Category: BLOG

7 Tips to thriving while working from home

Posted on by Style and Beauty Experts in BLOG

7 Tips to thriving while working from home

So, you’ve decided to start a home based business. Congratulations! and welcome to the fast-paced world of entrepreneurship. While there is a lot to learn, your effort will be worth it. The thrill of growing your business, the freedom and flexibility to set your own hours, and the possibilities of ever-increasing financial rewards are all wonderful reasons to start your home based business.

Now that you’ve decided to start your business, you might be wondering “How can I get it off to the strongest possible start?” These seven tips will help:

  1. Set up a separate working space in your home. It doesn’t matter if this is a small bedroom, one part of the garage, or a corner of the living room. The important thing is to have some space that you can designate as your working area. This will give you the space and room you need to craft your dream.
  2. Stock your working space with materials. This sounds basic, perhaps, but one underlying element of success is that you have easy access to the tools, materials, and other resources you need. Gathering everything close by also keeps you from wasting time searching for it, so this step can be considered a time management strategy, too.
  3. Speaking of time management, your third step is to define the parameters of your business. What days and hours will you work? When will you market? When will you provide services or products to clients? How will you keep all of this straight?
  4. Balance action with planning. One of the most common pitfalls to successful entrepreneurship is getting too caught up in action without enough planning. Stated another way, this means that you confuse “being busy” with “working on important projects.” The best approach is to plan your next couple of goals and then work backwards to create step by step action plans to reach them. Once you have the plan, then it’s time to take action.
  5. Network like crazy. One of the fastest ways to grow any business is to make connections with other people. Be sure to share your passion and enthusiasm with others at every opportunity. Let people know who you are and what you offer. Remember, people can’t buy if they don’t know you’re selling.
  6. Present a professional image. If you want to be treated professionally, present a professional image. Set up a separate bank account for your business. Install a separate phone and fax line. Create professional marketing materials. Be courteous and pleasant in all your customer-facing interactions. Basically, be someone people want to do business with.
  7. Automate your business as much as possible. Granted, you are just one person (right now) and might have a lot of extra time to take care of all the details. This might work for now, but won’t work into the future as you get busier and busier. It’s best to set up automatic systems and processes right from the start to free up your time to concentrate on the most profitable activities.
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3 Powerful Tactics That Motivate Customers To Buy

Posted on by Style and Beauty Experts in BLOG

3 Powerful Tactics That Motivate Customers To Buy

Wooing customers is a little bit like dating.  No, you can’t present the engagement ring on your first date!  There’s a two-way relationship that grows one step at a time before it leads to the church doors.  You can’t rush it… you can’t skip it… if you’re looking for the satisfaction of a life-long commitment.

Getting to know your date, or getting to know your customer takes a little time and effort.  The personality, likes and dislikes of each date are different, but customers share some commonalities that you, the marketer, can grab onto.  Give them what they want, and they’ll become the loyal, life-time customers that make your business prosper.

  1. Forget About Selling… Put The Emphasis On Buying

People like to think that all of their buying decisions were reached due to their own great ideas and skillful shopping.  Hey, no one is fond of a pushy salesman.  A salesman who “HELPS” them discover the best buy for their buck on the other hand, is a hero. 

Really, when a person walks into your place of business, they are most likely thinking of making a purchase before they get there.  You don’t have to persuade them to buy.  You can take it easy, and simply help them decide what the best purchase is.

Keep your focus on the customer and his needs.  Think… what benefits would he be most interested in?  What is the price range he can afford?  Basically, keep in mind that you are there to serve his needs, not persuade him.  Ah, the pressure’s off!

  1. Make Purchasing  A “Sure Bet”

Buying is a “risky” business.  The higher the price tag reads, the higher the risks are!  Yep, a customer is just looking for a product that satisfies the needs he purchased it for.  The question they ask themselves is… “Is it worth it?”

Hey, it’s a legitimate question.  The world is full of scams where you spend your hard earned cash and end up with trash that doesn’t last and that you can’t get serviced.  A few tough lessons leave customers wary about off-the-cuff purchases.  They want something they can trust.

A money back guarantee alleviates a great amount of concern in the mind of the consumer.  There’s peace in knowing that if the product doesn’t live up to its claims, they aren’t stuck footing the bill for a piece of junk.

