Get Naked With Tania » Online Business

Woman Igniting Change Pre-Launch Book Offer

Tania Usher — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 04:08:18 +0000

What Would You Ask?

If you found yourself in a room with 30 of the world’s most influential thought-leaders, what questions would you ask?

START MOVIE

END MOVIE

Throughout the Women Igniting Change interview series, Tania Usher asks the deep, personal questions…the juicy stuff. Sure, you’ll gain valuable business and lifestyle strategies from the ‘how to’ answers. Yet it’s the rich thought- provoking questions such as…

“Where did you find the strength to keep going when life seemed impossible?"

"How has exposing your vulnerability been your key to success?” and

“What’s the biggest change you’d most like to see in the world?”

…that make this interview series rich and diverse.

Join the movement and pre-order your ‘hot off the press’ copy of the Women Igniting Change book today for just $19.

Are You Being Honest About Your Commitments?

Tania Usher — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:03:19 +0000

Your life mirrors your commitments. Being honest about what’s really going on in your business and your life (the good, the bad and the ugly) will reveal exactly what you’re committed to. If you’re committed to a goal of having caring, nurturing and loving relationships, that’s what you’ll experience. If you’re committed to following your passion, your day will be spent doing work you love. If you experience conflict within your team, it’s because you’re committed to it. Yes…even if it seems as though it’s another person’s fault.

Outcomes don’t lie.

If you say you’re committed to being fit…then you’ll honour your daily fitness regime, no matter how busy your routine.

If financial freedom is a priority…you’ll make the switch from trading your hours for dollars to setting goals which focus on creating passive and residual income.

If a loving relationship with your partner is important…then the harmony in your household will reveal the truth.

When you make a commitment to your goals, you experience true freedom. You no longer have to wrestle with the decision about how to spend your day or which priorities to set. If you make a 100% commitment to answer emails within 24 hours…then that’s it. The decision is made. You don’t have to think about it again. Life becomes easier and simpler. Your commitment keeps you focused and frees up energy that would otherwise be wasted grappling with internal debates…should I…shouldn’t I…I’ll do it tomorrow. When the commitment has been made, you then have energy to pursue your creative achievements.

"There is a difference between interest and commitment.
When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only
when it’s convenient. When you’re committed to something,
you accept no excuses, only results."

~ Ken Blanchard, Author – The One Minute Manager

The first step to making an honest commitment is to set your honest goals. Goals are proven success tools. They give you big visions to work towards whether for your life, relationships, health or business. Goals give you focus on what’s important.

Goals must be:

1. Specific

Jack Canfield (co-creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul) says “…vague goals produce vague results”. Goals need to be emotive and inspiring. They should illicit some physical response, giddiness, nausea or a desire to run around the block.

2. Succinct

While the specific details are important for your vision, short and snappy goals (5 words) are easier for the brain to keep locked into the conscious mind. The more specific and accurate your goal, the more you will achieve.

3. Challenging

Big goals ensure growing into a big person. Take the measure by thinking of the most amazing thing you want to achieve. Then allow yourself to be engulfed by the excitement and nervousness of the challenge, then go for it. Don’t worry about the how…that comes later.

4. Measurable

Goals must have some measure of success otherwise they are just ideas. Identify the criteria by which you’ll measure your goal’s progress…how much?…how many? It’s a good idea “to get fit”…it’s a goal to “to compete in next year’s triathlon”. However to be inspired to achieve your goal measurability needs to be coupled with vision.

5. Visible

Goals must be written down otherwise they get lost amongst all the mental chatter. Place them in a prominent location (computer screen saver, fridge, bedside table) but move them around frequently. Otherwise the familiarity diminishes impact. The ritual of reading them out morning and night has insurmountable power.

6. Timely

You must identify a timeframe by which to accomplish your goal. This will put its priority into perspective. For example, “to complete a creative project”, is once again a good idea. However it’s an inspiring goal to “Unveil my first art exhibition by December”.

