Discovering Your Inner Samurai Blog

USE EDDM to Promote Your Business This Holiday Season

Here's this week's hot business strategy: EDDM!

What is EDDM?

EDDM = Every Door Direct Mail.

EDDM is a new program developed by the USPS for local retailers and other location-based businesses. It is the coolest thing in direct mail marketing. It blitzes your target market in the area you select, the postage is as low as 14.2 cents per piece, and you don't need a mailing list!

 If you are on online business and want to expand your marketing this holiday with a simple and easily to use application, then consider EDDM.

What is Every Door Direct Mail? According to the USPS:

EDDM is a new program developed by the USPS for local retailers and other location-based businesses that want to market by mail to households and businesses in a specific neighborhood.  Technically, EDDM is Standard (bulk) Class mail, but EDDM mailpieces do not require a name or address because every delivery point on a specified mail carrier's route receives a mailpiece addressed to "Postal Customer"; this is known as saturation mailing and as such it mails at very low postage rates. EDDM Retail is specifically designed for small volume mailers who mail less than 5000 EDDM mailpieces a day and has special rules. Mailers must be willing and able to drop the mail off at the local Post Office retail unit responsible for delivery of the mail.

In other words: Saturate every address in the area of your choice with a large post card without a mailing list and receive the lowest postal rate available.

There are two ways to use the EDDM program:

1. You do it yourself - which is not all that difficult.
2. You hire someone else to do it for you.

If you type "EDDM" into your Google search bar, you'll see several companies who are offering their services. Don't have a recommendation since I'm a DIYer.

Here's a question you need to ask yourself: Is EDDM right for my business?

That depends on your target market. If you are a business that wants to hit everyone around you up to 5000 households per mailing, then it is an inexpensive way to send out a large postcard.

If, however, you have to target certain demographics, then this type of campaign is not for you because regardless of who lives at the address, they will get this advertisement.

What are the benefits of EDDM?

• No residential mailing list needed (saves your money there).
• Lowest possible postage rates available by the USPS.
• Large postcard (6.5×11″ min) mailer.
• It's a great, inexpensive way to branch out into direct marketing.

What are the draw-basks of EDDM?

• You have to have the postcard printed and shipped to you.
• You have to bring the postcards to your local post office.
• You have to fill out all the necessary paperwork (if your a DIYer).
• Postage must be prepaid.

Is EDDM worth it?

Yes!

If you're willing to get involved in the process and it’s the type of marketing you want to do, it will save you a bundle on the residential mailing list (not needed) and the postage (as low as 14.2 per piece).

Make your business a holiday success by using EDDM to reach more customers in your area.

Happy Holidays!

Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert

Award-winning author of Discovering Your Inner Samurai: The Entrepreneurial Woman's Journey to Business Success

3 Holiday Emails You Need to Send Out Now!

Here's this week's hot business tip: Holiday emails!

 If you're marketing your business online, It's that time of year to starting working on your holiday emails.

The next month will be busy for shoppers, to be sure, and you'll want your business offerings to be top of mind when it comes to shopping.

Here are three neat ways to do just that:

1. Holiday Catalog.

If you are a small business owner who has several different products or services to offer, consider putting together a holiday catalog for your customers. It could be a specific Hanukkah (Dec 9), Christmas (Dec 25), Kwanzaa/Boxing Day (Dec 26), or New Years (Dec 31) - depending on your target market, or an all inclusive Holiday Catalog that takes all the holidays into account.

Simply put an eye-catching digital catalog together, turn it into a PDF, then send it to your email list. 

2. Pre-Order Promotions.

If you have a particular product or service that will be ready during the holidays or at the start of the New Year then generate demand by taking pre-orders, at a discounted price.

3. Gift Bundles.

Now is a perfect time to put together a combination of products and services for your clients to enjoy. Bundle the packages together in creative and surprising ways.

Get started now to make your holiday a business success.

Happy Holidays!

Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert

Award-winning author of Discovering Your Inner Samurai: The Entrepreneurial Woman's Journey to Business Success

10 Things to Do in Your First Year of Business to Ensure Success

  This question came in from one of our readers. It's a great question for new business owners with their eye on the prize. If you have a small business question that you'd like for me to answer, let me know.

Q: What is the most important thing to do in your first year of starting up your business to ensure its success?

