101 Most Recent Articles
Written By: Mark Silver

1	Hey! Why the Long Sales Pages? Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2009-04-01 | - Word Count: 868 | Viewed: 817 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 2.40 So, you get one of those emails from someone whose business you kinda like. And it's got some enticing little message in it - so you click to take a look at the offer. And suddenly you find yourself in highlighter land. Broad streaks of yellow, lots of exclamation points, and pages and pages of words making all kinds of claims and promises. And when you scroll allllllll the way down to the bottom, there isn't even a price. You need to click on an 'order now' button before they even tell you the price.
2	How To Write A 300 Page Book In Four Months Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2009-02-26 | - Word Count: 821 | Viewed: 1269 | Votes: 7 | Rating: 2.29 There's a lot of hoopla about becoming an author of your very own business book. The promise of fame and fortune is very alluring. Yet your book remains perpetually 'about to be' written. Or, you've sequestered yourself for weeks or months to write your book, only to come out with something you feel luke-warm about.
3	How To Get Feedback From Colleagues That Makes Sense Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2009-01-27 | - Word Count: 841 | Viewed: 3225 | Votes: 9 | Rating: 2.22 Okay, you've just written a new website, or a new sales page. Or maybe you've just created a new product or offer. Or even just tried on a new suit. And you turn to your friend and ask: "Can I get some feedback from you? What do you think?"
4	The Role of Hunger in Your Business Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2009-01-21 | - Word Count: 1016 | Viewed: 740 | Votes: 4 | Rating: 3.50 Hunger and fear are good for your business. Not abject hunger and despairing panic, mind you. That's too much. But a little touch of hunger and fear is very useful. I know there are many people out there who would prefer that not to be the case. And I'm one of them. I wish inspiration and love were big enough motivators for action. But for us humans who aren't yet enlightened, they don't seem to work so well.
5	Spirituality in Your Business Without Scaring Clients Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2009-01-05 | - Word Count: 1101 | Viewed: 802 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 3.00 You've been deepening your spirituality, and it has seeped into everything you do, or is starting to. The thing is, will it freak your clients out if you go all woo-woo and bizarre on them? Even if you're already using spirituality strongly in your business, I'm guessing there are places you just don't want to go, things that are too blatant or strong. You don't want to evangelize, you're not looking to convert anyone. But something's missing.
6	How a Personal Secretary is Critical to Your Response Rate Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-12-23 | - Word Count: 1037 | Viewed: 768 | Votes: 3 | Rating: 3.00 In a past Moneyflow class, one of the participants was promoting a seminar. 'People aren't responding to my emails. What do I do?' 'Well, tell me what you've done,' I said. 'Today the second email went out. I've only had 5 people respond so far on my list of 100. And I've been networking, and making phone calls, and sending out flyers.' What wasn't working?
7	Avoiding Financial Trauma Stress Disorder Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-12-01 | - Word Count: 1002 | Viewed: 913 | Votes: 1 | Rating: 1.00 Day after day we're being treated to news of the global financial markets being flushed further and further down the toilet. If you run a small business, it can be hard to hold onto hope and inspiration, because maybe this time things really are doomed. Makes you wonder and doubt--did someone not buy simply because they didn't buy, or is this the beginning of the end of your business?
8	Marketing Without Spending Your Life Trolling the Internet Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-11-17 | - Word Count: 1160 | Viewed: 785 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 1.83 "I'd rather be rock climbing, hiking, spending time outside than in front of a computer. And, it all feels so useless, like nothing works anyhow. I'm spending my life energy in front of the computer, I feel like , and it's not moving my business forward!" That's what a client of ours was telling us. And how about you? You're staring at a screen right now, reading this. How many hours do you have to spend in front of a computer to make your business work, anyway?
9	Why Clients Don't Buy-- and 8232;The Hierarchy of Choice Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-11-14 | - Word Count: 1352 | Viewed: 689 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 2.83 So you struggle over getting all the details just right, like pricing and timing, and all the other features included in your offers so your best clients will buy from you. So why aren't they buying? It's because all of those details are actually the least important part of a purchasing choice. One common misconception says that human beings make choices based on what's best for them, but that falls apart really quickly in the aftermath of several empty tubs of ice cream, as you hold your stomach and groan, "Why did I do that again?!?"
10	Can Branding Ever Be Heart Centered? Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-10-27 | - Word Count: 807 | Viewed: 759 | Votes: 3 | Rating: 3.00 Sometimes the world delivers up vocabulary words that are just plain wrong. Painfully wrong. Words like "branding," which the world of marketing seems to love, but regular folks and cows just seem to hate. And it's because of how branding has often been used. Companies have done psychological studies on how to craft an environment that gets you to react in the way they want you to. It's like herding cattle into the searing-hot iron--ouch. Of course you don't want to use branding. Why would you ever want to do THAT?
11	How Do You Be Unique When and 8232; What You Do Isn't Yours? Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-10-23 | - Word Count: 822 | Viewed: 693 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 3.17 You come off the freeway exit ramp, and bam, you're stuck behind a long line of cars at the stop sign, all wanting to turn left, the same way you want to go. Slowly, one by one, they go through the stop sign. You inch imperceptibly forward. Suddenly one of the cars peals off and goes right, instead of left. You're bored by this time, so you figure, what the heck--let's try it out.
