privatekonomi

Are you one of those people who collects DVDs, proudly displaying your stockpile on a wall or shelf or special area designated for your dozens of favorite movies?

Have you ever thought about why you own all those DVDs? Do you plan to rewatch the same movies three or four times? If so, we’d like to posit a solution: get a life.

Both of us had fairly sizable DVD collections before taking our journeys into minimalism. We wasted thousands of dollars on these collections, often purchasing movies we’d already seen. And then we allowed our extensive collections to collect dust. Or we’d occasionally re-watch a movie, living in the past, attempting to reconstruct an old moment instead of creating new ones.

But collecting is just hoarding with a prettier name. Don’t believe us? Look it up. The Oxford American Writer’s Thesaurus lists the following synonyms under the first definition of collection: HOARD, pile, heap, stockpile.

Yes, collecting things you don’t need—thing you don’t get value from—is tantamount to hoarding. What’s worse, watching the same movie over and over and over is, by definition, insane.

Sure, the two of us still watch movies, but we watch new movies, creating new experiences in our lives; we strengthen our relationships by enjoying movies with friends; we grow by talking about those experiences after they happen, developing a better understanding ourselves in the process.

So let go of that DVD collection (you can sell it and make some money), and stop watching the same things over and over. Instead, live your life. There is an entire world out there. And there is so much value you can add to that world, so much you can contribute beyond yourself—we’re certain of it.

—

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Nu är det snart dags igen. Det orange kuvertet har redan börjat dimpa ned i Sveriges nordligare brevlådor. I slutet av februari följer Stockholm och i mars är det dags för Göteborg och Skåne. Något som är tydligt är att Pensionsmyndigheten har vidgat fokus. Visst är det den statliga pensionen som beskrivs mest ingående, men greppet om helheten är tydligare än tidigare år. Bra, tycker jag! Skandia var först ut med att enkelt få en pensionsprognos över helheten via minpension.se. ”Slipp pensionschocken”, kommenterade en tidning Pensionsmyndighetens bredare fokus, och syftade väl på det faktum att den totala pensionen för de allra flesta är större än den statliga inkomstpensionen. Visst, jag kan hålla med – de allra flesta blir lugnade av vetskapen att de slipper leva på 40% av sin slutlön. Men jag är övertygad om att det finns ett antal mottagare av det orange kuvertet som inte kollar helheten på minpension.se – och som inte vill göra det heller. Hellre tjugo fåglar i skogen än en halv i handen, om ni förstår vad jag menar. Många vill helt enkelt inte veta hur det de facto kommer att se ut – inklusive inkomstpension, tjänstepension och rubbet - utan föredrar att stanna kvar i ”det-ordnar-sig-säkert-bubblan”. Pensionsålder är en annan nyhet på värdebeskedet för 2012. Intressant värre nu i efterdyningarna av 75-årsdebatten. Vårt pensionssystem fungerar ju så att du samlar ihop en påse pengar under ditt yrkesverksamma liv – och beroende på när du väljer att börja ta ut pensionen pytsas pengapåsen ut under din beräknade kvarvarande livslängd. Tidig pensionering – mindre pengar varje år, och vice versa. Och äldre blir ju vi svenskar! Pensionsmyndigheten upplyser nu dig om den ålder som gäller för pensionering om du vill ha ut lika mycket i procent av slutlön som tidigare generationer – d.v.s. givet att ingen ökning av livslängden skett. Alla vi som är födda 1965 ser t.ex. att vi måste jobba till dess vi är 67 år och 9 månader för att inte få minskad pension på grund av demografiska effekter. Fundera på hur du reagerar på en sådan information! Jag kan tycka att det blir lite mer konkret. Visst jobba längre ger mer pengar varje år, det känns rätt uppenbart. Men att få en siffra på det… 67 år och 9 månader, mjaa, varför inte… Hälsningar Jeanette Hauff, sparekonom

Nu är det snart dags igen. Det orange kuvertet har redan börjat dimpa ned i Sveriges nordligare brevlådor. I slutet av februari följer Stockholm och i mars är det dags för Göteborg och Skåne. Något som är tydligt är att Pensionsmyndigheten har vidgat fokus. Visst är det den statliga pensionen som beskrivs mest ingående, men greppet om helheten är tydligare än tidigare år. Bra, tycker jag! Skandia var först ut med att enkelt få en pensionsprognos över helheten via minpension.se. ”Slipp pensionschocken”, kommenterade en tidning Pensionsmyndighetens bredare fokus, och syftade väl på det faktum att den totala pensionen för de allra flesta är större än den statliga inkomstpensionen. Visst, jag kan hålla med – de allra flesta blir lugnade av vetskapen att de slipper leva på 40% av sin slutlön. Men jag är övertygad om att det finns ett antal mottagare av det orange kuvertet som inte kollar helheten på minpension.se – och som inte vill göra det heller. Hellre tjugo fåglar i skogen än en halv i handen, om ni förstår vad jag menar. Många vill helt enkelt inte veta hur det de facto kommer att se ut – inklusive inkomstpension, tjänstepension och rubbet - utan föredrar att stanna kvar i ”det-ordnar-sig-säkert-bubblan”. Pensionsålder är en annan nyhet på värdebeskedet för 2012. Intressant värre nu i efterdyningarna av 75-årsdebatten. Vårt pensionssystem fungerar ju så att du samlar ihop en påse pengar under ditt yrkesverksamma liv – och beroende på när du väljer att börja ta ut pensionen pytsas pengapåsen ut under din beräknade kvarvarande livslängd. Tidig pensionering – mindre pengar varje år, och vice versa. Och äldre blir ju vi svenskar! Pensionsmyndigheten upplyser nu dig om den ålder som gäller för pensionering om du vill ha ut lika mycket i procent av slutlön som tidigare generationer – d.v.s. givet att ingen ökning av livslängden skett. Alla vi som är födda 1965 ser t.ex. att vi måste jobba till dess vi är 67 år och 9 månader för att inte få minskad pension på grund av demografiska effekter. Fundera på hur du reagerar på en sådan information! Jag kan tycka att det blir lite mer konkret. Visst jobba längre ger mer pengar varje år, det känns rätt uppenbart. Men att få en siffra på det… 67 år och 9 månader, mjaa, varför inte… Hälsningar Jeanette Hauff, sparekonom

Hi all!  It’s been a bit longer of a hiatus than I originally intended, but I’m excited to announce that, as of March 1st, 2012, Common Sense Marketing will be back up and running with more of the in-depth affiliate marketing content you’ve come to know and love from this site.

These extra delays occurred for a number a reasons…  First, there was the spectacular failure of a holiday road trip (affectionately titled, “if you don’t get your timing belt serviced, it could blow up your entire engine and leave you stranded on the side of the interstate…”), which resulted in a tremendous amount of auto-related stress as my husband and I tried to figure out how to get home to Wisconsin after Christmas.

The second reason was my much more positive transition to self-employment.  I’m pleased to announce that, as of February 7th, 2012, I’ve made the leap to full-time writer, marketer and web business consultant!

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been catching up on some back-burner projects and re-prioritizing different elements of my business to ensure that I’m focusing on activities with the highest profit potential.  Taking a little time off to go through this transition has also given me some time to think about what I want to get out of site, and how I want it to grow in the future.

As a result of all this brainstorming fun, here’s what you can expect from this site in 2012…

1. More of a focus on technical marketing training.  Business and personal development content certainly has its place in making you a successful marketer, but lately, I’ve felt like the content I’ve been publishing has been lacking in “nitty gritty” details – aka, the techniques you actually need to know to run an affiliate website.  In 2012, I’m hoping to post a lot more tutorials and technique-oriented articles for your enjoyment!

2. Opportunities to learn advanced Amazon Associates techniques.  You all know I’m particularly fond of Amazon’s affiliate program, so I’m excited to be rolling out a few different opportunities for you to learn the advanced techniques I’ve learned from years of working with the program.  Keep your eyes out for the big announcement near the end of March!

3. A new design!  I’m currently putting the finishing touches on the new Common Sense Marketing site design, which will hopefully eliminate some of the limitations I’ve been running into with my current stock theme.  I can’t wait for you to see it!

I’ve got plenty of exciting plans up my sleeves, but if there are any topics in particular that you’d like to see me cover, please leave a note in the comments or shoot me an email.

Looking forward to a successful 2012 with you all!

Image: ScaarAT

One of the best ways to create content online is to interview someone – a person who compliments you and your brand or someone who fills the holes in it.

Interviews are extremely beneficial because:

1. You can generate unique and refreshing content for your audience. You don’t need to be the expert to deliver expert advice.
2. It can raise your level of authority simply because of the public association that you have with the interviewee.
3. You build a relationship with the person you are interviewing which could possibly lead to other growth opportunities for you and your brand down the road.

Conducting interviews (especially audio or video interviews), however, is not easy.

At least good ones that are worth people’s time.

Although most of the content is generated by the person you are interviewing, most of the responsibility to fashion an interview worth consuming still lies in your hands – and it’s not just about asking the right questions either.

It’s about genuine interest, flow, vibe, sincerity, concern, digging deeper, defining the unclear, attracting stories, avoiding awkwardness and being conscious about all of that at the same time.

After conducting 20 interviews of my own and being interviewed in more than 30 (and listening to several more!), I’ve learned a lot about what it takes to conduct a worth-listening-to interview, one that is captivating and full of content that your audience wants to hear.

Below are my top 10 tips for conducting an exceptional interview:

10. Remember Who You’re Serving

Two words: Your Audience.

Although the interview may help you and your brand while at the same time help the person you are interviewing (by giving them exposure to your audience) your number one priority should be to enlighten your audience – to get answers that are meaningful from the person you’re interviewing that can better serve those who will eventually consume that content.

Don’t forget.

9. Pre-Interview Homework

There are few things that you should do before the interview actually happens:

1. Understand a little bit about who you’re interviewing first. Sure, you’re conducting an interview to learn more about a person and what they do, but as the interviewer you should know a little bit more than your audience so that you can properly introduce the person and ask the right questions. If you can find an existing interview with the person on another website, that will be helpful too so you can gauge their style and tone, and create questions for that person accordingly.
2. Confirm the details of the interview with the person you’re interviewing. This is especially important if you’re interviewing someone in a different timezone. Some things to confirm are:
   • Date and time.
   • Method of communication. (Skype, phone call, smoke signals).
   • Approximate length of interview.
3. Test your recording equipment!
4. Prepare a list of questions. See the next tip…

--------------------- Thanks for reading! If you would like to leave a comment on this post, please click the link below: Top 10 Tips for Conducting an Exceptional Interview Join the community of over 18,000 fans of SPI on Facebook!

Related posts:

1. SPI 005 : Podcasting and Passive Income – Interview with Cliff Ravenscraft of PodcastAnswerMan.com
2. SPI 005 (Transcript): Podcasting and Passive Income – Interview with Cliff Ravenscraft of PodcastAnswerMan.com
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4. 8 Tips for Bloggers From an Advertising Book
5. Blogging Tips You Should Know

If you don’t set goals in life, what is the reason?

Is it because you don’t know how, don’t believe in it, or are anti-goals?

We were never taught this in school, so you may not know how. If you don’t believe in it, it’s probably because you’ve tried and failed many times.

Some are anti-goals. Leo Babauta at Zen Habits says he doesn’t set goals anymore. He feels more liberated. He lets his passion guide him.

Is this a growing trend?

Just as there’s countless ways to exercise, and different ways to get to your destination, there’s different ways to live your life. If you don’t want to set goals, that’s up to you. It’s your life.

But I believe you feel stuck or want to achieve more in life, goal setting can benefit you. It’ll give you something to aim for instead of wandering through life. It’ll weed out the not so important goals with the ones that really matter.

I’m a on Team Goal Setting. My 2011 would not be the same if I didn’t have a system to start and finish my goals.

I knew what it had done for me, but I wanted to find other people who are Team Goal Setting. Where could I find them?

I went to HARO (Help a Reporter Out) and posted my question. This is what I wrote.

