Dec
28
2009 Outside the Box
Filed Under Affiliate Marketing, Announcements, Best of 2008, Books, Home Based Business, Outside the Box, Personal Development and Success | 14 Comments
This is my final blog post for 2008. I have enjoyed our interaction this past year.
Thank you. I learned a lot.
I look forward to more give and take in 2009.
Thinking Outside the Box
In 10 Not Simple Success Strategies for 2009 I stated, “What worked in the past may no longer work in the present economy. You may have to make some tough personal or business choices going forward.”
To succeed in 2009 we need to be flexible and to think outside the box. According to Wikipedia, thinking outside the box is “to think differently, unconventionally, from a new perspective. This phrase often refers to novel, creative and smart thinking“.
I hope to help you think outside the box and navigate through some of the challenges and choices that lie ahead.
If you don’t yet subscribe to this blog, I ask you to subscribe now. Let’s stay “on the same page” as I continue to publish thought-provoking and hopefully outside-the-box articles on a broad range of topics.
Networking Outside the Box
If you are not yet a member of Critical Thinking Outside the Box, my no-spam online social network, please join now. This social networking site is a place where you and I can share ideas and network with each other.
Set up your profile there and add me as a friend. That way you can contact me whenever you wish.
By starting discussions and participating in existing discussions on the forum, you’ll brand yourself as a leader. If you’d like to become a featured leader on the site and have me promote you there, send me a message and we’ll discuss the details.
Marketing Outside the Box
Online social networking and social media marketing are still very much in their infancy. We’ll see plenty of growth and change in 2009 and beyond. To market outside the box you’ll need to keep abreast of online and social marketing changes, and you’ll need to keep learning new skills.
One excellent training and support program that I highly recommend to learn and implement new marketing ideas is Affiliate University.
Founder Bill Hibbler is a successful Internet marketer and an excellent instructor. Bill along with Dr. Joe Vitale is co-author of Meet and Gr
The Affiliate University training program has ten modules, and more will be added in the future.
Additionally, I’m starting a marketing clinic to complement the Affiliate University curriculum and help you through the rough spots as you put what you learn to use.
Achieving Outside the Box
Setting and following through on goals require ongoing support from peers. Mastermind groups provide that support and have long been known to increase focus and speed movement towards achieving objectives.
Affiliate University will start you on the path to forming a mastermind group. After teaching you the basic concepts and mechanics of mastermind groups, their forum will help you connect with prospective members for your group. I will help too.
If you believe that you can benefit from one-on-one mentoring, I offer special consulting rates for my “inner circle”. See the bio and endorsements on my about page for information about my qualifications.
As usual, feel free to comment on this blog post or ask questions… And let’s have a great year!
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Dec
21
Brand Yourself and Market on Twitter
Filed Under Affiliate Marketing, Books, Home Based Business, Networking and Marketing Strategy, Social Media and Social Networking Sites, Twitter | 33 Comments
What is Twitter?
Twitter may very well be the hottest online social media venue today. It’s a social network, micro-blog, instant messenger, mobile communications tool and giant party — all rolled into one site.
Twitter is a great branding and marketing resource with the potential to reach thousands of people. I myself am a very enthusiastic Twitter user.
Originally Twitter entries were status updates that answered the simple question, “What are you doing?”
Twitter has evolved over time, and members now post all sorts of short messages which we affectionately refer to as “tweets”.
How short is short?
There is a strict 140 character limit so members can tweet via text messaging wherever they happen to be at the time.
If you’re on Twitter and want people to “follow you”, write a comment below explaining briefly why you like Twitter and including your Twitter link.
Twitter Training
I found a three-hour course that fully answers the question, “What is Twitter?” and goes step-by-step through complete Twitter setup and usage.
There are also extensive interviews with Warren Whitlock and Deborah Micek, authors of Twitter Revolution: How Social Media and Mobile Marketing is Changing the Way We Do Business & Market Online
Affiliate University
The Twitter course is being offered by Affiliate University as a free sample of their social and search engine marketing training which was designed primarily for novice Internet marketers and more seasoned marketers who want to increase their skill set.
Affiliate marketing, referring customers to others’ websites in order to earn commissions, is a great way to develop multiple income streams, create passive residual income, and generate leads for nearly any type of business from mortgages and real estate to network marketing.
It isn’t very difficult to get started in affiliate marketing. Having your own website isn’t required, but if you have a website or blog, that’s a big plus.
Affiliate University teaches the necessary concepts and techniques in a structured and easy to follow format.
