Hi All!

Back in 2012  I wrote a blog post entitled “Do You Suffer from Social ‘Me’dia Syndrome?”. It was picked up by tons of other blogs and also led to my being asked to write variations of it for several online business communities and magazines. I bring this up because yesterday I spoke to a good friend of mine who was asking me about Social Media tips. After my chat with her I realized that it was a good time to revisit this topic in 2012. Why? Because MANY people are still clueless about proper Social Media etiquette!

Here’s the deal…you have to participate to make it work for you. If you make it all “about you”, you’ve lost the entire essence of what Social Media is about! I find that many new clients who come to me are not getting much out of their Social Media and online marketing efforts because they’ve forgotten ONE little detail…they forgot about the word “social” in their Social Media strategy.

Here are a few tips that will quickly illustrate my point:

1. Comment on other peoples’ blog posts. If you have a blog and want people to comment on your posts, you have to comment on OTHER peoples’ blog posts to start generating traffic to yours. It’s simple: If you read a blog post you like or have an opinion on, don’t just “keep it to yourself”. POST A COMMENT!

2. Retweet other peoples’ tweets: If you like a tweet from someone else, take a split second to click on the retweet button to share it with your followers. That’s why the retweet icon exists! To SHARE info with everyone and help cross-promote each other to help increase awareness for other people. It’s amazing how much more tweet-love and traffic you’ll get if you retweet, reply and comment on other peoples’ tweets. AGAIN…it’s part of being “social” in tweet-ville…and it’s part of Social Media etiquette!

3. Comment or Like other peoples’ posts on Facebook or in LinkedIn Groups: If you want more people to comment and/or click on the “like” button on your Fan Page or Profile posts, then do it more for other people! It takes less than one second to click “like” under someone’s post and sometimes just a couple of seconds to write a comment. Again, if you see a post that you like or find interesting, rather than just THINK to yourself, “That’s funny!” or “That’s cool!” or “That’s interesting!” or “That’s really helpful info!”, move your cursor up to the word “like” under it and simply click. Or type a short comment to acknowledge what that person posted!

This may all sounds like common sense BUT it’s NOT common practice…which is why millions of social media hobbyists and small business owners are involved in Social Media but frustrated with it. They constantly just focus on posting stuff about THEM, their businesses, their products or events, their books, their families, their vacations, their kids, the songs they like, food they like to eat, etc., but they rarely take the time to acknowledge what other people post and share online.

So…here’s my challenge to YOU: If any of this describes how YOU participate in the world of Social Media, make “improve my Social Media etiquette in 2012″ one of YOUR resolutions in the new year! You’ll be pleased with the results and will truly be participating the way the world of Social Media was intended!

Cheers & Happy Marketing!

Lisa

As small business owners, entrepreneurs or solo-practitioners, it’s critical for you (us!) to be smart with our finances…not only for security now, but for our retirement futures.

Because of my new book on Amazon, Boomers into Business: How Anyone Over 50 Can Turn What They Know into Dough Before and After Retirement, I’ve been sharing a lot of shocking stats lately pertaining to the dire financial situation Boomers are facing.

Here’s one worth repeating: 47.2% of Boomers are at risk of outliving their retirement savings!

Based on shocking facts like that, I was very interested in Jonathan Chevreau’s book, Findependence Day. It’s an interesting twist on a typical financial tips books. Why? Because it’s actually a novel, based on a love story, and throughout the book Jonathan shares financial tips, advice and strategies!

So, if you’re looking for a book to help you get a grip on your finances, but are bored with the standard “dry” financial advice non-fiction books out there, this is a terrific alternative to check out!

But why is Jonathan qualified to provide us with financial advice? Here’s a brief snapshot:

Jonathan Chevreau has been the personal finance columnist for the Financial Post since 1996 and for the National Post since its debut in 1998. Previously, he has authored or co-authored seven non-fiction financial books, including The Wealthy Boomer.

In September 2011, Jonathan was named by the OSC’s Investor Education Fund as one of five “Masters of Money,” where he contributes a weekly blog.

