Ten Ingredients To Your Success

Success in business isn't a magic spell you can learn at Hogwarts nor a secret that's passed down among the world's elite.

Success is a recipe that has a few proven ingredients. When you mix those ingredients with love, thought, and care, you'll create something that will nourish you and your family for years to come.

Here Are Some Of The Ingredients I Find Important In The Recipe For Success

1. Happy Customers and Clients. Yep, that's the number one ingredient that successful businesspeople have in their entrepreneurial cupboard.

No matter what service you provide, it's all about the customer. If the customer isn't happy, she might not be back to buy another record, designer handbag, case of wine, your marketing service, or your web design service.

Whatever you do in your business, you should always think about the customer. Each and every action you take should be geared toward providing the best customer service possible.

Imagine yourself as your customer and visualize how you'd like to be treated. Use that as a beginning to establish your business's service guidelines.

One other thing to consider: if you don't know who you're selling to, you can't market properly. And if you can't market to the right audience, the folks you do reach probably won't have much interest in your product or service. Know who you're selling to so you can reach the places where they hang out.

2. Results. People expect things quickly these days.

Our attention span isn't what it used to be (darn all those TV commercials with 27 edits for each 30 second commercial!), so when customers come to you with questions, you've got to be Johnny-on-the-Spot with answers.

When they call with orders, you'd better have the product to them yesterday or they will go to someone who can get them what they want when they want it.

If you always have answers and products/services for customers/clients, you'll become the go-to-person, something money just can't buy.

3. Follow up. Part of keeping your customers happy is following up on an order, especially if there's some sort of snafu.

(Let’s face it – no matter how hard you try, no matter how conscientious you are, SOMETHING will go wrong at times.)

As a customer, it makes me smile when I get a call or email asking if I've received the order and if I'm happy with the product. This will only take a couple of minutes on your part, but will do wonders for your reputation.

Now, when your business really gets cooking and you've got dozens or hundreds of orders to follow up on every day, you might need to consider getting some help. But isn't that a great “problem” to have?

(And for those of us working online, drop-shipment houses and auto-responders help immensely!)

4. Reputation. Your reputation is something that will grow when the first three ingredients are blended successfully.

This might take a little time, but it’s well worth the effort. A good reputation is crucial to any successful business endeavor.

(Hey, if anyone has ever talked to you about “branding” then THIS is branding – earn a stellar reputation and keep it!)

Just remember – once lost, your reputation will be very difficult to get back. (It’s like flushing something down the toilet – “possible” to retrieve but REALLY difficult!) Make sure your product is as it's advertised to be. Make sure you follow up on promises. Make sure your customer is happy.

When you do those things, your reputation will grow and your business will flourish.

This also includes your relationship with your distributors and joint-venture partners. Make sure you pay your invoices in a timely manner. If you can't get the money to them on time, let them know when to expect payment. Keep the lines of communication open.

5. Promotion. Nobody is going to promote your business for you (unless you're paying them).

Take advantage of every opportunity to talk about your business and promote what you do.

Now, this doesn't mean jabbering at your neighbors until their eyes roll back in their heads. Just mention in passing that you can provide a service that they might need. Discreetly drop little tidbits of info into the conversation. Maybe one day they'll ask to know more about your business.

When you are tooting your own horn, it's imperative to keep an eye on your audience. Nothing turns people off faster than a self-promoter who doesn't know when to quit.

6. Selling. An important thing to remember is don't sell the product, sell the lifestyle.

In their TV ads, Apple doesn't tell you about the storage capacity of their computers, what motherboard they're using, or the size of their monitors.

No.

They show a hip guy (representing Apple) outsmarting a nerd (representing PCs). People don’t see themselves as the pocket-protector guy who can't hold up his end of a debate. Everybody identifies with the hip, laid-back lifestyle and Apple computers.

(Well, OK: not EVERYBODY – I know a few who live the life of the PC nerd – but there aren’t many like that – and the ones who are: I’m not aiming at nor attracting.)

When you're selling your product, imagine the perks your customer will get from using it. Sell the party where the wine will be poured. Sell the exclusivity of the designer handbag. Sell the eco-friendliness of the low-flow toilet. Use the customer's dreams to set the scene for your product and you'll see your sales climb as a result.

And while we're on the subject of sales, be sure to Ask for the Sale.

Customers generally don’t throw their money at you: at least I don’t know any like that. You need to lead them to the sale. Be like the little boy, Oliver, and ask for a “sale, please.”

(And while we’re on Oliver, always encourage him to come back to buy more so he says, “Please, sir, I want some more.”)

7. Volunteerism. If you volunteer with local organizations, you'll accomplish two things: you'll make valuable contacts and you'll show yourself as a competent worker.

Before you know it, you'll be getting business calls from folks you met at fundraisers who liked what they saw. It may be difficult finding time to volunteer, but it will pay great dividends in the end.

I know that I found that while I was my busiest, while I was most involved with community organizations or our local theater, I was most successful. See if that works for you too!

8. Professionalism. It's one thing to work in sweats when you're staying at home, alone. But if you're meeting with a client, dress for success.

Business casual is appropriate in most situations. Always be well groomed. Speak well, with carefully chosen words, and really listen to what your client is saying.

When someone who looks great enters the room for a meeting, you notice, right? They will notice YOU, too, when you look your best!

Take what you do seriously and others will do the same.

9. Bookkeeping. Know where each nickel goes and the dollars will take care of themselves, especially when you're just getting your business off the ground.

Can you reuse that paper? Do you really need to print that flier in color or can you save a few bucks and go with black and white? Is the ad you’re running providing great results or just taking up space (because you feel you need to be there because all of your competitors are there)?

I know a man who reuses price stickers in his California record shop. Yes, he's a penny-pincher, and his business is still thriving after thirty years and some pretty serious economic slumps in the area.

When it’s time to spend money, do it (and do it well). At other times, watch carefully where it goes and how it grows for you.

10. Relevance. Make sure you know what's going on in the world. This includes keeping an eye on the latest technological advances as well as marketing ideas and advertising strategies.

Subscribe to a few blogs, like this one. You'll get timely articles on the newest business trends and get to discuss issues with other blog members. (And be sure to check out AllTop.com, which I highly recommend – great blogs all in categories so you can find your niche quickly.)

Another easy way to keep up is join a business club or professional organization. You can pick up a lot listening to others, and let's face it: you just don't have the time to read every trade publication out there. By attending meetings, you'll get the condensed version of the latest issue of Business Week and be able to ask questions about it.

And you’ll be rubbing shoulders with others who, once they get to know you and what you do, will be open to working with you.

While you're garnering all this information, remember to offer something valuable in return. Ask if the latest Chinese embargo will hurt sales of frozen chicken parts. Then remark on how the latest mobile phone app has really saved you time on follow-up. Comments like these will get a conversation going and inform others without coming across like a know-it-all.

Focus On These Ten

There are other ingredients, but these are the one's I've found valuable. I'm sure you'll add some of your own to this list.

This isn't a complicated recipe, though it does have quite a few components. With time and practice, you'll know each one by heart and know exactly the right amount to add to your own personal recipe for success.

Great, you say: I've got all the ingredients here, but how do I put this together? What tools do I need to make this recipe work?

Glad you asked! Successful entrepreneurs have a few tools or traits in common. If you want to learn more, leave a comment here and then read my article Successful Entrepreneur – Can I Make It As An Entrepreneur? which is here on my blog!

Best,

Charlie Seymour Jr
A Work At Home Dad since 1983, succeeding in this economy

PS: You can find me here:

http://twitter.com/UltimateWAHDads

http://facebook.com/CharlesSeymourJr

http://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesseymourjr

To learn more, stay in touch with my blog – I'll keep you informed so that YOU won't have to do the heavy lifting. Charlie Seymour Jr's Blog – Click HERE To See More!

PPS: Do you have trouble writing? Turn Your Words Into Gold – Go Here To Learn More! NOW is the time to start.

Follow Charlie Seymour Jr On Twitter!

Keep this with this article, please:

Charlie Seymour Jr is an entrepreneurial evangelist and success-marketing coach helping individuals and companies (up to $100MM) explode their success through online and personal-touch marketing. He specializes in blogging, podcasting, photography, video, Facebook, and Twitter applications. Visit his blog at Charlie Seymour Jr's Blog to learn more about his successes.

