9 Tips for the Perfect Expert Interview

Early in this series of guest blog posts, I mentioned that you should work smarter and not harder in your business, and one way to achieve this is to find multiple uses for your audio.

Interviews are perfect for this. They can start as a live teleseminar, then all or some of the recording can be added to a podcast and/or given away as a lead generation freebie. They can be made into products to sell or given away as bonuses. They can be added as content to membership sites. They can be transcribed so that the printed component can also be used for content and bonuses.

9 Tips for the Perfect Expert Interview

1. Research and draw up a list of potential interviewees. Remember to think laterally and include those who may not be experts in your own market but who have something specific to offer your target audience.
2. Don’t be afraid to ask for an interview. People really do want to talk about their areas of expertise and prove their skill in their field. If they have something of their own they want to promote, they’ll be even more eager to be interviewed.
3. Be respectful in your approach. When you contact a potential interviewee give them a brief outline of who you are, what the interview is for, and how to contact you for further information. Don’t inundate them with information nor send a one line request – the first will make them resent the time you are taking up and the latter will appear rude and abrupt. If they are interested in being interviewed they will approach you for more information.
4. Always keep the interviewee in the loop before the interview. Let them know when and where the interview will take place and what you will be asking them. You don’t have to give your exact questions but a general overview of the structure of your interview will help put them at ease, and be a good guideline for you.
5. Make sure your recording equipment is in good condition and ready for the interview. Have a trial run with a friend if necessary. Don’t be afraid to run a brief test with the expert before you start the actual interview – simply tell them you are checking the recording levels, which is standard practice for interviewers.
6. Do your homework and ask questions that will bring out the best of your expert’s knowledge. Always ask open ended questions that will give them the chance to talk for more than just a few words at a time. For example, instead of saying “You are currently writing a new book about candle making, aren’t you?” which will receive only a yes (or no) answer, you would ask “What can we look forward to in your new book on candle making?”
7. Listen to what is said and respond accordingly. If the expert answers one of your later questions as part of another response remember not to ask it again, it makes you look like you aren’t interested. Also, if something the expert says is really interesting or important, maybe something you hadn’t thought of before the interview, be prepared to ask them to elaborate further and maybe cover topics you hadn’t planned for.
8. Allow them some time to promote themselves, if they wish. You should always give them the opportunity to say how they can be contacted, what their website address is, or what their new book is called and where it is available. The interview should be of mutual benefit.
9. Always remember to thank your interviewee for their time and offer them a copy of the interview. If it is being used on a podcast, give them details of when and where they can access the broadcast – they might just spread the word for you.

Naturally, these are just a few tips to becoming an expert at interviewing the experts but they should help put both you and your interviewee at ease. It is definitely worth pushing the boundaries of your comfort zone to become adept at interviews because they make such excellent sources of marketing and product creation material.

Is Your Age An Advantage or Disadvantage?

I’m a firm believer that, in most cases, age is just a number. I started my online business at a “mature” (he he he) 30 years old, so I never felt any of the discrimination I sometimes felt working in my mid-20s. People already thought I was too young for my job and add to that, I looked much younger than I actually was. I also don’t know how that discrimination might translate to an online business environment since, in most cases,  people can’t really see you face to face.

My question. Do you feel your age works to your advantage or disadvantage for your business?

For the record, I’m 36…so don’t be shy to share your age too.

Get Planning, Instead of Working

Another month nearly down now, hey? As September draws to an end, hopefully you’ve had a chance to download the 2009 Planning Calendar I wrote about on Saturday. A new year will be here before you know it.

One of the best ways to really be able to plan and focus on building your business is to have a reliable team to take care of all the small details and tasks that can eat up a huge chunk of time.

As you may know by now, my own personal team is available (space permitting) to you through our Outsourcing Sweetie Platinum Membership. Well, we have a few spots for October and you can claim yours now.

The details are all here for you.

Let us take care of the small details, while you focus on
the big picture. We only have 3 spots left for October, so grab yours ASAP.

Getting It Done - Make It a Project

One of the best ways that I’ve found to get the important things done is to make it a project.

The act of labeling a task and creating a plan on how, what and when I will get it finished makes all the difference.

This doesn’t mean that every task becomes it’s own separate project.

I can see my head turning in circles and smoke coming out my ears at the mere thought of it, but every task can be categorized, and each category can become a project.

YOU JUST NEED TO NAME IT

An example could be a group of tasks that are routine but need to be done - dealing with email, filing, planning and clearing your desk.

Of course you wouldn’t want to block an entire project for these tasks individually unless they are large.

If your email has 8,000 emails in it or you haven’t filed your paperwork for 6 months - you might want to make it a project.