I’m working on a post on the power of goal setting. There seems to be a movement where people don’t believe in goal setting. However, I believe in it and want to find others who have consistently used goal setting to achieve their personal and professional goals. How long have you been using goal setting? Why do you believe goal setting works? What are some accomplishments you’ve achieved because of goal setting? If I use your story, I’ll be happy to mention a link to your business or product if you’d like.

I got nearly 50 replies! Way more than I expected. It took so long to sort though them. I couldn’t list every single answer, so I’m sharing eighteen of them.

I really enjoyed reading what they were able to accomplish. Goal setting has helped people start their own business, become a CEO, author books, quit their corporate jobs, travel, work for Playboy and more.

After reading their stories, it convinced me goal setting is a powerful tool for life.

If you want advice on how to do it properly, learn from those who’ve done it with success.

Let’s get started.

I’ve always set goals, but I’ve been extremely proactive about my goal setting in the last year since starting my new health and wellness business (while still working full time!!). I quickly learned to set my goals, create actionable next steps and look at everything “5 at a time;” My 5 most important Goals for the year, my 5 most important goals for the quarter, my 5 most important goals for the month and my 5 most important goals for the day. It sounds tedious, but by breaking it down and only picking the 5 MOST important things for the year, quarter, month and day has helped my business grow hugely and kept me on track.

Goal setting is important because it gives you an outline for your overall “painted picture.” My first step was to create my painted picture which I learned from Cameron Herold, author of Double Double: How to Double Your Revenue and Profit in 3 Years or Less, which is basically the vision of your business. Once you have that, it’s important to set goals to push yourself to reach your painted picture. Goal setting is like a map. Without the map, you can’t get to your end destination.

I started a health and wellness business last summer and it has grown exactly into the business I’ve dreamed it would be. It actually grew faster than I was prepared for, but goal setting will allow me to have my dream job in three short years (the original plan was five) and to leave my corporate job. To me, that’s successful goal setting!

Paula Burton, Founder, Urban Girl Wellness

There is a simple formula for success. You have to decide exactly what it is that you want. You set the goal(s), and write it down, post it up where you’ll see it every day.

Then you make the plan – getting help if/when you need it – write it out. Then you work the plan, staying open to opportunity along the way. Then you have to do what it takes to reach the goal, keeping yourself motivated to be able to persevere through the ups and downs.

It’s simple, but not always easy. And most importantly, realizing that you are already successful as soon as you begin to pursue what it is that you really want. It’s not just the achievement that makes a person a success, it’s in the pursuit of their worthy ideal when the success begins.

Wendy Kay, Life Coach

For the last two years, I’ve sat down at the beginning of each year and set 2-3 goals for that year, as well as one goal to achieve over the next five years. I’ve had huge success with it.

But prior to this, for years I would make a list of many goals or “resolutions” I’d like to achieve. It doesn’t work unless you are focused on just a couple goals and they are truly important to you. If you don’t really care about losing 10 lbs, don’t bother including it.

I keep my goals in an excel spreadsheet and at the end of the year rate my success with each one. I try to revisit them quarterly. Since starting this, I’ve achieved each goal, one of which was a life-long dream of starting my own business. I’m sure that 100% is not sustainable, but I’ll take it for now.

Jordan Linville, Founder of Buzzreferrals.com

There are some important elements in setting goals. Here are a few: You cannot control outcomes-only your choices on productivity and direction. You can set measurable goals. It’s good to identify your brand/direction so you can set appropriate goals and have a target to aim at.

Karen H Whiting, Author and speaker

The reason why some people don’t like goals is that they neglect to have a PURPOSE, which is how you benefit, how you grow and transform and become a better person through the accomplishment.

With a strong purpose, the goal-setting and achieving is fulfilling.

Without purpose, goals can be intimidating. People don’t like to fail. If you don’t set a goal, then you don’t risk failure!

We teach that the only failure is a failure to learn. So, with a purpose, the goal gives you DIRECTION. Goals are very important so that you know where you are going and you also know when you have arrived!

I have accomplished many things from setting goals: writing books, teaching, giving lectures, “breaking in” to the corporate world to bring metaphysics to business people, learning skills such as playing the piano, writing proposals which have been accepted at many conferences.

Without goals, I can do a lot of activity and never get anywhere.

Laurel Clark, President, School of Metaphysics

I attribute a large part of my success to goal setting. The majority of the benefit is in setting high, big, lofty goals for one’s self that seem almost impossible.

If I had not written, lofty goals, I would probably be working in a lab as a chemist instead of having started a successful business selling a product of my own invention or had the opportunity to move back to NC to be closer to my family. That is not to say that being a chemist is at all bad, but I feel I have truly accomplished great things in the past 2 years that have taken me off the traditional career path for a PhD Chemist.

Goal setting works for me because it makes me define my dreams and visions for myself. Setting written goals makes me focus on big goals I have for myself, my business, my family etc.

Sharing written goals with other, like-minded people who will support you is also an important piece because it ads an element of accountability. Setting goals and defining your vision makes you a good leader.

Why would anyone follow someone who doesn’t know where they’re going and what they want?

Katie Hughes, PhD, former chemist turned CEO/Founder, Slip-On Dancers: Dance In Your Running Shoes!

Ever since I started setting goals 18 months ago, I decided to resign from my cushy job in banking to pursue my purpose to coach creative professionals and be involved in philanthropy, I’ve lost almost 15 pounds, and wrote my book Sculpt Your Life From Sketch to Masterpiece which was released a few months ago (also available as a kindle ebook on Amazon).

My 3 biggest tips for setting and achieving goals are:

1. Write your goals down and make sure to review your goals at least once every day 2. Create a Plan for Action of major goals along with deadlines for major tasks 3. Find “accountability partners” for support (mentor, friend, Master Mind group of colleagues, spouse or family members)

Alexandra F. Figueredo, Motivation & Success Coach

Goal setting is key for me as it keeps my eyes on the prize and helps me focus on what needs to get done to accomplish my major and intermediate goals.  When you have a small business, it is easy to keep yourself busy and get bogged down with the administrative aspects of running the business. However that work will get done, taxes will be dealt with, 1099s will get filed, the printer will get fixed. The bottom line is that finding and keeping customers is key for our success.  So while I have a To-Do list that I swear by, the tasks that affect my intermediate goals take priority.

Jen Portland, Founder of Excel Rain Man (Excel outsourcing, customization and education)

I believe goal setting should be taught early and implemented at every age level. Having goals helps you:

1. Identify what you want
2. Visualize (key element of success!)
3. Determine what it’ll take to get there
4. Determine what obstacles will need to be overcome
5. Measure success.

Without goals, in my opinion, you simply wander through life without direction.

Through the use of goal setting and visualization, I obtained the relationship of my dreams, a VP position of a profitable and growing legal service and the salary I wanted, have improved relationships with my family, and truly become the woman I want to be.

Life is short, so why not go after everything you desire?

Sara Schoonover VP of Ticket Kick (Get rid of traffic tickets in California)

I don’t think just setting a goal is good enough. You need a plan and you need action. When you have all three of those components, you’re more likely to achieve your goal. Figure out what you want to achieve through whatever methods you need to use. Set challenging yet attainable goals. Create a plan. How will you make sure you achieve the goals? Accountability works for me. I’m in a mastermind group.

I tell people about my goals, even if its just informally. Also, this year, some of my goals have inspired a handful of my friends to create similar goals, which is cool in and of itself. But that means, we’re all kind of unofficially checking in and seeing how the other person is doing. Knowing that someone is going to ask gives you that extra nudge to get things done.

Also helpful for me is writing the goals down in some sort of tracker. For a while, I was using the “Get Clients Now” tracker for business goals. Recently a friend gave me a Zig Ziglar inspired journal that I have to track my top goals in every day. Things like that help me stay focused.

[Through goal setting] I got a job. I traveled more in one year than I ever have before. I attended a slew of concerts, which was really terrific for me, because I’m passionate about music. I made a group of great new friends. I produced my first one-day conference, and I coordinated some of the largest networking events in Los Angeles. It’s pretty exhilarating to look back and think about all of those things.

Alaia Williams, Founder One Organized Business

Hello, I have used goals since I was 19 years old, you see I was convicted of a felony when i was 17 (1992) and was pretty much told I would never amount to anything.

However, by using goals I have been able to graduate with three degrees (no one in my family has a college education), I have been able to travel, my jobs have always been based through goals I wanted to achieve, and I have faced many fears also like skydiving and flying.

Now to top it all, I have opened my first small business and I have just finished a manuscript that I’m looking to have published.

Goal setting gives you a direction to go, a timeline to aim for and a prospective on what you might want your life to look like. The key is to realize that a goal need to be flexible, for example I wanted to have my manuscript completed on the 1st of January 2012, but I hope to have the last edit done actually this week now, its OK to be a little behind.

Lance Dzintars-Member, owner of Zaria & Bella’s a small gift and collectibles shop

I have been using goal setting for the last ten years quite successfully! Goal setting works because it causes us to focus in on what’s important in our lives and to look towards the life we want and who we want to be. We are all perfect just the way we are but we all have limitless potential that just remains untapped if we don’t strive to better ourselves.

Through goal setting I have lost over 90lbs, started a business, finished university and even ran a half-marathon.

Therese Lean, Personal health coach & goal-setting maven

I work with women to help them to launch or expand their business. I can’t imagine them not having goals. If you don’t know where you are going you will waste a tremendous amount of time and get nothing done.

I do find that people make “lists”. Perhaps the people who are against goal setting are thinking that a list is a goal?

I work with my ladies to have them develop lists that move their business forward. Just doing tactic list won’t get them very far. I also work with them to develop a vision statement. This helps them to think big and really have a clear set of goals.

Kathy McShane, http://ladieswholaunch.com/southwestct

I have used goal-setting in virtually everything I’ve done since the age of 14 (I’m now 37). Every major success that is “big” has come from properly setting goals. Some of these accomplishments are:

Athletics – At age 14, I used goal-setting to accomplish my goal of becoming one of the best tennis players in the country scholastically, attending a major university for tennis, and then becoming an ATP Tour tennis professional with a world ranking.

Executive/Business – I used goal-setting to become and thrive at Playboy Enterprises, and then again when I became the Chief Marketing Officer for one of the largest online marketing companies in the world. I’ve just set a bunch of goals recently now, too, because I just launched my own marketing agency.

Author – It had always been a goal of mine to publish. I used goal-setting to get that done, and even wrote a whole chapter about it in The Greatness Gap.

Goal-setting works, quite simply, because it focuses you and keeps you on track. It also works because I happen to use a bunch of short-term goals, which gives me several benchmarks along the way to my long-term goal.

Mike Sprouse, President & CEO, Sprouse Marketing Group, Author of The Greatness Gap and Marketing Muscle

In the fall of 2008 I decided to pursue my jewelry businesses. I had been making jewelry since I was young, but wanted to take it to the next level. Everyone told me how difficult this was going to be, and reminded me how awful my timing was, since it was the start of the recession, so I knew I would have to be incredibly strategic, and that included mapping out all of my goals. My ultimate goal, to sell stock to stores, I knew wasn’t the easiest thing, so I broke those goals down into smaller, more attainable goals, and within 3 weeks I had 3 stores!

It’s of course grown and grown from there, but the biggest lesson I learned when it came to my goals was to break them down into more digestible morsels, and they were that much more attainable.

I’ve always used goal setting, and I believe it works because it creates focus and helps with visualizing the end result. But, like I said, I believe taking each goal and breaking it down into smaller, more attainable ones.

Liza Jayne, Founder of Liza Jayne Jewelry

I too believe in Goal Setting! I am a Personal Trainer, Club Owner, NLP practitioner etc and this request is right up my alley.

In January many decide to join a gym. But research shows that more than half the people will not make it to swimsuit season. Why? Because their goal was to join a gym, and once they signed up- they met their goal!

The clients I have seen get the best results spend time creating pictures of a new result. They write down their goals and they monitor what they are thinking about. They are the director of their own movie- the trick is to formulate, imagine and practice what this looks and feels like. Then, and not until then (at least long term) will the person take the appropriate actions to get there.

