Hey – I got out in the sunshine today and recorded a couple of videos.

This one is about building a new website and the expectations at perfection. Sometimes people don’t realize that the website design and setup is just the beginning. It’s the beginning of a fantastic journey into online marketing and the more you do with your website the more you’ll learn what to do. It’s a learn as you go experience.

So just get going with that website!

Here’s the video:

And bonus little-known fact about Angela is…..I love that tire swing, so relaxing on a nice sunny pre-spring day!

p.s. Yesterday we had a great class for the Marketers Mojo Classroom on how to create a website using WordPress on Bluehost. If you want a video re-enactment of the webinar then just sign up to the weekly tips list and you’ll get notification (plus a free report and weekly tips on how to use WordPress for websites!). Sign up for that and other free webinars here:
http://www.marketersmojo.com/classroom

Just a quick heads up that starting in March I am offering FREE weekly webinars to help you build your internet business faster and smarter than ever.

Every week I’ll be hosting ‘classes’ on different topics in internet marketing:
- email marketing
- blogging
- shopping carts
- affiliate programs
- article marketing
- and more

I’ll bring you lessons on everything from setting things up to overcoming technical difficulties, to coming up with a good business plan, to how to make sure you turn a profit.

(AND full disclosure here: I expect you’ll love what I’m about to teach you and will need the business resources I recommend. At which point I will earn a hard-earned commission for sharing my experiences and advice with you.)

Here are the class details, click on the link at the bottom to get all the details about the webinars.

March 2010 Classes

March 10 – 1pm EST: Create a Website Using WordPress
Free – SIGN UP NOW

March 17th – 1pm EST: Email Marketing Using Aweber
Free – SIGN UP NOW

March 24th – 1pm EST: Set up & Run Teleseminars For Free
Free – SIGN UP NOW

March 31st – 1pm EST: How to Set up an Information Product on WAHMCart
Free – SIGN UP NOW

Click here to get all the details.

p.s. When you sign up for the webinar you will also be adding to the corresponding weekly tips list on that topic. If you are already on any of the lists then you will automatically get an email about the webinar.

p.p.s. Know someone who could benefit from these classes?? Please pass the link on

When I was a little girl my grandfather would sit and watch TV with the sound off. He would watch French movies, but he didn’t speak French so he’d turn off the sound and watch.

This seemed crazy to me. But ‘Poppy’ (as I called him) said you could tell a lot just from the body language of the actors. He suggested I try it.

Then as I watched I became fascinated with creating my own story. No longer was it limited to a story I might have found boring and even over my head. Now Poppy and I were watching the same thing but we each were putting our own spin on it, our own ideas and preferences. We were experiencing two completely different shows at exactly the same time. We were now directors telling the story in a way that fit what we wanted.

What does this have to do with online business?

Have you noticed there’s a LOT more noise these days? Back in the day (gee I sound old now) when Poppy was turning the sound off French movies the internet was something we might have seen in some sci-fi movie. It was not reality yet for the common household. I had no idea I’d have so many things battling for my attention and that I’d have to tune out much noise just to get anything done.

Today I closed my Facebook account

Why? There was way too much noise in there. I have virtually ‘turned off the volume’ on one social media site because the noise was completely distracting.

Yes, I know there are ways to manage it all, ways to avoid spending all day on there and ways to make social media work but for me, for now I just need to turn the volume off completely.

I did decide to keep Twitter. That’s like playing to me. It’s like ICQ or MSN from ‘back in the internet olden days’. Remember ICQ – that ‘uh-oh!’ noise when someone messaged you? LOL

I’ll probably open up Facebook again at some point but for now I’m feeling very happy about my decision.

Here’s my point with this post. Don’t keep the volume on just because ‘it’s the thing to do’. Think like Poppy, get creative and give yourself time to use your own imagination.

I’m not sayin you should cancel your Facebook account. Maybe that’s working well for you. What I’m saying is cut out the noise – wherever it is. On the internet it’s harder than ever because information is flying at us from all corners.

I’m tired of all these social media experts, etc, making it sound like you MUST be on Facebook, Twitter, Linked-In, YouTube, Flickr, and on and on and on. I say do what you want to do. Watch TV with the sound off – be you and don’t follow the crowd.

If you can do it and concentrate on tasks that give you great Return on Investment (of both TIME and MONEY) then you might just have time to learn a little French if you feel so inclined

Hey gang! I’ve got a great guest blog post from Steve Thomas, a friend from Lynn Terry’s Elite Membership Forum. Please welcome him to the Marketers Mojo blog and as always leave your comments below!

Does positive thinking have anything to do with online marketing business? I suppose that it depends on whether or not you believe that positive thinking does anything at all. Here is my opinion; I think it does!

First let me define positive thinking.

Positive thinking is not about some wish it and it will happen mentality. It is about looking at the situation and thinking about it in such a way that positive results happen, even if the situation itself is not a positive one.

Can you stay positive and learn from the experience when your site crashes? Can you stay positive and figure out a way to profit when you aren’t making any sales? That’s positive thinking.

Why are you attempting to do online marketing?

If you are attempting to do online marketing so that you can get rich quick and become a beach bum on the French Riviera, then you may be a bit disappointed. Not that it can’t happen, but I think your motives are a bit off.

