A Step Marketing & Business Solutions

Out of Contact

2008-09-01T06:21:00.002-05:00

Hello All,

I am sorry for the lack of posts in recent weeks. I had major back surgery that has kept me away for longer than planned. Some weeks back, I wrote a post on taking care of business when you cannot, and I thought I had everything worked out to do just that.
Gremlins got in the way of all my plans. The biggest snafu was that my new laptop did not arrive when it was promised. This stopped me from getting everything loaded on it before surgery. I knew that after surgery I would be unable to sit at my desktop computer.
As you can imagine, with the biggest piece of my plan not arriving on schedule, it threw my plan down the drain.
I did have my email accounts set. I have had an enormous amount of work to take care of now that I can be on the computer.
So don't think that I have forgotten all of you, I am just trying to gather my various projects back together, and streamlining everything.
I have big plans for the near future, and I cannot wait to let you in on them. I am excited because I am in the middle of a project that will be a fantastic benefit to you all.

More later...........
To Your Success!
Monica

Taking care of business when you cannot

2008-07-20T06:45:00.003-05:00

I hope you all are well!
I would like to talk today about preparing to be away from your business. It does not matter if you are an affiliate, or have your own site. Maybe you do email marketing alone. Or any situation where you actively use the Internet.

I hope you have a daily schedule. A routine.
Maybe you have a laptop, and you are able to run your Internet enterprises from anywhere (almost).
I know that many of you do not yet have a laptop. If you are going on vacation- or maybe planning surgery or anything that may keep you away from your business.........be sure to plan ahead.

Go through that daily routine, and think of those tasks that are important "Must do daily" items.
Mailbox clean out---if you are on safelists---you probably get a ton of emails. If you reach your limits are your emails are "bounced back" to those safelists, for several days, you can and most likely be dropped. You can put yourself on vacation status. For a limited time and still keep your membership in good standing. At least with the services I use iPost and Top Surfer this is possible. Even if you have a special email address through a service like
YuhKnow that has an "email potty" there are still daily maintenance things you should be doing.

Forums/Groups - Social Networking can be a powerful tool. You can gain knowledge, insight, advice. In some instances you can get special deals on items because you belong. The most important thing I have gained from social networking is I have come into contact with some fantastic people that I would not have had a chance to meet otherwise. You will know you have found a forum that is right for you to join when you read through the posts and you can relate to those subjects.
If you look, you can find groups and forums on every subject. If for some reason you cannot, then start your own! The point is, some groups and forums you must remain a member i good standing, be active. If you give notice that you are going to be away, this can save you from trying to get back your good standing.

Sales- Product Orders & Delivery- This is critical. It does not matter if you are selling digital products that get auto delivered, or you sell products digital or physical that must be processed manually. Even if you are email marketing. Let your customers and potential customers know that you will be unavailable for a set amount of time. This is very important. If you fail to do this and someone is looking for help, advise, fast product delivery, you can loose not only potential sales, but also credibility. So take the time to go through any and all means that people may try to contact you about any business mater and set up a vacation message. Email, website contact page, Blog, make a list before you start and cover all your bases.

Automatic Payments- Services, memberships, anything that you have set up to be paid without you physically processing the transaction. Be sure that the funds are there. This is very important if you are having anything medical done, that could result in you being away from your business longer than expected.
Or if you are going to be away to take care of someone else.

Write down in a safe place your passwords and accounts. There many be an emergency situation that you have to have someone else log in to take care of something.

I hope this helps and saves you from headaches in the future.

Affordable PDF Creator and so much more

2008-07-14T11:26:00.003-05:00

Ok, I know you haave heard this all over the internet.

To get the word out you have to do some article marketing, you need to write ads, you need to write free reports to give out to make a name for yourself.
At some point you are going to need to make a PDF. Every day you will need to try to keep all these documents organized. I do have a solution. In fact I have put together a package that will increase your traffic with no further investment. NONE.
Follow the link.
http://astepmarketing.com/3

Success: The Right Philosophy

2008-07-11T11:08:00.000-05:00

Why does it always come back to the ageless truths? Mostly because that which is truth is ageless and truth doesn't change with the wind. "The Right Philosophy" can be defined by any number of phrases, but it always comes back to the "golden rule." It's re-phrased, but the essence is the same:

You can have whatever you want in life if you will just help others get what it is that they want.

This isn't some pie-in-the-sky-feel-good theory, this is practical and will be strongly linked to your success, no matter what field you're in. It shows that all aspects of successbusiness, personal, etc.are linked together and will all have an impact on your financial success.

