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The 4 Universal Approaches to Entrepreneurship

by Paul Joseph July 29, 2011 Featured

In an increasingly homogenized world, entrepreneurship is being defined by a common set of global principles. Although, what we discuss today, in not how to achieve entrepreneurial success in a global village; we attempt to understand the universal principles that make any entrepreneurship successful, no matter where in the world you are. Learn to recognize an opportunity A successful entrepreneur is one who sees a gap in demand and supply or one who thinks he can supply the best in a market crowded with supplies. The 2010 Forbes Richest Man in the World, is an entrepreneur who pounced on an opportunity. An immigrant in Mexico, Carlos Slim Helú started off with a dry foods store, made money from his real estate investments and then went on to grab the government-run Mexican Telecom Business when it was being privatized in the 1990s. Today, he’s valued at $53.5 Billion, ahead of Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, who, incidentally, also made their riches by learning to recognize opportunities. There are entrepreneurial lessons to come out of the British Royal Wedding too. Catherine Middleton’s mother, Carol Middleton, a stay-at-home mom noticed a huge opportunity in the Kids Party segment in the 70s. The wife of a flight dispatcher, she set up a hugely successful home business that made the family wealthy, propelling them into social circles that would eventually lead to the Royal union. The company, Party Pieces, is currently valued at 30 million pounds. Have you learned to recognize an opportunity yet? Recognize the potential of your idea If you haven’t seen ‘The Social Network’, you’re probably detained in Guantanamo. If you’ve seen it, you’ll definitely remember the bit where Sean Parker talks to Mark Zuckerberg about Roy Raymond. The Stanford Business School grad who wanted to buy lingerie for his wife, was too embarrassed to buy it in a mall where everybody could see him and came up with the idea for Victoria’s Secret, a high-end lingerie store, where men could buy lingerie without feeling like perverts. Unfortunately, he sold his company, and jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge a few years after. While introducing Mark to Victoria’s Secret models, Sean makes his point to the future billionaire – recognize the potential of your business idea. Universally, if there’s one thing that sets successful entrepreneurs apart from would-have-been success stories is this simple skill to know where an idea can take you. Roy Raymond sold the company he created for 5 million and died when it was worth 500 in a few years, because he failed to recognize the potential of his brainchild. Sean Parker received 7% of Facebook’s stock and is worth $924 million, when he didn’t even come up with the idea. His networth is the result of his genius in being able to recognize the potential of Mark’s idea. Stay Foolish, Stay Motivated If you look at some of the biggest entrepreneurial success stories of our time – Apple, Microsoft, Dell, Amazon, Google, etc. – these were all begun by crazy guys, dropping out of college, setting up small businesses in garages and setting out to do ridiculous things like compiling the entire data of the internet and writing algorithms to make it easy to sift through this data. But these were men who stayed motivated and stayed foolish. Jeff Bezos started Amazon after a comfortable stint as Vice President at a well-paying Computer Science job. Indeed, not all IT Czars became billionaires at 25! He kept the fire in his belly alive and thought of the Amazon business plan on a cross country drive from New York to Seattle. After working in the plush offices of Wall Street, he risked it all for setting up a company in his garage. Present day billionaire entrepreneurs who started from scratch follow the simple universal approach to entrepreneurship, they stay foolish and motivated, which Steve Jobs put so beautifully in his Stanford graduation speech to deafening applause. These entrepreneurs have defined what it takes to be successful – all you have to do is have enough belief in yourself and continue to put in the effort and work it takes. These guys wouldn’t be at the top of their game, if they weren’t constantly motivating themselves. Follow your passion Jerry Seinfeld is an inspiration to all those artist-entrepreneurs out there. Whether, you’re a writer, a painter or a stand-up comic, Seinfeld shows you that if you’re really good at what you do, there’s no need to trade money for following your passion. Currently valued at $800 Million, Seinfeld retired from television more than a decade ago but continues to rake in the moolah by syndicating his show, Seinfeld. After landing a small role in an HBO series, in the 80s, Seinfeld was fired over creative differences, showing streaks of a classic entrepreneur who doesn’t get along with people. Let’s not forget Steve Jobs was fired from the company he created! He went on to create a pilot for Seinfeld, along with Larry David, and sold the show to NBC. He refused to extend the show by another season, even for 5 million per episode, or take up a Hollywood career after the show ended and instead he continued to be a stand-up comic, making more millions through his shows. The four approaches to entrepreneurship described above are so universal in nature that they can be applied to any business, in any part of the world. They are simple as philosophies, strong as ideas and enduring as steps to entrepreneurial success. Preetam Kaushik is a freelance writer/independent columnist and an avid blogger. He is a web 2.0 expert and writing consultant serving a wide array of clients. Read more about Preetam here .

Tagged as: amazon, british, business, data, entrepreneurship, facebook, game, government, kids, microsoft, success, time, wife

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The 4 Universal Approaches to Entrepreneurship

