I figured I’d compile them here for your benefit.

1. Twitter Search – This, obviously, is Twitter’s own search function. You can subscribe to a search via RSS.
2. TweetBeep – TweetBeep is a “Google Alerts” for Twitter
3. Tweetscan – Schedule Twitter searches to be sent to your email.
4. Twist – Like Google Trends for Twitter
5. TwitScoop – TwitScoop is a real-time tag cloud of Twitter buzz that also allows you to create graphs based on keyword tracking.
6. MicroBlogBuzz – MicroBlogBuzz tracks the most popular links shared on microblogging services, including Twitter, Jaiku and Identica
7. Twit(url)y – Tracks popular links and displays them in Digg-like fashion.
8. Hashtags.org – Hashtags tracks the most popular Twitter posts that include a #hashtag. You can subscribe to an individual hashtag using RSS.
9. Twemes – Tracks Twitter memes.
10. TweetGrid – TweetGrid creates a Twitter search dashboard that updates in real time.
11. monitter – monitter is a real-time keyword-based monitoring service that lets you watch three columns of keyword streams side-by-side. You can subscribe to them using RSS.
12. ReTweetist – Tracks the most popular retweets.
13. minn.citytweets.net – Real-time tweets from and/or about Minneapolis.
14. Qwitter – Qwitter notifies you when someone unfollows you.
15. Spy – Spy tracks real-time keyword mentions in Twitter, FriendFeed, Flickr, Blog Comments, Yahoo News, Blogs and Google Reader and allows you to subscribe via RSS.
16. TweetWheel – Finds out which of your Twitter friends know each other.
17. Twitter Charts – Twitter Charts gives you a visualization of when a particular Twitter user is most active. This is an excellent tool to determine the most opportune time to engage a given person.
18. twInfluence – Ranks Twitter users’ influence.
19. TwitterGrader – Grades a given Twitter user according to influence. Includes power users by geographic location; suggests who to follow and allows you to check if someone is following you.
20. TwitterSheep – Creates a tag cloud of all the words in the bios of a given Twitter user’s followers.
21. TwitterCounter – Provides stats on a given Twitter user and lets you compare that user to two others.
22. Twellow – Twellow is a Twitter directory.
23. TweetBoards – Compare Twitter users side-by-side.
24. TweetStats – Gives you Twitter statistics about a given user.
25. TwitterMeter – Twitter Meter allows you to enter a word to graph its use on Twitter’s public feed.
26. TwitterLocal – Twitter Local is a desktop app that finds Twitter users within a fixed radius of a city or zip code.
27. Twitter Analyzer – The best Twitter analytics tool I have found to date. Offers a ton of statistics.
28. Mr. Tweet – A recommendation engine that also provides statistics on your Twitter usage.
29. Localtweeps – Find Tweeps near you.
30. Retail Twitter Aggregator – Aggregates the Twitter feeds of a handful of bricks & mortar retailers.
31. retweetradar – Tag clouds and trends of retweets.
32. Twubs – Find hashtags.
33. What The Trend? – Find hashtags that are rising in popularity.
34. Tagalus – A hashtag dictionary.
35. Twitclicks – Shortens URLs and tracks clicks.
36. Bit.ly – Shortens URLs, counts clicks, shows who else shortened a URL and provides metadata about that URL from across the Web.
37. Tweetburner – Shortens URLs and tracks clicks on Twitter & FriendFeed.
38. Twittervision – Real-time geographic posts to Twitter.
39. TweetChannel – Create Twitter channels.
40. Twitterfall – Real-time monitoring.
41. Twendz – Real-time Twitter search engine coupled with related keywords & word clouds.
42. Tweetzi – Advanced Twitter search engine.
43. Twistory – Pumps your Twitter feed into a calendar application so you can visualize your Tweeting history.
44. Twitlinks – Tracks most popular tech links from most popular tech Twitterers.
45. Twitturls – Tracks popular links.
46. OneRiot – Twitter search engine.
47. twopopular – Tracks hashtags and keywords in real time or by time intervals.
48. Tweet Volume – See how often words and phrases are mentioned on Twitter.
49. TweetEffect – Find out which tweets gained and which tweets lost you followers.
50. Tweetmeme – Tweetmeme tracks the most popular links on twitter every 5 minutes, categorized by types of content: Blogs, images, video or audio.
51. Tinker – Aggregates Twitter conversations around topics.
52. Splitweet – Multiple account manager & brand monitor.
53. Tweetizen – Lets you categorize your followers and then follow only that feed.
54. Who Should I Follow? – Find new Twitter friends.
55. FriendOrFollow.com – Find Twitterers you follow that don’t follow you back.
56. Twitter Friends – Compare your tweeting behavior with other.
57. Who Follows Who? – Find out the common Twitterers up to five Twitter users have in common.
58. Socialoomph – Let’s you schedule Tweets and vet followers.
59. CoTweet – Let’s multiple people manage a single Twitter account in a rational fashion.
60. TweetDeck – An Adobe Air desktop application for Twitter. I actually use this. It should have been on the original list.

