Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro

4 Hour Workweek vs. GTD

One of my favorite books in recent years is the 4 Hour Workweek, by Timothy Ferriss. Tim challenges readers to work less and play more, what he calls lifestyle design. Without getting into the details of the book here, I wanted to share a post from his blog.

Responding to a post on Entrepreneur Magazine's blog, Tim writes:

"Despite the disproportionate attention paid to them, personal outsourcing and selective ignorance are just two chapters out of 16 in 4HWW. There is a lot more to information management and intake control in 4HWW (interruption prevention, internal policies, scripts with superiors, etc.) than “batching” e-mail."

This was in response to a comment in the article:

“Timothy Ferriss is focused on outsourcing and not checking e-mail so often. The last time I checked, the amount of e-mail you get is not a function of how often you check e-mail,” [Mark] Hurst says. “David Allen’s approach is a bit of a throwback to a pre-internet age when having complex flowcharts, filing papers and creating tickler items was relevant…”

Eliminate Before You Optimize!

I thought his post was interesting and gives some insight into different methodologies to stay productive.

Challenge Yourself!

What is holding you back? What do you need to do to move forward in your life and your business? Take a moment now and brainstorm a few ideas. Now, challenge yourself! Challenge yourself to take one step to move forward.

Google Acquires Feedburner

In another sign Google is taking over the world, they have acquired Feedburner. If you have a blog or a podcast, you should be using Feedburner to understand how many people are subscribing to your content. The fact that Google acquired them pretty much confirms the value they offer customers.

There will be More Opportunities
to Get Your Message Out There

It will be interesting to see how Google leverages the Feedburner platform. Needless to say, there will be more opportunities to get your message out there to a very targeted audience.

Make your Life Great!

What steps are you taking to make your life great? One of the leading bloggers on this topic is Phil Gerbyshak with his Make it Great blog. He was recently interviewed by Adversity University Founder Stephen Hopson.

During the interview, Stephen asked: What is the best advice you’ve ever received?  Given? Phil responded:

"The best advice I’ve ever gotten is “Play full out. All the time. Leave it all on the table, and go home tired.” This gift was given to me in various ways, at various times in my life, from various people, and it sticks with me and it defines how I live."

"In addition to the best advice I ever received, I’d add this to make it even more impactful: “Life is 1% what happens to you and 99% how you respond to it.”"

Phil is a class act and a downright genuine guy. He is extremely successful and influential as a blogger. For the complete interview, click here.

Play Full Out!

What steps are you taking to create visibility on the internet? If you're interested in finding ways to attract your ideal clients, visit our new blog, Attracting Ideal Clients.

Overcoming Overwhelm

Do you ever feel overwhelmed? Do you feel like you just can't get ahead? Sometimes life is challenging. And if you fall behind it can be hard to catch up. Those are all symptoms of overwhelm. So, what can you do to get back on track?

When life gets you down, it's really important to just start simplifying and breaking things down. Most people over-complicate life. I know. Because I'm one of those people. I have too much of everything. I have to remind myself to continue to simplify. Reduce the number of physical possessions you have. Reduce the number of financial accounts you have. Reduce the number of email newsletters you subscribe to. Reduce the commitments you have.

At some point, you have to start saying no to things. At least until you can get your head above water. You didn't get into a mess overnight. And you won't be able to solve it overnight.

The best way out of a mess and the best way to overcome overwhelm is to simply start taking baby steps. Create a task list for things that will help to clean up the overwhelm. Take some time to brainstorm creative ideas to simplify things.

Start Taking Some Baby Steps!

You can do it. You can clean up your messes and overcome overwhelm. Just simply start taking some baby steps and you'll begin making progress and feeling better.

For additional ideas to work more productively and effectively, listen to my FREE audio series, the 12 Days of Productivity.

Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro
www.ThePDApro.com

Launched a New Blog Called Attracting Ideal Clients

Want to grow your business? I have launched a new blog called Attracting Ideal Clients. This blog is for small business owners, especially service professionals, who want to grow their business by attracting their ideal clients. More on this in a moment.

