Sue Henry Talks Blog

Hate to Write? Use Video As Your Blog Post

If you hate to write and it's keeping you from blogging, then I have good news for you!  Have a "video blog".

A web video isn't a mulitmillion Hollywood project. It's not going to be "perfect", and if you wait for perfection, the world will pass you by!

Basically, a blog video is like a blog post your write.  It's you sharing some information with your readers and connecting with  them in a sincere, honest way. Here's my top 5 tips for your blog video:

1. Have a script and practice it a couple of times before recording. You want to sound energized and competent while still showing your humanness of "ahhs", etc.

2. Check the background where you'll be videoing. Remove any stacks of papers, clutter, etc. I would recommend having a couple items in the background that are "personal" and help people learn a little more about you as a person. For instance, if you have a pet you love, have a photo of them on the desk or table behind you.

3. Have the camera capture your face straight on.  Have you ever seen the videos or photos of people where the camera has been angled from below the head and is aimed upward?  No one looks good with a double chin!

4. Engage your audience with a story they can relate to.  If you are using visuals (like a white board to share something), have yourself in the video, too. "Condition" them to hear your voice, see your face, and provide valuable, helpful information. This increases credibility and name/information retention. You want them to remember YOU when they think of the product or service you provide.

5. Be enthusiastic. Smile. And have fun! 

Blogging can be an essential tool in attracting and finding the people who want, need, and are willing to buy what you offer. Someone is going to go online and find and connect with a person who offers what you do... Help them find you!

The 3 C's of Social Skills: Courtesy, Civility, & Consideration

Twelve days of vacation with 2 of my daughters, ages 16 & 18. Twelve days on a road trip starting in Minnesota, driving through Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and South Dakota. Twelve days in the car and hotel rooms together. Twelve days of having fun, building memories, and strengthening our already-wonderful relationships. We're become more than "family". We're truly good friends.

What was the key to coming home better friends after spending 12 days together in close quarters?

Courtesy. Civility. Consideration.

Were there tense moments when one of us was a little irritable? Yes. Were there times when a sharp comment, negative thought, or criticism could have been voiced? Of course. But we refrained. We had made the conscious decision before the trip that we would treat each other with kindness, give each other the benefit of the doubt, and assume that if someone was a little crabby, they were probably just tired and needed us to leave them alone instead of becoming "offended" or responding.

As a young mother, many years ago, I was given some wonderful advice. "Catch 'em being good". It's easy for us to have "company manners" with people we're not around all the time. It's much harder to keep that same perspective with our families. I believe that our homes, families, and we ourselves, would be much happier and have more peace if we practiced the 3 C's of social skills with everyone.

Courtesy. Civility. Consideration.  A simple way to make a positive difference, one person at a time.

I Had To Take Time to Refill and Renew

The past couple of months have been filled with numerous meetings, trainings and workshops I've taught, information meetings, coaching sessions with BNI members, a trip to San Diego for a Lisa Nichols workshop "Speak and Write to Make Millions", a daughter's graduation from high school (in MN we have parties for our HS grads), a son's wedding, just a name a few.

I drive between 3,000-4,500 miles per month for my job within BNI and as a speaker and trainer. The number of educational CD's I can listen to on a "road trip" are limited and although my car is a great "think tank" for me, it's also a "time trap". As I'm driving from meeting to meeting, I get frustrated at how behind I get with other tasks, responsibilites, etc.

I refuse to get up any earlier than I do (between 5 & 5:30 am) and haven't figured out how I can SAFELY drive while reading and writing emails, etc. If I had a driver, I'd think that I needed to chat and be a good hostess instead of getting work done...  As the pile on my desk and list of things to do increased, so did my stress level. 

So this weekend I (and my 16-yr old daughter) went sailing in Pepin, WI with Beth M. Anderson. The sun was shining, there was a nice breeze, and the conversation was great. As I marveled at the incredible beauty of the Lake Pepin landscape, I could literally feel my mind, body, and soul being restored and renewed.

And then it hit me! I realized why I was feeling so incredibily stressed and out-of-control! I was trying to do to much!!!!  Ok - it shouldn't have taken so long for me to get the message, but the good news is, at least I got it!

My goal this week is to go through my calendar, the pile on my desk, and my list of things to do so i can consciously delegate, prioritze, or say "no". Once I complete this activity, I'll be able to determine if I need to add someone else to help me do the basics so I can spend my time on the income-producing activities.

If you've gone through this type of growth and have had to bring someone in part-time, I'd love to know how you did it. How did you find the right person? What questions did you ask? What do you wish someone had told you as you started the process?

Thanks for sharing!