Also, here is a fun interview with Jonathan that will provide you with more info about his book and how he came up with the interesting concept:

Back in 2008, when Findependence Day was originally launched, I conducted an “Interview with Myself” posted on the Wealthy Boomer blog. This is a little trick I learned from British writer Malcolm Muggeridge when he was the writer in residence at Western’s Journalism School in 1978-1979.

I’d planned simply to repost that interview here but couldn’t find it on the web. Then I thought it was probably time for a followup interview anyway. So here goes:

Interviewer Jon [IJ henceforth]. So, Jon, isn’t it a bit late to launch a web site three years after the book was originally published?

Author Jon [AJ henceforth]. Always with the muckraking, aren’t you journalists?

IJ: It seems a logical question.

AJ: There was a web site associated with the then-publisher, Power Publishers, which was also available as part of FinancialPost.com. But it was a static site and not much changed from month to month. This one is much more dynamic and of course you can buy books from it directly via PayPal, which means most major credit cards.

IJ: That’s about the only way you can get it now?

AJ: Almost. It used to be in Chapters, its web site and Amazon.com. You may still be able to get used copies via those sites but not new ones like this site is making available. The other way is a special offer from the Financial Post, which is giving the book to new and lapsed subscribers if they sign up for a certain period of time.

IJ: What happened to Power Publishers?

AJ: They withdrew from book publishing around February of this year. That’s when I bought the remaining inventory.

IJ: How many?

AJ: Enough to make a decent dent in the financial literacy of our children and young adults if they were all sold and distributed across the country. Want to buy a case?

IJ: I was about to ask you the same thing! I notice on the back cover of David Chilton’s The Wealthy Barber Returns that you say it’s the kind of book the Task Force on Financial Literacy should distribute. Did you mean his book specifically, or yours?

AJ: Well, both. I don’t view sales of competing financial books as a zero-sum game. Take a look at the Reviews elsewhere on this site and you’ll see several comparisons to The Wealthy Barber.

IJ: Except his sequel is non-fiction.

AJ: Right, but he really started something with the financial fiction format of the original. It’s been widely imitated.

IJ: Including by you.

AJ: I don’t consider Findependence Day yet another Barber knockoff. I tried to advance the art in a way that’s never really been done before, to my knowledge.

IJ: How so?

AJ: Take a look at Jim Daw’s review flagged in the review section or in the book itself. He talked about the “twig of literature” of the personal finance novel.

IJ: Twig, as opposed to branch?

AJ: Right, that was very witty on Jim’s part and almost went over my head the first time I read it. But his point was that all those Chilton knock0ffs had what he termed “an aggravating sameness” to them. Most were “financial dumps” with a thin storyline and characterization. I agree with Jim: those kind of books are still coming out and I really had no intention of adding to them.

IJ: But you did.

AJ: With a significant new twist. I’d come up with the title and for a year was considering making it non-fiction. But like many journalists, there’s part of me that always wanted to try what I’d call a “real novel.” I’d written a practice novel right to the end and know more or less how it works: protagonists and villains, constant setbacks along the path to an overarching goal, setting, description, all of that. So I tried to weave the financial information into what I call “classic fictional structure.”

IJ: So you’d term Findependence Day

a “real” novel?

AJ: I wouldn’t go that far. It’s a hybrid of a real novel and a financial primer. In effect, it’s a financial love story. There’s conflict between the saver, Jamie, and his spender wife, Sheena. They disagree about having a monster home in the burbs or an affordable one downtown. Sheena wants investment real estate, Jamie wants to build a business. Eventually Sheena serves Jamie with divorce papers and he’s challenged with trying to reconcile these conflicting goals and desperately trying to save their marriage.

IJ: Does he?

AJ: If I told you, I’d have to kill us.

IJ: You feel that financial conflict is a major cause of marital breakups?

AJ: Sadly, yes, as Patricia Lovett Reid writes in the foreword.

IJ: It must have been challenging mixing genres.

AJ: Yes, which is why most traditional publishers avoid it. In fact, David Chilton himself told me he thought my story was “too good” in the sense that it took away from the financial content. But he’s been very supportive, as he generally is with other authors.

