Wall Street Journal and Reader’s Digest Explore the Thriving Virtual Assistant Industry

Congratulations Kelly!

Another 8 Hours Publishing
(WebWire) 5/8/2007 10:45:07 AM

O’Fallon, IL (May, 2007) — The Virtual Assistant Industry shines this month when two major publications recognize the profession and provide tips for getting started. The Wall Street Journal quotes best selling author Paul Edwards as saying, “Virtual assistants provide services ranging from administrative support to consulting via e-mail, fax and phone.” The article continues recommending several books for getting started, including Virtual Assistant–The Series by Diana Ennen and Kelly Poelker. http://www.careerjournal.com/columnists/workfamily/20070504-workfamily.html

In the May issue of Reader’s Digest, an article entitled New Ways to Make a Bundle states, “If you possess word processing, transcription, bookkeeping, public relations, or website design skills, you may want to try employment as a virtual assistant. Ennen is quoted as saying, “There is so much work for VAs that the field is thriving. It is absolutely booming.” The important thing is to use your own skills and expertise to build your business. Starting a virtual assistant business isn’t a get rich quick scheme. It takes time and talent, but those who succeed can’t imagine doing anything else. Clients are grateful to have talented, highly skilled, and motivated virtual assistants to support their business growth.

Ennen and Poelker’s book, Virtual Assistant – The Series has become what many call the Bible in the Virtual Assistant Industry inspiring readers and providing priceless tools on everything from choosing the right specialty, to promoting your business, to daily operational procedures. Along with its accompanying Workbook Edition, it is quickly becoming a staple in colleges as more are adding VA Certificate Programs to their curriculum. Randi Tucker Barr, an Instructor at Raymond Walters College, states, “I have incorporated their book and accompanying workbook as required text. The book guides students from the basic concept of the Virtual Assistant Industry to creating a workable business plan, marketing plan, and web presence. The workbook encourages students to integrate material from the book into their personal goals and objectives. My belief is that Virtual Assistant – The Series has given my students the necessary foundation to become successful entrepreneurs.

Virtual Assistant – The Series is available at www.VA-TheSeries.com as well as through online retailers. The authors are available for media interviews via email at: authors@VA-TheSeries.com or by calling 954.971.4025 (Ennen) or 618.624.3080 (Poelker).
Related Links

VA the Serieshttp://www.va-theseries.com/
Virtual Word Publishinghttp://www.virtualwordpublishing.com/
Another 8 Hourshttp://www.another8hours.com/

Contact Information
Kelly Poelker, Publisher Another 8 Hours Publishing(618) 624-3080 authors@va-theseries.com

The Soul of Business™

© Castle Montone, Limited
Part One
The Guiding Light of Business — Branding

Soul and business. Business and ... soul. You don’t often see these two words in the same sentence — especially over the last "make-it-until-you-drop-I don’t care who’s in my way” 60 years.

If you have "it", you understand the concept without skipping a beat.

If you’re looking for "it”, you feel a longing with every step you take in your business — even if it’s just the unspoken tug of unknowing.

If the concept of soul and business in the same breath incites you to... uncomfortable levels... well... that’s a whole different article.

To understand the concept of the soul of business, you have to consider what soul means. The challenge is — it has a different meaning for each individual. The context is flexible. It’s in the beholder.

This is also where the fun and the power of business is... IF you know how to tap into it.

Soul Defining

Defining the meaning of soul is like defining the concept of reality — you make it up. The real power resides in your meaning of soul, its application to your business and your unwavering command of that power.

The dictionary defines soul as:

• the complex of human attributes that manifests as consciousness, thought, feeling, and will,
• somebody’s emotional and moral nature,
• the deepest and truest nature of a people or a nation,
• what gives somebody or something a distinctive character

These definitions come close, but lack that mysterious unspoken essence of something that is far bigger. It’s that space that you fill up with... experience.

If you apply this unspoken power to business, both large and small, you will arrive at the very core of what makes a business tick — from why it was created to why it continues to exist.

Unfortunately, the problem is most small entrepreneurial business owners focus their initial business efforts "outside" of their business, on marketing, on sales, on... proof.

Then, if they are able to hold on enough to stay in the game, layer after external layer begins to form which solidify with tactical approaches to continue to market, to sell, to prove.

Eventually, this outer layer becomes heavy and can cause a business to implode if the core of the business isn’t established and maintained. Or it could lose its way altogether if the wrong kind of funding is thrown it’s way.

Remembering the Future™

Over the past eighty years the way business is done has come full circle from the days of yore when you brought your soap from the general store, which was at the front of the grocers house, through the industrial revolution of mass production and distribution, to the return of the human to human connection — through the internet.

Unfortunately the way business has been communicated hasn’t kept up with this change.

The old industrial model of advertising, of "sell the sizzle", or as I refer to it , "chasing the flash", is no longer enough for people.

Consumers have the power of choice and they can feel if there’s "something" behind the flash or... not.

Brand communication, including marketing and advertising, is on the cusp to a whole new way of consumer communication. A communication that has behind it a greater reason — beyond the mo*ney for product exchange. A communication that is fueled by the soul of a business.

The New Biz Buzz Word

If you polled a hundred people 25-55 about what they were missing in their lives and you were able to drill down to the core of their answer they would say, in one form or another, an authentic connection.

Even large brands, like Starbucks, Nike and even Apple, are starting to toss around words like real and authentic.

Howard Schultz, the CEO and mastermind behind Starbucks, one of the most successful and often admired brands today, says, "Our rapid growth has led to the watering down of the Starbucks experience. Our company’s soul is dripping away."

In The New Marketing Marketing Manifesto, author John Grant notes, "Authenticity is the benchmark against which all brands are n*ow judged."

The dictionary defines authentic as:

• genuine and original,
• shown to be true and trustworthy
• not a copy, real

Where does this realness reside? In that mysterious space of the soul.

Your Guiding Light Through the Unknown

As a business owner you no longer have to be at the mercy of the unspoken unknown of what is at the core of your business.

Taking your business idea through a process to define that soul shines a guiding light on everything your business is to be and every step you take to make it so.

This process is creating a brand. Branding, when done right, gives you and your business the soul of your business. Once it’s in place, it never burns out.

For the past several years, I’ve been saying there’s a global return to the soul. It’s never been so true in business today.

As a small business entrepreneur you actually have the edge over b*ig brands on the authentic playing field. You haven’t lost your business soul yet. Then again... you may have not yet connected to it.

The exciting thing is, the process to connect to the soul of your business is now at your fingertips. But first you have to put down the tactics.

You can always pick them back up... later.

This article is part of a continuing series exploring the Soul of Business. Stay tuned for more.

© Castle Montone, Limited

Are you making one of the 15 MISTAKES THAT KILL BUSINESS SUCCESS? Find out at www.15mistakes.com.

Brand Visioneer and BrandU co-founder, Kim Castle teaches entrepreneurs and small business owners how to turn their business ideas into a moneymaking marketable brand. If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank™, get your FREE branding tips now at www.whybrandu.com.

OIVAC Blog Hopping Tour



Wow time flies! I can’t believe the OIVAC Blog Hopping Virtual Assistant Tour is coming here tomorrow! When I signed up to be part of the tour I had a month to plan. I had big ideas about creating a super cool fancy Blog. Well… as the saying goes… life happens.

