Winging It

We've all been there.  You have an important business presentation coming up.  You're the keynote speaker at a prestigious event.  You're expected to speak at a meeting.  You have practiced and practiced and practiced some more.  And then, the moment arrives and all your rehearsing is for nothing because you have suddenly forgotten all that you were supposed to say.  What do you do now?  According to the experts, don't panic - wing it!

If the thought of improvising your speech or presentation at the last minute gives you cold chills, there are some techniques you can use to help.

1.  Relax.  This may be difficult but you will find it easier to think if you remain calm.  Take a few deep breaths, give yourself some silent but positive encouragement and go for it.

2.  This is one instance where silence is not golden.  Long periods of dead air will definitely let everyone know that something is not quite right.  However, you can use silence to your advantage if you use it sparingly.  So if necessary, take a minute to collect your thoughts.   

3.  Don't edit yourself.  Go with your first instinct.  Dead air results while you are busy second-guessing yourself and trying to come up with exactly the right thing to say.  Trust your gut and speak what's on your mind.

4.  Talk with your hands.  Seriously.  Researchers found that people with unrestricted gestures were more fluent than people who had their arms immobilized.  So take your hands out of your pockets.  Stop clenching them together in front of you or behind your back.

5.  Don't try to be flawless.  Your audience hasn't read your speech so they won't know if it isn't letter perfect.  Instead of focusing on trying to recall exactly what you were going to say, focus on communicating your ideas and serving your audience to the best of your ability.

6.  Speak clearly.  Mumbling or using "umm" after every other word decreases your audience's confidence in what you are saying. Speak in a strong voice, pay attention to your grammar, and use the appropriate level of formality.

Winging it doesn't mean running ahead full throttle without thought.  It means staying in control of the situation.  Use these techniques and you'll  impress your audience, and yourself, with your confidence and poise.  They'll never know your mind went blank - unless you tell them.

Network Marketing Tip of the Week - How can I convince my friends and family I'm not crazy?

I get asked this question all of the time and so I'm going to address it again. Network marketing is perfectly legal. It is not a pyramid scheme. It is not a scam. It can make you lots of money.

Yes, there are illegal pyramid schemes out there. Yes, there are scams in abundance. And no, I can't guarantee you will become wealthy in my business opportunity - or any other network marketing opportunity.

If you listen to all of they naysayers, they would have you believe that every network marketing business in the world is just another opportunity for you to lose your money. And yet there are hundreds of people making a decent living everyday with Amway, Avon, Mary Kay, Pampered Chef, USANA, Melaleuca, and NuSkin - just to name a few. What? These aren't all network marketing business opportunities? Of course they are. Any business that rewards you for building a team underneath you is network marketing.

Why do people have such a negative view of this industry? It's very likely they have tried it and failed. And once that happens people are convinced it's because they are all scams. They fail to realize that it's like any other business. You will get out of it what you put into it. How many people did they show the business plan to? One? Two? Then someone laughed at them or they got tired of hearing no and they became embarrassed to admit they were in network marketing and they quit. How many people did they show the products to? I'll bet they were even less enthusiastic about that. They came into the business thinking they were just going to build this tremendous downline and not have to actually sell any of the products.

Will all network marketers become wealthy? No. But then you aren't going to become wealthy doing what you are already doing either. If you were, you would be rich by now! Network marketing has created more millionaires than any other industry. Can you say that about your job? And what if you don't get rich? Is that so important? I got started in my business so I could have some spare income. Gas is almost $4.00/gallon. Food is climbing higher everyday. Jobs are still hard to find, in spite of the improving economy. If you could make an extra $800 - $1000 every month, would that help? Of course it would!

I have written about warning signs that indicate an opportunity may be a pyramid or other scam. Check them out before you join any business. Then once you sign up, get to work! Don't worry about the naysayers. If they can't see the benefits of your opportunity, thank them for their time, SHOW THEM YOUR PRODUCTS and ask if they will become a customer, ask them for a referral to someone who might be interested in either your business or your products, then say "NEXT" and move on! Don't try to bully them into joining, don't keep bothering them once they've said no - just thank them for their time and move on to your next prospect.

The best way to show people that network marketing is real is to become successful yourself. How do I recruit people now? When they ask me what I'm doing for a living, I tell them. When they comment on the fact that it's only May and my husband and I have had two vacations already this year, I tell them how we pay for that. When a friend laughingly said she wished she could have money like I have so she could eat out as often as my husband and I do, I tell her how we are able to afford to. And then they either get it or they don't. If they do - great! Sign 'em up! If not, they never will. NEXT!

