Is Your List Making You Money?

It seems like a funny thing to ask, I know. But, the mantra "the money is in the list" has us slapping opt-in boxes on our web pages and waiting for the money to roll in.

How's that working for you? I know it did not work well for me until I had this epiphany.

The money is not in just having a list; it's in the relationship you build with them.

A list is just that, a list of people who have given you permission to market to them. So, the key to unlocking the money making potential you hear so much about requires you to market.

And for most entrepreneurs, that's easier said than done.

Why does it seem so easy for our marketing heroes and professional crushes to make money their lists while you struggle to build yours?

The truth is it isn't a matter of hard or easy, It comes down to strategic and consistent execution until you find what works for you and your subscribers.

So, how can you build a list that is a win - win for you and your subscribers?

Here are a few tips to help ensure you build a list of responsive subscribers, ready to take action on what you have to say & sell:

#1. Get In Tune with Your Ideal Customer's Deepest Challenges and Desires

If you don't get this right, fuuuget about it! And it's not enough to know this intuitively, especially if you're just starting out. You need to deliberately research this information and keep a running list you can reference on an ongoing basis. This will not only help you hit the bull’s-eye with the next tip, but also when it comes to your follow-up campaign.

#2. Create a Compelling Signature Lead Magnet or Opt-In Gift

Make the right first impression. Your lead magnet should be both relevant and helpful to your visitors and be a natural first step to doing business with you. Gone are the days people signed up for stuff just because it's FREE. These days people's email in-boxes overflow with hundreds of messages from people who want them to sell something, read something, and do something!

Use this criterion as a general guide:

• Is this something I feel confident about referring my offline networking connections to?
• Is this something that people would gladly pay money for if it were for sale?
• Is it a natural first step to working with me?
• Is it a good introduction to my core offerings?

If you are a little shaky on any of the above questions, look at ways to change or improve your offering so you feel confident about marketing it and driving traffic to it.

#3. Provide One-Time-Offers on Your Thank You/Download Page

The "Thank You" page is the least utilized web real estate. It offers a great opportunity for you to offer your new subscriber an opportunity to solve their problem at a higher level. And, it provides you an opportunity to make a sale. They are the most excited and engaged at this point so now's the time to give them a deal on a product or service they won't want to refuse.

#4. Identify & Tell Your Subscribers What to Do Next

Be sure to build into your opt-in process, instructions on what to do next. To make this the most effective, you'll want to build this call to action into your opt-in offer itself. If you are providing a report, insert your call to action in the beginning and at the end of your report. If you free offer is a video or audio series, be sure to end each session with your call to action.

Don't assume they will go back to your site to buy something or read something. Show them that you have taken the time to guide them towards getting the results they need.

#5. Create Effective Follow Up and Nurturing Email Campaigns

"What do I write about?" This is the reason most entrepreneurs aren't making money. You have to build the know, like and trust factor and train your subscribers to act on what you have to say and sell.

I recommend when you create your opt-in gift/lead magnet. Write you first 10 follow up messages at the same time. Otherwise, it may never get done.

Here's a sample sequence you can use to get started:

• Email 1 - Welcome and set expectations
• Email 2-9 - Give incredible value
• Email 10 - Sell them something

Don't forget to work in a pitch every now and then. It's okay if you have been adding value, they will be hungry for it.

Examine your opt-in process and use the above tips to implement or improve your list building results. Understand that building a highly profitable list may take some testing and work. But, if you commit to the process, it will be well worth the reward in the end.

"Feedback is the breakfast of champions."
~ Ken Blanchard

And as a champion of your success, I'd be honored if you let me know what you thought about this article. Your tips, advice and comments are greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!

Building a brand is all about consistency. Your customers expect to have the same (or darn close to the same) experience whenever they come in contact with your brand.  After all, consistency leads to reliability and trust.

Since I've been doing a lot with visual maps these days, I've really gotten into studying how visual schemes impact your brand.  Here are a few tips that might help you.

Design Schemes and Associations

Think about this - what if you bought one of those red cola cans at a convenience store only to find when you drank it, something orange came out of the can.  That's pretty crazy, right?  You'd probably storm back into the store and confront the cashier at the counter with your red can.  The experience would make you second guess ever buying another from that store, or possibly, ever again.

In fact, that actually happened...sorta. Remember when they came out with clear cola?  It crashed and burned badly...why? Because we expect cola to be dark brown.  And when a very popular condiment maker came out with green ketchup, it ended up making appearances as a collectible on eBay, not on kitchen tables.

Something very similar happens with brands online.  Certain colors and design schemes are associated with certain products. If the product has the wrong color or design, it's off-putting to potential customers.

An important part of creating a consistent brand image is to choose a visual scheme that will always be associated with your name or your company’s name.

Your Visual Brand Language

To create a design and color scheme for your brand, you need to create a visual brand language, or VBL.

So what's that? A VBL incorporates design elements such as shape, color, materials, finish, typography and composition. All of these items together should work smoothly to communicate your company's values and personality.

For a good example, take BMW's front grill. When you see it on an advertisement or website, you automatically think of BMW and all the qualities associated with this luxury car designer. This distinct design feature is used as a visual marketing tool by the company to trigger feelings and associations in the minds of its target market.

An important key to creating a VBL is to remember that it isn't static, but something can be changed and used in different ways.

Think about Google's logo - basic letters on a clean white background. During different times of year or during promotions,  incremental changes are made to this basic design theme. Your VBL can be something flexible as well.

Visuals for Your Niche

Your own images need to create a brand personality that fits with your niche. Think about your target market and what they like. Consider your products and look at how other companies in your expert niche create their brand personality.

For example, some niches tend to showcase stark, hard line visuals, while others use soft, curvy lines. Each image a company uses fits with its personality to create a sense of consistency across all of its marketing and content creation.

Your Brand's Logo

The single most important visual element is your logo.  Recently, I went to my friends over at Logo Nerds to come up with a new design for me.  I knew the one I had was not fitting well with my niche and I wanted it to make a stronger connection with my brand.

To create a logo, you need to go back to your brand's unique selling proposition. What is your brand's promise and personality? These should be communicated through your brand's logo. Your logo should be based on this foundation and it should harmonize well with your other design elements.

The best practice when designing a logo is to start by choosing a primary and secondary color. The primary color is for your symbol, icon, or lettering. The secondary color is for the background. Take advantage of color meanings and associations when choosing colors.

The Importance of Visual Branding

A common business mistake is to bring in outside visual experts as an afterthought rather than a central part of your business's initial planning.  Remember when I mentioned redesigning my logo?  I have seen people make the mistake of trying to design their own, but that sometimes doesn't send a clear message about who you are and your professionalism.

Here's another resource for you.  Pam Wilson has an amazing blog that teaches a lot about visual branding.  Be sure to check out her Big Brand System here for great tips.

Remember - your brand's visual plan is just as important as your unique selling proposition or your products: it's part of your company's basic image and it can help you communicate clearly about who you are and what you do for your target market.

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About the Author: Tanya Smith is a creative online business strategist and coach specializing in showing independent service providers how to simplify, save time & stand out with simple strategies that engage more quality leads and clients. Her company Be Promotable provides fresh actionable strategies and virtual resources to promote business owners as power players in their market. Get free tools to simplify and stand out online at: www.tanyasmithonline.com

Hello Community, I am an active advocate of No Rejection Marketing. You should only be communicating with those who want you to. Your message should benefit your viewer. You must have a simple way for your viewer to pass on your message

(called viral messaging).  This tool I am showing you is simple to put to use and highly effective. I use it daily!!! Join Me

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Are you tired of hearing this: The gold or the money is in the list. You might get weary of hearing it asChristian Women Entrepreneurs, a Coach, Speaker or Author , but it’s smacking you in the face for a reason – it’s the truth, however, I’d like to add a twist the gold or money is in the relationship you build with the list/community! First of all, let’s answer the question, “What is a list?”

