Talk About Yourself with Ease on Your "About Me" Page

You’ve probably heard that the "about me" page is the most visited on nearly any website. And that makes sense if you think about it: Your potential customers and team members want to know who they’re doing business with.

The trouble is, getting that information across without being too personal (i.e. unprofessional) or too formal (read: unreachable) is tough. Especially when you’re writing about yourself.

Let Your Personality Show

This is, after all, your “about me” page. So it makes sense to let the real you shine just a little bit. Write as if you’re having an email conversation with a friend. Don’t worry about being too formal, and if you start to sound like you’re writing a cover letter, lighten up a bit.

However, you can go to far. You probably should not use swear words (even if in real life you have a potty mouth), and you should leave out the details of your rotten divorce and how you’re trying to raise three kids and that’s why you’re working from home. That much “personality” is a turn off for potential clients.

Also, be sure to include your photo. It will make you seem more like a real person and less like some faceless website owner. Just be sure the photo you choose leans more toward professional than not. You don’t have to spring for expensive headshots, but don’t use the Halloween costume party photo, either.

But What Should I Say?

Here’s where most people really get stuck. Some things you might want to include in your “about page” are:

• Who you work with
• How long you’ve been in business (unless you started less than a year ago)
• Your core strengths
• What makes you different from others in your field

Not sure where to start? Take a look at the “about me” pages of those who are doing similar work, and who have a similar style. What do you like about their pages, and what do you think isn’t working for them? Make some notes including specific details so you can refer to them as you write your own page.

Remember, your "about me" page doesn’t have to be long or formal, but it does have to give people a sense of who you are and what you can do for them.

Really Stuck? Get Outside Help

Writing about yourself is hard. If you’re struggling, it may be time to get some help. You might choose to hire a writer – there are even those who specialize in “about me” pages – but it might be just as easy to get a friend to help.

Building a Home Business

There are a lot of people that would like to work from home right now.  The corporate rat race just keeps getting worse and with the number of people looking for work, you could be a bit insecure!  Especially with the recent announcements of layoffs and shutdowns.

The good news is a home business is something you can begin today while you still have your other job.  You can build it up with the aim of making enough money for you to set aside for emergencies.  Or you can work to eventually replace your income if you do lose your job.

Lots of people have started home businesses and are doing very well with them.  The problem is you usually only hear from the ones who haven't.  But what they don't tell you is that it is usually their own fault.  They either don't put enough effort into it, they choose a bad system to follow that doesn't help them grow, or they treat their business a lot more like a hobby than a business. Something to be worked on only when they don't have anything else to do.

You are nothing like that, are you? You've been working 50 hours a week for at your job for so long you know you couldn't go through a day without doing something. With your own home business those hours would be devoted to you and your folks and your customers and down-line and no one else. You would be calling the shots.

No more sitting in traffic, skipping lunch and working late. No more spending money on business attire. NO more going days without seeing your kids and your spouse. Oh and did I mention vacations? Take your laptop along on as many vacations as you like, do some work during the day and live the good life with your family.

Can you see it?  Can you picture that life?  Great! Do you already have experience in sales or a customer-oriented job?  That's even better!

There are plenty of things worth doing if you would like to start a home business. You could spend weeks poking around on the internet trying to find the perfect idea and how to get started.  But chances are you will start to feel frustrated and ready to throw in the towel before you even get started! You can easily waste a lot of money too.

Here's the secret to success in the "work from home" arena - find someone who is already making the kind of money you want, who is living the life you aspire to. Team up with them, find out what exactly they are doing and have been doing to produce that result.  And then just do what they do. Seriously. Building a lucrative business can really be just that simple - no matter what business you want to promote.

Sales and marketing is the key - not what you're promoting. Right now there are plenty of online systems you can use to generate a regular supply of leads, qualify those leads instantly, produce a nice stream of income whether they join your business or not, and literally grow your business on autopilot. Here is the  home business lead generation system we recommend.

Reputations Are Fragile

Paula Deen.  OJ.  Arthur Andersen.  Lindsey Lohan.  Tonya Harding.  Lance Armstrong.  Volkswagen.  BP.  Monsanto.  Goldman Sachs.  The list could go on and on.  What do all of these names have in common?  Damaged reputations.  Once they were considered to be among the best in their fields.  And then...one misstep, one error, one wrong statement or one bad act and a reputation is sullied.  Sometimes forever.

