So many people have helped me get where I am today. Etiquette says I should write each of them a letter expressing my thanks. And I would gladly do that. But then, no one else would know about these wonderful people. So I have decided to show my appreciation a bit more publicly!
First, many thanks to Ken McArthur. You took a chance on an inexperienced event planner while you were launching jvAlert. Through the course of our relationship, I learned a great deal about marketing and building a business and you built jvAlert into a phenomenon. Along the way, I think we became friends. And when it was finally time for me to step out on my own, you were one of the first to encourage me to follow my heart - and to give me some much needed guidance. And you finally convinced me to attend a jvAlert event, which is where I met so many of the others who have helped me. Such as...
Ronda Del Boccio. Together we sat and talked and laughed - and came up with the idea that became "The Adventures of Traveling Bob" which has since grown and will soon launch the new site It Should Be a Dog's World. Nose kisses to you from Bob and many hugs from me.
Carrie Wilkerson and Bob Jenkins - you both were already so successful and yet you took the time to sit and talk to a complete stranger and total beginner. Together, you taught me how to get started and never once did either of you make me feel out of place - not even when I bugged you both for photos so I could have proof that I had actually met you. It was you, Carrie, that gave me the idea for BoomerBizCoach and it was you, Bob, that told me about blogging - which was my first step online.
Bev Mahone - you decided I was a Diva and invited me to join you and an entire group of Divas. Along with forming many friendships with the ladies in your network, I learned so much about PR and marketing and interviewing. I've gotten pretty good at this whole self-promotion thing thanks to you!
Felicia Slattery - although we had never met, except online, you quickly extended a hand and made me feel at home in a roomful of people that were successful beyond anything I had ever imagined. I could have felt lost and out of place and therefore would have missed out on a wonderful experience. You quickly put me at ease and introduced me to everyone, never once indicating I was not quite in the same league as most of you. I was just your "Ryze buddy." And you did push me to finally get on Facebook - although I'm still not using it effectively. But I will! Promise!
PopArtDiva - yes I know your name but you will always be PopArt to me! You do such a fabulous job on all of my graphics - and you don't go crazy when I change my mind about something or get sidetracked and forget to forward photos or ideas to you. You held my hand when Bob was sick and you actually understood and prayed with me for his recovery. Thanks for understanding that he is a dog but he's also my four-footed baby! You have provided a shoulder to cry on through family crises and a cheering section for my successes. You have been a sounding board for ideas, encouraging me when they were good but not afraid to tell me when they were awful! You've taught me more than I could ever hope to need about design. Along the way you have become my very dear friend. And you taught me to make a darn good martini!
Thanks so much to all of you for all you have done for me. It is deeply appreciated!
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Everyone Wants To Succeed In Business
Why are you in business? To make money? To have more time with your family? To build a better future for them? To live life on your own terms? I have heard all of these reasons. And it is possible achieve these goals. It just takes time, hard work, and knowledge.
Time is already yours. You just have to allow yourself to take it. I know there are lots of sites promising you 6 figure income overnight, but the reality is that just doesn't happen for most people. Be patient and don't give up.
Hard work I can't help you with. You have to decide for yourself whether you are willing to do what it takes to start and build a successful business. Again, there are tons sites promising instant success with no effort - just use there system, product, book or gadget. But it just isn't so. Success takes work. There's no way around it. And if you aren't willing to do the work, you will never succeed.
That leaves knowledge. And that I can help you with. Over the years, I have had the privilege of learning from some of the must successful business people today. I've looked at their websites, read their books, taken their courses, and attended their seminars. This is what I have learned from them.
1. Be Yourself. I am not Felicia Slattery, or Carrie Wilkerson, or Mike Dillard. Neither are you. And when you try to be someone or something you aren't, you just appear phony. You don't have to copy what everyone else is doing to be successful. The internet is already full of people all selling the same thing. What can you bring that's different? A new perspective? A new method of doing something? There are lots of business coaches on the internet. There are far fewer who specialize in getting technology-shy, risk-adverse, boomers online and building businesses. There are several travel sites - even some that specialize in pet travel. But none actually look at travel from through from the dog's point of view and offers his perspective on where to go and what to do. These are what sets me apart from the crowd. What sets your business apart and makes it different? Trumpet that to the world and watch what happens.
2. Consistency matters - especially in business. I've have followed Mike Litman practically since he came online. And his message today is the same as it was then: You don't have to get it right, you just have to get it going. Felicia Slattery has been promoting the benefits of having a signature speech - a well prepared signature speech - for years. Neither of them have changed their marketing message to keep up with the latest internet buzz. Their message is the same day after day, year after year. Is your message consistent? Or are you always chasing and promoting the next big thing?