A list in Internet/Online marketing terms is a database of contact information for your prospects. So if you have a product or promote products about gardening and I sign up for your list, I’m a prospect that you can market to repeatedly until I unsubscribe.

So why is building a list so important? Let’s say you start off as an affiliate marketer. You find a niche you truly enjoy and you start working what you’ve learned into some traffic for your affiliate links.

Over a period of 30 days, you funnel 5,000 prospects from the World Wide Web who are interested in your niche straight through your affiliate link to the product owner’s site.

Let’s look at it a little deeper they even buy – yea! You’ve made a 50% commission with a 2% conversion rate. That means 2 out of every 100 people you sent bought the product, and your share was $26.00 (as an example). You earned a cool $2,600 this month – good for you!

There’s only one thing, you’re leaving money on the table. Those 100 people who bought from your 5,000 clicks? They’re now on the product owner’s list, not yours. So what he’s going to do is send them more offers over the coming weeks.

After all, they are proven buyers. Over the next 30 days, those buyers give even more money for products that complement the original one they bought. That money goes to the product owner, not you – because you passed on building a list the first time around.

A better way to build YOUR business is to start with a list from day one. Before you let a single person slip through your link without capturing their name and email address, have your system set up to build a list.

You can have unlimited lists for different niches using a simple tool like Aweber, which will end up being less than $20 per month and you can get a 21 day trial for $1 by clicking here. Every day you can log in and see how many people have signed up, and you can create automated messages to send out to help convert your list into more sales.

Why should the product owner get to cash in on that person again and again when you’re the one who brought him the customer in the first place? Stake claim to each prospect and leverage your relationship with him for future sales and commissions.

Now there is a strategy that you can use if you’re just simply looking to add cash that would possibly make not building your list out the door ideal, however, if you’re looking to build your business, grow your community you would want to opt for this strategy.

Would you like to discover more strategies, tips and more on getting new leads, clients, customers and money “authentically?”

I invite you to join me for my much anticipated Mindset, Marketing and Money e-workshop (webinar). You’ll also received immediate access to my Rapid Profits Promotions Handout.

Register here: http://bit.ly/marketingeworkshop

Do you have the skills to market to $11.8 Trillion MultiCultural Marketplace?

Juniques MultiCultural Connections ( http://www.jusmcc.net) is pleased to share information, that will help any business owner, that want to be part of trillion dollar business to business and business to consumer, multicultural marketplace.

JMCC offers multilingual/multicultural online radio and television. Come see and hear the global audience we are part of. (http://www.jusmcc.net )

Multicultural marketing (also known as ethnic marketing or cross-cultural marketing) is the practice of marketing to one or more audiences of a specific ethnicity, typically an ethnicity outside of a country's majority culture, which is sometimes called the "general market."

Typically, multicultural marketing takes advantage of the ethnic group's different cultural referents such as; language, traditions, celebrations, religion and any other concepts, to communicate to and persuade that audience.

The reasons for multicultural advertising People tend to live within their cultural boundaries; i.e., people have their own cultural values and norms, which influence the way

they think, feel and act.

People in a particular ethnic group tend to share the language, customs, values, and social views, and these influence people’s cognitive (beliefs and motives), affective (emotion and attitude) and behavioral (purchase and consumption) processes.

Based on this notion of “advertising as a mirror,” cultural values and standards are implanted in ads in such a way that consumers can “see themselves” and identify with the characters in the ads and feel affinity with the brands.

Multicultural marketing can have a positive influence on "mainstream" marketing in a variety of ways: Innovation:

Charting a multicultural marketing strategy goes beyond identifying communications programs and promotions tailored to these markets.  

Multicultural marketing is an engine for innovation.

Growth: If multicultural segments are growing at higher rates than the general population, it implies that they are also consuming most products at higher rates than the rest

Globalization: Once a corporation acknowledges the value of multicultural marketing and begins investing in research and development of products and new marketing capabilities, these can be leveraged in the global environment.

Skills required

It is suggested that the following skills are required in the field of multicultural marketing.

1.To spot patterns that allow subcultures to be grouped together, so that a common marketing strategy may be extended to several subcultures in a group (“transcultural” marketing)

2.To develop a distinct marketing strategy for each subculture, if there is a significantly distinct cultural dimension that is

important to the specific culture (multicultural marketing)

3.To further segment audiences in a subculture, if needed, in terms of cultural affinity, cultural identity or acculturation level

(tactical adaptation within a subculture)

4.To develop parameters of culturally acceptable marketing stimuli; and

5.To establish a protocol for measuring cultural effectiveness of the stimuli.

Creating a multicultural marketing strategy

Multicultural marketing focuses on customizing messaging and marketing channels for each target group, as opposed to simply

translating a general message into different languages, or including token representation of different ethnic groups in imagery.

Multicultural marketing is also complicated by the degree of mainstream cultural assimilation within ethnic groups themselves.

Some segments, such as recent immigrants, may highly prefer use of their mother tongue, have limited proficiency in the local language, and be highly geographically concentrated.

Other groups, such as second-generation individuals born in the new homeland, may be bicultural but have less proficiency in their parent's mother tongue and be more geographically dispersed.

An ethnic marketing strategy is developed around the values and attitudes distinctive to a particular ethnic group, and generally includes the following aspects:

Identification and collaboration with community leaders

The promotion of culture, symbols and celebrations important to a precise target Enhancing and focusing on the cultural uniqueness of ethnic group

1) Understand cultural differences in communication patterns, values, and behavior in the target ethnicities.  

2) Assess cultural affinity among ethnic audiences.

3) Segment the ethnic audiences based on the level of cultural affinity.

4) Evaluate the need for adjustments in strategy and tactics.  

5) Explore culturally acceptable/unacceptable, sensitive/insensitive advertising messages among the identified segments.

6) Develop the most effective and efficient advertising tactics targeted to the identified segments.

7) Evaluate the effectiveness of advertising campaigns among different target segments. This process is also known as ethnic marketing.

Pioneers Pioneers in the field of multicultural marketing include Madam C. J. Walker, African-American businesswoman, hair care

entrepreneur,Procter and Gamble, Mc Donald's,Pepsi cola and Benetton, and the entrepreneur Francesco Costa with My Own Media and ISI

Holding in the foreigner services sector, Joseph Assaf with Ethnic Business Awards, Alan M. Powell CEO of AP & Associates

JMCC offers multilingual/multicultural online radio and television. Come see and hear the global audience we are part of. (http://www.jusmcc.net )

 source:

click here for source

Is Creating an Editorial Calendar the Secret to Marketing Success?

If magazine editors waited for inspiration or for free time, no magazine would ever get published. So how do they churn out high quality content, month after month?

By creating and using an editorial calendar. And top bloggers and savvy entrepreneurs have learned this secret too.

An editorial calendar is a plan for producing regular written or media content, at regular intervals (e.g. monthly) at a perfect pace. It leaves you with deadlines you can use as a roadmap. You won’t have gaps in your postings and there’s no chance for people to forget who you are or give up on your blog.

