Each teleseminar or webinar that I host, I am always most excited by the comments and questions I get from participants. What I see consistently is a huge relief from you when I deliver just great content, no pitch, no hitch, and no catch. So take this lesson and learn to do the same for your audience. One of the surest ways to grow your own Tribe is to go and give to them. Feeding your audience regular value content with a sense of humor, heart, and personality will grow your traffic and your business. (And for a shortcut to hordes of targeted traffic, check out the free www.theultimatetrafficsummit.com, February 8-22)

Now, I do understand that we all need to make a living, and I can share that by being what Bob Burg calls a Go-Giver, you are going to find your fee based events filling faster because you have created a strong foundation of KNOW, LIKE, and TRUST with your tribe. So here are 5 simple ways to give value regularly.

#1 On the social networks (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIN), share value content always, tell stories with a positive learning message, ask questions that make people think and engage them in a discussion, be a go-to resource for your industry. Remember you don't have to know it all, you just have to be willing to direct to those that do. Being a gatekeeper is an incredibly valuable role to play.

#2 In an eBook or special report dish some real gold nuggets that will move folks forward. Don't be shy about this or think you have to save it for your fee based clients. Know that most won't move themselves forward without you. By providing consistently solid value, it generates greater trust and means these folks will be back to buy.

#3 On YouTube, create a series of short casual (think flip camera) videos that you can post with links (low tech, I promise) to provide nuggets of wisdom in your specialty. These are no more than 3 minutes each and can be true gate openers with those who don't know you and cement relationships with those that do.

#4 In your blog give away the actual steps to do something that you know your audience is hungry for (like what I'm doing here!) Yes, some will actually go do based on what they read, and just as many others will wait for your next morsel, eager to learn more before they advance and ultimately they'll likely invest when they realize that you give nothing but the best.

#5 On guest posts, support and nurture fellow bloggers in your niche and beyond with gracious guest comments. This builds a feeling of reciprocity and that means more comments coming to your blog and bringing new traffic with them.

This is about going farther together always. And when you are ready to shoot for the moon, register free for www.theultimatetrafficsummit.com. You'll get over 14 hours of expert traffic strategies, proven tactics, time saving tips, all designed to move your business rapidly forward whether you are online or offline.

Facebook always feels a bit challenging to me. Their rules are published nowhere you can find easily and most are pretty indecipherable. Often you won't know you've broken one, until you get slapped. Yet, it is the largest social network globally and you certainly don't want to ignore it. Now, if you are using it strictly for family and friends and catching up with old flames and older relatives, stop reading now. This isn't for you. On the other hand, when you want to move business forward, keeping your friends clean on Facebook does matter.

The biggest task you can tackle is to get all of your friends into appropriate lists. This will give you awesome leverage when you create an event and want to invite a selected group. Without this, you are stuck going friend to friend and when you have several hundred or a couple of thousand, this is a major time zapper and ineffective. So do your work upfront. Before you accept anyone as a friend, check them out, which list can you tag them to (that you've created). Yes, you can put a friend on more than one list, great flexibility. The key is to get them onto at least one list that is relevant and pertinent.

Oh and while you are at it, when you are doing this, it is likely you are having to go to many of the profiles as you may not know the person well. Take a minute and write something warm and friendly on their wall. This will boost your visibility and show them you truly care. (You do care, don't you?)

I'm giving you an out. This whole idea may overwhelm you. You can establish criteria for friends to be tagged on specific lists and hand the task off to a VA (Virtual Assistant). You can also script (you'd be surprised how many do this and no one knows it) a series of messages that your VA can post on friends walls. While I encourage you to do this personally, I am well aware that you may be already stretched thin but do care and want your peeps to know that.

And one more thing, when you go through your friends, you are likely to find that you may have been a bit careless (unless you are perfect, and you might be!) and accepted some folks that you are no longer certain you want to be friends with for a number of reasons. It is okay to unfriend them, they won't be notified. You have a 5000 friend limit and if that matters then this is what you'll need to do. You can also invite peeps to be a fan on your fan page (you do have a fan page don't you?) There is no limit to the number of fans.