If you've read The PDA Pro Blog for awhile, you know that I cover a wide range of topics. I post on productivity, technology, sales and personal development topics. I'm passionate about helping people live productive and effective lives. I just love seeing people in their element, working smarter not harder. That's fun. What's not fun is feeling disorganized and overwhelmed. That's leads to procrastination and avoiding what you need to do.

In my business, I spend much of my time working with home-based service professionals. That includes coaches, consultants, virtual assistants and professional organizers. I love the entrepreneurial spirit. It's fun to launch a business and see it take off. Of course, owning a business is risky. And it can lead to a lot of additional stress.

My value system reflects my philosophy on building long-term relationships. And I've found the best relationships in business come from working with your ideal clients. This is the basis for building a successful referral based business.

Attract your Ideal Clients
and They Will Seek You Out!

And so it's with that concept that I've launched a new blog, Attracting Ideal Clients. There's a push/pull nature to marketing. Marketers often push their messages onto people. And that's effective to a certain extent. But, it's more effective when you can pull or attract your ideal clients to you. They will SEEK you out. That's really powerful!

And it's easier than ever to do this today using the internet. But, it takes a lot of work and you need to know what you're doing. I'm still refining my own approach. But, I have always jumped on top of any opportunity to get my message out there and attract people to what I'm doing.

So, Attracting Ideal Clients, is focused on teaching you how to identify who your ideal clients are, learning where to find them, what to say to them, and how to begin building a relationship with them that ultimately leads them to ask to be a client. But, it's not just about how to use the internet. I'll discuss mainstream topics like writing articles, teaching workshops and teleseminars, making phone calls, sending cards and networking more effectively. It's all of the things you can do to communicate your message and attract your ideal clients.

Yes, you still need to be able to sell. But, focusing on attracting your ideal clients will create an endless stream of leads and referrals. So, check it out and post a comment. The site is pretty slim at the moment, but I will add to it over time. Thanks!

Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro
http://www.ThePDApro.com

Buzzoodle Shares 99 Sites to create Buzz

I recently had the opportunity to hear Ron McDaniel, Founder of Buzzoodle, on the Get More Business podcast, hosted by Melody Campbell.

Ron shared 99 sites that can help you market your business and create buzz. He writes:

"How do you create a buzz on the Internet with all the great tools, communities and resources online? One at a time!"

Create a Buzz on the Internet!

If you want to generate positive interest in your business, there are techniques that can help you communicate your message and attract clients. There is a right way and a wrong way to do it. Be careful not to spam people. It's important to take time to build relationships. Focus on providing value and you will gradually make connections and give people a reason to contact you.

Jerry Hart Shares Tips on Using Google Alerts

A good friend of mine, Jerry Hart, CEO of Hart Creative Marketing, recently shared tips on using Google Alerts. Jerry is an Internet Marketing and Social Media Expert. He helps companies craft and deliver their marketing message online through websites, blogs and social media.

Bring it up from your soul and
get it up on the Web

Jerry says:

"Know that commenting on blogs is a big traffic driver for you. So, spend less time getting to deep into any one article and comment on what you’ve read in the first or last paragraph or headline. Then, go back to your email of Google Alert results and click to your second Google Alert result, read only a bit, save that site, blog, or network and move on by going back to your Google Alerts and finding another authority you can save in your www.roboform.com or www.clipmarks.com favorite sites folder. Both are the bomb and will make you feel like a blue angel pilot flying thru sites efficiently who can find content later that you liked today."

That's a great suggestion to use your time more productively. Remember to be authentic and focus on offering value when posting a comment on a blog. Keep it simple until you have had an opportunity to post a few times. Blogs have followings and you need to be aware that people will notice if you are a little too pushy or aggressive in sharing your message. The same is true when posting messages in online discussion groups or through social networks.

Hart also shares advice on how to give accolades to other bloggers when you sincerely feel it.

