Saturday, December 3, 2011

Facebook Scams


Millions of people a day use Facebook for socializing and business. Including myself. Most of us are moral, ethical individuals but not all. It is a sad state when we have to be on the look out for those that only want to cause us harm in some way.

Today while eating lunch I happen to come across a TV show on HLN with Clark Howard. He does a regular segment on HLN and I have watched his show before. Today I was paying half attention until I heard Facebook Scams. My ears perked up and my eyes focused on the TV screen.

This topic, of course, was of interest to me since I use Facebook. The scam he was talking about had to do with iPads and/or iPhones. As soon as I heard it I remembered some time back getting a private message about just this same thing. I had not responded to the message and had deleted it.

I thought if I had a copy of the message I could include it in this post so everyone could see what it looks like. To my surprise after logging into Facebook this afternoon there was a new message for me and it was another message about a free iPhone. Great!!!! Now I can show you what it says.

CAUTION: DO NOT CLICK THE LICK
"greetings, since you are as well a friend of John I'll tell u what exactly I discovered. that website http://www.facebook.com/pages/1144466119/233941543337782 is messing up right now and giving away an i phone5 to persons which usually are on face book for nothing...all they will want is your opinion about the iPhone5 and u can keep it permanently. but u should hurry up before they shut it."
iPhone Scam


Note the grammar in the message. I have no idea what 'John' this message is referring to. Could be a pimp for all I know. (No, I don't think I know any pimps.) I realize that this type of message or post is very enticing but beware. It is better to be cautious than to get wrapped up in a scam like this. Report the message or wall post and then delete it.

You should be very careful when using any social site or responding to an email. If the message sounds to good it is probably not good for you.

By the way, according to Clark, not only do you get scammed but when you click on the link a message will go out to all your friends and connections with the same message. Also, you have just given the scammers access to your computer. Not good!!

I hope you have not already fallen for this type of scam. If you have you can go to Clark's website and look for scams. A solution is posted to get rid of this problem. Sorry, I found it one time and for the life of me I can't find it again. But, I know it is there. You just have to look for it.

Let me know what you think about scammers that pray on innocent people by leaving a comment below. Thanks.

Elaine

Monday, November 21, 2011

Just One More Inch

A lot of times in our life we desperately need something or someone to help us move forward. The same can be said of those of us that own our own business. We just need a little boost. A little spark of something that will keep us going. And, give us some inner energy to keep moving forward toward our why we started down this path to begin with.

I tend to be a very optimistic person but even at times I have needed a calm fire put under by back side to get me moving on. I read a book several years back by Charles Swindoll titled Three Steps Forward, Two Steps Back. It helped me to understand that life can be a bummer at times (I knew this already.) and that I just have to bend with the wind and keep going. That is what I do. I may fall back but I keep going. This allows me to gain success in my life and my business.

Even if that forward movement is only an inch at a time.

I certainly, like everyone else, feel like throwing my hands up sometimes and quitting. One of the helpful things that I do when this happens to me is to walk away, clear my head and give myself some time to think through what it is that I personally want out of my life and my business. I am not quitting. I am merely meditating upon my own beliefs and actions.

Something else that I find that helps me is to stay tuned-in with my business. Even at my worst times I continue to be on conference calls, webinars and whatever else is offered by the company I am affiliated with. This helps me to clear my thoughts of being down because things aren't going exactly the way I want them to go. I don't quit being involved.

My faith plays a major role in everything that I do. I know that if I keep moving forward and believing that I am where I am suppose to be that soon I will turn that corner and be on a clear path to the finish line.



When you feel like that you just can't take another step toward what you really want for your life and business then take a tiny one inch step and keep going. You will reach whatever it is you desire for yourself. Believe it!

Thanks to Linda Grace Cox for sharing this video on her website. Be sure to look her up on Facebook.

Just One More Inch is all it takes to move forward...

If you liked this post please leave me a comment. I would appreciate your input.

Elaine

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Are You Pulling Your Hair Out Yet?



The figures below are enough to make you pull your hair out, hold your head in disbelief and stress yourself to the max.

So, why would I post something like this. It certainly isn't like anything else that I have shared on this blog. I try to give you inspiration and motivation not desperation.

