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Think Big Start Small – SPQR – 10 Ways to Small Profits – Quick Returns

Introduction: Think as big as a Roman Emperor and start with small steps towards your own empire. The reason for a big vision is to have clarity of purpose. The reason to take baby steps is to get results quickly. The sooner you can get ‘returns’ the better. Returns may come in the form of feedback as much as from income or saved expense. There is no business that goes according to (business) plan. If you take those initial steps without having the big picture, you’ll soon be lost.

Plan for the Horizon: Be very concerned about what’s on the horizon-that’s where you’re headed, but be preoccupied with what’s on the agendaâEURothat’s what will get you there. Live your future now; if you don’t, it’ll soon be your past. The returns are going to be bigger if your plan is writ large. While planning is vital, allow yourself to grasp the unexpected-don’t avoid opportunities that pop up simply because they weren’t in the plan.

Sell Your Prototype: If that’s all you’ve got ready, sell it, at a big discount maybe. Or, even give it away (protecting your invention, of course). Getting feedback on prototypes early ensures you get the return of buy-in from others later and will ensure that you can make ‘Mark II’ better. That’s the whole idea behind software developers launching Beta versions for free. It’s the next best thing to being your own customer.

Work with Lead Users: You can collaborate with lead users, offering them special deals in return for being available for reference once your definitive product is on the market. When I started in business, I was very pleased to work from Day 1 with a company that was always being asked by others for advice. I offered more in use-value than was paid for, but the ‘return’ was generated over a long period.

Offer Service Before Products: There may be a way that you can sell a service before your product is ready. There are many services that you can perform if you have the expertise to produce products. Your knowledge will enable you to offer your time for sale more quickly than perfecting something that you have to manufacture. The fee that you earn generates the revenue that you can apply to the production process. the return may be smaller, but it’s sooner.

Stick to a Simple Range at First: You may have conceived a grand plan for your product range, but you should not wait until everything is in place before you start selling. Selling a few items will get the revenue flowing and more importantly, you’ll start getting customer feedback before you are fully committed. You can even go out and sell a spec that you fulfil once you have a signed order. This way you’ll avoid unnecessarily scrapping things that have not worked or were unacceptable to clients on a larger scale.

Test Drive Procedures: If you plan to open a restaurant to offer meals throughout the day, start by opening just for one meal only, say in the evening. Then you can use the day time for doing all the many things you need to get done before the full launch, like visiting suppliers. Your kitchen procedures that have let you down in the evening can be perfected in the closed hours the following day, without getting in the way of food preparation when you have customers waiting.

Sell Close to Home: Small clients close to home may not seem exciting and be without huge potential, but they will be easier to sell and sales costs will be lower. Getting paid is likely to be easier. If there’s a delay, you can visit the customer personally. Chasing payment long distance is always more problematic and you’ll need all the cash flow you can get to cover your operating costs. Your margins will be better short term if you can keep the cost of sales down.

Go for Low-hanging Fruit: You must plan on the big or complex sales that are going to give you the best margin eventually, but grabbing easily accessed sales, the ripe fruit, that is right near by will help you on your way, while bigger ones mature. The big return on these quickly-made sales is that the feedback-and-product-modification process can be accelerated. Little incremental improvements will soon add up.

Have Staff On Call: Of course you want to hire the people that you think you’ll need for the operation of your business, but if you take staff on to the payroll, you need to be sure that you can pay them on an ongoing and regular basis. Maybe you should be thinking about creative ways that you can get round that level of commitment. You can recruit staff on call. What work can you contract out? Can you pay by the hour-worked or are part-timers possible? Only undertake work that is absolutely essential. The return you’ll get from delaying recruitment is keeping cash in the business at the early high-risk stage.

Don’t Go for Broke: There are some startup businesses, like in hi-tech, where you may have to commit big sums of money up-front before you can sell a thing. But most startups work best if you work with as little money as possible. If you’re hungry, you’ll find ways of getting that vital revenue instead of capital. There are many entrepreneurs who have wasted vital time doing the rounds of investors when they could have been on the road selling goods. In any event, you’ll be better at attracting funding if you have a track record to back you claims.

Surefire Ways to Pack a Punch With Your Ezines & Newsletters

Newsletters, or ezines, can be an extremely effective marketing tool for your business. It puts your name in front of your potential clients, regular clients, and peers while showing your expertise and professionalism. It’s an excellent means to both market and grow your business and also show your existing clients your creative abilities.

What’s an ezine? It’s short for electronic magazine. It’s those e-mail newsletters that you receive on a regular basis. If you are not sending one out now, seriously consider doing so. It can make a big difference in both your business and your bank account. For example, I know one life coach who sends out regular ezines. Lately she acknowledged that she started getting 30+ people signing up every day! When you think about those 30+ new potential clients a day, doesn’t it make sense to utilize this as a regular part of your marketing?

Now the only drawback is to ensure your newsletter is worthy of being read. I subscribe to a lot of newsletters, but find I regularly only read a few upon their arrival. When I decided to create my own newsletter, one of the first things I did was to look at those newsletters I regularly read and determine what it was about them that made me want to read them. What sets them apart from the rest? One of the most important things I discovered was that they provided me with valuable information to help me in my business. They often provided information I didn’t already know. For example, some newsletters provide tips on search engine optimization, affiliate programs, or software shortcuts. Since I’m always looking to grow my business, this information is valuable to me. You normally have knowledge in a given field that others don’t, when preparing your newsletter, think about what expert knowledge you have or can obtain that would interest your targeted market. Now that’s what you want to add to your newsletter.

In writing your newsletter, keep the following points in mind:

Your Readers

oKnow your readers and what they want.

oAsk your readers for feedback and how to improve.

oTalk to your readers. Don’t just put information in your newsletter; think about that audience out there reading your newsletter. How do they feel after reading what you’ve prepared?

Your Writing Style

oUse short, simple sentences; keeping paragraphs short.

oWrite clearly and avoid slang or profanity.

oUse humor and keep a refreshing tone to your writing.

oKeep your tone friendly, but also professional.

oHave white space between the paragraphs.

oUse small graphics whenever applicable.

oInclude your logo for business recognition.

oUse bold or italics for emphasis, but don’t underline.

oUse plain text. (12-14 point)

Headings

oEntice the reader with your heading to ensure they read the article.

oHeadlines should be slightly larger than the other text.

oUse bold or italics and a good font, but don’t use all caps.

Content of Newsletter

oContent is king! Just like on your website, it’s vital to have your newsletter or ezine packed full of useful information.

oProvide articles written by you and other experts.

oProvide any new services or features you’ve added to your business.

oProvide links of relevant press releases, articles, other sites, etc. This gives readers more information that they can review.

oProvide case studies, facts not known, etc. Sign up for Google News so that you can get information your clients might not have seen.

oProvide a collection of valuable small business tips, testimonials, etc.

oProvide a personal message from you. Many enjoy hearing how you are doing and what’s new happening in their life and business.

oProvide humorous quotations or jokes.

oContests / Polls / Freebies / Quizzes / Games!! Let the fun begin. Why not include something that makes the reader look forward to taking a break from their busy day to read your newsletter?