A: Congratulations on starting up your business! And even more so for looking beyond your start-up and asking the question that will lead to your success. Here are my suggestions:

1.    If you haven't created your business plan, do it now.

2.    Don't let yourself get sidetracked from your business plan. There will be lots of distractions that will make it seem like deviating from your business plan is a good idea. Don't be seduced. Work the plan.

3.    Keep the big picture in mind. If unemployment is at 10%, that means that 90% of the market is gainfully employed and spending money.

4.    Remember that everything cycles. Keep moving forward.

5.    Make sure you differentiate yourself in the market. Create an apples and oranges comparison and convey the contrast to your market.

6.    Stick with your core values. Remember why you are in business and what values are important you.

7.    Be transparent and honest in your dealings with people. During your first year, honesty will matter. Being a good person will matter. Being authentic will matter. Integrity earns trust.

8.    Master social networking to create inbound marketing.

9.    Keep things simple your first year. Don't over-complicate solutions, make situations more complex than they are, or react when you have the power to respond.

10.    Unplug from your business one day a week. I know. I know. There will be lots to do your first year. Your tendency will be to do whatever it takes to get things done. In addition to working long and hard, though, your business also needs you to refresh and renew yourself. Schedule one day a week off and stick to it.

Let me know if this was helpful, or if there is anything more you'd add. If you have a small business question that you'd like for me to answer, let me know.

Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert

Award-winning author of Discovering Your Inner Samurai: The Entrepreneurial Woman's Journey to Business Success

Business Made Easy - How to Create a Great Business Name for Your Business

Is this your first year in business? Want to get your new small business off to a great start? Then make it great by creating a fabulous name for your business.

Welcome to the Turn Your Business Dreams into Reality Video series. In this 4-minute video you'll learn exactly what goes into creating a great business name and also what popular trends to avoid.

Double, Double, Toil and Trouble

. . . Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

Today . . . I am thinking about the words chanted by the three witches in William Shakespeare's play Macbeth.

I'm thinking about how these words so perfectly describe the challenge most people have when it comes to setting goals.

They are trouble.
They take work.
And they are a bit of a mystery.

Have you noticed how sometimes when you set goals you reach them and other times you don't? Ever wondered why that is?

Answer: Because the more specific your goals, the harder it is to reach them.

"What!" you say, "That doesn't make sense. I've always been taught to be as specific as possible about my goals in order to achieve them."

Indeed, most of us were taught to be specific in our goals. However, the purpose of goals is to focus your attention and give you direction. Not to identify a final destination, so says John C. Maxwell in his book, Thinking for a Change. He says goals should be:

• Clear enough to be kept in focus.
• Close enough to be achieved.
• Helpful enough to change lives.

Mike Dooley of Notes from the Universe fame, explains that when your goals are specific and you attach to them, that's when problems occur:

When your dreams or "end results" are stated generally, in broad brush strokes, like wealth and abundance, friends and laughter, health and harmony, then please, by all means attach yourself to them. Attach, attach, attach. There is no limit to what you can have and no reason to expect anything less.

But when your end results are specific, like the ultimate car, a hot date, or a home in the country, do not attach, do not attach, do not attach.

Material details and specifics are always "how" to get to a grander picture of your life and are never important in and of themselves. They're "cursed hows" disguised as end results. Steps disguised as destinations. By all means, think of them, put them in your scrapbook or on your vision board to remind yourself of the kind of possessions and adventures that are your birthright, but do not give them an importance, through attachment, greater than what you are truly after: a fuller, richer life with all cups running over, the details of which will take care of themselves, when this is your end result.

Know the "wows"  not the "hows.

Therefore, my friends, take the double, double, toil and trouble out of goal setting keeping them in perspective . . . they are meant to focus your attention and give you direction, and not attaching to the specifics of what you want. State your goals in broad strokes for optimal success.

Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert

Award-winning author of Discovering Your Inner Samurai: The Entrepreneurial Woman's Journey to Business Success

 

For Crying Out Loud - Take a Vacation

It's September 19, 2011.

If you're a woman entrepreneur who's been busy starting up your business this summer, you probably haven't even thought about taking a vacation.

Perhaps that's because you've probably heard the following: The first year is going to be intense; you'll need to work 24/7 to get your business up and running; then you’ll have to work even harder to show a profit.

