Oh! I TOTALLY relate! In fact, the past few months, my heart-cry has been to stay focused. Everywhere I have turned, I have heard messages on staying focused…saw articles on being focused…and talked with my friends about being focused. As a result, I have found a few great secrets that have really helped me to stay focused on the most important things in my life and get more done at the same time. Want to know those secrets? Well, let’s dig in…

BEGIN EACH DAY WITH A QUIET TIME…

I know what you just thought…”BUT! Cindy, that gets me off track for the day!”  Oh! Beloved, nothing can help to focus on the REAL plan for the day…the best opportunities…the most important. Actually, on those days that I am very, very tempted to skimp on my Quiet Time, I actually find that I am better prepared for the day that bombards me just moments later. Maybe it is the fresh perspective. Maybe it is renewal of my heart and mind. Maybe it is slowing down to remember to choose the best in everything for that day. Whatever, I never lose by taking time to let God fill my cup first thing each day. Want a great secret to staying focused this year? Begin each day with the best tool for getting focused–a Daily Quiet Time.

Make it easy!

Begin with Daily Bible Reading. Begin with just reading 5 minutes…or in 10 you can usually read through the Bible in a Year using any program! JUST TEN MINUTES A DAY!!

Choose a plan–one that will get you in the Word and NOT frustrate you. And…while you are choosing, choose a new Bible. Each year I choose a different version for Daily Bible Reading. Talk about a HUGE difference! I have been a Christian for 34 years. One of my frustrations (now this is being honest) with Daily Bible Reading is that I found myself skipping over certain passages that I *THOUGHT* I knew. Oh! Struggle with that too? Well, why not try a new version this year? It will make words jump out and seize you! It will make those stories come alive! Last year, I chose to read through THE MESSAGE version of the Bible. It was SUPER! It made such a difference in making God’s Word come alive that I decided to choose another version for my Daily Bible Reading this year. Just begin! Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day. Instead just dig in and let God talk to you. HE WILL!

As you begin with your Daily Bible Reading, keep a journal close by. Each day, jot down your favorite verse from the day in your journal. I love that this one discipline helps me to stay focused and tuned in for the study…but it does more… I am amazed that almost every day someone comes across my path who needs the Words that God gives me during my Quiet Times. Give it a try! The Word will stick to your brain and be on the tip of your tongue. Plus, it will keep you focused each day on the most important things! Give it a try!

Finally, during your quiet time, read the Bible, copy a verse that jumps out at you, and take some time to just pour out your heart to God and listen to Him before jumping into your day. He wants for you to come to Him and pour out your heart. He doesn’t want for you to walk through your journey by yourself. He delights in being there with you communing with you along the way. Begin each day with some time with Him…you will be amazed at how much more you will accomplish and how focused you will be each day!

WRITE IT ALL DOWN…

Another secret! Actually, this one needs to become a lifestyle thing. Let me explain! Several years ago, I began the New Year (2006) with a bit of frustration. I had so many dreams…so many desires…so many goals…so many to-do’s. In fact, I had had those dreams,desires, goals, to-do’s for many years. Each year, I would dreamily resolve to “go for it” yet again. And…again the next year. Know what I mean???

Well, 2006 was a year of change for me. Looking back, this was one single factor that really made the difference! This has made a world of difference for me every year since then. Want my secret?

I took some time during the last week of December 2005 to just brainstorm anything and everything that I really wanted to do and accomplish. Oh! You should see the poor journal that housed those dreams, desires, goals, and to-do’s! Such a treasure as I look back and see all of the amazing things that were DONE as a result of just writing it all down and then working it!

I just kicked back and spent the time to get everything out of my brain and into the journal. When I woke up in the middle of the night and something was on my brain, I got up and wrote it down. I kept the journal close for the whole week. I wrote out everything–the little things that I just could not find time to get wrapped up…the projects that seemed to never fit into my schedule…the business goals that I had…the financial goals (including how much money I owed on my debts–remember 2006 was my attack year on my debts and I ended the year with ALL of them paid off!!! WOoohooo!)…the dreams that just seemed a bit out of reach.

