Using Autoresponders With Internet Marketing

If you’ve ever dealt with an online company or subscribed to an ezine or other service on the Internet before, you’ve more than likely received an email from an autoresponder.  Although you may not have realized it at the time, it was probably an email letting you know that the individual you were trying to reach isn’t available.  Even though it appears that someone else sent the message, it was indeed sent from an autoresponder.

Although autoresponders are great for letting others know that you are away, they are even more valuable when used as a marketing tool. If you’ve thought about selling products or services online or if you already own your own company, you could greatly benefit from autoresponders.  In the world of Internet marketing – few tools and programs can compete with an autoresponder.

As many Internet marketers already know, autoresponders are a great way to put your business on autopilot and multiply yourself.  With an autoresponder, simply set up your preset messages, and select the schedule that each individual message will go out.  When messages go out is entirely up to you, you can send them out on a daily, weekly, or even monthly basis.  You can also use as many messages as you want, and know without a shadow of a doubt that they will go out to those on your customer list when they are supposed to.

Best of all, you don’t even have to touch it.  This will save you a lot of time, as your autoresponder will handle virtually all of your email tasks.  It will follow up with your customers as well, saving you a lot of time there.  If you had to follow up with each and every one of your customers yourself, it could cost a lot of time that you could easily be using for other things – even spending time with your family.

Even if your business doesn’t have a lot of site visitors now, an autoresponder can still help you out.  Even though you may not think so, it can do a world of wonders.  No matter how many visitors you have, you should always strive to capture all the opt-ins that you can.  The best way to do this is by providing high quality products and services that will keep your visitors intrigued.  If you keep them intrigued, they will gladly sign up to your list with their email address and their name, so that you can contact them with future offers.  Even though may be starting out small, your opt-in list can get really big before you know it.

Once your list has grown, it will easily become one of the most valued assets of your entire company.  In order for your list to grow, you’ll need to answer emails about your products, services, company, and what you can do for your customers.  You don’t need to spend all day doing this anymore, as you can leave everything to your autoresponder.  Your autoresponder can answer all of your email questions and give customers what they want – which will help your company grow.

Almost all autoresponders will enable you to send broadcast messages to your entire client list among other things.  They will also let you stay in touch with your customers and establish relationships that will keep your customers coming back.  No matter how big or how small your company may be – an autoresponder is one investment that you is more than worth your money.

The Difference Between Successful and Non Successful People Revealed

What is the difference between successful people on non-successful people? Are successful people more intelligent or do they just have better opportunities than non-successful people?

I heard Brian Tracy say, "Only Difference between successful people and non successful people is this: "Everybody thinks about what they want, but successful people think about what they want, and HOW to get it!"

The most important things is the HOW.

The only way I ever accomplish anything is to figure out what it is I want, then how I am going to get it. Ever since wrestling, my life has been driven by goals and what I want in life, the only way I ever achieve anything is by laying out a plan and working on that plan until I accomplish it.

Another way to look at it is to start backwards, think of the house you want to live in, the cars you want to drive, the lifestyle you want your family to live. You have to lay out a game plan to get their, it is not going to miracously show up on your door step someday. This means each day of your life you need to be doing at least one thing that will help you accomplish that goal.

I love how Robert Kiyosaki explains this concept in his book "Rich Dad Poor Dad":
"Because I had two influential fathers, I learned from both of them. I had to think about each dad's advice, and in doing so, I gained valuable insight into the power and effect of one's thoughts on one's life. For example, one dad had a habit of saying, "I can't afford it." The other dad forbade those words to be used. He insisted I say, "How can I afford it?"

One is a statement, and the other is a question. One lets you off the hook, and the other forces you to think. My soon-to-be-rich dad would explain that by automatically saying the words "I can't afford it," your brain stops working. By asking the question "How can I afford it?" your brain is put to work. He did not mean buy everything you wanted. He was fanatical about exercising your mind, the most powerful computer in the world. "My brain gets stronger every day because I exercise it. The stronger it gets, the more money I can make." He believed that automatically saying "I can't afford it" was a sign of mental laziness."

So remember, the question isn't what you want… It's HOW are you going to get it?

The Key to Your Success is if You Are You Are Perceived As An Expert

Do you want to know what it takes to successfully market a web site and generate repeat sales? 

It's simple really. 

You must position yourself as a perceived expert. It doesn't matter what product or service you are selling, this same premise will hold true. 

What is a perceived expert, you ask? 

Good question. 

Gone are the days where you could build a simple company web site, list your products and send customers to an order page. New web sites are sprouting up like blades of grass and competition is intensely fierce. 

The bottom line is this: why should a customer buy from YOU? 

A small but growing number of small business owners have discovered the answer to this question and are kicking your butt. How are they accomplishing this? By positioning themselves as an expert in their industry and using their web site to communicate that fact to potential customers. 

How can you become an expert too? 

Offer your potential customers an education to compliment the product or service you are selling. You can write it, buy it or license the content you need. Whichever you choose, teaching your customers should be an essential component of your web site and its importance cannot be overstated. 

Here are some examples: 

If you are selling diamonds or jewelry online, offer articles, tips or even a free guide on "How do I choose the right diamond for me?" or "20 ways to spot fake jewelry." 

If you operate a job search or career database, offer a wealth of guides and tips such as "20 ways to improve your resume," "what to wear at a job interview," or "how do I know if a job is right for me." 

If you are selling health related items (ie: vitamins, pills or creams), don't simply throw up ad copy, a few product images and an order form. Educate your customers on the benefits of each ingredient and how it can improve their well-being. Take it one step further and provide an education on every vitamin and mineral known to man. Just make it fun and easy to read. 

You get the picture. 

How can this help your web site prosper? 

People want to buy the best product they can, at the best price, from someone they trust. Given the fact your customers will never see or meet you, this task is accomplished by your web site. By offering them a wealth of expertise related to the products you are selling, you immediately create a foundation to build upon. 

You are helping them make a more informed decision as to what to purchase while at YOUR web site. In essence, your web site becomes the salesperson that the customer would normally see in the store or talk to on the phone. 

Customers always have questions. You have the opportunity to give them the answer and a whole lot more knowledge by becoming a perceived expert in your industry. 

If you give your potential customers an education, they will reward you for it. Plus, they will likely tell their friends too!

The Keys To Success In Business

Success in business has nothing whatsoever to do with salesmanship, little to do with a knowledge of your company’s products or services.

