Archive for October, 2009

By Denise Michaels

On Monday, I got a wonderful email from a client. He was so excited because after putting it off, after going through a lot of financial hardship this last year with real estate and stocks, etc. After losing a beloved brother who always encouraged him and made him believe he could do anything. After going through a serious car accident with broken ribs and more – he finally took a massive step toward starting a new life for himself.

My client, I’ll call him Ned, mentored with me on a regular basis last year and was making great progress. He is sort of a massage therapist to the stars. People like actors Ted Danson and Ben Affleck are his clients. He wanted to take his secrets of how to have a very successful, profitable massage therapy practise out to other massage therapists. He wants to eventually stop doing massage and focus much more attention on workshops, trainings and other info-products. He’s already taught at a massage school.

His vision is all about finding a way to take his expertise to others and make that a business model. So we worked with that. I sensed he had a lot of fear around doing this without his brother there for him. His parents are deceased as well. There were even moments when he felt a little hopeless – I’d encourage him and he’d pull himself back up and get going again.

We put a lot of time into figuring out the agenda for his workshop. Years ago a woman with a Ph.D. in Instructional Design helped me put together my first workshop – so I shared that knowledge with him and together we came up with a wonderful program for him. It felt true and authentic to who he is and his experience and he knew it would help other massage therapists while also being fresh and new. We also talked about getting the word out and how to fill the room with the right people. People who were willing to learn AND willing to pay.

Then September 15, 2008 happened. The stock market was in an upheaval and he lost money. You remember. He owned two rental homes and both his tenants lost their jobs and couldn’t pay rent. So he was struggling to keep up the mortgages. The number of people booking massages with him dropped – so his income from that source dropped, too. Consequently, he wasn’t able to keep up marketing mentoring with me. But once in awhile he’d pay me for one session at a time. And he’d keep me posted by email.

I’m not 100 percent sure when my last mentoring session was with him. I’d have to look through my calendar. I think it was August. In between – except for connecting with me on Facebook – I didn’t really know if he was still working at it or not.

He was.

Monday when I got his email telling me what a triumph his workshop was the weekend before, I was jumping up and down excited for him. It’s just a start but his information was very well received and he also made a profit. Whoooo-hooo! He did it with a healing rib from his car accident – but he kept breathing through it (I’ve heard healing ribs are painful) and he was successful. In the last paragraph he said, “Denise, I put payment for another mentoring session with you in your paypal account – just let me know when you can meet.”

You might already know I have a workshop coming up this Monday November 2nd here in Las Vegas. I have three seats remaining so if you’d like to find out more and attend click on the link at the top of this page that says “Denise’s Events.” But the reason I’m digressing like this is because I’m very recently aware of all the work it takes to put together a successful event even if your health is just fine.

Ned is turning his life around in the direction he’s wanted to go for years now. He’s inching closer and closer to living his dream. And I couldn’t be more happy for him – and thrilled to know that I had a little something to do with his new success. What’s you’re dream and are you getting help and guidance in making those positive changes to your business income and your life.

By Denise Michaels

I used to attend a women’s business networking group where the social aspect was the most important thing and doing business was way down on the list. Even though their mission statement said they were committed to business. It wasn’t a group getting together for martini’s or margueritas at the end of the day. This group of 25-30 women business owners arrived once a week at 7:00 am for breakfast and they all acted like business didn’t matter much.

Doesn’t that seem a little weird?

Coming across as if you care about business and making a fair and abundant income for what you do is considered crass and icky by many women in what seems like all age groups. It’s as if it’s just supposed to happen – without asking or saying anything. These are the same women who privately fret over their bills because they don’t have enough money to cover everything. It’s almost as if somewhere in their subconscious they want someone to step in and handle it all. Write them a check to cover the shortage every month and just say, “It’s okay, honey. I know it’s tough out there. I’ll take care of you so you can go play and not worry about those nasty ol’ bills.”

A sugar Daddy – but no one calls it that because that would mean we’re golddiggers. None of us wants to be perceived as caring much about money, or, having a relationship about money. We just want it all to magically be taken care of without having to ask. That’s what husbands used to do.

Remember when Princess Diana died? It was August of 1997. There was a massive outpouring of grief and tears worldwide by women that totally eclipsed the death of any other celebrity. The funeral was watched by over a billion people around the globe. What was that about?

