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Am I Nuts Or Is “Oops!” A New Marketing Strategy?

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Either there’s a whole lot of really brilliant online marketers who are exhausted, overworked, careless, or suffering miserably from absentmindedness …

OR …

“Oops!” is a new marketing strategy and no one invited me to a webinar to learn about it!  Didn’t get an invitation to an Oops teleseminar, haven’t seen anyone Tweeting about it, and I haven’t seen one mention in any of the ezines I read.

Do you think some exclusive and secretive Oops group is purposely leaving me out of the loop?  I’ve got my suspicions and I’m beginning to wonder because …

Rarely does a day go by that I don’t find one of the following in an email subject line:

  • Oops! I sent the wrong link
  • Oops! You missed the deadline
  • Oops! I forgot to mention
  • Oops! I’m sorry you couldn’t attend
  • Oops! I should have sent this yesterday
  • Oops! Looks like you missed this
  • Oops! The call has been rescheduled
  • Oops! The early bird discount expired
  • Oops! Here’s the corrected link
  • Oops! I didn’t mean to do that

Is it just me?  Or are you getting “Oops!’d”, too?

All kidding aside, I know that sometimes we just get in a hurry and make a mistake.

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Filed Under: Email Marketing Campaign, Ezines, Online Marketing, Online newsletters, Online Promotions Tagged With: , , , ,

What Juicy Items Are In Your Gutter?

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No, not the rain gutter on your house or the gutter at your local bowling alley!

I’m talking about the gutter/s on your website or blog – the left and/or right hand columns that flank your content.

What items with juicy benefits are you positioning in this prime time piece of real estate? Or are you ignoring this space or maybe just throwing any old stuff in your gutter you happen to have the html code for?

I constantly hear online marketers comment that buttons, badges, and banners in the gutter are insignificant and ineffective.  I don’t go along with that train of thought.  Whenever I land on a site, my eyes will definitely scan down the gutters and see if anything pops out at me.

I’ve met the neatest people, found the coolest resources, and grabbed a number of dynamite freebies by taking a few minutes to see what’s in someone’s gutter.

Take a few minutes today and take inventory of your gutter.  Maybe it’s time to do a little gutter clean up!

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Filed Under: Affiliate Marketing, Blogging, Build an online empire, Building relationships online, Business Plan, Infopreneurs, Online Marketing, Organize Your Online Business Tagged With: , , , ,

Examining A Love-Hate Relationship With Advertising And Marketing

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Let me just spill the beans right out of the gate.  You know, forego the mystery and cut to the chase.  I LOVE marketing and I HATE advertising. Now that you’ve heard my confession, I could bring this post to an abrupt halt.

But what fun would that be?!

Since I was brave enough to share one of my deep dark secrets, allow me to tell you WHY I feel this way. And maybe I’m not so far off the mark.  Maybe you feel the same way, too.

How many ads, offers, and bright shiny objects sail past your eyes every day?  Too many, right?  The next time you’re weeding through your emails and coming across ad after ad, offer after offer, take note of your emotions.  Are you feeling anything wonderful?

Do advertisements bring a smile to your face?  Add significant value to your life?  Enrich you in any way?  Nope.

As I see it, advertising is a whole lot of pitching, pouncing, prodding, and pushing messages down consumer’s throats. I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure I could survive without advertisements.  I’d certainly like to experience one whole day without finding a ton of ads in my inbox!  Wouldn’t you?

What I absolutely love about marketing, on the other hand, is how it’s designed to encourage “engagement” and “interaction” with your fellow human beings.  Marketing is your friend.  It’s centered around nurturing relationships with people. Now THAT puts a smile on my face!

Thanks for letting me vent.  It was very therapeutic. :-)

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

Coming Soon To An Opt In Box Near You

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How do you get your prospects, clients, or customers excited and anxious to learn about your newest offer?  That’s easy. Don’t show it to them!

Say what?  That’s right.  Don’t show it to them.  Instead, create some “anticipation” by relying on basic human psychology.  People’s processes (how they go about taking action) are psychologically channeled by the ways in which they anticipate events.

Anticipation is an emotion that involves pleasure and enthusiasm. Remember anticipating a trip to the amusement park when you were young?  Or waiting anxiously for your upcoming birthday party?

