Tag Archives: Entrepreneurs

List Building Marketing Tips for Entrepreneurs

The Importance of List Building Marketing Tips

List building marketing tips are readily available, but the true value is in knowing exactly how to get started with this strategy. I learned early on that “the gold is in the list and in the follow up.” Remember that we all begin as online entrepreneurs with no one on our email list. These days people will gladly exchange their name and email address for your free giveaway, as long as this is something that is…

Irresistible – You must create a report, guide, white paper, series of audios or videos, or something else that your target audience will feel like they can’t live without. Observe your own behavior to see which sites you are willing to opt in to and which ones cause you to simply click away, most likely never to return.

Relevant – Make sure what you are creating as your free giveaway is relevant to your topic. If your niche is nutrition and health, your audience most likely will not be interested in a report on how to take a family vacation while on a budget. I regularly joke that many of my people need to lose a few pounds and love dogs, but that doesn’t mean they want to hear about weight loss or dog training from me. It’s not why they opted into my list to begin with and I must keep that in mind.

Substantial – Gone are the days of a three page document as the free giveaway. When I was first online the people who were already successful gave away the equivalent of a short eBook as their free giveaway. At some point all of us switched to something short and sweet, but I believe the trend now is back to something of great value and substance.

In my mind, list building includes both the process of encouraging and persuading someone to join your list, as well as the ongoing task of keeping them on your list and actively engaged. This can be a challenge, as you will hear differing ideas of how often to send emails, what to include in your messages, and how often to offer something for sale. This comes with the experience of running an online business, so you must jump in and see how your community responds to you.

I like to tell stories within my email messages, and many people tell me that this type of storytelling is what keeps them on my list and actively participating in my programs. Do not be afraid to share some things about yourself, but remember that once you do you will be unable to take it back. For example, in my family we seldom mention anyone’s name and never show pictures. This needs to be a serious discussion within your family, as people feel differently about this depending upon their prior experiences. The most important thing is to build your list and to communicate regularly with them.

What other questions do you have regarding list building marketing tips and growing your business as an online entrepreneur?

Excellent Ideas on Networking for Entrepreneurs

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Networking for Entrepreneurs

Even though my business is primarily on the Internet, I find myself coming face to face with people on a regular basis. Whether it’s at the two live marketing events I host each year, speaking at someone else’s event, or connecting with people at meetings, I find myself connecting with prospects, clients, and entrepreneurs regularly throughout the year. The concept of specifically networking for entrepreneurs is one that had eluded me.

It used to be that I would introduce myself and give a short explanation of what I did and then focus on listening to the other person in order to get to know them and fully understand what they were doing in their business. For years I did this same thing each time and finally I grew weary of the process of repeating the same thing over and over and not seeing the value of meeting so many new people. At some point I stopped attending most the Chamber of Commerce events, and only spent time with the charitable and non-profit organizations that mean so much to me.

At my last live event I invited Leslie Cardinal to present to my group on the topic of networking. She’s an expert in this area and I knew that I would pick up some excellent tips from her, right along with my event attendees. Recently she wrote a post on her blog about Three Easy Ways to Follow Up After Networking and here is some of what she shared:

First, if you gathered some business cards from the people you met, take a minute to look through them. Don’t try to follow up with everyone you met. That can feel overwhelming. Just pick two or three or four people who seem most important to you at this time.

Second, for the handful of people that you choose to follow up with, decide on the best method for your follow up. You can call them or send them an email or a text message. Another very powerful option is to send an actual written card in the mail.

Third, see if you can find the people you just met in social media sites, especially LinkedIn and Facebook. If it seems appropriate, send them an invitation to connect. Add a sentence or two to your request to personalize it, rather than just sending a generic request. This can be as simple as “I really enjoyed meeting you at the meeting this afternoon,” or “It was great to see you again at the networking meeting yesterday.”

Aren’t these excellent ideas for networking? The whole idea with networking for entrepreneurs is to help you connect with people whom you can serve with the skills you have to offer. What other tips, ideas, and thoughts do you have about networking?

Role Models for Entrepreneurs

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Role Models for Entrepreneurs

I do not remember having role models while I was growing up, Sure, I thought a lot of my teachers and some of the other adults I spent time with, but it wasn’t until I was in my thirties that I began to think of anyone as a role model for what I wanted to achieve.

Even then, they weren’t people I could relate to directly. The first person I truly admired was Oprah Winfrey. I was working part-time as a production assistant for a film company and one of the producers was from Chicago. She had a poster of Oprah in her office and talked about her incessantly. I was intrigued and began to watch her talk show on one of the smaller stations that was carrying it in the Los Angeles area. Even then, Oprah was someone you had to admire for how she talked and carried herself. But it wasn’t as though I felt that I could emulate what she was achieving in her life. Instead, I merely enjoyed watching and listening to her over the years as she became a personality who impacted people around the world.

