Well I made it!  Made it through to the other end of the iQuanSite.com launch.  It’s been a fun ride and a great learning experience.

Here’s what I learned:

1. No matter how much time you give yourself for a launch, it’s never enough.  Expect many sleepless nights and last minute things that need to be taken care of.  You can minimize the impact of the little things by planning out your launch two or three weeks in advance.

2. Test, test, test and then test again!  In addition to testing your product (if it’s a software product), you need to test the sales process from start to finish - many times in all browsers before you launch.  Make sure people can order and pay via credit card (or paypal if you offer that option).  Make sure they can reach the download page and can download the product.  Make sure they know how to reach support if they have a problem.  Test everything!

3. Minimize technical snafus by planning ahead.  Nothing is more frustrating than having your sales site go down during a launch - especially when it means a loss of potential sales.  The iQuanSite.com launch team planned for the increase in traffic by installing additional RAM on the server and caching parts of the salespage, as well as ensuring the server admin was monitoring the server during high load periods and having a Plan B should something go awry.

3. Make sure support is on hand during the launch period.   The support team should be on hand to deal with any issues as they arise.  Both technical support to manage server issues and the customer support team to manage any new customer questions.  Make sure the entire team is up to speed on the offer and how to answer common questions as well as know the escalation path should they need to raise an issue.

4. Set goals.  How do you define success?  What’s your measure of a successful launch?  The iQuanSite.com launch team had very specific goals and milestones that needed to be achieved.  They also closely monitored sales and reacted quickly if there was a dip in sales as it indicated a potential technical problem.

5. Review.  Once you’re on the other side of the launch, sit down with your team and review the launch process.  Even if you’re an old hand at launches, you can learn something new from each one.  Analyze all systems.  Did you meet your goals?  Were there any customer service problems that indicate a hole in your sales process?  Was your team proactive and responsive?  By analyzing the launch a few weeks past the crunch period, you’ll be able to improve your systems and processes and ensure an even greater launch next time.

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Anyone who knows me, knows I am a big fan of Twitter.  After all, you’ll see me with iPod in hand, tweeting my day away

I use several Twitter applications and have a few that are my faves.  I’ll usually have one or two running at the same time on my desktop and bounce between a few on my iPod.  I rarely tweet from my browser because I prefer apps that enhance my Twitter experience.

But I just downloaded this HOT NEW Free Twitter Desktop App:

http://tweetglide.ca

It’s called TweetGlide, and it is VERY impressive…. and FREE!

It makes using Twitter a lot easier because you can easily manage all aspects of your account from one location…

…it also has a built in traffic network designed to send you free traffic to your website when you post updates from inside the app.

You have to see it in action!
http://tweetglide.ca

What makes this app stand above the crowd is that it will help you get FREE traffic.  It has a similar user interface to popular Twitter apps such as Twirl and Tweet Deck, where you have different panels for the Twitter Stream, your @ replies, and your direct messages.

But what makes TweetGlide different, and more importantly, what gets you TRAFFIC is the additional panel called the “Members Ad Stream” where the ad (which looks like a Twitter post) that you created from inside the app will be displayed on OTHER TweetGlide users “Ad Stream” panel.

It’s super easy to use and benefit from. All you have to do is download it for free and maintain the same Twitter activity you were before you heard about this.  It’s credit based and all you have to do is post,
like you normally do, and you will earn ad credits which will convert to your ad being displayed in the stream.

Easy-peasy, but extremely powerful.

Go download it now and start getting more traffic today:
http://tweetglide.ca

Watch the video and you will begin to see some great opportunities for using this app AND getting traffic to your site for free.

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Okay, okay, so it’s not official.  Okay, okay, so it’s not even recorded yet.  I was inspired, or quanspired, by Timothy Carter to rework the lyrics to Love Shack.

Okay Timothy, here’s what I’ve managed to get down so far:

If you see a twtvite lighting up your stream that says
‘15 tweets to the QuanShack” Quan Shack yeah, yeah
I’m headin’ down the New Media Highway
Lookin’ for a Quan getaway, Headin’ for the Quan getaway

I got me a Quan$ite, it’s the only thing
That I need to explode my business
I got me a Quan$ite, it’s all I need
To be part of a Secret Society

The QuanShack is a little old place
Where we can get together
QuanShack, baby
(A quan shack baby)
Quan Shack, baby, quan shack
Quan Shack, baby, quan shack

Quan Shack, baby, quan shack
(Quan baby, that’s where it’s at)
Quan Shack, baby, quan shack
(Quan baby, that’s where it’s at)

Sign says, ‘Stay away fools’
‘Cause quan rules at the Quan shack
Well, it’s set way back in the middle of a field
Just a funky old shack and I gotta get back

Quan on the mattress
Quan on the highway
Quan on the front porch
Quan on the highway

The QuanShack is a great place
Where we can get together
QuanShack, baby
(A quan shack baby)
Quan Shack, that’s where it’s at
Quan Shack, that’s where it’s at

If you’d like to contribute to the lyrical masterpiece, feel free to comment below.