It is owing to some far more basic fundamental principles which will determine your success or failure at anything you do in life.

They are your A,B,C’s, Attitude, Belief and Consistency. Taking them in reverse order.

Consistency
We get up every morning, we brush our teeth wash, get dressed have breakfast. We are consistent in our actions. We do it every day. We need to do the same in being consistent with our tasks associated with our business for the days that we have chosen we are going to work, be it 1 or 7 days a week. We need the 6 marbles in our left pocket or left side of our bag and transfer 1 marble to the other side every time we have carried out a positive action i.e. seeing a customer, talking to someone about the business, etc. etc. We need to do it consistently. We need to have transferred all 6 marbles (better still 10) by the end of the day. 

We need to concentrate on the actions not on the result. I’ll repeat that, we need to concentrate on the actions not on the results.

When we go mountain climbing, if we would continually look at the summit we would soon trip up and fall. We need to concentrate on every step at a time, one after the other and as surely as the sun goes down we will reach our summit.

Belief
An absolute and genuine belief in our business, it’s products and services and what it can give it’s customers.

Attitude
Possibly the most important of these three but useless on its own. It’s no good having the best attitude in the world if one’s sitting on one’s own in a closed room not talking to anyone. So what is attitude apart from how one feels about oneself and others. I describe it like this.

Your face is transparent, totally transparent and your attitude shines through whether it’s positive or negative. The first second that a prospective customer sees you maybe even before you see him, your attitude comes through. The customer sees it, maybe only subconsciously and will react accordingly. We all know that the first thing any salesperson has to sell is themselves even before they open their mouth. If they can’t sell themselves they might as well turn round and go home and go back to bed. If they can’t sell themselves they wouldn’t be able to sell packet of peanuts or a Mars bar.

Another description of attitude, when I took my 7-year-old son to Disneyland Paris we went one evening to an aquatic circus. Very unusual, people diving, dancing and somersaulting on water. It was a spectacular show. What made it even more enjoyable (we were sitting on the front row) was the fact that all the performers without exception were obviously really enjoying themselves. They were loving every minute of it and gave it ther are all. Their attitude really shone through like a beacon and this made our enjoyment total.

So when we get up in the morning and do our consistency things let’s get a really big warm smile from within feeling good about ourselves and keep that all day. When we go about our business we need to keep out good attitude with us. If we can’t also be in the place where we are physical there’s no point being there in the first place. It’s easier to ride a horse in the direction that it’s going.

So those are my 3 all important ingredients that determine one’s success or failure at anything in life.

How to Be a Creative Entrepreneur

There’s a great line in Alice in Wonderland when the Queen says, “Sometimes I think of 6 impossible things before breakfast.” I think you’ll agree that this has to be creativity at its best! As a small business owner this is an ideal you really need to strive for … but how on earth can you open up your mind to get to the point where ideas just spill out?

Small business owners are expected to be creative and inventive, otherwise how could they run their own firm? If you have a sneaky feeling that creativity is not one of your strong points what can you do to stimulate your brain and get it kicked-started?

Be Unlimited

Too many people are ‘limited thinkers’. They have their world placed squarely in a box and nothing can exist outside of that. If the newspaper reports something then it must be right. If Joe next door says that something is impossible then he must be right. As a small business owner, you cannot afford to be a ‘limited thinker’. You have to be an ‘unlimited thinker’. Get into the habit of seeing no boundaries; decide that there are no taboos. Have the belief that with a bit of focus you can find a creative solution to all of your problems. This is the foundation for a creative thought process.

Be Future-Focused

Creative ideas invariably come when you ‘look’ into the future. The feeling of propelling yourself forward and seeing the problem solved is a great motivator. Do you think you could achieve the same result if you were backward focused? I don’t think so! Train yourself to be future-focused, always looking ahead, not a traditional thinker who tries to find answers in today’s world.

Be a Writer

Once you open your mind to the joys of creativity the ideas will quickly start flowing, as if someone has opened the flood gates! Just like flood water, unless you catch it the ideas are lost for ever. Capture all your ideas by carrying a small pocket notebook with you. As soon as an idea pops into your mind, write it down. It doesn’t matter how outlandish it is, you can look at it in the cold light of day later on.

The fact you are responding to the ideas by noting them will further encourage you to be even more creative – good deeds encourage more good deeds!

Be Clutter-Free

If you are naturally an untidy person, then get out of the habit! A cluttered office will lead to a cluttered mind. You cannot expect your brain to work efficiently when all it’s doing is constantly reminding you how untidy your office is. To be creative remove all the clutter from your life and free your mind.

Be Action-Oriented

All of these points are great, but if you don’t take any action with your ideas, then you may as well not have bothered. An idea is nothing but a thought unless you take a specific action to help bring it to life. Periodically review your notebook and see if there are any hidden gems, or ideas which can be quickly actioned. A lot of your ideas may not suit at all but in there somewhere is probably an idea, which if acted upon, could change you or your business. Commit fully to move forward on as many of your ideas as you can.

Don’t be afraid to break down the boundary walls. As John Stuart Mill said, “That which seems the height of absurdity in one generation often becomes the height of wisdom in the next.”

Let me close with one question - can you be creative enough to be dismissed as a dreamer? No? Then get practicing!

Your Marketing Efforts Sink, Swim Or Soar Depending On How Well You Satisfy Your Market

A few years ago I created a to-do list for my business (different from my to-do list for clients). Nearly every day I would add something to the list. Soon, I had over five pages of things to do -- tasks I viewed as important enough to interrupt what I was doing so I could add them to my list. 

Before long, every time I opened the document I got depressed. I was always adding to the list, but almost never crossing anything off. 

Why? I discovered I had a number of well-worn excuses: 
I don't have enough time. The project seems too big. It won't hurt to put it off a little longer. I feel no pressure to get it done. Maybe it isn't important after all. 

When I looked at the tasks I did complete, I assumed they would match my highest priorities. Right? Wrong! 

I surprised myself to learn that priority had almost nothing to do with it. Instead, the major factor in my decision to complete these tasks was the "Big C" -- Convenience. 
I could finish them quickly and easily. I could complete them in one sitting. And I felt really good when the job was done: instant gratification. 

So, what did I do with my 5-page to-do list? I deleted it. Now I feel much better. 

When your prospective clients need to hire a lawyer, do they hire you? Or are they skilled at finding ways to "put it off until tomorrow" -- or much later? 

