Category: Run a Home Business

Credibility in your Business

Credibility is key for getting your customers to know, like and trust you.  Credibility can not be created by you as only others can label you as credible.  Your business has to earn its credibility in other’s eyes. 

How?

According to the book Credibility by  Kouzes and Posner   there are four factors which make leaders credible.

For the majority of people in their extensive survey of what makes a leader:

A leader is honest.

A leader is forward-thinking. 

A leader is competent 

A leader is inspiring.

Credibility is the foundation of leadership.  

 


Categories: Mindset Tags: Tags: ,

Storytelling for Business

Storytelling is not the first priority for businesses when deciding on a marketing campaign.  However, the game has changed now that the internet is here.  

Storytelling has started around the fire with cavemen telling stories and it has continued on as a way to spread culture.  To catch a visitor’s eye and engage them, you need to tell a story.  We will talk more about storytelling but for now, enjoy the post from seroroundtable.com on the Loch Ness Monster myth 😀


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Mobilegedon

Mobilegedon was defined in April 2015 because Google+ decided it was going to give priority in Google Search for mobile friendly (as defined by Google) websites.  There were tests that developers and website owners could use to see how friendly their website is for mobile.  

If you are thinking of a getting a new website, look for one that is , at least, mobile responsive.  HTML websites are not the website of the future. More people are looking at websites on their smartphone to find places to eat, compare prices or find a business on a map so you have to make sure your website is mobile friendly if you want to have people look for your business on the internet.  


Categories: Mobile Tags: Tags: ,

Never too young

These are the kind of stories that excite me about the younger generation!  He had a passion for bowties so he designed and sewed his own and then people became aware of it.  He got a mentor in Daymond John on Shark Tank to get his dream into a business. 

When running a business, it is always good to give back to your community by looking for opportunities to mentor younger entrepreneurs or start a workshop about entrepreneurship.  
You will get more out of it in personal satisfaction, making friends or making connections in environments you don’t usually go in your business including schools or community centres.  You may even find the next intern or partner for your business from going out into the community and sharing your wisdom.



Categories: Run a Home Business Tags: Tags: ,

Don’t go down the Rabbit Hole

 

rabbit inside the hat

 

As Jack Humphrey said on Directions University, there are many distractions in the internet world and you need to focus. 

Over the last three years, I went out on the internet and learned a lot about internet marketing, affiliate marketing, offline marketing and even some, black hat marketing ( which I ran away from).  Then I realized that there was no way I wanted to be a “jack of all trades”.   I wanted to find a topic that I was passionate about speaking and writing about and that is the freedom and challenges of having a home-based business.  So, I started to ignore the other topics out on the internet. I went to the webinar trainings just to hang out and see the kinds of promises made and problems that exist in that business model. 

At Directions University, I learned about how to focus on my ideal audience and figure out strategically what and how I wanted to do my business. I learned some tactics. I leveraged Shared Circles strategy on GooglePlus to increase my followers but I knew WHY i was doing it.  I learned about Facebook and Twitter and LinkedIn and how to fit it in  or what not to use in my business strategy.  

At DU, I learned to create a Vortex Business Model where I can work less but leverage more to grow my business. I know now what I want to do with my business, how i want to do my business and most importantly, why I am doing my business. 

So, if you are running your home-based business and you feel like a rabbit running around and getting easily distracted, Directions University has a free e-book you can download called “Amazing Traffic Vortex” and see if after you read it, you realize that you have been acting like you can been going “deep into the rabbit hole” and it is time to FOCUS on what’s important!  

Categories: Mindset

Go mobile

mobilefriendlywebsite

 

 

Have you heard that Google Search will be recognizing mobile responsive websites in April? 


There is a test at https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/ where you can add your URL.  It will tell you how mobile responsive your website is and what is holding you back! 


For example, some of my images were too large and slowing things down, some CSS code and other things. 


Well at the bottom of the page, Google will optimize these images and files for mobile and give you a Zipped file!  Wow!

MORE MOBILE

 

Thanks to +David Amerland for this conversation share from +Padraig Ó Raghaill .

