Not all entrepreneurs succeed the first time out of the gate. In fact, most have many failures behind them before they actually do hit the ball out of the park. It’s always inspiring to me to hear other people’s stories as I, myself, move from fear to love. What I mean by that is as we fail – - we can choose to be afraid to move forward – - or, we can embrace our mistake, learn from it and love ourselves.

These people from Cambridge Who’s Who tell it like it is and I’m guessing it’s not very different from your own story.

Love to hear your comments!

A national survey, conducted by Cision and Don Bates of The George Washington University, found that an overwhelming majority of reporters and editors now depend on social media sources when researching their stories. Among the journalists surveyed, 89% said they turn to blogs for story research, 65% to social media sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn, and 52% to microblogging services such as Twitter. The survey also found that 61% use Wikipedia, the popular online encyclopedia.

Most journalists said that social media were important or somewhat important for reporting and producing the stories they wrote.

Data In Response To Social Media Resources

The groups placing the highest levels of importance on social media for reporting and producing stories were journalists who spend most of their professional time writing for Websites . Those at Newspapers  and Magazines  reported this less often. The differences between Magazine journalists and Website journalists is statistically significant.

• Journalists who spend most of their professional time writing for Websites (69%) reported this the most often, and significantly more so than those at Magazines (48%)
• 89% of journalists reported using Blogs for their online research. Only Corporate websites (96%) is used by more journalists when doing online research for a story
• Approximately two-thirds reported using Social Networking sites and just over half make use of Twitter for online research. Newspaper journalists (72%) and those writing for Websites (75%) use Social Networking sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook for online research significantly more often than those at Magazines (58%)

While the results demonstrate the fast growth of social media as a well-used source of information for mainstream journalists, the survey also made it clear that reporters and editors are acutely aware of the need to verify information they get from social media.

• 84% said social media sources were “slightly less” or “much less” reliable than traditional media
• 49% say social media suffers from “lack of fact checking, verification and reporting standards

Heidi Sullivan, Vice President of Research for Cision, says “Mainstream media have hit a tipping point in their reliance on social media for their research and reporting…however… it is not replacing editors’ and reporters’ reliance on primary sources, fact-checking and other traditional best practices in journalism.”

According to the survey, most journalists turn to public relations professionals for assistance in their primary research:

• 44% of editors and reporters surveyed said they depend on PR professionals for “interviews and access to sources and experts”
• 23% for “answers to questions and targeted information”
• 17% for “perspective, information in context, and background information”

Don Bates, founding director of the GWU Strategic Public Relations program, cautions that, though “Social media provides a wealth of new information for journalists… getting the story right is as important as ever… PR professionals… have a responsibility… to ensure the information they provide journalists is accurate and timely… ”

For a copy of the complete survey results, please go here > http://us.cision.com/campaigns/2010_journalist_survey_pr/request.asp

Enjoy:

NOTE: To instantly profit from on Niche Markets read this post immediately!

In the past, you’d look in the Yellow Pages if you required to find something. You’d look up a grouping and then flip through the pages of ads – and make a phone call or drop by a place of business. Otherwise known as “old school marketing.”

Presently, you’d just do a Google search. Which means…

Quickly tyiping in relevant keywords! Discover your long-tail golden keywords and watch your marketshare explode with new buyers on the Internet.

Highly relevant keywords lead to new customers ready to purchase. Broad keywords lead to a lot of looky Lous.. Which brings me to…

3 Key Steps To Discovering A Niche Market (And Attracting Gold!)

Step #1. Think about those keywords a buyer would use if they were to purchase from you today.

Hint: IT IS NOT YOUR NAME.

Peole love to brag about their name coming up first in a Google search result. As it should be. Let’s it face it though, only huge brands like Amazon actually get searched on – not small businesses like Joe Shmoe’s Books.

Step #2. Establish yourself as an expert with both Google and your prospects by creating massive content optimized for the web, seeded with your strategic keywords:

• Articles
• Press releases
• Videos
• Blogs

Here’s your opportunity to presell and prequailify your prospect by convincing them you’re by far the best choice simply by your expertise. Take massive action here! Blogging 3 to 5 times a day on your expertise is a great start. But, thatís only what it is ñ a ìstart.î

Step #3. This is really important, so listen closely. 97% of your competitors won’t take the time to do this, giving you a huge opportunity to show that you’re the expert and to dominate your keywords.

Distribute your massive amount of content all over the Internet, with back links pushing and pulling traffic to and fro your site and articles, capturing these highly targeted prospects. Allow them to both browse and purchase immediately, if inclined. If they’re not ready to buy, give them something for free in exchange for their email so you can build a relationsip.

