Marketing: September 2008

Notable News - Its Not About You!

You enjoy what you do. In fact, you love your product and want to tell everyone about it.

Well, I hate to tell you this, but no one cares!

Think about the last major purchase you made?maybe a car ?did you buy it because you met a car salesman who told you how much he loved his work or did you buy it because you would spend less on fuel and maintenance and be able to spend more on eating out, make up or your favourite hobbies. Maybe it''s as simple as wanting to feel and look successful.

Rather than participate in the herd mentality you see and hear in advertising everyday, do something different. Speak to the motivation of your prospective customers. Connect with them.

A review of the five levels of Maslow''s Hierarchy of Needs is a good place to start.

1. The base of the pyramid is made up of those who are just coping with life and want basic physiological needs fulfillment: food, shelter, and clothing.

2. One level up are those who have a need to feel safe and secure. Stability, security of home and family and consistency in life are markers of this level. None of the higher needs can be addressed before these needs are met. Fears and anxieties develop here.

3. Love and belonging are next. Humans have a need to relate through groups, work, family....... This is the time that all those relationship books are purchased.

4. Esteem is not only self esteem from knowing what we know and being able to do what we do, it''s also the attention and recognition of others. This is where we buy a fancy car or a mansion on the hill.

5. The need to grow and self-actualize. This is to enable the maximizing of potential, knowledge, peace, self-fulfillment, and connection with God. Only approximately 2% of the world''s population has achieved this level of comfort and acceptance of self.

The four lower levels are deficiency needs. Each of the lower levels must be met before moving up. The highest level is where we look outside ourselves for ways to can connect and grow, or opportunities to help others.

Where does your product fit into the scheme? Do you sell basic food, clothing, housing? Is it information you sell? What kind of messages can you develop that will resonate with your clients and motivate them to act.

If you aren''t sure what the right messages are, ask. Your customers will enjoy telling you why they buy from you. An additional bonus is that they feel valued by you because you asked for their opinion. The best marketers, test their messages, fine tune them and test them again.

It''s more productive to love your customers, than your product!

Nancy Fraser - Nota Bene Consulting

Results Driven Advertising and Marketing

www.notable-marketing.com

You are free to use material from the Notable News in whole or in part, please include credits, including live web site link. Please also notify us where the material will appear.

', 177, 'Notable News - Its Not About You!, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Notable News - Its Not About You! plus articles and information on Marketing

Want To Be A Stronger Marketer? Work Your Marketing Muscles!

You want to be more flexible? You have to stretch your muscles. Want to be physically stronger? You have to find a way to workout and build your muscles. Want to be a stronger marketer? You''ve got to work your marketing muscles.

Just as an athlete needs to workout to stay in shape, if you want to get stronger at marketing, you need to work your marketing muscles. So how do you work marketing muscles?

1. Read Regularly. There is no shortage of resources out there folks. Find them and begin consuming them. There are books and newsletters and resources all over the web. Don''t get overwhelmed by the volume of resources available. Pick one and commit to consuming it. Schedule a time that works for you and sit down and read that resource. Even if you only find one or two good ideas, doesn''t that make you a little bit stronger?

2. Find Avenues To Write. Writing might be the single most important skill for effective marketing. "But I''m not a good writer" you say. Listen, you are a wealth of information about your business or industry, and writing is the key to sharing that information to attract business. Writing will also help you gain clarity about the value of your own services.

Practice writing regularly. Articles, tip sheets, your web site content, newsletters, sales letters, and case studies are all examples of things to be writing. Do the best you can and consider an editor or copywriter to review it if you''re worried about it being great. You''ll get better, and stronger, with practice.

3. Increase Your Speaking Ability. Much like writing, speaking is one of the most powerful tools for developing attention, interest, trust and credibility with your potential audience. This is not just standing up in front of an audience to give a presentation, seminar, or workshop, although these are great strategies. You''ve also got to be prepared to stand up and introduce yourself at networking meetings. Or more basically, you have to be prepared to answer that question, "What do you do?"

Confidence in speaking comes with preparedness and practice. Ever been to a networking meeting when someone stands up for their introduction and starts out with, "Um, Ok, let''s see?"? Clearly not practiced and prepared. Spend time preparing for what you want to say when you introduce yourself and when someone ask, "What do you do?"

Just like exercise, even scheduling just a few hours a week to work your marketing muscles will begin to make a difference. Before you know it, you might be a pretty strong marketer.

About the Author:

Kevin Dervin is focused on helping small businesses that are ready to grow, but struggle with how to consistently attract more clients. Visit http://www.proven-small-business-marketing-solutions.com for more great marketing information you can put to use in growing your business today.

Find Kevin''s Kansas City based KPD Marketing practice at http://www.ABCDgrowth.com and subscribe to his free ezine called ABCD Grow.', 177, 'Want To Be A Stronger Marketer? Work Your Marketing Muscles!, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Want To Be A Stronger Marketer? Work Your Marketing Muscles! plus articles and information on Marketing

'Do You Get Attention With Your 30-Second Introduction?

I went to a networking event the other day where the meeting leader said, "We''re going to skip doing the 30-second introductions today because mine''s so bad and it doesn''t work that it nauseates me." I thought to myself, WOW! I''d skip the next networking meeting until I''d worked out a new introduction.

Do you get attention with your introduction? Are you prepared to introduce yourself at your next networking event or for when someone ask, "What do you do?" Consider these tips for developing an attention getting introduction.

1. Start With The First 10 Seconds. What if 10 seconds is all you get? Does your first sentence tell your listener enough so they understand what you do and inspire them to want to know more? Here''s the simple, but effective approach. "I work with [type of clients] who have [these types of problems, issues or challenges]." That''s it. Don''t try to sugar it up or make it real catchy.

2. Avoid the What You Are Approach. "I''m an accountant" or "I''m a marketing consultant" or "I''m a financial planner" or "I''m a growth coach". You''ve heard them time and again. You''ve probably even done it yourself. The problem is your listener(s) may not understand what the title means or even worse they may fill in an incorrect definition.

3. Avoid the What You Do Approach. "I do small business accounting including sales tax and payroll" or "I provide business owners with mentoring and training in comprehensive strategies to improve bottom line results?" Tends to be boring and doesn''t help the listener(s) understand what they get as a result.

4. Say How You Solved a Problem or Served a Client. Reinforce your first 10 second sentence with a second sentence that shows how you solved a problem or overcame a particular issue or challenge. "I help mid-sized accounting firms plan big conferences on a small budget. I just recently lined up free live entertainment for a firm that hosted 500 people in town last week."

5. Tell Them Why You Are Unique. What makes you stand out from the crowd? Maybe it''s a unique model or approach for better results, focus on a specific niche, a guarantee, or extras that others don''t provide. There are many ways to define your uniqueness that will help gain attention and make you memorable.

Make your introduction an attention getter. Start with the first 10 seconds. You can always build from there once it starts getting attention. Actually write it down and practice out loud several times until you can just say it naturally.

About the Author:

Find Kevin''s Kansas City based KPD Marketing practice at http://www.ABCDgrowth.com and subscribe to his free ezine called ABCD Grow.', 177, 'Do You Get Attention With Your 30-Second Introduction?, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Do You Get Attention With Your 30-Second Introduction? plus articles and information on Marketing

If You Do No Other Preparation

Far too often we see small businesses rush into doing things without planning and preparing. Unfortunately, marketing is a great case in point. Many small businesses set up shop and then hurry to get a brochure made up, develop a web site, and get out and start networking without much planning or preparation. And then they wonder why their results are so poor.

Maybe it''s for lack of knowing where to start. I''m not sure. But, if you do nothing else from a preparation standpoint for your marketing, I suggest you spend some time thinking about your best clients. Your best clients aren''t simply the ones who pay the most money, but also the ones you enjoy working with the most. Spend some time to create a profile.

1. Define Your Target. How do you describe your target market in terms of demographics and psychographics? Demographics are the basic facts like the kind of industry they''re in, size of company, revenues, geographic location, etc. If your target is individuals, then it means income levels, age, gender, education, etc. Psychographics deal more with things like the style, philosophy, and characteristics of your targets.

2. What''s The Problem? What are the problems, issues, challenges, or predicaments you''re trying to help your target customers and prospects with? Every product or service is designed to address some sort of issue or challenge for your client. What is your target market dealing with and what''s the potential impact of not being able to address those problems?

3. What Do They Get From Working With You? What are the solutions you provide? What benefits do you offer? What results do you produce? Note that this isn''t "what you do" or a list of services you provide, but what your clients actually get from you.

4. What''s It Like Working With Them? What is it about working with your best clients that makes them your best clients? What is the relationship like? How do things work? What is it that you''re able to uniquely do for them that makes it a great working relationship?

You''ll be amazed at what it can mean for your business when you spend some time preparing a profile of who your best clients (and potential clients) are. If you know exactly who your potential clients are, then you can more effectively focus on them in your marketing efforts. But just as importantly, by clearly identifying who you work with, your potential clients will be able to identify themselves (and reveal themselves to you). Now that you''ve defined your best clients, do your current marketing efforts really reach these folks and others like them?

About the Author:

Find Kevin''s Kansas City based KPD Marketing practice at http://www.ABCDgrowth.com and subscribe to his free ezine called ABCD Grow.', 177, 'If You Do No Other Preparation, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'If You Do No Other Preparation plus articles and information on Marketing

How to Get the Right Clients and Avoid the Wrong Ones

If you are like most service professionals and small business owners one of your primary concerns is generating as many leads as possible. And that may be your biggest mistake, resulting in wasting time on unqualified prospects and working with too many clients you wish you didn''t have to.

Bill is a financial advisor looking for clients. Working from his stack of leads he picks up the phone and starts making calls. The first person he gets on the phone has lots of questions and it turns out is just looking for free advice. After a half hour Bill finally gets him off the phone. Bill''s next call finds a highly interested prospect. After forty-five minutes, he''s ready to sign her up, when he discovers she only has a couple of hundred dollars to invest.

At the end of the day, Bill has spent eight hours on the phone and still hasn''t signed up any new clients.

Do you ever spend time chasing leads that are just a waste of time?

Martha is a graphic designer who has plenty of clients but her profits have been shrinking instead of growing lately. One of her long-term clients calls her daily with a question or a complaint. Just when Martha thinks a project is done, this one client changes her mind and wants it redone. And while the customer is always right, this customer''s lack of respect and professionalism is starting to get under Martha''s skin.

Have you ever had to deal with clients who waste your time or are unrealistic in their demands?

A common mistake is to try to appeal to everyone, with the result that you attract too many people who don''t want to pay for your services and clients you''d rather not work with. A more profitable marketing strategy is to position yourself >and your firm to attract just those clients that want to work with you and who you''d enjoy sharing your expertise.

Imagine that every lead you pursued turned into a client, one who you could be honest and direct with, a client who you looked forward to working with. You''d make more money and have more fun.

Wouldn''t it be nice if you could pick and choose your clients?

While you can''t completely control who contacts you, you can use your marketing to position yourself to attract promising prospects and people who would make good clients. Here''s how.

Define Your Ideal Client
If you want to attract the perfect client, you need to know who they are. Take out a piece of paper and write a couple of paragraphs describing their characteristics.

- What business is your ideal client in?
- What is their role in the organization?
- Where are they located?
- What type of person are they?
- What is their situation?
- What are the problems they want solved?
- What are other characteristics that are important to you?

Use Your Marketing Message
People are far more likely to contact you when they have a clear idea of who you help and how. Increase the number of qualified prospects who contact you with an effective marketing message and you''ll reduce the number of "tire kickers" who waste your time.

Use Articles
Write and distribute an article and/or provide it on your web site, to help people understand your approach, who you help and how you can help them. Prospects who like and agree
with your thinking will want to contact you and work with
you.

Use Questions to Qualify Prospects
You can''t be everything to everybody and it''s a waste of time to try. Create a short list of questions to qualify prospects. Use these questions when you call them on the phone and in the service inquiry forms you provide on your web site. If prospects don''t meet your criteria, you can keep them on your mailing list, but avoid wasting your time by calling them.

If you''ve called one of them and they don''t seem like a good >prospect, get off the phone in 3 minutes or less and move on to a more promising prospect.

Clarify Expectations
It is tempting to want to sign up every prospect that wants
to work with you. This is particularly true when you are just starting up your business or when business is slow. But before you close a deal or sign an agreement, make sure they clearly understand what you will do and when. You don''t want them emailing you every five minutes or expecting you''ll answer their phone calls at two in the morning or provide additional services for free.

Make a short list of questions to ask that will help clients define what they are looking for. When you talk with clients use these questions to clarify their expectations. If you can meet these requests, use their answers to provide a summary of services. That way you will both be working from the same script.

Get Rid of Problem Clients
With only a limited number of hours a day and years in your life, you''ll be happier and more profitable if you focus your marketing on clients that understand and appreciate your expertise. They''ll be far more likely to return and refer you to others. If you have clients who are unpleasant to work with or are taking up too much of your time, find a way to tactfully get them to look elsewhere.

Use these marketing strategies to position your firm to attract the prospects you want so you can pick and choose your clients. You''ll have more fun, increase your profits and be more successful.

2004 © In Mind Communications, LLC. All rights reserved.

The author, Charlie Cook, helps service professionals and
small business owners attract more clients and be more
successful. Sign up for the Free Marketing Plan eBook,
''7 Steps to get more clients and grow your business''
at http://www.marketingforsuccess.com', 177, 'How to Get the Right Clients and Avoid the Wrong Ones, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'How to Get the Right Clients and Avoid the Wrong Ones plus articles and information on Marketing

Will Googles Gmail spell trouble for Email Marketing.

We wait with baited breath for the anticipated launch of
Google''s Gmail - a fre*e email account, capable of storing
50,000 short, text only messages. That was not a misprint.
Your inbox would be a full gigabyte (1000mb''s) of emails.

Hot on the heels are Google''s rivals: Yahoo www.yahoo.com
and Hotmail www.hotmail.com

Yahoo has increased the size of its fre*e email support to
100mb''s. Or, for $19.99 a year, your inbox can be 2 GB''s,
twice the size of Gmail.

Hotmail has increased its fre*e email to 250mb''s. And you''ll
soon be able to have 2 GB''s from them for $19.95 a year.

Now, on the one hand that''s great news for web-email users.
Loads of space for cramming trillions of little emails or a good
number of emails with massive attachments. Also, web-email
users won''t have to check their inboxes every five minutes,
and it will reduce the bounces, too.

Right, that''s good news then! But on the other hand, and this
is merely my opinion of course; if most of the other web-mail
suppliers follow suit, to capture or hold onto their corner of
the market, there will be a gazillion more megabytes of inbox
space for the spa*mm*ers. There will be thousands of emails
waiting to be read, with filters filtering the filtered.

Mixed-in with all those emails consisting of: private, friendly
and spa*mm*ers, will be the genuine marketer, entrepreneur,
small and large businesses, all vying for attention.

With all those emails waiting to be read, the likely outcome
is... they won''t be. Our emails will be deleted along with the
rest. That will of course do wonders for our business.

One question that needs to be answered is: how are service
suppliers, ISP''s etc, going to increase the anticipated
bandwidth that this upgrade will create. Especially when they
already claim their wires are bulging to the limits, now?

My crystal ball tells me; increase the cost of bandwidth,
charge legitimate businesses to send emails. Result - demand
will drop and everyone''s a winner. Uh! That is, except you and
me.

Twelve months ago somebody told me it wouldn''t be long in his
opinion before email marketers were a dying breed, unless radical
new technology was introduced. I laughed - I''m not laughing now!

===============================================
Ed Bellamy. No riddle or diddle, no wiffle or waffle, no dis or dat.
Just plain old every day english. Visit his web site or send a blank
email to - mailto:dotbasic@freeautobot.com
http://www.dotbasicworld.com Copyright(c)2004.
===============================================', 177, 'Will Googles Gmail spell trouble for Email Marketing., Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Will Googles Gmail spell trouble for Email Marketing. plus articles and information on Marketing

So You Want To Cut The Crap And Get Into The Money?

So, you´ve been around for a while, and maybe even made a few bucks, but you still need something... well here are four magic tips:

1.The purpose of your webpage is to get leads, forget selling, the one reason you want your webpage is to get leads, so that becomes your asset.

2.Create a brand for yourself. Get your customers to know you, let them get a sense of who you are.

3.Be sincere, there are too many people out there who are just pure lies. Be sincere and you will atract people in the long run.

4.Research your market, and find out what product is hot and then sell to the starving crowd.

If you really find yourself doing this, you will have more success than 99% of people in the web. If you want to get to know the escence of websuccess, then visit www.theinternetxfactor.goldphoria.com for the one thing that makes you or breaks you in the dotcom biz.

Yours in success,

Carlos Cruz', 177, 'So You Want To Cut The Crap And Get Into The Money?, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'So You Want To Cut The Crap And Get Into The Money? plus articles and information on Marketing

Gaining Business Intelligence

A white paper on how companies should analyse customer data to gain better business intelligence and how they can use that knowledge.

In an increasingly competitive world, using your client database smartly, to gain a better understanding of your number one asset ? your customers ? can make or break the success of your company.

Most companies use databases to store information about their current customers, previous customers, business partners, and potential customers. The challenge lies in finding a way to harness the useful information contained within these high volume databases in order to produce intelligent business solutions.

Business intelligence (BI) refers to the process for increasing the competitive advantage of a company by intelligent use of available data in decision-making. Business intelligence consists of sourcing the data, filtering out unimportant information, analysing the data, assessing the situation, developing solutions, analysing risks and then supporting the decisions made. This white paper describes the business intelligence process, some elementary methods of data mining, and how you can use business intelligence in your company.

Database Enhancement

The first step towards gaining business intelligence is to start with a ''clean'' database. Incomplete and inaccurate data invariably translate into incorrect management decisions. Duplicate data is also a problem as it can wrongly weigh management decisions to one side. Whilst a good quality database does not automatically lead to intelligent management decision-making, it is a pre-requisite for all types of analysis that attempt to elicit intelligent management. We could draw an analogy with cooking, where starting with the right ingredients does not guarantee you will bake a good cake, but there is very little chance you will bake a good cake if you start with the wrong set of ingredients.

One of the primary reasons companies do not fully realise the potential competitive advantages they can gain from their own databases is the lack of proper integration of datasets across departments. Even though all the information might reside within the company, it may remain elusive due to a fragmentation of the data across incompatible databases. Regrouping all internal data into a single dataset or a series of interconnected datasets could be the single most useful step a company might take towards providing a solid foundation on which quality business intelligence can be developped.

In some cases, data entry errors and/or missing data can also severely impair the quality of information that can be derived from corporate databases. Sorting these issues can range from very straightforward fixes (e.g. matching one list against another) to more time consuming processes (e.g. contacting all client companies to update contact details of individuals working there). Ideally, all inaccuracies should be weeded out of the databases. However limited time and monetary constraints dictate that you should bear in mind how this database will be used. The level of accuracy required will vary greatly depending on the expected use for that data.

Data cleansing and database integration can provide significant advantages for a company over the medium to long term. However, they are both extremely time-consuming activities and can create a significant strain on internal resources, making them difficult for a company to justify. Hiring a third-party to do this job is often the best solution, allowing valuable information to be gained, without disrupting day-to-day business activities.

Data Mining

Analysing the information that your company stores in connection with all customer interactions can reveal a lot of remarkable facts about the buying behaviour of your customers, what motivates them and what might make them stop buying from you. It also provides a scientific method to monitor your business performance.

When deciding to mine information from a database, one is faced with a wide number of available techniques. Some of the more popular data mining methods are described below:

Statistical models
Basic statistical measurements ? such as means, variances, and correlation coefficients ? are useful in the early stages of data analysis to gain an overall view of the structure of the data. By revealing simple inter-relations within the data, statistical modelling can show which in-depth technique is likely to bring further information relevant to your interests.

Clustering
Clustering is a technique that aggregates data according to a pre-determined set of characteristics. It can be used to differentiate groups of customers that behave similarly on certain factors, for example it can classify customer behaviours according to credit worthiness, income, age or any other factor of interest.

CHAID Analysis
CHAID, which stands for Chi-square Automatic Interaction Detection, can be seen as the opposite of clustering, in the sense that the CHAID analysis starts with the overall database, and then splits it according to the most important variable until it achieves homogeneous sub-groups that cannot be split any further. A major advantage of this technique is that the results can be presented as an easy-to-read classification tree; each split in the tree being accredited to a single variable (e.g. credit worthiness, income, age, etc).

Propensity models
Propensity models ? also known as predictive models ? have proven to be very valuable in predicting which customers are most likely to purchase a certain product based on a set of current customers. The results of such a model can be directly used to develop more appropriately targeted marketing campaigns.

Other recognised techniques to extract information from datasets are database segmentation, neural networking, and wavelet analysis among others. It can be intimidating to choose which method will provide the best results. As shown above, analysis tools can differ greatly in their approach of the problem. It is therefore very important for a company to consult someone with extensive experience in data mining processes before going ahead with a business intelligence project. The best method to use will vary greatly depending on the time available to do the analysis, what the results will be used for, and the type of data that is available for the analysis.

An important point to consider is whether your analysis is guided by pre-defined questions or not. Predefined points of analysis are aimed at understanding certain types of behaviours by analysing relationships between various pre-decided influencing factors. For example, a predefined analysis of customer service Vs sales would illustrate the effect of good and bad customer service on sales, and would answer questions such as how important customer service is to customers and how much it influences future sales. On the contrary, the objective of an open-ended analysis is to discover trends that are not anticipated by ordinary immersion in the day-to-day business. Performing an open-ended analysis internally is often impaired by the expectations brought on by individuals working within the company.

The techniques used to analyse data are complex. In order for your company to be able to use the results of the data analysis, it is crucial that the results should not be clouded by the complexity of the calculations but are delivered in a straightforward manner.
Intelligent Marketing

It is important for a company to recognise that a good understanding of its customers is useful only to the extent to which this knowledge can be translated into real business practices. Business intelligence refers not only to the data analysis in itself, but also to how you relate the results from the data analysis to every day business decisions and how you translate the recommended actions stemming from the analysis into live campaigns.

It is therefore important for you to ensure that the marketing department in your company interacts with the data analysts constantly throughout the process. That way, when the data analysis is complete, the marketing personnel will already be in tune with the issues the company is facing, and will be able to develop campaigns to capitalise on opportunities and strategies to mend weaknesses quickly and effectively.

Detailed analysis of your customer data will provide you insight into their needs and wants. The exercise will analyse and segment customers'' buying patterns and identify potential services that are in demand. You can use this information to shorten response times to market changes, which then allows for better alignment of your products and services with your customers'' needs.

An in-depth understanding of your customers, provided through comprehensive data-analysis, will also allow you to pick and target better prospects, achieve a higher response rate from marketing programs, and at the same time identify reasons for customer attrition and create or alter programs and services accordingly.

Understanding how external market conditions affect your business will enable you to react quickly to future changes in the market. Finally, understanding customer behaviour and the way they use your products and services will enable your company to improve its service to its current client base as well as to target new business more effectively.

Visit http://www.accuracast-marketing-agency.co.uk/business-intelligence.shtml to learn more about gaining business intelligence.

About AccuraCast

AccuraCast is an integrated marketing, business intelligence and data analysis agency, providing small and medium sized companies in the UK a more accurate picture of their business environment via comprehensive data analysis, business intelligence, and marketing consultancy services.

AccuraCast helps companies gain a better understanding of their customers and market their products and services more effectively. The company uses high-tech data analysis methodologies to investigate client databases smartly, and proven sales and marketing methods to reach the target markets. AccuraCast delivers costumer specific marketing solutions and information based on tailor-made analysis of the databases, allowing companies to gain the necessary edge over the competition.

For more information contact:

Jerome Bergerou
AccuraCast
Tel: 0870 240 7847
Fax: 0871 277 1371
Web: www.accuracast.com
Email: j.bergerou@accuracast.com', 177, 'Gaining Business Intelligence, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Gaining Business Intelligence plus articles and information on Marketing

Fair Measures Corporation

A case study in online "thinking outside the box"

The Fair Measures Corporation Web site, at http://www.FairMeasures.com contains over 500 pages of free in-depth legal information and analysis, provided for both employers and employees. It includes a monthly e-newsletter, and an "Ask the Lawyers" page where visitors can post additional questions. The site attracts frequent media attention, and has been featured in "HR Magazine".

A few years ago we completely restructured the site to add content for the many employees who come there looking for information. Previously, we''d been concentrating on the traditional markets for Fair Measures - human resource professionals and managers who hire Fair Measures attorneys for workplace training programs. But we realized that in doing so, we were missing out on a very different audience for their expertise - and one that really only exists in the online context.

How did we know this? In two main ways:

1. by looking in our traffic analysis at the key search phrases that brought visitors to the site; and
2. from the content of questions submitted to "Ask the Lawyers"

We could see that many visitors were looking for information around sexual harassment, overtime exemptions, Internet e-mail monitoring and privacy issues, and wrongful termination. Employers wanted to know how to create policies and practices that would protect them against costly lawsuits, and employees wanted to enforce their rights.

So, we created a whole series of new products - instantly downloadable online guides and sample policies around these topics. They are available in Word, pdf, and html formats - at the buyer''s choice, and come with a full money back guarantee. The price point - currently $10 for the guides, is intended to encourage impulse purchases.

The latest of these products - "Wrongful Termination Guide" is now achieving a nearly 5% conversion rate in sales. This is far higher than the average 1-2% that is typical of most e-commerce sites (and perhaps indicative of the current economic climate!) And, with real-time traffic analysis from http://www.websidestory.com/ we are tweaking the language and length of our selling pages to see what''s most effective with each audience.

Our downloadable products are now generating a steady additional revenue stream, from a source that is very different from the traditional markets for this company.

So, lessons learned (and still being learned) from this exercise:
1. Be open to new and different potential audiences for your online business;
2. Study your traffic analysis - there are many valuable clues as to visitor needs that can be translated into new products and services; and
3. Keep monitoring your visitor response and try new spins on your content.

Philippa Gamse, CyberSpeaker, is a Web strategy consultant and professional speaker. Check out her free tipsheet for 23 ideas to promote your Website: http://www.CyberSpeaker.com/tipsheet.html Philippa can be reached at (831) 465-0317.', 177, 'Fair Measures Corporation, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Fair Measures Corporation plus articles and information on Marketing

How Do I Define My Market?

Your market is who you want to reach. Your customer. Who is your average customer? What is your estimate of total market size? What territory do you intend to serve? Will you offer a variety of products or services?

The more specific you are, the better definition of your customer (what their characteristics are), the easier it will be to more clearly define your market.

Many times you can obtain your Unique Selling Position (USP) from your customer. You need a USP to stand out from your competition. It is specific to you and your business. It is yours and yours alone. Your way of doing business.

How you define your market will also make a difference on how and what you use to reach that market. Will you direct mail, cold call, do walk ins, use the web, employ radio/television and/or print advertising?

In lease purchasing you define your market based upon the strategies you employ. For example, with consulting your market is a lot broader and wider, than it would be if you are using the co-operative strategy exclusively in a well defined surrounding area of where you live.

Again, with lease purchasing, what you do to reach your market will depend on what strategy you are using. You would advertise in your local papers that you can help buyers and sellers with the lease purchase advantage. Whereas, for consulting you want to reach a wider market, so you might take out an ad in a national paper or advertise on the web, or use e-mailing as a marketing strategy. For example, when I need to send out emails for consulting, I open Group Mail, pull up my consulting group email, put in the email addresses I collected for the day and press send. If you want to see if this program will work for you, check out:
www.homebusinesssolutions.com/groupmail/gm1.html

Now that you''ve got the idea, start defining your market. Once you do, you''ll find that your business is easier to operate and more profitable.

Interested in having your own successful, home based creative real estate investing business? Chuck and Sue have been helping folks start successful home based businesses for over 19 years, and we can help you too! To see how, visit http://www.homebusinesssolutions.com for the latest FREE tips and tricks, educational products and coaching in creative real estate investing and home based businesses. No time to visit the site? Subscribe to our "how to" Home Business Solutions Digest, it''s like having your own personal coach: mailto:subscribeHBS@homebusinesssolutions.com', 177, 'How Do I Define My Market?, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'How Do I Define My Market? plus articles and information on Marketing

Take It To The Customer

In the past, purchasing ad space was the solution to every entrepreneur''s marketing challenge. Then it was direct mail, followed by telemarketing. But with advertising and postage costs on the rise, these tactics have lost some of their appeal.

Today the competition is fierce for a customers'' attention. In order to compete, you need to employ take-it-to-the-customer techniques. Some of these techniques can include attending trade shows, seminars, and sending them to your website.

You want to promote your business and in doing so you want to maximize referrals and conduct effective public relations campaigns. The following are five sure-fire, inexpensive marketing methods:

1. Be an expert. Don''t overlook your most accessible source of promotion: yourself. Give speeches to industry groups, colleges and community organizations, or offer workshops at conferences and business expos. Provide sign-up sheets or marketing materials for potential customers. Also, be a reference for customers, clients, vendors and related businesses by circulating relevant information and providing contacts. After all, home-based businesses thrive on a steady stream of referrals from clients.

For those of us in the lease purchasing business, this means writing articles for publication. Don''t make it difficult, write about the deals you''ve done. Give speeches at local real estate clubs on lease purchase. Network with local groups (accountants, mortgage brokers, financial planners, etc.). Operate your lease purchase business as we do, as a business, and referrals will come to you, rather than you chasing the deals.

2. Create a press kit. Getting quoted in the media or having an article written about your business is a great and inexpensive way to target your market. Watch for trends that you can tie your business into. Your press kit should include a profile of your company, biographies of its principals, product fact sheets and testimonials from customers. Make a list of trade magazines, local newspapers, and radio and TV stations to which you can send short releases on new products, deals, awards or special events.

