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As I was sitting watching a television show where one gentleman was being eliminated from a dancing competition, I listened to him as he said his farewells. He said, "It's not about how much money you have, or the nice clothes, or professional training you get, if you have passion and set goals you can accomplish whatever you put your mind too." I agree 100%!
This young guy was up against thousands of professionally trained dancers, wearing the best dance gear, having had the best training, worked in the best studios but he beat out 99% of them by his shear passion and determination.
Being an entrepreneur is by far the hardest job you could ever have. I was thinking back to my days in corporate america making six figures in my early twenties and how miserable I was. I didn't have any passion for what I was doing. I was someone's robot. I did what I was told, produced the desired results, and did it all over again the next day. I was bored senseless. I was also a slave to my job. Notice I said "job".
Yes, it was somewhat of a guaranteed paycheck. I knew that if I put in my hours, met my goals, I would be rewarded financially. However, I was severely unhappy. I was intellectually unchallenged. No one cared about my ideas nor did they want anything truly unique. You always here, "think outside the box", but when you do, doesn't it seem that you always get told "that won't work" or "that isn't a good idea"? It's slowly demotivating and causes your creativity to diminish.
I swear the moment I was laid off from my most recent corporate position, I had a huge sense of relief. Yes, it was scary not knowing where my next paycheck was going to come from, but I suddenly found myself with so many great ideas and the ability to act on them. No one told me I couldn't do that or that it was against company policy to do or say certain things. I was finally free to be myself!
Since that moment, it's as if I am a fire hose that cannot be turned off. My creative juices are over flowing and I've found my passion again. Yes, I've had my challenges and disappointments owning my own business, but at the end of the day, it's mine! I find myself working harder for me because I enjoy it and it doesn't feel like a job. It feels like I'm fulfilling my passion.
My passion is to help others succeed and with our company I get a change to help new and old businesses establish new ways to reach and exceed their potential. I know I've accomplished my goal when my clients tell me how excited they are and how much our conversations, expertise, and tools have changed their lives and their business. That's what it's all about.
I was just telling another lady yesterday that if you love what you do, don't quit. Do what you enjoy and the money will follow. I took this quote from someone's facebook status because I felt it was very relevant to what I was thinking today.
"Ninety percent of all those who fail are not actually defeated. They simply quit." -- Paul J. Meyer
With that, no matter how bumpy the road seems, stay your course and you will succeed. Follow your dreams, be passionate about what you do, live life to inspire and you too will be inspired!
To your continued success,
Erin Glass
Co-Founder
Viziun Media
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Having Passion For What You Do
Erin Glass - Friday, July 10, 2009
Is Your Website "Netting" you a Profit?
Erin Glass - Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Do you know how much money your website actually makes you every day, week, month, year? If not, you should.
You should be able to know how much traffic you generate each day, from where, how they're finding you, what key words they're typing in the search engines to locate your site, what they buy, what product/service is most popular, and so on.
Most people would get overwhelmed thinking about how many systems they would need in order to manage it all. You can actually use one system to manage everything from website creation, updates to email marketing, blogs, discussion forums, catalogs, shopping cart/ecommerce, photo galleries, website statistic and analytics, and more.
It's so user friendly that if you can create a word document you can use it. You really shouldn't waste another day wondering if your website is working hard for you. Find out today and have a 360 degree view of your customers and your business.
You can even sign up for a free trial first! www.viziun.com
You can also get consultation on how to use the system to actually help you generate more revenue. It's not just software, it's an online business solution.
You should be able to know how much traffic you generate each day, from where, how they're finding you, what key words they're typing in the search engines to locate your site, what they buy, what product/service is most popular, and so on.
Most people would get overwhelmed thinking about how many systems they would need in order to manage it all. You can actually use one system to manage everything from website creation, updates to email marketing, blogs, discussion forums, catalogs, shopping cart/ecommerce, photo galleries, website statistic and analytics, and more.
It's so user friendly that if you can create a word document you can use it. You really shouldn't waste another day wondering if your website is working hard for you. Find out today and have a 360 degree view of your customers and your business.
You can even sign up for a free trial first! www.viziun.com
You can also get consultation on how to use the system to actually help you generate more revenue. It's not just software, it's an online business solution.
To Your Continued Success,
Erin Glass
Starting a new business
Erin Glass - Saturday, June 20, 2009
During a recent conversation with a dear friend of mine, I started thinking about why had no one put together a blog or a book on how to prepare to launch a business. There's plenty of information readily available telling you what resources you need, how to write a business plan, how to apply for funding, and so on.
