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3 Magic Marketing Tricks – No Magic Wand Required

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Marketing your business online is magical!

And it can be a lot of fun, too, as long as you don’t get yourself bogged down by having too many marketing irons in the fire at once.  Keep it super simple and use the tools and resources that resonate with your marketing style.

Many entrepreneurs, service professionals, and small business owners don’t see or understand the magical side of marketing.

That’s because the only trick they’ve mastered is the “disappearing act”!

How many of your fellow blogging buddies and social media friends have remarked, “No one knows my website exists”?  Or how about, “No one is reading or commenting on my blog posts”?

In other words, they feel as if they’re trying to communicate with an invisible audience.

All it takes to turn these scenarios around is a little marketing magic. So allow me to suit up in my top hat and cape and grab my magic wand.

It’s time to show you a couple of tricks! [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blogging, Internet Marketing Tools, Online Marketing, Small business owners Tagged With: , , ,

Let The Tomato Throwing Commence!

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You may not agree with what I’m about to say, and that’s okay.

Because when it comes to making money online, you have to do whatever floats your boat – whatever works for you.

Most every online marketing expert teaches this two-step process for having tremendous success with your business:

1.) Identify problems people are having.

2.) Offer (sell) them the solutions.

Sounds great and it’s not bad advice.

Millions of people turn to the internet every day searching for solutions to everything from acne to a zipper that’s stuck.  It’s just a fact of life.

Someone who’s suffering with back pain in the middle of the night doesn’t go to their local emergency room anymore – without checking the internet FIRST – hoping to find some information that will bring them relief.

Can you prosper from selling solutions to back pain and a myriad of other problems people are having?  Absolutely – if that’s what floats your boat.

I lean in that “other” direction. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blogging, Build an online empire, Following Your Passion, Making money on the internet, Online 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: , , , , ,

Tapping Into Your Inner Monkey

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“Monkey See-Monkey Do” is a phrase you probably became familiar with as a child.

My mom had her own endearing version that went something like this …

“If so-and-so is going to jump off a bridge, are you going to jump off, too?!”

And the obvious answer, of course, was “No”.

But in the arena of online marketing and small business ownership, “Monkey See-Monkey Do” can be a really good business building strategy.  The goal is Not to become a copy cat but to become aware of what other success minded marketers are doing and put your own fingerprint on those tools, tactics, and techniques.

Here’s how you can start tapping into your inner monkey:

1) Have you seen an opt-in form and offer that’s really attention-grabbing and triggers you to take action?  What are the elements that appeal to you the most?  Is it the shape or colors used that caught your eye?  Or maybe the graphic?  The call to action?  The location on the page?

Scrutinize your own opt-in box and freebie offer and incorporate those elements that you find most effective.

2) Have a favorite blog or two or three that you visit regularly?  What is it about those particular blogs that strike your fancy?  What are the blog owners/authors doing that keep you coming back for more?  Are they great storytellers?  Do they offer fabulous tips related to your niche?  Is it their sense of humor that attracts you?  Maybe the layout of their blogs?

Begin weaving those ”I’ve-got-you-hooked” components into your own blog.

3) Ever come across social media profiles that just knock your socks off? A short bio that causes you to click the person’s link immediately to discover more? What kinds of adjectives or action words have they used?  Do they note only their business expertise or are personal facts included, too?  What is it about their profile that intrigues you?

Read your own profile/bio with discerning eyes.  Then re-vamp it to be as compelling as your favorites.

There are lots of creative ways to tap into your inner monkey.  When you “See” something that’s working for someone else, start “Do”-ing it!

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Filed Under: Blogging, Improving writing skills, Online Marketing, Small business owners, Storytelling Tagged With: , , , ,

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them – Affiliate Marketing Part 4

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Affiliate marketing can be an excellent way to get started in business online or a powerful, profitable addition to a current business.

There are amazing and wonderful products to sell and wonderful product owners to partner with.

