Yes, it’s tax season and this means we all have the best account of what we are doing with our businesses. Everything is broken down to what we are spending, saving and what programs are working.

One area I’ve been seriously lacking in the last two years is furthering my education. I’ve been ignoring it by using the “I don’t have time” excuse. Not pushing my businesses to the next level is a big waste of time and that goes against everything I believe in. I don’t have time to waste, so let’s see how some learning can get me using my time even more efficiently.

So where to start? That’s been an easy choice. Two people I follow and look to for a lot of information have come out with group coaching programs geared towards things I’d love to keep pushing ahead. I signed up for Nicole Dean’s Income CPR today. What are you getting with the program?

==> Immediate Access To The Monthly Lesson with Case Studies

==> Ask Nicole – Yep! You can email Nicole your questions about the lessons & she’ll answer them.

==> She’ll help recruit affiliates for you via her FreeAffiliateArticles.com site.

The opening price is way underpriced. Nicole charges $500 an hour for consulting. You’ll be getting access to how she’s built her business for only $10 a month. However, that will change at any time as the program fills up. So don’t wait.

No, that’s not just a big sales blurb of poo from me. Well it’s a sales blurb, but I’ve “known” Nicole for years through forums and I trust that this program will not waste my time in the least.  I’ve downloaded the first lesson and will be opening it up as soon as I hit publish here on the blog.

I’ll work on keeping more updates as I go along. I’m starting out with Nicole’s program and then adding another program this weekend or next week that I know will be a good one. But since I haven’t focused on learning in so long I don’t want to jump in over my head and not follow through. It’s all about the follow through.

So why not join me in the Income CPR program and we can both chat about our progress?

First the live event. My friend Lisa Young has put together an awesome event in Michigan with speakers, classes and a lot of networking. There are very affordable options and more information can be found by attending some of these other two events!

The Peace System is a 6 week telecourse setting you up with a system for business and personal. Getting a balance between the two is key to enjoying life and work. This is a $500 coaching program that Lisa is offering for free as a build up to the live event in August. Look at all the information you will learn and the plans you will put in place by using The Peace System.

Ok, the last is a free call this weekend. We’re hosting a free call on Mom Chats and you’ll see some coaching in action and learn more information about all the above. This call is going to happen on this Sat. June 5th and call in details are all located at Mom Chats

We’ll look forward to you being at one or all of the events!

Generally it’s the fear of the unknown and where to start.

Kelly’s literally written the book to fix this fear. The Complete Internet Marketing Mom’s Start Up Guide will give you the step-by-step guidance to start your business off right. If it has helped her build her business then she wrote about it.

By popular demand her guide is now being offered as a digital download so you can start reading and applying this new knowledge in the next few minutes. You can still order the hard copy from Amazon, but there are many of us that dislike to wait for shipping and want instant download.

With the digital version there is priceless upgrade option that you won’t want to miss out on. One on One Coaching with Kelly McCausey. You can add two 30 minute coaching sessions to your ebook for only another $40. She’ll help you get your action plan in place. I’ve had a coaching session with Kelly and let me tell you, it’s amazing how much you can get planned out in 30 minutes.

Make the choice to start your business today and order the The Complete Internet Marketing Mom’s Start Up Guide with an instant download.

I’ve been researching and analyzing what is holding me back. Fear? Frustration? Fatigue?

Those are the “F” words in Internet Marketing, at least according to my friend, Nicole Dean.

She says those three words are responsible for most of your struggles in your online business. I totally agree as they are the thing that holds me back. Automation is key and working smarter, not harder. To enjoy my time spent on work more.

Recently, Nicole teamed up with her friend, Ronnie Nijmeh, and they’ve put together a killer course for helping ANYONE to create their first info product. Info products are the ultimate in reoccurring income. You put your expertise to work once, do it correctly and then your automated programs will get the info to your clients.

They’ve put together reports, videos, worksheets, and will even be hosting Q&A calls, too.

But, she and Ronnie both know that that’s not enough for a lot of marketers. You’ll still let those three words stop you. So, they’re going to be offering personal one-on-one private coaching, as well. You can ask ANY questions about creating your info product and they’ll personally answer them. Have you used coaching from top marketers in your industry. Just one coaching session will change you business, let alone all that is being offered in this program.

I’m getting ahead of myself though. Right now, you can’t sign up for their program. It’s not ready yet.

