Get Out Of Your House and Make Some Friends

One challenge for people who run a home-based business can be isolation. Sometimes home business professionals can end up becoming hermits. Even if you are not a hermit, chances are a major part of your business relies on referrals or some other form of networking.

In this great post, Jon Morrow, talks about how to avoid being a "home business hermit".

Enjoy:
http://successfromthenest.com/content/home-based-hermit/
Danny

Differentiate or Persih

One of the keys in any business is the ability to create a differential advantage. A differential advantage is the thing or mix of things that cause customers to choose you over your competitors. It must be something that shows how different you are from everyone else. Having a differential advantage is vital in business and is becoming more important in the age of the web were customers can search between hundreds of customers very quickly.

Jonathan Fields has a great post about how important it is to be different, and gives some great ideas. If you can't answer the question, "How is my business different from anyone else?" then you need to read this article:

http://freelanceswitch.com/finding/differentiate-or-die-marketing%e2%80%99s-magic-bullet/

Danny

SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM SPAM

One key for any entrepreneur today is to avoid Spamming. Spam is most frequently referred to as unwanted and unrequested emails, however the name can really go much deeper. Spam can be emails, but it can also be phone calls. It is important to build permission assets instead of using anything that might be considered spam.

Seth Godin has a great post about how even companies like Dell and The Better Business Bureau are engaging in spam practices. Practices that can only hurt their reputation.

Here is the link:

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2007/11/spam-they-still.html

Danny

Cheap Audio Books By Download

One of the very best ways to continue to improve and develop is to listen to audio books and trainings. You can listen in your car, while you exercise, or even as you are doing basic work around the house.

Today with digital technology, music and even audio books can be downloaded very easily. For audio books that can often mean a substantial price reduction. One company that you can use for purchasing audio books at a good price is called Audible. I haven't been using them long, but I am impressed with what I have found.

One of the neatest things is the ability for authors to have their own partner page, where they can feature their books and recommend others. Seth Godin's page is excellent. Not only are his books excellent but he recommends some important books as well.

You can check out Audible and Seth's page here:

http://www.audible.com/adbl/site/template/ext/landing.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&pac=Seth+Godin

What are your favorite audio programs?

Danny

Advice on Free Marketing

What is the best thing you could do to grow your website, blog, or business, if you had 2 hours a day but no money? Recently a number of top bloggers were asked how they would market their site for free if they had 2 hours a day. The resulting comments were very insightful.

You can read the article here:

http://jonathanfields.com/blog/top-bloggers-reveal-how-to-build-traffic-off-blog-without-spending-a-dime/

Danny

Zig Ziglar for Motivation

One of the most inspiring and motivating speakers is Zig Ziglar. Zig's web site is a great resource of materials. There are free podcasts and you can also access hundreds of hours of audio and video training. These trainings are part of the "Ziglar Vault", which does have a small monthly fee - however there is one month free available.

Check out the site at:

http://www.zigziglar.com/personal_development.php

Danny

Using Your Home As A Tax Deduction

One of the big advantages of having a home business is the ability to use a portion of your home expenses as a tax deductible write off. This is a great benefit. Unfortunately many people do it incorrectly.

Here is a great article from CNN about how to correctly write off your home as a tax deduction:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/worklife/10/12/home.office.taxes/index.html

Blessings,
Danny

Work With The End in Mind

Here is a great post by John Jantsch from the Duct Tape Marketing Blog about having a clear picture for what your business will be like when it is done.

I think it brings up two interesting points. First of all, having a clear picture of the outcome of your business is valuable - it will help you work harder and smarter. It will give you a deeper motivation and help you work in the proper direction.

Secondly, it means that your business should have an end goal - that doesn't mean you have to stop working your business - but if you know your end goal you can work towards it AND be happy when you get there. Too often one goal is replaced by the next and by the next and no one is ever satisfied with the work they have done. While you should always have goals in life you also need to be content and satisfied when you achieve the goal you are working towards.

This is a tough balance to achieve - having goals to propel you forward, and being content and able to celebrate goals that are achieved. Any thoughts?

You can read the article here:
http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2007/10/03/whats-the-picture-of-your-business-when-its-done/

Danny

Gratitude

Are you thankful? If you are thankful, do you live like it?

Today we are often victims of two forces that push us towards unhappiness and living a life without gratitude.

#1 - Always striving for more - Now setting goals and working towards more is not a problem - in fact it can be very healthy - however, many people do so at the expense of forgetting all of the great things they have today. Is your goal to grow your business so you can experience more with your family? If so, then remember to appreciate the times you are able to spend with your family now.

#2- Taking things for granted - We also often take many things for granted. If we would stop and think through how much we already have we will be filled with gratitude and be more happy.

Taking the time to be grateful leads to happiness.