And it can help eliminate writer’s block and last minute marketing sabotage. – the sort that leaves you realizing you forgot that your readers and subscribers were expecting Part Three of your series… yesterday!

1. Use the Method that Works Best With Your Learning Style

An editorial calendar is only useful if you use it. And if you set up a physical calendar that doesn’t work with your natural learning style, you’re more likely to forget to use it… or even, ultimately, abandon it.

a) If you are a kinesthetic learner who likes the hands-on approach, a paper calendar may be your best option. (Tip: You will most likely to be able to find plain desktop calendars with large enough slots to be useful in your local Dollar Store.)

Just be sure to put it in a place where you are likely to see it, rather than hiding it away in a desk.

b) If you are an aural learner, make an audio recording of your upcoming schedule.

c) If you are a visual learner, paper or digital will work – it’s just a matter of preference

d) If you are a read/write learner, a dated, chronological list format will probably work better for you than a graphic calendar format.

If you want to find out or confirm your ideal learning style, try one of the free online questionnaires or quizzes, such as the VARK model.

(No sign-up required for the basic assessment.)

2. Create and Coordinate Monthly and Annual Calendars

Many people find that two versions of their editorial schedule work best:

• A monthly calendar (e.g. WordPress Editorial Plugin)
• An annual calendar (manual or digital)

The reason for this? On your Annual Editorial Calendar, you can enter important posts to tie in with events scheduled far down the road; or with seasonal events.

Then, every month when you sit down to fill out your monthly Calendar, a quick visual check with the Annual Calendar will allow you to transpose these events onto your monthly Calendar before you input new posts for the current month, making sure nothing gets double-booked – or missed.

(If you like the format in the example above, download it by clicking here: http://bit.ly/yrlyeditorialcal)

3. Use the WordPress Editorial Calendar Plugin

If you use WordPress, then the free WordPress Editorial Calendar plugin can be your best post-scheduling friend. So do install it.

While you’re writing your posts or maintaining your blog, you have access to the Editorial Calendar at a click of the button. And you can log in and glance at your Calendar to see what you have to do today before writing a word.

4. Use the New CoSchedule Plugin for Wordpress to Create Your Editorial Calendar

They call it “The Better Editorial Calendar for Wordpress”. And it totally is!

CoSchedule is a new plug-in (currently free and in beta) for wordpress that allow you to create and manage blog and social media content all in one place.

This plug-in eliminates the need for having a separate social media editorial calendar, which can add extra work and be completely overwhelming, especially for a busy entrepreneur.

If you don’t coordinate your social media campaigns with your posts, you could be missing opportunities to allow each platform – blog and social media – to enhance the other. This is what makes this plug-in so powerful.

5. Use MS Excel to Create Your Editorial Calendar

If you are more comfortable using Microsoft Excel or you are a text-based learner, you may find Excel the best tool for creating your Editorial Calendar.

Another reason for using MS Excel: If your business is highly fluid, and you know you are going to be tweaking and adjusting your Editorial Calendar perhaps more than the average blogger.

In fact, there are many MS Excel templates for doing precisely that. (You can download – without signing up; just right-click and save – a very nice template courtesy of Vertical Measures.

6. Use Color Coding

If you are a visual or kinesthetic learner, try color coding the different cycles – then highlighting scheduled posts according to each cycle color.

This is also a fabulous trick if you have learning disabilities or any other form of cognitive impairment, as the visual stimulus and cueing helps you mentally “sort” and remember better.

You could also designate cycles by creating a Category field in your Calendar, along with corresponding two- or three-letter Category codes… or combine both categories and color coding. (Tip: Include a Legend at the top of your chart-style annual Calendar or beginning of your multi-page or monthly Calendar.)

7. Include Your Calls to Action in Your Editorial Calendar

Write down the call to action (CTA) for each item on your editorial calendar. Not only will this ensure you remember to include it in your blog post, but you will be able to more objectively judge the level of engagement your post is likely to create.

And yes: You could designate a color and highlight your CTAs too, if you wish.

8. Learn to Think in Cycles

No matter what your learning style, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is to think in a linear fashion – I. E. A B C D E F G.

Your blog will feel fuller, richer, more organized and more enjoyable to your readers if you learn to schedule your blog in multiple cycles.

Take your Annual Editorial Calendar and go through using the following “cycles” (and any others unique to your business), one after the other:

• Seasonal cycle (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter)
• Holiday cycle (Christmas, St. Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, etc.)
• Events cycle (e.g. Annual Cycling Workshop, Victoria Day Race, etc.)
• Contest cycle (e.g. Summer Photo Challenge, Christmas Giveaway, etc.)
• iscal Cycle (e.g. . Your annual business quarter-years, from beginning to end)
• Product Cycle (All your scheduled, upcoming product launches)
• Sales Cycles (High and low buying trends – base these on previous sales metrics)

Learning to plan your editorial calendar in this fashion will really help ingrain your business’ “big picture” in mind – and make much better business (and editorial) decisions.

9. Systematize Your Editorial Calendar Management Process

It really doesn’t matter whether you alone update the calendar and distribute information, or your authors or staff are allowed to cross things off and add them – the important thing is a clear understanding of the ground rules – and a clear chain of communication.

So decide on…

a) Who will update the Editorial Calendar(s)

b) How the Editorial Calendar(s) will be updated

c) Who will notify the rest of the team of necessary changes or completions

d) How they will do this

Making sure everyone understands the system is the best way to avoid scheduling conflicts or omissions.

10. Consider Publishing Your Upcoming Editorial Calendar

Not only will it inspire you to meet your own deadline (since there is nothing more lame than not following through to your readers) but you may attract quality submissions – leaving you with great content to use for your blog and the time to plan next month’s editorial calendar in comfort.

You don’t have to publish it in full Editorial Calendar format: You can simply make sure you create a section of upcoming stories (with Submission Guidelines) on your website or blog, just as many online magazines and publishing companies such as Chicken Soup for the Soul does.

But when all is said and done, remember that Editorial Calendars are simply tools: Only you can decide what type works best for you.

And, of course, they’ll be no use unless you use them!

Related articles

• Why You Need an Editorial Calendar (and How to Build One in No Time)
• 5 Systems for Creating an Editorial Calendar
• The Importance of an Editorial Calendar

What the Heck is Content Marketing?

So, you learn email marketing, then comes social media marketing, followed by video marketing and the "fill-in-the-blank" marketing trends just keep coming, don't they?

Just when you thought you had it figured out, here comes Content Marketing.

I mean, we know we need content to communicate with potential and existing clients online, right?

But, what is it really? And more importantly, how can it help you grow your online coaching, consulting or speaking business?

Is it copy-writing, SEO or blogging?

Is it video marketing, article marketing and mastering social media or headlines?

Just what the heck is it and why should you care?

Content Marketing Demystified for speakers, authors and coaches

It's like the new "fill-in-the-blank" marketing term that makes you sound all smartish.

Yes! Content Marketing is all of that and more. But, mostly it's about strategy.

You'll find a lot of definitions of content marketing and pretty much all of them will center around the idea of creating quality content with the purpose of persuading a defined audience to buy from you - without being annoying and salesy.

Yes, you need good content, but there is something that most personality entrepreneurs (i.e. speakers, authors, coaches..etc) like you aren't told.

Newsflash! Most of the content marketing advice, articles and tips aren't for you...

Okay then who is it for?

It's easy to Google content marketing and find all kinds of eyeopening articles that show you how to grow your business with content.

But, it's also easy for busy entrepreneurs like you to get overwhelmed and confused by information you don't have the time, or resources to put into motion.

