“I don’t like marketing” or “Marketing is too hard” is the mindset of many small business owners, especially those just starting out.

That’s a shame because marketing needs to be at the top of your priority list every day.  If you don’t plan on devoting the majority of your time to marketing your products or services, you may as well fold up your tent and leave camp!

Most of the time, a negative attitude toward marketing stems from misconceptions and a misunderstanding of the difference between advertising and marketing.

Let’s run through just seven (there are many more!) false impressions of marketing your business online:

1)  Marketing is a big bother and an interruption to
people.

Actually, that statement pertains to “advertising”, NOT marketing.
Television advertisements are bothersome, for example, because they
interrupt the viewing of a program.  I haven’t met anyone yet who’s said, “I
love T.V. commercials!”  Marketing is not a blatant “in your face” method of
making sales.  Marketing is a much softer and palatable business-building
tool.

2)  People won’t be interested in what I have to offer.

In other words, “People won’t buy what I’m selling”.  Not true.  If you’ve
taken the time to study the demographics of your target audience and
you’ve done some thorough keyword research, then you can market
confidently knowing there’s a flock of potential clients or customers that
want what you have to offer.  Marketing is about establishing and nurturing
relationships with your prospects through a crystal clear understanding of
their problems and the solutions you offer.

3)  It probably won’t work anyway, so why bother?

Oh, brother.  I’ve heard this one more times than I care to count. 
Developing the right kind of “marketing mindset” matters.  Giving up before
you even try is a one-way ticket to failure.  If you maintain a defeatist
attitude, your business will not thrive.  The only way to get past this type of
thinking is to dig your heels in and take some action!  You need to “test” a
marketing strategy or platform first, give it a fair amount of time, and see if
it’s working for you.  

4)  Marketing is way too expensive.

Rubbish!  Advertising can empty your wallet pretty quickly, but marketing
can easily be done effectively on a tight budget.  The majority of the
successful marketing strategies I use cost $0.  So even if you’re on a super
slim budget, don’t sweat it. There are literally hundreds of free marketing
platforms.  Want to learn more about marketing on a zero-dollar budget?
Download a Free Shoestring Marketing Kit.

5)  Only business owners with sub-standard products or services need
marketing.

Ouch!! I always want to fall off my chair when I hear someone say this and
I’ll never understand the origin of this misconception.  In fact, EVERY solo
professional needs to market their business. Once again, marketing needs
to be your highest priority.  Without marketing, don’t expect sales … period.

6)  Marketing leads straight to rejection.

Wrong.  “Selling” can lead to rejection.  No one likes to sell or be sold. 
Marketing, on the other hand, is a means of avoiding rejection.  Once
people get to know you better through your marketing, they’ll begin to like
you and, ultimately, trust you.  Then and only then will they feel
comfortable enough to make a purchase.  Remember that your primary
marketing goal is to build relationships with your prospects.

7)  I’m a lousy writer.  No one will want to read my
writing.

I’m going to ask you to trust me here.  You don’t need to be Ernest
Hemmingway to market your products and services online.  You need to
be YOU!  Whether you are crafting blog posts, articles, e-books, reports, or
sales pages – your writing will resonate with people if you use your
authentic voice.  But if you absolutely hate to write or you don’t really “get”
what being your authentic self in writing is all about – my friend and
colleague, Lisbeth Tanz, (corporate sales and marketing escapee!) can get
you on track and up to speed in just one weekend.  Look her up and check
out her Savvy Article Marketing Success Weekend.  Lisbeth offers a
simple, yet effective process to get business owners in action writing about
what they know best – their industry and business.

Just push these false impressions aside and get ready to love marketing!

I’ll openly admit that I’m a Twitter-holic. (I know. They have support groups for people like me).

There’s something fun and really easy about Twitter’s micro-blogging platform that fits nicely into my marketing strategy.  And it’s a free social media platform so it definitely fits into my marketing budget.

Once in a while I am challenged, though, to fit my Tweets (messages) into 140 characters or less.  Sometimes I just need 5 or 10 more characters and sometimes more than that.

I discovered a great free tool that allows me to Tweet longer when I want to.

