February 8, 2010

My 10 Personal Rules for Success... Moneymaking Lessons
from Amazon... The Downside of Social Media... An
Education in Info Marketing... and More.

I'm asked quite often what are my rules for success. So, here they are:

1) Balance. I try my best to balance my life. My work, my family, my friends and myself all have my attention. Sometimes I put too much focus into my work. Other times, I put too much attention towards myself. I always try my hardest to make sure that, at the end of the day, it all evens out.

2) Goal Setting. No sense in running a race if there's no end. You have to set goals, both business and personal, to help you achieve. Make them attainable, yet challenging, so that when you've reached them, you really feel that sense of accomplishment.

3) Hard Work. No matter how well I do, I never rest on it. Sure it's great to bask in the glow of your accomplishments, but you've got to move on to the next task. Keep striving towards your goals as hard as you can. When you reach the goal, take a moment, and then get back to the grind.

4) Get Advice. Always ask questions from experts. I never try to "figure it out" if I can easily get the answer from someone of authority. Whether it's through a book, an e-letter or a personal connection, getting the expert's view is the way to go.

5) Early to Rise. I get up early every morning, because I know that, the more hours in a day I have, the more I can get done. There are a lot of people who don't seem to have the time to do things, yet they get out of bed at 8:30 every morning! Imagine what they could accomplish if they got up an hour earlier. That's seven extra hours a week.

6) Adapt When Needed. Routines are great, but the world is always changing and you need to adapt to succeed and survive. When something calls for you to make a change that you know will help you succeed, change. Don't be too stubborn in your ways, as it could lead to your downfall.

7) Stick to Your Guns. While adapting your habits and routines is essential, holding on to your core beliefs is also very important. Don't stray from your character in search of a couple of bucks. I don't include pride in here because sometimes pride gets in the way of surviving. Case in point: When I was down in the gutter, I had to get a job cleaning toilets in office buildings to pay my debts while some of my friends went to med and law school. I swallowed my pride and because of that job, I got back on my feet.

8) Be Honest. Be upfront with people, even in situations where most people would lie to protect someone's feelings. However, saying that...

9) Be Diplomatic and Compassionate. Sometimes the truth can be harsh, but the delivery doesn't have to be. Giving someone the straight goods in a kind and gentle manner will help you earn their respect and trust.

10) Never Lose Focus. It's hard for some people to focus on what they're doing. Make sure that whatever it is you're doing -- from a complicated business deal to something as simple as cooking soup -- that you keep yourself focused on the task at hand and try to eliminate distractions.

Now these are just 10 of my rules of success. I've got a lot more to share with you in some upcoming bulletins.

Over the past few years, I have begun to shop more and more online. Like many people, I was worried about credit card fraud or simply not getting what I wanted. I'm a hands-on kind of guy and, for that reason, I like to see, touch and try out what I'm buying. Even when it's something such as a book, I like to flip through the pages and see if it's what I want.

However, with online deals beating traditional brick-and- mortar stores time and time again, I've started to ignore my doubts and put my trust in online purchases.

So far, I have yet to be let down and I see little reason why that would change in the near future.

Of the purchases I've made online, many of them have been through the retailer Amazon. Mostly purchasing books and music, I've found the best deals on this site. I've also found that, even without ever talking to someone at Amazon, I feel like they know me there.

When I log in to my account, I'm reminded of the products I was looking at the last time I was there. When I open my e- mails, I'll get one or two from Amazon with suggestions about what else I may like. More often than not, I review their suggestions and they aren't half bad. And, the more purchases I make, the better the suggestions they have to offer become.

Now, I know there are people who have had bad experiences with Amazon; just do a quick search online and you're bound to find plenty of them. This means that the company still has a lot to learn; but, based on my experience alone over the past few years, the team at Amazon seems to be learning at a fast pace.

Whether you're selling a service or a product, it is a good idea to take a look at what Amazon is doing and try to learn a few things from them.

In an online world where there are few human voices to help you along the way, building trust with potential customers is more difficult, but is still possible. Many people are apprehensive about spending their money online, but people are spending to the tune of billions of dollars a year.

Take a look at your online sales tactics. Are you building trust through offering proof of your past performance online? Are you establishing ways to build a relationship with customers before they make their first purchase?

If not, take a look around at your favorite web sites and follow their lead. It could be something as simple as posting stories on your web site or something a bit more involved like starting individual accounts for customers.

I've often written about the growing importance of social media when it comes to promoting your business online. Web sites like "Twitter" and "Facebook" present a great opportunity to expose your brand and keep customers up to date with all your latest offers, while allowing them to form a tangible relationship with your brand through interaction.

