Daily Marketing Thoughts

Want to get more visitors to your site? Dig your information

2007-03-21T12:23:00.000-07:00

Social media sites are what 2007 will be all about. The more connected you can get online, the more your business will grow.

I've been playing around with Digg http://digg.com/ and will be trying to work my way up in ranking in the future. One of the fun tools to watch is at http://digg.com/spy There you can watch real time what others are reading. It's interesting to see how fast it changes, and exactly what people are reading. Give it a try.

Lori

A Place To Get New Ideas

2007-03-20T12:27:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I write bi-monthly for the Denver Business Journal. So I do head over to the business journal's website quite a bit.

If you haven't been to their sites, you may want to take a look around.
http://www.bizjournals.com/ From this one portal site, you can access and of the major city's papers and complete sites. You can read a wealth of information. And you also have access to the events and networking section, which will provide you with everything that's happening around your town in the coming weeks.

I also use the business journal's website to gain access on potential customers, and use it for a variety of research. The more you know about people and businesses, the easier your business gets!

Lori

Book Review - The Automatic Millionaire

2007-03-15T12:27:00.000-07:00

I just finished The Automatic Millionaire by David Bach. I've read several of his other books, and decided it was time to read this one when I found it on the shelves of my local library.

The thing I enjoy about David's writing style is how simple he makes things. He has a unique perspective of looking at finances, and relaying them in an easy to use fashion.

One of the biggest things I walked away with from this book is how to think rich, and how to share that knowledge with your children. He tells a story about a couple in their early 50's ready to retire because of what their parents had taught them about money.

We Inherited Knowledge

is what the couple told David.

Basically, to retire rich at an early age, you need to:

1. Pay yourself first. Always put money away for yourself first before you pay the bills. Automate the process if possible.

2. Save a few dollars a day. They called it the cigarette factor - basically the latte factor - and you should eliminate one habit from your system, and use the money to pay yourself.

3. Buy a house and make two 1/2 payments every month instead of one big one. You pay off the house much quicker this way.

4. Don't buy things on credit, minus your house. If you can't pay for it, don't buy it.
Pretty simple rules, and they make a lot of sense to me.

It's a great book if your new to the whole finance/savings idea, or if you want a refresher on great ideas. (I never get bored reading simliar items - I alway pick up one or two new nuggets along the way!)

Lori

New Site I'm Contributing To

2007-03-13T15:00:00.000-07:00

Exciting news! I'm a new contributing expert for Rat Race Rebellion!

As a photographer with 20 years of experience, they've decided to make me their expert on starting a photography business. I have an incredible profile up:

http://www.ratracerebellion.com/EC_photographer.htm

And starting in April I will be moderating the bulletin board on photography.

I'm excited to be a part of this growing community!

Lori

What a great marketing promotion

2007-03-12T16:26:00.000-07:00

So you think you need to spend a lot on promotions to bring in the sales?

Think again.

I just found a great idea at Moosejaw.com

For a limited time, you can get a free invisible cup with the purchase of boardshorts or a bikini. You simply add your free invisible cup to your order, and it will be processed when you make your purchase.

If you have a fun business where your clients have a sense of humor, this is a perfect way to get people talking.

Lori

Finding Data for Your Newsletter

2007-03-09T16:23:00.000-08:00

People ask me all the time how to come up with data for their ezines.

Check out this site I found today.

http://swivel.com/

Swivel is a site where anyone can post data. You can graph it, showcase it, and use it. I spent a few minutes on the site looking around at the charts and graphs, and found some very interesting data.

If you like to use stats and data in your ezine - Swivel is the perfect place for you.

Lori

Plug In America

2007-03-07T19:48:00.000-08:00

I watched an incredible movie tonight with my family. It's called "Who Killed The Electric Car?" It's definitely worth watching - everyone in America should make it required viewing. I've even heard some schools are having their kids watch it, and discussing the implications afterward.

This movie sparked an interesting discussion with my own daughter. Questions like:

Why can people hate something, and actually stop its production, when its obvious its a good thing?

How can you take action and get your point across that this is something we need as a country?

12 years olds are very astute in their analysis.

So I did a little research, based on comments from the film. Check out

http://www.pluginamerica.com/

and discover ways you can demand new technology, and not give the auto dealers and big oil companies what they want the most.

Lori

The End of The Ridiculous Proposal

2007-03-02T07:11:00.000-08:00

In my blog post from February 12th, I mentioned that a new bill was being proposed in Colorado to create a Do Not Mail list similar to the Do Not Call list.

Good news - the bill was thrown out yesterday after a lot of static from the US Postal Service, the Direct Marketing Association and other groups representing businesses that use mail as a part of their marketing methods.

Direct mail - or junk mail - will never reach epidemic levels because of the cost. As a business owner, you have to constantly weigh the value of the mail piece. If its not pulling in a profit, you can't afford to keep sending it. So that in itself helps keep it at a minimum.

I love junk mail, and as a business owner, I hope you do too. You can learn so much from other businesses mailers. Keep the one's that motivate you. Read them all, and learn from others who have invested a lot of time and money into their marketing efforts.

Lori

Steps To Viral Marketing

2007-03-01T08:06:00.000-08:00

It seems everyone is striving for a way to go viral.

Viral marketing refers to the strategy of putting your marketing out to your prospects and customers, and letting them send the message on to other prospects. The more fun and outrageous it is, the better chance you have of going viral. That's why YouTube is so popular - if you see something you like, its easy to send on to others.

Some viral strategies work better than others. Though you can build with a viral idea in mind, its hard to predict what will catch on with people. Some things die a quick death, while others go on to sell millions.

There are elements to use when you build a viral strategy.

1. Give away products of services. It must have value in the eye of the beholder.
2. Is easy to transfer from one person to the next.
3. Utilizes existing communication channels. Again, people have to easily be able to share it with friends.
4. Motivate people, and touch them in their heart. It has to affect their behavior, and feel emotion towards its message.
5. Let others quickly share the information. Articles can quickly move around to different businesses, sites, and resources. Videos can quickly be linked by email or though websites and blogs.

Viral is a fast moving form of marketing. Once its out there, nothing can stand in its way.

To produce a viral marketing campaign on your own, you have to be thinking in terms of quick media. If you aren't online marketing, and using quick forms of marketing, you're losing out on the possiblities.

Get started now!

Lori

New Viral Marketing Software

2007-02-28T15:59:00.000-08:00

I just found a new software program that we bought and will be using shortly.

If you are a firm believer in viral marketing - and you should be - this software helps you build your list quicker than without. It lets people refer their friends to you, and get a special bonus in the process.

We were looking for something that could do this for us a couple of months ago. This isn't something you can plug in quickly without a lot of thought because of spam issues. But thie software seems to have a lot going for it. Plus it integrates with many of the top email programs.

Visit www.visionofsuccess.com/vg and watch the video.

One warning - even though it says its easy and non-technical to install, it does take a bit of configuration. If you work with a webmaster, or have knowledge in working with your server (ftp-ing, databasing, etc) you'll be ok. If your site is through us, we can easily help you set it up as well. Otherwise, I think its going to be a great way to help build your list!

Lori

Don't Try It, Do It

2007-02-26T06:56:00.000-08:00

I've been listening to a program by Robert Anthony. He made a wonderful statement that has stayed with my all weekend.

Trying Is Lying

Think about it for a minute. If you try something, aren't you actually doing it? If you are doing it, you no longer are trying it. So any time you say you will try something, you're actually lying and saying you have no desire to follow through. They minute you move into actually "trying" it, you're doing it.

So the next time you decide to do something with your business, don't agree to try it. Agree to do it. Again, it all comes down to taking action. Once you agree to take action, you'll do it.

And you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish in just a short time.

Lori

New Social Networking Site For Families

2007-02-23T10:49:00.000-08:00

Have you been out to any of the social networking sites, trying to drum up business?

While you may have heard of MySpace and LinkedIn, what about the newest market entry Cozi

Cozi has unique features for families, and can help you network with other friends and families on a personal basis. Set up your family calendar or create your shopping list. It's an interesting approach to help the 30+ population stay on track.

Lori

Make Your Postcards Work For Your Business

2007-02-22T10:03:00.000-08:00

I've been sending out postcards lately, and wanted to share my results.

With my postcards, I have one course of action: visiting my website and sign up for a free report. That's it. It's simple to read, and requires one course of action.

I've had a 4% signup ratio based on the 1,000 postcards I've sent out.

I'm not asking for a sale. I'm not asking to speak with a person. I just give them the option to head to my website, and sign up for a free report.

And I've had a 4% sign up ratio.

What results have you found with postcards?

Lori

Are you still using a MSN or AOL account?

2007-02-20T13:35:00.000-08:00

I still see it all the time. As a business, the business owner promotes her website as ABCCompany.com, and then lists her email as ABC@aol.com

AOL and MSN were made for easy access to the Internet for individual people. I myself had an AOL account for years. But several years ago, they began "protecting" individuals more than a business owner. And that's when I turned off my account.

AOL makes it easy for anyone to list an email as spam. With just a single click, you can instantly label an email as spam - even if you asked for it and are expecting it. Maybe it's been a bad day, and you're tired when you open up your email to 100 messages. So you just start clicking "spam" to get rid of them.

But once a server has been labled as a spammer, AOL will no longer accept email. Which means even if you send an email asking a question, I may never be able to respond. AOL simply will not accept my message.

Now think of that from a business owners perspective. You should NEVER block a prospects email from coming into your business. But if you use AOL, that's exactly what you're doing.

Rumor has it, both AOL and MSN are now blocking out email messages based on the length of the email as well. Which means if you are sending a detailed response to a client, it may get blocked!