The Final Step — Proofing

oMake sure everything is 100% accurate with no typos.

oMake sure you have permission for any copyrighted material.

oMake sure if you have sources, you have credited them correctly.

Most ezines are “opt-in,” which means that everyone who receives it has actually registered to receive it–they want it already. Now the only thing you need to do is provide them great information that keeps them wanting it every month.

What Are the Free Ways to Make Money Online?

Have you been searching for free ways to make money online? I did for a long time. There are many ways to choose from. Here are the top three that have helped me earn a steady income.

Affiliate marketing is a method in which you promote other people’s products or services for a commission of the sale price. This can be very lucrative in that many of the payouts are 50% or higher. So many people don’t pursue an online business because they don’t have a product of their own to sell. With affiliate marketing you don’t need one. The hard part has been done for you. What you do is find a product that you want to promote. Sign up for their affiliate program and use the free marketing tools that they provide. Market the product on your website or blog. When your readers purchase the product you receive a commission.

Use your website or blog to sell advertising space. This is one of the simplest free ways to make money online. Sign up for Google AdSense and when it is approved Google will start placing it’s advertisers ads on your site. If a visitor to your site clicks on an ad you are pd. a small fee. How simple is that? Your website or blog is already up and running so why not monetize it for all it’s worth?

Using free methods to make money online can be profitable but at some point if you want to increase your earnings you will have to reinvest in your business. In this case you should consider writing a short eBook on a topic that people need to know about and that you have an interest in. If you don’t know a lot about any topic don’t worry. You can research it and then write about it in your own words. The important point is it has to be about something that people want to learn or need to answer. Someone is going to provide it to them, why can’t it be you?

Free ways to make money online doesn’t have to be a dream anymore. It can be your reality. Everyday someone is starting an online business that will generate them a substantial income. All it takes is hard work and persistence. Will that someone be you?

101 Ways To Mold Your Mind

If you’ve ever tried to break a bad habit, chances are you know that it can be frustrating and seem near impossible to change something about yourself. The problem typically resides within your mindset – your subconscious belief structure that automatically governs everything you think and do.

I have struggled with personal development for years, and have the benefit of hindsight when it comes to analyzing what has worked and what hasn’t. For those of you new to the idea of molding your mind, I sat down and hammered out this list of effective tactics to help create yourself in your own best image. Enjoy!

Conscious Change – For some people, the best way to initiate a major change is to start consciously – focusing on actively guiding your thoughts and controlling your beliefs until they become automatic.

When nobody is around – shout out what you want to change about yourself, as if you’ve already done it. Be forceful and emphatic and make yourself believe it. The more powerful you say something, the more you will believe it. In time, you’ll truly feel like you have the power to create anything you want in your life.
Do affirmations right before bed – your mind is receptive and sleeping will help you internalize the information you just fed yourself.
To-do list with a twist – keep a to-do checklist with important tasks you need to get done for the day, but add a twist to the list by including how you want to do them. Incorporate personality dimensions you wish to instill in yourself and emulate them until they become a part of you.
Do affirmations when you first wake up – again, be forceful and emphatic and soon enough you will want to hop out of bed to do them because you will feel great afterwards, and invigorated to start the day.
Tell others about your goals and aspirations. It helps to be accountable for your successes and failures.
Think of someone you care deeply about who you would like to improve for. A significant other or important family member who you feel deserves the best from you. Strive to be the best you can for yourself and for them.
Think of someone who you can’t stand… who is always outperforming you or rubbing their successes in your face. Strive to be better than them in every way you feel is important. Sometimes competition can be an incredibly potent driving factor..
Internalize your successes by focusing on completing small goals whenever possible. Giving yourself the occasional easy-to-do task and thinking about it like a real accomplishment can boost your perceived self efficacy and give you the added will power to tackle those hard to reach goals.
Reward all progress in some way – no matter how small. Be smart about it (don’t binge eat to reward a successful diet week) but indulge in something you otherwise wouldn’t take the time out for. Whatever suits you best – just to have something mentally to look forward to the next round.
Enter a competition when you’re clearly not ready. Train for something. Enter a marathon or triathlon, structure a competition with a friend or coworker – do whatever it takes to give yourself a concrete reason to succeed.
Learn something new every day or week. Pick a random book on a topic unrelated to your education experience or work background. Encouraging the development of new mental models will help diversify your knowledge and expand your capacity for thought all around.
Take a free online course in something you know nothing about. Expand your horizons. Check out MIT OpenCourseWare
Write your affirmations out before or after you do them. It helps internalize them!
Record your affirmations and play them back on your iPod whenever you can for background noise.
Keep a “scrapbook” of images and stories related to people you look up to, things you want to accomplish or traits you want to develop in yourself. The simple act of thumbing through it every day for a minute or two can work wonders for your motivation.
Read success stories. Learn what successful people go through to achieve their success. Internalize it. Look forward to writing your own success story (or if you’re really ambitious, look forward to having someone write it about you..!)
Make a “quote board” with motivational quotes. A big poster will do – read them in your downtime for inspiration.
Turn off the TV – do everything you can to phase out mind-numbing programming from your lifestyle.
Ask “Did I make the most of this day?” every night before you go to sleep. Strive to answer a resounding YES to that question – but always be honest, or it is meaningless.
Blog about your progress. Try to get a few readers – just having someone to be accountable to can help you keep your eye on the ball.
Give yourself a big reward at the end of the tunnel – something like a trip or vacation to really excite you and keep you on the path to success.
Try your best to stop yourself from using self defeating language or thoughts. Whenever something pops into mind, question it and extinguish it, and move onto something more positive.
Meditate. Even 15 minutes a day can work wonders for your mind, and prevent frustration with the minutia of everyday life.
Take periodic breaks from studying/working. Give yourself a five minute break every 18-20 minutes, and a 15 minute break every hour for longer sessions.
Remind yourself that only you are in control of your destiny in life. Nobody else. You are more than powerful enough to handle everything that comes your way. Believe it and success is yours for the taking.
Take action right now – stop yourself whenever you start using the “tomorrow” or “next week I will..” self-talk. Today is the deed.
Model your behavior after someone. I have written about this at length on my blog. It can be a powerful tool for instilling positive traits within.

Concentration – Learning to master your ability to concentrate and focus on the task at hand can provide wonderful benefits in all aspects of life. These tips should help you accomplish just that, and prevent you from feeling overwhelmed or frustrated with your daily tasks or larger goals.

