Most, if not all, small businesses are built on a budget. Available funds must be used to buy technology, additional phone lines and marketing materials such as business cards. In this article you will find ten low cost or no cost tips that will help you get your first customer and build your business.
1) Obtain free or low cost business cards at a company such as VistaPrint. Add an explanatory tag line to identify your product or service. While you are running your normal errands drop off a business card at every business you see such as drycleaners, restaurants, gyms, etc.
2) Have a new or rebuilt shopping center opening in your town' Attend the grand opening and chat with the business owners and staff and hand out your free or low cost business cards.
3) Create flyers with your phone number on tear off tabs and place them at the library, grocery store, coffee shops, etc. Carry a few in your car with push pins so you never miss an opportunity.
4) Hold a contest. People love freebies. When you're handing out business cards and designing flyers highlight your contest for a limited time. Anyone who books at least two hours of your time during the contest month is entered into a drawing for a gift basket. Put together an inexpensive gift basket with sample size coffee, a coffee cup, a business book or best selling novel, cookies and crackers. Put the names of the qualifying clients in a hat and have your child draw the winning name. Take a picture of the gift basket and your child drawing the name out of the hat, scan the pictures and put them on your website along with the name of the winner.
5) Write an article that would appeal to your target audience such as small business owners, add a four to five line biography with your e-mail address and web site address. Submit the article to websites and e-zines that cater to your target audience.
6) Create an informative presentation around your topic area and contact your local Chamber of Commerce and offer to speak at a monthly meeting.
7) Create coupons offering a free or discounted product or a free hour of service for every two or three hours of paid service. Give them out to prospective clients and to organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce to use in contests and give aways. Give the recipient an incentive to by your product or use your services by giving the coupon an expiration date.
8) Use the time you spend sitting in traffic to gain new clients. For less than thirty dollars you can purchase a sign for your car from iprint or webdecal.
9) Create a press release announcing the opening of your business or some other milestone event. Send the press release to editors at your local newspaper and to other free area publications.
10) Ask for referrals. Give your business card to your family members, neighbors, hair salon, etc. and ask that they pass them on. Offer an hour of free service or a free product to anyone who refers a client who signs a contract for services and give them a link on your web site.
(c) 2001, Davis Virtual Assistance
2012年12月5日星期三
Top Ten Frugal Ways To Market Your Small Business
2012年12月4日星期二
Insurance, Financial Services Sales Tactics
If you sell insurance, financial services and the like, consider the following low-cost marketing strategies to help grow your small business.
It's important to first acknowledge some of the natural barriers to acquiring new clients within the insurance and financial services industries. These include, but are not limited to, customers lacking knowledge about your products and, therefore, lacking the ability to ask questions, and customers afraid of being ripped off. Unfortunately, insurance and financial salespeople often carry the same stigma as used car salespeople. And I'm certain there are some great and honest used car dealers around. It's important to recognize this stigma so you can proactively address it in your marketing plan. Ultimately, to grow your business within the insurance and financial services industries you must strive to build an incredible reputation, built on a platform of reliability, honesty and product knowledge. I also encourage you to be very straightforward about your pricing and how you make your money. The fact is, your customer wants to know. Surprise them, and tell them upfront.
Here are some marketing strategies I suggest you try.
-- First, try teaming up with complementary professionals, such as estate attorneys, business attorneys, financial planners, etc. You'll receive referral business faster from such businesses for two reasons. One, their customers are currently utilizing services for "future" occurrences. Hence, your prospect is already in the mindset of planning and spending for the future. You now become another product they need to consider for the future. Second, there's an implied trust between an estate attorney and her customers. If an estate attorney referred her customers to you, that customer would be more likely to do business with you, than if he/she had simply seen your print ad in a local newspaper.
-- Launch a publicity campaign
For example, consider submitting a story idea to your local media about, "The Fallacies of Long-term Care Insurance. Who Needs It' What is it' Insider Secrets to Buying the Most Comprehensive Plan." I can't stress this next point enough; you must be objective when interviewing for such a story. When being interviewed by the media, it's not a chance to "sell" yourself; rather, it's an opportunity to express your knowledge and expertise, and help readers use your knowledge to their benefit. If they like what you have to say, they'll contact you.
-- Consider facilitating a bimonthly workshop(s) at your local library or community center called, "The Insider's Point of View to Long-term Care Insurance. Who Needs It, Who Doesn't'" Or, "Age & Long-term Care Insurance, When's The Right Time'" The workshop-tactic is becoming slightly overused. However, I think it's still a very powerful marketing tool. Plus, it's affordable. You simply need to be more imaginative with your topics and headlines.
