How Big Is Your Network

How many people do you include in your close network of business connections?  Did you know that the most successful people have no more than six people yes six people that they have in their inner circle? There is a whole system to how to make that inner circle proficient to your business take a look at the article and comment below to tell me what you think. Here's the article.

~MB

Has Social Media Taken Over Your Life. Here's Some Helpful Tips To Take It Back

Have you realized how much time you spend on Social Media sites and other things that keep you distract from really getting the things that really need to be done taken care of?  

There is an app on the Mac OS that can help you regain yourself control. The App is actual called Self Control.  The way this app works is it blocks distracting websites for a set time so if you find that you’re a Twitter addict or maybe spend way too much time on Facebook  and not getting what you need done to be successful in life you can set this application for up to four hours.  Your browser will act as if it is offline for that period when you try to go to that site.  The beautiful thing is no matter how many times you attempt to restart your computer or reboot your computer that time will not restart.  The great thing about this app is you have what is called a whitelist and a blacklist so that way you do not have to completely disable the internet you simply disabled what you need to stay away from to be focus.  This particular app is only for Mac users however, PC users can check out the Freedom app it is similar.

If you’re not to the point that you don’t need to disabled sites but maybe you want to take notice of how much time your spending where online then check out the app called Track Time it will audit how much time you spend on your computer as well as the different programs you use.  So if Firefox is where you do a lot of your other stuff (for instance I work in Google Chrome but I socialize in Firefox) this program would tell me how much time I spend where.  Track Time can be ran in the background, it will show you a timeline of your online life, and it is an effective wake up call to make you take notice of your online time.  Too bad this is only for Mac users and there is not a PC app out right now that is comparable.

~MB

A Great Example of Hobbies Into Business or in this case BRANDING

Bellagyrl is more than just a group of friends who love clothes and shoes it is a consulting, media and advertising brand that was started by five friends who are passionate about women’s health, mind, body and soul.  Fellas before you get started trust me they touch on the guys and every once in a while their technical lead will put his input in so they take their brand up a notch and they are all about helping those who are wanting to help their selves.  Feel free to look at what they are doing at the BellaGyrl website.  Right now, they are pushing the #iHateCancer project with 70% of proceeds going to the American Cancer Society.  Your support to them goes far beyond what you think for them just making a difference is what they strive for and what makes them unique in their own way.

This is a group that took their love for a variety of things and simply changed it into a brand.  So you see it's not hard to take something simple and make something big.

~Misherald "Missy" Brown

Taking Blogging From Fun To Profit

Have you ever wonder how people blog and make it a business? 

Check out The Blog Workshop as they are giving tips on how to go from being a blogger to being a bloggerpreneur, you are giving tips on how to advertise as well as pitching to brands/advertisers/sponsors, as well as how to handle media and building a relationship. The different things that are touched on will teach you how to take your blog, which may have started out as a hobby and turn it into a part time gig earning you quite a nice profit. 

If you have never been in a workshop about blogging, here is a great opportunity to earn some great discounts and opportunities to learn from some of the best in the industry as well as 10% of your ticket purchase will go to three worthy causes. The conference is $175 and registration ends on May 10^th but if you need a payment plan you need to register no later than March 31^st. The registration includes admission for all three days, 6 sessions, the resource list, conference workbook as well as a conference tee and private access to replay the conference and be able to review info or re-watch at any time.

The great thing about this is if your blog is a part of your business then the registration fee is actually a write off for your taxes!

You can get more information on the workshop via social media sites:

Facebook 

Twitter 

Pinterest 

Youtube

Are You A Trendsetter Or Do You Just Follow The Trend

A friend of mine posted this via his Facebook profile (it is verbatim):

We are all free to run our businesses as we see fit, but I see many small business owners running away from competition instead of using competitive forces to push us to do better. Of the last 17 NASCAR Champions, TWO of them share 9 championships and are often in the top 10 standings for, it seems like, forever. That is Jeff Gordon and Jimmy Johnson. These guys trade paint every Sunday, trying to be number one. But Monday through Friday, they work together to have the top two teams on the track. 

