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!

I was in the second hangout and there was a lot of great info discussed so I wanted to share it with you.

You can join us in Toronto next month through this link: Exposure and Profit

The smart people featured in the video are all attending Exposure and Profit and are Advisors and Speakers.

They include:

• Alice Seba
• David Perdew
• Justin Popovic
• Ronnie Nijmeh
• Dan Morris
• Derrall Eves

The only speaker who wasn't able to make it on this call was Connie Ragen Green. She was on the call the day before, though, so she wasn't slacking or anything.

I hope you enjoy the discussion. I did!

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. If you enjoyed that and want to learn lots more about content marketing and also get a big hug from me, be at  Exposure & Profit, Toronto, Canada – Click here for Details.

If you've missed past Expert Briefs, you can click on the undies to see them all –>

I just found a new coach that I'm working with and am super happy about that. (You can find out who it is at the end of this post.)

That led to this week's question.

Do you currently have a business coach or mentor?
If so, are you brave enough to share who it is and why you chose that person? 

This week the experts will name names, point fingers, and give shouts of kudos where appropriate.

Jeanette S. Cates, PhD of Plan Your Online Business says:

My business coach is Armand Morin. I'm a part of Armand's Platinum group, which meets monthly on the phone, daily via email, and 3 times per year at Armand's home. I've enjoyed Armand's business advice since 2005, so it must be working!

I chose Armand because I liked the way he does business. I always learn something new from him. He truly loves what he does and is always learning and sharing the latest and greatest information. He also has the ability to diagnose problems quickly and offer a solution. Armand attracts people just like him – no pretense, no hype, 100% above-board business owners – many of whom are not “internet marketers.” Armand himself operates several businesses outside the IM space, so he has broad experience that pays off for us.

Most importantly he genuinely cares about my success. He is a patient teacher and even better mentor. I highly recommend him as a business coach!

Felicia Slattery of Signature Speech Secrets says:

I work with several coaches for various reasons. My business and internet marketing coach is Bob The Teacher who helps keep me focused on my money-making activities while helping me make decisions about my business direction. In my business I interact with A LOT of coaches and I chose Bob because he's everything I'm not in many ways: he “gets” technology like no one I've ever met, he's uber-organized, and is amazing at connecting with people (ok, well I do that, too, but Bob is fabulous at it!). Not a week goes by where I don't learn some new tip or trick that is useful! I met Bob when he was a speaker at an event in 2008 and we've been friends and business associates ever since.

I also have a wealth coach, Kamin Samuel, who has helped me stay focused and grounded in my business. Working with her has helped me open up areas of wealth and income I would never have experienced without her coaching and guidance. We started out in a program together in 2006 and all these years later still work together regularly.

Finally, I have an ADD coach, Tina File, who, having ADD herself is adept at helping me prioritize and gives me useful strategies for getting everything I need to get done without feeling too overwhelmed. Tina was a client who wanted to learn more about speaking for her business and when I heard about how she helps so many entrepreneurs with quieting the noise inside their heads long enough to be productive, I knew she could help me.

The point is, there are different coaches for different skill sets. One of these days I'm going to hire YOU, Nicole, to help me get my passive income and affiliate programs running as they should because YOU are the hands-down clear expert on that. I find the best and work with them. It's always served me well!

Karon Thackston of Step-by-Step Copywriting Course says:

Why, yes! I do have a business coach, Nicole. And it's YOU!

I have some very specific goals I'm working to accomplish and you have proven systems in place where these goals are concerned. I knew you'd be able to get me through to where I wanted to be and give me the know-how and resources to be able to continue down the path long-term.

Plus, you're just a fun person! I knew I'd enjoy my time with you and have a few laughs along the way. Nothing better than making money and having fun doing it!

Connie Ragen Green of Affiliate Marketing Case Studies says:

The idea of coaching has never appealed to me; instead, I have chosen to work with several mentors since coming online in 2006. I think of a coach as someone who cheers you on to do your best and challenges you to do more, while a mentor guides you toward success by sharing what's working for them and then showing you exactly how you can do something very similar for your own business. During my first two years online I worked with two different mentors, and each of them helped me to move forward. One mentor I still work with to this day is Armand Morin, someone who continues to help my business grow by leaps and bounds. I'm in his Platinum program, which is limited to twenty-five entrepreneurs from around the world. I've been with this group since 2008.

Several years ago I was asked to join a Mastermind of my peers and I enthusiastically agreed. We meet in person several times a year and via Skype or webinar at other times. Unlike the mentor relationship, Masterminds are by invitation only and include the opportunity to joint venture and recommend each others best products, programs, and courses. This group has helped me to grow on both a personal and a professional level and to achieve goals I never thought possible.

I would encourage you to seek out like-minded people to put together your own Mastermind, and to choose one person you admire and respect to be your mentor. Having multiple mentors does not seem to work for anyone, and my own mentees experience the best results when they work exclusively with me for one or two years. Knowing that someone cares about your success as much as they do their own can help you to move up by leaps and bounds and will help ensure that you reach and surpass your wildest dreams and goals. Going it alone does not work, so get involved with the right people and be willing to do the work to achieve great results in record time.

Kelly McCausey of Solo Smarts Podcast says:

I have had some short term coaching in the last year, but I don't have a full time coach right now. I do have smart friends who I welcome input from on a regular basis though.

What I'd really like is to be part of a Mastermind. I want to spend more time with people making more money than me. I want to soak up their attitude and submit my brain for regular stretching sessions. I respond well to firm accountability (I can't bear reporting a missed deadline!) and enjoy the mix of a mastermind environment.

If I can't find a mastermind that fits me soon, I'm going to circle back to the coaching question. I know I can't get from where I am to where I want to go without some steady outside influence.

Tiffany Dow of  Work Life Balance says:

I have an online business coach who started out as just someone who saw potential in me and reached out to help me go from ghostwriter to marketer.

His name is Craig Desorcy . He currently works with both individual entrepreneurs as well as coaches or niche leaders – but the thing I love most about him is how he teaches people to “come to the table, ready to serve.”

As most of us know, greed gets you only so far. You build a solid reputation and a loyal fanbase that converts well through your efforts in helping others, and he excels at helping you tap into that.

