One thing that I've struggled with over the years (since I started this business in 2004) is the “Can I pick your brain?” question.

The super sweet part of me has said “yes” many many times. Sometimes it's awesome. But, honestly it rarely makes me feel like it was a great use of my time – or theirs. (I'll explain in a bit.)

The exception to this is when I've offered 15 minute sessions at conferences for a few hours to the people who were in my session. That is always super fun and I love it! But they just sat through an hour-long teaching presentation with me, so they know who I am, what I stand for, who I help, and how I can help them – before they sit in the chair.

Over the years, I've done a lot of introspection over this.

How can I help these people WHILE also feeling like it was a good use of both of our time. Actually, not a good use, because it's always good to connect with people but the BEST way to connect.

I love to share information. I love to be generous. I love to help others.

I know that there is a smart way to do it and there's also a way that leaves me feeling frustrated – which is not good.

I'll share more in my part, but first… I asked my smart friends this:

How do you handle people who want to “pick your brain” over coffee or on a Skype call?

Do you let them? Do you have a system for this that makes you money? Do you prequalify them?

Or do you deflect and run away? If you deflect, how?

This post is a compilation of responses from my friends and excerpts from people who I admire who are not my friends – yet.

I hope you enjoy this post. If so, please share!

Amy Porterfield
AmyPorterfield.com

From Nicole: In her podcast, Amy talked about 5 things she stopped saying “yes” to, including the “Can I Pick Your Brain?” question. This is an excerpt, but you can read the whole transcript here. She said… 

In the early days when I was meeting with people I did have a lot of opportunity just to meet with people. It was a pitch and catch and great conversations.

Then it turned into more of a pick-your-brain scenario and that’s when I started to say “no”. I had a former hair stylist that every time I sat in her chair she would pick my brain.

Here I was paying for the service and I had to give her advice the whole time. Then I would go home and a day later I would get a text asking me more advice. Notice, I said “former” hair stylist. Nobody wants to do that. You’ve got to have that down time, right?

I think with this one, saying ‘yes’ to one-off chats and coffees you have to be careful about it. I still want you to do it but when you start to feel resentful you have to pull yourself back.

You can’t be mad at anybody. They are allowed to ask you to pick your brain. You’re the one that has to say, “You know what, no. I’m not going to do this anymore.”

I eventually realized it wasn’t my “best “yes” to say “yes” to these types of meetings. I needed to get my time back. Remember, every single time you say “yes” to a coffee date or an opportunity to have lunch with someone you are taking yourself away from your work.

You’re taking your focus away time, your effort, possibly money. Say “yes” to what feels right to you but be mindful of that as well.

For you, I know you’re getting these requests or you’re going to start getting them soon. People will want to meet with you. I want you to limit them and also just be really mindful and go with your gut.

If someone asks you to a coffee date you can even ask a few questions just to make sure it’s not a whole session where they’re going to ask you a million questions and you don’t get any value from it.

I will say that going with your gut is important too because just a few years ago Rick Mulready asked me to a coffee date. I didn’t know him. He was a referral from Pat Flynn. Pat introduced us.

I wasn’t really sure who this guy was so I didn’t know if he was going to pick my brain. But I just had a good feeling about it. I felt like he just wanted to get together to meet other people in the industry.

Now we are best friends so I’m glad I said “yes” to that coffee date. So go with your gut on that.

Lisa R. Wells
Marketing, Operations, & Systems Guide
LisaRWells.com

When I first started my business and people wanted to sit and talk with me, I was soooo flattered. But then something great happened, I got busy and my time became more precious. What I did was create a paid product that was called “pick my brain session.” That worked great because it attracted those who were serious business owners and invested in their business while at the same time, repelling freebie seekers and tire kickers.

My business has changed over the years and now that I have more time, I offer different options.

First, I provide a Clarity Call for those interested in my mastermind program. This gives people a chance to get value and me the opportunity to get feedback.

Second, if the question can be answered in 15 minutes or less, I give them a link to schedule a call and I offer that twice a month.

Third, if they are a student in one of my online programs and want 1:1 help, I direct them to fill out an online form (aka jump through some hoops) and then they can schedule a 30-minute call.

Fourth, if someone doesn’t want to apply for a mastermind, not a student, has a problem that’s longer than 15 minutes and they want to just pay me for an hour, I give them that option as well.

If someone has a quick question, I don’t mind helping them out as long as it’s not a repeat offender (I know who you are). If they go through the trouble to fill out a form and follow directions, I don’t mind sitting for 30 minutes with a student. But if it’s someone who wants free coaching advice, they will have to pay a premium.

Here’s a starter sentence you can try:

“We are trying to minimize the amount of time spent on one-off consultations as we continue to streamline [our training programs / masterminds / coaching programs]. During our team meeting today, we came up with a few alternatives that may work for you:”

Take back your time, you are worth it!

From Nicole: This is a great tool that will help you in your business, even if you are just starting and have no list or you’re a seasoned pro who is stuck in “doing it all herself” land.

In THREE minutes – less time than it takes to tie your shoes or pull on yoga pants, you’ll be on your way. Fill in this short quiz and, based on your answers, I’ll give you free systems to get started to get you back on track with what you need to work on first.

Sarah Santacroce
LinkedIn Consultant & Strategist
SarahSantacroce.com

Coffee meetings… not my thing. Yes, of course I used to do them in the past, but not any more.

For virtual ‘pick your brain' calls I usually invite them to my monthly live webinar where I go through my system on how to get clients with LinkedIn. It's not a salesy webinar, nothing to buy on the call… except for an invitation to get on a ‘Clarity Call' with me. But wait, this is not just another ‘pick your brain' call I clearly explain on the webinar who this call is for (established business, 3k+ average customer value). This criteria helps me filter, because as an introvert energy management is crucial to me, and I simply can't talk to everyone.