I wrote down everything that came across my mind.  I compiled them in the journal as to-do lists for different areas of life–the financial page listed each bill I owed with the amount I owed. For my writing goals, I listed books I wanted to finish and project ideas that were on my heart. I even wrote out my dreams for an online radio show–YEP! That far-fetched dream became reality as I began Mom-to-Mom Radio Show in January of 2006. Only a dream. Just needed focus!

Want to know the fun part about this? I reached ALL of my dreams, desires, goals, and to-do’s that I wrote down in January by May. Yes, you read that correctly–BY MAY!! I had to sit down and begin a new journal then with the same format, except I was much more bold in my dreams, desires, goals, and to-do’s. Of all of the years of my life, 2006 was record-breaking! As a family, we reached for greater things and grasped onto them! We dared to go for all of the “impossible” things with focus and determination. It made all of the difference in the world to have it all written down. To mark off each accomplishment was priceless! Yep! This was another secret for staying focused.

Since then, this has become a major part of my life. I saw such a change in my personal productivity that I made this a lifestyle. I regularly pull back for a getaway to really go over my “little black book” and see what has been done, what is yet to be done, and add more dreams and desires to the list. It makes a world of difference for me. But, that is not all, I also take that notebook out each month and each week to dig out any projects that need to be written into my calendar. Those things to do are part of my weekly things to do. Now, they are no longer wishes or dreams, but they are books, projects, and accomplishments that are my HISTORY.

Want that? Why not try it for your New Year and see how it works for you? I think you will love it!

USE A DAILY TO-DO LIST…

A few years ago, I read a book with my children for a homeschool unit study we pursued during the last four years of my son’s school years. I know, I know. It was a study that took on a life of its own. It began with a simple biography about a great businessman. We continued through as many biographies as we could find. We STILL pursue these studies even though my son graduated almost 3 years ago!

What’s the point? Oh! This is a good one!

We read one book about Mary Kay. You always learn so much when digging into the lives of others. One of the life-changing things that I learned from her life was from one thing that she attributed to her success–her daily to-do list. Daily, she kept a list of 5 things to do for the day. Each day the list changed. She wouldn’t list the impossible. She just plugged away each day on 5 vital things for THAT DAY.

I pondered that for a while. I knew that my biggest struggle was having bigger plans than I have hours to work on them. I decided to pray for my daily “5 things” for the day each and every day.

Talk about a great secret for getting and staying focused!

First, it keeps us from going day-after-day never getting “anything” done. You know that feeling? It comes from a lack of purpose and direction. Keeping a journal with all of the stuff on your heart for the year is great. Then, we can look at our daily to-do’s and add those other things into that list of five things. I try to add ONE THING per day from my journal, even if it is a little thing. Of course, there are days that I have to be realistic and limit myself to the demands of the day. I am OK with that when I have hope that I will not put off the heartbeats for years to come. Adding them into my “5 things” regularly helps. Also, on those days that I am blank or that I happen to have some extra time to myself, I go through my journal and work through some of the simple tasks that I can attack. It worked great this year!

Oh! On those days that I have 25 things to choose from…you know that those days pop up constantly, don’t you?…Well, on those days, I write all of them down on a Post-it Note. As I look at my day, I jot down my top five essentials for the day from that list. If things go better than planned, I always have the others to keep on working on. But, this helps me to be sure that I begin plugging away on the things that need to get done to finish up things as soon as I can. It clears my brain and keeps me focused on working my plan. It helps me to accomplish much each day. And…keeps me focused all year long. I don’t get overwhelmed as easily. I don’t miss big things or let big things pile up any more. Give it a try! This year will be your best year yet!

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH GREAT (FOCUSED) PEOPLE…

I don’t know about you, but I really grasp for more in life when I have a big dose of encouragement and inspiration. Nothing fires me up more than people who are focused on going for all that God has in store for them. I just LOVE their passion for success! They challenge me to keep growing, keep moving, keep grasping for my dreams. They inspire me to step out there and trust God for those impossible things that intimidate me. They keep my brain turning and fresh. They spur me to reach for the very, very best!

Do I sound blessed? Did you just “wish” you had others like this? Have you written yourself off?

