KEYS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES TO WIN NOW

A framework built on 4 keys that small businesses must have to achieve rapid growth.

This isn’t some flash in the pan concept that will be outdated in 90 days. 

Regardless of how the economy is doing…

Regardless of global unrest…

Regardless of who your prospects are…

Those 4 keys are:

1. Repeatability
2. Simplicity
3. Consistency
4. Visibility

Without all four you’ll either…

A. Never grow and end up giving up and finding a job, or...

B. Still grow but be absolutely miserable working crazy hours and eventually burn out

That’s because most strategies taught online right now are either outdated or meant for bigger businesses with bigger budgets, bigger teams, bigger reputations.

Causing you to spend a disproportionate amount of time building out complex funnels that likely won't work and then spend 10s of thousands of dollars driving traffic to them.

USING BASIC PSYCHOLOGY TO BOOST YOUR SALES

Did you know that you can use basic psychology to boost your sales?

Burger King is one of the big names that use psychology in their marketing strategy to encourage people to buy from them. They do that by using the colour red in their logo. According to many, this colour can quickly attract people’s attention. Many people even argue that it makes you feel hungrier.

We aren’t sure which one is the actual reason behind the colour of this fast-food company’s logo. But whatever it may be, both try to use psychology to get people to buy from them. And the strategy so far appears to have worked well for the company.

So why not try using it in your marketing tactics as well to reach your conversion goals? Let’s find out some successful ways to use psychology to increase your sales.

1. Create Urgency

One of the most effective ways of using psychology to boost sales is to create urgency. By doing that, you can instil FOMO or Fear of Missing Out in your users.

FOMO is a psychological trigger that people react to when they see that they are missing out on something that others are enjoying.

It mostly triggers upon seeing others’ posts on social media or while shopping online. You can try using it in your marketing strategy and see how it can instantly boost your sales.

A good way of doing that is to display the limited availability of your products or running a limited period sale. No one wants to miss out on such opportunities. So when they see these offers, they will instantly want to grab them in fear of missing out.

However, this technique works best when you can show how the product is relevant to them. That’s where the next tip comes in.

2. Add Social Proof

The best way to show the relevance of your products is to use social proof. According to Psychology Today, as human beings, we don’t have much control over our thoughts and behaviours. We take cues from our environment and tend to imitate the thoughts and actions of people around us.

You can use this psychology by using social proof as one of your marketing tactics. The best way of doing that is to display proof of others purchasing your product. It’s a great way of building trust and encouraging your visitors to take action on your website.

Products like TrustPulse makes it easier to do that with just a few clicks.

Another very effective way of using social proof on your website is to add user-generated content or product reviews. When your visitors see the happy experiences of your existing customers, they feel more confident about making the purchase.

That’s because UGC or product reviews don’t appear promotional, and people like to trust such real experiences that your customers share on your website.

3. Use the Left Digit Effect

The left digit effect is when you price your product with a .99 in the end. For example, instead of pricing it at $30, you price it at $29.99.

Although the difference between the two prices is negligible, it makes a psychological impact on your buyers. Most people like to believe the latter to be more affordable than the former one.

That’s because they are too focused on the initial number, which in this case is 29. This makes them believe that the number falls in the 20-30 range instead of 30-40.

It is a good way of creating an illusion that the number is in the lesser range, which in turn encourages people to buy your product.

4. Make Shipping Look Free

Most buyers get anchored to the initial price they see. So if you want to add the shipping charges, you should add them with the first price itself.

By adding them separately, you might raise anxiety in them, and they might be discouraged from making the purchase. When you explain to them that the shipping price is free, they begin to trust you and will feel like you’re doing a favour.

Another way of boosting your sales is by telling them that the shipping charges will be free if they shop for a certain amount. For example, you’re offering free shipping for a purchase worth $800.

Now, if your customer buys different products worth $750 and has to pay $25 for shipping, they might as well add a few more products to make it $800 to waive off the shipping charge.

It’s a great way to encourage your buyers to add more products to their cart.

5. Make People Curious

Do you know why clickbait headlines work so well? That’s because it raises curiosity amongst your users and encourages them to find out more about the subject.

You may usually not be interested in the matter, but when you see such headlines, you are curious to know the answer.

As a result, you end up clicking on the headline. This is called the curiosity gap in psychology.

You can use the same psychology to push your visitors down the sales funnel and encourage them to make a purchase. But one thing to keep in mind when you use the curiosity gap technique in your marketing strategy is that you deliver what you promise.

