This is a question that I seem to be asking a lot lately.  To whom, you might ask?  To the many that are venturing online or perhaps have been online with their businesses but have yet to do anything.  When asked their response is a bit muffled but the end result is that they are waiting for perfection.  Ahem, perfection?

If we all waited for perfection, we would never get started!  Many will say, ‘but my site’s not quite finished’ or ‘I don’t have enough content’ or ‘I need a bit more time or experience’ or ‘My video isn’t quite right’ and ‘_____________’ you can fill in the blank.  To them I say, get up and do it!

If you can’t figure it out yourself, then find someone that can help you.  The point is that you shouldn’t be waiting for perfection.  Quite honestly it may never be perfect.  But what is imperfect for you, may seem perfect for someone else.

In order to succeed in your business or in life for that matter, you must be willing to take the chance.  Can you imagine if Steve Jobs hesitated with his ideas or worse yet, if he waited until all was perfect?  Yeah, you know where I’m going with that one!  Just do it!! For some, or for many we will learn as we go.  Ever heard of on-the-job training? Why should your business be any different.  It doesn’t have to be different, it just has to be ‘yours’.  No one can get in your head and take out your expertise, that is up to you.

You already have the knowledge on what you would like to share, or teach or sell, etc.  Instead of waiting, start today!  If you don’t have a website, start with a simple page or even a free site.  Get your feet wet and notice that you will be fine.  Connect with others online via social networks and ask questions.  Most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask questions.  You may find that you are not alone with your fears of imperfection and actually find folks that can help you and guide you.  So, what are you waiting for?

Take your brain to the bank? You’ve probably heard me say this on more than one occasion but had no idea what I meant well, let me explain.  In the internet marketing world or in the business world as a whole we as entrepreneurs search for ways to build our business or perhaps start a business.  Many will research to discover the latest trends and morph with the trends.  Some however like me, will use the knowledge that we have to build our business.  Still confused? Let me explain.  Instead of trying to learn something new to keep up with the latest trends, why not use the knowledge you already have to build a business?  Not only will it be easier but it will be noticed by the public.  For instance, if you have knowledge in the exercise field and can share that knowledge in the form of print, audios or videos that is taking your brain to the bank.

Use the knowledge you already have and build upon that, also known as informational marketing. Discover ways that you can build upon your knowledge and find unique ways to share that knowledge.  Some individuals are great teachers and can calmly and patiently take you by the hand and teach you what you desire.  Those individuals can also be classified as coaches or mentors.  They are using the knowledge they have acquired to help build their business and helping others do the same.  Just as a fitness instructor or trainer teaches individuals different exercise techniques, you can do the same.

You must first determine what target market or who your audience will be.  Once that is determined, reach out to them via social media platforms or in person if working offline.  Folks will not merely find you if you decide to start a website or blog.  You must market yourself and find them.  Once you have done that, you can begin to share the knowledge you have and take your brain to the bank.  Make sense?  Taking your brain to the bank will also help in filling your stadium.  Oh yeah, remember that?  We are developing a program that will help you do just that- fill your stadium with your target market and audience.  Details will be shared soon.  Until then, don’t try to be someone that you are not.  Each one of you is special and has a special talent that can be used to build your business.  Determine what that is and go do it!

In any type of business whether offline or online it is essential to build a rapport.  Not just any rapport will do today, building a social rapport is just as important.  Now you may be wondering what I mean by that well, let me tell you.  Social networking is essential in any business and as I have mentioned it truly isn’t anything new, merely the way it is approached is new.  Referrals has always been a quintessential means to building your business and building your rapport as well.  Online social rapport is a bit more difficult but it is possible.

When you meet a person you are able to build a rapport by your words, your look, your outward appearance and essentially by the people who speak about you.  Your social rapport is essentially built in the same manner.  Some may be intrigued with your mannerisms and your approach to building your business while others will not be.  We will only try to focus on those who are intrigued. Let’s face it, we can not please everyone so why try?  It is important to not forget who you are!  Your social rapport is closely rapped into who you are, and who you are trying to portray both online and offline.  The essence of your social rapport will come from the REAL you!  Are you trying to help others? Are you truly concerned with them?  Are you trying to build a relationship? Or are you merely trying to make easy money?  Yes, I said it!  If you are merely trying to make money, let me tell you that you may make it but not for long.

