Aspire to Inspire

Free Help With Google AdWords

A while back I wrote about dominating your niche with Google's Pay Per Click Advertising.  This was a review of the product PPC Domination which I still highly recommend!

It is a comprehensive, step-by-step video series which walks you through developing a campaign with key terms and then putting that campaign into action.

I am still learning and putting this teaching into practice - with some great results I will share later.

But, in the process, I found something else very helpful.  This time it is FREE.

I love free tools.  Now, don't get me wrong, I pay for good training and it is invaluable.  If you are looking only to get free training, there is a lot of good training out there, but there is a lot of junk to wade through as well.

I have not gone through all of this, but these videos are an excellent place to start or an additional resource - especially when you have a very particular question.

They are each very short clips explaining a specific part of the pay per click process.

Check them out - very informative and comprehensive - and FREE.  Google's Training

A Little Logo

I love it when I run across free stuff to share with you!

When you are starting a business, you want to do things without a lot of cost.  Heck, even if you have been in business for a while you want to do that!

And building your brand is part of building your business!

So, you need a logo.  But, to get a graphic designer to create just the right one.  Or to create one yourself in html format can be a pain.

You have other things you need to be working on, right?  Logos, while they build your brand, do not make you money.  So, spending hours on creating just the right logo is not wise.

But having a logo shows that you are more professional and you can create just the impression you want to make.

This site is very cool.  It offers free logos that you can customize to create your one-of-a-kind logo for your website, business cards, stationary, e-zine etc.

Check it out here - Logoinstant

But don't spend too much time with it and get back to the stuff that makes you money using your hip new look!

Here's to Inspired Branding!

Do You Have a Note From Your Doctor?

I broke down and went to the doctor the other day because I had had enough of feeling like soggy cereal all day long.

Overall it was a decent experience - good customer service, short wait time - totally NOT what you would expect from a doctors office.  But, I digress, because that was not what I was going to write about (though I always make a learning experience out of ANY customer service I receive).

At the end of my visit, after my oh so fun shot in the toukis - the nurse asked me if I needed a note from the doctor.

WHAT?

I felt like I was back in high school.  It took me a while to recover from this shock and look at her without a totally uncomprehending look on my face.

No, really, for what felt like 5 minutes (but was really more like about 30 seconds), I had NO IDEA of what she was talking about.  I just could not digest the idea that a grown woman over the age of 18 (ok, over the age of 22 since some college professors might rightly demand one) would need a note from their doctor to prove they were really sick.

Seriously?

At first I was a bit offended - The nurse was not offensive, the question was.  

Then I just felt sad.  Sad at the fact that we must even need such a thing.  That there are 1. People who are not trustworthy enough to take off when they are actually sick and 2.  Employers who do not trust their employees enough that they have to require one (presumably because of #1).

And I was sad for the poor soul who has to say yes.

Chalk this one up to another reason I am glad to work for myself.  

No notes for this employer - a bed to sleep off the shot, yes, a note, no!

Can You Explain It?

Quick, tell me what you do.  You have 3 seconds to interest me.  Can you do it?

 

Did you think to yourself, 'I own a pesticide company' or 'I am in customer relations with XYZ Corp'?  Or if you are in a home-based business, did you think 'I sell XYZ brand cosmetics' or 'I am a virtual assistant'.

 

Blah! 

 

"But, that is what I do" you are saying. 

 

Yes, but the next statement from your audience is NOT going to be "Oh really, tell me more."

 

You have a few seconds to make an impression with people and while they might like you from the conversation, they are not likely to remember what you do, because, well, really they don't care.

No, really they don't.  Sad fact, but the truth.  And truth be told, neither do we.  It is just a polite question and we receive the answer just as politely.

But, what if you make them care?  Or at least sit up and take notice?  Because instead of just -oh, ho-hum, telling them what business you are in, you tell them how that business can help them.  You present yourself as "The Problem Solver."

 

Really, isn't that what marketing boils down to?

• Identifying a problem
• Offering a solution to the problem. 