Here is a great post about the topic:
http://noimpactman.typepad.com/blog/2007/09/living-in-grati.html/

Danny

Characteristics of an Effective Leader

Here is a great article about having the characteristics of an effective leader. Do you have these characteristics?

http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/do-you-have-the-characteristics-of-an-effective-leader/

I especially like the quote from Dwight D. Eisenhower


Blessings,
Danny

The Cost Of Your Commute

One of the biggest benefits for having your own business relates to the cost your commute takes on you. Many of the costs you do not even realize. Tim Ferris has a great post today on determining the cost of your commute. He emphasizes the ability to work from anywhere at any time. I love my home business because I can move and it moves with me, and because I can travel and still keep things moving.

Here is the article:
http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/

Danny

Simplifying Your Online Life

It is easy to let your internet control you. Instead of being a valuable tool for productivity and connectivity, the internet can zap your time, and overload you with information and activity. The internet may be controlling you if your inbox is filled with more than a hundred messages, or if you have so many sites that you need to check each day that you lose an hour of your day before you are done.

I've been there. Fortunately, I've been working to simplify my internet usage. Here is a great post to help you do just that.

http://webworkerdaily.com/2007/08/01/how-to-simplify-your-online-life/

Danny

Chasing Time Not Money

Tim Ferriss, author of "The Four Hour Work Week" (which I'm currently about 1/2 way through), has a great post on his blog today about the problems with chasing after the American Dream through the corporate world - you end up with money but no time. I really like his focus on the currency of time.

One of the things I love about network marketing home businesses are that many of them can create true TIME FREEDOM - through passive or residual income. Consider the time freedom you can earn through passive income as you read this article:

http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/09/04/new-research-and-a-dirty-truth-read-this-before-chasing-the-dollar/

Danny

What is Web 2.0?

Seth Godin, the marketing expert, appears in this short interview (6 minutes), about how Web 2.0 is changing marketing. I think this is a great video for people in a home business to watch. It is amazing to see the parallels between the way Web 2.0 works and the way that networking home businesses work. It also gives a number of tips that will be helpful to think through as you work to grow your business.

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2007/09/talking-about-w.html

Danny

Do What You're Paid For

Too many of us spend a lot of time doing things that don't bring the value we are worth. In life, we spend time doing things we think we half to do - not because we want to, or like doing them. What we don't often think about is the fact that we could likely pay someone to do the "things we half to do", and use that time to make far more than what we are paying out.

The Duct Tape Marketing Blog has a great post on that:
http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2007/08/14/are-you-worth-more-than-you%e2%80%99re-making/

Another side of this is in our business when we get stuck doing busy work. This might be things like paperwork, sorting information, filing etc.. You don't get paid your for these things. You get paid for setting appointments, sharing your business and products with other people, and leading your team. Do the things you get paid for. Other things should either be skipped (if not important), passed on (to someone who can do them also), or hired out (to an assistant - even a virtual assistant). This will give you more time to focus on what you get paid for.

Now if you enjoy doing some of the "busy work" activities then by all means continue to do them, however don't call that business time and effort. Call that your fun time.

Danny

Send Out More Cards

I want to get better at sending out cards. Today it is so easy to send out emails and e-cards that they have lost a little bit of their value. At the same time, the value of perceived value of receiving physical mail has increased. Sending out birthday cards, post cards, and other cards can be a valuable way to increase your exposure and the favorable attitude towards you and your business. Think of how nice it is to get a real birthday card in the mail when everyone else is sending you e-cards or Facebook messages. As such, I'm going to work on sending out more cards, and you should as well.

Here is a great post with some helpful hints about creating an easy to use system for mailing more cards:

http://unclutterer.com/archives/2007/08/birthday_cards_and_reminder_sy.php

Danny

Make Three Daily Business Commitments

Probably one of the absolute keys to building your home business (once you have found a good company), is to be consistent in your daily activity. Consistent growth will always outlast quick spurts followed by complete stops. You need to be doing activity each day to grow your business.

The first thing I ask every team member to do is to commit to 15 minutes a day of professional development related to their business. This should be reading the company magazine or listening to an audio training. This is vital to keep your head in the game - to keep you focused on developing yourself and your business.

After that I recommend making three daily business building activities. These should be three things that you will commit to do each day - no matter what - that will create growth in your business.

For this list you can include things like the number of approach calls you will make every day; the number of follow up calls to your teammates; the amount of time you will spend on online marketing etc. etc. In other words choose things that will create growth - and then do those three things every day.

It works best if you put down things that will help you create momentum for your day; things that you may not want to do at first, but once you get going you don't have a problem. For me, one of these things is phoning prospects. It is always easier not to do it, however not much grows your business like finding a new business partner. As such I commit to making at least 5 dials each day. Normally I make many more than that, but by making the first 5 I create personal momentum and activity.