Many women saw in Diana a beautiful, caring woman who represented our desires for Camelot and Prince Charming. Someone to take care of everything and make it all better. Even after she and the Prince divorced, she didn’t have him but she still had money, the elegant estate, the gorgeous gowns and the worldwide stature as a Princess and everything that implies. When she died the hope for a handsome man swooping in on a white horse and saving us from all the headaches of “the real world” died, too. That’s where I believe a lot of the tears came from.

We really gotta get over our immaturity over money and making money.

I’m not suggesting we become money-grubbing and take advantage of customers. That’s a sure way to be unhappy and go out of business. I’m suggesting women charge what they’re worth instead of under-cutting themselves because they don’t feel “worthy” of as much money as others, or, because they want to “be nice.” Which usually translates into, “I don’t want to market myself and I hope by seriously undercutting my prices I won’t have to.”

Except this “strategy” boomerangs. People don’t think people cut prices to be nice. They figure, “Gee, she’s probably not as good.”

Same thing when it comes to asking for the sale. Many women won’t ask. They keep hoping customers will say, “Okay, I’ll take two.” Or, they ask in such a hesistant way customers sense their hesitation and back off.

We really gotta get over it.

A lot of other women say they do their business for fun. If a person doesn’t need money there are so many amazing things you can do for fun: travel, write a book, volunteer, go to the gym and work out, get involved in your community politically, enjoy hobbies, crafts, learn to be a gourmet cook, play tennis or golf, play with children and grandchildren. When did business become an outlet for “fun” for women and not about making money? A lot of women aren’t being honest or fair with themselves and others.

Yes, there can be many satisfying aspects to owning a business for women. And there should be. But not caring about making money? The purpose of a business is to make money. That’s the primary purpose. If you’re not making money you don’t have a business – you have an expensive hobby.

Isn’t it time we grow up and get over it? Isn’t it time we stop kidding ourselves, hoping some mythical figure on a white horse will swoop in and make it better so we can keep not caring?

We really gotta get over it.

By Denise Michaels, Author, “Testosterone-Free Markeitng”

How’s your focus these days? Lately, many people seem totally scattered and overwhelmed. They look like they’re running in circles and we all know that can be really counter-productive Try to have a conversation with them and their eyes are darting off in different directions. I met a couple people like this at a networking luncheon yesterday. Schedule a meeting and they’re apt to goof up the time at least once. Had one of those yesterday, too.

It’s easy to blame it on the economy. It takes a lot more effort to find people who want, need and are willing to pay for your products and services these days. In fact I was just talking with an old friend yesterday who was telling me about a famous seminar guru who was planning on 800 people for an event in Atlanta recently and about 65 people showed up.

Yes, there are a lot of distractions these days. I can’t even tell you how crazy-making it is for me to have four email addresses and be checking Facebook, Twitter, my cell phone messages, my land line messages – and that’s all stuff that’s not the highest and best use of my time. But I truly believe our greatest solutions to our busyness are not factors outside of us – but factors within. After all, you can’t control much of what happens outside of you – you can only control how you respond to it all.

We all choose our lives and how we spend our time. Somewhere along the way you made choices. You may not have understood the consequences of those choices – but you made ‘em and here you are. It’s possible you don’t really want to do what you’re doing with your life and your time, so your mind throws up obstacles that feel like, “Oh, I’m so busy all the time. I just can’t get to the really important stuff.” Maybe it’s because you don’t want to get to the really important stuff.

Take some time to quiet down and slow down. I’ve sort of been forced to do that this week because I have a cold right now. As much as I want to get up and do more – I’m secretly relishing this time to take it easy. Yes, I actually have a positive attitude about this cold. But back to you…

Take some time to quietly think about your goals. Ask yourself if they’re in alignment with your core values. In other words – if you have a goal to make a big, six figure income and yet part of your core values is that you don’t believe that you deserve money – or you believe money is the root of all evil – well, Houston – we have a problem.

If your goals and your core values are not in alignment – you’ll be very stressed out. It’ll be like Sisyphus (of Greek mythology) pushing that boulder uphill forever. Not much fun. So much smarter to take some time to figure out how to get your goals and core values into alignment. And, if you have a core value that’s not working out for you like the one above – it’s time to change it. This is another reason why I say that your business growth doesn’t happen any faster than your personal growth.

