Category Money & Finances

Hijacked Blog

5 Comments Business & Work, Changing The World, Money & Finances

There are many kinds of violation and, in every case, the person violated rightly feels all sorts of emotions, including anger, fear, frustration, shame and powerlessness. Such was the case when I discovered that this very website had been broken into by some unknown persons who uploaded more than 60 posts.

Luckily, they were benign articles but, nonetheless, they were posted by impostors who hacked into my administrative panel and gained access. It’s kind of like your house being broken into – maybe the perpetrators didn’t take anything of value, but the fact they were able to enter uninvited shines a blaring light on your vulnerability.

After realizing I could not access my admin panel because my user name and password had been changed, I tried to contact WordPress for help, which was useless since all I could find were forums, and nothing that answered my question: “What do you do when your blog is hijacked?” Then I sent an email request for help to my host server, knowing they are closed Sundays, but could probably help in some way.  Finally I googled “my wordpress blog was stolen, what can I do?” The first piece of advice from the WordPress Codex: “Stay calm.”

Indeed, good advice. By thinking it through, I was able to request a reset of my password, sign back in and delete the bogus “administrators” who decided they needed to post on my site.

If they had just asked, I likely would have welcomed their contributions. That’s the thing about thieves… there’s a thrill in “getting away with” something, and it usually has nothing to do with need. It’s sociopathic behavior and, as such, disrespects the rights of others.

The Importance of Neighborhood Watch

I might not have realized this invasion, or hacking had taken place were it not for the watchful eye of friend and fellow blogger, Maia Duerr of the excellent Liberated Life Project. Maia thoughtfully sent me an email questioning the posts as not being mine.

We need to watch out for our neighbors and friends, in cyberspace as well as in “real life”. If you receive an email from someone you know that has a suspicious link, don’t open it and do contact them. If you notice odd entries on a blog to which you subscribe, let the author or webmaster know. In any case, monitor your online activities, change your passwords often and, if you discover your security has been violated, stay calm.

We live in a world where social contracts are being broken, “authorities” are not trustworthy, and criminals of all kinds proceed boldly without chance of prosecution. Therefore, as decent, conscious people, we can express our care and compassion by watching out for one another.

Social Media Does Not Equate To Sales

4 Comments Business & Work, Money & Finances

For the past few years, we’ve been inundated with the idea that businesses must use social media to drive sales.

The purported logic is that social networks are an effective and necessary avenue for reaching out to customers. The more you reach out, the more money you will make. However, USA Today says a new study shows that social media has no real effect at all.

The study, a collaboration between Forrester Research and GSI Commerce, analyzed data captured from online retailers between November 12 and December 20, 2010. The research shows that social media rarely leads directly to purchases online — data indicates that less than 2% of orders were the result of shoppers coming from a social network. The report found email and search advertising were much more effective vehicles for turning browsers into buyers.

You can request a free copy of the report, titled “The Purchase Path Of Online
Buyers”. Its focus is on driving online retail “holiday shoppers”. The premise, which seems to bear out in the report’s findings, is that people are on Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. for many reasons that supersede buying. It’s not merely a case of going where your buyers are, but where they go to buy; and social media is proving not to be that place.

The biggest effect of social media outreach, in terms of purchases from it, seems to be news about short-term deals. In that case, 5% to 7% of purchases are influenced by social media activity, states the report.

But the report admits that since most retailers only track where the sale comes from, it’s impossible to say how many “views” or exposures a buyer had – and where – prior to making the purchase. It does not and cannot track the influence on a purchase that might have come from social media conversations, endorsements, buzz, etc.

While there is probably a lot of truth and value to this study for large retailers, I suspect that social media is – and will continue to be – extremely important for small business (both products and services) – in terms of building relationships and reputation.

The key to leveraging social media, as I see it, is judiciously participating in your networks and “adding value” in terms of intelligent information and problem solving, thus establishing you/your business as a reliable source and provider. While this may not result in immediate sales, hopefully it will support and enhance your other marketing efforts.

If anyone would like to fund me to conduct a study on social media’s impact for small business, let me know. Meanwhile, I’d love to hear your experiences — have you gotten new clients/customers/sales from your networking efforts?

