Step 2 of Viral Movie Promotion - Press Release & Pay Per Post

You all know about my new movie, What a Mother is Worth — that has tens of thousands of views already. 

But, now I am exploring the question — how do you promote a viral movie?  How do you get the thing to "go viral?"  Read more

Why Are You Doing Everything Yourself? by guest Alexandria K. Brown

One problem I often see with solo professionals is that their businesses aren’t growing because they’re simply not making enough time to do it!

It’s not that they don’t understand the value of those efforts, or they don’t WANT to make the time. It’s that they’re simply trying to do too much by themselves. They’re so busy running their business that they’re not working ON their business. Read more

Parenting Rule #1: Don’t Let Your Daughter Near Your Wallet

Wow, that statement works on multiple levels. 

Last Friday my 2-year old somehow got a hold of my wallet-purse and decided to reorganize my credit cards and business cards.  In the process, she somehow misplaced my main personal credit card, and my personal check card.  She only had it for a few minutes, right next to me on the sofa, so you would think I would be able to find the cards. 

No. Read more

Secrets of an Entrepreneur: Move Fast

What’s one of the differences between a business owner and an entrepreneur? An entrepreneur moves FAST.

The universe loves speed. The faster you sort through choices, commit to a decision, and take action, the more opportunities will come to you. No one ever knows if the decision is the right one — it’s always just an experiment, just a test — but each decision, each action, each opportunity will take you closer to the BIG ONE, the one brilliant idea that will take you from five figures to six, or from six figures to a million dollar business.

Let me give you an example. Google came out with a new radio advertising program a little while ago. I thought, hum, that’s an interesting idea, I don’t know if radio would work for my business, but this would be an easy way to try. So I paid $300 to a company (found through the Google radio site) to create a 30-second spot to promote my free Special Report, How to Avoid the Top 10 Money Mistakes. I created a soft squeeze page www.top10moneymistakes.com, for the ad, so I could track the results. Then I spent $200 on the ad running in California for a week.

What happened? There were about 150,000 impressions (pairs of ears) who heard my ad …  6 people came to the webpage, and only 1 person signing up for the Special Report and eZine. That’s a conversion rate of .00006%!! How hilarious!

But now I know that radio did not work, probably because a short radio ad does not work for this type of business, unless I spent a ton of $$ running the ad a zillion times. But I never would have known without testing. (and, I’m thinking I may now run a test on internet radio with the same ad, since people may click more if they are already on their computer …)

Example #2: Last November I heard about a company that created and launched viral movies. They had a special, that if I committed ASAP I could sign on for 2006 rates (their current rates are $1500 more!). I took out my credit card and signed up.

Six months later, on June 21st, my movie was launched. In just the first 12 hours or so, 30,000 people viewed the movie, and 1200 people signed up for my Special Report and eZine. Not only is that a good conversion rate (4%), that was an amazing number of people to sign up in one day! I’m so glad I spent that money, and I plan to do more viral projects in the future.

But if I had waited, then I would not have been able to get the lower rate. And, it would have been months (or years) until my movie would have launched.

So if you see opportunity coming your way … jump on it.  Just make sure you also measure your conversion rates and your return on investment.

3 Lessons I Learned from The Great Bear Roller Coaster by Guest Blogger Christine Kloser

This past weekend I had a blast with my family at Hershey Park. As season pass holders we visit the park all the time. But, this time I learned a few surprising lessons about my business (and my life) when I decided to go on the Great Bear roller coaster. (Yes, that photo is the exact coaster I went on… dangling nearly 100 feet in the air at speeds over 60 mph.) What a rush!

So, what does my experience on the Great Bear coaster (named after the roaring sound it makes as it tosses and turns you in its corkscrews and loops) have to do with business? Here are the top 3 lessons I learned while the G-force riveted me to my seat.

Seize The Opportunity
Has an opportunity ever passed by that you wished you had taken? That’s how I’ve felt the past 10 times I’d left Hershey Park. I’d watch people on the Great Bear and wanted to go, or I heard the “roarâ€? of the coaster on the tracks and I’d feel the pull to hop on line. But, I never did for one reason or another. But, this weekend was different. As I walked by the Great Bear I had a strong sense this was my time to “just do it.â€? With a quick glance to my husband and daughter I waved bye-bye and followed my instinct to get in line.

I can’t explain what caused me to seize the opportunity this time. Perhaps it was the way the park lit up at dusk, maybe it was because the line was short, or the gentle breeze in the evening air woke up my sense… perhaps it was because I just had a “warm upâ€? run on the log flume with David and Janet Rose. Whatever it was I knew it was time to say “Yesâ€?!

