Vanya Wryter Consulting Services

Category: Business

  • How To Network During a Pandemic – and Get Results

    How To Network During a Pandemic – and Get Results

    When the pandemic finally arrived in Vancouver in March, businesses started to close, work meetings moved to Zoom, and I was cut off from friends and family. COVID-19 became a sci fi movie roaming the streets of my real life. As an entrepreneur who relied on making connections to get business, I wondered, “How I could network during a pandemic?” And how could I do it effectively?

    In my pre-pandemic life, I used to attend networking events. I went to networking breakfasts and seasonal events like a Christmas yacht party. I met people, collected business cards, and shook many hands. Of course, those activities seem appalling now. Like me, you’re probably wondering, “What was I thinking, shaking hands without carrying hand sanitizer?”

    Like me, you’re probably wondering, “What was I thinking, shaking hands without carrying hand sanitizer?”

    Life was different back then. As pre-pandemic shifted to pandemic, more activities moved online, and “Zoom” became a household word. You didn’t sit at a boardroom table for meetings; you sat at your kitchen table and stared at a checkerboard pattern of people in different rooms.

    Over the next few months, I adjusted to wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants instead of a shirt and slacks. I got used to reaching out to the world through my computer instead of experiencing the world in person. In doing so, I found some effective ways to network online.

    I’ll share with you my top three ways to network, starting with a platform that had existed before the pandemic.

    In-Person or Online

    A year ago, Meetup.com was a great place to meet new people and experience new places. However, in 2020, it became taboo almost overnight to try to make new friends by gathering with a bunch of strangers.

    A friend of mine terminated her Meetup group. Until March, she had organized dining events to try out different cuisines and meet people who signed up for these events. I enjoyed the conversations I had with new people. But she closed her group because she felt moving it online just didn’t have the same feeling.

    I didn’t know what she meant until I signed up for a Meetup event with a different Meetup group. Their event was an online “zoom party.” The title sounded fun. It wasn’t.

    What Happens At Zoom Parties

    This is what happened: one person talked at a time. There were between 14 to 16 people on the Zoom, and only one person could speak at a time or you would get a jumble of dialogue.

    Also, if you’re interested in what the speaker has to say, then you’ll have a good time. But if you don’t know what obscure food or obscure movie she’s talking about, then you may wilt from boredom.

    Unlike an in-person event, you couldn’t side bar to another conversation.

    Unlike an in-person event, you couldn’t side bar to another conversation. You could listen to that one conversation on Zoom, or you could doodle, check your messages, or pick up your phone and wander around aimlessly until the topic changes.

    I quickly learned a chat room of strangers talking about random things wasn’t fun at all.

    More about Zoom later. Meanwhile, I was experimenting with meeting people on Facebook groups. I was ambitious enough to search through a couple dozen of these groups in search of like-minded people.

    Tips For Finding Groups

    It can be tedious to read through dozens of Facebook group descriptions to find the right ones to join. Some descriptions were so long and detailed that I perfected my speed-reading skills. As I searched through these groups, I kept some specific criteria in mind:

    1. Group member count. I like groups with a few thousand or more members because it increases my chances of making quality connections. Also with bigger groups, there tends to be more interactions.
    2. Number of posts per day. I’ve joined some writing groups that have one post every few hours. I look for networking opportunities, possible freelancing gigs, and interesting posts from other business owners. I avoid groups that don’t have an active membership.
    3. Group objective that’s in line with mine. This is the most important factor. I read the Facebook group description to see if their goals match mine. My favored groups have a lot of job postings, advice postings, or cross-promotional activities. In some cases, I’ve found links to useful websites or free online courses.

    I’ve joined a handful of groups in a few months, made some connections, and found some freelance opportunities. I’ll continue to make connections in these groups, even if people start meeting in person again.

