3 Pillars of a Solid Home Based Business !!

3 Pillars of a Solid Home Based Business (via http://my-digital-heaven.biz/)

In this day and age it is almost impossible to maintain a decent standard of living on one paycheck, but in a family where children are involved it is not always feasible for both dad and mom to have a job outside of the home.  Daycare expenses, the…

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I'm Paying For People's Home Based Business !! Make Eat My Words !!

              Stop the Presses !!!!

You have thought about a home based business, you have dreamed about being a stay at home parent.

You could stand to have extra 200.00 to 400.00 coming in on a weekly basis it could possibly change your life 

I have said it before and I will say it again I am only bring quality programs to this blog. If I write a blog about an opportunity you can trust that it has passed the test or it won't be written about.

I am looking for honest, sincere people who maybe struggling and would love a chance to own their own home based business. 

I am so sure you can make money with this program I am buying people in to the program. Yes !! that is right I am going to open my own wallet and pay for you to come into the program. I am paying it forward I call it the Law of Attraction in action.

Watch the video listen to what they are saying and them fill in the information. I will look it over and pay for you to come into the business. It will not cost you one dime until you have made money with the business. I promise you this their are no credit cards involved you couldn't bring one to the table if you wanted too. The price is on me it is coming to you as a gift. 

                           Watch the Video !                               Make Eat My Words !!

Click here on this link !!!

Get Paid to Play and Have Fun !!!

Click on this Link 

Get Home Based Travel Business!!!

       Hey Guys,

               I only bring quality home based business ideas to this work at home blog. I am involved with a company called MyFunLife. This is a company that is involved in the very popular Apps Market. The smart phone apps business is growing and it is reaching billions of dollars.

                

              The exciting part is this is a relative new industry just starting to grow no one really knows where the apps industry is headed but everyone knows its slated to be very big.  Experts are saying we are sitting on the new Facebook. Wouldn't you have like to be in on Facebook, or Apple when they launched you would have been a millionaire.

              

               MyfunLife is a home based business that deals in the burgeoning apps industry. The coolest part is they pay you to play with apps. How would you like to have a home based business where they pay you to have fun. Myfunlife does just that. They pay you to play with cutting edge apps and have fun while you do it. I for one am having a blast with my home based business. The best part is I am getting to help people get what they are seeking plus I am making money doing.

    

                I want to encourage you to click the link above and take the exciting tour. It will explain all the details. If you have ever want to be able to work from home. If you are looking for a home based business where you can truly help people and have fun and make lots of money Myfunlife is what you are looking for in a home based business opportunity.  Best of all it does not matter what country you are reading this in this business will translate anywhere in the world. Jump on the apps wagon and start building your own business.

     Jeff Blais

     770 485-2278

     blais245@gmail.com

10 Tips to Help Internet Entrepreneurs Stay Motivated !!

10 Tips to Help Internet Entrepreneurs Stay Motivated (via www.vabizsolutions.com)

Eddie Cantor once said, “It takes twenty years to become an overnight success”. In the internet age, entrepreneurs can shorten this window considerably, however, the fact remains that long hours and significant effort are required prior to the launch…

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My Prospecting Secrets Revealed!

http://www.ozcashfromhome.com/r/jblais245

Let me start off by explaining the biggest benefit of providing your downline members with a viral prospecting system.

It boils down to this...

When you have a viral prospecting system in place for your team

members, your downline has the potential to take on a life of its own and continue to grow effortlessly while you're focusing on more important things such as family and friends.

A gentleman I recently discovered managed to accomplish the difficult task of duplication while maintaining his full time job and family life.

He mentioned that ever since the beginning of his online ventures he was searching for a system that brought interested prospects in automatically.

He didn't have time to do the traditional recruiting methods because they required a lot of time and commitment.

What he wanted instead, was a huge downline that duplicated on

auto-pilot from his part time efforts.

"But did such a solution exist?"