I encourage you to make every aspect of your law practice convenient for both your prospects and clients -- because if they face any obstacles, they may have all the reason they need to do nothing. 
Now, here are 12 smart ways to make your law practice more convenient:

Smart Way #1: Make sure prospects find it easy to learn about you. This includes having an education-based web site that answers their questions and explains in detail how you can help them. Also, I suggest you have an educational packet that contains articles and information about your services, which you can send by mail or e-mail. 

Smart Way #2: Make sure prospects find it easy to reach you. Do you accept phone calls from prospects -- or do you insist that they come into your office before you'll speak with them? Do you offer a toll free number -- or do prospects have to pay to call you? Do you respond to e-mails from prospects? The more convenient you make it for prospects, the more calls you ll receive. 

Smart Way #3: Make sure clients find it easy to reach you. Are you available by pager or cell phone in an emergency? Can a client reach you quickly and easily on the phone? Do you return calls promptly? 

Smart Way #4: Make sure prospects find it easy to get to your office. Is your office on or near a major street? Is your parking area close to your building or office? Is your office at a convenient location in the building? If on the second floor or higher, is the elevator close by? 

Smart Way #5: Make sure prospects find it easy to meet with you. If prospects have a hard time coming to your office, will you go to their home or office? If weekdays are difficult for them, will you meet with them in the evening or on a weekend? 

Smart Way #6: Make sure prospects find it easy to hire you. Can they hire you without having to drive to your office? Can you send your engagement letter or contract by fax or e-mail? If you have an established relationship, can they hire you simply by calling you on the phone? Or by sending you an e-mail? Can they hire you without a retainer? 

Smart Way #7: Make sure prospects find it easy to pay you. Will you accept personal checks? How about credit cards? Do you offer a payment plan? Do you provide postage-paid business reply envelopes to make sending their check more convenient? 

Smart Way #8: Make sure prospects and clients find it easy to provide you with the information you need. Do you have a form they can fill out and send by fax or e-mail? For larger packets, do you provide self-addressed UPS or FedEx labels? 

Smart Way #9: Make sure prospects and clients find it easy to remember appointments and other important dates. Do you send them a calendar of upcoming dates, including what you need from them -- or expect of them -- by those dates? Do you send letters or e-mails reminding them of appointments? (A more tactful way to remind them is to ask if this time is still convenient for them.) 

Smart Way #10: Make sure clients know when to call you to update documents. You might provide them a list of criteria or events that should prompt them to contact you. 

Smart Way #11: Make sure clients find it easy to refer their friends and colleagues. You might mail to each client your referral brochure, which contains a complete listing of your services and contact information. Consider providing clients with referral postcards they can give to friends and colleagues to request a meeting with you. Offer educational seminars so clients can bring friends to meet you and hear your message in person. 

Smart Way #12: Make sure clients find it easy to remember you. You might provide things that contain your contact information, such as calendars and paperweights. Send cordial-contact letters. Mail them your newsletter. Don't overlook greeting cards, gifts and donations given in their name. Also, consider hosting special events like art walks and wine tastings. 

In summary: Convenience is a big factor in how prospects and clients respond to your marketing efforts. Don't allow even the slightest obstacle to come between your prospects and you. Instead, emphasize how easily prospects can do business with you. In this way, you melt the ice that freezes many prospects in place -- and help them realize that working with you is an easy, positive, rewarding experience.

9 Secret Marketing Weapons For More Sales

It seems paradoxical – the more you give away, the more people are willing to pay for your services – but it’s true. This exact approach has worked quickly and effectively for me for years. The key is that it’s got to be good and of high relevance to your target audience. This builds people’s confidence that you consistently know your stuff and that you can be counted on for long-term value. People soon realize that if you’re willing to give away such valuable expertise, think how great the solutions they pay for will be!

So how do you share your expertise with your target audience? Through writing and speaking. And it starts with being able to get your core ideas down on paper in a way that catches your audience’s attention and compels them to action.

If the idea of writing an article or giving a speech feels overwhelming, stay with me. I’m going to show you how easy it can be if you follow a basic formula that works every time.

Formula for Success

We’ve all stared at a blank page, at a loss for words or ideas…and wondered how in the world to write the article, proposal, report or presentation that’s due soon…with the deadline looming and no inspiration in sight. It’s the worst feeling and brings out the procrastinator in all of us.

Next time you’d rather clean out your desk than force yourself to sit down and write something, try this easy approach:

1) Brainstorm a short list of things that your clients struggle with. What problems drive them to you? Why are they willing to pay good money for your services. Remember, it’s not about you -- it’s about them, their pain, and their needs. This is now your list of topics for articles and talks.

2) Pick one topic and answer the following questions:

• What’s the problem?

• What’s the lost opportunity?

• Why is this important to address?

• What will happen if it’s ignored?

• What’s your solution?

• What tips do you have for implementing your solution?

• What example can you use to illustrate your point?

3) Write your answers to these questions and don’t worry about how it flows or even that you’re using good grammar. Just get your ideas on paper (or into the computer). Notice that by now, you have at least a page written. Pat yourself on the back and keep going.

4) Go back and clean up what you’ve written, add a catchy title and some headlines to break up the text, keep your paragraphs short, add some bullets or numbers to guide the eye. Maybe add references or a diagram. Step back and review what you’ve done. By now, you’ve got an article!

5) Ask a couple of trusted colleagues, clients or friends for feedback on your draft – really do this because it helps! Plus, it’s a great confidence booster and low-risk way to share your writing with a small audience first.

6) Put your new article on your website, offer to send it as follow up when networking, send it to current clients, use it as the basis for getting booked for talks (more on how to in a future newsletter)…whatever you do, don’t let it languish. USE it as a way of sharing your expertise.

For more tips on how to share your expertise through writing, keep reading...

Taking a page from Twyla Tharp’s book, The Creative Habit, this prolific dancer and choreographer shares her tips for moving from procrastination to creativity, regularly and with ease. Apply these ideas to your writing and notice the difference…

1) Set up a creative environment that’s habit forming. Creativity doesn’t just happen, it’s a disciplined skill that can be learned. Creativity is not a mystical, elusive gift that’s only accessible to artists. Everyone can develop it. Set up the right conditions and it eventually kicks-in. For me, it’s the act of daily planning that clears my mind to make room for ideas to flow. For you, it might be puttering in your garden or going for a walk. Whatever it is, do it daily and be disciplined about it.

