Now Spoiler's gone. You can't hear it any more.

With Spoiler gone (you may need to repeat disposal exercise each day, or several times a day for a while), you can hear your intuition. Let's call your intuition your Director.

You can picture your Director in your mind's eye if you wish. Or you can listen for him, or her. Your Director pushes. Sometimes I ignore my Director, but she's persistent. She nags. She nagged me into creating a blog (Web log). I've still got no idea why having a blog is A Good Thing according to my Director, but at least she's stopped nagging about it.

If you're thinking that all this imaginative stuff is a mite weird, remember that your right brain thinks in images. Always. Whether you know it or not, and whether you care or not. If you can become aware of these images, you can get your left and right brain to work together more harmoniously. (If you're interested in images, Carl Jung called them Archetypes. To learn more, read popularized books on Jungian psychology. Fascinating stuff.)

==> Three: Remember that everything's changing, all of time

Change is frightening. However, everything's changing. Nothing stays same. So you might as well go with flow.

Change doesn't have to be bad news. It's excellent news. It means that your business will NOT stay same. It will change, and all myriad tiny things you do each day do make a difference. They're cumulative.

Take action to steer your business in direction you want it to go. If you want more sales, do more marketing. Follow up with your contacts. Follow up with past clients. Do at least five marketing tasks a day.

When it seems that nothing's happening, remember that it is, because everything's changing.

You especially need to remember that everything's changing when everything is going well in your business. You can't stand still. So if everything's going well, keep paddling in direction you want to go. If you don’t, you may find yourself sliding over a waterfall.

==> Four: Listen to your resistance, it has meaning

When you resist something – say marketing – your resistance means something. Don't just assume that you're a lazy so-and-so and dump a heap of negative thoughts onto yourself.

Take a pen and some paper, find a quiet spot, and ask yourself some questions.

Ask:

* why aren't I (doing whatever it is that you're resisting)?

* what am I afraid of?

* what do I really want?

* what should I do next?

Answers will come.

That's all it takes to take baby steps to business success. So go ahead. DO faith, and take baby steps.

***Resource box: if using, please include***

Veteran multi-published author and copywriter Angela Booth crafts words for your business --- words to sell, educate or persuade. E-books and e-courses on Web site. FREE ezines for writers and small biz: http://www.digital-e.biz/

It's also a good idea to print out some of slides from any presentation you give personally, so that you can leave slide copies with client after meeting. (Note: don't hand out copies before meeting. You need to make sure that everyone is paying attention to your presentation.)

==> Control your nerves: rehearsal is everything

Many people hate public speaking. However, if you prepare yourself, you'll be just fine, and each presentation you give will enhance your confidence.

Write your speech out completely. Ask someone else to read it and help you brainstorm ideas. Then leave speech for a week for a gestation period. You'll find that other ideas will come to you, and you can incorporate these.

As you prepare your speech, you can also prepare slides in PowerPoint. Use photographs and other graphics, to bring your presentation to life.

When you're happy with speech, learn it. Practise giving speech in front of a mirror, then practise giving it as you click through slides in PowerPoint.

If you don't have a notebook computer to take with you, take your PowerPoint file along on a disk or CD. You may be able to borrow a computer. If you can't, then give presentation without file, but leave presentation CD and notes with decision maker.

==> Who will be at meeting? Pitching to decision makers

Before you set a date and time for meeting, ask who will be attending meeting. You need to be sure that you'll be making your presentation to a decision-maker in company. If you can't get an assurance that decision maker will attend, postpone meeting until she can attend.

==> Get an agreement before you leave meeting

You've given your presentation. You've made your proposal. Now what?

Now you get an agreement.

This is "close" in sales-speak. It's most important part of your presentation, aside from WIIFM aspect. Many otherwise competent people skimp on close, because it makes them nervous. However, no matter how nervous you are, you must ask for sale.

So, in our scenario, as you wind up your presentation, you would ask to become a sub-contractor for agency. This will lead to discussion, but unless you get an immediate agreement to sign you up, make sure that you attempt to close at least three more times before you leave.

In best of all possible outcomes, you won't leave business before you have a check in your hand. This is your aim. So when decision-maker says: "Yes, that sounds fine, we'd like to put you on our books as a sub-contractor", you say: "Great, can we make a deal now? I'd like a retainer, and _______ (mention terms of your services agreement). A deposit of $X would be fine."

Good luck with your presentations. They're a sure-fire way to build your business in a hurry.

***Resource box: if using, please include***

Veteran multi-published author and copywriter Angela Booth crafts words for your business --- words to sell, educate or persuade. E-books and e-courses on Web site. FREE ezines for writers and small biz: http://www.digital-e.biz/