For local coffee meeting invites I have come up with a brilliant solution as well. I just launched it which is why I'm so excited I call it ‘Walk & Talk'. Instead of sitting down drinking coffee, I host a free intimate event where we go walking for 45 minutes and then end with a short & healthy lunch (which each attendee pays for themselves). This is a moment where everything is permitted and we learn about each other as whole human beings: life, passions, business, family, health etc. Spots are limited to 8 people. Feel free to start something similar in your city!

Marie Forleo
MarieForleo.com

From Nicole: I found this awesome video that Marie Forleo did which pretty much gives all of the smart advice that I was thinking. How handy is that? And how awesome is she? 

Kelly McCausey
LovePeopleMakeMoney.com

When someone asks if they can pick my brain and they're not a client, I say ‘Yes! You can ask me anything in my community – I'll give you a link to join in. I love answering questions there and bonus, you'll get input from all the smart people there too!”

Just thinking… it's different if we're socializing at an event, a little brain picking is welcome for the most part – especially if it flows both ways. I love chatting up topics of mutual interest over lunch or while hanging out between sessions. Great ideas for content often come through answering questions.

Candice L. Davis
Author Coach
CandiceLDavis.com

The strict mom in me wants to say I don't let people pick my brain very much, but it's just not true. Just last weekend, I spent two hours at a coffee shop, letting a woman I met on Facebook pick my brain about the book she wants to write and how she can use it to build her platform. The truth is that I enjoy those connections when it feels like the person wants to build a relationship, and she was a pleasure to talk with. (I also gave her a coupon for one of my courses.)

I also continue to offer free consultation calls on a limited basis. Going by video is one way to eliminate people who are just looking to pick and run. Employing a pre-call questionnaire is a method I sometimes use to weed out people who aren't serious about their goal of becoming an author or using their books to create more impact and income. Rather than answer a few questions in writing, those people will usually go away. And I'll typically share at the top of the call that I'll be making an offer in the last five minutes–if I think we're a good fit.

Brian T. Edmondson
InternetIncomeCoach.com

I handle this one on a case-by-case basis.

I have a lot of friends and peers in the industry who I'm always happy to chat with over the phone, Skype, or meet with in person to shoot the breeze and talk business. In some cases they'll want to meet up just to pick my brain (or just vent about clients!) or vice versa. In most cases we're on the same level playing field and it's a mutally beneficial relationship.

On the other side of that I do offer one-on-one coaching and work with private clients and do occasionally have people who are not paying customers or clients reach out to me for advice; this is usually through email.

If it's a quick and easy question to answer then I'll go ahead and answer the question. I'll also point out to a product I have related to the question or even suggest a one-on-one consult if they want to dig deeper. Answering a quick question through email doesn't take a lot of time and can lead to customer or client.

Now when it comes to doing an in-person meeting, the last thing I want to do is meet someone in person for the sole purpose of having my brain picked. I know for many people it can be difficult to turn someone down for a meeting, even if it's just for a “quick cup of coffee” without feeling like a jerk… but you have to value your time and even more importantly respect the fact that other people are paying you for your expertise.

Usually my response will look something like; “I appreciate your invite to get together for coffee but unfortunately I'm not able to make it. If you have a quick question go ahead and shoot it over and I'll be happy to answer.”

After they send over their question, I answer it then point them to additional paid ways they can dig deeper with me. This rarely happens, but if they really push for or insist on a meeting I gently point out to them that I have customers and clients who pay me for my time and advice and it would not be fair to them if I let others pick my brain for free.

Cindy Bidar
Marketing Strategist
CindyBidar.com

I admit, I used to be really bad at deflecting or redirecting this question. I often found myself getting sucked into conversations on Facebook messenger or email that never seem to end. Each polite answer was met with more questions, and once you start answering, well… how can you stop?

Here's what I do to curb these now.

First, I know where I want people to go to get answers. I have free and paid Facebook groups as well as private coaching, so depending on the person and the question, I know exactly what to suggest.

I also keep ‘swipe' files on hand (you know, templates!) that say things like, “That's a really great question, and I bet others wonder the same thing. Would you mind starting a thread in [GROUP] and I'll answer you there.” That way I don't have to think about it too hard. I just copy, paste, and tweak.

Finally, it's true what they say. If one person has a question, dozens of others have the same question and just aren't asking. I like to use the “pick your brain” questions as starters for blog posts, emails, and other content. Then I can also redirect questions to those resources rather than continually answering the same questions again and again.

From Nicole: I love love love Cindy's marketing checklists.

Check them out here. (Save $10 with coupon code: 10)

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

Like Amy above, I had a former hair stylist (and a few others who I will not mention here as it still gets me riled up) who would “pick my brain” WHILE I was paying them for THEIR services. (Note, I said “former” as well.) Obviously I found others who could do a great job while respecting that it was my time. Not theirs.

And, if I think of how much time and money I've invested in my business since I started it in 2004, how much I've accomplished, how much I've helped others to build their businesses in that time, then yes, I've earned the right to charge for my time.

My friends tease me because I avoid the business conversation to a ridiculous extent when it comes to strangers. In fact, on airplanes, I've been known to say “I sell life insurance. How's your death and dismemberment policy?”

That usually ends the conversation. Fast. I put my headphones back on and have my productivity back. Of course, I don't always do that, but I do when my gut says that I need to protect my boundaries with that person, or that I need the time for me.

However, I obviously can't do that with people who I know. Because…

1. I have a relationship with them and care about them.
2. They might actually NEED life insurance, and then what am I going to do?
3. They can just Google me and find out I'm lying.

So, with them, I have had a harder time finding my way.

