Over-Saving and Extreme Couponing

This post was already in the works before I caught last night's episode of Extreme Couponing on TLC. Did you miss it? You can catch it again on January 4.

Once the official Christmas shopping season comes to an end, a new season emerges and lingers on well into January of the new year. It's called the after-Christmas retail challenge in the retail industry. Consumers scramble to make exchanges, get refunds, and redeem gift cards.

I received a little over $100 worth of restaurant gift cards for Christmas and didn't waste any time using them. Thanks friends and family! On Monday evening, The Girl and I headed to Olive Garden for some "mother-daughter quality time". She ordered her usual Ravioli di Portobello and I opted to try something new (my restaurant gift card ritual) and settled on Shrimp & Crab Tortelli Romana. It's not often I leave a restaurant without a doggy bag, but this was one of the rare occasions.

Before we left the house, I did what I always do - checked my coupon drawer for money saving coupons. There was a good chance I didn't have any, as eating out is at a snail's pace in The Unemployed Entrepreneur® household. Never to worry though. I knew I was merely a Google search and mouse click away from the jackpot.

Seconds after I typed "olive garden coupon" in the search field, the following was at my disposal:

http://www.olivegarden.com/promo/BuoneFeste/?cpn=11

Go ahead...print, clip, and enjoy. All I ask is when you order, try something new.

$0.17 MEAL FOR TWO

Yes, you read it right. Thanks to a $25 gift card and a $5 off coupon we dined for less than 25 cents. Did it cost me a ton of time and effort? Nope. Coupon clipping and discount shopping are second nature to me. It's a part of my lifestyle.


COUPON CHALLENGE

While I'm not ready to compete with the pros on Extreme Couponing, others seem to think differently. My friend and OSEC of Austin member Stefanie Spells hit me on Facebook this morning telling me she saw the show and immediately thought of me. I'm flattered to say the least.

Will you see The Unemployed Entrpreneur® on TLC anytime soon? I doubt it, but Extreme Couponing and support from Stefanie and The Girl gave me a much needed boost of coupon-clipping confidence. I'm looking forward to seeing how much I can save in 2011.

Coupon party anyone?!

Dine in photo credit: aesterling

Coupon photo credit: Mandy_Jansen

Video Marketing Advice - A Post for The Work at Home Woman

At some point, you too have been tempted to do exactly as you're told. Take a look at the link below to find out why you should completely ignore some marketing experts:



7 Expert Video Marketing Tips You Should Ignore

The Face of Christmas

On December 21st, KXAN aired a segment asking the community to help support the Christmas Bureau of Austin. At that time, there were 1,800 families still in need of sponsors. Families with kids who may not have presents to open today - something I never experienced as a child and neither have my children. Even in the toughest of times, there was going to be something under the tree and a good hot meal on the table.

Not only was the Bureau in need of gifts and monetary donations, they also needed volunteers to help wrap the gifts. I didn't think twice about donating my time.

The experience I had was far more valuable than writing a check. When the little girl in the picture saw that bike, the look on her and her mother's face was priceless. I asked her mom's permission to take the picture and to give the baby a hug. That's something you can't box and unwrap no matter how hard you try. Shon Washington, the charity's Assistant Director, stopped what he was doing (and believe me, there was alot going on), got his toolbox, and adjusted the bike seat for the little girl. By the time she and and her mom left, the baby couldn't help but cry - tears of joy, of course.

This is just one of the many hearts touched by the city's outpouring of generosity. Thank you to the entire Christmas Bureau of Austin team and all of the families who were served for making Christmas 2010 one to remember.

And now, I want to thank you for giving me the gift of your time. Thank you for the comments, the laughs, and for the encouragement. Merry Christmas.

EMAIL TRIAGE

I had a coaching call with one of my clients and we were going over strategies to help maximize her time. She's been blessed to have quite a few worthwhile projects land in her lap and she doesn't want anything to fall through the cracks.

Notice I didn't say anything about managing her time - I specifically said maximize it. See, my thought is that time management is a trap. You can't possibly manage something you have no control over. No matter what you do or don't do, time keeps on ticking. Practicing self-discipline is a better approach. You can control how you spend the seconds, minutes, and hours you're given each day.

My client brought up an interesting point. She stated she's making better use of her time by changing the way she responds to emails. Since we can't control how many land in our inboxes, we can certainly alter how we reply.

She's no longer writing long, drawn out, flowery responses. Succinct and to the point from here on out.

WORD PROBLEM

Let's say you have 120 emails to respond to (this was my reality - plus some - in corporate America). If it takes you one (1) minute to reply to each, it'll take you two (2) hours to get through them all. I don't know about you, but I'd rather devote that time to something else far more exciting and lucrative.

If you cut your response time in half, you could add one whole hour to your I-haven't-done-it-because-I-don't-have-time bucket. That would be 5 hours per week and 20 hours every month to focus on whatever it is you've been putting off because "there's just not enough time in a day".



JUST THE FACTS

I find I'm more apt to respond quicker to shorter emails. If you send me something direct and to the point, I get right back to you with a direct and to the point reply. Put a novel in my inbox and it's going to sit and gather dust.

OPEN BOOK TEST

Look at your last 10-20 email responses:

• Could you have saved time by eliminating filler words?
• Did it take you a couple of days to book an appointment because you went back and forth trying to decide on when/where when you could've knocked it out immediately by offering up a couple of dates and options on the front end?
• Can you create a customizable email template for queries you frequently receive?
• Can you update your website, brochure, or FAQs to address questions to prevent you from having to answer via email?

Are you using technology in the most efficient ways possible or is something that was meant to speed things up actually slowing you down?

