Evaluating How You Use Your Time

Tracking your time for clients is a good practice for service providers. But don’t stop by just tracking it for clients. You should also be tracking time for your own personal use, too. When you do this, you’ll discover important insights about your business that you wouldn’t have seen otherwise. Here are a few questions you’ll want to ask after you’ve been tracking your time for a week or two…

Where Is My Time Really Going?

You’ve been working on launching your e-course for two months and you’re still nowhere near ready. But when you open up your time tracking app, you can quickly see that you spent 14 hours on Facebook or 9 hours tweaking the design of your website.

It’s easy to procrastinate when you don’t have any form of accountability. But a time tracker forces you to look at how you’ve been spending your time. This isn’t about shaming yourself.

Instead, focus on being positive. You might say, “I spent ten hours on Facebook last week. What projects would I like to invest those ten hours into this week?”

Are These Tasks Giving Me a BIG Return?

You had a business coach tell you to make 10 Instagram posts each day and you’ve been following that advice faithfully. But when you stop and look at how you’ve spent this time, ask yourself, “Is this task giving me a BIG return?”

If you aren’t getting a good return on the time you’re investing, consider moving your attention to a project that will grow your business, like launching a course or hosting a webinar.

Do These Tasks Have to Be Done by Me?

Some digital business owners get bogged down in doing non-essential tasks that keep them from their important work. For example, if you’re a best-selling author then your most important work is writing that next book. But instead, you’re spending hours every week managing your Facebook group.

But what if you could outsource your community management? You could still pop in daily to stay connected to the group but you could focus all of your energy on that one thing you do well—writing your books.

Is This Task Draining Me?

As you’re reviewing your time tracking, think about how you feel after you’ve completed each task. Did you feel energized and motivated after filming that Facebook Live broadcast? Did you feel frustrated and drained after working on your sales copy?

Pay special attention to tasks that take your energy. Try to find a way to avoid doing them. For example, you could hire a copywriter to handle your sales page or if your budget is tight, consider bartering with another service provider. Then you’ll both get to work in areas where you shine!

If you want to create more of what you want in your business and your life, tracking your time is important. The more you track your time, the better you’ll be able to manage it.

Staying on Track: Scheduling & Planning Tasks

One of the best ways to stay organized and keep on track with your projects is to create a monthly plan. Your monthly plan can be filled with notes about when to do your various tasks so you can smooth out your workflow (no more rushing to write that blog post at the last minute!). Here are a few pointers to get you started…

Make a List of Recurring Tasks

Take some time to think about what recurring tasks you have to do each week. Do you log in to your blog and delete spam comments? Do you schedule your social media content including videos and pictures?

There may also be tasks you only do once a month for clients—like backing up your website or assigning work to other team members. Add these tasks to your list, too so you won’t forget them.

Schedule Recurring Tasks

Now that you know what you have to do each week or month, make space for it on your calendar. You can use a physical or digital calendar, depending on what you prefer. Digital calendars do give you a slight advantage since you can set reminder alerts so you never forget an important task again.

As you are filling up your calendar, think about how long each task will take and build in some buffer time. For example, if you think you can write a blog post in twenty minutes, give yourself sixty instead. Now, you have extra time if you realize you need to research a fact or interview a source.

Create a Checklist

Some recurring tasks may be big and complex. Maybe you’re an Amazon seller that needs to upload products to your website. There’s a whole list of things you have to do to make this happen—you need to upload the product to Amazon S3, add it to aMember, set up a form in aMember, create a pickup page in WordPress, add the official sales page to the website, create an autoresponder series, etc.

With all of these tasks, it’s hard to know where to start. Use a checklist to help you stay organized. The next time you’re doing this task, note down every step you have to take along the way. Now, doing this task in the future will be easy since you just have to open your checklist and get to work.

When you schedule recurring tasks on your calendar, you’ll be more likely to remember them. You’ll also feel less stress since you know exactly what to do to stay on track each month.

Tracking Time for Your Personal Use

Hey all my work-from-home entrepreneurs...

Do you sometimes find yourself in a funk and don't feel you're as productive as you could be?

I have felt like that frequently the past few months. At a friend’s urging, I began using a time tracker. I was amazed to see how much time I was filling with minor tasks (like checking Facebook on my phone and surfing Pinterest).

If you haven’t done it before, you should try tracking your time, too. The results can be surprising and like me, you may discover you could be far more productive…

Take 2 Weeks

Think of time tracking like a budget. Your hours are your dollars. By tracking them you can see where your money (in this case your time) is really going. Then you can make adjustments to your schedule depending on what you learn.

Plan to spend at least two weeks tracking your time. If you only track your time for a day or two, you’re not going to get a complete picture of what your habits and routines really look like. This can lead you to under-estimate the time you need to do certain tasks (like finish a big project).

Do Quick Check-Ins

Tracking your time doesn’t have to be all-consuming. Instead, you can check-in with yourself 3-4 times a day to make a note of what you’ve been doing. A good idea is to plan to check-in after every meal. This gives you a chance to think about what you’ve done and what you plan to do in the coming hours.

Record everything no matter what. You wouldn’t splurge on a huge purchase then not budget it. This could lead to financial errors and other problems. It’s the same concept with your time. Acknowledge how you’ve spent it, even if you’re not proud of it.

