Here are the Google Groups I recommend to promote your business. Remember you cannot join to promote anything - they will not allow you to join. And you must participate and use the signature option to promote you business. Any good, active blog or forum will NOT allow just anyone to post or become a member - they will also remove anyone at the first sign of violation. On the good side this means that the members are high quality.
Go to http://groups.google.com do a search for online business or whatever your niche maybe then sort by the groups with the groups with highest activity (Google is the best at this - makes finding forums easy) The good ones will NOT allow just anyone to join like I said before - to be prepared to be patient.
For renting email list http://rent-a-list.com it is a bit more expensive than most but remember you are buying quality (again I an not an affiliate, and make not money from this referral)
And remember, at the coaching gym we come up with solutions like these and much much more - there is great energy from knowing others are working with the same issues and finding options that work (finding these makes what I do worthwhile)
Joy Cassell
join the coaching gym at www.life-optimized.com follow the link at bottom of the home page.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Oh Gosh - It has been a while
Time flies when you are having fun.
I have been conducting seminars both live and using the web - and was unable to post on this blog for a longggg time.
But now I am back!
Several people who attended the seminars want me to explore putting together a "round table" this will be a group teleseminar but with all the participants brain storming rather than just listening to me.
One of the problems that kept coming up again and again on my training sessions with other online business owners is - marketing. How to get clients.
The other is my strong belief that affiliate marketing is done, finish (at least for now) give the widespread use of programs like Window Washer that removes all cookies. Without that the affiliate cannot get paid since the sale cannot be tracked.
Until someone comes up with a program to fix this it is a waste of time expect affiliate marketing to provide traffic to your business.
The other topic we covered is the use of audio for marketing. The free options out there and how it all works.
I want to add one last item
http://www.insidepr.ca/
This is a really helpful PR marketing blog. There are audio as well
Enjoy
Joy
www.life-optimized.com
I have been conducting seminars both live and using the web - and was unable to post on this blog for a longggg time.
But now I am back!
Several people who attended the seminars want me to explore putting together a "round table" this will be a group teleseminar but with all the participants brain storming rather than just listening to me.
One of the problems that kept coming up again and again on my training sessions with other online business owners is - marketing. How to get clients.
The other is my strong belief that affiliate marketing is done, finish (at least for now) give the widespread use of programs like Window Washer that removes all cookies. Without that the affiliate cannot get paid since the sale cannot be tracked.
Until someone comes up with a program to fix this it is a waste of time expect affiliate marketing to provide traffic to your business.
The other topic we covered is the use of audio for marketing. The free options out there and how it all works.
I want to add one last item
http://www.insidepr.ca/
This is a really helpful PR marketing blog. There are audio as well
Enjoy
Joy
www.life-optimized.com
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Contractor or Employee
I just spent the better part of the last two weeks helping a client sort out a real pain in the neck tax issue - mistakenly categorizing an employee as a independent contractor.
We all start our business being ops manager, controller, IT wiz and the marketing department all roll into one. But with business success we have to learn to let go - after all we do need sleep. And besides we did get into business to enjoy our time not get chained to a desk.
I just did a seminar on this - but I digress.
I usually coach my clients to get independent contractors if at all possible. The advantages are mostly tax related, no social security tax or unemployment, benefits are up to the contractor (they get tax brakes for getting this themselves) BUT if you hire someone and expect them to be at their desks 9 -5 with lunch at 12:30 and a pay check every two weeks - you now have and employee.
And the taxes are different.
Governments be it Federal or State are a bit particular about this.
When in doubt see a tax professional, but as always if your intent is to build a legitimate business do it right, keep Uncle Sam happy. Payroll audits are not fun.
Besides this is the greatest country on the planet despite our politicans.
We all start our business being ops manager, controller, IT wiz and the marketing department all roll into one. But with business success we have to learn to let go - after all we do need sleep. And besides we did get into business to enjoy our time not get chained to a desk.
I just did a seminar on this - but I digress.