Holiday Tips for Buying Technology

The holidays are here. And that means people are going to go hogwild on buying technology. For those of you who held off all year and saved your money, it's time to splurge. So what can you do to keep from overspending and regretting your purchases?

First, brainstorm a list of your needs. When considering what to buy, it's always important to think about what you need. Tech tools often overlap. For example, printers can scan, fax and copy in addition to printing. Think about what tools you already have and how much longer they may last.

Next, make a list of tech tools you want and need. This step involves some research because it's actually time to determine what's available in the marketplace.

At some point, you're going to have to start prioritizing. Most people can't afford everything they want. And it usually doesn't make sense to buy everything you want at the same time anyway. Technology tools become obsolete the minute you buy them.

One of the best strategies is to create a Technology Plan that includes all of the tools you want in the next year.

Now, it's finally time for the fun part. It's time to go shopping. This is where you actually get to touch and play with the various tech tools you are considering. Most people don't take time to try out the different options. But, it’s worth the extra effort.

It's usually a good idea to consider at least three alternatives. You should easily be able to weed out options that don't make sense for you. When you narrow down to three options, you can now begin to evaluate the pros and cons of each tool. You will appreciate the time you invested in this simple, but effective approach.

Now, there are a few other things to consider before making your final decision. First, shop for sales. Because technology does become obsolete so quickly, you will always be able to find a great deal on clearance merchandise.

Next, consider when new models are going to be released. Many new consumer electronics are released in January during the big Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Sites like Engadget.com will keep you informed on what's going to be released soon. As new models are introduced, prices on older models will drop.

One final strategy to consider is to buy one tool and then implement it. Then, go through the process with another tool. You will save money by stretching out your dollars. It takes time to learn how to use a new technology. If you buy too many tools at once, you will end up leaving them on the shelf. Keep it simple and buy one at a time. Then, take time to learn to use it effectively. Also, be sure to find out the return policy, which is often only 30 days. Make sure the product is right for you and return it if not.

Taking these simple and easy steps will allow you to leverage your time and increase your productivity. Happy Holidays!

Go Mobile with SCOTTEVEST

I saw a great new product last night while watching The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch. The witty and irreverent host was interviewing Scott Jordan from SCOTTEVEST. Scott, an attorney turned entrepreneur,  created a vest to hold all of your mobile devices including PDAs and smartphones. What a great idea!

Scott has a great story. Here's a quick excerpt from his website.

"I’m Scott Jordan, and I created the SeV to solve a very basic problem: I needed an easy way to carry AND use all my gadgets and gear. All too often, juggling my gear was a losing battle. I wanted to carry all of my favorite gadgets, but had to leave most at home, or convince my wife to carry some for me. My favorite gear consists of: iPod®, PocketPC/Palm Pilot, a cell phone, the car/remote keys, a digital camera, water bottle, and a magazine.

Clothes simply weren’t designed to hold this much stuff. Before long, I needed a bag just to carry my gadgets, and that defeats the purpose of being mobile and the perfect “man-purse” just doesn’t exist. Believe me, I tried to find something on the market that addressed my needs, but there wasn’t anything available that was fashionable, functional and affordable. So, in 2001, I decided to solve the problem myself, and the idea of designing clothing as a Gear Management Solution™ came to me. I then quit my day job- practicing law at a mega-law firm, and SCOTTEVEST/SeV® and the Technology Enabled Clothing-TEC® system were born."

Wow! What a great story. It just goes to show what can happen when someone makes a decision to become an entrepreneur. And what a great product too!

Scott Jordan, Founder and CEO of SCOTTEVEST, Inc., is pictured here wearing the vest. Mobile devices are actually stored in the liner of the vest and not visible to onlookers. Very cool! And handy too!

The PDA Pro Blog Nears 3 Year Anniversary

It's hard to believe it's been almost three years since I started blogging and launched The PDA Pro Blog. Of course, that's about 50 in blog years. ;) Check out my first post on 10-27-04 which includes a quote from Seth Godin. There are so many bloggers these days and so many blogs are just an excuse to promote something.

