Last week, I put together a simple quiz you can take to figure out which social networking platform is the place for you. If you want to see the quiz plus the explanation AROUND the quiz (yes, there is a reason other than the entertainment value -- it not only helps you use each social ... Views: 850
Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, Google+ -- oh my! If all the different social networking platforms are making your head spin, this quick quiz should help you get a handle on which social networking platform is right for you.
Now while the quiz itself (including the personality types in the ... Views: 784
Your biggest strength is also your biggest weakness. And that's not only true of people, but also of things created by people.
Like the traditional business model, which is very masculine. And while that's most definitely a strength -- it's also a weakness. (Especially for women living too ... Views: 822
If you're like so many conscious/heart-centered entrepreneurs, a lot of traditional copywriting probably makes you pretty uncomfortable. (Copywriting is writing promotional materials, nothing to do with protecting your intellectual property.)
But everyone tells you that you need that "type of ... Views: 681
The good news about being a biz owner is you get to set your own schedule.
And the bad news? You get to set your own schedule. (And we haven't even talked about how that looks when you work out of your home and all the distractions THAT brings.)
If you're like most entrepreneurs, no one ... Views: 859
It's that time of year to make sure your marketing plan is all ready to go - just in time to kick off the sparkling New Year that's right around the corner.
But how do you get a marketing plan together that will actually get you the results you're looking for? Here are 3 tips to get you ... Views: 737
We all talk about the entrepreneurial journey -- how when you embark, the highs will be some of the best highs of your life … but there will be some lows too.
The reality is that just as the highs you can reach running your own biz are some of the highest you'll experience, very few things ... Views: 614
The first time I heard that your subconscious could be sabotaging you, 2 things went through my mind.
The first was relief -- OH maybe this isn't completely my fault after all.
The second was confusion -- what the heck does this even mean? All I want is more clients, and I'm doing all this ... Views: 567
It can make good marketing sense to partner with a nonprofit or cause.
Consider what my marathon friends did when they were raising money to participate in the 3-Day Walk (you walk 60 miles in 3 days to promote breast cancer awareness and raise money for research). They approached a local ... Views: 698
Congratulations! You've just completed the finishing touches on your brand new website, and now you're ready to launch it to the world!
Except...how do you do that exactly? It's not like you upload it and your ideal clients magically find you.
So, what you need is a launch guide for your ... Views: 527
Yes you read the title right. This is all about how being creative can hurt you in biz.
We all know being creative is definitely an asset when you're an entrepreneur. But...
Your greatest strengths are also your greatest weaknesses. And being TOO creative can actually keep you from ... Views: 807
I'm not a huge reality television show watcher, but what I do like to watch are competition shows. Whether it's sports or competitive cooking, I like watching how people respond to pressure. (After all, as entrepreneurs we're always under pressure - it's just not as condensed as it is on ... Views: 664
Ah yes, the 2x4. The Universe's version of tough love.
In case you aren't familiar with the concept of the 2x4, let me explain. The 2x4 happens when all the gentle nudges and taps are being ignored, and the Universe decides sterner measures are necessary.
Basically you have a feeling ... Views: 540
If you're like many entrepreneurs, the thought of marketing makes you slightly sick to your stomach. And it's more than a simple like or dislike of marketing; it's the idea of trying to fit it into your to-do list. You already have a million things going on, how can you possibly fit marketing in ... Views: 622
With 2013 half over, it's time to pause, take a breath, and see if you're on track with your goals.
This is an essential part of running a successful business -- taking structured time throughout the year to work ON your biz and make sure the path you're on is, in fact, the path you want to ... Views: 594
I admit it.
I'm a recovering workaholic/perfectionist, not to mention having delusions of superhero syndrome.
I know I'll never be cured. But I can at least work on controlling it.
I also know I'm not alone. Plenty of entrepreneurs and small business owners suffer from this same ... Views: 602
If it hasn't hit you yet, it will soon -- there are an awful lot of live events happening in the online world.
