Posts Tagged ‘marketing’

Sometimes I get so tired of the hype that marketers use to sell their products or services.  These marketers are sometimes the exact people who preach about being authentic and using the highest degree of integrity when marketing.  Here are some of my pet peeves and how to avoid them:

1. The Automatic Sign Up

This just happened to me last week at my local Chamber meeting.  I gave this person my business card and before I got home I had her most recent ezine in my in box!  Did she ask me if she could send it to me?  No, she didn’t, but I got it anyway.  And the icing on the cake…she told me if I put a link up on my website to her website she would do the same for me!  Now this may be appealing to some but I wasn’t falling for it!  Don’t do it!

2. Going, Going, Gone

Marketers who say stuff like, “We have 15 spots left, no I mean 17, no I mean 19.” Or the other version is, “Offer ends Monday, no I mean Tuesday, oops I mean Friday.”  Give me a break!  No matter if the game is played with numbers or time, the bottom line is it is still a game; and one that is insulting to potential clients.  Again, don’t do it!

3. Direct Messages

It seems like every day I get a new direct message from some yahoo  telling me how I must  check out this link so that they can sell me their stuff!  No thanks…and then I block them.  You heard me right.  When I get pitched to immediately I block them.  I don’t need to be sold too all day long and this is what some of these people on twitter are doing and frankly I won’t stand for it.  Don’t do this one either!

4. All Promo, All The Time

Some marketers send one promotion after another and it gets tiring.  Usually their ezine is full of useless information and when you check out their website they offer nothing free.  You guessed it, don’t do it!

5. Bad Twitterfeed

I like Twitterfeed,  but I really don’t need to get every feed, post, and link about everything.  Twitter is used best when used as a marketing tool; one that has been given careful consideration and is in line with your marketing plan.  There is no need to post every single thought, action or food you consumed because bottom line -  nobody cares.

6. Immediate Action Required

You all know what I am talking about!  You must act NOW.  Everything is urgent and it’s urgent all the time.  Give me a break…reading these emails and sales letter exhausts me.  I mean really do they think we have nothing better to do then stop what we are doing and attend to ANOTHER urgent message.  Now that is not to say that sometimes you get a notice and it is urgent but you will quickly learn if this is an ongoing case of the “emergencies” or if it out of the ordinary for this person.  If it’s all the time just hit the unsubscribe button.  And remember just don’t do it yourself!

Are you guilty of any of these mistakes?  If so, you know what to do…don’t do them again!

As a business owner our time is valuable so if you come across people who present their products and information in a manner that sends up the red flag then move on.

Once upon a time you dreamed of a carefree life as an entrepreneur.  You saw the vision of a business where you would satisfy all your clients needs, make tons of money and live the lifestyle of freedom and joy…..wait a second, stop the presses…the reality is hauntingly different.

Now don’t get mad or upset.  I know that you are working your tail off sometimes 12-14 hours per day to turn that dream into a reality.  You eat, sleep (when you do) and think about your business 7 days a week with little return on the investment and a ton of anger to show for it.  But let’s take a step back and really look at what it takes to turn that hobby into a business so you CAN have the business you always dreamed of.

Today Is That Day

Right now in this moment you have a wonderful opportunity to closely examine what it takes to have a successful business.  Here are five action items that you can implement right now so that you can make the transition from a hobby to a business:

1.     Develop a Business and Marketing Plan

When you decide to start a new hobby you don’t need to sit down and write out what you’re going to do and how you are going to do it; you just go out and get your supplies, set up a card table in the basement or spare room and start.  If this sounds like how you started your business, let me explain why this was a BIG mistake.

You want to be successful don’t you?  How will you know if you are?  By writing out your business plan you are taking the necessary steps to plan out your course of action; to identify the goals that indicate you are on the right track.  Without the plan how will you know that you are making the necessary gains in your business that you desire?

So many business women hate marketing but I am sorry ladies it is necessary to develop a marketing plan.  Pick two or three marketing activities and make the commitment to do them consistently.  The activities can range from attending at least one networking event each week to writing a newsletter.  No matter what activities you choose, do them consistently to see results.