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Successful Entrepreneur – Recipe For Success

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How Can You Make Your Business Successful When Working By Yourself?

These are uncertain times, and it can cause even the bravest soul to think twice before launching a new business.

• Will I be able to pay the mortgage?
• Can I put food on the table?
• Will my kids have clothes and shoes?
• Can I do this on my own?
• Is there any way to know I will succeed before I begin?

I can hear you now: "I want some assurances!"

Unfortunately, there is no blueprint for success, no surefire way to tell if a person can make it in the land of the self-employed. However, most successful entrepreneurs have a few traits in common, a few habits and ways of thinking that push them toward success.

Here As Some Traits I Think Are Most Important

They believe in themselves. The most important trait successful entrepreneurs have in common is an unswerving faith in themselves and their ability to get the job done.

They know they are capable of completing any task, no matter how daunting. Even if they don't know exactly how it will get done, they know they can figure it out and make it work. Even just this attitude sets them apart from 99% of the rest of the world.

Successful entrepreneurs know they can go head-to-head with anyone and come out on top. They thrive on competition and improving themselves through battle in the business arena.

They don’t shy from competition, they see it as part of the fun they have in this game.

“It's kind of fun to do the impossible.” Walt Disney

They visualize success. Successful entrepreneurs keep what they want to manifest forefront in their thoughts.

Successful entrepreneurs SEE the business they want to create and keep a picture of it in their heads all the time. And visualization isn’t all they do: they write down their goals and strategies to be sure they stay focused.

• They see themselves acquiring product and moving it out to distribution centers.
• They see the product moving off shelves and reorders flowing in.
• They see the service they provide helping their clients succeed.
• They see themselves shaking hands with business partners, closing deals, and the deal working out smoothly to the benefit of all parties involved.

Entrepreneurs have an unswerving belief in themselves and their ability to get the job done. They may not know exactly how they will accomplish a given task, but they know they can figure it out because they see the success they will achieve even before they start.

They don't think about what could go wrong.

They never, never, never worry about what could happen.

Believe me, if you're worrying about all the things that can go wrong, you're not keeping the success-vision of your business at the forefront of your thoughts. You're not visualizing success. In fact, you're visualizing the bad stuff that can happen and all your energy is going into creating it!

And since what you think about most EXPANDS, be sure to think of all the success and goals you have to achieve and let them be utmost in your thinking.

Here’s something I learned from a good friend who happens to love to ride his motorcycle when the weather is good.

We’re taught to look ahead, down the road, see where we are going. If we focus on the pothole ahead, invariably we drive right into it. Stay focused ahead!

Great advice for those of us in business, too.

Don’t get me wrong: it's completely different to see possible pitfalls in the road ahead and plan accordingly. That's just good business sense. Steer clear of the problems and don’t obsess or fret about what might go wrong.

Visualize success and you won't create a mess.

“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.” Henry Ford

They commit. Successful businesspeople are committed wholeheartedly to what they are doing and the line of work they are in. They have an inner drive to succeed and their ambition carries them forward no matter what obstacles confront them.

Okay, I heard a plumber friend say once, “I sell low-flow toilets, Charlie. I have to visit worksites and torn up bathroom, the smell of sawdust makes me sneeze, and I hate getting my shoes filthy."

I completely understood. Sometimes necessity puts us in places we'd rather not be. But I asked, “can you find something about the job to love? Low-flow toilets save water, which cuts down on the energy needed to pump that water, which saves trees, which cuts down on pollution.

“Think about all the good you're doing. Think up 100 reasons to be enthusiastic about your product, and sell the heck out of those toilets.”

Walt Disney once said he loved Mickey Mouse more than any woman he had ever known. While I'm sure this news didn't thrill his wife, it showed his devotion and commitment to his “product.”

Commit, commit, and commit some more to your product or service. Believe in it and people will believe in you.

They concentrate on their strong points. Too many people worry about their shortcomings and lose the power of what they do best.

• Maybe you're a great writer and can really get your passion down on paper.
• Maybe your words stir people into action and give them the extra boost they need to succeed.
• Maybe your thoughts open people’s minds to new possibilities, new ways to see their lives.

Great. Stick with the writing.

Maybe you are a natural networker. You love to meet new people and pick their brain about topics near and dear to your heart. Fantastic. This is a crucial skill to have for any businessperson.

So you're great at writing and networking, but maybe you have no idea how to go about getting your words online. Maybe the thought of organizing all those contacts makes your head spin. Just because that comes naturally to ME doesn’t mean it is easy for YOU.

Okay, get some help organizing all those business cards and getting your work online. It doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg.

Maybe you can trade the work for a service you provide. Or you could look into getting an online assistant. Online assistants can be found on Elance.com and Guru.com and Craigslist.com.

You'll be amazed at how inexpensively you can find help when you know where to look.

Stick to your strong points and get help for the other stuff and you’ll find life so much more enjoyable!

“We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them.” Kahlil Gibran

They make goals. How can you know if you’re succeeding if you don’t have written guideposts against which you can judge your progress?

For example, you need to have certain ingredients and to take precise steps to bake a loaf of banana bread. You need bananas, of course, sugar, flour, eggs, buttermilk, baking soda, and baking powder.

Sift the dry ingredients together. Blend the bananas, eggs, and buttermilk until it's a nice, homogeneous mixture. Add the dry into the wet and stir until just incorporated. Add some chopped nuts, pour into a buttered pan and bake at 350 for 1 hour.

In the end, you'll have a golden loaf of delicious goodness.

It's the same with an entrepreneurial business.

You take certain ingredients and mix them together in just the right ratio. The end result will be a successful business. (See my other blog post, Successful Entrepreneur – Recipe For Success here on this blog!)

The only trick is you have to know what you're making in order for it to come out the way you want. To bake bread, use a bread recipe, not one for a fruit salad.

As the fathers in the musical, The Fantasticks (by Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones), sing:

Plant a radish
Get a radish
Never any doubt
That’s why I love vegetables
You know what you’re about!

You have to know WHAT you want before you can get it.

If you know you want to have a successful wine distributing company: good. But, if you can be more precise, it's even better.

You want a wine distribution company that services all the counties in northern Iowa, and you want to be the sole agent for Leaping Polecat Vineyards. Within six months, you want to be moving 500 cases of wine a week. In a year, you want to be moving 1,000 cases.

Now THAT’S a precise recipe.

With that recipe, you can see what needs to be done. Right off the bat, you see that you don't have the retailers in line to handle 500 cases. So you need to make some more connections, find more stores that are willing to sell Leaping Polecat.

You also see that you'll need to have wine to deliver once the orders start coming in. You'll need to call your contacts at the vineyard to see if they are willing and able to handle the increased volume.

With a precise vision of the business you want to create, seeing the steps you need to take to make that happen becomes easier and easier.

“Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.” Henry Ford

They connect with people. No matter what type of business you have or want to start, it's all about people.

• People buy your product
• People talk about your product
• People sell your product.

Connect with as many people as possible to keep them buying, talking, and selling. Make a goal of connecting with all of your contacts every 30 days. Make an additional goal of acquiring ten new contacts every week.

The more people you know, the more others will seek you out for your contacts.

Connecting with people should be on your core goals list no matter how big or small your business. Talking to your contacts is a wonderful way to learn.

Maybe you've just discovered a new way of doing something that could really make a contact's life a lot easier. To paraphrase JFK, always ask yourself what you can do for your contact rather than what your contact can do for you – you’ll be MUCH more successful when you do.

This website, UltimateWorkAtHomeDads.com, is great for connecting with people. You'll make many valuable contacts here and get a lot of help and support. We're glad you're here.

Be sure to leave comments. Agreeing with something (and expanding on it) OR disagreeing with something (and saying why) will get people to know you.

Then be sure to leave some of your contact information below your name so people know WHO you are and WHERE they can connect with you.

These entrepreneurs learn.

I'm not talking about going back to school and getting a degree. You certainly don't need that to be a successful entrepreneur (though I certainly don’t scoff at those of us who do).

What you do need is an open mind and a willingness to learn new things and new ways of doing old things.

Stay on the cutting edge of technology or before you know it, your competition will be using the newest, latest and greatest whatever and you're left in the dust.

