When the Technology Era was introduced to the masses in the mid 1990’s, it received a lukewarm welcome at best. Some said it was a passing fad that would run it’s course, and disappear. Some believed the ‘world wide web’ and it’s ability to connect thousands, if not millions of people instantly…was a ’sign of the times’, a fulfillment of prophecy signaling the end was near.

But most people were too busy juggling the day to day activities, responsibilities, and demands, associated with work and providing for their families, to give it much thought at all. Unless this futuristic technology could put food on the table, or money in their pockets“now”…it seemed irrelevant in the scope of things.

Taking little more than a momentary pause, everyone went back to their busy lives, blissfully ignorant of just how relevant that moment really was. Little did we know, life as we knew it, was sitting directly on the fault line of a historical Paradigm Shift about to open up, and swallow it whole.

Paradigms explain, or define the world to us. They shape our perception of life, which creates the boundaries and rules we live by.

When we were in school, history books taught that in the days of Columbus, people believed the world was flat. They thought the Atlantic ocean was filled with sea monsters large enough to devour a ship. And were certain if you sailed to the horizon, you’d plunge over the waterfall waiting for you at the edge of the earth.

The Paradigm was the socially accepted view of a flat earth. That perception defined their lives, and shaped the boundaries and rules of that time period.

When Columbus sailed the ocean blue, in fourteen hundred and ninety-two, (funny how some things stick with you for a lifetime!) he confirmed his theory – the earth was round, and not flat.

That single piece of credible new information created a historical Paradigm Shift. Their perception of life, and the boundaries and rules created by that perception, all made sense in a flat world. But not in a round one.

(And yes, since our elementary school days, it appears that historians have discovered this was a myth. The people of that time period did not think the world was flat.)

Paradigm Shifts change the game and create a new set of rules.

The paradigm shift we are all living through at present, transitioning from an  Industrial Age world, to this new Technology/Information Age world, is a new experience for everyone.

Learning how to thrive in this new environment is challenging, especially since everything is in constant motion. One of the main reasons that so many people are NOT finding success creating income online is because they are trying to fit a 20th Century Marketing philosophies and strategies card, into a 21st Century ATM. And the two are not compatible.

It’s like insisting that you are going to keep the world flat because that is what you are used to, and familiar with. And that will get you nowhere fast.

The first step to success in the 21st century, is to accept you’re no longer in 20th century. No longer playing by Industrial Age rules and boundaries. Take a moment to pause, and get comfortable with the fact that things have “changed” .

Once you acknowledge, and accept that….then your journey to producing income in the “New World” can begin.

To Your Growth and Profit,

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Popularity: 2% [?]

You’re bombarded with the message ‘you can be anything you want to be. Do anything you want to do. That the possibilities are endless – all you have to do is believe in yourself and reach for the stars!’

It sounds great, but who are they kidding?
By the time the checklist of daily necessities, responsibilities, work, errands, and unexpected moments take their toll, reaching for the light-switch is challenging, not alone reaching for the stars!

When taking stock of life, the majority of people know the life they’re living on a day-to-day basis is nowhere close to the life they dream of. Their days are stuck in ‘response mode’, one continual reaction after another to the circumstances and the people, who demand  time, attention and energy.

Most people are on the treadmill of life – constantly moving, putting one foot in front of the other, but going nowhere. They have moments when they realize all too well what they’re doing isn’t going to cut-it. If they stay on the path they’re on, they will leave this world not only never having achieved their dreams, but never even getting started on them.

Those “Crossroad” moments in life are opportunity calls. The opportunity to re-evaluate, weigh out, and make a conscious choice to either stay the course, or change it. To ask yourself ‘am I okay with where I am at? What I am doing? Where I am going? If I never do more, accomplish more, or am more, than I am right now, is that acceptable to me?’ And if the answer is ‘no‘, then those moments can be the catalyst for change.

If only it was that easy! Right?

But that’s just it – it’s NOT easy.
Not easy for you.
Not easy for anyone.

There’s NOTHING EASY about coming to grips with where you are in life, not liking what you see, and deciding to change things. Especially when you don’t get to wipe the slate clean. Don’t get to undo the decisions you’ve made so you can start out fresh, unencumbered by the results, and the circumstances you’ve created for yourself.

The reason the book “Unstoppable” by Cynthia Kersey, or any of the other thousands of books that have been written trumpeting the perseverance of the human spirit, end up on the bestsellers list – is because they’re the ultimate ‘pep talk’ for anyone seriously considering ‘change‘. They reinforce and affirm the message - “It’s Not Easy, But It’s Worth it!”

