Call me crazy but I don’t think we should tolerate dread in our business.  If there’s something you often dread doing – why keep doing it at all?

Can you change your attitude about it?  Can you attach enough value or reward to the work that you stop feeling dread and actually look forward to it?

Just quit?  Have you considered whether you even have to do it?  How much time you spend doing work that has no real pay off?  Most ‘fear based’ activities are a total waste of time.

Outsource it!  If it’s something that must be done- who says you have to be the one to do it?  I refuse to put my hand to work that I don’t enjoy.  The funny thing is that some things I hate doing, others really enjoy.

Check out my Plan Your Offer Funnel Workshop coming up the last week of May.  (If you’re on my mailing list you’ll have access to a killer 75% off coupon code.)

I so admire the courage and determination it takes to do this – especially when I know it’s a big step of faith for Christine and her hubby financially.

Some of us have teamed up with her to run an amazing fire sale to cover all of the expenses for Sergiy’s visit.

What’s included in the package? Well, much of it is ‘home and family’ oriented…..

From Christine – “The Menu Mom”
- Kid Approved Meals
- Entertaining Made Easy
- Summer Fun Recipes
- Bread Machine Magic
- Christine’s Favorite Forms & Checklists

From Patti at “Remarkable Wrinklies”
- Memory Lane Meals – A Collection of Recipes Celebrating Cozy Meals From Days Gone By

From “The Hillbilly Housewife”
- Crockpot Cooking and Recipe Collection
- Summer Cooking
- Ice Cream and Other Frozen Treats

From Tracy at “Moms In A Blog”
- 30 Days To An Organized Home

From Tawra and Jill at “Living On A Dime”
- Quick & Easy Menus on a Dime

There are a few things with a strong business focus:

From “Just Add Sweat”
- How To Start a Recipe Blog for Profit and Fun

From Angela at “Marketers Mojo”
- Gimp Graphics Mojo (a course on using Gimp to edit photos)

From “Tech Based Training”
- Build Your Own Website with WordPress (a 2-day Web Class)

And yes, I’ve got something terrific in there too: “Plan Your Offer Funnel Workshop”

Yes, that’s a $197 Workshop and it’s yours when you snap up the Fire Sale before it ends on Tuesday May 22nd.

You cannot do what you’ve always done and expect your business to grow exponentially.  If you want to work smarter, not harder you will eventually have to step it up and let someone with greater perspective and experience speak into your projects and plans.

Listen in and be inspired to let someone give you a big old shove out of the ordinary ;)

10 Day May Madness is in it’s fourth year and the offers this year really rock!

A few to get your appetite going:

• Corrie Ragen Green has a $97 product in there.
• Lynette Chandler has a Two Day WordPress Set up Class offer.
• Susanne Myers is offering her popular Affiliate Tasks class!

Nice huh?

It’s not all marketing info, there are a few home and lifestyle offers as well.

Of course I have a couple of offers in the mix – and a cool freebie for everyone who checks the offers out – go get registered to find out what they are!

The Wins:

It’s been an awesome couple of months in my business. I have busied myself applying the ideas and strategies picked up at the NAMS event in February and am pleased to report that it’s paying off nicely.

I’ve released two new products, 42 Day Launch Incubator (refreshed and expanded) & Smart Podcasting Skills (brand new).

Working knee deep in a new product is challenging, especially when I released both products before they’re even finished.  Talk about being held accountable – when someone has paid for the product they sorta expect that lessons will be forthcoming! One nice part of launching before the product is complete is being able to build in content based on student questions.  I like knowing that I’m delivering exactly what they need.

Last week I had the chance to talk about podcasting over at MyNams for their Wednesday night webinar.  That was a terrific experience and yielded a lot of orders for the new course.

Over the last few weeks I penned a 4000+ word chapter for a book project Ellen Britt invited me to participate in.  I can’t wait to tell you more about it.