Marc Lebert, Founder of Lebert Fitness

I actually formed a goal group while I was in the corporate world and currently have a Mastermind Group for my current business. I talk about the importance of balance and setting goals with a “balance wheel” technique when I do my public speaking workshops for adults.

I have seen the results [from goal setting]. There is the saying “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” If you are not clear on what is important, or what it is you need to focus on, it will be very easy to be pulled in many different directions and become totally out of balance.

[What are some accomplishments you've achieved because of goal setting?] 1. I became the author of an award-winning children’s book. 2. I started my own company. 3. I travelled to Africa and went on a safari. 4. I have taken time out to focus on my health and put myself first to keep that balance. 5. Raised fund in my Climb for a Cause . Climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro this past summer with the goal of raising $5,895 for Sharing to Learn. I reached 88% of my goal which was $5,185. Although the actual goal itself was not reached, I am happy with the results that occurred. 6. My goal was to “Make a difference, not just a living”. I have raised over $20,000 through the sales of my books to worthy causes. I have had teachers say that “Susanne is a true ambassador of goodwill.”

Susanne Alexander-Heaton, CEO, Motivated by Nature

The longest goal I have set was five years. I became financially free at 33.  I was just three months off my target date. But had I not made, reviewed, adjusted and kept diligent track of that goal there is NO way I would have achieved it.

A goal is just like a road map (or GPS): without your course clearly defined you’ll wander around and maybe never to where you want to be. Alternatively, you can accurately write down your goals thoughtfully, decide how to best reach them, and have an extremely high probability of reaching your goals.

I believe the better you know your target, the easier it will be to hit it. That is why I hone in on the ‘how’ we are planning on reaching our goals. Once we do that, we can then determine a realistic time-frame on achieving them.   Our personal goals are a lot like a business plan for companies: what are you going to do? When? If it doesn’t work out what’s Plan B?

When I consult with people and businesses about goals the biggest regret I hear is, “I wish I had started soon!”

BIG TIPS TO SUCCESS: Write out your TOP 5 goals on the back of a check in past tense; make the check payable to you dated 1 year from now; say those goals out loud five times a day.  Because most of my coaching students goal involve creating wealth, the check should be for five times their current yearly income.

An Accountability Partner: to really bend the nail in wall and make this work say the goals to someone as often as you can. And once you’ve hit your target once, you’ll find it’s a lot easier to hit it again and again and again.   What I have seen recently is because goal setting has falling out of favor some look to a ‘quick fix’ to get then where they want to be. It’s not surprising that were they NEED to be is spending the time wood-shedding their goals. I recommend unplug from everything and everyone daily for just 15 minutes to look deep at where you want to get; how you’re going to get there and what’s stopping  you right now from getting there.

Ya, its work. But so is a life of frustration because you know you’re better than what you’re getting.

Scott A. FladHammer, Personal Real Estate Coaching

Everyone has goals; just some are on purpose, a plan, are written down and have a completion date.

Other people’s goals may or may not include lunch.

I believe goal setting works simply because humans are wired to be goal setters. Watch a baby learn to walk or learn to talk they do it until they get it right because they want something, food, a toy, whatever the goal is at the moment.

Kids are natural goal setters.ask them what they want to be when they grow up and they’ll tell you, in great detail, exactly how they are going to be a firefighting police officer scientist president one day.

Goals allowed me to work with my wife from home in our own business, raise our kids together and amply provide for my family. That was probably my greatest goal and I accomplished the first step 18 years ago.

Everything else I’ve accomplished pales in comparison to the joy of being able to be with my family without being a slave to a corporation.

Goals don’t have to be about curing cancer or going to the moon, they need to be about you creating the life you want.

Michael Bremmer, CEO, Telecom Quotes

Use their stories to help you in 2012

I know many of you have big goals for 2012, and I hope reading their stories have given you some tips to finish those goals! Learn from those who have done it and have gotten results.

Starting is easy. Everyone does that. It’s getting through the rest and finishing that’s the toughest.

Haven’t written down any goals yet? It’s never too late to start.

Your turn!

How are your 2012 goals going so far?

Do you have any advice for others about achieving your goals?

In your experience, what’s the hardest part about goal achieving?

 

P.S. Want to know how I achieved my goals?

If you want to learn more about a system to help you start and achieve goals, my goal setting course starts soon.

Don’t want to miss out on it? The first class will only be for subscribers to my mailing list. Sign up below and you’ll get some content only for subscribers as well.

Photo by JD Hancock

“This is the minimalism book everyone’s been waiting for.”

—Todd Schnick, Intrepid Radio

Today we’re lowing the price of our book Minimalism: Live a Meaningful Life from $24.99 to $7.99 on Amazon. We’ll publish an essay later this week explaining why we’re making such a radical price reduction.

To celebrate this good news, our friend Dave LaTulippe designed a beautiful new cover for the book (image above). We hope you like it as much as we do. You can check out Dave’s other amazing design work and follow him on Twitter and Google+. If you’d like to print a high res version of this new cover for any reason, you can download an 8.5″ x 11″ copy for free.

If you already purchased a previous copy of the book, we thank you—your support keeps this site alive. If you’d like a free updated copy, email us your receipt and we’ll send you the updated version for free.

About the Book

Minimalism: Live a Meaningful Life is our finest, most important creation to date. It’s also the best thing we’ve ever written about Minimalism and will likely serve as the cornerstone to our work for years to come. It took us a year to write this book—a year of creating the best material possible and finding ways to relate it back to our lives so you would have practical ways to relate the subject matter to your life. Learn more about the book or purchase on Amazon for $7.99.

We signed exclusivity agreement with Amazon for 90 days, which means this book is available exclusively on Kindle.

Don’t own a Kindle? No problem! Kindle books can be read using the Free Kindle Reader App for your Web Browser, PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, or Android Phone.

And if you really, really want a PDF or ePub version, you can email us your Amazon receipt and we’ll send you the PDF or ePub files for free (N.B. we need the Amazon receipt to provide you with an alternate version).

If you’re in a country where you can’t yet purchase books from Amazon’s Kindle store, please email us, and we’ll send you to special page to purchase the PDF or ePub versions.

If you enjoy this book, we’d greatly appreciate a review on Amazon. Those reviews help us get our message out to more people.

You can listen to Joshua & Ryan discuss this book in-depth on Intrepid Radio with Todd Schnick (free downloadable audio podcast).

I just wanted to share this quick video I recorded to say thanks for all of the well wishes and also to make some quick announcements about:

1. Blog World Expo NY 2012
2. Security Guard Training Headquarters
3. A website I just purchased; and
4. Happy Anniversary!

(Or, you can watch the video on YouTube by clicking here!)

Click Here to Read the Transcript

Also, a big thanks to Greg from Sparring Mind and Kim from Buzz Blogger who wrote amazing guest posts on the blog this past week. Here are the links below in case you missed these posts:

• From Greg: How I Got 2000+ Visitors to My Site…With a Frontpage PowerPoint Presentation on Slideshare
• From Kim: 17 Copy-and-Paste Post Templates

Other Posts You May Enjoy

And -- just in case you’re looking for more content to read, here’s a list of great posts I’ve recently come across that you may enjoy:

• How to Handle Criticism -- A Practical Guide by Darren from Problogger.net
• Why I’m Being Stupid Enough to Launch My Book at $0.00 by Johnny B. Truant
• How Ramit Sethi Monetized after Giving Away Content for Years on His Blog by David on The Rise to the Top
• How to Create a Blog Sidebar that Converts Visitors into Revenue by Derek on the DIYThemes Blog
• Are You Multi Format Blogging? by Dan Sumner

Thanks so much, and if you’d like to shamelessly plug one of your own posts on my Facebook Page go ahead and click here now!

Cheers, and have a great weekend!

--------------------- Thanks for reading! If you would like to leave a comment on this post, please click the link below: A Thank You Video + Some Quick Announcements Join the community of over 10,000 fans of SPI on Facebook!

Related posts:

1. Quick Update: Chicago, Blog World Expo and the Podcast Awards
2. Video Disclaimer
3. Quick Ways to Utilize These 4 Non-Google Search Engines
4. My Home Office Green Screen Setup and First Video
5. A Quick Exercise That Will Help You Write Better – You Try!

I en artikelserie i Dagens Industri i veckan har reportrarna studerat hur framgångsrika aktieanalytikernas prognoser har varit historiskt. Granskningen visar att analytikerna har varit usla på att ge råd. De tillfällena som analytikerna var som mest positiva var i samband med millennieskiftet och strax före finanskrisen blossade upp. Och vi vet ju alla hur börsutvecklingen såg ut efter det. Frågan som vissa kanske ställer sig är: Om man inte vill förlita sig på analytikernas tips – hur ska man då investera? Här är min åsikt: Att ta investeringsbeslut baserade endast på analytikers eller andras rekommendationer är spekulation. Och att spekulera ska skiljas från att investera. När du investerar, så väljer du sammansättning på portföljen baserat på dig själv, din personlighet. Du utgår från din syn på risk och hur lång tid du planerar att ha dina pengar liggandes i portföljen. Du väljer en sammansättning av tillgångar som du kan behålla oavsett om börsen stiger eller faller. När du har grunden klar kan du såklart krydda din portfölj med några enskilda aktier som antingen du själv tror på eller som någon annan har rekommenderat. Men en enskild aktieplacering är spekulation. Jag tycker att DI:s analys visar på en mycket viktig sak som är grunden i Skandias investeringsfilosofi. Att pricka vinnare är svårt, och det är inte valet mellan aktie A eller aktie B som är det viktiga för din långsiktiga avkastning. Istället är det den totala sammansättningen av din portfölj som är det centrala. Men missförstå mig inte. Vi tror att det finns förvaltare som kan välja rätt aktier och att det över tid ger bättre avkastning än vad ett index kan ge, men som sagt - det är den strategiska portföljsammansättningen som gör skillnad. Sammanfattningsvis: välj en fördelning av tillgångsslag (aktier, fonder, traditionellt livsparande och strukturerade produkter) som passar dig. Sen kan du finjustera vikterna utifrån analyser, egen tro och marknadsläge. Men ett köptips på tex. Ericsson ska du se som spekulation och sådana inslag ska bara utgöra toppen av isberget i portföljen. Hälsningar Jim Rotsman, chef investeringserbjudandet

I en artikelserie i Dagens Industri i veckan har reportrarna studerat hur framgångsrika aktieanalytikernas prognoser har varit historiskt. Granskningen visar att analytikerna har varit usla på att ge råd. De tillfällena som analytikerna var som mest positiva var i samband med millennieskiftet och strax före finanskrisen blossade upp. Och vi vet ju alla hur börsutvecklingen såg ut efter det. Frågan som vissa kanske ställer sig är: Om man inte vill förlita sig på analytikernas tips – hur ska man då investera? Här är min åsikt: Att ta investeringsbeslut baserade endast på analytikers eller andras rekommendationer är spekulation. Och att spekulera ska skiljas från att investera. När du investerar, så väljer du sammansättning på portföljen baserat på dig själv, din personlighet. Du utgår från din syn på risk och hur lång tid du planerar att ha dina pengar liggandes i portföljen. Du väljer en sammansättning av tillgångar som du kan behålla oavsett om börsen stiger eller faller. När du har grunden klar kan du såklart krydda din portfölj med några enskilda aktier som antingen du själv tror på eller som någon annan har rekommenderat. Men en enskild aktieplacering är spekulation. Jag tycker att DI:s analys visar på en mycket viktig sak som är grunden i Skandias investeringsfilosofi. Att pricka vinnare är svårt, och det är inte valet mellan aktie A eller aktie B som är det viktiga för din långsiktiga avkastning. Istället är det den totala sammansättningen av din portfölj som är det centrala. Men missförstå mig inte. Vi tror att det finns förvaltare som kan välja rätt aktier och att det över tid ger bättre avkastning än vad ett index kan ge, men som sagt - det är den strategiska portföljsammansättningen som gör skillnad. Sammanfattningsvis: välj en fördelning av tillgångsslag (aktier, fonder, traditionellt livsparande och strukturerade produkter) som passar dig. Sen kan du finjustera vikterna utifrån analyser, egen tro och marknadsläge. Men ett köptips på tex. Ericsson ska du se som spekulation och sådana inslag ska bara utgöra toppen av isberget i portföljen. Hälsningar Jim Rotsman, chef investeringserbjudandet

Google’s generally advice to website owners over the years has been to “create good unique content” and you will be rewarded. We all know this to be bogus – and if you didn’t know this by now – welcome to my blog. For at least the next several years we’ll continue to see updates to the Google algorithm and everyone will continue to sound the “death of SEO” alarm, but what will continue to be among the most important ranking factors will be the number and quality of links pointing to your website. Because after all…

It’s not the quality of the product that matters most, but the marketing behind it

That philosophy rings true in most markets, but especially with niche websites. No matter how good your website is about dual flush toilets, no one cares enough about what you’re writing to link to you. The same can be said for millions of other topics that can be used as the basis for building a niche website on and that’s where these article marketing tools can help.