3. Ask for the sale. PopArtDiva is a tireless self-promoter. She uses every technique at her disposal to promote her products. If you visit Ken McArthur's site, he makes sure you have every opportunity to buy from him. When you get on Mike Litman's list, you receive great information on a regular basis. And quite frequently at the end of all that information, he tells you about his newest product or workshop. And not only do they ask you for the sale, they make sure you know why you should do business with them. Are you asking for the sale? Does your website invite visitors to sign up for your newsletter, buy your products, or try your services? Do you make it easy for them to do so? Are you promoting your business in other ways - email, social networking, Facebook, or advertising? Do prospects know why they should do business with you instead of your competition?
4. Create a presence. I received an email today from someone I had never heard of promoting a new business tool. It sounded interesting and so I Googled their name just to see what else they had done. Guess what came up? Nothing. Not one article. No website. I searched Twitter and Facebook. No Twitter account and while there was a Facebook page, there was no picture and it didn't appear that he had ever posted anything. Who is this person? Is he serious about his business? The link in his email may have taken me to a legitimate website of some sort but who knows for sure? I didn't click on it. Just because the email made it through the spam filter doesn't make it safe. If I had been able to find out more about this person and his business, he may have made a sale today.
Creating a presence also helps keep you visible. Suppose I really was interested in learning more about the product promoted in the email I received. But I got busy and didn't follow up right away. Then tomorrow I see a tweet about the product and I get reminded. Or I see a comment from this person on a blog post and it reminds me again. Or I'm searching for something and I come across an article he wrote. People are mentioning him on Twitter and Facebook.
Are you visible? Do you have a web presence? A website or blog? If I search for you, will I find you? Are you active on the social networking sites? Do you visit other blogs and make worthwhile comments? Have you published any articles?
5. Along with visibility goes credibility. If you are going to be visible, you had better be credible. This means be honest. Do not promote your self as an experienced internet business person if you have never made a dime online. Do not claim to have made millions if you haven't. Sell what you know. Everyone is an expert at something. Build your business around what you really do know. Your experience and expertise will show when you interact with others
6. Be of value. Learn to serve. Your value to others is directly related to how well you serve them. Focus on providing the best possible service to as many people as possible and the rest will take care of itself. The Bible says it very well - "As ye sow, so shall ye reap." Focus on serving your customers and giving them as much value as possible and I promise the money will follow in direct proportion to your service.
7. Show us you are real. Your website should have a way to contact you. An address, phone number, email address and maybe even a photo if you are not camera shy. And make sure you respond. If you can't get back right away, put an autoresponder on your site that tells visitors you will get back with them as soon as possible. Have voicemail on your business phone that says the same thing. Then make sure you do it. Trust me - nothing is more irritating than emailing or calling with a question and not getting a response. Is your contact information readily visible on your website and promotional material? Do you respond to customers and prospects in a timely manner?
8. Give back. I owe much of my success to the advice and help I received from others. In fact, I wouldn't be here without some of them. I try to remember that and follow their example. Yes, we are all in business, but giving a bit away can have some amazing results. So don't be afraid to offer a word of advice or a few minutes of your time to someone who is just getting started. And if you can't help someone, send them to someone who can. You may not gain them as a customer then, but they will remember.
9. Be patient and persistent. I don't care what magic system, book, course, website, or business opportunity you think you have found - success takes two things. Patience and persistence. It is not going to happen overnight. It is probably not going to happen in a few weeks or even months. Most new businesses take a year or more to really get going. Take the time you need to get where you want to go.
Success also takes persistence. Yes, you really can make money while you sleep - someday. Right now, you are going to have to work everyday. Even if you are holding down a job while you get your business started, you still must find time each day to do at least one thing to move your business forward. Every day. Without fail. What one thing can you do right now that will help build your business? Ok, now go do it - after you finish reading this, of course!
10. Attitude is everything. If you are enthusiastic about your business, confident in yourself and your products/services, helpful and respectful to others, and thankful for all that you receive each day, your attitude will shine through and you will attract others to you.
There you have the top 10 things I have learned over the years. How many of them are you doing? I encourage you to print this list and periodically do a quick spot check - just to see how you are doing. Before you know it, you will be celebrating success!
Time is already yours. You just have to allow yourself to take it. I know there are lots of sites promising you 6 figure income overnight, but the reality is that just doesn't happen for most people. Be patient and don't give up.
Hard work I can't help you with. You have to decide for yourself whether you are willing to do what it takes to start and build a successful business. Again, there are tons sites promising instant success with no effort - just use there system, product, book or gadget. But it just isn't so. Success takes work. There's no way around it. And if you aren't willing to do the work, you will never succeed.