12	Other People's Stuff in Your Info Product Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-09-09 | - Word Count: 821 | Viewed: 719 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 2.00 It was 1995 and there we were: me, my girlfriend of one year (who is now my wife), and my parents all snowed in at my parents' home. A blizzard had struck suddenly, and we were stuck in D.C. for an extra two days, unable to fly out. Unable to do anything, really, except be stuck together. Luckily, we had a great time together. We shoveled snow, drank tea, and laughed a lot. But, can you imagine if that had happened the year before on our very first date, when we didn't know each other at all? A first date snowed in for four days with your date and your parents?
13	When Following-the-Leader Gets Your Business in Trouble Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-09-02 | - Word Count: 891 | Viewed: 2558 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 2.83 On a hot summer day in the early 1990's, I was standing in the middle of a California freeway. Four cars were piled up around me, and ambulances, fire engines, and the California Highway Patrol were arriving one after the other. Our paramedic unit had parked where the first-in unit had told us to park, and we were working on the car that first medic on-scene had directed us to. Per protocol, the first paramedic on-scene was the "incident commander" until a higher ranking command officer or supervisor arrived.
14	Repeat After Me: 'I Have Only One Business.' Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-08-19 | - Word Count: 909 | Viewed: 956 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 1.60 Imagine you're ten years old, and there are huge stacks of cardboard boxes towering over you. It's a maze. It's a fortress. And you're allowed to climb all over them. Inside every single one of those boxes is a dozen bottles. Fine wines, liquor, you name it. It may sound like a caterer's dream, but I was just hanging out in the warehouse of my grandfather's wine store. My parents worked with him, and so I kinda grew up there.
15	How To Chop Days And Hours Off Your Article Writing. Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-08-12 | - Word Count: 589 | Viewed: 1131 | Votes: 3 | Rating: 3.33 Ready to write an article? You even made the big step of scheduling time to do it. So here it is, and you're sitting at your desk, staring blankly at the screen. Just like you've been doing for the last two weeks. And still no article. Despite the fact it was supposed to go out 10 days ago. Ugh.
16	'Help! I'm lazy!' Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-08-05 | - Word Count: 554 | Viewed: 1226 | Votes: 8 | Rating: 3.25 All the messages coming at us from popular culture tell us that if we're not doing what we're supposed to be doing, we're lazy. I'm going to tell you right now, I don't believe in lazy.
17	The Curse of Professionalism in Your Business Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-07-31 | - Word Count: 967 | Viewed: 1141 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 2.40 Have you ever received (or written) an email like this one? 'Thank you for your correspondence. We appreciate your desire to contact us, and someone will get back to you shortly.' Kinda cold and stale, eh? I'm used to seeing things like this from corporations, and from the back of our refrigerator, but how about us teensy business folks?
18	What You Need To Do To Avoid Burning Money On Advertising. Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-07-29 | - Word Count: 809 | Viewed: 1476 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 2.60 Advertising. Curse? Money hole? Or powerful venue? It seems so obvious: where else, for a few hundred dollars, could you get in front of thousands of people? And it's true that many of them are really wanting what you're offering. Unfortunately, the vast majority of advertising ends up being good to wrap fish in, and not much else. People cry up "But it's getting me exposure," and that's true, to a point. However, is it really increasing sales? Is it really getting people the help they need?
19	Why Attraction is a Mistake in Marketing Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-07-24 | - Word Count: 1025 | Viewed: 724 | Votes: 3 | Rating: 4.00 Coffee shop. The background beat of some silly pop music. Buzz of conversation. The glow of laptop screens. And then, one near the counter, the other in a window seat, they both look up, and their eyes meet. Attraction! Next thing you know, they're picking out paint colors, and sharing chores in some nice little house in the neighborhood. It's a cozy picture, isn't it? If only your clients would move into your business as easily. Unfortunately, when your eyes meet theirs, they tend to look away.
20	The Myth Of Being Successfully Solo In Business Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-07-22 | - Word Count: 1137 | Viewed: 687 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 2.20 There's a breakneck pace that many new solo business owners assume. With an infinite number of things to do, and about a dozen hats to wear, it gets overwhelming, fast. And, that's nothing compared to what happens once the business actually has some momentum under it. That's why one of my clients with a brand-new business was asking me: 'Mark, how do you get it all done? Your business has about 100 times more going on in it than mine does, and I'm overwhelmed just with what I'm trying to get done.'
21	How the Kitchen Sink Drains Your Repeat Business Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-07-22 | - Word Count: 845 | Viewed: 1511 | Votes: 4 | Rating: 3.25 Why -do- clients come back? The real reason they keep coming back. They come back because they actually used what you offered them. And it's gone. They ate it all up, and they want more. The Garbage Disposal Disaster. How many CDs are you stuffing down your customer's drain?
22	How To Write A 300 Page Book In Four Months Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-07-15 | - Word Count: 821 | Viewed: 36601 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 1.83 There's a lot of hoopla about becoming an author of your very own business book. The promise of fame and fortune is very alluring. Yet your book remains perpetually 'about to be' written. Meanwhile your business has ground to a halt. Hmmm... might there be a better way to get a book written?
23	When You Feel So Pressured To Make Money You Can't Think Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-07-08 | - Word Count: 1048 | Viewed: 907 | Votes: 4 | Rating: 2.50 Your marriage falls apart, you or your partner is laid-off, or your spouse gets ill and you lose half your household income. The financial pressures sweep in like a sudden high tide, and as one of my clients wrote me, 'I feel so pressured to make money I can't think.' What do you do in a situation like this? 'Forget about the bladdy-blah-blah of patience and organic growth, man! I need to make the rent like, yesterday!'