Oh! Beloved! I am not advocating that you scrap your friends and family. :)  Rather, I want to encourage you to ask the Lord to show you those that can step into the gap there. Ask God to show you opportunities this year to surround yourself with great people.

Years ago, one of my friends told me that great people are only as great as those that they surround themselves with. Talk about inspiring me! Well, she went one step forward…she said that a mediocre person could become great by surrounding themselves with the very best people in all areas of their lives. I have pondered that since she said it. It is SO true!

I have endeavored to surround myself with great people. They are everywhere! I am not special. You have them around you too.

We live in a complicated culture. Whereas, life is not simple like the lifestyle our grandparents had where they could learn from others while sitting on the front porch sipping tea and chatting (yep, I am from the South! WINK), they also did not have access to so much at their fingertips. We have the internet. We have books, audios and media.

Take time to get to know others. Take time to learn from others. You would probably be surprised at what is deep inside of those surrounding you.

I want to know the greatness hidden inside of those surrounding me. Everyone has something great in there. Digging into their greatness instills greatness in me…AND challenges them to reach for more greatness. It makes the most of our time together.

Of course, those people are the ones that I am around “in person” in my life. But, I also have some choices with my free time. I can surround myself with great people through books…online classes…audios…and other methods of study. I plug into great people regularly who are reaching for the best. They inspire me. They fire me up! They keep me growing!

Wanta get and stay focused? Those that surround you can make or break you! Surround yourself with focused people!

GET RID OF ALL HINDRANCES…

Anybody sitting there and thinking of all of the reasons that you cannot do ONE THING I have written…

…You have little ones that constantly interrupt your quiet times?
…You don’t have TIME for a quiet time?
…You have too much to do each day to write down your list in a journal?
…You don’t have any money for a journal–it IS after Christmas???
…Your day is so full of things wrapped around the children that you could never plan for “5 to-do’s” each day?
…Those around you are YOUR problem!

Oh! Beloved! I DO understand! And…this is YOUR year!

Take a peek at Hebrews 12: 1-2 (I LOVE IT in The Message)…

Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!

This passage really fires me up! It was one of my key verses. It follows the chapter reminding us of the great men and women of faith throughout Scripture. Then, continues in this passage telling us what it is all there for…to remind us to lay aside every encumbrance, the sin that so easily entangles us, get busy running the race, staying focused on Jesus and HOW HE ran the race. It is SO good!!

It doesn’t tell us that our circumstances will be ideal. It doesn’t tell us that everyone around us will “get it” and support us or get on board with us. It doesn’t tell us to change those around us. It simply reminds us to get focused on Jesus and get rid of all of the hindrances so we can run the race faithfully!

I have no idea what you will be facing this year. My year last year was not perfect. I had some very, very tough times from time-to-time. I had times that I got tired and weary along the way. I had times that everything I touched seemed to crash. However, a big secret to grasping onto all of the things that God had in store for me was to get rid of all of the hindrances and run the race faithfully. God didn’t demand that I do everything perfect, rather He simply wanted for me to keeping my eyes on Jesus while I faced all of the tough stuff. To stay focused!

I had to look past the impossibilities. I had to lay aside every hindrance and every encumbrance. I had to repent of my sins, confessing them so I could be healed and run the race with strength and stamina–sin zaps our strength and stamina. I had to drop my excuses–yep, that is what they were! I had to let go of everything that had been hindering me. Want to stay focused? Get rid of all of the hindrances today! You have a great year ahead!

READY?

On your Mark…Get Set…

We have a great year ahead! Are you ready to go for it? Are you tired of setting resolutions and fizzle on January 2nd? Are you sick of being where you are? Are you ready to go for those dreams? Do you want to have the best year yet?

Oh! Try out my secrets! Stay focused! Make 2009 your best year yet!

Mastermind!

Wondering what is that? Masterminding is when we connect with family members, a group of friends, or other writers to brainstorm or throw out ideas or make a game plan. When you mastermind, you get real feedback from those who want to see you succeed and reach your goals.

Brainstorming with others is a wonderful way to beat Writer’s Block.  When you are stuck, make brainstorming fun.  You can sit and just start throwing ideas out or make a game by putting ideas in a hat and then passing it around to read or act out.

