Promoting Yourself on Facebook – Using Groups

Facebook is an incredibly powerful social networking service. Its interface and framework allow a single person to spread news virally through their social bookmarking service. Communities of friends in the Facebook Group apps are growing in popularity.  

As an author you should create Facebook Groups to further promote “brand” presence, promote news/events, share links,  and conduct discussions all in one spot to generate more excitement and build your audience. More than a fan site, Facebook Groups allows you to interact with your audience on a level that is comfortable and easy to maintain.

Unlike a blog, Groups is easier to maintain and keep fresh. You can assign mulitple administrators to help facilitate content growth. Now go out there and select a title, category and description that is relevant to your brand and start directing your existing friends to join your group. Then kick it into high gear, hang on tight, start adding content that stimulates interaction, and watch your group grow!

Raise Your SEO Presence with Google Local Search

Have you ever wondered how a local business got to be first in Google Local Search when you click on maps? Is it by address? Nope! Or maybe it is alphabetical? Nope!  It is based on keywords! 

Let’s say you are a dog groomer and your business is  Pretty Paws. No keywords in your business name…so how will people find you if they don’t know your business’ name? What if they were looking for a groomer on the net, would your name show up first? Top three? Probably not!  Google map search ranks sites based on keywords. It takes less than five minutes to do and is worth the effort to get your business listed based on YOUR keywords on their maps! 

Go to local search and take those five minutes to enter your business using your key words. If you were Pretty Paws your keywords might be: groomer, dog groomers, dogs, dog grooming, etc.  Follow these keywords with your town’s name…Dog groomer + Puppytown + WA

After you spend your five minutes, Google sends you an automated email with a pin number. They then call you, you enter your pin number and that is that for confirmation.  Within 24 hours your listing appears. Then you check to see if you selected the best keywords based on how you rank on the maps search. 

Isn’t that easy? Let me know about your experience!  Matter of fact, perhaps you should google yourself on maps using your keywords BEFORE you try this and then AFTER and see how it changes your rank on the Maps page for your community!

Publishing as a Marketing Tool

Good marketing begins with collaborative efforts and strong organization. What is more organized then a good book? Research shows that when there are solid connections between the customer and the goods and services they desire profits increase. The amazing growth of business information on the net is another market driver.

According to Osterman Research, email volume alone is growing between 35 and 40 % annually. How do you get in front of your niche in a way that demonstrates your creative new and useful ideas that solve the challenges that people face every day?

Creativity is only useful if it is channeled and directed. According to Warren Bennis, “Today’s successful companies live and die according to the quality of their ideas.” Creativity is critical for survival in any career. It is the life blood for constructing a competitive edge.

In order to succeed in the current market requires that entrepreneurs must drop their limiting assumptions, beliefs, and behaviors. They must critically analyze the connection between resources, needs and values. Entrepreneurs must harness their creativity and learn the techniques and behaviors that generate ideas.

Successful entrepreneurs tap into their creativity to throw off existing paradigms. They don’t allow themselves to be rule driven and they avoid preconceived ideas of what the world is or is not. Creativity and innovation are an integral part of entrepreneurship.

Bad Presentation Techniques and How to Avoid Talking Heads and Techie Tedium Pt 1

Do you want to create a presentation to strut your stuff your next event? Are you terrified by the thought? Do you fear getting the dreadful moniker under your photo of a “bad presenter”? Hosting an event is a great way to hone your presentation skills to a willing and able audience. Here’s a news flash: There are no truly bad presenters…but there are bad presentation techniques!

Have you ever been to an event where the presenter was unprepared, bumbled around aimlessly, read to you, was a talking head or was so enamored by the technology they brought. We have all had the ‘pleasure’ of sitting through one of these at least once in our lives. You become so embarrassed for the presenter you actually want to jump in and help them out or jump out the nearest window and escape!

What are some of the characteristics of a bad presentation and what can we do to avoid them? How can we as presenters motivate our audience and encourage them to participate? What must we as presenters do to make the environment physically and psychologically comfortable in order to avoid irritating and alienating our participants?

