My Birthday Gift to You!

Well, this is the end of August! I tried so hard to make it to the beach during my birthday month! But never ye fear! I will get there!  In the meantime, here is a top 10 list in honor of my birthday! Consider it my gift you! You all know I love lists, especially top 10 lists! 

1)     Know your faults, work on doing better, but act accordingly.  If you know you are not a patient person, recognize that. Don’t pretend that it is OK to be rude or mean. It’s not OK.  For example, don’t go to the big box store on a Saturday if you know you do not have the patience.

2)      Know your weaknesses. I mean seriously, there would be a lot less busted marriages, lives, bank accounts, etc., if you admitted your weaknesses.  Admit them and then plan accordingly. Doing so does not make you weak, it makes you strong. You have to be accountable. Yes, when your weaknesses know you are in control, they lose control. It does not mean they necessarily go away, no one will ever be perfect; but you are in control, not your weaknesses and emotions.  Believe me, there is nothing wrong or boring with the straight and narrow.  I’m sure the clients of Ashley Madison were wishing for a little straight and narrow living right about now.  Hey, maybe they can use a copy of my book “Down Again”!

My book Down Again

3)      Listen to your gut. It is ALWAYS right. Please, know the difference between your gut and your prejudices. That’s all I will say about that.  Your gut may be saying “no, never, ever, ever, no!” Or it may just be saying “not today, maybe tomorrow.”  Know the difference. Point number six goes into more detail. Keep reading!

4)      Be OK with not being liked by everyone. Try to get along with everyone, but choose your friends wisely. When you choose your friends wisely, you will choose your time wisely. I mean, who has time for gossip, nosiness, drama, and instigation? Yes, I checked, and instigation is a word.  You know the title of my blog site is DramaFreeZoneReligionFinanceLife right? Note the drama free zone portion. If you want to live in peace, be at peace with everyone.  Hebrews 12:14 says “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” 

5)      Be kind. You can be kind without being a doormat.  This is where setting boundaries is important. There should be boundaries in every relationship.  Learn more about setting boundaries by reading the works of Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend.  If people become upset when you enforce your boundaries, see point number four. 

6)      Get to know yourself. Like yourself, warts and faults, and all.  People like to say “God is still working on me.” That’s a cop-out. God is still working on all of his children.  If you need to apologize just do so. If you need to fix a situation, just fix it. Stop with the excuses and blame game. Learn you, work on you, and see point number one.

7)      Understand that when people act inappropriately towards you, most of the time they just do not know better.  Sometimes people are taking out their frustrations and their demons on you. Choose your battles, and if something is really bothering you, address it. Did I say it already? Choose your battles.  If you stop to address everything, you will be viewed as cray cray, also known as crazy; even if you do have a valid point. Oh, and see point number five.

8)      Kenny Rogers said, “You gotta know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to run.” He’s right. It’s not about being mean.  You would be just as dysfunctional if you continued to accept bad behavior after the same discussions with that person or people, over and over.    See point number five.

9)      It’s OK to make mistakes. There is no perfect human being on this planet! We will make mistakes, say dumb things, and trust the wrong people.  The key is to learn from our mistakes and to allow those mistakes to happen less, as we become older. See points four through eight.

10) Pray! Whether you believe there is a God or not, there is one. Whether you believe there is a    hell or not, there is one. Whether you believe there is a Heaven or not, there is one.  Oh, and whether you believe there is a devil or not, there is one.  We are coming down to the last days where right is wrong and wrong is right.  Many children are rude and abusive to their parents and elders.  Many parents are not stepping up to their role of readying their children for the real world.  The world has turned upside down and inside out.  We don’t know who to trust anymore because everyone is either wearing a mask or they are showing their true colors.  They are showing their true colors while in a role they probably should not be in.  The only one we can trust is God.  He will direct our every step if we allow him.  But we must allow him. I know he does not answer every prayer the way we would like, but we have to trust that he knows why.  
Hang in there, do the best you can, and re-visit points one through nine! 

Homeless

A few weeks ago I drove south west for two hours to meet family members for dinner.  August is a big birthday month for our family, with a birthday almost every week!  We had an enjoyable dinner, in fact, I had a wonderful steak!  After dinner, I drove behind my sister as I would be spending the night at her home, instead of driving the two hours back.

As we maneuvered our way through the downtown streets that night, we had to drive under a bridge to get to the interstate. Driving under the bridge, it became even darker.  But I saw, or maybe felt, is a better word; I felt slight movements to my right. I looked to my right, and saw them.  There were about 50 of them, lined up and down the sidewalk.  I could see that some of them were conversing.  Some were already laying down, having already turned in for the night.  Some were sitting, but many of them were still standing, as if waiting.  For a crowd, it was quiet, surreal.  They looked like ghosts.  Faceless, voiceless ghosts. 