If it did, he said he couldn't find it...

So after many years of struggling to build a solid residual income through network marketing he decided it was time to take the bull by the horns (so to speak) and he created a 3 step marketing system that literally exploded his downline within a few months.

The part that amazed me the most was the fact that he didn't spend a dime on advertising. And his downline is now over 11,460 strong and growing monthly on auto-pilot.

Ultimately I learned that being a successful sponsor involves providing some type of system that helps people build their business, not sitting around wondering why your downline isn't doing anything.

I guess the quote from Zig Ziglar holds true:

"You can have everything in life you want, if you just help enough nother people get what they want."

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If you'd like to learn more about a brand new prospecting system that builds YOUR online business and generates stable monthly income, go here: http://www.ozcashfromhome.com/r/jblais245

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"Hello I"m Johnny Cash" - Surprise Lessons For Business Owners !!

“Hello, I’m Johnny Cash”- Surprising Lessons For Home Business Owners (via http://gpncenter.com)

I’ve unearthed some surprising lessons for home business owners by listening to Johnny Cash lately. I thought I would share some of these tidbits from the Rockabilly legend. 1) Understand Your Man …er, target market! That’s right. Do you understand…

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18 ways to market your business on a tiny budget

 it's vital that people know about you and your brand.  The more people you reach, the more sales you'll rake in. Simple. You could be the greatest underwear designer or sandwich maker in the world, but if you fail to market your business and customers don't know about you, how do you sell them your product or services?

That's why marketing is such a valuable tool for sole traders. However, it's essential that you get your marketing strategy right. Don't blow your whole budget on one channel: you need to make sure the marketing reaches a wide yet targeted audience.

Another point to keep in mind when marketing is that the innovative methods are always the best. Take the route less travelled and make your business stand out from the crowd.

We've put together a list of the top 18 ways to market your business on a shoestring.  Give them a go.

1. Write a press release

Send out a press release detailing your business proposition and what makes it unique. Target all relevant newspapers, websites, magazines and radio. Do this even if you think your product isn't the most exciting.  It could be a slow news day and you might be exactly what they're looking for.

2. Use Twitter

Set up a Twitter account for your business. You need to make people aware of you and your products or services.  If you have a shop or stall, tweet your whereabouts. Twitter's also a fantastic way to spread discounts and offers: tweet out every time you're offering a bargain. Tweet regularly enough and pretty soon you'll have an army of followers, or as they're known in the business world, potential customers.

3. Use Facebook

Set up a Facebook page for your business. Upload photos of your products and update your status to let customers know what you're up to.  It's another way of letting people know you exist and makes you look professional.

4. Set up a website

For a business to be successful today it's essential that you have a website. The first thing a customer will do when trying to find out about your business is Google it. An attractive website can make your business look ultra professional and should be the home of your online presence. Your social media channels should link back to your website as much as they can. This will help drive traffic to your site and is another way of creating sales.

5. Start a blog

This is a fast way to keep your website relevant. It could also encourage people to spend longer on your website and will encourage repeat visitors. You should style yourself as an expert on your particular field or industry. It's the perfect way to enforce brand messages and engage with customers. If people read and like your posts, they'll respect your brand even more.

6. Email marketing

Email lets you communicate with thousands of customers or potential customers at the touch of a button. And, for smaller mailing lists, it's usually free. Get customers to fill in a form with their email address on it whenever they buy from you and have a 'Sign up for more information' field on your 'Contact us' page. This will help you build a list of email addresses to contactwhenever you have a new product or offer.

7. Convert your customers into promoters

Potential customers are a million times more likely to use your business if its been recommended by a friend. So why not turn your customers into brand ambassadors? Give them a discount on products if someone they recommended buys something from you. That way they'll be singing your praises and getting you more customers in the process.

