The Transition Chick Blog

Information products, what are they & why do I need any...

I had no clue what information products were or even that they existed!  Not unusual.  Whether I'm coaching on transitions or marketing-career-wise...your resume, presentation ie. interviewing & first & last impressions... "selling yourself"!

For the solopreneur, marketing takes on a different emphasis-what can get your name "out there"-let folks be aware you exist!  Get clients, if, like me, you offer services...I can't give you a cup of coaching...But, I can have & do, a book you can buy!  A tangible, physical product!

Information products are tangible...sorta.  It's in that world of internet marketing!  That, now is the world in which I live most of the time.  Several times, in 90 little days, I've completed several information products (info-products to those "in the know") :)

Talk about transitions!  Nowhere in my Business plan, do I have the word e-commerce!  Yet, that's now a big part of my 7 step Marketing Action Plan.  I learned this through my Guerrilla(as in lone soldier, not the ape!) My Guerrilla Marketing Plan, a great class series-Teleclasses.  So now, I market my Get Hired Now! or Hire Yourself! Teleseries differently.  Click here for more info. 

You've heard me praising the products class! It's opened my eyes, helped me think of barter, no cost or low cost marketing... 

The sales cycle, the marketing funnel-all those concepts eluded me til now.  All I knew was trading my hours for my clients' (mostly midlife women)  my hours for their dollars!  Now, I use automation.  I have a shopping cart system that works when I'm not there or asleep...Check it out here

I still suffer from solopreneuritis-I feel tons of creativity, yet I want to do it all...Automation & outsourcing has given me back the freedom to spend my time coaching and authoring books & doing public speaking...and creating information products-mp3s, ebooks, videos, audios, teleclasses...How cool is that?

In Abundance!
Marcia the Transition Chick
sign up for my FR*EE Transition Triumph Toolkit! www.eCareerCorner.com 

4 Hour Work Week-Don't forget customer service is not just emails and canned phone call hype...

I just got my THIRD full of hype canned phone call from a well-known internet marketing guru!  I recently spoke on a Team call for this (products class I'm in)of how I really despise recorded phone call messages from the mega stars in my field.  I know Internet Marketing isn't the only way.

But, not being really there and hawking a new program?  I don't feel unique, special or all warm & fuzzy and I'm very likely to not hang on to even listen to the tinny well-crafted marketing hype!

I think they've just lost touch with their customers and it's just a numbers game...Not personal at all.

My teachers of this class talk about helping the customer consume your product, emailing or calling( REALLY CALLING!) & asking how they're doing so far-giving helpful hints- on the phone or through autoresponders -shopping cart system, on how to get the most out of the ebook, program, mp3 set...whatever.

I had a question about his BlogWild affiliate-something didn't work... (now it does!) Andy Wibbels-super blog guru-get his book !  He called me-and it was really him...to check I got everything all right.
I bought Mastering Camtasia & Chris Austin, the creator, personally phoned to see how I was doing.
Mitch, a cool info-products and Internet Marketing guru has called to see how I liked his coaching program and Michael Port, the guy to call when you're tired of thinking small... has responded personally to emails.

That's impressive.  I know how happy my customers get & how shocked they are that I called or replied...

Customer service is important-I think even more important in this digital world!

(Links are my affiliate ones, but I'm a happy customer or I wouldn't recommend them!)

Climbing off my soapbox now...

 

 

 

 

In Abundance!

Marcia -Listen at my Media Room-I'm on another radio show! Listen at www.v1370.com or WomanTalkLive.com, too!

 

Marcia Merrill,CCMC,JCTC

Marcia the Transition Chick!

Career/Life Transitions Coach

http://www.eCareerCorner.com

410-467-0811 (cell)410-303-6371 (fax)1-443-836-2402

 

Fall in love with your LIFE & your work! (in that order!)

 

**Starting next classes Sept 18 @7pm EST-Get Hired Now! or Hire Yourself! Sign up to get notified when you can register!

Includes seven -one hour sessions & a cookbook-approach manual to help with your career search...This small group teleseries is designed to decrease your stress, increase your happiness, keep you on track, prevent overwhelm & get unstuck, move forward to a Job/Life that FITS!

Easy to follow 28-day Action Plan & Proven System-Guaranteed to produce results IF you put in the effort & follow through!

