My colleague and friend, Erin Blaskie, is hosting the first annual Summer Speaker Series featuring an amazing line-up of speakers including me - Debbie LaChusa, James Roche, Christina Merkley, Sheri McConnell, Alexis Neely, Allana Pratt, Lou Bortone, Viki Viertel, Lynn Scheurell, Kathie Thomas, Wendy Weiss, Terri Z, Donna Gunter, Diana Ennen and so, so, so many more.

Here's the deal... She's featuring TWO speakers PER DAY for the entire month of August (not including weekends because really, who likes working weekends?)

The best part is that this amazing series of speakers is priced VERY affordably. It's going to be one of the hottest events of the summer and you've got an invitation from me!

Simply click through this link and register today. You won't be disappointed and I'll be there to speak as well!

You can purchase a seat in one track, two tracks or get audio downloads included too (along with your live seat) so what are you waiting for! I've heard there is a cap of 200 people due to the bridge line and with the speakers involved, that won't last long!

Register now... 'see' you on the calls!

Debbie LaChusa

The uncertain economy, coupled with layoffs and job cuts, may have contributed to this strong desire from respondents to open their own businesses and have more control over their financial futures.

In a subsequent survey, which generated 1,200 responses, nearly 20 percent of Americans responded that they lack life goals.

"We were surprised to find that nearly one in five Americans answered 'No' when asked if they had life goals," said Darren Hardy, publisher and editorial director of SUCCESS. "This sentiment encouraged us to create our list of 27 resources that could help get people on the path to success. The No. 1 resource--a personal list of life goals."

The Life Goals survey was conducted to coincide with the SUCCESS feature on the "27 Resources for Your Success," a list of essential tools and technologies to help achievers gain the competitive edge. The 27 resources include:

1) Mentor/Coach--those who seek excellence have a coach. Even Tiger Woods, who has written books on how to master your golf swing, has a swing coach.

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I was so excited when I read this because I couldn't agree more. In fact, it's the major reason I am launching my brand new Diamond Coaching Group. In this program you will have the opportunity to work One-on-One with me as your mentor and coach. In fact, you will get unprecented access to me. This is your chance to put this important Success Resource to work for you!

I will be introducing my new Diamond Coaching Group program, sharing all the details of how it can help you grow your business, and letting you know how you can have first shot at one of the only 10 spots available, in my FREE Preview Call on Tuesday, July 15th at 5pm Pacific (8pm Eastern). You can reserve your spot on this free call at www.10stepmarketing.com/previewcall.htm

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2) Personal Reading/Listening Library--being a consummate student can be the single greatest factor contributing to your success.

3) News Aggregator/Reader (RSS)--Sites like iGoogle and Bloglines.com allow you to create personalized news feeds so you can stay current on happenings in the world.

4) On-site or Virtual Assistant--when growing a business your time is too valuable to get bogged down with lesser-skill functions, so get a part-time or virtual assistant through AssistU.com.

The SUCCESS magazine surveys were conducted among a national sample of 2,834 and 1,200 Americans, respectively. The margins of error are +/- 1.84 percent and +/- 2.83 percent, respectively, at a 95 percent confidence level.

SUCCESS Magazine is designed specifically to serve the growing entrepreneurial and small-business markets. SUCCESS features personal-development thought leaders, CEOs, entrepreneurs and other achievers who offer practical advice, ideas, tips and training on leadership, goal attainment, time management, selling, motivation and more. Visit www.SUCCESSmagazine.com or more information.

If you feel like your business is a "diamond in the rough" ... meaning you know the potential is there, but you're having trouble getting there quickly on your own, you don't want to miss this Preview Call.

On July 15th I will be introducing my brand new Diamond Coaching Group that will begin in September. This could be just what you need to turn your business into the gleaming success you know it has the potential to be.

On this complimentary call, I'll be filling you in on all the details of this brand new program and telling you how you can gain PRIORITY ACCESS and jump to the head of the line for one of the ONLY 10 SPOTS available.

This program includes unprecedented access to me ... it truly puts me and an entire team of people ON YOUR MARKETING TEAM for the next year.

Reserve your spot on the call here. Tele-seats are limited so don't delay.

I wanted to use blogging to develop a two-way conversation with my audience and grow my list. When I shared these two goals with the "blog expert" he assured me that would be no problem.

