Three Success Tips From a Cowbird

Three Success Tips From a Cowbird

by | Marketing Success, Successful Living

Or, this article could be titled Three Ways Not to Fail Like a Cowbird.

My husband took this picture in our backyard yesterday. {You know, he’s the one who takes all the bird pictures you see on my sites).

Well, if you’ll notice, the tiny little Brown-Headed Sparrow is feeding the huge juvenile Cowbird. It’s a funny sight, for sure, and makes you wonder why.

Unless you know about Cowbirds.

You see, when a mother Cowbird has an egg to lay, she refuses to take responsibility. So she finds another bird nest – with eggs in it, and lays her egg there. Sometimes, she even knocks an egg out of the nest to make room for hers.

But then she’s off – to no telling where. Free from any responsibility.

In the meantime, the surrogate mother sits on this egg, hatches it, and feeds the young bird until it’s ready to fend for itself.  The baby Cowbird thinks that this is her mother.

Thus, this amazing photo.

When I look at this, I  see an analogy to our online businesses, and I think about the lessons available. Truly we don’t want to live the unfruitful life of a Cowbird, so what can we learn?

Tip #1: Take Responsibility

When we start our online businesses, we usually know very little. We have to learn the tricks. How do we set up our sites, write blog posts, line up our email accounts, and get traffic? And so forth.

There’s a lot to learn, for sure. And it’s easy to stay in that “I just need to learn one more thing” mode.

So we can buy shiny object after shiny object, and listen to webinar after webinar, without ever grabbing the reins of our own business and taking charge.

We somehow are expecting someone else to do it for us.

If we learn enough, it might just happen.

But that’s not how it works.

For us to succeed online – or in any endeavor – we have to take charge of our own business. We own it. We put the training together in our minds as to what will help us fulfill our mission.

We are the captains of our ship. We take responsibility.

When that day comes – the day we take responsibility – things change. We still need to learn and to network, but we have confidence that our own business is going to make it.

And that’s when it begins to happen.

Tip #2  Follow Through

This is a big one.

The Cowbird does come up with the idea of laying the egg, but that’s the end of what she does.

If we want to be successful, we have to follow through with our plans – and not desert them.

Over the time that I have been online, I have seen many deserted plans.

When this first happened, I was shocked. I had just started my business and signed up for a challenge. The leader had lots of promises to us. Well one by one, she dropped the promises. She promised to send her book, and it never came. She promised to participate in a podcast, and didn’t.

The trust element was smashed, and I didn’t do business with that person for a couple of years.

Later I learned that this lady was going through some serious health issues at the time. If only she had explained somewhat, I would have understood. But her actions just led me to believe that she was unreliable.

Since that time, I have encountered many others change plans and redirect their missions. That happens in a growing business.

When those leaders have explained and offered an alternative for what I had expected, their trust level actually increased.

I knew that they were aware of their promises and trying to fulfill them even as they changed directions.

One more importance of following through is that without this practice, you will leave unfinished work. And unfinished work never hits your target.

Unfinished business can never brings results.

So we come to…

Tip #3   Enjoy the Fruits of Your Labor

When you look at the little Sparrow feeding the Cowbird, you can’t help but think of how the real mother is missing out.

After building the nest and sitting on the eggs all of that time, the mother must feel some satisfaction in seeing the offspring develop into an adult.

Certainly, when you have developed an online business which helps others, you must feel some satisfaction in what you are doing. And you should.

A successful online business is one facet of a happy, productive life. Even more success will come your way when you find a plan that you enjoy in a niche you love.

As you develop your plans and bring value to your niche,  you will be amazed at how your business unfolds. Because of your sincere interest in your people and your niche, doors will open and networks will form. Sometimes almost effortlessly.

As you enjoy what you are doing, greater levels of success are easier to achieve.

You remember the saying

When you  love what you do, you never work a day in your life      -Steve Jobs

I have to add: honestly,

When you love what you do, it sometimes seems like work, but your satisfaction will far outweigh the negative…

So there you have them. Three tips from a Cowbird.

Take Responsibility, Follow Through, and Enjoy What You Do.

If you take these three guidelines and run with them, you are headed for a successful endeavor.

Let’s do this!

 

 

There’s Just Not Enough Time

There’s Just Not Enough Time

by | Write Your Own Book

There’s just Not Enough Time!

I have to say, this has been my lament in many situations.

Of course, we know the adage that “everyone has the same 24 hours.” But that adage didn’t make any difference when I was attempting to get more done.

With a church to oversee. Children and grandchildren. Serving on City Council. Other community activities. And on and on.

Then I read Stephen Covey’s book again. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Do you remember the chapter about the rocks in a jar?

First, you have a pile of rocks of many different sizes and you fill the jar the best way you can. Many rocks get left out. They just won’t fit. There’s not enough room.

Then you try a different approach.

You put in the big rocks first. Then the middle sized ones. Finally you can fill in the crevices with the tiny rocks and pebbles.

