Tuesday, July 13, 2010 at 7:01AM

1. Transparency. P. Cheung, www.my-wedding-concierge.com

2. Work when the inspiration strikes you. H. Claus, www.365daysofstyle.com

3. Diversify projects to offset monotony. S. Horowitz, www.principledprofit.com

4. Respond to all inbound inquiries from clients and colleagues immediately. N. Marshad, www.marshad.com

5. Let others know what you are doing, achieving and pursuing. P. Draper, www.mentalmysteries.com

6. Be a source of information. S. Bloom, www.bloomreg.com

7. Set untouchable, personal time away from business. K. Sherkey, www.streamline6.com

8. Be committed to the community you serve. J. Flynn, www.thelegalcheckup.com

9. Work in your strengths. Do what you do best. D. Hensch, www.drh-group.com

10. Live below your means. Use profits to grow your business. P. Solomon, www.pablosolomon.com

11. Keep up with technology. Emerging technology allows small business to compete on all levels and if adopted and utilized frees an amazing amount of time. B. Attig, www.myretailcareer.net

12. Never stop marketing. No marketing = No sales. C. Ruenheck  www.itsyourcall.com

13. Never start the day without a plan. D. Furtwengler, www.furtwengler.com

14. Focus on results. Know what you are doing, how and why you are doing it. B. Flaxington, www.the-collaborative.com

15. Be willing to turn down business that does not pay you what you are worth. B. Phibbs, www.retaildoc.com

16. Discipline because there’s no “boss man” threatening to fire you. S. Fischer, www.fischer-law.com

17. Consistently meet and connect with new people and have a follow-up system. B. Basilico, www.b2b-im.com

18. Stay in contact with influencers, network and stay highly visible. L. Singer, www.hsdominion.com

19. Monitor your progress. D. Helbig, www.seizethisdaycoaching.com

20. Become an avid “inspirational seeker” – read inspirational quotes. R. Guerrero, www.ficklets.com

21. Consistency. Whether it is a blog post, a contest giveaway, or product updates on the website, it is very important in my business that it is done at the same period of time each and every week. M. Podlesny, www.averagepersongardening.com

22. Treat your customer with respect and always make it about them. C. Sisson Hensley, www.hopsports.com

23. Focus, focus, focus on identified target market, ideal client and revenue generating activities.  P. Mussieux, www.confidenceandcourage.com

24. Have a written plan. L. Tener, www.lisatener.com

25. Always be optimistic – yet tempered with reality. M. Pisik, www.breckwell.com

26. Live your top five values. Know your values intimately and be fueled by them. J. Hornickel, www.boldnewdirections.com

27. Listen at meetings, events, one-on-one, over the phone; any time you interact with another human being and you are in some way part of the conversation; listen to what is being said. D. Menzies, www.menziesconsulting.com

28. Sleep. Having enough sleep keeps your mind fresh and your mood positive. J. Johnson, www.allmomsgotoheaven.com

29. Learn to manage your schedule. D. Moseley-Williams, www.moseleywilliams.com

30. Frequently ask yourself, “What will be my legacy?” Be legacy-driven, not only hitting the mark, but also leaving a mark. V. Ashford, www.fearlessleading.com

31. Add value above and beyond your peers and competitors. D. Dalka, www.daviddalka.com

32. Don’t think you can’t; assume you can. J. Fender, www.accessmainstreet.com

33. Have integrity. When you operate from a fundamental position centered on integrity you have the ability to gain the trust and respect of your clients. G. DeRosa, www.cgmaterials.com

34. Maintain balance — Without balance, you may lose sight of the really important reasons why your vision becomes your dream (i.e. family, ethics, community service, etc.) J. Patterson, www.e-LYNXX.com

35. Do your most important work first every day. T. Tervooren, www.tylertervooren.com

36. Show keen detail to servicing your clients and their needs. Regard yourself as an extension of their business. E. Khalil, www.abelpromos.com

37. Skill development. You need to be the best at what you do. Constant education in your field is a must. M. Meikle, www.mikemeikle.wordpress.com

38. Regular analysis of the numbers. On a monthly basis, look at the profit and loss statement and balance sheet of your business. H. Schauffler, www.marketingwithhenri.com

39. Measurable goal setting. You have to know what you want to achieve to be able to achieve it. P. Geisheker, www.geisheker.com

