Search Results for: Start Where You Stand

The Amazing Impact of One Small Change

June 21, 2011 By Cara Lumen

The idea I had affected three words in the title of an ebook I am writing but those three words created both a lot of work and a long-lasting impact. So the good news is that the product got better, the bad news was the amount of work involved in connecting all the pieces. Do you embrace change, or do you measure it by the trouble it takes to implement it

It would be great if we could get it right the first time

I’m writing 15 ebooks in the “How to Craft Series” and from the beginning I got most of the titles right. Each title contained a result that will be achieved by the creation of a particular type of information product. But one title didn’t follow that guideline. The original title was “How to Craft a Magnetic Opt in Offer in One Hour.” I had written the first three books of the series when I realized that a more compelling title was “How to Craft a Magnetic Opt in Offer that Captivates and Converts.” These three words aligned this book with the rest of the titles like “How to Craft a Mini-Ecourse that Builds Trust” and “How to Craft Magnetic Interactive Elements that Help People Own What You Teach” I felt it was an important change to make so I dove in.

One change is like a pebble in a lake

It affected the cover of the book, the listing of the “How to Craft Series” in the back of all three books I had already written, references in the three books to the Opt in Book, the three landing pages where I offered the Opt in Book as part of a Start Up Bundle, the Marketplace pages on two blogs, the links to the opt in landing page and the delivery pages. Every time I made one change I thought of someplace else that needed to be changed. It took me a whole day chasing those changes.

What impact with the change make for the better?

There was no question I would make the change. The title was more in line with the whole series and offered a stronger benefit. I would have done it even if all 15 books were written. And I’m not at all a perfectionist.

When you contemplate making a change, take some time to look at three aspects: 1) what difference it is going to make to the bottom line, 2) how labor intensive is it to make that change and 3) how far reaching is the change – how will it affect others in their bottom line and their labor?

What difference is it going to make to the bottom line?

In my case I believe that the stronger title will attract more purchasers. And because it is more in alignment with the rest of the series it may help prospects connect to the other books in the series. Combine that will my willingness to spend a day making the changes and it was the thing to do. However, often an idea will have a greater ripple effect that includes an additional cost of outside labor. You have to consider both your time and paid time.

How labor intensive is it to make that change?

I have a friend who is a graphic designer and after the first three changes a client makes she has to charge them for additional changes. And she has to put a limit on the number of changes that can be made at all. So the more you know what you want before you begin a project, the more research you have done and the clearer the decisions you make about the focus, the fewer changes you will have to make. Do your core homework first. Add the cost of the change into the profitability equation.

How far reaching is the change – how will it affect others?

My daughter is a Vice President in a large insurance company. When she makes a change she has to consider not only how that will impact her own team but how it will affect other areas as well. How much impact will the change make? How long will it take to implement it? What tools need to be in place? What will the change cost in the time it takes people to get up to speed? The larger the group the more far reaching the impact of one change to their productivity and their bottom line.

Our work is always evolving

Change is inevitable. We learn to do a job and find a better, faster, more efficient way to do it so we make a change. We develop an idea and the deeper we get into its development the more ideas we have and the more we understand what we need to do in order to convey our message. So we make changes.

If I had a teleclass to give in 20 minutes and could make a change on the Power Point slides by a few minutes of typing I’d do it. If I wanted to change the title of the teleclass at the last minute I would not do it because of the advertising that had gone on before it. It’s too late to change that part of the message.

The bottom line is to think your work through as thoroughly as you can. Tweak it for the better if you have time and the change would have an impact. Otherwise, learn the lesson and put it to use the next time around.

The Internet Education – How to Get One and How to Give Back

May 27, 2011 By Cara Lumen

I have a college education. Only 10% of women my age got one (I’m 78). We were just supposed to get married and raise children. In my 40’s as a mother of four, I went back to get my Master’s Degree. I was the first one in my family to do so. And I continue to get more education today – much of it for free from the internet.

The rising cost of education

I have to admit that I don’t know what my father paid for my BA in 1954 or my husband paid for my MA in 1995 but I do have an idea of what I’ve spent since then, particularly in developing my own internet business.