Whether you are a hairstylist, photographer, model or any other business, find a driving force to help you get better. Jordan had the Pistons, the Lakers have the Celtics, The Thunder have the Heat. The best competitive drive often come from the friends who want you to do better so THEY can do better. © 2013 Leighton DaCosta

When I read this, it really made me think I began to ask myself if I was being competitive enough in all the business ventures.  One of the problems I run into is with my direct sale business I began to allow myself to believe that the market that I live in is too saturated. Often times it, feels to me that the goals that are required are too hard to meet with such a large population where 1 in every 10 women are direct sales representatives for this particular company. Especially a company that kind of makes you wants to have loyal customers so it is not really frowned upon but it is one of those unwritten rules that you do not try to bribe a customer from another consultant.  However once I really thought about his post I began to realize that I did not need to feel that the population ratio was uneven or even the worry about stealing a customer all I had to do was be different and make buying from me more rewarding and therefore I have a few strong loyal customers.

I say all of that to say this be a driving force in your profession do not let someone else set the trend you should be a trendsetter.

Preparation is based on one driving force for me and that is to be relaxed enough to be able to listen to what the candidates are saying and react appropriately. ~Jim Lehrer

Trends don’t interest me. ~Manolo Blahnik

From A Hobby To A Busienss

Many dreams are those of want to be entrepreneurs who are not able to really see their selves being able to make a living doing what they are passionate about or to establish a company that is operational around their favorite thing to do.  You first have to take in the many considerations when thinking about taking your hobby and making it a business.

You have to always focus on the prize making sure it’s worth the goal of all the efforts that have to be put into because there is no greater joy then being able to start a business from a hobby right out of the box and being link to it to a way that you understand the graphics and concepts of the market.  In essence it gives, you an unfair competitive advantage but it gives you profit.

Explore it and make sure it is a viable business. You have to make sure that there is a clientele for it but also the question is are you reliable because you have to be able to proficiently make your life realistic and acknowledge all of life expectations and know your products or services. Finally and most importantly, get rid of the friends and family discount and charge everyone because you have to make bottom line to see your business flourish.  

If you are dedicated to your hobby enough to push, forward and make it a business then be serious about it and put it into writing and get the proper licenses.  

Dedication is Determination!!

Do You Use Proper Business Etiquette?

In today’s competitive business market, what distinguishes an ordinary professional from an extraordinary one is a clear understanding of business etiquette. When you think of your clients, you should realize that your clients come to you for your expertise, your services, and your products.  They become loyal to you because of your interpersonal skills (the way you communicate with them, thank them, and interact with them outside of business).  They stay with you because of your ability to establish and maintain relationships.

Learning how to specialize in opening doors that look close and sealing deals are only one part to being successful in business. Using some of these ideas can help you secure a deal and do it efficiently and effortlessly:

• You have to know how to create a lasting first impression,
• communicate with courtesy, 
• using the internet to develop relationships,
• phone etiquette,
• dressing for the occasion and for business no matter what
• dining in business,
• networking on and offline and doing it with pose,
• learning how to develop personal skills to position for a lateral move
• and knowing the exact words to put in writing whether it is a business card, thank you note, business letter, or simply a holiday card.

Many small business owners as well as large corporations seem to have forgotten business etiquette due to how digital our lives are.  It is no surprise that these organizations are losing valuable customers due to it.  If you think about it how often, do you walk into a store and no one acknowledges you or says hello or maybe the associate helping you seems so out of place because they are dress for a party rather than work. Your actions are effecting your bottom line because direct connection and business etiquette is a direct correlation to it. 

A few more tips that can be helpful with first impressions. Are you attempting to make an impression on a new client a great way to do that is to constantly use their names in your conversation. Be on time not early and defiantly not late.  If it were a large company then I would say its okay to be at the most five minutes early but no more than that.  Some think being early makes a good impression it really does not because you may be causing a conflict in schedule because no business wants to have someone standing in the middle of their office waiting on one of their executives.

Keep your social life out of your business life especially on social media if you have a personal Facebook page please use the settings it can cause you less stress later.  I’ve had this happen to me I had already landed the job however my trainer had looked up my Facebook page which mind you had not a whole lot of privacy settings set but thank goodness that I’m very selected about what I post and who I allow to post on my page. The cellphone the biggest deal breaker if you can turn it off but at the least silent, it and do not read under the table believe me it is more obvious then you realize. The biggest number one issue never ever publicizes your public views because they do not belong in business and you are bound to lose customers behind it.

There are so many business etiquette ideas and rules that I can go on for days offering you advice but I’ll let you do a little more research or if you need to feel free to reach out to me and I’ll provide advice if you need it.  

Sometimes you have to fake it until you make it and when you fake it make it look good!

Best Regards,

Misherald “Missy” Brown