IJ: What do you mean by “classic fiction structure?”

AJ: Conflict is what keeps readers reading a regular novel. You have a protagonist, in this case Jamie, who has a long-range goal: his Findependence Day which is 22 years away when the book begins.

IJ: That’s a long time horizon for a novel.

AJ: Yes, which is why one reviewer called it a “Financial Pilgrim’s Progress.” But instead of being weighed down by sin like Bunyan’s character, Christian, Jamie and Sheena are weighed down by debt.

IJ: And you have a bad guy, Al Peters.

AJ: That too is demanded by traditional fiction structure. Because the hero can’t just get what he wants every time a scene opens or the reader would stop reading. So Al frequently thwarts Jamie, especially when they become business partners. When you break down the book, you’ll find maybe 60 sections. In each one, someone has to have a goal and — here’s the key — he or she must FAIL to achieve that mini-goal by the end of the section. Then they have to have a new goal in the next section.

IJ: Give us an example.

AJ: Sure. Early in the book, right after the TV show where the host badgers Sheena into tearing up her credit cards, there’s a scene where Jamie goes down the elevator with the financial advisor he met during the show, Theo. Jamie’s goal in that scene is to convince Theo to help him by becoming their financial advisor. But the fiction format demands that Theo refuse his request, which is what he does. He says “come back in a few years when you’ve eliminated your debt.”

IJ: And so his next goal is to find someone else who will be his advisor while he’s still in debt.

AJ: Right, which is how he comes upon the old hippie in the vinyl record store, which ultimately sets the plot moving in a new direction.

IJ: All this while trying to insert financial tips.

AJ: Yes, which is why the financial bits are always short: the moment I feel the reader may get bored, or myself as the writer, it’s time to move away from the financial instruction and on to the next aspect of the story. The result is that even if you’re already pretty financially literate, you may keep reading. Check the review from financial blogger Michael James, who could probably write all the financial bits himself in his blog. But even he admits the story got him “hooked” after the first third, and then he read the last two thirds all at one sitting some lazy Sunday morning.

IJ: There’s room for a sequel?

AJ: Maybe. I’d thought of following the daughter, Michaela, by doing a “next generation” followup. But I won’t attempt it while I’m still working full time.

IJ: So when you reach your own Findependence Day?

AJ: Precisely.

IJ: Guess that’s all the time and space we have, Jon.

AJ: I know the drill, JC. Always a pleasure.

Jim Palmer: The Newsletter Guru

Hi All!

The following guest blog post is courtesy of Jim Palmer who is internationally known as The Newsletter Guru. Jim is the premier go-to resource for maximizing the profitability of customer relationships.

So without further delay, let’s jump into his informative article, “Reverse the Risk and Explode Profits”:

I have a question for you. Why don’t more of your customers or prospects buy from you? If your answer is “because of price,” you’re probably wrong. I coach a lot of entrepreneurs and small business owners, and when our discussion turns to reasons for not buying, invariably the excuse is price. “My customers don’t say ‘yes’ more often because of price.”

In reality, customers don’t say “yes” more often because of skepticism, or lack of trust or perceived value. It’s what Zig Ziglar emphasizes as one of the five obstacles to a sale: no trust. Lack of trust is probably the biggest obstacle between your company and a sale. It’s rarely price. The reason more of your customers or prospects don’t buy from you is that you haven’t done enough to build your customers’ trust in your products or services.

Why the 30- or 60- or 90-Day Warranty Is Not Enough!

You’ve heard of Murphy’s Law: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong, usually at the worst possible moment. Well, there’s another variation of that, and it goes like this: The product will cease working exactly one day after the warranty expires. Enough of us have had that exact experience that it lends credence to the veracity of the law. We all take those 30- or 60- or 90-day warranties with a grain of salt. It makes us skeptical consumers.

Your customers are no different. They’re wondering, “What if it doesn’t work? What happens when it fails? What if I don’t get the result I was expecting?” They may be on the fence about buying from you. You’ve done a lot to move them to consider buying from you, but they’re thinking, “Yeah, I kind of like it. It sounds like it will solve my problem. I think the price is fair, but what if . . . ?”

