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Creating Multiple Streams of Income for Your Network Marketing Business is Essential...and Easy

Sat, 23 Jan 2010 02:22:34 -0500

There is a lot of power in creating multiple streams of income.

That means having many different sources of income coming in various forms for various things, and the majority of these sources are residual.

Creating multiple streams of income is not only smart, it is essential for network marketers.

Why? Three main reasons.

1. Most people think that their primary mlm company will always be there for them, but that isn't always the case. Do any of these scenarios sound familiar? A network marketing company goes bankrupt, gets shuts down, changes their compensation plan, makes a bad business decision, sells the company, changes volume requirements, switches to an affiliate structure, changes management, etc.

You might not think this can happen to you but these things happen all the time in network marketing. And unless you are the owner of the company, you can never know anything for sure.

2. The other reason network marketers need to create multiple streams of income is that it can take time to build a solid residual income through network marketing. If you are building your business online or offline, building a list of prospects, converting them to customers and business builders, and creating duplication all take time.

In the meantime, you can earn income upfront when you diversify through multiple streams of income.

3. The third reason network marketers need to create multiple streams of income, is that if all you do is offer prospects your main mlm opportunity and they aren't interested, then that's it -- game over, they aren't interested in you anymore.

However, if you share helpful educational information from you upfront, even if they don't join your primary networking business, they will still be open to other things you have to offer and still be connected with you.

So what can you offer that:

- Is educational and provides upfront value for your target market

- Supports your prospects no matter what primary mlm they are with

- Creates multiple streams of income

- Creates passive income?

There is an advanced marketing system that allows you to market a highly effective educational information product that you get paid on each time someone purchases this material; AND this system has over 30 different streams of income that are marketed on your behalf just by properly marketing the educational content.

It is called The Renegade System and it was created by Ann Sieg.

And the only requirement is that you have purchased a highly valuable report called The Renegade Network Marketer.

As a Renegade, you have two free products, e-books written by Ann Sieg, that you can use in your marketing. This provides instant credibility and value to you as you use these in your marketing funnel.

The 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing and The Attraction Marketer's Manifesto are the free ebooks Ann Sieg has provided for you. If you haven't read them or it's been a while since you've read them, I highly recommend rereading them. It's valuable information for you.

Included in the Renegade System are your affiliate links for over 30 products and services that are essential for building a successful business online.

Things like hosting accounts, autoresponders, shopping cart systems, internet marketing training programs, copywriting training, and mentoring programs.

When someone downloads your free report and then purchase any of these essential business tools - no matter what primary mlm they are with -- you get paid, creating multiple streams of passive income.

Using the Renegade system allows you to build your list by providing upfront value for free. It allows you to automatically generate multiple streams of income so you can monetize while you are building your network marketing business.

It is powerful and it is a smart way to do business.

**** Start your Renegade Professional Training NOW for just $1. Get a FREE Copy of the 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing and take advantage of the $1 offer on the next page ***

Three Questions to Determine if Your Small Business Marketing Strategies Are on Target

Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:40:56 -0500

Nothing is worse than pouring your heart and soul into your marketing, only to be ignored.

It can trigger feelings of frustration, insecurity and fear. You might feel like all of your time is wasted and you will never reach your goals.

Not to fear. All is not lost.

What you need to know is WHY people are ignoring your marketing.

Here are three questions to ask yourself if you are not getting the response you want from your marketing.

#1. Is Your Marketing Targeted?

To be found and heard online, all of your marketing has to be strategic and targeted. That means you need to identify a specific niche and focus all of your marketing on that niche. A "niche" combines your WHO (target market) with your WHAT (what solution are you helping your target market solve or what goal are you helping them achieve). To learn how to identify and attract your ideal niche, be sure to read my free report.

#2. Is There a Clear Call to Action With a Compelling Giveaway?

The Internet creates a level playing field for small businesses. Virtually anyone can implement a large-scale marketing program using blogs, article marketing, video marketing, and social networking.

Your goal is to get people to go to your site or landing page, and provide you with their name and email address. In exchange, you give them something for free which they perceive as valuable. This is known as an “ethical bribe”and might be a free report that teaches them something they want to know about, an audio interview with an expert in your field, an e-course, access to your Ezine (newsletter), access to a live or recorded webinar, etc. Once you have their contact information, you can then use an autoresponder system to continue to correspond with them, and build an ongoing relationship of trust.

#3 - Is Your Self-Doubt Sabotaging Your Marketing?

Getting a less than desired response to your marketing doesn’t mean that you’re not good enough or that you’re not going to be successful. In fact, you could end up creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. Ask yourself whether you are allowing your self-doubt to permeate your marketing message. Are you watering down your marketing because you are afraid that you can't deliver the results?

The beauty of marketing online is you can switch your marketing message or call to action with just a few keystrokes. Don’t be afraid of what people will think. If they haven’t been paying attention they won’t notice anyway, so no worries.

Ask yourself these three questions and don't be afraid to reach out for help to improve your results.

What is the Difference Between a Niche and a Target Market?

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 23:31:44 -0400

Niche and Target Market Defined

There are different definitions of niche and target market, and sometimes the terms are used interchangeably. Here is a good working definition of target market and niche.

A target market is the group of people most likely to buy your product or service. They are the people to whom your product is being marketed

A niche adds another dimension. A niche combines your target market with what you are helping them with.

Niche =

target market (who)

the problem you are solving/need you are fulfilling (what)

For instance, if you are a business coach, your target market might be writers, while your niche could be writers who need to learn how to promote an ebook.

The key to understanding niche marketing is realizing that people don’t buy a service or product, they buy a solution. That solution can help them solve a problem or achieve a goal. When you become the solution provider for your target market, you are a winner.

Focus on the Solution

There are different ways you can identify your target market. You can use demographics (such as age, gender, education, income), or psychographics (e.g. lifestyle, values, psychological make-up). I would encourage you to think about your target market as a group of people who share similar challenges and goals.

Think of it this way. Say you are a coach and you are trying to sell your coaching services. Most people don’t really understand what coaching is, nor do they have to. They just need to know what problem you solve. Maybe you help them lose weight, or have healthier relationships, or a deeper spiritual existence. They don’t really care how you do it, they just want to know what results you will help them achieve.

The same is true for network marketers. People aren’t interested in your opportunity or product, they just want a solution to their problem. Suppose you work with a health company and your target market is working mothers with school-age children. What is the biggest problem your target market faces? One of their biggest problems is not having enough energy to get through their day. Your nutritional supplement can help them meet that need. Another of their biggest problems is the lack of a more flexible work schedule to allow them to spend more time with their families. Having a work from home business can help them meet that need.

Whether you approach things from a business or a product standpoint, you always have to first think about your target market’s needs, and come from the place of being a solutions provider.

Learn how to identify and attract your unique target market. Get a copy of my free report "Ten Steps to Finding and Attracting Your Ideal Niche".

Marketing Segmentation: How to Identify Your Target Market

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 21:52:57 -0400

The whole foundation for your business begins with marketing segmentation and truly understanding your target market. If you don't understand your target market, then all your marketing efforts will be wasted. You might know you should do it, but so many entrepreneurs skim over this step. Learn why marketing segmentation is so important, how to identify your target market and what to do with this information.

Marketing Segmentation is Your Foundation for Success

The key to a successful business is talking to the right audience -- the people who are interested in what you have to say, and what you have to sell. In other words, you have to reach your target market.

Let's start with a definition of a market. A market is a segment of the population that shares a common need or desire, and is motivated to buy something that satisfies that need.

A target market is a subset of a market. More specifically, a target market is a group of people most likely to buy from you.

What Your Target Market Can Tell You

Understanding your target market is marketing segmentation at work. It allows you to:

1. Sharpen your marketing efforts -- The more you specialize, the more your target market will see the value of your services because you speak directly to them.

2. Differentiate yourself -- The best way to differentiate yourself is to market your business with a distinct group of people in mind.

3. Cater your services to their needs -- By understanding your customer, you will be better able to serve them, and in doing so, generate more sales.

4. Shorten your sales cycle and increase profits -- The beauty of target marketing is that it provides a focus to all of your marketing activities, making your business more efficient.

Marketing Segmentation -- How to Identify Your Target Market

Here are five steps to help you identify your target market:

1. Identify their demographics. What is their gender, age, income level, background, profession, etc. It really helps if you can personally relate to your target market, so you can connect with them in a genuine way.

2. What are their concerns, worries, fears, problems, challenges and painful circumstances? The goal of any business is to provide a solution that fulfills a need. In order to provide a tailored solution, you have to first understand their needs and concerns.

3. What are the reasons they are having these worries or concerns? Go one layer deeper and get inside their hearts and minds. This will give you the insights you need to fully relate to your target market.

4. What are their dreams, aspirations, wishes, goals, wants, likes and needs? What are the things that motivate them most deeply? What would they like their lives to look like? Wants are even more powerful than needs when it comes to buying decisions.

5. What is stopping them or holding them back from achieving their dreams and goals? What self-limiting beliefs are holding them back from accomplishing their dreams and desires? What situation or person (perhaps themselves) is stopping them from realizing their goals?

You might not have all the answers but do your best. That's why its so important to pick a target market you can relate to. And what you don't know, find out.

Target Market Research

1. Personal Information

Speak with members of your target market, including existing customers. Look at the requests people make, the questions they ask, and their complaints.

2. Public Information

Visit online groups, blogs and forums that are geared to your target market. People tend to tell total strangers things that they wouldn't otherwise say.

What do you do with Information about your Target Market?

1. Hang out where they are online -- There are so many different social networking sites and every industry seems to have sites that cater to them specifically. Search Google until you find where your target market is socializing, then join that site and get to know people. Do NOT start spamming or pushing your services.

2. Talk their language -- Part of marketing segmentation is understanding what your target market is searching for online. What keywords or keyword phrases are they searching for? What keywords are used by people most likely to buy, vs. just looking for free information? Your goal is to find the keywords used by people willing to buy a product or service online and for which there is an acceptable level of competition. Keywords are at the heart of SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Don't be afraid of SEO. Here is some free SEO help for beginners.

