Posts with the tag 'Information Marketing'
“Do you read much?”
That’s the question Diane Eble asked in her blog post today. I had to share this post. Why? Because one of the ways to drive traffic to your website is to have your name and website appear on high traffic sites. In her post, Diane goes on to explain how reviewing books in your field increases your visibility to people who might be your ideal prospects and on search engines.
Here’s the rest of Diane’s post including instructions for how to do what she suggests. Thanks, Diane!
As an author or aspiring author, I assume you do.
Here’s a way to use your reading to get traffic back to your own website.
First, a pop-quiz question: What’s a site that gets a LOT of traffic? Like, thousands if not millions a day….
If you guessed amazon.com, you’re right!
So, when you post a review of a book that’s related to your area of expertise, you get to create a link back to your site.
Because the link comes from a credible, highly-trafficked site, you will rise in the search engines.
Here’s how:
Create an account at Amazon. If you’re already a member at Amazon then you’ve probably already bought something from them and that’s even better. You’re an established member of and you’ve already completed your first step. Amazon won’t allow you to make comments unless you’ve purchased something there. (May I suggest a great book that made it to #3 on amazon recently–a book that will, if you implement it, change every area of your life in amazing ways? It’s here—and yes, I did write a review!)
Create your profile. Talk about yourself, using relevant keywords. And of course, put a link to your site.
Review products. The next thing you need to do is to give product reviews of items for sale on Amazon. If there are books you’ve read, then go the section where they ask you for your review of the product and give one. Each time you give your review of a product make certain you leave your name and in your signature should be a link back to your website.
Do you know how many people visit Amazon on a daily basis? More than visit your site, that’s for sure. Each time someone sees your review, they will see your name and the link back to your website. This is a simple, free and easy way to put your name out there and get more traffic back to your website.
Use this powerful method and let me know your results with it. It’s one of the more fun ways I use in the “Multiple Presences on the Web” strategy. (I once decided my dream job would be to get paid well to read. This is at least mildly related to that.)
Diane Eble is “Your Book Publishing Coach.” Her blog is worth following if you’re an author or aspire to be.
Tags: Become an Expert, Business development, Independent Service Professionals, Information Marketing, Internet Marketing, Marketing for Professionals
June 8th, 2010
Do you want to make more money doing what you’re already doing? Do you want to serve more people doing what you love?
Do you want to love the life you’re living?
One way to achieve all this and more is to be known as an authority in your niche. Here’s the direction I recommend you go to be well seen and well heard so you can be well known and well paid.
You need to be a VIP with VIP ~ a Very Important Professional with Valuable Intellectual Property, AKA Valuable Information Products.
“Why this path?” you may be wondering.
Because once your expertise is out of your head and in physical and digital form, you can contribute it to the world. That way it can generate leads and income.
Content may be king. The question is what content? Before we can create content that others will find valuable, we need to know who those others are who we want to attract and serve.
We may need to create and share clear, concise, and compelling messages and to know where to put them so they can be easily found by those looking for us. Before we can we write messages that leave a trail of breadcrumbs that lead to our door, we need to know who we want to talk to, who we want to attract, who we want to serve.
So start by building a strong foundation. Here are a few questions I suggest you answer.
Who are our ideal clients? Think of 3 categories:
- ones we love to work with (our passion) and who love to work with us (their passion)
- ones we’re expert at helping (our expertise)
- ones with whom we make the most money (income)
What problem(s) do they have that you solve for them or help them solve?
How do you do that?
What results do they get when they work with us and how do they benefit from those results?
What makes us, what we do and how we do it unique so people would be crazy to work with anyone else?
In the coming weeks I’ll be blogging more about what you can do to be a VIP with VIP. I’ll be offering tips, tools, techniques, and strategies you can use. I’ll be creating Success Activities you can do quickly and easily. And I’ll be offering programs to help you get unstuck, overcome Marketing Resistance Syndrome, and take the next steps that help you take yourself, your business, and your life where you want to go.
And remember, if it’s got to get done, let me help you make it fun!
Fun is a prerequisite to excellence.
Play is the behavior of enlightenment.
P.S. If you want to be known as an authority in your niche, join Mari-Lynn Harris and myself every Wednesday 2-3 pm est on BlitzTime. It’s the coolest place to meet like-minded people. We gather on the phone to network, build relationships, and learn how to do what it takes to become well seen and well heard so you can be well paid. Click on this link. You’ll land on our event’s page. You’re in the place to register for one or more calls for ”How to Be an Authority in YOUR Niche.” Your first 2 calls are free! Try it. You’ll like it!