Use a Physical Notebook

There are dozens of time trackers online. These can be useful when you have to track time for client projects. But it’s not so great when you’re tracking your personal time. If you go to record your time and find yourself distracted by social media or emails, you could definitely benefit from using a physical notebook instead.

Make It Fun

When I started time tracking, I asked a friend to join me. Together we both began tracking our time. I have to admit it was pretty boring at first. But then Kevin suggested that instead of sharing our logs, we take selfies and send them to each other instead.

It made the experience more enjoyable and kept both of us focused on being productive. You can do the same thing—send a quick selfie to a private Instagram account or text each other throughout the day for a visual record of how you’ve spent your time. Decide on a set schedule so you're not texting each other every hour...unless you want to!

Look over Your Log

After you’re done with tracking your time, plan to have a review session the next day. Look over your logs and make notes about what you’d like to change now. Do you want to spend more time with your family? Would you prefer to cut out Facebook and use that hour to work on eating healthier meals?

Time tracking can be a great way to see where you’re spending it well and where you can make some improvements. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself becoming more intentional with how you spend your hours!

The 4 Best Tools for Time Tracking

Time tracking is a great way to ensure that projects stay on track while giving your clients peace of mind. But manually tracking it yourself can be difficult. It’s hard to remember to do it every time you start working on a project, leading to inaccurate time estimates.

The solution is simple: stop tracking your time yourself. Instead, use a tool that monitors your time use for you. Then you can simply review it at the end of each day and make sure it’s accurate. Here are a few of the best apps and software for your time tracking needs…


Account Sight

Account Sight allows you to track time for 5 clients and 5 projects. The great thing about this site is that it integrates with PayPal and QuickBooks. This means that you can easily track your time, invoice your clients, and update your earnings with just a few clicks. There’s both a free version and a paid upgrade that unlocks additional features that you may want to use.

Toggl

Toggl makes it easy to see where your time is going at a glance. You can color code clients and projects, which turn into colorful charts and graphs. It also integrates with other productivity tools like Asana, Trello, Basecamp, and more.

Toggl has a free version that you can use for as long as you want. If you choose to upgrade, you’ll probably do it for access to the accounting features so you easily invoice clients and track your profits.

Rescue Time

Rescue Time is another app for your time tracking. It works differently than most tools. With Rescue Time, the program tracks what websites and apps you use throughout the day. It then gives you a productivity score each evening.

The cool thing about Rescue Time is that you can set specific activities to be categorized as “productive” or “distracting”. This can be helpful if you’re frequently on Facebook to update a client’s group or page. You can simply set Facebook to “productive” so your daily score is accurate. The app has both a free and a premium option if you want more in-depth tracking.

Trigger

Trigger is an app that combines the power of time tracking with project management, resulting in robust software that lets you see at a glance what you need to do each day to stay on track with your projects.

Along with time sheets, you can use Trigger for online reports and automated invoices. It also integrates with Freshbooks, Zapier, Basecamp, Slack and more. You can get started with a free account but it’s limited to just 5 projects, so you may need to upgrade to a premium account later on.



Don’t get discouraged if the first app or software doesn’t seem to fit your needs. It can take a few weeks of testing out different apps until you find the one that works best for you and your business.

How I Track Time for My Clients

I do some social media work for a few clients. I enjoy working with them and am considering expanding this side of my business.

One thing I have noticed is that often it’s hard for clients to understand exactly what I am doing. They paid me for ten hours of social media help but they don’t know what they purchased unless I tell them. At the end of the month, it’s hard to validate the money they’re paying since they aren’t sure what happened with it.

Here are some things I recommend to improve your time tracking for clients. These have all been very beneficial to helping my clients understand exactly what they get when they hire me.

Start with a Regular Report

Every week, I send a brief email to my client and let them know what I did. If you decide to do the same, don’t say something vague like, “I spent three hours on your social media.” That doesn’t give the client an idea of what you were doing.

Instead, provide relevant details. One recent report for a client included things like "one hour spent uploading 15 posts to your social media scheduler. Then I researched popular Pinterest group boards. I followed the rules of each board then pinned your latest blog post so you can get more Pinterest traffic. I also updated the branding for your Facebook fan page with the new logo we discussed.”

Measure Results

After you share what you did, include any metrics that might be helpful. For example, I wrote a new blog post that resulted in two big sales for the above client. I was sure to mention that in my week’s report.

Keep in mind that the results you measure should match the client’s goal. If the client’s goal is to become a social media influencer, then mention that their new video tweet got 103 RTs and 1.5K views on Instagram. If you’re not clear on what your client’s goal is, you need to talk with them. Figure out what it is they’re looking for and develop a strategy to help them achieve it.

Schedule a Review

As a service provider, you want to make sure that you’re spending your time on projects that matter to your client. It’s smart to request a 15-minute call every month. You and your client can use this time to review what you’ve been doing.

I prefer face-to-face time with some clients and so will schedule a monthly meeting. We might meet for lunch or coffee and then spend some time actually looking at their social media accounts and discussing what has been done and the results we are seeing.

