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How to Make Money From the Thing You Love

Making money online seems the answer to all ills, be it for stay-at home moms, those sick of the rat race and to those who have just lost their jobs and know there is nothing else out there at the minute.

However, if you just jump in without any thought at the first great offer you find on the internet, the first promise to make you a millionaire, you will undoubtedly come unstuck. Nearly every other ‘profession/job’ requires some work; lessons to be learned, pitfalls to be aware of. To be successful, you have to be prepared.

The same applies to the Internet Marketing industry. It may appear simple but it is not easy if you don’t know what you are doing. Most people will not make any money online and yet there are others who will make more in one month than most people make in a whole year. Why is that?

It is simple; you have to love what it is that you do. Working for yourself is harder than working a job. There is no-one looking over your shoulder to make sure you are doing what you are supposed to be, nobody looking at the clock when you arrive at your desk. This is a good thing! But the flip side is you only have yourself to answer to and when you feel de-motivated, it is your passion that will get you back to your desk.

Don’t underestimate how demotivating working at home can be. As much as you hated your 9-5, you will have had and, I’m sure at times, enjoyed the human interaction that your job afforded you. People other than the postman would have said hello to you during the day. There would have been jokes, a little gossip, the feeling of cameraderie and belonging, a drink after work. When you’re at home, there will be no-one to cheer you up or help when things get hard.

Most would give this up willingly to get rid of all of the downsides of working for someone else but you will need a great level of enthusiasm to keep you going during the hard times.

If you are selling someone else’s products, you should have researched and like the company and products or services. Not many of us can effectively sell something that we just don’t believe in. Many online entrepreneurs are so good at what they do that they ignore passion. This is because they can sell anything. It always helps if yo have used the products and services so that you know first-hand the benefits.

So you can see doing something you love works in two ways; providing motivation and belief.

Of course, doing the thing you love is not the only thing you need; you must also have a good website if you are selling online, good marketing strategies, widespread advertising and a sustainable plan for the future.

It is your goal to get to the point where you can sell just about anything online. This is when your passion becomes internet marketing itself!

Remember, start by doing something you love; it will keep you motivated through the learning curve which will be steep for most and focus on products that you believe in. If you do these things, success will be yours.

Lead Generation Tips

Copyright (c) 2009 Drew Stevens PhD

The year has gotten off to a fast start and many sales managers and sales representatives are trying to get a jump on the year to offset losses from recessionary woes. Since the beginning of the year, my email has become inundated with questions about lead generation and cold calling techniques. Selling professionals are hitting stonewalls and getting nowhere.

The art of cold calling is serious business. Cold Calling requires patience, persistence and professionalism. The trick is to remain constantly positive and vigilant. More important, you must remember that cold calling is meant to generate leads… not business! Too many of you reading this believe that when you cold call you are to sell something, this is far from the truth. Whether stocks, insurance or any other product the concept behind cold calling is to generate a prospective lead that results in another appointment.

I want to give you some tips on generating leads and cold calling in this article. However, I want to get you in the proper framework so that before you pick up the telephone you remember the proper cold calling techniques. The comedian Jeff Foxworthy uses a moniker with every joke that states, «You might be a redneck if». Before you read each of the ten tips say to yourself, «You might be a cold calling nuisance if…»

1. You pick up the telephone and have no idea who you are calling. Someone called me recently and asked for the proprietor. Know whom you are calling.

2. After hello you begin with chitchat. Speak with conviction and have a purpose for every call.

3. You call and have conversations with gatekeepers. Call only decision makers. Stop wasting time with gatekeepers that are paid to detain you. Research the person you want to reach before you pick up the phone.

4. You do not know anything about the business or industry you call. I had a gentleman call me this morning to sell me a copier without an iota of knowledge of my business. Imagine the shock when he discovered I was a sales trainer.

5. Start your call with information about your company. Begin your call with a purpose and a value proposition. If you cannot articulate the value to the recipient do not make the call.

6. Begin your calls with inane questions. Questions such as «How you doin'» is for Joey Tribiani from the series Friends. Unless you desire a data dump comparable of being in a therapist office, stop. If you want conversation then speak articulately.

7. Operate each call without a clear purpose. Use a checklist for each call and have a path. A call should have a beginning, middle and an end.

8. Get over the myth that you are calling to sell something. NO YOU ARE NOT. You are simply calling for an introduction and to gain an appointment, any other reason is a mistake on your part.

9. You fear rejection. Get over it. Lead Generation whether you conduct it for your business or other complex organization is about the rejection business. In order to be successful get out of your comfort zone and deal with it.

10. Commence from call to call. I know of an organization that requires representatives make over 50 calls per day. This is unrealistic. What should be measured is not the call volume but the calls that lead to appointments. Success is should be measured by quality over quantity.

Lead generation is not for the faint of heart but from time to time is required for business development. Success is achieved with patience and most of all a plan. Do not fret rejection, set goals, provide value and do not fall into the trap of selling anything but an introduction and a second meeting.

