Is There An Ideal Business For Teachers?

A musing over the long standing argument that service and profit do not mix.

In other words, do teaching and business mix?

As I write, I am reminded of a speech that I attended at the Lowry Centre, Salford in the U.K. a few years back that was given by the lady who had just been appointed the unenviable task of managing the centre. Her opening line was one of the best I have ever heard - yes, even better than Last Night I Dreamed I Went to Manderly Again - well, perhaps not better than that but more appropriate because we're not talking fiction here but hard fact.

No, what she said was 'When I took this job, I was told that I had to run the centre as a service to the public but at the same time make a profit at which point I was immediately filled with dread because in my experience the two have never been compatible'…or words to that effect. I related to this entirely having worked a business as a driving instructor for over fifteen years and bent over backwards moving hell and high water for my pupils, the results of which were usually along either of the following lines: 'You were right all along, Hilary - I'm glad you were so thorough and made me learn properly'. Needless to say, such a conversation usually followed a successful result after a lot of pressure from me to make the pupil cooperate by having the requisite number of lessons.

The other conversation went thus, usually following a situation whereby lots of learning had eventually taken place following what I could only describe as lessons more closely compared to pulling teeth: 'Sorry, Hilary, but it's jut taking too long - my Dad says I should be doing blah, blah, blah by now and I'm going elsewhere'. Aside from the fact that this was sometimes a relief and a blessing, it does show that what the public expects as a service from you is quite often well over and above what they are happy to pay in terms of hours and cash.

So, can we really run a business that allows us to use what is undoubtedly a gift when it comes to describing teaching? I honestly don't believe deep down that we can provide the same service to people in the same way you can as a paid teacher or coach within the education system. This is because if the agreement was private, you probably wouldn't get those same people to pay you - some may pay you more, of course, but only if they knew much about teaching, that is.

Is it the case, then, that we cannot continue to give service and run a business into the bargain?
I actually believe we can. What we have to consider is precisely what we mean when we say that we are providing a service. I think we are actually educating people to understand precisely how the world works and how to gain from the system as it is. The world is not perfect but I have learned that you can show some people the way to better things using a system that provides the education and tools to be successful. As with all things in life, not everyone will be a success but, they will have received an excellent education in marketing and I believe that education is never wasted. Even those that never join the ranks of the big hitters, then, will have gained, even if some are going to gain more than others.

In other words, it's not unlike our education system right now. Some are going to come out better than others. The difference is that, like the lady who gave the presentation mentioned above, I accept that the in the end the service given may not work in the same way as a service to which we are used to expecting help and support from an ever running tap.

Rather, that the true meaning of receiving is in giving as well.

I thought it would be nice to share with you my experiences at a meeting held by my sponsor, Ann, in the UK, London - this August bank holiday weekend.
We began in the way all the best meetings do by tucking into the food - very good it was too, I may add! This was followed by a photograph session with Ann ( or anyone else for that matter ) along with the chance to make a video.

( You can also see this blog at hubpages.com where you can see the photographs.

The next bit was where we had to start taking things a little more seriously and watch as we linked up with two team members over the Internet: Troy Allen, Sr. in the U.S whilst he offered everyone the opportunity to follow him in his forthcoming Internet marketing boot camp - as Troy is an ex marine, I declined this invitation feeling my mindset was not quite ready for such an attack! I am sure, however, that the opportunity will be invaluable to those who signed up and I'd like to wish them the very best of luck! I cannot divulge too much about this, of course, as it's all still a bit under wraps and the rest of the team will be informed in time.

The second speaker by Internet was Dave Perry from Canada who explained about his course to help with our Google Ads campaigns. Once again, I had to decline this as, much as I like to keep on top of Google , I prefer to practice other more enlightening forms of advertising on a daily basis.

It was reassuring to hear that, despite my being the only one at the meting not to volunteer for either, I would still be seen as a valuable team memer but must, in future, place a regular note of all my achieved goals for the week on the Group Forum. This would allow the more free spirits among us retain a working place within the team!

Having survived said meeting which had followed an entertaining journey down on the train provided by some rather jovial footy fans - apparently, Wembley was going to be busy - I'd decided to take a tour round London on one of the buses the following day. As my return train from Euston was 1pm and I was staying near Marble Arch and the tour took nearly 3 hours, you can imagine this feat was worthy of praise from the likes of Troy The Marine, above. I had to set off for the earliest bus run at 8.25am : probably the best time, in retrospect, because the fumes can sure build up on an open top bus - I would not like to have done this when it was busy!

A trip up The Thames was included 'twixt The Tower and The London Eye. We also went up Fleet Street where we heard little snippets such as where the Great Fire started, a glimpse of Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese ( frequented by Charles Dickens ) and a view of Margaret Thatcher's house in Belgravia. Apparently - I think I heard the guide right - a house here sold for £62 million! Well, something to aim for, perhaps - but not in this week's goals!