24	Why Vacations Just Don't Work Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-07-01 | - Word Count: 882 | Viewed: 999 | Votes: 10 | Rating: 2.30 When you're exhausted from working, overwhelmed, burnt-out, little visions come visiting. Visions of distant beaches, cabin hide-aways, foreign adventures. Vacation-land. And so, off you go, on vacation. And, when you come back, by noon on Monday you're as exhausted as you were when you left. Did you take the wrong vacation? Or is there something wrong with vacations?
25	Offering A Guarantee Without Losing Your Shirt Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-06-24 | - Word Count: 924 | Viewed: 1072 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 2.00 You may be offering a guarantee, but nervously, or perhaps not offering one at all. What if a bunch of your clients ask for their money back? Sluuurrrrrpppp... there goes your business, down the drain. What makes a guarantee safe for you?
26	Why Your Customers Lie To You Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-06-17 | - Word Count: 829 | Viewed: 1152 | Votes: 7 | Rating: 2.71 In 1985 the Coca Cola Corporation spent gobs on the best marketing research money could buy, and asked thousands of people their opinion. Armed with overwhelming statistics, and clear answers from a huge number of people, they launched New Coke. $4,000,000 down the drain.
27	The Myth Of Being Successfully Solo In Business Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-06-13 | - Word Count: 1137 | Viewed: 715 | Votes: 4 | Rating: 2.25 There's a breakneck pace that many new solo business owners assume. With an infinite number of things to do, and about a dozen hats to wear, it gets overwhelming, fast. And, that's nothing compared to what happens once the business actually has some momentum under it. That's why one of my clients with a brand-new business was asking me: 'Mark, how do you get it all done? Your business has about 100 times more going on in it than mine does, and I'm overwhelmed just with what I'm trying to get done.' Here's my answer: 'I don't get it all done.'
28	Why you don't want Michelangelo working on your website Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-06-10 | - Word Count: 893 | Viewed: 1315 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 2.00 If you aren't being commissioned to paint the ceiling of your website by a fabulously wealthy Pope, and if you aren't trying to stun your visitors with beauty, I suggest you relax, just a little bit, any attachment you might have to beauty and uniqueness around your website.
29	How To Use Systems Without Turning Into A Heartless Zombie Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-06-03 | - Word Count: 1298 | Viewed: 1010 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 2.60 You can tell as soon as you pick up the phone before the other person has even said anything. That little silence, the clattering in the background, tells you that it's a telemarketer on the other end of the line, and there is nothing they have to say that is worth your precious time. With those experiences, it's easy to have strong opinions about using systems, and to avoid them like the plague in your own business.
30	Handling Complaints Without Making Things Worse Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-05-29 | - Word Count: 1105 | Viewed: 1031 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 3.00 The email comes, or the phone rings, and there's an absolute flood pouring right at you. 'Hey, you didn't do what you said you would do. This didn't work as advertised. You goofed!' Yup, a complaint. Ahhh! A complaint?! But you poured your heart and soul into it, how could they complain? Then you take a breath, and you read what they're asking for, and you realize... they were right. You DID make a mistake. Things are goofed up, perhaps badly.
31	Does The Cutting Edge Of Social Media Really Pay? Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-05-27 | - Word Count: 975 | Viewed: 893 | Votes: 4 | Rating: 3.50 So someone asks you: 'What's your Twitter name?' And you look at them like they are a loony. Twitter? Huh? And then the next person asks you, 'You blog, right? What's the URL?' Hold it. What happened? In the seeming blink of an eye, suddenly there's all this new so-called 'social media' on the web, and you know nothing about it. What's worse, is that everyone else seems to be there already. It's like you went to the bathroom, and when you came out, the party moved on, leaving you in a dark room with empty glasses all around you. Time to drop everything and catch up with the party... quickly! Quickly!
32	Writing Articles That Get Read, Remembered And Recommended Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-05-27 | - Word Count: 864 | Viewed: 1107 | Votes: 8 | Rating: 2.25 You already know that writing articles will help your business. You know they establish you as an expert, as someone with authority. And they also create a depth of connection and trust with your customers. But, maybe you still have a question. How do you write a great article for your business? (Meaning an article that someone actually reads, remembers, and recommends.)
33	Why Less Passion Is Better For Business Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-05-20 | - Word Count: 780 | Viewed: 1035 | Votes: 16 | Rating: 2.38 I just googled 'Passion in Business' and came up with 82,900,000 hits. And, according to the first several pages of hits, everyone says that you must have passion to succeed in business. 'Fuel your passion' is the watchword. Surprisingly, your business can do better with less passion. Why?
34	How To Avoid Reader Fatigue In Your Subscribers Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-05-13 | - Word Count: 980 | Viewed: 806 | Votes: 8 | Rating: 3.38 There's some buzz I've been reading about in forums and on blogs about what's known as 'reader fatigue.' This is the condition that happens when you, as an individual, are confronted with sixteen hundred gazillion blogs, email newsletters, forums, and pdf downloads and you just get fed up with it. I can relate.