Now, if you’ve spent any time reading blogs about how to make money with websites then the first part of this blog post has probably not come as a surprise. Most everyone understands the importance of links but what most people don’t know is how to actually build links in a scalable way. The most common answer to this problem has always been to outsource link building and/or use software to help. Since I’ve had success with both of these solutions I thought I’d take it a step further and document most of the major software based article marketing / link building services in a public case study.

The goal of this case study is to find the top article marketing tools for link building based on data I collect.

What Services Will I Use?

Unique Article Wizard - $67 per month My Article Network – $67 per month Build My Rank – Starts at $59 per month (10 free links trial with no credit card) ArticleRanks - Starts at $39 per month Distribute Your Articles - Starts at $99 per quarter Traffic Kaboom - Starts at $197 per quarter SEO Link Monster – Starts at $47 per month and $147 per month after that Digi Traffic Accelerator – $19.95 per month (currently half off)

My monthly bill for just link building services will be roughly $500 a month (and I might add a few more services if there is enough demand in the comments). I will be using affiliate links during this study while referencing the tools I use so I appreciate the support when you buy through my links and as an extra bonus I plan to create and give away instructional videos where I’ll show you the best way to maximize your results with the software I find is best that you can watch yourself or hand over to your VA’s so they can do the work for you (just another way of saying thanks for the support). I’m doing this study because link building in general (let alone software assisted link building) is something that I’ve found most people don’t understand so I fully expect this to be one of the most popular case studies I share on this blog so don’t be afraid to ask questions.

What Other Expenses Will I Have?

I’ll be paying for a few dozen domain names, TextBroker.com for some of the content creation and using my full time VA to help with setting up the websites and writing some of the content etc. but I’ll be the one running the software tools for this study so that I can be absolutely sure everything is done the way I want it to be.

Total monthly expenses should run me roughly $1,000 per month, but again I’m spending my money and (in some cases wasting my time) so you don’t have to. You don’t need all of these tools listed above. At most you’ll only need one or two of these services – only if – you’re really interested in building out niche websites as a business model as opposed to going for a more authority focused model without building links through software etc. In that case, stay tuned for a follow up blog post where I cover other link building alternatives.

How I Will Conduct This Experiment?

I’ve thought about this for quite a while and I’ve looked at other experiments and I’ve discovered the best way to do this is to focus on three key areas:

1. The number of backlinks indexed from each service 2. The page rank for each of these backlinks from each service 3. The keyword rankings I get from using these services

I’ll most likely be using ahrefs tool for backlink analysis, but if I use a different program or you want me to check out another program for this case study let me know in the comments below. I’ll look at these three criteria over a time period of at least 90 days – so I expect to spend at least $3,000 on this experiment. I’m going to be buying brand new domains with a plan to launch the case study March 1st so I’ll have all of the domains and keywords picked out ahead of time.

In rating the tools I’ll not only looking at the above factors but I’ll also be looking at how easy it is to use the tools as well. If there are two tools that provide roughly the same results but one takes less time and is less confusing to use then I’ll be recommending that one instead.

Overall Summary

The results of this experiment should provide a lot of helpful data for those of you interested in building backlinks to your websites so I’m pretty excited about getting this case study underway. Once I’ve found the best services based on my data I’ll host a webinar and walk you through the various tools I think are the best and show you more of what I learned etc. and provide video recordings for anyone who decides to buy the tools I recommend (again as just another way to say thanks for the support). My goal here is to cut through the crap and invest a lot of my own time so you don’t have to.

Please note: There is no way that I can reveal the websites, keyword choices etc. while I’m conducting the study for obvious reasons and because it opens the study to external factors (limiting variables will already be difficult enough).

If you want to make sure you get all of the case study updates join my email list here. What do you think of how I plan to conduct this case study?

Off Topic PS: Be on the lookout for an email from me early next week inviting you to a webinar where I’ll be showing off some awesome new software that’s been created to help with Amazon focused keyword research. The week after that the WordPress theme I’ve been working with on a partner on should finally be complete as well! We’ve had about a dozen beta testers helping us test it for the past several weeks.

Den senaste tiden har jag fått smak på en mänsklig drivkraft inom rikedom som tidigare har varit dold för mig. Det är en lurig och farlig drivkraft som genomsyrar en otroligt stor del av våra beteenden. Jag misstänker också att den är den som slutligen kommer att bli mänsklighetens undergång. Jag beskriver den såhär:

”Vi människor prioriterar att se bra ut, framför att må bra om vi tvingas välja”

Jag ser runtomkring mig (och inom mig också för all del) ändlösa tecken på just detta. Dagligen träffar jag människor som är sugna på ett rikare liv men som envisas med att säga ”jag är på gång” eller ”jag har det redan själv” eller ”jag ska göra det på mitt sätt… sen” samtidigt som jag ser hur de innerst inne längtar efter reskamrater och stöd och hjälp.

Det verkar heller inte vara ett lyxproblem, dvs att man unnar sig att prioritera att se bra ut när man ända mår bra. Jag har i t ex  Lyxfällan träffat otaliga människor som trots hemska resultat envist fortsätter att hävda att deras sätt att göra saker är det enda rimliga.

Ett specifikt tillfälle som etsat sig fast i mitt huvud är det äldre paret med usel ekonomi som fick hjälp i ett samarbete som Balansekonomi gjorde med ett inkassobolag. De hade haft de tufft länge med SMS-lån och kronofogdeskulder som följd. Deras största rädsla var att deras dåliga ekonomi skulle drabba barnen… så de sa inget för att inte oroa dem. När barnbarnen, som bodde i en annan stad, ringde och frågade när farfar och farmor skulle komma och hälsa på så vågade de inte säga att de inte hade råd. Istället sa de att de inte ville!

Vi prioriterar att se bra ut istället för att må bra… varför är det så?

Jag antar att detta fenomen bottnar i vår inneboende rädsla för andra människor. Jag kommer själv ihåg den dagen som jag på allvar fick smak på hur rädd jag är för andra människor och hur mycket grejer jag sysslade med för att skydda mig från andra människor. Samma dag när jag satt på tunnelbanan och tittade på alla ”farliga människor”, gick ljuset upp för mig – ”alla andra människor är lika rädda för mig”. Sedan den dagen har jag en annan inställning till att t ex gå upp på scen och föreläsa. Jag är lite rädd för er, ni är lite rädda för mig… jag har empati med oss allihopa.

Mycket i vårt liv är bra, annat är ok, och en del saker är inte ens ok. Låt oss börja säga sanningen om hur det egentligen ser ut på en helt ny nivå. Om vi skall kunna ta våra liv till nästa nivå av rikedom, tror jag att vi måste börja med att våga se dåliga ut. Att säga att vi inte har allt, att vi inte vet allt och att vi faktiskt skulle må bra av lite hjälp. För inget stort har någonsin skapats av någon själv, du kommer precis som jag behöva mycket stöd på vägen för att bygga dig din rikedom… priset du betalar är att börja med att även prata om det som INTE funkar optimalt.

Det handlar inte om att bli negativ eller att dra ned på självförtroendet. Som jag ser det handlar inte självförtroende om att försöka intala sig själv att man har allt man behöver utan att man litar på sin förmåga att tillsammans med andra skaffa vadhelst som man kan komma att bli sugen på.

För vissa dagar känner jag mig som en croupier vid ett pokerbord där ingen vill byta till sig några av alla de korten jag har i leken för att de har fullt upp med att låtsas att de alltid har ”Fyra Ess” på handen.

The truth shall set you free, but first it will piss you off!

/ Charlie Söderberg Rikedomscoach på Balanseknomi

I’m usually a trooper when it comes to pain…but this wisdom tooth extraction has just not been treating me very well. Thanks for understanding that I still need a couple more days to recover before getting back on the saddle and writing blog posts again. Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere!

Today, however, I’m happy (and very lucky) to feature a guest post from one of my favorite writers online, Kim Roach from Buzzblogger.com. She always produces fantastic material that’s quick to read. She’s already proven so with her first guest post that was published on SPI back in April of 2010. 

If you write at all online, this is a post to bookmark for future reference – guaranteed. 

Please give Kim a warm welcome, enjoy and share!

Do you ever get writer’s block?

I mean do you ever sit down at your computer with that blank screen mocking you in the face?

As a blogger, I’ve done this on more than one occasion.

Sure, I use all kinds of tricks to get the ‘ol inspiration motor running…

• I keep a list of running article ideas.
• I browse all of my favorite blogs scouting for possible ideas.
• Tweet my followers for ideas.
• If I get really desperate I’ll whip up a nice bubble bath and some wine

But sometimes you just need a good hook.

Something fresh and unique!

So today I’m going to give you 17 Copy-And-Paste Blog Post Templates that you can use as your own.

Happy Blogging!

1. Make a predictions post.

These are incredibly fun, especially towards the end of the year. Or the beginning of a new year

Take a look at what’s happening in your market. What’s hot? What are the current trends? And create a blog post around those with your predictions for the new year.

Not only are these types of posts a TON of fun but they also position you as a leader in your market.

So whip out the ‘ol Magic 8 Ball and publish your predictions!

2. Things You Might Not Know About Me

This is a blog post that I recommend EVERY blogger do.

One of the fastest ways to start truly engaging with your community is to give them a peek behind the curtain. Let them see who you are BEYOND just business.

The fact is that we are living through the humanization of business and people are extremely interested in the person BEHIND the business itself.

More than ever… we crave RELATIONSHIPS!

People don’t want cheesy marketing messages… they want YOU.

Your story… Your life… Your own unique personality infused into everything you do.

Your readers will be attracted to your weird quirks because they make you human.

When your flawed your real.

That’s one of the biggest pieces of advice I could give you this year.

Give people a peek behind the curtain.

• 24 Things I’ve Never Told You
• 33 Things I’ve Never Told You
• It’s My Birthday and I’ll Blog When I Want To
• 26 Life Lessons I’ve Learned in 26 Years of Living
• 30 More Life Lessons From 30 Years

Business is about HUMAN connection. And the only way to truly connect is by being completely you.

Your emails, your videos, your articles, every piece of content should be branded with your own, unique personality.

3. Why I Don’t Do ‘X’.

People LOVE controversy. That’s why the news channels thrive on ’bad’ news. Kind of concerning but knowing this can help you instantly increase your email open rates, improve your headlines, and get your articles read.

One of my favorite ways to do this is to use the headline:

Why I Don’t Do ‘X’.

I recently used this in an email entitled “Why I Don’t Do SEO”.

As you can imagine, it got QUITE the attention because I was debunking a hot topic within our industry.

You can use this same strategy on your own blog:

• Why I Don’t Do Diets
• Why I Don’t Do Online Dating
• Why I Don’t Do Article Marketing

This one is an instant winner when used properly. Plus, it’s just a lot of fun!

People are looking for something fun, unique, and different.

By providing them with something valuable AND entertaining, you’ll be the one that gets read.

4. (Famous Person Guide) to (Blank)

Another great place to get article ideas is to tap into the media. Take what’s hot right now in the news and tie it into your market.