That leaves knowledge. And that I can help you with. Over the years, I have had the privilege of learning from some of the must successful business people today. I've looked at their websites, read their books, taken their courses, and attended their seminars. This is what I have learned from them.
1. Be Yourself. I am not Felicia Slattery, or Carrie Wilkerson, or Mike Dillard. Neither are you. And when you try to be someone or something you aren't, you just appear phony. You don't have to copy what everyone else is doing to be successful. The internet is already full of people all selling the same thing. What can you bring that's different? A new perspective? A new method of doing something? There are lots of business coaches on the internet. There are far fewer who specialize in getting technology-shy, risk-adverse, boomers online and building businesses. There are several travel sites - even some that specialize in pet travel. But none actually look at travel from through from the dog's point of view and offers his perspective on where to go and what to do. These are what sets me apart from the crowd. What sets your business apart and makes it different? Trumpet that to the world and watch what happens.
2. Consistency matters - especially in business. I've have followed Mike Litman practically since he came online. And his message today is the same as it was then: You don't have to get it right, you just have to get it going. Felicia Slattery has been promoting the benefits of having a signature speech - a well prepared signature speech - for years. Neither of them have changed their marketing message to keep up with the latest internet buzz. Their message is the same day after day, year after year. Is your message consistent? Or are you always chasing and promoting the next big thing?
3. Ask for the sale. PopArtDiva is a tireless self-promoter. She uses every technique at her disposal to promote her products. If you visit Ken McArthur's site, he makes sure you have every opportunity to buy from him. When you get on Mike Litman's list, you receive great information on a regular basis. And quite frequently at the end of all that information, he tells you about his newest product or workshop. And not only do they ask you for the sale, they make sure you know why you should do business with them. Are you asking for the sale? Does your website invite visitors to sign up for your newsletter, buy your products, or try your services? Do you make it easy for them to do so? Are you promoting your business in other ways - email, social networking, Facebook, or advertising? Do prospects know why they should do business with you instead of your competition?
4. Create a presence. I received an email today from someone I had never heard of promoting a new business tool. It sounded interesting and so I Googled their name just to see what else they had done. Guess what came up? Nothing. Not one article. No website. I searched Twitter and Facebook. No Twitter account and while there was a Facebook page, there was no picture and it didn't appear that he had ever posted anything. Who is this person? Is he serious about his business? The link in his email may have taken me to a legitimate website of some sort but who knows for sure? I didn't click on it. Just because the email made it through the spam filter doesn't make it safe. If I had been able to find out more about this person and his business, he may have made a sale today.
Creating a presence also helps keep you visible. Suppose I really was interested in learning more about the product promoted in the email I received. But I got busy and didn't follow up right away. Then tomorrow I see a tweet about the product and I get reminded. Or I see a comment from this person on a blog post and it reminds me again. Or I'm searching for something and I come across an article he wrote. People are mentioning him on Twitter and Facebook.
Are you visible? Do you have a web presence? A website or blog? If I search for you, will I find you? Are you active on the social networking sites? Do you visit other blogs and make worthwhile comments? Have you published any articles?
5. Along with visibility goes credibility. If you are going to be visible, you had better be credible. This means be honest. Do not promote your self as an experienced internet business person if you have never made a dime online. Do not claim to have made millions if you haven't. Sell what you know. Everyone is an expert at something. Build your business around what you really do know. Your experience and expertise will show when you interact with others
6. Be of value. Learn to serve. Your value to others is directly related to how well you serve them. Focus on providing the best possible service to as many people as possible and the rest will take care of itself. The Bible says it very well - "As ye sow, so shall ye reap." Focus on serving your customers and giving them as much value as possible and I promise the money will follow in direct proportion to your service.
7. Show us you are real. Your website should have a way to contact you. An address, phone number, email address and maybe even a photo if you are not camera shy. And make sure you respond. If you can't get back right away, put an autoresponder on your site that tells visitors you will get back with them as soon as possible. Have voicemail on your business phone that says the same thing. Then make sure you do it. Trust me - nothing is more irritating than emailing or calling with a question and not getting a response. Is your contact information readily visible on your website and promotional material? Do you respond to customers and prospects in a timely manner?
8. Give back. I owe much of my success to the advice and help I received from others. In fact, I wouldn't be here without some of them. I try to remember that and follow their example. Yes, we are all in business, but giving a bit away can have some amazing results. So don't be afraid to offer a word of advice or a few minutes of your time to someone who is just getting started. And if you can't help someone, send them to someone who can. You may not gain them as a customer then, but they will remember.