2.    You Act Like You Are In Business

There are a couple of really important issues that fall under this heading of “acting like you are in business”.  The first I would like to point out is you have a business email that is tied to your website or domain name.  For example, maureen@daretobephenomenal.com instead of using a generic email address such as yourname@gmail.com. See the difference?  In the first example you know I have a legitimate business, the other, well you’re not so sure.

Second issue is you have branded yourself.  You have a distinct look and feel.  When you brand yourself with colors, taglines and logos you begin to stand out in the crowd.  All of your marketing material must have a cohesive look and feel to them, if they don’t, begin to work towards branding yourself.

Finally, you are treating your personal and business financial accounts as separate; you are not mixing your money.  If you are not doing this now, please go and seek the help of a quick books expert or bookkeeper who can help you separate your accounts so that you clearly know what you are spending and taking in on your business.

3.    Show Me The Money

Here is the plain hard truth…if you are not making any money than you have a hobby and not a business.  Your business needs to be making money or at least be on its way to profitability.  You can’t continue to live on your savings account forever,  and racking up credit card debt to run a business is extremely risky particularly if you own your own home.  Your business won’t survive for very long if you can’t bring in clients and turn a profit.

4.    You Have A Support Team

Part of the trap that many business owners fall into, is they spend many hours a week working in their business instead of on their business.  They do tasks that would be better done by someone else.  You have special talents and skills that bring in the revenue for your business.  If you are spending your time cleaning the house, managing the books,  or managing your data base then you have less time to go out and procure clients.  Find a VA, housecleaner or personal assistant to help you; learn to delegate!

5.    Learn, Learn, Learn

As I mentioned in my opening article, investing in yourself is the biggest gift you can give yourself.  I have two coaches and belong to a mastermind program with a different group of people.  I made a commitment to myself that if I wanted to make my business successful I knew I would have to make the time and monetary sacrifice to make it happen.  If you are struggling with your business or know deep in your soul that all you have is a hobby, I encourage you to consider hiring a coach, mentor or joining a mastermind so that you can turn that hobby into a thriving business.

My challenge to you this week is to take a good, hard look at your business and pick one area to work and improve on.  Make a goal and outline the steps that are necessary for you to achieve success.

We all have to start somewhere.  Let’s face it, when building a list we all start at zero.  Fast forward …. several years later you may have a list of thousands, but maybe it took you years to build it to that level.  It doesn’t have to be that way!   If you are new to list building check out my first article Five Sure Fire Ways To Build Your List for some great ways to get started.  If you have been list building for awhile  here are some more strategies to grow your list quicker and easier.

1. Include a “Join My Email List”  Link At The Bottom of Your Email Signature: I have said it before that this is the most underutilized piece of real estate that you have to market your business and build your list and best of all it’s FREE!  Remember to keep  it to 5 lines or less with a call to action like “Sign Up For My FREE Newsletter Filled With Tips, Tools and Strategies To Grow Your Business”!  Send it out with each email that you send even if it’s to your Aunt Alice in Oklahoma.
2. Run A “Forward My Newsletter Contest”:   I just love this idea because it gets your readers engaged and it helps you to build your list fast!   If you newsletter is filled with great content it makes it easy for your readers to forward to a friend or colleague.  Have a link included in your email so that it makes it fool proof for subscribers to forward and then let them know if they forward it to at least one person they will be entered into a drawing for a great prize!     Your email management system will keep track of who forwards the newsletter.
3. Join Forums and Participate:  There are thousands of forums on the internet.  You literally could spend days browsing them.  These forums are where people share information on a particular topic and post opinions, ideas and participate in ongoing discussions.  Most forums allow you to put a signature line underneath your post.  This is where you can include a link to your subscription information…very easy isn’t it?  Make sure that when you are posting in forums that you provide useful and relevant information in your posts.  If not you will loose credibility and that is sure to damage your ability to draw new readers to your site.
4. Engage in Joint Ventures to Grow Your List: Writing articles and blog posts are great but you want to be able to grow your list by leaps and bounds, not dribs and drabs.  By working with someone that works with your key audience on a special event you have a better chance of growing your list quickly than by other methods.  You can easily put together an on line tele-series, or tele-summit or other event.  No matter which method you choose make sure that each expert is required to promote the event to their list and have each participant register on your site for the event.  This way you are ensuring that these people are ending up in YOUR database!
5. Promote, Promote, Promote: No matter what list building strategies you use you must continually promote your free offer, free give away or tele-series.  With the tele-series if you record it people will still sign up to hear it after the fact so leave the opt-in box up!  Like anything else, list building requires consistent effort to achieve the results that you are looking for.

