Small business owners wanting to snag attention and build expertise, take note! An easy and inexpensive way to promote yourself is to publish articles on the web. If the thought of writing an article makes your cringe, that’s ok. Hire a ghost writer, or enlist a good friend who loves to write to ease your pain. Before you write one word, ponder the following questions:
• What am I passionate about?
• What life experience do I want to share?
• Who is my target audience, and what are their interests?
• What do I want to teach the reader?
• How do I want to be known?
You must decide what and how you will tell your readers. Start small. Create a title that will knock their socks off, and be concise throughout your article. Make sure your editorial is organized and easy to read; use bullets and numbers to outline key points. Also, use keyword phrases in your title and throughout your article if you want searchers to find you. When tackling your conclusion, restate your main points, encourage the reader to take action, and always end with a call to action.
After polishing your work to perfection, you’ll want to research areas on the web to publish to the world. Displaying your written work on several venues will generate increased traffic to your website. Some examples include: niche websites, electronic newsletters (e-zines), article directories, and blogs. Now, go get published!
Still stumped on where to begin? We can get your on the right track. Sign up today at www.boostyourbottomline.com/freebie for your free Jumpstart Coaching call.
© 2009 BoostYourBottomLine.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE, WEB SITE or BLOG? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coaches & Marketing Spitfires™ Holly George and Leslie Hamp are creators of the Business Boost In A Box. To learn more about the step-by-step program, and to sign up for their *FREE* Marketing Mastery Success Kit, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Why Blogging Is Essential to Grow Your Small Business
Your products and services are out of this world; you have an impressive website where customers can find all the information they need, but you are still lacking half of the profits you thought you’d get. If this is you, you are not alone. Small business owners need to realize that blogging is a powerful business tool that can help you gain exposure to an entirely new audience that you would have otherwise missed entirely. Blogging can open up different channels of customers and target audiences who would have possibly never paid any attention to you. Why blog?
1. Added Exposure. Blog subscribers can get up- to-date emails on new articles, information, and ideas related to your products and services. Subscribers are able to email your articles to friends, thus increasing your presence. Plus, it’s more cost effective than taking out an ad in the local paper.
2. Business to Business Networking. For example, if you own a bridal store, try networking with the local florist or bakery for brides looking for everything all in one. Offer a discount to brides who use the same florist, baker, bridal store, etc. Post the information on your blog. Business networking is a win-win for everyone involved.
3. Keep Clients/Customer Informed. Many small businesses use their blog to keep clients and customers informed on the latest product, service, event, or special offer. The key here is to let them know they can ONLY get special discounts by reading your website blogs. You’ll consistently gain customers and repeat customers.
4. Expand Your Knowledge. Writing articles every day will force you to learn new things about your industry, products, and services. It is wise to branch out and read other blogs relative to your industry as well. As you gain pertinent knowledge of key issues that revolve around your business, customers will ultimately respect your opinion and trust your products and services. Share your expanded knowledge on your blog.
5. Search Engines Love It. It is in your best interest if someone searches for your business or related topic that your business appears first in the search engines. Search Engines love blogs and will often rank them higher than websites.
Want to learn how to start blogging? We’ll show you. Sign up today at www.boostyourbottomline.com/freebie for your free Jumpstart Coaching call.
© 2009 BoostYourBottomLine.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE, WEB SITE or BLOG? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Certified Marketing Spitfires™ Holly George and Leslie Hamp are creators of the Business Boost In A Box. 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. Added Exposure. Blog subscribers can get up- to-date emails on new articles, information, and ideas related to your products and services. Subscribers are able to email your articles to friends, thus increasing your presence. Plus, it’s more cost effective than taking out an ad in the local paper.
2. Business to Business Networking. For example, if you own a bridal store, try networking with the local florist or bakery for brides looking for everything all in one. Offer a discount to brides who use the same florist, baker, bridal store, etc. Post the information on your blog. Business networking is a win-win for everyone involved.
3. Keep Clients/Customer Informed. Many small businesses use their blog to keep clients and customers informed on the latest product, service, event, or special offer. The key here is to let them know they can ONLY get special discounts by reading your website blogs. You’ll consistently gain customers and repeat customers.
4. Expand Your Knowledge. Writing articles every day will force you to learn new things about your industry, products, and services. It is wise to branch out and read other blogs relative to your industry as well. As you gain pertinent knowledge of key issues that revolve around your business, customers will ultimately respect your opinion and trust your products and services. Share your expanded knowledge on your blog.