9. Be patient and persistent. I don't care what magic system, book, course, website, or business opportunity you think you have found - success takes two things. Patience and persistence. It is not going to happen overnight. It is probably not going to happen in a few weeks or even months. Most new businesses take a year or more to really get going. Take the time you need to get where you want to go.
Success also takes persistence. Yes, you really can make money while you sleep - someday. Right now, you are going to have to work everyday. Even if you are holding down a job while you get your business started, you still must find time each day to do at least one thing to move your business forward. Every day. Without fail. What one thing can you do right now that will help build your business? Ok, now go do it - after you finish reading this, of course!
10. Attitude is everything. If you are enthusiastic about your business, confident in yourself and your products/services, helpful and respectful to others, and thankful for all that you receive each day, your attitude will shine through and you will attract others to you.
There you have the top 10 things I have learned over the years. How many of them are you doing? I encourage you to print this list and periodically do a quick spot check - just to see how you are doing. Before you know it, you will be celebrating success!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Advice From the Experts
Why am I not doing better in my business? I was asked that question recently by a client. And the answer? She's not doing anything to move her business forward.
I know all the excuses. I used to use them myself. "I'm not sure this will work." "I need more information." "I'm waiting until the new _______ (computer, software package, printer, etc) goes on sale." "I can't afford _____ (to advertise, host a website, hire a coach, etc)." "I don't have enough time." "I just need my _______ (website, infoproduct, ebook, etc) to look a little bit better."
I don't use those excuses anymore. After attending one of Ken McArthur's jvAlert events and meeting successful people like Felicia Slattery, Carrie Wilkerson, Bob Jenkins, and Adam Urbanski - and of course Ken himself - I saw what was possible. Listening to their advice helped me get up and running. A speech by Bob Jenkins gave me the push to go back to my room that same night and launch my first blog - "The Adventures of Traveling Bob". He said "Take action. Revise later." That was also the day Carrie Wilkerson told me that to be successful one needed to take massive action - to completion.
They didn't just give me pep talks that weekend. They also gave me concrete advice on how to proceed. So in keeping with the spirit of jvAlert - people helping people - I pass on to you today some of the knowledge they shared with me. Use it to make your business better.
1. Learn what you need to know. Don't waste your time buying every book, course, and seminar that's offered. Determine exactly what skill or knowledge you need and then find a way to obtain it. For example: Before hearing this I had books on every conceivable way to make money online you could think of. Problem: I had no idea how to even begin building a site of my own or researching to see if there was a viable market for my ideas. Once I focused on obtaining just that information I progressed pretty quickly - and I saved a ton of money on infoproducts that I didn't need!
2. Advertise. I was so excited when I started my first Pay-Per-Click campaign. It was a thrill to get online each day and see that I was actually getting traffic to my site! From there I learned about Ezine advertising, and then Adsense and Adwords. Now I was getting traffic to my site and they were actually signing up for my newsletter which started building my opt-in list. Which allowed me to start advertising by email.
3. Follow up. It wouldn't have done me a bit of good to learn about advertising methods if Bob Jenkins hadn't casually asked me if I had an autoresponder. Not wanting to appear completely dense, I did not admit I had no idea what that was. But you can bet I went back to my room that night and found out. What a concept! I didn't have to try and follow up with each lead/subscriber individually. I now had 24/7 follow up capability. Awesome!
4. Network, network, network. You never know who you might meet. I started out in business as a meeting planner and Ken McArthur was one of my clients. He often invited me to attend one of his events and finally one day I was able to. That event changed my life simply because of who I met there. Not only did I learn what I have shared with you here, I also learned the value of networking. It was here that I was introduced to Ryze, and Twitter, and LinkedIn, and Facebook. And it was through these social networking sites that I met Terri Dennis aka PopArtDiva, Bev Mahone, Heidi Caswell, Wendy Y. Bailey, Heidi Richards Mooney, and so many others. Each of them have taught me something that has helped me take the next step. Learning to network also gave me the courage to attend local networking events where I met Linda Gracy, Carrie Perrien Smith, Linda Concoby and many more. These ladies have also taught me a great deal and have quickly become friends. And all of them have introduced me to others in their networks.
5. Perhaps the best advice I received that weekend came from Ken himself. I confessed to him that meeting planning, while fun, was not where my heart was. I told him I had been trying various things to get an online business going but nothing was working. His advice was stop trying various things, figure out what my skills were, determine what my passion was, put the two together and focus on that.
What are you waiting for? Take the next step. Use the advice I received from the experts. Stop making excuses and let's do this!
