OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS ALL THE TIME.
The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong,
for time and chance happen to everyone.
Take a second look at what appears to be someone’s “good luck.”
“You’ll find not luck but preparation,
planning and success-producing thinking.
Opportunity is around you all the time,
but you have to be ready for it.
When your chance comes, you must have
the equipment to take advantage of it.
When you’re prepared for opportunity,
your chance for success is sure to come.
The season of failure is the best time
for sowing the seeds of success.
The tide of opportunity comes to everyone.
Even to you.
Copyright 2008 www. yourdailymotivation.
com
Reproduce freely but maintain Copyright notice.

HOpe you enjoyed this post

always fromt heheart,

dr linda h katz

www.fayettechiropractic.com

www.770backpain.com

When I wrote about blogging for business, I mentioned ten reasons why adding a blog to your marketing efforts was so wise, but I actually left something out.

This thing that I didn’t mention came up for me in a big way in the last few weeks. First, a reporter from MSNBC called to interview me. My spot appeared on national television that night.

Then just a couple of days ago, a reporter from ABC news called up to get my thoughts on another topic of the moment.

How did both of these reporters find me?

They did a Google search that let them to my blog.

You see, one of the things about blogging that’s so great is the fresh, relevant content. Search engines love this content, but people see it too, including the media.

I’ll admit that writing and submitting press releases is not my favorite thing in the world to do. Are you procrastinating about it too? Your blog can also help you generate free publicity.

When someone finds a blog post you’ve written, they know you’re interested and knowledgeable on the topic. You have an opinion.

Can you see how this can result in publicity and more exposure for your business?

It’s the holiday season I can already tell. It seems that this time of the year people’s nerves seem to be on edge. Or is the economy or a combination of both? Or is it that some individuals who are in business just don’t understand that being gracious in business dealings will help to build a lasting relationship with a client or potential client. And hopefully that lasting relationship will lead to future business and/or referrals.

Here are some of my recent musings that have prompted me to write this blog.

Sometimes people may not need your product or service when you initially talk with them. If you’re gracious during your interaction, they might remember you the next time someone says, “Do you know someone who sells XYZ?” Or they may even come back to you months later and say OK now the time is right and I want to buy your product or service.

Sometimes you may order something and when you received it, it just wasn’t what you expected. And if the person is gracious about letting you return it, you might be more apt to try and do business with them the next time you were looking for other products that they sell.

Sometimes people just don’t respond to your time table. People are busy. Life happens. People forget. Your priorities are not their priorities. I’ve always heard that sugar works better than vinegar or if life hands you lemons, make lemonade. Sometimes a gentle nudge as a reminder works a whole lot better than sending a nasty gram/email. You never know what problems or issues they may be dealing with.

Sometimes having a cheerful, positive, and helpful attitude will promote you and your business far more than you know. I recently helped to put together a Holiday and Gift Bazaar. We did a lot of work promoting it, but we did not have the turn out that we had wanted. Most everyone was gracious and understanding and blamed it on the economy, etc. I was very impressed with one individual whose attitude and actions went far beyond my expectations. She even sent us a thank you note telling us how much she appreciated how professional everything was done and that she appreciated all our efforts. Now, she sells a product that I typically purchase from someone else, but because of her graciousness, the next time I am in need of this product, I will be ordering from her, referring her, and finding ways I can help her with her business.

And Sometimes I have been know to lose my cool as a consumer and pull out the ‘B’ card. I regret it when I do. Recently I had been trying to get an issue resolved. The person I was dealing with had done a wonderful job except for one little thing and she was a friend. She had to work through her company for a solution. I have to give her credit; she handled herself and me very graciously. She found and provided me with an acceptable resolution. I had been giving her glowing testimonials, but after that I am even more ingratiated to her. I recommend her every chance I get and I will do business with her again.

Here are some quotes to consider for doing business. I offer them for us to ponder this holiday season and throughout the year.

<!–[if !supportLists]–>¨ <!–[endif]–>Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

<!–[if !supportLists]–>¨ <!–[endif]–>If you help enough people get want they want, you’ll get what you want. Zig Zilar

<!–[if !supportLists]–>¨ <!–[endif]–>Givers Gain – Ivan Misner

<!–[if !supportLists]–>¨ <!–[endif]–>Courtesies of a small and trivial character are the ones which strike deepest in the grateful and appreciating heart.  ~Henry Clay

<!–[if !supportLists]–>¨ <!–[endif]–>Gratitude is merely the secret hope of further favors.  ~François Duc de La Rochefoucauld

<!–[if !supportLists]–>¨ <!–[endif]–>It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.  ~Author Unknown

<!–[if !supportLists]–>¨ <!–[endif]–>Treat everyone with politeness, even those who are rude to you - not because they are nice, but because you are.  ~Author Unknown

<!–[if !supportLists]–>¨ <!–[endif]–>Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.  ~Mark Twain

<!–[if !supportLists]–>¨ <!–[endif]–>The fragrance always lingers in the hand that gives the flower

I hope the saying that ‘Nice guys (gals) finish last’ isn’t true. And even if it is, I would rather be remembered as being gracious in my business dealings.