3. Create content geared to your target market -- Reach your Target Market online with INFORMATION, not sales pitches. You need to provide content that is valuable to your target market.

4. Understand what sets you apart from your competition and communicate it clearly to your target market -- In other words, identify your Unique Selling Proposition or USP. Your USP is a sentence or phrase that explains what distinguishes you from your competitors. It is the answer you give when someone asks "Why should I buy from you?"

Learn How to Attract Your Target Market

Don't waste your time with non-targeted marketing. It is a waste of your time and money. Get a copy of my free report, "Ten Steps to Identify and Attract Your Ideal Niche".

The Difference Between Marketing and Sales and How to Be Successful at Both

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:08:31 -0400

Do you know the difference between marketing and sales?

Do you know the one key to being successful at both?

If not, then read on...

There are many definitions of marketing, but the one I like best is by Ann Sieg, author of Attraction Marketer's Manifesto, The 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing and The Renegade Network Marketer.

Ann Sieg says marketing is is what you do to attract qualified prospects, and sales is what you do to close the deal and build relationships with people.

In other words, the definition of marketing is everything you do to reach and persuade prospects to give you a chance to sell them. Sales is what you do to close the sale and get a signed agreement or contract.

If you think about it, the sales person would have no one to sell to if it weren't for the marketer.

If you are doing business online, it is the same idea.

The marketer's job is to drive people (or traffic) to the website. Once there, you want them to take an action -- maybe fill out a form requesting more information, subscribe to your mailing list, or buy a product.

The sales person is the one who forms a relationship with the prospects and closes the deal. You might have their contact information such as a phone number so you can personally call them and follow up. You might have their physical mailing address so you can send them a personal card. Or you might just have their email address, in which case you want to send them compelling and information-packed emails.

Of course, if it is your own business, you are probably wearing both hats -- you are both the salesperson and the marketer.

So what is the key to being good at both marketing and sales?

Good marketers and sales people have one thing in common: they both begin by putting their prospects first. In fact, they take it one step further and really get into the hearts and minds of their customers.

For any marketing or sales message to be compelling, it must go beyond the rational, logical thinking and strike the right emotional chord.

Typically, far too much emphasis is put on the product, and far too little on the person doing the buying. What are their hot buttons, their core emotional desires?

Keep two important principles in mind:

People buy with their emotions and justify with logic.
People rarely buy because of features. They mostly buy because of benefits.

So before you start rattling off a bunch of facts or features, ask yourself, "so what?" Put yourself in their shoes. What does it mean to them specifically and how will it benefit them?

How will this knowledge benefit you? It won't unless you learn from it and apply it. Learn how to identify and attract your ideal niche. Get your free copy of my report, "Ten Steps to finding and Attracting Your Ideal Niche".

To your success!

Free Copywriting Training with David Garfinkel and Ann Sieg

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:36:04 -0400

Would you like to learn how to inspire even your most reluctant prospects to take action?

It might be persuading them to open an email, visit your website, or read your blog post. Convincing them to provide their contact info in exchange for a free special report or newsletter.

Or influencing them to purchase whatever you're selling.

http://cindyschulson.renegadeproblog.com/wealthexperimentAnn Sieg just interviewed this guy by the name of David Garfinkel. David Garfinkel is considered by many to be the world’s best coach on teaching others how to create highly profitable ads. And how to do it FAST.

Last year Ann Sieg paid David Garfinkel $35,000 to personally train three of her team members for six
months.

With David’s help Ann Sieg and her team were able to put together a marketing campaign that turned into the biggest launch in internet network marketing history.

They were able to generate over $1.1 million in sales in less than 72 hours...

David is renowned for his powerful marketing skills, as well as his ability to teach these skills to beginners.

Ann Sieg recently interviewed David Garfinkel in which he shares some valuable insights.

http://cindyschulson.renegadeproblog.com/wealthexperiment/

In this interview, you will learn:

The mindset you need to adapt to be a succesful copywriter
Some simple steps you can use to increase your sales, without getting any more traffic to your
website.
How you can apply Ann Sieg's million dollar launch strategies to your own business
The most powerful form of copywriting ever
How you can sit in on the closed-door training sessions that David is doing with Ann's team.

This interview is as much of a mental transformation about the way money is made as it is about producing short term results.

The interview is absolutely free.

Go listen to it now, apply what you learn, and watch your business transform for the better as a result.
http://cindyschulson.renegadeproblog.com/wealthexperiment/

Learn how you can benefit from David Garfinkel's expertise with the Ultimate Copywriting Crash Course.

Is Internet Marketing for MLM Dead?

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 19:52:51 -0400

Is internet marketing for MLM dead? The reality is that internet network marketing is getting saturated. So what can you do if you want to build your network marketing business online? Listen to this video to learn how you can make internet network marketing work for you. You can also sign up to receive a free internet marketing training video series (just click on the picture below).

If you are new to internet network marketing, or have been trying to make it work for you but aren't seeing the results you would like, then its time to stop, breathe and figure out the best ways to move forward. The information shared in these videos offers some solutions. They aren't the only solutions, but they make good sense. Take the time to listen (the videos are brief and concise), and then share your thoughts below (remember to include your link to help build traffic to your own site:)

Attraction Marketing and the Five Types of Marketing You can Choose

Sun, 31 May 2009 02:01:34 -0400

When you first get started in attraction marketing, it can be overwhelming. It's really important to start with just one or two key areas of marketing on which you can focus. Choose those areas based on your interests, skills, personality and budget. Below is a very brief video that shows you five types of marketing and helps you evaluate which areas are best for you.

p.s If you’re interested in learning more about setting up your own marketing funnel with a customised plan based around your personal interests and skills, then register for a free account with Renegade University where you’ll be able to learn more about this type of attraction marketing.

Is Network Marketing Recession Proof?

Fri, 15 May 2009 20:47:16 -0400

As more people lose their jobs or fear losing their jobs, people are looking for ways to generate additional sources of income. They want income is that is recession proof. One industry that has proven to be recession proof is network marketing.

According to USA Today, "Direct-sales businesses... are seeing their sales forces rapidly expand as the nation's unemployment rate soars to nearly 9% and those who lost jobs and nest eggs look for new ways to make money."

Niel Offen, president of the Direct Selling Association, confirms this. "We're recession-resistant in the sense that more people come to us during economic hard times for supplemental income or replacement of a lost job".

While industry totals for 2008 are not yet available, there are clear indications that recruiting among direct sales and network marketing companies is onthe rise. For instance, Avon saw its U.S. sales force grow to more than 680,000 through March, its largest ever. Silpada Designs says its sales force in the U.S. and Canada was up 11.8% on May 1 from a year earlier, while Isagenix saw a 30% increase in its sales force in March from a year before.

While recruitment is up, results are growing as well. It has been predicted that more millionaires will be created in network marketing than in any other industry over the next 10 years.

The other factor fueling the growth of network marketing, is the growing sophistication of marketing techniques being used by representatives. Old school techniques of chasing after friends and family and calling cold leads, are being enhanced by new school attraction marketing techniques. With attraction marketing, you can literally attract qualified people to you rather than chase after them. You do this by creating valuable information that your target market is seeking, most often on the Internet.

To learn more about how attraction marketing can help your business, whether it be network marketing or otherwise, contact Cindy Schulson for a complimentary consultation. You can reach her at 619 318 8688 or email cindy@homebusinesswins.com

In the meantime, take 3 minutes to view the video above to learn how you can recession proof your life. This video is by McKay Earl, creator of The 30 Day Marketer, a program that teaches you how to market online whether you are in network marketing or anything else. I think you will find it very insightful and well worth your 3 minutes.

How to Use the Consultative Approach to Develop Long-Term Profitable Business Relationships

Tue, 12 May 2009 00:28:07 -0400

After you have learned attraction marketing techniques and attracted qualified prospects to you, what do you do with your potential customer or business partner?

The answer is the consultative approach, an approach heralded by such leaders as Michael Oliver and Ann Sieg.

The consultative approach revolves around the concept of creating meaningful dialogue with people, to uncover their needs. In doing so, you create long term and mutually profitable relationships.

So rather than simply trying to push your needs onto people, your goal is to understand what someone really wants. You only introduce your business opportunity/product/service as potential solutions after a process of discovery and only if there is a good FIT for the other person.

It’s a mindset thing - it’s about changing your thinking. You have to let go of the outcome and resist the temptation to present your solution before you really understand what the problem is, and whether or not your solution is the best one for that individual. You have to learn how to keep your own agenda out of the picture.

Perhaps the greatest gift you can offer someone is to really listen to them and show that you care about their needs. If you embrace this concept, you will not only help someone, but your business will become more meaningful to you as well.

Michael Oliver, who coined the term "Natural Selling", teaches us a framework forMichael Oliver the consultative approach and he advises all network marketers to memorize it. He calls it his Natural Selling Conversation Framework. Of course, conversations are rarely this linear and you will learn to tailor this approach to fit the person, based on what he or she says.

Natural Selling Conversation Framework by Michael Oliver

1. Connecting Stage

Use Connecting Questions -- Demonstrates your intent. Puts the focus on the other person.
State how what you do helps others. Problem--solution--question to get other to talk.

2. Discovering Stage

Use Background Questions -- Finds the present situation--the basic facts.

"Before I get into what I've got, let me ask you a few questions so that we can talk about you and what you're looking for."

"What is your present situation?""How did you get to this point [where you are now]?"

Needs Awareness/Development Questions -- Explores needs/problems, if any. What your customer wants. Explores circumstances causing the needs. Why your customer wants it. Reveals the features, advantages, and benefits to solving the problem.

