Holding Yourself To A Higher Standard

"Raising The Bar" is not meant to be easy.

Holding yourself to a higher standard requires serious dedication and self-discipline. It's going to be a BIG challenge.

Why would anyone choose to do this? To improve overall Quality of Life - to achieve everything you want out of your life.

"The standard of living is closely related to quality of life." -source

The fact that you're reading this right now shows that you are one of those people. Someone that holds yourself to a higher standard, wants more out of life and expects more of yourself, in your mind if not also in your actions...

What's Wrong With The Norm?

There is nothing at all wrong with "the norm" or with the standard of living as defined by society. In fact, many people are quite happy to achieve a certain level of comfort - and stay there. But there are others who feel driven, who want more, and who crave the challenge of living up to their fullest potential...

Raising The Bar: Holding Yourself To A Higher Standard

Achieving any real change in your life requires consistent action toward a very specific goal. First, you have to know what your standard looks like. You need a clear vision of where you want to go, what you want to accomplish, who you want to become - and most importantly: WHY.

It will be a challenge. It will not be easy. You have to really push yourself, even when you don't "feel" like it. Even when you are experiencing self-doubt, discouragement or disappointment. Even when you're not 100% sure of the outcome.

Fighting through your own personal battles is hard enough, but you'll have outside resistance to deal with as well. People will try to bring you down - to their level, or to their standard. What makes this even harder is that it's usually the people you are closest to in your life: your closest friends, your family, etc.

"Raising The Bar" will mean learning new things, figuring out what doesn't work, accepting failures as part of the process. It's going to require getting uncomfortable, stepping out of your comfort zone, and embracing the challenge of REAL change. It will show you what you're made of. It will expose your strengths and your weaknesses - sometimes in a way that feels quite raw...

Why Bother?

Why in the world would you challenge yourself to the limits? Why would you impose such self-pressure, and get "uncomfortable" on purpose?

Because you can. Because you can't not do it. Because you are driven from the inside out, and standing still while your life passes by - and your true potential is sitting idle - drives you absolutely mad. Because you'll never be truly happy with "the norm."

Still, even those who are driven struggle with direction. We struggle with the internal and external negatives. We struggle with pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone.

And sometimes we give in to those struggles. Why? Because it's easier. But "easy" is never going to get you where you want to be.

Long Term Goals, Short Term Rewards

It may feel like your current dreams or goals are so far out of reach that you'll never actually get there. And they may very well BE far off. I knew back in my late 20's that it was going to take me a decade to achieve the major lifestyle change that I really wanted - to be "where I wanted to be in life." And while it did seem near impossible at the time, I did it anyway. In hindsight, do you think I have any regrets?

The answer is NO!

As a driven person, you have two options: be uncomfortable doing nothing at all, or be uncomfortable pushing yourself forward. Period.

If you're going to be uncomfortable, you might as well be moving forward!

The great thing is... there are rewards in the challenge itself, long before you reach your end goal. It's not ALL about the results.

It's very much about the experience, the satisfaction of knowing you're moving in the right direction, the sense of accomplishment at every little milestone, the excitement of moving closer and closer to your goals. The personal growth and positive change that happens along the way...

If you've been stalled, or sitting idle instead of consistently working toward your ideal life, today is the day to break out of it. You're not happy sitting still. You're not happy unless you're actively involved in making it happen.

Whatever "it" is to you personally.

Today is the day to dig in your heels, and move out of your comfort zone - which was never a comfortable place for you anyway.

Best,

p.s. Yesterday I ran across a book titled Constructive Living by David K. Reynolds. I downloaded it to the Kindle app on my iPad and am already almost halfway through it.

It's an incredibly practical book that will help you break out of the things that keep holding you back in life. It will show you exactly why you find it so hard to achieve your goals, and what to do about it. So far I am LOVING it!

Books can be a great source for motivation and inspiration, particularly when you're feeling stalled. What are your favorite titles, or favorite sources for a pick-me-up? Share below!

Mobile App Marketing Strategies

Guest Post by Jonathan

Hey there ClickNewz fans, My name is Jonathan and I am a professional App reviewer. Is that even a job, you ask?