by Paul Joseph July 29, 2011 Featured

In an increasingly homogenized world, entrepreneurship is being defined by a common set of global principles. Although, what we discuss today, in not how to achieve entrepreneurial success in a global village; we attempt to understand the universal principles that make any entrepreneurship successful, no matter where in the world you are. Learn to recognize an opportunity A successful entrepreneur is one who sees a gap in demand and supply or one who thinks he can supply the best in a market crowded with supplies. The 2010 Forbes Richest Man in the World, is an entrepreneur who pounced on an opportunity. An immigrant in Mexico, Carlos Slim Helú started off with a dry foods store, made money from his real estate investments and then went on to grab the government-run Mexican Telecom Business when it was being privatized in the 1990s. Today, he’s valued at $53.5 Billion, ahead of Bill Gates and Warren Buffet, who, incidentally, also made their riches by learning to recognize opportunities. There are entrepreneurial lessons to come out of the British Royal Wedding too. Catherine Middleton’s mother, Carol Middleton, a stay-at-home mom noticed a huge opportunity in the Kids Party segment in the 70s. The wife of a flight dispatcher, she set up a hugely successful home business that made the family wealthy, propelling them into social circles that would eventually lead to the Royal union. The company, Party Pieces, is currently valued at 30 million pounds. Have you learned to recognize an opportunity yet? Recognize the potential of your idea If you haven’t seen ‘The Social Network’, you’re probably detained in Guantanamo. If you’ve seen it, you’ll definitely remember the bit where Sean Parker talks to Mark Zuckerberg about Roy Raymond. The Stanford Business School grad who wanted to buy lingerie for his wife, was too embarrassed to buy it in a mall where everybody could see him and came up with the idea for Victoria’s Secret, a high-end lingerie store, where men could buy lingerie without feeling like perverts. Unfortunately, he sold his company, and jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge a few years after. While introducing Mark to Victoria’s Secret models, Sean makes his point to the future billionaire – recognize the potential of your business idea. Universally, if there’s one thing that sets successful entrepreneurs apart from would-have-been success stories is this simple skill to know where an idea can take you. Roy Raymond sold the company he created for 5 million and died when it was worth 500 in a few years, because he failed to recognize the potential of his brainchild. Sean Parker received 7% of Facebook’s stock and is worth $924 million, when he didn’t even come up with the idea. His networth is the result of his genius in being able to recognize the potential of Mark’s idea. Stay Foolish, Stay Motivated If you look at some of the biggest entrepreneurial success stories of our time – Apple, Microsoft, Dell, Amazon, Google, etc. – these were all begun by crazy guys, dropping out of college, setting up small businesses in garages and setting out to do ridiculous things like compiling the entire data of the internet and writing algorithms to make it easy to sift through this data. But these were men who stayed motivated and stayed foolish. Jeff Bezos started Amazon after a comfortable stint as Vice President at a well-paying Computer Science job. Indeed, not all IT Czars became billionaires at 25! He kept the fire in his belly alive and thought of the Amazon business plan on a cross country drive from New York to Seattle. After working in the plush offices of Wall Street, he risked it all for setting up a company in his garage. Present day billionaire entrepreneurs who started from scratch follow the simple universal approach to entrepreneurship, they stay foolish and motivated, which Steve Jobs put so beautifully in his Stanford graduation speech to deafening applause. These entrepreneurs have defined what it takes to be successful – all you have to do is have enough belief in yourself and continue to put in the effort and work it takes. These guys wouldn’t be at the top of their game, if they weren’t constantly motivating themselves. Follow your passion Jerry Seinfeld is an inspiration to all those artist-entrepreneurs out there. Whether, you’re a writer, a painter or a stand-up comic, Seinfeld shows you that if you’re really good at what you do, there’s no need to trade money for following your passion. Currently valued at $800 Million, Seinfeld retired from television more than a decade ago but continues to rake in the moolah by syndicating his show, Seinfeld. After landing a small role in an HBO series, in the 80s, Seinfeld was fired over creative differences, showing streaks of a classic entrepreneur who doesn’t get along with people. Let’s not forget Steve Jobs was fired from the company he created! He went on to create a pilot for Seinfeld, along with Larry David, and sold the show to NBC. He refused to extend the show by another season, even for 5 million per episode, or take up a Hollywood career after the show ended and instead he continued to be a stand-up comic, making more millions through his shows. The four approaches to entrepreneurship described above are so universal in nature that they can be applied to any business, in any part of the world. They are simple as philosophies, strong as ideas and enduring as steps to entrepreneurial success. Preetam Kaushik is a freelance writer/independent columnist and an avid blogger. He is a web 2.0 expert and writing consultant serving a wide array of clients. Read more about Preetam here .

Tagged as: amazon, british, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, facebook, family, game, kids, real-estate, success, time, wedding

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Revealed: The Secret Source For Winning Google’s Love

