Entrepreneurial Lessons From My J-O-B
When you mention a full- or part-time job to people in the home business arena, you usually are met with scowls, howls, and sometimes, blood curdling screams. Just the thought of a J-O-B can make most Enterpreneurs go screaming into the night.
But not so fast.
There are lessons to be learned here.
Even with two so dramatically opposing business models, there are lessons that can and should be applied to both the 9-5er and the independent Entrepreneur.
Let’s focus right in on the biggest one…..
SETTING A WORK SCHEDULE
As an independent home business owner, you have a freedom that most never know —-> You can set your own hours. You work when you want to work. There is no boss breathing down your neck with the next deadline. There is no one watching the clock, docking your pay when you are late or leave early. It’s YOU — ONLY YOU.
Some people do quite well with this freedom. Others crash and burn.
Especially if they’re not used to it.
The biggest culprit that brings new business owners down?
PROCRASTINATION. I call it the “I’ll do it later” syndrome.
Many of you know it well. I know I did.
I was an all-star procrastinator, and in my weak moments I still can be.
Any of these sound familiar?
“I’ll write that blog post after the news.”
“Let me run to the mall first, then I’ll start writing that article I’ve been putting off.”
Or my favorite….
“I’ll call my prospect tomorrow, when my head is clearer.”
It’s called PROCRASTINATION folks, and it can torpedo a home based business.
How do you combat it? There are volumes written on the subject, but I’ve found something that works well for me —-
SET A WORK SCHEDULE WITH PROJECT DEADLINES.
Just like my 9-5 JOB used to be. Start work at a certain time. End work at a certain time.
The advantage, of course, is that I can set the hours I want to work.
I determine my work for the day. I set my priorities and my deadlines.
But they are there staring me in the face none-the-less.
And if you’re like me, you will probably me harder on yourself than any boss could be.
To your success!
MLM Traffic Formula II Launch Announced — Available at Deep Discount
Hi everyone!
It seems I have survived the swine flu and am back in the saddle and ready to rumble.
Now that I can finally sit in front of my computer again instead of laying in bed, I just spent the last 36 minutes watching a fascinating video by a guy named Mike Dillard.
Many of you are already familiar with Mike from Magnetic Sponsoring and the products that have revolutionized that way network marketers do business (and I don’t say this lightly).
Today, Mike announced that in the next 4 days he will be launching a revised, upgraded version of the one product that changed my Network Marketing fortune…. MLM Traffic Formula.
He is calling it MLM Traffic Formula II, and it promises to be even better than the first.
You know, I can count on one hand the number of Internet Marketers that I actually TRUST, and Mike Dillards is at the top of the list.
Why? Because Mike consistently OVERDELIVERS in content, far beyond what you would expect for the asking price of his products…. and I have them all —- Magnetic Sponsoring, Building on a Budget, PPC Domination , MLM Traffic Formula — to name a few.
Mike has allowed me, as a Magnetic Sponsoring member, to offer to you for a limited time the opportunity to get this product as a VERY reduced rate when it comes out in the next 4 days.
To help you decide it will help you, take a look at the same 36 minute free video that I just watched… you will NOT be disappointed.
Again, it is called Mike Dillard’s MLM Traffic Formula II.
Chances are very high you’ll be hearing about this one for years to come, and it will become one of the staples of the industry.
Get in now so you can qualify for the heavily reduced purchase price.
Your friend on the Inside,
P.S. You know I am very, very selective on which products I promote on this blog. You can feel safe that this one is a keeper.
A Flu Not Fit For Pigs
Sorry guys, the Clarke household has been hit by the swine flu, so I’ve been off my normal blogging pattern.
I have to say, this flu is not fun. I was fairly lucky, in that it kept me in bed for only a couple of days. But others, like my inlaws suffered much more. I worry about the elderly with these types of illnesses, as they tend to go right to the lungs (at least mine did).
Thankfully, we took my inlaws (who were visiting) right to the ER on Memorial Day and got them on a course of treatment, and they are doing much better.
As for me, I’ll be back in the saddle very soon, ready to roll.
Sorry for the delay. See you soon.
Bob
5 Ways to Share Videos and Images to Twitter
Twitter has exploded. Literally.
And it has become more and more apparent that, to take full advantage of this real time information sharing hub one needs to know of and understand the various applications available.
Two posts from one of my favorite blogs, Mashable – The Social Media Guide caught my eye recently (on Twitter, none-the-less):
Here are 2 recent posts on Mashable that will get you up-tp-speed on sharing video and images on Twitter
Top 5 Ways to Share Videos on Twitter
5 Ways to Share Images on Twitter
And while you are reading these great posts on Mashable, take the time to subscribe if you are interested in Social Media. It’s one of the few blogs that I read religiously.
