What can the Academy Awards ceremony teach you about your business?

In this internet marketing audio tip, you will discover what winning Best Picture is going to do for a relatively obscure, independent film, The Hurt Locker and three specific ways you can apply the lessons of Third Party Validation to your business…just click on the play button below to find out…

—-
photo credit: Mario Sundar http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0

Tweet This Post 

In this short audio internet marketing tip, discover what you can learn from Starbucks about customer loyalty, the concept of the Third Space and get a great book recommendation you’ll love (Hint: the author is none other than Starbucks’ CEO)…

Just click on the “Play” arrow in the audio player below and enjoy! Your comments are welcome.

–
photo: JootJoot http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0

Tweet This Post 

Lately I’ve noticed something very interesting. I’m hearing from more and more of you that you are tired of the old marketing paradigm…

you know…the hype, the over the top language, the impossible promises…

but I’ve also noticed something else. Something new and fresh is in the wind…

a yearning from many of you to have a business that is purpose-driven, ethical, value-laden, generous and yes…

wildly successful! In short, a business that is heart centered…

I hear you and I’m doing something about it.  You are invited to an honest conversation, a close look at what it takes to become a Heart Centered Entrepreneur, to finally have a business that supports your purpose in the world.

Please join me and my trusted friend and colleague, Adela Rubio, on Thursday, February 25th at 8PM Eastern/NY for an extraordinary FREE teleseminar: The  7 Essential Qualities of the Heart Centered Entrepreneur…

you’ll walk away from this call with plenty of rich content, plus a chance to join me and Adela as we prepare to guide a special  group of Heart Centered Entrepreneurs to the next level in their businesses and yes, in their lives…

We have just 250 lines for this call and I expect it to fill quickly, so register right now at www.TheHeartCenteredEntrepreneur.com

Please consider inviting your friends and colleagues to this call. On February 25th in this month of the heart, Adela and I are starting a movement, a new tribe and a new way of doing business..the Way of the Heart…please join us!

——

photo: seted mostafa samani http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Tweet This Post 

Platinum coaching programs are all the rage these days. And no wonder, as they can be extremely lucrative for your business.

There is a lot of advice out there (some good and some bad) about how to start and run one of these Platinum Coaching  programs, but no one is really talking about the other side…what it takes to actually BE a Platinum client.

Having successfully implemented a Platinum Coaching program in my own business, I’ve learned first hand what to look for in the ideal Platinum client, not just because these things make my life easier (which they do!) but because they invariably predict the success of my clients. Here are 7 essential qualities great Platinum clients bring to a high-end coaching experience:

1. You are willing to pay to play. Platinum Coaching programs are not inexpensive. And for good reason. Beside increased access to your Platinum coach, high level strategies and personalized attention, putting a meaningful amount of money behind something keeps you motivated like nothing else.

2. You already know the basic “rules” of a coaching arrangement (show up for appointments, come prepared for each session, pay on time etc.) and assume these basics are just a starting point. The Platinum client goes above and beyond.

3. You are willing (and eager) to really listen to your coach’s advice, carefully consider that advice and if it fits, act on it immediately.

4. You are also equally willing to say “no” to your coach when she offers a specific course of action that simply does not seem right for you. But you had better be able to back that “no” up with a coherent argument!

5. You are willing to step out and take big risks, such as going after high-level joint venture partners or speaking at a conference.

6. You want to play a much, much bigger game than you have ever played before, both in your business and in your life

7. You don’t whine (at least not within earshot of your coach!)

Do you have what it takes to go Platinum? If so, I applaud you. The rewards in stepping into a much bigger version of the game you’ve been playing are simply immeasurable.

And for more fun business wisdom, grab your FREE copy of Zen and the Art of Email Listbuilding by clicking here right now.

_________

photo: tanakawho www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Tweet This Post 

I thought I had totally sworn off “reality” based television shows…

the kind that tries to gross you out by showing close up shots of sweaty participants eating live insects and wading through waist-high, leech-infested water or getting you all worked up over people who break down at the slightest discomfort and who should never have been chosen as contestants in the first place…

you know what I mean…

But last night, I stumbled upon a reality show that was different. So different in fact, that the concept blew me away. Plus, I spent an enjoyable hour learning some very valuable business lessons.

The new show is Undercover CEOs on CBS. Here’s the premise: each week, the program profiles a company CEO who “goes undercover” to become just a regular Joe (or June) and masquerades as an employee of the company. The first episode profiled the CEO of a large waste and trash management company who literally got “down and dirty” by using a giant hose to suck the…er…contents from a line of portable toilets and trying (not too successfully) to chase down trash with a stick that was blowing across an open field, all the while being supervised by unsuspecting employees of the very company he headed as CEO.