In April I participated in a coaching program with Paul Evans and Carrie Wilkerson – that was an eye opening experience.  I’m calling this a Win but it revealed a couple of Fails in my business LOL! It isn’t often that I invest in coaching and I’m very glad I did.

On a non-business front, I’m in my third month on a low carb lifestyle and am now the proud member of two gyms. I’ve been getting in at least 250 minutes of cardio each week!  I feel fantastic and it has had an impact on my work.  I’m full of energy, creativity and determination.  Nice side effects to have.

The Fail:

The big fail for me has been being too slow to admit I need to charge more for my One on One coaching time.  When I released 42 Day Launch Incubator I offered some One on One coaching packages and got booked up really fast.  I realized straight away that I hadn’t priced my time appropriately at all.  I don’t regret the time I spent working with those clients, I had a great time.

Pricing is a stumbling block for most of us.  We bring so much baggage to the situation whether it’s a poverty mindset or a lack of self confidence.  For me, I don’t think they were at fault, it was more that I was trying to ‘provide value’ for the investment and clearly undervaluing my time.  After a stern review from Paul & Carrie I sucked it up and bumped up my coaching prices.

The good news?  It wasn’t even a day or two later that I had a new client sign up under the new price.

The Give:

10 Day May Madness starts tomorrow and I am at work right now on a fantastic freebie for all who register.  (It’s an audio and detailed checklist that could help you make some much needed extra cash!)  Go get signed up!

A call for Guest Bloggers:  I would love to have you submit your Win. Fail. Give.  Share what’s worked, what’s flopped and offer up something sweet for our readers.  Get in touch!

My guest this week is Leesa Barnes and we had a super conversation about what it takes to pull together a big guest blogger series for your blog.  Leesa is in the middle of a 30 part, 27 blogger series (Uncovering Naked Faith) right now and it’s been drawing big numbers – which she is happy to share with us.  Listen in and get some ideas for your own guest blogger series.

Be sure to go read my guest post in the series.

Coming up:

10 Day May Madness kicks up this coming weekend, be sure to drop by and pop your email in the box to receive notice when the $5 deals go live.

My newest course, Smart Podcasting Skills, launches May first.

My guest this week is Dan Morris from Letters from Dan and Making Money With Pinterest. I met Dan at NAMS for the first time two years ago and again this February.  You’re going to enjoy his easy going style and get a lot of deeply mined nuggets about Pinterest from this conversion.

Click here to learn more from Dan.

Speaking of NAMS, I’m going to be sharing my Podcasting expertise over there this Wednesday night and the live session is open to the public. Go register here. (Click on my event and drop your name and email in the box.)

I’m going to be talking about Podcasting and will share some very good reasons that you should be podcasting sooner or later.

You know I’ve been doing a show since November of 2003.  I love podcasting and believe it has been a huge part of my success.

Whether you’ve given Podcasting a thought before – DO come to the webinar and let me work my powers of persuasion on you ;)

Membership groups come in all shapes and sizes.  One group I joined recently is still quite small, fewer than 20 members.  Just about everyone has shown themselves interested in the topic by joining in conversation.  Another group I’m part of has many hundreds of members, yet online discussions are minimal.

It seems a shame to me when someone joins a membership group and never enters into the conversation.

Here are some specific ways to get active today:

Introduce Yourself

Every group I’ve been part of have asked new members to come and post an introduction message in the discussion area.  Do more than tell us your familial stats and website address.  Try using these sub-headings as a guide to share enough info about yourself that your fellow members get a feel for who you are and what you do:

• Quick Personal Details:
• Quick Business History:
• A Business Achievement I’m Proud Of:
• A Project I’m Working On Now:
• Why I Joined This Group:

If you’re brand new to business, say so.  Newcomers are welcome additions to just about every group.

If you joined a group years ago and it’s been awhile since you participated, come back and post a new introduction message.  “I’ve been a member since XXXX but I’ve been away for X years, here’s what’s up with me now:”

Complete Your Member Profile

Every group is different as far the tool that they’re using to manage the membership.  Figure out what all is available to as far as a profile goes and make use of it.  Plug in your social media links. Fill in our bio. Provide a good headshot photo, etc.