Again, for those of us operating a lease purchase business, become the local expert in lease purchasing. Offer to write articles. Be sure to do a press release when you start your business, and distribute it to the local newspapers. If you run a group meeting, seminar, or any type of special event be sure to send a press release to the local papers, radio and television stations. Send out follow up letters after your deals are completed to get testimonials, and keep a journal of your deals.

3. Circulate newsletters. Newsletters are a great way to showcase your company''s expertise and keep your name in front of prospective clients on a regular basis. They show that you are not just a salesperson-you are an expert with important information to offer. Develop a mailing list of clients and send copies of your newsletter quarterly.

Again, for those of us in lease purchasing a newsletter can be the perfect vehicle to use as a follow up piece to send to sellers, tenant buyers and investors.

4. Network. You''ll save money by selling through trade or professional groups. Swamped with running the daily operations of your business, you may feel you have little time to give. But you''ll learn about sales leads by joining groups of like-minded individuals. Also, serve on the boards of community organizations, and host house parties tied to your business-you can hire students from cooking or catering schools or work out an arrangement with a local restaurant to keep costs down.

Whatever type of business you are operating networking is a must. Develop a networking plan and follow through with it. We discuss this extensively in our home business manual. Check it out at our products page on our site.

5. Form alliances. There are several ways you can band together with complementary enterprises to reduce costs and increase business opportunities. Some involve complex legal paperwork, such as a joint venture or a strategic alliance. Others are less formal partnerships, such as a virtual corporation, where you assemble a group for a specific project or client. For instance, as a contractor, you might partner with two other companies to win a bid. Another type of alliance is a consortium, where a group of companies with different specialties share their services; for example, a consulting firm teaming with a graphic artist and a photographer to create brochures and other marketing materials.

In regards to forming alliances in lease purchasing, we have mentioned on numerous occasions to work with accountants, mortgage brokers, financial planners and real estate agents. The key to forming and keeping alliances is to reciprocate and to pay great referral fees. You have to be sincere when forming alliances, if not, don''t bother.

Interested in having your own successful, home based creative real estate investing business? Chuck and Sue have been helping folks start successful home based businesses for over 19 years, and we can help you too! To see how, visit http://www.homebusinesssolutions.com for the latest FREE tips and tricks, educational products and coaching in creative real estate investing and home based businesses. No time to visit the site? Subscribe to our "how to" Home Business Solutions Digest, it''s like having your own personal coach: mailto:subscribeHBS@homebusinesssolutions.com
', 177, 'Take It To The Customer, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Take It To The Customer plus articles and information on Marketing

Do You Really Need a Brochure?

The phone rings. Good news... it''s a potential client. You say, "Thanks for calling, I''ll send you our brochure."

But what should you really be sending them?

I''m often asked to review brochures or asked about brochure design. But before I make any comments I always ask one question-

"Why do you think you need a brochure?"

Often there''s an awkward silence before the answer comes. "Because we need one to send to customers."

Do you really need a brochure?
The desire to have a brochure is often automatic. But if you run a service business I suggest you consider all your options. The usual type of brochure that most businesses use may not be your best solution. Read on, and get a few ideas on why you might want to save your marketing money for something that really helps you.

When a potential customer contacts you it is an ideal opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of your field. You can help your customer make a more informed decision about using your type of services. Remember, one of the critical factors in marketing your service business is to instil trust in you. Customers must first come to trust you and understand how you can help them before they will use you. Education is often the key.

The problem with most brochures is they are focused on ''what'' the business does, or ''who'' the people are, or ''where'' the business is located. This is all good information but it won''t help your customer to trust you. There''s little educational value.

Keep in mind that your potential customer probably has other brochures from other firms that also talk about their "latest equipment", "highly trained staff", "years of experience" and "friendly customer service".

How do you send out the brochure?
Another factor to consider when deciding on whether you need a brochure is how you will send it out. Many firms send a covering letter with the brochure. In this letter they often say the same things as in the brochure, listing the services provided, pricing and contact details. So why do you need the brochure?

In many cases a personalised letter from the business owner will have more impact than a simple brochure. Plus, in the letter you can focus on the main issue for that particular customer, making an even stronger impression. Of course you can save time by using a template, so you don''t need to completely re-write the letter each time. And as you would expect, a letter is much less expensive to produce than a brochure.

Be honest... how often do you sit down and fully read a brochure. You''re not alone. Usually it''s a quick scan, a brief look at any pictures, and drop in the bin (or the "to do later" pile).

Even large firms have trouble using brochures. One client of mine, a state office of a large engineering firm, doesn''t like using its corporate brochure because it has too much of an international focus. They find the brochure doesn''t address the needs of their clients.

What else can you do?
Marketing a service business requires a bit more thought than just placing pictures of your equipment, staff or premises in a brochure. Give potential customers a reason to trust you. Minimise their risk by giving them helpful information. Be different - most businesses don''t do it!

If we think about building trust, there''s a few ways we can go about it. Instead of the usual brochure, why not try one of the following:
- A checklist to help customers decide what they really need to do.
- Tips on how to minimise their need for your type of services.
- An impartial fact sheet on why the problem occurs, giving the customer some background on the issue.
- An information sheet on your business including client testimonials, success stories, case studies, and some history of the business. Remember to make it about customer benefits, not just about you.
- A reference list of associated information sources, so the customer can see how much there is to know about your field.
- If you offer a range of services, develop a series of information cards so you can send only the ones each customer wants. They''ll look great with your cover letter!
- Some services (accountants come to mind) have lots of helpful data (such as tax and depreciation rates) that can be shown on a small pocket card or folder.

(Remember, all these items can be produced cost effectively on your letterhead, special paper or printed on coloured card. Even large firms can use the same concepts.)

At this point you might be thinking, "Great, I could put some helpful tips in my brochure." That''s a good start. Please note, I''m not against using brochures. (After all, the definition of a brochure varies widely.) I''m just suggesting there is often a smarter way to use your communication opportunity.

And if you''re worried that by giving your potential customers information, they won''t want to use your services, then maybe you should think again. After all, as a customer, none of us want to pay for a service we don''t really need.

Have courage.
Have the courage to tell your customers what they need to know. Give them a reason to trust your expertise. Reassure them that you have their best interests at heart.

And there are some great benefits from educating your customers. You''ll find you face fewer customer complaints, and attract a better standard of client. Because you have shown integrity and given the customer information, they will trust you more and be less inclined to complain about trivial matters. Give it a go.

What''s that I hear - you want me to send you some information. Sure. I''ll send you a broch... oops... I mean one of our fact sheets.

Stuart Ayling runs Marketing Nous, an Australasian marketing consultancy that specialises in marketing for service businesses. He helps clients to improve their marketing tactics, attract more clients, and increase revenue. For additional marketing resources, including Stuart''s popular monthly newsletter, visit his web site at www.marketingnous.com.au
', 177, 'Do You Really Need a Brochure?, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Do You Really Need a Brochure? plus articles and information on Marketing

How to Develop an Effective Company Profile -- and Why

What is a company profile?

A company profile is essentially a resume for your company that you use to establish your credibility with the market you serve. Your company profile helps potential customers to understand your business as well as to understand your company''s approach, unique strengths, and relevant experience. Your company profile demonstrates your company''s ability to effectively meet customer needs. Your company profile also helps others who are in contact with you such as lenders, the media, and job candidates to better understand your business.

Who would benefit from having a company profile?

A company profile would benefit any company wanting to establish its credibility including:

* A consulting firm where it''s critical for the company to establish the basis for its expertise

* A service provider with a service that can''t be evaluated before the sale where the prospect assesses the company''s ability to provide the service based on its assessment of the company itself

* A company that lacks a recognized name in the market it serves

How can a company profile be used?

There are many ways to use a company profile such as:

* Including it on your web site as a means of establishing your company''s credibility

* Using a print version as a sales tool at trade shows or in mailings to prospects

* Providing it to lenders to help you secure financing

* Adding it to your media kit and including it with press releases to give the media background information about your company

* Using it as a recruiting tool to promote your company to job candidates

What should be included in your company profile?

As a guideline, shoot for a company profile of approximately 250-400 words in length covering each of the following key areas:

Summarize your company''s background information

Use the first paragraph of your company profile to summarize your company''s background information. Include in this first paragraph the year the business was founded, where the business is located, a top-level description of the products or services your company provides, a top-level description of the clients and industries you serve, and the geography you serve. Also include details about your company''s philosophy and approach to serving customers. Finally, be sure to mention achievements that quickly help to establish your company''s credibility such as awards, the number of clients you have served, or the size of your business.

Provide more detail on your company''s products or services

Use the second paragraph of your company profile to list the products or services your company provides. Use this paragraph to touch on the expertise and experience your company has that enables your to meet customer needs in these areas. You can also use this second paragraph to further define your target customer for the products or services you provide.

Highlight your company''s strengths and successes

Use the third paragraph of your company profile to highlight your company''s unique strengths as well key successes your company has had. To develop this paragraph, take the time to list the top 3 competitive advantages you feel your company has over businesses in your market space. Weave these competitive advantages into this paragraph of your profile. Next, list the top 3 successes your company has had and incorporate these successes into your company profile.

Include qualifications of your company and your staff

Use the next paragraph of your company profile to demonstrate your company''s qualifications by emphasizing areas such as patents, publications, business partnerships and alliances, tools or technologies used to meet customer needs, accreditations, certifications or the educational background of staff members.

Summarize your selling statement

Use the final paragraph of your company profile to provide a 1 or 2 sentence closing selling statement that explains why a client should work with your company.

Close with company contact information

After the final paragraph of your company profile, provide your company''s contact information including the mailing address, phone number, fax number, e-mail address, and web site URL.

Whether you use internal resources to create your company profile or work with an outside resource, your business will benefit from having a company profile to establish your company''s credibility with prospects, lenders, the media, and job candidates.

Ann Hackett is the founder and President of Quest (http://www.questcareer.com). Quest helps businesses develop effective company profiles. Quest also can help with development of professional bios for business owners, consultants, and key executives. To receive a copy of a Company Profile Checklist to help you develop your company profile, send an e-mail to profile@questcareer.com. Ann can be reached at ahackett@questcareer.com or 952-929-4197.

', 177, 'How to Develop an Effective Company Profile -- and Why, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'How to Develop an Effective Company Profile -- and Why plus articles and information on Marketing

7 Ways to Evaluate Your Marketing Plan

Business owners often find it difficult to know whether their marketing tactics are working. This can be especially tricky when you use a combination of marketing activities simultaneously, or if using personal-contact tactics such as networking.

No matter what business you''re in, your marketing should be accountable. So here''s a few ways to evaluate how well you''re doing.

1) Look at your sales (or fee income). They should be going up! But be careful about what you measure. Some firms have a longer sales cycle than others. To get an accurate picture you might need to also measure the number of new leads being generated, or the number of appointments, or the number of billable hours achieved. Remember discounts or variances in fees will affect total sales values.

2) Ask your clients. Check to find out where they heard of you. Most businesses never ask this question and miss out on gleaning valuable insights into how clients select a service provider.

3) Does your advertising and/or promotional activity produce direct responses?
It should. If your answer is "I don''t know" then you''ve got some work to do. In addition to 2) above, there are some things you can do to improve response rates.

-- Firstly, make sure you are advertising in the right media. Choose media to suit your selected audience. Be as specific as possible. And avoid rejecting options just because they don''t look "exciting", such as trade journals that might have relatively small readership. Importantly, check with your audience to make sure they actually do read the publication.

-- Use a strong headline that asks a pertinent question, or gives a solution-oriented statement.

-- Include a clear call-to-action. Tell people what they should do. For example: Ring today for your free appointment; Ask for our free information sheet.

-- Include multiple methods of contact. Phone, email, and web site are all important. Give prospects a choice of how to contact you.

4) Do your networking activities create new opportunities for you? One of the major principles of effective networking is to "give" rather than "sell". That is, you should look to help others as you spread word about your services. But this softly, softly approach can make it hard to measure effectiveness.

To measure your networking activities make sure you track the source of incoming enquiries. Then see if any of your visible/tangible tactics can be credited with generating the enquiry. If not, then maybe you can safely say it was a referral generated by networking. This is made a lot easier if you''re a member of a lead-generating club such as BNI or Leads. You''ll get specific feedback each week from these groups.

5) Do your marketing tactics make it easier to sell your services? To do this your marketing activities and/or material should do the following:

-- Attract qualified prospects (who have shown a specific interest in your services).

-- Anticipate and diffuse potential questions/concerns from prospects.

-- Be easy to use when personally selling to prospects. For example: material should be relevant; images/charts easy to understand; and be presented in a format the prospect will be likely to keep.

-- Focus on your client needs and your points of difference (Unique Selling Proposition).

6) Check your sales conversion rate. The best approach here is to look at your historical records and determine whether your conversion (or closure) rate has improved. "Selling" is an important part of the "marketing" function, so make sure you assess your success at closing the sale, rather than just focus on generating new leads.

7) Does your plan have a positive return on investment (ROI)? Does it bring in enough new/repeat business to justify the expense? Rather than just look at the "marketing budget" as one total, you really need to evaluate the cost effectiveness of each specific marketing activity. Even if you think you''re getting a great ROI overall, maybe you can do even better by changing or eliminating unproductive tactics.

Stuart Ayling runs Marketing Nous, an Australasian marketing consultancy that specialises in marketing for service businesses. He helps clients to improve their marketing tactics, attract more clients, and increase revenue. For additional marketing resources, including Stuart''s popular monthly newsletter, visit his web site at www.marketingnous.com.au', 177, '7 Ways to Evaluate Your Marketing Plan, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', '7 Ways to Evaluate Your Marketing Plan plus articles and information on Marketing

Good Marketing is Like a Bad Habit

You know those bad habits we get. Like raiding the chocolate biscuits during late night TV shows. Or slouching we when we sit. Or biting our fingernails.

Before we know it we''ve let a new behaviour creep into our routine. Now we''re a slave to the bad habit. It''s hard to resist. We''re tempted. We get that short-lived surge of satisfaction when we do it.

Well, marketing is pretty much the same. Except you can get into good marketing habits that will actually help you. And it won''t hurt. Good marketing habits can make you feel really great.

Think about this.

* When you introduce yourself, are you in a good habit? Do you have an easy-to-understand introductory statement, or maybe a snappy 30-second intro?

* When you meet people do you follow up? Are you in the habit of sending them a thank-you note for meeting with you? Or maybe you could send them a useful article (written by you or some other authority).

* Do you have good sales habits? Are you in the habit of asking the right questions? Can you automatically lead prospects towards doing business with you?

* Are you in the habit of regularly communicating with prospects and clients? Communication has never been easier with options like newsletters, updates and blogs being so easy to publish. Do you stay in touch?

* Are you in the habit of writing informative articles, stories, case studies, or helpful hints for your clients? This helps to demonstrate your expertise and is a key element of building trust with potential clients. It also gives you great content for your marketing materials and web site.

* Are your advertising and promotional activities a good habit? Do you follow a plan to avoid the "feast or famine" cycle? Or do you relegate promoting your service to a low priority in the rush to "do the business"?

Good News
The great news is that like bad habits, good marketing habits will also give you a surge of positive feelings. You''ll get hooked on:
- The adrenaline rush of new clients asking for you.
- The positive relationships that seem to magically develop with new clients.
- The extra confidence you''ll feel when people listen to what you say.
- The satisfaction of getting results.
- The constant knowledge that you are making progress.

You can eliminate your dread of marketing. And getting into good marketing habits is easy. Just like getting into bad habits. Do it a bit at a time. But keep doing it.

Slowly you will build up new behaviours. Results from your marketing efforts will improve. You''ll feel more confident. You''ll reinforce the good marketing habits.

Go on. Make a start. Slip into a good marketing habit. You''ll enjoy it!

Stuart Ayling runs Marketing Nous, an Australasian marketing consultancy that specialises in marketing for service businesses. He helps clients to improve their marketing tactics, attract more clients, and increase revenue. For additional marketing resources, including Stuart''s popular monthly newsletter, visit his web site at www.marketingnous.com.au', 177, 'Good Marketing is Like a Bad Habit, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Good Marketing is Like a Bad Habit plus articles and information on Marketing

Independent Professionals: What Stands Between You and Your Artist Statement?

What Stands Between You and Writing an Artist Statement or Professional Statement?

Is it a dry creek bed, or the Grand Canyon? A closed door, or the Chase Manhattan Bank vault? Or maybe, it''s the whisper of many doubts: Artist statements are so predictably icky. What can you say about your work that someone else can''t simply see? What''s the point of words for a visual experience? How am I going to be authentic, but not arrogant? Sincere, but not sentimental?

And yet, you know that pros consider artist statements an essential part of a good portfolio (or About Me pages essential to a web site). Gallery owners are relieved by your professionalism. People who love your work will know more about you. Offering your audience more ways to connect with you increases their delight, as well as the perceived value of your work. But, goodness, all those daunting words between here and there!

For artists, words are a completely different experience from the tactile world of art making. Paper and paint inhabit the world of our senses, while words remain the detached curios of our mind. If we''re an Independent Professional, we want to reserve center stage for our business. Once in a while, when the two worlds of work and words connect, language entices our senses and engages our imaginations, and we love it.

So what stops us from using words to describe our art? Tell about ourselves? These are the same words that have been with us since we could walk. What causes us to be deeply suspicious of language, one of our fundamental connections to being human?

The answer, in part, relates to a fatal combination of art critics and education. Art critics use language as scepters of judgment. If words are the messengers that determine our self-worth, then by all means, kill the messenger. Formal education uses language as bastions of control. If we are told when, where and how we can, or cannot, use which words, we grow to mistrust our relationship to language. The mistrust smolders underground, mostly unnoticed, until our words are thrust into a container, like the artist statement or About Me/Us web page.

Suddenly, words make us visible targets for judgment and criticism, so we hide our discomfort at this possibility with what we consider rational responses. "My work speaks for itself." "Statements are inconsequential to my work." "I have nothing to say that my work doesn''t already convey." And the list goes on.

An opportunity, like writing a personal or artist statement, often causes us to second guess every idea we ever had about our work. We convince ourselves that we have nothing, really, to say, or for certain, nothing of value. Our first instinct is to either turn off the light and head out of the studio or office, or pump up our peacock feathers.

But running away only confirms our unspoken fear: there must be something to run away from. And pumping up encourages us to use flimsy or pretentious words to smother over our mistrust of language. This, in turn, fuels our perception that language related to our work is simply ludicrous.

Luckily, there is an alternative. Try pretending, that you have a lot to say, which is neither self-important nor trivial, but relevant and revealing. Imagine that all of your objections have been met and you are simply going to write whatever you believe to be true, at the moment, about your relationship to your work. Because, the good news is: you can recover your own words.

Why and how do you do what you do?

There is an unselfconscious language about your work, which you use all the time. Every time you talk or think about your work, you create a relationship between words and your choosen passion. The trick is to learn how to catch yourself doing this, and then faithfully write it down. Yup, I said: write it down. How else will you engage that part of your brain for continued support and help?

But why bother at all?

Because an artist statement or personal statement builds a compelling bridge between you and your audience. An inspiring statement gives the people who see your work another reason to remember you. It''s reinforcement, clean and simple. And there''s not an artist or independent professional around who can''t use a little extra reinforcement to make it''s way through the crowd.

Equally important, a statement gives you the opportunity to see what you do through the eyes of language, to validate your creation and profession from a new perspective. Really, you can''t lose! You can only procrastinate.

Want to get started? Try this:

--TAKE care: Treat your statement with the same care that your treat your work; after all, all of it is you.

--GATHER raw materials: Use a notebook that is lovely or practical and keep it with you in the studio, in the car, in the office, beside your bed and take a few weeks to catch any fleeting thoughts that come to you about your work. Give your self permission to gather. Selecting and sorting comes later, when you have enough in your basket. Find a writing pen or pencil that flows smoothly across the surface. Make it a tacticle pleasure.

--TIME: Make a specific date with yourself. Respect this time. Do not tolerate interruptions.

--PERPARE your internal space: Close your eyes and conjure up your worst critic. In your mind''s eye, lead this person out of the room. Give them another task, besides breathing over your shoulder, say, climbing a tree, skipping stones, or going to the local library. Tell your critic not to come back until you are ready. Critics are terrified of being abandoned, that''s why they are so tenacious, so reassure yours that there will be a place set just for them at the editing and revision table. Critics are also stubborn. You may have to do this more than once.

--WRITE more than one: Like different works of art, a statement also thrives on change and rising out of "the moment." What suits this month''s work may not work for the next month. Independent professionals need to revisit their intentions from time to time, and writing a new personal statement gets the juices flowing.

--GIVE yourself permission to make mistakes: Let yourself write badly. Crumple up lots of paper balls and throw them in a corner. It''s the beginner''s way. Then, when it comes out great, which it eventually will, you will know the difference.

--WRITE as much as you want: Winnowing down is so much easier than filling in later.

--DON''T hesitate to ask a professional: Some things just beg for help. If you find yourself endlessly circling a dead pigeon, really?aren''t there other things you''d rather do and still get that statement written?

Ariane Goodwin, Ed.D. Coach / Writer / Creative Thinker, helps you develop your career and present your work with fewer struggles and more credibility. Call: 413.659.3307 (9-5 EST) Or email: goodwin@artist-statement.com Find "Writing The Artist Statement: Revealing The True Spirit Of Your Work" at www.artist-statement.com --Copywrite August 2004, Reprint by permission only from goodwin@artist-statement.com', 177, 'Independent Professionals: What Stands Between You and Your Artist Statement?, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Independent Professionals: What Stands Between You and Your Artist Statement? plus articles and information on Marketing

Ten Reasons Why Most Yellow Page Ads Fail -And Yours Does Not Have to

Grant Directory users are ready to buy Yellow Pages have a major advantage over all other forms of advertising. It''s used precisely when people have decided to buy. They open the directory to check out options and sources. The directory doesn''t create their desire, but assists in finding the products and services they want. A typical telephone directory has 18,000 display ads - a recipe for sensory overload. Even within any category, readers encounter page after page of look-alikes, all jammed together. So it''s easy for advertisers to get overlooked. Catching the reader''s attention is tough - unless your ad differs from the others in ways that matter to readers. Find out how to get more mileage from your ad at http://www.yellowpagesage.com a smarter way to attract Yellow Page customers.

The ideal Yellow Page ad provides the answers readers want to find A great ad provides the connection between what buyers expect to learn before buying AND what your particular business offers. The more precisely a business understands its customers'' frame of mind, the better it anticipates and answers their questions. It can provide specifics, instead of the general phrases appearing in every competitors'' ads.

Avoid these common reasons why directory ads fail, so you get more mileage from your ad dollars. And a higher percentage of callers and sales.

Fails to provide the information directory users want Information trumps images and expensive extras, like color. Readers are looking for specific answers. Use your ad space delivering them. Words provide persuasion''s heavy lifting. If your message applies equally to the other ads around yours, you haven''t sharpened it enough. Keep honing the copy until it embodies why people prefer YOU.

Fades into background - doesn''t get noticed While larger ads can be overlooked, smaller ads have to work harder for the same shot at being noticed. Overlooked ads cost just as much as chosen ones. The solution isn''t about changing the size, but focusing the words to match what readers want to know. It comes down to saying something unique and relevant to them.

Treats the business name or logo like a benefit It isn''t. That''s probably the least relevant information, as far as directory users are concerned. Yellow Pages aren''t the way to build name recognition. But if you''ve already developed name recognition in other ways, you have a major chance of getting called.

Inconvenient business location Half of all users scan for location before actually reading the ads'' information. They only pay attention to businesses that are convenient (within driving distance) and easy to find. (That distance varies depending on the product or service.) So make sure your location is prominent and findable (maybe a map). Or compensate for an undesirable location with house calls or free delivery.

Expects more than an ad could possibly deliver This problem isn''t about the ad, but the advertiser''s frame of mind. There''s too much hype and biased statistics about what the directory can deliver. New businesses, especially, have unrealistic expectations. The longer a business is in operation, the less impact their listing has upon drawing new business.

Treats the Yellow Pages like a stand-alone marketing method It works best for getting new customers, to capture the "undecideds." But relying on mostly new business is an inefficient way to operate. An enterprise also needs repeat customers and referrals to balance out the high financial and effort costs necessary to keep attracting new ones. Therefore, a business needs a variety of strategies to keep, as well as find, buyers.

Trusts ad size and placement to do the work Industry statistics show that larger ads and those toward the front of the category get more calls. But that over simplifies what makes people choose a particular ad. If an ad doesn''t fit the reader''s preferences or match what they''re looking for, it will be passed by (whatever its size).

Looks like the rest Too bad if your ad doesn''t capture the eye in the two seconds it passed by - then landed somewhere else. That''s all the attention most ads get. Look-alike ads were probably done for free by directory employees. They follow standardized guidelines and templates without much variation. And they don''t have a clue about what''s special about your operation. That''s not the best way to go.

Fails to track the calls so you know why people call No getting around it, if you don''t keep track of customers you can''t tell how they find you. Or what''s working (or not). Logging the source of new business shows how much credit to give to the Yellow Pages (or other marketing efforts).

Callers can''t get information they want That ad did its job fine. But the customer still got away because the call wasn''t answered or desired information wasn''t forthcoming. Fielding calls effectively is crucial because unsatisfied callers just call the next ad. Develop a strategy that covers all your bases An attention-grabbing Yellow Page ad doesn''t just happen. The business needs to back it up with additional promotion to get more than their share of calls. But when the directory works together with other marketing effort, they all do better.

--Dr. Lynella Grant, an expert in visual communication. How printed materials send signals that strengthen or undo the words. Author, The Business Card Book & Yellow Page Smarts http://www.yellowpagesage.com Off the Page Press (719) 395-9450', 177, 'Ten Reasons Why Most Yellow Page Ads Fail -And Yours Does Not Have to, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Ten Reasons Why Most Yellow Page Ads Fail -And Yours Does Not Have to plus articles and information on Marketing

How to Critique Your Own Yellow Page Ad

Forget what you know about your business Your goal is to see your Yellow Page display advertisement the way a directory user sees it. You can''t act like you know anything about your enterprise that isn''t there, on the page. Look at your ad without pride or being identified with your operation. If you pretend it''s someone else''s, you can spot the flaws you''d otherwise overlook. Mentally put the competition''s name on your ad. Does what you say apply equally well to them? If it does, you haven''t effectively set yourself apart.

When all the ads seem alike buyers think they can get the same thing from any of them (and are more likely to select by price). The goal isn''t just to look different, but to actually be different in ways customers notice and care about. Does the ad provide the facts readers and callers need? Directory users have already decided to buy something. So they''re looking in the Yellow Pages to find who provides it. This is the educational phase of the buying process. As soon as a person finds enough information to take the next step, they close the directory and move on.

Customers want information. They''re looking for some reason to prefer some business over the rest. Well-thought-through ads make their job much easier. So give readers the precise information they''re looking for. It''s hard to do that unless you understand your customers'' mindset and priorities. It helps to be absolutely clear about how you''re different from other businesses in the heading. Look at the ad as a whole Now squint your eyes so you can''t make out the words. This lets you get the overall impression.

Most ads just get scanned, so the words themselves are only read if there''s a double-take that captures the reader''s attention. Is the whole image pleasant to look at? Does it reveal an attractive, unique personality of the business? Is there a business-like, competent tone? Do all the parts, from the fonts and images, to messages, all mesh and express the same distinctive flavor? Are there distractions from the image or message? Does every element carry its weight and support the whole mood? Fat borders and cutesy graphics use valuable space, without much pay-off. If there''s color, is it used effectively? Does it contribute or distract? Notice the business name. Does it tell you what the enterprise actually does (aside from the category it''s in)? Generic names like R&J Enterprises don''t cut it. If the name isn''t informative, you might need a slogan or tagline - but do make it unique to you. Is the information arranged to be easy to read?

Every ad is a compromise between saying enough and arranging it to clearly communicate an attractive impression. Does the most important information stand out? Is it easy to find (without being too packed in)? What catches the eye first? Second? Third? How complete is the information? Does it provide what callers are most likely to ask about? Customers are concerned about convenience. Does the ad include crucial location, hours, extra services, parking, payment options, after-hours contact, etc.? Is there a way for them to get extra information (like a booklet or from a Web site)? Give bonus points for that. Look word for word. Is every one essential? Is anything important left out? Is it organized with bullets or clusters so related information hangs together?

Next, consider the ads around it A Yellow Page ad never appears in isolation. And what goes on with the nearby ads influences the way people respond to yours - more than the specifics of your ad. What else is on the page, and the pages before and after yours? Be honest now, do they do a better job of grabbing the eye? Is the whole page a blur - without a clear attention grabber? And if there is one, what makes it stand out better than yours? How can you improve on it? Assessing your ad is the first step to making a better one.