What can you do to protect yourself as a business owner? Set up your email account based on your domain name. If your company is ABCCompany.com, use you email as abc@ABCCompany.com Your designer or hoster should easily be able to do this. Not only will it make sure you begin receiving all of your email, you'll look more professional too.

Lori

Do it the normal way

2007-02-16T09:54:00.000-08:00

I just read through some of my email. In one of the ezines I read, I was sent over to another website to sign up for a series of free reports and a training class. The information was good, so I thought I'd sign up.

Two boxes of information were requested: my name and my email.

I typed in my name, tabbed down and typed in my email. It came back with an error, and asked me to put in a valid email. I went back to the boxes, and discovered they reversed the normal order of the boxes. Most people ask for information as:

Name
Email

But on this sales page, they asked for:

Email
Name

Why confuse people? How many people do what I did, and never bother typing in the info again? These people are probably losing a great deal of business because they are asking for standard information in a non-standard way.

Don't confuse people. Do it the way that is expected. You'll get a much higher response rate.

Do you agree? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Lori

Book Review: Leaving Microsoft to Change the World

2007-02-15T07:07:00.000-08:00

I found a book last week on the New shelf in my library. The title - Leaving Microsoft to Change the World - intrigued me, so I checked it out.

The book is about the author's life. John Wood worked at Microsoft during its heavy growth period, and ended up working in Asia the last part of his career. During one of his rare vacations, he ended up trekking in Nepal with a guide, and saw first hand how remote some villages are. Though the people had a strong desire to learn, the tools just weren't readily available. So he pledged to the town he would return with books.

Room To Read was born.

Though it took another couple of years, he soon became disenchanted with working 20 hour days, and began putting his heart and soul into his mission of providing books and education to those that need it most.

To me, it's amazing that you can educate a girl in one of these areas for a mere $250 a year. For $250, you can supply a girl with a bike to get to the school, a backpack filled with supplies, and tuition for the year's worth of schooling. Amazing.

I've always been passionate about education, reading, and helping people achieve the most out of life. To me its very sad that in America, with everything available to us, not everyone in our population is graduating high school. Shouldn't that just be a given here, since its our birth right?

I applaud people like John Wood who have dedicated their lives to attempting to educate the world's population. Education is the key to survival. The more education we have, the more we question, and the more we can contribute to the population as a whole.

If you want to check out more on this wonderful cause, go to www.RoomToRead.org

Lori

How do you flow?

2007-02-13T15:55:00.000-08:00

I was working with a client today. She has a pretty complex site, with a lot of working pages to bring people in through various pages.

In order to understand the process, I flowcharted each piece - and discovered some holes along the way.

When is the last time you looked at your business under the microscope? You may not be able to "see" your business yourself. Sometimes you are so close to the situation, it takes a second pair of eyes to see what's truly happening.

You may be leaving money on the table if you don't have each piece of your business working in the best manner.

Lori

No More Direct Marketing?

2007-02-12T07:34:00.000-08:00

Imagine a world without direct mail. How would you get the word out to potential customers? What would you do differently?

Well in Colorado, and five other states, we may find out. Lawmakers are considering a bill that will create a "no junk mail list".

This means consumers could opt out of junk mail. Anyone mailing to a someone on the list could be fined up to $500 - similar to "no call lists" already in place.

Aren't we taking this all a little too far?

Direct mail promotions aren't cheap for the businesses. If a business chooses to use direct mail, chances are they are putting out several hundred - or even thousand - dollars for the promotion. They are willing to spend the money because it's working for them.

As a receiver, what harm is mail causing? You may have a few pieces a day to go through and throw away, but I'll bet you find something to use along the way. Maybe you're having a party on the weekend, and you save that pizza coupon. Or your favorite store sends you a 20% off coupon for the coming week. I love this kind of "junk mail" and it makes me head out and spend.

Supporters say it will cut down on identity theft. Really? If someone wants to get at your identity, are they really going to look at your pizza coupons? Maybe, but I'll bet if they want it bad enough, they'll find another way.

Supporters also say it will help the environment. This I agree with. We all have to do our part to help reduce waste, and start looking towards a better future. But is junk mail really causing a huge problem with the environment? A lot of junk mail is printed on recycled paper, and a lot of it ends back in the recycle track. Shouldn't we be more worried about disposable diapers and SUV's?

Only time will tell. But for now, I'll be heading to the post office this week with several hundred postcards in hand. They work for me - I received a 3% response rate last week!

Lori

After The SuperBowl

2007-02-05T17:21:00.000-08:00

So what did you think of the ads?

Every year, companies spend millions of dollars for a 30 second ad. But while some are great, and it's fun to watch, is it really worth it to spend millions for one shot at success?

See what you think:
http://cbs.sportsline.com/nfl/postseason/superads

The thing I noticed by watching this year's ads is a lot of big name players were missing. Could it be they've discovered they can get a lot more for the buck by advertising online?

hmmmmm....

Lori

Who Needs The SuperBowl

2007-02-01T12:38:00.000-08:00

I realize millions of people actually view the SuperBowl for the game, but millions more view it just for the ads.

I fall into the "ad" category. I always love watching the supposed greatest ads of the year. It's amazing to me to see what people will spend millions of dollars on.

But thanks to the Internet, you no longer have to wait for the SuperBowl. You can head to YouTube and see the pre SuperBowl ads.

Check them out.

Isn't technology amazing?

Lori

Viral Marketing - It still gets me

2007-01-30T15:04:00.000-08:00

I love watching viral messages take off.

I've just read about PostSecret

Seems a man decided to hand out a bunch of postcards, and have them mail back anonymously a secret they've been holding onto. Every Sunday, new posts are made to this blog showcasing some of the returned postcards.

This site has taken off, to where he's now receiving thousands of postcards. He's been on Good Morning America and CNN. All because of an interesting idea.

What ideas can you come up with that will shoot through the masses, and help your company go viral?

Lori

Just Do It

2007-01-30T11:40:00.000-08:00

For a lot of people, it all comes down to taking action.

I'm guilty. I'm the type of person that creates a "to do" list a mile long. And it has easy things on it like:

write a book
create a new business
speak to 100 new groups

You know, things that are so do-able in one day!

That's the problem. The crazier your to-do list, the more it will never get done.

Instead, try things that make it easy for you to accomplish.

Write one letter.
Make one phone call.

When you actually take action, it gives you a great feeling. And then you want to take more action!

Lori

Book Recomendation

2007-01-29T12:21:00.000-08:00

I read a great new book over the weekend.

For those of you that love the Rich Dad, Poor Dad series, get Rich Woman by Kim Kiyosaki.

Rich Woman flows in a similar fashion to Rich Dad, but it breaks things down from a woman's perspective. Kim gets together with a group of college buddies, and has a 20 year reunion lunch to catch up with her other friends. Of course each friend is struggling in some fashion with money, yet Kim is financially free.

Kim spends time helping each friend see how they too can become financially free.

Though none of the concepts were brand new to me, I did like Kim's approach to presenting the material. And her chapter "Full Throttle!" really gave me an a-ha moment. I've reread that chapter several times, and it really helps me with my day to day goals.

If you are still struggling with getting your finances under control, this book is a great read to get you going in the right direction.

Also, check out Rich Woman.

Lori

What is brilliant marketing?

2007-01-25T11:56:00.000-08:00

I was reading an article today on the co-founder and CEO of Netflix, Reed Hastings, and found one of his quotes very insightful.

"Most people always try to fix the product, which is a good thing. But brilliant marketing is taking the product you have and figuring out the right positioning."

Isn't that where most of us get caught up in as business owners? When a customer, friend, or family member says, "you should make it do this", we listen. And we spend countless hours trying to get our product/service into a form that person likes.

The trouble is everyone has their own point of view. Ask 50 people a question, and you'll likely get 50 different answers.

To succeed - and to succeed HUGE - maybe we should stop listening to everyone else, trust what we've already accomplished, and move forward to find the people that like what we do.

After all, there's always going to be someone that doesn't like what we do.

Why listen to them?

Lori

When Do You Send

2007-01-22T15:27:00.000-08:00

Now that you have a subscriber list, when do you mail to them?

This is really trial and error. The statistics say there really isn't much difference between open rates. So it's really up to you and your business.

I receive an email from a local restaurant on Friday mornings offering a coupon to be used either that night or on Saturday. This motivates people to take immediate action.

Consumer driven email may be better towards the end of the week as people are planning their weekend.

Business driven email may be better towards the beginning of the week when people have more energy.

But really, it's all about trial and error.

Lori

If It's Dead, Leave It Alone

2007-01-18T19:51:00.000-08:00

Have you ever created a product or service that no matter how hard you try, it just won't sell? What do you do?

If you had trouble selling it in traditional ways, don't offer it the same way online. If people weren't attracted to it in traditional selling, they won't buy it any easier online.

Instead, find ways to tweak what you have, and make it more sellable.

Lori

Promote the Relationship Before The Sale

2007-01-15T17:37:00.000-08:00

People buy because they have a relationship with you.

Statistically we know that up to 99% of all people you are put in contact with won't buy from you immediately. They need time to think about it. They need time to process and compare.

In the traditional world, we called in window shopping. Maybe they would see your business every time they drove to the grocery store. Eventually they stopped and made a purchase.

Window shopping online is much harder because you're competing with billions of other sites. Instead of letting a person "walk on by", offer them something for free to entice them for a look around. Ezines are popular because you can offer something for nothing, and promote again and again.

Being comfortable to buy requires you to build a relationship. And the easiest way is an ezine.

Lori

Ebook Reader

2007-01-11T20:22:00.000-08:00

I love reading. Snuggling with a good book is a perfect way to end the day.

Can I do the same thing with an ebook reader?