The reason: seeing facts can inspire and motivate all of us. Especially when those facts involve how we are going to sustain ourselves.

These figures are real! We can't afford to stand by and allow ourselves to be part of a dream world where some are just waiting to see what is going to happen. It has already happened. I believe it will continue to get worst before it gets better.

Waiting on a 'job' or the government to save us from living on the streets is futile. In my opinion a home business is the best answer. Most of you reading this are probably involved in a home business. I am. You can look around this blog and tell which one I am with.

If you really look at these figures it will help you to be more motivated to work harder, allowing nothing to stand in your way of getting ahead and reaching your goals.

 

January 2009
January 2011
% chg
Source
Avg.. Retail price/gallon gas in U.S.
$1.83
$3.44
84%
1
Crude oil, European Brent (barrel)
$43..48
$99..02
127.7%
2
Crude oil, West TX Inter. (barrel)
$38..74
$91..38
135.9%
2
Gold: London (per troy oz.)
$853.25
$1,369.50
60.5%
2
Corn, No.2 yellow, Central IL
$3.56
$6.33
78.1%
2
Soybeans, No. 1 yellow, IL
$9.66
$13..75
42.3%
2
Sugar, cane, raw, world, lb. Fob
$13..37
$35..39
164.7%
2
Unemployment rate, non-farm, overall
7.6%
9.4%
23.7%
3
Unemployment rate, blacks
12.6%
15.8%
25.4%
3
Number of unemployed
11,616,000
14,485,000
24.7%
3
Number of fed. Employees
2,779,000
2,840,000
2.2%
3
Real median household income
$50,112
$49,777
-0.7%
4
Number of food stamp recipients
31,983,716
43,200,878
35.1%
5
Number of unemployment benefit recipients
7,526,598
9,193,838
22.2%
6
Number of long-term unemployed
2,600,000
6,400,000
146.2%
3
Poverty rate, individuals
13.2%
14.3%
8.3%
4
People in poverty in U.S.
39,800,000
43,600,000
9.5%
4
U.S.. Rank in Economic Freedom World Rankings
5
9
n/a
10
Present Situation Index
29.9
23.5
-21.4%
11
Failed banks
140
164
17.1%
12
U.S.. Dollar versus Japanese yen exchange rate
89.76
82.03
-8.6%
2
U.S.Money supply, M1, in billions
1,575.1
1,865.7
18.4%
13
U.S.. Money supply, M2, in billions
8,310.9
8,852.3
6.5%
13
National debt, in trillions
$10..627
$14..052
32.2%
14

Sources:
(1) U.S. Energy Information Administration;
(2) Wall Street Journal;
(3) Bureau of Labor Statistics;
(4) Census Bureau;
(5) USDA;
(6) U.S. Dept. Of Labor;
(7) FHFA;
(8) Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller;
(9) RealtyTrac;
(10) Heritage Foundation and WSJ;
(11) The Conference Board;
(12) FDIC;
(13) Federal Reserve;
(14) U.S. Treasury

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Steve Jobs, "Visionary Entreprenuer"

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”
[Stanford commencement speech, June 2005]






“I think if you do something and it turns out pretty good, then you should go do something else wonderful, not dwell on it for too long. Just figure out what’s next.”
[NBC Nightly News, May 2006]

"I'm the only person I know that's lost a quarter of a billion dollars in one year.... It's very character-building."
[Apple Confidential 2.0]

“That’s been one of my mantras — focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.” [BusinessWeek, May 25, 1998]

“Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me … Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what matters to me.” [The Wall Street Journal, May 25, 1993]

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.”
[Stanford commencement speech, June 2005]

“No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true."
[Stanford commencement speech, June 2005]

My condolences and prayers go out to Steve's family and friends. We all have lost a great visionary mind.

Elaine

Please feel free to leave a comment.

Friday, August 26, 2011

What It Takes To Be #1

Yes, Vince Lombardi was a great football coach. I don't believe that you can argue about that. But do you know what his philosophy about life and business was that propelled him to be such a success?

You see, what Lombardi expected was success. Nothing less! Success in his daily life. Success as a football coach - in his field of occupation - his business.