Sign up at www.eCareerCorner.com/transitions/gethired.htm

 

___________________________________________

Contact me for your complimentary 25 min. coaching strategy session

marcia@ecareercorner.com

Sessions by phone with follow up emails/mail/fax. Appts. arranged to Suit Your Needs!!

 

Get 7 FR*EE Lessons from Teachers in The Secret!

http://www.lawofattractionthinking.com

Affiliate programs, what are they anyway?

Affiliates are people who get commission on anything you sell when they tell their friends or in the Internet Marketing World, their list about you & refer them to your site!  You can earn money by referring others to get products you're not even selling!  Like how you tell your friends about a good movie you've seen a great restaurant-well the theatre or restaurant does pay you for all the word of mouth PR you just gave them, but, when you're an affiliate for someone you believe in or something you've actually used & liked...you could be their affiliate-if they have such a program!
https://www.mcssl.com/SYS/?m=80033&c=s  is my new affiliate program & if you enjoy what I say, like my writing, just sign up & earn a commission from me for referring folks!
How cool is that?
What other affiliate programs are out there?  Just Google Affiliate Programs & see!
Thanks!
https://www.mcssl.com/SYS/?m=80033&c=s

Do you have info-products or plan to for your business?

This is a huge transition for me...I coach midlife/boomer women on Career & Life transitions...And I can say it's a scary, wonderful, exciting, uncomfortable place to be!

Of course, I know this-after all, I am known as the Transition Chick!  It really brought my transition awareness out when I started creating info- (information) products-downloadable resources-putting my knowledge out there in ebooks, mp3s, CDs & chapters in anthologies. 

I'm working on a product now, but not selling it-giving it away-in hopes you'll find it fun & educational & send it to friends!  My life has transformed as a direct result of joining the Product Factory  I've added my link so you can check it out here.

My project is an animated video of me as the Career Hero rescuing my client from an extremely frustrating stuck place & guiding her through the job search process! Fun but really supportive & helpful!

I sent my script to my animator-I tell all my solo-entrepreneur clients "you don't have to do it all!"  As a Marketing Coach-I focus on the one person, solopreneur, like me!  Guerrilla Marketing coaching is what I studied & help my clients with starting/creating a Marketing plan.  Link to the program is above...Best-selling book, Guerrilla Marketing by Jay Conrad Levinson was what this was based on-fantastic!

So, my question is-why don't you dive into Internet Marketing?  If you have, please share your story with all of us!
Thanks!
In Abundance!
Marcia

Do you buy the Law of Attraction?

Sedona-here's some pictures from our trip to the Wealth & Life Balance Retreat that I experienced in November.  Why think of it now?

Well, cause that was 6 months ago & after a jam-packed weekend of Law of Attraction gurus-folks who'd been featured in The Secret, had financial freedom & abundance & told us we can attract what we want.
So, I made changes, experienced some transitions, was more intentional about what I wanted...

I looked at the clutter in my life and got rid of lots-both physical-like papers & files but, also some old beliefs that weren't serving me.

I also took back some e-commerce resources & heard an internet marketing expert.  The balance of Business & Financial & the holistic/spiritual was a powerful example of what's possible!

There has been fans & naysayers about the Law of Attraction....What do you feel about it?

In Abundance!
Marcia
Marcia the Transition Chick!
Sign up for your FR*EE ebook-"5 Secrets to Career/life Triumphs! & get a subscription to my newsletter & other bonuses!

The Transitions of our friends...

I received an email from a former student-angry that I'd lost touch-she did, too.  But, it's all good-I am not blaming!  Friendships come & go and what once was...sometimes has to change.  The transition from employee to small business owner...an entrepreneur & a solopreneur-makes time even more precious...Friendships are a very vital part of my life.  I want to keep them all & add more!

When my coaching clients are changing, some of their friends change, too.  New ones that support her new outlook...goals-dreams enter & those that don't/can't or won't exit...You won't be able
to say all you wanted to, and mourn this loss.  But, this is a natural & sometimes necessary part of the transition process!

Our lives can be so crazy busy that it seems we lose people along the way.  But, we also gain others.

My supporters/friends are mostly entrepreneurs and encourage me to stretch as I delve into Internet Marketing & eCommerce!

Can we hang on to our friends from a previous life?  I'm not sure.  What do you think?  Please comment!

