Stamping Is My Business!

VIDEO - Three Ways To Increase Your Profits Today!

If you're struggling with becoming more profitable, there are several steps you can make sure you take today that will have an almost immediate, positive impact on your bottom line!
 
What are they?
 
I've recorded a video detailing each of the three steps!

Sucked Into Negativity

Over the last 24 hours, I've received several e-mails asking my opinion of the miscommunication regarding the Carryover Flyer. 

This has been a big topic of conversation on many chat boards, and one of my clients told me she was surprised at all of the negativity she's seeing out there.

I posted a message about negativity to my clients this morning, and I thought I'd expand on it a bit and share it with all of you:

In any business, there are things you can control, and things you can't control. 

Successful business owners (and by successful, I mean balanced and efficient) recognize the difference between the two and act accordingly.

When you're dealing with something you can control, do what you can to fix the situation.

When you're dealing with something you can't control, figure out how to minimize the problem and move on.  In some cases, you may even be able to turn that negative into a positive.

Whatever you do, though, don't do anything to make it worse!

When situations like the Carryover list thing happens, you have two choices:

      1. Quit
      2. Figure out how to roll with it and get back to work

If that sounds harsh, I apologize, but those really are your choices.

Should you expect a certain level of professionalism and service from the people and companies you deal with?  Absolutely.

And when those people and companies don't meet those expectations, you have every right to complain... but complain to someone who can actually do something about it!  That's productive.  And after you're done doing that, if you're not going to quit, it's time to get back to work.

Letting yourself get sucked into negativity is not and should not be one of your choices. It doesn't do anything to change the situation.  In fact, you just end up compounding the problem because all of that time and energy you're wasting on negativity is just taking more away from your business.  That's DEFINITELY making things worse!

Just keep calm and carry on.  Remember, NOTHING can stop you if you're committed to being unstoppable!

An Inspiring Letter From A Fellow Stamping Business Owner

I received an e-mail recently from a stamping business owner that I wanted to share with you.  Part of her e-mail actually inspired a line or two in one of my e-mails yesterday.

I'm sharing this because I want you to realize how much the things you do and say in your business impact other stamping business owners... even those not related to you.  That impact can be positive or negative, as you can see below:

Dear John,

I just wanted to write this and say thank you.  I'm a fairly new (company representative) and I have to admit to being pretty discouraged until recently.

Since I joined, it's just seemed like everyone is discounting everything.  They discount product, they discount classes, they give stuff away for free.  As someone coming from the business world, I don't know how anyone makes any money.

And the fact that so many of the most well-known (company representatives) seem to have other businesses on the side made me pretty sure you couldn't really make money doing this.

Then someone told me about you.

John, you are a breath of fresh air!  You're the first person I've found who actually tells us we should value our time and NOT discount our product or expertise.  And you seem to be the only person showing us how to actually do that!

I've had the opportunity over the past couple of weeks to speak with other (company representatives) who work with you, and I'm so impressed by the fact they're all running profitable, balanced businesses without having to give it all away, or work other side businesses at the same time.

You and your clients are inspiring, and have convinced me I CAN run a profitable stamping business that doesn't devalue my time, my skill or my product!  I plan on really making a go of this and sticking around for a long time!

Thank you!

Lisa

Remember... your words and your actions carry great weight with not only your downline, but ALL of your fellow stamping business owners.  What you say and do goes a long way... one way or the other! 

It's important not to get caught up in the short-term, 'how can I make money today' mentality.  That type of thinking is one of the big reasons so many stamping business owners come and go so quickly.

Instead, focus on the long-term mentality of 'how can I grow a steady, sustainable, profitable business?'  If you do that, you'll be here for a long time, too!

THAT mindset is good for you.  It's good for your downline.  And it's good for the entire industry.

Please feel free to share this article, and/or leave a comment below.

