When Life Gets Crazy – How to Connect with Your Lists When you Don’t Have Time To

12/24/2010 By Nicole 8 Comments

When Life Gets Crazy – How to Connect with Your Lists When you Don’t Have Time To

by Nicole Dean

Life is madness. At least in my house it is. People are always asking me “Nicole, you have 2 kids, 2 dogs, you take in foster dogs, have a husband who you actually like, and you run several very successful online businesses. What in the HECK?!”

I think there’s a compliment in there somewhere.

The things that I do in my business every day fall under four areas…

Growing my List and Connecting with my Readers
Increasing my Traffic
Building Relationships on my Own Blog
Developing my Products and my Other Offers (like PLR stuff, and private coaching and consulting)

Anything that doesn’t fall directly under those four areas must be put aside until I’ve tackled those.

Now obviously, I could write an entire report about this, so in this post, I’ll focus in on your mailing list.

Your list is your livelihood. At least it can be with some love. However, it takes time to write your newsletters or connect with your list, in general. And, coming up with ideas on a regular basis can be brutal.

Life happens. (Thank goodness!) So, you need some shortcuts for when you just don’t have time or don’t necessarily feel inspired to connect with your lists.

Here’s where the magic happens. I have tons of tricks, but I’ll just start with three ideas to get you off and running.

Outsourcing
Planning and Batching
PLR articles

OUTSOURCING PARTS OF THE PROCESS.

First of all, outsourcing. There are several ways you can outsource when it comes to your list.

If you have a virtual assistant (or a teenager in your house), write and send an article to him/her and have that person compile your newsletter for you. A side benefit is that it will require you to plan in advance, which can be a very good thing.

You can also hire a virtual assistant to seek out articles in places like EzineArticles.com or LadyPens.com that you can use in your newsletter, rather than having to do it all yourself. Find a few authors that you like (who are considered experts in their fields) and just have your virtual assistant grab one of their articles whenever you’re behind.

Recommended Resource:

PLANNING AND BATCHING.

Second, let’s dig into planning a bit. I find it much easier to plan a month at a time or more than to sit down in front of the computer and try to brainstorm. Can you plan a series of emails to send to your readers?

Perhaps a set like “7 Ways to …” That way you’re set for at least the next seven emails. If you look at my ecourse above “Outsourcing Mistakes to Avoid” – you’ll see how I used a series to create that ecourse. You can model yours after that one.

PLR ARTICLES.

PLR articles can be such a huge shortcut. If you’re not using them yet, you are in for a treat!

Here’s a definition of PLR (in case you aren’t familiar with it):

Let’s talk about how useful this is. I mean, honestly. Let’s say your niche is romance. If you purchase a set of ten PLR articles, you have everything you need for 10 newsletters immediately – and, guess what? You can reuse them again the following year or year after.

Not only do you not have to come up with titles, you don’t have to even draft the articles yourself.

Simply copy and paste the articles into your newsletter, tweak them to have some of YOU in them – either by including examples, personal stories, or some of your own tips and ideas, and you’re set.

Recommended Resource:

I started one of the most highly regarded PLR sites on the web back in 2006 and made it my personal goal to change the PLR industry for the better. I like to think that I’ve accomplished my goal.

See for yourself here: Quality PLR Articles

Now, the next time you’re thinking “I really need to send something to my lists, but what?” you don’t have to panic now that you have these shortcuts at your disposal.

Thanks so much for reading! Please share your thoughts below.

Warmly,

Nicole Dean

Filed Under: Guest Bloggers Tagged With: E-Mail Lists

8 Things That Are Holding Your Blog Back

10/01/2010 By Tom 3 Comments

8 Things That Are Holding Your Blog Back

Many online entrepreneurs get motivated when they hear about the potential income generated through quality blogs. They determine to be the next success story and start blogging away. The harsh reality, however, is that most blogs fail to create much buzz at all.

The good news, in contrast, is that there is probably a short list of things that hinder a blog’s success – and all of them can be easily remedied with equal amounts of passion, attention to detail, and teachability.

Here are 8 things that may be holding back your blog – and what you can do about them!

1. A Lack of Clear Direction: It has been said that if you don’t know where you are going, then any road will do. If you have no clear, compelling destination in mind, how will you be motivated to put in the time and energy required to make it happen? Can you summarize the purpose of your blog in one sentence – a fairly short sentence that doesn’t include 9 commas and 3 semi-colons? Can you give a friend a 30-second verbal sales pitch on why your blog matters? If you cannot do these things, then stop blogging immediately and take the time to reflect, research, and refine your direction. This IS square one!

2. A Crisis of Confidence: If you don’t believe in yourself and your blog, who will? Find a topic that fans the flames of passion within you, and you’ll write with conviction and confidence. Making a buck isn’t worth the effort if you can’t enjoy the process because it’s just a grind. Some people choose to make a living that way because they’re afraid to step out and take some risks. Write passionately and you’ll find an audience — or better yet, an audience will find you!