Oh one more I CANNOT do without, called Tweet Adder… Just do it..

Microsoft Media Network was the fastest growing major ad network in the U.S. in 2009, according to data from comScore’s Media Metrix panel. The measurement firm estimates the network’s reach was 31 percent greater in December 2009 than it was during the same period in 2008.

Collective’s network was the second fastest growing among the top 15, increasing its audience by 22 percent year-over-year for the month of December, while behavioral targeting firm Audience Science came in third, with 16 percent growth.

Based on reach alone, however, AOL Advertising remained the top network, reaching 187 million U.S. users — or around 90 percent of the nation’s total online audience. Yahoo Network followed with just under 181 million users, and Google’s network reached 178 million in third position. Google’s growth outpaced that of its major rivals, at 13 percent year over year. AOL and Yahoo achieved 8 and 9 percent, respectively.

It’s worth noting, however, that comScore estimates the U.S. online audience itself grew by 8 percent between December 2008 and December 2009. That implies an 8 percent increase in audience reach is merely consistent with growth in overall Internet use. By that logic, networks with an 8 percent rate of growth are essentially standing still, while those achieving less than 8 percent — such as Adconion and Traffic Marketplace — are, in fact, losing out.

In addition, as comScore Senior Vice President Jeff Hackett points out, many networks are now focusing their efforts on improving targeting among their audiences, rather than simply increasing their volume. As a result, contracting or static audience size does not necessarily imply diminished value for advertisers, or lower CPMs for publishers.

Web, Technology and Social Media People needed Now!

www.BizChangerZ.com is expanding its team again! We need “exceptionally skilled” behind the scenes INTERNET MARKETING & WEB SITE SERVICES delivery people to join our team. Work from home, work from overseas or Poughkeepsie NY, we don’t care.

What we do care about is your experience, talent, commitment to our customers’ satisfaction and your pricing. If you have a strong record in any of the following services mentioned below, we want to talk to you.

We give you the opportunity to perform on your own, and the ability earn income paid per client delivery.

BizChangerZ.com

INTERNET MARKETING &

WEB SITE SERVICES

• Paid Search (PPC) Mgt
  • Reputation Management

• Conversion Optimization
• Web site Usability & Accessibility upgrades
• Web Site “best practices”
• Online Press Release Strategies
• Analytic Reporting /Mgt.

• Social Media Marketing & Mkt.
• Video Viral Marketing
• Content & Copy Development
• Copy Writing
• Video Search
• Local Search
• Mobile Search
• Mobile versions for existing web sites
• International, national and local SEO
• Flash SEO
• Strategic Online Marketing
• Keyword Research
• Link Building
• Site Auditing
• Call Tracking
• Bounce Rate Strategy

We need more independent contractors to join our team. We provide the work, you provide the talent to service our clients. We’re a 2010 virtual company. Are you a 2010 virtual worker?

If you have “significant experience” in any or all the above and want to join our team, here’s what you do. FORGET YOUR RESUME.

Send us an email letter, telling us why you believe you can work as an independent contractor and perform at the highest level of client satisfaction with the latest online strategies, tactics and methodologies. .

Include links to the work “you’ve actually already done” or examples of the kind of work you do right now and we’ll do the rest. For immediate consideration please email all the above asap to Dick Rogers COO SocialMedia@BizChangerZ.com.

it’s who knows you.”

It is undeniable. Your future success IN ANY BUSINESS is largely determined by the quality of your professional network of contacts and relationships. And the ability to cultivate and transform these “contacts” into a practice-building set of allies is what separates the top producers from the rest of the profession.

Yet, most business people don’t have a network building game plan, fail to turn their clients into their personal sales force and lack professional allies. Anyone is business today that doesn’t cultivate their network building skills is most likely making some common mistakes that cripple their ability to build their personal and business brand, including:
Mistake #1: Random Networking – Wasting time networking in the wrong places and in the wrong way

Problem: Most professionals think of networking as meeting as many new contacts (i.e. strangers) as possible and trading business cards. All the time, their mindset is on “what can this person do for me” – and this attitude permeates their interaction with potential referral sources. They also do not “qualify” contacts on their ability and willingness to help them.

Solution: Start by networking with people you already know. Be VERY selective beyond this group. Only invest time and energy in networking with people or groups who can get you the “ideal” clients you desire. Have a “giving” mindset. Your goal is to build a mutually beneficial business relationship – not add to your business card inventory.

