Blogs that are just filled with a bunch of text can be really boring to read.

Make your blog posts more engaging with images that relate to what you’re writing about!

There are a couple of places to get images that you can use for your blog posts and newsletters.

1. Take your own pictures – This is the cheapest and easiest way to get photos to use for your work. The down side is that you have to have a subject that relates to what you’re writing about.
2. Buy Royalty Free stock photos – These are what you’d purchase from big stock photo sites such as istockphoto.com or www.dreamstime.com The benefit of these types of sites are that you can find very high quality images for almost any topic you’re writing about.
3. Use Free stock photos – You can find a ton of Creative Commons licensed images online that you can use freely for your posts. Most times you just need to link back to the artist’s website or link where you “borrowed” the image from. Some sites that have a pretty good selection are: www.sxc.hu, www.freedigitalphotos.net & even Flikr.com (Just be sure you use the advance search feature and select the Creative Commons license button to find work you can share.) This can be a very inexpensive way to get images, however the selection is much more limited.

So there you have it. Easy ways to make your posts more engaging with images.

Just remember it’s not right to “borrow’” any images you find on other people’s websites or in Google. Most of those images are copyrighted to the individual or others whom they’ve purchased rights to use the images. Just as you wouldn’t want people stealing your photos or work, please be extend the same respect to them.

 Your “To Do” item for the week If you have some posts that don’t already contain images, go to some of the sites listed above and download some to add to your posts.

The next time you write, take about 5 min to find the perfect image to accompany your post.

We all struggle with it.

Some of us more than others.

We find every distraction under the sun to keep us from working on something that needs to be done. Waiting up until the absolute last possible moment.

If you’re like me, you can do some of your best work under pressure, but do you really want to deal with the stress of cutting it too close to a deadline?

Here are 3 suggestions to help you push past procrastination and get your projects done (or at least started!)

1. Set a timer and work on your project for at least 30 min. When the timer goes off, take a little break, even if you’re not done.

Giving yourself a break acts as a little reward for getting something accomplished.

You may even notice that you’ll get into a flow and want to continue to work past the bell of the timer. If you’re in the groove, go with it!

2. Give yourself a reward for finishing the project.

Grab a snack, take an hour off to read your favorite book, if it’s a big project, take the rest of the day off or celebrate with lunch out.

(I’m going to have one of my Godiva Key Lime Truffles when I’m done writing/sending this newsletter. )

3. Close off all distractions such as email or social media sites and get it started first thing in the morning before you do anything else.

As Brian Tracy says “Eat your frog first thing, and it will be the worst thing you have to do all day.” (Meaning, take care of your biggest/most none enjoyable task first thing and the rest of your day will go so much smoother.)

Your “To Do” item for the week Pick one of the suggestions above to try the next time you’re struggling with starting on a tough project.

One of my favorite books on this subject is “Do The Work” by Steven Pressfield. I highly recommend reading it if you struggle with procrastination on a regular basis like me.

Share in the comments below: Do you continually miss deadlines? What have you done to help you push through procrastination? Share your thoughts below. :-)

I’ve talked to a lot of people recently about what it takes to create a successful online presence and I’d like to outline several key points here for you.

Your Website – The hub of your online presence

Having a client attractive website that builds the know, like and trust factor with your prospects and clients is one of the major parts of your online presence.

You’ll be driving traffic back to it to provide more information about your services, capture the prospect’s information with an irresistible free offer, and provide informative content for them that helps them with their problems.

Your Ideal Client/Niche Market

Knowing who your ideal clients are or the specific niche market you service is essential to knowing where to find them and marketing effectively right where they hang out.

A Core Marketing Message

Having a clear marketing message that is consistent across all the platforms you market in is very important. You don’t want to be seen as someone who does X on one site and Y on another site. All your branding should be the same from your logo, colors, pictures, core message (what you do and what you teach)

A Plan for Consistency

Having your marketing plan sketched out as to what content you’ll be creating, what marketing channels you’re using, how often you’ll create content and what programs/products you’ll be offering will help you stay consistent and will also free up time wondering what you should be doing, when & where.