I know all the excuses. I used to use them myself. "I'm not sure this will work." "I need more information." "I'm waiting until the new _______ (computer, software package, printer, etc) goes on sale." "I can't afford _____ (to advertise, host a website, hire a coach, etc)." "I don't have enough time." "I just need my _______ (website, infoproduct, ebook, etc) to look a little bit better."
I don't use those excuses anymore. After attending one of Ken McArthur's jvAlert events and meeting successful people like Felicia Slattery, Carrie Wilkerson, Bob Jenkins, and Adam Urbanski - and of course Ken himself - I saw what was possible. Listening to their advice helped me get up and running. A speech by Bob Jenkins gave me the push to go back to my room that same night and launch my first blog - "The Adventures of Traveling Bob". He said "Take action. Revise later." That was also the day Carrie Wilkerson told me that to be successful one needed to take massive action - to completion.
They didn't just give me pep talks that weekend. They also gave me concrete advice on how to proceed. So in keeping with the spirit of jvAlert - people helping people - I pass on to you today some of the knowledge they shared with me. Use it to make your business better.
1. Learn what you need to know. Don't waste your time buying every book, course, and seminar that's offered. Determine exactly what skill or knowledge you need and then find a way to obtain it. For example: Before hearing this I had books on every conceivable way to make money online you could think of. Problem: I had no idea how to even begin building a site of my own or researching to see if there was a viable market for my ideas. Once I focused on obtaining just that information I progressed pretty quickly - and I saved a ton of money on infoproducts that I didn't need!
2. Advertise. I was so excited when I started my first Pay-Per-Click campaign. It was a thrill to get online each day and see that I was actually getting traffic to my site! From there I learned about Ezine advertising, and then Adsense and Adwords. Now I was getting traffic to my site and they were actually signing up for my newsletter which started building my opt-in list. Which allowed me to start advertising by email.
3. Follow up. It wouldn't have done me a bit of good to learn about advertising methods if Bob Jenkins hadn't casually asked me if I had an autoresponder. Not wanting to appear completely dense, I did not admit I had no idea what that was. But you can bet I went back to my room that night and found out. What a concept! I didn't have to try and follow up with each lead/subscriber individually. I now had 24/7 follow up capability. Awesome!
4. Network, network, network. You never know who you might meet. I started out in business as a meeting planner and Ken McArthur was one of my clients. He often invited me to attend one of his events and finally one day I was able to. That event changed my life simply because of who I met there. Not only did I learn what I have shared with you here, I also learned the value of networking. It was here that I was introduced to Ryze, and Twitter, and LinkedIn, and Facebook. And it was through these social networking sites that I met Terri Dennis aka PopArtDiva, Bev Mahone, Heidi Caswell, Wendy Y. Bailey, Heidi Richards Mooney, and so many others. Each of them have taught me something that has helped me take the next step. Learning to network also gave me the courage to attend local networking events where I met Linda Gracy, Carrie Perrien Smith, Linda Concoby and many more. These ladies have also taught me a great deal and have quickly become friends. And all of them have introduced me to others in their networks.
5. Perhaps the best advice I received that weekend came from Ken himself. I confessed to him that meeting planning, while fun, was not where my heart was. I told him I had been trying various things to get an online business going but nothing was working. His advice was stop trying various things, figure out what my skills were, determine what my passion was, put the two together and focus on that.
What are you waiting for? Take the next step. Use the advice I received from the experts. Stop making excuses and let's do this!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Decide to Take Action
Ever wonder what the difference is between successful people and those who are not? I've been reminded of that lately and I want to share it with you.
I'm a big fan of Carrie Wilkerson. And for the last week or so on Twitter, she has been tweeting posts related to one specific topic - Progress Is On Purpose. Reading these each day reminded me of something she said the very first time I met her several years ago: If you want success you must be prepared to take massive action.
I've spent the last 10 or so years of my life studying successful people and I've found that there are 3 main steps to becoming and staying successful.
1) Taking action
2) Making quick decisions
3) Surrounding yourself with successful people
And over the years I have discovered that the number one cause of failure for most new entrepreneurs is failure to take action.
Why do people fail to take the steps necessary to move forward? A variety of reasons. People are unsure of where to start so they don't start at all. Or they are afraid that their family and friends will laugh at them and so they do nothing with their ideas. Or they try one or two ideas and fail or don't progress as quickly as they hoped and so they get discouraged and quit.
I truly believe that success can be learned. Anyone can be successful if they work smart and take action. But you have to study and learn the right steps to take. And then you have to take them.
I love quotes. I have many of my favorites posted around my office so I can read them when I need a reminder. I want to share some of my favorites. I hope at least one of these great quotes will inspire
you to take your next step toward success!
