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[2003-06-30] Quadruple Your Online Sales in Just 4 Months
If you want a quick and simple way to create regular income online, follow my lead.
[2003-06-26] Busting the Home-Biz Myths
Don't believe all the guidelines and hype about running a business from home. Some of the rules, set out in books and columns such as this one, are sound. Others are hype, horse-hockey or oft-repeated nonsense. Here's a short list of what's true and what's false among the work-at-home myths.
[2003-06-24] Cereal Mom
I recently heard a woman say that being called a "work at home mom" was professionally demeaning. Being one myself, my initial reaction was to agree with her. "That's right, I'm a professional, I'm not just a bored housewife dabbling with a hobby here," I said to myself.
[2003-06-24] All In The Perspective
Today I almost rented an office.
I know, I know. How on earth could I ever consider giving up working at home?
Well, I did say, "almost". But there are days when an office looks pretty darn good.
[2003-06-24] Remind Me Again Why I Do This...
I recently embarked on a large programming project that became the most frustrating, stressful thing I've done since I've been in business.
[2003-06-23] The Internet: Homonym Heaven
Have you ever visited a visually attractive site and then spotted phrases such as, "If your interested in learning more about our Websight, e-mail us," or "This product comes with an unconditional guarantee. It's high quality will make you're life better!"? How about, "Body fat problems? We can help. Of coarse you need patients when it comes to reducing the access around you're waste."
[2003-06-23] Correcting Software Translations
Some time after I started a new profit center, polishing foreign software translations, I began encouraging others in my industry to follow my lead. If you love working with words, here's part of what you need to begin a similar venture: good grammar and communication skills, focus, flexibility, and wisdom.
[2003-06-23] What Do Women Want?
Surely you've noticed. Go to any company recruiting or training event or attend any national convention and without a doubt, you will see… women are the driving force behind the direct selling industry.
[2003-06-23] Does Your Site Tell The Truth?
Good copywriters are among the best paid people in the work force. Most webmasters are not in this group. Yet we need to sell. Should we emulate good copywriters? That is, should we do what they do to the best of our ability?
[2003-06-23] Expand Your Business To The Web?
If you have a successful off-line business, but no web site to support it, you have probably considered building one. Others may even be chiding you because you haven't done so. Despite what you may have heard or others tell you, there is only one valid reason for building a web site and that is to increase profits. To create a site simply to have one, to be able to add name.com to the bottom of your stationery and business cards has a grand potential for disaster.
[2003-06-23] Downtime Strategies For Building eBusiness
When I first began my business I would freak out every time the phone stopped ringing, until I learned the importance of the down times. Now whenever they occur, I simply get away from it for a little while. It seemed that whenever I watched and waited nothing happened but when I left the situation and put my mind on something else, things shifted. By changing my focus, new ideas would bubble up and I would feel more creative. So although it may seem as if you've done all you can, more than likely there's a whole lot you haven't tried yet.
[2003-06-20] Keeping Clients Happy Keeps them Coming Back
Whether you are a seasoned Virtual Assistant (VA), or you have just opened your doors to new clients, your marketing strategy should not only involve bringing in new business, it should also include keeping your current clients, your most important asset, happy and coming back for more or referring your services.
[2003-06-20] Coping With Business Bullies
Dear Susan: My boss spends so much time on trying to find things I am doing wrong that I frankly do not know how he has time for anything else. He also goes around to other supervisors and fellow employees and tells them things about me so now others are keeping their distance for fear that they will be next. I think this is a very severe case of what they call "bullying."
[2003-06-20] How to Generate Streams of Lifetime Internet Cash Flow
You know this Secret is worth Thousand Bucks, since you are die-hard to this Newsletter you are worth to the Publisher like that.
So, here we go...
[2003-06-20] When Size Doesn't Matter
Building a big mailing list is easy. Building a profitable list of eager ebook buyers is more difficult.
Why? Because sometimes these two goals oppose one another. Let me explain...
[2003-06-19] Rebuilding Confidence After Job-Loss
Dear Susan: I always considered myself to be someone who is supportive and sensitive to others' needs. I feel that I have a gift of 'being able to get on someone's wavelength' to understand where they are coming from. This was valuable when I worked in contract negotiations as well as in adapting my approach to different people as a Project Manager. People I have worked with have commented on and told me they appreciate this. Several have suggested that I would make a great manager.
[2003-06-18] Define a Niche, Then Conquer
Looking for a quality baseball cap? Hey, it's easy. Check out the material and workmanship. Grab a color you like, and maybe a team logo. You don't even have to try it on! Thanks to the little strap in the back, one size fits all. A marketer's dream.
