View From the Balcony

Writers Block

2006-12-23

Do 50 "Dummies" Authors Know a Secret?

Do 50 "Dummies" Authors Know a Secret?

The first ever Dummies Authors conference was held in San Francisco back in November. Their first day was packed with discussions about marketing books, user agents, and general Dummies best practices.

Two things stick out here that you need to pay attention to.

1. There were 50 Dummies Authors at that first conference.. That means there is a growing market for consumer needs in understanding online marketing.

2. FIFTY authors are making money on what you are not doing.

What's On Your Bookshelves?

It is fairly safe to presume that most of us have at least one of those Dummies books on our shelves. If you don't, then get over yourself.

A book especially written for "Dummies" is NOT an aspiration cast on your intelligence, instead, it is a positive replacement to those overly thick technical manuals that come with your programs.

You have to be a Philadelphia lawyer to wade through the manuals. The Dummies Authors have spotted and are filling a much needed hole in everything from computers to operating systems to becoming well versed in many programs and applications that are loaded on your machine.

So What Can This Mean For You?

They are a great resource for newbies
They save hours explaining computer issues
They save dollars in tech shops
How to get comfortable with your computer
Find products or services much needed
If the "Dummies" book has been published there are buyers
Target Markets are predefined

The list goes on and with some thinking outside the box I am sure you can add many needs of your own to this list. It is from being aware of what is around you now what is missing and how you can fit some of those very much needed products or services into a successful business enterprise of your own.

Got a great idea? You can do it yourself if you have the skills or look into outsourcing the details.

So now it is up to you to decide if 2007 can be a better year by planning the stages of product development, service choices or turning your affiliate actions into a focused direction that feeds your bottom line. Take a lesson from the Dummies authors , they may know a secret you need to know.

Fran Klasinski
SEO Basics

copyright © 2005 Fran Klasinski All rights Reserved

Posted at 10:53:46 AM | Post Comment | Read Comments (0)

2006-12-09

The Problem With Great Expectations

The Problem With Great Expectations

We all have great expectations. We all expect the best of ourselves and even more of the people we meet and expect to help us through our learning curve.

The problem with great expectations is that you set the bar too high to meet the expectation of others. You count!

There is a learning curve in all business that must be met first by your discovery of current knowledge to what you will need to learn in order to be successful.

Those expectations naturally flow from where you are now to what you will pass on to your new and eager downline subscribers.

Meeting Their Great Expectations

What do you want to tell them? It should be a bit about you and that their expectations count to.
They need to know there is someone who will help them find their way through understanding yours and their expectations - and they count. As their sponsor, you are it.

When I first came online, I was very well versed in what a computer is, it's strengths and its weaknesses. I spent four long years studying every facet of what makes a computer tick. I guess you could say, I know 'stuff'.

It wasn't always that way

There were no computers when I went to school. There were no intelligent forms of life in my college days who had a clue on how to teach a complete beginner how to use one.

They could teach you programming. Heck they even paid one teacher a greatly sum to come in and show the students that she could teach an outdated computer course in ONE week and everyone would pass.

She taught it in one week. Not all of us passed. Some, like me, had never even turned a computer on until we came to her class. WordStar was not hard to learn to do . Now when I look back, it was a precursor to WordPerfect and not a very good one either. It was already outdated when she taught it which may be one of the main reasons they let her go?

The problem was, she did not know how to begin to teach a newbie like me. I shocked her total system of expectations. I was the the weak link in the chain of her success formula of great expectations.

The Learning Curve is full of lessons.

I took two lessons away from this experience. Once I got past the anger of losing a much needed mark and the humiliation of feeling like I was some weird type of extinct dodo I was fine.

The lessons ...

       - You cannot fit a square peg in a round hole. Ergo me! Ergo YOU!
       - Try not to treat people like they all have to fit YOUR expectations!

We are all a bit like Pip, the hero in Charles Dickens Novel "Great expectations." We have grovelled at dead-end jobs and could cheerfully choke a lot of bodies on our ever-growing list of people with whom we have failed to meet THEIR expectations.

You're made of sterner stuff You know you deserve much better than the half empty plate life has served you. You want the banquet and are prepared to go get it.   You have greater expectations!

In Pip's case, he had the chance to better himself through education that was not that readily available in those days. Today, higher education is available to those who meet the criteria and are wise enough to know they not only need it but will never rise to be their best without it.

It is also available online in hundreds of ways that you can be selective in what you need to know and who will help you discover how to accomplish your goals. All you need is to reach out and network with those mentors who can show you the shortest route to creating your success formula.

Just watch how high you set the bar on your expectations.

Don't set it so high that you become overwhelmed and forget your dreams. But, then again, do not set it so low that you are no longer motivated to even have expectations.

Is there a "Pip" hiding in you, just raring to get out and make his mark? How will we ever know if you do not have great expectations, connect and let us know all about you?

We're here to help you find your way. Where are you?

Fran Klasinski
SEO Basics

copyright © 2005 Fran Klasinski All rights Reserved
This article may be posted on your site as long as the links and content
are not changed.

$Legs - the doorway to your success formula

Posted at 08:47:09 AM | Post Comment | Read Comments (1)

No Newer Entries No Older Entries

Page content ©2005-2007 Fran Klasinski