This is true. Why aren’t more authors having an app created that people can download to their phone where they have easy availability to the authors blog and books and chat?

iTunes has Apple magazine apps but there are only 5000 magazines over there.  They are easy to create and send out your message there !

The future is mobile so have you even thought about apps for your business.

I have and plan to create a magazine app since I don’t need to know the technology, all i need is to create the content. 


Categories: Mobile Tags: Tags: , ,

Be True to Yourself

 

The Customer is not always right!

 Guest Post by Ken Keis of

Consulting Resource Group

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Opinion: A view, judgment, or appraisal formed in the mind about a particular matter; belief stronger than impression and less strong than positive knowledge; a formal expression of judgment. 

Yes, there are times when our clients have concerns to which we need to respond, such as the package arrived damaged or later than we promised. In workshops during the height of the customer-service trend in the early ’90s, I actually taught that the customer is always right—but no longer.

Who has your ear? Who is providing you with feedback?

Several years ago during one of our Assessment Systems Certification Workshops, an individual shared that he did not like CRG’s leveraged affiliate business model. He was so upset that CRG would pay him a fee for his referrals, he asked for his money back on the session. He thought it was unprofessional to honor others with a referral fee.

Note: He was the only person to ask for a refund in over 10 years. His business has always struggled. He means well but he is not respected in the business community as competent businessperson. This is not a statement of judgment but, if I am going to seek counsel, it would be from individuals far wiser, more successful, and more experienced than I am.

Should I change CRG’s business model because of one contrary opinion among hundreds of positive ones? Of course not, but sadly, many people would.

Here’s another example.

One of my colleagues, a member of the National Speakers Association, had just completed a keynote address—1 of about 50 a year for which he is paid a significant sum—when an audience member approached him and started in on how she could help him with his speaking style.   If I wanted your opinion, I would have asked for it!

Is it possible that the speaker does not want to change his style? After all, his style is why the decision-maker paid him a significant amount to speak.

And why did that total stranger think it was appropriate to share her thoughts without asking permission?

It appears that almost everyone has an opinion, but few are qualified to provide one.

 

Have you changed your business model (or direction of your life) because of other people’s opinions?

What would your life or business look like if you changed it to fit everyone’s (in many cases, unsolicited) opinion? You certainly would not be living your purpose.

That is why the customer is not always right. People have issues and we want to do right by them, but we can’t own their stuff. The research shows that no matter how gifted a presenter you are, about 5% of any audience is not going to like you. Yes, we want everyone to like us, but that’s not going to happen.

 

About 15 years ago, I stopped using participant evaluation forms with a numeric 1-to-10 measuring format or any mention of the lunch and the facility. I found a high percentage of the group was more interested in complaining about the lunch than addressing the workshop content. The session was about sales, leadership, living on purpose, and so on. The lunch had nothing to do with behavioral transformation!

In one workshop, I got both these comments.

Best presentation on Sales that I’ve attended in my 20 years in this industry
Worst presentation I have ever attended
Whose opinion matters? Neither! In the end, you must feel comfortable in your own skin. That’s why Self-Worth is so important to our success. If we constantly change because of others’ opinions, we stand for nothing.

The “customer is not always right” mindset applies to all areas of our lives.

My point is this: No matter who you are or what you do, unsolicited opinions and comments will be offered. Many will have no merit and should be completely ignored. That includes “well-meaning” family members and friends who are judging the way you “should” run your life or business.

Unless the advisor has a track record of success in the exact area you need, why would you listen?

Here are some examples.

Someone who has no children tells you how to parent.
An individual who has had no success in investing tells you how to invest your money.
A career counselor who dislikes his or her job is counseling you on how to live your life on purpose.
A person who has never been successful in business tells you how you should run your company.
An average or below-average sales rep tells the sales superstar how to improve his/her sales performance.
A marketing specialist who is struggling for business themselves wants you to hire them.
An individual who has never supervised others tells you how to lead a team.
The list goes on…

In the end, you must live your own life and run your own business. Don’t let dysfunctional clients, individuals or uninformed family and friends inject their opinions into your space. Be respectful, but simply say No.

