For example, in August of 2006 I was considering launching a teleclass series for the fall (my first teleclass series!) and kept putting off the program because it was "not ready" (really because I was scared).  So my coach forced me to just pick a date & announce it to my list.  Started promoting, even though I had not finalized what I would be teaching, much less the handouts & spreadsheets.

And that worked pretty well.  Did not sell as many seats as I might have, since I only had 4 weeks to promote … but got the class done, some great testimonials, and TONS of content.  The idea is that I was not going to flake out on my clients, so I would be forced to Get It Done. 

These last 2 years I continued this principle of making aggressive deadline announcements, in an effort to motivate myself to produce drastic amounts of content & change.  Worked great for teleclasses, ebooks, new website launch, etc.

But here's where I ran into a problem.  I tried to use this method for the launch of my Grow Up! Strategies book & the Cash Flow in a Box information product … and burned myself.  Announced launch dates, pre-sales, when it would ship, promised all kinds of things to my list … and even sold books/products … without being able to deliver on my promises. 

Of course I gave tons of surprise bonuses, kept everyone informed, gave a refund to one person who was frustrated … but felt that I failed myself and my clients.  Like a big loser. 

Here's the mistake.  Aggressive deadlines work great to motivate yourself and people over whom you have control (employees, staff).  But they don't work on people who are out of your control — like publishers, printers, and fulfillment houses.  I can stay up all night to deliver on an ebook or teleclass, but I can't make the fulfillment house print, assemble, and ship boxes all night long.  (yes, I can fire them and hire someone new, but the boxes are still sitting in a warehouse)

So if you are using aggressive deadlines to motivate yourself to get it done, great.  But don't set & announce deadlines that are dependent upon people you do not control.  Wait until you have the power to deliver.  

So in the interest of being efficient, I'd thought I'd answer a few questions that have already been asked.  

Is the workshop appropriate for an internet marketing "beginner?" 

The workshop is perfect for a "beginner."  The most amazing thing about OSBW is that Ali gives you a step-by-step system (blueprint) of what to do in what order & why.  The idea is that you can create an entire online business just using her system.  It's very simple & step-by-step.  Ali's great at cutting out all the stuff and giving you just what you need.  (she's constantly telling me to focus and simplify)

Of course, you will add more info as you go along — but the second benefit is that when new stuff comes (like Facebook, or webinars), you will know where it "fits" in your business model, and not go wacky wild, wasting your time.

Why are you going for a third time? 

Every time I hear this information I get something different out of it.  My business is in a different place, and I'm ready to hear stuff that I was not ready for the first time around.  Also … even if I just walk away with ONE BIG IDEA from this event, it's all worth it for me.

Also, OSBW is tons of fun!  The event draws a particular group of people (mostly women) and is transforming, high energy, very unique in the internet marketing world. 

I also made some great contacts, including J/V's for this year.  Even helped to build my list, find great vendors, and get "seen" in this world.

–

Ali's hosting some teleclasses to share her story, give an overview of the Blueprint, and share success stories from her students who have implemented the Blueprint.  Her next call is Wednesday, June 30th.  To get in on these classes & reserve your seat for the Blueprint, go here:

http://www.autowebbusiness.com/app/?af=804060

Yes, that is my affiliate link.  Anyone who uses my link to attend the OSBW — I will contact you to set up a special breakfast or dinner (depending upon our schedules) for the group as a networking thank you.  :) 

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask your question(s) in the comments below and I'll answer your questions directly (and/or include them in upcoming posts).  See you in November! 

I had been looking at visions for what to do with my business that were the next logical step in my business — great ideas that had the potential to make me lots of money. But I wasn't taking action on them, and didn't know why. The thing is, I know the HOWs of internet marketing — I don't need any more info products or seminars on how to create or launch or promote stuff. I could write a book at this point. But I was very much stuck on what to do when my current projects were done in a few months. Have an event, write another book, teach a teleclass, create a new info product?!?