[2003-06-18] Do You Publish An Ezine?
You should. It's a grand way to stay in touch with potential customers, and to keep your name out there in a positive way. Readers will remember you when they need what you offer. And best of all, they will share your name with a friend with a similar need.
[2003-06-17] How to Market Your Book
Marketing a book can be a lot of fun! Here are some general ideas for marketing any book:
[2003-06-17] AND A FINAL WORD ON APOSTROPHES...
Following on from the previous two articles, I now want to look at another common difficulty with the apostrophe - that is, the difference between "it's" and "its" and when each of these should be used.
[2003-06-17] The "Write Like a Pro" Checklist
Sure you can write, but can you write crisp, compelling copy that ezine publishers, related Web sites, and book audiences will clamor for?
[2003-06-17] Why Meet?
I was recently consulting in a company that seemed to work on wishes. They wished they knew what people were thinking. They wished they could do something about lack of trust. They wished folks would come forward with their issues rather than chatting in halls. They wished they were "all on the same page". Why wish? Meet!
[2003-06-17] Promote Your Books Through Flyers
A good, inexpensive way to promote your books is a flyer. What makes one flyer so much better than another? Use these 10 tips to make yours stand out from the crowd.
[2003-06-17] Copywriting: A Great Place To Start
If you're new to website building or just getting started, one question may haunt you. With so many different things to be learned, where is the best place to start?
I always suggest copywriting as a great way to begin. At this point, your eyebrows may be raised. But take a closer look.
[2003-06-16] How's Your Alignment?
I love going to see my chiropractor for spinal adjustments. After each visit, I notice that I walk more easily. With my spine properly aligned, it takes far less energy for me to move with ease and comfort. Sometimes I don't even realize how out of alignment I am until after the adjustment.
[2003-06-16] 10 Tips For Selling Books Through Radio Interviews
William A. Gordon and Stephen Schochet are Hollywood authors and storytellers who, between themselves, have done over 600 radio interviews. Although they work independently, they often share information about specific shows and compare strategies for getting booked. Here they share some of the lessons they have learned about selling books, CDs and audiotapes through radio interviews.
[2003-06-16] Ten Things I Learned About Marketing This Week and How to Apply Them
1. My grocery store now has a checkout stand immediately inside the front door and beside it is a cooler with milk, orange juice, butter, coffee, bread and the things you'd run into a convenience store for.
[2003-06-16] Can You Risk Supporting An Affiliate Program?
There is an over-abundance of affiliate programs available. All eagerly invite you to participate. If you like, visit AssociatePrograms.Com. Allan Gardyne has the most comprehensive list of programs I have seen. Almost 3000 of them at the last count I noted. And he reports thoroughly on each, as information becomes available. (Allan does a super top job in this.)
[2003-06-16] Choose Your Merchant Account With Care
Choosing the right merchant account may be one of the most difficult business decisions you make. There are hundreds to choose from. And they are scrambling for your money as aggressively as do the credit card services for your personal dollars. As in most high pressure advertising, there are lots of downright lies.
[2003-06-13] Prospecting: Getting through Voice Mail
Reaching a prospect is no easy feat. One salesperson experienced a voice mail obstacle that was more daunting for him than most.
Here is the voice mail message: "If you are calling to sell me X, don't hold your breath for a return call."
[2003-06-12] How to Get Organized
I belong to a yahoogroup of coaches and right now the topic is how to get organized. One coach writes that he's using Outlook Express for his email and email address list, Time & Order for his address book, calendar, datebook and to-do list (synchronizing, he says, between PS and daytimer), and MindMappit for brainstorming/lists." Someone replies that they're an infj and to remember to focus on people and relationships. A third one replies they wouldn't want to be a 'type' and there's probably a name for that type, and she uses .etc."
[2003-06-12] Selling Back End Products
When selling on the internet ask anyone who really knows and they will tell you that selling a backend product is where the money really is. You are looking for repeat customers they will make up most of your income.
[2003-06-12] How Not to Mulligan Your Business Golf Game
Spending four hours on a course with a potential client or business affiliate offers you a golden opportunity to build either bridges or chasms. Many believe that how a person conducts himself or herself on the golf course reflects how they perform in business situations. A business golfing date is a time to put your best golfing shoe forward.
[2003-06-12] Business Structures Defined: The Corporation
The corporation is America's most popular and oldest form of business entity. As such, corporate statutes have had the opportunity to evolve over the years and have become quite uniform throughout the states. Today, the most popular forms of corporation include the "General-For-Profit Corporation (or, C-Corporation)" and the "S-Corporation."