Your “To Do” item for the week Take a look at your business to see if there are any spots that are missing in what I’ve laid out above. If you are lacking in any of the areas, create a plan to start making changes. For starters, take a quick look at the social media sites you use. Are the pictures, colors, message the same for all of them? If not, make them all consistent so if people are seeing you on multiple sites, they’ll know you’re the same person.

Share in the comments below: What areas are you struggling with? Do you have a marketing plan in place to keep you consistent? Share your thoughts below. :-)

I go into much more detail in a teleclass I did last month. If you’re interested in getting a copy of the recording, you may do so by clicking the image below.

Just like you, I can spend hours getting lost in Facebook (or Facebook land as my husband calls it). I’ll check in to see what’s going on and 2 hours later, I’ve found I’ve gotten nothing accomplished.

Here are 3 quick & easy steps to get you back on track and not getting lost down the rabbit hole that is Facebook! I’ve done this and my time on Facebook is much more productive!

1. Set a timer

Yes, you need to set a timer as time looses all meaning once you enter the Facebook realm.

You’ll find you can easily accomplish managing your Facebook Page within 10 minutes, 15 tops.

Spend time reading through you personal feed on your lunch break or after your major work projects are finished for the day.

2. Schedule about 4-5 posts to “go live” at random times through out the day.

These can be either quotes, inspiring images you’d like to share, posts from your blog, or optin offers. Switch them up each day so the same type of content isn’t going out at the exact same time each day.

For example, you don’t want blog posts to show up on your feed every day at 2pm. That gets predictable and some people are on at different times of the day so you want to make sure they are seeing randomized content, not the same thing every time they logon.

To schedule your posts, just click on the little icon under your status update and select the time you’d like it to “go live”.

3. Respond back to comments or messages

Make sure you respond when people take the time to comment on your updates or to send you messages. This makes them feel like you are listening to them and opens up the door to conversations.

Your “To Do” item for the week  Find 3-4 bits of content you’d like to share tomorrow and schedule it on your page. I’ve found that the hours of 9am, 12pm, 3pm & 6pm work well as they cover the timezone ranges very well. Don’t schedule them right on the hour. Try random times such as 9:40, 12:20, 3:30 or 6:50.

If you have extra time, sprinkle in random live posts/updates throughout the day as well. Just be mindful of your time. (I do this from my iPod, as I’m much less likely to get sucked in. I just pop on, post, pop off. )

Share in the comments: Do you struggle with getting sucked into spending way too much time on social media? What ways have you found to limit your time there? Share your thoughts below. :-)

Do you currently have an emergency backup plan set up for your business?

What would you do if catastrophe struck your area?

Things to do to prepare:

Make sure you have backups - Make backups of all your computer and client files. Back up your computer to an external hard drive or to an offsite/remote backup server. Paper files should be backed up as well if you live in flood areas where your files could potentially be damaged.

Update your voicemail/email vacation responses - Let people know if they might not be able to contact you for a while and you’ll respond when you are able to do so. That way they’ll know you’re not simply ignoring them.

Update your scheduling calendars - If you use any online scheduling tools, make sure you adjust for the dates you won’t be available. It is disappointing to have someone schedule a call with you when you won’t be able to connect with them.

Have someone else available to take over - If you/your business is going to be closed/unavailable for an extended period of time, would you be able to hire someone to help you out during that time so your clients will be well cared for? If so, make sure you plan ahead and hire some one before you’ll need them to handle things.

Create a operations handbook - If someone else is going to need to take over your business for a period of time, it is helpful to have a checklist or operations manual so they know what needs to be done and things can be handled the same as if you were doing it yourself. (This comes in handy if you are training someone new to help you in your business too!)

So some of these things take some time to get set up ahead of time, but others only take a few minutes to set up and it is very considerate to your customers/clients.

Your “To Do” item for the week Go through the list and if there are items that you don’t have in place yet, like backups and the operation handbook, set up time in your schedule to start mapping that out or purchasing a backup drive to backup your computer.

