What Stands In The Way Of The Personal And Business Success That You Want?

   Have you ever felt like you are working so hard, doing everything you know to do, and still feel like you aren’t achieving the level of success you know is possible for you?  Have you felt exhaustion and frustration because you know there is more for you to do, be and have but don’t know what else you can possible do to make it happen for you?

  When I ask my audiences in my public presentations, “How many of you have reached the personal level of success you would like to have?” very few raise their hand.  So, what is it that blocks us from being all that that we can be?

  The women who come to me are on their own journey of self-discovery.  They tell me they wake up in the morning with a yearning, wanting something more for themselves, but don’t know how to tap into it.  They’ve tried fulfilling that yearning by getting yet another credential, moving up on the corporate ladder, reading spiritual and self-help books and attending workshops and yet nothing has filled that quiet, yet intense call deep within their heart.

How Do You Find Your Life’s Passion? 

For years, like most of my clients, I was searching; trying to find what it is that would free me of this yearning for purpose in my own life.  I knew there was more within me to be expressed.  I changed jobs, I attended workshops, I followed gurus, waiting, even begging for someone to be able to evoke that deeper brilliance I knew was within me.  I knew that if someone would just help me identify my passion that I would have no problem stepping into it, I just needed help uncovering it!

  Isn’t that odd?  We live with ourselves from the day we were born, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred and sixty-five days a year, every year – and we still don’t know what that one single thing that is so special, unique and purposeful about ourselves is!  So, we begin the search outside of ourselves to learn the answer.  I call it “looking for me in all the wrong places.”

  Here is the secret; your passion is as close as your very own breath.  If that is true, then why are so many of us living day-to-day with this feeling of being disconnected from our true self?  Studies have shown that 84% of us are not living in congruence with our core passion and purpose!  That means that most adults are still searching for their truth.

  Here is another secret; the transformation that can occur between the search, and discovering your true nature, passion and purpose is simply awareness.  The awareness of reconnecting with who you were born to be.  The awareness that comes from unearthing what is so unique and brilliant about you that you are able to deeply touch and begin to fully express your purpose, your passion and your truth.

  Fortunately, I had the blessing of discovering this awareness for myself.  I now know that it is my purpose to help as many others reconnect with their natural-born purpose and passion as possible.  I know the pain and frustration of feeling disconnected from your core self, and I know the joy and freedom that comes from becoming realigned with my truth.  I have been inspired to help others stop the search and live life as fully and passionately as we are meant to live.

To your joyful and inspired success~

Namaste,

~Laurie

 What Is Your Divine Purpose?

  We all have a creative genius within us, and this genius presents itself only when we are living in alignment with our divine purpose.

  Let me ask you this, have you ever felt like there is a part of you that has not yet been tapped into?  Do you feel like you are living a comfortable life, yet still looking for that thing that really makes your heart sing?  Have you found yourself continually searching for that part of you that is special, unique and absolutely brilliant?

  I have a confession, I remember thinking, since I was 9 years old, that something very special was going to happen for me.  And while many wonderful things have happened, I always was searching and waiting for that one really magical thing that would call forth my divine purpose.  What I learned, after 40+ years of waiting for and searching for that magic, was that it was within me all along.  I just needed the right opportunity to discover that. 

  Fortunately, I discovered the CORE MAP process which completely opened up my entire life to new dimensions, opportunities, and levels of effectiveness.  Since then I have been working closely with other women who were also on the verge of breaking through the monotony of life as it was, and unearthing their true divine purpose and live it fully!

  When we are fully aligned with our purpose, and the life we were born to live, we find helpful people and seemingly “magical” or coincidental opportunities coming forward which gently lead the way.  This is the experience of being in the flow, and life becomes much more effortless, joyful and meaningful.

Here 5 simple steps to help you tune in to your own divine purpose:

1.         Brainstorm, and write down everything you really love to do.  Once you have completed the list, go back and number each entry in the order of which appeals to you the most.

            Tip:  Think of the times in the past when you were at your absolute best!  When time just passed, and everything felt as though it were going your way.

2.        Read over your list, and put it away for a day or two.  Make an appointment with yourself when you have some quiet time, and take out your list and begin adding to it.

            Tip:  Make sure you are including only those things that make you feel really joyful.  Sometimes we are extraordinarily good at some things, yet they do not make us joyful.  These are the things that we have learned, or may have been conditioned to do well, but are not part of our life’s purpose.

