In fact, John J. Ratey, M.D., of “Spark! How Exercise will Improve the Performance of your Brain” went as bold as to say…

“I tell people that going for a run is like taking a little bit of Prozac and a little bit of Ritalin because, like the drugs, exercise elevates these neurotransmitters.”

 

– John J. Ratey, M.D., Author of “Spark! How Exercise will Improve the Performance of your Brain”.

The problem is time. Unlike someone like a pre-school teacher who is on her feet all day, us “computer folk” don't have an active job to keep us moving. In fact, speaking for myself, if I'm not careful, I can get pretty stagnant. I have to make time to exercise.

Because as I said, it's good for my mind. I can directly tell that it helps lessen my anxiety and depression and it helps me to be more focused during the day. Plus, I sleep sounder and that's always good thing, too!

I'm about to share what my friends said about how they fit exercise into their busy days.

But first, since we all KNOW that exercise is important but so many of us still do not prioritize it, I dug up this old pep talk from my good friend, Scott Tousignant, to share.

What’s your ROI on Exercise?

by Scott Tousignant
MetabolicMasterpiece.com

Time is our most precious commodity, which is why it’s so important to prioritize the tasks that you perform throughout the day to ensure that you are doing the tasks that give you the greatest return on your investment (ROI). Unfortunately not many online entrepreneurs are aware of the ROI on t

heir daily tasks and they spend their day being busy rather than productive and wonder why they continue to struggle growing their business.

Every business is different and certain tasks may produce a greater ROI for certain businesses compared to others. There is however, one task that will provide an incredible ROI for every online entrepreneur. That task is physical fitness. Ironically, it’s the one task that many online entrepreneurs will brush off and say they don’t have time for.

Let’s take a look at the ROI on exercise:

• Increased energy: Keep up with your kids and live life to the fullest
• Increased focus: Your mind stays on target with the task at hand
• Increased productivity: Get more done in less time so you have more time to do what you enjoy the most in life.
• Increased Creativity: Your mind becomes more open to ideas and solutions
• Increased confidence: The benefits of this are limitless in business and life.
• Increased self esteem: Enhances your belief in your abilities
• Increased networking opportunities: You become more approachable and you are more willing to “get out there” more.
• Increased sense of well-being: Feel great about yourself and your actions
• Improved sleep: When you exercise you enjoy greater quality sleep and wake up feeling rested and ready to take on the day at hand.
• Reduced Stress: It becomes easier to handle the challenges that life throws at you.

With all of these benefits how can you possibly avoid exercise?

Yes it’s hard work, but it’s hard work with a huge ROI.

I challenge you to find any other task in your day that provides more benefits than exercise.

I encourage you not to fall into the trap of, “As soon as I finish this project, I’ll start to exercise.” I’ve got news for you… there will always be new projects and with this mindset you will never make the time for your health and fitness.

Another trap is waiting until you achieve a certain level of business success before you make your fitness a priority. “As soon as my online business takes off and these PPC campaigns start turning a profit I will have the freedom to workout more often and the finances to get a gym membership.” With this mindset, money is more important than your health.

Now let’s say that your ROI on PPC becomes so great that you finally have the freedom that you and your family deserve, but then out of nowhere Google slaps ya! Your income stream stops and you scramble to find another method of traffic. Let’s say that within a few months you find that banner ads become your new #1 profit machine and life is all good and happy again.

But what if LIFE decides to slap you with diabetes or a heart attack, because you placed your health at the bottom of your priority list?

What if life slaps you and cuts your life short by a year or two?

That’s time that you can’t get back. That’s time that you could have spent creating more memories with your family. Sure you had some great trips and vacations in the early days because you focused on business and money, but there was a hidden cost that didn’t reveal itself until it was too late. Was it worth it?

Everything in life is a choice. Your current situation is a result of all the choices that you’ve made in life. Your choices are often influenced by your values. Right now, you have a choice to bump your health to the top of the list of your priorities, or continue putting it off and hope to have the time to make it a priority down the road. Do you value your health? Before you make that decision, remember… time does eventually run out.

Thanks, Scott!

So that lead me to ask my smart friends this:

As an entrepreneur, I end up sitting on my butt a little more than I should. I'm always coming up with ways to get more movement into my day. How do you fit movement into your daily schedule without guilt? What kinds of exercise do you do? Any tips for sneaking it in?

This post is a compilation of responses from my friends.

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

Brian T. Edmondson
InternetIncomeCoach.com

I'm a huge believer that there is a correlation between diet, exercise, health, energy and business success.

As someone who has been working from home “living the laptop lifestyle” for over 10 years I've literally have had days where I haven't left the house or seen the light of day – not good!

These days I make it a point to make sure I don't spend hours and hours (or days) just sitting in front of the computer screen.

Here are two things that work really well for me:

1. Schedule my exercise into my calendar

Just about everything I do (business or personal) gets put into my calendar. If it's on the calendar then it's going to get done, period.

– Monday 11:00 am one-on-one coaching call – check
– Tuesday lunch meeting with a potential new private client – check
– Thursday blog post writing block from 2PM to 4PM – check
– Friday 7:00PM movie of the latest Marvel comics movie – check
– Saturday afternoon watching my Penn State Nittany Lions crush Michigan, Ohio, or Wisconsin – double check!

And of course, my one hour workout at the YMCA is scheduled into my calendar as a recurring event. It's on the calendar and very rarely is there anything important enough to bump it off the calendar – mostly everything I do is scheduled around my exercise schedule.

Unlike in the past, I get out of the house at least once a day (hello sun!) to get my exercise in.

2. Apple Watch stand reminder

Of course when you're sitting at a desk and computer all day it's easy to get into the groove and go hours without standing, which isn't good as well.

I generally work distraction free for 50 minutes, then will stop to take a break, stand up, walk around the house, and drink some water or have a snack. Sometimes I'll even squeeze in some extra jumping jacks or pushups just to get the blood flowing.

One of my favorite gadgets is my Apple Watch (yes, I'm an Apple Fan Boy) and a nice feature is every 50 minutes it will remind you to stand up and take a break if you haven't already done so. Of course you don't need an Apple Watch to do this… I used to use a simple kitchen timer in the past.

By scheduling exercise into my calendar and making sure I take frequent stand breaks throughout the day (and hydrating properly) I find that I have a lot more energy, focus, and am much more productive.

Lain Ehmann
FastLain.com

After a period of inactivity, I committed to getting back to a regular workout routine this year. For a long time, I told myself I was “too busy” to workout!

In January, I started going to Orangetheory, a group exercise class with 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of weights. You wear a heart rate monitor to make sure you’re working out at the right intensity. Everything is tracked, from heart rate to calories burned. I geek out on those metrics!

I started out a few times a week. Now, nine months later, I hate missing class.

I feel better, I look better, and it’s now a regular part of my day. First thing in the morning, Mon-Fri, I drop my daughter off at school and then head over to the gym. I sometimes have to force myself to take a day off. And the more I push myself physically, the more confidence I have. That’s good for me AND my business.

Carol Little, Public Speaker, Trainer and Coach
LittleTrainingCompany.com

Working out is essential for me, not only for my physical health but for my mental health too. I can think better when I feel good in my body. I find I’m more creative too. That may sound strange but it’s true. I often walk around a lake in my neighborhood not for the exercise but for my peace of mind. I come up with great ideas out on that trail! So, my tip is: if you have a problem you’re trying to solve, rather than sit at your desk and stew, walk your way to a solution. It’s more fun and you get some movement in when you would otherwise be sitting.

Personally, I love working out first thing in the morning. Nothing conflicts with an early morning workout. No phones, no emails, no clients…nothing. Plus, there is such a sense of satisfaction that comes from having my workout done by 9am. I keep things interesting by alternating my workouts. I do yoga, cardio (treadmill, elliptical or I ride the bike.) and weights. It doesn’t really matter what I do as long as I do something everyday. I consider it a bonus for my business too since, as a speaker, feeling comfortable in my body is crucial to feeling comfortable in front of the room.

Well, there you go, my thoughts on working out.

Karon Thackston
MarketingWords.com

As a girly girl, I have never liked exercise. That meant I would have to get hot and sweat, and that’s just gross! The exercises I did for years were based on videos, the majority of which were 30-minutes or less. Frankly, following the same DVDs over and over felt robotic.

Then I discovered pickleball about a year ago! (Google it.) A friend kept asking me to try it and I kept putting it off because (1) we play outside… in the heat. And (2) we sweat… a lot! No. Thank. You.

Shockingly, that turned out to be my thing. I adore it! I play typically 2-3 hours at a time, 4 – 6 days a week. Therein lies the “trick” to getting more movement in my day. I had to find something I loved, and that I wanted to do.

When it rains, I feel cheated because I couldn’t play that day. I miss the game, the people who I get to interact with face-to-face, and the time in the real world away from any screens.

Angela Wills, Digital Business Coach
LaptopLifestyleYouniversity.com

Once really easy and non-negotiable new movement in my daily schedule is walking my daughter to and from school every day. Our family has one vehicle and now that my husband works days we have no choice but to walk. It's about 25 minutes twice a day for me so some nice consistent movement I hope will pay off!

If you don't have a kid to walk to school, maybe you can borrow one? haha! Seriously though I bet there's a mom out there who'd love it if you did walk her kid to school every now and then. Or maybe there's another activity you have to do regularly that you can make yourself walk to instead of driving? I actually really enjoy the forced walks now, though!

Otherwise another thing I LOVE to do is Pomodoro Method of working. I learned this from the book “How to Live a Good Life” by Jonathan Fields. In it he suggests working for one stretch of time and then breaking for a short period of time and doing something “FUN” on that break, something that gets you moving. I like to work for 52 minutes (which I'm actually doing as I write this) and then break for 17 minutes. During the breaks (I do about 4 per day) I usually do things like flip on some dance music, throw a toy for my dog Shadow or try to learn a new move on my weighted hula hoop. The music is my go-to and then I do try to get creative.

As a bonus tip I can sometimes get a quick wash and dry of dishes in when doing Pomodoro and not feel like household stuff distracted me or threw me off track.

Dvorah Lansky, Bestselling Author and Course Creation Specialist
ShareYourBrilliance.com

How do you fit movement into your daily schedule? What kinds of exercise do you do? Any tips for sneaking it in? Or for making it more efficient?

While I love to dance and move and walk and ride my bike… I find that I often get so busy with my work projects that exercise and movement take a back seat. Here are some tips that help me to make movement a priority.

From the following list – I do one or more of these each day. Just think how fit I'd be if I did them all!

1. The computer does not go on in the morning until I've “earned it” by dancing or exercising or going to a walk.
2. When I look outside in the morning and think “it's so beautiful out” I use that as a prompt to get my shoes on and go for a stroll.
3. Some of my neighbors go for a walk around the neighborhood, every day, rain or shine or sleet or snow – they're like the postal service. I see them in the summer with their shorts and water bottles and in the winter with their parkas and mittens. I walk with them from time to time – however I recently made the commitment to walk with them daily for at least 90 days! They go at the same time each day so I can easily schedule it as a priority in my calendar.
4. In the afternoon when I'm winding down from work, I play with my cat on the front steps. Once she's ready to go inside, I head off to take a short walk to a specific spot in the neighborhood. I especially enjoy doing this around sunset.
5. There's a cafe about a mile from my home. More and more I budget time to walk there instead of drive there in the morning. I'm trying to figure out a way to carry a light book or some work with me as I love hanging out there, but don't want to carry a lot of weight – hmmm maybe I'll try a light backpack.
6. I have two sets of weights in my living room. I put on motivating music and lift the weights. Lifting weights makes me feel so strong. And for some reason my cat (Princess the Wonder Cat) loves hanging out with me when I'm working with the weights.
7. We have community dances in a nearby town each Saturday night. I used to go religiously and I loved it. Haven't been in a long time, however I promised myself that I'd begin going this month. Dancing makes me so happy.
8. Can't wait to see what our others experts in this Expert Briefs series have to share.

A tip I'll share is… look at your calendar and choose a dedicated time each day or many times each week where you can put on music and dance, or go for a walk or lift weights. Commit to daily exercise for 30, 60 or 90 days and you'll likely be hooked for life!

Another tip – go through the suggestions shared by the contributors in this series and jot down all of the ideas that inspire or intrigue you. Then circle three of them that you'll incorporate into your life. Keep the list somewhere handy so you can participate in more of these activities when you're ready.

