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Follow up after a sale

2007-11-06T10:24:00.000-05:00

One nice way to keep your customers comming back is to follow up on their order.

A quick email thanking them for the order and wishing them well is always appreciated. We thank our customers and tell them to use the product in good health. Nothing nicer than that.

If you don't sell on line, a quick thank you note via snail mail is also very appreciated. It lets your customers and clients know that they are appreciated. Try it.

Stay in touch

2007-11-01T07:45:00.001-04:00

I travel often and sometimes am concerned about running my business. I have a neighbor who is an attorney, she travels more than I do. She once told me, "As long as you answer your phone, people don't care where you are."

She's right. Also, as long as you answer your email people don't care where you are. They just don't want to be ignored. That's the best way to run your business.

With iPhones and Blackberry's and all sorts of wireless computers and networks, it is so easy to run a business well. Gone are the days where you need to put an autoresponder on your email telling people you will be in touch in a week when you get back from vacation.

I am not suggesting you give up your whole holiday to answer emails, but it is a good idea to keep up with them more frequently than not. Keep your customers happy, they will keep coming back.

Post your "privacy policy" on your website

2007-10-24T07:58:00.001-04:00

Is your privacy policy posted on your website? It should be.

People are concerned about simple things like their email addresses remaining private. Post this on your website. Tell people that their email addresses and all personal information, for that matter, are safe with you.

Post on your website that all of their personal information is only used by you to contact them while doing business and that it will never be used or sold for any other purposes. It's an important thing to do, it eases peoples' minds and allows them to feel safe while doing business with you.

Want more business? Hand out your business card

2007-10-20T07:55:00.000-04:00

Have you given your business card out today? If so, to how many people?

This simple little thing can bring you more business. Be proud, hand your card out every day. Each time you meet someone new, hand them a card. In most cases, people feel proud to accept the card, they feel that you are giving them something special -- all of your personal information -- your name, address, phone number, email address, etc.

In reality you are handing them an advertisement for yourself and your business. Something they will keep.

Try handing out business cards every day. Don't let them sit in the box.

Need cards? Design your own on line here: http://thediscountprinter.clickprint.com

Free advertising on Craigslist

2007-10-19T08:08:00.000-04:00

A great place to place free advertising is Craig's list at www.craigslist.org .

Try new products there, see if they draw any interest. It won't cost you anything.

Keep in mind that placing one ad per day in any category is the way to go. Doing more than that will be considered spamming and is not a good thing.

Choose your product or service (I have a friend who does pet sitting and does incredibly well on Craigs's list), choose your city and place your ad. The results should come pouring in.

Calendars are the most economical form of advertising

2007-10-10T08:02:00.000-04:00

One of the best ways to have your advertising seen 365 days a year is by using calendar advertising.

Calendar advertising has been common for over 100 years. It works and that's why it's still around.Look around your office or home, you probably have at least one calendar from your church, pharmacy, accountant, etc. This low cost yearly gift is appreciated by everyone, it is used by everyone and your own advertising message and name are prominent to anyone who sees the calendar.

Calendars come in many styles -- wall, desk, magnetic, even daily planners and journal-styles. They are very economical, basically costing you pennies a day to have your message blasted to anyone who looks at the calendar, plus the good will for giving out this wonderful gift will come back to you in business.

Check out the whole 2008 calendar line. Add your logo, name, address, slogan, whatever you want at no additional cost. Shipping is free, too. You can't beat this! Check 'em out here.

Greeting cards make great little gifts

2007-10-03T10:51:00.000-04:00

We are in the promotional items business, so of course we think the best way to thank your clients and customers is with little branded gifts. But what if your budget won't allow for this?

How about greeting cards?

Birthday cards, Thanksgiving cards, Holiday cards, even Thank You and Congratulations cards are a great way to keep your name in front of your clients. Cards may be purchased in bulk and used throughout the year for various things.

We have a great line here at Holiday and Greeting cards and Everyday Greeting Cards.

Corporate gifts for any size business are perfect for getting repeat business

2007-09-24T08:21:00.000-04:00

Corporate branding is an excellent way to promote your business and keep your clients happy.

Even if you have a small home office with a handful of customers, it is a great way to build good will. Something as simple as a pen will please your clients. Coffee mugs, custom printed post-it notes, even baseball caps are great little gifts that don't cost a lot, yet spread so much good will.