It’s time to get serious about what you want out of life. And, whether you are on a path that can take you there. Time will either work for you, or against you. If you’re not moving closer to your dreams, time becomes your enemy. If you are moving towards your dreams, time becomes a welcomed friend.

Whatever struggles, hardships, or downright difficult times you endure in pursuit of a worthy goal, is time well spent. It won’t be easy – but it will be worth it.

To Your Growth and Profit,

Popularity: 2% [?]

Happy 4th of July America!

We’re proud to be Americans.
May God Bless our Country and the men and women that protect it.

As the beneficiaries of freedom, may we diligently remember it is a gift
and some paid the ultimate price to give it to us.

Some Gave All -

Popularity: 2% [?]

If you’re still sitting there scratching your head trying to figure out what’s different about today’s Marketing environment compared to the way it used to be. If you’re noticing the compelling calls to action that used to yield results aren’t coming through for you. If consumers just don’t seem to be responding to your advertising methods and you’re wondering “Why?”  Here’s your answer…

Although the answer can be summed up in one simple sentence, the ramifications of it has changed the face of marketing worldwide. “The Marketer Is No Longer In Control, The Consumer Is.”

When social communities began to pop up online like MySpace, FaceBook, Twitter, and many others, they were looked at as nothing more than a venue for people to stay in touch. To share personal info and photo’s online with family and friends, and an opportunity to make new friends in the process. But if anyone could have looked into a crystal ball and foresaw the future, they would have seen the beginning of the most powerful marketing platform ever to come into existence. And it only reaffirmed what we as marketers, have always known – there’s no marketing out there, nor has there ever been, that is more compelling than “word-of-mouth”.

An exuberant testimonial or positive word, from a family member, trusted friend, or acquaintance, is all the endorsement a product or service needs to find its way to the person receiving the information. Word of mouth trumps the most cleverly written pieces of copywriting out there, every time. Word of mouth circumvents the entire marketing process, completely eliminates the work and expense of convincing, leading, and selling, the consumer. Word of mouth is a ‘done deal’.

You’ve heard of the ‘town gossip”? Multiply that by 446,483,050 –  And that’s just the number of Internet users in America. There are 1,802,330,457 worldwide.

It’s called “Buzz Marketing” – one continuous stream of talk, about everything, and anything, you can imagine. Including, your product, your service, your bedside manner. It’s a ‘head’s up’ to the entire world whether or not what you have, what you offer and how you conduct business is something others should avoid like the plague, or rush to take advantage of. There’s no more getting by with only doing enough to say you did it,  and then leaving the consumer hanging. The repercussions of conducting business like that will be swift, just, and permanent. The Internet never forgets!

Everyone likes to believe their opinion matters – never before in the history of the world has something as common as ‘an opinion’ carried the weight it does today. Never has the ability of the average person to say what’s on their mind, been as empowering as it is now. And there are absolutely NO qualifications or limitations, to the process of sharing it.

SO if you are still trying to figure out HOW to succeed with your advertising, here’s the KEY to Marketing in the 21^st century, keeping in mind this can work “for you” and “against you” – “Make Your Business, Product, or Service, “Conversation-Worthy”, and the buzz will take care of the rest.

To Your Growth and Profit,

Popularity: 2% [?]

Over the last couple years the economy has wreaked havoc on everybody’s finances. Since “financial security” is up at the top of the list for most human beings, the hardship families are facing as their net worth plummets is creating feelings of desperation.

There are approximately five-million die-hard entrepreneurs in this country. Even though living the up and down financial roller-coaster of creating your own income, comes with the territory, the economic downturn instantly eliminated many thriving businesses. Many an entrepreneur has had to change direction, alter their lifestyles, and start from scratch, in order to survive. But that’s what entrepreneurs do. That doesn’t mean it’s easy, comfortable, or without stress, it’s the natural course of things.

Then you have two hundred and twenty-million people who have never ventured into what seems to them, the risky and unstable life, of an entrepreneur. The lifelong employees, professionals, and career-minded individuals who now find themselves without the ‘financial security’ they built their lives around – the weekly paycheck. They’ve done everything they know to stabilize their unexpected financial situation. They’ve eliminated non-essentials and basically reduced their lives to a shell of what they once were. And, they still aren’t making it. The fixed payments created in better financial times, combined with inescapable obligations and responsibilities, have them pacing back and forth, wringing their hands, wondering what to do.

