More of You. Less of Me.

Ken McArthur.  Joel Comm.  Diane Hochman.  Ray Higdon.  Mike Dillard.  Felicia Slattery.

If you are part of any kind of internet business, you recognize these names.  They are FAMOUS!  They are part of the internet marketing elite!  And I have had the pleasure of meeting all of them.  I even count a couple of them as friends.  But I am certainly not one of them.  I am not - and probably never will be - one of the "cool kids on the block."

But oh how I wanted to be!  I wanted to be on a stage before hundreds of my followers.  I watched how everyone at events would push to have pictures taken with these superstars just to prove they were part of "that crowd."  And I wanted that.  I wanted to be able to say "do this" or "buy that" or "come to this event" and people would...just because I said it was the thing to do.  These people lived the good life!  No worries.  No cares.  And goodness knows I have had my share of both.  But if I could be like them, all of that would go away.  I would have the money and the connections to fix all my problems. 

And so I became determined to get it.  And I did whatever I thought would help me get there.  I promoted "opportunities" I didn't fully believe in because they were making me money.  I sold products I knew in my heart weren't as good as we said they were.  I left my family behind and spent all my time working on building my business.  I exaggerated how much money I was making and what a great life I was living. I hung out on the fringes of the "great ones" circles and pretended I knew them better than I really did.  If someone in their circle asked what I did, I gave some lofty obscure answer.  I wasn't going to admit I was simply a network marketer!  Everyone knew they were looked down upon. 

As for my marketing efforts...well they were just as bad.  They were all about me.  Buy my products.  Join my business.  Make money like do.  Look at me!  Pay attention to me!  Don't you want to be just like me? 

And nothing happened.  My business did not grow much.  I did not get the recognition I was hoping for.  My life was not easier.  In many ways, it was worse than ever. 

Business cannot be all about money and recognition.  If that is all you are here for, you might as well quit now.  If you really want to be successful, you need to change your focus.  From money and recognition to service and value and passion. 

The more people you serve, the more value you provide and the more you are passionate about what you are doing, the more money and recognition you will receive!  Instead of focusing on drawing attention to yourself, focus on helping as many others as you possibly can.  Focus on drawing attention to the people and things that need your help. 

I am a network marketer.  That's right....I'm one of those.  And I am no longer ashamed to admit it.   In fact, it is my passion. 

When I get the call that says, "Wow!  I love your products.  I haven't felt this good in years!", I am thrilled.

When I meet a team member for lunch and she tells me that she will soon be able to quit her job and stay home with her children, I am ecstatic!

And when someone tells me "Thank you!  This opportunity, the training, the coaching, has changed my life!", that's when I know I will never quit.

Because now, it's all about you.  Let me help you lose weight, look and feel great.  Let me show you how you can have more time for the important things in your life.  Let me help you change your life.

So no, I am not one of the cool kids.  But I am respected by the people that matter - my family, my friends, my team members, my customers and clients.  They know that their success is my passion.  I care deeply about helping other women, especially women in my age group, be able to live the lives they want.  I don't worry about what others think.  I don't care if others are promoting the next hot product.  If I haven't tried it and can't recommend it wholeheartedly, then I don't.  When I do recommend something, my people pay attention.  Because they know I speak from experience.

And you know what?  I make good money! 

Now the decision is yours.  The same one I had to make.  Are you in business to draw attention to yourself?  Is money the driving force in your life?  Or will you focus on the privilege of using your skills, knowledge, and passion to help as many others as possible?

Follow your passion, follow your heart.  And the money will come.  I promise!
   

Wearing My Jammies to Work

Yes...

I'm sitting here in my PJ's and drinking a cup of coffee while I write this.

But it wasn't always that way.

I've told the story of the day I decided to get "real" with my business...

About how a small town girl with absolutely NO business experience became an entrepreneur, best-selling author and business coach. Many times in fact. So I'll spare you the details here.  You do what you have to do to take care of your family.  And I had to make this "work at home" thing actually work!