Founder Bill Hibbler is a successful Internet marketer and an excellent instructor. Bill along with Joe Vitale is co-author of Meet and Grow Rich: How to Easily Create and Operate Your Own “Mastermind” Group for Health, Wealth, and More
If you have experience with affiliate marketing, feel free to write a comment below and share your experiences.
In any case, enjoy the Twitter Course. It’s excellent, and there aren’t any strings attached.
Like this article? Please subscribe to my RSS feed or by e-mail. Let’s get acquainted too at my About and Connect pages.
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Jun
6
Even Mentors Need Mentors
Filed Under Acknowledgment, Books, News, Personal Development and Success | 1 Comment
Yesterday I was asked how it is that I’ve learned so much so quickly about social media marketing and search engine optimization.
My response was simple.
I learn from reading many books, e-books and blogs, and from speaking frequently with friends and mentors. Having mentors has greatly shortened my learning curve.
I do admit that I am a much more focused learner than the average person. I was able to finish high school math at 15 and by 19 I was one of the top chess players in New York.
As an adult I’ve gone on to acquire skills and expertise in many areas including business analysis, social media marketing, search engine marketing, and online social networking at social networking sites, the original motivation for this site.
One of my greatest teachers and mentors was Eric Marder, founder of Eric Marder Associates and my employer for 23 years. One fundamental thing he taught me about business was that I should always seek the truth.
At 56, I still place a very high priority on continuing education, personal development and masterminding with my mentors and peers. You can ask any of the friends with whom I consult most often, David Alexander, Ivo Jackson, and Tom Long.
Other friends and mentors whom I wish to acknowledge:
- Bill Weber of Direct Matches, who taught me to build it right
- Diane Hochman of My Private Classroom who develops leaders through her training
- Mike Litman who taught me that You Don’t Have to Get It Right, you just have to get it going
- Also Ann Sieg of The Renegade System, Mark Wieser of Surefire Sponsoring, Mike Dillard of Magnetic Sponsoring, and Tim Draayer, a master blogger
Diane Hochman of My Private Classroom, like myself, offers free tele-seminars and webinars. To receive announcements and invitations to these classes, join my e-mail list at my free social media training site.
I used to recommend the training Bill Arnold offers through Network Success Builders, but came to realize, as I wrote in Orovo and Network Success Builders, that Network Success Builder’s training was mediocre and that Bill Arnold lacked personal and business integrity.
Make a commitment to read at least one business or marketing book each month. Choose mentors to guide you and then set aside time each week to learn something from them.
Don’t miss any posts. Register, it’s easy, or subscribe to my RSS feed! You can also subscribe by e-mail using the form at the top of the home page sidebar.
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Mar
9
I was away yesterday with my family. About once a month we all spend a day in a group home for multiply handicapped girls. Our hope is that they will enjoy, at least for a brief time, a warm family environment.
When I arrived home I found three pleasant surprises.
- Another reader had registered as a user of my blog bringing the total to 105.
- My blog had moved up to #8 in Google for the keywords online social networking. I’m back to #51 today, but it felt good to receive validation, however temporary, from Google.
- An envelope had arrived by Priority Mail with my very own copy of Mike Dillard’s Building on a Budget.
Today I’m feeling jetlagged from the advance to Daylight Savings Time, but I’m happy to report that I’ve already read Mike’s book cover-to-cover. Here is my feedback.
My book review of Building on a Budget is mixed.
The advertising promises to show network marketers how to leverage a one-time cash outlay of about $500 to acquire new skills and resources and generate a continuous stream of leads without further expense.
Building on a Budget outlines an excellent marketing approach and provides great tips that all marketers could learn from — not just network marketers. The Internet and social media marketing concepts presented in the book are explained very clearly and concisely.
The book discusses one pre-requisite and five marketing strategies which are more effective than the strategies that most marketers currently employ. There’s a chapter each for lead capture pages, Craigslist classified ads, video marketing, press releases, blogging and funded proposals. I feel that these are all excellent choices.
Social networking sites are mentioned but only in passing.
Here are my reservations about Building on a Budget.
I have the knowledge and the resources to implement Mike Dillard’s suggestions. I’m already using several of these techniques in my online marketing, but what about a newbie?
Let’s say that our enthusiastic new marketer decides to follow the book’s instructions. He or she sets up web hosting, domain names and an autoresponder, all absolutely essential tools, and purchases Magnetic Sponsoring, MLM Traffic Formula, Black Belt Recruiting, a camcorder, Camtasia Studio, and one or two other items. The $500 figure can very easily top $1,000, and paid third-party assistance might still be needed.
I have spent much more than that to educate and equip myself to market effectively in today’s environment, and I’m a former IT professional with more than ten years network marketing experience.
I don’t regret it at all.