If you find that you’re also in need of extra characters when you’re tweeting, check it out.  It’s called “Twitlonger”.

Visit www.Twitlonger.com

While we’re on the subject of Twitter, did you know that you can schedule your Tweets in advance?

As a busy mom, small business owner, and online marketer, I’m always on the lookout for time-saving and organizational tools that will help to make my days run a lot smoother and less stressful.

“Social Oomph” is a no-cost tool that I can’t be without!  If you’d like to save lots of time and get your Twitter messages scheduled a day in advance or a week or more, check it out.

Visit www.SocialOomph.com

Are you a Twitter fan, too?  What Twitter tool or application do you like best?

Would you like to listen instead?

Lots of service professionals and other online marketers have a very negative connotation of “Free”.

They consider it one of those “less-than-savory” four-letter words.  Free does not mean frivolous, cheap, or useless.

Smart and savvy independent business owners not only OFFER free information to their target audience, they also SUBSCRIBE to the very best free resources their competitors, clients, vendors, and colleagues have to offer.

Why?

It’s an ideal opportunity to learn something new, gather business-building tips, get invited to valuable teleseminars or webinars, and get PLENTY of ideas for blog posts, podcasts, articles, ezine content, and product creation.

If you’re trying hard to market your business on a shoestring budget (mine’s as thin as dental floss!), then make today the day you become a big fan of “Free”.

Free is not a bad word.  Shift your thinking and start putting it in a positive light – in smart ways that can catapult your business.

Have you met the Shoestring Marketer yet? If you use Twitter, be sure to follow her there @ShoestringGal.

No one else I know has a bigger or better grip on the true meaning and the business-building value of “Free”.

Listen if you like!

Do you remember your parents teaching you this lesson when you were growing up?

“You are a direct reflection of who you hang out with.”

They may have tried to instill this lesson in you if you started hanging out with the “wrong” crowd, if you know what I mean.

Or they may have wanted to engrain it in your brain to help you make good choices when choosing your childhood friends and your circle of influence later in life.

This same lesson is true in the internet marketing industry.

The people you associate with and align yourself with are very important.  In order to be successful, you need to be barking up the right tree.  In other words, you need to hang out with people who will support you, promote you, and be in alignment with your morals, standards, and values.

My mentor, Jessica Swanson, is just such a person.

I knew, without a doubt, that I was barking up the right tree when I met Jessica via Twitter over three years ago.  For starters, I resonated with her style and her marketing message right out of the gate since “Shoestring Marketing” is the platform I’ve built my business on!

When I began purposefully and intently observing how she conducted business and how she carried herself in conversations online, I had a strong gut level instinct that she was going to be very instrumental in my success as a small business owner and online marketer.

Jessica is classy, savvy, super knowledgeable, authentic, engaging, and one of the kindest people you’ll ever want to meet.  She fits my definition of a true professional.

So who are you hanging out with these days?  Who is it that’s supporting you, promoting your talents, and helping you to realize the success you deserve?

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?

Prefer to listen to this post?

I turned a half a hundred seven years ago (all of you math wizards have now figured out my age).  Sorry.  There’s no prize involved.

Let’s just say I’ve “been around the block” a time or two and I have a fair amount of life experience under my belt.  I know the difference between right and wrong and I’ve learned that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.

I decided to become an independent business owner and online marketer after spending almost four decades in the offline working world.  That’s okay.  I believe it’s never too late to follow your passion and design a life that’s right for you.

So, if you’re not moving forward in your business or you’re still sitting on the fence about getting started, what’s holding you back?

Is it that you’re not sure how to put together a business plan? (A short and simple plan is all you need).  Or is it that you think you have to spend money to market your business? (Not true! – You can market on a $0 budget).

Maybe you’re resisting because you lack some necessary skills (Don’t worry a bit – there’s lots of resources and easy action steps to follow).

Take it from this old lady …

There’s no better time than today to live your passion and purpose – profitably!

What questions can I answer for you today that will help you get started or move you closer to your goals as a small business owner?

