Ira Glass's Wisdom-sharing is Worth Blogging, Tweeting, and Google +ing About

This morning I was thinking about what I and other creative small business entrepreneurs need to hear... in spite of all the hype from Internet marketing gurus who claim that they can help you get there way quicker...just by buying their latest, greatest online learning product offering, even though their own learning path to excellence took a lot longer and was a lot more painful.  

Then BINGO!, someone sends me this excellent video done by Ira Glass on YouTube that is way more honest...and way more enlightening that relates to what I have been personally experiencing myself....on the one hand, I have been given the gift of good taste... knowing what I am striving for, yet on the other hand, getting there can take a while.

Wow, am I grateful for all that I have learned thus far, and what I have been able to accomplish both for myself as well as for my growing list of customers who also share the "long view" of what it takes to succeed....and am I humbly happy to learn even more..as together we learn and master new things...enjoying both the ride as well as the destination...working closely together...moving the business forward.

It's not what folks...looking for instant gratification want to hear...but it is the Truth... with a big T. Of course that doesn't preclude flashes of Divine Inspiration, and "special insider tips"  that can help you hit the jackpot more quickly, but struggle and plain hard work, even with all that, is STILL part of the equation... any lottery winner can tell you that. True prosperity and authentic happiness is a deeper and broader phenomenon than what the instant gratification folks understand.

I am really ecstatic about the potential power of web television as a way of driving more business. Call me if you too understand excellence when you see it, and if you too are willing to do what it takes to achieve it yourself...over time. There are a few things that we can share with each other that we have learned along the way. 206-920-8067.

Jo Barnes of Social Networking Academy Has Ten Great Rules for 2012

Happy New Year for 2012. While coming up with some resolutions of my own for this year,  I had the good fortune to listen to social media marketing guru Jo Barnes of the Social Networking Academy in the UK talk about hers in her Start 2012 With A Bang webinar replay. Jo is "The Real Deal" whose "number #1 secret"  is "consistent, focused action" practically applied through these rules to live and work by:

1. Set your goals sanely at three levels - Minimally - what you intend to do minimally to move towards the goal - Reasonably - what is reasonable with more effort, and Maximally with even more effort. Don't overwhelm yourself by making too many goals.. Just work on your top three. Even if you are only able to work on two of them, you'll feel great about the progress you are making which is good for programming the subjective subconscious side of your consciousness.
   
   
2. Measure Your Success Against Your Own Results, Not Against Others' Results - This flows the energy outward from within and prevents you from get discouraged by others who may be ahead of you and who may appear to be more successful.
   
   
3. Test & Measure Everything - The web has some great tools that you can use to analyze and measure the impact of what you do online. Don't allow yourself to to get overwhelmed by too many analytics. The ones you want to watch are: a) daily visits to your site, b) how many sign-ups you get to your list as a percentage of site visitation, and c) how many sales you get ("conversions") as an outcome of your marketing campaign initiatives.
   
   
4. Give, Give, Give... as much as you can - Jo really "walks the walk" with this one the way the way that she gives of herself.. up front with free content, free templates, free advice and in her charitable giving of part of her revenue. The Universe responds to those who do good and who serve well.  Don't wait until you reach a special number before you start giving. There are many ways that you can give NOW and this plants seeds of goodness that is returned to you. You reap what you sow.
   
   
5. Content, Content, Content is King - Consistently providing valuable content in multiple ways is key to building relationships of value and converting prospects into customers, and return business clientele. She produces a lot of great videos, does webinars, and even gives away free leads capture templates.
   
   
6. Network, Network, Network - Write down all the people you'd like to network with ... and do it. Write them down. This starts the ball rolling with you following up on these. Comment on their posts, outreach to them, share their info, feature them, ask to interview them. Invite them in as honored guests. Get in their radar.
   
   
7. Remember How Awesome You Are! - You are a child of the Universe and you need to acknowledge and respect that by taking care of yourself physically and mentally. What you are and who you are...is worth it. Make it a habit of feeling good. She suggests getting up early and watching some YouTube videos of the master inspirational gurus Tony Robbins, Wayne Dyer and others.
   
   
8. Be Insanely Brave... Because Good Things Can Only Come From It - Jo is incredibly right on here. It's our fear that holds us back and prevents us from creating and actualizing the reality we want to live in.
   
   
9. Spend More Time Being With Friends and Family... Now even as you go - This is about living in the NOW. that also keeps you grounded and sane. The journey is more important than the destination.
   
   
10. Live The Life You Choose to Live - Jo reminds us that is really up to us to choose how we want to live and than create that life.

Again Happy New Year 2012 and thank you Jo. Social Media Marketing is part of it. Call us and let's explore working together to help you accomplish your dreams - 206-920-8067