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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: , , ,

Turn Your Own Mess Into Your Marketing Message

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Listen if you like!


Have you ever stopped to consider what you and your target audience have in common?

And I’m not talking about considerations like gender, race, age, income, education, home ownership, employment status, or location.

Let’s leave the demographics of your audience out of this conversation.

I’m talking about the roadblocks and the problems they face.  Chances are pretty good that you’ve experienced the exact same issues.

The reason I say this is because, once you’ve encountered a problem and found a way to resolve it, you can teach others to do the same.  You become the expert or the go-to person because you’ve gone through the learning curve, the ups and downs, and the ins and outs.

You’re all over this problem like white on rice!

The advice, direction, instruction, and resources that you’ll share with your target audience will most often come from firsthand experience.

I’ll use myself as an example.  I know what it’s like to be a single mom and try to start up a business online with very limited finances.  As the saying goes, I can pinch a penny till it squeaks!

I’ve been researching and testing out low-cost and no-cost marketing strategies and platforms for the past three years.  And I know, without question, that the single mom entrepreneurs I meet are going to want to get their hands on this kind of information.

This is a good example of what my target audience and I have in common.

What kinds of similarities are there between you and your target audience?

As soon as you figure out what they are, these will be the areas where you’ll be able to help them out the most – where you become most credible and hold the most value to them.

Concentrate your marketing efforts and showcase your expertise in those areas and you’ll be very successful.

What are your areas of expertise that are the biggest benefit to your customers and clients?

Filed Under: Building relationships online, Online Marketing, 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: , , ,

An Online Marketer’s Journey To Success Means Nothing But Problems

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You bet it does!  And that’s a really good thing.  Problems are a “good” thing?  Yes.  And the more problems, the better.

Now don’t run away just yet.  Stick with me and let me explain.  I promise you’ll be glad you have lots of problems.

I don’t blame you if you’re thinking you just bumped into the craziest person on the internet.  That’s okay.  I’ve been called worse things than that.

Stop for a moment and ask yourself this question …

Is it really a program, product, or service you’re offering your prospects, clients, or customers?  I hope not.

Maybe you’re selling a miracle wrinkle cream or fresh-baked bread or tax consultations for small business owners.  Or you might teach a cycling class or train dogs how to stay off the furniture. You may even be a tour guide or a home decorator or a childbirth educator.  That’s great!  But I’ve got a big secret to tell you.  You’re not really selling ANY of those things! You’re selling “solutions” to problems.

For example …

Someone who’s selling wrinkle cream isn’t really selling a skin care product.  They’re selling a “solution” for looking younger and more vibrant.  If someone owns a dog that won’t stay off the couch, they’re looking for a “solution”.

If you think in terms of what problems you can solve for the target market you serve, you’ve got the foundation for a very successful business. Instead of focusing on products and programs, focus on ways to alleviate people’s pain, worry, and frustration.

Keep looking for more problems!

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Filed Under: Build an online empire, Building relationships online, Business Plan, Following Your Passion, Online Marketing, Online Promotions, Service 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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