Here are a few examples:

• The Steve Job’s Guide to Time Management
• The Justin Bieber Guide to Dating
• Harry Houdini’s ‘Secret’ to Unusual Marketing
• The M.C. Hammer Guide to Social Media

Tap into the hot topics that are ALREADY inside the mind of your prospect.

5. Case Study

No one can resist a good case study. It’s like a good story.

People love to get a behind-the-scenes look at EXACTLY how someone has achieved a certain goal.

Some examples include…

• [CASE STUDY] 1 Article = 7,640 Visitors
• How I paid off $15,000 in 9 months by selling my ‘Stuff’ on Ebay
• How I Lost 21 Pounds in 30 Days
• My Journey To The #1 Spot in Google

If you want to quickly become the market leader in your industry, whip out a few case studies and let people follow along on your journey.

6. Product Showdowns.

Here’s a twist on the traditional product review post. Instead of just reviewing a product – we’re going to do a product showdown comparing 2 similar products and sharing the pros and cons of each.

Some examples might include…

• Optimize Press Vs. Kajabi
• Rapid Action Profits VS. JVZoo
• Tweet Adder Vs. Tweet Attacks
• Odesk Vs. Fiverr

You’re providing extra value by comparing similar (and possibly) competing products. Helping your reader to decide which one is best for them.

You can take this a step further by sharing how you personally are using the product. Anything you can do to get beyond the boring, overdone, traditional product review. The old ways of affiliate marketing are dying. But add your own unique twist and you’ll quickly start to see the difference.

7. ‘X’ Things You Must Do After (Blank)

Here’s a super simple one that’s almost always an instant winner. It’s fun and easy to write. Entertaining for your reader and it plays on our natural curiosity.

• 7 Things You Must Do after Writing a Blog Post
• 7 Things You Must Do After Every Workout
• 3 Things You Must Do After Every Date

8. How To (Blank) in (X Number of Days / Hours)

Here’s another extremely powerful template that’s similar to the case study post above…

• How to Generate 427+ Visitors in 24 Hours
• How to Get 1,200 Facebook Likes in 3 Days
• How to Lose 12 Pounds in 7 Days
• How to Get the Perfect Date in 7 Days

Use either one of these templates to knock-out a killer blog post when your strapped for ideas.

9. Experimental Posts

The only thing better than living an exciting life is to live vicariously through someone else’s exciting life. You can bring this entertainment factor to your blog by doing experimental posts.

This is basically where you set an interesting goal for yourself and post updates on your progress over a 30-day period.

Here are a few examples to get your brain rolling…

• May’s Trial – Quasi-minimalism
• August’s trial results: Gaining time by losing email addiction
• My 30 Day Weight Loss Journey
• My 30 Day Email Detox
• My 30 Days of Online Dating (Wouldn’t that be interesting

10. Comprehensive Pillar Posts

This one never gets old. If you’re looking to establish your presence online, one of the best things you can do to stand out is to start creating some epic blog posts.

A ‘pillar’ article is generally longer than the traditional blog post (1,000+ words). This sort of ‘flagship content’ is a comprehensive article dripping in value.

Building a raving audience of fans online all starts with mind-blowing pillar content.

Content that makes people think. Inspires. Creates value. Provides a new perspective. Pushes people out of their comfort zones. Challenges your readers. And creates nothing short of a braingasm!

Because of this, people can’t help but share it with others via Twitter, Facebook, StumbleUpon, etc… So when done properly, your pillar posts should bring in a new burst of readers as well.

Here are a few examples of ‘pillar’ posts:

• How to Create a Facebook Landing Page
• The Ultimate Guide to Facebook Marketing
• 21 Steps to 1,000 Visitors Per Day
• 500+ Places to Syndicate Your Content

11. (Insert Desired Benefit) That No One Talks About

As humans, we naturally want to listen in on ‘insider information’.

Kind of like when you were little and you tried to listen in on your sister’s telephone conversations. We love listening in when we’re not supposed to That’s why this template works so well…

• Traffic Strategies That No One Talks About
• Weight Loss Secrets That No One Talks About
• Dating Advice That No One Talks About

12. Blog Post Roundup

Here’s an easy one that you can whip up quickly when you’re running short on time. List the top 10 blog posts from the year. Or the top blog posts from around the web that week. Or simply do a ‘Best Of’ post for your industry. This could be the best Twitter posts, forum posts, best blog posts, best news items, best product releases, etc…

Whip up any combination of your choice. You could even do this on a weekly basis. People love these types of posts because it keeps them in the loop on what’s going on in the industry without having to do all the searching themselves.

Kikolani.com does a really good job of this in their ‘Fetching Friday’ posts…

13. Things I Wish I Had Done Differently

These types of posts are almost always a hit because people love to read about other people’s ‘mistakes’. Plus, they provide a ton of value for your readers and help them to avoid common pitfalls.

Give your readers a look behind-the-curtain. Be authentic and transparent and people will love you for it.

Some example headlines might include:

• 10 Lessons I Learned in 2011
• 7 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started
• 12 Things I Would Do If I Were Starting From Scratch

14. The Tools of the Trade

Give people a behind-the-scenes look at the tools you use in your business. People love these types of posts. If you want to take it one step further, shoot a video of your office. You’ll create instant engagement with your readers.

Here are a few example headlines you could use…

• The Top 12 Marketing Tools I Use in My Business
• 7 Marketing Tools I Couldn’t Live Without
• 18 Must-Have WordPress Plugins
• (LIVE Video) A Look Inside My Office

15. Ask / Involve the Reader!!

Engagement is quickly becoming one of THE most important marketing metrics in business.

All of your content should be a reflection of the wants, needs, desires, and frustrations of your reader.

There are LOTS of different ways to do this. You can create an “Ask the Reader” type post where you ask an engaging question and start interacting in the comments. Or you can challenge your readers to achieve a specific goal that month and report back with their results.

Here are a few examples…

• Ask the Readers: What’s the Most Effective Thing Youíve Done to Build Traffic this Year?
• You Asked, I Replied ViperChill Answers #1
• First Annual Thanksgiving “Give Yourself a Plug” Day!
• Announcing The Million Dollar Blog Project: Build a Profitable Blog Along With Us
• Share Your Best Post Ever!

Challenge your readers:

• Reader Challenge Roundup: Creating a YouTube Video
• Reader Challenge Roundup: Mini-Product Creation

16. Debunk Industry Myths.

Every industry has its fair share of myths, legends, and misconceptions.

People love nothing more than debunking common beliefs. Plus, by pointing what’s WRONG in your industry, you also position yourself as a leader.

Some examples here might include:

• Top 7 Dieting Myths Debunked
• Why I Hate the Atkins Diet
• 7 Lies You’ve Been Told About Dating
• Why Pickup Lines Don’t Work (and what to do instead…)

Talk about what’s WRONG in your industry. Nothing gets more attention than controversy. But you must do it right. Debunk with style

17. Comment On Industry Gossip

Every industry has it’s own circle of gossip. Writing about these hot topics is one of the best ways to increase readership and tap into the conversation that’s ALREADY taking place in the mind of your prospect.

You can get your fill of juicy gossip browsing the major news sites, in related forums, related blogs, and in your inbox.

This sort of timely ‘news’ (i.e. gossip) makes for great content.

• New fad diets
• Famous people on such-and-such diet.
• The Truth About Product X
• Where is Mobile Marketing REALLY Headed?

Part of positioning yourself as an authority is staying ahead of the trends within your industry. If you can be the first to report on relevant trends that are impacting your industry, then people will literally ‘tune’ into your station to make sure they stay updated.

Take a stand on the issue and help guide your reader to make an informed decision.

Use the 17 blog post ideas above to stand out from the crowd, get your blog noticed, and become an industry maven.

Kim Roach is the official Marketing Lab Rat at Buzzblogger.com. If youíd like to discover ALL 24 of Kim’s favorite traffic sources, go to http://www.buzzblogger.com/traffic-lab.html to claim your FREE Underground Traffic Report.

--------------------- Thanks for reading! If you would like to leave a comment on this post, please click the link below: 17 Copy-And-Paste Blog Post Templates Join the community of over 10,000 fans of SPI on Facebook!

Related posts:

1. The Blog Post Checklist: After You Publish Your Post
2. The End of a Blog Post is Just the Beginning
3. How to Publish an Ebook Series – Part 1 – Hard Copy vs. Ebook
4. The Recipe For A Popular Post
5. I Guarantee You Will Read This Post, Or Your Money Back! Details about Guarantees Below

I fredags hade vi besök av Kronprinsessan Victoria och Prins Daniel här på Skandia. De ville veta mer om den verksamhet vi driver inom ramen för Idéer för Livet och vårt samhällsengagemang. För ett sådant tillfälle så var det klart att vi ville ge en inblick i alla de bitar vi jobbar med och även visa varför vi tycker att det är viktigt att bolag vågar agera och ta ett samhällsansvar. Därför bjöd vi in några (av de 280) Eldsjälar som vi stödjer att berätta om sin verksamhet. Projektet ”Jag kan” inspirerade genom att visa hur de jobbar för att få unga kriminella att vända sin drivkraft till mer konstruktiva (och legala) projekt. Helt enkelt – att se sig som sociala entreprenörer! Projektet ”Väsby mot Våld” berättade om sin vision att få 40 000 medlemmar – dvs alla i kommunen med i föreningen för att hindra framtida våldsdåd. Sånt engagemang och handlingskraft tror jag inspirerar och imponerar och faktum är att det finns en hel del Eldsjälar. Stiftelsen Idéer för livet får 900 ansökningar varje år från Eldsjälar som har idéer för hur de vill stötta barn och unga. Ibland handlar det om anti-skolkprojekt, andra gånger om nattvandring, föräldrastödskurser eller musikprojekt. Den som tror att föreningslivet och lusten att engagera sig i samhället tillhör forna tider borde kolla in alla eldsjälar på vår hemsida för att få ny syn på saken. Vi har ett stort antal medarbetare som är ambassadörer och skänker två timmar av sin arbetstid per månad (och en hel del fritid) åt att stötta ideella projekt och Eldsjälar inom ramen för Idéer för livet. Det gäller alltifrån läxläsning, Bris-jouren eller hjälpa Min stora dag att förverkliga svårt sjuka barns drömmar. Oavsett vad våra medarbetare gör som ambassadörer så är det en viktig påminnelse om att vi är en del av samhället runt omkring oss – och vi ska finnas där, inte bara som ett försäkringsbolag att täcka upp ekonomiskt och trygghetsmässigt när man får en hård törn i livet. Vi kan också finnas där med vårt engagemang för att förebygga svåra lägen. Många av de Eldsjälar och organisationerna som vi jobbar med är just en viktig funktion för att fånga upp barn och unga när de mår dåligt, är vilsna och behöver stöd – utöver vad familjen, vänner eller nära omgivningen har förmått att ge. I sådana lägen kan en föräldratelefon via Rädda Barnen, Bris-jouren, ”Jag Kan”-projektet eller en Storasyster på Tjejzonen vara oumbärliga. Sedan berättade vi självklart för Kronprinsessparet även om en hel del om andra delar av vårt samhällsengagemang. Hur vi jobbar med etisk policy i våra investeringar. Att vi tar fram metoder och verktyg som används inom offentlig sektor för att stärka barns självkänsla, stötta föräldraskap och även för kommuner att än mer satsa på förebyggande insatser. Allt det där är stora satsningar som innebär en direkt samhällspåverkan men jag tror ändå att det är det mänskliga engagemanget som får de flesta att tänka till och undra: Vad är det för samhälle jag vill att vi lever i framåt? Och hur är jag med och bidrar? Om du är en av alla de kunder som bidrar genom att investera i den etiska fonden Idéer för livet för att på så vis stötta lokala Eldsjälar så vill jag ge ett rungande TACK. Och om du är en blivande Eldsjäl som har en idé (för livet) så är du varmt välkommen att kontakta oss via vår sajt för att söka stöd via vår stiftelse. Jag hoppas vi hörs! Allt gott, Lena Hök 