The best time to concentrate is after reading something that is inspiring – as you’re filled with desire afterwards. Make this a habit before doing something you know needs to be done (but you don’t really want to do).
Watch yourself during the day and make sure your muscles don’t get overly relaxed or strained.
Get in the habit of taking deep, steady breaths instead of short, rapid ones. Think internally about how meaningful each breath is. Your steadier breathing will make for a more relaxing and productive disposition.
When you decide to do something, eliminate all other tasks from your mind while you’re working. Thinking about other things while you’re working on something will only lead to frustration and poor quality of work. And by thinking about other things you could be doing, you prevent yourself from ever having the chance at achieving “flow” state.
Turn off distractions when you work or study – no TV, cell phones, iPods, etc… The only truly effective distraction (don’t lie to yourself and tell yourself you need TV) is not really a distraction at all – classical music from the baroque period has been shown to facilitate concentration and learning, due to its 60 bpm tempo.
Research shows that concentration works best in spans of about 18 minutes. Every 18 minutes, make sure to give yourself a little break (4-5 minutes) and return fresh and ready to push on when the break has passed. You’ll notice the differences right away.
Exercising and eating right can work wonders for your ability to concentrate – more on this below…
Prime your mind with the help of subliminal messages
Get in the habit of “practicing concentration.” Like anything else, it is a skill which can be learned over time. Do a concentration exercise every day for five minutes or so and soon (be patient) you will see promising results. We’ve included some helpful exercises, courtesy of SuccessConsciousness.com below –
Ex1: Take a book and count the words in any one paragraph. Count them again to be sure that you have counted them correctly. Start with one paragraph and when it becomes easier, count the words in a whole page. Perform the counting mentally and only with your eyes, without pointing your finger at each word.
Ex2: Count backwards in your mind, from one hundred to one.
Ex3: Count in your mind from one hundred to one, skipping each three numbers, that is 100, 97, 94, etc.
Ex4: Choose an inspiring word, or just a simple sound, and repeat it silently in your mind for five minutes. When your mind can concentrate more easily, try to reach ten minutes of uninterrupted concentration.
Ex5: Take a fruit, an apple for example, and look at it from all sides. Concentrate your attention on it and examine it from all sides. Devote the whole session to concentrating on it. Do not be carried away by irrelevant thoughts that arise. Stay with the apple. It could be any other fruit. Look at it and do not think about the shop where you bought it, about the way it is grown, its nutritive value etc, only about the object in front of you. Just look at it, see it, smell it and touch it.
Ex6: This is the same as exercise number 5, only that this time you visualize the fruit with your eyes closed. Start by performing again exercise number 5 for five minutes, and then do this one. Try to see, feel, taste, smell the fruit in you imagination. Try to see a clear and well defined image. If difficulties arise open your eyes, look at the fruit, close them again and continue the exercise.
Ex7: Take a small simple object such as a spoon, a fork, or a glass. Concentrate on one of these objects. Watch the object from all sides without any verbalization, that is, with no words in your mind. Just watch the object without thinking with words about it.
Ex8: After becoming proficient in the above exercises, you can come to this exercise. Draw a small geometrical figure, about three inches in size, such as a triangle, a rectangular or a circle, paint it with any color you wish, and concentrate on it. You should see only the figure, nothing else. Only the figure exists for you now, with no unrelated thoughts or any distractions. Try not to think with words during the exercise. Watch the figure in front of you and that’s it. Try not to strain your eyes.
Ex9: The same as number 8, only this time visualize the figure with the eyes closed. As before, if you forget how the figure looks like, open your eyes for a few seconds and watch the figure and then close your eyes and continue with the exercise.
Ex10: The same as above in number 9 but the eyes open.
Ex11: Try for at least five minutes, to stay without thoughts. This exercise is to be attempted only after all the previous ones have been performed successfully. The previous exercises, if practiced correctly, will endow you with the ability to impose silence on your thoughts. In time it will become easier and easier.
Read “The Power of Concentration” by Theron Q. Dumont for inspiring prose and great additional exercises.

Subconscious Change – Sometimes accessing the power of your subconscious mind gives you the added boost you need to reach your goals and attain lasting personal change. These tips I have found most helpful and tend to make for interesting conversation as well!

Record affirmations on your iPod (as in the previous tip) but play them back very quietly as you drift off to sleep. Use headphones if you are comfortable enough to fall asleep with them on. Leave the affirmations on repeat for the duration of your sleep.
If you use your computer primarily for web browsing and don’t need to run memory intense programs, then subliminal messaging software might work for you. The programs flash your selected phrases on screen quickly to be absorbed by your subconscious but not your conscious mind.
Select three to four videos from the Intelligent Warrior subliminal video series and watch them each in sequence, twice daily, for thirty days. You can find these powerful subliminal message videos available for download on my blog.
Download free self-hypnosis software online and try it out until you find something that works for you.
Google & YouTube often have interesting Self-Hypnosis videos. Find one you like. Bookmark it, and watch it until you see results in yourself.
Select one video from the Intelligent Warrior series, and watch it 5 times daily for thirty days.
Watch all seven videos in the Intelligent Warrior series back to back, once through each day, for thirty days.
Use free audio editing software to insert your affirmations in the background of some of your favorite music. It works best with instrumentals, but can be applied elsewhere as well.

Environment – For some, it’s not so obvious that your environment can have profound effects on your mood and mentality. These quick tips can help you master your environment and master your mind in the process.

De-clutter. de-clutter, de-clutter. I can’t say this one enough. Clutter in your environment leads subconsciously, and sometimes consciously, to clutter in your mind. It ignites frustration and prevents you from feeling free enough to work effectively at accomplishing your tasks.
Use color in your workspace. Sure, lots of bright color may not always appear “professional,” but if you’re working at home, that’s no excuse. Use a variety of bright, bold colors to give your workspace a flare. Color is inspiring to the mind and will awaken your creative faculties without you even being aware of it. It works unexpected wonders – try it and see for yourself!
Curves and circles are more inspiring and are more effective at activating the mind than are straight lines and squares. Where possible, incorporate curvilinear lines and odd organic shapes in your workspace – whether it be in actual design, the layout of your things, or something as simple as your schedules and to-do lists. Oddly enough, you’ll find that by doing this, and incorporating color, you will begin to naturally remember more of what goes on when you’re working.
Leave yourself sticky-notes all over the place. Remind yourself not only of what you want to do, but how you want to do it. Remind yourself to be helpful and enthusiastic – sometimes just seeing the note will be all it takes to flip your bad mood on its side.
Use natural light as much as possible. If you don’t have windows in your workspace, buy light bulbs that mimic the daylight spectrum. It provides less strain on your eyes, so you’ll be able to focus better without the frustration.
Try out some feng shui.
Put plants in your home office or workspace. Including plants will increase the oxygen levels of the room naturally, and provide a calming, organic feel to aid in relaxation when frustration starts to bubble up.
Play background music – calming background music. Try classical music from the baroque period, that naturally facilitates learning and concentration.
Use mirrors liberally – constantly “look in” on yourself to make sure you’re doing what you truly want to be doing, to guide yourself towards your goals.
Include a LOT of motivational pictures or quotes around your workspace. Framed photos are not only a nice touch aesthetically, but they can be used to constantly remind yourself of what you’re working so hard to attain!
Give your room a light color – don’t paint it anything dark or imposing. Dark colors will make the room feel small and bounded, and you’ll find yourself often frustrated quickly and easily, or slipping often into bad moods.