In gratitude,

Annette S. Walden

Marketing Solutions Consultant

www.PaintedLadyEnterprises.com

“Helping you and your business look good!”

Gifts, Greeting Cards, Promotional Products, & Business Resources

Have you launched your blog yet?

Blogging has so many important benefits and it’s no wonder that huge corporations and megastores are getting into blogging. Even WalMart has a blog! Especially for the micropreneur, blogs have several distinct advantages. Here are a few of them.

1. Blogs provide search engine food. Google loves fresh, relevant, and frequently updated content. A blog can help you get free search engine traffic.I experienced a powerful example of this recently. One week ago, a reporter from NBC news called me. He found my blog doing a Google search on a topic he was doing a story on. That evening, I found myself on national television. You can see a portion of the MSNBC news cast here.
   
   
2. Blogs create community. Because they are interactive, a blog draws people back to your site again and again. Your visitors will read your post then leave their comments, read comments left by others, and come back to see how the conversation is flowing. Message forums can also accomplish this, but blogs are much easier to manage than message forums, which attract a lot of spam. With RSS (Real Simple Syndication), people can subscribe to your blog feed and be notified automatically when you update your blog.
3. Blogging puts you in control. Posting to your blog is as easy as typing an email or a word document. Why pay a designer to add a page to your website when you can update your site whenever you like, easy as pie? You can blog as often or as rarely as you like to serve your particular needs.
4. Blogging grows your profits. There are many ways you can add additional monetization streams to your blog so you can make more money in your business without working harder.
5. Your customers love blogs. On your blog, customers can ask you questions, read info about your products and services, and share their opinions. A blog has a more friendly feel than a website.
6. Blogs help you know your target market. As you observe who is leaving comments and linking to your your blog, you get to know your target market better. This information helps you be a smarter, more effective marketer.
7. Blogs = easy market research. A blog is an easy way to conduct surveys and polls to help you get inside the mind of your customers. This information is invaluable to you.
8. Blogs help your customers get to know you. A blog gives your customers a chance to see your personality shine through. They’re able to get a glimpse of who you are as a person, not just a business. People buy from people they like!
9. Blogging is free. As a small business owner, you have a limited marketing budget and have to make your advertising dollars stretch. Blogging is a free marketing tactic - it only costs you a little of your time.
10. Blogging is fun. I’ll admit it, blogging is addicting once you get going! It’s rewarding and fun to express yourself and be part of the new media. With so many benefits to your business, what’s not to love?

So, have you launched your blog yet?

Please leave a comment and let us know what your challenges, concerns and experiences are.

This post was submitted by Carrie Lauth.

The Joy of Connecting is a wonderful community representing amazing women.  This is a great opportunity for us to be ‘connected’ even though we are located nationwide.  Please share your experiences, your connections and your comments so we can exchange ideas, resources and shorten the physical distance between us!  I’ll be on the lookout for your submission.  Let your JOC participants know we want to hear from them as well!  Bonnie, CEO/Founder The Joy of Connecting.

CONSISTENCY | INTERNETWORK MARKETING | RELATIONSHIP | TRAINING

5 Tips: You will be amazed at the difference being consistent in this way will change - well, just about everything in your life.

by Andrea Goodsaid

________________________________________

As I sit here chowing on a bag of Peppermint Patties, after just yesterday getting pretty clear on the idea that ‘I want to get thin again’, I’m reminded of a little twist of the Law of Attraction that’s easily glossed over in the daily practice of it.

The Law of Attraction is all about “intention” and ˜focusing on what we want”, right?

Well, intention has to meet

consistent action in the right

direction to work out the way we

want it to. Or no go.

Luckily, I’m tuned in enough to know better than to focus on the unwanted behavior and am instead (out of habit now, which is awesome to realize) appreciative of this moment of clarity and can giggle at myself, shake my head and put the candy a-w-a-y.

Eternally grateful, that my bag is still half full.

Which turns me to thinking about consistency and the juggling act we can create for ourselves in the process of marketing via social networks online (I know, crazy segue but hey, welcome to my brain - grin).