Get rid of the “what if,” and you can close the deal. It’s easy to do. Easy? Yup. All you have to do is reverse the risk. Risk reversal means that you, the business owner, assume all the risks associated with purchasing the product (or service), so it’s going to work to your customers’ satisfaction. If they’re on the decision fence and have nothing to lose, they’re going to buy.

Let’s be clear—square one is that you must offer a high-quality product or service. That’s a given. It’s a no-brainer. Some of my coaching clients assure me that they do (and I believe them), and then they go on to tell me about their 30- or 60- or 90-day guarantee. That sort of offer simply makes people skeptical because we’ve all been burned by that warranty version of Murphy’s Law. What happens after 30 days? What happens after 60 or 90 days? When prospects wonder about that, they’re going to be hesitant to buy. You haven’t gotten them over the trust hurdle.

The L.L. Bean Approach:

“Our products are guaranteed to give 100% satisfaction in every way. Return anything purchased from us at any time if it proves otherwise. We do not want you to have anything from L.L. Bean that is not completely satisfactory.”

As the story goes, a woman returned a pair of boots after fifteen years because the sole had worn out. She thought they should have lasted longer. They were replaced, no questions asked. That’s a rocksolid, stand-behind-your-product guarantee.

A super strong guarantee shows that you are supremely confident in your belief that your products and services do what you say they are going to do. It should be paramount in whatever you sell in the first place. So if that’s true, and if you are supremely confident, then give an ironclad guarantee. You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain—sales and higher profits. Your ironclad guarantee is just what your customers need to increase their trust and lose their fear of risk. When they have nothing to fear and nothing to lose, they have no reason not to buy.

Your super strong guarantee needs a few things to really make it work. First, it has to have a specific name, and when possible, the name of your guarantee should be associated with the benefit of your product and the degree to which you back it up. Second, it needs a specific logo. A lot of entrepreneurs use a seal in conjunction with their guarantees, and that image resonates with customers. It’s like the Good Housekeeping “Seal of Approval.” That seal, and the guarantee behind it, have been around for more than one hundred years. The Good Housekeeping Research Institute tests products and only offers the seal on those that pass its strict standards. It’s an ironclad, rock-solid guarantee. Consumers know they can rely on the product if it has the seal. They can trust it!

Jim Palmer is internationally known as The Newsletter Guru, the go-to resource for maximizing the profitability of customer relationships. Jim is also the acclaimed author of The Magic of Newsletter Marketing – The Secret to More Profits and Customers for Life and also Stick Like Glue – How to Create an Everlasting Bond with Your Customers So They Stay Longer, Spend More, and Refer More, and The Fastest Way to Higher Profits – 19 Immediate Profit-Enhancing Strategies You Can Use Today. Learn more about Jim and all his programs at: www.NewsletterGuru.TV.

Hi All!

Read these statistics carrefully. They are fightening:

According to this 2010 report, The EBRI Retirement Readiness Rating^TM: Retirement Income Preparation and Future Prospects, by Jack VanDerhei and Craig Copeland of EBRI.org: 47.2% of older Boomers (56-62) are at risk of outliving their retirement savings. And 43.7% of younger Boomers (46-55) are at risk of not having enough money for basic monthly expenses when they retire.

These sobering statistics have millions of Boomers currently wondering, “What can I do to generate income, full-time or part-time, that is flexible, interesting, fun, possible to start on a tight budget, and do way into my golden years?”

I wrote my newest book, “Boomers into Business: How Anyone Over 50 Can Turn What They Know into Dough Before and After Retirement”, to answer those questions. I explain how to take what you know, from your career experience or hobbies, to develop a “topic expert” platform that can lead to consulting others, conducting training seminars online and offline, developing many strategies for on-going passive income, and much more.

And it doesn’t matter whether you’ve been an employee your whole career or whether you are currently self-employed. Nor do a person’s education level, career background, or business experience matter. The book was written to take a lot of guesswork out of the process.

