I’m sure you’re like me, you bought, listened, watched and downloaded everything you can find and afford to help build your online business.  Well, I have another one for you!  But hopefully this will be one of the last purchases you make to uncover the secrets to being successful online.

Joel Comm has just released his book, KaChing – How to Run an Online Business That Pays and Pays! I just ordered my copy and can’t WAIT to get it and start digging in.  Even if you are an expert, guru or just a know-it-all about online marketing, I’m sure this book will show you some new ideas.

You can grab your copy today it at KaChing: How to Run an Online Business that Pays and Pays

I have been using Tungle for appointment and meeting scheduling.  Tungle integrates with my Outlook calendar and people who want to schedule a meeting with me can go to my Tungle.me page and easily set up a day and time.

Tungle has gotten even better!  Now for those of us who use WordPress or Typepad for our website platform, you can download the Tungle Plugin and have it easily integrate with our website or blog.

This new Plugin from Tungle makes scheduling of meetings fast and easy.  Download yours and start scheduling today!

Tungle Plugin

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Man it’s been unseasonably hot in East Tennessee, but thankfully we have been blessed with a beautiful week of cooler temperatures and not so much humidity. (it really does a number on my hair!! )

Anyway, I share some great information about Heating up your Business in my last issued of The Social Media Scoop, my online newsletter.

You can read the entire newsletter by clicking here: The Social Media Scoop And while you are there, I hope you will sign-up to receive in your Inbox monthly.

Have a fantastic 4th of July

(if you are in the United States!)

It used to be, before the telephone, before cellphones, before the Internet, sending notes was the norm – we sent them out to invite people to events, thank them for gifts, send out our condolences and even just to say hello. Even when doing business, everyone from shopkeepers to oil barons sent out cards to begin relationship and seal deals. These days, with all the technology available to us, it’s almost accepted to send out a text message that says “Nice 2 meet U. C u soon.”

Sending out cards and notes may seem archaic, but they seem to be coming back in vogue, perhaps because people hardly get that personal touch anymore (think about it – compared to a decade ago, how many birthday or Christmas cards do you get a year?) Cards can also be used for business – and will definitely put on a lasting impression to your clients.

Have no idea how to begin? Here are some tips to get you started:

Have an updated contact list – having a list will make it easier for you to organize your campaign, but make sure your information is complete and updated. It would be pretty embarrassing if you were to send the wrong card to the wrong person or not have it reach your important client.

Select your message carefully – if you’re sending out holiday cards, read the message carefully to make sure you won’t offend anyone (assuming you’re sending out a lot of cards.) You wouldn’t want to risk sending out something which can make you look bad, when your intention was the opposite.

Use titles – You may be on first-name basis with your clients, but using their titles on the front of the cards shows respect and gives importance to their achievements, so make sure you include that “Dr.”, “Mr.,” “Esq.” etc. with their names.

Spell Check! –  OMG, this is a biggie! Make sure you read each and every line and make sure every word is spelled correctly, lest you make some embarrassing faux pas.

Send them on time – get your holiday cards out early, especially for businesses. They may be leaving work early to take time off. For thank you cards, try to send them no more than a week after, or they may forget what you are thanking them for!

Remember, building relationships is the core of any business and key to its success. Taking the time out to do simple tasks can cement your reputation with the right people. Don’t always have the time to do everything yourself? Get a little help and still have that personal touch with Send Out Cards and it only takes a few minutes to choose, write and send your card. Click on the link today to find out more.

Click Here – Send Out Cards if you are looking for any of the above!

Perhaps you’re stuck in a nine-to-five job you hate, or are a homemaker bored at home, but you’ve probably thought of turning a beloved hobby into a business which will make some money. Many people have done it before, and have done it successfully, though there are those that fail as well. If you’re thinking of going into business for yourself, here are some things you should think about before taking the plunge:

If it becomes work, will you still love it?

If you enjoy knitting sweaters for your loved ones, will you enjoy doing it for money? Sometimes when something becomes actual work, you may find yourself not wanting to do it anymore. But if you’re enthusiastic about something, then you may find yourself loving it even more, despite the long hours of hard work.

Is it worthy of being a business?

You may love your hobby, have a passion for it, but that doesn’t mean you can make money from it. You may be good at making animals from pipe cleaners, but that doesn’t mean you should go out and open up a pipe cleaner shop. You must be practical as well, and do the necessary legwork to find out if your idea is feasible.

Remember, it is a business!

Being an employee has its pros – you just show up at the office, do your work and you get a paycheck two weeks later. Being a business owner or being self-employed is different. You have to deal with day to day operations, payroll, taxes, clients, receivables and payables – things which are not fun and can be boring. Hopefully, you’ll be able to handle such challenges.

What will happen in the long run?