Healthy Self Esteem = Healthy Business

When you look at lists of requirements for a successful business, chances are you won't see "good self image" as one of the items on the list. However, self esteem can have a distinct impact on the success - or failure - of your business. Entrepreneurs with good self esteem are confident of their ability to achieve their business goals. If there are stumbling blocks along the way, the person with high self esteem does not take them personally but works to find a solution to the problem. However, those with low self esteem often go into a business already expecting it to be difficult and unsure if they will succeed. When problems arise, instead of focusing on the issue, they tend to focus on their own perceived shortcomings. They get exactly what they expected - failure.

Most of us do not work on improving our self esteem. We tend to think it's either something people have or do not have. Perhaps it was a result of our childhood. Whatever the cause, most people don't realize that good self esteem is something that can be developed with practice. Here's how.

1. I highly encourage you to take a lesson from the Girl Scouts. Tonight sit down and make a brag bag! Or a box like I have done. Get a brown paper bag or an old shoe box. I went to Hobby Lobby and got a plain wooden unpainted little box that looks like a treasure chest. Decorate the outside anyway you want. I found some very unique metal discs with great uplifting sayings on them - "Believe", "Love", and "Laughter" for example. I glued them all over my box.

Now, get some index cards and write all of your attributes on them - one on each card. Can you sing? Write it down. Are you an organizational whiz? Do people clamor for your cheesecake recipe? Can you sell the proverbial ice to Eskimos? Write it all down. Put them in your Brag Bag. Then write down all of your accomplishments. If you were the homecoming queen, or the valedictorian of your class, it goes in the bag. If you were promoted at your job in record time, if your kids are the world's greatest, if you lost those last 10 pounds, if your business makes enough to support you, if you have 20 people in your downline - it all goes into the bag.

Now, put your Brag Bag somewhere accessible. Because in order for this to work, you have to use it. Remember - what we focus on grows. So get your bag out regularly and review all the good things that you are. Bask in the glow of your accomplishments. Relish the good things you've drawn into your life. Watch your attitude improve and your accomplishments increase and your business boom. What we focus on grows. Get out your Brag Bag and let's focus on the right things. And while you're at it - maybe sign your daughter up for Girl Scouts. Look at the cool stuff they teach you!

2. I realize that we all have some things that we need to work on. So do it! Choose an area that you want to improve, and get to work. The trick here though is to work at it properly. You have to have the right attitude. I have struggled with my weight for years. But once I stopped hating myself for my perceived weakness because I couldn't lose weight, I discovered it became easier to take the pounds off. When you begin your self-improvement program, look at it exactly that way. You are simply taking what is already good and improving it.

3. Picture the new you. While you are working on your self-improvement projects, envision yourself as you will be once you are finished. While I am working to improve my health and fitness by losing weight, I picture myself running with my grandchildren or hiking with my sister. Or I see myself on vacation with my husband wearing a fabulous new outfit and dancing the night away. If you afraid to talk to people, while you work on overcoming this, picture yourself making presentations with ease and confidence. Visualize yourself being sought after as a speaker. See yourself having conversations with clients that have winning results.

Imagine your whirlwind social life as you get invited to all the best events because everyone admires your witty conversation!

4. Keep a success journal. Every time you reach a goal - no matter how small - write it in your journal. Or jot it on a card and add it to your brag bag!

5. Set goals. Having a goal will give you a sense of purpose. It provides you with a target. How can you know if you have achieved success if you don't know what that is?

6. Surround yourself with positive people. There are more than enough people willing to point out your every flaw. Who needs them!? Yes, we all have faults, and a true friend will help you face up to them. But they will also be the first to applaud your successes and provide encouragement when you embark on a new path. Surround yourself with people who see failure as simply a step on the way to success, who expect success from themselves and others.

7. Create a positive environment. No negativity allowed! Hang positive affirmations in your office. I have one that simply says "Attitude" as a reminder that attitude is everything. Listen to CDs with empowering messages. I have banned all music in my car and my home that is not uplifting and empowering. If I can't find anything suitable on my radio, then I have an assortment of CDs by people such as Mike Litman, Bob Proctor, Tony Robbins, and Joel Osteen. Make flashcards with positive affirmations on them and keep them on your desk. My latest are "I am exactly the right weight for my body" and "I am healthy and vigorous and living life to the fullest." When you begin to feel the old doubts creep in, grab a flashcard and remind yourself that "Every day and every way, I get a little better."

Healthy self esteem is good for your business. Follow the steps above and watch your self esteem - and your business grow.

Book Smarts

Not all business and marketing books are created equal.  Some are much better than others!  You can learn a great deal from the right book.  The wrong one can cause you to make some huge mistakes.

I read some amazing books last year.  Each one helped me improve my business in some way.  I highly recommend them to anyone seeking to gain some "book smarts" about the business world!