Much of the information you'll find is designed for content marketing nerds like me - content creators and strategists.

Breaking The Curse of the Busy Solo-preneur

Content Savvy & Successful Tip! Don't invest in copy-writing courses and templates if you know you hate to write.

It's just a waste of precious time and money.

I see this a lot. You become desperate, because your business is stalled due to lack of communication. You need to blog more and communicate with your list more.

You hate writing, but you know you need content.

So, you purchase a bunch of PLR and copy-writing products that aim to help make writing easy and fast. The problem is you still hate or lack the time to write, so that stuff you bought is just collecting dust on your hard drive.

As a result, many of us spend most of our time building million dollar hard-drives versus million dollar businesses.

It's really not your fault. You're just doing what you gotta do to move your business forward.

The key to breaking this curse and bad investments is to always keep a high level view of your business. Don't get lost in the details that matter, but you're not good at. This will help you to stay focused and keep you from burning out in areas you're passionate in, because you've over indulged in other stuff.

Trying to become an expert copywriter or marketing strategist when your gift is in teaching people public speaking, will undoubtedly have you feeling like you don't know what business in anymore.

What You Need to Know About Content + Marketing to Make Your Marketing Easier and More Effective...

Many entrepreneurs get caught up in trying to write killer headlines and cookie-cutter templates. But, in the hands of the busy entrepreneur it's just a recipe for overwhelm & mediocre pie.

I read this somewhere, and I can't find the post. But, a mantra you'll hear me talk about a lot is this...

Basically your content needs to do two things to be worth the time and resources you invest to create it.

If your content doesn't do these two things, you're wasting time & $$$

1. Provide the most relevant answer to the question your target audience is asking

2. Tie back to some clearly defined business objective

Content + Marketing is a formula that helps you master and monetize your message in a way that serves both your business and the informational needs of your target audience. It's not just about writing articles, its about creating the right content, for the right audience, in the right place at the right time.

Interested in Experiencing Content + Marketing in Action?

What questions or challenges do you have about growing your online business with content?

Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy. ~ Dale Carnegie

Not knowing what to say or how to get marketing messages in front of an attentive audience  are common reasons entrepreneurs cite as reasons why their marketing content isn't done or performing

well.

But, I've found that it's not that we don't know what to do or even how, It's being too afraid to do it in the first place.

If I told you it took me 3 years to get up the courage to hit send on my newsletter without being anxious or posting an article and looking forward to the comments, you might hesitate to believe me.

But it's true! As a former introvert, standing out in front has always been a battle for me.

However, I learned early on to do it afraid. Now, for me that often meant taking time to find the courage to do the thing. But, I always did it... eventually. There is a lot less anxiety in being in front of the computer screen versus a room full of people.

However, the vulnerability you feel is the same in both cases. It can be a scary thing to release content on the web. For some, writing something crappy, hearing our own recorded voice  or seeing ourselves on camera for the first time makes us cringe and hide in our cushy little home offices stuck in our brilliance. Still, there are other reasons people get stuck in fear of creating content like...

• You don't want to give away too much
• Can't keep up with the demand of a content publishing schedule
• Not enough ideas
• Too many ideas and not knowing where to start

But, I have seen the light and I want to share with you some principles that helped be shake my fear of sharing my content with the world.

Focus on your passion for helping others through your knowledge and expertise. The advise you often hear for public speaking is if you know what you're talking about, it becomes easier. And, the more you do it the easier it gets. The same is true for stepping out online. I credit Kathy Brandon, the Happiness Chick and CEO of R4H Group for helping me realize I was playing small. She told me I was "shadowboxing". I was hiding my greatness by working for great people and not stepping into my full potential. So, a new website went up with my face plastered all over it and now I'm saying to the world "This is me, this is what I know and I want to share it with you!". Thanks Kathy!

Practice imperfect action. If it's crappy let it go. Another Achilles heel is trying to make it perfect before releasing it.  I can't tell you how many emails I've gotten from some of my favorite internet marketing "cool kids" with errors and mistakes. And you know what? They send a correction email to follow up their error and keep it movin'. I just love that! Maybe for you the design isn't quite the way you want it, or you want to add this or that. Just let it go. Perfection is a fantasy and a success killer. Practice taking imperfect action and tweaking things for improvement while in motion. You'll find that people want you to succeed and are more than willing to give you feedback on how to better your communications with them.

Believe in yourself, no matter what. Don't get lost in other people's disbelief. Think of how many successful people you admire had doors closed and were told they could not do something. Now consider yourself one of them and keep it movin'.

Trust yourself more that you trust the advice of others. It's easy to look at the outside trimmings of someone's success and think they know more than you and choose what worked for them versus what's best for you. Trust your instincts and your vision. Try your way. If it fails tweak it, if it fails again try plan B and keep it movin'. If Steve Jobs would have followed conventional wisdom and chose not to drop out of college. He would have missed sitting in on a seminar that opened his mind to think different and the world may have never known iPods, iPhones and personal computing as we know it. Think about it! Trust Yourself!

Focus on making meaning not money.Okay, I am not saying money is not important. But, when your focus is on money, that comes through in your marketing and prospects can smell it a mile away. Their buyer's objection goes up and sales fly away. Focus instead on providing value that makes people's lives and business better and they will reward you with your business and tell others. These are some of the ways I've been able to push past fear and live out my passions. I hope they inspire you to step out and play a bigger game in your life and business.

What are some ways you've been able to increase confidence in your content? What advice can you add to help others shake off fear and step into their greatness?

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98% of the population excuses away all their vision, their dreams, their goals, and then the next step they do is they excuse away yours.  They tell you that you’re stupid if you go after your dreams in bad economic times like this.  They lost their dreams and now they are going to try and pollute yours.

2% will encourage you to be all that you desire to be and say nothing is impossible you work hard and go for it!  That’s what 2% knows that’s what they say and that’s how they live and they’ve got the results in their life that proves it.  They aint no talk and no action they’re talk with results!   But 98% of the population gave up their dreams and are going make sure they can pollute everyone else around them and make sure they give up their dreams to.  Why?  Because when you actually go after your dreams yourself it makes them feel a little uncomfortable.  Why?  Because they realize that something was possible.  Because they realize when they see you go after it it sheds some light on them… They wonder “if”.

98% of the population destroys their dreams and destroys others dreams and 2% of the population says WOW there is a lot I wanna do!  2% of the population is not limited by their bank account.  YOU are not limited by your bank account you’re limited by your brain and your lack of understanding that your dream somebody else is living it!  Someone else found a way to do it! How they did it is they grew their income circle to finance their dreams.  That’s the difference between 98% and 2%. 98% shrinks their dreams to be just a little bigger than their income so they don’t die.

A man without a Vision WILL Perish. What’s your vision?  Is your vision just big enough to pay off debt?  Is that all you wanna do is make ends meet??  If your vision isnt worthy of you getting out of bed every morning then your vision isn’t big enough.  If your vision isn’t big enough to get you over your biggest fears then your vision isn’t big enough.  If your vision isn’t big enough to cause other people to want to follow you with it then your vision isn’t big enough. If your vision is about You making Money then it isn’t big enough.  You better spend some time growing your vision. What is it?  Where you going?  If you don’t know where you’re going no one else can follow you.  They already know how to go no where!!!

Are you scratching your head wondering why people just aren't responding to your emails? I mean it's bad enough that they don't respond to your special sales promotions. But, they don't even respond when you give away free stuff.