Growing Your List Is Easy When You Have A Plan

Follow these simple steps and you too can be a master at list building in no time flat!

For more ways to grow your list and market yourself for success I encourage you to sign up for my free report Mastering Your Marketing Mindset.  It’s yours FREE!  Enjoy!

The other day I was listening to two women talk about marketing…yes, you could say I was eavesdropping.  But what I heard made me almost gasp in horror!  It is belief # 5.  Read on to learn more.

Belief #5: I am too busy to market my business

Hmm…really? You’re kidding, right?  If you are in business for yourself, then you are in the business of marketing your business!  Marketing is as important as your  particular product or service.  I know this is not what many of you want to hear but it IS true.  If you don’t market yourself, you don’t have clients.  If you don’t have clients, then you don’t have a business.  If you don’t have a business, then you have a  hobby; you’re doing something you love but you don’t get paid.

I am sorry ladies but you are in the business of marketing your business!  I can’t say it any clearer than that and if you choose to fall into the trap that you are too busy to market I dare say you probably won’t be in business for very long.  In this day and age those who continue to promote and market themselves will be head and shoulders above other business owners who failed to market and market effectively.

Feel intimidated?  Well don’t be.  I teach my clients all the time how to develop a simple, but effective marketing plan.  And remember you don’t have to implement it all yourself.  A wonderful Virtual or local Assistant can be a big asset in implementing your plan.

Now go out there and market your business and see the results!

We have been examining the seven beliefs that many entrepreneurs struggle with.  In belief #3 we examine how to get started.  Read on to find out how to get started with marketing your business.

Belief #3  I don’t know how to get started

There is many ways to market yourself; there is no one “right” way.  One of the most common ways to get started is by joining networking groups like BNI, your local Chamber of Commerce, or targeted networking groups like women’s only groups.  No matter what group or organization that you join remember it’s about building relationships.  So if you do go to an event and meet some great people make sure that you follow up.  Make a time to meet for coffee to learn more about their business.  I can tell you that I have developed wonderful relationships this way and now do business regularly with the people I have taken the time to form a solid business relationship.

By focusing on networking instead of marketing you are shifting away from what you perceive as uncomfortable and move instead into an activity where you can authentically be yourself.

So go out and attend some networking events see if the shift from marketing to networking takes some of the pressure off.

My last post was the first in a series of seven marketing beliefs that many people have that get in the way of feeling and being successful when marketing your product or services.  Here is belief number two for you to ponder over:

Belief #2: Marketing makes me feel like a phony

How do you ensure that you never feel like a phony?  By being authentic.  That’s it – it’s that simple.  Just be yourself and you will never feel like a fake.

Many of us share the need and desire to be authentic. Think about who you currently do business with – your accountant, hairdresser, chiropractor, massage therapist.  Do you know, like and trust these people?  I would assume if you are doing business with them the answer is yes! If they can provide a valuable product or service to others, get paid for it, and ask for referrals why can’t you?  You have special gifts and talents that are just as valuable.  Be yourself and go out and share them!

When you think of marketing what immediately comes to mind?  Do you recoil in disgust at the thought of having to put yourself “out there”?  Do you immediately think cheesy, phony, pushy or inauthentic?  Well you are not alone.  Many business owners, particularly women feel uncomfortable with marketing. How do you get past these feelings so that marketing your business becomes fun, easy and authentic?

You’re in the Business of Marketing Your Business

Did you know you were in the business of marketing your business?  When you ask most people, “What business are you in?” they respond with what they do – I am a lawyer, a photographer, a graphic designer, etc.  But the truth is we are in the business of selling ourselves.