Why, then, do so many women entrepreneurs, having gone through the blood, sweat, and tears of starting up a business, end up packing it in, in less than two years?

Because the one thing no one tells you when starting up a business is this: If you don't want to end up becoming a small business start-up fatality, then during your first year, you must do one very important thing—take a vacation.

3 Reasons Why Not Taking a Vacation Could Spell Disaster for Your New Business

1. The Law of Attraction states that that which is like unto itself is drawn.

If you've been driving hard toward starting up your business, you're tired and stressed. From an energetic perspective, continuing to push yourself only attracts more strenuous energy. This, in turn, creates more exhaustion, emotional strain, and physical depletion.

Instead of pushing forward, create the opposite energy by going on vacation.

Vacation energy is light and breezy. While on vacation, you'll be attracting buoyant, happy, and joyous energy that will stay with you when you get back to business.

2. Your brain needs to be stimulated.

Tunnel vision sets in the farther along you are in the start-up process making you feel as if everything takes more effort than it used to.This is why vacations are necessary.

New activities keep your brain cells stimulated. New places, faces, and learning help stimulate the mind and energize the body. With new sights come new insights and fresh ideas. "A-ha" moments come more quickly when you remove yourself from the daily grind of starting up your business.

3. Your relationships will suffer.

Starting up your business can be a lonely ordeal. Often, it's just you, alone in a room, working on your business from dawn to dusk. Don't make the mistake, however, of thinking you're the only one going it alone. Your family and friends are bearing the dual burden of both supporting you in your venture and coping with an absentee wife, mother, sister, or friend.

Spending time with loved ones is the heart and soul of every woman entrepreneur. Therefore, go on vacation and enjoy life with the people you love the most. Doing so will keep these vital relationships strong, while storing up good times you can remember when the going gets tough in your business.

Don't make the mistake of dragging yourself through an entire year of start-up stress, only to discover that, once you've launched your business, you're either too tired to go on vacation or too busy with the next phase of your business to plan one.

Instead, go to your calendar and block out a vacation now! Your family, your friends—and your business—will thank you for it.

 

Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert

Award-winning author of Discovering Your Inner Samurai: The Entrepreneurial Woman's Journey to Business Success

Three Steps to Creating a Perfect Marketing Funnel

Today . . . I am thinking about this question that came in from one of our readers. She's been in business for a couple of years and wanted some suggestions about what to put into her marketing funnel.

If you have a small business question that you'd like for me to answer, let me know.

Q: What's a marketing funnel and what goes in it?"

A: A marketing funnel is a visual representation of the actual products and services that you are offering your prospects. The point of a marketing funnel is to keep people flowing down from the top of the funnel to the bottom. As you go deeper into the funnel your products and services will be priced higher and higher, until you get to the bottom where your highest priced offering awaits.

Here's how it works: Picture a funnel—wide and open at the top and tiny and narrow at the bottom. At the top of the funnel is where you want to get as many prospects in as possible. At the bottom of the funnel is your highest priced product or service. In the middle are in-between levels and prices.

Three Steps to Creating Your Marketing Funnel

Step one: Get your prospects into the funnel by offering them something free, such as a special report, e-Book, e-Zine, PDF chapter from your book, intro teleclass, or tip sheet. The important thing to keep in mind when creating your free offering is that it must be of value to your prospects. In other words, it must be something that they want. In exchange for signing up to receive your freebie, you get their names and e-mail addresses (leads).

Step two: Strategically fill the middle of your funnel with information products and other programs to sell. This will give your prospects the chance to "sample" you and get to know you at a lower price point before committing to your highest priced product or service at the bottom of the funnel.

10 Information Product Ideas for the Middle of Your Funnel

•    Audio Programs (MP3s or CDs)
•    Books
•    E-Books
•    Home Study Courses
•    Special Reports
•    Teleclasses
•    Teleseminars
•    Video Programs (MP4s or DVDs)
•    Webinars
•    Workbooks

Step three: Choose 2-3 high priced and highly sought after products and services for the bottom of your funnel, such as, private consultations, extended coaching packages, weekend live workshops, or a year-long personal mentoring program.

That's it!

Do you have any other suggestions? If so, leave a comment and let us know. And, if you have a small business question that you'd like for me to answer, let me know.   

