WordPress Blogging Tools and SEO tips for Online Entrepreneurs
“The Dali Blogger” : Sharing Tips on WordPress Blogging, SEO, Mindset and Life
-
Archive of "Internet Marketing Productivity" Category
How to Start a Mastermind Group
If you are new to masterminding you might be wondering how to start a mastermind group .
I call myself a "mastermindress" on Twitter . I love sharing and exchanging ideas with other strategic Internet marketers and social media consultants. I’m a big collaborator and team player. When you collaborate or partner with other online marketers, you really get your creative juices flowing and can achieve more with less effort.
Starting a mastermind group is easy and quite FUN! Before I show you how to start your own mastermind group, let’s recap and define the term:
A mastermind group is a group of like-minded people who are helping each other achieve their goals and dreams. The term “mastermind” comes from Napoleon Hill , who authored the classic self-help book “Think and Grow Rich .”
How to Start Your Mastermind Group
It all starts with some social media networking on your favorite social networking sites. I have found tight communities such as those created on Ning to be great for meeting mastermind-quality folks. However, it all depends on how you like to network and where you are most comfortable. I love meeting new people on Twitter and have found several mastermind friends and Joint Venture partners on Twitter and via blogging as well!
My mastermind is a free mastermind group. There are paid mastermind groups out there, and there are many that are very much worthwhile. One example is Yaro Starak’s Blog Mastermind .
I will focus on creating free online mastermind groups - A small group that will serve like your "intimate board of directors."
Prequalifying Mastermind Group Members
Connect with others by engaging them in conversation. Learn about them before you talk about yourself. You don’t want to come across as very self-centered.
I recommend the following online mastermind-attracting recipe:
- Check out the person’s social networking profile, blog or website
- Leave an encouraging comment on their blog or via direct message/email on the social networking platform
- Invite to connect (as long as you have very similar interests)
- Engage them in conversation - ask questions about THEM - don’t go on talking about yourself until they ask you to (people love to talk about themselves - just LISTEN)
- If you REALLY find common ground and have connected with them, invite them to connect on a more frequent level via mastermind group
It really is that simple.
Setting a Mastermind Groups Meeting Schedule
My mastermind group meets every other week and we usually have a topic to focus conversation around. We also take turns talking about a particular subject, while the others members chime in and ask questions.
You can set the rules.
However, in order to have an effective mastermind group, all members must
- understand the purpose of the mastermind group
- understand the VALUE in meeting (every week, every other week)
- all contribute equally to the group discussion
- feel like they are free tol communicate about topics of discussion.
Topics to Discuss with Your Online Mastermind Group
- Social Media Marketing
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Google Pay Per Click
- Web Design
- Information Product Marketing
- Email Marketing
- Traffic Conversion
- Web Copy Tips
- Whatever you all agree upon!
Happy Online Masterminding!
P.S. If you are at the intermediate/advanced level in the above areas, contact me on Twitter! I am always open to meeting, connecting and collaborating with other passionate, strategic Internet marketers!
Your Partner in Online Marketing Success,
Dali Burgado
Redefining Online Marketing Success
What is your definition of online marketing success ?
Becoming the next Frank Kern or Eben Pagan? Being a big time Copywriter like Michel Fortin? Is it to make an excess of $10K per month?
The crazy thing I’ve realized is that too many of us define online marketing success in complete wrong terms. Oftentimes, we set a goal to be someone else instead of developing and nurturing talents and skills we already possess.
When we unknowingly set goals that are not really our own, we force ourselves to learn skills that we don’t have the slightest affinity for, and we dismiss uncovered passions and skills that are yearning to be expressed. These passions and natural talents allow us to shine in what we do best but in trying to reach success through someone else’s eyes, we lose sight for true success.
I’ve set goals this way, and when I realized was not making any headway focusing on talents I did not inherently possess (and set a goal that I did not define myself), I had to take a step back, think and redefine what success meant To ME.
You see, success is not a "one size fits all" definition. Your definition of success may be very different than my definition of success because we are all unique in our talents, strengths, and personas.
However, I’ve also found that although each of us have our own definition of success, success is achieved overall when entrepreneurs accomplish a noteworthy goal and find fulfillment in having reached that goal.
It takes a mindset shift to realize this very concept.