I’m going to keep this short and sweet! Here are my questions… and I’m serious about number 5… I love telling the story to my clients and friends about the virtual conference I attended last year and the really cool restrooms. LOL.

Number 1 is always on my mind… how can I better market myself? I love talking marketing with my colleagues, friends, family and clients.

I am honored to welcome Sharon Williams and everyone on the blog hopping tour to my Blog.

Thanks for stopping by and please leave a comment so I know you did.

1. What is the best way for a VA to market themselves?
2. What online forums do you suggest an aspiring VA joins?
3. What is the best way for a VA to network off line?
4. Will the online conference have the free entrance to the exhibitor halls like it did last year?
5. I attended last year and have to say I got a kick out of the restrooms with flushing toilets... a group of us kept going to the restroom together just to flush the online toilets. Will there be restrooms at this years conference?

IVAA Summit

I attended the IVAA Summit in beautiful San Francisco this past week. I love that the conference was in my neck of the woods! Kudos to the organizers. I was impressed with how professional the conference was. No glitches and everything ran smoothly. Heather Lee and Linda Selden did a fabulous job coordinating everything.

It’s always nice to get out of the office and spend some time learning from my peers who are experts in the field.

There was a great line up of speakers at the summit.

• Elinor Stutz shared tips on creating a Smooth Sale…
• Robert Brenner shared some eye opening statistics about VA pricing.
• Kathy Mandy shared some heartfelt stories of her real life experiences that made her the expert in preparing your business to survive and emergency.
• Sue Kramer talked about what image you present to the world and reminded us that image is more than just what you wear.
• Jill Lublin shared some insider secrets on getting publicity. I was lucky winner of her book Guerilla Publicity.
• Barbie Dallman, VA turned Life Coach got us all relaxed by leading us through some guided imagery and then helped us to answer some pretty deep questions about where we are and where we want to be and what is holding us back.
• Lauren Hidden reminded us of the importance of staying educated, taught us some networking tips and did a fabulous job inspiring us all (despite suffering from Laryngitis). Kudos to Lauren for still going through with her presentation!
• And finally, Candy Beauchamp the new IVAA president shared with us the state of IVAA and talked about all the exciting new benefits to expect in the upcoming year.

Oh and the food was amazing! Loved that champagne vinaigrette salad dressing.

Thanks IVAA!

Reminder: Sharon Williams will be stopping by here on May 2nd for the OIVAC blog hopping tour.

What are you thankful for?
Inspired by Yvonne Weld and her Top 10 List.

1. My Health! I am so thankful that I am fortunate enough to be healthy and pain free! This is something I have taken for granted before and am happy to have it back!

2. My Family! I love my kids, my partner and my extended family and don't know what I would do with out them!

3. My Friends! I am thankful for my lifelong friends, my new friends and my friends "in the box" who inspire me everyday!

4. My Business! I am thankful for my business that allows me to be home, to have a flexible schedule and to keep my priorities in order.

5. My Clients! I love my clients and am thankful for them! I work with the coolest people!

6. My House! I love my house and it's location.

7. The Internet! Without the internet I would not have a business or my friends in the box.

8. Wild Flowers and Sunny Days! These inspire me to get out of the house and exercise.

9. My Car! I am thankful that I have a car that is in great condition. Car problems really stress me out so I am happy that I have a reliable car.

10. My Dog! I can't forget about Poncho! He is the best dog in the world and brings a smile to my face every single day!

Like Yvonne, I am hoping to inspire you to take some time and blog about what you are thankful for. Tag you're it! Please post a link back to your blog here after you write your list.
Thank you!

Learn Faster, Deeper and Better

With the internet providing us unlimited information it can sometimes be overwhelming to absorb it all. I know many Virtual Assistants crave learning new things and sometimes find themselves on overload. Here are some fun suggestions to learning "faster, deeper and better".

I especially like number 73.

There are some pretty cool links to programs I didn't even know existed. Has anyone used Gliffy before? I don't actually have a need for that kind of work right now but that program looks so cool I might just create a need. LOL

Enjoy.

Hacking Knowledge: 77 Ways to Learn Faster, Deeper, and Better

Published on Thursday 30th of November, 2006
http://oedb.org/library/college-basics/hacking-knowledge

If someone granted you one wish, what do you imagine you would want out of life that you haven't gotten yet? For many people, it would be self-improvement and knowledge. New knowledge is the backbone of society's progress. Great thinkers such as Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, and others' quests for knowledge have led society to many of the marvels we enjoy today. Your quest for knowledge doesn't have to be as Earth-changing as Einstein's, but it can be an important part of your life, leading to a new job, better pay, a new hobby, or simply knowledge for knowledge's sake — whatever is important to you as an end goal.

Life-changing knowledge does typically require advanced learning techniques. In fact, it's been said that the average adult only uses 10% of his/her brain. Imagine what we may be capable of with more advanced learning techniques. Here are 77 tips related to knowledge and learning to help you on your quest. A few are specifically for students in traditional learning institutions; the rest for self-starters, or those learning on their own. Happy learning.

Health

1. Shake a leg. Lack of blood flow is a common reason for lack of concentration. If you've been sitting in one place for awhile, bounce one of your legs for a minute or two. It gets your blood flowing and sharpens both concentration and recall.
2. Food for thought: Eat breakfast. A lot of people skip breakfast, but creativity is often optimal in the early morning and it helps to have some protein in you to feed your brain. A lack of protein can actually cause headaches.
3. Food for thought, part 2: Eat a light lunch. Heavy lunches have a tendency to make people drowsy. While you could turn this to your advantage by taking a "thinking nap" (see #23), most people haven't learned how.
4. Cognitive enhancers: Ginkgo biloba. Ginkgo biloba is a natural supplement that has been used in China and other countries for centuries and has been reputed to reverse memory loss in rats. It's also suggested by some health practitioners as a nootrope and thus a memory enhancer.
5. Reduce stress + depresssion. Stress and depression may reduce the ability to recall information and thus inhibit learning. Sometimes, all you need to reduce depression is more white light and fewer refined foods.

Balance

6. Sleep on it. Dr. Maxwell Maltz wrote about in his book Psycho-Cybernetics about a man who was was paid good money to come up with ideas. He would lock his office door, close the blinds, turn off the lights. He'd focus on the problem at hand, then take a short nap on a couch. When he awoke, he usually had the problem solved.
7. Take a break. Change phyical or mental perspective to lighten the invisible stress that can sometimes occur when you sit in one place too long, focused on learning. Taking a 5-15 minute break every hour during study sessions is more beneficial than non-stop study. It gives your mind time to relax and absorb information. If you want to get really serious with breaks, try a 20 minute ultradian break as part of every 90 minute cycle. This includes a nap break, which is for a different purpose than #23.
8. Take a hike. Changing your perspective often relieves tension, thus freeing your creative mind. Taking a short walk around the neighborhood may help.
9. Change your focus. Sometimes there simply isn't enough time to take a long break. If so, change subject focus. Alternate between technical and non-technical subjects.

Perspective and Focus

10. Change your focus, part 2. There are three primary ways to learn: visual, kinesthetic, and auditory. If one isn't working for you, try another.
11. Do walking meditation. If you're taking a hike (#25), go one step further and learn walking meditation as a way to tap into your inner resources and your strengthen your ability to focus. Just make sure you're not walking inadvertently into traffic.
12. Focus and immerse yourself. Focus on whatever you're studying. Don't try to watch TV at the same time or worry yourself about other things. Anxiety does not make for absorption of information and ideas.
13. Turn out the lights. This is a way to focus, if you are not into meditating. Sit in the dark, block out extraneous influences. This is ideal for learning kinesthetically, such as guitar chord changes.
14. Take a bath or shower. Both activities loosen you up, making your mind more receptive to recognizing brilliant ideas.