Fitness & Nutrition – While many people understand that good health is important, sometimes the additional benefits are overlooked. Maintaining good habits here can have profound effects on your self esteem and your overall mindset. Don’t believe me? Give it a 40 day test run and you’ll never look back…

If you love something that’s bad for you – don’t eliminate it totally – just make sure to practice moderation. McDonald’s once or twice a month isn’t going to kill you. McDonald’s every day is.
Work out, work out, work out! No matter where you are in life – thin/fat, young/old, depressed/happy – working out will elevate you to the next level. It’s no mystery. Try it and see for yourself. Don’t start and overwhelm yourself, but rather introduce a level of fitness that’s appropriate for where you’re starting off from. Gradually build on this base, and enjoy as you become healthier and happier.
Eat chocolate! No, not Snickers bars or Reeses Pieces… but dark chocolate. Try Lindt’s 85% cocoa dark chocolate for a satisfying indulgence. Natural chocolate is actually good for you. It is filled with anandamides – chemical compounds found naturally in the body that elevate your mood. Great for a quick energy boost as well.
Drink plenty of water – make sure you’re getting MORE than 8 cups a day if you want to truly see some results. If you’re not drinking enough now, it may be hard to adjust at first. But within a few days to a week, you’ll feel more energetic, less bloated, and ready to take on the world.
Get your fruits and vegetables – MORE than five servings a day is optimal if you really want to see some effects. You’ll be loading up on good sugar (natural energy) and giving yourself the vitamins and nutrients you should have been getting all along. Remember – we didn’t get to where we are now by eating jelly donuts and breakfast-in-a-box. Eating natural is the right way to eat, and incorporating as much natural food into your diet as possible will provide enormous rewards in the short and long run.
Get up and go running in the morning. If you can’t run, walk. Do something that gets your heart pumping and the blood flowing early on. It will be great for your mood throughout the day (thanks to the natural release of endorphins), and chances are you’ll find yourself better able to concentrate and focus right from the start.
Take fish oil pills to provide your body with good fats. Take more than the recommended dosage to get the best effect. Remember – they’re just fatty oils, and good fats at that, so you can’t go wrong by loading up. Your heart, and your brain, will thank you day after day (by working better for you!).
Have sex. Lots of it. If you have no one to have sex with, practice the other 100 tips. You’ll likely then be irresistible to the opposite sex and have no problem with this one.
Take a Gingko Biloba supplement to boost your memory naturally and effectively.
Stretch in the morning – stretching will help you naturally feel good and feeling comfortable in your skin will work wonders for your mindset.
Eat lots of fish. Fish oil is great for your brain and your heart. You’ll feel better and be able to concentrate better in no time.
Work out by lifting weights. Give yourself at least 6 weeks to see any results at all – but once your body begins to take shape you’ll start to love the way you look and feel. Your confidence will shoot through the roof and before you know it you’ll be itching to head to the gym. It’s tough at first to overcome the soreness and “out of place” feeling, but it passes quickly – I promise!

Appearance – Not surprisingly, changing your appearance can work wonders on your mentality as well. If you aren’t 100% comfortable in your skin, ask yourself “why?” Be honest. Work through it – the rewards are invaluable… self esteem is priceless.

Get your hair done. Not just girls, but guys too. Make sure you’re well groomed and looking your best. Clean, well styled hair is one of the first things people notice about others.
Be nice to your skin – take care to eliminate cuts, bruises, acne, etc… The products that help for skin are countless, but the best start is proper nutrition.
Keep your body hair well groomed – shave and keep trimmed. Even if nobody else notices, you will – and you’ll feel better about yourself for it.
Maintain a healthy complexion – a nice, healthy tan. If you’re uncomfortable with tanning beds or being in the sun too long, try a Dove “Natural Glow” product. They work well and don’t give you the orange look, but rather the healthy, natural complexion you want. Proper nutrition will give you a natural glow over time, as well.
Dress to impress.
Pay attention to detail in your wardrobe and your grooming. Your attention will get noticed, people will be impressed.
Buy at least one REALLY nice suit or business outfit to wear when meeting potential clients or partners for the first time. You deserve to feel as good and as confident as you’ll look.
Get a manicure – yes, guys too. When your hands are well groomed you will feel more confident about yourself around others – guaranteed.
Work on your posture – stand up straight and tall (just like your mother told you). You’ll look more confident, and soon enough you’ll feel more confident too.
When in doubt, overdress. Dressing up helps you feel good, especially when you take the tips in the Fitness/Nutrition topic to heart and develop an attractive, physically fit body as well.
Practice projecting your voice. Whenever you find yourself home alone, read things aloud as if you were delivering a speech. Focus on annunciation and emphasis where appropriate. Soon you’ll be naturally more charismatic and attention-grabbing around others.

Record Keeping/Journals – While for some people this can be a nuisance, it really can lead to profound effects in your overall personal development, especially if you’re the type of person to have trouble “sticking” to something.

Keep a daily journal for everything – all of your random thoughts. Don’t spend all day writing – that defeats the purpose. Instead, sit down every once in a while for five minutes or so and jot down your thoughts. Don’t structure them or worry about appearance – just write.
If you want to develop a healthier mindset, keep a nutrition journal. Microsoft Excel can help with this one. Simply by paying attention to what goes in your body, you will be more inclined to control what you are eating. The result? A healthier, happier you (with the records to show others how you got there!).
If you’re trying to get in better shape, keep a photo journal. This can be as private as you want it to be. Stand in front of the mirror with your digital camera once a week. Take a head on, and a profile picture, both flexed and un-flexed. At first, it can be intimidating and embarrassing – but within a month or two, you will be looking forward to the next picture… and maybe even showing them off to your friends and family.
Keep a nightly journal where you answer the question “Did I make the most of this day?” If yes, why, if not, why not? Striving for more “yes” entries and understanding what went wrong in your “no” days will help you stay on the right track to achieving the mindset you want and attaining all of your goals.
Write down one thing you learned each day, and review it at the end of the week. Commit everything to long term memory by internalizing it with contemplative thought and repetition.
Write down one thing you want to learn, each morning. Learn it that day.
Keep a brief time-log. Seeing how much time you spend on different tasks throughout the day can help you understand where you’re going wrong (or right). Make sure you’re not wasting too much time on activities that have no return!
If you’re striving to attain any goal at all – find something in that goal that is measurable. Measure the hell out of it. Seek to improve… all the time.
If you’re trying to mold your mind, chances are you’re trying to overcome at least one or two bad habits. Every time you encounter one of those bad habits in your day, step aside and write it down. Do your best to steer yourself in the right direction, no matter what it takes. Reflect on this later, and pride yourself on overcoming your old, bad self!
If you’re close to someone, have them jot down thoughts about you during the day as well. Sometimes, seeing yourself through someone else’s point of view can help you figure out what you’re doing wrong, or right, or open your eyes to things you didn’t even know you should be working on improving. Make sure you choose someone who cares about you and who will not pass judgment, but rather give you an honest view of yourself when you ask for it.