But to avoid that situation, rolling these tasks into one project time block worked on daily, using a checklist and a timer - will see them finished instead of waiting until you have time here and there - or not - throughout the day.

The willy nilly approach can break flow, throw off your schedule and may mean that some of these tasks don’t get finished at all.

Resulting in 8,000 emails and an overflowing ‘to file’ folder.

Not that I know about that. I just pulled 8,000 out of a hat ;0)

HOW TO MAKE IT A PROJECT

• create a list of all the things you need to do in your business.
• put them into project categories.
• decide which of them you will focus on first and which will be ongoing. You may find yourself putting a few to the side. A positive effect of using this method is that it becomes obvious right away when you are over extending yourself.
• create a mind map, or a checklist - either in your project notebook - if you don’t have one and like pen and paper you should get one or three - or digitally, planning what you need to do and breaking down the steps it will take to do it.
• create a time line for each step.
• decide who is going to do each task.
• set up your schedule to include the time you will be working directly on your schedule and when you will be working with your assistants.
• organize your project materials - files and/or project baskets, notebooks - what ever you will be using throughout - keep it in one place for easy access and portability.

It may seem like a lot of hooey and too much trouble, but if you try it, you will find yourself making progress right away on projects that you have been meaning to get to and having much greater success at maintaining tasks that are easily forgotten but can rear their ugly heads when left undone.

And you will find yourself spending less time on items that really don’t need to be done at all - like mindlessly surfing the internet and chatting to China at 2am.

You can try it with one project first to see how it goes, then add more as it becomes a habit.

The keys to remember are prioritizing, being consistent and creating momentum.

So, what’s your first project going to be?

Myth: If I Say No, I Might Close Some JV Doors

As your online exposure grows, it seems more and more people come out of the woodwork and as you to review/promote their products. At first, it’s flattering and easy to feel like we should respond to all those requests. After all, these people sought us out because they thought we were important enough and they may return the favor some day.

Value Your Time & Your Readers/Customers

Looking at and promoting other products obviously takes up your time, so use your wisely. You can’t possibly look at every product.

Carefully evaluate if the product is truly suitable for your audience and get a sense of the product before you agree to the next step of looking at the product more closely. If you do agree to review it and find out it’s not up to snuff, don’t be afraid to say so. Or if you just don’t have time in your schedule to consider, just say so.

After all, this is a product that you are being asked to share with your customers, your email subscribers and/or website visitors. Your relationship with them is far more important than any passing JV partner.

20 Quick Tips To Improve Your Business

Owning a small business means you are “the one.” The one responsible for marketing, sales, accounting, administrative assistance, and technical support. If you are doing all these jobs just to care for your current customers, when on earth will you have time to market your business to attract new customers?

Rather than burn yourself out by doing everything, think about all of your jobs and try to implement these 20 quick tips to improve your business:

#1 Outsource - You don’t have to do everything nor should you do everything. Find a reliable and trusted outsource provider for the menial, everyday tasks so you can focus on the money making tasks.

#2 Automate - Learn about new technology and find a way to put your business on autopilot. Autoresponders, email drafts, scheduling blogs or newsletters, and even automating invoicing can save tons of time every month.

#3 Manage cash flow - Proper cash flow reduces stress, will help you save money for future projects, and will also help you forecast future finances so you can make better business decisions.

#4 Socialize with your customers - Social networking allows small business owners to socialize and learn more about their customers. In turn, you will become better at meeting your clients’ needs and increase your bottom line.

#5 Build in passive income - Have you heard the term, “Make money while you sleep”? Building passive income from information marketing, selling ad space, and affiliate marketing are great ways to add extra income and boost cash flow.

#6 Create a community - Adding interactive tools such as blogs, forums, and membership sites can increase your search engine ranking along with providing valuable information about your customers and their needs.

#7 Reward loyalty - Whether you establish a formal loyalty program where customers receive points or discounts based on how much they spend or you simply give out a discount to loyal customers from time to time, people love to receive acknowledgement. Rewards let your customer know they’re appreciated and they foster continued loyalty.

#8 Become an expert - There’s always room for more learning and the more knowledge you have about your industry or product, the more you’ll be able to display this knowledge. Teach your clients something new and you will profit in the end.

#9 Learn about your customers - Your customers are your most valuable asset. Get to know their hopes, dreams, needs, problems, and desires and then set about to help them improve their lives with your information and products or services.

#10 Be grateful and show it - Customers and prospects respond to a positive attitude and a thank you is always appreciated. Additionally, it makes each and every day better.

#11 Take time to set goals - Goals are an important part of every business because they motivate us to achieve. Make a list of goals specific to your business and steps to take to reach those milestones.