8. Turn your customers into fans

You only have to look at the outpouring of respect for Steve Jobs in the past few days to understand the power of brand loyalty and the impact of a visionary leader. You need to make your service and product - even yourself- so positive that customers can't wait to tell their mates about it.

9. Offer a discount card

It's a great way to reward customers for their loyalty and persuade them to keep using your business. For example, 'buy 9 t-shirts, get the tenth one free'. In order to get the free one, the customer may buy more than he originally intended.  This tactic is a favourite of major companies such as Starbucks and McDonalds.

10. Get happy customers to tell you

Encourage customers to write a short email or letter about the positive experience they had when using your business. Put these testimonials on your website and maybe frame some exceptional ones in your shop/office. People will be more willing to use you if they see that other customers have had a positive experience.

11. Run a competition

Give something away and get people talking about your business. You could run a competition from your shop and advertise it online. This could get more people visiting your shop: more people will see your awesome products and ultimately buy from you.

12. Offer to write for a trade magazine or website

A sole traders is the CEO, CTO, FD and CMO of their business. That makes them experts in every aspect of running their venture and their industry.  So offer to write a blog on your business for a trade publication. It's another way of getting your business known and makes you look even more reputable.

13. Try and win an award

Entering for an industry award can be easy. For some, all you need to do is write an application. If you're successful, local press may be interested in speaking to you and it's another accolade to put on your website or business card. It also gives customers confidence in your business.

14. Form a partnership

For sole traders, a business partnership can be a godsend. Pairing with another business means that you will have access to their network of customers. You can also pool contacts and share advice. Want an example? A freelance marketing expert could team up with a sole trader in the printing industry. This way, the marketing expert can give advice and help with some social media advertising for the printing firm, while the printers can provide the marketer with branded stationary for his or her client.

15. Help out a local charity

Help organise a fundraising event or give 5% of your earnings from a particular product or campaign to charity. It will win your business brownie points in the local community and may even get some coverage in the press. TOMS footwear has made corporate social responsibility synonymous with its brand. Its USP is: " With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need."

16. Ask experts to write on your website

Just like you, thousands of other businesses and people are looking to market themselves. If they're relevant, why not allow them to write a comment piece and post it on your website? Regular updates help your website to climb the Google rankings and guest posts are great link bait: your blogger will tell everyone they know to read it!

17. Get on YouTube

Have a YouTube page where you can put videos of your business. If you're a carpenter, film yourself building your latest project. If done well, it can show customers that you really care about what you're creating. It also gives customers an opportunity to see how much effort goes into building that chest of drawers. The same can be done for people selling burgers or even cleaning offices.

18. Make a memorable business card

Business cards are cheap to make and a great way of ensuring people remember your business. When you meet potential customers at an event, give them your business card. If it's fun and memorable they may show it to friends. Effectively they're marketing your business for you.

Would You Hire Yourself ?

Would you hire yourself for your home-based business, or biz opp?

Weird question, huh?

I have an exercise for you to do. I want you to go in the bathroom and look in the mirror. Take a good hard look at yourself. Study your facial features, look in those eyes, now would you hire the man in the mirror for your business?

Reason why I ask that important question is because if you don't love what you see in the mirror, you will never be successful in anything you do in life.

You have to be in love with the person in the mirror, you have to be your number one cheerleader in life. You have to have an heir of confidence if you ever expect for people to follow you.

People fail in their home businesses partly because they don't believe they can do it. They don't have the confidence level to see the business through.

Here is another question, are you giving your business all you give your 9-5 job?

If you gave your boss on the job the same performance level you give you biz opp would you get a promotion or would you be fired.

Finally, the toughest one of all, honestly now should you fire yourself for poor job performance and lack of enthusiasm when it comes to your home-based business, or biz opp?  

These are questions you need to be asking yourself on a daily basis.  Are you cut out for a home-based business or are you just monkeying around with it like a hobby?