The most successful people I know are concerned with who they help.  They are concerned with the individual, not the dollar signs attached to such individual.  Building a social rapport, is essentially building a harmonious relationship.  A relationship that will benefit both, not merely one.  What are you doing to build your social rapport?  Having difficulties?  No need to worry, that is what I am here for.  Because of this very reason, I am developing a wonderful system that will help you build your relationships that will lead to — filling your stadium.  Yes, you too can be a ROCK STAR!!  For now, concentrate on being YOU, and not trying to be something or someone that you are NOT!  Believe me, it won’t work and if it does, it won’t last.

That is a question that many ask themselves and of others daily. Can social media help me? Can social media help me with my business? How can social media help me? And the list goes on and on.  The simple answer is ‘YES’ if done correctly.

It can be extremely overwhelming the thought of starting out on the many social media platforms.  However, if you take it slowly it can be easily achieved.  Notice the word I used – slowly. Begin with one social networking platform then move on to another.  All too often many will want to take the short cuts to achieve greatness but is that truly possible? Can a surgeon take a short cut?  How about an electrician? Well, neither can YOU!  In every profession there is a road you must travel to achieve the knowledge and necessary experience to achieve the greatness you desire.  Notice how I mention the ‘greatness you desire’.  Let’s look at this concept a bit deeper.

If you are entering the social media world with the wrong intentions then you will not succeed.  Sure, you will gain the numbers necessary to ‘look’ successful, but honestly that is not what it’s all about.  In the social media world just like in the offline world, it’s all about making the connections and building relationships.  When you decide that relationships are more important than numbers then you will notice a difference.  You will become more attractive to others and others will begin to notice.

So, yes social media can help you succeed in both your online and offline business if it is approached in an honest manner.  No one wants to connect to a ‘fake’ person.  The truth is hard to hide and eventually it will surface.  Be You, Be Determined! Don’t be afraid to show the ‘Real You’!

In the last post we discussed choosing your circle of influence and how to make wise decisions.  Today I will discuss how such influences should not be allowed to sway you.  What exactly does that mean?  For many of us, our circle of influence is composed mainly of online friends.  With that said, many of those will attempt to sway you; perhaps not maliciously but it happens.  Many times the reason some will succeed in the swaying is because you were unsure to start with.

Now pay attention here! You must be fully certain of your intentions and when you are, there will be no swaying involved.  The decisions you make will be confirmed by the results that may or may not occur.  Yes, some results will not be ones you are happy with but that is a huge part of it all.  The decisions you make must be ones that you are ultimately happy with.  If you are happy with such decisions, the results will be positive ones.  You’re probably wondering, what I’m talking about, right? Let me explain a bit further.

In our lives we all make decisions, whether in business or personal we ultimately have a choice.  In business we tend to ask a lot of questions, or at least we should and engage with others who may have more experience that us.  While we are in the searching mode, we are easily influenced.  Mainly because we are trying to succeed in a particular area.  What is the most important part of it all is that we must stop searching outwardly and determine what it is that we, meaning YOU, want to do.  When you determine what it is you want to do all else will make sense.  Too often we are swayed by the glamour and glitz and end up being unhappy.  If you decide that you want to have a product or service and truly believe in it, then others will too.  Others will believe because they will see, feel and sense your true intentions, your true passion and drive.

So, with all of this, I want to remind you not to be easily swayed.  Learn from your mistakes and those of others.  Determine who you are, what you want to do and simply DO IT!  Be You, Be Determined and Do it loudly for all to hear!

PS. Coming soon Fill Your Stadium workshop, watch for details.