3.     After you have dug really deep within, and recognize what it is that truly makes your heart sing versus those things you typically spend your day-to-day life doing, go back and re-number the entries.  Make sure what makes you feel most joyful and purposeful is number 1 on your list.  

            Tip:  It may surprise you to discover that the order may differ from the original order you assigned a day or two ago.

4.         Select the top ten entries on your list.  Now, make a list of what each of these top ten has in common.  With this in mind, what occurs to you that may be a clue to uncovering your divine purpose?  

            Tip:  Don’t limit yourself to just one idea.  Play with this over a period of time.

5.         Once you have uncovered some of the clues to what may be most important to you, immediately begin taking steps to bringing more of those joyful, meaningful experiences into your life.  For example, you may have discovered that many of your top ten entries related to travel.  You might begin bringing more of that into your life by subscribing to a travel magazine, or planning your next trip to an exotic destination.

            Tip:  Pay close attention to what energizes you the most.  Again, this may not be the same as what you have been doing most of your life that you are really good         at. But that’s okay, you’ve just added a whole new dimension to your day-to-day life that brings you closer to living the life you were meant to live.

  When you are on the track of your divine purpose, everything you do in pursuit of it will inspire and energize you.  You will begin to call in the people and opportunities that will continue to show you the next steps and open up doors which you hadn’t even known existed for you.  When you are not living in alignment with your divine purpose, you are not in the flow, and life feels like a struggle and drains your energy.  Continue to pay attention to how you feel when you are going through your daily activities.  If it feels joyful and easily flows, you are on the right path.  This is the path of living your divine purpose and when your true creative genius shines through!

To your joyful and inspired success~

Namaste,

~Laurie

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Being clear about who you are, what you do, and the benefits of working with you, will dramatically affect your ability to attract and connect with more of your ideal clients and manifesting the success you want. 

That sounds simple enough, doesn’t it?  Why, then do so many entrepreneurs struggle to attract clients?  Most often it is not because there is anything wrong with what you do, or how you do it, but the problem lies in being able to clearly define and communicate your authentic message in a way that really connects with your ideal clients.

Here’s an important understanding:  You know you have a unique gift that no one else has, and you know that you can help others.  It is your mission to identify your gift, do it to the very best of your ability, and create your compelling branding and marketing message that is authentic to you and attracts clients who want what you offer.


Here are 3 things you must be very clear on that will help you instantly transform the way you feel and communicate about your business, and expand how your potential clients perceive and connect with you and your business.

1)  Know what your unique gift is.  What do you do, exceptionally well, that no one else does?  In other words, what sets you apart from others in your field?

2)  Know who you serve.  The more well-defined your niche market is, the easier it will be to create your messages.  You will also become known as the authority in that area.

3)  Know what authentically connects you with your prospective clients.  People buy on emotion and then back their decisions up with logic.  What emotions do you and your services evoke in people that makes them want to work with you?

As I shared earlier, you must be clear about who you are, including your unique gifts and your core values.  You must be clear about what your services deliver, and what need or desire that fills within your clients.  And, you must know – very, very well, who your ideal clients are so that the connection you make with them is clear, true and authentic.


To your joyful and inspired success~

Namaste,

~Laurie

Spinning Gold Marketing

1. Refine and Narrow Your Niche

   Narrowing down your ideal clients and understanding what their specific needs and challenges are will allow you to consistently put out a focused and clear message.  If your attempt is to market to too wide of an audience, your message gets lost because it is vague and without focus and direction.  You want your ideal client to say “Yes that is me, I need that!” when they see or hear your message.

  Every successful business knows the answer to these questions:  Who are my customers?  How will they know I am here?  Why do they want to buy from me?  How can I reach more people like them?  Clearly and concisely answer these questions, and you have the first key ingredient for success.  

  The answer to these questions should influence every the design of each of your products and services.  The answer to these questions will influence your pricing, where you put your message out (distribution) and will be the catalyst to crafting the right communication that speaks directly to your perfect niche.

- “She who chases two rabbits catches none.” – Chinese proverb

2.  Construct a Clear Message

 Networking events are a great place to build relationships and attract new clients.  Do not make the mistake of investing your time and money without having a clear and powerful message to share.

Have you ever been to a networking event where someone asks you what you do, and you feel a slight sense of panic arise within you?  Suddenly you find yourself rambling on trying to explain what it is that you do and you realize that the other person’s eyes have glazed over and in your mind, you know they are now probably more confused than anything?