BUT…

You can grab a free report with some cool fables about success. It’s a quick read and it’ll make you think. (It did for me.)

Grab it here and run with this info.

When you go to get the Motivational Stories report, be sure to sign up to access their free call “Product Creation De-Mystified” where you’ll hear directly from Nicole and Ronnie and learn more about the benefits of creating your own info products.

Actually, Nicole and Ronnie challenged me to name ONE “guru” who doesn’t have an info product. Go ahead. Try it. Are you better than I am? Because I can’t name a single one. Info products make the impact on internet marketing.

Again, grab that report here:

http://www.plr.me/id/motivational-stories/busymomma

Only grab this report if you are ready to move ahead and make your sites/blogs work. Everyone is not always at the same place in business so it may not be the right time to get your info product launched and out there.

The art of doing business on the Internet has come a long way. Businesses large and small are doing more online, they are demanding more useful, exciting websites. There’s simply a lot more riding on today’s business websites than a collection of text and images. With that comes the increasing need for technically savvy help to manage it all and a smart, forward thinking VA should be sharpening her skills and offering services like these:

Backup – Far too often have I saved myself (and the clients), from hours of work putting things back as they were. You cannot rely on a web host all the time. To save space, web hosts only store backups for a very short period of time. And because restoration is not always part of their service, a host will usually restore the entire site when you may only need to restore one folder. Besides, some hosts are here today gone tomorrow. Or your client may have got tired of them.

Offering a backup and restoration service to your clients makes so much sense and it is often quite profitable for you since you don’t have to restore sites everyday nor every month for that matter. Backups can be put on autopilot and you can charge a recurring fee.

Software Update – So many web sites today run on open source software like WordPress, Drupal or Joomla. These are actively developed systems that move forward regularly and sometimes at a quick pace too. Every time you turn around it seems like the software needs to be updated.

Many clients don’t bother to update because they may be afraid of the consequences or just don’t know how. In the end, they either become victims of hackers or find themselves unable to proceed with their latest program because the software is outdated.

WordPress Hardening – Talking about open source software, WordPress is one of the hottest. There’s a great chance at least one of your clients are using to manage their website. But a popular software also means it is a big fat target for hackers who test it daily. Unfortunately, during setup, many designers and even VA’s do not take the time to secure it. Much of the default settings remain which make it easy for anyone to exploit.

We’re not talking about making a security guarantee to your clients – no software is that iron clad, but there are things that one can do to make WordPress more resistant. Sell that to your clients. This is a great way to earn extra from existing clients and bring in some money when things are slow.

Operating Procedure Wiki – You might already have heard of it. Create systems. Reproducible steps that anyone in the organization can take and run with. It make sense. Systems make your work faster – even if you already know it like the back of your hand, having checklists on hand can help remind you of steps you may miss regularly. Also, training new help becomes easier.

Many clients know this but are just way too busy. What you can do is not only document the knowledge, but set up a search-able, easy to use archive like a Wiki. In the long run it will help you too since you are likely to have more than one client, you may not remember all the steps you have to complete on a task that is not often repeat.

Enhanced Help Desk – You could already be the ‘voice’ behind your clients’ help desk right now. That’s great! If you enjoy it and want to win more clients in that area, why not offer an enhanced help desk service? What is that?

Some clients have multiple points of contact that can slow the customer service process down or cause confusion for customers because it may not be clear where to get help. The best thing is to pull everything together into one help center where people can find answers to frequently asked questions and initiate contact. It takes some planning and a bit of email routing and you can be the one to pull this together for your clients.

Take it a step further. Host the help desk software yourself for ‘free’ as part of the contract with your client. Many clients do not want yet another software for them to maintain. If the software can be part of your agreement, it absolutely makes sense for them. And, they would probably stay longer because if they break the contract with you, that means they have to source and purchase the software and setup. All of which takes time and money – valuable resources that the client may prefer to save.

What do you think? Is there any service here that you can implement right away? Maybe you want to but do not know how to start. After all, these are somewhat technical and you may not consider yourself technically inclined. There’s good news. Tech stuff is a lot easier than most make it out to be. You just need the right type of help, like what you can expect over at TechBasedTraining.com.

There are many small online business owners as well as established small to medium-sized businesses looking for help with their internet marketing. If you’re proficient in this area then it’s a matter of setting up your website, finding a few clients and you’ve got your own internet coaching business.