What started out as a simple friendship discussing Internet Marketing has evolved into official coaching calls with my mentor. During these sessions, it almost always turns out to be something personal holding me back from professional success, and he takes me to that place that reveals what it is and shows me a simple way to address it.

One thing I find myself doing during times of extreme stress is becoming paralyzed or scrambling to get things done. Craig is the voice of calm and reasoning that shows me that if I breathe through it and think things through with a calm, clear mind, it all works out effortlessly.

I also love that he doesn’t have a cookie cutter approach to his coaching. He might ask some of the same questions to get insight, but he recognizes each individual as a separate entity and doesn’t try shoving his personal ideal business strategy on anyone – he tailors what you need to you because we’re all unique in our set of skills and talents, available time, and obstacles that we’re overcoming. 

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

Currently I don't have a business coach, but want one. It's difficult for me to find the right person, as I am an out of the box, fast thinker which can annoy some, and can challenge someone who is coaching me. (Rebellious anyone?) So finding a person who gets my values and can go with me toe-to-toe has been a very long, very hard process.

That said, I am quite lucky as I have several very smart friends who help me on occasion, whether I need help or just an ear to listen to me whine.

And if anyone is up for the job, here's my help wanted ad.

Help Wanted: Smart Coach or Mentor to Help Successful Marketer to Expand Her Reach and Increase Her Profits

Established entrepreneur with a rapidly growing client base is currently seeking a dynamic, driven, and experienced individual to be their coach or mentor. This position will have the primary responsibility for providing ongoing support and ideas to the entrepreneur to grow the business.

Specific responsibilities for this position will include: help with the development of new business opportunities through analysis and interaction with the entrepreneur, coordinate and conduct regular mentoring activities which may include live meetings, phone calls and email support. The position will also assist with providing guidance to promote revenue growth. This position is highly visible and requires working in an effective and professional manner.

The ideal candidate will have a combination of real world and coaching/mentoring experience. In addition, he or she needs to:

• Provide a reasonable contract with an ‘out’ clause for both parties. (I refuse to be sucked into a contract for a ‘lifetime’ or even a year, unless specific guarantees are in place.)
• Listen to entrepreneur when the advice given isn’t working, without blame.
• Be unique and not use a cookie-cutter approach when it comes to coaching/mentoring. (I see through that quickly.)
• Understand how to work with a strong personality who sees through BS pretty quickly.
• Uses and comprehends fundamental marketing principles… not too much of the Law of Attraction and woo-woo techniques unless you like my eyes to roll.
• Recommend only additional products/program that you see as a benefit to the entrepreneur (as opposed to something you get a kick-back on or have a back-end agreement to do.)

Divas, kings, queens, gods, goddesses, emperors, mavens, and other self-important titles that have nothing to do with your abilities need NOT apply, unless you have been officially coronated or ordained in some way. (Please provide appropriate documentation, if needed.)

Compensation is commensurate with experience and proven TYPICAL results. (Not your best results… results, on average, for all your clients.)

Melissa Ingold of Time Freedom Business says:

My personal and business coach for this year is Jennifer Longmore, and I’ll share more about why I chose her in a moment, but first…

I say “this year” because as I grow both personally and professionally, my needs change.

Choosing the right coach shouldn’t be taken lightly. I don’t go out looking for a coach to be my personal cheerleader, I have friends like Nicole for that and mastermind groups. I choose a coach who is going to help me get to where I want to be next.

And I think that’s where a lot of people go wrong with coaching. They hire a coach who isn’t in a place to get them to the next level, or they think a coach is going to be all “rah, rah” and so they don’t hire one.

If you’re not hiring a coach for the right reasons, you’ll end up disappointed.

If you’re not hiring a coach because you don’t think it’s for you, you’re missing out.

The right coach brings more to the table than just helping you one-to-one in your business, they can bring:

• Connections – They can personally connect you with the movers and shakers in your industry, and get you in front of people you’d never get in front of on your own. Whether it’s to get you an interview, some kind of promo, a speaking engagement, or for a JV.
• Resources – They’ll share their personal recommendations for people and tools that they wouldn’t share with their list or blog readers publicly. You know, the kind of stuff they normally hold close to their chest, but as their high-level coaching client, they’re more than willing to share them with you.
• Money – They’ll become invested in your business, and they’ll really get to see what you’re doing and the value you’re bringing to the market. And so, more often than not, they’ll promote your products and programs to their huge lists, exposing you to a whole new group of people that can result in a lot of money for you.
• Smarts – They’ll, more often than not, have their own business coach, and so there’s a trickledown effect that happens because of that. They learn from their super-duper successful coach, they try and test new things, and then that knowledge ends up trickling back down to you. They’ll tell you about all the things they’re doing in their business, what’s getting results, what’s going on behind the scenes, and more. You’ll get an inside look at how they’re running their own business, and why they’re doing what they do. Plus, they always have so many crazy good ideas for you, so you’re going to make a lot of money.

You see, you don’t get all those things in a mastermind group. When people are in a group setting, they’re not as open and trusting as they would be with a private coach. And the mentor running the group, isn’t likely going to lay all their cards down on the table because some stuff will only be shared with their private high-level coaching clients.

Think about it. If you were running a group of 25 people, would you send an email to your list promoting every single one of them? Would you send them all to your best writer or VA? Would you connect them all to the go-to people you worked really, really hard to build a relationship with? Would you really share all of your hard-earned top secret tricks and strategies?

Maybe with one or two of them, but I guarantee you won’t open yourself up to all of them. It’s just human nature.

Now I’m not saying there isn’t value in mastermind groups, there totally is. But a group like that by itself, won’t get you to the next level as quickly as a well-chosen coach can.

At the end of 2010, I hired Carrie Wilkerson as my coach for 2011. She was more successful than me, she had a ton of connections, and I really wanted to see what she was doing and why.

I invested $20,000 in her yearlong program, and what do you know, I added another $100k to my income that year. It ended up being my best year up to that point, for all the reasons I mentioned above.

I don’t pick coaches to cheer me on. I pick coaches who have what it takes to make me money and grow my business.

In 2012 I didn’t work with a coach, because I took almost the whole year off.

