What a whirlwind of a month it has been. In this part of the world we are enjoying an amazing spring. I know the weather is not like this in areas around the globe where many of my readers live and work. Although I enjoy all seasons, spring is one of my favorite in that I am an avid hobbyist gardener. I love the outdoors and relish the opportunity to enjoy it whenever possible.

The other day I had the opportunity to explore a new hiking area no more than 3 miles from my home. I decided to take a mid-day break from my business to check out the area. It was incredible. I enjoyed a great meditative walk surrounded by water, greenery and various types of wildlife.

While on the walk, it occurred to me that we can easily forget to take quiet time to regroup. It is easy to get caught up in what we have to do, rather than simply being in the moment.

As is usually the case when one takes time to recharge I was fully refreshed when I returned to my office. I was able to focus better, get through tasks quickly and efficiently and enjoy the process.

When is the last time you took time to recharge? If it has been awhile, do yourself (and those close to you) a favor. Take the time.

Speaking of recharging - I am gearing up for my next Street Smarts mentoring course. This time I have put together a four-week fast track program.

The response has been amazing. Within 36 hours I had over 50% of the seats filled. Today, I have only a few seats remaining. The session begins on Thursday, April 5, 2007.

This course is designed for speakers, trainers, authors, consultants and entrepreneurs who are ready to take their business to the next level and beyond.

I teach lots of great ways to escalate your visibility in your market place, how to develop money-making product, what you need to do with your website to make it a customer magnet and much more. Core to all this is learning great marketing ideas.

Check it out to see if this is a good fit for your business goals. Click Here

I am only looking for those serious about growing their business to join in. If you are looking for a get-rich-quick program, this is not for you. You do have to put effort into what I teach and you have to be willing to work at it. If you are, I would love for you to join in.

As I mentioned, I teach some great marketing ideas. Many will cost you very little, if anything, to implement. One very, very cost effective marketing idea is utilizing the power of Web Radio.

Knowing that Web Radio is a great resource to add to your marketing mix I developed a new resource to help you navigate your way onto Web Radio. A couple of months ago, I released the (Directory of Internet Radio Shows and Radio Interviews – Your Recipe for Success). It is perfect for anyone thinking of incorporating Web Radio into your marketing mix.

Last month I told you about my old cat. He was having some major health issues. I’m happy to say he’s doing much better. We found a great veterinarian that does house visits. She recommended a combination of Eastern and Western remedies for Curious. He has been gaining weight (for him this is a good thing) and getting more energy. My goal is to make him have as comfortable a life as he can until it is time for him to move on to greener pastures.

Thanks to all the readers who sent well wishes for Curious. I appreciate it.

Thanks also for your continued loyalty as a reader of this newsletter. I appreciate it.

Have a great month. Much success, health and happiness to you and yours.

Kathleen Gage
The Street Smarts Marketing Speaker and Author

Expert Status Means Increased Revenues
By Kathleen Gage

Marketing is not only about getting word out about your product or service; in most cases you must also establish yourself as an expert. With competition for the consumer’s dollars at an all time high, there are some very simple strategies you can implement to gain better market position while increasing your expert status. A better position can equate to increased revenues.

To gain expert status some will choose to put their knowledge into a book. The world of book publishing has changed so much that what was once out of the reach for many is now very doable. However, there is time, effort and costs involved in taking a book to market.

A more viable option for many would be as simple as writing reports and/or articles. If you have knowledge about a particular subject, turn that knowledge into a special report. A special report is a multi-page document packed with valuable “how-to” information that readers can use immediately.

Special Reports
A special report contains information on a specific topic. You can either write the report yourself, have a staff member write it, or hire a ghostwriter. There are plenty of freelance writers who can develop your information into an excellent report.

In some cases you will want to give your report away and in other cases you will sell the report. Primary reasons to give your report away is to drive traffic to your website, promotional opportunities, and as a thank you to premier clients.

Reports position you as an expert. The most common type of Special Report is a “How to” report. Your report should solve a problem such as making money, getting healthy, building a successful business, building a better team, etc.

Here are some quick tips to write an effective report.

• Write on something specific to your knowledge base.

• Outline your report so that there is a good flow to the information.

