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Marketing Planning Articles |
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I'm sure you can remember a time when you've had a less than ideal client. Spend a moment and get an image of that person in your head - that person who completely drains you; that person you have to "keep selling" to remain involved; that person you're literally dragging and pulling along; and that person who leaves you feeling bad after every interaction. The truth is not everyone is your ideal client and you absolutely have a choice with whom you work.
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In marketing your business, there's a line *out there* between what's effective for your ideal clients and what's just plain annoying.
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Many business owners, especially online, preach about "marketing with integrity" and "marketing authentically" and then immediately do things which, in my opinion, are exactly the opposite of what they preach. Here's just a few marketing mistakes I've seen recently which make me cringe.
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When students ask me what's my secret to "getting ahead" in life and business my answer could easily turn into a weekend seminar. But one of the things I credit for my success is spending less time in the office.
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Here are three marketing and sales lessons every service professional, business owner, and information marketer should never forget.
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Have you heard marketers say: The value of your business is in the size of your List – meaning your list of subscribers (prospects and clients)? When people hear how I built a Six figure Income based on what is regarded as a TINY list in marketing circles, they are amazed, and quite frankly, sometimes so am I.
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How often do you hear “I’d love to work with you but I can’t afford it” from your clients? If you think it’s too often then chances are you are not marketing your services to the right people, those that can actually afford it and those that are affluent enough not to have to be out shopping for the lowest prices.
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The single fastest way to get clients and grow your business is to get in front of people and get in front of them IN PERSON! There is nothing like a one-on-one connection to build the know, like, and trust factor, as well as hold someone's captive attention.
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As a sales professional, you want to convey confidence and authority. You always want your prospect or your customer to see you as an expert in your field, as someone who is credible and someone who is knowledgeable. Sometimes, the words you use or the way you use them get in the way. What do the words that you use say about you?
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I’ll be the first to admit that I love what I do so much that I could do it for free. While it’s great to love what you do, all businesses are set up to create revenue and giving away the farm certainly doesn’t accomplish that goal. In this article, I’ll share how to check whether you’re indeed giving away too much for free (and what to do about it), plus a couple of surprising realities around giving away too much of your services for free.
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As a small business coach, I see the question of how to sell services and how to consistently get clients more often than any other. In this article, learn the 5-part formula that creates clients and cash flow with unrivaled consistency.
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Ever find yourself sitting in front of your computer, unable to write that promo email? Or sorting through the paper clips instead of making those JV calls you intended? Or putting off drafting this week’s blog post? These three of my best tips will make it easy for you to boost your zest for marketing.
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Producing a television ad can seem a daunting and expensive task. Fortunately, with today's easy access to TV production tools, creating a TV spot is well within your reach. Here are 7 steps to producing your TV ad.
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Could one phone call change your life? What about one article submitted to the right publication, or meeting one person at an event? Here are three simple tips for using the power of one to help you rev up your marketing, increase your leads and, as a bonus, connect you to your source of power.
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Sometimes business owners make marketing more complicated than it needs to be. Follow these five mantras and you'll go a long way toward simplifying the path to closing that all-important sale.
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Facebook is a fun way to keep in touch with your buddies and family and to reconnect with people you’ve lost contact with. AND, it’s also a powerful marketing tool if you use it right.
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The sluggish economy has every small or solo business owner figuring out how they can get the biggest “bang for their buck”. Bootstrapping needs to be part of your small business planning.
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If you’re in any kind of business at all then you must always be thinking of ways to attract your ideal, high-paying clients to you. It doesn’t matter if you’re in a service based business or in a retail business, if you don’t have clients (or customers) then you don’t have a business at all. You only have a hobby.
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A question I’ll often ask my clients and students is “Why should your Ideal, High-Paying Clients do business with you?” Very often they’ll think for a while and say something like “Well, I’m good at what I do.” It’s a very important question that you must be able to answer clearly and decisively for you to attract your Ideal, High-Paying Clients to you in a big way.
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If you aren’t positioning yourself as an expert in your field you are missing out on gaining lots of clients with grace and ease. With the world getting smaller and smaller and becoming a global marketplace competition is intense and you must do what you have to to stand out and be noticed by your Idea, High-Paying Clients. So how do you position yourself as an expert in your field?
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Being clear on how your different marketing strategies all fit together is crucial for the long-term success of your online marketing plan. You should be looking at how your system flows and brings new subscribers into your funnel and how you can market to them. Your online marketing system is a key system in the long-term growth of your business, so you need to be clear what it is your marketing plan is achieving.
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Somewhere inside you, you know without a doubt you are an expert. Maybe you are in the early stages of this awareness or perhaps you are already standing tall in your authentic power. Either way, here are 4 tips to help you rise to the top, and stay there.
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Whether you're currently hosting a membership program or plan to host one in the near future, there are some trends which have popped up that you'll want to be aware of.
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Remember, marketing isn’t a magic button (although it’s pretty darn close). But it can’t fix everything. Below are 5 things marketing can’t do for you.
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What Marketing Can Do For You (And No, the Answer Isn’t Everything) While marketing is as close to a magic button we have (think the Staples Easy Button) to transforming your business, it’s still not an actual magic button. So here are some misconceptions about marketing.
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One of things I love the most about my business is introducing my new clients to the concept of the marketing funnel and watching their eyes light up when they see the possibilities for themselves! The marketing funnel is a simple concept, but the impact of it can be so enormous that once the concept sinks in. I’ve never claimed to be a math wiz, but here is a basic formula to play with.
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Whether you're just dipping your toes in the water with Online Video, or you're diving in to video to maximize your visibility, credibility and profitability with video, we can help! Here's a quick-start guide to help you get your video online - along with a few more ideas for leveraging your video.
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Are you networking and marketing? If not, what is holding you back? If you are, does your passion and expertise come through with confidence? Here's a few ideas to get you started.
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As 2010 looms just around the corner, I've been making space to open the flow for what's going to be my biggest year yet. Read this article for ways you can do the same.
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A mentor of mine once said that when it comes to business, “the marketing is just as important as the mastery.” They were basically saying that the know-how and the “what” of your business is important, but if no one knows about you and what you do, it doesn’t matter.
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What the heck do I mean by “repurpose?” Well it’s when you do one thing and then spin that one thing into many. Let’s take a look at how this might work.
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Would you like a quick increase in your cash flow this month? Most solo business owners would say yes! Here are three sure-fire ways to make more money quickly and boost your bottom line.
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Get a surefire method to help you accomplish the goals you want for yourself and your business in this special article.
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What's different in 2010 and how will it affect your marketing? There's a sea change underway - a great shift - happening in human evolution. Here's what that means for your marketing, and the number one secret you need to know to ride the wave and not be left behind.
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The real challenge for the woman entrepreneur isn’t how to deliver a great service but how to find time to market. Unfortunately, avoiding marketing only leads to feeling guilty or overwhelmed. Or worse, feeling downright scared because you’re cash flow is shriveling up. If you’re being totally honest you have to admit that the reason you don’t seem to find time to market is because you’re either not sure what the best way is to market your business, you don’t want to feel pushy or inauthentic, you’re not sure where to start or you’re afraid that it won’t work and you’ll have failed. Here are some simple tips to get you started.
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Are you rich and famous yet? Some people would have you believe that all you need to build a super-successful business are a good product or service, healthy self-confidence, and undying passion for your work. But if that was really true you'd already be filthy rich and obscenely famous, right? Fact is, the old "do a good job and clients will come" marketing advise is the biggest pile of rubbish ever invented! So here is an eye-opening "BIG SECRET" to attracting good fortune in business.
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It took a long time for me to grasp the impact of having a plan. Because I was running a small, grass roots organization, there never seemed to be enough time, people, money or resources. I was always putting out fires. Every plan I developed changed the moment I keyed in the last sentence and printed it out. Plan-who has time to plan? Especially when the plan keeps changing.
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There's a hard truth about marketing: People don't care about businesses (and that includes your business). What they care about is how your business's products or services can solve THEIR problems, meet THEIR needs and make THEIR lives easier. So what can you do about it?