That depends on what you consider to be a job. I'm addicted to Apps, so I use them and write about it – what more could I ask for?

I wish to share some really useful information for App developers, but you could use that information even if you have always dreamed about developing that first App of yours.

Ranking your App in the App store's top paid or free Apps is just as desirable as having your website in the first Google results page. However, since you're wise and know that the competition is tough, you can assume it's not a walk in the park...

Since you likely spent (or will spend) a good amount of time and/or money developing your App, you probably plan to get rich with it.

Did you know only about 5% of developed Apps have made their owners rich?

There are 4 basic options for monetizing Mobile Apps

a. App's fixed price (0.99$ usually).
b. In-App paid upgrades (new weapons for example).
c. In-App ads (the most common option).
d. Co-operations and forming an online community.

But none of these options can earn you one penny unless your App is outranking similar ones, because App users such as myself are usually lazy enough not to scroll through more than the first Top 25 in the App store.

What does it take, you ask?

The top ranked Mobile Apps in the App store grab about 80% of the mobile users, but they earned it, and this is how:

• A free App will need approximately 40 thousands unique daily downloads if it wants to climb to the top list.

• Top paid Apps lists, on the other hand, will evolve around 4 thousand daily downloads to get included.

• If you're App is a specific category-oriented, you're life could be even easier. A game App requires your free game to be downloaded 26,000 in one day, and your paid game – 3,000.

• Which category requires the least amount of daily downloads to get into the top Apps? If you guessed photography Apps – you are correct! You will only need 300 daily downloads to get a paid app of the photography niche to the top lists.

Mobile App Marketing Strategies

Mobile App marketing is divided into two basic concepts...

First one would be paid organic promotion, which will require you to hire a Mobile App marketing agency to perform in-app advertisement campaigns for you.

It basically means that your App's ad will show within free Apps that have this as a business model; the user download the free Apps, under one condition of getting exposed to advertisements.

Personally, I'm against the in-App ads method as it's annoying, and usually the free Apps don’t last long on the back of my iPhone.

The better way is developing a social community that will eventually get engaged to use your App. Using social media to develop that community is an awesome tactic, and you must act wise on this one. Here's our quick social media tutorial to earn more App users:

Twitter Mobile App Marketing Strategies

The almighty tweeting system should be your very first stop. Own a profile carrying the application's exact title, so it will be visible for people who search it within Twitter and even Google.

Use the same design as your App's landing page or company page, so users will feel at home. Target App reviewers and big news sites and start following them, mentioning them in your tweets and re-tweets.

Facebook Mobile App Marketing Strategies

Same rules as Twitter, only here you can drop a few dimes in the Facebook piggy bank if you want a good head start.

I suggest running a full-targeted campaign and gaining your first Likes with it. Create a quick Facebook landing page that will graphically explain the users what your App is about, and what will can benefit from sticking to your page.

Create the impression that the App's page is actually a community. Be very responsive to answer your fans questions, and don't forget running weekly polls to engage them.

Google+ Mobile App Marketing Strategies

It's true that most of your future App users are using Facebook and Twitter rather than Google+, but existing in the search giant's social network is very important.

Show Google that your App is real, and furthermore – that your App's website is real by connecting all of your properties to the Google+ profile.

Join as many relevant circles as possible, and +1 your own site's content with it.

Getting your mobile application up to Apple's top lists depends not on how deep your pocket is, but how good are you at reaching a large audience.

If you create a community and get them enthusiastic about your upcoming launch, you will be in for a serious treat when it goes live.

The App development world could be cruel and un-rewarding at times, but if you do make it – you are going to make it big!

Author Bio: Jonathan is an App news reporter, covering anything that's hot in the iOS world. Writing for top social media sites such as ClickNewz is a hidden pleasure of his.

How To Tell If Product Reviews Are FAKE

Guest Post by Karol K.

Fake customer reviews are rampant online. Most of the time an average reader won't even notice that the customer review they're reading is fake.

Everyone needs to be aware of a number of details that give away the real story behind any customer product review.