 

 

Susan L. Reid
The original Accidental Pren-her™
Award-winning author of Discovering Your Inner Samurai: The Entrepreneurial Woman's Journey to Business Success

Grow Your Business in 2011 from Solo to Enterprising Entrepreneur

Are you a small business owner, party-of-one, thinking about growing your business and taking it to the next level? The next step is easier than you think.

Here's our 4-minute "Grow Your Business from Solo to Enterprising Entrepreneur" video to show you how!

Video - How to Create a Great Business Name for Your Business

Is this your first year in business? Want to get your new small business off to a great start? Then make it great by creating a fabulous name for your business.

Welcome to the Turn Your Business Dreams into Reality Video series. In this 4-minute video you'll learn exactly what goes into creating a great business name and also what popular trends to avoid.

Video: How to Set Goals That Stick

Want your small business to be successful this year? Then it's time to be fierce about your goals and guard them with your time.

Welcome to the Inner Samurai Business Leadership Video series. In this 3-minute video you'll learn how to set goals that stick.

First 10 Steps to Starting up Your Home-Based Business

Today . . . I am thinking about this question that came in from one of our readers. She just got her DBA and is all excited about starting up her business. Understandably, she wants to make sure she starts up right, and wants to know what the first steps are to starting up a business, and in what order she should go.

If you have a small business question that you'd like for me to answer, let me know.

Q: "What are the first steps to starting up a home-based business? Is there a certain sequence I should follow?"

A: First 10 Steps to Starting Up a Business

1. Get help. First things first. Don’t try to go it alone. Hire a home business coach, contact SCORE and partner with a mentor, or join a mastermind group focused on starting up a business.

2. Gather your people. A lot of fears may surface during this time. Make sure you have a group of people around you who understand what you are doing and know how to offer support without telling you what to do.

3. Decide what it is you want to do. This is no small task. You must be absolutely sure about the focus of your business and be passionate about it. It is this passion and conviction that will sustain you through the dark moments of doubt and confusion when no one believes in you but yourself.

4. Figure out who your niche market is. One of the best ways to do this is by creating a persona of your perfect client or customer. Figure out what they like, what keeps them up at night, and where they turn for help. Then develop an action plan for connecting with them.

5. Develop a viable product or service. First, make sure that your passion in business is a perfect match to the solutions you intend to provide to your niche market’s biggest challenges. Then, create 2-3 products at different price points that will entice website visitors to buy.

6. Put together a business plan. This is one of the most frequently skipped steps. The most important reason to have a business plan is to clarify where you are taking your business, what you are focusing on, and how you plan to get there.

7. Hire a professional to design and implement your website. Unless you have the design chops to put a website together, don’t try to skimp on money here by doing it yourself. You want a website that looks professional and is optimized with the actual keyword phrases that your niche market is using to find solutions to their challenges.

8. Begin building your mailing list. Rarely do people buy, right off, when they come to your home page. So create a special report, PDF, audio CD, or video that you will give away for free when website visitors opt-in to your mailing list. Do not ask them to sign up for your free e-Zine. No one needs another free e-Zine.

9. Put up a business blog. Make it an extension of your business that further connects you to your niche market. Plan to post 4-5 times a week and put into place an editorial calendar that focuses on four main subjects each week.

10. Brand your business. Branding means increasing the public’s awareness of your business name and logo and creating an image that inspires loyalty and trust in your niche market.

That's it! Follow these ten steps to starting up a business and you will be well on your way to business success.

If you have a small business question that you'd like for me to answer, let me know.  

Susan L. Reid
The original Accidental Pren-her™
Award-winning author of Discovering Your Inner Samurai: The Entrepreneurial Woman's Journey to Business Success

Double, Double, Toil and Trouble

. . . Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

Today . . . I am thinking about the words chanted by the three witches in William Shakespeare's play Macbeth.

I'm thinking about how these words so perfectly describe the challenge most people have when it comes to setting goals.

They are trouble.
They take work.
And they are a bit of a mystery.

Have you noticed how sometimes when you set goals you reach them and other times you don't? Ever wondered why that is?

Answer: Because the more specific your goals, the harder it is to reach them.

"What!" you say, "That doesn't make sense. I've always been taught to be as specific as possible about my goals in order to achieve them."

