Whether you have a brick and mortar business or do all of your business online – I bet you’re always looking for new and creative ways to generate leads.  Check out this video by Seth Stevenson.  He shows and explains how he tested a new lead generation method.

If you took the time to really focus on a target market, rather than doing a general ad like Seth did (of course it was just a test), you could be on to something really big!

Check it out and then leave a comment about what you thought about it…..

This weeks ABC is K for Keywords ~ Keywords are one of the building blocks of online marketing and though there are new ways to promote online businesses, keywords remain in the center of all the action. Keyword marketing means that you advertise on search engines (mostly Google but also Yahoo and Bing) using certain keywords which relate to the business being promoted. Google Adwords is one of the leading tools for keyword marketing and is usually part of most online promotional activities. For more detailed information also take a look at www.wordtracker.com.

Come back next week for more ABC’s of Online Marketing!

Welcome back to the next part of how to start a side business without quitting your day job….

3.    Be realistic about funding.

It may seem a bit premature to think about funding before narrowing down a business idea, however, much like time it’s important to be realistic about what money you have available to invest in your business. Knowing this early on will help you to eliminate business ideas that do not match what you are able to invest. Consider not only what funds you have to invest, but whether you want to include partners or get a bank loan. Answering these questions helps to narrow or broaden your business options. The great thing about being an entrepreneur is that it doesn’t matter how much or how little money you have to get started, you can still get started. When being realistic about your funds have a ballpark figure of what you can invest. You may not need as much money as you thought, but it’s good to have a general budget to start.

4.    How do you determine business opportunities that work best for you?

We are building on the previous steps. At this point, you should have a list of things you are passionate about, you should know how much time you have to commit to your business, and how much you have available to invest. Looking at your list of passions make note of the ones in which business ideas can easily be developed. Remember my organizing friend? Her passion easily can be turned into a business. If you have not gotten your list together stop right here and complete your list.

Looking at your list of passions with business potential, make note of the time commitment involved on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the largest time commitment. I want you to do the same thing in regards to the funding needed to start that business. If you enjoy baking cakes, it may cost more to get started than to start a dog walking business. It’s understandable that you may not be aware of all of the costs and fees upfront, however start with the information you do know. This exercise is to help you narrow your business choices. In the end you’ll research just a few ideas and not all of them. This will save you lots of time and frustration.

For those future business owners with limited time try to select a business that can operate 24/7 without you. As mentioned previously businesses such as network marketing opportunities are businesses that function in this manner. Of course any business will require your time initially, but ongoing you don’t have to commit as much time for things to continue moving. The great thing about network marketing type businesses is that a model and plan have already been laid-out, tried, and perfected. You’ll be able to follow a system that you know can work for those who work it. Many years ago, when I started my network marketing business, my mentor who got me started was absolutely fabulous at marketing. She taught me the main ingredient for a successful network marketer is the love of people. She enjoyed meeting new people, sharing ideas and things she’d learned, all of which made her a phenomenal business woman. If you’ve got lots of time, then this area is not an issue for you and you can be available or not to work your business 24/7. But if you’re like most of us, time is limited.

5.    What skills are needed for my business idea(s)?

Has your list gotten a little smaller than when you first started? If so, you’re on the right track. As you go through this article you want to add and subtract ideas from your list accordingly. Now it’s time to consider what skills are needed for your business. Consider the skills you currently have and build from there. Make a list of skills you have today and then see how those skills can be applied to your business idea(s). You may see where you need to add to your skills or that you have the exact skills needed to get started. Your best asset are the skills you’ve used all of your life. The one thing I enjoy most about working my business is that I’m able to use all of my skill sets I developed while working in corporate America. Recycling is a good thing and it applies in business as well, so recycle the skills you’ve learned working your day jobs. In fact, if additional training is needed for your business, you may want to take a closer look at the training offered by your current employer. I once received an email from an exciting future business owner who wanted to get into graphic design. Her funds were limited and she did not qualify for loans so she took advantage of the training offered at her job on the Adobe Creative Suite. Not only was she able to apply what she’d learned for her current position, but she was also able to apply it to her new business. As a result of taking the initiative to participate in the training offered by her employer, she later received a raise due to her continued efforts to build her skills.

I wish you much success in determining what your new venture may be, and if I can be of any assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Come back again for Part 3!!

“Take control of your destiny or someone else will”

If you’re reading this, is it fair to guess you have some interest in starting your own business? You may not know what business, you just know that you were created to be more, do more, and that includes owning your own business. It’s quite exciting just thinking about the possibilities of owning a business, having flexibility and autonomy are advantages that top the list when dreaming of being an entrepreneur. It’s very easy to get caught up in the idea of it all, but what are the realities of owning your own business? What should be considered before starting? And how do you fit it in with your current full-time job? All of these are very important questions and I’ll take you through step- by-step so you can make the right decision for both you and your family.

1.    What is your passion?
As a new business owner, you’re going to spend lots of time thinking, planning, and dreaming about your business. Pick something you are passionate about and have a very strong interest in seeing through to the end. Let your passion be the driver and not the need or want for more cash. I learned many years ago that when you’re passionate about your work, money follows. My experience in corporate America, and possibly yours as well, is a demonstration of this very philosophy. For employees who loved their jobs, promotions followed because they didn’t mind staying late, learning new skills and technologies, or going above and beyond to help team members and clients. These are the employees who thrived at work and reaped financial benefits as a result. The same applies for your business. Future clients will feed off of how you feel about your business. If you’re not passionate, they’ll know. If you’re in it for the money, they’ll know. So choose what you’re passionate about. If you’re unsure or have been jaded by the financial outlook of today’s economy, think back to when you were a child. When the main concerns were school work and friends, this is when you were at your purest self. What did you enjoy doing as a child? Could that be applied to a business? For some of you, going back that far may not be necessary. In fact you may be sitting on that great idea right now. It may be something that friends and family have said for years, “you should sell that” or “that’s a great idea, you should market that”.