Loads of Golden Keyword Niche Markets But Restricted Streams

Letís face it. Organic search results are limited to 10 spaces. The big companies probably already own the broad keywords. Chances are, you canít!

And, honestly – it’s not necessary. Go for the gold, instead. Lock up those long-tail keywords now! Or, I guarantee, your competitor will.

The market continually creates opportunity within niche markets. Specialty products and services just get greater demand. This is where you’ll find the untapped goldmines. They are the key to creating and sustaining a successful and profitable business and securing your spot online.

The most challenging, yet rewarding aspect is determining the “keyword” within your niche marketing. Get a FREE Keyword Consultation here http://www.BigNicheMarketing.com/contact-us.

Austin and the Power of Positive Thinking

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t… You’re right.” – Henry Ford understood the power of positive thinking. And, so did Austin.

Completing a marathon requires months of training and the power of positive thinking. Just ask my son who was 11 years old when he completed the Los Angeles Marathon.  As a casual “jogger”, I knew physically it meant running 26.2 miles but, I had no idea of the mental marathon it had in store for me.

On race day, the scope of his goal really hit me: hundreds of thousands of people lined the streets of LA in support of tens of thousands of marathoners nervously awaiting the start. I had been warned about the “wall”, the point somewhere around 18 miles into the race when, hopefully the power of positive thinking would take over for exhausted bodies that had given up.

So, that’s where I promised Austin I would be to cheer him on during his race.

Unfortunately, never having been to a marathon before, I had no idea how difficult it was to get from one spot to another. Instead, I settled in at the 24-mile marker.

The Power Of Positive Thinking Lesson #1 – Don’t Let Anyone Get Between You And Your Goal

When Austin reached the 18-mile spot, I was nowhere to be found. Dejected, from that point, he fell in with the middle of the pack and committed to a slow and painful trek towards the 26.2 mile finish. Hours passed as I sat on the curb at the 24-mile mark – - and no Austin.

Rather than panic, I started jogging towards the sea of runners, searching for him. About a mile later, I spotted him, walking, head and shoulders slung, dragging out each step in great agony, physically as well as mentally – I was crushed just looking at him.

“Hey! Austin,” I shouted.

No response.

I sprinted towards him. “Hey, ‘Aus!”  He attempted a smile but quickly let it go. His eyes watered.

“How’s it going, Sport?” I asked.

“Stupid question,” he mumbled.

I realized his spirit was completely broke. But, he kept walking.

“Where were you?” he choked on his tears. “You weren’t at the 18-mile marker, I looked for you and you weren’t there.”
I explained to him that I tried to get there but it was too difficult to get around the race, and I was afraid I’d miss him, but he wasn’t listening. He continued one step after another.

Tears flowed down both of our faces and I obviously wasn’t helping matters at all.

Watch this video for how this story relates to entrepreneurs and people wanting to start their own business.

The Power Of Positive Thinking Lesson #2 – Surround Yourself With Supportive People

We continued walking and I began to think about how much further it was to the finish line. I did the math and calculated 12 more stoplights and we were just coming up to one. I dug for a smile and an optimistic tone and said, “Hey ‘Aus, you know – there’s only 12 stoplights to go – we’re under number 12 now.”

He didn’t respond but he did keep walking.

A few minutes passed, I added, “And, look – - – we’re past number 12, headed to stoplight number 11.”
As we approached number 11, again I said, “Hey ‘Aus, here it is, stoplight number 11.” I pointed up to it as we passed under it.

This continued until we walked to stoplight number 8 where Austin glanced over at me and said, “Hey Mom, it’s stoplight number 8.”  I smiled back. “Yep, here we are, right underneath it now.”

“There goes number 8,” he said and he began to jog.

The Power Of Positive Thinking Lesson #3 – Henry Ford Was Right!

This little game continued until we rounded the stretch to the last quarter mile of the marathon – one stoplight to go – and beyond that we could both hear the loudspeaker and see the finish line.

By now we were both running and honestly, I was having a tough time keeping up with him. Finally, he sprinted for the finish, leaving me behind and I heard his name announced on the loud speaker. He glanced over his shoulder and yelled out to me…

The Power Of Positive Thinking Lesson #4 – Find Your Inspiration, You’re True “WHY”.

Hey Mom, Next year – You and Me, we’re running this thing together!” and he raced across the finish line.

The Power Of Positive Thinking Lesson #5 – Decide To Never Quit.