Basically, most everyone knows something, from their career background, life experiences or from a hobby that other people will pay to learn about. Whether you’ve been an HR professional your whole career, or a construction worker, homemaker, lawyer, Life Coach,  housepainter, or a lover of growing roses, my book teaches Boomers how to monetize what they know to create a good income, in a wide variety of ways, as a topic expert.

And the book not only teaches how to determine a topic focus and how to create a unique brand platform, but it also outlines the tools needed to launch. Plus, I asked 15 other business experts to provide chapters on PR, marketing, and social media strategies, plus many more business-building and revenue generating ideas.

The reviews on Amazon have been great so far, and here are 2 examples of how my new book is helping those who read it:

“I’m now 50, a single mom with a teenage son, and I’ve worked at Title Insurance companies for over 20 years. I currently don’t have enough money to retire comfortably in my 60’s and have been trying to figure out what I can do make money on-the-side of my day job,” says Kathy F. in San Jose, CA. “ ‘Boomers into Business’ was a godsend! It opened my mind to possibilities I had never thought of before and I’m now developing ideas for an expert platform and consulting business that will provide me with the additional income I need to be more comfortable now and later in my life.”

“This book was so helpful, easy to follow and really fun to read! It’s loaded with
ideas that I can refer to again and again,” shares Marilyn F., a 62-year old Boomer in Santa Cruz, CA. “I’m already self-employed but learned how I can expand my services to be much better off financially. Plus, I learned tons of new marketing strategies that are really effective. I highly recommend this book to any Boomers wanting to improve their financial futures or who are seeking ways to change their career path.”

So, if you can relate to anything you’ve read in the blog post, check out my book on Amazon. It’s available in both Print and Kindle versions, and for a small investment it could bring you a serious return that can help your retirement picture!

Cheers & Happy Marketing!

Lisa

Hi All!

The following article is a Guest Blog from Cindy Morus and Christine Wood, Co-founders of BizFinder Local (.com). They help businesses, offline and online, get more customers with the latest technology and online marketing tools, including Google Places.

And in this easy-to-follow article they are going to explain what Google Places is and why you need to take it seriously!

Why Google Places Can Help You Attract More Clients: Online or Offline:

Search for your business on a mobile device and click on everthing that comes up (if nothing shows up, you’ve identified your first problem). Does it look like you’re active and “open for business?”

One of the first things you should see is a listing of 7 Google Places entries. Are you there?

What is Google Places? It’s a huge directory of businesses created by Google. These free place pages are available for both online and offline businesses, and show up when you search for a business.

Even though you mostly serve clients outside your geographic area, are you willing to work with local customers? Then you need a Google Places page!

Virtual Businesses and solo entrepreneurs qualify for a Google Places listing and “puts you on the (Google) map!” If your business doesn’t have a place page your are missing out on a huge opportunity and it’s easy to get one for your business! Imagine having Google promoting  your services to everyone who lives in your area (even if you don’t have any articles and blog posts out there)!

Local and Mobile searches are at the top of Google’s priority list. Did you know that 82% of local searches result in offline action (a visit, a phone call, a
purchase!)? And 70% of computer searchers act within 1 week of the search? Those stats are proof that you should make your business easier to find with a Google Places page.

More people search for businesses online than anywhere else, so don’t miss out on this opportunity to be credible to local customers!

And if you’d like us to do a FREE Google Places evaluation for your business to see how you show up in the search results, contact us today! Many clients who come to us do NOT show up in a Google Places search and that means they are missing out on attracting new business.

Thanks, Cindy & Christine! Great info and great offer!

Lisa

Hi All!

You start a blog, spend hours thinking of topic ideas and finding content, pour time into writing posts, and then find that your traffic numbers are less-than stellar. Hence why many people start a blog but then abandon it. They get frustrated and don’t see an ROI for their time and effort.