I tried several different work at home "opportunities", until I finally found the right one.

The right company, with the knowledge of attraction marketing, and the commitment to succeed...That's all I needed! It's all you need as well...

Today, I am very involved in network marketing with my fabulous company.
 
I love the network marketing industry - so much so that I wrote a book about it! 
 
Yes, I do have other ventures like coaching and Ecommerce. But my passion is for the network marketing industry because of its ability to help ordinary people change their lives.
So now I ask you...
 
Do you want the freedom to set your own schedule?  Do you want to be able to spend time making memories with your family before it's too late?  Do you want to wear your pajamas to work? 
 
Then contact me. Because the only thing I love more than building my network marketing business is helping you build yours!

It's 10:00 a.m and I've still got my jammies on! Do you?

Blah, Blah, Blah!

They're all around you.  Those nagging voices.  "You never have time for me."  "You really need to watch your budget."  "When are you going to get a real job?"  "Putting on a little weight, aren't you?" Blah, blah, blah.  You know the voices are right.  But....what if they're not?


Or perhaps the voices are in your own head.  "I'll spend more time with my family when I retire."  "I'll start a new business when we're out of debt."  "I'll lose weight when the kids are grown and I have time to exercise." "I'll take that great vacation when my career is established."  Blah! Blah! Blah!  In your heart, you know the voices are wrong.  Nothing is ever going to change.  But...what if it could?

Too much of our life is about SOMEDAY.  Someday - when I'm older.  Someday - when the kids are grown.  Someday - when we're out of debt.  Someday - when we retire.  Someday - may be too late.


Guess what...someday is here!  It's time to stop putting off your dreams.  Stop waiting for that magical "someday!"  Right here, right now...make the decision not to let another day go buy without take at least one small step towards your dreams!  Don't wait for "someday".  Do it now!  Today!  The world is full of people who "coulda, woulda, shoulda."  Don't become another.  Instead, be the person who DID!


And how are you going to make all these dreams come true?  Simple.  It's time to start your own business.


Now before you panic, listen.  We have this wonderful tool called the internet.  And with it you can start a business for almost nothing.  You can work at it as little or a much as you want - depending on what your goals are.  You can even take it with you on vacation through your laptop or smart phone.


Network marketing.  Ecommerce.  Affiliate marketing.  All ways to start building the life you want.  The life of your dreams.  The one that will give you the time for the important things life family.  That will give you the money to take that great vacation.  That will let you have the ability to focus on things like your own health and well-being.


"But it's hard."   Yes, but probably not as hard as you imagine.  And it's certainly easier than living a life wondering what could have been.


"What if I fail?"  Ok.  You probably will - more than once.  Everyone does.  I could put hundreds of quotes in here by famous people talking about all the times they failed.  I'm not going to.  That's why we have Google.  You can look them up.  My question for you is - so what if you do fail?  Will the world stop spinning?  Probably not.  Pick yourself up and try again.  Here's another question.  What if you actually succeed?


"I don't have time (money, skills, knowledge, etc, etc)."  Yes, you do.  If you are really truthful with yourself, you do.  You may be allocating it to other things like cable TV or Starbucks runs.  It may not be exactly what you want.  But you have enough of everything you need to get started.  And you can learn and earn the rest.


"I don't know how to start."  This may be true.  Fortunately, there are people and resources that will help you figure that out.  People like me.  Resources like the Ninja Marketers group. 


You've heard my rant before.  And you'll probably hear it again.  Unless...

Today’s the day. Get up and get started.  Do one thing today.  So you don't have to listen to my nagging blah, blah, blah anymore.


And if you really don't know how or where to get started, just let me know.  I can help!

Have We Forgotten The Basics?

Attraction Marketing.  "Cause" marketing.  Social media marketing.


Video.  LiveStreaming.