Tags: Become an Expert, BlitzTime, Develop Your Audience, Effective Communicating, Independent Service Professionals, Information Marketing, Marketing for Professionals, Marketing Resistance Syndrome, Strategies for Success, Take your business to the next level, VIP with VIP
April 28th, 2010
My buddy Jim is a member of the First Collaborative Credibility Cluster, the very same CCC I’m in, the very same one that’s one of many brainchildren of Russell Cox, who’s… you guest it, another member of CCC#1!
Jim wrote a post at Community and Business on the CCC’s shared community website. Jim’s got a great sense of humor and he loves puns. In this post he’s asked, “What is the Web 2.0 Refrigerator Magnet?”
Great question, Jim. And I’ve got an answer for you…
Ah, Jim, there will always be a place in the world for ‘old fashion’ marketing! The answer to becoming known as an expert in your field or an authority in your niche is not an either/or, yes/no answer. It’s “Yes, and…” You want what I call a “HI-5 Marketing Message.” Imagine you could ‘Hi-5″ all your ideal prospects and clients in all your communications with them. Imagine you could deliver a message that’s Heart-Inspired, Integrated, interactive, Internet and Information-based.
How does HI-5 messaging relate to Web 2.0? For Jim’s post, the key word in the explanation of what a HI-5 message is Integrated. An integrated message platform weaves together traditional media channels with ‘old’ Web 1.0 tools, techniquest, technologies, and winning strategies with the new Web 2.0 and the coming Web 3.0 ones.
I want to get back to answering the question Jim asked in his post: “What is the Web 2.0 equivilant of the refergerator magnet?”
Hey, I think this is a great question to ask the LinkedIn community. We’ll get great ideas. And we’ll be building the web of links we’re weaving in Web 2.0.
By the way, in the spirit of taking a HI-5 message to the next level, I’d trade my refrigerator magnet in for:
- a bumper sticker with a URL that’s easy to read from the car behind
- a series of Tweets and re-tweets
- a conversation in Facebook or in your vibrant online community
- a continued asynchronous dialog among members of our CCC and anyone else who wants to participate
- a banner ad on your site and those of your strategic alliance partners and raving fans
- a real time conversation…
- on the phone, of course, as we live thousands of miles apart.
- We’ll record our conversation so we can turn it into
- a podcast which we’ll submit to podcast directories so anyone can find it and listen to at their convenience.
- an audio on each of our websites and our community groupsites.
- We’ll also transcribe the audio track and turn it into an article, a blog post, an e-book or e-course.
- a YouTube video of two or more someones who looks like a present day average Joe or Jane. In fact, they’re wearing T-shirts with the refrig magnet’s message on the front and back, with logos, of course.
- First this person goes to their mailbox to get and open the envelope with a refrigerator magnet inside, then
- Then he walks to their refrig where they place the magnet.
- Then she walks to their computer and looks at the banner ad, the blog post, and clicks on the audio play button to listen to the conversation.
- Then they walk to their car, T-shirts clearly visible and read-able, they get into the car, and as the car drives away with them waving, the camera zooms in to focus on the bumper sticker.
- What’s the bumper sticker say? You guessed it. The same message that’s on the magnet!
So, all of the above are my suggestions for the Web 2.0 equivalent of refrigerator magnets.
What are your ideas?
And what about your suggestions for what would appear on those magnets, bumper stickers, T-shirts, titles, and such?
Here are a few of mine:
“Want to make more money? HI-5 your audience.” www.MarketingToYOURworld.com
“Want to grow your business? Trade your refrigerator magnet in for a bumper sticker.” www.MarketingToYOURworld.com
What’s your HI-5 marketing message? Share it here and you’re building your audience. in Web 2.0. In fact, you’ve made your Web 2.0 refrigerator magnet. Now pass it on wherever you’re communicating with YOUR ideal clients and prospects.
“Whether you’re doing business around the corner or around the globe, take YOUR message to YOUR World!” www.MarketingToYOURworld.com
Tags: Develop Your Audience, Hi 5 Marketing message, Information Marketing, Internet Marketing, Web 2.0
December 21st, 2009
I immediately bought the book and signed up for Tim’s e-course I receive via emails.