Why You NEED A Powerful 'Why' (VIDEO)

Ever since I wrote 'Stamping Is My Business!' ten years ago, I've always explained that simply making money cannot be the reason you're trying to build your stamping business.

The truth is, money, in and of itself, is never a powerful enough motivator.  It's simply not a strong enough objective.  Trust me... on the days when you just don't feel like working your business, if it's just about money, you'll find a way to slack off.

Your Objective, however, CAN be about what that extra money will provide you and your family that you would not otherwise have. The undeniable truth is that money does open up opportunities you wouldn't normally have access to.

THAT 'Why'... that Objective... can be incredibly powerful!

For me, it's always been about my family.  Providing my son with the opportunities I never had, and giving my family experiences we would never have otherwise.  That gets me up and moving every morning.  No matter how I feel, no matter if working my business is the last thing I want to do, I can focus on my 'why' and get it done!

Last weekend, I experienced my 'why' in such a profound way, I wanted to share it with you.

My son, John, is a huge fan of Mardi Gras Indians. Mardi Gras Indians are African-American Carnival revelers in New Orleans, who dress up for Mardi Gras in suits influenced by Native American ceremonial apparel.  The suits are incredibly elaborate and hand-sewn every year.  Many of the tribes also parade on the Sunday nearest to Saint Joseph's Day ("Super Sunday") and sometimes at the annual New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

John loves the costumes, the songs, the dancing.  He's too young to have a bucket list, but if he did, joining a Mardi Gras Indian tribe, if only for a little while, would be on it.

This past weekend, we attended a music festival that kicked off with a Mardi Gras Indian parade.  For reasons I still can't figure out, the Chief pulled John into the parade and let him dance with them!  They didn't pull anyone else in.  Just him.  Take a look at this video:

I can't even begin to describe the feelings that were going through me at that moment.  How happy I was for John, and how gratifying it felt to know that we were able to make this opportunity happen for him.  Because if I didn't work so hard, we couldn't spend the time in New Orleans that we do.  And if we couldn't do that, this would never have happened.

Honestly, I'm still so elated about this, I could work for the next month without sleep!

That's the power of a strong 'Why.'  And if you're struggling with focus, consistency or enthusiasm for your business, I would tell you to look at WHY you're doing this.  The odds are, it needs some revising. 

And I promise you this... once you find a truly meaningful 'Why' for your business, you will find a reserve of energy and enthusiasm you never knew you had!

 

VIDEO TUTORIAL - A Super-Easy Way To Resize Your Image For The Facebook Cover Photo

Many of you are struggling with resizing your images to use as your Facebook Business Page Cover Photo.  In this video, I show you a super-easy way to do it:

Click here to learn more about the SIMB Photoshop Elements Class.

Why There's NEVER Been A Better Time To Own Your Own Stamping Business!

In Friday's blog post, I mentioned that I thought there's never been a better time than right now to own your own stamping business.

One of my readers, Jan Brumbelow, asked in the Comments section why I believed that.

Rather than just answer her, I decided to write an entire blog post for all of you.  So here are...

The 3 Reasons I Believe There's NEVER Been A Better Time To Own Your Own Stamping Business!

1. Paper Crafting Continues To Grow Annually

According to the CHA (Craft and Hobby Association), paper crafting continues to be the number one craft-related hobby.  In fact, spending on paper crafting supplies has grown by approximately $100 million per year for the last several years... a time-period where the overall economy has not done well AND most discretionary spending has decreased dramatically.

While I wouldn't exactly call the industry 'recession-proof,' it certainly has prospered in an era of adversity.  If you were going to start a business now, THIS is the business to start!

 

2. More Ways To Make Money Than Ever Before

As technology evolves, and consumers become more comfortable utilizing it, the number of revenue streams a stamping business owner can open up has steadily increased. 

Selling product, charging for classes and growing your downline have now been joined by online classes and clubs, e-books, DVDs, Etsy stores, custom-cardmaking and more! 