Here are a few things to consider before jumping in:

#1 – Who will you coach? Will you target small and/or medium-sized businesses, or will you look for home-based solopreneurs who need a little extra help with their marketing, or all of the above?

Knowing your target market is important as it can help determine your rates, approach and services you’ll offer. Working with a small to medium-sized business means you’ll need to fully become an educator, as many may be unaware of the inner runnings of the internet and may find it difficult to understand where their money is being spent.

Solopreneurs or small business owners on the other hand may understand how the internet works, but not be fully able to do their own marketing. Or they may need help with certain aspects of the marketing such as copywriting or setting up a PPC campaign.

Think about your target market and services you feel comfortable offering. Make a list of all the information as well as the prices for the services. This process will help you get a clear view of your new business and what direction to take it in.

#2- Will you specialize or offer an array of services? Again, this part is important to the set-up of your business. Some coaches have carved out niches for themselves in SEO or PPC marketing. Others specialize in organic traffic generation or copywriting.

Decide whether you’ll want to narrow in on one field or offer a variety of different services. It’s important to be clear from the beginning about what you will and will not offer. Some clients may be looking for a one-stop shop for their marketing while others are quite happy to divide the tasks between different people.

#3 – Educate your market. Whether you choose small to medium-sized businesses or solopreneurs, educating your market will help your business stand out. On your website, include a free download guide about the basics of internet marketing or add a few pages about SEO and other internet marketing topics.

Potential clients can read the information before contacting you, and once they do contact you they can be pre-sold on your services. This makes closing the sale so much easier because your educational material has acted as a representation of your knowledge and expertise. Being the “educator” is always a sure way to stand out in a competitive field.

#4 – Have a system in place. Each and every client wants to feel like they’re your only client. Having a clear record of their business will help you achieve this.

For each new client, start a file which includes information about their business, their goals, strategies you’re applying and any other relevant information. Have clear dates for deadlines listed where you can easily see them, and check in with your clients during the month to see how things are progressing.

This will show that you care about them as an individual and their business – a sure client pleaser. A clear system will also help you keep track of payments, expenses and help you track your earnings more easily.

#5 – Let your website do the talking. A great website will go a long way in promoting you and your services. As mentioned already, have a section which educates potential clients. But also include information about yourself, and list your services in a clear way for all to understand.

Also, let your potential clients know why you’re the person that can help them with their marketing. Include case studies and testimonials where possible, and you have a 24-hour store front to promote your services to all who visit.

Internet marketing coaching is a great work-from-home opportunity. You set your own hours and take on as much or as little work as you feel necessary. It’s also a great way to help others build their business while building your own business in the process.

One way to learn about coaching is to use a coach and get some help setting up your business correctly from the start. I highly recommend Kelly McCausey and have used her in the past for some incredibly productive coaching.

This is good news if you’re looking to take your internet marketing consultancy business local.

To get started you will, of course, need a good grasp of marketing. Your job will mainly be to educate local business owners about internet business. It’s important to realize early on that you’ll be an educator in this field because many small business owners don’t know a lot about the internet. They know they probably need a website but the knowledge may stop there.

To really thrive in the local market, therefore, you’ll present yourself as the internet marketing expert who helps small businesses develop a web presence. Here are a few steps to getting started:

#1 – Let your website speak for you. Firstly, create a website which explains all of your services in clear terms. Let potential clients know how you can help them and more importantly why you are the person for the job. Include information on your website about the services you offer and their importance.

For example, let people know why a website is important. Explain how it can be a virtual 24-hour shop front, that many people now first search on the net when looking for a local business, and that they may get more customers and clients from having a web presence. All of this information will help you get the message across to potential clients of the importance of your services.

#2 – Create a free booklet. There’s no need to create a high-end glossy brochure; what you need here is a simple booklet packed with easy-to-read information about starting an online business. Distribute these to local business owners so that they can read at their leisure all about putting the business online. Make sure the booklet is geared towards the complete beginner and explain all the basics, include the benefits of having a web presence, and information about how you help people achieve this.

#3 – Use case studies. Educating potential clients about internet marketing isn’t always easy. Case studies can help to cement a clear picture in the reader’s mind of how certain services can help. Include information about clients you’ve helped in the past. You may want to use the example of the local business person whom you helped to build a website and as a result increased their customer base. Give examples of how you did this and make it easy for the reader to see how this can potentially help their business too.