This is a win-win situation because your clients and customers are happy to receive the gift and it has been proven that they will return to do business with you because of it and your logo and business name is now exposed to the world. The cups, pens, post-it notes, etc. will be out and about showing off your brand.

See hundreds of items here: www.TheDiscountPrinter.com

How to easily freshen up your homepage

2007-09-18T08:58:00.001-04:00

Keep your website fresh. Do you have the same stagnant homepage day after day, year after year? Why not let people who visit know you are alive.

Change up the images on a regular basis, you don't have to redesign the whole page, just freshen a photo or two. Add a piece of clip art that may go with the season. It's fall now, add a fall leaf in October you can add a pumpkin.

These little touches show people that your site is updated and current. New visitors have no way of knowing unless you make the page look current and fresh.

Finding niche markets

2007-09-14T08:35:00.001-04:00

Finding niche markets is a good way to promote your product.

http://freekeywords.wordtracker.com/ is a free site that allows you to see which search terms are currently being used.

We sell calendars. If we type "calendars" in the search box, it shows us the top 100 searches pertaining to calendars: 1 is "calendar", 2 is "2007 calendar", 3 is "calendars" and so on.

This helps in placing the key words in our meta tags and order pages, it also helps in "paid per click" search engines and it allows us to know what the public is looking for.

If you sell real estate, try typing "real estate" into the search at http://freekeywords.wordtracker.com/ - you will see the results vary. They allow you to market to what people are looking for.

Quality keeps the customers coming back

2007-09-10T09:18:00.000-04:00

One great easy way to draw and keep customers is to offer quality.

Many times you may be tempted to sell an inferior product because it costs you less to purchase and resell, but in the long run, it most likely is costing you business.

People want quality. People shop at Target and Wal-Mart to save money, but they do expect quality name brand products and that is what you should offer.

Don't go with the schlock, keep your customers happy, keep them coming back, have them be proud to recommend you to their friends. Sell them quality.

Is your website user friendly?

2007-09-08T08:44:00.000-04:00

Is your website busy? Do you have lots of products?

It can get confusing for shoppers. One easy thing to do is list a few of the most popular items. This will help guide your guests through your site and they won't feel so overwhelmed by all the products for sale. It will give them a place to start.

We sell so many party items-- dozens of styles of printed cups and plates and things like that, so we have made it easy on our party items page. We list the most popular items at the top and we have found this helps our customers a lot. They know right where to go for the items they want.

Once they find the popular items, they are free to move about the site looking for other things.

We actually list the "best sellers" more than once on the page so it is easily found. You can see what we mean here.

Target your Google Adwords market correctly

2007-09-06T08:09:00.000-04:00

Want to save money when using Google Adwords?

Then be sure your exact phrases are being used. Put quotation marks around your keyword phrases. This will only allow your exact phrases to come up when people do searches.

If your keyword search is "dog dishes", then only that will come up when people do a search. If people are doing searches for "dog" or "dishes" your ad will not come up and there will be no chance of people clicking it only get info on dog dishes when they possibly are looking for kitchen dishes.Putting quotes around your phrases really targets your market and reaches the customers who are looking for your particular item.

Creating an order-pulling niche

2007-09-04T07:43:00.000-04:00

By Carl Hendricks

A niche is something that sets your business apart from your competitors. To compete with other businesses nowadays, especially online, you need a unique niche. Just make sure your competitors are not using the same niche. Below are twelve ideas you could use to create an order pulling niche.

1. Your niche could be that you offer free delivery. This may cost a little money, but, you will gain the extra customers to make up for it.

2. Your niche could be that you offer a lower price. If you can't afford to offer a lower price you could always hold the occasional discount sale.

3. Your niche could be that your product achieves results faster. This niche is very effective because people are becoming more and more impatient and want results fast.

4. Your niche could be you've been in business for a longer period of time. People think if you've been in business longer you have more credibility.

5. Your niche could be that your product tastes, smells sounds, looks, or feels better. When you target the the senses you're triggering basic human attractions.

6. Your niche could be your product is light or compact. People may want to take the product on a trip or don't have much room where they live.

7. Your niche could be that you've won a business reward. When you win a reward tell your customers or visitors about it. This increases their trust in your business.

8. Your niche could be that your product lasts longer. People don't like taking the time and spending more money buying replacement products all the time.