Then in April of last year, I purchased some info products from Jennifer Longmore, which then led to private one-to-one sessions with her for the remainder of the year. At the end of 2013, I made the leap into her yearlong coaching program, so I’ll be working with her all of this year.

I chose to work with Jennifer this year because I’ve been working on a lot of inner personal / business stuff that was stalling me out. I say “was”, because since working with her, my business has taken a quantum leap in growth and income. But I still have a lot more internal work to do.

But what I’ve found, is that as you get ready to up-level your business, fear and other niggly’s will come up, and if you don’t work through those and clear them, you’ll stay stuck below the glass ceiling instead of busting through.

I really can’t explain how Jennifer does what she does. I just know that she’s freaking brilliant, and she’s changed my life in so many incredible ways.

I don’t know what the next year will bring. Maybe I’ll want to keep working with her, or I may be on the lookout for someone else. Again, I choose a coach based on what my goals are and where I want to be in the next year.

So my last piece of advice? Figure out what your needs are, and where you want to be personally and professionally, and then find someone who can bring a crap load of benefits to the table for you.

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

As I mentioned, I just started with a new coach and I'm happy! happy! happy!

Note that I said “new coach” as I feel that the coaching/client relationship is a fluid and evolving thing. In my opinion, to stick with the same business coach or mentor forever will limit you.

The problem that I'd been having was finding a coach for ME.  Once you get to a certain level of income/success in your business, it can be very difficult to find a coach who you trust and who is someone that you can be honest and direct with – as well as who has knowledge in areas where you want to get stronger.

Could I have found a coach to help me become a better speaker? In a heartbeat. I've definitely got room for improvement at that.

Could I have found a coach to help me write and publish my book? Absolutely. In fact I have one.

But, someone to teach me to be a better marketer? Well, I'm kinda awesome at that – so it's a little more difficult.

One normal alternative, and what I'd been doing was to create private masterminds with peers which worked well.

But, I really wanted something different. And, I've tried to coach friends and be coached by friends — it just doesn't work as well as I'd like. I wanted to work with someone who I admired – but who wasn't a girlfriend (and someone who I was paying so they had to be honest instead of just being nice).

So, I'd been on the hunt for a coach for me. And, I knew several other friends who were looking as well.

My criteria at this point in time for a coach included:

1. My coach must have built at least two successful profitable businesses, and also have a great relationship with his/her list.

2. My coach could not be working 80 hours a week. I've built my business so that I can work when I want to but I have plenty of recurring income streams and systems in place so I make money ongoing. Having a coach who was flying all over the country and working 8-18 hours a day wasn't going to be a good fit.

3. Similarly, I wanted someone who doesn't work off a jam packed calendar. I like to have my schedule mostly free except for a few coaching calls and any interviews that I'm doing. Otherwise, I feel trapped by my business.

4. Someone uber-productive.

5. A businessperson with low overhead. I didn't want someone who had a staff of 15 employees and an office building. I wanted someone running a tight, lean, profitable business.

6. A person who rocks at positioning. I felt stuck in a decision about rebranding and how to move forward with it.  So, I wanted someone who was very clear in his/her positioning and in putting themselves out clearly in the marketplace.

7. A great public speaker/presenter. I am getting more and more speaking opportunities and I know that I can improve in this area.

8. A person who I trusted to not blab to others and who I felt comfortable being honest and open with. (Someone safe and kind.)

9. Someone who was familiar with and who would understand my business model, with EasyPLR.com, CoachGlue.com, Beachpreneurs.com as well as my other areas of business.

10. He or she must offer email coaching. Again, I'm not a fan of scheduling calls and I prefer flexibility. Plus, I wanted private coaching, not group. Sometimes more opinions are not necessarily better.

11. Funny helps. I wouldn't mind having some laughs, too.

12. My coach must also have MASSIVE amounts of integrity in business and in personal life. This is not optional.

13. He or she must also be making the world a better place with the platform that they have built. (Using the opportunity of having an audience to get the word out about ways to impact the world.)

Not too hard, right? Well, when I was stuck in Icelanta during the storm, Kelly and I brainstormed and one person JUMPED out at me as the right person. And, I was so sure that I was making the right decision that I jumped on the lifetime coaching option. It was the best and easiest money that I've spent in a long time. (Watch for new greatness to happen soon.)

Click here to find out who I picked!

I do hope you found this post to be interesting and informative.  

Please share your tips for finding an working with a coach below. Also, feel free to give a shout out if you have a coach that you are working with that you love.

Big hugs to you!
Nicole Dean

This week I asked our panel of experts the same thing I asked last year and the year before (since 2008) …

“If you made more money this year than last year, your quarterly taxes probably won't be enough to cover what you owe (since you'll owe more), assuming everything else in your life remains the same. (Unless you added a deduction like a baby to your family or something…)

Quick explanation (with totally hypothetical  numbers):

• Let's say that you made $30,000 in 2012. Your quarterly taxes that you pay in 2013 might be then set at $2000 every 3 months. ($8000 for the year)
• Now, what if you made $60,000 in 2013 – and you're only paying $2000 every 3 months, then come 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.

At the end of the Year, because I've been fortunate enough that my income has grown every year, I Normally End up Making Several Large Purchases in Order to Decrease my Taxable Income for Next Year.

Do you have ways you reduce your taxable income? If so, what kinds of things do you purchase?”

I think you'll find the answers this week interesting and helpful in your business tax planning and preparations.

** Note: Contact YOUR CPA/Financial Adviser before making any decisions. The following people are not professionals in regard to tax laws.

Jeanette S. Cates, PhD of Plan Your Online Business says:

Actually I AM an accountant! That was my Bachelors' degree. My first business was a bookkeeping and tax service that I “invented” so I could write off my first computer. Happily, I sold that business for a nice profit 3 years later. But taxes remain a hobby for me.

Okay, if you're still reading (and not laughing at that “taxes as a hobby” comment), the secret to tax savings is timing. You don't necessarily WANT to reduce your taxes this year. If you're new in the business, it's likely that you'll make more next year and need more deductions. Likewise, there's a good chance that tax rates are going up, if the government has anything to say about it. So again, you may want to defer those expenditures until January.