In one way, I have it easy. I know the people that I serve are established business owners. They have a market, a website, and either have traffic (an audience) or a product created from expertise they've established in another area. That's where I make the biggest impact, which is where I want to live. For me AND for the people I help.

So that eliminates 99.99999% of the people who approach me.

If they are trying to build a business that is outside of my scope of expertise, obviously, that's easy to defer. I can either point them to someone else, or just state that I am not an expert in that area. Easy peasy.

If they are just starting to build their business and aren't quite to the stage where I specialize, I can refer them to read my blog, or my books, or to sign up for my newsletter first.  Or I'll email them some resources which are mainly affiliate links to friends who can better serve them. That way, I am helping them to get started (by sharing ONLY the best) and my friends and I are making money.

Beyond that, I have programs in place where they CAN access me. And that's the next step.

My coaching program. I keep it affordable and I provide that option to anyone who wants to talk with me about their business. People usually contact me prior to signing up so I can make sure they are a great fit. If not, again, I'll refer them to someone else who is. My coaching program is my playground, so it's totally no pressure for me and it's fun. I accept only those who I find pure joy in working with (frequently people who've known me or of me for some time) and we get massive crap done.

The Beach House. Once or twice a year, I (along with Kelly McCausey) provide mastermind retreats at the beach for women to literally talk with me about their businesses in a room with other smart ladies. I, personally, am facilitating, so they get my input on their roadblocks – PLUS we make magic and memories and it's just freaking awesome!

However, if someone has a quick question, like “Hey Nicole, why did you switch to ConvertKit?” Then I'll answer it, and also post the response on my blog. I decide whether it would benefit that person to include their info in the post. If not, then I don't. If so, I ask them if I may and, if I get permission, I do.

I am now able to stand my ground because of one thing. Fairness.

Brian really hit on the important thing to me. My coaching clients are AWESOME. I love them! And they pay me for my time. It really isn't fair of me to give one-on-one time to everyone who approaches me, because I value my coaching clients and I truly love them. So, that is the motivation that I need to be able to have a healthy boundary in this instance.

YES. I want to help people. But it has to be in a way that's beneficial and in integrity to all.

Your Turn!

Please share your favorite response when someone asks if they can pick your brain.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

I truly take this saying to heart because that’s exactly how I feel about the work that I do and why I think I’m where I’m at today.

This week I asked our panel of experts…

“Oftentimes people criticize those of us in the Business niche as not knowing how to make money elsewhere.

I figured I'd ask this week… Do you have a presence in other niches outside the business world? Care to share?”

I think you'll find the responses interesting.

Lynn Terry of Niche Success Blueprints says:

I do, and I always have – through my entire 17+ years in business. I personally feel it's tough to teach leadership if you're not a leader, motivation if you're not motivated, and business strategies if you're not a successful business owner. It's through in-the-trenches hands-on experience that you can inspire, share and teach other people what's working and what's changing, etc.

Of course, the majority of niche marketers don't teach what they do – they simply make an awesome living at it, quietly. The “Internet Marketing” space makes up a *very* small percentage of the people who are making a good living online.

My primary website is TravelingLowCarb.com where I share my fun travel adventures and what I'm eating along the way. It helps inspire people with a busy lifestyle to stick to a healthy diet – even when they're on the go, or juggling family/work/home/etc like me.

I have a great time with TLC! I run a low carb challenge group several times a year that currently has over 23,000 members. I'm very active on social media, sharing my food choices and travel pics. I get to work with fun brands, go new places, try new foods. And I get to help people make healthy lifestyle choices and achieve life-changing health goals. It's amazing fun!!

I love the idea of choosing a niche that takes you in the direction of your ideal lifestyle – what you most want to spend your time doing. And I do love to travel and eat! I recently took a “low carb road trip” and enjoyed a weekend on the beach, for the sole purpose of sharing how easy it is to “eat low carb on vacation”. You can't beat that for “work”. That trip increased my Facebook Page engagement by over 300%. Fun stuff.

I teach my business model and marketing methods in a series of weekly training modules called Niche Success Blueprint. I include live examples, and share everything I'm doing in my own business, to help others create a business that's as fun as mine – and show them how to take it to maximum profit potential with a variety of revenue sources.

When people ask me what I do for a living, I often joke “I get paid to eat. What about you?”

Dr. Mani of How to Set Goals says:

Most of my work is now in niches outside business, but here's a very important lesson I'll share through my answer to your question, which is… “No, I do NOT care to share”.

The lesson? Don't reveal your niches… especially to those who might be/become your potential “competition”

Shannon Cherry of Learn How I Get *Paid* to Attend Events says:

Most people do not know I am a best selling author and ‘media personality' in the parenting niche. It's kind of funny because I am certainly not an expert in parenting. I barely keep my head above water with it some days. I also am considered a wine expert and give presentations on how to discover new wines based on your personal preferences. (Hmmm… perhaps there is a reason I am considered a parenting expert AND a wine expert. I believe the two aren't unrelated )

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

When I first started out back in 2004, I went into a LOT of niches. A lot. Way too many to be honest.

I had (and still have in some cases) sites related to the following:

• Romance from a Woman's Perspective
• Food and Cooking
• Exercise Videos
• Home Decor
• House Cleaning & Organizing
• Preschool Themes
• Themed Kids Crafts
• Asperger's and Autism
• Dieting and diet trends
• Romance novels, specifically Paranormal and Time Travel ones.
• Kids books and getting your kiddos reading better
• Saving money
• Homemade Beauty Recipes
• Laser Hair Removal (don't judge me) lol!
• and more.

And, yes, I do still have some of those. Many of them still actually make a bit of money, so I've just sat on them for years and years and years – but I've been letting most of them go or selling them one by one.