Subscribing to a few relevant blogs (like this one!) should keep you up-to-date. Find more at one of my favorite websites: AllTop.com

“My biggest motivation? Just to keep challenging myself. I see life almost like one long University education that I never had – every day I'm learning something new.’ Richard Branson

They work. Forget all the get-rich-quit proposals and know that you have LOTS of work ahead of you.

“Wow, Charlie, this self-employment gig sounds like a lot of work."

Yes, it is. That's the last trait all self-made businesspeople have in common.

They work. A lot.

Channel your energy, passion, and drive-to-succeed into your business and you will be unstoppable.

Launching a successful business is a tall order. Only the cream of the crop can make it work. But you know what? I have every faith that YOU are the cream of the crop and can make it work.

You have what it takes and you search out articles like this one to learn new ways to think. If you didn't have what it takes, you wouldn't still be reading this article.

Successful people are willing to do what unsuccessful people don’t or won’t. Never give up and keep searching for a better way.

Like riding a bike or playing the piano, these traits can be learned. Read this article every day for ten days and make these actions and attitudes part of your life.

Remember: successful entrepreneurs are self-made men and women. They mold themselves into the people they want to be. They set goals, build strategies to accomplish them, and keep moving toward the goal line.

They know that NO ONE needs to crown them the victor or call them a success – they just make their own way once they have studied what they want to do and have set their goals in writing.

They know they have the right stuff. I know that YOU have the right stuff.

Now get out there and make it happen!

“Success is a matter of understanding and religiously practicing specific, simple habits that always lead to success.” Robert J. Ringer

Best,

Charlie Seymour Jr
A Work At Home Dad since 1983, succeeding in this economy

PS: You can find me here:

http://twitter.com/UltimateWAHDads

http://facebook.com/CharlesSeymourJr

http://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesseymourjr

To learn more, stay in touch with my blog – I'll keep you informed so that YOU won't have to do the heavy lifting. Charlie Seymour Jr's Blog – Click HERE To See More!

PPS: Do you have trouble writing? Turn Your Words Into Gold – Go Here To Learn More! NOW is the time to start.

Follow Charlie Seymour Jr On Twitter!

Keep this with this article, please:

Charlie Seymour Jr is an entrepreneurial evangelist and success-marketing coach helping individuals and companies (up to $100MM) explode their success through online and personal-touch marketing. He specializes in blogging, podcasting, photography, video, Facebook, and Twitter applications. Visit his blog at Charlie Seymour Jr's Blog to learn more about his successes.

Friends, if you like this post, please leave a comment, join our email list to get updates sent to you, and retweet it. And I've made it easy to retweet – just click on the icon below. Thanks!

Successful Entrepreneur – Can I Make It As An Entrepreneur?

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How does someone get to your website? Traffic You Control, Traffic You Don't Control

Have you ever thought about the traffic that comes to your website… not everyone came from the same place or for the same reason.

Perhaps they did a search on Google (or other search engine) and something from your website caught their attention in the "organic search results" in Google – you know, where the search results appear on the left side of the Google Search Results.

I call that traffic you don't control. Google "spidered" your website, indexed whatever it found, and listed you in their giant database. Interested people will click on the search result and go wherever Google sends them.

This is Traffic You Don't Control.

However… if you send out a tweet with a link to somewhere on your website, send out an email with a link embedded, or publish an article with a specific link embedded in the article, this is Traffic You Control.

NEVER send Traffic You Control to the head of your website: ALWAYS send it to a specific location INSIDE your website so that the interested person will go EXACTLY where s/he intends to go. You will eliminate much confusion this way.

What Are Most People Looking For When They Search Google?

They want information like why their heart is racing, how to fix their computer, what's the best fertilizer for their home-grown tomatoes.

They do NOT search for "how can I spend money?"

That's not to say that people don't buy on the internet… clearly they do. But let's see how you should best approach people who find your website and visit.

Dynamic vs Static Websites

I cringe when I see the "old-style" websites – you know, those places where you arrive at the front page, have no idea what the site is about, and they expect you to know which button to press to learn enough about them so you can make sense of what is in front of you.

And most of them are static, hardly ever change, and though they may be graphically appealing, they don't help the visitor and they don't encourage Google either.

Google LOVES dynamic information on a website, so keep yours active and refreshed.

What's The Biggest Problem With Most Websites?

Most websites are created by graphic designers who don't know marketing. But even that isn't the biggest problem with most websites.

Most websites are created without a Clear Goal In Mind.

What do you want your website to DO?

With most of my clients, they generally are building an email list, so THEIR goal is to capture the name and address of the visitor. Period.

Not convince them you are a genius. Not sell them three of your best products. Not to amuse or entertain them.

All of those are FINE goals, but YOU must define the ONE goal of your site and then be sure you meet it.

What Should You Do To Hold A Visitor?

Here is a quick list that should help your visitors once you get them to your site (getting them there is a whole other topic!).

• Always have a headline that calls out to your visitor. The NAME of your site or YOUR name means no more to any of them than Joe's Bar and Grille means to you. Give them a statement in a headline to tell them why they are at your site and what you want them to do.
• Offer something immediately – and it's best if it's free. A free downloadable audio. A free report in pdf. A free with shipping offer. GIVE something so you get their name and email address. THEN let them see more of your website. Most people search the internet for information, not something to spend their money on… so show them that YOU have that information and give it to them – when they want MORE, they can get it from you (and by then you will have their name and email address so you will be staying in front of them). NOTE – If you are a site where people go already expecting to buy something (like QVC, Staples, Amazon, etc) the rules are different because people DO want to purchase – give them a chance with very few clicks!
• Ask for as little information as you really need. JUST getting an email address is easier than and email address and name. And email address and name are easier to get than email address, name, physical address. Start where you know you want to begin, and that is, at a minimum, getting their email address.
• Take as small a step as you can when someone first comes to your site. Think of it as a conversation between two attracted people. Clearly you wouldn't see the person of your dreams and say, "Will you marry me?" But that's what LOTS of people do to people first coming to their sites: they want TOO much information and they ask the visitor to take a big leap of faith, trust them, and buy from them. Hey, it's not IMPOSSIBLE to sell to someone the first time s/he visits your site… but it's MUCH more difficult.
• Be different, stand out from the crowd, have people remember you and your site. Be sure not to use the same template that everyone else in your industry uses – people want to work with people, not a carbon-copy of someone else.
• Have a Welcome and a Welcome Video. Say hi to people when they join your site. Realize that lots of people view your website at work and often work does not allow speakers, so you need a text message there too. But welcome people, tell them quickly what your website is about and how they can use it, and then get their name and email address.
• And one more thing: check how your website looks in a variety of web browsers. For my OWN websites, I find that close to 40% of the viewers still use the very old Microsoft Internet Explorer 6… and with today's advances, that old browser doesn't correctly process all the new advance techniques. So check to see how you look to avoid any bad curb appeal.
• Once you get people onto your email list, be sure to stay in touch with them. Contact them immediately to thank them for joining you and then stay in touch regularly. Once a day may be too often for most people and once a month may not be enough. Set their expectations right up front by saying, "thank you for joining me for my weekly newsletter" or however you will contact them. You never want someone to ask, "who is this who is contacting me?" Stay in touch often enough so that when it's time for you to present an opportunity for them to buy from you, they will know, like, and trust you and follow your lead. To start out… contact them with a newsletter (can be a simple short email) weekly… and be consistent!
• And remember this: since most people found you by searching for information, continue to GIVE them information in the form of free teaching and coaching. You'll have plenty of time to sell them something, but build a relationship first and get them to see you as the expert you are. And use video and audio often as well.

There are SO many more things you can do… but these are a good beginning. And if you want to turn your words into gold, see my Say It So They Buy It information in the right side bar.

Hope this helps.

And then see the top of my blog by clicking HERE! See how I approach my passions with this website.

Best,

Charlie Seymour Jr
A Work At Home Dad since 1983, succeeding in this economy

PS: You can find me here:

http://twitter.com/UltimateWAHDads

http://facebook.com/CharlesSeymourJr

http://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesseymourjr

PPS: Do you have trouble writing? Turn Your Words Into Gold – Go Here To Learn More! NOW is the time to start.

Follow Charlie Seymour Jr On Twitter!