35	How To Deal With 'Freeloaders' In Your Business Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-05-13 | - Word Count: 877 | Viewed: 1184 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 1.83 "Can you give me your (class/product/offer) for free, or reduced cost? I'm in a tough situation, and need the help." Have you ever had anyone ask you this in your business? If you haven't, it's either because you're invisible, you've only been in business for five minutes, or because you look mean. :-) Are these people really freeloaders?
36	Why Giving Clients More Choices Means They'll Never Buy Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-05-06 | - Word Count: 774 | Viewed: 816 | Votes: 4 | Rating: 2.50 You're really wanting to be thoughtful and accommodating. You want to make your clients and customers comfortable, so they can have things the way they like it. So you start making up offers, each with different options and flavors. Eventually you have a menu of ten options. And no one's buying. Is it your marketing? Or your menu?
37	Grief - Your Surprising Tool For Business Momentum Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-05-06 | - Word Count: 1025 | Viewed: 1062 | Votes: 8 | Rating: 2.00 Business momentum is when a series of "events" build upon each other, and multiply their efforts. It's when your business starts to have some steam of its own, and you get carried along for the ride. For instance, we had some February sunshine here in Portland, and I went bicycling. Each time I pedalled was an "event." Okay, got it. What's grief got to do with it?
38	How To Avoid Being Trapped In A Niche Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-05-02 | - Word Count: 944 | Viewed: 938 | Votes: 4 | Rating: 2.00 Bang! Bang! Bang! The hammer comes down again and again, nailing those wooden planks in place. Finally, it's done: you're trapped. No windows, and the only door nailed shut. Those business gurus told you to pick a niche, and so you did. And now you're stuck there, for the rest of your days. G'bye creativity. G'bye freedom. G'bye.
39	Deciding Whether Or Not To Publish Your Prices Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-05-01 | - Word Count: 715 | Viewed: 810 | Votes: 2 | Rating: 1.00 Your website is up, your services/workshops/products page is finished. So... do you publish your prices along with it? If you do, won't that scare people away? If you don't, won't people think you're hiding something? It's a lose-lose situation, it would seem. So, do your clients need to see your prices, or not?
40	How To Get Fear Off Your Business' Back Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-04-29 | - Word Count: 1027 | Viewed: 1225 | Votes: 8 | Rating: 3.00 You want to know a secret? My clients and class participants all trust me to hold confidentiality with the most intimate details of their business, but I'm going to go public with one detail I know. I'm going to tell you the straight-up fact, the one that no one tells anyone else. They all get scared. Gut-clenching scared. Scared witless. (And me, too.)
41	Why You Should Never Discount Your Prices Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-04-23 | - Word Count: 875 | Viewed: 1400 | Votes: 7 | Rating: 2.57 It seems like such an easy fix: "25% off!" "Buy now and I'll reduce the price by $100!" Discounting as a selling tactic seems as natural and easy as all get-out. Which is why you should never, ever discount. Discounting is a cancer in business, that eats at your heart, and at the heart of your customers.
42	When Networking Events Feel Like A Drag Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-03-20 | - Word Count: 1047 | Viewed: 797 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 3.60 Going to networking events is kinda one of those things you are 'supposed' to do for your business. Some people love'em, some people hate'em. But, the truth is, especially for a new business, making face-to-face and heart-to-heart contact with people is incredibly powerful. Unfortunately, networking events can seem like pretty gross, low-energy, artificial affairs, with people glad-handing left and right, and business cards so thick in the air you can't even see where the complimentary bottled water is. Let's take another look at networking, and see if we can find the heart in it, so that your business can actually benefit without you feeling yucked out.
43	Why Start With An Infoproduct And Not A Book Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2008-03-19 | - Word Count: 868 | Viewed: 804 | Votes: 4 | Rating: 1.25 So many people with a small business dream of writing a book. They dream of getting thousands published and getting them into the hands and hearts of the people who need them. And, if we're honest, they are also dreaming about the potential profits that could come from said book. Let me tell you straight from the heart: if your business doesn't yet have a great deal of momentum on it, then don't yet publish a book. Instead, start by creating an information product.
44	Why Less Passion Is Better For Business Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2007-10-24 | - Word Count: 780 | Viewed: 856 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 2.60 I just googled 'Passion in Business' and came up with 82,900,000 hits. And, according to the first several pages of hits, everyone says that you must have passion to succeed in business. 'Fuel your passion' is the watchword. Why this quest for passion? Of course, passion can feel wonderful, but do you really need it to succeed in business? What happens when you don't have it? Surprisingly, your business can do better with less passion. Why? To understand, you have to get past the gobble-gobble-gobble of everyone who says you're doomed if you don't fuel your passion to see the deeper spiritual truths that are in motion. But first, what in the heck IS passion?
45	How Your Friends Destroy Your Marketing Message. Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2007-10-19 | - Word Count: 956 | Viewed: 954 | Votes: 3 | Rating: 1.33 A lot of blood, sweat, and tears goes into crafting your 'elevator speech' (I hate that term). You've probably agonized over it, striving to catch just the right tone and wording. Finally, you're (hopefully) finished. For the final blessing, you turn to your friends and colleagues, and test it out. They respond: 'That's great! I love it. Go for it.' They've just killed you with kindness.
