This story really touched me...

Yesterday a friend of mine sent me a story about a father and a son.

I have to say that story moved me so much that I just felt compelled to share it with you.

To check it out, please click the following link.

http://cjcphoto.com/can

I have no doubt that you will want to share it with all of your friends as well.

Can you believe it is November already?

Can you believe that it's November already. 2006 is rapidly coming to a conclusion. I find it quite breathtaking to witness how quickly life seems to be unfolding. So much so, that I've spent a lot of the last month thinking about how I can be more creative with time.

I have spent the majority of my life trying to squeeze as much as humanly possible into every waking moment. And though there are a lot of kicks to be had living this way, the constant adrenalin can put the body, mind and soul under immense strain.

So a couple of weeks ago, I made the conscious decision to experiment with what's left of 2006 to see what a life less full might look like. I've been cutting myself a little slack. I've been reviewing all of my various commitments and have been gently releasing those which I can't give my full attention to. The unfolding has been quite liberating so far and I can definitely feel my more core energy rising as a result of it.

We live in a time where there is always the temptation to do much. It is nice to give yourself the chance to hold steady and only do what comes naturally.

So what personal changes would you like to make in what's left of 2006?

The 7 biggest internet mistakes made by small business.

The 7 biggest internet mistakes made by small business.

Many small business owners understand the potential of the internet to market products and services. Their real challenge comes when they actually try to implement their business visions online.

Below are 7 mistakes to look out for when marketing your small business online.

(1) Most small business owners don’t know the strategic goal of their website.

Most small business owners know the importance of having a website but don’t quite know the reasons why.

It is important to understand that a website is merely a tool. Just like any other tool, it is a great servant but poor master. Your website won’t guide you, you need to guide it.
The way you guide your website is by understanding exactly why you decided to create one in the first place. If you planning to build a website, spend some time considering exactly what purpose you hope it will serve. Some potential strategic purposes include.
- to build relationships with your target market - to sell a specific product or service - to generate subscribers - to generate advertising income- to funnel traffic to other websites- to build credibility for your expertiseOnce you understand why you are using the internet you can then focus upon the how (the how is actually the easy part!).

(2) Most small business owners make the mistake of taking marketing advice from their web designers.

Web design and web marketing are two very different disciplines. Most small business owners think that as soon as they get their website live then they’ll have a flood of people beating down the door to do business with them. The actual reality of the situation is often something quite different.

Remember that there is no point having a beautifully designed website if no one ever comes to visit it!

An effective website should not only be functionally designed but should also help the business owner achieve their commercial goals.

(3) They can’t decipher what sites are already doing well on the web.

If you want to achieve success in any discipline you need to find out who’s already doing well and what you can do to replicate or model their success.

This is no different on the web. There are businesses that are doing very well on the web and there are businesses that aren’t. Your job is to work out which ones are doing well in your market place and learn from them.

(4) They spend too much time on their site design and no time at all on marketing their site.

Small business owners would actually be much better off doing the reverse. Firstly creating a simply designed by nicely functional site and then investing the rest of their time generating traffic to their site. Once they have traffic coming to the site the challenge will then be to convert some of this traffic into paying customers and clients.

(5) They don’t build up a list of interested prospects.

Most people will only ever check out a small business website once and they will never return regardless of how much they liked it.

The reason for this is because of all the other millions of sites out there on the web trying to capture our attention. If you want to build long term relationships with your website visitors you need to provide an incentive to them to give you their email address so you can keep in regular contact. You can usually achieve this by giving something of value away for free such as a mini course or free download.

(6) They don’t effectively share and sell their expertise.

The internet is definitely a domain where people with an abundance mindset thrive. Your knowledge and expertise won’t do anyone any good, yourself included, trapped inside your head. You need to constantly strive to find ways to share what you know with as many people as possible if you are to experience the success that you desire online.

(7) They don’t leverage the resources of other people.

This one idea is a recipe for disaster online, thinking that you can do everything yourself. If you want to succeed online then you have to engage and utilise the talents and skills of other people.
Your first challenge is to first work out exactly what you are good at. Your second challenge is to then try and surround yourself with people that are good at doing all the things you neither have the time or inclination to do.

Clare Gillbanks Interview

Clare founded Meet at Last in September 2003 and has since established a successful start up business running events for single people in London creating a Ltd company in 2005.
With an extensive background in marketing, a long-standing interest in organising parties and a passion for bringing people together, Clare really is an entrepreneur worth watching.

