Put The Laptop Down and Promote Your Business

By Brandon Gaskins


  Now that you have your blog, you want to build an audience of readers. This usually consists of networking on social media platforms like; Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, Instagram and others. From these pool of resources you will start to see a gradual incline of visits to your posts. You will begin to feel like you have this social media thing down pack. You spend countless hours, researching information to add to your blog; you start to find gadgets and widgets that you think would fit good on your blog. Then as fast as your readership grew, things begin to plateau and your numbers start to slow down.You have no idea as to why your readership has stop growing but you think you can solve the problem by adding better content and putting advertisement on your blog; Surely that will solve the problem.

  Unfortunately you are doing the worst thing possible, most readers don't want to see a bunch of advertising and gadgets when they are viewing a blog. They want to get clear cut information without a bunch of clutter. The solution is not trying to get the same readers that have already visited your page to do the same everyday, it is going out in the public and find new prospects to visit your site. Visit Vista Print and other sites that offer affordable promotional items. Use those items and find areas where people who are more likely to find your blog useful might be. For example if your blog is about families, careers or skateboarding you want to promote near parks, career centers or skate parks. It would be a good idea to find the cost to advertise on local media. Once you are able to increase your readership you want to start networking with bloggers with similar interest and possibly send traffic to each others sites.

How to break the Mold and Be an Independent Thinker

From entrepreneur.com
By Nadia Goodman 7-4-2013

To come up with truly creative products and unique ideas, great business leaders need to become independent thinkers. Our brains are wired to recycle ideas we have already heard from others but you can learn to think independently or to come up with novel ideas, with a few easy psychological tips and tools.

1. Place a lot of Constraints on the Problem- Open-ended problems are the enemy of independent thinking. Independent thinking requires you to break the mold; Everything you think is influenced by years of experience and cultural upbringing. If you do not have constraints, you will come up with answers that are really similar to what others have done before.
2. Combine Ideas That Seem Ill-Matched- When you are trying to solve a problem, your memory will retrieve solutions or concepts that seem like logical matches, often because others have used that match already. To think differently, consider ideas that do not seem compatible at all. For example: Coming up with a way to cook breakfast for the comfort of your bed. Many of your ideas will fail but any that succeed are likely to be unique and marketable.
3. Take the Birds Eye View- When your trying to solve a problem, zoom out to see variables that others might overlook. Thinking about the big picture, takes you out of the familiar way of thinking about the problem. What would happen if I succeed? How can I find a solution, that makes that outcome work.

SBA Host Twitter Chat for Entrepreneurs on Business Start Up

From sba.gov
Tameka Montgomery 1/31/2014

The U.S. Small Business Administration is hosting a twitter chat for entrepreneurs in recognition of National Entrepreneur Week (February 15-22) to learn how to turn their business idea into a reality. Includes the steps to starting a business and the know how needed to help their business succeed.

Details:
Wednesday Feb 19, 2014
3p-4p est
Hashtag- #sbaEweek
Twitter handle @sbagov

Participants will hear from SBA's associate administrator for Entrepreneurial Development, Tameka Montgomery.
Participants will also get advice from Bridget Weston Pollack, with the SBA resource partner SCORE (service corporation of retired executives). She will answer questions and give valuable insight on starting a business.
Twitter handle @SCOREmentors

Things Every Entrepreneur Must Know

Summary of post from Forbes.com
By Paul B. Brown 9/22/2013

Things Every Entrepreneur Must Know

1.The best way to predict the future is to create it.
2.If you want to become a successful entrepreneur, there is no such thing as work-life balance.
3.The best entrepreneurs do not come up with great ideas, they solve market needs.
4. The one thing all successful entrepreneurs have in common is the desire to make their ideas a reality.What     entrepreneurs need most of all, above motivation, focus, financing, and marketing is the will to bring their        idea into existence.
5. Action trumps everything, so stop thinking about it and just do it.
6. Forget about working on your weakness, play to your strengths. This is what will make you successful in       the long run.
7. You need to be able to turn every obstacle into an asset; Yes every single one.
8. Here's the only market research you need; Get your product out in the marketplace and see if it sells.
9. Unpopular products will remain so; If the customer does not like the product, there is not much you can         do about it with pricing, promotion, or positioning.
10. If you are going to fail and sometimes you will fail quickly and cheaply. Always take small steps towards       your goal and pause after each one to make sure you are on the right track.

10 Warning Signs Your Job is Becoming Obsolete

Summary from salary.com by Laura Laemmie Frongillo

 In our unstable economic times, there are few employees who feel absolutely sure their jobs will be around a decade from now. However it is unproductive to be distracted by needless worry everyday. Pay attention to true warnings, but don't get too caught up in office gossip, it can lead to low morale. Just keep your eyes open for these warning signs that your job may be on the way to the downsize dump.