The CEO came away knowing things about his employees and his company that he could never, ever have learned sitting behind a desk in his fancy office or taking guided tours of his company’s operations. As an undercover CEO, he got first hand experience about what it was really like to work for his company: like discovering that one of his hardest workers went for kidney dialysis three times a week, yet never missed work and finding out that some of his women drivers had to carry a can with them in their trucks because there were no toilet facilities for females in those positions.

But perhaps the most important lesson of all was this: he learned that those employees were ambassadors for his company, the faces that his customers saw and depended on every day of the week. And his employees learned an invaluable lesson as well…

when he finally “came out” to them, they realized that here was a man who was willing to become one of them…

not to spy on them or to try to catch them doing something wrong…

but to learn from them. Because he was willing to do this, his CEO trust factor went sky high.

When are you doing to go “undercover” in your company? Even if you are a one or two person business, you can start trying to see things from your customers’ point of view. When is the last time you tried purchasing a product from your website, signed up for a newsletter to better understand the process your clients go through, or personally answered a support ticket?

Try it. The things you do may very well be fun. And chances are they won’t involve cleaning out porta-potties with a hose!

Personally, I can’t wait for next week’s episode…

the CEO of Hooter’s is going undercover!

And for more fun business wisdom, grab your free copy of Zen and the Art of Email Listbuilding by clicking here right now.

—–

photo: anonymous9000 Creative Commons License

Tweet This Post 

The Article Marketing Guy - Jeff Herring

Just got back from NAMS 3 (that the Niche Affiliate Marketing System conference in Atlanta for those in the know!) and have to say it was the best ever. I was honored to serve as one of the faculty, along with Willie Crawford, Denise Wakeman, Kathleen Gage, Bob The Teacher, Jeff Herring, Maritza Parra and more.

The content was awesome and the networking opportunities were simply fabulous. Lots of good things to come from me on this front, but right now I’m leaving for a few days to host a private retreat for a Platinum Client and I wanted to let you know about a great post-NAMS opportunity before it disappears:

you can get ALL of the previous Niche Affiliate Marketing System  workshop materials and complete audios for hundreds of dollars off the normal price…

And, you’ll receive a link to the NAMS 3 workshop that just ended to download audios and PDFs  from that workshop as well, including…

9 days of instruction, 200 pages of text manuals, multiple special reports from 26 instructors…

including my jam-packed hour-long presentation on The Art of Interviewing for Affiliate Sales…

I’m not sure how long David Perdew, NAMS founder will keep this offer in place, so please take a look at it now. If you are interested in producing income from affiliate marketing, the NAMS workshops offer a great marketing education.

By the way, I was delighted to see so many of our Marketing Qi subscribers at NAMS this time. Hope to meet you at NAMS 4 in August!

Tweet This Post 

I’m going to be a speaker and workshop presenter at the upcoming Niche Affiliate Marketing System workshop in Atlanta (Jan 29-Feb1st) and you’re invited…

if you are at all considering coming to this event, you need to sign up pronto because I just got word there are less than twenty seats left and you know why?

Because unlike many other conferences NAMS is a hands-on teaching workshop, NOT a pitchfest…

the instructors are some of the best in marketing and they actually stay for the whole event and are accessible (people like Denise Wakeman, Kathleen Gage, Willie Crawford, Lynny Terry, Nicole Dean, Jeff Herring, Maritza Parra and more!)…

not like the so-called internet marketing “rock stars” you see at other conferences…

and here’s the best part…

the ticket price is extremely affordable and has not yet increased (it will go up on Dec.1st)  AND I have a coupon for you, so you will save a  full one-hundred dollars when you register…

just put in 100NAMS3 in the coupon code box when you checkout…

Some of you on my list attended last time and we had a blast. I’d love to be able to  meet you in person too!

If you have any questions, just let me know and I’ll get back to you, but I wouldn’t advise waiting around as I fully expect NAMS to sell out shortly…

Go check it out by clicking here.

Hope to see you in Atlanta…come on down, y’all!
Ellen

P.S. Also, internet marketing legend Jimmy D. Brown will be there too. Don’t miss it!

——

Legal Stuff: According to new FTC regulations, I am required to disclose to you that if you purchase through my link, I will make a commission on that sale. Of course, you probably know that already, as this is one of the main income streams for internet marketers. I only promote products and services in which I have utmost confidence.

photo credit Atlanta Skyline : coka koehler via http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Tweet This Post 

Private Platinum client V. Lichtman with the Ghost of her old business plan

When was the last time you took a really close look at your business model?

