Successful Blog

Social Media Book List: Get Upbeat and do some Savvy Business Promoting

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A Weekly Series by Teresa Morrow

I’m Teresa Morrow, Founder of Key Business Partners, LLC and I work with authors and writers by managing their online promotion. As part of my job I read a lot of books (and I love to read anyway!). I am here to offer a weekly post about one author I am working with and one book I have put on my reading list. The books will cover topics such as social media (Facebook and Twitter), organization, career building, networking, writing and self development and inspiration.

Upbeat by Rajesh Setty

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This week I would like to start off with a book I have read and have worked with entitled Upbeat by Rajesh Setty.

This compact book is filled with wonderful ideas and strategies to help any business owner or entrepreneur get out of the “jam” they may be filling at the time.

Here are a few tips from Upbeat I would like to share with you:

1) Be Accountable to Yourself – “Recession time is hard on everyone but that does not mean that you should go into a state of inertia, waiting for the times to pass.”—>The time is now. Take inspired action to do something today to get to where you want to be. Sitting down and doing nothing will get you just that…nothing.

2) Be Grateful – “Yes, you are frustrated, things are not going well, and most of it is not your fault. However, do remember that in the general scheme of things you are lucky enough to have the opportunity to think and do something about it.” –> Take some time to embrace the blessings in your life. Write them down even and you will be amazed at how many things you have in your life to be grateful for. When you are grateful, the positive energy comes out of you and into other people’s lives.

3) The Discipline – “Like any good idea, discipline is very easy to grasp an an idea but has no value unless it is implemented–and well. Quote by Jim Rohn “Every disciplined effort has multiple rewards”. –>things take time to come together and become successful. However, if you don’t start creating action to make those things happen, it won’t.

See, and those are just a few golden nuggets from Rajesh’s book, Upbeat.

About the Author:
Rajesh’s mission in life is to bring good ideas to life. With love!

Rajesh is involved in a few companies in some combination as a founder, operating executive, board member and/or an investor. Apart from that, he has written a few books and is working on a number of them. His first book was published at the age of thirteen. While he is not building companies or writing, he enjoys speaking at conferences and company events.

You can read his latest thoughts on his blog Life Beyond Code or on Twitter at UpbeatNow. If you are really curious to know the events that shaped his thinking, you can read his story so far here.

Rajesh lives in the Silicon Valley with his wife Kavitha and son Sumukh.

You can pick up your copy of Upbeat at Amazon.

Masters of Sales

Secrets from Top Sales Professionals that will transform you into a World Class Salesperson

Now is time for me to showcase a book I have not read but it is on my reading list. This week my choice is Masters of Sales by Ivan R. Misner, Ph.D and Don Morgan, M.A.

Bursting with valuable advice from Jack Canfield, Anthony Robbins, Keith Ferrazzi, Tom Hopkins, Al Lautenslager and more than 70 other masters of the art of selling, this exclusive compilation of the best sales strategies ever known puts you on the fast track to sales success.

Just a short but poignant business lesson of what I read by just picking up the book once:
This is a excerpt about Janet Attwood (speaker, trainer,author)–
“A persistent attitude is mandatory for success in any endeavor, including sales. You may need to stop banging your head against the wall and change directions, but don’t stop too early–you might be closer to success than you realize! Listen to your intuitions, and you can make a lot of money!

About the Authors:
Dr. Ivan Misner is the Founder & Chairman of BNI, the world’s largest business networking organization . BNI was founded in 1985. The organization has thousands of chapters throughout every populated continent of the world. Each year, BNI generates millions referrals resulting in billions dollars worth of business for its members.

Dr. Misner’s Ph.D. is from the University of Southern California. He has written nine books, including his New York Times best seller, Masters of Networking and his #1 bestsellers, Truth or Delusion, and Masters of Success.

You can pick up your copy of Masters of Sales on Amazon.

More Upbeat Now Conversation with Raj Setty – Part 2

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Finding and Upbeat Path and Online Strategies We Miss

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As you might recall, I’ve known Rajesh Setty followed his wisdom for many years. He started his writing as a child in India at the young age of 9 and published his first book by the time he was 13.