Social networking can be fun; it can also be a lot of work and time. I share time saving tips to drive your business forward. Next week is LinkedIN, and it will be on my blog!

Now while I do want you to keep your comments and language online clean, that isn't what I mean here! I'm talking about keeping your followers, friends and connects on the various online networks clear of spammers, pornsters, and dead weight. So here are some quick tips in Twitter this week to keep it clean. In the coming weeks I'll address simple techniques to do the same for LinkedIN and Facebook.

Twitter is the easiest with the following sampling of tools:

www.refollow.com go check this out and follow the directions at the top to simply and quickly purge your list of followers from dead weight, Tweeps no longer Tweeting, Tweeps without a face (always suspect), Tweeps not following you (how dare they not follow you back, it's polite protocol on Twitter!), and others. The choice is yours, the process happens in minutes.

www.twitchuck.com this is also self explanatory and I opted for the proversion for less than $1 a month (yes, you did read that right, under $12/year). This keeps tabs on your followers and regularly purges spammers and pornsters from your following. It saves a lot of time and aggravation with blocking.

www.twitterkarma.com you may need the back door for this (of course I know it!) This was a gift from a fellow Twitter giant back when I got started. It is only effective to under 10K followers but you can dump dead weight en masse (remember that 70% of those who climb on Twitter, fall off within 3 weeks, sad but true).

I prefer to keep my list of followers cleaned up because I am interested only in those who are going to be active, engaged, tuned in, and turned on. I certainly want to keep out the spammers and pornsters and blocking can be a full time job! Happy cleaning.

Do you have any tips for cleaning up your twitter followers list?

It's funny that usually you associate traffic with road rage, time lost, and general frustration and hassle, BUT online and offline it is targeted traffic that means the difference between a successful business and one that doesn't make it. So I'm going to share just 5 easy and quick ways you can generate and capture more leads to your business today:

Create an Opt-in Page:
This can sit as a portal to your website or be a stand alone page but it is vital as a destination for your traffic. You see just getting visitors to your website isn't very effective if you aren't capturing their contact for follow up. And very rarely does anyone buy at the first visit so you need to get their contact and their permission for follow up. Your opt-in, often known as a "squeeze" page (you are squeezing their information out of them) needs to have a valuable gift of some format for them. You can provide a digital download (no inventory cost) of an ebook, a special report, a tip sheet, a white paper, an article. It needs to be something that they will have a burning desire to know and that is truly valuable information.

Your Signature File:
This is powerful and so simple to do. Every email you send or reply to has the capacity for a signature file to be attached. In your signature file you want to include your business name, a tag line about what you do, and the link to your opt-in page. You can also include your social media links like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIN but the most important is to drive people reading your email to your opt-in.

Tweet it on Twitter:
Be sure to put a link to your opt-in page in your twitter profile. You can also share it creatively in your Tweets and with selected followers (no spamming and no mass pitching!) Remember you are providing a valuable gift to followers and potential followers and simply want the opportunity to follow up consistently and persistently.

Get More Fans on Facebook:
Add your opt-in to your Facebook Fan page (aka business profile page) this is often done in the left hand column toward the top for easy notice. It is one way of giving a gift to everyone who expresses an interest in becoming a fan and ensures that you capture their contact when they decide they want your digital download.

Wear It on the Back of Your Business Card:
Print your opt-in URL (domain name) clearly on the back of your business card. You can even include the words Free Gift and provide a Value, so it looks like Free Gift ($47 value) or something like that. Adding the value gives the person curious a reason to check it out. So much is free that we question it's value, state it loud and clear from $27 to $127 and beyond, you determine it.

These are just a few simple and effective ways to drive more targeted traffic to your business. Get the motherlode of winning strategies, proven techniques, and tested tools all for Free ($1197 value) at www.theultimatetrafficsummit.com. 15 Internet Traffic Generation Masters are going to share their favorite insider secrets to explode your business, register today!

