With so many FABULOUS entrepreneurs that I get to interact with in our Conscious Divas community, I would love to use this opportunity to not only share what I do, but inspire you to share your keys below for others to implement!

In a nutshell, let me try and explain why I think I *might* be qualified to write this article. As of this moment, today, I work regularly with 4 companies as their project manager, coach or online business development specialist (offering websites, coaching, social media branding and other services to authors, speakers and entrepreneurs around the world). This is in addition to the time and energy I spend developing my own company, NGNG Enterprises (standing for No Guts No Glory) offering the same types of services above. Within these, let’s say 5 companies, I am currently communicating with over 100 clients on more than 50 projects all with different timelines, details and progress updates happening close to daily. Just like any other entrepreneur I have multiple client calls throughout the day, my to-do list is long and somewhere in there I need to take short breaks. I work on average 8-9 hours a day and never work nights or weekends unless I absolutely have to.

But you know what? It’s fun and I love it.

I wasn’t born with some amazing ability to multi-task or be crazy efficient. It’s something I worked really hard at. Now, sure, it comes very easily which is why my first reaction to questions about how I pull it all off is, “I have no idea!” It’s a habit now and I want to share some keys with you of how I came to be super efficient, which allowed me to take on more client projects, which resulted in my company growing more than I ever expected.

Key #1: I get in the right frame of mind.

On Sunday nights I have that slight pouty face because the next day is Monday and I know my day will feel out of control as Mondays always do. I also know that exercise gets the blood pumping, makes me more alert and gives me a LOT more energy. So every single Monday without fail I wake up earlier than I want to and I force myself to workout hard. Once I’m done, showered, dressed and coffee in hand… I know that “Super Amber” has come out to play. You wouldn’t believe the energy and efficiency that comes out of me. Any time I need another boost during the week, I do the same process. Works like a charm! I suppose I should note too that I eat well and I sleep well – I think an overall healthy lifestyle does contribute to my work success.

Key #2: I survive by my to-do list.

I created a super simple to-do sheet in Microsoft Word one day because I couldn’t find a system I liked. It had a bunch of lines going down the page and a box to the right for meeting times and notes about what I need to accomplish during the week, but not necessarily “today.” I printed out 90 sheets and had the book spiral bound. I use one page every day and order a new book when needed.

In my mind I have a laser focus on where each project is at in its timeline so I know what has to be done and by when. For every project I have a “would-be-nice-to-get-it-done-by date” and a “hard-deadline-no-matter-what date.” If I’m absolutely slammed one week, I may need to push a project to the hard deadline (which is almost always earlier than the client’s hard date) – if I have a light week, I get it done early which makes my clients happy. Either way my clients are happy because I’m moving the project forward at a good speed. I always give myself a little padding.

So, knowing where the project is in its timeline is key to the to-do list. On my list I never write huge projects or things that aren’t due for 2 more weeks. Those are for separate “bigger picture” lists I keep off to the side. I want to see MAJOR progress every day so that I am energized to keep accomplishing big things. The goal is to cross everything off my list each day, or come dang close. For anything that I don’t accomplish, I have to write it out on tomorrow’s list. For little tasks, I get so sick of writing them down over and over that I just get it done so I can save myself the agony. (I’m human, wink.) I’m proud of my to-do list and I enjoy looking at it because of all I accomplish. It’s NOT something I dread or fear or dislike. It’s all in our attitude – even about the little things.

Key #3: I make rules and I follow them.

Rule 1, write my to-do list every day even if I don’t want to. Rule 2, get in my office everyday no later than 8:30am (I work from home; I hit this goal every day). Rule 3, leave my office everyday no later than 5:30pm (ok, I usually hit this, not always, but I scold myself every minute I’m working too late – balance is key, time to rest is key, time to have fun is key – p.s. when I’m not in my busy season I’ll end my day around 4-4:30pm). Rule 4, before I finish my work day I always clean off my desk completely so I have a fresh space to look forward to in the morning (your environment is SO important!!!), and this is when I write out my next day’s to-do list. I let the weight of the tasks fall on the paper, close my office door and leave it all behind me. I have more rules, but you get the gist. It’s essential for my success, especially working from my home office.

Key #4: I play tennis.

Metaphorically speaking, I play tennis every day. I am constantly batting the ball in someone else’s court. For example, when an email comes in with a client asking me to do something, I try to immediately do it or ask them for something I need in order to do the work. Most times, within 5-10 minutes of getting an email, I reply. Unless it is a long email with lots of questions, I send a reply right back to get it off my plate. You wouldn’t believe how happy this makes people! I do it for that reason, yes, but also for my sanity! I get well over 100 emails a day of people sending me tasks, asking for education or tips on topics – LOTS of my time is spent in communication (which I actually think is a lot of fun because I know I’m adding serious value to my clients businesses). I would quickly go insane if I let it build up so I reply to email all day long and I do my work tasks when email slows down in patches throughout the day.

