Do you Mistake Activity for Achievement?

The other day I was speaking to a friend who is starting out with her home-based online business, and she kept asking me:  ’How long before I make money online?’

I replied by saying that she should really re-phrase her question, and say:
‘What can I do to help others more online?’

Here’s a little quote from Chris Farrell, which I think is worth a thousand words:

“Your true worth is determined by how much you give –
rather than how much you take
But the funny thing is - if you do the former - the latter will naturally occur.
Try it…you’ll see”

To be successful we all need to take the time to learn new skills.  We should know our goals.  Then we need to stick with it long enough.  This will take time, and work. I don’t mean simply reading numerous eBooks, but actually working and learning.

Sure, most people starting out in this business are enthusiastic about forging their own future – thinking this will somehow ‘happen’.  However many quickly come down to earth with a bump, and realize it does require an investment of Time.  It’s not going to happen overnight without effort on their part!

It’s great to know that you won’t have to answer to a boss, that you can do what you want, when you want.  That’s ideal!  But, many people lack self-motivation, and simply don’t progress without someone else telling them what to do next.  An inner drive will be needed to accomplish online success that is their vision.

We will all need someone to point the way with help and advice at some point and especially in the beginning.  Maggie Recommends is a great place to start! 

There’s an ebook that you can download here, which is especially for all beginners.

Once we understand these things and have the correct mindset, we’re on our way – and the sky’s the limit!

Best wishes to you

Maggie Gee

www.maggie-recommends.com

The Place to Go for free help and advice for all beginners

A Wish for a Happy New Year

Here we are now, with 2009 behind us. I’d like to wish you a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR for 2010 – may all your problems be little ones. May you keep healthy and prosper with each passing day.

Most people talk about their New Year Resolutions at this time – and I guess for most of us the resolutions fall by the wayside pretty quickly. (I’m not talking about ‘giving up chocolate’ here!)

I wonder why this is? I’m guessing that it’s probably because we make resolutions that are too ambitious or impractical. As you may know, my niche is Internet Marketing, and here are a few that I’ve been thinking of:

· Make more money – well this is not too ambitions or impractical – so I’ll keep this one!
· Become more successful
· Buy a dream home
· Buy a dream car
· Travel wherever I want … and so on. If only reality was this simple!

So, what I really think is going to work – is if I simply make a Resolution that says:
Starting today I am going to work my Internet Marketing business with my end goal in sight. That’s the thing – my GOAL.

It doesn’t have to be a way-off goal – much better to write something down like:
By the end of January I’m going to write twenty Articles and submit them to the article directories with back-links to my site. Now this goal is within reach – but I still have to work at it to actually get it done!

It’s always very easy to let the days and weeks slip by without actually taking any action, and I truly believe this is the secret – TAKING ACTION. Plan ahead! When you know where you are going, you are more likely to get there!

My site is ‘Maggie-Recommends.com’ and yes, I really do recommend! No, I don’t push it down people’s throats - simply recommend what I consider to be the best. And my site really will direct you to the best. I cannot stress this enough!

So once again, let me wish you a very Happy and Successful New Year, and providing we all take action, in 365 days time we can look back on 2010 with a great deal of satisfaction and pleasure. Today is the first day of the New Year - a New Beginning and the first day of the rest of your life.

Starting today - Go for it!! Live the life of your dreams - make your own Life Plan that will last way beyond any New Year Resolutions.

“Procrastination is the thief of time.”
- Edward Young

Till the next time
Maggie Gee
www.maggie-recommends.com

The longest voyage begins with just one footprint

What Product Should You Sell?

Well, it’s been a while since my last blog.

It’s been a busy time for me, but now all is good. My website is up and running, so please take a look.

I’ll be recommending the very best information products for helping all Newbies or Beginners. That’s what my website does: Recommends!! So I’m hoping all you guys out there will pay us a visit, and see what’s what.

Well, now that bit is said, let’s get on with today’s thoughts.

Someone said to me the other day: How do you know what sort of product to make? Well, this is a bit of an open-ended question, and I really could go on for hours (but I won’t so don’t worry!)

Your product really should reflect your niche. That’s to say you wouldn’t want to promote moneymaking products if you have chosen a niche all about health products – that’s pretty obvious to everyone.

The next thing you need to decide is whether to sell tangible products, or information products (ie you sell electrons – and your customers can download your products with the click of their mouse).