Regardless of which category you fall into, it’s time to get creative. It’s time to expand the boundaries of what you know and what you think you know,  and consider some new possibilities for getting yourself back on track financially. Let’s translate that into practical advice you can dig yourself out of a hole with.

First off,  don’t disillusion yourself – “quick buck ideas” are not a permanent solutions for what ails you. They might put out an immediate fire, but they never solve the problem for long. I remember about 5 years into our marriage when we were going through some really tough financial times, we sold pretty much everything we owned, a piece at a time, just to get by. Some of it was irreplaceable, but in light of not having food or a place to live, it wasn’t a necessity. I wish I had understood then, like I do now, the unlimited possibilities that were there for me to tap into.

You don’t need any additional skills, or deep pockets to create an income producing opportunity for yourself. Here’s what you do need though –

1) You need to quit thinking YOU, and you alone, are the answer to your problem – The majority of the people around you are in the same position you are. They too,  are looking for solutions. Remember what John Maxwell said - “All of us are smarter than one of us”. By limiting yourself to only what you can conjure up in your own mind, you stifle the real possibilities! Besides, if you had the answer, you’d be doing it already. Right?

2) You need to be CREATIVE! – you don’t need any additional skills other than what you have when you combine forces with one or more other people who all bring something different to the table.

Everyone is experiencing tough financial times, including businesses. EVERYONE is looking for creative ways to create more income for themselves, business and people alike.  Get one other person, or a group of people together for a brainstorming session.

Here’s one idea – think how you can mix and match different businesses together either locally, or on the internet, to create “package deals” that offer services people need. If you come from a large city, perhaps you can create “Night On The Town” packages. Put together different packages with different price points.  Call businesses like – limo services, restaurants, clubs, spas, hotels,…that would love to participate.

Let your imagination go wild with the ways you can get paid. A fee from the client. A referral fee from each business included in the package. And don’t just think in the realm of offering your packages one-on-one to clients, offer them to businesses looking to reward employees or drum up some new clients for themselves. To non-profit organizations for raffles. The possibilities are endless.

You see, just a little brainstorming, combined with an active imagination and some creative thinking,…can be all you need to get yourself on solid financial footing!

To Your Growth and Profit,

Popularity: 2% [?]

Most of us only make money if we are producing!  It’s sounds cut-and-dry, but it’s easier said than done. We were listening to  Brendon Burchard the other day. Brendon has “High Performance Academy”.  I like Brendon a lot, but tend to need a nap after listening to him! He’s very high-energy and offers a lot of AHA MOMENTS!  He was talking about “Productivity”..and I just knew this information would be very HELPFUL to you, so we wanted to share it.

Tell me if THIS doesn’t hit home! He said: Most people wake up, get ready for the day, go to work, and even at this point, they really aren’t thinking of anything yet,…they’re still kind of just going through the motions at this point. Then, they sit down and open up their email inbox.

Tip #1) That’s the WORST THING you could do if your goal is to be productive!
Your inbox is really nothing more than a nicely organized system of OTHER PEOPLES AGENDA’S. Every email in there is either someone needing something from you, or pulling at you.Most people start responding to other peoples emergency’s, needs, and wants.  Or they start looking through all their emails scanning to see What should I be doing today? What is the biggest fire I need to put out today?

They are living life in “reaction mode” verses living life in “intention mode“. They’re not focused on what to do throughout the day, they are just saying “Well, I’ll do this, because that’s what popped up today, that’s what’s in front of me.”

I have accomplished a lot in my lifetime, but there are things I have NOT, that I should have. And after watching Brendons video, I realized why. And the 1-page productivity sheet he shows you how to make, helped me organize an area of my life that was causing me sleepless nights!

If you want a very simple plan for starting your day in a way that will make you MUCH more productive throughout the day – check out this video. (btw – this is video 3 in the series. There is a navigation bar at the top of the video that allows you to access ALL the videos in the series. Glean from them what YOU will, not everything will apply, but what does – will truly help to make you more successful! )

Click Here for Brendons video on Productivity, it’s VERY worth your time!

To Your Growth and Profit…

Popularity: 2% [?]

A lot of marketing coaches, us included, have made the comment – “The Internet levels the playing field for the little guy by creating a consumer driven marketplace. With the consumer initiating contact  by going online and seeking out the products and services they want, the little guy has a shot at customers that used to be exclusive to big business.”

While that is absolutely true, it’s important to understand that the notion of a completely “level playing field” is a myth. Big business and Small business will never be equals.

So when we talk about a ‘level playing field’, we’re not referring to every aspect of the business, as though deep pockets, access to experts, and unlimited resources are a moot point. Obviously those things keep the playing field anything but level.