This monthly review ensures that you and your client are working toward the same goal. Your client might see what you’re working on and say, “Yes, do more of that please!” or they might say, “No, I want to change direction on this project.”

Tracking Your Time is Good

It’s not just clients who benefit from your time tracking—you do, too! Even if you’re doing an unpaid internship or bartering with someone, track your time.

Plotting how long it took you to complete a task can be helpful so you know how much time to budget for future projects. For example, I write fairly quickly and was only budgeting 30 minutes to write a blog post. But that is for my own topics. I discovered that when I am trying to write for a client it often takes longer. Once I realized this, I began to block off a full 60 minutes so I can write without feeling rushed or frazzled.

Take my advice. Email your clients a weekly report. Your clients will appreciate it and and you should start getting more repeat jobs. And this will enable you to spend less time marketing your business and more time doing what you love — serving your clients.

It's New! It's Sexy! And I Want It!

That was me back in the day.

Every time I saw something new, hot, sexy that promised instant results, I was in. It didn't matter whether it was something that was going to make me rich or something that was going to help me lose weight. If it promised to work FOR me with little or no work FROM me, I wanted it.

Network marketing training
Real Estate Wealth
How to courses on teleseminars, recruiting, prospecting, blogging, and every other money-making scheme out there.
Books and CDs and programs all "guaranteed" to help me get rich - QUICK!

Weight Watchers
Jenny Craig
Pills and powders and gadgets galore all "guaranteed" to help me lose weight.

Want to know what that got me? Debt. Lots of it. Even though I had a $62,000 a year job at the time, I was still broke. And fat. Almost 300 pounds fat.

It got to the point that debt collectors were threatening to sue me. I could hardly walk because of the pain in my hips and knees from all the weight.

When my husband finally threatened to stop helping me pay my debts...

When I couldn't climb the stairs in my own home anymore without being completely out of breath...

That's when I knew something had to change.

Fortunately, that was also the time some life changes made it crucial that I figure all this out and quickly.

There is a saying - When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. I believe that wholeheartedly. Because that is also when I was introduced to some entirely new concepts.

Law of attraction
Gratitude
Prosperity consciousness

And that is when I discovered that hot, new, and sexy may sell short term, but real wealth and true success comes from some time honored success principles. Study. Knowledge. Value. Giving.

As I began to understand these concepts, I was fortunate to be able to study with some of the most successful marketers out there. Because I quickly came to understand that the definition of sexy will will ALWAYS change…and therefore leave those that use “sexy” as their attractor factor high and dry pretty darn quickly.

And sooner or later, word will get out that your "instant" method isn't so instant, and sales will begin to drop. People will learn that you really have nothing of value to offer them and so they will leave, looking for the next hot, new, sexy tool for instant success.

But prosperity principles are timeless. They are they key to lasting success.

The crazy part is that learning these principles was in fact the laziest and quickest thing I could have done as now money is no longer an issue and it is almost effortless to produce. It’s actually FUN! Kind of a GAME.

True prosperity is moving into PASSION where you spend your days doing what you LOVE and income streams towards you from all angles.

True prosperity is when you can see income opportunities all around you that you could never see before. That is why so many successful people have multiple streams of income. (Hmmm...where have you heard that before?). This is why most of the GURU types end up in so many arenas…they can see money everywhere.

This is why we see those that study the prosperity principles and attraction marketing constantly attract all the best partners and venues for income production where so many others STRUGGLE or have one success and then fade from the forefront.

People will always be attracted to hot, new, and sexy. Nothing can stop that. And it used to get me very frustrated to see so many good people fall for things that I knew would be gone in a short period of time. But now I accept what will never change.

But fortunately for me, with age has come wisdom. That is often the case. We see it time and time again.

Who a man wants to date and who a man wants to marry are often very different women. Where a new marketer wants to begin his career and where he wants to build his lasting legacy are often two very different things as well.

And so I now look for MATURE people who can see just how darn hot, new, and sexy what I have to offer is.

Because FREEDOM is always hot and sexy. It’s just the definitions that change.

For some it may be the huge house and fancy car. For others it may be the small country house with land for kids and grandkids to run and play on. It may be the ability to actually run and play with them.

It may be the freedom to spend your days as you see fit instead of following someone else's plan for your time.

Or knowing that your retirement years will be comfortable and debt-free.

Or being able to simply climb the stairs of your home and not be out of breath.

It may be about freedom of being whatever you want to be and financial freedom and self sufficiency. Those things are VERY hot and sexy.

And they all start with your thoughts. Thoughts of prosperity. Of gratitude. Of service.

Success really is all in your mindset.

The Art of Mastering New Tech

We all know that I am not "techy". In fact, I admit to being very technology-challenged. So for me to write an article on technology might seem funny to some. But that's exactly the point. I have embraced technology. Couldn't run my business without it! And if I can do it, you can too - and you should. You just need to know how to do it effectively!

Don't Get Caught Up in Shiny Object Syndrome

For years, I've been using MLSP, a platform that allows me to easily build sales funnels, lead magnets, and training courses. I love the platform and what it does.




Recently, a client asked, “Why are you still part of MLSP when there are so many newer tools available now?”




