Five Easy Tips to Bring Social Media Tools into Your Business Life
April 23, 2009
Social media tools may terrify you for one reason: there’s so much of it on the Internet that it’s difficult to decide what’s right for you and what’s not beneficial for your life or business.
I share the same anxieties, but rather than be completely terrified, I move forward to learn about new tools, similar to the way a baseball outfielder runs toward a ball.
There’s no getting past what’s coming at you; it’s either go after technology and familiarize yourself with it, or be left in the outfield, bewildered and out of the loop.
Here’s a quick tipsheet to consult with basic moves to make when something suddenly becomes the new IT tool.
1. Consult the program’s “What is it?” page, which may be termed with these three words or something similar to learn about the tool’s reason for creation.
2. Read trusted blogs to learn what popular bloggers are saying about it. You’ll find these individuals uncovering more about the tool than what is explained on the “What is it?” page, and visitors’ comments will also reveal ideas you may not have considered.
3. Subscribe to or register for the program if you believe it may be of benefit now or in the future. It’s smart to sign up with your name to, at a minimum, claim and protect your identity.
4. Do nothing, at least for now, if you find no reason to integrate the tool in your daily business or personal life. It’s okay to register and then wait until you are more clear about how to promote whatever you represent.
5. Monitor what the Internet and traditional media are reporting about the program. If reasons to begin including it in your everyday activities start becoming more apparent, you’ll already have an identity to sign in and join the community.
Like you, there are times when I wonder if burying my head in the sand is easier than getting on board to learn another social media tool. But consider this: making connections online is much easier and expansive than attempting to attend conventions, conferences, and meetings worldwide.
Why not include social media tools in your life and let audiences come to you?
Contact my assistant, Emma, at 973-279-2799, to bring me to your event, or Email her through the contact form. Everyone will thank you for a great presentation.
Three Marketing Steps You Can Accomplish Now
March 9, 2009
Staying positive during a down economy is difficult, especially if you allow the media to convince you that your future is all gloom and doom.
Entrepreneurs that I coach, operating small and large businesses, understand the circumstances, but more importantly, they see a very bright future in the short term for their businesses. How does each of them stay focused?
They:
1. Develop products and services required now and 10 years from now. The chosen programs are customizable, changed with minimum effort to accommodate clients. Programs that don’t match this requirement are shelved for additional review.
2. Meet clients for breakfast or lunch. Speaking with loyal customers in a casual environment allows them to uncover how best to serve clients now and later. The investment cost is minimal while the relationship-building strategy is immeasurable.
3. Continue their self development through education. Every conference is not within every budget, so the events that combine world-class marketing information with opportunities to network with speakers and like-minded business owners are given high priority.
This is the blueprint that business owners worldwide follow to guarantee that their marketing plans match long-term objectives.
Scheduling one of my marketing seminars right now for your organization will keep employees and members focused on productivity and strategic goals. Best of all, they’ll see a positive difference in outcomes, and so will you.
Contact my assistant, Emma, at 973-279-2799, to bring me to your event, or Email her through the contact form. Everyone will thank you for a great presentation.
Adding Social Media to Your Marketing Mix
February 20, 2009
How can you escape all of the buzz around online social media and its impact on strong business and personal relationships?
It’s nearly impossible, especially if the Internet is part of your success plan.
On the flip side, the number of social media tools can make your head spin. Everyone’s talking about the ones they favor, but which options will create a funnel of business rather than a torrent of wasted time?
Message boards (forums) and blogs were first on the landscape, though they appeared before the phrase “social media” was coined. Then came (in alphabetical order):
There are more, but these are most prominent. My seminar, 10 Ways to Market Your Business with Social Media, uncovers how small and solo firms turn online followers into loyal fans that buy often and refer friends. You’ll save lots of time and hair tearing once you understand how to navigate these tools for business success.
Social media programs have lots to offer, but it’s impossible to participate in all of them with the same success rate. Two or three at most will serve your needs. What’s critical is that you examine each one to decide which will be beneficial and time saving.
One task that may be wise, no matter which programs become your favorites, is to register your identity on each one. That identity will be your name or business name, whichever is most important to claim. From there, you can bookmark your page and develop it over time or simply monitor it for connection requests from other participants.
I find myself leaning more towards Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Visit my pages through the above links. If you’re not yet part of these programs, review my pages and consider them as a blueprint to create your own.
Contact my bureau today and schedule the 10 Ways to Market Your Business with Social Media seminar for your group or conference. I promise to make the ideas and information painless and profitable. You’ll laugh at the end, wondering why you hadn’t explored social media earlier.
Three Cards That Guarantee Frequent Sales
April 7, 2008
Whenever I buy a major appliance, I receive a thank-you note and business card from the sales rep.
It’s a small gesture that I expect when buying a product that’s worth more than a $300 investment.
It’s also a technique that rarely occurs when I make purchases from other stores, specialty or otherwise.
This is the main reason why clients will return to you and refer others to your products and services more often than to competitors.
Sending a thank-you note is so easy that it’s a wonder why most companies don’t express appreciation more often. Some business owners continue taking customers for granted, or they simply never learned how to properly close the sale.
Expressing your thanks in writing is a habit to make part of your daily business life.
Here are two more ways to give thanks:
- Birthday Cards. Send one with a coupon for a dollar amount or percentage off any order during the birthday month. This is what cable shopping shows send me to acknowledge my birthday. Collect your clients’ birth months, and send cards to those proven buyers to get more sales.
- Gift Cards. These cards, available through most retailers and credit card firms, cost pennies in relation to the goodwill that positive affects business. Clients who purchase a specific dollar amount in sales, such as $75 or more, could be your targets for this program. It’s a thoughtful and business-building product to consider.
Showing appreciation by saying “thanks” elevates the clients’ perception of your firm and provides incentive to continue choosing your service when their ready for help.
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