40. Continuously ask yourself, “What’s the best use of my time right now.” B. Maher, www.barrymaher.com

41. Frame it in the positive because realizing the benefits in every situation is the foundation for growth. G. Shiffrar, www.shiffrar.com

42. “Work” at home – maintain a daily schedule of going to your office and closing the door each morning at a set time. S. Lamb, www.sandralamb.com

43. Respond to all customer feedback (positive and negative) immediately upon receipt. K. Pine, www.worldwiseewelry.com

44. Think like an innovator and trend-setter. J. Scardina Becker, www.eventsofdistinction.com

45. Learn to delegate. S. Olivarria, www.biggerthanyourblock.com

46. Ask for quality referrals, quality referrals, quality referrals. M. Henker, www.thehenkergroup.com

47. Keep improving your product or service. A. Sinha, www.accessconsultinginc.com

48. When you think you have worked hard enough, work harder. The business is your baby and must come first. L. Levine, www.profiledproducts.com

49. Eat right, sleep and exercise. It doesn’t matter how smart you are or how great your plan or product is, if you don’t take care of yourself, you will burn out quickly. T. Tafur www.thomasinatafur.com

50. Take time to rejuvenate. A. Pelliccio, www.thehappygardener.info

51. Keep in touch with past clients as they are great referral sources and will come to you when they need your service again in the future. M. Ferletic, www.enterey.com

52. Under promise and over deliver. J. Gallacher, www.santacruzrehearsalstudios.com

53. Hire the professionals to do what you can’t excel at so you can use your time to do what you do best that generates income. Let them do the heavy lifting because they have the contacts and know-how. D. LeVie, Jr., www.kingscrownpublishing.com

54. Good writing and clear communication. Aim to write with clarity, correct grammar and punctuation; and whenever possible, with style. C. Sparks, www.holotropic.com

55. Network and leverage the resources of others with a win-win mindset. Ethically exploit the resources of other businesses, and share profits with them.  They understand joint ventures, strategic alliances and endorsed marketing deals. R. Brauer, www.prophet-marketing.com

56. Be outrageous.  Successful entrepreneurs are rarely run of the mill, boring or average. They approach business in a way so they ethically stand out in the minds of the market and the media. R. Brauer, www.prophet-marketing.com

57. Have a support system. Use the help of others to give you advice, provide a sounding board, and offer encouragement. Get into the habit of meeting regularly. J. Mounce, www.coacheffect.com

58. Bundle your services and products.  Make it easy for your customer to buy more from you by packaging complementary products. J. Crisara, www.contractorselling.com

59. Make sure you’re getting the best credit terms and discounts from suppliers. T. Anastasi, www.tomanastasi.com

60. Always stay caught up on your bookkeeping, bills and deliveries. J. Nielsen, www.myntstyle.com

61. Have a routine. Successful entrepreneurs create a routine of work that is consistent and fits with their lifestyle. D. Langton, www.langtoncherubino.com

62. Keep it simple. Write out business goals on one page. If you can’t communicate it to an employee or a business partner in one page, it’s too detailed – and no one will understand it. B. Leone, www.mrcopy.com

63. Surround yourself with highly motivated and talented people. B. Powell, www.yardshare.com

64. Put hard deadlines on a calendar, and to create a timeline of events that your customers, suppliers and prospects can hold you to. C. Goodwin, www.talkiscake.com

65. Don’t be afraid to fire the poor performers. C. Tuculescu, www.cosnet.com

66. Document procedures and processes, so that you don’t have to spend time training multiple people on the same thing. R. Bodon, www.onesmallstep.com

67. Make appointments with yourself. Block out time on your calendar for projects and don’t let anything move into that space; at least not without a conscious decision on prioritization. I. Miller, www.MentorMiller.com

68. Trust your gut. It feels things your brain does not. L. Taylor, www.nexgendigital.com

69. Know when to kill the idea. Abandon what doesn’t work or no longer works even if it once did. Don’t hang on to practices or business concepts because you are emotionally attached. C. Stewart, www.remarxmedia.com

70. Be a businessperson who wants to succeed. Don’t be a slave to your businesses; don’t work 20-hour days unless you’re under a tight deadline. Time isn’t always money, except when it is. K. Bretcher, www.brazenbutton.com

71. Persistence, persistence, persistence. The ability to face the myriad of obstacles that entrepreneurs will encounter, and continue to push forward, is the most critical (not the only) factor in success. G. Karwoski, www.creativepr.com