That’s why I stopped seminar evaluations altogether. The only feedback I need is from the decision-maker who invested in my session.

Unless you are one of my trusted advisors, I am not interested in your opinion about my presentations. After 23 years and 2500 presentations, I know myself. I have my own personal style and I am not going to change—nor should you—just because a minority did not like something.

Of course, there are some exceptions, such as feedback from individuals in authority at work and those you trust the most. Even then, make sure you are not being forced to be someone you are not—or expected to compromise your values in favor of another person.

I encourage everyone to stand in your personal and professional space with confidence. You can choose to seek wisdom from others but you must be watchful of the qualifications of your sources.

When you are confident and clear about who and what you are, others’ opinions will no longer impact you. You don’t need validation because you are secure in yourself. And negative feedback will not take you out.

Review the action steps to confirm possible items where you can improve and not let others drive your agenda in life.

 Action Steps
Your Customer is NOT Always Right!

  1. Are you completely clear about what is important to you, in all areas of your life? If not, what do you need to confirm?
  2. Have you allowed unsolicited opinions from customers or unqualified individuals to influence your life and business? If Yes, why have you allowed that to happen?
  3. What has listening to others’ ill-considered opinions cost you in terms of direction, confidence, and success?
  4. Decide this moment that you will not allow ignorant opinions into your personal or professional space. What do you need to change or shift to achieve that objective?
  5. The reality is that if you stand for anything, someone will disagree. If you never have anyone disagree with you, are you living authentically or are you simply trying to please others?
  6. Feedback is an important part of growth; proactively select your group of advisors to  make sure they have a proven track record of success in the area where you seek counsel. Make sure those individuals will tell you the truth—not just what you want to hear.
  7. Set an objective that you will take the necessary steps to mature to a level where the opinions of others do not matter.

To Know Thyself and keep Strong in face of others opinions

  1. To clairify your values and style, complete the CRG’s Values Preference Indicator (VPI) and
  2. the Personal Style Indicator (PSI) to get to know yourself better so you are less influenced by others.
  3. To understand how your level of self-worth is affecting your success, complete theSelf-Worth Inventory.
  4. To help you understand your tendencies and what is important to you, read Why Aren’t You More Like Me?“!

Your life or business is your own to live.

Until next time, keep Living On Purpose.


Ken Keis

For information on CRG Resources, please visit http://www.crgleader.com/home.

Interested in Ken Keis speaking at your event? 

 

Categories: Mindset Tags: Tags: , , , ,

Get Started

Willing to fail

Get Started

From James Cleary article:

In 1966, a dyslexic sixteen-year-old boy dropped out of school. With the help of a friend, he started a magazine for students and made money by selling advertisements to local businesses. With only a little bit of money to get started, he ran the operation out of the crypt inside a local church.

Four years later, he was looking for ways to grow his small magazine and started selling mail order records to the students who bought the magazine. The records sold well enough that he built his first record store the next year. After two years of selling records, he decided to open his own record label and recording studio.

He rented the recording studio out to local artists, including one named Mike Oldfield. In that small recording studio, Oldfield created his hit song, Tubular Bells, which became the record label’s first release. The song went on to sell over 5 million copies.

Over the next decade, the young boy grew his record label by adding bands like the Sex Pistols, Culture Club, and the Rolling Stones. Along the way, he continued starting companies: an airline business, then trains, then mobile phones, and on and on. Almost 50 years later, there were over 400 companies under his direction.

Today, that young boy who dropped out of school and kept starting things despite his inexperience and lack of knowledge is a billionaire. His name is Sir Richard Branson.

If you wait for your plan or idea or process to be perfect, you will never get started.

Always be willing to fail. You learn from your failures


Categories: Productivity Tags: Tags: ,

Dropbox

400px-Cloud_computing

Be More Productive with DROPBOX 

Never have to email a File again and get it bounced back to you because your web provider has a maximum Bandwidth per day for you to use.  

