It is an exciting time of the year. Next month Dream Catcher will be celebrating its four year anniversary. I will be launching new programs and services. I will be offering you the opportunity to purchase strategy sessions and various home study courses. I will continue to offer 1 on 1 Coaching and my Dynamic Business Owners Coaching Club.

As I end my third year in business it is exciting to announce we have continued to grow despite the economy. In 2009, my business grew by 1900%. This month we have exceeded our gross income for 2009. My clients have also had tremendous success this past year. I contribute my success to refining my follow up procedures.

When you know how you are going to follow up, when you are going to follow up and what you are going to send or say it relieves stress and saves you time. But, most importantly it shows off your professionalism and gets you a signed contract. You must follow up and ask for the sale.

I have designed a home study course that walks you through every step of following up when you get a lead. The home study course contains a checklist for following up with leads, what to do when they say “NO”, and what to do when they say “YES” and after the contract is signed. It contains sample scripts for various objections so you can prepare what you will say. It also contains a list of resources to use for following up. A phone call or email is not your only ways to follow up. The home study course will also help you examine your fear of following up. Procrastination is fear keeping you from moving forward. You will learn to change your mindset and understand the value of following up with leads. Lastly, for those of you that prefer to have something on paper there is a follow up tracker that you can use to record the leads and the dates and times you follow up and action taken. I’ve taken the guess work out of it for you. You just need to slightly modify the home study course for your particular business.

If you are ready to put more money in your bank account and design your follow up procedures I invite you to download my home study course Put More Money In Your Bank Account: Follow Up

As a business coach, my goal for you is to help you make more money. Download your home study course today to that you can turn your dreams into reality.

Dream Catcher is a Veteran Owned and Woman Owned Business providing business and life coaching services to clients nationally and internationally. Coach Jaynine retired from the United States Marine Corps in 2002 and since then has been on a quest to assist individuals in turning their dreams into wealth and success.

Gift Ideas

Write the Right Resume – great book/service for someone who will be graduating and entering the job market www.writetherightresume.com

Attract Love Keep Love – great ebook for the person who is single and does not want to spend another holiday season alone. I met my husband after writing this book. $19.97 www.attractlovekeeplove.com

Mom’s Recipes for the Broke & Starving – ebook with over 41 main recipes and several variations that I wrote for my adult children who did not know how to grocery shop or cook. Most recipes serve a family of 4 and cost approximately $5 per recipe. This makes a great stocking stuffer for college kids. Download your copy today for $2.97  http://dld.bz/eq6F

Gift Certificates Available for Business & Life Coaching

Communication is present in everything we do whether it is verbal or nonverbal. Business owners often get so caught up in running their business that they fail to make time to spend quality time with their loved ones. I want to remind you that what you are NOT saying may be misinterpreted by your family and friends. Does your spouse or children really understand what you are doing when you are not at home? Do they think networking events are fun gatherings with friends? Do they view your presence on social media as frittering away time?

When you work from home it is easy to work on your business every waking moment. You may even wake up early to get a jump start on your business. But, what message is this sending to your spouse? Is he or she interpreting your devotion to your business as an insult? Are you hurting his or her feelings and making him or her feel left out? Are you making your spouse feel inferior? Are you making your spouse feel like he or she is not a good provider? Have you stopped to think about what nonverbal message you are sending?

When was the last time you sat down with your spouse and verbally communicated what was going on in your business? When was the last time you asked your spouse if he or she was bothered by the amount of time you spend on your business?

Business owners, the keys to having a healthy marriage are communication; verbally and nonverbally.

My three tips below will help you bring balance to your life so as a business owner can having a healthy marriage.

1. Boundaries: Sit down with your spouse and discuss the hours you really need to spend running your business. Verbally communicate why you are working so hard so that the other person knows you are not avoiding him or her. Together establish boundaries for your business. This can be in the form of establishing work hours that you both honor. You may want to establish a set time to eat meals together. I suggest grabbing the calendar and planning date night and vacation time so that you do not schedule clients or conferences during that time. It may seem boring or callous to schedule time with your family but as a business owner you know that if you do not you will fill that time with client sessions or time working on your business. It takes a while to break old habits. Your new habit is to start spending time with your family if you have been a workaholic. You may want to establish a bedtime ritual or plan on spending a morning in bed together instead of jumping out of bed early to start working.

