The problem is; not every product, service or seminar is right for you and your business.

If that’s the case, you waste money instead of make it. Pundits say you must have this tool, this gizmo, or that gadget in order to build your business to the next level.

The fact is: the simpler, and more personal you keep your business marketing, the better.

Automation is cool and convenient but is it truly connecting you to your potential prospects or creating relationships with your existing clients? Most likely it’s not. People want to hear your true voice and authentically connect with you. They don’t want 100% marketing messages. Instead most would prefer to get to know you as a person they like and trust. Showing compassion, having a sense of humor, not being perfect, and delivering stellar content that helps others, is much more effective than communicating by auto pilot.

On social media, for example, there are ways to automate tweets and updates, but you can always tell when it’s being done. Have you ever seen someone promoting a marketing message on Thanksgiving, or after a national tragedy? It’s inappropriate. You may also see a post update on Facebook that receives some comments, but the original poster never responds back? The truth is, he or she probably used a 3rd party site and isn’t monitoring responses. Someone who posts manually, listens and responds appropriately, will have much better results than an automaton.

If you are going to join a program or use a tool, make sure it is truly valuable for your business and is not just a way to help someone else to make an extra buck. (This is often the case)

Here are a few questions to ask yourself before you jump in and press the paypal button to hell:

• Will I be receiving relevant and valuable content to truly help build my business, or is it simply marketing hype that will give me information that I already know?
• Is the gimmick or gadget just an excuse I am using for not actually communicating or picking up the phone?
• If I spend X amount of dollars for a product or service, will I make my money back after using it.

$47 per month may not seem like much but if you add it up over a year that is $564. Have you ever joined a membership site only to have the service provider drop off the face of the earth for a while?

Will the learning curve for this product add to the overwhelm I am already experiencing and waste time I could be spending actually marketing my business in a way that has already been proven to work?

K.I.S.S: Keep it Simple Stupid (or Sweetie which sounds a little nicer) is a buzz phrase for the current state of the economy but will reduce stress and is more effective in the long run. Paste it on your computer and resist the urge to waste your time and money if you don’t really need to.

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Me and Calypso (no photoshop - YIKES)

Being the daughter of Gypsies has never been easy.  My parents aren’t Romani gypsies.  They have just always gotten the urge to move every 5 minutes for the heck of it.  Since I was born I’ve lived in Denver, Salt Lake City, Van Nuys, North Hollywood, (in various places), San Diego, Costa Mesa, and other spots around Southern California. After I moved out at age 18, my parents took off to Running Springs, Phoenix, Napa, Congress AZ, Providence RI and back to Colorado.  I have learned to become adaptable to change throughout the years and have never memorized my parent’s phone number.

Now Mom and Dad are in their late 80’s.  It doesn’t look like they will be going anywhere else soon, although my mother is always threatening to fly back to Providence.  This is kind of insane since she says the cold makes her arthritis flair up.  She just completed a nationwide tour a few months ago, staying with me in LA for a month, then Napa, Providence and back to Colorado. I have 4 brothers and 1 sister spread all over the map.  My dad, on the other hand is done with traveling.  He managed to go to Washington DC for a day a few months ago on the Honor Flight for WWII vets, with my brother in law as a guardian. Despite some health issues, he is still kicking, but can’t always remember how to button up his pants, and every once in a while forgets to wear them altogether.

Now, I have been told I need to pack up and stay in Colorado for about 2 months, while my sister, (also a Gypsy) sells her wares at an art show in Arizona.  She is hugely talented artist who paints on feathers. She lives on sort of a ranch on the Western Slope with horses, turkeys, chickens, a pack of dogs and an exotic Scarlet McCaw named Calypso.

I’m definitely an LA kind of girl.  I love warmish weather (although this winter has been chilly) cultural hotspots, movie screenings and networking opportunities.  It will be a little bit of a challenge, but luckily, I started a nice little business setting up blogs for people that allows me to work from anywhere.  I have to say, I am loving every minute of it.  As long as I have my little dog, and my big computer monitor, I will manage. I may have to tweak the data storage on my air card though because my sister doesn’t have the Internet hard wired into her house.

This sure beats having to deal with other people’s schedules, driving to appointments, or holding meetings and parties like I have in the past.  The virtual world is my oyster.  It’s the only way to go as far as I’m concerned.

I feel fortunate that I will have this opportunity to hang out with my parents as no one knows how much time they have left.  Just hope the McCaw doesn’t get his head out of joint and decide to take my fingers off.  Stay tuned for pics from the snow country.  And, check me out  HERE  if you want a blog.  I’ll definitely be working while I’m there.

My Dad being welcomed back from the 2010 Western Slope Honor Flight (my sister on the left)

My Mom visiting in Napa.  (from left, me, my sister in law, my daughter, Mom, my brother)

Can you see the Gypsy in us?

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“Granny’s gone ROGUE and threatened to conk a cop on the head with her cane!”

“How did I end up with a drunk for a roommate?”

“The Department of Water and Power are crooks and won’t give me my refund”

See, that was easy, huh?

You can do that on a blog, especially if it’s a personal one like this, but it isn’t always a great idea to let everyone on Facebook know that you’re having a bad day.

One of my friends always posts something like “Have an awesome day” whenever he is having a rotten one.  I always want to comment and say, “Sorry Guy, hope you feel better soon,” but that would blow his cover.”

I have some friends that I always thought were  mellow, but after seeing them on their soapbox every single day, I realize I was wrong. Ranting completely changes your perception of them.

I guess if that person is not worried about how others perceive them, and it doesn’t affect their business or their work, it doesn’t matter much.

If you’re in business, you may want to re-think and hold back on your ranting.  Why would someone want to work with a person who is constantly negative and/or soapboxing?

It’s okay to do it once in a while to make a point, but realize that when you rant, it may have consequences.

“My neighbors have nothing better to do than complain about my dogs.”

Whoops!  That one slipped out.  Sorry about that.

Anyway, if you feel the urge to rant, take your hands off the keypad and go get a snack or something so you can think about it first.  Remember that Facebook is a party.  You don’t want people to think you’re a drunk and throw you out of the room. This reminds me of what happened to my roommate on Thanksgiving.  (did I say that about Otis?) Whoops!

Got something to spill the beans about?  Don’t leave it in my comments. Go blast it out anonymously on Twitter.  Say something nice here.  Thanks.

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