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The Secret Society of the Quan held its first meeting last night.  If you’re not on the inside track, you missed your chance to get the scoop on the first contest that you can compete in… really because technical difficulties prevented the meetup from being recorded (as in… oops we forgot to press record).

If you want to get on the inside track, visit http://iQuanSite.com for the full details on the next meetup.

In the meantime, I’ll share my best launch week survival tip… it’s a doozy!

Enjoy!

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I’ve been working on a not so secret project for the past few months.  Anyone who follows my Twitter stream will know what I’ve been working on.

But seeing as I haven’t done too much blogging about it or written a newsletter lately, you may not know what I’ve been up to.

You can get all the details and an insider sneak peak at

http://iquansite.com

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As you know, I’ve been knee deep into launch prep for The Quan$ite Revolution for weeks months now!  I had plans to attend Blog World next month.  Really vague plans that revolved around me getting my passport renewed (didn’t happen) and meeting my own sales goals before taking a working vacation (like every responsible business owner should do when they’re looking for an excuse NOT to do something )

Every week, my computer would remind me (DING!) to get my passport renewed.  And every week, I’d snooze the reminder.  Weeks turned into months… and still no passport.  Meh, who really wants to go to Blog World anyway, right?

ME!  But only because I found about The Tweetup Karaoke!

Okay so NOW I’m kicking myself for being lazy on the passport renewal action.  I tried to talk @unmarketing into some kind of Live Stream Karaoke but he wouldn’t have any part of my crazy rockstar dreams!

So I’ll be here.  In the City.  Filling out my passport application while all the cool tweeps are down in Vegas feeding their inner rockstars.  Not to be left out of the fun, I thought I’d audition for next year’s backup singer position.

Waddya think?  Will I make the cut?

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Did you know that there are 4 financial mistakes 96% of people make without even realizing it?

(Hint: they are robbing you blind, but can be corrected in less than an hour.)

Are you part of the 96% that is struggling? Would you like to rise to the top and master the best practices of top 1-percenters?

Consider this: How is it possible to create multiple streams of income by leveraging your passion and experience?

What is the 1 thing you should never do when discussing money with family and loved ones?

Find out the answers to these questions and more right now when you download the Financial Survival Cashmap® Package.

It’s a $197 value.  But the best part is, you can get them FREE just for registering to find out about the upcoming “XCM” Special Edition CashMap Package Launch.

Register here to get in on it all.

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I’m a fingerstyle guitar enthusiast! So much so that I volunteer to write for the Toronto Fingerstyle Guitar monthly newsletter.  I’ll post my articles here for your musical pleasure.  Be sure to check us out online at http://www.fingerstyleguitar.ca  This article was originally printed in September 2009.

The mystery of Tommy Emmanuel is that you can see back-to-back shows and feel like you’ve seen two entirely different concerts.  The Toronto performances were as different from each other as Saturday is from Sunday.

The mood Sunday night was in sharp contrast to Saturday.  From the minute Tommy stepped out on stage you could see that he was more relaxed and playful than the previous evening.

Where Saturday night was made for fighting (or smoking a guitar) Sunday night was made for Old friends who sat on their park bench like book ends (from “Old Friends” by Simon & Garfunkle).  There was an intimate quality to his performance that night.  While Saturday night Tommy seemed larger than life, Sunday night he seemed like a good mate who was seated in your living room playing the songs that made him happy.  Songs that captured his mood and the spirit of the audience.

Saturday night was a celebration of a master guitarist and showman, Sunday night was a celebration of a man who loves to play guitar.

On both nights the seats were filled with die hard fans.  Shouts of “We love you Tommy” rang out from the audience and praise was measured out in enthusiastic applause.

Even the dedications played or spoken had a different tone each evening.  Whereas on Saturday he paid tribute to a guitar legend, Les Paul, Sunday he honoured old friends who were celebrating 25 years of the mystery of their love with the song played at their wedding, “You Needed Me”.

But even more than that, Sunday’s performance was marked by something more personal to me.  Tommy unwittingly gave me something which I needed.  He played my favorite piece, “Stay Close To Me”, a piece so hauntingly moving that it always brings a tear to my eye.  A piece that I played Friday after I heard news of the passing of a loved one.  I was disappointed that it had not been played Saturday night but the fiery mood Saturday did not leave room for the sentiment needed for “Stay Close To Me”.  But Sunday night the mood was right and I was able to take what I needed.