If you’re going to be selling tangible products you will need stock. Or you could sell through a Drop-Ship company which means you’ll not need to handle the products yourself. You simply buy them from the wholesaler, and when the orders come in the Drop-Ship firm actually do the packaging and forwarding for you. (No need to hold stock)

It’s vital to know exactly what you are selling; making sure it’s not a fake, for instance. Many people doing just this on eBay have been stung by unscrupulous dealers supplying fake goods, which the unsuspecting marketer then sells as genuine.

Be sure to use only genuine drop shippers. The key is to know which drop shippers directories you can trust. I would suggest you type in the keyword ‘drop shipping’ into Google and then do your research. Try Esources – which is the Internet’s largest drop-shipping directory. There are others to look at too of course.

Personally I feel the easiest for those starting out would be to sell through the web – as downloadable products. No shipping costs involved here!

A few hours researching different products online can help you enormously, and is time well spent.

Once you decide what sort of product to sell, then you need to either buy, or make your product. The best product would be the one you make, or write, yourself. Then it’s completely yours to sell exactly as you wish.

Till the next time,
Maggie
www.maggie-recommends.com
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The longest voyage begins with just one footprint

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What Makes You Tick?

People have been asking me lately – what makes me tick?

Well, if I have to think long and hard about this, I would probably turn round and say: “Looking forward to my next achievement”

So, if this is really true, then what is my next achievement going to be?

Going back a few months, I would have said “Getting my Web Site up and running”, for this is (for me anyway) something of an achievement.

It’s not just a case of getting the web site up and running, but more of “what shall I put in it” type of question in the back of my mind. What are my interests? How shall I present all this to Jo Public?

Some people find creating a website just a piece of cake, and can do this in an hour or so. Well that’s ok, if you know what you’re doing! But, what about those people who neither know how to start, where to start, or what to write about?

To those people I say, Get Some Help!

If you know nothing of creating a web page, you will need to have a little guidance. There is a learning curve to climb. There are skills to master. It’s not difficult, not once you know what to do. It’s just the thought of it all is a bit daunting for the newbie or beginner.

So with this in mind, it became obvious to me – to create a web site showing other newbies and beginners “How To” – in the simplest way possible.

When I first started in this business I was bombarded from all directions with articles and sales letters, wanting me to download this, and buy that, and in the end I felt totally overwhelmed with ‘information’ that my brain simply closed down, and I did nothing for months! It was all too much!

It’s very difficult to know what is good, and what is a waste of time, and what is simply a rip-off. All those gurus out there are telling you it’s very easy to make money on the Internet, but none of them actually tell you HOW to make money. It’s as though they expect us all to know, without being taught or shown what to do.

In the end I discovered what I would call The Best Membership Site of all. And from that moment I have not looked back. This is the honest truth.

I do know one thing, Internet Marketing is great fun! Yes, there have been moments of utter frustration and that feeling that it’s never going to work – but you know, it has worked! So am more than grateful to my mentor.

So ’till the next time
Maggie
www.maggie-recommends.com
www.maggie-recommends.com/videos

The longest voyage begins with just one footprint

Is Internet Marketing a Bed of Thorns?

If you’re wondering whether to try Internet Marketing, ask yourself this:
What Really Makes You Tick?
Here are 6 points you should consider.

1. What do you really want? Is it Internet Marketing, or something else?
This is the big question. You doubtless have so many things you want to do with your life and so little time to spare during the day. But is there still time to do what you want to do? If you’re determined, the answer is a resounding Yes!

Finding something that you are good at can help realize that small step towards your future. Diligence is the key to understanding that it is worth it.

2. What about self improvement?
Always remember that self-improvement is not just about the physical or philosophical changes you have to undergo, but it’s about obtaining something you really want.

You can be just about anything you always wanted to be. But understand that if something seems too difficult at the outset, you’re in danger of already giving up, before even starting that journey.

It’s easy to get bogged down with completing the small daily tasks, and to lose sight of the bigger picture.

3. Keep Motivated
It’s essential to keep motivated. Wikipedia describes the word as follows: “Motivation is the set of reasons that determines one to engage in a particular behaviour. This term is generally used for human motivation…” Knowing there are others out there ready to help you is a great motivator.