 He communicates such strong visions of excellence, discipline, commitment, and of course, winning. These are characteristics which we must develop to succeed.

1. Visions of Excellence: you must see yourself being the best you can be.
2. Discipline: you must have the fortitude to stick with your path.
3. Commitment: you must stay the coarse and not quit.
4. Winning: if you do the other three you can do nothing but win.



“Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”

“Once a man has made a commitment to a way of life, he puts the greatest strength in the world behind him. It’s something we call heart power. Once a man has made this commitment, nothing will stop him short of success.”

“Success is like anything worthwhile. It has a price. You have to pay the price to win and you have to pay the price to get to the point where success is possible. Most important, you must pay the price to stay there.”

The above are quotes from Vince Lombardi

Monday, August 1, 2011

Just Move On!

I am sure that a lot of you have seen this video by Pat Petrini. Each time I watch it I have to laugh because it is one of the truest videos on the market showing just how wrong some people can think.


As Jim Rohn said, "You can't say the wrong thing to the right person, and you can't say the right thing to the wrong person. ~ Jim Rohn (One of my favorite quotes - has sort of a tongue-in-cheek meaning. Especially after watching this video.) Really fits this video. Don't you think?

It is interesting that people with a job never think about the company they work for as being in the shape of a pyramid. You can find more pyramid schemes in the job market than in network marketing. With a job the boss will always make more money than the people working under them. In network marketing that is just not true.

In network marketing you can bring someone into your business and that person can actually end up making more money than you.

I have worked at a job for many years. Was in management most of that time. Did it ever cross my mind that some day, after many years, that I would make more money than my boss? Good grief, NO! It ain't gonna happen! In network marketing I could end up making more than the person that brought me into a company.


I like what Eric Worre says: "Say less to more people.  You don’t have to be good, you just have to be busy.  Ignorance on fire is better than knowledge on ice.  All of these MLM maxims say the same thing… Activity is KING."

The point is there will always be those people that you shouldn't even try to convince to join your company. Know this! Move on! Be yourself. You network every day of your life in some way so when trying to build your business relax, have fun and keep going. Your life will be better and your business will grow.

Now, that's life and business rolled up into one.

PS. Pat has more great videos similar to this one so you might want to check his YouTube channel: PatPetrini

Friday, July 22, 2011

Change Can Be A Wonderful Gift

Change is Good - You Go First

As a leader you must empower change to others joining you. In network marketing we build teams to promote a company/product. A lot of the people joining us may be set in their own manner of doing this.

The reason for this might be that they have been in (direct) network marketing for many years and think that they have all of this down pat. Let me tell you my story.

I actually started in direct marketing back the 1980s with a company that is still around today and is still one of the biggest and most well known in this industry. I had no idea what I was doing and the sad thing was I received no help in learning how to market must less anything else.

From there I tried other direct marketing companies with the same result. No one to showed me the ropes and no one to answer my questions. Was it necessary to have these options at my finger tips? I found or discovered the answer to this question much later in my searching. The answer, Actually No.

So some years later as the internet grew and more information was available I was like a sponge. I read, absorbed, copied, did everything I could to learn the ins and outs of network marketing. Found some great people teaching what should be done and what shouldn't be done. But something was always missing that I just couldn't wrap my head around.

I have recently discovered that what was missing was leadership. Leadership in the team leader and developing leaders on the teams. This is really what this industry is all about: Developing Leaders. 

So what must we do as the so-called team leader to entice those joining up to change their ways?
Watch this movie and see if it answers any questions for you:



As leaders we have to embrace change. A change that accepts that it is our responsibility to develop leaders not sells people. We have to learn to inspire and motivate our teams to embrace change. We have to inspire them to get out of their comfort zones. It is our responsibility to assure them that this is the right path to be on for their own good and success.


Developing leaders within your team will ensure that each one accepts the responsibility for themselves. This is good. Not bad. This is what you should strive for. 


Bob Nelson puts it this way, "You get the best efforts from others by not lighting a fire beneath, but by building a fire within them."

Eric Harvey and Steve Venture in their book "Forget For Success" puts it this way: "Our brains are like closets. Over time they are filled with things we no longer use - things that don't fit. Every once in a while they need to be cleaned out."

