Organize Your Online Business

Even The Sharpest Knife Can’t Carve Its Own Handle

I’m stubborn.

And I’m a capable, independent, self-starter.

Just for good measure, let’s throw in a straight ‘A’ student all throughout my years in academia.

Not to mention how proud I am when I can replace the mechanism inside the toilet tank all by myself!

I don’t have just one little measly toolbox, I’ve got two big ones and an entire array of power tools (I love my B & D drill and my Makita palm sander).

But guess what?

All my capabilities, independent nature, smarts, and stubbornness combined aren’t enough to transform me into a successful entrepreneur.

Why?

No one can build a business alone.

I certainly can’t. It took me three years of struggling on my own to reach that conclusion. And if you believe YOU can do it flying solo, you’re in for a long haul and some big disappointments.

Build community and camaraderie and don’t be too proud to reach out for some help.

Remember …

Even the sharpest knife can’t carve its own handle.

Do You Have an Indestructible Business?

By Melanie Kissell 1 Comment

You can go broke being successful (I mean literally, lose your shirt)

Even if you have plenty of clients and/or customers and lots of work coming in, spreading yourself too thin and not paying attention to the fundamentals can really take a toll on your ability to serve your target market and grow your business successfully.

Just being passionate and good at your craft won’t keep you in business.

Yes, you may be keeping your clients and customers very happy. But are you sure you can always pay the bills? And do you have any idea what will happen next year, next month, or even next week?

You can do an excellent job for those you serve but you can also undervalue your contribution to them.

You see where your genius lies but the “undervaluing” can result in: [Read more...]

Filed Under: Build an online empire, Business Plan, Following Your Passion, Making money on the internet, Organize Your Online Business, Productivity, Service Business Owners, Small business owners Tagged With: Confidence, Money, Productivity, Support, Unique selling proposition, Vision

Baby Your Blog

By Melanie Kissell 10 Comments

Would you ignore a crying baby or one that was sick?

No, I didn’t think so.

How about a baby that was hungry? Would you immediately provide some nourishment?

Of course you would.

Would you go on a vacation and leave your baby alone for a month?

Heavens, NO!

You blog is your baby and there are certain needs that have to be met and safety and security issues that must be addressed as the responsible caregiver of your blog.

Here’s what my blogging buddy and joint venture partner, Gwen Tanner, has to say about babying your blog:

Your blog is an expression of you and what you teach! And if you discovered your blog was sick with viruses or plagues or other types of security issues, I’m sure you’d react just as a scared parent would – Panic, hyperventilation, then frantic researching on how to make your baby better!

Head on over to Gwen’s blog and read “Protect Your Product – Your Blog Is Your Baby”. What happened to Caroline Middlebrook (more than once!) will really make you stop and think.

And wait till you see why Gwen is so thrilled that her blog theme doesn’t display a blog roll!

Filed Under: Blogging, Organize Your Online Business, Small business owners Tagged With: ecourse master, Gwen Tanner, product creation

I Know You’re Busy

By Melanie Kissell 7 Comments

Guest post by Kenneth Weene, PhD

As a married man, semi-retired and with no kids at home, I might seem an unlikely source for good advice to you, a single woman trying to run a business – and especially to those of you who are also moms. You may be among the busiest and most harried people on earth. You are also constantly being evaluated, observed and measured. Your every piece of clothing and accessory can be held against you. Your looks are constantly being judged. Men do have it easier.

So what do I have to offer you? A single word. Balance! I know that deadline is looming. I know that sale has to be made or that presentation given. I know the kid is sick and by the way needs some cupcakes or crudités for the school party. I know your home needs cleaning. I know, I know, I know.

Balance!

