What Are You Doing About The Economy?

I'm often asked how I'm doing in this economy. A better question is what I'm doing about this economy. Well, I'm certainly not sitting around waiting for IT to happen to ME. Instead, I'm working on making this stretch of history a successful one for me. You can too! Don't just sit around and wait for life to happen to you. Instead, be an active participant and make life happen for you. You thoughts & actions are the most important things that you've got. Let the world do what it wants. What really matter is what you are doing about it.

So, with that being said, here are things that I am doing because of the economy:

• Focus more on what matters most - What matters most in your business & life? Are you focusing most of your time on that, or do you get caught doing things that don't really matter in the big picture. Every other point listed below has to do with me focusing on what matters most.
  
• Read More - I read as much as I can. Someone recently suggested reading more children's books. So I have. These little stories often teach powerful messages in easy to understand ways. Example: The Little Engine that Could.
• Canceled my cable - GASP! How are you living you may ask? No, this wasn't for financial reasons. Instead it was one of my wife's 'little experiments' that has lasted for nearly a year. No cable means more time to do other stuff like; play with the kids, talk to my wife, read, work, relax, exercise, and have fun! I've never understood the point of staring at the TV for hours watching actors fulfill their dreams and not working on fulfilling my dreams. Try it. TURN OFF THE TV!
  
• Spending more time with family - I took an amazing family road trip this summer. It turned into an entrepreneurial voyage. (Click here to read more about it) Everyday though I make a point to spend a few minutes doing what every my kids want to do, not what I want them to do. Today it was going to the gas station to get Slurpees.
  
• Work smarter - I'm working on automating everything I possibly can. This allows my systems to take care of the mindless task and for me to focus on what are the most critical ones. This past week I’ve worked on ways to automate staying in touch with new customers.
• Taking more time to learn - In rough times you have to work harder & smarter than everyone else. In my business, I've spent a fair amount of time studying the principles taught in the Infusionsoft Double Your Sales Coaching Program. This has helped me in my business building efforts. Learn everything you possible can about what it is that you do. You can never learn enough!
  
• Work on Social Media - Hate to say it kids, but Twitter, Facebook & MySpace are here to stay. You ought to at least take a look. Business is happening in these online forums. Case in point: I closed a deal this past week that was introduced to me through Twitter. This isn't just for teenagers.
  
• Plan - Everyone knows the benefits of planning and the pains of not planning. So why are you planning every single day, week & month yet? Your plan doesn't even have to be the right plan. According to Michael Gerber in The E-Myth "any plan is better than no plan."
  
• Working on Self-discipline - Each of us has habits we should break and others we should start. Now's a good time to do that. I challenge you to create 1 new habit in your life every month for the rest of the year. That means you'll have 5 new habits before the dawn of 2010. May not seem like a lot, but it is. I can be easy things like to stop swearing, drinking 1 cup of coffee instead of 5 each day, telling your wife every day you love her, hugging your kids, etc. This isn't rocket science, just simple ways to improve your life.
• Write More - Writing is still one of the most effective means to getting your message out. However few entrepreneurs spend the time writing. Have a blog, write on it frequently and be sure to give good value to your readers. Post what you write online. If you're good, people will read it and want to take part in what you do.
• Give - Be charitable. Nothing helps you gain good karma than by giving. It doesn't have to be money. Give time, stuff you don't use, ideas. Heck, this week I'm giving blood.
• Minimize - Historically, I've been involved in a few business ventures at the same time, thinking this was the entrepreneurial way. Not true! Instead, I've minimized into 1 business focus. This has simplified my life, improved my results in that business and has made me happier. Life is much easier and more fulfilling now. Pick one venture and focus on that now.
  

My point in writing this is to ensure that you are not of of those types who is letting life happen to them. My newest and biggest pet peeves in life is having people say things like, well in this economy, or because of today's economic climate, or you can't expect to be happy in today's world. Get over it! Yes, I realize that there are issues out there, but you CAN and MUST do something about it. Don't let the economy bring you down. Instead, find ways to use it to your advantage. Hard times are an excellent excuse to get better.

What are you doing about the economy? Tell us your stories & experiences.

Infusionsoft Changes - What does it mean for Entrepreneurs?

