Networking Tips: Reasons for Getting Involved

Networking is a very good way to build your business. I started doing this when I came online in 2006, and now it is an integral part of my business strategy. My first networking was within my Rotary Club, even though I didn’t think of it as such at the time. When you network strategically, you will meet many different experts from various types of business and you will also be seen as an expert in your business. This is a win-win scenario because not only can you seek advice from the other business experts, but you can also give advice to those who ask you.

So, why should you get involved with networking? Here are six networking tips that make sense.

1. To seek guidance

There are people in various networks and organizations who can offer you guidance in your business and/or career. Getting to know these movers and shakers can truly pay off, both now and in the future. In order to get the guidance you need, you’ll need to demonstrate that you are open to direction by seeking advice on small issues.

Don’t start right off asking for favors, or bother people for accounting advice who have CPAs and who normally charge for their services. But instead, do ask for more open-ended and indirect advice about the different choices you are making in your business. For example, blogging was just becoming more recognized as a marketing strategy back in 2006, so I asked for help in choosing a theme for my site and in writing my ‘About’ page.

For example, if you’re having a conversation with someone you admire, mention a couple of ideas that you have and how you’re unsure of which way to go. Mention solution A and solution B, both of which you’ve already studied and know either one will work out great. Ask them what they think.

If the advice is good, move with their advice and follow up with a thank you note and information about how well their advice worked for you. You’ll make them feel wonderful, and you will also get to mention your own business at the same time without ever asking for them to do anything that big for you.

2. To find more opportunities

If your business isn’t growing, or you are not advancing in your career, then another reason to network is to find more opportunities for yourself. When you nurture a network over time, it’s only natural for people within that network to mention opportunities to you because you have already built up your like, know, and trust factor with them. It’s up to you to either follow those opportunities or not. But, the opportunities will present themselves as long as you’ve done the work to keep the network well lubricated throughout the months and years you have known them.

Keep in mind that people are chosen more often for jobs through referral and this is true whether you are a business owner, an independent contractor, or even an employee. Keeping your network ready for when you need a change is important. Take the time to offer up your skills to volunteer to show your skill level.

3. To get support from peers

Having a strong network will not only pay off during bad times but also during good times such as celebrating winning an award, or even just your birthday or an anniversary of when you began your business. Inviting your peers to a party to celebrate your successes will endear you to your network, and help you talk more about what you do for people within your business.

Do remember that this is not a one-way street. When your peers need your help and support, you should freely offer it. If someone writes a book, has a baby, goes in for surgery, wins an award, and so forth, be there for them as you would want them to be there for you. Networks are good for both business and personal reasons. That’s why they are called relationships.

4. As an outlet for discovery and professional growth

It can be so easy to get caught inside your own business bubble and forget how important it is to stay open to learning. Networking groups will often have learning sessions that can help you in more ways than one. Go to the events to learn, attend the courses, take the courses, and then report on what you’ve learned, publicly becoming a referral for the person who taught the course or gave the speech.

5. To grow your business

Professional growth is an important reason to join and participate in a networking group. Let’s be honest – most people join networking groups initially to grow their own business. But, you have to be careful. No one likes how a ‘used car salesman’ sounds. You don’t want to turn off your networking groups by being a sales person.

You don’t want to go in blazing and selling. Instead, build relationships and over time your business will just naturally grow due to the connections that you make. People will refer you, and you’ll refer them. It will come about rather organically if you do what you’re supposed to do and build relationships.

6. To achieve expert status

Another reason to join and participate in networking groups is to elevate your own status to that of expert. You want to be the person that people come to for advice. You can improve your status by volunteering for leadership positions within the group and volunteering to organize events, as well as speak and teach lessons as needed about the things you know about.

Networking is all about building relationships, so use these networking tips to create relationships that will be meaningful for everyone involved.

Content Creation Isn’t Just About Articles: Formats for Your Content

Content creation is the best ongoing strategy you can have for your online business. People in the online business world seem to spend a lot of time talking about article marketing. But limit yourself to only writing and distributing articles and you miss a lot of opportunities. Here are just some ideas for content format.

