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Two Ears and One Mouth – Do the Math

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Have you noticed how much talking everyone is doing on the internet?

Some people refer to it as noise.

  • People are Tweeting up a storm on Twitter.
  • Blog posts and articles are being published by the thousands.
  • Facebook status updates are rolling in like there’s no tomorrow.
  • Teleseminars and webinars abound.
  • Group discussions on LinkedIn are too numerous to count.
  • Internet tv and radio channels are sprouting up faster than weeds.
  • New freebie offers keep appearing as if magic.
  • Podcasts and videos are being produced at lightning speed.

To coin a phrase from my friend, Martha Giffen, “It’s all good!”

It’s not only good, but all the talking people are doing is essential to success as an online marketer.

BUT …

With all the “talking” going on …

Who’s doing the “listening”?

Do the math — Maybe there’s a reason we have TWO ears and ONE mouth.

Listening is a critical communication skill.  If you want people to listen to what you have to say and your intention is to build a lasting relationship with your target audience, you’ve got to stop some of the talking and learn to be a better listener.

Have you ever had a conversation with someone who won’t let you get a word in edgewise?  You can’t shoehorn in a word if you tried?

That person was doing zero listening.

So don’t just jump from one online activity to the next, to the next, to the next in an effort to gain the attention of your target market.

Instead, become a better listener by tuning in to the needs of your prospects, customers, and clients.

  • Listen to the questions they’re asking.
  • Listen to the problems they’re facing.
  • Listen for emotional triggers and clues to their frustrations.
  • Listen to the comments they post on your blog.
  • Listen to discussions they’re having on forums and in groups.

How well you listen has a major impact on your effectiveness as a small business owner, your ability to influence and persuade, and on the quality of your relationships with others.

So listen up!

  • Have you mastered the skill of listening?
  • How do you listen to your target audience?

 

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Filed Under: Blogging, Building relationships online, Customer Care, Entrepreneurs, Online Marketing, Small business owners Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Straight Talk On Why You Should Use Social Media To Market Your Business

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The new way of marketing with social media is not just a different set of rules; it’s a whole new game.  Marketing is being totally transformed and the internet is a game changer.

For the minimal cost of internet service, it’s possible to reach the entire world from your computer.

The days of old fashioned (traditional) advertising are numbered.  Have you noticed how many newspapers and magazines are either closing or moving online?

Even television commercials (yuck) are slowly becoming less and less effective.  Why?  Because more people are spending their valuable time online and much less time sitting in front of the television.

The game changer, the internet, has created lots of different venues for reaching prospective customers and clients.  Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Blogging, just to name four, are all effective platforms for engaging your target audience and making valuable and lasting connections that can lead to sales.

Social media venues are ideal places small business owners can go to interact with their target market and with other business builders.  The days of shouting out sales messages are over!  Entrepreneurs can now create their own communities based on their passion, products, or services.

Know what’s really cool? [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blogging, Building relationships online, Customer Care, Online Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Social Networking Tagged With: , , , , ,

Best Way To Communicate With Your Audience

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To tap into the needs of your target audience and ramp up your marketing results …

Communication is the key.

Of course, there are many ways to “talk” to your prospects, clients, and customers.

Are you aware of how your target audience prefers to communicate?

Figuring that out is the cherry on the ice cream sundae!

Your audience may prefer to communicate with you by:

  • Email
  • Phone Call
  • Text Messaging
  • Hard Copy Newsletter
  • Social Media
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Ezine
  • Direct Response Mail

A “best practice” for marketing your products or services is “Test Before Invest” – and that could mean an investment of either time or money or both. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Building relationships online, Customer Care, Email Marketing, Ezines, Online Marketing, Online newsletters, Podcasting, Social Media Marketing Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Dress Your Brand For Success

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I have to laugh when someone asks me, “What does an online marketer put on to dress for success?”

And my reply is, “Uh … Pajamas?  Jeans?  Gee, I don’t really know what other people wear while they’re sitting in front of their computers.  I usually wear whatever’s clean and comfortable.”

You obviously don’t need an extensive (or expensive) wardrobe when you work from home.