1.  The Celebrity Experience: Insider Secrets to Delivering Red Carpet Customer Service - Donna Cutting:  Although this book is a few years old, it is still relevant.  Good customer service will always be a key to growing your business.  The stories Donna tells really illustrate how any business can give red carpet customer service.

2.  21 Ways to Make Money Speaking - Felicia Slattery:  I've been speaking publicly in some form for many years and yet even I found some ideas I had never thought of.  If you want to make public speaking part of your business, then you need to buy this book. 

3.  How to Get on the News without Committing Murder - Beverly Mahone:  Bev is a PR genius.  If you want to stand out from your competitors, this book will show you how to use the media to get noticed.

4.  Facebook Marketing All-in-One For Dummies - Amy Porterfield, Phyllis Khare, and Andrea Vahl:  Everything you need to know to succeed in marketing on Facebook.  

5.   $ell More eBook$: How to increase sales and Amazon rankings using Kindle Direct Publishing - Laura Dobbins and Lucinda Sue Crosby:  If you sell ebooks, you should read this book.  All the information you need on how to market your books online and how to successfully use KDP to increase your book sales.

6.  Book Yourself Solid: The Fastest, Easiest, and Most Reliable System for Getting More Clients Than You Can Handle Even if You Hate Marketing and Selling - Michael Port:  Full of advice and hands-on exercises that will help you fill your business with leads and then turn those leads into long-term clients.

7. Likeable Social Media: How to Delight Your Customers, Create an Irresistible Brand, and Be Generally Amazing on Facebook (And Other Social Networks) - Dave Kerpen:  There's a right way and a wrong way to use social media.  This book will teach you how to do it right. 

8.  Red Fire Branding: Creating a Hot Personal Brand so that Customers Choose You! - Liz Goodgold:  Your brand is more than your logo or your tagline.  It's your overall image.  This book will help you create a red hot brand for your business. 

9.  It's Not About You, It's About Bacon: Relationship Marketing in a Social Media World - Brian Basilico:   It's Not About You, It's About Bacon explains networking in all its forms. Not just social media. Face-to-face networking. Blogging. Websites. But don't worry all of you Facebook fanatics and Twitter addicts. Brian devotes entire chapters to each of these, as well as LinkedIn, Google+ and Pinterest. And yes, he even tells you why-to (and how-to) use YouTube.

Your Business Card Is a Powerful Marketing Tool!

While most business people use business cards every day, many do not understand that they can be a very effective marketing tool.

Business cards contain all the basic but essential information about your business:  your name, your company name, your logo, your address, and your contact information - phone number, email address, and website.  All of this information should be clearly legible on the front of your business card.  But even with all this information, there is usually still space to market yourself and your business.  Add a great tagline that promotes a particular aspect of your business.  If you have a free report or do free consultations, mention this on the front of your card. 

Don't forget that your card has two sides - front and back.  Most business cards have all the information on the front but the back is typically left blank.  Use this side for further marketing.  In my business, I love referrals - and I say so on the back side of my card and offer a referral bonus.  My insurance agent prints a calendar on the back of his.  I always have his card in my wallet - just because I use the calendar frequently!  And every time I look at it I'm reminded of him and his business. 

Of course, it doesn't do a bit of good to have a fabulous business card if your don't get them into circulation.  I used to be notorious for not having them with me when I needed them!  But I quickly learned my lesson and now I always carry them with me.  You never know when you just might bump into someone who needs your services.  And ALWAYS have them with you for business or networking events.  Hand them to everyone attending.  Before handing mine out I always write on the back "HCIP" - How can I help?  It makes me more memorable.  Plus, when handing mine out, I always ask for one in return.  Those two little touches make me stand out from others.

Another way to get your business card out there is to put them in everything - and I do mean everything - you send out.  Letters, cards, invoices - I even enclose them in the envelope when I pay bills.  Believe it or not, I have gotten business from that.

If you need to give contact information to someone - your insurance agent, a teacher, your car dealer - give them your business card.  Even if they don't need your services, they might know someone who does.  When we go out to eat, I will leave a card on the table along with the tip or credit card slip.  

You can also look for places to leave your business card.  Many neighborhood businesses will let you place some of your cards at a reception desk or check-out counter.  Many supermarkets have bulletin boards where you can post your card.  Some churches often offer the same service for their members.  Always be on the lookout for a new ways and new places to distribute your cards.  

Business cards can be a very cost effective way to promote yourself.  Set yourself a goal of distributing 5 daily and watch the impact on your business.

The BoomerBizCoach Tested and Approved Tool That Makes Online Business Success Doable

It's hard to have an internet business when you don't know anything about Web design. That's one reason I always used someone else's site. But canned sites don't always work well - it's hard to compete when there are 1000 other sites identical to yours. And hiring an outside web designer had some advantages, but I didn't have the control I liked (card carrying control freak here!) and when my designer just up and quit and disappeared, I was left with nothing. Luckily I found SBI!