5. Search Engines Love It. It is in your best interest if someone searches for your business or related topic that your business appears first in the search engines. Search Engines love blogs and will often rank them higher than websites.
Want to learn how to start blogging? We’ll show you. Sign up today at www.boostyourbottomline.com/freebie for your free Jumpstart Coaching call.
© 2009 BoostYourBottomLine.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE, WEB SITE or BLOG? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Certified Marketing Spitfires™ Holly George and Leslie Hamp are creators of the Business Boost In A Box. To learn more about the step-by-step program, and to sign up for their *FREE* Marketing Mastery Success Kit, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com
Monday, February 16, 2009
What's President Lincoln Got To Do With Marketing?
For marketers, President's Day is a BIG opportunity for national promotional sales steam. We wonder what President Lincoln would think to discover that 200 years after his birth, there's a marketing mania around his name.
Take www.zazzle.com. In Honor of Abraham Lincoln's 200th Birthday Bash, 2009, they've created a Happy 200 design on their canvas bags and copy referencing President Lincoln. Smart way to get a high ranking on the search engines as browsers search for details on Mr. Lincoln and this 200th Birthday Celebration.
As a small business owner, be sure to watch for and tap into current trends. They're everywhere. Need help brainstorming what will work for you? Sign up for your free guerrilla marketing consult at www.boostyourbottomline.com. We'll help you think bigger, act bolder and expand your business, even in today's tough economy.
© 2009 BoostYourBottomLine.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE, WEB SITE or BLOG? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Certified Marketing Spitfires™ Holly George and Leslie Hamp are creators of the Business Boost In A Box. To learn more about the step-by-step program, and to sign up for their *FREE* Marketing Mastery Success Kit, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com
Take www.zazzle.com. In Honor of Abraham Lincoln's 200th Birthday Bash, 2009, they've created a Happy 200 design on their canvas bags and copy referencing President Lincoln. Smart way to get a high ranking on the search engines as browsers search for details on Mr. Lincoln and this 200th Birthday Celebration.
As a small business owner, be sure to watch for and tap into current trends. They're everywhere. Need help brainstorming what will work for you? Sign up for your free guerrilla marketing consult at www.boostyourbottomline.com. We'll help you think bigger, act bolder and expand your business, even in today's tough economy.
© 2009 BoostYourBottomLine.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE, WEB SITE or BLOG? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Certified Marketing Spitfires™ Holly George and Leslie Hamp are creators of the Business Boost In A Box. To learn more about the step-by-step program, and to sign up for their *FREE* Marketing Mastery Success Kit, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Follow the Rule of 3 Every Day
The Rule of 3 advocates completing 3 measurable action steps each and every day, no matter what. It’s something we practice and encourage our clients to do as well because we believe satisfaction comes from action. Imagine what you could accomplish if you were to do 3 things every day to further the achievement of your most important goal or business dream. You’d be unstoppable!
At the beginning of each day, determine 3 action steps you’ll complete to promote your business. Will it be 3 interviews for book sales, 3 sales calls for new work, 3 media pitches, 3 written notes to prospects or loyal customers… You get the picture. Complete 3 action steps daily to skyrocket success.
Need help figuring out which 3 actions will make a difference? Log on to www.boostyourbottomline.com/freebie to schedule your free Jumpstart Coaching call to discover how to grow your business and focus your action for the greatest impact.
© 2009 BoostYourBottomLine.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE, WEB SITE or BLOG? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Certified Marketing Spitfires™ Holly George and Leslie Hamp are creators of the Business Boost In A Box. To learn more about the step-by-step program, and to sign up for their *FREE* Marketing Mastery Success Kit, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com
At the beginning of each day, determine 3 action steps you’ll complete to promote your business. Will it be 3 interviews for book sales, 3 sales calls for new work, 3 media pitches, 3 written notes to prospects or loyal customers… You get the picture. Complete 3 action steps daily to skyrocket success.
Need help figuring out which 3 actions will make a difference? Log on to www.boostyourbottomline.com/freebie to schedule your free Jumpstart Coaching call to discover how to grow your business and focus your action for the greatest impact.