Tony Robbins teaches that your body always wants to stay in the "state" that it is in. This is why your comfort zone is so powerful. By getting started on an activity, like dialing the phone to call potential customers, you get in a new "state". You get in the "state" of action and start creating results.

So choose three activities that will create growth in your business. These activities should all relate to the critical activities need to grow your business, and doing them should lead to further growth for your business.

Danny Gamache
(Professor, Coach, Entrepreneur)

Great Videos to Help You

One of the keys to any home business is to be continually involved in personal growth and professional development. Personally, I commit to at least 15 minutes a day of professional development related to my business.

Here is a great site that has links to a number of great videos to help you grow.

http://www.squidoo.com/videosthatchange/

Danny

The Marketing Potential of NEW MEDIA

New forms of communication are taking over the internet!

The primary examples of this include social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook, and update sites like Twitter. Through these sights people provide a lot of information about what is going on in their lives. Marketers are just starting to get a grasp of how powerful these sites will become for marketing.

This article from FAST COMPANY will give some thoughts:
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/118/the-next-email.html

The article, however, does not talk about specifically about home businesses. I think that home businesses, and direct marketing in particular, can benefit from these sites. While I have some thoughts, what I really want to do is start a discussion about how you are using these sites to build your business? Please add a comment and share your perspective.

Danny

Creating Your Own Personal YouTube

Our attitudes and belief systems have a huge effect on anybody building a home business. We need to keep focused on our goals, and be positive as we move towards reaching them. We need to believe in our company, our business and most importantly ourselves. The last one is where most people fall off as it is easy to get discouraged and not believe in your own abilities.

Tony Clark has an excellent for suggestion for helping with this. He suggests we take positive successful moments from our past and develop clear images of them in our mind. These then become the mental images we can play to reconnect with who we are and remind ourselves of our ability to be successful.

You can read his post here: http://successfromthenest.com/content/eternal-playlist-of-the-successful-mind/

I've really been enjoying his blog and I would recommend adding it as an RSS feed or checking his site from time to time. The posts have been insightful and inspiring.

Danny

Business Cards

If you have your own business from home you need business cards. Unfortunately, too often I run into business owners who do not have business cards or only have home made business cards from their printer. This will not be sufficient. You need to have professional business cards that demonstrate your creativity and your leadership.

Seth Godin has a good post today about effective business cards. You can check it out here: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2007/08/business-card-m.html

Take action today and get some good professional business cards. Keep them on you at all times and be prepared to share them well. It will help your business.

Danny

Mark Twain's Marketing

With the growth of blogging and social networking sites the idea of "self promotion" has been talked about frequently lately. It is the idea of making your name your "brand". Getting the word out there about who you are and what you can do - becoming an expert at something. At times this seems like it might be a new phenomenon, however it certainly is not. It goes back to before Mark Twain. In fact, you may not know that Mark Twain used self promotion very effectively early in his writing career.

Here is a great article from Fast Company about how Mark Twain did it!

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/117/column-final-word.html

Danny

Build Your Home Business With Stories

One of the most important skills for you if you are building a network marketing home business is the ability to tell stories. Stories will help you in all areas of your business. If you tell effective stories about your experience in your company you will attract more people to enroll. If you tell effective stories about your products, you will have more customers who will be more loyal. If you tell effective stories about how you build your business you will have better duplication. If you tell good motivational and inspirational stories you will be a better motivator. So become a great story teller.

Here is an article from Tony Clark that might be useful to you:

http://successfromthenest.com

Have a great day!

Danny

Don't Count Your Chickens

In some home businesses, people are told to "fake it to you make it", or to live as if they are already successful. This can have a very negative effect, and has been a major reason for giving network marketing businesses a bad name. It is important that we teach people to be wise in how they spend their money, to not spend what they don't have, and to not spend like they are successful when they still have a ways to go.

While not directly related to network marketing or MLM, this article gives a clear example of how people can get into a lot of trouble by spending money they don't have.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/2007-08-13-briny-breezes_N.htm

Danny

Personal MBA

Hi everyone,

I came across this sight today, and I'm planning on digging deeper over the next while, but I wanted to let you know about it. It's called the Personal MBA, or PMBA. It is basically an online reading list along with an accompanying message forum. It looks like a great place to learn more, read great books, and discuss them with others.

Business Week wrote an article about it, and you can read that HERE.

You can also go directly to the site and read more about it HERE. The site is free although they do offer coaching and consulting for a fee.

Danny

Work/ Family Balance for your Home Business

I was exploring blogs today and I came across a wonderful post about creating a balance between your home business and your family. This is one of the greatest challenges for people who work from home. Too often you can neglect your work and spend all of your time with your family, or you can neglect your family and spend all of your time doing your work. Neither option is ideal. Further your family needs to know when you can be interrupted and when you can't.