The real value of critiquing your Yellow Page ad is to sharpen your own eye to pick up the crucial differences among competing ads. Practice in other categories where you don''t have a stake. Soon you can tell in a glance which ads have more appeal - and why. Find free expert assistance in developing a first-rate Yellow Page ad at http://www.yellowpagesage.com. or arrange for a professional critique of your ad, so you don''t miss a trick. Either way, you''ll find ample ways to improve your ad that will improve its performance. And you will be ready when the next directory comes around. ©2004, Lynella Grant

--Dr. Lynella Grant, an expert in visual communication. How printed materials send signals that strengthen or undo the words. Author, The Business Card Book & Yellow Page Smarts http://www.yellowpagesage.com Off the Page Press (719) 395-9450', 177, 'How to Critique Your Own Yellow Page Ad, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'How to Critique Your Own Yellow Page Ad plus articles and information on Marketing

Do Not Consider Running the Same Yellow Page Ad until You Read This

Grant Businesses have a love-hate relationship with the Yellow Page directory On the one hand, business owners know they need to be there - even though everyone they compete against is there, too. They rightly fear their ad won''t get noticed. That''s why questions like, "How big should it be?" become important (along with up-grades that jack up an ad''s cost). Are they worth it? Who knows! The whole topic is complicated and a tad intimidating. A lot is riding on the ad''s ability to pull in more business. Advertisers don''t feel they understand Yellow Page issues well enough to make the "right choice." So they often avoid thinking about it altogether. Even when they realize their ad isn''t drawing much business, an advertiser is reluctant to make changes. To what? So, what''s the rush? The Yellow Page directory only comes out once a year. Whether an ad performs like a dynamo or a disappointment, the business is stuck with it until the next directory comes around. So there''s plenty of time to consider what could make it better. But somehow, people seldom do. But at some point, the ad shifts from back burner to urgent, as the next directory''s deadline approaches. Decisions about what it will look like are often made "on the fly." So it never gets the scrutiny it deserves, so it can deliver the most "bang for the buck." Time pressure (coupled with the urging of the Sales Rep) leads many business owners to just "stick with what I have." That decision means hardly having to think about it at all. For another year, anyway. But that''s not the best strategy - just the quickest.

A business owner should carefully consider the wisdom of each aspect of their directory listing - wording, images, size, options, which directories or headings, etc. Change involves more than the ad''s appearance Never change your ad just to make it prettier. Modifications should help you connect even better with directory user''s needs. That involves focusing your message and distinctive style (which is communicated in a glance) so it grabs them. Get the advice you need to fine-tune your ad from industry experts at http://www.yellowpagesage.com

There''s no need to feel stuck with an under-performing ad. Changing your ad can involve increasing or decreasing its size or features (or going in an unrelated direction). But such revisions are simple, compared to more complex and influential issues, like whether it communicates your distinctive personality and benefits. If you''re unclear about your message, don''t be surprised if readers don''t get it. Sharpening your customer-grabbing message should be an ongoing concern, and not just for the Yellow Pages. Directory users are looking for information to make their buying choices easier. Looking and sounding like every other ad doesn''t serve their needs - and it doesn''t serve you, either. Re-assess the wisdom of your Yellow Page strategy What you spend for your Yellow Page listing is only a portion of your advertising budget. How big a slice should it be? Resist the temptation to over-spend for the value received (as most advertisers do). Costs should bear some relationship to the amount of business coming through them - which involves tracking your calls and sales. Consider directory costs relative to all the ways customers find you. Where does most new business really come from? Are marketing dollars better spent elsewhere? Figure the source of new business before getting caught by secondary questions like: how large, or which headings, or whether options like color make sense. Recognize the changes affecting directory usage. Buyers aren''t relying on the print directory like they used to. Many use the Internet Yellow Pages (IYP) and search engines focused with local terms. Think about whether to direct some directory dollars there. Update your information to keep it current Business changes occur all the time. Don''t forget to bring your data up to date when placing your next year''s advertising. Business changes affecting your ad - Change of business name, or splitting into more than one company or brand - Added or different phone numbers; same with addresses - Add your Web site address (domain URL) or email address - Changed your policies, hours, services (like free delivery) - Additional product lines or services (like classes or supplies) - Update years in service (if in your ad) - New awards, degrees, etc. that can bolster credibility - Adding a partner (especially for professions) - Remove what''s no longer true or relevant Think long and hard about what will make you stand out in the directory during the year (not just at renewal time). The success of your business could depend on how well your ad does its job. (c) 2004, Lynella Grant

--Dr. Lynella Grant, an expert in visual communication. How printed materials send signals that strengthen or undo the words. Author, The Business Card Book & Yellow Page Smarts http://www.yellowpagesage.com Off the Page Press (719) 395-9450', 177, 'Do Not Consider Running the Same Yellow Page Ad until You Read This, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Do Not Consider Running the Same Yellow Page Ad until You Read This plus articles and information on Marketing

How To Use Humor Successfully In Your Business Communications

For generations people have been saying that laughter is good medicine. And now the scientists have taken an interest it turns out great-grandma was right. The boffins have discovered that laughter releases helpful goodies in the body which boost your immune system. In fact the therapeutic benefits of laughter are now being harnessed by academia and the business community into laughter workshops and other formalized chuckle sessions. Get the workers laughing and you raise productivity, so it seems.

However it is extremely easy to get humor wrong. And a joke that''s sent to someone who doesn''t see the funny side will create more ill health through raised blood pressure than a few laughs could ever cure.

So what''s the answer? How do we harness humor and make it work for us, not against us?

People often say that the internet''s international nature makes it an unsuitable environment for humor for fear of it not translating across national boundaries - and inadvertently causing offense. But there are a couple of simple rules which - although not universal panaceas that always work - can help you use humor without risk.

Use humor about situations, not people. If you think about it, the butt of many jokes and other humor is a person or group of people, so it''s hardly surprising that offense is caused. The more extreme types are obvious - mother-in-law jokes, blonde jokes, women jokes, men jokes - but there are many more subtle ones too.

Then there are the nationality gags. I remember in one year hearing exactly the same joke (in three different languages) told by an American about the Polish, by a Canadian about Newfoundlanders, by a French person about Belgians, by a French-speaking Belgian about the Flemish, and by a Flemish person about the Dutch.

Obviously most humor is going to involve people in one way or another. But as long as the butt of the joke is a situation or set of circumstances, not the people, you''re far less likely to upset anyone. And there is an added advantage here. Whoever they are and wherever they come from, people will usually identify with a situation. Take this one for example...

Some people are driving along at night and are stopped by a police car. The officer goes to the driver and warns him that one of the rear lights on his SUV isn''t working. The driver jumps out and looks terribly upset. The officer reassures him that he won''t get a ticket, it''s just a warning, so there''s no problem. "Oh yes there is a problem," says the man as he rushes towards the back of the car. "if you could see my rear lights it means I''ve lost my trailer."

As the butt of the joke is the broken rear light and the loss of the trailer, not the policeman or the driver, no-one can be offended. And most people can identify with how that would feel.

The other key issue with humor is wordplays, puns, and anything else that''s based on figurative speech, slang, or jargon. The short answer is they don''t work internationally. However if the play or double entendre is in the concept rather than the words, it probably will work.

These may be funny to us, but would not be understood by anyone who is not a good English speaker because there is a play on the words:

* Deja moo: The feeling that you''ve heard this bull before.
* The two most common elements in the universe are hydrogen and stupidity.

These, however, probably would be understood because the humor is in the concept, not in the words themselves:

* You don''t stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing.
* The trouble with doing something right the first time is that nobody appreciates how difficult it was.

Overall, I think it''s wise to use humor as a spicy condiment in your business comms. And just as you would with the chili powder, use it in moderation if you don''t know the audience well ... and if you know they have a very sensitive palate, don''t use it at all!

Canadian-born Suzan St Maur is an international business writer and author based in the United Kingdom. In addition to her consultancy work for clients in Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia, she contributes articles to more than 150 business websites and publications worldwide, and has written eleven published books. Her latest eBooks, "The MAMBA Way To Make Your Words Sell" and "Get Yourself Published" and available as PDF downloads from BookShaker.com.

To subscribe to her free biweekly business writing tips eZine, TIPZ from SUZE, click here.

(c) Suzan St Maur 2003 - 2005', 177, 'How To Use Humor Successfully In Your Business Communications, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'How To Use Humor Successfully In Your Business Communications plus articles and information on Marketing

Eight No Cost Ways to Market Your Business

Are you trying to promote your business with a tiny marketing budget? Opportunities are plentiful for low or no cost marketing. Here are a few that won''t cost you a cent.

Publish articles about your specialty. "How-to" articles are always welcome. Ensure you include your contact information.

Write letters to the editor of publications your target market reads.

Get involved in an organization or community project.

Build strategic alliances with non-competing businesses and cross-promote each other.

Publish a special report. A "super how to" list for your specialty area. Distribute freely. Ensure that your contact information is included.

Speak to groups and organizations. Make sure the audience is your target market.

Carefully target relationships with media sources.

Write newsworthy press releases and distribute to your special contacts. The more proactive you can be, the better off your business will be.

Denise O''Berry helps small business owners take action to grow their business. To find out more, visit http://www.deniseoberry.com', 177, 'Eight No Cost Ways to Market Your Business, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Eight No Cost Ways to Market Your Business plus articles and information on Marketing

Three Simple Keys Will Make Your Customers Stick

Do you spend a lot of time and energy courting prospective new customers, hoping to pump up your bottom line? If so, you''re probably missing an untapped source of sales that exists right inside your company -- there''s truth in the statement that your customer list is your most valuable asset.

There''s a gold mine of opportunities to make easier sales and create a loyal following of customers that will return time and again by using your existing customer base to grow your sales. But when I ask small business owners what action they are taking to keep in touch with current customers, the answer is normally "we don''t."

How do you turn a pile of dusty invoices and sales receipts into profit generators for your business? How can you create loyal customers who will return time and again to increase your small business bottom line? There are three keys to creating customer loyalty.

Know Who They Are. Do you? Compile and maintain a list of your customers. Track their habits. Monitor your list so you know when they are doing business with you differently. Then ask why.

Know What They''re Worth. I overheard a remark the other day. It was, "Oh, that lady. I barely pay attention to her. She comes in twice a week, but only spends about five dollars. What a waste of my time." Have you had the same thought about any of your customers? Before you dismiss the customer that only spends five dollars, take a look at her long-term value. How often does she purchase over time? How many people does she refer to you that have the same spending habits? A $5 customer can really be worth over $50,000 in the long term and should be treated like a queen.

Take Action. Your customers are busy people. They need to be reminded that you exist and how you can eliminate their pain (wants or needs). Have you ever received mail from a company and decided to save it so you could "check them out later?" Then you find that piece of mail in your "to do" stack months later and realize you never contacted them. Your customers do that too. You have to remind them. Often. Customer loyalty is not rocket science. But it does take consistent effort. Over 90% of small business owners are letting money walk out the door of their business each and every day. Are you one of them?

Denise O''Berry helps small business owners take action to grow their business. To find out more, visit http://www.deniseoberry.com', 177, 'Three Simple Keys Will Make Your Customers Stick, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Three Simple Keys Will Make Your Customers Stick plus articles and information on Marketing

To Web or Not to Web?

Do I need a web site? That is the question often asked by business owners.

The answer will usually depend upon the type of product or service offered and what the business is trying to achieve. Some products/services are more suited to the web than others. Plus, a well designed web site can be a superb tool for communicating with customers, prospective customers, suppliers and the wider community.

For most service businesses, I''d say "Yes, you do need a web site."

There are many ways to be ''on the net'', with ISP''s, web designers and web hosting companies offering businesses many options in how this can be achieved. However there are also advertising and sponsorship opportunities that may be cost effective for businesses, either through web sites or email communication.

Is the web for you?
As use of the Internet matures it appears that company/branded web sites are particularly important for products and services that are high-involvement purchases. Examples are cars, finance, computer equipment, and professional services where a buyer will actively seek details for comparison prior to making a purchase.

Conversely, for products that are typically low-involvement or commodity purchases a dedicated web site may not be the best answer. It may be more cost effective to concentrate on building brand awareness via advertising and sponsorships on web pages (or email newsletters) that have content relevant to the target audience for the product.

But the Internet does lure businesses with the potential of trading on a larger scale. It is up to individual business operators to decide how important this opportunity is for them. If you are thinking about creating or expanding your web site it is suggested you focus on being either a major force in your local/regional area, or gear up for servicing a national or global market.

If you decide to join the growing number of businesses using a web site, you must also give thought to the type of site you will use. Apart from the ''look'' of the site, content and functionality must be considered.

Your options
Web site options range from a single page (long or short) with contact details, to information sites and brochure-ware layouts that incorporate basic product images and descriptions. At the top end are full scale ecommerce sites that process credit card payments online, track your previous purchases, allow interactivity with the site and other customers, and provide personal login facilities to access data.

In many cases the development costs for hand-coded web sites with custom built shopping carts, custom product database and online payment capability starts at around $8,000. For larger sites requiring complex coding and special functionality it''s easy to go over this figure.

However, there are now less expensive options available, including the use of Content Management Systems (CMS). A CMS makes it easy to create a site and make changes. No special programming knowledge is required. The CMS interface is very much like using a word processor. And you usually pay by the month. It''s like renting your web site. Depending upon your level of skill, you may still need help to create your own graphics or pictures for use on the site. An example of a CMS is www.sitezero.com.au.

Another option is to use a "virtual" web site designer. These are simply web designers that work on a remote basis (i.e. virtual). The virtual designer will create a site to your your individual needs dealing with you by phone, fax and email. They often offer low-cost monthly update services so you never need to worry about learning the technical side of your web site. An example of this type of service is www.bizmagic.com.au.

Some major web directories (e.g. Yahoo) also offer a do-it-yourself online store facility.

Online payment systems
There are numerous options for accepting online credit card transactions that can ecommerce-enable existing HTML web sites. One example of these internet based payment systems is the Australian service www.gopay.com.au. Major banks also offer payment facilities, as do international services such as www.worldpay.com.

Marketing your web site
Once you have your web site up and running, you also need to make sure it is found on search engines, such as Google. It''s a fact that for many businesses traffic from search engines is extremely important, with up to 80% of internet users finding sites through search engines.

Online marketing includes:
- Optimising your site to achieve high search engine rankings
- Pay-per-click ad''s on search engines (e.g. Google and Overture)
- Listing in directories - Yahoo, DMOZ, industry listings etc
- Banner ad''s on other sites
- Newsletter (or e-zine) advertising
- Reciprocal links with other sites
- And much more, like:
- Affiliate programs
- Having articles published online
- Educational webinars
- etc etc...

If you need help to improve your business results by using more effective marketing -- including your web site -- you are invited to contact me.

Stuart Ayling runs Marketing Nous, an Australasian marketing consultancy that specialises in marketing for service businesses. He helps clients to improve their marketing tactics, attract more clients, and increase revenue. For additional marketing resources, including Stuart''s popular monthly newsletter, visit his web site at www.marketingnous.com.au
', 177, 'To Web or Not to Web?, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'To Web or Not to Web? plus articles and information on Marketing

Self-Promotion on a Zero Budget

Recently, I''ve received a few e-mails from people asking me for advice on how to get started in the writing biz. When I stop to think about it, maybe I''ve been lucky to accomplish this much writing in a short time. I have accidentally discovered a way to self-promote my work. It starts with an interest in Web design and a friend who needs a Web site for her professional organization. I volunteer to do it to get Web design experience.

Do you hear an "Ah-ha!" coming? Before I take you there, let''s talk about catch-22. Most people just entering Web design or freelance get the old "Get experience before we can hire you." OK, how am I supposed to get experience if no one will hire me?

Back to the "eureka." What kind of business typically has little or no money to invest in a Web site? Let''s say it together, "non-profit organizations." That was lesson number one. Build a portfolio by offering your services to charitable organizations. It''s win-win because you get the opportunity to add to your portfolio as well as make a contribution to a good cause. The only drawback is finding the time to do it outside of your "pays the bills" job.

Oh, you''re not a Web designer, programmer, or code-head? No problem! Get out pen and paper or load up your favorite word processor. Start writing about a topic you know well. You''ve come up with another excuse saying you are not an expert in anything? It''s time for my rebuttal and a confession. I''m only doing this for you to boost your confidence and to show you it can be done. The old, "if I can do it, you can, too!"

Here goes: I am a Jane of all trades. I kid you not. It''s not a bad thing and I''ve managed to continuously add to my writing portfolio. Guess what? I am promoting myself with this article. Whenever I publish an article with a popular online Web site, my own Web site, http://www.meryl.net, experiences a traffic boost. I''ll bet you that you''ll go to my Web site when you finish this one. No, I am not high on myself. Whenever I read a story or discussion list, I often click on the author''s link to learn more and see if there is anything else I''d like to check out. If you don''t find this article worthy, then how did you get this far?

There are plenty of places that want your articles (Hint: notice this Web site?). Not everyone pays, but it''s a good way to put you out there. One way I''ve gotten started was submitting an article to an email newsletter''s open publishing initiative. It accepts articles in exchange for software and free publicity for you. You can write your own bio and add links to your Web site. Thanks to the newsletter, my portfolio grows and I gain new and paying clients.

If you want something bigger than a bio and you''re brave enough, then offer yourself up for interviews or presentations. If you''re involved with a new product or service, then you can suggest an article on that topic and be interviewed as a subject matter expert. For instance, in writing an article on Flash, I interview several experts and return the favor by including links to their Web sites. Again, it''s win-win. Remember to promote a topic of interest to readers instead of focusing on your company or its products.

Is there a conference coming to town? They''re always looking for proposals. Also, try checking around for user groups and offer up your services to speak about a relevant topic. I''ve given a presentation to a computer users group and my URL was in the footer of every page of the presentation. More free promotion.

There''s something for everyone. In summary, this is the advice I give to people on how to market their way to a new career:

Offering your services to nonprofit organizations
Publishing an article
Getting interviewed or doing a presentation

Give it a shot. One more note, I''m terrible at sales. These steps have helped me move forward without feeling like giving a sales pitch. Now, finish this off by reading the bio and clicking on the link.

Meryl K. Evans, Content Maven, is Editor-in-Chief of eNewsletter Journal and The Remediator Security Digest. She''s a slave to a MarketingProfs weekly column and a Web design reference guide at InformIT. She is the author of the popular e-report, How to Start a Business Blog and Build Traffic. Visit her site at http://www.meryl.net/blog/ for free newsletters, articles, and tips.', 177, 'Self-Promotion on a Zero Budget, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Self-Promotion on a Zero Budget plus articles and information on Marketing

Getting Into Marketing Momentum ... The Accelerated Way

GETTING INTO MARKETING MOMENTUM: The 5 Power Principles for Getting Your Business into High Gear

Do you know the #1 reason why most businesses fail and why you could become a fatal statistic as well?

The answer is ... MARKETING, MARKETING, MARKETING.

Marketing is the "life blood" of any business. Without marketing, there are no revenues. Without revenues, there is no business.

So what is blocking you right now in your marketing efforts? What will it take to get your marketing into high gear? The following five principles are your essential starting point.

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MINDSET MASTERY PRINCIPLES
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ONE)) IGNITE YOUR INNER MARKETING FIRE: The Power of Spirit.

To get into marketing momentum, you MUST have ...

==>>> COMPELLING REASONS >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Your beliefs and feelings drive your actions. Your actions drive your results. What you focus on in your mind, is what you create in results.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

If you are dealing with marketing procrastination or marginal results, it is because you are focusing on negative pictures.

The GOOD NEWS is: You get to **choose** ANY marketing pictures you want!!

The BETTER NEWS: Your subconscious mind will override your negative pictures with positive ones and accept them as your new reality.

Ready to change your negative thinking? Start today by focusing on "what you want" your marketing outcomes to be. Do NOT focus on what you don''t want!

See your phone ringing off the hook ... See yourself receiving an avalanche of new referrals from current clients. See yourself working with clients who energize you and highly value your services/products. Focus on your desired positive "marketing pictures" 3x/daily and watch your mindset AND your results transform.

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STRATEGY MASTERY PRINCIPLES
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THREE)). DEVELOP YOUR STRATEGIC BUSINESS "BLUEPRINT": The Power of Deliberate Direction

"If you don''t know where you re going, any road will take you ... NOWHERE."

Same is true in business. If you don''t know the strategic direction of your business ... and don''t have a business and marketing plan to back it, you will go NOWHERE.

Trying to grow a business without these plans is like trying to get from San Francisco to Boston without a map. Most likely you will get lost, waste alot of time, energy and money, get d___ mad and give up early in the process.

You need a strategic "map" to get you to your desired business destination. The most powerful strategic plans are concisely written in 2-4 pages, addressing such topics as:

++ Mission statement (purpose of current business)
++ Long term business vision (future "picture")
++ Key trends effecting your business
++ Company strengths and weaknesses
++ Critical success factors for your business type
++ Optimal target markets and positioning
++ Marketing strategies (eg. PR, advertising, pricing)
++ Marketing goals, budget and action plan

There are dreamers and there are planners. The planners make their business dreams come true.

FOUR)). KNOW THE VALUE OF YOU AND YOUR BUSINESS: The Power of Conviction.

Getting into marketing momentum also requires that you know - without a shadow of doubt - the value of what you and your business offer. Having value is not enough. You must *know* and *believe* in the value of what you offer.

If YOU are not ABSOLUTELY clear about that value, then neither will your potential clients.

-----------------------------------------------
Their Value Perceptions = Your Value Perceptions
-----------------------------------------------

Lacking conviction and clarity about your value makes marketing a struggle ... an energy drain ... a **high risk** proposition. And, ultimately, the culprit of your marketing procrastination.

How strong a conviction do you have about your business? Are YOU sold on the value of what you offer? If not, take an inventory of your business strengths, uniqueness, assets and benefits.

----------------------------------------
PERFORMANCE MASTERY PRINCIPLE
----------------------------------------

FIVE)). PUT YOUR ENERGY IN MOTION: The Power of Self-Discipline

"It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult." Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman philosopher and writer

If you ask most business owners if they want to be wealthy and successful, they will say "yes". But then reality sets in. The marketing road gets too long ... too challenging ... too many steep hills to climb.

To build an extraordinary business, you must DARE TO TAKE ACTION every single day in marketing your business. SMALL STEPS ... teeny, weeny baby steps ... that over time, will create QUANTUM LEAPS in your business.

NOT action for action sake. But DIRECTED action!! Action based on your compelling reasons. Actions based on your strategic blueprint. Action based on clarity about your value.

Action breaks the procrastination cycle. It keeps your mind from getting stuck in negative mental chatter. Action -- and only action -- will ultimately get you results.

DARE TO TAKE ACTION NOW! Everyday, ask yourself ... " what is the SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT marketing action I can take today that will help me achieve the goals in my strategic plan?" Focus on that action, and that action alone, until it is **100%** complete. Performance mastery requires disciplined action.

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CLOSING REMARKS:
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True MASTERY is a process ... a journey with peaks and plateaus ... challenges and rewards. Be patient with yourself in mastering the five power principles above. The ultimate reward is not in the arriving at the destination, but who you become in the process.

Denise Corcoran is a Master Business Coach, Strategic Consultant and NLP Expert.

For general information about our our company, go to: http://www.EmpoweredBusiness.com To learn the mindset, strategy and performance secrets of high achieving businesses, subscribe to our monthly ezine - THE EMPOWERED BUSINESS (TM), at: http://www.empoweredbusiness.com/Newsletter_signup.html', 177, 'Getting Into Marketing Momentum ... The Accelerated Way, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Getting Into Marketing Momentum ... The Accelerated Way plus articles and information on Marketing

Cave Paintings, Baseball and Connecting

There''s no such thing as a captive audience--any of us can tune out at will. It may surprise you, then, to know that keeping people''s attention in this high-tech age takes the same know-how we had in neolithic days.

The evidence of cave paintings points to our ancestors'' grasp of the power of image and symbol. Their striking use of imagery was likely matched by equally powerful storytelling.

To explain the nature of their business, many consultants create information packages. However, communicating is not simply the act of sending information to an audience.

Picture this: You''re in a park and, unexpectedly, you''re hit by a baseball. That baseball is information, but you weren''t expecting it, so you don''t know right away what to do with it. Had you seen it coming, you'' be at home plate waiting with a bat--but connecting with it also depends on how well the ball is pitched.

Most, if not all, of us are stressed out by information overload--a lot of unexpected or badly thrown baseballs hitting us all the time. And we don''t know what to make of them. That''s something we often forget when we''re at the throwing end.

To communicate effectively, we must find a way to encourage the other person to join us, to involve them in the game.

First, we must get their attention, bust through the clutter, open their eyes and engage their hearts and minds. Our chance of success is greater if we use symbols, imagery and metaphor--verbally and visually.

Humans come equipped with an amazing ability to interpret visual communication. Our brains are pre-wired for associative thinking, a ton of information is rapidly compiled from the almost overwhelming onslaught of raw data sent to our brains by our senses. By early childhood, the human brain already has already built a vast database of memories and powerful, evocative associations from which to draw. Connecting abstract concepts with concrete images (making the intangible, tangible) is the work of an instant.

Most of us are able to grasp complex concepts once we think of them in terms of images. (Do you know anyone who did not understand, in the twinkling of an eye, just what Faith Popcorn meant by cocooning?). The amazing thing is not that a picture is worth a thousand words; it''s the speed of light with which we assimilate that picture and understand those thousand words.

And it''s this speed that we want to take advantage of in our marketing communications, because our audience is only going to give us the briefest fraction of time before they mentally "channel surf" out of reach.

One word of warning about the power of metaphors--don''t explain them; let your audience make the link for themselves. The power rests in the delight of making the link; to have it explained would belabour the point. (Much like having a joke explained, if it didn''t get a response, it wasn''t well presented and no amount of explaining will help.)

If you recognize and use the power of symbol, image and metaphor to your advantage, you stand the best chance of triggering the response you want from your audience.

Keith Thirgood, Creative Director

Capstone Communications Group

Helping businesses get more business through innovative marketing

http://www.capstonecomm.com/

Markham, Ontario, Canada 905-472-2330

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Testing Your Way To Prosperity

I have always enjoyed talking to a Realtor friend of mine about his Father-in-laws business. His business is Gold Mining and he has been involved in it full time for nearly his whole life. My friend has a good relationship with his Father-in-law and often spends time helping him in this business and has learned a lot about prospecting and mining and the other facets of this extremely risky industry.

One of the interesting things that I learned from my friend is that gold mining is a lot more complicated than it seems. You don''t just go find nuggets and start digging, at least, not any more. There are very few places where gold can be found in large enough nuggets to make this an effective option. In most instances the actual gold is very fine, often almost too small to see, or is embedded in some other rock.

You don''t just sift through the dirt and pick out the chunks of gold. Instead you have to dig up tons of earth (sometimes as much as 2 tons per ounce of gold), crush it and run it through several physical and chemical processes in order to extract the small amount of gold from the rest of the dirt.

Prospecting in business is much the same. You have to go through a lot of useless dirt before you find the gold.

Unfortunately for my friend, there is no set system for processing the ore and turning it into the much desired end result, pure gold. Since the geological and chemical makeup of the rock and earth varies dramatically from location to location one has to test different processes through trial and error to determine whether or not there is a cost effective way to extract the gold. For instance it doesn''t do you much good to pay $500 to extract an ounce of gold if the going price of gold is $300 an ounce.

Finding not only an area that has rich reserves of gold but also a cost-effective process for extracting it is the key. Successfully accomplishing this is called "CRACKING THE CODE" by some in the industry. Once you have cracked the code you are set, because you know that it''s just a matter of how much raw material you put in the front door that will determine how much gold comes out of the back.

Your business is no different. "Cracking the Code" should be your major focus. Once you have successfully cracked the code, or in other words, created a system that regularly and dependably brings in business regardless of the external environment you have effectively created your own little gold mine. It will simply be a matter of how much you put in the front door, so to speak, that will determine your income.

The important question then is: "How do I crack the code?"

Just like gold mines different businesses have different dynamics. There are any numbers of variables that change from industry to industry. The fact is that each of us has a somewhat unique situation we call our business. And some techniques will work better in some businesses than others.

Therefore, the only way to "crack the code" in your business is to do the same thing as the gold miners do. You must systematically test different tactics and faithfully track your results. This is the only way to know which systems are working and which are not. If they are not working you must refine and improve them. Even if they are working you should continue to test in order to continually improve your results.

In gold mining you have to put out thousands if not millions of dollars attempting to crack the code. In business the only risk you have to take is an inexpensive test. Each of these tests puts you that much closer to cracking the code for your area.

Don''t underestimate the power that one or two small changes can make in your business.

There is real power in testing. By improving one area of your business you will improve your business geometrically. But by testing and improving in multiple areas of your business you can create exponential growth in your business.

For instance, let''s say you are able to improve the response rate to an ad by 20%. If the other factors of your business stay the same then this will result in a 20% increase in your business (for no extra cost because you are paying the same for the ad whether it produces better or not).

Now, on the other hand, let''s say you improve the response rate to your ad by 20% and you also improve your conversion rate of leads converted to customers by 25%. Now you not only are getting more leads but you are converting more of them to business.

This actually results in a 50% overall increase in your business and income. That''s exponential growth! All of this at no extra cost to you. You are simply making the existing systems in your business work harder for you and work together.

After this you could find other cost-effective promotions for bringing in leads and other ways to improve your conversion, you could work on increasing the income per completed transaction, or increasing the number of referrals received from past clients or increase the number of ads you run. The potential for improvement is nearly limitless and the risk in nearly nothing.

It is amazing to me how few people test and track the processes in their business. They place the fate of themselves and their families and perhaps many others on the hope of pure guesswork. It''s no wonder so many small businesses go under.

Constantly testing and refining your marketing systems will yield rich rewards and is simple to do.

First, look at your past history and establish a baseline for each factor in your business.

Such as:

Cost per lead
Conversion rate for each ad or promotion
Conversion rate of leads to transactions
Average Gross Profit per transaction
Average Net Profit per transaction
Average number of referrals received per client
Average amount of repeat business over time
Etc.

Second, conservatively test the individual factors of your business.

Such as:

Ad Copy
Best days to advertise
Small vs. Large ads
Editorial Style vs. Display Style
Free Reports
Follow-up letters
Inserts
Telephone Scripts
Using free recorded messages
Follow-up schedules
Past Client Follow-up
Referral Scripts
Etc., Etc., Etc.

Third, change or add those factors which testing proves to be better. If it is a better way of doing a certain part of your business then replace the old way with the new. If it is an additional way of increasing business then add it to your existing system.