Keep this with this article, please:

Charlie Seymour Jr is an entrepreneurial evangelist and marketing-success coach helping individuals and companies (up to $100MM) explode their success through online and direct-response marketing. He specializes in blogging, podcasting, photography, video, and Facebook applications. Visit his blog at http://bit.ly/24eYTO to learn more about his successes.

Friends, if you like this post, please leave a comment, join our email list to get updates sent to you, and retweet it. And I've made it easy to retweet – just click on the icon below. Thanks!

Website Design – Turn Your Words Into Gold

Dan Kennedy's partner in Glazer-Kennedy Insiders Circle To Speak To Entrepreneurs

Delay and you will miss out on one of the most important nights you will ever experience (if you are an entrepreneur or have your own business).

Bill Glazer shares his message that there is enormous, exciting opportunity for the marketer who acts creatively and aggressively at a time when competitors cower in fear.

September 9, 2009, marketing guru and author Bill Glazer makes a very special visit to Philadelphia to speak at GKIC-Philly. We are a group of local entrepreneurs and business owners who get together once a month to discover ways to make our businesses even more profitable.

The principles I teach, blog about, and create podcasts about are all direct-response techniques as taught by Dan Kennedy and Bill Glazer.

7-Steps To Survive and Thrive In The Recession… and Beyond

Bill will share his energetic ideas for a Recession Escape Plan…. How to Make the Recession Irrelevant.

As president of GKIC, Bill speaks around the world on laser-focused ideas to make your business successful, and I can assure you that having him at our meeting is a real treat for all of us.

During this timely talk, Bill reveals to you immediate ACTION IDEAS to implement in your business right away. He will guide you through all 7 steps, giving you real-world examples that you can apply to your own business right away.

Bill has also agreed to:

• conduct an E-X-T-E-N-D-E-D Question & Answer session to address your specific needs…
• bring along a limited number of Collectors Editions of his just released new book on OUTRAGEOUS Advertising That's OUTRAGEOUSLY Successful for a special book signing during the breaks.

Seats are filling fast and when they are gone – they are gone!

Join me at this special business-building opportunity by following these simple steps:

1. Go to the sign-in website to learn more and to sign up.
2. When you sign up, be sure to put my name, Charlie Seymour Jr, in the How Did You Hear About Us field – All those who sign up through me will be eligible for a drawing that night to win some Dan Kennedy materials.
3. Only those filling in the How Did You Hear About Us with my name, Charlie Seymour Jr, AND who attend the meeting where Bill Glazer speaks will be eligible for my personal special drawing. Be sure to see me AT the meeting – only those present will be eligible for the drawing that night.

I often describe our monthly GKIC-Philly meetings as "my oasis – a time for ME: to learn, to share, to gain new ideas from my fellow members."

THIS meeting I describe as AWESOME and NOT TO BE MISSED.

I know Bill personally; have heard him speak often; listen to his monthly CD of tips, tricks, and solutions; and always have a pad of paper handy to jot down his ideas so that I can use them in my business immediately.

He's the real deal. He'll have lots of ideas for you. You want to be there.

See you there!

Best,

Charlie Seymour Jr
A Work At Home Dad since 1983, succeeding in this economy

PS: This will likely be the only time Bill will be speaking in Philadelphia and you really should attend. Register now before all the seats are gone.

PPS: The meeting will be on September 9, 2009 from 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM at the Penn Oaks Golf Club just south of West Chester, PA USA. Light refreshments will be served and there is a modest fee. Register now, read all the information, and be ready for a GREAT evening with Bill Glazer.

PPS: Learn More About Bill Glazer and this One-Time-Only Meeting, and Sign Up to Join Me – Click Here Now!

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Bill Glazer Coming To Philly

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Dave Dee – Marketer Extraordinaire – Knows How To Attract Free Giveaway Bonus Gifts For You

I'm a marketer.

I have years of experience, hundreds of millions of dollars of personal sales and a billion dollars of product I've marketed, and an MBA on the wall. I belong to business groups where I take leadership and presentation positions, sharing my knowledge, and I study great marketers like Dan Kennedy, Bill Glazer, Gary Halbert, and so many more.

Yet I step back when I see other marketers who have their own huge success: I admire them, learn from them, and steal every idea I can (which most freely give away) and put them to work in my business.

Dave Dee is such a marketer.

I have purchased many of his products over the years. This magician turned marketer-to-magicians turned marketer-for-businesses understands clearly what he needs to do.

Yet I also admire him for the way he helps his kids, takes time out for them, and shares his love unabashedly. He's often blogging about his kids, sharing his intimate emotions.

Here's his most recent email to the tens of thousands of us on his list:

I just flew into Los Angeles to be with the love of my life and to have two days of meetings with Dave & Alexis Platinum coaching members.

Last night, back in Atlanta, I had a date with my daughter, Gina. She is an amazing ten year old girl. As we were munching on pizza, she brought up the subject of spirituality. She told me her thoughts about heaven, hell, God, good, evil and more. I was blown away.

Then we went to the supermarket to buy, as we say in the South, the "fixins" for ice cream sundaes. We also stopped
off at Blockbuster video to rent one of my favorite comedy movies, "Planes, Trains And Automobiles."

Back at my place, we sat on the coach, ate our sundaes and laughed together at the movie.

During the movie, Gina put her arm around me and said, "Daddy, I hope I remember how much fun we had together when
I am grown up."

Yep, I'm not ashamed to admit that tears welled up in my eyes. (Heck, sometimes when I just look at my kids, I get
misty.)

And it hit me that the real reason I chose the business I did is not about the dee-nero. It's not about not having to answer to the "man." It's not about doing something I love. Nope.

It's all about the lifestyle.

I am FREE to work when I want to. (Now, don't get me wrong, I work hard…but I don't have to have "office hours".)

I'm FREE to fly across the country every other week to be with Alexis. (Our relationship would not be possible if I
had a brick and mortar business.)

I'm FREE to take time off, whenever I want, to be with my kids and truly be 100% present with them.

The list goes on and on, but I think you get the point.

Tomorrow, I am going to be sending you the most important email I have sent you in a long time. It is about a free
call Alexis and I are doing on July 3rd.

If you have a business that you've been successful at but long for more freedom, then this call is not something you
can afford to miss.

Be on the lookout for my email tomorrow. Open it up and then register for the teleseminar.

You will thank me. I promise you that.

Kick butt, make mucho dee-nero!

Do you see THE MAN and not just the Marketer? Do you envy the freedom that we get when we market and sell what we want to? Would you like to learn more?

You can imagine how pleased I was when asked if I would contribute one of my marketing specialties to Dave's upcoming product release.

Dave is combining his efforts with Alexis Martin Neely, the former attorney turned marketer who had such huge success helping others do what she used to do (market her law firm) that she no longer had time to work as an attorney.

Now they are offering 5 Step Formula to Add 6 Figures to Your Business THIS YEAR & Re-Ignite Your Passion While You Do It and I'm giving you a big head start because I know that you understand marketing.

Read carefully what I'm about to tell you…

On July 3rd at NOON ET (9:00 AM PT), Dave and Alexis are conducting a live, FREE teleclasss during which they will share their 5-Step Formula to Add 6 Figures to Your Business THIS YEAR & Re-Ignite Your Passion While You Do It.

Registration for this exciting call does not officially open until Monday, but I got permission to let my friends and associates (and those who come to my blog) know before everyone else. Believe me, if it's like anything else these two have done, the registration will close very quickly.

Dave's magic is not just with a hat and a rabbit – his marketing ideas are terrific and once people learn about this call, all the phone lines will be gone (and that's why people need to register NOW).

I believe so much in these two that I have created an information product for them to GIVE AWAY FREE just so people will get TONS of bonuses to join this call. You'll see my photo on their information page where you'll learn about my information as well as information from MANY others.

NOTE – You have to purchase NOTHING to get ALL these bonuses FREE… just be sure you register for the call NOW and then listen to it. Complete details about the call are on their site and to get a head start on registering, go to:

Dave Dee and Alexis Martin Neely's Teleseminar Signup – Click Here NOW!

Please jump into this before all the reservations for the phone line are taken. If you don't want all the great information on the call, at least see all the free giveaway items that you will get just for being ON the call.

