Solo Entrepreneur: How To Keep Track Of Your Daily Tasks (Simple Method Inside)

When you get a fitness program from a trainer, it consists of three types of workouts. Some of them build power and muscle, some your endurance and some focus on flexibility. Also they may overlap. Well, it's the same thing with business exercises.
When you plan your day, you need to have these different types of exercises in balance, and as you know, a fitness regimen also requires focusing on technical issues - especially if you really want to make great results. My personal definition for a "sport" in oppose to "fitness" is that it is goal oriented. Kind of like comparing to a "business" vs. an "expensive hobby". In both you do the same things but with a different seriousness.
So what does power mean in a business?
It means money of course. It's the exercises that bring in cash, either immediately or in the long run. Every day you should incorporate some exercises that focus on money. It's about acquiring new customers and making sales, so it absolutely does mean pitching and selling, too. But also a lot more happens on this sector.
The second group of workouts build stamina - brand awareness.
It's about what you do to take your message out there in front of the people and keep it consistent and coherent. Just like you need to have consistency if you're training for a marathon, the endurance of your business builds up gradually. One round of jogging every once in a while isn't enough to prepare you for the quest.
The third mandatory qualification of a successful athlete and business alike is flexibility.
In sports the elasticity of the muscles and joints protects from injury and I like to think it's the same with business.
As I said, some of these workouts overlap, just like in sports they do. I compete in kettlebell sport, which is kind of a perfect combination of all three. It packs a whole gym to just a few exercises which can be executed in a very short time and still get the same - actually better - results. I like to use the same tactics when planning the workdays and work weeks. The basic guideline is: how do I get maximum results from the least amount of work?
Here are some questions I would advise you to answer, but first you need to list all the tasks you do in your business.
Under which category do the fall?
Do they affect multiple areas?
Is there imbalance between them, are you focusing on the right things?
Have you scheduled the time for improving "the technique" as well?

You can download the free Gold Medal Online Marketing eBook from my website. It explains this method from A to Z. http://evekoivula.com/online-marketing-special-method/free-course/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8163828

Online Business Success: How To Create Repeatable Systems (5 Step Plan)

One of the reasons most online businesses fail is the lack of repeatable and scalable systems. Many people confuse those with technology and believe they can be replaced by it, but not everything can be put on autopilot.
What are the systems?
Systems are the daily, weekly and monthly routines build around different items in your business. Let's use content creation as an example here.
First phase: the idea
An optimal situation is that you have created another system behind jotting down and collecting them in one place. Maybe you use Google Alerts to get them in your email, perhaps you have a set up a blog stream in a reader, or you have a dedicated time of the week you sit down for a half an hour to do it manually.
Second phase: decision making
From an idea you move to the next phase, which is to choose the format: will you shoot a video, write an article or make an infographic, mindmap etc. and what else do you need to keep in mind to take it out to the world.
If you're working on a blog post, the needs are very different from those of a special report, not to mention shooting videos.
Do you need to have someone to do the manuscript for you, book a studio and a hairdresser, or will you create a video using screen capture?
Do you need an external writer or a proofreader?
How about the artwork?
As you can notice, from this point on every system and process gets very different.
Third phase: content creation and formatting
In this phase you produce and compile the content according to your plan: have your video edited, graphics designed and layouts done, and so on.
Fourth phase: delivery
Once the piece of content, or a whole set of it has been created you must consider the distribution and delivery: where is it published? Is it a product, which needs a sales page with copy, graphics and the shopping cart integration? Is it a video which requires an external storage? Is it a special report to collect names on your email list, which then requires certain procedure done for your autoresponder?
Fifth phase: promotion
Finally it's time to promote your content: will you send an email to all your subscribers with a link to your new blog post? Do you post a status update to your Facebook page, Twitter and LinkedIn? Will you create an ad or write and post a press release? And so forth.
All these five phases should be systematized, so you never need to worry about missing something important. Use checklists, mindmaps and flowcharts, or create a video explaining all the necessary steps if you're comfortable with those. Just make sure you document the whole process at some point. That's the way to avoid excess work and also gives you the opportunity to develop and streamline the process to make better results.

Your content creation should start by structuring your coaching business and marketing. If you liked what I wrote, you're the most welcome to visit my website and download a free guide for that. http://evekoivula.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8172147

The First 7 Lessons Learned About Online Marketing (Free Step-By-Step Plan Inside!)

I've been an offline marketing professional for over 15 years, and while there are similarities between "the two worlds" offline and online, you can make great new discoveries, too. Here are some of them I've made while shifting my focus from the first to the latter.

1. You can find pretty much anything for free from the web, but it's slow and the pieces never really seem to fit. If you value your time and your good night sleep, don't go that way. Investing on someone who can give you step by step instructions allows you to take giant leaps towards your goals, even if you wanted just a part time side business.

2. "Step by step" can mean anything from merely superficial advise to a highly refined and detailed plan.

3. Most products and programs on the market help you to fix tiny details by teaching you a single tactic ("the how"). That doesn't help much if the ground work was never properly done ("the why") or you're missing pieces strongly connected to this particular tactic.

4. The bigger the guru, the more likely they tell you over the first 3 lessons that you should hire a virtual assistant, VA.

5. They are right: you should hire a VA when it's necessary. But first you need to know what it is that you don't know and what you should use their services for.