Here is the link for the full article: http://successfromthenest.com/content/balancing-work-and-family-as-a-home-based-entrepreneur/#comment-12929


Danny

Getting Referrals For Your Home Business

One great way to build your network marketing business is to get referrals. There are many sources of referrals, including your own customers, and prospects who turn you down. It is also valuable to develop a network of business owners in your area. As you get to know business owners (a local accountant, gym owner, painter etc..) you develop a group who can truly share prospects together. The more you refer people to their business, the more they will refer people to you.

Here is a great post from Duct Tape Marketing about the value of the network.

Danny

Photos From China

Hi everyone,

Darla and I returned last night from our 6 weeks in China. We were leading a great group of students as they taught English as a second language to students in China. It was a great time.

Here are four sets of photos. I hope you enjoy them:

Beijing

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=41674&l=98e6e&id=826085649

Changbai Mountain

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=41679&l=2548d&id=826085649

3 Borders

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=41682&l=49de7&id=826085649

In and around Yanji

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=41686&l=d6fbb&id=826085649

Danny

Photos From Our Recent Trip to Turkey

Hi everyone,

Darla and I just got back from Turkey. We had a great time exploring ancient cities, visiting Istanbul, and spending time with Darla's brother and his family. You can check out a selection of our photos at:

Photos


Tomorrow we leave for nearly 6 weeks in China. We are leading the TESOL internship class, which is 8 students who will be teaching English. Please pray for safety, good health, and that God will use our team.

Danny?

Powerful Video on Teamwork.

Wow, check out this video on teamwork. Make sure you watch until the end.

Top 5 Things to Look For In a Home Business

Hi everyone,

Often people ask me about home businesses. Usually these people are just wanting confirmation on a decision they've already made, however some are really looking for a good home business. If you are looking for a home business, here are the top things to look for.

#5 - Low initial start-up investment - Most home businesses do have a start up fee - in fact for it to be a business there is going to be some investment (otherwise it is likely a job). These start up fees do not have to be high. You can find many good home businesses that require less than $500. Even better look for a business where you can get started for between $100 - $300.

#4 - No inventory - Watch out for home businesses that require you to purchase inventories. In these businesses you're often a distributor and you will need to sell those inventories to friends, neighbors and others. Certainly some home business companies have become successful by running these sorts of business, however many people are left hurt along the way. Many distributors buy big inventories and are never able to sell them. With technology today there is no need for anyone to stock inventory.

#3 - Strong Management - Unfortunately many home businesses start each year under inexperienced management. Often these are people who were top distributors with one company, and decided to start their own company and recruit distributors themselves. Generally these people are successful at marketing, networking and sales, however few of them have any success in management. Look for a company to work with that is run by people with Fortune 500 management experience. These people know what it takes to grow a business, to manage a workforce, facilitate product manufacturing etc. If you are looking for a business that will last, find a company run by these sorts of people.

#2 - No Risk - Look for a business without risk. You should find a business where everything you spend to get started with the company comes with a solid money-back guarantee. Look for 60-90 days to try out the products and the company and be sure you can get your money back after that time.

#1 - At Least 10 Years Old - Very few home business companies last five years, and out of those companies many more do not make it to ten years old. There is nothing magical about the ten year mark, however most companies that make it ten years will continue to survive for sometime. Anytime you hear about a "Ground Floor Opportunity" you should run. This is a sure danger sign. Many companies today are trying to get around this by partnering (or purchasing) a shell company that has been around for a number of years. That way, instead of admitting that they are a new company, they will claim that they are a 10 year old company. In reality, only the shell company has existed for 10 years, and they are very new at running as a home business opportunity. These companies have just as much risk as any new company. Look for a company that has been involved in the home business industry for a full ten years or more.


Hopefully these tips help. Feel free to share other tips that you have found useful.

Danny Gamache

The Power of Perspective

This is from a speech given by David Foster Wallace as the 2005 Kenyon Commencement Address - May 21, 2005.

The full speech can (and should!) be read at:
http://www.marginalia.org/dfw_kenyon_commencement.html

"The plain fact is that you graduating seniors do not yet have any clue what "day in day out" really means. There happen to be whole, large parts of adult American life that nobody talks about in commencement speeches. One such part involves boredom, routine, and petty frustration. The parents and older folks here will know all too well what I'm talking about.

