When the economy is down and your target market seems to be holding their dollars tighter than usual, what can solopreneurs do to keep business flowing?

Status Check Your Marketing Funnel.

Make sure that you’re doing all that you can to reach as much of your target market as possible.  I’ve actually seen some entreprenuers pulling back from their usual marketing activities becuase they perceive that their market is cash poor and unlikely to respond.   That’s a mistake.

Yes, your market may be cash poor today – but that can change in a heart beat and who will they spend their dollars with but the person who has remained on their radar most consistently?

When there are fewer fish, the answer is not to cast a smaller net.

Widen the top of your marketing funnel.  Seek more ways to share your knowledge and expertise.  Step up your blogging activities, do more guest blogging, seek out podcast interviews and let folks know that you are open to creative joint ventures.

Do You Have To Lower Prices?

My experience with pricing over the last year has been interesting.  I tripled my rates for blog design and continued to book new clients on a regular basis even as other talented designers complained that they have had to drop prices to keep busy.

If I could ask marketing experts I bet I would get a wide range of answers to price question.  Lower prices can motivate someone on a tight budget but you’ll work harder for every dollar.  (And that just might be the way it is for awhile…)  Before you decide to lower prices, you could invest some time into sharpening your sales message to better convince your customer of their need for your products and services in the first place.

And Wait, There’s More!

One great idea is to add something to your package rather than reduce the price of your package.   Think about all of those great ‘free gift with purchase’ offers that have grabbed your attention in the past.   You could create a special time limited ‘bundle pack’ or offer a ‘buy one, get one’ deal.

I’ve been influenced by dozens of special deals over the years.  I’ve bought products so0ner than planned and hired service providers without a lot of advance planning – all because they presented me with a no brainer situation.

I know there are lots of other great strategies… what tips do you have for overcoming tough times?

Did you know that it’s possible to see what people are saying about you on the internet?  There are a number of automated tools that will allow you to monitor your name, your company, and other words related to your brand.

If you are in sales or you own a business, monitoring your reputation is crucial.  People are talking about you online, whether you like it or not.  You need to be aware of what’s being said.

There are a few things you can do to set up an automatic monitor that lets you know whenever anyone talks about you online.

iGoogle – Awesome free monitoring dashboard

my iGoogle dashboard for Netbiz

iGoogle is a property that doesn’t get quite the love that it deserves.  While a personalized dashboard is something that the average consumer doesn’t really care about, a customized dashboard that allows you to easily drag & drop tools is extremely useful as a free tool.

We’re going to use this as your reputation monitoring home page.  If you don’t have one yet, go to iGoogle.com and create an account (it will link to any existing Google Account you have like Gmail or Google Calendar).  The default dashboard comes with a bunch of junk that you don’t want, like games & a calendar.  Delete the items that you don’t want by clicking on the little down arrow on the top right of each little biz.

Adding reputation feeds.  On the right side of the page, click on ‘Add Stuff.’  On the next page you’ll be given a bunch of pre-made widgets to add.  Ignore those.  On the left side of the page, below the categories, there’s a link that says ‘Add Feed or Gadget.’

Remember where that is.  We’re going to come back to it.

Next, I’ll go over some automated tools that will track your information.

Google Alerts

Google has a service that monitors news sites, blogs, and a host of other websites and will notify you when anyone mentions whatever words you have set up the monitoring service to listen to.  Go to Google.com/alerts and put your name in for the search terms.  If you have a really common name like John Smith, you might want to add an identifier, like the city you live in or what you do (ex. John Smith Realtor Crossville).  Make sure you put the name in quotes when you do the search so that it doesn’t return people with similar names.  It should look something like this:

“Cor Huff”

“Cory Huff” Blogger

“Cory Huff” Portland

The next screen is where you manage your alerts.  Next to your newly created alert, click ‘Edit’ and change the ‘Deliver To’ column from email to feed.  After that’s done, right click on the little orange icon and copy the link.  Paste that link into the Add Feed or Gadget space in your iGoogle page.

Go back to the iGoogle page home. You should see a little box showing the most recent three notifications.  You can mouse over them to get the full text.

Repeat this same process with the name of your company, the name of key executives, trademarks, and anything else you want to monitor.  Tip: Do the same thing with your competitors.  Knowing what the Interweb has to say about your competitors is enlightening.  You can also do it with important customers, vendors, suppliers, etc, etc….

Tweetbeep

There are several different Twitter monitoring services.  I choose to use Tweetbeep.

Tweetbeep can be set up to send you a daily email with a list of all the mentions of your defined brand on Twitter.  Using the same search terms that you defined above, set up a Tweetbeep alert.

You can also set up Tweetbeep as an RSS feed and add it to your iGoogle homepage just like we did with Google Alerts.  That way you have all of them set up in one place.

Why monitor Twitter?

Twitter is a real time conversation between thousands of people in a public forum.  Even if YOU don’t use Twitter, your customers do.  If you don’t monitor these conversations, it can become a huge headache.  Just ask Johnson & Johnson about the Motrin Moms fiasco.

On the other hand, you can also be proactively grateful when people say appreciative things about you.  If someone says that you rock, you can give them a very public virtual high five – which lets them and everybody else watching know that you are participating in the digital community and that you care what happens.