#12 Make time to strategize - A goal on paper is just words or an idea of what you want to have. A strategy or plan is also required. How are you going to achieve your goals? Set time aside on a regular basis to analyze where you are, what you want, and how you’re going to get there.

#13 Take time off - This may seem contradictory to improving your business however a fresh mind, enthusiasm, and perspective are all essential for continued growth. Don’t wait until you’re suffering burn out to get away. Schedule time off regularly.

#14 Protect yourself - Make sure you’re operating within state and local tax laws, regulations, and have all of the required certifications necessary to run a business. Do you have insurance? Back up savings for slow times? Protect yourself now so you don’t pay the price in the future.

#15 Be personal - People do business with you because they like you, who you are and what your company represents. Share your personality and company mission and philosophy with your customers and prospects.

#16 Partner with pros - Partnering with other experts in your industry and relevant industries increases your credibility, expands your knowledge, and broadens your reach.

#17 Make friends with the media - Press and publicity can truly enhance the success of a business. Make friends with the media and your chances of receiving consistently good press sky rocket.

#18 Continuing education - One thing is true, there is always more to learn. Set aside time each year to improve your knowledge and skills.

#19 Make friends in your community - Offline networking can be just as profitable as online – don’t forget your neighbors. Meet other business people at networking events or community events.

#20 Pay attention to the competition - Even if you are the industry leader, pay attention to your competitors. You might be surprised what you can learn from other experts and then you can position yourself competitively.

Even if you work just one of these suggestions at a time, you will see a vast difference in how your business runs and how it grows with new clients and revenue. Just remember that slow and steady wins the race! There’s no need to make all these changes overnight.

Avoiding Customer Fraud with Your Online Payment Plan

It is quite possible for you to go through the process of avoiding customer fraud with your online payment plan. If you own a business on the internet, or just assist in operating a business, it is important that you take the time to research customer fraud and the negative impacts that it can have on your business as a whole.

Here, you will be introduced to the advantages that you have when it comes to avoiding customer fraud with your online payment plan. If you have an internet business, or simply exchange money and services or products over the internet, it is important to know and understand the advantages that you have with this type of program.

1. When you specialize in selling various goods and services over the internet, it is quite likely that your online payment plan allows individuals to pay by credit card. While this is actually a quick and convenient means of receiving payment, you never know who is entering in the credit card information.

Credit cards can easily be stolen and then used to purchase goods and services online. If you have an online payment plan, you can rest assured that there are a number of security enhancements in place that will ensure that only the owner of the credit card is able to make the purchase. This will save you from experiencing a lot of loss financially with your business each year.

2. The next way that you can benefit when it comes to avoiding customer fraud with your online payment plan is that these services are often offered in a secure manner. This means that the online payment plan is operated on a secure server that allows your customers to enter in personal identification information in order to complete the purchase of the products and/or services that you offer. If something is entered incorrectly, the purchase will be immediately terminated and cannot conclude.

3. There are many online payment plans that offer businesses the ability to avoid customer fraud. This is often done as a security measure in the means of seller protection. This means that if your business should become involved in a situation where fraud has occurred, you will be protected from the financial losses that could potentially occur.

In conclusion, there are many benefits to using an online payment system with your online business. This can help protect you against customer fraud.

Free Download: 2009 Planning Calendar

Sure, it’s still September, but 2008 is quickly coming to a close. Now’s the perfect time to start reflecting on how this year has been going and what direction you should be taking in 2009.

Because the fact of the matter is, planning your business is one of the important keys to a lower maintenance, higher profit business. The more you plan (and then act on those plans, of course!), the less chance you have of meandering off course and getting sidetracked with all kinds of time-suckers and useless side projects.

Here’s My Planning System - You Can Have it Free

Each year, I plan my products and major promotions in advance. Of course, I’m flexible and can readjust, but the basics of what is going to happen month-to-month is all laid out for me. That makes my monthly, weekly and even daily planning a whole lot easier when the time comes.

I’ve put together a downloadable version of my planning calendar that you can use for your own business. Or feel free to take the ideas and adapt them into your own personal planning style. There is no right or wrong on how to plan…but effective planning is always right.

Click here to download your 2009 Planning Calendar (zip folder - 891.98 KB)

EDIT: We just uploaded monthly planner sheets for the remainder of 2008 (Oct-Dec). The monthly sheets are actually quite simple…it’s the other sheets that are more custom, but since people wanted to get started now, thought we should put it together -> Oct-Dec Monthly Sheets (PDF)

There are several documents included…be sure to read the instructions first.

Want to Give Away Your Product or Offer a Sweetie Saturday Discount: If you’d like your product featured on the Sweetie Blog, consider offering your product for giveaway or discount. To offer your product for giveaway, click here or to offer a discount, click here.

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