72. Ask for referrals and references regularly. The best leverage into new and varied business opportunities lies within the business you have done successfully already. M. Harris, www.aperturecapital.com

73. Look at everything from your clients’ perspective (it will help marketing). L. Aharoni, www.aqtext.com

74. Believe in your product or service. If you truly believe in what you do or sell and can convey that belief from the heart, others will too. Dr. R. Amicay, www.amicay.com

75. Listen to customers and adapt to changing needs and requirements. S. Donahue, www.skyya.com

76. Be Grateful. Always thank your customers, clients and even those who just act interested. Don’t try to sell anything when showing gratitude. K. Cahill, www.kriscahill.com

77. Collect e-mail addresses constantly and consensually. S. Dunseath, www.renoenvy.com

78. Keep the passion alive. Find things to stimulate you and challenge you so that you keep the passion for your profession alive. M. Verdin, www.verdinmarketing.com

79. Hustle. Constantly be on the lookout for story angles and places to tell your story (i.e. online, at events, to the press …anywhere).  N. Beckord, www.venturearchetypes.com

80. Establish a vision that you review daily and use as a touchstone to make fundamental decisions. G. Butler, www.butlerfitzgerald.com

81. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know,” and ask for help from seasoned council. T. Merrick, www.project7.com

82. Always keep an open mind (to new ideas, products, operational methods, etc.) V. Troyer, www.architecturalmailboxes.com

83. Have a willingness to learn from harsh feedback and mistakes made. E. Stutz, www.smoothsale.net

84. Do everything for yourself at least once. You gain valuable experience doing things for yourself. Afterwards, you can decide what is not core to your business success and outsource it. Dr. Z. Zguris, www.limetreecove.com

85. Show up. T. Scanlon, www.borgidacpas.com

86. Be consistent with your company’s image or else it will confuse and reduce your customer base. T. Hartl, www.sellingsunshinebook.com

87. Start with the easy stuff. It frees you up to focus on the tough problems by limiting distractions caused by other tasks. B. Law, www.primedesignsolutions.com

88. Follow up on every opportunity until you have an answer either way, meaning the customer has bought something, or ultimately says “no”. A. Sittig-Rolf, www.sittiginc.com

89. Block time for strategic planning and set time to check in on the business plan. K. Harad, www.newparentfinances.com

90. Pay bills and paychecks on time. Never being late on a bill is another big professional plus. Fast payments will foster loyalty with your employees and with anyone contracted for a project. C. Schexnyder, www.ohbabyfitness.com

91. Be the brand. You are your business. Everything you do reflects your brand. Protect it at all times. A.M. Blakeley, www.simplicitymastered.com

It’s a bummer that the hail has damaged the house, we now have holes in the siding again for the third time in about 4 years.  I have mixed emotions as I think about the insurance companies who will now have to pay out many claims for damage and the companies who’s livelihood depends, in part, on storms like these for business.  I don’t like having to go through the process of filing a claim and filling out the paperwork involved but it’s just a fact of life we have to deal with.

I think about how much this is like my business.  I love having the opportunity to create and I love the process that involves.  I don’t love all the paperwork required to make it all happen.  All that left brain stuff that makes my head spin.  But it’s necessary.  I understand how important it is because, without it, great things cannot happen.  My good friend, Rebecca Metz, has something coming soon that I can’t wait to share with you.  Something that will inspire you beyond belief and will show you truly why all that stuff we don’t love to do is so important.

Today, take a step moving forward.  Do something you don’t love to do and get it done OR, even better, find someone else to do it for you and outsource or delegate!  Wishing you a life full of many successes (and just a little hail).

“Oh, is that the yogurt drink that helps you live to 100?”

Yep, that’s pretty much the definition.  Kefir is a cousin of yogurt and, while I couldn’t drink the real stuff in Russia (too sour and awful-tasting), I do love the fruity kind they sell at Whole Foods.

When I bought some recently at Kroger, the checkout lady asked, “Is that the stuff that you drink and live to 100?”

Literally repeated the exact same words as before.  The checkout lady!

I’m sure you’re wondering, “What the heck does this have to with branding, or marketing or anything except living to 100?”

I’ll tell you: You want your brand to be like kefir.

Even though kefir is a commodity, we can use the way it’s described as a lesson for our own brands.