There are several ways you can market yourself; not all activities need to be done by you.  In fact I like to outsource many of my marketing activities to my Assistant; this frees me up to work on other aspects of my business.  However, no matter who actual engages in the marketing activities you must know enough to decide how and when to implement your marketing plan.  No matter how good of a coach, massage therapist, photographer or wellness expert you are, you will fail in your business if you don’t market yourself.  You must embrace marketing as another tool to help you spread the word about your knowledge and expertise so you can create the thriving business you dream of.

Your inner beliefs and thoughts influence everything about the who, what, when, where and why about marketing your business.  These thoughts and beliefs will either positively or negatively affect your business.  If you are one of the many women who feel uncomfortable about marketing you need to look at why that is.

Over the next several days I am going to review some common marketing mindset issues and give you some tips so you can love marketing!

Belief #1: I don’t know how to network effectively

I write, teach and train about effective networking strategies all the time.  I could be a millionaire ten times over if I had a dollar every time I heard someone say they don’t know how to network effectively.  And I hear it more from women than men.

Does this surprise you?  Well it did me.  Why? Because women by their very nature are relationship builders and effective marketing is about building relationships.

In order to build an effective business relationship, you need to build a strong network of trusted business professionals from a variety of industries so that you can give and receive quality referrals.  I have blogged extensively about effective networking and you can read my blog posts at by searching under “networking”.

The bottom line is this:  Networking is a great marketing tool, one of several in your business toolbox, but it won’t bring you immediate business.  I’m sure this is NOT what you want to hear, but it’s true.  The flip side of this is:  Through effective, targeted networking you can build a list of respected colleagues and business professionals with whom you can do the following:  engage in joint ventures, conduct business, share clients, build your list, and send quality referrals.

So how do you network effectively? Be genuine and authentic.  Listen for how you might be able to help the other person. Extending yourself goes a long way in building long lasting business relationships.  Did you notice something?  Nowhere in that description did I mention collecting business cards, being phony or trying to immediately pitch your product or service.   Which by the is a real turn off.  Instead the focus is on helping others solve their problems.  Do this and you will build your credibility very quickly and people will see you as the go to gal.  Next networking event go with the intention that you are going to help two people with their business and see what happens.

Have you ever heard the saying, “under promise but over deliver” ? It’s a great concept.  In short it means exactly what it says:  tell your potential clients what to expect but then give them even more for even greater impact! The other day I had an over promise, under deliver experience.

Read on to learn how NOT to make the same mistake!

Picture this…I am at an event to learn some new marketing strategies.  The individual who’s making the presentation has done a great job enticing people to attend this meeting by stating he will share earth shattering marketing information.  The copy he has written promises to teach some very specific information.

I get to the lecture, take out my notebook and pen and anxiously await to hear what he promises, and I wait, and wait, and wait.  I sit there for two hours and he never reveals what he claims in his sales letter.  At the end of the presentation one of the other participants beats me to the punch and says, “Excuse me, but are you going to tell us about x, y, and z…?”  He replies with some very vague response which leaves many of us in the room scratching our head wondering what just happened.  To top it off he promises to send each person a link to some “bonus” video tips.  I have to email him two days later to request the link.  When I get the link, guess what?   NO videos!

When you promote an event, teleclass, training or workshop not to mention what you state on your website copy you need to be really clear that what you say you can deliver, you deliver. There is nothing worse than being told you are going to receive a product, service or information to then later not get what you expected.  You need to deliver what you say you can deliver.  If you don’t your credibility is shot.

So be really careful when you are crafting your marketing message and materials.  Review them to be sure what you promise is what people will get. Want to look like a superstar?  Give them even more than what you state.   This applies whether or not the person pays for a training, service or product or whether it is free.  Do this and you will maintain your credibility in the eyes of your clients.

Everybody wants to be rich.  But few know how to make it happen.  So unless you win the Mega millions drawing tomorrow night you are probably going to need another strategy to be successful.

Here are some of the top strategies of successful entrepreneurs….

1.  Do It Daily

The one thing that successful entrepreneurs understand is that in order to move their business forward they must engage in marketing activities each and everyday.   Daily?  YES… DAILY!

2.  Time Is  A Precious Commodity

How do you spend your time?  Do you watch TV during the day?  Chat with your girlfriends instead of working?  Do you allow others to interfere with your time and schedule?  If you answered yes to any of these you do not understand how valuable your time really is.  Successful entrepreneurs understand that how they spend their time NOW will determine their future.  Spend your time wisely.