Otherwise, your users will feel cheated, and they’ll stop trusting you. If that happens, they might never even come back to your website again. But we don’t want that to happen. So be quick in delivering what the users are looking for.

These are some of the most effective ways of using psychology to boost your sales. You can implement them in your marketing strategy to understand your user’s behaviour and connect with your audience on a real level.

But each case and scenario may be different from the other. So don’t hesitate to make subtle changes to the tactics discussed above. This will help you figure out which technique works best for your business, and you’ll eventually make the best out of it.

THE 3-STEP CYCLE TO TURN REJECTION INTO SUCCESS

Other people are not required to give you what you want.  But if you offer what you want without conditions and prepare  for any outcome, you will live in a world where you always  have options. When you put yourself out there, there are three steps you should take next.     Celebrate the act of doing something. Even if you don’t get  your desired end result right away, you’ve taken a step forward.  Reflect when something doesn’t go your way. Breathe. Turn to  your people. Go to your places. Give it time. Seek information.  Process the uncomfortable truth. Then, Repeat. Incorporate the feedback you’ve gotten, and try again. If you get what you want, great! If you don’t get what you  want, great! You’ve still learned something that will help you on  the path to your goal.   Try this: Try something that you’ve been afraid to try. Maybe  it’s asking for a promotion or a project at work. Marshal your  materials and ask for it. Celebrate that you did something!  Then take a moment to reflect, asking yourself these three questions: 1) Did I get what I want?,  2) If the answer is yes, how did you get it?, 3) If the answer is no, figure out why you didn’t get it.  Is the problem you or something beyond you? If someone doesn’t tell you why you got rejected, don’t assume  that it’s you. Then, Repeat.

LESSONS LEARNT FROM STEVE JOBS

In 1988, Jim Collins, the author of the best-selling business books Built to Last and Good to Great, cold-called Steve Jobs. 

"He was truly in the wilderness," Collins tells Inc.'s What I Know podcast. Jobs had resigned as Apple chairman three years earlier, at age 30. He agreed to come talk to Collins's business class at Stanford University, and the two stayed in touch. Collins came to see that Jobs, as he said, "never lost the passion for what he was doing, and he was growing and he was learning."

It was that learning that led to remarkable growth--and what Collins has come to see as "Steve Jobs 2.0," an entirely different leader and manager than he'd been when he started the company. When Jobs called him two decades later, in 2007, he saw the result of the growth when he asked Jobs what he'd prioritized upon returning to the company he founded. Jobs said he focused on finding the people there who still believed in the original vision of the company.

"As part of that was an evolution to seeing that it's not about just being a genius with a thousand helpers. It's about creating a culture of genius that ultimately doesn't need the genius," Collins says. In his second stint, Jobs led Apple to be a great company--a company that of course survived its genius.

Collins has spent his career studying what makes companies grow and last. His most recent book is a new release of his first, called Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0. In it, he adds his "view from 2020," including a chapter on the importance of surrounding yourself with passionate people--partially inspired by his encounters with Jobs. And it's never been more apt than this year, when so many companies are working remotely--and so many individuals need to still feel a sense of community.

If we really take care of our people, so many of the other things will take care of themselves," Collins says. "And for me, for a 2021 lesson, that is one that I hope we really embrace."

WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN CHOOSING A RELIABLE WEB HOST

With billions of websites and blogs now on the internet, the only question left to ask is, why don’t you have a site of your own yet?

More often than not, this is simply due to that fact that people aren’t sure how to get started. And once someone starts to hear about web hosting, site builders and the idea of installing software… they really seem to get lost.

The good news is, starting a site of your own is now easier and more affordable than ever before.

So, what’s the best option to get started?

Is it better to sign up for premium hosting and just figure it out as you go, or should you get started with a free website hosting plan that also provides you with a drag and drop site builder?

The truth is, both of these options are perfectly fine, and it all really comes down to your own expertise and needs.

No matter where you are in your site launching process, the important thing is that you know what to look for in a quality web hosting company. To help in this process, we’ve highlighted the most important things to look for when trying to find a reliable site host for your personal site, brand or online business.

Let’s get started!

1 – Price, Price, Price…

Obviously, one of the most important and immediate things that someone is going to look at when signing up for any type of service, is the price. However, when it comes to web hosting and site builders, most prices are going to fall slightly in and out of the $10 a month range.

The problem with paying too much attention to the pricing of web hosting, is that if you are just trying to save money and are going to penny pinch in the process, it could ultimately come back and hurt you.