Those I know that are making a bit of money and could actually lie on that beach, don’t. They have a bigger plan. They are reaching as many people as they can with whatever their message or product is. They have a much more positive goal in mind than simply becoming rich. They want to provide for their families and reach out to others all at the same time. Why are you doing this again?

Do you believe you can do it?

I have known several people who attempted to do an online business and they failed quickly. They really didn’t believe that they could do it, and /or, they didn’t really believe that anyone could do it.

If you have no faith in yourself or the business you are trying to do, you have no chance of making it. You must believe that you are not only capable, but that you have something of value to sell or to say. Without that belief, you are doomed. Do you believe in yourself and your product?

Are you willing to work at it?

You must have a positive mind set about the work involved. Ask anyone who has made it online; when you first start out, there is a lot of work involved. If you are not positive, you will fold when the going gets tough. You have to have that survivor mentality!

What now?

Come back to this site often. Learn from Angela’s experience and knowledge. Let her give you tips on how to do this! Learn to think positively! Without the right mindset, this business can be very hard. With it, you might just find yourself on the beach after all!

Steve Thomas has worked in the world of self help and self improvement for over two decades. He has a BA in Business Organization and a Masters of Divinity degree. He is a public speaker and motivator, does a little personal coaching, has a website designed to help people change their lives and in his spare time teaches yoga and meditation. Learn more about positive thinking at his website Life Change For You.

I posted the other day about one of my favorite ways to beat the winter blahhhs is to get out to marketing and networking events and meet people. I’m pretty excited about my little mini-getaway to Toronto in two weeks to go to Podcamp Toronto 2010.

So much so in fact I did up this little video to ask “are you coming?”:

I went last year and enjoyed it a lot. I especially like meeting up with my typically ‘online friends’ and chatting live and in person. Of course I also love meeting new people too!

A few notes about podcamp:

- It’s know as an ‘unconference’ – anyone can speak there about an online marketing, podcasting, business related topic.
- It’s not all about podcasting. In fact I only remember one session actually just about podcasting.
- It’s free. No cost.

p.s. I’m also heading to Wordcamp in March. You might like that one too

Every year about this time I’m SICK and TIRED of winter. While getting away to a nice sunny location and taking a vacation is a good option I’m not going anywhere this year.

So I want your ideas.

Do you get winter blahhhhs??

How do you beat them???

One of my favorite ways to beat the winter blahs is to talk with new people and learn new things. I LOVE meeting new people whether it be online or offline. At the end of the month I’m going to go to Podcamp Toronto to meet people and in early March I’ll be speaking at the Indie Biz Chicks The Winter Biz Sessions.

Tell me how you beat winter blahs below and I’ll choose one commenter to receive a free ticket to the The Winter Biz Sessions!

Let me hear your thoughts! ok?

Update Feb.8 I randomly chosen someone to give the ticket to and it’s Lisa Marie Mary of LisaMarieMary.com. Thank you for all your comments! Of course, if you’ve got any other beating blahhhs ideas or comments feel free to keep on commentin’

For most of us, the winter months can be a bit dreary. They are cold, dark, and snowy. The kind of weather that makes you want to curl up on the couch with a blanket and read a book or watch a DVD.

While that kind of behavior can be great on a weekend, it can slow your business down if you spend too much time on the couch. And if that sounds like you, I’ve got something that will help kick you into high gear.

The Winter Biz Sessions are just the motivation you need! Held every Tuesday night on a conference call from 9-10 pm Eastern, these calls will deliver plenty of business tips – and inspiration. The calls are taking place and will run through March 30, 2010.

There is a new topic and guest speaker each week. Some of the topics include How To Get More Out Of Your Business – Without Putting More Time In, Blog Touring, Starting A Freelance Career, Wholesaling Your Products, Improving Your Copywriting – And Your Sales, Earning Money As An Affiliate, and more! (Angela Wills will be leading a session on March 9).

It is only $10 for access to all of these calls. If you can’t make a live call, don’t worry; the recordings can be listened to online, as well as downloaded. For more information on the speakers and topics, and to register, click here.

Crissy Herron
www.IndieBizChicks.com

It drives me insane when I see people being taken advantage of because so called ‘experts’ give them bad advice.

So my advice to you today is be careful.

Be very careful who you take advice from. No matter what credentials they give you.

How do you protect yourself from bogus ‘Experts’? Here’s my advice:

Understand what you are hiring them to do

The biggest problem I see with people who outsource things like search engine optimization, website building or other tasks like that is they know absolutely nothing about it. Unless you have someone you trust completely (preferably someone you’ve known for a very long time) then I strongly advice against just picking an ‘expert’ and laying it all in their hands. That plan can go wrong, very wrong!

So if you’re looking for a quick fix you’ll be dissapointed. My recommendation is before you hire someone for something like SEO, email marketing, social media, websites, etc you MUST do your homework.

Don’t blindly hire out work before you understand what you are hiring them for. Spend a few hours on the internet researching what you need. Yes I know this is going to take you time but it won’t take as long as actually doing it yourself and it won’t take as long as having to hire and fire over and over again because people are not doing what you expect them to.

p.s. If you need to build an internet presence this year and want someone you CAN trust I do offer website and blog designs to a limited number of clients. You can find out more by visiting here: BlogSiteMojo.com