]]> http://www.sparkplugging.com/sparkplug-ceo/how-to-find-out-what-people-saying-about-you-online/feed/ 6 http://www.sparkplugging.com/sparkplug-ceo/a-shocking-dose-of-reality/ http://www.sparkplugging.com/sparkplug-ceo/a-shocking-dose-of-reality/#comments Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:53:33 +0000 Bill Parlaman http://www.sparkplugging.com/sparkplug-ceo/?p=2689 So last week my wife’s step dad, Zeau, passed away from a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s disease  is a chronic and progressive degenerative disease of the brain that impairs motor control, speech, and other functions.

Now my wife’s step Dad was a heck of a guy.  In life he graduated from the Wharton School of business and was the CFO for a major hospital out here in the suburbs of Philly.

Zeau never had a bad word to say about anyone and NEVER said no to the grand kids!

Zeau will be greatly missed that’s for sure.

But despite all the tough times and sorrow, his passing has lead to a new beginning for me.

You see, as we gathered for a meal after the services, a slide show played in the background with old pictures of Zeau.

There were pictures of Zeau as a baby playing with his brothers, a young boy at summer camp, Zeau as a college man and of course lots of pictures with my wife’s mom sharing good times!

I think in times like these we all face our own mortality.

But there was something about those boy hood and college pictures that stuck with me.

As I looked at Zeau in those photos I thought back to when I was a boy… which was not long ago.

I think back to my days in little league, the excitement of Christmas morning and summer vacations in Ocean City, Maryland with my mom and Dad.

I remember counting the years forward and wondering what my life would be like when I was 25, 30 and even in my 60’s.

Ah, not to worry, those days are so far away, right?

But in a blink of an eye  38 years of time is behind me.

So as I’m looking at those old photos from the 1920′ s and 1930’s I am taken back at just how fast time escapes us all.

Then I looked at my wife Michelle and my 3 little ones and I started to think about what’s important.

All those long nights on the computer or on client calls…for what?

I’m missing the precious little time I have with them on this earth!

I understand we work to get the things we want in life but why do we always build our lifestyle around our work?

Shouldn’t we build our work around our lifestyle?

So I am  going to completely rearrange how I do my business going forward ensuring my work and business revolves around my lifestyle…

Look, my goal is to make enough money to have a nice home, a nice car and get to travel with my family all over the world.

To see things only a few ever get to see.

You see a lot of people think money is evil and rich people are greedy but I completely disagree.

I believe God wants you to prosper so you can help the less fortunate and see the world he created.

If you don’t have the means to do this, how will you ever see all the wonder?

I am dedicated to spending more time with my kids and my wife….to go out and grab ice cream and attend their soccer games at the drop of a hat.

To log off my computer EVERY night at 6PM and not cut dinner short for a client call.

I’m now designing my business around my lifestyle and it feels great!

So now I ask you, how are you going to change what you’re doing to mold your business around YOUR lifestyle?

What do you want out of life?

How do you want YOUR life to look?

How can you design your business or work around your lifestyle?

Now get busy, Bill Parlaman

It’s not true that “quitters never win and winners never quit.”

In fact, some of my biggest “wins” were a direct result of quitting. Here’s one example.

In the fall of 1999 I started a Master’s degree program in French Literature. I had a full-time job already, but the Master’s degree was free (thanks to a generous scholarship) and the classes were at night, so I thought I could do both. It didn’t take long to figure out that this was a huge mistake.

While I was capable of doing both, I wasn’t happy doing both. I had no free time, I was constantly stressed out, and (this is the kicker) I was starting to realize that I didn’t even want a Master’s degree in French Literature. What was I going to do with it? I didn’t want to teach French, I didn’t want to write books in French, and the classes were boring me to tears.

At the same time, I felt like I couldn’t quit. I wasn’t a quitter. I had committed to this program and I was going to finish it.

And then one day I had to make a choice. I had a major work crisis on the night before a big paper was due. There was no way to deal with both things. I chose my job, and the following day I quit the Master’s program. My professors were disappointed in me, I felt horrible for letting them down, and I feared that I had made a horrible mistake.

Quitting that program turned out to be one of the smartest decisions of my life.

I ended up getting promoted at work, and then I took some time to figure out whether I wanted to go back to school. I researched the options, I sat in on a bunch of different classes, and decided to apply to law school. To my surprise, I got into Harvard Law School, and I started there in the fall of 2001.

Although I’m no longer practicing law, I have no regrets about going to law school. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience there, I learned things I couldn’t have learned anywhere else, and I made some amazing connections that led to my first opportunity to work from home.

The funny thing is, as much as I’ve never wanted to think of myself as “a quitter,” I’ve quit a lot of things – and each time it was for the best:

I get to wake up and walk down a flight of stairs to my home office.

My daily commute takes me about 30 seconds.

Sometimes I go to work in a t-shirt, athletic shorts and flip-flops but these are never my most productive days.

I’m most productive after a hot shower and a shave.

Then I try to do something with the mess on top of my head I call my hair ( I guess I should happy I still have it, right?)

I also enjoy wearing a long sleeve button down dress shirt with the cuffs unbuttoned and rolled up once or twice.

Sometimes I’ll wear a really nice pair of jeans and sometimes a nice pair of shorts, but either way, I’m feeling my best and most productive wearing my long sleeve oxford rolled up at the sleeves.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot… I’m always most productive when I’m wearing shoes!

Maybe you actually have to jump in your car and drive to your office and wearing t-shirts and flip flops is not an option for you?

Regardless you want to look good, right?

I mean really look the part.

After all, you might own a business or maybe you’re thinking or wanting to start a business and you’ll be attending seminars and networking events

Look, you only get one chance for a first impression, right?

It always amazes me when attending marketing seminars, chamber meetings or networking events of  just how sloppy some of my fellow business owners and entrepreneurs really look.

