Are you taking 100% responsibility for your business??
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I’ve been reading Jack Canfield’s The Success Principles. (yep, that’s right… i sometimes read self-help books, and believe in “airy-fairy” stuff like The Secret. Go ahead and make fun of me, if you wish)
So, in the beginning of the book, the author asks “Are you taking 100% responsibility for your life?” This simple question has made quite an impact on me. The author gives some hard to swallow examples. For instance, he gives the example of a battered wife. Most sane people would agree that it is not her fault her husband hits her. The problem is with him. He would be a wife beater whether he was married to her or the lady down the street.
BUT… the author says that the battered wife must take 100% responsibility for HER life, and by choosing to stay, it is her fault she leads a life as a battered wife.
Now, I know that the world really isn’t that black and white. A woman who has been battered may not have the self esteem to leave, etc.
And I’m not trying to stir up a debate on spousal abuse…..
This book is about using various principles to become more successful. And your answer to this question DOES have a lot to do with the success of your business.
If you are taking 100% responsibility, you will be doing whatever is necessary to achieve success… If you are not, you are putting blame on others for what you are not doing.
Are you creating success? Or are you creating excuses?
How are your graphics?
If you do business online, you know how important it is to have a website. Your website is your “store front”; it welcomes new customers from around the world. The graphics you choose play a major role in your website’s success or failure.
First and foremost, professional-looking graphics lead to a professional-looking website. If your graphics are blurry, out of focus, or simply look haphazardly put together, the whole look of your website will take a turn for the worse. When a new customer visits your site, they will assume you are an amateur or that you don’t care enough to do a quality job, and they won’t stick around for long.
To be as effective as possible, the graphics you choose should help to create brand recognition and convey the message you are trying to send to the world. Take Nike, for example. Their famous “swoosh symbol” is featured on their website, as well as pictures of shoes, athletes, and other sports-minded images.
When you visit the Nike site, you know you are in the right place, as the images coincide with Nike’s message of “just do it.” On the other hand, if you went to the Nike site and saw photos of ice cream, cakes, and cookies, you would wonder if you were in the right place. You might not even take the time to read the words on the website, as you might just “click away” and try finding the correct website.
The same theory applies to your website; if the graphics do not convey the message you are trying to send, your visitors will end up confused and click away. The quality of your graphics also affects success of your affiliate programs as well as the number of incoming links you may receive.
By offering an affiliate program, you are asking other people to partner with you and sell your products or services. If the looks of the graphics you choose for your affiliate program do not convey an image that people want to endorse, you will have a hard time recruiting affiliates. If they are going to take the time and effort to promote your product, they deserve to have quality tools to do so. One of the tools they need is quality graphics.
Likewise, when you ask someone to partner with you on a link exchange, they are going to expect a quality graphic. They will be displaying this graphic, with a link to your page, on their website. If you send them an unprofessional-looking graphic, it is going to bring the look of their site down. They will more than likely decline your offer.
As you can see, graphics play a big part in your business. If you do not have experience with graphic software or don’t feel that you are the best one suited for creating your graphics, you should hire a graphic designer. It may cost more up front, but think about how much money you would lose by having a poor image as your graphic. It is well worth the investment to hire a professional.
New Resource For Newsletters
If you’ve been reading my weekly biz tips for a while, you’ll know that one of the easiest ways to increase your sales is simply through staying in contact with your customers.
Letting them know when you are introducing a new product or having a sale gives them a quick reminder about your business and a reason to make a purchase!
I know how hard it can be to sit down and write out a newsletter. First of all, you have to find the time. And then you have to think about what to write… The whole process can seem like a big pain in the neck!
Well, I have created Quick And Easy Newsletters, a new resource that takes the hard work out of following up!
These are pre-written newsletters that you can customize and send to your customers!
You’ll get three different versions - one is ready in HTML coding for you to post on your blog or website or send through email; you’ll also receive a version in Word that you can print out and snail mail or email as an attachment; and you’ll also receive the articles in plain text!
All of the graphics and everything are included! How cool is that??
Each newsletter includes the following:
A Welcome Letter
An area for you to include your monthly specials
2 Articles
An “Important Dates” area where you can let your customers know about any live or online events you’re holding
Several Recipes
A Closing Message
During the month of June, you can try out Quick And Easy Newsletters For Free. The newsletter will be July themed, allowing you to have time to customize it before sending it out July 1.
There’s no catch, no sign up box, nothing. Just visit http://www.quickandeasynewsletters.com/july.html to download the zip file containing the newsletter and instructions on how to use it.
If you’d like to continue receiving the pre-written newsletters each month, visit http://www.indiebizchicks.com/amember/signup.php?price_group=-5
It’s only $6.95 per month. That is an awesome deal!! But it won’t last long - the introductory price will only be here for a short time.
Go to www.quickandeasynewsletters.com/july.html to download your free newsletter now!
Get Ready For Power Publicity Version 2.0
If you were one of the first people to learn about the launch of IndieBizChicks.com last year, you probably remember the “Power Publicity!” guide.
This was a free guide that I used to generate some buzz about the launch of the website, and I gave it away to my first 100 subscribers.
I used the same techniques I wrote about in the guide to promote my own website and since launching the site - less than a year ago, I’ve received some amazing results.
And that leads me to the point of this whole email. I’m now working on “Power Publicity! Version 2.0″
This new, updated, bigger, better version will have all the stuff the first one had, PLUS some! In addition to the extra info, I’ll be sharing my own experiences throughout the past year.
I’m still putting the finishing touches on the new version, but in the meantime, I put together this free 5 day ecourse which will definitely get you started on your publicity journey!
You can grab it here: http://www.indiebizpublicity.com/ecourse.html
I’ll keep you updated and let you know as soon as Version 2.0 is ready!
Health Insurance Is Always A Hot Topic….
I have rec’d several questions lately about health insurance options for the self employed…. I wrote a blog post about that very topic back in January. If you are wondering about health insurance options, please read the post at http://indiebizchicks.com/blog/health-insurance-options-for-indie-business-owners/
Good Luck!