What is your inventory in MLM?
Welcome to "Web Strategy Guidelines". In this small corner of the web, I will try to show you the ideas, concepts, thoughts and ideas that I have encountered in trying to get a website to work and function better on the web. Some of these concepts and strategies will seem old-hat, old-school and complicated, but trust me they really work.
Monday, March 30, 2009
MLM Training: The Network Marketing Success Secret of Knowing Your REAL Inventory in MLM
Thursday, March 26, 2009
7 Common Internet Home Business Mistakes
Over optimize website
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Follow-Up with Your Contacts
So now the event is over and you have collected a number of business cards, taken notes on the best prospects, divided the cards into Y(es), N(o), and M(aybe), now what? It is time to follow up. The best follow-up is immediate - they will remember you best if you go home that night and enter their information into your database and send a personal email or hand-written note. E-mail is much faster and you will be surprised at the fast response you get. This gives you instant contact and you can then ask how they felt about a certain event. You are sure to get a response. This gives you an immediate relationship with the individual.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
It Pays to be Friendly
Waving
Saturday, March 14, 2009
How to Keep from Sounding LIKE Totally Stupid
Have you done your spring cleaning (professional) yet? Do you have solid career plans for the balance of 05? Why are you waiting to get started improving your career?
Ask yourself these questions:
How dated is the material that you have been using to present your skill sets? Is the language professional? Are you using current, contemporary lingo in your materials? When was the last time you spent time assessing your personal portfolio? I know it's hard to think about those aspects of your career, but believe me its time well spent.
Look at your resume, does it seem "dated." The resume today is nothing like those of the past. So if it's not current, it will immediately present a negative connotation about your "contemporary-ness"
Have you ever seen a celebrity on TV who sounds illiterate? They are stars, so people over look how dumb they appear to be. That is not going to work for you. You will be evaluated by both your verbal and written skills. Can you put together a coherent sentence without using the word LIKE? If not, you better begin to practice your pitch. Start with a written a paragraph about what you have accomplished, what do you have to offer. Write it down and then read it over and over. Does it make sense? Does it grab your attention? Does it compel people to ask more?
If not, try different version, substitute words, refine and hone down your core message so you sound credible and believable. Action words are really important you want to convey an image. If you need help, get a thesaurus and look for synonyms of the words you plan to use in your pitch. Tip: If you never use big or unusual words, don't start now.
Are you good at small talk? This is a great way to open a dialogue or keep one going. The best method for small talk is to find something in the news (not political), but something that has a broad based appeal. Look for a topic that will elicit a response. Just pull a few ideas from recent news: spelling bee winner, final episodes (TV). Get the picture?
First impressions count! Have you heard someone speak that you thought was a total dork? What turned you off? Did they look slovenly or unkempt? Were they dressed appropriately? Did they sound incoherent with poor speech patterns? Appearance is one benchmark that will immediately determine how receptive the listener is to what you have to say. Do you have colleagues and associates that either turns you off or on when they speak? Pay attention to their style of speaking and mannerisms. What attributes do you like? Are they funny? Humor always has a way of breaking the ice or diffusing an uncomfortable moment.
If, in a chance meeting, you run into someone you consider to be important, do you sound like a bumbling fool? It's easy to prepare yourself to put your best foot forward. All it takes is practice. If you are not sure how professional you will seem, practice now. Find a friend or colleague and engage in dialogue. Don't talk to them about work, but in general conversation ask them to critique what you said. Were you interesting? Were you engaging? Did you talk too long or sound boring? Did they want to keep the conversation going? Establish a comfort level with your words and speaking style. Adapt it to what you are like and don't imitate anyone. Create you own unique personal speaking style.
JoAnn Hines' specialty is PACKAGING PEOPLE. Whether you want to be paid more, you just lost your job, or you want to progress in the one you have, Ms. Hines advice and expertise can help you transform your personal brand. She can show you how to package yourself and make your brand a hot commodity. It's easy once you know the ropes and begin to utilize her insider's secrets. She shows you step by step how to increase your visibility, credibility and marketability with easy to use tutorials and templates.
It is time to get started "Packaging Yourself."
Email me the Chief People Packager @ pkgcoach@aol.com
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
The Secrets to Networking Success
In other words, you won't catch me dead shaking hands and passing out business cards at a local Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting. Nor do I cold call. Nor do I wander around conferences with my hand thrust out saying, "Hi, my name is Nick Usborne." It's just not part of my character.
I guess that was my view of "networking".
But as I started writing, answering each of the interview questions, I realized that I network as much as the next person. I just go about it a different way.