Kelly McCausey
LovePeopleMakeMoney.com

One of my favorite ways to exercise is to swim laps but the local women's only gym with a pool has passed hands three times in three years and appears to have closed for good this time. It's frustrating because swimming didn't feel like ‘working out' and I am going to miss that opportunity to make exercise fun.

I just caught myself in an old story! Truth is, even ‘non-fun exercise' is fun these days. Since having bariatric surgery a year ago, I've lost 90+ pounds and built up strength I haven't enjoyed in many years.

I recently rejoined Anytime Fitness. I love their 24 hour access and there's a location within easy reach for me. I am tackling a weight machine workout that really stretches my abilities and lets me get in and out fast.

At least once a week I take my granddaughter out for an adventure. She's two and a half and has boundless energy. Whether we're covering every square foot of the grocery store or lapping through the pet store – I'm enjoying her so much I hardly notice all the steps I'm getting in.

Candice Davis, Author Coach
CandiceLDavis.com

I once gained twenty pounds over the course of a month because I was so focused on bringing a project in on time. Not good!

After that painful lesson, I made sure I found some ways to move my body every day.

I added an app to Google Chrome to remind me to get up from my desk at set intervals. (Stand Up! Timer is free.)

I also used inexpensive kitchen pantry shelving and some zip ties to create a desk on my treadmill. Now, I can walk at a very slow pace and work at the same time. Just stepping on the treadmill reminds me to pick up my free weights and do a short strength-training routine before I jump into work.

Lastly, I developed some small habits, like pacing while I'm on the phone, walking every aisle in the grocery store, and having active dates with my husband to make sure I sneak in some of the daily movement the human body was designed to enjoy.

Nicole Dean, Awesome Human, Author, Business Consultant, etc.
From here!

First of all, let me give kudos to my buds.

You’re all awesome! Whether you realize it or not, you’ve inspired me.

We live in a world where “busy” is worn like a badge of honor. And “I'm too busy” is frequently an excuse to not fit self-care into our days.

The quote I started with from John J. Ratey of Spark says so much:

“I tell people that going for a run is like taking a little bit of Prozac and a little bit of Ritalin because, like the drugs, exercise elevates these neurotransmitters.

It’s a handy metaphor to get the point across, but the deeper explanation is that exercise balances neurotransmitters — along with the rest of the neurochemicals in the brain.”

– John J. Ratey, M.D., Author of “Spark! How Exercise will Improve the Performance of your Brain”.

For those of us who are the CEOs of our own companies, our brains ARE our livelihoods.

When we're depressed, anxious, or fuzzy-headed, we can't tap into our genius, creativity or productivity as effortlessly.

Why sit in the struggle when a quick walk can literally reboot your brain?

So doesn't it make sense that exercise can actually INCREASE the bottom line of your business? 

In fact, I would be hard-pressed to think of any people who I really look up to who don't prioritize their own health.

So… argument one. Exercise leads to productivity which leads to increased profit.

On top of that, as entrepreneurs (bloggers, authors, speakers, consultants, service providers, and coaches), we spend our work time sitting in front of a screen.

In a world where sitting is the new smoking as far as danger to ourselves goes, we have to make it a priority to move frequently and consistently.

“Sitting is more dangerous than smoking, kills more people than HIV and is more treacherous than parachuting. We are sitting ourselves to death, The chair is out to kill us.”

– James Levine, a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic, in an interview in with the LA Times.

Now that may be a wee bit dramatic but something has got to get people moving!

And, if for no other reason, as a yoga teacher, I do know that most back pain starts in the butt. So sitting is definitely not helping your back pain.

Let me share a few things that have helped me to make exercise actually happen over the years..

1. My best friend, the timer.

I use a timer when I work. Pretty much always. It is my lifesaver. So, for instance, I set the timer for 45 minutes of work, then I take 15 minutes to walk around, do laundry, exercise, head outside for a bit, whatever. It may not seem like much, but it really works on helping me stay focused!

When I get back to my desk, I am refreshed and usually have some solutions for the issues that I was feeling stuck on, plus, I come back to my desk with some great clarity.

When I need to lose some weight or I feel like kicking my own butt, I break up my day so that I do focused work for 40-50 minutes, then do physical activity (like squats or situps – or the One and Done One Minute Workout) for 10 minutes then a quick break to do something around the house (check the mail, get more water, let out the dogs, or move the laundry) and repeat. If I can do that 1-3 times in my day, that helps to keep my metabolism up all day long.

2. Wearing running shoes.

I find that it’s silly, but if I put on my running shoes first thing in the morning, I move more during the day than if I’m barefoot. Plus, I can’t climb on the couch or in bed for a nap as easily. (ducking and running)

3. Don’t work weekends.

I try not to work much on the computer (if at all) on the weekends, unless I’m launching a big project (or if something major happened during the week- fun or otherwise). This gives me permission to not sit as much and instead, be gardening, doing yardwork, organizing the house, doing batch cooking, going on a hike or paddleboarding, or any number of activities that do not involve me sitting.

4. Outsourcing.

I know, it’s not directly related to exercise, but it keeps my butt out of the chair, which helps.

5. Exercise 7 Days/Week.

I used to plan exercise days and plan my “recovery” days back when I was a gym rat. Now, I aim to exercise every day so that when life gets in the way and I miss one, I'm still way ahead.

But to me, exercise, just means choosing to do something to move my body. Go on a hike, go to a yoga class, swim in the pool during a break, hop on my bike, go paddleboarding.

6. “1 Minute Workouts”.

I have been doing a program called “One and Done: 1 Minute Workouts” that is basically 20 seconds of hard effort followed by another 2 minutes of active rest (not just recovery but actually doing a planned movement). You repeat that cycle 3 times which adds up to only 1 minute of all out effort. I was surprised how sore I was once I started doing it.

You can create your own workout, or this is the one I'm doing. One and Done Workout

7. Yoga is the Double-Up Workout for Me. 

I meditate daily because it's good for me and it is helping me to be more in touch with a lot of crap that needs to bubble out. (Fun, right?)

I do yoga because it's exercise, stretching, strengthening, balance, and meditation. To me, it's the whole shebang.

I try to go to class every day, but if I don't make it, I'll do another form of exercise, like the “One and Done” workout I mentioned above.

8. Finding wasted time and making it useful.

When my daughter was in chorus and dance classes in downtown Pensacola (a 15-20 minute drive from home), I found myself sitting around for an hour to an hour and a half several times per week while she was at practice. I was too far from home for it to make sense to run back, so I'd sit and play Words with Friends or watch Hulu. So, after a year of that, I realized what a colossal waste of time it was. #duh

So, the next year, I joined a gym right near where her rehearsals are. I found that, in the hour or so from when I drop her to pick her up, I could get really sweaty. I had just enough time to run to the gym, park, get inside, and get a good workout. It's not ideal, but it worked for me. (Exercise without guilt is a good thing.)

So that's the majority of what I do to sneak in exercise.

But how do you actually make yourself do it? 

For that, I would highly (highest recommendation) recommend you read or listen to Atomic Habits by James Clear.

He has studied how to make habits stick more thoroughly than anyone else I've ever read. It's fascinating if you dig that stuff.

Quick Muscle-Building Workout. 

I also wanted to share this quick muscle building workout as I have done it a lot when I had a gym membership last year. I could get in and out of the gym in a half hour. No, it may not be the MOST effective workout in the world, but I do believe in “done is better than perfection”. And this was something I was able to commit to.

That's it for me. Now it's your turn. How do you find time to exercise in your busy day?

Warmly,

Nicole Dean

PS. I love reading this when I feel like I just can't do something or I feel intimidated or overwhelmed.

“No more excuses! Do it or don’t do it but don’t make excuses. Stop using your incredible brain to think up elaborate rationalizations and justifications for not taking action.

Do something. Do anything. Get on with it! Repeat to yourself:

‘If it’s to be, it’s up to me!’

Losers make excuses; winners make progress.

Now, how can you tell if your favorite excuse is valid or not? It’s simple. Look around and ask, ‘Is there anyone else who has my same excuse who is successful anyway?’ When you ask this question, if you are honest, you will have to admit that there are thousands and even millions of people who have had it far worse than you have who have gone on to do wonderful things with their lives. And what thousands and millions of others have done, you can do as well—if you try.”

~ Brian Tracy from No Excuses!

And I oftentimes rewatch this when I feel like I'm backsliding or not making progress fast enough. #DUDE

This week I asked our panel of experts…

“How do you get your mojo back when it's flown the coop?”

I think you'll find the responses interesting.

Terry Dean of My Marketing Coach says:

I’ve lost my mojo multiple times over the years.

Here are 3 ways I’ve attacked it head on… and got my mojo back when it all feels lost.

#1 – Take a Break

Often it’s the day-to-day activities and the overwhelm that sucks the life out of you.

You’re so dug into the projects you’re working on that you don’t feel you can come up for air.

The best thing to do when you’re in that situation is to take a break. Stop staring at the problem. Get out and do something fun.

It could be as short as a few hours out of the office to watch a movie or go to lunch. Or it could be a weekend trip… or even an entire month break from your business.

Step out of the stress and the day-to-day activities. Look at the problem from a different situation and remind yourself what it is you love about what you do.

That leads us to the second part…

#2 – Focus on your Vision

During your break, take time out to look at your plan. What is your long-term vision?

Too many internet marketers are running their business by the seat of their pants. You’re overwhelmed because you’re taking on a whole bunch of activities that aren’t essential to your vision.

Eliminate all the unnecessary activities you added simply because they sounded like good ideas at the time.

Automate as many day-to-day activities as possible.

Delegate everything that’s outside your expertise or below your ‘pay grade.’

Where do you want to be in your business 12 months from today? Once you’ve written that down in detail, work backwards from there to what you want to accomplish in the next 90 days.

Then create a weekly and daily growth plan to take another baby step toward your vision every day.

#3 – Join a Passionate Mastermind Group or Find a Mentor

Enthusiasm is contagious.

And online marketing can be a lonely business if you allow yourself to be isolated.

Find others who are passionate about what they do. Share ideas. Grow together.

Hold each other accountable.

Avoid the complainers! Don’t keep participating in any forum, group, or club where it quickly becomes a pity party of how hard it is out there.

Some people have a ‘recession mindset’ while business is booming all around them.

Either find a mastermind group or connect with a mentor proven to help others move forward.

Lou Bortone of Video in a Day says:

How do you get your mojo back when it's flown the coop?

I ‘recharge my batteries' by attending (or speaking at) industry events and conferences. Despite being an introvert, I love the camaraderie that comes from events like NAMS, where we get to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. Of course, the shenanigans that often happen after the sessions are the most fun and really help to restore my mojo when I've been running on empty!

Lain Ehmann of Crafting Your Business, Step-by-Step says:

For some reason, people think they have to “feel it” to be productive. I think the difference between a professional and a hobbyist is that the professional shows up whether their mojo is in the house or not. Just think of Celine Dion – do you think she tells her sold-out crowds in Vegas, “Nope, sorry. Just not feeling it tonight.” Emotions are a transitory thing. Some days I feel like sitting down to work, and some days I feel like curling up under my covers and reading junky novels. If I give in to the latter too often, I'll be in big trouble!

That being said, I can get burnt out at times. After a big event, I need to give myself time to physically recover and to reconnect with my family, who have been surviving on mac ‘n' cheese for the past week. A day or two of down time can re-charge my batteries and get me ready for the next big project.

I also can get zapped if I'm spending too much time doing the tasks and projects best left to someone else (like customer service). If I'm feeling blah day after day for an extended period of time, usually this is the reason; I've been doing soul-sucking work, rather than soul-fulfilling work. Then I have to realign my task list to better reflect the projects I'm excited about.

Kelly McCausey of Solo Smarts Podcast says:

Sometimes I lose my mojo and sometimes I lose my vision… both have a similar effect on me. I grind to a halt and feel stuck.

When I lose my mojo for business, when it all feels like it's been said or done before, I seek to spend time with newcomers. They see everything with fresh eyes and ask great questions. This lights a fire under me and before I know it, my mojo is burning brightly again.

Ideas for getting in touch with Newcomers:

1. Volunteer to be interviewed by a new blogger or podcaster.
2. Spend time answering questions on Forums and Facebook Groups.
3. Take on a Mentee or Intern
4. Offer an Open Phones Day. Here's How: Open Phone Lines Training

When I have mojo but lack vision on where to go next, I seek to spend time with successful contemporaries. They shine a light on my potential and make me realize I'm bonkers to not live up to it. With a little brainstorming and planning, my forward vision gets a jumpstart and I'm off and running again.