I need to add that my business is probably MUCH different than yours, so I’m not suggesting all of these tips will work well for you, but I do want to get you thinking about how you can improve efficiency in your business. You deserve breathing room, fun and less stress!

Key #5: I work smarter, not harder.

I am always thinking of how to systematize something. I only need to do a task once before I’ve figure out the faster way to do it. If I do the task two or three times, I keep improving my time by finding shortcuts. NOT shortcuts that reduce the quality of my work – I’m way too much of a stickler for a quality job to let things slip through the cracks frequently.

This philosophy comes out in small ways and big ways. An example of a big way – I noticed that a lot of people in my industry spend soo much time finding clients, writing proposals, proving themselves – all trying to get a single new client project. I realized that if I connected with a few companies that already had a client base, I could offer my services under their umbrella (or under mine, it depends) and save a lot of time in creating new work. I learned early on to have a strong focus in partnerships with companies that I believed in, who believed in me, and we could create more of a long-lasting relationship. Another example, when I find that my clients start asking the same types of questions I work smarter not harder by creating a video tutorial to give out anytime someone asks me about that topic in the future. Another example, if I keep writing the same email over and over, I save a copy and use that the next time and just change what’s needed. I’m always thinking of how to save time because those minutes sure add up in a day!

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Like many of you, I really want people to have a good impression of me, see my hard work, recognize my values and want to work with me on a project (big or small). When I tell a client I will do something for them, I set a date earlier than what they would have expected usually, and I use that as a way to hold myself accountable. I don’t want to give the impression that I am a flake, unreliable and not to be trusted. Just the opposite! So I tell people my deadlines or goals, and allow that to be the accountability I need to get things done.

Since I tend to set fast turnaround times for projects, I have to be efficient with my time to get everything done in time. I am definitely a person that would rather be busy than bored. So I keep myself just busy enough before I get into an unhealthy situation of stress (been there). This is also a reason I set rules – to protect myself from burnout. I use the keys above to stay efficient and get things done so I can go play. I was raised with the mentality “Work hard, play hard” and life sure is a lotta fun when you have that focus.

Your turn.

So there you have it, 5 keys from an efficiency queen. I don’t want this journey to end here though. See the Facebook comments box just below this article? I’d love for you to make a comment in that box and tag @AmberLudwig, telling us what you thought of this article – what was helpful – what your keys to success are – and any questions I can answer. Also, if you felt these tips were helpful, please help me share it with others through our social media share buttons below.

Thank you all for your time!

Being an entrepreneur is very challenging and can get overwhelming quick. You must manage your existing projects well so you can increase retention and build a committed following, but then you must also have a strong focus on product creation and expansion (not to mention just maintaining the work you’ve produced so far).

So how to you manage the overwhelm you feel when you’re getting so many good ideas and you know you don’t have time to execute them all?

Below I’m going to offer you a few things I do that you are welcome to try:

Write it down.

Obvious? Maybe, but it really works! I have an ideas folder I keep close by which is full of good ideas (if I do say so myself). Entrepreneurs by nature are creative so expect those ideas to keep flooding in.

By writing all of your ideas down, you let the paper take the weight of the idea. You don’t have to stress about if you will remember, or how to execute this idea, or when because you know the idea is written down in a safe place and will be happy to see you when you return to it – whether in a few days or a few years. Write it ALL down even if it’s a tiny idea.

You wouldn’t believe how many ideas of mine seem to be bundled into a recent big idea I had. It is all relevant and writing down your ideas can serve your greatly in the future.

Create an Outline.

When I get an idea for a product or service, the next thing I do is create an outline for it. For example, one of my ideas is to create a DIY Guest Blogging Package where a business owner could have everything they need to setup a well-oiled machine of guest bloggers on their site to increase traffic dramatically and gain lots more subscribers. There are tons of benefits to this program and it’s a hot topic for 2012 and beyond.

Well, shoot, there’s TONS of ways I could produce this product – enter overwhelm. Before I think about all the success I’ll have, and ways to market, and the income it could generate, I stop. I know that the product is really all about the content I deliver so I create an outline of everything the product would need to be SUPER valuable for business owners who buy it. I am totally the type that wants to give away the farm to people who put their trust in me – I’ll give you everything I know and how I do it so you have the best shot at success.

