Have you ever received a referral to your business that is just plain AWKWARD? You know, where someone says ‘Hey I know someone who really needs your service, here’s their number, you should give them a call?’

Being the diligent business owner that you are, you duly give the person a call only to discover they have NO IDEA who or why you are calling. Yep, totally AWKWARD!

Now imagine how it would feel like to get amazing referrals in your business that practically pre-sold your services before they even talk to you? Sounds great doesn’t it? 

There is an art to building a successful referral business and it starts with YOU.

First you need to become really good at giving GREAT referrals. It’s a little bit like the ‘Golden Rule’...Do unto others as you would like them to do unto you. 

So what is a GREAT referral?

To give a great referral, there needs to be a great process. Your process may differ depending on your style and approach from a few phone calls and follow up emails or it ...

The rise of visual marketing has taken the Internet by storm. Visuals like infographics, picture quotes, graphical presentations and slideshows are used to present information online. This trend has made Slideshare.net a great tool to help entrepreneurs get the message across to prospective clients and customers.

What is Slideshare?

Slideshare is a unique channel that allows you to promote content in either PowerPoint presentations, PDF's or video. It has gained a strong response since it was launched online in 2007.  Slideshare.net has over 500% more business traffic than any other website on the internet, which is one of the reasons that LinkedIn purchased Slideshare in 2012.

Tips On Using Slideshare

To get you started, here are a few tips and hints on how to present your information in a slideshow presentation.

1. Thought leadership. You are the expert when it comes to you business and you want to share your expertise in a presentation. It is important to create a presentatio
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“Everything we do is based on agreements we have made – agreements with ourselves, with other people, with God, with life. But the most important agreements are the ones we make with ourselves.” – Don Miguel Ruiz

Many years ago I read Don Miguel Ruiz’s little book “The Four Agreements” where he reveals where self-limiting beliefs come from that rob us of the joy in our lives. If you haven’t read this book, let me share what The Four Agreements are:

• Be Impeccable With Your Word
• Don’t Take Anything Personally
• Don’t Make Assumptions
• Always Do Your Best

Over the years I felt that I had embraced the lessons and incorporated them into my life…I always put my best foot forward, reminded myself that jumping to conclusions was an exercise fraught with danger and that what others do and say comes from their issues and situation at that time in place, not because of me.

Yet when it comes to the very first Agreement “Be Impeccable With Your Word”, this past year I have let myself down. ...

“Sometimes my mouth hits the accelerator before my brain has gone into gear.” – Julie Mason

Have you ever said ‘Yes’ to something when deep inside you is screaming ‘Noooooo, don’t do it!!!”?
And when you do, the energy you bring to whatever it is that you have agreed to do is just not your best energy. You drag your feet. Procrastination moves in and gets comfy. Then guilt arrives and you start avoiding the person you gave your agreement to…sound familiar?

Why do we do this to ourselves?

Well, it comes from this deep need for other’s approval. But lurking underneath that is where we really get to the core of the issue…and that is how you see your own self-worth.

Self-worth is a slippery thing for many of us who are passionate about what we do but not yet internally convinced that the world sees our value. That’s why we accept less than we are worth and then we get quietly resentful. And resentment is a nasty goon as well, thumping around in your head spreading evil thoughts toward a...

We have all heard the story of Oprah, from poor little black girl in Mississippi to Queen of the talk-show, billionaire businesswoman and arguably the most influential woman in the world.

Imagine having that power to connect with so many people; to have an influence on the books they read, products they buy and lifestyle choices they make…phenomenal!

How did she get this great power to connect?

Is it something she was born with or a skill she learnt?

More importantly, can we get that same skill to connect and influence both in everyday business and in your social media marketing?

Absolutely!

You see, when Oprah first started on TV she didn’t think that her own personality would be good enough so she tried to be Barbara Walters in the way she spoke and acted. And there’s one thing that people can pick a mile away is when someone is faking it…not being real. Our BS radar comes up and mistrust creeps in because we sense that something isn’t right.

Oprah’s Secret To Success

Oprah s...