Putting aside all the fanfare about Social Networking, it’s really just a tool – but a powerful tool at that. Like other power tools, for instance a table saw, it has the power to help you construct something wonderful or, if misused, it can cut your left arm off. Seriously.

In the case of Social Media, it’s essential that you use this tool properly because the viral nature of these networks can have a lot of negativity circulating about your business at lighting speed. My point is, have integrity. Monitor your Fan Pages and such to keep abreast of what your audience is saying and, above all, respond! Social media is not another place to push out unwanted marketing messages. It is however, a great device for LISTENING and RESPONDING to the needs of your consumers and that’s where having personal and professional integrity can richly reward you.

Integrity is being sound, complete and unimpaired which means that when things have integrity, they function as they were intended to. Most importantly, when you are in integrity, that quality of soundness and wholeness impacts all that you do; it leaves you feeling GOOD.

That interconnectedness suggests that what lacks integrity in your business (for example, marketing that doesn’t produce results) has an equally adverse effect on you. It manifests as stress, anxiety and feeling drained. What’s more, you will invariably find yourself in a position of having to compensate for a lack of productivity, prospects and of course, profits.

This happens whenever you shift your focus away from the work itself and onto finding, intercepting and connecting with potential clients. And as you lose focus, you also lose momentum, flow and ease. Am I getting warmer?…

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Fast-paced, over-scheduled and overwhelmed – does this describe your typical day?  With so many demands on your time and energy coupled with numerous obligations and responsibilities, it’s not uncommon to feel like you’ve lost control over your life.  It may be common, but that does not make it a normal way to live.

You may have temporarily lost your sanity and peace of mind, but there is a way out!  Follow me as I share THREE key strategies on how to break free from  overwhelm in just 21 days.

BREAK FREE STRATEGY #1:  Your Self-Talk Matters – a LOT
Stop complaining about how busy and overwhelmed your life is at this time.  (I didn’t say this would be easy, just effective.) Complaining really does not work (even though it may feel “good”).  It only throws negative energy that comes from frustration,  anxiety, and disappointment on the problem which drains you.  Plus, when you focus on the problem you limit your ability to come up with solutions which prevents your escape from overwhelm.  Instead of complaining, which is a sign of resistance, ACCEPT your overwhelm as a TEMPORARY state of being.  Whenever a complaining thought comes up (and they will until you change that habit) simply say, CANCEL, CANCEL, CANCEL.  You truly have the choice to DESELECT thoughts that make you feel disempowered and crummy.  This shift in attitude and control over your thoughts will do wonders to your energy levels AND will free up your brain to be more productive.

BREAK FREE STRATEGY #2:  Your Feelings Matter – a LOT
Overwhelmed is a feeling that is very personal to you.  This anxious feeling creates stress and leads to poor decision making.   Research shows that when you are faced with too many choices, you will either make a bad decision or become paralyzed and not make one at all.  Recognize YOUR feelings associated with overwhelm so you can stop them before they before they impair your brain and steal your energy.  Then, make a conscious shift to GRATITUDE for your situation, life, and opportunities.   When you consistently feel gratitude, you are in an IDEAL feeling state which leads to other life-giving feelings like contentment, joy, and peace.  You life will feel LIGHTER and BRIGHTER.

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I think it’s fair to say that the most common misuse of Social Media is using like it’s just another advertising channel… it’s NOT. In advertising you’re PUSHING out your message about YOU. But social media is viral because it’s based on real people with real dimension; social media is about relationships and reality. So my caution to you is to drop the polished, perfected brand you’ve worked hard to refine and get real through being transparent with your social network.

Transparency is ease of connection. In marketing terms, it suggests that the really meaty part of your offering be front and center. If you’re in a service-related business then that offering is YOU, including your perspective and insights.Being transparent suggests that what you express should be direct and, above all, clear. Taking on the Naked Marketing Method demands that you no longer hide or bury who you are and what you bring in the pages of your website. The faster you can relay the essence of your message, the higher your conversion rates and profits will be.

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10 Ways to Get Others to Distribute Your Business Cards

1. Give your cards to your customers to give away as referrals for you and your

business.

2. Give your cards to others you do business with so they can refer business to

you.

3. Work with companies that have complimentary products and services to

your company and offer a business card exchange where you include their

cards with your marketing materials and ask them to include your card with

their marketing materials.

4. Do a business card exchange with area businesses for cross promotion.

5. Give your cards to family and friends so they can promote you.

6. Leave your cards along with a promotional drawing for a gift or offer from

your business. You can set these promotional drawings up at other

businesses or at events.

7. Give your cards to others to distribute with a promotional offer on the back.

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This is one of the most common questions I hear – and one of the most basic when planning a site. With all the choices out there today, it can be intimidating. It can feel like staring at a blank canvas and not knowing where to start.

The short answer is that what’s right for you is what you like.

Of course there are some practical guidelines, but above all else, a website is a marketing tool – and it should represent you (or your company).

Here are some tips and guidelines to help you make the decisions that will make your website do its job effectively.

Starting Design

Places to start looking for ideas and elements:

A website, as one of your marketing materials, should coordinate with the others. (Not match, necessarily, but they should have the same look and feel so that viewers recognize them as your “brand.”)
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My antennae are always up looking for success-building strategies. I recently discovered three powerful tips while watching the dance auditions for one of my favorite TV programs, So You Think You Can Dance.  These tips are guaranteed to amp up your success.

Success Booster #1:Your word is a powerful energetic force by which you communicate, think and create the events in your life.

One dancer when asked about her desire to be in the competition answered with a quote from her mother: “My momma always told me that what you say, you speak into existence.”  She then went on to passionately talk about her dreams and her commitment to developing her potential to its fullest.

Ask yourself:

Do my words clearly express what I want and who I am OR do they send unclear messages?

Are my words moving me forward OR keeping me stuck in place?
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