First it was Kelly’s famous video on You Tube called, “Shoes.” An now just yesterday they launched an online network just for the little slice of heaven that is SHOES! It’s at http://shoetube.tv. Brilliant!

Just like you, I hate being marketed to. Every day we’re bombarded with over 3,500 marketing messages. (That’s an old stat from about 3 years ago…no doubt it’s at least tripled by now.) And frankly I’m sick of it! But blogs are different. Blogs are a two-way conversation between blogger and bloggee (plus all the readers in between). Through commenting and cross-linking, you can share feedback. You can build your network. You can become, dare I say it, an Internet celebrity!

See blogs add humanity and instantaneous expression to the web. Like ezines, blogs are a way for your customer to get to know you.

However, unlike ezines, blogs help you with search engine rankings. Did you hear me? I said, unlike ezines, blogs help you with search engine rankings. That’s a big one.

Entrepreneur Magazine, Business Week, even the FCC (Federal Trade Commission) all believe blogs are here to stay. Recently Michael Powell, chairman of the FCC, started one. His initial post drew over 30,000 readers. And filmmakers are using blogs too. Michael Moore built a blog to promote his controversial movie, Fahrenheit 9/11. As did makers of the hit movie, The Dark Knight.

But who has time to read a blog anyway? Exactly! The job of a blog is to cut through the information overload and deliver searchable, relevant and current content. BlogAds.com recently conducted a survey of over 17,000 blog readers. Here’s what they report:

Blog readers are older and more affluent. 61% of blog readers are over 30, and 75% make more than $45,000 a year.

Blog readers are more cyber-active. 54% of their news consumption is online. 21% are themselves bloggers and 46% describe themselves as opinion makers.

Blog readers are media-mavens. 21% subscribe to the New Yorker magazine, 15% to the Economist, 15% to Newsweek and 14% to the Atlantic Monthly.

Whether on the left or right, blog readers have traits in common that often are absent in today’s public spaces: passion and initiative.

Blog readers have apathy towards traditional news sources. 82% say that television is worthless. 55% percent say the same about print newspapers. 54% say the same about print magazines.

Meanwhile, 86% say that blogs are either useful or extremely useful as sources of news or opinion. 80% say they read blogs for news they can’t find elsewhere. 78% read because the perspective is better. 66% value the faster news. 61% say that blogs are more honest.
Blog

readers appear united in their dissatisfaction with conventional media and their rabid love of blogs.

Don’t you want to be a blogger too? How about looking at some samples of the good, the bad and the bizarre?

Model citizen blogs: http://vivavisibilityblog.com – Nancy Marmolejo is a genius at using social networking for maximum visibility.

http://www.income.com/blog - John Reese’s blog. Hey, the guy just made $1,080,496.37 online in a single day. Here’s a good rule of thumb. If Reese is doing it, you should be too.

http://www.michaelport.com/blog - Michael Port’s blog does a great job of cross-promoting his products while providing useful content.

http://www.theroadtofabulous.com – Sandy Grason’s ‘Road to Fabulous’ uses photos and video to bring her stuff to life and make us envy her.

Bizarro Blog: Jeff Bridges’ site is considered a “blog.” It’s hand-written! (Yes, really). http://www.jeffbridges.com

Thought so. So do I. My computer isn’t something I lose sleep over BUT if I know how to use it better I know I’m so much more productive.

Well now my friend and web wizard Toolie(r) is having a Free Preview Webinar THIS Wednesday night at 6 pm Pacific/9 pm Eastern for her PC Power Tips: Create Your Own Web Site course. The Free Preview is called “Fix My Website, Please!” It gives you a chance to have a professional web designer look at your site and offer suggestions ON THE SPOT. She’ll also tell you a bit about the full course that starts Thursday September 4th.

Every time I am on the phone with Toolie, she whips out these simple ways to use my computer more easily. You really should drop in on her free Preview Webinar tomorrow. Just visit www.pcpowertips.com/webclass/webclasspreview.html.

If you’re in a hurry and want all the details for the course, visit http://www.pcpowertips.com/webclass. That isn’t an affiliate link either! I just really believe she can help you out. I’ll listen for you on Wednesday!

If you don’t build the Trust Factor, women will NOT buy from you…even if she likes what you have!

http://www.TheSheFactor.com

I shot this video in Minnesota with my gal pal Viki Viertel (www.thedigitalbuddha.com) to explain why I’ve incorporated marketing to women as part of my brand. The bottom line is, numbers don’t lie. Women have flip flopped to be the most influential and buy-happy segment of the population.

I’ll be sending more of these your way to help get you up-to-speed on how the paradigm of marketing has changed. (I was shocked when I started doing the research, by the way! Just because I’m a chick doesn’t mean I knew how to market to others of my kind.) If you want a real education, consider joining me for my live workshop event in LA, October 2, 3, and 4 called *The She Factor.* You’ll be happy you did!

