How’s the view when you look back on 2010?

I’m currently in New Zealand as I write this post, and the view has been amazing.  2010 was also my biggest year (in the business world) by a long shot.

I expected big things to happen.  Not only did they happen, but a number of unexpected blessings occurred as well.  I’m so grateful for all the good from 2010, and there was one thing that set the tone early on that allowed me to focus throughout the year, and that was… having a plan.

Looking Back at 2010

It was mid January and I still didn’t have my “goals” set for the new year.  I met up with my good friends Jon Myers (creative business genius) and Barry Chandler from manageyourbar.com to discuss some things they were working on and it wasn’t 5 minutes into the conversation where I already felt like complete dog shit (in a good way).

Barry went through this entire story about how he knew what his goals were and had the entire year mapped out with the right systems in place for everything to work in order to achieve each goal.

I was still trying to figure out how to pay off three credit cards and didn’t even have one goal yet for the year.  In short, I felt like dog shit failure and the first month wasn’t over.

Something happened that night.

Barry laid it into me when I told him I hadn’t had any goals for the year.  It got so bad at one point that I got up during mid conversation, gave him a hug and told him “thanks for the tough love words of wisdom” and ran close to 2 miles home in the freezing Winter wind to map out my goals, and prepare for the launch of a sports business membership site that I had been putting off for months.

Taking Massive Action

Barry told me the entire time that I wasn’t taking enough massive action (even though I’d been known to do that a lot).  He lit up a fire inside me when he drilled home the point that launching my site didn’t have to be perfect, and that things would change over time so why try to perfect it when I’ll change it later.

I realized I was over analyzing things too much and decided to launch it asap.

Within a month the site was fully created with content, and a marketing plan for the rest of the year.  I now have over 350 monthly paying members, and a library of content that I could sell, plus a new business I didn’t have before… all because I took massive action.

I made a number of other goals that night for my other business with Sean Malarkey, and for my personal goals.

My business with Sean has exceeded our goals and expectations and my personal income increased 12 fold since the previous year.  Setting the tone that night for the year allowed me to invest in two start up companies, travel the world including London five times, Paris, Ireland, Buenos Aires, New Zealand, and nearly every major city in the U.S. to rack up a years worth of frequent flier miles.  It’s been an amazing year, and it all started with the night where I decided to map out some goals (thanks Barry!)

Have the “End” In Mind

Now that a new year is around the corner, it’s time to acknowledge the good and ugly from 2010, and start to figure out what you would want to have happen by the end of 2011.

Instead of just writing down what you want to have happen, make sure to frame the exact goals you want.

For example, “I want to do 2 million in total sales by December 31st”, or “I want 5 clients that pay me $10,000 each”, or “I want to write and publish my first book by March 16th”.  The more direct you are with your goals, the easier it is to work backwards and put the puzzle pieces in the right place at the right time.  Also writing your goal down, and hanging them in a frame on your wall acting as if you have already achieved them, tends to help me the most.

How to make 2011 Incredibly Awesome

Now that you realize you want to make this year freaking unreal, let’s break down the necessary steps to making that happen.  I created an overview of bullet points and unedited thoughts, but if you want to hear more of an explanation behind my thought process, then make sure you watch the video below that covers more detail.

1.  It’s All About Connecting and Building Your Network

• Make real world connections by showing up
• Attend the correct events
• ”BPB”  Business Passion Business or  “the 2am connection principle“
• Follow up sincerely

If it’s online then make it “feel” real world any way possible by sending them a happy birthday video on their Facebook wall, write an article about them, make 3 highly targeted introductions for them, etc.

2.  Taking Massive Action

I believe those who produce will be remembered, those who sit back and wait will be forgotten.

Steps for producing more:

• Start small, then make it bigger
• Write a free ebook
• Do a video series
• Write a monthly free webinar
• Just produce something!

Collaborate with your key connections and reach out to your network

Come out with something where you can take payment solo, or with a partner with someone who will do well in the things you aren’t great at if you don’t feel comfortable doing it.

Perception is reality, even if you don’t make money… those who produce will ultimately sell more and succeed over time.

