Do You Bookmark Your Blog?

What is bookmarking all about? Bookmarking is a way to list and tag your articles, blog posts and other content on social bookmarking sites allowing for higher search engine ranking and more visibility for your content and website.

Here is what wikipedia.com says about bookmarking…
“Social bookmarking is a method for Internet users to organize, store, manage and search for bookmarks of resources online. Unlike file sharing, the resources themselves aren’t shared, merely bookmarks that reference them.”

So what does this mean for your business? Well, if you are not bookmarking, you are missing out on getting your article or blog post ranked in that search engine.

The more search engines your articles are listed in, the higher rankings your content will receive when your key terms are searched within that search engine. I know most of us think of Google when we think search engine but many search engines that are not Google exist and social bookmarking is a great example of this.

Some advantages of a social bookmarking system over traditional automated search engine spiders are:

- All tag-based classification of Internet resources (such as web sites) is done by human beings, who understand the content of the resource, as opposed to software, which algorithmically attempts to determine the meaning of a resource.

- People can find and bookmark web pages that have not yet been noticed or indexed by web spiders.

- A social bookmarking system can rank a resource based on how many times it has been bookmarked by people. This may be a more useful for users than systems that rank resources based on the number of external links pointing to it (although both types of ranking are vulnerable to fraud, and both need technical countermeasures to try to deal with this).”

There are many bookmarking sites out there and each has their own style and feel. The one I like best is http://socialmarker.com since I can bookmark my article or post with a good number of other bookmarking sites through this one site. This helps streamline the bookmarking process allowing for more time efficiency and productivity and what entrepreneur doesn’t love that. The initial set up for this service takes some time but then it goes quickly each time after that. An hour of set up time is a good investment for free listing of your articles in just minutes each time thereafter.

Of course this is a snipit on social bookmarking but you should have enough to understand what it is and why you should get started bookmarking your content. If you are doing the writing anyway, you want to make sure you are getting the maximum benefit from your efforts and social bookmarking is a great way to do that!

If you would like additional information on this or other business topics contact Kate by clicking here or email her at Kate@askcoachkate.com.

Finding My Niche

As the end of 2010 is fast approaching it is time to take stock, own where I am today and decide where I want to be for my tomorrows. The last few months have been a whirlwind for me with my business relaunch. Through working with a variety of clients, I better understand how I can use my gifts to the greatest benefit of others while feeling energized and passionate.

Up to this point I was split in my offerings, like many entrepreneurs who are good at more than just one skill. My offerings were generalized and now they will become very specific. There is safety in being generalized but the opportunity to help others in a more profound way is not there. So, I am letting go of safe and stretching myself. I am excited for the personal growth that comes along with stretching. Actually, a growth spurt has already come thus allowing for the clarity and stretching.

With this new clarity, I have finally declared my niche, so I am stream lining my offerings. Things will be changing here and there but I know you will appreciate the changes. They will help you get more out of your business and your life.

Of course, I will keep you updated reguarly here on the blog. I am taking the steps now to ensure a powerful 2011 for me and you. You see, the more targeted my offerings are FOR any specific group, the more powerful my offerings are TO that group.

I am excited for the shifts that are occuring and look forward to offering you more specific programs that serve you better.

Happy Thanksgiving

Today is Thanksgiving here in the States. It is a day full of food, family and enjoyment. I often think of this day as the calm before the holiday chaos storm. It is the last chance to relax before the hectic season of festivities begins.

I know I am already planning time to decorate, spend time with family and friends, attend various holiday events at my daughter’s school – my calendar is already filling up for December.

I am also making time to be thankful and to show my gratitude to those special people in my life today on this day of giving thanks for our immense bounty in our lives. Giving thanks is something that comes naturally to me – I have been blessed with a grateful heart.

I am teaching my children to be thankful each and every day. As part of our bedtime prayers, we speak our Thankful List. We each have to say at least 5 things we are thankful for from that day. It is an amazing experience to hear what a 6 year old gives thanks for. My daughter might have started out with giving thanks for her “stuff” but it quickly turned toward the important things – family, home, and friends. It is wonderful for me to experience this special sharing with her each evening.

Nurturing gratitude for all the we have and all we have experienced is not always easy but without the incredible journey we each have been on we would not be the amazing people we are today.

I invite you today, on this Thanksgiving, to take some time to connect with gratitude. Feel it in your heart. Let it not be just some words you speak but instead an emotion you embrace.