Ask a Specific Question Regarding A Real Situation

Membership groups exist largely to help us get answers to questions, so ask them – but ask questions with some meat to them whenever possible.

Don’t ask: “What do you think of Article Marketing?” 

Do ask: “I’ve launched a new blog, I’ve got my about page all set, there are six posts live, my mailing list isn’t set up yet though – do you think Article Marketing is a good next step for me?”

The first question is too wide and most won’t volunteer an answer because they don’t know what you’re after as far as an answer.  The second questions will draw a quick reply because it’s clear, provides details and asks for specific info.

If you like, follow this simple ‘Question Formula’:

• Here’s my issue:
• This is what I’ve done so far:
• Here’s my question:

Also, notice that I’m asking one question at a time.  A post with a half dozen questions in it is hard to respond to for the best of us.  Ask one, get an answer and ask another.  If you need clarification, ask for it.  That’s how great discussions are born.

Share a New Project In Progress

Most membership groups frown on self promotion so you never want to post ‘Hey, come check out my new ___!’.  That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t come and share what you’re working on.  It’s almost always appropriate to share plans for a new project and to come and invite feedback for it along the way.  When it’s all finished, your TaDa! moment is welcome because you’ve involved the group in the development process.

Ask for Critique

Putting yourself or your project on the hot seat by inviting comment from the group can be intimidating, but it’s a great way to jump in with both feet and learn.

Don’t ask: ‘What do you think of my website?”

Do ask: “My website, __________, is ready for a first critique.  It’s purpose is ________, my target market is ____________, I want first time visitors to ___________.  Is the site doing what I say it’s supposed to?  What advice do you have for me?”

Again, the first question is too wide.  Your fellow members don’t know what exactly you want to know.  The second question is specific and provide solid info about what you’re trying to accomplish.

If you want feedback on colors and graphics, say so.  If you want feedback on your web copy, ask for it.

Also thank those who take the time to tell you what they think.  You don’t have to respond to all feedback specifically and you don’t have to follow all advice given.  Take it in, sort it through and use what you can.

Ask for Recommendations

We all love to make recommendations and the more specific your request is, the better your response will be.

Good examples:

“I’m looking for a good book on __________ to read on vacation next month.  Have you read anything good you’d recommend?”

“I need an easy to use form plugin for my site. What are you using and did you think it was simple to learn?”

“I’m wondering if Google+ is worth spending time on.  I’d love to hear from someone who feels that they’re getting good value from it.”

Use Good English & Neat Formatting

Full transparency: I don’t have perfect grammar. Still, I try to do the best I can.  When you participate in discussions, please do the same.  Use proper capitalization, do spell check and don’t slip into ‘texting’ style messages.  Use complete sentences and keep paragraphs short.  Do put spaces between your paragraphs, it’s hard to read text on a screen that runs together in a big blob.

Discussion posts that fail in this area get far fewer replies.  Keep an eye out for it from now on and you’ll see it’s true.

Give Something Away Or Offer A Significant Discount

If it’s appropriate, show appreciate for your fellow members by giving them something.  Many membership groups have a platform for this.  If you’re not sure, ask the leader.  Perhaps you want to offer members fee access to a live event you’re charging the public for.  Or you could offer gift them an eBook you’ve written.  It’s normal and accepted that these offers would have a time limit so don’t feel like you have to make the freebie available permanently unless you wish to.

Be careful about having any strings attached to your offer.  This is a different set of rules compared to offering a freebie to the general public.  Do not ask members to optin to your list unless it’s clear that this is the norm with your group.  It’s better to freely give and trust that your resource will impress them enough to want to subscribe on their own.

When offering a discount, don’t offer a measly 10% coupon code – that won’t get anyone excited.  Be generous, give 25% or even 50% of the public price.  Or, if you’re providing a service you can offer them a valuable perk with their purchase.