"Determine never to be idle. It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing"
Thomas Jefferson
"There are risks and costs to a program of action. But these are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction"
John F. Kennedy
"While one person hesitates because he feels inferior, the other is busy making mistakes and becoming superior."
Henry C. Link
"In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing."
Theodore Roosevelt
"In order to be successful, you must be prepared to take massive action to completion."
Carrie Wilkerson
If you have given up on your business, now is the time to begin again. If you have a great idea, but have been hesitant to try, now is the time get started. Make the decision today to take action!
Decide to take the necessary steps to start or grow your business. Decide to make the next 30 days awesome. As Carrie has been reminding me - Progress is on Purpose!
To get your daily reminder, follow Carrie on Twitter - @CarrieWilkerson - and look for her tweets on progress (#PIOP).
I'm a big fan of Carrie Wilkerson. And for the last week or so on Twitter, she has been tweeting posts related to one specific topic - Progress Is On Purpose. Reading these each day reminded me of something she said the very first time I met her several years ago: If you want success you must be prepared to take massive action.
I've spent the last 10 or so years of my life studying successful people and I've found that there are 3 main steps to becoming and staying successful.
1) Taking action
2) Making quick decisions
3) Surrounding yourself with successful people
And over the years I have discovered that the number one cause of failure for most new entrepreneurs is failure to take action.
Why do people fail to take the steps necessary to move forward? A variety of reasons. People are unsure of where to start so they don't start at all. Or they are afraid that their family and friends will laugh at them and so they do nothing with their ideas. Or they try one or two ideas and fail or don't progress as quickly as they hoped and so they get discouraged and quit.
I truly believe that success can be learned. Anyone can be successful if they work smart and take action. But you have to study and learn the right steps to take. And then you have to take them.
I love quotes. I have many of my favorites posted around my office so I can read them when I need a reminder. I want to share some of my favorites. I hope at least one of these great quotes will inspire
you to take your next step toward success!
"Determine never to be idle. It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing"
Thomas Jefferson
"There are risks and costs to a program of action. But these are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction"
John F. Kennedy
"While one person hesitates because he feels inferior, the other is busy making mistakes and becoming superior."
Henry C. Link
"In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing."
Theodore Roosevelt
"In order to be successful, you must be prepared to take massive action to completion."
Carrie Wilkerson
If you have given up on your business, now is the time to begin again. If you have a great idea, but have been hesitant to try, now is the time get started. Make the decision today to take action!
Decide to take the necessary steps to start or grow your business. Decide to make the next 30 days awesome. As Carrie has been reminding me - Progress is on Purpose!
To get your daily reminder, follow Carrie on Twitter - @CarrieWilkerson - and look for her tweets on progress (#PIOP).
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Get Excited!
We just bought a new Jeep. After several trips to different dealerships and what seemed like a few dozen test drives, we finally made our choice.
We didn't buy the one with the lowest price. We didn't buy the one with the most "stuff." We bought from the salesperson who was able to get us excited about owning a Jeep. In fact, Jeri has sold me every car I have owned since moving to Arkansas - no matter what make she is currently selling. Why? Because she always gets me excited about whichever vehicle she is showing me.
You must be excited about your business. If you can't get excited about your own product, service, or opportunity do you really expect me to?
Everyone responds to excitement! If your passion and fire show through, customers and prospects will respond!
The best way to have real excitement shine through your presentation is to start writing down every benefit of your product, service, or business opportunity you can think of. How can you help your customers? How will joining your business opportunity help your team members? Writing down a list of benefits will get you excited and the rest will fall into place.
Excitement is contagious! Fill your presentation with it! Make your customer or prospect excited and watch your income soar!
We didn't buy the one with the lowest price. We didn't buy the one with the most "stuff." We bought from the salesperson who was able to get us excited about owning a Jeep. In fact, Jeri has sold me every car I have owned since moving to Arkansas - no matter what make she is currently selling. Why? Because she always gets me excited about whichever vehicle she is showing me.
You must be excited about your business. If you can't get excited about your own product, service, or opportunity do you really expect me to?
Everyone responds to excitement! If your passion and fire show through, customers and prospects will respond!
The best way to have real excitement shine through your presentation is to start writing down every benefit of your product, service, or business opportunity you can think of. How can you help your customers? How will joining your business opportunity help your team members? Writing down a list of benefits will get you excited and the rest will fall into place.
Excitement is contagious! Fill your presentation with it! Make your customer or prospect excited and watch your income soar!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
15 Home Office Safety Tips
This post was prompted by two things. First, it's Home Office Safety and Security Week. Second, I have a spectacular bruise on my shin - from the file cabinet drawer I slammed it into. (I was working and left it open until I was completely finished - ouch!). So, to help keep others from sporting the same shade of purple I am, here are some safety tips for your home office.