Recently Adrienne Dupree wrote a post about legendary women’s basketball coach Pat Summit, who passed away at the age of sixty-four after being diagnosed a few years earlier with Alzheimer’s. In her blog post she includes Pat’s “Definite Dozen” rules to live by:

“Pat Summitt had set of rules to live by called the Definite Dozen.

Respect Yourself and Others
Take Full Responsibility
Develop and Demonstrate Loyalty
Learn to Be a Great Communicator
Discipline Yourself So No One Else Has To
Make Hard Work Your Passion
Don’t Just Work Hard, Work Smart
Put the Team Before Yourself
Make Winning an Attitude
Be a Competitor
Change Is a Must
Handle Success Like You Handle Failure

These rules are rules that do not just pertain to basketball. They pertain to life. What if we all lived by these rules and conducted our businesses with these rules in mind? What a better place the world would be. When I think about the trailblazer that Pat Summitt was and the hard work and dedication that she had, I know that I can do better.”

These days I have several role models in my life, and they are primarily people I know personally who continue to guide and influence my life and my business ventures. Do you have role models in your life? What is your thinking on this topic of role models for entrepreneurs?

Team Building for Entrepreneurs

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Team Building for Entrepreneurs

When I began my online business back in 2006 I hadn’t a clue as to how to manage a team. Building the right group of people eluded me and the result was that I attempted to do everything myself. When I did bring an outside person aboard my skills as a team leader were weak and ineffective. Finally, I started outsourcing some of my tasks, specifically technical and clerical ones, to those who were more experienced in these areas than I would ever be. My time was better spent on the few activities I was good at, which included mentoring new online entrepreneurs, writing and publishing, teaching and training, and creating information products. Everything else would be accomplished by one or more of my team members.

Michael Hyatt has recently written a post called Camels vs. Stallions: Knowing the Difference Can Eliminate the Friction on Your Team where he addresses the issue of team members being either managerial or entrepreneurial and how to help make your business run more smoothly by utilizing everyone’s specific skills. In it he says…

The trick is making sure they’re both going the same direction. Success requires integrating their unique contributions.

How can we do that? Here are three steps that enable the manager-enterpreneur distinction to drive success instead of frustration:

Recognize. It doesn’t take a zoologist to tell that camels and stallions are different. But organizations sometimes try to see managers and entrepreneurs through the same lens. The truth is they’re different—usually all the way down to basic temperament. Because they’re different, they both make contributions unique to them.

Appreciate. Next, we need to value these unique contributions. Appreciation is a critical factor for team success. Without managers, entrepreneurs don’t have anyone to hold down the shop. Without entrepreneurs, managers don’t have business for the shop. Until each can appreciate the other’s contribution, they’ll work at cross purposes.

Mobilize. Recognition and appreciation should lead to empowerment. It makes no sense to force stallions to carry freight or camels to race ahead on scouting missions. Success is only possible when teams mobilize members to do what they do best at least the majority of the time.

Managers and entrepreneurs are both prone to different mistakes. Managers may be tempted to see business as serving their rules. Entrepreneurs may be tempted to pursue business that ultimately hurts the organization.

I recommend that you read through Michael’s post and absorb the wisdom he shares there. I can speak from experience when I say that everything changed in my own business once I had my team building skills working for me. Currently I have fourteen people in half a dozen countries helping me to achieve my goals, and they each work to their strengths in the overall scheme of things.

What have been your experiences with team building as a small business owner or entrepreneur?

Public Speaking for Business Owners and Entrepreneurs

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Public Speaking for Business

I pride myself with being an observer of the human condition. By this I mean that I watch people regularly to see what works best and what does not work at all when they interact with others. Specifically, I observe what business owners and entrepreneurs say and do that wither helps or hinders their business efforts over time.

It came to my attention some years ago that the most successful business people seek out opportunities to speak publicly on any topic they are knowledgeable and experienced in. Being thought of as a public speaker raises you to another level in that others look up to speakers and tend to think of them as thought leaders, innovators, and those who are more intelligent than the average person. This can do wonders for your business if you are willing to refine your speaking and improve your delivery. Public speaking for business owners just makes sense.

My public speaking was awful when I began in 2006. It was the Santa Clarita Rotary Club that encouraged me to speak and helped me to overcome my fear. Within a year of speaking regularly in my city I was being asked to speak all over the country on various aspects of the topic entrepreneurship. Now I host my own live events twice a year and have spoken in several countries on three continents. But my business is predominantly on the internet. What I am suggesting here is that local business owners look for new opportunities to speak within the community and finally in a wider area for exposure and business growth.

