If you're ready to create a business you can brag about, take a moment to assess whether you’re at the top of your game or need a mini-makeover. Here’s how:
1. Know Your Strengths
You’ve heard of the book, Now Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and
Donald Clifton. The premise is that each of us are naturally gifted in a handful of areas. Focusing on these areas or key strengths makes your work effortless, satisfying and profitable. Have you applied these concepts to your business and your work? Most of us spend too much time trying to shore up our
weaknesses instead of maximizing our strengths. When you shift
your focus to what you do best by choosing projects and clients
that take full advantage of your strengths, you'll be more energized, productive and fulfilled. You’ll also attract more customers and boost success. For instance, you may thrive as a strategic planner but fall short when it comes to implementation. Outsource your weaknesses and focus on your strengths.
2. Live The 80-20 Rule
Identify and focus 80% of your time and energy on high-payoff activities. Many business owners get in the rut of working on their business instead of in their business. Many juggle tasks and clients that aren't important, and they lose momentum in the process. Determine which 20% of your clients are bringing in 80% of your income. Determine your high-payoff activities. Track your time for a day or two including Internet surfing,
returning calls, “getting ready” for the next client or task. Most of our clients are
shocked to discover how much time they waste. Practicing the 80-20 Rule helps them prioritize in a more efficient, profitable way. Find out how here: www.boostyourbottomline.com
3. Get Out In A Bigger Way
Cultivating strong professional relationships and personal
contacts both inside and outside your business is another key to success. A wide network of key people
who know you well will provide the support
and visibility you need to attract more clients and make more sales. To develop these relationships, serve on a committee or board that connects with other business owners and leaders. Join your local Chamber
and get involved with community projects that
attract the kind of people you'd like to know. Establish collaborations with key players in your industry or those who serve the same target audience. Click here to learn more.
Your business is an outlet for your passion and strengths. You have the opportunity and freedom to design it your way. We challenge you to think big and market your way to a business you can brag about.
Need help raising the bar? Check out our Fast Track to Marketing Mastery program at www.boostyourbottomline.com and sign up for a fr*ee Marketing Mastery Success Kit at www.boostyourbottomline.com.
© 2007 BoostYourBottomLine.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Certified Marketing Spitfires Holly George and Leslie Hamp are creators of the Fast Track to Marketing Mastery program. To learn more about the step-by-step program, and to sign up for their *FREE* Marketing Mastery Success Kit, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Position Yourself As an Expert for Bigger Results
If you're a small business owner, positioning yourself as an expert is key to success. It's the only way to build confidence in customers and prospects as well as media outlets. You may not think of yourself in this way, but you are an expert in your field and the expert in your business.
Professional expertise simply means you know what you’re doing, and you’re really good at what you do. It doesn’t mean that you know everything there is to know about your field. No one does. It does mean you know more than those seeking your services. Expertise comes in bits and pieces, and we usually don’t recognize how much we’ve evolved over time.
Determine your expertise, and convey that expertise in your key messages and every communication you have with your target audience. Create awareness of your expertise and the services you offer by:
• Talking about yourself and your services
• Writing about yourself and your services
• Having others talk and write about you and your services
Establishing your expertise as the foundation of your brand is one of the best ways to reach new prospects and boost your business. Consider speaking to organizations, associations, clubs, and radio audiences. Keep in mind that Rotary Clubs, school foundations, radio networks and other organizations are always looking for program ideas. Make their job easy. Determine where your target audience spends his/her time. Find out the name of the organization’s program coordinator. Offer to present a program targeted to the audience. You’ll be positioning yourself as an expert while reaching new prospects.
Not sure of your expertise? Check out our Fast Track to Marketing Mastery program at www.boostyourbottomline.com and sign up for a fr*ee Marketing Mastery Success Kit at www.boostyourbottomline.com.
© 2007 BoostYourBottomLine.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Certified Marketing Spitfires Holly George and Leslie Hamp are creators of the Fast Track to Marketing Mastery program. To learn more about the step-by-step program, and to sign up for their *FREE* Marketing Mastery Success Kit, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com
Professional expertise simply means you know what you’re doing, and you’re really good at what you do. It doesn’t mean that you know everything there is to know about your field. No one does. It does mean you know more than those seeking your services. Expertise comes in bits and pieces, and we usually don’t recognize how much we’ve evolved over time.