And just so you know, you are on my thankful list today. Each reader of my blog, subscriber to my newsletter, fan on Facebook, and follower on Twitter – I give thanks for you and your support of my business. I am truly blessed and you are a piece of that blessing.

I wish you the happiest of Thanksgivings!

Inspired Moments

Last night I was blessed with some divine inspiration. I have been working on simplifying my Launch Your Business Program and I think I have finally done so. There will be plenty of time for me to share with you about that new program but right now I want to talk about allowing for inspired moments.

Many of us women business owners are so busy caring for our families while working our business, being everywhere and doing everything that we don’t make time for inspired moments. It is hard to know when that moment will hit. It’s not as if you can mark it on your calendar, right?

What if you could help yourself along to have more of those moments on a more consistent basis when you need them? Inspired moments come by giving yourself the mental space to think, to contemtplate a variety of solutions to a business problem. If you are so busy on your own version of the hampster wheel how can you make time for inspired thought?

I understand how hard it is to schedule time to think, strategize and brainstorm in your busines especially if you are having some success – you are busy! I am in the same boat as a single mom of 2 and owner of a busy coaching practice.

Here are some ways I make time to think and allow for inspired moments…
- Folding laundry is a task I do not find engaging so I use that time to let my mind work. It’s great, my hands and my mind are engaged!
- Driving is when I do some of my best thinking. I don’t mean the city driving that takes all my focus but highway driving that allows for some mentall space. Once in a while, I will pack up the toddlers and go for a drive to do errands a few towns over. It is the perfect combo of thought and task completion.
- Turn off the TV. I don’t usually watch television and it adds several hours to each day for me. Where TV is a hobby most people have, entrepreneurship is my hobby. So some nights, after the kids head to bed, I will spend some time just thinking, writing and mapping out different ideas. Not all of them are worth taking action on but some are and I get to enjoy the creative process.
- Go to dinner with a fellow business owner without any specific agenda. As a business owner you probably know other business owners you would like to get to know better. Grab a coffee or a meal together and do some collaborative brainstorming. It could be just what you need to get out of a business rut and make space for some inspired moments.
- Work with a business coach to get those creative juices flowing. One of my most popular offerings is the Strategy Session because my clients get the benefit of my creative ability to create out of the box solutions to their business problems. If you struggle with being creative or making the time, working with a coach might be the best solution.

Taking time to think is crucial as an entrepreneur. I encourage you to make the time so you can grow your business. If you would like to schedule a Strategy Session click here.

Launch Your Business

Did you know I am hosting a free teleseminar on the subject of launching your business?

I am and it will be held on Wednesday, November 17, 2010 at 8:00 PM EST. Sign up here to join us.

I am excited about sharing this information as I feel it is vital to the success of any business. Most solopreneurs, mamapreneurs and home based business owners struggle in the business side of things due to lack of knowledge and guidance. I intend to demystify the business start up process by going through the steps needed for successful business launch.

“Well, I’ve been in business for a year, two years , 5 years so why should I join the call”, you ask?

If your business is having great success and you are exactly where you want to be then you probably don’t need to call in but if you are not making the income you desire, feel your business has taken over your life or are not sure what to do next then this call is for you no matter how long you’ve been in business. And it’s free so it can’t hurt, right?

Some of the topics we will touch on are…
- Business concept
- Business planning
- Budgeting
- Soft launch
- Setting up shop
- Marketing
- Product creation
- Taxes and legalities
- Client retention
- Outsourcing
… just to name a few.

I entered the entrepreneurial world over 15 years ago and want to share with you what I have learned along the way about building your business for success.

If you are thinking of starting a business, have recently started a business or want to bring your current business to the next level then join us on the call. Simply click here to sign up!

My Outrageous October Comes To A Close

Today is October 31st and marks the end of my Outrageous October where I challenged myself to write, edit and produce an entire workbook so I can concentrate on a new writing project in November.

Well, I did write an extensive workbook that has the potential to be great. It actually has TOO MUCH info in it and I have decided to chunk it down into smaller, more manageable products.

How amazing is that? My first attempt at creating information based product and I have TOO MUCH information. And although I wanted to have a product ready for November 1st, I do not feel it is fair to put out a product that is not close to perfect. If I expect people to pay their good money, the product they purchase should be worthy. So, I will be releasing several workbooks in the next month and beyond but none of them will be released tomorrow.

You see, when we set a seemingly unattainable goal for ourselves we come to realize just how much we are capable of. It is truly amazing when we have a focus, create a plan, and take action – there are no limits, just adjustments of timelines.