Recall Techniques

15. Listen to music. Researchers have long shown that certain types of music are a great "key" for recalling memories. Information learned while listening to a particular song or collection can often be recalled simply by "playing" the songs mentally.
16. Speedread. Some people believe that speedreading causes you to miss vital information. The fact remains that efficient speedreading results in filtering out irrelevant information. If necessary, you can always read and re-read at slower speeds. Slow reading actually hinders the ability to absorb general ideas. (Although technical subjects often requirer slower reading.) If you're reading online, you can try the free Spreeder Web-based application.
17. Use acronyms and other mnemonic devices. Mnemonics are essentially tricks for remembering information. Some tricks are so effective that proper application will let you recall loads of mundane information years later.

Visual Aids

18. Every picture tells a story. Draw or sketch whatever it is you are trying to achieve. Having a concrete goal in mind helps you progress towards that goal.
19. Brainmap it. Need to plan something? Brain maps, or mind maps, offer a compact way to get both an overview of a project as well as easily add details. With mind maps, you can see the relationships between disparate ideas and they can also act as a receptacle for a brainstorming session.
20. Learn symbolism and semiotics. Semiotics is the study of signs and symbols. Having an understanding of the symbols of a particular discipline aids in learning, and also allows you to record information more efficiently.
21. Use information design. When you record information that has an inherent structure, applying information design helps convey that information more clearly. A great resource is Information Aesthetics, which gives examples of information design and links to their sources.
22. Use visual learning techniques. Try gliffy for structured diagrams. Also see Inspiration.com for an explanation of webs, idea maps, concept maps, and plots.
23. Map your task flow. Learning often requires gaining knowledge in a specific sequence. Organizing your thoughts on what needs to be done is a powerful way to prepare yourself to complete tasks or learn new topics.

Verbal and Auditory Techniques

24. Stimulate ideas. Play rhyming games, utter nonsense words. These loosen you up, making you more receptive to learning.
25. Brainstorm. This is a time-honored technique that combines verbal activity, writing, and collaboration. (One person can brainstorm, but it's more effective in a group.) It's fruitful if you remember some simple rules: Firstly, don't shut anyone's idea out. Secondly, don't "edit" in progress; just record all ideas first, then dissect them later. Participating in brainstorming helps assess what you already know about something, and what you didn't know.
26. Learn by osmosis. Got an iPod? Record a few of your own podcasts, upload them to your iPod and sleep on it. Literally. Put it under your pillow and playback language lessons or whatever.
27. Cognitive enhancers: binaural beats. Binaural beats involve playing two close frequencies simultaneously to produce alpha, beta, delta, and theta waves, all of which produce either sleeping, restfulness, relaxation, meditativeness, alertness, or concentration. Binaural beats are used in conjunction with other excercises for a type of super-learning.
28. Laugh. Laughing relaxes the body. A relaxed body is more receptive to new ideas.

Kinesthetic Techniques

29. Write, don't type. While typing your notes into the computer is great for posterity, writing by hand stimulates ideas. The simple act of holding and using a pen or pencil massages acupuncture points in the hand, which in turn stimulates ideas.
30. Carry a quality notebook at all times. Samuel Taylor Coleridge dreamed the words of the poem "In Xanadu (did Kubla Khan)...". Upon awakening, he wrote down what he could recall, but was distracted by a visitor and promptly forgot the rest of the poem. Forever. If you've been doing "walking meditation" or any kind of meditation or productive napping, ideas may suddenly come to you. Record them immediately.
31. Keep a journal. This isn't exactly the same as a notebook. Journaling has to do with tracking experiences over time. If you add in visual details, charts, brainmaps, etc., you have a much more creative way to keep tabs on what you are learning.
32. Organize. Use sticky colored tabs to divide up a notebook or journal. They are a great way to partition ideas for easy referral.
33. Use post-it notes. Post-it notes provide a helpful way to record your thoughts about passages in books without defacing them with ink or pencil marks.

Self-Motivation Techniques

34. Give yourself credit. Ideas are actually a dime a dozen. If you learn to focus your mind on what results you want to achieve, you'll recognize the good ideas. Your mind will become a filter for them, which will motivate you to learn more.
35. Motivate yourself. Why do you want to learn something? What do want to achieve through learning? If you don't know why you want to learn, then distractions will be far more enticing.
36. Set a goal. W. Clement Stone once said "Whatever the mind of man can conceive, it can achieve." It's an amazing phenomenon in goal achievement. Prepare yourself by whatever means necessary, and hurdles will seem surmountable. Anyone who has experienced this phenomenon understands its validity.
37. Think positive. There's no point in setting learning goals for yourself if you don't have any faith in your ability to learn.
38. Organize, part 2. Learning is only one facet of the average adult's daily life. You need to organize your time and tasks else you might find it difficult to fit time in for learning. Try Neptune for a browser-based application for "getting things done."
39. Every skill is learned. With the exception of bodily functions, every skill in life is learned. Generally speaking, if one person can learn something, so can you. It may take you more effort, but if you've set a believable goal, it's likely an achievable goal.
40. Prepare yourself for learning. Thinking positive isn't sufficient for successfully achieving goals. This is especially important if you are an adult, as you'll probably have many distractions surrounding your daily life. Implement ways to reduce distractions, at least for a few hours at a time, else learning will become a frustrating experience.
41. Prepare yourself, part 2. Human nature is such that not everyone in your life will be a well-wisher in your self-improvement and learning plans. They may intentionally or subconsciously distract you from your goal. If you have classes to attend after work, make sure that work colleagues know this, that you are unable to work late. Diplomacy works best if you think your boss is intentionally giving you work on the days he/she knows you have to leave. Reschedule lectures to a later time slot if possible/ necessary.
42. Constrain yourself. Most people need structure in their lives. Freedom is sometimes a scary thing. It's like chaos. But even chaos has order within. By constraining yourself — say giving yourself deadlines, limiting your time on an idea in some manner, or limiting the tools you are working with — you can often accomplish more in less time.

