"When you are through changing, you are through." - Bruce Barton Change is inevitable. Apart from death and taxes, change is the only thing in this life that we can count on. This past year has found me in the midst of much change. After a number of years as an author, speaker and entrepreneur, I have spent the last year quietly reassessing my life. Taking some time away from work, I've been tending to... Continue Reading

Twitter can be a great branding tool. If you are not already using Twitter to get the word out about your business, you probably at least know that you should be. There are lots of benefits to using Twitter, and some things that you should definitely avoid. And in the end, everyone needs to decide for themselves what kind of role Twitter will play in their lives and businesses. It's perfectly fine for your Twitter... Continue Reading

One of the challenges some people face when first striking out on their own in the online business world is the problem of privacy. Especially for those born before, say, 1990, the prospect of putting your entire self online for all the world to see can seem daunting at best and unwise and dangerous at worst. Here are some things to think about to keep things in perspective and help ease you into the idea... Continue Reading

There is a new job description out there, one that probably wasn't around when your grandfather was crafting his career: life coach. What exactly is a life coach, and why would you need one? First of all, the term is somewhat fluid. You can call it what you will, but a life coach, mentor, personal consultant, etc. is someone who helps you with some aspect of your life that you can't quite see clearly and... Continue Reading

Consumerism has a way of telling us what we want without really knowing who we are. It's safe to assume that most of us want to be healthy, have significant relationships and not carry any debt. But that doesn't mean we all want to have a six-pack, bed as many people as we can or be incredibly wealthy. You would think that those are the ultimate goals for life, according to Madison Avenue. It's just... Continue Reading

If your online business includes a blog (and it should), and especially if that blog is envisioned as one of the main ways you will make money and pull in readers / customers, then we need to talk about keeping things fresh. Coming up with content on a regular basis is probably going to be challenging if you've never done it before, and it's probably going to be tempting to just fill up the space... Continue Reading

There's a lot of great information out there that will walk you through the nitty gritty details of copywriting. Things like how long to make your sales page, and what elements do the most to drive sales. Think of these things as the scaffolding of your copywriting. Whether or not you choose to use all or just some of them, they provide a general framework around which to write your copy. Continue Reading

I'm not a very good cook, so I tend to eat out a lot. I don't do a lot of fancy dining, but it's not unusual to find me and my family at a national chain or local diner. My experiences as a patron of restaurants has helped clarify what I believe makes a good waiter and what makes a bad waiter. Waiting tables is a difficult job. Hectic kitchens... unruly customers... angry cooks... wrong... Continue Reading

After the success of my book Twitter Power, my publisher relentlessly pursued me, wanting to know what my NEXT book would be about. I kept telling him that I don't know and that I wouldn't write another book just to write another book. Instead, I knew I had to wait for inspiration and that I would know when the time was right. Continue Reading

(Written by guest contributor Fletcher Groeneman) This article is a continuation of our series on branding. (Read Part 1 and Part 2.) By now you have drawn up a list that effectively describes exactly what you want your product to accomplish. You have swallowed your pride and presented your loved ones with this list and allowed them to refine and tweak your dreams. Finally, you have compared this list with products already on the market... Continue Reading

(Written by guest contributor Loral Langemeier) When most people think about the state of the current economy, their first thought is almost never "What a great time to start a business!" But the truth is the timing couldn't be better. Financial freedom is attainable in any economic climate. You just need to know how to fit in and find your angle. Continue Reading

(Written by guest contributor Dan Nickerson) Traffic, traffic, traffic. It's the holy grail of our business and most marketers will try everything they can to attract new visitors to their site. Continue Reading

(Written by guest contributor Fletcher Groeneman) Last time we discussed the first step in the process of branding, "know yourself." This time I would like to build on that foundation. If you feel you have a solid idea of what you or your product wants to become, it is time to learn how to best present it. While it's true you may have a great product, every product has its weaknesses. The good news is... Continue Reading

(Written by guest contributor Sarah Jane Griesemer) These days, there is a long list of ways to avoid having to talk to someone in person: email, Facebook, Twitter, chat, blogs, and text messages are just a few. With all these alternative methods of communication, why bother with real-life meetings at all? The answer is that face-to-face meetings and interviews are still the single best way to get to know someone reliably, quickly, and in such... Continue Reading