How to Be Your Authentic Self in Business

Copyright (c) 2009 Christine Kloser

I love being on the stage! As a child and young woman, I performed as a competitive figure skater, jazz dancer and competitive swing dancer. (I’ve got a collection of medals and awards to show for it.) However, since 1997 my time on stage has been in the form of sharing my message as a speaker and teacher. And, my «performance» has completely changed during that time.

You see, in order to authentically share my message in a way that would have an impact on my audience, I had to completely let go of my drive to «perform.» But, let me tell you, the «performance» drive was so ingrained in me it took a lot of «undoing» for me to release the expectations I had on myself (and any expectation I thought my audience was putting on me).

Honestly, I used to worry about every detail of my performance, as if there were still a panel of discerning judges waiting to critique my every move.

Ahhhh, but there WAS a panel of extremely critical judges in my OWN mind; until I learned how to be completely 100% authentic, transparent, honest and open when I am «on stage» and off! This authenticity completely eliminated my drive to «perform» and also got rid of the judges in my head while making a HUGE difference in the impact and connection I have with my audience.

So, what does it look like to give up your performance and step into your authenticity… in business?! Over the course of the next few weeks, I’ll share some examples from my own experiences in hopes these will give you a glimpse of how to be your authentic self in YOUR business.

Speak From Your Heart

In my desire to help more people and make a difference when I speak, I did a lot of research to discover the «style» in which to speak so I could make a lasting connection with my audience. I studied with a few mentors that were considered by many to be the «masters» in the field of speaking. These experts had their talks down to a science. Literally; every gesture, every joke, every inflection in their voice, every nod and smile were perfectly executed.

However, these types of presentations always felt sleazy and calculated to me; as if the speaker didn’t really care about the audience. Needless to say, I quickly dismissed what I learned from them and decided to find my own voice! And that’s the best way for you to share your authentic self, too.

Finding your own voice requires you to connect with yourself, connect with the love in your heart and the light you want to share with others. Yes, it’s important to have a few key points in mind to talk about, but what truly gets your audience on board (whether it’s 1 person or 1000 people) is how they FEEL when you’re talking. Here are some questions to think about from the perspective of your audience/your listener:

Do they feel that you truly care about them? Do you come across as authentic to them? Do they feel like you have their best interest in mind? Do you show up as the same person on stage as you do when you’re off stage? Are you aligned with your message? Do you feel «real» to them (rather than polished and perfect)?

These things are what truly matter to every person you talk to in your business. Take some time to contemplate these questions to best assess where you stand now in being authentic with your clients, prospects and audience members.

And, remember, when you forget about what you think you «should» be doing and focus on speaking from your heart, your authentic self shows up… every time!

How To Play the Aluminum Foil Prank on a Coworker

Check out the video version of this guide on Howcast.com:
How To Play the Aluminum Foil Prank on a Coworker

Get more great tips on playing pranks at the workplace at Howcast.com:
Office Prank Videos

Introduction

Giving your colleague’s office or cubicle a makeover is a nifty practical joke.

You Will Need

• Lots of aluminum foil
• A camera
• Sticky notes (optional)

Step 1: Pick a time

Pick a time when you’ll have uninterrupted access to your colleague’s workspace.

Step 2: Take picture

Take “before” pictures of the workspace.

Step 3: Cover the walls

Cover the walls and any windows with aluminum foil. Paper the ceiling, too, if you can.

Don’t buy the cheap dollar-store foil—this is a job for the heavy-duty stuff.

Step 4: Wrap everything

Wrap everything in sight — from the desk, chair, and computer right down to the last pen.

Step 5: Refer to photos

When everything is wrapped, refer to your photos so you can put all the stuff back exactly where it was.

Don’t want to spend money on foil? Swipe a stack of sticky notes from the supply closet and cover every last surface with them.

Step 6: Laugh

Laugh your ass off as your coworker spends his morning unwrapping your special gift.

Fact

In 2003, an airline employee sued Southwest Airlines for having her “arrested” as an office prank.

Introduction

Giving your colleague’s office or cubicle a makeover is a nifty practical joke.

You Will Need

• Lots of aluminum foil
• A camera
• Sticky notes (optional)

Step 1: Pick a time

Pick a time when you’ll have uninterrupted access to your colleague’s workspace.

Step 2: Take picture

Take “before” pictures of the workspace.

Step 3: Cover the walls

Cover the walls and any windows with aluminum foil. Paper the ceiling, too, if you can.

Don’t buy the cheap dollar-store foil—this is a job for the heavy-duty stuff.

Step 4: Wrap everything

Wrap everything in sight — from the desk, chair, and computer right down to the last pen.

Step 5: Refer to photos

When everything is wrapped, refer to your photos so you can put all the stuff back exactly where it was.

Don’t want to spend money on foil? Swipe a stack of sticky notes from the supply closet and cover every last surface with them.

Step 6: Laugh

Laugh your ass off as your coworker spends his morning unwrapping your special gift.

Fact

In 2003, an airline employee sued Southwest Airlines for having her “arrested” as an office prank.