Determine your expertise, and convey that expertise in your key messages and every communication you have with your target audience. Create awareness of your expertise and the services you offer by:
• Talking about yourself and your services
• Writing about yourself and your services
• Having others talk and write about you and your services
Establishing your expertise as the foundation of your brand is one of the best ways to reach new prospects and boost your business. Consider speaking to organizations, associations, clubs, and radio audiences. Keep in mind that Rotary Clubs, school foundations, radio networks and other organizations are always looking for program ideas. Make their job easy. Determine where your target audience spends his/her time. Find out the name of the organization’s program coordinator. Offer to present a program targeted to the audience. You’ll be positioning yourself as an expert while reaching new prospects.
Not sure of your expertise? Check out our Fast Track to Marketing Mastery program at www.boostyourbottomline.com and sign up for a fr*ee Marketing Mastery Success Kit at www.boostyourbottomline.com.
© 2007 BoostYourBottomLine.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Certified Marketing Spitfires Holly George and Leslie Hamp are creators of the Fast Track to Marketing Mastery program. To learn more about the step-by-step program, and to sign up for their *FREE* Marketing Mastery Success Kit, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Secrets to Website Success
That old saying that you only have one chance to make a first impression is especially true when it comes to a website. With a website you have approximately 8 seconds in which to grab and hold your potential client’s attention. If you miss the mark, they’ll click away and likely will never return. Follow these tips, along with last week’s 10 cardinal rules for looking good in print and on the web, and you’ll skyrocket the likelihood of creating a top-notch first impression.
1. Never, ever underline. Underlining is instantly perceived as amateurish and will cause your website to be disregarded faster than almost any other goof. Website address and email addresses may be underlined – but nothing else.
2. Use short line lengths when creating web pages. Long lines of type that stretch from the left side of the screen all the way to the right side of the screen are almost impossible for the average reader to grasp and comprehend. When writing for the web, make sure your lines don’t cover more than approximately two thirds of the screen width – or even less.
3. Break up text. Use bullets and numbered paragraphs to break up the monotony of a page of plain type and to highlight and emphasize points. Numbered lists are used when priority matters, and bullets indicate that each point is of equal weight.
4. Leave animations to the kids. Don’t add cute and “clever” animations to your web pages. Animations district the viewer and make it virtually impossible for your potential customer to concentrate on your message.
5. Keep images small. Large images on web pages can take a long time to load and are an irritant to many viewers, especially those with dial-up access. The last thing you want to do is to alienate your customers.
6. Double-check all web page links. There is nothing more unprofessional than a link on a business website that goes nowhere. If your links go nowhere, it’s likely your sales will, too.
Want help growing your business through low cost, high impact Guerrilla Marketing tactics? Check out our Fast Track to Marketing Mastery program at
www.boostyourbottomline.com and sign up for a fr*ee Marketing Mastery Success Kit at www.boostyourbottomline.com.
© 2007 BoostYourBottomLine.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Certified Marketing Spitfires Holly George and Leslie Hamp are creators of the Fast Track to Marketing Mastery program. To learn more about the step-by-step program, and to sign up for their *FREE* Marketing Mastery Success Kit, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com
1. Never, ever underline. Underlining is instantly perceived as amateurish and will cause your website to be disregarded faster than almost any other goof. Website address and email addresses may be underlined – but nothing else.
2. Use short line lengths when creating web pages. Long lines of type that stretch from the left side of the screen all the way to the right side of the screen are almost impossible for the average reader to grasp and comprehend. When writing for the web, make sure your lines don’t cover more than approximately two thirds of the screen width – or even less.
3. Break up text. Use bullets and numbered paragraphs to break up the monotony of a page of plain type and to highlight and emphasize points. Numbered lists are used when priority matters, and bullets indicate that each point is of equal weight.
4. Leave animations to the kids. Don’t add cute and “clever” animations to your web pages. Animations district the viewer and make it virtually impossible for your potential customer to concentrate on your message.
5. Keep images small. Large images on web pages can take a long time to load and are an irritant to many viewers, especially those with dial-up access. The last thing you want to do is to alienate your customers.
6. Double-check all web page links. There is nothing more unprofessional than a link on a business website that goes nowhere. If your links go nowhere, it’s likely your sales will, too.
Want help growing your business through low cost, high impact Guerrilla Marketing tactics? Check out our Fast Track to Marketing Mastery program at
www.boostyourbottomline.com and sign up for a fr*ee Marketing Mastery Success Kit at www.boostyourbottomline.com.