2. Actively Listen: Part of communication is actively listening to the other person. Do you really focus your attention on what your partner is saying or is your mind focusing on what you need to be doing? When your spouse or child is speaking to you I want you to disengage from business mode and actively listen to what he or she is saying. This includes paying attention to their body language. He or she may say he or she is ok if you cancel date night to meet with a client but his or her body language may be saying the opposite.

3. Respect Your Spouse & Family: Social media is one of my secret weapons to growing my business. However, respect your spouse and children’s wishes on how much you share about them and your personal life online. Again, sit down and verbally communicate. Ask your family members if they like or do not like what you are saying online. Social media is a great way to promote your business and build rapport with clients. But, do not do so at the expense of your family and friends. If your spouse or children do not want to be mentioned in your blog or social media updates then do not include them in your status updates. However, remember you will never know what your spouse or children are thinking if you do not ask them. Communicate!

Verbal and nonverbal communication are key to balancing being a business owner and having a happy relationship with your spouse and children. You must ask the tough questions. You must ask for feedback. It is ok to ask your family members if they feel ignored because of the amount of time you spend growing your business. I challenge you to go employ active listening while sitting down with your family and discussing their feelings and attitude about the amount of time you spend growing your business. Do not assume that your spouse and children see you as driven toward succeeding. They may think you do not want to spend time with them. Again, communicate, communicate, communicate.

Jaynine Howard is a retired United States Marine and former psychotherapists. She is the owner of Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching. Founded in 2006, Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching helps business owners, nonprofits, and individuals nationally and internationally turn their dreams into wealth and success. Coach Jaynine and her team of associate coaches will help you jump start your business and life through business, career, and life coaching. Jaynine is a member of the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, the Carteret Chamber of Commerce, the American Psychological Association, 24/7 Coaching, and Coachville. You can download your free ecourse Stop the Snatchers and Grabbers at http://coachjaynine.com/blog/.

Miss Savanna is my very friendly blue pit-bull. She normally lies on the floor beside my desk or she can be found looking out the window. Miss Savanna delights in occasionally chasing a cat. But, she also lets those same cats rub up against her and occasionally snuggle up with her on her bed.

Last night I was outside and the door was cracked open. She stood patiently watching me out the window. A neighbor had his American Bulldog running loose. The American Bulldog took out after a stray cat that we feed. The next thing I know Miss Savanna was out the door chasing the American Bulldog. She was attempting to protect the cat. I saw a new side of Miss Savanna. She was going after the bully.

So, I want to ask you what does it take for you to take action. If you are a parent what have you done to help stop bullying? You do not have to wait for your child to become the target of a bully. You can educate your child on why bulling is wrong. You can educate your child on how to protect him or herself against a bully.

Again, what makes you take action? Do you operate in reactive mode or are you proactive? I prefer to operate in proactive mode. I think it is wasteful to operate in reactive mode.

Below are my three tips to stop bullying before it begins.

1. Educate: Educate yourself and your children on what constitutes bullying. http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/kids/ is a great website to educate you and your children on the topic of bullying.

2. Consequences/Rules: Let your children know that you do not condone bullying and what the consequence will be if they bully anyone. You must let your children know that you will not tolerate name calling, teasing, making fun, hurtful joking etc. Stop it before it gets out of hand. You may need to self reflect and realize that you and your spouse are not always setting the best example. When my children were little the word “stupid” was considered a bad word. They did not understand why “Earnest Scared Stupid” was a movie title. Make sure your friends and other family members understand that you are instituting a no bullying campaign and ask that they refrain from teasing your children.

3. Make it Cool: Make “No Bullying” a cool thing. Actively participate with your children in events that promote “No Bullying”. Proudly wear t-shirts or carry a water bottle that proudly displays “No Bullying”.
Find an anti bullying rally in your area. Make it your family mantra – No More Bullying!

If you are a business owner, remember bullying can take place in the workplace too. You must stop bullying.