Supplemental Techniques

43. Read as much as you can. How much more obvious can it get? Use Spreeder (#33) if you have to. Get a breadth of topics as well as depth.
44. Cross-pollinate your interests. Neurons that connect to existing neurons give you new perspectives and abilities to use additional knowledge in new ways.
45. Learn another language. New perspectives give you the ability to cross-pollinate cultural concepts and come up with new ideas. As well, sometimes reading a book in its original language will provide you with insights lost in translation.
46. Learn how to learn. Management Help has a resource page, as does SIAST (Virtual Campus), which links to articles about learning methods. They are geared towards online learning, but no doubt you gain something from them for any type of learning. If you are serious about optimum learning, read Headrush's Crash course in learning theory.
47. Learn what you know and what you don't. Many people might say, "I'm dumb," or "I don't know anything about that." The fact is, many people are wholly unaware of what they already know about a topic. If you want to learn about a topic, you need to determine what you already know, figure out what you don't know, and then learn the latter.
48. Multi-task through background processes. Effective multi-tasking allows you to bootstrap limited time to accomplish several tasks. Learning can be bootstrapped through multi-tasking, too. By effective multitasking, I don't mean doing two or more things at exactly the same time. It's not possible. However, you can achieve the semblance of effective multitasking with the right approach, and by prepping your mind for it. For example, a successful freelance writer learns to manage several articles at the same time. Research the first essay, and then let the background processes of your mind takeover. Move on consciously to the second essay. While researching the second essay, the first one will often "write itself." Be prepared to record it when it "appears" to you.
49. Think holistically. Holistic thinking might be the single most "advanced" learning technique that would help students. But it's a mindset rather than a single technique.
50. Use the right type of repetition. Complex concepts often require revisting in order to be fully absorbed. Sometimes, for some people, it may actually take months or years. Repetition of concepts and theory with various concrete examples improves absorption and speeds up learning.
51. Apply the Quantum Learning (QL) model. The Quantum Learning model is being applied in some US schools and goes beyond typical education methods to engage students.
52. Get necessary tools. There are obviously all kinds of tools for learning. If you are learning online like a growing number of people these days, then consider your online tools. One of the best tools for online research is the Firefox web browser, which has loads of extensions (add-ons) with all manner of useful features. One is Googlepedia, which simultaneously displays Google search engine listings, when you search for a term, with related entries from Wikipedia.
53. Get necessary tools, part 2. This is a very niche tip, but if you want to learn fast-track methods for building software, read Getting Real from 37 Signals. The Web page version is free. The techniques in the book have been used to create Basecamp, Campfire, and Backpack web applications in a short time frame. Each of these applications support collaboration and organization.
54. Learn critical thinking. As Keegan-Michael Key's character on MadTV might say, critical thinking takes analysis to "a whole notha level". Read Wikipedia's discourse on critical thinking as a starting point. It involves good analytical skills to aid the ability to learn selectively.
55. Learn complex problem solving. For most people, life is a series of problems to be solved. Learning is part of the process. If you have a complex problem, you need to learn the art of complex problem solving. [The latter page has some incredible visual information.]

For Teachers, Tutors, and Parents

56. Be engaging. Lectures are one-sided and often counter-productive. Information merely heard or witnessed (from a chalkboard for instance) is often forgotten. Teaching is not simply talking. Talking isn't enough. Ask students questions, present scenarios, engage them.
57. Use information pyramids. Learning happens in layers. Build base knowledge upon which you can add advanced concepts.
58. Use video games. Video games get a bad rap because of certain violent games. But video games in general can often be an effective aid to learning.
59. Role play. Younger people often learn better by being part of a learning experience. For example, history is easier to absorb through reenactments.
60. Apply the 80/20 rule. This rule is often interpreted in dfferent ways. In this case, the 80/20 rule means that some concepts, say about 20% of a curriculum, require more effort and time, say about 80%, than others. So be prepared to expand on complex topics.
61. Tell stories. Venus Flytrap, a character from the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati, once taught a student gang member about atoms, electrons, and protons by saying that an atom was one big neighborhood, and the protons and neutrons had their own smaller neighborhoods and never mixed. Just like rival gangs. The story worked, and understanding sparked in the students eyes.
62. Go beyond the public school curriculum. The public school system is woefully lacking in teaching advanced learning and brainstorming methods. It's not that the methods cannot be taught; they just aren't. To learn more, you have to pay a premium in additional time and effort, and sometimes money for commercially available learning tools. There's nothing wrong with that in itself, but what is taught in schools needs to be expanded. This article's author has proven that a nine-year old can learn (some) university level math, if the learning is approached correctly.
63. Use applied learning. If a high school student were having trouble in math, say with fractions, one example of applied learning might be photography, lenses, f-stops, etc. Another example is cooking and measurement of ingredients. Tailor the applied learning to the interest of the student.

For Students and Self-Studiers

64. Be engaged. Surprise. Sometimes students are bored because they know more than is being taught, maybe even more than a teacher. (Hopefully teachers will assess what each student already knows.) Students should discuss with a teacher if they feel that the material being covered is not challenging. Also consider asking for additional materials.
65. Teach yourself. Teachers cannot always change their curricula. If you're not being challenged, challenge yourself. Some countries still apply country-wide exams for all students. If your lecturer didn't cover a topic, you should learn it on your own. Don't wait for someone to teach you. Lectures are most effective when you've pre-introduced yourself to concepts.
66. Collaborate. If studying by yourself isn't working, maybe a study group will help.
67. Do unto others: teach something. The best way to learn something better is to teach it to someone else. It forces you to learn, if you are motivated enough to share your knowledge.
68. Write about it. An effective way to "teach" something is to create an FAQ or a wiki containing everything you know about a topic. Or blog about the topic. Doing so helps you to realize what you know and more importantly what you don't. You don't even have to spend money if you grab a freebie account with Typepad, Wordpress, or Blogger.
69. Learn by experience. Pretty obvious, right? It means put in the necessary time. An expert is often defined as someone who has put in 10,000 hours into some experience or endeavor. That's approximately 5 years of 40 hours per week, every week. Are you an expert without realizing it? If you're not, do you have the dedication to be an expert?
70. Quiz yourself. Testing what you've learned will reinforce the information. Flash cards are one of the best ways, and are not just for kids.
71. Learn the right things first. Learn the basics. Case in point: a frustrating way to learn a new language is to learn grammar and spelling and sentence constructs first. This is not the way a baby learns a language, and there's no reason why an adult or young adult has to start differently, despite "expert" opinion. Try for yourself and see the difference.
72. Plan your learning. If you have a long-term plan to learn something, then to quote Led Zeppelin, "There are two paths you can go by." You can take a haphazard approach to learning, or you can put in a bit of planning and find an optimum path. Plan your time and balance your learning and living.

Parting Advice

73. Persist. Don't give up learning in the face of intimdating tasks. Anything one human being can learn, most others can as well. Wasn't it Einstein that said, "Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration"? Thomas Edison said it, too.
74. Defy the experts. Dyslexia, in a nutshell, is the affliction of mentally jumbling letters and digits, causing difficulties in reading, writing and thus learning. Sometimes spoken words or numbers get mixed up as well. In the past, "experts" declared dyslexic children stupid. Later, they said they were incapable of learning. This author has interacted with and taught dyslexic teens. It's possible. Helen Keller had no experience of sight, sound, or speech, and yet she learned. Conclusion: There is more than one way to learn; never believe you cannot.
75. Challenge yourself. People are often more intelligent than they realize. In a world that compartmentalizes and categorizes everything, not everyone is sure where they fit in. And genius can be found in many walks of life. If you honestly suspect that there's more to you than has been "allowed" to be let out, try an IQ test such as the one offered by MENSA. It's unlike the standardized IQ tests given in many schools. You know the kind — the ones which traumatize many young students into thinking they are stupid, simply because the tests don't really assess all student's knowledge and learning ability. And the ability to learn is far, far more important than what you already know.
76. Party before an exam. Well, don't go that far. The key is to relax. The worse thing to do is cram the night before an exam. If you don't already know a subject by then, cramming isn't going to help. If you have studied, simply review the topic, then go do something pleasant (no more studying). Doing so tells your brain that you are prepared and that you will be able to recall anything that you have already learned. On the other hand, if you didn't spend the semester learning the ideas you need, you might as well go party anyways because cramming at the last minute isn't going to help much at that point.
77. Don't worry; learn happy. Have a real passion for learning and want to share that? Join a group such as the Joyful Jubilant Learning community [via LifeHack].