Have a terrific Memorial Day holiday weekend, folks…
as I write this, I’m off to a barbeque.
It’s all about living the life you deserve and dream of….
New FREE Article Marketing Series Now Available
ATTENTION: All Article Marketers or anyone interested in Article Marketing….
Your day just got a whole lot better!
The authors at EzineArticles.com have just made available a set of 12 PDFs to provide training in all areas of article marketing, including:
- Article Marketing 101
- Article Syndication
- Article Keywords and Titles
- Article Summary
- Article Do’s and Don’ts
- Article Resource Box
- Creating Great Content
- What Article Publishers Are Looking For
and much more.
ALL FOR FREE!
This is a MUST pick up for anyone interested in using Article Marketing as a source of branding and/or lead generation for their business.
I have used article marketing very successfuly to brand myself as a leader and to drive traffic to my main business website as well as this blog (perhaps you found me in this way!).
Done effectively, article marketing can mean serious results!
Check out this post in the EzineArticle.com Blog.
Happy Writing.
Trying To Make Sense of Twitter? Try These 5 Twitter Research Tools
Twitter!
It’s the “in thing”, the newest craze. Everyone seems to be doing it.
But how do you make any sense of it? How do you see patterns and potential niches in all that noise?
Today I stumbled on the answer, and it came via one of my new Favorite Blogs, Mashable.
It’s another blog that is well worth following and subscribing to.
Here is the latest post —> 5 Terrific Twitter Research Tools.
Use these tools to help you analyze Twitter and make it work towards the benefit of your home based business.
Enjoy!
To your success!
Dr. Bob Clarke
Step Away From Your Electronic Device…. and Pick Up the Phone
I have a 16 year old daughter — 16 going on 30.
She lives with her mom, some 4 hours from me. Although I see her as much as possible, we rely on phones and emails to communicate daily. We used to speak on the phone almost every day, just checking in to see how her world was going.
Then a funny thing happened.
Caitlin discovered text messaging.
Now, I’m not against texting, and I think it has its value in certain circumstances. But what is happening with us, and with the world at large, is that we are replacing human connection with electronics.
Rather than having a nice, warm phone converstion, I am now faced with a barage of text messages every morning, always starting out with:
“hi”
“how r u?”
“whats new”
“btw, i got my hair cut”
“gtg my bus is here.”
Not only are we failing to connect on a basic human level, but my 16 year old is also forgetting how to spell 
So why do I bring this up?
Because I see the same thing happening in the world of Network Marketing. The Network in Network Marketing means connecting with people. It means human connection. Not electronic.
I have no problem with using texting or autoresponder emails to help drive your business. They definitely have their place.
But if you really want to make you business explode, if you really want to begin seeing the kind of results that will help you justify the capital you put into your business, then by all means….
Step away from your computer…. and pick up a phone.
There is nothing like talking to a person… one on one.. that can create an instant connection with your prospect. Only in actually hearing each others voices can you get a real feel for what a person is like, how they would fit into your business, and whether or not they have what it takes to be your next leader.
It may in their voice inflection. It may be the WAY they say something, not actually what they say. It may be their tone, upbeat or downcast, that gives you the clue you need.
All of this is lost in a text message or email.
You need to pick up the phone and establish actual human contact.
And for your prospect… let them hear your voice, your confidence, your excitement in what you are doing. None of that can be transmitted electronically. Let them hear the empathy in your voice as you listen to their problems.
Only then will they really know that you are on their side, and you can help them.
I watch in amazement as so many new network marketers depend almost solely on their computers or PDAs to run their business.
They would rather send 100 emails or text messages rather than pick up the phone and have one conversation.
It has become easier (preferable?) to rely on electronics and less on human interaction.
While it may be easier, in most cases the results will NOT follow.
You see, networking is about connecting with people. And the best way I know of to connect with someone is to look them in the eye and talk to them. And if you can’t look them in the eye because of distance, then they absolutely NEED to hear your voice to convince them that you are the person that can help them achieve their wildest dreams.
If you’re wondering why your business is floundering, listless, and not moving forward, then shut off the computer, pick up your phone, and start making connections with your prospects.
Chances are very high that your results will pick up, and you’ll actually make some friends and feel better about the world in the process.
6 Free Keyword Research Tools That Will Blow Your Mind (And Not Your Budget)!
The one skill that EVERY SUCCESSFUL NETWORK MARKETER has mastered?
KEYWORD RESEARCH
Keyword research allows one to find niches, determine competition, and define the demand of the consumer. There are people that make a living by doing keyword research for others. There are those that are SO good at it (Howie Schwartz, among others) that they can basically name the price for their services.
