Are You Reading This Blog?

If you've been following this blog since its inception last July, you'll remember that one of the purposes of starting this blog was as an experiment to see who reads blogs. Our statistics show that 150-300 people per day are accessing this blog, but the Comments section after each article is woefully silent.

One of the best features of Blogs is the "Comments" section, where readers send notes back to the me. Please help me to figure out whether you're finding these blog articles interesting, educational and helpful. Click on the red "Comments" link at the end of this article and let me know if I'm hitting a chord with you ... or failing miserably! :)

Create Strong Passwords

As a small business owner, you can't afford to have your identity or business information stolen. Using the internet to help run your business is absolutely necessary, but being lax about the passwords you use on banking, hosting and other business sites is short-sighted and dangerous.

So, what makes a good, strong password, one that a hacker is unlikely to discover? Microsoft recommends several strategies in their article:

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/privacy/password.mspx

We all know not to use our children or pet's name. In addition, don't use any word in the dictionary, and refrain from using common words with numbers at the beginning or end of them (like 25melon or george153) as your password. On systems that ask you to change your password every 30 days, don't re-use passwords you've used in the past. Even if a site does not require you to change your password monthly, it's a good idea to change it every few months anyway.

When creating a password, use 7 or 8 characters, and a combination of alphabetical characters (A to Z), numerical characters (0 to 90, and symbols. Using upper and lower case letters makes it even stronger. For instance, TiMp39AyCgi is a great password. How in the world would I remember such a complicated password? TIMP stands for "this is my password", 39 was the year my mother was born, and AYCGI stands for "and you can't get it". See? It can be easy to create and remember strong passwords if you just get a little creative.

Finally, don't store your passwords in a file on your PC. If your PC is compromised by hackers via the internet, they can easily find and open that file, and steal all your passwords in one fell-swoop. If you must create a file on your PC to store your passwords, password-protect THAT file with a strong password.

And remember, if you ever have to give any of these passwords to employees or contractors, change them as soon as the employee or contractor no longer needs to use them.

All Marketers Are Liars (the book)

I just got finished reading Seth Godin's "All Marketers Are Liars." The crux of the book is that to effectively market your service or product, it's not enough to list the benefits, you have to tell a story to an audience who is ready to listen to and connect to the story. For instance, the "story" at WholeFoods Supermarkets is that the experience of shopping for organic foods is healthy, luxurious, good for the World and shows that you really care for yourself, your family and your environment.

It seems to me that as small business owners, we have a great story to tell AND that there's an audience out there who are ready to listen to it. Knowing your story and what worldview the audience has, allows those with shared beliefs to connect to one another. For some businesses, their story is "Living your dream is as important as breathing." For others, it's "Having a healthy family is worth any price."

Has anyone else read this book? What's your take on the ideas that Seth Godin proposes? How can the self-employed get better at matching prospective clients' worldviews and beliefs with the story you tell? How can you get better at telling the story via your marketing techniques?

MasterMind Groups for the Self Employed

Passion For Business (and me!) announce our new company: The Success Alliance, MasterMind Groups for the Self Employed!

I have been running MasterMind groups since 1984. There is synergy of energy, commitment and excitement that participants bring to a MasterMind group. The Success AllianceTM Groups (TSA Groups) offer a combination of masterminding, peer brainstorming and support in a group setting, along with private one-on-one coaching and consulting, and educational teleclasses.

The beauty of TSA Groups is that participants raise the bar by challenging each other to create and implement goals, brainstorm ideas, and support each other with total honesty, respect and compassion. TSA members act as catalysts for growth, devil’s advocates and supportive colleagues. This is the essence and value of MasterMind groups.

Visit The Success Alliance website to find out how MasterMind Groups can help your business grow! http://www.TheSuccessAlliance.com


THE BENEFITS OF A MASTERMIND GROUP MEMBERSHIP

• Increase your own experience and confidence
• Sharpen your business skills
• Create real progress in your business and personal life
• Add an instant and valuable support network
• Get honest feedback, advice and brainstorming
• Borrow on the experience and skills of the other members
• Create plans and have the group hold you accountable for fulfilling your plans and goals
• Receive critical insights into yourself and your business
• Work ON your business, not just IN it; make the transition from being self-employed to acting like a business owner
• One-on-one time to work with a small business coach/consultant
• A sense of shared endeavor - there are others out there!

Visit The Success Alliance website to find out how MasterMind Groups can help your business grow!

Search Engine Marketing Survey Results

For many small business owners, search engine marketing and internet marketing are a big part of their marketing plans and budgets. MarketingSherpa has surveyed 3,271 businesses as to the effectiveness of their internet marketing (and, especially search engine marketing) tactics for the past 12 months. The results can help you to understand which techniques are hot and which are waning. You can read the survey results here:

http://www.marketingsherpa.com/sample.cfm?contentID=3078

Free Live Meeting Educational Programs

Microsoft Live Meeting is being used by many people to conduct interactive presentations and educational programs over the phone and internet. You can view past educational presentations for business owners here:

www.livemeeting.com/archive

Cleanup and Planning: Quarterly and Year-End Checklists

Welcome to October -- the beginning of the last quarter of the year! It's time to do some "good housekeeping" in preparation for the year-end of your business.

At the end of the year, it’s important to both close-out the old year properly as well as plan for the new year. I recommend you start this process early so that there isn’t a last-minute rush to complete your year-end closing tasks. Even better, do this quarterly so that you remain caught-up with the tasks. Here are some ideas that you might want to add to your quarterly and annual checklists:

Cleanup and Closing Tasks

• Enter all revenue and expenses into your recordkeeping system.
• Send final invoices for current year.
• Reconcile your bank account records with bank statements.
• Estimate your last tax payment for the current year (many self-employed people make quarterly estimated tax payments...the final payment is usually due on January 15)
• Mail holiday cards and gifts to clients/customers
• Make holiday offers to clients/customers
• Clean out old files/emails
• Create year-end accounting reports and compare to goals for year
• Tally business-related mileage for quarter/year
• Tally expenses by vendor and prepare 1099’s if needed
• Contact your accountant and discuss year-end tax planning

Planning Tasks for the New Quarter/Year

• Write a list of goals
• Write a list of tasks that need to be accomplished in order to make those goals
• Write a list of projects you’d like to start or complete
• Create an updated marketing plan
• Create an updated budget
• List the topics you’d like to study, the classes you’d like to take, or the books you’d like to read, to keep you up-to-date with your industry and business skills
• Schedule upcoming classes you’ll teach and distribute that Calendar of Events to clients and staff

Cleanup and planning tasks don’t just happen in December and January. If you review these tasks quarterly, they won’t sneak up on you on December 31.