So, to possibly help you improve your blog, and get you the traffic and audience you want to visit it, here are 8 content strategy tips to consider for increasing the time visitors spend on your blog and can increase the odds of them returning more often:

1. Post a Topic Series: Instead of writing a really long post, break it into a 2-3 part series that entices people to come back to read the next post in the series.
2. Have links throughout your content: Make keywords and phrases throughout your posts link to other content that supports the word or phrase you’ve highlighted. You can even have them link to other
   blog posts you’ve written, your online press releases, etc. However make sure they also link to outside sites or pages you don’t own, because that also builds your link-building and also gives your readers more info and content on the topic you’re educating them on. Readers appreciate this because you’ve seamlessly given them more content to learn from.
3. Build your list: Have a sign up form on your blog so people can subscribe to it. Then you can email them links to the new posts you write.
4. Add suggested reading: By adding suggested reading with links to your posts your blog will become more than just a place with articles you’ve written; it will be a go-to resource for your readers who are hungry for additional info on topics you write about.
5. Share your posts through other social media channels: Many newbie bloggers don’t think of sharing their posts and headlines on Facebook or Twitter. Whenever you write a new blog post, send the headline with a link to it through your other social media outlets.
6. Ask for guest content: Reach out to a variety of experts who have blogs and who write about topics your audience will be interested in. Ask them to provide you with a guest blog post and include their bio and links to their blog and/or websites. They’ll promote the post and that will drive traffic to your blog, plus it increases the chances of them asking
   you to write a guest post for their blog. And they may have big traffic
   numbers!

The key here is also to be consistent. Writing a blog post every 2 months, and then wondering why your traffic is low, is not a good strategy!

Cheers & Happy Marketing!

Lisa

Suggested Resource for On-going Great Blogging Tips:

DailyBlogTips.com

Hi All!

I came across this terrific article on SocialMediaExaminer.com, written by Cindy King, entitled: “29 tips to make Your Video Marketing Easy“.

Basically, if you are a small business owner wondering how you can begin to use, or more effectively use, short videos in your marketing mix, and you’re on a limited budget, you don’t want to pass up these great tips!

Cindy interviewed experts to share some helpful tips to improve your efforts and strategies. Here are a few of the tips shared, and you can read the entire list of 29 by CLICKING HERE!

5 out of the 29 tips:

Chris Garrett @ChrisGarrett

#1: Try video now

My biggest tip is to try video out, see if it works for you. I resisted video for so long due to my shyness, but when I did put some videos out there my audience reacted so warmly (and forgiving of my goofs) that I wish I had tried sooner.

You don’t need professional gear, expert editing skills and software, and you don’t need a fancy script. You don’t even need to be super-confident in front of the camera.

Just make a good point and deliver content people can use and enjoy. There is no time like the present. Get started!

Chris Garrett, author of the popular blog chrisg.com.

Kristi Hines @kikolani

 #2: Use Google Search Stories if you’re shy

If you’re shy about videos and not ready to put your face (or voice) on camera, there are still options!

My particular favorite is using Google Search Stories to show viewers your best online properties by simply searching for them. You can see mine below that highlights my blog and guest posting contributions.

If you’re having a hard time getting particular results to show up, use some more advanced search queries. For example, one of mine was Kristi Hines site: socialmediaexaminer.com, which showed results with just my posts here on Social Media Examiner.

You can get really creative too, incorporating results from Google image, maps, news, blog, product and book search to feature photography, a business location, blog posts, stuff you sell and books you have written!

Kristi Hines, author of the popular blog Kikolani.

Stephanie Gehman @airport_girl

#3: Find your company’s best cheerleader

Find your internal cheerleader to be the person you put in front of the camera. Your marketing and sales professionals are not always the most likely candidates to be the star of your company/brand’s videos.

Consider the person in the office who encourages and has a smile for everyone, as his/her natural exuberance may be just the on-camera talent you’re looking for!

Stephanie Gehman is marketing manager for Harrisburg International Airport in Pennsylvania.

Lewis Howes @LewisHowes

#4: Start publishing regularly

Video can seem like just another challenge to overcome, but I see a major increase in my business and brand awareness all from the power of video. There are a number of tips I could share, but the best one is easy. Simply put, it’s important to start publishing video on a consistent basis.

Don’t worry about what camera to use (I use the reverse camera on my iPhone often) and don’t worry about editing it to make it look perfect (the “mess-ups” will make you look more genuine and real) as the most important thing is to simply get your message out there on video.