by Paul Joseph July 28, 2011 Featured

In my last post on Entrepreneurs-Journey.com, we talked about the big fat truth – without unique, fresh, and lengthy content your blog search engine rankings are as good as dead. Check out the previous post here: Blog Writing 101: How To Satisfy Readers And Deliver Top 10 Google Rankings This time I will take it a step further and explain why, without great content, no link building campaign will take you as far with search engines as you would like to go. Some time ago, I ran a series on my blog on how to build an email list. It was only natural to discuss email autoresponder options in one of the posts in the series: after all, the emails you write to your list are only as good as the provider that delivers them or sends them to spam – depending on which autoresponder service you choose. Naturally, I wanted to rank my post for any and all possible keywords that had anything to do with Aweber , which is what I use, and autoresponders in general. Lo and behold, as I did my research on who was holding the current rankings for some of those keywords, Yaro’s blog kept popping up on the first page for almost all of them. Yes, Yaro’s AWeber Review – Email Autoresponder post was what stood between me and high search engine rankings of my own Aweber review. Naturally, a little competition never scared me away, so I started to drill in on Yaro’s links that played a huge role in ranking his post so highly. Checking Out Your Competition The best way to know what you need to do in order to rank your post for any keyword is to see which websites are currently ranking for that keyword and what their link building profile is. Since it would require a lengthy explanation as to how exactly I do competition research, I will direct you to read this post to learn more on how to use their competition link profile to outrank them: Link Building Tip: How to Do It the Smart Way . As I was doing research on Yaro’s Aweber post, I discovered that it was (and is currently) ranking for 10, what I would call, “money” keywords – the type of keywords that the potential Aweber buyers would be searching for when trying to make their final decision on their autoresponder choice. Now that I knew how many and what keywords he was ranking for, I needed to find out what links to his post allowed him to have such high rankings. And that’s what stopped me dead in my tracks. You see, as I previously mentioned, the easiest way to rank your own post for any keyword is to match and outdo your competition linking profile. Find out what their links are, in other words, get most of the same links and throw in a couple of extras. In most markets (barring you are going for some of the most competitive keywords, of course), that should do the trick and at least get you on the first page of Google . In Yaro’s case though, most of his links came from within content on other blogs . Learning that pretty much sucked, because there was no way I could get all those blogs to mention my Aweber review in their posts! The Secret Was In The Source Yaro’s Aweber post was so thorough and so good that many bloggers read it, loved it, and linked to it in their own posts, giving Yaro significant advantage in high rankings. It was HIS CONTENT itself that tipped Google scale in his favor. It is all coming together now, right? YOUR CONTENT is the single most important factor that will make or break your search engine rankings and either will bring you floods of targeted FREE search engine users or leave you with a donut whole. You can submit all the articles and videos you want, leave tons of comments on all kinds of blogs, spend some time building links through forums, but if I get a few bloggers to link to my post from within their content, as in mentioning my post because it was that good, I will have an upper hand in search engine rankings for sure. That kind of link building is what is referred to as “natural” link building and is definitely the best way to get your site ranked and swarming with search engine visitors. Link Building As A Search Engine Factor As I did in the previous post, I’d like to take you back to this recently released SEOmoz report on search engine ranking factors . After all, talk is cheap, but the collective opinion of 132 SEO experts around the world should definitely shed some light as to what are recognized as the best link building practices right now and in the future. We have already talked about your content being the cornerstone of any successful link building campaign – master that part and the links will come naturally. To further illustrate my point, allow me to quote the following from the report: “Through all this analysis of search optimization – we will always conclude that a site needs “more links, more quality links, more content, and higher quality content” – Todd Malicoat What other areas of link building should we pay close attention to? Diversity of links outweighs pure quantity : diversity of IP addresses, root domains, subdomains, linking pages where your links are coming from play a huge role – the more diverse, the better. Number of root domains linking with partial anchor text : yes, PARTIAL anchor text plays the same, if not bigger, role in successful search engine rankings than precise anchor text, as it used to be the case. If you don’t know much about anchor text or would like to learn more, I suggest reading this post: Your Ultimate Anchor Text Tutorial – from Basic to Advanced . Relevance of links . This one has been and I am sure will remain one of the most debated SEO link building factors: does it matter if the website that is linking to you is on the same subject as yours? Well, the consensus in this report says yes, it does.So don’t do link building to your cooking blog from a site that sells tractor parts. Nofollow matters : many SEOs say that nofollow links can help your rankings, which definitely goes against the very idea of Nofollow to begin with.Nofollow attribute is added to links to let Google know that, although you are willing to link to a particular website, you are not willing to vouch for them and share your site authority with them. Thus, any of your site PageRank will happily stay with your site and not be passed to the site you are linking to. To learn what Yaro thinks of Nofollow, take a look at this post: No More NoFollow . This new wave of expert SEO opinions on Nofollow links only strengthens “natural” link building point of view: you need both Dofollow and Nofollow links to have the kind of diverse linking profile Google would like to see. The Future Of Link Building What do SEOs believe will happen in the future with Google’s use of ranking features in the future? Prominence of ads vs content will remain a factor. Content usability / readability / design will increase as a factor. Analysis of perceived value to users will increase GREATLY. Social signals at domain level and page level will increase DRAMATICALLY. Marketing Takeaway Link building is here to stay, no question about it. However, the face of link building is changing and the type of CONTENT you serve to your readers is rapidly becoming the most important factor in any successful link building campaign. Ana Hoffman Get your bonus copy of my book “How To Start An Internet Business & Make Your First $1,000 Online” Download Here

Tagged as: analysis, book, research, search, search-engine, small-business, time

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The 17 Rules of Bootstrap Marketing

by Paul Joseph July 28, 2011 Featured

Too many people in the small business world believe in the saying, “It takes money to make money.”  While it would be nice to have a huge ad budget, the truth is that most of us don’t start out with a big startup fund – and in some cases nothing at all. Going without any marketing though, is out of the question. The good news is that marketing can be done effectively on a very low budget. There have always been “guerilla marketing” techniques that any business owner could use, and thanks to the Internet, there are more ways to market for free or almost free than ever. But marketing must, above all, be effective, no matter how much or how little it costs. Below are seventeen characteristics of bootstrap marketing that will help you to grow a successful business without having to spend a fortune. Effective Bootstrap Marketing is marketing that’s… 1. Cost Effective. This is of course the first rule of bootstrap marketing! And as mentioned above, with the internet at our fingertips, there are more low-cost marketing options available to business owners today than there have ever been. It has become easier and easier to grow a successful small business on a very small budget. Think Social Media, comment marketing, blogging, guest blogging, forum posts, email marketing, and the list goes on. 2. Unwavering. If you want your marketing to be truly successful, you will need to be dedicated to seeing it through. Giving up in the early stages of your business is simply not an option when success is the goal. Have patience, because most marketing methods take time to produce results. Stick with it, and you’ll reap the benefits. 3. Branded. Providing your customers with a clear understanding of who you are and how your product or service can assist them is a must. Make sure your brand message is carried through in all your marketing. A post or profile on one site should be recognizable as being tied to your other posts and profiles. 4. Consistent. Your marketing campaign will be the life of your business, and needs to become part of your daily business routine. This is part of sticking with it, but it also means making a commitment to working your marketing every day, and for the long haul. 5. Focused on Customers. Your job will be to recognize any problems that your prospective customers have and offer them clear-cut solutions to these problems. Appealing to potential buyers by solving a problem or easing pain is the best way to make your marketing pay off. 6. Directed at Your Target Market. It’s imperative that you know precisely who is in need of your product or service. There was once a place for mass marketing, but that time has passed. Not only is mass marketing expensive, but it’s also a “shotgun” approach that doesn’t target potential customers in a focused way. Make sure you’re speaking to your niche. 7. Trust- and Confidence-Building. Increase the level of trust and confidence that your customers have in you and your business by creating experiences that will cause them to naturally feel more confident and trust in you. Consumers are much more likely to buy from people they trust and like. So make sure your marketing isn’t salesy or cheesy. Let go of gimmicks and be more direct and upfront. 8. A Boost to Your Visibility. Your prospective customers are bombarded by ads every single day. Utilize as many different marketing tools as possible. The more your prospective customers come across you, the more likely they will be to use your product or service. 9. Repetitious. Statistics prove that an average person will need to encounter a business in some capacity from seven to twelve times before they’ll be willing to purchase from it. With that being said, putting yourself out there as much as possible – in as many venues as possible – will result in real results. 10. Simple. You will easily confuse your prospective customers if any part of your business or marketing seems too complicated. If a person is confused, they won’t take the time to try and figure it out, and they won’t spend their money with you. Keep things as simple and straight forward as possible. 11. All About the Wow Factor. Are you doing everything in your power to get noticed? How do your tactics differ from those of your competitors? The fastest way to fail with your business is to blend in too well with the rest. Build marketing programs that are unique and communicate your brand’s personality in an interesting way. 12. Reassuring. The quality of your products and services is obviously of prime importance. And communicating that quality in your marketing is just as important. Reassure your potential buyers by providing warrantees, guarantees, and testimonials. Let people know it’s safe to go with your company. 13. Educational. Present yourself as an expert and take the time to educate your prospective customers so that they will understand why your business can offer them a solution to their problem. This is especially effective when using comments, forums, and social media for your bootstrap marketing efforts. 14. Personal. Create genuine relationships with your prospective customers. Answer any questions they may have, offer solutions to their problems, and help them if they find themselves in a bind. Showing your prospective customers that there is a real person behind your business will help you to build on your business relationships. And it doesn’t typically cost you anything! 15. Customer Nurturing. Attracting new buyers is important, but marketing to those who have used your company already is essential. Statistically speaking, over twenty percent of your current customers will purchase from you again, because they already know you. This makes the cost of acquisition of an existing customer far less than that of a new customer. Create new and different ways to bring your customers back and keep them happy. 16. Trackable. Knowing what works well and what doesn’t with your marketing campaign is crucial. How else will you know if your time is paying off? It can be difficult to track some forms of bootstrap marketing, but in many cases, link tracking software can be very helpful; especially if you’re sure to include a link in your social media posts. 17. Flexible. You never know when things will change, so you’ve got to be ready to adapt to those changes. Stay on top of the newest marketing methods, and when a new marketing platform pops up give it a try. Don’t jump all over the place, but add and alter marketing methods as soon as it makes sense. The more flexible you are with your marketing, the further ahead you will stay from your competitors. Following the rules above when implementing your bootstrap marketing plan will ensure that whatever you’re doing to get the word out, it’s as effective as possible. What other suggestions do you have for rules of marketing? Share with us in the comments!