What gives?

I believe there are three things that could be happening here:

1. You have spies on your list: You know, people who signed up just to see how you did your ebook or what kind of email campaigns you deliver. Oh, don't act like you've never done it :)

2. They're just not that into you: These people may have joined your list for something very specific that met their need at the time and now that they got it, well, they could care less what you send them. So, why have they not unsubscribed? They hang on waiting for something from you that wow's them to buy from you again.

3. You're not putting your back into it: I'm sorry, what I mean is, you aren't even trying. You are just throwing together emails, hoping that that best practice tip (you know the one where they said to email your list once per week?) will hypnotize your subscribers into obeying your every command.

If you want to get your marketing emails opened and your subscribers to take action you need to shift and shake things up a little.

Give value, value and more value and you'll be rewarded for it. Yep! Content Marketing applies to your email marketing efforts too!

So, how can you create a follow up campaign that keeps subscribers engaged, responsive and eager to buy from you?

Here are five quick tips:

1. Don't just send promos: Follow the 80/20 rule provide value eighty percent of the time and promote your offerings twenty percent. This will keep your subscriber's sales walls down and show them that they are worth more than a sales pitch.

2. Be intentional about providing value: Do you take time out each week and look for ways to make your subscriber's lives better?  I myself have been guilty of just throwing together a "fluff" email just to keep in touch. But, if you want to pass the "so what" test, you need to demonstrate that you really care about giving them valuable information they can use, whether they work with you or not.

3. Provide incentives: Sure coupons and discounts on your products and services are cool, but find ways to take it even further. What can you use as a carrot to get people to act? Can you offer tickets to an event, a gift card, a gift basket? Maybe you could partner with someone  and have them sponsor a gift to your list? The possibilities are endless, get creative.

4. Give your subscribers a piece of you: It's important to be you in style and tone when writing your list. It helps them to create a deeper connection and establishes the all important "know and like" factor of that famous marketing mantra.

5. Reward your most responsive subscribers:  If you want your subscribers to engage and pay attention to you, show them that you're paying attention too! Try rewarding them with exclusive discounts, a spotlight interview or a cool prize. I feel the best way to do this is unexpectedly. By the way, this could be a great incentive.

Employ these tips and your subscribers will go from "so what" and ignoring your emails to looking forward to communication from you.

I know there are a lot of email marketing blueprints and advice that give you the A to Z on how to build a responsive list. But, there is no magic bullet. You have to put what you know into action and see what works. Repeat what does and tweak what doesn't until it works too! Don't forget to have fun and be creative, your subscribers are people....not robots :)

 What are some techniques you use to keep your subscribers engaged and happy?

So everybody knows the Super Bowl is coming. I can see all the signs in my neighborhood - people lining up at the grocery stores for snacks, soda pop, chicken wings (my fav are the lemon pepper!).  Flags waving in yards.  Big screen TV boxes next to trash cans for Thursday pickup.

It's on.

Now I'm not going to try to sway you one way or the other on which team to hoot and holler for. In fact, I don't even know much about football (okay, I heard that...and yes, I am a proud American).  BUT what I do enjoy?

The commercials.

Even if you've never watched a Super Bowl game in your life, I bet you've seen the commercials.  Frankly, they're the best part of the whole celebration.  I always tell my husband, "call me when a commercial comes on!" ... then I head in to watch.  The New York Times says the Super Bowl is the biggest day of the year for advertising.

Ever thought about why?  I have - and I thought it might be fun to write about in terms of ways to create buzz for your business.  So here's a few tips on creating buzz Super Bowl Style:

Plan Ahead

Advertising companies start not just weeks, but months in advance.  It takes work to create a promotion campaign that will connect with the right audience and generate actual sales.  Right - at the end of the day, the commercials aren't there just for you to enjoy; they're meant to entice you to take up the offer.  It's about getting results in the form of sales.

Think about this with your next promotional campaign.  How much time are you putting into researching ways to reach your audience? What is the offer you're making and how will you measure success? Just because people "like" your posts, that's not always equivalent to dollars for your business.  Make the connection by planning your campaign well in advance.

Make It Connect

Remember the Darth Vader commercial for Volkswagen?  Hilarious and cute, right? It caught the attention of people watching because they could either see themselves as the boy pretending to be a famous character, or as the parents having fun watching their child play.  Viewers could connect with something in the ad.

When you create promotional campaigns, are you telling a story?  Does it tag something in the hearts, minds, or pockets of your audience?  What emotion are you trying to evoke?  Think about how your message connects through your marketing campaign.

Leak Information in Advance

Why share tidbits about your next program or event?  Why would you leak information before you're ready to deliver the product?  Because it works, says Fast Company in this recent article about pre-game content.

In the article, they talk about how  last year, 34 campaigns were released in some form or another on YouTube before the game. “Marketers saw the amount of buzz and views they were able to generate before the game even started, and realized that they can get much more out of their Super Bowl investment if they build a digital strategy around it,” says Suzie Reider, Head of Industry Development at YouTube.

That's pretty interesting, hunh?

What kind of buzz can you create?  You might not give away the entire program idea, but what if you shared a short tip series related to your topic?  How about a video teaser?

Think of creative ways to generate buzz for your business.  Even if you're not a football fan, you can work it Super Bowl style!

WANT TO RE-POST THIS ARTICLE ON YOUR BLOG OR USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE, E-NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE?

You may, as long as you include this complete blurb with it...

About the Author: Tanya Smith is a creative online business strategist and coach specializing in showing independent service providers how to simplify, save time & stand out with simple strategies that engage more quality leads and clients. Her company Be Promotable provides fresh actionable strategies and virtual resources to promote business owners as power players in their market. Get free tools to simplify and stand out online at: www.tanyasmithonline.com

LinkedIn is the Rodney Dangerfield of social media: despite having 200 million highly influential subscribers, it gets no respect. Even though it is consistently ranked among the social giants Facebook and Twitter, it doesn’t seem to get as much hype from the mainstream media. But as a tool for marketing your beauty salon business, it provides a huge edge over its more popular peers. Because unlike Facebook and Twitter, which regularly exchange cat photos, inane one-liners and political rants from nutty uncles, LinkedIn is all business.

How companies are leveraging LinkedIn

You operate a beauty salon business. Your time and energy is scarce. So why should you worry about LinkedIn? Here are a few ways your peers (there are 1.3 million small-business owners on the network) are employing it to their advantage:

1. Sharing wins: As a beauty salon business owner, you're working hard. Why not share your success stories? Promoting your accomplishments is just good marketing. And with 2 million C-level executives using the site, you might suddenly find yourself with some deep-pocketed suitors.
2. Getting referrals: LinkedIn makes it easy to get peer and client endorsements for the work you do. Best part? When someone recommends you or writes a testimonial, everyone within your network sees it in his or her activity feed. This type of social proof is the BEST way of getting new customers.
   
3. Finding new talent: If your beauty salon business keeps growing, you'll undoubtedly need to hire new employees. LinkedIn is a great place—scratch that, it’s the BEST place—to find new players to include in your team.
   
4. Promoting events: LinkedIn’s event feature is a game changer! It has never been so easy to spread the news and drum up enthusiasm about upcoming events, sales and get togethers. You can even use their service directory to find professional event planners to help you.
   
5. Boosting website traffic: A little-known secret about LinkedIn is that it’s very influential with Google; if you have a presence on LinkedIn, you’re likely to see a jump in search engine visibility, too. More clicks = more customers!
   