Do you have traffic generation tips? Love to read about them in the comments.

I've noticed that a lot of you are struggling to juggle the surge in new business while still putting in place lasting marketing initiatives and strategy that will ensure your pipeline gets and stays full in 2010. The challenge occurs when you sacrifice your long term profit for short term gains by shelving business development, new equipment, a new hire, and continuing to tackle all of it yourself. So here are my Do's and Don'ts for business growth and success in 2010. I learned the hard way so you don't have to!

Do stay focused on profit activities every day.
Don't get stuck in the details.

Do delegate tasks that are repetitive and not profit centered.
Don't say you can't afford it, you will get far more done when someone else does the things you aren't good at and don't enjoy.

Do make time to further your business education.
Don't make the mistake of remaining stuck in old school ways, when new school is here to stay.

Do learn to leverage the power of social networking.
Don't just throw up a profile and expect results; it requires consistent and persistent interaction.

Do include live networking in your marketing mix.
Don't think you can retreat to life in your bunny slippers and fail to get out face to face.

Do invest in new technology and equipment (hardware and software) to grow you business.
Don't forget you'll have a learning curve, be prepared or you will tear your hair out.

Do create a plan, day by day, week by week, month by month and work it.
Don't give up when you hit a hurdle, go around it, through it, over it, under it or redirect.

Do make time for yourself, your family, and your friends.
Don't become a workaholic; it is an unhealthy addiction that can ruin your life.

Do take time for your health.
Don't ignore those 5-10 lbs (or more) you packed on last year.

Do embrace life, all of it.
Don't wait for tomorrow because the present is the gift in today.

Want to use this article? You can, just include the text here: Ready to take your business higher? Tired of all the hype and pitch? Pick up your free ebook, 7 Surefire Steps to Marketing that Makes YOU Money. And get on the fast track to business success!

<p align="left">I had an interesting response to my holiday ezine about no presents. My comment came from the heart, about making the season about more than buying gifts, and focusing on the people in our lives. In no way was it a commentary on the economy or a plea to stop buying retail and supporting retailers. But, as is always the case, one retailer saw it differently and I got blasted! I've given this a lot of thought and wanted to share <span style="background-color: #ffff00">the 5 reasons people buy from you</span> whether you have goods or services or both.</p>
<p align="left"><strong>#1 Superior Goods/Services<br />
</strong>In today's market this can be tough to do, competition is fierce. When your product or service can grab attention for being outstanding then you can grab business the same way. You may or may not have a well recognized brand. This is less about the label and more about the reputation of the company.</p>
<p align="left"><img alt="" src="http://www.melissagalt.com/2010news/winter/retail-article.jpg" align="right" vspace="4" width="160" height="239" hspace="12" /><strong>#2 Cheapest Pricing<br />
</strong>There is very little in the middle these days, it is either at the top or the bottom. You are either the perceived Walmart of your industry or the Tiffany of your tribe. Being the cheapest doesn't necessarily ensure you sales except with those who don't place a value on quality. There are those shoppers that price is their only hot button, in which case if you are the cheapest, they will belong to you.</p>
<p align="left"><strong>#3 Superior Value<br />
</strong>This means best quality and least cost, it doesn't mean cheapest. For me, this is where I generally buy. If you aren't concerned about brand names, or wearing a label, but you want the best product at the best price, then you are a value consumer.</p>
<p align="left"><strong>#4 Exclusive Cachet<br />
</strong>This is about the label and the brand that has been built around it. Goods like this are bought as much for their perceived quality as for the label they carry. Think Gucci, Armani, Nike, Henredon, Lilly Pulitzer, Polo, Ralph Lauren and others. The cachet is such that they are often imitated. Their name is prominent and evident always.</p>
<p align="left"><strong>#5 Best Relationship<br />
</strong>This is where you can truly shine regardless of whether you are big or small, luxury or dollar-wise. Forming a winning relationship with your customer and client is the surest way to a lifetime of demand and &quot;world (not just word) of mouth&quot; referrals. Take the time to get to know, like, and trust your consumer and give them the same chance with you. Great examples include <u><a href="http://www.garyvaynerchuk.com/">Gary Vanyerchuk</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.zappos.com/">Zappos,</a></u> and <u><a href="http://www.cdbaby.com/">CD Baby</a></u>. Whether you are a company of one or one hundred you can form relationships that last and prosper.</p>
<p><b>What do YOU do to be the BEST?  As always, your comments are appreciated!</b></p>

