Once upon a time, I used to think I was unique.  That was until I found out just how many guys were named “Robert Goodman” in this world.  It’s even true here in relatively small Clearwater Beach, Florida.  Come to find out that there are THREE of us named “Robert Goodman” that go to my same doctor!

So, when you look at the world wide reach of the world wide web, you quickly find how difficult it can be to create a brand around your own name - especially when the best popularity metric here in the new millennium is Google.

They are very few of us who have not “googled” ourselves to see what’s out there.  Sometimes, it can be a little disturbing and embarrassing - since Internet photos, videos, blog postings, instant messages, tweets, pokes, flames, complaints, rants and raves, etc. live on forever.

So how DO you create a brand around your name?

For many of us with “common” names like mine, there is a special ingredient that improves on our individuality.  It’s called our middle name.

In my case, my middle name is Lee.   Even though that helps tremendously, trust me when I say there may be a near-infinite number of other folks with the same name - even counting the middle name. (Would you believe, one of the other two “Robert Goodmans” in the small universe of my doctor’s office has my same middle name?)

My recommendation is that you start branding your name, with your middle name, as aggressively as you can to establish your Google presence before someone else does.  This is what I call “G-Branding.”

To see how this can work for you, I invite you to check out my new online business card at: www.RobertLeeGoodman.com.

As of this writing, you’ll notice that I currently have 9 out of the top 10 first page positions for my full name (the obituary is not me).  On both page two and page three of Google, I have 5 of the 10 entries on each of those pages.

As you can see, there is room for significant improvement on my part to tweak these numbers.  Note that there is almost NO hits for me if you type “Robert Goodman” since all my “G-Branding” is focused with my middle name.  As a consequence, everything you do, say, publish and distribute needs to include your full name - so your prospects and customers know you by your full name.

Just so you know, this “G-Branding” is not ego-driven (okay, maybe just a little.)  In my case, I have several different companies and several different products and services that I offer to startup and emerging companies - along with products and services to a completely different audience for my relationship book, Efficient Love.

What gets difficult is trying to describe ALL of those companies and services on one small business card - even front and back.

At a recent seminar I attended in San Francisco, our host, Alex Mandossian, handed out his new business card which is similar to what you see at my website www.RobertLeeGoodman.com.  If you google “Alex Mandossian“, you’ll see he has even MORE products and services to sell than I do!  Alex is probably THE best expert on promotion that I have met in three decades in business.  As you can see, he completely dominates the first 10 pages on Google and is an excellent example of how to create your own “G-Branding.”

I thought that his Google Business Card was such a great idea that I decided to produce an online version of Alex’s idea with www.RobertLeeGoodman.com.

Like it or not, it really is the World According to Google when you’re in business - especially if your predominant market is found on the Internet.  If you take that statement as axiomatic - and your market is the Internet - then you have GOT to take action to improve your own “G-Branding” before someone else with your same name beats you to it.

Many of my clients are start up company CEOs and entrepreneurs who have no background whatsoever in sales and marketing.  Many of my clients are startup entrepreneurs who have little or no cash to pay for copywriting talent (or any thing else.)

I’m certainly no expert on copywriting - and I’m currently working on learning more myself on how to improve my own copy.  However, a friend of mine, Trevor ‘Toe Cracker’ Crook, IS an expert.  He’s also offering 10 hours of downloadable audio MP3s of his “Copywriting Blueprint Formula” for free.

I know that you see a lot of this kind of stuff on the Internet - but I’ve listened to the audios and there is a huge amount of content with virtually none of the usual upsell.

Trevor’s concept on giving away his content for free is “Pay it forward.”  Just like in the novel and the movie by the same name, the idea is to give up front with no expectation of receiving in return.  Trevor’s goal is to “pay it forward” by giving this audio course to one million entrepreneurs.

I’m not an affiliate of Trevor.  I don’t get paid anything for this recommendation. He doesn’t even know that I’m posting this information on my blog or sending it to my list.  However, I strongly recommend you take advantage of this free download, listen to the audios and start applying what you discover to improve your own copy.