Mistake #2: Networking Myopia – A self-limiting view of networking

Problem: Doing “networking” is seen as an activity. For example, I am going to an association meeting or luncheon to “network.”

Solution: The right way to think about networking is as follows: Networking is building relationships with ANYONE who can help you to grow your business. Using this definition, you are already networking all the time. That means when you are working with clients, meeting with your colleagues or mentors at your own business or attending an alumni event, you’re networking.

The key is to recognize that you are constantly network building, inventory & prioritize these business contacts and develop an express action plan to cultivate these relationships.

Mistake #3: Settling for Referrals – Getting “cold calls” with a name attached

Problem: A referral is defined as a contact telling you to call someone they know and “mention my name” when you call. Now, getting a referral to a potential new client can’t hurt, but it is not the best you can do. The person doesn’t know you, don’t understand why you would be of value to them nor are they prepared for your call.

Solution: Ask your contact to first call to introduce you to the future client. In this way, they “pre-sell” and endorse you to the prospective client – and prepare them for your call.

Mistake #4: “Solo” networking – Marketing yourself by yourself

Problem: Professionals only look to build THEIR personal network – people who can help them to build their business.

Solution: Instead, team up with a few like-minded professionals and build your combined relationships. Look to trade and inter-connect your web of relationships together. Add collective value by introducing people to one another – even if there is no direct business benefit to you. Find people with ‘power networks” like the head of an associations and go to see them as a team.

Mistake #5: No allies – Settling for “shallow” networking relationships

Problem: Professionals often look to network with MORE and MORE people.

Solution: Instead, the best business generators look to forge highly committed alliances with FEWER & BETTER referral sources. Build a small, elite team of professionals “business partners”. Continually market together on a cooperative business level and watch the results change. See your business contacts as “de-facto” partners in growing each other’s business.

Exerts take from; The 5 Biggest Mistakes Attorneys Make In Building Their Professional Network By: Allan Boress, Michael Cummings & Barry Schneider, SAGE Law Marketing

Michael Besson is a key note speaker, executive life coach, life-long entrepreneur and the founder of www.BizChangerZ.com. He serves individual executive life coaching clients along with start up and emerging companies delivering bleeding edge online & offline marketing, strategic planning and business development consulting services since 1994. For further information on Michael or his online / offline marketing strategies, email Michael Besson at SocialMedia@BizChangerZ.com.

Unless you know exactly what to test & track, you’re just a blip (aka road kill) on the digital highway.

Today were going to learn bounce rate 101. Your “BOUNCE RATE” is critical to knowing whether you’re making things happen online or wondering what happened.

What’s your CURRENT BOUNCE RATE?

Do you know it off the top of your head?

If not, you want to read this whole thing. Avinash Kaushik works for Google Analytics and is rather brilliant when it come to measuring web site or online performance.

Avinash describes bounce rates in one of two ways:

1. Visitors that come to your site, look at one page and LEAVE, or

2. Visitors that come & only stay for 5 seconds or less

In simple terms, it means the “percentage” of people that came to your site, puked and left. In a world of A.D.D. and “what’s next”, you better understand this one folks! “Folks”, that word sounds ancient doesn’t it? Woops, there’s my own A.D.D. slipping in again..

Back to point and I’ll even say something stronger to share how I really feel about this one.

Here’s how serious I think this really is. If the person in charge of your overall online presence has not talked to you about watching your daily / weekly bounce rate FIRE THEM today & hire BizChangerZ now. (Ok, that was a shameless plug, but you get how important this is right?)

How do you measure this bouncy-bouncy thing?

As a general rule, bounce rates average between 40% & 60%. But hey, who wants to be average?

For serious online performance, bounce rates above 40% need to be interpreted as a sign that something is not right and needs to be refined IMMEDIATELY. It could be your creative needs more creating, or what you’re offering is not what they’re looking for, or the king of them all, you look like you don’t know what you’re doing online so they believe it’s best to go elsewhere.

Bounce rates over 50% are a tell tale sign your online performance engine needs an overhaul. Bounce rates of 25% or less mean you’re hitting it out of the ball park and that you have created a great online marketing machine.

“Practical, Tactical”

Remember to measure bounce rates on everything you do. Every landing page like a pay per click landing page needs to monitor that bounce rate. For our clients, were big believers in creating three separate home pages with compelling offers, Unique Selling Propositions and Value Proposition that engage the visitor. Next, we test and track, test and track until we hit highly acceptable bounce rate metrics that make sense and revenue.