Business isn’t a board game. It’s not about “What’s Fair”. Not everyone will be playing by the same rules. Business is about strategy. It’s about weighing out the competition and discovering a niche where you can successfully compete.

Obviously there are markets as a small business owner, it wouldn’t be wise to try and compete in. It wouldn’t make sense to go toe-to-toe with Walmart and compete on PRICING. Their volume is staggering, their bulk pricing untouchable, and they can afford to take a loss for the sake of promotion. If that’s your strategy for making money and growing your business, make sure you live in a warm climate, you’ll be sleeping on the streets…soon.

While big business may have a few things going for them you don’t, won’t, or never will – there are some advantages you have as the small guy, that big business doesn’t –

• You’re not working to cover thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars, in over-head costs monthly, before you’re in profit.
• Your business doesn’t depend on the reliability of employees to stay open
• Internet marketing platforms are fickle and require flexibility, you don’t have to go through a board of directors to implement time-sensitive changes.
• You can get up close and personal with the topics, concerns, and needs of your potential customer.
• $1000 – $5000 a month profit can provide a lifestyle change.
• You can manage your business from a park bench while you watch the kids play, or while you relax in your favorite spot away from home.
• YOU are in control of your destiny.

While there is no way to ever completely level the playing field between big business and small business so they are equals, if you learn to take advantage of the little things that make a BIG difference to consumers, and appreciate the aspects of being small…your experience as a small business owner will not just be profitable, but meaningful and fulfilling.

To Your Growth and Profit,

Popularity: 2% [?]

As David and I head to the finish line of completing the E-book we are writing,…it is amazing how things always gain clarity when you are writing them out. Which is why I love writing and blogging. It is an opportunity to see your thoughts in black and white right in front of you,  and there is something about ‘looking’ at them, that forces you to consider, evaluate, and affirm them.

Even though the transformation in the way we live our lives and communicate with others is starkly different than 10 years ago, due to the rapid advancement of technology since the late 1990’s…it’s amazing how many “old school” thoughts we retain out of habit.

As baby boomers, the technology explosion happened mid-life for us….the initial knee-jerk reaction to it wasnt favorable for most boomers. After all, it is really mid-life before the majority of people start to feel ‘comfortable’ in their own skin. Feel like they have a handle on life. Know where they are going and have a plan how they are going to get there.

The introduction of the technology age didn’t just interrupt that process, it wiped the slate clean and told us to start over. It was like one of those movies where someone walks through a cave in the side of a mountain side and when they come out on the other end, they are in a completely different era they are totally unfamiliar with. On top of that, we discovered the skills and information we had used for 40 years to advance ourselves in life, was obsolete and basically useless to us in the newfangled technology age. They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but I guarantee you, if it is the difference between surviving or not, most old dogs will adapt and overcome.

Of course, as we stated before, even though this new era took us off-guard and at first-glance it was difficult to see the upside, it has ended up being one of the greatest things that could ever happen to boomers. Since we were already on the road to experiencing a life extension of almost 25 years due to advances in medicine and healthier lifestyles,…the Internet opened-wide the window of opportunity for us to give value to others lives and create income at the same time.

The Internet allows people to take the “experiences” of their lives and turn them into VALUE. As Boomers, we may not have grown up with a keyboard in our hands, and an ipod in our ears,….but what we are short on in “technology skills” ….we are long on in life “experiences”.

And the greatest aspect is that what you can offer people as VALUE today, can come from the core of who you are as a person. You can be authentic & genuine, which is nice, because nothing is easier than being ‘yourself’. You can emotionally and mentally connected with the people, build a rapport without ever talking to them….because they can identify with you and your experience. The camaraderie builds instant trust.

By taking something that touched you deeply in life, you can help others by sharing the value of the lessons you have, or are, learning. By sharing the products or services you found helpful. By passing on the name of experts who provided information that you found on cue with the problem.

Do you see how everything I just wrote translates into both a “giving and receiving” relationship based on VALUE? Value for BOTH parties. It’s not about hype,  clever copy-writing, trickery, or offering something on the front-side to get a name or email address then delivering nothing on the back-side.

Using your “experiences” to help others is as “Old School” as you can get! It’s been going on for thousands of years. It’s nice to know some things never change.

Bottom-line – you don’t have to LOOK any further than your own  life to create a viable business for yourself.

To Your Growth and Profit,

Popularity: 2% [?]

I was reading a story about Swiss watch makers, which I think makes a good point for today’s post.