Instead, as continually referenced by sites like Entrepreneur, go with a trusted hosting solution that has a great track record online and is proven to provide their customers with the best experience.

2 – Testimonials and Customer Reviews

Speaking of track records and great reputations… one of the best ways to find a hosting company that’s worth your time, money and business, is to look for real user reviews and customer testimonials online.

It’s also a good idea to visit some of your favorite sites and see if they have a “Hosted By” link or section of their site. Since many web hosting sites have affiliate programs, you will likely see them being promoted all over the place.

When looking for reviews and customer feedback online, be sure to read through multiple sites and not just rely on the first one you come across.

3 – Company Name and History

In the world of web hosting and site builders, there are plenty of names to choose from. At the same time, new and older names are coming and going all the time.

This is mainly due to acquisitions, new hosting companies being launched, and some of them ultimately going out of business.

No matter what the reason is, it’s important to consider all of these elements when looking for a new hosting solution. Be sure to go with a company that has a proven track record and several years of history behind them.

The last thing you want to do is launch a new website or blog, and then have your hosting company go belly up and no longer be in business!

4 – Hosting to Fit Your Site Needs

Along with all of the key factors and tips mentioned so far, it’s also important to make sure you are choosing a hosting solution that fits the needs of your site and business.

For example, if you wanted to start a blog, you should be looking for a host that specializes in WordPress. If you don’t want to deal with any coding or design work, you should be looking for a hosting solution that provides a simple drag and drop editor to their users.

In either case, not all web hosting solutions are the same. Take a moment to review the many different features on their sites, to make sure you are going with the best one for your site, brand and business needs.

5 – Promotional Coupons and Discounts

As referenced earlier in the article, pricing is going to play a big part in your decision process.  And just like everything else in the world, sometimes web hosting services go on sale or have promotions of their own as well.

The good news is, it’s very simple to search for new and active hosting coupons and promotions online. All you need to do is visit Google and search the hosting company name you are interested in, and then add the word “coupons”. 

It’s also a good idea to try and pay for your web hosting in advance as much as possible. Some web hosting solutions will offer upwards of 50% off when pre-paying for hosting plans for 12, 24, or even 36 months.

No matter where you decide to host your site, you should definitely be able to find some nice coupons and promotions at any given time.

How to Find the Best Web Hosting for Your Site

At the end of the day, thousands of new websites, blogs and online stores are going live daily. The crazy thing is that each of them are being hosted by a web hosting solution somewhere, and new sites are going live every second.

With so many different hosting solutions out there, how are you supposed to know which is best for you? 

Well… we pretty much covered all of that in the details above. So, now it’s time for you to start running through a list of the different web hosts available, and comparing each of the key elements and factors we’ve listed.

Take a moment to choose a handful of potential hosts for your site, then compare their reviews, costs, features and support plans.

After just a little bit of research and work, you should be in a much better place and quite confident on what hosting solution is best for you.

WHO IS INFLUENCING YOU? CHOOSE WISELY

Who are your heroes? Who do you want to become? Who will you surround yourself with while going after what you want? The people in your corner can be individuals in your daily life, people you follow on social media, authors, heroes, influencers, and role models.  

 

Find people who will tell you what you need to know, not just what you want to hear. Seek out people you respect. Connect with people who have a love for teaching. Find people who know how to win. Look for people who have been there and done it. Find people who have faced it, learned from it, and won. 

 

Try this: You’ve heard the saying, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Define your five people. Whether they are people who volunteer to help you, people you ask for help, or people you hire (coaches, doctors, teachers, authors), define the five people who will help you get to where you want to go this year. 

SELF-DISCIPLINE WILL MAKE YOU A BETTER LEADER

Leadership styles are a learnable quality that anyone can attain through hard work and self-discipline. While the process of becoming a leader may be simple it is not easy to do.

Everyone can become a great leader, have better self-confidence and achieve success. 

Self-Discipline Is A Learnable Quality

Many people feel that they lack self-discipline in certain areas and they often assume that, “That’s just the way I am.” Are some leaders born with natural qualities and abilities that make self-discipline easy for them? It may be true that there are such things as natural born leaders, however most leaders are made by hard work and self-development.

The fact is that YOU can develop whatever leadership styles and qualities that you consider desirable and necessary. For some people it will be easier, and for others it will take more time and effort.

But each person has the inborn ability to shape his or her character and personality in a positive way by being clear about his or her future intent and determined enough to press forward through the difficulties, resistance, and setbacks.