[2003-06-12] Business Structures Defined: The Limited Liability Company
IRS Treatment of the One-Member LLC.
An LLC with only one member / owner is automatically considered to be a sole proprietorship unless an election is made to be treated as a corporation.
[2003-06-12] Business Structures Defined: The S-Corporation
An S Corporation begins its existence the same way that a "C-Corporation" (discussed here) begins its existence -- as a general, for-profit corporation upon filing the Articles of Incorporation at the state level.
[2003-06-11] Decode the Hidden Messages on Business Cards
Every business card creates an impression that reveals a lot more than you'd expect about a business. It exposes more than the printed words, disclosing its health and priorities. Cards can often say unflattering things, rather than the messages you intended. It can function as your silent ambassador or as a spiteful gossip. So make sure yours expresses precisely what you want people to remember.
[2003-06-11] Watch Out for Computer Assumptions that Cause Printing Delays
Time gremlins lurk in any printing project, causing complications that throw it off track. Such delays frustrate both the customer and the printer. Changes in technology may reduce some such problems but have been responsible for causing different ones instead.
[2003-06-11] Business Proposals: Writing an Executive Summary
When writing a business proposal, the executive summary is arguably the most important component. You should write it as if the success of the entire proposal rests upon it.
[2003-06-11] Exposing Your Expertise
[2003-06-11] 5 Essential Online Tools for Writers and Publishers
Writing a newsletter or article can be very time consuming. First, you have to create your content. Then you have to organize it. Fortunately, there are plenty of great tools online you can use and don't require you to clog your computer with more software.
[2003-06-11] Why Your Printing Jobs Shouldn’t be Rushed
Any printing job is actually a series of steps, and each of them take time. Even in the best situation, where the job comes to the printer truly "ready to go," the order seldom is ready as quickly as the customer had hoped. Few customers understand all that must be done between the time the order comes in and when it goes out the printer's door.
[2003-06-10] The Monkey Bars Law
What do you suppose playground equipment can teach about running a company?
[2003-06-10] Winning The Hit Exchange Game
"How do I get more traffic to your site?" That's the eternal question. Or to be more precise, "How do I get more targetted traffic to my pages, people who are going to be interested in what I have to offer?"
[2003-06-10] Search Engine Optimization Secrets
I'm sure that everyone knows that the travel sector is one of the most competitive online. There are literally thousands of sites and the search engine rankings appear to be controlled by the big corporate travel sites. So where does that leave a small travel business on the internet? Well, there are actually still many opportunities for these sites.
[2003-06-10] Sharpen Your News Peg to Hook Reporters
Of all the journalism concepts that PR pros should know, the least understood and the most misinterpreted is the news peg. You cannot hope to succeed as a PR Rainmaker if you fail to grasp this basic idea.
[2003-06-10] What You Know Can Work Just As Well As Who You Know
[2003-06-10] How To Write A Winning Business Proposal
Q. I've been asked to submit a proposal for a workshop to a local group of women executives. Where do I start?
[2003-06-10] Making a Difference
"All customers care about today is price. It doesn't matter if your product (service) is better, lasts longer or enables them to do more things. If you don't have the lowest price, you lose."
Sound familiar? I can't tell you how many times I've heard discouraged sellers say various iterations of that quote in the past couple years.
[2003-06-09] 3 Professional Business Tips!
1) Be Prompt
Answer all your e-mail messages as quickly as possible. Nothing will lose a sale quicker than not responding to a prospect in time. If you don't, it could anger your customers and they could ask for a refund. You may lose a sale because they want you to answer a question before they order.
[2003-06-09] Contest Sponsoring - The "Whys" And "Hows"
If you belong to the right groups, you see requests for contest sponsors on a regular basis. So why should you just give away your products? What is in it for you?
[2003-06-09] Sociological Marketing Tactics
Sociologists have been studying the buying habits of American consumers for more than four decades. During this time period, study after study has shown that American consumers tend to follow certain patterns in their shopping behavior.
[2003-06-09] Turn Prospects into Buyers
It may take 4 to 7 visits before your web visitors buy from you. New information, regular changes, and updates keep visitors coming back to your web site. As your visitors develop confidence in you, they will be more likely to buy from your products or services. Follow these tips to keep prospects coming back, win their trust, and increase your online sales.
[2003-06-09] Can Emotional Intelligence Help Your Business with Risk Management?
According to jury behavior studies, yes. Jurors (who are usually also employees) expect emotionally intelligent behavior from companies.