Let me know what you think…

In my travels and correspondences, I talk a lot about *The She Factor* and how women are wearing the pants as far as purchasing power in EVERY MARKET. What I’ve found kind of interesting since I’ve taken the helm of this topic is that a lot of WOMEN believe they already know how to reach their own kind…and they are often the WORST culprits for making serious marketing mistakes. I’m not saying that to be mean. It’s simply a fact.  

The truth is we as women don’t necessarily know a lot about marketing to other women UNLESS we take the time to learn what truly works. Just because we have the same equipment doesn’t mean we’re going to have a group hug, sing ‘Kumbaya,’ and empty our pocketbooks for one another. 

Here are three of the most common mistakes I see from women over and over again. 

1)     Wishy washy language – Even though there are thousands of words to choose from to communicate, your marketing must cut through the other voices bombarding your target market. You HAVE to use emotional language that causes a visceral response to get noticed over all the noise. You may not use words like ‘skyrocket,’ ‘power-packed,’ or ‘amazing’ in your everyday conversations but that is the energy required to get attention in marketing.2)     Devoid of personality – One of the cardinal sins in marketing and in copy is to be BORING. You can avoid that by not worrying so much about what people think, amp up that sparkling personality and let it SHINE, girl! Like they say, “Well-behaved women seldom make history.”3)     Afraid to take a stand – Haven’t you ever heard the phrase, ‘all publicity is good publicity?’ You may have a controversial view that polarizes some of your target market. That’s okay. You’ll get the attention of those who agree with you and the scorn of those who don’t. But they will all be reading and they will remember you. (How you handle the follow up of people who become non-fans is a systematic art we cover at *The She Factor* by the way.)     

Listen, I didn’t realize there was such a difference in reaching the female market until I started doing my own testing and research. Because I was trained by gruff (and successful) men’s men, I literally had to learn what speaks to women. I’m sure I’ve lost tons of sales over the years because I didn’t listen. I wish I had put the puzzle together years ago. As they say, I didn’t know what I didn’t know.  

The good news is, the puzzle is complete and I’m handing it off to the attendees at *The She Factor* workshop. Sure hope to see you there! 

My good friend,

Michael Port (best selling author of Book Yourself Solid,) got some good news this week! His newest book has been released early . . . 

It’s called, Beyond Booked Solid: Your Business, Your Life, Your Way–It’s All Inside  

The bad news is he got caught flat-footed in his marketing because the timing changed.  

So I told him I’d do him a favor and help spread the word. Why? Well, because his first book was simply ground-breaking and should be on every marketer’s shelf. But this next book adds the serious component all success stories have but don’t necessarily talk about – MINDSET! (Trust me, without a strong mindset you feed daily, true success ain’t happening. Mindset is the difference between so-so success and WILD, DELICIOUS, UNSTOPPABLE SUCCESS.) 

Here’s a link to grab it at Amazon.com:   

http://www.michaelport.com/recommends/BeyondBookedSolid  

By the way, this is not an affiliate promotion (not that there’s anything wrong with those). I just want you to know I don’t make a penny off of letting you know about this book. I truly believe it benefits you to own it, read it, and practice it.  

And I’m not alone. In fact, it’s required reading according to best-selling authors Tim Ferriss and Michael Gerber:  

“If you want a four-hour work week, this book is required reading.”—Timothy Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Workweek 

“If you liked The E-Myth, you’ll love Beyond Booked Solid. Port’s new book is required reading for all entrepreneurs.”—Michael E. Gerber, author of The E-Myth  

Notice there is no big bonus campaign to entice you to buy the book today. Michael is not into that kind of marketing. The book is the thing. I say, “Bravo” Michael.  Giving away “$5000 worth of free bonuses” actually takes something away from us - our precious time. And, that’s just the point . . . Beyond Booked Solid is about doing more with less.  

If you want to know a little bit about the book just go to the amazon.com page. There’s a great review that does a fantastic job of articulating what the book’s about and why it’s invaluable for you.  

http://www.michaelport.com/recommends/BeyondBookedSolid  

In a nutshell, Beyond Booked Solid answers the most important questions about how to build a business that integrates your values and aspirations AND can be scaled to whatever level you choose. There really is no book out there quite like it. Let me know your thoughts when you sink your teeth into it.

I was at the Glazer-Kennedy Super Conference in Nashville last week and one of the big draws was to listen to Gene Simmons of KISS.

Kind of an odd choice to give their first ever “Entrepreneur of the Year” award to – until you know more about Gene. He immigrated from Israel at age 9 and didn’t speak any English. His first priority was to make money so his mother (a Nazi concentration camp survivor) would have a better life. His early drive to make money permeates every move he’s ever made in his life, including not getting married (ergo, not getting divorced and giving half to an ex-wife . . . hey, I can understand that philosophy. I’m an ex-wife myself). 