Photo credit: Biscarotte

Don't Lose Your Voice

Yeah, the picture is a bit graphic but you get the point don't you? This is how some people would like to see us - unable to speak and without a voice.

An interesting thing happened this week on air during my radio show. I made a comment that offended some listeners and they didn't waste time calling in to let me know. We were talking about the man in Florida who went into the school board meeting and started shooting. He didn't injure anyone, but was shot by security and then turned the gun on himself. His wife later made a statement saying he was bipolar. I said he was crazy.

I brought up the fact that so many criminals are now using bipolar disorder as a reason for "snapping" and breaking the law. By no means was I grouping everyone with a mental illness in this category. The category with crazy criminals.

SELECTIVE HEARING

Some listeners took my comment totally out of context and said I was making light of a very serious situation. Not true at all. They heard what they wanted to hear and drew their own conclusions. Has this ever happened to you?

DIFFERENCES IN PERCECPTION

Other listeners called in to say they understood my point and felt the same way. That anyone who went into a board room with a loaded gun was crazy. One caller even went so far as to tell me live on air that he was calling to give me an opportunity to retract what I said. Huh? Seriously?

This kind of thing happens all the time with celebrities and public figures. They make a statement, a group gets pissed off, and then they're bullied into apologizing. Well let me tell you something: it ain't happening here. I said what I meant and I meant what I said. I politely (in the most stern way I possibly could) told the listener I respected his opinion and point of view and all I ask is that he respect mine. Respecting and agreeing are two completely different things.

DON'T BE SILENCED

I'm on the radio and I write to have a voice. A voice that's mine. A voice that won't be manipulated and controlled by people who take things way too seriously and misconstrue my message.

Don't allow anyone to take your voice. Don't allow anyone to put words in your mouth. You have the right to speak your mind. Having said that, you don't have the right to disrespect the person next to you. Healthy debate is a good thing. The world would be a boring place if we all believed the same thing and communicated the same way.

Be your authentic self. Just know when you do, you'll sometimes be misunderstood.

Photo credit: izthistaken

Connect with Stories

Have you gone to a conference, signed up for a breakout session (you were drawn in because the description left you salivating), and after it was over you left with that glazed-over look? The presenter did an excellent job of writing good copy, but fell short on delivery.

There's a huge difference between telling stories and giving a boring lecture. After I speak, my audiences are surprised by how much Q&A I incorporate into my talks. In addition to allowing for collaborative learning, I also open up and share relevant personal stories. This humanizes me. It puts me in your shoes - in the seat right next to yours so we can connect and relate to each other.

OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED

My job when speaking is not just to impart information. That's easy. I have to be transparent, humorous, adapt and speak to you on your level, and leave you with something you can take and implement or build upon.

If you haven't yet begun to speak (there are so many reasons why you should as an entrepreneur), don't put it off any longer. You have your own stories to share. I don't doubt it for one minute. Be your authentically good and genuine self on the platform. Skip the gimmicks and tricks.  There's also a huge difference between a speaker and a performer.

How To Write a Better "About Me" Page

When was the last time you updated your Bio/About page on your website? Is it engaging and upbeat or does it read more like an obituary?

BLAH BLAH BORING

Don't shoot the messenger, but most people don't really care about your acronyms and accolades - they just won't tell you. When we land on the page that's supposed to tell us about you, that's what we want to know. About you the person. The personality attached to the person. This is where an emotional connection will take place (or not) and this determines if we hang around to get to know you better or move on to someone more interesting.

REAL LIFE EXAMPLES

This is what my original Forbes profile used to look like:

Donna L. Johnson, The Unemployed Entrepreneur ™, is a speaker and confidence coach who worked her way up from file clerk to management while starting a business at night and on weekends.

Donna is a relationship building expert and Founder of an Austin-based women’s entrepreneurial group. She trains and empowers a diverse group of women to succeed in life and in business. She educates members on the importance of creating a strong personal brand and challenges women to out-think and not out-spend when it comes to marketing your business.

Visit www.iHiredMe.net to get resources and support to succeed.

Here's what I changed it to a couple of months ago:

I'm The Unemployed Entrepreneur® and I've been writing for Forbes since March 2010. Summary of professional experience: 15 jobs by the age of 22. My written word hustle is a mix of business street smarts, lifestyle, and controversy. I take a stand on things I'm passionate about without being afraid of backlash.

When I'm not blogging, speaking, and reading, I visualize being on the set of my dream job as a tv talk show host. Follow my journey at http://www.iHiredMe.net and hit me up on twitter @iHiredMe.

Now go take a look at yours and give it an extreme makeover. Publicity Specialist Melissa Cassera wrote a great post about the same thing and gives you valuable tips to take your bio from drab to fab.

Have specific questions? Share your thoughts below and let me know. I'd love to help.




Photo credit: Thomas Hawk

21 QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF

1.  What can I do today to improve my tomorrow?

2.  How many negative thoughts have I had in the past 24 hours?

3.  What toxic people do I need to let go of?

4.  What's my definition of success?

5.  When will I stop making excuses?
 

6.  How can others see the best in me if I refuse to do so myself?

7.  How many hours will I spend on personal development?

8.  How can I reach new heights...and stay there?

9.  Who can I bring with me on my journey to success?

10. When was the last time I performed a random act of kindness?

11. What would happen if I replaced "I'm trying" with "I'm doing"?

12.  When will I realize I deserve more than I'm settling for?

13. How many times did I say "thank you" today?

14. What would I do if I wasn't afraid of being judged?

15. Do I only find joy in material things?

16. Are my words speaking louder than my actions?

17. Am I defined by the opinions of others?

18. When will I get a backbone and start saying "NO!"?

19. When will I stop letting my past determine my future?

20. When will I hold myself accountable?

21. Am I really pleased with the person in the mirror?





Photo credit: lovesteph83

Goals and Slacking

You probably never expected to see the words Goals and Slacking side by side. Especially with an illustration of someone's 10 year life plan. It's December 1, 2010, and two things are happening right now:

1. People are completing end of year goals and/or planning for 2011.

2. Because it's the holiday season, people are doing as little as possible.

WHICH ONE ARE YOU DOING?