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For a lot of small business owners, leads may not be a problem. They may be receiving lots of leads. It’s the conversion of those leads that may be the problem. So in this article, let’s explore 4 reasons your leads may not be converting and what you can do about it.
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If you've got a business online, then it's likely you have some sort of web presence. Perhaps it's a one-page 'sign up for my list' kind of site, or a full-blown brochure site with a menu of choices, or maybe your site is in the form of a blog.
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So you have decided to start using public speaking to increase your visibility. Great idea! Speaking is arguably one of the best ways to raise your star power and become known in your field. While just getting out from in front of your computer and in front of groups of your ideal clients is great in and of itself, don't stop there. There are other things you can do to make the most of providing valuable content with a no-cost speech. Here are some things to consider once you book your next speaking engagement that will maximize your efforts and leverage your time.
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Is speaking in public one of your goals for the year? If so, congratulations! You are embarking upon one of the best ways to attract your ideal clients. One of the things I enjoy about speaking is that the organization that produces the event is in charge of filling the room, so there is no marketing that you have to do. That's already taken care of for you! As you start to create your plan to put yourself out there as speaker, here are a few success tips to follow.
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The biggest lament I hear from Soul Proprietors is that they just don’t have the time to market their business. Business people are busy people. There’s no doubt about it, but that doesn’t change the fact that — if you aren’t consistently marketing your business — you eventually won’t have a business to market.
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Do you know what your gifts are, your special talent? Is there something you love to do so much, you would do it for free? Whatever that gift is, you are the only one doing it. There might be other's who do similar things, but no one is doing it quite the way you are. Your perceptions and your experience, makes your way of providing that service unique.
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We all make mistakes. Much of marketing is innovation, trying something to see how effective it will be in your market. Often we don't even know we've made a mistake until afterwards when we see the cost and no return. Here are ten avoidable marketing mistakes you don't need to make in your solo business.
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Learn 10 things you can do to up your sales and your success.
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One of the best ways to beat your competition and convince your prospects that you’re the real deal (all on a shoestring budget) is to tap into the power of testimonials.
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Video marketing through YouTube can be an incredibly powerful way to attract new business and customers for the small business owner operating on a shoestring marketing budget.
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YouTube is taking the industry by storm. It seems that anyone and everyone is beginning to make a statement on YouTube. So the question is, as a small business owner should you market your small business through YouTube?
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Have you ever felt overwhelmed marketing a number of different programs, products or services you offer? Have you ever felt torn in different directions with a number of priorities fighting for your attention, and you just haven’t known which one to address first, feeling that you are always neglecting some, somewhat behind schedule with your Marketing activities and therefore not really getting the results you were hoping for?
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I know YOU know what you are capable of as a professional and YOU know how you can get results for your clients, right? But how do your clients know to trust that you can do it? Often your value promise can seem too good to be true to them, or they just can’t make up their mind quickly enough (for you) to go ahead, may compare you to other providers etc…
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If you are anything like me you probably have great ideas for programs you could run all the time. It’s really easy to get excited about an idea and rush ahead too quickly to put it into action.
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If you are not doing this, you might be missing out on business: Since I mentioned on one of my calls that I get a lot of business out of attending live events, a few people have asked me “How do you do it?”.
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Your Database or ‘List’ as some people call it, is one of if not the greatest asset in your business. Your List are your subscribers, people you communicate with regularly usually via email, and who you build a relationship with.
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If you haven’t designed your Marketing Calendar for the New Year yet, now is the time to do it. As you know it’s hard to get somewhere if you don’t know where you’re going. Now is the time to plan what you’re going to do to make sure you’re out there in a big way.
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Most entrepreneurs market their business half-heartedly. One month they’re marketing machines the next they are too busy and marketing goes out the window. Inconsistency with your marketing plan creates inconsistency with your new-client-flow. You can create a system that will promote an on-going marketing flow and stop the roller coaster ride!
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The topic of how to have multiple income streams is a murky one for most people. I find that there are five huge mistakes entrepreneurs make when thinking about their upcoming income. Are you making any of these?
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Write a personal ad for your business to help you identify your perfect customer and you'll have a short and sweet reminder that will help you focus your marketing efforts in the right places to get results and help more of the right people.
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Many small business owners misuse this simple and highly effective shoestring marketing strategy to build their business. They don’t understand the marketing opportunities that abound within a simple signature file.
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Like many small business owners, you've probably been intrigued by the concept of blogging at one time or another. However, at the same time, you've never been sure exactly how blogging would specifically benefit you or your business.
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If there’s one piece of advice that outshines and outperforms time and time again, it’s the idea of offering free materials and resources to your prospective clients and customers.
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Chances are your competitors are using LinkedIn to manage and grow their business, so it’s time that you discover how to use this powerful networking tool.
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Most small business owners expect their prospects to commit to a serious relationship with them before they even know them. However, before your prospect makes a commitment, they want to get to know you. Here are ways to accomplish this.
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Why would you waste one dollar or one hour on marketing that doesn’t work? It happens all the time and the reason is often just a lack of knowledge or understanding about what would work better. As small or solo business owners, who can afford to waste time or money on marketing your business that doesn’t work?
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About 80% of your marketing results come from 20% of your marketing efforts. If you can correctly identify the 20% of your marketing that works, you will save an incredible amount of time in your business. And as any good shoestring marketer knows, time is money.
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Online press releases are a powerful tool for the small business owner operating on a shoestring budget. Obviously, press releases alert the media about your newsworthy event, product or service, but they also can provide SEO benefits, allowing your target market to learn about you as well.
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If you’re going to write an ad that generates a dynamic and powerful response, follow the ten tips to ensure your success.
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Many heart-based business owners mistakenly focus on what they think of as “selling” when it comes time to present an offer. And that actually goes against their spiritual beliefs and values. If this happens for you, the good news is Helen's got a simple strategy for centering yourself in your power as you engage in any kind of “selling” interaction.
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If you really want your business to improve, then you should add the power of video to your marketing mix.
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With so many people talking about getting powerful messages out to the world, chances are something in you is awakening. It’s not always easy to navigate spiritual, social, and emotional channels around marketing, so read these tips to take your message out to the world in a powerful and meaningful way (that does your business good, not harm!)
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Whether you are writing ad-copy for a sales brochure, website or email campaign, it’s essential that you have four key elements in place. Although these four elements are fundamentally different, when combined, they produce a highly effective marketing message. Once you are able to master these important techniques, you will have the recipe to create ads that sell.
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One of the activities I value and treasure is "real" conversations. To share conversation where we each have a chance to speak and feel truly heard without being judged.
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Discover why free marketing is essential to today's small business owner.
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Whether you are selling a product or service, there are four powerful marketing principles that are essential to your success. Although these marketing principles are fairly simple, once applied they can be incredibly powerful tools for building your small business.
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I truly love Twitter. Without question, Twitter had increased my visibility, created thousands of leads for my small business and produced dozens of sales for my products and services.
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As a small business owner, at one time or another, you will need to create a compelling ad. It doesn't matter if your ad is a sales brochure, email announcement or a newspaper ad, ultimately, your ad-copy must grab your prospect's attention, produce a desired emotional response that urges them to take action.
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If you’re a small business owner who is serious about boosting your income, listen up! Your profile picture matters. Here are the top ten profile picture disasters (that I have personally witnessed.)
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Every single day, consumers are exposed to over 3,500 advertisements in magazines, newspapers, billboards, television, radio and the internet. As a marketer you have an incredibly difficult task to accomplish: you need to find some way to get through all the “noise” and grab your prospect’s attention.
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Few things are more discouraging to a passionate entrepreneur than creating products and programs that don’t sell well. When the feedback you get is an audience that’s not buying, it’s time to take a look at the offer you’re making. Here are four clear-cut and simple tips you can use to be certain you’re putting your time and energy into offers that will get snapped up!