They could be the smartest person in the world but if they don’t take enough pride in themselves in the way they look, how disciplined are they in their business?

Would you really want to get involved in a project or joint venture with someone who does not take pride in themselves? I know I would not.

Think about it, how hard is it to take health advice from an overweight doctor?

So last night at my local Philadelphia Glazer Kennedy Insiders Circle Chapter meeting we got to hear from two style consultants, Lauren Wuscher and Mara Glazer from Imageineu.com.

Lauren and Mara specialize in helping your find what they call your “Entrepreneurial signature style.”

I really LOVED the idea of finding a signature look.

Your entrepreneurial signature style is really a look where others identify with you.

Think Donal Trumps hair, Matthew Lesko’s crazy question mark outfit ( You know the crazy guy screaming on TV about free government money) and Social Media Expert Mari Smith with her tourqoise outfits.

Let’s face it, social media and web 2.0 has taken over online marketing.

There is no slow down in the need for videos on YouTube and pictures on Facebook, right?

I mean it’s called Facebook for a reason folks!

I think your personal style is especially important if your doing any work with clients or if you are selling face to face.

The fact of the matter is you only get to make a first impression once.

Meeting your clients at a Starbucks in your T-shirt and flip-flops is probably not the way you’ll want to go about it, know what I mean?

So, if you feel like your style could use a little make over or if you would like help finding your “Entrepreneurial signature look” head over to IMAGEineu.com and pick up a ton of FREE tips on how to find your entrepreneurial signature style!

Let me know your thoughts on this topic, OK?

Do you have a signature style?

Are you struggling with your style?

Are you more productive when you’re dressed for success or when you’re dressed for the beach?

Now get busy, Bill Parlaman

P.S. I know some of you are saying, ” I’m going to wear what I want to wear!” and this is fine, just remember, you only get to make ONE first impression.

You’ll never know when you’re going to meet your first 1 Million dollar client or joint venture partner, feel me?

P.S.S. Make sure you check back tomorrow where I’ll answer all your marketing and homebased business questions!

But what action have you taken lately that would make use of all that awesome potential?

Last week I wrote a brief post about how ‘doing’ (actually taking action on a regular basis) can put someone with less natural ability ahead of someone else with boatloads of it.   The post was encouraging to those who feel like they don’t have a lot of natural skill.

An old supervisor of mine used to say, ‘I may not be the smartest or best looking – but guarantee I’ll work harder and have more fun.”

And it was true.  He was the hardest worker and always did seem to have a great time.  He wasn’t the life of the party but he was the life of the business.

Attitude can be added to the list of attributes that beat out natural attributes.

If you haven’t been told over and over again that you have what it takes – let me tell you today: You Do.  It may not be ‘in you’ in the form of some innate skill but you have it available to you in the form of the right mindset and actions.

If you’re one of those ‘born leaders’ that were voted most likely to succeed – but you’re not succeeding – is there a chance that you’ve been told so many times that you have what it takes to be the best that you thought it would just magically occur without effort on your part?

Same advice applies… adopt a new attitude and take some action today.

“This is a how to think book, not a how to book.”

Marc Warnke’s new book, “ONO: Options not Obligations” is more than just a how to think book, though. It’s an inspirational guide for everyone who wants more independence and fewer obligations in his or her life.

Marc starts out by explaining that most of us live a life of obligations. We have a mortgage to pay and car payments to make, so we get up every day and go to work, and we continue this behavior day after day and year after year without ever realizing there is a different way to live, one without obligations, where you have the option to do what you like with your time instead of the obligation of
going to work.

You might think that a life of options is only available to those lucky few who were born into wealth and don’t have to work for a living, but in “Options not Obligations” Marc gives concrete examples of how everyone can reach a place of options by just making a few simple changes in her life and rearranging her priorities.

He suggests building an “ONO account” and gives some examples of how putting just a small amount of money in an ONO account every month will result in a great deal of wealth through the power of compound interest.

Marc further suggests the way to true wealth is not by selfishly looking out for only our own interests, but by developing a philanthropic attitude in business. By helping others be successful and build wealth, we are often in a better position to build our own.

As you read through the book, you will find “Opportunities for reflections” where the author asks you to think about a particular idea he’s presented. I encourage you to do these exercises. This is a worthwhile book without them, but by sitting down and really thinking through the questions asked of you, you will gain much more than you would by simply reading passively.

“Options not Obligations” is a great place to start for anyone looking to improve her life and financial situation. It is not a step by step guide to making money, but it is a guide to living a better life.

If you’d like to learn more about the book, please visit the website.

One of my older brothers is ultra intelligent.  He did well in school without trying.  I’ve always thought of him as a born inventor.  He was always thinking up stuff when we were young.  Good with cars, could build things, was creative and had a real spirit of excellence about him.

Perhaps more than all that – he was a people person.  People were drawn to him.  They just liked him and enjoyed being around him.  And not just young people – folks from all walks of life.

If anyone had a foundation to build on, he did.

But he didn’t.

All the natural ability in the world won’t mean a thing if you don’t DO something with it.

DO Something Today.

This is a guest post from one of my bestest online peeps, Nicole Dean.

Kelly McCausey, your fearless editor, asked me to write about transitions in business. You see, I’ve had a few major changes over the years that she and I have known each other. My husband was laid off from work a few times, I’ve lived in four different homes (3,000 miles apart), and my business has morphed countless times.

