Spiritual and "new age" ideas are making their way into everything. However, one area lacking it is business. Given the national and global span of business, this area may have the greatest need for New Age ideas and practices. It also stands to have the most impactful benefits.

So, without further ado, let’s dive into the ways we can make a better business while making ourselves better people...

Marketing — à la Ever-Evolving Strategies

Modern marketing focuses on bringing in as many people as possible for as many sales as possible. However, respected business guru Brian Tracy tells us that marketing is about selling the right product to the right customer. But how to do it?

* Be Broad and Inclusive: Experts are selling courses and eBooks that lay out specific and streamlined marketing techniques, but as great as their ideas may be, we have to make sure our marketing strategies are constantly living and evolving. This is even more critical because America is packed with people of different color and culture and ethnicities and spiritualities, and the recognition of their needs and lifestyles is long overdue.  Because of this, a broad and multicultural business approach is imperative to successful businessing. It’s also sure to help you be a more successful human being.

* Have Clear, Emotional Goals For Customers: We can work on attracting a certain type of customer or dragging in higher traffic numbers, but that won’t do us any good if our customers don’t have incentive to buy or see the value of our goods. And the value of our offerings lies within the feelings they give us. We buy things because we like how we feel having them. The more powerful the emotional result, the more powerful and natural the pull to buy. Rather than focusing on numbers and sales, we should be focusing on the feelings we can spark in buyers and clients. A substandard service can be sold with the right marketing, but a product with high-value emotions and results? It sells itself.

Make Sales -- By Selling Quality Rather Than Quantity

Sales experts rave about colors, symbols, product pop-ups, and exit pages. These things can certainly help increase the odds of making a sale, but it doesn’t mean the sales will keep on coming. Returning customers and word-of-mouth advertising are key to building brand loyalty that generates massive sales. The best “sales strategy” is building a trusting relationship between your business and your customers.

* Advertise Benefits, Not Your Business: Self-promotion may be a hot advertising trend, but it’s a big fat red flag for the wallet. Degrees, titles, X years of experience, or even your fancy business credit score — education and time can lead to either valuable wisdom and know-how, or harmful arrogance and super-sized egos. If you really are all that and a bag of chips, then your products and services will testify to that. And if your goods can truly deliver results, then you know exactly what you have to offer people. Self-promotion is about selling yourself. Trouble is, people aren’t paying you for your field experience or your degree. They’re purchasing benefits and results. So, sell your benefits and results.

* Be Upfront With Costs And Terms: For some reason, the online business world thinks that people are more likely to pay for your product when you make a mile-long pages of product details, testimonials, meaningless charts, and boring descriptions, with a Buy Now link at the very end of the page. It’s a terrible tactic because it annoys readers, there’s too much information, and it automatically gives the feel that the cost is going to extraordinary. If you’ve got a great product to offer and it’s packed with valuable benefits, then there’s no reason to fear sharing the cost and details. If you do feel uncomfortable listing your terms and price, then chances are the cost is too high, your confidence is too low, or the value to customers is neutral. Reassess, then come up with a product value — in both price and benefits — that you can be proud of.      

Manage Operations -- With Flexible and Appreciative Management

Productivity, inventory, staff, and financial statement reports — oh my! Managing a business takes hardcore left-brained work. However, even the numbers and logic of operations management stands to benefit from the intuitive and creative right-brained magic.

* Stay Up-to-Date And Evolve: Today’s world is growing at an insanely exponential rate. With all of the technology, communication networks, in-depth studies, and the massive access to information, change is the only constant we can count on. If your business depends on the online market — which virtually everyone does — then you have to change as the market changes. To stay up to date, check out sites like Flipboard, Reddit Tech, Marketing Profs, and Business Insider.

* See Employees As Assets: The days of expendable employees and high employment demands are being replaced with a workplace that offers flexibility, open collaboration, and regular feedback. And praise the Lord! Because a high-demand job with no appreciation doesn’t just bite employees, it’s also a major detriment to the success and integrity of your company. The more competent, creative, and intelligent people you have in your workforce, the more your biz can grow and achieve. Show some appreciation, and you’ll take it even further.  

Network -- Via Genuine Relationships

Networking is all about creating connections that can serve an individual and their business needs. Some people would consider this building relationships, but really, this is about finding people that we can use for our own personal benefit. Our business connections can absolutely serve our business interests, but a strong network takes equally strong relationships.

* Aim To Give AND Receive: As the saying goes, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” This has never been truer than in business. Connections are everything to new or evolving business because solid connections could become Angel Investors, Venture Capitalists, or Strategic Financial Partners for vital business funding. However, networking has focused on reaping the benefits of connections. The thing is, the benefits we do (or don’t) receive are a direct result of the efforts we do (or don’t) put into them. If you want people and business to help you out, then you better be the first to offer up your business elbow grease. You get what you give. Especially in business.

* Develop Personal Interest: No matter how great a butt-kisser you may be, people know genuine care and interest from faux connection. The good news is that it’s actually way easier to find a way to relate to people than it is to pretend you give a crap. Even if the only passions you share with an individual is a love for eCoupons, this is a chance for you to connect and have some real human interaction. The more interested you are in your networking comrade, the more reason they’ll have to be interested in return.

About the Author

Ash Stevens is a writer who doubles as a wannabe nutritionist, philosopher, psychologist, and shaman. When she isn't writing her soul out on the web, she's listening to the great minds (or great comedians) on YouTube, soaking up sunshine, dancing in her living room, or having yet another fascinating conversation with herself (she gives excellent advice, you know). Check out her blog, or find her on Twitter or Facebook and make a new friend! 

Related Book:

at InnerSelf Market and Amazon