Digital: Content ideas for downloadable content. These can be items you give away freely, as an incentive to sign up for your list or even offer for sale.

• Articles (about 400 words in length)
• Blog Posts (use keyword rich permalinks)
• Workbooks (people LOVE these!)
• PDF Reports
• eBooks (different than what you’d put on Kindle)
• Checklists/Worksheets
• Pre-recorded audios
• Podcasts
• Teleseminars/webinars
• Streaming video
• Screen capture video
• Audio/video transcripts
• Email broadcasts (time sensitive)
• Pre-scheduled autoresponder emails
• FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
• Flowcharts
• Patterns
• Coloring Sheets
• Fill-in-the-Blanks
• Spreadsheets
• Glossaries

Tangible (Physical): Content doesn’t all have to be downloadable. You can create physical content that you give away for free (based on a profit plan) or sell it.

• Tips booklets
• Laminated sheets
• Bookmarks
• Wallet cards
• Books
• Workbooks
• CDs
• DVDs

Creating Your Content or Having it Created for You

Creating your content empire doesn’t mean that you have to do all the hard work. There are plenty of ways to create content.

Of course, there are the most obvious:

• Write it yourself
• Say it yourself (for an audio recording)
• Video yourself (screen capture or live person video)

But you can also:

1. Use private label rights (PLR) content. There are many services that provide pre-written content that you can publish as-is, chop it up, edit or use it as you see fit. This saves you time conducting research and writing. It is also an inexpensive alternative to hiring a ghostwriter or other freelancer for all your writing needs. Try this site (my favorite one!) for all of your PLR needs.
2. Use reprint articles with a byline and link to the author. This means finding articles at places like Ezine Articles where you can pick up articles that include an author’s byline plus a link back to their website. This is a great way to find content as the quality is sometimes hard to find and it leaks traffic to other websites. But if you find something you really think is worthwhile… go for it.
3. Use reprint articles provided by affiliate programs. Here’s a better alternative to using simple reprint articles described above. Many affiliate programs will provide content and instead of linking directly to another website, you get to use your affiliate link so you get credit for sales generated by your publishing the articles.
4. Grab some video code from YouTube.com. Want to share a video but aren’t ready to make one for yourself? Just get the copy-and-paste code from YouTube.
5. Hire a ghostwriter. You can hire someone who will create content for you anonymously so you can put your personal website or company name on it. They will create specifically what you request but this is one of the more expensive (yet worthwhile) ways to get your content created.
6. Hire someone to create your videos. There are professionals who can create videos for you, whether they’re live person or screen capture. You can ask your online colleagues for some suggestions or find someone locally to help you.
7. Interview someone or hire someone to interview your interviewee. Interviewing someone else takes all the pressure off you. Some people you interview may even create the questions for you so all you have to do is read them. If you really want a truly hands off experience, you can hire someone to ask the questions of the interviewee.
8. Create a group project. Get together with others who create content for your target market. You can each contribute a chapter to an eBook, a recording for an audio series, etc. The added bonus is that you can all promote the content when it’s completed, increasing everyone’s exposure.
9. User-generated content. One of the coolest ways to get content is by having your very own readers/users make it for you. Encourage them to leave comments, post on your forums, submit stories, photos, videos, etc.

What are your thoughts on effective content creation? Leave a comment below…

 Content Creation Strategies: Brainstorming Beyond Simple Observation

Observation is your best source for content creation strategies and delivering the type of content your audience really wants but we all run short on ideas now and then. If you find yourself getting stuck with this, here are some excellent ways to get the content creation idea ball rolling again.