"So, what drew you into this type of work?" "Do you enjoy your work?"
"Do you like what you do?/What you have?" etc. "What do you like about . . . ?
"What would you change about your job if you could?" "Why would you change that?"
"Is that important to you?"
"What do you mean when you say ______?"
"How does that make you feel not to have [what you just said you wanted]?"

Consequence Questions-- Expands on the problem. Makes the need more urgent. Explores consequences of making a wrong decision.

"What if you didn't do anything and the situation got worse?"
"How would you feel if you weren't able to _____?"

Solution Questions-- Involves your customer and his or her ideas. Reveals and strengthens the benefits of solving the problem.

"What have you done [OR would you do] about changing your present situation?"

Qualifying Questions -- Confirms whether the other person is ready to take action.

"How important is that to you?" "Why is that important to you?"
"I sense that you're not too sure; how do you see it?"
"How would you feel if you could _____?"
"Are you prepared to change your present situation to get what you want?"
"Does that work for you?" "Is that what you're looking for?"
"Would you do whatever it takes to get you the things that you want?"

3. Transitioning Stage -- Opens the door to presenting your solution.

Transition Questions

"Well, based on what you've told me, I'm doing something that might be what you're looking for. If you're interested, I would be happy to share it with you."

4. Presenting Stage -- Summary and Agreement. Confirms the correct solution. Presents the specific features, advantages, and benefits of the solution that solve solve the problem and satisfy the customer.

"You said _____, and it's making you feel ____. Well, what I do is _____. What this means to you is that you can do the same thing. You can ____ [advantages--logical side of problem], which will allow you to _____ [benefits that will satisfy personal side]. Does that feel as if it might take care of what you want?"

5. Committing Stage -- Helps other person to commit or take the next steps.

Commitment Questions

"I'd like to suggest as the next step _____. What would be most appropriate for you? Do you see the value in all of this for you?" [Check for agreement. Keep making suggestions. Follow up!] "I'll call you at 7:00 p.m. next Tuesday. You'll have listened to the tape I'll send you, and we can discuss specific aspects of it."

Learn how you can succeed with attraction marketing, with step-by-step training and support.

Leverage Twitter and Your Time with Free Twitter Training and Applications

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 17:23:33 -0400

There is no doubt that Twitter is the fastest growing social media site. Twitter grew by 1382% from February 2008 to February 2009 (according to Nielsen Online). In February 2009 alone, there were over 7 million unique visitors in the US. And if you consider that in January 2009, there were 4.5 million unique visitors in the US, then you'll see just how massive the growth is.

If you are not yet on Twitter, you will want to join. If we aren't already connected, I invite you to connect with me on Twitter.

Twitter serves many functions, and people use it very differently depending on their needs. For some it is a valuable source of information and news. For others, its a great way to stay on top of the social media curve and learn from some of the top internet marketers. Others use it as a marketing and business networking tool.

You don’t have to spend a ton of time using Twitter to get a lot out of it, no matter what your goals are. Keep your eye out for an upcoming post on how to best use Twitter.

For now, I would like to share some free Twitter training videos. These were done by Mike Klingler, who along with Ann Sieg, launched Renegade Professional. You'll find some more valuable and free training by Ann Sieg and Mike Klingler at Renegade University.

I would also like to share some Twitter applications. There are a ton of Twitter apps that can help you leverage Twitter. Below are just a few.

Twitter Applications:

Twitter Toolbar - You can use the toolbar to access online Twitter tools, check your Twitter stats, post your updates and more. Versions are available for both Firefox and Internet Explorer.

Twollo - Allows you to discover Twitterers talking about your favorite topics or interests, and follow people talking about a hashtag. Below is a short video that explains exactly how to use Twollo.

Twitoria - This app lets you find out which of your followers has not been actively tweeting. Easily sort through your network of followers and purge the inactive users.

Monitter - Get a live streaming view at what Twitter users in your location are saying about you or your small business. Simply insert keywords you would like to search for and the surrounding area you would liked monitored.

Bubble Tweet - This unique application lets you post a short video message that pops up on your Twitter profile in a bubble shaped player. You can personally introduce yourself and/or your business to anyone who visits your profile.

Twitter Gallery - A collection of free backround themes for your Twitter account. You can use the one click installation or manually install them yourself. Lots of nice designs and colors to choose from.

Tweepler - Tweepler enables you to easily sort through new followers and accept them or ignore them on one simple screen.

Twit This - Allow visitors to your blog or website to easily post Twitter messages about you or your business. Post the TwitThis button to your website or blog pages with the instructions and coding provided on their site.

HelloTxt - Update your status to several social networking sites in one simple step. You can choose from over 35 social sites to post to including Twitter.

TwitterFox - This app lets you post Twitter updates without visiting the Twitter site each time. A small icon is added to the bottom of your Firefox status bar. The icon opens to reveal your friend's most current updates. You can add your updates from that dialog box.

Future Tweets - Allows you to schedule your tweet ahead of time for a specific date and time. You can even schedule reoccuring tweets to post daily, monthly, even yearly.

TwitPic - This app lets you share your favorite pictures on Twitter.

twtQpon - You can create exclusive coupons for your business services or products and share them with your Twitter followers.

Tweetburner - Lets you shorten URLs and track the clicks your tweets accumulate. Tweetdeck - Displays your Twitter friends and messages in a unique columned user interface. Allows you togroup people together and search across the twittersphere

Tweetbeep - Just like Google Alerts, Tweetbeep tracks Twitter conversations that mention you, your business or your products and services. Alerts are sent to you via email.

Twitter Counter - Lets you display the number of Twitter followers on your blog or website.

Twitter Safe - This free service will restore your network of followers in the event that your list is compromised.

Twitxr - Post product pictures and updates from your mobile phone directly to Twitter.

Tweet Later - This one application contains several Twitter productivity tools. You can track keywords, track replies, schedule tweets, send welcome direct messages, and much more.

Splitweet - Managing and updating multiple Twitter accounts is easily done from one screen. Choose to send updates to one or all accounts in one step.

Twimailer - Gives you more more extensive email notifications when your account obtains new followers. Instead of the generic Twitter email notification; the email contains the followers location, followers stats and their most recent tweets. At the bottom of the email, you can choose to follow the individual without even visiting Twitter.

Digsby - Keep track of everything your followers are doing at all times. The Digsby box display gives you a real time view into your Twitter account right from your browser.

HootSuite - Easily manage multiple Twitter profiles, pre-schedule tweets and measure your progress. You can even add multiple editors to your business profile.

TwitterHawk - This marketing app helps you connect with consumers in your area and related to the keywords you choose.

Attraction Marketing Works for Warm Market Too

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:41:08 -0400

Attraction marketing is the new way of building a business online. It involves providing information that is valuable for your target market so that they approach you. While attraction marketing is great for building a business online, the same principles can be applied offline as well.

Network marketing is just one example of how attraction marketing works in both the online and offline worlds.

Anyone who has worked in network marketing has probably been through the drill of preparing a contact list of their friends and family.I was never really comfortable approaching people and mixing business with friendship. I was able to do it because I was truly passionate about my company's products and believed they should be in everyone's home.

But, even if you are a natural born salesperson, relying on friends and family to build a business is far too limiting. It might get you a few enrollments but it is unlikely to help you grow a serious business.

Working cold leads can be equally limiting, and far more expensive. These are people who fill out a survey and say they want to earn income from home, but do they really have the desire and determination to start a home busines? Furthermore, they tend to be very skeptical given all the scams that are out there.

A much more effective approach is to build your business using attraction marketing techniques. With attraction marketing you attract people to you rather than chase after them. You do this by providing information that is valuable to your target market. To learn more about attraction marketing, you will want to read Ann Sieg's free report, Attraction Marketer's Manifesto.

Attraction marketing is mainly done online. The internet is a great vehicle for sharing information -- whether it be a blog, website, article, video, etc.. When people want to find information and solutions, the Internet is where they turn.

But attraction marketing also works well for your warm market, if you know how to do it.

So how do you incorporate warm market into an attraction marketing-based network marketing business?

1. Targeted Approach

There is nothing wrong with you introducing your business or product to your warm market, if they want the information.

Smart marketing is not about convincing people that they need your product or service. It is about identifying a target market who have an interest in the types of products or opportunity you have to offer.

Unfortunately, most network marketers are taught that everyone wants their products and that is simply not true. When you practice this kind of "non-targeted" marketing, you not only limit your chances of success, you reinforce the negative image many people associate with network marketing.

2. Be Yourself

When talking to your warm market, just have a conversation. Don't pitch them or sell them. If they are genuinely interested in what you are doing whether as a customer or for the business opportunity, they will ask questions and express an interest in learning more.

3. Leverage Social Media

Social media sites allow you to connect with friends you already know as well as make new friends, thereby expanding your warm market. Whether you meet people face to face or online, your focus should be on building relationships and a sincere desire to help and support others.

For instance, Facebook is one of the fastest growing social media sites. You can search for friends and people you've lost touch with including old co-workers, your graduating class, relatives, etc. You can also search for groups you might be interested in joining as well as people with common interests.

You'll soon find that your friends list grows. Friends of friends will add you, and even people you don't even know will add you. All of these people are now part of your extended warm market.

So how do you share information with your friends? Start by setting up a profile page that explains what you do. You can include a website that relates to your business (check out this article about the proper use of replicated websites - this is so important). Post updates about what you are doing that might relate to your business activity, but be subtle. For instance, you might say "I just listened to a great webinar about creating financial freedom in the current economy".

You'll find that people will ask you what you do. When they ask...share with them what you do. But don't try to push your products or opportunity on them. The ones who are interested will ask you for more information.

4. Share Affiliate Marketing Programs with Warm Market

Chances are you know other entrepreneurs. They might be network marketers, coaches, realtors, mortgage brokers, consultants, or salespeople. Every business has to be online these days, but most people have no idea how to go about building an online presence. That is where you come in.

If you've done things right, then you are using various tools and resources to create your online presence. Hostgator (web hosting), GoDaddy (domain names) and Aweber (autoresponder) are just a few examples.

