The BEST EVER Internet Marketing Book for Moms!

I had the privilege of completing a 10 week internship with Kelly McCausey the guru of the Moms Talk Network. Although I've been blogging for years, I took this opportunity b/c of a Tweet Kelly made calling for interns. Her proposal? Give me 10 weeks and I'll give you the BEST blogging education of your life! And she SO delivered on that promise.

Things are going to get even BETTER here at my blog largely because of Kelly's expertise.

In my former life, when I was heavily involved in direct sales, I purchased numerous information products through the Moms Talk Network and loved them all. Kelly has taken MTN to a whole new level with her new book, "The Complete Internet Marketing Moms Start Up Guide".

If you're just getting started with internet marketing, you NEED this book. If you're "STUCK" with your marketing efforts, you NEED this book. If you want MORE success than you have now, you NEED this book. And if you're smart enough to follow Kelly too on Twitter (@kellymccausey) you just might be lucky enough to get picked the next time she does an internship.

Click the book image below to learn more and purchase this great resource! You won't be sorry!

Charm School For Networking Organizations

Here's the story...

A few weeks back, I attended an evening mixer for a well known national business organization who shall remain nameless. (Why shall they remain nameless? Because they don't deserve any press from me--or you for that matter.) It's the PRINCIPLE violated that I want to cover that really matters. But I digress...

At the mixer, there was a person whose sole function for the organization is to meet and greet both new AND prospective members. Considering that 200+ people were crammed into a restaurant like "sardines"--this would prove no easy task. I get that.

HOWEVER, since when did it become OK to assume (based on a LESS than 10 second introduction) that you know everything you need to know about what someone's business entails? (To be fair, I was introduced by a counterpart by my name, owner of business name and title of social media consultant. Yes, my friend also referred to me as a 'social media guru', but I actually enjoyed that title. Who am I to burst her bubble? lol.)

I mean, really! Yes, I "get" that some are ignorant of the important role that social media can and should play in marketing. To ASSUME is one thing. To VERBALIZE this, as one board liaison did that very evening, is another.

Not only was I subjected to a 10 minute rant by a 'member liaison' about how "social media" (not poor supervision on his part of his employees downloading stuff from the net on company time) caused his store computer to become infected with all sorts of 'viruses', but the assumptions continued in a "follow-up" email I received today from the prospective member liaison.

The beginning was nice enough. The usual formalities of "it was nice to meet you" and "I want to learn more about your business BECAUSE" were followed by what I feel was a veiled slight of,
"my CHILDREN have Twitter and Facebook accounts" and that "more and more people are socializing on the internet." Wow! She really "gets" how I help companies increase their online presence, brand recognition, sales, profits and customer service. After all if CHILDREN can do this, then why can't I?? (Yes, that smacks of sarcasm and for good reason!)

It never ceases to amaze me that others still don't realize that we ALL act at one time or another in a "sales" capacity--whether or not it is in our job description.

Sales 101: What's In It For THEM is what matters most!

One would think that a 'new/prospective member liaison' would realize that the FIRST order of business would be to tell me how their organization could be of benefit to my business. One would ALSO think that it would be of importance to spend a little bit of time (other than the 10 seconds already allotted) to truly understand what I DO before insulting my business. I mean if you don't KNOW what someone truly does for a living, say you don't KNOW. It shows you're honest and in today's business world, honesty goes a long way. (IMO)

Injury to insult--the bottom of the email contained an invite to join! Give me a break!

For all the talk about how some have embraced social media because it allows a degree of anonymity as it does not "require" face to face interaction (that is a nice way of implying that it does not require interpersonal realtionship skills) I say BS!

Manners are manners and my momma raised me right. I was taught that one should always ask about what's new with the other person BEFORE you move on to what's new with you! Etiquette is the same online and off. It's time that some of these business improvement organizations went to charm school.

Guess it's time for this Moxie Maven to school 'em.

Who's with me?!?

If this resonated with you, PLEASE comment. If you know someone who NEEDS to read this post, please forward it.

Showing Up Differently?

For the first time in a long time, I've been at a loss for words. Yesterday, I attended an event for the Greater Houston eWomen Network.

Hearing the founder Sandra Yancey share her story and her vision for the GLOW project, with us was moving to say the least. It is often difficult to see that those whom you aspire to emulate have once been in your shoes.

For those of you who have not had the opportunity to see the movie yet, I strongly encourage you to do so. For my Houston area readers, there will be a private screening in the coming months, so watch for my post about it. If you are not in a city where the movie is playing, you can purchase the DVD and have your own screening! EVERY woman needs to see GLOW...end of story! (And as an FYI: I gain NOTHING from sharing this with you, other than the satisfaction of knowing that it will change you as it has me.)

Simply put, GLOW is the light that we share when we lift another and though we give, we've lost nothing in the process.

Ponder that...

The concept of giving without remembering and taking without forgetting is powerful.

Sandra Yancey is humble, generous, candid and open. She shared a powerful story where she discussed the concept of showing up differently to do something the NEXT time around. This really struck a cord with me, considering that I've done this very thing by leaping off high dive to launch my dream business. I've quite literally transformed before my own eyes.

Ask yourself this:

If I could start my business all over again tomorrow, how would I show up differently this time?

The answers will amaze you!

I know that I am not doing her justice, so I will not continue to ramble on. Maybe as my thoughts clear in the next few days, I can share more.

I'd love to hear how you have shared your GLOW with another or how another has shared her GLOW with you and what impact that had on you.

Let's Get It Started!

Lately, I've met with clients who are overwhelmed by the sheer number of networks available online. So WHERE do you start? My humble suggestion is to start with the following networks to get in the game: Twitter and LinkedIn. Understand that each has its own culture and language but each can be highly effective when used properly.

Twitter is a micro-blogging community. That’s a fancy way of saying it’s an online version of a cocktail party. And truly, it is as conversational as that. You build your network by ‘following’ others and getting others to ‘follow’ you. In the Twitter world, this means that anything you enter will appear on the timeline for your followers to view and vice versa. You can simply begin by setting up a free profile and then LISTEN to what the buzz is all about. To listen, you simply read. Read what, you ask? TWEETS, of course!

A tweet is the slang used for any single message posted at the site. Each tweet is limited to 140 characters, so you must be brief and to the point. You can tweet as little or as much as you like. There are applications that can be managed from your desktop and even your mobile phone device—but we will discuss that another day.

Just have fun and remember, it’s supposed to be less formal than what you’re used to encountering in the work place. That’s the brilliance of it. It allows your clients, colleagues and customers to see behind the curtain, so to speak. Your personality shines through and that is why they will clamor to do business with you!

LinkedIn is considered the “professional’s” social network, although Facebook is beginning to challenge that. LinkedIn allows you to list your educational background, work history and even connect with past colleagues, co-workers and classmates.

It is not for the faint of heart, as the language can often seem as though you’re reading a resume how to guide. Don’t let this deter you, as everyone isn’t impressed by the jargon nor is it required. In fact, the lingo associated with this site had me so paralyzed with fear that I completely ignored this side in my own marketing efforts.

However, through my use of other social media communities, I too realized that there WAS a place for me (the work-at-home-mom-business-owner) on LinkedIn. So, I’ve been busy building MY professional network there. After all, I have to walk the talk!

So you see, you and I are similar..,we ALL need to start somewhere. Each time a new network emerges that adds value to my online presence; I will need to begin anew. It’s ever changing and evolving.

Want to test your skills? Set up a profile on Twitter. Follow me and I will follow you back. Let's also get LinkedIn together!

Tweet you later!