    Networking on Zoom

    Making connections online is a great way to expand your professional circle but exchanging messages doesn’t have the same human interaction as hearing a voice or seeing a live face. Although Zoom wasn’t the best platform for me to meet new people socially, I found it a powerful tool to meet people professionally.

    I like networking professionally on Zoom. These events, or meetings, follow a very strict format with the purpose of increasing your opportunities to make business connections or find clients.

    If you’re new to Zoom, it’s easy to become obsessed with looking at yourself and analyzing your imperfections.

    Networking on Zoom is a little different than finding connections in person. In a way, it’s not natural. You’re staring at an assortment of faces and they are all staring back. If you’re new to Zoom, it’s easy to become obsessed with looking at yourself and analyzing your imperfections. Me for example, I keep wondering why my head is tilted sideways. I certainly don’t feel like I’m off kilter.

    Zoom Call Tips

    In that sense, it’s more relaxing to network in person. You’re just looking at the one or two people you are speaking to, and everyone else in the room isn’t even facing you. Better yet, it’s not as unnerving when you can’t see yourself talking to the person across from you. Somehow, we look better in our heads than in the mirror.

    On Zoom, the good thing is everyone else is probably either self-consciously watching themselves or looking at the speaker. If you’re new to Zoom meetings, the hardest part may be the introductions, when you provide your name and occupation. Then if you aren’t talking, chances are, you’ll fade into the background.

    To look good and sound good on Zoom, I have these quick tips:

    1. Have a strong internet connection. Otherwise, you will sound like you are underwater as your connection lags.
    2. Check if you’re on mute when you’re speaking. I’ve wondered why people ignored me when I was speaking. Or people watch you as your mouth silently moves.
    3. Check your lighting. I’ve vanished because the virtual background isn’t mixing well with my image.
    4. Sit in a place with minimal furnishings. If your background is busy, Zoom attendees will definitely be checking out your surroundings. I was intrigued by one attendee’s plentiful collection of wall ornaments.

    Zoom business meetings are here to stay as people continue to work remotely, and businesses connect globally. I have extended my network reach beyond my city to people in other provinces and other countries. With in-person meetups, I was limited to those who could show up at a specific time and at a specific place. Zoom has opened up more possibilities.

    Group Membership

    I’ve joined business groups and connected with members. Having regular meeting times, agendas, and a directory of members makes it easier to build long term relationships. When you attend meetings on a regular basis, group members get to know you and what you do.

    It’s a way to build trust, and trust is a powerful type of advertising.

    It’s a way to build trust, and trust is a powerful type of advertising. Many members have formed business partnerships, referred business and clients to each other, or promoted a member’s business to someone they know.

    In my case, a chance meeting at one event connected me with a business owner whom I am now working with for content marketing. All it takes is a one-time connection at any one of the group’s events.

    Summary

    It does take time to find the right group and build connections. I joined several Facebook and online Zoom groups before I found people I connected with. It’s a little like speed dating, but without a host. Eventually, if you put in the time, you get the right fit.

    Human connections are important. Although we cannot meet in person like we did less than half a year ago, it is still possible to network during a pandemic and meet potential clients and business partners.

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  • How to Make Money in MLM… and Become Successful

    How to Make Money in MLM… and Become Successful

    Chances are, if you’ve expressed any interest in making passive income, a side income, or starting a side business, someone has asked you to join an MLM. These recruiters entice you with an opportunity to make some extra money – enough money to quit your day job. But how realistic is the expectation that you can make money in multi-level marketing (MLM)?

    Before we answer that, let’s start with what MLM or network marketing is. Investopedia defines MLM as “a strategy that some direct sales companies use to encourage existing distributors to recruit new distributors.” Similar to MLM is network marketing which is another form of direct sales.

    In direct sales, a product is sold direct from the manufacturer to the consumer. You won’t see these products at a physical store. You might find them online, but unlike Amazon or eBay, a distributor and their team will make a commission on what you buy. Usually, the distributor is someone you know, who gave you the link to the website.