In the late 1960’s the Swiss dominated the watchmaking industry. Anyone looking to buy an accurate, top-of-the-line watch, bought a Swiss watch. They were passionate about their trade, and prided themselves in their craftsmanship.

They never became complacent with their high-ranking position in the industry. They were always trying to improve, and surpass, their ‘best’. They were responsible for inventing the minute hand and the second hand. If you asked 50 people off the street; “Who makes the best watch in the world?” You’d hear the same repetitive answer – “The Swiss”.

They were leaders in the field, implementing cutting-edge dynamics like waterproofing, and constantly researching and striving for better way to manufacture watch parts. They proved themselves and for that, in the late 1960’s, they owned the lion’s share of the market -  65% of all the watches sold in the world went to the Swiss. No other country was even close to their unprecedented success.

Yet, by 1980 their market share had plummeted from 65% to 10%. Something went terribly wrong. They were dethroned as the world leaders for watchmaking.

What happened?

There was a paradigm shift in watch manufacturing.

The mechanical mechanisms in the watch that required the intricate, precise, laborious, detailed craftsmanship, the Swiss had mastered – the gears, the bearings, the mainsprings,..went electronic, making their manufacturing methods immediately antiquated, and out-dated. Fifty thousand of the sixty-two thousand watchmakers in Switzerland lost their jobs between 1979 and 1981. And in a country the size of Switzerland, to say it was devastating, would be under-stating the calamity.

But while one country was hit hard by this new technology, another country was about to cash-in on the opportunity of a lifetime. Japan, who held only 1% of the world watch market in 1968 while the Swiss reigned untouched, developed a world-class electronic technology. The electronic quartz watch was about to take the watch market by storm giving Japan 33% of the market.

But here’s the clincher - It was actually the Swiss that invented the electronic quartz movement…in their own research facility! However, when the researchers showcased this new technology to the manufacturers, it was rejected, hands down. In fact, the manufacturers were so unimpressed, that they allowed the researchers to present their worthless invention at the worlds watch symposium that year. Guess who else was there?  A japanese company – Seiko.

The rest is history.

You can’t hold on to what was, at the expense of losing what is, and the promise of what could be.

Marketing has undergone a paradigm shift. The old school advertising rules are ineffective and will act like a millstone around your neck. Taking advice from neanderthal marketers unwilling to adapt and overcome in order to compete in a brave new marketing world, is business suicide.

Take a lesson from the Swiss – if you don’t take the bull by the horns and shape your own future, someone else will carve it out for you…much to your disliking.

To Your Growth and Profit,

Popularity: 3% [?]

One day you’re standing on the white sandy shores looking out at the vast  ocean of opportunity, and the next, you’re swallowed up by in the sea of Online Marketing. The tips, suggestions, software, experts, success testimonials, must-have’s, and must-do’s…just keep coming, each one grabbing at you, pulling you out further, until you can’t see the shore.

That’s when you discover the value of “treading water”.

As a child learning to swim, I caught on fast to the importance of knowing how to  ‘tread water’. It wasn’t as much fun as diving off the dock, or swinging on a rope into a lake,…but it was the most important skill I could master. It was the difference between drowning, or not. That continual perpetual motion of arms and legs allowed me to keep my head above water for extended periods of time…preventing me from sinking.

The majority of Entrepreneurs coming to the Internet to create income, find themselves doing nothing more than treading water in the sea of Online Marketing. The continual perpetual motion of taking ‘some kind’ of marketing action to keep their heads above water seems to prevent them from sinking, but there’s no forward progress, no tangible results, just a desperation to keep moving.

Treading water is survival mode.
It might keep you from drowning, but it doesn’t get you any closer to your dreams.

There is something about the word “success”, that draws us to it like a magnet. We dream, we plan, we chase, in pursuit of it. Like the dangling carrot in front of the horse, success entices us. It promises to give us the thing we yearn for most as human beings – to be unencumbered, unshackled…by what threatens to hold us down, hold us back, or dares to deprive us of the best life has to offer.

Jumping into the sea of Online Marketing in pursuit of success without a clear definition of what success is – as defined by YOU -  or a detailed map of exactly how you plan to get there, will make you prey to the predators of the sea and put everything you dream of at risk.

TRUE success doesn’t come in a packaged deal to the masses. It is as individual as you are. Coming to terms with your definition of success is crucial to attaining it. Your unique definition details the map that guides you to it. It provides the clarity and direction.

Define your success, before venturing into the sea of online marketing…or you risk never accomplishing anything, except treading water.

To Your Growth and Profit,

Popularity: 3% [?]