Being an affiliate marketer isn’t just about making money, it’s about promoting products that you believe in and are passionate about – this is key to becoming a successful affiliate.

But what if affiliate marketing doesn’t seem to be working for you?

Here are some of the common mistakes to avoid when you are starting out as an affiliate marketer:

1) There’s a disconnect with your visitors

No matter how interesting and informative the content of your site is, most of your visitors won’t stay and browse unless you have injected some of your personality into it.  Add some personal details, perhaps a photo or an about me page, and try to make the content sound as though you are actually talking to your visitors.  Write conversationally, as if you were speaking to your sister or your best friend.

2) All lookers and no buyers

This problem is generally caused by failure to really pre-sell the products you are promoting.  Anticipating the needs of your audience and convincing them that your affiliate product will address that need should increase your conversion rate.  A well designed site will have your customers prepared to buy the product before they even click on the link.

3) Not taking names

Don’t forget to ask your customers for their e-mail addresses, whether that is to receive a newsletter, e-book, audio, video, or a free report.  If you don’t, you are missing out on a great opportunity.  Very few people buy from a site on their first visit.  So capture their e-mail addresses in exchange for something of value so you can gain their trust and confidence and ensure you have future chances to sell to them.

4) Leaving out the human element

Human elements sell better than clever copy every time!  Don’t rely on advertising over testimonials.  Although banner ads in the sidebars on your webpage can lead to affiliate sales, they are not as effective as personal recommendations and endorsements.

Online customers are becoming immune to traditional advertising but the human element of a recommendation can still dramatically increase your sales.  Even though your customers are probably aware that you make a commission from recommending a product, they will reason that you would not endorse something you didn’t believe in because that would damage your reputation and credibility.

Do write a heartfelt enthusiastic endorsement.  It may take some practice, but it will be well worth the effort when the commissions begin to roll in.

5) Tell before you sell

Too much sales-y stuff and too little content turns people off.  Whether you are promoting affiliate products via a website or information products, your customers will want to learn something from you rather than reading a blatant sales pitch.

As a general rule, you should be aiming for 90% high quality informative content and 10% sales content on your site.

6) Repeating the same mistakes

Many affiliate marketers find they are only making a small profit from one product, so they decide to promote a large number of products in order to increase this income.  All you really achieve with this is repeating a formula that doesn’t work very effectively.

If you are not generating much income from your affiliate products, look at different ways to market them.  Having a few well-marketed products is always better than hundreds that get little exposure.  Don’t be afraid to try out some new marketing platforms and strategies.

See you for Part 5 – The Grand Finale!

 

Filed Under: Affiliate Marketing Tagged With: , , , , ,

7 Cool Advantages – Affiliate Marketing Part 2

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Many people are making a living from affiliate marketing online – some are doing so well, they’re known as SUPER affiliates!

Here are seven really cool advantages to becoming an affiliate marketer by promoting products and/or programs you believe in and highly recommend:

Low Risk

You’re not ultimately responsible for the product you are promoting and you don’t have to spend your own money or time to create a product.

Proven Market

The products’ creators will already have researched the demand for their product and will have some idea of their target market.

Keep your cash in your wallet

You have very low start up costs.  All you really need to begin affiliate marketing is a website or blog.  You don’t necessarily have to set up a new site, you can use affiliate programs to optimize your income from sites you already have.

No need to become an expert copywriter

Many of the tools you need will be provided for you. The minimum you will be provided with is sales materials such as banner ads and product benefits.  Some affiliates are provided with sales copy, Tweets to post on Twitter, autoresponder emails, sales letters, blog posts, and  even website templates.

Save time and money on operating costs

Affiliate marketers have low overheads. By purely promoting someone else’s product rather than creating your own, you have no inventory to look after, no orders to process, and no customer service function to provide.

Passive income

One of the most enticing benefits of affiliate marketing is that you can earn passive income. This means you stop trading hours for dollars. You can review a product once, place the review on your website, and that review can potentially make you money over and over again. This is passive income and affiliate marketing is one of the best businesses to get into for anyone who likes the idea of passive income.