Last but not least, read my Blog daily! This one speaks for itself 🙂

10 Ways to Promote Your Business Using Mass Media

Never rely on search engine traffic to support the bulk of your marketing efforts. The risk of doing this a greater than you think.

Search engines are constantly changing and evolving to stay one step ahead of spammers and unethical optimization practices. Recently, thousands of Web sites that were #1 in the Google search engine for many years suddenly found themselves on page 10, 20, 30 or worse.(This actually happened in September through early November 2005 due to a change in the Google algorithm.)

It is crucial to remember that your “natural rankings” or “non-paid page placement results” in the major search engines of Google, Yahoo, MSN, AOL and Ask Jeeves are free. Search engines do not guarantee the inclusion of any Web site in its search results.

That’s why a solid marketing plan will have diversity. In today’s advertising universe, media channels are converging. Television, radio and print are driving viewers to Web sites and Web sites are becoming 24/7 advertising mediums that supports them all. The World Wide Web allows us to re-experience commercials, music, messages and imagery.

The news media outlets and commercial broadcast companies use the World Wide Web to extend their reach into our homes and businesses. For example, after every HBO special of Rome, they drive viewers to the HBO series Web site to see additional clips and features. Fox Broadcasting did this with their popular military series “Over There.”

Think about it – the World Wide Web supports and extends 99.9% of all mass media communication including the federal, state and local governments. From the Wall Street Journal to the White House, Web sites have proliferated at an incredible rate of 10,000 new Web sites a day.

Global businesses are competing 24/7 for their fair-share of your attention with millions of dollars at stake. How in the world can small businesses compete? Fortunately emerging technologies and the Internet have helped level the playing field. Small business has a distinct advantage when targeting regional niche markets using mass media. Here’s how…

1) Placing Ads in Print Media

Basically there are two kinds of print advertising; newspapers and magazines ‘classified and display’. Classifieds are the small ads towards the back of the publication, while display ads can be almost any size depending on the publication.

Advertising in the print media can be expensive, and for most home businesses it won’t be economical. This is where you can really benefit from the expertise of a media or public relations specialist. My company contracted with David Rourk of Rourk Public Relations. David knows where my ad is going to get the most bang-for-the-buck. He also knows which local, regional or national publications reach the client base I want to target.

2) Buying Radio advertising

Once your business grows to a decent size, you may consider buying some radio time. But ad-buyer beware! You could get a big response. Maybe a little too big! Thanks to the immediacy of radio, you could get mobbed the next day, so make sure you have a support system in place to handle multiple inquires via the phone, Web site, emails and walk-ins. If you have a Webmaster or you can do this yourself, load a digital copy of your radio commercial in your Website for your customers to revisit. I did this for of my Web clients, Easy Money Now, featuring multiple radio and TV commercials.

3) Advertising on the Television

Unless your business is getting big, this would be a bad idea. You’d have trouble producing and airing an ad even on local cable channels for less than $5,000. Of course, if there’s a market for your product and you’ve got the budget for this, you could take the plunge and make a mint. Purchasing air-time or ‘media buys’ is a tricky business. Again, this is best left to a professional who has your best interests in mind. A public relations or advertising professional knows the best station and time slot in which to place your commercial. If you have a Webmaster or you can do this yourself, load a digital copy of your commercial in your Website for your customers to revisit.

4) Advertising on Billboards

If you do this right, a billboard campaign can be very effective. Billboard ads are relatively expensive, but they do generally stay up for a long time,and they can be specifically targeted to an area. Phone numbers and addresses are pretty useless, whereas your Web site address will extend your reach providing your URL or domain name is easy to spell and remember. If you have a domain name that is difficult to remember, consider acquiring a second domain name for advertising purposes.

5) Advertising at the movies

One type of advertising that often gets overlooked is cinema advertising. If you arrive to the cinema early, you’ll see local business ads followed by big-budget ads. This can be a great place to advertise relatively inexpensively in quite a high-profile way. Contact your local cinema chain and compare advertising rates.

6) Organic Advertising

There are multiple types of collateral advertising that help “brand” your business. These include printing, stamping or embroidering your business name and Web address on the following;

1) Pens, pencils, coffee mugs, coulees

2) Golf shorts, t-shirts and ball caps

3) Presentation folders, invoices, fax cover sheets and calendars

4) Bumper stickers, window stickers

5) Phone system ‘infomercial’ about your company for clients on-hold

7) ‘Grass Roots’ Advertising

Nothing beats the basic “meet and greet” or “smile and a hand-shake.” Get your name out in the business community. Check online and the local newspapers for business networking groups. Your local Chamber of Commerce would be a good place to start. Talk to community leaders, private business schools, and associations about business programs and events in your area.

8) Press Release Advertising

PR is popular because it is cost-effective and it works. Sending out a press release is just one example of free PR. There are many reasons for sending out a release: introducing a new product or service, celebrating an anniversary, winning an award, reaching a milestone and so on. Doing this on a regular basis is key to keeping your name in front of your customers and prospects’ eyes and being on the top of their mind when it comes to awareness. Popular forms of PR for the World Wide Web and print are; Writing Articles, Newsletters, Letters to the Editor, Online Forum and Blog Participation and offering Free Reports or (white papers).

9) Web Advertising (Web Marketing)

The most effective Web based advertising I’ve used is “targeted business directories” or business specific directories. For my business this would be any directory having to do or related to Web design and development. There are thousands of business specific directories to include: real estate, law, construction, engineering, flowers, bridal and so on. To find a directory that has top search engine presence on Google, Yahoo or MSN Search and type-in a ‘frequently used search phrase’ relating to your business, products or sevices.

10) Web Site Development

When you surf the Internet, the first impression you get from a Web site is its design. Much like a storefront, it either looks attractive and professional, or it looks shoddy and questionable. A powerful Web site design creates a sense of trust and respect between you and your on-line visitors. The site explains its purpose clearly and quickly, and why a visitor should spend time browsing it.

A Web site is your 24-hours, 7-days-a-week advertising brochure. Take time to plan, research, design and implement your Web site with a professional firm.

