Summer is right around the corner. Warmer weather is here. Memorial Day holiday weekend is in a week. Kids will be on Summer vacation. Many families will be enjoying family vacations. Are you one of them? One of the main reasons we start our Mompreneur business is to have more time and money to enjoy a freedom lifestyle and do what we want to do, when we want to do it. Summer is a prime time to do this since the kids are off from school and time to work on your business isn’t as plentiful.

Do you struggle with enjoying more time with your family in the Summer? You don’t have to juggle decisions about how to spend your time if you have firm boundaries and a team. Here are some strategic items to have in place so you, too, can relax this Summer and enjoy your family and make magical memories that will last a lifetime.

Establish “business hours.” If you haven’t already, you need to put in place official “business hours” of when your clients know they can reach you. If they send you an email or leave a voice mail during this time, they know you’ll get back to them. It’s good customer service on your part to set clear expectations with your clients as communication is such an integral part of your success.

Put your clients on notice. Let your clients know at least one month in advance of your change in “business hours” for when you plan to take vacation time. Have an emergency contact in place in case something urgent arises.

Utilize your team. If you want a true freedom lifestyle, you need to not always be connected to your business to enjoy downtime and being “offline” from your online business. That’s where a team kicks in. With at least one reliable person in place working for you, they can handle anything urgent that arises when you’re unavailable so your clients continue to feel taken care of while you’re off enjoying time.

Be mobile. With today’s Smartphones, netbooks and tablets, its very easy to monitor your email, social networks, etc. for emergencies. If you can exercise self control, then this is good to do so you’re still on top of things. However, if you find you’re checking your email as soon as it beeps a bit too often, then it’s time to totally disconnect so your family doesn’t feel cheated from your time together. Let your team know to call or text you with anything urgent, and only then handle as needed.

Be organized. Regardless of what industry you work in, there is work to be done. Look ahead at the tasks that would need to be done during your vacation time. Prioritize and identify those tasks that can wait until your return and those tasks that are absolute must do’s. Get those must do’s done before vacation. Get any marketing messages written and uploaded into your autoresponder program, scheduled to go out. Set it and forget it. Do it and mark it done.

Have various streams of income. Don’t rely on one-on-one income solely. Have products in place that sell themselves so you’re earning money without even trying. Be a speaker. This gives you more freedom and more time to do what you want when you want.

By implementing these easy steps, you’ll reap the benefits from planning ahead and being on top of your game. You’ll be more at ease and can enjoy your Summer with your family. What better way to spend the next few months?

On Tuesday, May 10th at 8:30pm Eastern, I’ll be sharing with my Play Date members of the Mompreneur Success Club my top 5 online tools I use to connect and build my community, while also saving time in my business. Time really is key for us Mompreneurs. We want to make the most of our 24 hours so we have as much time as possible with our family, while also generating a profit. The tools I use really help me to save time in my business so that I can truly enjoy being a Mom to my kids.

Are you using social media as a marketing tool? If not, you should be, and I’ll share some tools to help maximize your exposure.

Are you using a list management tool to connect with your community? If not, you should be, and I’ll talk about my two favorite programs and why I prefer one over the other. It’s all about time.

Are you keeping track of your to do’s efficiently and effectively? I’ll share with you my calendar secrets and give you my template file I use to stay organized every day and know where every minute of my time needs to go. I love the Getting Things Done methodology and am a big believer in chunking your time based on task type.

and more…

Being a Play Date member is free for the first month, and just $9.99/month thereafter. Being a member gives you access to prior Play Date call recordings as well as other nifty things.

Join me and be a Play Date of mine. We’ll have fun together while growing our businesses together!

Click here to join: http://tinyurl.com/3humrkb

I often get asked by moms, “What does it take to be successful with your own business?” I always look back to the behaviors I exhibited when I launched my first business, My GoTo Gal Virtual Assistant Services. When you have these types of behaviors in your every day life, both personally and professionally, nothing will stop you from achieving your dream. When you truly believe in yourself and in how you want to make the world a better place, you can do anything you set your mind to.If you review other successful Mompreneurs you know, you’ll find these are mutual behaviors they all demonstrate. I’ll share with you today these behavior tricks that will help propel you and your Mompreneur business to higher success.