3. You Have No Road Map: Just because you know where you want to go doesn’t mean you automatically know how to get there. Those authoring successful blogs today are following some clear directions, regardless of their content. Road maps exist that will lead you where you want to go. Find them intuitively by studying successful blogs. Learn them by accessing (purchasing in some cases) the road maps produced by others and offered to the blogosphere at large.

4. Poor Niche Selection: Too much competition or too little interest are both tough to overcome when writing a blog. Write a blog about how to make money online and see what kind of traffic you get. On the other end, write about tree bark and wait for the visitors. It might get pretty lonely. If you can’t find an original niche that fires you up and also has some proven traffic with less competition, then choose the popular blog topics and try to produce a blog that outdoes the competition. It can be done.

5. Poor Writing: This means more than having bad grammar or not knowing the difference between pare, pair, and pear, or there, their, and they’re. Ever read a blog that was clearly written by an “English as a second language” person? No offence to them, since they probably communicate in English better than most of us will ever communicate in a foreign language. But if it isn’t fluent, it’s not acceptable. Bad English from an “English as my only language” author is even worse, because it offers less entertainment value. Poor writing is an instant turn-off. But, and listen carefully you English majors, so is writing that is too “good.” By “good” we don’t mean insightful, compelling, or passionate, we mean too advanced. Here’s a clue worth remembering: studies show that blogs written at the level of an 8th grader will be best received. Of course, your subject matter will influence this up or down a bit. The point is to make sure that what you write is readable to the audience you are trying to attract.

6. Poor Blog Design: Are you using an ugly page layout? Going cheap on design does not make a good first impression. If you are serious about making an impact with your blog, then only start it when you have the few extra bucks it takes to dress it for success.

7. Laziness: Don’t be lazy. Write every day – even if you have a “regular” job. Unless you really love that regular job and want it forever, you must find the energy to write and post consistently.

8. Busyness: It is simple math. If you want to write a professional blog that becomes a game-changer for you financially, socially, or whatever meets your goals, you must find the time to invest in it. If you’re too busy to write and post consistently you either don’t care and are in denial or you must eliminate some activities to free up time to write and manage your blog. If you’re too busy to succeed, you are too busy. Get control of your schedule or other people and events will!

Is there a place online for your blog? Are there readers interested in what you have to say? The answers are really up to you. How you seek to overcome the obstacles to success outlined here will go a long, long way to determining whether or not your blog will pay out or burn out.

Filed Under: Guest Bloggers Tagged With: blog, Blogging, Blogging Tips

9 Tips for Starting Out as a Network Marketer

09/21/2010 By james 1 Comment

9 Tips for Starting Out as a Network Marketer

When starting out as a network marketer, you want to take on the world and bring in boatloads of cash the next day. Very few businesses follow through with the boatloads of money, but you can build your business to a very comfortable level. Your success depends on the time which you’re willing to invest. Here are nine tips for the new network marketer.

1. Find the product that most suits your passion: The passion that you possess for a product influences the time and effort that you are willing to put forth. If the field bores you to tears, the best products for that niche are not going to save you. If a product does not suit you, it shows in your marketing. Market the products about which you are the most excited.

2. Study the company: Do your research. Study the interactions that a company has with its members. Look at the other individuals who are selling the same product. Are they people who you want kept at a distance? Do you want to be associated with them? Look at the company’s history, compensation plan and management. There may be multiple companies which offer similar products, choose the one which is right for you.

3. Learn about automation: Autoresponders are an essential part of network marketing. You can greet new members, follow up with newsletters and generally acknowledge your customer’s existence. Your eventual goal is to have an automated system in place which takes you completely out of the selling process.

4. Look upline: How much support can you expect to receive from those who are more experienced than you? Is there a manager who would make a great mentor? Know what you can expect from the people above you. It can help you with your strategies.

5. Hire professionals to help: Online businesses are similar to offline ones. You need to consult with an accountant about taxes. You may need to think about the legal ramifications of your products. Be aware of the government’s expectations for your money. On a similar note, consult with an attorney about the setup of your organization. Make sure that you have the right foundation for growth.

6. Set a schedule: If you plan to do network marketing as a hobby, you will not gain the full benefits of the business. Devote at least twenty hours a week to the business and encourage it to grow. Look for new opportunities, follow up on leads, research the newest productivity tools or write copy during those few hours a day.

7. Keep a positive attitude: Your attitude sets you apart from the other network marketers. Keep a positive attitude about the business, and it will reward you in kind. Setbacks are chances to learn from your mistakes. That positive attitude will push you to thrive and achieve your dreams.

8. Research: Learn everything that you can about network marketing. You can receive tips and tricks from the web that you can incorporate into your strategies. You might find that outsourcing your business is the best alternative. You might also find that a combination of tools will help you better run your business. Staying on top of the latest trends is important.

