However, next year at tax time you might not think so — if you've got to come up with an extra $17,000 to fork over in April like I did one year.

Basically, it comes down to how much money you made (which is the overall amount that you took in minus expenses). That’s what we’re taxed on.

Quick explanation (with totally hypothetical numbers):

• Let’s say that you made $30,000 in 2017. Your quarterly taxes that you pay in 2018 might be then set at $2000 every 3 months. ($8000 for the year)
• Now, what if you made $60,000 in 2018 – and you’ve only been paying $2000 every 3 months? In April, you may have a day of reckoning. (You will have paid $8000, but then may owe as much as another $8000 for taxes on the added income.)

So, you’ll owe a chunk of money in April.

And of course, when you add a zero to those income and tax numbers it becomes even more important to stay on top of it!

At the end of the year, I normally end up making several significant (but smart) purchases in order to decrease my Taxable income for next year.

If you're in the same boat, I have some ideas for you that will help you to spend SMARTLY.

In some instances, today is also THE day to get over procrastination and make those decisions that you've been putting off that you know are the right move for your business. You'll be glad you did it today rather than next month as most people do.

Three years ago, in December, I purchased approximately $5000 in advertising and paid my affiliates early and prepaid some subscriptions in order to lessen my income. (The expenses get subtracted from my income so my overall income would be less — therefore less taxable income.)

So, since advertising is an expense, I choose to spend money on it, knowing that it’ll pay me back (and then some) the following year.

As to how much is the right amount for you to spend… you’d have to run those numbers with your CPA/Accountant. Normally I spend a bunch in December, then we run the numbers again in January to see how much I should put into my SEP (which is like a 401K) to give me the best tax breaks in April.

WARNING!!!! Don’t go spending money you don’t have on things that you don’t NEED. You’re still spending money.

However, if you plan to buy things anyway.. or have a birthday coming in February like I do and want to treat yourself to some business items, then buying early can be a smart move – especially if you're planning for growth for next year.

*AND Contact YOUR CPA/Financial Adviser before making any decisions.

For instance, I do some consulting for high level marketers on their affiliate programs and passive income — and I get more than my regular amount of requests in December  — probably because they're planning for next year. So, why not have them prepay and save on their taxes?

Here are my recommendations for some items you might purchase (based upon my favorite things)…  

They are also products that I personally use in my online business.

For when you’re on the go.

• Kindle – Read and learn on the go.
• A Cell Phone Upgrade.
• Good Headset(s) for your Cell Phone. I keep one in my travel bag, one in my gym bag, one by my bed and one in my purse.
• Amazon Gift Cards to stock up on books and audio books, too.
• Audible credits. I can never have enough of these.
• iPad. I keep mine in my purse. It’s so much easier than carrying around a laptop.

Business Tools & Software

Having the right tools for the job can make all the difference.

• This tool that makes repurposing your blog posts easy.
• Camtasia
• SnagIt
• Photoshop
• Aweber – The service I’ve used since 2005 to manage most of my newsletters, ecourses, and ezines. (If you get emails from me, they probably come through this list managing service.)
• LeadPages– LOVE LOVE LOVE this.
• AW Pro Tools – If you're a big user of Aweber, this is a great add-on.
• Basecamp – Allows you to track projects and who is working on each one.
• Password Manager Program – Keeps track of all of your logins, usernames and passwords, so you don’t have to. (Try it free.)

Get a Coach

Hire a coach or consultant to come into your business and tweak/refine it to make you more money.

• If you want to work with me, here's where you can find more info – Hire Me
• If you're just getting started out, then I'd recommend that you Work with Kelly McCausey (she is patient and tough)
• I also love love love this guy, too. He's awesome and I've worked with him a lot.

Travel

• Luggage for traveling to cool conferences to hang out with me.
• Ticket to NAMS for April.
• For the ladies, spoil yourself and come to Beachpreneurs!
  • Beach Camp is our hotel event for all female entrepreneurs.
  • The Beach House is a mastermind retreat that's held in a house on Pensacola Beach.  (We have payment plans to make this affordable.)

Personal Development & Business Books

Right now, I'm enjoying “You are a Badass” and “The Year of Yes“.

Equipment

• Kick butt mic.
• Headset with a Microphone. For recording tutorials and webinars on your PC.
• Green screen
• Lighting
• Video Camera
• New Laptop (Time for that MacBook Pro?)
• New Desktop

Done-for-You Content  – Because It’s AWESOME!