What I learned was that sometimes you have to take advantage of the opportunity the moment it feels right. Had we walked by the Great Bear 5 minutes earlier or 5 minutes later, it may not have been the right opportunity. So, keep your senses open and tuned into knowing when it’s time for your “roller coaster ride.â€?

Control… and Let Go
As I approached the coaster there were plenty of warning signs posted. “Hold the grab bar tightly and keep your head centered and firmly pressed against the head rest.â€? Then, the loudspeaker blasted the same warnings again. I noticed myself getting tense about holding the bar and pressing my head back. I asked myself, “Should I really be doing thisâ€?? But, once I got on the coaster and locked down my safety bar, and obeyed the safety warning…. I decided to control what I could (hold on and press my head back) and let go of everything else.

The same goes for my business; and yours too. It’s OK to control what you can and let go of everything else. You can control the amount of stress you put on yourself, you can control your attitude, you can control which clients you work with and who you choose to network with, etc. But, beyond those things within your control, you must venture into the world of trust, surrender and faith in the Divine unfolding of your business, and your life. There is a greater plan in place than your own, and the more you let go of thinking you have control over it, the more you can surrender and be lead on your Divine journey.

Just like the Great Bear took me on a “journey of the unknownâ€?, the future of your business is a journey of the unknown. The more you let go (and trust your Divine plan), the more fluid and easy your journey becomes.

Enjoy The Ride
So there I am; going up a 100-foot incline about to be launched on a 60 mile per hour thrill ride and I’m loving it! Rather than participating in the collective screams of fellow riders, I found myself giggling and laughing as my feet dangled in the air and my body catapulted through corkscrews and loops. High atop one loop I managed to catch a glimpse of the shimmering lights and the pink dusky sunset and fully enjoyed every moment of the ride. As we pulled into the unloading dock I wished the ride had lasted longer, while being grateful for the time I had.

Sometimes in business, it’s easy to forget about enjoying the ride because you’re too busy, overwhelmed, scared or burned-out. But, no matter what stage of business you’re in; you have opportunities to enjoy the experience of being an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship is the journey of a lifetime and it’s meant to be enjoyed… even when you feel like you’re flying 60-miles per hour through twists and turns holding on for dear life. It’s in these moments especially, it’s important to seek the experience of joy! Remember… the “rideâ€? will be over in the blink of an eye.

So, the next time you feel like your business is leading you on a roller coaster ride, remember to seize the opportunity, control what you can and let go of the rest, and enjoy the ride.

© 2007 Christine Kloser

Christine Kloser “The Conscious Business Coach,” publishes the revolutionary ‘Conscious Business Connection’ ezine. If you want to learn proven business strategies boosted with Spiritual success principles, you’re in the right place. Get your FREE tips now at www.ConsciousBusinessCoach.com.

What type of a mompreneur are you?

There are really three different ways you can work and take care of your kids.

1. Work and care for your kids at the same time.
2. Work while your kids are asleep.
3. Work while your kids are at school, preschool, daycare, or with a nanny/babysitter/family member.

I do all three. Right now for instance, I am writing my blog during Gracie’s nap. During the week I do most of my work while she is at preschool — especially writing, client work, teleclasses, interviews, and meetings. But I also work while she is underfoot - answering email and doing web 2.0 stuff (blog comments, forum posts, linking).

But I wonder — since I have Gracie in preschool, should I only use that time for work, and not let work spill over into Gracie time? Is it wrong for me to be reading email when she is around (besides, I should not be checking & reading email that much anyway)?

How are moms able to run their business with no childcare of any kind? And I don’t just mean moms with babies and toddlers - I also know of moms who homeschool and run a home business. Do they just work while the kids are sleeping? Or do they have family or friends who help? Or do they have different types of kids (unlike mine, kids who are quiet and spend time with themselves)?

Here’s a more important question — why do I worry about it?

Business Owners Learn How to Give to Charity and Increase Their Profits

In the new teleclass, Top 10 Mistakes Small Businesses Make With Charitable Giving, a financial expert & a philanthropic expert explain how business owners can simultaneously donate money to causes important to them and grow their businesses.

read more | digg story

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I’m launching a new joint venture with a fellow entrepreneur, and the link above is to the press release.

So, what is a joint venture? Really, that’s just when you team up with another professional or business to launch something together. Could be a new service, a new product, a marketing campaign, or, like this, teaching a class.

What are the benefits? You get to meet people who are on their list, they send out marketing/press releases that also benefit you, and you share the expenses and hassle of the project.