I've never really considered it before. But I've been intrigued by Sony's ebook reader.

http://www.learningcenter.sony.us/assets/pa/prs/index.html

Imagine being able to carry multiple books with you on a business trip. Or saving all of the best books that you want to keep for future reference. The intrigue is there. This is on my list for this year.

Lori

P.S. If you have an ebook reader, let me know what you think. I would love your input.

Making 2007 The Best Ever

2006-12-18T11:01:00.000-08:00

When you think of the coming New Year, what comes to mind?

Do you start planning resolutions that you may never keep?

Or do you start listing concrete goals, items you write down and will use to guide you over the coming months?

I'm a planner myself. In fact, I love having goals for the coming year, and to see how close I was in the year past.

Next year, My goals include:

1. Speaking at at least one event per month!
2. Helping 1,000 photographers create Six Figure Success!
3. Write a new marketing book!
4. Create a monthly coaching program for people truly interested in success!
5. Take a vacation from work for one week every quarter.

What are some of your goals? How do you guarantee you'll accomplish your goals? Do you have some magic secret that works for you?

Share it with us - I'd love to hear your ideas.

Lori

Take It Easy and Enjoy The Season

2006-12-14T07:39:00.000-08:00

Have you read the paper (or your email) and listened to the news? Everywhere you go someone is telling you how to de-stress the holiday season.

Statistics have shown this is the most stressful time of the year. On top of your normal work and personal load, you must throw in buying gifts, wrapping gifts, holiday baking and cooking, cleaning, putting up the decorations, holiday parties...

Yet this is my favorite time of the year. In fact, I love the sites - the smells - and the fun I have with family and friends. Just last night we attended my daughter's band concert, and loved hearing the kids playing their hearts out.

Instead of letting the holidays get to you this year, take time off to enjoy the rest of 2006.

* Bake some cookies and have the whole family decorate them - who cares if you end up with a cookie with more sugar than dough.

* Spend a night going out to dinner, and driving around looking at holiday lights.

* Watch a holiday favorite with the whole family. How about A Christmas Story, The Grinch, or Miracle on 34th Street.

* Read 'Twas The Night Before Christmas outloud to your family.

* Turn the tv (or if you're like me, the computer) off an hour early tonight, and read a good book.

Think about all you've accomplished this year, and what you can look forward to next year. It really does make a difference if you take a few minutes every day and enjoy!

Lori

How much is your blog worth?

2006-12-04T16:31:00.000-08:00

I found a cool new site today that shows you the worth of your blog.

My blog is worth $1,129.08.
How much is your blog worth?

Guess you know what I'll be doing in 2007 - building up my blog-worth!

Lori

Start Planning for a Successful 2007

2006-11-29T08:43:00.000-08:00

The only way to get to your destination is to choose your path carefully, and follow the road to the end. If you've never set up a road map to guarantee you reach your final destination, it's time to get started!

With a month left in 2006, now's the perfect time to write out your goals. Spend a few hours away from your office and desk, and choose a quiet place that let's you think about your future. You may choose a quiet hotel in the mountains, a day at the beach, or just head down to your local coffee house and spend time taking in the surroundings.

Before you can plan for your future, you have to see where you've been. Make sure you bring with you a current copy of your stats and reports. It's important to know:

Total revenue
Total sales
Number of clients
Number of repeat clients
Number of one time clients
Marketing strategies and costs
Calendar of special marketing events

Once you have your information, you can easily figure out how to increase your business for 2007.

For instance, let's say your sales revenue for 2006 was $60,000. How much do you want to increase it in 2007? If you want to bring up your income to $100,000, how many more clients would you need to bring in to increase your income by $40,000?

Each of your figures will trigger another question. And with each question, you can find an answer to solve for it, and create a plan to make it happen in 2007!

Lori

My Goals:

Help 1,000 people become a Six Figure Photographer.
Help 1,000 people become a Six Figure Wedding Professional.
Help 1,000 people become a Six Figure Small Business Professional.

Getting Viral Marketing Into Your Business

2006-11-27T15:43:00.000-08:00

One of the best forms of marketing is viral marketing - the ability to generate leads, action and sales without having to pay for it. Coming totally from word of mouth marketing.

And one of the most talked about viral ads at the moment is for the movie The Secret. Check out the latest ABC article on the secret. at http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=2681640&page=1

Then see The Secret for yourself. I loved it!

Lori

Specialize - or Generalize?

2006-11-13T10:36:00.000-08:00

Is the word "specialize" being overused?

The word specialize means:
To limit one's profession to a particular specialty or subject area for study, research, or treatment.

But within every profession or industry, you can continue to break down your specialty.

So a person specializing in photography, can further break down their specialization to weddings, portraits, commercial, product, or underwater.

A person specializing in the medical field, can further specialize in plastic surgery, internal medicine, or pediatrics.

Specialization allows us to target someone who can have an exact solution to our "problem". Why should I go to a family doctor if I'm interested in Botox? Why should I go to a general photographer when I'm getting married?

Niching yourself down allows you to connect with your ideal clients in a personal way - and makes them feel comfortable with you!

Lori

Learn exactly how to take your website to the next level with my Do-It-Yourself Internet Marketing Strategy.

Visualize What Could Be

2006-11-09T18:36:00.000-08:00

Have you had a chance to see The Secret yet?

If you have, or even if you haven't, head over to http://thesecret.tv/secret-to-you/ It's a great visualization tool that they are providing to everyone to use in creating positive energy around you.

Lori

The Purpose Of Networking

2006-11-01T19:27:00.000-08:00

Business Networking:

The process of establishing a mutually beneficial relationship with other business people and/or potential clients.

Most people attend networking functions with the hopes of gaining business. This rarely works. Instead, focus on finding 3 or 4 contacts of people that you have something in common with, and agree to meet for coffee in the next week.

Find ways that you can potentially help each other. Do you know someone that could use this person's services? Do you know a potential power partner for this person?

Remember, the real reason to network is to build relationships. The money will follow.

Lori

A new book to read

2006-10-30T10:54:00.000-08:00

I've been hearing a lot about The Long Tail by Chris Anderson the past week - so it's on my list to get and read here in the next couple of weeks.

The Long Tail is the current process we are going through with dividing up industries into niches, and specialize as far down as we can. The question is

Is this actually hurting our businesses, causing a majority to eventually go out of business because they can't compete and make money?

It's an interesting concept. I've faced this question myself many times. If you have the opportunity to hire specialized training, why would you hire generalized? As a consumer of goods, we want to get the most bang for our buck; so we'll always choose to go specialized. But once you specialize too far down, can you never make a successful and highly profitable business?

While much of what is written about The Long Tail refers to the publishing/music/movie/video industries, it can easily apply to every industry in existence. As it becomes easier to distribute things via the Internet, it makes more sense to divide it down to the lowest niche possible. Giving people a choice makes selling easier.

How is this going to effect us as business owners in the future?

Stay tuned - I'll post again when I've finished The Long Tail.

Lori

P.S. Have you read The Long Tail? I'd love to hear your comments.

What do you do with a magazine?

2006-10-12T19:57:00.000-07:00

Have you ever advertised in magazines?

With today's marketing alternatives, is advertising in a magazine good for business?

For some businesses, its all about exposure. They advertise month after month simply because they always have. For others, they do it because everybody else does.

Shouldn't you advertise in a magazine only if its bringing in leads?

Why pay thousands of dollars to have an ad, if you can't get any business from it? I think it makes more sense to test every marketing technique you have, and make sure its working for you. If not - try something new.

Do you agree or disagree? Comment here.

Lori

How to build a company worth 1.65 billion in two years

2006-10-10T21:27:00.000-07:00

Google just announced it's buying YouTube.com for 1.65 billion. And it's just a two year old company. And it's never made a profit.

Not bad for a couple of entrepreneurs.

But what could make a company like this valuable to Google, when its not bringing in any income?

It's the traffic.

YouTube.com has done a great job capturing attention. They understood the real value is in the list. The more people they have on the list - the more valuable they became.

Guess it worked.

We could all take a lesson from growing a list.

Lori

It's time for a change - redoing your website

2006-10-05T19:19:00.000-07:00

If you're website has been the same for awhile now, maybe its time for a change.

That was my thought's this past month, so we've been working hard to change our website dedicated to helping small businesses with their search engine optimization techniques. http://www.visionbusinessconcepts.com/

One of the things we decided to do is to add a portfolio, to allow more specific niche markets the ability to have samples out online. Take a look at our portfolio http://www.visionbusinessconcepts.com/small-business-web-design.htm

Changing your site allows you to grow and change. It allows you to better connect with your customer and visitors. Maybe its time to change your website as well.

Lori

A new way to write your marketing

2006-10-04T14:48:00.000-07:00

I discovered a great site today - Fontifier.

For $9 you can have your own handwriting on your computer, and send out notes in your own handwriting. What a great concept!

When I saw this, I started imagining the possiblities. Writing thank you notes to clients and prospects. Writing notes to people you meet at networking events. Writing sales letters on your website.

Before I would always have to use a scan of my signature to create certain marketing pieces. No more! Check out Fontifier.

Lori

Announcing Internet Marketing Training Sessions

2006-10-02T18:24:00.000-07:00

New! Announcing Internet Marketing Training Sessions In The Convenience Of Your Own Home Or Office!
Join us for these exciting, information packed workshops, and learn how to take your marketing to new heights! Each class is limited to 10 professionals, to ensure you maximum learning time. Come with your questions; learn as we go. Register early – I will take the time to research your website, and apply some of my material directly to your business!

