Archive for the Making your Online Business Shine category.
Friends can help your online business. Perhaps you are curious about how, when you probably have friends who do not understand your online business. Yet there are ways your friends can help you, it’s a matter of knowing your friends, your needs and theirs.
Do you know who your friends are?
Even good friends may not understand your online business. This does not make them any less your friends. You can try to explain to them what your needs for online business success yet it is a far different world online and offline.
So what can you do?
By attending seminars, visiting online forums and using other forms of social media you are able to meet people who understand your needs. When I attended Unseminar 5 I was able to meet lots of great people who are still my friends today, who help me in my business. Some friends I met there told me about forums where they met other people.
How do friends help?
After developing friendships with people who have businesses online, you have a common bond. They also understand what you need. When you develop friendships with people online businesses they can give you advice and suggestions. They can also relate to what is going on when you are having trouble with your business or just need opinions.
What about your other friends?
This does not mean to get rid of old friends, however having people to relate to will help you. When you work at a business you have co-workers who share a similar work experience and this is why you want friends who can relate. These become your co-workers and helpers in developing your online business success.
Just like your co-workers work with you on projects, or help you, your friends online can help you with projects. You may also find some people who make great business partners. There are so many ways having friends who can relate to your business can help you.
Thank you to my many Unseminar and online friends who have helped me throughout everything.
30 days ago today I accepted a challenge from Connie Ragen Green. She challenged her twitter and blog followers to a 30 day blogging challenge.
Unfortunately I am kind of competitive, which is really bizarre because as far as sports go, I am clumsy. In most challenges, well, let’s just say I am typically an “also ran” for most things. Thus I have learned to not compete just so I don’t get worked up for nothing. Yet, with this challenge, being an “also-ran” has a benefit, so I took the challenge and ignored the competitive side. My goal to complete the challenge.
How do challenges help?
Depending on the challenge it can help in a variety of ways. Writing 30 blog posts is going to help get more material on my website. It means writing daily which forces me to increase my speed and forces me to write. This gives me something to talk about with my subscribers and gives me more ideas about things to write and share.
But what about online business success?
With more material on your website, subscribers have more reason to visit your website. The more often they visit, the more likely you are to sell something. Your business success depends on visitors. This also gives them more reason to respect you.
What about a different challenge?
A traffic challenge will bring in more visitors. Increasing social media will provide business publicity. Writing for other websites means outside links pointing to your online business. If there is a business related challenge it will generally mean more visitors for you. Any way you get more visitors there is a greater chance for people to buy! Connie competed in a challenge by Armand Morin “Better Your Best” and she improved her business by many little ways that help her make money without a job. In addition she won the contest and accepted a nice check from Armand Morin himself in front of everyone at Big Seminar 13 in Vegas.
What if the challenge is too hard?
Then you need to judge how much it will actually help your business versus how much work it will take. Something that is going to cause you to double your work load for a few visitors is not going to help you. However the increase is manageable and your visitors double then it would be worth the challenge. Your business will benefit and so will your wallet.
What if the challenge is just too much to do?
If the challenge itself is too much, but you like the challenge, change it. No, you won’t be able to compete, but you could gain the knowledge and the ability. Instead of doing 30 days of press releases do a week or two weeks, or do one every other day. Go for the 30 days or for 60 so you have 30 at the end. You learn how to do the press releases, you get more of them, and you build your reputation. What is not to like?
Your business success depends on your ability to bring people to your website so any challenge that does is a good one. Just make certain it is a challenge that will benefit your website. If it the challenge is too big, break it down into a manageable size.
Thank you Connie for the wonderful challenge!
MJ Schrader
After 4 days of discussing ways to make money with your blog it’s time for a slight change in subject. There are some elements which are very necessary for your online business success. For the next couple days I will discuss those.
Do you have a mentor?
For years I wanted to create a business online, I started working online 7 years ago. My income was minor, but it was there. At the end of each year I had enough money to pay for Christmas. This was not exactly the business success I envisioned.