For instance, you may have a fear of technology and you decide to hire someone to take care of your website, but as long as you don't know what you want to present on that website and what's the purpose of it, it's in vain, unless you let the assistant decide on that.

But then you should rather get a partner, not a VA.

Also the expenses will multiply unless you have a clear assignment to present.

6. People are always looking for simple and easy, that's why the "systems", "formulas" and "blueprints" sell so well. Once they have it, there's still the actual work to execute and that's where most people fail.
Here's one of my favourite quotes on that:
"Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything." (George Bernard Shaw)

7. Pardon my sarcasm, which was unacceptable for online entrepreneurs until a guy named Frank Kern made it acceptable.

But there's something I call "Rinse & Repeat Success Formula".
It's the step-by-step plan I promised you and here it is:
Step 1: Plan
Step 2: Start
Step 3: Continue
Step 4: Tweak
Step 5: Repeat steps 3 and 4

99% of the people who start an online business - or any business for that matter - fail. There are a number of reasons why that happens and one of them is lacking a plan. I have put together a report you can find on my website free of charge. It introduces four other mistakes you should avoid while building your business online. http://evekoivula.com/blog

Also published http://EzineArticles.com/8161677

Online Business Step By Step: How To Spot Ideas

How to develop ideas for info products and services sold online? Here are three possible solutions you can use, whether you already have a business or you're only just considering to start one.

Before bringing a new information product to the market, one should always determine there's an actual demand. Pretty much everything has been invented by now, so there's no need to wait until you come up with a completely new and unique idea. You just need an angle nobody has thought of before.

1. Improve existing program or product

Whatever your area of expertise, you can find hundreds of solutions all over the web. The vast majority of the information is completely free, but in order to develop a fee-based program the best you can do is to invest on someone elses program to see how it's constructed.

It is certain that "one size" doesn't fit all, and no matter how popular a program, someone is always dissatisfied with some aspects of it.

Pick up those flaws and complaints and use them to design your own product or program on the base of an existing one. You can for instance improve the user experience, add something significant to upscale results or reassemble the array. If you study multiple programs you can also form a combination of them, added with your personal twist.

However, under no circumstances should you plagiarize anyone and anything!

Giving your name to for example Tracy Anderson method doesn't make it your own or unique. Simple re-branding is mere stealing.

2. Conduct or attend a survey

When you get a request to attend a survey, sent by a marketer with similar topics to what you teach, it usually means they are testing their ideas for a new product, training or program.

Everyone - including you - can and should use surveys on their database once they have one. It's a great way to find out what the audience really wants and may even be interested enough to buy.

3. "Nichify" an existing system, program or product

It can be done with either yours or someone else's methods, products and programs.

One example is the one I have used, which is transposing the structure of a fitness program to business and marketing and using the same techniques I use to coach athletes. After all, regardless the field, success always results from similar actions.

My system divides those actions to three categories: A, which stands for "assist", B as "basic" and C as "crafting" and they build power, endurance and flexibility for business, just as a physical exercising program should. This step for example falls into B category.

If you're interested in my method, download your free copy of the eBook from my website http://evekoivula.com/online-marketing-special-method/free-course/


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8139057

Online Business Step By Step: The Three C's

To run a successful business online you will need three essential pillars. This article explains what those are.

Conception

Starting out as a solo entrepreneur your conception, or "vision" is the first thing you must define, because later on it will work as the fuel that keeps you going. You need to be clear about your motives to self-employ. The harsh truth is, that otherwise the first upcoming obstacles will end your enterprise.

One way to concretize your vision is a "treasure map" or a "vision board", which is often times an image-based collage or a written manifesto. Some studies state that taking the effort of concretizing your vision may actually increase your chances to succeed up to 40% (source: The One Thing, Jay Papasan, Gary Keller).

You will also need a vision for your business, even though at first it may seem they are just measurable goals. You should start by defining your goals for the first year: what kind of services and products do you sell? Will you hire people or outsource and what is your role? What are the targeted customer base and turnover numbers? And so on.

Those will then determine the actions you need to take and allow you to see the potential. Then for a long term plan you can ask yourself how big should the business grow and what is the time frame.

Commitment

Just like an athlete who wants to climb up to the top of the world, you need to commit to doing the work it takes to achieve your goals.

It's no accident every successful athlete has a coach. Not only do they assist with practical issues, but that kind of relationship also enables the athlete to comfortably focus on the essentials and strengthens the commitment.

The study I mentioned earlier stated that by having someone to hold you accountable you will double the chances to succeed. But of course you do not have to hire a business coach, but you can also for instance recruit a friend, a family member or a mastermind group to support you and act as your accountability partner.

Curiosity

You must always remain curious and willing to learn. That can mean many things: you need to learn something yourself, or you'll learn that your capacity is limited. You may need to learn to give up and let go, or to make fast decisions. Some need to learn to communicate, manage their tasks or say no. Or to plan, delegate or keep their promises.

A solo entrepreneur often must learn and streamline all the processes of her business herself, because only after that she can effectively outsource them. For a startup that may feel like a daunting task, and it often is if you need to gather the information from multiple sources. Another solution is to invest on a program which enables to proceed with a minimum amount of stress.

The main thing is to keep an open mind.

I talk more about these three essential pillars in my eBook "Gold Medal Online Marketing - The Winning Method". You can download it for free from http://evekoivula.com/online-marketing-special-method/free-course/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8139683