By way of example, let's say it's an average adult day, and you get up in the morning, go to your challenging, white-collar, college-graduate job, and you work hard for eight or ten hours, and at the end of the day you're tired and somewhat stressed and all you want is to go home and have a good supper and maybe unwind for an hour, and then hit the sack early because, of course, you have to get up the next day and do it all again. But then you remember there's no food at home. You haven't had time to shop this week because of your challenging job, and so now after work you have to get in your car and drive to the supermarket. It's the end of the work day and the traffic is apt to be: very bad. So getting to the store takes way longer than it should, and when you finally get there, the supermarket is very crowded, because of course it's the time of day when all the other people with jobs also try to squeeze in some grocery shopping. And the store is hideously lit and infused with soul-killing muzak or corporate pop and it's pretty much the last place you want to be but you can't just get in and quickly out; you have to wander all over the huge, over-lit store's confusing aisles to find the stuff you want and you have to maneuver your junky cart through all these other tired, hurried people with carts (et cetera, et cetera, cutting stuff out because this is a long ceremony) and eventually you get all your supper supplies, except now it turns out there aren't enough check-out lanes open even though it's the end-of-the-day rush. So the checkout line is incredibly long, which is stupid and infuriating. But you can't take your frustration out on the frantic lady working the register, who is overworked at a job whose daily tedium and meaninglessness surpasses the imagination of any of us here at a prestigious college.

But anyway, you finally get to the checkout line's front, and you pay for your food, and you get told to "Have a nice day" in a voice that is the absolute voice of death. Then you have to take your creepy, flimsy, plastic bags of groceries in your cart with the one crazy wheel that pulls maddeningly to the left, all the way out through the crowded, bumpy, littery parking lot, and then you have to drive all the way home through slow, heavy, SUV-intensive, rush-hour traffic, et cetera et cetera.

Everyone here has done this, of course. But it hasn't yet been part of you graduates' actual life routine, day after week after month after year.

But it will be. And many more dreary, annoying, seemingly meaningless routines besides. But that is not the point. The point is that petty, frustrating crap like this is exactly where the work of choosing is gonna come in. Because the traffic jams and crowded aisles and long checkout lines give me time to think, and if I don't make a conscious decision about how to think and what to pay attention to, I'm gonna be pissed and miserable every time I have to shop. Because my natural default setting is the certainty that situations like this are really all about me. About MY hungriness and MY fatigue and MY desire to just get home, and it's going to seem for all the world like everybody else is just in my way. And who are all these people in my way? And look at how repulsive most of them are, and how stupid and cow-like and dead-eyed and nonhuman they seem in the checkout line, or at how annoying and rude it is that people are talking loudly on cell phones in the middle of the line. And look at how deeply and personally unfair this is.

Or, of course, if I'm in a more socially conscious liberal arts form of my default setting, I can spend time in the end-of-the-day traffic being disgusted about all the huge, stupid, lane-blocking SUV's and Hummers and V-12 pickup trucks, burning their wasteful, selfish, forty-gallon tanks of gas, and I can dwell on the fact that the patriotic or religious bumper-stickers always seem to be on the biggest, most disgustingly selfish vehicles, driven by the ugliest [responding here to loud applause] (this is an example of how NOT to think, though) most disgustingly selfish vehicles, driven by the ugliest, most inconsiderate and aggressive drivers. And I can think about how our children's children will despise us for wasting all the future's fuel, and probably screwing up the climate, and how spoiled and stupid and selfish and disgusting we all are, and how modern consumer society just sucks, and so forth and so on.

You get the idea.

If I choose to think this way in a store and on the freeway, fine. Lots of us do. Except thinking this way tends to be so easy and automatic that it doesn't have to be a choice. It is my natural default setting. It's the automatic way that I experience the boring, frustrating, crowded parts of adult life when I'm operating on the automatic, unconscious belief that I am the center of the world, and that my immediate needs and feelings are what should determine the world's priorities.

The thing is that, of course, there are totally different ways to think about these kinds of situations. In this traffic, all these vehicles stopped and idling in my way, it's not impossible that some of these people in SUV's have been in horrible auto accidents in the past, and now find driving so terrifying that their therapist has all but ordered them to get a huge, heavy SUV so they can feel safe enough to drive. Or that the Hummer that just cut me off is maybe being driven by a father whose little child is hurt or sick in the seat next to him, and he's trying to get this kid to the hospital, and he's in a bigger, more legitimate hurry than I am: it is actually I who am in HIS way.

Or I can choose to force myself to consider the likelihood that everyone else in the supermarket's checkout line is just as bored and frustrated as I am, and that some of these people probably have harder, more tedious and painful lives than I do.

Again, please don't think that I'm giving you moral advice, or that I'm saying you are supposed to think this way, or that anyone expects you to just automatically do it. Because it's hard. It takes will and effort, and if you are like me, some days you won't be able to do it, or you just flat out won't want to.

But most days, if you're aware enough to give yourself a choice, you can choose to look differently at this fat, dead-eyed, over-made-up lady who just screamed at her kid in the checkout line. Maybe she's not usually like this. Maybe she's been up three straight nights holding the hand of a husband who is dying of bone cancer. Or maybe this very lady is the low-wage clerk at the motor vehicle department, who just yesterday helped your spouse resolve a horrific, infuriating, red-tape problem through some small act of bureaucratic kindness. Of course, none of this is likely, but it's also not impossible. It just depends what you what to consider. If you're automatically sure that you know what reality is, and you are operating on your default setting, then you, like me, probably won't consider possibilities that aren't annoying and miserable. But if you really learn how to pay attention, then you will know there are other options. It will actually be within your power to experience a crowded, hot, slow, consumer-hell type situation as not only meaningful, but sacred, on fire with the same force that made the stars: love, fellowship, the mystical oneness of all things deep down."