I've already sold a few and there will be more announced soon, so stay tuned. If we're friends on FB or you're on my list, you'll see as I post these for sale.

I chose this question because I've always felt that I needed to have my finger on the pulse of what was working outside the Business to Business community in order to truly be a teacher to those who were in other niches, too. It's been a credibility thing for me.

As I've grown my business, though, I've gotten away from diluting my brand but I found other ways to still stay “real” to what's out there:

• I've worked for clients in other industries. I've actually worked as an Affiliate Manager for a few clients in niches outside of business – and it was very fun.
• I've had lots of one-on-one coaching clients who are in other niches. That way I can help them, we can see what works, and adjust. I've been so very fortunate to have worked with coaching clients in many industries – scrapbooking, family/parenting, Direct Sales training, and more.
• And, of course, at the Beachprenuer's Ladies Only Retreat, we attract amazing women in lots of industries. I love masterminding with them. I've been blessed to work with women in aromatherapy, personal organization, and raw food/smoothie niches, as examples.

I'd also like to give a shout out to my friend, Pat Flynn, who has ALWAYS kept it real and transparent with his peeps. For instance, he's currently working on a site about Food Trucks and using it as a case study for his peeps to learn from You can follow along here: http://www.smartpassiveincome.com/foodtruckr/

So what about you?  Have you dabbled? If so, do you have any crazy niche stories that you want to share?

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. If you want to learn how to earn more passive income, no matter what your niche, check out the free audio on this page: incometweaks.com

This week I asked our panel of experts…

“What tools do you use to backup your business, including your docs, sites, etc.”

I think you'll find the responses interesting.

Rachel Rofe of Work Less to Live More says:

I'm pretty low maintenance.

Ever since my computer got stolen (and didn't get backed up properly!) a few years ago, I've just been putting EVERYTHING onto Dropbox. I can access everything super-easily that way, and I don't worry about what happens if another computer gets stolen. It's all right in there.

Lynette Chandler of Tech Based Marketing says:

For websites that run 100% on WordPress and have nothing else on them, I use the BackupBuddy plugin. I have it save to Amazon S3 so it is off site and can be retrieved even when the server is down.

For mission critical sites where the shopping cart is on, where there are non-WordPress systems like forums or static HTML pages, I use AutoSiteSaver. This is a solution we created that will grab everything there is to grab on a cPanel account.

Most WordPress plugins only get WordPress. While BackupBuddy can get non-WordPress stuff, I run into strange issues with it on occasion. That's when we run AutoSiteSaver. On top of that, AutoSiteSaver also gets your emails. So if you use an email address that runs on your domain and save them there, it grabs them too.

Another thing that is often a pain with plugins, you have to log into each WordPress site to set up and manage your backup. Even with systems like ManageWP you have to install the plugin on each site first. Depending what I'm doing, I often find backing up multiple sites on AutoSiteSaver much easier.

Here's why. If you have a reseller account and above, you will get access to something known as a WHM. In our system, all you need to do is enter the WHM credentials one time and it will grab every single site on that account. From there, I can choose to backup all, or not backup some.

It also saves all your backups to our system so you can access them when your own host is offline as well. That is important to us. Of course, you can also download those backups anytime to store where you want.

When it comes to my computers. I run BackBlaze for continuous offsite backup. As a safety net, I also use Time Machine. Then, there is AeroFS.

Aero is not a backup solution but it can be handy when one computer goes down unexpected. It is more like a personal Dropbox. It doesn't store your files but it will sync between computers. You can get started for free and because there is no data storage involved, you never have to worry about that.

Kelly McCausey of Solo Smarts Podcast says:

I've been a Carbonite subscriber for a couple of years now. It backs up all of the files on my computer every night. What a lovely peace of mind that gives me!

I'm using Backup Buddy on my WordPress sites. I have it configured to send backups to my Amazon hosting account so if my hosting server crashes, I'm not too far from being back up and running.

I still have to do manual back ups of things like my Amember and member forum database – which is surely the most important thing! This reminds me to contact my smart tech partner about how to automate that.

Lynn Terry of Niche Success Blueprints says:

I'm a big fan of off-site backups that are automated. While I use solutions that are not, such as manually backing up source files to Dropbox, or an external hard drive, my primary sources are both automated AND off-site. In a worst case scenario, such as a flood or fire, you'll lose any devices (and files) stored in your home or office. And when it comes to manually backing up files, well… we've all experienced that moment of shock and (oops!) regret, right? Not fun!

I've been using Mozy for years to do automated backups, and it works great. I always say the real test is in the “restore” – and I've had to restore files from Mozy a number of times over the years. It was a total breeze. In a worst case scenario you could grab a new laptop, log in to Mozy, restore all your files and be back in business in short time. Definitely recommended.

That said, I now work across a variety of computers and devices – Macbook, PC, Android phone, iPad tablet, etc. Almost everything I do now is based in Evernote, which is a free “app” that is cross compatible. I have it installed on every computer/device and it automatically syncs between them all and is also always backed up.

I use Evernote to create products, for example. So I can move between devices, editing or adding notes/ideas, or working on the project. I may be sitting at my desk on my PC in the morning, grab my laptop and work from the deck in the afternoon, think of an idea while I'm out & about and add it from my mobile, etc.

Last year when my Macbook hard drive crashed, I was right in the middle of several big projects. Fortunately all of the sources files and notes were in Evernote, so I didn't miss a beat while it was off getting repaired. I simply logged into Evernote and everything was right there where I left it.

It's free, it's cross compatible, it syncs automatically – it's perfect!

I use it for everything from my task list, grocery list, goals & ideas… to writing my info products and webinar outlines.

