Ok so it wasn’t so bad putting it together, the hardest part was to get my makeup on for the video. But just wanted to quickly share with you a couple things and to introduce video here at the site, and my new glasses. 🙂 Recently Ed wrote about Coming out from behind your brand so I decided that it was due time to get a video up. Ed has a very strong brand and often times people even think this site is his own baby, but it’s mine. It doesn’t surprise me since Ed has what, 25 years experience…

With the Internet all around us, selling your product, service or even both is much easier and affordable than ever before. But at the same time… It’s vital to study all of your options first, before falling victim to one of many pitfalls. From finding yourself “trapped” in a contract with services you don’t need to building a website that doesn’t attract the customers nor convert them into buyers, you could wind up in the middle of a mess. Here are 15 tips to setting up your first (or second or third or fourth…) online store, all while maximizing your…

Many people struggle with finding just the right business idea to pursue. The idea IS important, particularly for businesses requiring large investment, but I’d say that it’s what you do with the idea that matters most. Just because you want to open an Italian restaurant and some Italian restaurants can do very well, doesn’t mean your Italian restaurant will be hit. You may want to sell ebooks to homeschoolers because you see other people selling them, but demand doesn’t necessarily equal success. A lot of people use a personal trainer, but deciding to offer your services as one, may not…

Lack of productivity is something many of us suffer with. When you work at the office, it’s very easy to get distracted by everything going on around you. And when you work from home, productivity can unfortunately be even more of an issue. Here are a few tips designed to help anyone who is struggling with their productivity levels. #1 – Stay focused. This is easier said than done, but one sure way to boost your productivity is by staying focused on one task at a time. Studies have shown that those of us who “multitask” actually get less done.…

A corporate brand is nothing more than your reputation. As a small business owner, you pour your heart and soul into your business. Your passion for what you do is obvious. Generally, you wear plenty of hats and you ply your magic from the wings or back stage at best. Your participation is pivotal is the success of your business. Behind the scenes you are the person customers expect to see and you’re the person who directs the show. You step up to every role except one – CENTER STAGE. I think you should pocket your humility and step out…

On any given web site (which includes all the processes that goes on behind the scenes), there are always pages that could be monetized or get a marketing message across. Very often, these are what I call utility pages. Stuff that aren’t part of your regular content like blog posts or product description pages, but they exist because you need to confirm an action that the customer or visitor has taken, like the thank you page after subscribing to your newsletter. Many marketers are already aware of the value of this page and have taken steps to insert a message…

You can read this in PDF format here. The Key to Continuous Growth and Expansion A business cannot begin, grow to a certain point and then simply remain at that point and continue to thrive. Growth and expansion are necessary for the business to survive and if that growth and expansion do not happen then the business will fade and crash and burn. Growth and expansion of business must be controlled by the business owners or managers. If growth is too slow, the business lags behind the competition. If growth is too fast, the business can easily become over extended.…

Many small business owners get overwhelmed when it comes to the necessity of writing their business plan.  It doesn’t have to be as hard as it may seem. Unless you are looking for major financial funding from a bank or other loan institutions, a simple business plan that includes answers to the following questions will be perfect for your small business purposes. 1.  Where am I now with my business? 2.  Where do I want to be with my business?  If you see your deadlines in front of you as you work your business, you’ll be more likely to meet…

Recently when Darren had his Birthday at Problogger he put his book on for half price, so I grabbed a copy. With every single course that I download I put together a Checklist to keep myself on track. I’m also extending that offer to anyone who grabs a copy on my recommendation. I’ve also already sent out all the checklists to those people who emailed me their receipt. If you haven’t sent me your receipt yet, please do so and I’ll give you access to the checklist. 🙂 That got me thinking about coupon codes, I probably would not have…

If you want to read this in a PDF document you can do so here. Previous Lesson: Part 1 Having the Right, Healthy Mindset The success of any business both of the online variety as well as the off line variety require the right mindset from the get-go. A right and healthy mind set will not guarantee success but a wrong and unhealthy or unrealistic mindset will most assuredly guarantee failure. So the right mind set is the first corner stone that must be laid upon which a successful business can be constructed. What is a right and healthy mindset?…