There’s a reason I chose to stay with MLSP and that’s the stability of their service. They’ve made a commitment to continuously improve their software. They’re consistently adding cool, new features to make my marketing more effective.




The support is fantastic. I could move to another tool and cut a monthly expense but because of my membership with MLSP, I get access to top-notch training any time. I can attend the Wednesday webinar, reach out to support, or even post a question in the Facebook group to get expert advice.




I believe technology can do many good things for your business. But it’s easy to get trapped in a cycle of always seeking the next best thing. You’re constantly tinkering with your software, moving between different platforms, or searching for the perfect tool.

New Tech Can Result in Lost Sales

While it can be tempting to jump on the latest shiny tool, it’s easy to lose sales without realizing it. That’s because while you’re busy tinkering with new tech or testing out the latest software, you aren’t running your business.




Meanwhile an entrepreneur who is committed to the tools she’s using is experiencing growth in her business. She’s selling products. She’s growing her email list. She’s networking with other industry leaders.

 

New Tech Requires Transferring

Many times, opting for new software or buying a new product results in extra work for you. For example, if you’re constantly searching for the best hosting deal, you may move your WordPress website from one host to the next. The problem is that this keeps you from making progress in other areas of your business.




Sometimes, it’s not about transferring as much as set-up. Yes, you could buy that new video software. But how many hours will it take for you to set it up? How long will it take to install? Will you need to update other software in order for it to work with your computer?

New Tech Can Distract You from the Real Work

For some online business owners, new tech is about avoiding another area of business. If you don’t feel confident about your product, you might create a mailing list with AWeber then transfer to Drip two weeks later. You keep moving from service to service, so you don’t have to launch your product.




But working through your fears so you can launch is a much better choice. You may still feel nervous and it may be difficult, but your business will be better for it.

Distracting yourself with new tech can be tempting but it’s not going to help your business long-term. You need to focus on what really matters—building your community and selling your products.

Give Yourself Time to Learn New Tech

My friend Jen wanted to use videos to market her new coaching business. She planned to create videos that she could upload as social media advertisements in order to attract her ideal clients.



She discovered Wave Video and used that for a couple of days. Then a video expert she followed recommended a different service, so she canceled her Wave Video subscription and tried out the other program.



The next week, a friend recommended Animoto and she signed up for that, too. By this point, Jen felt overwhelmed by all the tools she had. She didn’t know what to do next and she was frustrated.



When Jen asked me for advice, I admitted that video is not my strongest skill. I suggested that she pick one tool to focus on. Sometimes, the problem with using several different tools is that you don’t take the time to fully learn how to use any of them.



If you’re like Jen and you have a lot of tools that do similar things, it’s time to choose one and learn how to use it correctly. Use these tips to guide you…

Find a Resource

Some companies do regular webinars where they teach new customers everything they need to know about their product. If you have the chance, attending a live webinar is a great idea. Not only will you learn more about the product, you’ll also have the chance to ask questions and get more detailed support.



Not every company provides training for their products. But that doesn’t mean that there’s no resource guide. You may still be able to find helpful tutorials by looking on Amazon. Go to the books section and enter the software you’re using. If there are books on the subject, they should appear in the results.

Hire a Virtual Assistant

Another option to master your tech tools is to hire a virtual assistant. Choose someone who specializes in your particular area. For example, if you want to master a mailing list tool, then find a VA who specializes in email marketing. She’s likely to be more knowledgeable than a general virtual assistant.



Ask the VA you hire to perform a few tasks for you and use screenshot software to record her work. For example, send a VA the newsletter you want added to AWeber. When she records her actions, you’ll be able to see step-by-step how to use the new software.

Reach Out to Your Community

You can also reach out to your business community for guidance. If you belong to a Facebook group or LinkedIn group where members are known to be helpful, make a post about the software you’re using and what you’d like to learn to do.



You may find a virtual assistant or a software expert that you can hire. You may also have another entrepreneur who volunteers to assist you. If that happens, try to barter with someone who is need of your skills, too. For example, if another member is willing to guide you through graphic design software, you could offer to write the copy for her sales page.



When it comes to new tech, don’t rush out and buy the latest tools. Instead, spend time learning how to use what you already have. Not only will you save money, you’ll also be more knowledgeable about the software you own.

Why Do You Keep Getting Swept Up in the Latest Launch?

Danni spent eighteen months learning to become a certified life coach. She already knew her ideal clients were women in their forties going through a divorce. She had a WordPress website set up and she’d hired a business manager to help her stay on track.



But she kept re-working her branding. One week she used Canva to create a beautiful logo in bright purple. The next week, she’d decided to try Adobe Spark and she changed her logo font and the colors. After that, she switched to PicMonkey where she redesigned her brand colors to be bright red.



Finally, Danni’s business manager arranged a call. As Danni talked with the other woman, she had an epiphany – she was using her branding work and the graphic design tools to put off her launch.



It’s easy to get caught up in finding the perfect tool rather than launching your services or products. If you find yourself in a situation like Danni’s, here are a few reasons you might be putting off your launch…

Fear of Failure

Once you publish your services package or upload your book to Amazon Kindle, it’s hard to take it back. It’s out there and you may feel nervous, excited, and scared all at the same time.



