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Sure, social media is viewed as a brain drain and time-sucker by hoards of people because they don't know how to use it. They focus on promote-promote-promote instead of providing value, and then wonder why they're not getting the results they're after.
There are countless tutorials, ... Views: 1155
Posting regular (and original) content is a veritable marketing gold mine for your business.
You have a blog, right?
You at least have a monthly newsletter, right?
If you don't, you have it on your to-do list, right?
If you don't, it's okay. For now.
Just breathe. Then read ... Views: 1196
Keeping fit and healthy is important to many people. And there are a variety of ways that any one person can achieve this. Diet and exercise are of course important. The daily stresses and strains of work and family life may leave you feeling depleted and run down. Establishing a routine that ... Views: 727
If you own a local business, don't think small. Even your small venture demands that you have a website of your own. In case you are not tech-savvy, you do not have to worry as there are affordable web design companies that are more than willing to help set up your storefront on the Internet. ... Views: 867
One of the most difficult things to do for your business at times is to generate new leads. You must have a layered plan in which you take your business down many avenues to seek out that targeted customer base. But, your efforts must be direct and focused, so follow along with this article to ... Views: 595
When it comes to hobbies, there are so many different types of activities that people engage in. For some, it's the arts. For others, it's collection. And yet for others, it's growing things. The latest craze in home gardening is growing your own mushrooms. Mushrooms are a unique type of plant ... Views: 838
What Google’s Algorithm Change Means to You
If there’s one thing you really need to focus on as a business owner this year, it’s getting your website optimized for mobile use.
Why? The search engine game has changed – again.
In the past, most online searches used to be performed from ... Views: 1170
I often meet business owners I think could offer incredible value through the publication of a book. When I ask if they had ever considered writing one, you'd think I was telling a joke.
“Who would read a book I wrote?” They think that because they are not famous or because they don't have ... Views: 1084
There’s nothing worse than waking up in the morning realizing you created a successful business but it is taking over your life. You get caught up in the excitement of launching your latest project or marketing tactic only to realize you have to keep it going consistently for it to attract ... Views: 1356
Whether you have a web site for business or pleasure, somebody will need to mind the store in terms of a web host. Reliable hosting is crucial to meeting your internet needs. Given the millions of options which seem to present themselves when you go looking for hosting services, you may be a ... Views: 659
Who is your Ideal Client?
Who do you want to work with?
You didn't launch your business to be a slave to the masses. You did it to preserve your choice.
But, time and again I see entrepreneurs trying to serve everyone. Big mistake. You can't do it, nor do you want to.
I hear the ... Views: 1280
Do you include graphics or only send text? What sort of layout is most effective? How the heck do I build an opt-in list? There are so many items to consider when you create an e-mail marketing campaign that it can be hard to know where to start. Use the tips in this article and you'll be up and ... Views: 615
The biggest reason why you're not getting leads and sales.
Back when I first became a web developer, Wordpress never existed. It was first released on May 27, 2003 (yes, I've been at this longer than that!) Of course, back in the beginning, it wasn't at all what it is today but everything ... Views: 1071
Finance is one of the main, if not the main, challenge facing most startups. Just about any start-up can achieve success if they have what it takes to manage their budget. Unfortunately, most start-ups blow their funds on recruitment and advertising.
In this piece, we are going to take a ... Views: 770
Let’s talk about something I know a lot of small business owners struggle with – identifying your Ideal Client.
This is especially tough when you’re starting a business and money is usually tight. Afraid to turn down work, we take on anyone who can fog a mirror. And often we regret some of ... Views: 888
Being extraordinary is a choice. Your business can be anything you want it to be. If you want to see massive changes and growth, it’s up to you to discover what you need to do today to make changes that will result in more clients and more profits. And if you choose to leave the status quo as ... Views: 1226
I realize that's a pretty bold title but I am serious about this.
Attempting to build a business only doing things on-line will be like taking that "Slow boat to China"
I know it feels hard. You know it feels hard, but do it anyway.