The more I think about it, we all network, one way or another. If you think this doesn't apply to you, just make a quick mental tally of the people you know in your industry. People you have worked with, exchanged emails with, met somewhere.
Have a look at your address book. If you have more than the names of your personal friends and family, you're already networking.
>> Why this is important
Whether you are employed right now or a freelancer, networking is essential to your future. Nothing happens without knowing other people. None of us advance in our careers in blissful isolation.
We get a job offer because someone knows about us. We pick up a new client for our freelance business because someone referred us to someone else. We are asked to write articles because an editor or webmaster read something else we had written.
Every step forward we take can usually be traced back to knowing someone.
>> Different Networking strokes for different folks
Some people seem born to walk up to strangers and introduce themselves. If that sounds like you, then you already know how to expand your current network of contacts.
But if, like me, you're not an outgoing person who loves to get out and meet people, you need to find other ways.
For me, my network has grown almost entirely through people contacting me after reading an article I have written, reading my book, or listening to me speak at a conference.
In other words, I network by making myself visible through writing and speaking. My network grows as more and more people get in touch with me.
>> A key to successful networking
Whenever I am offered a speaking or writing project that I feel might be "beyond' me, I jump at it. Why? By stretching myself I not only get my name and talents exposed to a new audience, but I also get in front of an audience that is a little higher up on the food chain.
Let me explain. If I was asked to speak at a local Chamber of Commerce meeting, I would find myself in front of a group of local business people. For me, that's not a good audience.
But last year when I was invited to do a half-day seminar for the senior editors of the world's Number One web site, I jumped at it. Why? Because I would get to stand up in front of some very influential people in the online industry.
The higher I aim, the more influential and better connected my network becomes.
Whatever method works for you, don't confine your network just to "people like you". Try to expand your network vertically, to include people who are more successful, more influential and better connected than you.
Do that, and in time some exciting new opportunities will start presenting themselves.
To find out more about networking for success, read my review of this guide, Networkaholics Revealed.
Nick Usborne is a freelance copywriter, author and speaker. For more articles and resources on making money as a freelance writer, visit his site, http://www.FreelanceWritingSuccess.com.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Networking: Is Your Approach Too Self-Centered?
Fortunately, a popular new book by Bonnie Lowe makes it easy to solve this problem. The book, "Networkaholics Revealed! True Confessions From People Who Networked Their Way to Success (And How You Can Do the Same)," provides strategies and success stories from 49 master networkers.
Many of those strategies focus on how networkers can benefit from being selfless instead of selfish.
The goal is happier contacts, which ultimately translates into long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationships.
"It's natural for people to look out for their own self interests when they start any important activity," Lowe said. "So many people focus their networking efforts on obtaining things they want (more leads, referrals, sales and business).
"But the best networkers know this is a huge mistake. While those desired outcomes are shared by all networkers, people who put others' needs before their own will reap far greater rewards."
According to Lowe, the first and most important step when striving to build a meaningful network is to consciously suspend your self interest.
Then follow these three steps:
1. Ask yourself, "How can I help them?" (instead of "How can they help me?"). Give a lot of thought to what you can offer them, such as:
"If you can do any of those three things, you immediately have value," said Chip Tarver, author of First Contact Secrets. "If you have value in a stranger's eyes, he/she will think you're worth getting to know. If you don't have value, why would they care about you? Your goal should be to help others. If your only goal is to help yourself, you're not going to be much of a networker, because you'll become known as a 'taker,' not a 'giver.' Givers have the greatest networks and they typically give out of a heart of giving, not out of selfishness to enrich themselves."
Dr. Harlan Kilstein, CEO of Overnight Copy, offers this strategy: "The best thing you can do, well before you meet with people, is find out about them, their businesses, their products, etc. Give them positive feedback. Most importantly, find out what you can do for them. That's the true definition of networking."
Ken McCarthy, Founder of Amacord, Inc., said, "Never look at people as a means to an end. I know a lot of people do that and become successful that way, but they flame out as people around them realize, 'This guy is totally in it for himself; he doesn't care about me.' People figure that out eventually. But if you offer service and are truly helpful to someone, then all doors open to you."
2. Be kind.
"One of my favorite bumper stickers is 'Practice Random Acts of Kindness,'" Lowe said. "That applies perfectly to networking."
Helena Bouchez, Owner of Lenalinks Creative Technical Writing & Consulting, said, "Acts of kindness have tremendous impact and create instant rapport. People do not expect it. You become top-of-mind for the person you help. It's not a linear process. All help given comes back multiplied ? but not necessarily from the person you helped! A lot of people don't understand this and get very fixated on 'score keeping' and extracting something from the person they gave something to. That's not how it works. Generosity creates a positive vibe, and is a magnet for good situations."