As you go through the process of selecting a Web design company, one of the keys to success will be the questions you ask. Following are some questions that will help you find the best company at the best price:

Important Web Design Questions to Ask

– How do you maintain communication with the client?

– How many designs of the home and interior pages will you provide?

– How are any design revisions handled?

– Do I get to keep all ordinal files and source code used to create my Web site? (Some of these ordinal files may include Photoshop files, Flash movie files and database files.)

– Do you charge for minor revisions once the Web site goes live?

– Do you provide a Web site maintenance plan? At what cost?

– Will you submit my Web site ‘manually’ to major search engines?

– Do you build ‘search-engine-friendly’ Web sites?

I Need to Know Who a Phone Number Belongs To – Ways to Discover Who a Phone Number Belongs To

There are several different methods you can use if you decide “I need to know who a phone number belongs too”. The first is to simply call back the number and see who picks up. If you don’t want to be traced then you could call from a mobile phone or hide your caller ID. There are other, more sophisticated methods though that can work just as well. Here are two of the most common in more detail.

Google has a “PhoneBook” function which is extremely useful for looking up phone numbers and works for both mobiles and landlines. All you need to do is visit Google.com and type in “phonebook:number”. This will bring up any results that Google has in its database that include the number.

The problem with the Google phone book method is that it only returns numbers that are found somewhere on public sections of websites. If the person trying to call you has never disclosed their phone number online then it’s unlikely that Google will be able to find it. This is the case for both mobile phone numbers and landlines. For this reason the method is more effective when used for business numbers but varies greatly when looking at home numbers.

The other method to match a phone number to a person is to use a free or paid reverse phone lookup website on the internet. One of the major advantages of these websites is that they have access to the national database of phone numbers making it easy to find out who owns a particular number. The downside is that these websites don’t have access to mobile or unlisted numbers. That means that if the owner of a number has removed his or her phone from the national directory then the website won’t be able to find anything.

Another advantage of a lookup service is that in some cases you can gain access to additional information including the person’s address and date of birth.

Choosing a reverse phone lookup site isn’t always easy because there are so many. It’s vital that you choose a company that uses an up-to-date database – there is no point finding out who owned a particular number several years ago. The more recent the database the more likely you are to find the right owner. You should also avoid paid services unless they can provide you with a high level of service. Some paid websites don’t provide anything extra compared to the free ones.

12 Ways to Keep Your Data & Identity Safe Online

How to Boost Your Digital Security for Peace of Mind

From the recent Facebook data breach to compromised customer data at huge companies like FedEx and Delta, personal security is more relevant than ever.

In fact, it might even seem that our data is under attack!

While you can’t always prevent data security issues, here are 12 ways to help you protect yourself in this fast-moving digital age:

1. Stop sending sensitive information digitally.

This may seem like a no-brainer, but many people email tax documents to their accountant, or text a password to a family member in a pinch.

2. Beware of public Wi-Fi.

Anything you send in a coffee shop or airport can be intercepted by someone on the same network. Consider using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) when you’re out and about.

3. Secure your texts.

Whether you use a free app like WhatsApp or a paid Android or iOS solution, there are lots of end-to-end encryption options, ensuring only you and the recipient see messages.

4. Stay up to date.

If you don’t, you could be at risk for malware, viruses and cybercrime attacks. Make sure your operating system and software are updated – many devices do this automatically.

5. Worry less about wireless.

Secure your wireless network with a password so nobody can jump onto your Wi-Fi network and steal info.

6. Be cautious of clever email scammers.

Today’s phishing emails can have links that lead to realistic-looking websites. Never give out passwords or other sensitive info by email, text or phone unless you’re sure that you’re talking to the actual organization.

7. Lock down your laptop.

Make sure your laptop requires a password when it boots up. That way, if it gets stolen or prying eyes try to access your device, they’ll be stopped before they start.

8. Wipe out data.

If it’s time for a new laptop or smartphone, make sure your data isn’t hanging around. Once you’ve backed up any data you need, use a software program to permanently erase your hard drive.

9. Choose security questions wisely.

Avoid using common words in your passwords. Period. Google estimated someone would have a 19.7% success rate answering “pizza” to “What’s your favourite food? Customize questions or pick harder ones to guess.

10. Avoid sites that aren’t https.

Https stands for “hypertext transfer protocol with secure socket layer” (otherwise known as having a SSL certificate.) Sites without an “s” on the end are not secure if you are being asked to make a purchase or submit private/sensitive data that could get intercepted.

11. Pay attention to privacy settings.

Choose who can see the content you post on sites like Facebook and Instagram, and who can view your profile.

Opt for the highest level of privacy possible but be aware that some settings will prevent potential clients from seeing your posts, so find a happy balance that won’t sacrifice your social media marketing efforts!

12. Back up your data.

If your device gets stolen or compromised, what happens to that work report or your niece’s baby photos? Schedule automatic backups through your operating system or a cloud service.

While even the biggest and brightest companies can be hacked or otherwise attacked, these online security tips can help you reduce some of the risks.

Also, if you’re hiring a web professional developer to help with your business, make sure they’re well-aware of current security issues. We build websites with our clients’ safety in mind and perform regular security updates for ongoing peace of mind.

10 Ways to Market Your Mobile App

1. App Store Optimization

App Store Optimization (ASO) requires many of the same factors that go into great SEO tactics. Things like keywords, titles, and descriptions play a role in the app store listings, so leveraging the right tool to understand these variables can really set your app for a path to a top-tier ranking.

Optimizing the keyword tags in the App or Google Play store can really benefit how your app is found. The keyword field allows you to associate your app with certain terms. The key here is to not repeat or use too many variations of the same word which could be portrayed as spam. A good tip is to conduct SEO type test to figure out the best keyword tags to use. You should ask yourself questions like “Which words describe my app?” and “Which words are my competitors using?” Once you get a feel for what words work best for you, be sure to be creative in your choices. Being unique could possibly help you drive traffic your competitors aren’t getting.

Titles are also an important aspect to take into consideration. Much like a title page for SEO purposes, the app name serves as a relevancy signal that the app store algorithms can pull search results from. Many companies include keywords into their main title to help pull their app to the top of search results within their category. A common mistake is to not include the actual name of the app into the title. The overall goal is to have a strong presence as a brand, therefore people need to know your name and not just what your app does.

When you have everything above figured out, it’s now time to write the description for your app. This should not be a painful task. The key here is to keep it short and sweet. You have to keep in mind that when someone is reading this they are not going to spend a lot of time looking at the description on their phone. Leave plenty of white space so that it is pleasing to the readers eyes and less cumbersome. Bullet points or asterisks are commonly used to list benefits of which your app brings to the end user. Sentences should be broken up with a mixture of long and short (5 words or less) sentences to keep the reader engaged. If you want to learn more, we have previously written extensively on the importance of good keywords in the app store.