I fredags hade vi besök av Kronprinsessan Victoria och Prins Daniel här på Skandia. De ville veta mer om den verksamhet vi driver inom ramen för Idéer för Livet och vårt samhällsengagemang. För ett sådant tillfälle så var det klart att vi ville ge en inblick i alla de bitar vi jobbar med och även visa varför vi tycker att det är viktigt att bolag vågar agera och ta ett samhällsansvar. Därför bjöd vi in några (av de 280) Eldsjälar som vi stödjer att berätta om sin verksamhet. Projektet ”Jag kan” inspirerade genom att visa hur de jobbar för att få unga kriminella att vända sin drivkraft till mer konstruktiva (och legala) projekt. Helt enkelt – att se sig som sociala entreprenörer! Projektet ”Väsby mot Våld” berättade om sin vision att få 40 000 medlemmar – dvs alla i kommunen med i föreningen för att hindra framtida våldsdåd. Sånt engagemang och handlingskraft tror jag inspirerar och imponerar och faktum är att det finns en hel del Eldsjälar. Stiftelsen Idéer för livet får 900 ansökningar varje år från Eldsjälar som har idéer för hur de vill stötta barn och unga. Ibland handlar det om anti-skolkprojekt, andra gånger om nattvandring, föräldrastödskurser eller musikprojekt. Den som tror att föreningslivet och lusten att engagera sig i samhället tillhör forna tider borde kolla in alla eldsjälar på vår hemsida för att få ny syn på saken. Vi har ett stort antal medarbetare som är ambassadörer och skänker två timmar av sin arbetstid per månad (och en hel del fritid) åt att stötta ideella projekt och Eldsjälar inom ramen för Idéer för livet. Det gäller alltifrån läxläsning, Bris-jouren eller hjälpa Min stora dag att förverkliga svårt sjuka barns drömmar. Oavsett vad våra medarbetare gör som ambassadörer så är det en viktig påminnelse om att vi är en del av samhället runt omkring oss – och vi ska finnas där, inte bara som ett försäkringsbolag att täcka upp ekonomiskt och trygghetsmässigt när man får en hård törn i livet. Vi kan också finnas där med vårt engagemang för att förebygga svåra lägen. Många av de Eldsjälar och organisationerna som vi jobbar med är just en viktig funktion för att fånga upp barn och unga när de mår dåligt, är vilsna och behöver stöd – utöver vad familjen, vänner eller nära omgivningen har förmått att ge. I sådana lägen kan en föräldratelefon via Rädda Barnen, Bris-jouren, ”Jag Kan”-projektet eller en Storasyster på Tjejzonen vara oumbärliga. Sedan berättade vi självklart för Kronprinsessparet även om en hel del om andra delar av vårt samhällsengagemang. Hur vi jobbar med etisk policy i våra investeringar. Att vi tar fram metoder och verktyg som används inom offentlig sektor för att stärka barns självkänsla, stötta föräldraskap och även för kommuner att än mer satsa på förebyggande insatser. Allt det där är stora satsningar som innebär en direkt samhällspåverkan men jag tror ändå att det är det mänskliga engagemanget som får de flesta att tänka till och undra: Vad är det för samhälle jag vill att vi lever i framåt? Och hur är jag med och bidrar? Om du är en av alla de kunder som bidrar genom att investera i den etiska fonden Idéer för livet för att på så vis stötta lokala Eldsjälar så vill jag ge ett rungande TACK. Och om du är en blivande Eldsjäl som har en idé (för livet) så är du varmt välkommen att kontakta oss via vår sajt för att söka stöd via vår stiftelse. Jag hoppas vi hörs! Allt gott, Lena Hök 

I’m still recovering from widsom tooth extraction last Friday (not fun – it was apparently a very rough surgery), but what makes me feel a lot better is being able to share this high-quality guest post by Gregory Ciotti from Sparring Mind.

I rarely accept guest posts on this blog, but when I do it has to be totally unique content that I haven’t touched on before and it must be presented in a way that can help those in the SPI community who want to try something new and take action. This post is that and a whole lot more, and what I love is that Gregory took the initiative to expand on my “Be Everywhere” content strategy, found success with it, and was kind enough to report his findings and experience here.

Take it away Greg! 

Everything old is new again.

Of all the original and actionable advice that is to be found on Smart Passive Income, by far my favorite has to be Pat’s transparent and comprehensive articles on “Being Everywhere“, or getting your brand on multiple platforms to increase exposure.

I feel like 2012 will really be the year that bloggers start to truly understand the importance and usefulness of creating content in different mediums and formats to grow their presence online.

Old posts & new content can come alive in the form of free guides, videos, and even hour long podcasts.

That is all apart of the power of content marketing on different platforms.

Recently, I had some success with this exact strategy… yet I wasn’t using anything modern like YouTube videos or audio content on SoundCloud.

I used a PowerPoint presentation.

Wait… Seriously?

I promise!

And no, I didn’t present it to a live audience of thousands of people… I presented it to a virtual audience of tens of thousands.

How?

By using a true “quiet giant” of content marketing: SlideShare.

My post hit the homepage of the site (it was featured as a “presentation of the day”) and then went on to send me a ton of great traffic, all for 11 measly slides.

Here’s a view of the traffic spike I got from a homepage feature, aided by the fact that SlideShare also tweets out the top presentations on it’s Twitter account:

Before I get into how I did it, let’s talk about what SlideShare is for a minute.

What is SlideShare?

Okay, so let’s dial down the hype a little bit: what the heck is SlideShare anyway?

In a nutshell, SlideShare is what I call the “YouTube of PowerPoint presentations”, in that it allows you to upload and share (via embedding or individual links) slideshows of any sort.

The thing is, SlideShare is actually really popular, and the audience is quite targeted.

My interest in SlideShare was first peaked after checking out this recent infographic about the service, particularly this section:

An audience that is more interested in business than even LinkedIn?

That’s huge, and I knew SlideShare had some major potential in the all important “Be Everywhere” strategy.

Making The Homepage

The biggest potential I saw with the SlideShare platform was with how well they treated their top presentations.

Great slideshows would make the homepage, and would often be under a “featured” section for days at a time.

The place to be, however, was definitely the above the fold “Top Presentations of the Day”, of which only 3 are featured.

I had seen presentations hit the tens of thousands of views after being featured there, so in order to have a big impact on my traffic, I knew that’s where I wanted to be.

Luckily, I was able to make the homepage with my very first upload!

I honestly couldn’t believe it when I got the email notifying me that I had been featured, along another email letting me know my presentation had passed 10,000 views already.

I knew I had really dug into what SlideShare’s audience liked, had looked at top presentations for days to see what they had in common, and took the time to make my presentation prettier than the average slideshow on the site… but it was still a surprise.

In case you are wondering, my presentation was called Content Marketing on SlideShare, and can be seen below:

Too small? Read the large version here.

Yup, a simple collection of 11 slides landed me on the front page of a major website, got me over 19,000+ views (at this very moment) of my presentation, and sent me over 2,000 unique visitors, all for less than an hour’s worth of time.

When’s the last time a guest post sent you that much traffic?

Not that guest blogging isn’t one of the best ways to build a blog ever, but you have to wonder how much traffic you are missing out on if you aren’t taking Pat’s advice to “Be Everywhere” that your audience is.

They often frequent a lot more places than the blogs that you guest post for.

But enough about that, let’s talk about how you can crush it on SlideShare, and maybe even make the homepage yourself!

What Kind of Presentations Do Well?

With SlideShare, as with YouTube, you must cater to your audience and to the platform if you want to succeed.

On both Smart Passive Income and my site Sparring Mind, there is no hiding of the fact that some posts can reach up to 2-3000+ words in length.

Sometimes, these posts can take a while to read, and you’ll often see commentors talking about bookmarking them to return to later.

However, as you’ve learned from Pat’s discussion on YouTube marketing, this value packed but really lengthy style of content on blogs simply does not work as well on the video and slideshow medium.

Generally, the only time from my research that I found a long slideshow made the homepage was when it was packed with a ton of statistical data or had a huge focus on custom images, or it was attached to a big brand that use it with a popular webinar (such as Dan Zarella’s & HubSpot’s presentation on Social Timing, which I’ve embedded below):

Click here to see it on SlideShare.

Look at those numbers though!

Almost 100,000 views and nearly 8,000 tweets: proof positive that you can get some incredible views on SlideShare.

Getting Started with SlideShare

When it comes to really diving into the “Being Everywhere” strategy, I find that two things seem to always be the biggest hurdles that stop people from getting started:

1. Technical difficulties (or the inability/lack of desire to get the needed tools)
2. Fear & apprehension of getting themselves out there (specifically in video/audio)

I’ll be discussing the latter at the end of the post, but for now, let me put to rest any fears you might have about SlideShare being “difficult” to participate in.

To do that, let’s discuss getting started with using SlideShare itself.

If you have ever uploading anything, literally anything, on the web before, you will be able to use SlideShare, it’s about as basic as you can get: simply upload a PowerPoint file you made on your computer, and in a minute or so, it’s live

Even better, you can re-upload presentations after you’ve made edits offline, and you’ll keep the same amount of views and any place that the presentation is embedded will also be updated.

That means there is no worry about having to entirely “re-do” content like you might have to do with a video, simply fix the problem in PowerPoint and upload again, and nobody will be the wiser.

I had to do that when I realized that I spelled the name of my site wrong on the last slide the first time I uploaded, D’oh!

Certainly a lot more user friendly than doing an hour long podcast only to realize you stated something wrong at the end of it: in a case like that, it’s either try to make a cumbersome fix with audio editing software, re-do the whole thing, or keep it as is.

Next, let me touch on creating beautiful presentations that get noticed.

Now, if you’ve ever opened up PowerPoint before, you’ll note that it already had a variety of “themes” that you can use, and they certainly get better depending on the version you have.

But say you really want to make an impact, and the default PowerPoint selection just isn’t doing it for you, you are in luck (even if you don’t have any design skills) because there are a variety of places to find great presentations for really cheap or even for free.

You can often find free PowerPoint templates created by designers given away as freebies, such as the Wrap Template by Collis Ta’heed or the Wooden Template by WorkAwesome.

By far the best templates I’ve seen (although they cost a few dollars) are from Graphic River.

Here’s a link to the PowerPoint section on GraphicRiver.net.

It might take a little digging around (and $10+ or so), but you can find some real beauties in this selection, some really amazing stuff for the price, especially if you are going to be using them for more than one presentation (which you definitely should, most of them have a ton of different slide formats).

This is where I obtained my presentation template for my first SlideShare upload, and better yet, I paid for it with my earnings from GraphicRiver’s awesome affiliate program.

Although they cost money, consider the comparison to what you might need to get started with video:

• HD camera or camcorder ($200+)
• Video editing software
• Screen recording software (Something like $300 for Camtasia if your computer doesn’t already include a decent editing program)

Meanwhile, a $12 PowerPoint template that you can re-use multiple times is all you need for SlideShare, and it takes much less time.

Not that you shouldn’t pursue video (you definitely should pursue video content), it’s just that SlideShare might be a better way to “get your feet wet” given the low upfront cost and technical skill needed.

So, what kind of presentations get noticed on SlideShare?

As I was studying the top presentations over the course of about a week or so, I noticed a few things that seem to be apparent throughout:

1. The importance of your title slide
2. Focus on images with “caption” text
3. The ‘image/explanation’ combo
4. What topics do well?
5. Hyper focus on content

Time to drop what knowledge I’ve gathered, so let’s do this!

1.) The Importance of Your Title Slide

Your title slide can seem like a small detail, but can play a vital role in garnering more views for you presentation, especially if it hits anywhere on the homepage.

But why?

I’ve long been a fan of Pat’s information on YouTube, he’s definitely got his YouTube strategy down… *puts on sunglasses* … pat. (Caruso would be proud of that joke).

One thing he’s discussed before: the importance of the video “Thumbnail” when it comes to drawing in views.

Pat makes a joke that if you can’t include something that’s going to give readers an incentive to click (such as “4-Minute Video on How To…”), you should include a hot chick!