What motivates you? It’s a question you have to answer for yourself. Happiness equates to motivation, which equates to success. There are so many things that can make people happy. However, picking just one out of the pot is probably the hardest part. Sure you can have more than one portion of happiness; just keep trying again, piece by piece. It’s not a piece of pie; you won’t get full up too quickly!

4. The best way forward?
Not everyone is privy to this secret: To help yourself, you need to help others navigate through the troubled waters. Help others obtain something they really want, and you will find yourself undergoing a remarkable change within yourself. In Internet Marketing it’s vital to communicate regularly with your customers with help and to provide solid advice. But it’s most definitely not wise to constantly pummel them with offers!

5. Should you try and change?
If history has taught us anything, it’s that nothing in life is assured. The best we can do is to learn by our mistakes, cut loose if necessary, and move on. Don’t waste time repeating past mistakes.

“The definition of insanity is repeating the same thing over and over, and expecting different results” (a quote from a 1980s novel “Sudden Death” by Rita Mae Brown)

6. What’s best for you? Trust yourself to make a decision
There’s always an easy way, and then there’s the right way when it comes to deciding what’s best. We are all unique. We all do things differently from our neighbour. Don’t make the mistake of copying someone else if your inner self says otherwise. My mum always told me that variety is the spice of life. She also taught me to know my own mind!

Once you have made a decision, be ready to face its consequences: good and bad. It may take you to a place of promise or to a land of problems. But the important thing is that you have chosen to live your life instead of remaining a bystander or a passive audience on the sidelines.

Whether it is the right decision or not, only time can tell. But do not regret it whatever the outcome. Instead, learn from it and remember that you always have the chance to make different decisions in the future.

So is Internet Marketing the Bed of Thorns? As the months and years go by, with a little good fortune and a following wind, your own determination and some help along the way, you’ll come to realise that Internet Marketing certainly can be a bed of very sweet smelling Roses!

Till the next time,
Maggie

Finance in Today’s Market

As I write this article, the state of global finance is very much uncertain. One country sneezes and the rest of the world catches cold.

Nothing is certain – jobs least of all. There once was a time when, if you had a job in a bank, you were set up for life. Not so any more. There are factories, retailers, industries, and banks, falling down all around.

However, this is a phenomenon that repeats itself. Every twenty years or so, in the financial world we experience a recession. Recessions, by their very nature are temporary. Some recessions are worse than others, and this one appears to be bad. But it is still temporary.

It doesn’t have to be as bad as it seems. We all – but in particular the media – do tend to think of ‘bad news’ as ‘good news’ and we talk ourselves down into even more ‘bad news’. It’s not possible to open a newspaper or turn on the TV without being bombarded with facts about how bad and how gloomy the times are, and how we are all diving into an even deeper recession.

Why is that? Well bad news sells a lot of newspapers!

So it’s time to check out the other side of the coin.

Whatever your financial state of the moment, it’s essential to PLAN your personal finances. Remember the old saying:

Earn £50.00 and spend £50.50 – result: Misery – but
Earn £50.00 and spend £49.50 – result: Happiness

So what’s the answer? First of all make a budget – and stick to it. Paying your bills on a monthly direct debit system is another good way to budget wisely. In doing this you would have no big bills coming in to surprise you – it’s all broken down into bite-size chunks that are more easily digested.

Ask yourself if you can work for yourself, perhaps running a second business from home. There are many different ways to earn a crust working from home. But do beware of all those scams out there. When answering an advert about working from home be very cautious before sending any money up front “so that they can send you everything you need to work from home” – you may well not see your money again. It’s an unfortunate fact that not everyone out there is as honest as you are.

However there are good businesses you can run from your home, and the one I have found works very well for me is Internet Marketing. Yes of course you’ll need a little help to set this up, especially if it’s completely new to you. There are good people out there waiting to give you a helping hand. Once set up, your new business can bring in a very welcome second income. It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme. In fact I would advise that you should be a little suspicious if someone offers you such a scheme.

It’s true to say that the majority of us working people exchange their time for money (work) for most of their lives. Whereas rich people don’t do this. Rich people invest their money and make it work for them. They collect passive income, including rents, share dividends and interest. Ok, money makes money, but there are ways to get out of the treadmill situation, and jump aboard the train to freedom. The rich people also earn money from royalties – doing the work once and then earning royalties forever – from books, articles, reports, software and so on.