Not that that mystical stuff is necessarily true. The only thing that's capital-T True is that you get to decide how you're gonna try to see it."

Danny

Great Resource

I want to recommend a wonderful resource for those of you in a networking home business. The site is http://www.greatestnetworker.com/ and it is a site for John Milton Fogg, author of "The Greatest Networker in the World". On the site you can listen to a sample training call, and you can read, or listen to the book "The Greatest Networker in the World". I strongly recommend checking this out.

Danny

MySpace & Facebook

Hi everyone,

Now you can find me on both MySpace & Facebook. It has been fun using both of these systems. I think they are important for the new face of business. I prefer Facebook, but come find me on both!

Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=826085649

MySpace
http://www.myspace.com/dannygamache

Danny

The Reason for the Exile

Ever think about why God sent Israel into exile? Probably the most popular answer to that question would be their idoltry, and certainly God was not happy with that. However, when you look at what the God says through Prophets in warning before the exile (read Amos 5:11-17) to start with).

Also, look what God says through Zechariah about the reason for the exile. It all has to do with justice for the poor and the oppressed.

Zechariah 7:9-14
"This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. in your hearts do not think evil of each other.'

But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and stopped up their ears. They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through earlier prophets. So the Lord Almighty was very angry.

When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,' says the Lord Almighty. 'I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations, where they were strangers."

How do we live our lives today? Do we take care of the poor, the orphans, and the needy? Obviously this is a priority to God, and so it should be a priority in how we live our lives.

Danny

Quitting

Read this great post from Seth Godin on his new blog.

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/the_dip/2007/04/the_seven_reaso.html

Powerful.
Danny

Have You Read Jonah Lately?

Have you read the book of Jonah lately?

What a powerful little story. I would encourage you to read it again if you haven't read it for sometime, it only takes a few minutes.

While there are some amazing messages about repentance in this book, what struck me as I read it this week were the lessons on attitude. Jonah is a great example a bad attitude.

First of all, he does not have an attitude of love. His attitude is very selfish. He doesn't go to Nineveh because he doesn't want them to receive God's forgiveness (Jonah 4:2-3). He is very selfish. This is the opposite of that attitude that Christ calls us to live in. An attitude of self-sacrifice and love (Philippians 2).

Secondly, Jonah is very stubborn. First of all Jonah, stubbornly runs from God. Then, after getting swallowed by the giant fish it appears that he takes three days before he is willing to pray to God (Jonah 1:17-2:1).

Finally we see that Jonah's attitude is shaped by circumstances. In Chapter 4 we see that Jonah starts off discontent, angry at God. After a God provides a vine, Jonah is happy (4:6). The next day God takes away the vine, and his attitude slinks back into a negative attitude (4:8).

Our attitude has significant influence over the way we live our lives. It has an impact over our relationship with other people, and above all our relationship with God. Let us all live an attitude filled with love and sacrifice. Don't let circumstances control your attitude.

Danny

Seth's Blog

I really recommend checking out Seth Godin's Blog on a regular basis. It contains many insightful comments on marketing, customer service, and just plain interesting thoughts.

In particular, check out recent posts on "Where Do You Park?" and "Time Machines".

Danny

Christian Networker's Perspective - Story of Technical Problems

So, our newsletter is finally back out today. Unfortunately to a smaller subscriber base after the technical difficulties we've been having. That is why it has been so long since we have had an issue.

This fall I was getting ready to send out an issue, when I discovered that without any warning the autoresponder broadcast system I was using (Pro Autoresponder) had shut down. They simply went out of business, and I was left with no way to get my newsletter out.

I thought it would be fairly simple to switch over to a new company. I new it would be a pain, but it ended up being more difficult than I thought. I switched over to a new company, only to find upon testing that it would not work for my needs. It would not send out the broadcasts of the newsletter the way I wanted it to, and further it had a very hard to use control panel.

I eventually found another autoresponder system that has worked. Unfortunately it means that all of the subscribers have had to reconfirm their subscription. As such, we have only a small fraction of the original subscriber base. Hopefully many will confirm their subscription still.

Anyways, it took a few weeks of testing to be able to configure the newsletter for the new autoresponder. Even then we have been having problems with the HTML version. As such, this first issue back is in text only. Hopefully our next issue will work smoothly in HTML. Thank you for being subscribers.

If you are reading this blog and you are not a subscriber of our free newsletter, "A Christian Networker's Perspective", I would encourage you to email me to subscribe. Send me an email at danny@secondincometeam.com and ask to subscribe.