The Power Of Focus

Today I was on a plane from Minneapolis to San Diego with a flight change in Phoenix.  My usual habit is to plop down in the seat, pull out my glasses and book, and forget about the world for awhile. And that's exactly what I did today.

Several hours later I was sitting in the Phoenix airport waiting to board the plane for San Diego and overheard a few people talking about how rough the flight from Mpls to Phoenix had been.  They went on to discuss that the people were actually throwing up because of the turbulence. I was shocked! I hadn't noticed a thing!

Focus is a powerful tool when we learn how to harness it. Each day of ours is filled with some type of turbulence - things that can truly distract us from what we need and want to accomplish. I know that when I fill my day with activities that I am passionate about, I don't notice the bumps in the road. My energy and excitement allow me to glide right over them.

If you find yourself having trouble focusing, stop for a minute. Reflect on why you are doing what you do, how you are making a difference in the life of others, and think about the thank-you's you've already received. You'll find renewed energy, passion, and increased focus.

Stretching The Truth

I admit I'm not 100% honest. I view highway speed limit signs as a "suggestion" (unless there's a cop sitting there!) and I was overly optimistic on my drivers license in the height and weight categories. But that's basically where I draw the line. So imagine my surprise when I was taught a "truth" that I shared with others and it turned out to be a lie!

Here's what happened: A couple of months ago I was introduced to an incredible product that provides a mini face lift that you can do in the privacy of your own home, is very affordable, and you see results within 10 minutes. I loved how the crow's feet and laugh lines were noticeably diminished, so of course I wanted to purchase the machine. I was told that if I sold a few machines as a distributor, my machine and gels would be free. Cool!

In order to become a distributor, I would need to purchase the business builder pack which included 5 machines, etc. for the price of $1425. I swallowed hard, placed the order and sold the machines. As people I showed the product to asked questions about how they could become a distributor, earn a little money, and get their machine and gels for free, I shared with them what I had been taught. 

Last week I found out that in order to become a distributor, you don't have to buy the business builder pack of 5 machines. As a matter of fact, you only need to place an order for $20. I was mortified!

I went back and talked to the women who had loved the results they'd gotten with the machine and had wanted to come onboard as a distributor but didn't have the $1425. They were very kind, appreciated my honesty, and signed up. But the integrity of the company was now compromised.

The upline distributor's explanation for "stretching the truth" was that statistically, people who invested more upfront made more money down the road. I get that. So tell people the truth, give them options, and show them stats. Let them make the decision for themselves.  Give them support, help them formulate a plan, then help them succeed. But don't stretch the truth or lie.

I'm sure she felt her motives served a higher purpose, but she lost my trust. If I ever meet her, I'll listen to what she says with suspicion. And whatever status she attains within the company will be tarnished (in my eyes) because of her methods.

I've learned, again, that I need to know the facts before spewing out someone else's words. It's my relationships and credibility on the line. Because of this experience, I wondered about the integrity of the company. Is this how they taught their distributors to grow a successful, thriving business? If so, I didn't want any part of it! Fortunately, through research and diligence, I found that the company is honorable and trustworthy and frowns upon this type of activity.

So how does this experience relate to you? Ask yourself: Do your interactions with your clients and customers move them closer to trusting you? Or have you gotten in the habit of maybe stretching the truth a little because it's in your client's best interest and is easier than dealing with objections? 

Trust is more fragile than a raw egg on a football field during a game - once it's broken, you won't be able to restore it to it's original state. When there's genuine trust, you won't need to stretch the truth to accomplish your goals.

Can You Use Your Blog To Make Money?

I've been traveling and presenting the workshop, "Blogs, LinkedIn & Facebook" for the past 8 weeks. One question students ask is, "Can I really make money from my blog?" 

A great blog post that explains how this all works is "Why You Can’t Make Money Blogging" on Copyblogger  http://www.copyblogger.com/no-money-blogging/  

Some students will say to me, "I have a blog because I want to educate people about my product or service." My comment back to them is, "Great. So if your readers are more knowledgeable when they finish reading your blog but they don't buy anything from you, have you achieved the goal for your blog?" 

Often I get a look of surprise because the blogger assumes that if they provide great education, people will automatically buy. But the reality is this: No matter how wonderful your blog and information is, if you don't ask them to buy or give them a call to action, readers will move on. It's up to you to help them know what step they need to take next and when!

I would recommend reading "Why You Can't Make Money Blogging" and then take another look at your own blog. Do you need to make some changes or adjustments? I'd love your comments and thoughts. 

Ask For What You Want

I taught two classes at Get Connected 09 in St. Pete's Beach, FL. One class was on blogging, the other on LinkedIn and Facebook. Each class was 45 minutes in length, so I prepared accordingly.