By continually testing and improving your way of doing business you assure yourself of staying ahead of your competition and guarantee future growth that can be exponential growth. The sky is the limit.

Shawn Meldrum has spent the last two decades marketing everything from almonds to landscape lighting. He currently specializes in marketing for mortgage brokers, loan officers and real estate agents. For free mortgage marketing articles and much more visit: http://www.MortgageMarketingTips.com/', 177, 'Testing Your Way To Prosperity, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Testing Your Way To Prosperity plus articles and information on Marketing

A Questionnaire for Businesses

As best you can, answer the following twenty-five questions. There''s no scoring. But you''ll know whether you should be satisfied with your answers, or not. If you aren''t, perhaps you have some work to do.

1. What are the benefits you offer?

2. What do you think motivates your clients to buy? Are they driven by Fear of Loss, Desire for Gain, Self Preservation, Safety, Health, Security, Recognition, Power, Net Profits, Increased Sales, Lower Costs, Knowledge, Self Actualisation, Social Status, Riches, Popularity, Self Expression, Acceptance, Prestige, Success, Pleasure, or a combination of a few of these?

3. Why do you think your best/favourite clients purchased your service/product? (What benefit(s) attracted them?)

4. Have you asked your clients why they purchased from you.

5. How does your service improve the life or work conditions of your clients?

6. Have you written a profile of your best clients?

7. Have you identified where to find the greatest concentration of your best prospects?

8. Have you identified a list of prospects similar to your best customers?

9. Considering all the potential prospects you''ve identified, with which ones could your service/product make the biggest difference?

10. How do your clients normally purchase your service/product? (Your distribution system.)

11. Who is your competition?

12. What other "competition" do you have? (i.e., other kinds of products/services, lack of awareness on the part of your prospects, etc.)

13. Why do your prospects buy from your competition? (What benefit do they offer?)

14. Why would or should your prospects switch from your competition to you?

15. Can you list 5 to 10 reasons why someone should purchase your product/ service?

16. What makes your service/product unique or better than others? (This is your unique selling proposition, or USP)

17. Have you reduced your USP into a fifteen-word-or-less "commercial"?

18. Have you identified a market niche in which you do/can specialise?

19. Have you told your prospects about your speciality? (Or is your speciality buried in your marketing materials among all the other things you can also do?)

20. How are you raising awareness of your service among your prospects?

21. Do you have a marketing "mix", or do you depend upon one marketing tool to build your business?

22. Does the image you present to your target market live up to the image your target market feels they deserve?

23. What would happen to your business if your top two clients left you in the same six month period?

24. Are you spending 20 to 30% of your time on marketing activities? (If you are a start-up, are you spending 80 to 90% of your time marketing?)

25. Do you have measurable goals for your business?

26. What one major obstacle stands between you and your goals?

If you struggled with a few of these, you have some work to do. If these questions puzzled you, you have much to do.

Keith Thirgood, Creative Director

Capstone Communications Group

Helping businesses get more business through innovative marketing

http://www.capstonecomm.com/

Markham, Ontario, Canada 905-472-2330

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Are You Marketing Backwards?

Marketing is like rowing a boat. When you know how the pointed bow moves smoothly forward through the water encountering the least amount of resistance. Rowing backwards, the square stern of the boat pushes against the water, requiring more effort and increases the risk of having a wave come over the transom (back) and swamping it. Yet most people market backwards, trying to grow their business while pushing against the greatest level of resistance.

Wouldn''t you like to market your business so that it moved easily forward?

What''s the first thing most people do to increase sales of their products, services? They put together a description of their credentials. Then they pick up the phone, run an ad campaign, send out a brochure and or build a web site and ask people to buy.

Do you know anyone who has used this approach?

Have you tried it yourself?

Were you happy with the number of new clients and customers you attracted?

It''s a common misperception that the fastest way to attract more clients and customers is to focus on asking people to buy. It looks like the obvious route, but in most cases it generates only a trickle of new clients for small business owners. It can work if you''re a large company with millions of dollars to spend building your brand. Why doesn''t this selling approach work for service professionals and small business owners?

A sale is the end point or one of the waypoints in your relationship with a client. Before they are ready to give you their money prospects need to be confident that you have what they want, and they trust your product or service will deliver on your promises.

When you lead with a focus on selling and your credentials you run into high levels of resistance. It is like trying to row a boat backwards.

Marketing is about building relationships, one by one. Start by focusing on what your prospect wants, not on yourself.

Think about it. When you pick up the phone or encounter a friend, what''s one of the first things you say? Do you launch into a monologue about yourself? Most people usually start the conversation with a friendly questions or two and then find a topic of mutual interest. If you have information your friend is interested in, you share it.

I frequently get calls from people who say they hate marketing. Why? Trying to convince people to buy feels pushy.

An alternative that is more effective - and more fun - is to focus instead on giving people what they want. Get your prospect''s attention by leading with a question or statement that succinctly gets them thinking about how you can solve a problem they have. This is your marketing message or elevator speech, not your sales pitch. Once you have their interest, give them something they want in order to prompt them to contact you. This could be a short report or article.

Does your marketing approach give people what they want? Does it help start a conversation and a relationship?

Once a prospect gives you their contact information, go to work and make good on their trust by showing an interest in their needs and giving them a steady stream of useful tips. The more you give your prospects, the stronger your relationship will be.

Rowing a boat backwards is hard work and won''t get you very far. There is just too much resistance. To attract more clients and grow your business stop marketing backwards and pushing against high levels of resistance. Give your prospects what they want, build relationships and you''ll find more prospects buying the solutions you provide. - 2004 © In Mind Communications, LLC. All rights reserved.

The author, Charlie Cook, helps service professionals and small business owners attract more clients and be more successful. Sign up for the Free Marketing Plan eBook, ''7 Steps to get more clients and grow your business'' at http://www.marketingforsuccess.com', 177, 'Are You Marketing Backwards?, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Are You Marketing Backwards? plus articles and information on Marketing

Mission Statement Impossible

Dant dant da da dant dant da da. Dant dant da da dant dant da da. (That''s the theme from "Mission Impossible"...)FADE IN.

Your mission, should you chose to accept it is to create a fail-proof proclamation, a road map, that not only serves ALL your business needs but also provides you an endless source of fuel so you can thrive in your business. Beware of the well- intentioned imposter called "the mission statement." Should you choose to accept this mission... this article will self-destruct in... you get the point.

If you''ve been is business in any sort of formal sense or have come out of a MBA or business school, no doubt you have been told to "write a mission statement" to assure that your business achieves the success that you want for it. So as any good success-orientated business owners would do, you did as you were told and wrote one; only to find yourself with a hard earned paragraph (or a page) that''s not giving you the power you thought it would. Well no wonder, you sent the wrong agent to do the right job.

The inherent problem with writing a business mission statement is that it''s an external communication of what your business is about and what it could do. It''s used to communicate your business'' mission to someone else. This power-zapping situation has been created because you either:

a) you wrote it because someone told you that''s the way business is done,

b) OR more often than not you wrote it to prove to someone else that you deserve to get something, usually money or some other assistance for your business. This type of purpose is easily manipulated to paint a certain picture. Any picture you chose.

Some may teach that doing a mission statement is about communicating your choice to others, therefore giving you the ''illusion'' of power. Where''s the power in the ''illusion''? Certainly not in you, where it should be!

The mission statement communication point is focused externally on the receiver so in essence you are giving the receiver the power of your communication. That''s marketing! Which is all said and good if and only if your internal communication, to yourself and your team, is built and is solid. If it''s not, creating a mission statement only is like throwing a huge party in your penthouse when you haven''t even laid in the concrete foundation of the building.

Don''t worry. It''s an easy fix. It''s as simple as calling that ''mission statement agent'' back in, saving it for the right job, and training a new agent for the job.

The first and the most important part of developing any business with a big business vision (a brand) is developing a solid, and I mean bullet-proof, brand statement -- which is your business'' internal reason to be.

in_ter_nal adj

1. located within or affecting the inside of something,

2. involving or existing within the mind or spirit

rea_son n

1. an explanation or justification for something

2. a motive or cause for acting or thinking in a particular way

3. a cause that explains a particular phenomenon

Your brand statement must be concise & clear, anchored in your passion & to your vision of what you are bringing to the world. It is so completely anchored internally that it actually becomes the ruler by which you measure every business decision. (Important distinction to note is that your brand statement is an internal communication and is not for public use.)

Without your business'' core internal brand statement firmly in place, every time you communicate your well-intentioned mission statement, verbally or in-print, you will essentially be giving your power away. No amount of re-phrasing or creating catchy 30-second elevator speech or "round-robins" will change that.

Makes sense doesn''t it? Without really knowing your business'' brand statement, even shouting your mission statement off Mount Everest will still feel... empty.

I receive dozens of e-mails every day from people who''ve personal and business lives have changed by working solely on this amazing statement.

So, you can begin today. Focus on your brand statement before of wondering why your mission statement is serving you. You will be astonished at the power, clarity and financial success it will bring you.

You and your business will experience the phenomenon known as financial success when your "internal" house is in order and it provides the foundation for ALL your external communication.

Good luck on your new mission!

Written by Kim Castle, the Co-founder of BrandU? - the home of only step-by- step process for developing your business as a brand from the inside out!

To get information on upcoming BrandU one-day workshops: http:// www.whybrandu.com/Public/events/workshop/index.cfm?semID=13 Get your Why You?!(sm) monthly ezine for easy-to-read tips and informative insights on branding. To subscribe: http://www.whybrandu.com/

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Defining Moment

Do you know your audiences? I mean really know them. I''ve just been working on a project for a client to help him position his financial planning business and to determine who his key audiences are.

Common traits and common media habits are a couple of the characteristics we uncovered. In this particular case, the audience was high net worth individuals who tend to be conservative, and who are not mainstream media lovers or consumers. When they do consume media, it tends to be conservative talk radio or FOX News. They trust opinions of friends and colleagues, not the media. So, advertising is not the way to reach them.

We will launch a referral program and try to place the client''s editorial material in business-oriented media and on local talk radio in his key markets. Also, we are implementing a speaker''s bureau to get him in front of civic and professional groups. So, you can see how defining the audience using demographic, geographic and psychographic elements dictates our marketing approach from a tactical perspective.

Your current customers hold the key to geographic, demographic and psychographic attributes of your key audience. Survey them to find out:

Why did your clients buy your product?
Why did they buy from you and not a competitor?
What made them buy from you at a specific point in time?
Was it an impulse decision or did they ponder it?
What do they like the most/least about your product?
What is the benefit of the product?
Are they willing to refer others to your product?
What is their age?
Are they readers? What do they read?
Do they watch TV; listen to the radio; read newspapers? What is their most trusted media source?

These are just a few things you''ll want to learn about your audiences. If you delve into what makes them tick, it will put your marketing on steroids. And, as Martha would say, "that''s a good thing."

Harry Hoover is managing principal of Hoover ink PR, http://www.hoover-ink.com He has 26 years of experience in crafting and delivering bottom line messages that ensure success for serious businesses like Brent Dees Financial Planning, Duke Energy, Levolor, North Carolina Tourism, Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems, VELUX and Verbatim.', 177, 'Defining Moment, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Defining Moment plus articles and information on Marketing

Adapting Blog Technologies To Corporate E-Newsletters

Every January, trade publications put out a list of predictions for the coming year. They discuss products, services and trends that they think will change the way business is done, labeling these "disruptive technologies."

The idea of disruptive technologies comes from Clayton Christensen''s 1997 book, The Innovator''s Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail. A disruptive technology is a method, procedure, skill, device, or material that redefines the competitive standards. Note that the technology doesn''t have to be a physical item and that it often forces us to re-examine the way we work.

InfoWorld''s list of disruptive technologies for 2003 included open source, self-service CRM, digital identity, and my personal favorite, Weblogs. How can a simple, Web-based journal be disruptive?

For starters, it''s worth describing what a Weblog is. Basically, a Weblog or "blog" is a personally created, online, time-stamped web page that includes the thoughts, ideas, and comments of the "blogger." The musings are usually brief, but they are published frequently and consistently. People can subscribe to receive the blog updates via e-mail. Often, the blogger is an expert on the subject he/she is discussing.

At first glance, it doesn''t appear that blogs would be at all disruptive. So why all the hype? If we look closely at the structure and intent of blogs as a communications tool, we can see some powerful ideas at work.

Blogs are a direct, one-to-many vehicle for communicating ideas. They expand an individual''s ability to communicate. They are fresh and timely. The blogger, in order to maintain interest, must communicate often. Blogs enable a single person to share ideas, insights, and useful knowledge with an audience. Thanks to the Web, the audience can be a global one.

Whenever a new tool or process-such as e-mail- expands communications, the effects are far-reaching and dramatic. Even though blogs have been around for 3-4 years, they could be the next big thing.

Blogs Are The "Real Voice"

Two important characteristics of blogs are that they are written by a person who is knowledgeable and passionate about the topic, and that they are written in a "real voice." This is a cosmic shift from the marketing and public relations materials that are the staple of business communications.

Often, when information goes through a formal marketing or PR process, the end result is an attractive, expensive, stale, diluted document written in corporate speak. This result is generally due to the processes that evolved to accommodate the costs and standards of print technology, rather than to the incompetence or malevolence of corporate communicators. The edge, the authenticity, and the voice of the professional speaking to his fellow professionals is lost.

Blogs offer the human voice that can be loud, controversial, and even wacky. But the realness of the blog inspires trust and piques people''s curiosity. A blog can create a community and a dynamic discussion.

If you are a product manager working in the chemical products industry, chances are that you would rather hear about the real experiences of other product managers in your industry than read a glossy marketing piece put out by the marcom department. Blogs fit this communications requirement perfectly.

Blogs Are Simple

Weblogs are easy for people to publish, read and respond to. They can foster a community of like-minded individuals and be the catalyst for spirited discussions. Blogs are an inherently proactive form of communications. Weblog participants can subscribe to receive scheduled postings to the blog. Weblogs are inexpensive to produce and they can include a variety of multimedia content (audio, video, files, etc.) and hypertext links that add value to the discussion.

Blogs Empower The Individual

There are a host of tools on the Internet that make blogging a snap! Blogs empower a single person to capitalize on the reach and ubiquity of the Web. And they don''t require the investment or recurring costs of print technologies.

Blogs Empower The Enterprise

Blogs empower the knowledgeable people within a company to share their insights, know-how, and expertise. The value to a corporation is that this knowledge can be organized, distributed, and leveraged to increase the value of different product and service offerings to the customer.

If a corporation is going to use a blog, however, it should understand that controlling the content of the discussion is difficult. If you want an authentic exchange, you have to be willing to accept the stone-throwing and critical comments that often occur in a blog. This requires extending trust and giving up some of the control a company would normally have when it publishes a press release or hosts its own online forum, for example. The upside is that people will listen to a real voice.

Adapting Blog Concepts To Your Newsletters

You can adapt blog technologies to your corporate electronic newsletters by taking advantage of the underlying concepts. You can, for example:

* Publish a small amount of well-organized information frequently and regularly

* Include content from individuals who are knowledgeable and passionate about their work

* Make it easy for your employees to communicate directly in their own, human voice

* Respect the reader by making sure your e-newsletter provides value and that he/she wants to receive it.

E-newsletters geared towards educating a marketplace, rather than those focused on advertising or marketing, turn out to be particularly effective. E-newsletters offer an affordable, direct way for the experts in a company to communicate with an audience. This means that a product manager or an engineer can enhance the flow of information and make it more accessible to those who want it.

Think of your channel and the information needs of your partners. Your company has a wealth of information that would help them sell your products more effectively. There is much insight within your partner community that could be leveraged throughout the channel. And your technical experts and engineers have critical knowledge and understanding that everyone could utilize.

What''s often missing is an easy way for the "know-how" keepers to capture their knowledge, organize it, and deliver it. The best e-newsletters are written in a real voice, not in corporate speak.

Two years ago, the book The Cluetrain Manifesto shook up the business community (see http://www.cluetrain.com/book.html). The revelation? That business is about humans. As Wall Street Journal columnist Thomas Petzinger Jr. writes in the foreword: "I was dumbstruck. There in a few pages, I read a startlingly concise summary of everything I''d seen in twenty-one years as a reporter, editor, bureau chief and columnist for my newspaper. The idea that business, at bottom, is fundamentally human. That engineering remains second-rate without aesthetics. That natural, human conversation is the true language of commerce. That corporations work best when the people on the inside have the fullest contact possible with people on the outside."

It turns out that the human "voice" is an underserved or ignored need. In a world of 6+ billion inhabitants, the individual craves to speak and to be heard.

References

Blogs As Disruptive Tech: How Weblogs Are Flying Under The Radar Of The Content Management Giants, By John Hiler, CEO, Webcrimson, http://www.webcrimson.com/ourstories/blogsdisruptivetech.Htm

Making Room For Disruptive And Emergent Technologies, By Hugh Blackmer, Science Librarian, Washington & Lee University, http://home.wlu.edu/~blackmerh/sabb/nitle2.html*

Blogs As Disruptive Innovation: What A Brave New World Blogging Is Building!, by Dr. James V. McGee, Professor, The Kellogg School Of Management,

http://www.mcgeesmusings.net/2002/05/15.html

Weblogs At Harvard Law, Bookmark List For ABCD Weblogs Meeting, By Dave Winer,

http://Blogs.Law.Harvard.Edu/Stories/Storyreader$199

Todd Brehe

Director of Communication Products

Gallatin Technologies, Inc.

http://www.gallatin.com

(719) 597-3366

tbrehe@gallatin.com

', 177, ' Adapting Blog Technologies To Corporate E-Newsletters, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', ' Adapting Blog Technologies To Corporate E-Newsletters plus articles and information on Marketing

Determining Visitor Types

The trade show floor is full of different types of people with different agendas. Some people have specific goals for attending the show; others do not. As an exhibitor your observation and questioning skills will be your key to determining who may be a viable sales prospect. Familiarize yourself with the various visitor types likely to frequent the tradeshow floor.

1. Definites. If you have done a thorough job of preshow marketing, definite prospects and customers will visit your booth.

2. Demonstration Junkies. Watch out for passers-by who are attracted to your booth by a demonstration or other activity. These could be valuable prospects or time wasters. Ask a few short, open-ended questions to find out.

3. Curiosity Cats. These types could be curious about anything ? what exactly your company does, a graphic, who designed your booth, and so on. Do not spend too much time with someone who is just interested in the design and construction of your booth or intricate details about your graphics.

4. Paper Lovers. Some people love to collect literature or just take any piece of paper no matter what it is. Are they attending the show to research the market for a boss? If so, they may be an influencer worth pursuing.

5. Eyeballers. These types are usually extremely friendly; they smile and their whole body language says, "please talk to me." Questioning will determine whether or not they are prospects worth pursuing.

6. Jeopardy Gigolos. Winning contests is their passion. They are always ready, willing and able to drop a business card into a fishbowl for any kind of drawing. Contests that require more than just a business card to enter will help deter these types from finding their way onto your follow-up lists.

7. Keepsakers. Any kind of giveaway attracts these types. They may even want more than one for family, friends and colleagues. Keen questioning will ascertain if this visitor has potential.

8. The Disinterested. Some people in the crowd will simply not be interested in what your organization has to offer. They often let you know in no uncertain terms through their body language; for example, walking by purposely avoiding eye contact or chatting with a colleague. Waylaying these types will only upset them.

9. Hawks. These people attend shows for the sole purpose of selling you their products or services. Publication advertising representatives are a prime example. They are unlikely to be prospects, but you never know. If floor traffic is slow, it may be worth asking a few questions, if only to find out who they could refer you to.

10. Job Seekers. Trade shows are an excellent place to network and look for organizations who may have present or future job openings. As with Hawks, you may want to spend time with them during slow, unproductive periods.

11. Nonentities. These types could be underlings in their organization sent to do some specific research. Never underestimate them. They may be extremely strong influencers. In addition, they probably know whom in their organization you need to contact. Time spent with them could be invaluable.

12. Snoops. Beware of the competition! These types often give themselves away by knowing too much or asking precise questions. Make sure that you do more questioning than talking so that you lessen the chances of giving away valuable information.

Written by Susan A. Friedmann,CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, author: "Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies," working with companies to improve their meeting and event success through coaching, consulting and training. Go to http://www.thetradeshowcoach.com to sign up for a free copy of ExhibitSmart Tips of the Week.', 177, 'Determining Visitor Types, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Determining Visitor Types plus articles and information on Marketing

Most Wanted Response... How To Make It Work

"When I walked into the grocery store last Saturday, I was just ''browsing.'' But... their MWR was obvious. Because,... I could smell the ''hot fresh baked bread'' in the bakery department. They must have arranged to circulate that aroma all over the store. Yep... I knew at that moment, their MWR.

What is MWR?... MWR means Most Wanted Response.

Copy Writers say MWR''s the starting point for their headlines, articles and sales letters.

That ''fresh hot bread aroma'' was like a great headline... It got my Attention... It created Interest, and I Desired to buy several loaves. And... It created Action, because I headed for the bakery department.

Forget fruit and vegetables. I wanted some of that ''fresh hot baked bread''.

First the MWR, then the headline to grab the readers attention, excite and motivate them to continue reading down the web page, ezine, or article. Everything from the headline, first paragraph, sub headlines, sentence , and every word should lead toward your Most Wanted Response.

MWR may be convincing your reader the value of subscribing to your ezine, clicking a link for an ecourse, reading an article, sending an email, or buying your info-product.

Browsing at the grocery store, emphasized principles and ideas that Copy Writers talk about and use. That hot fresh bread got my Attention the moment I walked into the store. A great headline.

I became Interested in buying hot fresh bread. .. No!... I wasn''t just Interested, they had created the Desire for hot fresh bread. And I was taking Action as I headed for the bakery to get some loaves before they sold out. That was the bakery''s MWR in action... It worked!

And... It was the old standby of Copy Writers first decide on the Most Wanted Response and then use ''AIDA''. We''ve all heard this term and have tried to apply it in our writings. Know your MWR, then create Attention, Interest, Desire that causes Action.

Now everytime I sit down to write anything, I''ll remember ''Most Wanted Response'' and ''AIDA'' Attention, Interest, Desire, Action. Then do my best to accomplish my Most Wanted Response.

If you''ve read this far... I''ve accomplished my MWR... to get you to read this article right to the very end.

Bill Parks... Computer Consultant, specializing in Filemaker Pro database design. Publisher of "Information Age Products Ezine" and "Bill''s Business Boosters Ezine." http://www.InfoAgePro.com', 177, 'Most Wanted Response... How To Make It Work, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Most Wanted Response... How To Make It Work plus articles and information on Marketing

Looking for Sky In All The Wrong Places

Ever sit with a single puzzle piece of clouds and wonder how you will ever put the entire sky together? Life as an entrepreneur is often just like that-- lots of the little pieces, creating products, taking care of clients, wrestling with computers, finances, taxes, etc.-- and a whole lot of sky. The big open space where you create a successful and enjoyable business. There were many pieces of ''puzzle sky'', I was drowning in an ocean of sky blue. After over a decade of struggling with my own company to fit all the ''pieces'' together, I have finally put together the big business puzzle-- and it''s not what I thought it would look like.

As a sponge for knowledge, I would constantly search for information to help me grow. Emblazoned in my mind was a quote that I stumbled upon by accident while researching William Shakespeare in the old, smelly, humid junior high library (thank goodness for the Internet). "Information is power" insightfully said by Sir Frances Bacon. At thirteen years old, I didn''t exactly know what power was but I knew I didn''t want to be a ''dork'' or a ''druggie'', like so many of my friends. So, I wanted power. So... I needed knowledge. I lived for it.

I became a "knowledge" junkie and didn''t ''know'' it. How ironic is that? I graduated from college with over twenty more credits than needed because I kept taking classes. A habit that carried into adulthood, waaay past college, anytime I tackle a new endeavor or head in a new direction... I take a class. A class-- the perfect place to get knowledge right? Yes, though I found I gave up something for that knowledge. And I didn''t know it.

For me, every pursuit of knowledge was a piece of "puzzle sky." I was excited with the opportunity to learn something new. Exhilarated by the threshold of my un- dorkiness being expanded. Enamored with the teacher teaching me! Yet at the end of each ''learning'' experience, something felt-- wrong. Yes, I had gained a piece of knowledge but felt empty and unattached. So, I would throw myself into another class, another learning opportunity-- ever on my quest for power. I had no idea that with each learning experience, I was instead seeking permission for the new undertaking-- and was sidetracked by the high I got from the experience of learning. (Gosh, I hope I''m not the only one.)

With more and more people leaving their cushy corporate job, there''s an explosion of entrepreneurial workshops and seminars teaching you how to be more, make more, more, more, etc. With all these portals of power, how do you know what''s valuable information? Every one of these workshops and the information they offer are a benefit to you-- ONLY IF it is part of your larger picture. So let me help you now... you don''t need permission to "see" exactly what is inside you daring to come out.

To be successful you must dare to learn, surround yourself with knowledge, savor each individual learning experience, HOWEVER always hold it in relationship to your big picture-- your success sky.

You must have a clear vision of the sky... your sky. No one else''s. You get to establish if it''s blue or green. You get to establish is it''s clear or cloudy. You even get to establish if it''s up or down. The important thing is that you "see" it, establish it, create it by surrounding yourself with knowledge to supports that vision.

The next time you are considering taking a course or workshop for your business, ask yourself these three simple questions:

1. What is my sky?

2. Which piece of my "sky puzzle" does the course fulfill?

3. Can this knowledge help me "see" my sky better or help me create it faster?

Knowing the answers will ensure you get actually what you need.

After all my years of knowledge hunting, I''m amazed to find I am now in the knowledge-sharing business. Of course, I learned how in an incredible workshop :) (Email me at info@whybrandu.com I''ll tell you about it!). I know you can accomplish whatever you want. It just takes the right individuals to remind you and expand your knowledge. I''m honored to have the opportunity to be one of them.

Written by Kim Castle, the Co-founder of BrandU? - the home of only step-by- step process for developing your business as a brand from the inside out!

To get information on upcoming BrandU one-day workshops: http:// www.whybrandu.com/Public/events/workshop/index.cfm?semID=13

Get your Why You?!(sm) monthly ezine for easy-to-read tips and informative insights on branding. To subscribe: http://www.whybrandu.com/

"BrandU? - Big Business Success No Matter Your Size"', 177, 'Looking for Sky In All The Wrong Places, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Looking for Sky In All The Wrong Places plus articles and information on Marketing

A Point in Every Direction is the Same As No Point At All

Ever try to be something for everyone and find no one wants it? Do you have trouble finding the time to focus on your business? Do you do so much for so many that you find it''s difficult to make any financial progress in your business; much less make an indelible mark in the mind of your potential customers? I found myself on that road so many times, that I could be a tour guide for Please-want-me-ville.

Where did this come from and how can you get it to stop?

It starts publicly when we''re very young... at school. A moment emblazoned in my mind was in Mrs. Moon''s kindergarten class. I had just discovered a squirreled stash of my favorite food, Pepperidge Farms Goldfish Crackers, in the front pocket of my patchwork dress. I squealed with delight and proudly started munching on them in the middle of "two plus three". My delight turned to horror when I heard, "Miss Castle, I hope you have enough for everyone or you will stand in the front of the class with your face in the corner!"

Out of nowhere, large beads of sweat developed on my forehead as I desperately searched every inch of my two-inch square pocket for enough goldfish to feed the entire class. Even though we were only on "addition", somehow I knew that four fishes and a tail wouldn''t cut it. With my face in the corner for those very long twenty minutes, I vowed that I would always have enough to make everyone happy. In business, these fish have come back to bite me over and over again; until I started teaching people how to brand. Now they can ''gold-fish'' for themselves.

As a teenager, I developed ''I don''t have enough friends'' syndrome. Not being one of the ''cool-n-popular'' types, I had to buy my friends (I hope I''m not the only one who did this). And since I wasn''t the brain, I couldn''t find my value in helping friends get "A''s. I did everything else: the grunt work, the labor, the runs to the store, the ''kill- the messenger'' calls, the kind of stuff that took me away from most of the ''friend'' action. I did so much that I had no time to develop the relationships that I wanted in the first place. I was spread so thin... I was transparent! No wonder for the first few years of my business, I worked unbelievably hard but had nothing (no money, no value) to show for it. It wasn''t until I turned my focus inward that I really started to build something of value that customers wanted.

A few dictionary definitions of focus:

1. concentrated effort or attention on a particular thing

2. a concentrated and unified quality

3. the quality of being sharply defined with clear edges and contrast

A few dictionary definitions of inward:

1. situated within something

2. relating to or existing in the mind or spirit

3. toward the inside or center of something

Your business can never be developed as a brand until you first:

a) suspend the need to be something for everyone, and

b) sharply define with clear edges from your inside or center

The challenge to our business success grows when we compound these learned behaviors with the entrepreneurial fear that we need to be attractive to e-v-e-r-y- o-n-e in order to survive. Especially because we don''t know when and from where the next customer will come. I''ve done that dance too. (You know, the one when you get off the phone with a new client closing a "new tiny project that feels huge because it''s the only one you have ''dance'').

If you identify at all with this, how''s it working for you?

For me it didn''t! Nothing did until I:

1) deeply connected to what I offered, found my uniqueness in it and built on the internal power of it (the first part of the BrandU? process), and

2) communicated it consistently with precision and quality (the second part of the BrandU? process known as CLICsm).

The points of effort that you are sending out in every direction - squandering your focus externally, trying to be something for everyone, doing so much that results so little - all start from somewhere. That somewhere is a place that you control. The seeds of your brand are planted there. Don''t be affected by your programming, program your success. I promise you that if plant it there and tend it, it will grow, and grow, and... grow! And you will be filled with joy and financial success, and the freedom to enjoy it.