1. Keep file cabinet drawers closed when not in use!
2. Install a smoke alarm - and test it regularly.
3. Unplug office equipment when not in use.
4. Keep powerstrips and electrical cords out of walkways.
5. Keep scissors, letter openers, staplers, paperweights and all sharp or heavy office tools away from the edges of the desk.
6. If you purchase a paper shredder, make sure it has safety features.
7. Make sure your computer workstation is stable.
8. Anchor heavy furniture such as bookcases to the wall or floor.
9. Install safety covers on unused electrical outlets.
10. Make sure electrical outlets are not overloaded.
11. If using extension cords, do not run them under carpets.
12. Connect your computer to a surge protector to protect it from power spikes.
13. Make sure your office is not overcrowded. There should be plenty of room to move freely about without tripping or bumping into furniture.
14. When talking on the phone, never indicate that you are home alone.
15. Keep emergency phone numbers posted near your phone or, if you have speed-dial, program these numbers into your phone.
1. Keep file cabinet drawers closed when not in use!
2. Install a smoke alarm - and test it regularly.
3. Unplug office equipment when not in use.
4. Keep powerstrips and electrical cords out of walkways.
5. Keep scissors, letter openers, staplers, paperweights and all sharp or heavy office tools away from the edges of the desk.
6. If you purchase a paper shredder, make sure it has safety features.
7. Make sure your computer workstation is stable.
8. Anchor heavy furniture such as bookcases to the wall or floor.
9. Install safety covers on unused electrical outlets.
10. Make sure electrical outlets are not overloaded.
11. If using extension cords, do not run them under carpets.
12. Connect your computer to a surge protector to protect it from power spikes.
13. Make sure your office is not overcrowded. There should be plenty of room to move freely about without tripping or bumping into furniture.
14. When talking on the phone, never indicate that you are home alone.
15. Keep emergency phone numbers posted near your phone or, if you have speed-dial, program these numbers into your phone.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Top 10 Success Strategies for 2012
The new year is less than two weeks away. Now is the time to examine your business. Are you where you expected to be at this point? If not, what can you do differently next year? If you are, what strategies can you build on to keep up your momentum?
Here are my top 10 success strategies for a successful 2012.
1. I have already broken my number one rule for success - treat your business like a business! Which means not to let things (like holidays) interfere. As you can see from the date of my last post, I have not been so successful at this. But we all backslide every once in a while. But in order to be successful in your business, you have to work at it every day until it reaches that point where you can step away for a vacation and it will continue to function without you. Just make sure you come back prepared to work. So the family vacations, shopping trips, and holiday parties are over and now it is time to get back to work.
2. Set your goals. You won't know if you have been successful if you don't know what successful is. What do you want to achieve next year? Increased cash flow? More traffic to your site? Additional income streams? Set your goals for next year now so you will know when you reach them.
3. Take it one step at a time. Once you have set your goals, determine the steps necessary to reach them. Create an action plan will get you where you want to be. Then follow it - one step at a time. Don't try to accomplish everything at once or you will become overwhelmed. By taking your overall goal and breaking it up into manageable steps, you will steadily come closer and closer each day to accomplishing it.
4. Learn to serve. Your value to others is directly related to how well you serve them. Focus on providing the best possible service to as many people as possible and the rest will take care of itself. The Bible says it very well - "As ye sow, so shall ye reap." Focus on serving your customers and I promise the money will follow in direct proportion to your service..
5. Use your time effectively. Do you often find yourself wishing for 48 hour days? Then perhaps you aren't managing your time effectively. Are you focusing on activities that give you the most benefit? Or are you wasting time on activities best delegated to others - or even best left undone? Track your activities for a week. Use a spreadsheet, calendar, planner or even just a notepad. Note each activity you perform throughout the day and how much time you spent on it. Then review it to see if you need to make some changes to get the most out of each day.
6. Stay on course. I have a friend who has been part of so many different "business opportunities" it's hard to keep count. Every few months, he is calling me about "the next big thing" and encouraging me to get on board before it's too late. Needless to say, while he has been moderately successful, he has not reached the goals he set for himself financially. He blames it on the fact that he has not yet found the perfect "opportunity." But the truth is, he never sticks with anything long enough to build it as big as it could become. Decide what the focus of your business is and stick with it until you reach your goal.
7. Never stop learning. Attend a seminar. Read books - business books, leadership books, inspirational books. Take a course. The more you know, the more you can offer. And the more you can offer, the more valuable you become.