Of course, you’ll need to change out of your pajamas if you’re attending a networking meet-up or live event.  I’m pretty sure they won’t let you through the door in sleepwear – so I’ve heard.

You can feel free to be a casually-dressed online marketer, but how about your brand?

Are you dressing your brand for success?  Or is it in need of a makeover or maybe some enhancing? [Read more...]

Filed Under: Brand yourself online, Building relationships online, Customer Care, Email Marketing, Online Marketing, Write a book Tagged With: , , , , ,

Create Something Buzzworthy

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According to the Urban Dictionary, “Buzz” means …

Excitement, hype, cool gossip, joy, exhilaration, tantalizing!

Something that creates excitement, hype or a thrill.

Something that generates hype, cool gossip, talk, exciting rumors.

Anything that creates excitement or stimulus.

The feeling experienced by someone in a stimulated state.

Notice the repetition and emphasis on certain words?

Urban Dictionary has certainly made their point!

The very best buzz you can create in your business is through the positive experiences of a happy client or customer.  When people start passing the word around about you, you’ll know you’re doing something right.

Great customer service, exemplary follow up and follow through, attention to detail, and good interpersonal relationship-building skills will naturally create buzz for you and your business.

So are people talking about you?  What are they telling others about you?

Word-of-mouth is the best form of advertising and, hence, the best kind of buzz.

If people aren’t talking about you, start to think of ways you can get the ball rolling!

Filed Under: Advertising, Bragging, Building relationships online, Buzz, Customer Care Tagged With: , , , , ,

Is It Better To Give Than To Receive?

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It’s better to do both.

Today will begin and end like any other day, with one small exception.

I’ll crank up the morning by walking my dogs, Kona and Maxwell, and then get ready to head off to my first job of the day.  I’m blessed.  I have three jobs and not everybody can say that!

Oftentimes I think about the numbers of people who have been laid off or who have lost their jobs and I only wish I could give them one of mine.

Early on in the day, I give help to new breastfeeding moms at a small community hospital. What I receive in return is beyond measure.  The smiles and thank-you’s I get when I show first-time moms what to do and build their confidence are the greatest gifts in the world.

Lending office support, coordinating the online and offline marketing, and working with patients in an ophthalmology practice is the next order of the day.

Not a day goes by that my co-workers don’t show appreciation for my assistance.  They’re always telling me how happy they are that I came on board.  One of the technicians reminds me all the time that her day would not be “peachy” without me there.  She has a great sense of humor.

In the evenings, I have tons of fun teaching childbirth education classes.

Helping to alleviate the fears, worries, and apprehensions that expectant couples have about labor, birth, and postpartum adjustments isn’t really work – it’s a labor of love.

Teaching is one of my biggest passions in life.  What a gift to end the day with a job that allows me to follow my passion.

By now, you might be wondering what the one small exception is for today.

Today is my birthday.  I’ll be giving and receiving all day long. :-)

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Filed Under: Customer Care, Following Your Passion, Service Business Owners, Small business owners Tagged With: , , ,

Are Branding and Bragging Cousins? Or Twins?

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Prefer to listen to this post?

I’ll let you decide.

Your brand is NOT your logo, company name, or product.  Your brand is your Online Identity.

It’s your unique selling proposition and what distinguishes you from others in your profession.  Your brand is “You”.

Objectives in achieving a stand-out-from-the-crowd brand include:

  • Delivers your marketing message clearly and concisely
  • Establishes your credibility through testimonials, awards, and accomplishments
  • Emotionally connects to your target market to alleviate their fears, anger, or frustration
  • Motivates the buyer or client through the use of stories
  • Cements user loyalty through great follow up and customer service

There is nothing more relevant than authenticity and honesty. So, who are you and why should I trust you? THAT’S your brand and THAT’S what you need to brag about.

Here’s what your target audience is thinking:

  • If I can identify with you, I’ll listen attentively to your experiences.
  • If you’re like me and you know something interesting, I want to hear about it.
  • If you’ve mastered something and you tell me how you did it, I find this attractive.

If you cultivate your persona as your brand, you can positively and effectively market your expertise to your target audience.

So how do you cultivate your persona? BRAG about yourself.