I knew that 45 minutes wasn't enough time to share much more than a few basics, so I wrote a Social Media Reference eManual that provided more information on all three topics and offered it for $10 per copy if the person ordered and paid before 3/1/09.

At the end of my blogging class on Saturday, I took a minute to explain the ebook and ask for their orders (they were handed a sheet describing the contents and an order form when they walked into the room).  Half the people in the room purchased the ebook.

On Sunday, I taught a few basics about LinkedIn and Facebook and how to position yourself for profitability. Believe me, the time I had for these too "hot" topics went very fast! I wanted to make sure that all of those attending received value, so I didn't take time to explain the merits of my Social Media Reference eManual and ask them to buy. Each person was handed the content description and order form at the door, just like the day before. However, only 4 ebooks were purchased.

What was the difference?  It was in the "ask".

If you want to increase your sales, share with others the value of what you offer and then ASK them to buy!  Imagine what this one simple concept could mean to your bottom line!

What Do Face-to-Face Networking and Online Networking Have in Common?

I am amazed at how many people feel that having a blog or a profile on Facebook or LinkedIn is the "magic pill" to sales success. This attitude is evident in the discussions and comments posted.

Successful online networking is built upon the same foundation as face-to-face networking: Visibility and credibility before profitability. VCP.

You create visibility by interacting with people who have similar interests, talents, experiences, backgrounds, and clients or customers as you. Your intent is to build a relationship of trust. As you build friendships, conversations will be taken offgroup and the opportunity to build credibility increases.

Credibility allows you to easily direct your connections to your blog or website to ask them who they know that may need or want what you have to offer. They'll be interested in helping you because you built a foundation of trust first. And, of course, you'll want to help them as well!

Networking is all about effective communication. This is true whether we are at a chamber event or sharing thoughts on posted discussions online. Networking skills are learned - the better you learn and apply these skills, the more profitable your business will become.  Don't let your lack of skills or knowledge be your excuse to fail!  Take the time to develop these skills and you'll soon be smiling all the way to the bank!

Is It An Investment or An Expense?

 

It seems as though everyone is looking for ways to cut expenses. I wonder if things are that bad for so many people, or are many just responding to the media hype and anticipating that it is bad and going to get worse.

As you look at your expenses, make sure you also look at the results of each expense. For instance, I belong to a networking organization, BNI. The annual cost of membership is $340. I need to determine if the $340 is an expense or an investment.  What's the difference?

An expense is money spent that doesn't bring you a return that's easily tracked. An investment is when you get a return on that expense - whether it's social, physical, emotional, spiritual, or financial - and you truly feel that you got as much, or more, out the of expense.

As I analyzed my membership in BNI, I needed to look at the amount of business I received in return for the annual cost, weekly meeting dues, and my time. Throughout 2008, I had carefully tracked and recorded all money that came in because of these referrals. BNI was definitely an investment that paid off quite well.  In fact, I received enough to justify paying for an annual membership and weekly meeting dues for the next 35-45 years!

As you go develop your budget and goals for 2009, be sure you look at more than just the cost - look at the return of each cost. You may find expenses that you thought you should cut are actually the expenses that be the greatest returns!

Visualize Success To Experience Consistent Success

Pretend for a minute that you are on a high school basketball team. You practice 2 hours after school each day for a total of 10 hours per week. Regardless of your playing ability and potential, each team member is expected to attend and participate in every practice. The team interacts with each other, practices new plays, and perfects old plays. Everyone is involved and playing.

In each game there are 4 12-minute periods. This means 48 minutes of actual playing time. Each team has several time-outs in addition to the quarter breaks and half time.

If you are the most talented player on the team, you maybe play a little more than half the actual game time, say 25 minutes. Of that 25 minutes, how much time do you personally have the ball in your hands?  Isn't more of the time spent getting people in the right places and setting up the shot?

This analogy beautifully describes the "game" of business. A successful business requires you to be actively engaged: physically, emotionally, intellectually, and pschologically. The time we spend with our customers, clients, prospects, and referral partners is only a small part of our day. That is our "game time".  Are we spending any time practicing for the "game"?

Are you devoting time each day to consciously visualize success?  Consistent success is not an accident. It's a well-thought out action plan acted upon. To maximize your success, take time to think about how you interact with others and they with you.

Are you approachable?  Does your face have a pleasant expression? What is your posture and body language saying about you?  Are you coming across as confident? Or arrogant?

Close your eyes and visualize how you look, what you say and how you say it, and how others respond to you.  The more you pull your emotions and belief into this visualization process, the greater the results. Combine the efforts of this technique with honesty, integrity, and authenticity, and your business will flourish in spite of the economy.

It starts in your head first - what you think about, comes about. Visualizing success first will help you create the consistent success you truly want, desire, and deserve.