Business Lessons from a Standing Ovation

2 Comments Business & Work, Money & Finances, Passion & Joy
Photograph: Jens N Rgaard Larsen/AFP/Getty Images

Last night, I attended a Gary Burton/Chick Corea concert at Santa Fe’s Lensic Theater. For these two jazz legends it was the last night of a grueling global tour, although there was no evidence of burn-out or boredom.

As professionals, they gave their fans a polished and passionate performance, connecting with the audience through brief anecdotes, thanking us for being there, and playing their music with exuberance as if it were the first, and not the umpteenth, time. They were present.

At the end of two long sets, the audience responded with a rousing standing ovation and the players graciously returned to the stage for an encore.

There are two thoughts I want share from this experience:

1. The audience had already shown appreciation for the players by virtue of having purchased tickets. Money is a standard form of appreciation for something received. The performers showed appreciation for the audience by showing up, starting on time and putting on a professional show.

Nothing more was required of audience or performers. Therefore, the enthusiasm of the audience and gracious response of the performers were “icing on the cake” for both. Being extra-appreciated, as a consumer and/or provider, costs nothing extra and leaves everyone with positive feelings.

2. Standing ovations are a cultural phenomenon associated with the U.S., and seen as crass by other cultures. I am told that in Japan an impressed audience will clap incessantly, even through an encore, but they do not stand; and certainly do not whistle or whoop. As a performer (or business provider), it is critical to understand and communicate with your audience (or market) on their terms.

Nothing feels so fine as a standing ovation, or the equivalent. In my businesses, I have experienced the equivalent when a client has thanked me with a gift, referred an associate or become a friend. I hope I have expressed my appreciation in similar ways, and I hope that you, reading this, know I am grateful for your time and participation in this blog!

How have you experienced a “standing ovation” in your business, or given one to someone in theirs? Please comment below.

How To Make Money Online

1 Comment Business & Work, Money & Finances
from Flickr Creative Commons

Maybe you’re a lot smarter than me and I should be embarrassed to admit this, but I’ve spent many, many hours in the past year online attending webinars and teleseminars, and downloading and reading free eBooks  offered by dozens of “gurus” who promised to help me make a fortune online.

I wanted to understand how to use social media – Facebook, Linked In, Twitter, ad words, WordPress – and the tricks for integrating and making my efforts “go viral”. I wanted to make my countless hours at the computer – writing blogs, emailing, updating profiles, commenting on sites, tweeting – pay off… in real dollars.

I’d like to tell you what I’ve learned: Many of these guys (and most are of the male persuasion) use exactly the same formula that they will teach you to replicate, for a price. You begin by using a “landing page” on your blog or website to get people to give you their name and email address (“your mailing list is your gold!” they say) by offering free sound advice, via an eBook, podcast or video. You don’t even have to create the material yourself, they say, as there’s so much “good stuff” on the internet already, you can just recycle it.

Their point is, once you start building your email list, you “add value” to “build relationships” by setting up automated drip marketing campaigns to keep making new offers your list recipients cannot refuse. Every time they open an email from you (simple, unformatted, compelling) you get them to read/listen/watch your next offering that builds your credibility as “an expert”. As you do this, over and over, you add teasers to keep them “wanting more”, with bonuses for sharing your links. You hold free webinars and teleseminars with invaluable information (“I can’t believe how many people we have on the call – thanks!”). Not only must they believe you are a popular expert, but you must convince them that, as someone who knows what he’s doing and has already made a fortune online, you sincerely care about their success.

At certain points in this “relationship” you offer your “followers” a product for a few bucks. Those who are willing to buy this may be good candidates to larger-ticket items, like various levels of your exclusive “guaranteed success” program. “For just $19.95 a month you get ____, BUT if you’re really serious about making money online, you’ll give your self the gift and benefit of the whole program for just $995.” You also create scarcity – “only a few seats remaining” or “act now and you’ll also get…” Sounds like late-night TV ads for Ginzu knives, eh?

But the fact is, Ginzu knives, Popeil’s Pocket Fisherman and the current equivalents – like “make six-figures a year online” salesmen – sell millions and make their inventors and marketers a lot of money. People, in general, are trusting and gullible. We want to believe there are replicable formulas and simple programs we can use, and gurus we can follow. However, if you were like many of these guys, you’d already possess certain traits and resources: you’d be a super salesman, with a technical team and sharp marketing/manipulation skills. You’d have strategic alliances with some of the Big Players so you could use their email lists, and you’d eat, sleep and breath your sales program 24/7.