We call this a “mastermind” session.

And you’d be absolutely amazed at how productive it can be.  Folks throw out ideas that you never even thought of.  They offer opinions that you weren’t even close to considering.  Why?  Because they think differently than you do.  And that can be a good thing.

Are you having trouble with generating ideas for your eBook , or expanding upon what you are already writing about?  Get a group of folks together (or even ONE person is a wonderful start) and ask questions.  Explain what you are writing about and ask for suggestions, ideas and opinions. Voila — you’ve got more ideas and a fresh perspective to write from.

Want to go uplevel? Want to reach for your dreams? Mastermind!

Businesses are like relationships:  commitment is an absolute must if they are to succeed.  Here are some tips for staying focused and pulling through the hard times.

* Write a mission statement if you haven’t done so already. It should concisely detail the purpose of your business and its key philosophies.  Many entrepreneurs neglect to do this unless it is required to obtain funding.  But a mission statement can help you remember why you wanted to start a business in the first place.

* Set goals. If you don’t have something specific to work toward, it’s hard to stay motivated.  By setting challenging yet attainable and measurable goals, you increase your chances of succeeding whether you meet them or not.

* Don’t overwork yourself. Starting and running a business is hard work, and it’s easy to get caught up in a cycle of endless 16-hour days.  It’s rather ironic that this commitment to your business can result in burnout, which can leave you without the energy you need to keep going.  While it may not be feasible to take a vacation when your business is just getting off the ground, it doesn’t hurt to take a day off every now and then.  Taking a breather will give you time to regroup and remember why you chose the path you’re on.

* Outsource the tasks that bore or frustrate you. Small business owners often fall into the trap of thinking they must do everything themselves.  Sometimes they are on tight budgets and don’t feel they can afford to hire help, whilst others are unwilling to let go of the total control they have.  But if you’re suffering from a lack of motivation, outsourcing can get you back on track by allowing you to focus on the things you love about your business.

* Evaluate the state of your business. If you’ve hit a rough spot, perhaps a change of plans is in order.  You may need to focus your offerings more tightly, rethink your marketing methods, or invest in better equipment.  By isolating and solving the problem, you can get back to business as usual.

Sometimes it’s hard to maintain the level of commitment that we have in the initial phases of a business venture.  By doing what it takes to remain focused and remembering why we chose this path in the first place, we can keep ourselves motivated.  When we reach our goals, we will realize that it was all worthwhile.

We are on the countdown now to launch our new radio show JUST FOR WRITERS!! You will love this show! We will have lots of encouragement, inspiration, and practical how-to’s in each and every show. I have a sneaky suspicion that you will LOVE this show! Our goal is to make it your favorite!

Get ready! The Writer’s Radio Show launches Thursday!

I have a website right now that is hosted by a Canadian company. Nothing wrong with that except if I need help, the phone calls are really, really expensive. I’m wanting to get a web host here in the USA but don’t have any clue about who is good and who isn’t. The company I’m with now was recommended to me by a friend, so I knew they were ok.

I thought of you when I was looking around. Do you mind telling me who you’re with and if you’re happy with them? I’m really wanting to get my writing off the ground this year and do more on my website to promote the things I’m doing. My website is okay, but nothing great. It could be better. One of my goals this year is to finish the homeschool book I’m working on and to start selling some of my things on my website.

I really appreciate your input. I think so highly of you! You have no idea what you have done for me in my homeschooling journey. You were one of the first authors I read and you made me feel like I could do it! I’ll be graduating my baby (read: youngest) this year! It’s so hard to believe!

Thanks again, Cindy!!

Love in Christ ~ Julie

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
FROM CINDY…
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hey!

Thanks for your note!

I host with two hosts–one is for most of my normal sites. The other is for my podcast site.

I use GOT-Hosting for my normal sites. They are very reasonable. I have wonderful service and 99% up time. Here is my link to them: CLICK HERE

I use Mom Webs for my podcast site. It demands a lot of bandwidth. They handle our demands very well. They were our hosts for our Ultimate Homeschool Expo and all of our radio shows. They were amazing. Here is our link to them: http://www.writers-nook.com/MomWebs.html

Hope this will help you. You can’t go wrong with either company!

