I don’t tend to send out newsletters every single day. That isn’t just because it takes a lot of work to put a newsletter together; it’s mainly because I know that I don’t need to inundate my audience with information.

In my line of work, I can wait to blog every few days and send a newsletter every week or two. Unlike a news outlet, my information doesn’t change hourly. I realize that and so I use social media to stay connected, but not to inundate my readers with STUFF.

Unfortunately, there are many companies that haven’t gotten that message yet. Those places practically spam their customers and prospects with daily “news” that isn’t really news at all.

In order to avoid becoming a pest, you need to use social media to your advantage. And that means you have to keep a few factoids in mind:

1. Social media success happens over time. Be patient. You can’t send out 100 tweets today and expect to be a success by tomorrow.

2. You want to build real relationships with your social media contacts. Don’t just “collect names”. You can have 1,000 fans on Facebook and not one of them may be really reading what you write. Develop true partnerships and make sure you reciprocate.

3. Spam is hated. It really is. So stop spamming. Always ask yourself, “Would I want to receive this information?” If the answer is “no”, you might want to rethink your strategy.

4. Oh, and that brings us to the point that you NEED a social media strategy. If you’re just blogging, sending out newsletters, and doing Facebook updates “when you feel like it”, you’re not taking advantage of these powerful marketing tools.

There’s nothing wrong with hopping on the social media bandwagon. Just make sure you pay your dues or you’ll be seen as a hobo just riding the rails!

Looking for a reason to join my 2010 Group Coaching Program that’s been designed exclusively for small business owners? 

I’ll give you 17!

1. You’ll get to network with like-minded entrepreneurs who understand what you’re experiencing.
2. You’ll benefit from working with an expert coach as well as credentialed guest speakers.
3. You’ll spend 12 months tightening your business processes.
4. You’ll receive one-on-one coaching guaranteed to make you answer the tough questions and get to the bottom of what’s keeping your business from breaking records.
5. You’ll discover the secrets to marketing your product or service the right way.
6. You’ll have opportunities to ask questions of other entrepreneurs and provide them with your own answers/thoughts.
7. You’ll be held accountable for the success of your business every step of the way, which is one of the smartest ways to ensure success.
8. You’ll be re-energized to do well throughout the entire year.
9. You’ll have a better understanding of how to maximize your cash flow.
10. You’ll wind up with business plans that you can use in 2011 and beyond.
11. You’ll spend less time worrying about the “what ifs” and spend more time being proactive.
12. You’ll develop the skills to begin marketing like a pro.
13. You’ll become more confident in networking and sales situations.
14. You’ll save 25% if you sign up with a friend or colleague (who will receive 25% off, too).
15. You’ll be more fired up to make the most of each day.
16. You’ll be able to carry what you learn with you for the rest of your career.
17. You’ll be able to mentor others with the insight and info you receive.

Don’t wait.  Join my 2010 Group Coaching Program right now and start the new year on a positive note.

During our “Taking Charge of Your Work” series, we discussed a number of ways that you can begin to feel more in control of your professional life (which, not surprisingly, usually spills over into feeling more in control of your personal life.)  Our final installment is one about which I know well — working with a business coach.

A lot of people don’t realize that when I tout the benefits of business coaching, I don’t just speak from the experience of BEING a business coach — I have worked with a business coach, too.  (And I do mean work; after all, any business coach worth his or her salt pushes clients outside of their comfort zones and into new, empowering realms.)

So how can a business coach help you take the reins of your career once and for all?  If the coach is well-trained and highly experienced and you put an emphasis on the coaching experience (e.g., committing to continuous coaching sessions, opening your mind to the truth, doing any “homework” assignments) you can expect any or even all of the following outcomes:

1. You’ll learn how to determine if you’re in the best career for you.  If it turns out that you’d be more successful (and remember that “success” need not equate to money) elsewhere, you’ll have a better understanding of why.
2. You’ll be able to identify and overcome the reasons you don’t feel 100% satisfied in your current position.  Some of them you may already know; however, it’s likely that others are currently unknown to you.
3. You’ll devise smart solutions to problems that have persistently plagued you throughout your career, such as the inability to get along with your bosses, trouble getting raises or difficulty making big (or even small) decisions.
4. You’ll uncover the ways you’re sabotaging your own success.
5. You’ll open doors to new paths (both professional and personal) that you didn’t realize were available to you.