But if you do want a deduction this year, here are a few easy ones –

• Office supplies (stock up!)
• Phones and tablets, if used more than 50% for business
• Contractors and employees (pay before the end of the year – they'll love it
• and you get the deduction)
• Affiliate payments (pay them at the end of December for sales to that point.
• Welcome money for them – deduction for you).
• Donations – always in season!

Dr. Mani of How to Set Goals says:

Not sure how relevant the details of my situation will be to your audience, Nicole, because I live in India but I'll share some thoughts any way…

1. Quickly review the current status of tax exempt and tax deductible investments/expenses (they keep changing often) to know what will qualify and what won't.

2. Talk with my accountant, discussing specifics based on projected earnings, and get an idea about how much to spend or invest to optimize taxes.

3. Look at my ‘wish list' for things to buy, and see if any would qualify for a tax break. If they do, plan a purchase date.

4. Decide on my annual contribution to charity (a sizable share of my online income goes to sponsor heart surgery for children through the Dr.Mani Children Heart Foundation). Donations are eligible for a partial tax exemption in India. Though it isn't WHY I do this, I do claim the incidental benefit!

One mistake from my past I will NOT repeat is trying to defer getting paid for some things until the next financial year, thinking it'll help save some on taxes. Didn't work out too well, that idea

All success
Dr.Mani

David Perdew of NAMS says:

December brings back fond memories from my corporate newspaper days.

All year, as the Director of Photography in charge of a multi-million budget, I was supposed to come in 10 percent under projections by the end of the year.
Then, in December, when I had accomplished the goal of keeping expenses way down by penny-pinching all year long, the corporate office would call in a panic. “Taxes are going to kill us. Spend as much as you can.”

It was like Christmas in the photo department. Everyone got new cameras. We bought all of our film for the following year. (Yep, this was pre-digital.) And, then we bought refrigerators to hold the film so it wouldn't go bad.

In January, we were back to penny-pinching for the next year, only to repeat the process at the end of the year.

I got pretty good at it.

And now, with my own little business, I can’t spend millions at the end of the year, but I like to make any big purchases if I can before Dec. 31 like computers, printers or software. Especially, if they can be expensed instead of amortized.

The key was to take delivery before Dec. 31. So, ordering a new computer on Dec. 31 didn’t count. It had to be in the place of business. I’m not sure it still works that way, but I adhere to it anyway.

And of course, dumping cash is a good thing which means paying as many affiliates as possible by the end of the year to put the tax burden on them. Sorry. Paying taxes is an awesome problem to have because you obviously are making enough to be concerned.

Paying as little taxes as possible legally is the gift from our crazy government…

I think the NAMS Workshop is one of the only Online Business Marketing Workshops that teaches taxes, legal issues, and business infrastructure as well as making more sales.

Dennis Becker of Earn1KaDay says:

This is the time of the year when I contribute to the charities that are meaningful to me.

I also look to pick up more premium licenses for products that can be used either inside my membership sites, to sell, or ideally both.

And I pay bills a little early, for example in late December even if they're due in January.

Kevin Riley of  Blogpreneur Training says:

Since I live in Japan, I'm dealing with a tax system that differs quite a bit from what I dealt with in North America. However, some of the following advice (especially, to keep all your receipts) probably applies in all countries.

One benefit we enjoy in Japan is the no-limit entertainment expenses deduction. Due to our culture of entertaining prospects and customers, the Japanese tax system does not limit you on how much you can deduct for entertainment. Therefore, any time I go drinking, eating, or otherwise spending money in a fun way, I ask for an official receipt (ryoushushou). Find out what you can deduct, and make it a habit to always save your receipts.

Since my office is in my home, I also can deduct a percentage of all home expenses from my income tax. This means that I can deduct a percentage of rent, water, electricity, and grounds maintenance fees. This is a deduction I also enjoyed in Canada, so look into it for where you live. This can make a huge difference in the amount of tax you pay.

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

If you made significantly more money with your online business this year than you did last year, CONGRATULATIONS! That's wonderful news.

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.

Two 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.

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

Now, I’m not a tax adviser (nor a doctor nor a lawyer), but I do know a CFP & CPA who I asked for advice.   So, here she is Kristine McKinley in an interview I did with her and posted in 2008:

Kristine McKinley says…

You definitely have the right idea. If your business income is up this year, then you want to do some year-end tax planning to try to reduce your taxable income for the year.

You basically have two options: you can defer income into the next year, or accelerate expenses into this year.

If you’re not sure how to do that, here are some tips to reduce your taxable income:

Defer income:

if you are self employed, one way to reduce your taxable income is to defer income. You can do this by holding off on billing clients until after 12/31. Or if you were planning a teleclass or a big product or service launch at the end of the year, you could hold off until January.

Accelerate expenses:

– Software: I know I’ll need tax software in the next month or so, so I can choose to purchase it in 2008 if I want to accelerate my expenses, or if I think my 2009 income will be higher, I can wait until Jan 1 to buy my software

– Supplies: same concept; any supplies I know I will need for tax season I’m going to buy now to reduce my 2008 income.

– Furniture and equipment: do you need a new computer, an external hard drive for backup purposes, a new chair for your desk?

– Web hosting or domain renewals: do you have any domains that will be expiring soon? Renew them now instead of waiting until they expire.

– Office supplies, shipping supplies, computer supplies: basically stock up on any supplies that you use on a regular basis in your business before the year is over

– Continuing education or classes to improve your business: if you are required to take continuing education, or if you just want to take some classes to help you improve your business, signup and pay for the class before the end of the year so you can deduct it on your 2008 taxes.

– Membership sites: if you’ve been sitting on the fence about joining any membership programs (Shelancers for example), signup before Jan 1 so you can deduct the fees on your current year tax return. Even better, if they offer a lifetime membership fee, choose that option to save money and to take an even larger deduction on your tax return.

– Do you need any work done by web designers, VAs, or other independent contractors? Consider prepaying them for work that you expect them to do in the next 30-60 days. Don’t forget to send them a 1099 if you pay them $600 or more during the year.

– Affiliates: do you usually pay your affiliates on the 5th of the month? Consider sending them their December commissions on 12/31 instead of waiting until Jan 5th.