I immediately invested in his program, worked with his team to create this blog and spent the next 12 months becoming an avid blogger and podcaster.

The numbers don't lie.

As a seasoned marketer I have been trained to track all of my marketing activities to see what works and what doesn't. Common sense says do more of what's working and stop doing what isn't.

After spending countless hours posting to my blog at least three times per week and recording a weekly podcast show, my marketing results were pretty dismal.

While the blog was getting good traffic, it hadn't done much to grow my list and I was hard-pressed to find a ROI on all the time and energy I had invested into it.

While I had gotten very positive feedback on my podcasts, when push came to shove, the ROI just wasn't there for them either.

So I did what all good marketers do, I made changes based on my results.

I abandoned my podcasting show, and cut way back on my blog posting. It was a sad day for me because I really wanted to believe both would provide me a great way to share with my audience, and enable them to share back.

Problem was, NO ONE was sharing back! In two years of blogging I can count the number of comments posted on two hands.

I know I am not alone in this. I frequently visit other blogs, and there is WAY more posting going on than comments.

Yes, some blogs are very dynamic, but in my experience they are few and far between. Just ask yourself how often you've taken the time to comment on a blog post that you've read. See what I mean?

So what is the verdict on blogging? Should you employ it as a marketing tactic?
Well, here are a few things to consider.

(1) Search engines love blogs

Search engines love fresh content and because blogs are constantly updated with new posts, and potentially comments, they are quite dynamic.

Using your keywords in blog posts can help them come up in relevant online searches faster and easier than traditional website content.

I use Google Alerts to track mentions of my name and each of my companies online and 90% of the results I see are from my blog posts.

So from a traffic generating aspect, blogs can be a great marketing tool.

(2) How tight is your niche?

One of the things I realized AFTER I got into the blogging game was that my blog was too general. Small business marketing is a terribly crowded category online, which means lots of competition.

If I had it to do over again, I would pick a much tighter niche for my blog.

(3) A separate blog or a blog on your website?

My blog links to my various websites but it is a separate site with its own URL: www.10stepmarketingConnection.com

This means it's one more "place" I have to market to drive traffic to. AND, more importantly, it means that my main websites don't benefit from all the increased traffic the blog receives as a result of the search engine friendliness.

If I had it to do over again, I would incorporate my blog into my website. In fact one model I am looking at right now for a new business I am planning is to build the website on a blog platform, making the home page in essence a blog.

That way I can drive traffic to ONE site, and I enjoy all of the benefits of search engine friendliness to my MAIN website.

(4) Is your audience a community-oriented group?

If your audience thrives on community, interaction and information sharing, then they may be very likely to comment on your blog posts.

If however, they are merely an information-seeking audience (which is what I determined my audience was) then you can post until the cows come home, and very rarely will anyone comment.

You may be okay with this, as long as one of your goals is not to create a two-way conversation.

As with all marketing strategies, think about your audience and choose marketing that fits them. Sometimes you may not know until after the fact (as in my case), but often if you ask the questions up front, you can be pretty sure of the answer and you can make your decisions accordingly.

(5) Are you committed to posting to your blog regularly?

Maintaining a blog can be a very time intensive endeavor. To create a robust blog you need to post at least several times per week - I know some folks who post daily!

While you can write all of your blog posts ahead of time and schedule them to post every couple of days (a strategy that I used that made it much easier to manage), you still need to commit to setting aside the time to come up with content ideas and do the writing.

If you cannot commit to a regular blogging schedule, or you wonder what the heck you will post about, then creating a blog probably isn't for you.

So, to blog or not to blog?

In the end, the decision about whether blogging makes sense for you is a question only you can answer. These 5 points can help you find that answer.

First and foremost, you will want to determine what your objective for creating a blog is, and then track your results to make sure your blog is delivering those results.

After all, tracking is the ONLY sure way to know what works for YOUR business and what doesn't.

In the end, I am glad I learned about blogging and created my blog. While it was tough to admit that it didn't accomplish the goals I set for it after a significant investment of time and money, I know that as is the case with all of my marketing efforts, there are valuable lessons in everything I do.

The important thing is to learn those lessons and apply what you learn to the next marketing endeavor.

For me, I continue to blog, but I don't spend as much time on it as I used to. Instead, I choose to focus that time on other marketing avenues that have proved more profitable for me.

What about you?