Many women business owners have challenges in this area. They have very real financial needs: a mortgage to pay, insurance, savings – and all the other very concrete expenses of life. Unfortunately they also have a belief system (core valuues) that says it’s not okay for women to care about making money – that it’s somehow crass and cold. This is one of the many issues I’m going to be addressing at my No-Fluff Testosterone-free Marketing Magic Workshop coming up on Monday November 2nd.

When you set goals where there is alignment with your core values – it’s a much easier path, there are less distractions and problems. Everyone is happier.

If you’ll be in Las Vegas Monday November 2nd and you’re a woman business owner, do yourself a favor and check out my upcoming workshop by clicking here now. For a very nominal price it will transform your business for the better. The early bird discount ends on Friday night so today is a great day to register.

By Denise Michaels, Author, ‘Testosterone-Free Marketing”

You had to be living under a rock if you didn’t hear the story out of Fort Collins Colorado last week regarding the six year old boy who parents said they were afraid had blown away in a homemade weather balloon on Thursday. The nation sat gripped with awe as we watched images of this aluminum foil looking balloon buffeted along over empty fields and up to heights of over 15,000 feet. Finally it was discovered the boy was hiding in a box in the attic of the family’s home the whole time. Happy ending?

Police discovered the event was a hoax. The father is a publicity hound whose been on a couple episodes of reality TV. He did it to improve his chances of getting on another reality TV show.

If only the six year old boy hadn’t ratted him out and thrown up on national television – his scheme probably would’ve worked.

On September 9th a Congressman from South Carolina shouted, “You lie!” during an important speech by the President. He apologized to the President, but within a week he raised over a million dollars in campaign contributions which will probably ensure his re-election in 2010.

Back in the 1960s, artist Andy Warhol said, “Everyone will have 15 minutes of fame.”

In both cases I don’t agree with what these people did. What blows me away is their results.

Here’s what I see: unless someone is brought up on charges for breaking the law, in 2009 people are often rewarded for “bad behavior.” It makes headlines and if you leverage it the right way, it’ll keep you in the headlines. It used to take extraordinary talent to become a celebrity – now it takes something like a sex tape leaked on the internet and crazy behavior aka Kim Kardashian. Bingo! Instant fame and reality star of a show now in its sixth season.

What does this mean for you and your business?

You can be a nice girl and say, “I’d never do anything like that!” Or, it may be time to suck up your confidence and make some noise about your home-based business and stop waiting for people to discover you. After all, publicity can be an incredibly valuable form of marketing.

Tell the world. Say something controversial. Plan a publicity stunt. Get your phone ringing off the hook.

According to Wikipedia: “A publicity stunt is a planned event designed to attract the public’s attention to the event’s organizers or their cause. Publicity stunts can be professionally organized or set up by amateurs. Such events are frequently utilized by advertisers, celebrities, athletes, and politicians.”

Can you use a publicity stunt in some way?

Don’t automatically say, “No, I could never pull off a stunt.” Consider the possibilities.

By Denise Michaels, Author, “Testosterone-Free Marketing”

Meeting Ernie was like the end of a journey. After nothing but lousy relationships I finally met the right man for me. If you’ve had challenges with love or are happily in love – you might enjoy my story.

It was Saturday August 2nd 1997 and I was excited. I’d just bought a computer and gotten online for the first time a few days ago. I’d heard there was a lot of information online about singles. It wasn’t fast or easy back in the dial-up days, but I was curious.

When I saw an announcement for a singles beach picnic that weekend in Orange County about an hour away, I decided to go. After all, it wasn’t a smoky, meat market bar. As I was driving there I felt an amazing sense of anticipation and expectation that something great was about to happen. I tried to calm myself, but it persisted.

I found Dana Point State Park and walked for half an hour before locating the group. Things were just getting started and naturally there were more women than men in attendance. If nothing else it would be a beautiful afternoon on the beach.

After an hour I heard a male voice in an accent I didn’t recognize. I turned and saw a pair of nicely muscled, brown, male legs. All the women were saying, “Hi Ernie! How you doing, Ernie?” He chirped back, “Helloooooo!”

I stood up and joined a cluster of women talking with this man. He had brown skin, but wasn’t African American. I nudged the woman next to me and whispered, “Introduce me, would you?” She did and he smiled hello. His smile melted my heart. Our eyes locked on each other through the gaggle of feminine conversation around us.