Written by Kim Castle, the Co-founder of BrandU? - the home of only step-by- step process for developing your business as a brand from the inside out!

"BrandU? - Big Business Success No Matter Your Size"', 177, 'A Point in Every Direction is the Same As No Point At All, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'A Point in Every Direction is the Same As No Point At All plus articles and information on Marketing

The Newest Marketing Course

Certainly the newest earth quaking event in Internet
Marketing insider circles is the release of John Reese''s
New, Traffic Secrets marketing course.

I say certainly because I suppose to know what for you as
Small marketer is more important. The newest study made
by DoubleClick.com about how much more considered and
sophisticated people became in their online shopping behavior.
Or the fact that John Reese just released his brand new marketing
course which includes every single technique he has ever
used in his highly successful campaigns.

For sure you find very useful articles, and Internet statistics
at Double Click and I suggest you to go there very often
because you should know about new trends and internet
developments. www.doubleclick.com
But actually the greatest (direct) help for your online
promotions is to learn "how to do it on the right way"
from marketing courses of must successful guys just
like John Reese.

Many of the Big Guys of Online marketing are not happy
because John Is doing this. But with no reason. This won''t
stop him to sell his marketing course. And don''t matter
how many people will buy the course nobody will have to
fight with a definitely higher competition in the future.

However there are very, powerful secrets exposed in this
marketing course, and certainly the small group who will buy
this not really cheap marketing course and will use the
system, will definitely leave his competitors miles away behind,
but: The aspect of Internet marketing won''t be changed, because
the ratio of those who will turn their Marketing Efforts into
Substantial income will remain the well known 10% .

Are you asking now why.

If you want to know my personal meaning than here it is:

Just walking in into a bank don''t makes you rich. As same
You won''t be rich just by buying books and CD-s or even
the world''s best marketing course

Statistics are showing that high percent of buyers don''t even
read the marketing courses or e-books they buy. And even
if they read them there is a little bit more "to do" for generating
Internet income. The big guys like John Reese, Corey Rudl,
Shawn Casey and so on, are telling you how to do it. Let me
mention here they are telling you damned well. If you own
already one of this courses and you still don''t make money
I''m wondering if you have read it...

You on your turn have to "learn" and "Work" to apply what they say.

Many people are still thinking that creating an Internet income
Has nothing to do with serious working. Marketers have realised
this fact very early, that''s why you will never find in a good sale
copy the word "work". Making the failure to use this word in a
sale copy would drastically decrease the amount of sales.
But this is another story.

Now We all know that 90% of those who try to make money
on the internet will never make a dime. They will buy great
e-books or marketing courses (good for the others) than when
they realise that there is many hours, many weeks of work
involved until they see incoming money, and they realise that
it is impossible become rich over night they will give it up.

According to this fact nobody has to be afraid from a too high
Competition, because this percentage mentioned above will
not change. Some People simply don''t really want to become
wealthy (they just think they want to?)

Internet marketing success requires hard work, however it
is not a secret that it is still easier to be successful as in any business
offline. Finally you need to invest only few per cent of that money
what you would invest for an off line businesses, you can automate
your online business you can reach much more prospects?
But: you will always have to: Learn, to Work, to invest (time,
Enthusiasm, money).

Are you ready to do all this three points than you will able
To increase your sales to the levels that the big guys are
promising to you.

I wish you fun and good luck!

For More information about the course click.
http://trafficsecrets.com

Llando Ford Started The M. A. Newsletter in late 2003 with the
goal to report about the latest Internet marketing news.
On his website http://marketingadvices.com you will find a collection
of marketing courses (some of them FREE), from the most reputed
marketing gurus. To subscribe to The Marketing Advices Newsletter
and get instantly your Free bonus Gary Shawkey''s If I can Anybody
can and Gary Shawkey''s Secrets send an email to:
mailto:marketingadvices@getresponse.com?subject=SUBSCRIBE&cc=llando@marketingadvices.com

', 177, 'The Newest Marketing Course, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'The Newest Marketing Course plus articles and information on Marketing

Avoid the Duds: 10 Strategies for Selecting The Perfect Speaker

Today, more than ever, the success of meetings relies heavily on the strength of program content and presentation. Nothing can spoil a meeting more than hiring the wrong speaker. That''s because speakers do more than just convey the overall meeting message. You look to them to provide insights, awareness, and cutting-edge information in an energetic, motivational, entertaining, and professional manner. What more could you ask for? Well, the right speaker can emphasize an important message, offer inspiration, help people cope with new assignments, and lead the way towards change. Selecting the right speaker for your event is one of the most important, yet daunting elements for creating a successful meeting. Your speaker can often make or break the event. If he bombs, your reputation not only takes a severe nose-dive, but you also have the pleasure of dealing with the barrage of complaints from a disappointed audience. Yet, if he does well, you can walk away with many of the accolades, compliments, and of course, the rave reviews. By now, you probably realize that this massive responsibility is not to be taken lightly. Raise Your Expectations
The skill to selecting a great speaker is determining what combination of education, motivation, and entertainment best fits your function. Then set out to find a perfect match. But keep your expectations high, since nothing can spoil a meeting faster than booking the wrong speaker. The following 10 guidelines should help you keep your focus and also keep you away from the "duds."
1. Know the program objectives. Before you can start looking for the right speaker, you must know the program objectives. Begin with the end in mind. What are you looking to achieve? Is this an annual meeting, a training program, an incentive get-together, an awards celebration, or another type of event? This will probably be a committee or management decision, rather than one you will have to make. But you may have to make an intangible concept tangible. 2. Understand the audience''s needs. Along with the program objectives, consider the needs of your audience. Does your group need industry-specific or technical information? Will a mix of motivation and entertainment serve your group''s purpose? Today''s audiences are generally younger, more educated, more diverse, and more sophisticated than in the past. They want content. They want to learn, but they also want it to be fun, so consider the audience needs and exactly what they expect. Consider surveying your audience.

Ask them what they want or what skills would most help them in their jobs. For example, sales people may ask for advanced selling skills, but managers may request teambuilding programs. 3. Check for reputation. With countless speakers out there vying for your business, how can you possibly determine which one best meets your needs? Many speakers produce highly professional or glitzy marketing materials to help sell their services. You must look deeper than simply scanning a few brochures and ask pointed questions to find the right fit, such as What experience does this speaker have? How familiar is this speaker with this industry? and, Who else has used this person? 4. "Test drive" your prospects. If you don''t have the opportunity to preview a speaker in person, then the next best thing is to request a video or audio recording of a previous presentation. A session that was recorded before a live audience gives you a better sense of a person''s real ability.
Watch or listen carefully to how the speaker builds rapport and interacts with the audience. Ask yourself if this person would be right for your group. Is the combination of education, motivation, and entertainment appropriate for your needs? Does the speaker have a message that is appropriate, timely, and relevant to the theme or purpose of your event? Does it conform to your company''s philosophy and policy? Do you feel the speaker is genuine and has the expertise to deliver a solid presentation? 5. Don''t be star-struck. If you are considering celebrity speakers, make sure they can speak! TV personalities do a great job on the air, but sometimes have little public speaking expertise, and you should be aware that the skills needed for being on TV and for speaking live are very different. However, many well-known personalities make excellent speakers and can add enormous value and clout to your event. Politicians and sports, media, or entertainment celebrities often share life experiences, offer advice, or have an inspirational message to impart. 6. Be wary of grandiose claims. Speakers who claim to be all things to all people are probably desperate for work. Avoid them. True professional speakers, on the other hand, usually have certain areas or topics of expertise. They would much rather refer potential business to a true expert than jeopardize their reputation by trying to do a program outside of their knowledge zone. Also, beware of the charismatic and fluffy speaker as your audience wants good, solid take-away value. 7. Provide and ask for good information. Reputable speakers want to find out as much as possible about the meeting objectives, the audience, industry challenges, and so on in order to tailor their presentation to the group. Share information on your organization and audience to help the speaker design a program to fit your specific needs. provide them with newsletters, catalogs, or any other publications that highlight industry trends, key people, industry jargon or buzz words, and insider news and views.
Also include as much information as possible about the size and demographics of the audience such as age, gender, and positions. 8. Ask for an outline. Ask prospective speakers for an outline of the presentation to make sure they will be covering the material as you discussed. This will clearly lay out what''s expected as verbal communication is subject to being misunderstood or misinterpreted. Seeing exactly what speakers plan to cover in the sessions should help to ensure that the material is tailored to your specific needs. 9. Maximize opportunities. Look for ways to maximize opportunities with your speakers. Discuss different ways they can add extra value and be a significant resource to help improve your meeting''s success. Brainstorm ways that you feel they can assist you in planning, preparing, promoting, and presenting. Some suggestions include serving as an emcee, conducting special sessions or roundtable discussions about current issues for select groups such as company executives or the board of directors, and participating in a spouse program. 10. Trust your instincts. Through your communication with the speaker, you will quickly form an opinion or have a feeling about this person. First reactions count here. "I like this person" or "I don''t like this person," or "I feel comfortable or uncomfortable working with this person," are strong indicators. These responses usually comes from your gut - a very trustworthy organ. Have confidence in your instincts and trust that so-called sixth sense. If you experience any kind of negative feeling, think about looking for someone else or get another opinion from a colleague. You want to make sure that you can work with this person and that both of you are on the same wavelength.
The true objective of hiring a professional speaker hinges on establishing a partnership where a mutually beneficial relationship grows and flourishes. When this happens, you know you''ve chosen well. The Perfect Match
Overwhelmed with the plethora of speakers to choose from? You may want to turn to a speaker''s bureau for advice and guidance. A good bureau should act as a consultant and partner to help your event succeed. Even though many hundreds of bureaus are out there, the numbers pale in comparison to the thousands of speakers. A bureau''s sole purpose is simply to make your job easier and provide you with solutions. They want to find the best possible match for your event within your price range. So, where do go looking for one of these bureaus? Here are a few places to start your search: the phone book, chambers of commerce, convention and visitors bureaus, the Internet, industry colleagues, and friends. A Final Note:
Look for CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) or CPAE (Council of Peers Award for Excellence) designations. Both these are conferred by the National Speakers Association and are considered the speaking profession''s international measure of professional platform skill (http://www.nsaspeaker.org). Armed with these guidelines and resources, your search for the perfect speaker will be more fruitful. And with a little effort and some time, you will connect with a speaker who will fulfill your goals- one that will be both inform and enlighten. Your audience will thank you.

Written by Susan A. Friedmann,CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, author: "Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies," working with companies to improve their meeting and event success through coaching, consulting and training. Go to http://www.thetradeshowcoach.com to sign up for a free copy of ExhibitSmart Tips of the Week.', 177, 'Avoid the Duds: 10 Strategies for Selecting The Perfect Speaker, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Avoid the Duds: 10 Strategies for Selecting The Perfect Speaker plus articles and information on Marketing

The Real Marketing Genius

I spend a lot of my time reading books and listening to tapes about business and marketing. I guess that''s understandable.

Many of the authors of these materials are known as experts, gurus or marketing geniuses. However, a few weeks ago I was listening to a discussion about marketing and one of the participants made a point that struck me like a ton of bricks.

He said: "The only true marketing genius is the customer".

What a succinct and powerful statement!

The truth of the matter is that no matter how much good advice or information or training we get in marketing, the only person''s opinion that really matters is the customers. No matter how good the idea seems to be, if the customer doesn''t respond then nothing else matters.

What''s the moral?

Simple. You need to constantly stay in tune with your customers interests and desires and give them what they want, how they want it, when they want it. If they don''t respond to a particular offer, you need to do your best to find out why (through follow-up surveys or any other method at your disposal).

If they do respond to an offer it''s still a good idea to find out why. It may be for a different reason than you think.

We should all certainly continue to study marketing and listen to what the "experts" say, but we need to give just as much (or more) attention to what our customers are saying as well.

Learn More: Read an informative article about conducting consumer surveys here: Conducting Customer Surveys

Shawn Meldrum has spent the last two decades marketing everything from almonds to landscape lighting. He currently specializes in marketing for mortgage brokers, loan officers and real estate agents. For free mortgage marketing articles and much more visit:http://www.mortgagemarketingtips.com/', 177, 'The Real Marketing Genius, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'The Real Marketing Genius plus articles and information on Marketing

At the Speed of Light

How many times has someone you''ve called said, "Why don''t you send me some information on your company"?

Ask yourself, before you send anything: How will this be dealt with once it arrives at that person''s desk. Aren''t they already suffering from information overload? On the one hand, people say they they need more information in order to make the decision just to meet with you, let alone to agree to buy or hire. On the other, they have more information about everything than they know what to do with.

The problem is, your prospects are not usually looking for information. They are usually, politely, asking you to go away. Most salespeople at this point shovel a whole lot of information at their prospect, hoping something will stick.

A more effective way to respond to your prospect''s request for more information is to send something that reaches them at a gut level. It doesn''t have to be overwhelming, a subtle message can be as effective as a bold one, as long as it connects. How to achieve that connection on paper or a website is, of course, the big challenge.

Upon receiving your marketing material your prospect will ask themselves, "Is it worth my time to look at this? and "Do I have the time to look at it now?" This happens in the first glance. If your material doesn''t elicit a yes to one or both of these questions, you have failed.

When done right, the connection is made with no effort on your prospect''s part. Suddenly they recognize that someone is saying all the right things. Information alone does not have the power to move a prospect further along the sales path. Making a connection does. And it can happen to your prospect in the blink of an eye.

A well known, well received, Saturn commercial showed how in seconds we can come to a profound understanding and connection with an advertiser. A young woman calls the Saturn guys and asks a favour for when the new car is delivered to the showroom. We see her and her nice, average-Joe kind of fellow looking over the new car. He''s paying lots of attention to the macho dashboard details and such and she seems a little nervous. As he turns to examine the rest of the interior, we see in a flash, (in one version, we see only a few square inches) what he sees--a baby seat. We have all the information we need. We know precisely, now, what this story is all about.

We cannot help but be caught up in the drama because it is up to us to make the story up for ourselves, as it unfolds in the remaining few seconds: in his eyes, surprise and (very obvious) love for the lady. On her face, the question: how will he take the news? Then the happily-ever-after answer. The connection with the audience has been made.

The thought of a mother-to-be doesn''t make me go all mushy, and I''ve never even been in a car with a baby seat. But this reached me at a profound, personal level. I''m ready to look at a Saturn when my latest Honda is ready to be traded in.

You may not be selling cars, but the principle is the same. You must connect strongly and quickly, and the best way to do that is at the gut level. That gut level connection is often all your prospect needs to know before they will meet with you.

The average person has a unfathomable reserve of information that is accessed, processed, understood and felt in something approaching the speed of light. That kind of information--gut level understanding--is more powerful than anything else a marketer can thrust on a prospect. Does it really work that way? Does watching a boy call his grandfather from the beaches of Dieppe on his cell phone to say thanks work? Ask Bell. Not only does an image or a concept do the work of a thousand words, it does it in 1/1000th of the time, and with a thousand times the punch.

This is not to say you must include pictures with your marketing material. A good writer can paint vivid pictures with text in people''s minds, using the power of a metaphor or a story.

The lesson: Don''t turn your marketing materials into something like a manual, catalogue, lecture, or diatribe. Use the powerful informational forces already resident in your target market. Work to understand who they are and why they might want you instead of someone else. Speak in their language, and keep the focus on them.

Keith Thirgood, Creative Director

Capstone Communications Group

Helping businesses get more business through innovative marketing

http://www.capstonecomm.com/

Markham, Ontario, Canada 905-472-2330

Subscribe to Thrive-on-line http://list.capstonecomm.com/mail.cgi?f=list&l=thrive_on_line', 177, 'At the Speed of Light, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'At the Speed of Light plus articles and information on Marketing

Good News Travels Fast

This newsletter is full of opportunities staring you in the face. If you don''t believe me, write and tell me so--and by doing that you''d be proving me right.

That would make you a proactive marketer: spotting a marketing opportunity in an everyday activity.

For instance: Something most of us do every day is read the paper, and though they may not seem like business issues at first glance, editorials or news items offer one of those marketing opportunities. How does that merger, government legislation, tax increase, tornado--or whatever--affect your business, your industry, your clients? Take a position on the subject, and write a letter to the editor to tell them. Include your company name in the body of the letter. Readers often give more credence to opinions of business leaders, and it gets your name out there.

Act immediately. After reading the paper, set aside some time to respond. Then go over your response carefully. (It''s easy to fire off a letter, but you might regret sending something not fully thought out.)

Your letters may not be used every time, but when one is, it goes a long way to building your image as an expert.

Another marketing opportunity arises when you see an article that might be of interest to one of your clients. Clip and send it to them with a note. Even if they''ve already seen it, your client will appreciate the gesture. It shows you take them and their business seriously.

That was easy. Now, what about all those items that don''t directly relate to you or your existing clients? Some may mean more to you than you think.

Electronic or print, the news media are chock full of marketing information. As you read, watch or listen, be prepared to capture vital information. Pen and paper by your side can''t hurt. Every day, companies you should be prospecting appear in the news. Jot down the spokesperson''s name and title; if you''re lucky the report may even provide a number to call. Companies like putting their people in front of the media (because they can say all the positive things about themselves the media won''t). Pick out the companies you are interested in marketing to, and call them.

The news item doesn''t have to be a positive story; the negative ones may hold more opportunity. However, don''t assume a company facing tough decisions automatically wants you. They may react quite nastily to that assumption.

The person in the news story may not be the right one to discuss your ideas with, but they are an in, so contact them first. When you call, mention where you saw or heard them, make some positive comment on the coverage, then quickly move on to the reason for your call. They will appreciate knowing how their PR is working, and will, no doubt, feel that you''re not wasting their time with insubstantial chit chat.

From this point, the call becomes like any other exploratory sales call.

You can''t afford to sit on these opportunities. News has a short shelf life. Because of the number of news items we are bombarded with, you should only focus on a couple at a time. Don''t worry if you miss some, we are fed a constant stream of potentially useful information, so you''ll never run out of targets.

It''s hard enough to keep on top of daily events pertinent to your field. It''s harder still, when using them for their marketing potential, to stay up to date, and to act quickly. But it''s vital, because with marketing, timing is everything.

Opportunities lie on every page and in every broadcast. Your success in using them for marketing depends on their relevancy to your field, and on your ability to act quickly.

Use the news to turn yourself into a proactive marketer.

Keith Thirgood, Creative Director

Capstone Communications Group

Helping businesses get more business through innovative marketing

http://www.capstonecomm.com/

Markham, Ontario, Canada 905-472-2330

Subscribe to Thrive-on-line http://list.capstonecomm.com/mail.cgi?f=list&l=thrive_on_line', 177, 'Good News Travels Fast, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Good News Travels Fast plus articles and information on Marketing

Good News Travels Fast

This newsletter is full of opportunities staring you in the face. If you don''t believe me, write and tell me so--and by doing that you''d be proving me right.

That would make you a proactive marketer: spotting a marketing opportunity in an everyday activity.

Your letters may not be used every time, but when one is, it goes a long way to building your image as an expert.

That was easy. Now, what about all those items that don''t directly relate to you or your existing clients? Some may mean more to you than you think.

From this point, the call becomes like any other exploratory sales call.

Opportunities lie on every page and in every broadcast. Your success in using them for marketing depends on their relevancy to your field, and on your ability to act quickly.

Use the news to turn yourself into a proactive marketer.

Keith Thirgood, Creative Director

Capstone Communications Group

Helping businesses get more business through innovative marketing

http://www.capstonecomm.com/

Markham, Ontario, Canada 905-472-2330

Getting Paid to Promote Yourself

We all know we can pay a magazine or a newspaper to run ads for us. Businesses do it all the time. In many cases, you''re obliged to advertise to survive. But wouldn''t you rather promote yourself and your company in a number of publications, and get paid for it?

You can. Simply by writing magazine articles. When you write articles as a business person, you gain on three levels: 1. You demonstrate your knowledge. 2. You help other people. 3. If you write often, you develop a following.

Contrary to common belief, most articles in magazines are not written by professional writing staff. They''re written by freelancers. Many of these people are just like you, experts in their field, writing on the side. Many don''t even write their own articles, they hire other writers to ghostwrite for them.

As a published author, you''re exposed to a wide audience, with whom you''ve gained an authority and credibility you might not otherwise be able to achieve.

But how to get published? Study the magazines your target audience reads. Analyze the type of articles that are in them. (i.e. anecdotal, how-to, case studies, etc.) What''s the word count? It''s even a good idea to look at the titles and the subheads-- how many words in them?

Contact the publisher and ask them to send you their Submissions Guidelines. It will be free, and it will tell you all you need to know about what the magazine is looking for, and what they pay. Study it--follow it.

Consider the readers. What kind of people are they? What interests them? Even look at the classified ads. They''ll tell you who the advertisers believe reads the magazine.

Review what''s been published in the magazine over the last couple of years. Don''t try to submit something that''s been recently published. The editor won''t even look at it. And he will dismiss you as an amateur, potentially ruining any future chances of getting published.

Now, write your article based on all the profiles you''ve built of the readership. How- to articles are the easiest to write and, usually, the most in demand. Readers can''t seem to get enough of them.

Your article must give your readers valuable information. Doing so proves to the editor and the readers that you''re an expert on the subject.

There are two ways to submit an article to a magazine. You can send the editor a query letter, in which you tell the editor about your idea, why you think it will sell magazines and how it will help the readers.

Or, a few magazines don''t mind you sending the finished manuscript directly to the editor. Your choice depends largely upon which method the magazine prefers. The guidelines will indicate what they prefer.

If you want a reply from the editor, enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) whenever you correspond with them.

Publications vary as to what they will allow you to put in your byline. Sometimes they will allow a brief bio, such as: "Keith Thirgood, creative director of Capstone Communications Group. Specializing in helping business get more business through creative marketing design." Some will even let you include your address, e-mail and phone number.

If you do get published, you''ll get a cheque and more advertising than you could ever pay for.

What stops many business people from writing is that, try though they might, they feel they can''t write an entertaining article. They may be able to write fantastic proposals, but magazine writing is a different kind of activity. Anyone who fits the above description, may hire a professional ghostwriter. It''s not cheap. But it''s still a lot less expensive than buying ad space.

Many writers charge from $1200 to $3500 to ghostwrite an article. Sometimes, this includes advice on how to sell the article. The client gets the byline and all the publicity it generates. The ghostwriter remains invisible.

The value of your article is more than just its initial publication. It has a life beyond. Include copies of it in all your promotions. Post it on your website. Show it to prospective clients. (Even after you have sold your article to a publisher, as the creator, you own the copyright on the article. Even if the publisher asks you to sell all rights, you are usually allowed to retain the right to use the work, with proper credit, in your own self-promotion.)

Does free advertising, getting published, and being regarded as an expert in your field sound good to you? Seriously consider writing for magazines; you may discover a whole new creative outlet in the process.

Keith Thirgood, Creative Director

Capstone Communications Group

Helping businesses get more business through innovative marketing

http://www.capstonecomm.com/

Markham, Ontario, Canada 905-472-2330

Subscribe to Thrive-on-line http://list.capstonecomm.com/mail.cgi?f=list&l=thrive_on_line', 177, 'Getting Paid to Promote Yourself, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Getting Paid to Promote Yourself plus articles and information on Marketing

Nice Guys Finish First

Volunteering your services can be an excellent way to form new business relationships and raise your business''s profile while lending a hand to a good cause. However, unless you take care, it can also become all-consuming, with little return (besides creating good karma).

There is nothing wrong with good karma, or better yet, feeling good about lending a hand in the community. The whole point of volunteering should not solely be to expand your marketing. If it is, you won''t get very far (read reincarnated as a dung beetle). You should honestly be concerned about the project you chose to support. Doing your best for the project at hand must come before your desire to network. Those who join a cause for purely selfish reasons are usually uncovered. Potential contacts become turned off and few people will do business with those with questionable ethics.

So how do you get more from your efforts than a warm glow?

One method is, to choose a cause that needs someone with your expertise and will allow you to showcase your talents. Major organizations (Lions, United Way, etc.) usually have well-established hierarchies, and positions are often taken, but they offer a better opportunity to build relationships with movers and shakers. One-time events take less time in the long run and can provide a better chance for publicity.

Working with influential people, is more likely to make a difference to your career. Stuffing envelopes may be just as crucial to the cause, but you are unlikely to get much recognition or a chance to build rapport.

Once you''ve volunteered, don''t rush into "making contacts". As you work together, conversation will run the gamut, from weather to the kids, and inevitably, to business. It''s a friendly, natural way for people of influence to get to know you.

These people may or may not need your services, but chances are they know those who do. If they are impressed by your work on the project, they are likely to refer you to others. You have made valuable contacts. Contacts who can last a lifetime.

If you have taken a leadership role in creating a campaign, organizing volunteers, raising funds, or performed other key functions, you may discreetly blow your own horn. Do it discreetly, but do it, because it is all too easy to have your participation overlooked. Because they donate large sums of money, large corporations often take the spotlight away from individual volunteers. That''s not to knock corporations, because without their contributions many projects would falter. Those in charge of volunteer projects maybe aware of the value you bring, however they may not realize the importance of public recognition to a small business. If they do, they may no know how to help you get that recognition.

Although your efforts were vital to producing a successful project, you won''t automatically receive any collateral marketing opportunities. It is up to you to get the word out. Your, or your company''s, involvement in an important cause might be news to the local newspaper, and it might also be worthy of mention in an industry publication. A graphic monthly may be interested in a design firms involvement in a good cause. Likewise, an accounting periodical might like to know about an accountant''s involvement in fundraising. Send press releases to media that are related to your field. Write them in proper press release language. If you don''t know how, buy a book or hire someone who can write press releases. It''s worth the cost.

Take care not to bite off more than you can chew. Becoming too involved and spending an inordinate amount of time for the cause, will send out mixed messages. To some, you are unselfishly dedicated; to others, it''s a sign that your business is slow or you don''t know how to manage your time properly. Know when to say no.

Volunteering is a great opportunity to meet people and grow your business, but do it because you love it, not for the business reward.

Keith Thirgood, Creative Director

Capstone Communications Group

Helping businesses get more business through innovative marketing

http://www.capstonecomm.com/

Markham, Ontario, Canada 905-472-2330

Subscribe to Thrive-on-line http://list.capstonecomm.com/mail.cgi?f=list&l=thrive_on_line', 177, 'Nice Guys Finish First, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Nice Guys Finish First plus articles and information on Marketing

Target Your Market

Your market is not everybody, as so many small businesses assume. It is the people/organizations who need, want, have the money--and the willingness--to pay for what you are offering. Identifying them can be complicated and expensive, or it can be relatively painless and cheap.

How much do you need to know about them? Enough to have all the clues on how to reach them, and what to say, when you do. Finding your target is vital, so whatever method you choose, do it properly and test your assumptions.

Research

The best place to start is with what you already know. What does your company know about its clients? Do you already have a perfect client--the one you wish you had more of? Examine their demographics. Who are they, where are they, what are they spending, what are they earning, how many employees do they have? And any other information that may help you build a clear picture.

Now, identify what need your product or service is fulfilling. Who needs your product or service the most? What industry are they in? Where are they located and how can you reach them?

Further Research

Once you have exhausted your internal research, go further. Interview potential prospects. Ask questions that deal with the benefits you bring: Is there a need? Is there awareness of your type of offering? Try to identify any unfulfilled needs: price, service or other benefits. See if there are any weaknesses in the competition. If all those you survey are happy with their present supplier, you should ask yourself if is this the right target.

If you are targeting specific industries, read their trade magazines and investigate their associations. Associations often publish directories with statistics concerning their members. These can be found in your local library. Boards of trade put out listings of their members, divided into services provided.

Business directories are invaluable. They list businesses geographically and according to industry sector. They also give you the products offered, the number of employees, sales figures and the principles involved.

Armed with this information, you can survey a number of these potential targets to confirm they are in need of your benefits. Remember, these are not sales calls. Ask for 5 minutes of their time, and ask only non-sales questions. Simply gather data and thank them for their time. Resist pitching yourself.

You now have an idea of who your target is and where they are, but what are they thinking? How much do they know and what do they need to know? This brings you to the world of Psychographics.

Psychographics don''t come from Jo Jo the Psychic reading your target''s mind (although, it would be nice). They relate to how your target thinks about certain issues, and the way they do business. Much of this information comes from studying your potential targets. Put yourself in their shoes. Talk their language, think their thoughts, feel their emotions, respond to their cues. To catch a fish you have to think like a fish.

If this all sounds daunting, you may want to hire a research company. This can be expensive, but if you don''t have the skills, time or the inclination to do it yourself, it''s perfect. Any research company worth its salt can identify your target down to the colour of their underwear (if they wear any).

The tighter your focus, the more effective your materials can be.

All your prospects have different levels of awareness of your type of product/ service. Using Capstone''s Awareness Scale?, divide your potential prospects into three groups:

1. Those who are unaware of the existence or the benefits of your type of product/ service. This is the Educational Target.

2. Those who are aware but unsure or unconvinced. This is the Doubter Target.

3. Those who are convinced and buying. This is the Differentiation Target.

Once you define your ideal prospect, you''re set. This perfect buyer falls in the middle of a bell curve of prospects with similar wants and needs. The positioning and communication strategies and tactics you develop to sell this prospect will apply to most of your prospects.

Keith Thirgood, Creative Director

Capstone Communications Group

Helping businesses get more business through innovative marketing

http://www.capstonecomm.com/

Markham, Ontario, Canada 905-472-2330

Subscribe to Thrive-on-line http://list.capstonecomm.com/mail.cgi?f=list&l=thrive_on_line', 177, 'Target Your Market, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Target Your Market plus articles and information on Marketing

Your Marketing Message

Your message is first among your weapons in the battle of perceptions.