– Donate to charity: while donations to charity won’t reduce your business income, they will reduce your total income, so consider donating cash, services or goods to your favorite charity before the end of the year

Basically, any expenses that you expect to incur in the next few months that can be accelerated into 2008 will help reduce your taxes for 2008.

One other strategy that every self employed person should consider is funding your retirement account. However, you have a little more time for this strategy as the deadline for most retirement contributions (to IRAs, Roth IRAs, Simple IRAs, etc.) is April 15.

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 or Nook – Read and learn on the go.
• iPad. I keep mine in my purse. It’s so much easier than carrying around a laptop.
• Cell Phone. Is it time to upgrade? If your plan expires early next year and you have it as a business expense, you might want to renew early.
• Apps for productivity. Been putting off buying some apps to make you more productive? Now is time.
• mp3 Player – More Learning on the road. (Be sure to load up my podcast.)
• Nice Headphones for your Cell Phone. I love my headset. I can use my cell as an mp3 player while I walk the dogs (and still feel safe because I have my phone on me).
• Good books – just in case you get trapped on a Deserted Island.
• Comfy office chair or a Lazy Boy Recliner for your office.
• Noise Cancellation Headphones. (I have some. They’re weird but wonderful.)

Software.

• Unstoppable Productivity Timer
• Camtasia
• SnagIt
• Infographics Creator
• Photoshop
• GotoWebinar

• Premium WordPress plugins
• Premium WordPress Themes
• Hire someone to redesign your blog

Stuff for your Office.

• Desk Pad Calendar. For scheduling and staying organized.
• Day Clock – in case you lose track of time, really badly!
• Big freaking White Board. Did you see mine in my office video?
• Space heater. Again… brrrrr….
• Do your back a favor and upgrade your desk chair
• Better speakers
• Ergonomic keyboard
• New wireless mouse

Camera & Microphones.

• Video camera for recording video.
• Headset with Microphone. For recording tutorials and webinars on your PC.
• Lapel Mics.
• Tripod for recording videos
• Lighting for Videos
• Backdrop/Greenscreen

Customizable Content!

• PLR Articles  Because you can always use more articles for your blog.
• For business coaches and VA's – Customizable Business Content

Promo Stuff

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

Courses to Learn Cool Stuff From.

• NAMS Membership
• Audible.com – I just grabbed an annual account and am loading my phone up with good stuff.

My Latest Course.

• Sticky Content – How to Get More Visibility and Profit from All of Your Content
• Sticky Social Media – How to Stand out and Get More Visibility on Facebook

Travel

• New Luggage for traveling to cool Internet Marketing conferences to hang out with me.
• Ticket to NAMS for February.
• Airline tickets

Business Tools

• Autoresponder – if you’ve been putting off this purchase, now’s the time.
• Shopping Cart – Switch to an annual plan and pay for a year in advance.
• Get Organized with your Outsourcing – organize all of your helpers.

Hire Help

• Hire a Virtual Assistant or Copywriter to write press releases, articles, sales pages, or design graphics for you.
• Also, you can go to the Warrior Forum and check out their Special Offers section to find great deals on advertising and copywriting.

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 get your book published in 2014 – Hire Kristen Eckstein to Coach You
• 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)

** Most of the stuff above is tax deductible.

And, of course, you can hire Kristine McKinley (who wrote the article above)  to help you with your financial planning (which is another way to spend a bit of cash). She said:

Hope this helps! If you need more ideas I’ve got several posts on my blog about year end tax planning. Here’s my site: http://www.beacon-advisor.com/

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

Best of luck.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. Did we miss anything? Let me know!

This one is called “Unlock the Creator in You“.

The cool thing is that this is not just an 80-page book. It's a system with printable action sheets and a bonus that includes five special binaural audios you can listen to when you need extra laser focus or to get your creative juices flowing. (I'm listening to one called “Mental Refresher” right now.) And, the price is definitely right.

Of course, if you know me, you know I like to give you a little sample so you can see if this is something that will benefit you.

So, here's an excerpt from his book (just one of  the dozens of ideas you'll learn) and a snapshot of one of the sample worksheets that Dennis graciously allowed me to share. I know you'll love it.

An Exercise to Get out of Any Rut You’re In

by Dennis Becker, author of  Unlock the Creator in You

If you’re stuck in a rut, it can be really hard to follow through on any creative idea. Whether you are in a rut in life or in business, it seems impossible to get out. As a first step, consider journaling why you’re in a rut. What are your feelings surrounding this experience? What can’t you do that you wish you could do? Sort out your feelings and you’ll be in a much better position to move forward.

What does the rut look like for you? Draw what the rut is–create a symbol for it. Let your imagination lead you–or your feelings in the drawing. Then, crumble up the drawing and throw it away–or even burn it. Don’t give it any power over you now that it has form. Sounds silly, I know… but the activity will make you smile and you’ll feel more powerful. Just try it.

Next, get out a piece of paper, draw 5 bubbles, and list one reason you’re in a rut in each bubble.

Then, draw 2 spokes from each bubble. On the spokes, brainstorm ways you’re going to get out of your rut.

You can also write a narrative about what getting out of the rut really means to you and what it looks like. Paint a picture for yourself of what your life looks like after you’ve gotten out of it.

Follow through on the ideas in this book and you’re 100% guaranteed to get out of your rut and to never get stuck in one again.

How to get access to this amazing course.

 Buy it cheap here: Unlock your Creative Thinking Side

Do this exercise and then tackle the ruts that are in your path so you can SHINE!

Big hugs,
Nicole Dean

PS. Don't you nod your head and click away. Scroll back up there and do the exercise. I double dog dare you.

PS again. If you're a member of Dennis' Earn1k a Day group – it's in the download area already. So go grab it there.

We decided to make it a public video for those of you who are curious if the training is simple enough to do yourself.

It doesn't get much easier than this.

The “Keep Calm” website is: http://www.keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk/

And, to see more videos like this one, grab the training at Sticky Social Media

You can see two samples that I created below:

I hope this gave you some ideas and made you smile.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. Of course, be sure to check out our Sticky Social Media training over at CoachGlue.com to learn about more cool tools like this one. We hope you like it!

She just put together some really cool training called “Social Marketing Results” and I'm digging into it now. In fact, I was sitting out in the hammock in the backyard reading the Guide on my iPad and I had to run in here to my computer to implement something that I had missed.