Schedule of Upcoming Internet Marketing Training Sessions

How To Make Money Online With Any Business ($27)
Date: Wednesday, October 18
Time: 10 am to 11:30 am mountain time
Description: Whether you sell products or services, every business should be making money online. Come and discover some of the most important strategies that have allowed many businesses to find hidden revenue within their businesses. You’ll learn step-by-step strategies that you can implement within your business today. - Register Now

Discover Power Tools That Will Save You Time, Effort and Money ($27)
Date: Wednesday, October 11
Time: 10 am to 11:30 am mountain time
Description: Every business owner spends hours each week wasting time on trivial tasks that can easily be automated. Come and learn about some of today’s top online systems and resources that can help you automate your business; ultimately saving you time and money. Imagine what you can do with those extra hours every week! - Register Now

Extreme Website: What Makes A Design Work ($27)
Date: Thursday, November 2
Time: 10 am to 11:30 am mountain time
Description: Do you have questions about your website design? We’ll cover a variety of design features that every website should have. And because our class is small, we’ll look specifically at your designs as well. - Register Now

Search Engine Marketing For The Creative Professional ($27)
Date: Thursday, November 9
Time: 10 am to 11:30 am mountain time
Description: Creatives look at website marketing in a, well, creative way! We’ll show you how to take your website, and market it to the people that ultimately will be your best customers and best referral partners. - Register Now

What works for holding a teleclass?

2006-09-27T12:31:00.000-07:00

I'm starting a series of teleclasses, and went in search of a system to allow up to 100 people onto a line. I may eventually want to invest in a secure line full time for my business, but I wanted something quick and easy; something I could use almost instantly.

I found a great service in www.totallyfreeconferencecalls.com I signed up for my free account, which allows you to have access 24 hours a day to a conference line, exclusively for your business. Then I also upgraded for $25 per month, which allows me to record my calls and have the ability to download the file for further use.

I've used the system twice this week, both times with success. The quality of the line was outstanding, the ease of the system was much appreciated, and my call recordings were waiting for me by the time I logged in at my computer. Within 30 minutes of the end of the call, I had my recording up and on my site, and available for listening.

The only downside: a voice advertises TotallyFreeConferenceCalls.com at the beginning when each person dials into the given number.

I can live with that!

Lori

p.s. If you are a photographer, I'm adding a whole new series of teleclasses and podcasts just for photographers. Visit www.VirtualPhotographyStudio.com to see a listing of my recorded teleclasses and podcasts, and to view my current schedule.

Are they taking marketing too far?

2006-09-19T09:13:00.000-07:00

I love marketing. In fact, I'm addicted to learning all I can on marketing, and how to help improve businesses. But when is it too much?

I was reading the July/August 2006 edition of FastCompany, and shook my head when I came to an article titled, "Can Your Banner Ad Do This?"

It seems companies and ad agencies are so hungry to market to customers, they are trying everything (and I do mean everything).

A new campaign for Chase Commercial Banking has created ads that it attaches to electrical outlets in 90 locations throughout the Indianapolis International Airport. If they're trying it in Indianapolis, it's soon to be everywhere.

Or what about Parking Stripe Advertising - you know, the vinyl strips that mark off spaces in your local parking lot? Imagine getting out of your car, and having them tell you about the daily specials inside the store.

But the one that really made me shake my head: the Wizmark. Guys, you may get a new experience next time you head into the restroom. Seems Wizmark has discovered a new way to deliver sounds and images - while you're visiting a urinal.

Where will it end?

Lori

p.s. Anyone have any "experience" with the Wizmark? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

How to use a blog

2006-09-06T09:26:00.000-07:00

Do you blog?

Blogging is a great tool to use for your business - IF you post on it regularly. Because a blog shows the date of every entry, you can soon lose interest of your visitors if they see you don't stay current.

I found an interesting article that shares some great information on setting up a blog, getting comments on it, and commenting on others.

If you post on things that aren't effected by time, write a few entries at a time, and post them every few days. That way you aren't having to come up with new material every day, just a couple times a month.

Lori

Social Networking - above and beyond

2006-08-31T15:25:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading this month's edition of Fortune magazine.

The article on the MySpace cowboys was very interesting. Imagine taking a company from 0 - $580 million in just a couple of years. And they sold the company without making a dime of profit. They were sold simply because of the traffic and following they have for their business.

I know many entrepreneurs building companies with that thought in mind - build a huge traffic source, and sell to a large company willing to buy you out for the traffic. While this happens occasiionally (the main companies make the covers of Fortune, Business 2.0, Entrepreneur, etc), this isn't the approach I recommend to any business owner.

Instead, build a company that you are passionate about. Something that makes you get up in the morning with a smile on your face. If you love what you do, it doesn't matter who makes what type of offer.

Come to think of it, that $100 million offer would put a smile on my face... :)

Lori

Web design doesn't have to be difficult

2006-08-22T21:17:00.000-07:00

I've been working with a lot of business owners over the past few weeks, and I'm seeing a common thread. People want a design that will allow them to market their business online - and they aren't getting an effective design from a lot of web designers in business today.

We started our business because we understood online marketing. We accomplished a lot on our own, and went looking for a company that could do some of the work for us. After trying out several bad companies, we decided to start Vision.

I want to make web design and marketing affordable for everyone. So my latest packages allow business owners to have several tools that will get them started fast.

http://www.visionofsuccess.com/product_website_package.php

http://www.visionofsuccess.com/product_website_package_photographer.php

Lori

Backup your data

2006-08-21T11:50:00.000-07:00

We've all heard the horror stories.

My computer crashed, and I hadn't backed up any data for months.

My 10 year old downloaded something, and all my files were gone.

Yet when was the last time you did a back up? Is it regularly scheduled?

I found a new site that looks promosing, and it comes with a great recommendation from a friend. https://mozy.com/ Mozy offers you a great deal. Try it for free, up to 2 GB, get up to 30GB for under $5. What could be better than that?

If you've ever started over from scratch, spending weeks trying to recreate your work, you know $5 is a small price to pay for the security of having a reliable backup.

Lori

The Future is Blogging

2006-08-08T15:32:00.000-07:00

Everone's been talking about blogging. I've been blogging for over a year. But lately I've seen changes that blogging might be even more of a mainstay than ezines and other types of communication.

I've been working with several new clients this past week; all of them have a blog or want access to a blog.

And today as I was flipping through a magazine, House & Garden, they have a whole page dedicated to advertising their new blogs with the editors. Seven editors from different departments within the magazine will be writing their own blogs, and will provide you with information that can't be found in the magazine. http://www.houseandgarden.com/bliss

I'm also wondering if blogging will eventually become a way of adding revenue to your company. 10 years ago, people said you could never charge for information. Yet everyone has proved that concept wrong: membership sites, magazines and newpapers charging for internal viewing, and information products making their owners instant millionaires.

Will we be charging (and paying for) blogs in the not so distant future? Only time will tell.

Lori

Marketing small businesses online

2006-08-01T21:45:00.000-07:00

I'm back from vacation. No matter how far you travel, it's always refreshing to spend a few days in a new environment, take your mind off of everything, and just have a good time.

This year the family headed up to Black Hills in South Dakota. Even in these small towns, I planned and booked my entire vacation online, and chose everything based on the information I found by looking at websites. If a business wasn't online - I never would have found them.

To start, I ended up booking my vacation through a site www.blackhillsvacations.com While this site provided me with a variety of choices, it also gave links to other sites where I could decide exactly which attractions we would visit.

We ended up staying at The Rocket Motel, www.rocketmotel.com We didn't know what to expect, but were pleasantly surprised. Thanks for the great time.

And of course, we did many of the normal tourist sites you would expect to do in the Black Hills - Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Custer State Park, Badlands - and we even made a trip to Wall Drug.

Each of these places have a variety of information online, and provided me with the opportunity to learn about them before I ever left home.

Isn't the Internet grand?

Lori

Every been to Squidoo.com?

2006-07-17T20:12:00.000-07:00

I found a great new site that I'm going to try out and see what I can do. Head over to http://www.Squidoo.com and see what you think. While you're there, check out my new lens at http://www.squidoo.com/virtualphotographystudio/

Let me know what you think.

Lori

Why a website is important

2006-07-11T20:24:00.000-07:00

I've been online for so many years now, I tend to forget that some business owners still don't have a website. In the past week, I've discovered three businesses that didn't have websites, and found some pretty good reasons why they should have. Does your business fall into one of these categories?

1. While on vacation over the 4th of July, we went to a small resort community. We did the tourist thing, and spent a couple of hours browsing through the local shops. One store in particular caught my eye. They had some amazing products, and some things I would love to have as Christmas presents. The problem was my husband was with me - and he's the one I found the potential gifts for! I grabbed a card on my way out, thinking I would visit their website when I returned home, and order it from the convenience of my laptop.

Guess what? No website. Now not only can't I go on and place my order, but I can't remember one of the things that caught my eye. How can I phone in my order if I can't remember what I wanted to order?

Hmmmm... Imagine what type of sales this company could do if they could promote a website to their out of town shoppers, which probably make up 90% of their clientele.

2. I write articles regularly, and was working on a story a couple of days ago. I was looking for one type of store in a certain industry, and did my research online. Although I did find a couple of sites in my community for this type of business, most of the businesses here locally didn't have a website. While I did find some phone numbers in the phone directories, I was specifically looking for websites.

Guess what? No website, no connection. I needed examples of companies with websites. I wasn't looking for spectacular examples, just companies with some type of web presence. The two with small websites caught my interest, the others were left behind. These companies missed a golden opportunity for a little bit of exposure in the media.

While these are just two examples, having a website is important for a variety of reasons.

Do you have your site ready for your next opportunity?

Lori Osterberg
www.VisionOfSuccess.com
www.VisionBusinessConcepts.com
www.GetKnownMarketing.com

What's the bare minimum of web design?

2006-06-28T10:47:00.000-07:00

When you can get things for free, what should you expect? You get what you pay for.