What's the point of publishing a fake product review?

The only reason I can see why a blogger would publish a fake review is to earn some quick affiliate commissions.

Let's face it, reviews are a great marketing tool. Most of the time, when people are thinking about buying a given product, there are three stages in the process...

1. Searching for a good product, looking at the features, offers, and compiling a set of possible purchases.
2. Searching for reviews to find out what other people think about the products.
3. Searching for a place to buy the thing.

Step number two is where fake reviews come into play. If the review makes the readers eager to buy the product then they can simply click an affiliate link from inside the review, and immediately go to the sales page.

Therefore, for some fairly popular sites, publishing well-disguised fake reviews can be very, very profitable.

Here's how to tell if a review is fake...

There are no cons

Every product has something that's not so great about it. Quite simply, nothing is perfect.

If someone is telling you that a given product will cure everything and make you rich within a day then it's simply not true.

Every honest review will list a number of cons, disadvantages, flaws, bad sides etc to any given product. If there aren't any then you're not reading a real review.

However, some people make it a bit more tricky:

Cons that are not really cons

Listing very simple flaws, ones that don't actually matter in the overall picture is a trick many reviewers use.

For instance, if you're reviewing a new cellphone and say that the battery only lasts 2 hours then it is a real flaw. But if you review the same phone and say that the packaging (the box the phone comes with) is not very pretty (or is heavy, or whatever else) then you're not pointing out a real flaw.

Noticing a fake-flaw isn't that hard. You just have to answer one question: "Can this flaw really impact my decision regarding buying the product?" If not, it's a fake-flaw (or the reviewer is simply not very good).

Too much praising

A good review should be neutral for the most part. Only the summary is a nice place for the reviewer to share their personal opinion.

However, some reviewers praise the product throughout the whole review. For instance, they use words like: great, amazing, groundbreaking, perfect, and so on (you know, the "Steve Jobs speech").

This is a way of setting the mindset of the person reading the review. If you've been told that something is great over and over again then you're more likely to believe in it yourself.

Real reviews remain neutral. Period.

Too many affiliate links

This is a really simple give-away, but since people are using it then it must be working (from a money-earning perspective).

The standard way of reviewing something is to write several hundred words, then sum everything up, and finally share an affiliate link.

Some reviewers have a different perspective on this, and they display an affiliate link every 100 words. This makes the whole review seem like one big sales pitch instead of some relevant, real-life information about the product.

Good reviewers know that if people find their review beneficial they will click the link anyway, so they don't have to put it in front of their face every other sentence.

No actual sign that the reviewer has the product

This one is really cool. Believe it or not, but some people can write a whole review without physically having the product (like in their hands). Everything depends on how well equipped the official website of the product is, and how many other reviews are available online.

Thankfully, there are some ways of getting a grasp on such a situation. Start by looking at more than one review of a given product, if the same phrases are repeated throughout a number of them then you're probably not dealing with real reviews.

Also, pay attention to images, photos, and screenshots (for digital products). If a product is a physical one, yet the reviewer doesn't show any pictures of it then they probably don't have it in their possession.

If the product is a digital one, check other reviews to find out if people are using the same screenshots and images, if so, the review is most likely fake (or simply bad).

No unique information

Every user has a different experience with a given product, so it's really natural for every review to be slightly different and provide slightly different information.

If a review is fake, it will either present information that every other review is presenting, or it will rephrase what the official sales page is saying.

Believe me, reviews written from the official promotional material are not uncommon in the industry.

Including a bonus

The idea is simple here. Many affiliates decide to give an additional bonus to their readers if they decide to click their affiliate link. On one side, this seems like a good idea because people are more likely to make the move.

However, this is a clear indication that the whole review has only one purpose - to earn some money. In my opinion, offering a bonus makes the whole thing a bit confusing and strange. A review should be neutral, it shouldn't convince people to buy or not buy, so where does the bonus come into play?

Of course, you can still take the risk if you really know what you're doing, but be aware of the mixed signals you're sending.

That's it for my take on the matter. Feel free to tell me what yours is.