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So there you are with a stack of business cards or a database full of names. It's time to follow up. You're well aware that you must follow up as part of your strategy to get more clients and customers. But at the same time, you stare at the phone or email feeling like you're about to pester someone and it's not a good feeling. Here are some golden nuggets of truth and strategies around following up without pestering.
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While internet marketers have online businesses, not all online businesses consider themselves internet marketers. So what's the difference and what do you want to plan to be?
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Why do you procrastinate when it comes to offering a teleseminar to boost your business and make money fast? I want you to move forward with offering your first teleseminar. So I’m going to share with you the top three teleseminar goal stoppers.
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Consumers always have a decision to make: Keep the crumpled bill in their pocket, or hand it over. Hire the healer, coach or heart-based entrepreneur, or limp along without guidance. How do your prospective clients make their decisions, and how can understanding that process move you toward your small business success?
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The best time for marketing is when they aren't buying. Be realistic. If you aren't selling the hottest new fashion or gizmo for holiday gift-giving, it's hard to get anyone to think about buying your product or service from Thanksgiving through Christmas and New Year's. This is a six week lean selling stretch for lots of sales professionals, consultants and solo business owners. When you are trying to hit your quarterly and year-end numbers this lean stretch can be tough to swallow. What To Do Instead.
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So you’ve had some success getting customers in your small business. They bought once, and you’re not quite sure why they’re not returning for more. How do you increase the number of repeat sales you get? How to you get clients/customers coming back for more. Great question and I have a few sales-generating suggestions for you.
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I regularly interview small and solo business owners who call my coaching company looking for help. After getting a sense of what their business is all about, what their biggest goals are, and what lifestyle they are trying to create, I ask them what their biggest challenges are. Nine times out of ten, it’s getting more clients and the problem is marketing. Here are some tips on what you need to think about in order to begin to master marketing.
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The saying "it's not what you know, but who you know" is one of the truest phrases ever uttered. Whether you're just starting out as a solopreneur or leading a multi-million dollar venture, having contacts who are well connected themselves is a major boost to your business. But how can you tell which contacts will be most helpful? And how do you cultivate mutually beneficial relationships with these movers and shakers?
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Stories are wickedly effective in getting attention. They work in conversation. And they work like gangbusters in copy. Why?
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Becoming a regular guest on radio shows is an innovative and surefire method of publicizing your business and getting your message heard. Here are six tips on making yourself the kind of guest every radio host and producer will want.
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Many solo businesses are beginning to figure out that there's a huge difference in ROI (return on investment) between offering assessments and consultations. What's the difference?
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Getting visible is great- in fact I’ve crafted this entire blog to support your online visibility, branding, and overall public presence- but without a clearly outlined Profit Path, your visibility ends up being all window dressing and no substance.
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Don't use sneaky marketing tricks, they ruin your reputation and your business. Learn what not to do.
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Here are three quick and simple tips you can use if you’re not getting the response you want from your marketing. Use them to keep your mindset, your emotions and your actions in alignment with your highest and greatest good and you’ll find that your audience begins to respond positively to your marketing!
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Entrepreneurs typically move too fast when it comes to launching their product. And there's a reason why you should slow down and control yourself and do it right.
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Here are six ways to shift from hourly services to leveraging your time, knowledge, and expertise into bigger money making programs – which, by the way, will change your clients’ lives in an even bigger way than when they came to you for a few hours at a time.
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In this article I will not only share 4 powerful ways to make your ads work successfully, but I’ll also share some secrets the ad-sales people may not want you to know (sorry, no offense if you sell ads.)
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I like to describe affiliate programs as a complete circle of giving and receiving. It's a win-win situation, providing a way for the individual and the business owner to exchange connections-and sales! Affiliates receive a commission for their promotion and business owners gain leads and/or sales that otherwise might not have.
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To help you get your next three clients, fast, here are three simple tips taken from the same system I used to leap from frustrating 5-figures to what is now a multi-million dollar coaching business in just a few short years. Truth is, I STILL use this same system, so you know it works!
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Somewhere inside you, you know you are an expert. Maybe you are in the early stages of this awareness or perhaps you are already standing tall in your authentic power. Either way, here are four tips to help you rise to the top, and stay there.
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Affiliate programs are meant to be a win for everyone involved. So why are affiliate programs ticking people off and costing you both money AND your reputation?
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Have you ever embarked on a long car journey, and suddenly realized that you have no idea where you are going? You drift, you meander, and you can’t figure out how to reach your final destination. Running a business without a strategic plan is like getting lost on a road trip. Your business fortunes should not be left to chance.
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Getting clients and customers is the #1 need I hear from my clients. If you don’t have your client attraction system in place, you have no business!
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Are you "client friendly" - that is, are you easy to do business with? Do your clients cringe in frustration when trying to order something or pay you for services or do you make it as easy as possible? Here are just a few things you must incorporate into your business to be "client friendly."
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If you run any type of online business, chances are, you're looking to increase your credibility with your target audience. Here are a few simple, yet sadly, often overlooked, ways you can do that.
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You've been working on your book or your program or product for several months or maybe even years. You're close to finishing -- you just have one or two more things to do. Of course, every time you finish those one or two things, one or two more things crop up. It's never ending.
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After being in business for as long as I have, there's one thing that never fails to amaze me -- the capacity entrepreneurs have to sabotage their own success. (Not to mention how creative those ways can be.) While there's about a million ways this manifests itself, here's one way I see popping up over and over again. And that's timing.
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It's such an easy question to ask: "Who's your ideal customer?" And it can be so challenging to answer! After a presentation I gave last night, one of the attendees approached me to say she had two ideal niches she loves to work in and yet because she wants both, she's struggling to reach either one. I'm not surprised. My point is that not all customers are created equal. You must research and identify who is the right customer for you
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If you are in business, your mission includes reaching out to prospects that have a need you can fill. If you want to keep the doors to your business open, you can't hide under a rock or in a cave and expect prospects to beat a path to your secret lair. You have to reach out in effective ways to let people know who you are and how you can solve their critical problems. One of the easiest and most immediate ways to market your business is through personal networking.
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It's very easy to get caught making the deadly sin of trying to market and sell programs, products and services based on features instead of the results that they deliver. By communicating the results that clients will gain by using your product or service rather than just listing the features that it offers, you will be able to increase your conversion rate, which is the number of potential clients that turn into clients.
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Templates are truly an essential tool for doing business well. Just like with the architect, chef and dressmaker, they make your work easier. Here are my top three ways to use templates most profitably
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Today I was reading several questions from recent subscribers of my Ezine and one theme stuck out from the recent few – I’m cash-strapped and I’m starting a home-based business. Or, I’m cash strapped and I want to make sure I don’t lose my business so tell me how to sell my services successfully. Here are 3 ideas I wanted to share on cash-strapped businesses.
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So now the question is: How can you create a high level of excitement with your clients? Here are 3 key tips to get you started.
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As a business owner, business consultant, and business professor, I have been asked numerous times for the secrets of recession proof businesses. Recession proof businesses that I work with all seem to have one thing in common: recession proof business owners. Here are the top 5 vital qualities of recession proof businesses and their owners.
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Everyone talks about multiple streams of income, but not too many people talk about multiple marketing streams. I’ve come to believe that having multiple marketing streams is at least as important as having multiple streams of income.
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Here are five Essential Marketing Action Steps that I believe will help you more than anything else, at least in the beginning stages of your managing your business.
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In Deepak Chopra’s wonderful little book, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, he talks about the Law of Least Effort. Let’s look at the three components of this Law as it applies to your marketing mindset so you can put the principle of “do less and accomplish more” into action.
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One of the most rewarding parts of having an online business is the opportunity to communicate with folks around the globe. There are a number of ways this can be done; simple email messages, ezines, teleseminars, blogging, social marketing, and of course various eProducts. All of these methods should be a part of your overall business model. You will gain greater results by a combined effort. However, one of my favorites is eProduct development with eReports at the top of the list
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Marketing is all about shining our light. Marketing takes on a different meaning when we connect it to the bigger picture.