You’ll be investing a large amount of your time and resources into starting your own business – so you have to think of what will happen in 5, 10 or even 20 years. Although no one wants to think of failure, many new businesses shut down within the first year (restaurants, for example, experience a failure rate of about 59%.) Your goals and plans should include future strategies, as well as back-up plans.

Consider alternatives

Okay, so you tell yourself, if you spend another day at your desk, you might do something drastic, but you don’t have the resources or time to pursue your hobby. There can be other alternatives – perhaps all you need is to change career paths into an industry that’s closer to what you love. So you really love to cook, but can’t leave your accounting job to open up your restaurant. Perhaps you should work for a food company. Also, you may be able to teach what you love. You may never sell your landscape paintings, but perhaps you can apply for teaching positions or give art lessons – at least you’ll still spend your time doing what you love.  And of course, you can teach through online teleseminar, webinars, blogging, video streaming – the sky’s the limit!

Whatever you decide to do, just remember: If you follow your heart and passion, and you are truly on the path that was designed for you -  the money will follow. This is the simplest of all concepts, and really where everything should begin. If you’re passionate about baking, then you should consider doing it full-time. If you’re not sure what your passion is, make an list of all the things you love to do and what you’re good at. Then start to narrow it down until you get a couple that just excites you and you have a burning desire to do.  Then do your research and see if there is a market for your business or services.  If there is, the rest is up to you.

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Is your response to this is …ahhhh….that sounds so great! It’s a powerful concept and one that tugs at your heart.  You want to use your talents and skills to earn a living.  You know people that have already done that.

Why not you?

Why not now?

What would an ad for your ideal job read as? What’s your hot button?  What kind of an ad would you respond to quickly, as soon as you saw it?  Write one out for yourself right now…dream big.

Click the Image to Order Your Copy

If you think that that‘s just a dream, then you’re right.  That’s exactly what it is. Understand this first, the future has been and always will be designed by dreams.  All successful people use them, believe in them and stake their future on them.  Your future is waiting for your dream to be designed.  First, in your mind, then on paper; make it real by writing it down.  And lastly  – Make it Happen!

There’s a sense of satisfaction, personal pride and accomplishment that comes with being able to showcase your strengths and abilities.  And where you’re at now may best be described in the book, The Dream Giver, by Bruce Wilkinson, when one of the characters states, “This isn’t what I was made to do…I just know it!”  Does that speak to you?  Good. Then you’re ready.

There are a few things you’ll need to bring to the table, such as passion, the right attitude and tenacity, to name a few.  Passion gives your dream oxygen.  It keeps it burning.  It keeps it alive.   Attitude, well attitude can make or break your dream.  Tenacity makes you keep at it.

With this in mind, are you ready to make a commitment?  Say, “Yes that’s what I really, really want!” But do you know how to get there?  Do you know what to do next?   Do you want some practical guidance, some strategy, some help?

Lorin Beller Blake

Where do I go to get the next step? ……. I’m glad you asked.  I’m hosting the queen of doing what you love and getting paid for it, Lorin Beller Blake, Founder of Big Fish Nation on April 22^nd in my Social Media “T” Room.  You’ll want to be on this call so you can take yourself to that next step.  For more information and to register visit Social Media “T” Room.

Ahhh. …what a delightfully refreshing concept, to get paid for doing something you really want to do!

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Whether you have an Internet-based or a brick and mortar business, we all want more traffic or customers coming through our doors, right?   There is an online tool that can make a major impact on your marketing effort to bring those customers in.  It’s called Google Local Business.  It’s quick, easy and best of all – Free!

Here is a short video that explains everything about Google Local Business.

Isn’t that great?  Get your business set up on Google Local Business now and get ahead of your competitors!

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If you have been online for any length of time you’ve been exposed to a blog in one way or another. In fact you’re probably using one yourself and understand the importance of a small business utilizing a blog for several reasons such as increasing traffic, building a relationship with your readers, etc.

Not all people are as fortunate as those of us that know the importance of blogging. Speaking on a local level if you’ve ever had a conversation with a small business owner who has a brick and mortar business you have probably come to the conclusion that some of them don’t even know what a blog is!

That’s where a anyone who loves WordPress, has a creative side and doesn’t mind working mostly behind the scenes can utilize their services by becoming a blog consultant. Then you can start evangelizing to small business owners in your local community not only the importance of blogging but the truth – blogging is smart for business.

So exactly what is a blog consultant?

It’s someone passionate about blogging. They love blogging in general but more importantly they understand the importance of blogging for small business owners and want to share that understanding with small business owners especially on the local level.

So if you’re that person mentioned above and are passionate about blogging and want to share that passion with others then be sure to check out Become A Blog Consultant. If you’re not that’s ok too, this course was created for anyone who has a passion for blogging and wants to share it with local small business owners.