Podcasting, messenger bots....the list of fancy marketing tools and techniques is endless.  And every day something new seems to appear.  How can you possibly master all of them?


I have a suggestion.


Let's get back to basics!

How to Become a Strategic Thinker

Are you flexible? And I'm not talking about whether you can touch your forehead to your knees. If you can, that's great. However, I'm talking about having a flexible mindset. An assumption about strategic thinkers, is that they are rigid and unbending when it comes to their thought process. That is absolutely not true! You need to be able to envision a plan, start executing it, and then have the ability to put the brakes on, so that you can shift your direction for success.

Keep an eye on your goal timelines and you will be able to spot the moments when it is time to do some strategic thinking. If you pay attention to what you are feeling, whether you are making daily progress towards your goals, you will know when it is time for a course correction. Strategic thinking will help you determine where and when you need to refocus. When you engage your mind in strategic thinking, you eliminate the panic that might set in once you realize your goals are not moving you forward.

Strategic thinking means that you engage the whole brain, rather than just the logical side. This can be difficult for some of you left-brained folks! But there are exercises you can do to learn how to engage the whole brain. I've included that information in this post.

Whole brain thinking allows you to put a problem under a microscope, examining it using critical and analytical thinking. As you write lists and plan goals, you will use strategic thinking to come up with timelines. This helps to chunk your goals into smaller steps and come up with resources to help you with the steps.

You might think that strategic thinkers are workaholics. Wrong. The best strategic thinkers take breaks throughout their day. Some even take 15-20 minute power naps to recharge their body and mind. They don’t rush headlong into their daily tasks but take time to plan and adapt. Nap time anyone?

To really become a strategic thinker, you must learn to adapt new ways of thinking. Always be a student who is willing and excited to learn new things! Strategic thinkers not only learn new things but they also learn how to cut out the elements that are not moving them forward and replace them with better options.

Are you ready to learn how to be a strategic thinker and make your goals rock? I'm a gamer. So of course I would use games to help me train my brain to think strategically. Here is a list of games/apps that are very popular, and they are sure to help exercise your mind.

1. Rosetta Stone produces the best language training in the world. It has revolutionized the industry. Did you know they have a brain game? It’s called Fit Brain and when you check out the website, you will note that the games are designed by neuroscientists and gaming experts. And the games are quick. You don’t have to put an hour into training your brain everyday. Just pick a comfortable game length and flex those brain cells.

2. Think you have what it takes to be a business tycoon? Check out one of the 25 Best Tycoon Games. These games are guaranteed to make you THINK!

3. The Archimedes Laboratory Project is stuffed with activities that you can use to enhance your creativity and your critical thinking. 

4. Finally let’s look at game that I know you will enjoy playing. This game makes me use parts of my brain that I didn’t know existed. “Braid,” is a time bending puzzle game where worlds behave differently, and you must master an uncharted world.

Strategic thinking is a something that we should all cultivate. It is extremely useful not only in planning and executing you goals but in every facet of your life.

Sharing Someone Else’s Story

Sometimes when you’re customizing PLR content, you'll think of a story that's perfect to include. The only problem is the story is not yours to tell. It's a story that belongs to a loved one, friend, or co-worker. You know the illustration fits perfectly but you're not sure how to share it. Here's what to do…

Get Permission

Before you do anything, it's important that you ask the person whose story you want to share if you can. If you don't ask permission and you publish someone else's details, you could damage that relationship and even end up in legal trouble depending on what you share.

You can start the conversation by approaching the other person and saying, “I'm working on a project about ABC topic and I’d love to share your story about ABC with my audience. Would you be up for that?”

Write the Story

Assuming you received permission, it's time to create the story. Start by creating a messy first draft. Write down all of the details as best you understand or remember them. You can edit or change this content later. But for now, just focus on the story.
When you've finished writing your first draft, it's time to edit it. During this editing phase you may realize you still have some questions for the other person. If that's the case, set aside some time to follow up and get the additional information you need.