The outline for this DIY Guest Blogging Package included things like: Promotion page content (what needs to be said on the ‘write for us’ page on your website), what the exact process is when someone wants to be a guest blogger (they need to send in a sample article with their bio and photo, I review to make sure they follow any guidelines I’ve given, etc.), in this product I need to create 5 emails templates that the customer can use (a rejection letter, approval letter, general inquiry response letter, etc)… Point being, I write down everything I can think of that would need to be included to make this product a success.

Honestly, it is at this point that I decide if I am going to pursue this idea aggressively, or when I get around to it, or never. I look at my material and evaluate if there is a gap in the marketplace, if this would be valuable to someone, if this would really work for people, etc. Getting the details of my idea on paper in this way reduces the overwhelm for sure!

Make a plan.

Obvious? Of course. But do you do it? gotcha. If I have an idea that I just can’t stop thinking about and one that I really want to pursue… I have my outline and I know it’s a ‘must’ to create… then it’s time to make a plan to make it happen.

Now, this is where the overwhelm really starts to come flooding in because now you actually need to execute. The fun creation part is generally behind you and now you actually have to carve out time, while managing your other projects, and make sure that you don’t NOT do this product idea like so many others that have since collected dust.

The truth is that YOU have a gift; YOU have a message. It is a complete waste of your talents if you don’t do something with it.

So you make a plan by taking your outline and breaking it up into 5 parts, or whatever. You make a commitment to yourself to do one part each week for the next five weeks. Caution: Look at your list and decide what you think you could pull off, then trim that list down by 30% and that is actually what you’ll be able to pull off.

A primary reason people can’t follow-through with their ideas is that they put way too much pressure on themselves upfront, they can’t deliver because they don’t plan for the unexpected, then they put it off once (“I’ll get to that next week”) and then you don’t come back to it, then you feel like a loser so you need time to recover, then before you know it, another 2-3 months rolls by until you feel the pressure that you need to create a product and motivate yourself to get serious about this next new idea. (Ew, too much accountability there?) I’ve been here, that’s how I know this is true.

Make It Happen.

So you have your outline, you have your plan on how many weeks it’ll take to get it done, hopefully you’ve exercised caution to not put too much pressure on yourself and you’re ready to really make it happen this time. Now, you just need to make it happen.

There are a few ways that I “make it happen” which work really well for me. First, I tell someone I really look up to about the idea and plan. I know that if I tell someone I really respect that it will create accountability for me. I want to be known for someone who makes things happen and gives tons of value to others – I would not risk taking that away just because I found eighteen excuses of why I couldn’t follow-through.

Next, I dive right in. I don’t waste time (because I know that if I delay on anything for too long, the idea will be lost and the product won’t be completed). I make damn sure I get that first week of to-do’s done, no matter what. That gives me momentum and confidence to go into week two of my plan. No matter what, I get it done… no matter what!

All we need is a little momentum and confidence. A big part of the overwhelm again is putting too much pressure on ourselves to “make it perfect” or “add more to the plate.” Once you have made the outline, made the plan, you just DO. Sure, you can add little creative twists here and there… but you do not deviate from the plan!

Entrepreneurs are creative minds – we can easily think for 350 cool ways to execute on something. Trust yourself and your original plan. You can always build more products as a spin-off of this one and try out one of your fancy ideas then. For now, stick to the plan and execute it. Every week you put this off is another week the world does not get your value, and another week you are not building your business, and another week you’re not making the income you need to sustain the message. This is bigger than you – make it happen.

The best path to success as an entrepreneur is to keep creating. I don’t mean create a dozen half-finished products. Create one product 100%, launch it, then immediately dive in and start creating your next product. Period – there is no other plan.

To manage this around your existing work load you just need a little discipline, a little accountability and you need to be organized. Don’t try to do too much at once. I’d much rather see you take 4 months to create a product then try to do it in 2 weeks, burn out, and never finish it. YOU put the pressure on you, so knock it off!

If you are serious, join me and make the pledge today. All you need to do is share this image on Facebook or Pinterest and in the description tell people what you want to create. Then go out and make it happen.

Simply right click this image and click "Save As" to download to your computer and then share on social networks. Tag me in your post so I can give you a virtual high-five!

If you thought this post was helpful, please help me share it with others on Google+, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

I appreciate your support! Even more, I’d like you to commit to making a product today and tell me what it will be in the Facebook comments box below. I’ll be your accountability cause I’d love to see your product when it’s finished!