    Network marketing is like an MLM in that products are sold direct from the manufacturer to the consumer. The main difference is in how the distributor is paid. Without going into the nitty-gritty details, the quick explanation is it’s easier to make commissions in a network marketing structure than an MLM structure.

    The idea behind direct sales is to keep the cost of goods down. The consumer is no longer paying for the cost of displaying or marketing the product in a physical store. Instead, the distributors look for consumers and other distributors to join their company. For example, a friend may ask you to try out their skincare line. The distributors are the ones doing the marketing.

    You may have been asked to join an MLM or network marketing company because you said you wanted to make some extra money, or you wanted to start a business but you weren’t sure how to go about it. Or someone may have heard about your health issue and recommended some supplements. You may have been told that you could improve your health while making a side income.

    But how much money can you really make from an MLM? Would it be enough to quit your job or pay all your monthly bills?

    Here are three ways to make money from MLM, based on my own experience with the industry.

    1 Love the business and the product

    First of all, the key to success in MLM is to love the business (or industry) and the product you are selling. Otherwise, you will fail miserably as a distributor. I learned this lesson the hard way. In a sense, I got tricked into joining.

    I’ll confess – it took a year before I decided to join a network marketing company many years ago. My friend asked about my ongoing battle with allergies and then offered products from her network marketing company as a possible solution. She also told me about the possible side income from selling supplements. At the time, I wanted to become an entrepreneur but didn’t know where to start. I was skeptical and it took a second meeting with her before I started to warm to the idea of network marketing. In hindsight, I was naïve.

    They told me, if I don’t know much about business, I could become an entrepreneur with just a small investment. They said that for a few hundred dollars, I could purchase health products that I needed anyway, and that my investment could also double up as an investment to start my business! I would also be given all the business training I needed.

    Those words were promising, and if you’ve been “prospected” for an MLM before, this situation will be all too familiar. If you haven’t, then be sure to read the rest of my caveats in this article before you consider joining an MLM company.

    About a year after I joined, I learned my first harsh lesson about MLM: to be successful, you need to love the industry and love the product enough that you’ll live and breathe it. Let me explain what I mean.

    Interest versus Passion

    The network marketing company I joined was a health products company. I was interested in improving my health, but my dream was never to be in the health and wellness industry. Putting time into learning everything I could about supplements and health products wasn’t something I was passionate about.

    In other words, there is a difference between being interested in something as a hobby and throwing your entire career behind it. When I prospected people, I thought they would be excited about my business because they too would see the value of making some money while getting healthy.

    When you have a business you are passionate about, you tell your friends and family about it. You post pictures of yourself and your health products on social media. You write articles or post videos about what you do. Your business is part of your life, and you’re proud of it. Those are signs that your business is your love.

    In my case, the only time I told friends and family what I was doing was when there was a product I thought could solve a health problem they were having. When that happened, I would tell them about my side business with the embarrassment of someone confessing they still fear the dark.

    How to Avoid Self Sabotage

    Somehow, I expected my uncommitted attitude would generate lots of sales, which it didn’t, and my lack of enthusiasm sabotaged my success.

    I quickly learned that the first rule of success in MLM is to have a solid passion for the industry. Don’t sell skincare if you don’t want to be known as the owner of a skincare business. Don’t sell home care products if you’re not crazy about them.

    Many MLMs recruit people by simply asking them if they want to make some extra money and if they want to be an entrepreneur. That’s the sneaky part. I joined the business because they asked me two questions and my answers were yes and yes.

    Would you like to own your own business? Yes. Are you open to learning something new? Yes. Then they signed me up. These questions could lead you to failure because no one asks what you’d be passionate about selling.

    Instead, ask yourself, are you passionate about this industry? Do you want to learn as much as you can about this industry? My answers to these questions would have been No and No. If I’d asked myself those questions, I could have signed on as a consumer and ignored the business part of the MLM company altogether… and saved myself a couple years of grief.