Start with your own company. Provide yourself with situations that require you to create a short presentation on one of the topics you know well. Experiment with this to see if it goes over better with a PowerPoint or Keynote slide presentation, utilizing handouts, or just speaking from the heart. It will depend upon your topic, and remember there is no right or wrong way to speak to others. The key is to practice what you will say over and over and over again and to be open to constructive criticism and feedback so you can constantly evolve as a speaker.

Once you feel like your presentation is ready for a wider audience, contact local groups and organizations such as Rotary and ask to speak to the program chair. The best idea is to attend the meeting in person first and to have a one page information sheet about you and your topic to give to the person in charge of booking the upcoming speakers.

Keep your message clear and stay away from anything controversial, even if you know people in the room. It’s your job to present your information in a thought provoking way that leaves a lasting memory with people who hear you, so keep it positive and upbeat if at all possible.

Your topics do not have to be directly related to your business, but the idea is to make sure your audience knows who you are and what type of business you have within the first three minutes or so. One of the best presentations I have heard this year was from a woman who owns several physical therapy practices. Her topic was on the environmental impact of waste in the ocean on the sea creatures who live there. Within the first few minutes she explained who she was, what type of business she ran, and why she had become so interested in the sea. We were mesmerized by her slide presentation and the passion with which she shared her message. By the end of her talk the audience was ready to sign up for physical therapy sessions and anything else she had available.

By now you can see that public speaking for business owners and entrepreneurs alike is a great opportunity. Think about what you would like to speak about, overcome any fears you may have, and start speaking!

The 3 Marketing Mistakes Most Online Entrepreneurs Make

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Marketing mistakes can be costly. After working with online marketers for ten years now, I’ve seen them run into the same problem over and over again. Even though they have amazing things to offer their customers, they get stuck and stagnate.

I’d hate for that to happen to you, so let’s put a stop to that right now and talk about the 3 mistakes to avoid…

Mistake #1: Not Marketing Consistently

It never fails. Most new bloggers, affiliate marketers and product sellers get excited when they start out, so they tell everyone they can about their project. But then…

They don’t get the results they were hoping for and just give up.

They get some good results, but fail to keep it up.

The thing is, marketing is an ongoing process, but it doesn’t have to be a difficult one. It just has to be part of your overall business plan. Each daily plan needs to include at least one marketing item, so you develop a habit and stay consistent with your growth.

Mistake #2: Being Wishy Washy

Oh yeah, I see you over there nodding your head. I get it…you’re a blogger or you’re a writer. You’re not a marketer and the last thing you want to act like is a used care salesman. I do NOT blame you.

But the thing is, marketing is not the same as a high-pressure sale. If you do it right, marketing blends in with your content creation process. It becomes a part of everything you do. There’s nothing wrong with being proud of your work and recommending it to others and that’s exactly what a smart marketing plan does.

Mistake #3: Trying to Reinvent the Wheel

The world of online marketing can certainly be difficult to navigate, but what you need to succeed is right in front of you. See what is working with others and figure out how you can apply that to your own business.

Of course, sometimes that’s easier said than done. How do you know what’s really working and how can you apply the strategies without copying someone else?

Well, I’m sure you know that I’ve got your back and have the solution just right for you….

My friends Ron Douglas and Alice Seba have been at this for a long time. They know what works and what doesn’t, and they’re always willing to share freely. They’re the perfect example of marketers who don’t sound like used car salesman, but certainly aren’t wishy-washy. They engage their audiences by educating them and making them feel like they need their solutions.

That’s one of the reasons they opened up DFY Templates and I’m inviting you to join me over there. Each month, they offer you their fill-in-the-blanks templates to help you get your marketing done quickly and effectively. You have full rights to edit the templates how you’d like. You can even use them with your clients or brand them and resell them.

The special charter member opportunity expires very soon, so go here now and get the lowest price possible. I want you to have instant access to your first marketing template package and let me know what you think.

Team Building Techniques for Entrepreneurs

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Effective Team Building Techniques

Even though I work alone as an online entrepreneur, the truth is that I couldn’t do what I do without the help of other people. These people are part of my team, and I value each one of them for what they bring to my business. Teams rise and fall on culture, leadership, relationships, attitude and effort.

During the early 2000s I attended a series of courses and workshops meant to enhance personal development and self growth. One of these was called “Warrior Camp” and we were divided into four teams of about twenty-five people each. These exercises and activities were an excellent way for me to build my confidence and rise to the expectations of my teammates. After almost a week I was forever changed and understood the true meaning and value of team work.

Great teams have a great culture driven by great leadership. Relationships are meaningful and teammates are connected. The collective attitude is very positive and everyone on the team works hard to accomplish their mission. It’s all about teamwork. Sometimes you are the star and sometimes you help the star. If want to be truly great you have to work as hard to be a great teammate as you do to be a great player. When we work hard to be a great team member we make everyone around us better.