Be excited! You’ve made the decision to launch or re-ignite your own business. What an exciting phase in your life! You’re going to help so many people in the world with your expertise! Imagine in just a short while, you will literally be helping hundreds of people be a better person because of YOU! That’s major doings! Be excited about making the decision first off, and be excited that your gift to the world is unfolding. And you get to make money from it. How cool is that?

Free yourself! If you really want to build a thriving business so you have more time with your family, you’ve got to review how you spend your time and what is occupying your mind. Eliminate time wasters. Eliminate things that won’t get you one step closer to your goal. Eliminate those things which occupy a lot of stress and space in your life so your mind is free to focus on the bigger goal at hand. (examples: Are you watching too much TV? Are you in a relationship that is draining your energy and emotions so you feel less worthy?)

Generate momentum! Once you clear the decks, you now have time available to take massive action on your business. You simply must be willing to spend a LOT of time on your business in order to grow your business.Success derives from numerous action steps taken to achieve a common goal. You DO need to be smart about what action steps you take so you’re not wasting time. Outsource what you can. Be willing to spend at least 3 hours a day marketing your business. Be willing to spend time writing articles to position yourself as an expert in your chosen field. Be willing to network and socialize with your market to find out what keeps them awake at night.

Invest in yourself! You need to be willing to invest in continuing education of your specialty and marketing in order to grow your business to the next level. You always need to be on the cutting edge of your industry. You need to be aware of the latest technology available to grow your online business. Notice I said aware, not do. Invest in a team you can outsource to so you can do only what you do best. Let them do the rest. Invest in a coach or mentor who is at a level of success where you want to be. Learn from their mistakes and from their expertise so you can move along the path of success quicker. All of this is an investment… meaning you will get this money back tenfold as your business grows and grows.Something to ponder… if you don’t invest in yourself, who should others spend money on you as their own investment?

Be willing to travel! What’s wonderful about going to live events is it is not only an opportunity to learn from the workshop itself, but is an amazing opportunity to network with like minded individuals. These events could be industry specific to your target market, which is ideal because you can network among those you were meant to serve. Or you be attending a skill building network. Either way, you get yourself out there, you get to socialize and you get to spread the world about the gifts you have to offer. There is nothing more uplifting than sharing your expertise with others and watching their excitement grow because of what you have to say. And being at a live event allows you to visually see the excitement that is generated as a result of your expertise.

Believe in yourself! The mind can be a tricky thing, and there may be times where you question whether the path you’re on is right for you. You need to go back to the basics. Why did you decide to build this business? Who will benefit from it? Why should others see you as an expert? What can you offer the world? You must overcome these barriers and truly believe in your heart that YOU are here for a reason. Think bigger beyond you can imagine. There are so many people in the world who are waiting to learn from you. Only you. You have no competition. You’re the best of the best. I believe in you. But that only goes so far. You simply must believe in you. There is no other way and this is THE key to success.

When you combine the behaviors I outlined in this article, you’ll feel energized and excited about your business consistently. You’ll always be on a path of “moving forward”, achieving varying levels of success, and getting that much closer to achieving your dreams. It never fails when you just remember the basic behaviors to have in place to build a successful Mompreneur business.

This video tip is specifically for Moms who have a job, but have been wondering if having their own Mompreneur business from home is for them. You’ll get some quick tips on identifying your likes/dislikes to help you figure out what type of business you could run. Learn more in the video below.

You have your business model mapped out. You’ve priced your programs and products. Now you need to generate revenue. The clients won’t find you unless you’ve taken steps to be found. You need to get yourself “out there.” I know it’s scary. But scary is good. Scary prompts you to move forward in ways you might not otherwise. Embrace the scary and listen to it. In most cases, if you feel you should do something to grow your business, and it scares you, then nine times out of ten you should do it. It will lead you to growth.

