Linda, What a fun forum! My answers: 1) LOVE IT! 2) No, and for all the reasons above, including yours. 3) My satisfaction seems to be compartmentalized. I'm extremely satisfied with my freedom, my personal growth and the pace at which I'm learning on many levels. So if we're talking about that, I'd say 90%. If we're talking about question 2, make it 10%. Now, I have to address the exchange you're having with Rudy, because it triggered a question for me. To the best of my knowledge, my 'mostly offline' business has never benefited from a card I gave to someone. However, very often I get a comment about the background I used. Now, my cards come from VistaPrint, which you may know of as a low-cost place to get business cards printed in good time. The background is one of their standard ones, a picture of a snow-coverd extinct volcano on a blue background. I chose it because the name of the company I was using it to represent is Ascend Technologies International, and I liked the play on the word-plus-picture. I designed the printing with a bulleted list that looks like base camps 'ascending' the mountain. Here's the question: when someone asks me, is this Mt. Ranier (or Fuji, or Everest, whatever they ask), I think I have an opportunity to open a conversation that could lead to an appointment and maybe a sale. Do you agree, and if so, would you share an idea for a short generic response that would foster that opportunity? By the way, I don't know which mountain it is...I've been told both Ranier and Fuji by people who were confident they were right! Cheri

Hi Cheri; Welcome back... hope you had a great vacation. What a fun forum! Music to my ears. Thank you. Here's the question: when someone asks me, is this Mt. Ranier (or Fuji, or Everest, whatever they ask), I think I have an opportunity to open a conversation that could lead to an appointment and maybe a sale. Do you agree, and if so, would you share an idea for a short generic response that would foster that opportunity? I agree completely. Before I answer your question, let me tell you a short story. In the days pre-Internet, a business card was primarily a way to leave your contact information with someone. Today, with the Internet, the best way to use a business card is as step one of a two step lead generation system. Let me give you a couple of examples. Once client was getting no response from her cards at all. She sells body products. So we redid her card. I created the card in rich glossy black with her logo at the top. Underneath, we printed "Special Member Savings Card" -- and under that the url www.her-domain.com/secretprices In the bottom right corner of the card, we put her phone number and email address. Does anyone need more than that, really? So, she'd hand these cards out to people and invite them to enjoy special member prices. Then we just used a randomizer to display one of many different "bundles" at that page. When she shipped out orders, she'd pop in a half dozen cards with a little note that said "Thank you for your order. Please feel welcome to give your friends a special prices pass. They look lovely tucked in a gift card or just as a surprise. Was it a con? Not at all. Anyone that didn't have the url could not enjoy the specials there. Over time, we developed an "e" version of the card that people could email to a friend because it went over that well. You can guess the rest. Another lady was the rep for a financial service program. She needed an edge against the many others selling the same thing. Her card had an image that was representative of the logo of the company she sold for (much like yours). We created a mini site for her that had a contact page, room for articles and a quiz. Her card said, simply... "Can you pass the money test?" -- and linked to the quiz page. Again, just her name, email and phone in the lower right corner. Cards can be a total waste, or a source of constant business.... depending on how creatively they are used. In your case - yes - absolutely the mountain can be a conversation opener. And... if you can come up with a line that brings people to your website, that takes it to the next level. Curiosity is the greatest human motivator. With a card that brings people to see what you've teased them with, you can leave your card on tables when you leave a restaurant, pin them on public bulletin boards, even drop them in your utility bill envelopes when you pay your bills, etc., etc - and they bring you interested people because of one clever sentence. It takes some doing to think of one that works... but when you find it, you've found gold. : ) Linda

Awesome ideas with the business cards. I would never have thought to use them in that manner. Reminds me of an idea that a woman in London Ontario used with Business cards. I forget her business, but I think it was in marketing. Her business card literally folded into a Box. The slogan on the outside said "Think Inside The Box". Naturally inside the box was her contact info.

Linda, I can't tell you how unbelievably valuable your answers are...I'm going to look at my budget and see if I can become a paying client. Just took a look at your fantastic website, and wow, do you ever practice what you preach! Thanks for the wonderful ideas about business cards. I'm going to give it some serious thought and do some testing. For my mountain, how about "Conquer your mountain of debt!"? Just off the top of my head, I'm sure some thought will bring up others. Now you've given me more work to do...my favorite thing! :-) Thanks a million, Cheri

Hi Linda, Sorry I've been MIA lately. There's been an overload on my plate lately, and to add to my present chaos, I've taken a part time job outside the home. Anyway... 1) Yes, I love what I do for a living. The part time job I accepted, was because I wanted to go back to work - for selfish reasons (and that's a completely different post). And my online businesses make me very happy. 2) My income is minimal at the present, and although I wouldn't mind increasing that income, I am happy with it. I love what I do and that's half the battle, isn't it? 3) 80%