Last week Infusionsoft made radical changes to their pricing model and product platform. The capstone to this change is the elimination of all upfront costs to purchase Infusionsoft. So what exactly does that mean for entrepreneurs?

Well, for entrepreneurs, this is a dream come true! This means that Infusionsoft is now very affordable. BTW, when the upfront cost was eliminated, we kept the monthly subscription fee the same! In other words, this is the deal of your lifetime!!

So for you newbies out there, you may be asking what Infusionsoft is??? Well, Infusionsoft is a software program that combines CRM, email marketing and eCommerce into one, easy to use system. The real magic though, is in the automated follow up engine. (Imagine being able to follow up with the right people, at the right time, without having to do it yourself!) Big time Entrepreneurs are using Infusionsoft. Michael Gerber, Dan Kennedy, Perry Marshall, Mark Victor Hansen, Bill Phillips, Bill Bartmann, Jim Cecil, to name a few. (For a more comprehensive list, Click Here)

Infusionsoft has been designed by Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs. It will save you time and will significantly increase your revenue. When you fix your follow up, you will get more prospects. Prospects will become customers and customers = money!

Simply put, if you fix your follow up, you'll double your sales. Infusionsoft will fix your follow up!
Oh, and if you don't be live we can do it, then check out the Double Your Sales Guarantee.

Bottom line; Infusionsoft works. If you're an Entrepreneur, you should try it. For a free trial, Click Here. If you have any questions, please contact me by filling out the form at the top, right of this page.

Infusionsoft Unveils New Business Model

Infusionsoft Eliminates Upfront Fees, Rolls Out New Website and Offers Free Trial of Acclaimed On-Demand Solution to Entire Entrepreneurial Small Business Sector

If you'd like to try Infusionsoft, please complete the form to the right
*For a free trial of Infusionsoft, visit www.tryinfusionsoft.com

Gilbert, Ariz. – July 7, 2009 – Infusionsoft, the leader in automatic follow-up software for small businesses, today announces record quarterly revenue and customer growth as well as a major change to its business model by completely eliminating required up-front fees (which previously ranged from $2,000 to $6,000) for every tier of its service. In addition, the company will offer a 15-day free trial of its product, complete with customer set-up and support. The new model makes it pain-free for any small business owner to learn how Infusionsoft can increase their sales revenue by solving one of the biggest pitfalls facing the small business market today: staying in touch with customers and prospects to convert interest into sales and repeat sales.

The new business model comes after two years of product and business development for the company’s flagship automatic follow-up software. Infusionsoft says that today’s announcement is an important first step toward becoming the ubiquitous marketing and sales software provider in the small business sector. Already established as the leading software by experts in small business marketing and sales, Infusionsoft is now focusing on the mainstream marketplace to help every small business automate their sales and marketing operations in order to fuel growth.

Last year, the company completely redesigned their product to make it more streamlined and user-friendly after extensive customer feedback studies. Infusionsoft then went on to raise $7.9 million in venture capitalist funding from a new investor in an otherwise investment-unfriendly climate. Earlier this year, the company introduced a tiered pricing plan to accommodate the needs of any small business, along with a guarantee to double users’ sales. These changes helped more small businesses than ever get started with Infusionsoft, and resulted in the best quarterly revenue and customer growth for the company to date. In June, Infusionsoft saw a nearly 475% increase in customers over the same month last year, and an increase of more than 225% in new customers compared to the same quarter of 2008. Now the elimination of up-front fees in conjunction with the free trial will make the software accessible to all entrepreneurs who want to grow fast.

“We have big plans for growth in the future and we know that this shift in our business model will move us toward our end goal of liberating and empowering all entrepreneurs,” said Clate Mask, Co-Founder and CEO of Infusionsoft. “This is something we’ve wanted to do for a long time: give every entrepreneur the ability to fix their prospect and lead follow–up, and thus double their sales. That’s our promise to entrepreneurs, and our customers have proven it over and over. Now we’re taking this liberating technology – and our promise – to the entire small business community.”

The eliminated fees and free trial, combined with low monthly subscription rates, means that small businesses will now have greater access to the company’s famous ‘Double Your Sales’ guarantee, a cornerstone of Infusionsoft’s approach to helping entrepreneurs avoid the pitfalls of follow-up failure.