Ways to connect with Contemporaries:

1. Go to Live Events like Exposure and Profit or NAMS
2. Join a Mastermind Group. Example.
3. Start a Podcast, maybe even try the Round Table Format. Example. List Building Roundtable
4. Attend a Business Retreat like Beachpreneurs.com

We call get stuck now and then, but we don't have to stay there!

Kristen Eckstein of Free Book Promo says:

It happens to all of us. I lost my mojo. Writer’s block was in full force. And my deadline was less than 24 hours.

I did get it done (about 10,000 words), and Author’s Quick Guide to Having a Successful Book Signing was released on time. WOO-HOO! So how did I do it? How did I get my writing mojo back?

• Accountability—My coach issued this challenge to me, and she checked in to see how my progress was going. That lit a little fire under my behind…
• Mastermind—I’m part of a small mastermind group and we had our bi-weekly check-in meeting Wednesday morning. Telling them what I was up to helped renew the spark of excitement I had when the project was brand new two weeks before.
• Left-Brained Activities—Some might call it procrastination, but during my “off kilter” time I played in the kitchen with raw food recipes (and ate a LOT of chocolate), put together office furniture, ran errands, worked out and pretty much did everythingexcept write.
• Right-Brained Activities—When I felt my mojo start to return, I fostered it by playing with LEGOs, playing with my cat and playing with food (a left- and right-brained activity).
• Chocolate—I ate a LOT of chocolate! Raw cacao has energy and creativity-boosting properties, so I ate a ton of it. 

The fact is, all writers, entrepreneurs, artists—well, pretty much everyone who’s ever embarked on a large project like writing a book—loses their mojo once in a while. No one can say when your mojo leaves, how or when it will return. Mine hit suddenly around 9pm on Wednesday night, after a full day of the above activities. Having a coach hold me accountable was huge. She’s pushing me to go further than I think I can, and celebrating when I surprise myself. My mastermind group does a similar thing and offers support with like-minded people. And combining left- and right-brained activities opens the neurological pathways between the two hemispheres. Of course, my personal opinion is chocolate is what really did it. 

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

When my mojo flies the coop, I chase it down and tackle it in a few different ways and drag it back, even if it's kicking and screaming.

Yes, it happens to ALL of us. Like my friends above, I've been in this business a long time for TEN years (since 2004) and I've definitely had my on and off periods of time.

My friends touched on many of the things that I was going to mention, so I'll come at it from another angle.

1. Avoid loss of mojo in the first place. Have a vision and understand that what you do impacts other people. If your #1 goal in business is to profile AND make the web and the world a better place, then by not running your business, you aren't making the web and the world better. Right?

2. Take your vitamins. Seriously – good vitamins can really affect your entire mood, energy levels, and overall outlook on life, the universe and everything.  I keep mine sitting on my desk, so that I remember to take them every day. I notice that when I forget, I fade.

3.  Have people dependent on you. I have my team (assistants, customer support, writers, designers, etc), business partners, my family, my coaching clients, and even my dogs dependent upon my success. I don't have the luxury of crawling into bed too long before I have to get my butt up and get busy getting things done.

4. Allow for the down times and don't beat yourself up when they happen. Forgive yourself as you would forgive others. Don't get into a spiral of “I suck… ” because it doesn't help you to get back on your feet.

5. Keep track of your progress. With my coaching clients, I always recommend they create a spreadsheet or notebook of “Where I am Now” so they can track their progress. Otherwise, if growth is slow and steady, you may not realize that you're moving forward unless you have a way to look back. It's kind of like with weight loss. If you haven't seen someone in a year, and they've been losing 1-2 lbs per month, they may not realize how different they look, but you sure will.

6. Have some happy reminders near your desk. I have cards and printouts by my desk from people who have taken the time to send me words of love. These are from past coaching clients, friends whose lives I've touched through my work, and colleagues. I pick those up and reread them from time to time when I need a boost.

7. Most importantly – have some recurring income streams in place. When my mojo runs off – I have enough passive income streams and recurring revenue streams in place that I don't have to panic. I can take a break and not freak out about it. It's ok and that's a great feeling for me. I hope you have some in place as well. If not – please listen to the free audio on the top of this page to learn why it's so important to me that you start adding income streams today. Passive Income & Recurring Income Training

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. If all of the above fails, write a blog post about getting your mojo back and then you'll talk yourself into getting your stuff done. Busted.

This week I asked our panel of experts…

“This one is for those of you with older kids. What are you actively doing to encourage their entrepreneurial spirit – and increase their financial IQ?”

I think you'll like the ideas presented below.

Connie Ragen Green of Affiliate Marketing Case Studies says:

My step-kids are so old they have kids of their own now, and we have encouraged them to be entrepreneurial since they were little tikes.

My oldest grandson is seventeen now and has a variety of projects he is involved with. This includes some niche websites, but also businesses he has created to help offline companies where he lives. He has aspirations of being a film maker, so he makes videos and sets up YouTube channels for his clients. He does so well that he paid for one third of his new car a few months ago, making me and his parents extremely proud.

As far an increasing his knowledge of finances, he reads books and magazines on this topic, as well as taking courses geared for young entrepreneurs at the local community college. I've even learned some valuable things from the information he has shared with the family.

Dr. Mani of How to Set Goals says:

The key to entrepreneurial success, imho, is pursuing something with passion which will add value to others. The money typically follows, but the desire for profit is a good motivator to get past the hurdles and pain of starting out.

My teenager doesn't get an allowance – she gets tips, advice and guidance on projects that can help her raise the money she needs for whatever purpose is top of mind at the moment.

I still recall with amazement when she was 5, wanted a Barbie doll (Princess Anneliese, anyone?), and when promised a ‘matching contribution' to what she raised, coming up with the staggering sum of Rs.1250 – in just 5 days! (She crafted hand-made cards, and sold them at “extortionate” rates to grandparents, btw)

The philosophy of “singing for your supper” continues to this day, with very encouraging results. Baking and writing are the new card-making – and prices are more “real”

We discuss money and finance, both in the abstract and in terms of tangible impact it can have – on lifestyle, on attitude, on belief systems.

Nothing is “out of bounds” in these discussions, and by being forced to justify expenditure choices/decisions, we (parents and teen) both have gained better insight into financial/fiscal responsibility.

Another technique we started (but didn't sustain) is the 3 envelope method I learned in a guide.

You divide the monthly allowance (what's that?! we replace it with project profit) into 3 equal parts, to go into 3 envelopes… labeled ‘spend', ‘save' and ‘give'.

The first is to enjoy now. The second is to invest (an opportunity to teach investment principles here). The third is to donate to worthy causes and those in need.

In the few days we did practice it, the impact was dramatic – especially in the last category. Imagine a 7 year old buying her favorite candy bars… to distribute to street urchins near a temple. The joy and smiles on those little faces is priceless… as is the knowledge that my little one learned a very precious life lesson.

Tiffany Lambert of Squidoo Quick Commissions Guide says:

Kids are funny! I have three kids – ages 20 (Dylan), 13 (Shawn) and 8 (Scarlett). They would LOVE to have the money I make, and they get all inspired to launch something, but they only want the tip of the iceberg – not the hard work involved.

I think part of the problem is that during my hard working, struggle years, they were too young to see the elbow grease I had to put in just to earn enough to pay the bills. They see it as “automated” now.

The other day we went swimming at my Mom’s and (as a kick in the pants to my Mom), I said, “While I’ve been swimming for 2 hours, I’ve earned $343 in my PayPal.”

But that automation was from previous working hard to develop residual income streams. So what my kids will do is get all excited about Squidoo or a blog and they’ll launch it, post content for a little while, and when the money’s not there, they quit, get bored, etc.

Now Dylan did see some success a few years ago. He wanted an air soft rifle that cost $300 and I wasn’t going to do that. So he created three lenses on Halo – the video game. They ranked SO high because he was a gamer and spoke their language.

He asked me to sell them to my list and I did – he got $100 per lens, enough for that rifle. Right now, he works at a local restaurant/bakery in catering and he’s very happy with his pay raise – but what he makes in a month is what I make in maybe half a week.

He thinks it’s insane, but yet he doesn’t sit down and say, “TEACH ME!” I think kids have to do their own thing for awhile and I hope someday he’ll want to learn. Every time he complains about co-workers or a boss or a customer, which is rare for him, I do nag him about not having those problems as an entrepreneur.

Shawn has his own gaming blog. He’s diligent about developing content. He was so proud of his header – he did it himself – but it needs a professional one. It also needs some sort of monetization strategy other than the AdSense on the sidebar.

But I don’t have time to go through and link to each game. He created this site: gamingscout.com and he enlisted the help of two of his classmate friends to create content. They review games they like, etc. Shawn initially wanted to be a game tester, but I explained that he wanted to follow in John Reese’s footsteps and launch his own gaming company.

Scarlett wants a fashion website – but I haven’t launched it yet for her. She wants all sorts of fancy stuff I have no clue how to help with, like games for girls, etc. And I know she’ll be disappointed if it’s not earning the same kind of money my sites do.

All three of my kids are watching my “Debt Dragon” journey. Although I’ve been earning six figures for awhile now, we spent beyond our means – and they’re learning about that, about paying cash, etc. My oldest is already a saver and an earner – not a wasteful spender.

It takes time, and we can’t get frustrated when our kids don’t have the same entrepreneurial spirit that we have. They’re just kids. But I do hope one day they learn the ropes so that they’re never at the mercy of the job market.

Lain Ehmann of Crafting Your Business, Step-by-Step says:

I've asked my kids to pick a topic they're excited about and we've been creating content — blog posts, videos, etc. They each have a WordPress blog they toy around with, and I'm actively helping them learn the skills I wish I'd known.

Also, just exposure to entrepreneurial ideas helps a ton. We watch “Shark Tank” and talk about the investors' decisions and the pitches. We also listen to business podcasts together. Not every day, and not religiously, but enough so they are familiar with the ideas and terms.

Kelly McCausey of Solo Smarts Podcast says:

I started working at home when my son was eleven and I remember how impressed he was when I started to ‘make money out of nothing' at the computer. As my online success grew and I said goodbye to the day job, he was proud of me.

We're both stubborn and a bit rebellious which can make working for others difficult. I thought for sure he would follow in my footsteps and pursue self employment but that hasn't happened yet.

Every now and then I try to sow seeds of interest. I know he has what it takes to be a solopreneur like me – I just don't see the hunger yet and to be honest, that frustrates me a little. I can't ever remember a time in my life when I didn't want ‘more' from my work.

This is where I remind myself that he's young, there's plenty of time for that spark to develop. When and if it does, I'll be so happy to lend support. Until then I'll just keep building and improving my own business – making this self employed life look GOOD from the outside

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

I  have a 16 year old son. He’s smart. But, he can be a slug.

Seriously. Like a video-game playing slug who doesn’t shower.

We’ve done a few things to help him to have a productive summer – while still having time for fun – and hopefully learning a few things about productivity, scheduling, intelligent financial IQ, and entrepreneurship. (Which, in my opinion are topics that are seriously lacking and under-taught in schools.)

Here are a few ideas for you to steal from me.

1. Daily Task List.

My kids, as I’ve mentioned before in my “Surviving Summer with Kids at Home” have a weekly task chart broken up by days.

It’s just an excel spreadsheet that they check off every day as they are accomplishing their tasks.

If my son takes it upon himself (takes initiative) to complete his tasks daily without being reminded – or comes up with extra tasks to do – he gets a cash bonus. However, if I have to ride and remind him to do things from his list, he gets nothing extra – just room and board.

2. Learning Basic HTML Skills.

My son is currently going through the CodeAcademy.com training. (It’s free.) It’s a great program and he’s picking it up pretty quickly.

My husband wanted to pay him hourly to do the CodeAcademy training but I flat out refused that. Instead we are going to give him a big bonus at the end, if he can demonstrate thorough knowledge of coding when he finishes.

(Translation: If he takes his time and initiative to go through the course, he will be rewarded – no matter how long it takes him. To me that's much more of an entrepreneurial attitude than an employee mindset. Don't you agree.)

3.Reading.

As part of my kids' daily tasks they must read a “mom approved” book. My 16 year old reads two hours a day and my younger daughter reads 45 minutes a day.

Mom approved books are getting much more practical over the years. We rotate fiction with a non fiction book, like “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” or a book about “Teen Entrepreneurs” or a Steven Covey book about Time Management – all good stuff that I wish I had been asked to read at a younger age.

Considering the kids have reading on their lists, they have to do it before technology comes on. Pretty sneaky, right?