Too many folks coming into the Internet marketing game come to strike gold without realizing that success is a journey. In addition they dismiss the fact that that they must also develop:
- Personal/Communication skills
- Marketing, influence, and their own natural talents and affinities
- Online relationships
Are you truly following your success and passions or are you following someone else’s vision of success? What are you wanting to accomplish?
Yesterday, I picked up my copy of Joe Vitale’s "The Attractor Factor" and read about a study concerning two groups of individuals; the first group worked just to make money and the second group worked on their passions. The first group consisted of over 1,000 people while the second group consisted of about 225 people. Out of the first group only 1 became a millionaire and out of the second group over 100 became millionaires. What a big clue! When you work on your passion, you find "success."
What’s your definition of success?
What are your talents and skills?
Are you truly marketing your passion?
My new e-book Mindset Marketing will show you how to redefine success in your own terms AND find and further develop your NATURAL God given talents and skills.
P.S. I will most likely be releasing a leaked chapter of Mindset Marketing so you can also read about all the 6 reasons you might actually be unconsciously self-sabotaging your online success. Stay tuned, my friends!
Dali Burgado
Product Launch Plan Moment of Clarity
This past week I’ve been wrapping up my product launch plan for - "Mindset Marketing: How to Stop Self-Sabotaging Your Success and Gain Massive Momentum in Your Online Business" (with an affiliate program by the way) - smile. The product launch experience inspired a big moment of clarity for me, and I’m sure once you put yourself in my shoes, you’ll find the moral of this story.
My goal was to have launched the e-book for my good friend Anthony Whym’s Blog Talk Radio show this past Saturday, but I ran into some challenges. I surely could have devised a more tactful product launch plan, but hey - it’s all GOOD! It’s only my first product launch (of many). And now there is more time for us to get the word out.
Listen to the replay of my conversation with Anthony on Blog Talk Radio .
You will learn even more intimate details about me (like early inspirations, where I grew up, my experience on Capitol Hill as well as more on my e-book "Mindset Marketing."
So, after being interviewed and speaking of "Mindset Marketing" with Anthony Whyms I gained even further clarity in terms of how I want to use this blog to inspire, educate and provide value to other online entrepreneurs who may be struggling to find their "online and personal productivity groove."
So here is where I’d like to take the energy level here on this blog:
New Tagline for Dali Burgado:
Mindset Marketing: The Crossroads of Millionaire Mindset and Strategic Internet Marketing
Voila! So what do you think about my new tagline? Post a comment here and let me know!
If you’ve been around for a while here, you know I tend to talk a lot about mindset, and it’s importance in online, and virtually any kind of, success. My present tagline "being productive online - is more of an effect of "mindset marketing" …
So there, I have new clarity and vision for this blog!
What does this mean to you?
This just goes to show you all that we don’t have to be perfect.
The most important aspect of creating success online (and offline) is making minor course adjustments along the way.
Although I didn’t have a clear product launch plan, something positive still came about.
Have you ever heard that an airplane is off course 80-90% of the time, and its pilot must continually make those minor course corrections in order for the plane to get from point A to point B. Think of yourself as an online air pilot.
Never get frustrated when you realize you "could have" done something better. Simply appreciate where you are, accept the situation, and make the minor course adjustment and keep on a movin’!
So, I hope you enjoy the new direction!! It’s gonna be so much FUN!
Now…My "online relationship building" posts about "Twitter" and other online social networking tips will go on my new blog at Secrets to Web Success . There’s not much there now, but very soon you will also start seeming some super duper valuable content about online social networking, search engine optimization, online relationship building - anything Internet success-related will all be there! That’s gonna be a blast too, especially because I have partnered up with some awesome friends in social media, Internet, and Network Marketing to bring you tremendous value there, so make sure you stay in the loop here and on via my tweets on Twitter .
AND please VOTE on my new tagline. Is it a go??
I appreciate you!
Your partner in Online Success,
Dali Burgado
P.S.
Mindset Marketing will be available any day now! I’m getting some raving reviews on it too! Woo hoo.
Creating Clarity in Blogging
Hey All,
In order to create clarity sometimes it’s necessary to connect with leaders who are where you’d like to be.