I have a friend who is super organized. She loves containerizing, planning, and putting things together. For many years she’s talked about helping others get organized as a side business, but has been hesitant to get started. At the end of 2008 she got laid-off from her job despite having recently completed her master’s degree. Imagine if she had started that organizing business before her layoff, just think of how much more she could have accepted of her fate. Most recently I received a message from her on Facebook and she’s currently working with a relative and a friend to get them organized, and they’re paying her to do so! I’m very excited for her and hope this will give her the boost she needs to move forward in her organizing business. Are you like my friend, depending on your current job to get you through? Please don’t. Nothing is guaranteed and you must be responsible for your own financial outcome. What better way than to own your own business doing something you love? Let’s say you know what you’re passionate about, but are not sure of the time that will be required working a full-time job and starting a new business.

2.    Be realistic about your time.

Anyone in business will tell you it takes more than 40 hours a week to grow a business. You’ll find yourself thinking about it even when you’re not trying to. A new business is like a baby. It must be nurtured and cared for, requiring your time and attention even when it’s not convenient. This again is why it’s so important to have a business that you are passionate about. I don’t mind eating, sleeping, and drinking my business because of the great joy I feel when I’m working. I don’t even like to call it work because it’s so pleasurable. If you know your time is limited because of other obligations, choose a business that can work and function without you. Yes, this is possible! Thanks to the advancement of technology you can have a business where you earn money in your sleep. Businesses such as network marketing, affiliate marketing, and more are all businesses that work continuously for you. Once you’ve developed a core target market you can develop a strategy that puts your business in front of them regularly whether it’s through emails, blogs, websites and more. In the mean time, I want you to think realistically about the time you have to commit to your business.

I wish you much success in determining what your new venture may be, and if I can be of any assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Come back again for Part 2!!

“Take control of your destiny or someone else will”

For home-based businesses, quality leads are a necessity and your website is the mainstay.

But does your website exude professionalism? The look and feel of your site should convey stability and develop confidence in your services or products. It should also directly appeal to your target market.

Do you see your website as a closing tool? Think again! It should be functioning as a lead generator by providing quick, inexpensive methods to attract new customers by:

1)    Using online forms to solicit information from visitors. This information should also provide contact information about the visitor and assist in qualifying.
2)    Identify a common problem your customers are experiencing or may experience in the future then offer solutions.
3)    Your solution can be delivered in various ways, such as a report or white paper, a webinar or teleclass, a audio or video report.
4)    Attract customers in by enticing them with a great title. Make mention of the title on blogs and forums, social media as well as writing press releases and distributing.
5)    Next provide additional information and make it available for download on your website. Use an “opt-in” before allowing access to your freebies, thus providing additional quality leads.

The above methods work, require very little time and money, can be easily updated and promoted, and will make your website a valuable resource for your target market.

Until next time, J.
“Take control of your destiny or someone else will”

This weeks ABC is E for Email Marketing – Email marketing has been around for some time. These messages can be a very effective tool as customers tend to opt-in first via a web site or landing page (or squeeze page as it’s sometimes called) and communication can be delivered in a targeted fashion. Email marketing works best for special offers by online businesses, and in instances of knowledge sharing such as updates, or new published content.
Come back next week for more ABC’s of Online Marketing!

If you have spent any time on the internet, you have probably heard of the very successful Ali Brown, or ‘Ezine Queen.’ Ali is the successful internet marketer that we all wish to be. She has spent years honing and perfecting her internet strategies to become one of the most well known internet marketers in the world.

How did she do it? In a word, marketing. As she teaches in her comprehensive Online Success Blueprint System, marketing is the best skill set you can learn for life. Why? Because marketing will allow you to understand where to find your customers, how to get them on a list, what makes them want to buy, and why they would buy from you. No matter what kind of business you own, with a thorough marketing strategy, you can be successful.

A good part of the system is learning the foundational marketing strategies you need to succeed – why so much time on marketing? Because marketing is the heart and soul of your business. If you don’t market your product, you won’t have traffic to your website. The best website in the world will not help you if no one knows it exists.

The Online Success Blueprint system can show you exactly, step-by-step, how to leverage the internet so you can run your business on auto pilot. After some initial setting up, all you have to do is let the internet do what it was meant to do, and collect the orders from your website!

Yes, it really can be that easy. Ali’s system will help you get a plan together for your specific business and teach you how to double or even triple your income in just a few short years. The internet is not going away; you need to know how to work with it, not against it. Once you have the foundational skills that Ali’s system teaches you, you will never struggle again.

The Online Success Blueprint system is a tool that should be in every business owner’s library.  Ali’s system is complete and contains all of the strategies, components, plans, and detailed instructions on how to take your business from the idea stage to the profit stage. Imagine having access to DVD’s, CD’s, exclusive interviews with other successful entrepreneurs and step-by-step instructions all from one source. Ali’s system is all-inclusive and can do for you exactly what it did for her – bring you fame, fortune and riches, all from leveraging the internet and building a brand.

Until next time,  J.
“Take control of your destiny or someone else will”