If failure’s what you’re afraid of, don’t try to avoid this fear. Instead sit with it for a few minutes. Ask yourself, “What’s the worst thing that will happen if I fail?”



Your answer might be, “Well, if my book doesn’t sell any copies, my writing dreams will be over.”



When you get to the root of your fear, consider whether your fear is really telling the truth. For example, your writing career won’t be over if your book doesn’t sell. You can still publish more books. Remind yourself of this truth when you’re tempted to put off your new book launch.

Procrastination

Another reason you may be hesitant to pull the trigger on your new launch is because you’re procrastinating. On the surface, procrastination may not look that bad. After all, you might tell yourself that you’re just getting one more certification or finalizing the details.



But be honest with yourself. If you’ve been finalizing your launch for six months or pursuing more certification when you already hold two dozen certificates, you’re procrastinating.



One of the simplest ways to end procrastination is to announce a public deadline. Tell your friends, your family, and your business group that you’re launching on June 1st or whatever date you prefer. Knowing that your friends and colleagues are waiting on your launch can motivate you to get it done. A public deadline encourages accountability.

Lack of Confidence

Sometimes, getting swept up in the latest tools happens because you lack the confidence to move forward. You keep thinking that confidence will come once you’ve mastered a new tool or have the best software available.



Confidence comes after you launch, not before it. That means, you have to be willing to do it afraid. You’re going to feel nervous and that’s natural. But don’t let a lack of confidence keep you from pursuing your dream. Stop paying attention to the latest new tools. Instead, focus on launching your product or your services so you can grow your business. You’ll be happier and more confident after your launch!

4 Questions to Ask before You Say Yes to New Tools

Sometimes in the excitement of a new launch or the rush of discovering cool software, it’s easy to rush ahead. But before you click that buy button, it can be helpful to take a step back and ask yourself a few questions. These questions are designed to help you decide if a new tool or the latest software is the right fit for you…

Who Is Promoting This New Tool?

There's always another bright, shiny tool. The people talking about these products are affiliates and it’s in their interest to promote it. That’s not to suggest that there's anything wrong with affiliate marketing. It's one of my main income streams!



But keep in mind that it's in your best interest to stay focused on the tools you already have. It’s easy to get caught up in moving from one tool to the next. But while you’re busy chasing new things and mastering the latest software, another entrepreneur is growing her mailing list. She’s selling her products and enjoying the profits.

How Much Time Will You Need to Invest in Learning?

In The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks, he shares that there are four zones in life. These four zones include:



· The Zone of Incompetence



· The Zone of Competence



· The Zone of Excellence



· The Zone of Genius



The Zone of Incompetence is for tasks that bog you down. You’re not skilled at them and they take a long time to complete.



Every time you tackle new tech, you're volunteering to spend time in the Zone of Incompetence. The time you spend in this zone when you're a new entrepreneur is acceptable.



But when you've been sitting in the same zone for years, there's a problem. You've been hiding out and holding onto excuses. There comes a point in every entrepreneur's journey when they need to stop living in the Zone of Incompetence.

Will 10 Hours Make a Difference?

If you only had 10 hours available in the next two days and you knew you could use those 10 hours to leverage your existing tools and make a nice profit, then do it.



But if you look at it and say 10 hours invested in new tools will make a difference in your long-term profits, then making the switch might be the next best move for your business. If you don't know if switching will make a difference, then don't make the move. Instead, focus on building your business with the tools you already have on-hand.

Is Your Old Tool Still Serving You?

When I moved from SBI to AWeber, I did it because the SBI mailing list service was no longer a good fit for my business. I could clearly see that investing 10 hours in making the switch would boost my long-term profits.



Likewise, there may come a day when you wake up and realize your tech needs to go. Be honest with yourself about that.




There’s a difference between buying dozens of bright, shiny objects and making smart timely decisions about the tech that you're using. Knowing the difference between the two is important.





Keep in mind that this is not about being anti-tech or even anti-new tools. It’s not about making you frown on new things or doubt the people who recommend cool products to you. Rather, the goal here is for you to realize that you cannot chase new tech forever.



If you’ve been shifting to new tools more than once a year, you’re doing it too often. Be patient and give yourself time to learn about the tools you already have, rather than buying new ones.

How to Be Choosy about New Tech

You’re making good progress on a big project when suddenly your inbox dings a notification that you have a new message. You stop what you’re doing and pause to read it. A fellow business owner has written a glowing review of a new tech tool.



You click through her link and begin reading about it. There’s the promise of a free trial, so you sign up and spend the afternoon experimenting. Pretty soon, you’re wondering if you should buy this software. And you've completely lost the momentum you had going on your project...



If you’ve found yourself debating a new business purchase, here are a few tips to help you think it through…

Challenge Yourself to Wait

Many affiliates and software creators use urgency to encourage visitors to click the buy button the moment they see it. While there’s nothing wrong with using urgency to prompt your community to take action, you have to understand that sometimes, the urgency is false.



For example, one well-known software creator has a countdown timer on his sales page. His “deal of a lifetime” expires in two days. But if you revisit the page on day 3, you’ll discover the countdown timer has been reset.