• Virtually any topic can be written about if there is a market demand. What people are looking for are ways to increase income or revenue, increase productivity, improve the quality of their personal or professional life, or decrease costs in some way. It may be that you have something that covers all these points or it could be a report on one of these points.

• Research your information as you develop your report. You will find people want more of your reports if the information is well researched and valuable.

• Often the most difficult part of writing is starting. The best advice I can give is to just start and don’t worry about how it reads. Once you have written all the information, then read through it and rewrite as necessary.

• Have someone else read the piece as well. It is recommended to have your report edited regardless of how good a writer you are. This will assure you are concise in your delivery of information.

Article Writing and Distribution
Another option for gaining market position and expert status is writing articles. With the world of online marketing, gaining visibility for your articles is as close as the press of a button. Additionally, you can make the articles available for download from your website.

Although most online article directories will not pay you for your articles, you do gain greater website position every time your article shows up in a directory or another companies Ezine (electronic newsletter). The potential for increased search engine optimization is excellent.

There are numerous advantages to writing and distributing articles online:

• Establishes you as an expert

• Credibility for you and your business

• Increased visibility for your website

• Greater ranking on search engines when articles are posted

• Increased leads, more clients, greater sales

• Opportunity for up selling

The process for writing your articles is similar to writing a report. For online purposes the length usually ranges from 400 – 800 words. Depending on the publication it may be more or less. In rare cases, once you submit an article to a specific publication they may request you not submit it anywhere else. Depending on how targeted their readership is would determine if this would be a good choice for you.

To learn how many places you can distribute your articles do a quick Google search with the words “my topic + newsletters.” Likely you will be amazed at how many locations would love to have your expert information. The returns can definitely be worth the time invested.

To book Kathleen call 541.654.0426

Fear of Success? Fear of Failure? What’s Holding YOU Back?

By Lorraine Cohen

At the beginning of the year, you probably created your marketing and business plan along with your business vision, right? Perhaps getting more clients, building a blockbuster business, starting a new business, eliminating procrastination, improving your marketing efforts, generating affiliate income…..was on your list of goals and intentions for the year.

You can have a clear vision, develop a strong business and marketing plan, outline key actions to reach your goals and still fall short of having what you want as long as your fear controls you.

Consider a change you have been thinking and talking about for a while without much progress.

To learn more about what may be holding you back from moving forward, ask yourself:

• What is your definition of success? What does success mean to you?  Be specific.

• Identify specific successes. What made them successes for you? What value did you  receive from succeeding?

• What fears, concerns, or assumptions do you have associated with success?

• How would your life change if you were/felt more successful?  (at whatever)

• What would you have to give up?

• What would you gain?

• Who would you become? (happier, self-confident, authentic, stronger???)

In exploring your attitudes about failure, consider the following:

• What is your definition of failure? What does failure mean to you?

• If you fail at something, does that define YOU as a failure?

• What specific failures have you experienced?  What value have you received from failing? Be specific

• What fears, concerns, or assumptions do you associate with failure? Are they true?

• Can there be success in failure? If yes, how? If no, say more.

• If you could not fail, what would you be doing? Who would you be?

Fear of success and fear of failure are two sides of the same experience.  By definition, success and failure is perceived from multiple viewpoints. Both results offer opportunities for self-discovery and change.  Developing the clarity to know who you are on the inside is a key ingredient to achieve rich outcomes with ease, strength, and focus! To live fully, you must fully participate – succeeding and failing for the joy of the experience.

Copyright © Lorraine Cohen 2007. All Rights Reserved.

Lorraine Cohen, President of Powerfull Living, brings more than 25 years experience in personal and business coaching, psychological counseling, and sales to thousands of business owners, entrepreneurs, and executives to have greater career success and personal happiness in their life. Check out Lorraine’s program Fearless - Keys to turning MOUNTAINS into mole hills. Need some inspiration and empowerment? Answering 15 key questions from her subscribers, Lorraine Cohen spills the beans about fear in this new 54-minute audio. Jam-packed with exercises, tips, and resources to help you overcome fear,  eliminate self-sabotage and roadblocks to your success! Includes the 18-page audio script, exercise worksheets, and special bonuses! Click Here

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Small and Home-based businesses, Retailers, Authors, Speakers, Consultants, Events Coordinators, and Non-profits