Tony Shepherd of ‘Inside My Five Figures A Month IM Business‘  says:

Hi Guys,

I'm slightly nutty about backups since losing some sites in a hack attack several years back.

I'd (stupidly) assumed that they would have a backup of my sites.

Nope turns out they didn't

It was MY responsibility to back them up and one of the most important lessons I learned – take responsibility for EVERY aspect of your business.

So my my backup runs like this:

1. Main sites backed up weekly by my PA. She sends one copy to me and keeps another in a secure HD that I bought for her at her house too (not good to back up everything to one place) and another copy to cloud storage too

So that's my main sites and blog, niche sites, membership areas and sites from other businesses.

2. I back up my main content (newsletters, courses etc) once a month in the same way.

3. My lists from all the autoresponders I use are backed up every Monday, again one to me, one to my PA and one to cloud.

4. I do a BIG backup of what I'd call ‘everything I need' twice a year. I do this myself, manually and it takes a full day to complete including the next night too, for everything to download and copy. This 24 hour period usually involves at least one bottle of wine and takeout food being delivered more than once as I lock myself in my work room.

Strangely enough I find this really productive because it gets me back in touch with products, sites and content that maybe I'd neglected of even forgotten about and can re-market AND while I'm waiting for uploads and downlaods I watch all the traiing vids and stuff that I never seem to get around to on a normal week.

The backup from this goes to my HD at home and I store another copy at my mum's house. I can't stress how important it is to store a copy AWAY from where you work. If (God forbid) there was a fire at your home or office you'd lose everything if you stored your backups there too. Think cloud and physical storage AWAY from where you work, at the home or workplace of someone you trust.

I also have a personal folder on these external drives for photographs and videos of family life etc that I need to keep safe too. In terms of Software I don't really use any. I put procedures in place so my PA knows what to download and how.

I don't have much faith in software that puts it's own extensions on my files and then restores them itself. I prefer to grab HTML files and folders that I know how to work with and can just FTP right back into place should I need to

It takes longer and it costs me more in terms of employee hours, but I feel safer and it;s an area of business you really can't afford to scrimp on.

Alice Seba of The 30 Day List Challenge says:

I use SugarSync to back up all my files and my site back ups are handled through a service.

For my file back ups, SugarSync automatically backs up all my files within minutes of my creating them, so I don't have to remember to do anything. If I create a new folder, SugarSync will also back that up…I don't have to tell the software which folders to back up. Files can also be uploaded and synced via email.

What I really love about SugarSync is how easy it makes collaboration. I can give my assistants access to the folders and files they need and when they update them, the changes are automatically saved to my computer. I can also set it to have people view the files only, so they can't make any changes or I can share certain files or folders publicly (with an option password) if I prefer and they don't need a SugarSync account to access it. I have complete control over who can do what.

Much like other services like Dropbox, I can access all my files from my iPhone, iPad and pretty much anywhere I go. That means I can leave the laptop at home and still get stuff done on the go.

I don't just consider SugarSync a back up tool, but a productivity tool as well.

Shannon Cherry of Learn How I Get *Paid* to Attend Events says:

If there is one thing that always surprises me, is when a client says they have no backup plan. After all, if you work online, your assets need be secured… and as current as possible.

Let me give you a recent example why it's so important to backup. Last week, a client's website got infected with BaDoink! a security issue that redirects Apple devices that are viewing your website to a porn site. (We like mobile friendly, but not THAT friendly, right?!?) She contacted me in a panic. Previously, my site was infected but because I have automated backups, it was easy to go back to where the code was not tampered with, then fix the ‘leak' so it would not happen again. When I explained this to her, she began to cry, because she had not ever backed up, and her host didn't do it either. Basically she had to hire a security expert to remove the porn code and then remove the leak. A very costly mistake. However, I've heard of much worse scenarios.

There's a lot you can do to protect yourself when it comes to backing up.

1) Consider a webhost that does automatic backups. Just remember that that is a stop-gap. The best backup plans are the ones you do yourself.

2) Dropbox is my BBF (best backup friend). Everything is on it in the cloud, including all my files from websites, my computers, tablets and iphone. Since it does it automatically, I don't worry have to worry about it!

3) Speaking of websites, if you are using wordpress, I recommend backup buddy. It backs up your site automatically and you have a choice where the backup will be housed (for me Dropbox an on my webhost server). I purposely create this backup 3-4 days after my webhost's weekly backup.

4) Don't forget your lists! Aweber is my email service and I have a backup (essentially a file created by aweber) weekly. Again, this is saved to Dropbox.

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

Wow! As usual, I got tons of great information. Thanks everyone.

I definitely agree that you should backup your documents, your pictures (including your family photos), your websites, and every other part of your business in an offsite location.

Having been through floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and lightning strikes in my 40 years, I'm kind of realistic about how stuff can happen when you least expect it.

However, if everything you just read went completely over your head, you may be interested in my 20+ page guide that walks you through the hows and whys and includes printable checklist to put together an Emergency manual for your business, too.

If you'd like more info, check it out here (BUT DON'T BUY IT):

For a better deal, grab a copy of my course BlogCPR
which will help you to make blogging easier
and you'll now get a copy of the “Avoid Disaster” ebook free.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. Please support my friends who contributed their vast knowledge in this post:

• Rachel Rofe can teach you to -> Work Less to Live More
• Lynette Chandler is a whizz at-> Tech Based Marketing
• Kelly McCausey talks to Solopreneurs on her -> Solo Smarts Podcast
• Lynn Terry is a Super Affiliate who knows how to create Niche sites in her sleep. She's revealing her -> Niche Success Blueprints
• Tony Shepherd is a hilarious, smart do-er who takes you -> ‘Inside My Five Figures A Month IM Business‘
• Alice Seba wants to help you with -> The 30 Day List Challenge
• Shannon Cherry loves to -> Get *Paid* to Attend Events

This week I asked our panel of experts…

“About” pages. What is your #1 tip for a great ‘About' page on your websites?”