For so many years our industry has remained on the same old, same old path of mediocrity. Putting people in and moving on to putting more people in. The more people, the better. This didn't work and now you should be able to figure out why.

The ones that have made it big and been the most successful in network marketing are the ones that realized that things had to change. The change was developing leaders.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Pulling Together = Team



There are some great truths in this movie. In life as in business we live as a team. No one can totally be alone. We have a family which forms a team. We have friends which forms a team. If we have a job we have co-workers which form a team. In our business we form relationships with others which forms a team.

A team is a group of individuals that come together for a common purpose.  This cultivates trust, respect, unity and power within the team. A team gives strength to the whole group.

When teams form it allows each and everyone to accomplish more, where as along some may not be able to achieve much of anything. It is the power of the whole that leads to more satisfaction.

Virginia Burden says that "Corporation is the thorough conviction that nobody can get there unless every body gets there." In a team we all work together ensuring the success of member of the team. Now I know as well as you do that in business there will always be those that can't work within a team environment. The same is true in life so why would it be any different in a business. It wouldn't be! It can't be!

Each of us are individuals with our own strengths and weaknesses. Do you think that these strengths and weaknesses can actually keep someone from functioning within a team setting? Maybe if more businesses (people) worked within a team setting there would not be so many people that don't make it.

Think about a football team, a baseball team or even a family team. When all pull together accomplishments are always met. There is more stability. More cooperation. More sharing of knowledge and experience. Better communication between the members of the team.

"A group becomes a team when each member is sure enough of himself and his contribution to praise the skills of the others." ~~ Norman Shidle. Interesting thought! This means we must accept each member of the team as they are and if needed help them to grow and become more sure of them self. This is life!

As in the movie, the strongest geese always lead the rest, helping them along the way in whatever particular need they may have at the time. This ensures the success of the whole. It makes the flight from where we are to where we want to be so much easier and endurable.

Zig Ziglar said that "You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want." This is team work at its highest level.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

What Are Your Opening Words?

Why don't your prospects believe what you are saying?
Maybe because you are assuming that they will trust and believe anything you tell them.

Do these sound familiar to you?
1. You can trust me...
2. You can believe me when I say ...
3. I am from North Carolina so sure you can take what I say to the bank...
4. I live near you so you know I wouldn't lie to you...
5. We have the best ever compensation plan that has been devised...
6. Sure, you can make lots of money right away even this week...
7. My company has the best most researched product for ............. on the market...
8. This is the greatest opportunity in the history of mankind...
9. This is a ground floor opportunity....

Do these sound like something you are saying to your prospects? If so, stop it! These types of statements throw up big red flags waving in the air like hot air balloons.

Want to know what these types of statements say to me? You might not but I am going to tell you anyhow. SELLING!!!!!! You are trying to sell. And, people don't like to be sold to.

Most of the people you are talking to don't know you from Joe Blow. If you start off with one of these then I can assure you your prospect will think of you as blowing in the wind.

This is true whether you are face to face with your prospect or doing online marketing. The same will hold true in any situation.

Here is an idea for you from Tom 'Big Al" Schreiter:
Write down the first ten words that you are going to say to your prospect. Do these words create trust or do they create mistrust?

In today's world people are more skeptical than ever so your first words will either get you a good prospect or forever loose you a good one. It is your choice. Change what you are saying and win or keep on with the same old, same old and slip by the wayside.

Wishing you all much success,
Elaine

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Do You Have All Three Legs?

No, I have not lost my mind. At least not right now. Later maybe.

I came across this video and I was taken back a few years to when I first started out in direct marketing so I decided to share it with you.

Too many, almost all, try to enter the network marketing industry without even knowing how to start much less how to really make a lasting income. They play around thinking they are doing the right things to succeed but never really making it.
Then they get frustrated and give up.

I did the same thing over 30 years ago when I first started out with Amway. And, I continued to do the same wrong things with every company I tried until lately.

In this video Dale Calvert points out the three things that we all must have to make it in network marketing. Without these three legs you will be lost, not accomplish much and become bitter about this industry.

