2 Reasons Your Spouse Doesn’t Support Your Business
27 Jan

2 Reasons Your Spouse Doesn’t Support Your Business

By Lisa In Blog, Entrepreneur, Mindset, Shop Talk, Work Life Balance /   7 Comments

What are you supposed to do when the person you love more than anything in the world doesn’t support your business?

This question comes up often and, while it leaves me feeling caught between a rock and hard place, it makes a great topic for my Shop Talk series. Who am I to tell you what to do when your spouse doesn’t support your business goals? I’m not a relationship expert, but what I can tell you is that it probably stems from one of two things – and possibly a third, but that third one is a big outlier.

Let me tell you what my theory is…

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Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes, and a Side of Business
08 Apr

Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes and a Side of Business

By Lisa In Blog, Business, Entrepreneur, Fav, Featured, Featured, featured-content, Shop Talk /   2 Comments

Years ago I heard a story that has been forever imprinted in my mind.

It was a story about a girl who invited her boyfriend over for a roast beef dinner. She agonized over this dinner, fussing over every detail to ensure it was perfect. Roast beef, gravy, mashed potatoes, a nice bottle of Cabernet, table set, and fresh flowers. Everything was perfect for a romantic evening.

After dinner, they were sitting on the couch and her boyfriend told her how amazing dinner was. He loved everything about dinner but he had one question for her.

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16 Jul

Social Scams – Why Should You Care?

By Lisa In Articles, Ask Lisa, Blog, Business, Featured, Featured, Shop Talk, Social Media /   No Comments

lisa-larter-social-media-scams

How many social scams have you seen floating around the various social networks?

 You know what I’m talking about…

The posts asking you to click on a video with a really catchy, risqué, or intriguing bit of text, shared by a friend or colleague.

The friend request from someone you thought you were already friends with.

The tags in posts of you or your business page that have absolutely nothing to do with you or your business.

The private messages from strangers telling you how beautiful your face is, and how they just happened across your profile.

The “lucky winner” message informing you you’ve won the Facebook lottery and, if you just send in a few hundred dollars to cover transfer and handling fees, you’ll be rich…

It’s a never-ending cycle it seems. Wherever there is a chance to manipulate and take advantage, there will be someone not only willing, but very determined to do so.

These scams are nothing new. They began with door-to-door con artists and letter via snail mail and have evolved over time as our means of communication have changed. From fake charity solicitation calls to pleas of help from Nigerian Princes, fraud has always been around.

In fact, cons like this have been traced back as far as the 1500’s with what was called the “Spanish Prisoner” scam!

And, while you may think it doesn’t really matter, falling victim to one of these scams can have a negative impact on your business. <—Click to Tweet

Take your Facebook account for example. One of the most widespread Facebook scams is to gain access to your account and post something as you to get your friends to click or share it; or, to even post as you on the timelines of all your friends and get their friends to take an action.

If this happens it can have a massive impact on your credibility. It is really important that you stay up-to-date on things like this and understand how to spot scams and cons on social in order to protect your reputation online.

I’ve done several posts on things like this over the last few years. You can take a look at some of them in the links below (note – some of these are a few years old and, while screenshots or “how-to’s” may be a bit outdated, the strategy and messages are still the same):

How to Stop Facebook Impostors

What To Do When Someone Is Impersonating You On Twitter

Facebook Privacy, Be Responsible

Is Your Home Address Private or Public?

One of my favourite tools to combat spam and scams on Facebook is blocking. I don’t use it often, but it definitely comes in handy. I shot this video last year to show you exactly how to block someone (there’s also a handy graphic below to show you exactly where to click).

Once you’ve watched, tell me in the comments – What scam do you see on social that drives you absolutely nuts?

 

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10 Jun

3 Simple Steps to a Bigger Audience

By Lisa In Articles, Ask Lisa, Blog, Business, Content, Featured, Featured, Marketing, Shop Talk, Training, Video /   4 Comments

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The key to turning connections into leads and leads into customers is a simple 3-part system. <—Click to Tweet This

Creating great content is just the beginning of this system. It’s easy enough to create content once you have a plan but how is anyone going to know how to find it?!

By using online tools like Social Networks and Email marketing, you create awareness, repeat visibility and engagement. Letting your existing audience know when you’ve added something new drives traffic to your site and, if you’re using what you learned in The Content Pilot to create stellar content, they will be sharing and forwarding what you send them which will bring in new people to your list.

Want to know how often to share? Check out part four of the Shop Talk Content Series below to find out and learn how to “design” your own success:

Want to learn more about creating a freebie that will grow your list and increase your sales? The Content Pilot is open now!

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When Is "Free" Good?
04 Jun

When Is “Free” Good?