I think you'll find the responses interesting.

Kristen Eckstein of Get Published on Kindle in 30 Days says:

A PR expert once told me to sprinkle testimonials throughout my lengthy bio on my About Page. I did that by taking screen shots of social proof and inserting those throughout. I've gotten many compliments from people who decided to hire my team because I was gently guiding them through why they should hire me.

In addition, I recently added a super fun graphic as my headshot on the page.

I got the idea partially from the word clouds that used to be so popular on websites and my VA, Natalie Collins, who was playing around with adding words to her photos. I created a really fun graphic that captures exactly what I'm all about in a way that draws visitors in and makes them stay longer, then of course, want to get to know me better.

What I've learned is an About Page should never be stuffy, unless that's the market you're trying to reach. Being myself on my About Page, even when it was sometimes against the better judgement of some critics, has helped me build my business in the way I want and attract the types of clients I want to establish a long working relationship with.

Lynn Terry of How to Get Social Marketing Results in Just Minutes a Day says:

I'll make this short & sweet. My top tip for your About page is to make sure you include a call-to-action on that page! Put yourself in the shoes of your visitor. Click on your own About page and read it. Now – what should you do next? What do you _want_ your visitor to do next, after reading this page?

Make sure that “next best click” is very clear and super obvious!

Tiffany Dow of Work Life Balance says:

My #1 tip for an About page is to weed out your non-audience by being highly transparent. I like an About page that uses first person, not something that reads like a sterile biography someone else created, such as, “Tiffany graduated from…” Boring!

I love to use a combination of video and text. Video is GREAT for an About page because it helps people get a feel for your personality better than plain words on a screen.

When I create my About pages, I don’t just talk about what I offer – I talk about what I don’t, or why the visitor may NOT like me. Why do I do that? Two reasons.

First, it helps those who will get offended by me leave early so we don’t have to end up arguing about anything. Second, it helps those who like my style instantly appreciate that I’m going to be myself – and not phony.

On one of my About pages, I specifically tell them upfront “I’m motivating for many people and offensive to a handful.” I tell them I’m blunt.

Tell people what you’re like in terms of teaching – what do you share, why do you do it, and how? Give them a reason to love or hate you – but most of all, avoid being boring and middle of the road. Nobody is attracted to that.

Lou Bortone of Video in a Day says:

I think “about” pages represent a huge opportunity for business owners, but I also think many people miss the boat on this opportunity. An about page is a chance to show off your personality, and give prospects and partners a better sense of what you're all about. An about page is also the perfect place for an “about me” video to show off your skills and connect with your web visitors. My tip for entrepreneurs is to make the most of your about page, and don't settle for the typical (boring) bio and head shot.

I have a ‘one page' website, so my opt-in video doubles as my about video, but I also use a pretty cool LeadPage template that serves as a “bio” page.

Alice Seba of The 30 Day List Challenge says:

Even though an about page is about “Me” or “Us”, it's like any other marketing piece you put together. It has to be about the reader. So while you may be singing your praises and giving some more insight into who you are, you have to show how this benefits your audience. The goal of your about page should be to show your visitor why they should pay attention to you and stick around to learn more.

I cover this in our Persuasive Writing Course and here is an excerpt from that course:

—- START EXCERPT —-

If people are thinking about doing business with you, they’ll often look at your About Me page. They want to know who they’re dealing with and if you’re qualified to help them with what they need. If you don’t have an about me page…make one. If you do have one…let’s see if we can make it better.

Start with a headline other than “About Me” – what can you do for your visitor? What’s in it for them?

Focus on your reader and not you. Obviously, you’re still going to talk about your qualifications and experience, but you’re going to relate that to your reader. So if you have a degree or background in an area, you’re going to show why that matters to them.

For example, “With 20 years experience as a personal chef focusing on healthy foods and promoting weight loss in my clients, I’ve brought together some of my favourite recipes and approaches to meal planning, so you can follow your own path to nutrition and optimal health.”

Include a call-to-action. Where should they go next? I’d recommend sending them to an opt-in offer. Something they can get for free to get to know you better before they buy anything…but they also get on your list, so you can email them some more.

A lot of About Me pages are in the third person and I think that can work, but personally, I think it’s a bit dull and puts a space between you and your visitor. Speak in the first person and use words like “we” and “I” and more importantly, use the word “you.”

In most cases, you can have fun with it…share your own opinions and personal philosophies. Show your personality and let them get a great sense of what you’re all about and why they should stick around for more.

—- END EXCERPT —-

Sorry, I think that was more than one tip, but they all fall under the main idea of showing your readers what they want to know.

Connie Ragen Green of Affiliate Marketing Case Studies says:

My best tip for an effective and memorable ‘About' page is to always think of it as a work in progress. I like to share a little about how I came to be an online entrepreneur, but I also include up to date information and details about where I will be speaking, my latest published book, and other activities I am involved in. We are so much more than what we do in our businesses, and readers want to know more about our activities away from the computer.

I recommend setting up your ‘About' page with a picture that really looks like you, along with a couple of paragraphs that explain something about your background. Keep it light and informative. Don't let your page get bogged down with details of a job you had during the 1980s! Use this as a starting point to share as much or as little as you are comfortable with to the people who are interested in getting to know you better. I have two main sites and strive to keep both of my ‘About' pages current and interesting.

Kelly McCausey of Solo Smarts Podcast says:

Whenever some great web content grabs my attention, I jump over to the site's About Page to learn more about the site and the author. Knowing I do that, I'm pretty sure lots of others do it too, so I've taken time to keep my own About Page updated. I want to make sure it's ready to represent me when someone comes to learn more about Solo Smarts and me.