I watched in disbelief! I had never seen so many homeless people in one place, and it was so late at night!  I continued to look at them while trying to keep my eyes on the road, trying to take it all in. I even looked to see if there were children.  That would have broken my heart.  After driving by them, I called my sister. I could not wait until we got to her house to ask her. She answered, and I asked, “Were those homeless people?!” She responded, “Yep! Salvation Army must be full tonight.”  She later told me that the Salvation Army was right across the street, as well as another shelter around the corner from them.  But they often filled up fast.  I had not seen the signs for the shelters.  I was too shocked at the sight I had seen on the other side of the street to see anything else.

I drove the rest of the way to my sister’s house feeling somewhat guilty. I had just had a wonderful steak dinner, I had a great time with family, and I was blessed to be driving the vehicle of my dreams.  Later that evening as my sister and I chatted, I told her that I wish I had thought about purchasing enough McDonald’s burgers to feed those people.  She said she definitely would have done it if I had mentioned it. 

The guilt welled up in me again.  But this time, I told myself that I work hard every day.  I work hard for what I have, and guilt was not the correct emotion.  Compassion and sympathy were more likely what I should be feeling.  And I did have those feelings.  But I also knew that many of those people under the bridge had worked hard.  Many of them had probably lost everything because they had been working from paycheck to paycheck.  One bad set back was all it took to throw them onto the street.  I knew that in many other cases, mental illness was the cause.  I also knew that life has many twists and turns, and really it could happen to anyone, even if just briefly.  And I knew that it is never good to look down on anyone because we could one day look down and see our own reflection. 

I recently read a news story about a homeless mother who was sentenced to a five-year jail sentence.  The authorities apparently found out that she had lied about where she lived, so that her son could go to the best school in the area.  I have been praying for that situation ever since I heard about it.  It never ceases to amaze me how the legal system manages to make things worse for people, than they already are, instead of making things better.  Why are human beings so heartless towards each other? Why had I not thought of McDonald’s sooner? 

I don’t know the answer to the homeless problem in every city in our country, or around the world.  But I do know, that we can all do our part. I know that a gift certificate to a fast food restaurant is inexpensive.  A sandwich baggie filled with toiletries would help immensely!  And if doing either of those things would somehow take you out of your comfort zone, you could send money to your local homeless shelter.  They are always in need of assistance. I know that if more people looked at the crowd instead of looking the other way, it would help stem the problem.    

BIBLE STUDY EXPO 2015…VIRTUALLY!

Have you ever attended an online event? We’re living in a brand new, brave new world. We can now attend events from the comfort of our living room couch!  You may be thinking that the experience may not be the same as being there in person. But imagine gathering and conversing with women from around the world.  Imagine doing so without having to purchase an airline ticket and paying for a hotel stay. Imagine no bathroom waiting lines, and being able to eat food you prepared so you know exactly how many calories you are consuming! But more importantly, imagine attending, and then leaving the experience feeling refreshed, restored, and revitalized?  

Bible Study Expo 2015 will be this Thursday August 20^th, from 1 pm until 4 pm CST, 2 pm to 5 pm EST. 

Marnie Swedberg, host of The Bible Study Expo, started this virtual meeting in 2009.  This expo features several Bible study authors who have written at least three Bible Study books.  They are interviewed, and are then available for discussion with the attendees of the Expo.  Visit here http://www.biblestudyexpo.com/ on the day of The Expo, and join the conversation! We may even run into each other!

10 Marketing tips to help get your message to the masses!

10) Who is your target market? Who is your message or product geared to?

9) Research the habits of your target market. When are they online, when are they not online? How old are they? Where do they live? What is their marital status, how many children do they have, does this matter to your business, the product you are selling?

8) Know your niche in the market.  It’s good to know your market, know their demographics; but you are not the only individual or business in that space.  What do you bring to the table that would be different than other businesses in your niche market?  

7) Font. Yes, it sounds nit picky, but even something as simple as the wrong font can turn off possible clients. If you are not sure, stick with simple and business-like, unless you know your market well enough to know they would not mind Goudy stout on every page of your website! And of course what type of font you use depends on the medium in which you use it. For example, you may not get away with Goudy stout on every page of your website, but you may get away with it on your business cards.  

6) Patience. Building your brand, learning your market, and realizing success in your business, takes patience, and passion.  Most people have enough passion inside them for their product.  But they may not exercise enough patience. Patience is key!