7. Feeling

The key component to achieving your goals is to ‘FEEL’ they have already manifested. Live your life as if they have already been achieved. In fact, it’s when you’re on the journey to achieving your goals that the feeling of already having achieved them is vitally important. There’s no room for doubt and mistrust. Feel it and live it.

8. Stretching

The path to achieving your goals requires some serious stretching. Stretching hurts a little at first but starts to feel good the longer the stretch. Every day commit to stretching yourself a little further…and with each stretch your goals come a little closer.

9. Take Action

No matter how exciting your goals, without action they won’t come to life. To get you started identify 3 areas in your business that you want to focus on during the next 6 months. Remembner your goals should be challenging (so you remain interested) and achievable (within the time frame).

For each focus area write a simple heading and try to describe a ‘measurable’ result – how you will know you have succeeded or are on track. These measurable results will become your strategic actions. For example:

Heading: Be more productive

Measurable Results: I have a system to follow up on calls and emails, I’m on time (or early) for my business meetings, I get 90% of my tasks accomplished, I completed project xyz.

Goal: Triple turnover while working 50% less

Now that’s a goal worth committing to.

Simple Strategies For Using Webinars To Grow Your Business

Tania Usher — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 21:12:10 +0000

Sue Murphy, director of Red Hot Events and Seminars and mother of 3 has leveraged the power of the Internet to grow a business that supports her lifestyle. Sue has learned that you can have it all – if you have the right support, knowledge and encouragement. One very powerful tool Sue has used to connect with audiences around the world is Webinars. In this month’s training Sue will be sharing simple ways how you too can get noticed by your target market using webinars.

What you’ll learn in this training is:

How to differentiate between working smarter and working harder
How to unleash your business potential through the power of webinars
What you need to connect and share to fill your webinars
What tools and technology you need to get started
How to keep your community coming back for more

Register for access to this training and become a member of Tania’s Get Noticed Mentoring Program for only $9.97 a month.

This Could Happen To You

Tania Usher — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 06:48:48 +0000

It’s been an interesting week of discovery. And I don’t mean personal-development type discovery, I mean, discovering where all my lost data went. Without warning, my computer died and along with it access to all my emails, documents, photos, videos, programs and other valuables stored on a hard drive.

Fortunately, my fabulous computer doctor was able to recover all my data. Nonetheless, reloading everything to a new computer took almost a week. The upside is I’ve discovered a host of information I forgot I had. As well I deleted a ton of stuff no longer needed, including 2494 unnecessary Outlook files.

What I also discovered is that we keep much more than we ever need. So the forced culling of my digital draws was very liberating.

Of course, even if my computer doctor wasn’t able to recover my data, I would have been safe. Twice a day EVERYTHING on my computer is backed up electronically. When was the last time you backed up ALL your data?

If you’re not backing up your computer at LEAST daily your business, security and wellbeing are at great risk. Imagine losing all your photos, documents, videos, music and financial records. Studies have shown that it can take up to 5 years to recover from a loss of data, never mind the heartbreak of losing all your photos and precious memories.

There are a number of online backup solutions, I use Mozy. For just $4.95 per month your entire computer can be backed up. So in the unfortunate incident your computer also dies you’ll be up and running again in a matter of days, not years.

By the time I connect with you again, I plan to have culled at least half of my files. Loving this letting go of the old and making way for the new.

Do It Better…Do It Differently

Tania Usher — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 22:23:34 +0000

If you’re serious about growing a successful and sustainable business, then you need to get comfortable with leveraging the power of your expertise.

Who says you are the expert?

You do.

How do you become an expert?

You claim it.

The first step to building a solid business foundation is to accept that you are an expert. If you’re a mother, then you’re an expert of MANY things. If you’re a surfer, you know more than the average person about surfing. If you love copywriting, that’s an area of expertise around which you can build a business.

Sadly, most people have been programmed for modesty. Going from unabashed confidence, “Mummy, don’t I look beautiful?” to debilitating self-doubt “Why would anyone pay me for what I know?” Sound familiar? If so then it’s time to reclaim your confidence and get your message heard.

