to coax those members to offer profiles?

Marketing -   Every member is welcome to market by mail, email, phone, etc. to each Optimal Level member.  Get the information by logging onto our member blog, www.OptimalLevelMembers.com.  Search here first when you want a new service or product.

Library – Would you like to borrow a book from the Optimal Level library?  Check it out on the blog and then send email letting me know which book you would like me to bring for you to your next meeting.  If you have a book out, please return it at the next meeting.

Monthly Readings – Want to get the book we are reading in future months at our Optimal Level meeting?  Go to our blog site and click on Monthly Readings.  All the books we will be reading in 2009 are there.

Referrals:  If you like Optimal Level and believe in the value you have received, please tell me who you know who would want to get the same kind of help, meet all of our members, and enjoy the camaraderie of the meetings.  Send me your suggestions along with contact information.  Perhaps you might like to call them first and let them know I will be calling them.  I so appreciate all of your referrals. Remember, 3 free meetings off your next enrollment if someone you refer joins Optimal Level

“Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking.”  -  William B. Sprague

True or False Answer: True – Time based on the earth’s rotation is irregular.  Only four days in the year actually have exactly 24 hours in them (around December 25, April 15, June 14, and August 31).