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I can’t remember where I first heard about the 80/20 rule – Pareto’s Principle – a powerful success factor. About 80% of effects come from 20% of causes.
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Every self employed person needs to learn how to write successful sales copy. Sales copy is a different style of writing. Just as I had to drop the academic boring writing to the more conversational writing you’re reading now...I had to learn to spice up writing when I wanted to sell something.
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Are you feeling like you've lost your calling in all this marketing madness? I understand. Reconnect with you special gift by following my quick fix tips for the marketing weary!
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As you start your business telling your story is very powerful - it's what really enables you to connect your clients. Read on for more.
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What are you using to attract your clients? The right bait is key. If you are struggling with attracting clients, making more money, and getting nibbles of interest, I suggest you first start by reevaluating your bait. Read on for my top three tips.
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Learning to ask for what you want in your business does not come naturally to most entrepreneurs. Let’s discuss some key principles to help you formulate a plan for asking the right questions, to the right people, at the right time, to get the right results.
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Learn some quick changes that you can do right away to attract more ideal clients into your business this month, allowing you to make more money and help more people.
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Dire economic forecasts have certainly caused consumers to hold on to their money more tightly than they were even 2 or 3 years ago. The good news is that actually presents a wonderful opportunity for creative, forward-thinking entrepreneurs.
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Is it time for you to put in writing a solid plan for the future of your business? By developing a monthly marketing calendar and consistently following the calendar system, you will be able to track and measure the effectiveness of your marketing plan.
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After ten years of running a 7 figure online business, I have concluded that success can be narrowed down to two specific areas of mastery. I call them the two M’s — Mindsets and Marketing. Learn why they are so important.
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Back to school. Back to work. Back to business as usual. Well, maybe not business as usual. What worked last year in your business isn’t going to cut it today. If you really want your business to improve this fall, then you should add the power of video to your marketing mix. Here are the top ten compelling reasons why you need video - right here, right now!
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To some, the word “networking” conjures up ideas about stale meetings, a dry chicken entrée, or a room full of strangers where you feel completely out of place. Palms sweating and a head filled with negative thoughts, you enter the meeting thinking of ways to make a quick exit and get on with your “real” work. Here are a few things that made formal networking meetings much easier and even quite enjoyable.
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I wish I could say that I created the business model called the Marketing Funnel, but it has actually been in existence for many years. This model is so powerful and has been used to transform many businesses just like yours! So, what exactly is the Marketing Funnel?
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I’m sure I’m not the first marketing teacher to tell you that you need to be abundantly clear about who you want to work with so my question is: ARE you abundantly clear about who you want to work with?
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Of course, we all would love to have instant results with any marketing strategy we implement. Actually, that’s what we call “making a sale.” The real key to marketing effectively is consistency and the best way to do consistent marketing is to have a plan in place and then work that plan.
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Where do I start? When launching a product, program, service, or new business everything has to be done. Right? A little overwhelming? Right? Here are a few simple points to get the right things done while not spending all your time on the tiny details.
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If you're following the marketing & product funnel business model that I teach, you're likely getting good sales from every offer you're making to your market. If you'd like to increase those sales numbers, however, there are several strategies you can implement to do so, starting with before you even put your product, program, or service out there. So, if you want to increase your sales BEFORE you launch your product or service, the following are some of the most effective ways to do just that:
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We hear all the time that we need to "increase our conversions" or "get our numbers up". But what exactly does that mean and what else do we need to know?
" Conversion" is all about turning leads into paying clients and, when done well, more leads into more clients while doing it better, faster and with the least possible expense.
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Small business owners often make the mistake of creating and marketing products and services that they are passionate about without learning first if there is a need or demand for them in the marketplace. This can lead to unnecessary struggle, frustration and disappointment. You think you’re doing everything right but the sales just aren’t rolling in.
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So many small business owners contact me asking how to get more traffic to their website or wondering why no one is buying or signing up for their mailing list. No wonder they’re fed up. However, a website can be made into a very effective sales tool.
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Every show needs an audience. Every performer needs a stage and so does every entrepreneur! Your list is your audience so treat them well and they'll stay a part of your community for a long time. Read on for some quick tips on how you can touch your list.
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Putting together a teleclass can be a great marketing tool to use to bring you and your business more exposure. It can be a lot easier to do than you might think as long as you have the right tools and tips.
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Not having an easily recognizable business identity, or brand, that matches your innate style and spirit is hurting your business. Which means bottom line, it’s hurting your income – not a good thing. Most solo entrepreneurs have the mistaken idea that getting a logo designed is the equivalent of branding their business. Au contraire, mon ami!
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Basically, there are two things that must be in place before any of your offerings can be successful (read: profitable). One is that it must be designed for a target market. So, there must be a group of people who you are targeting to offer your product/program/service toward.
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Developing a promotional campaign strategy is an essential activity you must do if you want your sales promotions to be a hit, rather than a miss! Find out about the seven key elements you must think through before launching your next promotional campaign.
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When in business for yourself, we succeed by getting "yeses!" It is the "yes" that excites us and makes us money! The "yes" enables us to help more people. But many time Helpingpreneurs wait - they want the time to be right - but the most authentic you can be is showing up everyday and going after the "yes."
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Having a list is one of the most important elements of marketing your business. I would bet many of you have lost opportunities to build your database. Read on for my TOP 5 ways to grow your list and use it as an authentic marketing tool to help more people and make more money!
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Investing in yourself is the key to a successful business. A car cannot run without gas, a stock cannot rise without being purchased and a business cannot run without investment fuel. But how do you determine the best investment for your business? Read on...
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If you don't want your business to run like the Mad Tea Cup Ride you see at fairgrounds, one of the first places to stop the spinning ride is with your target market. I have pulled this article for you to stop, step out of the tea cup and recognize one clear way to move your business forward.
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Solopreneurs say that they want more clients, but they do not act that way. In this article I will share with you five steps that are specific and aggressive, so if you really do want more clients then jump in!
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It’s no secret that “business as usual” isn’t going to help your business survive and thrive in a tough economy. These days, you need every marketing advantage you can muster. Fortunately, Online video has become a mainstream low or no cost solution that can have a powerful and immediate impact on your business. Here are 5 great ways to use video to boost your business starting today.
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Kendall recently spent two full days with a Private Platinum Intensive client and discovered something that astonished her. After carefully considering everything she had created or delivered in the past few years it became crystal clear she was sitting on a goldmine she didn’t even know she had.
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Scheduling your marketing activities is a key to ensuring you are consistently and successfully getting out the word about you and your company. Find out what three types of marketing activities you'll need to put into your schedule to lure customers to your door, and your business grows on a consistent basis.
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Putting together a Teleclass can be a great marketing tool to use to bring more exposure to you and your business. AND - It can be a lot easier than you might think, with the right tools and tips to get started.
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If you talk to people before they hire you, I would like to offer you some suggestions to refine this process so that you can close as many sales as possible.
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One of the most important points I learned, when building my first business, was I needed to make myself stand out and FAST. At least this is what I realized for myself, but I then soon came to understand this is the case for all entrepreneurs.
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Social Media is one of the hottest buzzwords in online marketing right now. It seems like pretty much everyone is a "new media expert" and promises you extreme success if you just buy their program or follow their methods. The truth is, really, that social media is an evolving methodology, and there is just as much good information as bad. In the bad category, especially notable are these three marketing myths.
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It pays to play to your strengths. But how do you pinpoint the areas that will increase revenue and earn you more money? Simple: by following the Pareto Principle. Developed by Italian economist and sociologist Vilfredo Pareto, this short, simple rule states that 80% of our results come from 20% of our activity.
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Have you noticed that folks are being choosier about where they spend their money these days? Gone are the days (if they ever really existed) when you could create a great product or program and expect it to “sell itself.” People are busy and they’re skeptical.
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This article focuses on one important aspect of your business – who you serve. Here’s an exercise I did when I first got started and if I find myself attracting people who are not ideal for me to serve, I revisit my vision to get clear again.