Now there’s no room for insecurities. Self-doubt has no place in your extraordinary future. Self-doubt can only hold you back. Remember, you already know something valuable – something that can help people solve their problems. Believing in yourself and sharing your expertise in a simple to step-by-step format is key to the success of your budding enterprise.

Why? Because whether you realize it or not, you have created many systems that your clients, or soon to be clients want and need. Your clients want access to your resources, knowledge, tools, tips and strategies so start gathering all the existing evidence of your expertise.

Don’t be tempted to downplay your knowledge, particularly if you see others sharing similar information in the marketplace. When you profile your expertise from an authentic and heart-centred perspective, you have no competition. You’re unique and no one else can deliver your messages, products and services like you.

How to Get Started As an Expert

Dig out all the emails, manuals information and training you have compiled throughout your career. Not just material in your business. Any skills you have mastered are skills someone is looking for. For example packing healthy lunch boxes (what’s in it, shopping list); baking fabulous cakes (grandma’s secret ingredients, serving suggestions); teaching financial literacy (budget templates, spreadsheets)…you get the idea. Collate the information in an attractive and professional way.

Your job is to make sure your audience gains access to this valuable information. Once they do they’ll want to be with you, learn from you, and master what you know. And of course pay you for access to this information.

Something magical happens when you begin to profile yourself as an expert, your expertise grows. Confidence is sexy and infectious. People want to be around this intoxicating energy so the more comfortable you are with being the expert, the bigger the expert you become.

Align Yourself With Key Organisations

As your expert status grows, people will start looking to you for advice and support on your area of expertise. So begin making connections with others in your industry. Join related trade organisations, associations, mastermind groups and let your audience know about it. By linking with other institutions you generate credibility and elevate your expert status.

Likewise raise your profile with local businesses. Hold a seminar on your expertise at the closest University or education institution. Or offer to hold a workshop onsite with at least two well-known companies in your area.

Leverage The Profile of Other Experts

If you don’t feel comfortable that you’re an expert just yet, connect with an expert or someone well-known in your field. Ask them if you can help them at their seminar or attend one of their workshops. Many experts provide opportunities for an ‘apprentice’ to walk alongside them as they prepare for their events. Be that person and you’ll be amazed at how much you’ll learn. By connecting at such an intimate level with the experts in your field you’ll very rapidly move from ‘protégé’ to expert.

Every minute spent studying the expertise of a mentor will take you one step closer to being that expert.

Ways To Elevate Your Expert Status:

Post suggestions or solutions on blogs and forums related to your expertise
Initiate powerful discussions on your social networking sites
Interview an expert and share the interview with your community
Review books written by experts in your field and share your findings
Seek ways to increase your knowledge and share it with your community
Locate other experts who can help you fill in the gaps
Submit articles to relevant trade publications and e-zines
Teach what you know, do it better and do it differently
Share from your heart and personal experience

Commit to fine-tuning and tweaking the delivery of your expertise. Just one simple addition or change to the way you communicate your message with the world can make all the difference to the success of your business.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: “Acclaimed success coach, speaker and writer Tania Usher strips back they hype and confusion to teach, support and empower entrepreneurs around the world grow sustainable and meaning businesses. If you’re looking for simple cost-effective ways to boost your business, register for Tania’s free weekly articles, advice and tools at ” www.TaniaUsherInternational.com”

About The Author

Tania Usher is an internationally renowned marketing communication strategist, business coach, author, speaker and adventurer. Her company Tania Usher International is dedicated to providing communication expertise and innovative solutions to accelerate results and positive transformation for entrepreneurs and businesses worldwide. Tania aims to touch as many lives as possible with her authentic and ‘from the heart’ get NAKED approach to business where she strips back the hype to expose raw and uncut strategies for life, business and success.