If you've had a difference experience with blogging, I encourage you to post a comment and share.

One of the reasons I wanted to you to check out Sheri's book and take a look at www.smartwomenbook.com is because of all the bonuses her team has put together for you. These bonuses are in line with Sheri's overall mission to help women!

When you purchase Sheri's book today, June 25th, 2008 at www.smartwomenbook.com, you will receive thousands of dollars worth of bonuses for women and by women ... including one from yours truly!

And if that weren't enough, the book itself is "pure gold" for anyone wanting to create their own membership-based business! I should know, I was lucky enough to receive a review copy prior to publication and I couldn't put it down!

Sheri knows her stuff and I highly encourage you to check out this book and all the free goodies you get when you purchase it today, June 25, 2008 at www.smartwomenbook.com

These rules go into effect June 30, 2008. If you're an email marketer, you need to know about these rules and abide by them or you're putting yourself and your email list at risk. The last thing you want is to be labeled a spammer and get black-listed.

The 4 New CAN-SPAM Rules:

(1) People must be able to opt-out of a mailing in ONE SINGLE ACTION. This can include replying to the email or clicking through to a single web page.

(2) CAN-SPAM rules apply equally to everyone. That means anyone, including non-companies, can be liable for sending commercial email.

(3) It is acceptable to use a post office box or private mailbox ("PMB") as the physical address in your email messages. This was always a little unclear, so it's nice to know we are in compliance if we use a PMB or PO Box. Especially for those of us who work from home offices and don't want our home address tacked onto every email we send out.

(4) If your e-mailing includes advertisements from third party advertisers, you must also have an advertisement in the email (in which case you become responsible for processing opt-out requests) or all of the advertisers in the e-mailing are responsible for opt-out requests. This is known as the "Designated Sender" rule.

To learn more, I encourage you to read what Christopher Knight wrote on this topic at Email Universe.

I was so impressed with her ability to brand herself, I even included her as a prime example of branding in my 1-Hour Branding System.

Debi, who is a Registered Dietitian, Personal Trainer, Whole Health Coach, Lifestyle Expert just for moms just let me know that she has published a book called, The Lifestyle Fitness Program: A Six Part Plan So Every Mom Can Look, Feel and Live Her Best.

If you struggle in any of these areas, as many working moms and busy solo-professionals do, I encourage you to check out her new book or one of her coaching packages. She's motivated thousands of moms in the past to find the right balance between motherhood and womanhood. So I know she can help you.

You can learn more about Debi and her new book here.

Or, you can order her book directly through Amazon using the link below.

In response to all of these questions, I'm offering a Shoestring Marketing Q&A Teleclass on Thursday, June 26th.

On that call I will be answering your questions about how to effectively market your business on a shoestring budget.

Over the years, I have found that you don't necessarily have to spend more to get better results. In fact, some of my most effective marketing campaigns have been the bare-bones budget ones!

This Shoestring Marketing Q&A Call is an extra bonus for anyone who invests in my new program, "10 Ways to Market On a Shoestring Budget" by June 20th.

Don't worry if you can't make the live call because I will be recording it. Just make sure to submit your questions prior to the call so I can be sure to answer them.

You can get all the details and secure your spot on the Shoestring Marketing Q&A Call at www.10stepmarketing.com/shoestringmarketing.htm

I'd love to answer YOUR marketing questions on June 26th and help you save on your marketing and improve your results ... ALL at the same time. You can reserve your spot at www.10stepmarketing.com/shoestringmarketing.htm

Here's to your marketing success ... for less!

Until two months later when my phone rang and you'll never guess who was on the other end ... A writer from Entrepreneur Magazine!

She had my press release and was working on a story about my Extreme Marketing Makeover Program. How cool is that?!

In March 2006, 7 months after posting that little press release on PR Web, my business was featured as a "Quick Pick" in Entrepreneur. In my agency days, that's what we called a "Big Hit!"

I don't share this story to impress you. I share it with you to show you how easy it can be to get mega-marketing exposure on a shoestring budget. And it's so much fun when it happens, too! You feel like you just hit the jackpot!

Just so you know, Entrepreneur has a readership of over 2 million people. And if you were to buy an ad in Entrepreneur it would set you back about $80,000. But I only spent $100 to post that press release on PR Web!