Do you really love staring at a blank screen? Why do things the slow way when you've got these shortcuts that can help?

• PLR Articles Because you can always use more articles for your blog.
• Coach Glue Workshops, Workbook and Planners.

Promo Stuff

• Facebook Status T-shirt
• Cool Business Cards. Zazzle has really cool “skinny” & “chubby” sized cards.

SWEET Planners. 

Join an Awesome Community

Sometimes having the right community can make all the difference. Here are some places where I hang out.

• Earn1kaDay (Mostly marketers. I bought the lifetime option. You get all of Dennis' products he's ever created. It's pretty huge.)
• Your Shining Business Academy (Mostly creative business owners. Lots of love and support.)

Obviously Beachpreneurs is a great community, too, but that one is in person.

Stuff for your Office.

To make yourself more comfortable and productive.

• Desk Pad Calendar. For scheduling and staying organized.
• Handerpants – in case your hands get cold while you’re working.
• Bacon Envelopes.
• Comfortable desk chair (if you are having back problems or just want one) or an exercise ball, if you prefer to sit on one like I do.
• Ergonomic keyboard or mouse.
• Space heater. brrrrr….

Awesome Courses

Hire Help

• Hire a Virtual Assistant or Copywriter to write press releases, articles, sales pages, or design graphics for you.

** Most of the stuff above is tax deductible.

Awesomize the WORLD!

Of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that it's also a great time of year to donate to your favorite charity.

Whether your heart is with orphans, animals, veterans, homeless, abused women and children, community development, research & health, the environment, your own church, or any number of other great causes – today's a great day to support your favorite organization.

Keep more of your money instead of handing it to Uncle Sam. 

Best of luck.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. Did I miss anything? Let me know!

If you're like me, you don't want perfume or a picture frame for Christmas… you want stuff for your BUSINESS!

Gadgets, tools, and other fun goodies.

So, what's in your Letter to Santa this year?

If you’re like me, and would rather get something fun for your business than an other trinket, simply copy and paste the letter below (insert items you want from the brainstorming list below) and mail it to Santa and you’re set.

Avoid horrible gifts like this ->  and get stuff you actually want!

If you tend to get terrible gifts from family, I'm about to save the day. Heck, send your letter to Santa to your mother-in-law or a favorite Aunt so she won’t spend a week knitting a pair of wool socks that you’re allergic to.

Or so you don't get something like the items I've pinned on my Weird Stuff on Etsy board. eek! Nooooooo…..

The Fill-in-the-Blanks Letter to Santa.

Here you go:

Dear Santa,

I’ve been very good again this year. I’ve worked very hard on my business while keeping focus on important priorities like my (family, health, etc., insert yours here). I definitely should be on your “nice” list.

This year, I would love to get some gifts to invest in my business because I know that the more success I have, the more resources I will have, the more connections I will have, and the more influence I will have to make the world a better place, too.

Here are some items I’ve been wanting. You can surprise me.

((INSERT items from list below))

Thank you, Dear Santa. I hope that you are nice and cozy in the North Pole with Mrs. Claus.

((insert name here))

Ideas for Gifts for YOU That You'll Actually LOVE. 

Feel free to print this out and use it as inspiration for your wish list.

For when you’re on the go.

• Kindle – Read and learn on the go.
• A Cell Phone Upgrade. Christmas is always a good excuse to upgrade, especially if you use your phone for business. I'm upgrading to the iPhone 6s. I want a faster phone with a bigger screen (because apparently 42 is when your eyes decide to squint at the same things your 41 year old self could see just fine).
• Headset(s) for your Cell Phone. I keep one in my travel bag, one in my gym bag, one by my bed and one in my purse.
• Amazon Gift Cards to stock up on books and audio books, too.
• Audible credits. I can never have enough of these.
• iPad. I keep mine in my purse. It’s so much easier than carrying around a laptop.

Business Tools & Software

Having the right tools for the job can make all the difference.

• Camtasia
• SnagIt
• Photoshop
• Aweber – The service I’ve used since 2005 to manage most of my newsletters, ecourses, and ezines. (If you get emails from me, they probably come through this list managing service.)
• LeadPages– LOVE LOVE LOVE this.
• AW Pro Tools – If you're a big user of Aweber, this is a great add-on.
• Basecamp – Allows you to track projects and who is working on each one.
• Password Manager Program – Keeps track of all of your logins, usernames and passwords, so you don’t have to. (Try it free.)