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The idea of mixing effective marketing with soul can, for some, seem like trying to mix oil and vinegar. If your marketing is angled to get results, then isn’t it too “hard sell” to be soulful; but if you lean towards giving your marketing more soul, will it actually reap results?
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If you're a bootstrapping solo entrepreneur, image-marketing should probably be pretty darned low on your list of priorities. But before I offend too many people, let me say if your competition tends to be heavy corporate types or mega-company types, then you are probably competing with mega "image-marketing" as well and may need to do some level of that. That said, here's why I'd ditch image-marketing any day in favor of these 3 types of marketing that are far more effective.
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A majority of entrepreneurs I've worked with admit that word-of-mouth and referrals are their primary ways to attract new clients and customers. Referrals should be a part of your business life for sure, but too often I see it become the only way to bring in new business. Here are 3 reasons why referrals are not enough.
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Twitter was all a tweeting with the unexpected suspension of thousands of accounts yesterday -- it was a human error and has since been fixed, but leads me to a larger question... Were you prepared for it to happen? Is your marketing diversified? Here are several ideas of ways you can get the word out about your business.
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Many business owners, especially online, preach about "marketing with integrity" and "marketing authentically" and then immediately do things which, in my opinion, are exactly the opposite of what they preach. Here's just a few marketing mistakes I've seen in the last week which make me cringe.
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As the internet continues to grow, there are more and more places for online users to gather, and, simultaneously, smaller and smaller (microniche) communities are forming- which represents both and opportunity and a challenge for businesses marketing online.
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Ten years ago prospects generally only had one office line. Today there are a myriad of ways to reach prospects: cell phones, home office phones. Your prospect might have another office location and of course, there is always email.
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We've all done it (and if you haven't ever, I don't want to hear from your smarty-pants self). You know, had a brilliant idea for a product or program that we just knew was exactly what our audience needed to solve their problems. So we plowed ahead, developed the thing . . . and then got pretty much zero response from our peeps.
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How many times have you heard the old adage, "The customer doesn't want a drill, he wants a hole in his wall"? While Karon may disagree with parts of that phrase, one thing is for sure... if you want to increase your advertising effectiveness, you have to stop selling what YOU want the customer to buy and start solving his problems.
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In marketing your business, there's a line *out there* between what's effective for your ideal clients and what's just plain annoying.That line is different for every one of your ideal clients and for every business owner (even in the same industry).
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For most people, the huge missing piece of the puzzle is failing to paint a vivid picture of the bright, positive future that is possible when someone buys from you. Skip the details about the process (2 CDs, 3 sessions, 4 checklists) and zoom the viewfinder straight to the fantastic outcome.
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Marketing isn’t a one shot deal. It’s an ongoing opportunity for you to offer your ideas, packaged into programs, products and services. Just remember that in the long run, making one offer at a time will help you create the ultimate outcome you desire, which is to help more people and to put more money into your purse!
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When you're faced with 'busy times', whether that's a large project you're working on or taking some time away from your business, having a system for keeping your newsletter on track allows you to get your ezine out on time. Read on for my top tips for keeping to your publication schedule!
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As you probably have heard by now - you aren't in the business of (fill in the blank here). You are in the business of marketing. Your marketing must be automated and systemized. Period.
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Before you choose your target market, before you build your website, before you learn the latest online marketing strategies; you must choose an equitable and passive business model that allows your customers to see you as a leader in your industry. Not as a player, but as a leader. Most entrepreneurs start businesses without ever considering their business model and then they spin their wheels for years working a service-based business where they start over each day and have nothing to show for their previous work.
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What do you do when you experience resistance from a potential client? I've found that there are three big blocks that most often come up when anyone is looking at using a professional's service or getting ready to buy a product: Money, Time and Timing. But this isn't REALLY what's going on at all ...
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Are you finding it hard to connect with enough prospects? You are doing all of this great work, but not very many people know about it or at least not enough for the flow of business to be moving smoothly and easily? Stop. Start. Stop. Start. Well, there isn't one perfect way to consistently connect with prospects, but there are many ways!
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Do you have a process for gaining the commitment from your ideal client? This process is of UTMOST importance in your business (whether you work on-line or off-line), but you would be surprised how many people 'wing it.' Now, with that being said, it's also important this system is natural to you--that's why YOU need to develop it.
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Before making decisions regarding changes or upgrades in your business, it will be important for you to survey your customers and/or clients in order to pinpoint what it is that needs to be changed or updated about your business from their perspective.
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Small business owners are busy people, there’s no denying that, and too often we get so caught up in the “business of the business." When it comes to working on our own business, whether it’s the bookkeeping work or filing tax papers or doing some marketing activities, we often feel stressed, anxious, and worried about all the other work that we need to do, too. Rarely do we gift ourselves with the full attention and sacredness that we give to the exchanges we make with others. So here are some tips to help make your marketing work — or any of your work for that matter — a more sacred experience.
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What does Stephenie Meyer, the author of Twilight, do to be successful and how this help you with YOUR business success?
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Want to encourage people on your email list to buy one (or more) of your products or programs sooner than later? Have a sale! The following are 7 ways that you can provide value to your potential clients/customers and still bring in a profit for you at the same time.
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Despite the economy my business has never been stronger. Same is true with my clients, too. You might even be saying, “It’s easy for you Kendall, you already HAVE a 7-figure business” and think that the money just keeps rolling in for me. But imagine how much more money, joy and gratitude you could be creating in your life and business by following these four SIMPLE steps.
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No matter how much a Soul-Preneur™ loves what they do, if they can’t figure out how to TALK about their services they’ll never attract better, higher paying clients. Okay, sounds good but HOW exactly do you do that?
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When used properly, affiliate, or referral, programs are fabulous. So knowing that affiliate programs are "so fabulous", why aren't more people using them to their fullest advantage?
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What keeps you from staying in action towards your desired goals? I can bet it’s that four letter word…FEAR. Maybe your first few baby steps toward your goal were a breeze. And then…it’s time to make a specific request from someone or get out to a networking meeting and say “who you are and what you do” in 30 seconds (when you’re not exactly sure who the heck you are yet!) Taking what feels like a big risk can stop you cold.
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The reluctant client has some objection we may or may not be aware of. And the wallet won’t come out until that objection is taken care of. Unresolved objections are the downfall of any transaction. Here are three tips for getting past the objections so your prospect can experience the benefits of your services.
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Here, in a nutshell, are three strategies to build and market your business –online or off- so it’s a source of pleasure, not heartache.
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Thank your customers for supporting you by sending them a power point presentation.
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Wanna know the secret to my success as a copywriter? Once you get this concept, you're practically guaranteed to boost sales for yourself AND your clients.
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Many of the solo professionals whom I coach are people who offer services. They're coaches, consultants, creatives. They’re amazing people with huge hearts and their own unique gifts and genius to share with the world. But here's the problem: I see many of them focusing on the wrong things.
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You can create powerful marketing that has you easily connecting with your ideal clients - straight from your heart - and in a way that has someone saying, "Yes! I want that!"
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So many small business owners, coaches and infopreneurs sometimes make the mistake of creating or promoting products and services they’re passionate about without really knowing if there is a market for them. This is where keyword research comes into play.
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Would you blow your entire annual marketing budget on just one ad to run once during the Superbowl? Of course you wouldn't. You know that people seeing your message just once wouldn't be enough.
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Appreciation is one of the keys to ensuring that your business experiences financial growth. This, coupled with praise as an integral part of everyday interaction with others in the workplace can make a significant difference in your business.
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The first key into the success of business balance is to recognize that passive energy is not weak, but actually strong and that actually without this energy the male energy of action is weakened. You may be going around acting, acting, acting, but without this passive energy there is no wisdom behind the acting.
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Getting clients from your inner circle is easier than you might think.
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Sadly, so many entrepreneurs shy away from creating connections and building a powerful network because they question whether they even have something of value to share; or are afraid of what would actually happen if a person wanted to become a client; or worry about being ready or measuring up if someone actually does send business their way ...