2) Use an organizational system for your ideas. Over the course of a month, I run into articles, quotes, websites, books, photos, experiences, and conversations…all of which inspire me for an upcoming article or talk. I capture them in folders, labeled by theme or big idea. When I’m ready to start writing, I draw on this collection of resources to inspire and guide my thinking. Twyla Tharp uses a box for each new project. You might find a binder the best catchall. Whatever works for you, the mere act of labeling and filling your container demonstrates your commitment to the idea.

3) Scratch. Scratching is about seeking inspiration to fill your container. I scratch when I flip through copies of Fast Company and Inc. Magazine or browsing in my favorite bookstore (where I found Tharp’s book!). I scratch while networking with other professionals and ask what they’re working on or stuck on in their business. This is about where you get your ideas…it’s kind of primal, and you never know what’ll inspire you.

4) Beware of these deadly mistakes: relying too much on others, waiting for or expecting perfection, overthinking, feeling obligated to finish what you’ve started, and working with the wrong materials. Any one of them will undermine your best efforts. If you’re stuck, look at each of these to see if they’re holding you back.

5) Find your spine. It’s your one strong idea, the toehold that gets you started. The spine of this e-newsletter, for example, is that writing is a core competency of effective marketing. Related to it is the inspiration I found in Twyla’s book.

6) Master your skill. You have to master the underlying skills of your creative domain, then build your creativity on the solid foundation of those skills. You can’t write or speak effectively about your chosen profession, if you haven’t mastered what you bring to the table to begin with.

7) Know the difference between a rut and a block. Writer’s block is when you’ve shut down and your tank is empty. In that case, you just need to do something – anything – to change the patterns in your brain (walk away, sing, get outdoors, do some yoga, cuddle with your pet…you get the idea). A rut is more like a false start. This happens when you’re using a bad idea, it’s bad timing, or you’re sticking with old methods that don’t work. Get out of a rut by questioning everything except your ability to get out of it.

8) Fail often privately. This includes drafts that get thrown away, early versions that you share with trusted colleagues, testing your message while networking (“what’s your impression of…?”). Then figure out why you’re failing (is it the idea? your timing? a matter of skill? judgment? nerve?) and address it before going public.

9) Believe in the long haul. Sharing your expertise through writing won’t be easy overnight. It’ll take discipline to create a habit that eventually builds the skill. Believe me, it’s well worth it.

I’ve found that committing publicly (i.e., to subscribers of this e-newsletter, due out on the first Wednesday of each month) creates the right kind of pressure to motivate me into taking a disciplined approach to writing. Writing one good piece per month is doable and frequent enough that your audience won’t forget you. Before you know it, you’ll have a solid repertoire of articles and speeches to draw from in your marketing arsenal.

The 12 Most Common Mistakes New Entrepreneurs Make & How You Can Avoid Them

A large number of people who start their own business do not realize how much work and time will be involved. They fail to carry out any primary research and as a result become quickly overwhelmed.

Perhaps the first question to ask yourself then is whether you are in fact ready to start your own business. Do you have an entrepreneurial mindset?  Are you committed to spend all the time you need to succeed? And are you ready to take massive action?

At first, you will have to wear many different hats; you will be the CEO, the general manager, the accountant, the salesperson, the computer technician, the secretary, the receptionist. You must therefore prepare yourself because there will be days when you are disappointed, depressed, or frustrated. You have to realize that success will not happen overnight. And it may take a year or two before you achieve your expected results.

To avoid these disappointments, here are ‘The 12 Most Common Mistakes New Entrepreneurs Make & How to Avoid Them’:

Mistake # 1 - Failure to spend enough time researching the business idea to see if it's viable 
Numbers of new entrepreneurs have often failed because they were not truly interested in the business; they were more interested in making money. It is important to start something that you really like, because you will be spending a lot of time on it.

Your assignment – Spend all the time you need working on your business plan, which should include: your mission statement, your business strategy, research on your target market (demographics), industry analysis (size, economics, trends, success factors, challenges, etc.), your marketing plan, your financial projections and sales.

Mistake # 2 - Failure to determine whether the business actually adds value
The most sustainable businesses, those that withstand the test of time, provide value by performing a service that people need.

Your assignment – Make sure your products or services provide value and benefit to your clients. Be ready to solve any business problems that your clients may have.

Mistake # 3 - Failure to gain a complete and total understanding of the business
Every business has drivers; hot buttons and key levers. What drivers exist in your business?
Many business leaders, executives and management consultants would say that success largely depends on attention to detail.

Your assignment – Understand all the aspects of your business, and of particular importance, know how to present them in an easy and simple manner.

Mistake # 4 - Failure to describe the business in only one or two sentences
No doubt you’ve experienced the entrepreneur whose business is so technical or complex that he cannot explain the concept in plain English. Or, it takes 20 minutes to convey the purpose of the business. What value or benefits does your business offer?

Your assignment – Have an efficient 15 to 60 second elevator pitch that introduces you, your business’ mission, focuses on the benefits you provide and makes you and your business memorable.

Mistake # 5 - Failure to conduct the primary research
There are many great ideas you can latch on to, but the key in business is to make sure the idea—the central theme or mission of your business venture—can attract customers and generate sales and profits.  A great idea in and of itself is not enough to start a business.
Your assignment – Take the time to gain experience, study the business, understand what makes the business work (how to serve the customers and generate profits) and what leads to losses.

Mistake # 6 - Failure to contact professionals who can help you get started 
Numbers of new entrepreneurs ask their friends and family for advice when starting a new business. The problem is that they often ask people who have never started a business; so in reality, these people are not in a position to offer sound advice.
Your assignment – Get a mentor or two. Surround yourself with experts who possess skills and expertise that you lack. Team up with professionals who can complement your strengths and cover for your weaknesses.

Mistake # 7 – Failure by underestimating financial requirements
Do you know how much capital you need to start your business? Do you know the market, did you calculate your cost, did you project your sales, do you know the number of clients you need? Do you know how long it will take before you get your first benefits or before you will run out of money?
Your assignment – Invest the time to work on ALL aspects, especially the major ones, of your business before you start.

Mistake # 8 - Failure to make marketing a priority
Many new entrepreneurs start their business without determining their target, niche and demography first and as a result have failed to attract any clients. Marketing should be one of your top priorities. Devising a marketing plan will help you determine how to promote your products or services and create a system that will generate more clients for your business.
Your assignment – Dedicate a good portion of your time and energy to working on and implementing your marketing plan. Set up a meeting with yourself once a week to work on your marketing plan and whatever happens never cancel this meeting; it is essential for your business.