Indeed, most of us were taught to be specific in our goals. However, the purpose of goals is to focus your attention and give you direction. Not to identify a final destination, so says John C. Maxwell in his book, Thinking for a Change. He says goals should be:

• Clear enough to be kept in focus.
• Close enough to be achieved.
• Helpful enough to change lives.

Mike Dooley of Notes from the Universe fame, explains that when your goals are specific and you attach to them, that's when problems occur:

When your dreams or "end results" are stated generally, in broad brush strokes, like wealth and abundance, friends and laughter, health and harmony, then please, by all means attach yourself to them. Attach, attach, attach. There is no limit to what you can have and no reason to expect anything less.

But when your end results are specific, like the ultimate car, a hot date, or a home in the country, do not attach, do not attach, do not attach.

Material details and specifics are always "how" to get to a grander picture of your life and are never important in and of themselves. They're "cursed hows" disguised as end results. Steps disguised as destinations. By all means, think of them, put them in your scrapbook or on your vision board to remind yourself of the kind of possessions and adventures that are your birthright, but do not give them an importance, through attachment, greater than what you are truly after: a fuller, richer life with all cups running over, the details of which will take care of themselves, when this is your end result.

Know the "wows"  not the "hows.

Therefore, my friends, take the double, double, toil and trouble out of goal setting keeping them in perspective . . . they are meant to focus your attention and give you direction, and not attaching to the specifics of what you want. State your goals in broad strokes for optimal success.

Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert

Award-winning author of Discovering Your Inner Samurai: The Entrepreneurial Woman's Journey to Business Success

 

Business Made Easy - How to Create a Great Business Name for Your Business

Is this your first year in business? Want to get your new small business off to a great start? Then make it great by creating a fabulous name for your business.

Welcome to the Turn Your Business Dreams into Reality Video series. In this 4-minute video you'll learn exactly what goes into creating a great business name and also what popular trends to avoid.

Stop Learning from Your Failures

I just finished watching  Fast Company's "Innovation Uncensored" 2010 conference video highlights and thought Alex Bogusky's take on failure was brilliant. Alex Bogusky - the big ole advertising executive and founding partner of Crispin Porter - whose balls to the walls mentality of "fear as the mortal enemy of creativity, innovation and happiness" is fearless when it comes ignoring fear.

"You create a fearful culture where you spend a lot of time looking at where you screwed up," he says. Instead, his company has bred a culture in which success is celebrated, and failure is forgotten. Take a look at what he has to say in this video, then head over to Alex Bogusky's Posterous blog to hear more.

Hot Business Strategy - Mini-Exercise To Increase Productivity

Exercise is good for you. It elevates your mood, recharges your body, and helps you sleep better at night. But you knew all that, already!

So why aren't you out there on a regular basis getting some exercise? 

Most women entrepreneurs would say, "I'm too busy!"

Well, busy or not, research has shown that physical activity helps regulate the brain chemicals that alleviate mood and control stress. Furthermore, clinical studies show that exercise reduces anxiety and nervous tension which leads to increased relaxation.

Here's this week's hot business strategy: Add mini-exercise breaks to your day to increase productivity.

Here are 3 reasons why:

1. Exercise cuts the symptoms of depression in half.

It's been shown that aerobic activity can be as effective as antidepressant medication in treating mild depression. A study published by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine showed that 30 to 40 minutes of aerobic exercise 3 to 5 times a week cut the symptoms of minor to moderate depression nearly in half.

2. Exercise increases mental well-being.

Data on nearly 20,000 adults in the Scottish Health Survey showed that sports and vigorous activities yielded the greatest psychological benefits, and the longer the duration of activity the greater increase in mental well-being.

3. Exercise boost your spirits.

In short periods of physical activity, such as gardening or brief walk, did have an immediate positive effect on your mood.

Here's how to make mini-exercises a regular part of your day:

Plan to fit in three or four 10-minute exercise breaks at 90 minute intervals throughout your day. These 10-minute mini-exercise breaks don't need to be hard core. They just need to be enough to get your heart pumping and muscles contracting and releasing for 10-minutes. They can be as simple as walking, climbing stairs, stretching, or getting down on the floor and doing some push-ups.

Try this hot business strategy out for a week and see how much your productivity increases - all without adding a new hire.