Luckily, the sun shone constantly and the tour guide was wonderful. Contrary to popular belief, I found everyone very friendly and helpful and public transport is cheap and an absolute doddle ( compared to Manchester ). Then again, perhaps it's just the experience of sunshine but no rain within a 24 hours period that makes everything seem better, if not quite fascinating. The only downer was the football fans who were in rather high spirits on the return journey.

It was a great weekend and thanks to out sponsor, Ann, for going to the trouble - you could call it, for those reading this 'blog that are already involved in this business, our very own Mini U.K. M2 Conference. Perhaps the company will take note and run one of their own over here sometime. We're a very friendly lot ( especially up 'ere in Manchester ).

Just not while there's a football match on…

Hilary.

Using Blogs And Articles In Your Internet Marketing Business Plan

In order to maximise web site search engines, it might be tempting to post pieces of writing to as many sites as possible. This may include your own blogs, article marketing sites, social networking sites as well as your own customised web site. All very well and good, you may think.

Or is it?

Quite apart from the fact that many article publishers only like to see original content and not something that is ploughed out here there and everywhere, there is also the question of whether something is actually an article or a blog. Indeed, does anyone actually know enough about this to even notice? Let's look at what the Internet says about both articles and blogs and then I shall expand in a little more depth about my own theory.

Blog.
Let's look at this first of all. Just our of interest, the absolutely correct way of spelling it is 'blog. This is because the word is a derivative of two words i.e., web and log. The apostrophe replaces the word web. Not wishing to sound pedantic, however, it shall be referred to as blog for the purposes of this article. Generally speaking, it would seem that the accepted norm is to describe a blog as a commentary. This implies a certain amount of bias and could be described more of a point of view than a factual description of events.

Article.
This refers to an unbiased description of events. In other words, a news item. Quite whether any event can be said to be described in an unbiased way, of course, is open to argument and clearly a topic for another article as opposed to something that should be included in here.

Perhaps the difference can be made clearer by looking at how the subject of this article was introduced in the opening paragraph. Had it been written for the purposes of a blog, it might have begun as follows - - As one who is always looking for the easiest, most productive way to generate more website traffic, I can be relied upon to maximise any piece of writing by having it posted to many high quality sites as possible. The difference is not just viewpoint being biased or otherwise, rather that the subject and object change. In the case of the blog, the subject is the writer. In the case of the article, the discussion about blog and articles is the subject ( of the piece ).

Compound those facts with the general trend of the blog moderators to lean towards blogs being used to describe the more personal aspects of our lives, it would make sense to assume that the article should be kept for the article marketing sites alone.
This will, of course, be in the interests of the people managing the article writing sites as well for the reason mentioned above ( they prefer original content that has not been shared with any number sites out there ) and so resulting in a win - - win situation. This is something that should be aimed for when making your Internet marketing business plan as you start your Internet business.

Is Teaching The New Selling?

If teaching is, as I suggest, the new selling, then I might be in trouble running my own Internet business - not because I disagree with the concept, but rather because all those teachers out there may want to have a share in what I am doing! Allow me to explain how I have arrived at this theory. To do so, we need to go back almost twenty years when I was at a party talking with a chap who was just that little bit older ( naturally ) and wiser than I was.

If I remember correctly, he was either a social worker or salesman - I forget which but it doesn't matter for now. The bottom line is he had a theory that if you could teach, you could do social work and selling as well. I was actually considering becoming a driving instructor at the time and I assumed he was just padding the conversation to appear interested in my future goal.

In retrospect, I don't think I could have been more wrong - and yes, I know some people will say that they have living proof that what I am suggesting isn't so but there will, of course, always be exceptions to prove the rule. Anyway, allow me to explain in a more practical way why these three professions have such a transferable skill. In order to help somebody, we need to be a good listener. This ins not just to ascertain where the client is "coming from" but also to allow them to try and work out the answer for themselves. In teaching, a popular method is the use of Socratic questioning whereby one would ask the pupil a series of questions until they worked out the answer for themselves. It is not difficult to see how this method can be used in the aforementioned professions.

So, to come back to the original point as to whether teaching is, indeed, the new selling or not, we need to consider just what selling really is in relation to marketing as well because there always seems to be a fine line in distinguishing the two. I, personally, see marketing as the written word or advert that draws a potential customer in and the selling part that whereby you actually speak with said client. The buzz word of the last few years in marketing has been that of Educational Marketing - whereby one would offer a piece of information that worked to educate the potential customer in order to interest them enough to want to learn more.

Does it not make sense, then, to suggest that the selling process which inevitably follows the marketing should be done in a teaching manner? For example, you might follow up with a short question and answer ( Socratic ) session to allow the client to come up with his own solution ( which just happens to be what you are offering him ). OK., so perhaps this has been happening for longer than I have been involved in starting a marketing business on the Internet, and so one might not, perhaps, be able to say that the concept is a new one at all. It does, however, put into perspective the argument that the three jobs I mention above are all one and the same thing anyway so that the teaching is in the selling, new or not!

A Good Time to Start An internet Business

Is there really such a thing as a good time to start an Internet business - or, indeed, is it always a good time? A musing over this common area of procrastination.