One of the most common presentation mistakes made by new facilitators and old parochial school teachers is the Talking Head. Adults want to dig in, participate, interact, and apply concepts. To be a good presenter you need to engage the audience: Don’t read to them.

• Don’t preach to them. 
• Excite them. 
• Make them do something that gives them an opportunity to put into practice what they just learned. 

Good presentation techniques are learned through trial and error and peer feedback. Go to some networking events and see what works and what doesn’t. We are all good presenters when we have the right presentation skills in our toolbox!

5 Steps to Better Networking

Networking is an important part of modern business building. For the solo entrepreneur this is especially critical. Networking is a great way to build trust and rapport with potential customers and establish a publicly recognized presence. It is about giving and receiving and building relationships. It is a great way to make people aware of you, your skills, and how and where to find you. The following steps will help you network at your next event or gathering with confidence and poise.

Step 1 KNOW WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TABLE

What skills, talents, resources, connections, or information that you have to offer the individual members of the group. You DO bring something that no one else there has. We all have unique perspectives and experiences to bring to the event especially if you have a unique talent or years of experience. Your fellow networkers will want to get to meet you based on what you do and how you present yourself.

“Know thyself” means so much in a networking situation. There really is six degrees or less of separation. We live in a world that the connectedness is growing ever rapidly. If you know what you bring to the table and who you want to connect with you can gain access to virtually anyone!

Networking is an exercise in relationship building not an imposition on those you are reaching out to meet. It is an opportunity to:

• Share your expertise
• Exchange ideas
• Learn of educational opportunities
• Meet other experts

Step 2 HONESTY COUNTS

You must have a willingness to provide value to those who meet you. It can’t be all about you and what you are going to get out of the event. Your credibility is at stake! You must be sincere and honest when you interact with others at a networking event. Focus on your integrity and your trustworthiness will help you build a network of other people of high integrity. People can spot insincerity at 20 paces and will avoid those like the plague.

People will avoid those who they perceive as lacking any business quality of real value. You must go with a trust building agenda rather than a goal oriented agenda. Remember, it’s not about you, it’s about them. Focus on the other person and ask them why they are there and what you can do for them. If you can identify what they need you will build a lasting relationship. Ask…listen…and then ask again. Sincerity counts!

Steps 3 DELIBERATELY BUILD YOUR NETWORK

Who do you want to add to your network? What types of people and companies do you want to associate your business with and how will you focus your efforts to connect with these people? What role will each play in your network?

According to networking guru Anthony Robbins, “Successful people ask more questions, and as a result, get better answers. To maintain viability in the rapidly changing business world it is critical to build trust. A good networker knows that a real network is a two-way street of helpful relationships. It is all about Karma. You help someone and they will help you. Good things come back to those who do good.

Step 4 PERSONALIZE YOUR NETWORKING EFFORTS

Where, how, and with who will you network? What types of events do you want to attend? How often will you go? What will you irresistible offer will you make to those you meet? How will you dress? How will you present your business card? What is the most effective elevator speech you will use?

Why should anyone give you their business card? What method is most effective? What works for you?

• Elevator speech – never offer your card to someone without also delivering a sound byte on what you do and how you do it.
• One for one exchange – offer a report, article or free e-book that contains valuable information. Ask them if you can call them afterwards to follow up.

Steps 5 FOLLOW UP

Giving a follow up call demonstrates that you are a professional committed to your business. This can not only lead to new business but to great referrals which will grow your business at a phenomenal rate.

Follow up after every networking opportunity is critical to the trust process. Not only is it courteous but it impresses the heck out of people that you demonstrate loyalty and respect to everyone.

Get the most out of your next networking event. It is a critical part of doing business today whether you are a new business or one with a well established history and clientele. Go in with the attitude that you are building relationships and your are there to give more than you receive. Now let’s get out there and network!

