Tips for Young and Aspiring Entrepreneurs #6

Find good people. 

Who you’re with is who you become. Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, noted that the fastest way to change yourself is to hang out with people who are already the way you want to be.

Tips for Young and Aspiring Entrepreneurs #5

Have a vision. 

The founder and CEO of Tumblr, David Karp, notes that an entrepreneur is someone who has a vision for something and a desire to create it. Keep your vision clear at all times.

Tips for Young and Aspiring Entrepreneurs #4

Believe in yourself. 

As Henry Ford famously said, “Whether you think you can, or think you can’t, you’re right.” Believe that you can succeed, and you’ll find ways through different obstacles. If you don’t, you’ll just find excuses.

Tips for Young and Aspiring Entrepreneurs #3

Take the risk.  

We never know the outcome of our efforts unless we actually do it. Jeff Bezos said it helped to know that he wouldn’t regret failure, but he would regret not trying.

Tips for Young and Aspiring Entrepreneurs #2

Do work you care about.  

There’s no doubt that running a business take a lot of time. Steve Jobs noted that the only way to be satisfied in your life is to do work that you truly believe in.

Tips for Young and Aspiring Entrepreneurs #1

Challenge yourself. 

Richard Branson says his biggest motivation is to keep challenging himself. He treats life like one long university education, where he can learn more every day. You can too!

25 Habits That Prove You Were Born to Be an Entrepreneur #2

Here are more 25 habits that born-to-be entrepreneurs can’t help but show. How many do you possess?

26. You effectively delegate tasks and assign resources. In household chores and business operations alike.

27. You set deadlines for yourself. No excuses.

28. You like telling stories. You love to tell people about your experiences.

29. You’re hyper competitive. You can’t even play a board game without flipping that switch.

30. You get involved with things. If you see a car on the side of the road, you get out and ask if you can help.

31. You cut out things in your life that don’t work for you. If it’s inefficient or bothersome, it’s gone.

32. You negotiate whatever you can. Flea markets and salaries are just the beginning.

33. You see the potential in people. You don’t see people for who they are. You see them for who they could be.

34. You’re calm in a crisis. When stuff hits the fan, you still think logically.

35. You follow up with people when you want something. You don’t let opportunities go.

36. You avoid things that waste your time. You’re immune to mobile games and idle social-media time.

37. You persuade people to your side. You’re a natural rhetorician.

38. You make rational decisions, not emotional ones. For the most part, you trust your logic over your emotions.

39. You don’t forget people’s emotions. Still, there’s great sympathy in you.

40. You lose track of time when pursuing passion projects. Time seems to fly when you’re heads-down working on something.

41. You frequently start new passion projects. Every week, a new idea is transformed into a hobby.

42. You constantly upgrade your house (or car or anything). There’s always something to tinker with, replace or improve.

43. You’re crazy about new technology. You’re addicted to learning how new technologies can improve your life.

44. You read the news every day. It’s an ingrained habit.

45. You read books voraciously. Every book offers something new.

46. You listen to that internal voice. You trust your instincts.

47. You listen to others’ advice. You make your own decisions, but listen to others’ opinions too.

48. You don’t dwell in the past. When bad things happen, you keep moving forward.

49. You make sacrifices for what you want. You know you have to give things up to see greater success.

50. You never write off your dreams. You take your aspirations seriously. They’re a part of you.

25 Habits That Prove You Were Born to Be an Entrepreneur #1

Here are 25 habits that born-to-be entrepreneurs can’t help but show. How many do you possess?

1. You can’t sit still. You’re always itching to come up with something, and do something great.

2. You’re always coming up with ideas. Good or bad, the flow of ideas never stops.

3. You can pinpoint flaws in other ideas. It comes naturally to you.

4. You marvel at successful business owners. Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates are just a few of your heroes.

5. You get excited when you see a successful business in action.Whether it’s a local bar or a supermarket franchise, you can’t help but smile when you see a good business.

6. You constantly think of ways to improve your employer’s business. When you’re at work, you only think about how it could be better.