98% people fail when it comes to home-based business because they never treated it like a real 9-5 job. Then when people fail they want to blame everyone, and everything. Look in the mirror again I ask would you hire yourself ?Then either fix you or quit the business. It's better than operating under some grand illusion. If you want to truly be successful in you venture start manning up and treat it like a real business for you see what you have is truly a real business opportunity that can have life changing implications if you will but let it !

Have the Best Day of Your Life !

Opportunites From Home Fan Page !!

www.facebook.com/opportunitesfromhome/

Click ON THE LINK ABOVE

Good news we just launched our Facebook Fan Page today !!

The link to the fan page is posted at the top of this page. 

We are asking the readers of this work at home blog to go over and click the like button and support our new page.

We need at least 30+ likes in order to get our insights and see where everyone is viewing from this is important information for the success of our fan page.

We will be posting insightful information, tips,tricks, and business opportunities you might want to get involved with all in the comfort of you home.

We are here to help people that are still thinking about a home-based business opportunity. We are also here to help those who are struggling and need help to be successful in whatever opportunity they are pursuing.

Here is the address one more time

www.facebook.com/opportunitesfromhome/

Have the Best Day of Your Life !!! 

I Quit !!

Ouch! I Quit, is that your statement when it comes to running your own business? Are you a quitter when it comes to you financial future? Are you a quitter when it comes to all your hopes, dreams, and goals?

I sincerely hope that is not the case. It is the case with 98% of the people that participate in any kind of biz opp or home business program.

Quitters, when the going gets tough, they quit, Ouch ! that one stung I felt that one. It's painful isn't it to be called a quitter?

Why do people drop out of their programs, why do people join a program and never hit the ground running?

There are lots of excuses people will give as to why they don't do anything with their biz opp. Things like I lost my enthusiasm, I don't have time, My kids and life are so busy right now, I am so tired when I get home from work.

Excuses, that is exactly what they are, for people that are quitters. Let me say here, they are probably very nice people deep down inside, that has nothing to do with the subject at hand.

Running your own brick and mortar, or home business is time consuming, it is hard work. There will be some blood, sweat, and tears along the way.

This is the case with anything that is truly worth having, or doing. People don't realize the vehicle they have been given. They don't even take it out on the road and give it a real hard run.

Believe me, I would not fault anyone that really gets in their biz opp vehicle and gives it a real run for the money and then decides its not for them.

The problem is, to use the car analogy. People purchase the vehicle drive it home park it in the garage. They might go out and look at it from time to time. Kick the tires so to speak. They might even get in and drive it around the block and then they head back for the garage. 

Eventually they get tired of the their vehicle and don't even go out to the garage anymore soon they forget all about that car being in the garage.

This is the way it is when people join a biz opp or home based business. If they were honest with themselves they would have to admit they did not take that biz opp vehicle out on the freeway and run it at mach speed. How do you know what you or your home based business   are capable of if you won't get in there and race that baby up the highway.

People are so good about talking about wanting a better life, financial freedom, or maybe time freedom. When the rubber meets the road they end up quitting, taking their ball and bat and going home, mad !

Is this you? have I described you? Did you quit your home based business without really giving it a real chance to work.

Are you someone that is struggling and having a hard time? Are you thinking about quitting your biz opp?

Please don't do it, it will be the biggest mistake you ever make. Deep down inside you will always wonder what could have been.

I am going to go out on a limb hear because I have a burden for people and their success in any home based business they might be enrolled in at the moment.  My partner in the business I chose is at the top of her "A" game. She is a real winner with a proven track record she also has a heart for hurting, struggling people. I am going to give out my personal phone number and personal email address. We are willing to counsel, work with, or instruct anyone that is serious about their biz opp or home based business.

If you are a newbie and don't have a great on fire upline, or maybe you don't have a great downline. Maybe you have been working your business for sometime and you are tired and need a friend to give you a push in the right direction. Pick up the phone or email me and we will motivate, counsel, or simply give you a nudge in the right direction.