-- Try creating a "Long-term Care Insurance Top 10," fact sheet. It should include detailed content about the ins and outs of selecting long-term care insurance, i.e., why, why not' Who qualifies and what are the estimated costs' Distribute your fact sheet to prospects, the press and various public bulletins, such as the library, town hall, Post Office, colleges, doctor and attorney offices, etc. When you're selecting bulletin boards, stick to professional looking boards, rather than just catch-alls. The latter will reduce your professionalism. Some bulletin boards give off the impression, "What would she know; she's advertising on a bulletin board." On the fact sheet, you're not selling yourself; instead, you're selling the benefits/solutions of long-term care insurance with your bio at the bottom. If you've done a comprehensive and professional job, readers will contact you.
-- Partner with a local bank. The idea is to get yourself noted as a "pre-certified insurance expert for XYZ bank." Approach the bank VP and recommend an informal partnership whereby you're available for complimentary onsite consultation for bank customers. Moreover, there's a tremendous amount of implied reliability and credibility when associating your business with a bank. The great thing about banks is that they usually distribute large monthly customer mailings. Ideally you'll want to piggyback on the bank's mailing by having your sales flyer included. These flyers are usually called, "bill stuffers." Don't forget banks also distribute calendars, year-end statements, etc. Try to get noted in all of their communications. Of course, under the umbrella that you're a partner with the bank.
-- A bank north of Boston lets their small business customers display sales materials for a week in their lobby. Approach your bank where you have your business account and ask for the same.
-- Try partnering with hospitals. They're well known for sponsoring workshops. They also distribute a weekly/monthly newsletter. My local hospital actually distributes their calendar of events in my local newspaper. By partnering with hospitals and similar organizations, your prospect-reach compounds tremendously, while you spend zero!
-- Consider joining your local chapter of Business Network International, bni. Of course, like any organization, it's only as effective as your networking abilities and how well the members of that particular chapter work together. Always attend at least two meetings before joining. And watch out! Associations' memberships are down across the board due to the sluggish economy. There's definitely some hard selling going on. Take your time when deciding what organization is best for you. Don't be misled into joining anything.
-- Align yourself with a reputable online insurance media outlet. Ideally you want to become a regularly featured columnist, or perhaps act as a moderator for an upcoming online seminar, etc. This does several things for you. One, usually anything Internet-related is archived. So if a person is shopping around for insurance or financial products and you've partnered with a reputable and high search engine ranking online media outlet, there's a good chance your Web site will reflect high in search engine rankings. Two, if you're a regularly featured columnist, you immediately acquire more credibility than your competitors. Readers are more likely to reach out to you for product solutions.
-- Don't forget about organizations you already belong to. Are you taking advantage of their Web site resources, i.e., linking your Web site, being included in their membership directory, etc.' What's more, do a quick search on google for free directories. Try, [“your expertise” insurance directories], or [financial sales representatives directories.]
-- The key marketing strategy to keep in mind for any salesperson is that you must circulate, "be seen." It's the most perpetuating sales lead program you can foster.
-- Finally, as you're working hard to generate all these new leads, make sure you have a follow-up plan in place. The fastest and most affordable follow-up method is to ask prospects if they want to receive your free monthly ezine.
Article Tags: Insurance, Financial Services, Long-term Care Insurance, Insurance, Financial, Financial Services, Long-term Care, Care Insurance
2012年12月3日星期一
Car Stickers Come In Different Designs
One thing is sure that car stickers provide plenteous advantages to both small businesses and large businesses on the spot involving increased prompt marketing, business identity development, improved business performance and efficacy, and increased return on investment. That is why they are extremely helpful and useful for many organizations involving banks, media hypes, fashion industry, nonprofit organization and so on. Company offers custom car stickers printing to its valued customers worldwide in a thoroughly professional manner.
More importantly, car stickers come in different designs to really fulfill your corporate needs and desires efficiently. First they come in such a way from where you could easily enhance your business identity. Secondly vehicle window decals help you catch the attention of the targeted customers on the spot. Importantly their designs give you plenteous cultural meanings and expressions such as love, peace, social harmony & integrity, worship, veneration, agitation and demonstration. Online sticker printing company offers custom size car sticker printing to its valued customers all around the globe.
On the other hand, the beautiful car sticker printing designs and prints help you promote your fundraising campaigns worldwide in a thoroughly professional manner. Next they would lend you a hand when it comes to product marketing. Another important use of these stunning looking car window stickers printing designs is that they would help you promote your music and fashion campaigns worldwide professionally. Company presents eye catching car sticker printing designs to its trendy customers internationally.
Then car window decals can be professionally used to promote your sports activities worldwide. Next they can be broadly used to boost up your fashion campaigns globally. When it comes to customization, you don’t have to be worried about it by any means. Company offers plenteous packages to its valued customers involving free unlimited design revisions, and free lamination, as well as free shipment. Further it offers many other printing products and services to its respected customers worldwide including folder printing, banner printing, car bumper sticker, poster printing, carbonless form printing, cd jacket printing, label printing and many more.