Jaynine Howard is a retired United States Marine and former psychotherapist. She is the owner of Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching. Founded in 2006, Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching helps business owners, nonprofits, and individuals nationally and internationally turn their dreams into wealth and success. Coach Jaynine and her team of associate coaches will help you jump start your business and life through business, career, and life coaching. Jaynine is a member of the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, the Carteret Chamber of Commerce, the American Psychological Association, 24/7 Coaching, and Coachville. You can learn more about Dream Catcher by visiting http://coachjaynine.com. If you are in Eastern North Carolina you and your family can attend the next Kids Against Bullying in Schools free rally on August 20, 2010 at 5pm at Coastal Home Gallery. You can learn more about KABS at http://www.kabsnow.org

As a small business proprietor there are times where I need to call on my higher power. While out running the other morning the song by Carrie Underwood – Jesus Take the Wheel played twice in a row. It played at a time I was brainstorming about my upcoming business meeting. It made realize I just needed to stop worrying and let Jesus take the wheel. The song title has become my new mantra.

I was raised Roman Catholic so the song also reminded me of the Blessed Trinity which of course got me thinking. A business has three key players that are vital for its survival; the business owner, the business coach, and faith in the business owners’ high power.

The business owner’s attitude, knowledge and strength determine if the business will survive. He or she must have a positive attitude to get the business through tough times. The business owner must also work with a business coach that he or she resonates with and trusts. The business coach will provide the knowledge and strength to the business owner in areas he or she needs assistance. This may be in the form of moral support and changing a mindset when the business owner feels like quitting. A business coach may also assist the business owner in ensuring the business has the appropriate business systems and strategies in place so that the business can grow.

When I am working with clients in the capacity of a business or life coach there have been times when I have asked for guidance from my higher power. I know I am not the only business or life coach who will admit not having all the answers all the time. When those times strike you can bet I let Jesus take the wheel. The right answer for the situation is always provided.

Faith is very powerful. Your particular upbringing will determine whom you ask for guidance. There is nothing wrong with admitting that you sometimes need to take your hands off the steering wheel of life and ask Jesus to take the wheel.

As a business owner you must have faith. You must believe in your own dream and know that you know how to turn it into wealth and success. You must have faith in your business or life coach. He or she is the expert in the area your hired him or her. Let your coach do his or her job and coach you. If you believe in a higher power remember it is ok to ask for help from him or her too.

Business Owners remember, when the going gets tough ask your Coach for assistance and also ask Jesus or your higher power to take the wheel.

Snatchers and Grabbers are the people we meet that pretend they want to do business with us. You must identify who they are and how they operate in order to not give away your intellectual property, services, or products for free. I’ve enjoyed your feedback for my article Stop the Snatchers and Grabbers and for my free ecourse, Stop the Snatchers and Grabbers. The purpose of the free ecourse was to help you design your system so that you stop giving away products and services for free. Below are three more types of Snatchers and Grabbers.

Stop these Three Snatchers and Grabbers:

1. Late Payers: One type of Snatcher and Grabber may masquerade as a client or customer but he or she is always late paying. Therefore, they are using your product or service for free. The cost of the service or product may be so low that it is not worth your time or money to pursue in small claims court. The product or service may also not be worth your administrative time. The Snatcher and Grabber knows you do not have time to spend tied up in smalls claims court. They also may be a friend and know you will not take action to collect payment. If you find this happening to you it is time to review your collection procedures. When you do not receive payment on time it throws your business budget into a tail spin. Do not allow this to happen. Enforce your collection procedures.

2. Time Wasters: This type of Snatcher and Grabber will spend hours of your time letting you tell them about your products or services. They know you will share samples or valuable tips. Only after demanding your first available appointment and spending hours (sometimes multiple sessions) with you will they tell you that they are not ready to buy. I know one person who spent hours measuring windows only to be told the person had no intention of purchasing until nine months later. I suggest you prequalify the person before spending time with them. It is ok to ask them a series of questions. One question could be how soon they would like to begin using your product or service. I ask clients how soon they would like to get started and how many hours they would like to invest in coaching each week or month. I too have had people want to meet with me several times and share tips and resources knowing they were never going to hire me. They were snatching and grabbing and wasting my time. They were costing me revenue by tying up my time when I could have been working with paying clients.