If you want the next one, three, or five years of your life to be different and better than today, I suggest you focus on number 1. If you only want to talk about change and continue doing the same things and getting less than desired results, chances are you fall into bucket number 2. Not just this year, but every year.

LIKE ATTRACTS LIKE

I got a call from Monica Pena today. She was following up to see if I was still attending an event she'd invited me to tonight. I told her not to expect me because I've blocked off this entire month to get more writing done and to work on plans for 2011. Guess what? Monica said she'd done the same thing. However, in her case, she's devoting time to completing the 2010 goals she hasn't accomplished yet. This is the kind of drive and work ethic that ensures you won't get stuck in complacent mode and looking back a few years from now wondering why everyone else is living their dreams and you're not.

LESSONS FROM A STRANGER

My virtual mentor (whom I've never met and he doesn't even know I consider him a mentor) shared a valuable lesson with me in November 2009. He said he worked extra hard and pushed out more content this time of year because he gains an advantage over others who don't. He went on to say some people give themselves permission to slack and this allows you an opportunity to "sneak some success in" and get ahead of everyone who's putting things off until the new year.

BALANCE AND ALTERNATIVE

Please don't mistake my point for one that doesn't advocate the value of down/quality time with loved ones. I recently spoke with someone who told me she kicks it into high gear for nine months out of the year so she can have summers off. There's no one-size-fits-all way of going about it. Do what's best for you and your desired outcomes.

Keep the momentum. Do something. And if you do it when everyone else is doing nothing, imagine where your life will be in 2020.

Photo credit: lululemon athletica

I'M WRONG

When was the last time you actually said, "I'm wrong"? Are you someone who finds it hard to admit your own faults? Or are you one of those people who doesn't have a hard time owning up to your shortcomings?

A few years ago I went to a career consultant for an assessment to find out why I became bored at work. It was because I was typically the one with the most knowledge about certain things. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I wasn't in the presence of other intelligent people. It just meant that most often, I was the "go-to" person. Since then I've made it a point to surround myself with people who know more than I do. The way to truly learn is to put yourself around many different types of people, from all walks of life, with different backgrounds. When you allow yourself to have these types of experiences, that's when you begin learning on a different level.

I DON'T KNOW

It's a good thing when you can openly confess you don't have all the answers.

I was talking to someone recently and the person used a word I'd never heard before. My response to her was, "I have no idea what that word means, however...". In most cases, I would've asked what the word meant, but in this instance we were talking about plumbing and I have no desire to add plumber's jargon to my vocabulary. The point I'm making is that I didn't feel intimidated or less-than because I didn't know the context of the word and I continued to communicate in the most effective way I knew how. At that moment, I expressed the fact that I simply didn't know.

As you lead and grow, this is a characteristic you must have. You have to be comfortable knowing you're the person being looked to for inspiration and solutions and with all that being said, you're still a work in progress. This is when you know you're gaining more self-confidence.

Photo credit: Mr. Flibble

Does Membership Really Have its Privileges?

I was on YouTube and came across a video of a speaker and coach doing a presentation on social media. The speaker was talking about her success with her membership site - specifically about how much money it was bringing in every month.

What really got my attention was when she said something along the lines of: I haven't updated that site with any new content in ages, but yet and still, I'm getting paid off of it.

Hhmmm...am I the only one who thinks this is down right wrong and unethical? You are knowingly and admitting on camera to the entire world that basically, you're a thief. Or do you believe the burden falls on the subscriber to pay more attention to what they're being charged and to cancel?

I'm not up to speed on FTC rules and regulations in this area. Personally, I believe people who engage in deceptive practices such as these should be fined and required to refund their members.

Would you file a formal complaint if this happened to you? Would you demand your money back? How would you handle this?

Photo credit: @muntz

3 Things I Consider When Going to Networking Events

Sometimes I go brain dead when trying to figure out what to write about and share with you. Whenever this happens, I can always count on my Facebook friends to get me unstuck.

Scott Bradley suggested I write something about networking so here goes:

I've cut back considerably on the number of networking events I attend. Why? Because of the time and costs involved. I use the word cost instead of investment because there are instances when I've gone to things and have left feeling like I wasted my money. In picking and choosing where I go, these factors come into play:

1. THE EVENT BENEFITS A CAUSE

I make a donation in exchange for attending and that donation/registration fee or a portion of it becomes a charitable contribution. It's always fulfilling to give back and this allows me to kill a few birds with one stone.

2. TO DEEPEN RELATIONSHIPS

A presentation I attended in October was facilitated by a lady who happened to have been the room monitor at one of my speaking engagements this summer. After the conference was over, I sent an email thanking her for helping me out, but I didn't get a response. Since she'll be speaking, it gives me an opportunity to see her on stage, show my support, and find out if there's a possibility to broaden our relationship. At the conference she mentioned us collaborating; the talk I presented was Dollars and Sense: Maximizing the Outcome of Your Income and she happens to be a financial planner.  The seminar is being sponsored by the local chapter of the regional conference I attended, so I get to see the chapter president again and strengthen that relationship as well. I want the organization to know I appreciate them choosing me as a speaker and would love the opportunity to speak to them again.

3. LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Sometimes learning trumps the relationship factor when I'm deciding where to go. I know once I'm there some kind of a connection is going to be made. However, "connections" has become a buzzword in both online and offline networking and while it's the first step in the process, it doesn't always mean a mutually beneficial business relationship will evolve.

I see so many people who are everywhere all of the time simply because that's what we're told to do - show up and be seen. But if you're just popping up all over the place and not helping anyone or offering any solutions, then what's the point? You have to do more than what I call, "The Business Card Shuffle". You can't glide into the venue, wait for the opportunity to deliver your pitch, and then cram your business card down someone's throat (I think some folks proudly refer to this as 'working the room').

There's always going to be something going on. Just as you would invest your money wisely, you should make those same decisions when investing your time into networking.

Photo credit: activebob

Judging a Business by its Prize

Last week I had the privilege of attending a women's health and fashion gala. The event planners did a great job of producing a 5-star event. Before the fashion show started I mingled and visited different vendors, tasted desserts, and took photos.

The ladies at a medspa-type booth got my attention when I passed by inviting me to participate in their giveaway. You could spin the wheel and win whatever prize you landed on. Prizes included mini-microdermabrasions, mini-facials, and a few other things. I had my eyes set on winning a microderm, but wanted to know what a "mini" one consisted of.

When I asked the owner, she couldn't really give a thorough explanation and basically stated it wasn't a full microderm, but I could purchase the complete service for an additional $35. She was able to articulate that the mini-facial only consisted of a cleansing.

The pressure was on so I gave the wheel a good spin. Low and behold it landed on, "Take Your Pick".

Yep - I could choose any prize I wanted.

I chose the mini-microderm, got my coupon card, and told the owner I'd be in touch to schedule my appointment. A member of her staff informed me with excitement that for a limited time, I could receive 50% off all services.

PRIZES DO MATTER

The above photo was taken to promote a Hardee's Restaurant $10,000 winner. Congratulations Jacob! Let's imagine for a second that Jacob had no idea what he was winning - he just knew he'd won something from his favorite fast food joint. What do you think would happen if he found out he won 1/2 of a free sandwich? How enthused would you be if you were the grand prize winner of:

• 1/2 a pizza
• one shoe from your favorite shoe store
• 1/2 a haircut
• a 12 hour stay at a resort hotel
• 3 rides at a national amusement park
• 30 minute private screening of a new movie

But what if you had the option of purchasing the entire whatever for an additional fee? Like, what good would one left shoe really do unless you bought the right one? Is it still a giveaway in this case?

NO FACE VALUE - LITERALLY

Once the excitement died down and I had some time to think about the true value of my prize, I decided not to book the appointment. Why? It just wasn't worth it to me. I already have an aesthetician that I love and the business owner did a poor job of selling me on the benefits of visiting her spa. Did I mention that at no point did anyone collect my contact information to follow up with me? Another missed opportunity. The entire experience was sub-par in my opinion. You lure me over to your table with the hopes of winning something worthwhile and before we even establish any kind of a relationship you upsell me. That's the kind of thing you expect from a fly-by-night car dealership.

GIVE SOMETHING GOOD OR DON'T GIVE AT ALL

This statement alone serves as the moral of the story. When thinking about ways to reward your customers, ask yourself if it's something you would like to be on the receiving end of. If the answer is no, more than likely your clients or potential clients feel the same way. Instead of gifting 10 low budget prizes, opt to give away 3 really valuable ones. Put a deadline on when the prize has to be redeemed. Collect the winner's information so you can follow up 1) to send a reminder 2) to have a conversation and find out why they chose not to redeem the prize. This will give you much needed insight to continue on with that particular giveaway or make the necessary adjustments so that future prizes have more value.

Would you have gone ahead and gotten your mini service? Why or why not? Share your thoughts with me.

Photo credit: hardees

Lessons Learned from The Real Housewives of Atlanta: A Forbes Post

In a recent Forbes post, I assessed a few of the business decisions the Atlanta Housewives cast members made. If you open up your eyes, you'll find there are learning opportunities all around us.


What Entrepreneurs can Learn from The Real Housewives of Atlanta

Save Money While Making Memories

I'm really not understanding the Christmas decor and advertisements the day after Halloween. A few days ago I made my usual Thursday morning Starbucks run before heading to the radio station and my latte was served in a cup decked out with red hollies and such. Retailers have done it again - skipped a whole month and planted us smack dab in December. This made for a great show topic and our listeners didn't waste time calling in to give their two cents.

My family started a Thanksgiving tradition 10 years ago when I purchased my first house. My middle sister had the grand idea to have dinner at my new place. About 15 of us piled comfortably into my less than 1000 sq. ft. abode. Since then, we've kept the tradition alive by rotating between houses every year.

As American families continue to face tough economic times, planning holiday get togethers can be challenging. As a result of increased gas and food prices, some family traditions have fallen by the wayside. Here are a few things you can do to save some money and cherish your time with loved ones.

• Host Multi-Family Dinners: Instead of footing the bill alone, invite neighbors and friends over and ask them to bring a dish. This can work in tandem with saving on travel. Too strapped to book a flight out of town? Stay put and celebrate with others who decided to forgo travel.

• Skip the Elaborate, High-Priced Meals: It's going to cost more money to feed more people a gourmet meal. Your family and friends aren't looking for a 5-star experience. Scale back on the specialty items and keep it simple by serving up inexpensive comfort foods.