Last but not least, car stickers are extensively used for comical purposes. This way company offers cheap funny car stickers printing to its loving buyers all over the world. Also one doesn’t have to be worried about price tag at all. Moreover, it makes available full color brochure printing to its valued customers with cheap flyer printing including custom packages boxes printing. So if you need any assistance, please feel free to contact us! We will provide you the best car sticker printing worldwide in a thoroughly professional and dedicated manner.
Article Tags: Stickers Come, Different Designs, Business Identity, Thoroughly Professional, Full Color, Sticker Printing, Company Offers, Stickers Printing, Valued Customers, Printing Designs
Or what about for the skin all over your body
2012年11月29日星期四
Traffic generation techniques for affiliate marketers
I bring this to your attention I keep running into marketing business owners on internet forums that just do not get the fact there is no "magic traffic bullet" when it comes to internet marketing. I really hope in writing this page that it will help you to get a better understanding as a whole about how generating traffic for internet marketing products works and the reasons why you do not need to invest your hard earned money on a marketing course that teaches you how to generate traffic from a specific source.
The ability to get traffic is what distinguishes the best of the affiliate marketingspace from the failures. It is not easy and for many near impossible to understand however there are a ton marketers that conquer internet users and as a result make a ton of money online. So is driving traffic for your online marketing products difficult'
Well yes and no,
It does take hard work but there are users all over the place when it comes to internet marketing so it really is not that tricky to attract if you are able to develop the abilities and a understanding of potential traffic sources. I can remember a past client of mines website I worked with doing Search Engine Optimization. I glanced at their traffic sources and the reason for their success was the search engines yes but it was also some select referring sites who agreed to feature information from my client. These websites were attracting almost a quarter of its money online. In contrast I have lately been teaching a student of mine in a similar market. My students site has been around for almost as long, the software is about as good but they are not even getting 1% the web users my other client was.
My point is that the visitors the leading online marketers are generating is nothing that special and no expensive product is going to aid you when it comes to getting traffic because it's a skill built with hands on experience in a marketplace and the ability to recognize potential opportunities in a marketplace. I for many years thought that getting traffic was one of most tightly guarded secrets over the internet and because of this I invested in product after product in an attempt to get a feel for everything I could. I spent tons on these programs only to discover by the end that yeah I now knew the main sources but it was not until I began to take hands on action and get visitors myself that I started to get a good feel for where I had to dedicate my time and effort to get visitors.
I really hope that this page has an impact on your knowledge of getting traffic as what you need to learn is more the necessary skills to spot a opportunity instead of learning everything about the major traffic sources. If you take hands on action then getting traffic will become second nature but if you continue to sit on your backside and wait for the "traffic bullet" before you actually try anything then you will Just continue to feel overloaded by the large amount of information online and you will never really get a grasp for the way traffic works.
Article Tags: Traffic Generation, Internet Marketing, Getting Traffic, Traffic Sources
Promotional Items for the IT Industry
With that principle in mind, here is a selection of the great variety of tech-themed promotional items that can be branded with your company name and logo to provide some useful items that will do a little bit of extra advertising for your company, too. Many of these gifts are ideal for a wide variety of businesses, so don’t overlook these if you’re not in a directly related industry.
Mouse Mats
Mouse mats are very effective promotional items—they’re large items with a great-sized print area, and your design choices are virtually unlimited. You can even choose mouse mats in specific shapes, or have your own choice of shape custom-designed to your specifications.
Computer Mice
The mice themselves are a little more limited in terms of the different varieties available but there is still a good amount of choices to make your selection from. Wired, cordless and optical varieties are available, as well as a unique mouse that contains an interior pocket filled with an eye-catching liquid gel. Each is supplied with both PS2 and USB connectors, so you’ll have no need to worry about any compatibility issues with these items.
Mobile Phone Accessories
Mobile phone holders and cradles and other small accessories are a great choice of promotional item. These are inexpensive items that will create a big impact—so many people have mobile phones these days that these promotional items are sure to be appreciated. Other options include battery chargers and hands-free mobile phone kits.
CD Holders
These are a useful and popular gift that is available in a wide range of prices and styles. Choose from inexpensive wallet-style holders to pricier items that offer an increased level of protection.
USB Drives and Drive Holders
USB Flash drives are an increasingly popular promotional item as prices for this relatively new technology drop. Particularly useful are those that can be attached to a key ring, making them easy and convenient to transport, with little risk of losing or forgetting the item.
Digital Cameras and Personal MP3 Players
These are both ideal leisure gifts that people will enjoy receiving and using. Digital cameras in particular have been through significant price drops over the last few years; some varieties are available for between ¤2.00 and ¤3.00, making them a very affordable promotional item.