All I could think was, “How do I get him away from this crowd and talk alone with him. I said, “Who wants to go swimming?” I hoped he would take the hint and say “yes” and the other women wouldn’t want to bother getting their hair wet.

“I’ll go swimming with you,” he said, not missing a beat. The other women dropped away.

We walked about knee deep into the water. There was an instant attraction different from anything I’d ever felt. I don’t remember too much about the specifics of the conversation – it was many years ago. I remember him asking questions about my education, my religious faith and my family. I remember him saying he was born in India and he came to America after high school. I was 39 and he was 51.

I suggested we walk down the beach at the edge of the water. We walked a couple miles along the wet sand. On the way back he took my hand in his. A lifetime of all the wrong men and the wrong relationships fell away – I was home.

We returned to the group and it was dusk. The guys built a bonfire to light the evening and cook hot dogs and marshmallows. Ernie never left my side that evening. I think our knees touched lightly as we sat on a blanket.

We talked with others and enjoyed the laughter and kidding all around as the night sky grew dark. But it was clear to everyone we were connected as a couple.

I got up and walked down to the water’s edge, wanting to etch this perfect moment in my mind forever. I knew he was the one for me and we hadn’t even kissed yet. In the indigo sky on a sultry August evening, a sliver of moon and a few stars hung in the sky. I felt overwhelmed and just whispered a “thank you” of gratitude to the heavens.

We’ve been crazy in love together ever since. And his smile still melts my heart.

By Denise Michaels, Author, ‘Testosterone-Free Marketing”

When you wear all the hats in a business – as most of us women, home-based business owners do – it’s easy to get caught up in a web of multi-tasking and being scattered with no clear focus from day to day. In a single day you can be handling marketing, operations, administrative and a myriad of tasks within those categories. To say nothing of putting clothes in the dryer, figuring out what to make for dinner, worrying about your third grader’s math homework and more.

I wrote an entire chapter in my book about the issues women business owners are challenged with regarding our focus and how multi-tasking can really be a mixed blessing.

Here’s what I think happens: when you become an entrepreneur it becomes easy to get caught up “spinning in the world of ideas” as I call it. So many opportunities and so little time. You can have a blast talking and thinking about all these cool ideas and how much money you can make with ‘em all. But you have to finally dig your heels in and get going with one (and keep going) to make money, right? Seems pretty simple so far – ahhhhh, but the plot thickens. *smile*

Here’s the challenge: while you’re spinning in the world of ideas – you’re not getting anything done. Nothing is being completed. Why would a person DO that when you don’t get paid in business until you complete things? The reason I believe so many women do it? Well, at the root of this “spinning,” researching and checking everything out – is that it means you get to avoid rejection because you haven’t made a commitment and jumped in to anything yet.

The minute you actually “put something out there” the rubber hits the road. You’re honestly faced with whether it will be a smashing success or a bomb. And for a lot of people that’s scary. Spinning is more fun and there’s no fear or risk attached to those activities compared to marketing activities which get you out there.

Here’s the funny thing: by “spinning” our subconscious mind believes it’s protecting us from rejection. However, over the long run it can mess with your sense of self confidence. How? Because after awhile you look back at all that time and effort and realize, geez it’s been six months (or a year or two years) and what do I have to show for that effort? All that spinning?

If you keep spinning and don’t step out – chances are you don’t have much to show for it. You’ve been busy – but you haven’t achieved anything, because you’ve been focused on spinning not on achieving.

For a lot of people it makes them feel like a failure and this can pull your self confidence down. But the truth is people who keep spinning have actually very successful – at avoiding rejection.

So, if you’re goal is to avoid rejection – keep spinning.

If you’re goal is to have a successful business and generate cash flow – start figuring out how to get beyond your comfort zone (I know a great marketing mentor who helps with that *wink* AND your strategy) and start bringing in some real paying customers and clients.

There are solutions to spinning in the world of ideas: mostly they have to do with facing up to the fact that what you put out there might succeed or it might fail. Making different conscious choices and excepting the reality that the outcome could go either way – and it doesn’t make you a good person or a bad person either way. But by taking that leap of faith – you’re making forward progress moving energy and creating momentum. And THAT feels great.