Nothing spells disaster faster than not having the right tools to market your business – especially if you are trying to market on a shoestring budget.

This is a sequel to a recent post on the Solo Mompreneur blog entitled, “What’s Your Business Building Cast Iron Skillet?”

I’m writing this because Bobbye, Martha, and Heather asked. These are three exceptionally talented bloggers and small business owners I met through joining a 30-day blogging challenge.  (Be sure to click their names and check out their amazing talents!)

These three lovely ladies asked me to share the tools I use to market my business – my “Cast Iron Skillets”.

So here’s what I use to cook up some tasty marketing messages and spread the word about my business:

Free Headline Analyzer: I love this tool and consider it a must-have.  It measures the “emotional marketing value” of your words.  It’s great for crafting blog post titles, landing page & sales page bullet points, and article headlines.  And it’s fun to use!

Social Oomph: This is the best time-saving tool in my arsenal.  I use it to preschedule Twitter updates – a day or two or three in advance!  So when I am away from my computer or working on other projects, my Tweets will automatically show up in my Twitter stream at specified times throughout the day.

Ping.fm: With one click of my mouse, I can send out a post/message to ALL of my networks at once!  I’m currently subscribed to 15 different networks.  It’s another time-saver and a real convenience.

Survey Monkey: I really like this free easy-to-navigate platform for creating surveys and polls.  Google Docs are also a great choice.

Audio Acrobat: I have lots of fun recording Audio Notes here to send out to my list, publish in my ezine, or post on social networking sites.  They have some really cool templates, too.

My Marketing Cornerstone: This is a series of OUTSTANDING webinars and accompanying workbooks created by my mentor and colleague, Jessica Swanson.  I return to this information again and again!!  This $97 bootcamp took me from ZERO success to targeted subscribers and sales!

To search for other bloggers in my niche and to keep up-to-date on what people in my niche are talking about, I use:

1) Icerocket

2) Blogpulse

3) Technorati

So there you have it – My business building Cast Iron Skillets!

I wavered back and forth for several days and then decided to give myself permission to tell this story.

As much I tried to keep this story on the proverbial back burner, it kept creeping up to the forefront of my mind.  You know, like an itch you just have to scratch.

Writing about negative issues or emotions isn’t really my style.  But I do like to write about topics that can help people so that’s what I’m hoping will happen here.

Some months ago, I got a disturbing and hurtful email message from an extremely successful, well known online marketer – a recognized expert in her niche.

I had been on her subscriber list for quite a while, joined in numerous conversations on her blog, purchased some of her products and programs, and was under the impression that we had a solid and friendly relationship.  At a minimum, I thought we shared a mutual respect for one another as online marketers and professionals.

When I opened her email, it was filled with the most discouraging and depressing words.  I asked her to review something for me that I wanted to use a part of an information product or possibly a “free taste” offer for my target audience.

In a nutshell, she said I probably wouldn’t amount to much of anything in the arena of online marketing.

I didn’t have what it takes.  She didn’t see much hope for me since I was trying to market on a shoestring budget.  It takes money to make money, you know! (Of course, she was wrong about that)

She took credit for the success of hundreds of her students and told me that I didn’t possess the right kind of mindset for achieving online success.

Was the problem really mindset?  Or not a fat enough wallet?

Words are powerful – far more powerful than guns and ammunition.

I’m grateful for the words she wrote.  Just the ammo I needed!  Now I am more driven than ever to have the success I cherish and deserve.

Post by Jessica Swanson, The Shoestring Marketer

As a small business owner, at one time or another, you will need to create a compelling ad. It doesn’t matter if your ad is a sales brochure, email announcement or a newspaper ad, ultimately, your ad-copy must grab your prospect’s attention, produce a desired emotional response that urges them to take action.

Here Are 7 Key Points To Keep In Mind, When Writing Ad-Copy:

1. Choose Your Words Carefully

There are over 175,000 words in the English language and, if used wisely, have the power to sway people’s thinking, change their perspective and even motivate them to take action.

Selecting your words thoughtfully and with precision will create an enormous difference in the quality and performance of your ads.