1. Read/watch the news and current events. Pay attention to what’s happening in the news and many times you’ll find something that ties in perfectly to your audience’s interests. For example, if your target market is parents of teens and stories of online dangers or even of inspiring kids is a potential subject to share and comment on.
2. Keep a notebook with ideas. Always keep a little notebook or your mobile device handy when you come across ideas. Sometimes a little story about what happened to you at a restaurant or your kid’s soccer game can become a relevant lesson to your readers.
3. Product reviews. People always appreciate detailed and honest product reviews. A good review will discuss a product’s features and potential benefits. It will also clearly show who the product is suitable for and perhaps who it is not. It will also talk about any potential drawbacks to be aware of.
4. Conduct case studies with your clients and customers. Case studies are perfect because they can be highly-informative, but also provide amazing testimonials for your business.
5. Interview other experts/celebrities in your market. Now I don’t mean get Angelina Jolie or some other big-time celebrity; instead, find people in your market that others turn to for information, guidance, and even entertainment.
6. Have someone interview you. This is an super easy way to create content simply by answering questions. You can even have your own readers submit questions for the interview.
7. Look at previous content and expand on it. If you previously created some popular content, see where you can expand it or possibly target a certain aspect of it in finer detail.
8. Create a ‘Top 10′ list. If writing isn’t your thing, this is an easy way to come up with plenty of ideas in bullet point form. For example, ‘Top 10 Ways to Use SEO to Drive Traffic to Your Blog.
9. Entertain. People use the Internet for information but also for entertainment. You don’t always have to come up with earth-shattering information to impress your audience. Have fun, inspire them or make them laugh.

I hope you found these ideas to be helpful ones. What are some of your ideas and suggestions for content creation strategies that have worked well for your online business?

Marketing With Email

I refer to marketing with email as relationship marketing, and it has been the lifeblood of my business since coming online in 2006. To create memorable email marketing messages, it is important to focus on your audience while also aiming to promote your products and services in a way that appeals to and serves them. You want them to remember you after they close the email, especially if they choose not to click through to answer your call to action. How to create those memorable messages is as easy as following these eight tips.

1. Never Forget the Welcome Email – Every new autoresponder (I recommend Aweber to begin with) series and every new optin to your autoresponder should receive a welcome message or a message that explains the coming series. This will let your audience know that they succeeded in signing up, or that a new series is starting on a list they have been a member of for some time. It’s a nice thing to do that will excite your audience and make them feel as if you are thinking of their needs.
2. Always Tell Your Audience What to Expect – It’s important to explain to your audience about what to expect. This can be within your welcome message, or it can be in a message following the welcome message. Explain to them that they’ll get a new message every week or every two weeks or every day – whatever you’ve decided – and how important it is that they read the messages. It’s a good time as well to invite them to offer feedback to you about the messages and information you’re sharing with them.
3. Explain to Your Audience Who You Are – They want to know who you are and why you are the one to share knowledge with them. What makes you special? Don’t brag too much, but do tell them why you are the one who can help them with their problems. Share the books you have written, podcasts you produce, awards you’ve won, other publications you’ve created, and any certifications or education you’ve completed that may be relevant to what you are doing online. Include life experience that got you to where you are now and how that experience can help them.
4. Use Simple, Direct Language – Avoid using lots of big (I call these 10 gallon) words when expressing deep thoughts or hard to understand concepts. Choosing the simplest language will make your message more memorable and understandable to your audience. Using words that are too complicated and too big will bore them to death, even if your audience is full of geniuses. Be direct and to the point and avoid being long-winded, and you’ll get better responses.
5. One Idea at a Time – Each email message should encompass one idea at a time so as not to confuse the audience about what you want them to do. Having more than one or two CTAs (Calls to Action) can also confuse your audience and leave them wondering what to do. You want each message to stand on its own in such a way that there is no doubt about what you expect your audience to do.
6. Create a Good Catchword or Phrase – When you think of different known brands and commercials, they come up with super simple catchwords and phrases that you can’t forget. A really memorable one is “Life’s messy, clean it up!” That’s so simple, yet most of us know this came from the company Bissell™. If you can create something like this and use it as your sign off, they’ll remember your brand better. I use the phrase ‘to your massive online success’ and people remember me for that.
7. Timing Is Everything – Each audience is different, so at first you’ll need to test different times to send the messages to your audience. Each autoresponder service has some stats that they will share with you which you can use as an initial guideline about when to send messages. But, you should use A/B testing to ensure that you are sending messages at the right time.
8. Create Heartfelt Messages – Depending on your audience, sometimes sending really heartfelt messages that help you get closer to your audience will make them feel closer to you and more attached to you. Be careful not to over share and make people uncomfortable, but sharing your journey of earning zero income to a successful six-figure online business is perfectly acceptable.