Everyone largely wants the same things in life; to be happy, healthy, to have at least some amount of prosperity, to be secure and have friends, to have a happy family life, to have peace, and to have hope.

Abraham Maslow called it the Hierarchy of Needs: our physiological needs are met, then we move on to the need for safety, then to the need for love, then on to the need for esteem, and finally what he called "self-actualization." Fancy words to say that we all need the same things (the basic needs met) before we can achieve success, however it is that we define success.

No matter what your religious beliefs are, the golden rule is inherent in each religion; each just uses different words. The philosophy that you need to care for others (the "do unto others") as you want to be cared for yourself ("as you would have others do unto you") is at the heart of my phrase aboveyou will find success when you consider the needs of others as not only achievable, but something with which you can help. This goes with what I said a couple of days ago about social networking sites, and seeing the true value.

The more you give, the more you receive. Giving makes you feel good, it lifts the spirit. When it comes back to you, chances are it comes at the time when you need it the most. When my site was down, and I alerted everyone about my host, the response with help, suggestions and support was overwhelming. It made, what started at 2:00am as a horible "waking to a nightmare experience" turn into a very feel good day. You know what, 2 days later I am still getting emails that remind me of how much I have to be grateful for. Thank you for all the people who have been my angels of sanity the past couple of days.

Monica

I am Sorry

2008-07-10T02:43:00.002-05:00

It is 3:30am here in Indiana.
I just went to my main site to check on things. It is down.

I am sorry for any problems this has caused, and I hope you will all be patient.

I have called Start Logic and it is a router on the east coast that went down.

This is the second disruption this week, and I am pulling me recommendation for their service.

I will also be looking for a new hosting company for my own needs. I will keep you posted as to my results.

I am thankful that I did not choose to publish this blog on my site, and kept it here on blogger.

If anyone is trying to get to my downloads, leave me a message here, or email to tips4money0@aol.com I will work with you to get you the information.

Now I will drink coffee and come up with a game plan for a new host.

Thanks for your patience.

Monica

Missing The True Value -- A Lesson in more than business

2008-07-09T17:10:00.003-05:00

Hello Everyone,

I want you to all think about something as you go about your day to day marketing routine.

We are human beings 1st. We are not disconnected robots. When you are in forums, or groups you belong to remember that people have more value than business connections. More value than potential customers, leads, JV Partners. If you loose site of all this, you will loose the biggest value of all.....
You need social interaction on a personal level that has nothing to do with business. There are MANY groups out there based on more than business only. I belong to 3 important groups to me, I will be telling you about them within the next week. We bounce ideas and opinions off each other, we inspire each other to reach our full potential. We celebrate each others success, and help each other through failures, problems, and slow times.
Many people who have an online business do not have the support of a team of co-workers, or a support staff to help with all the tasks that it takes to run a business. Many of us wear multiple hats, and have to learn many new skills at once when starting up our business. owner, CEO, CFO, Purchasing agent - trying to get the best value. IT Professional, web designer, advertising agent, writer of ad copy, newsletters, blogs, articles business proposals information products, accounts payable, accounts receivable, product cost manager, customer service administrative professional, production worker, and the list goes on.........
Now, for those of you new to all this, -- Yes it can be daunting---Yes it can be frustrating, Ans Yes, at times it can be scary.
If you stick with it, and believe in yourself, work hard,offer an honest product for a fair price AND use the resources found in these social marketing settings for more than financial gain, your road will be smoother, and VERY rewarding.
I urge you to seek out sites that are about more than making a buck, I urge you to look at the character and value of people in more than monetary terms.
That is the end of my rant for now. I have promised to help you in your goals, this means much more than giving free handouts & tips.
Be Good to yourself, and don't forget others.

To Your Success!
Monica

Summer is slipping away

2008-07-07T02:49:00.000-05:00

Well I must say that I cannot believe it is July already! I had a great weekend, and I hope you did too.

I didn't get as much done as I should have, but today is another day.

I will be releasing a new eBook soon, and another project to be telling you about as well.

For those of you on the newsletter, I am sorry about you getting the info twice, but now that you are tied into the blog, this won't happen after today.

Start your week with a smile everyone!

Monica

Do you have a service or business I should know about?

2008-07-03T09:44:00.003-05:00

Do you know of a service or business that should be mentioned here?
As time allows, I will be more than happy to review on request any suggestions. I owe my newsletter readers the best up to date information I can give. I cannot possibly find every great deal out there, so I could use your help.

Please No MLM. I will only review products & services.

