Archive for Home Business
Enthusiasm is Key to Home Business Success
Posted by: | CommentsOne of the most important traits for successfully managing a home business is ENTHUSIASM. Where do you fit on the Enthusometer – dead in bed or leaping to greet the day?
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Are You Mature Enough to Manage Your Own Business?
Posted by: | CommentsCreating a successful business takes patience, persistence and time. Are you mature enough to handle that?
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Creating the Right Conditions for Entrepreneurial Success
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I was devouring a recent issue of Discover magazine (yep, I’m a bit of a nerd) when I ran across an article about how the U.S. government is spending $4 billion to launch an expedition to Europa – one of Jupiter’s moons. This is “quest for life” stuff, and NASA seems to think that this icebound moon could be the best place to find life in our solar system. There are two theories: one that makes it highly likely conditions are ripe on Europa for the beginnings of life and one that would make it highly UNLIKELY that we’ll find life there. It’s all about having the right conditions.
In the case of Europa, the “right conditions” hinge on the thickness of the ice that makes up its fractured and frozen surface and the amount of heat generated beneath that ice by its unusual orbit. If the heat is intense enough and the ice thin enough, the ice might be melted almost to the surface – allowing sunlight and organic matter to penetrate to the oceans below and create a very promising biological soup. If the heat is less intense, we might find a thick layer of warm ice that would behave much like glaciers here on Earth and that would provide a much harsher environment for beginnings of life.
Probes will begin launching in 2020, so it’ll be a while before we get our answers.
What’s a Moon Got to Do With My Business?
Ok, you say. What does this have to do with the price of tea in China? Or, better yet, how can this help my business?
It has to do with the ability to influence your environment.
The conditions on Europa are what they are – and will either promote life or not. YOU, on the other hand, have much more control over the conditions impacting your business efforts. But are you exercising that control? Are you treating your business like a business or just an expensive hobby? Are you constantly learning and seeking the advice of more experienced business leaders in your industry? Do you have a business plan or are you just flying by the seat of your pants? Are you enthusiastic about your business – and do you convey that enthusiasm to your customers or clients?
Europa will reveal her secrets in due course. YOU can make changes on a daily basis – and for considerably less than $4 billion – to improve your business prospects. Are you following through on your “quest” for a business life?
Bye for now!
~ Deborah
Hard Times Give Birth to Healthy Entrepreneurs
Posted by: | CommentsAre hard times good for our health? According to a recent article by Christopher Ruhm that may well be the case. Ruhm tells us that a one point increase in the unemployment rate sees a corresponding drop in total deaths of up to half a point. Assuming this is correct, WHY does it happen?
Some theories suggest that with fewer people working there are fewer people on the road to be involved in car crashes. Apparently a one point uptick in the jobless rate results in up to a 3% decrease in traffic deaths. Would you believe that there is also a significant decrease in heart attacks during hard times? Lifestyle changes designed to stop or curtail spending may be part of the reason. During an economic bust period we tend to exercise more, cook at home more, and spend less (and therefore consume less) on alcohol and tobacco.
Rules for Success and Health
I have a different – albeit unscientific – take on the situation.
In many ways, getting laid off is a very freeing experience. Suddenly your time is your own and you decide how to spend it. You have more time to spend with family and friends. You can spend more time on hobbies you enjoy – or take up new ones. You can give back to your community in a very personal way instead of just by writing a check.
Have a Talk With Your Inner Entrepreneur
You also now have the time to have a good long chat with your inner entrepreneur. Is this the right time to finally strike out on your own instead of looking for another 9-5 grind? Could this be how you continue to have time for all the personal pursuits you’ve recently rediscovered?
It can be. You CAN create the lifestyle you want by working smarter, not harder. You CAN set your own schedule – doing something that you love. You CAN have all the advantages (and then some!) of people with J-O-Bs without the down side. You CAN have it all: the money, the time, family and community involvement. You CAN have the freedom.
And when you are in control of a situation, isn’t it less stressful – even if you’re working hard?
So, if you’ve been hit by the unemployment ax – or even if you only think it’s headed your way – view this as the opportunity it is to change the direction of your life. Not only may you be happier; you could end up healthier as well!
Bye for now!
~ Deborah
Aspirational vs. Value-Oriented Email
Posted by: | CommentsNot only should we carefully choose our words when creating content of all kinds (ad copy, web content, email, etc.) – we should also consider whether or not words are the correct medium for the job. A picture CAN BE worth a thousand words, and it’s up to us to know which approach is called for in a given situation.
In a recent blog post by Chad White, we learn why high-end experiential brands often choose pictures over words. However, he also sites examples from these same high-end brands where words are a more effective approach.
Read Chad’s post to learn more about the secret language of sales.
Bye for now!
~ Deborah
Leadership Advice: Become an Expert in Your Industry
Posted by: | CommentsIf you’re looking for a way to stand out in the crowd, one way is to become a recognized expert in your field – someone everyone else turns to for information and advice. If you know a lot about what it is you do and you’re willing to constantly be learning and sharing, becoming an expert might be on your short list of rules for success.
This article by Susan Payton not only tells you HOW to become a recognized expert, she also explains WHY it’s a good idea. Among other things, being an expert helps establish yourself as an industry leader and helps convert followers to sales.
Visit Susan’s article to learn where to go to keep on top of events and news in your industry and how to share your knowledge to become an expert in your industry.
Bye for now!