6. Getting answers: LinkedIn is a goldmine for information on operating a successful beauty salon business. You can uncover great advice from some of the savviest business minds in the world in LinkedIn Answers and Groups. You will discover over 2000 groups devoted to small-business and beauty salon business related topics.
   
7. Finding investors, vendors and partners: It’s a networker’s paradise. Whether you require some capital, a new accounting firm, or even a beauty salon business partner, you’re not going to find a better resource than LinkedIn. Anywhere.
   

We’re just scratching the surface here, folks. The benefits don’t end there. Pay a visit to LinkedIn, set up a page for your business and see for yourself. I know your time is scarce, but trust me, it’s worth it.

About Author:
Charlotte Howard is a Radio Host and Beauty Salon Success Coach. She specializes in beauty salon business start-up and client attraction. Contact her today for all of your burning beauty salon business questions, visit www.CharlotteHowardInfo.com

Content marketing is not just about saying something. It’s about saying what matters, both to you and those you want to serve. One goal that serves, both ends is “Thought Leadership“.

Thought Leadership, an admirable and attractive content marketing goal to set.

I mean, it sounds good, right? And you’re brilliant enough, no question.

But, thought leadership takes a certain commitment. A commitment to consistently say something important, sometimes controversial and the courage to be heard.

And to be honest, it carries a certain weight and power that frankly is scary and intimidating to a lot of business owners.

There’s a lot of talk about “King Content” these days and how you need a lot of it to attract and retain clients. However, it’s not until we can get over our fear of creating content for our online business in the first place, that we can achieve our goal to lead in thought.

 Do You Fit the Profile of a Thought Leader?

@MarlaTabaka asks readers to examine this question in her Thought Leadership 2.0 article publishes on Inc.com.

“A thought-leader is someone who is willing to step into the spotlight and voice their points of view, innovative ideas, and potentially controversial opinions. He drives conversation and peppers the Internet and other outlets with his insights, ideas, and expertise. She inspires others to follow their dreams and teaches them to think big, solve problems, and face their fears.”

When it Comes to Thought Leadership,
Are You More Like Scrappy or Scooby?

This may seem a silly question, but I have three small boys at home and I think in cartoons, so allow me to humor you for a moment.

Now, in my experience, people respond one of two ways when it comes to stepping out in this way:

1. Scrappy Doo: Let me at em’ – Enthusiastically, Yes, I really want to do this, I just don’t have time or know where to start.

2. Scooby Doo: Fearfully & insecurely, I don’t really have anything important to say, who am I?

The first response is pretty easy to resolve. These people are ready to burst through the gate. Give them a little direction and the right tools and they’ll be influencing all over the place. If this is you, stop reading this and contact me right away so we can get you on the map.

But, their are a lot of people who respond out of fear. The irony is, they are leading in thought everyday in a quiet and safe way.

When I have conversations with people about their business, something magical happens. They are passionate, opinionated and unafraid to be heard. Their goal in the moment is to be helpful and informative. They tell stories to help me understand complex ideas and I leave the conversation feeling smarter and grateful for the opportunity to have met them. They “fit the profile”.

It’s content at it’s best. These are the stories the advice and conversations that need to be shared on real and virtual stages.

But all too often, these conversations are never had and the stories never told to the people who need to hear it the most. Your target audience.

 Do I Have to Be a Thought Leader to be Successful?

Well, no. You can be successful without being a thought leader. But, your journey will be long and hard fought. Because, the truth is, there’s so much noise out there. There are so many people saying the same thing that prospects and customers can’t tell the difference.

So, I guess the question I’d ask you is, do you want to be THE CHOICE or just one of the best? If you answered the choice, then YES…It’s time to step into the spotlight!

Here are three questions to answer if you want to establish yourself as a leading voice and choice in your area of expertise:

1.  What do competitors in your market do, that makes your prospects problem worse or more complicated?
   
   
2. What questions “should” your prospects be asking?For example: If you are a health coach or practitioner, are they asking “How can I loose weight fast?”  when they should be asking “How can I loose weight quickly and healthily”?
3. What types of content are you comfortable producing that you can commit to producing and promoting on a regular basis?Are you better at speaking than writing? Then maybe knocking out a weekly podcast may be the way to go. Do words pour out of you like a faucet? If so, write til your hearts’ content and post a weekly blog article or apply to be a guest author. The point is, don’t get caught up in what all the “gurus” tell you you should be doing. Start with what works best for you and create your own blueprint!

Are You Struggling with Stepping Out in a Bigger Way? Are you a Thought Leader Who Has Some Additional Tips or Insights That Can Help? Please join the FB conversation , I’d love to hear from you!

I know, I know. You don’t have the time for an alternate social network. Nevertheless I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t talk up Pinterest, as this image-centric social network has become an amazing spot for beauty salon businesses to:

• Meet new customers
• Boost website traffic
• Increase brand recognition
• Drive sales activity

So let’s run through why this visual social network so cool—and so effective as a marketing strategy.

Visually pleasing! Less whining!

Instead of being a platform for tedious updates of what people ate for breakfast or ALL CAPS rants from your weird uncle, Pinterest is all about bringing people together who have common interests, whether it’s fashion, beauty, art, food, crafts, architecture, photography, cocktail recipes, interior design..you name it. Copyblogger contributor Beth Hayden sums up Pinterest very well with this quote: “Pinterest is visually appealing, positive, and unlike Facebook, there isn’t any whining.” Can I get an amen?!

Why are marketers so energized about Pinterest?

For starters, the site is incredibly popular. Last year, in a five month span, Pinterest rocketed to a jaw-dropping 10 million users. No one was expecting it. Even social media watchers were caught off guard. Almost overnight Pinterest became a MAJOR driver of online traffic. Get this: Pinterest drives more traffic than YouTube, Google and LinkedIn—combined. Here’s another thing: users love Pinterest. They can’t get enough. It’s addictive. As per comScore data Pinterest users average 89 minutes monthly on the site and Google users average just 3 minutes per month.

So what?

Why should beauty salon businesses like yours care about Pinterest? It’s really quite simple. First of all, the site is a low-key, non-threatening method to meet consumers who are passionate about what you’re interested in! This built-in permission makes it possible to build new relationships with others in your target market. Secondly, Pinterest is a fantastic place showcase your products or services, stay top of mind and grow your “tribe” of like-minded people. Just create an account. You’ll see an array of businesses on the site, such as…

• Beauty Salon Businesses
• Hair Artists
• Makeup Artists
• Fitness Coaches
• Yoga Studios
• Non-profit Organizations
• Jewelry Makers

The list is endless.

No excuses; start pinning!

Most businesses tend to swiftly think of reasons why they shouldn’t use social media—nevertheless the truth is, many sell themselves short and don’t become involved because they don’t think they have a natural place in a certain network. Now, if you run a bookkeeping business, maybe Pinterest isn’t the best fit, but then again, it’s quite possible that you might be a trailblazer and use Pinterest to showcase your business and have great success. Hey, if a plumbing franchise in Waco, Texas can make Pinterest benefit their business, you can too! It’s just too easy to sell yourself short and come up with reasons to remain on the sidelines!

About Author:
Charlotte Howard is a Radio Host and Beauty Salon Success Coach. She specializes in beauty salon business start-up and client attraction. Contact her today for all of your burning beauty salon business questions, visit www.CharlotteHowardInfo.com

What's the key to becoming a likeable and buy-able brand?

I'd say it's to get good at content marketing. Content marketing is all about creating interesting, high value, share-worthy content that makes people crave you as a resource and a choice provider for solving their pain.