[2003-06-09] The Definition of Marketing
If the circus is coming to town and you paint a sign saying, "Circus is coming to Fairgrounds Sunday," that's Advertising. If you put the sign on the back of an elephant and walk him through town, that's a Promotion. If the elephant walks through the Mayor's flower bed, that's Publicity. If you can get the Mayor to laugh about it, that's Public Relations. And, if you planned the whole thing, that's Marketing! --Author Unknown
[2003-06-07] Dialogue - Not Agreement - Is The Sign Of An Effective Newsletter
For those of you old enough to have never seriously considered getting your tongue pierced, you may recall the 1992 US presidential elections, principally involving Bill Clinton, George Bush and Ross Perot.
My memory of the specifics is a bit hazy, but one thing about that election has stayed with me. Everywhere you went that year, you'd run into passionate Perot supporters - handing out leaflets, wearing buttons, eager to engage anybody and everybody in a debate on the virtues of their candidate.
[2003-06-06] Make Front Page News By NOT Inviting The Media
Not a single reporter showed up at our news event. And we were THRILLED! Not a single photographer showed up to capture the moment. And we were pleased as punch! Not a single newspaper knew about the event. And we received front page coverage in every one!
[2003-06-06] A Micro-Entrepreneur's Most Valuable Resource
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are roughly 25 million small business in the United States. They account for 47% of all sales, 55% of innovations, and 35% of all federal contracts. And the rate of small business bankruptcies are at the lowest point in 19 years!
[2003-06-06] Risk It!
"Often the difference between the successful man or woman and a failure is not one's abilities or ideas, but the courage one has to take a risk and to act on those abilities and ideas." Those wise words from Maxwell Maltz remind us that success in life is likely to involve some intelligent risk.
[2003-06-06] Building a Great Ezine
I have two tips that seem so reasonable that they can,t miss. When you are writing an ezine,why not occasionally put polls in where the respondents email you and tell you if they want a feature in your ezine? Or, maybe they want to see a new feature that you are presently lacking.Or even "lose" something that they feel reduces the quality of the ezine.As in, quality control polls.
[2003-06-06] Start To Make Your Creativity Pay
Can you make a living as a writer, artist, designer or other creative soul? Yes, you can, if you learn a few tricks.
[2003-06-06] How to Let the IRS Pay for Your Kids' Summer Camp
With summer day-camp season upon us, here's a way to let Uncle Sam pick up the tab for your children's fun. Many parents take advantage of the child daycare credit. Well, this same credit can also be used for summer day-camp expenses.
[2003-06-06] What is the Truth About Bulk E-Mail?
I'm sure that anyone who has spent a fair amount of time online doing any sort of marketing and advertising has been virtually assaulted by emails with almost identical headlines expounding the virtues of Bulk Email.
[2003-06-05] 12 Key Elements for Online Business Success
1. You must have credibility and build trust. Name recognition plays a huge part in building lasting relationships with your prospects.
[2003-06-05] Successful Online Gift Shop Marketing
With all the great wholesale companies available, virtually anyone can throw up a WWW shingle and start a gift shop. Additionally, there are thousands of wonderful gift shops online specializing in everything from apple art to zebra prints. How do you compete with your online gift shop?
[2003-06-05] Collecting Debts From "Big Shot" Business Owners
Q) Dear Jim - I'm an administrative assistant and I do bill collections for our company. Some of the owners who owe us money act like they are real big shots; they just walk all over me so I end up getting flustered, losing my composure and often I don't get the money. I've read your book, "Past Due," and gotten a lot from it, but sometimes I just can't get through those four steps in the collection call before I lose them. What should I do?
[2003-06-04] How to Become Invaluable to the News Media
All news reporters need third-party experts to help them explain issues, events and ideas to their audiences. A truly valuable expert is hard to find.
[2003-06-04] Choosing A Copywriter
Copywriters come with many skill levels, talents, and experience. Choosing the best copywriter for your business will depend not only upon your needs, but also upon what you can afford to pay. But what do you look for when your company is small to medium-sized, and you simply don't have that "BIG BOY" budget?
[2003-06-04] How To Find Golden Product Ideas On Discussion Forums
Let me start off with a wild guess! You either think discussion boards are a bleeping waste of time - because so many of them are full of junk, or ....you think of discussion boards simply as a method of getting your questions answered.
[2003-06-04] Creating a Passive Income
"Join our program and retire in 3 months..." yeah, right. We all want to get to a place where we have ongoing, hands- off income that continues without us having to work for it. These ads play into that desire by offering us the promise of "easy continuing income."
[2003-06-04] Toughest Decision Of All: Give Up Or Get Going?