Develop The Leadership Styles You Desire

The process of developing disciplines or leadership styles is simple, though not easy. Nothing worthwhile is easy.

First, decide upon the one discipline that can be most helpful to you in your career at the moment. Don’t try to change several things about yourself at one time or to develop several disciplines for yourself simultaneously, no matter how attractive and desirable they may be. Your basic need is to focus and concentrate on the development of a single discipline until it is locked in and becomes a part of your personality. Then you can move on to the development of the next discipline on your list.

The good news is that every act of discipline strengthens and reinforces all your other disciplines. At the same time, it will increase your self-confidence. You must be vigilant. Everything counts!

Program The New Discipline Into Your Mind

Once you have chosen a discipline to develop, begin to think about how you would behave if you had this discipline or habit already. See yourself acting or reacting in a situation where you want to practice you new leadership styles.

Then, create a positive affirmation for your self to continually reinforce the new discipline. You will actually become what you say to yourself about yourself over and over again. This will build your self-confidence and you will begin to see yourself in a new light.

Never Allow Exceptions

Once you have decided on the discipline you are going to develop, the key is for you to launch strongly on your new discipline. Resolve to never allow an exception until it becomes permanent. If you “fall off the wagon,” immediately restate your affirmation or command to yourself and begin again. This is the only way you can succeed.

Persistence And Self-Discipline

The best part of this process of developing leadership styles and disciplines is the direct relationship between self-discipline and persistence. The more you persist, in any endeavor, the greater self-discipline and self-confidence you will develop. It has been well said that, “Persistence is self-discipline in action.”

The more consistently you practice your chosen disciplines, the more you will like and respect yourself. You will feel more confident and optimistic. You will become more effective in every area of your life.

When you develop the disciplines of leadership excellence, you will become a more powerful and resourceful leader, get more done, have greater self-confidence and succeed at higher levels in everything you attempt.

THREE LEADERSHIP MISTAKE PEOPLE MAKE

They Criticize Others

The first leadership mistake that managers make is that they criticize others.

Refuse to criticize anyone for any reason. When people make mistakes, you focus on the solution. Focus on what can be done rather than who did it and who is to blame.

This is the mark of the superior leader with admirable leadership questions

We all know that destructive criticism is harmful. Personally, we all hate to be the recipients of destructive criticism. It can make us angry for days, and even years.

Destructive criticism attacks our self-esteem, hurts our self-image and hinders us from reaching peak performance. It makes us angry and defensive.

If it is so hateful to us, why would we ever do it to someone else?

They Complain

The second leadership mistake people make is that they complain for any reason.

Complainers are always looking for something or someone to complain about.

They tend to associate with other complainers. They talk together at work and socialize after work. They go out for lunch and coffee breaks together.

Complaining becomes a natural way of life for them.

But there is a major problem with both criticizing and complaining. In both situations, you are positioning yourself as a victim. When you complain you actually weaken yourself.

You feel inferior and inadequate. You feel angry and resentful. You feel negative and unsure. Your level of self-esteem and self-respect will decline as you complain about anything to someone else.

If you are not happy about something, as the manager, you are entitled to bring it to the attention of the other person.

You are responsible for putting it on the table and discussing it. These are admirable leadership qualities that you must learn to develop.

If you are not happy with a behaviour or an outcome, your job is to actively intervene to correct the situation. You can do this by being objective about the difference between what you expected and what has actually happened.

You then invite input on how you and the other person or persons can solve the problem or improve the situation. But you never complain.

They Condemn Others On Their Team

The third leadership mistake people make is condemning anyone for any reason, inside or outside of your company.

When you condemn other people, you demoralize the listener, and the self-esteem of the other person will be severely lowered.

When you condemn people outside the company, someone will eventually tell them what you have said. Usually, a distorted version is told and will come back to haunt you.

This seems to be a law of nature, and completely unavoidable.

These recommendations are equally as important when you are talking about competitors or customers in the marketplace. Never criticize your competitors.

Admire them if they are more successful in some areas than you are. Then, look for ways to produce even better products and services, and sell them even more effectively.

Never complain about people and problems outside your business. Instead, use that same amount of mental energy to find solutions. Resolve the problems that led to the complaints in the first place.

STEPS TO HELP YOU GET GREAT AT REJECTION

I’ve been getting rejected most of my life. It peaked in middle school and continues to be part of my life as a father, husband, and professional. I’m proud of my ability to face and tolerate rejection.  It enables me to go after what I want. I don’t like getting rejected, but I know it’s part of the process. I understand that I’m good enough and worthy of what I want. It doesn’t mean I’m entitled or guaranteed to get what I want. It only means that I give myself permission to dream big and go after it.