Stamping businesses have never had more flexibility and opportunity.  Frankly, it is a LOT easier to run a stamping business that pays you what you deserve now than it ever has been! 

Truly, whatever your situation, you should be able to find a profitable model that fits your lifestyle!

 

3. More Tools To Reach More People Than Ever Before

At one time, you had to spend a great deal of money to get your marketing message out to a handful of people.  Now, the opposite is true!  It costs little or nothing to get your business in front of thousands... even tens of thousands of potential customers!

Again, as technology has advanced, the playing field has been leveled to the point where you, the home-based business owner, have the same tools at your disposal as a large corporation.  You can now tap into the same marketing channels that big businesses do with a minimal investment.

The fact that you can expose your business to more people than has ever been possible before means the growth potential of your stamping business is greater than its ever been before!

Whether you want to run a very traditional stamping business, an entirely online one or any other model, it's never been easier to get in front of your potential customers and make that happen!

The notion that you could run an incredibly profitable stamping business out of your home with no employees and very little overhead has never been more true than it is today!

I've been working with stamping business owners since 2000, and I've always been a huge fan of the business model, but as someone who's job it is to help you be successful, I can honestly say I've never been more enthusiastic about your future!

What do YOU think?  Agree?  Disagree?  Leave your comments below (and feel free to share this article with downline and potential downline, too!).

A Heartbreaking E-Mail (Video Follow-Up)

Well, yesterday's video on 'Should I Charge For Workshops?' struck a nerve with many of you.  I received a lot of e-mails from stamping business owners who agreed with the points in the video... and some from those who disagreed. 

I do think there was some confusion, though, as to the type of event I was specifically talking about in the video.  For that reason, I've re-recorded the video to make it more clear.  You can view the revised video in the post below.

Among the e-mails I received yesterday was this one.  It really breaks my heart when I get e-mails like this, because I think these situations are so unnecessary.  I'm sharing it with you as a cautionary tale, and I'll speak about it more at the end:

Dear John,

Even though I ceased to be a (stamping business owner) a few months ago, I stayed on your email list because I like the content you provide.  I hope you don't mind.

When I saw your video on whether or not you should charge for workshops, I felt compelled to write and share my story.  I don't mind if you share it with others, but please remove my name.

I signed up to be a (stamping business owner) several months ago because I needed to make money.  I was laid off a few months earlier, and didn't have much left in my bank account.

Once I got my starter kit, I started calling my friends to see if they would do a workshop.  I was surprised by the fact that all of them said no.

When I spoke to my upline about this, she told me I shouldn't call it a workshop.  Instead, I should call it a 'private class.'  When I asked her what the difference was, she said there was none.  Except that I should charge everyone $7 and offer to give the money back if they place an order.

When I asked if there should be a minimum amount on the order so I'm not making less than $7 (which I thought was pretty low to begin with) in commissions, she said that wasn't the point.

I asked her if the hostess should tell the people she invites they can get the fee waived, and she said no.  She said that if they know they're going to be sold to, they won't come. 

I felt very uneasy about this because I thought I wasn't being honest with my future customers.  I also wasn't happy to hear my upline say that people wouldn't buy product if they knew that was what they were coming for.  When I shared these feelings with her, she said 'all of the top Demonstrators are doing it and if I wanted to be successful, this was what I had to do.'

John, I'm sorry to say I didn't listen to my gut and went ahead and did it.  It was a disaster.  When I started passing out catalogs and talking about buying product at the end of the 'class' you could feel the mood in the room change.  It felt awful.  I felt awful.  The people who were there were not happy.  A few people did actually buy products, but I've never seen unhappier customers in my life.

I was so upset, I never did anything with my business again.  I thought I'd confront my upline when she called, but she never did.  Even after I went into pending.

Please let your readers know if they're going to do an event like this to be up front about the fact you're going to pass out catalogs and sell product at the end. 