One question that is paramount in people's minds right now ( in just about every country in the world ) is, of course, whether it is actually very wise to start an Internet business in the current economic climate. To this query I'm tempted to use an old cliché here and say, 'Well, yes, actually because there's no time like the present is there?' I doubt, however, that that is likely to wash with most potential clients. Rather than going into a detailed explanation/argument about the economy and world events that is likely to send y our prospect to sleep, I would be inclined to keep everything very simple ( as ever ).

Explain that there are either of two things that can happen in the immediate future:
1.The economy can turn around either slowly or rapidly
2. The economy can get worse.
Whichever of the two it happens to be, I really cannot see any disadvantage to starting your own business either from a practical or psychological aspect. Let's take point one to begin with. Imagine that things start to pick up and you have just set up in business - people will suddenly start to feel buoyant again and the thrill will allow them to feel that the world is their oyster. Psychologically, then, they are likely to be feeling a little elated and keen to get in on something that is growing - before all their friends beat them to it, perhaps? I would anticipate that if this becomes the case, there will be a surge in people wanting to come 'on board.' The practical reasons are obvious because people will see the bottom of the recession as the right time to start investing ( in a new businesses, shares or other venture ). From a psychological viewpoint, they are now more likely to go into something a little bit more entrepreneurial than your usual run of the mill stocks and shares and banking alternatives than they may have in the past. This is, of course, due to the fact that trust has been lost within those sectors and we all know that trust is what you build a successful business on, don't we?

Let's now assume that the economy gets worse ( as in point 2 ). Well, psychologically, it's my view that the worse it gets, the more likely people are to jump ship from where ever they are operating and not wait to be pushed - rather take the initiative ( people love to feel they are doing that ) and find a new situation over which they hold more control. From a practical point of view, they are also likely to see 'the writing on the wall' for conventional businesses as a whole and so reinforcing the view that getting out is better than being pushed out while they still have some cash to play with!

So, to come back to the old clichés, I'm tempted to use another and say 'The time is right' to start your own show. Indeed, one has to ask the question as to whether we can afford not to start our own businesses rather than trust ourselves to a system that has let the majority of the world down so badly. I know which side of the fence I'm on so perhaps I may finish with a slight amendment to the latter cliché above and that is 'The time is always right to start your own ( Internet ) business.


To see how I started in an Internet business that offers education on this subject and more, you can watch the short video on my site.
Hilary Hughes


www.hilaryahughes.com

Article Marketer.

Can You Be Too Helpful A Helper When Starting Your Internet Business?

The problem with having people under you as you start your Internet business is knowing when to let go and allow people to learn by their mistakes. Does anyone else feel disconcerted by that phrase?
I expect there are some parents ( of whom I am not one ) reading this who will have some idea of what I mean. There will also be people from other walks of life who are in professions where they have responsibility for ensuring people mature in a safe manner. In my case, this refers to my training and experience as an approved driving instructor.

I'm not sure that there is actually a specific piece of advice to this problem so perhaps the best thing is to show how I deal with such situations. I have detailed three stages of action below for when you start to recruit people in your Internet business.

1. Speak to your new recruit on the phone in order to ascertain their level of knowledge and skills. You can then ask them to send in e mails of any queries they may have which you will deal with on , say, an every other day basis to begin with. Give specific instructions to help them get up and running, especially if the system is complicated. You can, of course, use auto responders to keep them informed.

2.Start to move away from having a too hands on approach by responding to questions in a more Socratic way - that is to say, if they ask a question and you think they should be able to work out the answer for them self, then ask another question back which will lead them towards their own answer. I understand that Socrates only ever answered a question with another question - if you value your life, I would take this with a pinch of salt. Frankly, he sounds to me like an irritating sort of guy but I'm sure you get the picture.

3. Begin introducing them to Internet forums and any technical support channels that may be open to them as well as encouraging further self and professional development through reading, DVD's and courses etc. Reduce the e mail replies to about once a fortnight.

A less conventional idea ( but one which I've found helps people gain confidence ) is for you to ask them to help you with something that you know they are competent with. Only ask if you're sure they will be able to help so that they begin to feel appreciated and valued. Nothing brings on a person's self esteem/learning more than that - believe me! It is through developing people's self esteem that they will grow confidently and perform to their best.

Once you've let go sufficiently - your relationship may become one more of a business partnership than student and mentor but what happens when they make a mistake - which they will do one day - assuming your clients are human beings? My answer is always to make it clear that mistakes should not be taken personally and we all make them ( well, I do ) and that the situation should be corrected as soon as possible to limit the damage. You can be there for them as moral support, but try to encourage them to sort out their own problem - even if it's easier to do it for them! This is often where the use of Socratic questioning mentioned above comes in to its own. That is to say where some level of knowledge on the subject is already held.

And, on that note, I shall leave you with the question of how you are going to use the above pointers to solve said paradox of being too helpful a helper when starting your Internet business.

www.hilaryahughes.com
www.articlemarketer.com

Video - Just A Bit Of Fun