Your team doesn’t care if you are a superstar. They care if you are a super team member. Three things you control every day are your attitude, your effort and your actions to be a great teammate. It doesn’t matter what is happening around you and who you think is being unfair. Every day you can focus on being positive, working hard and making others around you better. If you do that great things will happen. One person can’t make a team but one person can break a team. Stay positive!

Make sure you don’t let energy vampires sabotage your team. Post a sign that says “No Energy Vampires” allowed and keep them off the bus. Most importantly, decide to stay positive. While I was working as a classroom teacher for twenty years I allowed people to drain my energy almost every day. It wasn’t the children, it was the adults. Looking back I would have handled these situations much differently.

Great team members hold each other accountable to the high standards and excellence their culture expects and demands. Team beats talent when talent isn’t a team. Great teams care more. They care more about their effort, their work and their team members.

Are you building great teams in your personal and business lives? I hope these team building techniques are helpful in your quest for excellence.

Time Management For Entrepreneurs

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Time Management For Entrepreneurs

I had never thought of myself as a time management expert, but when I came online in 2006 it was obvious that I was managing my time in a way that worked well for me as a new online entrepreneur. This led to a book I co-authored with the late Geoff Hoff, entitled Time Management Strategies for Entrepreneurs: Hoe to Manage Your Time to Increase Your Bottom Line. It became a bestseller and continues to rank highly.
It’s amazing how much some people manage to get done, while others seem to be stuck in a rut without enough time in the day to accomplish much of anything. But, here’s the secret. Everyone has the same amount of time in every single day. It’s one way in which we are all created equal. Everyone has the same twenty-four hours in a day. Here are some tips on how to get started with managing your time.

Track Your Activities for a Week

To get a real picture of how you spend your time, try tracking everything you do for at least one week. Use a small recorder to record when you start and stop any task, and include the time. Alternatively, just use an old-fashioned pad and paper. Don’t change anything for now; just live your life as you do.

Evaluate

Now look at how you spent your time. Organize each thing that you did into urgent, important, family, fun, and time suckers. Some things that are fun might fall into the category of time sucking and that’s okay, because you can place limits on some things to still allow yourself to have fun without going overboard into time wasting.

Assign All Important Tasks to a “To-Do” List

Everything that is urgent and important should be scheduled. Some urgent and important things will also be family things. Put it all into the schedule. Give it the amount of time you think it will take, adding a few minutes for padding to avoid run over and missed deadlines.

Schedule Fun and Down Time

Don’t forget to put time for fun into your schedule. Fun often goes with family and friends and it is a very important part of your life. The trick is to schedule the right amount of time and the right amount of fun, without intruding on the important and urgent tasks and activities that you also must do.

Spend Time Each Night and Morning in Planning Mode

Take the time each evening to evaluate how your day went, decide what could have been done better, or what needs longer or shorter times to accomplish. If you do this you will get better at creating a plan. Each morning take the time to look over your schedule to remind yourself what is coming up so you don’t forget anything. Never rely on just memory or you will get off track.

Create a Plan of Action for Each Activity

It doesn’t matter if the plan is for family time, for business, or something else – if you create a plan of attack for each item on your to-do list, you’ll accomplish it faster with fewer problems. One of the biggest time wasters is jumping from item to item. Stick to one thing at a time until it’s done and you’ll feel as if you have a lot more time in your day.

Train Others to Respect Your Time

If you have a business, especially if you work from home, you will often find that other people seem to lack respect for your time. The real issue is that you’ve not taught people to respect your time. As Oprah (or maybe it was Dr. Phil) once said, “You teach people how to treat you.” Are you teaching people to respect your time? If not, it’s time to start doing so.

Delegate, Delegate, Delegate!

Never underestimate the power of delegation for getting more time in your day. A good assistant can almost double your time. So while you can’t actually get more time, remember that everyone has the same 24 hours. You can create a situation where you duplicate yourself by hiring an assistant or outsourcing some mundane tasks such as housework or lawn care. There is no such thing as a successful CEO who doesn’t delegate.

Finally, it’s important to always be realistic about what can really be accomplished in any given amount of time. No matter how much you want to be, you’re not superwoman (or man) – you’re just a human who is doing their best to manage the resources they have. If something doesn’t get done today, move it to tomorrow. As you get better at scheduling, you’ll get it down to a science on how long it really takes you to do any particular task and you’ll have fewer days where you don’t succeed. Developing time management for entrepreneurs is a skill that will serve you well. And pick up my book, Time Management Strategies for Entrepreneurs: Hoe to Manage Your Time to Increase Your Bottom Line to make this a natural part of your daily routine. You’ll thank yourself for doing so, I promise.