Customer testimonials also clearly tell “would be” buyers that you really do deliver customer satisfaction.  No one can say it better than a satisfied customer, but don’t carelessly use testimonials.  You need a method to your madness.  Pick clear and specific testimonials to use, and include as much about the customer as you possibly can to lend credence to his testimony.

  1. Let Them Know That It’s An Easy Process

Simplicity… ah, it makes life so much easier.  Yeah, your harried customers are busy and tired.  They don’t want to mess around.  Most of the time, they just want to make the purchase and head home.  Convenience stores testify to the fact that quick and easy often overrides a better price!

Make the buying process as simple as you possibly can.  Remember that not everyone prefers the same method.  The more options you have available, the more customers you will please.

When you’re planning your marketing campaign, don’t forget to point out the quick, fast, and easy benefits of your product.  Remember that value isn’t everything. It’s pretty easy to charm your customers when you know what they like!  Keep these 3 tactics in mind as you go about the daunting task of growing your business and expanding your customer list… and watch your profits go through the roof.

60 Minutes To Clear Goals

Posted on by Style and Beauty Experts in BLOG

60 Minutes To Clear Goals

I think that most people would agree that the people who have goals are more successful than those who do not have any.

I often talk about leadership and management. Leadership is about doing the right things while management is about doing things right. Often when we study time management, we study efficiency (doing things right) and make the assumption that we have the effectiveness (leadership) solved.

The first step in any time management system should be to work on goals and as such, I use the following 60 Minute Goal Setting Exercise.

  1. At the top of a blank piece of paper write down “values” and then spend 10 to 15 minutes writing down everything that you value.
  1. At the top of a blank piece of paper write down “lifetime goals.” This is where you dream. For example, what places would you like to visit; what experiences would you like to have; what would you like to accomplish within your lifetime. This might include traveling to Australia; getting a university degree; living in an X square foot house, etc. There are no rules to this brainstorming – simply make a list.
  1. At the top of a blank piece of paper write down what you would do if you had six months to live. This part of the exercise really came home to me this week when one of my close friends died at 36 years old. Some of us may have only six months to live; however, we may not know it yet. List everything that you would do if you had only six months to live. Part of the purpose of this exercise that I found works well for me is that it brings the truly important into focus. Often I find things that I would do if I had only six months to live that are not listed on my lifetime goals.
  1. At the top of a blank piece of paper write down your goals for this year. After doing the first three steps, you will find this step much easier than the others. These are the goals to focus on NOW.

This total exercise will only take an hour. An hour spent clarifying your goals can save you hundreds of hours.

5 Keys To Overcome Failure

Posted on by Style and Beauty Experts in BLOG

5 Keys to Overcome Failure

Everyone hates to fail but what most people don’t realize is that failing is part of success. Anyone who has ever succeeded has failed many times. So, how do you overcome failure?

Here are 5 keys to overcoming failure.

  1. Learn From Your Mistakes and Failures.

How did you learn to ride a bike? The short answer: you fell off 100 times. Every time you make a mistake or fail, learn as much as you can from it so that you are better prepared next time.

Action Step: Write down the top five things that you learned from your last mistake or failure.

  1. Don’t Dwell on It.

Now that you have learned something from your mistake, move on. Don’t dwell on your past. You can’t tell where you are going if you are looking backwards. Also, dwelling on your past failures will keep you in prison right where you are.

Action Step: Read what you have written down in Key 1 (The 5 Things You Learned).

  1. Don’t Be Afraid to Try Again.

Don’t let the fear from your last failure stop you from reaching your greatness, goal, dream, or potential. Just like learning to ride that bike, you didn’t fall once or twice and then give up.

Action Step: Take what you have learned and try it again now that you are better prepared.

  1. Surround Yourself with Positive People.

No matter what it is that you are trying to achieve, surround yourself with successful people that have done what you want to do. One of the best ways to overcome failure is to learn how other people just like you overcame failure. This will not only encourage you but give you proof that it can be done.

Action Step: Find a person or a group of people who are successful and get around them as soon as possible.

  1. Realizing Failure is Part of the Learning Curve.

Failure and mistakes aren’t fun but they are what help us learn to be great at whatever it is we are trying to achieve. “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”

Action Step: Think back to a time where you succeeded. Then think how many times you failed or made mistakes to get to that success.