2. Social Media Integration

Social media integration in an application has been emerging in popularity among many app developers. Giving users the ability to invite others, share gameplay, and view leader boards is a popular and useful aspect for increasing virality. Essentially it is free marketing for your app. When a user shares their recent high score or fitness goal on their social media pages they are then spreading the word of the app to their friends. This increases the number of views and in turn raises awareness of your application. All of which happens without you lifting a finger. Another side effect from this is that it implements a type of competitive atmosphere amongst friends to outdo the other persons high score or have a longer run tracked.

3. Press Kit

Having a press kit readily available is a proactive move to help expedite your marketing efforts farther down the line. Once you have an established microsite for you application you may get a couple of reviews, but to really market your newly developed app, you need to be able to provide quality material that other people can utilize. If people want to write about you, they may not always have the time to contact you to receive useful materials for them to use.

Materials that should be included in your press kit include high-quality icon of your app along with screenshots of the app in use. These will help expedite those bloggers or journalist that wish to write about your app to have official high quality visuals that can be used in their articles or blogs.

Another essential part of your press kit should be all of your relevant press releases. This helps individuals know the “history” of your mobile app and keeps them in the loop on upcoming updates or other company news. By doing this it will also establish a rapport with your audience because they will have a better understanding of you and your mobile app.

If you really want to go above and beyond you can add a company profile page. This can detail your company history and your staff. Links to your social accounts is also beneficial so that people can learn more about you and read what other people are saying.

4. Forum and Discussion Board Outreach

Identifying where your desired audience or key demographic congregates online is an important marketing aspect to identify. There are many technology and mobile applications blogs filled with individuals that read and keep up with news on mobile applications. This is especially helpful if your app is designed for a specific group. For example, if you app is designed to assist joggers track their daily runs, then posting relevant topics about your application on fitness discussion boards or blogs can be beneficial.

When reaching out to these forums the key is to not spam the blog with your business. Many blog and discussion boards ban users who post promotional material on their comment sections. Posting beneficial information and answering any questions is a good way to start. After you have built a rapport as a thought leader then you can start back linking information to your site or post an article about your product.

5. App Profiles

When it comes to marketing a new app raising awareness is an important aspect to increase downloads. The creation of app profiles on sites such as Appolicious and others like it is beneficial to do. With these profiles you can add a description of your app along with a link to the App or Google Play store that allows the user to download it. This is a simple and easy way to increase the awareness to your desired target audience.

6. Influencer Outreach

Along with reaching out to forums and other relevant blogs, contacting industry thought leaders or influencers for reviews is another avenue to market your app. Having reviews of your app is good, having a reviews written by a respected thought leader in the industry and posted on a respectable site is even better. Many of the popular influencers in an industry have millions of engaged followers that read their material daily. So to have a review written on your app by an influencer in the mobile application industry will give you an increased amount of awareness and possibly downloads (as long as you receive a positive review.)

You can go about this by identifying them (you already know who they are) and contacting them about a potential review. You can provide a promo code or demo to access your app for free. This is where the press kit would come into play. In your request you can attach your press release with all the relevant information we talked about above, therefore accommodating them with all the information and resources they may need.

7. Social Media

It is no secret that social media is a popular medium and can be utilized as an effective marketing tool. Creating pages specifically designed for your app on all social media channels is something that is strongly recommended to really engage your target audience and see their discussions. With a plethora of possible outlets that include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, to name a few, you have access to a vast population and you have the ability to find which ones work best for you. Keep in mind that these pages should compliment your overall company social accounts. Just like the app store, make sure your company name is on these social pages so that you increase your overall brand awareness.

Managing these accounts is another aspect of social media. Making sure you devote time and effort to monitor your different pages is crucial to really benefit from social media. Think of it as a window into viewing your consumers thoughts and concerns. The better you monitor and all the comments and questions the better you can learn how to improve your product which in turn will increase brand loyalty.

8. Teaser Campaign

Whether it be creating hype over a potential release date or providing an incentive with a promotional campaign, a teaser campaign is a good way to get your audience excited and engaged. This can be done as simple as producing a short teaser trailer paired with a “Coming Soon” animation on your microsite. If you have the resources you can also run a promotional contest or giveaway. To manage this you may even collect email addresses to keep people informed on updates. The more people you drive to your site and social media accounts the bigger the engagement and therefore building a community of followers.

9. Set Up Google Alerts

Setting up Google alerts can be beneficial to track what people are saying about your product. This beats visiting each individual site separately to see if there is a new review of your app. These alerts can can also help you research the app industry or competitors. Instead of doing extensive research across different sites to keep tabs on your competitors, you can simply set up an alert to advise you when any relevant news surfaces about your search query. All this information is easily emailed to you with the latest relevant Google results (web, news, etc… ) based on your queries.

10. App Discounts

Lastly, individuals like to get things for free or for a discount. By providing discounts on specific days related to your application is a good way to get your followers engaged and excited. The key is to be creative. For example, if you have a zombie based mobile game, a good time to provide a promotional offer would be in October – around Halloween time.

There you have it. A complete top 10 list of ways to market your app. Of course there are hundreds of potential ways to market your mobile app, however this is a solid start. Stay tuned for more updates to come on how to get the most out of your mobile marketing efforts.

5 Ways You Can Develop User and Google Friendly E-Commerce Mobile App

Globalization has connected the limitations for business and communication as like never before. With the initiation of eCommerce, the internet is renovated into a gigantic marketplace. Masses of successful trades have appeared with the eCommerce technologies and there are zillions folks to come. Although there are countless success stories to lookout for, the fact is that achieving success in eCommerce is not very straightforward. With Ecommerce Website development Company that achieving a leading part of the market it is tough to build a captivating USP for your business.

To attain and maintain customers you have to offer the perfect buying experience possible. The important option is to build a best buying experience is to link with consumers at eachtouch point and offer an amazing service. However, we provide the touch points in eCommerce business the major two to popular in the crown are mobile and website. Various businesses make the blunder of avoiding their app or not creating one in the leading place.

Let’s discuss about 5 ways to develop user and Google friendly ecommerce mobile apps:

1. Intuitive Design:

A need of design of your store that plays a crucial function on how buyers act in your app. With a consideration time of less than 8 seconds. It is imperative that your users must be able to simply understand the app interface. Building a most intricate design with a wide range of animations and also do text in the anticipation of inviting the user will at all times boomerang. When it comes to the user interface ease is the way to go. This will increase the user experience with the ease of accessibility.

2. Security:

Just in case of eCommerce, you may ask for lots of information from the consumer. Some of this information also comprises bank account details, credit/debit card info, address, and more. It works without speaking that you have to make sure your app is protected. You cannot just ask for such personal information and leave it for the hackers to thieve it. Do pay attention on the safety level of the app and make sure that there are no drawbacks at all.