I made a commitment then to provide useful information on my blog, and as much as possible. I have kept promotion to a minimum on my blog. As I visit other blogs today, so many that I see are a complete mess. They're hard to look at, they're covered with ads, music, and just about anything to say, "Hey, look at me!"

I've always been a big believer in "less is more". Steve Topper, one of my marketing mentors, told me that people are looking for simplicity. I think to share your message effectively, you need to be brief and impactful.

My message has changed over the years. My original intention was to write about PDAs and smartphones. I am passionate about technology and love to share my insights on how to work more productively. I gradually shifted my focus toward business and sales, but have kept on posting about technology. Now, my message has shifted again to focus on achieving results. In particular, I specialize in helping entrepreneurs achieve outstanding results. I love working with people who don't see limits for themselves and are on a mission of personal development. I enjoy helping entrepreneurs focus their efforts. It's far too easy to get distracted from your core mission. I will continue to address all of these topics going forward, although my message will be most relevant for entrepreneurs and sales professionals.

I will always write with an authentic voice because that reflects who I am. It's been a journey over the last three years, and even before that when I launched my company in May 2003. So, I'll be celebrating my fifth year in business in 2008. That is a significant milestone.

So, needless to say, I have much to celebrate and will plan some activities to herald those achievements I have so many people to thank for my success and I will take time on this blog to acknowledge them. Robert Kiyosaki said, "build your team" and I have done that. And without my team, I would not have made it this far. But, it's not mission accomplished yet. We have more work to do.

Thank you for being a loyal reader of The PDA Pro Blog. Please take a moment and post a comment, send me a message or give me a call.

Thank you!

Rick S. Cooper, MBA
Author, Speaker, Coach
The PDA Pro

How Did You Become an Entrepreneur?

I have a question for you, especially if you are an entrepreneur. But, even if you aren't, I would like you to consider the question. And then, please take a moment and post a comment to tell readers about your story. Please be sure to include a url where people can reach you.

The question is, "How did you become an entrepreneur?" I think it's a marvelous question. You see, the journey an entrepreneur takes is both exciting and nerve wracking. It can be fulfilling as well as boring. There are times when you want to give up, but anyone who achieves lasting success knows that success and failure go hand in hand.

Given the economic climate we live in today, I think entrepreneurship is the only way you can truly control your own destiny. It's too easy to get stuck in a job and be afraid to move on. As an entrepreneur, that's a luxury you can't afford.

So, please post a comment and share your story. Please limit your story to about 100 words. Don't write a novel, but give us a sense of how you got started, what prompted you to set out on your own, and what motivated you to finally start the journey. And for others, what's holding you back from starting a business? What are you afraid of?

Priscilla Palmer posted an interesting commentary on whether entrepreneurs are born or made. She writes:

"They make the decision to start their own business.  Many things may contribute to this decision, some examples include; a feeling that it’s the most secure way to make money, a dream they want to pursue, they may feel they would be a letdown to their family if they took a regular job, they might want to work from home, or maybe they just hate working for other people."

You have until October 31st to post your comments and then I will close the comments. So, please take a moment now to take action!

Announcement: University of Masters Interviews The PDA Pro

Archived Call will be available soon - Request the call here

I'm excited to announce my new role of Master Teacher with the University of Masters (UOM). It fits well with the services I provide through The PDA Pro. My new class, Sales Strategies for Entrepreneurs, is designed for the busy small business owner who is responsible for generating sales, but often gets overwhelmed from too many responsibilities.

This continues my commitment toward supporting the business community through services aimed at improving sales effectiveness. My role as a Partner with Conselleo for the past three years has given me an opportunity to serve corporate sales clients through sales training and sales management consulting. Now, I have an opportunity to reach small business entrepreneurs with my own brand of common sense sales productivity through the University of Masters.

One of the unique aspects of my sales philosophy is my emphasis on sales productivity. I specialize in helping people leverage technology tools in their business. I take people step by step through the process of making better use of their email, contact management system, social networking sites, PDAs and smartphones. But, I begin with a focus on learning sales fundamentals. Entrepreneurs have special needs and the University of Masters has gathered over 30 Master Teachers to cover all aspects of personal development.