7. You hate being told what to do. You’re resentful of taking orders.

8. You love to learn new things. How tos and tutorials are what you’re all about.

9. You take things apart to see how they work. Remotes, toasters, phones -- you love to see the inner workings.

10. You dream of wealth. Money isn’t everything, but you can’t help but have it on your mind.

11. You don’t give up easily. You face tough challenges but keep going.

12. You’re disciplined in your habits. You have set routines that don’t get broken easily.

13. You aren’t afraid of hard work. You give everything in your life 100 percent.

14. You have a high threshold for risk. You don’t take blind risks, but you don’t stay complacent either.

15. You meet as many people as you can. You aren’t afraid to branch out and meet new people.

16. You talk to everyone you meet. Strangers aren’t intimidating to you.

17. You bounce back from failure. You’ve experienced crushing failure, but it’s never stopped you from coming back.

18. You like calling the shots. You like the sound of being a director.

19. You set goals for yourself. Big or small, goals fill your life.

20. You help people whenever you can. You’re interested in the greater good.

21. You find challenges in everything you do. You seek out opportunities to challenge yourself.

22. You find ways to inspire people. You’re inspired by inspiration.

23. You plan everything down to the little details. Plans are a prerequisite for any activity.

24. You’re proud of yourself. You like who you are.

25. You help your friends solve their problems. You’re great at problem analysis.

Ways to Build Your Email Subscriber List

Few things are more valuable to a business than an email subscriber list full of interested customers and prospects.  Although many believe that the age of the spam filter has destroyed email marketing forever, the fact is, spam filters are only designed to protect people from unwanted mail. If you build a list of folks who want to receive your emails, you’ll avoid spam filters and stay top-of-mind with your prospects.

If you’d like to expand your marketing reach, consider the following ways to build your email subscriber list:

1. Offer sign-up forms on your website

While your customers are browsing your website, make sure to give them the opportunity to sign up for your newsletters without making a purchase.  Remember, prospects can be transformed into customers over time if you find a way to make them remember you. A great way to do this is by offering a “subscribe to our newsletter” form where prospects can enter their contact information to receive your emails. In order to maximize the number of subscriptions, make sure to put this “call to action” on the header or footer of your site so that it is visible on every page. You might also include a link to subscribe in the signature line of your email, giving your current customers and day-to-day contacts the opportunity to request your newsletter.

2. Ask customers to sign-up when they make a purchase

When your customers make an online purchase, they have already shown an interest in your product; which means they are a prime candidate to buy from you again. During the checkout process, offer a button that gives you permission to send them email communications. Place this in an easy to see area so they can take advantage of this opportunity. Also, make sure to let them know you’ll never spam them with unwanted emails.

3. Offer free stuff

Nothing gets folks’ attention like free stuff. Encourage people to sign up by offering free content such as white papers, checklists or guides.  Just make sure whatever you provide, it’s top quality.  Remember, the content you offer is a reflection of your company’s quality and you want to make a great first impression!

4. Offer an exclusive opportunity or deal

Offer a sale for subscribers only. It can be 10% off or a first look at a new product or even the ability to purchase a product before regular customers. Remember, there are two things people always love -- getting a bargain and being part of an exclusive group!  Combining the two can be a strong incentive for folks to join your list!

5. Let them share

Word of mouth is still the best way to secure new customers, although in the modern world it may be more "word of email" of "word of social media." Give customers the ability to forward your emails to their friends. Make sure to put this option in large print at the top of the screen to encourage this behavior. The more your emails are forwarded, the faster your list will grow and the better your chances of increasing sales.

6. Deliver value-add content

Blatant sales pitches are annoying. Customers that receive too many “buy my product” emails are likely to hit the unsubscribe button -- not good!  Rather than simply pitching your product, generate content that your customers will value. Links to articles from third parties or sharing your own expertise is a great way to build credibility and goodwill at the same time.  Our advice to customers is to remember the ratio 4:1.  For every 4 value add emails sent, you’ve “earned the right” to send a promotional-focused email.