* Is your message clear?  It should be understood immediately – without diagrams, stories, explanations or Power Points.  “Live to 100?  I want that!”

* Is it compelling enough to get attention?  Seems like the whole “live to 100″ thing has caught on.  Where did that come from anyway?

* Is your message benefit-oriented?   Kefir has such a big benefit (live to 100) that people forget the features – runny yogurt, sour flavor, probiotics….

* Is your message concise?  We may bemoan the sound-bite attention span, but they sure are easy to learn and repeat. Our new barbeque grill has us chuckling “Stop, Drop and Roll” all the time now.  Concise for a reason, right?

* Is it consistent?  You may find it hard to believe that the same words are used to describe kefir every time someone mentions it.  But, interestingly, when my clients field customer surveys, they find the same words being used to describe them over and over!  When you find out what they are, you can use those words to describe your brand to prospects.  If you don’t like them, define your brand better and teach new ones.

Kefir’s reputation has become a kind of meme or ideavirus, passed through word-of-mouth almost word-for-word.

We business owners would love to have a message that catchy!
How to do that?

1.    Name the biggest benefit you deliver.  It’s doesn’t have to be immortality. My car insurance guy once walked from his office to a little fender-bender I had.  I tell that to everyone who asks me about him.  Yours may be about increasing revenues or self-esteem, helping people get the job they want or express their anger safely.

2.    Craft it into a concise sound-bite.  This is always harder if you don’t know the full message, so think first about whom you help, what problems you solve and the unique results you deliver.  Then you can whittle it down to a nugget like “the pain-free massage therapist.” I always say my favorite photographer takes the most beautiful photos that still look like you.

3.    Repeat it exactly, without variation.  Once you get the language you want, stay consistent.  Too often we get bored with a message we’ve heard repeatedly. But your prospects have not learned it yet – and won’t if you keep changing it!

I had a client whose brand message changed every meeting.  I realized he liked evolving, creating and changing it.  This is like putting a plant in your garden, then digging it up and moving it every day.  It may be alive, but it will never take root and flourish.

© 2010 Enlightened Marketing

“By Samantha Hartley of Enlightened Marketing. For effective marketing strategies that align with your values visit http://www.enlightenedmarketing.com/.”

Did you know they can live almost anywhere.  Who wouldn’t want a life where they can do whatever they want, whenever they want, wherever they want??  I know I’m doing my best to create a business that travels with me so I can enjoy my life in climates and conditions that I like best.  I can’t wait to take full advantage of that!  Squirrels tend to avoid high polar regions and the driest of deserts – can you blame them?  The land must support them.  They need to be able to find food and shelter.  We also need to have access to things that support us.  Family, friends, nourishment, etc.

Squirrels have excellent vision.  This is important since they always need to be on the lookout for food and for predators.   Now, I don’t spend a lot of time looking out for the same type of predator they look for (I seriously doubt a hawk or eagle is going to be able to swoop down and take me away), I do spend time looking for other types…mostly time wasters.  These little guys are so destructive to our success in life.  Always ask yourself, if what you are doing will get you closer to your goals.  If not, do you really want to spend your time that way?

Squirrels collect what they need and plan ahead for leaner times.  What a brilliant concept and yet so difficult for many of us.  Being self-employed, this is my biggest struggle – planning ahead while building a business to support my family.  Squirrels seem to understand this concept well and are always looking for food, even if they have plenty.

Squirrels are very hardworking, diligent and prudent.  They never, ever give up.  They make calculated decisions.  Have you ever watched a squirrel on a mission?  They try something and, if it doesn’t work, they try something else.  They seem to sit and think it through before deciding what route to take next.  It takes some work, even when we are in the flow, to move forward in life.  We must be diligent and not lose site of our goals.  We must make wise choices that are well thought out.  And, hopefully, it still feels fun most of the time (if not all of the time) for you.   Life doesn’t have to be painful.  Look at the squirrel.   Climbing and playing and chattering with others.  What a great life!

So, what causes procrastination?  We get into that rut when we over-think what we need to do instead of just getting to it.  The over-thinking is often caused by a fear of failure or not allowing enough time either because they waited until the last minute or because they haven’t thought through how much time it will actually take.  It can also happen when we “don’t feel like we are in the right mood”.