Integrated Marketing Strategies – Building and Maintaining Brand Awareness Pt 4

Your website should still be the center of your marketing efforts; however, to make this happen you now have to have a marketing plan that drives traffic to your website. How do you do this? Through a variety of tools that include some variations of the following:

• Search Engine Optimization
• Press Releases
• Social Networking
• Blogging
• Article Marketing (to include possible syndication)
• Newsletters
• Internet Advertising
• Video or Podcasting
• Viral Campaigns
• Pay per clicks
• E Books
• White papers

The key to marketing success is learning what people are looking for and where they are looking. The internet has become ubiquitous in our world. A smart marketer will build a keyword-rich webpages and websites based on those words.

The future of information marketing is in the social networks that are popping up all over the internet. Facebook, Biznik, and other networks are growing in popularity. Engaging prospects and customers on social sites has now become a critical part of a focused marketing plan.

Just because you launch an awesome site and announce it in social websites does that mean you will get the traffic you are looking for? Of course not! If only it were that simple! Planning and creating an amalgam of methods that reaches out to the world at large and begins to create an audience. Your marketing plan must:

• Catch the audience’s attention
• Generates interest
• Provides useful or helpful information that solves a specific customer problem
• Create and opportunity for your target audience to take action

One inexpensive way to do this is to create newsletters, eBooks, and white papers. But how do you get those to your audience? How do you create the audience? Through opt-in methods that are permission driven. Give them something of perceived value to get their name and email address in order to build a database of contacts. A good newsletter contains relevant information that benefits your audience. It also helps that audience to learn more about you and your company so they can build the trust required to potentially make a purchase in the future. Newsletters and eBooks help personalize your business and create a positive perception of you and your business when done well.

Integrated Marketing Strategies Pt 3 – Building and Maintaining Brand Awareness

Public relations is a marketing and management tool that attempts to promote a company’s image, product or service and to counteract negative publicity on occasion. To do this public relations use news releases, feature stories, newsletters, to reach different media and audiences. Public relations is do is targeted at establishing goodwill and warm fuzzies. It is a valuable tool for reaching a broad audience cheaply with your message.

Successful public relations campaigns:

• Set realistic goals
• Provide valuable pertinent information from an expert source

Brand marketing done effectively implements a clear, consistent message. People often purchase an item based on the perception that the product or service will be the same each time. A simple effective message that comes through loud and clear through its delivery is incredibly effective. Think of Nike’s latest branding message of “Just do it!” Short but effective, we know exactly what they mean.

So how do you plan to integrate your brand image into a message that conveys itself both on line and in print? Once internet brand marketing was nothing more than a website that you hope through random luck someone visited. In today’s internet world there are a variety of marketing methods you can use to market your business and develop your brand on online.

Integrated Marketing Strategies Pt 2 – Building and Maintaining Brand Awareness

I have a son who at a young age wanted to start a business painting 911 curb addresses in the neighborhood. We lived in an area where the snow plows regularly scraped the numbers off. His startup wasn’t a bad idea. He just wasn’t sure of how to close the sale. He had stencils; he had the pre-requisite black and white cans of spray paint. He beta tested his process on our curb and on the neighbors’. He had practiced all his techniques but his “elevator speech.” His father pressed him to try and “sell” him a painted curb. My son inhaled and began with a stammer, followed by a stutter, and then a long string of “ahhhs and uhhhs.” His dad asked him, “Do you know what you want to tell me?” Long pause followed by a deep inhale and a sob. His dad asked him, “What are you selling? Why do people need to buy what you are selling? Why are you the one to hire for this service?” My son paused for a minute and then said through the curtain of frustrated tears, “Dad, I don’t know why they should hire me. I guess ’cause I do a good job.” Shrugging his shoulders he turned to walk away. His dad stopped him, “Boy! Are you a man or a mouse?” My son without missing a beat said, “I don’t know dad, but I sure like cheese!” He had no clue what his message was or how to get it out effectively…he just knew he liked money.

Integrated marketing is about building and maintaining brand awareness and identity. Good integrated marketing sends a coordinated series of different but related messages through different kinds of media thus increasing the chance or reaching and persuading the target audience. Perhaps the most critical part of an integrated marketing campaign is to maintain a consistent theme in your message.