Flexibility

With affiliate marketing, you can work as little or as much as you’d like – you get back what you put into it. This means that your earnings aren’t limited. If you simply want to work a few hours a week and build a business that gives you extra spending money then you can do so. If you want to work a little more and build a long-term business that gives you complete financial freedom then you can do that as well.

There’s no denying that affiliate marketing offers many benefits!

The best part of affiliate marketing is that you can fit it into just about any niche or topic you’re interested in. If your passion is pets for example, you can create an affiliate website about pets and caring for pets. You can then earn money promoting products that pet owners want.

There’s something very appealing about making money doing something you’re passionate about.

See you for Part 3!

 

Filed Under: Affiliate Marketing Tagged With: , ,

Create Something Buzzworthy

By 12 Comments

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: , , , , ,

What Makes You Really Angry?

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What ticks you off?

What makes you want to IMPLODE and EXPLODE at the same time?

Things that bother me

Drivers who don’t use turn signals when changing lanes on the highway, especially when they pull right in front of me and leave about a hair’s width between my front bumper and their rear bumper.

Drawers left open.  I don’t get it.

People who are in the #1 position at a stoplight who don’t GO when it turns green.  They’re probably texting.

Getting slammed in the backs of my ankles with a shopping cart in line at the grocery store.  I’ve found that hungry people can be very impatient.

Broken promises.

Automated phone prompts and mechanical messages on customer service lines.  I may be the exception, but I prefer to converse with human beings.

Note: These are some things that “bother” me, but don’t necessarily make me angry.  Now on to my next list …

Things that make me angry

People who work very hard at their jobs and struggle to pay their bills.

Children left in day care centers and after-school programs because their parents have to work.

Companies who don’t provide benefits to their employees because they can get away with it.

People who are paid far less than what they’re worth.

Dreams and desires that are not being fulfilled.

Passions in life that are being ignored or put on hold for “some day” – which, of course, isn’t on the calendar.

Single parents who miss out on their children’s school activities, plays, performances, and sporting events because they’re the sole bread winners and can’t attend.

A lot of other things make me really angry, too – situations and circumstances that stand in the way of people designing a comfortable and enjoyable life for themselves.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had enough of working my fingers to the bone to make the company and the boss rich.

It’s my turn.  And it’s your turn, too!

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Filed Under: Build an online empire, Following Your Passion, Making money on the internet Tagged With: , , ,

Oh For The Love Of God! It’s Just A Blog Post.

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Prefer to listen to this post?

There’s a little parrot that sits on my shoulder that criticizes me ALL the time.

Okay, I’ll admit it.  I’m neurotic.  I’m a perfectionist.  So what?  There’s got to be at least ONE other person like me on the planet!

I take my writing (blogging) seriously.  Is there something wrong with that?  I know I’m not writing a novel, an essay, or a resume.  Oh, darn, there goes that pesky parrot sounding off again …

“Maybe you’re just not cut out for this blogging thing.”

Wrong.  You’re dead wringer wrong.  I AM cut out for this blogging thing.

I just happen to think that proofreading, editing, and re-writing makes for a better blog post.  I might add that proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling count in my book, too.

So is THAT a sin?!

Uh-Oh.  I really wish I hadn’t asked that question.  Too late.  Here comes an unwelcomed remark from that blinking bird …

“Oh for the love of God! It’s just a blog post.”

I’ve been listening to this parrot forever and when I sit down to start blogging, I’d like to shove an old dirty sock in its mouth!

Oh, brother.  I knew it.  I could feel it coming.  As always, the parrot’s got to have the last word …

“You can’t be serious.  You’re not going to publish THAT, are you?”

Do you have a parrot sitting on your shoulder?  An inner critic?  Or am I the only one?

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Filed Under: Blogging, Improving writing skills, Infopreneurs, Storytelling Tagged With: , , ,

Are Branding and Bragging Cousins? Or Twins?

By 15 Comments

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: , , , , , ,
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