You will also be working with an internet marketing training program like Renegade Professional or The 90 Day Marketer.

All of these are essential tools for building your business, and they are also affiliate marketing programs. That means when you refer someone to one of these programs, the company will pay you a commission.

You can share these programs with people in your warm market in addition to those you meet online. Think of all the people you've met through your networking groups, friends, and even people in your own network marketing company. I can assure you that they will greatly appreciate you sharing this valuable information with them. And you're not trying to get them to join your opportunity. Instead, you're sharing information that can help them build their business.

Your Next Steps

Don't let yourself be trapped into a limited mindset of only building your business one way. Warm market methods can be effective, especially when you use an attraction marketing mindset.

To really take things to the next level for your business, learn about attraction marketing and how to leverage the Internet to attract people to you online.

Differentiate Yourself by Identifying Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 23:52:27 -0400

Ann Sieg's free new ebook, Attraction Marketer's Manifesto, has a lot of people thinking about ways they can differentiate themselves. You've heard the saying "Differentiate or Die". In today's highly competitive world, whether it be offline or online, you have to be unique and fill a specific niche to be successful.

What is it that makes you unique and valuable? The best way to answer that question is to identify your USP, or Unique Selling Proposition.

What is a USP?

Your USP is a sentence or phrase that explains what sets you apart and makes you special. It is the soul of your business, and is what distinguishes you from your competitors. It is the answer you give when a potential client asks "Why should I buy from you?"

What are the benefits of developing a powerful Unique Selling Proposition?

It gives your prospects a reason to do business with you rather than your competitors.
It can help make your marketing much more effective
It gives you the focus you need to dominate a market niche.

How do you develop a Unique Selling Proposition?

When developing your USP, put yourself in your prospects’ position. What is important to your potential customer and what would be a compelling reason for them to buy from you instead of your competition?

To help you do this, get a paper and pencil and answer these questions:

What benefits does your product or service offer? (keep in mind that benefits are all about how the product adds value for customers. This is different than features which describe the product. For instance, a money-back guarantee is a feature, and the corresponding benefit is that the customer doesn't take on any financial risk when buying your product).
How does your product or service help solve your target market's problem?
How do your benefits outweigh what the competition offers? Which benefits are the most difficult for your competitors to imitate?
Which benefits are the most important to your customers. These are the ones you should focus on in your USP.
What are the greatest challenges your target market is experiencing and which of their needs are unfulfilled? What voids or typical complaints do clients have about businesses in your industry or service area? List as many as you can, aiming for a minimum of 10.
What would be a client’s perfect product or service in your industry?
Write a draft paragraph describing your USP, including the the client’s problem you are solving, your unique solution and the benefit the client will receive.
Look at two or three of your competitors. Write a sentence that describes their USP, i.e. their unique offering. How does it differ from yours?
Ask some of your clients what they like best about your business solutions? What words do they use to describe the benefits they achieve from your business?
Think outside the box and look at other industries. Are there innovations in other industries that you could apply to your business?
Now rewrite your USP. Make sure you use clear, powerful language. Make each word count. Write this in paragraph form and also in a shorter one sentence version that can be easily repeated.
Once you have developed your USP and are happy with it, incorporate it in all your marketing material, both offline and online.

Keep in mind that you can’t be all things to all people. In fact, you don't want to. The best thing is find a niche or a segment of the market that you can thrive in because of the unique benefits you offer. Remember, focus is power!

What does a good USP look like?

The ultimate goal of your USP is to have people say... "Oh yeah, I've heard of you. You're the one who..." - And then respond by requesting more information or making a purchase.

A good USP should be:

Only one sentence (although you can get away with two).
Clearly written so that it is easily understood
Focused on benefits that are unique to your company or product.

Here are some examples of powerful USP's:

"When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight" (Federal Express)

"Fresh, hot pizza delivered in 30 minutes or it's free" (Dominos Pizza)

"The nightime, coughing, achy, sniffling, stuffy head, fever, so you can rest medecine" (Nyquil)

Identifying your USP is part of the essential foundation for your business success, and a critical part of your niche marketing strategy. Get my free report "Ten Steps to Finding and Attracting Your Ideal Niche".

Attraction Marketing Explained - From Beginners to Advanced

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:53:26 -0400

If you have a business, then it is a non-negotiable that you have an online presence. And saavy business owners are learning how to attract their customers to them, using attraction marketing techniques.

Attraction Marketer's ManifestoAs a first step, get a free copy of Attraction Marketer’s Manifesto by Ann Sieg. It is designed for internet marketers of all levels and is an absolute must read.

This article will give you a good overview of attraction marketing, with lessons geared to all levels. Because everyone is at different stages of their learning, I’ve broken things down so you can go directly to the right level for you.

I. If you are completely new to attraction marketing.

II. If you are familiar with the term attraction marketing but don’t know how to implement it

III. If you have been implementing attraction marketing but want to ramp up your results

I. If you are completely new to attraction marketing:

Attraction marketing lets you attract high quality leads for free using the power of the Internet, combined with sound marketing principles. If you have a business, whether it be network marketing, coaching, or any other small business, you need to learn what attraction marketing is and how to do it.

Any business owner knows that it is better to communicate your message to people who are interested in what you have to sell, in other words, your target market. Now, take that one step further. What if you could actually attract your target market to you, instead of having to chase after them? That is exactly what attraction marketing does.

Attraction marketing is like using a magnet to attract the people you want, vs. casting a wide net to try to find a needle in a haystack.

One of the greatest things about attraction marketing is that when people find you (vs. you chasing them), not only are they a more qualified contact, they are also going to be more willing to buy from you because they don't feel like you're trying to sell them something. People love to buy but they hate to be sold.

II. If you are familiar with the term attraction marketing but don’t know how to implement it

So how do you do attraction marketing? Above all, keep this in mind. You are attracting people to you. You have to sell yourself before you can even think about selling a product or business.

To sell yourself you have to let people get to know you as a person. People want a live person to talk to, to be able to ask questions. They want someone who is genuinely interested in them.

Most importantly, they want someone who can help them find a solution to their needs. That means you also have to sell your ability to help them get what they want. This means positioning yourself as an expert who has enough valuable insights to offer that you are worth seeking out.

How do you do this? You do it by providing free information that is of value to your prospects. Educate them, don't sell them. And in doing so, you're building trust and attracting them to you.

This is one of the main tenets of Attraction Marketer’s Manifesto: Teaching Sells

Once people have consumed your educational message and you’ve earned their trust, they will be much more open to buying from you. No sale ever takes place without trust. And the best way to build trust is to genuinely invest in your customer first.

Teaching proves you have their best interests at heart. It positions you as a trustworthy expert.

And the Internet is the perfect medium for connecting with people to teach them. That is because the Internet is now the standard way of researching anything. Think of the Internet as the yellow pages or library. And search engines or directory-type websites (e.g. Google, Yahoo, YouTube, Digg) are the index of the book – they are how people find the information they are looking for.

Now even the most inexperienced newbie on a shoestring budget can implement a large-scale marketing program using the Internet. Having a blog is like having your own column in a newspaper or magazine. And producing your own videos (with YouTube or Metacafe) is like having your own television show. You can help people sort through the information and find you thanks to social bookmarking sites (Digg, StumbleUpon, Mister-wong, Furl). You can even do social networking without having to leave your home thanks to social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Myspace). And all of these methods are free!

This is just a sample of the online marketing tools available to you.

And the purpose of this whole process is to get people to opt in to receive further information from you. They do this by going to your blog or website or landing page, and providing you with their name and email address. You then use an autoresponder system to stay in touch with them (it is like having your own physical newsletter).

With attraction marketing, your job is to become a producer and distributor of information – of valuable content.

Why?

Because people are attracted to content (value), not sales pitches.

And the beautiful part is that every piece of content you produce, exponentially increases the power of all your other content pieces.

When you control the content, you become a valuable resource for your customers. Think about it this way -- sales reps are a dime a dozen, but people who go above and beyond and teach their customers, are a rare thing. And when you teach people, they will not only buy from you, they will refer people to you.

You might be asking yourself how you can teach people when you yourself are relatively new at attraction marketing.

Here are three points to show you how you can position yourself as an expert.

1 1. You don’t have to be an expert to share valuable information. You just have to stay one step ahead of the curve. For instance, if you read a copy of Attraction Marketer’s Manifesto, you will be more knowledgeable about internet marketing than 95% of network marketers or traditional business owners.

2. You can improve your knowledge by deciding to learn about a particular subject and investing the time to learn about that subject. Again, you don’t have to be a full-blown expert. Just know enough to be able to add value for people and stay one step ahead of the curve.

3. I am willing to bet there is at least one area in which you are already have some expertise. It might be in writing, video production, SEO, coaching, or leadership. Or perhaps it is something related to your industry such as health, nutrition, travel, etc. Find something about which you have some knowledge and a passion for learning, and then position yourself as an expert in that area.

III. If you have been implementing attraction marketing but want to ramp up your results

If you have already been producing content and attracting prospects to you online, then you are ready to ramp up your results and take your business to a new level.

How do you take your business to the next level? By doing two things:

Improving your credibility ranking.
Differentiating yourself

Credibility has always been an important challenge for network marketers in particular, because the industry is often viewed as lacking in credibility. So enhancing your credibility is especially important for network marketers, but the same principle applies to any industry.

If you are already producing content and attracting leads to you, then your next major breakthrough is not far off. You can reach the next level by creating more “advanced” levels of content.

People equate different types of content with different levels of expertise. The more effort it takes to put something together – or the more effort people think it takes – the higher your credibility ranking.

There are many different content pieces you can create, such as your own articles, videos, blog, lead capture page (or landing page), website, special report, emails. You can even create your own information product, such as an ebook, training program, webinar, tips sheet, special report, or podcast. There is virtually no end to the type of content you can create.

In addition to creating more “advanced” levels of content, you want to use this content to differentiate yourself. You want to make your message stand out by making it different from everyone else’s.