I've decided to keep the opening focus of my About Page on how I got started in an online business. I'm trusting that many of my About Page readers are new and seeking hope and resources. By sharing how I started small and found success, I'm trying to make a connection.

After my opening, I share a testimonial from a customer. I change this out every so often.

Then, I move into sharing links that I'm proud of under these headings:

• Kelly is Hosting Events: (Beachpreneurs, Exposure & Profit)
• Kelly is Speaking: (Live in person events)
• Kelly is Guest Blogging
• Kelly is Featured

It might seem odd to link out to other sites from my About Page, but I see it as opportunity to show social proof that other smart marketers think I'm smart.

Finally, I invite my readers to curate me. I link to articles and videos they're welcome to take and republish on their own sites and encourage them to do so with an affiliate link back to my site. I'm planning to plump up this area of the page with fresh content that promotes my new courses. Curation is a popular practice these days and I want to make sure my community realizes how easy it is to curate me for profit.

P.S. You can learn more about curation from my course, Smart Curation Skills.

Shannon Cherry of Learn How I Get *Paid* to Attend Events says:

I hate most ‘About' pages. Why?

Too many people use it to brag, when an about page is clearly a selling tool.

You see, you should have different about pages that target different audiences. It is impossible that one size can fit all your audiences' needs. If you are a coach, for instance, you should have an about page for your potential clients. It should tell them why they should hire you. But if you also speak, your about page should be geared to those who are looking for a speaker. And if you want media coverage? It needs to show a journalist you have got the right stuff to be interviewed.

For example, here is my about page for my blog.

And here is my info directed at event hosts and those who hire speakers.

Do you see how they focus on the audience needs?

Also, did you see that the bios I shared have separate calls to action? After all, this is a selling tool, so you need to work it!

The bottom line is to remember: it's not about you, it's about the audience.

Yes, some of the information will overlap. But if you have focused on the AUDIENCE's needs, you are more likely to get the response you want.

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

One of my goals for this week was to polish up my “About page” on this site. Mission accomplished – although I know it could use another bit of elbow grease to be even better. Hence the reason for asking this week's question.

Here's what I've come up with as of today..

The intro with my main goal for anyone coming to my sites, buying my products, or hiring me as their coach.

I then lead into my Official Bio to show off my mad skillz. 

Then I go directly into the “here's me in real life” pics, like this one:

And on to… 

Where I’ll Be Speaking Next:

• NAMS- Atlanta

Events I’m Hosting:

• Beachpreneurs Live – Daytona Beach
• Beachpreneurs Retreat– Pensacola Beach

Then some of my favorite testimonials that I've gathered over the years – 

A way to connect with me on Social Media – 

Connect with me here:

And I finished with the most important part…

All of the above is important to me, but this is my “Why”:

I'm thinking I'll switch things around a bit, but I'm already much happier with it than I was before.

What about you? Care to show off your “About” page or share someone's that you enjoyed reading? I'm all ears.

Talk soon.

Warmly,

Nicole Dean

PS. If you're interested in this topic, I wanted to tell you about a PLR package that we have at CoachGlue.com about “About Pages”.

It's called “From Lackluster to Blockbuster: Revamp Your ‘About' Page for Increased Credibility and Promotion” and it comes with the following:

* Report: From Lackluster to Blockbuster: Revamp Your “About” Page for Increased Credibility and Promotion (15-pages, 2983 words)
* 10 Checklists to help you revamp your “About” page

Note: This IS PLR. We just call it “Done for you Content” over there.

And, the price can not be beat. Whether you plan on reading this and applying it or creating a coaching workshop around it, it's a steal.

Check it out here:  http://coachglue.com/coaching-content/revamp-your-about-page/

The checklists that you'll get include:

* Your Blockbuster About Page Call to Action
* Your Blockbuster About Page Checklist
* Your Blockbuster About Page Inspiration
* Your Blockbuster About Page Killer Headline Brainstorm
* Your Blockbuster About Page Links and Resources
* Your Blockbuster About Page Opt-In Offer
* Your Blockbuster About Page Social Media List
* Anatomy of an About Page Testimonial
* About Page Video Script
* Your Blockbuster About Page Vision

Here's that link again: http://coachglue.com/coaching-content/revamp-your-about-page/

This week I asked our panel of experts…

“Working at home with kids (summer time). If you have kids at home – how do you manage your home during the summer to actually get work done?”

I think you'll find the responses interesting.

Lynn Terry of Get Social Marketing Results in Just Minutes a Day says:

My youngest child just graduated high school. I've been working from home for more than 17 years though, and started my first business when my two children were just 5 months and 5 years old.

My daughter (the youngest) was on my hip or in my lap through much of that first year. When it comes to babies, you'll do best to work with their schedule. Work or rest when they're sleeping (your rest is important too, Mom!) and learn how to type one-handed.

With older children, I found two things worked really well for me. The first is the “if/then statement” such as “If you clean your room(s), then we'll go to the pool.” It's very simple but very effective. This only works if you always stand by it, meaning you only do your “then” after they do their “if” – and you always move to the “then” after they've completed what you asked. It can't be something abstract like “if you're good” but rather something tangible and measurable. Works like a charm!

When my children were younger, I woke up earlier than them by a couple of hours to knock out my priority tasks for the day. That gave me a lot more free time with them to get out and do things during the day. I often made up for those hours with an afternoon nap, while they also had some downtime reading or watching a movie.

Of course there are times you need to work, and that's where the second tip comes in: I used an egg timer. While there are many programs and apps that do this now, nothing beats an old fashioned egg timer sitting right on your desk in plain sight. I believe my children were 5 and 10 years old when I first started using this method of “time management” and it worked beautifully!