Sources For This Article

This is only a partial list of sources, focusing only on Web sites. Many of the ideas presented above come from long years of experience, with information gleaned from dozens of books and tapes on learning and, more recently, Web sites. The Web sites below either present original articles related to the ideas above, or summaries of ideas with links to other Web sites. In the latter case, such Web sites have likely been linked above. Book sources have either been long forgotten or mentioned above.

• Headrush.
• Lifehack.
• 43Folders.
• Active learning for the college classroom.
• Steve Pavlina.

Confidence in a Box

Kylie from Tilda Virtual Services tagged me and now I have to write about confidence. Okay, I get to write about confidence not have to. Thanks Kylie!

Confidence can be a fleeting state of mind, at least for me. Some people seem to have confidence at all times. Others seem to have none. Mine comes and goes depending on the situation, my mood, my hormones, etc.

I admire people with high self confidence.

I find the older I get the more confidence I have. I guess life experience does that to a person.

Being a business owner it is important to have high self confidence. I know for myself if I am going to hire people who are confident. If I am looking for an accountant, a doctor or a lawyer, I don’t want someone that says, “I think I can help you with that”. I want someone who says, “Yes! I can do that for you!”

I like confident people... but I don't have a lot of patience for know-it-alls. You know the type, they act like they know everything and always have to one-up you in all conversations. That is not confidence. That is just plan annoying.

Think about that next time you are trying to land a client… when they ask you if you can do something that you know how to do, how are you going to answer them?

As Kylie did… I am passing the confidence box along to some seasoned bloggers and some new kids on the block. I tag Jennifer from Atypical VA, Patty from Time is of the Escents, Yamisi from In Touch VA, Anita from Above and Beyond Administration, Pam from Delaney Imaging and Jodi from Vanguard Business and Outsourcing Solutions.

How closely do you look at your bills each month?

Do you open each bill and look at it in detail before paying it?

If not, you might want to.

I am very meticulous with my bills. I enter everything in Quicken and know exactly how much I owe each month and always pay my bills on time. One thing I’ve noticed that keeps happening is there are often charges on my bills that should not be there. When I say often, I mean just about every month some company has slipped in a fee or overcharged me for something and I’m guessing I am not the only one this happens to. But I’m also guessing those of you that are in debt don’t like to look at your bills so you may not even be aware of all the extra charges being piled on to your debt.

For instance, yesterday I was paying my phone bill. It is one of those all in one types… cell phones, land phone, long distance service, and internet are all on one bill. This means my bill is about 15 pages long and incredibly hard to decipher and I am always tempted to just pay the bill and not look through all the pages. But it seemed high so I decided to start combing through it. About a year ago, looking through the same bill I found an extra $9.95 charge on one of the cell phones. That charge was occurring every month! Turns out some 3^rd party ring tone company had slipped the charge in. I don’t even shop for ring tones!

When I called my company a year ago… they told me they could block the future charges but could not do anything about the previous ones. They said I had to contact that company directly to get a refund for those charges. Well that company was nowhere to be found. After much research seems they are some company in Italy that doesn’t respond to emails, calls, etc. I am not the only one having this problem.

Mysterious Cell Phone Charges

Anyway, I decided to just eat the charges that I had accrued because it was too much hassle but was happy that they weren’t occurring any more. Then last month I noticed they were back on my bill! I called the phone company again, they apologized, offered to give me a courtesy credit and to block that company again! Guess what? This months phone bill had the charge again and the courtesy credit had not been given to me. Now I owed them $30. Once again, I called my phone company and the charges have been waived…

Another thing that happened was I mailed my credit card payment a few days before it was due and it seemed to arrive to the company a day after the due date. My next bill had over $100 in charges and I don’t even have an outstanding balance on my credit card. That was late fees and interest on the balance that was paid a day late! I managed to get those fees waived too!

A few months back my medical insurance sent me a bill saying I was past due a month and started sending me threatening notes insisting I owed them money. I had to get the canceled check from the bank to prove it to them. That was almost $300.

I could go on and on. Extra bank charges, random credit card fees, double billing, etc… At least once a month there is some charge given to me that shouldn’t be. Calling those 800 numbers is a pain but if I added up all the charges of the last year that I would have paid had I not been paying attention I’m guessing it would be over $1000.00.

Tip: If you are in debt you will be amazed at how much a simple phone call can help you. Call those 800 numbers on your credit card statements and explain to them that you want to get out of debt. Ask them if they can help you by waiving the interest charge or removing some of those finance charges. More often then not they are willing to knock a big chunk of money off of your debt. A friendly phone call goes a long way.

Watch those bills closely and pick up the phone when you need to!

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Are you in debt? Could you use some help simplifying your life? Contact Coach Sally today!

Boundaries are a Necessity

Running a Successful Business from your Home

Setting Boundaries when you work from home is probably the most important thing you can do for your business, your family and yourself.

Do any of these descriptions sound like you? If they do it is probably time for you to set some boundaries:

• Workaholics: never get off the computer and loved ones feel neglected and begin to resent their business

• Doormats: family, friends, neighbors and others needs are always coming first and our business ends up getting pushed to the back burner… which means the income stops flowing and once again our loved ones feel neglected because we are not providing the financial support we are capable of providing, we get bitter towards our family and begin to resent them because we have no time to focus on our business. When we say yes to being the president of the board or heading the auction at our child’s school what are we saying no to? Free time with our families, time to work on our business, what else?

• Online Addicts: we become addicted to forums, chat rooms, blogs, emails, IM, online networking and volunteering, we don’t know when to say no. We think we have to do this to build our business, we feel guilty being away from our computer, afraid we might miss something, keep volunteering, chatting, posting hoping it will turn into business… what it really turns into is all of our time being eaten away, no billable hours to show and a resentful family and quite possibly a feeling of isolation. I’m not saying that any of this is bad, but there has to be limits… if you are spending 8 or more hours a day doing this and seeing no income or getting behind on client work, feeling overworked and stressed and know that your family is resentful, you may have a problem.

Before we can begin to set boundaries that are going to be of any success we first need to figure out our priorities in life.

Steps You Must Take to Run a Successful Business from Your Home

1. Know your goals and see where you want your business to be today and in the future

Knowing what you want is necessary before you can begin to set boundaries and limits. Do you know where you want your business to be in 1 month? 1 year? 5 years from now? How much money will you be making? How many hours a week will you be working? How much flexibility do you want in your schedule? What services do you offer? If you don’t know the answer to these questions…then before you do anything else you need to stop right now and take the time to figure it out. Sit down and brainstorm, write the story of your dream business. After you write your story, go back and read it and think about what steps you need to take to get to that point.

2. Figure out what your boundaries and limits are

Now that you know what you want and what you need to do to get it, you need to determine your boundaries. How are others going to respect your boundaries if you don’t even know what they are?

For instance, if you can’t get anything done because your kids or significant other’s needs always come first… you need to set some boundaries with them. This goes both ways, if you are neglecting your loved ones and spending all of your time on your computer you need to set some boundaries with your clients, colleagues and yourself about when work time is and when it is not.

Do you have office hours set so your clients know when it is okay to call and when it is not? Do you have certain times set aside when it is your time to work so your kids know not to interrupt you during that time (unless of course it is an emergency)?