Reputations are fragile.  Once they are damaged, they can be impossible to restore.  Trust is everything.  Once it's lost, it might never be reclaimed.


People do business with those they KNOW, LIKE, and TRUST!  So why do so many sacrifice good reputations for power, money, or prestige?  You invest so much into building that reputation only to watch all of that hard work and success disappear.  


I've heard it.  I've even said it myself a few times.  "I don't care what others think of me."  And in some ways that can be a good and positive thing.  If people think I'm a little bit quirky, or sometimes too outspoken - I can live with that.  But if they don't trust me to do the right thing - if they think I'm unreliable, dishonest, or lazy - then it DOES matter what they think of me.  Because their perception of me can negatively impact my ability to earn a living.


How many of us do business with a particular person or company simply because we trust them more than others?  We may pay a little more.  We may wait a little longer for an appointment.  We may accept a bit less selection.  We may travel a little farther.  But we do it happily.  Why?  Because they have earned our trust and respect.  I know I do it all the time! 


You may think that since you are a network marketer or an online marketer, that your reputation is out of your control and doesn't really matter anyway.  But it's is probably more important here than elsewhere!  We are already fighting against the poor reputation network marketing has gained through the actions of some less scrupulous companies and reps.  More than ever, we need to be the positive example!  Spamming, inflating earnings, exaggerating product claims, stealing reps from other teams - all these only serve to further damage our reputation as a business model, not to mention your own reputation as a business person.


Socrates said, "The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear."  You are the face of your business.  If you want people to think of your company with respect and trust, then you must act accordingly always.  Will you sometimes make a misstep?  Sure.  Sometimes things happen through no fault of your own.  You might be part of a company that has some problems (been there!).  Or you might promote a product that isn't what you were led to believe.  (Been there too!)   But if you personally have a good reputation, you can overcome that when it happens.  Pick yourself up.  Admit the issue.  State how you will correct the issue.  And then do it.  With a smile.  Think Tylenol.  Remember the poisoned Tylenol scare?  That could have destroyed the brand.  But they responded quickly and efficiently to protect their consumers and because of that, may have earned more respect for their brand.


"But I'm having a bad day.  So I did send out a little spam.  I did target someone I knew was going to join another team.  I need the money."  Well, guess what.  We're in business.  So, yes we may have bad days.  No, we aren't allowed to use that as an excuse.  You still have to deliver great products and services, and impeccable customer service.  You still have to be honest and trustworthy.  Every day.  Without fail.


It takes time to build a great reputation.  It can be destroyed in a day.  So be consistent.  Be reliable.  Be trustworthy.  Offer the best products and services you can.  Offer stellar customer service.  And always, always tell the truth. 


The purest treasure mortal times afford is a spotless reputation.  --Shakespeare    

Foodies Everywhere Rejoice - Meet Jeff Pfohl!

I'm a foodie.  In case you couldn't tell by looking at me!  I LOVE to cook - and EAT - exquisite food.  So I was thrilled when a friend introduced me to a company called Gourmet Delights.  I ordered a few things, loved them, and have been a faithful customer ever since. (Thanks Terri!)  But you know me...I am also an avid networker.  So of course, it was not long before the owner of this amazing company and I had connected.  I can't even tell you how it happened because I feel like we've been chatting for ever.  I love his sense of humor.  I love his products.  I love his commitment to customer service.  You will too.  Fellow foodies - meet Jeff Pfohl.

1. Jeff, tell us about yourself.



My formal education is in chemistry and physics. After getting my PhD I worked in the government for several years before venturing out on my own as an entrepreneur. This scientific background prepared me well for entrepreneurship in that a Ph.D. not only takes 6 years, which takes patience and determination, but also means failure. Experiments go wrong, and you need to reevaluate, and adjust, moving forward. In a small business things also go wrong, and you need to stop, and often rethink everything you originally believed, challenge every assumption, and then come up with a new plan to move forward.
 

2. Tell us about your business



Gourmet-Delights.com is an online retail store specializing in gourmet foods for the home chef. I was tired of paying what I considered exorbitant prices for average ingredients. I knew I could offer higher quality ingredients than were currently available retail, at a lower price than the average products on the store shelves, thus our motto "Exceptional Foods at realistic prices".