Love ya!
Cindy

Sorry to be SO QUIET. I have been swamped with getting ready for the holidays, then I have taken family time the past two weeks—my soldier is HOME! We look like a family of geeks. We came to Elisabeth’s coffee shop to visit and the WIFI is soooo good that we have to succumb to the temptation to get online for a bit. LOL

I wanted to answer Lisa’s question:

Judy and anyone else that cares to chime in,

Have you found what you need - to learn to make the changes in your WP
template? I may be jumping into this sooner than thought and would
appreciate any help that may be given.

I am doing a bit of remodeling of my website and wanting my blogs to
look like the departments of my site that they are patterned after. I
don’t know yet if I will be hiring someone to design the blog
templates for me, or if I will tackle it myself. (I should hire, I
don’t have time. But I am the only one that sees the picture in my
head. And finding just the right graphics is probably what I need
to do first.

I have skimmed through many pages at WP.org for info on changing and
designing themes, and also came across a software that works with
Dreamweaver to design WP Themes. Since I use Dreamweaver for designing
my site, this may be a good possibility. It is called ThemeDreamer.

Let me know what you’ve found.

For Me and My House,
Lisa @ Me and My House ministries
http://frommeandmyhouse.com
Discipleship for Life!

Articles, blogs and resources for Christian Growth, Biblical Home
Discipleship/Education, Family Living, and Biblical Nutrition.

Lisa, I have two suggestions. First, I want to tell you my experience. I CAN DO web design with Wordpress and CSS, but about 6 months ago I decided to take the counsel of some of my dear friends who were gurus in internet marketing and just outsource somethings. Obviously, I cannot outsource writing—THAT is what I am all about. I feel the same about blogging and many of the other thousand tasks that we do every day in business. Finally, it hit me that I COULD outsource some “jobs” that were just nagging at me. One was my web design templates. I am SO glad that I did.

I worked with Kelly from Freshnets. Here is my link to learn more about her services (please do use it if you use this advice. J):

http://www.Writers-Nook.com/FreshNets.html

Kelly did a super job at taking time to really get to know me and my businesses. We had known each other through several business seminars and through online business fellowship before she took on my sites, but she “knocked it out of the ball park” by really getting to KNOW me, my style, my brand, my heartbeats. The first banners she sent my way SO CAPTURED me and the spirit of my “home” on the web. They took everything to another whole level that would never have been possible for me to do without a HUGE learning curve and much time away from the things that ONLY I can do. Take a peek at some of her designs for me:

http://www.CindysDesktop.com
http://www.Talk-a-Latte.com
http://www.MomtoMomRadioShow.com
http://www.CindyRushton.com
http://www.Writers-Nook.com

Also, go to her site and peek at the other sites she has designed:

http://www.Writers-Nook.com/FreshNets.html

I think that you will find that she is well worth hiring. First, the time and energy saved. Secondly, the way she can capture and pull your brand together.

I wanted for all of them to be cohesive, yet individual. She helped me to continue “the look” through all of them without getting redundant. She also helped each site to show its heartbeat and purpose. I loved it!

Lisa, I cannot articulate how much it helped me to turn Kelly loose to do what she does best. Kelly can help you simplify, get on target with your real vision, and step out there into the things that you have been putting off. I think you will find that she will do more for your sites than 20 other businesses. J

Now, saying that…I did say that I have two suggestions.

If you want to try it yourself, I do have one other suggestion. Kelly is teaming up with Lynette Chandler to offer a fabulous FTM that teaches you the ins and outs of blog design. It is intended to help those who want to have a web-design business to get started and learn the secrets behind setting up a professional website. I LOVE IT! Here is my link for it:

http://Writers-Nook.com/BlogEvangelist.html

Not only do you receive lessons on how to build and market your business, but you also get amazing help with Wordpress. I love it! It is not as fast paced as you may need if you are in a hurry setting up your sites with a new fresh template, but the lessons are super! Now, if you are in a hurry, that brings me to another recommendation-oops! That is THREE!