Come join me for a walk!

Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert

Award-winning author of Discovering Your Inner Samurai: The Entrepreneurial Woman's Journey to Business Success

Check up: How's Your Goal Setting Going?

It's April 30th.

We're 4 months into the year. How are you doing with the goals you set at the beginning of 2010? Want your small business to be successful this year? Then it's time to be fierce about your goals and guard them with your time.

Welcome to the Inner Samurai Business Leadership Video series. In this 3-minute video you'll learn how to set goals that stick.

Top 5 Mistakes Women Make in Business

As a woman entrepreneur, I've made my share of mistakes in business. And, as a business coach and author of Discovering Your Inner Samurai, a book about women's business success, I've thought a lot about the common mistakes that women make in business.

Here are my top five.

1. Letting them see you sweat.

Too many times I've seen women, when they aren't feeling confident about themselves or their abilities, disclose their lack of confidence. They do this by peppering their clients and colleagues with lots of questions before they delve into a project, hedging when it comes to making a commitment, as well as breaking eye contact and fidgeting.

Showing lack of confidence, either by word or action, is a self-defeating behavior. Never let them see you sweat! Say yes. Then figure out how to deliver.

2. Displaying negative emotions.

Displaying anger, bitterness, or spite is never attractive. Turning into the victim or martyr when things don't go your way by whining, complaining, or blaming is counterproductive. Don't defend yourself, argue, or yell at your clients or colleagues. And, for heaven's sake, don't cry!

You can deal with every challenge in business without being negative. Instead, take action. Offer a solution.

3. Making excuses.

Women seem to think that, if they explain why they didn't return a call, answer an email, show up on time, or meet a deadline, everyone will understand and it will be okay. Not so.

Excuses say that what you were doing was more important than what someone else wanted you to do. An explanation means you are asking permission to be excused for what you did not do.

Instead, be impeccable with your word. Do as you say.

4. Being bitchy.

Take your cue from Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer: Stay calm and assertive. You do not have to be tough or come across aggressively in business. Instead, stay calm, be assertive, and develop a cooperative model when dealing with others.

5. Making decisions from a “lack mentality.”

Too many women have a mindset of scarcity when it comes to their businesses. They believe they lack time, money is scarce, and there aren’t enough customers. They don’t understand that near-term lack infects long-term prosperity. Therefore, make decisions for your business based on the far-term vision of expansion and growth.

What's the biggest mistake that you see women entrepreneurs make?

Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert

Award-winning author of Discovering Your Inner Samurai: The Entrepreneurial Woman's Journey to Business Success

Life Preview Exercise for Balance

Finding balance in today's frenetically paced world is no simple task. Yet it can be done. One way I have done this in my life is to complete a Life Preview each year. Every January, I set aside time to sit down with paper, a pencil, and a chai tea latté to warm my hands. I sit on my favorite spot on the couch where I can watch the snow falling and the cardinals playing. Then I plan my Life Preview.

I begin by writing across the top of my paper:

What My Life Will Be Like in 2010

Then I draw lines creating three columns on the page: Purpose, Outcomes, and Theme. In each column I write a corresponding attraction statement, as follows:

•    Column One – Purpose
In 2010 I will __________. I will focus on __________. (This statement summarizes the major activities and goals I'm energetically aligning myself with this year.)

•    Column Two – Outcomes
At the end of 2010, I will ____________. (This statement defines the key measureable outcomes I will achieve based on the goals I set above.)

•    Column Three – Theme
This time next year, _____________. (Here I declare to the Universe the most important outcome for me to achieve, by saying out loud, "2010 is the year of ____________.")
I take some time thinking about my purpose, the outcomes I desire, and my theme for the coming year. Then I fill in the blanks in each statement.

Next, under the "Purpose" column, I categorize my goals. Some categories might include relationships, finances, health, etc.

Some of my categories this year are:

Personal Development - Here I'll be focusing on what I want to learn this year (speak Mandarin Chinese more fluently and learn how to write, too, as well as sailing lessons), limitations I want to overcome, how I want my body to look and health to be (just started the Kathy Freston 21-day cleanse that Oprah did), and specific relationships I want to cultivate (attracting the perfect mate into my life).

