MarketingMoment

Just made my first ever video. It’s called “The BIG Question…” and you can watch it: http://bit.ly/do6wUg

Or here on this blog:

Would love to know what you think. (Be gentle!) 

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The lead article in MediaMinister’s latest newsletter, Communiqué for Success, shows you how to get make sure 2010 starts off on the right path for your business. To read “2010 and the Top Marketing Insights For Business” as well as the rest of the ezine, please sign up first. (You can unsubscribe at any time, and I NEVER abuse my subscriber’s email address. Your details are safe with me.)

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The lead article in MediaMinister’s latest newsletter, Communiqué for Success, takes a look at ten of the major lessons learned in marketing, and how they can help ANY entrepreneur or business-owner when the calendar turns to the next decade. To read, please sign up first. (You can unsubscribe at any time, and I NEVER abuse my subscriber’s email address. Your details are safe with me.)

There are also TWO reader giveaways to help sort out both your personal and your business life. Oh, it all makes me feel like Mrs Santa Claus right now!

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The lead article in MediaMinister’s latest newsletter, Communiqué for Success, shows you how to get the ‘X factor’ for your business and ensure that YOUR products or services stay in demand. To read, please sign up first. (You can unsubscribe at any time, and I NEVER abuse my subscriber’s email address. Your details are safe with me.)

Subscribe here.

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Choosing a good business name is important not just for the legalities of operating a business, but also for making sure your prospective buyers choose you instead of your competitors.

Some experts say that your business name is the first thing that any potential customer will notice and is therefore more important than your sales pitch or even your end product.

I wouldn’t necessarily go that far, but it is certainly true that the name you choose will strike either the right – or wrong – tone with your potential customers.

Successful organisations don’t just invest in developing good names, they work hard to develop a brand name. Because, over time, a brand is capable of doing the selling for you…

People remember a good business name. So what does yours say about you?

A lot of ‘modern’ business names either use the name of the person (if it’s a consultant, for example), which is fine, or they play on words.

I’m not a huge fan of using a play on words in a business name. My feeling is that it doesn’t make the name any more memorable (which is presumably the intention), and it can look a little on the conceited, self-important side.

Another mistake is putting the personal element in a business name. You’d do a LOT better if you chose a name that immediately gets across what you sell or do, and perhaps how you stand apart from the competition.

Speaking personally, if I were to choose my own business name again, I would choose something that adds more of a perceived value, without being ‘cutesy’ about it.

A good business name should be short, unique, memorable, distinctive, catchy and, more importantly, easy to remember and to spell!

When you do settle on a name, make sure you do a search on the internet, just to make sure you are not unintentionally offending someone – often words translated into a different language or culture can really mean something else! Finally, make sure you always consider the legal ramifications of your chosen company name.

If you want professional help with finding and selecting the right business name, just let me know. Prices start from just £97 for up to five original names from which to choose.

Copyright, T L Dooley. All Rights Reserved.

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If you’re about to pitch a news item or a article idea to a newspaper or magazine editor, then you really need to stand out from the crowd. Journalists are tired of seeing the same old stories. So aim for the offbeat and more unusual angles. Just a small ‘twist’ on an otherwise ‘everyday’ idea can be enough. For example, if you’re a fitness coach, try sending out a list of the “Seven Worst Things You Can Do While Exercising”, instead of the seven best.

(Originally published in Communiqué for Success, a bi-weekly newsletter published by MediaMinister. Subscribe here for your free copy and business-building gifts.)

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According to an interview with Kelly Goto, author of Web ReDesign 2.0: Workflow that Works, the three most common website re-design mistakes are:

1. Failing to hire someone specifically to write the content.
2. Not having a clearly defined brand ‘vision’.
3. Having no, or inefficient, specific measurable goals.

It never ceases to amaze me how a company can spend a fortune on flash design, but will bear little regard for the actual content.

The thing is, while a flash intro page is often pretty to look at, the search-engine spiders usually just pass it by. Yet if that page was full of relevant, quality copy, they would no doubt pick up key words and phrases and rank them in the engines.

You really can’t put a high enough monetary value on good writing. And to get that, you have to either have or bring in someone who has the necessary experience and skills. This applies whether you are creating a website from scratch or vamping up an existing one.