Your message allows you to accomplish many things. Your message can educate the masses, convert the non-believers or separate the wheat from the chaff. But not all three.

Your first clue to your message comes from where in the Awareness Scale? your target sits. (See my article titled "Target Your Market" for further discussion on the Awareness Scale?)

The Educational Target

The Educational Target needs the benefits of your type of service/product fully and carefully explained. Don''t spend time differentiating your company from your competition, there isn''t any. Instead, your target must have their awareness raised until they care.

The Doubter Target

The Doubter Target needs to have their objections overcome. You still must present the general benefits, but concentrate on overcoming the fears revealed in your research. Show how you deliver these benefits better than your competition. Your materials have a greater fight for attention here.

The Differentiation Target

The Differentiation Target is the most obvious target. All your competition is there. This market is already buying your type of service/product and they know what the major benefits are. You must highlight how you deliver the major benefits better than the competition. How you have other, less obvious benefits, your competitors don''t. You must really stand out in this crowd. To be noticed, your materials and approach must be unique.

As you can see, each target needs a different message. Don''t make the mistake of trying to combine the messages in one approach. It won''t work.

Bad marketing happens to good people because they can''t believe others are blind to their goodness. Marketing is a battle of perceptions, not products. Objective reality doesn''t exist. What people believe about you and your product is what''s real. This is tough for most people to come to grips with. Creating a positive impression is not saying you are wonderful. It''s proving it. Marketing works when it demonstrates, not when it asserts.

Don''t explain the tools of your trade and don''t list the features. Go for the benefits. Make them clear and desirable. If your target has to figure out the benefits for themselves, you''re asking them to do your job for you. They won''t. They''ll do something else. The loss is yours.

For marketing purposes, each feature must deliver a benefit. Otherwise, it''s worthless. Write out all the benefits of your product/service. Pretend you are a prospect. For each benefit statement you write, ask yourself, "So what?" If your answer to "So what?" is more explanation, your statement is not yet a benefit.

Example:

Client says: "Our car has passenger-side air bags." We reply: "So what? This is a feature." Client: "Our air bags inflate in 1/1000 of a second and can withstand 24 G forces." Us: "So what? This is still a feature." Client: "The passenger can walk away from a head-on collision." Us: "Now that''s a benefit."

Keith Thirgood, Creative Director

Capstone Communications Group

Helping businesses get more business through innovative marketing

http://www.capstonecomm.com Markham, Ontario, Canada 905-472-2330

Subscribe to Thrive-on-line http://list.capstonecomm.com/mail.cgi?f=list&l=thrive_on_line', 177, 'Your Marketing Message, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Your Marketing Message plus articles and information on Marketing

The Silver Bullet For Success: Revealed

Looking for the magic formula or the whiz-bang approach that will unlock your business success? Are you willing to pay hundreds for it? How about thousands?

Guess what, you are not alone. Just as people, for ages, have searched for the fountain of youth, entrepreneurs and small business owners around the world are looking for the silver bullet for success: that one sure-fire way to achieve the success that they want without doing a thing. This demand for this magic "success" pill has grown even more desperate and confusing. This need, especially for entrepreneurs, is understandable; time is limited, budgets are not yet created and... lives are at stake... yours.

Well you can rest easy. Your search is over. Are you ready for the answer? There is no silver bullet.... or is there?

While speaking at seminars around the country with dozens of other experts in their field, I''m amazed at the amount products that can... and will...help business owners create more successful businesses. I mean we''re one of them. The plethora of information available today is astounding and often... overwhelming.

This hit home a few weeks ago while I was speaking at a multi-day seminar for small business owners. I was honored to be among a select few outstanding experts speaking about marketing for small business owners. I watched the confusion grow in the audience as program after program (mine included) was rolled out throughout the three days, as the business owners tried to determine which product best served their need at that particular moment.

I watched them. No, I studied them. And, my heart went out to them... mostly because I''m just like them. I''m just like you-- a small business owner with a vision for my business and looking for help to accomplish it. While some people at this seminar invested in a product that met their biggest problem at that specific time, some didn''t at all. Often these purchased products are listened to for a short period of time; some are even applied... for a short period of time. These tools are often relegated to a closet or bookshelf-- abandoned for another new tool at another seminar at another time. Thus begins a vicious cycle that leaves the purchaser feeling empty, without the business power they were looking for in the first place. I refer to this to as "shelf-help"--serving only the shelf that these products sit on. Watching and talking to these business owners... no wonder they wanted the silver bullet.

And even though my business success tool, BrandU, breaks down the powerful brand development process into a easy to follow step-by-step system, once in a very blue moon one of my students finds themselves sitting with the power they got from creating their brand asking "Is this it?" "Am I done?" "Where''s my success?" While they carefully chose, and found value in, BrandU what they really wanted was... yep that''s right... that darn silver bullet.

The bottom line is no matter how much external work you do, learning and application, emulating and testing, there is no single silver bullet to assist you reaching your success goals. Success is more like silver buckshot-- a shower of focused impact full hits. These focused efforts can be distilled down to four major "pellets" or keys of success:

? Deliver Value.

This may sound overtly obvious for most of you, however you must always think of your customer first and be sure that you are delivering the most helpful and valuable content.

? Consistency. Consistency. Consistency.

You just can''t get away from this key-- and you shouldn''t. Everything you say, write, show and do must support your vision and your... brand. In your presentations, your e-mails, your web site, your content, your marketing materials. The ability for your customer to completely experience your brand depends on consistent communication from you. Only then, will they value you.

? Finish What You Start.

Once you commit to yourself, a partner, your staff, a client or customer always follow-through-- to a fault. The corollary of follow-through is under-promise and over-deliver. Set and keep expectations where they belong-- calm, reliable and consistently in-favor of the other party. You will be rewarded. And finally,

? Own Your Power.

Now for the most misunderstood key. You''ve heard it stated in a number of ways. To us it means know your power and own the path you travel on and the results you get from it. If your "inner house" is built on a solid foundation, it is imperative that your own the power you know you have. No confusion, no avoidance, no ''victimhood'' and no excuses. Be a voracious learning sponge. Stand strong, watch for helpers, take bold steps, lovingly adjust and stand ready to reap the rewards!

With these pellets in your shell, your silver buckshot is sure to hit your target.

Come to think about it, the four keys do have one thing in common: they are all completely in your control. Could that mean there really is a silver bullet for success after all? There is one true, fail-proof thing that you can depend upon for all your business success and that thing is... you. Weld yourself wisely; your success depends on it! Make a plan that is supported by your vision, surround yourself with the right people and tools that specifically support that plan and put the silver bullet that is you in action. You will experience all the success than you can imagine. See, it all comes down to... you.

Written by Kim Castle, the Co-founder of BrandU? - the home of only step-by- step process for developing your business as a brand from the inside out!

"BrandU? - Big Business Success No Matter Your Size"', 177, 'The Silver Bullet For Success: Revealed, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'The Silver Bullet For Success: Revealed plus articles and information on Marketing

A Quick Guide To Finding Reciprocal Links

Trading reciprocal links is one of the best ways to build traffic at your website. A reciprocal link is where two websites agree to host a link to each other on their websites. These usually are placed on a special, ''links page'', but sometimes in articles or other areas.

Often, people have a hard time finding sites to exchange links with. The following is a guide to the practice.

1. Determine the profile of your target market. Who they are. What sort of things they like and do.

2. From this information, determine where these people would go on the net. What sites they would visit.

3. Visit these sorts of sites and decide on which ones to approach regarding exchanging links. (Some sites will be more promising than others. Some will attract more traffic, some a more suitable ''class'' of traffic.) -Determine if they have a section for links. (There''s no point asking them to exchange links, if they don''t have a link section.)

4. Approach each site individually. Contact the webmaster, or if you can determine who this is, the person ''in charge'' of the site. -You must visit the site first, and in the opening line of your e-mail, comment on some particular point about their site. This will help immediately diffuse the suspicion that your e-mail is another piece of spam.

5. In your e-mail, make your case for the exchange. Point out to them, the reason you believe the exchange will be mutually beneficial. (You both attract the same type of visitors, each site will help the other with search engine positioning, etc.) -Include a suggestion of the copy you would like accompanying your link. (And of course, ask them what copy they would like you to include with their link.)

To find more potential exchange partners:

1. Visit the top five to ten search engines and search for the terms you think your target market might use when searching for a site like yours. (This is important. Use the terms your TARGET might use. Don''t use your insider jargon, unless your target audience would use it too.)

2. Visit the top ranking sites on each of your searches and determine if their audience fits your target profile, and if they have links. Then go back and do step four and five with these sites.

With this technique, you should have a healthy selection of links with a few hours of work. A bonus to having a large number of sites linking into your site is, a number of the search engines give extra ranking to sites that are ''popular''. And they measure popularity by inbound links.

Keith Thirgood, Creative Director, Editor Thrive-on-Line http://www.capstonecomm.com Capstone Communications Group Helping businesses get more business through innovative marketing Markham, Ontario, Canada 905-472-2330 Subscribe to Thrive-on-line http://list.capstonecomm.com/mail.cgi?f=list&l=thrive_on_line', 177, 'A Quick Guide To Finding Reciprocal Links, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'A Quick Guide To Finding Reciprocal Links plus articles and information on Marketing

Heres A Robust, Turnkey, Interactive. Best of Breed, Mission-Critical Solution to Kill Buzzwords

Fellow Publicity Insiders, what does this phrase mean?

"We envision a center of excellence where our accelerated change
agents can maximize their core competencies."

Huh? - or - "The company is a global leader in pressure-sensitive
technology and innovative self-adhesive solutions for consumer
products and label materials."

Clue: they make stickers.

Pity the poor reporters who have to dig through this pile of
drivel to find a news story. Free help is here. Bullfighter, an
aptly-named software program from Deloitte Consulting, works like
a spelling checker program to spot questionable words and phrases
in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint documents. Bullfighter can be
downloaded at:

http://www.dc.com/insights/bullfighter/

For a humorous & irreverent look at buzzword bashing that
includes real-life, buzz-laden press releases and pitch letters,
go to:

http://www.buzzkiller.net/default.htm

Have a seamless, win-win day!

Bill Stoller, the "Publicity Insider", has spent two decades as
one of America''s top publicists. Now, through his website, eZine
and subscription newsletter, Free Publicity: The Newsletter for
PR-Hungry Businesses http://www.PublicityInsider.com/freepub.asp
he''s sharing -- for the very first time -- his secrets of scoring
big publicity. For free articles, killer publicity tips and
much, much more, visit Bill''s exclusive new site:
http://www.PublicityInsider.com', 177, 'Heres A Robust, Turnkey, Interactive. Best of Breed, Mission-Critical Solution to Kill Buzzwords, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Heres A Robust, Turnkey, Interactive. Best of Breed, Mission-Critical Solution to Kill Buzzwords plus articles and information on Marketing

Postcards: Awareness Tool or Selling Tool?

Are postcards better for building awareness or for selling?

In my opinion, the answer to the above question is, "They can do both jobs. It depends on what type of business you''re in."

My own perspective is that of the Web and graphic designer who must distinguish herself from the hordes of other designers out there. I do this by keeping my name in front of my clients and prospects with postcards.

Over the years, this approach has brought me quite a bit of repeat business from my longtime clientele, and new business from the prospects on my list.

Since many businesses do nothing to stay in touch with their market, and spend their precious time and resources chasing after new customers, I think that the awareness approach has merit. After all, it costs six times less to sell to an existing customer than it does to sell to a new customer. This has been proven through numerous studies.

Now, let''s move on to the selling approach. Let''s say you''re new in town, and, by golly, you need some clients pronto-pronto. Which means that you''re not going to send out postcards to build awareness.

Rather, you''re going to send something that gets new clients ringing your phone and setting up appointments where you sell your design services.

In short, different strokes for different folks. And postcards are versatile enough to serve ''em all.

Martha Retallick, "The Passionate Postcarder," hails from Tucson, Arizona, USA. She is the author of Postcard Marketing Secrets, a downloadable PDF manual that will show you how to put postcards to work for your business?profitably. Learn more about it at:

http://www.PostcardMarketingSecrets.com', 177, 'Postcards: Awareness Tool or Selling Tool?, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Postcards: Awareness Tool or Selling Tool? plus articles and information on Marketing

Measuring the Return on Your Direct Mail Investment

In direct mail lore, there''s a rule stating that you can measure the success of your efforts by a minimum response rate of 1-2%.

In other words, if you send out 10,000 pieces, you''ll have a successful mailing if at least 100 recipients respond to your offer. (One percent of 10,000 is 100.)

That''s one view of direct mailing success.

Permit me to offer a different perspective: one from the small business world. Specifically, I''m referring to those small business people who work by and for themselves. Call them "One-Man Bands," "Working Soloists," "Free Agents," or whatever you''d like.

To help you remember these two perspectives, let''s give them a couple of catchy names:

1. The "Playing the Percentages" Perspective. This is the "industry standard 1-2% response rate on your mailings" perspective you''ve heard so much about. This is the yardstick favored by businesses that are sending large quantities of direct mail to sell mass market products.

For example, if I own a pizza parlor, and I''m doing a "use this card for 10% off on your next order" mailing to all residences within a three-mile radius of my business, I might have a mailing list of 10,000 names.

You''d better believe that I''m going to watch the overall response rate like a hawk, and I''m going to be looking at precisely where those hungry customers are coming from. If most of them are coming from a handful of apartment complexes next to a college campus, I''ll know to send my future mailings to those complexes.

2. The "You Only Need A Few" Perspective. This is the one for those One-Man (or One-Woman) Bands who are selling services that take a fair amount of time to provide. Like marketing consulting, public relations services, graphic design, or customized computer software applications.

For these folks, a handful of new or repeat clients from a promotional mailing is quite enough. After all, as the owner of a one-woman graphic design studio told me once, "I don''t want to be a victim of my own [direct mail] success."

Martha Retallick, "The Passionate Postcarder," hails from Tucson, Arizona, USA. She is the author of Postcard Marketing Secrets, a downloadable PDF manual that will show you how to put postcards to work for your business?profitably. Learn more about it at:

http://www.PostcardMarketingSecrets.com', 177, 'Measuring the Return on Your Direct Mail Investment, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Measuring the Return on Your Direct Mail Investment plus articles and information on Marketing

Website Promotion Strategies For Targeted Web Site Traffic

If you''re looking to drive more targeted traffic to your web site, you''ll want to pay close attention to the website promotion strategies presented in this article.

As an internet marketer, or a want to be internet marketer, you know that web site traffic is your livelihood. Without it you have nothing. No traffic - no sales - no profits. You''ll continue to be stuck in a dead end job or worse yet, unemployed with no way to take care of yourself or your family.

I''ve written this article to end the hype and confusion that''s abundant on the internet about website promotion and getting quality prospects to your web site or affiliate link. There are no secrets to website promotion. Common sense and proven principles prevail.

Website Promotion Strategy Rule # 1. Tap Into Existing Markets
The first consideration when it comes to your website promotion strategy is your product or service. Too many people think they must reinvent the wheel or come up with something new or exciting.

The first rule of creating an effective website promotion strategy is to find an existing market and then shoot for a piece of the action. It''s much cheaper and much easier to tap into an existing market than to try to create a new one. Creating new markets are best left to the multi-million dollar corporations who have the money and time to develop them.

Website Promotion Strategy Rule #2. Consistancy Is The Key
Too many marketers throw up a web site and expect the world to beat a path to it''s door. You can''t locate your web site on a super highway with a million vehicles passing by every day. It''s in cyber space and no one will ever see it unless you promote it.

The key to succesful website promotion is consistency. Day after day, week after week, month after month you must be doing something to let your prospects know your web site is there and offers a solution to their problems.

Website Promotion Strategy Rule # 3. Avoid Website Promotion Strategies That Don''t Send Targeted Traffic
Too many greedy promotors are pushing strategies that simply don''t work. They may bring some traffic, but the traffic they bring is simply trying to gain some form of reward for visiting your web site. Simply put, they have no interest in your offer, your product, or service. They''re not targeted and have no interest in spending money with you. What good is a million visitors if no one buys anything?

Avoid FFA pages where your add is is only listed for a few seconds at best. Don''t post on classified sites. The limited readership is simply not worth the effort. Stay away from so called optin safe lists. Your ad will be deleted in mass without ever being seen. I also recommend staying away from banner exchange and traffic exchange clubs.

Website Promotion Strategy Rule # 4. Focus On Traffic First
You can have the prettiest web site, the most compelling sales message, and the best offer on the planet. But if no one sees it, you have nothing.

Therefore you must-must-must focus on getting targeted traffic to your web site first. Once you have the traffic coming , then you can shift your attention to optimizing your sales message, improving your offer, and tweaking your site to get the best conversion rates. But until you have ample traffic(several hundred visitors per week) your attention is best focused on getting targeted traffic. So put first things first. Targeted traffic is king.

Website Promotion Strategy Rule # 5. Use Only Time Tested Proven Website Promotion Strategies And Techniques
Stop wasting time with outdated website promotion strategies that no longer work. FFA pages, advertising on classified sites, and safelists are good examples of this. They simply won''t bring you enough targeted traffic.

Instead, focus your efforts on website promotion strategies that have stood the test of time and continue to work.

Eight Potent Website Promotion Strategies That Can Bring You All The Targetd Traffic You Need!

Writing articles for ezines and to post on other web sites. This is an often overlooked website promotion strategy that can bring a ton of targeted traffic to your site. There are many advantages to this strategy. Targeted traffic, exposure, and boosting pr for higher search engine rankings are just a few.

Advertising in ezines is a popular website promotion strategy and can work well. There are to many factors involved to go into all of them here. Just keep in mind the actual product, the copy and the audience all play a vital role in how well prospects respond. I don''t push this technique because I believe writing articles is far more powerful.

Free search engine marketing is a website promotion strategy that can literally explode your traffic with targeted visitors. To succeed you must get good listings. The first page is best. You can find an abundance of free search engine optimization articles and tutorials on the internet.

Pay Per Click search engines can bring targeted traffic and are a main stay until you get listed in the free search engines. Even then you may want to consider keeping your PPC listings depending on how profitable the campaign is. A pay per click is worth mentioning is Google Ad Words.

Google Ad Words offers another low cost website marketing strategy to send a lot of targeted traffic to your web site. Choosing the right keywords can get you click throughs for as little as .05 Cents per click. Thats a low figure when you consider the traffic google ad words can send you. In fact you can make a good living on the internet even if you have no web site by sending prospects directly to your affiliate link through google ad words. Some Pay Per Click engines don''t allow this. But use caution. I recommend you read a good ebook about Google Adwords before you jump in blindly. If you don''t know what you''re doing you can run up a huge advertising bill and have little to show for it.

Opt-in Email marketing. You absolutely must collect the names an email address of your visitors if you want to have any real success for your website promotion efforts. Few visitors will buy the first time. That''s why you need an autoresponder series set up to follow up with them and keep the prospect returning to your site. Some experts say your prospect must hear from you at least seven times before they will buy. Keep in mind I''m talking about opt-in email here. We avoid spam at all costs.

Joint venture marketing is another great website promotion strategy. It can drive a lot of targeted traffic to your site in a hurry. Basically it involves setting up deals with other marketers who already have a responsive opt-in list. They mail your offer to their list and in return you split the profits with them. This is a great way to generate sales in a hurry and begin to build your own opt-in list.

Exchanging links with related but non competitive sites will bring you targeted traffic and boost your page rank. An absolute must if you want to be listed on the first page of google. It''s a necessary website promotion strategy and should not be overlooked. You can learn more about link popularity/link exchange from my web site.
In this tutorial you''ve learned the importance of implementing solid website promotion strategies to bring targeted visitors to your web site. I''ve give you five rules on what not to do and what to do to make your website marketing strategy work. And last but not least, you now have eight website promotion strategies that have stood the test of time that you can begin implementing immediately.

Guy Ray is a copywriter and certified search engine optimization specialist who specializes in website promotion and online marketing strategies. Are you getting all the traffic you need?
Click here now! http://www.website-promotion-strategies.com
', 177, 'Website Promotion Strategies For Targeted Web Site Traffic, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Website Promotion Strategies For Targeted Web Site Traffic plus articles and information on Marketing

Attracting Clients With Ease

Whether you are already running your own business, or still thinking about starting your own business, I suspect that deep down you know you have gifts and talents that can really make a difference to others. In an ideal world, you''d spend the majority of time doing the work you love to do, with a steady stream of clients knocking at your door as and when you want them. The reality, however, can be somewhat different, and the whole process of finding new business can be a time consuming challenge full of uncertainty.

Some would be entrepreneurs are so intimidated by the idea of finding clients that they never put their dreams into action. Others start promising businesses, yet give up disillusioned by the frustrating lack of clients. Some die-hards persist, but at great emotional and financial cost as the uncertainty about attracting and maintaining clients takes its toll.

But it doesn''t have to be this way. There is a way to reverse the sales process. Imagine, if you will, a situation where instead of having to go out and chase new business, qualified buyers are seeking out YOUR expertise. Imagine putting your marketing efforts on ''automatic pilot'' so the right work turns up as and when you need it. Imagine being able to pick and choose which projects you want to work on. Can you imagine having the confidence to turn down work that doesn''t meet YOUR criteria?

Here''s a metaphor that nicely sums up this approach. Imagine two boys in a garden. Both of them want to catch birds. One of them is frantically chasing after birds; the other just stands still holding out birdseed in his hand and waits. Instinctively, most of us recognise that the second boy will be more successful. Yet most sales techniques used by businesses today involve some form of ''chasing'' with the net result that prospective clients are scared away. In this article you will discover how the birdseed approach can help you attract rather than chase clients, and even get them eating out of your hands!

''But that doesn''t apply in the business world'', I can hear you say. ''If it were that easy, why don''t I already have all the clients I want?'' Well there are a few possible answers. Some of us have entered the commercial garden, but forgotten the birdseed! Others haven''t even taken the birdseed out of the packet. Some of us have the birdseed in our hand, but clenched so tightly the birds can''t get to it. If you are to adopt the latter approach, it''s important to spend some time selecting the right birdseed. So what''s your birdseed? To answer this question you need to know who you are aiming to attract, so that you are offering the birdseed which is most tasty and appealing to your target clients.

1. Take a moment to think about your prospective clients. What are their concerns and fears? What problems are they struggling with right now? What are their hopes and desires? Be willing to think laterally as you think about what is most important to them.

2. The next step is to align what you have to offer with their most pressing concerns and needs. How can you help your target clients even before they become a client of yours?

3. It''s important to emphasise that you already have skills, knowledge and expertise that is valuable to your prospective clients. The trouble is most of us take what comes naturally to us for granted, and completely underestimate the value of what we know to our prospective clients.

Not only is what you know very helpful, you could be using it to attract your prospective clients, by packaging your knowledge and expertise in a form that meets one of their current needs. A classic way of doing this would be to offer a free report or information pack which answers a question or solves a problem that your prospective clients have.

For example, if you are a recruitment consultant, you have probably noticed that some of your existing clients are more successful at attracting and retaining talent than others. Now if you sit down and reflect upon this, you could probably come up with five things that the companies who are successful at retaining talent do that others don''t. This could be based entirely on your personal observations over the years. Voila! Flesh out your opinions and you now have a report, ''5 ways attract and retain talent'' or ''''What companies who are successful at attracting and retaining clients do that their competitors don''t''

This does not need to be a ground breaking piece of academic research. I want to remind you that you already have an opinion on this, which may well differ from the mainstream view, and if I asked you this question over lunch, you would have no problem in coming up with an answer.

4. Once you have your article written, you could offer this free report by placing a message or short ad in a place where your target clients congregate. I call this a magnet - something that provokes prospective clients to raise their hands and say, ''I''m interested!'' By requesting your report, responders indicate that they are interested in this topic.

Now, not everyone who requests your report will be a hot prospect, but there will be some potential clients within this group. The free report would just be the starting point of your relationship. From this point you could offer more ''birdseed'' each time demonstrating your credibility in this subject area, up until the point when the prospect asks, ''can you help me'', or a one-to-one conversation is necessary.

This is a low cost way to generate leads and position yourself as an expert in your particular field. Yes, it takes a little brainstorming, imagination and creativity on your part, but the knowledge which shapes your ''birdseed'' should come naturally anyway, and the time spent thinking about the needs and desires of your prospective clients will never be wasted.

(c) Bernadette Doyle, 2004. Reprint rights granted to all venues so long as the article and by-line are reprinted intact. This article may not be used for any publication unless it is opt-in.

Bernadette Doyle is dedicated to helping self-employed and small businesses become Client Magnets. Get her FREE 7 part mini-course ''How to Become A Client Magnet'', send a blank email to minicourse@clientmagnets.com', 177, 'Attracting Clients With Ease, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Attracting Clients With Ease plus articles and information on Marketing

Fern Reisss PublishingGame.com: Achieve Media Attention for Your Business

Do you want to be quoted by the national press on a daily basis? (How much would that be worth to your business?)

In the past six months, I''ve been quoted in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The International Herald Tribune, Entrepreneur, The Associated Press, PBS, Voice of America, Family Circle, Glamour, Redbook, Self, Health, Prevention, Parents, Parenting, Women''s World, First for Women, Newsday, Newsweek, Salon, In Touch Weekly--and even The National Enquirer.

In fact, I''ve been quoted in over 100 prestigious U.S. publications. I call this "Expertizing," and it''s good for business, regardless of the business you''re in. Anyone can learn to get this kind of media attention, for any book or any business; my Expertizing workshop attendees are achieving this same level of media recognition. Here''s how:

First, syndicate. This column is syndicated; hundreds of thousands of people read it. Syndicating a newspaper column doesn''t pay very well anymore (you''ll probably make only $5 or $10 per column) but it gets your name out. And syndicating online is even easier. My next title, "The Publishing Game: Syndicate a Column in 30 Days" will cover the topic more thoroughly, but you can get started just by doing a google search for "[Keyword] article submit."

Start a national association. A national association will get you media attention automatically, regardless of your other credentials. The National Pediculosis Association in Needham, Massachusetts, is a great example. (That''s lice, for those of you without small children.)

Create a holiday. Anyone can create a national holiday, and it''s free. Register at Chases.com, and on a slow news day, journalists will come looking for more information on your holiday--the more interesting, funny, or quirky, the better. I just helped an Expertizing client set up a holiday for her very technical company that would otherwise have been paid little press attention--but next year, she''s going to be inundated with press attention when National Geek Day rolls around.

If you''re going to do a flyer for your business, put something useful on the back so people don''t throw it away. The back of my Publishing Game book flyer has a useful hot contact list, with contact information for major magazines, talk show hosts, wholesalers and distributors, book reviewers, and more. (You can get a complimentary copy at http://www.PublishingGame.com) My new Expertizing flyer has information on my Expertizing workshops on one side, but the other side has suggestions of how to write Killer Soundbites that the media will quote. (You can get a free copy of that one at http://www.Expertizing.com) If you include something useful, people will hang onto your flyers forever.

Talk to the press. Press kits mostly get tossed or buried. But today there are services you can subscribe to that will keep you up to date on what journalists are working on, so that you can respond in time to be quoted in their articles. I respond to health journalists with quotes about my Infertility Diet book; I respond to business journalists with information about my Publishing Game and Expertizing products. But I also respond about lifestyle issues--entrepreneurship, marriage, kids, home business. One of the things I do in my all-day Expertizing workshops is train authors and executives to develop the soundbites that will propel them into these articles. Even without training, you can generate plenty of press.

Don''t forget speaking. If you enjoy public speaking, do as much of it as you can. Speaking can pay--even public libraries pay for talks--and even without pay, it''s worth it for the publicity. If you speak at the Learning Annex, for example, thousands of people see your information. When it comes to speaking, this is one of the few times you shouldn''t focus just on your niche. Cast your net more widely, and see if you don''t have something to say to others. For example, this year I''m speaking at Media Relations, at SPAN, and at Book Expo America, all of which are in my target audience. But I''m also speaking to over 200 CEOs at an executive transition firm event--and that''s probably going to generate more business for me, because writers and publishers have heard of me already, but these executives may have not. So look for new audiences and groups that might be interested, as well as your target markets.

And then forget what I''m telling you, about how you have to do this or that sort of PR. Do the publicity you love. What you love doing will be most effective for you, because you''ll enjoy it. So if you like to speak, go out and do that, but if you''d prefer to sit home in your bathrobe and do it all by email, do that instead. Live the dream the way you want to.

Fern Reiss is the CEO of http://www.Expertizing.com and http://www.PublishingGame.com. More information on Fern''s books ("The Publishing Game: Find an Agent in 30 Days," (literary agents) "The Publishing Game: Publish a Book in 30 Days," (self publishing) and "The Publishing Game: Bestseller in 30 Days" (book promotion) and all-day Publishing Game workshops can be found at PublishingGame.com. More information on positioning yourself as an expert and being quoted by the media, along with Fern''s Expertizing Workshops at the Ritz Carlton in Boston (September 19) and Manhattan (October 4) can be found at http://www.Expertizing.com.
', 177, 'Fern Reisss PublishingGame.com: Achieve Media Attention for Your Business, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Fern Reisss PublishingGame.com: Achieve Media Attention for Your Business plus articles and information on Marketing

Focus...a Marketing Strategy

The secret to increasing sales doesn''t lie in choosing just the right marketing tactic for each of your businesses. The real problem that''s experienced by many entrepreneurs--a damaging lack of focus.

Plenty of entrepreneurs make this dangerous mistake. They try to market more than one business at once, or they tackle too many targets for a single business. Suddenly, they discover that their time and budgets are fragmented beyond their ability to produce positive results. The solution is to get--and stay--focused. This single alteration can actually reduce your marketing costs and increase sales.