Most people don't pick up the phone, which is why it ... Views: 1035
Marketing Secret #1 - Ignore the Critics and Naysayers - We all know those people that have something to say about everything, but offer nothing of significance with their words. When you listen to those people, you are allowing them to speak that garbage into your life. Instead, make the ... Views: 1303
ROI, return on investment is an important matter to consider when you're making choices about how you spend time and energy in your business.
If you choose to spend that energy on something with little or no return, then your energy is wasted. Your energy as an entrepreneur is one of your ... Views: 900
The goal here is not to make things complicated, but keep them simple. KISS.
There are lots of secrets to your success but I will highlight only 3.
Be very clear and honest about your value. If you aren't clear yourself you will never be able to demonstrate this to potential clients. When ... Views: 1047
Every six months, I plan the next six months. Recently, I was reminded of why this is so important (besides the fact that it's smart business). Lots of upcoming traveling combined with workshops, and I needed to see how everything related to each other. When am I going to be out of town? When am ... Views: 599
If you're an entrepreneur or small business owner, you probably have a project.
Or two.
Or three.
Or fifty-eight.
I'm not talking about your daily to-do's or the actual work you do with clients and customers. I'm talking about the bigger projects that move you and your business ... Views: 749
Steps in the Sales Process
1. Know Your Product
The first thing in any sales process is to know your product or service, and even better if you are an expert or authority on it. Knowing your product or service and being able to explain both the benefits and features exudes confidence and ... Views: 1987
In order to successfully run your business, you have to focus on more than just the thing you do (coaching, consulting, assisting, bookkeeping, CPAing, etc.). Some people find those other things are not the fun stuff.
Well, I'm here to tell you that it's time to run your business like a big ... Views: 617
No matter what month it is, you have the opportunity to make your business better and stronger every day. You know it is in your own hands, right? Yes, it is totally your responsibility. This is not something you can blame on others. I know because I tried to do that!! It did not work. Bottom ... Views: 1037
Oooh, doesn't that sound good?
I know how it is. You want to create a newsletter and send it out to your community. You really do. But...
But what? What stops you?
Here's one of the biggest fears small business owners have: "Once I send a newsletter I'll have to keep sending it out on a ... Views: 1149
Have you been putting off a project that you know will help grow your business? It could be hosting a teleseminar to attract more clients, writing an ebook, creating a new workshop or program, or whatever “dream” has been in your head but has never seen the light of day.
Often, we let our ... Views: 1360
Is Facebook marketing dead? Not yet.
While it is certain that the January 2015 Facebook algorithm update will force businesses to change their strategy, there's still value to be found on Facebook for brands.
While this popular Social Media channel still provides the potential to reach ... Views: 1111
When we believe fully in what we are offering our clients and have seen the results, it's natural to assume that potential customers in our target market would want to buy. It's risky, though, to make any assumption about whether we offer the right solution until we've done our due diligence ... Views: 749
Online marketing can be a very profitable venture for anyone willing to dedicate the time that is required to make a success of it. If you take the advice that is here, you are sure to find that they are going to make it a bit easier to accomplish what you are hoping.
Another way to make your ... Views: 957
Yesterday I had an 8.45am appointment with the Dentist.
Definitely not my favourite place to go and definitely not at that time in the morning.
My husband and I arrived for our check-ups promptly and at 8.45am exactly I was shown into the chair. After a quick look around and an ... Views: 949
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By 2016, it is estimated that 63 million people in the United States alone would be working virtually. That's a big jump from numbers in 2010 where the US virtual workforce was recorded at 34 million, and it looks like there's no turning back. But that's just in the US. There are ... Views: 1167
Sometimes reaching out to people that you want to promote your products or services can feel a lot like making cold sales calls – not fun. Your knees start to get all shaky and there’s a butterfly totally going nuts in your gut.
• What if they think your idea is stupid?