1. There Are Rumors- Generally when there are rumblings about layoffs, it is going to happen. Who, what, when and how are the only questions. Google your company, you may find related articles, editorials or blogs about your company or even former employees airing dirty laundry.
2. Company Stocks Continue to Plummet- A quarter or two of weak earnings is to be expected, some drops are actually anticipated and written into the overall financial picture. Look at the stock history and read what the analyst are projecting for the future.
3. Your Work Load Has Decreased- If your boss is reassigning your projects or giving you less to do, be concerned. If you are being asked to train others (especially lower paid employees) to do what you do. 
4. Your Last Review Contained Nearly A Rave- If there was nothing positive in your recent performance review, despite the fact that you took steps to increase your workload and training, consider this a warning
5. Decreased Benefits and Other Cost Cutting Measures- If you have noticed a general decline in benefits like medical insurance, 401k plans, even company picnics and holiday parties, chances are there are other bigger changes a foot.
6. New Boss, Shuffled Management- Although it does not necessarily indicate anything bad, a shuffling of management positions or getting a new boss are signs that a layoff could be eminent. Pay close attention to the reasons of the reorganization.
7. Are You Getting The Cold Shoulder?- Are you suddenly not in the loop, either not invited to meetings or ignored when you are present, you or at least your job could be head for obsolescence.
8. Rumors of A Merger or Acquisition Are Flying- Many times when a company is bought by, or merged with another organization, pink slips are bound to fly.
9. Company Starts Outsourcing and Offshoring- If you notice your company is starting to, dabble in hiring overseas workers, especially if the employees do what you do, it could be time to worry.
10. Machines Are Doing Your Job- If you are a telephone switchboard operator, bank teller or cashier you are working on borrowed time. basically if technology has made you a middle man your days are numbered.

Successful businesses that started from a garage

From: retireat21.com

Maglite Flashlight
In 1955 Tony Maglica, a Croatian immigrant saved up $125 after working odd jobs. Tony used that money as a down payment on a lathe machine. He used the lathe machine to make quality precision parts. In 1974 Tony incorporated Mag Instrument and produced its first flashlight in 1979. Today the Maglite flashlight is used by all police forces in the US.

Walt Disney Studios
In 1923 Walt Disney and his brother Roy moved into the uncle's house. Out of their uncle's one car garage Walt and his brother started the first Disney Studios and began filming Alice's Comedy which was later used for Alice's Wonderland. Today Disney is the largest media conglomerate in the world.

Amazon
In 1994 Jeff Bezos started an online bookstore called Amazon, out of his garage. Jeff sold his first book in 1995 and 2 years later Amazon went public. Today Amazon is the worlds largest online retailer.

Yankee Candle Company
In 1969 a sixteen year old Michael Kittredge made his first scented candles out of melted crayons. The candles were a gift for his mom, His neighbor's noticed the candles and like them so much they wanted to buy them. Michael began mass producing his candles and soon moved out of his garage and moved Yankee Candle Company into a refurbished old mill. Today Yankee Candle Company is the largest manufacture of scented candles in the US.

What Successful People Do Before Breakfast

From entrepreneur.com
Summary of post from Jenna Goudreau at Business Insider Jan. 27,2014

Imitation is the highest form of flattery, and it can lead to positive life changing events.

1.The key to getting started on a positive and productive day  is to rise early before the sunlight and attack those important issues that others wait until later in the day to solve. these hours are great for getting tasks done because the world around you is moving at a much slower pace and distractions are kept to a minimum. PepsiCo CEO rises at 4am and is in the office by 7am;

2. The top morning activity for the rich and powerful seems to be exercise whether its weightlifting, yoga or jogging there seems to be a great benefit from get your blood flowing and heart pumping at the beginning of the day. CEO of Starwoods Hotel runs for an hour everyday starting at 5:30am

3.Start working on a top priority project early in the day. This ensures the project is fresh on your mind through out the day and by starting early while everyone else is asleep allows for optimal attention being focused on your project.

4. Projects like novel writing and bead making are easy to put off when you have been in meetings all day or on your feet dealing with the public. University of Chicago, history teacher Charlotte Walker-Said would set aside 6:00am-9:00am to work on her novel, before having to deal with school work.

5. Making quality time with your family, you spend more time away from home at work than you do your own family. Take time out to make breakfast together, chat about current events; whatever you do make sure you show interest in your family.

6. Before they head out the door, many successful people devote themselves to a spiritual practice such as meditation or prayer before they tackle to tough demands of their day. This allows for a calming of the mind and inner peace. Writing down the many reasons why you are blessed and the loved ones that support you is another way to achieve peace and perspective.

7. Planning for the day, week or month is a great way to keep your tasks on track, it also allows for you to prioritize those tasks as well. Doing so is perfect for time management and you are less likely to forget a task or meeting.

8. Checking you email or reading the newspaper are both time consuming activities. Doing this before you leave out for work is a great way to clear your emails and catch up on trending topics without being rushed or frustrated.