But, you are a solo entrepreneur with limited resources, trying to get your audience to notice you amid an ocean of information available to them online.

Not only do you have to compete with the blogs and social media musings of competitors, you have to conquer their ADD over their umbilical smart phones, and iPads.

And, although you are offering all kinds of FREE stuff, it seems as if you can't pay people to sign up for it, let alone pay for any product or service you have to offer.

What gives?

How can you grab your target customer's attention to even begin to build a relationship when they are so distracted and guarded?

There's no doubt marketing and promoting your business in the digital age has become more challenging. But, sometimes you have to revert to old tactics to make yourself stand out as the new and better choice.

Here are 3 simple, yet powerful ways to win the famous know, like and trust contest and become the provider of choice for your target audience:

1. Be Creative & Innovative: Part of the reason people are hitting the ignore button, is that everyone is doing and saying the same things in the same way. Cookie cutter marketing has made us immune to hearing blatant and bland attempts to entice our business. Excite, shock or surprise your audience. Look for innovative and creative ways to get your message in front of your audience.
2. Educate: Don't just tell your audience they need your products and services. Show them why they need it and how having it will make their life or business better. That means…you guessed it, taking time to craft valuable content that helps them understand how various aspects of your solutions work to make their lives better. Be careful to be helpful here and not all "salesy". Your #1 goal here is to be a helpful and trusted resource.
3. Build Relationship: Most businesses large and small focus on getting customers to come to them. Make a commitment to find your prospects and get to know them. Create an incentive program to inspire conversation. Show them you are willing to invest in them in the same way you want them to invest in you.

Case Study: The Apple Store is a great example of a company that leverages all three of these elements successfully. Go to any Apple Store and you can not only buy a product, but an associate will take the time to teach you how to use it. This model is creative, educational and builds good customer relations while inspiring customer loyalty.

Take Away: Success begins with taking action. Create a 3 step strategy for incorporating the above 3 elements in your marketing. Take some time to examine what others are doing and find gaps you can fill to do it better.

Share Your Thoughts! What are your tips on how we can create a that provides a unique experience that builds a likeable and buy-able relationship with our target customers?

Do you find yourself frustrated that you’re not communicating with your audience consistently or effectively enough to get their attention or business?  Do you feel like your are missing something, like there's some magic trick to success no one is telling you?

For years, I struggled with this same problem. And regardless of what some of these tools and products hype you up to believe, there's no "abracadabra" to marketing with success online.

How do you serve clients and still have time to market your business? Most entrepreneurs wrestle with this same dilemma. But, in this article I’m going to share with you the key that unlocked this mystery for me and how you too can use it to make your business grow. The key is called Content Marketing Strategy.

What is a Content Marketing Strategy?

“Content strategy is the “planning for the creation, delivery, and governance of useful, usable content.” ~ Kristina Halvorson, author of Content Strategy for the Web and founder of Brain Traffic.

It’s the process of identifying both your business needs and your customer’s so you can create content that delivers on both. I know it doesn’t sound all that sexy. But, developing a content marketing strategy is the best thing that will happen for your business. A solid content marketing strategy will drive sales and amplify your brand’s web and social media presence. So, before you create any content you need to first develop a content marketing strategy.

What does Content Marketing Strategy Look Like?

Here’s an example of Content Marketing Strategy gone wrong. “Everybody is talking about Content Marketing is hot right now. Let me start blogging every day, posting stuff on social media and emailing my list to let them know about my products. One of these efforts will generate some business.”

Here’s an example of Content Marketing Strategy Done right. “I’d like to be seen as the “go-to-expert” in my niche. Let’s figure out what business goals I need to set and what kind of information my audience wants and needs to make that happen.

Content Marketing Strategy is not about creating content for content’s sake. There is no shortage of content available to your audience and, if I may be so frank to say, most of it is crappy. You want your audience to feel and be smarter than they were when they found your information.

How Do I Start Creating My Content Marketing Strategy?

It’s important to understand that Content Marketing is a process. And, in order to be successful you need to commit to the mindset. Here are three steps to get you started building your content marketing strategy.

Step #1 - Create Your Brand Story.

Many so called “experts” are advising people NOT to tell their story. But, your story is important. It’s not all about you. But, your story is what helps people remember and connect with your brand.  What does your brand stand for? Why do you/ your product or service exist?

Step #2 – KNOW Your Audience.

Create a buyer persona or narrative about your ideal customer. What are their day to day challenges? What’s important to them? What type of lifestyle do they live?  Paint the picture and speak to them when you create your content.

Step #3 – Create an Editorial Calendar.  

And editorial calendar is simply a calendar that identifies what topics you want to create content around and when. I advise clients to identify what products or promotions they plan to roll out each month, and then identify content topics that educate their audience around each product. This helps you to hit both the money and meaning goals of creating content that matters to your audience and your bottom line.

Whether you’re a busy entrepreneur who hates to write or doesn’t mind it that much, having a content marketing strategy will help you to stop spinning your wheels online. Don’t waste time and money creating content you hope will bring you clients and cash…take time to create the right content and get it to the right people at the right time. You’ll be glad you did, I know I was. :)

Do You Need Help Creating a  Content Marketing Strategy for Your Business?

I'd love to help you. Just visit http://mycontentplanner.com/  to check out my freeing solutions.

I have recently gotten more involved in my Video Marketing for my new extra-income driving business venture. In doing so, I have noticed how much more people I am connecting with across the country. Last week I had 3 sales conversions within 2 days all as a result of my videos. Although I knew YouTube.com was a great resource, honestly I didn't realize how beneficial it would be to my company. Here are some interesting statistics I found in regards to how much video marketing works.

According to comScore, the global leader in digital business analysis, so you understand the potential for marketing with video: http://www.incitecreativeinc.com/resources/articles/Does-Video-Marketing-Work?/

• 89 million people will watch 1.2 billion videos today. Yes, today. Not for the week, or for the month, or for the year, but every day.
• Businesses spent $1.4 billion in video marketing on 441 billion videos in 2010. This number continues to increase.
• Video is popular across all age groups. Although 18 – 34 year olds spend the most time watching video, over 80% of the population across all age demographics watches video. So it isn’t just your teen that consumes content on the screen.
• Probably the most important statistic of all, comScore reported that on average retail site visitors who view videos are 64% more likely to purchase than other site visitors.

These stats should give you a little hope when venturing out into Video Marketing. Although it can be scary because you are making yourself available for people to critique, it can still be great for business.

According to Edelman and Adobe, the stats below show how much audiences enjoy videos that tell stories. UNIQUE stories at that. I believe people are captivated by unique stories because of the authenticity. My husband sometimes gets on me about where I choose to shoot my videos but in my research I have found that when you are real with your audience they connect more. Of course that is to an extent. You should never go on camera with a messy house in the background or in your pj's, etc. However, is you have a nice office space or living area feel free to have in the background.

So far Video Marketing is going well for me as a tester campaign. The following are 5 tips on how to make video marketing work for you.

1. Know why you are doing this. Having a lot of viewers is great, but you want to make sure they are targeted viewers that want what you have. So make sure you present it well.

2. Have a script. As boring as that sounds, a script will at least guide your video in the direction it needs to go. Although you may be recording alone, millions could potentially view your video so it can be nerve-racking while recording. So you want to make sure you have a clear understanding of what you are saying to your audience and that there is minimum babble.