I will tell you that the three legs stand for:
1. Right Skill Sets
2. Right Mind Set
3. Right company at the right time in history



Dale Calvert got so frustrated with where network marketing was headed that he quit and started his own company doing consulting and training. That was about 11 years ago. He came out of network marketing retirement last October when he saw the mission and passion of MPB Today  He came into MPB Today just like you and I. He started at the bottom without contacting the owner. He is now our national trainer.

If you don't have the right three legs to stand then stop what you are doing. Go back and start with number one.  I guarantee you that if you will do this you will be able to accomplish anything you so desire.

We all learned to walk by doing. It took us a while to accomplish this before we were sure of not falling. We all learned how to run and that took working at it. Developing the right skills and mind sets takes time so don't expect to accomplish this in an instant. And, please, don't think that you already have number 1 and 2. It is an ongoing process that we have to master each day.

If you want to be coached and trained by one of the best then join us. We would be happy to have you working with us.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Get Your Head Out Of the Sand!

I realize that the title of this post may be insulting to some but I used it to get your attention. I hope it does.

This blog is all about Life & Business so I don't apologize at all for doing this post about the most important life sustainable commodity: FOOD. And for making a plug for the company that I am associated with MPB Today. Now don't think that this post is all about MPB. It is not. This post is about the current and predictable future of our food cost in this country. (Not to mention around the world.)

I am prompted to do this post after a trip to the grocery store yesterday. After not going to my local grocery store for about a month I was appalled at the increase in prices. Here is an example: a 2 liter bottle of soda is now $1.79 per bottle. It was $1.25 just a month ago. On special I could buy it for $0.99 a bottle.

The most depressing thing I noticed while at the store was that no one was friendly. I witnessed not one smile on anyone's face. Being my usual self I would say hi and pass on a smile. No one acknowledged my speaking to them. No, I didn't have on some freaky outfit nor was I somehow different than at any other time. All I saw was stress and turned down lips on the faces of the people I came into contact with. After leaving the store I was more upset about what I saw than the price I had to pay.

I quickly cut my shopping list but still ended up paying close to $150 for a small amount of groceries.

You do the math. Next time you are in your grocery store pay close attention to your cost compared to a few days ago. CAN YOU AFFORD THIS? Yes, I am yelling and for good reason. We are being pushed out of living. We have to eat to survive!

2011 US Food Prices to Increase Over 700%


Prepare For What Is Coming


Maybe you have plenty of money and can well afford this. God bless you and I hope your circumstances don't change. 

Maybe you are on some program that pays for your food - how long do you think this is going to last? This is why I say, "Get Your Head Out of the Sand." Tax payers are footing your food bill and they are losing their jobs.

Food prices along with gas prices are on the rise. Food prices are showing the most increase than in the past 36 years. Federal data suggest that US food prices will continue to increase and tend to accelerate higher this year.  That's right, I did my research before writing this. In case you want to check anything I have written here do a search for yourself. But then again maybe you shouldn't. It will spoil your holiday weekend.

This is one of the reasons that I joined MPB Today. Living on Social Security I can't afford the high cost of living in today's bed of economic turmoil. Since MPB Today offers me a way to drastically cut and mostly eliminate my gas and grocery bills if I didn't take advantage of it I would be just like most people today - my head would be buried in the sand.

We have to look out for our self by doing whatever it takes to stay alive. We can do without a lot of things but we can't live without food. That is a fact.

Elaine

Saturday, May 14, 2011

This Doesn't Work! Oh!, But It Does.

It seems like no matter what we do life hands us a bail of manure from time to time. I know it has me and I am sure the same is true for you. So, what do you do?

Hang on and ride it through. Don't allow the down times to take control. They are going to happen. Trust me on this. I know.

Life was never meant to be totally free of fences and bears. The same applies to business. You try and try and nothing seems to work. Has this happened to you with your business? I bet it has. If not it will. It happens to me in my business more often than I care to remember.

I call people. I talk to people. I hand out cards. I place ads all over the internet. Etc.... Etc.... Etc.... I do what I read to do. I do what I am told to do.  NOTHING. A BIG FAT NOTHING!!!!!!  Spinning wheels just keep on spinning producing ZERO!