I interviewed Raj the first time when he released his book Beyond Code. You’ll find the five days of our conversation introduced here.

This year I had the honor and the pleasure of being part of launching his new book UpBeat Now! at our SOBCon09 conference in Chicago. I’m more than delighted to share it here with you now.

This is the second part of the conversation we had …

Hi Raj, Now that we’ve found “the trap” and unfinished projects that befall us. How might online entrepreneurs use “the discipline” to get on an upbeat path?

For me, the discipline required for online business is like the discipline you require in any other business – probably a bit more, actually.

If you think about it, even when you are NOT solving a real problem, you might get a lot of people interested in your online business. It does not mean that they are willing to transact with you.

Add to that – the threat of competition from new players and incumbents.

Add to that the fact that people really don’t want to change easily.

Add to that the fact that somebody will offer the same (or stripped down version)of your service for free.

Add to that customers and prospects requesting features day in and day out feeling entitled.

Add to that the fact that one small bug gets blown out of proportion via blogs and forums.

Without discipline, one can get carried away and focus on everything except making their customers WIN in a big way.

The way to stay UpBeat in an online business is simply to make rockstars out of your customers. If they win, they will make you win.

Which part of strategy do online business builders seem to miss most often?

Creating the right ecosystem for their business.

Online or offline, without a solid ecosystem, businesses cannot scale. It is easy to miss that as you may not notice the need for a solid ecosystem in the initial stages of the online business.

If you could suggest one action that would make a difference in most online businesses what would it be?

Listening without filters

Most often, we listen with our filters and think and assume what the customers “might” want. If you simply “listen without filters” you will notice that customers and prospects will share their trials and tribulations, what they like and dislike about the product, what problems do they want to solve with your product/service, their wishes and their wants.

if you relentlessly focus on your customers, you will win sooner than later – listening without filters is the first step to do just that.

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Raj, what you said in just these five short questions today and Wednesday has been a primer on how to steer clear of some pretty serious business faux pas.

This only a taste of the insights and wisdom you’ve pulled together in your book!

I so recommend everyone should buy UpBeat Now!

Thanks Raj! Talking with you is always a pleasure!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz on your business!!

Buy the ebook. Learn the art of online conversation.

An UpBeat Now! Conversation with Raj Setty Part 1

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BootStrapping During a Recession and Mistakes We Make

rajesh-for-website

I’ve known Rajesh Setty for many years and I’ve followed his wisdom for just as long. He started writing as a child of 9 and published his first book at the young age of 13.

I interviewed Raj the first time when he released his book Beyond Code. You’ll find the five days of our conversation introduced here.

This year I had the honor and the pleasure of being part of launching his new book UpBeat Now! at our SOBCon09 conference in Chicago. I’m more than delighted to share it here with you now.

This is the first part of the conversation we had …
Hi Raj, I understand the story of the book is an upbeat story in itself, would you tell the tale now?

Thanks Liz for the opportunity to have this conversation.

I had an opportunity to build my first technology startup during the previous recession. It was not easy. The easiest way to define what was happening then was that “nobody was buying anything from anyone and everybody was trying selling something to everyone.” If we loved bad news, then we were in luck. There was bad news everyday – on the TV, in the newspapers, on the radio and there was generally some bad news shared during any interaction with anyone – online or offline.

We learned a lot during that period as the only way to have survived running a “bootstrapped” startup was to stay Upbeat. So I wrote most of it during that journey but by the time I completed the book, that recession was over. So I packed it up and and kept it aside. I didn’t have to wait for long as there was a another recession very soon. I unpacked the book, updated it and got it published.

What is “the trap” and how do you see it among the people who are trying to start a business online?

One of the traps in the context of being Upbeat is to be gripped by engaging in discussions about topics on which you have very little control on. Some of these may be important topics (such as social security, economy, foreign policy etc.) but endlessly talking about them when you have “unfinished” projects is a trap.