46	The True Measure Of Money In Your Business. Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2007-10-17 | - Word Count: 1147 | Viewed: 944 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 2.17 Shiny new cars. Big mansions. The good life. Even if you're not a particularly material person, it's easy to be caught by those images, and to wonder: 'Why don't I have that? Is there something wrong with me?' It's become especially popular to equate material wealth with spiritual attainment. 'If you do good, and if you think abundantly, then the untold riches of the universe will pour forth for you. If you stew yourself in despair and complaint, then forget it. You get nothing.' Is it true? And if it's not true, then how come you don't have what all those rich, successful people have? Could it possibly have maybe a smidgeon of truth in it?
47	How Being Outnumbered Will Gain You Raving Fans. Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2007-10-02 | - Word Count: 1112 | Viewed: 918 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 2.67 You're sitting in class, and the teacher at the front has just said something that doesn't entirely make sense to you. 'You see, the world is flat. It's always been flat. And it always will be flat. Flat, flat, flat.' The year is 1400 A.D., and you're thinking, 'But, what if it isn't flat? What if it's round?' Do you stick your hand up and tell the teacher? Is it worth being burned by the Inquisition just so you can speak your mind?
48	The Real Reason Success Is So Elusive (Hint: It's not fear of success.) Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2007-09-18 | - Word Count: 945 | Viewed: 865 | Votes: 4 | Rating: 2.75 I'm guessing you spend a certain amount of time daydreaming... Daydreaming of what it will be like when you hit 'the big time.' When your finances are really abundant. When you become well-known in your field. When you make that next big step, whatever it is. Dreams of lolling around on silk sheets with peeled grapes and fizzy drinks. Dreams of giving away as generously as you've always wanted to. Dreams coming true. Why are those dreams so elusive?
49	Why Your Business Needs Two Types Of Accountability Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2007-09-11 | - Word Count: 667 | Viewed: 1119 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 3.33 The tide's coming in, fast. Your kayak is there on the sand, starting to get gently nudged. Meanwhile you're flat out on a beach towel. Hot sun. Cool breeze. Iced tea. Are you going to get up in time to save your kayak from floating out to sea? Your business may be calling, all kinds of important things to get done. But who can lift a finger when the sun is so bright?
50	Why And How To Create An Information Product Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2007-08-28 | - Word Count: 907 | Viewed: 1166 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 3.40 Have you put off, or given up entirely, the idea of writing that book, or creating a CD or DVD, for your business? Maybe you've let that idea slip away because you thought your business wasn't suited to it. I mean, what you do is so individual and personal, or too complicated to explain, or so intuitive in nature, that it can't be captured in a product. Or maybe you already sell a product, and you can't imagine what a book or CD would possibly do for your business.
51	Why You Keep Missing Those Darn Business Goals. Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2007-08-20 | - Word Count: 979 | Viewed: 1106 | Votes: 8 | Rating: 2.13 You have goals in your business, I'm sure. Whether it's about getting more clients, raising your income, or completing a product, you're trying to get something done, usually by a deadline. (When's the mortgage due?) And yet, in going for a goal, you might sometimes begin to feel... twisted, or off--balance. Out of alignment with yourself, somehow.
52	Why Strangers Are Worried Your Business Is Stalking Them. Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2007-08-13 | - Word Count: 911 | Viewed: 1318 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 2.83 There you are at a party, and you notice someone you'd like to get to know. So, you start staring at them. And staring. And staring. You're hoping that your googly-eyed stare is communicating your interest in them. No surprise what happens next. He or she gets up, crosses the room, and whispers to the host, 'That weirdo in the corner keeps staring at me... I'm worried... is he a stalker?'
53	Grief - Your Surprising Tool For Momentum Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2007-07-31 | - Word Count: 1023 | Viewed: 1035 | Votes: 4 | Rating: 3.75 Business momentum is when a series of 'events' build upon each other, and multiply their efforts. It's when your business starts to have some steam of its own, and you get carried along for the ride.
54	When Your Business Gets Beyond 'start-Up' Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2007-07-16 | - Word Count: 923 | Viewed: 946 | Votes: 4 | Rating: 3.75 As surprising as it is inevitable, your business will eventually find itself beyond the 'start-up' phase. You'll have gotten the knack of marketing, creating offers and products, and you'll have a steady flow of customers and clients and cash. And more. And more.
55	How Long Does It Take To Get A Business Going? Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2007-07-02 | - Word Count: 1001 | Viewed: 1034 | Votes: 7 | Rating: 2.57 Question: What would you think of someone who said this to a five year old? 'It's about time you start earning your keep! I want you to get out there and get a job so you can pay your share of the mortgage. And, while you're at it, here's the keys to the car. Drive down to the store and pick up some groceries.' Doesn't make sense, does it? This person is either cruel, crazy, or out to lunch on the next planet over. This is exactly what many folks do to their new businesses.
56	How The Silent Treatment Creates Customers Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2007-06-27 | - Word Count: 1066 | Viewed: 1040 | Votes: 7 | Rating: 2.43 Sooner or later you will have to ask someone to buy something from you. Whether you have a retail store, and a couple has been admiring an expensive couch for the last 20 minutes, or you are a consultant or coach who has just finished an initial conversation with a potential client, the question is waiting to be asked. 'So, are you ready to buy?'
57	'Are We There Yet?' How To Create 'Overnight Success' In Your Business. Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2007-06-04 | - Word Count: 946 | Viewed: 1361 | Votes: 9 | Rating: 2.67 A person I admire has a very successful business. He's sharp, personable, funny, smart, and helpful. And, the products and services he provides are top-notch. He's sold thousands of them, and his business is operating at a level much higher than mine.