Be Sensitive

Writing about someone else's life can open old wounds for them. In some situations, this can be a good thing because it opens the door for more healing. But it may still be painful for the person you're writing about.

As you work on this content, tread carefully. Be kind and ask questions without being judgmental or hurtful. Remember that your goal is to help people and that includes the person whose story you're sharing.

Show a Draft

Once you feel like you've captured the other person's story, it's time to ask for their feedback. Show them what you have so far and explain that it's a draft and still in need of polishing.

The person whose story you're sharing may love it and feel it’s perfect as-is. But they may also ask for changes to the piece. For example, a mother who's sharing the story of her teenage daughter’s eating disorder may want you to omit the name of the treatment center where her daughter receives help.

Explain Your Syndication

When you have a final draft ready, be sure to share it with the person you've written about. This is also the time when you'll want to share where this content will appear. Be specific so there are no unwelcome surprises for your interviewee.

You may say, “I’ll be sharing this story on my blog in (month). As part of my promotional strategy, I'll also be posting excerpts to social media networks and I might talk about it on my podcast or in my newsletter.”

Follow Up

On the day the content goes live, reach out and let the person know. Thank them for sharing. If you’re getting positive feedback include that with your message so you're interviewee knows that their story is making a difference.

Adding stories to PLR content is a great way to customize it. Whether you share your story or someone else's, stay focused on your ultimate goal—connecting with and inspiring your community.

Grab your free checklist that shows you step-by-step how to share a friend’s story on your blog or website! Join our free Facebook group and grab your copy!

The 4 Essential Elements of Good Stories

I used to struggle with my content marketing. I wanted to create content that would connect with my audience but no matter what I posted, I couldn’t get any engagement. I knew I was sending a good amount of traffic to my blog and social media channels so I was stumped.

Finally, I decided to take some actual training in content marketing to help me examine and diagnose my problem. During the training, we reviewed my website, blog, and social media channels. And we quickly pinpointed the problem. My content was too sterile. It sounded like I was talking at my audience instead of having a conversation with them.

I learned how to overcome this problem by weaving stories into my content so it felt more natural.

When it comes to personalizing your content with stories, it can be helpful to understand what makes a good story. These four elements can guide you through the storytelling process…

Goal

Every compelling story starts with a goal. Sometimes, the goal is simple like learning how to use new software. Sometimes, the goal is more complex like seeking a life partner or learning how to eat in healthy ways.

Before you tell a story, pause to reflect on the goal. For example, my goal was to boost her engagement rate and get more feedback from my community about what they wanted to see from me.

Motivation

Motivation is the why behind your goal. It’s what keeps driving you forward even in the face of obstacles and setbacks. Motivation can differ from person to person. You may be motivated to learn new content marketing skills because you want to advertise your business.

But your friend may be motivated to learn content marketing because she wants to earn enough money to bring her husband home from his job. In my case, I wanted a deeper connection with my target audience.

Conflict

Conflict is the obstacle between what you want and how you'll achieve it. Conflict is sometimes internal such as not being sure of the next move, doubting yourself, or getting stuck in a negative mindset.

Sometimes conflict is external. This happens when a force outside of yourself is preventing you from accomplishing your goal. For example, you lack the software you need to create a website or you lack the time to build your business.

Overcoming

The final element in any good story is the moment when you overcome an obstacle and achieve the results you wanted. How you overcome depends on your conflict. For example, you may have been dealing with negative thinking and a conversation with a friend helped you let go of those thoughts.

With external conflict, the overcoming is usually the result of taking action. If your goal was to build your own website and your conflict was that you’re not good with technology, then your moment of overcoming may have been purchasing an online course to learn how to use WordPress.

The best way to learn how to use stories in your content is to study how other marketers weave stories into their topics. The more you do this the easier it will get to see how the four elements work together to create gripping stories



Sharing stories is easy when you use our checklist – join our Facebook group now and get your free checklist!