Hope this helps you better understand bounce rates and how important they are to EVERYTHING you do online. Until next time, Michael B signing out……

Michael Besson is a key note speaker, executive life coach, life-long entrepreneur and the founder of www.BizChangerZ.com. He serves individual executive life coaching clients along with start up and emerging companies delivering bleeding edge online & offline marketing, strategic planning and business development consulting services since 1994. For further information on Michael or his online / offline marketing strategies, email Michael Besson at SocialMedia@BizChangerZ.com.

So from time to time I would meet people who “thought” they were entrepreneurs but in fact, were just sadly misunderstanding that their true calling in life was most likely better placed elsewhere.

I actually observed “almost” every one of these jokes  first hand from people who “thought” they were an entrepreneur….

The names have been changed to protect the innocent..

You might be an entrepreneur if;

You can’t make payroll again so instead you spend $1000.00 on a personal development speaker to educate your staff on the “inner – peace” that can only be achieved through personal suffering and sacrifice

You might be an entrepreneur if;

If you make weekly payroll on your last Visa Card for the fourth time this month!

You might be an entrepreneur if;

If your main Addresses are comprised of three PO Boxes in Delaware, Nevada and Florida.

You might be an entrepreneur if;

You cannot get a loan at any bank for $500 while five investors want to put in a million dollars each into your latest idea.

You might be an entrepreneur if;

When your phone rings, line one is your attorney, line two is your accountant, line three is the IRS and line four is your wife wondering what’s more important than you being home in time for dinner one night a week!!

You might be an entrepreneur if;

If you’re negotiating a deal on your cell phone and in the middle of telling the buyer you won’t take a penny less than $250K for your services, your cell phone gets shut off for non-payment.

You might be an entrepreneur if;

If you pay extra for a downtown parking lot three blocks away from work to park your Mercedes because it’s just that much harder for Brutus the Bicep Repo Man to find it parked conveniently in front of your office.

You might be an entrepreneur if;

Today’s latest marketing campaign idea includes standing on a street corner with sign around your neck that reads, “will work for sales leads.”

You might be an entrepreneur if;

You’re telling all of your clients that you’ve moved your business model to a virtual office because your employees really like the idea of working out of their homes, when really you just lost your office lease and the creditors know that address all too well.

You might be an entrepreneur if;

Your first three wives left you because you had big dreams and no money and now Betty the Bimbo / Silicone Wonder drives your Rolls Royce to and from the spa four times week when she’s not shopping.

You might be an entrepreneur if;

A “cold sales call” really means your business partner of 10 years just died on the phone while trying to make one more sale before you let him go home.

You might be an entrepreneur if;

Filing the October15th extension on your income tax is your idea of a great loan.

You might be an entrepreneur if;

As the IRS is taking you out the door in handcuffs for not paying payroll taxes, your last words are “I really think we can work this out, in fact I have a plan; would you like to hear it?”

You might be an entrepreneur if;

If 3462 Venture Capital firms have turned you down but you’re still pretty sure that the 1084^th revision of your latest business plan is your ticket to investment capital!

You might be an entrepreneur if;

You drive a 1974 Fiat that you’ve converted to propane to save money on real gas and you rent a new Jaguar with your best friend’s credit card to pick up a potential investor at the airport.

You might be an entrepreneur if;

Even though your payroll checking account balance is at zero, you go to Check-Cashing-Is-Us and cash a check from that account then deposit the money from that bad check into the same account to write checks for your staff.

You might be an entrepreneur if;

You just spent an hour talking your senile father into investing in a new invention called the automobile because he still thinks its 1914 and does know what the hell a software program is.

You might be an entrepreneur if;

Your 12 year old lends you money out of his collage fund, but charges you 21% interest and makes you sign a 90-day promissory note.

You might be an entrepreneur if;

If your cat is looking mighty appetizing…and your wondering what it would taste like layered nicely over a $.25 pack of Roman noodles.

You might be an entrepreneur if;

You have so many low interest credit cards that you can’t close your wallet anymore..

You might be an entrepreneur if;

If you pay for a business lunch for YOUR meal on the Visa, the client’s meal on the AMEX because the open to purchase is just right… and the tip is two nickels and a penny you found on the ground coming in.

You might be an entrepreneur if;

If you walk into a big sales pitch pretending to talk on your cell phone knowing full well that it has been disconnected for 2 months.

You might be an entrepreneur if;

You and your partner take a client out for lunch and compete over being the one to pay the bill knowing neither of you can afford to pay in the hope that the client reaches in his own pocket and pays himself.

You might be an entrepreneur if;

If you pay for a round of golf with a half off coupon and a two year old rain check and then spend two extra hours by the entrance selling off the golf balls you found.

You might be an entrepreneur if;

You have your 7-year-old daughter call your cell phone every 5 minutes during your meeting, so your client’s will think you’re busy.