Creating memorable email messages can take some testing and tweaking, but trying one or all of the tips in this list can help bring you a lot closer to making all your email marketing messages more memorable. List relationship marketing will definitely increase your results and your bottom line.

Debbie O’Grady, dubbed the ‘Queen of Accountability’ by her clients, will make sure you stay on track to get everything done and achieve all of your goals in business. Her goal is to hold people accountable so they can make their dreams come true. I’ve known her for about five years now and can honestly say that she walks her walk and talks her talk.

She also has a brand new book available called The Accountability Edge. I was one of the contributors to this book and am amazed at the others that Debbie connected with to contribute their thoughts on and experiences with accountability as well. It turns out that having someone to be accountable to can do more than increase your income potential.

In this interview we get down to the basics as to how Debbie got started with her online business, what she did previous to coming online, and how she intends to revolutionize the world of entrepreneurship with her strategies and methods for helping people get started, stay on track, and accomplish their goals. She also shares more about her background and how she came to be working with people online. Recently I was with Debbie at a Mastermind event she coordinated as the facilitator and was impressed at her skills with this.

Debbie is someone you will definitely want to know. I would encourage you to start by reading her book, and then reach out to her on social media to see what the future may hold for both of you. Whether you are a small business owner or an entrepreneur, accountability will definitely make a difference in the results you experience, now and in the future.

Hosting live events can change the way you are perceived by your local community, as well as by your prospects all over the world. I have not hosted more than thirty of my own workshops and events and want to explain to you how this came to be and why I am encouraging you to do something similar in your business.

I can remember years ago when I visited Home Depot and saw the schedule for their live workshops prominently featured by the main entrances to the store. For the life of me I could not figure out why this was so important to them. Then I attended one on how to replace the tile on your bathroom counter top and suddenly the bright light went on in my brain. These workshops gave them the opportunity to show off their expertise, showcase their staff, and recommend their products. Very smart.

So how can we emulate this model in our own business? The answer is to start small and grow over time. The first event I hosted in my own city took place in a small room at one of the local hotels. They charged me twenty-five dollars and gave me a three hour time frame. I had five people show up, mainly because I only invited people by calling or emailing them personally. This was in 2006 and I did not yet have the confidence to ask more people to attend. It went very well. We had a mastermind style discussion, with each of us sharing our thoughts and ideas on the topic of marketing ourselves and our businesses online. And I still know all five of those original people!

Within a year I decided to partner with a woman named Dr. Jeanette Cates so that we could host larger events and workshops across the United States. We did five of these over a two year period until we both decided to go our separate ways. Jeanette and I remain good friends to this day and continue to support each other in our business endeavors.

With this experience under my belt I was ready to host even more live events and workshops to attract people who would be interested in what I was doing in my online business. Now I offer two live events each year, either in Las Vegas or Los Angeles, as well as three or four Retreats in Santa Barbara for my smaller groups. My goal is similar to that of Home Depot in my example above. I get to show off my expertise, showcase my clients, and recommend my own courses, products, and programs.

You can do the same thing, no matter what your level of expertise or your topic. This is exactly what I am recommending:

• Commit to hosting a small event within the next thirty days
• Choose a local venue and invite three to five of your friends
• At the end, ask for constructive feedback on your presentation
• Schedule another event within sixty days and invite more people

Typically I prepare a PowerPoint presentation to use throughout my event, but you can also do it with just some notes or handouts. I like to prepare a Workbook for attendees to use to follow along, as well as to provide them with resources, additional information, and my contact details. I also give everyone who attends a copy of one of my books to thank them for coming.

If you want to take this to the next level, plan out in advance what you will offer people who attend as a follow up to your presentation. For example, at my last event I offered my Platinum Mastermind program to those who wished to apply. I handed out applications on the last day and several people joined my mentoring group. You may also want to offer special deals on your books, products, and courses throughout your event.