Yet a lot of business owners love the template driven sites that are becoming well known online, including Google, MSN, Yahoo, and Microsoft Live.

Is having a site - even if it's free - better than nothing at all? In some cases, yes. At least if you have some type of information online, something you can send clients to, you have a chance at making a connection.

The problem arises when you try to market your site. With free, template driven sites, you don't have the options that will ultimately drive traffic to your site.

Creating an online presence is important to build relationships with prospects and clients. It helps you stand out in your marketplace, and create a lead generation system that has the possiblity of brining in contacts 24/7.

At a minimum, spend money on a quality, professional website that has the ability to grow with you over the course of your business. Spend money on quality hosting and email systems. Invest in marketing tools, such as a blog, that will allow you to easily communicate with your customers. And invest in a Internet marketing strategy that will allow your business to grow online, for years to come.

Lori

How To Bring The Dollar Store Idea Into Your Business

2006-06-21T07:47:00.000-07:00

Here in Denver (and I'm sure every other major city as well) has had quite a few dollar stores pop up in malls and strip centers. Seems everyone likes to get something for a buck. Even Target has dollar bins when you first enter the store.

It's easy for discount stores to offer bargains at a dollar. But what about other stores and online locations?

I just found an interesting "dollar store" idea. Head over to IStockPhoto.com They have a Dollar Bin in which they place photos that don't make the cut, and only offer them for a limited time before they purge them from the system.

It's a way to make a little money on everything you can.

What Does A Template Do For You?

2006-06-20T15:55:00.000-07:00

Let's face it, people like taking the easy way. Whether it's marketing, production, or just day-to-day living, if there's a way to take a short cut to doing something, people will jump at the possibility.

Which is one reason the idea of template marketing has become so popular.

I recently came across StockLayouts.com They take the idea of template marketing to the next level. You can purchase templates by the product, such as a brochure or postcard; by the application, such as QuarkXPress or CorelDRAW; or by industry, such as construction of retail. What's nice about this system is you are given the template to provide you with a starting point, and have the flexibility to make the changes to brand your marketing piece to look like the rest of your marketing materials.

What a great shortcut.

Promote Your Business Online

2006-06-19T12:46:00.000-07:00

Promoting your business online doesn't necessarily mean you do all of your promoting online. In fact, some of the best ways to get people to visit your site is to market your site in more traditional methods.

Consider postcard marketing. Instead of sending out a postcard hoping they visit your store, direct them to your website. Offer a free coupon, a discount, or other type of promotion if they visit your site and supply their email.

Want to learn more? Visit my article online.

If you haven't had a chance to read some of my articles, visit my website and see what you've been missing - Articles

Lori

Meme - ing about marketing

2006-06-15T20:24:00.000-07:00

Have you ever created a meme in your marketing?

A meme is an idea which spreads. In marketing, its a campaign that takes on a life of its own, and spreads virally through the marketplace at a rapid speed.

Think slogans - "Got Milk?"

You can also meme in different ways. The Daily Meme provides lists of questions from other sites, and replicates them. You choose the questions you wish to answer, put them on your site and answer them.

So, my question for the day - What is your favorite book and why?

What is your favorite book and why?
I read all the time, and could choose a hundred books for this answer. But when I really thought about it, one book clearly popped into my mind. Oh The Places You'll Go by Dr Seuss. I've loved this book since the moment I bought it for my daughter. In very simple rhyming language, it tells you how to succeed at life. It tells you you'll succeed - and that occasionally you'll run into hang-ups. I love its message, and continue reading it several times a year.

Lori
www.VisionOfSuccess.com
www.VisionBusinessConcepts.com

Boost Your Online Sales

2006-05-30T20:21:00.000-07:00

Is your online marketing everything you dreamed it would be? Does your website bring in money, or is it costing you money every day you're online? Take a look at these 5 marketing tips, and put them to work on your website.

Internet Marketing Tip 1
Provide enough information to turn visitors into customers. Websites typically have two problems: too much information or not enough. If you have too many choices, your visitor will get confused and leave without accomplishing your original goal. If you don't have enough information, they will become bored and leave to find a better site.

Internet Marketing Tip 2
Make the choices on your website easy to digest. What is your ultimate goal for your site? Make that the visible choice on your site, and have every page lead up to this choice.

Internet Marketing Tip 3
Demonstrate your product/service low cost by breaking down the price to a low incrememnt. For example, "For less than 75 cents a day".

Internet Marketing Tip 4
Use testimonies throughout your website. It helps relating your clients desires and concerns directly to each page of your site. Testimonies continue to be a great sales resource.

Internet Marketing Tip 5
Use headlines to draw in attention. People look for short ideas they can relate to. Provide them with ideas and draw them in to read further.

Each of these tips will provide you with ways to increase the power of your website, and make your website more profitable in just a few short weeks.

Lori

Internet Marketing Coaching

2006-05-19T08:14:00.000-07:00

Have you ever hired a coach? I've used many over the years.

Coaching is usually performed to help you with one aspect of your life. A personal coach to create balance in your life. A business coach to help you grow your business. A career coach to help you decide your next career move.

Which is why I believe in coaching. A coach helps you define your goals, and helps you achieve success. The greatest people in the world use coaches every day. Which is why you should as well.

Internet marketing coaching helps you learn about the Internet, and how to market your business online. Internet marketing is still relatively new. To learn everything that will help your business, sometimes it takes more than a few hours working online. It takes a coach to help you decipher the Internet, and learn quickly which roads are the best for you.

Lori
www.visionbusinessconcepts.com/creative_services.htm

Having A Purpose

2006-05-15T09:55:00.000-07:00

What is the purpose of your business? Why did you create your website? What are you attempting to tell the world?

You hear questions like this from a lot of the guru's of self-help. Yet most people never stop to ponder these questions.

"Yes, they sound like great questions. But I already know my purpose. Leave the pondering to someone whom hasn't figured it out yet."

Yet I'm contiually amazed at how unclear I find thoughts and presentations on a daily basis.

You have to know what you're trying to tell people. And you have to say it in a manner they understand. Just because you know you have a great idea doesn't mean your customer will instantly understand why they should buy from you.

Understanding your customer - your friends - your family members - then speaking their language allows you to connect, and ultimate attract the sales.

Lori

Try out The Marketing Of Me - and learn how to improve the way you think - and talk - about what your passion is.

How To Use The Da Vinci Code In Your Marketing

2006-05-02T08:25:00.000-07:00

So what's all the buzz about the Da Vinci Code?

If you've seen the trailers for the movie, you know its about to be released to the theaters. It's a high profile movie, sparked with a little bit of controversy over the book and the author.

And marketers are loving it. Have you been to Da Vinci Quest on Google? They are currently running a contest where you have to solve challengin puzzles over a 24 day period - with winners winning prizes like trips and electronics.

And even online authors, writers, bloggers and business owners are creating their own forms of Da Vinci Code quests.

Why?

It's all about 'What's Happening?" Using current events will make your ideas top news. And get you more attention.

Lori

P.S. Like my posts? Sign up for my ezine. It's filled with 5 minute tips that are easy to read, and easy to implement into your business. Vision Of Success Ezine

What Can A Small Business Marketing Consultant Do?

2006-04-28T08:35:00.000-07:00

I just finished another article, and have placed it onto my website. To read it, click below.

What Can A Small Business Marketing Consultant Do To Help You Grow Your Business?

Enjoy!
Lori

How To Create A Small Business Marketing Strategy

2006-04-28T07:36:00.000-07:00

I've just posted another new article to my site. Check it out.

How To Create A Small Business Marketing Strategy That Will Triple Your Profits This Year

Hope you enjoy!

Lori

Having A Strong Internet Marketing Strategy Can Change Business

2006-04-27T10:55:00.000-07:00

I've been busy today! I just posted another article to my website. You can read it by clicking below.

Why Having A Strong Internet Marketing Strategy Can Change Your Business

If you would like to use any of these articles in your ezines or on your website, contact me.

Lori

SOHO Marketing

2006-04-27T10:20:00.000-07:00

I've just posted another article on my website. You can read it by clicking on the link below:

SOHO Marketing: Why Marketing From A Small Office Home Office Can Be A Million Dollar Adventure

This article helps you understand SOHO marketing, and how it differs from other types of marketing.

Lori

How A Business Growth Specialist Can Turn Business Into A Success

2006-04-27T09:39:00.000-07:00

If you've ever wanted to know how a business growth specialist can help grow your business, check out my new article.

I'm adding new articles on a regular basis. If you see an article that you'd like to use on your site, or in your ezine, please contact me. My articles are used regularly, my only requirement being that the article be used in its entirety, including by bio at the end.

How A Business Growth Specialist Can Turn Your Business Into A Success

Hope you enjoy!

Lori

Small Business Marketing Tip

2006-04-25T09:35:00.000-07:00

I've been out speaking with a lot of different people this past week, and one of the things I'm amazed with is the amount of small business owners that still don't understand the power of the Internet.

So here's my small business marketing tip for today.

Promoting your business to success can occur at any level. Whether you're a start up, or are a growing company, your company can find success by doing five things:

1. Start with what you have. Everyone must start somewhere. Analyze what you currently have within your business, and ackknowledge what key benefits you can bring to your company. Sometimes seeing what you have can motivate you to take the next step.

2. Grow your list every day, with everyone you meet, and everyone you would like to know better in the future.

3. Build a website with quality information, add to it regularly, and provide a reason for people to return.

4. Create leads for your business - both online and off.

5. Leverage your time by contracting out some of your daily 'jobs'. If you can pay someone to do a better job then you can do - do it!