Travel

• Luggage for traveling to cool conferences to hang out with me.
• Ticket to NAMS for April.
• For the ladies, spoil yourself and come to Beachpreneurs!
  • Beach Camp is our hotel event for all female entrepreneurs.
  • The Beach House is a mastermind retreat that's held in a house on Pensacola Beach.  (We have payment plans to make this affordable.)

Personal Development & Business Books

I've made some major changes in the way that I consume books recently.

When books started coming out on Kindle, I jumped on the bandwagon and started downloading all my books that I bought to my Kindle app – and I found that I barely read any of them. So now I've pretty much stopped buying books in Kindle and I have gone back to getting either a physical copy or the Audible (audio) version. I really enjoy getting away from screentime, so the paperback books are ideal for me to take outside or to the beach and read. And, the audio versions are great for the car and for when I'm cleaning around the house – or going on a walk around the neighborhood.

TIP! Before ever buying an audio version of a book, listen to the sample provided. The narration, especially if it's being read by someone other than the author, can ruin a perfectly good book. In which case, I always buy those books in paperback.

These are a few I've really enjoyed recently.

The Year of Yes How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person. by Shonda Rhimes

I listened to this one in audio version. To me, it had a slow start and I felt like I was listening to a lot of whining. Actually, the author is the creator of Grey's Anatomy and Scandal, so… it actually sounded a lot like Christina and Meredith bantering in their complaining ways. (Which is why I stopped watching the show.) However, once we got into the actual meat of the book, the “where I started” was a great starting point that really demonstrated just how much she changed, from a fear-based person who was not taking care of the most important things in her life, to actually being free and happy.

 The Miracle Morning: The Not-So-Obvious Secret Guaranteed to Transform Your Life (Before 8 AM) by Hal Elrod

I read this book in paperback and promptly handed it to my husband when I finished it and said “Read this!”. But he wasn't able to read it because I'd stolen it back to read it a second time.

The funny thing is that I am definitely NOT a morning person. And, this book did not convince me to become one. HOWEVER, it did teach me a lot of habits that I am now working into my day. For instance, I do my affirmations in the shower, instead of getting up earlier. And I have been working on more small bits of exercise throughout my day. I'm a work in progress, and I know that I should do more, but I'm very happy with this book and I feel like it's one that I'll be rereading again, and implementing pieces each time I do. And I am getting up out of bed even when I don't want to, as much. And, I joined the Miracle Morning Facebook group and have been loving the interaction there.

 The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo

I listened to this book on Audible while I was cleaning. Appropriate, right?

A little background on me. I am not a hoarder. Nor am I a messy person. However, I do have way too much stuff. A year ago, I had tons more, but I've been getting rid of things over the past two years fast and furiously, and you know what? I can probably do it the next two years and still be getting rid of stuff.

I really enjoyed this book except for two main parts. 1. The author talks about how “stuff” makes you feel a lot. While I get that, and I obviously am attached to some stuff, I got lost on occasion about how things are more than things. If you get me. 2. The section on books… OMG OMG NOOOOOOOO! The author suggests ripping out pages of books that you're reading and throwing the book away. I. Can't. Even. Don't even get me started on this. I am so not ok with that. Scan the page and then give the book to charity. Don't destroy it. ACK! Other than that visceral reaction to that one chapter, I really enjoyed this book – even though that description really makes it sound like I want to punch the author. lol.

And these are MUST Reads if you haven't read them yet…

 The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure by Grant Cardone

This is a heavy, challenging, and deep book. But it's one that I highly recommend you read. Even if, like me, you can only handle a chapter at a time, because you feel like you have to run off and get stuff done every time you turn the page.

Seriously though, if you want to 10x your business profits, it's a great read. I actually have this one in hardcover and I also have it on audible, too.

 The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller

There is such power in focus to actually get things done and to get results.

With my coaching clients, for instance, if they're telling me they need to write blog posts, record videos, and start a podcast, I remind them of the power of momentum.

Which gets more attention? An expert with 5 videos on their YouTube channel or one with 100? Obviously, if you focus on pumping out quality videos for a year, you're going to blow away all of the other experts.

Read the book. Just do it!

Camera & Microphones.

• Kick butt mic.
• Headset with a Microphone. For recording tutorials and webinars on your PC.

Done-for-You Content  – Because It’s AWESOME!

Do you really love staring at a blank screen? Why do things the slow way when you've got these shortcuts that can help?