So, what problem do you solve and how do you do it differently? You want to be able to say in as few words as possible who you work with, what their main challenge or frustration is, and how you help solve the problem or achieve their desired results.

 

Let's look at one of the above examples:

"I own a pesticide company" - What about saying "You know how people have a problem getting rid of such and such a pest in this area?  Well, I provide treatment for homeowners using kid and pet friendly pesticides."

What is different?  I changed a simple statement into an example of a common problem to that area and gave a benefit of my business that is of interest to a lot of people.

What will happen? The person listening now relates you to either a problem they have or that someone they know does AND they bank that information in their brain because it is different than what they have heard before and it is of BENEFIT.

  

Now, you try.  List the problems that you commonly see in your industry.  List the benefits of your product or service.   Now, it is just fill in the blank "You know how _________(fill in the blank with the challenge or frustration)?  Well, I _______(fill in the blank with the results you offer) to help those people."

 

Have an Inspired Day!

Do You Love It?

Do you have a business you love?

 

My son told me yesterday that he did not want to grow up because he didn't want to have to work - it was "NO FUN".  I asked him why he thought that and he gave me a few reasons from things he had seen in other people.  I asked him "what about Mommy?"  To which he replied "That's not work, you like what you do."

 

Those words were music to my ears.  Not to mention a teachable moment in time.  I told him, that if he wanted to have choices when he grew up, choices about what he could do, where he could work, what field he could work in and the choice to do something he LOVES, he would actually have to do the "hard part" up front.  Learn as much as he can now.

 

I want my son to LOVE what he does, so much so that it does not seem like work.

 

So, think about it again.  Do you love what you do? 

 

If not, why not?  Take a few minutes to meditate on that question.  

• Is it because you just haven't found something that strikes your fancy, but you will know it when you see it?  
• Is it because you really don't believe that it is true you can make money from home - that only the lucky few are able? 
• Is it because you are still looking for the "one, best, absolutely ground-breaking" business out there that no one else knows about and will make you money instantly? 
  
• Is it because you just can't pull the lever and make the commitment to creating an income from home?
• Is it because you don't have the skills yet?

If yes, why?  Take a few minutes to meditate on this question.

• What do you love about it?
• Do you love the work or just the money you can make?
• Do you vomit that love all over everyone around you?
  
• Or, are you a secret agent afraid to tell anyone what you do?
• Do you love it enough to learn how to make Yourself marketable?

I hope you are finding the tools you need to turn your "no" into a "yes".  I will be giving you even more 

 

And if you already say "yes" - I hope I am giving you the tools you need to make it even better!

 

Now, let's find something that inspires you to say "Work, what's that?" 

Are You Clear About Why?

I was reading Carrie Wilkerson's newsletter about why she does what she does.  

And it got me to thinking about my last few years and why I do what I do.

A while back, my husband was diagnosed with stroke-level high blood pressure (the level at which they bring you back day to day and put you in the hospital if it does not GO DOWN!).  

This situation, along with some other devastating occurrences that significantly contributed to his stress, sent me to my knees in prayer.  

I began to see the truth – I saw the very real possibility of loosing my husband.  

I also was faced with the financial possibility of having to support myself and my son without my husband or the three of us with an incapacitated husband.  And I knew I absolutely couldn’t do it.

But truly what was worse than the immediate health need was waking up to the effects his very stressful job had had – it had been slow death of his spirit.  

And I realized without hope of changing our circumstances, which meant changing our choices, he had to resign himself to a job he had grown to hate and I would have to go back to a job that I had once loved, but knew I would grow to resent. 

Because we had both opened our eyes to the fact that working for someone else makes you dependent upon them and takes away your choices about when to work, when to take time off and how much you have the potential to earn.  

You can work very hard, but ultimately your future is in someone else’s hands. 

I could not go back to work for someone else.  I love to teach, but it was not going to give me the future we needed.

So, I decided to take what I was passionate about and create an income!

It has not been an easy road and I have not realized the full potential.  