As we continue to dive deeper into filling your stadium with cheering fans we need to truly focus on our circle of influence. More importantly the people we are associating with or aspiring to work with.  Sometimes we will get associated with folks that may not be the particular group that is right for us.  Reminds me when I was growing up and my momma telling me that I need to choose my friends wisely.  Why? Because all too often we are judged by the company we keep.

With that in mind, how are you building your circle of influence?  Are you truly looking for those that are acting in the manner you want to emulate? The time is now to focus on your life and your business.  Anything you do in your life can affect your business and vice versa.  In order to fill your stadium with adoring fans you must determine what and who you are and how you can help others.

Consider the following when choosing your circle of influence which will in turn not only empower you but will also allow you to get more done:

• Determine your strengths and weaknesses – this is a biggie when building your circle and truly accepting help or guidance.  Make a list of items that you can easily do without thought or hesitation and a list of items that require more of your time, energy and may be over all draining.  Once this is determined you can easily assign the more grueling tasks to others, freeing up your time to items that will enhance your life and business.

• Don’t be afraid to show and tell – in order for knowledge to be powerful, it must be put into action.  To build your team, and audience as well as your circle you must be willing to share.  It is important to share with others what you have found to be helpful, whether it is a service that will help them or a book that may encourage them.

• Choose wisely - we all have a choice and of course must live by our choices.  However, by truly listening and researching we will find the right group that will work for us to reach our goals.  If the goal is to have more time or to work more effectively, then it is a choice you must make and many times that involves letting go.  Believe me, it may be difficult at first but when you do let go, you will notice that it was all that was required to truly succeed.

PS. Coming soon, more information on filling your stadium.

In life we are taught that in order to get what you want you must work hard for it, or simply persuade others to help you. Some may feel that tasks or projects will only be effectively accomplished if they do it themselves, yet others understand the concept of delegation and working as a team. Yet in order to have a successful business we must be able to have clients or customers. The act of persuasion works in both aspects, building a successful business and finding team members to help build a successful business together.

When the word persuasion is mentioned many will mistake it for manipulation.  In fact, there is a huge difference between the two. Manipulation many times involves tricking others, where persuasion is seen as influencing others. Do you remember going shopping for your first car?Now think back to the salesman..was he or she pushy or helpful? Were they knowledgeable or just in the market to sell, sell, sell?  The pushy one may be classified as manipulative and the knowledgeable one more honest and caring, hence persuasive.  Do you see where I’m going with this?  Below let’s look at some tips that will help you:

• Be positive – It is important to be positive in your approach which borders on arrogant.  No one wants to work with anyone that is arrogant.  Being positive and caring is essential in any relationship.
• Be professional – Does this need to mentioned? The answer is ‘yes’!  It is very important to be professional whether in person or speaking via the telephone.  Addressing the individual appropriately and with respect is essential. Most importantly instead of selling, consider sharing and why working with you may be beneficial to them.
• Be honest – If you are not able to help a prospective client in the capacity that they require, be honest and tell them.  Consider referring them to someone that can help them.  Yes, you read that correctly. Referring to someone else that you believe can help will not only show your professionalism and concern, it will show your prospective client that you are truly interested in their well being and not the dollar signs. The results from this simple action are indeed rewarding in the end.
• Build trust – Ultimately your goal is to gain the trust of the person you are speaking to.  Listen to their needs and share how you can help them.  Give them examples of how you can help them and assure them that you have their best interest in mind.  This trust will lead to a relationship, and if you read my last post will know that building a relationship is essential in the business world. Let’s face it, the internet allows us to meet many different individuals from different areas of the world and building trust is essential to succeeding in business no matter where you are located.

Now it’s your turn. Take these tips and build up your persuasion techniques to build relationships online and offline.

Do you find yourself wondering why people are not visiting your site, calling for consults, purchasing your products, or worse yet, not finding you at all?  Perhaps you may need to learn the art of persuasion.  Now, don’t misunderstand me, I’m not talking about stalking your target market or audience or worse yet, spamming them with emails, and phone calls.