9. Look at the top: In a network marketing business, you need to keep an eye on the top of the business. Who runs it? What traits do they have? Emulate the leaders in your industry. Do what they do. Strive to push your way through the ranks and stand out in front of leadership for your promotion. Network marketing can be a lucrative business. By devoting time, energy and love to the business, you are laying the foundations for growth. Aim for the best, and the best will come to you.

Filed Under: Guest Bloggers Tagged With: network marketers, Network Marketing, Network Marketing Tips

9 Tips for Setting Achievable Goals

09/03/2010 By james 2 Comments

9 Tips for Setting Achievable Goals

Goal setting is an active interaction between you and your dreams. The goals that you set need to be of personal importance because you are the one who will be pursuing them. A goal needs to be time based, positive, realistic and quantifiable, else it is merely a dream. Goals establish boundaries and structure as well as giving you something to target, so how do you set realistic goals? Well, here are 9 great tips to get you started.

Be a dreamer: Goal setting is the art of putting words to your dreams. What do you want to be? What kind of money do you want to make? What do you want to afford? Brainstorm about the dreams that you have, writing down everything. Those dreams are the seedlings of goals and motivations. You might want to learn Japanese so you can travel overseas. You might want to be debt free. Put all of your whims and desires on this list.
Personalize your dreams: Your dreams are yours. You will be the one pursuing them. You will receive the sweetest reward from achieving them. When you look at the list of dreams that you have created, examine the ones which are truly yours and think about which ones are from the influence of others. If you are working toward something which is of great importance, you are more likely to follow through.
The selection process: You have countless dreams on your list which range in complexity from easy to difficult. Examine and evaluate each of your dreams in terms of likelihood and time frame. Choose five of these dreams, making sure that you vary the difficulty levels and time investments. Put aside the rest of the list, keeping it in a safe place.
Visualize your dreams: Spend time with each of the five dreams. Write a few paragraphs about the realization of these dreams. What will you do with your financial independence? How great will that new plasma television look on your wall? What will you look like when you have achieved your ideal weight? This process simultaneously reinforces your dream and is inspirational.
How will you achieve these dreams?: What steps can you take to achieve your dreams? Think about them and research the answers. If you want to hang out with the celebrity, what is the first thing you need to accomplish? If you want to lose twenty pounds, what do you have to eat? Define your success by sketching your intentions.
Make it time based: What is an appropriate time frame for making your dream into a reality? Based on your experience and research, can you honestly expect to lose ten pounds in a few days? Remember that you are working from a list of tactics. How long will it take to accomplish those steps? Place a time frame on each of the five dreams that you have.
Make it quantifiable and positive: A goal’s success cannot be judged on a negative. Instead of losing pounds, place your dream in terms of actual weight. If you want to be a better person by a certain date, what quantifiable measurements comprise a better person? With thought, nearly everything can be described in terms of metrics. Find the parameters which would determine your success.
Break it down: Take those tactics and break them down into smaller goals. What daily steps will bring you closer to your goal? Each of these mini goals should be broken into quantifiable goals. You are creating items which need to be placed on your daily to-do list. If you are wanting to lose weight, you might place something like ‘eat 1 piece of fruit’ onto your list. If you’re wanting to become financially independent, you might have ‘put $3 into bank account’ on your list of things to do. Smaller goals are more achievable because they are understandable.
Stay positive: Attitude is the most important part of goal setting. If you do not believe that you can achieve your goal, then don’t place it on the list. If you are skeptical, examine the steps that you can take for completion of your goal. Avoid terms which diminish confidence like ‘if’ and ‘try.’ Devote time to these goals.

All of your dreams are within reach. Stay positive. Devote time to the completion of your goals. If you’re able to stay determined, your dreams will come true.

Filed Under: Guest Bloggers Tagged With: Achieving goals, Goal Setting, Goals

I Am Looking for Guest Bloggers

08/28/2010 By Angela Leave a Comment

I Am Looking for Guest Bloggers

I have recently added a guest post section to my blog and will be featuring 1 guest post a week. I am looking for some wonderful guest posters with fresh content relating to topics that I blog about. So I would love to have topics such as personal growth and development, personal branding, social media, health and fitness, mindset and inspiration.

Some general guidelines for guest bloggers-

I am looking for original content that has not been pulished elsewhere and that relates to topics that I blog about.
You would need to be willing to not post the content that you post on my blog in other places such as your own blog or article directories.
An author box will be added to the end of your post and you can have 2 links in that section.

If you are interested please e-mail me at angpaige@gmail.com with the subject guest blogger and let me know more about you, your blog and what kind of post you would like to write.

Filed Under: Guest Bloggers Tagged With: Blog Guest Author, Guest Bloggers, Guest Post