    2 Plan to invest in the business for the long term

    An MLM or networking marketing business is not something you commit a couple of random hours here and there and expect results. You need to treat it as a long-term investment, like rehearsing for a performance or building a house.

    Results are NOT Magic

    The problem is MLMs tell you about amazing results. No matter which company you join, they will tell you about distributors who have become high-income earners. They will share stories about distributors who moved up the ranks at a rapid pace in one year and achieved title after title, while the average distributor stays at the same rank for years.

    You desire to become one of those success stories. You’ll yearn to be one of those people who worked hard to build a team fast and got a recurring income from selling MLM products. You’ll want to be one of those people who earn a six-figure income in six months.

    For most people, however, their results are less glamorous. It’s a lot of work to build an MLM business. Depending on how much time you want to commit to your business, you may work your 9 to 5 job, then spend evenings and part of your weekends prospecting potential leads and trying to make sales.

    Prospecting is meeting potential customers or distributors and telling them about the products you sell. You might meet them for coffee or hang out at a social event to get to know them better. For example, you might go jogging one day to start that relationship, and then talk about your business when they show an interest.

    When their interest in your business is stronger, you may invite them to an event where other people from your team can make a presentation or give your prospect the chance to try your products.

    The Cold, Hard Numbers

    All of these activities take time. You’ll rarely make one sale after just one meeting with your prospect. On top of that, you are also attending training sessions to learn more about your products and how to build your business. You’re not likely to get rich overnight.

    A study found that “44% of participants dropped out after less than one year working with an MLM.” And after five years, “a minimum of 90% of representatives leave.” In that time, they will have poured thousands of dollars into their business and gotten very little of it back.

    In comparison, about 50% of small businesses (not MLM) are still in business after five years. That’s a difference of 40%! 

    A closer look at the numbers for the same study reveals more grim findings. In a survey of distributors, they found that “14% made less than $5,000” and “3% made $25,000 or more.” That’s a very small percentage of distributors who can make a side income. That means very few can expect to replace their day job with their MLM business.

    So if you do decide to join an MLM or network marketing company because you truly believe in their products, expect to invest many hours and years of your life in it before you make a steady flow of pocket change.

    3 Invest in skills that make you money

    While working on your MLM business, take the time to develop your business skills and business savvy. As mentioned above, success doesn’t come overnight. Successful entrepreneurs become masters of perseverance.

    Perseverance

    As an MLM distributor, you will work long hours and people will question why you would want to be a business owner instead of an employee. A job offers long-term income and stability. You know exactly what you’ll be paid when you get your pay cheque.

    Entrepreneurship is the world of the unknown. You risk pouring thousands of dollars into your business and getting little in return. Or you could hit the jackpot and earn a high income from your investment in a short time. You’ll need to put up with rejection and failure before you discover what works.

    Public Speaking

    Most MLM distributors who are serious about building their business learn to make presentations about the products and MLM business. They learn to present one-on-one with a prospect or in front of a group during an event. Some refine their speaking skills through a group like Toastmasters.

    You can also learn to elevator pitch – to tell people in thirty seconds about what it is you do. Developing your speaking skills increases your skill set and income potential, whether you are an employee, MLM distributor, or business owner.

    Leadership

    Strong leadership skills are the difference between being a manager and a team leader, or someone who is a team member. You don’t need to learn to be a great leader. But if you want to step up and earn a higher income, you need to become a leader.

    In an MLM, you need to develop leadership skills to be able to recruit distributors to join your team and keep them on your team. If you can’t lead and mentor others, you’re a team of one, without others to share your workload.

    Leadership skills are also what you need to become a manager or CEO. It’s also a skill that will lead you to a promotion or income increase.

    Summary

    Is it possible to make money in an MLM or network marketing business? It is, if you fully understand what you’re getting yourself into, and you have a long-term plan. Don’t expect that you’ll become a millionaire but do take the time to learn some of the valuable business skills that they will teach you when you join an MLM team. I’ve moved on from network marketing, but the business skills that I learned while I was a distributor gave me an advantage in my current business. To me, that is the biggest win.

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  • 3 Public Speaking Skills To Capture Your Audience

    3 Public Speaking Skills To Capture Your Audience

    Many people fear public speaking, and they have good reason to. It can be nerve racking to speak in front of strangers, and even more frightening to speak in front of a group of familiar faces. What if you make a mistake? What if you forget your lines, and everyone remembers only how bad your speech was?

    The embarrassment of such a public speaking nightmare is enough to deter many people from getting up in front of others and speaking. However, strong speaking skills will increase your career options. To advance your career, here are three public speaking skills to master.

    1. Meeting Briefing

    This short speech is an important one to learn if you aspire to become a team leader or project lead. A few basic tips can help you deliver a successful briefing. After all, you want to look knowledgeable while connecting with your audience.

    Here are 4 steps to preparing and delivering a meeting briefing that your boss and team will appreciate.

    Tip 1: Know the purpose of the meeting.

    What is the purpose of the meeting? Make sure you cover this point at the start of your presentation. Know how much time you have for your presentation beforehand and bring your watch or use the room clock to keep track of the time.  

    Who will be at the meeting? Find out who your audience is to determine what industry jargon or technical material you should or shouldn’t use. When in doubt, use terms that your audience can easily understand.

    Tip 2: State the purpose of the meeting.

    In one to two sentences, state what the purpose of the briefing is. The focus of your briefing will be these one to two points. A briefing is not as formal as a speech, so only main points need to be written down. You won’t need to prepare your presentation word for word.

    Tip 3: Organize your presentation.

    Arrange your presentation into three parts. It should have an introduction, three or more main points, and a conclusion. The main points in this outline should have some order, such as chronological, cause and effect, or topical.

    Tip 4: Summarize the main points and answer questions.

    Review the main points of your presentation by stating them again. Leave enough time to answer questions from your audience.

    2. A Speech for a General Audience

    Giving a speech to a general audience can be more challenging. You may not know their background or what brought them to your presentation. The following tips will help you engage your audience.

    Tip 1: Speak slowly and clearly.

    Enunciate each of your words clearly. Sometimes linking too many words together can blur the meaning of a word or make your words harder to understand. For example, “can” and “can’t” can be hard to distinguish when spoken quickly and without emphasis in a sentence.

    Speak slowly. One way to judge your speed is by the reaction of your audience. Are they paying attention? Are people nodding?

    Tip 2: Avoid slang, idiomatic expressions, clichés, or words with multiple meanings.

    It may be tempting to resort to clichés to explain an idea, but your audience may not understand the meaning if they are from another cultural background. For those who have heard the expression a thousand times before, it’s better to provide a fresh way to express an idea.

    For example, “off the hook”, “burn the candle at both ends”, or “learn the ropes” are expressions that can be used to describe work situations, but they may have other meanings in other cultures. Some people may interpret the meaning of each word literally.

    Tip 3: Watch your body language and eye contact.

    Be aware of your body language. Your closeness to the audience, the podium, or edge of the stage sends a message to your listeners.

    Standing with arms crossed or standing while slouching also sends a message about your confidence or openness.

    Eye contact keeps you engaged with your audience. Try to appear as if you are looking for a few seconds at each person in the room to make them feel like you are speaking to them.

    Sales Pitch

    You don’t have to have a career in sales to master a sales pitch. This type of presentation is one of the most useful of the three because it’s handy to be able to sell an idea or product. You could be selling someone on hiring you. You could be persuading your supervisor to give you extra time off or to get a promotion. Your sales pitch can be organized in a few key steps.

    Tip 1: Organize your points.