Mistake # 9 – Failure by under-budgeting the marketing costs
Today the world is overcrowded with businesses and probably a number of those in your market perform essentially the same functions as you do. This means that you have to differentiate yourself from them by making your business stand out. Publicity is essential to your livelihood; otherwise you will not attract any customers.
Your assignment – Make sure you have a strategy that puts the word out there. Provide adequate publicity, business cards and marketing materials that project a professional image. Don’t try to save money on these; they are reflecting your business. A cheap business card or flyer will not make a professional impact.

Mistake # 10 - Failure to focus on the business
Many new entrepreneurs are energetic and enthusiastic people (which is essential to success), but they can also be overly optimistic and pursue too many targets and directions at once. This typically results in mediocre results.
 Define your business’ mission as succinctly and narrowly as possible. When you move in too many directions at once, especially in the early days of your business, you are likely to fail to execute anything correctly; so you end up working “on the business” instead of “in the business.” In other words, you will spend all your time operating each task on your own. You won’t have the time to sit back, and decide on the best way to develop your own marketing plan, create new products, or improve your services.

Your assignment – Know you goals. Put them in writing.  Make sure they are realistic, specific and measurable and that you set yourself a deadline to achieve them.

Mistake # 11 - Failure by over-marketing
Once you have developed your product or service and have perfected your offering, you may think that your offering is the best in your marketplace. But unfortunately, to be efficient you can’t sell to everyone. You need to select a specific target market and stick to it. By doing this you will have a more efficient message and will more likely achieve success much sooner.

Your assignment – Carefully determine your niche, your demography, your ideal clients, where they go, what they read, what their hobbies are, etc. Once you have a full understanding of your client’s profile you will then have a full understanding of how and where to find more of them.

Mistake # 12 - Failure to follow-up with clients
Many new entrepreneurs are often so desperate to constantly find new clients that they neglect the clients they already have and in fact end up losing business. Statistics show that it takes seven more interactions to secure a new client than to sell more to a repeated client. So develop and maintain a useful and organized follow-up system to offer new services to your clients and don’t let them slip away.

Your assignment – Constantly and consistently communicate with your current clients.
Start a newsletter, offer special sales, create new products to upsell, join affiliate programs if you don’t have your own products. People who have already bought from you will appreciate it when you recommend other products. Statistics show that up to one out of three clients will take advantage of this new offer. It is essential to build a very, very special relationship with your clients. They are your best audience.

Free Giveaway ! SEO Road Map Your Ultimate Guide to SEO for Small Business.

 Almost everyone who is new to digital marketing gets the shivers when it comes to SEO, however, no matter how daunting you may think it is, in my opinion, it is essential you have at least a basic knowledge of SEO in order to get the most from your marketing campaigns.

Seo Roadmap : Your Essential SEO Guide from Harrison Kenyon Marketing

How to Think Like an Entrepreneur

My biggest problem in becoming self-employed was me.

In order to BE a self-employed person I had to start thinking like one. I found myself reverting to that nine-to-five mentality.  If I wasn’t accomplishing a task every hour, then I must not really be working.  

Sometimes a self-employed person has to make decisions about her business.  Sometimes she is just thinking about a solution to a problem. Sometimes she just has to quiet her mind so new ideas can come. Just because you’re not pounding away at the typewriter every minute doesn’t mean you’re not working. 

I’ve also learned that it’s okay NOT to answer the phone every time it rings.  That’s what voicemail is for, and the same goes for email.  At my nine-to-five job I would leave the email program open all day and answer each one as it arrived. 

 It took me a while to realize it’s okay to only check email several times a day instead of constantly being interrupted. It’s actually more productive than having to stop your thought process every time “you have mail.” At my other job, I was able to let a phone call roll over into voice mail, but it took me a while to be able to shut down the email too.

You’re going to have days where you feel you didn’t accomplish much.  Then again, you’ll have days where you’ll feel you can conquer the world and you’ll be amazed at how much you got done. Some days you may not finish many tasks, but you’ll make a decision on a problem that needed to be addressed.  Or, you will have learned a valuable lesson about yourself. 

And, I had to learn to stop breaking down all my tasks into dollars and cents.  I tended to worry about how much I was or was not earning every day.  The truth is, some days you’re going to make more than other days. If I spent my day on marketing issues, even though I didn’t earn any money from it that day, I would benefit from it some time in the future.

Rather than worry about what benefits I do or don’t have, I realized the benefit I have in my business is that I answer only to me. Everything I do will benefit me sooner or later.  Instead of my income being dependent on somebody else’s budget, I can go as far as I dream.

And because I’m now doing what I truly love and not what someone else tells me to, I’m much happier and more content. I learned if you start THINKING like an entrepreneur, then you’ll actually be one.

Work Life Balance - 6 Tips For Achieving It

Work life balance is a primary consideration when you are first starting a computer consulting business.  Regardless if you are getting started part-time, full time, or moonlighting, this launch will be intense for you.  At no other time will work life balance be so critical.
    
Getting started takes a lot of time and energy and it can be very draining.  To maintain even a semblance of work life balance your have to be very organized.  You have to have specific methods in place that will allow to enjoy work life balance.

Use the following six strategies to achieve and maintain work life balance:

Avoid going out to clients on more than 3 consecutive weekday evenings. You will have no work life balance if you are out every night of the week or out back to back nights.  

Stick to a rigid standard configuration.  Achieving work life balance means working efficiently.  If you keep consistent hardware and software, standard settings, similar operating systems, similar peripherals, the same ISPs whenever possible, and the same web host whenever possible, you will reduce stress and improve your work life balance.

Look for 9-5 clients.  An easy way to keep work life balance is to avoid round-the-clock clients.  You went out on your own to avoid being on call 24/7.  

Don't let deadbeats ruin your moral.  If you worry or fret about deadbeat clients you will upset the work life balance you are tying to achieve.  It's frustrating but don't give these situations all your time and attention.  

Try to operate from a position of financial strength.  This allows you to be picky about your clients.  The better clients you have, the less stress and worry you have, and the more work life balance you have. 

Live by the motto:  Life’s too short to put up with crap.  You need to be able to laugh and let some of this roll off your back.  Finding the right perspective helps work life balance fall into place.


