The three-year anniversary Speakers Magazine issue has Nicole Roberts Jones as our cover story. I met Nicole over ten years ago when she had just published her first book. We had an immediate connection because she loved the Lord, knew her calling and was committed to helping others turn their passion into their paycheck. As she says, “bankroll your brilliance” by being the answer that others are praying for. We are kindred spirits because that is my calling too…but in a different way.  One thing I know for sure, you will LOVE, LOVE Nicole. She not only walks her talk and preaches what she teaches, she is full of wisdom.  We couldn’t put all her wisdom in the last issue, so I wanted to spotlight this article she wrote on 3 Strategies to Grow Your Business That Dating Can Teach You. Here it is: 
When it comes to growing your business, to TRULY be successful it will take more than focusing on generating revenue, there are certain things that dating can teach you  that can and will move your business forward. Here are the 3 steps you need to assure you do that.
#1 – Be Your True Self!  There is nothing worse than dating someone’s representative.  You know the guy that fakes like he has the corner office, the expensive foreign car and fly’s all over the country on a leer jet and then you find out that’s  all a LIE!  It’s been a while since I’ve been in the dating pool, but in my experience, the best approach to winning clients and/or customers is just like the best dating advise I would give to a girlfriend = show your best true self, if he is meant for you, he will like you just the way you are.  Being true to you is the only way that relationship can realistically move to the next level.  I get it, you want to impress your potential client, but being honest and authentically who you are is a prerequisite to building trust, which ultimately leads that potential client to become a paying client.   
What I absolutely love to do when I am coaching my clients is help them get clear on how to take their brilliance and build their know like & trust factor around it.  Doing this will allow your clients to see the value your gift can add to their business or their life and how they can benefit from it. This is what I call having a ton of great dates before you put a ring on it.  A ring is when they say yes to invest in your programs or services. Put to get to the ring stage you must also….
#2 – Don’t Play Hard To Get! You can’t expect anyone to say yes to you without allowing them to experience you. You’ve got to date your clients and show them you care. But, how do you show them the worth of what you have to offer on an ongoing basis? Below is what I would call a Dating My Ideal Client Wheel, are examples of all the ways you can allow your client to experience the gift in you in order to move them to a yes to pay you.
These are just a few examples of how you can let your gifts and talents be seen and experienced that can eventually move to a sale.   To give you even more of an example. I remember when I was dating my now husband. He was the only man, that exhibited how he could give value to my life, which is why I let him put a ring on it.  Of course, there are men that I dated before my husband, but those relationships did not value & honor me. You’ve got to show people that you value who they are. You have to give to them before you get, right?   So in what ways can you give value to your clients?  Think of all the ways you can give them value as you date them up all the way to lead you to a sale.
#3 – Know Your Worth & Don’t Settle For Less. I remember my aunt giving me advise about dating and telling me that everyone does not deserve an opportunity to date you.   So I take that same advise she gave me then and twist it to business and tell you, that you have to know WHO you should be dating.  So instead of saying what’s your type, I would say to business owners WHO is your ideal client?
What happens is when you are aren’t clear on this, you are dating anyone, anytime and I have to tell you that when I was dating, just going out with anybody, I can tell you countless stories of horrible dates, some that I was ready to leave as soon as he was at my door to pick me up!!! What does this have to do with business?  Well as you are out hunting for prospects, the one thing you must know is all money ain’t good money!
When you’re not true to who you are and clearly positioning your gift the right way for the right people, you take any money that comes to you. I remember when I wasn’t quite clear on who my ideal client was and so I was casting out a wide net trying to serve everyone with everything.  Which really was not ideal! What learned is that when you take any money that comes to you, it doesn’t feel good because it is not in alignment with who you are and what you have to give to that person. Sometimes you’re working in ways in your business that just don’t feel good, because you’re desperate to generate revenue. I get it.  I have seen some of those days and I have to tell you, IT NEVER WORKS OUT FOR THE GOOD! When it doesn’t feel good to you, trust and believe it doesn’t feel good to the client and it ends up ending bad. Instead when you are your true self, stop playing hard to get and know your worth and only speak to those that are in alignment with who you are and what you do, you will find, your ideals clients come easy and effortless for you.  
And see with just adding in these 3 Strategies to Grow Your Business That Dating Can Teach You it really does grow greater revenue in your business.

Nicole Roberts Jones is hosting a LIVE event this fall you don’t want to miss, it’s call “Be The Answer.”

At this event, she will give you all the tools and strategy you need to move from dreaming about generating revenue from that gift in you, to being about it!
Seating is limited to keep the learning intimate…
Click here to Learn more & Register  www.BeTheAnswerEvent.com