I decided to be online only, for two important reasons: first was to keep my costs down, so I could pass those savings along to the customer, and second was to expand my reach. I’ve lived in big cities, and small towns, and the variability of supermarkets is astounding. When I lived in those places, long before the internet was mainstream and in everyone’s home, not being able to find a real balsamic vinegar, or true extra virgin olive oil, or certain spices was painful for a home chef like me. Gourmet-Delights.com solves those dilemmas and puts high quality ingredients right on your doorstep no matter where you live.



3. Why did you choose to start your own business and why this particular niche?


Gourmet-Delights.com is my 9th startup. It became a reality when I was hosting dinner parties for friends, with ingredients I hand carried back from around the world during my travels, and my friends always asked "where I can find that ingredient" and I would say it is only available in Europe, or Asia, or…. So if I had extra I’d give them some, which meant I ran out sooner. At some point ½ my suitcase was bringing ingredients back for friends, and I said "if my friends are begging me for these ingredients, and love them, there must be others out there looking." I launched the website in March 2009 and immediately started getting sales.




4. What do you like most, and least, about being your own boss?
 

What I like most is the lack of office politics. Small businesses allow everyone to be connected. The owner/CEO can talk to everyone, and everyone can talk to the CEO. Problems get identified, and resolved, faster because everyone has a stake, and everyone has a valuable perspective to offer. That teamwork is invaluable for a small business. The worst thing is my boss, that’s me, is always watching me *lol* Every moment I’m doing something else, which isn’t often, I think "I should be back at work".



5. What personality traits and skills are needed to run a business?
 

You need to have an even keel. A business, especially in the early stages, is like a roller coaster. Ups, downs, and stomach wrenching drops. If you react emotionally, if you jump at every little hiccup, you will burn out very quickly. You also need to be ready for failure. Not everything will go your way, you can count on that. So when things go wrong, you cannot just wallow in the failure, and sulk for a few days, you need to immediately fix that issue because 10 other things are related and could fail too if you don’t resolve things quickly. It takes a special personality, and mindset, to take blow after blow after blow, and still believe you can survive and be successful. Be ready to sacrifice your personal life, be ready to be the only one who will still believe in you month after month after month, and be ready for the disappointments that will inevitably come your way.
 

The fight is very real, and since only 1 in 14,000 companies make it to their 2nd year, the odds are really against you.
 


6. What has been the most difficult part of being an entrepreneur?



Not everyone understands the entrepreneurial lifestyle. It is a vow of poverty as you put your own savings into the company to get it off the ground. It is working days, nights, and weekends. It is thus very isolating. You will often feel alone, and you are alone. You need to be comfortable with being alone. But also make sure you have a support network, friends, family, colleagues, who you can talk to. It keeps you grounded, and helps you clear your mind, and look at things from a different perspective. But remember, in the end, it is your company, and it lives, or dies with you.



7. Do you have any resources that you have used to build your business that you would recommend?

Always hire professionals to do things you are not an expert in. You need to focus on your strengths to push the company forward. Hire a good contracts attorney, and let them handle the legal stuff. Hire a good accountant, and let them handle the accounting. For online businesses, use a top-tier hosting company, with the best support and software. Yes they cost money, and are more expensive than the "Bargain basement" hosts, but the amount of time, and frustration, you save is well worth the investment. This not only gives you some peace of mind, but is smart operationally and strategically.
 

8. Do you have any tips to share on promoting yourself?



Be honest with everyone. You may need to deliver bad news, you may need to deliver news that is embarrassing to yourself, a mistake you made, something that went wrong at the company, but if you are honest and open with others, they respect that.



9. What other advice would you like to share with someone starting their own business?
 

Be part of a small company first. You will get the look and feel of a small business without the 100% responsibility that comes with owning your own business. There is nothing like seeing the dynamics of a small company, the struggles, and the dedication it takes to determine if you are ready for your own company. You will build a network of people that can help you later on, and most importantly you can learn from other’s mistakes.
 

10. How can we contact you to learn more about your products and services?

My website is full of information, from product descriptions, to recipes, to customer reviews. I work very hard to put all the information I possibly can on the website so the customer can be as informed as I am. That empowers the customer.

Turning Things Around

My first Success Story webinar last night was fabulous!  (And yes, I will be sharing the video here on my blog later.  But if you don't want to wait, you can find it on Facebook in my Ninja Marketers Group.)  Andy Shepherd was an amazing guest.