Personal Organizers
At the upper end of the price scale, electronic personal organizers are sure to be used and appreciated by a wide range of people. Starting at just under ¤11.00 per item, these include a huge variety of functions, including a world time clock, telephone and address book, alarm, calculator and currency converter, metric conversion function, as well as a game mode. The item comes with a convenient storage pouch, too.
Laptop Bags
Laptop bags are a great choice for general use as well as industry events such as conferences, where they can make an ideal substitute for more conventional conference bags. There’s a great variety available, with plenty of options for extra storage, as well as a range of carry options such as brief case-style bags and rucksacks.
Article Tags: Promotional Items
2012年11月27日星期二
How Much Are You Worth Consulting Fees
How much is your time and expertise worth' Its the age old challenge for consultants: how much do I bill my clients' Sadly, there is no set in stone answer, however, here are some tips that will help you establish your rates.
First, lets look at your client's needs. Why are they hiring an outside consultant, when they have employees' There are several reasons why your client is interested in hiring you as a consultant:
a) third party opinion - employees know where their bread is buttered, so they are less inclined to go against the current direction of the company. As an outsider, there is no concern with offering a different opinion. Your independent opinion can provide a much needed, focused perspective your client's company needs.
b) you are cheaper - this is what is normally the hardest for new consultants to understand. How can you command $75/hr when your client has reps working for $20/hr. It normally ends up with the consultant charging a lower rates. No more!
The employee:
$20.00 Hourly rate
$ 7.00 Fringe Benefits @ 35%
$10.00 Overhead rate at 50% (computers, office space etc)
$37.00 Total effective pay rate
Hours per year: 2080... Annual salary $76960
The contractor:
$75.00 Hourly rate
Hours per year: 480 (12 weeks, 3 months worth of work).... Cost of completing the project: $36000
Your client gets the project completed quicker, and you end up saving them over 50%.
c) expertise in a specific area - you clearly can bring something that no other person on their team can. That's why they called you. As the expert in your chosen field, you can meet your clients needs with quickness and efficiency.
d) motivated to get job done on time, and likely, on budget - your work becomes your reputation. If you take too long, or go over budget, you wont see any future business from your client. However, provide the customer with what they need, under promise and over deliver, and not only will you retain your client for future business, you will get referrals. That's motivation that no employee has.
Now that you know what is motivating your client, you have the groundwork to start to establish your rates. As show in the second reason for hiring a consultant, while your hourly rate may appear to be more than their employees, it actually works out to be less expensive. Any fears or unease that you have in commanding a hire rate than their employees should now be eased. However, how much more can you charge'
Who is your competition'
Establish what their rates are, and then confirm what can they offer. Can you honestly provide more services, better customer service and come under budget or on time' If your competitors can provide more than you, you'll find that you may only be able to compete with a lower rate. However, if you can offer more, and have the proven results to back up that claim, you can justify a higher rate.
One key factor to remember is that if you charge a lower rate than your customer, you open yourself up to clients who will demand more of your time (it doesn't cost them as much as your competition). This may lead to finishing projects past due and scheduling conflicts with other clients. So while you may be able to charge an extra $40 per hour for example, you may end up losing clients, and worse, having client demands cut into your personal time.
If you bill a higher rate, you may surprisingly find that you get better clients, and more referrals. If you can justify a higher rate, your clients will be very specific with you in terms of what their needs are (saving you time). Clients who are willing to pay a higher rate, will referral other clients who are willing to pay a higher rate.
Your rate will impact the amount of business you receive. One term successful consultants learn very early is to understand the concept of value billing. Instead of billing by the hour (which many of your clients will be leery of), consider billing by the project.
By negotiating an amount the client will pay based on the project, you can establish milestones at which payments will be made, and provide added motivation to get the job done and the client signed off quicker. If the project is going to take you 10 hours, consider negotiating an amount for 1.5 to 2x your normal hourly rate. If you get the job done in 5 hours, you get paid the full amount, not for 5 hours. The client is happy because they know what the cost ceiling is, and most importantly, the project is delivered early.
Another benefit of value billing is that you can set up milestones whereby you can get paid. If you advise your client that the project will be completed in say, 6 weeks, and comprise of 3 phases, you can receive payment from them when each phase is complete. Finish early, you get paid early and your client is happy. Finish behind schedule and your client isnt paying for work that isn't complete yet.
This method helps to improve your cash flow. This is key for any self employed consultant.
So, how much are you worth now'
2012年11月26日星期一
How To Brand Your Web Site
What's your favorite search engine'
Mine used to be Infoseek. For a while Infoseek was the only
search engine I used, and the name "Infoseek" was fixed on
my mind as the place to go whenever I wanted to find
something on the Internet.
But I could care less about Infoseek nowadays.
I never use it anymore.