Covey was linking this demonstration with time management. There are those big things, which require most of our time. The nine-to-five job. The running of the house. Childcare. Church work. Daily devotions.

Next come the middle sized time demands. Personal care. Doctor and dentist appointments. Volunteering at your child’s school carnival.

Then there are those little items. Leave dog at vet. Drop off cleaning. Write a quick note to teacher. You know those tiny time consumers which can overwhelm your day if you let them.

So Covey recommends that you take out your calendar and insert the large items first. Then the middle-sized. After those bigger plans are marked out on your calendar, it will be surprising how much vacant space you will see.

This Covey suggestion is what I like to use.

All those tiny time consumers can be put on a list. You have 10 minutes while you are waiting for your child? Pull out an item from your list and whip it off quickly. A phone call. A note. Paying a bill. Making a grocery list or planning a meal.

It’s amazing what can be done with proper planning.

But this is the best part: When you plan your time in this way, there will still be some blank spots on your calendar.

Those are the times you can use to take on some long term projects. Those things you don’t think you have time for right now.

That, in fact is how I wrote and published my first book.

After years of feeling inadequate and too busy to write, I marked my calendar and found some time. Maybe an hour here. Two hours there.

It’s amazing what concentration and commitment will do for us.

Those smaller moments add up, and soon the project is completed. That “wow” moment when it’s done!

The excitement of completing that first book was worth all of the effort I had put into finding the time. All of the organization and planning. That first book was worth whatever-it-took to do it! I was a published author!

Now I have to say that there are other ways of establishing time for a project. That’s why I devoted a whole webinar in my course “It’s Time For You To Write That Book, 2.0” to The Time Factor. I discuss the Big rock/little rock method. I also discuss some other approaches.

Everyone is different. Even though this Covey idea suits me, not everyone thinks or works in that fashion.

But there are other ways of getting the job done. Other plans for finding or making the time for long term projects you want to do.

Plans which will help you to write your book. To make that lasting impact you want to make.

Be blessed. And remember to Keep on Soaring!

 

Do You Have Enough to Say for a Book?

Do You Have Enough to Say for a Book?

by | Write Your Own Book, Writing Tips

Do You Have Enough to Say for a Book?

When working with writers, I hear about all sorts of obstacles. Not enough confidence. Not enough time.

One of the biggest is “Not enough to say.”

Sometimes people will begin to write a book and spill everything they can think of onto a page, only to find that all of their thoughts amount to just a short amount of writing.

Then discouragement sets in and the familiar lament, “I don’t have enough to say to write a book.”

This is a common problem, and one which most writers face.

Often the issue is that famous “writer’s block.” There are tons of techniques for getting over this hump.

On other occasions, the writer truly doesn’t know enough to say. The standstill is real.

That’s why one of my webinars in It’s Time For You To Write That Book 2.0 is dedicated to research and information.

When you are writing your book, you don’t have to be the origin of every idea you include. As long as you give credit, your book actually has more significance when you include quotes and thoughts from other writers. That’s actually a plus and not a minus.

And also there is that wonderful world of Private Label Rights and Public Domain. These are books, articles, photos, and other items which you are free to use as if they were your very own.

The rights differ from item to item, but often you can – and even are encouraged to- change them. You can add your voice and put these pieces into the context of your book. There are e-books available which can be edited and included in your portfolio.

I love talking about this, because it’s truly a treasure trove for authors. Even if you are the top authority in your field, your expertise is enhanced by the expertise of others.

So if you have thought that you didn’t know enough to write your book, you’ll get some good ideas from my On Demand Course. For a short time, the entire course with videos, audios, transcripts, and lots of bonuses can be obtained at https://OurCBI.com. At almost half price.

I hope you check it out. Your book is important for establishing your credibility, and others will be inspired and encouraged by what you have to say!

We’ll talk soon.

In the meantime, Keep on Soaring!

 

 

 

Writing Tips: Create an Outline

Writing Tips: Create an Outline

by | Write Your Own Book, Writing Tips

Can you imagine a house being created without a blueprint? The final product would be a sight to behold. The walls probably would be mismatched, the rooms would be randomly placed, and the final outcome would be a hodgepodge. Any project, whether it is a building, a work of art, or a writing project, needs to have a basic plan. A sort of skeleton onto which the flesh of the project will be placed.

That’s what your outline is for your writing project. When you have a good outline, you have a plan which will go a long way toward guaranteeing your successful outcome. In fact that is one of the keys to creating a great piece of writing. And yet many writers completely overlook this step, particularly when they’re writing short pieces like articles and reports. So where do you start?

Step #1: Pick Your Topic

Spend some time thinking about what you want to say. What is the main point you want to get across? As you do this exercise, remember that you need to focus on your audience you are reaching. You’re already working in a specific niche, so now you just need to pick a topic for your article, report, e-book or other content piece. Obviously, you want to choose a popular topic.

You can do this by:

  • Looking at paid products (on sites like Clickbank.com and Amazon.com) to see which topics are being sought by people. When you see a lot of interest in a certain area, you know that people are seeking answers in that area, and you know that you can help them.
  • Checking out niche forums and blogs to see which topics generate a lot of interest and discussion. (A concentrated Google search will locate some of these tools).