• Reduce, Recycle, and Reuse: This goes beyond being eco-friendly. Reduce your spending all together by comparison shopping, clipping coupons, and buying early. Create a spending plan (doesn't this sound better than being restricted to a budget?). Recycle items by swapping; you can get rid of something "old" while giving someone else something "new". Buy decor that can be used for more than one season/holiday/occasion. Clear glass votives, vases, and dishes are great. Use colored linens/flowers, etc. to capture the holiday's theme.

These money-saving strategies can be used all year long. What traditions do you have and how do you avoid breaking the bank?

Photo credit: alamedabrad

Kick Butt Collaboration

How many new ideas do you think of on a daily basis? How do you decide which ones to act on? Where do you keep all of those ideas until you're ready to put them into action?

I've come a long way with managing my creative process. The more focused I become on specific goal-oriented projects, the less time I spend going off into total world domination mode - the place where one simple concept morphs into a global initiative.

I'm going to take a moment to show you how my most recent venture came about.

MY IDEA BOOK

This is the sacred place where my ideas get written down. Not all ideas make the cut, however. If it's a thought I can't seem to shake or something that comes to me in the middle of the night, I jot it down. Other factors come into play, but you get the picture. Periodically, I flip through my idea book and cross things off that no longer interest me. I wrote down the idea of having coaching and coffee a few months ago.

CLARITY

Usually when I have a bright idea, that's all I have. I wrote about this in the post talking about fear. Rarely do I have a detailed plan attached to the concept. Just as fate would have it, when all of the pieces need to fall into place, that's exactly what happens. This is especially true in this particular instance. Because I'd briefly brainstormed and ran this by my accountability partners, I did have somewhat of a clue as to how this event would actually look. Sometimes all it takes is a few key bullet points and logistics to move your ideas closer to fruition.


CONNECTIONS

My relationship with the owner began close to a year ago on twitter (I make it a point to follow locally owned businesses and entrepreneurs) when he tweeted a coupon good for new customers only. It was a well executed marketing strategy to get newcomers through the door and coffee happens to be one of my favorite things. My initial experience was fun and personable, just the way service is supposed to be and my barista won me over when he concocted something using my three must-have ingredients: vanilla, cream whip, and caramel - in that order. When I saw Kick Butt's callout on Facebook letting folks know the venue was available for events I immediately sent an email and within 15 minutes, Thomas and I were on the phone. Note: Knowing the decision makers saves you so much time on the front end. About 30 minutes later, we'd worked out all of the details and I was good to go.

Now all I needed to do was figure out how to conduct 5-minute speed coaching. Let me rephrase that - I know how to coach, but I've never actually organized speed coaching sessions. Not a problem. I knew who to call. I got Julie Lara on the phone and within another 10 minutes, she got me all hooked up.

DON'T think you need to have all the answers.
DO surround yourself with other people who do.


REALITY

Today marked my first Kick Butt Coffee & Coaching and the next is scheduled for November 16th. Was it a success? By my definition, yes. Simply deciding to get up and take action was half the battle. It would've been easy to sit back and wait for the "perfect" time to move forward. With very little marketing and the fact that today was election day, three people showed up. My inaugural gig was 1/4 full capacity! I know...most people wouldn't celebrate and share what some would consider a low turnout. The truth of the matter is we don't always come out of the gate and hit our target. We meet our goals by committing to consistency. Slow and steady still wins the race.

Your ideas are the beginning of the journey. No matter when you start, you can't expect to arrive overnight.

The Upside of Social Networking Addictions

I've been on Facebook now for almost a year, but my social media addiction started with twitter. I'd spend hours and hours laughing and tweeting...retweeting and laughing some more.

True story: The Boy (my son) once told me, "I wish I had the mom who worked at [previous employer] instead of the mom who works at twitter." Bless his heart, he thought twitter was my job!

Before migrating my addiction over to Facebook, I wanted to make sure I'd positioned myself on twitter. Not as someone who was there to self-promote, but to use it for what I believe it's truly meant for - taking online connections and turning them into real-life offline relationships. Twitter lead to the opportunity for me to speak to eWomen Network in Oakland, CA, as a result of meeting Ann Evanston online. It's been a couple of years since I sent my first tweet and I'm still amazed at the number of people who still miss the point. They continue to talk about only themselves, push their services and affiliate products, and blast sales pitches.

Now that I'm comfortable with using Facebok, I'm spending more time on twitter again. Last week I was on and happened to see a tweet announcing a chat for the upcoming Texas Conference for Women. The hashtag was #TexasWomen. I hadn't participated in tweetchat in a long time and decided to join the conversation. I was glad I did. Although I don't have plans to attend the 2010 conference, I had fun enteracting with the speakers and past conference attendees. That experience alone made me want to go to the live event and I've already put next week's chat on my calendar. I also gained a few more like-minded followers in the process.

I'm sitting in Starbucks writing this post and couldn't help but overhear two men talking about twitter. One guy was telling the other all the great benefits of being active on twitter and the other fellow was rebutting and saying what I've heard so many others say, "I just don't get it."

I'm not here to sell you on it one way or another. Not all social networking works for everyone and I don't subscribe to the belief that you have to be plugged into everything or you're not "doing it right". Find what works best for you and stick with it consistently.

Regardless to what you choose, remember this: Join the conversation - it's a dialogue. Forget about adding value and just show up and give it.

You can see my latest tweets over there to the right below my picture. If we haven't connected there yet, you can follow me at @iHiredMe.

