Last night, while watching “Deal or No Deal” I asked my boyfriend if he were on the show what outlook he would have. Would he take the stance that he had nothing to loose and keep going to try to win it all or would he have a target figure in mind and quit when he reached that point? I really asked this question because I was trying to figure out what I would do in that situation.
His answer was “I’m never going to be on the show so what does it matter?”
I was taken aback by his response and asked him, “don’t you have a lottery dream?”
It was then that I realized, he didn’t and that baffled me. I thought everyone had a lottery dream; something they thought about — fantasized about even, what they would do with all that money.
I have a lottery dream and it changes with the current situation of my life. Where I once would go purchase a home outright, I would now pay off my current home and fix it up just the way that I want it, sell it and then build a new home; the house up on the hill, my dream home. Complete with a dishwasher and a refrigerator that has ice and water coming out the front.
I would buy my purple mustang convertible that I’ve been pining over since I was 15 years old. I would put money aside to send our three little ones to college and pay off any student loans that the oldest has.
We would take a trip to Disney World, this time staying in one of the resorts, fly instead of drive and eat out every night. Oh the things I would do with that lottery money.
I have a different kind of dream for my business. It has nothing to do with winning the lottery, rather where I see my business in five years or ten years. Here’s where the dreams end and the visions begin. I have to win the lottery to make my lottery dream come true. I don’t play the lottery. You’ll probably never see that purple Mustang convertible in my driveway and I’ll send you a post card from Disney World talking about the drive down there and the house we rented a few miles from the park.
However, my business dream…the one where I have a book on the shelves of Barnes & Noble by 2016, the one where I’m working 3 days a week, 3 weeks out of the month, now that one – that one can come true. But it’s because I’m doing something about it. I working hard now, I’m laying the foundation; I can see the road in front of me. In essence, I’m playing the lottery for my business.
Do you have a dream for your business? Can you take that dream, turn it into a vision, and start working toward that dream? Do you want to make your dreams come true?
Start with your goals. What do you want for your business ten years from now, five years from now, two years from now, or even next year? Your goals could be as simple as hiring a VA to manage your email to as lofty as making six figures and subbing out all of your work. It’s your dream.
Keep reviewing your goals; see where you need to make adjustments. Perhaps you’ve changed your mind and you have a new vision for your business. That’s okay. Refigure where you want to go and how you’re going to get there.
Dreams can come true but only if you play.
Until next time…
Heather
Permalink 6 CommentsAfter joining Jimmy D. Brown’s List and Traffic Video Newsletter, I’ve been tweaking some of the processes that I use as well as joining with other list owners to help cross promote our publications. I’ve been working on co-authoring some eCourses as well so look for those in the upcoming weeks.
One of the things that I’ve done is work on my thank you page when someone signs up for the newsletter. When I began my newsletter, I needed a page to redirect my subscribers to once they signed up. Because I was in a rush to get it set up, I redirected them to the archives page of my newsletter.
Big Mistake #1.
When I had some free time I went back and made a thank you page that simply stated, “Thank you for subscribing. Your first issue will arrive shortly.” and listed the archives.
Big Mistake #2
What I failed to realize when I set up those two pages is that I had my visitor’s attention. They were already interested in what I had to say because I convinced them to sign up for my newsletter or eCourse and I let them get away. I missed an opportunity. I missed potential profits.
When I redesigned my thank you page I included the standard “thank you” and “make sure you look for your confirmation email”. I also instructed them to make sure they added me to their safe senders list to ensure they receive my emails. But this time I included “You may also be interested in these additional free offers:” and listed a free eBook, the opportunity to sign up for a free eCourse, and information about my favorite business author – all using my affiliate links.
Guess what happened? When I checked my affiliate stats, my click through rate increased 100% in just two days. 95% of those who subscribed to my newsletter also subscribed to the free eCourse I offered. My affiliate sales for the three products I promoted have doubled.
I’ve been publishing my newsletter for five months and it makes me sick to think about how much money I’ve lost because I didn’t take the time to talk to my visitors.
Do you know what’s mind blowing? Not only did it take me 30 minutes to set up the new thank you page, it didn’t cost me a dime. I already had all the information tucked away in my personal affiliate tool kit and was just too lazy to pull it out and put it to use.
Don’t make the same mistakes. Take a look at the page you’re redirecting your new subscribers to. Are you offering targeted product recommendations? Are you keeping them with you or just letting them close that window to possibly never return? Take thirty minutes of your time and the resources you already have available to you and update your redirect page.
Your bank account will thank you.
Want to use this article in your publication? You can as long as you include the following:
Heather Jacobson doesn’t spend a fortune on marketing if she doesn’t have to. To discover how she does it and claim your 10 inexpensive marketing tips visit http://www.inexpensive-marketing-ideas.com
Permalink 4 CommentsTech Support: “OK Bob, let’s press the control and escape keys at the same time. That brings up a task list in the middle of the screen. Now type the letter ‘P’ to bring up the Program Manager.” Customer: “I don’t have a ‘P’.” Tech Support: “On your keyboard, Bob.” Customer: “What do you mean?” Tech Support: “‘P’ on your keyboard, Bob.” Customer: “I’m not going to do that!”
Overheard in a computer shop: Customer: “I’d like a mouse mat, please.” Salesperson: “Certainly sir, we’ve got a large variety.” Customer: “But will they be compatible with my computer?”
