Stamping Is My Business!

This Week's BSCG Hot Topics... and 4 DAYS Before The Price Increase!

Some great "Member's Only" training happening on the Business Stampers Coaching Group message board this week, including:

•  Our Members'-Only Webinar, where I shared tips for finishing off this quarter strong!
•  How To Structure Online Classes
•  The Reasons Why Video Marketing Generates The Best Results and How To Take Advantage of That
  

Of course, this type of business-building training happens every week on the BSCG... WITHOUT all of the other off-topic, time-consuming dialogues that take place in other groups!

For those of you who don't know, the BSCG is the premier online Coaching Community for profit-driven, business-minded stamping business owners.

The Group is fantastic, and the content is killer.  In addition to the Message Board, which is where Members communicate, ask questions of me and fellow Members and receive tons of positive, professional support from like-minded business owners (and me), Members also receive:

• Exclusive, monthly business-building webinars
• Business-building How-To Videos every week
• Weekly blog evaluation videos
• Twice-weekly Coaching Challenges
• Weekly writing prompts to help with your blogging
• Motivational audio messages to start off every week
• A private Twitter feed
• Hundreds of links to business-building articles to further your knowledge and education
• Exclusive discounts on various SIMB products & services
• AND... The Newsletter Co-Op - you write one article every month, and you gain access to over 60 others you can copy and paste into your monthly newsletter!

If you're on the fence about joining the BSCG, take the $1, 10-day trial.  If you don't think the information is worth the dirt-cheap monthly fee, or you can't benefit from it, just cancel before the 10 days are up and owe nothing.

And don't forget... the price of the BSCG Membership will be increasing on May 1st!  That means, if you want to lock in the old price, you have to be registered for the Trial by that day!

To learn more or sign up, click here.

Etsy Boot Camp - If You Want To Be In the Running To Have Your Store Built For You... Read This!

Even though the How To Make Money Selling On Etsy Boot Camp doesn't begin until this Tuesday, I wanted to let you know the 'I Will Build Your Site For You' contest winner will be picked this Friday!

If you don't know what I'm talking about, I announced last week that I will be picking one Boot Camp participant and essentially building their site for them!  The winner and I will engage in several video chats where I help them with market research, show them how to build the site, write powerful listings that sell AND market the store to the world!  The winner will also receive a free banner design from Michelle Laycock!

All of the video chats will be recorded, and the hours of over-the-shoulder, step-by-step videos will be available to ALL Boot Camp participants!

Only one participant will get it done for them, though.  And that person will be picked on Friday!

That means, if you wish to be considered for selection, you have to register by the end of the day tomorrow (Thursday).

After Thursday, you'll still be able to register.  You just won't be in the running for the contest.

If you haven't already registered, and wish to do so, click here for more information.

Hope to see you on the webinars!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK - Artists

"Every artist was first an amateur."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

33-Hour Early Bird Warning and Free Banner Announcement For Etsy Boot Camp!

Just a quick note to remind you, if you haven't signed up already, there are just 33 hours left to take advantage of the Early Bird Discount for the "How To Make Money Selling On Etsy"Boot Camp!

 

You'll be able to register after the deadline (Friday evening at 11:59 p.m. eastern), but you won't save the $10.

 

FREE BANNER ANNOUNCEMENT

 

I mentioned yesterday that I'm going to select one Boot Camp member and build their Etsy store for them.

 

Well, this morning, Michelle Laycock e-mailed me to let me know that...

 

SHE WILL DESIGN A FREE BANNER FOR THE MEMBER'S ETSY STORE, TOO!

 

How cool is that!?

 

Of course, you 'have to be in it to win it,' so if you haven't already done so...

 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE HOW TO MAKE MONEY SELLING ON ETSY BOOT CAMP!

 

The clock is ticking on the Early Bird, so don't delay!

New Orleans Reflections, Part 2 (The Steps)

In yesterday's post, I wrote about our six-week stay in New Orleans, that it wouldn't be possible if my business wasn't structured the way it is, and that your business should be the means to your ends, as well.

If it currently isn't, that's OK.  You just have to figure out what changes and improvements you need to make to get it to be!