© 2009 BoostYourBottomLine.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE, WEB SITE or BLOG? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Certified Marketing Spitfires™ Holly George and Leslie Hamp are creators of the Business Boost In A Box. 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, February 10, 2009
Stop Your Customers In Their Tracks With Emotion
You’ve heard us say again and again that connecting with your customers in a deep and emotional way is key to successful copywriting, sales and PR and that your headlines must stop them in their tracks from the get-go.
There’s a helpful tool that analyzes headlines to determine the “Emotional Marketing Value” score and which words have the greatest impact. Consider this:
Intellectual Words are especially effective when offering products and services that require reasoning or careful evaluation.
Empathetic Words often bring out profound and strong positive emotional reactions in people.
Spiritual Words have the strongest potential for influence and often appeal to people at a very deep emotional level.
Words matter. If you’re not a wordsmith, log on to www.boostyourbottomline.com/freebie to schedule your free Jumpstart Coaching call to discover which words will help you grow your business. And check out this cool tool that takes the guesswork out of headline creation: http://www.boostyourbottomline.com/resources/create_instant_headlines.shtml
© 2009 BoostYourBottomLine.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE, WEB SITE or BLOG? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Certified Marketing Spitfires™ Holly George and Leslie Hamp are creators of the Business Boost In A Box. To learn more about the step-by-step program, and to sign up for their *FREE* Marketing Mastery Success Kit, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com
There’s a helpful tool that analyzes headlines to determine the “Emotional Marketing Value” score and which words have the greatest impact. Consider this:
Intellectual Words are especially effective when offering products and services that require reasoning or careful evaluation.
Empathetic Words often bring out profound and strong positive emotional reactions in people.
Spiritual Words have the strongest potential for influence and often appeal to people at a very deep emotional level.
Words matter. If you’re not a wordsmith, log on to www.boostyourbottomline.com/freebie to schedule your free Jumpstart Coaching call to discover which words will help you grow your business. And check out this cool tool that takes the guesswork out of headline creation: http://www.boostyourbottomline.com/resources/create_instant_headlines.shtml
© 2009 BoostYourBottomLine.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE, WEB SITE or BLOG? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Certified Marketing Spitfires™ Holly George and Leslie Hamp are creators of the Business Boost In A Box. 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, February 04, 2009
Guerrilla Marketing in Action, Super Bowl Style
Nearly 100 million Americans gather around their big screen TVs in anticipation for the biggest football game of the year: the Super Bowl. To advertisers as well, this is their biggest day of the year. Elite New York and Chicago agency’s dual it out to create the most ingenious and intriguing ads per 100K a second. This year however, Guerrilla Marketing was in full motion.
Take FedEx. For the first time in 12 Super Bowl years they opted out of spending the dough and didn’t advertise. Stating that ‘as a responsible employer to nearly 300,000 employees, there is a time to justify such an ad spend and a time to step back.’
FedEx, like many large corporations, small businesses, and entrepreneurs are being asked to do more with less. Guerrilla Marketers thrive on low cost, high impact marketing, but always take in consideration the current economy and how it impacts the market. Surprisingly, the no show at the Super Bowl went over quite well with employers and customers alike. FedEx nailed it on the head by demonstrating true blue Guerrilla Marketing tactics for business stamina and growth. Opting out of spending millions of dollars generated plenty of well received buzz that boasted economic responsibility in today’s market.
Furthermore, FedEx was named for the 11th year in a row to FORTUNE magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” and is based on two criteria: an evaluation of the policies and culture of each company and a survey gauging the opinions of each company's employees. Happy employees mean happy customers. Happy customers will keep coming back for more. They may have taken a time out this time around, but it’s game on for FedEx!
Want to expand your business by doing more with less? We can show you how. Sign up today at www.boostyourbottomline.com/freebie for your free Jumpstart Coaching call.
© 2009 BoostYourBottomLine.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE, WEB SITE or BLOG? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Certified Marketing Spitfires™ Holly George and Leslie Hamp are creators of the Business Boost In A Box. To learn more about the step-by-step program, and to sign up for their *FREE* Marketing Mastery Success Kit, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com
Take FedEx. For the first time in 12 Super Bowl years they opted out of spending the dough and didn’t advertise. Stating that ‘as a responsible employer to nearly 300,000 employees, there is a time to justify such an ad spend and a time to step back.’