    Keep in mind that it’s key to get to the point right away. To do this, you want to organize your speech in the inverted pyramid. Talk about the most important point(s) first. What is the purpose of your presentation? Keep the purpose or objective clear.

    Tip 2: Have a call to action.

    Follow up each point with evidence to illustrate and support your point. Ensure you have a call to action. What do you want the audience to do after hearing your speech?

    Tip 3: Use visual aids to support key points in your presentation.

    Visual aids can be images, posters, or slides that are large enough and positioned so each audience member can see them. It should also feel natural to work with visual aids. If you feel uncomfortable doing a slide show, for example, then find other ways to illustrate your presentation.

    Tip 4: Allow time for questions and answers.

    At the end of your presentation, leave enough time to answer questions. Your audience will have the chance to get clarification on what you presented. If you aren’t sure what someone is asking, have them repeat the question. For longer questions, answer them by breaking them down into smaller parts.

    Summary

    It’s important to be able to express your ideas through public speaking. As a confident speaker, you can persuade others, sell your idea, or present at meetings. If you’re aspiring for a leadership position at work, your ability to speak in public will influence your success. Even if public speaking is not your forte now, you can take a class or join a local Toastmasters chapter to begin improving that skill tomorrow.

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  • Why Editing Is Important

    Why Editing Is Important

     

    Updated for 2022

    You may have heard the story about how a minor edit made the difference between a family dinner and the disappearance of grandma. If you haven’t, then I will explain in a minute why editing is important, whether you run a business or you’re looking for your next employer.

    Minor typos can financially impact your business or professional reputation.

    Just look at the difference between “Let’s eat, grandma” and “Let’s eat grandma.” Most people would rather enjoy a meal together with grandma than have her on the menu. And all it takes is one comma.

    Some typing or grammar mistakes are small, but other errors can have an immense impact.

    How big of an impact can it have? The cost can be as severe as $620 million to the deaths of several people. Something this disastrous is rare, but the point is that careful editing can make you look smart and professional. Let’s look at some specific examples.

    Never Underestimate the Power of Minor Errors

    If you have a hole in your sock, it’s a small detail that makes you look careless. If you have a hole in your boat and you’re at sea, you’re taking a risk. It’s the same with minor errors in your writing, whether online or in print: your web page copy, emails, proposals, or reports make a statement about you.

    At the very least, spelling and grammar errors can sabotage your first impression with your clients. Common errors include incorrect use of your and you’re, and their versus they’re. These typos create the impression that you write carelessly… making potential clients wonder if you handle your business in the same way.

    At most, these tiny typos can also have an immeasurable financial cost. It’s a strong case for why editing is important.

    For example, Mizuho Securities Co meant to sell single shares for 610,000 apiece, but a typo resulted in selling 610,000 shares for 1 yen apiece. The company lost nearly $340 million in less than a day.

    Companies that work with a lot of numbers need to take extra precautions to check that their numbers are correct. A small typo can cause a huge financial loss.

    In other cases, the effect can cause confusion or frustration, such as the reference “See Figure 8 on page 123 for the supporting data,” but there is no Figure 8 on page 123. It’s actually on page 133. Not everyone is enthusiastic about hunting around for information.

    But that’s not all that can happen when there is a minor error. 

    A Letter Can Change Your Reputation

    Spelling mistakes can range from disastrous to confusing. Some of the most common misspelled words, recieved (received) and seperate (separate), are also very commonly used words. Editing is essential when it comes to advertising or guarantees.

    For example, during the production process for an ad, a typographical mistake resulted in substituting the “x” for an “r,” so that “exotic travel” became “erotic.” Because of the misprint, the travel agency suffered irreversible damage to its professional reputation and lost nearly 80 percent of its customers.

    Also, assuring your customer that you will do everything to complete the project on schedule is slightly different than ensuring that you will do everything according to schedule. In the latter case, it’s best to have a lawyer on hand in case you are late.

