Boost Your Business in 3 Simple Steps

For all those who still think internet marketing is rocket science, it isn't.

Back in the middle of October in 2004 I decided to do these 3 things. (I've always 'done' them, but not as consciously or on as regular a basis.) I had big plans that were stalling, sites that had leveled off, and was feeling a bit overwhelmed. I'm sure lots of people can relate to that, eh?

I'm also not sure exactly what or who made these things come to me. I read a lot, so I'm sure it's not an original idea, just one that finally hit home with me and I implemented.

(Note: These are things outside of the add content, test headlines, etc types of things, that well, frankly, you just have to be doing on a regular basis.)

Here they are:

1. Do something every day that will make you more money or grow your traffic and business.

Just a few examples:

- add incoming links

- add a few more words to your PPC

- buy an ezine ad

- do a thank you exchange

- raise your daily limits for a campaign that's successful

- add a new source of revenue to a content site

- from whatever the last resource you purchased, read/listen and implement one strategy

2. Do something every day that will save you time or money.

A few of my own examples:

- automate something

- add a new FAQ and answer to your site

- turn off your email software during your 'working hours' or at least for a while

- same for IC software

- set aside a limited time for your general email reading/answering

- unsubscribe from a newsletter that you're no longer reading or finding helpful

- cancel recurring payments on a program you've been promoting unsuccessfully, or that you keep saying "I'm going to have to cancel that."

- get software to do the stuff you're spending too much time doing, ie link exchanges, AR, formatting etc

- make some 'template' emails for answers to your most generally asked questions

- make a notepad or text document containing linking information for your sites so you can quickly cut and paste from that when exchanging or requesting link exchanges with someone not using a script or not using the same script as you

- before you buy something, look at the folder full of ebooks you already have and see if you might not already have something similar, or maybe even the same one that came as a bonus with something else you bought

- pause or delete a PPC campaign that isn't working

Okay, this could be a book by itself, but maybe you get the picture.

3. Help some one, any one, when there's nothing in it for you but good karma. (This doesn't have to be internet related.)

- give a thoughtful reply to a post asking for suggestions or help (leave out your affiliate links, cloaked and uncloaked/redirected whatever)

- answer (kindly) one of the many emails you get asking for information that's clearly posted on your site, or that anyone with half a brain should know the answer to. Thank them for asking. (Limit one for sanity's sake)

- help your neighbor fix his garage door

- email a webmaster with a piece of patched script or html code that you found broken on their site

- or a dead link

The key here is to do at least one from each of the three, trying to do them all will just put you right back where you were, overwhelmed, stalled, or worse hiding behind the excuse that you're busy, you're working all the time, but your business just isn't growing.

I start the day with 1 and 2 and ask myself "What can I do today that will/should/could make me more money, increase my traffic, or help my business?" -- and -- "What can I do today that will save me time or money?"

I like to do these first since it makes the rest of my day Gravy.

Do Number 3 whenever the opportunity arises. It makes you feel good, trust me, and how you feel is directly related to how successful you are, especially in the eyes of the most important person you are dealing with, "you."

I still have days, sometimes, where I don't hit all three. But more often than not, I get them all, and the results have been great.

I also end my day by asking which things on the list I did for that day. A great re-enforcement and encouragement for continuing to follow through.

If my examples don't fit your situation, you shouldn't have to think too hard to come up with something that does fit.

Allen Williams is a professional educator, speaker and writer. Get a free subscription to the PowerMeUp Newsletter and Goal Setting and Getting Course with a bonus book for a limited time at: http://www.PowerMeUp.com Personal and Professional Growth