John, I know you're probably taking a lot of c**p from people today for your video, but I think you're spot on with your message and it needs to be said.  If I saw this video earlier, I may still be a (stamping business owner). 

Sincerely,

(name removed)

I wanted you all to read this because I think it's important to understand what can happen when ideas are left unchecked and unregulated.  Even ideas that may start out as good ones with the best of intentions are often tweaked and adjusted until they're a shadow of their former selves. 

And as upline, it's important to think about the ideas you share with your downline, and the messages those ideas send them. 

Finally, to (name removed), my message is this:  you should sign up again! 

I know you had a bad experience, but I think it was an isolated one.  Maybe you need to find an upline who shares the same ideas you do, but I can tell you as someone who's been working with stamping business owners for over 12 years, there's never been a better time to start your own stamping business!

There's more potential now, and you have more tools at your disposal, than ever before!  I hope you reconsider, because I think this can still be a tremendous opportunity for you.

And if any of you want to be this person's upline, send me an e-mail.  I don't know what she's doing now, or if she wants to come back, but I'm going to send her a long reply today, and I'll include the list of people who would like to work with her.

VIDEO - Should I Charge For Workshops?

Whether you call them 'Private Classes,' 'Undercover Workshops' or anything else, should you engage in the practice of calling a workshop something that it isn't, charging your attendees a nominal fee and offer to refund that fee if they purchase catalog product? The answer might surprise you...

 

How To Make Your Own Luck In Your Stamping Business

 

Now that St. Patrick's Day has passed, it's time to ask a few questions:

 - Did you get lucky?
 - Did you find the pot of gold?

Probably not.  And if you're waiting around for luck to happen in your business, you're going to be waiting for a long time! 

The truth is, every successful stamping business owner I work with... the ones other stamping business owners think 'got lucky'... make their own luck!

One of my favorite quotes is 'luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.'  What it basically means is you have to make your own luck!

How do you make your own luck in your stamping business?  Here are three steps:

1. Plan
After all these years, I'm still amazed by how many stamping business owners run their business without a real plan.  If you don't have a business plan, with a clearly defined set of objectives, as well as long and short-term goals, then how do you know if an opportunity that presents itself is good or bad for your business?  How do you know if you're doing things that are moving your business in the right direction?  Truthfully, you don't.  If you don't already have a Business Plan, take some time and create one.  If you'd like some help with that, click here.

2. Execute
Once you have your plan in place, you now have a roadmap.  However, the roadmap is only good if you follow it.  Again, I'm amazed by how many stamping business owners take the time to create their Business Plan, but don't follow through and execute it.  If you want to be successful, you have to work your Plan consistently!  The two things every successful business owner has in common is focus (the Plan) and consistency (the execution).

3. Analyze and Revise
After you've worked your Plan consistently for several weeks, take a moment to analyze your results.  Are you moving in the right direction?  Are there elements of the Plan you didn't consider?  Are there things you're doing you now realize you shouldn't be?  Have circumstances changed?  Have new opportunities presented themselves?

The most successful businesses are the ones that are constantly reading the ever-changing landscape and making the necessary adjustments.  They're the ones who become the trend-setters and leaders, while everyone else is left to follow.  

Don't be afraid of change.  It's part of any business, and the more willing you are to embrace it, the more successful you'll ultimately be.

If you follow these three steps, you won't need leprechauns leading you to pots of gold.  You'll be making your own luck... and creating your own success!

 

Three E-Mail Elements You Should Be Testing

Last week, I sent many of you my 'Top 5 List Bulding/E-Mail Marketing MIstakes' video.  One of the mistakes I mentioned was lack of testing.

This generated a bunch of e-mail asking me what, exactly, they should be testing.