If you take a look at YouTubes highest viewed videos, that joke is actually spot on: videos with unusual thumbnails gets TONS of views… just because!

Now, including a scantily clad gal on your next video or SlideShow presentation ain’t gonna work that easy, and SlideShare is a business audience, so you won’t likely impress too many folks with your nonsense.

Disregarding pretty women for a moment (too bad…), the point I’m trying to make here is that your title slide is your “Thumbnail” equivalent, and having a bold, “waiting to be clicked” title slide will lead to more views both on SlideShare and if your presentation happens to be embedded.

While your “content slides” can be a little more subdued, really go all out to make your title slide noticeable without being a sleeze.

Bold colors, big text, and interesting images are the way to go, and are definitely a common element among the top presentations on SlideShare.

2.) Using Images + Caption Text = A Winning Combination

One strategy that I’ve seen work over and over on SlideShare is this combination of “powerful image + caption text”, an example of which can be seen below, for clarification:

WARNING: Language is semi-NSFW.

Note a few things here…

1.) Bold, controversial title slide? Check.

2.) Heavy focus on images + caption text? Check.

3.) Easily digested? (Slide take less than 1 minute to read each?) Check.

Is it any surprise then, that is is one of the most popular presentations of all time on SlideShare?

Nah.

Now that we know what works on SlideShare, it was easy to predict that this one was going to be a smash hit.

The specific focus here though, is one that “image + caption” combo, because it’s a proven slideshow formula that works.

The image keeps things memorable, and the caption provides the info.

You obviously need to keep your content concise in this content form, captions don’t allow for 2000+ word blog posts, but they do allow for you to get out quick, essential information that will be easily remembered when paired with a powerful image.

3.) The “Image + Explanation” Combo

Sounds similar to the tactic above, and really only has one key difference: the image and the corresponding text are to be on different slides.

So you would have an intriguing image first, followed by text explaining or elaborating on the image.

For instance, say you were creating a slide on pollution, an effective presentation could go something like…

Image of animals covered in oil –> Data on oil spills

Image of turtles caught in soda can plastics –> Information on plastic pollution in our oceans…etc

I think I actually made myself a bit sad writing that .

The point is, the image/context (text slide) combo can be really potent.

The image sparks a powerful emotional response, and the text drives a point home.

Having the image comes first also build anticipation: what is the next slide going to be about?

It keeps people reading, and leaves them with a memorable presentation, so make sure to take advantage of the power of “full image” slides.

4.) What Topics Do Well on SlideShare?

Topicality matters, and certain topics certainly do better than others on some platforms.

YouTube has a “catch all” thing going on given it’s size, but even with the colossal offering of YouTube content, you’ll see that music videos & humor based videos top the “most viewed” consistently.

So, what sort of topics work well for the SlideShare audience?

I’ve found that they generally fall into the following types of info:

1. Improvement info (personal development, business tactics, improving some aspect of your life or trade)
2. Making a statement (entertaining/controversial slides like the Social Media one above)
3. Data (the business audience that frequents SlideShare loves data)
4. Entertainment with “meaning” (presentations made of quotes, life advice with a humor twist, etc.)

The great thing: SlideShare does not seem to be niche exclusive at all, tons of topics make the homepage, although the business/marketing & personal development crowd will probably find themselves most at home.

I guarantee your topic has a presentation style suitable for SlideShare.

5.) Hyper-Focused Content Performs Better

You’d do well to stay away from the “5 Easy Social Media Tips!” type of garbage on SlideShare: the audience is already interested in business & marketing, and vague content like that isn’t going anywhere (unless you have some incredible custom images, even then, I doubt it).

On SlideShare, people are viewing slides to learn something specific.

Don’t approach a presentation as a all out assault on a broad topic, pick a battle with a sub-topic and conquer it.

Don’t make a presentation on vegetarianism.

Make a presentation on the physical effects a vegetarian diet has on folks who were not formerly vegetarians.

Don’t create slides about “fishing” (seriously, a slideshow about fishing? We need to talk if you were considering that…)

Create a slideshow demonstrating the 10 largest fish ever caught (photos people, photos!)

Presentations are already deadly close to being boring: go on for too long, don’t make it exciting, and making things vague is a guaranteed way to ensure it’s boring…ness.

Examples Found Outside SlideShare

The funny thing is, a ton of really popular sites already utilize this “slideshow” style content (and it often goes viral), they just have their web developer whip it together and host it themselves.

You can copy their techniques for generating viral slideshows by observing who creates this type of content and what types of content they create.

My two favorite examples?

Mashable and Forbes.

Hell, Mashable had an article about YouTube tricks get 4000 Twitter shares and it wasn’t much more than a dinky slideshow!

Forbes, which I’m sure you’ve heard of, relies on slideshows for some of their most important content!

This includes things like their list of the world’s billionaires, as well as composing slideshows for their “Forbes 400″ and other huge, viral lists of rich folk.

Maybe when Pat makes the next list, you all will start noticing the rampant use of slideshows on tons of big sites .

Leverage: How To Get on the Homepage

The thing with SlideShare (and why I draw so many parallels to YouTube) is that it takes a bit of “leverage” to get the ball rolling: the path to the SlideShare homepage must be started with a presentation that captures some initial attention.

In a nutshell: your presentation has a much better chance of getting picked for the homepage if it’s already generating some buzz, or in SlideShare terms, some decent “views” before it gets selected.

This is where a lot of bloggers get stuck with their “Being Everywhere” strategy, and it’s where the excuses come in…

“Why should I create content if nobody is going to see it? How can I get the ball rolling without a big audience?”

Now, maybe for those of you like Pat who have 30,000+ RSS subscribers in the ranks ready to support whatever content you post don’t have this kind of problem, but most of us do and it can be a real uphill battle to overcome it.

The thing is, the answer to how to “break through” with a new medium of content without a huge audience is actually really simple…

Use someone else’s audience.

And no, I don’t mean steal them away at gunpoint…

Utilize guest posting!

There are plenty of blogs out there with large audiences, and how many guest posters do you see using different forms of media in their guest posts?

Almost never.

So, you not only get the benefit of getting more exposure for your video, audio, or slideshow content, but you also get to stand out as a guest posting by being different and using these mediums that people aren’t used to seeing.

This is exactly what I did to get the ball rolling for my slideshow.

I embedded the presentation into my guest post on a DailyBlogTips article entitled Increasing Your Blog Traffic With SlideShare.

This was the “catalyst” so to speak that allowed me to get the ball rolling, to start the line of dominoes.

The exposure that I got from that guest post allowed me to get the first couple hundred views that I needed to get people’s attention, which then lead to this nonsense:

Those two emails were in within an hour of each other, demonstrating the power of hitting the front page. (That’s what my inbox would call a good problem ).

That also shows the power of leverage.

If you don’t have a big enough audience to leverage yourself (embedding the content into your posts, like Pat does), you can leverage the audience of a bigger site.

As I mentioned, most bloggers would be happy to let you embed a slideshow into your guest post as long as it is well done and related to the content you are posting about.

I might risk going off on a tangent here, but I just wanted to add that this strategy should not be exclusive to SlideShare presentations.

I would love to see more bloggers utilizing this strategy to bring in more views to their YouTube videos, or to get more exposure for their podcast by embedding them into guest posts via SoundCloud.

This would allow bloggers to get a jump start if they started a new podcast are want to get more views for their recently uploaded video content.

Crafting a guest post around the topic that the video is about and then embedding it will lead to clicks from a totally new audience, what better way to get more views & listens than that?

Other Smart Ways to Use SlideShare

By far, the most clever way I’ve seen SlideShare used to date is to give life to past webinars.

I know plenty of you have taken the time out to create a great set of slides for webinar purposes, only to have them become useless once the webinar is done.

No longer.

That awesome example slideshow from Dan Zarella that I mentioned above? (On social media timing)

That was originally a free webinar hosted by HubSpot, given new life on SlideShare and that has brought in over 80,000+ additional views.

So if you’re using webinars the smart way, building your list with products like WebinarBridge, you can now “let them loose” into the wild after a set period, giving the world access to something that might have previously only been available to a smaller group of your readers.

The last way I’d like to see SlideShare used is through “complimentary” presentations, or presentations that go along with single blog posts.

Going to write something about the “25 Somethingest Somethings to Ever Something Something”?

Include a slideshow that includes all of the “somethings” you are going to be talking about, even if it’s just photos and small captions (we’ve seen how well they work for Mashable & Forbes).

They just might work for you!

One Last Thing…

I mentioned above the that the other thing stopping people from getting started with “being everywhere” was a fear of getting themselves out there.

The thing is, you have to embrace that fear, knowing that everybody gets nervous when they start out.

I wanted to share this quick newsletter passage from Hiten Shah of KISSmetrics on why you should resolve to scare yourself every day:

In January, you get a lot of posts with tips about how to make the New Year awesome.

A lot of those posts are garbage. Really, they are.

If you’re actually practicing being a conscious and growth-focused entrepreneur, you shouldn’t be waiting for some socially acceptable milestone to inspire yourself to become better than you are.

You have to be continually igniting that flame from within, regardless of what the calendar date is.

So, how do you do that? By doing what scares you the most.

I’m serious. You see, usually, the “right” thing to do is the one action that really scares the s*** out of you.

Once you know what that is in terms of your business (or maybe your life), go do it.

And I don’t mean do it all half-assed and crazy–you’ve got to do a think before you act, spend a small amount of time planning, and then move on that plan right away.

Tips are good. But those ones that roll around every new year just don’t help because they let your brain and your focus atrophy the rest of the year.

Resolve to scare yourself each day. This is way better than a new year’s resolution.

There is never going to be a better time to get started “being everywhere” than right now.

So…

Make it happen!

Thanks for reading, I sincerely hope my post was useful for you!

Once again Greg, thank you for taking the time to write this massive and post and share it with the SPI community! If you have any questions, please leave them below and I’m sure Greg would be happy to drop by every once and a while and answer them for you. And lastly, of course, if you’ve like to learn more marketing tips from Greg I encourage you to please head on over to his blog at Sparring Mind and enjoy!

--------------------- Thanks for reading! If you would like to leave a comment on this post, please click the link below: Be Everywhere: How I Got 2000+ NEW Visitors To My Site…With A Front Page PowerPoint Presentation on Slideshare Join the community of over 10,000 fans of SPI on Facebook!

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4. My New Getting Started Page is Live!
5. How to Create a BRANDED Facebook Page (With Matching Profile and Banner Images)

 

We love a great underdog story. Who doesn’t? Someone comes from against all odds and defies everything logical.

Many don’t give them hope, but they know something that we don’t.

We read those stories and it inspires us to the bone. It doesn’t matter what you’re trying to do, I truly believe reading stories of the underdogs gives you that push when you need it.

I love sports and the underdog stories that come out of it. Sports are still the best reality show on television. Hollywood couldn’t write it some of the unbelievable stories.

Last football season, there was Tim Tebow. Though he succeeded and won championships in high school, and college, many experts doubted he could succeed in the NFL. He couldn’t throw. He wasn’t a typical NFL quarterback.

Last season he took a 1-4 Denver team and took them to the playoffs. He was THE story in the NFL last season. Even Tebowing became a worlwide sensation.

Now in the NBA there is someone doing things no one could have imagined. You may not follow the NBA, but his story will definitely inspire you.

Jeremy Lin has taken the NBA by surprise in just one week. He went from sleeping on couches to having NBA players, celebrities, the media all talking about him. His story has truly been that insane. He’s gone from 70,000 to 199,314  Twitter followers in three days.

If you follow sports, then you know he’s the best story to come out of sports this year. If not, you’ll appreciate his story.

He’s the first American born Chinese player in the NBA. As a Chinese-American, I’m so excited for his success, but his story is inspiring for any race.

Before February 4th, he was sleeping on couches. His status as a professional basketball player was up in the air. Now? There’s one word to describe it: Linsanity.

From the beginning

His parents are from Taiwan. In Taiwan, they focus on academics over athletics, but his dad watched some basketball on TV and immediately fell in love with it.

He wanted to come to the US for two reasons: to finish his Ph.D and watch NBA basketball.