You might be an entrepreneur if;

Your kids don’t recognize you, the dog tries to bite you, and your wife is in the arms of another man – your brother.

You might be an entrepreneur if;

In order to fund your latest venture, you have to write and sell an office coffee top humorous book titled you may bean entrepreneur if;

You might be an entrepreneur if;

You can’t remember your name, and are not quite sure what day it is today.

You might be an entrepreneur if;

Your “last paying client” just called… and asked you if they can work off their debt, ‘cause they can’t afford to pay you.

You might be an entrepreneur if;

An employee brings you some rather alarming news and you tell them it’s fine you’re on top of it but you’re going to need some “quiet” process time; when what you’re really thinking is “Thanks but I prefer to have my nervous breakdowns alone!”

You might be an entrepreneur if;

Your son is in his senior year of High School and still doesn’t know what his dad does for a living but he’s pretty sure he’s good at it.

You might be an entrepreneur if;

When shopping for a car you discover that the only people that will sell you one require 50% down, 50% interest and the name of your dog for a personal credit reference.

You might be an entrepreneur if;

You have one phone company for your in-bound calls and another for your outbound. That way when the long distance one gets shut off, it looks like you’re still in business.

Michael Besson is a key note speaker, executive life coach, life-long entrepreneur and the founder of www.BizChangerZ.com. He serves individual executive life coaching clients along with start up and emerging companies delivering bleeding edge online & offline marketing, strategic planning and business development consulting services since 1994. For further information on Michael or his online / offline marketing strategies, email Michael Besson at SocialMedia@BizChangerZ.com.

All material contained in this blog is copy written and may not be reproduced without written permission other than a re-post blog accredited to Michael Besson

Twitter Tips 101

Twitter is the best Web 2.0 micro-blogging tool available online.  It has countless features and in my opinion, Twitter search is awesome.  Nothing beats real time search! Although there’s many tips and tools available for Twitter online, find below a couple general tips that will help you get the best out of Twitter for your business marketing efforts as well as personally.

For a great Twitter tips list – Twitter tips: the ultimate guide

• 10 tips on being a good Twitterer – CNN
• 140 Insights From Twitter (In 140 Characters Or Less) – The Future Buzz
• Daily Twitter Tips – Tweetgain
• Five Reasons Twitter is an Essential Social Media Tool – Search Engine Guide
• How to Add Icons to Twitter Profiles – Quick Online Tips
• How to be a Twitter all-star – iMedia Connection
• How to Get Things Done with Twitter – Zen Habits
• How to Mine Twitter for Information – Web Worker Daily
• How to: Promote Yourself – Wired
• How To Protect Your Privacy On Twitter – LifeHacker
• How to Speak Twitter – a Twitter Glossary – Business Week
• How to Twitter – Be a Twitter Authority and Unleash Maven Marketing With This Simple Twitter App – The Tweet Salon
• How To Twitter – First Steps and a Twitter Glossary – Hanselman
• How To Twitter – The Basics – Adam Covati
• How to Use Twitter – Mahalo
• How To Use Twitter - Squidoo
• How to Use Twitter as a Twool – How to change the world
• How to Use Twitter More Effectively – Blogtipz
• How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You – 5 Tips – Tim Ferris
• Looking for Mr. Goodtweet: How to Pick Up Followers on Twitter – Guy Kawasaki
• Making the most of Twitter – Guardian.co.uk
• Microblog your way to success with Twitter – the ultimate networking tool – Wordtracker
• More Twitter Tips – Dopp Juice
• NewscastTip: Twitter tips to launch, enhance your use of the service – NewscastStudio
• Pro Twitter Tips – Laptop Mag
• Simple tips for a better Twitter experience – TEDChris
• Ten Things you Must Know before Using Twitter – Tech n Marketing
• The secret to Twitter – Scobleizer
• The 10 ways I learned to use Twitter in 2007… (aka Why and How I use Twitter) – Disruptive Conversations
• Top 5 Steps after Joining Twitter – Tech n Marketing
• Twips: Twitter Tips – Tom Altman’s Wedia Conversation
• TwiTip - Twitter Tips in 140 Characters or more
• Twitorials - Twitter Tutorials
• twitter how to – twitter how to
• Twitter Tips – Regentpress
• Twitter Tips - Stricker Online
• Twitter Tips – Twitter Tips
• Twitter Tips and Tricks! – Library Clips
• Twitter Tips for Advocacy – KStreet Cafe
• Twitter tips from the field – Examiner
• Twitter Tips from Twitter – All Things Wom
• Understanding Twitter Tips & Tricks – Design Experts

Michael Besson is a key note speaker, executive life coach, life-long entrepreneur and the founder of www.BizChangerZ.com. He serves individual executive life coaching clients along with start up and emerging companies delivering bleeding edge online & offline marketing, strategic planning and business development consulting services since 1994. For further information on Michael or his online / offline marketing strategies, email Michael Besson at SocialMedia@BizChangerZ.com .