If you have an affiliate program, do offer the group leader an opportunity to sign up for your program and promote your discount through their link.  When you show respect for them and make them money, they will be open to future promotions.

Visit Member Sites & Comment

Follow the links in member signatures and engage in discussion on their blogs if it’s a decent fit for you. Don’t leave blah comments that say ‘Nice post!’.  Add to the conversation, shoot for 50 words or more.  Close your first comment by mentioning you found their site through the membership at ___.

Offer to Guest Post/Ask for Guest Posts

Chances are some people you’re networking with in a membership group are in the same or similar niche as you.  Offering them a feature spot on your blog is a great way to develop a friendly relationship.

The best way to ask for guest blog posts is to provide some topic options and info about your blog.

“My blog, ____, is  about _____ and my readers seem to enjoy content about ______.  I’d love to publish guest blog posts that talk about ______ or ________.”

Give them some idea about the length your looking for and provide instructions on how to contact you.

“I usually publish posts around 600 words in length with a first person writing style.  If you’re interested, please send me a private message with your email contact info.”

Offering to guest post is quite similar.  Start by telling them what you love to write about and who you’d like to reach with your message.

“I’ve been writing a lot of blog posts about _____ lately and would love the chance to guest post on blogs that reach readers who _____.  I’ll write something unique for your audience and will not duplicate the content elsewhere.  Please shout out if you’d be interested.” 

Not so scary, right?

Comment on Resources/Request Specific Topics

You are reserving time to actually consume the resources you’re paying for, aren’t you?  The next time you finish up a particular resource, head to the discussion area and share your thoughts about it.

An excellent rule: Compliment in public, criticize in private.

If you loved the resource, say so for all to read.  Be specific, share what you liked and how you plan to act on the info.  If you wish the resource had more detail about something, ask the leader privately if they can point you to deeper learning.  I for one love receiving member requests that give me a clue about what my members need.

Celebrate New Achievements

Did you just sell your first product, come crow about it.  Even better, tell us what you did to get the sale.  Did you win a competition, how’d you do it?  Are you nominated for a reward? Tell us about it, especially why it’s so important to you.

You’re not bragging, you’re excited and these successes are super motivating to everyone.

Ask For Help Crushing Obstacles

Nobody likes a whiner so don’t come to a discussion area to moan about your problems.  The ‘woe is me’ attitude is so unpleasant.  That doesn’t mean you can’t share a problem you’re having.  Tell the facts and explain what has you stumped.  Ask for ideas on how you can overcome the issue.

Thank The Leader(s)

If you love the culture of your membership group, be sure to express appreciate to those who lead.  Leadership is often lonely and running an online membership is a lot of work.  Taking a moment to give them a heart felt thumbs up is golden.

In closing…

The close relationships you make in a private group will end up being worth more to you than any other business asset but it takes time and personal investment to cultivate them.  Start making the time and put yourself out there today.  If you’re not welcomed right away, if you don’t get the response you hoped for – keep going.  Every group has a unique dynamic but ultimately they want to get to know you.  Be persistent, be open and be yourself.

Looking for a great membership group to join? I invite you to come explore Solo Masterminds.

This has always been one of my favorite motivational truths.  Everything you do either moves you forward, moves you backward or leaves you right were you are.  The troublesome thing is that we fool ourselves about which is which quite a lot.

We busy ourselves with habit tasks and work long hours – but are we measuring the result?  A lot that we do ‘just because we always have’ is not moving our business forward.

Some things we do actually harm us – like spending money on a resource we never use.

We can’t honestly judge the effectiveness of what we do unless we have set a clear measurable goal.  Since we’re in business, most times that goal will be income.

This week, spend some time setting a real goal.  Then begin to evaluate your activities and expenses against it.  Be tough with yourself.  Break the old mold and cast a new one for the rest of 2012!

Want to work with me on your ideas and goals?

Grab my Ideas to Action Tool Kit & Coaching Bundle here.