3.  Prepare For The Big Game

Speak as often as possible in front of small and big groups.  Speak in person, on teleseminars, webinars and any other way possible to get in front of an audience.

Join Toastmasters and hone in on on presenting like a master!!!

• Presenting over and over will be crucial when preparing for the big game
• Everything is a small moment working towards big moments

Have a game plan:

• Content
• Speaking
• Products
• Services
• Events
• and more

4.  Document Your Success And “Misses” (not failures)

Do a monthly log of where you are and where you want to be

Celebrate the successes, and review the misses

Frame the end goal

5.  Enjoy The Journey Baby

Make the business stuff pleasurable

Have fun on the travel and enjoy what the city has to offer

Stay out late and connect on personal levels with people

Remember your passion, and live it daily/weekly

It’s not about the destination, its about the journey!

(video may take a second to load, please be patient

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What do you think about this process for making 2011 amazing?  Do you have these steps and your plan in place yet?  If not, what are you waiting for?

Image credit: smemon87

Life is full of superlatives. You know, those exaggerated descriptions or ways of referring to somebody or something, usually in an admiring way.

Think about it. There is the greatest birthday present you ever had. There is the finest chocolate cheesecake in the world. And there is funniest joke you ever heard. This list could probably go on and on with items that were the biggest, brightest, highest, yummiest, coziest, fuzziest, loveliest or cleverest.

And while this list could probably continue describing the highest quality or degree of most any aspect of your life, here is one you probably never considered: Who is the most valuable person in your network – your networking MVP?

Just as you might anoint a particular player as being paramount to the team’s success, someone in your network has that same distinction – Most Valuable.

No two people are alike. As such, everyone in your network brings a unique set of talents, temperaments and convictions to the world.

Given that, not all of your networking contacts are the same. Some people in your network are simply outstanding. While others, well, not so much. And the vast majority are somewhere in between.

There is no question that your network consists of contacts that are good, ones that are bad and those that lie in between. Thus, for sure someone is the very best…your networking MVP.

In the book The Champion, my LinkedWorking co-author Frank Agin and Jim Ballard make the simply assertion that we are all looking to network with that one person to singularly put on their shoulders our hopes, dreams and aspirations … and in so doing carry us to greater heights. In short, we all want a Champion in our lives.

In a very unique way then, Agin and Ballard illustrate that we do have such a person in our lives (the most valuable person in our network) and finding that person will lead you to great things.  However, curiously enough they advocate that the best way to find your Champion is not by looking for him or her.

The Champion is a quick read (covering less than 100 pages and selling for less than $10 on Amazon). Most importantly, it has a powerful message…the best way to find your Champion is to stop looking and to…

Have you been looking for a way to step up your game by finding your own champion contact?  The answer may surprise you as you discover the secrets of The Champion for yourself.  Here’s to finding the Most Valuable Person in your network.

How “Zen” is your social media marketing strategy?

If you aren’t getting the results you are looking for, you may be going about your strategy all wrong.

Sometimes, all we need is a shift in our mindset to take our results from zero to hero.  As an athlete, I realized that I would never be as big, fast, or strong as some of the others, but I knew if my mindset was in top shape then I could compete with some of the top athletes in the world.

This is true with social media marketing as well.

You don’t have to have a huge brand or a lot of resources to spend on social media marketing.  All you need is to know how to use the tools the right way, leverage what’s available to you for free online, and get your mindset in the right place.

The Zen of Social Media Marketing by Shama Kabani is a book that shares with your the tools you need to get your mind right using social media.  Check out my thoughts in the video below, and make sure to grab a copy if you want to be more Zen-like online.

Also, be sure to say hi to Shama on Twitter, as she has a lot of great things to share on a daily basis.

There are a number of questions people have about using LinkedIn.

What are yours?

LinkedIn is a valuable resource for most people, but many still consider it the “ugly stepchild” compared to Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other social networking sites.

Why? Because they don’t understand how to best use it to achieve their business goals.

Lets make this post a place to ask your questions and get them answered.  Post your biggest questions on how to use LinkedIn below, and I’ll respond there or create a detailed video response for those that need more explanation.

And please chime in and give your own answer to questions becasue I would love to hear your point of view.