For more Infusionsoft info, please complete the form to the right

About Infusionsoft
Infusionsoft, the leader in automatic follow-up software, helps small businesses grow fast by putting CRM, email marketing and e-commerce on auto-pilot. The privately held Inc. 500 company is based in Gilbert, Ariz. and is funded by Mohr Davidow Ventures and vSpring Capital. For more information, visit www.infusionsoft.com.
Additional marketing and small business insight from Clate Mask and the Infusionsoft team can be found on the Infusionsoft blog at www.infusionblog.com, and the Infusionsoft Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/infusionsoft.

Contact Information:
LaunchSquad
415-625-8555
Infusionsoft(at)LaunchSquad(dot)com

Entrepreneur News

Below are a few articles I found today about Entrepreneurship. We are truly in the Age of the Entrepreneur!

Small Business Owners Anticipate Growth
(From entrepreneur.com)
Study shows the optimism and perseverance of business owners, and their ability to adapt to even the toughest economic conditions.


Do More with Less
(From entrepreneur.com)
New communications and PR tools offer marketers less costly (and equally effective) alternatives for building brand and product awareness


Booms Move to Self Employment
(From Forbes.com)
Over the past decade, the highest rate of new-business creation has been posted by the 55 to 64 age group.


The Power of Not Being Positive
(From Forbes.com)
Failure is an option. It's how you cope with it that matters.

Sales Principles for Entrepreneurs

Anyone had Hawaiian BBQ before? Yummy! Today I went to a local Hawaiian BBQ joint for lunch. I enjoy the food. The atmosphere leaves a lot to be desired. But this caused an unexpected sales lesson today. What I’m about to share will apply to any entrepreneur.

This is a fast food style restaurant. Meaning, you order your food, sit down while they make it, and then they’ll call you to the counter when it’s ready. I was sitting close to the order counter, so I could hear the interactions between the cashier & customers. One in particular stood out. It went like this:

• Customer was looking at the menu.
• Cashier asked, Can I help you?
• Customer said, yeah, in a minute.
• Cashier asked, you been here before, right?
• Customer said yes.
• Cashier said nothing, just smiled
• Customer then ordered.
• Cashier said, what no drink?
• Customer then ordered, but did not order a drink.
• Money changed hands, customer sat down waiting for her order to be cooked.

Now, it’s obvious to me that the cashier really had no sales training, and probably didn’t care. I’m not saying that this was her fault. I’ve been in this place a number of times before and the same cashier is always there. She’s kind and friendly, but certainly doesn’t go out of her way to ensure you have a good experience. Personally, I come back for the food. But, based on the amount of people in the restaurant, not a lot of people do.

There are a few things that the cashier could have done to make this a better experience for her customer. These are ideas you could do as well to help your customers have a better experience when dealing with your business.

• Suggested something to order when customer was looking at menu
• After the customer ordered, suggest that they order a secondary item; fries, rice, desert, etc.
• Ask the customer if they would like a drink when they place their order

Upselling is the easiest way to generate more revenue, yet it’s the least applied sales principle. It really works! If you don’t believe me, go to McDonalds and try to order a Big Mac. 99% of the time, you’ll be asked if you want fries with that. Are you kindly upselling your customers?

Here’s another thing, when you’re leaving and half way out the door the lady behind the counter yells: “Mahalo, Thank You!” That’s nice and all, but I don’t think it’s necessary to yell something to your customer’s backs when they are leaving. That doesn’t feel very warm or friendly.
A simple Mahalo (Thank you in Hawaiian) after ordering would be pleasant enough.

Also, give the customer something to take with them to keep in their card reminding them to come back again. A menu, frequent buyer card, magnet, business card; anything with the restaurant name, phone number location and web site on it, ANYTHING!

These tips will work in any business setting. So try them. Right now, make a list of 3 new things you will do when a customer is buying from you. Then implement them right away.

Entrepreneur Marketing Tips

Below is a collection of some excellent articles & posts I've found specifically for entrepreneurs. There are tons of ideas on for both internet & local marketing for you in this post. Enjoy!