8. Network, network, network! Even I have had to concede and jump on the Facebook bandwagon. You never know where you might meet your next customer, mentor, partner. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn all have hordes of loyal users. Learn to put yourself and your business in front of them effectively using these tools.
9. Build your business team. You cannot do everything - nor should you. Surround yourself with others who can do the things you can't or don't want to do. It Should be a Dog's World requires lots of graphics and art work. I could spend my time on this. Or I can give my ideas to my graphic designer and let her deal with it. Since ideas are one of my strong skills and artwork is hers, I am more than happy to let her take care of that part of my business. Delegate or outsource what you can and should and focus your time on what you do best.
10. Plan your day. Every night before I bed, I make my to-do list of what I need to accomplish tomorrow. When I get to work in the morning, there is no time spent deciding where to start. I have my list ready, in order of importance. All I need to do is start at the top and work my way down, checking off items as I go. If I don't get everything on the list finished, I simply carry it over to the next day. But having my list helps ensure I get more done each day because I arrive in the office already prepared for what needs to be done and what is most important. You can use whatever tool works best for you. I just you a notepad. You can do it last thing in the evening or first thing in the morning. But do take time to plan each day.
Here are my top 10 success strategies for a successful 2012.
1. I have already broken my number one rule for success - treat your business like a business! Which means not to let things (like holidays) interfere. As you can see from the date of my last post, I have not been so successful at this. But we all backslide every once in a while. But in order to be successful in your business, you have to work at it every day until it reaches that point where you can step away for a vacation and it will continue to function without you. Just make sure you come back prepared to work. So the family vacations, shopping trips, and holiday parties are over and now it is time to get back to work.
2. Set your goals. You won't know if you have been successful if you don't know what successful is. What do you want to achieve next year? Increased cash flow? More traffic to your site? Additional income streams? Set your goals for next year now so you will know when you reach them.
3. Take it one step at a time. Once you have set your goals, determine the steps necessary to reach them. Create an action plan will get you where you want to be. Then follow it - one step at a time. Don't try to accomplish everything at once or you will become overwhelmed. By taking your overall goal and breaking it up into manageable steps, you will steadily come closer and closer each day to accomplishing it.
4. Learn to serve. Your value to others is directly related to how well you serve them. Focus on providing the best possible service to as many people as possible and the rest will take care of itself. The Bible says it very well - "As ye sow, so shall ye reap." Focus on serving your customers and I promise the money will follow in direct proportion to your service..
5. Use your time effectively. Do you often find yourself wishing for 48 hour days? Then perhaps you aren't managing your time effectively. Are you focusing on activities that give you the most benefit? Or are you wasting time on activities best delegated to others - or even best left undone? Track your activities for a week. Use a spreadsheet, calendar, planner or even just a notepad. Note each activity you perform throughout the day and how much time you spent on it. Then review it to see if you need to make some changes to get the most out of each day.
6. Stay on course. I have a friend who has been part of so many different "business opportunities" it's hard to keep count. Every few months, he is calling me about "the next big thing" and encouraging me to get on board before it's too late. Needless to say, while he has been moderately successful, he has not reached the goals he set for himself financially. He blames it on the fact that he has not yet found the perfect "opportunity." But the truth is, he never sticks with anything long enough to build it as big as it could become. Decide what the focus of your business is and stick with it until you reach your goal.
7. Never stop learning. Attend a seminar. Read books - business books, leadership books, inspirational books. Take a course. The more you know, the more you can offer. And the more you can offer, the more valuable you become.
8. Network, network, network! Even I have had to concede and jump on the Facebook bandwagon. You never know where you might meet your next customer, mentor, partner. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn all have hordes of loyal users. Learn to put yourself and your business in front of them effectively using these tools.
9. Build your business team. You cannot do everything - nor should you. Surround yourself with others who can do the things you can't or don't want to do. It Should be a Dog's World requires lots of graphics and art work. I could spend my time on this. Or I can give my ideas to my graphic designer and let her deal with it. Since ideas are one of my strong skills and artwork is hers, I am more than happy to let her take care of that part of my business. Delegate or outsource what you can and should and focus your time on what you do best.
10. Plan your day. Every night before I bed, I make my to-do list of what I need to accomplish tomorrow. When I get to work in the morning, there is no time spent deciding where to start. I have my list ready, in order of importance. All I need to do is start at the top and work my way down, checking off items as I go. If I don't get everything on the list finished, I simply carry it over to the next day. But having my list helps ensure I get more done each day because I arrive in the office already prepared for what needs to be done and what is most important. You can use whatever tool works best for you. I just you a notepad. You can do it last thing in the evening or first thing in the morning. But do take time to plan each day.
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