Crystal Mountain Announces Marketing Workshop for Michigan Entrepreneurs & Small Businesses

Business owners worldwide are finding the strategies they’ve counted on for years are not working anymore. In fact, the same old strategies are likely hurting their business.

That’s why Crystal Mountain Resort and Spa is partnering with Holly George and Leslie Hamp, Certified Marketing Spitfires and co-founders of Boost Your Bottom Line, a strategic business and marketing company, to offer a one-day workshop that puts a spotlight on how to survive and thrive during a recession, where to focus marketing efforts for the greatest impact, and quick fixes to reboot the business brain.

The one-day workshop, slated for Thursday, October 1, 2009 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., is for experienced business owners, start-ups and their teams.

“In today’s economy, people are searching for meaning behind their purchases,” said George. “That means small businesses need to pay special attention to the purpose behind their offerings, the emotional connections that embody their brands, and the meaningful relationships they are building with customers and prospects."

“The good news is there are powerful, comprehensive tools that make this easier than ever, and we are going to share those during this one-day event.”

Hamp said the workshop is an opportunity for business owners to step back and map out a blueprint for success.

“Many business owners are running scared right now,” she said. “They’re feeling the pinch of the economy and are struggling with how to weather this turbulent time. When we get them to focus on quantifying their business goals, connecting with customers who light them up, and building meaningful relationships, they discover ways to overcome their challenges. We’ll focus on those challenges and solutions during the Crystal Mountain workshop.”

Hamp and George said they strive to take the mystery and frustration out of the sales and marketing process and empower participants to build powerful relationships that transcend economies and guarantee business growth. Participants will learn proven tactics they can implement the minute they leave the workshop.

Those attending the workshop will receive a $25 gift certificate for services at Crystal Spa. In addition, attendees can reserve hotel accommodations from $89 by calling 1-800-968-7686.

Set amidst forested hills, sparkling lakes and flowing rivers, for over 50 years families, friends and business owners have gathered at Crystal Mountain Resort for an unforgettable northern Michigan experience. Time has been set aside before and after the workshop as well as during a two-hour lunch break for attendees to experience Crystal Spa, a walk in the Michigan Legacy Art Park, schedule a personal training session, a work-out in the Peak Fitness Center, play Crystal’s two championship golf courses, or a delicious meal in the Thistle Pub & Grille.

“Crystal Mountain is making this a true retreat opportunity for those seeking some time away to revision, refocus and restore,” Hamp said. “It seems counterintuitive, but that’s exactly what most business owners need to become more focused and more successful.”

To find out more and to register for the workshop with the Certified Marketing Spitfires, visit www.spitfireworkshop.com. For more information on Boost Your Bottom Line, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com. For more information about Crystal Mountain, visit, www.crystalmountain.com.

© 2009 BoostYourBottomLine.com

WANT TO INCLUDE OUR TIPS 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 publish Boost, an ezine filled with red hot strategies to ignite business and personal success. To find out more, and to get your fr*ee Marketing Mastery Success Kit, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com

Getting The Word Out On The Cheap

As we work on a local fundraiser, http://www.davidsparade.com, we’re reminded of the importance of all forms of promotion to get the word out. It’s important to cover all of the online options, but don't forget about offline publicity tools. The following can be very effective if you're publicizing something local:

- Local newspapers and weekly shoppers

- Local newsletters

- Flyers on supermarket bulletin boards or at the check-out counter

- Flyers at colleges and universities

- Flyers or posters at company cafeterias or teacher lounges

- Bank marquees

- Church bulletins

- Bumper stickers

- Bank statement stuffers

- Chamber newsletter inserts

- Posters

- Calendar listings on local cable TV channels

If you need to pinch your promotional pennies, you’ll want to unleash a comprehensive PR program. Learn the nuts and bolts and how to save thousands of dollars now at http://www.boostyourbottomline.com/fast_track/

© 2009 BoostYourBottomLine.com

WANT TO INCLUDE OUR TIPS 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 publish Boost, an ezine filled with red hot strategies to ignite business and personal success. To find out more, and to get your fr*ee Marketing Mastery Success Kit, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com

The Power of Ezines: Cheap, Yet Effective

You can achieve outstanding ezine results with just a small investment of time, effort and money. Did you know that 54% of small businesses surveyed rated email as the top online promotion to drive site visitors and customers to their web sites and storefronts? More than half of businesses surveyed believe ezines are of the most powerful marketing tools because they are:

• Inexpensive. Unlike direct mail, there is virtually no production, materials or postage expense.