3. Just Shopping: We all love a great bargain. But, an important lesson learned by several of you I heard from is how much information to put in your proposal. There is nothing more infuriating than spending hours with a potential client then only to have the potential client take your proposal to a competitor and receive a proposal that is lower. Again, my window treatment client offered free temporary blinds for home owners while they reviewed her proposal. Lesson learned…they got free temporary blinds and shopped around using her proposal. They went with someone who was willing to do the work cheaper. My friend who sells insurance labored over a proposal only to have the person show it to someone else and go with them. Be careful how in detail you make your proposal. You do not want the person shopping online with the manufacturer or with your competitor who will then offer the service cheaper. Do not let your competitor under bid you after you did all the hard work; take a look at how you are writing your proposals.

It has been three years since The Bucket List debuted in theatres. “The Bucket List is a 2007 film directed by Rob Reiner, written by Justin Zackham, and starring Academy Award-winners Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. The main plot follows two terminally ill men (portrayed by Nicholson and Freeman) on their road trip with a wish list of things to do before they “kick the bucket.” (Wikipedia)

The Bucket List started a revolution. It prompted people to reexamine their lives and truly think about what they wanted to accomplish before “kicking the bucket”. Did you design a bucket list back in 2007? Have you been able to check one, two or more items off your bucket list? If you are like me you never got around to designing your bucket list. So, let’s stop what we are doing and design our bucket lists. If you already have a bucket list go ahead and go find it. We will wait.

Ok, are you ready to start updating or designing your bucket list? I’m glad you are shaking your head YES! Let’s get started.

Step 1 – Dare to Dream – close your eyes and dare to dream. I want you to think about all the things you would like to accomplish. What exotic or tropical places would you like to visit? Do you have family or friends you would like to reconnect with? Do you have a new skill you would like to learn? What about foods? Do you have foods you have never tried that you would love to sample? Do you have a fear that needs tamed? Dare to dream!

Step 2 – Record Your Dreams – now find a notebook or poster board and write down the items you would like to add to your bucket list.

Step 3 – Share Your Dreams – now is time to share your bucket list and see who would like to accompany you on your new adventures. In the movie Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman team up to accomplish the items on their bucket lists. Do not surround yourself with negative people and do not let negative comments detour you from completing the items on your bucket list. Remember, this is your life. Dare to dream!

Step 4 – Make a Timeline – in order to complete your bucket list I want you to go back and put completion dates by each item. Be realistic. Some of the items may require that you save money for years in order to make that dream come true and that is ok. Unless you are planning on kicking the bucket tomorrow you don’t need to quit your job and max out your credit cards in order to complete your bucket list. Let’s getting moving and start working on that list.

Step 5 – Don’t Get Overwhelmed – do not let your bucket list overwhelm you. Look at your list and decide what you can accomplish this week, this month and this year. Design a strategy and timeline to accomplish each of the items on your list.

If you are a business owner, I encourage you to design a bucket list for your business. This will allow you to push yourself out of your comfort zone. I dare you to dream big for you and your business. After you have completed your business bucket list I want you to look at your mission statement and vision statement. Are they still applicable or do they need updating? Now is the time to make changes in your business so that you can complete the items on your business bucket list.

Parents, designing a bucket list can be a fun family activity for a rainy day. You can assist your children in dreaming big and designing their bucket list. Your positive reinforcement will empower them to dream big without fear of ridicule. This activity may also teach you something new about your children.

Married couples, do you have bucket list? I encourage you to sit down and together design a bucket list. I bet it brings you closer together as you learn new things about each other.

Please do not let life slip you by. Remember, today is the someday you have been waiting for…my five steps to completing your bucket list will aid you in turning your dreams into reality.

 Jaynine Howard is a retired United States Marine and former psychotherapists. She is the owner of Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching. Founded in 2006, Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching helps business owners, nonprofits, and individuals nationally and internationally turn their dreams into wealth and success. Coach Jaynine and her team of associate coaches will help you jump start your business and life through business, career, and life coaching. Jaynine is a member of the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, the Carteret Chamber of Commerce, the American Psychological Association, 24/7 Coaching, and Coachville. You can learn more about Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching by visiting their website at www.coachjaynine.com or by calling 910-539-2810.

P.S. Don’t forge to download your free ecourse Stop the Snatcher & Grabbers.