Life Filters (part one)

One of the many reasons my business partner is my business partner, is his quest for life-long learning. Becoming a graduate of Berkeley was the beginning of Dick Rogers’ education, not the end. At an entrepreneurial seminar he recently attended he learned this powerful little tid-bit that has changed my life forever.

We are biologically predisposed to “fill in the blanks” when someone talks to us.

We fill them in with the background story / noise of our lives. That can be good or bad, depending on how much skill you have developed in your ability to process whether or not your personal background “noise” is empowering to your life or dis-empowering to your life!

Did you know that everything you do, everything you think, everything that gets spoken to you and everything that happens in your life gets “filtered” through the lenses of your LIFE FILTERS? Most people know this intuitively on some level but do you know whether the “life filters” you have are empowering or dis-empowering to your life?

For example, I know someone fairly famous in hair styling circles named Richard Fontana. Richard doesn’t just “style” hair; Richard’s an artistic genius with hair. When the who’s who of Las Vegas comes to town, they frequently request a private hair styling with non-other than Richard himself. About six months ago, after being served a fresh latte in his waiting lounge, I sat down in his chair and said “Richard I’m going back on the speaking circuit and I need a fresh new 2010 look”.

He said, I think you should grow your hair long again and let me take you out of the 1990’s and into 2010 with your hair. As crazy as that sounded to me at the time, I filtered his view through the lens of someone that probably knows more about this than most other people I know. (Thus the long hair you now see on me)

(Here’s a GOLD NUGGET for you.)

You need to acquire the skill to let highly qualified people OVERRIDE your own SEVEN LIFE FILTERS when it’s in your best interest to do so.

MOST people in life are STUCK because they never learned that one little golden nugget.

Whenever we ask for input, counsel, advice or someone’s opinion, we filter it through our own seven life filters. So the big question you need to ask if you want the best out of your life or business is this.

HOW’S YOUR LIFE FILTERS WORKING?

You see the quality of your LIFE FILTERS is equal to the quality of life you end up living. Whenever one human being shares information with another human being, it gets filtered through ALL SEVEN of the following Life Filtering mechanisms.

1. Your Values & Beliefs; (Love’s a value; what you believe about love is your belief)
2. Your Personal Opinion Leaders; (Spouses, parents, mentors, Bosses, faith in God)
3. You measure the Value; (what’s in it 4 me?)
4. Your Life needs; (these show up when they’re broke; Cars. Health. Marriage etc.)
5. Your Life History; (all that noise in your head about everything that’s already happened)
6. The Credibility Factor; (the financial advisor living in mobile home park)
7. Timing (if you just got married yesterday, u don’t want to date someone new today)

What does the “quality of your LIFE filters” really mean? In a nut shell it has EVERYTHING do to with the quality of your life & business and the level of success you achieve while you’re on this planet.  Watch how powerful this is and how powerful it impacts the outcome of your life.

Let’s say someone approaches you with a great business opportunity. It’s the first bread slicer in the world and everyone on the planet is going to need or use one. Its rock solid through and through and someone with your background is the perfect candidate for becoming a partner. When you’re approached by the inventor, you immediately begin to unconsciously FILTER the opportunity.

Let’s see what happens when this opportunity hits Your Personal Life Filters.

1. Your Values & Beliefs

Let’s say one of your top filters in your “values” column is “Security” and your belief about security is that you must have a weekly pay check and work for someone else with a benefits package to be totally secure. This great bread slicing opportunity is most likely going to pass you by due to your existing limited values and beliefs. Sadly in America, this one Value ALONE leads 9 out of 10 people to work for someone other than themselves even though the security you get from working for someone else in 2010 & beyond is a very risky proposition. http://www.impactlab.com/2009/08/04/boss-nation-growing-number-of-self-employed-in-us/

2. Your Personal Opinion Leaders

Let’s say your values and beliefs don’t oppose the opportunity. So you decide to move forward and you’re all pumped up and excited until the moment you get home and mention the whole thing to your spouse. At this point he or she says this is SO NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. (Enter the second set of seven filters) Your spouse, boss, parent or faith in God are most likely some of your personal opinion leaders and these are yet another LIFE FILTER that must we all go through to reach a congruent end decision.