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What to do when you are on a budget? While in-depth courses and high-level mentorship programs deliver a complete plan for those who are ready to invest and move forward quickly, don't forget about tried and true low-budget learning options.
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How many times have you thought "If only I had more clients, all my problems would be solved"? Most businesses - regardless of whether micro, small or corporate giants - have found themselves believing that all their business problems would be solved if they could just get more clients. True? Well, maybe.. read on.
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Creating an online survey is very simple. By designing a survey and sending this to your contacts, you can poll targeted groups quickly and in detail while obtaining real time results.
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During my recent vacation I tried very hard to completely forget about work. But while traveling throughout California I just couldn’t resist picking up a few marketing “gold nuggets.” I think you too will find them insightful.
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Discover 12 deadly marketing mistakes and how to avoid them. This is part 2 or a 2-part article.
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Discover 12 deadly marketing mistakes and how to avoid them. This is part 1 or a 2-part article.
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Sure-fire 10-step formula to quickly get started as a coach or consultant. And, if you are a well established practitioner, these ten tips may just give you the swift kick in the pants you need to re-invigorate your marketing.
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”But this won't work” said Steve. “I’ve tried it in the past and had no response.” Does this sound familiar? My newer clients often resist implementing certain strategies based on past experiences. However, I usually find out that it wasn’t the strategy itself – but how it was implemented that caused the dismal results.
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Building a coaching or consulting practice can be rewarding and lucrative. Sadly, many who get started on this path simply can’t make it. Almost daily I talk to people who give up on their dream of “solopreneurship” and, resentfully, join the ranks of job seekers.
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It seems nowadays every marketing guru and their brother-in-law has a “deadly sins and how to fix them” book, ebook or at least an article! But apparently nobody is reading this stuff! How do I know? Because nine out of every ten businesses continue making the same marketing goof-ups.
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5 Marketing Lessons from Apprentice: How a Team of Donald Trump Apprentice Wannabes Made $12,788.94 from Thin Air in Just One Day.
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Are you on track for hitting all your business goals for the year? A quick check-up of your promotional efforts can reveal "week spots" and help identify what needs tweaking to give your business a healthy boost in the next few months.
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Did you know that Max Factor was a marketing genius? You won't believe the strategies he used to get the rich and famous clamor for his services and products. His strategies can be simply replicated in your business to attract all the new and repeat clients you want. Here is how...
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The biggest investment you make into networking is your time. And most people don’t budget it adequately to maximize their results.
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A marketing rip-off that makes me sick! If you are interested in learning how to better promote your business, there are hundreds of "gurus" out there ready and eager to RIP YOU OFF!
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Even though business networking can quickly put you in front of how new prospects, help you create life-long strategic alliances, get more referrals and simply find people you really enjoy hanging out with, majority of professionals have no clue how to make their networking count. Sound familiar?
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Did you know that most solo-professionals hire the Cheshire Cat as their marketing consultant? Frankly that’s the only conclusion I can come up with watching so many excited entrepreneurs eager to build a great business but ending up overwhelmed by too much information and
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Lately, I've been hearing a lot of reasons about the tough times and why people aren't making money. But what I'm not hearing are all the reasons why people can make money. So what are YOU doing to increase your revenue this year, this month, this week?
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Marketing plans are great guides for business owners, and a book marketing plan is the specific tool you will use to find and create places to sell your book(s). Learn how to develop a smart marketing plan that will help you sell more books.
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There are still some skeptics out there who may not understand why you should change your marketing to be more receptive to women, but just look at the numbers!
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As business owners, we often neglect to book time to work on our businesses. The good thing about a lull in your business is that it forces you to do this — if you take advantage of the opportunity presented to you. Here are 10 ways to do this.
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As a business owner, you know you need to market your business. So, you sit at your computer and come up with your “elevator pitch.” You hang out on Facebook, looking for people to “friend.” You perfect an article and start thinking about what you’ll do with it. You buy dozens of information products and books on marketing, looking for a way to make it all easier.
While these tactics can be smart, there’s a problem.
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The difference between highly paid soul-preneurs and everyone else, is that they follow the formula religiously. Luckily, the formula includes ample opportunity to be yourself -- authentic, genuine, powerful and confident.
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Find out the real secret behind successful marketing.
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Entrepreneurs and small business owners know they need to market their business to make more money and attract more customers, but they often don't know how to go about it. That's why the FOCUS Marketing™ Method is such a powerful tool. Learn it today.
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There is always the temptation at the start of a new year to set the whole marketing machine up in advance. If you’ve been a solopreneur for more than, say, six months you know how overwhelming the endless to-do’s get – especially the repeated ones like podcasts, blog posts, ezine issues, online article distribution, tweets and more. (Well, OK, tweets are addictive, but all the other stuff sometimes gets forgotten in the big shuffle of running your own biz.)
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Ever gone shopping with your spouse or loved one to buy a large-ticket item? It won't take you long to find out that you both make buying decisions VERY differently. So how does that affect your marketing strategies?
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This article will support you in getting involved in your local, regional, national or international professional associations. There is a professional association for almost any career field you can mention, and most association’s welcome new members.
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What’s so important about writing down goals and what keeps 95% of people from doing so?
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Using stories is one of the smartest things you can do to increase the effectiveness of your promotional campaigns. Learn why!
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What questions do you need to ask yourself during a recession?
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If you're a bit concerned about how to stay in touch with your community during these tough economic times I have a solution for you. The answer is NOT to pull back. In fact, the people who actually make the extra effort NOW will stand out head and shoulders above everyone else because the impulse for many is to pull back. Here's whatcha do...
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Having trouble staying calm and centered in "this economy?" You're not the only one. Learn what you can do about it.
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Learn the seven marketing habits of super-successful companies.
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Whether you are a professional in a solo-practice or own a small business, chances are you feel overwhelmed when it comes to marketing. While you may be an expert in your field, consistently attracting new clients probably isn’t one of your strengths. Here is just a short list of "marketing culprits" that are likely keeping your business from reaching its full potential.
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Women are high value customers because once they join your brand, and are happy, they are likely to stay loyal to you. What's more is women talk a lot to their friends. They talk about what they like and they talk about what they don't like. So you definitely want to keep your female segments happy and loyal. Here are some devices you can use in your marketing right now to ramp it up.
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I once had a client who would tell me he figured out how to "fix" his business and what he needed to do to succeed. Unfortunately, he did this DAILY. Each day he had a new marketing strategy that he would drop everything else to implement. It was exhausting as well as counterproductive - for both of us. Does this sound familiar?
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How will your business weather the Darwininan Cleanse occurring in the business world? Weaker, poorly managed companies will become extinct, creating more opportuntities for the strong. But, will your business make it through these tough economic times? Discover five strategies how to market your business in a tough economy.
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Learn the keys to creating a client communication Plan - a simple system for building a relationship with your prospects.
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In Part I of this article series, I shared how I've used my inner and outer environments to support creating a million dollar business. Since you're marketing YOU, how you feel and how you think about yourself plays a big part in how successful your marketing will be. Here are three more environments you want to pay attention to so that you can focus on what REALLY brings in money and joy to your business.
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Recently I was named the Attraction Marketing Expert at IdeaMarketers.com. Stepping into that "expert" role publicly has me thinking about Attraction Marketing and what is it, really?
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In a recent GRO (Get Results Online!) article, I talked about some of the ways in which small business owners are damaging their relationship with me - without realizing it. Now I realize the same things aren’t going to annoy everyone. But I thought I’d share with you my top 3 pet peeves with how some other independent entrepreneurs are (not) creating relationship with me.
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This is the third article of a three-part series. I'm illustrating the marketing challenges of a small business. If you don't remember anything else about marketing, remember this: Frequency is king.
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This is the second article of a three-part series. I'm illustrating the marketing challenges of a small business.
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If you're focused on only what you can get from a prospect, your fear of not signing on the prospect or being withholding about the amount of time you're spending with this person, your energy will be resonating at a very low level. This makes all the difference in the world when you are interacting with someone (actually, even more than the words you say!).
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One of the Million Dollar strategies that's helped me experience rapid growth in my business is to make certain that my environment supports my success. What I'm talking about goes beyond cleaning out your desk drawer and simply hanging a crystal from your ceiling fan string.
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We all recognize the importance of having a business plan (even if we haven't yet done one), but do you recognize the value of a good marketing plan? While most marketing plans take up a few pages of the standard business plan, I recommend you take the time to create a dynamic marketing plan if you really want to kick your business into high gear. A good dynamic marketing plan is ...
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Are you providing your market with what it wants? This is key to running a successful solo business - providing the solutions to the problems that your niche are having, and delivering the solutions in a way that they want - not what you think they want! There is a difference! Read this brand-new article where I share with you three simple strategies as to how you can find out this information, and put your market research on autopilot!
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There are challenges in marketing of a small business. Read one to find out how one marketing expert helped her client.
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It used to be if you were a small business, you were at a distinct disadvantage with your marketing compared to the bigger companies. No more. Small business owners will actually have an edge over bigger companies thanks to the emerging marketing model. Yes, you heard right. Emerging marketing model. The old ways of marketing are dying. And a new regime is coming of age.
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Wouldn't it be silly to go to your high school prom in sweat pants and Reeboks? With just a little imagination and Yankee ingenuity, we can transfer that analogy over to your internet marketing strategy. It's pretty silly to have a website without the online equivalent of dress/shoes/hair that's going to capture your visitors' attention. So what should you do?
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Are you struggling to find a new twist on advertising or marketing campaigns? If you're a small business owner, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Having to come up with new ideas for a long-term client (or even your own business) can be overwhelming. But never fear. Here are three ways to get those creative juices (and new ideas) flowing.
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Same old same old just doesn't sell anymore. To make your marketing stand out, you need to get creative. Below are five tips designed to get your creative juices flowing.
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It's not your grandfather's communications model. Communications has drastically changed. Target markets are fragmented, customers have more demands on their time and they've learned to shut out the majority of marketing messages out there. The old ways of marketing don't work the way they used to. To succeed in the new communications model, you need every advantage you can find. And that includes harnessing your creativity.
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When I first joined Gold's several years ago, I didn't pay much attention to the "muscleheads" - the professional bodybuilders. But I've come to realize they can teach us a lot about marketing and business success. Here are 7 lessons we can all learn from.
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It's a dilemma that most small businesses and startups face: You must market and advertise, but you're strapped for cash. Fortunately, ideas, energy and imagination can make up for meager marketing budgets. Whether you're an established company or a nascent
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For most small businesses, all marketing is local marketing - as it should be. But even if your company is regional or national in scope, it's a good idea to "go local" to select, targeted communities.
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When I meet people and they say they're going to start an "Internet business", I get worried. It's as if that's all they need to know -- not what they're selling or who their customers are. (I mean, when faxes first came out, did you hear people saying they were just starting a "fax business"? Not really.) The Internet is just one type of media that can sell for your business, and it follows a sales cycle like any other. It's not magic ... it's a process. But once you WORK that process, it CAN work like magic! Here's a look at the five basic parts of the Internet sales cycle.
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In 2002 psychologist Daniel Kahneman won the Noble prize in economics for his Prospect Theory. I admire how he has applied psychology principles to business, and would like to share one theory with you: The peak-end rule.
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How can you use the power of metaphors in your marketing? There are several ways. Here are a few.
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Marketing is all about psychology—both the psychology of you, the marketer, and your prospect, your potential client or customer. Here are some tips to using the psychology of effective marketing to build your business and improve your customer relationships management.
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Having the right mindset for your marketing can mean the difference between amazingly impactful marketing and marketing that is blasé and falls flat with little to no results. Learn ten marketing mindsets that will help you stay the course and focus, expand past your comfort zone, and keep your energy up so you don't get down on yourself and get frustrated with your marketing before you've given it a chance.
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You see, all marketing plays on either pleasure or pain. But... sometimes "Pain" works better.
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Here are 10 of my favorite ways of building relationships with clients and potential clients and gain more success for your business.
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My mom was visiting recently and during our mother-daughter shopping time I noticed something interesting. Almost all of the stores I made a purchase at asked me if I'd like to get on their mailing list. That's very smart. However, the WAY in which they did this made a big difference in my answer. I said NO to almost all of them because they simply did not make it enticing for me. I mean, who WANTS more junk mail? So if you simply ask me if I'd like to be on your mailing list, the answer will usually be NO. So how do I want to be asked?
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What does America's past-time have in common with marketing? Plenty! Read on.
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To prepare yourself to magnetize your ideal clients you want to first pre-pave the way for connecting with your ideal clients by having two strong, EnergyRICH® legs to stand on.
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Implement these tips and watch your business soar.
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The “Pie in the Sky” Marketing Tool and method consists of using a combination of four active and four passive marketing techniques to create a very powerful, yet easy-to-implement promotional campaign system. Use this marketing panning tool and watch your income soar!
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Do people want what you are offering or are you guilty of the "father know best syndrome"?
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Do you have to have everything be perfect BEFORE you get into action. Are you so worried about making a mistake in your marketing that you end up not moving forward. Learn why “Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly at first.”
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Marketing your business doesn't have to be overwhelming. The trick is to create effective marketing rituals that are easy to follow through on each day. Here are six marketing rituals to make sure marketing gets done and you bring in a steady stream of new clients.
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Learn to recession proof your business. During this time solo entrepreneurs stand the biggest chance of not only surviving, but thriving. Learn why.
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Are you tired of the feast or famine rollercoaster ride? Discover a simple and tasty 3-step formula you can use to boost your business' growth!
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The small, solo and micro businesses that jump on these trends quickly will have a real edge over the majority and will create a bigger opportunity for success this year. Look at each of these trends and brainstorm how you could integrate them into your business.
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Learn the top ten ways to increase the number of collaborative interviews you conduct and in turn increase your profits.
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To make it truly effective, your overall marketing objective should be establishing rapport and building a relationship with potential clients until they’re ready to become paying clients. And then continuing to be someone they like and trust so they will buy from you again and again.
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Getting something for nothing feels good and smart solopreneurs know that buying decisions are based on emotion. But which bonuses are best to offer and how do you do it on a tight budget?
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How do you consistently find time to work 'on' your business instead of in it. Employ these simple, effective tips and you'll be on your way.
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Your overall marketing system is probably the most important system in your business and the one that can also be most overlooked (hard to believe, I know, but true).
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Getting clients through speaking engagements is one of the fastest ways to grow your leads list---if you do it right. Banish mediocre speeches with these four uncommon speaking tips to make your speeches both extraordinary, and memorable.
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Marketing your business is one of the biggest challenges for any solopreneur – it’s a task we all find quite daunting, and are simply overwhelmed by all the information that’s available.
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Does it ever feel to you that it's taking forever to see results with your marketing efforts? If so, you're experiencing something called the 'Marketing Flywheel Effect'.
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If you're going to advertise, you need to be smart about it -- or you can quickly find yourself with a blown budget and not much to show for it. Here are seven questions to ask yourself before writing out that check.
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In the competitive world of nature, flowers must both attract and reward their insect visitors in order to ensure that the flower’s pollen is distributed. In the garden of business, are you doing these 5 things to both attract and reward your “insect visitors?”
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Out with the old, traditional marketing plan, and in with the new Marketing Soul Plan for spicing up your business, and your life in 2008. Discover five key elements for creating your own Soul Marketing Plan.
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Handling emails, filing, problem solving (unless you are solving clients' problems), administrative trivia, surfing the 'net, sorting your Outlook files, paying bills, fiddling with your website, creating brochures... are a waste of time. These tasks don't put women entrepreneurs closest to the money; they pull them away from i
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Playing small with our marketing strategy keeps us feeling small as well. The antidote is to set the marketing strategy bar high, aiming attract dozens, hundreds or even thousands of people, not just one or two. When we stretch ourselves with this type of vision we leapfrog our thinking past its comfort zone, right into the "gulp" zone.