TONS of free materials from today's exciting internet marketers. And if it's all as good as my MP3 series, you are in for a HUGE treat.

Tons of Free Marketing Materials By Some Of The Internet's BEST and Most Creative Minds – Click Here To Learn More

Best,

Charlie Seymour Jr
A Work At Home Dad since 1983, succeeding in this economy

P.S. Listening to this teleclass could be a life-changing moment for you. I have used several of Dave's products and paid him for them and get referral fees when I help sell any of his: he's quick, sharp, insightful. And Alexis, who recently sold her law practice just to concentrate on her internet businesses (because she was earning over 7 figures), is a real winner. Seriously – Register for the call now.

Register For Dave and Alexis's Call NOW – Click Here Now

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Dave Dee, Alexis Martin Neely, 5-Step Formula to Add 6 Figures to Your Business THIS YEAR & Re-Ignite Your Passion While You Do It

Learning To Use Email Marketing Is No More Difficult Than Learning How To Email

This next year will fly by… my 26 year old daughter Liz (LizSeymour.com) is getting married. We're very close, through up hills and down, theater projects and photography, friendships, joys, happiness.

I have to admit that when Liz announced her engagement to Chris McBride to our other daughter, Stacie, and me on a conference call, I was a bit in shock. Quickly my mind raced to when I proposed to Pam more than 28 years ago. I could see myself on one knee. I didn't know whether to jump up and down or jump through the phone to hug her. She sounded soooo happy, and after all, that's all I can ask for her: happiness HER way (not MY way but HERS).

She's bought her dress, talked with some photographers, narrowed her list of reception halls, and selected the location for her wedding: The Players Club of Swarthmore. Liz is the FIFTH generation of our family to act and direct in this well-equipped community theater (whose history reaches back 100 years) and she and Chris met there during a stirring production of Assassins in 2007.

Now she wants some engagement photographs.

Liz turned to the best photographer she knows: me, her loving dad. I've been a pro photographer since 2000 when I started my own still photography and video production company, and she's grown up watching me and assisting me.

Weeks ago Liz scheduled this time. Her teaching is over for the academic year, her Chris's teaching is over (though he started teaching at a theater day camp already), and she wants some photography to announce their engagement.

I have photographed Liz MANY times, including all the images for her large CD release (available on Liz Seymour's website – click here!). And though I'm primarily an internet marketer and consultant now, she knows that my background and skill are always available to her.

So, how did she get me to say yes? Other than wrapping her defenseless Dad around her little finger, what did she do to get me to say "Yes!"

She asked.

In email.

Using terrific direct-response techniques.

Liz emailed me, had a great headline, put a clear deadline by which time I was to respond, and included a call-to-action.

And she didn't wimp out at the end – she followed through by being very clear in her request of me.

And isn't that what we do with email marketing? Don't we want to be just like Liz? And don't we want the success that Liz had when our prospects say YES the way I did to Liz for the photography she wanted?

Use language that matches our clients and customers, ask clearly, state your case with emotional direct-response language, have a special offer and a deadline, and then a strong call-to-action.

Heck, she even used a sequence, just to make sure I wouldn't let my busy selling schedule get in the way of her engagement images.

But most importantly she just did it.

• She wrote.
• She asked.
• She followed up.
• She wasn't bashful.

Same should be true for YOUR writing… and since you probably need some help, look at my new information: Say It So They Buy It – Turn Your Words Into Gold – Go Here To Learn More!

Use your email marketing to profit… and remember how Liz did it. Ask clearly, follow up, don't be bashful.

Best,

Charlie Seymour Jr
A Work At Home Dad since 1983, succeeding in this economy

PS: The help you need is here: Turn Your Words Into Gold – Go Here To Learn More! NOW is the time to start.

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Email Marketing

American Idol is NOTHING if it isn't about Marketing – the whole thing is designed around making money… here are some lessons from the 2009 season

So… did the best man win?

Maybe.

Did the best SINGER win?

No way.

But remember, American Idol is NOT a singing competition. Forget what Simon and Randy say about its being a singing competition – would Sanjaya have EVER MADE it onto the air in 2008 or William Hung seasons earlier.

No way.

Adam Lambert vs Kris Allen: Vocalist vs Nice Guy

Here are some marketing lessons that I have been hinting at for weeks on Twitter.

1. Adam Lambert can REALLY sing. He has a great instrument. (Hey, I'll put my own track record of singing, directing, CD producing, theater directing on the line and say I can tell a singer in "2 notes" (as they used to say on Name That Tune)). BUT… did all the "raccoon makeup" (as I read somewhere), nail polish, nearly goth-like clothing scare off his voting public?
2. Kris Allen is a really nice guy but NOT a great singer (see my credentials above). Close your eyes and just listen to him to see if his voice is what you want to hear on your next CD. NICE guy. Family guy. Has a beautiful wife and a dad who shares his emotions and cries. All makes for GREAT TV.
3. Simon was pushing WAY too much for Adam. Others were lavishing praise, but you could almost feel Simon's wallet screaming out to us: Vote For This Guy to make me even richer. Truth be told, Adam won't need #1 – he's still make it. His name will be remembered MUCH longer than… oh, right, who DID win it last year?
4. Kris was the better marketer. Did you notice the scruffy appearance when it was clear he would be put up against Adam – Adam who is single and rumors flying about his sexuality. Personally, I couldn't care less about anyone's sexuality – he or she is either a great performer or not. Some have made publicity off their sexuality and some have hidden from it. But Kris seized on this, scruffed it up, had video with his mom and dad, showed his wife and child, etc. Played great into the heartland of America.
5. Did you notice the final judges comments to Kris on Tuesday night? They were basically saying, "Hey, you're a nice guy, you did your best, you deserve to be on this stage, BUT… And the silent part was: "But you ain't gonna win." It was the most one-sided, We Love Adam display of the entire season. The coronation had taken place… except the American Public hadn't spoken yet. Do you think the public "sensed" this even if they weren't sitting there analyzing it as I was? You betcha.
6. Did you see Simon's face when Kris was announced the winner? He was dumbstruck. The other judges were smart enough to stand up and applaud the gallant winner but it took Simon until Kris and the rest of the gang were standing on the raised platform behind the judges before Simon acknowledged Kris by standing and shaking his hand.
7. And the biggest lesson: Somehow Kris spoke to his voting public and gave them what THEY wanted and Adam didn't. Was it Adam's high-note, tongue-showing display of power-singing (making many of his songs sound the same) vs. Kris's piano playing, guitar playing, just stand-there-and-sing style? Was it the nice boy vs the someone scary, hard-to-feel-comfortable-with guy? And who were the voters – teens that will scream for Kris vs rockers who will scream WITH Adam?

Whatever the reason, Kris resonated with his "customers" and Adam didn't.

Some other comments about marketing from American Idol:

• Ford should use their commercials MUCH longer than just on American Idol show nights. Showing young Americans having fun in their cars will work well for them. They NEED some great publicity now, and their normal commercials sure haven't done the trick.
• Did you notice how American Idol was selling the TOUR last night? Hey, they didn't have to say, "Here's our commercial for the tour," but some of the group numbers will (mark my words) be the exact numbers used on tour. They've already started rehearsing. And by showing them during the final (and sometimes boring show – if it weren't for the stars on the show, those who have already "made it," no one would watch for 2 hours knowing that all they want to see is the results at 11 PM), they are saying, "See how good this group is – come see us LIVE and help us make MORE money!" (Hey, as a marketer I don't say that with SCORN, but with PRIDE!)
• If American Idol isn't getting the names and email addresses from everyone going to iTunes to download songs, they sure are missing a great opportunity. WHY would they let Apple build such a HUGE list of buyers (everyone must log in before downloading a song, so APPLE knows who the customers are, even if Idol doesn't)? Why aren't they selling all of this by themselves. This is ONE franchise that doesn't NEED iTunes… they could keep all the money, build a MEGA LIST, and become even richer.
• The producers of American Idol KNOW they are doing TV and not a singing contest (I referred a bit to this earlier). They know the first few weeks of the show set the tone for the season. They know that showing behind-the-scenes, emotion-packed stories of the contestants build loyalty and understanding with their fans, I mean, consumers. And they know that letting Ryan Seacrest chat with the contestants (I mean cast members of this TV show) let's us inside, building rapport between us and the person "selling" us their music.