4. Exercising his Most Important Muscle.Both of my kids also doing Lumosity.com – which is a brain training program. I’m doing it, too, and we’re competing on our progress. I'm pretty impressed at our progress. My memory has improved tremendously already.

Your turn.
What are you doing to encourage independent thought and initiative and financial knowledge in your teens?

Best of luck.
Nicole

PS. I'm getting so many good ideas reading this that I'm thinking this should be a Kindle book. What do you think? Want more of these ideas?

This week I asked our panel of experts…

“Last week, we talked about branding. Do you have any
examples of interesting, fun, or even odd brands that
stand out to you and that you love?”

I think you'll enjoy the responses.

Kevin Riley of  Maximize Your E-Mail Marketing Profits In 2013 says:

For many years, I've been in awe of the branding of Amazon. The whole A to Z promise in their name. The implication that it is huge (Amazon River). The fact that everyone (even those who rarely shop online) know Amazon, and most have shopped there at least once. The fact that they snagged a memorable name that starts with A – and it's not Acme or Ajax.

You can learn about email marketing from
Kevin here ->  Maximum E-Mail Marketing Profits In 2013

Lou Bortone of Video in a Day says:

One of the “new” brands that I'm enamored with at the moment is “Neuro” beverages. (http://drinkneuro.com/)

In the hyper-competitive world of sport and vitamin beverages, Neuro stands out with it's cool packaging, flavors and marketing. Check out their website and take note of the style, colors and “attitude” of the brand. And with flavor choices like “bliss,” “passion,” and “sonic,” the drink is almost irresistible. Neuro has all the makings of a brand on the move.

Want to learn about adding video in your business?
Lou's your man. -> Video in a Day

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

Check out Sally Hogshead's book “Fascinate: Your 7 Triggers to Persuasion and Captivation” which has awesome stories about branding. One that stands out is how the liquor company Jagermeister built a very successful brand based on just how disgusting their product tastes.

Now THAT'S odd and creative!

When you think Copywriting, you think of Karon.
Check out her Step-by-Step Copywriting Course if you want to ramp up your skills.

Tiffany Dow of Ghostwriting Cash says:

Have you ever seen the movie Crazy People with Daryl Hannah and Dudley Moore? If not, as a marketer, I highly suggest you go find it and watch it. It will leave you wishing that everyone in the world marketed that way.

It’s about a group of patients at a mental facility who start marketing for a major company. They’re so blunt and refreshingly honest that the public goes crazy for them. That’s the kind of marketing I like to see.

I love humor.

I love brands that take a stand on something.

I love brands that are honest about their products.

Old Spice is one of my favorites. The commercial with the guy who changes scenes and says, “Look at your man, now back at me…” – the company is obviously going way over the top about how a simple scent can transform your life but they do it in a hilarious way – almost making fun of their entire industry for making such claims.

When a company takes a stand on an issue, I appreciate that. I know that my dollars can go toward funding certain things that I may or may not agree with, so when they’re transparent about that – I appreciate the heads up.

Take Oreo and their rainbow cookie for example. Ask anyone, and they’ll tell you that I’m a hardcore conservative, but that’s the one (and probably only lol) issue where I stand on the liberal side. So I loved that Oreo used their brand power for that.

Will there be companies who take a stand where I disagree with them? Yes. And I may quit spending money with them – but as a consumer, I still appreciate that they’re honest with me about it.

I have many of my own readers who say, “Tiffany – I love most of what you do, but sometimes you rub me the wrong way. However, I always know I’m getting the truth about what you believe, so I respect that and I stick around.”

That’s powerful.

Be honest and it will serve you well.

Tiffany has been a ghostwriter for years, writing for the Who's Who of Internet Marketing.

Learn her mad skills here -> Ghostwriting Cash

Lain Ehmann of Crafting Your Business, Step-by-Step says:

I love Little Miss Matched, at littlemissmatched.com. They started the trend of wearing two non-matching socks, and their website is exciting, fun, and colorful – just like the brand! But at the same time they're iconoclasts, they also make it easy for people to buy.

The areas in which they've chosen to be different don't interfere with letting people find what they want and actually purchase from them.

Lain Can Show you How to Craft Your Business.

Learn more here -> Crafting Your Business, Step-by-Step

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

I've got company over so I'll answer short and sweet. Here are a few brands that make me happy.

One of my favorite brands is ThinkGeek.com. Clever and Fun. ‘Nuff said.

Another brand that I've been watching has been Charmin. Here's their latest post. (#tweetfromtheseat)

I also find a lot of liquor brands to be quite creative.

Lessons Learned from the Liquor Store.

My favorite place to go for marketing inspiration, especially when it comes to creative branding, is the liquor store.

Well, for that reason and so I can grab some wine, of course.

On my mastermind weekend with Connie Green, we stopped at a liquor store so that I could grab some wine. I mentioned to Connie my fascination with the branding on the bottles and she, so graciously asked the gentleman running the store if I could take a few pictures. He agreed. I was so excited!

Here are a couple of the pictures that I took in those few minutes….

Angry Orchard.

I love how the creators of this brand took the Wizard of Oz reference and ran with it.

Skinny Girl Cocktails.

I could write for days about Skinny Girl and their brand. But, basically, who wants a beer gut? Skinny girl to the rescue.

Oddka Vodka.

Last but certainly not least is Oddka Vodka.

What makes Oddka unique? Well, they have oddly flavored Vodka. Nothing as cool as Bacon Vodka, but still pretty awesome as you are about to see.

Their two oddest flavors are Fresh Cut Grass and Wasabi.

See?

and

Oddka reminds me of Harry Potter's Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans ? 1.2 oz Box – the jelly beans that come in earthworm, fresh cut grass, and booger flavor. Why not attract that market for vodka? (Not that I want to drink Booger Vodka, but you get what I mean.)

So talk to me.

Where do you find odd inspiration for your marketing?

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

PS. Yes, if you are over the age of 21, feel free to click on any of the images above and check them out. It's a pretty interesting study in branding if you ask me.

Big Favor – If you love Expert Briefs, be sure to check out my smart friends.

The more peeps I send their way, the more I can get them to contribute.  Here are the links again in the order that I received their responses.

• Maximum E-Mail Marketing Profits In 2013
• Video in a Day
• Step-by-Step Copywriting Course
• Ghostwriting Cash
• Crafting Your Business, Step-by-Step

This week I asked our panel of experts…

“We all know that Webinars can bring in huge profits.

The big problem is figuring out
the technology behind it.

So What Software or Tool do you Use to Run Your Webinars?”

I think you'll enjoy the responses. I found them fascinating myself. (And the best part is that you can try most of these recommended webinar services totally free to figure out which works best for YOU.) I hope it helps!

Awesome Resource:

If you’d like “Done for You” webinars that include scripts and powerpoint slides – be sure to check out PLR for Teleseminars and Webinars – all you have to do is read the scripts while showing the slides. Webinars couldn’t get any easier.

Here are the responses…

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

I use GoToWebinar.

• I've tried WebEx and had multiple horrible experiences.
• I also test drove Adobe Connect and didn't think it had the flexibility of GTW.

While everybody has their own preference, GoToWebinar works best for me. I've used it for years.

Karon Uses –

Click here to try GotoWebinar free

Bob Jenkins of Teleseminar Formula says:

I love teaching virtual workshops and free one-off classes with webinars and teleseminars.

For webinars, where I want to demonstrate a particular software or online tool live, I use GoToWebinar (GTW).

I also prefer using GTW when I want more interaction with the participants. The downsides of GTW are: it's not technically fool proof for my audience, and it doesn't do a great job of recording. So I use Camtasia to record simultaneously to the broadcast.

For teleseminars and webinars where I can use slides and screenshots (as opposed to live demos), I use WelcomeToTheCall (WTTC).

This is much easier tech for both me and the audience, and the recording is not only done by the system, but the replay is available immediately. The downsides of WTTC are: the chatroom is pretty lame, and you don't get to show a spontaneous demo based on a user's question since the viewing screen is determined by pre-loaded slides. However, the instant replay feature and the fact that people can call in to a variety of local numbers in the US, Canada, UK, Australia, and on Skype make it a great system for most simple presentations.

Bob Uses –

Click here to try GotoWebinar free

and

Click here to try WelcomeToTheCall free

Lain Ehmann of Crafting Your Business, Step-by-Step says:

I use Webex's Event Center, developed by Cisco.

It is WAY more than what most people need (and what most people will want to pay!) but it is exactly what *I* need for my monthly free “scrapinars” and my multi-day virtual events.

When selecting your webinar platform, I suggest making a list of your criteria, including:

-How many “seats” do you need? (I need room for up to 1000!)

-What are you sharing? Audio and slideshows, live video, pre-recorded video? (I share all of those)

-Do you need the ability to let your audience chat with one another? (My audience considers the chat to be one of the best parts of the event!)

-Will it work on Mac and PC?

-Will it work on iPhone/iPad?

-Can you record?

-Can you have multiple presenters or hosts? (I host other teachers, so I need to be able to share the mike.)

-How much do you want to spend?

-What kind of support do you get? (I have 24/7 support for my attendees, a must-have for paid events)

-How stable is the platform? (Some of the “freebie” solutions are worth what you pay for them! Nothing.)

It may seem insane to some people when I tell them I pay almost $500 a month for my webinar service, but it's worth it. Just as location, location, location is everything in a brick-and-mortar business, my webroom is my storefront and it has to work, be dependable, and allow me to communicate with my audience in the way I want to.

Lain Uses  –

Click here to try WebEx Event Center

Felicia Slattery of Signature Speech Secrets says:

I know there are so many platforms for webinars and many have tons of bells and whistles, but I'm a simple gal and too much technology scares me (I'll admit it!).

However, in a survey I did in January 2013, I found most people in my market (speakers, authors, experts) prefer by a wide margin to consume content via webinars (even more than blogging, teleseminars, and podcasts, all of which were also high on the list).

So for my time and comfort level, I prefer Instant Teleseminar for my webinars.

It's easy to put together a slide show presentation (I use PowerPoint) and upload it and show the slides during my webinar. It also records the slides and audio simultaneously and I don't have to do any work after it's over to make sure the folks registered can watch the replay any time. Plus, if I want to limit the amount of time any replay is available, all I have to do is click one button and it's gone from public view. Click again, and it's back. Super simple; super easy.

Felicia Uses –

Click here to try Instant Teleseminar for $1

Connie Ragen Green of Affiliate Marketing Case Studies says:

I host one or two webinars every week and have been using Citrix (GoTo Webinar) since 2008.

However, the audio is not the quality I need, so I use Instant Teleseminar to record the audio and then ‘marry' it to the video I record during the webinar using Camtasia, It all sounds very technical, but it's very simple to do once you've done it a few times.

Connie Uses –

Click here to try GotoWebinar free

and

Click here to try Instant Teleseminar for $1

Jeanette S. Cates, PhD of Webinars Made Simple says:

I use GotoWebinar for webinars.

I've used them since 2006 when I first started doing webinars.

I've used many other webinar services when I've taught online courses as a contractor or guest. And I've tried just about every other webinar service that has come onto the market. But I continue to prefer GotoWebinar.

They are reliable, with good quality audio and video, and provide support that is time-critical when you need it. Since I record all of my webinars and turn them into products, I need to be able to depend on a professional solution.

Jeanette Uses –

Click here to try GotoWebinar free

Lynette Chandler of Tech Based Marketing says:

I was very lucky to be one of the early adopters for Meeting Burner and got in during their Beta testing.

Over the last few weeks I finally switched to using Meeting Burner exclusively.

I really like how quick it is to get going and almost each session, my experience as a presenter has been positive. Recordings have been a snap and customer service is great. After a session one day, I completed their feedback form which is presented to you after every meeting. I never expected any response from that but sure enough got someone really helpful.

At this point, I wish they had 3 things.

1. Ability to schedule recurring meeting (since I hold my sessions every week it's a chore to keep setting it up. Good thing you can duplicate the meetings)

2. Record audio without the conference bridge.

3. An intermediate plan between the Pro and the Premier or a better value (more number of seats) for the Pro plan.

Lynette Uses –

Click here to try Meeting Burner free

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

Normally this is where I sum up and anchor the post with my “expert” opinion.

But the truth is that I asked this question because I wanted to know the responses, myself.

I currently use GotoWebinar, but I don't find it very intuitive, so I was thinking of checking out some of the competition.

I DO want to be able so show demonstrations on my screen, so it looks like Welcome to the Call and Instant Teleseminar won't work for my needs.