• Effective. Email marketing allows you to proactively communicate with your existing customers and prospects instead of passively waiting for them to return to your web site or business site.

• Immediate. Ezines generate an immediate response: “Click here to learn more.” Response usually occurs within 48 hours of the time the email campaign is sent.

• Targeted. You can easily segment your lists using a variety of criteria or interest groups so that your promotions go to the individuals most likely to respond to your message. By setting up categories, you can tailor your campaigns to particular segments.

• Easy. Web-based email marketing products with professional templates, list capabilities, automatic tracking and reporting allow you to concentrate on your message.

We can help you brainstorm your next steps. Get started now at http://www.boostyourbottomline.com/fast_track/

© 2009 BoostYourBottomLine.com

WANT TO INCLUDE OUR TIPS 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 publish Boost, an ezine filled with red hot strategies to ignite business and personal success. To find out more, and to get your fr*ee Marketing Mastery Success Kit, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com

The Power of Ezines: Attractive to all Types of Businesses

Entrepreneurs and other small business owners are often stumped when it comes to marketing their business online. They want to build a relationship with prospects in the hopes that they eventually become regular customers. They also need a tool that requires little if any technical expertise, and is cheap, reliable and fast. One of the best ways to solve this problem is to build that relationship by sending a regular online newsletter, also called an ezine.

Most people don’t realize the power of ezines. When prepared properly, ezines are viewed as a news source and a powerful marketing tool to change a reader’s beliefs and behaviors. Think about it this way:

• For a business, an effective ezine can inform and motivate customers to buy a new product or service and maintain customer loyalty.

• For nonprofits, ezines can generate new memberships, encourage meeting participation, maintain loyalty among current members, and raise money from a supportive donor base.

• For an educational institution, the ezine can increase community awareness and improve communication between alumni and their alma mater or between parents and teachers.

We can help you get your ezine on track to building lucrative relationships. Get started now at http://www.boostyourbottomline.com

© 2009 BoostYourBottomLine.com

WANT TO INCLUDE OUR TIPS 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 publish Boost, an ezine filled with red hot strategies to ignite business and personal success. To find out more, and to get your fr*ee Marketing Mastery Success Kit, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com

Booming Sales for the Late King of Pop

Like the rest of the world, we were shocked by the passing of Michael Jackson. Hours after his death, news websites came close to crashing, cable channels started to air tributes, and his star on the Hollywood walk of fame became flooded with mourners.

I immediately began putting together my ‘MJ essential playlist’ through iTunes which included several of his songs I already possessed. However, I still needed a few of my favorites, in addition to some Jackson 5 tunes to complete the playlist, so I logged onto the iTunes store to purchase them.

Unsurprisingly, millions of others were completing their Michael Jackson collections. His songs had dominated the iTunes charts; taking up 9 out of the 10 spots for most downloaded songs. At $1.29 per song, business sure was booming in remembrance of the late singer.

Like iTunes, you can tap into the power of a story, news and trends to attract more customers, bigger profits and a business to brag about. Get started now at http://www.boostyourbottomline.com/

© 2009 BoostYourBottomLine.com

WANT TO INCLUDE OUR TIPS 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 publish Boost, an ezine filled with red hot strategies to ignite business and personal success. To find out more, and to get your fr*ee Marketing Mastery Success Kit, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com

Budget Friendly Start-Ups

Despite the gloomy economy, there are several simple ways to launch a business on a budget. With time, starting small could lead to a lucrative and long-term business. Below are a few start-up friendly examples:

• Lawn and Landscaping Services. With start up costs as low as $1,000, it’s easy to start small and grow big with this industry. You don’t need a ton of employees, but instead, just yourself to initially get started. Purchase used lawn equipment and garden tools, and spread your new business via word of mouth. The great news: you get to decide how much or how little you’d like to work. Tip: you’ll want to make sure you are more adept at mowing, trimming and pruning than the average Joe, so invest some time into educating yourself.