Do I throw my hands up and say, "This doesn't work." Absolutely not. I continue doing what I am suppose too. Market.

Also this is when I work on myself. My inner self to build more understanding about my inner thinking and why I am doing what I am doing. The way I am doing it. That is building a home business. I go back to the core of my reasons. This gives me my motivation and inspiration to continue.

All of us trying to live life must take the time to be energized from time to time. I use the Bible, other books, quotes, friends, whatever it takes and along with all these a lot of positive thinking.

Here is some good advice for all of us:
Start each day with a motivating thought to inspire you throughout your day and encourage others to start each new day with a positive outlook! Zig Ziglar is a legend when it comes to motivation. This movie is some of Zig's favorite life quotes. Take a few minutes to watch this movie and be inspired!



“Wherever you go…go there with all your heart.” - Anonymous

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Are You An Entrepreneur?

Interesting question. Don't you think?

The reason I pose this question to you is because I came across a post on another website that mentioned this entrepreneur, Barry Moltz. I found the entry about being lucky in business interesting. It gave seven areas for you to think about to see if your business is lucky. That is if you believe luck has anything to do with your business. To be honest I do.

Barry Moltz
So, I looked up Barry Moltz. Found a lot of stuff but the following about being an entrepreneur really did come close to home.

There are millions of people on the internet and off trying to fulfill a dream or necessity of having their own business. But, does having your own business make you an entrepreneur? I don't think so.

We call people and ask them questions. Some of the questions that we might ask is "Have you ever had a home business?"; "Do you want to make a lot of money?"; "Do you want to be your own boss?" "Do you have some reason to start your own home business?" etc....


Let's review Barry's test questions to see if  you really are an entrepreneur:
  1. Are you resilent?
  2. Can you ask for help?
  3. Can you get people to follow you?
  4. Do you like to network and meet people?
  5. Do you like to sell?
  6. Do you do well in ever-changing choas?
  7. Can you live on a variable monthly compensation?
  8. Do you have a good personal support system?
  9. Are you flexible with your goal setting?
10. Can you hold a real job and work for someone else?
Source: http://bit.ly/haJCMj

Barry says that if you answered yes to at least 8 of the 10 then you are ready. If you didn't then you need to keep your day job and start educating yourself about entrepreneurship before taking that step.

Maybe we are posing the wrong questions right out of the gate to our prospects. You have to decide this on your own.

Being an entrepreneur is tough even on the best of us. So maybe, just maybe we need to be asking tougher questions and following Barry's list.

Let me know what you think.

You all have a nice day now, you hear?

Blessings to you...
Elaine

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Bet You Are Missing This Opportunity

A mostly missed way of getting links to your site.
Increasing traffic to your website!

We all want visitors to come to our websites. The question is how to get them there?

I am only going to mention one in this post because I see so many people missing this great opportunity. You just bypass it all the time. Of course, if you don't have a website that is a different thing. But, if you do have a website I assume you want people visiting it. Right?

Then why are you reading someone's blog post and never leaving a comment? I know, sometimes we just don't take the time to think about writing something.

You should be thinking about it and doing it. Why? LINKS

This is a great way to get links back to your website and the more links you have going back to your website the better the search engines will pick it up as being a relevant site worth indexing. And, someone else reading the same blog that you did just might decide to see what you have to offer them unless you leave a stupid comment.

When leaving a comment on someone's blog be sure to follow some etiquette:
If you can think of some more, please leave it in the comments box. 
1. Fill out the form completely - name, email and your site complete with http://
    No, your email and website address will not show but guess what - your name will be hyperlinked to your site. If you leave out your site address your name might not show up as a hyperlink.
2. Don't just write, "Nice post." Good grief, write something pertaining to the blog post you are commenting about. 
3. Be honest. Don't be afraid to be open with your thoughts.
4. You don't have to agree with the author but don't be overly critical. This may get your comment deleted and make you look like a moron.
5. Don't put your link in the comment box unless the instructions state that this is okay.
6. Use a picture that you use all over the internet. If you need to get a Google account to do this then go to Google and setup an account. This way your picture will show automatically when you comment unless the blog uses gravatars*.