As I mentioned yesterday, this really was my wife, Liz's, idea.  Here are the steps we took, and the steps you can take to make your dreams a reality, too:

1. Define your goal.
   After Liz came up with the idea, we immediately sat down together and wrote down exactly what we wanted to do.  In our case, we knew the timeframe, the housing requirements, and the neighborhood requirements.  Without this information, we really could not proceed to come up with a concrete plan of action.  It’s important for you to define your goal as clearly as possible.  So, really take the time to detail it out and get as specific as possible.
2. Determine how much it’s going to cost.
   Once we knew exactly what we wanted, we then had to figure out how much it was going to cost.  This is an important step.  Not only for the obvious reasons, but because there are often costs you don’t think of until you sit down and figure it out.  For example, we realized that for a road trip like this, we were going to have to purchase a car–topper to store our luggage.  This was an added cost we wouldn’t have thought of if we didn’t spend some time thinking about it.  Once you have your specific goal and timeframe, sit down with a piece of paper and try to come up with every potential expense you can imagine!
3. Break it down into specific steps.
   Once you know your costs and your timeframe, it’s relatively easy to figure out how much you need to make on a monthly or even weekly basis, and the steps you need to take to get there.  Write the steps down.  Having a written plan gives you the greatest chance for success. 
4. Follow the plan and be accountable.
   There are no shortcuts here.  You have to follow your plan every month, every week, everyday.  To help, make sure you're accountable to someone.  If you work with me, I’m more than happy to keep you accountable and on track.  I personally was accountable to my own Coach and my very motivated wife!  :-)

If you follow these steps, maybe next year, we’ll pass you on the road or in an airport, and we’ll give each other a big thumbs up!

New Orleans Reflections, Part 1

Over the weekend, the family and I took the long drive to the Big Easy!  We’ll be spending the next 6 weeks in New Orleans, taking in everything the city has to offer.  I'll still be working during most of that time, so it's more of a living experiment than a vacation (for me, anyway).

The idea to do this came about last year when we were in New Orleans for our annual trip to Jazz Fest.  My wife, Liz, was actually the one who came up with the idea.  She asked if I thought it was possible.  My response... 'anything is possible.  We just have to figure out how to make it work." 

And that’s what we did.

Honestly, it wouldn't have been possible if my business wasn't structured the way it is, or is as successful as it is. 

But isn't that the whole point of running your own business?

I truly believe the business you decide to run should be able to provide you and your family with the means to whatever goals you desire.  If the business can't do that, then you’re probably in the wrong business. 

And so, we figured out how to make it work.  Needless to say, we're very excited!

Tomorrow, I’ll share the steps YOU can take to make your business the means to your ends, as well.

In the meantime, leave a comment below and tell me what you would like YOUR business to provide for you and your family!

This Week's BSCG Hot Topics... and the Upcoming Price Increase!

Some great "Member's Only" training happening on the Business Stampers Coaching Group message board this week, including:

•  How To Get Rid of a Toxic Customer
•  How To Find Blogs You Can Post Comments On For Marketing and Promotion

Of course, this type of business-building training happens every week on the BSCG... WITHOUT all of the other off-topic, time-consuming dialogues that take place in other groups!

For those of you who don't know, the BSCG is the premier online Coaching Community for profit-driven, business-minded stamping business owners.

The Group is fantastic, and the content is killer.  In addition to the Message Board, which is where Members communicate, ask questions of me and fellow Members and receive tons of positive, professional support from like-minded business owners (and me), Members also receive:

• Exclusive, monthly business-building webinars
• Business-building How-To Videos every week
• Weekly blog evaluation videos
• Twice-weekly Coaching Challenges
• Weekly writing prompts to help with your blogging
• Motivational audio messages to start off every week
• A private Twitter feed
• Hundreds of links to business-building articles to further your knowledge and education
• Exclusive discounts on various SIMB products & services
• AND... The Newsletter Co-Op - you write one article every month, and you gain access to over 60 others you can copy and paste into your monthly newsletter!

If you're on the fence about joining the BSCG, take the $1, 10-day trial.  If you don't think the information is worth the dirt-cheap monthly fee, or you can't benefit from it, just cancel before the 10 days are up and owe nothing.