The trouble with trying to market several businesses at once is that you end up with many different target audiences--each requiring its own set of sales and marketing tactics. To reach them, your sales tactics may include creating an in-house prospect list, making cold calls to set up appointments and handling one-on-one meetings with prospects.

Instead of trying to gain small profits from a variety of individual ventures, for best results, the key is to pick one of your businesses (preferably the most profitable and enjoyable) and focus all your marketing energies in that direction.

I inevitably get calls from business owners who say, " I have the greatest product on earth. Anyone can use it--kids, parents, businesses." And then I''m forced to reply, "Do you have unlimited funds to launch this product? Can you start off with $10 million, or how about $20 million or more?" Because no one can market to everyone. The cost would be astronomical. Even the world''s largest companies, with seemingly unlimited marketing funds, typically focus their efforts on a single type of product or service for individual niche markets. And the actual campaign messages they employ differ depending on the hot buttons for each niche.

As an entrepreneur who has limited time and money to waste chasing after unqualified prospects, it''s vital to narrowly focus on your best, most profitable target audience groups. This will reduce your media costs--since you won''t be advertising to reach marginal groups--and free up the time you would otherwise lose meeting with low-quality prospects.

For entrepreneurs who operate several businesses at once, choosing just one can seem like an overwhelming task. The secret lies in following both your head and your heart. Start by examining the business potential and the corresponding costs of each of your ideas. For example, consider which business has the greatest chance for success based on your ability to fund and manage the operation. Then, review the ideas that look best on paper and decide which you feel most passionate about.

When you''re passionate about what you do, it shines through to customers--and can make all the difference between lackluster sales and a stunning success.

Ann Marie Rubertone owner of Check It Out, author of "The One Page Marketing Plan" and "13 Household Items You Can Use To Market Your Business" tips for marketing on a shoestring budget that can make the difference between success and failure. Check It Out is a customer-driven marketing firm providing design, writing, editing, desktop publishing services, and hands-on marketing workshops for independent professionals and small businesses. For more information, contact Check It Out (772) 335-0073, www.checkitoutinc.com cio@adelphia.net

', 177, 'Focus...a Marketing Strategy, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Focus...a Marketing Strategy plus articles and information on Marketing

The Fine Art of Relationship Marketing

The buzzword these days is "relationship" marketing. Just what is it? And why is it important? Relationship marketing is so much more than "networking. It''s gathering support of your friends, peers, and business contacts. It''s developing strong, lasting, unique relationships with your most valuable asset, your customer. It''s what keeps people "coming back for more." It''s an excellent way to shorten the traditional routes of building trust, create opportunities, increase valuable contacts, to achieve success and excel in business.

Every opportunity you have to meet new people is an opportunity to grow your business! If you are willing to invest your time, networking is a process, and the payoffs are almost immeasurable. It''s not realistic to expect instant success. It takes time. You can plan your networking opportunities to shorten the time it takes to build those relationships.

What do you want and need to accomplish? Do you want to develop lifelong individual customers, land large accounts, or make an impact in your community? You will accomplish all three by getting involved in your local civic organizations, Chambers of Commerce, Business Associations, Non-Profit organizations, etc. One of the best ways to get to know people "up close and personal" is to volunteer to serve on a committee; give your time and talent to a cause. People want to do business with people who have similar interests and values.

Whom do you need to meet to accomplish your goals? And where do you meet them? Angel Cicerone, Associate Editor of the South Florida Business Journal says, "If you''re going fishing, go where the fish are." Focus your efforts by being in the right place at the right time. It''s not just who you meet, but how and where you meet them. Meeting people in the "right places" adds credibility to that meeting. That''s not to say that striking up a conversation in the supermarket has no value. It does. It''s just that if you want to develop first class contacts, you must fly first class.

If you are flying first class, those sitting in the same section will view you as a peer. Of course, there''s no guarantee you''ll make those great contacts. However, if you don''t fly first class, you''ll never know. It may be worth the investment. The same people flying first class can also be found at those events, fundraisers and conferences in which you participate. Go where the people you wish to network with will be!

Are you willing to invest the time it takes to achieve your goals? How much time is enough? Begin with the end in mind. The key to relationship marketing''s success is to know what it is you want to accomplish. To start networking, you have to set your foot in the door.

Excerpted from The PMS Principles - Powerful Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business

© 2004 - Heidi Richards is the author of The PMS Principles, Powerful Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business and 7 other books. She is also the Founder & CEO of the Women''s ECommerce Association, International www.WECAI.org (pronounced wee-kī) ? an Internet organization that "Helps Women Do Business on the WEB." She can be reached at www.HeidiRichards.com.

', 177, 'The Fine Art of Relationship Marketing, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'The Fine Art of Relationship Marketing plus articles and information on Marketing

Make More Sells With Colors

How Colors Effect Our Emotions?

One of the most interesting things to me is how colors effect the way we think and feel. They effect us whether we are aware of it or not. Some colors effect us more then others but they all have their own individual properties that effect the way people feel.

All colors don''t effect all people in the same ways, however, there have been extensive studies done that show how colors effect the majority of people in the same ways. As with all rules, there are exceptions, but to ignore the power of colors would be to ignore an essential element of a good website design.

Another extremely important element to colors is not only the properties or emotions each color conjures up in each of us, but also how combinations of colors make people feel. And to further complicate your perfect color selection you also have to be concerned with the fact that people have to be able to read your content or the most beautiful color in the world will be for nothing. No matter how important the content on your site may be to someone, if they can''t read it due to bad color selection they will leave in search of another site to serve their needs.

Here are only a few colors and what emotions have been shown to be raised with each.

Green jealousy, good luck, and harmony
Blue calming, peaceful and builds trust
Red color of action, anger, Love, impulse and impatient
Purple nobility, spirituality and creativity, passion
White pure color, innocent and clean
Black serious, mysterious, mournful and lifeless
Yellow happy, cheerful and joy
Orange positive, enthusiastic and warmth

People believe you can even see colors in music, one thing is for sure though, colors cause a physical and emotional reaction in each of us. Colors can cause headaches, sickness, relaxation, pleasure, tension, passion, peacefulness or irritation.

There are literally hundreds of sites dedicated to the research and insight into colors and the reactions they cause in the people viewing them. We''d suggest that you do as much research into this area of your website as you can stand as in the long run it will pay off in sales or return visits to your site.

Janeth Duque Website Design', 177, 'Make More Sells With Colors, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Make More Sells With Colors plus articles and information on Marketing

Large One?

Here''s a proven, and truly easy way to start increasing your sales, immediately.

All you need to do is add these 2 words to your selling system, and you''re good to go.

In fact, this trick''s so good, I wish I could take credit for coming up with it, but the truth is, it comes from a little-known marketing legend.

Here''s the deal:

In 1947, Elmer Wheeler was one of the best-known salesmen of his time. His "Wheeler Institute of Words" developed a "best practices" of selling, by testing a variety of words in over 19 million selling situations.

I''m right in the middle of reading one of Elmer''s most famous books, "Tested Sentences That Sell".

And here''s a great little selling trick that comes straight out of this book:

Ever go into a restaurant and order a drink?

Of course you have.

And what does your server usually ask you, right after you place your order?

They usually say "Small or large?", right?

Well, imagine for a moment... you''re the owner of this restaurant.

Do you have any idea how much your sales would increase over time, if... instead of saying "Small or large?" after your customers ordered their drinks ... you told your servers to instead, say...

"Large one?"

Let me take the guess-work out of this and make your job easier for you.

Elmer Wheeler tested this experiment out in five-thousand separate selling situations. And the results showed, when your server asked "Large one?"...

7 out of every 10 people, answered "Yes!"

So, let''s say a large soda costs you 35¢ more than a small soda -- are you with me on this? This means, by saying "Large one?"... 7 out of every 10 customers that walk through your door, end up giving you an extra 35 cents!

Now you may be thinking, "So what?... It''s only 35 cents."

A-h-h-h, but remember....

Little Hinges Swing Big Doors Open!

Follow me here for a minute: If you''ve got 5 servers... and each of them does this with 100 customers a day, this means each of them will be serving large sodas to an extra 70 people a day.

That''s an extra 350 large soda sales a day. (5 servers x 70 large sodas each).

350 extra sales, at 35¢ each, is $122.50 a day in extra gross sales for you... which translates into $857.50 extra a week, and over 52 weeks, this turns into...

$44,590 Dollars A Year... With ZERO Extra Marketing Costs Involved!

Not bad, hey?

And if your large sodas cost 50¢ more than your small sodas, in that case, your annual bump in gross sales would be $63,700 Dollars!

70¢ more? O.K., that one''s easy -- just double the 35¢ figure -- now you''re selling $89,180 Dollars more!

See how easy this stuff is?

It''s insane, isn''t it?

But what if you don''t have a restaurant?

How can you use this trick in your business?

Well, let''s say you own a photography store. When people are filling out their forms to get their pictures developed, instead of saying "Singles or doubles?", you can say "Doubles?".

If you own a landscaping company, instead of asking "Shrubs and lawn?", you''d say "Whole yard?"

And if you''re a hairdresser, instead of asking "Cut and shampoo?", you just say "Shampoo?"

Make sense?

When it comes down to it, the basic premise of this selling trick, is...

If You Don''t Ask... You Don''t Get!

But polishing your request up so it''s "benefit-oriented" to your prospect... makes this work smoothly... effectively... and without looking like you''re trying to "sell more".

Notice how you''re not asking "Do you want a large soda?" -- you''re just saying "Large one?"

See, you''ll have to experiment a little bit to find out what works best in your situation, but not you''ve at least got one helluva head start on things, no?

And can you think of any easier way to make this kind of extra money?

Elmer Wheeler really was a "selling genius" and you''ll pick up quite a bit from him.

And, from the excitement and enthusiasm he comes across with, you know he enjoyed his work.

Here are a few of Elmer''s famous quotes:

"Your first 10 words are more important than your next 10,000."

"People seldom want to walk over you until you lie down." And...

"Don''t sell the steak, sell the sizzle."

Unfortunately, Wheeler''s books are all out of print. You''ll find them showing up pretty consistently on e-bay though, and, you can also find some of them on www.abebooks.com or www.alibris.com.

P.S. Remember, little hinges really DO swing big doors open -- and success lies in the margins, not in the vast open spaces. KSo keep your mind open to finding the small things that others let slip... through the cracks.

"Craig Garber is America''s Top Direct-Response Copywriter. You''ll find hundreds of marketing tips to increase your sales, and his insanely popular FREE Direct-Response Marketing Tip Of The Week, on his website, www.kingofcopy.com. Copyright © Craig Garber. All rights reserved."', 177, 'Large One?, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Large One? plus articles and information on Marketing

What Does It REALLY Take to Be Making 6-Figures as a Service Professional?

Over the past 30 years, I''ve read so much on how to make
money that I know I can write a series of books on the
topic, books that would cut through the junk and you don''t
have to buy 101 things for each area.

Most of the information repeats itself -- same author,
different title and packaging or different author repeating
someone else''s list. All the how-this and how-that was
driving me crazy as to what is REALLY required to make
$100,000 or more in revenue.

A few months ago, I decided to go on a pilgrimage to create
a quick and easy-to-see, all-in-one-place list of what does
it REALLY take to generate a six-figure income as a service
professional -- accountant, coach, consultant, and other
solopreneurs? Of course, the list is easy to read, but
takes conscious awareness and consistency to achieve.

What this list did for me -- it freed up valuable time that
I was chasing for what I could possibly need in the future,
it kept me focused, it increased clarity, and best of all I
was able to narrow down my reading time. I also had a plan.
Here''s the list of what I consider the top 50 -- the list
was actually 350 -- but I chose the top ones and removed the
repetitions.

1. Get up early and start early.

2. Take time to reflect on the day every evening for at
least 30 to 60 minutes.

3. Create a vision before getting out of bed every morning
on how you see the day progressing. See clients coming to
you, see meetings going perfect, see your planning, etc.

4. Start and diligently use a business journal to record
ideas, thoughts, suggestions, and reading/learning.

5. Dress so that you feel comfortable and powerful with your
energy. It radiates and attracts.

6. Work more hours. (Don''t shoot the messenger.)

7. Schedule your time.

8. Always ask yourself every night, "What can I do better
tomorrow from what I learned today?"

9. Complete a one-page SMART business plan with a
professional so that they can have an aerial view, because
you''re too close, and because you are paying them, they have
an investment in your success.

10. Complete a one-page SMART marketing plan -- ditto the
above.

11. Complete a one-page SMART sales plan ? ditto the above.

12. Complete a one-page SMART project plan ? ditto the
above.

13. Complete a one-page SMART service product plan ? ditto
the above.

14. Complete a one-page SMART product plan for every product
BEFORE starting.

15. Always know your BE point (break even point) for every
project/service/product you do.

16. Separate your learning time out from the time you think
you are marketing.

17. The best sales call hours and days are Tuesday ?
Thursday between 10 am and 4 PM.

18. When you want to reach the business owner, try calling
them before 8 am or after 5 PM.

19. Passive revenue generation products are required.

20. Have a strong business support system.

21. Either be a writer or speaker to promote.

22. Become technically proficient at the software you use
(not expert, proficient).

23. Post to-do lists daily.

24. Monitor your time as if it''s gold.

25. Have back up plans, alternative solutions, to
everything.

26. Learn to say no and say it quickly when it isn''t
currently in your focus.

27. Have a twice-a-year planning vacation with yourself.

28. Outsource anything that can be completed by less hourly
than you.

29. Leverage all your resources as much as possible.

30. Drop networking groups if you aren''t getting leads,
don''t hang on.

31. Leave the volunteering alone until you have made the 6-
figures, people will not listen to you anyway until you are
making that level or more anyway.

32. Don''t allow technology to steal your time.

33. Sleeping in.

34. Spending your energy talking about X instead of taking
action on it.

35. Write your goal dollar amount on the biggest piece of
paper you can find and take it to the wall in front of you
and ask this questions to every to-do on your list, How will
this make me that figure? Is it short-term, mid-term, or
long-term money generating project.

36. The percentage of time you spend on short-term projects
will determine how much money will arrive sooner.
Percentage of time = when the money comes in.

37. Keeping irregular office hours doesn''t help.

38. You can grow only as big as the fish bowl you are
currently in. If you want to grow, move to a pond, then a
lake, and then an ocean. The fish will get bigger as you go
until you are the whale in the ocean.

39. Only read and learn what you need now, all else is a
waste because it will change to quickly by the time you need
it.

40. Work with a good coach, one with years of experience in
what you want to accomplish.

41. Become proficient at creating revenue-generating
products.

42. Have a system or process for everything.

43. Work with a Virtual Assistant as soon as possible, even
before you think you can afford to. In actuality, you can''t
afford not to.

44. Create strategic alliances -- people that you are very
aware of what they do, how they do it, how good they are,
how you can send them referrals, you them yours, how you
work together on joint products to creating something that
is powerful and can''t be found anywhere else.

45. It is a numbers game. If you want 10 new clients a
month, you have to speak to 100 to 300 prospects a month and
you have to have the means for doing this set up in a
process that works smoothly (otherwise overwhelm will be
your partner).

46. Set mind-boundaries. When you''re working, your mind is
100% there, when you''re home, 100% there. The more they
cross, productivity drops 50% or more.

47. Finish what you start -- always. Half finished to-dos
at the end of the day creates an energy debt that carries
into the night. The payment for this is very great. Don''t
write on-going goals on your list. Create a to-do list that
only fits into the time you have for that day. The to-do
can be mini for a larger project (that is listed in the one-
page project plan mentioned earlier).

48. Create an R&D team for every project.

49. Don''t buy anything unless you have use for it now. Be
in the now with your buying and not the "some day I''m sure
to use it."

50. Go on a 30-day information diet to reprogram your focus,
learn to listen and get in touch with your higher self and
knowledge, and to increase clarity of your life, business,
career, and self-path.

ABOUT AUTHOR: Tired of trying to figure out a business
or marketing plan that works? Now you can create a business,
marketing, sales, service, and product plan in a few hours
specific for your needs. Visit: http://www.abundancecenter.com', 177, 'What Does It REALLY Take to Be Making 6-Figures as a Service Professional?, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'What Does It REALLY Take to Be Making 6-Figures as a Service Professional? plus articles and information on Marketing

Top 10 Marketing Pitfalls

Ten Marketing Pitfalls By Stuart Reid

If you want to make it BIG in Internet Marketing you need avoid some common mistakes. Here''s a list of the top ten Pitfalls that catch out beginner Marketers (and many established ones too!).

The problem is you don''t realise you have fallen into one of these holes until someone points it out. Marketers tend to be stubborn and suffer from tunnel vision - hopefully these may help you kick a few bad habits...

1. Procrastination

Putting things off is a killer where this career this is concerned. You NEED a plan and some kind of time management system in place. Prioritize your tasks and keep lists of everything that needs doing. And no matter how much you don''t feel like doing something just get it out of the way and NEVER leave it untill the next day!

TIP: Use post-it notes. They are low-tech but work great :-)

2. Striving for Perfection

You''ll likely never have a "perfect" website or product but you know what? It doesn''t matter! It''s important you get started as soon as you can and make your site "live". You can tweak things as you go along and improvements WILL come later - but if you try to get everything "right" before you start then you''ll never start.

TIP: Update your site daily in little ways, it saves doing everything at once and the search-engines it too.

3. Wasting Money

This one is important. Especially if you don''t have money to burn! Don''t get caught up jumping from opportunity to opportunity or buying everything that lands in your inbox. You''ll be surprised how much you can get for free. Trust me - you don''t need half the stuff you see online. Try to control your emotions and think before you buy. Write a list of pros and cons, and make sure that the product or service is essential to YOU.

TIP: Look for reviews by people without a vested interest in the product and ask questions in forums.

4. Not Spending Enough

Unfortunately you have to spend a little. It won''t be much starting out, but you will need more as you grow. For a start you''ll need a domain, a host, an autoresponder - but these are pretty affordable these days. The bulk of your expenses will be on promotion, usually ezine ads or pay-per-click. If you''re paying someone to create your product or you''re buying resell rights then this is another expense (but you can start with free affiliate programs).

TIP: Keep your "Internet Income" separate and re-invest. You''ll be glad you did later.

5. Wrong Markets

This is a tricky one. If you are dead set on conquering a certain market you could end up on a long and expensive journey that is doomed to failure. Do some research first. A so-called "niche" market is a good find but only if this niche will spend money! Other markets, like Internet Marketing, are very busy BUT Internet Marketers spend money - and the drive to make money is a strong human emotion. There''s a lot of them around!

TIP: Find something that interests you and use a site like nichebot.com to see how many searches there are for that subject. High Traffic and Low Demand are your goal.

6. Lack of Growth

You must continuously grow yourself and expand your mind. Learning is essential. If you don''t you''ll be stuck with the same skills and ideas and you''ll never even notice when you are bogged down in complacency and routine.

TIP: Put some time away each day to read a few articles and browse some sites. Learning just one new idea a day can increase your potential rapidly.

7. Doing It Alone

You can do it alone but it is harder, and without support you are more likely to fail. It doesn''t have to be much. On-line forums, for example, are an amazing source of ideas and encouragement. And with other people, by forming Joint Ventures or starting your own affiliate program you can really leverage your efforts and do FAR MORE than you could ever do on your own.

TIP: Visit forums, messageboards and maillists. Lurk for a while until you''re ready.

8. Going For The Small Money

You aint ever gonna get rich selling $20 items. Seriously, include some higher priced goods and services in your marketing. You''ll get less sales, but more profits. You won''t know if they sell until you try! But don''t fall into the trap of selling any old thing because you get a high commission. Integrity is important, too.

TIP: High ticket sales work better with existing customers who you already have a relationship with. Try them as a back-end.

9. Separating Life and Work

One of the biggest pitfalls when working from home is the fact that life can enroach your activities - simply because you ARE at home. Try to separate the two and have fixed times when you work, and a set area to do it. Work doesn''t have to take over your life, but neither should you let life interfere with your work.

TIP: Use a spare room or a spare corner and ONLY use it for work.

10. Be Ambitious

You won''t know unless you try. Assume you can do *anything* - because you can! You may not be ready to do it yet, but don''t set up mental blocks in advance. You can create your own profitable items, sell them well, and have others selling them for you. You can operate a range of websites, even host seminars, or teach others. YOU CAN.

TIP: Recognise excuses for what they are. If you need help, invest in a good self-help book.

I hope identifying these pitfalls help you look at yourself differently. Contrary to popular belief internet marketing is not an instant path to riches, but it is an achievable one.

You are free to use this article in any format without restrictions except the resource-box at the end MUST be included. Please use a live link if possible :-)

Also available in HTML at: http://www.netpreneurnow.com Available via email at: pitfalls@netpreneurnow.com

------------------------------------------------------------ Stuart Reid publishes Netpreneur News and maintains NetpreneurNow.com and it''s Members Site. To join at no cost and immediately gain access to a ton of valuable eBooks, Reports and Tools simply visit http://www.netpreneurnow.com

More articles: http://www.netpreneurnow.com/mini.shtml', 177, 'Top 10 Marketing Pitfalls, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Top 10 Marketing Pitfalls plus articles and information on Marketing

Direct Mail

Do you have a website? A Web Newsletter? A mailing list of e-mail addresses for customers? Do you track and test everything? You can use the web to get sales in lots of exciting ways which are dependant on technology that''s available at the time.

Whether you budget is £600 or £6000, I can show you how it''s done effectively time after time after time!

So here''s what I do when I start working with clients and I would like to offer it to you as a gift now. Have a look at this list of ten great ways of marketing. I guarantee, that nearly all web site owners will not have every one of these simple methods in place right now.

Please pick at least two that you''re either not doing, or not doing that well - and MAKE A DECISION to add them to your marketing mix in the weeks ahead:

Direct Mail
Internet Marketing
Email Marketing
Advertising
Telephone Marketing
Direct Sales
Strategic Alliances
Referral Systems
PR
Additional Products/Services

We will tackle these in order

Direct Mail

Direct mail is often overused and badly done. It''s got a bad reputation over the years, mainly due to spammers, used instead of the telephone or by con artists seeking their next victim.

There are a lot of myths and nonsense about mailings. You may want to print this out, because in my continuing efforts to help you reach success ? I am about to share the secrets of direct mail - I''d be surprised if the contents of this mail does not save you thousands of pounds over the next 12 months.

By the way, if you are totally new to Direct Mail - "It''s anything sent by post, sales letters, electronic mail or brochures etc"

I want to dispel some things about DM to you. "Direct Mail doesn''t work" . This ingenious conclusion is arrived at by the fact that most people throw most of the mail we get directly in the bin - therefore the thinking is that it''s a waste of money. The truth is that 90 out of 100 people might throw your mailing in the bin, but if 5 people look at it, 5 more read it and one of those 5 buys from you - you may well have a highly profitable mailing.

Last week I sent 400 emails to potential clients, and got 37 replies. That''s to say that 37 people actually read my mail, and I got exactly 9 new clients as a result.

Now what would happen if I doubled my mailings next week? I could expect from 800 mails, about 80 replies and maybe 20 sales!

And that''s easily doable by the way, because I''ve done it. But saying that, your mailing may not work ? it depends on what you say, price involved and some products may just not be suited to an email campaign. It''s very much a numbers game, but one thing is certain, email is free! You have to enter this knowing that most of your mailings will go unread, but at least it''s cheaper than other advertising methods.

Large companies like Capital One, know their mailings DO work ? they''ve spent a fortune fine tuning and testing these campaigns. But just to warn you ? direct mail can fail, and they are the ones, usually, small to medium businesses send out, because they don''t understand what they are really doing.

If it''s done right, it will make your profits increase dramatically, and when it''s done badly ? it can eat into a budget, so be very careful!

There are 2 types of mailings:

Potential Customers

Existing Customers

If you don''t do much mailing ? start doing some now. It''s easy to not email out of fear of upsetting clients, scared of bombarding them with too many mails, thus losing a sale.

That''s crazy and it''s to nobodys advantage.

Actually, most sales emails are helpful and quite genuine. I was once told "You''ve got to be mad to not listen to a salesman ? they might have something you need!" So next time you receive a mail or telesales call, consider that it could well be in your favour.

And there really is nothing wrong with sending out 2 mails each week.. So don''t worry.

I have noticed that many clients are sitting with 1000''s of email addresses ? yet they aren''t contacting these clients. That''s like throwing money down the drain. They could say NO, then again they could say YES to your product. Imagine if a further 10 bought your services next week ? how do you feel about not emailing those customers now?

Try it today?.. Think of something you can offer these customers, you must have something you can offer! Even something for free. Send them a letter and measure the response. If it works, mail them and measure the results. If it keeps on working, keep on doing it!

The best email is a personal communication with a customer you know. It may read as follows:

Dear-----------

I wanted to follow up after your purchase of (your product) on (date) to see how it''s working out for you and to thank you for your continuing business. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know by return email, or feel free to call my private phone number.

Many Thanks

Regards

Mr X

Your customer is going to open, read and appreciate an email like this. They may even respond to it, and even if they don''t, it doesn''t look like spam or bug anyone. And they probably will appreciate that.

------------------------------...

Give it a go ? you''ll be surprised.

Regards

Christopher Given
www.busigen.com

Christopher is a Sales Promotion Expert and owner of Busigen.com - an Office directory portal that holds company information to do with an Office environment.', 177, 'Direct Mail, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Direct Mail plus articles and information on Marketing

Turning The Casual Scanner Into A Buyer

The world is full of scanners. Most people simply scan the page to see if anything piques their interest, rather than reading the ads, sales letters, or web copy. That''s why you should ensure that your copy is scanner friendly. That means placing headlines, subheads, and other devices throughout your copy that''s compelling enough to sell your customers on your business.

How can you turn the casual scanner into an active reader? More importantly, how can we turn a scanner into a buyer? First, ensure that your headlines can stand alone, without the support of other sentences. For most, that means getting rid of those one-word headlines. Headlines should include the benefit of your offering, evoke curiosity, or compel the scanner to read the main copy.

Don''t forget the subheads. They also should be compelling, preferably complementing the headline, giving enough power to nudge your reader from scanning to reading mode. Keep in mind good subheads support the main promise of your copy. If your headline, for example, promises to help your customers lose weight, your subheads could briefly explain that your product is clinically proven or has a secret ingredient. Subheads are also a great place to introduce your offers.

Another way to be a scanner''s friend is to use short paragraphs. Rule of thumb: Keep paragraphs between 3 to 5 sentences. If you must use a long sentence, place a short snappy paragraph after it.

The most popular way to generate interest: Use underlines, boldface, highlights, and italics throughout your copy, carefully. Too much can leave your customers overwhelmed and likely to stop scanning and move on. When using these tools remember, the purpose is to emphasize certain points.

Some ideas on what you should highlight in your copy:

* Call-to-actions phrases, like buy now, subscribe here, or receive your special offer today.

* Contact information, including toll-free numbers, emails, and web-sites.

* Major benefits supporting the promise of your copy

* Your rates and fees and how they compete

* Your business or product''s name.

Adding a second color to your copy boosts retention and readability. Especially, when using a medium that''s typically black and white like newspapers. What colors are best? Typically, the most used and most effective colors are red and blue. Try placing offers or premiums in different colors to emphasize and pull your customers in.

P.S. Don''t forget the P.S. An important aspect, most readers read the end, first. It''s a great spot to recap your offer and restate your benefits. This may also be a good spot to add a bonus, premium, or guarantee

Vanessa Selene Williams is an independent writer who writes for businesses. To learn more about her and her services visit her online at http://corp.vswilliams.com or email her at info@vswilliams.com.

', 177, 'Turning The Casual Scanner Into A Buyer, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Turning The Casual Scanner Into A Buyer plus articles and information on Marketing

Five Mistakes Absolutely Guaranteed to Drive Away Your Best Clients

We all work hard to attract even one paying client. In fact, we work hard to attract serious inquiries. Yet amazingly, many business owners seem determined to drive away business! Every example cited here is based on true, thoroughly documented experiences, with both newbie business owners and five-star marquee players.

1. Defensive plays. Client tries to order a product, only to be thoroughly buffaloed by a confusing form. Client writes a complaint, expressing frustration. The business owner writes back, "I have written five best-selling books on customer service, so I know what''s reasonable. Nobody else has complained. And we can''t do anything anyway."

A twenty-five dollar CD isn''t a big deal, right? But you probably make these offers to entice big-ticket clients. And if they''re testing the waters, they want to see how you operate.

Better: Skip excuses and accept responsibility, even if your client seems to be a complete techno-idiot. He''s paying, right? "I am so sorry you were inconvenienced when you attempted to order from us. Thank you for making us aware of this problem. We will discuss the situation with our web designers in our next meeting. Meanwhile, please download a complimentary Special Report on a related topic."

2. Stealing home with disguised sales pitches. Clients sign up for a teleclass hyped as "Secrets of helping you make thousands of dollars with low effort. A content-rich teleclass that will change your life." After dialing to the other end of the planet, and maybe paying a fee, they hear an hour-long sales pitch for a book, coaching program or four-figure seminar.

Better: Nothing wrong with a brief sales pitch. But if you''re adding value during the class, you may not need one! Prospective clients listen to the way you answer questions. They want to see if you''re really delivering creative solutions or serving up recycled content that''s about as tempting than soggy fries reheated in a microwave.

3. Throwing a curve ball. You''re supposed to throw curves to your opponents ? not your teammates. And your clients ultimately join your team. So why would you toss a teammate a curveball?

Throwing a curve ball means offering the client a service he had no reason to expect ? and probably never wanted. Client wants a marketing plan ? so you ask about negative thoughts, fears and self-defeating beliefs. Client wants a sales strategy ? so you ask a lot of "what do you think" questions and talk about accountability.