Want to see my complete article? Come and visit my site at http://visionofsuccess.com/articles_profitable_successfull.shtml

Lori

Hidden Opportunities - Capture Them Through Marketing

2006-04-19T08:17:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite marketers, Dan Kennedy, shared an idea in one of his latest emails.

Most people attract and accumulate wealth from more than one source - the multiple streams of income theory. One of things he enjoys most about his business is helping his clients uncover hidden opportunities within their existing business.

Reading his email confirmed my feelings for my clients. I too love helping people create a new money source - one that may have never existed before; one that we create online that suddenly pushes their business to a whole new level.

And the great thing about the Internet is it's still such a new tool. If you've never learned anything about how to make money online, now is your chance. Whether you have a small business without a website, or a business that has a solid stream of online income - let's chat and discover other ways for you to use this amazing tool.

And create another stream of income!

Lori
GetKnownMarketing.com

Join the newest rage online

2006-04-13T14:12:00.000-07:00

So you've heard of the young man who sold pixels on a website to finance his college education - and ended up making a million?

Well check out the newest way to make a million. A guy named Noah Fleming has created the Worlds Longest Ad http://theworldslongestad.com/index.php

You simply download one of their paper chain man templates, design it with your ad, upload it, and along with a small fee, will be a part of this newest craze making its way around the Internet.

Lori

A new contest for your small business

2006-04-06T13:10:00.000-07:00

Want a chance to win $10,000 for your marketing ideas? Head on over to http://smallbizgames.com/

Small Biz Games has teamed up with Overstock, and will be awarding a lucky small business owner with a cash prize to help build his or her busienss.

Looks like a fun opportunity to me - what could be better than to market your business, and work with other like minded entrepreneurs as well.

Lori

Looking for something new on Friday night

2006-04-04T08:23:00.000-07:00

Tired of going to movies on Friday nights? Want to have a new adventure?

Check out the newest form of entertainment.
http://www.5-wits.com/content.html

Now not only can you go to the "movies" you can be in them as well. This adventure is an interactive amusement park that lets you decide your fate, and choose the adventures and which directions to turn.

I'm willing to bet this trend will be hitting other major metropolitan areas soon.

Lori

What are your dreams?

2006-03-23T20:47:00.000-08:00

I just finished watching tonight's episode of American Inventors. For those of you who watched it as well, does it make you dream?

It's a classic story of the American spirit. The desire to see your dream through to completion. So many of these people have hopes, dreams - and passion to bring their one big idea as far as it will go.

Have you ever had that big idea? What have you done to act on it?

The one big thing that American Inventors brings to the public is the idea that dreaming is a wonderful thing. The only way your dreams will become a reality is to take action, and see how far you can go.

And for that I say "congratulations" to all of the dreamers and inventors.

Lori

Not Another Cell Phone

2006-03-14T13:10:00.000-08:00

Well, it's finally here. As I was reading my Wall Street Journal this morning, an article announced that airlines are almost at the point of being able to allow people to use their cell phones in-flight.

Can you imagine the chaos?

The woman to your right will be yelling into the phone, trying to communicate with her realtor on which style house she prefers.

The man on your left will be yelling into the phone, trying to communicate with his assistant about the latest business items.

Then there's the woman in front of you, the man behind you, the woman across the aisle...

My head hurts already.

How about a teleclass on cell phone etiquette? Or an ebook on dealing with cell phone rage?

Or maybe there's another reason for using cell phones...

Check out Dan Janal's blog on March 14th, It's a small world after all.
http://www.prleads.com/blog/

Lori
www.GetKnownMarketing.com
www.VisionOfSuccess.com

Taking a step back

2006-03-10T12:01:00.000-08:00

Last night Andrew and I did something we haven't done in awhile. We went out to a nice (not kid-friendly) restaurant, and spent 3 hours enjoying a meal.

And yes, we did discuss a lot of business. But as we sat and enjoyed ourselves, the ideas started to flow. We came up with several new ideas, decided to forgoe a number of things we had been working on, and walked away with a clearer idea of where we're taking our business over the coming months.

When was the last time you took a step back? It doesn't have to be a week in the Carribbean. It can just be a nice, relaxing evening. And if you love what you do as much as we do, talking "business" can be a part of your enjoyable evening.

Lori

The Art of being a Minipreneur

2006-03-01T14:39:00.000-08:00

If your one of the 'lucky' who has been laid off from a job, or has ever been downsized from the corporate world, I congratulate you.

You see, you were given an opportunity on that day. The opportunity to start your own business, and become self-sufficient - to no longer rely on a 'job' for income.

As more people discover how easy it is to hold mini jobs on the side, they will soon discover that it's much more fun to have several mini-jobs that add up to a career - and a very steady income.

Take a look at a recent post on minipreneurs - http://www.trendwatching.com/trends/MINIPRENEURS.htm

It seems there is an increasingly large amount of consumers that are participating in making money by turning into small entrepreneurs. They make a small amount of money by creating side businesses, that eventually add up to a whole lot of money.

Young people are already loving this trend, but as the boomers continue to grab on, watch out. The age of minipreneurship will become the norm.

And they will all need our services to learn how to become better marketers and better networkers!

Lori
www.GetKnownMarketing.com
www.VisionOfSuccess.com

Going back to your roots.

2006-02-16T13:27:00.000-08:00

Have you ever switched industries? Have you ever gone into a completely different field, only to find yourself right back to where you started from?

I've been feeling that way a lot lately. As a professional photographer for over 18 years, I love the art of photography. I loved meeting with clients, providing them with a wedding album that will hold lifelong memories. And I liked the thrill of being a part of such special days.

But like everything, I changed. While I still look back on that timeframe with warm thoughts, I love what I do now. I love helping people understand and navigate the Internet better. I love explaining Internet strategy to people. I love being able to take a look at a website, and instantly being able to provide a half-dozen strategies that will instantly improve a site's marketability.

Lately, I've been working with a lot of photographers. I've signed on several coaching clients in the photography industry. I've been looking at a lot of photography related sites. And I'm excited to be offering my newest course, www.CreateAGiftProduct.com exclusively for photographers wanting to create a product line out of their photography.

So my question to you is "how can you go back to your roots"? What can you do to incorporate an old love or interest into what you do now?

I guarantee you it will be rewarding to visit an old friend.

Lori

Why are you so different?

2006-02-14T08:03:00.000-08:00

I was reading an article this morning on the future of logo designers. It seems everyone out there can design a logo - for a fee of course. The problem is the fees for logo design are getting less and less.

You can have a local graphic designer create one for a small amount. Or head online - there's many places that will help you create a logo on the fly. You can even buy software to help design it yourself! And with all of the graphics packages out there today, getting a friend or family member to do it is just as easy.

So why should you pay good money for a logo design?

It all lies in the benefits.

Anyone can design a logo. But what can they offer with it? Can they analyze your competition and have your logo stand above them? Can they offer you multi images, to include in a variety of print and visual media sources? Can your logo stand alone as a symbol, like the Nike swish?

Providing the benefits will set you above your competition. Get away from "I create logos", and make sure your speaking results to your prospects. Let them know why you are better than the rest, and will help them stand above the crowds.

Lori

Simplicity Is In

2006-02-10T12:25:00.000-08:00

If you love a clean site, with a simple (but great) idea as much as I do, then head on over to idealbite.com.

I'm learning that the KISS philosophy is always best, especially when designing a website. When someone heads to your website, they should be able to understand the entire focus within just a few seconds. The entire site should relate back to that concept, and should never continue introducing new material. You should always support your original message. Period.

If you have more to say, create another website.

Doing As Much As Possible To Get The Business Moving

2006-02-02T13:18:00.000-08:00

Certain quotes stick with you.

The one I've been using lately is "Do what you've always done, and expect the results you've always gotten."

So I've made up my mind this year to try something new every day. Create new products. Try new advertising methods. Make contact with different people. Promote myself in different ways.

Because I don't want to get the same results I've always gotten. I want to take my business to the sky this year! How about you?

So, with that in mind, I've released two new websites this week. Two new products, both with different target markets. Take a look and let me know what you think.

www.CreateAGiftProduct.com
www.FolioViewer.com

Lori

Learn More About Podcasting

2006-01-31T13:31:00.000-08:00

Want to use the latest marketing technique in your plans this year?

Jump on the podcasting bandwagon.

I've read a lot about podcasting over the past few months, but never tried it for myself. After reading an article in the Wall Street Journal yesterday, I jumped in with both feet. I'm excited about becoming a 'podcaster' and I'll let you know over the coming months what podcasting does for my business.

Want to hear my podcast? Listen (or download) now, and let me know what you think.

Lori

We Just Released A New Site

2006-01-30T08:28:00.000-08:00

If you haven't had a chance to check out our newest site, head on over to FolioViewer.com, a site that will make it easy for any small business owner to easily create a multimedia presentation from just a few digital photographs, and help them build up a dynamic online portfolio.

I'm very excited about this tool. As more people are online, finding ways to differentiate yourself is becoming increasingly complex. This is an easy program that will allow you to put a rich media portfolio onto your site in just a matter of minutes.

FolioViewer.com allows you to upload 15 digital images, and create a multimedia sales presentation in just a matter of minutes. Once you make the purchase, the code is emailed to you, and can be copy/pasted into any website.

Want to see how it works? Visit FolioViewer.com to view samples and see how small businesses are using FolioViewer.com to create online portfolios.

TIP** Online portfolios are great for almost any profession. Realtors can showcase individual homes. Meeting planners can showcase each event. Artists can showcase their individual works. Photographers can showcase their clients' presentations. And its great for attracting new clients because they will be able to see your work in a multimedia presentation!

Lori

Get A Life

2006-01-26T19:47:00.000-08:00

I started working with a new group last night. At my local chamber, they offer a group in which 12 complimentary businesses meet once a month, and act as each others advisory board. Have you ever had an advisory board?