The bottom line is this…whatever the reason, it can hold you back in both your personal and professional life.  So, what can you do to move through it?  Keep your eye on the prize is one way to get through it.  What are your goals?  How are you going to accomplish them?  If you think of something else that you need to do, jot it down so you can free your mind to stay focused on the task at hand.  If you find something is promising to pull you away from what you are doing, ask yourself if it will help you accomplish your goals today.

And remember, the longer you wait, just like the cartoon says, the longer it takes to finish.  Dive it now and “get ‘er done”!

Any tips you can share on how you stay focused on and accomplish your goals?  Post them here.

One thing I do suggest highly is having some sort of free offer available to others to give them a taste of what you do and who you are.  This is a part of your marketing plan and well worth it to provide for people.  I love giving something away to those I connect with.  If you want to learn more about this, contact me at michele@lodestonedynamics.com or visit us at one of our upcoming Lodestone Group meetings.  In the meantime, check out this article I found talking about the very subject of giving away products and services.  Very timely!

Recently, Ning announced that they were laying off 70 staff and no longer going to provide their social networking platform as a freebie. Ning’s COO Jason Rosenthal said they would stop offering free services, forcing networks to either pay or move (http://ow.ly/1BNke). Although it is not unusual for us to hear about the need to downsize and tighten belts, it is unusual to hear about such a large social networking venue to suddenly charge you for what you become accustomed to and enjoyed having as a freebie.

Just what is the cost of providing services and products as freebies? First of all, just because you offer something for free doesn’t mean people will want it. Offering products and services at no cost can be tricky. Giving away products and services that you promote as “valuable” actually decreases in value the more you do it. Although one man’s junk is another man’s treasure, what’s the value in something that you can get anytime you want? Just how long can your business survive when you are giving away everything with everything?

How much is too much? What happens when you can no longer afford to give away your products and services? What do you do? Do you grandfather your existing clients with the freebies and only charge new clients? Do you abruptly stop providing the freebies and only provide the products and services that cost?

Providing sessions, teleclasses, products, books, etc. as freebies are all great ways to get your foot in the door but when it is done in excess and/or over time there are risks. Those risks could cost you more in the long run. The last thing you want clients and potential clients to feel is like they’ve just experienced the “bait and switch.”

3 ways to avoid the costly mistake of providing products and services for free:

1. Have a time limit. This will help let clients and potential clients know that it is only for a set period of time and that they can anticipate having to pay for those said products and services in the future. Even if you use the term “for a limited time” or “limited supply” it gives the viewer notice. They should understand that it might not be available or expect a cost at some point in the future.

2. Attach the free product or service to the purchase of a product or service. Create a win-win scenario by offering a “bonus” item to the purchase of a product or service. You get a sale, but the client gets something extra of value without you giving away the kitchen sink.

3. Use the free product or service as a platform they can upgrade from. Keep the freebie a bare bones type of thing and keep the bells and whistles as something of value that they should expect to pay for. Many technology platforms use this type of technique as seen in “basic, premium and platinum memberships” etc.

One final note, if you utilize and incorporate a product or service into your business that does not have a cost attached to it, weigh the pros and cons carefully and know that should the bill come in the mail one day, you will gladly pay it because it is an integral part of your business functionality and success.

A.Michelle Blakeley is the Founder and CEO of Simplicity, Inc.; a progressive small business development firm. She manages her clients’ business expectations and prevents information overload via Micro Business Therapy™ and Micro Business Action Plans. She is featured in Forbes.com and the Financial Post as one of 30 Women Entrepreneurs to Follow on Twitter, the host of Simple Truths for Women Entrepreneurson BlogTalkRadio.com and author of the NEW e-book: “Get it Right and Move Along… a collection of practical tips, tools and techniques for small business owners.”

It is true that having someone else tell me when something needs to be complete and then checking in, can help when someone is as easily distracted as I can be.  I usually have several projects going on at a time.  Right now I actually have 29 (yes, you read that right) web pages open along with Photoshop, Outlook, Quicken, Word, oh and my printer needs ink and the reminder is up on my screen, AND last but not least, my Blackberry Desktop Manager program.   Perhaps that gives you a better understanding of my mind and how it works (yep, painful at times).