3. Let everyone know your boundaries – communication is key!
• Be prepared to repeat your new rules frequently to your kids, your significant other and your clients. They have all been used to the old you… it will take them some time to respect and understand the new you. Be patient and be firm.
• Visualize a big line that you draw so you know when someone is stepping over it
• Make a schedule
• Make a plan
• Create financial boundaries/limits
• Be consistent

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Sally Kuhlman, owner of Virtual Simplicity, a.k.a. Coach Sally works with business owners mentoring them to set boundaries, take risks and bring their businesses to new levels of success. She is currently co-authoring a book with Yvonne Weld on Managing Your Business and Your Time to Maintain a Thriving Business©.

Are you blogging?

Day of the Long Tail...

VA Talk Show

Have you heard the news?

There is a new talk show starting!

Tawnya Sutherland, the founder of VANA has come up with another great idea: www.vatalkshow.com

Starting in April, the Virtual Assistant Network Association (VANA) will be sponsoring a new talk show just for Virtual Assistants.

You Can Stop ‘‘Normal’’ Aging

I found this article very inspiring. I hope you do too!
You Can Stop ‘‘Normal’’ Aging

By Dr. Henry S. Lodge

Published: March 18, 2007

From your body’s point of view, “normal” aging isn’t normal at all. It’s a choice you make by the way you live your life. The other choice is to tell your cells to grow—to build a strong, vibrant body and mind.

Let’s have a look at standard American aging. Barbara D. had a baby when she was 34, gave up exercise and gained 50 pounds. Exhausted and depressed, Barbara thought youth, energy and optimism were all in her rearview mirror. Jon M., 55, had fallen even farther down the slippery slope. He was stuck in the corporate world of stress, long hours and doughnuts. At 255 pounds, he had knees that hurt and a back that ached. He developed high blood pressure and eventually diabetes. Life was looking grim.

Jon and Barbara weren’t getting old; they had let their bodies decay. Most aging is just the dry rot we program into our cells by sedentary living, junk food and stress. Yes, we do have to get old, and ultimately we do have to die. But our bodies are designed to age slowly and remarkably well. Most of what we see and fear is decay, and decay is only one choice. Growth is the other.

After two years of misery, Barbara started exercising and is now in the best shape of her life. She just finished a sprint triathlon and, at 37, feels like she is 20. Jon started eating better and exercising too—slowly at first, but he stuck with it. He has since lost 50 pounds, the pain in his knees and back has disappeared, and his diabetes is gone. Today, Jon is 60 and living his life in the body of a healthy 30-year-old. He will die one day, but he is likely to live like a young man until he gets there.

The hard reality of our biology is that we are built to move. Exercise is the master signaling system that tells our cells to grow instead of fade. When we exercise, that process of growth spreads throughout every cell in our bodies, making us functionally younger. Not a little bit younger—a lot younger. True biological aging is a surprisingly slow and graceful process. You can live out your life in a powerful, healthy body if you are willing to put in the work.

Let’s take a step back to see how exercise works at the cellular level. Your body is made up of trillions of cells that live mostly for a few weeks or months, die and are replaced by new cells in an endless cycle. For example, your taste buds live only a few hours, white blood cells live 10 days, and your muscle cells live about three months. Even your bones dissolve and are replaced, over and over again. A few key stem cells in each organ and your brain cells are the only ones that stick around for the duration. All of your other cells are in a constant state of renewal.

You replace about 1% of your cells every day. That means 1% of your body is brand-new today, and you will get another 1% tomorrow. Think of it as getting a whole new body every three months. It’s not entirely accurate, but it’s pretty close. Viewed that way, you are walking around in a body that is brand-new since Christmas—new lungs, new liver, new muscles, new skin. Look down at your legs and realize that you are going to have new ones by the Fourth of July. Whether that body is functionally younger or older is a choice you make by how you live.

You choose whether those new cells come in stronger or weaker. You choose whether they grow or decay each day from then on. Your cells don’t care which choice you make. They just follow the directions you send. Exercise, and your cells get stronger; sit down, and they decay.

This whole system evolved over billions of years out in nature, where all animals face two great cellular challenges: The first is to grow strong, fast and fit in the spring, when food abounds and there are calories to fuel hungry muscles, bones and brains. The second is to decay as fast as possible in the winter, when calories disappear and surviving starvation is the key to life. You would think that food is the controlling signal for this, but it’s not. Motion controls your system.

Though we’ve moved indoors and left that life behind, our cells still think we’re living out on the savannah, struggling to stay alive each day. There are no microwaves or supermarkets in nature. If you want to eat, you have to hunt or forage every single day. That movement is a signal that it’s time to grow. So, when you exercise, your muscles release specific substances that travel throughout your bloodstream, telling your cells to grow. Sedentary muscles, on the other hand, let out a steady trickle of chemicals that whisper to every cell to decay, day after day after day.

Men like Jon, who go from sedentary to fit, cut their risk of dying from a heart attack by 75% over five years. Women cut their risk by 80%—and heart attacks are the largest single killer of women. Both men and women can double their leg strength with three months of exercise, and most of us can double it again in another three months. This is true whether you’re in your 30s or your 90s. It’s not a miracle or a mystery. It’s your biology, and you’re in charge.

The other master signal to our cells—equal and, in some respects, even more important than exercise—is emotion. One of the most fascinating revelations of the last decade is that emotions change our cells through the same molecular pathways as exercise. Anger, stress and loneliness are signals for “starvation” and chronic danger. They “melt” our bodies as surely as sedentary living. Optimism, love and community trigger the process of growth, building our bodies, hearts and minds.

Men who have a heart attack and come home to a family are four times less likely to die of a second heart attack. Women battling heart disease or cancer do better in direct proportion to the number of close friends and relatives they have. Babies in the ICU who are touched more often are more likely to survive. Everywhere you look, you see the role of emotion in our biology. Like exercise, it’s a choice.

It’s hard to exercise every day. And with our busy lives, it’s even harder to find the time and energy to maintain relationships and build communities. But it’s worth it when you consider the alternative. Go for a walk or a run, and think about it. Deep in our cells, down at the level of molecular genetics, we are wired to exercise and to care. We’re beginning to wake up to that as a nation, but you might not want to wait. You might want to join Barbara, Jon and millions of others and change your life. Start today. Your cells are listening.


Dr. Henry S. Lodge is on the faculty of Columbia Medical School and is co-author of “Younger Next Year” (Workman).


Need help getting motivated to exercise? Coach Sally can help you!

Have you ever thought about hiring a coach?

I found this article about coaching. It explains the benefits you could get from working with a coach. I am currently offering a Spring Special for anyone interested in trying out coaching. Click here for more details about my Spring Special that lasts through April 30th, 2007.

What is Coaching and is It for Me?
By Elaine Hamilton

Coaching Creates lasting change. A Coach helps you to focus on what you want in life, helps you to plan, and finally put into action events that will get you there. A Coach provides the sounding board, the support, and the extra motivation to keep you on track. Most importantly, a Coach is always on your side.

Changes usually fail because we lack persistence; it’s too easy to fall back on old habits and the way we've always done things. For change to last, you need to break the old habit and replace it with a new and healthier one. A Coach provides the encouragement you need to keep persisting.

When we change, all those around us have to change too - and this can be hard for others to support. When we are trying to break out of old molds, sometimes those we love most try to hold us back - not because they don't love us, but because most people fear change. A coach is an objective yet supportive partner in your efforts to change, especially when you need to create a supportive environment beyond your friends and family.