So, here are  

Three E-Mail Elements You Should Be Testing:

1. Subject Line

You always want your subject line to engage your reader.  Remember, 80% or more of the people who receive your e-mail will never get past your subject line... UNLESS you make it compelling enough for them to do so.  Different types of subject lines are going to generate higher open rates with your customers.  And the only way to find out what those subject lines are is to test, test, test!  AWeber actually allows you to split test the same e-mail.  It will send out a broadcast e-mail, randomly selecting one of two different subject lines for each of your recipients, and then giving you a report of which performed better!

2. Time of Day

Every list has a sweet spot.  A time of day that generates more opens than any other.  The only way for you to figure that out for your list is to test different times and see which one works best for you.

3. Format

Some lists prefer e-mails that are relatively design free (black letting on a white background), while others prefer lots of colors and graphics.  How can you tell which your list perfers?  Do a split test with one of each design, but the same content.  See which one gets a higher click-through rate.

There are lots of other things you can and should be testing as you grow your list and warm it up to where you can send out an e-mail anytime, and count on them to open it and buy from you!

For the step-by-step gameplan to create YOUR list of dependable buyers, sign up now for the List Building/E-Mail Marketing Boot Camp.  The Early Bird Discount expires Tuesday!

Three Things To Remember When Building Your List AND Our Survey Results!

Building your e-mail list is the most important thing you can do for your business.  Without a good, responsive list, it doesn't matter how much you offer... or how good those offers are... you will NOT generate the amount of business you need to thrive!

With that in mind, here are

 

Three Things To Remember When Building Your List:

1. Make it easy
Don't make your potential subscriber jump through hoops to get on your mailing list.  Ask for the least amount of information possible (name, email address), and make sure the form is right on the front page of your blog.  Don't make them click a button to get to the form.  I know it sounds crazy, but the extra step will cost you subscribers!

2. Give them a good reason to sign up
Don't just say, 'Sign up for my newsletter.'  Tell them what they're going to get when they sign up for your mailing list that's exclusive... that they wouldn't get any other way.  Whether you're spotlighting the content they're going to receive, or the gift you're going to send them for signing up, the more enticing you make it, the more subscribers you'll get!

3. Give them more information than solicitation
It's OK to ask people on your mailing list to buy something from you.  If subscribers don't understand that you are running a business, then they shouldn't be on your list.  Having said that, make sure the majority of what you're sending them is information, rather than solicitation.  How can you tell the difference?  Every time you send out an e-mail, ask yourself, 'will my reader benefit from this regardless of whether or not they buy something from me?'  If the answer is yes, it's information.  If the answer is no, its solicitation.

 

Results of the Survey
On Monday, I sent you a survey asking how many names you'd like to add to your mailing list in the next 12 months.  Over 500 of you answered the survey!  And the average was... 186 new names in twelve months!

Well, I'm pretty confident you can all add a lot more names to your list than that! 

And if you'd like to learn, step-by-step, how to do just that, I encourage you to sign up for the upcoming List Building/E-Mail Marketing Boot Camp!  The Early Bird runs through this Tuesday. 

Learn more about the List Building/E-Mail Marketing Boot Camp.

5 Reasons Why Most Don't Become Wealthy

Just finished reading a fantastic article by Brian Tracy called, '5 Reasons Why Most Don't Become Wealthy.'

In the article, Tracy points out that with all the opportunities out there, it's really surprising so few people are able to achieve financial independence.  He goes on to detail the reasons he believes this is so.  They are:

1. It never occurs to you that wealth is a possibility for you
2. You never make the committment to do what it takes to attain wealth
3. You procrastinate
4. You're unable to make the sacrifices now that will bring about the big gains later
5. You're not focusing on the long-term implications of the decisions you're making today

As we head into the New Year, its important to understand how the way you think affects the way you behave.  And the way you behave impacts your overall success... one way or the other.

In other words, think about the way you think!

If you'd like to read the full article, you can do so here. 

If you feel like you lack the self-discipline necessary to take the steps outlined above, you may want to read Brian Tracy's book, 'No Excuses! The Power of Self-Discipline." 