We know that the way these rah-rah Tony Robbins clones have made a fortune (if they are to be believed) is by selling their programs to people who are often desperate to get some cash flowing in now, and lack the technical expertise and financial resources – not to mention personality – to replicate the program…even after they bought, listened to and followed to a T, the 64 CDs, 36 workbooks and attended the “life-changing Live Event” on the other side of the country.

I’m not saying there isn’t much to learn when it comes to internet-based business, and those who offer excellent training programs. My concerns are the time and money you (or I) have to devote to this sort training, and whether it is in keeping with who you are, what you want to share in the world, how you can “monetize” your efforts with integrity, and whether these formulaic routes will actually “build relationships” and accomplish your goals.

If you want to create passive income or build/increase your business from your online efforts, here are a few things I’ve learned:
• Have a plan. Be clear about the services and/or products you’re offering and why.
• Be genuine. Make it easy for people to contact/communicate with you and buy from you.
• Know you can’t do it all alone. You need tech support and expertise. Don’t be afraid to outsource, and learn how to do that well and cost-effectively.
• Get a mentor or coach, join a Master Mind group, or have a buddy to whom you’re accountable for implementing your plan.
• Don’t be a sucker. If, after doing your due diligence, you buy a “how to” program, use it. Work it.
• Focus on just one project at a time. If you are using a WordPress blog, for example, become expert at that before moving on.
• Learn what efforts get you the most mileage and don’t waste time with the thousands of other “good ideas” or directions you could go in.
• Since “relationships are everything,” decide who you want to be in relationship with, and what you can offer them of true value.
• Be patient and realistic, not just about your own learning curve but about building your reputation and network.

I’d appreciate if you would share this article, if you feel it’s worth sharing, and leave your comments. Oh, and feel free to contact me if I can be of service to you. Thank you!

Transitioning To A New Story Of Connection

3 Comments Changing The World, Money & Finances, Passion & Joy, Relationships
Charles Eisenstein, author of "Ascent of Humanity", spoke to Journey Santa Fe group this morning

Depression. Anxiety. Despair. We are familiar with the morass of emotions regarding old systems and beliefs that separated us and no longer work, and new creative ideas and ways that connect us but are not yet fully developed.  We know things must change, but it’s often difficult to imagine ‘how’ when it seems the “powers-that-be” are so entrenched and destructive.

This morning, I was feeling pretty sad, thinking of the Japanese nuclear meltdown and the U.S. obsession with war. Just yesterday, as one small example, 165 Trident missiles were shot into Libya at $1.5 million each, or $250 million dollars (just a tip of the iceberg of the day’s military expenditures). How can we reconcile this recklessness and dollar expense with the death and destruction of Libyan lives and the fact that every aspect of our society needs rebuilding? We can’t. It doesn’t make any sense… except if we see it as the old story that is passing away.

“When something is almost finished, it takes on an extremely grotesque appearance. We are in the death throes of the civilization we’re living in. As institutions and systems crumble, we are in a world in transition,” says Charles Eisenstein, author of “Ascent of Humanity”, about the history and future of civilization from a unique perspective: the evolution of the human sense of self.

This morning, I had the pleasure of hearing Eisenstein speak, sponsored by Journey Santa Fe at Santa Fe’s Travel Bug store.

Eisenstein, 44, sees this time in history as one of great transformation. He is hopeful, but not idealistic; visionary, but not unrealistic. His message encourages us to see what is passing away and what is being born, recognizing we are in a liminal state; on the threshold of turning from systems of exploitation and separation to those of co-creation and mutual care.

Looking at what has been and no longer works, Eisenstein explained how the money game, based on interest-bearing debt, converts nature to goods and relationships to services, thereby creating scarcity, competition and mindless greed that has separated us from one another.

He talked of those so engrossed with the virtual world that “they do not see or care that earth, ecosystems and people are dying of neglect. We have seen our selves as separate, and even the story of self is ending too. We’re learning this painfully.”

The importance of stories
“We don’t believe in the old stories, but we don’t have the new stories yet,” said Eisenstein, holding out the vision that our new story contains and embeds a new story of the people, connected. He is sure that “We are here to love and co-create our relationship with earth.”