Make a graph. Across the top list the important needs, demands, and wants in your life. Once you’ve made the list you may want to arrange it so it goes from most important to least. Don’t forget your relaxation and health. Without taking care of yourself, you won’t get very far for very long. Don’t forget your spiritual needs. Without your sense of serenity you can’t keep your focus clear. Exercise is on that list. Important in itself not just part of health, recreation, and appearance but in itself. Have you added long-term security? You have a future, and so do your kids. Socializing – within the family and with peers, is important. So is looking for a mate if you want one.

When you finish your list come back. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Balance work and life, Moms in Business, Organize Your Online Business, Service Business Owners, Small business owners, Stress Tagged With: Work Life Balance

Pigeonhole Posts

By Melanie Kissell 15 Comments

Today I’m going to write what I call a “pigeonhole” post.

After you read the post, use the comment box below to tell me your definition of a pigeonhole post.

On with the post …

When I share a business success formula with my target audience, a quote from Adam Urbanski always sticks in the forefront of my mind. Adam says, “Your offerings should be ‘pain killers’ versus vitamins.”

My audience is short on time.

They want the most valuable business-building information that’s as concise as possible – consumed and digested quickly and painlessly.

No slow-acting, time-released vitamins for these folks!

Here’s the formula I give them:

1) Get to know yourself – Make a list of your attributes (gifts, talents, strengths, life and work experiences)

2) Develop and research your ideas – Find out what others have done in your field, what kinds of problems people are looking to solve, and what they are willing to pay for the solutions.

3) Clearly define your message – Who will you serve? How will you serve them?

4) Marketing your product or service – Stick with three to five marketing platforms till you have mastered them. Then start adding more.

The best strategy for business success is to be a good listener. Listen to your target market and be first in line to answer their questions and provide solutions to their problems.

(I’ll be curious to read what you think a pigeonhole post is!)

Filed Under: Blogging, Business Plan, Following Your Passion, Making money on the internet, Online Marketing, Organize Your Online Business Tagged With: Blogging, Business Success Formula, Internet business success, Marketing your services online, Organizing, Planning

How Often Do You Shoe A Goose?

By Melanie Kissell 12 Comments

Prefer to listen to this post?

Are you familiar with the saying, “Shoe a Goose”?

If not, hold on a minute and I’ll get to that.

I think if I tried to shoe a goose, it would take me all day. It might even take me two or three days.

First of all, I’d have to catch the goose, and I’m sure that’s not easy.

And then I’d have to find a way to pin it down and keep it still. Once again, not so easy to do and might take me hours.

Next I’d have to try to figure out how to get a shoe to fit over a webbed foot. At best, that’s got to be tricky.

By that time, I’d be so tired, I’d probably let go of the goose and then I’d have to start all over again.

So what does “Shoe a Goose” mean, anyway?

It means “Engaging in a fruitless task”. After all, geese don’t wear shoes and they don’t need shoes! So trying to put one on a goose is fruitless.

As you work to build your business throughout the week, how often do you shoe a goose?

How often are you checking phone messages, reading your emails, cleaning off your desk, going to the kitchen for another cup of coffee (or another chocolate donut), playing with the dog, shuffling papers, downloading music, shopping online, looking at interesting videos on You Tube … the list could go on … and on.

None of these kinds of activities will help you make money or move your business forward.

So stop trying to put a shoe on a goose – And get busy doing something that will make you some money!

Filed Under: Making money on the internet, Online Marketing, Organize Your Online Business Tagged With: Internet business success, Marketing your services online, Organizing, Planning

Outsourcing Is Your Friend

By Melanie Kissell 11 Comments

Well, I finally bit the outsourcing bullet and they said it would never happen! “They” were wrong.

I’ve been an independent thinker, a self-starter, and as stubborn as nails my whole life and now I’m singing my own version of that classic tune by The Temptations – “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg”.

Since I came online about three years ago, I’ve been the epitome of a “solo” professional – meaning I’ve done all the work myself. After all, I’m not only stubborn, I’m a very proud person, too – not to mention that I also suffer from perfectionism.

