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Speak Out!

Public speaking is a powerful form of networking. Think about it: when you're in a gathering, who do you remember most easily - someone in the crowd or the lady who's just given a presentation?

Get into the habit of giving talks whenever you can. Give free talks at places like the Chambers of Commerce, Rotaryclub, Kiwanis or anyplace where people in your target marketmeet.
Give information-laden talks, not sales speeches. Show your expertise through presentations.
There are several benefits to doing this: aside from the publicity you get, you can generate extra income by selling some of your own material as back-end products (booklets, tapes, etc). Your credibility as an expert in your field also increases when you speak in public on your topic.

As you improve (and yes you will become better and more proficient with practice), you may start getting paid speaking engagements - yet another income stream. All this happening while you promote your business.

If you're like most people, you're probably scared to death of speaking in public. Why not aim to be like the minority thatdo it anyway and are very successful? The fear will always be there, make no mistake, but don't let it paralyze you and prevent you from utilizing this very powerful and effective business- and credibility- building activity.
To get practice and training in public speaking, visit your local toastmasters club (toastmasters.org). This organization provides a safe and friendly environment for you to hone your public speaking skills.
Seek out public speaking venues and get started on the way to even more exposure for your business when you do.

Internet Marketing Tips - Being Yourself on Forums

My mother had a great saying when I was a kid. "To thine own self be true." In other words, be true to who you are. Since I always wore my heart on my sleeve, I never knew how to be anything else, so I wasn't quite sure what the point was. However, as I got older, I began to see the point. Sometimes being yourself can land you in a lot of trouble. This is especially true when it comes to forum participation. If you're going to participate in forums and if you ARE going to be yourself, be prepared for what may happen as a result.

I am a very outspoken person. Perhaps you've noticed. So when I have something to say, I just come right out and say it. I don't beat around the bush. Some people appreciate that. Others call me everything from an egomaniac to words that I can't print in this article. While I don't appreciate the name calling, it is something that I have to expect if I'm going to put myself out there like that. There are only two choices. You either be yourself and suffer the consequences or you keep your mouth shut. Believe me, there are days when I seriously consider the latter.

You're probably wondering, "What does this have to do with me?" Well, if you're going to participate in forums, unless you just plan on being a wallflower and hang out with the rest of the folks who don't say much, expect the things you say, especially if you have strong opinions, to generate some pretty strong reactions. If you're not tough and can't handle the heat, you're going to find forum participation is not very pleasant. See, when people are hiding behind their keyboards, they have no problems saying things to other members that most would never say to their face. That's just the way forum life is.

So before you decide on whether or not you want to make forum participation part of your marketing routine, understand that there are going to be consequences to your actions. This isn't like a one way sales letter where the worst thing that can happen is that the person on the other side simply closes up your site.

Things can get very ugly at a forum.