Lack of uniqueness has always been one of the biggest problems for network marketers. And it isn’t their fault. It is the way companies have taught their representatives how to sell. My belief is that network marketing companies have so little control over how their thousands of representatives communicate about the company. This is completely different from other companies (think about the logo for Coca-Cola for instance and how it has to be exactly the same in all communications material) or franchises (think how McDonalds’ stores all have to look the same). So the network marketing companies restrict the amount and nature of communications their distributors can use about the company and its products. The problem is that people join people, not companies. So if you want someone to join your business, above all, you have to sell yourself. And that is what attraction marketing is all about.

So differentiate yourself by creating your own unique angle. You can do this by specializing in a specific business method or marketing strategy. Maybe you want to brand yourself as the “article marketing expert” or the “blogging guru”. There are endless possibilities to which niche you might choose. Ann Sieg lists some great examples to help you brainstorm in Attraction Marketer’s Manifesto (p. 60). Just pick one or two subjects and specialize in them. Remember to educate yourself on the subjects on which you want to become an expert. Then differentiate yourself by presenting your information with a different spin or format than other people.

You can also choose to focus on a specific target market. Think about who could most benefit from your product or service. Please don't say everybody. While everybody might benefit, targeting "everyone" means you end up targeting no one. You have to select a sepcific group of people whose problems your product/service can solve.

When you combine your specialty with your target market, you have a niche. And having a niche is THE most important step you can take for your business.

You might think that being very targeted will narrow your appeal, but in fact the opposite is true. When you have a targeted, laser-focused message, you differentiate yourself among the sea of more generic offers.

RESOURCES TO HELP YOU

Learn how to attract qualified prospects to you using attraction marketing, with step-by-step training and support.

Five Internet Marketing Tips to Shorten Your Learning Curve

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 22:19:51 -0500

I’ve been involved in internet marketing for the past 6 months, and I'm amazed at what I’ve learned. The best part is that I've learned enough to truly add value for people and can confidently coach and guide them.

I am going to share five key lessons I have learned and a special tip to help you shorten your learning curve.

One of the main reasons I got started in network marketing over 5 years ago is that I like to help people. I thought sharing my business (the best thing since sliced bread, right?) was going to be the way to do that. My focus was so narrow. I was only listening to what my company was teaching me.

Now I did pretty well, with around 200 people on my team. But something never felt right. I was passionate about the company and the products but not about the business. What I didn’t understand at the time, was that it wasn’t the network marketing industry I had a problem with, it was the way the industry conducts itself.

I knew that calling cold leads was not a targeted marketing strategy. And I absolutely hated approaching family and friends. And there was no way I was going to approach people in the grocery store or at the gas station.

So in the summer of 2008, I got online to do some research and see if there was a smarter way to do this business. I spent months searching around and finally came across Ann Sieg’s 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing. The first time I read it, I was turned off. I was worried it was a sneaky way to get me to sell something. Then I read it a second time and I realized there was so much valuable information in it, that I would open my mind to learning from it.

I can’t tell you how grateful I am that I made that decision. Since that time, I’ve invested in my own education and gotten involved in some internet marketing training programs. Again I did my research to make sure I was finding programs that were truly beneficial and good value.

Here are five key things I’ve learned about internet marketing:

Attraction marketing is a great way to build a business online. The key to attraction marketing success is to come from an honest place of wanting to help people by offering valuable information and support. No hidden agendas. Just open yourself up to meeting people, sharing what you can, and offering genuine support. The rest will come.
Affiliate marketing is the best way to monetize. The people you will meet online are trying to build a successful business, and to do that, they need certain business tools. If you can genuinely refer them to programs, products and services that offer good value, then it is a win-win.
Education is key to success. People are going to be attracted to you because they see you as someone who can help them achieve their goals. You don't have to have all the answers, but you need to have a basic foundation. Invest the time to educate yourself and learn some important skills about internet marketing (if you want to know how to shorten your learning curve, see below).
You can make yourself stand out from the crowd. There are many ways to do this, but the bottom line is that there is only one you. Share your perspective on things, use your unique talents, be true to who you are. Your integrity and credibility will shine through.
You don’t have to do this alone. You can create a community of support with people you meet online. Start by connecting with someone you meet online and have a conversation. You can exchange emails or DMs, but at some point, take it to the phone. There is something about hearing a person’s voice that makes the relationship more tangible.

I’ve made some good money in the past few months, but more importantly I’ve made some great connections, met some amazing people, learned a tremendous amount and am having a lot of fun. If you think I can be of help to you in any way, please don’t hesitate to contact me. You can reach me via email (cindy@homebusinesswins.com), skype (cindyschulson) or phone (619 318 8688).

Attraction Marketer's Manifesto by Ann SiegIf you would like the opportunity to shorten your learning curve

If you want to shorten your learning curve then I’d strongly encourage you to get a free copy of Ann Sieg’s new ebook that is going to be released next week. It is called The Attraction Marketer's Manifesto and it will completely demystify the entire online marketing process for you. I wish this had been around when I first got started! Here is a sneak peek for you.

Best wishes and I look forward to connecting with you soon!

SEO Help for Beginners

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 20:50:30 -0500

Building internet content, whether it be a website, blog or article, is much like building a house. The decorations are nice, but what you really need is a solid foundation.

So what goes into the foundation of your internet content? First, you need to know who you’re trying to attract (your target market) and what you’re trying to accomplish (inform, educate, sell, etc.). You also need to identify your “targeted keywords” which are at the heart and soul of SEO, or search engine optimization.

SEO is a pretty complicated subject and targeted keywords are just one part of the puzzle. I would like to share some insights I have gathered about SEO in the hopes it will give you a more solid foundation for your house, or internet content.

SEO Defined

What is SEO?SEO is a strategy to achieve higher rankings on search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN.

The goal of SEO is to optimize your site for search engines, so that it brings targeted traffic to your site. Targeted traffic means people who are actually looking for your products or services. Targeted traffic is much more likely to increase conversion, namely turn visits into sales or encourage repeat visits.

Targeted Keywords are at the Core of SEO

To be really good at SEO you need to identify your “targeted keywords”. This means keywords that your target market would be looking for. Pick words you personally would use if you were looking for a page about your topic. Also use keyphrases instead of just words on their own.

There are two advantages to doing this. First, you will have less competition with “targeted keywords” vs. using broader keywords. Second, you are more likely to convert to sales, because you’re attracting people who are looking for what you have to offer.

For instance, say you are promoting a network marketing training program. If you use the keyword “network marketing” you will have tremendous competition. If you are more targeted with your keywords and use “network marketing training”, you will not only have less competition but will have a higher conversion rate because you are attracting people who are looking for what you have to offer.

Another important tip is to not spam the search engines. If you cheat by adding in tons of keywords that don’t pertain to your page, then you will make the search engines angry, and the visitors who come to your site will be equally annoyed.

Keyword Research Tools

There are a number of tools you can use for keyword research. Some are free and others you will have to pay for. Below are some free tools you can get started with.

· Google Adwords Keyword Tool: Good basic research tool

· Key Word Discovery

· Wordtracker

· Good Keywords: Free software to help analyze keywords.

· Alexa: Information on sites and trends, including rankings for any website

What Are Search Engines Looking For?

There are two main factors that search engines use to determine how a page ranks in a search:

Keyword relevancy
Page importance or link popularity

When you do a search, the search engine gives you relevant pages that contain the keywords in your search.

Second, the search engines consider the importance of the page. And page importance is based on the number and the quality of external links pointing to a page.We’ll explore this further when we discuss off-page optimization (below). This leads us to the next step, which is identifying the two main types of SEO.

Two Types of SEO

Off-page SEO and On-page SEOThere are two main categories of SEO: on-page and off-page. On-page refers to the actual code and content of your web pages. Off-page refers to factors that affect the ranking of your web pages that aren’t determined by the actual code of your web pages. We’ll look at both.

1. On-Page SEO

On-page SEO has to do with the words you use, the way you link to and from your pages, how you organize your website etc.

Let’s talk about the words you use first. Every web page has a number of ‘hotspots’ or points that are considered especially important by search engines. These include:

Title tags – The text that appears between the HTML title tages, e.g. <title>YOUR KEYPHRASES HERE</title>

Meta tags - The text that appears between the tags, e.g. <meta name="description" content=" YOUR PAGE DISCRIPTION HERE " />

<meta name="keywords" content="YOUR KEYWORDS HERE" />

Headings - The text that appears between your heading tags, particularly your first heading i.e. <h1>YOUR KEYWORD RICH HEADLINE HERE</h1>

Page content - The actual text on your WebPages, or page copy. The secret of SEO copywriting is to make your page content keyword rich while ensuring it is written in plain English and without overusing the keywords.

(Note: If you want more help with this, then do a google search for the terms and HTML tutorials, e.g. search for “meta tags HTML tutorial”).

For SEO, the text within all these areas should contain the targeted keywords for which you want your site to rank. However, don’t spam the search engines by overusing keywords, or by using keywords that aren’t relevant to your page.

You also want to focus on how you organize your website. You want to organize the categories of your website based on your targeted keywords. That will allow the search engines to recognize your website’s theme and rank it high for your target market.

SEO and Website DesignFinally, look at the design of your website. There are some design elements that can have a negative impact on SEO. For instance, search engines find Flash files and Java code hard to read. Search engines can also have a hard time moving between frames on a page (a frame is a way to split the page into different parts or windows). So websites that rely heavily on these design elements may not rank very high with search engines.

Above all, keep this in mind. While SEO is important, focus on your content first. It's hard to write your best content when trying to optimize for SEO at the same time. Focus on creating useful content that will be a genuine benefit for your target market. Once you have done that, then you can go back over the article as a second step and apply some SEO techniques.

2. Off-Page SEO

SEO and inbound linksOff-page optimization refers to factors that are largely outside the control of the individual webmaster. The most important of these are inbound links (also known as external links or back links), which are links on different websites that point to your website.