Blessings,
Danny

MySPACE

Hi everyone,

With the huge growth of the MYSPACE world, I decided (rather late I know) to join the crowd.

Anyways, check out our MYSPACE site at
http://www.myspace.com/dannygamache

Enjoy!
Danny

Poor Customer Service

It's amazing how some companies are terrible at customer service. I had an awful experience this week with AOL Canada.

I used to have an account with AOL Canada and I cancelled it several months ago. I used it for the bring-your-own access service. In December I got a letter from AOL introducing their "now for free" program where the bring-your-own service is now free.

I reconnected to AOL assuming that my existing software would allow me to use this new free service. Unfortunately I didn't read all of the complex material and learn that to get it for free I had to have a different software. I didn't realize until the I got my credit card bill that I was being charge. By that time, I had two separate charges for two months of connection.

I phoned AOL Canada and expected a simple call to get a refund for the whopping $22 that I spent. A simple refund, would have kept me happy and I wouldn't be telling the world through this blog about how bad they have treated me. They absolutely refused, in fact (laughingly) denying any ability to give a refund.

This is an example, of how not to treat your customers.

Danny

The Power of Personal Momentum

Have you ever had an assignment that you had a hard time getting started on? Or perhaps you have tried to get started on a something new in your life, like adding a workout to your schedule, and found you easily got off track? What you are experiencing are ways that the power of momentum can help you get started.

I have had a project that I have needed to do for the last couple of weeks and I have had the hardest time getting it done. It sure is easy to procrastinate. The problem was that I had no momentum. Personal momentum is like a train. The most energy is used is in getting the train started. Once the train is started it is very difficult to slow the train down. However, if you stop the train, you once again have to work hard to get it started again.

For my project this weekend, all it really took to get momentum was to get started. I committed a half hour to getting started, and by the end of that half hour I had momentum. That momentum carried me through the rest of the work on the project over the next couple of days. All told I spent about 7 hours on this project. The hardest was the first few minutes - the process of getting started.

I also noticed the effect of momentum in my personal exercise program. I have been attending a 6:30 AM fitness class on Monday, Wednesday and Friday this semester. Last week I had a bad cold and missed Wednesday and Friday's workouts. I really noticed it when I thought about getting up and going to the workout this morning. It is much harder to restart than it is to continue. Thankfully I did drag myself out of bed and started the process of once again creating momentum.

Use this power to get you moving towards success in your business. It is easy to procrastinate, but commit yourself to a course of action and get started. Once you get going, don't stop. Momentum can easily get away from you.

Danny

Do SuperBowl Ads Work?

Here is a great post by Seth Godin.
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2007/02/understanding_t.html
Danny

Look Like You're Not Trying

Here is an excellent post by Seth Godin.

I think this is especially valuable for people in a home business. In particular, take a look at his critique of Multi-Level Marketing in the section "Too Much Effort". This is important. It is often the case where people in their own home business try too hard, thus offending many. The way to build a successful home business (for the long run), is to tell authentic stories.

Make sure you read the post.

Danny

Quote to Ponder

I'm reading a book called, "On Earth as it is in Advertising?" by Sam Van Eman. Within the book he quotes Frederick Buechner on the idea of a calling. Buechner writes,

"The kind of work God usually calls you to do is the kind of work (a) that you need most to do and (b) that the world most needs to have done. If you really get a kick out of your work, you've presumably met requirement (a), but ifyour work is writing TV deoderant commercials, the chances are you've missed requirement (b). On the other hand, if your work is being a doctor in a leper colony, you have probably met requirement (b), but if most of the time you are bored and depressed by it, the chances are you have not only by passed (a) but probably aren't helping your patients much either.... The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet."

Danny

The Success of American Idol

American Idol continues to amaze me. Yes I enjoy the show, but I am always impressed by, and curious about how successful the show has been. In the start of their sixth season the show is breaking records with over 30 million people in the US watching each episode. Almost every TV show that has early success drops in viewers as the years go by and people get either tired of the show, too familiar with it, or excited about new shows. Not so with American Idol. So what is different - what has made the show so successful. Here are some thoughts:

1. American Idol only runs one season each year. You watch a full season of American Idol from January until May and then it is over. They don't try running two season during the year, like Survivor, or The Amazing Race. They also don't interrupt the season for a long Christmas break, or for reruns. They capture an audience right at the start and keep them until the show is over. In your business, this might relate to how you run special promotions. Create a short-term promotion that creates a sense of urgency for your customers or business partners. Don't be too repetitive. Create excitement for a focused period of time, and you can create momentum.

2. They let the audience have a role in the show. American Idol is truly the most audience focused show today. After the judges choose the top 24, the entire set of decisions is made by the audience. Fans have a vested interest, being able to cheer and support their favorites. They are able to vote and vote and vote some more. By allowing people to vote as much as anyone can in the two hour time period creates more passion in fans as the invest in supporting for their favorites. How can you get your customers more involved in what is happening? With the Internet and conference calls and message forums there are many ways of allow your customers to share their feelings, give advice and connect more with your product or service.