• Food Services. Entrepreneurs in community food services will find a market hungry for affordable, yet healthy meals, with startup costs of only $500 to $1,000. Once you’ve selected your location and identified your target market, ensure proper licensing. Saving on start up costs begins by purchasing discount food equipment. Tip: before you start spending money, take care of the logistics, such as applying for a business license with your city and securing food handler's cards with your department of health.

• Education Services. You can launch a tutoring company or other education service for as little as $4,000. You’ll need basic rented office space and equipment. If you really want to keep costs low, start your own tutor service from the comfort of your own home. The potential earnings from a home tutoring service are really dependent on your efforts and commitment. Tip: you don’t necessarily need an education degree to tutor. However, teaching experience will help in building a profile, as parents will be more confident with your abilities.

We can help get your budget-friendly business on the right track. Get started now at http://www.boostyourbottomline.com/fast_track/

© 2009 BoostYourBottomLine.com

WANT TO INCLUDE OUR TIPS 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 publish Boost, an ezine filled with red hot strategies to ignite business and personal success. To find out more, and to get your fr*ee Marketing Mastery Success Kit, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com

Unleash the Pareto Principle to Optimize Your Life

Now that you’ve started applying the 80/20 principle to your business, consider applying the same principle to your life. For example, do you spend more time with people you enjoy being around? Do you try focusing on a few habits that can bring huge value to your life? Do you identify goals and priorities on a daily basis so you can focus on what matters most in business and in life?

Now step back and assess the ‘More with Less’ path. There are typically 4 routes to achieve a certain objective, and it doesn’t take an Einstein to realize that focusing on the ‘Low Effort, High Reward’ route brings the greatest return on time, energy and investment.

Look at it this way; imagine you are planning to host a dinner party. Your objective is to make sure that everything is ready when the guests arrive. The four routes we have in this scenario are:

1) Low Effort, Low Reward: Do not cook or clean until the last minute.

2) High Effort, Low Reward: Start to clean a week before the party, but things get dirty again. Dedicate time to run errands during the day, but get side-tracked by other interruptions.

3) High Effort, High Reward: Start to prepare food every day. Clean as many times as possible. Go to the store on numerous occasions because of forgotten items.

4) Low Effort, High Reward: Make a list of all the items you will need for the party. Dedicate the day before the party to run errands, cook, and clean. Delegate additional tasks to your husband/wife/kids.

No matter how big or small, start writing and assessing your dreams and goals in relation to the 80/20 Rule. Can you identify which 20% of your goals, when achieved, will give you 80% of your satisfaction and happiness?

We can help you put the 80/20 principle to test. Get started now at:
http://www.boostyourbottomline.com/fast_track/

© 2009 BoostYourBottomLine.com

WANT TO INCLUDE OUR TIPS 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 publish Boost, an ezine filled with red hot strategies to ignite business and personal success. To find out more, and to get your fr*ee Marketing Mastery Success Kit, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com

Skyrocket Success with the Pareto Principle

As a small business owner, it's critical to pinpoint the areas that will increase revenue and profits. The easiest way to define that sweet spot is by following the Pareto Principle. The 80/20 Rule states that 80% of our results come from 20% of our activity. The outcome to this is that 20% of our results absorb 80% of one's resources or activity.

The 80/20 rule teaches you simplicity and applies to several examples:

-20% of employees are responsible for 80% of a company’s output
-20% of customers are responsible for 80% of the revenues
-80% of a manager's interruptions come from the same 20% of the people
-80% of your personal calls are to 20% of the people in your address book
-80% of your annual sales come from 20% of your sales force
-80% of what you produce is generated during 20% of your working hours
-80% of your website traffic comes from 20% of your pages

As a business owner, your job is to find out which 20% of your marketing is motivating the most sales, to determine which 20% of your customers are producing 80% of your profits, and to learn which 20% of your prospects are most likely to become customers.

When you discover which 20% of your customers are responsible for 80% of your sales, your marketing and communication will focus on keeping them happy, increasing the amount of business you do with them, and tapping them for referrals and testimonials.

We can help you maximize the 80/20 principle. Get started now at:
http://www.boostyourbottomline.com

© 2009 BoostYourBottomLine.com

WANT TO INCLUDE OUR TIPS 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 publish Boost, an ezine filled with red hot strategies to ignite business and personal success. To find out more, and to get your fr*ee Marketing Mastery Success Kit, visit www.boostyourbottomline.com