3. You measure the Value

Let’s say you and your spouse love the opportunity but the more you think about the time it’s going to take, compared to the value you’re going to get out of it, the less you like it. You know that to do this new company you need to look at the money you’re going to make and the time spent away from your spouse and children. Somewhere in all that you’re going reach the decision that it either does or doesn’t add up. We all measure the “VALUE” we get from a given “offer” and in order to reach a “yes” your “Measurement of Value” has to measure up!

4. Your Life needs

So now you’re at a point where it meets with your values and beliefs, your personal opinion leaders give you the thumbs up, you LOVE the value but right now your home just got foreclosed on and the car you drive just blew an engine. So, guess what? Your life needs are so messed up; it’s hard to fathom taking on anything new at all.  When your basic human needs are out of whack; chances are the bread slicer opportunity is going to be a dead issue for you.

5. Your Life History

So let’s say that the first four are a BIG GO on every level, so now you head to question level five. You get to number four and your new business LIFE history is this; everything you’ve ever tried before in the world of being an entrepreneur has failed. It’s left a big scar in your “life history” and if that’s the case, it’s highly likely that you’re going to take a pass whether it’s the best move for you or not.

Ok, so you get out your LIFE FILTERS check list (unconsciously) and you FEEL GREAT in your heart about the first five items.

1. Your Values & Beliefs works perfect in this case
2. Your Personal Opinion Leaders agree this is a great deal for you
3. Your measure of the Value you get from it say YES, this is more than I could make anywhere else
4. Your Life needs (these show up when they’re broke) suggest this is a GREAT time to move on something new like this
5. Your Life History has taught you that if you miss the mark in a new business and learn something great along the way, you can do anything.

Now you’re ready for number 6!

6. The Credibility Factor

All five line items are a go but when you get home, you pick up the newspaper and there’s the guy that offered you the bread slicing deal pasted on the front page of the Wall Street Journal for defrauding millions of dollars out of the coffers of innocent victims for the last 10 years.

He’s out on bail right now and calling you for a quick decision, are you going to give him the Siskel & Ebert two thumbs up? I kind of doubt it, don’t you? I think they call that a lack of credibility.

Which bring us to your final filter. Funny that God’s number of completion is seven isn’t it?

Number seven is YOUR TIMING

Sometimes all six prior LIFE FILTERS check out perfect. But when you get to number seven, it just plain sucks.

Timing DEEPLY affects your capacity to take action. Maybe it’s a tough divorce or coming off a long illness; maybe you just got married and want to invest some marriage building time on the front end of it all. Perhaps you just had twins and nothing in this world is going to affect the 2 ½ minutes a day of free time you have left. (Yes, I had twins once) Welcome to the club of “passing on the decision” due to BAD TIMING..

You see we all have LIFE FILTERS but the real question that started us down this road is; HOW’S YOUR LIFE FILTERS working for you right now?

You better clearly understand the power of that small but simple question because as you can easily see the quality of your life filters, determines the quality of your life.

What’s the moral of the story / blog? If you don’t have the kind of life you truly desire, find some mentors that you can sit down with and ask them HOW THEY FILTER their decisions through these seven LIFE FILTERS. You will be amazed at how much higher the quality of their answers will be; if in fact they are getting the kind of results you have only been dreaming about…

Michael Besson is a key note speaker, executive life coach, life-long entrepreneur and the founder of www.BizChangerZ.com. He serves individual executive life coaching clients along with start up and emerging companies delivering bleeding edge online & offline marketing, strategic planning and business development consulting services since 1994. For further information on Michael or his online / offline marketing strategies, email Michael Besson at SocialMedia@BizChangerZ.com .

BizChangerZ.com is changing the landscape of how businesses grow today.  This is no common vision.   Over the next few years Online Web-based marketing developments will drive many brick and mortar businesses “out of business”.   The business universe has shifted; just watch our founder Michael Besson to see what we mean: http://www.ebizchanger.com/shift-happens/

For the next 60 days, BizChangerZ is recruiting a national sales force with the ability to earn commission between $75K – $200K or more a year.

BizChangerZ is currently seeking B2B Sales Professionals who know how to package and offer superior value to businesses.  Selling our suite of services is like nothing else you can offer a business owner, executive or CEO.

If you get excited about the thought of radically transforming your clients businesses, this is the place for you.  We are nationally recognized experts at Social Media Marketing, Viral Sales Strategies, PPC Ad Campaigns, Facebook & Google Experts, Web based Best Practices, Web Design, Copy Writing , Video Blogging and Strategic Planning that converts ordinary web sites into revenue producing machines. That’s a mighty long sentence but we do all that and more!

Qualified applicants must possess superior strategic thinking and project a positive attitude that is congruent with our corporate culture.   You must be proficient in the process/documentation flow of the entire sales cycle which will be managed in our proprietary CRM software app.