Then 2008 I wanted more, my income increased but not enough. Finally in July of 2009 I decided to finally get a mentor. My business started growing, I learned little things to help my business succeed, while my blog makes money now. If you are curious about my mentor visit Pat’s Coaching.
How does a mentor help?
Having a mentor has meant someone who stirs me into action. He guides me along the path, without forcing me or the situation from school “it’s my way or else.” Business is not like that, there is not one correct answer. However there are times when we need assistance and direction. A mentor also helps give advice when you are stuck.
Is it worth a monthly fee?
Well, as a friend would say, “it’s worth testing.” If you decide you want to try a paid coaching program commit yourself to three months of training. You don’t have to pay them for three months, you may quickly find you and the mentor are not compatible. However if you like them, then commit to 3 months. It takes time before your business will see any success, so quitting too quickly could shut you short.
What is the last important factor?
Yes, a mentor can help you. Yet, only if you make a commitment to work, to aim for success and go for it. So like mentioned previously and will be mentioned again YOUR SUCCESS DEPENDS ON YOU!
What is an affiliate?
Being an affiliate means you do not need a product or service. By joining an affiliate program as offered by many websites you can recommend their services or products. Every time someone purchases with your link you make money. You do not have to worry about returns, refunds, your only concern is getting people to read your WordPress site.
How do you make money?
Rockstar Guide Books offers an affiliate program that pays 50% commission. You can add links, images, review the products and add them to your blog. When someone makes a purchase with one of your links you and your blog make money!
Join the Rockstar Guide Books Affiliate Program!
Do you want an example?
If you want to add affiliate income to your blog it is as simple as writing! Below is a sample, however if you were to join they have a wonderful training program. 
Here’s a quick review
I recommend “My Marketing Goldmine,” It is the site I use and has come in handy for a variety of reasons. First, this is where I host my sites. Second, they offer both affiliate and other online income training. Third they give users free products every month that can you can resell. Fourth after you join their site, they will tell you how you can become an affiliate.
Between the training, affiliate program, and products it’s pretty great, however their support department is over the top! The two men that run it, and their Virtual Assistant, I have never had to wait more than a few hours for a response when my website had problems even during Christmas! And honestly I wasn’t expecting a response that day so I don’t know how fast they actually responded.
People have been asking me some questions about writing blog posts. One of the biggest questions is what should I write about. Your readers are following you because your particular point of view on a particular subject appeals to them. That blog focus is what your readers care about most. BUT your readers are your most important goal. Write for them.
Can I write random posts?
One blog I read is seemingly random, but it’s mostly entertainment based. He is involved in community productions, theater, music, dance etc… he talks about the dancing and singing shows he watches. This gives him pretty broad room. While he discusses his life, his writing style is entertaining, and engaging. He mentions readers by name, and involves them with the various contests that he runs.
Should I include personal stuff?
On the flip side, if your WordPress is business, unless you are a robot, you’ve got a life. Making a reference to your life gives your blog a personal feel. (If you have children, many blog writers use code names for their children rather than real names.)
When you write a post about your life weave in the blog focus, lessons learned related to the focus, humor, or combine all of the above. This involves the reader and keeps the blog focus.
Your goal should you choose to accept is to succeed. Succeed in business, succeed in life, most importantly succeed in being you.
What is your comparison?
So often we compare our lives to others and we want to have success like Bill Gates, be a writer like Steven King, own buildings like Donald Trump. The problem with succeeding like others is that then it is not your own success, it is not your own triumph.
You cannot play like the blues like BB King and expect to be known as a successful blues player instead you will be known as a successful impersonator. Being known as a blues artist is a far better reputation than that of being an impersonator. Your success is fleeting and not your own.
How many times have you heard of the Elvis Presley impersonator that has worldwide reputation?
Yet so often we judge and base our own future and achievements on what someone else has done. Rather than take hold of our own achievements so many of us prefer standing in the shadows of someone else. Rather than be the best that we can be we compare our lives our accomplishments with others. And surprisingly then we are disappointed when no one recognizes us for what it is that we do.
It’s not who I am.