Business - This year, I'll be focusing on making writing for profit the most important thing I do this year. This includes growing my eZine readership to 5,000 and my blog readership to 200 page views per month. I'll also be intentional about specific product development this year, and working with more women to create their business plans and find their niche.

Adventure Travel - This is the fun one. I'm planning a trip back to China this fall, have scuba diving in Fiji in the works, and will begin planning for my writing and painting adventure in Santorini Greece in 2011.

Economic Earnings & Investments - This year I have set a definite amount of money I intend to earn each month ($10,000) and how much of that I will be putting into savings and investments (20%), and how much of that I will be contributing to my travel (10%) and to the foundation I have in the works to start in 2010 (5%).

Contributions - I've always had a dream of starting a Foundation that helps creative women get started in business. This year, I'm turning that dream into a decision by doing the research and investigation of what needs to be done to start-up my Foundation. In addition, I have two specific organizations I'll be contributing my time and money to (Hospice and Peace Corp).

Under "Outcomes," I list what next steps I need to take to achieve each of my goals.  Under "Theme" I list the deadlines for each of the actions I set for myself.

Here's an example of what my action step and deadline look like for:

Personal Development - Speak Mandarin Chinese more fluently - Complete lesson 50 by December.

1. Since this goal is a continuation of one that I had last year, I will be continuing to use the same Mandarin podcast lesson format, so I don't need to research that part before I begin.

2. Sign-up for next 6-month segment of Mandarin Chinese Lessons with Serge Melnyk.

3. Download lessons to iPod.

4. Print out lessons and exercises.

5. Set up time each week I will study Mandarin.

Business - Writing for profit - Increase earning from $500 to $2,000 per month by September. 

1. Brainstorm with Yvonne DiVita of Windsor Media Enterprises (my book publisher) for ideas of where I might submit my writings for paid publication.

2. Research places where I can submit my writings for publication.

3. Explore my local and regional newspapers for possibilities to write regular business columns.

4. Talk to five professional writers for tips and suggestions.

5. Submit 10 articles for paid publication by June.

Finally, I take my calendar out and set dates in the spring, summer, fall, and winter when I will return to my favorite spot on the couch to review my Life Preview. This helps me see how I'm doing, make certain I'm on track, and make adjustments as needed. In this way, I ensure that I'm intentionally using the Law of Attraction to attract exactly what I want into my life this year.

Here are my dates (all around 3-day weekends, so I'll have plenty of time to review and revise):

• Spring review - April 2
• Summer review - July 2
• Fall review - October 8
• Winter review - January 4, 2011

And that's how I roll, folks.

Have fun planning your Life Preview!

Susan L. Reid

Inner Samurai Business Expert

Award-winning author of Discovering Your Inner Samurai: The Entrepreneurial Woman's Journey to Business Success

Funding Women Entrepreneurs - Seven Opportunities

Grants for women starting up businesses in America are hard to come by, especially if you don't know where to look.

If you've been searching for small business grant money and had difficult finding any, or thrown up your hands in frustration because of all the scam sites promising money that lead to nowhere, don't give up yet!

Funding opportunities for women small business owners do exist.

Here are seven of them:

1.    National Association of Small Business Investment Companies (NASBIC) - This is an investment company that funds small businesses. It is venture capital, but considered well known, recommended, and safe.

2.    National Association of Investment Companies (NAIC) - This is an association that funds ethnically diverse businesses. It is also venture capital, but thought to be a bit more secure.

3.    Woman Owned - A very good article on women-owned small business funding.

4.    Count Me In (for Women’s Economic Independence) - Here is an online community with events and funding for women-owned businesses. A minimum of two years in business and $250,000 in revenue are required to apply for financial assistance.

5.    Women’s Funding Network - A network that is a collection of organizations that fund women's solutions.

6.    American Association of University Women (AAUW) formerly, now: Breaking through Barriers -
An association for the advocacy of women's equality that provides funding for outstanding women.

7.    Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - A branch of the SBA that funds small, high-tech and innovative businesses.

    

 

 

Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert

Award-winning author of Discovering Your Inner Samurai: The Entrepreneurial Woman's Journey to Business Success

How to Set Goals That Stick Video

Want your small business to be successful this year? Then it's time to be fierce about your goals and guard them with your time.

Welcome to the Inner Samurai Business Leadership Video series. In this 3-minute video you'll learn how to set goals that stick.