I'll be checking out Meeting Burner, and will let you know what I think.

For your reference, here is everything mentioned in this post…

Webinar Services that you can try free:

• Meeting Burner – new on the scene and promising.
• GotoWebinar – old reliable. Good for sharing your screen and doing demonstrations.
• WelcomeToTheCall – for teleseminars and/or webinars where you are teaching with PowerPoints
• WebEx Event Center – the big daddy for intense needs.

Webinar Service that you can try for $1:

• Instant Teleseminar – same as Welcome to the Call

People who Contributed in order of last name (go check them out):

• Jeanette S. Cates, PhD of Webinars Made Simple
• Lynette Chandler of Tech Based Marketing
• Lain Ehmann of Crafting Your Business, Step-by-Step
• Bob Jenkins of Teleseminar Formula
• Connie Ragen Green of Affiliate Marketing Case Studies
• Felicia Slattery of Signature Speech Secrets
• Karon Thackston of Step-by-Step Copywriting Course

This week I asked our panel of experts …

“What do you do to regain your focus when you get sidetracked
and wander off on side projects??”

I think you'll find the responses interesting.

Lain Ehmann of Crafting Your Business, Step-by-Step says:

Sometimes, wandering off on side projects is procrastination. And sometimes it's a good business move! Knowing which is which is a key to business success.

When I look at my list of tasks and objectives and see myself avoiding the one I've listed as Numero Uno, then I give myself a deadline (and a swift kick in the yoga pants!). I have a pretty high self-discipline quotient, so I remind myself why the task is important to my business goals. That's usually enough to get me moving.

If I'm not procrastinating, then I just might be taking advantage of a more important opportunity. Like if I'm invited on the Today Show, I'm not going to be worrying about the fact that my to-do list says I should be prepping next week's blog posts!

The secret here is knowing your long-term and short-term business goals and knowing when to sacrifice the short-term because something more critical has come up. Don't be a slave to your to-do list; make it work FOR you!

Kevin Riley of  Blogpreneur Training says:

What? Who me? Wander off on side projects… Oh, look! A squirrel.

It depends. If the side project 1. won't eat up too much time, 2. won't endanger a deadline on a main project, and 3. will add to my business, I will follow through on it. That gets it out of my head and out of my way.

Now, I only do this on rare occasion. An example would be my recent “Maximum E-Mail Marketing Profits In 2013“. The idea arose while I was promoting Tahir Shah's “Total Lead Capture” system. I'd already been mapping out an e-mail strategy for my own upcoming new business venture, and I decided that this would be a great time to create a guide that put all the strategy on paper.

Now, since I will be using my own guide as guidance when creating my e-mail marketing campaign for the new business, and I could turn around and sell this guide to other Internet marketers (plus give it away as a bonus to those who purchased the TLC system via my promotion), it was a win-win decision. And, since my timeline for my new business venture stretches out six months to launch, I had the time to take a short side track.

My advice: Consider the value of your side project and the impact on your main business caused by time spent on the side project. If it's feasible to pursue the side project, without negative impact on your main business plan, go ahead (but only for a short-term side track). If, on the other hand, the side project could put you off track for your main business plan, or would take away precious time from an existing project, I recommend doing what I do in such a case – write it down on paper and pin it to a future projects cork board.

Terry Dean of My Marketing Coach says:

Your first goal is to keep these side journeys to a minimum.

I do that in two ways. The first is to become an expert at the word, “No.”

Practice it. Use it. As an entrepreneur you're surrounding by opportunities. Many of them may be home runs, but they're just not right for you. You're likely going to say NO at least 10 times as often as you say YES.

The 2nd method is even more important for me, because it's also how I usually get back on track.

I have hanging a single sheet of paper hanging in my office just to the left of my computers. It's at perfect eye level when I turned that direction. It has my yearly “Internet Lifestyle Plan” on it.

This includes what my mission is, who my target customer is, what I'm passionate about, along with the primary directions and marketing I'm planning for the year. It also lists when I work and when I'm off. I update this sheet around quarterly.

I'm always testing new opportunities, because one of my greatest strengths is curiosity. How does this work and how can we improve on it?

When I get off track on a project I shouldn't be on, that one piece of paper is staring at me. It's almost like a conscience because I can feel its disapproval.

Here's a good example of when this came into play. I was thinking about going into the “life coaching” market. It was new and exciting. I did my research, and even starting writing a course…planned as a Clickbank course for the market.

But my Internet Lifestyle Plan was staring at me. The audience wasn't the same as my core audience. It was a distraction.

Once it bugged me enough, I took what I had written, edited it quickly, and turned it into a Kindle ebook.

I made one mention of the ebook, but haven't really thought much about it since. Except every month I get a nice little check from Amazon for it…and consistent new incoming email leads also.

Plus I have several mastermind partners who I meet with by Skype/phone every month. They'll call me on it if I get off track also.

Really it comes down to those 3 steps for me:

1. Have a short Internet Lifestyle plan that's visible to you all the time.

2. Have a coach or mastermind group you're accountable to.

3. Find a way to “close shop” and profit from being side tracked.

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

BIG problem for me I confess to having a major case of shiny object syndrome as well as a mild touch of ADD. I can run down a rabbit trail with world-class precision if I'm not careful.

When I see that happening, the first thing I do is verbally tell myself to focus. (Yes, in addition to all that, I also have a quirky need to talk to myself.) I make a micro to-do list of things that I must get done that day (or even within the next few hours) and I turn off everything else. Email gets closed, Facebook gets shut down and any pressing thoughts or ideas get quickly jotted on a sticky note so I can come back to them later without forgetting what I was so excited about.

Then I remind myself of the benefits of completing whatever it is (client copywriting project, updating my own marketing plan, completing a new webinar, etc.) I was originally working on.

I sit up nice and straight, take a deep breath and off I go!

Kristen Eckstein of Self Publish on Demand says:

Entrepreneurs get sidetracked? Really? Between shiny objects and new ideas flooding my mind at 100 miles-per-hour, it’s a wonder I stay on track with a new project idea long enough to finish it and not jump to something else!

But that’s actually how I regain focus. Sometimes we’re not meant to finish that project. Sometimes the new idea brings a fresh new energy, and to try to ignore it only makes it harder to concentrate on what we “should” be doing. This happened to me with my 21 Ways series. I still have two books in the series each partially written. And that’s when I got really excited about starting a third one. Now, I’d already published two books in the series myself and had over 18 more outlined. This new idea was completely new. And I chose to use that passion, energy and drive to write it.

Less than 30 days later 21 Ways to Be a Kid Again & Get Adult Results was published. And what I learned from that experience I’ve been able to apply toward new project ideas. Instead of fighting that excitement and energy that comes with a new idea, I allow it to fuel me to take action on it. Can you imagine how many more passionate and amazing ideas will be produced if we quit trying to forget about them and drop everything to take action on them instead?

The important thing is to take action quickly before you get frustrated and begin to lose steam. Fuel your focus with your passion, run with it, and go for it!

Kelly McCausey of Solo Smarts Podcast says:

I axe those projects. ROFL!!

Ok, my real answer…

When I realize I've gone down a rabbit trail I stop everything and evaluate. My favorite evaluation tool is a good ‘brain dump'. I take stock of everything I have my hands in or my mind on. I list every project, from the biggest to the smallest.

Next, I prioritize. Which projects are most deserving of my time? Where are the great profits? What has to be done before a new project can begin making profit? Based on these judgments I decide which projects get to stay active and which need to be tabled or even axed.

Usually, once I make up my mind, I have total peace about it. I can kill a project faster than anyone I know and never look back. Whenever I do, I feel an immediate sense of relief. My ‘main projects' get more of my time and creativity and that leads to a better business overall.

Bob Jenkins of How to Use Mindmaps to Organize Your Business says:

When I get sidetracked, I don't beat myself up too much at first. Usually, it's simply a sign of mental fatigue, and I simply need to take a break for a few minutes or hours.

But if I truly get sidetracked for DAYS or WEEKS, then I know something's up. So I talk to my girlfriend (who happens to be an amazing life coach) or “Friends in the Business” for some sound-boarding. Am I confused about why the project is important? Have I found something that fulfills my goals in this new project? Am I missing a key piece that's holding me back, or encouraging the procrastination?

Ultimately, the tool I use daily keeps me focused: Freemind mindmapping software.

With my “Monetized Action Plan” in front of me when I start my computer, I have my project mapped out, and my action steps visible. I can see the big picture, and know the little steps along the way are going to help me finish the project faster.

Finally, I remember who I'm doing the project for. Every day of delay is another day that someone, somewhere continues to struggle without my solution to make things easier.

Tiffany Dow of The Guide to Shiny Object Syndrome says:

Getting sidetracked can be a boon or a bust. Sometimes what you get sidetracked with can turn out to be something that you really enjoy, that’s really profitable, and that might even replace a less fulfilling business model or strategy.

But if it’s a bust, then that’s when we start feeling regret, kicking ourselves for getting sidetracked, and vow never to do it again.

Personally, I have learned to go with it. It’s a perk of being an entrepreneur for me. If I get a touch of restlessness and need a change, I can get on a different track. If I realize it’s not going where I want it to go, I simply turn around and head home.

If you allow yourself this freedom, without guilt, it becomes less of a struggle. It’s kind of like dieting. Once you truly get rid of food guilt and allow yourself to eat what you want, when you want, it doesn’t cause you to binge and hide food, etc. You’re able to eat a few bites and walk away because you know that without any anxiety, if you want to come back in 2 hours and nibble again, you can.

It’s not an all or nothing mentality.

But during those times when I do get sidetracked and it turns out to be a bust, what I normally do is sit down with a regular pen and paper and jot down the priority of my projects. I do this based on:

• What’s fulfilling – this is a biggie for me because if I’m not happy, it has to go.
• What’s profitable – I’m no dummy, so if my efforts aren’t bringing the cash in, it has to become a hobby or be gone for good.
• What my audience needs – if they’re not considered, then I lose my edge in the marketplace. I have to make sure everything is serving their needs.

I routinely reevaluate my projects based on these three factors and I cut things out if they don’t meet all three – not two out of three, but all three. That sometimes means cutting out things that are making me money – and that’s okay. I’ve deleted sites making me $300 a month before because my heart wasn’t in it or it wasn’t beneficial for my audience.

Don’t beat yourself up if you’re a flitter – someone who goes from one task to the next. It’s a perk! Just don’t let it be your Achilles Heel – keep a leash on it to some degree and you’ll enjoy those moments of getting off the beaten path.

Susanne Myers of  Daily Affiliate Tasks says:

I’m a big list person. The best thing I can do to make sure I stay on track is to make a list. If I’m working on a big project, I like to break things down into individual steps. That will become my master checklist.

For example, let’s say my project is to come out with a new info product. My list may include things like:

• Outline the product
• Write the ebook, record the lessons etc.
• Set up a website for the new product
• Order graphics
• Write a sales letter
• Create a download page
• Create support pages (like contact, privacy policy etc.)
• Etc.

Once I have that one big long list of everything that needs to happen before I can launch my product, I start incorporating tasks into my regular daily lists.

Those daily to-do lists contain a few things for the project along with ongoing tasks like mailing my lists, blogging, approving comments, staying active on social media etc.

I pay attention to how I structure my to-do lists as well. For example, it takes me a little while to get going in the morning and I don’t do my best writing before my second cup of coffee. Instead the first few items on my daily list are easy things I can do and check off quickly. This may involve approving comments, sending out emails to get in touch with a JV partner, order a new cover etc. Being able to check a few items off quickly creates momentum for me.

I also know that I need to get most of the content creation done before 2pm, or it’s just not going to happen, so working on the content for my new product, sending an email to my lists and writing blog posts is next on my to-do list. I wrap my day up with more little “filler” work that can be done while supervising homework for example.

The key for me is to break everything down into baby-steps and have a list that keeps me on track to make sure everything gets done. Days when I stick to my to-do list have always been my most productive.

The other thing that helps me stay focused is to have a deadline. This may involve promising someone that they can promote a new product, or sending out something to my lists letting them know it will be ready by a certain date. Having that deadline will make me push harder and get things done without getting distracted by side-projects.

Felicia Slattery of Signature Speech Secrets says:

As many people who know me are aware, I was sidetracked BIG time last year with lung cancer. My business pretty much ground to a halt, aside from some small continuity and affiliate checks I had rolling in, which kept my business rolling while I dealt with serious health issues for most of the year. I am now 100% healed and doing great.

