by Denise Willms

Networking in person is something that many home-based and virtual business owners struggle with. I know that I could even be accused of hiding behind my keyboard at times.

It’s true, I don’t do a lot of face-to-face networking. I’ve discovered that my ideal client doesn’t live in my area, and they often don’t attend these events either. They’re in their home offices, working virtually like me. I’ve actually found my best clients through social media like Twitter, Facebook, and my blog.

But, once in a while, I do get an urge to connect with my colleagues face to face. And I’ve discovered that it’s not as scary as it sounds! Here are some tips you can use to make your in-person networking painless too.

Don’t talk about your business. Instead, ask the other person about theirs.

In networking situations, we’re often tempted to tell other people everything we can about our business. It’s like we have this idea that if they know all about what we do, they’ll recognize how much they need us.

It’s a far better approach to learn about the other person’s business before telling them about theirs. Ask them about what they do. Then when they answer, ask even more questions. Don’t talk about yours until you’re asked. At that point, you’ll be able to give the person you’re networking with information that’s of interest to them, and they will be ready to hear it. Read More→

New Year’s resolutions tend to fizzle out sometime in the first six weeks of the year and attempts to make healthy lifestyle changes often die on the vine. One of the biggest stumbling blocks for many busy women who want to make changes is finding the time to actually make them.

Here’s a question I was asked in an interview recently: “How do we justify taking time out for a workout or a healthy lunch or to work on that novel we want to write when our to-do lists are still a mile long? This question is really getting at the mindset we have about taking the time for these things. The question itself suggests that it’s hard to see our own action items as important—or as of the same importance as the other items on our to-do lists.

If you want to make successful and lasting progress with your goals this year, this is a critical shift in mindset that you MUST make. When we see something as essential or valuable we cease to feel the need to defend or justify it. What is your mindset about me-time and self care? Read More→

Make the most out of your time and efforts by creating a submission strategy for your article marketing. Both beginners and experts can and should use a submission strategy that will evolve over time. Your strategy,at a minimum, should brand you as an expert in your field, define your target audience and help you measure your results. Use your word processing program to develop your strategy and keep it front and center when writing and submitting your articles.

To begin creating your article submission strategy answer the questions below:

1. Your target audience:
Who is your most desired reader?
What size business does your reader own or work for?
What needs does your desired reader have that you can fulfill?

2. Submission goals:
Are you submitting in order to receive incoming live one-way links?
Will you be promoting a blog, forum or website?
Do you hope to become an expert and prove your capabilities?
Are you hoping to increase sales of a particular product or service? Read More→