This is just my way of reciprocating by helping Trevor - with me “paying it forward” to help him reach his one million Entrepreneur goal.

Robert Lee Goodman, MBA
http://Virtual-Exec.com
http://DeviledDetails.com

Two of the highlights of the reunion were outstanding and epiphany-producing presentations by Raymond Aaron on “Double Your Income Doing What You Love” and Dave Stech on “The Power of 6.”

It was great to finally meet several folks and clients who had only been virtual up until this past weekend…especially so many who are directly on Alex’s core support team…and to develop so many more new relationships as a result of the networking.

I’m looking forward to developing joint ventures with several we met - and to coaching and mentoring others so that I can help them get from their current Point A to their desired Point B faster and more efficiently with my Deviled Details Action Planning Service.

Part of my UnStick The Stuck CEO and Start Up Company Process (www.UnStickTheStuck.com) is to develop my W-Cubed = WHO? Is Doing WHAT? WHEN? (www.ActionAccountability.com) for each line item on the Deviled Details Action Plan.

One of my goals in attending the Teleseminar Secrets Reunion was to meet and interview candidates for my Approved Vendor List. These are the resources that I recommend my clients consider for all the WHOs on all the line items on each of their Action Plans. Fortunately, there were several folks at the Reunion whose services would be ideal for some of my clients.

But all of that starts next week. For the rest of this week, wife Janet and I are going to enjoy some of what the great City of San Francisco has to offer.

Robert Lee Goodman, MBA
Ceo & Chief ImpleMENTOR
www.Virtual-Exec.com

One thing about us entrepreneurs: we love doing things enthusiastically - especially when we are trying so hard to get from our current Point A to our desired Point B as quickly as possible.

The problem, of course, is that if we go charging off in the wrong direction, at some point we have to stop, turn around and retrace our steps back toward Point A and start all over again.

The upshot of starting over again is all the time, energy, effort and money that you just spent going down that dead-end trail is mostly wasted - the time spent going the wrong direction delays your successful implementation of your vision.

It also means that you need more money, more time, more effort than you would have otherwise needed if you had done a better job of planning and pick the right direction to begin with.

That’s really the purpose of The Four Big Dots that are covered in my Deviled Details Action Planning Service.  The Four Big Dots of Deviled Details are: your personal plan, your financial model, your action plan and your business plan.

Even if you just do a little bit of work on each of the Big 4 Dots…even if you only generate a couple of dozen action items…even if you only make sweeping approximations for your underlying business model assumptions, you’re probably going to be much better off because you’ve eliminated some of those wrong directions.

The more time you spend on all of those Deviled Details, the more wrong directions that get eliminated. The more wrong directions that get eliminated, the much more likely will be your success.

So, what’s it worth to you?

How many hours are you willing to invest in order to eliminate as many wrong directions as you possibly can? One? Five? Ten? Hundred?

How many hours, months or years are you going to waste, otherwise, cleaning up the mess from not doing it right the first time?

With The Deviled Details Action Planning Service, you will learn how all four Big Dots are interrelated for your own company - and how not doing even one of the Dots correctly can be a deal killer that will block your path to success.

Find out more by clicking Deviled Details Action Planning Service.

Robert Lee Goodman, MBA
Ceo & Chief ImpleMENTOR
www.Virtual-Exec.com

• Do you even know ALL the dots that go into “connecting the dots” for your new business?
• Do you know the W Cubed - W To The Third Power - for each action item and milestone required for your new company?  WHO?  Is going to do WHAT?  WHEN?
• Do you know all the major and semi-major milestones and “Deviled Details” to REALLY get from Point A, where you are now - To Point B, where you want to be?
• Have you taken into account the REAL costs that go with each of those “Deviled Details?”

My Action Planning Service is focused on helping you comprehensively answer ALL of those questions - so you REALLY know what is required for the success of your new company - including all the dots and all the deviled details.