There are many examples of how things are changing and we are acknowledging the importance of our hearts. He cites “alternative medicine” and “holistic approaches” which many people in our society now seek. Another example is hospice. You can ask your logical mind, “What difference does it make to be with a dying person?” Our hearts know this is significant but our minds don’t understand. As we’ve all experienced, our mind argues with our heart. It is time, he contends to guide our choices in a different way.

So, how do we make this transition, to write and tell this new story of the people connected?  “This is evolutionary,” said Eisenstein. “We need to undo the ideology of separation, undo the old stories, listen to our heart and what it wants to say, “yes!” to.  We need to cultivate the connected self.”

The role of the Gift
His idea for cultivating the connected self, or community, is recognizing the role of the Gift.  Eisenstein explains, “In traditional money-based economy, if there’s more for you, there’s less for me. In the gift-based economy, if you have more than you need, you give it away. Ecology works like this. We know this but we don’t believe what we know.

“Most of us spend our lives doing things we don’t really believe in… for the money. I’m pretending to care because I’m paid to. You find yourself asking, ‘What about MY life?’  If your gifts are not totally expressed and received, you feel you’re not living your life.

“Our desire is to want to give and enact our purpose here. Community is woven from gifts and stories, and reliance on one another. In our society, money replaces the need to need or appreciate another – ‘I paid you!’  Gift creates a tie. I feel gratitude for the knowledge of having received, and give in return.

“Gift expands self. Greed becomes insane.  To give and receive is balance. To refuse gifts is stingy, selfish, rude. Give your gifts. Trust your desire to give, and the universe responds to it. Visualize to ready yourself to say ‘yes!’”

How do we infuse today’s world with properties of the Gift?
In a word: Appreciation. In my experience – as a human, a woman, a writer, a coach, someone for whom the human story is endlessly fascinating and human relationships of kindness and decency supremely important – I am in full agreement with Charles Eisenstein that changing the grotesque old story of separation and disconnection to a new one of love and connection begins with appreciation of one’s self and the world we each create moment-by-moment through our thoughts, words and deeds.

May we each hold the vision Eisenstein articulates of reunion, not separation. We know that old game and it’s not working. It’s time to wake up, listen to our hearts and share and receive our gifts. I welcome your thoughts below!

Eisenstein’s new book, “Sacred Economics” is due out July 2011.  To read more about all this and get connected, I recommend his blog, Reality Sandwich, “evolving consciousness, bite by bite, counteracting the doom-and-gloom of the daily news.”

60 Seconds to Accomplishing A Goal

0 Comments Business & Work, Money & Finances
60 seconds of concentration will change your life.

Hold That Thought.

Spend 60 seconds with your eyes closed focusing on your ultimate goal (or any goal, for that matter).

Watch how your mind wanders, contradicts, raises objections.

Holding a clear unobstructed idea/image for even 15 seconds is a challenge to most people.

When you can do it for 15, go for 30, then 45 seconds.

If you practice and can truly stay focused for a minute, seeing and feeling your goal with your whole body and mind, it will manifest with great ease.

This concept is based on quantum theory. It is about re-programming your “field” of knowing and re-establishing new patterns that allow you, as creator of your reality, to real-ize whatever it is you imagine. Keep playing with this. I find it really shifts everything, especially our deep knowing that we are creating our reality.

Worth a try, eh?

I’d love to hear what you discover!

Harness the Power of Positive Self-Talk

1 Comment Business & Work, Health & Fitness, Money & Finances

4 Tips to Help Harness the Power of Positive Self-Talk

By John BoePrint Article Print Article

RISMEDIA, September 27, 2010—In 1957, Earl Nightingale, speaker, author and co-founder of the Nightingale-Conant Corporation, recorded his classic motivational record “The Strangest Secret.” “The Strangest Secret” sold over one million copies and made history in the recording industry by being honored as the first Gold Record for the spoken word. Nightingale, known as the “Dean of Personal Development,” concluded that life’s “strangest secret” is that we become what we think about all day long.

Your belief system, like your computer, doesn’t judge or even question what you input; it merely accepts your thoughts as the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Think thoughts of defeat or failure and you’re bound to feel discouraged. Continuous thoughts of worry, anxiety and fear are unhealthy and often manifest in the body as stress, panic attacks and depression.