While these are past tense for 2009, they are present tense for the year ahead. Score yourself as follows: 1 point for No, 2 points for Sort of (see I know you), 4 points for Yes

Under 20 Points, You skipped a question or two!

20 - 40 points, You need a coach/mentor and a plan to make 2010 a lot better than 2009. You are likely suffering a serious lack of focus and prone to chasing bright shiny objects. STOP! You must get clear on your target, your talent and the transformation you offer. Proceed with caution, you can turn it around in 2010 but only by making an about face!

40-60 points, You are on track but struggling a bit. It is likely you need to delegate, reprioritize, and focus on revenue producing activities as well as eliminating a propensity for perfectionism that is standing in your way of success. You can turn it around in 2010.

60-80 points, You are on path and on purpose with passion. You don't get derailed by challenges but keep going and redirect when necessary. You would benefit from a mastermind and a coach if you don't already have them. You want to evaluate your team members and replace any weak links. 2010 is going to be your year!

This can be a crazy time of year for any kind of networking but the social networks particularly are blowing up with special offers, last minute sales, and super discounts. Amidst all the noise and clutter, when you really want to be heard, consider these easy ways.

#1 Share your holiday decorating photos! From trees to wreaths, tabletop to outdoor snowmen, we want to see what you are doing.

#2 Share your holiday traditions! We always love to know how other people celebrate their holidays. There is nothing more interesting than unique cultural customs at special times of the year.

#3 Share your recipes! This is easy to do in blog style with a link. I got a great one at Thanksgiving for Cranberry Ice, yum. Imagine being able to grow your holiday treat file by just a couple more this year.

#4 Share your resolutions! You are much more likely to stay on track when you have a whole tribe of us ready to support you and hold you to your resolutions.

#5 Share your holiday funny moments! My favorite was the year that I set the sweet potatoes afire and the fired department showed up, big red engine and all. Yikes, embarrassing but we laughed all the way through it.

#1 Take a success retreat day. During all the hustle and bustle, tying up of loose ends in business, and dreaming of the year of promises ahead, take a day or even just a long lunch out at your favorite place and bring along a notebook or pad of paper (not a laptop) and brainstorm ideas for the New Year. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how easy this is when you take yourself away from distractions and simply allow your mind to move forward. (I did this the other evening at dinner by myself at my favorite Atlanta Italian spot, Di Paolo Cucina, and came away with 6 full pages of notes, ideas, follow ups and more.)

#2 Explore your library of shelf help, invest in you. This is perhaps the most important step of all. I'm betting if you are anything like me that you have pdf documents stored unread in your computer system, programs perhaps not even unwrapped sitting on your shelf. You had the best of intentions but business got in the way. This is your time to pull them out, boot them up and invest in yourself and your success with new tools, techniques, strategies and more. Get a fresh perspective and some new ideas to take action on.

#3 Just say thank you. Craft 5 hand written thank you notes each day for 5 days at the holidays. It can be before, during or after, and regardless of what tradition you celebrate. Hand written notes are so rare these days and mean so much. My favorite holiday isn't the one with most presents but the one with the most cards and remembrances from friends, family, and clients.