David Neagle was teaching about finding what you Desire (aka finding your Vision) — which I of course have journaled etc. about in the past. But he asked a question that shocked me. Not just "what do you want" or "what do you desire" … but "What is your Secret Desire? What do you Fantasize about?" — wooooh. 

I tell you, I don't fantasize about creating information products. Not even information products that really help people. I also don't fantasize about having an event. I enjoy teaching about legal & financial stuff, time management, life balance, internet marketing, etc. … but I don't dream about that stuff.

So in my journal I wrote down my secret fantasy idea. It's something that the practical business person in me says you can't make any money at, that I would be crazy to do. I don't yet even have the guts to tell you about on this blog. But I been working on it here and there for 9 years. I think about it just about every night before I go to bed, and first thing in the morning. It's what I fantasize about when I'm waiting in line or driving down the highway.

So once these projects are done (and on internet marketing / info product autopilot), this fantasy project is next. And maybe then I'll have the guts to finally tell you about it.

Instead of just apologizing and making excuses in this blog post, I'm sharing the first of 5 time perception (aka time management) tips that have taken me from total overwhelm (and blog-freeze) to productivity & completion.   

Time Perception Tip #1:  Do #1 First 

I finally figured this out just this week, even though I've been hearing about this idea for over a year.  In the 4 Hour Work Week, Tim Ferriss talks about spending the first 2 hours of your day doing the most important thing for your business, instead of what most people do (check email, return phone calls, tidy your desk, eat a donut).  When I first read this book over a year ago, I thought this was a great idea, but instead of picking one thing I just wrote down all my to-do's for the day and put a star next to the ones that were most important.  But of course, I did not do those first because they were So Big, and I have to check email to get back to my Virtual Assistants, blah blah blah, so I still wallowed in a bunch of sort-of-important tasks.

Then I bought my friend Marie Forleo's Productivity Secrets for Creative Entrepreneurs home study course.  Probably would not have bought it, except that Marie offered the first hour as a free download … and after one listen I got so much out of it, I felt guilty to not pay her some money.  Marie also teaches the "do the first thing first" strategy.  But instead of doing the first thing first, I wrote down TWO things to do first, and still spent time checking emails (what if the VA's emailed I don't want them to sit around unproductive?!?, as if they couldn't IM or text me) and piddling around in little tasks.

But this week I hit the wall.  I was So Far Behind in multiple projects where I promised delivery (and people had already paid me money!), and I had changed the delivery date more than once.  What a lame way to run my business, and very non-Grow Up! Strategies.  So I thought let's try Tim & Marie's theory, full-on, just as an experiment.

On Tuesday I picked one important project to do.  Actually, it was one project w/ 3 parts — getting back to 3 clients who needed some documents from me (and one of them has been waiting since April!) and were energetically & actually "pinging" me constantly.  I could feel them (and read the occasional email) that they needed their stuff done, and that pinging I felt kept me from being productive on the rest of my life. 

So on Tuesday I did that client work first.  No clearing out the email box.  No writing a blog post.  No drafting an email blast.  No cleaning the house (okay, I liked that "no").  No work until these client projects were done.

Took until 2:30 PM until they were finished (did have a 90 minute phone call, pick up Grace from preschool, and fix/eat lunch).  But let me tell you, getting those three client projects done had an amazing effect on my day and the control I feel over my life.  After I got those project done, I felt like accomplishing & finishing all the projects on my master project list were possible.  That the little to-do's on the rest of my daily task list were easy.  And for the first time in a Long Time, I got everything done.

So if you are overwhelmed by daily little tasks ond a bunch of big projects, pick one most important project and today get the most important task done to further that project … first.  No email, no blog posts, no twitter/facebook/plurk, no futzing with anything until that project is done. 

Tune in next time for Tip #2:  Stop With Aggressive (aka Crazy) Deadlines