• PLR Articles Because you can always use more articles for your blog.
• Coach Glue Workshops, Workbook and Planners.

Promo Stuff

• Personalized Twitter T-shirt
• Facebook Status T-shirt
• Cool Business Cards. Zazzle has really cool “skinny” & “chubby” sized cards.

SWEET Planners. 

• Leonie Dawson's “Create your Shining Business and Life” Planners

I love this planner, and it works really well to plan out not only what next year will look like for your business, and also what you want your life to look like too.

It's definitely a bit woo-woo. A few of my friends got it last year and went “what the heck, Nik?” lol! But, like I said, it's awesome if you want to do a lot of visualization and planning for 2016 – and especially if you're creative and want to have a keepsake to look back on at the end of the year when you go “LOOK AT HOW I ROCKED IT! I'M AWESOME!!!”

Here's my planner in the airport last year as I was working through it during a layover:

This gets a big recommendation from me. The whole system is broken down into weekly, monthly and annual planning and I recommend you work through it with your business coach.

• Natalie Collins “Biz Plan Book 2016 Edition“

I'm hearing really good things about this planner. Personally, I haven't ordered it yet (but I will be), so I can't tell you too much about it, but I do know Natalie well and she's awesome-sauce, so I expect this is, too.

Join an Awesome Community

Sometimes having the right community can make all the difference. Here are some places where I hang out.

• Earn1kaDay (Mostly marketers. I bought the lifetime option. You get all of Dennis' products he's ever created. It's pretty huge.)
• Your Shining Business Academy (Mostly creative business owners. Lots of love and support.)

Obviously Beachpreneurs is a great community, too, but that one is in person.

Stuff for your Office.

To make yourself more comfortable and productive.

• Desk Pad Calendar. For scheduling and staying organized.
• Handerpants – in case your hands get cold while you’re working.
• Bacon Envelopes.
• Comfortable desk chair (if you are having back problems or just want one) or an exercise ball, if you prefer to sit on one like I do.
• Ergonomic keyboard or mouse.
• Space heater. brrrrr….

Awesome Courses

• I just got Michael Hyatt's 5 Days to your Best Year Ever and I'm really excited about it. Thank you, Santa!

Stuff to Fight Computer Butt.

• Weights
• Exercise Videos – I’m a fan of the Weight Loss Yoga (Biggest Loser), myself.
• FitBit
• Big Water Bottle
• Vitamix for Smoothies

Some Things to Reduce Stress and Be More Creative.

• Love to color? It's the new trend for adults.
  • Download these free coloring pages.
  • And this fun one, too.
  • These are the pens I use to color.
• Essential oils also help me to relax and focus while I'm working.

** Most of the stuff above is tax deductible. (Probably not the Handerpants, though.)

It’s Your Turn.

So, now, I’ll pose this question to you. What are you asking Santa for this Christmas? Help me to make my wishlist.

I’ll look forward to hearing your comments!

Warmly,

Nicole Dean

Here's our first feature:

Rayven Perkins is the author/webmaster of Direct Sales Supplies a website dedicated to helping those in direct sales and network marketing gain the training and tools they need to be a success. She is also the leader of the largest and fastest growing team in her direct sales company, Jerky Direct, and has aspirations of taking over the world, one bag of shredded buffalo at a time. Right now she’ll settle for America.

Her favorite thing in the world is travel; her family spent most of the last 8 years traveling full-time in their RV. And though her children have talked her into settling down to be “normal” while they are in high school, she is looking forward to globetrotting in a few years. Currently, she is planning a trip to Antarctica to celebrate her 40th birthday.

I met Rayven Perkins at the first Beachpreneurs Retreat in 2013. She showed up not knowing anyone but was ready to rock and roll, and did she ever!

At the time (a year ago) her niche / focus was split between Stay at Home Moms and Direct Sales. She had a huge following already, and was already paying her mortgage with meat snacks. Go figure. But she wanted to grow her income streams beyond just meat. (Although the meat is quite tasty and I even signed up to get some delicious meat snacks every month, too .)

I digress. She showed up at the beach house, and was earning a good living between her meat company, Adsense and advertising, and a few small template products that she had in place. She had a great foundation, but wasn't growing as quickly as she'd have liked to.

She also avoided the camera like crazy (even though she's beautiful) and did not have a recent picture on ANY of her sites.

After that first event, she started evolving right before our eyes.

She wasn't able to attend the March 2014 event, but was at our Beachpreneurs Conference in St. Pete and came to the Retreat last week in October.

