MarketingMoment

Fellow blogger and marketer Karen Purves has published a fantastic post on 2010 predictions.

You can read it here.

I’d like to add just one (to keep the list short and simple): transparency. Marketing has been moving away from hype to authenticity, and I think being more transparent in business is key. By being as upfront and as genuine as you can be, you’re more likely to attract higher-caliber clients and customers.

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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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Do you struggle with your marketing? Or perhaps you need to increase the response of your advertising or your website?

Well, take a leaf from Socrates’ book (or clay tablet, as it was centuries ago)…

Socrates was perhaps the greatest master of persuasion. His tactic was to get people to agree with him, or concede their side of the argument, belief, or debate, by getting them to say “yes”. He would do this by asking questions that people would simply have to answer in the affirmative. And he’d do this over and over until they agreed with him!

How does this help you?

By getting your prospects to agree with your statements or questions, then each time they do they are one step closer to becoming a buyer.

Why not try this ‘Socrates Method’ in your advertising and marketing, and see what happens? Oh, and feel free to report any findings here.

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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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The lead article in MediaMinister’s latest newsletter, Communiqué for Success, is entitled, “The Most Crucial Business Skill of Them All”. To read, please sign up first.

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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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No matter how much doom and gloom greets us on a daily basis, the fact of the matter is that businesses and consumers are STILL BUYING. But what if you don’t have a steady flow of potential buyers in the first place?

The lead article in MediaMinister’s latest newsletter, Communiqué for Success, can help turn any solopreneur practice or small business into a systematic lead-generating workhorse.

To read the full article and gain *hidden links* to recent CfS newsletter editions, you’ll have to become a subscriber. (That’s a good thing, by the way, or so CfS readers tell me!) 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.

Subscribe here.

Recent CfS newsletter issues cover:

Subscribe here.

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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.   

Subscribe here.  

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

 Subscribe here.

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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.