Copy
Limitless undying love which shines around me like a million suns; it calls me on and on across the universe.    â€• John Lennon
View this email in your browser
I need to apologize to you, Storyteller.


Last week, when I sent you this Newsy Letter, I goofed.


And I'll fix that in a sec.

But first, let's talk about messing up. And perspective.

As a professional who's building a business, you spend a lot of time creating trust with people, right?


Mostly because you've been told over and over that people buy from you based on things like...
  • Credibility (as evidenced by all your fabulous clients and their amazing testimonials)
  • Authority (as evidenced by that book you wrote, that TED talk you gave, and/or your place on the Top 50 Best Authorities on Your Topic)
  • Expertise (as evidenced by your awe-inspiring resume and those initials after your name)
I know because I've been told the same things.

In fact, I used to BE the person telling you those things.

But we have enough folks in the world extolling the virtues of looking and sounding like somebody BIG and important.

So let's just put some of this in perspective...

The Universe has been around for about 14 billion years.

It's bigger and grander and more awe-inspiring than anything you or I will ever accomplish.

You and I? We're small potatoes.

What matters most is how we LOVE. (I'm reminding myself of this exact fact right now.)

Not what we accomplish.

Not how big our bank accounts are.

We're only here for a blink and then we're gone.

So let's not spend time beating ourselves up over silly mistakes.

We simply can't afford to get caught up in trying to look and sound perfect.


The truth is, PERFECT authority-expertise-credibility doesn't exist.

Neither does the perfect sales page.

Or the perfect blog post.

You and I and everyone else are gorgeously...flawed. 

We get distracted.

We get sick.

We try to do too many things at once.


Does that mean we shouldn't aim for gorgeous?

No. It just means we need to cut ourselves (and each other) some slack, SLOW DOWN, and give our attention to what matters.

Right now, what matters to me is YOU.


Your state of mind.

I'm wondering if you're holding back on launching or publishing because you worry about getting things perfect first.


Or if you're upset that you didn't sell as many copies of your book as you'd hoped. 

Or if you're kicking yourself because you didn't do or say that thing exactly the way you should have.


In my experience, there will always be a typo. There will always be a glitch. There will always be a Mercury Retrograde.

So LET GO of Perfect and say hello to Inspired Action instead.

Plan and strategize, yes. But when inspiration comes, LISTEN and if it feels right, ACT.

Which brings me to how I messed up...

Last week, in the moments before I sat down to write this newsletter, I thought to myself: These emails would be SO much more fun if I could write something specific and personal to each person.

And before I could say crème brûlée (which, ironically, is French for 'burnt sugar'), I was writing out an offer that looked like this...
 

Let's try some email coaching. Here's how it will work:

1. You sign up for ONE FREE email coaching session with me. (You'll fill out your name and answer some other other questions so I'll know how to advise you.)

2. You read the email I send you (it will be about as long as a blog post and probably will link to some other reading and/or tools).

3. You consider my advice and if it sounds useful and helpful, give it a whirl.

4. You write back and let me know what -- if anything -- happened. Share the good, bad and the ugly. And if you decide you want more, you'll continue with a subscription of...(wait for it)...just $29/month.

(Compare to my hourly rate which is $300.)


Yes, let me say this again: YOU GET ONE coaching/ consulting session by email for ZERO dollars and the opportunity to continue for additional 12 months at just $29/month.

 

The Part Where I Borked Things

I wrote that description while I was in the midst of Inspiration. I was thinking about how you and I were going to have this fabulous new relationship. And NOT how things would actually need to work.

When I shifted to how things would need to work, I got inspired again. The Digital Dining Room! Yes, this would be how I bring new life to the program I spent so many years nurturing into being.

But in between setting things up on the back-end and sending out the email to you, I failed to re-read the message.

So the 'How it Works' outline above didn't match up with the 'user experience' reality.

And that's messed up. That's the kind of thing that can KILL trust with people.

I know better.

It certainly wasn't my intention to mislead you. And I apologize most sincerely.

The simple explanation is that I was so excited to get the offer out to the world, that I didn't stop to PROOFREAD what I'd written.


Yes, it's true. I sometimes fail to heed my own advice.

Here's What I Should've Said:

1. You sign up for the Digital Dining Room (DDR). The sign-up process entails setting up an auto-payment subscription for $29/month. But don't worry -- you won't be charged a single dollar at the time you enroll.

2. Once the auto-pay is set up, you'll be sent to a questionnaire that will help me better understand what sort of advice and coaching you need right now.

3. You'll also receive a username and password to the DDR website. This allows you to access our Learning Library and Forums (where you'll find HOURS of instruction and real-world assignments for getting your marketing done).