Just DON'T Quit !!

I feel we can really help the people that need it the most.

Have the Best Day of Your Life !!

770 485-2278 - Ask for Jeff Blais call after 3:00PM east coast time or email your questions to blais245@gmail.com

www.Hypersmash.com BlogPingSite.com Pingates

Perseverance, Persistence and Positive Thoughts Quotes !!!

Do you think life and the issues in life are impossible to overcome? Well, check out these quotes and proverbs on persistence and perseverance by some of the most successful and great minds of human history.

Don’t be discouraged. It’s often the last key in the bunch that opens the lock. ~Anonymous

Saints are sinners who kept on going. ~Robert Louis Stevenson

Don’t give in to discouragement. If you are discouraged it is a sign of pride because it shows you trust in your own powers. Never bother about people’s opinions. Be obedient to truth. For with humble obedience, you will never be disturbed. ~Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again. ~Proverbs 24:16

My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure. ~Abraham Lincoln

Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm. ~Winston Churchill

Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up. ~Thomas Edison

The race is not always to the swift, but to those who keep on running. ~Author unknown, in reference to Ecclesiastes 9:11, “I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.”

Smooth seas do not make skillful sailors. ~African proverb

Great works are performed not by strength, but by perseverance. ~Samuel Johnson

It always seems impossible until it’s done. ~Nelson Mandela

Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success. ~Napoleon Hill

It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer. ~Albert Einstein

Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain. ~Anonymous

Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another. ~Walter Elliott

Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Fall seven times, stand up eight. ~Japanese Proverb

The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking places. ~Anonymous

Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly. ~Robert F. Kennedy

Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines. ~Robert Schuller

He conquers who endures. ~Persius

Don’t be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves. ~Dale Carnegie

Never think that God’s delays are God’s denials.  Hold on; hold fast; hold out. Patience is genius. ~Georges-Louis Leclerc

I am a slow walker, but I never walk backwards. ~Abraham Lincoln

There is no telling how many miles you will have to run while chasing a dream. ~Anonymous

I may not be there yet, but I’m closer than I was yesterday. ~Anonymous

Read more: http://www.gadel.info/2011/05/perseverance-persistence-and-positive.html#ixzz2dZVEvv1Z

You've Got to Get Your Head Screwed On Right !!!

Okay, I am just going to be brutally honest with this blog entry. I hope all you want- a be- home business owners and network marketers can take a dose of reality !!

How much success have you had over the years with whatever biz opp you have been dealing with?

A little, a lot, or are you constantly struggling with your opportunity?

Here comes the brutal part, brace yourself. Is it you, are you the problem in your business? How is your thinking?

I am talking to people right now that have no business being in any kind of opportunity at all. You are not mentally ready to start, own, or even operate a business of your own.

You are just mentally not there, you have baggage from your childhood, baggage from bad marriage relationships, or maybe just a bad atmosphere in your home.

You are probably thinking who is this guy and how can he talk like that to me?

I am a guy that has struggle for the better half of 30+ years with stinkin thinkin, poor self-esteem, and a very bad attitude. A year a go when I joined my first opportunity I was not ready mentally for the task at hand. I failed plain and simple.

Whatever biz opp you get with you must present posture. If you are not right in your head it is virtually impossible to present posture. The lack of posture comes across in your facial features, body language, and speech patterns you use.

I will be brutally honest with you, you are not successful in you opportunity because you don't believe in yourself and probably deep down inside you truly don't think your biz opp will work.

I went on this past year to get my head screwed on right. I started walking thirty miles a week. I have lost 15 to 20 pounds. I am eating healthy, I got off the caffeine products. I am in bed by 9 and up by 5 everyday. I threw out the television and now I am only reading, and listening to positive things in my life.

These are the superficial aspects I have done to get my head straight. The flip side of the coin, the most important part of the equation is the spiritual side. 

I have had to go to God and I have had to ask for help to forgive all the people that have wronged me and have caused damage to me over the years.