I recommend Lynette’s Blogging Starter Pack. It is absolutely the best resource out there to help you learn how to use Wordpress fast. Here is my link to that:

http://www.Writers-Nook.com/bloggingstarterpack.html

I had NO idea how to do anything in Wordpress before I got her set. In one weekend, I GOT IT! It will really help you understand Wordpress better very fast. Do note: the videos show the older admin panel, but Lynette does a super job of keeping you updated with changes on her members-only blog that you can access for free with your purchase. I think you will be pleased.

So, what do you do if you have no idea where to begin and you are in a hurry????

I would first suggest going ahead and hiring Kelly to help you get going. You will love her. She is just fabulous to work with. If you are in a bind for money or you think you can handle most of it yourself, then go for Blog Evangelist and the Blogging Starter Pack. I think you will love them! They are ALWAYS on my laptop! J

Hope this helps!

Love ya!
Cindy

Get ready for a BIG NEW YEAR with the Writer’s Nook!
http://www.Writers-Nook.com

What is this concept of long tail niche marketing?  When someone enters words into a search engine, they try to be as concise as possible.  we’ve been taught that the fewer words we use, the more targeted our search and the better the results will be.  This works most of the time, but the results are usually general.

If you want to conduct a more detailed search, the option may be to use longer keyword phrases.  People promoting their websites are trying to see if this is a useful technique.  Using longer phrases targets the visitors to your blog or website business better than single keywords.

Routinely, it takes more than one or two words to find what you are looking for.  Let’s say that you want to specifically know how to write articles for a Christian magazine.  Entering keywords like “article writing” or “Christian writing” may not get the targeted results you want.  A few more words will have to be added to the keyword search.

Try entering a phrase like, “writing articles for Christian magazines”. This phrase is longer but the results will be more exact if the person trying to attract your business is using long tail niche marketing strategies.  They will optimize their content and web pages using the longer phrases that describe their business niche.  In that way, when these phrases are entered in the search, they will rank highly on the page of results.

One or two word phrases are still the norm, but long tail niche marketing has a chance.  For people who find it difficult to reach higher page ranks using one word keywords, this is an option that begs to be explored.

As with other forms of SEO marketing, you’ll have to perform a bit of research to get the best results possible.  Examine your keywords.  Use an analysis program like Google Keywords tool to determine the best keywords to use for your search.  One way to get started with long tail niche marketing is to choose the most popular keywords and string them along to create a popular phrase.

With long tail niche marketing, there is no way to be sure right now if you are using a good phrase without some trial and error.  Attaching some sort of analyzer to your website page reveals what search parameters were used to find your site.  That information can be helpful in creating new long tail phrases for future web pages.

Long tail niche marketing involves using longer keyword phrases to drive traffic to your website.  The best part about it is the traffic will be targeted to your particular enterprise and offers a greater potential for viable sales.

It’s easy to overlook marketing altogether. But it’s also easy to overdo it and really mess up with marketing. Business owners who get “marketing madness” face problems as well. Overspending on marketing can eat into your profits, possibly even destroying your business. And it’s also possible that if you market too heavily, people will begin to tune you out.

There are several possible reasons for marketing madness, such as:

* Business owners become overly concerned about market share. Having a good amount of market share is great, but it’s not the be all and end all of being in business. You don’t have to crush the competition to make profits and grow your business.

* They believe that more is better. Whether it’s running full-page ads in the newspaper every week or buying numerous commercial slots on the radio, some marketers feel that the more they’re seen and heard, the better. Name recognition is a wonderful thing, but your market could get tired of hearing the same message over and over.

* Business owners believe that every new product, price change, display rearrangement or procedure improvement needs to be shouted from the rooftops. While it’s smart to use discounts and exciting news about your store, service or website to gain recognition, there is such a thing as overkill.

* Marketers aren’t targeting their efforts to the right market segment. If you’re not marketing to the people who want and need what you have to offer, you might as well be whistling in the wind. But some do not realize this and simply throw more money into advertising without thinking more carefully about who they are advertising to.