Tagged as: business, customers, daily, entrepreneurship, internet marketing, life, marketing, marketing-strategies, money, small-business, time, your-business

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Overlooked Secrets of Successful Entrepreneurs

by Paul Joseph July 25, 2011 Featured

Entrepreneurs are not born successful. They work long and hard to achieve their goals. If you have a plan and are willing to put forth the time and effort needed to see your plan through, you too can be the kind of entrepreneur you desire to be. There are some important, often overlooked secrets to remember as you work your way down the path to success. The first thing you must know is that you need to do what you enjoy. When you start out doing what you love, you’ll be happier right from the beginning. Know your talents and tap into them. Don’t waste your valuable time having a career that you can’t stand. If you focus your business on what you know and love, potential employees and clients will notice and be immediately attracted to it. You’ve heard the adage, “You are what you eat.” You are also what you do. If you want to manage your own interior design business, be the best designer possible, as your success as a designer will define the way you feel about yourself and the way others see you. Don’t forget to project a positive image in both your business and personal lives. Being successful in business starts when you take care of yourself physically and mentally. Get enough exercise. Allow enough time in the day to rest and sleep. If you want to be at your peak when you are promoting your new ideas and business, take time to rejuvenate your personal self. Then, you will project excitement and enthusiasm to everyone you come in contact with. A big part of success in any aspect of life is learning how to find and maintain balance, particularly between work and play. As important as it is to devote the necessary time to getting your business up and going, you must not let work overtake your life. Make time for breaks. If necessary, schedule break time just like you would an appointment and be vigilant about it. Vacations are also a must. Maybe you can’t take the time off or spend the money to go on a seven-day cruise, so try a stay-cation. Don’t go into the office, stay home and work on a hobby or take a nap. Sometimes just a day or two are all that it takes to get the spring back into your step and clear your mind. Also, give your employees time off as well. Every person works better on a fully-charged battery. Another secret is to continue to invest in your education. Look for ongoing classes offered by other successful entrepreneurs and business people. Remember that there is always room for improvement in your business, and if you want to attract success, surround yourself with it. Read books and then read more. There is no such thing as too much knowledge, and every time you learn something new you will become a better business person and a better employer. Above all, be willing to accept advice. You might think this is a tricky concept, but just because you allow someone to give you advice doesn’t mean you have to use it. Be open to new concepts and ideas, but rely on your intellect and instinct. After all, you’re ultimately the only person responsible for your own success. Finally, look everywhere for opportunity. Don’t be afraid to start out small. Know that sometimes seemingly insignificant opportunities can lead to key developments in your business. As stated before, most successful people become successes because of time and effort. Thinking big but starting out realistically will get you where you want to be faster than trying to become a millionaire overnight. About the Author: Kyle Mortensen is a freelance writer for Tektronix. Tektronix is a leading supplier of test and measurement equipment such as a digital multimeter .

Tagged as: become an entrepreneur, education, entrepreneurship, mind, money, office, personal, time

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Discover EXACTLY What Your Audience Wants With This Clever Google Analytics Hack

by Paul Joseph July 22, 2011 Featured

Are you a married man? I am! Happily married now for five years, one month, and seven days at the time that I’m sitting down to write this. In the five years of my very happy marriage, and my dating years that came before, it has become quite obvious to me that, in many situations, guys can’t read girls’ minds . I know, it sounds strange, but follow me on this one. Have you ever been in a situation where your significant other expects you to know what they are thinking, and you have absolutely NO IDEA that they are even thinking about something? If you are a guy, you’ve probably encountered this at least once in your life In my Many years of marriage (ok, I know. I’m still a newbie), my wife and I have come to realize that if we want to know what each other are thinking, asking can be a very valuable skill that is often overlooked. So what in the world does this have to do with Internet Marketing, Online business, blogging, etc? Well, in a past article, I showed how my 5 Question Survey saved me time and resources in product development . It’s a very clear example of how asking your audience the right questions can help you accomplish your goals for your online business. But what if you could read the mind of your significant other? What if you knew exactly what he/she was thinking without even having to ask? How awesome would it be if you could wake up in the morning, sit at your laptop and get a detailed report of everything your wife thought the day before, and throughout your entire relationship? How AWESOME would that be? (On a side note: Have you seen the Movie “What Women Want” with Mel Gibson? That’s EXACTLY what I’m talking about) Well, unfortunately for you and I, that won’t happen. My wife and I will just have to go through the long, and sometimes painful, process of getting to know each other. Fortunately, for my online business, this is something that’s very easily accomplished – Thanks to Google Analytics ‘ Site search Feature. What Is Site Search And How To Benefit From It? If you’re a blogger, you probably have a search function on your site. If not, you should definitely add it. It’s an easy way for your website visitors to search the contents of your site. It basically functions as an internal Search Engine . Most WordPress themes have a search function built in, and if yours doesn’t, WordPress has a widget that you can add to your sidebar. Here’s the thing – most bloggers have site search on their website, but don’t use it to their advantage. Whenever someone does a search on your site, they are telling you exactly what they are looking for, without even intending to do so. However, you will never know what they are looking for if you don’t have a system to report what their searches are. It’s like having the ability to read the mind of your significant other, but not taking advantage of it. Fortunately for you and I, Google analytics gives you the option to Track Site Search. How To Set Up Site Search Before you can track site search on your site, you need to set it up in Google analytics . It’s quite a simple process. Here it goes: Go to your site and do a search for anything using your site search function. When you reach the results page, take a look at the URL in the address bar. For example, when I go to my Interactive Biology Website and do a search for the term “Kidney”, the url in the address bar is http://www.interactive-biology.com/?s=kidney Take note of the Query Parameter. In my case, my query parameter is the letter “ s ” (? s =kidney). In your Google Analytics Profile Settings, you will see a Site Search section that gives you the option to Track Site Search. Select “ Do Track Site Search ” and enter the query Parameter as shown below. Select the option that says “ Yes, strip query parameters out of URL “. This will clean up your reports and make it easier to analyze. Click on “ Save Changes “. That’s pretty much it. Now you are ready to use your mind-reading powers. However, make sure you use your powers for good and not for evil How To Analyze Your Site Search Report Now that you have your superpowers, it’s time to start making the magic happen. Of course, it will take some time for data to start accumulating. Hopefully, you have enough visitors by now and they are actively doing searches on your site. If so, the rest is super easy. Allow me to illustrate by giving an example. Let’s take a look at my Site Search Report . When I look at the report above, it gives me some very useful details. Not only that, but it shows me that a number of the things people are searching for are very closely related to the content I have on my site. This makes me happy, and gives me actionable data. The term that is searched most often on my site is “ kidney “. Obviously, some of the people that are using my site are looking for information on the kidney. And when they do that search, they don’t find any results. Approximately 67% of people leave after not finding what they are looking for. The average user that searches for “kidney” on my site only spends 1 minute and 25 seconds on the site. If I were to make a few videos on the kidney, that should increase the amount of time they spend on my site, and that would increase the likelihood of them coming back for more . The next most frequently searched term on my site is “ Action Potential “. Fortunately, I have a bunch of videos on my site that deals with the concept of the Action potential. As a result of that, only 11% of people who do that search leave the site, and the average person who searches for that spends 6 minutes and 39 seconds on the site. Do you notice a difference? I sure do. So the take home message here is simple: If people are searching for something that is very relevant, but you don’t have it – start making some of that content and increase the amount of time they spend on your site, and the likelihood that they will return (and even share your site). My Next Steps Seeing that this gives such valuable info, there are two things that I plan on doing. The first should be extremely obvious. I plan on making more of the content that people are searching for. It’s easy to do, and is very relevant. In other words, it’s a win-win situation. Secondly, I plan on making a search box that’s more prominent on my website, to highlight the fact that you can actually search for what you are looking for. That will accomplish two things: It will make it easier for my visitors to find what they are looking for It will enhance my mind-reading capability (if you know what I mean). Are YOU reading your audience’s minds? If not, then you should start. Set up the Site Search reporting capabilities in Google Analytics . Have you done this already? If so, how are you using this information? Let me know what you think below. Until Next Time! Get your bonus copy of my book “How To Start An Internet Business & Make Your First $1,000 Online” Download Here

Tagged as: goals, internet, laptop, mind, online, search, search-engine, time, wife

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3 Steps To Avert Disaster When Things Go Wrong