Do you think that these fake reviews can be a bit annoying, especially if you're searching for some relevant information and not just yet another sales pitch?

About the author: Karol K. is a freelance blogger and writer. If you're searching for an alternative way to make it on the internet, by (for example) learning how to make money writing online, feel free to visit him at YoungPrePro.

Also See: How To Write A Product Review by Lynn Terry

How Much Money Is Hiding On Your Hard Drive?

If you're like most people, your computer is probably a disorganized mess of digital files.

It's time to take stock of everything you purchased, downloaded or saved to your hard drive last year.

You might just be shocked to discover how much money is hiding in your files!

You may also be losing valuable time (and money!) if you feel overwhelmed every time you sit down to your computer. With multiple tabs & browsers open, files all over the place, and no real starting point or direction - just how productive are you?

Ideally, while you're reviewing your current file structure and going through your hard drive, you'll set up a system to avoid this "digital mess" in the future. Everything should have it's place!

I'll share how I organize my own files (and would love to hear how you do as well), and I'll explain the money hiding on your hard drive - so you can find it...

Rules & Systems For Organization

I have a rule of thumb about purchasing & downloading products: "Only buy what you need right now, to achieve the one thing you're working on right now. Period."

When I do purchase a guide or some other type of product, or even download something free, I make it a point to read it immediately - and implement as I study.

Most of us learn best hands-on, applying what we learn as we go.

It's totally pointless to read a how-to guide, and NOT implement what you're learning. That makes your purchase an expense… instead of an investment.

My rule is to get an ROI (Return on Investment) as quickly as possible! Even if it's a free guide I'm reading, I fully intend to get a return on the time invested.

That said, we're all guilty of buying things that end up collecting dust on our hard drive, that we either set aside for later - or get distracted and forget about altogether.

I'm sure you can relate...

It's Time To Do Some Digital Organizing!

You likely have a good number of reports, courses, products, etc that you have downloaded over the past year or so. I'm very "out of sight out of mind" myself, so I like to keep my priority work files in a very visible place.

I have a folder on my desktop for "Work" and inside that folder I have a folder for each niche or project I am working on. I also have a folder labeled "Study" for tutorials & guides. Inside each folder are more folders - by topic or file type.

Once you have a structure set up, you can place your files & downloads in the appropriate folders and keep things neatly organized from that point forward.

You also need a solid, secure Online Data Backup Service which regularly backs up your files and your file structure. Open that link in a new window to find out why.

Notes, Ideas & "Stacks"

I've been in business 16 years as of next month, and up until last year I was "hooked on paper." Yes, even with a computer in front of me all those years! Notebooks, legal pads, post-it notes, scraps of paper I wrote ideas on - you name it.

These ultimately became "stacks" on my desk and all around my home office. I'm sure if I do some digging I could find notes dating all the way back to 1997. LOL.

Ridiculous!

Then... in stepped Evernote. It's free, cross-compatible, and will sync across every device or computer you use. Perfect! I gathered all of my (current) notes and papers and put them all into Evernote - into neatly organized Notebooks, labeled by topic/project. If you haven't done this yet, I HIGHLY recommend it. It has improved my productivity and efficiency dramatically!

I also have a file in Evernote labeled "links" where I put links to every tab or page I don't need to complete the ONE thing I am working on at the moment. This minimizes the number of tabs and windows open on my computer, which greatly improves focus and minimizes that dreaded feeling of overwhelm.

Now my desk space is clear, my computer desktop is neat, and my browser is only showing me what I need to work on at any given time. Nice.

The Money Hiding On Your Hard Drive...

If you get organized and start running a more "minimalist" system, you'll experience increased productivity and start earning more money when you sit down to your computer to work. That's a straight up fact. It's working for me!

But in addition to that, you likely have tons of money-makers hiding on your hard drive. Once you start organizing all of those files, take note of everything you have. You likely have reports, guides, products, notes & ideas, PLR content, etc.

Prioritize those files according to what's most important to YOUR online business right now, and dig in. Choose a guide you downloaded and neglected... and READ it.

Be sure to implement what you learn every step of the way. That way you're getting the quickest possible return for the time invested.

