5 Keys to Social Networking

I have found these to be key when building my community via Social Networking.  This is my experience only....what has worked and continues to work for me.


1.  Better to leave your personal views on politics and religion off your wall/page.  My mother told me years ago that many controversial problems are created when discussing these personal issues.  Posting the news and facts on issues is another story....


2. Engage in conversations.  Ask others (and businesses) questions on their wall/page to get them to engage.  4 a day is a good start (this takes 5-15 minutes).


3.  Share community events, pictures, things that spark interest.  You will know if you get 'likes', 'comments', and the ultimate...'shares'!   


4.  Let your community know what you do for a living with out cramming it down their throats.  Promoting yourself ALL the time is a turn off!  Quickest way to promote is to promote others.


5. Thank your community out loud! When someone adds you as a friend go to their page and thank them!  When they comment to a post - respond (the busier you get the less you will be able to respond to each and every person, however do your best).  These are your fans - let them know how important they are to you!  Flattery and acts of kindness will move you forward!!!


Go out and shine on others!  


Alaska Tracy ~ 'follow me' here to help you succeed!

Creating your Dream Life~

How BIG Can you DREAM?

What desires do you have for your life?  Are these desires becoming your reality?  If not, WHY not?

I was just interviewed by a councilor for teens.  The project for her teens was to interview a person(s) they viewed as 'successful' in life.  She took on the challenge and asked to interview me.

I was HONORED!  She asked me many questions that gave me pause and reflection of my life.

When I was a teen, I viewed successful people as perfect and put them HIGH on a pedestal.  I always felt LESS than others.  It did not come from a bad family life, it just came from somewhere deep in my soul.  It was as if I had this big old HOLE in my soul.  I viewed everyone else as having such an amazing incredible life and for me I was just going to have to struggle and suffer through.  The work in 'changing' my beliefs and slowly starting to believe in ME started at age 31.

First and foremost I had to learn to start believing in myself.  GOD and many terrific mentors and role models helped and continue to help me.  I then started learning how to value all my beliefs and values.   My life slowly started changing.  Dreams BIGGER than I ever realized started becoming reality!   

I have dreamed of creating a business where I get to help other business owners achieve all their dreams and goals.  When I talk to a business owner and help them create a plan, a strategy, a goal and then they start implementing this, my heart sings!!!  


The most important question on my interview yesterday was, 'what is your biggest obstacle or challenge', this was an easy answer.  My HEAD!  My head tells me all sorts of crap and lies ...it is at those moments when I need to stop and listen to my heart, to the universe, to my Higher Power......When I am able to stop and exhale all the negativity, I get to create space for the good to flow in.  This is the KEY for me!


May the power of pausing enter into your world today-so the peace and goodness can enter~
Alaska Tracy ~ 'follow me'... I am happy to help you achieve ALL your DREAMS!!!  

Taking Action!

When I am willing to put action steps on paper, I continually am AMAZED at the results!  I am always amazed-as this is the 3rd business I have had the opportunity to create and watch grow and evolve.  I feel blessed beyond words!

For years and years I have wanted to help businesses, however I did not have a clear path of how to go about doing that.  So I would dabble. I would help out a friend here and there with writing a business plan or marketing ideas.  In my heart I knew helping businesses develop, grow and succeed is where my heart was.  I did not know how to start or where to go with a business.  I do know that every business has helped me to get to where I am today and that the businesses I own today will push me to the next.

I always have to be in enough FEAR to move forward!  I also have always had a mentor/coach through all my business endeavors.  So in January I was STUCK in FEAR and again I reached out to a mentor/coach to help me move FORWARD.  She gave me specific tasks.  Simplified my crazy thoughts.  Helped me outline a path.

I started putting on paper what the business would look like.  The clients I would like to attract, the money I would like to make.  ALL on paper.

It was only a week later when a twitter referral came along.  She asked me to teach Social Media at a conference this summer.  I again was asked to put in writing a syllabus for the class, resume, and price.  I (painfully) did it and sent it off.  I then got a call for a referral from another business friend.  The door has been open I am moving forward!!!

My fears are still there, however I have turned them over GOD-or as my coach says, check them in at the airport and let them travel to another country!

My advice to you this Monday, if you want to move thru your fear, put the action steps on paper and discuss them with a coach or mentor.  Then stand back and watch your dreams come true!!!

Happy Monday~  Alaska Tracy ~ 'follow me'... here to help ALL your dreams come true!

Communicate and GROW your Social Community!

Are you communicating and providing topics that interests your social media community?  


You are not sure you say-"I have hundreds of fans on my biz page", my response, are they commenting on your posts? Are you interacting with them?  When you post something-do you get feedback? If the answer is NO, you are not providing content that interests your community.  Sorry, this is the TRUTH!


Helpful tips:  1. Change your community.  Start adding businesses that may be interested in your content.
                   2. Start adding content that intriques your community.  This is the strategy part...the thinking part.  Where you have to 'do the work'. 


Maybe this is the part of your business that you dislike.  Maybe you are terrific at implementing all the other details of your business.  You do NOT have to be good at all parts of your business.  Why not focus your skills on what you are good at and hire someone to do the creative marketing work?