I’m not going to talk about HOW to do keyword research in this post. There are volumes already published on the subject.
Simply go to Google and type in “keyword research” and you’ll get over 47 MILLION hits. There’s not much more that I can add.
But what about the TOOLS to perform keyword research?
Again this is a huge market, and there are a multitude of tools to choose from. Some cost very little. Some are rather expensive. All have their attributes and their shortcomings. And some…. are FREE.
Free keyword research tools are my favorite, as they are what I used when I first started out. And, truth be told, the average network marketer will do just fine by JUST using the free tools.
Below, I have listed my 6 Favorite Keyword Research Tools… and they are all FREE.
Enjoy.
TOOL #1: Google Suggest
Google Suggest is a Google search feature that automatically suggests search phrases as you are typing your query. The green number next to each suggested query represents the approximate number of results that would return if you select the query. I use this tool when first starting the keyword research process, as it gives me some ideas about various search phrases and the relative popularity (i.e. volume) and competition.
TOOL #2: Google Adwords Free Keyword Tool
The Google Adwords Free Keyword Tool should be a staple in every networkers toolbox. Designed to give advertisers more keyword ideas for their Google Adwords campaigns, this tool can be used by any marketer, whether or not they advertise on Google. Simply put in your main keyword or phrase (hint: start broad and narrow your focus in later searches) and hit “Get Keyword Ideas” button, and you’re off and running.
When your results are posted (within a few seconds), you will find listed your main keyword or phrase, followed by a typically long list of variations. For each keyword or phrase on the list, the Google Adwords Free Keyword Tool provides information on Global Monthly Search Volume, Local Search Volume for the Prior Month, and Advertiser Competition. You can also find the Estimated Cost-per-Click (CPC) needed to attain a certain ad position, Search Volume Trends for the past year (in graphic form), and the month of the year in which the highest search volume was hit (HINT: To see these later columns, go to the drop down menu under Choose Columns to Display and select “ALL”).
And it gets better. This tool allows you to click an “ADD” button to add the keyword or keyword phrase to a list, which can then be exported in a .csv file to Microsoft Excel or your favorite spreadsheet, or a text file to download to a text editor.
Want more? You can also choose to search for your keyword term as a Broad match, Phrase Match, or Exact Match. And it you want to develop a Negative List for your keyword, you can simply select this feature, as well.
I think you’ll agree that this is one POWERFUL tool, and it’s one of my favorites.
TOOL #3: Google Insights for Search
Another terrific free keyword tool offered by Google, Google Insights for Search allows you to compare search volume patterns across specific regions, categories, time frames and properties. Simply type in your search term, filter by time (years) or location (Worldwide, US, specific region, etc.), and hit Search.
Google Insights provides you with the most often searched terms or phrases during the time you have designated. For example, if I wanted to know the search volume of the keyword phrase “Home Business” during the years 2004-present in the US, the results would look like this:
Top searches |
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New!
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Rising searches |
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Very cool. Not only do I see the Top Searches for this keyword phrase, but Google Insights also provide the Rising Searches, those phrases that have been “breaking out” in terms of volume from one month previous to the current month.
This is especially powerful if you are looking to drive more traffic.
TOOL #4: NicheBot Classic
This keyword tool, powered by Wordtracker, allows you to type in a keyword phrase and obtain the top 50 most popular keyword listings. I use this tool to supplement the free Google tools, as many of these tools pull their listings from different sources and yield slightly different results. This is another way to supplement your keyword list and make it more complete.
This tool is also very useful in that in provides information across the various search engines. When I type in “home business”, I get a list of keyword phrases, and their relative search volume in Google, Yahoo, and MSN. I can also check out the competition by clicking on the link to these search engines provided in the table, which will show me the top PPC and organic listings for that particular phrase.
These features make the NicheBot Classic Free Keyword tool very powerful.
Tool #5: Wordpot Keyword Finder
There is a paid and free version of this site, but I’ve found the free version to be more than enough in terms of relevant keyword information. Simply sign up for a free account and you’re good to go.
Once you’ve entered your keyword phrase, the Free Wordpot Keyword tool will provide you with a list of the 50 top results, giving the total number of times any variation of the keyword phrase was searched, and the number of times your keyword phrase was searched EXACTLY. This is useful information when determining whether or not to include a keyword phrase in your list.