For example, maybe you downloaded List Building For Bloggers last year, but did you read it? And if you did, did you implement all of the great advice Phil shared?

If you didn't, it was a wasted expense. If you did, then you should be seeing a very nice return already. Fortunately, you can turn any of your past "expenses" into very nice investments... just by applying what you learn.

One of the things I discovered while doing my own "digital organizing" is that I still had a lot of PLR Content on my hard drive that I purchased and hadn't used yet...

(Shame!)

PLR stands for Private Label Rights, and it's something I use quite a bit - along with other content creation resources. It's a bit controversial. There's a great discussion about it here on my blog in a post titled Should You Avoid PLR? If you haven't read that yet, check it out. I share live examples of how & where I use PLR Content, and tips for making the most of it.

If you have a lot of PLR on your hard drive like I do, I highly recommend Peggy Baron's guide on How to Re-Write PLR Content so that it's both Google and Kindle friendly. It even comes with a handy tip sheet for quick re-writes, and a bonus guide on creating opt-in incentives using PLR you've downloaded. Good stuff!

I'm using her guide myself to motivate me to make the most of my PLR investment (so it's not just an "expense" and collecting virtual dust). Working with an outline - implementing as I read - is much easier than thumbing through it all on my own!

NOW Is The Time

This is a great time to do some digital organizing and really make the most out of all the brilliant ideas you jotted down - and all of the products, tutorials and guides you downloaded over the last year.

Set aside some time and make it a point to turn all those ideas, downloads & expenses... into profitable investments.

Best,

p.s. I'd love to hear how you organize your files, or any "rules" you have in place to make the most of your downloads. Leave a comment below- let the discussion begin!

The 100 Day Challenge

Let me apologize in advance. I signed up for an amazing 100 Day Challenge about ten days ago, just after the New Year.

Being sick with the flu the last couple of weeks, I didn't get a chance to start it yet - or to mention it to you.

I wanted to share this with you quickly though, because registration ends at midnight on Monday January 14th. Apologies for the last-minute notice!

I'm actually doing the orientation session tonight (Sunday), and officially starting the challenge myself on Monday. This is perfect for me, as I was so sick when the year started that I didn't get to jump in full-force on planning and goal-setting like I normally would... and I'm really ready to get back into some serious action!

What about you? Where are YOU with your goals right now? Maybe you got a slow start on the New Year (like I did), or maybe things aren't moving forward like you expected they would, or as quickly as you'd hoped...

Note: You can start the Challenge on any day you prefer, but you do have to register before midnight on Monday January 14th - or you'll have to wait a few months before they open again for new registrations!

I joined because I've been hearing great things about the 100 Day Challenge and Gary Ryan Blair. You may have read about his work in the Wall Street Journal or NY Times. The challenge is getting rave reviews and stirring up lots of talk!

There are over 51,000 registered for the current challenge already. That's a lot of people who are geared up to experience some serious results...

I don't know about you, but I want IN on that.

The 100 Day Challenge is a rock-solid blueprint for creating your breakthrough and making 2013 the best year of your life. It's an incredible (life changing) program that shows you how to create mind-blowing results.

If you want to get seriously focused and fired up, this is for you!

There's another reason I joined the challenge, too...

Not only did it come highly recommended, but I knew I really needed a "push" to get things back on a roll. I have seriously ambitious goals this year, and I don't mind to admit that I need a little more structure and motivation to get things moving in the right direction.

Planning and ideas and brainstorming all come easy. It's the implementation where most of us struggle. Myself included. Going into the New Year I knew I needed more systems and more structure - and even more self discipline.

This challenge is exactly what I needed!

You can get all the details on the 100 Day Challenge web page, but I can tell you firsthand that the members area is very well organized - with TONS of cool stuff, including software and mobile apps:

There's lots of neat downloads, blueprints, goal setting forms, motivational videos, and even an active discussion forum. And of course a focused lesson for every single day of the challenge to keep you on track.

I'm excited. I'm planning to dive in and give this my ALL for the next 100 days. Once I get through the orientation and Action Plan, I'll know exactly what my specific goal will be for the Challenge. And I look forward to achieving that goal!

