Have you checked your web site lately?  Are all the links working?

We just realized that the itunes button on Prosperous Artists has not been working.  We don’t know for how long.  I never tested it because I didn’t want to falsely add another subscription to the count. (kinda dumb)

The Itunes numbers have been growing so their was no reason for alarm, but I needed to do some tests and realized that the button was not directed to the correct location.

I ignored a standard rule.  Test your buttons and make sure all of your links work.  

If you have links to other web sites, it’s good to check them at least once a month.  You never know when someone is going to reconfigure a web site.  I have changed The Rosh Group site three times in the last year.  You should note that search engines will penalize you for broken links, so, it is also a search engine optimization (SEO) concern.

Well, the good news is for you itunes fans is that the button should work. The nice thing about the button is it only takes one step to subscribe to the podcast.

Rosh

When you listen to our podcasts or read our blogs you will notice a number of themes. Below is a list of some of my favorite Prosperous Artists business and marketing ideas. These ideas are what work for me and I believe they will work for you.

1) Do what works: It’s amazing how many business people continue to do what doesn’t work thinking they will do it better next time rather then try something new.

2) Test: Test your ideas on a small scale to see if they work. This saves a lot of time and money. It’s OK to be wrong. That is how we learn and become better business people.

3) Make it easy to do business: Some business people spend too much time protecting themselves. When barriers are placed in front of prospects and customers, it’s almost impossible to create a win-win relationship.  Remember service is about them.

4) Risk reversal: Put the risk on you not the customer (within reason). This is a
good step in making it easy to do business with you.

5) Learn how to network: Building business is about people.

6) Know your worth: Chances are you undervalue what you do.

7) Focus on the Niche: Creative business people that become the best in a small niche often make many times more then the average, generalist or Jack of all trades.

8 ) It’s OK to make money doing what you love to do: Many new creative entrepreneurs think they are cheating or stealing when they ask people to pay them for something they would love to do for free. It is wrong to think that only physical, boring or complex labor is worthy of pay.  Just because it’s easy to you or you enjoy the task doesn’t mean there is no value in it.

9) Get involved in new/social media: Become an expert in what you do.

10) Never stop trying to do what you do better: To stay ahead of the curve, keep
your skills sharp and be a leader in your field.  You need to continue to study and innovate in your area of expertise.  Never stop learning.   If you’ve learned everything. Quit.

I know too many people who create a brochure, a sales piece or an idea for their business and then they remind me of the old bit from TV’s Pee Wee’s Playhouse:

PWH: “I really, really, really love cake …”

Actor: “If you love it so much, why don’t you marry it?’

PWH: “Ok, I think I will …”

And Pee Wee and a plate of cake are next seen strolling up the aisle of the playhouse to get married.

When developing an idea, don’t elope with it and then be stuck in a bad relationship. The answer is to TEST EVERYTHING … everything you can. See what it looks like, feels like and acts like out here on the planet where people buy it, use it and judge it.

Here’s a couple of quick ideas when you test something:

• If your marketing a product for seniors, ask Grandma. If you’re not, then DON’T. If Grandma’s idea of being an entrepreneur was fronting you the sugar for your lemonade stand when you were a kid, chances are she may not have the need, idea, experience or feedback for which you are looking – ASK PEOPLE WHO WILL USE THE PRODUCT. Have a few as your kitchen cabinet of supporters. Just ask Rosh who gets one of the first calls ever time I have a brain storm.
• Don’t marry the one idea or fall in love hopelessly with it. When developing it, COME UP WITH AT LEAST AN IDEA A AND AN IDEA B. You may come up with several different options, but pare it down to a presentable few. This way you won’t get people to tune out on a great idea with way to many ideas and options. Make the ideas unique enough that they don’t just look like tweeks of the same thought.
• If you have a prefered option, don’t let your testers squash your dream: LEAD WITH THE B CONCEPT. Let them start giving you feedback which doesn’t sting as bad. Then spring the A Concept on them.
• Based on a great meeting, you may have a free flow of ideas that will get you to think beyond your thinking – BE OPEN TO IDEAS AND INSPIRATION.
• DON’T TAKE ANY OF IT PERSONALLY – Listen to what they say and to how you react. Don’t be defensive. At the end of the day, it is still your idea and you can listen to the dozen who really like it, rather then the few who rip it apart.
• MAKE NOTES ON YOUR TESTING – Don’t trust your memory to recall the suggestions.

Above all, have fun when you test things. Be humble, playful and open. The ideas and feedback you seek may make all the difference with your million dollar idea. BTW … If you have any million dollar ideas and you want unbiased feedback, let me know.

– Dean L.