Kelly has seen me go from having to drag me onto her WAHM Talk Radio show several years ago to starting my own weekly Online Business Success Podcast. She’s talked me through my fear on countless occasions – from being her “much afraid” friend to becoming an all-out internet marketing expert.

I sat and thought for a bit about which transition I should write about. The transitions are all a blur, actually. Then I saw a greater message that needed to be said today.

Business, in my opinion, is nothing but a series of transitions and decisions.

Actually, I guess that you could define life the same way. You make plans and then keep adjusting as you go – adjusting the plans, but also the path that you’ll need to take to get there from where you are at that moment in time. It’s like childbirth. Sure, you may be like me and write up a three-page birth plan that’s very precise – down to the music that will be played and the clothing that you’ll be wearing and the post-birth medicines (or lack thereof) that you’re willing to take for pain. You should always have a plan.

But, then labor starts and all hell breaks loose. The rules change. Bringing your beautiful baby into the world healthy and whole is still the end goal, but you may have to shift off course a bit from “the plan” to make that happen. That’s life. We make decisions on the fly to get what we want.

I’ve been through a few major hurricanes. In fact, I should say “survived” a few major hurricanes because anyone who lives through one feels the impact, emotionally and financially for months or years afterwards. If I’ve learned one thing from the hurricanes that have ripped up my roof, dropped trees on my house, and cost me thousands and thousands of dollars, it’s this….

You’ve got to be flexible.

The palm tree is designed to bend. That’s how it survives through storm after storm. It sways in the wind.

The pine tree? Not so much. Rather than swaying in the breeze like a palm does, it is rigid and tries to stay straight and tall – until it snaps right in half (landing on your awning) and dies.

I recommend that you be the palm. Sway, bend, and give when you feel the wind blow. During times of difficulty and change in your business, adjust and give, without getting firm and rigid – or your business may not survive to see the dark clouds part to send sunshine beaming through.

Now that I’ve stated my philosophy on transition and decision, let me give you a few business examples.

Example #1: You take on a new client. Your gut tells you that it’s just not right but you can’t afford to turn down a client, right? That’d just be silly.

I’ve watched friends begin to hate their businesses. You know the one thing that makes that happen the fastest? Not listening to your gut. Guess what my advice is when working with a client that makes you unhappy? If you’re miserable, no one else is going to hire you. Your passion will be gone and you’ll be giving the “I hate my work” vibe. Dump the chump and get a move on. It’s like a bad marriage. It won’t get any better.

See? Transition is good.

Example #2: You get an amazing opportunity to become a writer for an exciting client, but it would mean leaving your current job (which you really don’t like). The problem? You don’t want to leave your current employers in a lurch and don’t know how they’d find someone else to take over your hours, even though they pay you poorly, gripe about you taking off for emergencies, and the job stresses you out beyond belief.

Hello?! If my coaching client is reading this … you know who you are. My advice to her? Dump them and go for the dream opportunity! As for the old employers, and your guilt about leaving them behind? That’s not a rational fear. There are people in desperate situations who would fall on their knees and thank God for that job who may be a much better fit for it than she was. The new person may deal with crabby people better and enjoy the flexible hours that the job offered. So, jump on that new opportunity and do not dare to look back.

Why do we fear change so much? Transition is a good thing. It means progress.

Me, in my personal life? Well, I’ll share a secret with you. Usually when I’m comfortable, I know that I’m not challenging myself enough. If it’s easy, I need to try something new.

I could remain right where I am right now and be very comfortable in my safe little bubble of running an online business. However, I know that I can do more. I know there are more challenges ahead for me to face. So, when that happens and I am scared, I get a mentor – someone who has been where I want to be and can lead me. I’m currently learning from two mentors who I’ll share about soon on my Nicole Dean on the Net blog. One mentor is helping me to be a speaker and the other is helping me to write and launch a book. Could I do it on my own? Probably. But, it’s much much better for my business to be taken by the hand and led through the experience than to wander in the dark alone.

I urge you to get a mentor, too. It can be me, or Kelly, or anyone who makes you feel inspired and challenged to be the best you that you can be. Whether you go with a business coach or a life coach or a mastermind group – I don’t care which you choose. Just be sure that you have a guide to walk you through the transitions in your business, too.

Now, before I go, I’d like you to do one thing. Close your eyes (not yet, silly) and picture your life one year from now. What would you want that picture to look like?

What about five years from now? What does your business look like? Do you have clients? If so, picture your dream client. Who is that person? Why do you want to work with him/her? Is your business ecommerce? Are you a speaker? A podcaster? An author?

See? Transitions ARE good. Make the decision to make that dream happen and get on the path to that dream today!

Nicole Dean jumps out of bed every morning, excited about teaching others how to make money online. Her goal is to show people that earning a full-time income online is doable – with the right teachers and focus, but you’ve got to take ACTION in order to get there. Nicole is an experienced affiliate marketer, affiliate manager, and PLR site owner – helping people everywhere to discover strategies for making money online.

Learn more about Nicole at NicoleDean.com.

Last night I bought my son a desk as a graduation present.  Having had his eye on this desk for a couple of months, he was geeked about bringing it home at last. He couldn’t wait to tear it open and put it together.

The long time ‘Lego Maniac’ had no trouble reading instructions and whipping the pieces together – something that would have had me pulling my hair out for sure. It was hard work.  It required particular attention to detail.  He’d never done anything quite like before but he tackled it like a pro.  It was hot and stuffy in his room and he didn’t even seem to mind.

