Hey Gang, I've been hardly working this week. It seemed it was always one damned thing or the other, so I picked the one damn thing to do and did that!
Ready to get going? Let's get to it - Do you know how your customers buy from you? We've all heard 'customers buy from emotion, then justify it with logic'. My way of thinking is 'I want it. Here's the money." Problem solved and want satisfied. But I'm an only child....what do I know?!
So to keep my inner child in check, I read the articles at Psychotactics because selling more with less stress is high on my want list!
Next is an audio by Stephen Pierce that made me think...yeah, I do that sometimes! (Matt Rhodes will have to forgive me this slip).
The audio goes to the heart of working for yourself as a solo entrepreneur. Before you go there, it is a bit long and I believe it's worth listening to when "one of those days" come around. You know, the ones where you ask yourself: Why am I doing this? Give a listen and as always...take what you can use and leave the rest.
Finally, this comes from the Reach Group. A Seattle based boutique consultant group that gets it right about this growing Solo Entrepreneur Revolution. Ok, so they like the words: Free Agent ........it still means US!
This comes direct from the Reach Group blog page - Free Agents are: * Freedom-loving, purpose-filled business builder who takes great pleasure in creating a career for themselves that fits their dreams, rhythms and passions.
* People who have unchained their daily work from a larger corporate structure and build their businesses and lives around their own passion, strengths, visions and opportunities.
* Entrepreneurs who use the new rules of the marketplace to build a business that feeds their passions, fits their strengths and infuses their days with joy and satisfaction.
Sound like anyone you know?!
That's it for today and I leave you with this -
We cannot be normal and alive at the same time.~E.M. Cioran
Hey Gang, Well it's been another week and with winter coming on, thought it would be a good time to share some thoughts on change.
In the past month it's been I've been given the unique opportunity to get up close and personal with aging. I've listened to stories from people facing their own end of youth, and it makes me want to focus on those things that mean something.
For instance, why is it that one person as they grow old accept it with awe, as a new adventure and someone sitting right next to them is angry, bitter and full of hate?
I've met people on both sides of this argument but from listening, I think it comes down to how you lived your life. Tomorrow I might change my mind, but it appears from the outside looking in:
If you were a manipulative, co-dependent, selfish whiny bastard in your youth, you're not going to change much when you get old. You'll just be that same manipulative, co-dependent, selfish, whiny bastard that everyone can justify not visiting.
Am I being sentimental again? No, I'm simply stating what I observed over a one month period.
Ready for business? Let's get to it - First up, Rich Schefren has a new report out (before he launches something related) titled The Uncertainty Syndrome.
It's supposed to be an internet business report for those not getting anywhere online. I did download it and haven't gotten around to reading as yet. Most of Rich's reports and videos are right on the mark, and I don't expect this report to be any different. But, with that said - you pays your nickel and takes your chances on this one:)
Clayton Makepeace I've mentioned in past posts about direct mail copywriting. His guest authors also provide business building tips and techniques that to tell the truth, I haven't seen anywhere else but are tight and very useful. My hard-drive is full of these articles and you might want to create a folder just for them.
The article this week is on Becoming an Authority. If you've been online over a week, you know just about every Bucket Head out there is using the term "authority" as if it's some kind of secret conspiracy. Most of them have no idea what they're talking about, but it sounds good!
This article has meat and teeth in it. Not written by a Bucket Head either! Anyway, here's a snippet and you can go read the full article yourself:
You instantly gain authority in the wired world when you make it your mission to take the gobbledygook of regular experts and make sense of it all. Yes! There is tremendous power waiting for those who can translate arcane mumbo jumbo into common sense language even a cave man can understand.
I read other blogs and post comments when I find something good worth commenting on (don't you?!), and this next excerpt comes from Laura Young, on becoming a commodity (what I call Bucket Heads).