After Disney bought Infoseek in 1998, they changed the name
to Go. "Alright", you might say, "can't you take a name
change'" Well, problem is, it wasn't just a name change, it
was a total elimination of the Infoseek brand.
The whole visuals of the site were changed, and what's even
worse, the Go site became an entertainment oriented
search engine. It was still a search engine, but it neither
looked nor felt the same as good old Infoseek (and the
search results were not the same as before).
Infoseek was struggling, which is why Disney bought it. But
it was still a heck of a brand name, an asset which Disney
completely neglected. The result is that a lot of people who
used Infoseek before have now switched to other search
engines.
In fact, the brand kill was so destructive that Go
doesn't maintain its own index anymore (it serves results
from GoTo). Infoseek/Go is as good as dead, and the
brand change by Disney had without a doubt a profound role
in the failure.
What can be learnt from this' Well, first point: branding is
very important. It can make or break a business venture.
Second point: branding is psychological. It exists in the
minds of customers and prospects. When I say, "Image is
nothing. Thirst is everything", I can bet that the name of a
popular fizzy lemonade will pop up in your mind. That's the
power of branding for you.
And third point: repeated exposure to the brand is vital to
producing a successful brand. When the Infoseek brand was
gone, the search engine somehow lost its "meaning".
And just to make it absolutely clear what Web branding
really is, here's a short definition:
The purpose of branding is to get people to recall your
company/product/service from memory. The ultimate aim is to
get people to trust you more than the competition, and to
think of your Web site before they think of the
competition's Web site.
Branding isn't just for the big companies. It's just as
important to the small business entrepreneur, especially
online business owners. With cutthroat competition on the
Web, those who don't brand will probably go out of
business.
Here are several hands-on branding strategies for you to
apply to your own Web site, using your business name and
your own name:
1. Repetition - This is very important: keep all of your
design elements the same from page to page. Most
importantly, display your logo at the top of each page,
consistently throughout your Web site. Your Web site must
have its own distinct "feel".
2. Newsletter/Ezine - Use your mailing list to push your
domain name and slogan (consisting of your Unique Selling
Proposition). If you have an ezine, create a header that
contains your domain name and your slogan. Use this same
header in all issues of your ezine.
3. Domain name - Use your domain name as your brand. Put it
on all of your stationary (letter heads, business cards,
post cards, statements, etc.).
4. Signature file - Implement your USP into your signature
file, so with every email you send visitors will be further
exposed to your brand. Check out the help file of your email
software for more on setting up sig files.
5. Thank you pages - If you have online forms (for visitors
to contact you, request more information, subscribe to your
newsletter etc.), you most likely have a "thank you" page
where you thank visitors for using your form. This is an
excellent place to position your logo and slogan. Don't
clutter with lots of banners and marketing material. Keep it
plain and simple.
6. Ebooks - Create free books on subjects of interest to
your visitors and allow them to re-distribute to their own
visitors. Brand your ebook with your logo, domain name and
slogan on every page of the ebook (also consider including
your own name).
7. Publish free articles - With thousands of new Web sites
and ezines popping up in Web land every month, the demand
for high quality content is immense. You can provide
articles for other webmasters/editors to publish on their
Web sites/ezines. At the end of your article put your name
and a link to your Web site, with short teaser copy to get
people to click on your link (offer a free book,
subscription to your ezine or some other enticing offer -
see my resource box at the end for an example). This is free
publicity at its best - not only will you get traffic back
to your Web site; you'll also add status and credibility to
your name (provided your article is of high quality). Visit
the following sites to submit your articles:
- e-zinez/articles/index.html
- ideamarketers/
- ezinearticles/
8. Autoresponders - These are emails that are sent
automatically to anyone who requests them (triggered by
sending them an email). Autoresponders are great as they
work 24 hours a day without any intervention on your part.
Use them to send visitors free reports, articles, list of
links, etc. And add your branding copy (logo, name, slogan,
USP etc.) at the top and bottom of the autoresponder
message, with a link back to your Web site. Nowadays all
good Web hosts provide their customers with free
autoresponders.
If you don't brand, you'll have a hard time surviving on the
Web. If you do brand - properly - you'll have a hard time
not laughing all the way to the bank. And as shown by the
above tips, online branding is not hard to do. Just
implement the tips and you'll be well on your way.
2012年11月24日星期六
Potentially the world's most famous higher conclu
2012年11月23日星期五
Stand Out and Be Counted!
Your business isn’t like any other business on the net. Sure, you
may offer the same kinds of products or services that many
others do but that’s where the similarity should end.
Your business should reflect your personality and your values. If
it doesn’t you have nothing to offer that can’t be found on a
thousand other sites. If you want to be successful you have to
make sure your customers see the difference between you and
your competition.
If, for example, you sell ebooks why should someone buy an
ebook on your site rather than on my site' The product is the
same isn’t it' So what makes your ebooks better than mine'
Probably nothing!