Today’s “how to” is all about writing content for the web. Below I have several tips that will help keep your readers engaged in what you have to say:

General Tips for Writing on the Web:

• Short paragraphs are best. When people look at big blocks of text they get overwhelmed and don’t want to read it.
• Stay conversational! It’s great to write how you talk because people feel like they can connect with you, that you are authentic, and they will want to work with you as a result. Writing for the web is not about being a crazed perfectionist. The online world is a forgiving one so just write and get your message OUT!
• It’s good to break up text by use of attention-grabbing headlines and sub-headlines (an example: content formatting example)
• Always think about where you’re leading the reader – Just like in writing a book or story. You want to keep them engaged and clicking from page to page in your site OR lead them to contact you. I always suggest coming up with a list of “Calls to Action.” Pamla does this best by telling people all the things they can and should do with her (http://pamlawhorne.com/start/). I don’t suggest you do this as a page on your site so much as just make the list and when you write each page of content, make sure you add a call to action and lead people to sign-up for your mailing list, contact you, comment on your blog, order your product, connect with you on social media etc.
• Image use is great! … as long as it is NOT clip art, distracting or pointless. If it helps sell the point, then it’s great! Plus, with the huge buzz going on right now with Pinterest, it could lead to more website visitors!
• Testimonials are amazing and help people trust you. It’s wise to sprinkle these throughout the pages of your site, and also include them on one general testimonials page.
• In blogging, it’s great to also lead people to other content within your content. This is less subtle than a call to action. So for example, notice how even in this blog post I am linking to other articles I’ve written to help educate you on a variety of topics. This is key to showing you that I know a lot about how to build and market your business online. If you feel this content is valuable then you’ll want to stick around by signing up for my emailing list or sharing this content on your social networking sites so you are looked at as more of an authority. See how it all works?
• Write from your heart with the priority and intention to add value to people’s lives. This is KEY and what writing content is all about. I am writing this blog post because I genuinely want you to feel more comfortable about writing. Writing is key to getting your message out through your website, blog and social networks. The more that you write, the more that people will hear about you and the longer-lasting your message will be. Don’t stop writing.

So tell me, what was the tip that struck you the most? What content tips to you have that I didn’t mention? I’d love to hear your thoughts (or get your help sharing this article if you thought it was helpful) through the Facebook comments box below.

However, your email list is STILL your #1 online asset! You can market to those people again and again, they will stay loyal to you (assuming you have good email practices) and they will buy from you down the road. The key is to offer a free incentive that showcases your expertise and value, that people WANT.

Do NOT make a free report in an hour or two and throw it up there as a Microsoft Word doc that is not formatted, and then expect that to boost your credibility and sales. Yuk! This is a critical part of the public’s first impression of you. You want to spend the time to come up with a great idea, produce it the best you can, get it professionally formatted and designed – in short, spend the time to do it RIGHT.

Below I have a lot of really great keys to a successful free introductory product incentive that you can offer on your website in exchange for people to signup for your mailing list. Note to Self: You may way to print this puppy out. 

Do the brainstorming work:

• What are the top 3 problems your audience faces? (depression, weight gain, bankruptcy, etc.) In a free gift, people want an answer to their biggest problem in a formula or process that they can start today. Examples can be, “3 Steps to Triple Your Energy Levels,” or “5 Ways to Dump Depression and Gain Gusto,” etc.
• People will want to instantly download your free gift (not have it sent to them a week later) so I suggest the format you consider to be video, text (like an eBook) or audio. There are reasons behind which format to choose and why. To give you a taste:
• Video is great for giving off energy that transfers to the listener. It creates a longer lasting impact, can go viral, plus they can watch it again and again. Video is ideal for emotional topics. If you are a personal or life coach for example, this is for sure the format to select.
• Text is great for writing out a technical process so someone can pint out the document, paste on their mirror, or just review easily. It’s probably the easiest format to share. You MUST get your eBook or workbook professionally formatted and designed to make a visual impact which is necessary for getting readers engaged and excited to share with others. (If your topic is not technical or in a process, I do not suggest creating an eBook – I would suggest you to create video, period.) For example, my free product incentive right now is a 23-page eBook titled, “Share My Message! 7 Key Steps to Social Media Integration.” I show lots of examples of how to brand your social networks and I explain how to do it ALL! So I for sure had to choose an eBook format so my readers could print it out, refer back to it again and again, etc.
• Audio is “ok,” but video is for sure a preferred format by the majority. Audio is good for meditations and technical personal development/motivational/how-to content. Audio can be uploaded to an iPod so people can listen in the car, while working out or taking a bath, etc.