The Zen of the One Page Business Plan

Having a business plan is a strategic and financial asset. Not only does a business plan strategically guide your business, it is also invaluable for obtaining financial support and backing.

The only problem is . . . the traditional business plans are a long, arduous, and sometimes costly process filled with hours of crunching numbers, lots of grinding teeth, and struggle.

Since using the One Page Business Plan books with my clients, I've had nothing but rave reviews. They love the ease, the simplicity, and how quickly they can get their business plan done -- usually in six weeks time. Hats off to forward thinker Jim Horan, for making business planning a breeze.

If you are a in your first year of business and are interested in creating a business plan, here's how you can get started. 

Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert

Award-winning author of Discovering Your Inner Samurai: The Entrepreneurial Woman's Journey to Business Success

10 Things to do in Your First Year of Business to Ensure Success

This question came in from one of our readers. It's a great question for new business owners with their eye on the prize. If you have a small business question that you'd like for me to answer, let me know.

Q: What is the most important thing to do in your first year of starting up your business to ensure its success?

A: Congratulations on starting up your business! And even more so for looking beyond your start-up and asking the question that will lead to your success. Here are my suggestions:

1.    If you haven't created your business plan, do it now.

2.    Don't let yourself get sidetracked from your business plan. There will be lots of distractions that will make it seem like deviating from your business plan is a good idea. Don't be seduced. Work the plan.

3.    Keep the big picture in mind. If unemployment is at 10%, that means that 90% of the market is gainfully employed and spending money.

4.    Remember that everything cycles. Keep moving forward.

5.    Make sure you differentiate yourself in the market. Create an apples and oranges comparison and convey the contrast to your market.

6.    Stick with your core values. Remember why you are in business and what values are important you.

7.    Be transparent and honest in your dealings with people. During your first year, honesty will matter. Being a good person will matter. Being authentic will matter. Integrity earns trust.

8.    Master social networking to create inbound marketing.

9.    Keep things simple your first year. Don't over-complicate solutions, make situations more complex than they are, or react when you have the power to respond.

10.    Unplug from your business one day a week. I know. I know. There will be lots to do your first year. Your tendency will be to do whatever it takes to get things done. In addition to working long and hard, though, your business also needs you to refresh and renew yourself. Schedule one day a week off and stick to it.

Let me know if this was helpful, or if there is anything more you'd add. If you have a small business question that you'd like for me to answer, let me know.

Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert

Award-winning author of Discovering Your Inner Samurai: The Entrepreneurial Woman's Journey to Business Success

What Makes Women Entrepreneurs Excel?

As a business coach and author of a business book for women, Discovering Your Inner Samurai, I am frequently asked in interviews this question, "How are women entrepreneurs who excel different from men entrepreneurs who excel?"

What I've discovered about women entrepreneurs who excel is that they do so in some ways that are similar to their male counterparts and in other ways that are distinctly different.

Here's how I answer that question:

 Both women and men entrepreneurs who excel:

• Are self-disciplined.
• Hold strong, clear visions about the direction of their companies.
• Follow detailed plans of action to support their visions.
• Know how to make tough-call.
• Use mentors and coaches to keep them strategically aligned for success.
• Exude confidence and determination.
• See problems, failures, and setbacks as opportunities, openings, and clarifiers.

Women entrepreneurs do all that and then some. More often then men, women also:

• Create lifestyle businesses that encompass the full spectrum of their lives.
• Have a natural affinity for customer care and service.
• Are three parts “strong woman” and one part “good girl.”
• Have strong, values-led businesses.
• Trust and follow their intuition.
• Are "whole"-istic in their decision-making.
• Measure success by their quality of interaction with people and how much they help others.

What would you add to this list? Are their things you do that are specific to being a woman entrepreneur that our male counterparts don't do as often? If so, let us know!

Susan L. Reid
Inner Samurai Business Expert

Award-winning author of Discovering Your Inner Samurai: The Entrepreneurial Woman's Journey to Business Success

How to Create a Great Business Name for Your Business

Is this your first year in business? Want to get your new small business off to a great start? Then make it great by creating a fabulous name for your business.

Welcome to the Turn Your Business Dreams into Reality Video series. In this 4-minute video you'll learn exactly what goes into creating a great business name and also what popular trends to avoid.