One essential tip for creating effective content is to imagine your ideal customer saying, “So what?” and “What’s in it for me?” As you write, be sure to answer both.

Whatever you do, don’t get so engrossed in describing your business, products and features that you fail to appeal to the visitor specifically.

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I’m often asked if my blog works on a business level, and whether it’s “worth it” in the short and long term.

I say yes! For me, keeping a blog works on several different levels. As well as being good for business (some clients have found me via my blog), it helps to keep up the traffic on my main website . There’s also the all-important creative element – as a writer, it’s important to find some creativity in everyday writings. Well, you could sometimes call my writing more of a rambling, but I do try.

With MarketingMoment, my aim is to combine revealing the core of who I am with good, solid content that is useful for those times when one thinks, “Help! I need new business – and fast!”

To make it worthwhile, I’d say you really need to be posting to your blog at least once per week. Ideally more. (I initially aimed for 2-4 posts per week, but soon found that running two businesses and wearing all hats for each meant that I had to settle for a more realistic 1-3 posts per week.) And for ideas for your blog, keep in mind your target market at all times.

Remember: there is no business with customers. And a blog helps you attract and keep in touch with current and potential customers.

What about you? Do you have a blog? If so, why, and how is it for you?

Possibly related posts:

• Does More Equal Less?
• Blogging IS Big Business
• English Corner: Which Is It?

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1. Create a brand. Print up small but important things such as business cards with a professional logo to present a good image.
2. Ramp up online. Websites today are one of the most important tools when creating a business. Make sure you establish yourself on the internet so that customers have somewhere to learn about you.
3. Make your first sale. The first sale is always the hardest, but once you have the ball rolling, there will be no stopping you.
4. Customer testimonials. Start building the credibility of your business from day one. Get customers to write up a testimonial. And be sure to seek permission to use any unsolicited praise.
5. Build a campaign. Be creative. Quantify on any good opportunity that comes your way; anything from a special promotion to a big event can be used in the campaign to get your name out there.

Source: Start Your Business magazine, issue 14, p28

Possibly related posts: 

• Little-Used Customer Acquisition Tip
• 5 Tips For Better HomeWorking
• What’s In a Business Name?

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I can teach you all the marketing strategies in the world, but if you’re not making time for marketing, then you may as well close shop. Harsh words, perhaps, but most definitely sound advice in the business world of today.

More so than ever before, your main job in business is to tell the world what you have to offer. You simply HAVE to make time to market it . . . again and again . . . despite what is going on around you. Unless you want to end up ‘broke’, that is.  

By doing some marketing every day — no matter how seemingly negligible   — I am able to keep in front of my current and potential clients. If you think you don’t need to do any marketing (what? In this economy?!), or you can’t find the time for it, then think again.

Marketing is something that ALL businesses — no matter how big or small — absolutely MUST invest in. Without a doubt. Especially in today’s overcrowded trading environment. 

And particularly if you need WANT to ride the wave of the current economic wave, and come out plain sailing at the other end… 

Rather stick a pencil in your eye than tackle that HUGE marketing task? 

Split it into smaller, more achievable chunks.

For example, rather than thinking of having to build an entire website, complete with 30 pages or more, start by working out exactly *what* you want visitors to do once they land on your website. Or spend a few hours searching for websites that you like the look and feel of for ideas and inspiration. 

  

To read more tips to help you get your marketing machine revved up and raring to go, and gain *hidden links* to recent CfS newsletter editions, become a CfS subscriber. As well as being FREE, you’ll receive a business-building report and audio CD that can dramatically improve sales simply for signing up and trying it out.   

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Recent CfS newsletter issues cover:

• 5 Ways to Get ANY Business Out of a Slump
• How to Get People to Buy From You
• Create a Buzz for Your Business With Twitter
• Can the X Factor Help Your Business?
• Be a Client Magnet
• Recession-Proof Your Business
• Stand Apart from ‘Me-Too’ Competitors
• Stop! Don’t Post that Letter!
• Common Mistakes that Can Kill Business

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Want to use this in your ezine, blog or website? No problem! Just let me know. I’ll send you a short resource box/bio to include.