FedEx, like many large corporations, small businesses, and entrepreneurs are being asked to do more with less. Guerrilla Marketers thrive on low cost, high impact marketing, but always take in consideration the current economy and how it impacts the market. Surprisingly, the no show at the Super Bowl went over quite well with employers and customers alike. FedEx nailed it on the head by demonstrating true blue Guerrilla Marketing tactics for business stamina and growth. Opting out of spending millions of dollars generated plenty of well received buzz that boasted economic responsibility in today’s market.
Furthermore, FedEx was named for the 11th year in a row to FORTUNE magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” and is based on two criteria: an evaluation of the policies and culture of each company and a survey gauging the opinions of each company's employees. Happy employees mean happy customers. Happy customers will keep coming back for more. They may have taken a time out this time around, but it’s game on for FedEx!
Want to expand your business by doing more with less? We can show you how. Sign up today at www.boostyourbottomline.com/freebie for your free Jumpstart Coaching call.
© 2009 BoostYourBottomLine.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE, WEB SITE or BLOG? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Certified Marketing Spitfires™ Holly George and Leslie Hamp are creators of the Business Boost In A Box. 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, February 03, 2009
5 Ways to Close Deals When Others Can't
In today’s tough economy, most prospects are thinking twice before buying. That means everyone in your business needs to go above and beyond to win them over as a loyal customer. Here are five ways to build credibility with prospects and establish relationships that lead to more sales:
1. Listen first, sell second
Good business people enter sales situations with a list of questions geared toward allowing prospects to explain their greatest needs. Listening sends a clear message that you’re interested in the prospect’s needs, not your own. Probing is a great way to ensure you don’t focus on benefits that have no bearing on the prospect’s situation.
2. Make it specific
Once you’ve determined where the prospect’s needs might be unmet, and you understand their priorities, re-angle your presentation to focus solely on those points. Acknowledging your prospect’s priorities and challenges while offering solutions is a great way to establish trust.
3. Solicit commitments
Top closers set a goal to move the sale forward at each meeting. One meeting may focus on getting feedback on the product/service and how it might work for them; the next might focus on terms and conditions. Each step moves the prospect closer to a final “Yes.”
4. Establish credibility
Prospects want to feel as if they are making a great decision to buy from you. That’s why we recommend keeping a file of testimonials from loyal customers who sing your praises. You'll discover it's the fast track to establishing trust and credibility.
5. Provide exact details
As you move closer to ending the selling process, explain the terms of the contract, how it works, warranties, etc. Discuss what happens after the sale and the support you’ll provide. Close the sale with the prospect feeling good about doing business with you.
Need help?
We LOVE helping small businesses determine marketing messages, media hooks and sales strategies that get results. Whether you need help with a specific challenge or a complete overhaul of your business identity, we're here for you. E-mail us today: info@boostyourbottomline.com.
© 2009 BoostYourBottomLine.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE, WEB SITE or BLOG? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Certified Marketing Spitfires™ Holly George and Leslie Hamp are creators of the Business Boost In A Box. 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. Listen first, sell second
Good business people enter sales situations with a list of questions geared toward allowing prospects to explain their greatest needs. Listening sends a clear message that you’re interested in the prospect’s needs, not your own. Probing is a great way to ensure you don’t focus on benefits that have no bearing on the prospect’s situation.
2. Make it specific
Once you’ve determined where the prospect’s needs might be unmet, and you understand their priorities, re-angle your presentation to focus solely on those points. Acknowledging your prospect’s priorities and challenges while offering solutions is a great way to establish trust.
3. Solicit commitments
Top closers set a goal to move the sale forward at each meeting. One meeting may focus on getting feedback on the product/service and how it might work for them; the next might focus on terms and conditions. Each step moves the prospect closer to a final “Yes.”
4. Establish credibility
Prospects want to feel as if they are making a great decision to buy from you. That’s why we recommend keeping a file of testimonials from loyal customers who sing your praises. You'll discover it's the fast track to establishing trust and credibility.
5. Provide exact details
As you move closer to ending the selling process, explain the terms of the contract, how it works, warranties, etc. Discuss what happens after the sale and the support you’ll provide. Close the sale with the prospect feeling good about doing business with you.
Need help?
We LOVE helping small businesses determine marketing messages, media hooks and sales strategies that get results. Whether you need help with a specific challenge or a complete overhaul of your business identity, we're here for you. E-mail us today: info@boostyourbottomline.com.
© 2009 BoostYourBottomLine.com
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE, WEB SITE or BLOG? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Certified Marketing Spitfires™ Holly George and Leslie Hamp are creators of the Business Boost In A Box. 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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