Starting with parents, teachers, classmates, fellow employees and the list goes on and on...

You can not come into a brick & mortar, home business, or network marketing opportunity with all this baggage it will thoroughly mess you up.

I want to be the one today to say to you throw the baggage away. For once and for all get rid of it and really live. Experience the best that life has to offer.

You maybe saying but you don't know what I have been through in my life. This is true I don't but I know a great big God that would love for you to turn it all over to him so he can fix it and give you the life you have always wanted.

I will leave you with this thought. A group of reports came to the Dali Lama to interview him. One reporter asked the Dali Lama do you hate the people that massacred you whole family?

The Dali Lama looked at the reporter and said no I don't hate the people that wiped out my family. He went on to say they took everything precious and dear to me in life. Do you think I will let them rent space in my head for free too?

How many years have you been letting those people in your life rent space in your head for free?

Either get your head straight today or do yourself a favor and hang up your home-based business until you can. Either way you will be glad you got the monkey off your back.

Have the Best Day of Your Life !!

Why Do Most People Fail in Network Marketing?

By Craig Watkins

Failure.  It’s a part of life. In fact, if we took a look at most things people have failed to accomplish the list would be rather large.

People say they want to play professional sports, but only a few ever make it to the top. Some want to be a great golfer.  Many try, but only a few make it to the top. Some want to be a great musician, but only a few make it. Most of the people that open a stock trading account, do not make any money. Most people that start a home based business will not make the money they desire. In fact, I talk to people all the time, who have not found the success in a home based business that they dreamed about.

So what are the main factor or factors that keeping good people away from the lifestyle they desire?

We’ll discuss that in a moment,  but first…

Before we get into the “why’s of failure”, let’s clear up some misleading statements.

Most people do not “fail in network marketing.”

and…

They do not “fail in a home based business.”

They quit!

All to often, someone gets into the industry and does not make the money of their dreams in a short amount of time. So they throw their kit in the garage and stop working their business.  In fact, we’ve seen people complain after one week of starting a business.

Some times they buy into the “next best thing” and quit one company to join another one – falsely assuming that there must be something wrong with their first opportunity since they didn’t make the money they desired on “their time line.”

The network marketing industry is not a get rich quick industry like some people imply. It takes time to build a strong team.  It takes time to build leaders within that team. How strong can the team be when the leader keeps jumping from opportunity to opportunity?

Over twenty-five years ago I enrolled in my first network marketing company.  Thankfully they taught the 2-5 year plan. Many people today want the success in a few months, and worse yet is they want to ride on the shirt-tails of others to the top.

Okay, back on the subject…

Why do people fail at network marketing?
What do successful network marketers do differently vs. unsuccessful marketers?

We’ll answer that question by taking a closer look at why people succeed….

• Their interest and desire to be successful is greater than their interest and desire to quit.
• They made a conscious decision to to it, to learn what they need to succeed, and they followed  it up with action.
• They learned that one must learn the necessary skills of the industry and they set-out to develop those skills.
• They learned that a few simple tasks performed for a consistent and persistent length of time will produce the results they desired, and did those tasks over and over again.
• They knew that when building a home based business or network marketing business your performance is determined by the training you receive and the knowledge gained. (Your Performance = Your Knowledge + Your Training.) In other words, what you do in your business (Performance) is in direct relation to the training and knowledge that you have and that you are getting.

So here it is…

Your word of warning!

Do not fall victim to the latest and greatest opportunity, program or the next big launch. Sure, a few of these programs and launches are good. but they will generally be more of a distraction then a benefit.

• Decide on the company you are proud to represent with great product or products.
• Make the commitment to build a large organization with that company.
• Focus your effort.
• Define your purpose.
• Be specific and vividly know what you desire and will have.
• Take the action steps necessary to accomplish your purpose.