Oh, yes… American Idol is FILLED with marketing lessons when you stop to look at it that way. Believe me, the owners of the show and Fox TV sure look at it that way.

Viewership may have dropped significantly, but it's still TV's #1 rated show.

Long may it live. I love seeing the marketing lessons (those they TEACH and those they need to LEARN).

Best,

Charlie Seymour Jr
A Work At Home Dad, succeeding in this economy

Friends, if you like this post, please leave a comment, join our email list to get updates sent to you, and retweet it. And I've made it easy to retweet – just click on the icon below. Thanks!

Circle The Chairs In One Of Charlie Seymour Jr's Campfire Meetings At BDR (Business Development Resources)

It wasn't your typical business meeting.

I've been a member of Business Development Resources (BDR) in Media, PA USA for many years. It was my turn to lead the group's educational program, so I decided to start off with something I'm "famous" for: A Campfire.

And Jerry Rafter said after the meeting: “Marshmallows are sweet….but nothing is better than the morsels of marketing knowledge you share for FREE”

As you can see in the photographs, we convert the regular meeting space by bringing our chairs around a paper "campfire" that my younger daughter, Liz (LizSeymour.com), created for me so I could use it in meetings like this.

Pulling our chairs to the center of the room changes how we approach the topic and each other, and let's us get into creative thinking mode, not simply analyze mode.

Today's topic: Improving Your Marketing.

And as you'll hear, we covered quite a few items, encouraging each other to talk, think, come up with new ideas. (Some of the very quiet parts were edited out – only I was wearing a microphone… but I believe you'll follow everything done here.)

Everyone was a great sport and we shared many ideas. Please listen to the MP3 to hear what went on!

Best,

Charlie Seymour Jr
A Work At Home Dad, succeeding in this economy

Those participating in the meeting included:

Lin Schrack, USHGInsurance.com/linschrack
Virgie M. Vakil, KGPV.com
Carol Mack Warner, Visual-Marketing.com
Richard McCloskey, Simply The Best Move
Cliff R. Silver, InterfaceFinancial.com/silver
Pat Scarano, PatScarano.com and MyNikken.net/lifestrokes
Sara Dobbins, Sara's Sweet Sensations
Jerry Rafter, AllAboardCruisesTravel.com
Marc Kossmann, BlueFireCards.com
Mike Smith, MDSCarpets.com
Dennis D. D'Andrea, 3DFinancialGroup.com
Mike D'Alessandro, SourceCorpTax.com

Thanks to Marc Kossmann for help with some of the photographs.

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Twitter, When Used Correctly, Is A Great Part Of Your Marketing System

Too many people don’t understand how to use Twitter for business, but that hasn’t stopped them from blogging about it.

Twitter, the micro-blog that lets you send 140 characters across the Internet to anyone who has followed you (and then be resent (ReTweeted) by others), is a highly-targeted tool for marketers – and it works well with other social media marketing tools.

For those of us old enough to remember party-line telephones, it’s like listening into the conversations of your neighbors and then adding to their chat only when you have something that applies to them. No need to send messages about photography to people interested in politics or television. So in THIS way, Twitter lets you laser-target your messages.

For me (and I admit there are other ways to approach this), I have 10 Twitter accounts, each based around specific keywords. For some of my accounts I’m building a list of followers who are interested in businesses I already have operating. For others, I’m building lists around topics that interest me and will figure out later how I will monetize them.

After all, having a LIST of interested prospects is the most important part of marketing and running our businesses.

So, with that as prologue, here are my top 37 steps you should take immediately to use Twitter for your business.

Twitter: Get Set Up

1. Set up an account at Twitter.com, using a keyword phrase as your username. You have 14 characters, so be succinct. (Two of mine are UltimateWAHDads and PhotoCharlie)

2. Add some personal information to it – people like to do business with people they like and they like people who are like them.

3. Add a photo – not one of you and you cat, not one that twirls around (I guess those folks are trying to attract more attention, but most people find them distracting), but one of YOU that shows you clearly.

4. Add your business’s website URL (you DO have a website, right? If not, stop this, find another blog about setting up your own website that includes a lead generation name capture form, and come back to this one!).

5. Step away from your computer, grab a pad of paper, and write down at least FIFTY keywords someone might use to describe what you do and use when they search for someone like you in Google. Most people skip this step and never come back to it… and then wonder why they aren’t successful.

6. Purchase this very inexpensive but VERY helpful product so that you can speed up the growth of your list. Bill’s Twitter Traffic Machine http://budurl.com/fnhm You’re reading a post about using Twitter for Business, so you must have interest in it. Why take the next three weeks to begin to build a list when Bill shows you how to do it mostly on autopilot. I use it, I recommend it, and I’ve gotten to know Bill. Do this now. OK, so it will cost you a little bit: get over it. I just upgraded my screen capture video software today and it was $149 (and it’s the 6th version I’ve used!). Bill’s is WAY less than that: check here: http://budurl.com/fnhm

Twitter On Steroids: Once Bill’s Twitter Magic Is Setup, Now What?

7. Bill shows you how to find people who share your interests – and it’s all done on autopilot. Oh, sure… you can use Twitter Search if you want to find a few people and manually follow each one, but Bill’s system will do that for you. So… use the system, input your keywords so that potentially you have 50 or more keywords working for you to increase the size of your list.

8. Now that you’ve found people who share your interests and you follow them, you need to set up your system (SYSTEM, it the key to all of this) for it to automatically follow those who follow you. And can still manually add more and you can manually UNfollow those you find out you don’t want to connect with, but set up the autofollow so that you add as many people who share your keywords.

9. Now that you found people who share your interests and have auto-followed those who choose to follow you, it’s time to set up your system to send out messages for you automatically. Yep, Bill’s system does that too. He shows you how to find great blog posts that fit with your keywords and send them out to Twitterville automatically. This is key to letting people know what your interest are.

10. You can set up messages in advance when you have specific messages you want to send that contain links to products you have. Do NOT do this often. People use Twitter to get information, not be bombarded with advertising messages. But when you have products that people on your list will like (because you share common interests), sent out Tweets to tell them (and set those up to go out now or some time in the future). By the way, Bill’s videos show you how to set all of this up. OK, so it may take you two hours to set it up initially, but it will pay dividends over and over.

Twitter Zooming: Once Bill’s Twitter Magic Is Bringing In Followers, Now What?

11. Watch your @(yourname) section on Twitter… when someone tweets your name (for example, one of mine would say @UltimateWAHDads and you say that “At UltimateWAHDads), reply back. It’s pretty clear how to do that… you’ll see where the @ message came to you a way to click a little arrow that will put the other person’s “@name” in the tweet box so you can reply to that person. Know that EVERYONE on your list of followers can see that message (which is one of the HUGE powers of Twitter – you hold conversations with someone like ME and others pick up on it… when THEY are interested, they will tweet “@” you and me!

12. Look at your DM location (the location of the Direct Messages that are seen JUST by you). You can reply directly back to the sender from there OR copy the person’s @name and use the regular tweet box so that everyone on your list sees your reply. (Keep private things private, but tell others when it helps you).

13. Find a few people who look interesting (from the information you read on their Twitter home page – just click their little photo and you’ll go to their home page) and start to @chat – chat with them, but so everyone can read it. This is a great way to strike up some friendships with people who share your interest in the keywords you’ve chosen. After all, this IS supposed to be Social Networking, so now that you have some people on your list, get social with them!

14. Remember, you don’t have to chat just about business topics either… maybe one of your followers is a songwriter and you want to chat about that, even though YOUR keywords are about Internet Marketing (for example). None of us is unidirectional – we each have MANY interests, and it’s great to share them here.

15. Be sure to share links of things you find interesting. OK, so Bill’s Magic will do this too, but you can add other off-topic things like photography, cooking, singing, vacations, etc. Knowing you as a more-complete person will attract people to you.

16. When you blog, be sure to include a reference to it in a tweet. I certainly will send Tweets about THIS post, attracting more people who are interested in using Twitter for Business.

17. Ask lots of questions, take polls, get people to reply to you off of Twitter. Money isn’t made ON Twitter, it’s only made when people are interested in you, like you, trust that what you tell them is correct, and then you send them to other links including your website.