Discover more about Denise at Empower U Academy and Mentoring with Denise. And if you’re going to be in Las Vegas on Monday November 2nd come to my “No-fluff, Testosterone-Free Marketing Magic Workshop.” Click here for more information and to register today.

By Denise Michaels, Author, “Testosterone-Free Marketing”

This is the second part of a two part article on my top ten marketing tips. Read them and commit to memory.

6. Don’t Rely on Word-of-Mouth Advertising

When I ask new entrepreneurs how they plan to market their business they frequently reply, “word-of-mouth.” Yes, it’s one of the strongest forms of “advertising”, but you could starve waiting along the way. To me it means they have no marketing budget and no clue. There are free and inexpensive options out there. Create joint venture partnerships, network online, get articles in ezines. Do something!

7. Build a Clear Marketing Message

A confused mind always says, “no.” As you create your marketing message ask several people to read through what you’ve written to see if it’s clear. Listen with an open mind. If they have to ask you questions, your message is unclear. If you must explain something, that’s information that should go in your sales letter. If they’re ready to buy, you’ve got a winner.

8. Make Cause and Effect Links

Don’t just tell them a feature or benefit about the product. Tell them how that feature or benefit will make their life better. People are busy and stressed these days. They often don’t have time to make the connection. If you don’t show them how your product or service will improve their life in a real way, who will? Don’t expect them to sell themselves.

9. Create Joint Venture Partners

Team up with people who have something you want and you can offer value to them. Look for ways that you can help each other building BOTH of your businesses and customer base. Always look for joint venture partners who provide products or services that are complimentary and not competitive. You can help your customer or client more by pointing them to people who have things they need but you don’t offer.

10. Test, Test, and Test some More

Find out in a small way if people will nibble at your idea before you spend a lot of time or money on it. Talk up your idea. Many people will give you surprisingly good input. Gauge their reactions. Post clues about your idea on a message board in an appropriate way with people who you think might be your customers. Ask, ask, ask and then listen openly.

Discover more about Denise at Empower U Academy and Mentoring with Denise. And if you’re going to be in Las Vegas on Monday November 2nd come to my “No-fluff, Testosterone-Free Marketing Magic Workshop.” Click here for more information and to register today.

By Denise M. Michaels, Author, “Testosterone-Free Markieting”

These ten tips are absolute classics and something every woman home-based business owners needs to not just know but absolutely let it sink down into your bones. Many people think they KNOW these basics but it never hurts to let ‘em sink in a little deeper and find creative ways to let ‘em permeate your marketing message and everything about your brand. It would even be a good idea to print them out so you can see them over and over. I’ve posted the first five of these ten tips and tomorrow I’ll post the second five of the ten tips.

1. Know Your Market

Many entrepreneurs have no clue who their customers are and why they really buy their product. If you say, “Everyone is my market,” unfortunately no one will be your market. The more specific you get about the kind of person who buys your products or services – the more you can zero in on the perfect message and venue for that message that will make those people stand up and take notice.

2. Create Your Product or Service Around Their Needs

Some people come up with something they believe is a great product but they never take the time to determine what needs it fills and what problems their product solves. They talk about features and gizmos no one really cares about. That’s an expensive mistake. Find out what problems your customers have that are in need of a solution. Not the other way around.

3. Offer Real Value

Ask yourself, “Would you buy it?” And, “Would you recommend it to your best friend?” Make it a value that’s too good to pass up. Don’t undercut yourself. You deserve to cover your costs and make a fair profit. If people aren’t biting, don’t assume the price is too high. Instead assume maybe you’re not doing an effective job of communicating the value.

4. Be Passionate

Your enthusiasm, positive energy and problem-solving skills are sometimes exactly what it takes to save the day and the deal. Also, chances are what you offer is something you’ll be offering for a long time. Be passionate first about serving the customer, not just from a customer service standpoint but also in the marketing message you create.

5. Love Your Customer Not Your Product

It’s easy to love your product. Perhaps you use it personally. Maybe you enjoy the features and benefits. But, cash flow doesn’t come from the product. Your product can’t love you back. It also can’t reject you the way you might feel a customer can, either. Learn everything you can about customers and potential customers. Ask questions. Let that caring reflect back to your customers in your marketing. They will “get it” and want to do business with you.

This is Part One of a two-part article. Part Two will appear tomorrow.