Why is there no information on how to prepare yourself emotionally and mentally for starting a business? Well, I decided I'm going to address this important point. Many people have dreams of starting their own company and few people actually succeed. Why? I'm sure there are a number of reasons, circumstances, and pitfalls that prevent a large number of these entrepreneurs from succeeding and resilience may be one of those.
No one said it would be easy. Check
You will work harder than you ever have before. Check
It will take time to be profitable. Check
These are common things we hear when we are thinking of starting our own business. What about someone sharing these words of wisdom?
You may fail and that's okay. That's how you'll grow.
You will probably loose friends during this time. Be prepared.
People don't want to hear about your success. Sad, but true, so you're better suited to keep it to yourself.
There will always be people betting against you. Use that to drive you and stay focused.
Don't expect your family to help you through this. It's nice if they do, but don't count on it.
There will always be competition and people trying to copy your efforts. Continue learning to stay ahead.
Don't become complacent. You have to be open to change and evolving.
You'll never have 100% of your customers satisfied. It's impossible.
At the end of the day, no one really cares if your business is successful but you.
These may be harsh words, but they're true. If you know to expect these types of situations and reactions, then you will understand that it's NORMAL. It does not mean you need to pack up shop and move on. Keep going. Keep forging forward.
Think about some of the most successful people in the world today. Have you heard their stories? The majority will share with you that the journey was not easy. It was filled with heartache, pain, and disappointment, but they didn't allow that to deter them from their goal.
Nothing great comes without sacrifice and in order to be prepared to handle the good times and great success, you need to be able to manage the bad times. These are life lessons and consider yourself fortunate to have the opportunity to experience them. Most people don't even get that far.
Keep dreaming, keep making mistakes, keep driving forward. Don't let the 'life lessons" prevent you from reaching your target.
To your continued success,
Erin Glass
Staying Focused
Erin Glass - Monday, June 01, 2009
So, this blog is a little bit different. I know that each of us is an entrepreneur to some degree and I have to say that there is a unique quality among us. We tend to be very creative thinkers. We are always coming up with new ideas, better ideas, and ways to improve what we are currently doing.
I think it's great to continually evolve as that's what makes your business sustainable. However, I think it's important to note that if you continue to "move forward" with out giving your current "product", "process", or "message" time to really be effective, you will fail to gain the necessary momentum to propel you into the next phase.
This is one of the most challenging things for us as entrepreneurs to do, be patient. Set short and long term goals and stick to them. Gauge your progress and if once you've hit your benchmark, it's not working, then re-evaluate. It's natural that your initial idea may not even resemble your final product, but that's how we create.
I'm not saying to stop looking for ways to improve. I'm saying make sure you give your current idea or product time to determine what improvements (if any) need to be made.
I'll leave you with something some one once told me. "Hard work along will not determine success; Consistency will."
Keep that in mind as you proceed in your endeavors. Best wishes to you all!
To Your Continued Success,
Erin Glass
COO
www.viziun.com
I think it's great to continually evolve as that's what makes your business sustainable. However, I think it's important to note that if you continue to "move forward" with out giving your current "product", "process", or "message" time to really be effective, you will fail to gain the necessary momentum to propel you into the next phase.
This is one of the most challenging things for us as entrepreneurs to do, be patient. Set short and long term goals and stick to them. Gauge your progress and if once you've hit your benchmark, it's not working, then re-evaluate. It's natural that your initial idea may not even resemble your final product, but that's how we create.
I'm not saying to stop looking for ways to improve. I'm saying make sure you give your current idea or product time to determine what improvements (if any) need to be made.
I'll leave you with something some one once told me. "Hard work along will not determine success; Consistency will."
Keep that in mind as you proceed in your endeavors. Best wishes to you all!
To Your Continued Success,
Erin Glass
COO
www.viziun.com
Social Media Overload?
Erin Glass - Friday, May 29, 2009
Is anyone else out there finding it a "job" just to manage your social media marketing? There are so many great tools out there to put you in front of your target audience but who has the time to manage it all?
I've found an awesome tool for automating my twitter account. It cost me $27 but WELL WORTH IT!!! I added 500 new contacts in one day (and they were specifically targeted contacts) and I wasn't even on my computer. I'm serious.
I usually don't buy into all this "get it done quick" stuff but I took the gamble and am really glad I did.