I am a part of another group in which we also act as an advisory board, and it's wonderful. It's great knowing you can get together and talk about anything, and get honest feedback. Even if the feedback is a little more honest than what you really wanted to hear!

Anyway, I was sitting there last night, listening to everyone as we went around the table. And one thing became apparent very quickly - entrepreneurs are workaholics. All of us. It was almost unanimous that everyone at the table worked on average 50-60 hours per week. And even though we all love what we do, is a 60 hour work week really a good thing?

One other piece of information surfaced - everyone was pretty much a one-person show, and wore every hat in the business. Hmmmm...

So, the more hats you wear, the longer you will work to make sure each job is fulfilled. Isn't the solution to get rid of some of the hats?

I know there's an easy way to pass certain jobs off to other people; I talk about it in my Get Known Marketing manual at www.GetKnownMarketing.com.

Guess that's one piece of advice I'll be sharing in the coming months.

Lori

One of the best online marketing methods

2006-01-18T09:42:00.000-08:00

How many of you have seen Frontier Airlines' new commercials?

Frontier, as you know, has a different animal on each airplane's tail. In their commercials, the animals carry on conversations with each other. They are some of the best commercials out there. (If you have a child, chances are you know those commercials well. My daughter runs if she hears the ad, and wants me to save them on tape so she can see them later! Now that's building a customer for life.)

Anyway, their newest commercial looks like a 'breaking news bulletin'. The announcement is that Flip, the dolphin, will go on strike unless he gets to fly to Mexico. In fact, you can go to his website to sign his petition and send Flip to Mexico. http://www.fliptomexico.com/

What a great way to capture email addresses from your customers! Of course people want to help Flip - they love him. Their whole marketing campaign is entertaining and very effective. And I guarantee its helping to bring in more customers!

What can you do to create a campaign like this? Want to start your own blog? Check out http://blogitcafe.com/ It's a great way to design your own blog (with no outside advertising) and start communicating with your visitors today!

Lori

What Was The Question?

2006-01-13T13:19:00.000-08:00

Think back to each of your sales presentations, your phone calls and incoming emails from prospective customers. What questions did they have? Amazingly enough, most people will start a relationship with you by asking similar questions. Questions such as, "How much?" or "Can you do ___?" are very common.
Many times people ask those simple questions because they don't know enough about your business to ask detailed questions. They are looking for a way in to find out more information. And they may not want a 'simple' answer to their original question!

When we were in photography, the most common first question was "How much is an 8x10?" However, price was not usually what they wanted answered. They wanted to know what type of photography we did, what our customer service was like, how we presented our finished products, and what our references were. A long way from "How much is an 8x10?" isn't it!

Dig past the initial questions your prospects are asking you, and discover a wealth of opportunity. When you find what the 'real' questions are, you can immediately switch the tone of your initial meeting, and find a way to develop a relationship. And we all know relationships are the key to success!

Get Busy and Sell!

2006-01-11T18:29:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed how the beginning of a new year makes you feel energized for creating new business opportunities? Aren't you just a little more excited about taking your business to new heights? I know I am. And that's what I'm concentrating on this month. My goal is to take each of my ideas, and find a way to market it to new groups of potential customers. After all, there really is only two things you should spend the majority of your working hours doing: marketing and selling!
With the many marketing and advertising options available today, it really is a small businesses dream. I remember with one of my businesses back in the mid 1990's I consistently would spend thousands of dollars on several ads in local magazines. Some paid off. Some didn't. But what I learned from that is to test everything you do, and find new ways of getting your name in front of new people.

Having trouble thinking of ways of getting your name out inexpensively? Try these 5 ideas. As you try out each of these, be aware of other opportunities that present themselves to you.

Have you ever placed a several thousand dollar ad in a magazine, and never received as much as a phone call. Ouch. It's hard wasting that kind of money as a small business owner. Instead, try the classified ads. Most trade publications and specialty magazines have classified ads in the back section. For under $100 you can usually place a good-sized ad. And you can change the wording around for every publication.
Find message boards to post on. Message boards are a great resource. They're usually f+ree, and you can put your information in front of thousands of viewers.
When you find a great message board, see if you can advertise on it. Many message boards have banner placements along the sides. They use advertising to keep the message board f+ree, and usually have low cost advertising rates.
Advertise in other ezines that reach the same audience as you. Check out www.DirectoryOfEzines.com to find thousands of ezines.
When you find ezines that target the same audience as you, contact the owner. Other small business owners are also open to new ideas. Can you create a strategic partnership to sell products to both of your clients? Many great products have been created by two companies joining forces for one project.
These 5 ideas should create a wealth of opportunity for you over the next week. Let me know your results - I'd love to hear from you.

What Day Of The Week Is Best?

2006-01-09T08:04:00.000-08:00

What happens when you turn on your computer on a Monday morning, and begin loading up your email for the day? AAHHHH! If you're like me, I sit there with the delete key held firmly down. And I must confess, I usually work and check emails over the weekend, so mine aren't half as bad as someone who takes two full days off. And if you actually take a Friday off as well? Even the good stuff starts being shuffled into the trashcan.
Think back to when you email your information out to potential clients. What day do you send out your marketing materials? It can have a profound impact on how much business it will generate. Spending time over the weekend cleaning up your desk, and returning email sounds like a great idea. But if you have hopes of your information getting through to your potential customer, you better re-evaluate.

When people head back to work Monday morning, it's clean up time. They begin stacking things on their desk for completion during the week. And they empty out their email, clearing it up for a new week. Then they get down to work. If you want to reach someone, email him or her after this clean up process takes place. Email has the best chance of being read on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. New studies are also finding that Monday afternoons may also work well. The key is to get in front of the reader when their mind is on business.

One final note on getting your email read. Fill your subject line with the most detailed information possible. It doesn't matter what time of the week your email comes through if all you put in the subject line is "hi". I discuss this with people on a daily basis. And every week I continue to get emails with a simple "hi" in the subject line. People are nervous opening up any type of email that they're unsure of. It's easier to delete than have problems later. Avoid this deleting method, and fill your subject line with the details. Notice how my emails always come in with a subject of "Vision Of Success eZine - Title". Make yourself recognizable.

cyclical marketing

2006-01-08T13:59:00.000-08:00

Are you tired of cyclical marketing? You know, when you have lots of clients, your marketing strategies tend to fall to the wayside. Then when you have tons of free time, you frantically begin marketing to fill the voids?
Marketing is the one part of your business that should be strategized and worked on every week of the year. Marketing continually brings in the clients. When you level off your marketing efforts, you're not promoting your business for the upcoming months.

I have found the easiest way to keep a marketing plan on track all year long is to schedule each piece throughout the year, and put it on your calendar. Create a weekly to-do list. I have several things I do every week, and I create a simple check-off list to make sure each item is accomplished. Things like:

Produce and send ezine.
Post on message boards.
Send out brochures to new contacts.
Submit 2 ads to online targeted sites.
Write an article for one publication.
In our busy lives, I have found that creating a to-do list is the only way I stay on track. Things seem to disappear if I don't have them in front of me, telling me to get it done. Try a to-do list this week, and see if you can get more done on your marketing strategies!

Save More To Buy More

2006-01-06T11:25:00.000-08:00

I love Costco. We shop there once or twice a week. I love going through each department, finding all kinds of bargains on the things I use in my home and my business. Likewise, I love Target. I can go there and get inexpensive products to use in my business and throughout my home. Both companies are very successful AND have one thing in common: they both concentrate on the quality of the product they deliver and keep it the costs as low as possible for their clients.
But have you looked around at the people shopping in those stores? Do you see women sporting clothes and accessories from Coach or Prada? Yes! Do these same people drop hundreds (and even thousands) of dollars on vacations to the Caribbean and ski trips to Europe? Yes! People understand value. And they save money in some areas of their lives to splurge in other areas.

Value is your key word. Valuing your customer, and providing them with the service they are seeking is what will make a client for life. Do you tell your customer what to expect with you? Costco does. I know when I walk into Costco, I will get top quality merchandise at the lowest price possible. The other day I was looking for my normal brand of salad mix. When I couldn't find it, I asked an employee who promptly said the salad mix wasn't up to their qualifications that week, so they didn't buy. That makes me feel good about my purchases. I know I'm getting the best quality for my money with any product I buy.

What can you do to improve your message to your customers? Do they know what to expect when they do business with you? Do you deliver exactly what you say you will do?

Marketing Websites - Get to the point!

2006-01-04T11:00:00.000-08:00

Your website pops up onto a viewers screen. You have a few seconds to make a great impression with your design and your graphics, or your visitor will click to another site.
You past the first test, and your visitor begins to read. Again, you have a few seconds to capture their attention, or they will click away and look elsewhere for better information.

So, what does your home page say?

Does it entice the reader to want to read forward?
Is it full of useful information that makes the reader ask questions to themselves?
Does it provide answers to questions they may be asking?
Does it have leading sentences that make them click further into your site?
Does it set up the sale?
With online media, people are looking for quick, quality information. They want to know what they can expect from your site, and they want answers fast. You may be passionate about your product or service, and can talk about it on and on. But your customer isn't. She simply wants information, and for you to provide the solution to help her through her current problem.

Get to the point. Lead the way. And make the sale.

