Increasing your standards means that you pay attention to and focus on your ability to have more of what you want. You claim what you desire. You make things happen. And it’s really amazing what can happen when you raise your standards.

For example, last year I really struggled with finding the help I needed in my business. I made some hiring choices that didn’t end up serving me. When I decided that I was going to increase my standards in terms of what I wouldn’t accept – drama, excuses, lack of follow-through, etc. – I was able to find the right person for the job. In other words, I got very clear on what I needed to help me move forward in a powerful way above and beyond the technical skills, and I was able to claim the specific things that I did and did not accept in my business. It’s been like a breath of fresh air to have a truly supportive team to help me step more fully into my movement. It has helped me to triple my income from the same quarter just one year ago.

In terms of increasing your standards to increase your visibility, here are a few check points for you to consider. Use these to assess your visibility standards and where you need to focus first:

• How you put yourself out there in written format – articles, books, columns, blogging, ezine, special reports/white papers
• How you promote yourself online
• How you let others know about a program you’re launching
• How you interact with the media
• The look, feel and content of your web site or blog
• The crispness of your core marketing message
• How far your reach can be (local, national, international)
• How you allow your clients and team to treat you
• How you book your travel arrangements
• The value you bring to your clients and customers and how you express it
• The volume of business you do every year
• Your schedule and when you are available to your clients
• Your image and personal brand

This list is not close to exhaustive, but it should get you thinking about where you need to focus first. If something on this list stood out to you, you may have a conscious or unconscious “set point” that you need to break through. And that’s a good thing. That means you’re ready for a new level of success.

Here’s the thing: when you raise your standards, you actively grow and expand your mind. It’s as if you enter a new level of being and awareness. And your higher standards demand that you do things differently so you end up really stepping into your power and become more of yourself! I do this exercise regularly, and it helps me to keep growing and challenging myself, which shows up in a variety of ways – my financial and emotional growth, the growth of my clients and more.

No matter how successful you are, the following exercise is always a good one to come back to. I, for one, still have a ways to go. So here is a simple exercise for assessing your own standards in terms of how you market your business and your overall profile.

Fill in the blanks:

My new standard for (marketing or business strategy) is (new higher level of expectation).

For example, here is one from a client of mine:

My new standard for how I promote myself online is I will talk with one new person I meet on twitter every week, who I think may be a good potential client or partner for my business.

Or:

My new standard for how I put myself out there in written format is that I will write 2 articles and 4 short blog posts on the first Thursday of every month and then I’ll be done with writing for the month.

You can obviously do this for one or more of your areas of growth. But don’t go overboard or you’ll get overwhelmed. A good range to stay in is between 1-3 statements at a time.

Follow Up Questions:

• How do you feel as you read your statement?
• Has this simple statement helped you shift your thinking about what is possible for you?
• What actions will you take right now to make it happen?
• What needs to change so this new standard is reached quickly?

Lastly – congratulations to you! You’ve just raised the bar for your celebrity profile. See how powerful you are and how simple this can be? Mediocre and so-so results are a thing of the past. Now take a breath and let it go. You’re already on your way to Raising Your Celebrity Profile!

© 2010 Meredith Liepelt, Rich Life Marketing

Meredith Liepelt, President of Rich Life Marketing, offers a free report called “101 Ways to Attract Ideal Clients, Build Your List and Raise Your Profile,” which can be downloaded immediately at www.RisingStarPublicity.com.

This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.