~ Deborah
About The Science of ReTweets on Twitter
Posted by: | CommentsRan across a very interesting article that unearths some useful facts if you Tweet. Everything is important: the day and time you Tweet, what punctuation you include – even the number of syllables per word! Although based on quantifiable research, these Twitter tidbits also offer useful advice, such as:
- - “120 is the new 140,” meaning that if you want to be ReTweeted you should leave enough room for someone to add a RT and their user name
- - Which URL shortener do you use? It matters!
- - Ask politely and people will ReTweet for you.
If you Tweet, you’ll definitely want to spend a few minutes reviewing this article on the science of retweets on Twitter.
Bye for now!
~ Deborah
The More Keywords the Better?
Posted by: | CommentsTimes have changed regarding keyword strategy for your business. Less is now more.
Here’s a nicely crafted article that explains the new reality regarding keyword strategy and research.
Bye for now!
~ Deborah
Understand Intention to Build a Profitable Keyword List
Posted by: | CommentsWhen someone types in a keyword or keyword phrase in a search query they’re asking a question – and unless you can figure out what the REAL question is your keyword list will miss the mark and won’t be a source of viable leads. Since dialing 1-900-PSYCHIC isn’t a realistic option (for most of us anyway 
) figuring out what question is being asked and, perhaps more importantly, which question(s) are being asked by people looking for what you’re selling requires some thought and analysis.
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What’s the Real Question Your Keyword Is Asking?
Start with a keyword or keyword phrase that’s relevant to the category you’re investigating. We’re in the throes of the play-offs as I write this, so let’s look at the keyword “baseball.”
Using your web browser (Firefox and Chrome work well for this) start typing in a search for “baseball.” The browser will throw up a list of suggestions before you type in the entire word. Let’s take a look at that list:
Think about the mindset of the person typing in each of these baseball-related terms. Someone typing in “baseball” is fishing; they don’t really know what question to ask so they’re looking for ideas. On the other hand, someone investigating “baseball card values” is probably looking to buy or sell a card – or maybe they’re thinking about starting a collection and want to know if it’s something they can afford or if it would be a profitable endeavor.
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Using Negative Keywords
Even within a long-tail keyword like “baseball card values” there are a variety of questions that are important to understand, particularly if you buy or sell sports memorabilia. Is this person looking to buy or sell a card or are they simply researching in order to write a school paper about the declining value of baseball cards? If I sell baseball cards for a living I’m probably NOT looking to attract the person writing a research paper, right?
This is where negative keywords can play a valuable role. Let’s search again for “baseball card values:”
If I don’t buy or sell “Topps” brand baseball cards, I should probably include “topps” as a negative keyword. “Database” seems a bit too research oriented, so I’d probably include it on my negative list as well.
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It’s All About Effective Keyword Strategy
Think strategically and understand these three things to begin building an effective keyword strategy:
- - Know what questions are being asked.
- - Decide which questions are relevant to your business.
- - Decide which questions are irrelevant to your business.
Include keywords or negative keywords based on these results and you’re well on your way to creating a profitable keyword list.
Bye for now!
~ Deborah
Listen and Compromise for Project Success
Posted by: | CommentsI’m about to reveal a time when I fell head first into the slop and still managed to come out smelling like a rose. By ultimately thinking like an entrepreneur, I was able to get my way as a small fish in a very large corporate pond.
A few years back I was the e-business manager for a business group within a Fortune 50 corporation. In addition to wearing all of the Internet and e-commerce hats for my group, I was also part of a global interactive marketing team whose members shared space (and a content management system) on the corporate web site. The site was organized in a very product centric way, but my business needed to add some customer centric content aimed at each of the vast array of vertical markets we targeted (construction, education, health care to name a few). Because of the way our content management system worked, I needed buy-in from all the groups before we could proceed.
We All Know What Happens When You Assume
Within my group this was a golden idea and I was receiving high praise for suggesting we put this project in place. Consequently, I assumed this was a slam dunk, no brainer idea and didn’t take the time to “test the waters” with the key stakeholders OUTSIDE my business group. Big mistake.
I also had the supreme arrogance to simply put this idea forward as something we were going to do during a global conference call with probably 50 participants on hand. A bigger mistake.
I was now oh for two and decided to step out of the batter’s box to collect myself.
Listen Up
After licking my proverbial wounds I took a tentative step back into the fray. THIS time I actually had one-on-one conversations with key stakeholders – or I had chats with very small groups.
Here’s what I discovered when I listened: People actually liked my idea!
Huh? I had to be hosed off to get rid of all the metaphoric rotten tomatoes heaved my way during that original conference call.
People liked the idea, but instead of seeing it as an opportunity they saw it as more work on already overflowing plates. There had been many rounds of layoffs in recent years and everyone was understaffed and overworked. My idea, as originally presented, was adding insult to injury.
Compromise
Now we were getting somewhere! I knew what the problem was and simply had to find a solution.
It was actually fairly simple. My group had quite a bit of suitable content already prepared. The other groups had similar products targeted to different tiers or perhaps slightly different verticals. I offered to work with them to help tweak our content to suit their needs – and I offered a more relaxed time line for publishing the content.
Happy days!
The Moral of the Story
These things hold true whether you’re an entrepreneur working with colleagues and customers, a marketing maven getting the word out via social media, a corporate employee, or a work from home Mom:
- Never assume. Get all the facts. Talk to all the stakeholders before you put a plan together.
- Always listen. Even if you can’t include their ideas, people appreciate having a voice. And the bonus is that you just may hear your next best idea!
Bye for now!
~ Deborah