Think of an inbound link as a positive review of your site. After all, someone else has gone to the bother of linking to your site, so they must have found something of value on your site. The more external links pointing at your site, the more important it is perceived by the search engines and the higher it is likely to rank.

But the search engines don’t just look at the number of external links pointing to your site, they also look at the quality of these links. There are several factors that go into determining the quality of an inbound link. For instance, search engines give greater weight to links coming from an "authority site" that has good rankings.

The search engines also analyze whether the inbound link is a “reciprocal link” or a one-way link. A reciprocal link is when you put a link to someone’s website with the understanding that they do the same for you. Google likes one-way links and isn’t too crazy about reciprocal links. Why? Because people have been using inbound links to try and fool Google. By now, you should realize that it just doesn't pay to try and fool Google. They will catch on and you can be punished!

One great example to illustrate this idea of external links is Google PankRank which counts the number of links pointing to one page from other sites, as well as the importance of the pages that link to your page. You can find Google’s own explanation of PageRank here: http://www.google.com/technology/

So how do you get quality inbound links?

There are several ways, and we'll discuss a few.

1. Social media

As you know, there are tons of social media sites such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, MySpace, etc. These are all sites where people can form a community to share information.

If you use social media properly, it can really help your rankings because links coming from social media pages are powerful. Remember that your goal with social media is to build relationships, provide valuable information, support others, etc. It is not to flaunt your products or services in people's faces.

Google is keeping a sharp eye on how people use social media. For example, Google is looking at whether you are actually being social on these sites, vs. using them just as a way to get inbound links to your website. Don’t set up an empty profile and start spamming, because Google will catch on.

2. Comment on Other People's Content

Another way to create inbound links is to comment on other people's content. For instance, provide feedback or comments on someone's blog or article. A couple of key points to keep in mind are as follows. First, don't just comment for the sake of commenting. Make sure you have something worthwhile to contribute to the discussion. Second, as far as SEO goes, it helps if you comment on sites that themselves have high ratings.

3. Article Marketing

SEO and Article MarketingAnother great way to get quality inbound links is through article marketing, or creating content and submitting your articles to various sites. There are some helpful tips on effective article marketing..

First, submit your articles to high quality sites. Some of the top ones are EzineArticles, ArticlesBase, ArticleDashboard, GoArticles, and IdeaMarketers. In particular, EzineArticles offers great training on how to succeed with articles.

Second, when you're writing your articles, do keyword research first and write your article with the keywords in mind. Here's a great tip. Go to EzineArticles and find articles in your subject area that are getting high page views. Then go to that article, right click on your mouse, and scroll down to "view page source" and then look for <met name = "keyword". You'll be able to see the keywords they are using.

Third, you'll want to "spin" your article when you submit it to different sites. In other words, make some changes to the article so the search engines don't regard it as duplicate content. Basically, you take one article and create many unique articles from the same one. Some people use software to do the article spinning, but you have to be careful because they can make a mess of your articles. You can also use article submission services that will submit your articles to different sites for you.

Conclusion

SEO takes time. Education is key because if you do SEO wrong, you can annoy Google and run the risk of having your site lowered in rankings or even banned from the search engines.

Like everything else Internet-related, SEO is constantly evolving. So stay up to date on SEO trends and techniques. Here are some resources to help you do just that.

SEO Resources

Here is a great video that explains three key things to do for SEO: 1) good content; 2) external links; and 3) title tags and meta tags. It features an MSNBC interview with Stephanie Lettler, SVP of Network Solutions.

The top 25 blogs about SEO – this site has a dailyblog tip you can sign up for, and this page of the site lists the top 25 blogs about SEO. You’ll find other great information about SEO as well.

SEO Networker – has a free training program about SEO with 7 videos

Hub by Peter Hogan of SEO Scotland.

Dr. Ralph Wilson is a respected internet marketing expert with some good tips on SEO

free SEO tip of the day that you can receive in your email each day

SEO tips for bloggers

Link Diagnosis gives you the whole picture about your backlinks or those of a competitor.

Bill Clinton Endorses the Direct Sales Industry

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 01:42:00 -0500

If you are looking for a way to earn income from home and have considered network marketing but been turned off by an overly zealous distributor, or perhaps have tried it and not gotten anywhere, then I have to tell you that times have changed. The industry is getting the respect it deserves. Even Former President Bill Clinton endorses the Direct Sales industry, as do financial gurus like Robert Kiyosaki and Donald Trump.

I myself fell into network marketing five years ago. It was completely new to me. I think I was the only person in the world who had never been to a "home party". So when I became a mom and was looking for a way to reinvent myself I came across an opportunity to work from home with a network marketing company. I gave it a go for five years and had some good success. But it never felt quite right. I really didn't like chasing after friends and family, and I absolutely refused to approach people at the grocery store or gas station. That is just not me.

I turned to the Internet to see if I could find another way to work this business. You see, I knew the industry made good sense. It is very wise to get paid for the efforts of ther people (isn't that what all good businesses do?), and I love earning residual or passive income. Do something once and get paid over and over again. That's brilliant. I just wanted to find a smarter way to work the business. After some searching, I found the answers I was looking for. It begain with a book by Ann Sieg, called The 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing. Her book has truly revolutionized the network marketing industry. I would strongly encourage you to pick up a free copy and take another look at this industry.

If you would like to learn more or book a complimentary consultation to talk about your business or goals, please email me at cindy@homebusinesswins.com or call me at 619 318 8688.

I look forward to connecting with you and helping you reach your goals.

To your success!

Cindy

Are Women Enterpreneurs More Likely to Succeed?

Sun, 18 Jan 2009 17:03:43 -0500

The numbers are staggering. Women-owned businesses are growing at a phenomenal rate in the U.S.

40% of all privately held U.S. firms are owned or controlled by women
Women’s companies are creating jobs at twice the rate of all firms
Women’s companies are responsible for more payroll than all the Fortune 500 companies combined
Women’s companies are growing profits faster than all firms
Every day, 420 new women-owned companies are formed in the U.S.

Women entrepreneurs are succeeding even though they have to take bigger financial risks to get started.

Women’s companies only get 5% of all venture capital
Women take on more personal debt to fund their businesses than men do

What is behind this growth? In part, it is that many companies aren’t meeting the needs of women (and mothers) as far as a flexible work schedule and the ability to work from home. It is also driven by the fact that many women get frustrated working for companies they feel don’t respect or listen to them. These factors are forcing women to find new solutions.

Margaret HeffernanA new book by Margaret Heffernan,”How She Does It”, explores what makes women-owned or controlled firms successful. Heffernan herself is a five-time CEO and a regular contributor to both Real Business and Fast Company According to Heffernan, “As long as women continue to slug it out in traditional companies that were build by men for men, much of their energy will go into fitting into those cultures. It is a big drain on resources. But once a woman runs her own company that drain evaporates. These phenomenal numbers how just how effective women can be when they work on their own terms. They also demonstrate just how much talent those traditional corporations lose when their women give up on them.”

Heffernan interviewed hundreds of women business owners,and found there were common patterns and themes that emerged. She found that women do work differently from men and that these differences can lead to great success. There is a striking congruence between the things women excel at and the demands of the new economy. Women have a tremendous need to achieve. Women don’t feel they have a safety net or can turn back. They are smart about markets and timing. They practice diversity. They place values at the heart of their business and take culture very seriously. And women work from a different concept of power than men. The result is a unique style of leadership in which “soft” skills are getting hard results."How She Does It" by Margaret Heffernan

Some of the common themes Heffernan finds among women-owned companies are as follows:

Broad peripheral vision keeps you better informed than market research
Intution and empathy are mission critical talents
Business isn’t rational and companies are living organisms vs. machines
A successful business is built on values and a sense of purpose
Leadership is about orchestrating vs. commanding
Besides having a market to sell to, culture is the most important thing in business
Great cultures turn personal values into process
Service is ennobling, not demeaning
Mistakes are learning
Be a good planner but a brilliant improviser
Asking for help is a sign of strength
Outside commitments (such as family) enhance managerial excellence
To understand the market, you have to spend time in it
Emotion is not a weakness
Business doesn’t follow rules.

Heffernan challenges us to celebrate the differences and learn from them. If you’d like to learn more, I’d encourage you to pick up a copy of the book.

“I've long called the saga of American women-owned businesses our most under-reported business news story. Margaret Heffernan goes a long way to filling this empty canyon. HOW SHE DOES IT is a great piece of reporting, a great piece of writing--and, simply, one of the most important books, business or otherwise, to come along in many a year.” -- Tom Peters

”Illuminates the strengths of female-run companies. Will cause light bulbs to go off over the corporate world.” -- USA Today

How to Create a Professional Online Presence

Sun, 11 Jan 2009 02:07:26 -0500

Many people who are creating an online presence, just jump in without learning the rules of the game. This might be especially true for network marketers. You may have noticed that the people who tried building their MLM businesses offline by talking to everyone they know, are doing the same thing online. Those tactics didn’t work in the offline world, why would anyone think they would work online?

Those of us involved in attraction marketing have an obligation to educate people who are new to the field. To that end, here are three things students of attraction marketing should do to create a positive and lasting Internet presence.

1. Commitment

Be committed to learning everything you can about internet and attraction marketing. There is a ton of great information on social networking sites like Hubpages and Squidoo. One of the best sites out there is Better Networker. This site allows you to exchange ideas with some of the top Internet marketing leaders, learn from the pros, and gain tremendous exposure.

Anyone who is serious about their business should also join a training program so they can learn all about attraction marketing and how to implement it successfully. This will shorten the learning curve tremendously and accelerate results.

2. Credibility

Attraction marketing is all about creating value for your target market so they approach you and initiate the business relationship. Ultimately, people are going to be attracted to those who have credibility.

