Tips from the road... million dollar ideas from the twins

My daughters are turning 6 in a couple months and starting grade one in 2 weeks... YIKES!

Time flies.

If you have been on my newsletter list for some time, you would have seen some of my articles I wrote about the girls (Katrina and Hailey).

They are identical twins born almost 6 yrs ago at a whopping 3 pounds each! We are blessed and they are perfectly healthy little fireballs... always ready to get into some trouble whenever they can find it.

Anyhow, I learn a ton about life and business just by watching the 2 of them play.

I have written articles about my "learning's" and those articles have been published in a few different languages now.

Even a book was spawned out of my stories about them!

Some vacation time this summer got me thinking about how much I miss writing about them, so here you go:

10 MORE Small Business Success Tips from the Twins

(1) Wrapping paper madness! Ready, fire, aim.

Patience is over-rated.

When you are ready to get rolling with something, go with it. Grown-ups over think things and forget that only way to get ANYTHING done is to take action.

You can worry about the consequences after you do it, but if you sit around thinking about it forever and never do it, you failed the test.

Way too many people I have spoken with are afraid of taking action, they would rather sit back and talk about the billion dollar ideas they have and how great they will be if only they could actually DO SOMETHING, they might actually succeed.

Kids don't care if they flail about madly while opening presents or even just playing... why do YOU care so much?

(2) Cheesy Toys ROCK!

McDonalds gets this. Most businesses don't.

Much of McDonald's success comes from imbedding their 'golden arches' into kids' minds from a very young age. And their toys are the icing on the cake. Kids LOVE those cheesy toys more than anything.

How can you use ideas like this? What would your "adult" buyers like as a bonus with your product or service? Remember, http://www.orientaltrading.com is a goldmine of ideas. And NO, they are NOT too mature for something like this!

(3) Rest before the big day.

If you don't rest up and prepare yourself for those big days, you are going to burn out rapidly. For example if you have a big event coming up a big promotion or sale a big mailing whatever it is... don't wait until the last minute and wear yourself down.

My kids were sooooo wound up the day before holidays that they got no sleep and ended up sick the day we left not exactly what they had planned!

Besides - when you are rested - you come out of the starting gates with a BANG and no one will even know what hit them

(4) Sharing can feel daring

But it can also be more fun and rewarding than anything you've ever done before. Share your wisdom, knowledge and stories with those who need a "picker-upper". Inspire others - teach others - give them something to admire about you. It feels awesome, and it will forever make an impression in their minds.

SIDE BENEFIT: when you share information with others via teaching, you actually learn more as well. When you have to clarify in your mind how to say it and do it - you'll find it permanently "wires" it deeper into your own mind.

Help others and help yourself.

(5) Run with reckless abandon

Take no fear for what may happen when you are running at full tilt.

Why do most of us 'adults' lose our reckless abandon? I guess some people still have it - many of it in negative forms. But so few people are willing to give it their all without fear of repercussions.

It is the reason so many people dream of running their own business... but never do.

It is the reason so many people go about life bumbling along in jobs they hate, while meanwhile down the road is the perfect opportunity for them... if only they looked for it.

It is the reason our society is drowning themselves in depression pills.

Here's the cure for it all: run, be free, give it your all, do what scares you, run naked every once in a while (see the first 10 tips - location below). When you let loose a little, you may just find the big breakthrough you've been looking for.

(6) Find your best toy and stretch every ounce of fun and enjoyment out of it

In business, we are all marketers. And one of our "toys" should be our advertisements and sales materials. We play with them - strive to find the best ad that keeps us entertained (and in the money) for as long as possible.

So don't get bored of your toys! If they are still working, and are entertaining you in the right way keep playing!

People change their working-perfectly ads for no reason.

Why?

Just because you are bored of it doesn't mean it won't make you money... the next shiny object may look cool, but chances are good it won't be nearly as durable or as much fun as your previous "toy".

(7) Go camping every once in a while

Back to basics. No phones, no cells, no Blackberrys or email... now THAT sounds like a great way to spend some time.

We stayed at my sister's land in Montana and slept in a tent for a few nights (her cabin is being built but not ready yet).

It was very refreshing (and tiring in many ways) to go back to the real basics.

In business, we tend to overcomplicate things... and by going back to the basics you can have some incredible insights!

Go lock yourself away from your computer and phone for a weekend - and write (by hand), plan, and think about your business and where you want it to go.

Don't take any reading material or ways to access email.

Trust me, this is TOUGH to do - but well worth it in the end.

I DARE YA!

(8) Eat your fish - catch what you eat - and don't

Katrina and Hailey went fishing for their first time while on vacation! They LOVED it. Caught 3 - and watched as they were cleaned, prepared and cooked. Then gobbled up their catch.

It was quite amazing to them to see where fish come from!

They love to eat fish... but this was a first to see where it originally came from.

Now they know how to do it again and again and again.

And the key in your business is to learn how things are done, right down to the core basics.

You don't have to do everything yourself I recommend you don't try. But you should learn for what makes it work, and work well.

For example, I encourage my copywriting clients to learn what direct response marketing is and how sales copy is written. That way, they know what work goes into it and what to look for in a well written campaign.

They will never invest the 3,000 hours I have in writing copy - but they will always know what makes for good copy... just like good fish. You don't have to catch it to enjoy it!

(9) R & R is a necessity - make it a daily practice - no matter how much you want to play

Kids can play full out - but eventually they tire out... and get grumpy and whiny. When they know to stop for even 2 mins, take a quick break... and they are raring to go again.

In our fast paced, rush rush society, we need to heed this lesson more than ever.

If you don't take some downtime during the day, you will burn out and it will hurt your business.

Whether it is meditation, reading, talking a long walk, exercising, getting a massage... whatever your choice is... make it a daily practice.

Your business and income depends on it!