During the writing, editing and test groups for the workbook I came to grow and learn more about myself and my business. I came to see the area of both myself and my business that I have been filtering, softening or avoiding. You see, I had been coming from a place of fear about expressing my faith in my business but the truth is I offer faith based coaching services for women in areas of life and small business – that is just a fact. I have, up till today, been shy in owning this truth. I am sure as I come to fully understand this fear I will have more to say about it but for now this is it. I have been wearing a filter or covering that hid my full beliefs since my background and business experience had always been about not rocking the boat, keeping things status quo and making the most amount of people happy.

Well, I’m all done with apologizing for who I am and what I believe. I am a single mom of 2 who works from home along side my family. I am a Christian. I am deeply spiritual and I am grounded in the 12 steps of Al-anon and have been growing my life from this place of faith and understanding since I was 13 years old. I am done with staying safe as it does not allow for me to grow in a full way – personally or professionally.

In honor of Halloween, I am taking those masks of fear off and letting my true heart shine through.

I already offer programs and workshops that speak from my heart and moving forward I will be tweaking my web copy to be in alignment with these offerings and speak more clearly to my potential clients because the reality is I offer faith based, personal, and small business coaching for women. Anyone who knows me or has coached with me is saying “duh, what did you think you offered, Kate?” I knew my coaching was faith based but I was afraid to niche myself, afraid to put my heart out there for all to see, afraid to rock the boat.

What an amazing gift the workbook process has given me! Truly, I am blessed to have such gifts of truth and love in my life that I can have these realizations and take action in the supportive environment I have created for myself and my business.

October has truly been Outrageous for me. The past 30 days have been filled with introspection, devotion, creating clarity and growing personally and professionally. I hope you will enjoy all that I have coming to fruition.

And guess how I am starting off November? With a day of communication shut down to raise awareness and funds for Autism.

I told you I was making it an OUTRAGOUS OCTOBER! What about you? How could you make November YOUR month for change? Email me at Kate@askcoachkate.com and let’s make set your BIG GOAL!

Business Relaunch Tips: Ready, Set, Jump!

“Business Relaunch Tips: Ready, Set, Jump!”

Ask Coach Kate is offering you this helpful list of new business must-have marketing tips for your start-up enterprise.

Whether you’re launching, re-launching, or simply need some low-cost ways to increase sales and success… click here and fill out the form to have your copy emailed straight to your inbox today!

Contact Coach Kate today and learn how working on these topics can increase your profitability while decreasing your time investment.

Learn what tasks to outsource and what to take on yourself.

How to effectively managing a small business on a shoestring budget.

The ins and outs of effective networking for business success, in person and on the web.

How to delegate more effectively and become the true leader in your business.

Learn tips and strategies for becoming more profitable.

To learn more about these topics contact me today and we’ll get started on your success plan right away!

The “Magic” Of Technology

The “magic” of technology is truly incredible if you think about it. I was able to benefit from this “magic” last week in my business and thought I would share.

As most of my readers know, I am a divorced, single mom of two wonderful little beings. My Big Girl is 6yrs old and my Little Man is 17 months now. And although I have an incredible supportive family, I have limited childcare. The ROI on live networking events does not usually justify the childcare costs for me. I still need to meet new people to grow my recently re-launched business to create a life for me and the kids of financial independence and prosperity.

So what’s a Mamapreneur to do?

Well, here is what I am doing. I am embracing social media and all its wonderful offerings. I am on Facebook and Twitter and joining chats. There is actually a schedule of all the different chats here.

Since the events are virtual it’s ok if I have background noise or the occasional interruption – no one but me knows.

Well, while tweeting (that is so funny to type – it makes me smile) I came across a chat and decided to check it out. I am not even sure what made me notice that tweet in the flurry of updates. The chat was a group of women entrepreneurs (like me) who were kicking off a virtual retreat with a Twitter party. I was able to join the chat then sign up for the retreat where I met many wonderful women virtually as well as gained incredible insight into my business.

As a result of the virtual retreat I found a like minded group of women entrepreneurs. I am already signed up for another event and have since joined a newly launched organization, NACWE. And just in case I doubted the money I spent to join – I won prizes for being their 100th member!

Sometimes I get overwhelmed by technology. I completely understand the WHY and sometimes struggle with the HOW. I will continue to move outside my comfort zone and ask for guidance from those who know more than I do. The benefits far outweigh the discomfort.