    So if spelling isn’t your strong point, or you weren’t an ace at spelling bees, the internet is here to help. You can make use of some great spelling resources here and here.

    It Does Not Take Much to Cause Disaster

    The previous examples show that chaos can ensue over a minor omission or typo. You might even be able to relate to these stories. It’s even happened to me before, even though I consider myself extremely careful.

    I was rushing through a reply in a conversation and realized to my horror, that I missed the word “not” in the sentence. What a big difference!

    The following example is an extreme case that drives home the point of why editing is important. The result of cases like these can be financially catastrophic or can even cost lives.

    For instance, the omission of a single hyphen resulted in the detonation of the Mariner probe spacecraft and a total loss of $620 million from the accident.

    Similarly, a minor clerical error in which a “C” became an “O” meant a rescue crew was dispatched to the wrong location, postponing rescue, and costing the lives of six fishermen.

    Your typos may not be as costly as these examples. But minor spelling and grammar errors do come with a price!

    Bad Editing and the Cost to Business

    If you’re still in doubt about the importance of editing, consider what could happen to your business if you lose the trust of your customers. Or what could happen if your business couldn’t be found. 

    The correct use of spelling and grammar is one of the primary variables a search engine analyzes when categorizing and prioritizing websites. Spelling errors for keywords can affect search engine optimization, preventing potential customers from locating specific products and services.

    One example is an e-commerce website that misspelled their product as “tihgts” instead of “tights.” The mistake resulted in a decline in sales until the error was fixed. Fixing the spelling resulted in an 80% conversion rate. In this case, details do matter.

    Great Resources to Improve Your Editing

    “A brand that disregards the details by underestimating the importance of proofreading could be a keystroke away from disaster.”—Six Degrees.com 

    Fixing typos can be low on your list of priorities if a deadline is looming or you are overwhelmed with several important tasks. There is any given number of valid reasons. So what can you do to cut down or eliminate spelling and grammar disasters?

    One solution to prevent typos is the use of technology. Word processing programs with built-in spelling and grammar editing features can help to reduce the frequency of some of these types of errors.

    It is even possible to create commands to check for specific typos, particularly if you have a habit of misspelling “definitely” wrong …. or forgetting if “between you and me” or “between you and I” is correct grammar. Or you can check if you’re making these common grammar mistakes.

    You can look to some great online resources such as Grammar Girl or Owl Purdue to help you out. To use an analogy, it doesn’t matter if you spent hours digging through your closet for the perfect outfit or hours fixing your makeup. If your appearance catches looks of approval, that’s what counts: the final result.

    However, nothing replaces having a copyeditor or proofreader to do a final check for typos and number errors. Some stubborn mistakes are acceptable to a grammar editing program, but not a fresh pair of eyes. An editor will check every detail for accuracy and consistency. 

    Final lesson: check, check, and double check. A thorough edit is worth your time!

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  • How a Positive Attitude Makes You Money

    How a Positive Attitude Makes You Money

    Believe it: how you see yourself and the world around you affects what makes you money. It is crucial to have a positive attitude if you want to take the next step in your personal growth and expand your wallet. Having a positive mindset will affect your income, appearance, friends, and actions.

    Attitude of gratitude

    If you approach life with a positive mindset, you will focus on the winning aspects of life. One way is to have an Attitude of Gratitude. Think of all the things in your life that you are grateful for, such family, friends, health, wealth, a vacation, or even the weather. Sometimes it becomes too easy to get caught up in everyday problems such as mortgage payments, a lousy commute, or an annoying coworker. These issues can drag you down and bring you negativity.

    Instead, focus on the positive aspects of your life. Be grateful that you have a good friend who is there to listen when you need some advice. Be grateful that you have a source of income to pay for your upcoming credit card bill.