His first job in Los Angeles was long and hard so he wanted a way to relieve some stress. Basketball seemed like a great way.

There was one problem. He had never picked up a basketball before! He studied NBA players like he was studying for an exam. He emulated them.

It took years before he was comfortable playing a pickup game.

Later when he had three boys, he taught them the basics. He was their first basketball coach.

In high school, despite being a great player, Jeremy Lin was ridiculed for being Asian. Asians just don’t belong on the basketball court. By his senior year, he won the respect of those same people. Jeremy led his high school to a state championship.

Despite being the best player in California by many publications, he didn’t receive a single Division 1 scholarship offer.

Did race play a factor? He believes so.

Harvard offered him the chance to play, but offered no athletic scholarship. He jumped at the chance to play Division 1 basketball.

He excelled on the court, leading Harvard to new basketball heights. Yet he wasn’t drafted by any NBA team. Harvard just doesn’t produce many NBA players. There have been only four and none since 1954.

Jeremy Lin gets a shot at his dream…kinda

His hometown team, the Golden State Warriors signed him as a free agent in 2010. He barely played and only averaged 2.6 points a game, but cheered loudly by the Asian community every time he played. He was sent to the minor league a few times to work on his game.

It never worked out and he was released just after one season. The Houston Rockets signed him in the preseason this year and then released before the season began.

He was becoming another journeyman NBA basketball player. Two teams in less than two seasons.

He wanted to not just be on a team and sit at the end of the bench, but part of the mix.

He never lost his belief in his abilities.

From couch to savior for the New York Knicks

The Knicks command a lot of attention in New York. It’s the Big Apple! Madison Square Garden is one of the most legendary arenas for basketball.

They’ve tried to put together an championship team since 1973. They have a lineup that looks great on paper. They have two superstars that make a combined $38 million this year, but came into February 4th losing 11 out of 13 games.

Jeremy Lin signed with the Knicks on December 27th. They had injuries and needed someone to be the third string point guard. He played sparingly in a few games, and then sent to the minor leagues again. He was played so well there, they recalled him just after one game.

With the team still struggling, the coach gave him a chance to play serious minutes on February 4th. Why not? They couldn’t be doing worse.

For Jeremy, this was his chance to seize the opportunity. He was playing for his NBA career (explanation later). To everyone’s surprise, he scored 25 points and the team won.

Was this just a fluke? No matter. The coach started him the next game. Then he started the next and the next. How did he do?

25 points, 7 assists and the win 28 points, 8 assists and the win 23 points, 10 assists and the win

This was without their best two players. Jeremy became THE best player on the team and made others play even better.

He was becoming the biggest superstar in a city that has many of them already. He went from a nobody to having the home fans were chanting M-V-P.

The coach said he had never seen anything like it before. That’s what everyone else was saying too.

Jeremy Lin vs Kobe Bryant

Then it was the real test again Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. Just two seasons ago they won the NBA championship. The Knicks beat mediocre teams before, but now they were facing one of the best.

All the pressure would definitely get to him, right? Kobe Bryant would show this kid this was all pure luck.

Instead, Jeremy played the best game of his career.

He silenced all the doubters by scoring 38 point with seven assists! They dominated the Lakers 92-85.

Jeremy scored the most points in his first three starts than any other player since the NBA/ABA merger. More than Michael Jordan, Lebron James, and Kobe Bryant. Amazing.

His legend was growing by the game.

Linsanity really took off now. NBA players around the league were tweeting about his success. Players looking for a chance like him were inspired by what he had done. The media couldn’t get enough of his story.

Hall of Fame player Magic Johnson said, “The excitement [Lin] has caused in [Madison Square] Garden, man, I hadn’t seen that in a long time.”

Kobe Bryant said after the game, “If you can go back and look, his skill level was probably there from the beginning, but no one ever noticed. It’s a testament to perseverance and hard work. It is a good example to kids everywhere.”

How about the Houston Rockets who signed him but cut him in the preseason? The general manager admitted he made a mistake.

He’s given hope to a team that looked in bad shape. He was giving hope to a city desperate for a basketball hero.

He wasn’t even guaranteed to stick around. After the second game was the deadline to cut him and not have to guarantee the rest of his contract.

In fact, ESPN reported that the team was leaning towards letting him go before his breakout game. They had until Feb 6th to release him without having to pay the remainder of his $788,000 contract. They even were looking for his replacement. That’s why the coach gave him a chance to play. They had to evaluate him. That’s why he was playing for his career.

After his second start, and their third straight win, they guaranteed his contract.

Before he was sleeping on his brother’s couch. You can never be too sure when you’re playing for your contract, but now can afford a place of his own.

An undrafted player cut by two teams in only his second year isn’t supposed to do this. Harvard doesn’t produced NBA stars.

He’s defied all expectations. He probably couldn’t pay for his own meal in New York City if he wanted to.

His teammates talk about how this is the most fun they’ve had.

His jersey sold out in the arena. Television ratings in New York City are up. He’s getting tons of coverage in China and Taiwan, both who are crazy about the NBA.

Thus far, they’ve won six games in a row. His last name Lin, is being made into new words such as Linspirational, Linspiring, Linning, Lincredicble.

It’s a true underdog story that we can all appreciate.

Five lessons you can can learn from Jeremy Lin

• Beyond his stats and the wins, he’s given so many out there hope. Hope that what they’re doing now will mean something in the future. Hope that others will achieve their dreams despite setbacks they have faced.
• He didn’t let setbacks stop himself from working hard and waiting for that opportunity. His success the past week didn’t happen overnight. He excelled at every level through his hard work.
• If he would have listened to those who doubted him, he would have given up his dream at playing basketball.
• Despite the whirlwind media attention, he’s remained so humble after the game. He’s a team player first and foremost.
• Finally, believe in yourself when no one else does.

Your turn

Have you overcome seemingly impossible odds and beat expectations to do something?

What are some great underdog stories you love?

 

Photo by Geekwhatdesign.com and Kev Gilmour

There’s another holiday lurking somewhere around the corner. Valentine’s Day. Mother’s Day. Sweetest Day. Birthdays. Christmas. We’ve programed ourselves to give and receive gifts on these and many other holidays to show our love for one another.

We’ve even been told that gift-giving is one of our “love languages.” This idea is utterly ridiculous, and yet we treat it as gospel: I love you—see, here’s this expensive shiny thing I bought you.

Gift-giving is not a love language any more than Pig Latin is a Romance language. Rather, gift-giving is a vapid, pernicious cultural imperative in our society, and we’ve bought it (literally) hook, line, and sinker. We’ve become consumers of love.

The grotesque idea that we can somehow commodify love is nauseating. We often give gifts to show our love because we are troubled by real love. Buying diamonds is not evidence of everlasting devotion. Commitment, trust, understanding—these are indications of devotion.

Gift-giving is by definition transactional. But love is not a transaction. Love is transcendent—it transcends language and material possessions and can be shown only by our thoughts, actions, and intentions.

Perhaps Jonathan Franzen said it best: “Love is about bottomless empathy, born out of the heart’s revelation that another person is every bit as real as you are. To love a specific person, and to identify with his or her struggles and joys as if they were your own, you have to surrender some of your self.”

This doesn’t mean there’s something necessarily wrong with buying a gift for someone, though we recommend gifting experiences over material possessions. But don’t fool yourself by associating that gift with love—love doesn’t work that way.

Further reading: The No New Gifts Challenge and Those Who Truly Need a Gift

—

Many people feel the same way you do. Don’t be afraid to share this with others:

I’m happy to report that I’ve officially paid off the CopyCatCrafts.com website that I purchased for $4,000 in the middle of last year after just 7 months and now all future income is just gravy. In this post I’ll show you detailed income results from this website along with what I’ve learned from running it so with that said let me jump right into the income results for this site:

7 Months Later – Website Investment Paid Off

(See past blog posts on this case study: Start Here, Then Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3)

When I first bought CopyCatCrafts.com for $4,000 it was only generating roughly $100 – $200 a month in profit (which at first glance looks like I overpaid), but after making improvements that I’ve documented in earlier blog posts mentioned above, the income average for the past 7 months has settled at around $670.18 with a peak number of $980.76 in November. As of January 1st, 2012 the website had generated $4,105.06 in total profit which was enough to cover my initial investment of $4,000 (sweet!). Now that January has come to a close I can see that even during historically one of the lightest months for advertising income (January) the site still managed to make me $586.19 which is all the better considering my initial investment is already paid off.

Rivit Media Total Income: $1,281.07

Rivit Media is a banner network specifically for sites focused on DIY, unfortunately the best months were July and August whereas November and December they didn’t seem to have any premium banner campaigns. So the income could have been much higher, but when Rivit Media doesn’t have any of their own banner ads they use Adsense instead. I may look for a new banner network especially after the traffic grows even greater for this website.

Google Adsense Total Income: $1,139.40

Every single month Adsense income has grown which is great news especially since I expected it to drop off after November and December. I could still be more aggressive and put in a 336 x 280 Adsense unit right beneath the title of an article, but there is a fine line between making money and using too much advertising that can hurt the user experience. This website is less focused on Google organic search traffic and more reliant on users sharing the website so I try not to be too aggressive. One ad unit I’ve considered removing is the top 728 x 90 block which is never clicked and to end the article with an Adsense unit inside the content. I will do more testing with Adsense moving forward.

Vibrant Media In Text Advertising Total Income: $1,909.13

The in text advertising income from Vibrant Media has generated roughly double what Google Adsense has provided with only January seeing a drop in advertising income from Vibrant Media where the advertisers have less budget to spend. By looking at the graph above it should be obvious how important it is to use multiple monetization methods because at various times of the year some methods will work better than others.

Vibrant Media Display Advertising Total Income: $361.65

This isn’t currently active on the site right now, but it’s basically a little bar that you see at the bottom of the page. When the year gets further underway and Vibrant Media has signed more advertisers to use this advertising method I’ll resign a contract with a preset eCPM rate for using the bar on the site.

Total Expenses $700 for 7 months of content

Update: So it turns out writing a blog post at 2:00 AM in the morning I forget things like expenses hah hah.

Expenses for the site are only $100 a month to pay a writer $25 an hour – she does a great job and because of the nature of the content on the site it only takes her roughly 4 hours to do all of the content for the month.

So when I take the income less expenses it’s more like paying the site off in 7 months, but in either case as of Feb 1st all future income is gravy. Because I pay someone to write the content it should be worth mentioning that I’ve spent more of my time writing these case study blog posts on this blog than I have spent working on the website.

Now I have a roughly $600 income stream coming in and still more opportunities to grow the website.

Overall Income Impressions And Future Plans For CopyCatCrafts.com:

There is still more money to be made specifically with the email list and I could also test out more banner advertising platforms, sizes, locations etc. to improve the income even further. I’m also working on another side project for this website that will increase the income even more. As always I’ll share my income results in future blog posts to let you know the results of my testing.

No Matter What Google Does There Will Always Be Websites Making Money

I believe there are a lot of opportunities to make money in this space because regardless of what Google algorithm changes may come about in the future whether it’s Panda, Koala, or the infamous Sloth Bear update as long as there is an internet there will be websites making money (obviously the later two Google algorithm updates I made up). As I’ve said before, one of the main things I look for when I buy a website is how much work it will take for me to run it. Ideally I try to find websites that require minimal upkeep or that can be outsourced to run with minimal involvement from myself. If every time I bought a website I had to write all of the content for it I’d never be able to fully scale this business model and neither would you. So look for opportunities where you can leverage your existing capital to buy a website where you don’t have to take care of all of the content creation yourself and/or find websites that don’t require constant updates.

Your Action Required:

Like me on Facebook so we can talk about buying and selling websites:

I’d also like to know what you think of the website, the case study and anything else in the comments below. Additionally, if you have some suggestions to improve income beyond the obvious tactics I’ve mentioned above and in past blog posts I’d love to hear those as well.

P.S. I also wanted to let you know that I’m off to a great on my 2012 goals (Last month I bought a website for $10,000 so I only need to invest another $90,000 to meet my 2012 goal)