For me, getting back to work could only happen after I was fully healed (as a speaker, if I can't speak, that's a problem!). How I did it was to announce to my community – email and social media- that I was back, explained what happened while I was away, and then did a survey to gauge people's interest in my plans and content.

As a communication specialist, I communicate with people first. That's just my way and it's always been profitable. Once I had that valuable feedback, I could pay attention to trends and give people what they told me they wanted first and make my plans fall in line with that. It was easy and fun getting back into the swing of work. Today, just three months after being back, I've had three of the most profitable and successful months in my business because I listened to what people wanted.

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

Wow. I guess this is sure a hot topic, based upon the number of responses today.

For me the answer to this question comes down to two things:

1. Knowing where the profit is.
2. Having a daily or weekly plan.

That's really the key.

When I know where I'm making the most money, I can focus my time, energy, and, most importantly my resources into those projects FIRST. What I do with the rest of my day, is really up to me then. That means that everything from my own time, to buying advertising, to focusing on getting affiliates to promote, etc. is all focused where I'll get the highest return on my investments. (I consider time an investment. Don't you?)

If I know my numbers, then I KNOW what to do and I'm not guessing.

For instance, it would be silly of me to wake up and dig into project B when project A is rockin' and rolling. So, I focus on A first, and then only jump into B after I've made progress.

The other area is having a daily and weekly plan. I am 100% more productive and focused when I have my plan in front of me than when I don't.  If I don't have a “Stuff to Do this Week” list – I tend to wander.

Wandering is NOT profitable. Focusing is.

My friends have already shared so much great info this week that I'm going to wrap up with a challenge for you.

Whatever you goals are,  multiply them by 5

Seriously.

• If your goal is to reach $1000 per month in profit, reach for $5000 per month in profit instead.
• If your goal is to write one Kindle book by the end of this year, make it your goal to write five awesome books by the end of the year.
• If your goal is to reach out to 5 new potential affiliates per week, make it 5 per day.

REACH HIGHER.

That in itself will help you to focus.

Post your thoughts below.

Warmly,
Nicole

PS. If you LOVE Expert Briefs, be sure to pick up my new book on Amazon:

Learn How to Start a Profitable Blog

This week I asked our panel of experts …

“Have you Written Kindle books? If so, what was one
mistake that you made from concept, to creation, to formatting, to marketing that you wished you'd known sooner so you could avoid it?”

The question has been obviously on my mind as I've been releasing my books lately, including my freakingly awesome book:

Get it here:
Kindle (only $4.99)
or Paperback

Before you dig in, please grab a copy of the book while it's till so cheap. If you already have a copy, a review would be ever so much appreciated. Thank you so much!

Here's what my friends and I have to say about Kindle Publishing mistakes. Enjoy!

Lain Ehmann of Crafting Your Business, Step-by-Step says:

People DO Judge a Book by the Cover.

I wish I'd paid more attention to the cover graphic. I released my first Kindle books long before there were tons of ebook and programs on “!!BECOMING A KINDLE MILLIONAIRE!!” and so I just slapped a simple graphic on the cover and called it good. Big mistake.

People buy books based on the cover, and having a more attractive, professional cover surely would have made sales better.

See? You can click on the covers if you want to see them up close and personal.

Interview with Derek Halpern on Branding:

Interview with Paul Evans on Branding:

Check out Lain on the Kindle: – Lain on Kindle

Kevin Riley of  Blogpreneur Training says:

Professional-Looking Layout Matters.

When I wrote “The Clockwork Manifesto” a few years ago, I wrote it for publication in paperback. I never considered how it would look in Kindle. So, I laid out the text and images to look nice in a physical book – setting my images and text side by side at time. I used a lot of tables in OpenOffice to get a great layout on each page. The book looks fantastic on paper.

However, all that beautiful layout does not translate well to Kindle. I ended up hiring someone to re-format it all (384 pages of book – egads) for display on Kindle. I've been told that it still doesn't look all that great on the Kindle reader (Yes, I've not had the heart to look at the my labour of love since I myself obtained a Kindle).

Check out Kevin on the Kindle: – Kevin on Kindle

Rachel Rofe of Easy Kindle Formatting Software says:

Bad Formatting Caused Negative Reviews.

My biggest mistake with Kindle books was not having the formatting done right when I first started publishing my books. I thought they were done right, but bad reviews taught me otherwise.

It ended up being a blessing in disguise though, because it led to the creation of Kinstant Formatter, which has gone on to sell thousands of copies and help many people avoid the mistakes I had to.

Check out Rachel on the Kindle: – Rachel on Kindle

Connie Ragen Green of Affiliate Marketing Case Studies says:

Set up Her Own Publishing Company to Be Taken More Seriously.

I have now published eight books on Kindle, and I have to say it has changed my life and my business in a major way. Authors are perceived differently by others, being considered to have more knowledge and expertise on their topics, and this has opened doors and provided opportunities I would not otherwise have experienced. This includes speaking globally, contributing to other people's books, and having corporations contact me for advice.

The only thing I wish I had known from the very beginning is the power of having your own publishing company for your books. Even though I continue to have Create Space print and deliver all of my paperback books and Amazon's Kindle program deliver my digital books, once I began using my own ISBN numbers through my company it took me to an entirely new level as an author. I am contacted regularly by other publishers, the media, libraries, and companies wanting to know more about me and what I do in my online business.

It's simple enough to set this up: purchase a domain, file a Fictitious Name Statement with your city or county, set up a site, and purchase a block of ISBN numbers to get started. You'll absolutely love what happens as a result.

Check out Connie on the Kindle: – Connie on Kindle

Kristen Eckstein of Self Publish on Demand says:

I’ve published nearly a hundred Kindle books for other people and several for myself. Here’s what I would change:

Concept & Creation – Two of my Kindle books are transcribed from webinars I conducted. If I could do things differently, I would have either written them from scratch to begin with or made it clear in the marketing that these books are transcriptions of the webinars. Instead I tried to hybrid the two methods by writing some, editing the transcripts, and leaving the overall “webinar” conversational style and feel intact. This caused my grammar to not be quite as good as it should be, especially given my profession, and it shows up in the Amazon reviews.

Formatting – It’s always good to test your eBook out on a real Kindle since the Kindle Preview Tool tends to miss major issues or worse yet, show them where none exist.. If you don’t have a Kindle, get one. Hey, if you’re an author & you’re using it to test your books, it’s a business expense!

I have always tested eBooks on my Kindle(s) since I first started publishing them several years ago. However, technology changes. With the latest change of new software for the Kindle Fire HDs, many eBooks are encountering new formatting issues that weren’t present before. This can be a two-part problem. 1. It’s an issue with how Kindle HDs are viewing the files, and interpreting the code. With this there’s nothing you can do to fix it. 2. It’s an issue in your eBook itself that can be fixed. In both instances that we’ve encountered an issue like this, it’s been fixable.

Bottom line… Always, always, always check your eBook over on a real Kindle before hitting the “Publish” button. And if your file does have issues, hire a professional eBook programmer to fix them up.

Marketing – I’m continually learning in this arena. Honestly I don’t think any of us are ever done learning new things we can do to market! Recently I started an experiment publishing cookbooks under a pen name. I’m using as little of my own influence as possible to market, and chronicling my experience as a “new” author on my blog. My hope is that not only will I learn some new ways to market my new eBooks, but others will see they need to actually do a little work to market their eBooks, especially when they’re first-time authors. I’m also excited to share with them things that have worked, things that haven’t worked, and help others market their eBooks effectively.

The only real regret I have is not knowing sooner how swiftly Kindle would overtake the market. I’m such a die-hard print gal that I ignored the fact this technology would transform my entire industry. If anything, I’ve learned how important it is that I stay up to date on all publishing industry developments so I can be a better resource to my authors, and I encourage you to treat your industry the same. Never stop learning!

Check out Kristen on the Kindle: – Kristen on Kindle

Bob Jenkins of Power Profits Mentoring says:

Hiring a Book Coaching to Do it For You.

I have one Kindle book so far: Take Action! Revise Later… which is an e-book version of my physical book. The biggest mistake I've made is in not doing more Kindle books sooner. I have a boatload of transcripts and other material that I'm sitting on, and hiring a VA or working with an intern to publish more titles is a languishing opportunity for me.

The best move I made was in hiring a book coach and ghost publisher (Kristen Eckstein of Ultimate Book Coach) to get the book formatted and designed so it looks awesome on Kindle.

Check out Bob on the Kindle: – Bob on Kindle

Susanne Myers of  Daily Affiliate Tasks says:

Don't Rush It.

I’ve been creating and publishing Kindle books regularly since the fall and have made plenty of mistakes (and still do). The one that’s had the most impact on my bottom line is not waiting long enough after I’ve hit publish before I start promoting.

I’ve found that ideally you want to upload your book, wait the 12 to 48 hours for it to publish and then give it at least another 48 hours before starting to promote the Kindle book. It will take that long for Amazon to do whatever it is they do in the backend. Whenever I’ve waited, my books have risen in the rankings much faster once I’ve started promoting.

I do go ahead and buy a copy myself after it goes live and look at it on my phone, kindle and ipad to make sure the formatting looks ok. Then I’ll wait before mailing my lists, posting the link on Facebook etc.

Of course there are also times when I don’t get enough work done ahead of time and need to push the book right away. It still works, but I’ve noticed that it takes a bit longer for my books to show up ranking within their respective categories.

Check out Susanne on the Kindle: – Susanne (as Hillbilly Housewife) on Kindle

Melissa Ingold of Solo Masterminds says:

2 years ago I had 28 Kindle books up for sale and I was making consistent sales with no promotion of any kind – they just got published and that was it.

Once the crack down on using PLR for your Kindle books started happening, I got slapped and had to pull all my books down and basically start over.
After letting my account sit for a year, I finally published a new book in early February of this year based on a webinar I hosted with Carrie Wilkerson about video marketing.

One of the things that I decided to do differently this time was keyword research. I figured I do keyword research for pretty much everything else, like the domain names I buy for squeeze pages, the content I want to produce, and more – so why not Kindle books?

Here’s What I Did:

1. Used Google’s free keyword tool and played around with keywords and key phrases that people might use to find information about video marketing.

2. Used Google’s search trends option to see what topics are trending as related to video marketing.

3. Based on that research, I had a list of some really good keywords that I could use to optimize my book.

4. I made sure that I used one of my best keywords in the title of my book. Then I wrote out a description and bullet points that incorporated my keywords naturally throughout.

5. Then I threw some traffic at the book using Fiverr and OneHourBackLinks.com to build some back links to my book, and then I set up some Facebook ads too.

I think I sent out like one tweet and one Facebook post about the book, and that was the extent of my marketing.

I’m not as serious about Kindle as most people. For me, it’s a fun little side project that brings in some passive income and helps me build my mailing list. My whole strategy is a “set it and forget” approach, that I know I can grow by publishing more books. If every book makes me $50 – $100 a month in passive income (plus builds me a list of buyers) that can add up pretty quick.

Since my first book has already reached this point, I’m going to put a little more effort into my second book, and then it’s onto the third. I plan to publish one new book per month, and since I’m pretty close to having my ‘rinse and repeat’ system into place, it’s going to be super fun from here on out 

Check out Melissa on the Kindle: Melissa on Kindle

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

As I mentioned, I just released my latest book this week. And, boy have I made enough mistakes to give myself a roaring migraine.

But before I talk about all the mistakes that I've made in the launch of this book, here it is again.

If you wanted to grab a copy of it, please do. If you already have a copy, please leave a review.

Get it here:  Kindle (only $4.99)

ok. So… first let's start with what I did right.

1. I wrote a very interesting, fun, informative book.

2. I involved very smart people.

3. I had the book professionally designed by Kristen and her team. (It's BEAUTIFUL inside and out.)

4. I planned to promote the snot out of it.

5. I created unique bonuses to give to the people who bought my book during the launch. It's a series of interviews not available anywhere else at this time. Note: If you buy the book soon, you can still access them. Details are here:  Grab Book Bonuses

 All good stuff, right?

Where did I flub up?

Where to begin?

1. Planning.
My husband's family is in town for Spring Break right now. I had cleared my work schedule so that I could be at the beach with them. BUT, then my book was published and I got excited and decided to release it this week. I underestimated the time and effort involved. This has caused me lots of stress because I'm working more than I would like while they are here. Just a stupid move on my part.