The mystery of Tommy Emmanuel is that he pours his love and soul into his guitar and shares his music when you need it most.

I can’t say which performance I enjoyed more: the mastery of Saturday night or intimacy of Sunday.  They were radically different yet each left me yearning for more.  I know I’m fortunate to have been in the audience both evenings and to have caught a glimpse of two of the many faces of Tommy.

Thank you Tommy.  We hope you come back soon.

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Many of the clients I work with often wish they had a step-by-step road map for their business.  They’re looking for someone to take them by the hand and show them exactly what they need to be doing to grow and build their business.  So they sign up for all these coaching programs that promise them the world, only to see their business languish.  They follow seemingly good advice, only to see their business decrease, rather than increase.  And they’re stuck wondering why?

I do have clients though that a hugely successful.  They get what they need to be doing with their business.  It all lies in the SYSTEMS that they create.  When you’re systems focused, you don’t need much direction.  All you need to a road map to setting up the systems you need to support you.

That’s where CashMaps come in.

As I said in an earlier post: A cashmap is a systematic, step-by-step blueprint for your business.  It’s like a road map to success.  You simply follow the directions to get from point “A” to point “B” and your business or strategy continues to grow.

Now imagine if you had a cashmap that would increase your productivity and ensure your financial survival.

Would you be willing to pay to get your hands on a road map that helps you navigate through these troubled times?  YEP, right?

What would you say if I told you that you could get your hands on this roadmap for FREE?’

Imagine this….

A plain white panel van with dark tinted windows is parked in front of your house.

A heist is about to take place and you’re the target.

As you cautiously peer out the window, you get a good look at the driver of the van.  To your utter shock, they look just like you!

NO… it IS YOU!!

A brazen heist is taking place right under your nose.
And even more disturbing… it’s an inside job.

Grab this free download NOW to regain the upper hand.

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My inbox gets filled daily with eZines, solo broadcasts and regular e-mail.  I’ll be honest, if you’re not a client, and you don’t grab my attention in the first ten seconds, chances are your eZine doesn’t get read by me.  Bad, I know… but honest.

A few days ago, I received a broadcast that I read straight through.  It’s from a friend, Tera Warner, and I like to keep up with what’s going on in her beautiful world.  It was an e-mail providing inspiration for a 30 day cleanse I’m supposed to be doing but judging from the pile of M&M wrappers filling my recycling bin, I’m obviously not sticking to the plan

Anyway, aside from the fact that the e-mail was from a friend and about a program I’m supposed to be participating in, the e-mail caught my attention because it’s about a subject I’ve been thinking about a lot lately: time management.

She had me at “hello” — her subject line was “You don’t *have* time, you make it!”

Now I’m all about making time.  I always schedule the important things in my day physically on my calendar - exercise, appointments, personal projects, sometimes even something inane like “step away from the computer, silly girl, and go clean your house!” (Honest, that’s scheduled for 12 PM today so I better hurry up with this post!)

Here are some more gems from the little e-mail I received:

Time, my dear, is nothing more than a consideration.  People who say they don’t have time are simply not mastering their use of it.  You have time.

We determine to a VERY LARGE degree, how time plays itself out in our lives.  If you don’t feel you “have” time, “make” time.

There are a few things that determine your ability to master your use of time. One of them is having clear targets and objectives for your day, your week, your year, your life… Do you have a clear purpose or goal and are you directing yourself towards that purpose?

Having a battle plan, or to do list for your day helps put it all in perspective and keep you focused.  That definitely helps with productivity, but there are other things, too. Unfinished commitments will drag you down and slow you down.

Sometimes, there are things that we simply put off doing.  It’s not that we don’t “have” time, we don’t make time.  Perhaps it’s something we have difficulty confronting (like taxes, for example, or stacks of photographs waiting to be sorted).  The time we spend avoiding something is often more than the time it would take to get it done.

Let’s also be mindful over the next few days of how we communicate about time. Whenever you hear yourself say, “I don’t have time…” Pinch yourself and change the game.

“I wonder why I’m not making time to…”

“I’m going to make time to…”

You will HAVE what you want when you decide to DO what it takes to make it happen.  Whether it’s time, money or the things you want in your life.  You can HAVE when you decide to DO what it takes
to make things happen.

But don’t take my word for it. Show time who’s boss!  >>UNLOCK YOUR TIME CODE & MASTER TIME MANAGEMENT<<

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