Funny enough, I actually know Gene’s girlfriend of 25 years, Shannon Tweed from our private kickboxing lessons with Billy Blanks in the mid 1990s. I’ve run into Gene several times working out with Billy through the years too. And let me tell you. He is not an attractive or appealing man.   But he’s got that rock star quality. Even highly successful women who shouldn’t have been cast under his spell were reduced to giggly, pedantic messes.  Why? Well, that’s what I wondered. Here’s what I came up with.

• Gene makes women feel special; as he was pacing around in front of 1200 attendees he would stop in front of an attractive woman and tell her in front of everyone how pretty she was.
• Gene makes women feel superior; he emphasized over and over how women were ’smarter’ than men by taking their money and controlling the relationships.
• Gene has status; face it…super models and rock stars have been a combination for years.

Yesterday my hubby came home at 4:30pm and I was passed out on the bed, hooked up to my iPod, with an eye mask enjoying a late afternoon snooze.  

“I thought you were working!” he said.  

“But I was!” I replied. 

As a creative person I can tell you sometimes complete disconnect is the only way to stoke those innovative fires. A nap can be the best thing you do to increase your creativity and productivity. Sounds crazy, I know.  

But I’m not alone here. Winston Churchill was a napper. So were Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, Bill Clinton, Leonardo Da Vinci, John Rockefeller, Gene Autry, and Thomas Edison, to name a few. Those are some powerhouse names. I say if it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for me. 

Let’s say it’s 2:45pm and you’re staring at your computer screen with a laundry list of TO DO items. Your mental energy just isn’t locked in, and your mind is jello. How productive do you think you’re going to be? Even if you buckle down and focus, whatever you turn out isn’t likely to be your top-shelf best. Time to recharge with a power nap.  

For me, whenever I close my eyes in the afternoon away from email, the phone, the fax, the Internet, Facebook . . .let’s just call them “THE DISTRACTIONS” . . . my mind is finally able to put together marketing campaigns, clever copy, and ideas with COMPLETE FOCUS. In fact, the less I try to come up with a solution and relax my brain, the easier it seems to come. Sometimes it just requires a nap to reboot creativity. 

A NASA study showed a 26-minute nap can boost performance by 34%. The fact is most people are naturally tired in the afternoon anyway (about 8 hours after waking). Our biological clocks are built that way. Research is very clear that naps reduce stress, increase productivity, perk up patience, and improve brain function. That’s a lot of bang for your buck. I know I wouldn’t get nearly as much done without them personally. 

So how do you incorporate naps into your workday? 

RULE NUMBER ONE: Let go of the guilt. You are NOT being lazy. You are doing your mind (and your work) a great service by coming back to it refreshed with new ideas.  

RULE NUMBER TWO: Decide how long you’ll nap for and set an alarm. There are great restorative benefits in a 5 minute nap but the longer your nap is, the more revived you’ll feel. (Note that napping over 60 minutes isn’t recommended because your body could go into deeper sleep cycles and make it harder to sleep later.)  

RULE NUMBER THREE: Explore a method of relaxing that works for you. I recommend investing in Wendi Friesen’s “Power Nap” CDs and downloading them on your iPod. She walks you through a deep nap at 5, 10, 20, and 30 minute intervals. She’s my preferred napping coach. www.wendi.com/html/power_nap.html  

RULE NUMBER FOUR: Be sure to turn off phones and other distractions that could interrupt your time for you. Life can carry on without you for 30 minutes (or whatever time you decide to rest for). 

RULE NUMBER FIVE:  Block out light and sound. The fewer distractions that can pull you back into the thinking world, the better. As I mentioned, I use a hypnosis recording on my iPod usually. Otherwise, I grab foam earplugs. My favorite light-zilching mask is made by Bucky. (Be sure to get the “Shades” and NOT the “40 Blinks” eye mask. http://bucky.com/catalog/controller.php?pg=product&cat=SLE&product=S800) 

Listen, naps aren’t anything new. Many cultures have siesta time built into the day. And not just our Latin friends – many European towns close shop at midday for lunch and some afternoon rest. Practically every other animal on the planet naps (except for maybe sharks but who wants to be like them anyway?) 

So, you may think they’re being lazy but science is confirming more and more that ignoring our natural biorhythms and by forcing ourselves awake reduces our effectiveness. I say, go forth and nap. Return and be creative! 

Happy snoozing!  

I’m sitting here watching Oprah’s Big Give and every segment has me in tears. The premise is about taking 10 contestants and seeing who can be the biggest giver…i.e., make the biggest difference in the life of their assigned challenge. The “loser” is voted off by not being as grandiose as everyone else.

This week’s challenge was about changing the life of a perfect stranger.  

I have to say each and every one of these contestants did a remarkable job…raising thousands of dollars to change people’s lives.

 http://www.oprah.com/about/about_oprahsbiggive.jhtml

 Fantastic job, Oprah!