Be sure to visit our site where you can watch a quick two minute video and see a real life client example and sign up for a 16 minute audio that will help you decide if this is for you. Become A Blog Consultant

Are you considering starting an online store?  Have you done your research to see if there is a need or interest in your store? As easy as it is to start an online store, the business of selling is just as hard on the internet as it is on a physical marketplace. However, if you do your homework, and find a market for your business, you can be successful.

Here are some tips to help as you begin to think about building your online store.  It’s not enough just to want to sell a product online. What will make you stand out from other online stores?  You have to offer a product or service that is unique or popular enough to have enough buyers and then make an offer that no one can pass off.

1. You will also need to find your Unique Selling Point, the points that will make you different and better than the other online stores selling similar products. For example, you might choose to sell lawnmowers, but the competition is high in this market.  So what is your USP? Any of these can set you apart from the crowd:  a 24X7 helpline; an online chat with other gardeners; 30-day money back guarantee;or an in-store repair contract
2. Once you are clear about what you want to sell and how you want to sell, purchase a domain name.  ( I use GoDaddy to purchase all my domains) The cardinal rule of an online store is to keep the domain name and name of the online store short and relevant so that the customer can identify and remember it. For instance, an online store selling cheap cars can have the domain name “budgetauto” or “budgetcar”. It’s small, easy to remember and very relevant.
3. Once the domain is purchased, create an online store. Like your USP, your store should also be unique in style and content. But the basic structures of e-commerce websites are similar. You will need to display your products, let the customer browse through your catalogs, compare prices and features, add products to the shopping cart, calculate shipping, make payments through payment gateways, etc. I always recommend WordPress for all my clients, whether they are building an Online Store or just a regular website.  It’s easy to design and very easy to manage and works very well with all eCommerce services.
4. Full-blown or Simple eCommerce Site? You can either go for a full-fledged e-commerce service, like 1Shopping Cart.  Or you can go for a simple service through E-Junkie. There are many online eCommerce solutions; it’s up to you to decide which you need and best fits your budget.
5. Fill your website with articulate, creative and relevant content with popular keywords. Prominently display your products and prices and even highlight a “product of the week or month” on your Home Page.
6. If you are selling “downloadable’s” like software or eBooks, both 1Shopping Cart and E-Junkie offer easy ways to allow your customers to download their purchase while protecting your valuable products on a secure server.
7. Set up Affiliate Programs. As your online store grows, you might decide to develop an affiliate program to enlist the help of others in selling your products and services.  Affiliate Programs are very easy to set up with both 1Shopping Cart and E-Junkie.

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Take a moment to think about how you would really answer this question. If given enough thought just about any business owner who utilizes the Internet for any purpose will likely find that whether or not they intentionally organized an Internet marketing campaign, they may already be marketing their products and services on the Internet. Let’s look at some subtle ways business owners may already be marketing their business on the Internet.

Do you have a website for your business? Business owners who answer yes to this question are already marketing their products or services online just by virtue of the fact that they have a website online. Having a live website means there is the potential for curious Internet users to access your website. You may not be actively promoting your website but you may still find that your website generates interest in your products despite the lack of promotional endeavors; this is a form of passive marketing.

Do you participate in message boards and include a link to your website in your signature? Again business owners who answer yes to this question are already marketing their website online. Savvy business owners realize the importance of participation in industry related message boards to create an interest in their products and services, establish themselves as knowledgeable about the industry and offer a link to their own website even if it is in the signature line of their posts. However, even those who don’t realize this, may already be inadvertently enjoying the benefits of Internet marketing just by doing something they enjoy.

Do you include keywords which are relevant to your business in the content of your website? Business owners who answer yes to this question are also already marketing on the Internet by optimizing their website for these keywords. These search engine optimization (SEO) affects the websites whether or not they were even aware of the concept of keyword density and how it can help to SEO a website. Business owners will likely use certain words often depending on the type of products and services they offer just because it is natural and logical to do so. This tendency, however, can result in search engines boosting your website rankings for these particular keywords. The concept of SEO is much more involved and complex than simply using keywords frequently but business owners can gain some benefit just by naturally applying relevant keywords to their website. A great free resource is Free Keywords Suggestion Tool from WordTracker.

Do you solicit feedback from your customers online? This is yet another example of how business owners may be accidentally marketing their business on the Internet. Most business owners realize the importance of soliciting feedback from customers and those who offer products online might solicit feedback in the form of online surveys and polls. Although the business owners may be doing this simply for a business purpose, the fact that it is done online makes it fall into the category of Internet marketing.

We’ve discussed several ways business owners may already be marketing online but what about business owners who want to have an increased online presence? For those who may already be marketing online accidentally, they may wish to launch a full scale Internet marketing campaign. The best way to do this is to hire a consultant with experience in Internet marketing and social media marketing, to assist in creating a campaign which is effective for your target audience. Tasting The Internet, can help develop a successful campaign for your online marketing success!

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