When it comes to online businesses, I see several traps.

1. Thinking if they can do it, we can do it.

People get excited when they see an online businesses and think that “technically” they can also do what has been done. However, when you look at an online business you only see the “tip of the iceberg.” There are so many things that are not easy to see when you see an online business. It will be a miracle if someone can copy an online business just by watching it from outside.

2. Thinking if you build it, they will come.

Yes that may happen for a VERY small percentage of the companies. In MOST cases, you not only have to build, you have to drag people who will reluctantly (kicking and screaming) come to check out your site.

3. Thinking if people talk about their online business, they will succeed.

Getting press alone may not take an online business far. Unless the customers love the business AND are willing to pay for it, nothing significant will happen.

4. Chasing exceptions as if they are rules

Often people keep quoting YouTube,Twitter, Flickr etc which are successes in their own way. While you may be able to replicate the technology piece with your skills, it is not easy to copy their successes.

5. Using the wrong metrics

Rather than using revenues and profits as metrics, it is easy to get carried away by eyeballs, pageviews, downloads etc. Ultimately without revenues and profits, you will need a miracle to succeed.

Raj had so much interesting information that we’ll be sharing the rest on Friday. Tune in then to hear about the disciplines that online businesses can use to get on an upbeat path to success!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz on your business!!

Buy the ebook. Learn the art of online conversation.

11.5 Rajesh Setty — About the Book: How It Got Published

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How It All Came Together

Last week and this, Raj Setty has shared thoughts and insights that expand what he wrote in Beyond Code.. He shared his personal story, how team loyalty and individual goals can work together, “The Inner Game” of attitudes and philosophy about career, life, and ambition, and “The Outer Game” of learning leadership.

Today we talk about Raj’s book, Beyond Code: Learn to Distinguish Yourself in 9 Simple Steps! how it came to be published, what he learned in that process, and advice he has for others who might want to follow his lead.

Raj, how did an IT consultant convince a publisher that he was qualified and able to write a book on how people might distiguish themselves to lead a fuller more successful life? What did you learn from the exprience? What advice for future writers do you have to share?
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11.4: Rajesh Setty — The Outer Game

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Life as a Contact Sport

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On Wednesday, Raj discussed The Inner Game and the Five Ls. He explained how attitude and philosophy toward life, career, and ambition can lead a professional to focus and improve personally. He calls the topics for self-improvement the “Inner Game” and characterizes it with the Five Ls — Learn, Laugh, Look, Leave a Lasting Impression, and Love.

Today, Raj speaks to how positive interaction with others contributes to professional and personal success. In his book, Beyond Code: Learn to Distinguish Yourself in 9 Simple Steps! Raj calls that “The Outer Game.”

Some folks might argue that the Outer Game — Leverage, Likeability, Listen, Lead — can’t be learned, that what you’ll get is manipulation. How would you answer them?

Life is a contact sport and no man is an island. Outer Game covers those practices where there are some external dependencies. For example, you have to learn to be likeable by someone ELSE. Here is the basic premise for each chapter of the Outer Game.

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11.3: Rajesh Setty — The Inner Game

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The Five Ls

Yesterday, Raj discussed participation and differentiation. He explained that team loyalty and individual goals are not mutally exclusive. He pointed out that to be a strong team member, a person needs to be self-aware and to participate as an individual as well as a team player.

Today, Raj talks about how a professional looks inward to start with a solid foundation of personal skills. In his book, Beyond Code: Learn to Distinguish Yourself in 9 Simple Steps! Raj calls that the Inner Game.

Raj, in Beyond Code, you talk about the Inner Game — Learn, Laugh, Look, Leave a lasting Impression, Love — how might you mentor someone who takes life too seriously, who has too much negative “self talk” getting in the way?

In the “Inner Game” section of the book, I cover some topics or areas where a professional can focus and improve with limited external dependencies. There are five of them. Most of them are related to the person’s attitude and philosophy towards life, career and ambition.

Here is the basic premise of each of the five chapters:

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