It’s how you present it . . .
If what you sell isn’t unique you have to present it in a way that
is. There are several ways you can do this.
• Unique Selling Point (USP)
Find the one major thing that sets you apart from your
competition. Maybe you offer a 30-day money back
guarantee on all of your ebooks. Maybe you include a
special report with each purchase. Maybe your prices are
always discounted. Whatever your USP is, make sure you
promote it consistently and effectively.
• Sales copy that sizzles . . .
If your sales copy sounds just like everyone else’s why
would anyone want to read it, much less respond to it' If
your ad copy or sales page doesn’t excite your prospects,
your business is dead in the water. It’s critical that you
either learn to write stand-out copy or invest in the
services of a good copywriter.
• An inviting website . . .
Your website is your store or office; make sure it’s
welcoming and comfortable. You don’t need to create a
flashy website just one that looks professional and makes your
visitors feel confident about buying from you.
There is one feature that’s worth its weight in gold. That’s
YOU! Personalize your site . . . include a photo and
information about yourself. This is the only way your
visitors can get to know you. In order to trust you they
have to feel they know you. So tell them your story,
honestly and warmly. It will increase your sales!
Your business depends on your integrity so make sure you
treat your visitors with respect and honesty. Don’t promise
them anything you can’t deliver. Publish your policies and
stick to them. Make sure that everything on your site
reflects your honesty and integrity. Deserve to be trusted!
• Outstanding service . . .
Give your customers more than they expect!
Let them know how important they are to you. Listen to
what they have to say. Take care of their questions or
problems immediately and courteously. Stand behind your
product or service 100%. Issue any necessary refunds
quickly and with a smile.
If it’s possible add a personal touch to your customer
service. Send a little thank-you note via email ~ don’t rely
solely on your thank-you page to do it for you. Check back
with them later to find out if they’re satisfied and if there
is anything else you can do for them.
Make your customers feel special and they’ll come back
again and again.
Don’t be satisfied with a poor imitation . . .
Your business should be just as unique as you are! If you’re going
to the time, trouble and expense of building a business make sure
it reflects the things that are important to you. Unless you bring
your dreams and personal creativity into your business and brand
it as only you can, you’ll never feel the pride of ownership you
need to be successful.
Your business starts out like an empty canvas on which you can
paint anything you want. Give it thought, give it soul and give it
life ~ make it your own unique creation.
Article Tags: Make Sure
2012年11月21日星期三
Can you speak fluent gibberish Then advertising is the job for you!
Article Tags: Other Forms
2012年11月17日星期六
To ensure the schoolbags could be known as a vey
2012年11月9日星期五
Lead Generation 4 Basic Steps To Automate Your System
Before you invest time and money into generating leads you must have an automated system in place to deal with them. This will streamline the process and set you up for a profitable ongoing relationship with your prospective clients. Otherwise many a contact will slip by without making a real connection with you and you will have lost that opportunity, maybe forever.
Then you can focus your efforts, both on-line and off-line and simply invite your potential clients to take the first step of getting to know you.
That first step will be to respond to your invitation and your primary goal is to obtain their contact details.
So no matter where you "meet" a potential client you will have one simple process to invite them into. A process that is not only automated but strategically designed to deliver warm leads into your marketing funnel.
Here are the 4 basic steps to follow to automate your lead generation system.
Create a free tantalizing offer
Giving your prospective client a free taste or sample of your expertise is the quickest way to capture quality leads that you can later turn into sales. This is the start of your relationship not a catch and kill exercise.
The idea is to provide good quality content that will have them wanting more – in exchange for their contact details.
Your free taste could be a downloadable PDF special report or MP3 recording, or even a series you can deliver one at a time. Or you could create a shippable product in hard printed copy, CD or DVD and capture their mailing address as well.
By themselves, newsletters are no longer exciting enough to fill this role but will make a valuable added bonus for signing up for your free taste.
Create a web pick up point
If you have a website great. You can simply add an opt-in box to your home page or better still, every page. Ideally position it in the banner but at least close enough to the top to appear without scrolling down.
Do the same on your blog for wider reach.
If you don't have a website at least create a squeeze page which is simply a single webpage with your story and an invitation to sign up for your free taste with an opt-in box. The "squeeze" is they don't get your free taste without leaving their details.
Set up an autoresponder
An autoresponder is the system behind the opt-in box and can be within your shoppingcart or standalone. It automatically collects the details and immediately sends a welcome email that you have prepared including the access details to get your free offer.
But don't expect one email to be enough. Develop a series and deliver a daily message for the first 7 to 10 days relevant to your free taste.
And the good news is your autoresponder will follow this complete process automatically, every time, so you can set and forget.
Then keep in touch at least every 2 weeks with either your newsletter or other broadcast emails and special announcements.