Trap #1: Becoming a Commodity Not uncommonly, new businesses suffer from a lack of definition. To niche or not to niche? It’s a scary proposition to enter in to a new field, or to opt for self- employment and we often want to keep our options (for revenue) open. It is natural when one enters new territory to search for any measuring stick one can find to learn how to succeed in one’s chosen field.
Unfortunately, this often means discernment gets tossed out and you can start to read every industry directive on what it takes to succeed as relevant to your business. It may not be.
In fact, some of what you read may go so against your inherent strengths that you will risk being trapped in inefficiency and find yourself stalled and overwhelmed at every turn should you try to follow their recommendations.
It’s important to understand that what is common to all distinguishes none.
As solo entrepreneurs we're more likely to allow this more than small business owners because we work alone. When you find yourself about to change anything in your business, take the next step and simply STOP!
Give a cold, calculated look into how it will work for you or how it will wreck everything you've built so far before you make changes that work for someone else.
That's it for today and I leave you with this -
"Don't compromise yourself. You are all you've got." ~Janis Joplin
Don't know if I've mentioned him before, but Patric Chan is one of the few new marketers who I do respect for how he operates his internet ventures.
He's also not beyond having a rant or two of his own at His Blog. Here's a snip from it, but I want you to click on over and read it from Patric. Yes, It's that good!
The point is, when you have become so successful, you're going to have people who like you and people who hate you for whatever reason regardless of whether they're correct or not. It's a fact, live with it.
The title should give you an idea what the post is about, Pissing Off Others. I'm working on a report for new internet business startups about niche marketing, and it covers the same thing.
You are not everyone's darling. If you are needy and co-dependent, then operating a business is the surest way to send you into a mental health institution. People are not going to be your free therapist or keep patting you on the head when you do whatever you think they want you to.
It's up to you to do only 2 things, and it doesn't matter where you operate your business or what you sell: Legally and ethically operate your business as if you are selling to your closest friend.
HEADS UP! In a couple days, I'm going to begin deleting the archives for this blog. The reason is making the switch to "New" Blogger and since I've been posting since 2005, there is a possibility they would get deleted (uhm, I'm the person that screwed up WordPress, remember).
Those you see with comments will remain, because you may have a link to your site. I respect that and will leave those posts, but all others will be deleted within the week.
Finally, there is an email from Jim Rohn that I meant to post last week. I think it will be worth reading for some of you because you're getting distracted by things that are really outside your personal control.
Gas prices? Outside your control. Taxes? Don't go there. Death? Getting the point. Hope this helps you stay focused on what matters.
"Doing the Remarkable"
When it comes to meeting and conquering the negativity in your life, here is a key question: what can you do, starting today, that will make a difference? What can you do during economic chaos? What can you do when everything has gone wrong? What can you do when you've run out of money, when you don't feel well and it's all gone sour? What can you do?
Let me give you the broad answer first. You can do the most remarkable things, no matter what happens. People can do incredible things, unbelievable things, despite the most impossible or disastrous circumstances.
Here is why humans can do remarkable things: because they are remarkable. Humans are different than any other creation. When a dog starts with weeds, he winds up with weeds. And the reason is because he's a dog. But that's not true with human beings. Humans can turn weeds into gardens.
Humans can turn nothing into something, pennies into fortune, and disaster into success. And the reason they can do such remarkable things is because they are remarkable. Try reaching down inside of yourself; you'll come up with some more of those remarkable human gifts. They're there, waiting to be discovered and employed.
With those gifts, you can change anything for yourself that you wish to change. And I challenge you to do that because you can change. If you don't like how something is going for you, change it. If something isn't enough, change it. If something doesn't suit you; change it. If something doesn't please you, change it. You don't ever have to be the same after today. If you don't like your present address, change it — you're not a tree!
If there is one thing to get excited about, it's your ability to make yourself do the necessary things, to get a desired result, to turn the negative into success. That's true excitement.