In our engineering office, we would always get calls from the contractor saying “My zipped pictures got bounced back to me or my Web Provider says, it can not send the file.” Well, we had to explain that their Web Provider only gave them a maximum bandwidth to upload files and it isn’t our issue because we were paying for increased bandwidth several years ago. Once Autocad drawings could become pdfs and more than two photos attached to an email meant the Email file was too large, it has become harder to transmit large files by email.

As noted in Wikipedia, when Apple developed iCloud in October 2011 as free service for its members to store music, podcasts,pictures and files from iTunes and all its IOS devices, it had 320 Million Users as of July 2013. Other companies like Microsoft and Dropbox offered free storage to people to encourage them to store their files in their Cloud service. 

Dropbox is exciting in that you as a user can share a file that you have uploaded to Dropbox with another person anywhere or anytime. All you need to share is an email address for that person. You and that person don’t have to know each other or be a part of the same company. You can email a link to a person and there is a link in the email they click which opens up a viewer where they can view, download to their computer or store it in their Dropbox. Unlike Google Drive where both people have to have a Gmail account, you can use any email address to send a message that there is a file in the Shared Folder.

Dropbox  has a free app available for your ios devices so you can upload video and photos from your smartphone, ipad or itouch. 
Any file you save to your Dropbox will also automatically save to all your computers, phones, and even the Dropbox website. This means that you can start working on laptop computer in a coffee shop and finish on your home office computer. You are not tied to your home office to do any work! 

You can: 

  • Share a Folder – you can invite your friends, family and teammates to a folder in your Dropbox. It’ll be as if you saved that folder straight to their computers.
  • View Previous Versions of a File so you can  view a record of changes made to a file. You can choose to go back to an earlier version of a file if you’d like.
  • Browse your Dropbox Folder in the  Web Browser or drag and drop files in the Dropbox Folder on your computer. It will automatically sync folder and add/delete files depending on your actions. 
  • Make a link to any file or folder in your Dropbox. You can then send this link to anyone you’d like to view the file — even if they don’t have Dropbox!

They reward you with 250MB of extra storage  bonus if you do 5 out of these 7 activities:

  • Take the Dropbox Tour 
  • Install Dropbox on your computer
  • Put Files in your Dropbox folder
  • Install Dropbox on other computers you use 
  • Share a folder with colleagues and friends 
  • Invite some friends to join Dropbox
  • Install Dropbox on your Mobile Devices

Dropbox is exciting in that you as a user can share a file that you have uploaded to Dropbox with another person anywhere or anytime. All you need to share is an email address for that person. You and that person don’t have to know each other or be a part of the same company. You can email a link to a person and there is a link in the email they click which opens up a viewer where they can view, download to their computer or store it in their Dropbox. Unlike Google Drive where both people have to have a Gmail account, you can use any email address to send a message that there is a file in the Shared Folder.

So, Dropbox is a free service with 2GB of storage free for you to store files, share files and even do collaboration with another person on editing a file. Have a look at this Dropbox tutorial above by Dotcom Guy Tutorials and you will see the flexibility of Dropbox and how it can help you in your business.

Now I don’t have an affiliation with Dropbox. In fact, in another article, I will go over the benefits of the other Cloud-based services like Google Drive, Microsoft One Drive and Apple iCloud.  I just wanted to do Dropbox today as I have this great tutorial above and you will see how putting your files up in the Cloud will increase your productivity as you share your projects and files with your clients!  

The featured image is of Cloud Computing definition in Wikipedia – Thanks !!  

Categories: Productivity Tags: Tags: ,

A pause during the day

Be Grateful Always remember to pause for five minutes during the hectic workday and be grateful. Find a poem, find a video like this one with the “Birds of the Ocean” , the Manta Rays or just meditate and turn the phone off. Be Grateful for what you have in your life.

THE VIDEO credit from Youtube

Published on Dec 7, 2012

Julie Hartup part of Manta Trust, a non-profit organization recently went to Yap to begin a long-term monitoring/research program. Video was complied from four days of scuba diving at a shallow cleaning station with help from the Manta Ray Bay Resort. Film was edited by Chase Weir.

Categories: Productivity Tags: Tags: ,

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