Go now to http://www.taniausherinternational.com

How To Grow Your Business With Video

Tania Usher — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 23:55:55 +0000

Melissa’s goal has always been to run a business that coincides with the needs of her three young children. She started building the lifestyle she wanted with her first business, ‘Grooming Children for Success”, which ran etiquette workshops for children. Then she took a break from the business to be with her son while he underwent and recovered from a lifesaving kidney transplant. During the long hours of waiting and thinking, while at her son’s bedside in hospital, Melissa became inspired to not only help children, but to help their parents too. She understands that ‘it takes a village’ to raise happy, healthy children, and she decided to create that village – online. From that inspiration the, ‘Toddler to Teens’ online parenting television show was born. Melissa believes that using video was the key to rapidly building a international business with no budget.

What you will learn in this training is:

Why getting started with video isn’t as scary as you think
How to use the various elements of video to grow your list exponentially
Why striving for perfection can be the downfall of your videos
What equipment and software you’ll need that won’t breaking the bank
How to create engaging content that develops a loyal following

Register for access to this training and become a member of Tania’s Get Noticed Mentoring Program for only $9.97 a month.

5 Reasons To Hire a Virtual Assistant

Tania Usher — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 21:52:48 +0000

Is your business growing faster than you can keep up?

Has growth halted because you’re overloaded and can no longer face your expanding to-do-list?

Are you doing it alone and wearing a dozen hats attempting to do everything from mail sorter to CEO?

If you answered yes to any of these questions then it’s time to STOP! You don’t have to do it all. In fact you shouldn’t.

Developing a loyal, enthusiastic and supportive team is one of your most valuable business success tools. And one of the quickest and most cost-effective ways to build your team is to engage a virtual assistant or VA. The concept of a VA is something that has emerged in our new wired world of the internet. It’s possible to hire people on a telecommute basis to handle important administrative tasks that often fall through the cracks.

It’s important for business growth to delegate work you cannot effectively perform. If you don’t, you run the risk that operations will become sluggish, which results in poorer customer service and reduced productivity.

Getting the support you need has become simple thanks to the many outsource sites popping up across the web.

Here are five reasons to hire a virtual assistant:

1. You’ll have more time to focus on the most important tasks that require YOU. This includes working on revenue generating activities. Why handle time consuming administrative work when you can seek out someone that can perform the work for you…and do it well!

2. Many of the professionals that offer their services as a virtual assistant are exactly that – professionals. They’re more qualified than you to handle many tasks you’re needlessly busying yourself with. Many top administrative and support pros have capitalised on the virtual assistant trend and are leveraging the power of the internet to launch their own businesses.

3. Virtual assistants pave the way for increased efficiency in your business. And a more efficient business is a more profitable one. Since the goal of your business is to earn money, expanding your profit potential makes sound economic sense.

4. The ability to communicate online is so expansive that it limits time lags when delegating. This means that the choice of support is not restricted by geographical location or time zones. You email your virtual assistant a task at the end of your working day and by the time you get back to the office the following morning, it’s done!

5. It is extremely easy and inexpensive to hire a virtual assistant. Whether you sign on with an organisation that provides VA services or you bid for the required services at an online outsource site, the hiring process is simple and cost efficient. These two components alone enhance the effectiveness of your business growth.

Places to find a virtual assistant:

www.Elance.com
www.AssistU.com
www.vworker.com

Hiring a virtual assistant will, without doubt, prove to be a wise move on the part of motivated and savvy entrepreneurs. To be successful, you need to be innovative. Taking advantage of the availability of virtual help will be a KEY step in ensuring your business sustainability. Plus, preserve your sanity!

About The Author

Go now to http://www.taniausherinternational.com

Why Getting Online Is Key to Your Freedom

Tania Usher — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 21:39:21 +0000

Getting online and securing your slice of internet real estate is one of the fastest and most cost effective ways to build your business. Whether you’re a coach, speaker, health practitioner or run a traditional bricks and mortar business, establishing your online presence is crucial to your business success.

Here are three reasons why you need to get online:

People want to know what you know. You have expertise people are already searching for so being online makes it easy for them to find you.

It’s fast. Within hours, you can create your own product (or re-launch an existing one) that taps into a worldwide market.