Since your business is online, you now need to work on gaining visibility through various internet marketing tools. The goal is to get people in your community (or as it is commonly known, on your “list”), so you can build the know/like/trust factor with them, build a relationship with them, so they will buy from you.

Here’s a list of my top six ways to grow your community with people who want to know your message and become fans:

(1) Offer a Free Taste. Create something spectacular and offer it for free in exchange for a name/email address of those that visit your site. It shouldn’t take longer than five hours to put together, it should be amazing content so that they will want more of what you have to offer. Place it preferably as a landing page to your website and in the upper right corner of each page of your website.

(2) Ezine (a/k/a online newsletter). Publishing an ezine at least once monthly helps you establish yourself as an expert to your community, keeps you in touch with them and gives you the opportunity to promote current programs and products you offer. Your ezine should include a personal note from you and an applicable photo so your fans can get to know you personally, include a feature article that offers valuable tips to help them, and something promotional. Keep the promotional material no more than 20% of your ezine.

(3) Article Marketing. This is simply repurposing your feature article from your ezine and submitting it to article directories. Thousands of people scour the internet for knowledge and article directories have great SEO results. Be sure your article is of great content, it is submitted properly following the site’s publishing rules, and that your author’s box gives a short tidbit about you and direct them to your website to sign up for your free taste.

(4) Social Media. Get yourself up and running on Twitter and Facebook. Your profile should include both personal and professional. There are many twitter tools available to help you find people in your target market. Keep your promotional material no more than 20%, and do interact with your “followers” and “friends,” which helps establish relationships. It takes time to build the know/like/trust factor, and once you do, they will be fans and buy from you because they see you as an expert in your field, which you are!

(5) Gift Giveaways. Search social media and Google to find giveaways you can join. Lots of businesses will offer up their free taste, an audio recording, mini report – something of high value – in exchange for being included in this “gift giveaway” which everyone promotes to their community. This can generate to lots of new sign-ups for your gift so you can showcase your expertise. There are lots of giveaways that are target market specific, which is why this is such a great way to build your community… fast.

(6) In-Person Networking. This is a huge part of generating a following. You need to leave your home office on occasion and network with your target market. Find out where they are and attend their conferences. Be a guest speaker for one of their gatherings. Share your knowledge with them, interact with them, find out what they really need and continuously evaluate your business plan to make sure you’re offering them what they really want, which can often be different from what you perceive their pains to be. If you’re a guest speaker, pass around a hat for them to drop their business cards so you can raffle off a prize or two. Let them know by doing so, they’ll also be added to your community and receive your ezine and other updates and special offers. Also let them know they can opt out at any time from any email – that gives them more security to give you their business card.

Building a community of people specific to your target market does take time and you should  respect and hold sacred those that have chosen to follow you specifically. Don’t overwhelm your community with your information or they might feel overwhelmed and perceive you as “pushy.” Do offer them high quality content, offer special discounts or incentives on your promotions and invite feedback and comments to establish a relationship with them. They’ll love you for it.

Often times, Mompreneurs worry they will not generate revenue because there are so many people “out there” that do what they want to do. I’m here to tell you not to worry about that. Learn more in this video.

Hi there!

I know your challenges and dreams as I’ve been where you are as a Mom. Wanting to know more, needing more, in life, and just not sure where to get it. Does one of these apply to you?

You have children.
You want to be home with your children.
You wonder if your family can afford it.
You feel incomplete and want to do more with your skills and talents.
You wonder if you should bring in some type of income.
You feel a bit scared in starting your own business.
You don’t know where to start.
You don’t know who to ask.
You get overwhelmed with all the information available online.
You don’t want to waste time or money in pursuing the wrong things.
You wonder if you should even go for it.
You aren’t making as much mon*ey as you set out to make.
You are confused by all the marketing hype out there on the shoulds and don’t dos.
You spend more time on your business than you anticipated.
You spend less time with your family than you wanted.
Your dream of being a Mompreneur isn’t turning out to be all you hoped and dreamed.
You’re frustrated and wonder if you should just let the dream go.