What are the problems? You are in bed with someone else, so all the problems between two people (or companies) can arise - personality conflicts, misunderstandings, cultural conflicts, etc. And, if you are launching a new product or service, you have potential financial and legal liabilities.

—

Here, Maggie Keenan (who is all the way out in Savannah, Georgia!!) and I met in an online business networking group. She’s a charitable giving expert, who usually works with corporations but is trying to reach more small business owners. We teamed up together to co-host a free teleclass, marketing to both our lists and to the public and press - with the idea that the free teleclass will add new people to both of our lists, and, we can both use the audio recording to create an information product for later sale or give-away.

It’s a great deal, and I have had amazing success with joint ventures. You are picking a person who has access to your target market — people who are pre-selected to be potentially interesting in you — and, who are predisposed to like you since you are presented as an expert they should get to know. I’ve had amazing conversion rates and exposure. The secrets is to pick the right joint ventures, with people who have lists of your target market.

To learn more or sign up for the teleclass, go to http://www.thewealthspa.com/giving.

Part 2: The 3 S’s of Investing in Your Business - Systems

This is the second blog post in a three part series about investing in your business. Systems What do I mean by systems? No, not your computer systems (even though they may be involved), and I don’t mean organization systems (even though you may need those). Systems means ways to take all the tasks, projects, and items on your to-do list, and create a system to get it done faster & easier, to leverage your time to get the really important things done (like getting new clients, servicing your clients, and enjoying your life).

• Checklists/Flowcharts: Do you have tasks that you do over and over again? Examples - setting up a new client file, handing a prospect call, promoting a teleclass, sorting your email. Next time you have this task, keep a short, bullet point log of the steps you use for that task. Now, you have a great checklist, so (1) you can get through the task faster next time, and (2) you can eventually delegate the task to someone else.
• Automate: Do you perform tasks that could be performed by someTHING else? Examples - answering the phone, responding to emails, sending out bills, and scheduling appointments. Brainstorm ways you could use computer, telephone, or other automation systems to perform these tasks. For example, I use Appointments Plus for clients to schedule their own appointments … preventing at least 3 hours each week of phone tag.
• Delegate: Now that you have a checklist for those administrative tasks … why are you doing those tasks? You need those 4-10+ hours a week to get clients, not for filing paperwork. Hire a Virtual Assistant to answer your phones, answer your email, do your Quickbooks, send out mailings, format documents, and do anything else that does not need your expertise. VA’s are independent contractors, and you can hire one for only 2 hours a week. Yes, you need to pay them $20-50/hour … but if you are billing at $100-300/hour, isn’t it worth it?

The Three “S’s” of Investing in Your Business: Self

One common questions I get from small business owners and entrepreneurs is, "How much should I be investing in my business? What expenses are important?" When you are deciding how to invest in your business, and want to grow your business not just at 2% or 5% a year, but an exponential 100-200% per year, you need to stick to one of the three "S’s" — Self, Systems, and Support. #1 — Self You must constantly invest in your personal, professional, and business owner development, in order for you to achieve exponential growth.

Personal development, means not just working on time management, but also your own health, spirituality, and relationships. Everything you do to make you a more fulfilled and balanced person, makes you a better person, and therefore, a better entrepreneur. Professional development means developing you as an expert. Whatever your industry, continue to develop your expertise through reading, conference, study groups, and whatever else keeps you in the know. But also add what makes you a professional expert - training in writing, speaking, and relating to the press. But be aware … you could spend 52 weeks and $100,000 on seminars each year … only choose education that is tailored to your niche and vision of your business. Business owner development means sharpening your business strategy, marketing, personnel, finance, legal, and management skills. Don’t forget - you may think your business is financial planning, photography, graphic design, or coaching, but you are wrong. You are in the marketing business. And, you need to stay sharp to grow fast.

Gearing up for the official relaunch of the blog …

My first business website was up for almost three years. But, that was 2004. Now, it’s 2007. This blog has been up for 10 months and it is getting stale. I’ve leared more about the power of Web2.0 (social networking, etc.), and want to utilize all the cool stuff I can add … and make it jive more with my new business projects coming for the rest of the year. Some changes you can already see as I tweak the new template … but that’s still in progress. The biggest change, really, is that I am going to combine what I have been doing on a bunch of different blogs and make this blog not just about motherhood/business, but also more about the business side of things, with tips, recommendations, and advice for anyone (not just moms) who are starting, or expanding, their business. But don’t worry. I will still complain about Gracie being sick, never having enough time, and whether I am a bad person for using childcare.