It’s cost-effective. You become part of this global marketplace — for a very minimal investment.

You don’t need to be some kind of techno-genius to start a successful internet business. Nowadays almost any business can successfully integrate an online platform…and should or risk being left behind.

What Does Getting Online Mean For You?

In a word: Freedom

True financial freedom means leveraging your time, automating repetitive operations, and building a business that makes money without you having to trade your time for dollars. Utilising the power of the internet enables you to create a successful, sustainable business that will reward you with:

Freedom of time: Make money while you sleep
Freedom of location: Run your business from anywhere in the world
Freedom of lifestyle: Time to nurture YOU and your family
Financial freedom: To live your life the way you choose

Nonetheless, getting started online can often be very daunting. Many entrepreneurs feel overwhelmed by the perceived magnitude and price tag of creating ‘the website’.

You Don’t Need a Web Site

It’s important to understand that you’re creating a ‘web system’ rather than a ‘web site’. Think of your web system as a department store where you can easily find the items you need from the minute you walk in. Now imagine if all the kids clothing, household furniture and cosmetics were all jumbled up together and you had no idea where to locate the shoe department. You’d have a hard time finding what you wanted and most likely leave.

Unfortunately this is the approach many businesses take when creating a website. Cramming everything about your business onto one website will lead to confusion. And a confused mind says “No”.

Your web system is a multitude of websites (think departments) that walk your clients through you various offerings. For example you’ll have a corporate site which is your ‘reception’ area. Most visitors will not buy from this site. They’ll browse through your various pages to learn more about you, your business and ascertain whether your products and services are a fit for them before exploring further. While it’s wise to update this site every few months, it’s predominantly a static site.

A blog or authoritative site is your key communication vehicle. This site is where you’ll share articles, tips, post details about events, recommend resources and connect regularly with your audience. It’s an active site. Now don’t feel daunted about having to write articles if you’re not a fan of writing. There are thousands of free articles available online to support any business.

Google loves blogs as they indicate current and updated content so having a blog is a great way to boost your search engine rankings. For this reason I recommend using a WordPress platform for all your sites. WordPress is free, easy to install and gives you the freedom to update your sites without the expense of engaging a web master to make simple changes.

Your ‘money sites’ or ‘sales letter sites’ are where you outline one specific product or event. This site is a carefully constructed page which gives your visitor two options. Purchase your product, service, ticket…or leave. Whether you have a new product or an existing product that you’d like to sell more of, creating a simple sales page is one of the quickest ways to bring in some additional sales and start making money online. Many entrepreneurs wait for their corporate website to be up and running before they start promoting online. This is costing businesses potential sales.

Setting up a sales page can be as simple as a one column theme, your logo, a compelling headline and bullet points outlining the benefits of your product. Include a simple PayPal button at the bottom and you’re ready to start promoting you product or event. No need to wait months for a flashy site. A money making sales page can be up and active within a matter of hours.

Don’t let the flash and animation of big budget sites intimidate you when planning your online presence. Remember the most successful communication strategies adopt the ethos “less is more”.

About The Author

Go now to http://www.taniausherinternational.com

Top 10 Ways To Get Your Message Heard

Tania Usher — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 22:26:27 +0000

In our over stimulated society, where we’re bombarded with 3000 messages a day, it’s important to think creatively, or risk going unheard. Many entrepreneurs have a misconception that building their business profile centres on developing an aggressive advertising campaign. This thinking is costing businesses hundreds of thousands of wasted dollars.

Remember your clients are sophisticated buyers and they’ll know when they’re being sold to so you must connect with them authentically. And one of the best ways of doing this is sharing a story.

People love a good story. The media particularly like human interest stories as they know that their readers like to learn about other people. And here’s the key, when you tell a story you ignite someone’s unconscious mind. Stories are a very subtle and gentle…yet powerful way to present the benefits of your business.

With so many online and offline media outlets, you may be wondering if you have any unique stories to share. Rest assured the media are hungry for new angles on existing topics. When you craft your media campaign around “Hot Spots”, you’re making a journalists life easier and they’re likely to cover your story.