The Bottom Line on Work Life Balance

Work life balance is not a luxury - it is a necessity.  You must create your business so that it supports work life balance rather than defeats it.  There are some simple strategies you can use to create work life balance but the most important is to keep your work in the right perspective.  Don't let work consume you - concentrate instead on what you can do every day to ensure you have work life balance.
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5 Pillars To A Successful Home Business.

- Hustle:

Generally, people who make it big have one thing in common—they are dissatisfied with the status quo. They will not take what is “common” or “expected” and let that define their lives—they move past it and excel. You must work hard and hustle.

- Character:

Someone coined the phrase, “character is what you do in the dark.” In other words, when no one is looking, will you behave differently than if someone was looking? If not, then you have character. If you are attacked, be tough—not hard. Don’t be a pushover, but be compassionate, gentle, and flexible—especially on procedure (not principle).

- Risk Taking:

This isn’t gambling, it’s a willingness to be bold, hearty, and to push forward. People who refuse to take risks are definitely going to lose. If you refuse a new promotion because you’re not confident of your skills, you will likely be passed over when a different chance arrives.

Don’t be afraid of rejection, just take it as part of life and you’ll find there’s nothing to be afraid of—especially in the word “no.” “No” is just another opportunity to find a way around an obstacle and to use creative problem-solving skills.

- Time Management:

We all know that one minute has 60 seconds and that one hour has 60 minutes. One day has 24 hours, and one year has 365 days. But one year also has 525,600 minutes. We don’t think about a year in such small increments, but maybe we should.

We waste minutes as if they’ll always be around, and the fact is that time wasted is time we can never get back. We might miss a deal or promotion of a lifetime by wasting just a few minutes.

Proper time management is essential as you climb to success. Continue to break goals down in to manageable chunks—do that with relation to your day and the time you’ve been given. You’ll accomplish far more this way and you won’t regret using your time wisely.

- Master Non-Verbal Communication:

It is said that our body language and facial expressions do much more communicating than our words will ever do. When the words that you speak don’t match the expressions on your face or the stance of your body, you confuse the listener and muddle your message.

Be aware that when you try to “multi-task,” you often end up short-changing something, and the last thing you want is to short-change people. Don’t try to do too much at once—your willingness to do this tells people they aren’t important, even if you’re expressing your appreciation of their work and effort.

Be aware of what message your body is sending off!

Getting that Life Balance Working for You

To successfully balance your life and feel as though you are accomplishing your desires there are several things you can start to do. One of the first ones is to simply create a schedule.
If you haven't used a calendar then you should start using one. 
It is an easy way to see what you have going on and when. 
Plus it allows you to make time for those important things in life.

You should try and use two different calendars, one for work and one for your personal life. When you have a large project to complete start planning it out and allotting time on your calendar.
Schedule in your breaks and be aware of any appointments or errands that you have to run immediately after work. 

This way, when you know you have to pick up your children, you won't be tempted to stay a few minutes longer at work.

For your home calendar get into the habit of scheduling family time, along with time for housework, shopping and some alone time, just for you! When you do this you will know that your child has a baseball game that you don't want to miss. Simply schedule this time on your work calendar as well, so you don't forget!

Another way to get a balance between work and home is to avoid as many distractions and interruptions as possible. Maybe you can put your phone on voicemail, or use headphones if the office is busy.

One huge distraction is your inbox. You don't have to check your mail every 10 minutes. Instead make a habit of only checking it just a few times per day. This way you won't be tempted to start answering unnecessary emails or start chatting with a friend.

This next item is super important and has to do with your mindset. Stop thinking that you have to be working on overdrive, or that you have to be a superman or woman. You don't and you can only accomplish so much each day.

Don't get into the habit of skipping your breaks or working through lunch. Instead always make a point of taking these breaks and recharge and refuel. You will find that your energy and concentration levels are renewed.

In addition to this learn to say 'no'. You don't have to accept every invitation you receive, and you don't have to always be the parent that volunteers at school. You will have more peace of mind when you refuse certain things and only take on those that you truly have time for.

Finding Time in Your Busy Schedule

Do you feel as though you are running around like crazy, you feel as though you are being pulled in all directions, and don't know where to turn next? This is not an uncommon feeling and is a sign that you need to discover ways to free up time in your busy schedule.

When you have achieved a work - life balance you will be enjoying life every day. You can handle pretty much anything that life throws at you, you are happy and content with the person that you are.

To find time in your schedule you need to try and find a way to remove unnecessary things. Your goal should be to live a much simpler life.

To achieve this try and make a list of all the things that are important to you. Then narrow this list down again and have just two or three main priorities in your life. Just doing this removes a ton of stress and gives you more time.

For example you may be trying to juggle work, studying for a degree after work and saving for a new home, as well as spending time with your family. If you are feeling overwhelmed with all of this is there something that you can put on the back burner for a while?

Is studying for your degree just an interest or a way to get that new home? If it is only for your pleasure can you spend less time on it or put it off for a year. This would free up your time to focus on saving for your home or having more family time.

Once you can limit some of your activities you will find that having more free time makes you feel happier and more relaxed. You automatically feel less stressed because you can envision getting home and playing with your children before they go to bed.

Sometimes it can definitely be difficult to cut things out of your schedule. If your work hours are getting longer and longer, take a look at what you do all day. Actually write out a calendar and allocate times to everything you do.

Say you work from 8am to 4pm - write down everything you do for a couple of days. This way you can see any patterns emerging. At the end of the day you can tally up how much time you spend on certain projects and how much time you spend on emails. You may be surprised at what you discover. Then see what you can cut back on so you can leave work at the right time each day.

3 Pillars of a Solid Home Based Business

In this day and age it is almost impossible to maintain a decent standard of living on one paycheck, but in a family where children are involved it is not always feasible for both dad and mom to have a job outside of the home.  Daycare expenses, the need for a second car, and too much time away from the children are some common drawbacks.  This however is the exact situation that a Home Based Business works to its greatest advantage.

Home Based Businesses are great and can be extremely profitable but without the proper knowledge and tools you can waste an incredible amount of time and/or money which defeats the purpose you started out with, namely to make money and have time to do the things you want to do. This article was written to give the average person like you and I a practical guideline to getting started in a home based business the right way, and to save you wasted time and money.

My experience has shown me that there are basically 3 main pillars or principles of a solid home based business.

Pillar #1: It must have minimal start up cost.

A home based business that has a high start up cost will take longer to see a profit, and as we said earlier, time is one of the things we are trying to cut down on. Minimal cost will also make the home based business more assessable to a larger amount of families or individuals who are just starting out.