Promote your free offer at every opportunity
You could be speaking from the platform, on a teleseminar or webinar, writing articles, blogging, in person networking or even social networking and still follow this same process.
Simply invite them to your squeeze page to get your free taste.
Make sure you have the invitation and web address (url) on the back of your business card, all your printed handouts, in the author's box on your article submissions as well as your social network sites. In fact give it out at every opportunity whether written or spoken and invite people to take up your free offer.
That's it. The basic 4 step system to automate your lead generation process to deliver a steady stream of warm leads into your inbox.
Article Tags: Basic Steps, Free Taste
2012年11月6日星期二
Buying cheap gucci bag and the real gucci handbags!
2012年11月5日星期一
Sticky Sites Rule The Internet
Read through the hundreds of forums and bulletin boards on the internet and you will find dozens of threads centering on the lack of web site traffic. All the other remaining threads bemoan the difficulty of getting visitors to return long enough to buy something. Then there are the threads about the complexity of getting listed and ranked well in important search engines.
All of these dilemmas have the same cure - CONTENT. Content that is pertinent to the subject of a website and updated regularly makes a site "sticky." Sticky sites drive and keep occupied all the visitors you could possibly handle. Search engines drink from the fountain of fresh and interesting content provided by savvy webmasters who enjoy increased rankings and sales.
You too can enjoy these benefits with just a little effort and a small budget if you create or find content appropriate to your topic. Add some or all of the following types of content to your site and your traffic will increase and visitors will return often.
Articles - There is no doubt that free reprint articles are the best way to populate websites. You can maximize the benefits of articles by writing them yourself or by offering a small fee to writers for customized versions of their popular articles.
Quotes - An interesting set of quotes on topic will help motivate and inspire visitors. Add and delete quotes regularly to keep your site fresh. Find quotes at annabelle/ and brainyquote/.
Puzzles - People love games and puzzles. Appeal to the child that exists inside all of your visitors and they will reward you with their time and attention. One place to get a new monthly puzzle is tinyurl/6spgk. Consider investing a small sum to have a custom crossword puzzle developed for your site.
Forums - Follow in the footsteps of successful websites by adding free forums to your site. Check out forum software at yabbforum/ and phpbb Ask loyal visitors to serve as moderators for specific topic threads.
Feedback/Guestbook - Allow visitors to ask questions or comment on an issue raised by your site or your blog. Make this information public (so long as it is in good taste) and searchable by visitors.
Reviews - Unbiased reviews are universally popular. Add reviews of books, software, hardware, scripts, movies, television shows, schools or spas to your site and visitors will return again and again.
Case Studies/Success Stories - Everyone loves a success story. Interview your best customers and add their stories to your website to bolster your credibility and satisfy your content needs. Be careful to make the success story interesting and motivational rather than commercial.
Jokes - A sense of humor is often lacking on the internet. Imagine how impressed you would be by an attorney who has such a good sense of humor that he keeps all the best attorney jokes on his website. Follow in the footsteps of that attorney and visitors will look forward to visiting your site.
Newsfeeds - Does your site cover a topic that frequently generates breaking news' Add current news to your site via feeds available at such websites as news4sites/services/index.php't=sites and enjoy a higher rate of return visits from your readers.
Resource Directories - Instead of the usual reciprocal link campaign consider adding a resource directory to your site that actually points your visitors to valuable sites that complement your own. List only the sites you choose and do not incur search engine wrath by insisting upon reciprocal links. All links in the directory should open to a new browser window.
Newsletter Archives - You don't have to recreate the wheel and attempt to create a huge list for your newsletter. Offer regular updates by e-mail or blog to current and potential clients and include links to pertinent articles or resources. Keep archives publicly accessible and search engines will visit often.
Blogs - Why should you jump on the current trend of blogging' Search engines adore blogs and visit them often because they tend to be updated frequently. You can use a blog to replace your e-mail newsletter and to feature your product or service reviews and other bits of pertinent information that do not merit a special e-mail to your customers.
Job Listings - Consider adding fresh job listings to your site that fit your topic. For instance, you could feature telecommuting jobs if your site topic is "work at home." Make sure you have the permission of the employer prior to posting their openings on your site.
Testimonials - Request testimonials form current and past clients and sprinkle them throughout your website. Remove outdated testimonials and add fresh ones on a regular basis. Give your clients live links (opening in a new browser window) to their website within the testimonial.
Please remember that you need permission to use content created by someone else and at all times follow the rules of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998. You can read the full text of this law at thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z'c105:H.R.2281.ENR:.
The internet was conceived as a method of sharing information with people around the world. If we all return to these roots by filling our websites with topic appropriate content then we will be rewarded by search engines. Forums complaining about the lack of website traffic will disappear and be replaced by recommendations of interesting websites to visit.