2. Jumping the Gun.
Related to the first mistake, I should have waited, as Susanne mentioned, until Amazon had everything in order, tested a few days, ordered a few books, both print and paperback and cooled my horses a week before starting to promote. That would have allowed me to noticed and play a bit beforehand and not just be rushing around trying to figure things out WHILE the book was live.

3. Linking the Books.
I had no idea how Amazon linked paperback and Kindle versions together. So, my books were not linked together as the same book. This caused two problems.

• First, it's difficult to promote, when you have two completely different links. (One link for paperback and one for the Kindle.) Every time I mailed, I had to include both links, rather than one, and letting people choose which version they wanted on that page.
• Second, the way I understand it, sales weren't counting together. So, if I sold 100 copies on the Kindle and 50 of the paperback, Amazon didn't know that it was really 150 copies of the same book. This affected rankings…. which is not a great thing. So… I found in the DTP dashboard an area, where you can request that the books get linked and I did that. I immediately got a response, which was awesome, but the customer support rep said that it could take 72 hours to fully propagate. Not great, but better than nothing, right? So, I would definitely have done that sooner had I known.

4. Not having a Plan for Reviews.
I think know that this book is awesome.  Therefore, I assumed that it would naturally get reviews, at least even just from my friends and the co-contributors. Not quite so.  So, I would have worked on that a bit better and asked for reviews during that week while I was planning the launch. oops. There's that planning word again.

I'm actually going through Rachel's course: Rolling in Reviews now to see what can be done about that, and I'm giving a copy to my Virtual Assistant so she can help me with that process, as well.

5. Related to #4, Not Asking for Help Enough.
I think people assume that I have it all together. Well, yesterday, after crying in the parking lot of a movie theater because I was frustrated and a friend made the mistake of asking “How are you doing?” I decided to write to some friends and ask for help. I  told them that I was tired and frustrated (especially with the Amazon linking issue) and could they please share the book on Facebook or with their lists? Pretty much all the cool kids did and it cheered my heart greatly.

Plus, I got a video in an email from my friend Tracy Roberts marked “OPEN ME NOW”. It was her and her kids yelling “We love you Miss Nicole! Come back and see us soon.” That was the bomb-diggity.

So guys, in all transparency, yes, I'm selling copies of my book. Yes, people love it. But, no, I did not have things go as planned. It's a good thing there's this thing called TOMORROW, right?

So what about you?

Got questions? Got horror stories? Just want to give me virtual hugs?

I welcome it all.

Resources that I Recommend –

These are my favorite Kindle resources that I've personally bought and enjoyed. All just happen to be by Rachel.

• Kinstant Formatter – the tool that my Intern uses to format most of my Kindle books
• Hands Off Kindle Publishing – How to Write Kindle Books without Writing them Yourself
• Rolling in Reviews – 50 ways to get more reviews on your books

With much appreciations –

Warmly,
Nicole

PS. Here are the contributors on Amazon again for easy reference:

• Lain on Kindle
• Kevin on Kindle
• Rachel on Kindle
• Connie on Kindle
• Kristen on Kindle
• Bob on Kindle
• Susanne (as Hillbilly Housewife) on Kindle

This week, I asked my friends a question about partnerships.

“My friends, if you are a contributor on Expert Briefs, it is assumed you have reached a certain level of success in your businesses.

So, my question is ‘What can someone possibly do or offer that would entice you into a business partnership at this stage?”

I think you'll enjoy the responses.

Kevin Riley of  Blogpreneur Training says:

I rarely partner with anyone, but have on a few small projects. Those projects were done with someone I fully trusted to pull their own weight – and that's a super important point. Most partnerships I've seen fail, do so because one partner was not doing their fair share of the work.

For a partner project to work well, all the responsibilities need to be well defined at the beginning, and each partner must be fully accountable for their tasks. If I were to partner with someone on a project, I need to know first of all that they can be relied upon to complete their assigned tasks within a specified time period.

So, would I partner with someone now? And what would it take to partner with me?

As I'm busily embarking on a new business, the openings in my schedule for another project are few; however, if an interesting project presented itself (and as a partner I'd only need to dedicate half as much time to the project) I could be tempted – if the project would fit into my present business model and focus at Kevin Riley Publishing (since the new business is all in Japanese, I doubt anyone would want to partner on a project for it).

In a potential partnership, there are a few things that would need to be met. First off, I need to know that the potential partner is reliable – has a good track record for completion, has a good reputation online, etc. And, since my main interest in a project is the creation of the product, I would be more interested in partnering with someone who would want to take on the marketing, while I create the product. If someone is ready to meet these parameters and wants to partner with me on a project, the best approach would be to send me a clear, well-written (but brief) proposal.

Lain Ehmann of Crafting Your Business, Step-by-Step says:

The biggest thing someone could do is to demonstrate an understanding of my market and my business. If they present a partnership opportunity to me that doesn't match what my audience needs, or overlaps something that I already offer, then it's a non-starter.

Also, if they make it as easy as possible for me to promote (with access to the material, promo information, etc.) then I'll be more likely to jump on it!

Kelly McCausey of Solo Smarts Podcast says:

The smart people I've partnered with in the past have pulled me into projects and profits I'd never dreamed of on my own. They changed the way I see myself. Does that make sense? Over the years I've had seasons where everything I do is on my own and that's fine, but I find myself craving partnerships again. There's something energizing about working with someone else with equal motivation and different gifts.

So what would entice me?

A person with a fire in their belly to grow their income would be very appealing to me. Someone who shares my target market but brings a different set of skills to the table.

Speaking of partnerships and enticements… just this week I announced a new partnership for my Solo Masterminds membership. I'm welcoming the awesome Melissa Ingold (Special Report Club) as my partner and co-coach and I couldn't be more thrilled.

Solo Masterminds has been around since 2004, we launched as a membership for work at home moms and enjoyed many years of success. As I've rebranded myself over the last two years, the membership is about to go through another change. We'll be welcoming men into the membership for the first time, in just a few weeks.

In this situation, timing was so right. Melissa was interested in building up a membership and since she got her early start from within the Solo Masterminds membership she really liked the idea of helping take it to greater heights. At the same time, here I am with a big old fire in my belly, HUNGRY to grow my business and do great new things.

Partnership is so much about making a great connection, coming together at the right time and having a united goal. Working with Melissa is going to be great. I know it!

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

I have had a lot of partnerships over the years. Just counting quickly I can think of 10 different people who I've partnered with over the years.

• Some of my partnerships have been AWESOME.
• Most have been positive.
• A few have not. (I have several grey hairs from one particularly terrible partnership.)

Anyway, I find this topic interesting as my answer to this question has definitely changed over the years.

A few years ago, I was much more open to partnerships.

While I am still open to a win-win (or I'd be silly not to be), I'm definitely more hesitant to get into a partnership now than I have been in the past. If I have an idea for a project, I'd rather create it myself, use my own team, and/or get an intern to help. That way it's part of my core business.

So what would someone need to bring to the table at this point to really interest me?

The biggest things someone can do to entice me into a partnership would be to bring in all of the following:

• a ton of sweat equity or an existing project that is profitable
• a hard work ethic
• a great reputation
• unbreakable integrity when dealing with money
• a positive mindset
• an attitude of FUN

Those are all must-haves.

Also on my wish list would be:

• Skills (preferably different than my own)
• Experience, preferably in marketing and in taking at least one past project to success
• A Network or Community of People (connections)
• A Team of at Least a Few Helpers in place (so that we're not burdening my staff)
• A Vision for the project

Of course, I wouldn't expect someone to have all things in place, but the more, the better.

Basically my rule of thumb for partnering is the same as my rule for getting JV partners.

“If I feel like a moron saying ‘no', I won't.”

Make the offer so irresistible that your potential partner will lose sleep thinking about passing on the opportunity.

That's how you get them.

Speaking of partnerships, just yesterday, I teamed up with my good friend, and business partner, Melissa Ingold on this fun new project:

We are releasing Business Transformation Packs to help Coaches to have a more profitable business.

We just announced our first one and you can check it out here:
Business Transformation Pack: Coaching Business Start Up to Step Up

What about You?

Please share your thoughts about partnerships, your experiences, and your questions below.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

Warmly,
Nicole

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

Big News! I just finished writing my new book that will, hopefully, be published soon. (WOO HOO!)

Because I've been thinking about books 24/7, it reminded me that I haven't asked my friend what they're reading lately.

Therefore, we're revisiting a popular Expert Briefs topic this week …

What are you reading?

Here are their replies. You can click on any cover to check out that book.

(Also, be sure to check out more about each of my friends. That's how I get them to come back.) 

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

I'm always in the middle of a few books. Right now I'm reading through three books which are all EXTREMELY great.

#1 is The Charge: Activating the 10 Human Drives That Make You Feel Alive by Brendon Burchard. This is a phenomenal book that fills me with energy every time I read it.

#2 is Outwitting the Devil: The Secret to Freedom and Success by Napoleon Hill. I'm re-reading it as it's one of my Top 3 books and just amazing.

#3 is The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg. One of my subscribers insisted I read this and I'm so glad he did. I started reading it in Hawaii and couldn't put it down! I love it.

Lain Ehmann of Business Love Potion says:

I'm reading a ton of stuff!

The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses by Eric Ries

Just finished

No B.S. Marketing to the Affluent: The No Holds Barred, Kick Butt, Take No Prisoners Guide to Getting Really Rich by Dan Kennedy. He's always thought-provoking.

And the kids and I are reading “Paddington Goes Abroad” at bedtime.

Kelly McCausey of Solo Smarts says:

I am reading The Power of Story: Change Your Story, Change Your Destiny in Business and in Life by Jim Loehr.

A couple years back I got a lot out of another book from Jim, The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal. I pre-ordered The Power of Story as soon as I heard about it. It's not a business book but it has a lot to do with helping you be more successful in business as well as life.

It's about the story we tell ourselves and others about us. Most of us are telling a terrible story that isn't even based in truth. It's not a light read, he's asking me to truly evaluate what I have to say about myself. I'm convinced though that it will be worth it – I've already noticed how I'm not so quick to make reference to some ‘reasons' for this or that.

Imagine dropping all of your story crutches and standing on your own two feet instead of your own two feet plus the 50 or so good reasons that you haven't been able to succeed so far. Life gives us a lot of reasons to fail but it doesn't have to be part of my story – especially when I'm the one who gets to tell it from now on.

David Perdew of NAMS says:

Oh, I’m reading so much always. I usually have 4-6 books going at once in different genres…and since I have them all on my Kindle Fire, I can read as my mood suits me.

Self-Help –

Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One by Dr. Joe Dispenza. I LOVE this book. It makes so much sense to me. If you’re like me, you do things over and over that may cause a feeling of unease or physical pain in your stomach some times. It can be something as small as sneaking a candy bar when I’m trying to improve my blood sugar count. I have a visceral reaction to the things I no longer want to do, but have become rooted habits in my daily life. This book is really helping me see how to change those things by describing the exact process that goes on in your brain and body.

Make A Killing On Kindle (Without Blogging, Facebook Or Twitter). The Guerilla Marketer's Guide To Selling Ebooks On Amazon by Michael Alvear. The author is a successful Kindle publisher and publishing coach. He provides a lot of examples for great Kindle publishing strategies as well as some specific techniques. Many of them are basic, but I need those too.

Ultimate Guide to Facebook Advertising: How to Access 600 Million Customers in 10 Minutes by Perry Marshall and Thomas Meloche. Perry was THE leading expert in Google advertising techniques with his previous book 10 years ago. And now, he’s focusing on Facebook. Just starting this, but can’t wait to learn what Perry’s teaching.

Imperfect: An Improbable Life by Jim Abbott and Tim Brown. If you’re a baseball fan, you know who Jim Abbott is. He was a pitcher in the 80’s and 90’s who happened to be one-handed. Not only did he play in the major leagues with a very respectable career, but despite all odds, he was a gold medal Olympian who pitched a no-hitter in the majors.

And because I’m at the beach in Florida while writing this, I’m reading Skin Tight by Carl Hiaasen. He’s one of my favorite trash novelists who can turn murder and mayhem into some of the strangest and funniest situations you’ll ever read, and it’s all set in the pink flamingo world of corrupt land developers, crooked cops, crazy ex-governors, and strippers with hearts of gold.

Connie Ragen Green of Affiliate Marketing Secrets Explained says:

I'm reading The Leader's Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative by Stephen Denning. I have used storytelling to build up my business in a very short period of time, and it's my goal to learn more about this topic as I strive to become a leader in my field. This book presents the idea of using your stories to build a powerful business in a clear and concise way.