Rejection is hard for most people. The brain processes rejection the same way it processes physical pain. It can hurt – a lot.  I can tolerate the pain. It takes training.  To help guide you through the process, I’ve put together 5 steps you can follow. Practice this process and you will build the physical and emotional tolerance and grit to go after what you want and never let rejection keep you from moving forward:

Step 1: Rejection is as normal and natural as breathing. The Universal Rejection Truth says that not everyone and everything will always respond the way we want.  Lots of people will respond the way you want, many will not.  No matter how much or how little we have, no matter how we look, and no matter where we come from, this law of nature says that we will not always get the results we desire. Embracing this law of nature and recognizing it makes it far less dangerous and damaging.  My job is to figure out why I’m not getting what I want. This can be painful for people who do not have the emotional strength, fortitude, and knowledge of this law of nature.

Step 2: Explore if you are the problem. You might be the reason that you’re not getting what you want.  And that’s OK. Answer this question without shame or embarrassment.  Rejection is choosing one good thing over another good thing. You have to believe that you are a good thing or this question will be too hard to ask. If someone doesn’t want what you are offering this should make you curious. The information will inform you.  You might be able to change the outcome or you won’t. But you will learn how to move forward.

Rule 3: Explore if someone or something else the problem. You might discover the reason behind the rejection will have nothing to do with you.  There are endless reasons why someone or something will not respond the way you want. There could be an existing relationship, personal challenges, or obstacles that you can’t even imagine.  When you ask this question without requiring one answer or another you can be present and connected. The information will help you know if the circumstance will change in the future or not.  And this will help you know if you should continue taking the same risk or change direction.

Step 4: Decide if you can change the outcome. If the problem is you, can you change the outcome without compromising your character or integrity? If the problem is something else, what outside forces may change the circumstances so you can get the results you desire? Sometimes you will encounter Raw Rejection. This is a form of rejection that can’t be changed. No matter what you say or do, you will not get the results you desire. When you recognize the Universal Rejection Truth, you can face Raw Rejection without shame or judgement. If I can’t change the outcome, I can spend my time on other risks.

Step 5: Take the same risk or take another one. When you go through this process you will learn if you should continue down the same path or change directions.  As strong willed, worthy, and deserving as you might be, there can be obstacles that can’t be moved in your lifetime. When this happens, turn to people who have faced similar obstacles and learn how they were able to find other paths to achieve their goals.

Rejection is painful to those who are untrained and unfamiliar with the process. Rejection isn’t something you need to avoid; it’s something to embrace. The more you face rejection the better you will become at dreaming, believing, and creating magic in your life and the lives of others.

TIPS FOR WORKING FROM HOME

Productivity is a big concern for many remote workers, who don’t always get the collaborative experience of in-office employees.

Utilize The “Touch It Once” Rule

The “touch it once” rule is an effective productivity tip for working from home.

The rule works like this: As soon as you first touch something (think opening an email, or starting a new task), you finish it right then and there.

If you can’t fully complete the task at that moment, that’s okay, but figure out the next active thing you can do to keep making progress on the task. This rule is beneficial because it helps you focus. If you bounce from task to task all day long, your mind is never fully available to focus on your current task.

The touch it once rule eliminates this issue and ensures you’ll be highly focused.

Stop Multitasking

Multitasking is a tempting option. It becomes even more appealing when you’re working from home. Simultaneously sitting in on a conference call, folding laundry, and mentally starting your next project might make you feel productive.

But actually, it’s just the opposite: Multitasking reduces your productivity by as much as 40%!

Research suggests that constant multitasking is bad for your brain. And it can definitely have a detriment on the quality of your work. As hard as it may be, force yourself to focus on just one task at a time.

Chances are, you’ll finish the job more quickly and can then move on to other to-do’s.

Minimize Interruptions

Working remotely comes with a unique set of potential distractions and interruptions. Whether it’s your child calling your name, the mailman ringing the doorbell, or your phone chiming with a text, it’s all too easy to give in to these interruptions instead of focusing on the task at hand.

Minimize these disruptions by silencing your phone, getting some noise-cancelling headphones, and keeping your kids and/or pets busy with a new game or toy. This is also where it comes in handy to have a designated workspace.

Communicate to your family or roommates that when you’re “at work,” you need to focus on work, and you can talk to them when you’re done.

Determine Your Most Productive Time

What time of day do you get your best work done? Figuring this out can help you work more efficiently. If you have kids, you might find that you’re most focused during their afternoon nap.

If you aren’t sure when you’re most productive, track your work a journal for two weeks. Note what you accomplished every morning and afternoon, and how easy or hard the work felt. This can help you see patterns and hone in on your most productive time of day.

Hint: If you’re tuned in for 60-90 minutes, that’s a good time of the day.

Start With Your Hardest Task First

You might be tempted to put off your hardest piece of work until the end of the day or even the day it’s due. But don’t!

At that rate, you’ll just procrastinate — and when you do finally get it done, the job won’t reflect your best work. What’s more, if you complete the hardest job first, you’ll feel more confident in your abilities.

And by comparison, your easy tasks will seem like even more of a breeze.

WHEN FACING UNCERTAIN TIMES ADAPT YOUR GOALS

It’s a bit of an understatement to say that we are living in uncertain times. The modern world certainly feels more uncertain than ever before.

Setting and reaching beneficial goals during these times of great uncertainty can be even more of a challenge than normal, and succeeding often means adapting your goals in the face of uncertainty so that they remain as beneficial as possible.

In this blog, we’ll take a look at why we fear uncertainty, the rarely-discussed benefits that uncertainty brings, and how to adapt your goals as well as your process for reaching them when faced with uncertainty.

The Reasons Why You Fear Uncertainty

Fear of uncertainty is not new to our modern world and is an evolutionary response that mankind has developed over the millennia. The reason for this fear of uncertainty that we have developed is simple: uncertainty brings the potential for unseen danger. When you don’t know exactly what the future holds in store, it creates the possibility in your mind for the future to hold all sorts of undesirable results.

However, an uncertain future is not inherently one fraught with dangers; it’s simply one that you can’t always predict. Understanding that uncertainty does not always equate to negative outcomes no matter how risky it might feel is the first step to overcoming uncertainty and using it to your advantage.

The Benefits Of Uncertainty

While the drawbacks of uncertainty are obvious, there are benefits to uncertainty as well. For one, uncertainty can lead you to question your strategy and the trajectory of your goals, which is rarely a bad thing.

Questioning yourself may have a negative connotation, but it’s often the best way to identify potential pitfalls that may have otherwise flown under the radar. Obvious uncertainty in the world is also a poignant reminder of the fact that uncertainty always exists. No matter how comfortable you get or how certain things might seem, uncertainty always lurks in the shadows.

When the uncertainty steps out into the light and makes itself known, it can serve as an eye-opening experience that reminds you to always plan for uncertainty no matter how certain things might seem.

Adapting Your Goals In The Face Of Uncertainty

During times of especially severe uncertainty, it may be necessary to adapt the goals you’ve set, your process for reaching them, or both. With that in mind, here are three effective strategies for adapting your goals in the face of uncertain times.

1) Clarify Your Goals And Objectives

Making sure that your goals and objectives are as clear as possible is always important, but it is especially important when you are faced with uncertainty; when the path forward is shrouded by uncertainty, it’s essential that you understand its destination as clearly as possible. Clarify your goals and objectives, and use the clear understanding you have of them as your compass to guide you through whatever unseen obstacles show up along the way.

2) Focus On What You Can Control

Uncertainty often leaves us feeling as if we aren’t actually in control of our lives. While it’s true that you will never be able to control every factor that affects your life and the goals that you have set, there will always be plenty of things that you can control, and these are the only things worth focusing on.

Keep your nose to the grindstone, keep pressing forward, and keep focusing on the tasks that you can control – overcoming new challenges as they present themselves rather than worrying about what might or might not happen – and you can ensure that you are still doing everything possible to reach your goals no matter how uncertain the road to reaching them might be.

3) Create Certainty

In the face of uncertainty, it’s helpful to create as much certainty in your life as possible so as not to become overwhelmed by a feeling of lost control. This means creating certainty in every aspect of your life that you can, both aspects that are directly and indirectly related to the goals that you are striving to reach.

Once more, this goes back to focusing on the things that you can control and making sure you have a clear, well-defined strategy for how to address those things. The more certainty that you can create in uncertain times, the more in-control you will feel, making that uncertainty less likely to become so overwhelming that it upends your progress.

TIPS ON HOW TO KEEP NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION

Why bother to make resolutions and then feel disappointed or guilty for breaking them? Do you get excited and resolve to change, but within days or weeks lose interest and can’t motivate yourself?   Wonder why you get side-tracked by distractions or become easily discouraged when quick results aren’t forthcoming? The problem is threefold:   Terminology. Goal setting is a process and that requires effort to reach your target; whereas a resolution is a decision or intention. It has to be more than a wish, but it’s only the first step in reaching a goal. There’s no implication that planning or effort is involved. It’s as if saying it makes it so. Naturally, it doesn’t. Change isn’t easy. Instead of making several New Year’s “resolutions,” make ONE you can keep, and it will give you confidence that you can do more.   Motivation. Change requires work. To be motivated, your heart has to be in it. To realize your goals and resolutions, you must be inspired and really want to make the effort necessary to leave your comfort zone. Inspiration infuses you with energy and power. It stimulates your creativity, promises a better future, or connects you to a larger purpose. It fills you with positive emotions that overcome fear and inertia. Love mobilizes parents to work hard and protect their children, disregarding their own comfort and safety. For change to last, make sure your motive expresses your true self and fosters your highest good. Your goal must be congruent with your core beliefs. Resolutions to make changes for someone else’s approval, for monetary gain, or because you think you “should” are hard to sustain.   Self-Discipline. In addition to desire and motivation, you need self-discipline. It’s been said that success is 99 percent perspiration and one percent inspiration. Change requires focus and sustained effort before results are noticeable. The process is not a straight path, but a spiral of movement forward, slips, stagnation, and leaps ahead. It’s easy to get discouraged and be swayed by the pull of habit. Expect to feel discomfort. You may feel confused, awkward, or anxious. Studies show that on average that changing habits requires at least two months of vigilant monitoring, and they still sneak up on you. Be patient. Continue to exert your will-power, and over time your persistence will pay off.   For years, every January I’d make resolutions and set goals for the coming year. Twelve months later, I’d see if I’d accomplished them, never considering the “how to” middle part. Of course, “good intentions” didn’t get me very far. Here are six tips that I’ve learned:   1. Create an action plan. I’d get overwhelmed and lose confidence when I thought about a major goal. Break it down into smaller steps by month, week, and daily to-do lists. Actionable steps become manageable and doable.   2. Heighten self-awareness. People often seek therapy to raise their self-esteem or overcome addictions and co-dependency. If your resolution is to change your habits, self-awareness and vigilance are needed in order to interrupt old patterns. Daily meditation and journaling are potent and helpful tools in monitoring and changing your thoughts, feelings, and behaviour.   3. Encourage yourself. Discouragement is normal. Become a positive coach, and continually give yourself positive feedback, praise, and recognition. Look for small signs of progress and celebrate them. If you have low-self-esteem, you may talk yourself out of your desires and think you lack the skill, worth, or ability to achieve them.   Underlying depression does the same thing. Self-doubt and negative self-talk paralyze you in a past expression of yourself. They sap energy and motivation, and can easily persuade you to give up. If you aren’t making progress or slip into old habits, don’t dwell on your “mistake.” Rather than stay stuck in self-judgment and guilt, admit what you did or didn’t do, and quickly get back on track. Stay solution-oriented. Ask yourself, “What am I going to do about it?” Self-forgiveness improves both self-esteem and future behaviour.   4. Have a vision. To create a powerful motivation for change, picture yourself as you’d like to be and see yourself happy and confident behaving in the new way. Rather than focusing on what you don’t want, focus on what you desire. Here are some suggestions to manifest the new you:   Draw the future you.   Imagine what it would be like if you were the future you in this moment. See yourself carrying out your New Year’s resolutions. Notice the expression on your face, and experience how you would feel in your body. See the future you as having accomplished your goals. Experience yourself feeling proud, happy, and confident. See people in your life responding favorably to you.   5. Get support. Some changes entail facing the unknown or a perceived danger, such as life after a divorce, moving to a new city, or standing up to intimidation. They require courage, and support can be a great help. Addictions and habits are hard to break, especially if they’re driven by temptation, like drugs, food, and sex. Support and encouragement from friends, family, a mentor, support group, or therapist are vital until new patterns are established as part of your self-definition.   Many people make changes on their own. If it’s been difficult for you, or if you find it hard to muster motivation and self-discipline, it may be that an internal shift is required before anything external can permanently change. Sometimes, unconscious beliefs about yourself and what’s possible hold you back. Consider that therapy can lift depression and move you through the challenges outlined above. It can raise your self-esteem, facilitate insight, and guide you in facing the unknown and maintaining new behaviour.   Good luck and Happy New Year! - Darlene Lancer

5 REASONS WHY INSTAGRAM ADS IS BETTER THAN FACEBOOK ADS

Instagram’s advertising platform allows for the ability to build well-rounded ads for audiences, gain brand image more quickly, and drive traffic at the same level — all while utilizing the powerful audience and advertising that Facebook Ads was (and is) based on. When it comes to advertising through Facebook and Instagram, there are no limits to amount of advertisements and data you can collect and learn from over time. All you have to do is select the best ad management tool, target your audience sand then set your ad campaigns in motion. After that, it’s all about optimization and the further monitoring and improvement of your campaigns. With so much discussion about how to effectively advertise on social media these days, we’re about to discuss two of the main channels for ads and engage your viewers: Instagram and Facebook. Facebook Advertising is Leading the World of Social The efficacy of this media platform is the main factor brands post on Instagram. Fair ad prices and a Facebook marketing set-up process allow Instagram advertisements a fast way to target a larger audience. The user base for Instagram is growing at a stable speed. Instagram reached over 700 million daily active users in April 2017, as stated by TechCrunch. Even more, advertisers are finding their way into ads on Instagram. Over the last two years, social media ad costs have grown globally, from $16 billion US in 2014 to $31 billion in 2016. In 2017, the authors found a global rise in revenue on social media advertising of 26.3 percent. If you don’t have an ad on Instagram or Facebook yet, it’s not too late. An Instagram advertisement account can be set up for sure. Instagram Advertising Is Constantly Growing Once you’ve heard about security patches to Instagram, you must know that the app is updated daily to have an excellent user interface (and making advertising there even more efficient). Instagram tale styles for new attack aims, visual effects, marketer targeting tools. This is only the start! IG also has a platform in place that makes it easier for advertisers and brands to set a budget so they can acquire more likes and comments from their followers. Three factors imply that Instagram is growing at such a high pace: Instagram offers new features to help brands to communicate more efficiently. The site becomes deeply beloved by its users. All the way, Instagram gets new people aboard. All of this gives Instagram THE forum for finding new campaign concepts. There are already over 5 million Instagram market pages, and we sure hope that your name is one of them. Instagram Audience Targeting Is Best in Class Like the rest of your ads operating on the Facebook website, you must know that Instagram ads can be run in the Facebook Ads Manager. (Facebook refers to Instagram) Facebook needs to reach three audience types: Saved Listeners depend on the value Custom Audiences: audience and consumer pay per click People related to the other fans, Lookalike Audiences For your Instagram projects, each of these age segments offers you plenty of unique time to expand the ideal audience. To make sure you’ve not missed out on anything, test all the Instagram audience tracking choices available. This would also include tracking pixels, conversion tracking and CPM/CPC options. The average person has been known to spends 50 minutes a day on social media — which includes platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger. This is from Facebook’s estimated 1.6 billion monthly users. This makes it incredibly likely for Instagram users to connect with your ads as well. Notably, if you are trying to align your marketing offers with the needs of your target market. Instagram Advertising Is Quick to Start The best chance you’ll get enough insight to build a first Instagram advertisement after you’ve spent 20h learning about Instagram ads. In fact, you will not need a large budget to get off, by bidder $10. You will get result on Instagram Analysis of Instagram ad costs by AdEspresso found that the average cost-per-click on Instagram has risen in time, now around $0.80. Installing your Instagram for the Market site and posting the first advert takes one hour. That’s loads easier than designing an ad plan with Google AdWords or other pay-per-click advertisements. The Facebook Ad Manager interface also allows us to track and assess your ads, making these adjustments. People and Advertisers Love Instagram Fifty-one percent of users usually refer, per Pew Research, and 35 percent say they look at the site repeatedly a day. Here are some ads figures for Instagram that you should know: On Instagram, 95 million videos and photos a day are posted. Instagram now has 1 million daily ads on a monthly, up from just 200,000 in March 2016. This year, eMarketer expects that the smartphone ad sales of Instagram will hit $2.81 billion, rising for over 10 percent of Facebook’s subsidiary’s global ad dollars. Instagram is an always popular news site with these fantastic usage statistics, which tends you attract a lot of access to the brand and engage users. Key Takeaways from Instagram and Facebook Marketing When it comes to social media marketing and the branding of your business, it’s important to remember that it’s never too late to get started. New users are signing on daily, and through the use of audience, demographic and interest targeting, your options for getting in front of the right users is limitless. With more than 1 million advertisers involved with Instagram ads, there is simply no reason for you to not get involved as well. There is a vast crowd out there just waiting for your content, services and expertise… so create something amazing for them to start consuming!