Fast forward a year from her first retreat and she's in the middle of a huge product launch with an amazing program for her market — and is even producing VIDEOS showing herself (not some stage professional voiceover junk).

Watch it and tell me what you think.

Click here to see the next video in her series

(Hint – she's creating her launch pages with this tool.)

Rayven also has the following:

• Direct Sales Supplies & Templates
• A great affiliate program. If you reach this market, I have good news. Rayven has an affiliate program. Just head over here and look for the link in the top nav “Affiliates” for info.
• And, of course, there are her delicious meat snacks.

About Rayven's Experience at the Beach Retreat:

Rayven was kind enough to record a quick video sharing why she decided to go to Beachprenuers Mastermind Retreat and how it impacted her business.

If you'd like to join us at the beach… 

• Come to Daytona in February – we will have a blast!
• Apply for the Ladies Only Beach Mastermind Retreat next March 

See you soon!

Warmly,
Nicole

PS. Show your current or future #Beachpreneur pride with one of our cute shirts. 

#BEACHPRENEURS My Life Shirt by beachpreneurs
Look at custom shirts online at Zazzle

She shared:

• What is Amazon FBA?
• What it isn't? Hint: It has nothing to do with Kindle or Affiliate promos
• Why this is a great way to add an income stream
• What kinds of products you can sell on Amazon FBA
• What you need to get started.
• Some examples of how to find products using examples from her own inventory.
• How to automate or outsource some of the work.
• What are some pitfalls to avoid?
• Where to learn more. (See below.)

You can watch it all here:

If you prefer to download the video to watch later, here is the link to do that:

If you want to learn HOW to get started, grab this course by Jessica at

Online Amazon FBA Profits

Use this coupon to save $50: CG50

Expires soon!

I hope you find this information valuable.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. If you're already selling on Amazon, check out Jessica's other courses here: Amazon FBA training

]]> https://nicoleonthenet.com/17633/amazon-fba-free-training/feed/ 0 https://nicoleonthenet.com/17506/do-you-survey-your-customers/ https://nicoleonthenet.com/17506/do-you-survey-your-customers/#comments Thu, 02 Oct 2014 21:09:32 +0000 http://www.nicoleonthenet.com/?p=17506 It’s another Expert Briefs, where I ask really smart business owners to answer your burning questions.

This week I asked our panel of experts…

“Do you survey your customers? If so, do you have any tips for making the surveys work better or examples of what is working right now? Got lessons learned to help my readers avoid mistakes?”

I know that you'll find the responses helpful.

Terry Dean of My Marketing Coach says:

I LOVE surveys!

You can get your customers to tell you what to create…and they'll even give you the language you use when you sell it.

I've done multiple different kinds of surveys. The easiest is to simply come up with a list of product titles you're considering offering and asking subscribers which one they're most interested in buying. That's an easy way to get started on your first survey.

But the most common survey I've done includes at least 3 questions. I've asked many more questions at times, but you will get a lower response as the questions increase.

1. What is the single most important question you have about ________________?
2. Why do you say the above? Why, specifically, would that be important to you?
3. How difficult has it been for you to find what you've written about above elsewhere?

The first two questions are open ended where they give you the answer. The last question is a multiple choice with 3 possibilities: Very Difficult, Somewhat Difficult, Not at All Difficult.

• The first question finds out what people want (to help you find or create the product)
• The 2nd question finds out WHY they want it (also giving you ad copy for your website)
• The 3rd question lets you know if others are offering something similar (If people say it's not difficult to find it actually lowers the value of their answers in the overall survey).

Now let me give you the biggest mistake I've made with surveys and one I see others make all the time.

You must survey the traffic source you plan on using!

For example, I surveyed my list and created a product. The product sold like crazy to my list, but the moment I went outside my list to other traffic sources it did poorly.

I'm going to chalk it up to my subscribers being much smarter than the average online marketer. Once I went out to other audiences, they weren't ready for that product.

On a recent survey, I surveyed my list. I also got a regular JV partner to send my survey to their list. And I purchased Facebook ads to my survey targeting some of the same interests I plan to go after later.

Each survey was tracked separately giving me information for both developing the product and changes I can make to the promotion as I reach different audiences.

Survey the traffic where you plan on offering the product.

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

I am not much for surveying in the traditional sense of the word. Like many people, I find lackluster results using a traditional poll. That's because you are asking (or begging or bribing) others to do you a favor.