Free stuff

It’s amazing how much great information is available on the internet at no cost. Everything from Wikipedia to blogs on a specific topic to the free teleseminars that give you valuable tips even as it promotes a longer paid class. Free videos abound with pertinent core information. People give out free ebooks as opt in offers and free levels of membership sites help you move rapidly forward. Seth Godin is giving away free ebooks. www.ted.com has inspired speakers. Bloggers give great information. Public domain literature is on line. And you can go get an important business book at the library. There is no reason you cannot get a healthy start on your business education for free.

Barter for learning opportunities

I received two major coaching certifications for no monetary exchange by asking if I could assist in the course. I volunteered in a three month course on information products and served three times as a team leader which strengthened my coaching skills and added to my reputation and my knowledge. I have exchanged coaching sessions with another coach because she knew things I didn’t and vice versa. Sometimes it’s as simple as asking to serve in place of paying money.

Pay for concentrated courses

Information marketers are a source of valuable targeted information. You can gain specific information and training for a small investment. With an Early Bird Special you can get a six week webinar on a specialized topic for under $200. And in that six weeks you will learn skills that could totally turn your business around. Conferences, workshops, webinars, speakers – all have words of wisdom to offer that will add to your online education.

Hire a coach

An investment in a coach for a specific phase or project will save you time and money. Coaches have specialties and are trained to move you toward a specific target and keep you from taking costly detours. Interview your prospective coach so you both can tell if you are a good fit. Plan on at least three months if not longer and let your coach guide you rapidly toward your chosen destination.

Buddy up

Sometimes learning online is as simple as finding a colleague to talk to every week. You help each other stay on target, get unstuck and keep moving forward. Whether it’s an accountability buddy, a Mastermind Group, or a membership forum, working with peers can be a great way to increase your skills and knowledge.

Write for discovery

One of my favorite ways to learn is to create a class or ebook about it and teach it. When I wanted to take my article writing strategy to a deeper level I wrote a teleclass about article writing and I not only inspired myself to up level my game but I added some new skills simply from the research I did for the class. Teaching helps you own the material you share.

Stay relevant

When you learn on line you keep up with the trends and changes and new needs. Follow some bloggers who are trying new things. Listen to the thought leaders on TED. Learn more about marketing. See where publishing is going. Keep up with the trends and try new things yourself.

Enjoy the versatility

The beautiful thing about an online education is that you get to take classes that interest you, not those that are required. If you want to be a public speaker you can focus on that. If you want to write, study and do that. There are classes on everything you could possibly want to learn from people all over the world through the internet. And there is no commute or restrictions due to our location. We can stay at home and increase our knowledge base as we learn from people who are teaching what they know.

Now that you have gotten your online education, how do you give back?

Here’s the exciting part. Because you have hand selected your online education based on your passion, your skills and your need to be in service, you have a unique blend of knowledge. No one is going to offer what you do in the same way you do. So what better way to give back than to start teaching others about what you have discovered, the dots you have connected to take you were you are today, the insights you have gained along your journey.

Teach what you know

People will pay a lot to someone who has read 15 books on a topic, done extensive research and distilled it into an ebook they can devour in 40 minutes. People will watch a 4 minute video that teaches them something that gets results and then call you to learn more.

Whether it’s an ebook, teleclass, video, podcast, article or blog post, or coaching program teach what you know. As you teach you will deepen your own understanding. As you find ways to help others move forward you will move yourself forward. Information products do three important things – they increase your status as an expert, they create recurring passive income and they keep you learning as you teach.

After you get your own eclectic version of education, try passing it forward by crafting your own unique information products. You can touch lives with what you know.

6 Ways to Use Open Time for Inner Work

December 28, 2010 By Cara Lumen

The pilots call it “down time.” Musicians may refer to it as “between sets.” It could be the time between jobs or between tasks, but whatever you call it we’re referring to those unfilled moments in which you find yourself with nothing to do. How you fill those open spaces can make all the difference in what comes next. Here are six ways to use those open times for inner work.