When you’re deliberating a decision about software, try to delay it by a week. See if you still feel that same sense of urgency after a few days have passed. If not, then you can safely skip the purchase.

Set Aside Time to Review It

It’s easy to get swept up in the urgency of the sales page or a shiny, new launch price. This causes many entrepreneurs to buy software that doesn’t fit their needs. By the time you realize the tool isn’t right for you, the refund period has ended.



Instead of buying a product blindly, plan to review the sales page in-depth. One entrepreneur puts a star beside messages with tools he may want to use. On Saturday afternoons, he carefully reads the sales page for the items that caught his eye that week. This gives him the space to make a calm, logical decision.

Put It on Your Long-Term List

Sometimes, you’ll see a product and know that while it would be a good fit for you, the timing is off. Perhaps you found video software that will let you make social media advertisements but you’re in the middle of lengthy copywriting course. You don’t want to lose the link to the video software but you also know you can’t afford to split your focus.



If this happens to you, create a long-term list that you review once every 3-6 months. This list could have links to products you’re interested in, notes about future goals, and other business opportunities.

Ask a Mentor

Another option when you encounter a new object is to talk with a business owner with more experience. Often, a mentor or coach can help you see through the hype and urgency so you can make the best decision for your business.



Your coach might say, “What about your goal to improve your copywriting? Does this video software bring you closer to reaching it?” Or she might say, “Yes! That would be a great tool since one of your goals for this year was to focus on video marketing!”

Don’t feel pressured into making a rush decision. Even if you have to pay a little extra, it’s worth it to know that you made a purchase that was in line with your goals.

Still a bit unsure about all the new tech? Join the Ninja Marketers FB Group. We regularly share the scoop on the newest software, apps, and gadgets. And the best part is - if I recommend it, you know I have tried it and it works!

Cleaning House, Making Changes, Being Adaptable - The Secret to My Success!

I know - once again it's been too long since I've posted.  That's why it's time for some changes.  I simply cannot keep up! Too many blogs!

You know me.  I learned about the power of blogging.   So if one blog is good, two would be great.  Right?  And four would be AMAZING!


And more than that would be - uncontrollable!

So it's time to admit that.  Time to take control BACK!!

I'm starting by cleaning house. Discontinuing blogs that no one is interacting with..


(So if you want to keep reading, you'd better start interacting! A simple comment now and then will do.)


Much easier for me to manage!  You might even get regular posts once again!

Making changes and being adaptable is part of being in business.  If you can't adapt and change as necessary, you won't survive very long...


And I have been around a long time!


So I'm off to tackle this. Time to declutter my life!  But one thing I did find time for...


The 30 Day Marketing Intensive

30 days of training and action steps designed to help you finish 2019 with more....

More leads, more sales, more team members....

There have been so many changes with Facebook lately. And more are coming. If you are solely dependent on Facebook as your marketing tool, you could be struggling. Which is why we cover so much more...and all in 30 days!  So don't miss out on your chance to really sharpen your marketing skills.
Click here to join us!

Thanks to all of my loyal readers who have patiently stuck by me. You ROCK!


I will do better!  I promise!

30 Day Intensive Starts Soon

Happy "It's Finally Really Fall"!

I was planning to work out on my porch with my lap top today.  It's been a bit nippy but I like it.  But it has suddenly turned downright COLD!  And it's raining!  So I'm settling for looking out my office window at the rain coming down.  Enjoying some coffee and snacks.  Doing a few odds and ends.

The reality is that I actually LOVE what I do so much it never feels like work.  I thought making videos outside might be a fun change.  The rain had other plans.  So instead I decided to take a break today.  We all need a break every now and then. 

But it has been a while since I've posted here.  I've been so busy putting my new website together, cleaning up recent storm damage, grieving for my cat (follow me on Facebook if you want the details on that horrible story!)/  And I guess time just got away from me.

Anyways.. I wanted to let you know that while I am goofing off today I will be putting together the details of the 30 Day Intensive program I have coming up for folks so stay tuned to this blog.

If you really want to have a successful business... NOW is the best time of the year to get to work and I will be showing you exactly why and how.  Lots of home business owners take off during the winter, especially as we approach the holiday season.  So if you put in some hard work now, you will be way ahead of everyone else at the start of 2020.  And I promise, it will not interfere with your holiday fun!

So enjoy your day and then GET READY to work and you'll be VERY HAPPY you did.

Details out tonight or tomorrow so hang tight and check back here in the next couple of days.

We live in a land of opportunity.  Let's face it...people died so that we would have the RIGHT to own businesses and be CAPITALISTS..

Isn't it time for YOU to get your piece of the pie?

Create the Life You Crave

If you've read my story then you know I have often been faced with some tough circumstances...a divorce, a seriously ill child, unexpectedly caring for an aging parent, loss of my business, cancer. At each of these moments I could have made the decision to just throw in the towel and quit. But momma didn't raise a quitter! I made the choice to battle on. Sometimes that involved making drastic changes. Sometimes it was just a matter of changing mindset. But every time it involved making the decision to not get stuck!