Courtesy Genta Mochizawa

5) Know your strengths…and your weaknesses. I am going to spend some extra words on this point because I believe this is very important! You cannot do it all, you will become a ‘jack of all trades, and a master of none.’ Some people agree with this quote, some do not.  And I believe in this age of technology and DIY—do it yourself programs, for building just about anything; many people can become proficient at several different things.  But in my humble opinion, there is a difference between proficiency and mastery.  You can become proficient at writing code as you DIY your business website, but the site will look proficient.  Believe me, when you are just starting out, money will be tight.  In fact, money will be tight for quite some time.  But before you assume that every web builder charges thousands of dollars to build a beautiful site, do some research.  Ask people whose sites you like, who built their site.  Ask the builder if they are willing to work on the cost with you, if you think they are charging too much.  This goes for every aspect of your business.  Remember, this is your passion. No one else’s.  No one else is going to ask the tough questions, go to bat for your business, feel slightly embarrassed about your lack of knowledge, and willing to always be on a learning curve.  Do what you can with what you have.  If you have a not so nice site, that’s fine.  But do not have a not so nice site because you did not ask around. 

4) Track your progress, aka metrics.   I never thought I would care about metrics because they were the bane of my existence when I worked in Corporate America. It was hard for me to treat human beings like numbers.  Now that I am working for myself, I use metrics to help direct me to what is working or not working for my business.  Should I continue to purchase advertisement space in a certain media space if I am not getting any leads or responses from that space? How many chances should I give that media space?  I am talking about media spaces such as print advertising, social media advertising, and word of mouth (which in my opinion is the strongest form of advertising), just to name a few.  You have to decide when one of these types of advertising mediums is not working for your business, but remember to give each some time. 

3) Know your brand…inside and out!   You have probably heard this before, but what is your elevator speech?  Do you have it memorized and ready to go at the drop of a hat? Many times, most times, you only get one chance to make a good first impression! I will not question your passion for your business.  And I know it is not good to assume, but I have to assume you are passionate about your brand, your business.  If you were not passionate about your business, you would not be out on a limb working well past midnight to build your company! If someone asks you what your business, your book, your message is about, you should be able to rattle it off in 20 seconds! You should know that 20 second speech so well you can say it in your sleep. You should also know how it can pertain to ANYONE you are speaking to. I will let you think about that.

2) Be prepared.  Everyone has their personal pet peeves.  I have a few, well several. OK, wait, this is not about me. Long before I obtained my masters in management with a concentration in marketing, this one issue bothered me.  When I ask someone for their business card and their response is, ‘I just ran out of business cards’.  Sorry, I know it’s not good to judge, but I just lost a percentage of confidence in your message, your brand, and your business.  No business person should ever run out of business cards.  They are just too inexpensive, no matter how tight your budget might be.  If you are worried about them not being as cool, classy, or cute as the next person's, you are worrying about the wrong things. However, things do happen, and if you did run out of business cards, you should have pen and paper on you at all times.  Another pet peeve. You are running a business, but you do not have one pen on your person.  I will tell you what is going through my mind at this point: ‘amateur’.  A little harsh? Maybe, but I am trying to help you.  Most people just will not tell you these things.  Get the best business cards you can afford. If they are not thick and expensive looking, make up for that with some nice graphics.  Graphics by the way that you can create on your own.  As your business grows, and your budget allows, get some nicer cards. Let your cards grow and evolve with you and your business.  Which leads to my final point.

1) Change.  Do not be afraid to change.  As I mentioned in the point above, let your business cards grow and evolve.  Well, it is the same concept for the rest of your business, for every aspect of your business.  Your message and your brand are the back bone of your business.  Everything else that revolves around your brand should evolve.  Your business cards, marketing packages etc., should become nicer and more streamlined as you grow.  Do not allow yourself to remain stagnant.  You want to continue to be relevant.  You should remain relevant without changing your backbone, your foundation.            

Well, there are certainly more than 10 marketing tips to get your brand and your message out to the masses.  These are the 10 I believe are important especially as you start your business.  You know, I really enjoyed my marketing classes.  I learned so much about the psychology of people and the importance of branding.  I also realized the importance of remaining relevant.  I could not believe the elementary mistakes some of the largest companies in our country have made over the years, I believe out of sheer stubbornness.  Where is K Mart today?  How is Sears doing?  Why is JC Penney struggling off and on?  I find it difficult to believe such large corporations did not have a team of people who were employed solely to keep their ears to the ground, to make sure the company remained relevant at all times.  These companies are just a few examples of what happens when you do not remain relevant and do not market properly.

If you are a starter company, I hope these 10 pointers were informative and helpful.  If you have been around for some time, I hope it was a great reminder.  Either way, I hope this information will encourage you to continue learning all you can about marketing your business, and growing your business!