* They go after the same leads for too long. While it’s important to make multiple contacts, there comes a point after which you’re just wasting your time. Rather than continuing to spend money pursuing leads that have shown zero interest, why not find some new ones with potential?

* Marketers may not be measuring the results of their campaigns properly. It’s essential to evaluate the success of every campaign so that you can adjust it if needed, and so you’ll have information on what works and what doesn’t for future reference. If you don’t, it’s easy to overspend on campaigns that aren’t doing well.

Marketing madness can result in unnecessary expenses and burnout. By carefully evaluating all of your marketing endeavors, you can avoid wasting money on things that do not work and get better results for your marketing dollars. Sometimes it pays to market smarter, not harder. Don’t mess up with marketing!

When you have a popular website, it’s important to protect your traffic and good name.  But if someone registers a domain name that is very similar to yours, he can profit off of the popularity of your site to your detriment.  He could set up a site that looks like yours in an effort to scam visitors who mistakenly end up there.  He could post derogatory statements about your business.  Or he could simply set up a site that is filled with advertising in an effort to make money.

Checking for registration of domains similar to yours can alert you to such activity when it might otherwise go undetected.  If you catch it early, you might even be able to prevent the domain from being used.  Here’s what you need to do:

1. Make a list of common misspellings and typographical errors of your domain name. If you have trouble with the typos, type your domain name over and over quickly and you’ll probably find some that others might make.

2. Do a Whois check on all of these misspellings and typos. (You can find Whois information at http://whois.domaintools.com.)  Also do a check on your domain name with other extensions (.net, .info, .us, and so on).  Make note of any new registrations.

3. Type any newly registered similar domains into your browser’s address bar and see what comes up. Take screenshots of anything interesting you find.

Your recourse will depend on what you find on the site.  If the domain owner has used your trademarked or copyrighted material in any way, you can take legal action.  If he has set up a site intended to scam visitors, you can report his actions to the authorities.

If the domain name itself is not infringing on your trademark for the purpose of financial gain, the courts probably will not force the owner to relinquish it.  Therefore there is little point in filing a lawsuit.  But if your trademark is being exploited by the domain, you can take legal action.  The first step is to send a cease-and-desist letter.  If that does not produce results, a lawsuit may be warranted.

Checking for domain likeness is quick and easy.  By taking the time to do so at least every couple of months, you can protect your brand and your website.

Businesses are like relationships:  commitment is an absolute must if they are to succeed.  Here are some tips for staying focused and pulling through the hard times.

* Write a mission statement if you haven’t done so already. It should concisely detail the purpose of your business and its key philosophies.  Many writers neglect to do this unless it is required to obtain funding.  But a mission statement can help you remember why you wanted to start a business in the first place.

* Set goals. If you don’t have something specific to work toward, it’s hard to stay motivated.  By setting challenging yet attainable and measurable goals, you increase your chances of succeeding whether you meet them or not.

* Don’t overwork yourself. Starting and running a business is hard work, and it’s easy to get caught up in a cycle of endless 16-hour days.  It’s rather ironic that this commitment to your business can result in burnout, which can leave you without the energy you need to keep going.  While it may not be feasible to take a vacation when your business is just getting off the ground, it doesn’t hurt to take a day off every now and then.  Taking a breather will give you time to regroup and remember why you chose the path you’re on.

* Outsource the tasks that bore or frustrate you. Small business owners, especially writers, often fall into the trap of thinking they must do everything themselves.  Sometimes they are on tight budgets and don’t feel they can afford to hire help, while others are unwilling to let go of the total control they have.  But if you’re suffering from a lack of motivation, outsourcing can get you back on track by allowing you to focus on the things you love about your business.

* Evaluate the state of your business. If you’ve hit a rough spot, perhaps a change of plans is in order.  You may need to focus your offerings more tightly, rethink your marketing methods, evaluate time wasters, or invest in better equipment.  By isolating and solving the problem, you can get back to business as usual.

Sometimes it’s hard to maintain the level of commitment that we have in the initial phases of a business venture.  By doing what it takes to remain focused and remembering why we chose this path in the first place, we can keep ourselves motivated.  When we reach our goals, we will realize that it was all worthwhile.