David Siteman Garland is an extremely successful young entreprenuer.

He has started and owned a professional hockey league, created a hit T.V. show, speaks professionally around the country, and now has his first book deal (all before his 26 birthday).

The guy is a mutant and his hustle mentality gushes from his eyelids.

So how has David been able to build a powerful brand and achieve (some of) his goals?

One way David has done this is by being completely fearless and taking action to go after what he wants.  He isn’t afraid to fail, and he alters his path at any time along his j0urney when he notices something isn’t working the way he wants it to.

Simple as that.  David creates valuable content, connects people, and does this on a consistent basis.

Do you need to have 20+ years of experience to make a living doing something you are passionate about?  David has a little over 3 years of experience (not including his life experiences), and is completely dominating his niche and growing every day.

Don’t take it for me, watch this video interview below with David just to see how much passion and knowledge he has.

Make sure you check out David’s new book when it comes out, as he really knows his stuff and I stand behind everything he produces.  There aren’t too many people I can say that about, but David is the real deal and his site The Rise To The Top is always a great resource for entreprenuers.

What are your challenges you face along your journey to being an entreprenuer, or any other goals you might have?  Make sure to leave a comment with a few of your challenges, and I’ll have David respond with his best stuff.  Make sure to follow David on Twitter for quick markeitng tips as well.

I just got back from SXSW Interactive, and for those who attended I hope you were able to get some sleep because I didn’t get much.

Most people do business between the hours or 9am to 5pm.  Most people.

However, for those who attended SXSW (or who attend conferences in general) know that most of the business happens right around 2am.

Depending on the city, this is the time most of the parties are winding down, and the bars close.  And this is also the time people open up to others the most.

Here is common example of what would go down during a night at SXSW:

We all bond together and take our last drink or rush to the bar to order one last shot.  We pay for each others tab, stumble out the venue door with sore feet from the long day of walking at the conference and non-stop dancing.  We get really close when speaking to one another because our ears are ringing from the thumping techno beats, classic rock, and 80’s greatest hits.

We grab a slice of pizza from that shady street meat vender with crazy tattoos.  Then we share cab rides or walk back to the hotel lobby and tell tales of the nightlong journey to the other conference mates who missed out on “the best party of the evening”.

We rally the troupes and lounge around in smelly, sweaty clothes acting as if we have known each other our entire lives.  Then as the first person starts to fall asleep in the middle of the hotel lobby, we take our last picture of the night and post it to Twitter, and Facebook for everyone to see.

We watch as others rush to the bathroom to throw up their $113 bill of Coyote Ugly’s finest alcoholic beverages.  And after this, we realize it’s time to go to bed so we can wake up for another long day of panels, networking, and partying.

A mosh pit of high fives, hugs, and kisses take place as we say goodnight (like in the video below)

We tell each other how much fun we had, how much of a blast it was getting to know one another, and mention how we look forward to hanging out with that person in the future.

This is when business happens.

When we start having experiences with one another outside of the working mindset, and in an environment that breaks down walls and allows for a more light hearted connection.

Remember, we do business with those we know, like and trust.  One night with someone at a party gives you the best opportunity to get them to like you, know the “real” you a little better, and trust you even more.

I generate business deals all of the time at 2:00 am.  Do you?

Please share one experience where you connected with someone late at night and how it translated into a joint venture, new job, more sales, or more business opportunities.  I would love to hear your story.

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Image by Steve Hall

There are two main approaches people have when connecting with others on LinkedIn.

1.  Is to connect with only those you know well

2.  Is to connect with everyone

Sure there are cases in between, but for the most part those are the two main strategies people use.

There was some recent discussion about a ProBlogger guest article I did on using LinkedIn to drive traffic back to you website, and the main reason why some only apply #1 is because they don’t want to jeopardize their top connections by having to forward along introductions from those they may not know that well.

However, you don’t have to forward all of your introductions, and you are missing a HUGE opportunity if you don’t connect with those you may not know very well.  Watch as I explain in the video below:

Why You Should Connect With Everyone On LinkedIn:

1. To be found and contacted by more professionals:

Increasing your 1st degree network grows your your 2nd and 3rd degree by millions more people.