I usually coach my clients to get independent contractors if at all possible. The advantages are mostly tax related, no social security tax or unemployment, benefits are up to the contractor (they get tax brakes for getting this themselves) BUT if you hire someone and expect them to be at their desks 9 -5 with lunch at 12:30 and a pay check every two weeks - you now have and employee.
And the taxes are different.
Governments be it Federal or State are a bit particular about this.
When in doubt see a tax professional, but as always if your intent is to build a legitimate business do it right, keep Uncle Sam happy. Payroll audits are not fun.
Besides this is the greatest country on the planet despite our politicans.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Great News on how to make lots of money
As you may have noticed I have had a break in my blog posts - I have been traveling and creating joint ventures and basically living life on my terms.
I came back home with my creative energies flowing, and now I want to pass this on to you.
What really gets me is the stress people put themselves under working for someone else when the Internet (the Greatest invention since the printing press) offers so many options to take control of your finances.
Let me rephrase - so many options to BECOME RICH!
Why do so many go back day after day to a job they hate and a boss they hate even more?
FEAR.
Fear of failing, but mostly fear of taking responsibility for their own financial well being.
I did it from scratch, and so can you.
DO YOU WANT TO BE RICH?!
I came back home with my creative energies flowing, and now I want to pass this on to you.
What really gets me is the stress people put themselves under working for someone else when the Internet (the Greatest invention since the printing press) offers so many options to take control of your finances.
Let me rephrase - so many options to BECOME RICH!
Why do so many go back day after day to a job they hate and a boss they hate even more?
FEAR.
Fear of failing, but mostly fear of taking responsibility for their own financial well being.
I did it from scratch, and so can you.
DO YOU WANT TO BE RICH?!
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Circuit City Layoffs
OK another large company is going to punish the working man (woman) for the incompetence of upper management.
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070328/circuit_city_layoffs.html?.v=10
Get this, not only is Circuit City going to fire (aka lay off) these folks but they can apply for their old jobs at a LOWER pay - how generous.
When I work with clients who have gone or going through a major life moment (aka crisis) we talk a lot about fear. Nothing is more stressful that loosing our sense of control, even if this control is an illusion.
Major life change can be the catalyst to a better you, it gives us in a strange sense freedom to look at other alternatives. Different life paths that normally our need for control will deny us.
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070328/circuit_city_layoffs.html?.v=10
Get this, not only is Circuit City going to fire (aka lay off) these folks but they can apply for their old jobs at a LOWER pay - how generous.
When I work with clients who have gone or going through a major life moment (aka crisis) we talk a lot about fear. Nothing is more stressful that loosing our sense of control, even if this control is an illusion.
Major life change can be the catalyst to a better you, it gives us in a strange sense freedom to look at other alternatives. Different life paths that normally our need for control will deny us.
- Control your mind before it controls you.
- You will be afraid, accept this - sit with your fear - welcome it. It will loose is potency.
- Use any opportunity to get back on your feet, but make long term goals.
- Design your perfect life on paper and ask yourself how can I get there.
- No matter what - DO NOT trust management to take care of you. If their decisions are not in keeping with market economics - GET OUT before they kick you out.
Live, Love and Learn
Joy
www.life-optomized.com
Friday, March 30, 2007
So You Want To Be Your Own Boss.
Great!!!! From my own experience here is a few things to think about.
1. I finally got the courage to start my first company when I was unjustly fired. It finally but risk in a new perspective for me. However, I had to get over my high strung emotional state, as I had to do this for me, not to "show my former co-workers what a mistake they made."
2. Anticipate long hours. I had to work at a job to make ends meet as well as work until 3 AM on my business. The good part about all this, I really enjoyed what I was doing so the sleep deprivation was not hard to deal with (I did make sure to catch up on the weekend)
3. Risk and Patience. The first time around I had underestimated the time it would take to get my business up to a profitable status, now I have a much better understanding of this. I was working on something for four months before I could even get it to the stage that I can market it. That requires a strong sense of faith and individual direction. As a rule it will take longer than you think to get from point A to B with a home or small business, be ready.