58	Why Things Remain Broken Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2007-06-01 | - Word Count: 808 | Viewed: 1314 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 1.60 As you probably already know, the focus I have is in supporting people who want to use their business to make a difference in the world. To make things better. If you're reading this, chances are you've seen something about the world that leaves you dissatisfied, longing for something better, more true, more real, more nourishing.
59	'Why you should sell something before it exists' Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2007-05-22 | - Word Count: 755 | Viewed: 1157 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 3.33 One of the members of The Business Oasis was struggling with getting her first book written. We gave her all kinds of helpful support around it, ('it really helped!' she told us). And then came the suggestion with the biggest 'fear' factor: "Why don't you pre-sell your book to your customers before you're finished?" I don't if you've noticed, but there seems to be an awfully loooooooong lag time between thinking of a new offer, creating the offer, and then finally having it in your grateful customers' hands. Most major corporations take, on average, 18 months to think of a new product and get it out into the marketplace.
60	Right Pricing, or Pricing for Exclusivity Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2007-05-15 | - Word Count: 966 | Viewed: 1230 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 2.40 You know the price you want to charge. But, you worry. You worry that some people won't be able to pay. More than that, you worry about issues of social and economic justice. You worry whether the price that feels good to your heart is somehow 'wrong' or off-the-scale of morality. How do you reckon between the price that feels good to your heart, and that really supports you and your business, versus your perception of what people can pay?
61	Avoiding The Third Degree Syndrome In Marketing Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2007-05-01 | - Word Count: 723 | Viewed: 1409 | Votes: 10 | Rating: 2.40 When you last wrote a flyer or a webpage, or when you last read one, what was the first bit of text on it, after the headline? I'm willing to bet you beads to bogarts that it was a series of questions. It's a common way to start out your writing, because it's easy. Unfortunately... it's not so effective.
62	Learning To Be Self-Employed When The Boss Is A Tyrant Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2007-03-21 | - Word Count: 910 | Viewed: 820 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 2.40 You commute to work in your slippers. You can take a nap whenever you like. You set your hours, your work schedule, everything. You've done it-- you've finally reached that nirvana called self-employment. So why are you so often exhausted and uncreative?
63	When To Get Business Help And When To Go It Alone Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2007-03-06 | - Word Count: 940 | Viewed: 937 | Votes: 7 | Rating: 3.00 It's a sorta no-brainer when you need help in business: flummoxed, bewildered, stuck. But what kind of help do you really need? It's a big question. Without the right support and education, everything you're working for can fall apart. But, the wrong support can be expensive, time-consuming and overwhelming.
64	If You Resist Marketing, Then You Can Be Great Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2007-02-06 | - Word Count: 891 | Viewed: 892 | Votes: 4 | Rating: 1.75 Do you offer something miraculous, sacred, or holy, or something that's really darn good, and yet you resist marketing it? Your resistance to marketing is healthy. The problem isn't with you, it's a misunderstanding about marketing, and attraction.
65	'When Innocent Questions Turn Into Hours Of Unpaid Time' Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2007-01-11 | - Word Count: 818 | Viewed: 1194 | Votes: 7 | Rating: 3.57 Someone calls you up and is interested in your offer. So, they start asking questions. And more questions. And more questions. Suddenly, you've been on the phone for over an hour. And, when you hang up, they still didn't sign up for your offer.
66	An Email Signature That Really Holds Water Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-12-29 | - Word Count: 814 | Viewed: 1323 | Votes: 9 | Rating: 2.56 Your email signature? You're counting on the perfect person reading it, clicking the link to your website, and becoming the perfect customer. Unfortunately, most email signatures just don't deliver. Why not?
67	What in the heck does go on your business' home page? Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-12-19 | - Word Count: 1096 | Viewed: 892 | Votes: 4 | Rating: 2.25 Do you say this at the top of your home page? 'Welcome to XYZ, Inc.' You call it 'welcoming them in.' I call it 'the Kiss of Death.' Your visitor doesn't call it anything- she simply clicks away.
68	Is your answer to 'what do you do?' acting like a crazed Boy Scout? Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-12-06 | - Word Count: 814 | Viewed: 1254 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 2.33 Many people in business are flinging their resistant customers across streets every time they answer the question, "What do you do?" "We get teams working together." "We get you into optimal health." Well, those don't seem so violent. But, what's really going on? Two words are missing ...
69	Why Your Business Needs A Peer-Led MasterMind Group Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-11-16 | - Word Count: 894 | Viewed: 1195 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 2.40 There are a lot of reasons for the Big Gulp- lack of business knowledge, lack of marketing knowledge, fear of failure, financial pressures, even fear of success. Yet the Big Gulp is really about isolation and lack of support. The trouble is that while there are many different ways to get support, only certain kinds of support really work to move you forward.
70	Coming Up With Article Topics For Your Business Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-11-14 | - Word Count: 884 | Viewed: 1507 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 2.00 Ever wonder where the newspapers all come from? I don't mean the ink and paper, I mean the writing. Day after day, every newspaper in the country turns out hundreds of column inches of writing, tens of thousands of words. Often from the same handful of writers. Where do they get all those story ideas, day after day?
71	Why And How To Create An Information Product Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-11-14 | - Word Count: 912 | Viewed: 1009 | Votes: 4 | Rating: 3.50 Have you put off, or given up entirely, the idea of writing that book, or creating a CD or DVD, for your business? Maybe you've let that idea slip away because you thought your business wasn't suited to it. If you are putting off creating one, you are doing a disservice to all the people who are waiting for you.