1. Reflection: What did you accomplish?

I particularly like the week between Christmas and New Year. For me it is a time to examine the year just completed, to acknowledge what I accomplished and plan the year ahead. I begin by looking for what really worked. That acknowledgement is very important. If you take time to list all you have done you may be both surprised and pleased. Maybe you want to call it a “Gratitude List” rather than an “Acknowledgment List.” Write down your successes, you’ll find you have a lot to be grateful for.

2. Contemplation: What do you want to change?

Of course, some things didn’t work and we get to give gratitude for them too because they contained our lessons. We found out that we didn’t know how to do it, or people didn’t want it, or the timing was off, or, or, or… Looking at our less-than-successful ventures gives us insights into what not to do next time or how to do it differently if we choose to try it again. What lessons did you learn?

3. Decisions: What do you want more of?

Some things were absolute joys for us so of course we want more. What made them happen? What parts of it made it so invigorating? A little examination of what happened, what its components were and why it happened helps us take a giant step toward attracting more of the same. What do you want more of in your life?

4. Values: What qualities do you want to attract?

Whether you are contemplating next year or next quarter or next week or next day, what qualities do you want to be there for you? I’m a bit too much of a loner so I’ve decided to embrace the quality of willingness to be more social. Within 24 hours I had a most rewarding conversation with someone I knew only slightly. We deepened our understanding of each other and it warmed my heart. The next day another new friend felt comfortable in asking me to drive her somewhere. Another friendship expanded all because of my willingness to be more social. What qualities do you want to have evident in your life?

5. Choice: What you focus on you get

It’s very simple. What you look for you will see. What you focus on you will attract. If you look for negativity you will see a lot of it. If you look for positive reinforcement you will see how much there is of that around you. Notice the words you use. Are they “I can’t,” or “I can” phrases? Notice what you expect to happen – good things or bad. Once you are aware of what you are focusing on you have a choice to consciously start focusing on and expecting only the good.

6. Take charge: You are the director of your life

I play weekly cards with a woman that when I first started I found to be very, very judgmental about how I played the game that was new to me. It showed in the tone of her voice, in her judgmental sighs (you’ve heard those) and her attitude. Now I know that I always have a choice: I can hang out with people whose positive energy I like and not be with people whose energy is negative. I privately mentioned to another one of the card players that if that judgmental-ness kept up I might not play cards. It was just a concerned comment and the expression of an awareness on my part that I had a choice. I have a feeling she told the woman for the latter gradually began to change. And a few evenings later the woman said, “This is so much fun!” Because she had changed her attitude, that had changed our responses to her.

You are the director of your life. What you say, what you think, what you look for, what you do, all influence those around you and their reactions to you. If you do nothing else in those quiet, reflective spaces of time, look at what you want to change about yourself. What do you need to let go of? What do you need to do more of? How can YOU change? Then do it.

Use your open time to contemplate, to rest in the unfilled spaces and simply see what shows up. Look within and see how balanced you are. What does your body need? What does your soul need? Use these pauses to reflect and make new choices based on what you find within. Open spaces are for inner work. Use them wisely.

How to Make Decisions

November 15, 2010 By Cara Lumen

by Cara Lumen

One of the reasons we find ourselves standing immobilized by the number of ideas we have is because we do not have a method for choosing the right or best or most attractive ideas. Here are some steps.

Major Point #1: Remember that not making a decision is a decision not to take action.

Major Point #2: Decision making is the study of identifying and choosing alternatives based on the values and preferences of the decision maker.

You are the creator of this project. You will make the decisions about who it is for, what needs it is to meet and what form it will take. A decision is simply a matter of choosing among alternatives. It is not about making a choice between right and wrong. You choose right now, based on who you are and what you know. Two years from now you’ll make a different choice. But this is now. Follow your heart and your intuition and simply choose.

Make your decisions on paper. One of the reasons making a detailed table of contents for an information product is such a vital step is because it is easier to reorganize a few bullet points than whole chapters and an outline makes certain you identify and develop the core concepts. Make a list and rearrange your ideas to discover the emphasis of the project.