Get the Most for your written testimonials
by: Ivan Misner (from entrepreneur.com)
Make it standard practice to ask clients and contacts for testimonials and you'll build your credibility and your business.

15 Sites for Promoting Your Local Business
by: Kristin Edelhauser (from entrepreneur.com)

Want to get your name out to locals and visitors alike? Take advantage of these online marketing sites and watch your business grow.

10 Powerful Marketing Tips for Small Business
by: Ann Marie Rubertone (from About.com)
Inexpensive, yet effective ways for small businesses to market. Mostly tips designed to spread your message within your local geographic area.

How to Get a Top Listing in Google, Yahoo and Bing
by: Joe Manna (from Infusionsoft.com)
You probably are aware of all the ways that you should perform SEO, maybe even dabble in a bit of paid search engine marketing and even getting yourself noticed in social media. Getting the top listings in search engines such as Google, MSN/Live/Bing and Yahoo are the difference between getting Web leads and no leads.

7 Small Business Marketing Tips
by: Bob Leduc (from businessknowhow.com)
Here are 7 low-cost but highly effective marketing tips to help any small business find customers and generate sales quickly

Infusionsoft News

*For a free Infusionsoft trial, visit www.tryinfusionsoft.com

Infusionsoft is a revolutionary software package designed specifically for Small Business & Entrepreneurs. It combines Contact Relationship Management (CRM), email marketing & e-commerence in one easy to use software package. But, the real magic is in the automatic follow up engine, because it makes it easy for entrepreneurs to fix their follow-up failure.

The company promises to Double Your Sales if you use Infusionsoft. That's a Bold claim. But it works and here's the proof that it works!

If you're interested in learning more about Infusionsoft, please click here.

Recently, I've found a ton of excellent information on the web about Infusionsoft. So below is information on what's new with Infusionsoft and why every entrepreneur should try Infusionsoft.

____________________________________________________________________

Straight talk about email marketing, shopping carts and CRM software
Double your sales guarantee: "If you use Infusionsoft for 1 year and don't double your sales, Infusionsoft will give you $1000 back when you cancel." * Used by Dan Kennedy, Frank Kern, Rich Shefren, Michael Gerber… and me ...

Big Business (Tries to) Go Small
by Tyler Garns
A couple weeks ago, Dave and I were invited to attend the Warrillow Summit in Las Vegas, which focused on connecting big business companies around small.

My Visit to Zappos: Great Company Culture | Infusionsoft Blog
by Clate Mask
I had a great visit last week to Zappos where I took a tour of their facility and had lunch with CEO, Tony Hseih. We took a trip out there to see how Tony keeps.

Looking for Answers In an Infusionsoft Review
By: dpthailand.com
There are a number of the that have the features that I am looking for, but I am very impressed by the guarantee that Infusionsoft provides. I am seriously considering purchasing this program, but would like to find an honest review ...

Marketing automatic software with Infusionsoft | Sharing Information
Sharing information about how to make money online with affiliate marketing, internet marketing, get paid to blog, pay per click, SEO, and more.

The Face of the American Entrepreneur

by Dean

“It turned out that our idea for the project was perfectly in line with Infusionsoft's message - that this is the age of the entrepreneur and that small business growth will be the key to bringing the country out of our current economic ...

Do's & Dont's of Marketing Hype

Saw a Tweet the other day that said, “How to be a successful entrepreneur in 10 minutes.” 10 minutes, really? I suppose you could reach some sort of level of success in 10 minutes. But I don’t think many entrepreneurs would be happy there.

Real success takes time & effort. I don’t know of a single company or solo entrepreneur who became successful in 10 minutes. For many, they may have had a 10 minute period that launched them into a new level of success. But, that is generally preceded by an extended period of effort.

Point is, I get sick of the hype. It gives entrepreneurs & internet marketing a bad rap. For example, while writing this I pulled off of Twitter a few 'hype' tweets. Have you seen any of them before?

• Get RICH in just 3 easy steps
• So easy, even my blind Grandmother could do it
• Home Business Tips: How To Make Money
• Guaranteed $125 within 24 hrs signup now
• Win a FREE iPod Touch
• Sign up Free and earn $125 cash
• The SEXIEST term to a network marketer's ear

I'm not even sure how a term can be sexy.