To Your Success, Jim Rohn
That's it for today and I leave you with this -
"A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles." ~Christopher Reeve
Another week, another set of marketing tasks completed. Doesn't it seem you do more marketing during a 'down' economy than an 'up' one....what's the difference! Mini rant over.
To end the week, I'm giving you two resource articles for our Chicken Marketer file. With all the rants I've made about social media, this weekend is a dry run on Twitter. Don't laugh, I'll be sharing my hits & misses with you folks......start placing bets now on how long I'll last:)
Let's get to it - First up is this article by Suzanne Richardson A Usability Lesson
Before you run off screaming, especially those of you operating businesses not exclusive to the internet crowd, give this article a serious read. It covers website usability but it can be applied to any business marketing you use...brochures, postcards, business cards, placards, etc.
I've taken the liberty of editing this article for length, not content. There are things the big companies get away with that can leave a solo entrepreneur marketing dead in the water.
Here's the meat of Suzanne's article:
"...When your prospective customers visit your website, you want them to have a good experience. So when you design your website, make it as user-friendly as possible. And the best way to do that is to get your customers to tell you what's working for them on your site, and what isn't.
Enlist friends and family members to take a look and give you their honest opinions. As a result of what you learn from them, you're sure to give your visitors a far better experience - which will encourage them to come back again and again. "
I do have one small issue with this idea, how internet savvy are your "family and friends"? If email, watching videos, downloading music and simple one-two word searches are what they do online ...their opinion may be of little help. The first question they are going to ask you is What am I looking for?
My suggestion: Ask another business person or in the business forums you are active in to take a look at your site. They have no stake in you emotionally nor do you need to explain what it is you're trying to do.
A simple question like...Can you take a look and tell me how it could be better, in any forum will likely give you more information than you wanted to know.
It's not an exact science, and you should take any suggestion to change your site or blog with a grain of salt.
If you have paying customers, send them an email and ask if they had any problems or if there was something confusing to them.
I wanted to get through to some of you how important it is to focus your small business marketing and this video by Michael Port is especially important for Solo Entrepreneurs. Only 4 minutes and very useful.
Finally, I'll recommend this pay-per-click article by the guys at WordTracker and you can read the full article here WordTracker - assuming you already know your customers and you have a clear marketing message already.
7 Steps to A Perfect PPC Campaign 1. Identify the product you are selling. Sounds simple but look at the listings in your local phone directory or do a search online.....some of these folks are corn-fused about what they're really selling.
2. Use keyword research and PPC If this is your first PPC campaign you can use broad matches to try and see what the market is doing and what people are typing in. Which is where many of you stopped doing your keyword research!
Use exact match when you are sure they are the best keywords to go for. Another very popular technique is to use broad and phrase matches with a lot of negative keywords. Not, stop, eliminate are good places to start with using negative keywords.
3. Build your PPC campaign piece by piece A good PPC campaign should start with at least 10 AdGroups, and ideally (if you have time) 50 or more. The more relevant the keywords and the ads in each AdGroup, the better the Click Through Ratio (CTR).
CTR is the ratio of clicks to impressions – it is the measurement of response. The better the CTR (ideally 1% or above) – the more likely you are of getting rewarded by lowering the amount you pay for a click and increasing your ads position on the page.
4. Build specific landing pages Each of your products should have their own page, with a very clear 'buy button' and a nice description.
Amazon does this very well. Link the ad straight to that page; the keyword should mirror the ad, which should mirror the landing page. It only takes people three to four seconds to make their decision so you have to make sure the page is quick to load.
5. Ad variation PPC campaigns allow you to have different ad variations, so...by producing different kinds of ads you can monitor any patterns showing which ad is being clicked, and which aren't.
6. Report and analytics Use Google Analytics or Yahoo Index Tools to help you look at your SEO and PPC keywords. Pay attention to your bounce rates because that is a very important indicator in PPC.
7. Refine Your Campaign Keep looking at your campaign, keep studying it, learn from it and keep refining it wherever possible. We apply the 80/20 rule. Out of all the keywords, only 20% to 40% may give you real value - ie sales.