Get All The Challenge Details Here: 100 Day Challenge

“Every act of boldness accelerates the pace with which you enjoy success.” - GRB

Best,

p.s. In case you missed it above, be sure to watch this quick video:

Register today if you're up for the challenge! Registration closes on Monday, January 14th at midnight (I'm not sure which time zone)... and it won't reopen again for a few months. So now is the time.

Can’t Breathe, Can’t Smell, Can’t Blog…

For the past couple of weeks I have been down with the worst flu I have ever experienced in my life. Two weeks ago today I woke up with a scratchy throat and headache, and have been going through a hellish cycle of flu symptoms ever since.

After seeing so many other people sick across my social circles in the last week or so, I looked up the current news on this year's flu...

"We are into what would classically be described as a flu epidemic," Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

I have to say, it's times like these that I am incredibly happy that I work from home and have such a flexible schedule. And particularly grateful for passive income, which means I can rest up and get well without any concern of financial fallout...

I've been making it a point to take it easy, which doesn't come easy for me -lol. I've probably watched more movies in the last two weeks while curled up on the couch... than I've watched in the entire last year!

The first week I powered through, but just took frequent breaks and rested more than usual. By the second week I was over it. I decided it was time to just embrace the fact that I had the flu and curl up with a fleece blanket like a normal person.

Honestly, I didn't expect it to last this long. And I'm STILL sick.

"The type of flu that is going around is called H3N2, which is often linked to more serious disease, compared with some other flu varieties.

People may get more complications from this particular strain of H3N2, "which may make them ill for a longer period of time," Dr. Michael Jhung, medical epidemiologist in the influenza division at the CDC.

Symptoms typically last up to seven days for a normal infection, he said.

On top of being miserable with the actual Flu symptoms, I've been taking over the counter medications pretty much around the clock for the last couple of weeks - which have their own side effects. (I'm avoiding the doctor's office unless it turns into something more serious, but so far it's just been all viral.)

Obviously being sick, feeling worn down, and being loopy on cold meds has not made for good "brainstorming" as the New Year got underway. I decided to put all that on hold until I can think straight. But I also discovered it's really challenging just to put together a simple blog post that actually makes sense. LOL.

No worries. The world won't come to an end if I unplug when I need to, and take the time to get back to my usual self. And thank goodness - because I've enjoyed quite a bit of "totally unplugged" time over the past couple of weeks!

Like I said before, I'm really glad I can do that without any stress. I can't imagine being unable to work a full day for two straight weeks and still having a "job" - not in the last real job that I had, anyway. Which was 1996 I believe. Wow - time flies.

Being sick is the reason I missed the BlogWorld / New Media Expo event last week. Fortunately, through their New Media Expo University (which is totally free to join), I was able to watch all of the Keynote sessions from home. That was nice!

My assistant Angie did attend, but sadly she came home with the flu and is now sick as well. I suppose that's to be expected at such a large gathering with the flu as rampant in the U.S. as it is right now. (Get Well Soon, Angie!!)

Angie helps me with a number of things, including managing my email. We're both on limited hours right now so replies may be a bit slower than usual. If you're waiting to hear back on something, just know we'll get to each message as we can.

I'm feeling a bit better today, but I'm still taking it easy. I plan to take another unplugged weekend with lots of rest, and get on the other side of this nasty virus.

Meanwhile, I've been jotting down ideas in Evernote as they come to me - to be brainstormed or implemented later when I'm feeling up to it. And when I do feel up to working a bit, I find micro-tasking and focusing only on highest priority tasks has kept things at least moving forward.

It's time like these I find I really can manage my business in very few hours per week when I need to! Which is really nice...

Starting my online business and consistently growing it to what it is today is the best investment I've ever made in myself. If you haven't quite reached your idea of success, or your ideal lifestyle yet... keep working at it every single day. It's SO worth it.