In Abundance!
Marcia the Transition Chick!
Sign up for my 5 Secrets to Career/Life Triumphs! & get my ezine & other surprise BONUSES!

www.eCareerCorner.com

We all get overwhelmed, right?

I'm so overwhelmed-just spelled overhelm! :)

Been thinking lots about what we do when we are feeling the overwhelm!

I told you about my products class team-some are farther along being an entrepreneur, doing Internet Marketing-dealing with shopping cart programs & often, we are solopreneurs-so it's just us!

But, what happens when you "throw in the towel"?  You stop!

"A confused mind does nothing!"

If overwhelmed-often we've thought of an impossible goal-you can't help but feel like you're starting out behind the 8-ball...& each passing day feels worse. Then, the comparing begins-She's already got a web site! He already has products! Look at her-done teleclasses-(Insert your own comparisons...) But, comes the question:"How can I match them?  How can I compete?" Here's the great news! You don't even have to!! You are in the exact spot for you-there are always gonna be those miles ahead and you'll be further along than those just starting!

"Non T'a worry ta brain!" My New Brunswickian friend tells me constantly-Don't worry about it! I say-don't sweat the small stuff...and by the way, that's all "small stuff"...

How do you do "overwhelm"?  I'll share your replies or, better, yet-comment below!

In Abundance!

Who's"It"?

Tag-you're "IT"-remember that game of hide n' seek-when everyone hid and the one who found you-tagged you "IT"?

Well, fast forward to 30 or so years later...it's now phone tag!  And just as fun!

I'm in a product team mini-group on Internet Marketing.  Each Monday, we "meet" via telephone conference call.  I'm in Baltimore, one's in South Africa and the other is in the UK...Very long distance hide n' seek!

I rang one bridgeline-none on that line, got an email saying they were on another call with a team leader in NYC.   So, tried to guess the bridgeline where I hoped they'd be...nope...Meanwhile ..they'd ended their call & called on the first bridgeline...and I'm completely flummoxed (isn't that a fun word?)  I get an email-"we're here, where are you?"  Shades of "tag, you're IT"!

So, finally, we connected-easy!?  We'll try carrier pigeons next time!  Ain't technology grand?

In Abundance!

What to write?

When folks hear I write many articles, a monthly newsletter & am now, a featured author in Inpiration to Realization-on my web site-www.eCareerCorner.com And will be featured in Spirit of Women Entrepreneurs (pub. Oct. 2006!)    I write on being a Solopreneur & how you learn in action.  And proud author of an e-book, you can now see & buy my e-book on Transitions & some self-tests to help you figure stuff out!  Course, I offer coaching as well.:)

Do I get "writer's block"?  Of course, but sometimes, I'll do something else & clear my head...)

But, sometimes I write about news stories like Steve Irwin's tragic death, or thoughts of clients I've helped or information about some programs I'm doing, other times, I just write long hand-even, if all I write is" I don't know what I'm writing!  It will start to flow... or...?

What do you do to get over writer's block'?  Always open to suggestions! :)

Thanks!

Alafia!

Take care

Marcia the Transition Chick, Marcia Merrill, Career/Life Transitions Coach

www.eCareerCorner.com  Sign up for my FR*EE ebook & get a secret BONUS + a 2nd BONUS subscription to my newsletter full of tips & resources!

Blast Off to Fame!

GetKnownNow Blastoff class is an 8 week series designed as a support & feedback class to help us win fame & fortune! :)

I wrote a chapter for a book,"Inspiration to Realization" due out in July.  My topic, what else would this midlife Transitions Chick write about?  Transitions-particularly, the Transitions cycle and things you can do to make it  smooth sailing!

I'm also writing an e-book,soon to be sold on my web site for a very reasonable cost.  And am collaborating on another book on, you guessed it, transitions.

My focus is on midlife women in any kind of transition-career, retiring, divorce, starting a business, loss of a loved one...Any change!  I also offer Transitions Groups and teleclasses around this-the teleclasses are free.

And the Get Hired Now! Teleseries starts soon-May 16th at 2pm EST.  You can find out more at my free introduction on the 15th -6pm EST  Register on my web site.

So, with Suzanne Falter-Barns & Pam of Escape From Cubicle Nation-just listened to the recording, but didn't get her full name.  Missed first class-my career coaching clients were my priority.

So, maybe I'm on the to fame, but what does this mean?

What does fame mean to you?

Alafia!

Marcia the Transitions Chick!