Here’s a tip to crafting your message; go back to Number 1 above.  Your message starts with your “niche.”  Chances are, if people are not fully getting your message, your ideal clients aren’t hearing you either.

3.  Get Out of Your Own Head

   Most entrepreneurs work on their own.  When you are trying to do everything and be everything for your business, frustration and overwhelm tend to build up.  Do you love your business, but sometimes feel the heartache every business owner feels from time to time?  Have you felt that sense of doubt and fear move through you?  

  When this happens, is it your tendency to just work harder?  That’s okay, it’s what most people do, work harder, put in longer hours which builds up more stress.  The problem is, that if that’s all you do is work harder doing the very same things, you probably won’t get any better results.  When you feel like you are always busy, but your business has hit a frustrating plateau – or worse, if your sales are sliding downhill, you don’t need to work harder, you need to work right!

  I know that you know that your best, most creative thinking do not come from being tired and frustrated.  It’s important to get out of your own head and learn the right steps to rev up your business and jumpstart your marketing program.

  When this frustration and exhaustion begin to overwhelm you, it can be disheartening.  But it doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with you, or that you can’t do this!  The truth is that you CAN do it, and you can do it really well when you know the right steps to take.  Taking the right steps will add the fuel to your business and quickly get you back on track attracting plenty of your ideal clients.

To your joyful and inspired success~

Namaste,

~Laurie

Spinning Gold Marketing

The Importance of Being Unique In Business

In last week’s article “What is the Marketing Hook in your Business?” I talked about the importance of having that attention-grabbing message in your website or sales copy that makes someone stop in their tracks and notice you.

Did you implement that concept in your business?  If so, then congratulations!  You a are obviously a person who takes action.

So what’s next?  You’ve got their attention, now what?

Once you have attracted the attention of your ideal client, you need to keep their interest.  What you don’t want them to say is “Oh, another coach or another web designer, nutrition expert, another……” 

What you do want them to say is, “This person is interesting, different from the others.  I’ll take a closer look!”

Let’s face it, you can look at most crowded fields of expertise and the basics for each business are the same.  So, what makes you and your business different?  In other words, what is unique about you and/or the process of your business that others don’t have?  This may be some past experience, some certifications, some prominent associations you may have that others cannot claim for themselves.

How Do I Find the Unique Business Angle?

There are several ways of doing this and I will cover two of them here:

1)  Ask Your Clients and Customers

An easy way of doing this is by doing a survey.  You must be specific with your questions.  Remember, you want to elicit responses that set you apart, what do they perceive about you that is unique and special?

2)  Ask them directly after you have worked with them or served them.

Laurie Polinski

Spinning Gold Marketing




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 Get More Clients With An Effective “Marketing Hook”

  Everywhere you look today you are exposed to one form of marketing message or another. It might be on a billboard, in a magazine or on the internet and no matter what media you are engaged in at that moment, the message is basically the same; “buy our product or use our service.”

  Marketing experts understand that they have just a few seconds to capture their target or ideal audience or their message will be a failure. They have just a few seconds to grab your attention and arouse your curiosity to know more of what they are offering or you will move on to something or someone else. Have you ever surfed the web and gone through countless of web pages without any interest and then one page just popped out and grabbed you, causing you to read more? Have you ever zipped through the channels on your television and found yourself stopping on an infomercial even though it was not your intention? You had no plans on buying anything and you know that they are just trying to sell you something and yet something they said or something they showed you, made you stop and say,”Hey, wait a minute. What’s this?” 

 This is what business marketers refer to as the “hook.”

 Do You need A “Marketing Hook” In Your Business?

  If you are in business and if you want to attract clients then the answer is yes, you most definitely need a “marketing hook” in your business. There is far too much competition out there to just hope and pray your ideal clients will find you and invest in your product or service instead of your competitor. Today there are thousands upon thousands of websites and for you to be successful on the internet, it is a must to be able to grab your prospect’s attention.

 What Is Your “Marketing Hook?”

  Before you begin writing a single word for your web-page, sales page or ad, you will want to do some serious research. At this point what you are looking for is that unique piece of story that will arouse a burning curiosity in your ideal client to make them feel compelled to continue to find out more. It is the eye-popping piece of story that will jar even the most distracted reader into full attention. The best hooks are the ones that come early in your message. Remember, the objective here is to grab attention immediately, to get noticed.