Best,

p.s. Right before I realized I was going to be taken down by this crazy flu, I extended a special offer for Hands-On Help With Your Online Business. It was only meant to be available for a week, but I didn't get around to setting up the follow-up and cut-off date... so it's still open. I'll deal with that next week when (hopefully) my head is clear again. But in the meantime, it's still open for you if you'd like to join us and make this the year you finally achieve your business & lifestyle goals!

source for quotes: US Flu Season, CNN

Need Help With WordPress? Enter To Win!

Angela Wills runs a six week course & coaching program on creating websites with WordPress. You can get all the course details at Website Design Mojo, including preview videos and examples of sites created by her students.

The 6-week program, which includes a detailed course plus coaching, is normally $397. But you can use coupon code "mojo" for a generous $100 off! The next course begins on Monday January 14th at Noon Eastern, so you'll want to check it out soon if you're interested in joining in.

To add a little fun to the mix, Angela has agreed to give away access to the course to ONE lucky ClickNewz reader! Keep reading to see how you can enter to win...

Enter To Win Free WordPress Training

Submit your comment below on or before January 14th at 10am Eastern to be entered into the drawing. At that time, I will do a random drawing of all legitimate comments, and send the winner's email address to Angela so they can be added to the course that starts that day.

For your comment to be entered in the drawing, simply share WHY you want to win this course and how you feel the course will most help you.

Again, you can find course details at Website Design Mojo.

If you want to go ahead and get signed up, use coupon code "mojo" to save $100.

Leave your comment below, and Good Luck!

Best,

Working in Multiple Niches? Three Reasons You Should Keep Your Projects Separate…

As an Affiliate Niche Blogger I work in multiple niches, and each project has it's own set of goals and tasks.

This can prove challenging, and even be overwhelming, if not managed properly.

You've probably already figured that out.

Of course, when you're starting out you should focus on ONE site - all the way from start to profit - before branching off into other projects or businesses.

Once you have your primary online business running smoothly (in profit, and in maintenance mode), side projects can be a lot of fun. I blogged about that recently in a post titled How To Manage Multiple Niche Sites, where I shared my own current projects in detail and how I manage them all.

If you have multiple sites or work in multiple niches, you should definitely keep them separate. I'll explain why (because it's important!) and show you how I do it...

Creating An Easy Exit Strategy

While you may go into a niche or project expecting to keep it long-term, you never know when you may get an offer on it that's too good to pass up. Or you may lose interest in it. Either way, having it set up as a stand-alone business makes for a super-easy exit strategy.

Compartmentalizing Niche Tasks

The first thing you should do when starting a new project is set up separate accounts. You'll want to secure the name or brand across all Social Media channels, and also set up a dedicated Google account for that site or niche.

Obviously each project will target it's own specific target market, and you want dedicated channels to communicate with those markets.

Having separate accounts also makes it much easier to work in dedicated Time Blocks and batch your work more efficiently. For example, if you set up a Google account for each niche, you'll have a dedicated Gmail account and you can focus on email for one business/site at a time. You'll also have a dedicated Google Feed Reader account so you can keep up with relevant content for that niche.

See: How Batch Processing Made Me 10x More Productive by Problogger

I find it much easier to focus when everything is separate, and I am only working on one project or business at a time. This definitely cuts down on the overwhelm!

Outsourcing Niche Tasks

Not only does it make it easier for YOU to work on your site, it makes it much easier to outsource certain tasks - or to hire a Virtual Assistant for just one of your businesses, or a certain set of tasks in just one of your niches.

Let's say for example that one of your sites has a serious growth spurt and you decide to outsource the email to an assistant. That's going to be difficult if you have ALL of your email combined. (I learned this the hard way! - lol)

It Pays To Plan Ahead...

When things are "small" in the beginning it may seem to make the most sense to keep it all combined. However, it really pays to plan ahead - and to plan for growth. Otherwise things can get out of hand quickly, become overwhelming, and be hard to untangle when you DO get ready to outsource and/or sell.

Batching tasks and keeping things compartmentalized for each of my niches is how I keep my sanity and avoid total overwhelm.

I would love to hear what works best for you when working between multiple niches. Or if you have questions, feel free to ask those below as well!

Best,