Each was accompanied with a hyper link that I’m sure led to some magical place that will immediately make me a successful entrepreneur. Yeah right!

As an entrepreneur, do you over hype yourself and your products? If so, why? I’ve found that most people really relate to down to earth people who are selling a product or service of real value. Few fall in love with the over-hype guys. Presenting your product as effective, exciting and beneficial is certainly vital. But over-hyping it shows to me that your too desperate to sell something.

So my challenge to you is this; keep the hype to a minimum. Be yourself and accurately present who you are are and what your trying to accomplish.


That being said, my next post will give you 7 easy steps on how to make your mother in law happy, make you rich beyond your wildest dreams and cure cancer in only 3 minutes! ;-)

Zig Ziglar Goal Setting

The other day I listened to Zig Ziglar’s Audio book called; How To Be A Winner. Zig truly is the sales & motivation master. His insights are inspiring and if followed and executed, they will truly help you lead a successful life.

On this particular CD, he gave a few outstanding tips on goals which I’d like to share. Entrepreneurs by nature are generally goal oriented. Not all entrepreneurs will formally write out their goals, but they generally have them. Often those goals are financially based. Nearly always they are performance based. For example, this month I'll sell x amount of new units. Or, this week I will introduce my service to 10 new prospects.

Ultimately, creating the goal properly is essential. Zig outlined 6 steps for creating a goal, as well as 4 characteristics of goals. They are:

6 steps of creating goals

1. Identify your goal. What do you want to accomplish?
2. Set a deadline for reaching your goal
3. Make a list of obstacles that must be overcome to reach your goal.
4. Identify people who can help you overcome those obstacles.
5. Makes a list of all skills you have and those you need to obtain in order to achieve your goals
6. Develop a plan to achieve this goal.

Also, there are specific characteristics that each goal must possess. This will help you set the correct type of goal.

Characteristics of a Goal

1. To be effective, the goal must effect change
2. You must have big goals as well as long term goals
3. If you don’t have daily objectives you qualify as a dreamer and not as a doer. Daily action toward goal achievement is essential! Zig added, The difference between great and near great is the awareness that making it big means working every day to your long term objectives.
4. Goals must be specific, not vague or general. If you want to reach your goal you must be able to see touch & smell it.

Goals don't have to be complicated or overly lofty. I've found the most effective goals are simple, achievable, yet will stretch you slightly outside of your comfort zone.

I encourage you to follow these goal setting tips. Try it right now. Create a goal for something you'd like to achieve in the next week. Then, leave a comment to this blog post and tell us how you did.

Always remember, Whether you think you can or think you can’t you are generally right!

An Unplanned Infusionsoft Roadtrip

I spent the past few days on an amazing road trip with my family. We visited tons of little towns and tourist spots in Utah. Little did I know that it would turn into an entrepreneurial voyage which taught me more about the small businesses in America.

Many of the people we visited were entrepreneurs. We visited a house painter, a small business marketing expert, a nutrition product reseller, an artist and the marketing director for a small chemical business. Some of these were long time friends while others are new faces.

It’s always fun and refreshing for me to meet with entrepreneurs. I love their can-do attitude. They always seem to be working through challenges & obstacles, rather than letting life run them. They lead great lives. This doesn’t mean that they are all rich, but rather they are all fulfilled with what life has to offer.

I made a point with each visit to ask each what their biggest challenges in business were. Each had the same answer; they are good at what they do, but they have no idea how to market themselves or their businesses. Their follow up ranged from non-existent to minimal. They needed help, but as with most entrepreneurs they had little extra finances to hire the necessary assistance.

This lead to many good conversations about Infusionsoft. Infusionsoft combines CRM, email marketing and ecommerce into one system. But, the real magic is in the automatic follow-up engine. It makes it easy for entrepreneurs to fix their follow up failure. I was able to coach these friends on how to properly follow-up with each prospect & customer, without taking time away from their core business functions.

All were very interested in what Infusionsoft had to offer. I was excited to help my friends grow their businesses through Infusionsoft!

This wasn't intended to be a work trip, but I’m sure glad it turned into one. I guess that's what happens when you love and live your work.

Entrepreneurship is not only the back bone, but also the heart & soul of American business.