More Key Tips:

• By now we’ve identified the top 3 problems our audience face and we’ve selected a format for the product.  Next I would start working on an outline of what you’re going to discuss. Another KEY to this process is that people will want to download something they can start TODAY. No one wants to go to a website in search of a problem they are facing, get all jazzed about a free product, sign-up and realize that the author is telling them how to ‘repair their credit in 6 months.’ That subscriber needs a solution NOW. So let’s give it to them. If it’s a topic that gets them on the road to success TODAY then people will signup for it.
• The higher the monetary value of the bonus, the more people will want it. So if you have an eBook and a video as a package deal, more web visitors will download it. If you give away an event ticket or teleseminar call series – since a higher value – more will download (Note: These two ideas are more if you have an opportunity to give a bonus away during a book launch or product launch).
• As you create your product, always be thinking, “How can I make this so good that it goes viral?” I want people to share my eBook with as many people as possible! I don’t even care if they signup for it! If I produce a high-quality product that is of great value to others, I know they’ll come back to me anyway. They will come and check out my website, signup for my mailing list to get more great training, hire me for website development or social media branding, etc. I’d love nothing more than people to think my product is so good they send an email out to 100 people saying “Here, thought this could be a useful resource for you.” Goosebumps! Since we’re on the topic, a great read is, “6 Ways to Make Your Video Go Viral.”
• Always, always, always, always, always, always(!) end with a “call to action” by suggesting to the reader or viewer what to do next. Offer a discount on becoming a member, invite them to join a free teleseminar call, ask them to follow you on social networks, etc. Tell people what you want them to do with this material or next in general.

So what do you think, some good tips in here? Did it get you to evaluate your online marketing efforts and make a decision to step up your game? I bet it did and that rocks!

If you thought this article was helpful, I would love to hear your feedback and help me share it on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. If you are interested in writing for InsightfulDevelopment.com, click here to learn about out Guest Writing program.

• Do you feel clueless about social media? Questions come up such as, “What do I say on Facebook?”, “Is this really as important as people say?”, “Which social networks are the best to be on and why?”
• Are you curious how to maximize social media interaction on your website so more web visitors share and like your content?
• Have you considered the powers of branding your social networks to drive all that traffic back to your website?

Don’t worry, most online business owners share this frustration and confusion. Today my goal is to help you build a sturdy bridge so a steady stream of people flows between your website and social media touch-points. The goal is to maximize ease for people to join your social networks from your website AND to find your website while visiting your social networks.

HOT OFF THE PRESS, I’d like to invite you to download my new eBook, “Share My Message! 7 Key Steps to Social Media Integration”
FOR FREE!

This 23-page eBook has two parts. The first talks all about what you need to do on your website to get more likes and shares for your content. Learn the resources and tools I use in my business! Also how to gain a much bigger following on your social networks – all without visitors leaving your website.

The second part of “Share My Message!” is all about social media branding. Learn how to brand your Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts so you drive ALL that social networking traffic back to your website (where you can next get them to opt-in to your mailing list and buy products or services from you).

What People Are Saying:

Thank you SO MUCH for all your AMAZING, HELPFUL INFORMATION! I am a new website owner and I am LOST when it comes to the social media angle–even with a personal coach. There is such a MASSIVE amount of information, decisions to make, TIME involved–at least 300 hours so far for me!  I will DEFINITELY be checking with you for more ideas on how you may be able to assist me! Thank you, again, for all the free information you have already provided to me!
Lisa

Amber– I had a chance to read your ebook. It’s fabulous…really. I read it from my perspective which is someone who really wants to learn the best ways to maximize my online presence using my website and other social media tools. This book is chock full of juicy nuggets that are immediately useable for integrating social media, and you explain it so well (a talent for this topic). Really liked the look and feel of the book…worked really well with the subject matter.
Great job for someone who continues to be blazing along and making a difference for people.
Take care,
Terry

Register in the right sidebar!

To download your copy today,please fill out the short form in the right sidebar, blue box. This registration will also allow you to join my emailing list – but don’t worry, you can unsubscribe at any time.

After registering, you will immediately get an email with a link to download “Share My Message!”

You’ll want to take action now so you don’t feel continue to feel behind. It’s time to take action in your business and make success happen.

This isn’t one of those resources that you should read when you get around to it. A lot of very valuable information has been shared and it is truly my pleasure.

I would love to hear your feedback on this eGuide by filling out the Facebook comment box below. Also, please feel open to share this guide with anyone whom you think can benefit.

Thank you for your support and interest!

Brendon Burchard is right when he says people are uncomfortable talking about making money – especially off their message. They WANT to do it and NEED to do it, but they’re uncomfortable talking about it. I am too, but it’s natural and necessary. We need to put income in our pockets to sustain the message.