Last Friday I connected with Michael Martine of Remarkablogger for a blogging strategy session. Michael is a seasoned blogger and blogging consultant. The blog strategy session was phenomenal to say the least :-) Michael spent over an hour with me on Skype providing honest critical feedback about this blog you are reading.
He was super helpful in teaching me some cool SEO techniques as well as in helping me develop a clearer vision for this blog.
To be honest, when I started this blog, I didn’t do enough keyword research to ensure I had nabbed the best niche and profitable main keywords. I just went with my gut feeling and began to blog about the things I was passionate about.
Even though I am sometimes on page 2 of Google for one of my main keywords, “online productivity, ” I find that no one is looking for the personal productivity material I have here. Rather they are looking for internet applications to help save time. It wouldn’t matter if I were on page 1 of Google because I wouldn’t provide the solution THEY would be looking for. So, I the lesson here is that I have to define my niche more clearly.
Michael helped me realize I should narrow my niche even further.
I could become angry and mope, but I choose to look at it as a moment of clarity. At least I took action. I now realize I can give up on that keyword phrase and move on.
What’s more, you seem to have found me somehow anyway!
Many of you follow me on Twitter, Facebook, My Blog Log or Blog Catalog. I have already begun to develop a loyal following in you. Had I hemmed and hawed about keyword research before beginning this blog I probably wouldn’t even have this blog or connected with you.
I say that to tell you this…taking any kind of action in your online endeavors will always create clarity. Imperfect action is better than no action at all.
It is the way you perceive the outcome of your actions that will determine whether or not you can move on with excitement or disappointment.
As an online entrepreneur, you must look at every outcome as a learning lesson and move on.
So, within the next few weeks I’ll be making some good changes to the blog. My focus will be more on successful mindset development and creative marketing.
My social media marketing and blogging content will go on another blog. I am working on with some really neat leaders in social networking and Internet marketing at Secrets to Web Success. It is also where you will be able to find a range of blogging and social networking consulting services too.
In addition, I’ll be unveiling a pretty powerful e-book on developing the mindset of a master marketer within the next few days that will be a cornerstone product here at daliburgado.com. Make sure to check your tweets or your RSS reader for that announcement!
In the meantime, let me know what else you would like to hear about on this blog. This blog means nothing without your input!
I appreciate you!
Dali Burgado
Outsourcing for Productivity and Success Online
So is outsourcing something the Internet marketing gurus can do or can up-and-coming Internet marketers, entrepreneurs, and solopreneurs also take advantage of the productivity benefits outsourcing has on his/her online success?
I recently had the privilege to connect with a really savvy Internet Marketer in the UK by the name of Ray Johnson via Twitter . I am just loving Twitter by the way - if you’re not on there you should get yourself a Twitter account! I’ve been meeting tons of great folks, JV partners and great folks to network with on Twitter.
Ray Johnson and I got into a conversation about outsourcing and the misconception most budding Internet marketers have about outsourcing as something only Internet marketing gurus can do or afford.
This gets into the mindset block most of us have about believing we have to know it all in order to find success online. I know I surely have felt that way in the not so distant past. However, I realized I only had so many hours in the day as well as two toddlers ages (3 and 2) who keep me very busy!
That’s when I told myself, "Dali, why aren’t you leveraging your skill sets" and partnering with others to focus on your strengths and let others do the stuff you can’t stand doing?"
At the time I connected with Ray I was already thinking "how can I focus on what I love so I become even more productive."
So ask yourself, what do you love about working your online business?
Make a list of the top 2-3 things you would do all day simply because you have the passion for it. Anything not on that list should be gradually and eventually be delegated or outsourced.
In my case, I absolutely love to blog, write, and build relationships online and offline, so I tend to stick to those strengths. However, I don’t enjoy writing articles for submission online, so that is one of the things I outsource.
This is not to say that outsourcing is the only way to succeed in your business. You must also learn how to monetize online. There are many ways to do that. One way to do that is to create your own product. However, not all of us have the expertise, writing skills, and budget to do that. If you do, creating your own product will help brand you online and establish you as an expert in your niche.
Most new online marketers prefer to promote someone else’s product (as an affiliate) while they gain the skills and confidence and expertise to create their own product. But let me not digress :-) This is another blog post in and of itself.