4. I had to learn when to fold and start something new OR re-engineer my original concept when it is clear the market has now interest. Here is the tricky part - there is a fine line between creating a market for a new product and acknowledging that you cannot create a market. I have learnt from experience to trust my gut on this one and when in doubt consult someone with experience for advice - but still trust my gut.
A mentor or coach was a great help as it allowed me to learn from the mistakes/experiences of others - there is no substitute for experience when one is going into uncharted territory.
Live, Love, Learn
Joy
www.life-optimized.com
1. I finally got the courage to start my first company when I was unjustly fired. It finally but risk in a new perspective for me. However, I had to get over my high strung emotional state, as I had to do this for me, not to "show my former co-workers what a mistake they made."
2. Anticipate long hours. I had to work at a job to make ends meet as well as work until 3 AM on my business. The good part about all this, I really enjoyed what I was doing so the sleep deprivation was not hard to deal with (I did make sure to catch up on the weekend)
3. Risk and Patience. The first time around I had underestimated the time it would take to get my business up to a profitable status, now I have a much better understanding of this. I was working on something for four months before I could even get it to the stage that I can market it. That requires a strong sense of faith and individual direction. As a rule it will take longer than you think to get from point A to B with a home or small business, be ready.
4. I had to learn when to fold and start something new OR re-engineer my original concept when it is clear the market has now interest. Here is the tricky part - there is a fine line between creating a market for a new product and acknowledging that you cannot create a market. I have learnt from experience to trust my gut on this one and when in doubt consult someone with experience for advice - but still trust my gut.
A mentor or coach was a great help as it allowed me to learn from the mistakes/experiences of others - there is no substitute for experience when one is going into uncharted territory.
Live, Love, Learn
Joy
www.life-optimized.com
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Does Time Heal All Wounds?
Going off the business track I have been on the last few days - I read this article in Newsweek Online
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17841762/site/newsweek/
It discussed how we humans deal with adversity. I guess this came up because of the cancer diagnosis of Tony Snow (White House Spokesman) and Elizabeth Edwards (husband John is running for president) and this fascination with the concept of happiness.
The article did not hold a positive message, instead claiming some of life's problems are going to be with you FOREVER. As a coach I don't buy that.
Don't get me wrong I am not here to trivialize any one's journey or to say that some of life's issues will require one to take a lot of time to heal. But as the writer Wray Herbert said
"As reported in the April issue of the journal Current Directions in Psychological Science, people's feelings of well-being are affected by life's stressful challenges, and healthy adaptation is not at all predictable or inevitable."
Not predictable - sure but we actively choose - it is inevitable. THIS IS A MATTER OF CHOICE.
Be it a failed business, marriage or the loss of a job. The depth of pain will dictate the length of time we have to work on our emotional health but if we if we make the choice to learn and come out stronger - we do.
Live, Love, Learn
Joy
www.life-optimized.com
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17841762/site/newsweek/
It discussed how we humans deal with adversity. I guess this came up because of the cancer diagnosis of Tony Snow (White House Spokesman) and Elizabeth Edwards (husband John is running for president) and this fascination with the concept of happiness.
The article did not hold a positive message, instead claiming some of life's problems are going to be with you FOREVER. As a coach I don't buy that.
Don't get me wrong I am not here to trivialize any one's journey or to say that some of life's issues will require one to take a lot of time to heal. But as the writer Wray Herbert said
"As reported in the April issue of the journal Current Directions in Psychological Science, people's feelings of well-being are affected by life's stressful challenges, and healthy adaptation is not at all predictable or inevitable."
Not predictable - sure but we actively choose - it is inevitable. THIS IS A MATTER OF CHOICE.
Be it a failed business, marriage or the loss of a job. The depth of pain will dictate the length of time we have to work on our emotional health but if we if we make the choice to learn and come out stronger - we do.
Live, Love, Learn
Joy
www.life-optimized.com
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