I sincerely hope you choose to incorporate live events and workshops into your business in 2015. It will definitely change the way you are perceived by the community and increase your bottom line in the long run.

Eve Koivula is a  self-proclaimed Lifestyle Business Discovery Mentor. She lives in her native country of Finland, a place I have adopted as my second home because I’m there every year to visit my extended family and have come to love this country very much. When I first heard of Eve through a mutual online connection I knew I had to reach out to her to learn more about what she was doing and how we could build a relationship based on our commonalities.

Marketing since the 1990s, Eve has an incredible background that made coming online a natural choice. She says that although methods of marketing have changed over the years, the basic principles have not. She is also trained in graphic design, something I always envy because of my lack of skills and ability in this crucial area.  Her site – Neat Home Business – is one I would encourage you to visit.

Another of Eve’s talents and interests is that she competes with lifting kettle bells and coaches with people to help them excel with this, too. She has earned both National and World titles and has many videos on her YouTube channel where she demonstrates the proper techniques.

Eve and I had a discussion of how athletics and business are very similar when it comes to being successful and working efficiently. We share many of the same goals and ideals for the people who come to us and want to build a lucrative online business.

I will meet Eve in person when I travel to Finland for the holidays, so please leave a comment here if there is anything you would like for me to ask her about marketing, sports, or life in general and I will add it here in this post when I return from my trip.

I was reading Neil Patel’s insightful post on how to influence purchasing decisions and realized that there is still so much I need to learn about this for my own business. Even if you are driving massive amounts of free and paid traffic to your websites, chances are that less than 1% of these visitors are actually purchasing anything from you.

But it turns out that you can actually influence people to make a purchase. Take a close look at this infographic to learn more:

The conclusion is that we can easily influence customer reviews by encouraging customers to leave them for us and by then sharing them on our site. This will quickly increase conversion rates. Also, top notch customer service is a must for each interaction and transaction. Do whatever it takes to do your best for each person and the word will spread like wild fire. These word-of-mouth recommendations provide social proof as to your character and integrity, and you will be able to influence purchasing decisions on a regular basis.

Letting Go of the Past

I was reading Tara Kachaturoff’s excellent post on the topic of letting go of the past in order to have a more productive and powerful 2015, and it reminded me of the importance of doing this on a regular basis instead of just once a year.

We tend to get stuck on people, events, and habits that may have served us months or even years ago, but that no longer have a place in our minds or in our physical lives. This is an excerpt from Tara’s post that is food for thought here:

“Moreover, the process of letting go …

• frees you to engage in your life’s next great adventure
• energizes your soul as your confidence soars
• creates space so you can welcome in other people, things and ideas that align with your heart and soul
• signals growth in that you’ve “been there, done that” and now you’re ready to do new, bigger and better things
• presents you with the opportunity for refreshment and rejuvenation —  mentally, emotionally and physically; yes, as you engage in new input and learning, new neural networks are constructed within your brain

Okay, you’ve asked the question, now what? Answering a question is interesting, but that’s not going to change anything. It’s not going to get you where you want to go. The real magic happens when you take action. Life rewards action.”

During the remainder of this year and into 2015 I vow to eliminate a toxic business relationship from my life, to understand more fully that someone I have been trying to help with his health issues and his income does not want or appreciate my help, and to seek out new business relationships with people who are open to changing their lives in a major way by stepping into integrity around their current situation.

If you have spent time trying to get a friend, loved one, or business associate to ‘see the light’ in regards to a situation that is definitely not working for them, slowly step away and understand they do not want to change. Letting go of this responsibility will free you up to help others who are ready to allow prosperity and well being into their life right now.

As Tara so eloquently phrases it…

And, when you decide to let go, on your terms — of whatever it may be — a thought, a mindset, a memory, a habit, a job, a client, a personal or professional relationship — that’s the moment the universe opens to you. It creates a space where you can invite other things in — those that are personally selected and aligned with your vision and values.

Just preparing this post has lifted a huge weight off of my shoulders. What are you willing to let go of as we round the final corner before heading into the new year?