© 2007 BoostYourBottomLine.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Certified Marketing Spitfires Holly George and Leslie Hamp are creators of the Fast Track to Marketing Mastery program. To learn more about the step-by-step program, and to sign up for their *FREE* Marketing Mastery Success Kit, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Launching Big Buzz Ideas
We're always encouraging our clients to collaborate with others and launch big buzz, newsworthy events. It's easy to do, as you can see by the hook developed by The Honor State Bank.
The bank is bringing in a nationally recognized speaker, offering the communications seminar to business leaders, community organizations and church leaders, and donating the proceeds to a local food shelf. End result? They further establish themselves as a community leader while creating BIG buzz in area newspapers and regional television news programs as well as among customers, churches and the business community. That's leveraging! Check it out here.
Not sure of how to create and leverage a big buzz idea? We'll show you how. Check out our Fast Track to Marketing Mastery program at www.boostyourbottomline.com and sign up for a fr*ee Marketing Mastery Success Kit at www.boostyourbottomline.com.
© 2007 BoostYourBottomLine.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Certified Marketing Spitfires Holly George and Leslie Hamp are creators of the Fast Track to Marketing Mastery program. To learn more about the step-by-step program, and to sign up for their *FREE* Marketing Mastery Success Kit, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com
The bank is bringing in a nationally recognized speaker, offering the communications seminar to business leaders, community organizations and church leaders, and donating the proceeds to a local food shelf. End result? They further establish themselves as a community leader while creating BIG buzz in area newspapers and regional television news programs as well as among customers, churches and the business community. That's leveraging! Check it out here.
Not sure of how to create and leverage a big buzz idea? We'll show you how. Check out our Fast Track to Marketing Mastery program at www.boostyourbottomline.com and sign up for a fr*ee Marketing Mastery Success Kit at www.boostyourbottomline.com.
© 2007 BoostYourBottomLine.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Certified Marketing Spitfires Holly George and Leslie Hamp are creators of the Fast Track to Marketing Mastery program. To learn more about the step-by-step program, and to sign up for their *FREE* Marketing Mastery Success Kit, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
"Pros" and "Cons" of Guerrilla Marketing — A No-Brainer
We are often asked about the "pros" and "cons" of guerrilla marketing. So, here's a list. Notice that we had to stop at 10 "pros," but couldn't think of many "cons!"
Guerrilla Marketing Pros:
1. A proven program that has benefited more than 1 million people since 1984
2. Low cost, high impact
3. Bottom line focus on profits
4. Unconventional tactics emphasized to stand out from the competition
5. Focus on marketing goals, marketing calendar and tracking
6. Collaboration emphasized to maximize and leverage every marketing effort
7. Clear focus on target audience and benefits offered to them
8. Publicity opportunities abound
9. Step-by-step sales process increases conversion rate of prospects into customers and raving fans
10. Accountability and success
Guerrilla Marketing Cons:
1. Requires time, energy and imagination
2. Requires planning, follow through and tracking
3. Requires development of fusion marketing partners and collaborations
See, learning more about Guerrilla Marketing is a no brainer! Learn how to take advantage of all the "pros" from Certified Guerrilla Marketing experts Holly George and Leslie Hamp at www.boostyourbottomline.com.
© 2007 BoostYourBottomLine.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Certified Marketing Spitfires Holly George and Leslie Hamp are creators of the Fast Track to Marketing Mastery program. To learn more about the step-by-step program, and to sign up for their *FREE* Marketing Mastery Success Kit, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com
Guerrilla Marketing Pros:
1. A proven program that has benefited more than 1 million people since 1984
2. Low cost, high impact
3. Bottom line focus on profits
4. Unconventional tactics emphasized to stand out from the competition
5. Focus on marketing goals, marketing calendar and tracking
6. Collaboration emphasized to maximize and leverage every marketing effort
7. Clear focus on target audience and benefits offered to them
8. Publicity opportunities abound
9. Step-by-step sales process increases conversion rate of prospects into customers and raving fans
10. Accountability and success
Guerrilla Marketing Cons:
1. Requires time, energy and imagination
2. Requires planning, follow through and tracking
3. Requires development of fusion marketing partners and collaborations
See, learning more about Guerrilla Marketing is a no brainer! Learn how to take advantage of all the "pros" from Certified Guerrilla Marketing experts Holly George and Leslie Hamp at www.boostyourbottomline.com.
© 2007 BoostYourBottomLine.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Certified Marketing Spitfires Holly George and Leslie Hamp are creators of the Fast Track to Marketing Mastery program. To learn more about the step-by-step program, and to sign up for their *FREE* Marketing Mastery Success Kit, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com
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