I’ve been going through old files lately, trying to decide what I no longer need to keep. One of the items I came across was a print newsletter I wrote fifteen years ago. I had forgotten all about it, but it served as a reminder of my pursuits through the years. Even though I was working in a university library at the time, I wanted to have my own business.
I rented a mailbox and wrote out a four page newsletter filled with tips on saving time and money. Then I had a few hundred copies printed and delivered them to the houses in my neighbourhood. There wasn’t much response and after a couple of issues, I decided it wasn’t the best use of my time and stopped printing.
But my dream of a business didn’t die. It smoldered for a few more years, then rose again in the form of an Internet cafe. More time and money spent that time, but great experience. I learned to deal with government regulations, to lease equipment, to order supplies, to provide good customer service. I realized that I didn’t enjoy sitting in a shop all day, waiting for people to come in.
Next, I started training people to use computers and learned that I preferred groups to individuals. I found that I loved to plan lessons and to motivate and encourage others to be the best they could be.
Now I’ve come full circle. I’m back to writing, but this time my audience is virtual and my expenses are minimal. I still teach and motivate and encourage. As the years go by, my desire to learn and achieve is still a driving force in my life. And I still want to be an entrepreneur – it’s in the blood!
Technorati Tags: small business, entrepreneur
If you notice the top of the page, I’ve changed my opt-in form. Aweber has a number of new graphic web forms that in many cases have increased the number of people who are signing up for email lists. So I decided to test and see if a more visually appealing form makes a difference in my subscriber rate. I’ll keep you posted on my results.
As well as the new web forms, Aweber has upgraded their response messages. When someone gives you their name and email address, no longer do they simply get a text message telling them to confirm their subscription. Now the messages can also be audio or video. What a great way for your new subscribers to remember you.
Using an autoresponder such as Aweber allows you to contact potential clients with the click of a button, no matter how many subscribers you have. There is no better way to keep your business in the minds of your target audience.
Technorati Tags: Aweber, opt-in form, mailing list
The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to organize your files, both physical and on the computer. Weed out all the duplicate or outdated information. Decide on a filing system that works for you.
I find file management to be one of the hardest areas of organization for me. I tend to over organize and end up with three times as many file categories as I need. Then when it’s time to find a document, either on my hard drive or in my file cabinet, it takes endless searching. For instance, a report about Twitter could be in the Social Media file, or the Traffic file, or the Internet one. I could have duplicates in all those places, but for me it seems like a waste of paper or space to do that.
I’ve read a number of organizing books and have tried numerous filing methods. But I still haven’t found the right one for me. Right now I’m reading “Organizing Plain And Simple”. Maybe I’ll find my answer there. I would love to hear how you keep track of your files, both on the computer and in your office.
Technorati Tags: file management, organizing, filing
I’ve added a page called “Email Marketing” to the links at the top of the site. There you’ll find a number of articles that will help you keep in touch with your clients. You’ll also notice an ‘Order’ button above each article’s text – click that and you’ll get your first month of Aweber’s autoresponder service for just one dollar. Use the service to send automatic updates, one time offers, or a regular newsletter.
An opt-in form that collects the names and email addresses of potential clients offers a quick and easy way to keep in touch with your target market. By allowing you their contact information, these people are giving you permission to tell them more about what you offer. Used wisely, email marketing is useful for every business person.
Technorati Tags: email marketing, autoresponder, Aweber
As we come to the beginning of a new year, what are your objectives concerning your website? Since I have a number of sites, I found it very helpful to write down my Internet plans for 2010. I tried to focus on my main objective for each site and decide on any regular features I want to incorporate.
For instance, with my Internet Marketing site, my objective is to journal my progress as I create information products and as I set up my first membership site online. In the past, I’ve written about a number of things related to Internet Marketing with no real focus on specific topics.
I intend to provide regular weekly updates of my progress in both areas, including reviews of anything I’ve had to use to achieve my goals. Once the membership site is active, I’ll be including features from my members.
I’m also in the process of creating an editorial calendar for the year. I’ve never done that before, but as a member of Lynn Terry’s Elite Forum, we are challenged every month to complete projects like this one.
The editorial calendar will give me Read more…
