Hammer On!

The world is more malleable than you think and it's waiting for you to hammer it into shape.
Bono

Isn't it really kind of special that we can make our own way in the world if we just set our minds to hard work and a clear plan? Even in developing countries this can be acheived. Check out the Kiva link below if you don't believe me. We all have the ability to change our circumstances and surroundings. What shape will you hammer your world into?

A video to get you in the mood for the Holidays!

Thought I might add a bit of Holiday Cheer for today!

Careful who you talk to and careful who you talk about

I subscribe to a copywriting newsletter and blog, http://www.allisonnazarian.com/ and there was a very interesting and frightening post on there today that I wanted to pass on to ya'll. I don't know about you, but I since getting my business license, I get between 10 and 30 cold calls each day from telemarketers. It is annoying, but most importantly, it can be dangerous to your checkbook. Beware the scammer, gentle reader, they are everywhere and if you fall prey to them and write about them on your blog, you can be sued.
So be careful what you say and who you say it to...a scammer can sue you. Afterall, they have to make their money somehow. For the full story, check out this article on the exact nature of the lawsuit and all about the really cool eco-fashion company that is their prey.

What do you do "Off Line" to drive people to your website?

We all know about SEO and the importance of keywords, etc...but what are you doing to brand your website off line? Is your website listed on your business cards, invoice and letterhead? Do you include it on all PR materials and marketing? You should be. Revise those items today and drive more traffic to your site.
Also, make sure that you have a clear, concise domain name. It should match your business name almost to the letter so that it becomes synonymous with your business and easily recognized. On your website, make sure you have a short sign up form so that you can collect emails for email marketing. Don't force people to fill out a job application so that they can receive your marketing. In most instances, a simple request for their email will suffice.

Success

"To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest citizens and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one's self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived - this is to have succeeded."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
I love this quote....keeps things in perspective!

"You should make your bed. It sets the tone for the whole day."

I heard this line on a movie trailer commercial. I haven't seen the movie nor do I remember the title of the movie (If you do, let me know...I'd like to see it). It stood out for me because I work from home, two minute commute and all. I noticed at that very moment, that I hadn't been making my bed in the morning anymore. When I was a corporate slave, I made it almost everyday, out of sheer habit after I got dressed. Since I now spend the first two or three hours of each day in my PJs, I just blew off the "quick tidy up before I leave" until much later in the day, if I do it at all.
To this end, I realized today, my house is a mess. I spend most of the day here and it is a disaster. How can that be, I asked myself? It's really quite simple. I no longer have a set pattern of behaviours that used to be habits. Make the bed before you leave, sort the mail when you come home, eat dinner and wash the dishes, laundry on Sunday. There is no delineation between work and home anymore. It's just work and decompress time. Now, I realize that when I decided to open and operate my own business that my lifestyle would have to change dramatically. Almost everything I do is geared toward growing my business and working for my clients. I feel guilty when I stop and take time to do things for myself. That is not making money, working toward success, staying focused, etc...or is it?
Perhaps making your bed does set the tone for the day. Doing nice things for yourself and keeping your home like a home may actually benefit your business indirectly and positively in the long run. The "experts" all say that when you operate a home based business, you have to avoid being distracted by your life. The question for me, however seems to be "How do I break away from work and find my life?"

Affiliate Marketing

I had always thought that this little venture was more trouble than it was worth. I put up a few links on my website and thought no more about it. Last week, I got two checks in the mail. Not lotto sized checks by any means, but checks that I was not expecting, nonetheless. So today I decided to spend a little bit of time securing a few more links and updating some that I had already. It took about 30 minutes total, so no big deal. I even put a note in my Outlook Calendar to spend a few minutes every Monday morning updating these links.
My point is this: Why not start a small affiliate marketing program on your website/blog/email marketing? Here are a few steps to get you started:

1. Find a few sites that specialize in links. I'm using Linkshare and Amazon and have included their links on my blog and website (hint, hint...click now and begin shopping). These two are quite user friendly and they do send checks.
2. Do not believe the hype all over the web that you will get rich quick from starting an affiliate program. Remember, gentle reader, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is...
3. Choose links from businesses that you have used in the past or that have upstanding reputations in their field. Don't send your valuable customers to a scam site or worse yet, give them a virus! This is another reason that I like Linkshare, all of their links come from legitimate businesses most of which I have heard of!
4. Set aside time each week to update and refresh your links and check your accounts. I am up nuts early in the morning so that I can spend time on this sort of thing before I start with client projects.
5. Don't have time for this type of project? That's OK....Your Virtual Assistant can likely handle that for you, quickly and efficiently. Don't have a VA? Why not? (Shameless Plug of the Day!)

Are You Collecting Emails?

Depending on what kind of business you own/operate, you probably keep records of your customers' mailing addresses and phone numbers. But are you collecting email addresses? Email Marketing is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to keep your business in your customer's mind. It can get them back in the store if you have a bricks and mortar. It can open dialogue and increase exposure. It can even earn more customers through viral marketing, which, for the most part, is free exposure. Today's world is full of technology just waiting for a savvy business owner to pounce on.
Spam regulations are becoming a lot more strict in recent years, so the key is to collect emails the legal way. Here are some easy tips for building a large opt-in list:
1. When collecting the snail mail and phone numbers for your customer, ask for their email as part of your documentation. Let them know that you do send out newsletters from time to time and ask if they would like to receive them. If they say no, make a note of it! Whatever you do, don't send them any marketing emails, just correspondence.
2. Make sure your website has an opt-in form for visitors to complete. Make sure every page of your site has a link to this page. "Contact Us" or "Sign Up for Monthly Newsletters" are usually a good way to go. Have that page open up in a separate window so that they can keep shopping after they have completed it.
3. For your current customers: You can use an Append Service to locate customers' email addresses using their phone number and/or address. A word of caution: This option is expensive and often unreliable. Depending on the number of customers in your database, it may be cheaper to call them and do a follow up, asking for an email at that time.
Build your email marketing into your business culture and it will become second nature for you to automatically ask for the address. The more often you communicate on a regular basis with your customers, the likelihood of them returning to your business increases. More on email marketing in weeks to follow.

Ah, Procrastination.....

So, I'm not a natural procrastinator. It's not really in my nature. But I gave a 10 minute blurb at a networking group I belong to and realized that I do more for my clients' Online Presence than I do for my own. Why is my own presence less important than my customer's? Why procrastinate with my own stuff when I never do that with theirs?
It has been more than two weeks since my last blog and my facebook account is negligible at best. I'll admit, I'm not a huge fan of their format. Still a bit too social and giggly for me. About 70% of my clients have reached out to me through online networking, maintaining that presence should be a #1 priority for me. So, gentle reader, I have decided that I will schedule time on the ole' Outlook Calendar to spend time everyday on my stuff. Are you finding that you work harder for your customers than you do for yourself? Try scheduling "Me Time" and stick with the regime. I even color-code it so that it feels like a real project, which it is. Of course, if you find yourself not having the time, you can always hire a VA to help you in that department....I hear they put your needs ahead of their own, anyway......

Creativity in Business

I am having a very difficult time with creativity these days, which is very rare for me. Usually, my imagination runs the show and this shift in paradigms (ah, management-speak...sorry about that, but the word fits!) got me to thinking about business and the formation of such. Do we spend so much time planning and organizing with our right brain that we leave the left side needing nourishment? I'm pretty sure that is exactly what is happening with me. Now, in many ways, I am a Virgo's Virgo. I am constantly analyzing communication, my pores, food labels, other people's blogs etc..etc...but lately, since I have started this business, I find myself over-analyzing almost every detail of my life. I understand that using careful consideration can lead to creative thoughts and new ways to make things flow and work but for some reason, I felt that owning a business meant doing everything differently and "by the book". So today, I have decided that I should run my business with the same creativity that I have never had any problem using for other folks when I was a corporate slave. Ironically, the minute I made this discovery, I had no problem finding the words to say....