• What if they say ... Views: 874
Ever have a client or colleague who just is not a good fit for you? What you are doing gets hard. All the fun goes out of it. It feels like a struggle.
On the flip side, ever work with a great client? Someone who 'gets' what you do? You understand what they want, and you deliver it with joy ... Views: 906
Is sending out a regular newsletter (and email marketing in general,) a waste of your time?
Even though social media and text messages have become a daily habit, the fact remains that email marketing – including a business newsletter – remains one of the most effective and cost-efficient ... Views: 972
Whether it’s in person or long distance, connecting during the holidays takes on a lighter, more festive air. But there can be a fine line when it comes to maintaining a professional image. Here are 7 tips to help you network effectively this holiday season.
#1: Get in the Spirit – If you ... Views: 1225
Getting featured in O, the Oprah Magazine, is like winning the Academy Award. It’s a distinction that validates your product like no other publication.
In fact, getting featured in O helped raise one entrepreneur’s sales by 60% in just 30 days. But that was just the tip of the iceberg. The ... Views: 1170
I’m losing sleep. My sweetie and I curl up on the couch to watch hour after hour of Downton Abbey. We just started season two and already my mind is buzzing about all the ways the content in each episode has great examples that apply to publicity.
The award-winning British drama created by ... Views: 1216
So many people call themselves thought leaders now – but they aren’t. To be a thought leader takes some doing. It’s not so much about being original as it is about putting things together in an original way. It comes down to packaging your knowledge, skills, abilities, experiences, and yes, your ... Views: 1192
You may be wondering about Google+ and if you should bother with it to help give your business some extra brand exposure.
What is all the hype about anyway? Are your customers really on Google+? If you are active on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn isn’t that enough?
Like you, many ... Views: 1187
Approximately 80 percent of people never set goals for themselves. Even more surprising, of the 20 percent of the population that does set goals, roughly 70 percent fail to achieve the goals they have set for themselves. Yet, most business professionals claim to understand the importance of ... Views: 1286
Sales is undoubtedly the lifeblood of any business provided that the sales department is staffed and managed properly. Otherwise, this can turn into a liability for the company. The challenge that many small startup businesses have to deal with is the fact that their sales department is ... Views: 1141
Are you using partnerships to attract clients and market your business? At The Excellerate Success Institute, we have found creating partnerships extremely helpful in spreading the word to entrepreneurs all over the world on our mentorship programs as well as empowerment and performance ... Views: 1145
One of the biggest challenges I hear from my clients and people I talk with is coming up with topics and content for their newsletters, ezines, and blog posts. This is also the number one reason people tell me they don't communicate with their tribe or community consistently - if at all. Can you ... Views: 1061
Are you having trouble growing your audience, customers or even maintaining your prospect list? Email marketing could be the answer you are looking for. There are a couple of schools of thought when it comes to marketing and sales, the first is that the money is in the follow up and the second ... Views: 1020
Most people, when they decide to start working from home will probably not consider their health, either physical or emotional or mental as being at the top of their priority list. Their focus is much more likely to be on the nature of their business, how they might balance work and family life ... Views: 1333
Many people, when faced with the reality of working from home tend to approach it in quite a manic way, often with quite a high degree of burnout at some point either physical or mental. They may well be able to work with this burnout as they can adapt their home or family life ... Views: 1482
The notion of working from home in any capacity or running your own business from home has an implication that it is you alone and no one else. This is often not true and whilst there can be an appeal in the sense of being your own boss and being in control and owning your own time, there is ... Views: 1272
The very word productivity may be one of the main reasons why people want to start their own business or work from home. Productivity by its very nature implies getting the maximum out of an individual, often at the expense of their individuality and quite often at the expense of any decent ... Views: 1381
The issue of personal grooming may seem slightly odd in the context of running a business from home, or working from home, but actually aside from the physical practicalities and needs of personal grooming, it is a really important issue in terms of the individual's attitude to their work and ... Views: 1736