Bottom line, network marketing success is not an elevator. Rather, it is more like a ladder.  An elevator may get you to the top quickly but you can also come down as fast as well. While climbing the success ladder, you will learn the necessary skills and knowledge to go to the next rung or step. This knowledge and skill set will become part of you and strengthen your desire to help others climb their own ladder.   And when you do, you’ll provide a “hand up” not a “hand out” to those in your business.

The result?

• Strong Leaders
• A Strong Team
• And a Strong Business

Follow the steps, you will get to the top.

To your success,

The Road to Motivation Blog

Click Here to Go to the Road to Motivation Blog

The Road to Motivation would like to extend an open invitation to all readers of this work at home blog to also become readers of theroadtomotivation.blogspot.com.

You can not effectively work any kind of business be it brick and mortar,network marketing, or any other work at home business without proper motivation.

We encourage you hear at the road to motivation to stop by daily or weekly for that dose of motivation and inspiration.

Life can be very tough on people that is why we need to fill our minds and hearts with good nurturing things. What we put into our minds comes out our hearts and mouths.

We look forward to having you join our readership community and have an awesome day.

www.HyperSmash.com www.BlogPingSite.com Pingates

Social Media and Socioeconomics

Social media has changed much about the way the world works recently, and its impacts have been felt across the spectrum of disciplines. From the perspective of socioeconomics (the study of how economic activity affects the form and function of societies, and vice versa), the proliferation of social media is a new phenomenon. Still, there are already some trends that have become clear through recent research, and many theories are emerging about how social media is shaping the socioeconomic landscape.

The “Digital Divide”
Even before social media showed up as a major force, it was already clear that the social, economic, and political life of the world was increasingly moving online. It was also evident that those who did not move with it would miss out on opportunities ranging from employment to education to civic participation. Unsurprisingly, those most at risk of being left behind were people of lower SES (socioeconomic status).

Recent studies suggest SES is itself a factor in how people use social media. University of Virginia researchers found that people of lower SES had “narrow-but-deep” networks-fewer people but larger amounts of interaction with them. More affluent Americans, by contrast, have “broad-but-shallow” networks, where the inverse is true.

Reason for Optimism
However, social media usage may be emerging as a positive force in leveling the socioeconomic playing field. For instance, social media skills are becoming prerequisites to employment in a variety of sectors, and finding these jobs to begin with requires familiarity with the online and social media universe. Young people, who have been disproportionately affected by the global recession but are “digital natives” are line for these positions, and racial minorities are even more likely to have social media proficiency than Caucasians.

Social media also has implications for entrepreneurship; with a low barrier to entry, startups and e-commerce sites have opened up broader avenues of economic participation for traditionally disenfranchised groups. Consumers, too, are benefitting, as they have faster and better access to product information, special deals, and so forth.

Promise of Social Media
Dramatic examples already exist of how powerful social media can be as a socioeconomic driver, including the Tahrir Square protest in Cairo where throngs of (mainly younger) Egyptians gathered to speak out against the lack of economic opportunity in the country. They organized via social media since it would have been impossible to go through state-controlled media outlets. The effects were so dramatic that some dubbed the subsequent downfall of the Mubarak regime the “Twitter Revolution.”

Others, from Occupy protestors to Tea Partiers, have taken advantage of social media’s organizing power, and so too have politicians such as Barack Obama. Social media was a main force behind his staggering fundraising totals from small-dollar donors.

Local governments and chambers of commerce have also understood these trends, and recently a large emphasis has been placed on attracting potential employers through social media efforts.

Possible Perils
However, there are those who warn of “slacktivism”-that social media will in fact diminish real world mass mobilizations in favor of comparatively easy social media participation. Proponents of this view argue that the “weak ties” of online interaction will translate to less impacting social and economic justice actions over time.

The Jury is Still Out
It may be years until we know just how social media has truly impacted the socioeconomic sphere, but it is already certain that its impact is real, constantly evolving, and here to stay.