I asked Lynn if I could send her a few questions for a quick blog interview. Not surprisingly, she graciously and generously agreed.

So I'll hand it over to Lynn Terry – Enjoy!

Social Media Results (Interview)

with Lynn Terry

Nicole: Why does every one of my readers need to be on social media?

Lynn: Social Media is a huge source of exposure & traffic that every business should tap into. A strong objective and a solid strategy could get a new business off the ground super fast, or take any existing business to the next level.

If you're not leveraging Social Media to the max, you're really missing out!

Nicole: Why is this the course that you HAD to create?

Lynn: I have a private mastermind group that I've been working with closely now for almost a decade. Social Media has been a HOT topic in the group lately, and we've been discussing strategies in great detail. I actually set out to create a tutorial for them, for easy reference, but once I got started – it evolved into what I now consider my “Signature Product.”

I discuss that in the video below. While it's a bit long at almost 10 minutes, it's just a casual conversation that gives you an inside look at my history online, and why this product excites me as much as it does!

Regarding: Social Marketing Results

Nicole: How much time should we spend per day?

Lynn: I'm a big believer in using Time Blocks for productivity. I recommend investing a mere 15-30 minutes a day. Having a consistent presence is much more important than the amount of time you spend. And having a focused strategy seriously cuts down the amount of time you *need* to spend.

Nicole: Which sites should we be on, and which should we skip

Lynn: Everyone should be on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ as a bare minimum. I recommend also securing your username at Pinterest and YouTube. And LinkedIn for service based businesses, or those that target professionals.

Which channel you should be on depends on your objective and your market. It boils down to being where those people are, and giving them what they most want and need.

Nicole: What's a big mistake you see when you do look at people who are doing social media but aren't getting results?

Lynn: I see a lot of “mistakes” cross my screen every day, but ultimately I believe it boils down to a lack of understanding – or not knowing how to properly use social media for the best results.

One of the most common “mistakes” is simply broadcasting your links across multiple channels. Basically using it as a micro-distribution channel, without taking full advantage of all the amazing ways social media can give your business a serious boost!

Nicole: How do you recommend that people track the results from their social  marketing?

Lynn: Tracking organic (free, non-paid) social marketing efforts has been a hot topic over the years. There is a way to set up tracking through Google Analytics. That said, there are some metrics that simply cannot be tracked, such as: loyalty, true engagement, brand awareness, etc.

There are also WAY more benefits to social media marketing than just the number of likes, shares, comments, etc that you can rack up. While stats are good, they give you a very limited overview of your true success with a proper Social Media Marketing Plan.

Nicole: What about automation?

Lynn: There are very few instances where I recommend automation. I cover this in my guide, along with resources to make automation super easy.

But in most cases, you want to post updates to each social channel manually, to get the most out of it. It literally only takes a few seconds to do, which I demonstrate in my training video and the live examples in the PDF guide.

Nicole: Can you please share some examples of results that YOU have gotten from Social Media.

Lynn: One of my favorite examples to share is on my niche account – I have a low carb / travel blog. I was fairly new in that niche (an “unknown”) by the way. I sent out one tweet, which got noticed by a major brand AND a major market leader in my niche (due to proper strategy!) and resulted in unsolicited recommendations from them both!

What was meant to be a fun small promotion (and honestly, a test) attracted over 1,000 new highly targeted members to the Facebook group in ONE day! Was I prepared for that kind of response?? NO! (lol) But hey – that's one of those “good problems” we all like to have.

This is just one of the examples I show in great detail inside Social Marketing Results. It's a highly detailed training course that will work in any niche, with any business model – even if you do Social Media as a service for clients. (They'll love you for the results!!)

I am also helping members implement the strategies, with hands-on help in our private Facebook group, which has been a lot of fun so far.

If you're ready to stop wasting time, and start seeing RESULTS on social media… join us! You'll be amazed when you learn what all you can really achieve – and in much less time than you think.

Nicole: Why should everyone reading this sign up for your training?

Lynn: If you want to dramatically increase website traffic, make more sales, get more links, improve your search engine rankings, waste less time, and grow your business even faster… you should definitely check out Social Marketing Results!

Here's the link to check it out:  Get Social Media Results

Well there you have it, my friends.

Take what you want from what Lynn said. I agree with it all.

And, if you are interested in her course, you can see more details here: Get Social Media Results

Note! If you sign up now, you get 6 additional calls digging even deeper into the social media sites.

Talk soon.

Warmly,

Nicole Dean

PS. Here's what just a few of her students had to say about the training:

Here's the link again to check out Lynn's Training:

Get Social Media Results

PS again. Still not sure that there's any marketing benefit to being on Facebook?

1. Facebook currently has 845 million active users.
Source: infographiclabs.com Facebook 2012 Infographic

2. Facebook accounts for 1 out of every 5 pageviews on the internet worldwide.
Source: infographiclabs.com Facebook 2012 Infographic

3. Facebookusers share over 100 billion connections collectively.
Source: infographiclabs.com Facebook 2012 Infographic

4. Over 50% of the population in North American uses Facebook.
Source: infographiclabs.com Facebook 2012 Infographic

5. 250 million photos are uploaded to Facebook daily.
Source: infographiclabs.com Facebook 2012 Infographic

6. There are 2.7 billion likes every single day on Facebook.
Source: infographiclabs.com Facebook 2012 Infographic

7. The social media giant has 425 million mobile users.
Source: infographiclabs.com Facebook 2012 Infographic

8. The average Facebook user spends 20 minutes on the site per visit
Source: infographiclabs.com Facebook 2012 Infographic

Get Results:   Social Media Results

This may be a year old, but it's still pretty darned impressive.

Check this out…

Facebook 2012 InfographicbyInfographiclabs

Here's the link one more time to check out:   Social Media Results

Before I took off “leavin' on a jet plane”, my friend, Alice Seba told me about a new course she's teaching about List Building.

I asked her if I could send her a few questions for a quick blog interview. Not surprisingly, she graciously and generously agreed.

So I'll hand it over to Alice Seba – who is a pretty smart cookie when it comes to building an email list and making money with it.

List Building Q&A

with Alice Seba

Nicole: Why does every WordPress site need a list? Isn’t RSS enough?