And don't forget... the price of the BSCG Membership will be increasing on May 1st!  That means, if you want to lock in the old price, you have to be registered for the Trial by that day!

To learn more or sign up, click here.

"How To Make Money Selling On Etsy" Boot Camp - Early Bird Begins NOW!

I'm happy to announce our latest Boot Camp:

HOW TO MAKE MONEY SELLING ON ETSY!
Get Paid What You Deserve To Create What You Love!

The Boot Camp will take place beginning May 3rd, and will cover everything you need to know if you want
to turn Etsy into a thriving revenue stream for your business, including:

• Identifying niches and products that sell
• Setting up a shop that converts lurkers into customers
• Pricing to sell AND make a profit
• Onsite SEO and Marketing
• Offsite marketing opportunities
• ...and a lot more

If you've been thinking about selling on Etsy, but have been hesitating, or if you're already selling on Etsy,
but you'd like to make more money, this Boot Camp is for you!

The Early Bird Discount registration period begins NOW and runs through April 22nd.

For more information, visit:

http://www.stampingismybusiness.com/2011etsyboot.html

Hope to see you in the Boot Camp!

Free Training Video and 11-Hour Tax Sale Warning

***FREE TRAINING VIDEO***

I just recorded a free training video for you based on a Facebook survey I conducted yesterday.

The video is called, "The Top 5 Mistakes Etsy Sellers Make," and whether you're currently selling on Etsy, or thinking about giving it a shot, this video will help you avoid some of the more common pitfalls:



Feel free to share it with your downline and fellow business owners.

 

***"TAX SALE" 11-HOUR WARNING***

The response to the Tax Sale has been amazing!  If you haven't taken advantage of the deep discount for the following SIMB Classes, you have until midnight tonight to do so.  Just click on any of the class logos below to save 30%:

And remember, all classes come with LIFETIME ACCESS!

There are no deadlines.  You can sign up for the classes now, and take them at your leisure.

Business Lessons From The Last Week's "Shark Tank"

As many of you know, one of my favorite television shows is Shark Tank. 

Entrepreneurs pitch their businesses to five multi-millionaire investors (the Sharks), hoping to secure their investment in exchange for a stake in their business. 

 

Each week, there are always a few excellent quotes and teachable moments.  Here are three of them:

1. "Every dream has a shelf life.  I mean it.  A dream wihtout a deadline is hope, and hope is not a strategy." - Robert Herjavec

One of the most important aspects of goal-setting is the element of time.  If you don't have a deadline to achieve your goals, you can't have a solid plan.  And if you don't have a solid plan, you don't have much of a chance.

2. "It kills me when they don't know the numbers, never come on the Shark Tank without the numbers. You die an awful death!" - Kevin O'Leary

A real business person will eat you alive if you don't know your numbers.  They'll mark you as an amateur and won't have very much to do with you.

3. "Whenever someone asks you what your sales are... never, and I mean ever, start the answer with, 'well, unfortunately...'" - Daymond John

Whether you're having trouble or not, never start to describe any aspect of your business with a negative when you're speaking to a potential customer, downline or investor!

If you're not already watching Shark Tank, you can find it on ABC, at 9 p.m. eastern.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Business

"A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts.”

 - Richard Branson

31-Hours Left To Sign Up for the List Building/E-Mail Marketing Boot Camp!

Just a quick note to say you only have 32 hours left to sign up for the List Building/E-Mail Marketing Boot Camp!

The Boot Camp begins tomorrow evening (Tuesday) at 10 p.m. eastern (if you can't make it live, webinar recordings will be posted for you).  Once the first webinar begins, registration will close!

Who is this Boot Camp for?

• If you're adding less than 25 new subscribers to your mailing list every month

and/or

• If you're not adding as many new subscribers as you'd like

and/or

• If you're not getting enough response from those subscribers when you send out your newsletters, etc.,

...this Boot Camp is for you!

So, if you're ready to take your list building and e-mail marketing systems to the next level, watch this video to learn more!

Or visit:  http://www.stampingismybusiness.com/2011listboot.html

The clock is ticking, so don't hesitate to sign up!