by Paul Joseph July 14, 2011 Featured

Sometimes, no matter how carefully you plan and prepare to execute a client engagement, things just go wrong. Big things, small things, crazy things, ridiculous things. Things just go wrong. I know because ALL of the following have happened to me at some point over the last four years: An irreplaceable file was accidentally deleted by an associate An unrevised and horribly incorrect draft was sent out to 13 executives at a client site The WebEx link refused to work during a major sales presentation My server was hacked by internet terrorists and my site was replaced by a picture of a squirrel holding a gun on the day of an e-book product release I’m willing to bet that you have had experiences like this in the past. Why? Because in any business – whether you sell goods online, offer a service, or build a product – there will be things, both outside your control and within your control, that just don’t go according to plan. But savvy entrepreneurs know there are a set of simple steps that can be taken in just about any gone-wrong scenario to help get – whatever disaster has befallen – back on track. Let’s explore those steps together. Step 1: Let Common Sense Prevail The biggest mistake people make when something important goes wrong with a client is to panic.  And while panicking is often the most natural response, it is also the most counter-intuitive because panic clouds commonsense , and commonsense is usually the way to get whatever is wrong back to good. Last year, I was coordinating a coaching presentation for one of my clients. I had built the slide deck, organized the meeting, prepared their talking points, and set up a WebEx link for easy use.  Not two minutes after the presentation was supposed to start did I get a call from my client, irate because the presentation link wouldn’t connect. My first instinct was panic. My client was yelling at me, something that I had checked had failed to work, and all seemed totally lost. I put the call on hold and desperately clicked around on the WebEx website trying to figure out what had gone wrong. As I frantically tried the link over and over, only one blinding thought went through my mind: I was going to lose my client over this . Then, a surprising thing happened – a little bit of common sense peaked through my panic. I realized that what looks even more bush league than having a broken WebEx link is keeping the client on hold for ten minutes whilst trying to fix it. What made more sense was to simply send all parties on the meeting a copy of the slide deck via email, apologize for the issue, and let the meeting continue as scheduled. I took a deep breath, took the call off hold, and proceeded to compose my email. If you happen to be on the receiving end of some evil twist of fate, common sense prevailing is also a wise idea. Instead of becoming enraged or upset, it behooves you to realize that whoever you are dealing with: might not be responsible (think customer service rep, etc.) OR is responsible, but acted without malice. In either situation, you will likely need the offending party to rectify the wrong, and you catch more flies (aka: get to the bottom of your problem) with honey rather than vinegar. Step 2: Maintain The Appearance Of Calm I took dance lessons all through my childhood and early teens, and never realized that they were teaching me an important business skill: people only notice mistakes if you act like a mistake has happened. I can remember being up on the stage for the final performance of the year, staring into the dark auditorium looking for my parents during my ballet routine and feeling absolute dread crawl over me as I realized I had no idea what the next steps were. I had two choices: freeze like a deer in the headlights or improvise until I could think of what to do next. So I improvised . After a few tense seconds of moving across stage with the music, I remembered my place in the routine and burst with confidence into the final minute of performance. I finished, took my bow, and walked off stage wondering if anyone noticed my cover-up. It shocked me to realize that no one knew I had missed a chunk of choreographed steps. Lesson learned. I had the same experience ten years later when WebEx was down… after I improvised and sent a professional email with the slides attached, the meeting carried on without issue and by the end of the call, all participants – including my client – had forgotten about the link-blunder. If you’ve been dealt a bad-luck blow (think about how I felt when a well-meaning associate deleted a vital client file permanently), then maintaining calm – even if you don’t feel calm – is key for maintaining business relationships and not burning bridges in a state of upset or alarm. Step 3: Don’t Focus On Apologies, Focus On Correction There is a time for apologies, and a time for moving on. When something goes wrong with clients, many of us default into apologetic mode. We want to share how sorry we are, how embarrassed we are, how upset we are, on behalf of the outrage done to the client. The only problem is that nine times out of ten, the client doesn’t want an obsequious apology, and they certainly don’t want to hear whose fault it is – they want the problem corrected competently and to move on. If you’ve ever had someone hack into your site and replace it with pictures of violent rodents, you’ll understand that this step applies to both sides of the coin. My initial instinct was to demand apologies from every member of the server support team, until I realized that all the time I would insist they spend grovelling at my feet would be better used restoring my site. Focusing on correction, not seeking apologies, was what helped get the site restored in under ten minutes . I’ve found there are a couple of key phrases that can be used in a variety of situations to get things back to good and forward-looking when things go wrong. If you tackle their issue right off the bat with one of these, you can keep yourself from panicking, maintain the appearance of calm, and let common sense prevail: “I am sorry to hear about this, how can I help?” “Thank you for sharing that feedback, what do you see as the next steps?” “I apologize for this inconvenience, why don’t we do this instead?” Sometimes, stuff just happens. We get overworked and make mistakes , or the people we work with get overworked and make mistakes. Technology will fail . Clients will cause issues due to user error. And things that are completely impersonal to you or your work will cause disruptions , distractions , and deletions that can be critical. Such is the nature of life and the nature of the entrepreneurial path. We all need to know how to get it right when things going wrong not only for our success, but also for our peace of mind. How do you get back on track when things go wrong? Here’s to your Entrepreneur’s Journey, Nacie Get your bonus copy of my book “How To Start An Internet Business & Make Your First $1,000 Online” Download Here

Tagged as: clients, entrepreneur, internet, mind, nature, online, small-business, time, young

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5 Effective Reading Strategies For The Busy Entrepreneur