3. American Idol appeals to the whole family. While some may argue that the in the early episodes each season the judges comments need some filtering, for the most part the show is suitable for all ages. From children to seniors, everyone can enjoy watching American Idol. American Idol has filled a void that hasn't existed for some time - a show the family can truly gather together to watch. For your business, know who your target market is. Appeal to that group and allow that group to bring others to your business.

4. Good promotion. The American Idol team does a great job promoting their show. All of the judges, plus Ryan Seacrest the host, and even past winners have been all over the television circuit over the past few weeks significant excitement about the show. How can you do better at promoting your business? Are their more ways for you to get your name out? Look for ways to create massive promotion for your business.

Yes, I enjoy watching American Idol. The success of the show has been amazing to watch. I look forward to finding someone to cheer for as the current season evolves.

Danny

Curiosity, Excitement, and Urgency

These are the three most important things to keep in mind when making approaches for your home business. Whenever you are talking to a prospect, if you can create curiosity, show excitement, and establish a sense of urgency, you will be more than likely to set up the appointment.

The first of these is curiosity. Curiosity is what will get your prospect to show up at your appointment to hear what you have to say. There is one clear way to ruin the curiosity - that is to answer questions. Instead create curiosity and do not satisfy it. Get the prospect asking questions and then deflect the answers. Ensure your prospect that you'll answer all of their questions during the presentation, and then deflect the answers. Remember you are not hiding anything here, you just know that your prospect needs to hear everything at once.

The second is to show excitement. This comes in the tone of your voice and the way that you talk. You'll want to add a couple of notches to your voice. The person you are talking to will hear that you are excited and that will add credibility to what you are doing. Be sure to smile as that will also make a significant difference.

Lastly, you need to create a sense of urgency. I think this might actually be the most important of the three. To do this, there are a number of tips you can incorporate. First of all make sure you are trying to set the appointment for a time as soon as possible. You could say, "which is better... today or tomorrow?" In other words don't set appointments for a long time ahead, that doesn't show urgency.

If you can add curiosity, excitement, and urgency you will in crease the number of appointments you will book.

Danny

Wealth & Poverty

"One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth." Proverbs 13:7

I read this Proverb this morning in my quiet time and was struck by how important this is in so many ways. This is especially true in home business world where some businesses have a "fake it, till you make it mentality". Some companies actually tell you to look and act successful before you are. While this may be important on the attitude front it is foolishness when you treat your purchases this way. You should not be buying cars you can't afford, homes you can't afford etc.

So how come the man who pretends to be rich has nothing? In today's world it is very common, people who look rich own nothing. These people spend money they don't, run up credit card bills, and try to look good on the outside. These "rich" are more concerned about looking good and keeping up with the Jonses'. In the end, there is very little about their net worth that is actually rich.

The people who "pretend to be poor" stand for people today who are not worried about outwards appearance. They live below their means, saving and avoiding consumer debts. They don't spend what they don't have, they make saving and giving a priority and have no concern about how they compare to others. These are the people who are truly wealthy today.

Which will you be?

Danny

The Pursuit of Happyness

We went to see the movie "The Pursuit of Happyness" starring Will Smith. It is based on a true story of a down-and-out medical supplies salesman who decides to pursue his dream of becoming a stock broker. The movie is a very touching and inspiring movie.

The story traces the life of Chris Garnder and shows how he fights for his dream, the ability to have a good life for him and his son. A life filled with "happyness". What is most inspiring is the depiction of the perseverance and focus that Chris pursues his goals. It seems like he must work against every possible obstacle.

This is a great movie to watch if you want to be inspired. You'll be inspired to fight for your dreams, pursue your WHY, and do everything possible to grow your business. I strongly recommend this movie for every home business professional.

Danny

What Marketing is all About

This post from Seth Godin is one of the best descriptions of what is truly needed in marketing today: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2007/01/electable_vs_ma.html

How does this apply to your home business? Ask yourself, who is the 1% you are really trying to be remarkable to. Don't try appealing to everyone. Focus on the 1% and make yourself remarkable in that area. You will offend people. You will have people say "NO", probably often. However you will bring more passionate people onto your team. You will create excitement and energy, and loyalty. You will have a passionate and loyal following who will spread the word about your business.

Danny
PS. If you haven't read Seth Godin's book, "Purple Cow", I strongly recommend it.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone!

I wish everyone an exciting, and prosperous New Year. I hope you will all use this time of year to think about your mission in life, and set goals for the next year. Set goals that are specific, measurable, and realistic. Write your goals down, and post them everywhere. Then get started. Don't wait for long to get started. Time moves quickly, and you need to get started on your goals right away.

Danny