Outsourcing can ease the burden of you feeling like you have to do EVERYTHING and be the one man or woman show. Success is all about collaboration and delegation. Why not learn to outsource?
If you’d like to know more about outsourcing check out this FREE leaked Chapter by my Friend Ray Johnson: Outsource2Success Free Leaked Chapter
Besides the great insight in this leaked chapter, Ray provides a way for you to make money by simply recommending this free leaked chapter from Outsourcing2Success.
Happy Outsourcing!
Your Partner in Online Productivity,
Dali Burgado
Achieve Google Page Rank Fast
Google Pagerank.
After subscribers, it’s what all new or seasoned bloggers want. Whether you are still trying to get your first one or are working on improving your page rank below you will find:
- The benefits of improving your page rank
- Its definition
- And how a new blogger achieved her first page rank in a little less than 3 months (officially it takes 3 months for Google to update page rank but I knew I had one before it appeared).
Benefits of Achieving Google Page Rank
The higher your page rank, the easier it is for your prospects to find you. By working on your page rank you improve your visibility and exposure to the world. Very powerful! Although, having Google page rank is not synonymous with SEO (search engine optimization). It does help somewhat in terms of search engine visibility.
- “PageRank reflects our view of the importance of web pages by considering more than 500 million variables and 2 billion terms. Pages that we believe are important pages receive a higher PageRank and are more likely to appear at the top of the search results.”
Before telling you how a newbie blogger of 3 months (that would be yours truly) achieved a Google page rank within her first 3 months as a blogger, let’s get to the definition of the page rank so we are all on the same page!
Definition:
A Google Page Rank is the number from 1-10 that Google gives a website or blog and determines that website or blogs’ importance. The Page Rank (PR) is based on the number of inbound links (or websites that link to your site). However, Google not only takes into consideration the sites that are linking to you plainly. It also calculates the number of inbound links that come from pages that are already highly ranked. The Page Rank of a website or blog is determined also by the Page Rank of other sites.
If you’ve installed the Google toolbar you’ll see a green bar indicating any site or blogs Page Rank.
Achieving Google Page Rank is more than just knowing this definition. One must apply a few techniques consistently in order to achieve one, two or more!
Below is how I have worked toward achieving my Google page rank fast:
1) Great Content and Keyword Density
When I write a blog post I ensure that I have great content and that I have my keywords spread a few times throughout my posts (don’t overkill). I’ve studied this, and I don’t know exactly how Google calculates this, but I do know that you do have to do some keyword research and make sure you blog title, post, and keywords are all in alignment. Not rocket science, right?!
In addition, there are several cool plugins that assist you with this (I am listing them down below).When I write, I do think about a topic before doing my keyword research. I don’t let the keyword research dictate what to write about. On the flip side, I do attempt to find some winnable keywords to shoot for. I also aim to shoot straight from the heart and from a place of service and value whenever I put up a blog post. I don’t like fluff or filler, so everytime I blog I ensure it’s a good post.
When a blogger writes, it should come from the heart. As an aside, pay attention to what others in your social networks are speaking about. Tons of great blog post ideas will come from just that.
2) Title
Within the last two months I have been creating better titles. It is important that your main keyword be in your blog title. It is also important that the keyword be closer to the beginning of the title as well. There are a few cool plugins that help you optimize your blog title too. (See Below).
3) Commenting
Over the course of my blogging I have made it a conscious effort to leave comments on other blogs in the “productivity” and “entrepreneur” niche. I have not counted my comments (as I probably should have) :-). However, I do know that every week I leave at least 10+ comments on other blogs (It was way more when I first started blogging). I also consciously leave comments on high page ranking blogs.
An important thing to know is that you’ll want to make sure your comments are full of value.
What I like to do is read the entire post and comment on my favorite part of the blog or add a thought that can add value to the community there. I also end by telling them I appreciate them for sharing their thoughts.
I once heard the greatest need we have is the need to feel appreciated, so I like to say “I appreciate you”. It makes me feel good, and it makes the other blogger feel great.
4) Having links to your Blog on Social Networking and Bookmarking Sites
Within the last three months, I have joined (or increased my presence on) several social networking and bookmarking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, FriendFeed, Digg, StumbleUpon, Delicious, Blog Catalog, My Blog Log, and several others, and have added my blog link in everything I join.