Now there's an excellent reason for this -- hosting your own event can be a huge business booster, so many entrepreneurs find themselves giving the whole event-hosting a whirl. ... Views: 557
There's a lot of excellent reasons to take the time to write and publish a book. Having authored a book gives you instant credibility as an expert, which immediately sets you apart from everyone else in your field, helps fill your pipeline with perfect clients and gives you a reason to raise ... Views: 769
Have you ever seen those commercials where the business owner talks about wearing every hat including the janitor's?
While those commercials are definitely true, what I don't like about them is they also imply it's okay to KEEP wearing all sorts of hats in your business, like the ... Views: 617
There's a lot of value around being first in your business. The first person to come up with a hot product or service tends to reap a huge amount of rewards in the process.
However, being first isn't always all that and a bag of chips. In fact, there are times when being second to the party ... Views: 733
One of the biggest issues I hear from entrepreneurs is how much they struggle with overwhelm. Unfortunately there's no easy answer to get you out of overwhelm completely, but if you start making a habit of the below 3 tips, chances are your life is going to get a lot easier.
1. Get very ... Views: 658
If you're like many entrepreneurs, concern (or even distress) about the size of your email list is a major issue. And for good reason.
Your email list -- which is a list of folks that have given you permission to email or otherwise contact them -- is the foundation of business success. Those ... Views: 909
If you're like many entrepreneurs, marketing is not one of your fave activities. (In fact, I would bet the only thing you detest more than marketing is sales.)
The problem is if you aren't regularly marketing your business, your cash flow is also not that regular (and there's nothing worse ... Views: 557
One definition of creativity states that creative people look at the same thing everyone else does, yet they see something no one else does.
But even creative people (which includes all of you, of course) can run into roadblocks every now and then. Sometimes it's not possible to see something ... Views: 640
1. It's not your grandfather's communications model. Communications has drastically changed since, say, the 1970s when advertising was in its heyday (actually most of the 1900s, but the 1970s is a good representative year).
Target markets are fragmented, customers have more demands on their ... Views: 540
Are you struggling to find a new twist for your advertising or marketing campaigns? Tired of sounding like everyone else and want something new and fresh? Never fear. Here are 3 ways to get those creative juices (and new ideas) flowing.
But before I get to those, there are a few things you ... Views: 768
Want to know the secret to creating MEMORABLE promotional copy? Sales copy that actually stays with your customers long after they've finished reading it?
Then master the art of using words to create pictures in your customers' heads.
If you can describe your products or services in such a ... Views: 709
You've done all this work to get people to visit your website, only to have nothing happen.
No sign ups for your newsletter, no inquiries about your products and services, no sales, no nothing.
So what's the problem? Chances are it has something to do with your copy not engaging your ideal ... Views: 638
As an entrepreneur who specializes in a done-for-you service (it doesn't get any more done-for-you then handing clients a piece of copy plus the exact strategy for how to use it to get the best results in their business) you would think I would be the last person who would need to coach someone ... Views: 721
January 2005 was a turning point in my business. It was the month I incorporated my business.
Before then, I had operated as a sole proprietor. I started my business in 1998 as a freelance copywriter.
However, in 2003 I started getting that restless feeling. I knew I was destined for ... Views: 623
You know that voice. The one that berates you and criticizes you.
"So-and-so has a successful business, what's wrong with you?"
"Your mother (or spouse or friend) was right -- you're not cut out to have a business."
"You only have 6 months left of 2012 and you STILL haven't ... Views: 661
In case dancing isn't your thing, Donald Driver, wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers, won this year's Dancing With the Stars.
Even if you're not a Green Bay Packers fan, there are a lot of reasons to root for Donald. He's the classic rags-to-riches story: Dad in jail when he was born, ... Views: 687
In case you haven't been paying attention, there are more events out there then you can shake a stick at. And every time you turn around, even more events pop up.
For the most part, I'm glad there are so many events because there are many good reasons to attend them. The networking, the ... Views: 662
Of all the marketing tools out there (and make no mistake about it, product launches are a TOOL -- nothing more, nothing less) product launches have got to be the most frustrating, misused and misunderstood tool.
