Published:

03/22/2013 12:27am

Turn Your Limited Time Into MORE Income

Ask any entrepreneur what their main goal is and you can be sure that increasing income is at the top of the list. Let's face it. There will always be bills to pay, saving accounts to pad, vacations to plan - you name it - and just about all of it requires money.

So what's a busy entrepreneur to do? You do what most small business owners do. You work harder. You raise your fees, repackage your services, work more hours to bring on more clients - and find yourself overwhelmed and still underpaid.

I'll let you in on a little secret. There is a much simpler way to increase your income. It has far less to do with working harder and everything to do with being smarter about how you spend your time.

Remember that old saying, "Time is money?" Well, it's true. It is imperative for you to practice spending that limited amount of time you have each day in performing the best activities that will give you the results you desire - in the shortest amount of time - and with the least amount of effort.

Here are just a few ways you can use your time more effectively, so that you can increase your income faster and with less stress:

• Spend the FIRST HOUR of your day focused on a specific marketing activity that will grow your business. Don't hop on your computer to check out your News Feed on Facebook or wander through the emails that came in overnight. Look at your marketing plan and select a specific activity that you will tackle first thing in the morning to attract more clients and increase your income - and stay focused.

• Set up systems - If you do something once for marketing, it's likely you'll have to do it again. Stop storing URLs, passwords and instructions in your head! When you clutter your mind with that many details you are actually making your marketing much more challenging than it needs to be. Yes, it takes time to set up systems, but how much time do you waste trying to remember details or fix mistakes? Time spent on setting up systems is time spent once, while mistakes and searching for lost information costs you money and creates stress. Once your systems are set up, you'll work more efficiently and be able to delegate tasks and free up your time to focus on more profit generating activities.

• Stop trying to do so much. It's likely you can fill your practice with ideal clients by consistently pursuing a few (like 2 - 3) marketing strategies. Narrow your focus on the strategies that will help you meet your S.M.A.R.T. goals and eliminate everything else for a specific period of time. You'll find yourself less stressed - which overall will allow you to use your time better and create more profitable results in your business.

• Eliminate time wasters. I never cease to be amazed by the folks who tell me they don't have enough clients, but when I ask them what they are doing to get clients they say, "Not that much." That always leaves me wondering what in the world they are doing with their time! If you find that you're easily distracted during the day, you've got to get serious about being focused. Whatever your time sucking vice happens to be (social media, children, spouse, pets, "must see T.V., running errands, etc.), commit to stop wasting time and use that time to complete specific projects that will help you attract more clients and increase your income.

Here's what I suggest you to do this week. Sit down and take a good look at your goals. Evaluate the way you use your time. Do your activities support your goals? How can you make time work in your favor instead of against you?

Decide what you want most and then find the path that will get you there in the shortest amount of time and with the least amount of effort. Not only will you increase your income, but you will have more energy and the sanity to appreciate it.

Known as "The Smart Simple Marketing Coach," the tech-savvy Sydni uses a results-focused, "how to" approach in implementing simple, customized strategies so service professionals create profitable businesses in which they enjoy the lifestyle they choose.