Instead, I poll my community in a different way: by giving something – my smarts. We all know that – like it or not – people really want to pick your brain when you have something to share. I capitalize on this by hosting an open Q & A session every so often. I let them ask me anything, and I answer honestly without selling on the call. And I make sure people don't have to be on the call to ask their question (which I will still answer live on the call).

This not only shows my value in a tangible way to people thinking about working with me, but I also get great fodder on what their pain currently is and where I should focus my efforts in terms of product development and promotion. It's a win-win.

Dr. Mani of How to Set Goals says:

Here are my tips:

a. Keep surveys really short (under 2 min. for user) – and tell them
b. Offer incentives to encourage participation
c. Offer to share results with the group – and follow through

Kelly McCausey of Solo Smarts Podcast says:

I have surveyed my community a few times in a traditional way, using a form on my website. If I can get enough people to respond, which takes a lot of effort, I do feel like I get valuable output to use. I'll keep doing this every few years I'm sure, but in the meantime, when I really want to know what my people are thinking about – I have another way.

I've been offering ‘Open Phones‘ for a few years now. In a nutshell, I announce a window of time and invite my community to call me for free advice and answers. Sometimes it's wide open to all questions and a few times I've focused on something specific.

The information I gather on these calls is pure gold. Fears, technical road blocks, specific sticking points, the real felt needs of my target market are spilled out in my lap. Call after call I'm jotting down ideas about blog posts, podcast topics, products ideas – you name it. For me, being able to ask clarifying questions and plainly ask the caller if they'd be interested in _____ product is a gift. Because we're chatting casually, they don't say ‘Yes' or ‘No'. They say ‘Well, if it ____ and ____ for me and ____, yeah – I'd buy that.'

I can't make decisions based on one person's thoughts, but it does inspire me and often leads to great projects.

Learn how to Offer Open Phone Lines. Click here for info.

Connie Ragen Green of Affiliate Marketing Case Studies says:

I survey my high-level mentoring students regularly to get their feedback and to make sure I am providing them with the tools they need to become
successful.

Many times I am surprised at their responses, and would not have had the opportunity to serve them with what they want and need from me unless
I had asked.

Felicia Slattery of Signature Speech Secrets says:

I have surveyed my folks from the very beginning and their answers have shaped my entire business.

I have always liked Survey Monkey, but I also actively use and monitor the answers I get on social media. But when you use social media to survey your people, you've got to be careful. For example, if you use Facebook, like many of us solo and home-based folks, you're likely connected with not only customers and potential customers, but also high school friends, college friends, past co-workers, neighbors, family, colleagues, and more.

In case you haven't noticed, EVERYONE on social media has an opinion and when you ask for it, they will give it to you. When asking about things related to your business, however, pay the closest attention to what your customers say – they are the ones who will be buying from you!

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

Well everyone gave such great info, I'm off the hook.

So, as I'm about to get ready to have guests of to watch the Packers game, I'll keep it short and sweet.

I love surveying my audience (and also giving feedback) when a few things are taken into consideration.

1. Make it short.
2. Have most (if not all) questions be optional.
3. Give a space for typing in suggestions.

If it's fast and easy to do, many of your people will gladly participate. And, if you make certain questions optional, and don't force them to choose if nothing applies, then they'll answer the ones that they feel strongly about and leave the other alone.

Plus, you want to allow a few open ended questions for those who have ideas for you that you hadn't thought of.  It's a great method of finding out what your market needs from you to serve them better.

And, the final step of course, is to actually USE the info. Don't file it away. Use it to improve your business and give your peeps what they need.

There are lots of different methods of using surveys. If you want to get fancy and provide people with solutions that are customized to their needs, check this one out for ideas. http://nicoledean.com/likes/marketing-quiz/

Talk soon. Big hugs.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

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

During this hangout, we asked them each to talk about what being a beachprenuer meant to them (it's not always about the beach) and to share a tip for living that lifestyle.

Enjoy the replay here:

Are you ready to join us at the beach?

You'll find all the details here:
http://www.beachpreneurs.com/conference/

You'll meet the following AMAZING people:

• Kelly McCausey
• Me.
• Bob “The Teacher” Jenkins
• Rachel Martin
• Debbie O'Grady
• Tracy Roberts
• Leslie Truex
• Tony Laidig
• Paul Taubman
• Natalie Collins

Yes, you CAN Join us at the Beach!