  Every business is going to have a different hook. Every niche market is going to have a different hook. Your business might also have more than one hook, one for every kind of client you serve.

  Many times business owners and entrepreneurs are too close to their product or service to be able to see what is unique about them. What sets them apart from their competition? Mentoring programs, coaching programs and mastermind groups are great resources to turn to in order to get an outside perspective of you and your business’ uniqueness to discover your very own “marketing hook.”

Laurie Polinski

Spinning Gold Marketing

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  Let’s face it, without marketing, your business has little chance of succeeding. You may start getting clients to work with, but eventually, you will find yourself struggling to find clients who want to buy what you have, and burn yourself out.

  Actually, many entrepreneurs dip a toe in the water with their marketing by giving their business a name, coming up with a catchy tagline and getting an icon or clip art to put on their business card and website. Yes, done right, this is a piece of your marketing. So, what else is there, and how can you make marketing the piece that ensures your business success?

  Recently, I was at a local networking event and one of the people in the group was allowed 5 minutes to get up and speak about her business. As she was speaking, I realized that I was having a hard time understanding what it was that she wanted to get across, and why I might want what she had to offer. And, I was not at all compelled to want to find out more about her or her product. That’s not to say that there was anything wrong with her or what she said…… in fact it was more in what she didn’t say.

  I learned her name and her business name right away. That’s always a good thing ~ however, believe it or not, neither really told me what she does.

So, here’s tip #1: Having a business name or tagline that tells people what you want them to know and remember about you.

  This is the beginning of getting your branding across. Putting all of your pieces together in a concise, clearly understood message so people remember what you want them to remember about you. Yes, you want them to like, trust and respect you, but more than that, you want them to know and remember what you can do for them.

  If your name, business name or tag line doesn’t clearly tell people who you are, what you do, how you uniquely help, and why they should choose you to spend their time and money with, then this needs your attention now! Typically, we have only 30 seconds to capture someone’s attention. In those 30 seconds we want to be sure they walk away with what we want them to remember about us. Basically, what’s in it for them?

Here’s what you need to know to craft an effective tagline.

  An effective tagline helps you clarify what makes you or your service special and enables you to sum up your “competitive advantage” in just a few words.

  Next, this speaker handed out her brochure which was professionally printed, on nice cardstock. That’s always a good thing ~ however, believe it or not, the picture on the cover was of a forest of fern plants. Is she a gardener? A botanist? A landscaper designer? No, she is a financial investment manager. I guess money is green and so are ferns and that’s where that connection comes in???

So, here’s tip #2: Your Brand Isn’t Just a Logo, or the Colors You Use, or Your Business Name

  …… it is all of these things, and more, together. Everything must consistently give the one singular message you want people to remember about you. Money management / ferns; I still don’t get the connection.

  A company’s logo, colors and the images it uses all serve to support and reinforce the brand identity. The more you reinforce the features of your brand identity, the more familiar people will become with it and the more likely they will be to do business with you repeatedly.

To strengthen your brand identity, be sure it is:

  Your brand identity can be extremely valuable if done and used effectively. Do everything in your power to build a strong, well-regarded brand image and just about every aspect of building your business – especially the marketing piece – will be much easier.

  Then, this speaker went on to tell the facts about her company and what she does. Actually at that point, I was disinterested because I already know someone who does what she does. In fact, there were 3 others in the room who do the same thing; one of them sitting right next to me! So, what would compel me to learn more about how she can help me, or to recommend her to someone else who may need her services? What does she do brilliantly well that the others don’t? What makes her unique? What differentiates her from the rest? Perhaps it is that she grows ferns in her yard? I don’t know, she never said that, but it’s a guess on my part based on her brochure.

So, here’s tip #3: Your Brand Identity is, or Should be, Unique to You.

  That’s why people choose you to work with over someone else in the same field. You must unearth your own brilliance and unique qualities so that you can make them part of your brand identity.

To create a strong brand identity, you must be clear on:

Make a list of the values you want your company to reflect and be associated with.

Develop the core message for your company:

  Your core message, including your set of values, is what defines your brand. It’s what you want customers to remember about you. When you have a strong, clear message, you’re much better able to develop a strong connection with your customer base.

  These are three key drivers which help to create a strong, memorable image and message for your business. You need to keep your core message in mind when you’re developing your advertising, website, packaging and marketing materials (such as brochures, business card, catalog, etc). It must permeate every aspect of what you do and be the foundation of all your marketing activities.