So you can imagine my delight when I received a newsletter from Marcy at Coaching Toys/The Product Mentor where she highlighted some great planning tools that are actually available at no charge!  I love this and I thought you might too.  I think my fav is the Productivity Jumpstarter so far.  Nice and easy to use!  Let me know what you think of these tools…

I shared a little bit on Facebook last night about how I got lost in the middle of nowhere heading home after a class in WI.  It was late, it was dark and I was tired.  It was all I could do to stay focused on the prize of getting home instead of losing it.  Before I went to the class, I had a nudge to print the directions on Mapquest in reverse…a nudge I obviously ignored.  I thought I’ll be fine, I’m used to following directions, I can figure it out to get back home.

Well, most of the time that’s true.  I’m pretty well versed on the art of following directions but every once in a while, I need that extra help and guidance and this was definitely one of those times.  You’ll be happy to know that I did make it home, in one piece and not too crabby.  I found a nice man at a gas station who gave me directions to get back to the highway (side note:  how come gas station attendants never seem to know where they are??).  Lastly, don’t give up.  I was so frustrated and was on the verge of losing it when that man appeared and gave me exactly what I needed.  Most businesses give up, right before the turning point would have happened where they can experience the success they desire.

Don’t give up on your dream!

How do you network?  What organizations are you a part of that you enjoy?  I’d love to hear about them.

In some ways it seems odd to me that someone would leave me, abandon me, because I’m doing well or get a great opportunity in my life but jealousy is a powerful thing.  Unhappiness is a powerful thing.  I’ve made choices myself from these places that I would not have otherwise made.  So I guess what I’m trying to say is that I understand.  Understand, yes, but it doesn’t make it easier to have people leave.  It has unfortunately created the belief “If I’m too successful, I will be alone.  Everyone will leave me.  They always do.”  Not a belief I choose to continue to have.

So here I am today.  I’ve done healing work around this belief and now it’s time to bring in the “act as if” as I call it.  This is the piece that I often think is missing in the healing journey for people.  We heal some aspect of our being but continue to live as if we are still a victim, still carry a belief, still don’t feel worthy.  What would happen if we acted as if we were no longer a victim, no longer carried that negative belief, felt worthy beyond imagination?   What would be possible??  Or perhaps an easier question…what wouldn’t be possible?  The answer?  Nothing.   Everything would be possible!

So back to today, the first of many risks I hope.  The first of many acting as if it safe to be seen, acting as if it’s ok to take advantage of opportunities that come into my life, acting as if everyone who cares about me will be happy for me.  Today, I had the opportunity to be a part of the production of an upcoming commercial due to air in January for Minnesota School of Business and Globe University and I jumped on the chance.  I spent the morning down in their production studio behind big, hot lights talking about the things I really enjoy about school.  It was so much fun!  I was hardly aware of all the lights and cameras as I shared from my heart what I love most.  Deep in the back of my mind, I knew I was doing something that would become a part of something bigger soon.  A commercial to air on TV beyond the boundaries of my home, of Elk River, of even Minnesota.  How’s that for choosing to be seen today?!

We are all supposed to get a copy when the piece is edited and I will definitely share with everyone.  I’m done hiding.  I’m ready to live as if I love to be seen, love to be in the limelight and I’m not worried about what relationship will come to an end because of it.  Wish me luck…and join me if you like.  How would you live today if you are living as if you are not a victim, your life is not filled with drama, you are worthy, you do enough because you are enough or whatever other poison thought have slowly crept into your psyche over the years?  What thought or belief are you willing to give up so you can live your best life possible starting now?

http://mashable.com/2009/11/14/small-business-video/

In this episode, Plankton was trying to get Spongebob to make Crabby Patties for him.  Where I took notice was when Spongebob was explaining that the environment didn’t feel right for him to cook.  He told Plankton that he was used to cooking on a certain kind of stove so Plankton got him the stove.  Spongebob was so excited but found that he still couldn’t cook the Crabby Patties.  He told Plankton that he was used to cooking in a certain area of the room so Plankton offered to move the stove for him.  This little guy began to push the big stove around the room, following Spongebob’s lead and direction.  He ended up right back where he started, but much more sweaty and out of breath.

I went back to what I was working on but a little while later, I looked up at the TV and saw that Plankton had re-created the exact kitchen that Spongebob was used to cooking in and yet, still Spongebob couldn’t seem to cook the Crabby Patties.

How often in life do you find yourself looking outside for the answers?  How often do you find yourself saying “if only….”?  How many times do you feel like the conditions are not quite right – that something is off?