I have not achieved all that I set out to do.  YET.

But THAT is the best part.  I have come to realize that there is never an end to what I want to do.  There is no "I have arrived."

Because I am in control, no one sets my last promotion level, my salary ceiling or top management level.

I determine how far and how fast.  And I am responsible for getting me there.

Scary?  Maybe, but I wouldn't have it any other way!

What is your Why?  Share with me! 

When Viral is Good - Kiss and Share!

With all the talk about viral connections on the internet, you might be wondering if you should be wiping your laptop off with a disinfectant wipe.

But, through the magic of 21st century hyperlinks and forwarded emails, along with the weird, the goofy and the downright scary, even truly good information can make its way around the world

On Valentine's Day, a day that is filled with love and romance, this might seem a sad subject, but it seemed a good way to honor a sweet family.

I love to read Paula Spencer's column in Woman's Day.  She is the author of Momfidence - An Oreo Never Killed Anybody and Other Secrets of Happier Parenting, and blogs at www.momfidence.com.

In the Febuary 10th issue, she wrote about 3 year old Cole Ruotsala.  

Cole went fishing one day with his father and caught his first fish.  Then he began complaining of a stomach ache.  Eight weeks later, he died in his parents arms after being diagnosed with adrenocortical carcinoma, an agressive, inexpilicable cancer noted for its rarity: The odds of getting it are literally one in a million.

As Paula stated in the article, if after reading that you are "itching to go hug your child, do."

That should be how you feel and I believe his parents would relish that result.

In a time when we go, go, go at lightening speed, are involved in more activities than we can count on fingers (and toes!), shuttle from one soccer game to another ballet practice, have to call our kids on their cell phones to find out where they are and don't have time to get outside to breathe fresh air, it sometimes takes stories like these to make us stop. Stop and Give Thanks for what we have, while we have it.

So, on Valentine's Day, take the time.  Time to stop and watch your precious ones.  Watch them breathe, watch them giggle, watch them use their imagination, watch them forget the rules one more time, watch them dance the happy dance.  Just spend time with them and enjoy it.

As my mother-in-law is always reminding me;  "There will be a day when you long for the little boy who left a trail of toys all through the house!"

So, let's use this Valentine's Day to hug them extra tight, smootch them extra long and spend a few extra moments just tuning in to the ones we love.

If that is the result of reading Cole's story, then it is an honor to his memory.

And, if you happen to be so inspired, you can also help out the foundation set up in his honor, (Caring Openly, Loving Eternally).  It is a nonprofit set up to support families whose lives are put on hold by a battle with childhood cancer.

Here's to Inspired Valentine's Day Smootching!

Still Saving Time on the Internet

I have been working on these three steps - have you?

If you have some others, comment or email and tell me about them.

Two more tips that I have been using and that have been useful are:

1.  Track Your Time - do a search for free egg-timer software and you will get a few.  Choose one that you like and download it.  Then, when you are logging on to Facebook, Twitter, your email account or researching something, set a time limit and set your timer.

I have saved a lot of time with this little device.  I love and can wander around Twitter forever.  I will tell myself that I have 15 minutes and look at the (very tiny and oh, so quiet) clock in the bottom of my computer screen and promise, promise, promise that I will look at it again.  Right!!  45 minutes later, I am irked at myself again!  Sound familiar?

But, with my handy-dandy timer device, I know when that 15 min is up and I might say one last thing, but I have trained myself to click the X and close it.

Time Saved:  oooodles

2.  Just Say NO - Oh, this one is so much harder and I actually have more to say about it that I will write later.  (My husband would say "Imagine that, her having more to say!)  But, this is becoming increasingly important amongst the "noisy" internet.

There are A LOT of good things out there (as there are bad) so it is easy to keep jumping like a grasshopper all over the place, never landing long enough to make a difference.  Especially when you are new to the information!

I needed to learn to say NO to new forms of information, no matter how good they sounded, and focus on the ones I already have!

How about you?  What do you need to say "YES" to?  What do you need to study and apply before you move on?