3. Be patient.
Some benefits of your generosity will be immediate, but not all.
David Garfinkel, Founder of World Copywriting Institute, suggests, "Take a long-term view about 'getting yours.' Things can happen in a flash, but often you'll help someone and years later, just when you need it, people in your network will be there for you in ways you never could have anticipated."
In Summary
"All business is ultimately about people and relationships," said Lowe. "We all feel better doing business with people we like. When you are generous to others and genuinely care about helping them, they will naturally like you and want to help you in turn."
Giving first also invokes the universal law of reciprocity. In other words, if you do something for someone else, that person feels obliged to return the favor and do something for you.
The end result of all this generosity? Long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationships!
Bonnie Lowe is author of the popular book, "Networkaholics Revealed! True Confessions From People Who Networked Their Way to Success (And How You Can Do the Same)." For more information about this helpful networking resource, go to http://www.Networkaholics-Revealed.com
Monday, March 2, 2009
The Fountain of Youth - Right in Front of Us All This Time!
In large part, your everyday lifestyle choices contribute to the way you age, and at what rateyour body ages. Diet, environmental factors, exercise and the topical skincare products and skin care regimen you choose, all affect the way you are going to appear now and ten, twenty, and thirty years down the road. It's no surprise your lifestyle plays a pivotal role in how your body and skin age over the years, since we've always known diet and exercise affect our energy levels, appearance, moods, and fitness level.
However, several key foods have been found to be very effective weapons not only against aging in general, but also against skin disorders ranging from acne, rosacea, thin skin, and photo aging (sun damage). These foods can even help reverse and repair sun and other environmental damage done to theskin. This powerful weapon is a goup of chemical compounds called antioxidants, and what they accomplish in high doses, along with adequate exercise, can mimic a surgical facelift over a relatively short period of time!
Think about all of the damage your skin is exposed to on a daily basis. It is your largest and most vulnerable organ, exposed to toxins and other damaging elements, like the sun, every day. These elements will actually accelerate the aging process by producing harmful compounds called free radicals, which can damage cells and in turn damage the skin. Antioxidants actually fight free radicals, and reverse some of the damage already done by them in the body.
Precautions to be taken to prevent these nasty little free radicals from wreaking havoc on your skin include wearing sunscreen every day, getting regular moderate exercise, using preventive skin care (cleansers, lotions, gels, creams, etc.) formulated with powerful antioxidants like Vitamin C and Alpha Lipoic Acid, and making sure your get an abundance of antioxidants in your every day diet. Some examples of foods high in antioxidants include berries (strawberries, bluberries, raspberries, etc.),citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruits, etc.), and vegetables rich in color, such as broccoli, zuccini, spinach, and summer squash.
Green tea is also agreat source of antioxidants, not to mention a better choice than coffee for a pick-me-up. See the following links for more information on where to find these anti-aging priciples: http://www.cosmeticsgalore.com/best-weightloss-supplements-reviews.html/
While there are many foods to be enjoyed while living by the "anti-aging" diet, there are also foods that need to be either avoided all together, or strictly minimized. These are refined sugar, caffeine, and all starchy and white flour products. The resulting surge of insulin created by these foods produces more free radicals and breaks down the cell's defenses against damaging elements, leaving you wide open to more skin damage (ie. wrinkles, skin disorders, and other premature aging effects).
These foods are highly inflammatory by nature, and while they may taste good going down, know that they are destroying good cells and allowing for future damage by weakening the cell's defenses further. Eating these foods results in less tone and definition. The skin "droops", hence the creation of fine lines, wrinkles, and dull color. You will know a person that has a high sugar and high carb diet by looking at their face. They may have almost a "doughy" appearance to their skin, lacking the sharp definition and tone enjoyed by those who follow a healthy diet based on the anti-aging principles.
So, there you have it, some of the core concepts that will get you started to minimizing and even reversing the affects of aging. This is really just the tip of the iceberg. There is actually a lot more information on these concepts available that would be well worth your time to learn. What you do with these principles is up to you, it's just a matter of making some minor changes for a longer, happier and healthier life. I'd say that is definitely worth the investment!
Danna Schneider is the webmaster of the beauty and makeup product review and advice website CosmeticsGalore.com http://www.cosmeticsgalore.com - providing reviews and research on everything from natural breast enhancement products and cellulite treatments to self tanners, acne treatments, and makeup.
She is a cosmetics and beauty product researcher and enthusiast.