There are many ways to avoid financial disaster. They won’t automatically come to you – you will need to search for them and do something positive for yourself!

‘Till the next time
Maggie

Adventures in Creative Thinking

How many times have we all caught ourselves saying that there could be no other solution to a problem – and that that problem leads to a dead end? How many times have we felt stumped knowing that the problem before us was one we could not solve. No leads. No options. No solutions.

You too? Yep, well it’s much the same for all of us. I guess it felt as though you had exhausted all possible options and yet there you were, still before the mountain – large, unconquerable, and impregnable? It most likely felt you were hammering against a steel door. The pressure of having to solve such a problem seemed overwhelming.

But wait, all is not lost! There is hope yet!

As you are probably aware, I am writing this article from the viewpoint of Internet Marketing. And my word, I certainly do understand about facing problems!

Maybe the reason we cannot solve our problems is that we have not really taken a hard look at what the problem is. Understanding exactly what the problem is and we’re half way to solving it! We need a bit of help!

Ask yourself what’s obstructing your view in trying to solve your problem. Could it be mind over matter? You need to identify the details, in order for them to be addressed. So… Think outside of the box:

With some creative problem-solving techniques you may be able to look at your problem in a different light.

· First of all, in the light of creative problem-solving, you need to be open-minded to the fact that there may be more than just one solution to your problem. And it probably isn’t as awesome as you think right now.

· Now, with this optimistic mindset, we can try to be a little bit more creative in solving the problem. Solve your problem in stages, bite off one chunk at a time, it’s much more easily digestible that way.

· If you write down the question, then come up with a single sentence solution. Once down on paper it seems to be clarified somehow, and easier to find the solution.

· Remember that old motto, “two heads are better than one”. That one is truer than it sounds. Always be open to new ideas. You can only benefit from listening to all the ideas each person has. This is especially true when the person you’re talking to has had experience solving problems similar to yours.

· Another point: be patient. There is always a chance that a solution will present itself to you. Do remember that no one was able to create an invention the first time around.

So, next time you see a problem you think you cannot solve, think again. The solution might just be staring you right in the face. All it takes is just a little creative thinking, some planning, and a whole lot of work.

Till the next time,
Maggie

Attention Grabbing Sales Letters

So you are starting your new Internet marketing business, and you have your new product. Now you need to promote it, and to do this, you need to write your sales letter.

Someone said to me the other day: How can I write a sales letter? Well – you know me, I could go on all day on that subject! But I won’t, so don’t worry!

Anyway, then I got to thinking. Many people think: ’sales letter’ and just start writing, probably without much sense of direction. However, there is a definite formula for a good sales letter – in fact I’m sure there are many different ways of writing good sales letters. I don’t pretend to be an expert on the subject – you’d need to go see a professional copywriter to get the full low-down – then they would no doubt charge you an arm and a leg!

So I thought I’d write a little blog about how I go about writing my sales letters, just in case anyone out there would like to know… A good place to begin is with the A.I.D.A. formula:

A is for Attention
I is for Interest
D is for Desire
A is for Action

We need an Attention-grabbing Headline – something extraordinary to really make people sit up and take note. Then the sub-headline that screams out further inspirational information, making the reader feel they just have to read on.

The Interest section is the main body of the letter. You need to ensure the reader to feels very excited by what you have to offer. Remember, you already know all about your own product that you have for sale, but your reader does not – yet. So it’s up to you to tell him or her exactly what it’s all about.

Always use interesting words and phrases in your letter. To talk about something being ‘good’ is simply not good enough. Try ‘astounding’ or ‘amazing’ and straight away your sentence comes alive. The reader needs to know how unusual your product is, he needs to know that it’s better than your competitors’ because it has many more benefits.

That’s the word – benefits. If you remember you are not simply selling ‘a new type of cure for the common cold’ – you are selling the benefits of getting rid of your cold in double-quick time. No one really wants to buy a box of tablets, but they would buy a box of tablets that would offer an amazingly speedy cure for their cold, without any hesitation.

Whilst explaining all the benefits your product has to offer, you inspire the Desire emotion. Your product is so exciting and indispensable that your reader feels compelled to buy from you – they want (desire) it and they will buy it. You will probably have some testimonials from people who have already bought from you – that’s great – tell your reader about them!

After the desire, comes the call for Action – you need to ask your reader to place their order for your product, and to do it now! There’s no time like the present, so ask them to order straight away before they get distracted by something else, and forget.