I’m here to tell you “No! Do not give it up! You CAN do it!”
For less than a coffee a day, you can get tips, strategies and guidance from someone who was just like you, and who is now running a successful Mompreneur business (and her hubby is home to spend more time with the kids, too).

If you’re not already familiar with my story, please do check it out here. I’m truly blessed. And I want to help you achieve your dreams, too, by learning from my ongoing Mompreneur journey… someone just like you, with the same types of challenges and dreams.

I’ve created a Club that offers different types of support for every level and for every budget.

Introducing the Mompreneur Success Club!

Your affordable support and resource center while you embark on your journey to researching, launching and growing your Mompreneur business.

I’m launching our entry level, Play Dates, in April. Being a member of Play Dates will give you access to one group phone call or webinar per month by me or a fellow Mompreneur expert and will offer you tips, techniques, strategies and how-to demos to help you create the life of your dreams – a life of having more time with your family while also running a successful service-based online business. If you can’t make the call live, no worries… MP3 recordings will be available to you. The risk? Nothing. I’ve done all I can to make this a no-brainer for you. The first month is F.R.E.E. and then just $9.99/month thereafter. This level of the Club is the perfect fit for any stage of the Mompreneur journey.

And I’m offering a bonus! Be one of the first 10 people to register for Play Dates and receive a free 30-minute mentoring session with me – get your opportunity to focus in on a life or business challenge and walk away from the call with specific action steps to take toward resolution. Visit here to learn more and register now!

If you’re wanting the opportunity to have a group mentoring session with Tracey each month where you can ask questions about the content heard from a Play Dates call, or to get questions answered on a particular challenge you’re enduring, the Pre-School Level would be just right for you. Register for Play Dates, and then upgrade to Pre-School to get your first month free! Visit here to learn more and register now!

Stay tuned… we’ll be launching other levels of our club as the year progresses. No matter what part of the Mompreneur journey you’re in, we have a level that is easy on the pockets and offers just the right support for you.

Looking forward to seeing you in Play Dates! Remember, there is no risk as the first month is free – and remember the bonus… be one of the first 10 to register and get a free 30-minute mentoring session with me!

Many Moms contemplate leaving the work force to create a Mompreneur business, and wonder what the real benefits are versus what they conceive to be what the benefits are. With the amazing wealth of information (good and bad) available to us nowadays online, it is understandable why so many Moms don’t take the leap as they are scared or misinformed. Sure, becoming an entrepreneur can be scary stuff, but when you break down your “why” of wanting to do this in the first place, it is very powerful and influential in reaching the level of success you desire.

Here are the top five reasons why having a Mompreneur business could be of benefit to you:

1. You get to have more time with your family. This is the main reason why so many Moms want to start a business from home. They get the opportunity to be home with their kids, never miss a “first” moment, take them to school, pick them up, truly be present for after-school activities, and when your child is sick, you get to be home to care for him/her without being penalized at work for missing time. The key is managing your time effectively and efficiently so both family and business never decline.

2. You get to contribute to the family’s finances. Whether your goal is to build a business that is the primary income for your family (ex. $5,000/month) or whether it is a supplemental income (ex. $500/month), knowing you’re able to contribute to the “pot” because of your business success, all while being home with your kids, is priceless. The key is continuous marketing so opportunities are always knocking on your door.

3. You get to experience a sense of purpose and satisfaction. If you’ve ever had a job where you were doing the best you could do, but you didn’t feel like your boss or employer really appreciated your talents, running your own business will be very rewarding for you. It’s a wonderful feeling when you can create your very own business doing something you love, something you excel at, and others pay you for it… happily. You feel like you’ve found your purpose in life in being both a mother and a giver of talent to those who need you. You get a high level of satisfaction in knowing YOU made this happen. It’s critical to reward yourself for your successes and always appreciate the savvy and talent it takes to be a successful Mompreneur so you don’t lose sight of your “why.”