Start with shorter 1- to 3-minute videos that educate your audience, then as you get more comfortable, you can make them longer or do more editing, but for now, the best thing you can do is take action and produce videos on a consistent basis.

Lewis Howes, author of a popular blog and soon-to-be-launched Video Traffic Academy.

Neal Rodriguez @notifyneal

#5: Be transparent and authentic

You want to be as transparent and authentic as you can be when expressing yourself on video; talk with a naked tongue.

I have generated business through video by communicating passionately and honestly on the topic of social media marketing. I have touched on topics and tactics that other people with whom I operate don’t discuss, like the successful use of social bookmarking platforms like Digg, Reddit and StumbleUpon.

Success with such platforms is perceived as black magic by most social media marketers and strategists, but I have communicated how I have been successful in detail through video.

The other critical component is the marketing of your videos. I have developed relationships by helping other bloggers and webmasters in my niche, who have allowed me to post guest contributions on their websites. This way, a proportion of people who visit another website will visit mine, and a proportion of people who visit my website linked from the guest post will subscribe to my email list, RSS feed, Twitter, YouTube, Digg and Facebook digital assets.

Once you have built a community of engaged friends with whom you keep in touch through social channels, some of these people will help you promote your content by sharing it on social media, buying your products or services, or referring you to somebody who will buy your products or services.

Neal Rodriguez is an online marketer who teaches companies how to use social media marketing.

OKAY! There are 5 tips to get your head around using video in your marketing mix. But don’t forget to check out the other 24 ideas and strategies that Cindy compiled.

Cheers & Happy Marketing!

Lisa

Hi All!

The following blog is a guest post courtesy of Debbie Feldstein, a freelance non-fiction writer based in New York City.  For more than 20 years, she has provided imaginative, unique, and persuasive copy in the form of press releases, brochures, sales letters, and autoresponders.  She has authored dozens of books, reports, and articles on effective sales and marketing.  Among her ‘best sellers’ are How to Use Social Media Marketing to Attract More Prospects, Make More Sales and How to Create Information Products.  For more information, please visit www.creativeblocks.com or send a message to oddball@creativeblocks.com.

Plus, I can personally vouch for Deb’s talent because she has been the Editor for my 3 books! She really is fabulous and great to work with.

Okay! Let’s jump into Deb’s article:

5 Things Your Freelance Sales Writer Must Deliver

The Internet makes it easy to find and hire freelance copywriters.  But the question many entrepreneurs and small business owners face when they want to outsource their copywriting needs is this:

How do I know which copywriter to choose? (My short answer is ‘Choose ME,’ of course.)

If you don’t know anything about the product you’re buying, then it’s tough to get a good deal.  For example, if you don’t know diddly about cars, you may end up buying a Yugo instead of a Mercedes.

One way to ‘look under the hood’ of a potential hire that you want to handle your business writing is to ask them in their proposal if they know (and can deliver) the 5 essentials of a good sales message.

Anatomy of a Conversion-Oriented Sales Message

Whether it’s an advertisement in the Sunday paper, a postcard, an online sales letter, a television commercial, or even a flyer stuck under the wipers of an automobile, an effective pitch always includes these elements.

To assess skills, ask your copywriter to provide portfolio samples of:

***Headline – A headline should be unique, powerful, and convey the biggest benefit of using a product or service.

***Body Copy – The body copy should be an emotionally compelling recitation of what the consumer will receive and needs to do.

***Social Proof – Testimonials and endorsements, prove that an offer is what you claim.  The problem is that many testimonials and long and rambling.  (Ask your copywriter for a sample of a before-and-after testimonial that he/she has edited.)

***Guarantee – Guarantees should remove risk so that the consumer has no fear of disappointment.

***Bonus – Offering something of additional value (“But wait, there’s more!”) should transform a sales offer from ‘good’ to ‘irresistible.’

***Urgent Call to Action – Procrastination kills profits and, unfortunately, prospective buyers may be likely to put aside offers to act upon at a later date.  Ask your copywriter for an example of a statement that tells a consumer how to place an order, with an incentive for them to act quickly.