So how do you achieve credibility in the online world? By presenting yourself as a professional who is willing and able to help people with their needs. You lose credibility when you flash your products and services in people’s faces. Instead, brand yourself as someone of value, and let your products and services take a backseat. Come from an honest place of wanting to help others, and your credibility will shine through.

And when people perceive you as someone with credibility and integrity, it will naturally follow that they will want to do business with you. That might not mean they will join your team (right away or in fact ever). But it will mean that you can work together and support one another to reach your goals. Which brings me to the 3rd C.

3. Collaboration

Interacting with others is at the heart of what Web 2.0 is all about. By connecting with people online, we shape the face of the Internet. The Internet also gives us the opportunity to build a community of collaboration and mutual support.

I can’t tell you how many amazing people I have met online. And the strongest bonds I’ve developed are with those I’ve talked to offline. Obviously you aren’t going to talk with everyone, but you will come across people with whom you would like to take things to the next level. It might be someone who’s advice you are seeking, or someone you genuinely think you can help. Or it might be someone you would like to partner with in some way.

For instance, there is a woman I met who has asked me to write articles for her site. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship because I provide valuable content for her and she promotes me in the process. There are unlimited possibilities to the kinds of collaborative relationships you can develop with people you meet online.

You don’t have to do this alone. There are some great resources, programs, sites, and people here to help you. Take advantage of all that, and your business will not only flourish but be a lot more fun.

Share your ideas about the types of collaborations you’ve developed, or leave your feedback on other aspects of this article. Thank you!

Article Marketing Drives Free Traffic to Your Website

Sun, 11 Jan 2009 01:45:34 -0500

Attraction marketing is the new way that people are building their businesses online, and the key to attraction marketing is providing valuable content online. Article marketing is the best free marketing tool on the Internet today. There are some valuable tips that will help you energize your article marketing, driving more people to your site and positioning you as someone people want to do business with.

Tips to Energize Your Article Marketing:

1. Use powerful titles. No matter how great article might be, if your title doesn’t grab people’s attention, then it won’t get read. So learn how to create a compelling title that is benefit-focused, thought-provoking, and intriguing. The title must also be keyword-rich so your articles rank well with the search engines.

"On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar." -David Ogilvy

2. Provide Valuable Content. The purpose of writing your article is to provide valuable information so that you gain trust and establish yourself as a solutions provider. Learn how to write effectively with the needs of your target market in mind. Make sure your article is well-written, concise, typo-free, and above all, informative. If you aren’t confident in your writing ability, then learn how.

3. Submit Your Article to More Than One Site. You may be writing some great articles and even bookmarkting them at some of the social bookmarking sites. But have you thought about how much more traffic you can generate if you submit your article at various sites? There are some great article submission sites that are free and can help you increase traffic. Ezinearticles and Article99 are just two examples. Google “free article submission sites” and you’ll find a wide range of possibilities.

4. Write a Great Resource or Author’s Box. Once people have read through your article, if they like it they will read the information about the author. Make sure you provide a short bio as well ascontact information (email, website, telephone number). Include a powerful call to action and consider offering freebies (e.g. a free ebook, newsletter or consultation) to compel people to visit your site.

5. Measure Your Results. Visit the sites where you post your articles to determine your open and conversion rate. If your open rate is not very good, then work on improving your article titles. If people are reading your articles but not clicking on the author box, then you might need to improve the content of your articles, shorten the length, or make your articles more focused on the needs of your target market.

Submitting your articles online gives you FREE publicity. It allows you to position yourself as an expert in your field and build credibility with your target market. And if you do it well, you will drive more traffic to your website.

For advice and tips on having a successful home business, get a free copy of Home Business Wins

How to Write a Great Internet Article

Sun, 11 Jan 2009 01:35:18 -0500

The key to attraction marketing is putting together compelling content online so you attract qualified prospects to you. In order to do that, you have to understand how to create compelling content. Rest assured that you don't have to be an expert or even a writer to do that well. You just need to follow some basic steps and tap into the resources you need to help you succeed.

Who to Write For

Before you start writing, keep in mind some key points. First of all, know who you're writing for. That means identifying your target market, the kinds of things they're looking for and the types of problems they need help with.

What to Write

Once you understand your target market's needs, interests, wants and desires, you're ready for the next step which is to brainstorm on a list of topics your target market will be attracted to. Let your mind be creative. Don't edit yourself.

You should aim for a list of 30-50 topics that will attract your target market. There are three categories your topics will fall into. You can write a review (e.g. of a book or training course), an article that helps your audience solve a problem, or an article that does both (a review and solves a problem).

Don't Sell, Inform

The most important thing to remember is this. When you're writing for the Internet, you are NOT writing sales copy. You are writing content that provides valuable information and solutions.

Why is that?

Think about it. People who are searching online are not looking for you or your business. They want solutions to their problems. So give it to them in the form of valuable content that helps them solve their problems. When you do that, you build trust and position you as someone of value. If you go right into sales mode, chances are you will turn people away.

How to Write It

Now that you have a list of 30-50 topics that will attract your target market, the next step is to take your top 10 ideas and flesh them out a bit further.

Write a quick title (it doesn't have to be perfect at this point) and a one to two sentence summary of who you're writing to and what you plan on saying to them.

Create a pre-outline. To do that, finish this sentence with at least 7 different sentences. "This article is about __________." Again, just brainstorm. Don't worry about how or if you'll use it. Imagine yourself talking to your reader face-to-face.

If your article provides a solution to a problem, then also write a few sentences starting with "This article will _____________" and write down what the reader will gain by reading your article.

Remember to keep your article simple and to the point. Divide it up into sections so that it is easy to follow. Write like you are talking to someone sitting across the table from you.

You also want to make sure your article gets found by the search engines. With internet marketing, SEO (search engine optimization) is critical. You need to identify the key words people type in when they're searching online. A good free tool to help you do that is http://www.freekeywords.wordtracker.com/. Just go to that website and type in a number of key words or phrases that are related to your article. You'll be able to see what key word terms pop up most frequently in online searches. Then be sure to incorporate some of those terms in your article and title.

Remember that you don't have to be an expert writer to create a great Internet article. Apply what you've learned here and you'll learn to write effectively and attract people to you.

Contact Cindy Schulson for a consultation on how to improve your business results using effective communication and attraction marketing strategies.

A Home Business is a Great Way to Save Money

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 22:52:57 -0500

There are lots of great reasons to start a home business. You have a flexible schedule so you can build your business around your family, you don’t have to spend time commuting, you can work in the comfort of your own home, and you can earn extra income. It is also a great way to SAVE money.

There are several ways a home business can help you save money.

Travel – When you commute to work, you have to pay for fuel, tolls, parking and vehicle maintenance. When you work at home, the only wear and tear is on your socks and carpet walking to your office.

Clothes – When you work outside the home you have added expenses for clothing, accessories and dry cleaning. When you work at home, you can get away with fuzzy slippers and pajamas.

Food – If you work at home, your snacks, beverages and lunches are already included in your grocery budget. When you work outside the home, you have to add on the price of restaurants, drinks and snacks. You’ll probably have less time to cook as well, so you’ll likely have more take-out and restaurant expenses.

Daycare – Child care is a huge consideration. Many women find that a huge chunk of their pay check goes toward daycare costs, especially if they have more than one child. Even if your children are of school age, after care and/or before care at schools can be very expensive.

Hired help - When you work outside the home, you have less time to take care of things like house cleaning, home repairs and lawn maintenance, in which case you will likely have to pay someone to do these things for you.

Miscellaneous expenses - There are lots of miscellaneous expenses that come up when you work outside the home. Things like buying gifts for colleagues at Christmas time, and contributing to the office pool for gifts or donations can be really add up.

Taxes - There are MANY tax benefits and deductions you get when you have a home business. For instance, you can deduct a portion of your rent or mortgage, home insurance, utilities, home repairs, phone bills, and internet service. You can also deduct things like office supplies, travel expenses, mileage and client entertainment. Ronald R. Mueller, author of the bestseller “It's How Much You KEEP, That Counts! Not how much you Make”, explains that if you run a Home-Based Business you can slash your taxes by $300 to $600 per month.

Let me be clear. This is not to say that it is better to be a stay at home mom versus a working mom. That is not what this is about. It’s also not to say that it is easy to be successful with a home business, because that is certainly not the case. Nor is working from home for everyone. But before you make any decisions, determine how much bottom-line cash a job will bring once you add up all the costs.

Use this online calculator to help you determine the costs of working outside the home. And if you’re considering working from home, then do your research to explore the types of opportunities available and whether or not it might be a good fit for you. The most important thing is to find a solution that works best for you and your family.

For advice and tips on having a successful home business, get a free copy of Home Business Wins

Tips for Mompreneurs

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 01:00:14 -0400

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Work at Home Success

I've been working at home with my own business for 5 years and have two boys, ages 7 and 4. So I understand the challenges of working my business around my family's schedule. While its inevitable that your child will come running the second you pick up the phone or sit down at the computer, there are some things you can do to make working at home a little easier.

1. Schedule your time carefully. Let's face it, moms are the best multitaskers around. I remember making a lasagna while holding my child and listening to a conference call, all at the same time! There are certain work-related activities you can do with your kids around. Other work activities require more focus. You might not have huge chunks of quite time, but there will be opportunities during your day. Treat these times like gold and dedicate them to such activities as client/prospect/partner communication. You can also get a lot done before the kids wake up or after they go to bed. This is the time to do things like marketing, send emails, write and admin work. Be flexible though. Things won't always go as planned, so try your best to take it in stride.

2. To Do List - Have a to-do-list of what you are going to accomplish each day and each week. Prioritize your list and incorporate deadlines. This helps you stay focused and it gives you a sense of achievement as you move forward in accomplishing your goals. There are some great contact management systems, such as Oprius, that help you stay on task as well.