Identifying “Hot Spots” can take a bit of hunting out so here are 10 ways you can come up with 20 potential stories:

1. What are you passionate about? If you’re excited about something then chances are your audience will be too. When someone’s passionate about a hobby, they tend to devour everything available about the topic. This makes you an expert with an angle others may not have. Search topics you’re interested in for great story ideas.

2. Have you had an adventure? Have you hiked the Kokoda trail, abseiled down Cape Town’s Table Mountain or travelled to a remote and wild location? Maybe you’ve had an adventure right in your own backyard or community. People love tales of adventure so make a list of all the exciting things you’ve done.

3. Get to know your "hungry crowd". These are your customers who love you, your products and services. They are the ones who read every e-zine, attend every workshop and are on the waitlist for your next product release. Ask them what they love most about being your customer. When you receive their feedback get their permission to quote them in the media, most people love seeing their name in print.

4. Learn more about your silent clients. These are the ones who purchase from you but you don’t know much about them. And you need to. What are they interested in? What are their frustrations, dislikes and problems? A great way to do this is to create an “Ask Campaign”. Be honest and explain that you’d like to get to know them better to improve your customer service and most will be willing to share their thoughts. Visit http://www.surveymonkey.com for a free survey creating tool.

5. Visit a newsagent and scour the headlines of lifestyle, business, trade and financial magazines. See any patterns or trends? If you’re drawn to a particular publication, pay attention to what caught your attention. Is it something you’ve got an interest in? Now think creatively. If you see an article on Spiritual Midwifery and you’re a financial planner, who also happens to be passionate about natural birthing practices, couldn’t you craft a story about the importance of developing a savings plan to fund a home birth?

6. Have you had a sought-after career? Think back to all the roles you’ve performed throughout your career and consider what appealed to you most. Pay attention to any stories you may have shared that others found fascinating. If your friends and family enjoyed hearing about your career highlights, so will your potential clients.

7. Pay attention to what’s being featured on television, especially current affair shows, news channels, and niche channels like Lifestyle or Discovery. These channels often have a passionate following interested in your fresh perspective on a favourite topic.

8. Stay on top of what’s hot news around the world. Fortunately there are plenty of sites that offer up-to-the minute news on today’s hot topics. One good site which gives you all the breaking news headlines is http://www.1stheadlines.com. Use these headlines as a ‘trigger’ to come up with some great story ideas.

9. On the Internet you’ll find blogs, forums and message boards on every conceivable topic. Visit Google Groups on http://groups.google.com to check out topics of interest to you and your audience. Spend some time observing what people are chatting about. Participating in these forums and chats are key. Don’t join and start selling! Look and listen to what your clients are asking for then offer support and advice.

10. My personal favourite – gather together a bunch of your friends with a couple of bottles of your favourite Vino (don’t forget to invite me!) and a spread of tasty snacks. Not only is this a great way to spend an afternoon but you’ll have the chance to reminisce and tell stories…stories that others would also love to hear. Keep a notepad handy to jot down any ideas that crop up.

Have fun with it, and you’ll be amazed at how easy it can be to come up with a list of great stories the media will love.

About The Author

Go now to http://www.taniausherinternational.com

Understand Your Clients: Attracting the RIGHT People With Less Effort for Increased Result

Tania Usher — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 05:08:36 +0000

Build your foundation the RIGHT way in the beginning so you’re efforts are directed at the right people. Missing this single puzzle piece could be the difference between your business thriving or just surviving.

Why defining your ideal client will make you money
How to clearly identify market and niche…no matter how fabulous your product or service, NOT everyone is your client
Keys to developing an enthusiastic and trusting following
Your clients are your biggest sales force and how they can leverage their loyalty to make you both more money
The 1 MUST HAVE tool for creating a loyal fan club (and it’s nothing to do with Social Media)
How to divorce your clients with care when they’re no longer a good fit for you or your business

Register for access to this training and become a member of Tania’s Get Noticed Mentoring Program for only $9.97 a month.