4. You experience a freedom lifestyle unlike anything you’ve ever imagined. Imagine being able to have breakfast every morning with your family without being rushed for time. Imagine enjoying a sit-down lunch with your kids. Imagine having dinner at a decent time every day. Imagine spontaneously deciding to take the kids to the park at 10:00am. Imagine taking 4 weeks of vacation a year without hearing a boss say “no.” Imagine doing anything you want with your day because you’re in charge. The opportunities to live your life any way you want is endless when you have your own business because you create the rules. The key is to create boundaries within your business that work with the life you want to live.

5. You enhance your personal identity. For many Moms, staying home to take care of your family doesn’t fulfill your needs 100%. You need to feel like your own person without being just “Mom” 24/7. Running your own business takes guts, talent and a high skill level and gives you an identity other than Mom. It gives you a status of “Mompreneur” which that term in and of itself oozes success while also speaking to your status of Mom. The key is to manage your time effectively and set appropriate boundaries so that when you’re in Mom mode with your family, they get your full attention without interruption. When you’re in Mompreneur mode, your business and your clients get your full attention without interruption.

I always recommend that you make a list of reasons why having a Mompreneur business is important to you. Find some pictures or photos that represent your reasons and post them on your Dream Board. Post that Board in your house where you would see it every day so you don’t lose sight of your “why” and are motivated to reach success daily.

As a Mom, you probably run your household like a fine tuned engine. You know how much money is coming in. You know what bills need paying. You know what you have left for spending after everything else is taken care of. You closely watch over your budget to maximize your finances for your family. You probably have some type of system in place to keep the house clean, you plan out your meals and stay on top of all the activities your kids are involved in. You do all of these things (or try to) and then some. All in a day’s work as a Mom, right?

As a Mompreneur, you should be taking these very same steps in staying on top of your business also. You can embrace the skills you have in keeping your personal life in tact, organized and running smoothly directly in your business. You already have the skillset, you just need the systems in place.

To stay on the path toward success with your business, you should dust off your business plan (preferably the one page type!) every 3 months or so, go over your goals, take a look at your results to date and do some analysis and plan for change. Here are three simple steps to get started and then maintain this practice consistently:

Step 1 – Monitor your goals and analyze your results.

Use a spreadsheet, such as Google Docs, and write down your goals you want to achieve on each row in the first column. Across the top row, put each week and then on the next row, write down the goal result you wish to achieve and an ‘actual’ under each week so you can see what your actual results were compared to the goal you set out for yourself.

It is very important that you track your efforts regularly for every marketing step you conduct. If you use marketing services, such as Twitter, Facebook, article marketing, etc., you’ll be able to go into your account to see your results. If you’re meeting your goal pretty regularly, give yourself a pat on the back. If you’re not meeting your goal regularly, do some analyzing and see if your goal wasn’t realistic, and if it was, take a look at your strategies you’re using to reach that goal. Are they effective? Are they strategic? You want to repurpose as much of your content as possible to maximize your time and effort. You should regularly review your marketing strategy to make sure you’re marketing strategically and systematically for the best return on your time and effort.

Step 2 – Plan for change.

If you’re taking some steps in marketing that aren’t producing any results, you need to make a change. Either halt the efforts completely with that particular step or make changes to be more effective. Be sure that the marketing step you’re doing is successful for others. Don’t pay attention to every shiny object. Pay attention to the tried and true ways of marketing your business for the best results. Embrace change. Be open to it. Give yourself permission to not be perfect at everything. Allow yourself to try new things and know that not everything may work out the way it does. It’s okay. What matters is you’re continuously trying to grow your business.

Step 3 – Take consistent action.

Results will never be achieved without the idea coming to fruition. The idea will never have a result without action being taken to achieve it. You must take action consistently and strategically in order to achieve success. Do not allow excuses because they are just that, excuses. You have a path toward success with effort to be taken along the way. You either make a mistake or you complete the journey without fail. But you can’t make an excuse for why you never made the effort.

By dedicating yourself to these three simple steps in your business, just as you do in your personal life, you’ll stay on the path toward success and you’ll achieve your dream life of more time with your family while also having a successful business.