The Interview

Damien Senn: Clare, what inspired you to set up Meet at Last?

Clare Gillbanks: I decided to throw a big party for my 30th and spent ages trying to find a venue that suited me for private hire on a Saturday for a big crowd. Of course, I ended up booking the bar next to my office called The Last. The party was excellent and I stood amongst all my family friends wondering if I could fill the room with single people. I was single at the time and had been to one or two organised singles events but wasn’t very impressed with them and knew I could do better.

Damien Senn: Did your idea for the business come in a flash of inspiration or was it something that unfolded in your mind over time?

Clare Gillbanks: It was a flash of inspiration at the party, which developed into a plan – fuelled by a real desire to meet someone myself in a fun environment where I would feel comfortable. I decided to run a test event charging £5 a ticket and asking all my friends and colleagues to send the email invitation to any single people they knew. I had a lot of support starting out and the party was a great success. After that I was encouraged to try another, this time with a DJ and a web page to take ticket bookings online. It grew quite naturally from there with me having over 400 people at the first Valentines Party Night in 2004. That’s when I knew I could look at it as a viable business model.

Damien Senn: How is 'Meet at Last' different from other dating businesses?

Clare Gillbanks: Meet at Last is unique in that we deliberately don’t do gimmicks or games to get people mixing and interacting. We don’t offer speed dating, formal matching or embarrassing icebreakers. I’m targeting people who don’t’ need those to get chatting to someone but enjoys a fantastic night out in a room full of single people where you simply increase your chances of expanding your social circle and maybe meet someone special.

Damien Senn:What are some of the challenges that your events help single people overcome?

Clare Gillbanks: Meeting new people in London can be really tough, especially if you don’t always want to socialise with work or if you all your friends seem to have settled down or partnered off. Meet at Last offers the opportunity to meet like-minded people in a safe environment where they know there are plenty of other people in the same boat. Some of the events we offer also give people the chance to try new activities they may not otherwise consider such as dance lessons or wine tasting.

Damien Senn: What role has the internet played in helping people become more familiar with your singles parties?

Clare Gillbanks: It is very much an online business and the Internet provides economies of scale in communication, advertising and promotion. The web also gives consumers a discreet way of checking out a company profile before booking and gaining information from existing customers about their experience of it. It’s can be a delicate topic being single and wanting to change your status or meet new people. I also couldn’t offer such cost effective ticket prices if I had to speak to every customer who wanted to book a place, though I do try to meet everyone at the events. The Internet has given me a platform on which to really explore the business opportunities, partnering with relevant affiliates and creating a brand presence. Companies like http://www.loveandfriends.com/ where invaluable in helping me establish a client base and get the brand out there to the right audience.

Damien Senn: What kind of romantic success stories have some of your clients experienced?

Clare Gillbanks: I hear a new success story every week from my customers or new people who are referred to Meet at Last from newly matched couples. Not that I use that as a way to promote the business as most people don’t like to tempt fate by going public and unfortunately there is still a small stigma attached to going to singles events – something I have made my mission to change!

Damien Senn: What was the biggest challenge that had to overcome when setting up your business?

Clare Gillbanks: Where to start? It is so daunting when you don’t know who to trust or believe even once you get what sounds like great advice. I had fantastic support from friends and family and companies who believed in what I was trying to achieve. I learned early on that there is no shame in asking for help and for the most part, people are keen to share their experience. I work on the basis that help will be reciprocated and collaboration is a feature of success in business.

The other thing I’d say is networking is crucial. It’s something I am known for but it’s amazing how just by talking to people you discover resources, tips and recommendations you’d not otherwise have found. There are some things you should not cut corners with either – accounts, tax and admin are vital and be careful how you invest in marketing your business – test what works and spread your risk.

Damien Senn: Are there any other thoughts, insights, or advice that you would like to offer would be entrepreneurs thinking about setting up their own business?

Clare Gillbanks: The Internet can be a vast resource base when you are starting your business – particularly if you know how it works and where to look. Look for seminars and meetings that will expand your knowledge and network. Stretch yourself and it’s amazing what you will get satisfaction from learning you can do! Finally do you best to stay fit and healthy. I’m the first to admit to all night sessions online researching and building my business but you need to get rest, exercise and perspective to be able to enjoy it. Good luck to anyone starting out on their own, it’s something I will never regret.

For more info on Clare please see www.meetatlast.com