You're Invited!

You're invited to join us for a call on Tuesday, August 28th, 2007 at 6pm PST. I will be interviewed by UOM Founder Pamela Harper. I'm excited about the opportunity to connect with students/members and offer insights that will help them take their sales game to the next level. Guests are welcome to join us to learn more.

Learn the shortcuts to sales success! Learn how to improve your sales results and increase your sales productivity.

UOM Founder Pamela Harper Interviews The PDA Pro
(F'REE Call)

Tuesday, August 28th, 2007
6-7pm PST

What you'll learn:

• How Rick is helping entrepreneurs achieve outstanding results
• How you can leverage technology in your business
• How you can attend Rick's upcoming classes

Who should attend?

• Entrepreneurs
• Small business owners
• Consultants
• Coaches
• Network marketers
• Professional services firms

Join us for an entertaining phone interview between Pamela Harper, with Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro. Rick specializes in helping entrepreneurs achieve outstanding results. He helps people leverage technology, resources and habits to improve their sales productivity and increase their sales results. This call is guaranteed to be informational as well as entertaining. Learn how Rick is building his company and leveraging technology to reach a larger audience.

Pamela Harper earned the title Master Teacher because of her tireless efforts at educating and empowering groups and individuals on the correlation between Visualization and Manifesting Health, Wealth and Happiness. She is a Registered Nurse, Counselor and Hypnotherapist with 24 years experience as a Motivational Speaker.  Her life-changing audio programs accomplish in weeks what takes years of traditional therapy.  She is especially gifted at conducting interactive groups and hosting celebrated guests. Pamela is a best selling author and media personality.

Pamela and Rick will be joined on the call by Dr. Christina Winsey-Rudd. Both Pamela and Christina host periodic interviews with Masters.

Get notified when the archived call is available

Learn more about Sales Strategies for Entrepreneurs

Personal Development List

I have to give a big kudos to Life Coach Priscilla Palmer for starting her Personal Development List and a thanks for recognizing The PDA Pro Blog. I have decided to publish the list on my site as well for my readers to see and have added my own recommendations to the list (and will update this periodically). I think this a great example of organic social networking in the spirit of sharing resources.

Priscilla says that personal development is a large topic that includes but is not limited to (law of attraction, goals, time management, physical fitness, education, motivation, inspiration, and social skills). Some of my additions to the list feature technology bloggers who have a strong commitment toward personal development and cover at least one topic among the ones listed above.

If I have sent a trackback to your site, just know I'll be back to post a relevant comment at some point to add value to the discussions on your site. Feel free to do the same here. (Thank you.)

Personal Development List:

Aaron Potts at Today is That Day

Adam Kayce at Monk at Work

Alan Torres at Made to Be Great

Albert Foong at urbanmonk.net

Andrea J Lee at Money, Meaning and Beyond (Added by Rick Cooper)

Andy Wibbels at AndyWibbels.com (Added by Rick Cooper)

Ask Lucid at Ask Lucid Spiritual Development

Anita Pathik at Law at Power of four Way

Belle Wong at Abundance Journal

Brian Clark at Copyblogger

Brian Kim at briankim.net

Bob at everyeveryminute

Christine Kane at ChristineKane.com

Craig Harper at Motivational Speaker

Curt Rosengren at Occupational Adventure

Dave Schoof at Engaging the Disquiet

David Rogers at How to Have Great Self Confidence

Dawud Miracle at dmiracle.com

Dean Lacono at Law of Attraction for Beginners

Debbie Call at Spirit In Gear

Des Walsh at Thinking Home Business (Added by Rick Cooper)

Dick Richards at Come Gather Round

Donald Latumahina at Life Optimizer

Donna Karlin at Perspectives (Added by Rick Cooper)

Dr. Hal at Northstar Mental fitness blog

Edward Mills at Evolving Times

Frank Kanu at Frank Uncovers Excellence in Leadership (Added by Rick Cooper)