Pillar #2: It must be easy to set up and maintain.

The more complicated your home business project, no matter what it is, the more likely you are to give up out of sheer frustration before you see a profit. A business that is easy to set up and maintain will give you confidence and a sense of accomplishment as you complete each simple step in the process.

Let's face it if you enjoyed wasting a lot of time and effort maintaining a home based business you would not be reading this article. This is about freeing you to spend time with your family and doing the things you love, not creating another taskmaster to replace your job! The first two pillars of a solid home based business are necessary for the third to occur.

Pillar #3: It must have a quick return on investment. (ROI)

You can spend months building a home based business but it there is never any real profit generated in a reasonable amount of time many people may get discouraged and give up. What is a reasonable amount of time? I would plan for a time frame on the order of weeks instead of months. Depending on the type of home based business some people have had a decent ROI within days, and unbelievable as it may sound some businesses that deal with affiliate marketing and sales can see profit as early as 15 minutes from startup!

You may be thinking to yourself "that's too simple!" Let me say that within these 3 pillars there is plenty of detail to keep anyone busy. The business that you choose to start should definitely be something that interests you and possibly even something that you already have a measure of experience in doing. Whatever home based business you get involved in make sure that it is propped up by the 3 pillars listed in this article. Do not make the mistake of overcomplicating your efforts or you will see very quickly that you will get bogged down with a lot of needlessly wasted time and effort.

Here's to your home based business success.

Does Your Life Feel Like Running a Marathon?

Does Your Life Feel Like Running a Marathon?

When you are attempting to balance your life and your career you are often left feeling as though you are running a marathon. You just keep going and going and never seem to find, let alone reach, the finish line. At work you may face a full calendar of meetings and deadlines for projects.

While at home you have children to take to after school activities, homework to deal with and more. Let alone laundry, grocery shopping and dinner preparations. When you feel so overbooked a natural reaction is to start putting more hours in to get everything done.

You may find yourself staying later at work, or you may stay up late at night to finish that load of laundry. Most people are struggling to find a way to balance their work and their personal life. Many actually have this as a priority over making more money or getting that promotion. They are looking for balance! In order to stop running that marathon and never finishing it you need to take a good look at your life.

Has your 40 hour work week manifested into a 60 hour week? The question you need to ask yourself is why? What has happened in order for you to spend that additional time at work. One of the first things to look at is your time management skills. Are you spending too much time checking your email, do you sneak on social media sites? It is amazing how much time can be wasted by doing menial tasks. Instead of arriving at work and checking your email, prioritize what you have to get done that day. What is the one biggest project that must be accomplished? Then simply get it done!

 Put off checking emails and other items until this project is finished. At least you now know you won't have to work late because of the fear of missing a deadline. Each morning create a list of what has to be done and when. Always move the less important items to after lunch. You can apply these same techniques to your home life. When you get home concentrate on getting the main things done first. This might be cooking dinner or taking your child to an appointment. Leave the things that can wait until later on, try leaving them until the weekend. If you can do this then you know that job wasn't as important as you thought. Just by making a few changes in how you look at things you can actually cross that finish line!

How to Balance Your Life and Your Job

It can be difficult to not bring home your work with you. You may have a demanding job or you may hate your job and you bring this home with you. Just how can you balance your personal life and your job without letting the other suffer?

While it is easy to say the minute you swipe out or get into your car to drive home, stop thinking about work. This is not always so easy to accomplish. If your job is demanding you may be tempted to bring work home with you. On the other hand if you dislike your job you feel like going home and ranting about it. Neither one is a good option.

When you bring work home it can interfere with the time you have to spend with your family. You may only intend to spend 30 minutes proof reading but instead this turns into a couple of hours. By the time you are done your kids are in bed and you wonder why they don't interact with you as much as they used to. 

If you do nothing but scream and yell when you get home, this also has a negative effect on those around you. As much as they want you home they can start to dread that time. 

To balance this out you need to take a good look at both situations. If your work load is too much is there a way to reduce it? Can you delegate some of your tasks to a junior member? Does your boss know that you are bringing homework? 

Don't try and be a superhero and get everything done alone. It just isn't possible and your personal life, as well as your health, could suffer. Learn to prioritize what has to be done before you leave work each evening. This way in the morning you can look after the most important items first.

If you hate your job and do nothing but shout at your spouse or partner then maybe it is time to start looking for a new one. Research has shown that going to a job you detest each day can put you into a severe depression. 

Even driving to work can become dangerous. You are dreading arriving at work and may not be paying enough attention to the road. 

One day you just may not arrive at work or at home either. Is your job worth it?

Top Tips for Balancing Life and Work

Just about everyone these days has to figure out a way to balance life and work. Use the following tips to help you achieve just this. 


1. Defining and Setting Your Priorities - regardless of how much you would like to get accomplished each day, you only have 24 hours. For this reason, you must learn to set your priorities. 
Take a look at all the things you want to get done including:

• Being successful at work
• Exercising more often
• Spending more time with your children
• Taking an evening class
• Now you must determine which items are most important to you. If you want to spend more time with your children, then schedule certain time periods for this.  

While you may want to take an evening class, how important is this to you? Are you trying to improve your education to get a better paying job? Or is it for pleasure - define and set your priorities. 


2. Planning in Advance - there is no doubt that from Monday to Friday you are extremely busy. If preparing meals is difficult and you tend to resort to fast food, start planning and preparing meals on the weekend. You could cook up a large roast or chicken on Sunday. Use the leftovers for Monday's meal. Make up a large batch of soup or spaghetti and freeze some for during the week. With a little advance planning and preparing you can feed healthy meals to your family and reduce your eating out budget. 


3. Share Responsibilities - this applies to both your job and your home life. If you are feeling overwhelmed at work is it possible to delegate certain projects to a co-worker? Talk to your boss about this, they may not even realize how overwhelmed you are feeling. 
At home you don't have to be the super parent, there is nothing wrong with asking for help. Delegate chores to your children, even young children can help tidying up and vacuum. 

If you and your spouse need a break ask another family member if they could watch your kids for the evening or weekend. When was the last time they stayed over at their grandparents? 

This can be a great way to free up some time to spend together and both your kids and the grandparents will love spending time together. 

Use these top tips to add a sense of stability and balance back into your life. There is no need to feel overwhelmed at home or at work. Asking for help can bring you rewards you never dreamed of. 