by Paul Joseph July 13, 2011 Featured

Entrepreneurs are often curious, passionate workaholics. Yes, that’s a generalization – but often true. We want to learn more about things – our business, our world, our customers, our industry, our marketplace, our technology and other stuff. And we each have our preferred ways of staying up to date. Watching TV. Listening to the radio. Reading books. Subscribing to magazines. Surfing the Web. Even getting an assistant or professional service to summarize the most relevant information for you. One thing you cannot afford to do is fall behind. Information is indeed power , especially in today’s “knowledge economy”. And that’s why the staggering fact that the average American reads ONE book per year is so shocking. (I don’t know how different this figure is for other countries, but it’s probably representative). I average between 2 and 5 books every week , and my bookshelf is loaded with reading material, both professional and entertainment. Indeed, my taste in books ranges widely, with spiritual guides and business reviews rubbing covers with medical texts, the latest pulp fiction or copywriting tutorials in my bookshelf. And this isn’t all that I read. Online, I browse forums, blogs, news sources, article collections and social networks to stay on top of things. Studying so much material has given me a serious competitive edge over others in my market. And many entrepreneurs would agree that “ applied information ” is one of the secrets of their success too. Why Does Reading Matter? There are many benefits to studying new material regularly: Course correction – Learning something new helps you measure your progress against benchmarks and allows you to make changes that will power you ahead more surely and steadily. Keeping up with trends – Shifts and changes have devastated some industries. The unwary and uninformed were those crushed in those turbulent times. Being aware of trends helps your business adapt and stay competitive. In-depth knowledge – Expertise takes time to acquire. Study any subject for 10,000 hours and you’ll become one of the world’s leading experts. And there are some areas where detailed knowledge sets you apart from competition. 1. Read Longer I recently polled my contacts on social networks to ask how much time they spend reading every week. Not surprisingly, the answers were all over the place. The most frequent response was 2 hours a day . Maybe you’re surprised at that. Maybe you think there’s no way you can find two hours every day to read. Well, if you are serious about keeping up with your business world and remaining competitive, it’s time you started trying. Despite a hectic schedule, I manage to squeeze in 3 to 4 hours of reading every day , often early in the morning or late at night. It may not always be ‘easy’ and you might have to make small sacrifices – but the pay-off is rich and well worth the struggle. Here are some ideas to find reading time: Give up (or cut down) watching TV Wake up a half hour earlier Go to bed a half hour later Carry around a book and make use of ‘down time’ (waiting for a meeting, flight or client) 2. Read Faster I’ve been an avid and voracious reader since childhood. And a key factor in reading so much has been my reading speed. As I wrote this, I tested my reading speed using an online test and it says my speed is “504 words per minute” . For material that I enjoy reading, my actual speed could be double. When you consider that the average full-length book is between 50,000 and 300,000 words, I can zoom through it in 1.6 to 10 hours of reading time. And by reading faster, I’ll save 10 hours in comparison to another reader who can only read half as fast! When it comes to speed reading, practice indeed makes perfect. Concentration impacts your reading speed, as does the absence of external distractions. If you’re serious about improving your reading speed, you can try: Attending a speed reading seminar or course Buying a speed reading book and studying the techniques Using speed reading software to train yourself to go faster No matter which learning method you follow, the improvement in your reading speed will benefit you massively – for the rest of your life. 3. Read Smart What type of books (or other material) you read impacts your overall benefit from reading in a very significant way. A powerful mental image that I use frequently to highlight similar concepts is one that I first read in a book by Stephen Covey called “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” . It was about a man who scrambled quickly up a very tall tree, reached the top, and looked around… only to discover that he was in the wrong jungle! Doing things fast is not always more effective. Doing them right matters more . And that applies to reading as well. When you focus on the right kind of things to read, you get greater advantage from every minute invested into the activity than if the greater part of your reading time is spent weeding through junk. That’s what makes ‘Top 10′ lists and ‘expert recommendations’ so powerful and valuable. Some tips that may help you read smart: Look at ‘best-seller’ or ‘recommended’ lists (if many others thought it was good, it probably is) Seek peer group suggestions about the best sources of reading material Keep a critical watch on what you read, and be quick to abandon wasteful drivel (How often have you plugged on with a book just because you started reading it? Stop doing that – it’s not worthwhile!) Skim the highlights and dig deeper only where you feel you need more detail Make it convenient to access quality material (buy or borrow books to keep by you for whenever you are free to read, bookmark favorite online resources, subscribe to great blogs in your RSS feed). If you click here you’ll see one of my 4 bookshelves – with titles I’ve bought so that I’ll be able to refer to them quickly whenever needed! 4. Read More Everything else being equal, the entrepreneur who reads more (and applies the information effectively) will steal a march over another who doesn’t. As the reading habit grows on you, keep exercising it like a muscle . You’ll be amazed at how much more information you’re able to consume, process and apply in a relatively short time. In biographies of business icons like Donald Trump , Bill Gates , Richard Branson and many others, one common theme is the prodigious volume of information they have access to, and stay updated about, on a regular basis. At his busiest, Gates is said to have personally overseen the progress of almost 900 different projects – on a weekly basis! (And you thought it was EASY being the world’s richest man, huh?!) That sounds impossible – until you start pushing yourself as you gain facility at consuming and applying new information in your business and life. When you find a helpful resource, you’ll often come across references in it to other related information and material that will enhance your understanding about the topic that it covers. Following these links to explore new content sources will broaden and deepen your level of expertise. Before you know it, you’ll be a widely regarded subject specialist – and it all comes from reading more. 5. Read With Purpose Simply reading more books without doing anything purposeful with the knowledge you have acquired is as wasteful as not reading at all! Knowing what you hope to get from reading is the best way to maximize your time. In very broad terms, you may be reading for: Information – This comes from studying how-to guides, news updates, technical manuals, polls, surveys, research reports and similar content. Inspiration – When you study success stories, case reports, biographies and histories of famous companies, you feel energized and excited about replicating their models and successes. Insight – Editorial commentary, opinion pieces, guest columns and special reports or whitepapers can sometimes spark a breakthrough idea, fuel innovation or provide a flash of illumination that creates revolutionary impact. No matter what you’re reading for, be sure that you get value from your time and effort – by having a plan . Record the big (or small) lessons you gained from what you read Jot down ideas you intend trying out in your business or life Highlight passages that you liked very much – and scrapbook them for later Share relevant books and magazines with others in your team or mastermind group for discussion and debate Set deadlines and targets for any actionable steps you plan to implement based on whatever you read All of this will enhance the value you get from reading – and act as a positive feedback loop to encourage you to read even more. Then apply that learning towards further growth. So get passionate about reading more. Start today. Find some time to read. Learn and practice reading faster. Read as much as you can. Do it the smart way. And have a purpose to your reading. Oh, and let me know if you read any great books that I should look at too! Dr. Mani Get your bonus copy of my book “How To Start An Internet Business & Make Your First $1,000 Online” Download Here

Tagged as: business, countries, life, people, process, radio, time, young

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Getting Quality Testimonials Instantly

by Paul Joseph July 5, 2011 Featured

One of the best things any of us can do to market our business is to get some great testimonials from current and past customers. A testimonial is better than anything else, because it is someone who has experience dealing with your company saying that the experience was a good one – that you did what you said you would do, as well or better than you said you’d do it. Consumers are leery of advertising. They know you can say pretty much whatever you want to say in an ad and justify it. It might not be “untrue” technically, but it is slanted at best. That’s not to say advertising and other forms of marketing don’t work. They can work very well, and each medium should be considered seriously to see which avenues are best for your business. But no matter what your business is, testimonials – either as part of your advertising or just placed conspicuously on your website – are useful and an outstanding marketing tool. How to Get Testimonials that Matter It should go without saying that the first step in getting great testimonials from customers is to take great care of them. And taking great care of them, doesn’t mean simply “good” customer service. Testimonials are best when they come from people who feel you’ve gone above and beyond in serving their needs. A person’s enthusiasm comes across in their written words (or in a video especially), and their enthusiasm will be non-existent if you deliver average service. To understand the secret to getting great customer testimonials right away, from every happy customer, you have to understand something about how humans in our society are wired. There is a term known as “instant reciprocity” which refers to the tendency of people to want to return a favor or good deed immediately upon receiving the same from someone else. You see this at business and personal lunches all the time. There is a small tussle over the check, and then the person not paying says, “Well, you have to let me get the next one.” The Magic of Reciprocity Although we’ve been told many times to ask for referrals and testimonials immediately after every sale, there is a better way, using the concept of instant reciprocity. The way it works is simple and very effective. Before asking for a testimonial, pay your client or customer a genuine, sincere compliment. Thank them for being so easy to work with, for example. Tell them how refreshing it is to deal with a client who really gets it. What you say will depend a lot on the type of business you’re in, but you get the idea. Once you’ve paid your customer a sincere compliment, the law of instant reciprocity will automatically kick in, and you can relieve their urge to return the compliment by then asking for a testimonial. At that point, asking them to say a little something about how it was dealing with your company, so you can show it to other clients, will solicit the kind of testimonial you really want. Caution: This is not some “trick” you’re playing on your customers. Notice the word “sincere” was used a couple of times in the explanation. If it looks like you’re paying a fake compliment just to get them to reciprocate, chances are, you’ll get a testimonial that looks fake too. What other tips do you have for getting quality testimonials from clients? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Tagged as: advertising, business, client, customer, entrepreneur, entrepreneurship, time

