Yesterday I Read A Book - Yikes!

Navigation: Main page » Small Business

 Print this page Submit articleComment article

Author: Chris Ellington

Article source: http://www.personal-writer.com/. Used with author's permission.

Yes, I admit it. I did.

Now, don't get me wrong. I am an internet marketer. I spend hours and hours in front of my computer, answering questions from my customers, working with prospects, improving my offering. I personally take calls from my customers and I react to ensure that their needs are met. I work hard to squeeze every dollar out of my website, both for me and for my affiliates.

But yesterday I read a book.

Nope, it wasn't a book on marketing, or persuasion, or Google. Nope, it wasn't an e-book on web design or the latest tools to create nifty buttons. It was a real, honest-to-goodness, paperback novel.

I didn't learn a thing about how to increase my conversions or attract more people to my website. What the heck was I thinking?!

I'm a small business owner. If I don't work, I don't eat. Every bit of revenue that comes in the door is directly related to the time I spend working, thinking, planning, building...

And yet, yesterday I read a novel. I must be mad as a hatter! Crazy as a loon! Just plain nutz!

There I was, a gorgeous day in the San Francisco Bay Area. I live in a nicely landscaped home in the hills overlooking the bay. But I almost never overlook the bay these days. There's too much to do!

Just like you, I have competitors doing things to undermine my efforts. You know what it's like to have a huge target market that needs constant attention. I'm sure you understand the frustration of having technology to implement that will automate things and make it easier for your customers to buy. Do you have affiliates like mine with really cool suggestions about how to promote your site? Of course building those promotions and implementing the great suggestions takes time. There are notes to write, emails to answer, banners to create, and yes articles to write.

With all that over my head, how could I stretch out on a chaise lounge with a large jug of sun tea brewing, and read a book?

A better question is - why didn't I do it before now?

In fact, why aren't you reading a book right now? Have you seen how much your kids have grown? When was the last time you (without grimacing) took your teenagers to the mall, and actually got involved in their purchases? Have you read to your toddler today? What about that special project your kid is working on for school - do you even know about it?

I'm a charter member of the Type A, Workaholic Society (memberships available, but you have to work hard to get one) and I routinely burn the candle at both ends. I get up early and I stay up late. No email goes unresponded to, no request is ignored. I love my business. It's quite satisfying.

But hey - so is reading a good book.

So take some time today and look your kid in the eye with a big smile. Kiss your spouse and say "I love you". Remember, the email will be there tomorrow, but your kids will move out. For that matter, so will your spouse if you remain glued to your desk.

Take a breath, read a book, play with the kids, call your mom. When you get back to your desk, you'll be more effective, have better ideas, and you'll feel better about life.

I would go on, but it's another beautiful day, so I'm going outside. You should too.

Linking Features & Benefits
By linking features and benefits, we give ourselves an opportunity to understand and construct effective messages, for both marketing and other purposes.

Vacation / Honeymoons 101 - Planning for Perfect Weather on Your Trip
Weather can play a big factor in someone having a good or bad time on their vacation. Do you know the best times to visit some of the hottest honeymoon/travel s...

Shaping the Future with Positive People Power
I'm tired of being a victim of circumstances. Our planet is in trouble, our civilization is in dire straits and no-one is doing anything. Now it's time for all ...

Birth of Gambling 101
The history of gambling is as old as human existence on earth. Homo Sapiens have always been fond of gaming. Gaming or gambling was a part of primeval man's lif...

Developing A Website: 10 Tips For Getting Started
Building a website can be a long and arduous procedure if you are not sure what you are doing. However, if you have a clear focus as to what you expect your web...

Training Dogs the Lazy Way
Want to know the lazy way to train your dog? In this first of a series you are shown the easy way to train a dog

Invite Spring Early - Grow in Your Basement
Wouldn't you like to be eating fresh vegetables when your neighbors are just getting their gardens started? You can, and it's not that hard! With simple grow-...

Its Not What You Know, Its What You Do
Knowing what is right and what is wrong in your own inner consciousness is insufficient. It is not the knowing of truth that transforms a person; it is the doin...

Churches In Crisis: What Happened To Unity?
Christian churches today display all manner of diverse worship practices. But nowhere does the Bible advocate this chaotic soup. Rather, it commands that Christ...

Sales Recruiting - Why Performance-Based Recruiting Produces Top Sales Performers
If you want to improve the overall quality of your sales candidate pool, shift your focus away from education and experience and toward the performance-based me...

Raising a Self-Sufficient Teen
Teens don't learn responsibility overnight. If you haven't been working with your teen on gradually giving them a sense of independence and ownership of their l...

Will Your Vitamins Be Banned?
Imagine this scenario by the end of next August... You contact your favorite supplement distributor to purchase some of your usual vitamins and other suppleme...

Real Estate Investor Question: Rehab and Sell, or Rehab and Keep?
One way of looking at the question of what to do with property after it's bought and rehabbed. The numbers might surprise you!

How to Keep Your Boxer - or any Dog - Healthy...
Excellent, detailed article which explains some of the things to watch for, do, and don't do in order to keep your dog healthy. Focuses on the breed of boxer do...

MLM Training - Creating an EXPLOSIVE Start with Your New MLM Distributor
Do you know the CRITICAL steps to getting your new distributor off to an Explosive start? If not, read on!

How You Can Find Proofreading Jobs
Many people are looking for proofreading jobs but have really no idea how to find them! Here, we will give some basic advice that will help you find a good way...

Financial Planners, Make Sure Reporters Comprehend Your Topic
Don't assume that a reporter understands financial planning.

Credit Verus Debt
Do you know the difference between credit items and debit?

NEWS FLASH! Article Directories JUMP-ON The RSS Syndication Band Wagon
This article describes Article Directories and RSS and how someone who publishes articles regularly will benefit from the added Free Traffic it'll generate as m...

Strategies for Alleviating the Boredom Associated with Exercise
In addition to the health and focus benefits, exercise feels good. So why don't we do it more?

Tilapia
Tilapia are a group of fish that plays a large role as food fish and are popular aquarium fish. Many hope that Tilapia can play a large role in ending hunger ar...

Be The Full Jigsaw! How to Solve the Leadership Jigsaw
An introduction to The Leadership Jigsaw - a model of best practice for those striving to don the mantle of leadership...

Two Quick And Easy-To-Implement Tactics To Monetarise The Traffic ALREADY On Your Web Site!
The Internet is full of "How To Get MORE Traffic To Your Web Site" Schemes, Strategies And Techniques. Here's a better question... "What are you doing with the ...

Dont Want Another Carpet Sweeper This Year For Christmas?
This holiday season get the gift that you truly want, personalized jewelry. Sign up for our Drop-A-Hint program and let others know exactly why you want via e-...