3. Business Tools - You can do a lot of work while you're out and about if you have the right tools including a cell phone. If you're in California or another state that mandates hands-free cell phone while driving, invest in a Bluetooth (or do what a friend calls "BoobTube" where you put your cell phone on speaker and stick it in your bra strap - try it!). You need enough minutes on your cell phone (its really Tools for Successexpensive if you go over so have that buffer) and make sure you record a professional voice message.

You'll also want to invest in a lap top and a wireless card so you can connect to the Internet from just about anywhere. And there is some great technology, such as Foldershare, that allows you to connect all the files on your home computer to your laptop. There are some other time-saving tools you can tap into as well. Click here for some more ideas.

4. Mom networks - There are some great online communities for moms that allow you to share ideas, network, and gain support. Here are a few:

cafemom
workitmom
typeamom
themompreneur
mompreneurclub
momslikeme

5. Find support -- Running your own business can be a big challenge and its best if you don't have to do it all alone. There are support systems out there that you can tap into. Social networking sites are a great place to learn and connect with others. You can also seek the support and advice of a coach. There are all different kinds of mentors and coaches, from network marketing mentors to business coaches and life coaches.

6. Office space - You need a space for yourself to get your work done. If you have a separate room, then close the door and put a sign on the door handle with a picture of mom working. You can get your child to help you make the sign so they really understand what it means. If you don't have a dedicated office space, then find somewhere in your house that has the least amount of traffic and the fewest distractions. One friend who lived in a studio apartment in Manhattan with her husband and child literally used the bathroom as her office!

7. Get your kids involved - Explain what you do to your kids and why you do it. Chances are they'll be proud of you and over time, will understand why you need time to get your work done. Kids love to help so find small tasks such as taking the pages out of the printer or punching holes in your papers.

8. Take a break - To avoid burnout, set aside work-free time. A well-timed breather can give you the energy boost you need. Take care of your mental and physical health. It really is one of the best things you can do for yourself, your family and your business.

For advice and tips on having a successful home business, get a free copy of Home Business Wins

The Key to Balancing Work and Family is Creating Multiple Streams of Income and Passive Income

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:36:16 -0400

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I took the entire summer off and still received a check every month for doing nothing. That is the power of residual income. If you want the freedom to take time off from your work or business to be with your family (or travel or whatever you want to do), then you have to look at the type of income you're earning. The key is to earn both passive income AND multiple streams of income. Passive or residual income gives you an ongoing source of revenue, so you can take time off. And creating multiple streams of income allows you to leverage your efforts and turn on several income taps at the same time. By creating both residual income and multiple income streams, you will be able enjoy what too few people have – both time and money.

Cash Flow for your Business

Passive income is money received on a regular basis, with little effort required to maintain it. Multiple streams of income means that you have money coming in from various sources. And if you’re really smart you’ll create both. Let’s look at some examples of how you can do that.

There are lots of ways to earn passive income including property rentals, financial investments and pensions. But to be honest, those carry too much risk and investment for me.

Working with an MLM or network marketing company can be a great source of residual income. That means you get paid over and over again by having a customer buy your service or product from you on a repeated basis. Top financial gurus like Robert Kiyosaki hRobert Kiyosakiave identified network marketing as an excellent business opportunity. Watch this video by Robert Kiyosaki to understand exactly why that is.

There are a number of key things to look for when selecting a network marketing company, such as the products, compensation plan, company track record, training, retention rate, and systems of marketing and duplication. More and more people are using the Internet to build their network marketing business, using the principles of attraction marketing. Look for a mentor who understands what this is all about and will help teach you these methods.

The Internet has created a whole new realm of possibilities for how to earn passive income, including web hosting, software products, internet marketing services, and custom web design services.

One of the more popular ways is through advertising commissions. If you have a website, you can put a banner or link on your site and collect a monthly fee for doing so. You can also offer advertising space in your ezine or ebook. You can also put Google Ads on your website. When someone clicks on the ad, you get a commission. Of course, all these advertising methods depend on you getting people to your website in the first place.

Another method that has become increasingly popular and allows you to create both passive income and multiple streams of income is affiliate marketing. With affiliate marketing, you make money by promoting products and services for companies and by recruiting other affiliates. It’s a good idea to diversify and choose multiple services and products so you don’t put all your eggs in one basket and so that you create multiple income streams. When you’re choosing an affiliate program make sure that it meets your target market’s needs and provides value. And choose affiliates that match your own interests and knowledge base, so you’ll know how to promote them effectively. Also look at the amount of commission the affiliates pay and how long they track clients for you (ideally forever). And make sure they pay commissions on multiple tiers for sales, e.g. you also get paid when one of your affiliates makes a sale.

I think you’ll find that affiliate marketing is pretty easy to do. You don’t have to invest anything (most affiliate programs are free), and the companies do most of the work for you. They provide the products, track the sales and give you a commission for each sale. Many programs even give you training and marketing materials to help you along.

Another great way to use the web to create passive income is to sell an ebook. You can write an ebook about any subject on which you can add value, whether its how to build an online business, travel tips or raising healthy children. The point is to create content that is valuable for your target market. Ebooks are not expensive to produce and can generate ongoing income for years to come.

You can even add an affiliate program by getting other people to sell it for a commission. This is a great way to increase your passive income. I’d also recommend pre-selling by giving people a free e-book or other valuable content before selling them your ebook.

That’s what Ann Sieg has done with her free The 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing, followed by the The Renegade Network Marketer.Ann Sieg

In fact, let’s take a look at what Ann Sieg has done because it’s an excellent example of how to make passive income online as well as create multiple streams of income. Ann has created an enormously popular ebook called The 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing. That book is free and it offers tremendous insights into why most people fail at network marketing and how they can succeed. Once people read that, they want to get her ebook The Renegade Network Marketer because it goes into much more detail about solutions for overcoming the challenges faced by most network marketers. For instance, Ann shares what she calls the greatest sales secret of all time (here’s a hint – it has to do with attracting people to you vs. chasing after them).

Now here is where her system is extremely clever. Anyone who purchases The Renegade Network Marketer (it costs $67) becomes an affiliate and will earn $33.50 every time they sell a copy of the ebook. Not only that, but anyone who buys The Renegade Network Marketer gets access to an enormous back-end system with tons of training and marketing tools, plus they automatically get to become affiliates with around 40 products and services geared to online marketing. So not only does Ann create multiple streams of income for herself, she makes that available for everyone who buys her ebook. Brilliant.

Don’t get me wrong. You can’t sit down at your computer and start generating thousands overnight. Like anything else, creating income online takes effort and persistence. Education is essential and there are great resources to help you. But if you commit to educating yourself and sticking with it, you can have great success. And once you have cash flow coming in on a residual basis and from different sources, you will be able to take time off and achieve greater balance between work and family.

For advice and tips on having a successful home business, get a free copy of Home Business Wins

How to Get Your Family to Support Your Home Business

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 22:45:42 -0400

Working at home can be tough. When I started my home business six years ago, I asked my husband how much he supported my business on a scale from 1 to 10. He said 3. He’s now at a 9 (nothing’s perfect, right?). But I’ve come a long way and learned some valuable tools in that time. By reading this, you’ll learn four important things moms and dads who work at home can do to gain their family’s support. When you take these four steps, you will not only get them to support your efforts, you’ll find that your family can be valuable partners in your success.

Set Expectations

First of all, make sure that everyone is on the same page as far as what’s expected, and not expected, of them. This is so critical.

What do you want your spouse to do? Do you need them to watch the kids? If so, figure out when and let them know well in advance. Get a calendar or whiteboard where you can post the times your spouse needs to be present and on kiddie patrol.

Does your spouse have a particular skill that you’re lacking? Seek their advice or help. For instance, I’m lousy with finances so I had my husband put together a system to help me track my expenses (and tax deductions – he loves that part!). Do you want your spouse to help with referrals? Are they willing to do this? If so, make sure they know what kind of referral you’re looking for and coach them on a good elevator pitch that works for them.

What about your kids? Your kids can help in little ways, such as punching holes in your papers, stuffing envelopes or decorating your office. They can also be your best spokespeople if they love your products (of course this can’t be rehearsed).

Also make sure your family members (parents, siblings, cousins, etc.) know what you don’t expect of them. For instance, you can ask a family member to listen to your sales pitch or presentation, but let them know you don’t expect them to buy your products or services.

Communicate

Secondly, communicate. By communicating upfront and at major decision points, you set the stage for mutual understanding.

Every relationship is different and you know the dynamics of how your marriage works better than anyone. That makes you the best judge of how and when to communicate with your spouse. Just make sure you do it. The best way to get someone’s buy-in is to seek their advice. Run your business ideas by your spouse. Explain your goals and plans. You will not only gain their support, you can also generate some valuable feedback.

Communicating is especially important at the outset of your business venture (before you invest major time and money) but it’s also important as you move forward. Things change and evolve. You want to communicate the major changes to your partner so they understand where you’re going.

Measure Your Results

Measure your progress in clear and objective terms. You’ll want to determine some major milestones you want to reach with your business as well as timelines for when you expect to reach those milestones. This helps you monitor your progress and it helps your family get on the same page as you. Let’s face it. A home business requires sacrifice from everyone in the family, especially at the beginning as you get things going. By setting milestones and timelines, you help everyone see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Another important part of measurement is monitoring your expenses and return on investment. Any business requires investment, both up-front and ongoing. You and your spouse might feel like the money is going out faster than it’s coming in, and that will likely be the case in the beginning. Every family has a different financial system. You might have separate bank accounts or you might be the one who handles all the finances. It’s up to you, but it can be a good idea to keep your spouse posted on the financial aspects of your business.

Celebrate

Finally, don’t forget to celebrate with your family when you reach your milestones. When you get your first client, let everyone know and celebrate however your family likes best. A picnic, a dinner, a hike, whatever is fun for you. Mark major milestones with a family vacation, a camping trip or a new family toy.

By setting expectations, communicating, measuring results and celebrating successes, you will go a long way toward gaining your family’s support for your home business. And when your family supports you in your efforts, it will make everyone’s lives, and your business, easier and more pleasant.