It’s all too easy to get caught up in the social side of online communities and forget about our networking intentions. Who hasn’t blown an hour (or three) following what I like to call “he said she said” threads - I know I sure have.

Or on the flip side, been overly focused on the “marketing” side of things and totally missed on the gems to be found and relationships that can be built when we remember to take the focus off of ourselves, putting aside all agenda, and find ways we can add value to the lives of others.

Better to focus most on the

NETWORKING aspect of the

beast and take consistent action

in that direction instead, yes?

And leave the pure “socializing” and “marketing” to the distracted, to those who don’t care who they interrupt and to people who have yet to become clear on the niche they want to attract.

Recently in a conversation on a new site that was created to be supportive of what is now being termed ‘Networking Naturally’, the question of being consistent and ‘genuinely’ social in this brave new world of Web 2.0 and social networking came up.

My general comment was as follows:

Drive by forum posters and people who never expand their profiles or take the time look around to see what they have to offer others are just missing the point (in my humble opinion).

And yet how to be consistent in your networking over time remains the challenge. Or at least it may seem a challenge if you are not in the habit of it.

It’s actually really easy and doesn’t have to be time consuming at all. Once it becomes second nature, my guess is you’ll wonder how you ever built any lasting business online without it.

So what is the definition of “networking” exactly?? And how do we make it a habit?

Networking is the art of building

relationships. And the habit

part comes by taking consistent

action in the right direction,

which in this case is ANYTHING

that builds a relationship with

another.

So where does that leave us?

Well if our intention is to become a better online networker, the way to do that is to take daily consistent action doing things that build relationships with others. And web 2.0 has provided the perfect vehicle.

Nothing too strenuous - these

consistent actions are more

marathon material than sprint.

And so are the results you will

get.

Here are five simple things you can do each day to get into the relationship building habit on social networking sites:

1. Leave sincere comments on the profiles of three new people each day.

2. Leave sincere comments on the profiles of three established friends’ profiles.

3. Visit three of your favorite groups and offer value by replying to a thread (or start a new one that will stir conversation) - remember to include a curiosity stirring signature file.

4. Write a short blog or journal post that lets people feel like they know you better.

5. Follow up privately with three friends — either ask for help or offer it.

That’s it.

You will be amazed at the difference being consistent in this way will change - well, just about everything in your life.

Now, to get out and be more consistent myself!

I appreciate you.

——————————————————

Andrea Goodsaid is a writer, networker, small business brainstormer and online community builder. She’s been online and networking, one solid relationship at a time since 1996. Most recently she is co-creating a community that is open to anyone who practices or would like to learn to apply the Law of Attraction to their marketing efforts. You’re invited to come see if it’s a fit for you too - www.NaturalNetworkers.com

by Dory Devlin

You know if she knows you’re feeling the pinch this year with rising gas prices, job uncertainty, and all-around-everything-is-so-expensive anxiety, Mom is not going to want you to spend a ton on her this Mother’s Day.

The market analysts who watch just how much we spend on what predict fewer dollars will be spent on Mom this May, though not in a big way. The National Retail Federation says, on average, we’ll each spend $138.63 on presents for mom, down from $139.14 last year, which still adds up to $15.8 billion. Tons of dough, which most moms would rather you not spend.

With that in mind, I thought my obligatory Mother’s Day post on Work+Money would focus on what working moms could use for Mother’s Day. If you ask any working mom, top of her list would be time. More time to get everything done that needs to be done. Time to just stop and be with our families.

Since my blogging roots are in tech, I always think of tech-related ideas first because tech is supposed to help us be more productive at work so we have more time for the other parts of our lives. So here a few tech ideas, and more importantly, ideas to give mom some time apart from all of her demands, and some other great ideas from the women of Shine.

Smartphone for a smart mom: Okay, if your mom is looking to make the leap from basic flip phone to a smartphone that will allow her to text and email with a full QWERTY keyboard, check email easily while on the road, the iPhone is all the rage and is very cool, but RIM’s BlackBerry Curve will do everything she needs. If you go the BlackBerry/iPhone route, take a tip from my chat with Lisa Belkin on her Life’s Work XM radio show the other day: Tell her to turn off the beeps and sounds that let you know when every single email has arrived so it doesn’t make her less productive and stressed. (Lisa does.) If you’ve got an older mom who is having trouble seeing the tiny, tiny print on her mobile phone, I recommend the Jitterbug phone, which is so intuitive to use, has large type on the screen, and can always reach a live operator by pressing zero. After the initial $147 purchase price, you can tailor monthly plans to how you use the phone, for as low as $10 a month. Continue Reading »