3.  Stop Procrastinating

Successful entrepreneurs don’t’ put off what they know they can do today…in others words they don’t procrastinate.   This sense of urgency is borne not only from their understanding of how valuable their time is, but also from wanting to keep their clients happy.  By acting immediately, they are ensuring client satisfaction.  And happy clients are clients that will return to buy your products and services over and over again.

4.  One Thing At A Time

I always loved the phrase “one day at a time”.  Well this is the same concept except instead of one day a time, it’s one thing at a time.

If you find yourself in a constant state of overwhelm and confusion because you think your to do list is out of control, remember that all that’s important is that you do something…anything each day.  Worry won’t decrease that pile.  But taking action and doing one thing and then the next and the next will.

5.  Always Have A “Plan B”

Those of you who know me well know that I live by this rule.  Although I don’t worry about the big stuff, I always have a backup plan if something goes wrong.  What do I mean by this?  Well if I am planning a retreat I don’t worry about filling the retreat, but I do worry about if the retreat center is not ready for us when we arrive.  I focus my attention on the details and have a backup plan for if something needs to be “tweaked”.

This insures that I have thought out all of the potential problems that could arise and already have a solution ready at hand.  I always have my “plan b”!

6.  Don’t Do It All

Successful entrepreneurs understand how important a team is to the ultimate running of their business.  Doing it all is a recipe for burnout and disaster.

Smart and savvy businesswomen create teams and delegate effectively.  Hiring a virtual assistant, bookkeeper,  personal assistant, house keepers, etc.,  help to keep your mind of the small stuff and instead keep you focused on the big picture.

7.  Have The Right Mindset

Successful entrepreneurs are focused on three things:  security, comfort, and money.

The focus on security allows the successful business women to develop systems and programs that reinforce that need for security with an overall focus  on the big picture as opposed to doing tasks and activities that have only short term results.  So remember to invest in yourself and your business for long term success.

No matter where you are in your business I encourage you to implement these strategies.  If you are new in business, start with one idea and build on from there.  Take the first steps toward building that successful business.

Maureen and Hank Phillip Ryan from Channel 7 News

Last week I discussed with you some basic marketing strategies that every small business owner should be implementing in their business.  This week I would like to highlight three more advanced marketing strategies that can help  push your business into higher profits.

Tip #1:  Create Mini Celebrity Status

I remember when I first learned of this marketing technique it made me feel VERY uncomfortable.  The notion of creating celebrity status for myself seemed icky.  But once I understood this concept and the power behind it I quickly embraced it as a technique that could help me build my business.

For a very long time women business owners have taken a passive role in their marketing, blending in with all the rest of the business owners out there.  But when you embrace this strategy you take a powerful stand and become known and seen as a true leader and successful entrepreneur.

But you are probably wondering how you do it?  One way that you can build up your celebrity status is by rubbing elbows with other celebrities.  Look for opportunities to be photographed with high profile people.  This could mean having your picture taken alongside a famous key note speaker at an event or training that you are attending.  Post these pictures in your newsletter, blog or on Facebook.  It will automatically up your status!

Tip #2:  Grow Your List

Now I am not talking about growing your list one name at a time.  I am talking about growing your list significantly each time you make a concerted effort at it! How will you make yourself known to others?

There are many different strategies that you can take to grow your list.  When I was researching the best ways to grow my list I found several different strategies that would work for me and my business.  Each time that I have implemented one of the techniques I have been able to grow my list significantly.  And the more people on my list  the more people I reach.

Tip #3:  Have a Marketing Plan

Do you wake up each day and do a different marketing activity without any clear sense of how they work together?

Successful marketing is based on a clear well thought out plan of action that takes different marketing activities together to produce a clear outcome.  When you willy nilly market yourself do you get the type of results you are looking for?  Probably not.   So stop what you are doing right now and develop a clear game plan of what you are going to do and when.  Then track your progress and make adjustments as needed.

There are so many different strategies out there.  Pick at least three strategies and do them consistently to get the best results possible. Follow your plan and you will be on the road to higher visibility and more clients!