Are You Excited?

You had better be! How do you expect me to be excited about your offer if I don't see some excitement in you? Everyone responds to excitement - unless they are dead! Let me give you an example.

My sister and I went car shopping this weekend. She wanted a reliable, economical but sporty car - preferably an import. She is young and single and makes great money so she can afford what she wants. She drove home in an Inferno Red Dodge Caliber! What happened? She got excited!

We went to several dealerships. We drove Hondas, Toyotas, Nissans, Hyundais. Nothing seemed to catch her eye. We tried a Ford and a Saturn. All of them handled well, the prices were good - everything she wanted. But there was no excitement. The salespeople listed off all the benefits of the car, gave her a price, resorted to pressure tactics and/or price cutting when she said she wanted to think it over - and ultimately lost the sale.

Then I told her I had read that Dodge had a fairly economical car called a Caliber. I thought it was rather ugly (not a Dodge fan), but we might as well check it out. We walked into the dealership and while we were waiting for a salesperson we started looking at the 300. Suddenly, a voice behind us speaks up. "Beautiful car isn't it?" We agreed that it was. The voice belonged to a young saleswoman who asked if she could help us. My sister told her what she was looking for and the young lady walked us over to the Calibers. (I was right - they ARE ugly!). After talking for a little bit more, my sister gave her the standard "I'll think about it" routine and got ready to leave. Here is where everything changed. Instead of trying to pressure her into a sale, she made one simple statement: "These cars aren't very exciting for a young, single businesswoman like you. I can understand why you need to think about it." My sister stopped and turned around and agreed. They were rather boring. "Let me show you something" the salesgirl said. She led us to the end of the row of cars. There sat another Caliber - a red one. The salesgirl said that this was the R/T model. We asked what that meant. She said it's the top of the line Caliber. "Let me show you what makes this one so different from the others." She got my sister to sit in the car. She showed her all the options it came with. After each one, she told my sister how it would impact her personally. "See the chill zone? It keeps your drinks cold. Won't it be exciting to be able to have cold water with you during the hot summer months? This is the satellite radio. Sirius is free for the first year. You said you travel a lot. Won't it be exciting to be able to listen to your favorite radio station whereever you go? I love that feature! It has side curtain air bags. Won't you be excited when you pick up your niece and nephew (my grandchildren) in your new car, knowing they are protected by the airbags? I am always proud to tell my customers that 5 of our cars received 5-star crash test ratings. The Caliber is one of them. Isn't that exciting?" On and on she went helping my sister see herself in this car and getting her EXCITED about it. By the time she was finished, my sister couldn't see herself in anything else and bought it.

Don't think your prospects are any different. Everybody responds to excitement. How do you convey excitement? Start by listing all the benefits of your product, service or opportunity. Then think about why they excite you. What makes you passionate about it? How can you share that passion? Our saleswoman said she started selling cars because she came from a family of all boys and the boys and her dad loved cars. She was around them all the time and so she learned to be passionate about them too. She said she wanted to help other women learn to love cars as much as she did. When she spoke, you could see her enthusiasm. It was contagious. It even got me excited and I'm not much of a car crazy.

You started your business for a reason. Something about it got you excited. Share that excitement with your prospects. Then you can get excited - over your paycheck!

There's Gold In That Thar' Internet!

I just finished reading an article about online marketing in which the author compared it to the California gold rush. The article said that just as hundreds raced West in the hope of striking it rich, so too are hundreds now rushing to get online with the same dream. And, it says, just as so many struck out in California instead of striking it rich, the same is happening to the vast majority of online marketers.

Are people really making millions online? Yes, they are. Are they the minority? I don't know. I don't have the data on that. Are there plenty of people making a decent living online? Yup! That I do know because I'm one of them and I know many others. Can you make a fortune online? I don't know. It's possible. But I DO know that you can make a living online just like many of us are already doing.

How do you get started? First, you need to decide what your business will be. Will you become an affiliate others' products? Will you create your own products? What types of products and/or services will you offer?

Second, it's a business. Treat it like one. If you think you are going to sign up for free affiliate programs, put up some free classified ads, then sit back and watch the checks roll in, don't quit your day job. It doesn't work quite that way. You can't own a McDonald's franchise without a little upfront investment. The same is true of any business. You can find some legitimate businesses that are very inexpensive to start. It only cost me $299 to start with Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing. And there are some very good affiliate programs such as SBI that are free to join but pay very good commissions. But you still need to invest a little bit in advertising.

