Setting goals for success with 3 kinds of done.

Photo courtesy of Wayne_Parrack

Does setting effective goals give you trouble? If you feel defeated before you can even begin to achieve your goals, perhaps you need an extra kind of win. Let me present three kinds of done.

I Am Done!

I discovered this phrase during a 30-day blog challenge. Robert Plank, a man who gets things done in no time at all, loves to say “I am done” when he finishes every project. He wrote all 30 of his blog posts–in ONE day–before the challenge ever started!

Then what? He scheduled them to post automatically. Now he could interact with his fellow blog challengers through comments and tweets while he worked on other projects.

Git-R-Done

A colloquial phrase in the southern United States and Newfoundland in Canada, made popular by Larry the Cable Guy, “git-r-done” or “git-er-done” first appeared in Uncle Remus back in the late 1800s. Although I live in neither region, I have come to appreciate it very much.

This was my second blog challenge. Why do it twice? Because I worked very hard to git-r-done and won the first one! What does winning mean? I completed 30 posts in 30 days and told our leader, “I am done!” She posted names and web sites of winners on her blog so we get continued wonderful traffic.

Then what? I experienced such euphoria, such a sense of completion, because I was a winner! I realized it had been a long time since I’d actually finished something big. How about you? Life can seem so day-to-day with no real finish lines. Here was a taste of success that left me hungry for another jolt.

I’m SO Done With This Bleep!

The third kind of done has tremendous power. This is the kind of done where you become so fed up with the way something is that you Make A Decision. Whatever it is that you will no longer tolerate in your life, your decision changes everything. You have decided you’ll do whatever it takes to effect the difference you desire.

A clear vision, plan of action and taking baby steps helps the universe swing into action. You may discover incredible coincidences where the exact right person shows up with the exact right answer at the exact right moment and helps you succeed in ways you could never have achieved alone.

Setting effective goals with these three kinds of done in mind can bring you success in blog challenges, life challenges or business projects. Celebrate with “I am done!”

Best,

Karen

P.S.

Picture me going through the rest of my day singing, “I am done!” Aren’t you glad you don’t live with me? What goal will you set? See you at the finish line!

P.P.S

Go see how Robert Plank does so much.

A cool cat in his comfort zone sits all alone!

Photo courtesy of russelljsmith

How do you market your business? Start a blog, post often, use social media and add new products. Is any of this out of your comfort zone? Good!

Why a Blog?

No other web content is as tasty to search engines or people as a blog updated frequently with great information. Your content with keyword phrases your ideal customer types into their search box gets indexed fast and establishes you as an expert.

As readers read this or that post, they begin to know, like and trust you. You can invite your readers to take action which turns them into participants, then customers.

Why Post Often?

Each post is a web page that will pop up when anyone searches for the keyword phrase you wrote on. So after a year or more of frequent posting, you’ve developed quite a storehouse and lots of traffic bait. Link new posts to related old posts so your blog interconnects, which gives your readers instant access to posts they’d never dig for.

Fresh content keeps the search engine robots checking often for more fresh content. If you don’t post for a month, the robots don’t visit so often. Posting at least two or three times a week keeps up your writing momentum, increases traffic, builds relationships and more sales!

Why Social Media?

People come online for information first, for interaction with others second. Finding like-minded souls is always fun as you get to know them, get an insight into another’s life, share experiences with them. When you need a problem solved, asking a question on Twitter can get you lots of response.

If you’re on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn as a basic start, you can provide useful tips, interact with others in real time and help them solve their problem. Be a giver and a helper, become known and familiar, then when one of your acquaintances or friends needs your product, who they gonna call? Not Ghostbusters!

Why Add New Products?

As you form relationships, you may discover other ways you can serve your customers. Things change, so what was once cutting edge feels stale. Make a new product that solves a new problem or extends your service. You might offer a beginner, average user and advanced version of your product so your customer self-selects their best fit.

As you venture outside your comfort zone to market your business, your experience and skill grow. Your ideal customer can find you more easily and benefit from your expertise.

Best,

Karen

P.S.

Don’t sit all alone in your comfort zone. Download a Free Report on how to avoid top easy-to-make blogging mistakes by visiting “Best Blog Video Course” and learn how to make your blog a master tool to bring new prospects and customers into your business.

Achieve your goals and earn awards like this or better!

Photo courtesy of eecue

In business and in life we often deal with circumstances that prevent us from achieving our goals. Here’s how to grow past your circumstances in four steps.

Dave Navarro’s Rock Your Day blog has an excellent article called How to Create the Circumstances You Want. It’s all about growing your mental muscles. It’s a bit of “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” and a kick in your backside.

If you’re sick and tired of some hard circumstance or other blocking your dream, his killer exercise is at the bottom of this post.

What Are Your Circumstances?

They’re facts. Period. You have two jobs. You have two kids.

Trouble arises when you slather an emotion onto the fact like palatable icing turning the fact into a tasty rationalization. We love excuses. They’re so much less work than finding a way over, under, around or through a hard circumstance. You tell everyone you can’t achieve your dream goal because you have two jobs and two kids.

Your Circumstances Are Tests

What happens if you accept the challenge of your hard circumstance? You look at it stripped of emotion and see what you must change in yourself to grow past this obstacle. Work it, baby. One day you’re past it. Home free? Of course not, silly. Life will present another challenge. Good news: you’ll be stronger and better equipped to deal with the next one.