#4 Enjoy an extra or new workout. Now this might sound unfun to you, but with all the eating that we do at this time of year, not to mention the sugary treats we bake up, extra holiday cheer we imbibe, and fat laden too-good-to-miss appetizers you'll feel much better when you keep your exercise routine on track. In fact, it is a great time to try out a new class or maybe explore a new Wii routine. Beat the pudge before it happens!

#5 Indulge yourself at the spa (this works for you guys too!) With all the running around, shopping, cooking, cleaning, and preparations that go into celebrating the holiday, be sure to add an afternoon in at your favorite day spa. And if you can't spare that, then take off at least an hour or so for a manicure and pedicure or a massage. You'll feel the difference.

Bonus Idea! Be sure that you take a minute to assess those subscriptions you have both online and offline. Keep the ones that you are truly benefiting from and deriving value from and dump the rest. When you don't have time to get to it, it goes. This will lighten up your inbox and your mailbox quickly and easily. (I have a backlog of three months of magazines on average, time to ditch many!) And remember you can save money and space by moving some of your offline subscriptions to online.

Recently I was speaking with the son of a friend of mine, Jim. He bartends for a living and mentioned that he was launching a blog to earn money. Since I follow @problogger and have been studying blog monetization for awhile, I asked a few questions. The answers I got back, amazed me. Jim is half my age and while interestingly he is a rare non-tech in his generation, he is acting as someone twice his age would about technology and how to do this. He has a friend doing this for free (and it sounded like it was the long and hard way.) There is no deadline; he hasn't studied how to make money from it beyond adwords (largely ineffective according to what I've read), and when I offered resources and solid advice he was largely uninterested. This struck me as a classic case of self sabotage.

The reality is that you can set up a blog literally in the space of an hour or two on Wordpress for free. Buying a template is a nominal $60-$160, if you want one (there are several available at no charge.) Jim kept talking about how much this would cost because it is being built on an old school platform. Okay, I digress, this isn't about setting up a blog, but it is about how to avoid and eliminate self sabotage to hasten the arrival of success. Let's dive in!

#1 Be open to new ways of doing things. Tried and true is never the only way to do anything and may not be the best way. With the rapid advent of technology, there are almost always better, faster, and easier ways to do things than there were even 6 months ago. Let go of your resistance to new, be willing to experiment.

#2 Accept help when offered. Too often you are going out there like the Lone Ranger determined to do it all yourself. I know I do. This isn't necessary. There are scores of people, some you know, and some you haven't yet met, that have the knowledge, experience, and generosity to teach you or tell you how to do what you want to do.

#3 Paid is faster than free. This is a tough lesson to learn but how often do you get a friend to do something only to find it either never gets done, they don't share your sense of urgency, they didn't see the finished project the same way you did. Save your friendships and get a professional. They exist at all levels of the market and all levels of expertise. You may not be able to invest in the top of the market but you can surely find a way to afford the best at your level. If you are going to use barter, use a formal and professional barter network.

#4 Set a deadline. Do you find that your projects tend to keep getting pushed back? Setting a hard and fast deadline can be a challenge by yourself. It is often easy to let ourselves slide into oblivion on getting things done. Don't. Establish a deadline and stick to it, break the project down into bite size pieces and keep track of your progress.

#5 Make the world your accountability partner. Now this can be a bit scary but the more people you share your goal with, the more you will be accountable to. Imagine having to tell everyone you didn't get your project done, you missed the deadline. UGH! Letting as many people know as you can is a sure cure. An easy way to do this is online, tell your networks what you are working on (no secrets given away but perhaps you are writing an ebook, knocking out an article, or launching a new program) and then tell them when they can expect to see it!

#6 Mentor Someone. Mentoring is one of the fastest and most effective ways to get ahead in any field. By having a mentor you have an advocate and an example all in one. Modeling success is a superior shortcut to achieving. Don't reinvent the wheel, instead see who else has gotten where you want to go and mentor them.

Now that you know six key ways to stop the train wreck of self sabotage, go forth and succeed! Your feedback and comments are always welcome.