Samantha Cross
Entrepeneur and home based business leader, connecting with those who seek success in working from home.
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Monday, August 5, 2013
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Avoid the Scatter Bomb!
If you're wondering what the scatter bomb is, it's exactly as it sounds. Here you are, trying to focus on building your home-based business, and along comes a new, better, faster way to make an obscene amount of money today! Just writing that makes me feel like an idiot! But I am putting my pride aside, so that hopefully I can help you avoid this. The scatter bomb can come in the form of a "better opportunity" which is pretty obvious, but it can be as sneaky as a little innocent product that will bring you more "targeted prospects".
Of course, you are going to want to listen to some training from industry leaders: Dani Johnson, Joe Syverson, Mark Yarnell......but ONLY and if ONLY it is helping with your primary business. No one becomes successful and wealthy by being a jack of all trades and a master on none. In the beginning, I was trying to master way too many things at once, and not mastering anything but becoming frustrated and overwhelmed.
So I took my team leader's advice, and read the books they suggested for my personal development. The books helped bring clarity to my priorities....for awhile. Then one day, I was looking up some tips on blogging, and came across this cute face combined with a great article. BAM! Next thing I know, I am on the phone with him and he is selling me on a book and an affiliate marketing campaign.
Of course, the idea sounded great "If you advertise free videos to marketers to help them with their sales, prospecting, closing etc, you will make a little money on the front end, even if they don't join your business. These prospects are more targeted because they have an interest in the industry". Ok great, where do I sign up?? I couldn't give my credit card info fast enough!
After a whole day of training for affiliate marketing (which I swore I would never do. Nothing against it, just not my cup of tea), I realized there were at least 7 more steps to this "simple" product training, and tons more "training" after that. A whole day lost, just gone and wasted. I didn't call back anyone from my ad campaigns, didn't post any new ads or blog entries, and wasted valuable time instead posting links for these "free" videos that came with their own autoresponders, and sales letters etc.....GRRRRR.
Now don't get me wrong, there's nothing "wrong" with affiliate marketing. The problem here is when you work at home, it's easy to get distracted from focusing on your priorities (such as bringing in revenue!). Now it sounded good in theory, after all, the products were supposed to be bringing new prospects for my business. For me, it was overwhelming, exhausting,and counter-productive.
Moral of the story: FOCUS FOCUS FOCUS on what is going to bring you one step closer to your goals. If you are having a difficult time figuring out what that next step is, then get with your upline or a coach, and get it on paper. Don't get involved with everything that sounds like it will help, because then you will just be scattered. Find someone who has had success in the areas you want success and follow their advice!
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Honestly, how hard is it to work from home?
When we think of work at home, we think "How hard can it be?" Or "It will solve all my problems". This can be true, but it's not as easy as you think. Don't get me wrong, what I do is simple and I truly enjoy it 100%, but it's so hard to keep to a schedule, to explain to family and friends that just because I'm home doesn't mean I'm doing nothing, to not get sidetracked by Facebook, Twitter, laundry, what the neighbors are doing..... You must have strong discipline, or develop it. I believe anyone can learn or develop the skills and leadership required to work for themselves, however, many have no desire.
When you are looking for work at home, keep in mind that you want a team of business partners whom are above average leaders and follow a schedule themselves. People tend to do what their leader does, so if you are being trained or working with a leader that is a total mess with no organaization, it is likely you will pick up their bad habits.
It's necessary to make and follow a schedule. Think in terms of what your schedule would be like if you worked for someone else or outside of your home. You would be working, and ONLY working, from a certain time to a certain time, then family time would be outside of those hours, and of course leisure and relaxation needs worked into your schedule, or you would go crazy! The luxury of being your own boss from home is that you can make a schedule that is to your liking, but the downfall is if you are not organized and disciplined, you may need to work hard at setting that schedule.
Despite the learning curve, and the difficulty in being accountable, working from home, especially for yourself is absolutely rewarding and worth it! As long as you are being realistic and seek a good coach/mentor, you can easily become successful.
Friday, July 12, 2013
Get Organized for a Successful Family Vacation with a Vacation Planning File
Summer vacations are some of the happiest memories for families. Family vacations are a great time to sit back, relax and spend some quality time together; away from chores, busy schedules, email and other distractions. However, getting ready for vacation can be exhausting!
One of the best ways to get ready for a vacation is to create a vacation planning file as early as possible. Inside your vacation planning file will be everything you may need to refer to, before, and during your vacation. Typical contents will include, packing lists, itinerary info, accommodation info, maps, important documents and much more.
If you have a family member with health issues, make sure you have pertinent information handy, including a list of all medications and the location of the nearest urgent care center or hospital at your destination.
Keep your vacation planning file in a convenient location, so that it will be quick and easy to add vacation related papers.
You will need:
• A 3-Ring binder: Select a 2” binder with a clear overlay so that you can insert your own decorative custom cover.
• A 3 hole paper punch: Keep one handy, so that you don’t procrastinate adding papers that need be 3 hole punched prior to filing.
• Tabbed dividers: Keep your papers organized by using tabbed dividers with labeled inserts. Or create an organized binder with numbered tabbed dividers, like the one pictured here from Avery.
If you get too busy to do your paper filing and end up with a backlog of travel related papers, create a “To File” folder, just for your vacation file and don’t mix it with any other paperwork. Keep the file nearby to collect your vacation related papers until you have a few minutes to file them away.
Your new and organized vacation file will be the perfect place to file all of those papers that have been sitting in a pile on the kitchen counters, or in a variety of places around the house. You will no longer feel guilty for collecting sightseeing information, local amenities, and things to do during your vacation, because you’ll finally have a proper organizational system that you can use year after year.
For more detailed tips on creating a vacation planning file, plus hundreds of other organization tips and ideas, check out “The Busy Mom’s Guide to a More Organized Life: Time Saving Tips to Help Busy Moms Get More Done!”, available on my website at CastAway the Clutter!
Would you also like to know what some of the top organization products are to help you to get organized and stay organized? Register for Jacquie's free special report "21 Organizing Solutions to Cast Away the Clutter!" and receive her bonus Timely Tips newsletter with organizing tips especially for busy moms and families who feel overscheduled and overwhelmed. Get your free special report now to get started on your journey to getting organized! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6294199
Article Source: WAHM Articles
Top 10 Suggestions for Legit Work at Home and How to Tell if it's Real!
But yet we still have millions of people trying to beat the rat race, and dreaming of the perfect work at home opportunity. Those people include: parents who want to be home with their children, military spouses who need to be flexible and able to move, the disabled population, people who already work outside of their home and need to supplement their income, the driven Corporate manager or CEO who is just burnt out by all the hours, and those who have supposedly retired but still can't make ends meet. If you think about it, that includes almost every category of the working class!
*Feel free to leave a comment or question if you need help with your search!*