Time Saved:  more oooodles

Here's to Inspired Time Management!

Saving Time Online

Guilty!

 

I am so guilty of wasting time online.  Are you?

Oh, I want to excuse it.  I want to give you all the reasons that the time I spend reading, researching, looking at sites is all useful.  That it is furthering my education.

And, to some extent, it is.  But, it is just furthering my education.  Not my productivity OR my pocketbook!

So, one of my goals for the year is to make my time online more productive.

Here are 3 of the ways I am doing that:

1.  Separate my Business E-mail from my Personal E-mail

This way I am only responding to the business email during the day and not getting (too) sidetracked. The really BIG TRICK then, is to only check my personal e-mail at night.  This way I am only responding to the business email during the day and not getting (too) sidetracked.  

Time saved: 30 min

2.  Unsubscribe

This is one of the hardest things to do.  I really do enjoy reading the newsletters, tips, blog feeds, e-zines.......  I get a lot of good ideas and information from them.  But, I can also spend a lot of time with them.  So, I have pared down.  I choose a few that I feel are invaluable and I am unsubscribing to the rest.  

Time saved: 20-30 min

3.  Know my Action Steps

Writing down the must-do things of the day still ranks as the number one way to stay on task.  And I use the very old-fashioned pen and paper (actually, I use index cards) because I absolutely love the feeling of crossing those suckers off the list.  But, however you do it, make a list.  And the best time to make it is at the end of the day - make your list of 6 things you must do.  Then rank them and go in the order of most to least important.  Whenever you get off task, just go back to that list.

Time saved:  at least 30 min a day

There, I have shaved 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours off my day.  Time that I can now devote to things I get paid for!

Here's to Inspired Time Management!

I would love to hear how you save time online too.

Making 2009 the Year You Reach Your Goals - Part 4

The last day.  Are you excited?  

If you take the time to write out these steps and do the thinking required, you will be find that you are much more effective and efficient.

This last step may seem tedious, but will be the icing on the cake.  

If you will do this once, it will change the way you take action forever.  You will be able to analyze an activity, determine if it will get closer to you where you want to be, and clearly see whether it is worth doing.

And, if you write it out now, it will become second nature to you later.

A Review:

Step 1 - You listed in current terms what will happen in your business in the next 3 years, in the next year and over the next three months (with dates attached).

Step 2 - You inventoried your positive traits that will help you reach your goals and the negative traits that might hinder you.  And for these, you gave yourself dates by which you want to be rid of them.

Step 3 - You inventoried your time, finding the "negotiable" time you have to work toward your goals.  And hopefully, you determined you have a reasonable amount of time to work on these goals.

Now, we are going to put all of these things together in this last Step.

First, take the sheet titled 'Steps Inventory' and determine the top 10 steps you need to take in your business that will move you toward your Immediate Goals and your 1 Year Goals.  (These can include removing the negative traits you listed.)

Write these down in current terms, such as "I have 15 new clients in my offline business." beginning with those that are directed at your Immediate Goals first and ending with those directed toward your 1 Year Goals.

Now, you will need 10 copies of the last page 'Steps Analysis' because for each of the 10 steps you listed, you will want to analyze how you will fulfill the step.  This includes determining the requirements for each as well as the skills you need (or need to hire) to complete this step.

This last step will keep you from feeling overwhelmed.  When you have 10 steps that you want to take and you know what is required to get you there and help you complete them, you have the tools necessary to analyze your activities.

When a new opportunity or activity comes up, you can consult your compass.  Will this move me closer to completing these 10 steps or not?  If not, I can say "NO".  If yes, go for it.

Changing or adopting a new habit is never easy, but then nothing worthwhile ever is!  

This was a life-altering part of becoming more productive for me - learning to evaluate my actions based on what I was determined to accomplish.  With these tools, I have a roadmap to follow with clear directions toward my goals.

Here's to an Inspired 2009!  Let me know if I can be your accountability partner - I would love to encourage you in reaching your goals!