The end result to business coaching?  A newfound freedom that can help you take charge of your work and stay in charge.

If you’re interested, you can even contact JADCC to schedule a free phone-based consultation.  It’s worth 20 minutes of your time and could just help make 2010 your best business year yet.

Almost all entrepreneurs have had that one person (several if they’re lucky) who told them early on: “Go for it!”.  Maybe it was a teacher who recognized raw potential; perhaps it was a manager who realized he or she had a gem.  Regardless of who it was, the end result was self-esteem, confidence and, quite possibly, success.

So who told you “Go for it!” when everyone thought you were crazy?  Who gave you the green light and supported your decisions to branch out on your own or take a calculated risk?  Who mentored you without judgment?

As you think about that person, hold onto the emotion you get as you recall how glad you were that he or she was on your side.  How can you give that same feeling to someone else?

See, as entrepreneurs, we have a duty to give back.  I don’t just mean just to your community or industry, either.  I mean to give back very personally to at least one another individual.  This can take place as formal mentoring or it can simply involve you taking a colleague aside and telling him or her, “You have the stuff to make it big.  I believe in you.”

It sounds so easy, doesn’t it?  So why don’t we actively do it more often?  To be perfectly frank, some of us are looking so far inward that we forget to focus on what’s around us.  In the end, that’s short-sighted and unfortunate.

Keep your eyes open for entrepreneurs.  You don’t have to give them money or a job.  But you owe it to them to acknowledge that you see in them what they might not even see.  You owe it to them to hear the words: “Go for it!”

• JADCC: The bridge between where you are and where you want to be.
• Join JADCC on Twitter:  www.twitter.com/jadcc.

Take a look in the mirror.  Is the person staring back at you a friend or a foe?

Too many of us are actually our greatest enemies.  For instance, do you…

• Tell yourself you can’t do something before you’ve even given it a try?
• Tell yourself over and over that you don’t really deserve success?
• Repeat unsupportive words you’ve heard in your past (perhaps from a parent, a teacher, a colleague)?

If so, you’re a saboteur of possibilities.  You’re your foe, not your ally.

Self-support is critical, especially for entrepreneurs.  But you first have to understand how to practice this kind of behavior.

My suggestion?  Start off small.  Whenever you start telling yourself what you cannot do, tell yourself you have to stop.  Then, remind yourself that you’re capable of doing great things.  Little by little, you’ll get to a point where the tape recorder in your head no longer feeds you negative information. 

You’ll be a friend… to yourself.

• Visit JADCC for more business coaching ideas and possibilities.
• Join JADCC on Twitter:  www.twitter.com/jadcc.

Your Attitude Can Determine Your Success    by Julie Taylor

I read about an experiment in which a school principal called together 4 teachers.  He explained to the teachers that they were among the brightest in the school district.  He also said he was assembling 100 of the brightest students in the district for them to teach.

At the end of the term, the principal summoned the 4 teachers and confessed to them that the 100 students they taught were not the brightest but were instead randomly chosen to be in their program.  Because the students did so well - teachers naturally assumed the students success was attributed to their teaching abilities.

Then, the principal admitted to the 4 teachers that they were not the most exceptional in the district - in fact, they were also randomly selected.

Why did the students and the teachers perform at such a high level?  The answer is their attitude.  Both the teachers and students had a positive attitude and expected great results.  They believed in themselves and what they could accomplish. 

The same principle holds true in your quest for success.  How you think affects your approach and path in life and business.  Your attitude toward your business will most often determine what you receive. 

Julie Taylor

www.unlockyourambition.com