We talked about all sorts of things.  But one of the things we spent quite a bit of time on was mindset.  Because it's HUGE!  If you are struggling - with your business, your health, your relationships, you LIFE - and you want to turn things around, there is a way.  You have to flip how you think.


You can control how you see things.  If you focus on the negative, that's all you'll see.  But when you flip it and focus on the positive, it's just the opposite.  It's like God suddenly decides to lay out all the pieces for you and you just have to pick them up.  But the truth is they've been there all the time.  You just couldn't see them through the cloud of negativity. 


Let's start with your business.  This is a business blog after all.  I hear it all the time.  "I can't _______!"  (Fill in the blanks.  Blog.  Speak.  Do Facebook Lives.  Promote.)  "No one will listen to me.  I'm not successful yet."  Well you know what?  You're probably right.  Because you don't have confidence in yourself and that will come through in everything you do.  So if you are waiting to be successful before you have the confidence to put yourself and your business out there, you will be waiting for a very long time.  But what if I told you that success doesn't make you confident.  Confidence actually makes you successful!  Think about it.  Who would you rather do business with?  Someone who is confident in themselves and what they offer or someone who seems unsure and hesitant about their business? 


Or a theme that I see (no kidding) on social media repeatedly.  "I'm so unhappy.  I wish I could find that special guy (or girl) to share my life with.  Then I would be happier."  Really?  That's all it would take to make you happy?  Feel sorry for you.  You're going to be alone for a long, long time.  No one can fulfill all your needs that way.  Which is probably why you're still alone.  But what if I told you that relationships don't make you happy?  Happy people make relationships.  Again, think about it.  Who would you rather hang out with?  Someone who is positive and cheerful or someone who is needy and despondent?


"Yes, but you have been through so much.  It made you strong and courageous."  Well, yes...I have been through some STUFF!  But it didn't make me courageous.  Being courageous helped me face and overcome those challenges.


"I'm waiting for some results before I take more action."  Well action breeds results.  So what exactly what are you waiting for?


So here is the big mind flip that I got from my talk with Andy last night.  Whenever you feel a negative thought coming on, turn it around to something positive.  When you make a choice based on negative ideas, stop and make the opposite choice.  If you do that consistently, you will soon be surprised at the person you have become.


Remember, results don't inspire to take action, action inspires results.  This works, if you do it.  Let me know if I can help you.


Have you experienced this in your own life?  Please share in the comments.  Let's have a conversation! 

So What Exactly Do You Do Anyway?

That’s the question on everyone’s mind when they land on your site for the first time. Obviously, your header, tagline, and front page should give them a pretty good idea about you and the services you offer, but your services page is where you want to go into much more detail.

Service Page Slipups to Avoid
While it’s obvious you need a services page on your site, what’s not so obvious are the blunders you can make that might end up costing you business.

The Kitchen Sink Page:   This is a page that lists every single thing you can do, want to do, thought about doing, and have been asked to do. Simply put, while a big list of services might seem like a great idea, it can be confusing for potential clients. They won’t know what you’re really good at, or if you’re a good fit for them.

Instead, list your core strengths, include some explanation about each, and if you feel you need to expand, add a line such as “If you need other services not listed here, please contact me for a quote.”

There’s one exception to a pared down services page, and that’s if you’re operating business that truly does offer – either through subcontracting or by partnering with others – a multitude of services. If that’s the case, consider breaking up your services page into categories, such as writing, technical support, graphic design, social media management, and transcription. That will give your visitors all the information they need without looking like a laundry list of jobs.

Lacking Detail:   If your services page includes packages, it’s important to spell out exactly what is included in each. Don’t say “a) Member installation and configuration” without listing everything that is included in that package, otherwise you’ll wind up with “project creep” where clients ask for more and more time for things you never intended to provide with that package. Be very specific when promoting packages, and add a line such as “Any services not listed here will incur additional charges.”

The Sticky Question of Prices
Should you or should you not include your prices on your services page (or anywhere else)? Ask a dozen service providers and you’ll likely find they’re split right down the middle on what’s the correct choice. Ultimately, it’s up to you, but be aware that if you choose not to include prices, you may find that potential clients won’t contact you to request a quote.
 
On the other hand, if you do include your prices, you may feel you’re “scaring off” future customers.