    Having a positive mindset is the foundation for additional growth. You set your own boundaries on what you deserve. If you believe you are someone who owns a one-bedroom condo and your income is $50,000 a year, then that will set the limits of your life. You can dream about increasing your income to $1,000,000, but until you believe you deserve it, your situation isn’t likely to change.

    Thinking positive starts the foundation to increasing your limits. People who are negative tend to be more cynical about opportunities. As a result, they limit themselves. What makes you money—and the income you deserve—is what lifestyle you believe you deserve. Only then will changes occur.

    You are the average of your social circle

    “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”— Jim Rohn, motivational speaker

    Having a positive mindset is key to bringing positive changes to your life. But your circle of friends also affects the outcomes in your social life, career, and family life. There is a saying that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with, whether those five people include your significant other, friends, or coworkers.

    One way to think about that average is this: What are the life goals of these five? What is the average of their income? What do they do in their free time? What is their health and fitness level like? When you have the average for all of these answers, figure out where you fit in. Is your income the highest? Is your health somewhere in the middle?

    If you’re looking for a drastic change from these five people, this change that you desire may be met with conflict. For example, you may be the first one to get married and have children. Or you may be the first one to want to start a business, instead of working for an employer.

    Well-meaning friends may advise you against starting your own business because they feel more comfortable with job security and remind you that many startups fail. They don’t want to see you fail so they try to protect you.

    You may have a positive mindset when you start your business, but the lack of customers and the advice of your well-meaning friends may start to replace your positive thoughts with negative ones.

    The key in this situation is to stay positive. A positive attitude makes you money and gets you closer to your income goals. Positive people see opportunities everywhere. They will not obsess over disappointments or failures. In the long run, even if they meet short-term setbacks, their persistence will help them to prevail and meet success.

    For this reason, it is important to be with others with the same mindset as you. For example, socialize with successful business owners who believe in you and support you. Their encouragement will help you maintain a positive attitude as you seek a new form of financial success.

    People are attracted to positive people

    Positive people attract all kinds of people, whether they are positive or negative because of the energy they radiate. Positive people gravitate toward positive because they lift each other up.

    The optimism of positive leaders motivates others. When they share stories of their struggles, people become inspired by their messages of hope.

    Negative people also gravitate toward positive people because of their ability to motivate. Negative people see the problems in the situation and don’t necessarily become proactive about changing their situation. They seek leadership and hope, but can’t seem to keep themselves afloat. They can pull positive people down.

    Strong leaders are positive people who can motivate others, regardless of whether they are positive or negative. People are drawn to their ability to find solutions. They’re the ones asking, what opportunities are out there that make you money? Increase your connections? In the business world, these types of leaders are needed to take a business to the next level or to increase its revenue.

    Small steps lead to great outcomes

    People who are positive don’t give up easily. They focus on getting things done, instead of putting things off. When faced with a huge task, such as cleaning up a messy house, they will start with picking up one object and putting it away. Large projects start with small accomplishments.

    Similarly, when faced with a task, they will not focus on perfection right away. Nor will they set up mental roadblocks for themselves. Procrastination is incredibly destructive.

    For example, if the goal is to learn to write a thank you email quickly, they can start with the easy stuff, such as typing out the recipient’s name and writing a sentence to explain what they are thanking them for.

    They won’t focus on grammar or spelling. They won’t fuss about whether they are choosing the best words or research if they’ve used the latest fonts or formatting styles. Working on any of these details will only delay the process and completing the task.

    Similarly, when taking on a goal such as an increase in their income, positive people will make a plan and stick to it. They will map out the process they need to take to achieve that goal, and they will keep working to reach that goal every day.

    Even if they hit setbacks in their plan, they will keep going, knowing that eventually, they will reach their destination. It’s that positive mind that makes you money and improves your financial situation.

    Taking action, even if the actions are small, imperfect steps, is more important to them than planning out the perfect result and not taking action at all. They don’t fear failure. They are believers that the tortoise, and not the hare, can win the race.

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