jMoore!

The Tuesday Topic group provides motivation to write at least once a week, even when life gets in the way. This week’s topic, What’s next?”, is a little too close for comfort, but I’m going to try and tackle it with aplomb.

I walked by a rack of Christian books once and saw a title that has intrigued me now for several years. I did not pick up the book and flip through the pages because the title was so perfect for my own brainstorming that I didn’t want to take the chance the book wouldn’t deliver. The title? Just enough light for the step I’m on.

I’ve always been a planner, almost compulsively. One daughter-in-law bestowed the title uber-planner on me after a wonderful family reunion, and she’s one of the most organized people I know. I’m currently at a stage of life that I have planned for over and over again in very general terms. Now that the specifics are upon me, I can’t plan the rest. I have to trust that it’s time to stop and smell the roses, take each day for the gift it is, and ask the Universe specifically for just enough light for the step I’m on.

Since this is my business blog, I’ve tried to think of a way to relate the what’s next topic to business. I think that the very essence of the online marketing industry is that success comes when you’re passionate about the place where you’re standing right now. Learn as you go, adapt to the changing market, keep your wits about you, and try to figure out where the rest of the crowd is going so you can sell them a map and go the other way, into uncharted territory.

What’s next? Whatever it is, it’s sure to be as good as I make it.

Connie at I am Flamingo describes the worst way a merchant can look at budget cuts. She posted an excerpt from a merchant communication informing her that because their budget was almost gone for February, she needed to take a cut in commissions or sell less so they wouldn’t go over budget. The mentality it takes to write a note like that to a super affiliate brings to mind my days selling small market radio to small minded retailers. These are the same people who want bigger profits in December, but don’t want to stay open after 5 because they want to be home sitting in their recliner when it gets dark.

Connie hit the nail on the head when she implored them to stop confusing their affiliate marketing budget with their advertising budget. She’s right. Unless you’re paying us per impression or click, we are not costing you a dime until we sell something for you! Wake up and smell the coffee or save us all some grief and sell your shares to somebody who knows how to run a real business.

I was congratulating our son on the success of his newest book at Amazon this week. It’s climbing up the ranks. We’re always so proud when the kids do something cool like this, but I just realized that I have plenty of affiliate marketing friends who love the Mac, also. Some of those might be Linux geeks like Dave, so this book might be something they would like to add to their collection.

I still maintain that the hardest part about being self-employed is the actual disipline it takes to do effective work without a manager waiting for the corressponding report.  Anything that motivates me to add value to my own business is worth a comment. 

My first Thank You goes to someone I follow on Twitter.  In response to the general topic of getting things done, he responded that he tries to build a web page every day BEFORE he checks his email.  How simple; how profound!  I find lots of good advice and friendly contact on Twitter, even though I only set it up on my phone if I’m at a big event.  I can be found (and followed) at Twitter/judiM.

The second Thanks for the motivation (and the new skill) goes to the Affiliate Manager of MyWeddingFavors, who yesterday offered a small bonus to affiliates willing to make a Squidoo lens that included a banner for MyWeddingFavors. He managed to impart his advice about being specific rather than general, while inspiring me to finally go to Squidoo, sign up and figure out how to include something new in my media toolbox.

Will these new tricks work? Only time will tell. But I’m betting on the fact that anything that gets me excited about the drudgery of everyday technical matters like pasting links and finding new ad banners will also get me excited later when sales come in off 1 or 2 year old pages.

This is a bit on the personal side instead of strictly business, but the business leaders in our community will all be counted tonight and it’s a great promotional idea, benefiting the local county Humane Society, and using Valentine’s Day and love as a theme.  Chocoholic’s Festival is an annual event, the major fundraiser, and a social occasion worthy of a Friday night.

Local restaurants, chefs, caterers, and individuals with a flair for desserts vie for the honor of creating the most fabulous chocolate creation, in a quantity to feed 100+.  These are donated and presented as the main event and theme of the evening.  Dress is casual, admission is next to nothing, and donations feed the tables of silent auctions as well.  Local artists donate paintings, local businesses donate advertising, prizes, auction items, etc.

Our personal take on it is that we can easily spend $20 to partake of dozens of tasty chocolate bites to benefit charity.  We’ll come out ahead on the cost of the eats and so will the Humane Society.  There will be adoptable pets in attendance, although I don’t know if that’s in person, or via media.  We’ll see all our friends, catch up on the local news and have a great evening in our casual clothes.  What could be a better promotional invitation than that?   (The Humane Society tops this every year with their annual Possum Ball, but we’ll wait until then for the details)