2. To drive more traffic to your site:

Any time you update your status or profile, it shows up on the homepage of everyone you are connected to.  More connections = more eyeballs.

3. To generate a TON more leads:

Simple.  More connections = more potential leads

4.  To build your database:

Your database is one of your most valuable assets in business.  LinkedIn allows you to export your contacts (the other “top social networking sites” don’t).

5. To create more opportunities:

So many more opportunities come in that normally wouldn’t  because you are on the “top of mind” for people who might not know you that well (as opposed to the close network of people you already know).

6. To build thought leadership:

The more people you connect with, inspire, help, and influence, the bigger impact you will have on the world.  This creates the potential for more recommendations, more referrals, and a bigger platform as a thought leader in your niche.

Do you connect with everyone who sends you an invite, or do you only add those you know very well?  What are some other reason for connecting with everyone, or not connecting with everyone?

I’m seeing a trend of Internet marketers that are starting to dive more into social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

This is great and all, but most of them are missing out on a huge opportunity by not using LinkedIn to the fullest.

Yanik Silver recently reached out on Twitter and said he was looking to use LinkedIn more.  I thought I would share a few things in this video where Yanik can use LinkedIn to

1. Drive Traffic

2. Build His List, and

3. Generate More Sales

Watch this video below as I share with you 8 different ways Internet marketers (and Yanik) should be using LinkedIn.

I have seen other Internet marketers finding success using LinkedIn like Joel Comm, the NY Times best selling author of Twitter Power.  His “Twitter for Business” group has nearly 6,000 members without him doing much at all to grow it.

He is selling more books, generating more leads, and driving more traffic to his site from his LinkedIn group.  In a recent message he sent out a link for a few of his ebooks for free, and the comments he received in the group all sing his praises for providing such quality content.

LinkedIn is a qualified, target audience you can reach out to with over 60 million business professionals and it shouldn’t be overlooked by anyone, including Internet Marketers.

Here is a recap of the 8 points I made in my video on LinkedIn marketing for Internet marketers:

1. Headline:  Make sure you target your niche, and demonstrate how you help that niche.
2. Connections:  The more the better because LinkedIn allows you to export your emails into a CSV file.
3. Recommendations:  More Authority, Credibility, and Social Proof… you all knows this better than anyone.
4. Websites:  You always have a call to action at the end of your sales letters, why not here as well.
5. Groups:  If you don’t build it, someone else will have a huge niche audience to send weekly messages to.
6. Blog App: Driving organic traffic to your site… can’t beat it.
7. Amazon App: If you have a book on Amazon, then this will help you sell more.
8. Events: Many Internet marketers have events, and this is a great way to spread the word absolutely FREE!

How else do you think LinkedIn could be helpful for Internet marketers?  What other things can they focus on throughout their profile?  Should they take it as serious as the rest of people looking for ways to advance their career, or do you still not see the value in using LinkedIn?

There is a recent post by Colin Alsheimer where he says that LinkedIn is dead.

Now I’m sure Colin may be misguided like most of the people I encounter who don’t “get” LinkedIn.

And that is OK.

I’m not going to get too heated on this debate, because I realize that everyone has different goals and objectives, and some sites may be better than others in helping you achieve your goals.

Still, I have yet to find someone who is unable to achieve their professional goals on LinkedIn.  And if you are not currently achieving something you want in business yet, please write it in the comments section below and I will do a brief personal video showing you how to achieve it on LinkedIn.

Of course, as with anything, you get out of it what you put into it, and Rome wasn’t built in a day so there may be some grunt work needed to achieve your goal.  But with the size of LinkedIn, and the power of its network, I’m more than convinced you can achieve any business goal you have if you approach it right.

Check out my video response above where I show how LinkedIn is alive, and I hope you check out some previous videos on this site where I go into more detail on LinkedIn’s greatness.

Oh, and Colin, I know you quoted Chris Brogan in your post also, but I just did a video response on how Chris should be using LinkedIn to grow his business.  I hope you get a chance to check it out here and let me know if you still think LinkedIn is dead, as I enjoy the friendly debate.