One way to “make money more quickly” online is with promotional partners. This can be an affiliate who registers to *sell your product for a commission*. A promotional partner can also be someone you joint venture with where you combine forces to sell a product or service – anyone that has an audience, that aligns with your message, that can help promote you. Collaboration is KEY and there are a few things you need to be educated about to make the most out of gaining these promo partners.

I’m laying out these insights below under the assumption that you are to do one of two things:

1. You have a product you want others to sell and once it’s ready, you’ll ask people to support you. (affiliate)
2. You have an IDEA for a product and you are going to invite someone to partner with you to make it a success. (jv partner, joint venture partner)

Insight #1 about Promotional Partners: Make the Product (or Idea) Count

You can’t just create a product in day then expect people with big email lists to want to promote it. I know that I will only ever tell my audience about something that I truly believe in and know would make a positive impact. Spend the time to make the product the best you can – insane value and professionally packaged. If you want to collaborate and build a product with a partner instead, then do your research and flush out your ideas first, THEN approach your desired jv partner. Show your promotional partners how badly you want this, and how much you deserve their help.

Insight #2 about Promotional Partners: Your Message must Align with Theirs

If my whole business is about generating income off of Google AdWords and you are offering meditation CDs, we are not in alignment with each other’s messages. You could approach me because I have a loyal and big email list to promote to, but I still wouldn’t promote you because your CDs don’t align with my message. It’s important to connect with industry leaders that can relate to what you are promoting. It must align naturally with their products and services and message.

Insight #3 about Promotional Partners: How to Ask?

This is the biggest question I get and the answer is mostly, “Just Ask!” … but there’s a touch more to it. First, know this will be a numbers game like anything else. You can’t target one person to help and if they say no, you give up. Make a list of 50 people that might align with your message and product (idea). Then do your due diligence and see the way they speak to their audience – what are their key points – how do they ask for the order with their audience (soft, hard, etc.). Then use that information to your benefit and create a strategy around it. Email the potential promo partner and follow this type of sequence:

• Compliment them and let them know why you are excited about what they’re doing
• Explain that the more you read and researched them, the more you felt in alignment with their message
• Briefly explain who you are and what your message is
• Unveil your product or product idea
• Ask for the order in a way that is mutually beneficial: “I think that if we work together we can get our message out there in a bigger way and help more people. Can we setup a time to discuss my ideas?”

The whole email should NOT be long. You’ll have to work on refining your message so it’s short, concise and to the point (not in a pitchy way but in a super genuine, want-to-help-the-world way).

Insight #4 about Promotional Partners: How Much Is Too Much?

We are all extremely busy. When you look at the people you target, expect them to be 2-5 times busier than you. They have been building their empire, they have dozens of products, tons of people contacting them all the time. They will not be excited to do MORE work just because you need help and have a nice message. You want to make it as EASY as possible for them to help you. For example, one key to success for an Amazon Bestseller Book Campaign is to write ALL marketing materials for the promotional partners so they just have to copy/paste on the book launch date. We write multiple emails, dozens of Facebook posts and Twitter tweets, etc. We want to make it super easy for people to share our message and then our chances for success increase!

Promotional partners IS the way to do business this year. I’m telling you… Promo partners and guest blogging (more to come later) should be a constant priority for you. Above Facebook – above it all. This is the way to MUCH faster results.

Your Challenge:

Start today by doing 1-hour of research online. Open an excel spreadsheet and start keeping a record of interesting websites that could be potential avenues for you. Look at how often the website owner is blogging, how active are they on social networks, are they consistently building their business, do they have great testimonials, etc. Just keep making record of all the websites that are in alignment with you and look to be doing things right. Then the next time you can carve out an hour (ahem, make this a priority) you’ll go back into each site and study the website owner even more to carve out their message and see what their interests are. You’ll basically just keep building your case until you’re ready to take action and ask for the order.

Today is the day though… it’s time to take action!

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The best way to reach a large number of people and get your message across on the internet today is through video but not just any video. It must be a video that captures and keeps your audienceʼs attention.

Video is considered by Google as a higher form of engagement than a simple blog or article and ranks higher in the ratings. Therefore you have a better shot at reaching more people if you do a video rather than a simple article. And the more people that watch your video, the higher you will rank on Google and the more likelihood people who are searching in your niche market will see a link to your video and watch it.

'Evolution of Dance' Example Viral Video

6 Key Elements of a Viral Video

So how do you make your video go viral so you rank as high as possible on Google?