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Why Even Entrepreneurs Need One Of These…

by Paul Joseph June 30, 2011 Featured

When you hear the term “ Mission Statement “, what comes to mind? For many of us, Mission Statements are synonymous with corporate entities and impersonal HR departments (did someone say TPS reports?). Yet Mission Statements aren’t just for the Kodaks and Coca Colas of the world – they can be effective tools for entrepreneurs to not only keep their focus and drive, but also lead the development of a cohesive entrepreneurial brand. Understanding The Mission Mission Statements are meant to inform , inspire , and justify . In just a few sentences, they can tell a suspect, prospect, or loyal customer volumes about an organization’s personality and standards. At their most basic, most mission statements are made up of a combination of three key elements: Purpose, People, and Passion. Purpose : What an organization does People : Who an organization serves Passion : Why an organization exists Mission Statements are used internally at organizations to share a message with associates and customers, as well as provide a touchstone and reference point for the brand identity . In good times, the Mission Statement becomes a victory call, a celebration of how success was won. In lean times, the Mission Statement can serve as a guide for winning new business and maintaining a cohesive brand identity while trying different strategies. At their best, Mission Statements can lead an organization to that next level of esteem among both internal and external customers. It becomes something that people want to be associated with and thus attracts top talent and top tier clients. At their worst, Mission Statements sound like pretentious, corporate BS that just evoke images of “suits”. Let’s take a look at two great, but different, Mission Statements: Dell and Twitter . First, let us look at the Mission Statement of Dell Computers. On their website, Dell states that: “[our] mission is to be the most successful computer company in the world at delivering the best customer experience in the markets we serve.” This Mission Statement contains all three basic elements and sends a clear message to both the consumer and employee about what Dell is all about and where the bar for success is set. No matter what your thoughts on Dell (some love their products, others not so much…), you are likely inspired by the positive and uncompromising language used in this statement: “most successful,” “in the world,” “the best,” “customer experience”, to visit their website, consider one of their products, or start talking about the company to a friend. Twitter just released a similarly effective yet different Mission Statement: “We want to instantly connect people everywhere to what is most important to them.” There is less specifics in this Mission Statement – if you’re reading it without knowing the company it’s attached to, you would have no idea how they would be connecting people, for example – however, it still mixes elements of Purpose, People, and Passion into a clear and powerful message. I don’t know about you, but both of these Mission Statements make me want to think about doing business with these companies. They showcase an element of vision, thought, and aspirations that inspire action on my end to associate myself with these brands, whether that action is through a business partnership or purchasing of products and services. The ability to inspire such actions in others is key to an entrepreneur’s success, which is why a Mission Statement isn’t just for corporations. The Entrepreneur’s Mission Let’s consider the three elements of a Mission Statement again, although this time let’s do so through the lens of an entrepreneur: Purpose : What an entrepreneur does People : Who an entrepreneur serves Passion : Why an entrepreneur does what they do When you think about your own entrepreneurial endeavors, can you speak to each of these elements – what you do, who you do it for, and why you do it? If you can’t, I’m willing to bet you are struggling getting that product off the ground or building your client base. Just think about it – would you spend money on a product or service that didn’t have its “what,” “who,” and “why” figured out? Probably not. What is compelling your market to buy without these specifics? The truth about Mission Statements is that, at their core, they are just dressier versions of basic brand value propositions. “What are you offering, and why should I care?” Mission Statements are especially valuable for entrepreneurs who have multiple projects and want to create a cohesive brand among them. Think about Tim Ferriss – he published a career book and a fitness book, two totally unique endeavors, and successfully marketed them under one, common Mission Statement: work smart – not hard – for maximum results. Building A Results-Focused Mission When thinking about your own entrepreneur’s Mission Statement, there are a few things to keep in mind: If you are looking for a place to start, list out all the Whats, Whos, and Whys of your business and start condensing the elements Keep it simple, short, and easy to repeat, so it can be shared easily Use language that is authentic to you and your industry – nothing makes a Mission Statement more empty than obviously pretentious language Make it motivational – the purpose is to communicate with potential associates and customers AND inspire them to an action Include it on all marketing materials, from your blog to your business card to your radio commercial Don’t be afraid to experiment – I’ve seen some Mission Statements that were fully formed sentences, and others that were just phrases or words listed out together. As long as you can intelligently and quickly explain it to someone else, feel free to express your Mission in whatever way feels “right” Finally: listen to your intuition , not your sales brain. Building a results-focused Mission Statement isn’t about writing the perfect hard sale, it’s about capturing an intangible element in those around you and within yourself. You want it to be a meaningful document you can be proud of, not just another piece of short-form sales copy. Have you established an entrepreneur’s Mission Statement? How has it helped the growth and development of your business and brand? Here’s to your Entrepreneur’s Journey, Nacie Get your bonus copy of my book “How To Start An Internet Business & Make Your First $1,000 Online” Download Here

Tagged as: book, industry, online, radio, sales, time

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