4. In a few days, you'll receive a personalized coaching email from me (it will be about as long as a blog post and may link to some of the resources and tools on the DDR website).

5. You ponder my advice and decide whether or not to take action. You write back and let me know what happened. Share the good, bad, and the ugly.

6. I will reach out to you a few days before your 30 days trial period is up. (Before your subscription is set to take effect.) And if you decide you want more, you'll continue with a monthly payment of just $29. Your card won't be charged unless and until you give me the green light to do so.


How I realized I'd messed up

About 3 days after I sent the email, I followed up with several people who'd clicked the link but didn't actually sign-up for the program.

One beautiful soul who replied to my follow-up shared that she didn't sign-up because the process wasn't as I'd promised in the offer.

[LESSON: Always follow-up with those who express interest in an offer but don't take action. You'll learn a whole lot about how to make things work better. Or, in my case, be reminded about the importance of proofreading.]

Sometimes the thing I have in my head doesn't quite make it intact to the page/screen. (Maybe that happens to you, too?)

This is me, reminding myself and you to SLOW DOWN. And remember to proofread!

And yes, I know that even with this more accurate explanation of how things work, you may not want to "risk" setting up a subscription for something you may or may not want to continue.

The truth is that cancelling something IS more work than saying, "Yes please."


There IS a method to my madness, I promise...

Let's Try This Again

Here's my ROCK SOLID GUARANTEE: you won't be charged a penny unless and until I have your written consent.

In fact, if I forget to ask you for your consent (and your credit card IS charged), I'll pay YOU $29 for the inconvenience. (Yes, plus your original $29.)

But, you ask, Wouldn't it be easier to just send me to a questionnaire and THEN see if I want to opt-in?

Technically, yes.

But I've done that sort of thing before.

And what I've learned is that a working relationship works best when things are "official."

And official usually translates to, "I'm willing to make a payment."

So we set it up this way from the get-go and that tiny bit of commitment on your part keeps us both accountable to the process.

Plus, the automation is super helpful. (It keeps my administrative costs down which in turn keeps my programs affordable for you.)


Why Did I Tell You All This?

Teachable moments aside, I want you to know where my brain is. AND where my heart is.

I want you to see how things work on my side of the screen.

They're far from perfect.

But you and I don't have to be perfect to build trust with our potential clients. I hope you see that.

We just need to put our hearts and our attention on what matters.

And when we're wrong or we goof, we need to apologize and then do our best to make things right.


Ready to Get Started?

If you've been looking for a marketing or business coach and this feels like it would be a good fit, now's the time to take inspired action.

Get on over to the Digital Dining Room and let's get started.

But remember: there's a limit to how much email coaching I can do. My calendar (like yours) only has 24 hours in a day.

So this offer is limited in time and scope. I can accommodate a total of 50 people. (And about a dozen have already signed up.)

And the NO cost for 30 days option is only available through Mother's Day (May 8th). You can sign up here.  


I can't wait to hear about your dreams, goals, and challenges. About what you LOVE that pulls you forward even when you feel like you've messed up big time.


It's a photo of me, your trusted Newsy Letter author
 
 

p.s. - Canadian and Euro pricing available upon request.

p.p.s. - If how I've outlined the process doesn't make sense, or you feel like there's still a better way, please DO reply to this email and let me know. You get better products and services from people when you speak up and tell them what YOU want and need.
What I'm Reading Now...
My friend and colleague, Kaya Singer's latest book is now available for purchase! 

"Wiser and Wilder: A Soulful Path for Visionary Women Entrepreneurs" is a fabulous How-To-Be book that you don't want to miss.

If you buy it today or tomorrow (softcover) she's gifting you a Kindle version as well. Just email her (Kaya@KayaSinger.com) to let her know and she'll get you set up.

Having been a part of Kaya's inner circle for the past year, I can tell you that this book has been birthed directly from her heart. It's message is especially powerful for those women who're want to reconnect with their Inner Crone and Wise Woman. 

Tell her I sent you! 
Did you enjoy this Newsy Letter?
I'd be honored and grateful if you shared with your peeps:
Share
Tweet
+1
Share
Forward
Copyright © 2016 Story Bistro, All rights reserved.


Lost that loving feeling? No worries. You can unsubscribe from this list anytime.  

Did we get your name wrong? Please update subscription preferences. I want to make sure you're happy.

Get handwritten love notes from me once or twice each year when you share your mailing address: https://storybistro.us2.list-manage.com/profile?u=6e0b5403ae5db13cce822d731&id=9c33ce9d44&e=[UNIQID]&c=9193cc61a4

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp