You will want to be seen as an expert and a resource for the people in your target market. Take the time to update and add to your own list of resources. Think of the recommendations that you make to the people you work with. These can include books you read, web sites you visit and services you use.
Today, go to Alicia’s site at
http://www.discninja.com/signup.htm and sign up to receive her Free Resources Document. This has been created over time and has grown into a valuable resource for her target market – Solopreneurs.
You will notice that this can also serve as a great way to begin collecting email addresses in exchange for something of value. You are “trading” your Resource List for their contact information.
Some examples of resources you might want to recommend include:
1. Website designers you recommend.
2. A list of travel agents who provide high quality vacations at an affordable price.
3. A library of books you enjoy.
4. Access to
www.cybernation.com (Famous and Inspirational Quotes).
5. A list of great restaurants you recommend on your local level and from your past travels.
6. A collection of special reports related to your profession.
7. A list of the top ten free or low cost newsletters you recommend.
8. A list of health care and extreme health care professionals you recommend (physicians, dentists, massage therapists, hair stylists, skin consultants, chiropractors, and the like).
9. A list of four and five star hotels at an affordable price (
www.priceline.com offers fabulous four star hotels at wonderful prices).
10. Links to online journals which you find supportive (
www.fastcompany.com,
www.fortune.com, or
www.entrepreneur.com are a good place to begin).
11. Free downloads for office templates through
www.microsoft.com.
12. Websites for free e-cards such as
www.bluemountain.com and www.hallmark.com.
13. Free online dictionaries such as
www.merriamwebster.com and
www.dictionary.com.
14. Current articles related to various topics that are of interest to your target market.
15. Links for appointment reminders and special occasions such as
www.birthdayalarm.com.
16. Websites related to household tips and decorating -
www.ivillage.com,
www.tipking.com, and
www.thefrugalshopper.com.
17. Websites related to recipes -
www.foodtv.com,
www.epicurious.com, and
www.southernliving.com.
18. Financial management, marketing, and business-related issues-
http://money.cnn.com http://www.sba.gov ,
http://www.startupjournal.com.
19. Free downloads for cool e-mail programs such as www.incredimail.com.
20. Your Team 100- A list of consultants and professionals from a variety of backgrounds (a very full Rolodex of people who you trust and enjoy doing business with- Accountants, Attorneys, Realtors, Certified Financial Planners, Bankers, Stock Brokers, and the like).
21. Website Optimization Companies such as
http://www.fullpartner.com/fullpartner/index.cfm.
22. Graphic Design Companies such as
http://www.triguns.com/.
23. Resources for Small Business Owners through sites such as The Small Business Administration:
http://www.sba.gov/.
24. A list of organizations related to your industry.
25. A list of recommended audio equipment through companies such as
www.hellodirect.com.
26. Websites for great long distance phone rates such as
www.callingcards.com.
27. A list of websites which offer free teleclasses such as
www.teleclass.com,
www.teleclassinternational.com .
Your list can include anything that you feel may be of support to your target audience. Make a list of the resources that you have found to be personally beneficial, and ask your clients what they feel would support their personal or business lives and begin to collect this list of resources over time. Once you begin to build your list, create a page on your website or a PDF document of all recommended resources, and provide this at no charge to your potential clients.