Ready, Set, GO!

1. Consider one circumstance that you feel is the “brick wall” preventing you from getting the goal you want.
2. Now, imagine that you had no choice but to accomplish your goal. Imagine it as a life or death situation.
3. Brainstorm as many ways as you can to work around this circumstance or negate it entirely (even if it’s not an easy thing to do). Take your time doing this, because remember – you absolutely have to make this goal happen. Your “circumstance” cannot be used as an excuse.
4. Get cracking. Now. Your goal is waiting.

Sweet Words: I’m DONE!

Imagine your goal achieved. How does it feel? Your circumstance no longer exists as a block or a sad story you tell over a beer to a pal. Nope. It’s scotched, kaput, conquered. Isn’t it thrilling to do a happy dance and sing “I’m done, I did it, I’m done, done, done!

Did you grow your business? Create a passive income stream? Do you now see yourself as a doer who achieves goals instead of a dreamer or victim? That’s so huge!

Best,

Karen

P.S.

Thank you so much, Dave Navarro! I’m off to do your steps. Look out world!

Online business marketing tips for ringing up success.

Photo courtesy of liza31337

Learning how and why people shop online helps you improve your online business marketing. Here’s how you can offer maximum satisfaction for your customers.

Why People Shop Online

1. Quick, easy shopping on their time.

No need to rush home from work, bolt dinner, drop kids at Grandma’s, then zip to the store before it closes. No need to watch out for traffic morons, road construction or weather situations.

2. Ease of comparison shopping.

A few mouse clicks reveal which model bread machine best suits her needs, what it costs and who has the best price. She might even find a coupon code.

3. Can find obscure items.

Not everyone wants an easy-clean-up black juicer with a retro look and whisper mode (is there such a thing, really?) but if ANYONE has it, it can be found online. In a physical store near her? Not likely. Your info-product? Only online.

Drawbacks in Shopping Online

1. Can’t see the item in person.
2. Can she trust the seller?
3. Beware shipping costs.
4. Check return policy.

Tips for Better Online Business Marketing

The good news is your online business stays open 24/7, rain or snow and parents can shop in a few moments during the day or after the kids are in bed.

Make it your business to know what your competitors sell, their prices, shipping and how you stack up against them. If you can’t offer the lowest price, make sure you have free shipping, or provide such an extra-quality products or service that your ideal customers discover you have just what they need or want, with no drawbacks.

If you sell obscure items, make sure your keywords lead your unique-needs customers to your business.

Overcome All Drawbacks

Provide excellent photos and detailed sensory descriptions of your products or services, so your customer can almost experience it.

Banners that certify you as a trustworthy business, testimonials from satisfied customers, super-secure bank or credit card transaction processing and your money-back guarantee can all soothe worried souls.

Be up front about your shipping. If you offer physical products and free works for you, it’s a great draw. Make a user-friendly return policy where you can. Offer an 800 number or email in case of trouble.

Point out the ease of shopping with you at any time of day or night, spell out how it’s an instant download or how quickly you ship, and remind them how your product stands out from the rest.

Your online business marketing attracts your ideal customers, gives them what they want and makes them feel welcomed and cared for.

Best,

Karen

P.S.

What you want are raving fans who return for more, right? How do you get them? Click here for tips!

Online visibility--when prospects search, do they see YOU?

Photo courtesy of Andy_Hay

Online visibility means your name, your business and your content are mentioned, linked to, tweeted, and SEEN everywhere—most especially where your ideal client hangs out. What this means for your online home business is more opportunities, more interactions, more fans, joint ventures and unanticipated bounties. Want some?

How Visible Are You Today, This Minute?

Do a Google search for your name with quotation marks around it so the results are focused on you, not every John or Mary or Smith, for instance. How many sites point to you on page 1 and 2? What sites are they? How many links? What are they linked to?

How many other people have your name? One man discovered he shared his name with both an author and a band who dominated the pages. He added his middle initial, then became visible with that identity. Do you need to differentiate yourself from others?

Are You Happy With What You Found?

Do a Google search for the name of your business. What did you see? How many page 1 links are there? Would they attract your ideal clients or are they dry, boring brochure-type listings? If you can’t find your links until page 5, 10 or worse, you are invisible. No one will dig down that far.

Did you Find Negative Comments About Your Business?

You must address them. How? Create content you want seen instead. An excellent way is with a blog. Makes lots of great content aimed at your ideal customer or client so your message fills those first two pages.

If you don’t monitor your name or your business name, set up Google Alerts, at least.

Attract Your Ideal Client

Believe it or not, you don’t want everyone coming to your business. Out of every hundred people, you may find one who needs your product or service and will pay for it. Build a network that captures your prospect, not tire-kickers or freebie-seekers.

How to Focus Your Message

Set up or revise your business according to how you answer these questions:

• Who do you want to attract?
• What do they want?
• What makes you different from everyone?
• What do clients say about you?
• Why are you in business?

Even if you can’t answer these questions in full right now, start aiming your content at your ideal client as best you can. Your business will evolve as you go along. It will narrow down to a unique segment of the population perfectly suited to you and your business.

Imagine knowing who your people are, where they hang out, and how you can best form relationships with them. Then, when a sudden need for your product or service comes up, they may already know, like and trust you and your solution.  That’s online visibility.

Best,

Karen

P.S.

Remember, you run your online business for greater income and fun. If you want your ideal clients to find you instead of your competition, boost your online visibility.