Fast forward to today.  The cardboard box, packing materials, tools and a whole bunch of other stuff lay all over my living room floor.  I ask him to take care of things and finish putting his room back together and he tells me ‘It’s so hot and muggy – I’ll do it later.”

Yeah, that went over about as well with me as you think it did.

I pointed out that it was no hotter this morning than it was last night when he built an entire desk unit without complaint.    His response?  “Oh no, it’s much hotter today than yesterday.”

No.  Really.  It wasn’t.

The only real difference is that he wanted to build the desk and he didn’t want to do the clean up.

When you want to do something, you ignore little aggravations and potential obstacles.

When you don’t want to do something, those things get amplified in our minds and turn into excuses.

Of course, being the good mom I try to be – I used the situation as a teaching moment and shared that successful people do things that need to be done even when they don’t want to do them.  That’s what makes them successful.

He wasn’t terribly motivated by that little nugget of truth to be honest

But maybe you will be?

Do you notice that you’re willing to tackle something hard for fun but procrastinate about difficult situations that you think of as ‘work’?    Most of us do.  It’s only  natural.  We want to do what we want to do, right?

Still, we’ll have to do a few things we don’t really enjoy on the way to doing what we love.   We can either focus on all the things we don’t like about a project or situation or we can focus on the end results and press through with a positive attitude.

We don’t want to be one of those people who make more excuses than progress.

This is a guest blog post from Jimmy D. Brown.  He continues our guest blogger theme of ‘business transitions’.

My wife and I have been married since 1994.  During the years since our wedding, we have stayed in a variety of hotels ranging from a “glorified closet” to a resort suite, everything from a 1-star rating to a 5-star rating.

We’re not into astronomy, but we do like to see a lot of stars when it comes to our accommodations!

Here’s what Hotels.com says of a “5-Star” rating…

“These luxury hotels offer the pinnacle of service and pampering. Pristine surroundings often include manicured landscaping and famed works of art. Guests may expect multilingual concierge and/or butler services, extensive pool, spa and fitness facilities, and gourmet restaurants with world-renowned chefs. There is typically a high staff- to-guest ratio. Guestrooms feature ample space, designer linens, and special touches such as fresh flowers, champagne and flat-screen televisions. These hotels most often are located in the most desirable cities or resort destinations.”

In other words, 5-star means “the best”.  It represents the highest order of a hotel.  Or, anything for that matter.

There are 5-star hotels, restaurants, campgrounds, salons, banks and much more.

In fact, you can apply the 1-5 star rating system to just about anything.

Even internet marketing.

What I’d like to do is share some insights into becoming a 5-star internet marketer.  And what I’m going to focus on is the strategy that serves as the foundation of all 5-star ratings:  ongoing change in pursuing excellence.

• Can you imagine a hotel receiving a 5-star rating today by offering a black and white television?
• Can you imagine a restaurant receiving a 5-star rating without air conditioning?
• Can you imagine a campground receiving a 5-star rating with no “full hookups”?

While this may have generated a 5-star rating 50 years ago, it’s simply not enough for today.  There is an “ongoing pursuit of excellence” for those who achieve AND maintain a 5-star rating.

That’s the principle I want you to learn today:  5-star internet marketers make adjustments to their business ahead of the pack.

Back in the 1978 one of my favorite songs (I was only 8!) was “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers.  In it, he provides some sage advice that internet marketers would do well to apply in order achieve 5-star status…

“You got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away and know when to run.”

These statements form the four stages of a transitional business mindset…

#1 – MAXIMIZE. (“When to hold ‘em”) If you’ve got a “good hand”, you maximize it.  You keep doing what you’re doing until you’ve gotten the absolute best results as you can.

• If a certain topic of information is selling well, you keep selling it until it stops selling well.
• If a certain advertisement is producing great leads, you keep using that advertisement until it stops producing great leads.
• If a certain business practice is achieving a desired result, you keep using that practice until it stops achieving a desired result.

Whatever it is that you find is working, keep doing it (even pouring EXTRA energy and money into it) until it is no longer working effectively.

#2 – MINIMIZE .  (“When to fold ‘em”) If you see that others are beginning to get a “better hand” than you, you begin to make adjustments.  You “minimize” your shortcomings by making improvements to what you’re doing.

• If technology advances are made then you upgrade everything from the format and delivery of your product to your support to your merchandising.
• If new concepts, ideas and trends emerge then you tweak your existing content, communication, operations and so forth or develop entirely new assets based on these revelations.
• If others consistently rate higher than you (in volume, consumer opinion, or any other gauge) then you identify what makes them “better” and strive to move forward with similar thinking and practices.

#3 – MOBILIZE. (“When to walk away”) There comes a time when it is a smart idea to make dramatic changes or reforms to either the way you conduct your business, the products and services you are selling, or both.

• If you’ve sold as many copies of a product as you reasonably feel that you can, then consider an “exit” strategy such as selling a portion of the business or offering a set number of licenses.
• If you’ve grown to the point where you can no longer reasonably keep up with operations (and thus have limited your potential growth) then consider finding a partner, hiring an employee, forming strategic joint ventures or outsource as many things as you can.
• If you’ve reached a plateau in your overall sales then consider adding alternate forms of revenue generation to your mix (coaching, membership sites, eclasses, workshops, licensing, advertising, etc.)

#4 – MODERNIZE. (“When to run”) Finally, there comes a time when you may want to leave your base and diversify into an entirely different business model.  Even if you don’t completely leave the market, once your business is doing extremely well it’s time to add more income streams from other sources.