Many of us are influenced by the sports ethic: Never give up! When a basketball team is down by 20 with 30 seconds on the clock, the players never stop working. The spectators might be filing out, and the winning team might bring every player off the bench, but the game goes on.
[2003-06-04] Book Promotion Myth -- The Best Place to Sell Books is a Book Store
When authors think of their audience buying books they think of bookstores. This myth sends authors taking the long, arduous road to seeking out an agent, a publisher, hoping their book will become a best seller. It won't. Why?
[2003-06-04] The Trials and Tribulations Of Learning A New Computer Skill
It all started several years ago when I walked out on a well-paid job of 11 years. I needed to get another job fairly quickly. My monthly mortgage repayments were pretty hefty. Something I hadn't thought about during my dramatic exit.
[2003-06-04] Expanding Your View Of What's Possible With Your Internet Business
How much potential do you have? What are the boundaries to what is possible for you? What are the outer limits to your potential? Can these limits be expanded upon? How does your view of what's possible for you impact your Internet business?
[2003-06-04] How to Build Trust and Overcome Skepticism With Prospective Customers
Would you agree that people are skeptical of any salesperson or business owner? And that this skepticism is part of the marketing problems we all face?
[2003-06-03] 3 Forgotten Selling Secrets!
1) End Pain
Most people want to avoid or end pain. Tell your prospects how much pain and the problems they will avoid or end if they buy your product. For example, you could say, "Just imagine being able to go out in public without thinking you're being made fun of behind your back"
[2003-06-03] Have You Got Time For Planning?
You know that planning is essential both for success and effective use of your time. But what if you don't think you have the time to plan in the first place? It's a catch 22. You need to have the time to plan because such preparation would free up more of your time.
[2003-06-03] Generate Web Site Traffic And Sales Leads With Postcards
Postcards can drive a high volume of traffic to your web site and they can generate a large number of sales leads for you. They're highly effective, easy to use and cost very little.
[2003-06-03] Nine Successful Online Business Must Haves
1.) Products & Services - Your products and services must be quality products that you would be proud to offer your Mom. There's nothing worse than providing a shoddy product that you as the owner wouldn't even purchase. Your product represents you and your business. There are millions of whole sale companies and quality products to resell or create your own. Do not settle for less than the best!
[2003-06-03] Your Ebay Swipe File
Despite being on eBay for a while and watching the auctions whenever I can, there always seems to be new types of auctions and products sold at auctions popping up every day.
[2003-06-03] How to Take Advantage of Public Relations
Decide once and for all to do something about those outside audiences whose behaviors affect your organization the most.
[2003-06-02] Tips To Ignore When Starting A Business
1. "Career freedom means starting a business."
"Clients often assume they can reach career freedom only by starting a business, yet many people feel truly free in a corporate setting.
[2003-06-02] Wake Up! Having Biz Dreams OR Nightmares?
Psychology and Science are formidable and innovative forces taking the business world by storm. And you can benefit enormously from these forgotten secrets, once the preserve of a powerful elite.
[2003-06-02] The Unthinkable: Protect Your Business
You have worked very hard to get your business where it is today. Many hours have gone into finding the right mix of products and/or services, marketing and finding customers, building relationships and so much more. What would happen to your business if you should fall ill or worse yet, the unthinkable, you pass away? Protect yourself, your business and your family by putting a few processes in place.
[2003-06-02] The 10 Commandments of a Successful Online Entrepreneur
Anyone can start an online business, but making it profitable is a whole other ball game.If you were to ask a group of web entrepreneurs what the secret is to their success, you'd get many different responses, but you would find a common thread running through their answers --comprising these simple online "commandments":
[2003-06-02] How to Purchase Online Advertising
One of the most difficult things for a small business owner to part with is their advertising dollars. Face it, as a small business or work from home mom, we just can't afford to throw money around without a guarantee of results.
[2003-06-02] Four Tips For Getting More Mileage From Your Articles
It has become common knowledge that the smartest and most effective free method of advertising your business and services is to write and submit articles to the over 400,000 e-zines currently on the 'net. There are even several e-books written on the topic, including mine, that will help you take advantage of this effective technique. What do you do next after you've invested the hours necessary to research, write, proofread, edit and submit your article to thousands of e-zine publishers?
[2003-06-02] Don't Wait To Delegate
As an entrepreneur you often have to wear many hats: salesperson, administrator, and accountant. You try to make time for errands and family, but find yourself running out of time and running on empty. The obvious answer is to delegate some of your to-do list, but why do some of us find it so hard to let go?
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