18. When you see someone sending tweets and you go to their homepage to learn more about them, remember that you can manually follow more people from anywhere in TwitterWorld. And it’s usually as easy as clicking one button: Follow. And if those people happen to have LOTS of followers, you’ll gain from them whatever system or information they use to stay in touch with their followers.

19. Often you’ll find a ReTweet button (as I have on this blog post): USE them! USE Mine! Let people who follow you know the type material you focus on and they will become drawn to you as an expert.

20. Use @Tweets to people you don’t even know! That’s right… if you see someone who shares your keyword interest and he or she has LOTS of followers, send an @Tweet (using their name after the @-sign, of course). Like sending one to me if you didn’t know me – “@UltimateWAHDads – I read your blog post at http://bit.ly/qA32s and agree that Bil.ly is powerful” People will just assume that you know me, and that gives a mystique about you because they THINK you know people will lots of followers.

21. You can manually resend tweets several times a day. It seems that MOST people are on Twitter around the same time every day. So if you send a tweet at 8:00 AM, a person who only is on Twitter from 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM will miss it (unless you send it as an @message directly to him or her). So… retweet your OWN messages 2 – 3 times a day to attract more attention to them.

22. Though there is no way you will be able to read EVERY tweet that comes your way (once your list grows through Bill’s system), but work hard to reply to every @Tweet so that you can build a relationship with people AND so people will see you replying to others in your TwitterWorld.

23. Be sure to pay attention when Bill shows you how to grow quickly and get past the 2000 follower hurdle. So many people do this wrong, but Bill pointed out to me how to avoid the pitfalls of this artificial limit placed by Twitter. And sometimes that means UNfollowing people you have been following, and Bill’s clear about how to do that. I’ve had to do it several times, but it’s like pruning a bush – trim away those who aren’t productive for you so new growth can occur.

Twitter For Business: Pros And Cons About

24. People will say it takes up a LOT of time. (Just chuckle to yourself – those are the people that are doing it by hand or using one or two of the free tools out there. Bill’s system will get you just nodding your head in agreement, because you won’t want to give away your money-making secret!)

25. Twitter takes so much time that you won’t have time for other productive work. (Chuckle again – and you know why). But when I posted a tweet about a new product, I watched the metrics that Bit.ly was giving me IN REAL TIME and I saw 37 people click on my link within 3 minutes. They were going to see this video about generating leads online: http://bit.ly/72nFU I was a bit giddy to see how quickly people saw my tweet and clicked on the link. Fabulous and instantaneous!

26. If you don’t have a great strategy, it’s just a waste of time. Definitely AGREE with them, even if you don’t give away the strategy you’ve learned here!

27. Those Twitter builds big lists, it doesn’t replace your Opt-in Email List. AGREE AGAIN. That is SO right. It’s not meant to. Do your blog posts replace your sales pages? Do you direct-mail campaigns replace your email campaigns. Each has its place and as part of a SYSTEM, it’s very powerful.

28. Twitter, while only using 140 characters, is meant only for computer nerds. HUH? I represent that statement! Well, I mean, OK… so I know how to use computers, the Internet, direct response marketing, etc, but that doesn’t mean that others can’t be taught how to use Twitter for Business correctly. Once you set up Bill’s Magic Machine and follow my directions here, YOU will be marketing in a system and using Twitter as a part of it.

29. Twitter, especially when connect to Facebook (and it’s easy to post a tweet in Twitter and have it get added to your status in Facebook – Facebook has an App that lets you do that once you get Twitter set up), is a very powerful way to communicate around the world (which is especially useful for people like me whose products aren’t restricted by geography). And I remember on the evening of the US National Elections that I was sending tweets (also to my Facebook profile) and hearing from people around the world who were excited for the USA. The news travels VERY fast this way.

30. Did you see what happened to Twitter once Oprah had a show about it? It seemed that EVERYONE was trying it… but not too many were taking the time to learn how to use it correctly. At least YOU have take THOSE steps already and are MILES ahead of others who are just plodding along PLAYING with Twitter.

31. Here’s a suggestion now that you have your main system working – set up ANOTHER Twitter account for your personal use. You can use the same photo and information, actually. But only follow those people you really want to learn from. I have such an account with under 1000 following me but I only follow about 53… that way I can track better what they are tweeting. These are important information marketers and I want to stay on top of what they do and say. They are also following me (and I follow them) on my UltimateWAHDads account, but I can’t follow their every move the way I can with my personal account.

32. Remember who you are and why you are here. Don’t lower your standards about WHAT you say and HOW you say it. If you’re short and abrupt with people in your business, OK, that can work on Twitter. But don’t get that way if that’s now the person you want to project on Twitter.

33. Those who LIKE and those who do NOT Like your products and services will chat on Twitter – great way for you to learn BOTH sides without being obvious about it.

34. Even if your present clients and customers aren’t online or even if you have a very local business (say, perhaps, as a bricks and mortar store), you should use Twitter to learn what others are saying about your industry. Best to be forearmed and forewarned, right?

35. Use what’s called Hash Tags. Here’s an example: #ttm. See, it’s a number sign (called a Hash Tag) plus whatever you follow up with – in this case I selected 3 letters to represent Bill’s Twitter Magic product. I also set up a URL for that: http://UltimateWorkAtHomeDads.com/ttm which also works the same way as http://budurl.com/fnhm But with several free tools dealing with Twitter, you can search for anything that starts with a #, so those wanting to find out all the messages about #ttm search for that Hash Tag and will find any tweet – from me, you, or anyone else. Can be a powerful way to use it.

36. Spent at least 15 minutes every day on your Twitter account. I can’t tell you why because it’s something you have to experience yourself. By watching tweets fly by (hit your F5 key to refresh you Twitter home page to see how the tweets keep coming), you’ll get a sense of what is happening in your market, what you should tweet about, and even what products people want. And when you create a product that people want, you’re able to sell it MUCH more quickly than one YOU want that you are working to convince people they should have interest in.

37. Have fun. This isn’t drudgery. It isn’t brain surgery. Loosen up, show your personality, and let people in to see who you really are. And then go make money!

Best,

Charlie Seymour Jr
A Work At Home Dad, succeeding in this economy

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Sharing With My Mastermind Group, I Want To Be Sure To Share With You Too

Thought I'd follow up about Bit.ly since I'm using it extensively and it has taken me a while to figure it out.

1. Did you see that TweetLater is now using Bit.ly? Nice endorsement for this sweet F*R*E*E product that shortens your links AND lets you track the results!

2. I was confused about HOW I could FIND the metrics once I shortened a link and used it in Tweets, blog posts, etc. Then I discovered the SEARCH capabilities – if you put your Bit.ly link in the Search box and press Enter, you get the graphs of how well you've done. HOWEVER, that is only what has been done on TWITTER. Still good info, but not all the info I want.

3. THEN… probing further, I found out how to find ALL the results. Just add a "+" after the link and you get all the info. Really sweet.

For instance, if you click http://bit.ly/me7q, you go to my Lead Generation Video on Lead Generation. (It's a Lead Gen free giveaway magnet designed to show people some of my knowledge and trade this 68 minutes of jammed-packed info for their name and email address.)

HOWEVER if you click http://bit.ly/me7q+ (notice the "+" at the end), you go to the page of all the metrics. And they can be VERY helpful.

I used to use Ad Trackers in 1ShoppingCart all the time so that I could see how well my campaigns were doing. HOWEVER, when 1SC would screw up, not work properly, fight with Comcast (my ISP) and blacklist a whole section of the US (which I used to discover even when even they didn't know it had happened), I couldn't find any metrics AND my site would shut down because my links wouldn't work. I'm hoping that Bit.ly (without the possibility of email blacklisting since it doesn't send emails for people) will be much more reliable.

Now… how do you know what your Bit.ly link is when you have HUNDREDS or THOUSANDS (as I now do)?

Let's face it, not everything you post to the web, Twitter, a blog needs to be tracked – you'd be drowning in follow-links and never be able to find any of them.

I just want to find important links that I want to keep track of (like who goes to my blog posts, my Ezine, my offer of great products I've discovered): I just keep a simple Notepad file open and keep those important links list there. I keep them in blocks by category (like Charlie's Blog, Ezine, LizSeymour.com, etc) and then list the Bit.ly link, the full link, and a note about it. Like this:

http://bit.ly/10UEzs – Marketing Power – Stand Out To Shine and Think Big (created April 23, 2009)

Well… that's it for now! Hope after reading all of this you learned a bit (or is that you "learned a Bit.ly")!