Eleven years old, his little legs had to take two steps for every single step the average marathoner took yet he never quit. Even though I had let him down. Even though it meant slowing down and walking some of the race.

He finished his race, and the following year he did it all over again with me in tow. That’s two marathons before he was even a teenager, before he ever drove a car, before he even thought about where he’d go to college. 26.2 miles, just, because he thought he could.

Think you can?

Yes -  think you can! Because, that’s exactly where the power of positive thinking all begins.

Classic technique of leadership and management, immediately apply to your business and spur results. For more tips, get our free 7-Day video bootcamp!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IY14zfcZgYY]

http://www.SelfEmployedAndRich?t=PerfMgmtVid

Here’s a classic technique of leadership and management, something you can immediately apply to your business and immediately spur results. For more tips, get our free 7-Day video bootcamp!

The Two-Word Secret Weapon to Effective Leadership
Performance. Management.

“Performance Management” is a term coined by Dr. Aubrey Daniels in the late 1970s   to describe a technology for managing, both behavior, and results, the two critical elements of what is known as performance. As an entrepreneur and a leader it is critical in your business.

“Performance  Management” includes goal setting and motivation. It means being 100% clear on what you want. It also includes “encouragement” and “rewards and consequences”. It is the single thing that can spur people on to greater accomplishments while strengthening their skills. Read that last sentence again.

What does this mean to you as a leader?

1. Constantly communicate your performance expectations
2. Set realistic but stretch goals. (This means, if you already make $1000 per week, set your goal to $2000.)
3. Be forgiving, but be aggressive. (Something’s just won’twork and accept it.)

WL Gore & Assoc, makers of GoreTex, the versatile and durable fabric used in outdoor products like tents and rain gear is an excellent example. When the company started, money was tight. The engineers had been working on an experiment and ended up wasting $1000 of material. They were devastated.

Mr. Gore walked in and saw the engineers with their long defeated faces and asked what’s wrong? After listening, Mr. Gore simply responded, “well, try again tomorrow.You see, Mr. Gore knew some day that the $1000 was simply an “investment” in creativity and down the road it would look minuscule.  He was a true leader and understood the power of motivation and de-motivation and the importance of staying the course.

As an entrepreneur, understand the importance of keeping it positive, staying the course, and seeing the big picture. It’ll show up as results not just to the bottom line but also in the lives of those you lead.

Don’t manage anyone, but do set the bar high for expectations. Mr. Gore understood that his engineers were just “in the game.”  He brought the perspective that they were all in it to “win,” and to simply try again tomorrow. Do this with your own business and watch what happens.

Performance + Management = Success.

courtesy http://www.PhotoSpin.com

Performance. Management.

“Performance Management” is a term coined by Dr. Aubrey Daniels in the late 1970s   to describe a technology for managing, both behavior, and results, the two critical elements of what is known as performance. As an entrepreneur and a leader it is critical in your business.

“Performance  Management” includes goal setting and motivation. It means being 100% clear on what you want. It also includes “encouragement” and “rewards and consequences”. It is the single thing that can spur people on to greater accomplishments while strengthening their skills. Read that last sentence again.

What does this mean to you as a leader?

1. Constantly communicate your performance expectations
2. Set realistic but stretch goals. (This means, if you already make $1000 per week, set your goal to $2000.)
3. Be forgiving, but be aggressive. (Something’s just won’t work and accept it.)

WL Gore & Assoc, makers of GoreTex, the versatile and durable fabric used in outdoor products like tents and rain gear is an excellent example. When the company started, money was tight. The engineers had been working on an experiment and ended up wasting $1000 of material. They were devastated.

Mr. Gore walked in and saw the engineers with their long defeated faces and asked what’s wrong? After listening, Mr. Gore simply responded, “well, try again tomorrow.”

You see, Mr. Gore knew some day that the $1000 was simply an “investment” in creativity and down the road it would look minuscule.  He was a true leader and understood the power of motivation and de-motivation and the importance of staying the course.

As an entrepreneur, understand the importance of keeping it positive, staying the course, and seeing the big picture. It’ll show up as results not just to the bottom line but also in the lives of those you lead.

Don’t manage anyone, but do set the bar high for expectations. Mr. Gore understood that his engineers were just “in the game.”  He brought the perspective that they were all in it to “win,” and to simply try again tomorrow. Do this with your own business and watch what happens.

Performance + Management = Success.