Now, I am no Publicity pro. I just used a few PR tips I had picked up from mentors and colleagues and decided to give it a try for my business. Ever since then, Publicity has become one of my favorite small business marketing tactics.

It's also one of the 10 marketing tactics that I share complete how-to instructions for in my brand new product, "10 Ways to Market on a Shoestring Budget"

I even share actual press releases I have written and the press coverage that resulted, so you can see what works and model it. Just imagine what landing YOUR business in a publication that reaches millions of people could do for you? Kind of fun to think about,
isn't it?!

Not only will you learn how to use Publicity to market your business for less, you'll also get complete how-to instructions for 9 more equally effective shoestring marketing tactics.

Check out "10 Ways to Market on a Shoestring Budget" today!

Perry included a quote in his latest email to me that I thought summed up WHY giving leads a free gift is such a powerful marketing strategy, that I just had to share it. It's actually attributed to Steven Covey ... it's from his very popular book '7 Habits of Highly Effective People.'

In the book, Covey talks about the idea of an "emotional bank account" that everyone has.

=> When you do something good for someone, you make a deposit into their emotional bank account.

=> When you ask someone to do something for you, you make a withdrawal.

=> If the account balance is zero, they will ignore your request.

=> And here's the KICKER: Most advertisers and marketers try to make a WITHDRAWAL from a customer before they've made a DEPOSIT.

No wonder making sales is such an uphill battle!

Perry goes on to share that a white paper (aka a special report) is a way to make a deposit before you make a withdrawal -- with useful, problem solving information. People are much more responsive to this type of marketing than they are to traditional advertising.

WHY? Because it builds trust and credibility like no other kind of advertising can.

If you're not currently using this type of lead generation in your business, you need to strongly consider incorporating it into your marketing. Perry's free e-course on white papers is a great way to learn more. And YES, it is an example of exactly what he's talking about - it's a lead generator for his business. So you can see how he does it, while also learning something you can immediately put to work in your business. You can sign up for the free ecourse here.

In fact, you'll get a chance to test your own knowledge of these brands with my Brand Quiz in this Special Report. You can get your free copy at www.1HourBranding.com.

If you could get the same or better results from your marketing while spending less, you'd want to do that, wouldn't you? At a time when most businesses are cutting back on marketing, and limiting their growth, there is a marketing secret that could potentially allow you to cut back and still get the same or even better results.

There is a way to maximize the effectiveness of all of your marketing. To get the greatest "bang for the buck!" An easy way to make sure you stand out from the crowd. A simple way to make you practically immune from competition.

This is a secret all the big guys know, but one that very few small business marketers take advantage of. The secret is in "branding" your business. And it's very likely one of the biggest challenges you face as a small business marketer or solo-professional.

But the bottom-line is, if you can create a strong brand, you will be remembered. And that's the first step to being CHOSEN.

I'd like to ask you three questions...

(1) Does your business stand for something clear and unmistakable?

(2) Do you stand out from your competitors

(3) Do you have a BRAND or just a business?

To market successfully, you NEED a brand. So make sure you take the time to determine what you want your business to stand for. What you want to be known for. Because that is your brand and it should be front and center in all of your marketing. Because it will allow you to attract exactly the right clients, and gain more trust and ultimately more business.

I just introduced a new program called the 1-Hour Branding System to help solo-professionals and small business owners create their own brand. And of course, it was designed in my signature, one hour, simple, step-by-step style ... after all, that's MY brand!

You can get all the details at www.1HourBranding.com

As you know I am a big fan of Article Marketing. Writing articles in your area of expertise and posting them on free article directories on the Internet is a great way to establish yourself as an expert in your field, drive traffic to your website, build your email list, and just plain build your business.

Christopher Knight, founder of EzineArticles.com, my favorite article marketing directory website just added a really cool new feature. It's a widget you can use to feature your most current articles on your own website or blog. It's very easy to use and you can even customize the widget to match your site.

I've already added widgets to my blog and two of my websites. You can see the widgets in action right here on my blog and on my 10stepmarketing website and on my 6FigureWorkAtHomeMom website.

If you're an EzineArticles author and you want to add a widget to your site, you can get all the details on the EzineArticles Blog.

And if you're not yet using Article Marketing, I encourage you to learn more about this powerful and FREE marketing tool. You can start with the following article from my free article library: How to Massively Multiply Your Web Exposure AND Position Yourself As An Expert

You can find out more and submit your listing here.