Starting up a local internet marketing consultancy business is a great move. Every business around you can potentially use your services. If you take on the role of educator in this field, it will be much easier to gain and keep new clients.

If you would like step-by-step coaching on how to build your local market then check out Blog Evangelists. Yes, this is a site I have been a member. I will rejoining the membership as this is more towards what I am working towards. That is the great thing about the coaching, you can stop it at any time.

It isn’t long after you start your business before you hear people begin to tell you, it’s a good idea to get a blog started. Unfortunately, some times people don’t tell you why or are only able to give you a sketchy idea why. How is blogging why. How is blogging helpful to your business, particularly if the business is offline or when you are a service provider, like a belly dancer who belly dancer who performs at private functions for example.

Here are some ways having a blog could help generate more interest, leads or bookings.

It Exhibits Your Expertise

It is alright to put up videos and pictures on web pages to show others what yo to show others what you can do for them, but I’ll bet you have more and newer videos and snap shots. Also, some orders are unique. These are all good reasons to show off and what better way than to use blog because it is so easy to update. A belly dancer can display videos where a client has requested something unique which forced her to think outside the box and come up with some creative choreography.

It Can Demonstrate How You Will Solve Client Problems

You know the old saying, people buy solutions, not productons, not products or services. You can explain this on a regular web page but on a blog, it all becomes more believable, more tangible.

It Shows You Are Actively Using Your Skills

If you are currently working with clients, any post you make about your job is a good testimonial. It shows that there are people who already trust you to do what you claim you will do. Better still if your customer can contribute to your blog or allow you to quote them.

You Can Get To Know Your Prospects And They Get To Know You

This is true particularly when you offer a service because people usually want to work with others whom they can get along with. Because a blog is interactive, through the comments people can begin to experience you and get a feel of how the company handles their customers.

It Can Help Increase Website Traffic

When you write good, content that is relevant and also promote it, people will take notice. When they do, they are more likely to share it on their own blog and their social networks and even decide to email it to their newsletter subscribers. All good ways to get fresh traffic.

It Can Reduce The Need To Answer Questions Over And Over

There are questions in every business that people tend to ask again and again. Whenever you answer these questions on your blog, you help your prospects out by giving them the information they are seeking, you plant the seed of trust, you add fresh content to your website, stuff that search engines and people alike love. And finally, you reduce your work because now you don’t have to type your answer again and again.

Blogging can be a quite rewarding. The down side is, starting one can be somewhat of a big learning curve if you are pretty new to web publishing or feel you will fare better with technical stuff when you have some help. True, you can hire someone. At the same time, knowing the basics isn’t such a bad thing because it reduces your reliance on others when you need something simple done. You don’t have to go at it alone. There are resources you might want to check out, like the Blogging Starter Pack.
It is like having a tutor to guide you step by step getting your blog up and running.

From now until Sunday May 17th do the items below to be entered into the drawing for a 6 month platinum membership ($50 value) at wahm-articles forums. I will be doing the drawing on Monday May 11th and contacting the winner that day as well.

1. Reply to this blog post with how you use article marketing right now for 1 entry.

2. Join wahm-articles forums and let me know your username for 3 entries.

3. Post on the wahm-articles forums and post the link for 5 entries.

These are easy entries for a 6 month platinum membership. Good luck to everyone!

I had planned on talking about my wellness site because this site has to make more income or be sold. If you’ve owned a site you are passionate about, you will understand how hard this decision is to make and how long it can take you to the point you actually do it.

But we ended up on a whole other site. Kelly was brutally honest about the site, it’s potential and my own potential. I confess it was very difficult at first, truly. Even at the time I know how good it was, but it took some effort to keep my emotions in check and keep it business.

One reason is I realize how much I have surrounded myself with my own cheerleaders. I love all of you friends, but honestly, as a coach/trainer, I know better than anyone that I need to pay someone to be honest and evaluate from the outside. Blowing smoke won’t make me money and I don’t do all of this as a hobby. I need that reminder on the value of my skills and my time.

So I truly thank Kelly for her honesty and as soon as my partner and I decide on some things I will be purchasing more coaching. It’s just a matter of what site the coaching will be for, I know she will help push me to the level I want to be at.