SBI! is the only all-in-1 step-by-step system of process-and-software that delivers thriving businesses. No other purchase is necessary. Everything you need is already included.
Spam check tool? It's in there. Want to publish an ezine? SBI! has an ezine publishing tool. Autoresponders? Included. Form creation tools? Already part of the package. Plus some of the best analytical and statistical tools available to help you optimize your site to create a growing, profitable business.

How do I know SBI! works? My site, Boomer Business Ideas, is powered by SBI! And even though I know nothing about HTML or web design, and I am not an SEO expert, the traffic to my site increases daily - simply by using the tools available and following the techniques and advice provided by SBI!.  The process is simplified to such a degree that success (i.e., profits, not the mere presence of a Web site) is achievable even for a beginner.  And the Action Guide presents a step-by-step process, presented in both written and video formats. All you have to do is follow it. Really!

You are probably already asking what all of this costs. I'm sure you are thinking it must cost a fortune. Well it doesn't. It is completely affordable, regardless if you use the yearly or monthly payment option. Add the 90 day guarantee and you simply cannot go wrong.

Yes, there are easier ways to build a Web site. However, online profits require more than just having a collection of Web pages. SBI! includes all the tools and a proven process required to build a long-term, profitable e-business.

Why build another site that gets no traffic? Or put yourself at the mercy of someone else having control of your vision? Or add one more canned site to the hundreds of thousands already out there? Build your own ebusiness with Site Build It. You know if I can do it, ANYONE can do it!

This is the part where I am required by law to tell you that I am not only an SBI! owner, I am also an affiliate. So if you do click here to find more information and decide to purchase SBI!, I will receive a commission. Thanks!

Network Marketing Tip of the Week - Overcoming Objections

I've found that there are three big objections that frequently come up when I show prospects my network marketing business overview.


1. I don't have the money.

2. I don't have the time.

3. I want to do it but I can't right now.

This is assuming everything else fits. They have the need and I have the opportunity that can help them. They like me and trust me and we are both excited about the possibilities. But then an objection bomb falls. So what do I do? First of all, it's important for me, the professional, to understand the nature of the objection. And the first fact about all three objections is that they almost always aren't true. Almost every time. They are just excuses to cover fear and uncertainty. For instance: I don't have the money now really means I'm afraid to spend the money without knowing I'll really get it back. What if I fail?

I don't have the time now really means I'm not sure I want to give up time I spend on other things unless I'm sure this will really work.

I'm not ready or able now means I'll never really be ready or able because I'm afraid to take a risk without proof that I can do this.

During my Navy career, part of my physical training was an obstacle course. And one of the obstacles was a ten foot wall. The reality was that the wall was ten feet high. I remember thinking I'd never get over it. It was too high. I'd fall off and hurt myself or embarrass myself in front of my shipmates. And then our company commander told us that it was time to go over the wall. And he really had no interest in our reasons why it was impossible. "It's a ten foot wall. Now go over the wall." So we put our heads together and in just a few minutes (no kidding!), amazingly to me, we found a way to get over the wall. And this is exactly how a potential business partner looks at working with you. They see a fee, a commitment of time and a challenge that they have never faced before - a ten foot wall. So the immediate knee-jerk reaction is to panic and start making excuses. And the worst mistake you can make is to let them.

"Yes,that wall is too high. You're right, it's impossible to get over. I understand how hard it is, so let me call you back in a few months and see if you're ready to get over the wall then." I promise you, they won't be ready. Again, assuming the work or project is right for them and they will gain a real benefit from working with you, then it is simply irresponsible to buy into their excuses. You are definitely not serving their best interests if you "just let it slide."

So what do you say instead? You tell them the truth:

"This is something you really want to do, right?"

"Yes it is"

"And if we do this, you agree that it will make a huge difference in your life, correct?"

"Yes, it will."

"Then I'd like you to make a commitment to move forward. And when you do that, we'll work together to find a way to pay for it (or fit it into your schedule or get past your uncertainty). Are you willing to do that?"

"Well, I'm not sure. What if I can't pay for it (or find the time or get past my uncertainties)?" "Let's do this: You make the commitment and I promise we'll find a way to make it work. The worst that could happen is that things will get delayed a little while. But I know when you make the commitment, we can make it happen."

"OK, let's do it!"

Will it always go like this? Can you use this script verbatim? What if they accuse you of pressuring them? What if they tell you never to darken their doorway again? All I can tell you is that if you make the commitment to take a stand for the truth about the difference this opportunity will make for your prospects (and don't back down when they make excuses), you will have a partner who puts themselves completely in your hands and produces a magnificent outcome. Give it a shot. What's the worst that could happen? !