had a conversation with a businessperson last night about prospecting. He told me it had become extremely difficult to get phone numbers and make phone calls because most people no longer have home phones.

I told him I was using social media for prospecting and generating an almost unlimited number of leads in my business.

He knows he should be more involved with social media but just hasn’t done anything yet. It’s not that he doesn’t want to use social media. He just doesn’t know how to get started or what to do first. And he thought it would take too much time.

Social media is an absolute necessity in today’s business climate. If you choose not to embrace this technology, you may not be in business in a few years because your competitors are taking advantage of it.

I am not saying you have to forget traditional marketing strategies. Being successful in business still requires that face-to-face conversation. You still have to build the know, like, trust factor. That part hasn’t changed.

But what has changed is the availability of new tools business owners can use to generate leads and get more people into their sales funnel.

And the surprising thing is most people aren’t fully utilizing the tools they have available to them. Even if you have a 20-something, fresh out of college person handling your social media strategy, you are probably not doing the right things.

Knowing how to use social media or how to create a Facebook Page does not translate into knowing how to implement a successful social media campaign. There are many pieces that you have to put in place.

It would take a book to cover all aspects of a successful campaign, but here are three tips to help you get started:

1. Make sure your profile on all your social media conveys the proper message. Ask yourself who you need to be connecting with. Ask yourself what you really do for clients. Think about the benefits you provide and who you best serve. Does your profile reflect all these things?

2. Do not follow, friend, or connect with everyone. Just like traditional prospecting and marketing, you don’t want to use the “shotgun” approach. Target the people you connect with so you fill your social media database with qualified leads, prospects, and clients.

3. Do not forget why you are using social media. You are using social media to connect, provide value, educate, control your brand, and to make money. If you are not using social media to do one of these things, you are wasting your time.

Just think about how you have achieved success with your traditional marketing strategies, and transfer those same skills to your social media campaign.

“Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die” – is a quote from Jamaican reggae musician Peter Tosh (1944 – 1987). This is an honest statement.

Everybody wants to become a millionaire, but nobody wants to do what it takes to get there. This is also an honest statement.

When you ask someone if they want to become a millionaire, the answer will inevitably be YES! But are their actions reflecting what they say they want? In most cases, the answer is no.

Have you given much thought to this question? Do you want to be wealthy? And don’t confuse wealth with success. These are two different things. Just having money does not make you successful.

But for the sake of this article, I am simply talking about accumulating a certain amount of money for your security and well being.

And if you want to accumulate a certain amount of money, are your actions reflecting that desire?

If you are in business, are you chasing shiny things that don’t produce any income or are you picking up the phone, making sales calls, and doing what it takes to grow your business and increase your income?

Even with all the technology we have available to us, there is still no substitute for getting out and meeting people. There is still no substitute for picking up the phone and prospecting or making sales calls.

Don’t get me wrong. Social media, a great website, blogging, and all the other high-tech strategies we use are absolutely necessary. But don’t let these things distract you from the other things you need to be doing to increase your income and grow your business. Don’t let it replace the proven methods for growing a business … discipline, perseverance, and hard work. Let technology be just another tool in your marketing toolbox.

Do you have a clear vision of how much money you want to make and how you will make it happen? If you don’t, then take some time to write a vision statement for what you want your life and business to look like. Then map out a plan to get there.

You say you want to become a millionaire, but are you developing millionaire habits? Are you actions reflecting the words you are saying? Be honest.

In a business environment, fire fighting is not a sustainable practice. Going from one crisis to another will slowly wear you down and cause problems in your life, in your relationships, and in your business.

One of the big challenges I face in working with clients is getting them to stop fighting fires and to focus on tasks that will improve their business and increase their income. Part of the problem is time management, but the other part is breaking the habit of being in crisis mode all the time. In other words, the challenge is getting them to slow down enough to do what really needs to be done rather than focusing on the crisis of the moment.

Constantly fighting fires in your business leads to stress. And stress can increase the risk of heart disease, obesity, depression, diabetes, and many other illnesses. Some say it can even lead to the development of cancer.

So why would you choose to stay in fire fighting mode and put your life in jeopardy just to deal with a temporary crisis at home or at work?

There is no getting around having some level of stress. And certain types of stress can be good. These types of stress can spur you to take action.

We all have to deal with stress on some level. But how you deal with it will determine how much enjoyment you get out of life.

The first step in dealing with stress is to become aware of your habits, your attitudes, and your excuses. Are there unhealthy habits that are contributing to your stress level? Are there underlying attitudes or belief systems that make it difficult for you to deal with certain situations? Are you making excuses … or taking action?

Once you are aware of your habits, your attitude, and the excuses you are making for being so stressed out, it’s time to take charge. Take charge of your environment, your emotions, and your current situation. Ask yourself what you have control over at this very moment and take charge of whatever you can control and let the rest go.

What lessons can you take from your current situation that will prevent whatever is causing your stress from happening again?

Take a little time for yourself. Just 1 – 2 minutes of meditation can dramatically decrease your stress level. Five minutes of exercise, such as a short walk or stretching, can help decrease your stress level. You can do these things whether you are at home or in the office, if you are motivated enough to change your current situation.

Today is your day to get out of fire fighting mode, reduce your stress level, and start having fun. Give yourself this gift. You deserve it.

Dealing with difficult clients is something every business owner faces at some point. There is no getting around the fact that you sometimes end up working with clients that aren’t a good fit for your business.

But it’s not the client’s fault that it’s not a good fit. It is up to you, as the business owner, to clearly identify your ideal client and to only work with those who are a good fit.

The better you are at clearly identifying your ideal client, the more fun you will have in your business. And one more benefit from clearly identifying clients who are a good fit for your business … YOU WILL MAKE MORE MONEY!

You will be better at what you do because you have better relationships with your clients. Your clients will be happier because you are delivering exactly what they need.

Here are three quick tips to help you find your ideal client:

1. Ask yourself the right questions. What are the qualities of your ideal client? Can they afford you and are they appreciative of the service you deliver? Are they easy to connect with? What is the personality of your ideal client?

2. Create a list of the clients you have worked with in the past and identify the things you liked about working with them.

3. Know exactly what you can and cannot do for them.

Life is too short to work with people who don’t energize you and who are not willing to work with you in a way that is productive for both of you … unless they are paying you a LOT of money. And even then you have to consider what you’re willing to sacrifice for the relationship.

So go find the clients that energize you and motivate you to do your best work. Find clients you love to work with, and find the ones who can afford you. They will make your life much easier, and you will enjoy your business so much more. You and your clients will be happier as a result.