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Kick Up Your Biz Tips

August 3, 2010 By 2 Comments

August is a time for renewal here. Things have gotten a little lax over the summer and now is the time to head back to school, start thinking ahead to cooler weather, remind myself the holidays are coming and get my business butt back in gear.

It is a good time to start paying it forward, or paying it back if you have not been participating as you normally do. These are things on my daily To Do List for August and I encourage you to incorporate them as well:

1. Do another business or blogger a “favor” every day. This may mean a retweet, a post on your Fan Page Wall (“like” page, whatever), or Stumble. Go above and beyond the 30-second blog scan/comment. Do something to actually promote another’s work. These can be done with one little mouse click. It’s are good karma and good business.

2. Modify your tweets. When you begin your tweet with @name first, the only people that can see that tweet are people that follow you both. Instead, rephrase your tweet. “Thanks @name, for the RT” can be seen by all your followers, and may possibly introduce them to someone new and interesting.

3. Rejoin the conversation. I have gotten out of actively participating in forums over the last couple of months. Upon my recent return, I found a lot of topics for discussion. Find your old friends, and see what they are up to. There are a lot of good blog posts and article topics out there.

4. Step outside of the normal routine. My online writing lately has been strictly business, business, business. Occasionally, I see a blog post that I would love to voice my opinion on, but I scrap it because it doesn’t fit into my blog niche. There is no reason these pieces can’t be written and submitted to an article directory. Expand your mind and portfolio with a little diversity.

I’d love to hear from you if you are experiencing a similar feeling of online rejuvenation. What are you stepping up to the plate with in the days ahead?

Filed Under: Running an Online Business Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Networking for Your Online Business

March 15, 2010 By 4 Comments

One of the best ways to market your online business is through networking. For some people, like me, it can also be the hardest. I have no problem with online networking through forums and social media but have someone ask me face-to-face what I do and I go blank. I am finally getting the knack of it, but it has taken me a long time. I can promote the heck out of everybody else and tell you what they do and how great they are, but I have serious self-esteem issues when it comes to talking about me.

Offline networking can do great things for your business, so it is best to be prepared. Having an elevator speech in your arsenal will make it a lot easier to talk about what you do and how you can benefit others.

An elevator speech is simply a quick intro about yourself and your business in less time than it takes to make a quick trip in an elevator. If you have a website or blog, chances are you have a tagline at the top giving your visitors a little insight into your purpose. This is a great place to start. Now, elaborate on that until you get to about 150-160 words. This keeps it short and to the point.

Play around with a couple versions until you find one that feels comfortable and is easy to remember. Leave out the tech talk and go straight to the guts of what you do. You don’t want to leave them confused. Once you get it down, practice. You remember speech class and talking into the mirror. It is a good time to recall that method. Recite it to your spouse, your kids, your friends, whatever it takes to make it second nature.

If you are having trouble perfecting your elevator speech, visit http://www.15secondpitch.com/new/. They have a free tool that will ask you a few questions about yourself and your business and generate a pitch based on your response.

Filed Under: How to Find Clients and Keep Them Tagged With: , , , ,

Offline Marketing

March 12, 2010 By 4 Comments

networkingRegardless of your online business, there may be results to be seen from offline marketing. If you have a service-based business, like web design, or a product-based business, like direct sales or an etsy shop, you are going to run into people on a regular basis that could benefit from your business. This is why it is imperative to have on hand some marketing materials at all times.

When I first started my Virtual Assistant business, everyone wanted to know what in the world I was doing at home. I tried to explain in the “virtual” terms I use on a daily basis only to be met with a deer in the headlights look. So, I would hand them a business card and later they would visit my website and it would finally click. If I didn’t have those business cards, and just rambled off my website, chances are they would forget. A business card gives them a little reminder to find out more.

And don’t be stingy. Instead of giving them one business card, give them a couple. When they talk about you in their own conversations, they will be able to pass along your card to another interested party. Give a handful to your spouse, your mom, your best friend. They are proud of what you do. Don’t miss out on their free publicity.

I have been getting my marketing materials from VistaPrint for several years. Even before I was a VA, I used them for business cards for a couple direct sales businesses I was a consultant for. They have high quality products and I have never had any issues. They also have hundreds of designs available that fit any industry. VistaPrint is also very inexpensive. If you are ordering marketing materials one at a time (business cards this time, postcards next time), you are most likely only going to be paying a few dollars for shipping as they always have specials giving you the actual product for free.

Invest a couple of dollars into your business or blog today by getting those business cards ordered from VistaPrint. Then start talking to others about what you do and drop those cards everywhere. You never know where your next client or customer will come from. By giving them a little reminder, you will be sure not to miss them.

Filed Under: How to Find Clients and Keep Them Tagged With: , , ,

Marketing for YOUR Business

March 2, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Many new online business owners are under the impression that since they have an online business, they need to focus strictly on marketing online. This couldn’t be further from the truth. When it comes to marketing your business there are many different means available. Not every avenue is going to bring the same results for every business. What works, or doesn’t, is going to vary based upon who your target market is.

I will give you two very different ends of the spectrum, as these are businesses that I have and am familiar with the day-to-day marketing of. For my blog, my marketing is strictly online. My readers come from forums, email signatures, twitter, facebook and blogging groups. While my family reads my blog, most of my Return on Invest isn’t coming from offline marketing. I know bloggers that do have business cards, but I can’t speak for them as to what that method brings in for readers.

Opposite end of the spectrum is my Virtual Assistant business. My Virtual Assistant clients have come primarily from networking. This has been both online and offline networking. I talk about what I do when people I know ask. I have my little elevator speech when I am introduced to a new entrepreneur. I have yet to land a client through facebook or twitter, though I hear it on occasion does happen. I still use those methods, but it is not where I focus a majority of my time because I know it doesn’t bring the best returns.

I know some business owners in direct sales that stick solely to offline marketing. They network, send direct mailers, usually a monthly newsletter, but their primary return comes from getting out there and talking to people about what they do and what they offer.

What means work best for you is going to depend on your business and your target market. Feel free to try them all, but if something is not working focus your time, energy and money on those methods that bring the results. Don’t keep trying to squeeze blood out of turnip.

What crazy situation has landed you a new client or customer?

Filed Under: Running an Online Business Tagged With: , , ,

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