I've also found a great tool for Facebook too and am in the midst of testing it out before I give my feedback.
If you're wanting to expand your reach to your target market for FREE (well, essentially Free after you pay the $27...ha) then ask me about it.
I can help walk you through the set up process. It can be a little cumbersome at first but once you set it up, it's on auto-pilot!
It's called the Twitter Traffic Machine by Bill Crosby. Check it out and start buildiing your list today!
Enjoy,
Erin Glass
COO
I've found an awesome tool for automating my twitter account. It cost me $27 but WELL WORTH IT!!! I added 500 new contacts in one day (and they were specifically targeted contacts) and I wasn't even on my computer. I'm serious.
I usually don't buy into all this "get it done quick" stuff but I took the gamble and am really glad I did.
I've also found a great tool for Facebook too and am in the midst of testing it out before I give my feedback.
If you're wanting to expand your reach to your target market for FREE (well, essentially Free after you pay the $27...ha) then ask me about it.
I can help walk you through the set up process. It can be a little cumbersome at first but once you set it up, it's on auto-pilot!
It's called the Twitter Traffic Machine by Bill Crosby. Check it out and start buildiing your list today!
Enjoy,
Erin Glass
COO
Best and Worst Ways to Grow Your Email Lists
Erin Glass - Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Are you refusing to take part in this recession? If not, you should be. Did you know that the ROI from email marketing is roughly $57.25 for every $1 spent. Where else can you find returns like that; certainly not the stock market these days.
But, how are you building your email lists? This is a question we get frequently. People are resorting to buying lists of people who most likely have no need for their product and therefore they are having very little success in converting those leads to sales.
Check out this article by Exact Target, Ball State University, and Email Marketers Club discussing “Best, Worst & Future Email. You may take away some great tips on how to build an email list that will target customers who are actually interested in your product or service.
If you do not have a way to collect data from your website visitors today, you could be missing out on thousands of HOT leads! Once you’ve collected those leads, you need to automate the follow up and “relationship marketing”. To learn more about how you can create an effective contact us form and set up an automated email marketing campaign, contact us today!
COO
800.277.3606
Would You Like To Automate Your Income?
Erin Glass - Sunday, May 24, 2009
Okay, so who wouldn't want to put their income stream on auto-pilot? It sounds great, but is it realistic? I say yes, it is. There are ways that you can set your business up to run while you sleep, play golf, or go on vacation. You know that saying, "if you build it, they will come". Well, that's not entirely true. There are things you have to do to drive leads to your business.
In the world wide web of business advertising (websites) there is more competition than ever before and it's only positioned to get tougher. You HAVE to know who you're targeting and put together a solution to get in front of them. You can have the greatest product or the best service and if no one knows about you, you could go out of business as quickly as you got into business. Don't be a statistic!
So, let's say you have done your research, invested time and money into optimizing your website, have your products or services ready to go, and.....you start getting traffic. What do you have in place to capture this traffic? Do you have a contact us form. Not just an email to ask them to reach out to you? You should be capturing people when they're on your site. Do you have a CRM (contact database)? Does your website talk to your CRM? If it doesn't it should or you could be missing out on tons of warm leads!! This is vital.
Now, the next step is follow up. How are you followiing up with all these leads? Can you handle hundreds or thousands a day on your own? Why not set up a system that automatically will follow up with each person on it's own? You can use auto-responders to automatically generate a thank you email. With using Viziun Insite you can also have each prospect/lead automatically be filtered into an email campaign that you have pre-designed to go out on a repetitive cycle. For example, they fill out a contact us form, they go into the "lead campaign" group. Now they'll receive a series of emails that you have designed to go out every few weeks to stay in front of that lead. The goal is to convert more leads to sales. On average it takes 7-8 touches before a lead becomes a customer. Why not set up your database to do the work for you? Makes sense, right?
Take it one step further. Let's say you are emailing these leads but how do you know they're reading them or that it's even drivng any activity? Well, Viziun Insite can tell you who opened the email, how many times they opened it, what links they clicked on inside the email, any actions they took on your website, any products they purchased as a result, and so on. You now have a complete 360 degree veiw of your prospect/client activity.
Once your prospect or client is in the system, you will have an ongoing customer record history where you can add your own notes, tasks, calls or action items. The customer can even have their own secure log in where they can access their account to view past orders, etc.