How The President Can Help You Market Your Business

2005-12-19T15:04:00.000-08:00

Now that the results are in, you are either in a state of elation, or a mood of depression. With this election, it seems everyone is either one way or the other. But either way, there is nothing you can do to change the results. So what not do what we do best: capitalize on the current trends, and improve your business in the process.
I call this trend marketing. It's the ability to take current events, and QUICKLY put together something to sell to the public to that they will buy because it fits the trend. When people are in a funk because they are depressed with the thought of four more years of President Bush, they buy things to make them feel better. And author Gene Stone has done a remarkable job of using this election to his advantage, and creating something that Kerry supporters are sure to love. In two weeks time, he wrote and edited a new book entitled "The Bush Survival Bible: 250 Ways to Make It Through the Next Four Years Without Misunderestimating the Dangers Ahead, and Other Subliminable Strategeries". It will be released to the public in the next few days. And I guarantee you it will be an incredible success. Why?

People buy things because it fills a void they currently have. They're hungry; they buy food. They need a gift; they look for something clever. People love to buy on impulse. When something new comes into site, and provides them with a solution to what they're looking for, they buy. This new book is perfect because it provides a wonderful way to relieve a little frustration in Kerry supporters, and with the holidays just around the corner, timing couldn't be more perfect for people to buy impulse gifts for their Kerry supporting friends.

So, what can you do to create a new product or service using trend marketing? What can you quickly put together that will become an impulse product for your client base? Look around. (It doesn't have to be related to the election to be a current trend.) You can look for seasonal ideas. Or ideas that are popular in the newspapers or magazines. I'd love to hear your ideas - email me!

The Price of an Error

2005-12-19T14:03:00.000-08:00

How much can it cost you for making an error in the information you give out?
If you've ever had a wrong phone number placed in a yellow pages ad, you know it can be very costly indeed. But how about if you give out the wrong web address? In this weeks debate between Cheney and Edwards, Cheney gave out a website address in which people could review claims made by his opponent. Unfortunately, he listed the wrong address, and millions of people have been visiting www.factcheck.com vs. www.factcheck.org. Simple mistake? Hardly. It's been a huge error on the part of Cheney.

The owners of www.factcheck.com rerouted their domain name to a third party website because they simply couldn't handle the tens of thousands of hits they began receiving. They chose to reroute the address to www.georgesoros.com, the website of a man who has written books, articles and spoken heavily across the nation - against President Bush!

What started out as a great idea - providing a website address on national television with millions of people watching - has turned into an ironic nightmare for the Bush administration. The lesson to be learned? We're all human and will make mistakes. But checking, double checking, and even triple checking your facts before you release your marketing materials is vitally important to keep your business a success.

Follow up and Contacts

2005-11-14T20:47:00.000-08:00

Follow up and Contacts

Build your relationships up with follow up and contacts.
Your database should contain the names of all of your clients and potential clients. Have a way to distinguish between your client list and your potential client list. Then create a system in which you contact each of these lists over and over again. Combine the two lists for some promotions, and separate the lists for others.

Sample Marketing Plan:

Entire list receives newsletter in January, April, July, October
Entire list receives special promotions postcard once a month
Client list receives "thank you for being our client" bonus mailing in March and August
Potential client list receives "new client promotion" mailing in May and September
The main goal here is to keep your entire contact list in the loop for receiving regular mailings for you. This will establish a pattern that you want to stay in the lives of the people you do business with.

What's In A Title?

2005-11-12T08:53:00.000-08:00

What's In A Title?

What's the difference between these two titles?
"Financial Planning"
"50 Million People Will Never Be Able To Afford Retirement. Are You One Of Them?"
One of them motivates you to read more. One of them provides the curiosity needed to want to invest more time. Human nature is to always make the best decision possible, and act on things that will put you in the best place possible. The purpose of marketing is to draw in that human nature, and walk through a benefits/solution model, and provide the best solution possible - your product or service!

And it all begins with the title to your advertisement or brochure. What about it is going to make me want to read more? The title "Financial Planning" does nothing for me. I know dozens of people that are in the business of financial planning. But the title "50 Million People Will Never Be Able To Afford Retirement. Are You One Of Them?" motivates me to want to read more. Am I one of them? And if so, how can I change that?

The first step begins with an awesome title. Provide a meaningful question or statement within your titles, and draw people in to what message you have to tell them.

Looking for a marketing source

2005-10-26T10:06:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for a marketing source that will give you ideas, action steps, templates, and strategies to put into place today?
Something that will make your job as a business owner a lot easier?

That's why I have developed my Get Known Marketing Newsletter. Get Known Marketing Newsletter will give you step by step strategies for you to put into place within your business. It will provide templates, examples and plans that will give you instant ideas that you can use to make a stronger business. It will give you proven ideas that will help you boost your sales - and your profits!

Check this out>>

Focus Your Energy Action Step

2005-10-25T19:27:00.000-07:00

Focus Your Energy Action Step

Focusing your energy is one of the most difficult things a self-employed person will ever do. Most self-employed people fall into the "I can do it myself" mentality. That's ok if you're comfortable with your current situations. But if you really want to grow your business, you need to change your thinking. A great book on how to move out of the "I can do it myself" mentality is Michael E Gerber's "The E Myth Revisited". I highly recommend this book to anyone who is trying to grow their business to new levels. If you've never read it, buy it and read it now. Even if you have read it, read it again. I reread simple-to-read books like this again and again to get the concepts down.

Take a look at the jobs you like to do within your business. What makes you happy? What makes you grumble? What do you put off until you absolutely have to do it? What can other people do very easily? Divide this list into two areas: a list of things you like to do and things you don't like to do. How can you hire out the jobs on your "don't like to do" list? Then look at your "like to do" list. What items on this list actually make you money? Marketing, sales, generating ideas, research - these things bring in money. They are what make your business grow, and become more profitable. Look for ways to give away the items you enjoy, but are time consuming and don't really do anything to help your business grow.

Remember this idea is a work in progress. There is no way for a small business to hire employees and contractors for 75% of your workload over night. Instead, think small. "In 2003, I will let an accountant take over my accounting functions and my tax preparation". "In 2003, I will hire one employee to help me with my administrative tasks." These are small, achievable and realistic goals to have for one business year. Really focus on keeping these goals, and then focus on what you will accomplish with the timesavings. You will only be able to grow if you fill that timesavings with items that will generate more revenue. And above all, take action!

Lori
GetKnownMarketing.com

Time Management: Selling On A Time Plan!

2005-10-24T13:53:00.000-07:00

Time Management: Selling On A Time Plan!

What type of product do you offer? What type of service? Can it be sold by the time period? One of the best ways of increasing your sales to your clientele is to offer them packages based on time instead of selling once and trying to bring in another sale later. One-at-a- time sales are the most costly type of sale you can do because you are constantly working on bringing in new sales. Instead, focus on ways that you can save your client money by providing them several items throughout the year, sold as a package, that will benefit them so much more than the one-time sale.

Products are the easiest to sell on a time plan. The greatest example are clubs: book clubs, wine clubs, fruit baskets, dessert of the month, magazines, and meat clubs, to name but a few. If you sell any type of product, consider putting together a club in which you can provide your clients with a product on a periodic basis. This is a guaranteed income generator for you as you sell it once, and collect the funds over and over again!

Products seem easy, but what about services? Almost any type of service can be put into a time-option sale. Instead of thinking in terms of one, think in terms of many. What service can you offer your client that will benefit them many times? Add training to your tax service business - everyone in business would benefit from attending a few seminars throughout the year on how to improve their accounting procedures/tax strategies. Think of what your client is really benefiting by working with you, and capitalize on that benefit again and again!

Lori
GetKnownMarketing.com

Create Your Time-Option Plan

2005-10-20T14:46:00.000-07:00

Create Your Time-Option Plan

List all of your products and/or services down on a piece of paper. Then rank them according to how much of your total business each product/service represents to your business.

Choose your top selling products and services, and find ways of making them into time-option sales. Find ways of creating unique monthly clubs. Find services that will benefit the purchaser by buying several instead of one. Then package them up in attractive ways that will allow the buyer to save money by purchasing it in bulk. Reward your client by offering better deals in package plans, and reward yourself by increasing your sales within your business. Win/win for everyone!

The Importance of Testing

2005-10-19T11:47:00.000-07:00

The Importance of Testing

It all starts with an idea. Whenever you have an idea, go with it. Bring that idea to a level that you can offer it to your clients. Bring it forward. And just do it! Then watch what happens. Does it work? What can you change to make it work better? How can you change it?

One of the most amazing things you can learn is how your profits will change dramatically by making a few simple changes to the way you market your business. Adopt the mindset of a child. Children never accept no for an answer. It's amazing to watch a child. If something doesn't work the way they want it to, they try it again. And after several attempts, they begin to change the way they try it. But rarely do they give up until they get what they want - in some fashion or another. Adopt this approach in your everyday business environment, and watch your business succeed!

The purpose of testing is to gain the maximum performance from every marketing piece you produce. Change and test. Change and test. Put those words permanently into your vocabulary! These words should be synonymous with marketing. Every great marketer knows that the entire marketing process revolves around testing. Then make a change and test again. As long as you are in business, the only way to succeed is to change everyday, look at the results, and change again.

Test your Marketing Materials

2005-10-18T21:54:00.000-07:00

Test your Marketing Materials

What products or services can you easily add to your business this year? Sit down and brainstorm every way in which you could add something new. Write down every idea, whether it's doable or not. This is the time to brainstorm, not make decisions.

Next, categorize each idea by its do-ability! How easy would it be for you to get this idea to the marketplace? Take your most doable idea, and get it out to your clients - now! Just do it! In order to sell it, you have to get it out there. Do one idea at a time so you're not bombarded with business that you can't handle. Set up your other doable ideas on a timetable, so you are sure to release those as well in the near future.

Finally, put these ideas into action. Make them available for sale. Market them. Create ways of notifying your client of your new products/services. Then ask your client for their opinion. Is this a good idea? How can you change it to make it more desirable? Can you combine it with other things in your business to make a "package"? Change some of the features, and test it again. Change. Test. Change. Test.