All of this amazing activity triggered some other great thoughts for me. I have been being tugged by an idea for some time now. It’s a book idea that has been formulating for over a year. I gained clear insight as to what it will look like and am looking forward to getting started with it.

I also posted my latest workshop offerings and f*ee teleseminars on my website. I am looking forward to offering more opportunities to work with me in the way that best suits my clients.

Speaking of opportunities, you only have till tomorrow to sign up for “Turning Over a New Leaf” all day intensive workshop on Saturday, October 9th from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM.

Starting A Business – Do You Know What You Are Getting Into?

As a business coach I talk to a good number of people who want to start their own business. Often these people have a great idea for a shop or home bases business. They have a vision of working part time allowing for the freedom to take care of their family, enjoy life all while their business (which of course would be profitable;o) provides a full time income.

Now anyone who owns their own business whether at a physical location or home based, you know the description above is idealized. Wouldn’t everyone open up shop if we could work part time, get paid for full time and have the flexibility and freedom we want? So I thought I would share some of the basics of starting your own business.

- Business Idea of what you want your business to provide or do, who your business would serve or provide for (target market) and where your business will exist (home based or physical space)

- Market research is one of the most neglected areas of small business start up and one of the most important. Market research is gathering information about your target market, where they shop, what they buy, how much they spend, how often and what type of marketing is effective. Without this information you will be shooting your business arrows in the dark at a moving target.

- Start up costs should include enough money for several months (6 months is ideal) and factor in payroll, rent, product/inventory costs, operating costs (utilities, supplies, misc), marketing and advertising. Now this is not a complete list for every business but covers the basics.

- Funding sources for where the start up costs will come from. .. Will you take out a business loan? Do you have a large sum of money lying around? Accurately determining your start up and operating costs will allow you to appropriately plan your financing steps.

- Time line for opening shop should account for any construction needed for the shop space or time to get the website up and running so people know you exist as well as learning to be proficient in any software you will be using in your business such as your online shopping cart, QuickBooks for bookkeeping etc. These items usually take months not weeks to complete and can eat up your start up budget if you are not careful and specific.

- Setting business hours and staffing those hours. A business cannot succeed if it is not open enough hours for customers to come spend their money. Business hours need to be staffed whether by you or by an employee. A physical store may need to be opened 50 – 80 per week while a home based business may need “open hours” of 10-20 hours. These numbers only include hours your business is “open” to the public and does not account for office work etc.

- Location, location, location! If you are opening a physical store this is an issue to pay much attention to and be sure to factor in your competition, parking, and surrounding shops.

- Advertising/marketing your business is a crucial element that any successful business spends huge amounts of time and money on. Your marketing campaign should not be about what YOU like but what will speak to your TARGET MARKET. You will refer back to market research for this.

These are just some basic things to work on as you start formulating your business plan. If you would like more information about starting your business or brining success to your current business contact Kate here or email her at Kate@askcoachkate.com

Only SEVEN more days to sign up and save on our in-person Boston workshop with Kate Powers! Turning Over a New Leaf for a New Life is scheduled for Saturday, October 9, 2010 – learn more about how you can still get a discount off the regular price.

Managing Your Expectations

Recently I attended a networking event and was surprised by the presenter’s inability to hide her disappointment. It was a small group and she clearly had expected more attendees. People appreciated the information she had to offer but not everyone was jumping out of their seats to become her paying clients. So this made me think about a few things…

Now we all know as entrepreneurs to “think big”. We always bring double the amount of info to hand out “just in case”. We are never without business cards and have our elevator pitch memorized. But what do you do when it goes the other way? When only a few people show up? When everyone politely declines?

Here are a few things I learned in the beginning of my business about situations just like this.

1) ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS remain positive and polite. Be your most gracious self. When the numbers are small, every eye is on YOU every MINUTE. How you conduct yourself has a much stronger impact on each individual than with a large crowd. Potential clients are less likely to become paying clients when they sense negativity.

2)NEVER NEVER NEVER try to force a sale with a small group. Since everyone is intently watching your every move you must ensure your actions encourage potential clients to become paying clients. No one wants to pay to work with someone who is pushy and rude.

3) Have good intentions no matter how many people attend. I have an attitude that no matter what, it is always worth it. Now don’t get me wrong, I am not going to knowingly book to present to a few people when going to the event will cost me with driving time, tolls, babysitter etc. But when I find myself at an event that is smaller than expected I make the best of it and use the opportunity to make a GREAT impression.

How do you manage your expectations when things don’t go as planned?

If you would like more info on this topic, contact me and we can set a time to chat..

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