When the kids would walk up to my desk to ask me a question (like “Where's the red ball?” or “Can we go to the park?” or – the questions are endless as you know, lol) I would simply say, “I have 23 minutes left on this work I'm doing, and then ___ (“we can discuss it” or “I'll help you find it” or whatever the case). After just a few days of this, they started waiting to ask questions until they heard the timer ding.

The key is to always be available after that “ding”. This accomplished two great things for me. It taught me to work in “time blocks” which forced me to focus on getting tasks done in a set amount of time, which I found much more efficient than “winging it.” And it also took all of the “heat” off of me – and put it on the egg timer. The children never asked “when this” and I never had to say “in a minute” (which is *never* just… a minute!) again. They simply looked at the timer, and waited for it to go off. It totally got me off the hook and made our lives SO much easier!

Working at home with young children is a challenge, but being a full time parent and having a successful career – under the same roof – is such a great thing! It's definitely worth it. Above all, clear communication is the best thing you can practice in your home. The if/then statement and the egg timer both worked well because they were clear and easy to understand. They also both really helped me to strike a good balance between being a good parent and running a business.

Tiffany Dow of  Work Life Balance says:

I have two kids at home this summer – a 9 and 14 year old. I also love to spend my summer working less, but oddly enough, I get more done. Might have something to do with not having 2 hour carpool treks anymore.

I try to relax about my schedule more during the summer. Some days, I work hard so we can play hard on other days. Some days are a mix. If I know we want to go swimming the next day, I will wake up early and get a bunch of work done by mid-morning (from 6-10 AM for example).

Then we’ll go swim, and come home around 3-4 o’clock. I might do a little more work that evening if necessary – or just relax. It’s important to have things for your kids to entertain themselves with.

My kids love arts and crafts and video gaming (my oldest runs a gaming blog). My youngest writes stories and uses stencils to create fashion stories.

If I invest in anything, it’s outings for the family (we recently went to an animal wildlife center and a wax museum) – or, toys for them to play with.

In the evenings, since we don’t have to wake up super early, I try to have family time every night – a movie, grilling out, and some chocolate fondue.

Summer is my favorite time – especially with my babies! We need to practice lots of self care and relaxation during these moments.

Alice Seba of The 30 Day List Challenge says:

I actually love summer because it's much more relaxed. I don't have to get up early to rush people off to school. There are no lunches to prepare ahead of time or homework to worry about. Still, keeping business running through summer does take some planning.

Here's what I do to get ready:

• Ramp up my outsourcing. I give more hours and responsibilities to my VAs, which not only helps free up my time, but usually increases my profitability at the same time.
• Work in batches. When I’m getting ready to go on vacation, I will write all my emails at once and schedule them. Then I’ll do blog posts. I find working through blog posts and checking off the items off a to-do list very motivating and I can get through everything quite quickly.
• Plan my distractions. I know I'm not going to work all week long, so I plan trips to the beach, for a hike or whatever I want to do ahead of time. Then I know how to plan the rest of my week accordingly.
• Bring my laptop. I know some people won’t do this and it requires some discipline, but it works if you can manage it, bring your laptop on vacation. I find bringing my laptop to catch up on about 15-30 minutes of well-defined tasks daily means that I can get away more often and I’m not running myself ragged trying to get everything done beforehand.

All in all, it's a balancing act of work, chaos and fun. Having a plan and help on hand means I can get through it with a smile on my face…at least most of the time.

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

My kids are 12 and 17 but this is the system that we’ve been using since they were each toddlers. Why? Because it’s the closest thing to sanity that I can arrange here.

We have a daily checklist that the kids must complete before the TV goes on, the computer goes on, or any game systems get turned on. They also must complete their daily list before friends are allowed in the house.

I found that, if I left the time limit open, that the lists wouldn’t get done. However, if they know they can work through their tasks faster and be free of my tyranny – they work through it better.

Here’s their list that I posted three years ago. It’s pretty much the same today.You can click on it to view it in pdf format.

The other benefits are this…

1. The kids know what the expectations are in advance. They are better equipped to succeed.

2. My husband and I are on the same page, because the rules are in black and white.

3. I’m not chasing the kids around all day saying “Did you brush your teeth?” or “Have you cleaned up the backyard?” I look at their chart and it’s right there in front of me.

4. It teaches the kids that habits are important. And, that a family works on routine. All good stuff.

I print it out weekly and they just check off the days as they go through them. If everything gets done during the week, they earn bonuses.

For instance, my son has a Gamefly account. He keeps it as long as the backyard is cleaned up daily. If there is an issue, he gets downgraded from 2 games/month to 1 and then to zero. It really never becomes an issue. He’s really very self-motivated when he knows the rules. My daughter on the other hand… is a bit more of a battle.

My kids also take some classes through Florida Virtual School to which keeps them busy.  I challenged my son to work through Codecademy.com this summer (and he will receive a bonus if he does it on his own.)

Plus, they both have the opportunity to do some work for me in our business, but I’m not utilizing them enough yet.

Also during summer, I try to limit work to 1-2 hours per day – Monday-Friday. Some days, I work 10 minutes – just to quick check email for emergencies. Others are closer to 3 hours Am I letting some things drop? Yes. But, I’m finding that the important things, like getting a pedicure with my daughter – are getting done. And, it really helps me to sit down and FOCUS on projects and tasks that make me money.

Please share your tips. I’d love to hear them.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS.  I’m working on a book about working from home. So stay tuned for that soon. 

Remember, if you want lots of posts like this, check out my friends:

Lynn Terry – Get Social Marketing Results in Just Minutes a Day
Tiffany Dow – Work Life Balance
Alice Seba – The 30 Day List Challenge