I once received a fax with a note on the bottom to fax the document back to the sender when I was finished with it, because he needed to keep it.
Customer: “Can you copy the Internet for me on this diskette?”
I work for a local ISP. Frequently we receive phone calls that go something like this: Customer: “Hi. Is this the Internet?”
Some people pay for their online services with checks made payable to “The Internet.”
Customer: “So that’ll get me connected to the Internet, right?” Tech Support: “Yeah.” Customer: “And that’s the latest version of the Internet, right?” Tech Support: “Uhh…uh…uh…yeah.”
Tech Support: “All right…now double-click on the File Manager icon.” Customer: “That’s why I hate this Windows — because of the icons — I’m a Protestant, and I don’t believe in icons.” Tech Support: “Well, that’s just an industry term sir. I don’t believe it was meant to –” Customer: “I don’t care about any ‘Industry Terms’. I don’t believe in icons.” Tech Support: “Well…why don’t you click on the ‘little picture’ of a file cabinet…is ‘little picture’ OK?” Customer: [click]
Customer: “My computer crashed!” Tech Support: “It crashed?” Customer: “Yeah, it won’t let me play my game.” Tech Support: “All right, hit Control-Alt-Delete to reboot.” Customer: “No, it didn’t crash — it crashed.” Tech Support: “Huh?” Customer: “I crashed my game. That’s what I said before. I crashed my spaceship and now it doesn’t work.” Tech Support: “Click on ‘File,’ then ‘New Game.’” Customer: [pause] “Wow! How’d you learn how to do that?”
Permalink 23 CommentsSome of the top Internet marketers, such as Armand Morin and Alexandria K. Brown, spend a minimum of $20,000 a year on professional development and education. This includes coaching packages, telemeetings, live events and other educational materials.
Even though they make triple this amount a month in product sales, these successful entrepreneurs see the value in spending money on other people’s products to ensure they continue to stay up-to-date on new marketing techniques.
It’s important that you spend money on educating yourself. Doing so helps you to accomplish these 3 very important goals:
1. You spend less time searching and more time earning. How many times have you used a search engine to research for information, only to take you hours to wrap your head around the volume of data? By spending money on an ebook or telecourse, you start the process of making money by investing in the research that someone else has already done.
2. You generate ideas quicker. As solopreneurs and entrepreneurs, we tend to spend many days alone in our home offices. By attending a workshop, teleclass or buying an ebook, you get the opportunity to network with the author and other attendees and listen to their take on a given subject. This type of networking is so invaluable as it gives you a different perspective.
3. You avoid losing money. Paying for someone else’s product means that you’re learning from someone else’s mistakes. This helps you to avoid making those same mistakes, thus saving you a lot of money in the long run.
About the Author
Leesa Barnes, Chief Divapreneur™, helps consultants, virtual assistants, professional organizers and coaches pull clients to them using a podcast and other internet marketing tools. Go to http://www.internetmarketingdiet.com and sign up for her no-fee preview teleclasses so you can discover how to curb the online bulge and pull clients towards you.
I’m convinced that you’re born with it. I’m also amazed that I gave birth to two completely different children.
Let me explain.
I have two children – Matthew is 9 and Samara is 6. Talk about night and day! Matthew wants to run his own business. He’s been talking about starting a lemonade stand for years now but I can’t get him to grasp the fact that we live at the end of a dead end street and it’s all about location, location, location.
He did come up with a website idea and we’re working on that now. When we get it up and running, I’ll let you know. I’m really proud of what he’s come up with.
But let me tell you about what spawned this post.
The 100th fundraiser came home the other day. (I’m exaggerating of course, but I know this has to be the 5th or 6th fundraiser we’ve done this year.) When Matthew returned from practice he was begging me to let him go out and sell. Samara didn’t even bring me her folder.
I agreed and gave Matthew the rules – only go to the houses on our street, don’t go to the houses that have kids in your school, and be home in time for dinner.
Dinner’s on the table and no Matthew. He made it home shortly thereafter with two sales and a beaming smile. I asked Samara if she had also gotten her fundraiser packet and all she said was “yes”.
After dinner we had to run to the store and when we pulled back in the driveway, Matthew grabs his packet and says “Mom, I have to go. The neighbor just pulled in the driveway and if I don’t get to her before she gets in the house I won’t get a sale.” Off he went.
I asked Samara if she was going to go out and sell too. She looked at me and said “No. Nana will be here on Friday.”
Two different children. Two very different children.
Matthew’s always been like this. He’ll work hard to get what he wants. He saves money and is always looking for ways to earn money. Samara on the other hand loses money faster than she can spend it. If she does happen to hang on to it, it’s gone in a few days.
So, I tell you about my children but what can you learn from this?
Matthew’s going to get more prizes from this fundraiser. Samara will get a few but she’s going to be upset when she sees the treats that Matthew brings home.
Are you running your business admiring what someone else is doing? Are you working as hard and putting as much into it as you possibly can? If you’re doing your absolute best that’s all anyone can ask of you or that you can ask of yourself.
However, if you’re waiting for Nana to show up, you’re going to find that you’re not going to make it as far or as fast.
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Are you looking to Revolutionize your Virtual Assistant business? Visit http://www.virtualassistantrevolution.com today to discover how you can Revolutionize the way you do business!