72	Why It's So Hard To Ask For Money And How To Make It Easier Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-11-07 | - Word Count: 807 | Viewed: 1062 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 1.83 In different businesses, it's the same story. The massage is over, and the massage therapist stutters asking for payment. The product is shipped, and you are waiting and waiting for the check- yet you don't call and ask for it. Why is it so easy to be out of integrity with yourself by not asking for the money you are owed?
73	How To Serve A Feast That Keeps Em Coming Back Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-10-12 | - Word Count: 788 | Viewed: 1139 | Votes: 9 | Rating: 2.11 I'm sitting here eating Medjool dates, one after the other. Yum. And, when I'm done with what I've got, I'm going to go get more. Why am I going to buy more, and more, and more dates? These dates hold the key to building a long-term relationship with your customers, as well as making your business profitable in a way that feels really good.
74	When giving a FREE sample is worse than political Anarchy Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-10-10 | - Word Count: 896 | Viewed: 1160 | Votes: 4 | Rating: 2.00 It seems like an obvious maneuver: give something away for free to draw more customers in. I see my favorite grocery store do it, and it works incredibly well. But, I've seen vendors in the store giving away free samples, but gain negligible results from it. Why does free sometimes work and sometimes doesn't?
75	Lessons from Authentic Marketing Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-10-04 | - Word Count: 1030 | Viewed: 1110 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 1.80 I sent out a spirited attempt to fill my latest class by opening it up for haggling. My biggest fear was someone saying: "I guess you aren't such a great marketer if you can't do it for yourself. Ha!" I want to explain my experiences here, because this is of prime importance in your marketing.
76	When Being Pushy Is The Best Thing To Do Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-10-03 | - Word Count: 1072 | Viewed: 1757 | Votes: 4 | Rating: 2.75 Have you avoided being pushy, and abandoned your customers when they need you most? It takes a lot more effort and energy to gain a new customer, than it does to continue to serve a customer that already loves and trusts you.
77	Be A Humble Equal Or Lose The Sale Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-09-28 | - Word Count: 980 | Viewed: 1065 | Votes: 14 | Rating: 3.00 I remember two sales conversations I had with prospects, both of them several years ago. One was "successful" and one was "unsuccessful," meaning one person hired me, and the other person didn't. But, ultimately both were unsuccessful. How can a sale be unsuccessful?
78	Why Dreaming Big Can Keep You Small Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-09-13 | - Word Count: 871 | Viewed: 1314 | Votes: 8 | Rating: 3.25 I've read numerous times where small business owners are encouraged to "dream big." To come up with huge mission statements that include dominating your industry, or becoming the premier or best-known at whatever you do. These mission statements are killing your heart and your business.
79	Why And How To Create An Information Product Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-09-06 | - Word Count: 912 | Viewed: 1115 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 2.83 Have you put off, or given up entirely, the idea of writing that book, or creating a CD or DVD, for your business? If you are putting off creating an information product, you are doing a disservice to all the people who are waiting for you.
80	Profitability: How To Get From Just Enough To Extra Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-08-29 | - Word Count: 959 | Viewed: 1140 | Votes: 9 | Rating: 2.44 During the last Heart of Money class someone was asking why scraping by is the norm, and it's so hard to come by having extra money. It came up in the context of paying yourself first. I had told them that you have to pay yourself first, into a savings account or other account, before you paid your bills. "How in the heck can I pay myself first, when it feels like I don't have anything left over after my expenses are paid?"
81	The Holy Grail of Business Flow Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-08-22 | - Word Count: 880 | Viewed: 2422 | Votes: 24 | Rating: 3.29 I've heard from friends who are writing books, clients working on marketing, class participants struggling with financial issues: "When does it get easy? When do I get to the Flow? You know what I mean- that space where things just magically... flow... from one thing to the next, there aren't any challenges or problems, and life feels like a dream state. Fuhgeddaboutit. (Translation from US Atlantic seaboard dialect: Forget about it.)
82	How to be Consistently, Creatively Productive Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-08-15 | - Word Count: 842 | Viewed: 928 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 2.40 Your business depends on your creativity. Your creativity in your marketing, in your product and service creation, and just in how you show up for your customers and clients. Without creativity, everything grows stagnant, you are unable to produce to meet deadlines, yours and others, and you begin to feel lifeless. And so does your business. And so do your profits.
83	How Your Writing Can Have Impact For 2700 Years Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-07-25 | - Word Count: 835 | Viewed: 1258 | Votes: 10 | Rating: 2.60 How many times have you picked up a book or an article, and just couldn't get into it? You got through a sentence or two, and then... you suddenly found yourself scrubbing the toilet, or eating a sandwich (but not at the same time, please), instead of reading. The reading didn't hold you. Why not?
84	How Long Does It Take To Get A Business Going? Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-07-18 | - Word Count: 1006 | Viewed: 962 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 1.00 Question: What would you think of someone who said this to a five year old? "It's about time you start earning your keep! Doesn't make sense, does it? Yet, This is exactly what many folks do to their new businesses.