You'll find all the details here:
http://www.beachpreneurs.com/conference/

I hope to see you there!

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. If you're not sure yet…

Be sure to Like Beachpreneurs on Facebook! and select “maybe” on our event page too here: See who’s coming in September.

This week I asked our panel of experts…

“What is your most productive time of day?

How do you optimize and plan for that?”

I think you'll find the responses interesting.

Lou Bortone of Video in a Day says:

I'm a night owl and usually get a second or third wind at 11pm. By then the kids and dogs have finally settled in, the house is quiet, and I can hunker down for a couple of hours of productive time. I set aside the late shift for creative work like copywriting or video editing – stuff that requires the focus I don't usually have during the day. (Did I mention that I have the attention span of a gnat?)

Terry Dean of My Marketing Coach says:

My most productive time of day is late morning before lunch – usually 9 to 12 AM.

Since I'm an early riser, I will usually handle client emails before this. Then I'll exercise, eat breakfast, and get ready.

Then depending on the day, usually I spend that entire 3 hour period writing on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays. On Tuesday and Wednesdays I do phone clients.

Any ‘routine' activities are usually done in the afternoon.

Everyone always seems to tell you not to do email first in the morning, but that all depends on your energy levels. I find email works well for me first thing and then run my most creative periods a little bit later in the morning.

You need to find a system that works for you personally, and then flow with it instead of forcing yourself into someone else's model.

Kevin Riley of  Blogpreneur Training says:

I find myself most productive at either mid-morning or late night. When I want to take advantage of this productive time, I do one of the following:

Walk away from my computers and go somewhere quiet to write. This may be my kitchen floor, on the roof of our building, or on a train to one of my favourite hiking spots.

Hop on the computer at my studio (the only Windows computer I have – exiled from my Mac-only office, but loaded with my old MX Flash software) and draw the character drawings I need for my new videos.

Do whatever is on my ToDo list.

Rachel Rofe of How To Get Every Book You Write Onto The First Page Of Kindle says:

I am definitely best in the mornings. I love working from 7am to 12pm.

Some of the ways I optimize are:

– I aim to go to bed before 10pm so when I wake up, I feel rested and ready to go.

– I have my to-do list written out the night before so that I can hit the ground running when I get to my computer.

– I aim to have healthy and nourishing breakfast foods on hand so there's no wasted time thinking about what to eat.

– I don't schedule any phone calls or interviews during that time.

– I do my best not to check email in that period.

– I schedule all of my hardest tasks from 7-12, and do the hardest one first, while I have the most juice.

Kelly McCausey of Solo Smarts Podcast says:

My productive times are split. I'm highly functional between ten in the morning and two or three in the afternoon, then I'm back in action after eight at night. In between I may nap or run errands, read and poke around websites ‘for fun'.

I've found it important to embrace the flow of my focus. If I try to push through and work in the afternoon, the work product is not going to be great.

There are exceptions. Sometimes a project is so exciting I can't turn away from it no matter what the clock says. Follow your bliss I say!

Tiffany Lambert of Work Life Balance says:

For me, I have a split level of productivity.

I am most productive on menial tasks in the morning, having coffee, checking email, checking sales stats, etc.

I am more creative and productive with products in the evening.

So I go with the flow on that. I work early and then break for lunch and sanity and then get back to work in the evenings for fun stuff I enjoy doing, like working on my Kindle fiction.

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

I'm a morning person… I always have been. So I work on my most creative tasks in the morning (the ones that need a lot of thought). I plan my week very carefully to optimize my time. Things like social media posting are automated so I only pop on while waiting for the school bus or another time when I am doing something else.

People ask me all the time how I get so much done in my business working only 15 hours a week. It all comes down to this: I choose to make the hours I work as productive as possible. I've created a video with some tips on how to be more productive:

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

I am so NOT a morning person that it's not even funny. But, I've always been that way and love being a night owl.

That said, my optimal working time is between 10am-6pm. Of course, I don't work that straight through though. I come and go from my computer depending on other obligations: kids, puppies, husband, appointments, eating, and overall energy level.

This means that I schedule all interviews between 10 am-3 pm. That works best for me hitting my peak brain time, without conflicting with family time. I've made the mistake of recording interviews in the morning and WOWZA. I had major word soup. Just not a great idea.

I also know that I work really well in bursts so I'm ok with that. However, the bursts are usually determined by me, and not the people around me. If I have interruptions while I'm actively trying to focus, I am not as productive.

What do I mean exactly?