I don’t know what happened in the rest of the episode of Spongebob but what I do know is he really didn’t want to cook those Crabby Patties and he was looking for reasons outside of himself as to why – things for Plankton to “fix”.  The beauty is, he had the answers inside all along.

Much like Spongebob, you have all the answers you need inside.  If you spend all your time searching outside for them, you will NEVER find them.  Spend some time today going within.  Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and ask what is it you need to know today.  Then take action.

Let me know what comes up for you…

Make it a wonderful day!

In all of my research, education and experience, it boils down to this.   Customers love consistency.  They need it.  We often think they like change such as flyers that look new and fresh each time.  The truth is – they don’t.  Think about major companies like Northwest and Delta who merge.  These two companies took months to make the transition and Northwest just recently took the Delta name and logo.  They let their customers know for months that they would be making changes long before they actually made them.  If they hadn’t, they ran the risk of losing many customers.

It doesn’t matter what field you are in, customers don’t like change and any change must be implemented gradually to be effective.  Having the same look to your brochures, flyers,  website, etc.  creates branding and customers begin to identify with that brand.  Even a color change can cause confusion.

When you develop your marketing plan,  come up with a look you are comfortable sticking with.  Include design elements such as where your logo shows up and the colors that you use  every time in everything you print.  One of the things I did when I worked at Elk River Parks and Recreation was have templates created so all flyers were consistent in their appearance.  I highly recommend this, not just for marketing, but also because it saves time in the creation process and fewer details are overlooked.  To be honest, it’s one thing I haven’t done in my current business that I will be implementing here soon.   I’m not sure why I haven’t because I know how much easier it makes everything.

Additionally, take a look at the next several months or even the next year.  What advertising opportunities do you have that you can always do?  Do you have a calendar of events on your website that you keep current?  Do you take out an ad, not once in a while, but on a regular basis in the local paper?  Do you send out a newsletter regularly?  Whatever you include in your marketing plan, include it without fail.  People will come to expect it and watch for it.  Partnered with consistent looking materials, they will begin to recognize your brand and take notice every time they see you somewhere.  Over time, you’ll be able to watch your numbers improve in all your opportunities.

Many of us automatically jump to the thought of money when we hear the word wealth.  I know I do. Or at least I did.  When my friend, Cathy, and I decided to co-facilitate a Commanding Wealth Circle I struggled with the name because I didn’t want people to think it was all about money.  Yes, money is a part of it.  We need it to live and enjoy some of life’s pleasures (although many pleasures are free).  I actually pulled out the dictionary as I was creating flyers for the group.  That’s when I saw how expansive the word “wealth” can be.  It’s just how we choose to define it for ourselves.

I am reminded of a story I heard once about a “wealthy” man and his son.  The man wanted to teach his son how lucky he was and thought he could do this by showing the son how poor people live.  They went to the country and spent some time on a farm with a family that would be considered quite poor.

At the end of the trip, the father asked his son what he thought.  The son had a great time and told his father that what he learned was this:

• They have one dog and the family had four.
• They have a pool and the family has a creek that goes on forever.
• They have lanterns in their garden and the family has stars in the sky.
• They have a piece of land and the family has fields that go farther than the eye can see.
• They buy their food and the family grows their own.
• They have walls to protect them and the family has friends.

The son then said to his father, “Thank you for showing me how poor we are.”

It’s all perspective.  Everything in life is that way.  We get to choose how we want to define everything in our world.  It’s both a blessing and curse – depending on your perspective.  Which will you choose?

For more information on the Commanding Wealth Circles, visit our website.

If you Twitter, think about using Hootsuite.com, a free site that allows you (among other things) to schedule out your tweets. This makes it a lot easier to be consistent – a very important piece of effective social media.  They just upgraded it and it has several new features.

Also, on Facebook there is a great Twitter application. When you install the application. It allows you to Tweet right from Facebook AND when you Tweet from anywhere, your Tweets show up on Facebook as a status update. But if you want to be able to be selective, try the Selective Twitter app.  This will only publish the tweets with #fb at the end of them.  This is a great way to manage your social media more effectively.

Most experts in social media will tell you to pick one platform and stick with it until you get really good.  Then add another if you choose.  These two tips will allow you to do both Facebook and Twitter without much extra work.  Let me know how it goes…

It pays to play to your strengths. But how do you pinpoint the areas that will increase revenue and earn you more money? Simple: by following the Pareto Principle. Developed by Italian economist and sociologist Vilfredo Pareto, this short, simple rule states that 80% of our results come from 20% of our activity.