WHO CAN A COACH HELP?

Anyone who is willing to apply themselves, and wanting to grow. My most successful clients are willing to be 100% honest about themselves, and willing to dig deep. They are usually very courageous, and take action.

Coaching only works when you are motivated to try new ways of thinking, and are open to feeling ‘uncomfortable’ as new habits are formed. People who respond best to coaching are self-aware, enjoy personal growth, and willing to be honest with themselves.

WHY COACHING WORKS

It’s a Partnership not a Crutch!
A coach supports you, yet is independent. The relationship is equal, and respectful. Its not counseling or psychotherapy, the focus is always on what you want to achieve

There are Frequent Meetings and Structure.
Goals and direction are set and weekly reviews are made. It is very motivating, and amazing progress is made! Having accountability means that new habits are much easier to form and keep.

Focus is Holistic.
The aim is to strengthen all areas of your life and not just focus on the issue at hand. Life is much easier, and clearer, when in balance.

Better Goals are Set.
You set the goals you truly want, and are ready for. Higher goals are set because of the support and affirmation you get from the coach.

The work is Deep and Meaningful.
A coach helps you get to the source of what's happening, instead of working on the surface symptoms. Coaches help you uncover the true issues at work.

You take Effective Action.
The focus is on awareness and action to create the life you want more quickly vs. being 'busy'. Actions are chosen because they will have a profound impact on your goals, not just to have a hefty ‘to do’ list.

The Law of Attraction is Applied.
When you feel good about yourself, you begin to attract good things into your life, as opposed to chasing it or trying hard to get it. This is when you are in the 'flow'.

HOW DOES A COACHING SESSION WORK?

A typical coaching session takes place face to face, or via telephone. Sessions are usually 45min to an hour. Conversations might centre around; What’s working and what’s not. Things you are currently stretching for and issues you would like to resolve. Any actions you are currently taking and actions you feel inspired to take in the future. Any barriers you feel resistance to and ways to overcome them.

Every session is focused on finding ways forward, not looking backwards.

Most Coaches offer free introductory sessions so that both Coach and "Coachee" can see if there is a good fit. When you talk to a Coach, have some goals prepared and see what sort of questions the Coach asks you, and whether you have a good 'gut feel' about how the session went. Its good to shop around and talk to several Coaches...I always do!

Elaine Hamilton, Life Coach and Reiki Master Teacher, has been teaching and speaking internationally since 1995 helping thousands of people through her workshops and personal consultations.

Elaine is founder of http://www.Wahara.com, the first global community of specialist Coaches blogging and sharing their expertise online. Visit Wahara and download the incredible free etips ‘Key Success Factors – the top contributors to success’ including tips and secrets from our specialist Coaches. Find out what our expert Coaches tell their clients all in one great Esource!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elaine_Hamilton

What Should You Be Saying When Others Ask "What Do You Do?"
By Yvonne Weld

Small talk is society’s way of cutting the silence, of filling the empty void that makes many of us nervous. When faced with a situation involving just us and a stranger or someone that we are not well acquainted with, it is our innate reaction to talk about the weather or news events as opposed to feeling comfortable sitting in silence. How many times a day are you asked, “So what do you do?” If you are like most, your answer is usually confined to a simple professional answer, “I am a self-employed ___________”. In most cases this is the end of the conversation or you then ask “and you?” But let’s face it, do we really care and did the person asking the initiating question care? The next time you are faced with this question, take the time to find an answer that makes them care and create enough interest to keep the conversation flowing.

As a small business owner it is important to talk to anyone and everyone about your business because let’s face it, anyone could be a potential client and the person asking could know of potential clients. When answering the question “What do you do?” I am not talking about starting an hour long conversation where you get into the meat and potatoes of your job and start relaying a grocery list of your skills and capabilities. Rather I am talking about giving them something to be interested in talking about and something to make them spread the word about you. When looking for that interesting factor, think back to when you first started your business. What excited you and drew you to start this business? What makes you stand out from the crowd and makes others excited to hear about your business?

Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Provide a hook or a reason for potential clients to remember you and your business. Paint a picture for the person that is asking. Imagine a person selling a cloth that provides a streak free shine every time. They explain to the person that they no longer have to lug bottles of glass cleaner and paper towels, but simply dampen the cloth and rub and the cloth does the rest. I guarantee the next time that person is lugging glass cleaner and paper towels they will think about that cloth.

2. Give them a reason to ask more. Imagine the questions when you hear of a person who just opened a massage therapy business that utilizes water but the patient never gets wet. What part of your business is most likely to make people ask questions?

3. What makes you stand out from others like you? I am a virtual assistant who provides bookkeeping services. I also provide administrative support and many people choose to work with me because they only want to deal with one person to assist them as opposed to both a bookkeeper and an administrative assistant.

4. Ask a question that will provoke an emotion. This will enable the person to think of you every time that emotion is felt. For example, ask “have you ever felt overwhelmed by the unorganization present in your home? I am a personal organizer who not only organizes things for you, but also provides you with tools and resources to improve your own organizational skills.” The next time someone is feeling overwhelmed and is in a state of chaos I am sure they will think of you.

Always, always, always keep in mind that although the person you are talking about might not be your target client, you can never be sure what fifty people they know. Truly talking about your business can make the difference in truly creating a thriving business.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Yvonne Weld is the author of The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Thriving Business and is the owner of ABLE Virtual Assistant Services. For more information about The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Thriving Business and how you can protect your business from unexpected absences due to injury, sickness or even death, visit the Web site at www.thrivingbusinessmanual.com

Yvonne Weld is the owner of Canadian based ABLE Virtual Assistant Services and the author of "The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Thriving Business". For more information visit http://www.thrivingbusinessmanual.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yvonne_Weld

How to stay organized?

It’s all about planning, planning, planning (and then actually doing!).

While working in the corporate world I had the fortune of being sent to Franklin-Covey training seminars to learn their system on getting organized. Here are a few of the things I took home:

Planning saves time! Take 15 minutes everyday to plan your day and you will be amazed how much more productive you are.

I have customized the Franklin-Covey system so it works for me. You can integrate this method in whatever way works best for you. The system I use has daily task lists. I suggest getting some kind of system where you can list tasks by day… use outlook, a paper planner or a spiral notebook.

Are there a million things floating around in your head that you know you have to do but don’t know where to start? Here is where to start: write down or type every single personal and business thing you need to do today, tomorrow, next week, next month, etc. on one sheet of paper. This is your master task list.

Go through your master task list and see what must be done today. Put every task that must be done today or that you would like to get done today on a new sheet of paper with today’s date on it, now cross out those tasks from the master task list. Take today’s task list and prioritize it. Every task that HAS to be done today should be labeled with an A, tasks that would be really nice to get done today should be labeled with a B, and tasks that could be done today but don’t really have to be are labeled with a C. Now go through all the A tasks and prioritize those. A1, A2, A3… and get to work!

Start with A1 and be completely focused on it. Before moving to A2 finish A1 and check it off. Keep doing this throughout the day. When you reach the end of the day review your list and give yourself a pat on the back for all those tasks you completed. If there are any that did not get finished… that is okay. Move them to tomorrow’s task page and start over again tomorrow morning.

Once a week I write up my big master task list and then take time to divide it up for the whole week. Ultimately, I avoid doing any last minute rushed work because I plan ahead. If a project is due on Friday, it will be listed on Tuesday’s task list.