I cannot be Steven King, I cannot be Bill Gates. No matter how much I enjoy the writing skills and ability to create books like Steven King does I cannot be him. No matter how much I think that Bill Gates was insanely intelligent to corner the Microsoft market, I am still not him.
So my choice is simple I can be the best me I can be or try to be an impersonator and be lost in the crowd. I know what my decision is, what is yours??
While yesterday I talked about the advantages of working with others, there is one important thing that I forgot to mention. If you haven’t learned the one person who can really help you, you need to…
Who will help you?
There is only one person who will be fully committed to your future goals. There is only one who can help you to succeed. Without that one person’s commitment and work you won’t make it. No matter how much help you get. Who is that one person who wants you to succeed, no matter what? That person is you!
What happens without?
Even if you have the best help in the world, if you are not working towards your own future you will not succeed. If you do not choose to work on achieving your goals, and growing your business, losing weight, working out more, then none of that will happen. However once you make a commitment to achieve your goals, things will change.
What will happen then?
When you make your commitment to success, you start making little changes. Little changes lead to bigger changes, bigger changes, lead to your life changing. No, your goals probably will not happen over night however as long as you keep working towards them then your success is something that can happen.
Your success can be greater than you can imagine if you set your sights upon the furthermost star and work towards it. You can do it! Just commit to it and set your sights!
Unfortunately when you work by yourself, you may lack focus. You may think your voice is unimportant, and feel alone in what you do. Often it also means you have no one to be accountable to, so you don’t work as often as you should.
The last one is one I often fall prey to, which is sad, because there are lots of things I need to share with you! There are posts on how to keep yourself motivated, posts on becoming a better person, posts on encouragement, posts on improving your business, tips and advice, and helping videos. But the problem with all that stuff is that it’s in my head.
Sometimes I don’ know what to share with you, yet when I can talk to others, they help. Having a coach, having people to mastermind with, and talk business with helps. They give input on what is actually important, what you need to achieve for success. They can tell you what they want to see and why.
It for this reason that I am so glad to be part of Pat’s Portable Empire Coaching. He is a wonderful coach, with a gentle guiding hand. My fellow “classmates” are a great group of people whom I am well pleased to call my friends. After three unseminars I have met most of everyone that is in his coaching.
Looking down the Portable Empire Product page, I can’t help but laugh and smile. There are so many of these products that are so great. There’s hypnosis tracks that really help the mind, audios and ebooks to encourage and motivate you. A fun little lotion (that is actually great for very dry skin like I have).
Another great advantage of the stuff on this page is that they make great last minute Christmas item. Because these are all delivered digitally instantly you don’t have to worry about it arriving before Christmas! With the variety you are bound to find something.
However since I was talking business, most of these products can motivate you with your business. The reason that we were able to have products and have this page is because we work together as a team. While we each have our individual goals, we are able to hold each other accountable for goals that we set as individuals. Plus in talking, sometimes we collaborate and create goals as a team.
Like today, Today my job is to encourage you to visit the Portable Empire Product page. Why? The more people that visit the page, the more traffic each of us gets individually and as a whole. Of course when people buy we make money. And being unemployed right now that is very important to me.
So please do me a favor, a Christmas favor… visit the Product page. You may want to join us and have us as your teammates. Or maybe you will realize how much working with others can help your business.
Wishing you a Holly Jolly Christmas
MJ Schrader
PS. Please visit some of these other blogs today! We all worked on a common goal today to explain the benefits of Pat O’Bryan‘s Portable Empire Coaching.
Making resolutions is something done easily yet achieving those goals is not nearly as easy. You find reasons and excuses to wait until tomorrow. You seize opportunities to not to your goal for today, and then the next day, and then the next.
Do you use these excuses?
If you are trying to exercise, it’ll be too late, too early, too cold, too hot to exercise. If you are trying to spend more time with the family, you will use some of those excuses, and add in having a headache, not feeling well, not wanting to trouble someone. In your business, you may say no one wants my product, my service is not as good etc…
What can you achieve?
No matter what your goal is, you can find reasons why you can’t do it now or today. When you do not work towards your goals, it is like the fortune cookie I got the other day. “There is a 100% chance you will miss the shots you don’t take”