Discover more about Denise at Empower U Academy and Mentoring with Denise. And if you’re going to be in Las Vegas on Monday November 2nd come to my “No-fluff, Testosterone-Free Marketing Magic Workshop.” Click here for more information and to register today.

By Denise Michaels, Author, “Testosterone-Free Marketing”

Maybe you’ve been reading my blog for awhile now. Maybe you know me from when I used to be a trainer and mentor for a mega-bestselling author and seminar guy. Maybe you’re a previous marketing mentoring client. Or, maybe you’ve never heard of me before.

It doesn’t matter. If you’re a woman, home-based business owner and you really want to discover the secrets to take your business to the next level – but do it your way – without all the testosterone – come to Las Vegas and discover how to:

* Attract ideal customers who pay on time and are a pleasure to deal with
* Get them to happily say “Yes!” and know you’re aligned with them and have their best interests at heart
* Do business with people you like – so you don’t waste time on customers who are a pain
* Create a plan to help you easily draw in more people who want to and DO say “yes” to you
* Discover why you’ve held back from success and how to get the word out in a woman friendly way

… and much more.

My “No-fluff Testosterone-Free Marketing Magic Workshop” is being held Monday November 2nd in Las Vegas from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm. Get to Las Vegas. Attend the workshop and get more great ideas that’ll work for you as a woman business-owner than you ever imagined. Average temperatures for Las Vegas the first week of November are sunny and in the high 60 degree to low 70 degree range, Farenheit. Share your travel expenses with a girlfriend whose also a business owner and attend together. I just checked on Expedia.com and the hotel where the workshop will be held has a special rate of just $49 Sunday and Monday nights.

I’ll be presenting. The event will be limited to just 35 attendees. It’s small and intimate – so check into it now. Plus, there’s an Early Bird Discount right now that you don’t want to miss out on. For more information and to register click on the link at the top of the page that says, “Denise’s Events.”

I’d love to meet you in Las Vegas and help you enjoy the rest of 2009 and 2010!!! *smile*

The ten trends listed below I got from a website called Brand Strategy Insider. We must understand, even as a woman, home-based business owner that branding is important to surviving, thriving and creating success in a world of ecommerce and change where you might hear about a product or service on Twitter or Facebook before you ever see the logo or connect with the products.

1) Value is the new black
Consumer spending, even on sale items, will continue to be replaced by a reason-to-buy at all. This spells trouble for brands with no authentic meaning, whether high-end or low.

2) Brands increasingly a surrogate for “value”
What makes goods and services valuable will increasingly be what’s wrapped up in the brand and what it stands for. Why J Crew instead of The Gap? J Crew stands for a new era in careful chic –being smart and stylish. The first family’s support of the brand doesn’t hurt either.

3) Brand differentiation is Brand Value
The unique meaning of a brand will increase in importance as generic features continue to plague the brand landscape. Awareness as a meaningful market force has long been obsolete, and differentiation will be critical for success –meaning sales and profitability.

4) “Because I said so” is so over
Brand values can be established as a brand identity, but they must believably exist in the mind of the consumer. A brand can’t just say it stands for something and make it so. The consumer will decide, making it more important than ever for a brand to have measures of authenticity that will aid in brand differentiation and consumer engagement.

5) Consumer expectations are growing
Brands are barely keeping up with consumer expectations now. Every day consumers adopt and devour the latest technologies and innovations, and hunger for more. Smarter marketers will identify and capitalize on unmet expectations. Those brands that understand where the strongest expectations exist will be the brands that survive – and prosper.

6) Old tricks don’t work/won’t work anymore
In case your brand didn’t get the memo here it is -consumers are on to brands trying to play their emotions for profit. In the wake of the financial debacle of this past year, people are more aware then ever of the hollowness of bank ads that claim “we’re all in this together” when those same banks have rescinded their credit and turned their retirement plan into case studies. The same is true for insincere celebrity pairings: think Seinfeld & Microsoft or Tiger Woods & Buick. Celebrity values and brand values need to be in concert, like Tiger Woods and Accenture. That’s authenticity.

7) They won’t need to know you to love you
As the buying space becomes even more online-driven and international (and uncontrolled by brands and corporations), front-end awareness will become less important. A brand with the right street cred can go viral in days, with awareness following, not leading, the conversation. After all, everybody knows GM, but nobody’s buying their cars.