Alice: That’s a great question and I know it’s one that a lot of people need the answer to. It’s so easy to set up the little RSS button and then just forget about any other list building. But really, it’s a big mistake to do that. If you rely on RSS only, you’re missing out on some very powerful marketing opportunities. Email beats RSS for a variety of reasons and are here are just a few:

• Just about every online user has email. Not nearly as many people use RSS readers, so you’re likely shutting out a huge chunk of your audience by offering an RSS feed only.
• An RSS feed only updates your audience about your new blog posts. You can’t send them special offers, promotions and other unique marketing messages which are crucial to real business growth.
• It’s also important to realize that email is simply more commercial by nature. People expect offers and sales pitches, but on blogs, they mainly expect content. Sure, you can add promotions into your blog posts and they can be effective, but you’ll experience better conversions by sending the offer directly to their inbox.
• And speaking of sending email directly, email definitely is a much more direct way to communicate with your readers. It goes right into their email inbox and you can personalize the emails to create a deeper connection and get more results. An RSS reader is something people tend to check less often and is saved for when they have time. Email gets checked because it has to get checked.

An RSS feed is definitely important because it caters to certain preferences. If someone just wants your blog updates, they can get them. Then you can continue to wow them with your awesome posts and present them with compelling reasons to opt-in to your list. Make your ultimate goal to get them on your email list, even if they start with your RSS feed.

Nicole. What's a big mistake you see when you do look at people who have lists – where they're losing out?

Alice: I’ve got two, if that’s okay.

Nicole: Nope. Just one. Just teasin'. Let us have them.

Alice: #1. People are often so concerned about having a large list and not losing subscribers that they forget about crafting their IDEAL target list of subscribers. Many people I’ve worked with over the years tell me they hesitate to send out product promotions because when they do, people unsubscribe. So they just keep sending content and wonder why their list doesn’t make them any money.

At this point, I always have to remind them if someone unsubscribes because you tried to sell them something, they will NEVER become a customer anyway, so let them be on their way. Having people leave your list is fine because you want to attract and keep the people who are interested in your products and who want to hear about them. We’ve trained ourselves to believe we have to satisfy everyone, but it’s a losing battle. Satisfy the very specific group of people who love your content AND your products.

#2. One other thing people seem to forget is their CUSTOMER list and it’s the most valuable list of all. A satisfied who has purchased from you once is much more likely to purchase from you again. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve worked with people who tell me they don’t actually add their customers to a mailing list. When someone purchases a product from you, a commercial relationship has formed and you can (and should) start emailing them. But even those people who have customer lists, don’t use them to their fullest potential. Treat your customers like gold. Send them better offers than everyone else gets, give them advanced notice of products and secure discounts for other people’s products for them.

Nicole:  Why should everyone reading this sign up for your training?

Alice: Everyone comes from a different place when it comes to their email marketing.

• Some people are just starting out.
• Other people have lists, but don’t email them (GASP!).
• Still, others have a list and email them, but aren’t making any money.
• Then there are others, who just want to bring it to the next level.

Our “30 Days to a Bigger Email List, Better Relationships and More Results” includes something to PUSH you to do more, no matter where you are now. Each day includes 2 challenge tasks to help ensure you’re both GROWING your list and COMMUNICATING with them regularly and effectively.

But outside of that, we offer a unique opportunity to:

• Ask questions and get plenty of feedback along the way, ensuring you stay on task and keep growing your email marketing skills. And this opportunity doesn’t stop after 30 days. You can come in and get help anytime you want. For life.
• Get access to handy brainstorming sheets, templates and other tools to ensure your list keeps working for you long after the 30 days are over. We’re here to make it easy for you to command the power of email in your business.
• Receive valuable discounts and special offers to make it easier to create your winning content. Members get some pretty sweet perks!
• We even get together online live for a couple of training/brainstorming sessions to ensure you’re on track for a bigger list and more sales.

Well there you have it, my friends.

Take what you want from what Alice said above. I agree with it all.

And, if you are interested in her course, you can see more details here: 30 Day List Building with Alice Seba

Gotta get back to the fun.

Talk soon.

Warmly,

Nicole Dean

PS.. Just for fun, here's a picture of (from left to right) Dennis Becker,  Alice, me, Kelly McCausey, and Connie Ragen Green.

One of the questions that I ask my coaching clients often is “How else are you planning to use that content that you just worked so hard to create?”

Sometimes, I see a sparkle in their eyes. I know I just made their day. Other times, I get the deer in headlights look. So, we back up a bit and THEN they get the sparkle.

And – it's a question that you need to be asking yourself regularly.

You know how I feel about having both financial and lifestyle goals. Well, one of the ways that I'm able to earn money while I'm off with my kids is that I make the most of the content that I create.

I use it.

Then I use it again.

And, I use it again. (Get the picture?) 

Well, one of the courses on my “Stuff to do” list is to create a course about Repurposing Content. But, a few weeks ago, I got an email from a new friend, and she asked if I would like to contribute to her new product “Recycled Riches“. I told her, of course…. as long as it was ok if I reused the content that I created for her in other ways, including my own Repurposing Training. (Did you expect anything less?)

Fast forward and the course was just launched.

You can check it out here -> Recycled Riches: Experts Share how to Reuse your Content

It's good. Very good.

Do I think you should buy it?

Probably – especially if you're a blogger, are creating products, and/or have a list that you're building.

Definitely if you're a Virtual Assistant who helps those types of people, too.

So here's what I've done to help you decide if this course can help you.

1. I included an interview with Debbie Drum (one of the product creators) to see why she created the product and who it is intended to help.
2. I recorded a tour (sneak peek) of the members' area – so you can see what exactly you get if you buy it.

On that note, I'll introduce Debbie.

Nik: Hey Debbie. I love your new course. But what inspired you to create a course on this topic?

Content is a very hot topic. Most people who do online marketing are always in need of great content. Many people struggle with things like:

• Where to get content
• What to do with content they already have
• How to create content faster
• How much should to spend on outsourcing content
• Where to outsource content to get back the best quality

With some of the systems that Amy and I have developed in our own business, we are taking just ONE SINGLE PIECE of content and stretching it so far that it works day and night for us in so many different ways and we wanted to share that with people.