Photo credit: xotoko

Feel the Fear, Have Doubts & Do it Anyway

I was searching for an image that depicted someone being afraid and despite feeling the fear, they chose to "do the thing " anyway. This photo is a good representation of not only that, but of how I personally feel at times.

More often than not, when I make up my mind to do something, I really don't have a clue how to go about doing it. I'm sometimes fearful, rarely have a comprehensive plan in place, am a bit worried about being judged or how the idea will be received by others, but yet and still I do it anyway. I give myself permission to have all of those conflicting emotions - the negative ones that usually hold others back from reaching forward into the unknown. In case you didn't know, that's what we're resisting. Moving outside of what's comfortable and into territory we've never explored.

If you only take away one thing from reading this, let it be the following: If what you're doing doesn't make you uneasy, it's probably not worth doing.

Complacency is akin to comfort. Comfort is related to stagnation. Stagnation mirrors conformity. None of which are breeding grounds for prosperity, growth, responsibility, or success.

I couldn't encourage you to dream big and then make it happen unless I was actually doing it myself. Well, I guess I could but I wouldn't be taken seriously and I certainly wouldn't be leading by example.

The point I'm trying to make here is simple. We experience a range of positive and negative emotions and thoughts. It's ok. What's not ok is when we become paralyzed by the negative - anything and everything from the distracting little voices in our heads to the very people in our circle of influence who shoot down our dreams for no reason other than they too have the same reservations but don't know how to manage and overcome them.

Tell the voices to shut up and get yourself some new friends. I suggest you do this sooner rather than later. The more you procrastinate the more it costs you. Wouldn't you rather have a small group of people who build you up and support you unconditionally rather than a large network of Naysaying Nellies?

Stop settling for less than you deserve because you're guided by fear and can't see beyond the seemingly impossible. Let your fears motivate you. Embrace them and allow yourself to evolve into someone you never imagined you could be.


Photo credit: Marlene Ford

The Unemployed Entrepreneur®: The Evolution Begins

 

This interview was done in March 2009 and was the second one I'd done with the local news. The first was a few months earlier in November 2008, where I shared my story about overcoming foreclosure. I didn't hire a PR firm and wouldn't have done so even if I could've afforded it. Instead, I sat down and taught myself how to pitch the media.

Media outlets report on newsworthy information and during this time, unemployment and the foreclosure crisis was in the news daily. Like millions of others, I'd been impacted by both.

The angle of the FOX 7 interview was to shed light on the upside of losing your job. I wanted people to know that unemployment wasn't the end of the world, but the beginning of reinventing yourself as someone you've always wanted to be or the opportunity to just try something new all together. Bottom line: it's gonna be whatever you make it - good or bad, but regardless -  it's not going to be easy. So since tough times were ahead (believe me, I've had my fair share between now and then), I decided to face them doing something I actually enjoyed and the idea of helping a few folks along the way excited me.

The Unemployed Entrepreneur® was born in May 2009 (I borrowed the money from my uncle to trademark the name).

So much has happened over the last couple of years and I've shared some of it here on my blog. I founded a women's entrepreneur group, started writing for Forbes, and recently became a radio host. And while I've been transparent about certain aspects of my life and business, I must admit that I haven't been that forthcoming in regards to the stuff that isn't so pleasant - the bad days, disappointments, and struggles.

From this point on, I'm really an open book. Not for the sake of airing my dirty laundry, but simply because life isn't always a cake walk and the challenges are also a part of the journey. I believe deep down in the innermost crevices of my heart that I'll reach all of my goals, my dreams will be fulfilled, and my brand will evolve into something bigger than I've even imagined for myself.

So many times we hear a person's story of trials and tribulations after they've made a name for themselves (Paula Deen and Tyler Perry immediately come to mind). We don't get the opportunity to experience it first hand as things are unfolding...until now.

This is my success story in the making. We'll find out how it ends together.

Marketing Fail: A Post for The Work at Home Woman

Who or what are you blaming for your marketing not getting results? There's one important factor to consider and it depends solely upon you. Read this post and let me know if you can relate to it:

The #1 Reason for Marketing Fail

The Guerilla Marketing Challenge

In August I made up my mind to focus more on my marketing efforts. I need to implement, execute, track, and measure. You know, all the stuff we're told to do, but somehow never really get around to because we're too busy being Administrative Assistants instead of  money-making business owners. My Action & Accountability group read Jay Conrad Levinson's book, Guerilla Marketing, and a member loaned me the workbook you see pictured here.

Over the next 30 plus days, I'll be reading and doing the exercises in the workbook. Notice I said, "30 plus days". While I would love nothing more than to complete an exercise each day, that's just not a realistic goal for me to set. I've done the Day 1 Action Steps which were relatively easy. I had to answer seven questions and complete sentences pertaining to my mindset and beliefs as they relate to marketing. The author told me to start a marketing journal and give it a name. Mine is appropriately titled Bad Ass Marketing Book ("My Marketing Journal" doesn't really fit my personality or mindset).  Day 2 is a bit more involved. I have to make a list of marketing goals, explain in detail my process for reaching those goals, as well as plan how I'll overcome any roadblocks that may get in the way of my goals. I'm giong to keep you updated on my progress, so be sure to subscribe to my blog. All you have to do is enter your email address in the box in the top right corner of this page and immediately confirm your subscription once the confirmation email is sent to you.

I'm going to leave you with Levinson's Four Things that Contribute to a Poor Marketing Mindset:

1. 
   
   Thinking in terms of "I make a good living" or "I'm comfortable and my numbers are fine." Complacency is your number-one enemy once competition steps in or a market turns. Not having the right marketing mindset will leave the company in a vulnerable state and a catch-up situation. Many times action comes too late and there is too much to recover from.
2. 
   