Furthermore you must be able to communicate with high level professionals at the end-user level.  The most qualified applicants will demonstrate a working knowledge of today’s most popular computer/internet applications including Web browsers, email systems, search engines, web/blog hosting, and social media networks.

BizChangerZ is not looking for ordinary or average professionals.   Everything we do at BizChangerZ is about producing extraordinary results. BizChangerZ provides ambitious professionals with uncommon knowledge and opportunity.  We will expect much and so will your clients.  If you want to be part of the online revolution, this is the place.

Email Resumes to:

SocialMedia@BizChangerZ.com

It is inevitable that markets shift in everyday business life. Yet as inevitable as business shifts are, throughout the history of business both big and small, companies have failed to see the shift in time to DO SOMETHING about it BEFORE it adversely affected their businesses.

LP’s thought they’d rule the music world, until 8tracks came along, which of course ruled the music world until reel to reel and cassettes came along, which of course ruled the music world until CD’s came along which of course ruled the world until the iPod & Mp3’s came along. That’s a Shift Factor! What changed everyone’s world in music was item number one below called Technology SHIFT. Tower Records was a highly successful franchise from 1960 to 2006 when the last US based store closed without so much as a tear shed. Why? Because markets shift!

How long do you think a company like Blockbuster Video has left with an aging business model in a world of digital media and business shifts happening all around it?

When a client retains BizChangerZ.com, one of the things we bring to your attention is this: where is your business model positioned in the “SHIFT FACTORS”?  If you’re a BizChangerZ client in the nutrition world and the US moves towards a socialized medical model and the large scale pharmaceutical lobbyists are successful in mandating a new national law that states only drugs and surgery can cure any illness, then you need to adjust your business model. Sound absurd? It’s already happened in many places around the world today.

Being in business today is about understanding the world in which you produce transactions, and how Shift in this world  may affect your business model. Let’s say at BizChangerZ the government of the US decides over the next several years that Google accessibility allows too much independent thought. So, they decide who’s going to be allowed on Google Search and who’s not. In that case, sophisticated online firms like BizChangerZ are out of business and have to quickly transition their expertise into another method of distribution or face the reality of going out of business.

In writing this information, we purposely went heavy on the government issues because in today’s global political realities, anything is possible. So the question is this, is your business prepared, does it know where the market shifts are headed and if so, how do you best position yourself with respect to what’s really going on around your business model.

What causes Markets to Shift?

Essentially, there are only FIVE true forces that can and will impact your business and its ability to stay on top of its game.

1) Technology SHIFT

The LP’s to iPod shift is an easy one to wrap your heads around, but there are many more subtle ones that you have to on top of in your business or you can and will lose in the game of business.

2)  Political SHIFT

What happens to your retail location if the city council votes to rezone your location? Here’s a better question, why didn’t you know they were thinking about it 1 year earlier so that you could have positioned yourself differently?

3) Economics SHIFT

In Las Vegas, we live at Ground Zero of the mortgage meltdown; the economic hit from that fall out affected virtually every business in Las Vegas. Yet, at the same time that happened, I know numerous colleagues that made millions while others lost millions. Why? Because they looked at the Shift and surrounding economics and adjusted their business model before the tsunami hit.

4) Demographics SHIFT

Everyday thousands of baby boomers hit retirement and fall out of the work place forever more. At the same time in 2010, Gen Y officially outnumbers baby boomers for the first time ever! If your product or service caters to one or the other, you’re about to have some MAJOR issues. Every day the demographics of your business are shifting and you need to shift with it!

5) Business Model Shelf-Life SHIFT

This one is a little tough to wrap your head around as a sole and separate category unaffected by the previous four. Yet, it happens all the time. McDonalds has virtually the same demographics it always has, yet the menu still changes. Why? Product Shelf Life. There are times when the public just doesn’t want to buy what it’s always bought before. It happens more than you think and all though product or service demand is affected GREATLY by the first four items, sometimes personal tastes just shift on a social level and you need see it coming before it does.

Everything you’ve just read determines whether or not your product or service “collectively” meet a certain “tipping point” where you offer is considered valuable (or not) to the public at large. Sift your product or service through the FIVE POINTS of BizChangerZ SHIFT FACTORS and you’ll be in a much better position to determine whether or not your business is about to excel or hit the skids..

Michael Besson is a key note speaker, executive life coach, life-long entrepreneur and the founder of www.BizChangerZ.com.

He serves individual executive life coaching clients along with start up and emerging companies delivering bleeding edge online & offline marketing, strategic planning and business development consulting services since 1994. For further information on Michael or his online / offline marketing strategies, email Michael Besson at SocialMedia@BizChangerZ.com.