• If your business has reached a saturation point where new income is becoming increasingly difficult to create, then consider branching into a related market and “starting over”.
• If your business has reached a threshold where it is basically running itself (with outsourcing, employees, partners, etc. in place) then consider branching into a related market to create additional business revenue.
• If your business has become outdated in its publication, presentation, promotion or practice, then consider a complete overhaul from the ground up as you strip everything down to the foundation and rebuild. (I.E. Keep your same customer base, prospects and partners, but revamp your offer.)

Every successful business changes with the times.

Twenty years ago there was Apple computers, but there was no Ipod.  Twenty years ago there was Sony but there was no Playstation.  Twenty years ago there was Ford, but there was no in-dash GPS.  Twenty years ago there was Ganz, but there was no Webkinz.

What have these businesses done?

They’ve made adjustments.  They are 5-star companies because they knew what Kenny Rogers sang about:

“You got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away and know when to run.”

If you want to be a 5-star internet marketer then you’ve gotta transition when it is warranted.

And that’s no gamble.

Want to learn from Jimmy?  Join me as I continue to study his awesome Affiliatenaire program!

I don’t know about you, but when I started this online gig (which soon became a lifelong journey), I had no idea what I was in for. I had no business education, no experience and just thought…heck, I could do something with this Internet thing.

Fast forward 7 years later and it’s been an amazing road with many successes to share…and a few bumps as well. Looking back, I can see there is one important key that has allowed me to grow and keep moving forward – and that’s the ability to see the need for and embrace change. You see, BOTH things are important.

A lot of home business owners embrace change, but many don’t know when they NEED it. Many change for change’s sake. They get bored with what they’re doing. They tried something half-heartedly and decided it just didn’t work. Another opportunity comes up promising greener grass on the other side and they hop on over. This type of change can lead you on the path to nowhere and FAST.

See, understanding the need for change and carefully evaluating your next move or series of moves is important.

Step 1: Take a Break

If you think you’re in need of a change, take a break. I’m a spontaneous person and often make decisions on the fly, but if it’s a big change I’m contemplating or I feel like I’m stalled – a break what I need. If you’re feeling the same, consider a break before jumping into it too.

I know that staring at my computer, hopping to Twitter and checking my stats isn’t going to help me come up with a solution…so off the computer goes. I play with the kids, go to yoga class, go see a movie – anything to get refreshed and ready to tackle things.

Step 2: Write It Down or Talk It Out

Get it all out…whether you like to write or talk. Consider all the issues, your needs and possible solutions. Just getting things clarified can help you make the right decisions.

I’m a writer and I usually get out the pen and paper for this one, so I can add notes, extra ideas and make sure no stone is left unturned. Use the brainstorming method that’s right for you, but do make sure you consider everything.

Step 3: Avoid Changes that Overburden

There are so many opportunities in the great vast Web 2.0 world and we can’t take them all. Carefully evaluate your opportunities, keeping your business goals and personal values in mind.

For me, earning a great income with minimal time investment, so I can enjoy life and family is crucial. This means I don’t take on projects or opportunities that take me away from that. Think about what is important to you.

Step 4: Make a Plan & Get To It!

Now that you’ve carefully evaluated everything and found the right choice for you…make your plan and stick with it (but of course, make adjustments as they become necessary. If you’re taking on new projects, it might be time to shave some unproductive projects to ensure you can dedicate yourself appropriately. Make it as easy as possible to make the change as successful as it can be.

Change is a good thing…when it’s done for the right reasons and it works for you and your business. If you’re ready for changes that will help you increase your hourly worth in your business take the quiz…just 8 quick multiple choice questions gets you a customized action plan for LESS work and MORE pay.

Wendy is in the midst of launching her exciting new Children’s Blog Network.  I am in the midst of getting my feet under me in my new role as General Manager and several new authors are settling in on their blogs here on the network.

My son Sean (the handsome young dude to the right)  just finished his last homeschool course, took a new job and will be starting classes at Lansing Community College in just over a month so he is experiencing his own season of transition.

As an Internet Marketer, I feel like I’ve always been in some level of constant change.  The internet is not a static thing.  Everything is growing and new ideas are developing every day. It is my job (and yours) to keep a finger on the pulse and be ready to move when a move is called for.

Do You Enjoy Change?

I have always been excited by change.  Everything from rearranging furniture to changing the color or style of my hair to revamping an entire website or taking on a new project.  Change is so stimulating!  Because I enjoy change, my world is constantly growing.

Or Do You Fear Change?

I have a good friend who fears change.  She has not changed one iota in all the years I’ve known her.  Not only does she not embrace new ideas, she gets upset when others do.  Because she fears change, her world is shrinking year after year.

You Must Embrace Your Seasons of Change

Truly, if we’re going to experience the success we crave, we have to not just accept transition – we have to embrace it as a welcome friend.

I have asked several of my good friends and mentors, people who have helped me roll with the punches and learn valuable lessons from sometimes uncomfortable situations, to come here to Sparkplugging as a Guest Blogger in the next few weeks.  Each one will bring a message about transition in business.  I believe these posts will inspire you to look forward to your next season of transition.

The first post, from my good friend Alice Seba,  is coming tomorrow

When Wendy first spoke with me about Sparkplugging I felt both a thrill of excitement and a stab of fear. The idea of stepping up to the role of General Editor was appealing on so many levels but one small part of me was really freaked out about it.

Why? Why did something so wonderful seem so scary to me?

An issue of Peer Comparison.