My main two sources of social networking traffic come from Twitter and Facebook.
5) Articles, HubPages and Squidoo
I have written a few articles, hubpages, squidoo and one or two videos with my blog url (link) in everything, so I have other sources pointing back to my blog. I have been slacking in this deparment, but I know this helps too.
6) Wordpress Plugins that assist with Search Engine Optimization (SEO
- All in One SEO Pack - Probably the most popular one, as it is a recommended plugin as soon as you get your Worpress blog set up.
-
SEO Title Tag 2.3.2 - Allows you to search engine optimize your blog’s title tags.
-
SEO Slugs 1.0- Removes common words like ‘a’, ‘the’, ‘in’ from post slugs to improve SEO.
-
Commentluv 2.5.3 - Shows a link to the last post from the commentor’s blog in their comment.
For my favorite resources on how to increase google page rank go to:
http://www.thesitewizard.com/archive/google.shtml
http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Increase-Google-Page-Rank&id=525462#
http://wordpress.com/tag/increase-google-page-rank/
Have any other ideas about increasing or achieving google page rank? Let us know! I appreciate you!
Your Partner in Online Productivity and Success,
Dali Burgado
Avoiding Email Overload
Avoiding email overload is a challenge.
I can admit I am an opt-in page-aholic! I love to study the gurus and stay on top of all the latest Internet Marketing strategies. However, my sponge brain began to suffer from a severe case of information overload. Not a good thing for an online productivity diva.
My opt-in-happy fingers were getting me to an all too common scenario we online entrepreneurs face: Email Overload.
I strongly believe email overload is the one of the - if not- the biggest challenge to online business productivity.
I have found 5 super-helpful tips to minimize email overload.
Here they go:
1) Create a separate email for marketing opt-ins. Instead of using my primary email address I am devoting a separate email account strictly for opt-in purposes. All of my opt-ins are Internet Marketing related. Whenever I am working on sharpening a particular skill set i.e. SEO I can simply type “SEO” in the gmail search feature and find what I’m looking for at the particular moment I need it instead of reading insignificant material that I would have read had it been in my primary email.
2) Unsubscribe from email lists that are not providing the value you deserve. Take 30 minutes at a time and clean up your email by either unsubscribing to the lists you are subscribed to that are not providing the value you deserve. Sometimes you get the list owner who always promotes something without providing intrinsic value to you as the list reader. If this is the case - cut them loose. For those people you love you can usually change the subscription email to that list by clicking on a link stating “update or modify email info”.
3) Only check email 2x a day - In my previous post I admitted email was still a challenge for me and my online productivity. A great tip I learned from Timothy Ferriss’ “The 4 Hour Workweek” was his email auto-response message stating:
“Dear _______,
Due to high workload, I am currently checking and responding to email twice daily at 12:00 pm ET [or your time zone] and 4:00 pm ET.
If you require urgent assistance (please ensure it is urgent) that cannot wait until either 12:00 pm or 4:00 pm, please contact me via phone at 555-555-5555.
Thank you for understanding this move to more efficiency and effectiveness. It helps me accomplish more to serve you better.
Sincerely,
Your Name
4) Shut down your web browser and any “noises” (or pop ups) to your email - indicating you’ve receive email - If you decide to work on a particular task for 30 minutes to an hour i.e. writing a blog post - type it in Microsoft Word first - unless you need to find a link. I’ve found myself many a times checking email because I noticed I received a new email that might have been cool.
5) Delete emails you no longer need and Archive Important Ones - Delete emails if they require no more action from you. Archive the important emails. I love gmail because you don’t have to set all the folders and rules for archiving email. Gmail has a search feature so you can search for something you’ve archived by keyword.
You can find a great post on taming your inbox at Chris Brogdan’s Blog.
Have any other tips on taming your inbox or email overload? Post it here!
I appreciate you.
Your Partner in Online Productivity,
Dali Burgado
Success Factors Online
What factors determine online success?
This topic could be an e-book or course. Today I’m only going to focus on two online success factors.
1) Invest in Yourself (Whether that require money or time)
Last weekend I had the privilege of attending a 6 Figure Business School with millionaire business coach, Myron Golden. After having attended this event, reading, Internet marketing Guru of the Gurus’ Rich Schefren’s, “The Uncertainty Syndrome” e-book, and reading blogging pro Yaro Starak’s latest blog post on business constraints, I realized I had a “constraint” that was affecting where I wanted to be.