3. Be patient & Have time. These two go hand in hand. As I stated earlier, taping can be nerve-racking and lead to having to do a lot of takes. Don't get frustrated, impatient or stop taping because of this. Make sure you regroup in between each take and feel free to practice before taping.

4. Use the right keywords. This is the most crucial part of Video Marketing. You want to make sure you use the correct words in your title and in the tags. I would suggest researching  what videos in your content area are getting the most views and why. Look at the titles and the tags. Revamp the title to fit what you are doing and see if you will show up on the first page of YouTube for the keyword. That should be your goal. For example: If you are looking to target people who are looking for diet pills, then look up "diet pills" on YouTube. What videos are coming up and what are their titles? Research this and apply to your video. After posting your video, test the keyword to see if your video pops up on the first page. If not, keep editing your title and tags until you do (without full-on copying anyone, of course).

5. Camera equipment. Some people believe they need a high-tech video camera with bells and whistles, which (don't get me wrong) is not necessary but  will be great when you start to get those millions of viewers. But to start out, the video camera on your computer will suffice. Or on your phone like a Samsung Galaxy or iPhone. For the phones, just make sure whomever is camera man has a still hand while recording.  The convenient thing about using your video cam is that you do not need anyone to record for you and you can record alone.

These are just a few tips to consider when starting your Video Marketing venture. I hope they help. Let me know how Video Marketing works for you!

Tamara

Busy925.com
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In business, marketing is the key to survival. Marketing takes a lot of planning, organizational skills, budget measures and timing. Proper planning and accountability measures will enable you to position your business for success.  To ensure maximum ROI (Return on Investment) of your marketing plan, these are 6 tips for a successful business:

1.   Update Your Marketing Plan

If you are planning to expand your business or wish to give it a directional turn, then it is important to update your existing marketing plan. With a well thought out marketing plan, it becomes easier for a business owner to systematically promote the company.

In addition, it is imperative that marketing collateral such as business cards, logo, signage and promotional material are in alignment with your overall message.

Updates to your plan should be based on careful assessment of the market, understanding the needs of the consumer and consideration to the objectives and outcomes of the plan.

2.   Create a Marketing Budget

Marketing is crucial for business success. For every marketing plan to reach its full potential, it is vital that a budget is in place.  Allocating too little capital can be a detriment to your future goals. For example, a new business that calculates start-up costs for business cards, logo, flyers, a website and custom shirts is a smart move.

In addition, a business owner should follow a goal-based budgeting plan; one that includes customer service initiatives, communication, and all prospecting activities.

3.   Implement a Marketing Campaign

A marketing campaign includes several activities carried out to accomplish a pre-planned goal; generally the promotion of a product or service.  To see how well a marketing campaign works, consider planning it as a 30-day or 90-day trial to avoid unforeseen losses. By running it for a short period allows you monitor the feasibility of the plan with your target market; set clear campaign objectives; and plan the outcomes accordingly.

Successful campaigns are carefully researched and centers on details and implementation, rather than on a single, big idea.

3 Memorable Marketing Campaigns:

1. “Just Do It” – Nike
2. “Where’s the Beef?” – Wendy’s
3. “Absolutely, Positively Overnight” – FedEx

4.   For Heaven’s Sake… Find FREE Marketing Opportunities

When you want to reduce your marketing budget, it is essential to take advantage of free marketing opportunities. With so much impetus being laid on web-based marketing services, you can find a multitude of free PR on the internet. There are numerous press release and article submission services, Google and Yahoo local listings, online directories and similar services to create company profiles and promotional opportunities.

5 FREE Offline & Online Services

• Social Media Networks - Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Foursquare, Google+
• Guest Blogging
• Customer referral program
• Public speaking
• Business Network Group – online and offline

5.   Ask For Referrals

Referrals… a powerful selling tool!  To be introduced to a potential client through a personal recommendation is GOLD! Asking your clients, associates, partners or consumers for referrals is a cost-effective way of expanding your network. People do business with those they know, like and trust. So, the best compliment you can earn is from those who like your product or services.

There are also fee based referral programs that provide extensive leads to specific consumer markets.

6.   Always… Always Follow Up!

Last but never the least, always follow up!  A follow up process is extremely important in securing business from new clients and in maintaining rapport with existing ones.

4 Easy Ways to Follow Up: 

• Send a thank you note
• Make a phone call
• Email a greeting card
• Mail a special gift

 In business, there are no guaranties for success; however, incorporating these 6 tips will significantly improve your chances of having a profitable company.

About Sylvia:  Sylvia Browder is a small business consultant, trainer and author. She is founder of National Association Women on the Rise, a virtual community for aspiring and established women entrepreneurs. She has served as an online volunteer SCORE counselor since 2004. For FREE weekly articles go to Sylvia Browder’s Blog for Women Entrepreneurs, www.sylviabrowder.com.  Want to work with Sylvia? Go to, www.browderconsultinggroupllc.com. She can be contacted at info@browderconsultinggroupllc.com.

You have a Facebook page. You have some fans. Nicely done. Now, like the smart beauty salon business you are, you're looking for some proven ways to engage your followers so you can acquire more of them and make the most of your presence on Facebook.

Engaging your fans is a critical piece to building and maintaining a long-lasting relationships on Facebook—and offline! Here are a few timeless strategies that local beauty salon businesses are using with great results.

♦ Spread the Love

Tell your fans how much you appreciate them. Tell ‘em often!

Thanking your fans for their questions, complimenting them on their comments, highlighting their success stories—these things go a looong, long way in social media. Many smart beauty salon businesses on Facebook run a ‘Fan of the Month’ promotion to encourage and reward engagement.

This is really savvy way to make people feel good about themselves and your business while also capitalizing on the power of social proof.

♦ Offer Coupons and Run Promotions

Discounts, coupons, special offers … your followers will NEVER get tired of opportunities to save money and get more value from their purchases. Pro tip: If you want to run a promotion for a specific geographic location, use the Custom menu when you’re posting to target your followers in a certain area

♦ Share Your Knowledge

You run a beauty salon business. You have special knowledge and insight. You can help people. So share! People are always grateful for information that makes their lives easier or more fulfilling. Sharing helpful tips is some of the best engagement around.

It also helps you take advantage of the reciprocity principle: do something nice for someone, they’ll feel bound to return the favor.

♦ Issue a Challenge

We humans are deeply competitive by nature and simply cannot resist a challenge, an opportunity to show the world that we’re pretty darn smart. Test your fans’ knowledge using fun quizzes and polls. Trivia, brain teasers, riddles … you’ll have your followers eating out of your hand by day’s end, trust me.

♦ Take Photos of Your Happy Clients & Customers

Don’t hire a professional photographer. Just start snapping photos with your cellphone and post them to Facebook. You will be amazed—truly—at how people respond. Data collected by social media expert Dan Zarrella shows that photos get more shares and likes than text, video and link updates. This also a great social-proof strategy: other folks will see people enjoying your products/services and they’ll want to join the party, so to speak.

♦ Ask for Advice

The highest compliment a business can pay to its customers is to ask for their input. If you own a beauty parlour, ask your fans to come up with a new beauty salon giveaway! Or let them name your new product. Make it a contest! Solicit ideas and then let your fans vote for their favorite.

♦ Use Insights to See What’s Working

Here’s the beauty of Facebook: you can see what’s working and what’s not. Just export your Facebook Insights data to an Excel spreadsheet to a get quick, clear look at which status updates performed best, what kind of media your audience responds to and what's driving engagement.

Could your beauty salon business be generating more clients and customers online?

Contact me today for your free marketing assessment!