Important note: When asking for a sample of these various elements, it is appropriate to request something from the writer’s portfolio.  It is NOT appropriate to ask your as-yet-unhired writer to do work ‘on spec’ and deliver samples based on your specific project.

Unscrupulous entrepreneurs (and you don’t want to be one of THOSE) sometimes ask numerous copywriters to provide on-spec samples.  Then they simply cobble those samples together to create their own sales message, without paying any of the writers whose creativity they are pilfering.

Your prospects are waiting for you.  And so are the talented copywriters that can help you turn those prospects into buyers.  Go for it!

Thanks, Deb, for the great advice!

Cheers & Happy Marketing!

Lisa

Hi All!

Inc. Magazine (online version) published a great article entitled: Top 10 Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make When Writing A Business Plan.

I’m going to keep this post short because you can click on the article  link to read the details. But I will say that I am amazed at how many new clients come to me (small business owners, coaches, consultants, etc.) who are launching a new business, or currently have one, but never drafted even a basic Business Plan. It’s a step many people want to skip but it’s critical to the success of their company!

You wouldn’t sail around the world without a map as your guide…why would you invest your money, time and energy into starting or running a business without a road map to guide you?

That said, here’s the short overview that sets-up the article:

Writing a business plan is often a crucial first step to getting your start-up off the ground. A good plan can help you raise money, recruit members of your management team, set your marketing strategy and, perhaps best of all, refine your thinking. A plan riddled with errors? That can sink you. Here are 10 mistakes that entrepreneurs frequently make when crafting their business plans, according to Akira Hirai, a consultant in California who advises start-up companies on elements of business-plan writing, including competitive analysis and financial forecasting.

Click here to read the Top 10 Mistakes now!

Cheers!

Lisa

P.S. Visit my Fan Page for more marketing, branding, PR, sales, social media and business building tips and resources!

Teri Sjodin's New Book Now on Amazon!

Hi All!

When I was offered an advanced reading copy of Teri Sjodin’s, new book, “Small Message, Big Impact: How to Put the Power of the Elevator Speech Effect to Work for You”, I quickly accepted. Why? Because it’s a great topic and one that I see many people struggle with.

In a nutshell, I have to say that Teri’s new book rocks! And you can now pick a copy because it became available on all major online book retailers, like Amazon, this week.

Here’s the scoop on why I highly recommend reading her book, and why I felt compelled to tell you about it:

• For anyone who is responsible for selling ideas (to clients, co-workers or family members), or for anyone who sells products or services, or for anyone who conducts presentations, this book will improve your technique and effectiveness.
• It’s straightforward, with no fluff, and it’s also a fun read. She has a very entertaining style so it’s not a typical “dry” how-to guide.

Here’s a snapshot of what you’ll learn:

• How to incorporate new creative illustrations and bring your message to life.
• How to build a compelling and persuasive case using six of the most consistently effective arguments in today’s market.
• How to morph your elevator speech content and employ your best material in a variety of presentation opportunities, including the internet and social media platforms.
• How to speak in your own authentic voice-it’s not only what you say, it’s how you say it.
• This book includes outlines to help you craft your next talk, worksheets, a complete sample elevator speech, evaluation forms…and much more!

And it’s not just me giving the book great reviews. Business Guru, Harvey Mackay, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller, “Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive”, as well as Selling Power Magazine and many others, have given it rave reviews, too.

Are you curious about Teri and why she is qualified to write a book on this topic? Here’s her brief bio: Terri L. Sjodin is the principal and founder of Sjodin Communications, a public speaking, sales training, and consulting firm. For over twenty years, Terri has served as a speaker and consultant to an impressive list of companies, industry associations, academic conferences, CEOs, and members of the United States Congress. She is also the author of “New Sales Speak: The 9 Biggest Sales Presentation Mistakes and How to Avoid Them” (Wiley).

Okay! Go get a copy! And thanks, again, to Kevin Small, an amazing Literary Agent, for offering me an advanced copy…also congrads to Teri on writing a great book!

Cheers & Happy Marketing,

Lisa