What I object to is an unrealistic $500 price point established by Building on a Budget. And not only is it unrealistic, the book itself is a powerful sales letter — not an academic marketing text. It’s written to sell information and recruit affiliates. Mike points out that he’s a great copywriter. I totally agree. However, I don’t fault him one bit.
I will make good use of Building on a Budget. It’s a compact reference that I will want at my fingertips. You may find it useful too. However, please be careful about your expectations.
Oh, before I forget to mention it. I will schedule conference calls to help. So if you purchased the book, expect to hear from me.
I welcome questions and comments about the book, but please, keep them upbeat.
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Mar
2
Personal Development: Intention
Filed Under Best of 2008, Books, Personal Development and Success | 5 Comments
I promised in my recent post on The Law of Belief that you would hear more from me on the subject of changing beliefs. I said that I would discuss replacing disempowering beliefs with empowering ones.
I’m not ready for a broad treatment of the subject. However, after Robin’s touching comment I feel compelled to write something more without delay.
Robin’s words inspired me to pick up and re-read one of my favorite books, The Ultimate Secret to Getting Absolutely Everything You Want, written by Mike Hernacki in 1982.
What is “the ultimate secret”?
Know what you want and be willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish it.
This is called intention. It is tied in with commitment and is one of the critical success factors.
Please, don’t say “duh” or tell me it’s merely a matter of semantics.
Most people have difficulty with either the “know what you want” part or the “be willing to do whatever it takes” part of the principle, and Hernacki’s book addresses this difficulty. The book also explains how the Law of Attraction comes into play.
The Ultimate Secret has been in and out of print a number of times since its publication in 1982. I suggest you buy it now while it’s available. Over the years I have repeatedly bought and given away copies of this book to my friends. I read it myself over and over again and grow from it each time I do so.
In connection with Robin’s remarks, I want to focus on the “willing” part of the formula.
Mick Hernacki says that we must have a sense or a belief from the outset that we will be able to handle anything that comes our way — “whatever it takes”. All accomplishment stems from this particular form of belief even if we’re not consciously aware of it.
Here’s the good news as I see it.
We don’t have to line up all our beliefs like ducks in a row to be successful. the only belief we need to succeed at something is the belief that we can handle whatever challenge that might arise with respect to that one objective. One empowering belief can bring enormous success even if our overall belief system is far from perfect in other respects.
When I prepared to run the New York City Marathon in 1984 and 1985, I knew precisely what I wanted — to complete the marathon.
I assure you that I didn’t have my act together at all. However, I did have confidence that I’d be able to overcome all obstacles — discouragement from friends, athletic injuries, rain, snow, cold weather, hot weather, lack of sleep, and whatever would come my way.
I did just that.
I even dealt with severe leg cramps both years towards the end of the race.
What a wonderful accomplishment this was! I even have a picture from 1985 which I may very well scan some day and post online for my readers to gawk at.
So my advice to you is to know what you want. Be passionate about it. Be open-minded too. And believe that you will handle whatever challenges lie in your path. Your eventual success is assured.
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Feb
17
Online Social Networking: Instant Messenger
Filed Under Books, Communication, Networking and Marketing Strategy | 3 Comments
Who says you can only do online social networking using social networking sites?
For quite a few years Max Steingart has been showing people how to use Instant Messenger to develop new friendships and business contacts online.
Today we have social networking sites available to us, however the real-time aspect of Instant Messaging makes IM a great social networking tool.
I recommend that you visit Max’s site, join his mailing list, and download a copy of his e-book, Make the Internet Your Warm Market.
Some of the key topics Max covers in his book are:
- “What is your Warm Market and how can the Internet replace it?”
- Why you want to use Instant Messaging
- The Member Directory
- The required steps to making a new friend or gaining a new client
- Searching for the right people
- How to start a conversation
- Internet etiquette and safety
Not only will you learn another way to network, the training you will receive can help you network more effectively using any social networking site.
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Feb
11
Personal Development: The Law of Belief
Filed Under Best of 2008, Books, Personal Development and Success | 17 Comments
More Critical Success Factors
In my previous post, The Go-Giver, I discussed a new book, The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea
In another favorite post, 10 Simple Success Strategies, I suggested techniques for coping with day-to-day challenges.
In this post I want to present four laws of success that are psychological, spiritual and metaphysical in nature.
- The Law of Belief. Our motivation and how we act is determined by our underlying beliefs. If we don’t believe that something is possible, we won’t even try to make it happen. Please listen to a conference call I recorded on 8/22/07 that illustrates this concept.
- The Law of Expectation. This is briefly mentioned in the second chapter of The Go-Giver. Our subconscious minds manifest that which we focus on.