Guy Kawasaki at How to Change the World

Gleb Reys at Personal Development Ideas

Gretchen Rubin at Happiness Project

Gustav at Success-is-in-you.com

Henrik Edberg at The Positivity Blog

Itzy Sabo at Email Overloaded (Added by Rick Cooper)

Jacklyn Ker at Inspiring and Empowing Lives

Jason Ivers at A Miracle a Day

Jay White at dumb little man tips for life

Jean Browman at Transforming Stress Into Power and Cheerful Monk

Jeffrey Phillips at Think Faster

Jennifer at Goodness Graciousness

Jeremiah Owyang at Web Strategy by Jeremiah (Added by Rick Cooper)

Jerry Hart at Blueprint to eMarketing  (Added by Rick Cooper)

Jerry Lopper at Personal Growth

Joanna Young at Coaching Wizardry

John Place at John Place Online

John Wesley at Pick The Brain

Josh Bickford at Reach For Magnificence and Reach for Magnificence

Julia Rogers Hamrick at Julia’s Blog: Journal of the Journey Home to Eden

Kammie Kobyleski at Passion Meets Purpose

Karen at Journey with Water Learner

Karen Lynch at Live The Power

Kim George at Doing What You Can Do

Kirsten Harrell at Ipopin

K.L. Masina at Be Conscious Now

Leah Maclean at Working Solo (Added by Rick Cooper)

Lee Nutter at bmindful

Leo Baruta at Zen Habits

Life Reflection at Universe in a Single Atom

Lisa Gates at Design Your Writing Life

Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

Lola Fayemi at Real World Spiritual and Personal Development

Lorraine Cohen at Powerfull Living

Lyman Reed at Creating a Better Life

Maria Palma at The Good Life

Mark at The Naked Soul

Mark Forster at Get Everything Done

Mark McManus at Build Your Life To Order

Mark W. Shead at Productivity 501 (Added by Rick Cooper)

Martin Avis at Kickstart Daily

Matthew Cornell at Matt’s Idea Blog

Merlin Mann at 43 Folders

Michelle Moore at Happiness Blog

Michael Port at The Think Big Revolution (Added by Rick Cooper)

My Everyday Planner at My Everyday Planner

Nancy Tierney at Unconditional Confidence

Neil Patel at Quick Sprout

Nneka at Balanced Life Center

Organize-It at Organize-It

Pamm Larry at My Spiritual Dance

Patricia Singleton at Spiritual Journey of a Lightworker

Paul at Paul’s Tips

Peter at I Will Change Your Life

Peter Aldin at Great Circle

Phil Gerbyshak at Make It Great

Priscilla Palmer at Personal Development Demands Success

Raymond Salas at Zenchill Powertools

Reg Adkins at ElementalTruths

Rick Cockrum at Shards of Consciousness

Rick Cooper at The PDA Pro

Robert at Compassionate Council

S.J. Yee at Personal Development for the Book Smart

Sam at Aquire Wisdom and Live with Passion

Scott Adams at The Dilbert Blog

Scott Bernadot at Keeping The Secret

Scott Ginsberg at Hello, My Name is Blog (Added by Rick Cooper)

Scott H Young at Scott H Young

Self Pursuit at Self Pursuit

Shauna Arthurs at Breathing Prosperity and Follow Your Path

Sleeping Dude at How to Wake Up Early

Steve Olson at Steve-Olson.com

Steve Pavlina at stevepavlina.com

Susan Sabo at Productivity Cafe

Ted Demopoulos at Blogging For Business

Thom Quinn at Qlog

Tim Ferris at 4-Hour Workweek and Lifestyle Design Blog

Tony D Clark at Success From The Nest

Torlink at You Create Reality

Trevor Gay at Simplicity is the Key

Troy Worman at Orbit Now!

Vickie at Contemplate This

WildBill at PassionateBlogger

and these collaborated sites:

Life Coaches Blog Strategies for a Greater Life

Last Updated by Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro on: 8-24-07