I admire Wendy so much and I had a hard time imagining myself in a position she has filled in such a unique way. I think about everything Wendy has accomplished in such a short time and I wonder if I have what it takes to boost Sparkplugging to the next level?

Finally, I resolved my hesitancy by realizing I don’t have to try to be like Wendy to do well in this position – I only have to be ME.

Of course this is also an issue of Self Confidence.

Do I believe that I can do this? For a little while, I just wasn’t sure and that’s scary! If I don’t believe in myself, who else will?

This isn’t the first time I’ve felt stretched in my business. It is a very familiar feeling.

• I felt stretched when I launched Work at Home Moms Talk Radio in 2003.
• I felt stretched when I partnered with Alice Seba on Mom Masterminds in 2004.
• I felt stretched when I quit my day job in 2006 and relied 100% on my business income.
• I felt stretched when I took over Mom’s Talk Network (and took on significant short term debt in the process) in 2007.

Every time I reached out to a new level I felt the same bubbly combination of excitement and fear – and did it anyways.  The results were great!  My business has grown and prospered.

This won’t be any different.

I’m a little unsteady on my feet. I feel awkward and out of my comfort zone. But I’m doing it anyways.

Would you like to join me?

Surely there’s a next level waiting for you right now

Wendy, thank you again for this awesome opportunity to work with you and the other incredible Sparkplugging Authors. I hope this season of transition will see both of us growing in amazing ways both personally and professionally.

Quick details:

Show airing on NBC, Tuesday March 10th 2009.

I really don’t know what time I will be on, but it will be between 7am and 9am EST.

I will be speaking with someone from AvenueA/Razorfish of the (really fascinating) study put out them and CafeMom on Digital Moms. We’ll chat about creating online businesses based on social media and blogging, and how advertisers are in hot pursuit of us so-called “Digital Moms”.

Also, since I’ll be in NYC Monday and Tuesday, I’m hoping to do a impromptu Tweetup while I am there, so let me know if you are there!

It’s all a little ironic and funny – while simultaneously restoring my faith in the fact that God/the Universe/Whatever-you-want-to-call-it always has everything under control.

For those of you who didn’t see this post, then you wouldn’t know that just about one month ago, I almost gave up on Sparkplugging. I had a Very Big Business Deal completely fall to pieces due to the economy. I admit I was devastated, crying myself to sleep for several nights in a row. I quite honestly wanted to simply walk away from all of this, but I really didn’t feel I could be that hypocritical. I’ve spent nearly 3 years blogging about being an entrepreneur and one of my most stuffed categories is “Overcoming Obstacles” – how could I face all of you if I couldn’t follow my own advice on bouncing back from disappointments?

So the funny thing is that in the last 30 days, besides landing the best publicity of my career with the Today Show, I’ve also started working on a HUGE project with Rockfish Interactive. They are the brains behind the hugely successful 11Moms Walmart campaign. And the whole reason that this happened was because when I was at SeaWorld with GeekMommy, I told her about the deal debacle and she put me in touch with them.

To say the least, the last month has been a little overwhelming – I’ve lost a Deal, landed a Deal, and also landed an appearance on the biggest morning show on the planet. Gulp.

I kind of want to shake my fist at the sky and say something like, “You could have let me know you had this all covered when I was crying myself to sleep last month!” But I don’t want to sound ungrateful, because I feel totally blessed right now.

So you know that saying that goes “No door closes without another one opening?“.

Um… YEAH.

By the way, now that the cat is out of the bag, there are several other moms being featured on the Monday installment of the Digital Moms series, Alli from AlwaysAlli, Shannon from CouponPrincess, and Melissa the ConsumerQueen will be there, and Lisa from Crazy Adventures in Parenting is getting her vlog featured as well. Congrats to these fine mommies too!

So, there’s been this Deal. The Deal I’ve been working on for 3 months.

It was going to be a ‘Really Big Deal’ kind of Deal. A ‘Putting My Name on the Big Time Map’ kind of Deal. The kind of Deal that I can’t talk about because you don’t talk about this kind of Deal unless the Deal is Done.

And thanks to a few factors, mostly the economy, there is now No Deal. Suffice it to say, I cried myself to sleep about three times over the last week.

And now, I’m picking myself back up from the hardest fall I’ve ever taken as an entrepreneur.

I almost couldn’t do it. But then I thought of you. And I couldn’t face you if I gave up.

So, thanks. You readers have saved my ass. And now I’m back.

And I’m even able to think about finding a New Deal.

*HUGS*

Think about it for a minute. How many of us have become better writers because of Copyblogger or blogging from Problogger?

Then there’s SEO. There are so many really good SEO blogs that you could learn the trade and become a professional SEO specialist without any other resources that what you learn in the SEO blogs. At the very least, you can avert hiring an SEO specialist by reading the most popular SEO blog posts and applying their advice.

Should this great content always be free? I don’t think so, myself. I think free can dimish the value of excellent information and effective advice.

I ran into this problem just this past week as I was working on a blog post that was titled 97 Ways to Drive Traffic to Your Website.

I had spent hours coming up with all these great ideas of how to drive more traffic to your website. Some of them were obvious such as engaging in social networks and publishing articles. Others were not so well know like…

And there begins our crux. You see, if I give away some of best secrets of how I’ve driven traffic to my own website over the years, doesn’t it diminish its value? You may think differently, but I think it does. I think it cheapens the information when there’s not some sort of exchange.

What I ended up doing is taking my list of website traffic generating ideas and moved it offline. I deleted the blog post and figured I just use the resource with my clients. But the list kept growing. Soon I was over 130 than 150 and now I’ve listed more than 180 viable ways to drive traffic to your website.