Alaska Tracy ~ follow me... is an expert in this area and is happy to help you.  As a previous and current business owner and years of marketing experience, I know how to market a business inexpensively and creatively.  I have implemented these skills into social media and would love to share my thoughts and ideas with you.  


There is nothing more exciting than to help a business owner grow and succeed beyond their wildest expectations! The sky is the LIMIT!!!!  I am passionate about what I get to do and am here to help you~
Dream Big-take action-live a full rich life!  Alaskatracy@gmail.com

Action & then MORE Action!

My 2012 goals are written!  Now the implementation of them-this is the part I usually find 'other' things to do...laundry, shopping, eating..anything but creating the action steps to obtain the goals.  I like to think I am unique and no one else does this, however I think I am not alone in this area.

For today, I will do just a small amount of work on this area.  Just to get started.  That is the hard part.  The beginning.  I will spend 10 minutes on implementing my business plan.  I will then go about my evening and let it go!

How do you motivate when all you want to do is procrastinate? I would be curious to hear others answers. I have no distractions for the next 10 minutes.  So...I am going to quit blogging and go do 10 minutes of work.

Determination!

CHALLENGES


As promised, I am going to tell you about the changes that have happened over the past 30 days of practicing Hot Yoga..(www.anchorageyoga.com).  My mind, my body, my spirit have opened up ...just a little bit more!


I am a woman that is highly competitive.  If someone gives me an odd look when I tell them of an idea I have...I get excited!  Almost as though I feed on going against the grain-always having to 'mix it up'.  I believe I have a restless spirit always seeking out the new adventures-mostly in career choices!


So-someone suggested doing this 30 day challenge for Yoga...I hmmmmed and hmmmmed...and then decided to GO FOR IT!  I am an ex-marathoner and never thought I would ever find the 'runners high' again.  Guess what-I DID!


I started the challenge January 1-with one goal in mind, January 30th!  Often I forget about the journey, wanting the destination.  Again after 30 days of intense Yoga practice, I am reminded by my Higher Power - there is NO destination!


My body was very out of shape and my brain fought me over and over.  Telling me things like;  this is stupid, why do you need to prove this?  You don't have to go today.  You know you can do this, why must you prove it to others.  You are TOO BUSY for this!  And on and on the brain went.  So I just showed up anyway.  There were a few classes where I almost passed out-I literally HATED it!  I just showed up anyway.


The last week of the 30 days, I was feeling SO incredibly uncomfortable in my own skin.  I was being mean to my husband - criticizing his every move.  I just felt like running away (something I used to be good at).  One day I felt STUCK-so I started writing.  I called a business mentor/coach and set an appointment with her.  She had me write my 'to do' list.  Then take the top 3 and just do them.


I had been in the process of starting another business to coincide with my current business.  I was very on and off with it.  Again, my brain was working overtime telling me ALL the reasons why not to do this.  The practice of Yoga has helped my heart to be just a  little louder than my brain!   Yoga practice is about  breath-breathing in good and love and light, releasing the worry, the negativity, the stress.  For 60 minutes - 90 minutes a day my heart can be just a little louder than my brain!  This allows quite a bit of space and serenity to come in to my life.  My heart is telling me to MOVE forward with the 2nd business.  Meaning do what I am passionate about.


This does not mean that I get to quit my day job.  This does not mean I get to skip any steps of the HARD Work that is involved in a new business.  This just means that I can endure anything, if I just listen to my heart and stop listening to the LOUD voices in my head that are selfish and self seeking.  I get to do the work and see what the universe has in store for me.  I get to be blessed to live in a world where there are so many choices~


The other changes are just icing on the cake.  My body is stronger, my clothes fit much more comfy, my eating is better, my husband has been practicing Yoga with me!  I am learning to 'pause' before saying YES to a commitment!    Of course-I just WANT MORE ...so I will keep showing up to practice Yoga~Namaste'

Turning Negatives into.......

How do you deal with a difficult situation or person?  Do you want to run? Do you say things that you think later on you should not have said? Do you want to hurt and talk badly about that person or situation....OR...do you take the high road????

Life is filled with wonderful growth opportunities.  Chances to learn, be of service to others and be filled with gratitude.

Today I get to have an 'opportunity' to work with a difficult individual.  My thought is the person is filled with FEAR or GREED...which by nature are really the same thing. 

I am choosing to look at the bright and positive things in my life.  The sun is out and the mountains are shining all around me.  There are many wonderful, happy souls that I can call and say hello to.  There are unfortunate souls that I can stop and help today - or pray for.  I keep a motivational folder in my documents...I will take a peek inside that folder today.  I will walk our funny dog today.  I will not get hungry or angry today. I will smile at a stranger.  I will send a card to someone. 

Life is filled with wonderful, incredible challenges that help me to be the person I want to be today.  My reactions to life today are a direct result of what I portray to the universe.

Today I am reacting in the LIGHT and LOVE of a joyful life.

How will you react in your life today?

May you have a joyful day~I am happy to help you with any social media, marketing or motivational challenges you may have today~ alaskatracy@gmail.com