The goal of the Action Plan is to collect, in one place, ALL the action items that will be required to realistically implement your vision for your company over the next 12 months.

With the optional Financial Business Model AND the Detailed Action Plan for the next 12 months showing all major and semi-major milestones, you will have a very comprehensive road map for your new company. You will also know what resources it will take, money-wise and people-wise, to get you from Point A to Point B.

We will go through up to three iterations as we brainstorm and revise items, priorities, dates and budgets.  As we fine tune your Action List, we will focus on available assets and personnel and the right timing for bringing more folks into the company or outsourcing some of the tasks.

We start with 10 hours of my one-on-one consulting and mentoring.  For most clients, this is all the time that is needed to generate an accurate and meaningful Action Plan for their business. The cost:  only $2,750.  Additional hours are available at my standard rate.  The incremental cost for the optional Financial Business Model is only $500.

To date, I’ve already helped the founders and CEOs of over 2,000 diverse companies in over three dozen countries with their business planning, fundraising and plan implementation - to realistically define & implement the right action plan for their business.

Isn’t this the kind of expertise you need for your company?

Isn’t it time you have a real game plan to get you to YOUR Point B?

Robert Lee Goodman, MBA
Ceo & Chief ImpleMENTOR
www.Virtual-Exec.com

This is one of the key questions I ask my consulting clients who are starting a new business. What would your answer be to this question? Exactly why WILL prospective customers buy from you instead of continuing to do whatever it is they are currently doing?

Amazingly, most entrepreneurs have not even considered this issue - they rarely even have an answer after they’ve thought about it for a while.   Marginal “me too” improvements over existing solutions will rarely drive sales for a start up company.  This is true even in areas of interest and focus for your prospects.  Even great innovative improvements in areas that are not of interest and focus to your prospects will also rarely drive sales.

I call this your YSI:  Your Special Ingredient.  Sometimes this is called your USP - Your Unique Selling Proposition - a concept and theory that goes back to the 1940s.  Others refer to it with a variety of terms, like KSP - Key Selling Point.  No matter what the acronym, it is still the same basic question:  Why you and your company? (more…)

While individually working with over 2,000 entrepreneurs and start up company CEOs, I’ve noticed that, in many cases, one or more of a particular half-dozen deadly dragons can often stop a company in its tracks.

Which ones are blocking your personal path for your start up company right now?

1. The Indecision Dragon – Closely related to the Overchoice Dragon, this brute keeps whispering “What if this and what if that…” which keeps you from making key decisions and making progress. Yogi Berra, the New York Yankee philosopher, said, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” What are the top dozen genuine pivot points for your company right this minute? What do you need to know today to make a decision on each - and cross each one off the list as completed? What do you finally need to know to get past that fork in the road? Remember: No decision IS a decision – one that can affect all future decisions, choices, direction and timetables. Don’t lose by default.

(more…)

Starting and running a company can be overwhelming. Endless new action items seem to appear magically on your To Do List as you day develops - with all of them either whispering or screaming to be your top priority. And, when the day is done, it often seems that one or more of those unanticipated priorities won - and the most important action items you originally had on your list when you walked into your office this morning did not get done - again.

So, how is an entrepreneur to decide on their priorities - especially when there is so much that needs to be done? The answer is surprisingly easy. (more…)

What is the second biggest mistake?

Many cost-sensitive entrepreneurs depend on number crunchers, bean counters and newly minted MBAs for their projections - just to save a few dollars.

New start up CEOs doom their new company by pinching pennies in the wrong place. Instead, what they need are pivotal insights from experienced consultants who can provide the guidance the entrepreneur needs for producing a realistic, genuinely implementable business plan.

Your business plan is not some academic document - instead, it is your crucial road map to successful implementation of your vision for your new company.

The most important part of any business plan is the detailed financial projections that are the basis for the entire business model of every new start up company. There are four sets of underlying assumptions that drive all the projections: (more…)