10 Simple But Powerful Off-Line Advertising Strategies

What!? Marketing that involves actually putting your phone/tablet down and doing something in the physical world. Yes, I know it is out there but even in 2017 there are still ways you can drum up new business by switching off the technology and talking/interacting with real breathing humans and here are the top ten best ways to market your business offline.



There are several ways to advertise and get the word out about your business online and the best of them include free search engines, pay per click search engines, writing articles, utilizing press releases, doing joint ventures/ad co-ops, and posting to message boards and forums related to your target market.

But one advertising method that's neglected by most online marketers is off-line advertising.
There are several low/no cost ways to advertise off-line and I want to share 3 of them with you.

1) Business Cards

If you are serious about your business you must have business cards. They are cheap and are a great way to attract potential prospects or customers. Simply hand them out to people who you feel may be interested in your business.

Also, whenever I visit a restaurant, bar, or club, I'll leave my business cards in all of the bathroom stalls. (Just make sure nobody is in there of course... lol!)

And don't laugh at this! It really works. When I visit the bathroom an hour or two later, I'll find that all of my business cards are gone and I'll have a fresh new set of sales the very next day.

2) Flyers

With today's technology, flyers are very easy to make. You can simply design a flyer online and just print it out and make copies. Then you can post them in area businesses where you feel your potential customers may hang out. (Just make sure you ask permission from the business owner.)
Or simply hand out your flyers to people you meet on the street. Many bars and clubs don't have a problem with posting flyers in their establishments either, especially if you are a patron.
And don't forget about supermarkets! Many have bulletin boards, at least here in New Jersey where I live, and you can post your flyer there. There are hundreds of people walking into supermarkets everyday and they are in a buying mentality. Take advantage of it and post your flyers often.

3) Automobile Advertising
What... ? Yes you read that right! Your car is not only a driving vehicle but a great advertising vehicle as well. You can stick magnetic signs or plates on your car with your company name and/or domain name for all to see.
Your business can be exposed to hundreds, if not thousands of people every day whether your car is parked, you are driving, or even when you are stuck in traffic. It's fairly inexpensive and a great way to "drive" home your message.
10 Classic E-zine Advertising Tips
1. Target your advertising.

The more targeted the e-zine is for your offer, the greater your response will be for your proven ad.

2. Track your ads.

Don't leave your ad campaigns to guesswork. Use ad tracking to show you exactly which e-zines and ads are most profitable.

3. Run your ad for multiple issues.

You'll get a better response, and possibly save money as many publishers offer special deals on bulk advertising.

4. Spend lots of time writing your headline.

An effective headline will successfully grab your reader's attention and target your audience.

Your winning headline will also get people to read the rest of your ad, leading to more traffic and sales.


5. Don't try to sell your product from your ad.

Write your ads to create interest and get people to visit your site.

From here, your powerful sales page will do the selling for you, and you'll be able to get people to join your e-zine or mailing list for successful follow up.

6. Don't use all caps in your headline.

You'll appear like your yelling at your reader, and your ad will come off as amateurish.

7. Include a "call to action."

At the end of your e-zine ads, include a call to action that tells your reader what you want them to do next (i.e., visit your site or subscribe to your e-zine).

8. Don't be cute or funny with your ad.

You might put your reader in a good mood, but don't count on that translating into more visits to your site or more sales.

9. Offer something for free.

Provide an incentive for visiting your site such as a free eBook, sample chapter, or trial.

10. Subscribe to or view the archives of the
e-zines you would like to advertise in.

You'll be able to see the quality of the content provided, how many ads are published in each issue, and you'll get a good idea of the products those readers are interested in by the ads being run.

...

You’re A Salesperson in Your Life!

Strange as it may seem, our life is made up of a series of “sales presentations”.  Sales may not be your gig, but if you’re the boss you’re making presentations every day.  Be it a pitch to your Board, announcing a policy change to employees, selling an idea to your spouse, or just trying to win others over to your point of view – you need to punch up your people skills for winning pitches.

Human nature is such that people support solutions that they help create, so involve them by allowing your audience to participate with questions or ideas. It goes without saying that to not involve key people is risky, because messages can be misunderstood.   Your plans may be derailed before they begin if sufficient “buy-in” is lacking.  Use lots of open-ended questions in your presentation to draw out the silent type.

Preparation is a key to success.  Prepare your listeners to what’s coming during or before your presentation.  Try these pre-meeting tactics:

• Assign task-related pre-work. This could be pre-reading or study of a problem, and the preparations of possible solutions.  An example could be, “go and visit three kinds of accounts before the meeting.”
• Make pre-meeting contacts with those invited by email, phone, or in person.  You might want to try an informal survey to get people’s position on the issues at hand.

Remember support on key or controversial matters can be established ahead of time by lobbying, if you know where to lobby.

Do your research!  People who make it look easy and are effective presenters have a hidden arsenal.  This is an arsenal of up-to-date, organized material that can be accessed quickly in ready-to-use form when needed.  They have the stats to back up their ideas, and they have a mental arsenal of stories, examples, jokes, and ice-breakers to use when needed.

Your physical presentation could include tangible items relating to the issue such as recent articles clipped from newspapers or magazines, photographs, reports, and demonstration property.  To become masterful in this art learn to maintain resources you can access for just the right thing at the right time.

The next thing you must do is to explain “why?” The single most powerful thing you can do to convince your audience of something is to provide a convincing reason why they should do what you suggest or believe what you say.  People want and need a clear “WIIFM” – “what’s in it for me?” – to be able to react positively to what you want them to do.  

It’s extremely important that you deliver a vision of benefits.  Hearing the “why” won’t automatically generate a “yes” to your proposition, but it’ll open the door for receptivity to your idea.

Knowing and accepting the “why” satisfies a basic need that we all have – to understand the purpose of our actions.  Use the words “because” or “so that” in your presentation and then finish the phrase.  When your subject matter is controversial or likely to generate emotions, it is essential that your “why’s” be tested in advance.  Ask some people you trust or that are on your “team” to play devil’s advocate to help you with your logic and arguments.

These are just the first four points for making successful presentations.  There are eight of them in total, and we’ll look at the other four in my column next week.  For now, let me leave you with this thought.

Life is a sales job from beginning to end. From the moment that we discern how to get approval as children, winning friends at school, getting our first beau, getting our first (and subsequent) job, getting engaged and married, achieving our goals, and anything else you can think of in between – we’re selling ourselves or our ideas all along the way.  Who said you weren’t a salesperson?