(c) 2005, Davis Virtual Assistance. All rights in all media reserved.
2012年11月2日星期五
Saying Yes To Business (and Income) Within Your Reach is a MUST!
Have you ever felt on the door step of something BIG in your business' That the next level is just within your grasp, and contemplate if you have what it takes to make it happen' Or wonder if you can actually handle it' I had started to observe this with students and clients of mine.
I started to wonder, “Why is everyone so afraid of the next level' Why don’t we just reach out and make it happen'"After some reflection it dawned on me that my clients were essentially holding a mirror up to me, as deep inside I have been feeling the same fear of leaving my current comfort zone for something much bigger.
Things have been going great in this business but I still had this nagging feeling that the next big leap was about to show up. Plus it seemed like the universe was telling me to step up my personal growth. ‘Healer, heal thyself’, I saw how to teach others about this ‘marketing stuff’ and to help them to just ‘get it’ but I had to surrender to what was possible for me. You would think this would be easy, but somehow, for both my clients and for me it’s still a challenge.
I questioned whether I was ‘willing’ to do what it takes, whether I had the courage to go the next step. Have you ever felt that way' But we all have a destiny for greatness. It can be a little scary to tackle a big idea. The calling for our next stage of growth and success is always upon us. There is a journey that you are being asked to take, something big and exciting. But instead of embracing the journey, we often say to ourselves, ‘Who am I to do this' I don’t have what it takes. I’m not good enough for that.’ But the truth is, we must come to the realisation that we are all called to do something great. Whether it’s in our business, in service to others, in our income and abundance, it doesn’t have to be hard work and it is ok that we are not presently the person able to deliver that destiny. But we will grow into it if we say ‘yes’ to the challenge. That’s all it takes. The universe does not call the qualified, it qualifies the called, through the ‘yes’.
The important thing to note is that the person who says YES to the call, will not be the same person who delivers that destiny. We are constantly evolving and unfolding based on our ability and willingness to say ‘yes, I’m willing to go on this journey’. When you say yes to that call to reach the next big level you begin to receive the resources, the skills, the guidance, the money…. Everything begins to show up. And then you change and grow into the person able to deliver the destiny…
The struggle comes when the ego steps in and tries to protect the comfort zone. The ‘old’ way for many is the struggle and frustration. Why are we so adamant about holding to frustration' Because it’s what you’ve been accustomed to for many years, it’s the only thing you know. Anything else requires change and for most people they don’t like change or stepping outside of their comfort zone.
The thing is… to reach that next level of greatness you must be willing to step outside of your comfort zone and be willing to make the changes. There is no other way. In fact, if the change is not made, things may become even more difficult, more complicated and more struggles come up.
But you know what, you DO have what’s needed to take your business to the next level. What I know from past experience is that the ‘fear of change and the unknown’ is much greater than the actual discomfort of walking into the fear.
It’s your choice: Mediocrity or..... GREATNESS! Which do you want in your life and your business'
Louis Vuitton Handbags-Irrefutable Elegance
Louis Vuitton Handbags-Irrefutable Elegance
Louis Vuitton handbags, as we know, are the king of the designer handbag. The unique design concept of the Louis Vuitton handbags meets a lot of women's needs. Along with the new fashion element add to the Louis Vuitton handbags, more and more people start purchase fro the special bags, and there is a lot of replica ones were appeared on the market, so how elegance the designer handbag is. Well, you may surprises everyone how meticulously the replica manufacturers work only when you lay your hands on a replica purse or handbags, besides being almost there, they also sell for cheapest price, almost always a fraction of the prices of actual Louis Vuitton. It is also true that the popularity of Louis Vuitton and its irrefutable status is causal of the excessive rise in demand for competing brands as well as replica handbags. Of course, could be another reason for all of you looking out for knockout designs; a stunning replica Louis Vuitton handbags appears on the stands no sooner than a new Louis Vuitton arrives in the market. Accepted, you can't justify duplication but it is how the world is and for all those wanting to feel like on top of the world.However be cautious, genuine Louis Vuitton handbags are available in finest leather which replica makers adapt to a little extent but they are never made in plastic; watch out, plastic pieces may be outright fake pieces. Wherever possible, check imitation handbags with genuine Louis Vuitton and satisfy yourself that whether they live up to the star quality the serious replica purses stand for.Like the canvas, accessories and finally the leather are out of this world and carry almost the same look and feel as original Louis Vuitton. Replicas are here to stay and chances are, your purchase may be as good as original Louis Vuitton, if you are in luck.I am sure that the wallets handbags of the Louis Vuitton single handedly capable of boosting your image; the timeless elegance which adds to you it is obvious that will make you look more charm. Such unique design of the Louis Vuitton handbags bring a new look to those who carry it, so what are you waiting for Why not buy one popular style just the timeInternet