No to-do list or calendar system will work if you don’t look at it and use it every day. Remember to plan, plan, plan but also remember to take action!

This article originally appeared in the VANetworking newsletter on 2/10/07.

Sally Kuhlman provides customized one-on-one and small group trainings and consultations teaching businesses and entrepreneurs how to be more successful with their social media efforts. Visit www.SallyAroundTheBay.com for info.

Landing Clients... It's All in the Bait.

A couple months ago, I told my husband I was going to revamp my business by defining a niche and a target market. My niche is writing. My target market – well, at the time, it was anyone or anything that needed writing or editing services. “Don’t you think you’ll be limiting yourself by concentrating JUST on writing?” he asked me with obvious concern. “No, not at all” I quickly responded. He looked at me puzzled. My husband loves stories so I knew a fishing analogy would help him see the light.

“You know how when we go fishing you use a lure and I use worms?” I asked him. “Yes,” he replied still visibly confused. “Well, what do I catch and what do you catch?” I asked with some sarcasm. “You catch a lot more fish than I do that’s for sure – but mine are bigger!” he said with a level of confidence reserved only for things he is passionate about – fishing being one of them. I knew he understood immediately. A fisherman always does – perhaps it’s all that time they have to contemplate the meaning of life as they wait for “the big one” to strike. Make no mistake about it – if you want to land a big one, you need the right bait. My husband understood the analogy right away because he knows when I fish with worms I catch all kinds of different fish, but most of them are small and I use a lot of bait.

I’ve always loved fishing with worms and even raised night crawlers when I was a teenager. I never really saw the merits of using a lure and certainly never thought a fish would be interested in a flashy piece of metal. When I fish, I carefully position my worm around the hook and cast everywhere that looks inviting and weed free. Then I sit and wait. The first few nibbles always excite me and I usually try and set the hook too soon. More times than not, the worm and hook are too big for the fish so I can’t catch the fish but I keep the worm for several casts. Sometimes however, when I cast out, the worm breaks free and lops off a few feet from where my hook hits the water and I get aggravated! So I normally spend the day feeding all the little fish in the lake.

Meanwhile, my husband is carefully choosing lures and trying different casting techniques in his quest to catch a fish. When I ask him why he keeps changing lures, why he doesn’t just stick with one and be done with it, he tells me that his choice of lure is dependent upon many factors. “Really” I wonder to myself – although he apparently sees the question in my eyes and feels the need to explain. Apparently the water clarity, time of day, depth, water temperature, type of water, and type of fish desired (among other things) determine the size, color, shape and texture of the appropriate lure. Wow, that seems like so much work! I thought fishing was supposed to be relaxing. Once he finally chooses a lure, he casts out and reels in and casts out and reels in and casts out and reels in. Good grief, I just throw my worm out and wait. Not him, he tries this spot and that spot until suddenly, bam, he hooks into a big ole bass. Then the excitement begins as he really wants to land the fish. It’s usually a big one – enough to feed both of us and make a tasty dinner. It’s hard work and it takes some time, but he almost always lands the fish. Content and proud, my husband displays the fish for the required “look at the monster I caught” photo and then cleans it. More often than not, I am very happy because if we had to eat the fish I caught, we would be cleaning fish for quite a while.

Defining a target market is like fishing with a lure. As a business owner, you increase your chances of successfully landing clients by careful defining your target market. How old are they? Where do they shop? How much money do they make? Where do they live? What are their hobbies? Where do they work? If you spend some time gathering this information, you’ll know where to cast your line and how to choose the most effective “lure” to attract the customers you desire.

You are not limiting yourself or your business by defining a target market; in reality, you are attracting a world of new and exciting possibilities.

Laurie Dart, owner of Writing Wisely, is the author of the Everyday Guide to Writing Wisely. She provides writing and editing services to entrepreneurs and small business owners. Visit http://www.writingwisely.com for info.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laurie_Dart

How to Make Money Writing and Selling e-Books

Writing and selling e-Books are a great way to generate passive income and establish yourself as an expert in your field. You may be thinking that you can’t write an e-Book for one reason or another or that the process of writing and selling is just too overwhelming. While it’s true it is a big undertaking, it is not impossible.

Many successful infopreneurs generate a great deal of passive income selling information online. The most obvious advantage of being an infopreneur is the low overhead and high earning potential. Once you’ve written an e-Book, tele-seminar, e-course or other information product, it can be sold over and over again. It is even better than selling a traditional book because you do not have to print anything and you don’t have to jump through publisher hoops. The costs to produce a piece of information are the same whether you are selling to one person or to millions.

To make it manageable, break the process into steps. The writing portion can be broken down as follows: choosing your topic; doing the research; writing the content; editing and proofreading; finishing touches; and finally publishing preferences. When you’re thinking about choosing your topic, think about things you’re very familiar with, passionate about or experienced with. Make sure your research is current and credible. A visit to your local library can help you verify facts and check statements. Editing and proofreading are critical. It’s difficult to develop any form of credibility if your content is littered with typographic errors. Once you’ve finished your book, explore different self-publishing options. An Internet search will reveal a myriad of choices.

After you’ve chosen your method of publication and you’re getting ready to sell, some of the things you’ll need to consider include: copyright, acknowledgements, bios, a cover, how the book is formatted, testimonials, bonuses you’ll offer, sales copy, payment processors, autoresponders, domain names, hosting, affiliate programs, audio messages and a Web site. Include a copyright statement as well as a statement about transferring e-Books – basically that it’s not allowed. Also include your acknowledgements. Thank everyone who helped you to write your book or gave you the required space and time to do it. It’s important to acknowledge family and friends especially when they provide much needed support and encouragement. You’ll need to include a bio and decide on a cover. Gather testimonials from people you respect who are prominent in the field you’ve written in. Create some bonuses to include with your e-Book. These can be checklists or coupons or special reports. Finally, create the sales copy for your Web site and set up your affiliate programs.

You’re almost ready to go. Next, you’ll need to create a marketing plan to promote your e-Book. Include such things as: signature lines, business cards, a blog, newsletters, article writing, product or service give-a-ways, press releases, affiliate contests, free classifieds, tele-classes, free samples, pay-per-click advertising, product or service donations, and e-Bay. You’ll also want to address how you plan to keep in contact with your customers after they’ve purchased your product or service. Take every opportunity you can to promote your e-Book. The more exposure you gain, the higher you’ll rank in the search engines.

The Internet has changed the way people look for and acquire information. For many the Internet is an overwhelming network of unimaginable volumes of information difficult to navigate and lacking in credibility. Infopreneurs wade through the myriad of information available on the Internet weeding out erroneous or outdated information and consolidating and presenting current accurate information in easily accessible and understandable forms.

Laurie Dart, owner of Writing Wisely, author of The Everyday Guide to Writing Wisely and co-author of The Everyday Guide to Writing and Marketing Your e-Book Wisely provides writing and editing services to entrepreneurs and small business owners. To learn how to write your own e-Book, visit: http://www.penandpublishebooks.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laurie_Dart

Another eBook... BUT this one is different!

This one tells you how to write and market your own eBook. How cool is that?

If you have been pondering the idea of writing an eBook or like the idea of earning some passive income then this book is for you.

The Everyday Guide to Writing and Marketing Your eBook Wisely
By: Heather Jacobson & Laurie Dart