You may have heard that we wear 20% off of our clothes 80% of the time, and the same 80/20 rule applies to business. For instance, 80% of your sales come from 20% of your customers. Conversely, 80% of your complaints come from 20% of your customers and 80% of the profits made in your industry come from 20% of the companies. The exact percentages may vary, perhaps 75% and 25% instead of 80% and 20%, but the concept remains the same.

By identifying customers and areas that are most valuable to you and your business, you can boost your bottom line without working longer or harder. In fact, you’ll be working smarter. At the same time as you’re finding your most profitable areas, you also need to think about those customers or products that are not performing well and may actually be dragging down you and your business.

For instance, if you own a secondhand music store, you probably have some inventory that is flying off the shelves and other products that just aren’t selling, no matter how low you price them. By dividing your products in categories (perhaps by music genre), you could see which items your customers are buying and which ones you should stop carrying. By matching your products to customer demand, you’ll be able to turn over inventory more quickly and make more money, all without adding more square footage or spending more money on advertising.

Here are some areas to consider in your own business:

*Employees – Who is your rock star salesperson and what you can you do to help them achieve even better results? Also, who is underperforming and might they be better suited to other tasks? Both are important considerations.

*Customers Calculate how much revenue you’re getting from each customer and subtract the cost of administrative time or other costs to maintain that relationship. Once you’ve figured out which customers are in your top 20%, you can make some strategic decisions about how to better meet their needs.

*Markets – If you sell products to different markets, evaluate these markets with the same principle you used for evaluating your customers. The markets that are earning you the most money should become obvious, so you can start examining the direction in which the company is headed.

Once you’ve identified areas that aren’t paying off, you have to be ruthless and kick them to the curb. Your business cannot flourish if you’re spending valuable time and resources on customers or products that are unprofitable. Once you make the strategic decision to cull wasted space and focus on areas that earn more money, you’ll have a much better chance of surviving, and even flourishing, in a competitive business environment.

© 2009 Ali International, LLC

Self-made multimillionaire entrepreneur Ali Brown is devoted to creating financial freedom for women globally through the power of entrepreneurship. To learn how to create wealth and live an extraordinary life now, register for her free weekly articles at www.AliBrown.com

But then, Michele, since everything comes back to you anyway, can there ever be too much?

I love you too much anyway,
The Universe

Want your own messages from the Universe? Visit tut.com.

I used to think I wanted to shut it off until someone asked me one day during a healing session if that’s what I really wanted.  It only took a second for me to realize I didn’t.  I LOVE all the ideas that come to me.  I LOVE learning.  I LOVE it all!  I’m so grateful she asked me that or I may have spent the rest of my life trying to shut it off.

So, where am I at today?  Where am I not would probably be a quicker answer but I’ll give you just the highlights and try to keep it short.

Tomorrow I start school.  I can’t wait.  Every couple of hours here at home today I pop my head around the corner and asking my family if they know what tomorrow is.  They say no or Monday and then I say, “It’s a school day!”  Can you tell how excited I am?!  First on my agenda?  Learning all about color theory.  Well, second.  First I tested out of one of my classes because I felt I knew most of what the class would cover.  They said I was the first one to try testing out of this class and pass!  Yeah me!

Many of you know I spent 15 years in parks and rec.  I left in part because I really wanted to be able to offer programs and services that I am passionate about.  Not ones that someone else told me I had to offer.  Now I’m doing that.  The other thing I loved doing for parks and rec was marketing and graphic design.  That’s what I’m going back to school for!  I know I have some skills and I could gain more on the internet or in an occasional class here or there but I really want structure – the most missed component of having a 9 to 5 job.   It’s great to be able to work in my pjs on the couch and to decide when to schedule things and I still crave some structure.

It will also create a network of people who are passionate about the same thing for me.  I have this for the other aspects of who I am but not so much for people who love designing.  I am also really excited to be the student here and connect with other students too!

The theme here?  I saw that I wanted/needed something and I figured out how to make it happen and I did it!

What is it that you want?

What are you willing to do to make it happen?

When you see a roadblock/obstacle, what do you do?  Do you give up or find a way to go around it?

I’d love to hear from you…please leave a comment!