   Thinking in terms of "I already lead in my market." Sooner or later the competition will get stronger. There will be a new competitor in the market and/or there could be technology changes. Some industry factors are beyond your control. Lack of marketing mindset will put you at risk from those factors beyond your control.
3. 
   
   Thinking in terms of "I concentrate on the financials; marketing belongs to the marketing department." Marketing starts with the CEO, owner, or director. Taking on this responsibility requires the right marketing mindset. Growth and survival cannot happen without marketing, and marketing can't happen without the proper mindset.
4. 
   
   Lacking a competitive spirit, not having a killer instinct, and not playing to win. Vince Lombardi said that winning is not everything - it is the only thing. The same goes for marketing. Marketing is not a hobby. It is put in place to win customers and business, and winning customers requires a winning marketing mindset.

I challenge you to take the time to start your own marketing journal and commit to implementing and following through with what you write down. Before you start, you must be clear on your marketing mindset and identify specific measurable and attainable goals. Let me know what you come up with. Leave your feedback and comments below.

Today's Video: I Ain't too Proud to Save

While most people won't even bother to clip and use coupons, in this video not only do I use mine, but I redeem it days AFTER I made my purchase!

To put things into perspective, let me give you a scenario: If you found out a store was giving away $10 bills, you wouldn't hesitate to go stand in line to get yours. Don't dare say you wouldn't because I waited in line with at least a hundred people to get a free Whataburger. Doing what I did in this video is no different and in all actuality, it's more justifiable because it was my $10 to begin with!

Here are just a few things $10 will buy me:

• 2.5 Dark Cherry Mocha Frappachinos from Starbucks
• a domain name
• an eyebrow wax
• 1/2 of the items on The Boy's second grade school supply list
• a rotisserie chicken & 2 bags of frozen veggies
• a matinee movie ticket
• a dress from Ross (a cute one...seriously!)

You can judge me if you want to, but don't call me asking to borrow $10!

Guess what?! Due to the overwhelming response to this post, I started a personal style blog. But it's not just any personal style blog. Go on..click here to check it out!

The Unemployed Entrepreneur®: On-Air Radio Personality

Last Thursday marked my second week of officially becoming a radio personality. I've been training for several months to have my own show and was totally caught off guard when the station's General Manager invited me to join his variety talk show.

Donna L. Johnson on remote with Steve Savage

I'm a co-host on KAZI 88.7's Juice & Jam Show - and did I forget to mention I've joined an all male lineup? This alone should make for some very interesting dynamics and show content. About 15 minutes into my media debut, a man called up and voiced his opinion about me joining the crew. "Don't turn this into no woman's show!", he said. So pleased to know we as women have made such great strides in workplace equality. FYI...I ain't goin' nowhere...unless I get fired (don't act surprised - you know it wouldn't be the first time!).

Steve has wanted me to become a part of the KAZI family for some time now. I'd been reluctant to do so, but then realized if I didn't take advantage of the opportunity someone else would. Did fear play a part in me dragging my feet? Sure did. That's when I had to follow my own advice and get over it.

Will I still host my own show? That offer is still on the table too. However, I've decided not to move forward at this time. I don't want to bite off more than I can chew and juggling two radio shows would be a bit overwhelming for me. Besides, I'm perfectly fine with being a co-host and by working directly with the General Manager, I'm in the best position to learn the engineering aspects I need to know.

A few years ago, Juice & Jam was voted Austin's Best Morning Talk Show...I have my eyes set on winning that award again!

Tune in every Thursday morning from 9am - 12pm CST. We stream live online!

How to Get Your Media, Guest Blog, and Any Other Request Ignored

I do my best not to feed into strict, concrete rules of engagement when it comes to advising you on certain things. I believe there are certain rules that should be followed in certain situations, but by no means do I advocate experts who have a "my way or the highway" style of leading and coaching.

Opened up my inbox today to find an email from an organization asking me to post one of their blogs here on my blog. This isn't the first time this particular individual has contacted me asking to have one of their posts featured. I did today what I've done in the past - read and delete.

Why? They completely went about it the wrong way.

Mistake #1: The subject line of the email was "The Unemployed Entrepreneur". Yep, that's me...now what?

Mistake #2: The email salutation read "Hi,". So I'm no longer The Unemployed Entrepreneur® or even Donna for that mattter. I've either been reduced to a single character or my new name is Comma and she decided to abbreviate it.

Mistake #3: The first sentence of the first and only paragraph started off with, "I'm a big fan of your blog and have enjoyed reading all the great content since I stumbled across it a while back."

Really? Stop pulling my leg!

Mistake #4: The entire email was full of formatting and punctuation errors. If this is what your email to me looks like, why should I take the time to even consider looking at the link to the post you sent? 

Mistake #5: Every time you've emailed me, you've sent the same crappy email...with the exception of changing the link to the post you think "my readers would get alot out of reading". You've just blown your third or fourth attempt at making a good first impression.

Deep down in my heart, I know you are far too intelligent for me to have to put together a list of things you should do to avoid making the same mistakes as the genius I'm referring to above. If you're ever in doubt, just do the opposite of what she did.

Photo credit: Bob.Fornal

PowerPoint for Presenters: A Post for The Work at Home Woman

Have you ever sat in on a presentation and became overwhelmed by the speaker's use (or misuse!) of PowerPoint? Take a look at the post below to avoid making the same mistakes:

5 Tips to Avoid PowerPoint Plague when Public Speaking

Increasing Blog Traffic with Speaking and Article Marketing

In June, I only wrote one post but managed to increase my blog subscription by 40% last month. Yeah, if I'd intended to do that it probably wouldn't have worked out that way.