TOOL #6: Keyword Spy PRO
Again, there is a free and paid version of this tool, and I have used both. The Free Version of KW SpyPRO provides you with a ton of relevant information about the competition for a specific keyword or phrase. When I type in “Home Business”, I am provided basic information regarding average cost per click, daily volume, and the number of advertisers using this keyword phrase (i.e. your competitors):
Keyword Statistics  |
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| Cost/Click: | $3.07 |
| Clicks/Day: | 1,904 |
| Cost/Day: | $5,905 |
| #Advertisers: | 149 |
| Search Results: | 2,147,483,647 |
In addition, KWSpyPRO provides the Top 5 Paid Competitors and Top 5 Organic Listing Competitors for this keyword, their URL, number of keywords used, daily budget estimation, and their actual ads they use to drive traffic.
And all of this for FREE.
Although you can get even more information using the paid versions of some of these sites, and their are some excellent PAY KEYWORD TOOLS that I use and strongly recommend, network marketers on a tight budget can perform their keyword research just as easily and almost as completely with these FREE KEYWORD TOOLS.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me directly.
To your success!
SPNb@bble — An Alternative to Twitter?
Twitter.
It seems like you either love it or hate it.
You either get it, or don’t get it.
But one thing is for sure –
IT IS EXPLODING
I love Twitter…. but it seems to have gotten a bit crowded and hard to manage.
As I am always looking for new and exciting alternatives, I offer the following as a possible Alternative to Twitter.
SPNb@bble is a microblogging platformed dedicated to web professionals, entrepreneurs, network marketers, and alike.
I just recently created a profile and started using this new microblogging platform, but so far I am impressed.
Let’s take a closer look…
Why Should You Use SPNb@bble?
If you are already using sites like Twitter and Facebook for marketing, networking, branding, PR and building backlinks, then SPNbabble can save you a great deal of time and effort. Message posts on SPNbabble will simultaneously appear on Twitter, Friendfeed, Plurk, Tumblr and Facebook, if you have accounts on those services.There are plans to tie SPNbabble into even more micro-blogging services in the near future.
SPNb@bble Features:
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So take a look and let me know what you think.
And follow (or Subscribe) me on SPNbabble
To your success!
Day 7: ‘Self Employed and Rich’
“How To Make A $100,000 Per Month
Residual Income In Less Than 12 Months“
Here is how our “Top CCPRO Team” has made It duplicable through our Carbon Copy Marketing System:
•MISSION: You’ve got to have a mission that puts the success of others first. Our goal is to help 100 people become millionaires within the next 3 years, and we’re on track to reach our goal.
•INDUSTRY: Direct Sales via Network Marketing. No other business model offers so much potential with so few barriers to entry (like start-up costs).
•COMPENSATION PLAN: Direct Sales, but only if it has a residual income based compensation plan.
Stay away from the ‘2-up’ compensation plan found in most direct sales companies. This compensation plan is not fair and does not harbor team spirit because your over-rides on partners is limited to their first two customers.
•PRODUCTS: The long term profitability and viability of any company will be determined by the actual value of the products being sold.
40% of the products promoted by Carbon Copy Pro are sold to product customers only, i.e. people not looking for a business opportunity.
If the product(s) being marketed won’t stand on their own, in other words if no one would buy them without the money-making incentive, then they’re not the right products.
•MENTOR: Find a mentor. Someone you can trust. Someone who has a system. Someone who already has the results you’re looking for. This has to be someone who is willing to listen to your needs and actually cares about your success. He/she must also have a financial interest in your success.
•MARKETING: Use an Attraction Marketing system like ours that does the sorting, selling, training, and follow-up for you. This system must not only attract (right keywords, ads etc) the right type of person (entrepreneur vs get-rich-quick loser), but be able to present the information in such a way that is clear, concise, to the point and not full of hype fluff or crazy promises.
Then figure out how to get 100-200 QUALITY targeted prospects into your marketing pipeline EACH week. (Remember, there are close to a million people looking for businesses every week and 79 million Americans plan to start their own business in the next 3-5 years!).
•TRAINING: Make sure you have access to one-on-one, and group training designed to dramatically shorten your learning curve and reduce the number of variables that come with “trial and error”. Our system is designed to “share” the knowledge and experience with EVERY member through our daily training calls and forum. My consultants get to hear top producers working their businesses LIVE, 4 days a week, as if they were sitting in the office with me.
•SUPPORT: Unparalleled support is mandatory. EVERYONE in Carbon Copy PRO is highly motivated to help you reach the level of financial prosperity that you want because we’re compensated extremely well in order to ensure that you do!
It’s been my pleasure to present you with this Self Employed and Rich 7-day bootcamp. I hope you’ve gotten some useful information from it.
Your Friend on the Inside,
Dr. Bob Clarke
Get more Information and Submit Your Application to work with Rosemary and I on one of the fastest growing teams in Carbon Copy PRO.
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