Following this step will really help you make the most out of your PPC campaigns. And the great thing is that all the lessons you learn from PPC can be taken into your SEO campaigns.
Yes, Solo Entrepreneurs working off-line and for driving local traffic to your business, this also orks. Go check for more detailed tips on using PPC in driving local traffic to your store or service.
That's it for now and I leave you with this -
"If your dream is a big dream, and if you want your life to work on the high level that you say you do, there's no way around doing the work it takes to get you there." ~Joyce Chapman
Here's a very good post on pricing with meat in it for any solo entrepreneur, whether you are just starting out or have been around the block a few times.
Sure, we all want to make more money in our business or we'd still be whining about having a job. But because pricing is what will separate you from the pack or leave you sucking eggs before you get started, it's one of those details that we all have struggled to get right.
Pricing isn't an exact science by any means but looking around on most websites, you'd think it's called Follow The Fool instead of testing your price for profits with real paying customers!
Although related to pricing a Virtual Assistant service, Erin makes a good point: If you want to charge premium prices, you'd better be willing and able to deliver the goods. Check it out here: TheVACoach
Lighten up and laugh once in a while. I'm often overly serious about juggling my multi-roles as a solo entrepreneur.
It comes from being a cube-widget in the past. But, now and then there comes a time when it's just as important to be silly. I ran across this blog where you can buy and read cartoons. The cartoonist, Mark Anderson creates office humor that is both tasteful and funny.
Some of the humor may be too subtle for some folks, especially if Dilbert is the only office humor you read.
You can also hire Mark to do custom cartoons for your sites, promotions or whatever you can think of. If nothing else, go visit once a week to get a chuckle out of the weirdness called Doing Business. Andertoons
I'm always on the lookout for Solo Entrepreneurs who are doing their own thing as a business with no apologies. Kinda makes a tear come to my eye, I'm so proud of them!
Ok, sentimentality is over.
Catching up with Metacool, there's a post about strategy that makes a lot of sense. We can all relate to wasting time with marketing strategy, business strategy, traffic strategy, this strategy and that strategy but what we aren't doing is taking any actions to get anything done!
We can spend days, or weeks even working on various strategies and never really do anything. The post is short (not like mine!) and I think it may help some of you get Unstuck. Metacool
Finally I'm going to share with you some of the tools and resources used around here. Before you ask, NO! There are no guarantees - this is real life here, not a fairy tale. For the smart people reading this....
Do they always work? Nah, at least not the way I think they should.
Will they help you make more money as a Solo Entrepreneur? Beats me!
Will they help you get things done? Yeah, if you use them.
You may already use them, but for some of you these will be new. Either way, as always....take what works for you and leave the rest!
Here's my short list:
Google Notebook I use it because I'm always reading other people's blogs and want to refresh my memory when it comes time to follow up or use something mentioned there.
Picnik Maybe Photoshop is easy for you, but for me it's too much like having a toothache. Gimp gave me a headache and has a very steep learning curve if you're operating a business. I had to find something that was easier! Hello Picknik! Picnik allows you to take your photos and edit them with powerful tools that you can tweak until you like what turns out. You can upgrade for $24.95 A YEAR! but the free tools work just fine for most of what I needed.
Yugma Haven't used this service but what's on offer looks interesting, especially for those of you doing any kind of teleconferencing or telecommuting. The free service offers web conferencing, online training, netmeetings and working with 20 people at a time. Monthly rates start at only $19.95.
MyLiveSignature This one is slick and I'll definitely use on forums, blogs and email promotions. Yes, I could use the fonts in my Word or Open Office program but this was too good to pass up. Yes, for now it's free and offers special services for a fee. If you have been less than pleased with the signature fonts or software you have been using for your signature online, then check this service to see what's on offer.
That's it for today and I leave you with this -
"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change and the REALIST adjusts his sails."~ Anonymous