Let’s think back to when we were in high school, do you remember the good looking guy or girl that you simply wanted to talk to or get noticed by?  How did you go about it? Did you send him notes or perhaps had your friends talk to him about you?  The same applies in business.  The art of persuasion in business is one that is perfected by the most successful entrepreneurs.  They know their target market or audience and set out to find a way to connect with them.

With the internet and the birth of social networks online, the art of persuading has become a bit easier.  However, we still must be careful with how we set out to do it.  By simply connecting with individuals you’d like to work with online can get you noticed.  Better yet, having others who have worked for you, sing your praises is another form of persuasion.  Convincing your market that you are responsible and one that can be trusted will be evident in your demeanor and your work.  With the use of videos and audios, people can get to know a bit more about you, hence becoming attracted to you and your services or products.

We all know that doing business with people that we know is much easier than doing business with complete strangers.  So, let’s practice, and use your imagination and creativity when trying to persuade a new venture.  Don’t be the pushy salesy type, because quite simply that is a complete turn-off.  Instead consider a free consult to get to know your prospective client, be sure to share as much information about your services or products as possible via online means or via flyers or brochures.  Use enticing language instead of the pushy, in-your-face tactics and you will be successful in your ventures.  Are you using the art of persuasion to your benefit? Share some tips that have worked for you in your business.

For those considering outsourcing in their online business, the goal is to create a more profitable company while streamlining the owner’s work. Taking the time to avoid common outsourcing mistakes will make the process go much smoother and avoid the feeling that you are spinning your wheels and getting nowhere. Or to quote Nicole Dean of Common Sense Outsource Tips “You must plan your outsourcing wisely. Otherwise, you’re simply throwing money into the wind.”

As with any part of business, outsourcing has its good and bad points, however if you are aware of the potential problems before hand, you increase your chances of an enjoyable experience.

Here are 5 potential outsourcing mistakes every online business owner should be aware of, in order to avoid making them.

1. Not Knowing Who You Are Dealing With

Most business owners who outsource will tell you the biggest benefit of doing so is the fact that their assistants work remotely. The number one problem when it comes to outsourcing, though, is not thoroughly checking out the contractor or company who will be performing the work.

Keep in mind that sometimes this independence can work in the opposite direction if not taken seriously. Make it a point to carefully interview the people you are considering working with before assigning a task or project to them. The person or company should be someone you can trust to represent your business.

2. Non-Communication between Owner & Assistant

Whether you are outsourcing tech support, writing, web design or something else, there is a great deal of effort needed in order to keep the lines of communication open. If you allow your workers to do work for you without communicating your goals and what it is that you need, you will find that they your work will not be done as you’d hoped. Assistants are not mind-readers and do need guidance.

Take some time to make sure that you and the people you outsource to understand your expectations. This is an important part of making sure that you get what you need.

3. Forgetting to Budget Wisely

In order for outsourcing to work properly, you’ll need to keep a good eye on what you are spending for the work being done. While some projects will require single payments to your assistant, others may involve recurring or retainer payments and you will more than likely have some type of contract or agreement that binds you.

Some of your assistants may charge by the hour while others may invoice by project or expect payment based on a commission of some sort. Take the time to figure out how much money you can afford to spend on certain tasks and budget appropriately.

4. Under Utilizing Your Contractor & Their Resources

When you choose to outsource certain tasks, make certain you are using your assistant to their fullest capabilities and not just outsourcing for the sake of outsourcing or splitting up work between two assistants when it makes more sense to have one handle both jobs. Sometimes you can find freelancers who are willing to work on a recurring basis or who will complete larger projects at a reduced rate in order to get and keep your business.

Don’t be afraid to ask potential contractors if they have room for more than just one or two jobs and don’t outsource something just to say that you’re on the outsourcing wagon.

5. Misunderstanding Your Role as the Outsourcer

As the one doing the outsourcing, you need to understand your role. In order for the relationship between business owner and assistant to flourish, you’ll want to keep the lines of communication not only open, but clear as well. Be detailed in what you expect from your help.