1. Keep your video short and to the point.
2. Keep it simple and entertaining.
3. State the problem in your niche market you are going to help them solve right up front in the beginning of the video.
4. Give them useful information so that you move them from a place of no or little knowledge to a place of educated knowledge that puts them ahead in their industry.
5. Choose a title with key words – ones that captures your niche marketʼs attention and offers a solution to their problem.
6. Create a coordinated attack with link bait so that you rank on the first page of Google within 24 hours of posting your video.

Youʼre probably wondering what a coordinated attack is. Itʼs when you post your video on as many social networking sites as possible and get large numbers of people to link back to your video and share it all on the same day. The way to do that is to create link bait, something that causes people to click on your link to watch and share your video.

7 Steps to Create a Coordinated Attack

1. Post your Video on YouTube and other social networking videos sites such as Vimeo.
2. Post it on Blog sites, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social networking sites.
3. Put a Call to Action in it asking people if they liked the video or found it useful to please share it with others.
4. Email it to your mailing list and ask them to share it with others.
5. Do online press releases with a link to your video.
6. Contact as many people as possible, especially people who have large email mailing lists and social networking audiences to post, email and blog about your video as well.
7. Offer link bait, such as an ethical bribe offering more knowledge, a free gift, or a chance to win a contest in order to get them to link back to your website and share your video.

When Google sees a large number of people linking to a video within a 24 hour period, it views that as a high form of engagement and moves the video quickly up in rankings.

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Let’s show Beth some love.

Beth Rosen is a film producer, #1 best selling author and business entrepreneur who offers various products, services, courses and private coaching designed to accelerate your path to success and happiness. She is currently offering a unique online movie-making course called The Back Door to Hollywood which teaches you how to make a professional movie/video, how to stand out from the crowd and how to create your own lucky break. For more information, please visit www.BethRosen.com.

This customized URL is called a vanity URL and this same feature can be achieved with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube!

Google+ doesn’t have this option integrated into Google+ just yet, but I’ve discovered a Plan B that achieves the same result. Check it out:

Step 1. Go to your Google+ and click on your name to get to your profile page.

Step 2. In the top URL bar you’ll see the link to your profile page is something that looks like this: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103959927931081174806/posts?hl=en

Step 3. You’ll want to copy the long strong of numbers only (https://plus.google.com/u/0/103959927931081174806/posts?hl=en) — this is your number ID

Step 4. Next go to www.Gplus.to and you’ll see a screen that looks like this:

Step 5. On the left field add in your desired username, then paste in your Google+ number ID (the series of number from Step 3) into the right field. Click Add.

If the username is available still, then you’ll be all set! This will give you a new Google+ vanity URL until Google comes out with a built-in feature into their social network.

Check me out: http://Gplus.to/AmberLudwig

If you thought this post was helpful, please share with others so they may get the same great tip!

So many people have this dilemma. The next step is to rush, rush through logo and website design, rush to add content to the site, rush to turn that sign over to read “Open for business!”

My suggestion? Ask your web developer (how do you know if your web person is any good? click here) to put up a blog with a decent free theme. Someplace you can go to and start blogging now. You don’t have to have your logo done, web design done – nada. Just get “something” up and start the race. The key is to write content while you build the site – then add the design and branding in within the next month or two when you’re all set. This way you generate traffic NOW instead of waiting another two months (that would be super frustrating for you).

The #1 way to get a LOT more traffic and a LOT more results is to blog your heart out. Get to 100 blog posts as fast as possible. This will be key in starting to build your online platform! Adding content alone will give you a big increase in traffic. The faster you want results, the faster you should write blog posts with good valuable content.

Then people come to your site and love your blog post content. At that time, they will want to know what else they can get from you. So, what you want to work on creating is a KILLER good “free introductory offer” to give away in exchange for people signing up to your email list. It has to be something everyone wants NOW. (Such as the “7 things you are doing every day to kiss your financial future good-bye”) Something that everyone wants, today.

Let’s say you make a 7-15 page, beautifully designed and formatted eBook. I can help with the design and formatting (which needed to be done AFTER your branding and logo design so you have congruency). Once your eBook is ready (let’s say you have a goal to knock out the content in 7-10 days – design takes 2-3 days usually), now you have a high value product free on your site. Now you are leaps better at capturing leads.

Then you go to your calendar and make a note that once or twice a month, you send a high-value email to that email list so they are staying connected to you and interested in you.

Next, you start working on creating a $97 product. Maybe it is a 2 DVD or CD set (that is beautifully packaged – now that you have a brand and logo) and a small workbook. So you now funnel people from your free eBook to your $97 product that people can’t live without.