If you are like many small business owners, not only have you never really considered this, you may also not even understand what a business model is.

Before I get into the details of why your old business model skeleton needs exorcising (and what to replace it with),  let’s first look at a basic definition. If you’ve never thought about business models before, it’s likely you may be conjuring up scary visions of complicated organizational charts, spreadsheets or rows of bewildering formulas…

It’s enough to make your hair stand on end!

But breathe easy, as there’s no need to fear.  There are many ways to define the term “business model” but here is a very easy and useful way to view this concept:

Your business model is the system you put in place to make money that will enable you to survive and to grow.

That’s it.  Surprisingly simple, isn’t it?

But in spite of it’s simplicity, many small business people, especially solopreneurs, have failed to give the idea of a model any attention.  They just get an idea for a service or product, and instead of carefully crafting a business model that will serve them well, they put most of their energy into getting clients, working on their product or even worrying about the design of their business cards!

Now don’t misunderstand me. Getting clients, improving your product or service and making sure you have professional appearing business cards and other supporting materials are important, but without a healthy and robust business model that will enable you to quickly bring in cash flow and that gives you immediate leverage, your business may very well be doomed.

When I work with my private clients, the first thing I do is help them to create a business model that has these three elements:

1) simple and elegant…

2) creates quick cash flow and and…

3) is able to be leveraged for rapid growth and expansion.

You should do the same. Implement a business model with these three characteristics and your business will soon be spooktacular!

Ellen

P.S. I have one last opening in my six-month Private Platinum Mentoring program and will never again offer this degree individual attention at this level of investment. If you are interested, send me an email at ellen@marketingqi.com with the words “Private Platinum” in the subject line. I’ll send you an application and we’ll set up a time to talk by phone to help you determine if this opportunity is right for you. (Serious inquiries only, please!)

Tweet This Post 

Tucson, Arizona

UPDATE: Tues. Oct 6th- Just ONE Ticket Left! Will It Be Yours…?

For a number of years now, I’ve been following the career of a remarkable business coach…

I’ve watched and admired her as she’s developed her brand and has taken her business to several million dollars…

all in just three short years…

This woman has been a speaker on one of my previous teleseminar series and I was so impressed with her skills and gracious, engaging manner…

I’d like to introduce her to you as well and give you the opportunity to get free access to three fabulous teleseminars she did recently…

by the way, she’s holding one of her now legendary live events in beautiful Tucson, Arizona in just a few weeks…

and I’m finally going to meet her in person…

you can get all the details by clicking here.

I know you are going to love her!

P.S. If you attend just one conference this year, this event should be the one. I would love to meet you there!

====

Legal Stuff: According to new FTC regulations, I am required to disclose to you that if you purchase through my link, I will make a commission on that sale. Of course, you probably know that already, as this is one of the main income streams for internet marketers. I only promote products and services in which I have utmost confidence.

Photo: Tucson, AZ by RickC http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0

Tweet This Post 

This week, I am assisting at David Perdew’s Niche Affiliate Marketing Conference (NAMS) in Atlanta, Georgia. Today, the second day of the conference, I witnessed a remarkable demonstration on how to create a product in just 90 minutes…

in front of a live audience of 110 conference attendees who were hanging on the presenters’ every word.

The participants, internet marketing experts Lynn Terry, Mark Hendricks, Jeff Herring and Cindi Dawson were grilled by David for over an hour on their very favorite tactics from profiting from teleseminars quickly. David asked the panelists six simple questions and those questions led to one of the best conversations I’ve heard in a very long time on how to quickly build information products in any niche and to profit from them quickly…

Here are the six questions that David asked each of the panelists:

• What is the difference between teleseminars and what we’re doing here with an audio recording?
• I’m not sure I can do this. It seems like teleseminars require special expertise. Is that true?
• Why would someone let me interview them?
• I have a digital recorder, but I’m a complete newbie. How could I create a product in the next 90 minutes with it?
• I’ve done my first interview. Now, I’m ready to sell it. What’s next?
• My favorite question… And then what?

These experts absolutely proved that you can use teleseminars, webinars or even audio recordings to quickly and easily create your own information products using nothing but your telephone, a audio recorder and your own personal contacts.

David is making this information available (plus a fantastic bonus that I’ll let you go to the webpage to read more about) for almost nothing. So if you want to get started today to craft your own information products in just 90 minutes, in any niche, check this out right here today.

You can do this!

Tweet This Post