9. Your niche could be that your product is easy to use. People don't want to buy a product that they have to read a 200 page hard-to-understand instruction manual.

10. You niche could be that your product has better safety features. People want to feel safe when they use your products.

11. Your niche could be that your product was made by hand. Most people believe that products made by hand have better quality.

12. Your niche could be that you stand behind all your products. People want to know that you back-up any claims you make about your product with either guarantees, warrantees and free replacements.

About the Author: Carl Hendricks is the owner of http://www.cehmagic.com He writes about Internet Marketing and Self Improvement.

How to do link exchanges

2007-08-30T07:49:00.000-04:00

Are you swapping links at your website? You should.

Many people are hesitant to swap links with like-minded businesses, thinking that they will pass their customers to the competition. But it has been proven that a network of the same businesses only enhances your business and improves business.

If you sell envelopes, it would be a good idea to exchange links with another printer rather than a hair salon or eye doctor. If you are a realtor, it's a great idea to exchange links with other realtors or realty related businesses like home inspectors and mortgage companies rather than dog groomers or clothing stores.

Keep your link exchanges "on topic". It will work in your favor.

Are negative phrases hurting your business?

2007-08-27T07:47:00.000-04:00

By Tom Falco (c) 2007

Don't use negative words or put negative thoughts out into the universe if you want your customers to buy from you.

For instance, don't use phrases like, "Don't Delay!" because just the fact that you use the words "don't" and "delay", you are subconsciously putting that into the universe and into your potential customers' minds.

Use phrases like "Buy Now!" There is nothing negative about that phrase.

Always use upbeat words in marketing and advertising. Put happy and good thoughts out there, keep away from the negative.

Wrong phrases are:
"No risk guarantee" (the word "risk" should be avoided)
"Don't worry" (people will worry)
"No waiting period" ("No" and "Waiting" are bad)

Phrases to use:
"Guaranteed!"
"Order Today!"
"Free"
"Special Offer"

Get the idea? Do not use negative phrases ever.

Business tip

2007-08-24T12:04:00.000-04:00

Adding daily specials as part of your email signature works.

If you are a realtor and have a new real estate listing, add a line about it to the bottom of the email. If you sell toys, put in a line about your new Sesame Street line or whatever, if you are a doctor, you can even put in a line about flu shots being in stock.

Change your email signature up often. Keep it fresh. People do read them.

Is your business card up to date?

2007-08-23T07:36:00.000-04:00

Is your business card complete? Many people have been using the same business cards year after year. When they are used up, they just run to the printer and have the same thing reprinted year after year. But times have changed and your card needs to change.

For one thing most business cards are full color now. Are you using the same old stale black and white cards with the little clip art image of the whatever in the corner? How quaint, but how about moving into the 21st century.

Full color cards can be had for the same price, sometimes less, than the typical one color black and white cards. Also an important thing to remember is to update your info, do you have your email address on your card? Is your web address listed? These are important ways for your customer to reach you and should be included.

TheDiscountPrinter.com offers 1000 full color business cards for only $59.00. Check them out here: www.thediscountprinter.com/colorcards.htm .

7 Ways to defeat fear of failure

2007-08-20T07:37:00.000-04:00

So you have decided to take the plunge and venture into the world of entrepreneurship. You are enthusiastic, eager, uncertain and terrified all at the same time. Believe me, most people in your shoes feel the same way. The start-upphase of any business is often the most exhilarating, but for many, it is also the most trying. Fear of failure often stops would-be entrepreneurs before they even have a chance to bring their ideas to life.

The following are some ideas that may help you to stay focused on your goals and will hopefully give you the extra confidence to pursue your venture.

1. Research the need for your product or service. If there are already 8 dry cleaning services in your town of 1,200 people, chances are your dry cleaning business will not succeed. If you are still determined to open your business when the demand isn't great, consider adding some creative or innovative products or services that the competition doesn't offer.

2. Once you have decided that your business venture is viable, surround yourself with positive people. An encouraging word from a friend or family member can go along way. Confidence and positivity go hand in hand. Conversely, negative thoughts bring self-doubt, and self-doubt almost certainly leads to failure. If someone in your life is negative concerning your business, try to discuss it with them as little as possible.

3. Stay involved in the lives of your family and friends. Starting a new business can be all encompassing. It takes over your thoughts sometimes night and day. Don't forgetto put things into perspective. The most important things in life are your friends and family. Don't neglect them.

4. Read as many books as you can find. Read books on your industry, opening a business in this industry and businessin general. Many online bookstores allow you to read reviews of books before buying them. These reviews will most likely be from people like yourself, looking for the same kind of information as you are. They will let you know if the book is worth purchasing.

5. Get involved. Join trade associations if they exist foryour industry. The advice and insight you will receive from the individuals already working in your field can be even more valuable than the information you can read in a book.

6. Don't listen to the inner negative voice. Self doubt and fear of failure are what stops many would-be entrepreneurs from realizing their dreams. Whenever your ealize that your inner dialogue is turning negative, change it immediately. You control your thoughts. Positive thinking is a powerful tool that will most certainly contribute to your success.

7. Love what you do. If you are planning on opening a home cleaning service, but can't stand cleaning your own home, you are in all likelihood doomed to failure. Choose something that excites you and that you feel passionate about. You need to feel motivated in order to continue growing your business in the years to come. Remember what your goal is and stay focused on that. Don't let fear of failure defeat you.

Regrets are one thing you certainly don't want in life. Once you've researched your venture and know it has potential, keep the next steps in mind. Learn, stay positive and enjoy this exciting phase of your life. Good luck.

About the Author: Kelly Sims is a Virtual Assistant and President ofVirtually There VA Services. She is dedicated to makingthe lives of small business entrepreneurs easier. For moreinformation, visit her website at http://www.virtuallythereva.com .

Social Marketing Must Be A Part Of Your Biz

2007-08-17T08:44:00.000-04:00

If you are trying to sell things on the Internet and you do not have a blog you are putting yourself at a disadvantage. Would you go to play golf without a putter? Your competition is blogging and they are beating your pants off every day with ease.

A part of blogging is submitting your articles to social directories. Here are 4 reasons social marketing must be a part of your Internet business.

1. Social marketing is a popular way to get information. Directories like Digg and Netscape are quickly becoming the choice of people all over the world as a way to keep up to date on what is going on. If you are not blogging and submitting to relevant social directories you are missing out on this easy form of traffic.

2. Social marketing is easy to do. You should set up your blog so that you can quickly bookmark the top directories. Then you should post in your blog everyday. If you can talk and type you can blog.

3. Social marketing is an interactive way to develop relationships with your readers. This has become know as Web 2.0 and it is important to the future of your business.People still like to deal with people. This is an age-old sales trick that sometimes gets lost on the Internet. By making yourself and your blog interactive you become a real person. This will help increase your chances for sales and repeat sales.

4. Search engines love social marketing. You are making their life easy when you blog around keyword rich topics that a person researching can find. When you master the techniques of social marketing you will find you can get on page one of Google and other search engines very quickly.

The reason for this is search engines are spidering Digg, Reddit, Newsvine, and many more non-stop looking for fresh relevant content to put online. This may as well be you as opposed to your competition. If all of this seems confusing it really shouldn't be.

Do not wait until tomorrow to get started. Do it today and your Internet business will thank you.
Kevin Sinclair is the publisher and editor of Be Successful News, a site that provides information and articles on how to succeed in your own home or small business.http://besuccessfulnews.com/

PR Web - marketing your biz with press releases

2007-08-14T11:13:00.001-04:00

Found a great place to send press releases and you can do it by yourself for a nominal fee. It's PR Web at www.prweb.com .

If you feel you are not crafty enough to write the release yourself, they even have a service that will do it for you. They will rewrite what you send them or they will actually go to your website, root around and come up with a press release suited to the market you would like to reach.

The releases go to all the biggies, like the AP wire and Google and Yahoo news and all the professional agencies.

Winning marketing from Citibank part 3

2007-08-10T07:45:00.000-04:00

Become PR Savvy. Getting your business mentioned in the media is a great way to build awareness and reach new customers. You don’t need an expensive public relations agency to create buzz about your business.

The first key to successful grassroots PR is understanding your target audience. Research the publications that they read, the websites they visit and the TV programs they watch. Don’t spend all your time trying to get into The Wall Street Journal if your customers are reading The Main Street Gazette.

Develop a target list of media outlets and take the time to get to know them.The best way to get media coverage is to understand the types of stories that are most relevant with consumers. Then find a way to link your business to them.

Just remember that journalists are busy people. When you send out a press release or call a reporter with a story idea, make sure your message is clear and concise. You’ll have to grab their attention immediately and demonstrate why that particular journalist’s readers will care about your information.

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get results right away. Effective PR requires persistence. Continue to develop relationships with your targeted media outlets and fine-tune your ideas. Eventually, you’re bound to find a hook that works. The resulting positive press will be well worth the time spent on your PR efforts.

These strategies will help you quickly build a strong marketing foundation for your business.

Winning Marketing from Citibank part 2

2007-08-09T17:44:00.000-04:00

Get Online and Get Optimized. Your customers are looking for your business online. So, how will they find you? It’s not enough to have a website. You also have to make sure that your site is optimized so that it appears in the search engine results for the appropriate keywords. A survey from the Kelsey Group, a leading provider of strategic research and analysis, found that almost 50% of local searchers visited an area business as a result of an online search.

The best thing about search engine optimization is that it’s free. All you need is a little education on how to optimize your website copy and HTML tags to make your site more search-friendly.
Get serious about search engine optimization and watch your traffic and revenues grow.

Visit the Must Haves section for a description of the book, "Search Engine Optimization: An Hour A Day."

Part 3 tomorrow

Winning Marketing Ideas from Citibank part 1

2007-08-08T08:20:00.000-04:00

For small business owners, effective marketing is crucial for building awareness and driving sales. There are a million marketing ideas out there and your time and budget are limited. How do you know which marketing strategies are right for your company?

Here are 3 key marketing strategies that can deliver results:

1 ) Get Structured. Create a Marketing Plan. Successful small business owners agree that taking the time to develop a proactive marketing plan is critical. A good plan can help you focus your time (and money) on efforts that provide you with better results.

You don’t need a high-priced consultant to create a plan that helps you grow your business. The key is simply to establish specific, measurable marketing goals and define strategies for how to achieve them.

What are your target markets? How will you reach them? What will success look like? As a small business owner, you will probably have a limited marketing budget. That means it’s even more important to plan carefully and ensure that you’re spending your marketing dollars wisely.

Part 2 tomorrow

Increase sales with proper email etiquette

2007-08-06T07:31:00.000-04:00

How long does it take for you to answer email? Are you right on top of things or do you make your customers wait for an answer to their requests?

The rule of thumb is 24 hours. But the sooner the better. Many large companies, well-known companies, I may add, feel that they can rest on their laurels and answer email questions when they get around to it. Most likely they are overloaded with mail and it takes awhile, but for a customer waiting for an answer, this is no consolation.

I can't tell you how many times I have gone to a competitor because email was not answered in a timely manner. Answer your email now. Don't wait.

Fax signatures increase sales

2007-08-01T08:02:00.000-04:00

A great way to advertise specials and up-sell are fax signatures.

Just like email signatures they can bring in more business.

Basically, all you do is put a tag line or two at the bottom of all your fax cover sheets. Type it in a fancy or odd typeface, something that will stand out, Comic Sans is good for this.

If you sell realty, you can have one line that says: "Interest rates dropped again today, call us for more info."

For a toy store: "Our new line of Sesame Street toys is now in."

For a business website: "Did you see our new collection of eBooks and selling tips?"

Just tag this at the very bottom of the fax cover sheet.

Each time you fax someone a mini advertisement is going out with your transmission.

Caution: Use this only for legitimate fax trasmissions. Don't start faxing everyone you know. Just use it in your normal day-to-day fax correspondence.

From Citibank: 8 Ways to build your business without breaking the bank

2007-07-30T07:47:00.000-04:00

Are you looking for maximum marketing results for your dollars? It may be time to go guerilla. “Guerilla Marketing” is a term coined by author Jay Conrad Levinson to describe creative marketing tactics that deliver big impact for little cost.

Read the following 8 guerilla marketing ideas for imaginative new ways to stand out from the competition and connect with potential customers.

1) Start a Blog—Gain exposure as an expert in your field by starting a blog. A blog lets you interact with your customers and prospects. You can share your expertise and get valuable feedback from the marketplace. Best of all, setting up a blog is easy and free. Visit Blogger to set up a free blog and get started.

2) Offer Incentives—Give away a gift card or prize every week. Consumers respond well to the chance of winning something and a fun prize offers an extra incentive to buy today.

3) Be Charitable—Offer to donate a percentage of sales to a worthy charity during a defined promotional period. Your customers feel better about their purchase and you get to associate your brand with a good cause.

4) Give a “Customer of the Month” Award—Recognize your customers and show how much you appreciate them by honoring a “Customer of the Month” with an inexpensive certificate or prize. These awards can go a long way toward building relationships.

5) Create Your Own Holiday—Start a holiday that ties into your business and make a real event out of it. Celebrate “National Muffin Day,” “Sofa Appreciation Day,” or something similar and promote the occasion with publicity and special deals.

6) Get Out and Speak—Volunteer to give free seminars for local organizations on a topic related to your business. You’ll get more exposure in the community and establish a reputation as an expert.

7) Use Mobile Advertising—Put your business name and contact information on your vehicle and on your employees’ uniforms. You never know who might see your logo on the back of a t-shirt in the street or on the car next to them when they’re stuck in traffic.

8) Sponsor a Community Event—Find a local event that your customers attend and become a sponsor. There are sponsorship opportunities large and small. Support the local Little League, the community theater or trivia night at the neighborhood pub.

Brand yourself like Paris does

2007-07-27T08:24:00.000-04:00

Paris Hilton is a brand name. You can be, too.

It's important to brand your product, business or self in the business world. People need to know your name or business name in order to feel comfortable doing business with you.

Get your name out there. Join link exchanges or banner exchanges if you have a website. Purchase ads in local school publications like sports journals or yearbooks. Hand out business cards, pens with your message or brochures often. Make your name or business name a household name. Let people know who you are.

Attract more clients with brand identity

2007-07-26T08:28:00.000-04:00

You've probably heard that people buy products and services from people they know, like and trust. And, as I have done, you've probably wondered how you can foster more of this "Know-Like-Trust" factor in your business relationships.Pictures are tied to our emotions in powerful ways, so strategically using your logo and brand identity materials (business cards, letterhead, brochures, website, etc.) to enforce this connection is a great idea.

A brand identity kit contains many of the attributes that contribute to the "Know-Like-Trust" factor, in the following ways:

- Know - A creatively designed set of materials will make you stand out in your field. Symbolically designed materials, where the graphics are designed to communicate and tell your story, can lead to the prospect feeling that they understand who you are and what you do, helping them to form a connection with you and your business. This contributes to your memorability and breeds a feeling of familiarity. Through the consistent, repetitive use of a logo and the supporting visual elements in your marketing materials, people will feel as though they "know" you and your business, even if you have never met face-to-face.

- Like - If you look at a business's materials, and you like their look and feel, you would probably find it easier to like both the business owner and to like doing business with them, as well. A logo with an icon attached to your company name can also make your company seem more approachable, friendly and fun. It can even endear your company name to your potential clients. Cartoon logos are highly effective in this capacity, though not appropriate for all professions. You can also foster a feeling of compatibility through clear information in your designed materials-both in the type of information that you provide and the way that it's laid out and presented. People like to read text that is straightforward and well written.

- Trust - A high-quality, professionally printed brand identity kit can make you look capable, established, and enduring. Professional materials also impart an air of integrity to your business. If your materials look polished and put together, they lead people to believe that working with you will be similarly pleasant.

All of these factors compound to give you-and your business-greater credibility, which leads people to trust you and to give you more and bigger projects, sales, and orders.

About the Author: Erin Ferree is a brand identity and marketing design strategist who creates big visibility for small businesses. Through her customized marketing and brand identity packages, Erin helps her clients design effective websites that help them extend their brands, bring in new clients and make sales. http://www.elf-design.com

Gateway pages will bring you visitors

2007-07-25T08:28:00.000-04:00

Using gateway pages is the one main way to get your web site to the top of the search engines.

Gateway pages are pages that people use to enter your site other than through the home page. They are dedicated to one subject or item. From the gateway page you can send visitors to the home page, but the gateway is used to get them to the site to begin with.

If you are selling real estate, for instance, how you could set up a page on real estate insurance questions or mortgage questions or other related things that people are interested in. From there, people will link to your main real estate page.

If you sell pet supplies, you can up pages dedicated to each type of animal. Set up one page for cats, one for dogs and on and on. The advantage to this is that every page is a gateway page and the more gateway pages you have, the more visitors you will have to your site.

Each page should have navigation bars to allow the visitor to find the rest of the site. But getting them to the site is the main thing.

Email accounts do matter

2007-07-23T08:29:00.000-04:00

When doing business, it's a good idea to have your own personal email account, with your own personal URL. Yahoo, AOL and Hotmail just don't do it.

To be taken seriously, get your own domain. They aren't that expensive and the money is well worth it if you want to be taken seriously in the business world.

I can't tell you how many business emails I receive from kittycatlover@aol.com or bigboy1@yahoo.com or jasonlovesmelissa@hotmail.com .

How good is your marketing?

2007-07-21T09:00:00.000-04:00

See how good of a marketer you are. How effective are you when it comes to promoting your products and services? Are you doing all you can to drive sales?

Take this quick Citibank quiz to find out how your current marketing efforts measure up.

(Score your answers as follows: 1 = Yes, 0 = No)

1) Do you have a marketing plan?
2) Do you dedicate time each month to review marketing efforts and plan future promotions?
3) Do you look at your competitors’ advertising and marketing to see how yours compares?
4) Do you have a line item in your budget for advertising and marketing?
5) When you have to cut expenses from your budget, do you ensure that there is still money left for marketing?
6) Do you measure your marketing tools regularly to gauge their effectiveness?
7) Do you conduct research to help identify new markets and better serve current customers?
8) Do you have a professionally designed web site?
9) Do you send press releases about your business to trade publications and the news media?
10) Do you make an effort to keep up-to-date on marketing trends?

Know Your Score:

8-10: Well Done: You know who your customers are and how to reach them with your marketing messages.

4-7: Take Some Notes: You have a little room for improvement. By increasing your focus on marketing, you could see big improvements in the bottom line in 2007.

1-3: Start Marketing: Marketing your business could help you better stand out from the competition.

It's important to freshen up your website

2007-07-20T07:28:00.000-04:00

If you have a website it's a good idea to update it often. Even if it is just changing the homepage, that makes a big difference, it freshens up the site and lets people know you are still in business.

You'll notice simple things are done even with your own bank's website. They may not change the whole page around, but they will update a photo every once in awhile, which freshens up the site.

You could easily make a change every season, in the fall add a couple of pumpkins, near the holidays add a wreath, for labor day or memorial day, add a flag. Let people know you are still there and freshen up.

A fast way to add pages to the search engines

2007-07-19T15:55:00.000-04:00

A great way to get new web pages onto the search engines is to make sure they are linked to your home page and any other pages you have on any other sites.

Constantly, the search engines "re-crawl" each web site to make sure pages are current and up-to-date. They will pick up any new pages if they are linked to your home page.

Your Toll Free Number Could Be Turning Customers Away

2007-07-19T15:54:00.000-04:00

Copyright (c) 2007 Bill Lampton Ph.D.Championship Communication http://www.championshipcommunication.com/

When I launched my company, Championship Communication, ten years ago, a veteran entrepreneur advised me, "Get your toll freenumber right away." He argued that I would attract more clients and keep ongoing clients happy if they could call me at nocharge. "But," I asked, "isn't that quite expensive?"

"No, Bill, it's surprisingly reasonable, and it will be wellworth the moderate cost because of your increase in customers." Following his advice, I got an 800 number and displayed it on my stationery, Web site, business card, and E-mail signature. For adecade, I mentioned that number when I was leaving a voice mail message for an out of town contact I had called and missed.

Then not long ago, I started rethinking whether my toll free number was gaining business for me. Discussing this with a professional speaker colleague, I was surprised to hear him say, "People who want you to have a toll free number, so they can save three or four dollars when they call you, are unlikely to beable-or willing-to pay the professional fees your experiencemerits. If they are so cost conscious that they don't think they could afford to call you, then how will they change that mind set to invest in your services?"

His idea startled me. At the same time, his logic seemed sound. Over the next few months, I started looking at my monthly telephone bill to see who was using my 800 number to reach me. The answer: mostly friends and relatives.

Welcome

2007-07-19T10:35:00.000-04:00

We have decided to blog daily rather than send out our periodic newsletter. More people will be able to see the blog and we can have up-to-date news and views on business marketing and promotional ideas.

We would love to hear from you and know some of your marketing tricks that help you promote your business on and off the internet. Feel free to email us any time, our email address is right up there to the upper right.

We will start posting shortly. Please come back and visit us daily.