I know that there are some people that say that links like this are no longer relevant to search engines. That their spiders don't pick them up. That this is not an important way of increasing traffic. That it might hurt your standing with Google.

This is not a link exchange system which in some instances has been frowned upon by Google and I might add for good reason. You and the blog author have not entered into an agreement to exchange links. You are just adding your link to your comment.

So, before you leave a blog after reading it think about leaving a comment with your website link hyperlinked through your name. You just might get someone to click it and visit your site.


Okay, get out there and take some time reading other blogs and making relevant comments to the post.



* Gravatars are actually pictures of you located in a central database such as WordPress. Actually if you have a WordPress account, you also have a gravatar.com account. (I just found this out because I was commenting on a blog post that required a gravatar.)

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Do You "Walk the Talk"

Practice what we preach: having principles may be natural for us but practicing them is something of a different story. This is probably one of our biggest challenges each and every day we breath not only in our lives but in our businesses.

This reminds me of a TV commercial about a young basketball player that announces while in a huddle to his coach that he touched the basketball before it went out of bounds. It was not called by the referee. It's a championship game and the other players don't like it that he tells the truth and they come down on him. The coach on the other hand shows great character by respecting the players honesty and tells him he did the right thing.

If you were this player, what would you have done?

It is not easy to always do what we know to be right and good. That is what makes it a challenge. None of us are perfect human beings. But we know the difference between what is right and what is wrong and inappropriate behavior.

Whether it be in our personal lives or our businesses this is what it takes:

Commitment
Honesty
Accountability
Respect
Attitude
Courage
Trust
Integrity
Responsibility








Believe it matters...

Make sure that your values are consistent with your dreams.

Having values is very important, but it's much more important to live them. "Walking the talk" is always one of our greatest challenges.

Bestselling authors, Eric Harvey and Steve Ventura have written an enlightening book that is filled with inspirational and life changing insights. The book is organized around 5 principles:

1. Words to live by are just words unless you actually live by them.
2. You are what you do.
3. Everything you do counts.
4. The "Golden Rule" is still pure gold.
5. Character is the key.

Are your values consistent with your dreams? What do you need to do to make them consistent?

Having values are important in our lives, but we must learn to LIVE our values, not just keep them hidden in our thoughts afraid to step up to the mound and take a swing. As with the basketball player, others might try to influence you to do something that is not right. You may be criticized by your peers. But, you must walk to the sideline and take the position you know to be right and correct for you according to your values.

In other words, we must learn to "Walk the Talk" in every aspect of our lives. Be it on the job, with our families, in sports, with our faith and in our businesses. Our values cannot be separated into the different segments of our daily lives. Our values are the same no matter what we are doing, where we are or where we are going with our dreams.


Are you Walking the Talk?

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

What Are You Using Your Business Card For?

How to Turn Your Business Card Into Powerful Marketing
By Allison Babb


Take a quick a look a couple of the business cards scattered or piled somewhere in your office.   Have you ever wondered what those little cards are supposed to do?  Few business owners give much thought to what business cards are (and what they’re not.)


Your business card is not just a “contact card” to showcase your name, your business name, your lovely title, and your catchy one-liner.  In reality, your prospects care very little about any of those things.  Well, ok, maybe they do want to know your name but all the other stuff is largely irrelevant, or at best, secondary to what really matters most.

A business card is a marketing tool and I would invite you to give your business card a little makeover so that it accomplishes the job that great marketing ultimately accomplishes – attracting clients.  If it’s an effective marketing tool, then it should contain the components of effective marketing.  So here are 6 things you can do immediately to turn your business card into a powerful marketing tool:

1.  Use all the real-estate you’ve got

First, get ready to use all the real estate you’ve got.  Most business cards are  full of contact information on the front side, and completely blank on the back side and.  Yes, I know you’re supposed to leave the blank side so people can write stuff about you.  But, know what, few people do that, so why not use all the space you’ve got.  Hey, you paid for it, right?  Some of the suggestions included in this article will require you to use both sides of your  business card.

2.  Highlight the #1 problem you solve

It may seem strange to think about putting the problem you solve on your business card, but like any other type of effective marketing, the top 3-5 problems you solve for people is what pulls people toward you.  I’ll confess I break all the rules for business cards so those little biz card scanners tend to get all confused if you try to scan my card in.