Once you have decided on the basis of your business, you need to learn all you can about your internet marketing and your business in particular. There are many ways to do this and you will find all kinds of "gurus" offering to help if you will pay them enough. Some of them really do know what they are talking about and some of them don't. I can personally recommend some of them and you will find them mentioned in many of my earlier posts. You can also read this blog from the beginning for help. Be prepared to spend a little bit of money on some of the better books, courses, and seminars. Consider it part of your "online marketing degree!"

Let everyone know you are in business! This seems to be one of the biggest obstacles for most online marketers. Either they think they can't afford to advertise or they don't know how to do so effectively. Some, especially the network marketers, are afraid to do so because they think no one will take them seriously. Let's face facts. You can't slap a McDonald's on a street corner and expect to do business if no one knows McDonald's exists. You can't expect customers to find you if they don't know who you are. Tell people! If you don't have money to advertise, start by telling everyone you know. You can do that pretty inexpensively and you know far more people than you realize. When I started in Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing, the first thing I did was send an email or a postcard to everyone (and I do mean EVERYONE) I could think of telling them what I was doing and inviting them to visit my website. Some of them ignored me (FHTM is network marketing, after all). Some didn't. Some of those that visited became my customers. Six of them even became involved in the business with me. Those six have helped me build a team of over 300. Not too bad for a few emails and a postcard or two. And the ones who laughed? They aren't laughing so much anymore!

Work your business. The number one reason most internet marketers fail is that they give up. They just quit. They don't make thousands of dollars overnight and so they just stop working. Do you know how much my first FHTM commission was? 84 cents! Eighteen months later I'm not going to tell you how much I make, but it's enough to support me quite nicely. Am I a millionaire? Not yet. But I make more than enough to live on. So get up and go to work every day. If you have to keep your regular job while you build your business, that's okay. Just be sure you do at least one thing everyday to move your business forward.

Internet marketing is just like any other business. You will get out of it what you put into it. I can't promise you will get rich. I can promise you that if you find a legitimate business or affiliate program, take the advice of those who have gone before you, let people know you are in business, concede that you aren't going to get rich without some investment, and most importantly, WORK YOUR BUSINESS and DON'T GIVE UP - you can make a living online. Heck, if I can do it, so can you!

Build A Team of Experts

My husband and I are getting ready to file our taxes and as usual, the discussion comes up - do we need to make some changes for next year? As business owners, we are faced with the fact that we make all the decisions concerning our business. The choices are endless! Is it time to incorporate? If so, should I become an LLC or is an S Corporation better?

Should I let Dearl talk me into using the Blackberry he bought me for Christmas (which is still in the box) or stick with my trusty system of Day Planner and Post-It notes?

Where should I focus my marketing this year? With all of the dire warnings about the economy, will some methods work better than others?

We desperately need a new computer. I want another PC. Dearl wants a Mac. Who is right?

Is it time to hire an assistant? If so, should we use a virtual service or actually hire someone to come to our office?

Decisions, decisions, decisions. AAAGGGHHH!!! It's enough to make you crazy! Especially when the wrong choice can have drastic consequences for your business.

If you are lying awake at night struggling with the answers to these or other business questions, it's time to build yourself a team. My team consists of personal friends and professional acquaintences whose advice I trust. I simply need to pick up the phone or dash off a quick email or text message for all of the support and answers I need.

To build your team, simply make a list of all the questions you have. List all of the professional services you need or may need in the future. Then start thinking of all the people you know that can fill one or more of these needs or answer one or more of your questions. My team consists of my accountant (I hate numbers!), a lawyer (always good to have someone whose up to speed on legalities), my daughter the computer geek, my friend Ken the marketing guru, and my friend Karin who is also an entrepreneur and is a good one to turn to when I have questions about communication. (She's the one who keeps me from blasting off emails I may regret later!). I also have friends who keep me up to date with the latest Alzheimer's research and the current services available for my dad (they work for the area Agency on Aging), a nurse and a holisitc health practioner that provide me with the latest health news (Dearl's heart), and two grandchildren who remind me when I'm not taking enough time for the important things in life ("Nee-Nee, why haven't you been by to see us lately? We miss you!")

How do you find the people for your team? You probably already know many of them so just ask. Tell them you are forming a team of advisors for your business and would like them to be part of it. Lay out the ground rules for their participation such as how to contact them, when to contact them, will they be compensated for their services, etc. Once you have them in place, ask them for referrals to people who may fill other needs for you. If they can't make any recommendations, then get out and network. I met my lawyer through the Girl Scouts and the nurse at a women's networking luncheon. And I have a whole network of internet marketers I can turn to for advice just from attending the jvAlert events. And of course, there is the wonderful group of ladies that make up the Baby Boomer Divas. They are a never ending source of support and advice!