Your prospects, clients, and customers WANT you to brag.  They need to be assured that they’re working with a confident, experienced, and reliable professional so they EXPECT you to brag.

So, what have you decided?  Are branding and bragging cousins or twins?

You should know …
There’s a right way and a wrong way to brag! Check out the Bragging 101 Home Study Course to increase your confidence and showcase your talents and skills to grow your business … without sounding like a used car salesperson!

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Filed Under: Bragging, Building relationships online, Customer Care, Online Marketing, Storytelling Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Are You Having As Much Fun As The Staff At Zappos?

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The corporate culture at Zappos has evolved over the years to create a WOW customer experience.  That experience is due, in large part, to the Henderson, Nevada staff who refer to themselves as Zapponians.

Zappos is a happy place to work!

See for yourself!  Check out this one-minute video of “Life At Zappos”.

Each team’s area is decorated differently from fantasy themes, to jungle themes, and other creative environments.  Almost every employee has their own cubicle, including CEO Tony Hsieh.  No big fancy office for the Chief.

They have a “nap room” and in the lunch room, there IS such a thing as a free lunch.

In the front office, there appears to be a mini book store – Personal Development books, maybe about forty different titles, line the shelves.  It’s not a Lending Library.  It’s a “Giving” Library. If someone sees a book they like, they’re welcome to take it – that includes employees and visitors!  CEO Tony has a new book coming out in June, 2010, called Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose.

By the way, my daughter, Morgan, is attending “doctor” school in Henderson, NV.  I’m going to give her a call and tell her to get her fanny over to Zappos and take the tour!  When you’re studying to become a physician, you don’t get to have a lot of fun.

As a small business owner and online marketer, are you creating and incorporating a fun factor into your business?

What are you doing or could you be doing to create a WOW experience for your customers and clients?

Let’s not let Zappos have all the fun! :-)

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Filed Under: Build an online empire, Building relationships online, Business Plan, Customer Care, Following Your Passion, Service Business Owners, Small business owners Tagged With: , , ,

Three Great Business Tips

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Many people say they want to get rich in Internet Marketing but very few actually do it. Of course there are many reasons why one person might succeed or fail. However, there are general principles you must follow if you want to be successful.

Here are three tips that can go a long way toward helping you achieve the Online Success you deserve.

1. Always Do What’s Best for Your Business

This tip encompasses all the other ideas. Obviously everything you do should be what’s best for your company. Yet many people too often forget about this. The forgetting usually happens when people let their own feelings get in the way.

For example, you may get mad at someone online (a customer or someone else) and decide to tell them off. Before you do something like this you need to ask yourself: Will this do my business any good? If it won’t then don’t do it. Do not hurt your business just to gain some temporary satisfaction.

2. Take Care of Your Customers

Repeat after me: “The Customer is always right. The customer is always right.”

Of course, the customer is hardly ever right. But when you begin to think about not treating your customer well, remember: “The customer is always right.”

If you treat a customer poorly you can bet that person will go and tell at least 10 other people. So not only would you have lost that one person as a future repeat customer but you’ve also lost 10 other potential customers.

3. Always Have a Plan

The last of the three great business tips is that you must always have a plan, otherwise you will fail. It’s as simple as that.

Trying to make it in any business without a plan would be like trying to go from New York City to Los Angeles without any maps or road signs.

Be sure to know what you need to do each day and know what you’re trying to accomplish long-term as well. That way you’ll always be able to keep yourself moving forward toward your goals.

If you want to make it in Internet Marketing then you must always do what’s best for your business, take care of your customers, and always have a plan. If you start by following these three great business tips then you will be well on your way to a successful Internet Marketing career.

If you’re serious about running your business online, then you need to get organized for success. With all you have to do, it’s critical that you maximize your time. That’s why I highly recommend Organize Your Online Business. These time-tested tools have helped me run my business online for the past 8 years – and they’ll help your business as well!

Dr. Jeanette Cates is an Internet strategist who works with new Online Business Owners to help them create Online Success. She provides a complimentary 20-minute workshop at Organize Your Online Business.

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Filed Under: Business Plan, Customer Care, Organize Your Online Business Tagged With: , , ,
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