Best,

Charlie Seymour Jr
A Work At Home Dad, succeeding in this economy

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Marketing Power – A Good Theater Background Helps!

I was six and it was my first theatrical production. OK, so I sat quietly licking a lollipop in one courtroom scene at the local Little Theater, but I must have done something right because they asked me back year after year and I went on to create a musical theater group at Tufts University (Torn Ticket, now with the name Torn Ticket II) and worked professionally in theater after earning my MBA from Wharton Graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.

Theater – that team sport of people in the spotlight. And whether directing or acting, it taught me some very important lessons that I use in my marketing today.

Sing Out, Louise

That classic line from the Broadway Musical, Gypsy, is instructive for all of us:

You must stand out for people to notice you!

Have you ever taken the Sunday newspaper (well, it's like that here in the USA) and flipped to the real estate section. Squint a little so it goes out of focus and what do you see?

Nothing.

Everything is exactly the same. It's as if no one wants to stand out and get noticed. It's just a blur of black and white with no stars singing out.

If you make a presentation along with other people; if you give your 30-second "Elevator Speech" of introduction at a business meeting; if you make a proposal to earn some local business and you look like everyone else you will get what everyone else gets: normal results.

Normal. The norm. Average.

And who the heck wants THAT?

Timid you say? Then ACT the part of someone who is not.

Hey, I really don't care that Donald Trump jumped all over one of his Apprentice candidates who said something like "fake it" until she was ready to make it.

Create a character for yourself if you are timid. LIVE through that character. Hey, be true to yourself in what you do and the ethics that guide you, but to blend in, to be a wallflower, to get no attention means you'll get no business.

How Do You Stand Out From The Other Marketers

Dare to be different.

If everyone is presenting his/her Elevator Speech and starting off (as way too many people do) by stating their full name and company (as if anyone cares until they learn something about you), start off with a question!

"Do you know how people visit a website and give their name and email address when they feel they can like and trust the person who owns the site, well… I create such websites. My name is…"

Try it.

See how a question engages your audience (even a very small audience). People stop listening when other people drone on, but asking a question connects with their ear and brain and gets them to pay attention.

And before you even open your mouth, know what outcome you want to achieve. WHAT do you want people to know about you.

STOP…. OK, so you can tell them your life story and bore them.

Don't.

Select one or two main points and present yourself in an exciting way. Just as if you were writing a novel and describing the main character, that attractive, talented, clever person that you are!

Are You Saying I Have To Be Entertaining?

I didn't say it because YOU already thought it.

Yes. Entertain, educate, inform, question.

And do it through the persona of the character you want your prospects to see.

What do you want them to remember about you? How do you sound? What words do you choose?

And never waste any opportunity, because you don't know when you'll get another one.

Were You Ever Told To Fit In?

Did you use to work at a corporation where they told you to "fit in"? Be like everyone else? Tone it down a bit?

Those days are over for us entrepreneurs. People must remember us or they'll never call again.

So if you left the Rat Race of the corporate world, don't jump right back into it by mirroring all the things you used to do and didn't like!

Take some risks. Find the kind of work you love and make money with it. Don't set up a corporation, get yourself an office, parade around the same way you used to when someone else was calling all the shots.

When you make it as a successful entrepreneur, you'll do so because you left those old habits behind and took the road less traveled… the path in the wood you've always wanted to take.

And Think Big

Have you ever seen someone accomplish Big Goals by thinking small?

How do you grow your business to a million dollars a year if you are just starting out? I can assure you thank thinking small, thinking incrementally will NOT work.

Think Big. Think multiples, exponential growth. Dream, Plan, Scheme and always think, "What is next."

No billionaire ever achieved success by doing things the way everyone else did things, right?

Think through what you want to accomplish, make your own road map of how you will get there, and then let no one stand in your way.

Share your ideas, your goals, your vision with trusted advisers. Mastermind with people smarter and more experienced than you are (that is IF they will have you – they, too, want people smarter and better than they are).

It's been said that we are the average of the five people we spend most time with – is it time to break away from your comfortable friends and seek others who will stretch your thinking?

Get moving. You won't achieve your goals at the dining room table, on the couch, in front of the TV. Forget those who say "it's easy" to do all of this and know that Nike has it right: Just DO It.

Focus, Focus, Focus. Do one thing REALLY well and get known for it. (I admit I don't do well with this one: there are SO many things I enjoy doing and have abilities to accomplish. But you must get people to think YOUR NAME when they have a need.)

Create a name for yourself like this: Charlie the ______________. Make it short and sweet. If you can define yourself this way, others will be able to do that too. If you CAN'T, neither can they.

Like Charlie the Social Marketer. Charlie the Photographer. Charlie the Marketing-Success Coach.

Charlie the guy who does marketing for individuals, corporations, and nonprofits will NOT get me noticed and remembered. See what I mean.

And then select the best "title" depending on the circumstances.

If you are great at copy writing, web marketing, and photography, choose which label you will use depending on the audience to which you are speaking.

And then NEVER give up.

It's ALL In Your Attitude

Your mindset – THAT is what is most important about the way you project yourself and deal with difficulties and assignments not gained.

Some people, if they don't get that next, prized assignment, feel they have failed. Others take it as feedback and learn from what they just went through (and are back "at it" as soon as they can be).

So… stand out; create the character you want to project; dream, plan, scheme about what you want to achieve; and then let nothing stand in your way.

And I'll see YOU at the top!

Best,

Charlie Seymour Jr
A Work At Home Dad, succeeding in this economy

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How Many Of The Millions Of Unemployed In This Economy Will Begin To Work At Home?

Are you unhappy at work? Do you find yourself daydreaming about working from home? You are certainly not alone.

Millions of successful, professional people are finding that working at home is the answer, whether they have been downsized, rightsized, paradigm-shifted, or simply couldn’t take hearing another buzzword.

Of course, the work at home industry is not without its own buzzwords. Like freelancing, outsourcing, virtual assistance, consulting and others which continually overlap, making the whole work at home concept very confusing for first-timers.

Perhaps even more mind-blowing and confusing than these word games, though, is the pervasive concept that everyone who works at home does so in their pjs, coffee in one hand, sugary treat in the other, and both slipper-clad feet up on the desk.

Enticing as this image may be, only Hugh Hefner gets away with this trick. For the rest of us, pajamas simply won’t work, and here’s why:

Wearing pjs or gym clothes may interfere with your productivity.

Choosing a blend of casual comfort and professionalism creates the best work at home wardrobe. Our clothes define how we feel and, to a great extent, who we are.

Remember that time you ran a quick errand in a pair of old sweats and a slightly ripped t-shirt? Remember how you ran into Sue from across the street and avoided her like the plague?

The same thinking applies to working at home. Sure, no one is going to see you. Sure, you’re only talking on the phone. But you can see you.

When you dress for the job, you feel prepared to meet the day’s challenges, ready to present yourself as a competent professional. Must you put on a full suit and tie? No. But pajamas aren’t going to cut it either.

If you’ve ever tried it, you know what I mean.

These four tips will help you remain comfortable and productive:

1. Always go for comfort, but not too much. No highly-starched shirts, ties, or wool that drives you nuts. An Oxford-style or Polo-style shirt is great looking, comfortable, long-wearing, (and you’re half-ready for the golf course, just in case).

2. Sweats are for the gym. Pajamas are for bed. Your office is not where you work out or take a nap. Feeling too comfortable and casual may spill over into your demeanor, and this can translate into unprofessionalism.

3. And remember your shoes. Shoes impact work attitude, believe it or not. Barefoot feet say “Relax! Take a load off!” and, while you don’t want to be a ball of nerves, a workday is not a day at the beach.

4. Shave and shower to begin your day. Grooming has a psychological effect on mental preparedness. You simply “feel” ready after a nice hot shower and a shave.

Still believe you can work at home in your pjs?

Not if success is part of your master plan. The concept is simply more sales pitch than professional reality. At the end of the day, reality is what pays the bills.

Best,

Charlie Seymour Jr
A Work At Home Dad, succeeding in this economy

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