It’s easy to get stuck in one place—maybe you’re stuck in a job you hate or a relationship that’s keeping you from growing. Although it won’t be easy, you can create the life you crave. Here are a few key ways to do that…

Own Your Intention

Just saying you’d like to do something different or wishing for your life to change isn’t enough. If you truly want your life to look different, you have to be specific and own your intention. For example, you could say, “I want to move to Texas next year” or “I want to start my own business in six months”.

Once you’re clear on what you desire, you can begin working toward it. Many people explain that “things just fell into place” once they knew what they wanted. That’s because the energy of your desire attracts what you need to fulfill it.

Set Small Goals

With your intention clarified, it’s time to begin setting goals. It’s smart to keep these goals small and easily achievable. When I moved my dad to Arkansas, the first thing I did was clean out his apartment.  

It’s OK if your goals seem very tiny at this stage. Remember, each step is feeding into your larger goal. By creating a string of tiny goals, you’re setting yourself up for easy victories. As you accomplish more, you’ll start to gain momentum and before you know it, you’ll have achieved your big goal.

Operate from Power

When you set a goal, you will encounter obstacles and setbacks. I was in the middle of finals week in college when I learned I had cancer. So I re-adjusted my plan to focus on my treatment and recovery and made arrangements to write papers from home while recovering as my final exams for classes where this was possible.

The important thing when you face these setbacks and obstacles is that you operate from a place of power. It’s easy to let things throw you off track and become a victim. For example, you might say, “I can never start an online business because I never have the money” or “I can’t move because my family isn’t supportive”.

Instead, shift your thinking and focus on how you can overcome what’s holding you back. You might say, “Hmm, I can babysit a friend’s children for $20 tonight and have the money to buy my domain name” or “I can begin researching the safest neighborhoods in my new city to comfort my family and bring them on board”.

Read Inspiring Books

While you’re in the middle of making big changes in your life, it can be helpful to read content that encourages and motivates you. A wonderful book that you might find eye-opening in 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do.

One book that can help you hang on during the difficult moments of a life change is Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. When you’re in need of a quick pep talk, read for You Are A Badass®: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life.

 

You can create the life you crave at any moment you choose. State what you want, own your power, and step into all of the amazing things God has in store for you!

Forging a New Path (When You Can't See the Old One)

I was living my dream.  We are family that serves so I had followed the path and was currently on active duty with the Navy.  We were stationed in Hawaii - paradise!  I was married to a fellow member of the military.  Granted he was a Marine, but I loved him anyway!  We had two great kids.  We spent our off duty time going to the beach and basically just enjoying the island lifestyle.

But three years into our tour in Hawaii, I discovered some secrets about my marriage.  It wasn't quite as perfect as I had thought.  I am not going to go into details here.  But I was devastated.

In the coming months, I lost everything I had loved.  My husband through the divorce.  My stepdaughter who left with her father.  We sent our kids to private schools and excellent daycare because of our dual incomes.  Now I was struggling to afford just basic necessities.  (In divorce, the 2nd income leaves.  The bills often don't).  My own daughter became seriously ill and I was overwhelmed with trying to care for her and still work.  I didn't get a promotion I should have because I was so tired and stressed that I just couldn't get it together to study for the advancement exam.  I was basically looking at life from a whole new perspective...starting over.

Maybe you’ve found yourself in my shoes. You’ve lost everything and you have no choice but to rebuild your entire life. But you’re not sure what that process should look like exactly.

Let Go

Start by letting go. Think about the things that are no longer serving you.  I had spent years devoted to my husband and family only to lose half of them.  For a long time, I could only focus on what I’d had.

A friend encouraged me to stop looking backward. You can’t move forward in your car if the gear is stuck in reverse.   Terrible things happen to everyone. You don’t get a choice in that. What you do get to decide is what gear you’ll put your life in.

Create New Traditions

Sometimes, the hardest part of starting over is letting go of habits that we loved. We were financially set and so the girls and I could afford to go shopping for new clothes once a week. Now we couldn't afford that.  We had many friends in common and went to Sunday brunch or weekend dinners.  Now many of them felt like they had to choose sides.

When you’re forced to start over, missing these traditions is painful. But don’t get caught up in sitting around wishing for how things were. Create new traditions that honor what your life looks like now. For example, you could invite your closest friends over on Sundays for game day or spend the time you use to go shopping to refashion old items in your closet.

Design Your Vision

When you’re forging a new path in live, it’s easy to get focused on what you don’t want. For example, if you’re leaving a bad marriage, you may swear off romantic relationships or a certain city.

While these blanket statements may make you feel good, they don’t help you create more of what you want in your life. This is where a vision board can be helpful. You can use one to create a positive image of the new life you’re looking to make.

The vision board you make can be physical—you can grab magazines, books, and other old media to create yours. But a vision board can also be digital and you can use a website like Dream It Alive or Vision Board to design yours.

Rebuilding your life after adversity isn’t easy. But you have the smarts (and the power!) to do it. Embrace this season of rebirth in your life!

How To Overcome Setbacks & Obstacles

I had been trying to make my network marketing business work for years. Then my dad came to live with me and I really needed to be able to work from home. When I finally found the right coach and mentor, I began to see some success. Now, I was able to actually recruit people and sell products. I was actually making money and caring for my dad and I looked forward to each new day.