3. Great Images:

When it comes to Ecommerce Website Developers, your images interconnect your brand and also your product. A very common slip-up made here is that individuals incline to save expenses experienced on a professional photographer. Taking snaps of product images from mobile or making use of poor quality or stock images will upset your company’s image. You need to make sure that your worth is well connected with your images.

4. Social Media Integration:

People dislike procedures. The lengthier questionnaire you provide them the superior inducement they will have to bounce the process and choose the app they have previously registered for. With the assistance of social media integration, you can also ease the registration and login procedure. Furthermore, you can allow the users to share their great experience of buying on social media which can assist you receive a perfect following and tittle-tattle publicity.

5. Easy Checkout:

The regular cart desertion rate is just 67.91%. This is typically caused due to rating concerns, competition, look for superior options, and many more. With an intricate evaluating procedure, you only provide your consumers different reason to ignore your cart. Continue the checkout process is very easy, direct and clean. Likewise, you must make sure that you provide all types of choices that a user may wish for starting a transaction. You can also offer an integral mobile wallet system to soften the process to the best possible amount.

Also know the 5 reasons ecommerce importance for your business and how you can get the benefit from getting online this year!

Widen Your Brand

E commerce is a perfect way that can take your brand to a higher level of market in the world. By offering the best products 24 hours throughout the day as well as online consumer service, blogs and social media, no extended is your business one remarkable store, with an online existence your business can be the homemade of your products and the universal home of your business, that allow you to completely develop your product varieties without having to apprehension about relocating locations or distressing about not being able to grow your business.

More Convenient

An online store exists throughout the day, daily meaning your consumers can go to your store for all times, it doesn’t matter what their schedule may be. Today, people don’t every time have the time to physically go for shopping, in spite of increasingly people are opting to shop online to locate the items they require and if your business can provide this for your consumers there’s no you must not attract to a broader range of clienteles all searching for an accessible and flexible experience.

Enhance Your Reach

Due to the internet’s convenience, thousands of people worldwide can check your website at any point, it means for those watching to develop their trades and extend to a bigger audience, you have lots of opportunities to work. Compare the number of people you can spread through a website to the amount you can stretch through a high way store or local advertising, without any reason you must not look at receiving your business online if you’re considering to increase your reach.

Provides You Marketing Opportunities

Your website is one of the finest marketing tools for your growing business has, this not only can the utilize the SEO when designing your site that heads to more possibilitiesof your business that is establishing in search engines, but a vast number of marketing practices can also functiontogether with your website, comprising pay per click advertising, your social media marketing and your email marketing, these entire comprise of links back to your website.

High Scalable

As your business develops it is almost certainly you want to cultivate your product choice and your target audience, as well as progress your business for customer requisites and consumer demand. An ecommerce website allows you measure your business as per as, enabling you to add more lines, comprise more payment choices and although develop when you opt to deliver without any concern about transforming your location or relocating to a bigger premises as you could with a brick and mortar store.

3 Easy Ways To Increase Sales For Your Small Business

Having started my business career using the more traditional bricks and mortar business route I know only too well how difficult it can be to increase sales for a small business. Sadly, nowadays it is even harder for local businesses to survive as more and more of us opt for the more convenient route of ordering our goods online… But are there any “tactics” that small businesses can employ to lure more of us to buy their goods or services?

Mobile Marketing-Promoting To The Converted

Many local businesses miss out “big time” as they waste too much valuable time and resources chasing new customers when the real money (and consistent income) comes from marketing to existing customers. After all, people who have already bought from you will already be aware of the quality of your product or service and providing that the buying experience that they had with you was good, then chances are that they will buy from you again and even encourage others to buy from you as well… They just need a little prompt or reminder that you are still open for business.

One of the easiest and most instant ways to promote to existing customers is to use mobile marketing. Let’s be honest most of us now carry our mobiles with us 24 hours a day and more texts are opened straight away than any other form of communication.

Indeed, most of us now provide a mobile phone number as our first point of contact as opposed to the more traditional landline contact number. Therefore all you small business owners out there need to make a point of storing these valuable mobile numbers and start using them to promote your business via a cheap text messages. Don’t worry of you don’t know how to get started as there are affordable training packages out there that will show you step by step how to set a mobile marketing campaign.

The best way to achieve instant results for your business by using this method is to promote an offer or a promotion. Let’s be honest we all like a bargain so simply offering, for example, a free glass of wine to customers who book a table at your restaurant on a quiet evening will help to attract more business. Even though it will cost you a glass of wine, you will more than make up for it by filling empty tables with paying customers.

Mobile marketing can benefit other small businesses too including texting appointment reminders for businesses like dentists or doctors, luring people into car showrooms via Bluetooth messages, promoting special offer up sells for businesses like beauticians or health spas. There are endless benefits that using mobile marketing as part of your local business marketing can offer, not least of all that it’s cheap, quick and offers instant results.

What Is A Business Without A Good Website?

I am amazed by how many local businesses are still not online. Given the ever growing popularity of the internet, small business that are not promoting their business online are losing out on massive income potential and are passing that business onto other business savvy owners instead.

Creating a website for your business does not have to cost a fortune… In fact some websites even offer free templates that you can use. You then simply need to purchase a domain name and some hosting for your website. If you lack the confidence or knowledge to do this yourself, there are websites out there that offer a way of outsourcing this task to others quite cheaply, simply check out outsourcing sites for that offer that type of service. Often you can put a bid on the outsourcing websites that will invite people to bid for the work. This can be a great way of getting the best value for your money.

Again, there are training packages available that offer step by step training on the best ways to create a website for you business together with the cheapest ways to drive traffic to the website including how to get onto page 1 of Google.

Without a doubt, regardless of what small business you own, it is vital to have a good internet presence to ensure consistent sales for your business.

Business Blogs- Seeing The Bigger Picture

It’s often quite challenging to persuade small businesses to start blogging. They fail to realise that writing a blog can significantly increase sales for their business; most sadly fail to see the bigger picture.

Blogging takes time but if you are consistent, your business will begin to see dramatic results. Blogging for your business can help you to connect with people, especially if you are careful to write in a style that is unique to you and that you offer valuable content. If you are careful to offer useful advice within you blog, then you will help to promote yourself as an expert who people can trust, which will result in the reader buying from you rather than your competitor. It doesn’t matter what business you own, whether you’re a dog trainer, a piano teacher, a shop owner or a driving instructor, writing a blog can offer an affordable and fun way of getting your business noticed.

You can then drive traffic to your business blog by sharing the link to your blog on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. There are also opportunities available, (for a small monthly fee) for small businesses to use existing high ranking blogging sites to promote their business.

These are the 3 ways that I personally consider to be the most effective way to increase sales for your small business. They are methods that I have personally used, with success, within all of my businesses as they are affordable and create instant results.