On my current business card, highlighted boldly is a title – not my own title, and not  my business name.  Rather, it’s the title of the #1 problem I solve for people.  That’s the most prominent part of my business card.  If the person holding it has that problem, they’re inspired to read more.  My own name and business name is secondary to that “problem title.”

So if you do tax preparation services, your #1 problem may be “How to Save Thousands on Your Next Tax Return.”  Yes, I know, it’s odd to see that instead of your business name prominently displayed on your business card, but like I said, I break all the rules.   When it comes to marketing, I don’t conform to “pretty looking.”  I tend to go with what actually works instead.

3.  Name Your Target Market

Many business owners remain stuck in the mindset of “everyone can use my services.”  Truth be told, that thinking dilutes your marketing power.  In my experience, the  more you niche, the faster you see revenue.  So just below the boldly highlighted #1 problem I solve is the answer to “Who are the people that I help?”  I specifically say who they are and include a few examples.

One of my former clients is a very talented photographer for newborns.  So on her business card, she can say something like “Exclusively for New and Expectant Moms.”  There would be no doubt as to who her business is set up to serve, and when you’re that clear on your target market, they begin to show up in larger numbers.

4.  Share the top 3-5 problems or burning desires

This where all that empty space on the back of your card can be used (or even the front for that matter).  On my business card, I say “If you are frustrated with…” and I proceed to include 3-5 bullets in the language of my target market (not my view of the world). Using their language makes it far more powerful than some polished version of the problem.

And by the way, let me underscore that the 3-5 bullets are PROBLEMS and not catchy sentences/phrases.  It’s the top 3-5 things my prospects repeatedly tell me that they’re grappling with, and I say it in their words.  You know you have some client-magnetic sentences when those words ARE what your prospects say they want help with when they show up to do business with you.  Immediately following that list, I say something like “Please know you can instantly access…” and I include my “Call to Action.”

5.  Include a “Call To Action”

If you’re unfamiliar with the marketing term “call to action,” it simply means inviting the person to take action after they read your card and this is a must-have ingredient in any type of successful marketing.  The best type of “call to action” on a business card is inviting them to get your “free offer.”

That free offer has to be quite enticing, and in alignment with the key problem you solve for people.  For example, on my business card, I invite the reader to get  my free training (audio and videos) on how to attract a steady stream of clients.  The key here is to make sure that your free offer clearly addresses the #1 problem or burning desire you help with;  that is what piques interest and authentically inspires desire for your free offer.

By the way, people tend to be less responsive to “free consultations” because they think you’re going to try and pressure them to buy something.  In my experience, giving them a free educational download or something they can get on their own tends to be more effective.  However, if free consultations have been working fabulously for you then by all means, go ahead and use it.  But I’d make it say something like “Free Consultation on How to……” so the reader knows it’s focused on solving their key problem.

6.  An advanced maneuver – online tracking

One of the most powerful things you can do in your marketing is to track your results.  How would we ever know what’s working and what’s not if we don’t track.  Now I’ll admit this particular way of tracking may be an advanced maneuver for some and isn’t absolutely necessary.  But for those of you who are savvy with internet marketing, this would be pretty easy.

Remember the free offer?  Well, how about sending the reader to a special trackable URL to get that free offer?  That would be a website link that is used only on your business card.  That way, you know exactly how many people were pulled in by the offer on your business card.

So there you have it folks – a mini-makeover for your business card to turn it into a powerful marketing tool.  And it works!  Here’s an example for ya.  Now bear in mind I made up all the data on the example card here.  I’m not a tax preparer so I’m not sure what would indeed be the top 3-5 problems you solve if you’re in that industry, but I wanted you see what the front (with the red) and the back of a client-magnetic business card may look like.

Copyright © 2011 Allison Babb International LLC
Allison Babb Phillips is an internationally recognized author, speaker and Business Success Coach.  Allison publishes the “Small Business Success” weekly Ezine on how to create a steady stream of clients for your small business at: www.GreatSmallBusinessAdvice.com

I think that this is a marvelous idea. Going to work on a new business card using Allison's idea.