It’s not just buzz
Conversation and community is all; ebay thrives based on consumer feedback. If consumers trust the community, they will extend trust to the brand. Not just word of mouth, but the right word of mouth within the community. This means the coming of a new era of customer care.

9) They’re talking to each other before talking to the brand
Social Networking and exchange of information outside of the brand space will increase. Look for more websites using Facebook Connect to share information with the friends from those sites. More companies will become members of Linkedin. Twitter users will spend more money on the Internet than those who don’t tweet.

10) Engagement is not a fad; It’s the way today’s consumers do business
Marketers will come to accept that there are four engagement methods including Platform (TV; online), Context (Program; webpage), Message (Ad or Communication), and Experience (Store/Event). But there is only one objective for the future: Brand Engagement. Marketers will continue to realize that attaining real brand engagement is impossible using out-dated attitudinal models.

Accommodating these trends will require a paradigm change on the parts of some companies. But whether a brand does something about it or not, the future is where it’s going to spend the rest of its life. How long that life lasts is up to the brand, determined by how it responds to today’s reality.

Contributed by: Robert Passikoff, President, Brand Keys

By Denise Michaels, Author, “Testosterone-Free Marketing”

Maybe this sounds like a big leap, but being successful in your business as a woman can actually make your marriage better and your husband more loving. I’m defining success as the perfect blend of enjoying what you do AND creating cash flow. Not one or the other – you get to have both.

Yes, I know there are men threatened by their wives’ success.

The first thing to do is unwind a couple powerful, but unhelpful beliefs out there that keep us twisted up trying to make money – but at the same time not make money. It’s like driving down the freeway with one foot on the brakes and the other on the accelerator at the same time. After all, a business without positive cash flow isn’t a business – it’s an expensive hobby.

Belief One: for men, there’s a strong belief that making money will bring love. The most lovely, caring wife, the family and the income to support it all. Most people have a belief this is so. It’s why many women – when they’re looking for love – also look for a man who can support her future family. We’re attracted to confidence and that begets success. Confidence and a can-do spirit is sexy. I’m sorry ladies, but 40 years of feminism doesn’t change four million years of human conditioning.

Belief Two: far too many women have a deep-seated belief, often subconscious, that making significant money will take love away from them. Many women fear if they make a good income he’ll be threatened and leave. Or, she might wake up one morning and say, “What am I doing with this turkey?” and leave. It doesn’t help that back in the day when women first started making good incomes in the 60s, 70s and 80s that happened – a lot.

If you’re married to a good guy – chances are his paycheck goes to taking care of many household expenses. It doesn’t really belong to him – it belongs to the family. But when things are flipped – for many women their paycheck never goes into the family checking account. Sure, it might pay for groceries and other things – but when you want a new pair of shoes – you get ‘em. When you want a little splurge or pampering you look at your money – and if you can do it – you spend the money.

When you truly want to be on an equal footing you stop looking at the money as his belongs to the family and yours belongs to you. Instead all the money is family money. You look at how your income can improve your lifestyle for the entire family rather than paying for splurges. You stop looking at your money as temporary and therefore fleeting and you look at it as part of your lives together.

You have a conversation with your husband. You say something like, “I want my business to be successful – because I love you and I love our family. It’s not just for fun – it’s for income, too. You’re the only one for me and I want us to have a great life together. I’m ready to stop sabotaging myself and really do the things that will make a difference. Which means putting less attention on _______, and more attention on marketing and selling.”

Then say, “Hon, I know you’re doing a great job and we’re a team together. But it’s really hard for one person to do it all in 2009. I want to learn ways to contribute more to our family as a team because I love you and I want us to have a great life together. I want us to be able to give our kids a good education and have a secure retirement someday. I’m not talking about putting more time into my business –I’m talking about re-focusing my energy into doing the things that will make more income in my business. I’ve avoided it – but it really means learning how to market and sell more successfully.”

Over the last eight years I’ve mentored over 1,400 women and a lot of men, too. In a few instances the women I mentored walked away from their marriages. These were very troubled marriages even before she started a business. In far, far more instances a woman making more money resulted in bringing a husband and wife much closer together because he felt a little less stressed and she saw her success not as something that split her from her husband – but something that brought her closer to him. After all, men find confidence sexy, too.