Until recently I had been feeling like I should be more successful.
Perhaps it’s the “perfectionist” in me. Or Maybe I get impatient, at times, with the progress I’ve made.
Whatever it was, that form of thinking was causing me to focus on my obstacles instead of refocusing, looking past the obstacles, and envisioning the end result (my goal).
This “ah ha” moment really sank in when Dr. Stan Harris, motivational hall of fame and transformational speaker, asked me to come up and break a wooden martial arts board with my bare hand.
I was the first volunteer and broke that board in half on the first attempt! Oh yeah! lol I wish someone had taken a picture.
I noticed the reason I broke it was that I had looked past the block. It was as if the block had become invisible while I prepared to break through my obstacle (the block).
So I told myself - that’s the focus I must ALWAYS have in my business (and in life).
See, we must empower ourselves to look beyond the obstacles that appear along the way.
If you really stretch your mind and realize - obstacles are a blessing in disguise. Obstacles are only placed in our path to help us stretch to the level where we can handle greater success.
If I had not invested money and time in myself this past weekend I might have not stopped to realize how grateful I am, and should always be, about my present place in this journey to “success” online.
It’s more important to enjoy the journey than to rush our way to the end result - how boring and anticlimactic would it be if we set a huge goal and achieved it right away?
Most online marketers want instant success.
Instant traffic.
Instant results.
Aside from the computer turning into an ATM machine (and what a nice visual), how enjoyable would it really be if any goal we ever set were achieved instantaneously? What If everything were just spoon fed to us? It wouldn’t be worth setting that goal. We wouldn’t have the milestones to celebrate.
We all have have to APPRECIATE where we are at the VERY PRESENT and realize how far we’ve all come since we’ve begun our own journey to online success! Whatever “success” means to us.
Although, I am no guru YET, I have developed many skill sets and honed others this year. I’ve grown so much in my business that I decided to become a passionate Internet Marketing Coach, and I am really enjoying my clients’ and my online progress.
I’ve also developed a nice following online via Twitter, Facebook, Digg and a host of other social networking sites, in a very relatively short amount of time, as well as have Joint Ventured with some cool like-minded folks in other online projects. It’s been FUN!
So enjoy the milestones guys.
2) Realize that Online Success Doesn’t Happen by Yourself - It happens Alongside Others
We’ve all heard of leveraging our money, our time, but what about leveraging our SKILL SETS?
We all need the help of others to succeed online. That’s the beauty of finding an accountability partner, participating in a mastermind group, or finding new people to connect with on the Internet.
Think of it this way: Online and Offline business owners get paid because they know WHO to ask for help.
Don’t be ashamed to ask others for help.
Recently, I’ve had very new friends offer to help me with a task I was stumped on (streaming video to a membership site) via Twitter and Facebook. If you are not good at streaming video find someone who knows how. Develop relationships with others who compliment your skills sets!
Leverage is earning off the efforts of other people.
Your Goal, my friend, is to become a CLO (Chief Leveraging Officer).
Okay…that’s it for today.
I welcome any comment about your journey online.
Your partner in online productivity and success,
Dali Burgado
P.S. I still have 6 Tickets to Myron’s 6 Figure Business School at an unbeatable price (next one is in Orlando, Florida next month). Catch me on Twitter to inquire.
Blog Article Updates by RSS or Email
|
Where You Can Find Me
|
|
|
|
Internet and Blog Marketing Resources
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Twitter Thought Stream
- @ctlc09 Thanks so much for the comment, Ashley. I am very glad you enjoyed the call and got a lot of value from it! #JSYC
- Posted: Links for 2010-03-11 [del.icio.us] http://bit.ly/cHXl8K
- Posted: 3 Facebook Social Marketing Tips to Build Your Sphere of Influence http://bit.ly/aCJePt
- 8:30 EST FREE Sneak Preview of How to Build a Rock Star Coaching Practice http://ow.ly/1iqOv #JSYC with @motivationmama & The Dali Blogger
- @PaulCooley Absolutely, Saturday afternoons always a chill out time for me. Catch you on FB! :-)
Favorite This Blog on Technorati