Clarify outcomes and deliverables the client can expect to obtain. Be especially clear on the difference between consulting, coaching, mentoring and spiritual guidance. Expecting one and getting another can feel like a ball''s landed right between your eyes.

4. Holding out your foot to trip the runner. Ouch! You''d never do this, I hope!

"I sent Coach Elrod a draft of my website copy to see if I was on the right track. He told me he would charge my credit card an extra $35 for editing. When I said no, he shrugged and said he''d keep the editing to himself. I never asked for editing! I just wanted a quick overview ? I was still drafting copy. "

Better: This one''s a no-brainer! Ask what the client wants. Warn about charges ahead of time. . And once he blundered ahead, refusing to show the client the edited work suggests that he and the client are opponents, not teammates.

This is a true story. Up to then, Elrod''s client thought Elrod walked on water. Never mind who generated the misunderstanding. That thirty-five dollars cost Elrod the client''s goodwill, future coaching calls and countless referrals. And let''s hope Elrod didn''t go ahead and put the charge through. We don''t want to go there.

5. Getting the players mixed up.

When clients pay for one-on-one consultation, they expect you to remember their names, their positions and their quirks.

"X kept talking about building my confidence. Confidence isn''t my problem. If I were any more confident, I''d be more arrogant than Don Rickles." "Y suggested I complete an assignment before our next meeting. When we got together, she''d forgotten the whole thing." "Z kept referring to ''your experience in advertising.'' I never worked in advertising! That must have been another client!"

Better: When you can''t keep your clients straight, you need fewer clients or a better filing system. And just because most of your clients have confidence problems, this one doesn''t mean this client does!

Bottom line: We could come up with dozens of examples of client-killing errors. The bad news is that mistakes are inevitable, simply by the nature of service delivery. The good news is that correcting a mistake can create a new bond with your client, firmer and longer-lasting than the original.

Example: When you miss the mark on a call, you can say: "Thanks for sharing your feelngs so honestly. I want to give you real value. We can schedule a make-up to focus on whatever you need." The make-up might be only half an hour, rather than the original full hour. The client may even say, "Don''t bother ? I expect an occasional mismatch."

But you''ll earn enormous goodwill for making the effort. Focus on recovery and you''ll win loyalty every time.

This article is based on "Delight your clients and keep more of their money" http://www.cathygoodwin.com/custsvc.html

************************************************************ Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., wrote Making the Big Move (New Harbinger 1999). She works with professionals who are tossing and turning over a career decision and need a coach to help them brainstorm a solution.
Website: http://www.cathygoodwin.com Your Next Move Ezine: http://www.cathygoodwin.com/subscribe.html or mailto:cathy@cathygoodwin.com with "YNM" in subject line. Contact: mailto:cathy@cathygoodwin.com 505-534-4294', 177, 'Five Mistakes Absolutely Guaranteed to Drive Away Your Best Clients, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Five Mistakes Absolutely Guaranteed to Drive Away Your Best Clients plus articles and information on Marketing

Customer Lifetime Value - The Key To Maximizing Your Profits!

The greatest asset to your business is your Customer, specifically, your Customer Lifetime Value.

In my many years in Sales and Marketing, I''ve met many CEOs and business owners who don''t have much clue as to what Customer Lifetime Value is, much less its importance and the impact it has on their bottomline. To most of them, what matters most is to increase revenue by continuously acquiring new one-shot customers.

This is one of the fatal mistakes that many business owners make; it''s a sad scenario, but it''s also the reality. Let me tell you something: it''ll cost you 5 times more to attract a new customer than it is to bring one of your past customers back to you.

I don''t know you personally, but if you''re a smart business owner, you''ll understand that every cent you invest in advertising is going towards acquiring new customers. You''ll also realise that once you''ve acquired the customers, you just can''t afford to let them go.

----------------------------------
So what''s Customer Lifetime Value?
----------------------------------

Customer Lifetime Value is defined as the total value, in monetary terms, of your average customers spanning the entire period that these customers are likely to do business with you. It''s the potential contribution of your customers to your business over a period of time.

Here''s how to calculate your Customer Lifetime Value:

1). Let''s say you''ve 2,000 steady customers and these customers remain with you for an average of two years; for the past two years, your net profit was $700,000.

The Customer Lifetime Value can be calculated as: $700,000/2,000 = $350.

What this means is that over an average customer lifespan of two years, each new customer you could acquire and keep is worth $350 to you in profits.

2). If you do not have the actual figures, you''ll have to estimate. As the Customer Lifetime Value will have a significant impact on your bottomline, my advice is that you be prudent and conservative in your estimation.

----------------------------
Why is it so important to you and your business?
----------------------------

Lifetime Customer Value is important to you and your business for the following reasons:

1). Knowing the Lifetime Value of your customers is crucial to you and your business as it serves as a benchmark without which you''ll be groping in the dark.

When you know the Lifetime Value of your customers, you can determine how much time, effort and money you can afford to invest to acquire that customer in the first instance.

In other words, you can invest more today to reap a much larger profits later down the road as long as your cashflow is healthy and can support it.

Every marketing campaign that you undertake costs you money as well as reaping you benefits such as increased sales, enhanced corporate image, etc. But how can you be sure that the benefits would outweigh the costs or investments? This is where knowing the Customer Lifetime Value is so powerful - it helps you to determine this even before you launch your marketing campaign.

2). When you realize that customers are actually an ongoing stream of revenue as opposed to a one-shot sale, you can re-focus your marketing efforts.

Instead of contantly struggling to acquire more and more new customers, you can now begin to focus on keeping your existing customers longer and selling to them repeatedly, in other words, repeat sales.

You may spend more like making stronger and more attractive offers than your competition in acquiring new customers now who will be your money spinners tomorrow.

This makes sense because you now know that on average you''ll more than make it back over the years that the customers are with you and therefore you could afford to break even or even lose money now in acquiring the new customers.

Start shifting your focus to Customer Lifetime Value and maximise your profits today!

Start to have a proper understanding of Customer Lifetime Value because it''s key to the success of your business. It''ll allow you to acquire more customers than your competition through better and more attractive offers; it''ll dramatically increase your bottomline through more repeat sales and shoot your profits through the roof.

About the Author

Larry Lim is a practising marketing strategist and tactician who dishes out highly effective marketing strategies and tactics that will enable you to successfully start and grow your business on the Internet.

Check out his Internet Marketing Strategy website that is jam-packed with internet marketing secrets and softwares that will skyrocket your sales, and shoot your profits through the roof.', 177, 'Customer Lifetime Value - The Key To Maximizing Your Profits!, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Customer Lifetime Value - The Key To Maximizing Your Profits! plus articles and information on Marketing

Write Articles WITHOUT Writing!

Face it, writing any article can be a tedious and time consuming task for a beginner or even an expert writer. Here are four ways to make writing articles a lot easier: 1) Use My Articles - You could add your own name,
resource box and web site link to 199 of my prewritten
articles. You can even rewrite them if you want. Just
allow other people to republish them. For details visit:
http://www.ldpublishing.com/viralarticletoolkit.html 2) Interview An Expert - You could interview an expert
in exchange for free publicity. Just ask them questions.
It could be about their personal and/or professional life.
You want the interview to be long enough to create an
article. 3) Excerpts Of Information - You could ask a writer or
publisher to use excerpts of their information to create
an article in exchange for giving them free publicity.
You both could share the resource box of the article. 4) Hire A Ghostwriter - You could hire a ghostwriter to
write an article for you. They would write it and you
could add your name as the author, a resource box
and your web site link.

----

Write Articles WITHOUT WRITING - Add your name,
small ad and web site link to 199 prewritten, rewritable
ezine articles! Just allow other ezine publishers and
webmasters to republish them! It''s that easy! Just visit:
http://www.ldpublishing.com/viralarticletoolkit.html ', 177, 'Write Articles WITHOUT Writing!, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Write Articles WITHOUT Writing! plus articles and information on Marketing

10 Powerful Marketing Tips

1. Print your best small ad on a postcard and mail it to prospects in your targeted market. People read postcards when the message is brief. A small ad on a postcard can drive a high volume of traffic to your web site and generate a flood of sales leads for a very small cost.

2. No single marketing effort works all the time for every business, so rotate several marketing tactics and vary your approach. Your customers tune out after awhile if you toot only one note. Not only that, YOU get bored. Marketing can be fun, so take advantage of the thousands of opportunities available for communicating your value to customers. But don''t be arbitrary about your selection of a variety of marketing ploys. Plan carefully. Get feedback from customers and adapt your efforts accordingly.

3. Use buddy marketing to promote your business. For example, if you send out brochures, you could include a leaflet and/or business card of another business, which had agreed to do the same for you. This gives you the chance to reach a whole new pool of potential customers.

4. Answer Your Phone Differently. Try announcing a special offer when you answer the phone. For example you could say, "Good morning, this is Ann Marie with Check It Out; ask me about my special marketing offer." The caller is compelled to ask about the offer. Sure, many companies have recorded messages that play when you''re tied up in a queue, but who do you know that has a live message? I certainly haven''t heard of anyone. Make sure your offer is aggressive and increase your caller''s urgency by including a not-so-distant expiration date.

5. Stick It! Use stickers, stamps and handwritten notes on all of your direct mail efforts and day-to-day business mail. Remember, when you put a sticker or handwritten message on the outside of an envelope, it has the impact of a miniature billboard. People read it first; however, the message should be short and concise so it can be read in less than 10 seconds.

6. Send A Second Offer To Your Customers Immediately After They''ve Purchased Your customer just purchased a sweater from your clothing shop. Send a handwritten note to your customer thanking them for their business and informing them that upon their return with "this note" they may take advantage of a private offer, such as 20% off their next purchase. To create urgency, remember to include an expiration date.

7. Newsletters. Did you know it costs six times more to make a sale to a new customer than to an existing one? You can use newsletters to focus your marketing on past customers. Keep costs down by sacrificing frequency and high production values. If printed newsletters are too expensive, consider an e-mail newsletter sent to people who subscribe at your Web site.

8. Seminars/ open house. Hosting an event is a great way to gain face time with key customers and prospects as well as get your company name circulating. With the right programming, you''ll be rewarded with a nice turnout and media coverage. If it''s a seminar, limit the attendance and charge a fee. A fee gives the impression of value. Free often connotes, whether intended or not, that attendees will have to endure a sales pitch.

9. Bartering. This is an excellent tool to promote your business and get others to use your product and services. You can trade your product for advertising space or for another company''s product or service. This is especially helpful when two companies on limited budgets can exchange their services.

10. Mail Outs. Enclose your brochure, ad, flyer etc. in all your outgoing mail. It doesn''t cost any additional postage and you''ll be surprised at who could use what you''re offering.

To learn more Powerful Marketing Tips order the full "Powerful Marketing Tips" report for only $9.00! Contact Check it Out at (772) 335-0073 or visit www.checkitoutinc.com.

Ann Marie Rubertone is a marketing consultant & freelance writer. Her two newest booklets, "The One Page Marketing Plan" and "13 Household Items You Can Use To Market Your Business" tips for marketing on a shoestring budget that can make the difference between success and failure. Check It Out is a customer-driven marketing firm providing design, writing, editing, desktop publishing services, and hands-on marketing workshops for independent professionals and small businesses. For more information, contact Ann Marie Rubertone, Check It Out (772) 335-0073, Port St. Lucie, FL www.checkitoutinc.com cio@adelphia.net', 177, '10 Powerful Marketing Tips, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', '10 Powerful Marketing Tips plus articles and information on Marketing

Marketing on a Budget

A successful marketing plan doesn''t have to include an athletic superstar, prime-time placement, state-of-the-art computer graphics or a massive budget. Being resourceful and smart can be just as effective.

Business promotion doesn''t have to cost a fortune. Often, it''s the personal touch that seals the deal. Here are ideas gathered from marketing experts to help you make the most of a slim marketing budget:

Use Press Release Power
You might not realize it, but reporters sometimes need you as much as you need them. The key to getting their attention is coming up with a newsworthy item that is concisely written.
* Peg your release to real events, such as fundraising drives or a new service your business offers. Don''t be witty to amuse yourself the idea must have a concrete purpose.
* If you can''t figure out why your company might be newsworthy, ask your friends what they find interesting about your company.
* You can also utilize your built-in research tool your customers. If you have an offbeat idea, bounce it off them or have them fill out a short questionnaire. Ask them why they use your business.

Think Differently
Concoct an event to draw media coverage. For instance, a Japanese restaurant could create the world''s largest sushi roll and advertise its record-breaking "sushi queue."

Put A Face On It
Placing your photograph on your business card creates a personal relationship, even if they don''t know you. Not only will people remember your name, they''ll remember your face.

Print The Praise
If someone says, "You do a great job," say, "Thanks, very much, that means an awful lot to me. I would appreciate it if you would write a testimonial letter." Then make the testimonial part of your promotional package.

Borrow A Message
When you see an article on a subject that might interest your clients, send them a photocopy with a note that says, "I thought you might be interested in this." You''re making a personal connection with a client and associating yourself with the authority quoted in the article in the process.

Think Outside The Box
You don''t have to outspend your competition, you just have to outthink them. Some examples: Buy a billboard ad every other month for a year. Chances are, the billboard won''t be replaced on the off months, so you''ll get more exposure at no extra cost.
This concept also relates to how you run your business: Always try to figure out how to give your customers something they can''t find elsewhere, such as a children''s play area at a restaurant.

Try The Old Faithfuls
Don''t dismiss time-honored solutions that increase your company''s community profile, such as sponsoring a charity event or outfitting a local little league team. You''ll get your name out there, and that''s what counts.

', 177, 'Marketing on a Budget, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Marketing on a Budget plus articles and information on Marketing

In Sickness And In Health

I recently drove by a business that had a sign out front that read
"Closed due to illness".

This meant that the cash flow would stop until the owner was able to return to work.
Even worse, the business would not be able to generate revenue for the owner when it was most needed.

Take the following steps today to ensure that your business will still be working when you are not able to.

1. AUTOMATE YOUR BUSINESS:

Automate as much as you can in your business so that you can not only make money while you sleep,
but also when you are sick and can''t operate the business.

You can automate follow-ups using autoresponders,
and the sales process using a shopping cart.
Think of other areas of your business that are vital
to its success, and automate the processes if you can.

2. CREATE SYSTEMS:

Think about your daily routines in your business.
Which routines are vital to the success of your business?

Turn these routines into systems by documenting the steps
necessary to complete them.
Create binders for your systems so that your assistant
or partner can complete certain projects in your absence
using the steps in the binders.

3. PLAN AHEAD NOW:

Will you hire an assistant or temporary manager to
operate your business in your absence?
Then do the research now to make it possible.

Write down all the attributes you want for your assistant.
What duties will they perform during your absence?
What resources will be available to them to carry out
their duties?

Choose your assistant now so they will be prepared
to come aboard when you need them to.
You don''t have to hire them now, but make it easy
on yourself by already having someone ready to help you
operate your business when you are not able to.

Let this person know what your goals are and give
them a binder containing your standard operating
procedures and the resources for them to complete
their duties.

4. CREATE MULTIPLE STREAMS OF INCOME:

If you are the only one able to operate your business,
you definitely need to ensure that your cash flow will
not stop when you have to stop working.

Create infoproducts now to generate more revenue
for your business.
If you are not able to physically generate revenue for
your business, your infoproducts will be able to.
Automate the sales process so that you don''t
have to worry about the cash flow when you are
not present.

Cash flow may be the lifeblood of a business, but make
sure it doesn''t stop flowing when you are not able
to operate your business.

Black Unicorn Communications helps
Independent Service Professionals
attract more clients in less time.
Visit www.blackunicorninc.com
for a FREE Business Success Toolkit.

', 177, 'In Sickness And In Health, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'In Sickness And In Health plus articles and information on Marketing

A Summer Wedding

THE sunshine had come out to ensure the wedding of footballer Benji and his wife-to-be Sabine had the perfect backdrop.

For the month before the excitement had been growing amongst the players and supporters of St Cernin de l''Herm, a village in the south west of France, as the day came ever closer.

We had already been out for a meal and made the bride and groom walk around the restaurant whilst eating a banana ? with no hands.

A large poster of the team picture had been printed and everyone had signed it and written a good luck message.

So by Saturday afternoon the junction of the small crossroads in Frayssinet-le-Gélet was busy with people waiting for Benji and Sabine to walk by.

In France many wedding ceremonies will take place in the village Mairie and then move on to the local church for a blessing.

And we were lucky that the two buildings were close by so that a short procession through the village could take place.

As we waited friends spread out cuttings from roses and other bushes across the pavement on the route the bride and groom would take to the church.

This is meant to bring the couple good luck and fortune and in other areas of France neighbours will lay down sheaves of corn.

Then the moment arrived as the couple stood at the top of the steps outside the Mairie and slowly made their way to the church, escorted by their parents.

Traffic came to a standstill as the procession of guests followed behind and walked the 150 meters to the church.

In the afternoon sunshine people slowly made their way into the church filling up the pews and taking up positions in the aisle for the chance to take a picture.

Once everyone was inside, and we must have numbered 200 or more, the bride and groom slowly made their way through the church.

Camera flashes lit up the dark entranceway as the couple made their way along the aisle; the organist played a tune that softly filled the church.

The priest opened the blessing with a short passage from the bible and then Sabine walked up to the microphone to deliver a short speech.

She thanked the many people that had turned up to see the bride and groom and that it had been an incredible day.

Then the priest delivered a short prayer and a musical interlude with saxophone and accordion was played.

The ceremony of the passing of the rings was undertaken with the assistance of the son of Sabine and Benji.

He carried the rings up to the alter of the church in a small, padded heart shaped bag and passed them to the priest.

The couple spoke a few words and placed the rings on each other''s fingers as the cameras again flashed a whirred.

Everyone then began to make their way out of the church waiting for the bride and groom to stand outside the church for some more photographs.

But the players of St Cernin had one more trick up their shirts as we donned our kit and picked up a football each.

We made a guard of honour outside the church and held a ball high over the guests as they made their way out into the village square.

But it was Benji and Sabine who everyone was waiting for.

People passed around rice and confetti waiting for them to leave the church and run under the footballs, as they did the place exploded.

The church bell tolled and rice cascaded down on our heads covering the players and the newly married couple from head to toe.

Then it was time for more photographs, car horns sounding and the children throwing rice and confetti at each other.

As the day drifted into late afternoon it was time for a small aperitif and a few nibbles in the grounds of the Mairie.

Watching the sun slowly slide behind the church tower as the celebrations moved on into the night.

For more articles by Craig McGinty on living in France including tips on buying a home, the legal process and more, visit his website and live life the French way. http://www.thisfrenchlife.com', 178, 'A Summer Wedding, Marriage-Wedding, Marriage-Wedding articles, Marriage-Wedding information, about Marriage-Wedding, what is Marriage-Wedding, Marriage & Wedding Information', 'A Summer Wedding plus articles and information on Marriage-Wedding

How to Promote your business website using free online resources.

There are many ways to promote your website for free online. Here are 10 highly effective strategies you can use right now.

1. Write articles or free reports for other webmasters to publish and put your website address in the by-line. If you write good content, your articles will be published and many readers who like your article will go on to visit your website.

2. Arrange a Joint Venture partnership with List owners and Webmasters.

3. Add your ad or website address to your email signature. This way, every time you send an email, you''ll be promoting your website.

4. Exchange Links with Other Webmasters. This is another effective strategy for generating targeted traffic to your website for free. It involves contacting other webmasters for a possible link exchange partnership.

5. Add a blog to your site and Ping weblogs.com and other search engines. Pinging your blogs to the search engines is the fastest way to get the search engine robots to visit your blog and attract new visitors to your web site.

6. Submit your blog address to blog search sites and directories. You can submit your blog''s URL to websites such as Technorati, Daypop, Blogdex and Popdex. For a complete list of websites where you can submit your URL, go to http://www.guidetorss.com

7. Create RSS feeds for your site and submit the feed URLs to the major RSS feed directories online. A good place to start is http://www.guidetorss.com/ which provides a list of the top RSS directories.

8. Be an active commenter. Try to leave comments on the blogs that you regularly visit. Most comment systems also provide a way for you to leave a link back to your blog or website which begs a visit at the very least.

9. If you plan to have anything printed up, put your web address on it. You can print your URL on business cards, stickers, leaflets, etc.

10. Add your web address to your forum profile signature. Every time you post or respond to questions your ad will be displayed. If you post good content in forums, people who read your threads will also check out your website.

© Copyright 2005 Chileshe Mwape. Submit articles for free at http://www.going-platinum.co.uk/ All articles are published instantly. You can submit reports, news, press releases, stories, product reviews, opinions, editorials about your website and services and much more. (This article may be republished as long as the above link is active and clickable and this author box (byline) is not edited.)', 177, 'How to Promote your business website using free online resources., Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'How to Promote your business website using free online resources. plus articles and information on Marketing

Basic Brand Building

A brand is the essence of who you are. The more powerful the brand the more memorable you will become. Think about brands that you can identify with. What impresses you about them and what attributes make you remember them? Brand icons didn''t get that way over night and many of them have failed because they couldn''t "connect" with their audience. Strong brands will stand the test of time.

After you have thought about strong compelling brands that impressed you start building your own brand statement by distilling down your essential core message: Who are you and how do you want people to identify with you? What values do you represent? When people think about you what image do you want them to visualize? Think about what sets you apart from you associates. This is about building your own image so forget the company or business in your personal brand statement.

Now that you have started thinking about your core message consider ways that you can reinforce your brand. Remember YOU are the brand, not your product or service, so this is essentially about you. Where and how can you demonstrate your brand message? When and how can you reinforce your brand?

Your brand needs to be authentic, from the heart; you can''t make a brand statement believable about something you are not. When evaluating your brand message it''s important to understand your audience who are you trying to impress with you message? What do you want them to remember? You are creating your own "personal buzz" with your brand so the more you can hone in on your audience the better you can craft your message. It?s important to recognize that you can?t be all things to all people so you want to capture your target audience with your message.

Everything you do should have your brand image, whether it?s giving a speech, writing a letter or the message heard on your voice mail. The brand is a living thing, the more you utilize it the more powerful it will become. Building a brand is like using a set of building blocks. One piece doesn''t make much of a structure but 20 pieces will. Think about how you can build your brand by adding pieces to enforce the totality of the structure "you." Getting outside opinions helps your cause. When people think about you what assets to they remember? If it?s different than what you are tying to convey then you need to reshape your message.

Take a moment to study the brand messages of people you admire or hope to model. Using the Internet is a great place to do this. Type in the name of the person in quotation on any search engine and see what turns up. It should give you ideas on ways to craft your own message.

Think about how many places you have your name listed on a piece of paper or the Internet. That?s where you should be building your identity here a short list of places you should be making your brand shine.

Voice mail
Business cards
Stationery
Email address & SIG file
Personal website
Press releases

Personal branding will help you stand apart from your competition. Whatever the circumstances your brand can only enhance your identification in the marketplace. Keep on refining and honing your brand message as you become more comfortable with whom you are.

Recognized Packaging Guru and Chief People Packager JoAnn R. Hines unlocks the secrets that propelled her career from anonymity to world recognized leader. This indispensable workbook will show you specific ways to accomplish your personal branding goals and launch your career into the stratosphere. We have done all the work for you with guidelines, cheat sheets and easy-to-use templates to customize for your own use.

"The Packaging Yourself Workbook" is the only career workbook you will ever need!

This workbook cuts through the clutter in a simplified, straightforward manner and drastically reduces the time it takes to build your personal brand.

The "Packaging Yourself Workbook" is $29.95 plus shipping and handling. Place your order @ http://packaginguniversity.com/pkgustorefront.htm

Don''t take my word for it. Hear what Linda has to say "JoAnn provided me with the no-nonsense approach I was lacking in my business. I needed new and fresh ways to promote my business; and JoAnn helped me focus on goal setting and finding concrete ways to reach my target audience.>', 177, 'Basic Brand Building, Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Basic Brand Building plus articles and information on Marketing

Give People What They Want And Watch Your Profits Soar!

Do you know why the majority of people use the Internet?

The majority of people use the Internet to do some type of research. In other words, to read.

Now, how can you use this knowledge to your advantage?

Simple. Give people what they want! Provide plenty of good, quality, free content on your website and refresh it regularly.

What''s free content?

Well, free content can take on many forms, from e-books to free advice and everything in between. However, what I''m talking about is free content in the form of articles.

But they shouldn''t be just be any kind of articles. The articles should closely match the theme of your website. For example, if your website''s theme is about Internet marketing, then you would have articles relating to advertising and marketing.

If your website''s theme is about computers, then you would have articles relating to the service and maintenance of computers, and so on and so forth.

So, where do you get free articles?

Well, you could always write your own. It''s really not that difficult. However, if you find writing your own articles too daunting a task, there''s a million places on the Internet that can provide you with free content. Here are just a few:

Also, capture your visitors names and e-mail addresses. How? Start your own ezine or newsletter and ask your visitors to subscribe.

Since people rarely purchase anything the first time they visit a website, capturing their names and e-mail addresses will give you countless number of opportunities to keep your name and the name of your business fresh in your customers and prospects minds.

And don''t be afraid to have a fee-based ezine or newsletter. Remember, the true value of anything is in the eye of the beholder!

By giving before you take, you''ll put your visitors in a much better frame of mind to receive your offer.

About The Author

Dean Phillips is an Internet marketing expert, writer, publisher and entrepreneur. Questions? Comments? Dean can be reached at mailto: dean@lets-make-money.net

Make Money Online! Internet marketing expert, Dean Phillips will help you make money online, starting today...Guaranteed! For details just visit my website: Website: http://www.lets-make-money.net', 242, 'Give People What They Want And Watch Your Profits Soar!, Web-Design, Web-Design articles, Web-Design information, about Web-Design, what is Web-Design, Web Design Information', 'Give People What They Want And Watch Your Profits Soar! plus articles and information on Web-Design

Write Effective Fundraising Letters By Being Conversational (Includes Examples & Samples)

I am doing what you do, sitting at my computer, trying to get my thoughts out of my head and into a written form that will help you make a decision. In this particular case, I am trying to write a few intelligent remarks about sounding conversational on paper. You know, how to write a fundraising letter that sounds like it came from the mind of a person and not an institution.

I suppose the first thing I can tell you is that you should write the way you talk, unless, of course, you talk in halting sentences punctuated with "ya knows" and "like, you know what I mean?" And if you usually write fundraising letters that are signed by someone else, your executive director, for example, then you need to write the way that person speaks.

The secret to sounding personal and conversational on paper is to imaging that you are actually having a conversation with your donor. A back-and-forth exchange where your donor asks questions and you supply answers. That way, your letter sounds like it is written by a living, breathing person, since it addresses issues that are important to the donor, and does so in a warm, lively style.

Which reminds me, try to keep your sentences short. Not like the one that ended the last paragraph. What else can I tell you?

Rhetorical questions are one device at your disposal. Rhetorical questions, as I am sure you know, are questions that are asked for rhetorical effect, not expecting an answer. You can use one or two in your letter if you like. Rhetorical questions create the sense that a conversation is taking place between you and your donor.

I don''t have to tell you that another way to sound conversational is to use the first person a lot. That means you say, "Your gift today means a lot to me," instead of saying "Your gift today means a lot to us," or, even worse, "A gift from you designated towards our Annual Fund will be appreciated at this time." Remember, people give to people, not to establishments, so you want to sound like a person, not an organization when you write your donor appeal letters.

I just thought of another one. Without being fake or insincere, mention that you thought of your donor today, or yesterday, or recently, showing that there is a relationship between the two of you. Naturally, only say "I was thinking of you this morning" if you actually were. Otherwise you will be making stuff up.

You may be relieved to know that that you can be colloquial, too, which is a humdinger of a way to establish rapport and sound genuine. If your donors know what a humdinger is, then by all means throw one into your letters at least once a year. You goal, if I may say so, is to sound authentic without being overly familiar or coarse.

Another way to sound conversational is to be open in the way you talk about things. Give your donors a glimpse into what life is like at your organization. You probably want an example of what I mean, so here it is (here are two examples, actually):

Institutional: "Your membership is about to expire." Conversational: "I see from our records that your membership is coming up for renewal soon."

Institutional: "Prayer meetings were held today at head office about Hurricane Katrina."

Conversational: "All of us here at the office in London met this morning to pray for the victims of Hurricane Katrina."

Another sure way of avoiding "bureaucratic-speak" is to say everything in the active voice. Don''t say "funds were raised" when you can say "we raised funds." Avoid writing "100 scholarships will be created" when you can instead write "we will create 100 scholarships." See the improvement? Passive voice sounds institutional. Active voice sounds conversational.

I suppose if you went back to the start and began reading this message again, you''d pick up a few methods that I did not mention (using parentheses like this, for example, which look as though you are lowering your voice and whispering a piece of inside information to your donor). I hope that these tips help you write effective fundraising letters. Ones that come from your heart, and are effective mainly for that very reason.

About the author
Alan Sharpe is a professional fundraising letter writer who helps non-profits raise funds, build relationships and retain loyal donors using creative fundraising letters. Learn more about his services, view free sample fundraising letters, and sign up for free weekly tips like this at http://www.fundraisingletters.org.

© 2005 Sharpe Copy Inc. You may reprint this article online and in print provided the links remain live and the content remains unaltered (including the "About the author" message).', 177, 'Write Effective Fundraising Letters By Being Conversational (Includes Examples & Samples), Marketing, Marketing articles, Marketing information, about Marketing, what is Marketing, Marketing Information', 'Write Effective Fundraising Letters By Being Conversational (Includes Examples & Samples) plus articles and information on Marketing

Polishing Your Translation Style - Marketing Your Services

You have read part 1 & 2 of this article series (see below for link). And, you are probably asking y

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