  The message that clients or potential clients get from you about your business is the key to success. It’s imperative that you create the core message you want to send for your business or service. Without articulating your core message and consistent brand identity, it’s impossible to develop an effective, meaningful marketing program.

  Remember, if you don’t create the message that you want people to “get” and remember about you, they will create their own.

Laurie Polinski
Spinning Gold Marketing

If your business feels more like the wallflower right now, and you’d like to have more of what the rock star has, ask yourself these 3 three key questions:

1) Have I articulated and written down my brand promise?

2) What do I want my clients to remember about me and/or my business?

Your core message should be based on:

It’s important that you understand and clearly articulate the core message you want to send for your business. You need to keep your core message in mind when developing all of your advertising materials such as your website, brochures, business card, etc. Your core message is what you want your clients to remember about you. This is how you create a deeply meaningful connection with your clients and prospective clients.

3) Does my company name and/or tagline explain the nature of my business or what I do?

My tagline tells 3 things:
  1) Who I work with – “Entrepreneurs”
 2) What I do – “Business Growth Coach”
  3) What I promise – “Focused, Fast Results.”

Laurie Polinski
Spinning Gold Marketing

What Is Your Business Brand?

  Your brand is the message that you create around your business from the inside out. Its primary function is to let your audience know who you are, what you do how you help people and what they can expect from you. An authentic branding message will also express how you’re different from others in the field of your expertise; it’s developing your positioning and staying true and in perfect alignment with the core of who you are and what you promise to deliver.

What Will An Authentic Business Brand Do For You?

  In addition to letting people know about your business with a single glance, a brand message is one of the most important tools that a business has in marketing itself and letting people know that the business exists to serve their needs. Most entrepreneurs are passionate about helping others by doing what they do best, but if people don’t know that you’re out there, or don’t quite understand how you can help them, then you won’t be doing much of what you love or making the money that you need to make in your business.

  To be successful, a business must have a magnetic, positive and authentic branding message that connects with their audience on a deep and emotional level. And, remember, your brand is who you are and what you stand for, so not only will the right brand message attract more of the right clients, but it will also strongly symbolize your vision and allow you to be more confident when asked, “what is your business, and what do you do?” And it will provide the guiding light to where your business can go. 

Laurie Polinski
Spinning Gold Marketing

1)  Give some serious thought to what differentiates you from the competition.  We’ve all heard that we need our “elevator speech”–the 30-second infomercial that quickly tells people who you are and what you do.  Your elevator speech should answer the question:  “Why should I work with you instead of any of the others?”

-         How do you get clear on what you can offer?

-         Do you offer a product or service that others don’t?

-         Do you have special training or certification that others don’t have?

-         Do you understand what you are truly expert at that sets you apart?

-         What core values do you have, or does your business reflect?

  Once you know the answers to these questions, you will have the basis for your elevator speech. Stick with it—that is your story.  That story is the one that will stick in customers’ minds and, if it sounds authentic, they will repeat your story to others.

2)  Start a word-of-mouth campaign.

    Word-of-mouth is free and can be your most effective form of advertising as long as your message is authentic to who you are, what you offer and how you help people.

3)  Do you have a membership or club that offers discounts or other incentives to your loyal, repeat clients?

This gives clients incentive to continue coming back to you instead of trying a competitor.

  Remember, though, almost no discount or incentive will be enough if your client is not satisfied with your service.  Again, this is where your message must match what you deliver.

4)  Give your clients incentives or discounts for referrals.

  Create some kind of reward for your clients who share your message with others.  For example, you might have special cards printed for your clients to give to friends and when their friends use your services, both your referring client and the new client receive a discount or incentive.

  Be sure your branding and authentic message is clear on whatever card or piece you use so that your existing customer doesn’t have to do the work of trying to communicate who you are, what you do and why their friend should go to you.

5)  Make sure you have good marketing materials to give to potential clients.

  Your brochures, fliers, website and any other marketing materials must reflect your authentic branding so that people quickly and easily understand who you are, how you can help them and why they should choose you.

  Some of these suggestions may cost a little money, but when you have the right branding message–one that is truly authentic to who you are and what you are an expert at delivering–it will be the catalyst to what makes you stand out in a crowded field.

  With the right branding message—one that is authentic to who you are and what you are an expert at delivering—these inexpensive advertising suggestions will be the catalyst to what makes you stand out in a jam-packed market.

Laurie Polinski
Spinning Gold Marketing