Shannon Cherry of Get Free Business Help (ie. How to Get Interns) says:

I'm in the midst of rebranding my business, so a lot of what I'm reading has to do with it. Here are my selections on my Kindle right now:

1)The Story Factor (2nd Revised Edition): Inspiration, Influence, and Persuasion through the Art of Storytelling – I like telling stories to make certain points, but have never actively done so. This book is pretty good so far at explaining the why of storytelling… I am hoping to get to how it works from a marketing standpoint soon!

2)The secret weapon of a master direct response online copywriter: How to position your brand for success, based on the research of Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung – I just did some archetype work with my pal Danielle Miller, to help me with my brand. Now I want to take it one step closer to how to write based on my own archetypes (Hero, Ruler and Creator). It should be fun, especially when I incorporate it with my story telling.

I'm currently reading the Steve Jobs biography (again) – mainly for insight into their software development process since we run our own software company

Besides that, I'm reading Evernote For Dummies off and on a bit each day. To me, Evernote is going to be one of the next big communication channels, so I'm trying to wrap my head around it now.

Daniel Hall of Procrastinators Guide To Authorship Complete Training says:

I'm currently reading

The Back of the Napkin (Expanded Edition): Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures

and

Trust Me, I'm Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

ooh. I'm definitely going to have to check out several of those books.

Here's what I'm reading.

1. The 10X Rule.

I just dug the 10x Rule out again. The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure I didn't finish reading it before, because every time I started a chapter, I got so motivated that I would put the book down and go WORK. That's not a bad thing.

I'm also reading this book by my friend, Aileen Bennett. It's full of doodles. She's a girl after my own heart. Even if you  have no intention of learning more about your presentation skills, still go check this out at Amazon and do the “Look inside” feature -> Notes on Shining: Tips to improve your presentation skills It's pretty darned clever.

It's Your Turn to Shine.

Please let me know what are you currently reading. Would you recommend it?

I appreciate you much.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean

Recommended.

Here are some of the books that my friends recommended the last time I asked this question, which was last year.

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

Everyone always wants to know how to grow a list, what works and what doesn't, especially when they're new to email marketing. This week I asked our experts what advice they would give in this situation.

Let's say I'm a blogger with no products of my own.
What's the fastest way you would recommend that I build my list?

Here are their replies.

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

You certainly don't need a product in order to build a list. But you do need several optin gifts, such as reports, audios, or videos. I find it best (and most effective) when I rotate these optin boxes, so that they are not always the same. That also helps me segment my list as it grows.

I use Robert Plank's Action Optin for my optin box, since they can join the list and never leave the page they're on. It just gives them the thank you message in the same space.

I change the offer every couple of weeks to keep it fresh.

It's also a good idea to notify the list that you DO have, as well as your social media contacts when you publish a new blog post. You can do this via email, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. This gives them the chance to see and comment on your blog post, as well as opt into your current offer.

I've also used the Covert Messenger Pro plugin that Nicole uses on her blog now and then. It's a great way to draw attention to a new offer or event. And it's easy to use and change!

Dr. Jeanette Cates works with online business owners who are ready to expand their Online Success. She provides training for new and intermediate marketers in her well-respected Online Success Incubator  course.

Lain Ehmann of Business Love Potion says:

Create a product! No, seriously – people need a reason to sign up for your list. Discounts, special exclusives, a free download — these are all great “bait” to lure them into your list – where you'll give them MORE goodies.

Even if you're primarily an affiliate marketer, you should establish yourself as an authority, and one of the best ways of doing so is through creating your own product. Here are some ideas:

• Checklist (“10 things you need to know before you write your next poem”)
• Special report (“The five biggest mistakes in ferret ownership and how to avoid them”)
• Audio interviews
• eBooks
• Free five-part email class (“Five Days to Silkier Skin”)

Then offer this product as a gift when someone signs up for your email list. Voila, instant subscribers!

Lain knows how to enchant her readers. Check out her podcast here: Business Love Potion

Connie Ragen Green of Affiliate Marketing Secrets Explained says:

Bloggers are in the enviable position of writing regularly on their topic. In order to build a list quickly I would recommend writing reviews of products, courses, and services in your niche, and to add a relevant short report as a bonus to anyone who buys through your link. Continue to blog about the benefits of being on your list, and ask people to share your posts on social media. This will bring you some income, build your list, and massively increase your visibility in a short period of time as the buzz grows about what you have to offer your audience.

How Has Connie won so Many Affiliate Contests? Find out here -> Affiliate Marketing Secrets Explained

Susanne Myers of  Daily Affiliate Tasks says:

There are a million and one ways to grow your list and a lot of them you can do from your blog. That being said, I get the best results from a very basic strategy … but you have to do it well and constantly test and tweak for best results. Here it is…

Have The Basics In Place and Then Tweak Them

The best way to grow your list from your blog is to have some sort of optin form on every page of your site, to offer a goodie or ethical bribe in exchange for your readers’ email addresses, to overcome any objections they may have for signing up and to ask your own readers to help you grow your list further.

Yes, this is pretty basic stuff, but are you doing all of it? Let’s look at each of these in a little more detail.

1. Optin Form on Every Page

Go check on your blog and see if you have some sort of optin form on every single page. It’s pretty easy to do with WordPress. You can add it to the sidebar or tweak your blog template so it’s automatically added to the bottom of every post.

Next it’s time to tweak and test. Try a different placement for your optin form. Test different copy, color, layout … you name it. If you can think of something to change, it’s worth testing. If you are using Aweber it’s very easy to set up split tests directly in your Aweber account settings. No need to change your Blog files every time you test something new.

Keep testing and keep improving your optin rate to grow your list faster and faster.

2. Offer An Ethical Bribe

Again… it’s a pretty obvious one. Make sure you offer something to new subscribers. This could be a short report, an audio or video recording, a coupon code etc. If you have an offer in place now, take a look at it. Does it still work? (You can use PLR content to create this.)

Either way it’s time to do some testing. Come up with a few different goodies to give away and see which one works best. This doesn’t have to be complicated. Just mention a different one in each test version and then add links to all of them in your welcome email that goes out automatically. You can mention in there that you’re throwing in a few extra bonuses that you thought they might enjoy.

3. Overcome Objections

Another good idea is to overcome any objections your blog readers may have. A great way to do that is to write up a page with 10 good reasons why someone should sign up for your list. Link to that page from right below your autoresponder signup box.

Here’s an example of my page for my Affiliate Treasure Chest blog.

4. Ask For Referrals

Last but not least, let’s talk about my favorite strategy. It’s getting my existing subscribers to help me grow my list faster. Every few weeks I ask them (usually in a P.S.) to help me grow the list by referring others to it. I invite them to share my emails with colleagues and friends that may also be interested in the topic.

I LOVE my Susanne friend! Check out her Daily Affiliate Tasks here.

David Perdew of NAMS says:

Because MyNAMS.com is a membership site, we’ve focused on growing that members’ list organically and without undercutting any of our affiliates. That’s a tall order. It means slow growth until we have a system in place that protects our affiliates first.

For example, I won’t send traffic to an aWeber opt-in page first. If we do that, we’re just raiding the affiliates list.

So, we built a list opt-in box that adds prospects to a free membership first, THEN to the autoresponder list.

Now, we’re customizing our opt-in process to recognize whether visitors are logged in (if so, don’t show them the sign up box), and whether they’ve signed up for the product on that page already (if so, don’t show them the sign up box).

I’ve been really slow creating opt-in funnels because I wanted to respect the traffic source. But now that we’re set up with target specific, non-invasive opt-in technology that rewards our affiliates, every page of MyNAMS will have a popup box to harvest the maximize number of visitors.

That kind of list building is really good for our affiliates since they are tagged with lifetime database referrals. In other words, more passive commissions through better list building

Be sure to sign up for David's free weekly webinars here: NAMS Training

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

To build your list, there a few things you could do.

First, you could do some kind of 30 day challenge based around whatever your niche is. So let's say you're in scrapbooking… maybe you can post a new scrapbook every day for 30 days.

If you're in “learn to play piano”, you can have videos showing you learning to play the piano.

If you're in internet marketing, post about what you are doing to earn money.

All of these should be done with affiliate links included. As you post more and more, people will get more enrolled in your journey and sign up just not to miss the updates.

When you're done with your challenge, offer an opt-in with your main learnings from the past 30 days. People can sign up to get the report that explains your main takeaways, what you would've done differently, etc.

This would be highly valuable to people.

Another idea to build your list would be to blog with excellent content, like Steve Pavlina, and just offer a newsletter for people to get your updates. Steve didn't have any of his own products for a LONG time and was still highly successful and one of the most trafficked blogs on the web.

Another idea would be to hold contests for your blog readers. If you can make your readership engaging (contests, particularly viral ones), people will keep coming back just for the inevitable community you build.

Rachel's customers are getting results with her latest product: How To Get Every Book You Write Onto The First Page Of Kindle

Kelly McCausey of Solo Smarts Podcast says:

This is a tip for podcasters. During a podcasting webinar earlier this year, we were brainstorming ways to get the most out of your podcast content and we came up with the idea of building a list from your podcast listeners by transcribing the best interviews and making them available to list members for free.

I don't transcribe the entire episode, just the guest interview alone. I don't transcribe every interview, just those that strike me as being really meaty.

When I publish the podcast I add a note like this one: “Prefer to read rather than listen? Subscribe to my list and get a free interview transcript!”

I manage this by storing the transcripts in a protected folder and provide new subscribers with the password.

Since I started doing this I see little bursts of new optins (as few as ten, as much as twenty-five) on the weeks that I offer a new transcript.

Be sure to check out Kelly’s podcasting course. You can check that out here: Smart Podcasting Skills

Nicole Dean of .. here! .. says:

Lists, lists, lists.  So much to say. So little time.

I have many thoughts on this topic. But first, let me share one thing that I've done.

The last few weeks, I decided to give some attention to my lists. And, it's paying off very nicely.

If you've been around recently, you may have noticed some things changing. Well, most of that was to make it irresistible to sign up for my list. While I don't think I'm at irresistible yet, I think it's much more appealing.

Here's what I've been up to.

Step One: Sexy-up the Bait.

First of all, you'll notice that I made the “bait” sexier to sign up for my blog updates. When they sign up, they get not just updates, but THREE awesome reports. (Soon to be more.)

1. Where to Find Images for your Blog Posts.

2. 104 Blog Title Ideas (printable list)

3. List of the Tools that Power my Business

You could easily use PLR content to create these or just take your most popular blog posts and turn them into pdfs. Either way works.

Step Two: Sexy-up the Signup Forms.

Next, I made the signup boxes a bit more updated and current as you can see.

The new Side nav opt-in looks like this:

I added a new top opt-in box which looks like this:

And, we updated the opt-in at the bottom of the posts, too. (Although that little pokey out black thing still needs to be removed.)

 I *wish* I had a tool to recommend to make these pretty boxes. I've tried several and they've all been buggy and disappointing, so I shall just keep them to myself. BUT – I just bought ANOTHER program, so I'm testing it and am hopeful that we have a winner. Keep your fingers crossed. If it works as well as they say it will, you'll be hearing about it very soon.

Step Three: Sexy-up Your Testing.

Make sure you're using different signup forms on your blog so that you can easily track your results in Aweber.

Even better would be if you used Aweber's split testing feature that is built into their program to see which sign-up forms are getting the best results. I have used that in the past and it provides great feedback. But we haven't done it yet with these. We will though.

Step Four: Sexy-up Your Traffic.

The fourth thing to do is to boost your traffic so you get lots of people on your blog. That will give you a true test to see if your new forms are getting more signups than your old ones.

There are several ways to get more traffic to your blog, fast. These are two of my favorites.

The first one may not be the most interesting way you've ever heard, but it flat out works.

Here's a free report you can have to read more about it.

• The Easiest Way to Get More Blog Traffic (pdf)

Note: The Workshop that's mentioned in that document “Get to Know Your Blog Stats” – use coupon code “peeps25” to save 25% on it if you decide to sign up.

The second method that I like to use is Guest Blogging.

If you're new to my blog or are just getting to know me, I'll let you in on a cool thing about me, I did 75 guest blog posts during a 15 week spell a few summers ago. It was AWESOME for my exposure.

I have a course that explains the methods to my madness and you can check that out here if you'd like: Guest Blogging on Steroids.

So Talk to Me.

What are your biggest questions about building your list on your blog?

What has worked well for you in the past?

Well, I'm going to get off this computer and enjoy the beautiful day outside.

Talk soon.

Warmly,
Nicole Dean