Obviously there’s tons of value in what I’ve put together. So much that I didn’t want to reserve it only for my clients. Yet publishing it on my blog openly just makes it another in a huge pile of lists that is quickly forgottten for the next set of lists that front page Digg.

So I decided a different route. I created a teleclass around the my traffic generating ideas called 97 Ways to Drive Traffic to Your Website. And I’m doing the first one next Tuesday for a limited audience of 60 people. And to add value, I’ve created a booklet that not only lists each of the more than 180 techniques for driving traffic to your site, but I’ve addd my commentary to each one with tips so you can use any of them.

To go further, I’m spending 90 minutes in a dialogue with the people on the call so that we can go even deeper into the issues of getting more traffic to your website. Recording the call and offering it to the participants as a download completes the package (there is some space left for you, by the way).

So now I have something that’s taken a good amount of my time and has immense value to me that I can offer as a value proposition to others. The teleclass participants get the value of all my work and the dialogue with me so that they can find the traffic generation methods that best fit them and their business.

In turn, everyone wins. I gain from my efforts. The content wins because it’s valued for the work put into it. And each participant wins by getting the help they need in driving traffic to their site.

This has been a tricky post to write. Sure, I’m promoting a course I’ve designed – no doubt, won’t deny it. And if you’d like to take the teleclass, register before the spots fill up.

At the same time, I’ve wanted to use my experience as the beginning of a discussion around the value of free content. That’s the bottomline point of this post. Are we wasting some of our best content, best ideas and best advice by publishing it free on our blogs all the time? Or is some content valuable enough that it needs to be exchanged for? That’s all a sale is – an exchange.

What do you think?

It’s an interesting thing to contemplate. Am I just running my business to make money or am I running my business to make other people’s lives better.

It’s a question, actually, I ask myself often. As a business advisor and web developer, I have plenty of opportunity to make money. That’s never an issue. Prospective clients contact me constantly asking how I can help them.

And there lies the purpose – helping the coaches, consultants, therapists, healers and other small business owners who contact me. That’s where my business makes a difference.

I understand that when people contact me it’s because they need help solving the problems that get in the way of their business making more money and running more smoothly. They call me because they know or they’ve heard that I can make a difference in how they reach their business goals. And that’s, truly, why I’m in business – not just to make money, but to make a difference in the lives and businesses of other small business professionals.

Author David Maister once wrote that making a difference means sometimes struggling “to do what’s meaningful and not just what’s pragmatic.” This means not always doing what’s easy to turn a quick buck. Rather it’s about choosing the path that’s not only going to make you successful, but fill that need inside you to do good for others.

Whatever you do in your business it’s likely you’re changing lives. The question is, are you honoring that process? Do you consider how what you do is of personal and professional benefit to the people you work with?

Are you making a difference with your business or just making a living?

Jessica has been wanting to write for Sparkplugging for a while – and celebrity gossip is her passion. So I fully expected her to jump in and hit the ground running. What I didn’t expect was for her to never hit the ground at all and start out flying.

TLC's Chili with her line of handbags

In less than 2 weeks, Jess has interviewed Stephan Pinto from CSI: Miami, talk show hosts Whitney & Wyatt and just recently Chili from the ’90’s Grammy Award winning pop band TLC.

Why do these celebrities matter to us?

• Stephan Pinto is both actor and web designer.
• Whitney & Wyatt left lucrative jobs at Microsoft to start their own talk show for women.
• And Mompreneur Chili is creating and selling her own line of beautiful photo handbags at BagsByChili.

I’ve never had an interest in celebrity gossip – but I’ve always had an interest in:

• How celebrities are leveraging their power into other avenues of business
• Being inspired by the creativity and innovation that celebrities always seem to have in abundance
• How people just like you and me take leaps of faith to pursue entrepreneurial goals
• Learning that the challenges celebrities have in starting their side businesses are just like my own challenges

THAT’S what Celebrity Business is all about – and Jessica might just be writing about herself sometime soon if this little clip is any indication of what she is capable of!

Most of the time the answers I get have to do with traffic to my website, lead development or revenue generation.

Sure, we all need more leads and we could all make more money. But is that really the most pressing problem in your business? Often, it’s not.

The most pressing problem can sometimes be elusive. Most of us could benefit from generating more leads, for instance, but that may not be the most pressing problem we face in our business. You see, often the most pressing problem in business has nothing to do with  your marketing or the traffic generation on your website. Rather it has to do with how you actually ‘do’ your business.

For instance, if we could generate 200% more leads for your business this month, what would happen? Could you manage having that many more people wanting to engage in your business? How effectively could you convert those new leads with that sort of increase in volume? Or would you end up dropping the ball on a whole bunch of potential clients?

We’re always thinking that more people means more business. That’s not always the case. Often, we need to prepare ourselves and our business for growth. It means we need to know how to deal with a large influx of new potential clients. We need to have systems in place to manage these situations.

How do you know, then, what is your most pressing business problem? Reverse engineering. Start with the end result. Consider what challenges you’re facing having 200% more leads flow into your business, for instance. Find the holes in your business and fill them. And to fill them, start thinking in reverse until you get to where your business is today. Consider all the steps along the way. Write it all down, turn it upside down and now you’ve got the outline for a plan. Focus on the issue closest to where you are now, and you likely have, at least one of, your most pressing business problem.

We hear it all the time – plan for success. Why couldn’t that mean imagine the success you want and work backward to where you are today? A little secret – it works!