Step #2: Choose Your Primary Goal for This Piece

Once you’ve picked your topic, then you need to decide what your goal is for this piece. You can also decide the approximate length.

Examples:

  • Is it an article for your blog? If so, what is the goal of this article? For example,  is it to provide spiritual answers for your audience? Is it to encourage your following to pray for revival? Or is it to get people to join your email list?
  • Is it a free report, introducing yourself? If so, then the goal is to “warm up” prospects and get them to click your links. You want to show people who you are, and how you can help them.
  • Is it a paid e-book? If so, then the goal is to give your readers in-depth instructions and encourage them to take action.

Knowing your primary goal will help you keep your writing focused on the goal.

Step #3: Do Your Preliminary Research

If you’re not an expert in the niche, then you’ll need to do some initial research in order to determine what steps, tips, or topics you need to cover in your piece. (More about this Here).

Note: A simple keyword search (such as “how to pray successfully”) will uncover hundreds of similar content pieces, so you can look at these pieces to determine which topics you need to include in your article, report or e-book, too. Remember, don’t expect to be the only voice out there solving problems or bringing encouragement.

Tip: If you’re writing a book, go to Amazon.com and search for similar books. That’s because Amazon let’s you take a peek inside the book to see the table of contents. These tables of contents will give you plenty of ideas about what topics to include in your book.

Step #4: Create Your Outline

Once you have a good idea about what topics to include in your content piece, now it’s time to create your outline.

If you need guidance as to how to order your topics, just go back to your research to see how other popular content pieces ordered their topics. Otherwise, here are a few general guidelines:

  • Logical order. If you’re describing a step-by-step process, then obviously your outline will list the steps in order.
  • Beginner to advanced material. Self-explanatory – put the easier material at the beginning of your piece.
  • Faster results to slower results. If you’re listing different tips or strategies, you might order them from those that get quick results to those that take longer to implement.
  • Mix of tips. Here you might put one or two of your BEST tips in the beginning and then put another one or two of your best tips at the end.

Next, you should assign an approximate word count to each section, which will help you stay focused on the most important parts of your content piece.

Finally, don’t forget to look at your outline to ensure that it helps you meet the goal of your content piece (such as preselling a product or teaching your readers a process). If your outline looks good, then it’s time to start your writing!

Connecting With Your Audience

Connecting With Your Audience

by | Writing Tips

Let’s be honest. Have you ever noticed that a lot of writing is actually fairly boring? Yet even if everyone else is creating dry, mediocre content, you don’t have to. You can determine that what you say will be interesting as well as informative. And one way to do that is to really connect with your audience. So how do you create this connection between your words and the hearts and souls of your audience? let me share a couple of tips… Tell Stories Stories are good ways to connect with your readers, because a story tends to help you form that emotional connection. It helps the reader identify with you. And a story is much more memorable than simply telling a reader what to do. You can write this story about you or someone else. Either way, however, the story will be more impactful if the main character is very similar to your readers. So if your readers are stay at home moms, then you’ll connect to them better if your story is about a stay at home mom who overcame some of the same problems she faces. A story which inspired you. A story can also help to demonstrate to your readers that you really understand them and their problems. And when a reader feels like the author understands him, you can bet he’ll keep reading. Create “Reader Oriented” Writing Your readers have perhaps read plenty of articles, reports and ebooks on the same topic as the one you’re writing about. However, a lot of this content is “author oriented.” That means that it seems to be more about the author rather than the readers Example: You might read a book about having a good marriage in which the author seems to boast repeatedly about his credentials or delve into personal stories that actually aren’t of interest or relevant to the reader. One way to quickly check if your writing is author-oriented is to see how many times you’ve used words like “I” or “me” versus how often you use words like “you” and “yours.” You want to use more “you” writing, since this is reader-oriented writing. Let me give you an example:
  • Author-oriented writing: “I’m going to tell you about how I lost weight.”
  • Reader-oriented writing: “You’re going to discover a weight-loss trick that’s worked for me – and it will work for you, too.”
Engage the Audience If you’re writing a “how to” article, then it’s easy to fall into the familiar pattern of writing a straightforward article: “This is step 1… this is step 2…” Basically, it’s the same kind of article everyone else publishes. Instead, engage your audience by freshening up your writing. This includes: Adding in your own tips. In particular, include unique tips and tricks not found anywhere Using stories to illustrate points. Be sure to engage all five of your reader’s senses to really bring him into your story. Inserting examples to make things more clear. Just look at the way I gave an example of reader versus author-oriented writing above. Including “spiced up” writing. For example, instead of merely describing someone as nervous, you could say “He was so jittery he could not stay in his chair.” You’ve painted a picture in their minds which is always more impactful. In sum… You’re writing with a purpose, whether it’s to teach your readers something or just to develop a good relationship with them. However, these goals are possible only if your writing engages and connects with your audience. Use these tips and watch your connections flourish! H