- The Law of Attraction. This is the essence of The Secret
book and video. The universe manifests that which we focus on. This is the spiritual or metaphysical counterpart of the Law of Expectation.
- The Law of Appreciation. By recognizing the good in our lives, we show the universe that we’re ready to attract and receive more good. Appreciation accelerates the re-ordering of things and events in the universe, so that good comes to us easily and swiftly.
It’s The Law of Belief that determines how we think, what we focus on, how we act. It determines everything!
Belief is the missing ingredient without which all great ideas, books and courses change nothing. And that’s why all the fantastic personal development books have little or no effect on our lives. Our belief systems are strongly entrenched, and we are unable to assimilate and integrate what we learn.
There is hope, however, as I’ll explain soon in a future post. I promise.
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Feb
6
Books: The Go-Giver
Filed Under Books, Networking and Marketing Strategy, Personal Development and Success, Testimonials | 6 Comments
Nearly 100 years ago Wallace D. Wattles wrote a short book, The Science of Getting Rich. Wattles inspired Napoleon Hill and others to write about the power our thoughts have over the world around us, and about the beneficial consequences of having certain beliefs and acting in a certain way.
The Secret book and video recently repackaged this body of knowledge for mass consumption. Whether all the hoopla over The Secret will have been justified by a tangible positive shift in peoples’ lives remains to be seen. I’m not at all aware of any new paradigm shifts in the world at large since The Secret was distributed.
I don’t want to sound cynical, because I’m really not. And I love personal development books and courses. Nevertheless, I cannot help but notice that despite the course’s apparent lack of impact, its promotion was a huge marketing success.
The success of The Secret hasn’t stopped with the book and the video. Bob Proctor and his Science of Getting Rich program have seemingly managed to keep the momentum and monetization of that momentum going.
Is this the only way to spell $u¢¢e$$?
Meanwhile, two accomplished social networking experts and authors, Bob Burg and John David Mann, brought out their new book, The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea
This short book teaches us how to achieve success by relating an inspiring parable about an ambitious young man named Joe and his encounter with The Old Man. We learn The Five Laws of Stratospheric Success as well as the importance of applying them as soon as we learn them. Each of the laws is exquisitely illustrated within the narrative.
The first law, The Law of Value, that “your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment,” is also exemplified by the authors’ present undertaking. They and their publisher have made this wonderfully written hard cover book available through Amazon.com
It’s one of those books that I know I will re-read again and again in the months and years to come. Each time I will progress farther to integrate and internalize The Five Laws in my life.
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Feb
3
Career Change: Welcome Janice Weinberg
Filed Under Announcements, Books, Career Choices | Leave a Comment
I am happy to announce that my dear friend Janice Weinberg will contribute regular articles on changing careers and on mothers re-entering the job market to this blog beginning some time this month.
Janice is a successful consultant, lecturer, author and founder of Career Solutions. Her book, How to Win the Job You Really Want, was published in 1995. Her newer book, Debugging Your Information Technology™ Career, became available very recently.
Janice will discuss a number of fascinating and relevant topics that you will enjoy and find beneficial. If you have a specific issue you would like her to address, please post it here as a comment. Unfortunately I cannot guarantee that Janice will respond to each and every question, but I do promise to pass every one on to her.
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Jan
27
Alternative Careers
Filed Under Books, Career Choices | Leave a Comment
This is my first post to address alternative careers.
Many people who entered the workplace 10, 20, or more years ago are reconsidering their career choices.
In some cases, the decision to seek a new occupation is motivated by the desire for a change. In other instances, external factors are forcing people who enjoy their work to turn to alternative occupations.
Case in point: The information technology profession has been greatly affected by offshore outsourcing which – despite generating a fraction of the media coverage it received several years ago – continues to be used by companies as a cost control measure … and at a rate that is only increasing.
Thousands of computer professionals affected by offshoring have already switched to teaching, nursing and other occupations they believe will protect them from the practice. And those who remain in the IT field continue to be concerned about offshoring’s potential impact on the security of their jobs.
However, to the extent that computer professionals feel threatened by offshoring – or have already made 180-degree career changes – it may reflect their lack of information about the importance of computer knowledge in occupations that are not on the traditional IT career path.
A new book, Debugging Your Information Technology Career, addresses this lack of information. The author, Janice Weinberg, a friend for more than 20 years, is a Connecticut career consultant who was formerly a computer professional at IBM and GE.
If you know a computer professional – or someone who is considering becoming one – you may want to tell them about this book, which I believe they’ll find both enlightening and encouraging.
More information about Debugging Your Information Technology Career is available at Janice’s Career Solutions website.
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