While I can't give you a specific formula for how it happened, I can share with you something I did during the course of the month that probably contributed to the spike in growth:

Free Speech - I gave three free talks locally. Two of the speaking engagements were at women's chamber organizations. The audiences consisted of women entrepreneurs, marketing professionals, and other decision makers. One of the groups did an exceptional job of extracting information from my website and created a killer bio to market my presentation. They even went the extra mile and found comments from an online article I'd written (which weren't on my testimonials page) and included those as well. The other event afforded me the opportunity to serve as a moderator for a roundtable discussion. This allowed me to get up close and personal with my target audience. I was called to speak at this event because someone had cancelled and I didn't have time to create a customized handout. Instead, I gave each person at my table a copy of my personal branding article. The article byline included my blog url. At the end of the event, I had ladies who hadn't sat at my table coming up to me and asking for a copy of the article as well.

I've met people who simply refuse to speak for free. For me, it's a great way to get exposure, share my expertise, and expand my community. In this case, I thought outside of the box and gave more valuable content to my participants, and at the same time, was able to showcase my writing abilities and drive traffic here to my blog.

I've set a goal for the number of blog subsribers I'd like to have by the end of 2010. At this rate, I'm well on my way to achieving that goal.

Photo credit: kevinzhengli

The Relationship Factor: A Forbes Post

In a recent Forbes post, I gave three solid tips to maximize your networking efforts and follow up. Are you doing any of these already? Share your strategies for getting the most out of your personal connections.

3 Tips to Building Better Business Relationships

Today's Video: Savings 101 - Start Using Coupons

I couldn't tell you the last time I paid full price for a book. I do exactly what I've explained in the video and save money like on this receipt:

It doesn't take much time to change your shopping habits, but it does take discipline. Using coupons at the places you frequent most really adds up!

Link to Borders: http://www.borders.com/online/store/Home

NOTE: After receiving and registering your Borders Rewards card, you'll receive an invitation to join e-Rewards. e-Rewards membership is by invitation only from one of their sponsoring companies.

Sign up and start saving!
What ways do you cut costs?

Confessions of a Paid Speaker: Getting Booked Without a Demo Video

Have you put off starting your speaking business because you don’t have a demo video? Are you a new speaker who can’t afford to hire a professional videographer? A short video of you on your website is one of the best ways to market your talent and expertise. A five to seven minute clip adds instant credibility and in some cases, will set you apart from other speakers in your field.

I’ve been a paid speaker since 2006. I’ve spoken at major conferences and educational and financial institutions but yet, there’s no promotional video of me anywhere on my website. Since we’re being honest with each other, I may as well admit that I didn’t have my own YouTube channel until the summer of 2009. Had I listened to those who told me (for my own good I might add!) I wouldn’t be taken seriously as a result of not having footage of me presenting live, my aspirations of speaking and teaching would not have materialized.

Just as with anything you desire to have and/or achieve in life, always remember: where there’s a will there’s a way. Your career as a public speaker shouldn’t be put on hold because you don’t have thousands of dollars to shoot and produce cinema-grade videos. For an investment of less than $300, you can purchase an easy to use hand held video camera along with a tripod and learn to master DIY videography. Once you’ve gotten footage of yourself in action you can then pay a trusted professional to edit the film and add a bit of flash.

In addition to giving meeting planners a taste of what to expect when they book you for their next event, video is also a great way to deliver valuable content, establish an internet presence, and grow your audience. Public speaking can be incorporated into any business model and provides an additional revenue stream to boost your bottom line.

 

 

 

Photo credit: cisco

10 Traits of an Abusive Leader

I’ve been on Facebook now for about five months. I’m liking it because it’s really giving me the opportunity to connect with even more like-minded people.

One of those people is Regina Baker, co-host of Careers from the Kitchen Table on CNN 650 Radio. Regina shared the following quote which inspired this post:

"You do not lead by hitting people over the head. That's assault, not leadership." ~ Dwight D. Eisenhower

No matter if you’re an entrepreneur, President of an association, or a shift leader at a fast food joint, leadership skills are critical to your success. The things you do – or don’t do not only impact you, it also impacts those who look to you for guidance and mentorship.

Take a look at these 10 questions. If you lead in any capacity, sit down and answer each one truthfully. If you answer “No” to more than 3, you may want to question your motives as commander in chief. If you’re being led by someone else, evaluate your leader and 3 “No’s” should have you wondering if the leadership style is self-centered and toxic:

1. Are the leader’s comments/suggestions biased and disquised as “orders” or mandates to further advance his or her own goals/purpose?

2. Is the leader building confidence or using intimidation/fear-based tactics?

3. Is the leader encouraging you to take risks to help you grow?

4. Does the leader describe/view themselves as part of the team or put themselves above the team?

5. Does the leader create opportunities for others?

6. Does the leader do anything other than delegate and make decisions?

7. Does the leader push you to take actions that drive results?

8. Does the leader hold you accountable?

9. Is the leader open to receiving constructive criticism or only giving it?

10. Does the leader value your opinions and perspective (even if different from their own) or assert too much control by telling you what to think?

The more in tune you are to leadership best practices, the easier it will be to find those who are trustworthy, optimistic, and offer unconditional support. You’ll know you’re in the right place when the leader does what they say they’ll do. They’ll offer an environment built on fairness and encourage you to work cohesively with others on the team. He or she will celebrate your successes by recognizing, rewarding, and praising your contributions and efforts.

Most importantly, they will lead by example.

Photo credit: lumaxart