However, I've recently learned that these social media tools can hurt your image, too, if the proper privacy settings aren't put into place. The worst part is that they can hurt you before you even get started.

Don't worry, the remedy for this problem is pretty quick and easy to implement, so once you're done reading, it may be wise to check your profile settings.

It turns out that banks and credit companies are now using Facebook as a way to research applicants and potential clients. In the past, such companies would rely mostly on your credit history and demographic information -- age, income, where you live, etc.

Nowadays, however, they like to take a closer look. Chances are they will "Google" your name or look it up on Facebook. If your profile appears and it is open for the viewing, there are certain things these companies will look at and take into consideration.

They'll look at your profile and try to find information that may hurt your chances of getting the credit you're looking for. For instance, if your profile lists you as an avid shopper, or there is talk of spending all kinds of money, it may hurt your chances. It looks to them like you are looking for credit in order to support what could be a costly habit. I know it sounds ridiculous, but this is a new reality. They will also look into the people on your friends list. If these people are what may be considered "bad" or "irresponsible" -- information they base on status updates, commentary or background checks -- it can hurt your chances, as well.

Obviously, this will only be a factor if your credit rating is hovering at a rather low score, but, either way, it is something to consider. Cleaning up your online appearance may be something you want to look into.

Of course, an easy way to take care of this is to make sure the proper privacy settings are in place for your Facebook profile. Make sure your privacy settings are set so that only "friends" can view the content on your page. This will make it impossible for the credit companies to consult Facebook for their research.

Remember, the information you post on social media sites is public information and can be used and accessed by anyone. However, by implementing the proper privacy settings, you can control what is seen by others.

** An Education in Info Marketing
By James Burt, Online Marketing Expert

What kind of memories does school bring back for you?

For some, you may remember the bad parts. Homework, mean teachers, rules, rules, and more rules...are you cringing yet? Save the shenanigans you might have gotten into with your friends, it's probably safe to say you would have been happier out doing more recreational activities.

But the truth is that schools and education in general matter. It may not always be fun, but it's important. When you're young, you only want to have a good time. But once you have to get a job and head off into the adult world, education is important. If you are a parent, you want the best education for your kids, too. There's no question about it.

These days, education is like a buffet; there's loads of selection and options. Some institutions are better than others. Some are tailored for certain kinds of people. It can be tough to make the correct decisions for yourself and/or your family. But, with that in mind, most people need info on education.

That's where you come in.

If you decide to make education your info marketing topic, here are some categories that might be helpful in getting you going:

--- School for the little ones: You want the best for your kids and others. Every parent wants to send their kids to a good educational facility right from the first day. As you've probably seen around your own streets, there are heaps of daycares and pre-school educational institutions. Parents need the info on these things. Everything from rates to reputation to info on special needs children. If you do some research similar to a university class or course guide, you can create info for parents who will happily pay to know about the best place to send their child.

--- Educational toys and products: As a supplement to the above, there are loads of educational toys and products you can get for your kids as well. A lot of parents think that violent video games and cheesy videos with even cheesier sing-a-long songs are the only real things kids get exposed to these days. But it doesn't have to be that way. Check out your mall or hobby shops -- kids can get chemistry sets, design and tech programs, and loads of dinosaur model sets with historical info they can learn while they build. This could be fun to do info on, especially if you contact the companies that manufacture these products. They might need some content in exchange for you trying some free samples!

--- Colleges and universities: This is a very profitable and popular topic. Every year, millions of kids head off to college and other post-secondary institutions. You've the school reports in newspapers or magazines, but they are limited sometimes in detailed information. This doesn't mean info on classes or how good the profs are, or what gossip is circulating campus -- rather, it could be info on the housing options in and around campus for students, where to get commuter fee deals, where to get the best gear for chemistry or engineering class, et al. Info on bank or credit union savings plans is very important for
clients as well. I probably could go on and on about this, but I don't think I have to. If you've ever been to college or know something about it, you should get started now!

--- Continuing education: Just because you're a bit older and out of school doesn't mean you're out of the educational loop yet. It's a clichéd but true maxim: "You never stop learning." To add to this, there are loads of institutions that accommodate that. I never knew how much continuing education was available to post-post-secondary people until I worked beside the alumni office at my university. Memoir writing, genealogy, video game design, philosophy...there are heaps of courses you can take if you are a mature student or even post-grad. But like myself back then, a lot of people don't know just how many options are available to them. Know something about it? Know what's available in your community? Know what some people would be interested in either for fun or to help them get a better job? Get going!

Information on education is a true goldmine to almost everybody out there. People need it, and it can help their lives in the long run. I can recommend it to any information marketing pro or even a newbie. It's a great way to assist the public and make a great living in the process.