These requests should be sent to monica@astepmarketing.com--- Please include "review Request" in the subject line.

Thank You!
Monica

Attention Moms who are also Business Women.

2008-07-01T09:19:00.003-05:00

Hello All,

Guys, if you are reading this, please do not be offended, I am not snubbing you. We all know that men have had a male "oriented" professional network for centuries. That's ok with me. This is a place for the ladies to support each other the way we do best.

Ok Moms, listen up!
Maybe you have already found this group, maybe not. If not I encourage you to go to Yahoo Groups, and take a look at "Moms United In Business" I am a New Member, but already I feel like I am at home.
I have contacts from the "Co-Ed" networking sites, and they are wonderful people. There is something about getting a bunch of gals together without the guys. We communicate differently amongst ourselves. Many ladies new to business, are more comfortable in this setting.
I am proud to be a member of this group. I encourage you to take a look at it. Guys, if you are still reading, please do the business ladies in your life and on your list a favor, and direct them to this group.
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/Moms_United_In_Business/

http://www.momsunitedinbusiness.com/forum/

Have a Great Day Everyone!
Monica

Software Scripts can be a great time saver.

2008-06-30T11:22:00.005-05:00

I have been going over the files on my computer, and I thought you may benefit from a little insight.
I was very wary when I first started doing business online, about downloading scripts.
I still think those feelings have some merit. Do I use scripts? Yes. I am always careful where I get them though. Never download a script from a site that does not have good contact info. I personally do not download unless I know the site well.
If someone is trying to sell you a single script for more than $20.00 without any kind of bonus, well it had better work miracles. Be sure the script is compatable with your system, send them a message and ask what requirements your site needs, or your hosting company. You can also call your support line for your web hosting. I have called my support with all sorts of questions, and they are very helpful.
Back to scripts.
Scripts can be a huge time saver, and that equates to money savings, you have more time for other tasks. Make sure scripts come with good instructions, screen shots are great, they give you a good idea of how you will be interfacing with the script.
Oh, don't get me wrong, I have made my share of mistakes when getting scripts. In fact, I have a file of them and I am going to be giving you the names of those bombs within the next week.
To sum it up, Scripts can be like a lot of things you find online, be careful, and be sure you trust your source. If you have any specific questions, feel free to leave me a post, and I will try to help you answer them.

Have a Great Day!

2008-06-29T05:42:00.001-05:00

Website Hosting

2008-06-29T04:35:00.005-05:00

Hello Again,

I was just working on my main Website and I had to come here and make a new post.

You Need to take a look at Start Logic.

The service level at Start Logic is outstanding. I personally cannot imagine operating my businesses without them.

The best part is, if you are not a tech wizard, and a beginner, it is ok.

I have done business with some companies, that you have to have a whole vocabulary of technical terms just to use their help menu. To me, this is just insulting. You are already in need of help, and then the help menu makes you feel inferior because you don’t know the “correct terms to search the info library” or “those search terms are not found” Easy solution with Start Logic you pick up the phone, day or night, 7 days a week, and talk to a real person.

You can ask real questions, in plain English. You get real answers, and many times you they will walk you through whatever it is, step by step. They do not talk down to you, or insulting your lack of knowledge.

The perks they offer are way beyond the space I have here, but here are some of the key features I use most. V Deck control panel, easy visual menu control panel and it even tells you what you currently have enabled out of all your choices by either having a red or green dot beside each item.

Website creator- yup, you can create & publish your site BOOM- fast.

Do you want to change it after you have published? No problem, you can bring it back up and make your changes re-publish in real time and you have no downtime for your site.

I got a call from Phil at Start Logic last week, with some exciting news!

They have a new “partnership” which allows them to introduce you to the best deal I have found for pc support. It is way too involved for me to go into here, and I am not sure I could do it justice. If you have not followed my advice until now, I urge you to take a look at Start Logic.

Ok, back to work for me!

Have a great day to you all!

Hello To All

2008-06-28T14:34:00.003-05:00

Hi Everyone,
I am in the middle of some very exciting changes in my life. I have extensive business & marketing experience, and have always been the person that people feel comfortable asking questions. I started marketing on line some time ago, and really enjoy it. Now I am at point that I do what I really love.
Helping others that are trying to start up business' get rolling.
So stop by, check out my free newsletter!
Leave me a message to say hi, or ask for help, I will do all I can to help you find solutions to your marketing problems.
If you have a site that relates to marketing, or you are a marketer, leave me a link to check out.

Thanks for stopping by,
To Your Success!