85	Why You Should Sell Something Before It Exists Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-06-22 | - Word Count: 740 | Viewed: 1158 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 2.60 One of the members of The Business Oasis was struggling with getting her first book written. We gave her all kinds of helpful support around it, ('it really helped!' she told us). And then came the suggestion with the biggest 'fear' factor: "Why don't you pre-sell your book to your customers before you're finished?"
86	Is Tithing The Road To Abundance Or New Age Nonsense? Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-06-14 | - Word Count: 866 | Viewed: 3120 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 2.17 You may be familiar with the principle of tithing- giving a certain percentage of your earnings to those in need. You may have also heard that what you give, will come back to you twice-over, three-times over, seven-fold, or ten-fold. Different traditions have different formulas. Some people swear by it. Others just end up swearing as their financial obligations mount.
87	How To Win Compassionately Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-06-07 | - Word Count: 740 | Viewed: 1631 | Votes: 6 | Rating: 1.67 Play to win? Isn't that attitude for heedless, heartless business people? Well, it depends on how you define 'winning.' Many of us think about winning as 'I win, you lose.' But, I enjoy the heck out of playing to win. It's FUN watching my clients have breakthroughs- and the results that go with them, as they get closer and closer to their goals. It's FUN watching my business accelerate and grow financially.
88	The War Your Heart Can Win For Your Business Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-05-23 | - Word Count: 862 | Viewed: 1019 | Votes: 5 | Rating: 1.60 I've read numerous times where small business owners are encouraged to "dream big." To come up with huge mission statements that include dominating your industry, or becoming the premier or best-known at whatever you do. These mission statements are killing your heart and your business. To understand, you only need to see where the spotlight is shining.
89	Why Your High Prices May Really Be Too Low Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-05-16 | - Word Count: 914 | Viewed: 1019 | Votes: 7 | Rating: 2.00 It may never have dawned on you the true difference between being an employee, and running a business. There are a lot of miniscule tasks that need to be done. Do I pay myself, or someone else, for all of these details? Well, I didn't know how to at first. But, you'll burn out if you don't.
90	How To Create An Overnight Success In Your Business Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-05-12 | - Word Count: 907 | Viewed: 863 | Votes: 9 | Rating: 2.33 A person I admire has a very successful business. He's sharp, personable, funny, smart, and helpful. And, the products and services he provides are top-notch. He's sold thousands of them, and his business is operating at a level much higher than mine. Then he announced that he was celebrating three years in business. What! Only three years? How'd he get so far, so fast?
91	When Giving A Free Sample Is Worse Than Political Anarchy Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-05-03 | It seems like an obvious maneuver: give something away for free to draw more customers in. I see my favorite grocery store do it, and it works incredibly well- the store is mobbed, especially on Saturdays, when the samples are outrageous. But, whether it's samples of instant oatmeal, or 'sample' coaching sessions, I've seen small business owners bomb over and over again with this tactic.
92	When To Raise Your Prices, Without Feeling Evil About It Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-04-26 | There are many legitimate reasons to raise your prices. But, you need to think about more than just yourself here. That's right, raising your prices can actually be an unselfish act, done in deep service to your customers. WARNING: The benefits ONLY APPLY IF the higher price is coming from a place of truth and integrity in your heart.
93	The Healing Power of Marketing Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-04-18 | I was waiting for the tapioca pudding. In the same way many of us wait for customers. We were having a great conversation with some friends over dinner, but I have to admit, I was a little distracted. If this happens among friends, imagine what your customers are thinking about while they are reading your marketing.
94	What You Need To Do To Avoid Burning Money On Advertising Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-04-05 | Advertising. Curse? Money hole? Or powerful venue? It seems so obvious: where else, for a few hundred dollars, could you get in front of thousands of people? And it's true that many of them are really wanting what you're offering. Unfortunately, the vast majority of advertising ends up being good to wrap fish in, and not much else.
95	How to Keep Big Opportunities from Tearing Down Your Business Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-03-28 | It's the dream come true: 'I love what you do. I want you to do project X, so we can reach a 1,000,000 people (or build that retreat center, or, etc., etc.)' Pretend for a moment that I'm your mother, on email, and allow me to warn you about THOSE kinds of strangers. ;-)
96	How Love Builds Momentum At $833 Per Person Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-03-22 | One obvious thing you need in a business to build momentum is a list of interested people. So, the obvious obsession of most business owners who understand this is 'How big and how quickly can I grow my list?'
97	When Following Up Hurts You And Your Customer Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2006-03-08 | Your customer just enjoyed the heck out of your product or service. Now, it's a week later and you want to follow up- is it still working? Are they still getting value?
98	Is Your Business Suffering From Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2005-09-14 | How in the heck do you run a business in the face of disaster? It seems heartless to focus on growing a business when an entire city has been flooded, and thousands have been killed in the blink of an eye.
99	Profitability: How To Get From 'Just Enough' To 'Extra.' Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2005-07-22 | During the last Heart of Money class someone was asking why scraping by is the norm, and it's so hard to come by having extra money. It came up in the context of paying yourself first.
100	How to Create 'Overnight Success' in Your Business Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2005-06-30 | He's sold thousands of products and services, and his business is operating at a level much higher than mine. Then he announced that he was celebrating three years in business. What! Only three years? How'd he get so far, so fast?
101	How To Be a Humble Equal and Make the Sale Written by: Mark Silver | Distributed: 2005-05-25 | These simple steps may take some practice, but if you allow yourself to slow down and go through them before your sales conversations, you will find yourself in space of just wanting to serve, and, in the process, closing more sales.