1. Really listen to your customers.
You are in business to service your customers needs, and you can only do that if you know what it is your customers want. When you truly listen, they let you know what they want and how you can provide good service. This practice can save you many mistakes and makes sure your focusing on what really works in your business. Never forget that the customer pays your salary and makes your job possible. Listen to their words, tone of voice, body language, and most importantly, how they really feel. Offer effective listening with your undivided attention. To find out what they want, ask them directly, offer surveys, get feedback through social networking and focus groups. If you don't ask, then you are assuming. And we both know what happens when you assume.

2. Get to the root of what your customers want, and give that to them.
Customers don't buy products or services. They buy good feelings and solutions to their problems. Ask them what is the end result that they desire. Most customer needs are emotional rather than logical. For instance, they are not buying paint from you, they are buying happy walls, or a feeling they want when they walk into the room. In my office, I wanted a very calming feel when people sat in my waiting room. So everything I purchased for that room created a Zen feeling.

3. Give your clients your full attention with complete sincerity.
Treat all of your customers as individuals. Always use their name when talking to them, and find ways to compliment them, but please be sincere. Look directly at your customers when talking to them. A few years ago I went to buy a car and the salesman was texting on his phone the entire time with other potential customers. Even though I wanted the car, I did not feel he deserved the sale, so I bought it somewhere else. People value sincerity. It creates good feeling and trust.

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1. Start drinking.
The creative juices, that is. Guess what? Digital media isn't going anywhere. To get the most from your online campaigns and viral efforts, you better spike that drink with some inspiring liquids because your potential clients are asking for your wisdom and expertise.

2. Expand your belt.
People continually battle their ever-expanding waistlines, starting fitness regimens that often fizzle in a week. Yet, when it comes to growing your business, its smart to work on expanding your tool belt on a regular basis. The business market is changing rapidly so it is crucial to stay on top of what's new, what's hot, what's working and what's not.

3. Light up.
Where there's smoke, there's fire. Add public relations to your mix to keep things hot, hot. Once the heat cools down, it's hard to sustain momentum and word-of-mouth about anything. Knowing when and how to keep the fire going will keep you business simmering and glimmering all year long.

4. Spend. Spend. Spend.
Time, that is…Spend time mapping out your goals and your plan for 2012. The more deliberate you are toward your Big Picture Vision, the more successful your year will be.

5. Jump off the ledge.
To be successful in business, or in anything for that matter, you must jump in with both feet. Go for it full-on! Testing the waters means you are half way in and half way out, which won't get you very far. To be successful you need to be 100% committed.

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Hello Celebratory Friends,

I am sharing this delicious holiday recipe video below compliments of my Pinnacle Star Entrepreneur, Renee Baribeau, The Shaman Chef.

Have a warm and joyous holiday,
Allison

Enjoy this special holiday gift. The chocolate yule log is one of my fondest holiday traditions; and very special (not so secret anymore) recipes. Please feel free to prepare this extra rich holiday treat with my blessings.

Click here to watch Renee demonstrate her cooking expertise!

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I am honored to share a sneak peek into author Lynn Serafinn's new paradigm. I met Lynn on Twitter a few years ago and it literally changed both of our lives. She launched my book, Blast Off to No. 1 and it inspired her to build Spirit Authors, the most comprehensive resource for spiritual authors around the world. Then Lynn joined my year long mastermind program, The Pinnacle Mastery Club and made the trek from England to San Diego to mastermind her brilliant business ideas with us. Now I am proud to be a part of her upcoming telesummit for her incredible new book, The 7 Graces of Marketing.

My friend and colleague, Lynn Serafinn, has just published her new book The 7 Graces of Marketing: how to heal humanity and the planet by changing the way we sell. The ideas she presents in this 400+ page book are a call to action, not only to business owners and marketers, but to everyone one of us as a consumer. I'm very excited about her book, and about her new paradigm "The 7 Graces of Marketing". Today, I asked Lynn to give us a short overview of "The 7 Graces", and how they pertain not only tobusiness and marketing, but also to life in general. This will be a whirlwind tour of these ideas (after all, the book is over 400 pages long), but I think you will get a taste for what they're about, and hopefully think of ways to apply them in your own business and life.

Lynn's sneak peek into the 7 Graces paradigm:

Grace #1: Connection
This is the "antidote" to the "Deadly Sin of Disconnection". Connection is at the foundation of everything in life—Connection to Self, Source, others, our businesses, and our audience—determine how effectively and authentically we communicate and conduct our lives. When business owners are disconnected from Self, their businesses cannot be genuine representations of who they are. And the problem is, as businesses get bigger and bigger, that Connection becomes increasingly difficult to maintain. When business owners are not connected to Source and others, it opens to door to exploitation of both natural resources and people. Connection is the first of the 7 Graces, because without it the other Graces cannot manifest.

Grace #2: Inspiration
This is the "antidote" to the "Deadly Sin of Persuasion". The literal meaning of the word "Inspiration" means "to breathe life into". As business owners, we have a choice to be "life giving" to our audience or "life robbing". Persuasion, wherein we will do anything and everything to make a sale/profit, is life robbing. As business owners, it is our responsibility to "feed" society, and thus ensure not only that our products and services are life-giving, but also that our communications (marketing) is life-giving. For marketing to be filled with the "Grace of Inspiration", it should never incite fear, anxiety or feelings of inadequacy.

Grace #3: Invitation
This is the "antidote" to the "Deadly Sin of Invasion". Nearly every form of marketing we see today is invasive. Our attention span is continually interrupted, whether it is through television/radio adverts, pop up messages, uninvited email adverts, cold-calling or billboards. As business owners and marketers, we need to bring back the "Grace of Invitation" into our communications. This means that when visitors come into our "space" (our website, our office/shop), we treat them like respected guests, offering them hospitality and generosity. Conversely, when we come into our customers' space (as when we send out emails), we must do so with courtesy and care, ensuring we never become the dreaded "houseguest from hell".

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