Now that you have the 5 Keys to Overcoming Failure, go out there and just do it! You have a seed of greatness on the inside of you. Don’t let anyone or anything stop you from reaching your full potential in life.

5 Inspiring Action Verbs That Can Change Your Life

Posted on by Style and Beauty Experts in BLOG

5 Inspiring Action Verbs That Can Change Your Life

If you’re having trouble getting inspired, it may be simply your choice of verbs. Here are 5 action verbs that can help get you inspired and get you out of your rut.

We’ve all been stuck in that place where things just don’t seem to go forward. We have trouble getting motivated and our goals seem either out of reach, or too weak. In short, we are uninspired!

Some self improvement experts will tell you that you have to have a good attitude in order to improve your life. I would agree with that, but it’s not always that easy. It’s hard to set aggressive goals and get inspired to achieve them when your mindset is not right.

If your mind is not ready to embrace more exciting goals, then change will be at best, difficult. In fact, if you’re not ready for it, then it will be hard to conquer even small challenges. If you can’t take on small challenges, then it’s going to be impossible to change your life to the degree you’d ultimately like.

To that end, I recommend using action to inspire yourself and create change. In effect, we’re placing the cart before the horse here, and forcing our attitude to match our actions. If you shake things up by taking action first, you’ll get your mind ready to create and pursue more exciting goals.

Below are 5 inspiring action verbs that you can use to shake things up and get yourself mentally ready to take on new challenges. If you use these techniques, even in small ways, you will naturally find yourself on the road to change. Change leads to bigger and better goals. Bigger and better goals lead to accepting greater challenges… and so on, and so on.

  1. Give – Give to a charity, an individual in need, or simply a friend or relative. You don’t have to give something expensive or big. Just a show of appreciation will do, such as a card or a flower. Why does it work… Giving is a very uplifting experience since it frees your mind from thinking that there is not enough in the world. Giving teaches you that there is plenty to go around, and it will cause you to attract more good things in your life.
  2. Learn – Learn a new language or a new dance. Learn about something you know nothing about, or learn to play a song on the piano or guitar. Why it works… learning something new develops your nervous system and makes you think in ways you’ve never thought before.
  3. Change – Change your routine, take a different route to work, change your usual clothing style, your hairstyle, or change what you normally eat. Why it works… change begets change. If you want a big change, start by making a small change.
  4. Participate – Participate in community activities, a sports team, or join a club. Why it works… participation requires social interaction and creativity, both of which will stimulate and inspire.
  5. Create – Create a piece of art, write a short story, make a bookshelf, or start a website. Why it works… creating stimulates all those dormant forces that allow change to enter your life.

Each time you perform one of these inspiring actions, take several minutes to feel good about it. You want your attitude to catch up to your actions. Also make sure that you enjoy the process, knowing that what you are doing is good for you and those around you as well.

Sometimes, just the exercise of reviewing these action verbs will be inspiration enough to get you thinking of what you could do to change your life. I hope you enjoy using these inspiring action verbs to change your mental state and improve your life. I’m sure that now you can think of some on your own. Remember, though, nothing happens without taking action!

5 Easy Steps To Accomplishing Any Goal

Posted on by Style and Beauty Experts in BLOG

5 Easy Steps To Accomplishing Any Goal

Accomplishing Any Goal is just 5 Easy Steps away:

  1. Establish a definite date – Set your goals in reverse. Pick a date of completion and work backward. Ex. Set a goal for the end of the month and then set short term goals for each day through the end of the month. This way you are setting short and long term goals and each day as you accomplish your short term goals you move one step closer to accomplishing your long term goal. Don’t forget to include personal development goals and days off.
  2. Keep a calendar – Take the goal you set for the end of the month and write that goal on the last day of the month. Then write down the short term goals for each day through the end of the month.
  3. One at a time – Don’t try to cram everything into one day. If you try to post to your blogs, post to the forums, post classified ads, participate in groups, submit articles etc. all in one day you’ll burn yourself out. Instead, focus on one or two things every day and then cross it off. Mark an ‘X’ on the calendar on the days you complete the scheduled tasks.
  4. Set a time limit – Aim for one to two hours per day. By limiting the time you are spending and focusing on one or two tasks every day, you’ll build momentum and increase your success rate.
  5. Stick with it – Stick with your schedule. Switching things up too often can get in the way of your success.