Also keep in mind that you are probably not their only client and as much as you would love to have them all to yourself, that probably isn’t the case. Be respectful of their time and give feedback on their work. This will help them do a better job and respect your time in return.

Making yourself aware of possible problems that often occur in the outsourcing relationship now allows your business to grow by leaps and bounds. Don’t be afraid to start your outsourcing journey, especially that you are now better prepared to do so.

Outsource? Of Course! Get started now at Common Sense Outsource Tips

Our biggest block in starting online efforts is NOT knowledge, market interest, expertise or passion about something…it is TYPICALLY:

1. LACK of time to develop our ideas
2. LACK of understanding of all the technology
3. LACK of hours in the day to implement both #1 and #2 — right?

Today is the first of a series of articles on GETTING it done by OUTSOURCING!

YES! I am aware John Reese just promoted a huge product launch around this topic. YES! I am aware that Jeff Mills and Rachel Rofe and scads of others have big ticket products on this very issue…this is NOT THAT!

My BOSS inner circle group was privvy to an Expert call with Nicole Dean this week and the feedback was so awesome, I thought we’d do an article series. So THERE you have it A non-guru; an anti-big wig; a mom who makes 6 figures online because of outsourcing! LOVE IT!

(uncross your arms, don’t roll your eyes…I’m not talking about ‘staff or employees or a big team…’ — just read some of these tips over the next few days and see if you don’t change your mind and UNBLOCK your progress!)

Carrie Wilkerson
The Barefoot Executive

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5 Benefits of Outsourcing for Online Business Owners

When you are in business for yourself, especially one that is conducted online, you’ll find there are a number of different things for you to learn about that can save you time and make you money. Outsourcing is by far one of the more exciting things to discover and put to use.

All too common is the business owner who feels they have to do everything themselves in order for things to go smoothly in their online venture. This couldn’t be farther from the truth! In case you’re curious about why so many online business owners are singing the praises of outsourcing, keep reading to see just five of the many benefits it can obtain.

More Value for Your Time

When you own an online business, one of the most important things to remember is how much your time is really worth. When you think about the dull or repetitive tasks that you are doing, you’ll find this work is not worth your high per hour price tag! When you outsource, you’ll pay someone else to take care of those responsibilities while you give attention to the more important, money-making projects.

Saving Resources

Think about everything that goes into the tasks that you would outsource. This will range from things like your time and space to costs such as Internet and software. After awhile all of these costs add up. For instance, graphics software can get quite expensive. If you are outsourcing an activity, you get more than just the task itself out of the way. You will also get someone who specializes in areas of your business that you may not know quite as well as or have no desire to learn. More than likely these people will already have the tools needed to complete their assignment. Depending on the project, this might save you money and learning time. This brings me to the next benefit of outsourcing.

Going to the Experts

The tasks you are outsourcing might not be ones that you have no desire to learn about, whether they are troubleshooting, manufacturing, taking orders, website design and maintenance, or something else. By handing the work over to an expert who enjoys and makes it their business to know these things, you’ll be able to take advantage of their knowledge in the area without having to learn it yourself. This in turn will give your customers or clients more than you could possibly give them yourself.

Expand

When you outsource, you will soon realize that you are in a great place when it comes to getting more involved with your business. You will be able to expand and provide everything your customers need. Outsourcing frees you up to try new things with your business, learn more and experience new aspects of your industry.

Accountability

When you outsource, you will have a contract with the person or company you are working with. By having someone else who is depending on work from you, you are more apt to stay ahead of the game by planning better and making sure that you’re tasks are getting completed as well.

When you first begin learning about and implementing outsourcing techniques within your business, you’ll find out those boring or repetitive tasks can easily be handed off to someone who enjoys doing them. This will allow you, as the business’ owner, to free up more time to concentrate on more important aspects of your business such as product creation, advertising, networking and other marketing practices.

These are the things that will help your business to grow even more profitable.

Are you a slave to your Online Business? Break the chains.

Check out ==> Outsource Tips Weekly <== to find out how!

Stay tuned for Part 2 in this series!!

Carrie