Internet entrepreneur, Stephanie Robey shares the secrets of really thriving vs. surviving in Starting A Small Business. Here’s how…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mffzUUJQpCk]

http://www.MeetStephAndDave.com?t=thrivingvidTG

Internet entrepreneur, Stephanie Robey shares the secrets of really thriving vs. surviving in a home based business. We all make daily choices on how we want to live our lives, you can choose to thrive. Here’s how…

Thriving And Not Just Surviving Is The Key To Starting A Small Business

As a society and a culture we are programmed to survive. Not to thrive. It takes great intellectual effort to thrive. And, it can be quite painful. Which is why most people don’t do it. What do I mean by this? It’s the ultimate in your own personal responsibility.

Let me explain… If you bought a TV you have a right to not plug it in, and therefore, you won’t get a picture. What areas of your life have you bought the TV and not plugged it in? Or worse, not plugged it in and are blaming someone else for it not having a picture on it?

It’s fear that keeps people from living a transformed life.  

Fear never won a race, wrote a poem or earned a medal. Power did that. Faith did that. Power is a choice, a choice to overcome fear.

Choose to be powerful and watch your business grow. Tell that little voice in your head to sit down and shut-up. ALWAYS find a perspective that says I’m a winner.

Frustration is another daily emotion that we can choose not to struggle with…
Frustration is a gift, it’s energy and it’s up to you to turn that energy into something. Turn it into power

So, choose a fearless life. Challenge yourself, and more importantly surround yourself with fearless people in starting your small business. Soon you’ll be continually thriving rather than just surviving.
 

They buy into the system, buy the product and then it sits in their home office with the shrink-wrap still on it. I don’t know why they DON’T– but I do understand why others DO take action: they use the power of visualization meditation.

I was a graphic designer for the first fifteen years of my career. I understand visualization. I’m a visual person. When I have an idea, I “see” it before I ever write it down. I start imagining exactly what “it” looks like.  It’s a ritual. I imagine my day every morning, I always have.

However, I didn’t always control it. If my day started out bad, I’d imagine it getting worse. And, guess what? It did. Proof that visualization works. Once I learned that I could just imagine my day being good everyday, guess what? I imagined it GREAT and it IS.

The same thing applies to goals. Make a commitment to yourself for daily visualization meditation on your goals. Make it a ritual in your life.

Now, the one word that separates the people who take action vs. those who don’t is “certainty”. How certain are you that you and your business are going to achieve what you got into this industry to achieve? Visualize it. That one level of certainty will change your results.

On the flip side, if you have doubt, then a level of doubt will appear in your business and guess what? People don’t buy into doubt. It’s pretty simple.

Challenge yourself: how certain are you about you and your home business? If you’re not certain then you can change it through the power of visualization meditation. It’s the 1st thing leaders do every single day. It’s been proven to work over centuries.

“Potential” is a politically correct way of saying you haven’t done squat yet. We all have potential. But your level of certainty defines the level of action you’re going to take, you’re going to obtain, and you’re going to go full circle back to reinforce the level of certainty that you have.

Visualization Meditation. Daily. See your success and see what happens.

It takes great intellectual effort to thrive. And, it can be quite painful. Which is why most people don’t do it. We live in a culture of being a spectator. But successful network marketers understand they have to take on the source.

What do I mean by this? It’s the ultimate in your own personal responsibility.

Let me explain… If you bought a TV you have a right to not plug it in, and therefore, you won’t get a picture. What areas of your life have you bought the TV and not plugged it in? Or worse, not plugged it in and are blaming someone else for it not having a picture on it?

People blame others for not being liked. It comes from a state of judgment when in reality they are just “asleep” consciously. Well, wake up! Don’t sell out living a transformed life (like being a home based business owner) to be liked.  It’s fear that keeps people from living a transformed life.

Fear never wrote a poem or cured a disease. Fear never saved a marriage or a business. It never pulled a family out of poverty. Power did that. Faith did that. Power is a choice, a choice to overcome fear.

Choose to be powerful and watch your business grow. Tell that little voice in your head to sit down and shut-up. It’s this distinction that creates leaders, that attracts people to you, respect you, and follow you. ALWAYS find a perspective that says I’m a winner.

When you’re results don’t match your expectations you get frustrated, right?

Frustration is a gift, it’s energy and it’s up to you to turn that energy into something. Turn it into power.  If you think of yourself as a winner then that’s what you’ll create. If you think of yourself as a failure – guess what? You’re turning that energy into a bomb rather than rocket fuel.

Be committed to a fearless life. Surround yourself with people who live a fearless life. Choose a fearless journey. It’s the key to growth in network marketing: thriving rather than simply surviving.