- Words that create a feeling of safety: peace, relaxed, serene, secure, warm

- Words that create a sense of control: confidence, mastery, balance, self-assured, composure

- Words that create excitement: edgy, exhilarating, explosive, juicy, sensational

2. Focus On Benefits

Many small business owners make the mistake of focusing on the features of their product or service. Unfortunately, your prospect isn’t interested in mere features; they are only interested in how your product or service will improve their life.

Therefore, eliminate focusing on the mundane characteristics of your product and service and instead concentrate on how it will benefit your prospect’s life. Will it make them thinner? Happier? Richer?

If you are able to effectively portray how your product will change lives, your battle is half-done.

3. Establish Trust

One of the jobs of your ad-copy is to establish trust between you and your buyers. People will never do business with companies that they don’t feel confident about. Therefore, you need to put their anxieties to rest and convince them that their fears are unsubstantiated.

There are various ways to establish credibility:

- Use statements that are truthful and original;

- Offer free product samples or free services;

- Include your name and contact information in your ad-copy;

- Use testimonials from satisfied clients/customers;

- Avoid generalizations and include specifics.

4. Create One Clear Objective

Every single piece of ad-copy that you produce (whether it is a Google Adword campaign or a piece of direct mail) should be deliberately simple.

You should have only one, crystal clear objective in your ad. Either you want your prospect to visit a website, call a 1-800 number or take out their wallet and make a purchase. If  your ad contains multiple objectives, your prospect will only become confused and overwhelmed.

As the saying goes, “Keep It Simple Stupid!” This applies to your ad-copy as well.

5. Differentiate Your Company

One of the main ingredients in successful ad-copy is to convince your prospects that you are different and unique from your competition. Your ad should always convey at least one reason why you are different.

Do you offer superior customer service? Are you the fastest? Do you produce the highest quality materials?

Discover what main attributes motivate your particular target market and make this attribute the focal point when differentiating yourself.

6. Pack Your Headlines With Power

There are dozens of research studies that suggest that your headline is the most important part of your entire ad.  In fact, you only have three seconds to capture your prospect’s interest, so your headline needs to be packed with as much power as possible.

You should always use “power words” in your headline such as:

Amazing
Announcing
Advice To
At Last
Bargains
Breakthrough
Discover
Do You
Enormous
Facts
Finally
Free
Great News
Guaranteed
Here
How Much
Inside Secrets Of…
Innovative
Love
Only
Proven
Sale
This
Which
Yes

7. Create An Emotional Response

Ultimately, your ad should produce a desired emotion in your prospect. It’s simply not enough that your prospect relates to your company in a logical manner. There needs to be an emotional connection as well.

Use words that bring about the emotions that you want your customer or client to feel: love, fear, desire, power, more control, etc.

If your prospect relates to you on both an emotional and logical level, you are engaging them in a fuller manner and they are more likely to connect with you and your company.

Although writing solid ad-copy isn’t child’s play, it can be learned through practice, patience and perseverance.

The difference between producing a mediocre ad and producing an irresistible ad that motivates your prospect to take action could literally mean thousands of dollars in extra sales, customers and clients.

Jessica Swanson, “The Shoestring Marketer”, has helped entrepreneurs, all over the world, explode their businesses using cutting-edge, proven and completely free marketing strategies. To receive your FREE Shoestring Marketing Kit, which has helped thousands of entrepreneurs, just like you, learn the exact techniques for marketing their businesses for no-cost, visit: Free Shoestring Marketing Kit

The bottom line is that if you aren’t utilizing Facebook as one of your main marketing platforms, you NEED to jump on board. Service professionals, authors, consultants, and other small business owners are realizing revolutionary results on Facebook.  So why shouldn’t YOU?

I know I’m looking forward to making a big splash on Facebook and I hope you’ll join me and my friend and colleague, Jessica Swanson, the “Shoestring Marketer”, for a Free Profitable Facebook Marketing Webinar this Thursday, February 11th.

As an extra special bonus, you’ll receive a link to the video recording, a downloadable PDF workbook, and a step-by-step action plan.

Seats are limited so I suggest you RUN, not walk to register for this complementary event!