Well, I got on the computer this morning around 10 am, and worked a bit on CoachGlue.com stuff. Now it's noonish and I just took at shower and came to sit down and finish this post. When it's done, I'll reward myself by getting out of my office and checking in on the kids or seeing if some laundry needs to be moved, or checking the mail. Then I'll head back to write my email and get it scheduled, too. I may take a few minutes to check in with Facebook or catch up with texts/calls on my phone, take a bathroom break, get a big glass of water, and  head back to my desk for my next big task – or I may call it a day and work on stuff around the house that's more important.

That works really well for me – and my family can usually handle not interrupting me during those spurts.

What does NOT work, as I mentioned, is constant interruptions.

Thankfully my kiddos are old enough to know that I'll pop out of my office in a bit, after my interview, or my writing spurt is done and they'll leave me to work.  Whatever they need, they can usually get on their own, and things like their friends asking to come over can wait 20 minutes. But, that also means that I choose to ignore my phone while in a work burst unless it's a “911” text from a family member or close friend. They know I'll ignore phone calls while I'm working, but if there's an emergency, to text me “911” and I”ll call them back immediately. That's for instances where it's time sensitive and they feel I need to know right away. Everything else can usually wait and can't come ahead of me making a living.

I used to try to sit here in front of the computer and work all day, but I found that I wasn't nearly as productive as when I work in those focused bursts. I've given myself permission to come and go from my office, as needed, rather than forcing myself to sit here so I felt “busy”. Busy and productive are not the same things – especially when running a business.

So, I sprint, recover, sprint, recover, and sprint again. It's what works best for me.

What if I'm working on a BIG project?

Well, when I wrote my book, or when I created larger courses, I break them down into “single sitting' pieces. If I know all I need to do is knock out one chapter or one module or one webinar and then I can go to lunch with my hubby, I can do that. To sit and say “finish this book” – yeah, that's not going to happen.

I hope this has been helpful. Now comment, share, and then do a money task so you can do something fun to reward yourself.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

Recommended Resource:

The Unstoppable Productivity Software Can Help You to Quit Spinning Your Wheels and Double Your Productivity!

When you use Unstoppable Productivity, there’s no complicated time-management ‘system’ you need to learn or remember. The goal behind our software is simple: To give you a way to visually structure your day in a way that you feel absolutely compelled to focus, take action, and get things done, once and for all!

In addition to being built around a system designed to motivate you to take more action, the interface helps you get absolutely clear about your day, allowing you to easily visualize your time and accomplishments at-a-glance.

Here’s How This Software Can Help You:

• Plan Your Day In Less Than 30 Seconds – Unstoppable Productivity comes pre-loaded with dozens of common tasks, and you can add as many of your own as you want. With all your tasks readily available, you’ll have your day planned in no time!

• Discover Where Your Time Is Going – At the click of a button, Unstoppable Productivity will go to work generating a report about all the actions you’ve completed, helping you quickly see how and where you’re time is really being spent

• See Your Day With More Clarity Than Ever Before – Instead of your day being some blurry, abstract ‘thing’ of stuff you need to do, Unstoppable Productivity uses various graphical elements to help you actually visualize it, making it more real and more achievable to you

• Feel A Stronger Sense Of Accomplishment – As you finish tasks using Unstoppable Productivity, the interface will provide you with visual feedback of their completion, giving you even more momentum to continue moving forward

• It’s Your Full-Time Coach – Unstoppable Productivity is a very lightweight application, meaning it takes up very little of your computers’ resources so you can use it all day every day knowing it’s not standing in the way of getting other things done on your computer

• Plenty Of Room, Even For Your Busiest Days – With the ability to display up to 12 timers at once, from 5 minutes to 3 hours each, you’ll always have plenty of flexibility to manage and plan even your busiest days

• Spend More Time Using It, And Less Time Learning How To Use It – With an intuitive, simple interface, mastering its use usually takes less than 3 minutes!

Click here to
Get More Productive!

PS. Remember, if you want me to keep getting awesome smart peeps to answer questions here, go check out their stuff.

• Lou Bortone – Video in a Day
• Terry Dean – My Marketing Coach
• Kevin Riley –  Blogpreneur Training
• Rachel Rofe – How To Get Never Have a Bad Day Again
• Kelly McCausey – Solo Smarts Podcast
• Tiffany Dow – Work Life Balance
• Shannon Cherry – Learn How I Get *Paid* to Attend Events

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/