Share in the comments below: Have you had emergencies in your business that you were unprepared for? How did that effect your business? Are there other things you should prepare for in case of emergency, please share them! Share your thoughts. :-)

Your work environment and productivity go hand in hand.

If you were to have someone from a magazine come in and take pictures of your workspace, what would be your initial thought?

Would you cringe and make excuses or would you welcome them in with open arms?

If you have a very cluttered environment, chances are, when you sit down to do your work, you feel stressed, overwhelmed and you can’t focus on what needs to be done to move your business ahead.

On the flip side, if you have a lovely clean workspace, you’ll feel relaxed, focusedand get through your day with general ease.

The photo above shows my two desk areas as they generally are 90% of the time. (When I’m working, I usually have 2-3 folders/binders/notebooks out depending on what I’m working on.)

Trust me, it has not always been like this!

For many years, I had papers and pile covering both desks and the tables in the surrounding areas.

I’d end up spending at least an hour each morning just figuring out what I needed to work on and trying to find where the folders/papers were. It was a mess!

When I realized the energy of my environment greatly impacts my personal energy, I made great effort to keep piles/clutter at bay.

The only files on my desk now are the ones I’m currently working with and they are organized nice/neatly.

(I’m getting better at keeping the rest of the house as clean as my desks.)

Your “To Do” item for the week If your workspace is out of control, start by keeping at least your desk or table cleared of all clutter. Even if you don’t have time to file things right away, clear everything off your space and put it in a box or bin. Only keep out the one thing you’re working on at a time. When you’re done, put it away.

When you return to your workspace again, you’ll feel much calmer and have focus to get the tasks accomplished efficiently.

If you have a shared workspace (such as your desk is your kitchen table…) still take the time to clear everything off of it except the one thing you need to work on and your computer.

You’ll be amazed at how good it feels!

Share in the comments below: Have you found it difficult to keep you workspace cleared? Are you the complete opposite and need to have a messy environment to be creative? Share your thoughts. :-)

One of the biggest struggles I see small, service-based business owners worry about is how much should they charge.

Many sources I’ve read about, with regards to setting prices, have elaborate formulations that you can use to calculate how much your expenses are, how many hours you want/or are able to work, how much profit do you want to make, etc. Or cost + overhead + a marginal profit= how much you should charge.

If you’re lucky, it will amount to number that you could probably live off of. On the other hand, you might be surprised that the number is too high and you’re afraid of charging that much for your services.

My guess is that many of you are charging too little for the services you provide.

If you are worried about charging too much for your services, are you looking at what you do as a commodity?

If all you’re worried about is what people will think of your prices, then they’ll view you as a commodity – where everything is based on price.

I’d like to challenge you to look at this differently.

Look at your service as how it improves the life/business of your client. Does what you do save them time, save them money or improve their lives/business?

What price do you think they would put on that? Start looking at what you offer as far as results for the client and base your pricing on that.

Price your services based on the results and value that you provide and you’ll move yourself out of the commodity market and into the value-based pricing model that will net you more money, higher value clients and a business that you’ll love!

Your “To Do” item for the week Look at the past clients you’ve helped. Are you able to quantify an increase in profits, saved time or other benefits that you can put a value on? Re structure your fees accordingly.

If you feel uncomfortable with charging current clients these new fees, start with any new clients you take on and then slowly move your clients into these new packages/pricing as they have new work for you.

Share in the comments below: Do you feel that you’re stuck with your prices because you think your clients won’t work with you at higher rates? Have you had success raising your fees? Share your thoughts. :-)

I want to get to know you!

When was the last time you read through your “About Me” page on your web site?

Do you even have an about me page?

In today’s market, people are craving contact with other people. Sure, you may have more than just you working in your business and are promoting that on your web site, however, people do business with people and they want to get to know the real you!

Your about page should give them a little peek inside your life/personality and why you do what you do.

Make it engaging and let the real you shine through.

Many people struggle with this so here are some suggestions for making your “About Me” page shine.

Post “an interview with” type questionnaire - Explain a little about who you are, why you started your business, who you work with, how people can work with you, where to start. (This was what I used on my previous “about me” page. I felt it was too long for my business, but you might feel differently.)