"Solopreneur" - it's just a word. It doesn't mean you have to go through the business experience alone. Build your team. Use your team. And one day when someone who is just starting out on their own asks you to be on their team, remember where you came from and say yes!

P.S. The general consensus from my team of experts has been to ditch the Day Planner, burn the Post-It notes, and USE THE BLACKBERRY. I'm not sure I'm ready for this, but I trust their advice so here goes. Wish me luck!

Over 40 Girlfriends Retreat

It's time for a Girlfriends Getaway on the Beach! We're Meeting in Daytona Beach, FL---Come join us!

BAM Enterprises presents: The first-ever "Ain't No Stoppin Us Now!" Baby Boomer Girlfriends' Weekend Getaway April 18-20, 2008 in beautiful, sunny Daytona Beach, Florida. We're staying at the fabulous Hilton Oceanfront Resort. The weekend will feature Beverly Mahone's "I'm Still Hot…It just comes in Flashes now!" Girlfriends Pajama Party weekend and a Town Hall Meeting, which will be taped by a local television station. We're gonna party like it's 1979!!! Find out who'll be there by clicking the link below (and turn down your speakers if you don't want to hear the music):

Girlfriends Retreat

Give It Just a Little Bit More....

What's the difference between the very successful business person and the mediocre one? The successful ones always give just a little bit more. That little bit of extra effort can separate the superstars from the rest of the pack. They make that one more sales call, the extra follow-up call. They do the presentation when they wish they were out with their friends. They never forget the thank you note or the birthday card. They give their clients and customers the extra attention that says "you're special" and turns prospects into buyers and buyers into loyal customers.

Ask yourself today - what little bit extra can you do that will take your business to the top?

WBO Logo Contest!

As you may or may not know, we have a new mission at WBO. Our mission will involve building office space for the use of our members in various cities.

In honor of this new endeavor, we are launching a logo contest for this new project. We want to showcase your talent to the nation so get those creative juices flowing. Your logo can launch a nationwide project starting in Houston, TX. We will be accepting entires through the 29th of February and have voting from March 1 - 7 for the best logo. Please email your entries to Gazelle Simmons at gazelle@womenbizowners.org or to Anna Campbell at anna@womenbizowners.org. We will post the url to our logo contest page within the next few days! I can't wait to see what designs you come up with and God bless.

Find out more about our mission here:http://womenbizowners.org/edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=439&Itemid=75

We are building businesses, one building at a time.

What's Your Point?

I took a couple of business prospects to a presentation last Monday. The prospects were eager to see the business, the speaker had been part of our team for several years, he was making great money and was very successful. And yet neither of my prospects joined my team. Why? Because I hate to admit it, but even I got lost during the presentation and I already knew how it worked. And the presentation I said would be 30 minutes long wound up being almost 90 minutes in length. By the time it was all over, my guests wanted nothing more than to bolt for the door and head for home.

Why do most people want to use twelve words when two will do? And what makes them think we are interested in every incident in their lives? The stories may be funny to some people, but when you're trying to get your point across, less is definitely more. Rambling, drawn out presentations only lose everybody trying to listen.

When making a presentation or sharing your business with a prospective client, get to the point quickly. You'll hold your listener's attention much more effectively. Since most people think faster than they speak or listen, if you start to ramble, their thoughts will wander to other things. And you want their attention focused on what you have to say. If you are dealing with a younger person, it's especially critical. It has been scientifically proven that younger people have much shorter attention spans. Their brains are used to processing short bursts of information. These products of the computer and video game era aren't going to sit still for your epic presentation. So lay out your bottom line quickly and succcintly. The Gettysburg Address is 272 words - a mere 10 sentences long. And yet it is regarded as one of the most greatest speeches in history.

How can you become better at making a presentation? Preparation and practice. First, listen to some speakers you like and who capture their audience's attention. Observe other business presentations and note what kept your focused and what caused your mind to wander. Then prepare your own presentation. Make an outline of points you want to make to help keep you on track, but don't write the entire presentation. You'll be too tempted to just read it and that' another no-n0.

Now the most important part - PRACTICE! Give your presentation to your family, your friends, your colleagues - anyone who will listen and give you constructive criticism. Rehearse until you feel completely comfortable. If possible, tape yourself so you can hear and see for yourself how look and sound.

Don't let poor presentations skills cost you business. Keep it short, keep it pertinent, make it interesting, and PRACTICE!