By Lisa In Articles, Ask Lisa, Blog, Business, Shop Talk, Social Media, Video /   4 Comments

You may have already read my classic post about Why Free is Too Expensive, BUT, did you know there are times when free is GOOD?

The most important “free” content is your opt-in freebie. This is the item you give away for free to anyone who provides their email address and signs up for your list. So, while it may be free – you both get something back from the free offer. They get great free content that helps then in some way, and you get to add them to your email list. But it can’t be just any free content…

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21 May

Stop the Website Shame Game!

By Lisa In Articles, Ask Lisa, Blog, Business, Featured, Featured, Marketing, Shop Talk /   6 Comments

Lisa-larter-stop-site-shame3

Are you suffering from “website shame”?

You know what I mean.

That feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when someone asks for your web address.

Perhaps it begins with a flurry of panic because you realize you haven’t posted any new content on your blog in 2 years.

Or, it could be that fluttery sick feeling you get when you realize your pictures on the site are 3 years old and look nothing like you.

Maybe it’s the icky feeling you get when you think about how your content throughout the site, especially your products and services, are way outdated…

You get these feelings because you know that this is your “first” impression on the web. This is what everyone sees when they Google you and it’s not an accurate representation of you or your business.

You know this, but you still don’t fix it because it’s overwhelming. You have no idea where to start or how to get it all done.

Today, I want to share the first in a series of videos that are all about building confidence around making your website great again. Using some of the tools and structure I share in The Content Pilot, I will give you a sneak peek into the wide world of content.

We will cover:

1)   How to fix up all the content on your site and make it better

2)   How to increase traffic to your site

3)   How to use that traffic to build your list

4)   How to turn connections into leads and leads into sales

In this Shop Talk Video you’ll learn all about the Content Funnel and why the content on your website is so important. <—Click to Tweet

Click play and find out how to build this foundation in your business, then tell me in the comments, what is the number one thing on your website that you need to get updated?

Want even more on how to create great content for your business? Check out The Content Pilot, open now!

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05 Mar

You Are Never Too Old to Learn

By Lisa In Articles, Blog, Business, Featured, Featured, Shop Talk, Social Media, Uncategorised /   4 Comments

Lisa-Larter-Swimming

I don’t know how to swim.

When I was a child, I had all kinds of problems with my ears. Tubes, surgery, ear infections and the doctors always said, “You can’t get water in your ears!” which meant, you don’t get to learn how to swim.

My Mom doesn’t know how to swim either. I remember going to the beach and as soon as the water reached my knees she would be yelling at me to come back so nothing would happen to me. She passed on her fear of the water to me.

A few years ago I signed up for swimming lessons. When I mustered up my courage to show up, the instructor ended up failing me three times. I took it as a sign that I was not meant to learn.

You might have noticed, I spend a lot of time on the water here in Florida, on our boat. This is risky business.

I have a life jacket and a husband who can swim but there is still a part of me that looks at that dark, deep blue water and feels butterflies in my belly.

When I go home to Ottawa in April, I will start swimming lessons. One of the members of The Pilot Project owns The Aqua Life Swim Academy and Stephanie, the owner, is going to teach me how to swim.

The very thought of this makes me uncomfortable.

I know from past experience that this will not be easy. I can float, but moving from floating to sitting is a maneuver that eludes me and causes me to splash and gasp and lose control.

You might be wondering why I am sharing this?

I am sharing because swimming is a skill. It is something that can be taught and can be learned if you stick with it and do the work.

There are many skills in your business that might seem like that deep, dark ominous water to YOU. <-Tweet This

Are you staring at the water, knowing you need to learn about numbers, selling, operations, social media or are you jumping in with the willingness to be COMPLETELY uncomfortable and learn?

I am going to get wet and I am going to struggle. I am going to fight and not enjoy learning how to do something that I am not good at. It is going to be hard and frustrating and I am going to fail the first time I try to do a lot of things.

It’s going to be scary to put my head under water.

It’s going to be scary to give up the floaties.

I am going to demonstrate ultimate vulnerability because learning how to swim could be a life or death situation for me.

What about you? Are there life or death skills you need to learn in your business?

As I celebrate another year of life I have decided to take on this big monster and learn. Will you join me and take on something that makes you uncomfortable too?

I have two things for you today.

1. A video with the five most important books I have ever read. These can help you learn something new – guaranteed.

2. A brand new webinar on March 19th where I am going to teach you some strategies about running your business that might help you face your fears too.

I challenge you to…

a) Sign up for this webinar and

b) Read one of the books in my video before March 19th.

If you are in, please leave a comment below. And don’t worry, I plan to share my swimming progress. I can’t back out now, I’ve told you my scary little secret.

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