Here’s the thing: Good customers know the value of a great virtual service provider. Your hourly or project rate will not frighten away a real customer, but they may in fact deter the “tire kickers” from wasting your time.

If you’re not comfortable naming a set price, or don’t want to be locked into a rate just because it’s stated on your site, you can simply state, “Prices start at $XX per hour. Contact me for a custom quote.” That way potential clients will know what to expect, and those who aren’t really serious won’t bother you.

How Advertising Network Marketing Will Help Your Business

If you've decided to go into network marketing, advertising is very important!  


And if you have not begun to create a website of your own, you should think about it now. Because hosting, promoting and adding good content to your own internet site or blog is the best way to make a killer advertising, network marketing, lead generation machine! 


There are platforms and tools available today that make it a snap to create an online presence.  I'm going to tell you a bit about my favorites.


The first, of course, is Blogger.  If you are reading this, then you are acquainted with it because it is the platform that hosts this blog.  I've been here since 2007.  And trust me - back then I was about as technologically challenged as they come!  I've gotten a bit better over the years - but I still like simple.  If you do too, then Blogger is the platform for you.  It is free, easy to use, and best of all - it is owned by Google.  That helps with search engine ranking!


Blogger lets you share text, photos, or video.  It has a gadget tool which makes it a breeze to add html code or simple apps to your blog.  You can also create multiple pages.  Blogs will be hosted by Google at heir subdomain of blogspot.com but you can also use a registered custom domain if you have one.  Once you set up your account, you can have up to 100 blogs!  Of course, then you have to consistently maintain 100 blogs...
 
Next is WordPress.  WordPress was first created for the purposes of blogging, but many people realized fast that a WordPress blog can be employed as a totally functional website, on which you can include a blog capability or not.  I do have a WordPress site at MelodieannOnline.  You will notice, however, that it is woefully out of date.  I personally find WordPress more difficult than Blogger.  That does not mean you shouldn't check it out.  It does have some amazing capabilities - which is why I have not completely abandoned it!  You never know - I might just figure it out one day!  WordPress has both free and paid options, depending on what functionality you are looking for.


Last we have SoloBuildIt.  This is my platform of choice for may main websites, Boomer Business Ideas and MelodieannWhiteley.com.  (If you check these out, you may have to be patient while navigating as I just hired someone to give them both a major overhaul!)  I am not going to go indepth about SoloBuildIt  here.  I wrote a post about The BoomerBizCoach Tested and Approved Tool That Makes Online Business Success Doable.


These tools are easy to use to build your site.  But it still has to be promoted just like any website.  It's never going to be found and get traffic if you don't get out onto the web and publicize or promote it.



Forums and other Blogs for Advertising Network Marketing




Take part in forums that permit "do follow" links. This implies that each time you post on a forum relevant to your service or product, you can place a link to your website, and people can click thru and get more info.



 Social Media Sites for Advertising Multi-Level Marketing



Facebook lets you set up a page devoted to your business, and your business actually should ideally be kept separate from your private page.



You can promote your products on Facebook thru paid advertising. The facility Facebook offers for choosing the proper demographics for your network marketing advertising makes it extraordinarily easy to reach your exact target market. 


Video Advertising on YouTube


Though YouTube is a social media site, it is one of the finest places for advertising your network marketing efforts.



All you need is a microphone and a camera, or these days just a quality smartphone, and you will quickly brand yourself and your product and if you do it right, it's the best destination to gain a following and make some sales.



By showing your face, you are effectively branding yourself and if you do it properly you may gain a large following.  Many marketers make thousands of dollars a month from YouTube.



 Article Writing is Extremely Important



Write informative and helpful articles about your product and these can be submitted to article sites. There are some sites that will submit your articles to many article sites at the same time, and these will save everyone a lot of time.



They are the best method to get your articles out onto the web. Each article contains a link to your internet site, so you can get plenty of traffic from them.



Thoroughly chosen keywords from your articles can get picked up by the major search engines and come up in searches, so that they can be great exposure and bring you good traffic.



Why you need to create an advertising network marketing machine is to help generate leads.



Lots and lots of leads. Because leads are the name of the game. Without leads you do not have a business.



There are many different ways to publicize your business, some much more effective than others.  Here's the best advertising network marketing system I have used to literally create leads on demand and build my groups fast.