After you have finished writing your sales letter, put it away for a day or two and then come back and read it again. I can bet you will find something you will want to alter, or to switch around a bit to get it just right. Having done this a couple of times you could ask someone else in the family, or a friend, to read it through just to check out any spelling or obvious grammatical errors. Two pairs of eyes are better than one.

So go ahead and give it a try. There’s no better time to start.

Here I have no hesitation in recommending the Newbie Resource Centre, where you can get an amazing amount of information suited to the Newbie, or Beginner. So go ahead, have a look round the website, especially for Newbies and Beginners – it really is excellent.

Please let me have your comments on this blog, I’d really love to know what you think. Thanks!

Till the next time
Maggie

Only Twenty-Four Hours in the Day

So you need or want to make money from a secondary business, but the problem is being able to find the time to fit a second job into your day. The cry I hear so many people making is: ‘Oh no, I don’t think I’ll have time’. Or sometimes it is: ‘What can I do to find the time?’

The first response here is pretty negative and dismissive: ‘no, I don’t have time’ and the second one is the question – ‘how will I find the time?’

Me, I’d go with the question: how will I find the time? Why – because it’s a lot more positive than the other one!

Yes, most people are busy. However extra time for some kind of home-based business can almost always be found. Sure it may mean changing a bit, or even giving up a few favourite past times, and leaving the TV switched off for a while. A small price to pay wouldn’t you say?

To begin with it’s a good idea to make a list and plan what you need to do. Make a list for each day. Work around the daily chores you have to do at home. Set aside a specific time for absolute essentials and stick to it. Just do one particular chore each day, and don’t try to do everything in one go.

Personally I hate letting things pile up – I always deal with my mail on a daily basis. Not a good idea to put aside a bill, for instance, as you might forget it. Write on the top of the bill the date by which it has to be paid. Keep everything in the place designated – stay organized, and suddenly things seem less untidy in the mind.

Think about how you normally plan your day. Are you organised, or do you flit from job to job with no real direction? Are you the naturally organised type, or do you live your life in a disjointed, disorganised way. If that’s the case you need to try and change!

Yes, you do need to make a daily schedule, and set aside a time for each job during the day. Do write down your timetable. Efficient time management boils down to simple planning. Then be sure to stick to it, don’t become distracted.

What at first seems to be work overload, soon becomes feasible, and the sense of achievement is immense.

If you learn these simple, and practical techniques you will understand how to identify and focus on what needs to be done. You will understand that it’s a case of not working harder, but working smarter that gives you the edge, and saves you that most precious commodity – time.

I would love to know your opinion of the above, so please do leave a comment.

‘Till the next time
Maggie

Can Goals Mentally Destroy Us?

I am not sure that having a goal can actually destroy us mentally, but one thing I do know, is that NOT having a goal certainly can.

I guess most people do have a few goals to aim for. Question is – do they write these goals or desires down on paper? For most people the answer is emphatically a big resounding NO! They keep it all stored up inside their head, thinking they know what they want, so why should they trouble to write it down.

I don’t know about you, but I personally have so much going on inside my head all the time, that if I don’t write things down I simply lose them amongst all the jumble of stuff that’s me! If you think how complicated the workings of a computer are, then imagine what’s going on inside the brain – FAR MORE STUFF – and yes, sometimes it crashes. Pure chaos! We all need a little help to sort it out.

Sometimes I mention to people about writing down their goals, and I see that blank look on their faces – their eyes glaze over and I know their mind is going into free-fall. I know why the blank look is there. They are completely bewildered and confused, and simply cannot understand the question.

Now, I’m not saying everyone has to write down everything they think about, every day. It would be comparable to a government white paper in length! No, all I really mean is we should write down our important goals, and also put down a date by which time we should like to achieve these goals. Something definite to work towards.

Writing goals down has some sort of magical effect, and when we read these each day it spurs us on to achieving our ambitions. When we read our goals, we are sending an important message to the brain that activates us, and we then take steps to do what must be done to attain those goals.

So when we ask ourselves if goals can mentally destroy us, shouldn’t we really be asking ourselves if we would rather be with the top 3% of the population who actually take action, or whether we’re content to jog along with the other 97% who never really do very much? I reckon it’s best to take action!

Till the next time
Maggie