Create a “Top Ten” list of facts that people might not know about you. (I used this type of format in my new “about me” page.)

Have your about page read like a mini biography, including your credentials and why you are qualified to do what you do.

Best bet - do a mix of all of the above!

Your “To Do” item for the week Take about 10 min. to read through your “about me” page. Does it “feel” like you? The way it reads now, would you do business with you? What are some ways you can engage your readers a bit more?

Share in the comments below: I’d love to learn more about you! Please post a link to your about page so I can read them.

One of the best things that has happened to me this year was joining a new coaching program and within that group, I found my new accountability partner.

If you don’t know what an accountability partner is, it is someone who you talk to regularly about your business, goals, and tasks that you are both working on.

The best partners are ones who are at a similar stage of their business and may often be in similar industries.

It’s important that you are both at the same level (business growth/$$$) so that you will both be able to grow together and one isn’t holding the other back. You don’t want a pair with one person doing 6 figures already and is working on leverage in their business and the other is just at start up phase. It will be difficult for them to encourage each other.

To find an accountability partner, look at different groups you may be involved in.

Is there someone you have already built a relationship with that you’d feel comfortable asking them if they’d be willing to partner up with you?

Ideally, you’ll want to meet together at least weekly. Either by phone, skype, video chat, or if your partner is local, in person.

My partner happens to be in Europe so we video chat via Skype every Monday. We have similar businesses and are in similar stages of business growth so we are able to speak each other’s language and can help with suggestions for different projects.

Since starting this last month, I’ve gotten a lot more accomplished than if I’d been on my own.

Your “To Do” item for the week Look at who you know and talk with and see if you can find an accountability partner. Look at organizations you’re involved with, online memberships, or Facebook groups.

Test it out, and don’t worry if you don’t end up picking the perfect partner right away. Sometimes it takes a couple of tries to match up with the right person. (Just like dating!)

Share in the comments below: Do you already have an accountability partner? How has that increased your productivity? Do you have questions on how to pick the right partner? Share your thoughts. :-)

Finding more friends and followers for your Twitter and Facebook profiles/pages is one of the things most people struggle with.

In order to reach more people with your message, you need to have more people actually seeing and reading what you write!

Social media sharing sites like Twitter and Facebook make this much easier, however, how do you get enough people following you to make any money for your business?

The time invested in social media can be extensive, so you want to make it worth your while.

One of the most important things to remember is that social media is a place to be “social”. Your main goal here is to build relationships not sell your services.

Selling what you offer comes as a secondary result of these stronger relationships you’re building with your followers.

Before you start trying to attract more followers and friends, make sure you are posting information that is relevant to your prospects. You want to provide helpful tips, share inspirational or funny quotes, and give them an inside peek into your life. Let them get to know you.

Ask questions and respond to people’s comments on your posts. Answer questions posted to your wall. These types of things are what builds strong relationships with your followers.

To get more followers/fans, you’ll want to search out other people who are in your circle or prospective clients and follow/friend them. Start commenting and building a relationship with them and then invite them back to your page/profile.

Do this to about 10 new people a day on either Twitter and/or Facebook and you’ll see your fans and followers grow.

Your “To Do” item for the week On Twitter an easy way to find new followers is to search for a particular keyword that pertains to your niche. Among the list of people who show up, look at people’s comments/profile and see which ones interest you and who you think would be a good fit for your business. Follow them and comment back on a couple of their status updates that interest you. Chances are, if they feel a connection to you, they’ll follow you back. If you have a Facebook page, invite them to interact with you on Facebook too! Bonus points if you can look up their business and “Like” their page first.

On Facebook, you can find new businesses/people to friend and follow and strike up conversations with them. Once you have some dialog going, invite them back to “Like” your page.

If you’re involved in any groups, they are a great place to friend new people and build up your following.

Comment below: How often do you share information with your audience? Do you make it interesting for them? Do you have trouble knowing what to post on your Facebook/Twitter pages? Share your thoughts. :-)