We also wanted to hear from other experts who are repurposing content in ways that are working really well for them.

Nik: What was one surprise when you were creating this course and working with all of these different people?

First off, we felt very honored that so many of our contributors got back to us so fast with a “YES I WOULD LOVE TO” message. That was the best part!! We knew this was a real winning topic so we were happy to have people on board with us.

I would say a pleasant surprise was that all of our contributors went above and beyond what we asked them to contribute. They provided so much of their valuable information and went way beyond the call of duty and overdelivered. That is why when most people look inside, their jaws literally drop because there is so much value in what we (as a group) are delivering.

Nik: Why should my readers who are in online business buy your course?

To market anything online, you need quality content. Once marketers understand this and they make systems for themselves to take content and strategically spread it around the web with their money links – then that is when the skies light up and magic starts to happen.

Without content, you can’t get the traffic you need for more exposure to gain sales and subscribers.

Once this is realized, how can you strive to create less or WORK LESS, but still have all the traffic, exposure, sales and subscribers you desire?

Well, that is where Recycled Riches comes into play because we show you how to do that by essentially taking one piece of content and repurposing it so you are not wasting a bunch of time or money generating content yourself or outsourcing.

All of our contributing experts work smart and not hard when it comes to generating the content they need to grow their business. We throw around this term a lot but it is so true.

If you realize that just having ONE EBOOK is all you need to get MASSIVE exposure. You don’t need 10. Eventually have 10 is great, but that all comes with time!

Another thing is that as publishers, writers, product creators, or affiliate marketers, whatever we are doing, it’s easy to get in a rut with one modality. For example, “I’m a writer, so I don’t do videos.” The problem is that it’s easy to miss out on a large chunk of your targeted audience if you aren’t presenting your content in different formats. And with the training in Recycled Riches, it’s easy to repurpose content without having to be an expert in every type of content creation.

Here's the link to check it out -> “Recycled Riches“.

Here's a sneak peek into the members area that you'll have access to once you buy.

Click here to check out “Recycled Riches“.

]]> https://nicoleonthenet.com/15931/recycling-your-content/feed/ 2 https://nicoleonthenet.com/15681/create-multiple-streams-of-income/ https://nicoleonthenet.com/15681/create-multiple-streams-of-income/#comments Tue, 23 Jul 2013 13:17:51 +0000 http://www.nicoleonthenet.com/?p=15681 While I'm off on holiday with the family, my good friend, and uber-smart marketer, Kathleen Gage is going to pop on to share some advice about how to create multiple streams of income.

I always learn a lot from Kathleen when we talk at NAMS in Atlanta – and she's not just a marketer – she's a business woman. So, listen up and enjoy this guest post.

How to Really Create Multiple Streams of Income

by Kathleen Gage

One of the areas I specialize in is the creation and development of information products. If they don't know it when they first come to me, within a short period of time my clients learn the importance of packaging their knowledge into information products.

Once developed, the need to distribute becomes a key concern. Who your market is and what their needs are determines how you will distribute your product. Distribution costs must be factored into your overhead costs and what you charge, and the distribution channel (method used to distribute) you choose impacts your marketing decisions. Distribution on the internet is much more cost effective than traditional methods because you can use your own channel and those of joint-venture and affiliate partners.

Match the distribution channel you choose to your branding. Stay current with changes in the market so you can change your distribution channel as necessary.

Consider:

• Who will buy your product?
• Is there a primary or secondary target market (a niche within a niche)?
• What factors influence their decision to buy?
• Who is involved in the purchase decision?
• How often will they buy?
• Where do they currently buy, when, and how much?
• Is there opportunity to turn casual buyers into loyal buyers?
• Can you build a long-term relationship with your market?

Other considerations

• Is what you offer lucrative?
• How will you reach your potential customers?

What Does Your Customer Want?

Pay attention to what your customers are asking for. Avoid developing your books, ebooks, teleseminars, etc., in a vacuum if serving your market and making a profit is important to you.

The One-Product Wonder

Although you must start somewhere, your offerings and development should be ongoing processes in your business. This does not necessarily mean you need to be the person developing the products, but don’t make the mistake of developing one product and never thinking about product development again. If you subscribe to this way of thinking you will either quickly be out of business or you will constantly struggle to generate revenues.

However, going to great lengths to develop a product without knowing whether or not it will sell can also cripple a business. Begin by introducing a very low-risk item such as an article, e-report, audio, or short ebook to test the waters. You can use a low-risk product as a springboard for others. And you can repurpose virtually anything you create.

My first product from 1995 was a cassette tape called Living Life with Serenity. What a laborious process it was to get that product to market! Creating information products in the nineties was very different, and much more difficult than it is today. In today’s online arena, just about anyone can create a simple product such as an MP3 with a computer, a microphone, and editing software. Actually, you don’t even need a microphone because a telephone works just fine with many software programs.

With print-on-demand technology you can send a master file to any one of hundreds of companies that create the product only as orders are received. And there’s always the option of digitally downloaded products with extremely low production costs and very high profit margins.

Regardless of what method you decide on, the main decision is to get started in packaging your information as soon as possible. The sooner you do, the sooner your business will generate multiple streams of income.

About Kathleen Gage:

Kathleen Gage is the “no-nonsense, common sense” online marketing strategist, speaker, author, product creation specialist and owner of “Power Up for Profits.” Kathleen helps entrepreneurs make money online. Her clients are driven by making a difference through their own unique voice.

Kathleen's mission is to help people understand that their business is merely a means to get their message out to the world. She teaches that it’s not just about what you do, but the reasons behind why you do it.

Her newest book, Power Up For Profits; The Smart Woman's Guide to Online Marketing is the perfect resource for any author who wants to reach more of their market in the fastest, most cost effective methods possible.

For a very limited time when you order the book through Amazon you receive Kathleen’s full Six Figure List Building Program and Sell Thousands from Any Platform at no cost to you.

Go to this bonus page for full details.

Well there you have it. I told you she was smart.

Be sure to grab a copy of Kathleen's book and get the awesome bonuses while you can. That's the best way to ensure that I can get great people to share their wisdom over here.

Big hugs and I'll be back soon.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean