Archive for the ‘networking’ Category

Why Every Web Site Needs an Online Newsletter

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

So why do some web sites bother to offer a newsletter and others don’t?  So why bother?  Believe me, I am contemplating this very thing as I sit here and wonder if there isn’t enough to do already.  However, everything that I do and stand for at Gemstone Business Solutions would be a waste of time if I didn’t do it for my clients.

An online newsletter is just a way of staying in touch with a target market and/or the clients in your business.  It sends the message every time you email it of “Hey, I am here and ready to do business with you.”  In other words, it acts as a reminder.  It is a way of keeping your name and the name of your business before your clients. 

Why should you publish a newsletter on your web site? 

Karen Cappello, a well-known business coach at www.KarenCappello.com states that clients need to see something in front of them in the form of a contact (newsletter, email, card or phone call) seven times before making a purchase.  This also includes making a decision to use your services. A newsletter — especially an online newsletter — can do that effectively by saving your business mailing time and postage.

So what should this newsletter look like?

Believe it or not, many clients and friends have mentioned to me that they prefer newsletters that are either HTML or text.  While the graphically enhanced versions offered through Constant Contact and Aweber are nice, you don’t always know how long they will take readers to download. 

A newsletter which takes too long to download will cause the reader to become discouraged.  They may not want to wait for the newsletter to download.  Believe it or not, there are still those individuals and clients using dial-up, so you don’t want to discourage them from reading your newsletter. 

Headlines should be short and clear with the main articles covering one major point.  This one major point should be covered in two to five sub-points that are easy to understand and are beneficial to the reader. 

The article should inform, clarify, encourage, enthuse, provoke thought or satisfy the need for additional information.  When appropriate light humor may also be used.

Products may also be mentioned in you online newsletter, but too many hyperlinks should not be used.  You want to keep your client’s eyes on your newsletter not clicking to other web sites. 

What should this newsletter say?

The newsletter should be aimed at a targeted audience or industry.  It should cover what the concerns are for that industry.  It should also have statistics to back up your assumptions.  Being able to answer critical questions and concerns for that industry is a must.  Only then will you be able to provide the kind of content that readers will read.  You will also be able to earn the respect of your readership.

Many new web site owners completely dismiss the importance of a well-written online newsletter.  It takes more than a web site to let clients know that you are in business.  The old adage of “Build it and they will come” is something that keeps most web site owners from connecting with their target market via an online newsletter.  They feel that just having a web site should be enough to attract clients. 

However, when clients find your web site, they may not know you or be convinced as to why they should do business with you.  Being able to offer this added feature — this online newsletter — will continue to keep your site visitors coming back to your web site time and time again.  Clients will get to know you and your business through your newsletter.

Who will read this newsletter?

Maria Veloso at www.webcopywritinguniversity.com and the author of Web Copy that Sells says that it all comes down to “courting” the client or giving them a reason to come back to your web site.  Over time, the reader will come to recognize you as an expert in your field.  You will become someone that they can trust.  A well-written, well-researched newsletter will help to position yourself strategically as an expert in your field.

According to Ms. Veloso, another mistake that new web site owners make is to make the newsletter too broad.  The newsletter is not meant to appeal to everyone, but to a target market.  She later explains, “When you call out to everyone, you call out to no one.” 

In summary, it all comes down to balance.  Within the scope of your particular business and industry, you want to appeal to all of the major players in your readership.  Give them content that will appeal to them time and time again.  Remember the four U’s — urgent, useful, user-friendly, and unique.  If you can do these four things each issue for your target market then you have done your job. 

So where does the blog come into all of this?

The best way to explain how to use a blog is to use it as page of your web site, which reflects more of your personality to your target market.  You can also use it to promote products that you like.  This is your “opening up” a little more.  I like to say that it’s your business casual side.

Nowadays some bloggers are using their blogs to add membership sites and videos from YouTube.  I have used my blog to get readers to comment on some of my newsletter articles in my online newsletter, Chiseling Out Success.

What to do if you don’t want to publish the newsletter yourself?

If all of this is sounds like too much work or too complicated to do, delegate it.  We at Gemstone Business Solutions are a group of virtual assistants and other remote professionals that offer newsletter writing and design to small businesses.  We would be happy to accommodate you with this request.

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Posted in Business Research, marketing, networking, small businesses, virtual assistance | 3 Comments »

Quickly Go From Little Or No Clients to a Full Practice

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

Are you someone who’s just starting out, wanting to ramp up your business a bit more? Get some additional revenues coming in, consistently? You’re not the only one. In fact, there are lots of entrepreneurs out there looking for solid marketing strategies, to get more clients and make more, just like you.

You want some direct coaching from the best — not just from a book. Without it, you don’t have as much accountability, you’re not implementing what you’re learning fast enough, you’re getting overwhelmed and frustrated.

Well, there’s actually a solution for that. Fabienne Fredrickson, The Client Attraction Mentor, is hosting a no-charge 90-minute content-filled coaching call where she’ll share her proven system for attracting ALL the clients you need and want.

Here’s the link to sign up at https://attraction.infusionsoft.com/go/Bootcamp/gemstoneva@aol.com

It’s all happening Wednesday November 4th at 8pm EST. To join me for this one-time-only call, just register below and you’ll get details right away. Will you join me? I can’t wait to see what she shares (she always gives so much).

https://attraction.infusionsoft.com/go/Bootcamp/gemstoneva@aol.com

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Posted in freelance coaches, freelance writing, marketing, networking, virtual assistance | 3 Comments »

Getting Business From Volunteering

Saturday, October 17th, 2009

One of the many ways you can get clients for your business is from volunteering. Volunteering is a great way to get out in the community and have others learn about you and what you do. However, there is a downside to volunteering.

As a small business or freelancer, you may be limited to the amount of time that you can donate to volunteering, so make it count. Don’t let it become overwhelming, but limit it, enjoy it, and use it to promote your business and your services.

Make sure that the skills you want to showcase are the skills that you will be using in your volunteering. While most organizations will gladly welcome your volunteer services for typing, envelope stuffing, and answering the phones, do these sparingly. By all means, enjoy these activities and know that you are offering a great service in the community. However, as soon as you can, offer higher-level services.

Offer to organize the fundraisers and activities of the organization. Also offer speaking on behalf of the organization or writing and designing the marketing and informational materials. Offer to introduce the organization to social networks such as Facebook and help them build their fan page. Offering to train other volunteers is also a great way to showcase any of your management skills.

Just remember to enjoy the volunteering while making contacts. Also remember to do a great job no matter what. You, your business, and your skills are now on display.

Good luck!

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Posted in Business Research, marketing, networking | 4 Comments »

Success is the Best Revenge

Sunday, October 4th, 2009

This was a great read from a woman who has had to make her own success by NOT banking or dovetailing on the success of her famous father. In her book, Jokes My Father Never Taught Me, Rain Pryor, decided to create her own style of comedy despite the problems she encountered.

For years, she struggled with rejection. No one “got” her comedy—it was a different genre than what was currently being performed. It was also different from her famous father’s brand of comedy. However, despite these setbacks, she went on to create her own unique style—her own USP (Unique Selling Position).

Two of my favorite quotes from the book are:

“Success is the best revenge; it’s the ultimate ha-ha.”

“I can sit around and wait for someone to put me in a box. Or I can create something and say, ‘This is what I do.’ ”

Rain Pryor
Daughter of Richard Pryor
Comic, Actress, and Singer

So for those of you who are struggling in your own business and your own uniqueness, just remember these two quotes.
 

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Posted in marketing, networking, small businesses | 1 Comment »

Making Your Business Card Your #1 Marketing Strategy

Monday, August 3rd, 2009

Think it takes longer than 30-seconds to grab the attention of a new prospect? Not with the right kind of business card.

Read below to learn the 10 strategies for marketing with your business card.

10 Strategies to Make Your Business Card Work Harder

A business card is one of the most cost-effective marketing tools you have at your disposal. It will be handed out at networking events, put into business correspondence, and placed in presentations. Next to a web site, a business card is something no business owner should be without.

When was the last time anyone complimented you on your business card? Is it visually appealing? Does it clearly identify what you do? Are you proud when you hand it out?

If you answered “no” or “can’t remember” to any of the above questions, then let’s take a closer look at 10 strategies to improve this powerful marketing tool.

1. Your business card should stand out in the crowd. Having a business card that is a plain/text only card will get put in the stack with the rest of the cards. It must stand out.

2. Your business card should be good quality. This sounds obvious, but you would be surprised how many business cards that I receive with that homemade ink jet look. You can still see the perforations around the edges and the ink is even smudged on certain words. With so many affordable printing options available, you can easily afford to have a stack of about 250 business cards printed. Vistaprint.com is the one that I use.

3. Your business card should be double-sided. One the backside you need to have either an appointment reminder, a map or information about a referral bonus. What happens many times at networking events is the potential client will become so excited that they will begin writing questions on the back of the card. Then they hand it back to YOU defeating the purpose you handed it to them. A double-sided business card will make it impossible for them to use your business card as scratch paper.

4. Your business card should be in plentiful supply. Don’t make the mistake of just handing out one business card. Hand out several. Tell the potential client that you would appreciate he/she handing these out to staff members or other colleagues.

5. Your business card should not be oversized. It should be the standard size (3.5″ X 2″) to easily fit in a wallet. If it is oversized it will either end up in the trash can or in some other “fitting” place.

6. Your business card should not be an unsolved riddle. Potential clients should be able to glance at your card and figure out what you do either by the name, tagline, logo or brief description.

7. Your business card business card should declare one benefit of doing business with you. Wording such as “all work guaranteed” “insured and bonded” or “20 years in business” are good examples.

8. Your business card should not be cluttered. This is another reason to use the backside of the business card. It will keep the clutter down. Your company name, contact information, logo, and tagline are vital. Remember if a client is truly interested in your services, they will contact you.
 
Don’t try to squeeze too much contact information on the card. If you must choose between your post office box and street address to keep the clutter down–do so. The same is true for your cell phone and office phone.

9. Your business card should not have print that is too small. With 90% of the age 35+ population using reading glasses, try not to use below a point 9 font. If they can’t read it, they probably won’t call either.

10. Your business card should not be an afterthought. Nothing is worse than to have someone fumbling for his/her business card only to find out that he/she didn’t bring them. Always carry a stack with you.

If you can begin applying these 10 principles to your business cards then your business card will become one of your best strategies in your marketing plan. It certainly will be one of the most affordable in these tough times.

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Posted in Business Research, marketing, networking | 2 Comments »