One fine day I was inspired to design my own business logo. How hard could THAT possibly be? Well, I found out. It wasn’t hard – it was miserably impossible!

I won’t bore you with all the failed attempts, weeks of frustration, or how often I was beating my head against the wall every time I logged in to Photoshop. I’m convinced that site was not designed for regular, normal people.

Lucky for me, I met Michelle Shaeffer. We bumped into one another during a 30-day blogging challenge. I’ve been reading her blog posts and checking out everything she offers and I’m very impressed.

As we speak, Michelle is designing a logo for me. What a relief! I know she’s a Mompreneur who pays attention to detail and does her best to meet her customer’s needs.

I’m excited and can’t wait to see my logo!

If you’re spending all your time doing every single business-related task yourself, you’re most likely as exhausted as I was.

Take it from me – you’ll actually become more productive by doing the business-building activities you really love and outsourcing the rest.

Filed Under: Customer Care, Designing a logo, Organize Your Online Business, Outsourcing Tagged With: Business logo, Michelle Shaeffer

What Juicy Items Are In Your Gutter?

By Melanie Kissell 2 Comments

No, not the rain gutter on your house or the gutter at your local bowling alley!

I’m talking about the gutter/s on your website or blog – the left and/or right hand columns that flank your content.

What items with juicy benefits are you positioning in this prime time piece of real estate? Or are you ignoring this space or maybe just throwing any old stuff in your gutter you happen to have the html code for?

I constantly hear online marketers comment that buttons, badges, and banners in the gutter are insignificant and ineffective. I don’t go along with that train of thought. Whenever I land on a site, my eyes will definitely scan down the gutters and see if anything pops out at me.

I’ve met the neatest people, found the coolest resources, and grabbed a number of dynamite freebies by taking a few minutes to see what’s in someone’s gutter.

Take a few minutes today and take inventory of your gutter. Maybe it’s time to do a little gutter clean up!

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Filed Under: Affiliate Marketing, Blogging, Build an online empire, Building relationships online, Business Plan, Infopreneurs, Online Marketing, Organize Your Online Business Tagged With: Blogging, Internet business success, Marketing your services online, Online Promotions, website gutters

Perfectionists Stubbornly Refuse To Outsource

By Melanie Kissell 7 Comments

… well, that is until they get exhausted, burned out, and haven’t slept a wink in a week.

Perfectionists are some of the most pigheaded, cantankerous, and inflexible people you’ll ever meet. They can’t help it. They were born that way! They’re also some of the most proud individuals on the planet – proud of their work ethics and their accomplishments.

We all know that no one is perfect, right? Save yourself the grief and don’t try sharing that little gem of wisdom with a perfectionist. These poor folks can spend a lifetime striving for the impossible!

How hard do you think it is for a perfectionist to manage and build a small business single-handedly? It’s got to be at least a hundred times harder than it is for anyone else who recognizes their limitations and time constraints and reaches out for help.

It’s harder for a perfectionist to outsource business building tasks than it is to run a marathon barefoot!

Think I’m exaggerating? Find a small business owner who’s a true perfectionist and ask them for outsourcing referrals or recommendations. My guess? That section of their rolodex will be blank.

Being a perfectionist is NOT a blessing … it’s a curse. How can I be so sure? I’ll let you figure that out.

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Filed Under: Build an online empire, Online Marketing, Organize Your Online Business Tagged With: Internet business success, Marketing your services online, Outsourcing, Perfectionists

3 Common Misconceptions about PLR Articles

By Melanie Kissell Leave a Comment

Nicole Dean’s Easy PLR packets are written by brilliant ghostwriters.

As independent business owners, we all get bogged down once in a while with essential daily care and management tasks. That means we may not always have the necessary quality time to write blog posts and/or articles. Top notch, well-written articles from Easy PLR is the solution!

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Note* I am a proud EasyPLR affiliate and I have used MANY of Nicole Dean’s PLR article packets in my own business and wholeheartedly recommend her products.