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Why You Need to Treat Your Business Like Getting a Haircut

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No matter your age or gender we all have woken up at some point and said I need a haircut. Even bald men have to do some sort of maintenance. The warning signs are clear because you do not look put together, maybe you’re uncomfortable, and it’s time to clean up. As an entrepreneur, your business can be giving you the same signs, but you may be ignoring them. Very often our business can be a mess, and we let the look of our business, and more importantly the profits, get swept away like cut hair on the barber floor.

Here are 5 tips you should be asking each quarter to see if your business needs a cleanup:

1. Making an appointment

You better make an appointment if you need a haircut with your favorite barber or stylist. Sure, you can just walk in and hope someone is free, but you never know what you’re going to get. Same is true with our business. Are you meeting with key employees and clients regularly to ensure things are running smoothly? Do you meet with them at the right times too?

If you call a meeting with them at the busiest time of their day, you can throw them off their game, and more importantly not get the information you need. Sure, this may mean meeting earlier in the day, or later at night then you would like, but in the end it’s about getting the results so push outside that barrier.

2. Preparation

Even if you see the same person each time you get your haircut, they always ask, what are we doing today. The usual, something new or maybe they even share an idea they have. Either way, before each haircut a conversation takes place. Why? The person in control wants to know what is going to make you, the client, happy and come back again. They know you are going to need another haircut.

How often do we stop to ask what our clients want or need? In today’s automation society, we very often plug people into a system and feel it should just work. Are you stopping to ask your clients if it’s working, and more importantly are you seeing if they need the usual, something new or maybe you need to share a new idea you have that can take them to the next level?

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” Abraham Lincoln

3. The cut

This is where you get to sit back and relax, but maybe you’re a bit nervous. I see a lot happening, but this does not look like me. If the person cutting my hair stops right now I will look silly. What can you do? You’re in the chair so you have to trust them that in the end this will look amazing!

We have all had clients that have freaked out halfway through the process. For example, your client can say their website is not getting traffic or their social posts are not getting enough likes. The question is are you checking in with them throughout the process? Are you making sure they know where we are and where we are going? More importantly, do you stop to ask the questions, do my clients trust me?

4. Final touches

For the ladies it’s the blow out at the end, for us men it’s the hot shave to square you up. Either way, you can see things coming to gather and you sit up a little bit straighter in the chair. You feel good and you begin thinking about where you can go to show off your clean new look. Before you get up, your stylist takes out that big mirror and shows you all the angles so you can see the work, and they ask the final question, how does it look?

How many times do you report to your clients? If you are not giving monthly and/or quarterly reports on progress then you are missing out on showing them all the angles. If you have a large customer base, are you sending out regular surveys that ask how you’re doing, and more importantly are they happy? Finishing a job right is better than finishing it fast. Any job you’re working on should have final touches that make your clients feel good, sit up a bit taller in their chair, and more importantly tell others about the great work you are doing.

“If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it again?” – John Wooden

5. Maintenance

Before you leave, very often you are given a plan to keep your hair looking great. Maybe it’s a product you should use, or a routine you should put in place. More importantly, a good barber will ask you when will we be seeing you again, and you want this experience again so you will want to book that next appointment before someone else does.

We have all had a great meeting with a client where after, we all feel great. That feeling will stay as long as each party continues to deliver on what we spoke about in the meeting. It’s so important for both you and your client that you give them a maintenance plan to follow after a meeting. Even if they are hiring you for a service, there is very often work that needs to be put in by both sides. Make sure you set the next meeting so you can keep up the momentum.

What part of this article resonated most with you and why? Share your thoughts with us below!

Lawrence Andrews – Mr. 247 Law – is a motivational speaker and community leader. He engages his audience through a straight forward, no holdback, sincere approach that will help them grow and shift their mindset into one that engenders success in their lives! Coming from humble and rough beginnings, Lawrence uses his wealth of real-world experiences and great hardships to bring a perspective not seen by most.

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Success Advice

15 Essential Habits to a Stronger, Healthier, and Happier You

The journey towards transformation is not about perfection but about progress

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building positive habits

What habits can truly transform your life? That’s what you’re here to uncover. In our no-nonsense guide, we’ll introduce you to 15 habits to change your life, each with the power to improve your day-to-day existence.  (more…)

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Success Advice

19 Common Characteristics All Visionary Leaders Have

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visionary leadership qualities

When you look at business leaders like Bill Gates, Sam Walton, Sir Richard Branson, and philosophers like Bertrand Russell, Martin Heidegger, Ludwig Wittgenstein, David Bohm,  C. S. Peirce and inventors like Nikola Tesla, Paolo Soleri, Harvey W. Bailey, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell and Wright brothers and political leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Aung San Suu Kyi, it becomes very clear that they are all connected through one leadership—visionary leadership. (more…)

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Success Advice

Wealth Lessons Everyone Should Hear for Every Stage of Your Life

Do you have the courage to rewrite your story?

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what i would tell my younger self

Do you see what I see? Likely not, as we each see ourselves through the lens of our own story. (more…)

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Success Advice

How to Choose the Best Affiliate Programs for Your Blog

If you follow these steps, you can create an affiliate marketing plan that makes money, fits well with your content, and connects with your readers

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how to choose the best affiliate programs for your blog

Picking the right affiliate programs for your blog is really important. It can make a big difference in how much money you can make and how much your readers get out of your blog. With so many choices out there, deciding which ones to go with can be tricky. 

This guide is here to make it easier for you. It will give you clear steps and helpful tips to choose affiliate programs that fit well with what your blog is about, what your readers like, and what you stand for. 

For more articles on this theme, please head over to this blog https://blog.partners1xbet.com/.

Understanding Affiliate Marketing

Before you start picking affiliate programs, it’s important to really understand what affiliate marketing is and how it works. 

Basically, affiliate marketing is when you promote a product or service on your blog, and then you get paid a little bit every time someone buys something or does something because you recommended it. 

It’s great for both the person selling the product and the blogger, because the seller gets more sales with low risk, and the blogger can make money from their blog.

How to Choose the Right Affiliate Programs for Your Blog

1. Assess Your Niche and Audience

The key to doing well in affiliate marketing starts with really knowing what your blog is about and who reads it. Consider the following:

  • Your blog’s content: What topics do you cover? Ensure the products or services you promote are relevant.
  • Your audience’s interests and needs: What solutions are they seeking? Choose affiliate programs that offer products or services that solve their problems or enhance their lives.

2. Research Potential Affiliate Programs

Once you know what your blog is about and what your readers want, start looking for affiliate programs. Choose ones that are well-known for good products, great customer service, and helpful support for affiliates. Resources to find these programs include:

  • Affiliate networks like ShareASale, Commission Junction, and ClickBank.
  • Direct searches for “[Your Niche] affiliate programs” in search engines.
  • Recommendations from other bloggers in your niche.

3. Evaluate the Commission Structure

The commission structure is a critical factor to consider. Look for programs that offer competitive rates that make your efforts worthwhile. Consider:

  • The percentage of commission per sale.
  • Whether the program offers a flat rate per action (e.g., per sign-up).
  • The cookie duration, which affects how long after a click you can earn commissions on sales.

4. Consider the Program’s Reputation and Sureness

Join affiliate programs with a solid reputation for quality and sureness. This not only ensures that you’re promoting good products but also that you’ll be paid on time. You can:

  • Read reviews from other affiliates.
  • Check the program’s history and background.
  • Look for any complaints or issues reported online.

5. Analyze the Support and Resources Offered

A good affiliate program gives you things like ads to use, training on their products, and helpful managers. Having access to these resources can really help you do a better job at promoting their products.

6. Understand the Terms and Conditions

Before signing up, thoroughly review the program’s terms and conditions. Pay close attention to:

  • Payment thresholds and methods.
  • Any restrictions on how you can promote their products.
  • The program’s policy on affiliate marketing on social media platforms.

7. Test the Product or Service

If possible, test the product or service before promoting it. This firsthand experience allows you to offer genuine charge and build trust with your audience.

8. Look for Recurring Commission Opportunities

Some affiliate programs pay you again and again for subscriptions or services that charge fees regularly. These can provide a more stable income compared to one-time sales commissions.

Implementing Your Choice

After choosing the best affiliate programs, the next step is to smoothly include your affiliate marketing in your content plan. This includes:

  • Creating valuable content that naturally incorporates affiliate links.
  • Disclosing your affiliate affairs transparently to maintain trust with your audience.
  • Tracking your results to understand what works best for your audience and adjusting your strategy accordingly.

Picking the best affiliate programs for your blog involves careful planning, research, and making sure they match what your audience likes and needs. 

If you follow these steps, you can create an affiliate marketing plan that makes money, fits well with your content, and connects with your readers. 

The real key to doing well with affiliate marketing isn’t just about the products you talk about, but also how much your audience trusts and values your advice. 

With enough time, patience, and hard work, your blog can grow into a successful space that earns a good amount of affiliate money and helps your readers choose the right products.

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