Then, you create the outline for a really great 4-8 week teleseminar. One a month maybe where you deliver a process or method, and then give the listeners a challenge to go execute on. Then end with a Q&A. Charge $300 per person.

Now you have a TON of free content from your blog and eBook (and other things you’ll naturally be a part of such as guest blogging, radio interviews, podcasting maybe), you have your rockin $97 product and teleseminar recordings. Now it’s time to start building your membership site (which could take 6-12 months to create). You give a high value call once a month, plus access to all of your content and interviews, etc. You charge $50-100 a month.

etc etc. By this point, you may not have even realized it, but you have an online platform now!

Now backing up, by the time your website design is done, set a goal for the number of blog posts you want to publish and have your eBook content done (or maybe the whole final eBook done).

Once that is done and design is complete, package it all together and then you work to create that next product to generate good starting income. You don’t need to wait for the perfect website – I can’t stress that enough.

Design is your brand, it is what people will see to connect with you, trust you and remember you. Let the content be so great that they don’t even care if you have a design.

Anything worthwhile doing takes time.

My CHALLENGE for you today is:

• Sit down and write out 30 ideas for topics you could write about that is related to your message or topic. Just brainstorm – free write. There’s no need to make this perfect. When you are just getting started, I say “JUST WRITE” than focus so hard on what topic you need to write about to be perfect, perfect. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself to be perfect – just add value to people’s lives!
• Next, go to your calendar and write a reasonable and realistic schedule for how often you want to publish a blog post. Remember the goal is 100 posts as fast a possible. That could take you a year or 6 months – that is up to you. A good goal to start is twice a week. Then get used to that and up the ante again to 3 posts a week.
• Then, just start. It’s that easy, just “go”.

If you need help or have questions about building out your online platform, I would like to invite you to make a Facebook post below. If you want advice or direction, I’m always more than happy to share what I know. Thank you in advance for your interaction:

“I just started reading your ebook – Online Evolutions – and I wanted to let you know that it is truly inspirational! You talk about many of the same principles that I applied to my sales regime and daily routine early in my career. I must say that I needed a “refresher course”. Keep writing and offering up principles to live by!”  — Joyce K

“Thanks Amber! I got the hard copy of the (Online Evolutions) book in the mail yesterday. Thanks for your note. You are so great! I am excited! Thanks again! You rock!!!! “  — Sarah

I’ve been asked throughout this year, “When’s the next volume coming??” Thank you all for your patience as I could get this formatted and prepped for you. Today I can announce, “IT’S HERE!”

I had a ton of fun putting together Online Evolutions, Volume 2. I got so inspired I even started Volume 3 already!

So What is Online Evolutions 2 Anyway?

If You – Or Someone You Know – Wants to…

• How to create an eBook or product that sells or can go viral
• 21 tips to improve online efforts for better results
• Learn about eCommerce and selling products online, effectively
• Get over anxiety of not knowing what to do next or how to do it
• Learn key design and social media strategies every website owner should know

…Then Online Evolutions 2 has become one of the most important purchases you can make today.

Online Evolutions 2 is a 67-page collection of my top training articles and includes an impressive lineup of do-it-myself strategies that can give you the progress you’re wanting to boost your online status!

What if I need more convincing?

Online Evolutions, Volume 2 is really only for those of you who already know my work, the value I provide and don’t need convincing. However, you can download Online Evolutions 1 for FREE in the right sidebar to get a taste of the value. Then I am confident you will come back to look at Volume 2 as it holds 67 PAGES of more, more, more value.

Oh ya, almost forgot, I have a SPECIAL surprise for you…

I don’t know what got into me as I was finalizing this eBook, haha, but I got a wild itch to throw in a special surprise to those of you who have purchased the downloadable eBook OR the hard copy version. The catch is, you have to READ the book in order to get the surprise! Somewhere in one of the 67 pages I have a section blocked off a small section that has a link. This link will lead you to a special surprise that will absolutely make an impact on the way you look at your website and the way it performs for you. That’s all I can say!

So, what are the options to get  your hands on Online Evolutions 2?

Option 1.  You can get the Instant-Download eBook version for only $29.97

Option 2. You can get a printed, signed, hard copy version for $39.97 and get the eBook free while you wait a couple days for me to ship the book to you.

Once you get your copy, please let me know your thoughts. All I want to do is provide value to you and make your life easier. I know we are in an Information Age where you are bombarded with hundreds of “To-dos” and “Must-dos”. My goal is to tell you what is actually important and how to execute easily and without spending gobs of money. We must all pool together and help support each other toward success. From me to you – enjoy what I have prepared for you!