With a written plan, you’ll make accomplishing your goals easier. At the end of the month when you see more ‘X’s than empty squares, you’ll feel more accomplished. By implementing the 5 Easy Steps to Accomplishing Any Goal, you’ll find yourself making progress, building self-confidence and reaching and accomplishing your long term goals.

4 Rules For New Entrepreneurs – Practical Tips For Starting Right

Posted on by Style and Beauty Experts in BLOG

4 Rules For New Entrepreneurs – Practical Tips For Starting Right

Written by Julia Shantal

It’s a great time to be an entrepreneur—in the last decade, technology has leveled the playing field and propelled an entrepreneurial revolution. As an entrepreneur, you now have more access to information that enables you to make intelligent choices quickly. You have an advantage over big businesses in that you’re lighter, more flexible, and faster on your feet. You can target new markets more quickly, and you can turn on a dime.

But being a successful entrepreneur requires that you look at the big picture and follow a plan through from beginning to end. Here are some practical guidelines that can help you when beginning your own enterprise:

  1. Don’t Quit Your Day Job Just Yet

Consider starting your business part-time, especially if it’s online, while you’re working and have a steady income. It usually takes six months to a year to get a business going and you don’t want your ability to make your house payment to hinge upon your company being an overnight success. Start with what you can manage, financially and time-wise, and scale up as your business grows.

  1. Find Your Niche

The days of general stores are over. Particularly online, consumers are looking for stores that specialize. You have to find a need—something a specific group of people want, but can’t get at the big chain stores—and fill it. You can’t compete with the big guys, so you have to find where the big guys aren’t and go into your niches.

  1. Have an Online Presence

Even if you’re not planning to start an online retail business, consider that the internet can still play a valuable role in your company. Having an online presence eliminates the limitations of physical location and broadens your customer base by, literally, millions. It’s also a great tool for promoting yourself and letting people, even in your own area, know that you’re there, and what you’re doing.

  1. Refuse to Quit

Successful entrepreneurship requires creativity, energy, and a drive to keep going when you fail. Few people realize that before Bill Gates created the extremely successful Microsoft 3.0, he created a Microsoft 1.0 and 2.0, both of which flopped—but he kept at it. And that determination and refusal to give up is what will separate successful entrepreneurs from unsuccessful ones. Arm yourself with optimism to get beyond the ‘No’ or the trouble. There’s nothing wrong with failure—just don’t repeat the same mistake!

7 Simple Steps to get more out of your day

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7 Simple Steps to Get More Out of Your Day

Let’s face it – time is probably our greatest resource. We never seem to have enough of it and it seems to pass so quickly. Well we won’t get any more of it and we can’t slow it down.

What we can do is make the most of the time we have. Here are some simple steps you can take to get the most out of your day:

1. Plan your day the night before – At the end of each day write out all the things you need to do the following day to achieve your goals. Pull together all the information you’ll need, phone numbers and relevant paperwork.

2. Prioritise the list – Number each item and do the harder jobs first. There’s always the temptation to do the easy jobs first. However, think how the thought of doing the hard jobs hangs over you as you do the easy stuff. Think how good you’ll feel when the nasties are out of the way and how motivated you’ll feel.

3. Stick to your list – Check off each item as you go and avoid distractions. You don’t need to answer every email/text as they come in. Set a schedule to check your email/notifications once every hour, or whatever works best for you.

4. Remember the Three “D’s” – Do it, Delegate it or Dump it. Handle each piece of paper only once. Either do something about it now, delegate it to someone else or throw it in the trash. And remember – “Only do it if only you can do it.”

5. Don’t procrastinate – Procrastination really is the “Thief of Time” It’s so easy to put things off till another time or till “I’ve had time to think about it.” DO IT NOW!

6. Plan your leisure time – Schedule out time for you to relax, workout, go shopping, whatever it is that you enjoy.

7 Be honest with yourself – Keep asking – “Is what I’m doing now getting me to where I want to get to?” if the answer is “no,” change what you’re doing.