You can put this knowledge into action in your business by getting your prospects and others looking forward, with enthusiasm, to what you’ve got cookin’.

There are so few surprises as adults.  Good ones,that is!  So we grown-ups really enjoy and embrace the element of surprise when we feel that something exciting is waiting for us just around the corner.  The waiting, the wondering, the gradual pull toward it (product, program, event) creates a pleasurable experience in our brains.

As the saying goes, “Don’t give away the store!”.  That’s no fun.  Over a designated period of time, give everyone hints, clues, and sneak peeks of what you have up your sleeve. Keep them thinking.  Keep them curious.  Keep them on the edge of their seats.

When you finally guide people to the end of their journey of anticipation, they’ll be more than ready to check out your latest offer!

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Filed Under: Build an online empire, Building relationships online, Online Marketing, Online Promotions Tagged With: , ,

10 Ways To Get The Most Out Of Twitter As A Marketing Tool

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Social media marketing is absolutely necessary if you’re trying to build your business online.  You can’t ignore the fact, sweep it under the rug, or crawl into a hole of denial. Just take a look at television ads these days.  Social media sites are here to stay.

The last I heard, Twitter is growing in popularity by 40% a month!  If you haven’t figured out how to utilize Twitter as a marketing tool, let me help you get on board in the most effective ways possible.

Keep these guidelines handy for using Twitter as a marketing tool:

1.)  Provide Value

2.)  Create anticipation

3.)  Drive conversation

4.)  Showcase your biz

5.)  Announce something important

6.)  Build community

7.)  Be helpful

8.)  Brag a bit! You deserve it

9.)  Show a little personality

10.) Experiment with giveaways, discounts, and contests

As a general rule, less than 10% of your Tweets should involve any kind of selling or promoting.  So what should you be Tweeting about?

Re-Tweet information from your followers that you find useful, funny, or relevant. Share Twitpics – the most opened links on Twitter!  Communitcate newsworthy items and events and be sure to ask your followers to Re-Tweet the messages for you. Speak in your authentic voice and show why your biz and you are cool.  Send out welcome Tweets to new followers (no selling) and become the go-to person in your niche by providing helpful tips and resources and answering questions from your target market.  Promote what you want to promote, but make building relationships your highest priority.

Not quite sure how to “brag” the right way on Twitter? The biggest challenge is getting over the “fear” of bragging. After all, you don’t want to sound like a used car salesman. My friend and colleague, Cathy Goodwin, can help.  Just get her mp3 recording and 25-page workbook by going to:
BRAGGING 101 (This is my affiliate link and I give it my highest recommendation) Teeny-Tiny investment and Big results.

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

What Can Babies Teach You About Promoting Yourself And Marketing Your Services?

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Babies are soft and sweet and gentle. But sometimes they can be really loud! Those are the moments they will instantly and effectively grab your attention, awaken you from a sound sleep, call you away from the dinner table, or even cut your shower super short.

What can you learn from babies that will help you market your business online?

Babies are great at taking center stage, tooting their own horns, and getting someone to take action. And that’s exactly what you need to do as an online marketer in order to reach your business goals. Pardon the pun, but you can’t take “baby steps” and be shy about it. Many service professionals I’ve met would rather do a root canal on a Rottweiler than promote themselves. They’re afraid of coming across as sales-y and no one likes a pain-in-the-patootie sales person.

I’m not suggesting you annoy your target market by pitching, pouncing, prodding, and pestering (loud and obnoxious never wins any awards). Instead, learn how to become an expert at Bragging — the right way. Your clients and potential clients want to work with a winner, someone who is skilled at alleviating their pain and solving their problems. They want you to brag and they want to brag about you.

Ask yourself these questions as you put together your marketing messages: “Why would someone want to hire YOU? What are your strongest selling points that set you apart and make you stand out? If someone were to brag about you, what would they say?”

Friend and colleague, Cathy Goodwin of Copy Cat Copywriting, has an mp3 recording and 25-page workbook called Bragging101 for under twenty dollars that is a phenomenal tool that teaches you how to market confidently without sounding like a used car salesman. I use it in my own business and refer back to it often. If you have a fear of bragging, check it out.

If your current marketing strategy and self-promotion resembles that of a sleeping baby, it’s time to wake it up!

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Filed Under: Build an online empire, Online Marketing, Online Promotions Tagged With: , , ,
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