Good Morning,

Happy New Year and Happy New You! Each year is a wonderful chance to begin anew with your business, yourself, your relationships, your health, your home, your style, your hobbies, your travel, well just everything! So what are YOU going to do differently and better this year? Here's a quick list of my commitments (ditch the resolutions) to get you started:

• Improve my health with better eating habits (travel has really packed on the pounds!) Investigate a Wii system for easy exercise anytime. Do you have one?

• Get back to at least two blockbuster trips a year. Got any favorite destinations you want to share?

• Take time to date! Yes, well I do tend to enjoy my work a wee bit too much and don't leave enough time for this. So turning that around and I'll have more stories to share but on a personal blog this time.

• Jump into live events! I have so missed live events and I know it is convenient for everyone to do teleseminars and webinars, but life in my bunny slippers is not enough for me. I want the energy that seeing YOU live brings.

Have we met? Look for me at America's mart in Atlanta, Friday, January 8 at 9am on Social Media. I'll be hanging around to check out the temporaries and favorite showrooms, love to catch up. Yes, I'd planned to get this out sooner, but laptop crashed!

What's YOUR Strategy for Success? That's what I'm going to be blueprinting in the LinkedIN mastermind this month. I want to ensure your success and that means giving you a real strategy, tools, and time saving shortcuts. I want to help get your time back for fun and profit! www.yourlinkedinsuccess.com.

Going farther together always,

Melissa

"A finished person is a boring person."

~ Anna Quindlen, Author

LinkedIN Mastermind for Networking Success

We kick off next week! I had a packed call Wednesday evening and thrilled to see so many designers, stagers, furniture industry sales professionals and executives, and small biz owners ready to make a profitable difference in their businesses. Are you READY?

January is my one and only LinkedIN Mastermind. I've go so many neat opportunities cooking that I won't be available much longer to do this type of social media training, so I hope you'll climb on board.

Details are here! www.yourlinkedinsuccess.com.

Oh and if you want the replay of the call, here you go!
http://www.attendthisevent.com/?eventid=10546923

And here is the handout that went with it:
http://yourlinkedinsuccess.com/handout-LinkedIN.doc

By January 31st, when you participate!

	You'll enjoy increased professional visibility and credibility and that leads to profitability.
	Your talent and achievements will be recognized.
	You'll meet new clients and generate new business.
	Your pipeline for profits will be filled with ideal customers.
	You'll have access to global resources.
	Your education and experience will provide opportunities for press, interviews, and more.
	You'll be able to be found by prospects, peers, and potential partners.

The training is virtual, the results are real, and you know I guarantee every program with my Iron Clad, 365 Day, Money Back Promise. Your satisfaction and success are my biggest priority.

Details are here! www.yourlinkedinsuccess.com.

Making Money by Being the Best

I had an interesting response to my holiday ezine about no presents. My comment came from the heart, about making the season about more than buying gifts, and focusing on the people in our lives. In no way was it a commentary on the economy or a plea to stop buying retail and supporting retailers. But, as is always the case, one retailer saw it differently and I got blasted! I've given this a lot of thought and wanted to share the 5 reasons people buy from you whether you have goods or services or both.

#1 Superior Goods/Services
In today's market this can be tough to do, competition is fierce. When your product or service can grab attention for being outstanding then you can grab business the same way. You may or may not have a well recognized brand. This is less about the label and more about the reputation of the company.

#2 Cheapest Pricing
There is very little in the middle these days, it is either at the top or the bottom. You are either the perceived Walmart of your industry or the Tiffany of your tribe. Being the cheapest doesn't necessarily ensure you sales except with those who don't place a value on quality. There are those shoppers that price is their only hot button, in which case if you are the cheapest, they will belong to you.

#3 Superior Value
This means best quality and least cost, it doesn't mean cheapest. For me, this is where I generally buy. If you aren't concerned about brand names, or wearing a label, but you want the best product at the best price, then you are a value consumer.

#4 Exclusive Cachet
This is about the label and the brand that has been built around it. Goods like this are bought as much for their perceived quality as for the label they carry. Think Gucci, Armani, Nike, Henredon, Lilly Pulitzer, Polo, Ralph Lauren and others. The cachet is such that they are often imitated. Their name is prominent and evident always.

#5 Best Relationship
This is where you can truly shine regardless of whether you are big or small, luxury or dollar-wise. Forming a winning relationship with your customer and client is the surest way to a lifetime of demand and "world (not just word) of mouth" referrals. Take the time to get to know, like, and trust your consumer and give them the same chance with you. Great examples include Gary Vanyerchuk, Zappos, and CD Baby. Whether you are a company of one or one hundred you can form relationships that last and prosper.

www.yourlinkedinsuccess.com!

Oh guess I'm indulging in a bit of shameless self promotion, but as great grandfather, Frank Lloyd Wright, knew so well, "if you won't promote yourself and believe in your value, how can anyone else!"

Hi! I'm Melissa Galt and as a successful business creativepreneur and business owner of the last 15+ years I learned that the key to a profitable business is all in the marketing. I was spoiled at the start because corporate America had done it for me so when I jumped into the wild blue yonder of owning my own business I had a lot to learn, and learn it I did! And I've gone from wasting thousands on advertising, direct response mail, expos and more to creating a finally honed marketing machine that regularly delivers perfect prospects whom I convert to ideal clients for lifetime demand. Can I show you how to do the same?

As entrepreneurs we all have the dream of designing a business that is both profitable, passionate, purposeful, and gives us the lifestyle we deserve and want. That means:

But too often that dream gets buried in 15 hour days, 6 days a week, years without vacation and missing friends and family. Marketing makes the difference and from mindset to strategy, Twitter to Facebook, blogging to article marketing, passive revenue products to your own teleseminars I've got the solutions.

Please consider me your marketing success resource to move your business forward and become the thriving profitable opportunity you dreamed of! I welcome and invite your emails, Tweets, Facebook posts, LinkedIN connections, and even phone calls. I'm old fashioned but learned how to harness today's marketing tools for real success. You can too!