But just as I was finding my groove and seeing some success, I began to see a change in the company...one that I didn't feel comfortable with. When I heard that they were under investigation by the FTC, I was disappointed. I knew I couldn't in good faith continue to promote them. I felt like it was just a matter of time before they were shut down (and I was right). It felt like a huge setback and I wasn’t sure if I could overcome it.

Have you ever been where I was? You felt like you were in your groove. You were on your way to achieving an important goal then something made the brakes screech to a halt.

Now you’re left wondering how you’re supposed to deal with this latest setback or obstacle. The good news is there are a few things you can do to turn this obstacle into an opportunity…

Reframe It

When you encounter a setback or obstacle, you might be tempted to turn it into a catastrophe. You say things like, “I knew this would happen! Nothing goes right for me and I can’t do this!”

Instead of looking at this problem as the end of your journey. Challenge yourself to see it differently. For example, you might say, “I’m really bummed that ABC happened. But I can use this as a learning experience and grow from it.”

This simple attitude flip puts you back in the driver’s seat. Instead of being a helpless victim, you re-affirm that you’re in charge and you reclaim your power.

Make an Action Plan

Now that you’re in a positive state of mind, it’s time to deal with your obstacle or setback. You need to start brainstorming solutions. Grab a sheet of paper and pen or your favorite smart device. Try to list 20 possible ways you could deal with the situation.

Not all of your solutions have to be realistic or even ideal. The important thing is that you begin brainstorming and thinking. As you stay open to new ideas, you may just come across the perfect solution.

Ask a Mentor for Help

If you have an action plan but don’t know which option is the best, reach out to your mentor or a coach. Share what you’re walking through and your top 3 solutions. Then ask for their advice.

Be prepared to listen—even if you don’t like the answer. Your coach or mentor may have a suggestion that you hadn’t considered before. Don’t be quick to dismiss a new idea. Instead, quiet your inner ego and listen. You never know what you might discover!

Facing an obstacle is never easy. But you can overcome anything that life throws at you with the right attitude and a solid action plan.

Finding Your Way Back

I had a wonderful life. I was on active duty with the Navy, stationed in Hawaii. I had been married to my Marine Corps husband for 5 years and we had two children.

Then one day, my husband announced he was leaving me and cleaned out the joint bank accounts. My whole life changed in the blink of an eye.

Maybe you’ve been where I was. Perhaps a partner walked out and left you alone or maybe you’re facing a different but equally serious crisis—like losing a loved one, being diagnosed with a serious illness, or losing your job. In these moments, it’s hard to know what to do. If you find yourself feeling lost, here’s how to start finding your way back…

Take the Time to Process

The worst thing you can do during a crisis is to run from your feelings. If you try to bottle them up, these feelings will just come out in other ways. Usually, these are self-destructive activities like overeating, drinking to excess, or medicating yourself.

Instead of ignoring these feelings, lean into them. If you need to cry, scream, or vent, then do it. Write a lengthy journal entry about how much you hate your ex. Call up your best friend and cry on her shoulder.

Remember, your feelings aren’t good or bad. They’re just emotions and you may feel a whole range of them. For example, when dad died, I felt relieved more than anything. But the relief quickly morphed to guilt.

I shared my feelings with a friend who pointed out my dad had been suffering from Alzheimer's for years. I watched him struggle and slowly lose touch with all that he was. She reminded me of how terrified he was of having to go into a home. The relief came because I knew that now he would never face that fear. It didn't make me a bad person.  Emotions simply are.

Do the Next Thing

When a crisis strikes, it’s tempting to look at the big picture and freak out. You might wonder if you’ll be alone forever. You may worry that you’ll never be able to rebuild your life or be happy again. These fears are normal and they’re part of walking through a crisis.

But it’s not helpful to think too much about the future when you’re going through trauma. It’s much smarter to simply focus on the next thing you need to do. For example, instead of thinking about the surgeries you have upcoming or the hundreds of decisions you’ll have to make now that you’re a single parent, look to the present.

What’s the next thing you need to right now? Is it to go to the pharmacy and pick up your medications? Or put on food for dinner?

Decide what the next task you need to do is and give it all of your attention. You don’t have to worry about how everything will turn out. Instead, keep putting one foot in front of the other.

This even works with your business.  We call it Zero-Level Marketing.  It's the bare minimum you need to do every day to keep your business afloat.  So don't worry about trying to expand while you are dealing with trauma.  Choose the one or two tasks that you can do every day to keep you present in the mind of your market.   

Practice Self-Care

During a crisis or major life event, it’s important that you take time out for yourself. This means making sure your own physical, emotional, and spiritual needs are met. Try to eat healthy foods that energize your body. Go for a walk in the sunshine. Color or do another calming artistic activity.

This may seem like the worst time to practice self-care but it’s actually the best. You need to be at the top of your game during this crisis and you can’t do that if you’re not feeling your best.

Don’t be afraid to set aside ten minutes to do something relaxing—meditate, cuddle with your pet, focus on your breathing, read a short inspirational writing, stretch, or watch a funny YouTube video.

Finding your way back after a crisis takes time so be patient with yourself. It will be a long, winding road with plenty of twists and turns. But you’ll get there and when the journey is over, you’ll be glad you kept moving forward.