Make your decisions as you go along. If you decide to write an ebook, stick with it till it is done. You can write the teleclass next. If you decide on a focus for one information product complete it and simply make notes of other ways you can approach it. Use those ideas in future products or articles or blog posts.

Stay focused on your core concepts. A creative, fertile mind will see a myriad of ways to make a particular point. 1) be certain you are developing only the chosen core concepts for that project, one concept at a time and 2) be certain that how you are expressing it will help your audience get it.

Keep the alternatives on a separate list. As you work you will think of many other things that could be said, or written, or developed. Simply put them on a separate list – your “Idea List” if you wish. That way you know you have captured them but do not have to stop to explore them and can stay focused on the work you are doing.

Commit and follow through. Once you have made the decision and have started what you are going to do, put the “what if’s” aside and do it with commitment.

Some Things Just Plain Cost Money

October 15, 2010 By Cara Lumen

by Cara Lumen

He was retired, he had a great idea that could become a lucrative business but he didn’t understand that he needed to invest some money to establish his business and market it effectively. In his case that investment would have been a web presence and business development and content development coaching. Some things just plain cost money.

Why we are reluctant to pay for ideas

For those of us who are coaches and teachers and writers, we know how much goes into the crafting of our content or courses or coaching. Because ideas and insights are less tangible than a web site, for instance, we have a tendency to devalue it ourselves, let alone stand tall when we charge for what our mind produces.

A web presence is tangible; the value and necessity of well-written, accurately focused landing page copy is not recognized by many of our potential clients. They don’t know you only have seven seconds to capture a reader’s attention and you need to get it right. But copy writers do, and they know how to do it. And that skill costs money.

I had someone who was new to blogging ask, “I have a blog up, now what do I do?” I didn’t know where to begin because there are a whole lot of “next steps” and because she was just beginning she had no idea how many decisions were important to make – target community, purpose for blog, plug in choices, Cornerstone Content for starters. Since it’s my business to help people take those next steps in a positive sequential manner, I wrote her back about how I could coach her through the steps. I never hear back from her. It may be that she hadn’t realized that hiring a coach could get her through the process faster and more economically. Hiring professional help is an investment in getting it right the first time. Some things just plain cost money.

You can do it yourself but will you do it well?

If you want to truly save time and money you will hire the help you need. Whether it’s a web designer or a copy writer, or a professional site optimizer, or a marketing expert, or a product development coach, every person you ask to bring their expertise to your business will help you get ahead faster and farther than you can go by yourself.

For instance, one of my talents is content development. You better believe writing is a first love for me and that I’ve been writing all my life, read tons of books on the topic, taken courses, practiced, and developed a repeatable system for teaching how to write great content. I’ve already gone through the process and can show you the easy route. So I save you time and money and help you do the work better than you can do it by yourself. I teach you a process that you can repeat for the next landing page or the next information product. This is true of any professional. They spend hours exploring the latest in their area of expertise and deepening their skills. When you hire them you get the latest techniques and knowledge. You are immediately ahead of the game simply because they know how to do what they do really well.

Helping you think big

Throughout the entire coaching process there is an ongoing search for greater focus that takes place. We explore, we clarify, we choose, we discard; we put an idea aside for later. We manage our time to get results. We work in phases so we see results and stay out of overwhelm. I keep you from going off on tangents. I see the steps you need to take in the order you need to take them in and guide you there. That’s my job, to help you think big and then choose the action steps to make it happen.

How do you put a price on expanding your vision?

Keeping you on the right path

Don’t you love it when someone shows you a short cut! It makes the journey faster and more enjoyable. And starting out your journey with someone who can tell you exactly what equipment you need will not only save you money and but it will make your backpack lighter.

Part of what I do as a coach is keep people from wandering off the trail. We entrepreneurs have so many ideas that we are continually chasing one great new idea after another. But a good coach will not only keep you moving toward your target, she will make certain you complete obvious steps so you know and feel you are moving ahead.

Learn what you need to have and go get the professional help you need to get it done effectively and efficiently.

Find someone who knows more than you do and hire them to teach you. Some things just plain cost money but the return you get from learning how to do it right in the first place is extraordinary. Get the help you need. Invest in yourself. You are worth it!!!

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