And if you enjoyed this post, don't forget to click the Facebook Like and Google +1 buttons below!

Building Your Stamping Business - Four Destructive Myths

Building your stamping business can be difficult under the best circumstances.  However, it becomes much more difficult when you factor some very common, preconceived notions about how to best run our business into the mix.

These are ideas and theories we've heard so often, we assume they must be true.  A little investigation, however, shows they're actually quite detrimental to the effective and efficient running of our business.

Tony Schwartz has written a great article for the Harvard Business Review entitled "Four Destructive Myths Most Companies Still Live By." 

The Four Myths are:

1. Multitasking Is Critical In A World Of Infinite Demand
2. A Little Bit of Anxiety Helps Us Perform Better
3. Creativity Is Genetically Inherited, and It's Impossible To Teach
4. The Best Way To Get Work Done Is To Work Longer Hours

If you're trying to build your stamping business, and you're letting yourself be influenced by any of these four myths, you may want to take a look at the full article.

Is Your E-Mail Reaching Your Customer's Inbox? The Answer May Surprise You!

True or False?  If someone has opted into your mailing list, and you send an e-mail to them, are they guaranteed to get it?

Of course, you know the answer is false.  We all know e-mails bounce.

True or False?  If an e-mail we send bounces, do we always know about it?

Most people would say yes, but the surprising answer is NO!

In fact, Return Path just released a study which finds:

• only 81% of all permissioned email from commercial email senders makes it to the inbox
• 7% land in either the spam or junk folder
• (Here's the shocker) 12% simply go missing!

That means, you send it... they don't receive it... and you don't receive any notice it wasn't delivered!

With 1 out of every 5 emails ending up in the wrong folder or not showing up at all, what can you, the business owner, do to make your marketing more effective?  Here are three tips:

1. Engage across mulitple platforms!
Make sure you're having conversations with your prospects and customers on your blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

2. Pick up the phone!
Nothing is more effective at generating business than picking up the phone and speaking with your customers and prospects.  E-mail has never been a replacement for a phone call!

3. Watch your bounces!
Whenever you send out an e-mail, make sure to look at your bounce report 24 hours later.  Follow up on all of your bounces with a phone call or, at the very least, a personal e-mail, letting the person know the bounce occured and trying to rectify the situation.

Follow these tips, and you'll become a better all-around marketer... and a more successful business person!

In the meantime, make sure you're subscribed to MY mailing list by filling out the form in the top right corner of this page AND then, click here to Like SIMB on Facebook!

Can You Guarantee Failure?

Absolutely!

I see stamping business owners guarantee failure all the time.  They guarantee they're NOT going to grow their business.  They guarantee they're NOT going to make more money.  And they guarantee that, sooner or later, they're no longer going to be stamping business owners.

How?

They give up before they even start!

For example, over the last week or two, I've heard from several stamping business owners who feel like qualifying for their company's incentive trip will never happen... so they've decided not to try!

My response to that is... WHY wouldn't you try???

Think about it... What's the worst that can happen?

Best-case scenario - you're sitting on a beach in Fiji.

Middle-of-the-road scenario - you're sitting on a beach in Hilton Head.

Worst-case scenario - You don't qualify for either trip, BUT you have a much more profitable, effective busuiness than you did before AND you're in a much better position to qualify next year!

The only option that GUARANTEES failure (and this is true in any business) is not trying at all!  Resigning yourself to failure and giving up before you start.

Why does this happen so much?  Often, people focus on the fact that they'll be disappointed in themselves if they fail... so to avoid that potential disappointment, they don't even try.

Personally, I'd feel more disappointed in myself for not trying.

If you feel like your business isn't growing at the rate it should, and you'd like some assistance in building a stronger business foundation, check out the Stamping Business Basics Program!  Just $7/month for 6 months, and full of the information and motivation you need to move your business in the right direction.