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You can prevent difficult client situations from occurring and minimize those that pop up unexpectedly. Simply watch for the early warning signs and then follow the "Horse Whisperer for Business’ five tips for handling difficult clients with grace and elegance.
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Motivate yourself and others using my direct marketing innovative marketing ideas to get three new clients now!
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Potential clients need to feel that you understand their problems before they can trust any solution you may offer. By selling symptoms, successful entrepreneurs communicate to their prospects that they understand their needs. But jumping in too soon with a solution could blow the sale. Here is the secret to timing a symptom-focused sales message.
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Forget the worrisome over-planning of a traditional “marketing campaign.” Let go of the anxiety created by the check (and re-check) lists of your past. My business coaching clients have implemented this surprising marketing shortcut, and increased the results of their product or service launch.
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Do you often find it difficult to make time for your marketing activities? Or do you find that when you do market, it's not consistent enough to bring you the results you want? Marketing your business is as important as what it is that you do. If you embrace that, you will stop struggling so much and reach a whole other level of success!
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Producing a television ad for your small business can seem a daunting, intimidating and expensive task. Fortunately, with today’s easy access to the tools and technology of TV production, creating a TV spot is well within your reach. Television veteran Lou Bortone explains how to navigate the TV production maze.
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There are a number of things you can do today to create a successful business. The key to success is founded in adopting a positive attitude and investing your time and effort to take consistent daily actions. This article shows you 15 ways to get a great start.
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Are you suffering from feelings of indifference or a lack of concern when it comes to marketing your business? Marketing apathy is widespread among today's businesses. Here are 10 solutions for overcoming apathy that you can start using today.
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What is it like from a marketing perspective to be yesterday's news? We rely on what is tried and true in marketing because it is usually safe, tried, and tested. This article shows you 15 ways to become a forward thinker and stay in today's news.
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When it comes to marketing you need to be able to come out on top. With more than 3,000 marketing messages pummeling consumers on a daily basis you can not afford to be boring. By using some simple strategies you can add Zest and Appeal to your marketing campaigns.
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Being inconsistent when it comes to marketing your business can be a recipe for disaster. Nothing is more irritating to a potential customer than inconsistency. Here are a few areas to think about to rev up your marketing efforts on a consistent basis.
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Hesitation, when it comes to marketing, can mean the difference between making a sale and walking away empty handed. Consider these areas, examine where you might be hesitating, and think about what opportunities you may be missing because you allow an opportunity to pass you by.
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Being in a quandary prevents you from moving forward in developing and marketing your business. One of the first things we need to recognize about being in a quandary is that we are, in fact, in one! There are a number of easy, simple things that you can start doing today to get yourself out of that place of being stuck.
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We are bombarded with thousands of marketing messages daily...on television and the radio, on the internet, in magazines and newspapers, on billboards and other signs, and even at the bottoms and on the backs of receipts. in order to get heard, we need our marketing messages to be clear and concise. To be successful in business, our messages must clearly target a specific audience, explaining to them the features and benefits of our product or service. How can we ensure that our messages are all that they can be?
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As a business owner it is your mission to develop a marketing strategy to offer your potential clients a way to improve their situation, solve a problem, provide more value, or open new opportunities to motivate them to buy from you. These ten powerful tools, taken from The 90 Day Marketing Marathon Blunders from A to Z will support you in creating meaningful connections with your customers and provide real time solutions to challenges of today.
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Taking my struggling consulting business online and following the business model I now do turned everything around for me, financially and otherwise. So when I started hearing from my mentors that I might want to add some offline marketing tactics back into the mix, I was hesitant to say the least.
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Want to build your fan base by attracting more clients and customers to you and your products and services? Then build a platform. A platform is media lingo for having a solid base from which to pitch your work. It's about numbers, about how many people know what you do.
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Are you working with the same level of client you were a year ago? How about the same type of client as two years ago? If the answer is "yes" then it's time to look at moving "up-market."
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How many times have you heard the same sound bites come out of your mouth to your clients, prospects, and audiences, almost boring yourself to tears in the process? Imagine generating money directly from those sound bites, from those pearls of wisdom that effortlessly trip off your tongue. Yes, it is completely possible, and here's how to do it.
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Learn how testing is vital in marketing.
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Here are some tips that will help you seriously build your platform.
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Whether you're just getting your business started or you're thinking of a logo facelift, you'll want to consider these tips before you proceed.
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Most of us build our small businesses around a basic talent, skill or passion that we assume will easily make us profitable. Yet our surveys show that attracting new customers is the main area where small and solo business owners (SBO's) say they need help. Learn more.
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MarketingSherpa's Business Technology Benchmark Guide (published July 2006) brings you the real-life marketing results data, statistics, and practical numbers you need to improve your marketing strategy and results.
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The single biggest, non-renewable asset you have is your time. There are only three things you can do with it: waste it, sell it, or invest it. As an entrepreneur or a service professional, what you do with your time acutely impacts how much money you can make. If this year you want to make clients come to you, earn a six figure income, become the expert in your chosen field, positively impact lives of many people, gain fame and earn respect of your peers - you have to invest your time into creating Marketing assets!
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Marketing is more than just one technique. It's about becoming proficient at many little things. Here is my list of a few of those little things. I call them '15 Irrefutable Marketing Proficiencies'.
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Develop Your Marketing For Your Potential Clients. Not Yourself. Follow up, Follow Up, Follow Up!
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Producing consistent results for our clients is really the only way we can justify our existence as Independent professionals. Everything else is missing the point.
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Solopreneurs can get off the feast-or-famine rollercoaster through consistent marketing activities. This article describes an easy-to-follow monthly marketing plan approach.
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In order to get the clients and projects you want, your business must be visible to your Ideal Clients. To become visible, master the following 15 proficiencies.
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Marnie Pehrson, award winning novelist, and founder of over 10 successful websites and mother of six introduces you to 7 business building strategies that she learned the hard way - she learned these after 13 years of business. She shares these techniques with us and shows us how to avoid the mistakes she made. What does Marnie do now to build her businesses? Some of which are LocateACoach.com, BuildEbooks.com and IdeaMarketers.com - read on to find out.
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Do you struggle each month to round up new clients? Are you able to 'succinctly' say what you do in one sentence? What baby steps can you take today to get more people to do business with you? Read this practical article from a well established author, founder and creator of Idea Marketers, 1Chapter Free, Build E-Books.com, , and mother of six! Yes Marnie Pehrson has the experience and credibility to help you establish yourself too.
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Are you trying to be perfect? Trying to plan everything ahead? Standing in your own way? STOP. Learn what to do instead!
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You can be the greatest at what you do, but if nobody knows about you, you'll be quickly out of business. As a Solo Entrepreneur, we must shift our thinking to "Marketing is More Important than Mastery." Learn what is needed in your marketing plan to achieve this.
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Leveraging allows you to achieve your desired objectives with more speed and less effort. Read about 3 of the many ways in which you can employ leverage in the running of your business.
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As Solo Entrepreneurs we use two basic strategies for marketing: writing and speaking. Rose Hill explains why it is important to create a list of your 10 Most Important Business Principles (MIBP) and utilize them in your marketing efforts . Without them, she claims your marketing efforts will be too diffuse to really grab the attention of your intended ideal clients.
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Entrepreneurs pay a lot of attention to the mechanics of marketing and we often discover that their knowledge of marketing techniques is quite good already. What they might lack is the right kind of marketing attitude.
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10 things you can learn about running your small business from the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
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Learn - and eliminate - the 5 most common marketing errors that solo-entrepreneurs make.
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Effective Solo Entrepreneur marketing is not an activity to be done in spurts, it should be constantly happening in your business. If we think of marketing as an engine, it needs to be ticking over steadily at all times. A quiet spell now often signals a lack of marketing six or nine months ago.
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