And, keep in mind, all of this wonderful activity is being captured PASSIVELY! You aren't doing any manual labor. You simply wake up in the morning, log in to see the statistics, and smile at how many new customers you are capturing every day.
Viziun Insite has many more features and this is just one. If you are ready to set your businenss up on auto-pilot, call us for a free consultation.
1.800.277.3606
info@viziun.com
To Your Continued Success,
Erin Glass
COO
Viziun Media
www.viziun.com
In the world wide web of business advertising (websites) there is more competition than ever before and it's only positioned to get tougher. You HAVE to know who you're targeting and put together a solution to get in front of them. You can have the greatest product or the best service and if no one knows about you, you could go out of business as quickly as you got into business. Don't be a statistic!
So, let's say you have done your research, invested time and money into optimizing your website, have your products or services ready to go, and.....you start getting traffic. What do you have in place to capture this traffic? Do you have a contact us form. Not just an email to ask them to reach out to you? You should be capturing people when they're on your site. Do you have a CRM (contact database)? Does your website talk to your CRM? If it doesn't it should or you could be missing out on tons of warm leads!! This is vital.
Now, the next step is follow up. How are you followiing up with all these leads? Can you handle hundreds or thousands a day on your own? Why not set up a system that automatically will follow up with each person on it's own? You can use auto-responders to automatically generate a thank you email. With using Viziun Insite you can also have each prospect/lead automatically be filtered into an email campaign that you have pre-designed to go out on a repetitive cycle. For example, they fill out a contact us form, they go into the "lead campaign" group. Now they'll receive a series of emails that you have designed to go out every few weeks to stay in front of that lead. The goal is to convert more leads to sales. On average it takes 7-8 touches before a lead becomes a customer. Why not set up your database to do the work for you? Makes sense, right?
Take it one step further. Let's say you are emailing these leads but how do you know they're reading them or that it's even drivng any activity? Well, Viziun Insite can tell you who opened the email, how many times they opened it, what links they clicked on inside the email, any actions they took on your website, any products they purchased as a result, and so on. You now have a complete 360 degree veiw of your prospect/client activity.
Once your prospect or client is in the system, you will have an ongoing customer record history where you can add your own notes, tasks, calls or action items. The customer can even have their own secure log in where they can access their account to view past orders, etc.
And, keep in mind, all of this wonderful activity is being captured PASSIVELY! You aren't doing any manual labor. You simply wake up in the morning, log in to see the statistics, and smile at how many new customers you are capturing every day.
Viziun Insite has many more features and this is just one. If you are ready to set your businenss up on auto-pilot, call us for a free consultation.
1.800.277.3606
info@viziun.com
To Your Continued Success,
Erin Glass
COO
Viziun Media
www.viziun.com
Tired of Your Business Running You?
Erin Glass - Friday, May 22, 2009
In today's business world, we are increasingly stretching ourselves to the extreme. With more and more technology available to "make our lives easier", many find, it can become time consuming to manage every new tech gadget, solution, etc
Technology really is a great way to increase efficiency if you can manage the systems while not letting them manage you.
Viziun has a number of software packages that consolidates all of your business management needs. From Email marketing, Customer Databases, Blogs, User Forums, E-Commerce, Content Management Systems, and much much more, we have a system that will allow each component to work seamlessly together, communicating all necessary information for you to get the most accurate statistics needed in order to better run your business.
People every where are jumping on board and are saving weeks out of their lives each year simply by consolidating their software solutions.
If you want to learn more about how you can increase your efficiency while decreasing the time you spend managing all of these different systems, then visit us at www.viziun.com.
We look forward to "Putting you Back in Control of Your Business".
Best Wishes,
Erin Glass
COO
www.viziun.com
info@viziun.com
Technology really is a great way to increase efficiency if you can manage the systems while not letting them manage you.
Viziun has a number of software packages that consolidates all of your business management needs. From Email marketing, Customer Databases, Blogs, User Forums, E-Commerce, Content Management Systems, and much much more, we have a system that will allow each component to work seamlessly together, communicating all necessary information for you to get the most accurate statistics needed in order to better run your business.
People every where are jumping on board and are saving weeks out of their lives each year simply by consolidating their software solutions.
If you want to learn more about how you can increase your efficiency while decreasing the time you spend managing all of these different systems, then visit us at www.viziun.com.
We look forward to "Putting you Back in Control of Your Business".
Best Wishes,
Erin Glass
COO
www.viziun.com
info@viziun.com