At the core of Earl’s message, he reveals the incredible power of positive self-talk, belief and expectation. What you vividly imagine and hold in your subconscious mind begins to out picture as your reality. Your belief system not only defines your reality, but it also shapes your character and determines your potential.

The Placebo Effect
The ability of the mind to cure a disease even when the medicine is known to be worthless is known as the “placebo effect.” This occurs in medical trials where doctors give patients sugar pills, but tell them they will cure their illness. Often it does, even though the pills contain nothing of medical benefit. The only thing of value in these medical trials is the patient’s own belief that the sugar pills will cure them. It’s the power of the patient’s belief and expectation alone that produces the improvement in his or her health. I recently read a remarkable story about a group of cancer patients who thought they were being treated with chemotherapy, but were actually given a placebo. Before their treatment began, the patients were informed about the complications associated with undergoing chemotherapy treatment, such as fatigue and loss of hair. Amazingly, based on nothing more than their belief and expectation, nearly one-third of the patients who were given the placebo reported feeling fatigued and actually experienced hair loss.

The Power of Affirmation and Positive Self-Talk
If you had access to a powerful tool that would enhance your self-esteem and allow you to reach your full potential would you use it?

A good way to create positive self-talk is through affirmations. An affirmation is a positive statement that represents your desired condition or outcome. Interesting enough, your subconscious mind doesn’t know the difference between a real experience and a vividly imagined “mental” experience.

When he was a struggling young comedian, late at night Jim Carrey would drive into the hills overlooking Hollywood and yell at the top of his lungs “I will earn $10 million a year by 1995.” When 1995 finally arrived, Carrey was the star of the movie Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, for which he was paid $20 million. World-class athletes understand the value of affirmation and recognize the impact of their mental preparation on their physical performance. They use the power of positive affirmation to reduce anxiety and increase their expectation of achievement. To be of maximum benefit, an affirmation must be simple, encouraging and stated in the present tense. By repeating an affirmation over and over, it becomes embedded in the subconscious mind.

To be effective, your affirmation must be stated aloud:
1. In a positive manner with the focus on what you want. When you catch yourself saying or thinking something negative about yourself, counteract the negative self-talk with a positive affirmation. Start your affirmation with words like “I am…” or “I already have…” Example: “I close sales with little or no resistance.” “I take good care of my customers and they show their appreciation by referring their friends to me.”

2. In the present tense. Your subconscious mind works in the present tense, so avoid words such as can, will, should or could. Example: “I love doing my work and I am richly rewarded creatively and financially.”

3. With strong emotion and conviction.

4. Repeatedly. I suggest you read your affirmations each morning upon awakening and again each night just before falling asleep. Close your eyes and picture the end result. Feel the emotions associated with the affirmation.

Here are some of my favorite affirmations:
-”Every day in every way I’m getting better and better!”
-”Everything comes to me easily and effortlessly!”
-”I love and appreciate myself just as I am!”
-”I love doing my work and I am richly rewarded creatively and financially!”
-”I now have enough time, energy, wisdom and money to accomplish all my desires!”
-”Infinite riches are now freely flowing into my life!”
-”I am relaxed and centered!”
-”I feel happy and blissful!”

Do affirmations really work and can they be used to propel a person to achieve greatness?

As a young boy growing up in Louisville, Kentucky, 12-year-old Cassius Marcellus Clay dreamed of someday becoming the heavyweight boxing champion of the world. When working out in the gym, Clay would continuously affirm to all within earshot that he was indeed the greatest boxer of all time. While many felt he was brash and boastful, few people actually took this 89-pound youngster seriously. Mohammad Ali used his affirmation to become the undisputed heavyweight boxing champion of the world and arguably one of the most popular and recognized sports figures of all times.

Show me a salesperson with high self-esteem, a positive attitude and a healthy work ethic and I’ll be able to predict his or her success in advance…I guarantee it.

John Boe presents a wide variety of motivational and sales-oriented keynotes and seminar programs for sales meetings and conventions. Boe is a nationally recognized sales trainer and business motivational speaker with an impeccable track record in the meeting industry.

For more information, visit www.johnboe.com.