There is nothing that will bring an entrepreneur to their knees faster than a ... Views: 709
On the surface, starting an internet-based business may seem like a dream come true. A business owner can start a business out of her home, selling her products and services everywhere and anywhere in the world without big marketing budgets or lots of advertising. However, once she puts up her ... Views: 777
You just put the finishing touches on your kick-butt marketing plan that's going to skyrocket your business. Hooray!
Only problem is that kick-butt marketing plan isn't going to do a thing for your business unless you actually put it into action. And that, alas, is where most marketing plans ... Views: 719
There's no question you can start and grow a business without a marketing plan. However, I can tell you from personal experience, if you're feeling stuck and can't get to the next level, it's probably because you never took the time to put a marketing plan together.
Having a marketing plan ... Views: 713
There's no better time to take stock of your business than the time between the end of one year and the beginning of the next. It's "out with the old, in with the new" and that includes out with anything that isn't serving you or your business at the highest level, and in with what you want your ... Views: 877
Of all the things entrepreneurs struggle with, this one is probably the most difficult and most dangerous. Why? Because it directly impacts the success of your business.
I know I'm not revealing any big eye-opening secret when I tell you that if you don't regularly and consistently market ... Views: 735
It happens. For many of us entrepreneurs, our business is built around us. So when we get tired, stressed, overwhelmed, burnt out or lose our mojo, our business suffers. And when that happens, it can impact us in all sorts of negative ways.
So when we do lose our mojo, what can we do to get ... Views: 884
In my copywriting trainings, this topic invariably comes up. And usually it's because I'm questioning my students' choice of words on their websites or other online promotional copy.
"I chose that word because it's a good SEO keyword," they say.
Ah. It may be a good SEO keyword but it's ... Views: 980
I'm a professional athlete who sometimes gets bored off the field. There's only so much television you can watch, so that's why I like to hop on Twitter. I especially like to do this when I'm really angry about something. But I've discovered I get a big backlash when I do this. I've blamed the ... Views: 740
I'm a professional athlete who sometimes gets bored off the field. There's only so much television you can watch, so that's why I like to hop on Twitter. I especially like to do this when I'm really angry about something. But I've discovered I get a big backlash when I do this. I've blamed the ... Views: 826
I'm about to make your life so much easier.
Putting up a money-making website can be as simple as 1, 2, 3 -- just as long as you have these 3 crucial elements in place.
(And, if you don't have a website, I'm going to share just how easy it can be to get one up TOMORROW. Yes, it really ... Views: 864
It's official. Social networking is here to stay.
Forget using it just as a business tool. It's everywhere. You can't get away from it. (And we're not even talking about, ahem, inappropriate uses of it such as sending nasty pictures of yourself over Twitter when you really ought to know ... Views: 682
Here’s the sneaky thing about mental blocks — they usually make their presence known through sabotage (your business, your relationships, your life, etc.) rather than let you know through more civilized means.
Wouldn’t it be so much nicer if they simply tapped you on the shoulder and said “hey ... Views: 628
As you may know, I am on a MISSION to shine a great big TRUTH spotlight on all the Big Fat Lies you’re most likely telling yourself about Internet Marketing right now.
However, I can only do so much.
I can tell you what the truth is. And you may even believe it. (In your head that is.)
But ... Views: 582
It sounds magical, doesn't it? Attracting leads, clients and sales to you effortlessly. In fact, it almost doesn't sound possible.
But the truth is, it IS possible, even if it isn't magic. It's all about good, solid marketing principles. And if you follow the below 3 keys, you'll be well on ... Views: 649
If you're one of the thousands of heart-centered and conscious entrepreneurs, getting your message out into the world in a big way is important to you. In fact, it might even be the reason why you started your business in the first place.
The problem, of course, is how. How do you get your ... Views: 637
Over the years I've had the pleasure of working with both very successful entrepreneurs and ones who aren't so successful. What makes one entrepreneur successful while the other one not-so-much? Chances are they're making one (or all three) of these mistakes. Read on to learn more.
1. ... Views: 757