Today’s issue #29 was exactly what I needed to read today. By the time I got his email, I had created the draft of a PowerPoint presentation for a project I’m working on for a client, I had a meeting with him while taking my morning walk, I wrote another blog post, read and when appropriate answered about 40 emails, and discovered about 10 new sources of knowledge and expertise I’ll explore after I finish this post.
Yet, even having done all that before noon, I felt pushed and pressured by myself to do more faster. Then I read Tim’s advice. I found what he had to say so helpful I wanted to share it with you… I know I am in good company with others like myself 
Here’s what Tim shared:
Making your life a direct expression of your purpose is the most fulfilling and rewarding choice. It is also something that doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time to make an orderly transition from how you are currently living to a new, purpose-centered life.
This may or may not involve changes in profession or other life circumstances. Remember, a purpose isn’t a job, a job is an expression of a purpose.
Living fully from purpose requires consistently making purpose-based choices. More on that in a later issue.
There are a couple of significant disadvantages to this strategy. The most common problem people face with this approach is fear of the unknown. They imagine that they will be unable to support themselves, that people they love will reject them, or any of a number of other fears. These fears rarely come to pass, but the imagination of them can deter people in their movement towards manifesting their purpose.
The other “problem” is an interesting one. Moving towards your purpose tends to increase the amount of serendipity and synchronicity in your life: people show up to help you and things that you imagine will be difficult become easy. This creates a feeling of “acceleration” which can be both exhilarating and nerve-wracking.
Of course, it’s hard to imagine a better problem to have: the question becomes, how much exhilaration, meaning, passion, and success can you tolerate? It seems like a silly question, but it really isn’t. I often find myself “hitting the brakes” a little bit to keep the rapid progress towards my purpose at a rate I can manage.
Copyright © 2003-2009 Timothy A. Kelley. All rights reserved. “Know Your Purpose” and “Purpose Hunting” are trademarks of Timothy A. Kelley
Back to my thoughts…
I’m wondering if Tim’s perspective was helpful to you. If so, how specifically?
Equally important, how do you manage the pace you operate at because you’re driven by your passion ?
Please share as I know we are in good company and what’s working for you may help me and others, too.
Thanks in advance for your comments!
Tags: Become an Expert, Information Marketing, Information Products, Internet Marketing, Marketing for Professionals, Professionals
December 15th, 2009
I just got an email from ??? Can’t even tell you at the moment. Whatever they said, whatever they offered, I nibbled, I bit, I got hooked.
They did everything right including thanking me for taking action. On the thank you page was a list of related resources. Many looked interesting and valuable and free. So I selected the ones most relevant for me. Here’s what I discovered…
All are by different authors. How do I know? I got emails from the different authors - the double opt-in type. Each therefore had a link for me to click to confirm I wanted what they were offering. I went to a different website for each information product I had selected. All were nice enough websites…
Some were offering additional products for a fee. Some now had me subscribed to a new newsletter.
And I now have access to lots of new informatin I said I wanted in the first place.
On one hand, I’m impressed with this strategy. A very cool approach in theory… All of this was professionally done. No complaints in that regard.
Here’s my growing concern as I get email after email offering more information. Not just the ones I mentioned above… From lots of other people ~ some I know, some I don’t and have no idea how they got my name in the first place (whether the info they’re offering is valuable or not…)
I’m on information overload – not so much the information itself, mind you. I love learning new stuff. The world’s changing so fast, I’m grateful there are so many people out there keeping up with this aspect or that, and are offering to let me in on their secret.
Free or fee, receiving access to all this information isn’t the problem.
It’s the time involved with reading the original email, clicking, entering my info, getting opt-in email, clicking, either waiting for next email or getting immediate access to the resource – which I usually have to save as I’m not in the stop and read mode.
I know I’m not alone. How are you dealing with it on the receiving end? Deleting? Unsubscribing?
Here’s my BIGGER question:
What if you’re a consultant wanting to serve more people and make more money? What’s a consultant to do to stand out in a noisy and crowded marketplace?
Any ideas? I sure would love to hear from you!
Woops, I just left myself wide open to get yet another bunch of new emails offering me yet another bunch of new information products or services promising to solve this problem or that.
What’s a girl to do?
More important, what’s a consultant to do?
Tags: Become an Expert, Email marketing, Information Marketing, Internet Marketing, Marketing for Consultants, Marketing for Professionals
December 14th, 2009
I just got back from a two-day seminar on Internet Marketing. Armand Morin was amazing. He talked non-stop, except for breaks, of course, for both days.
Needless to say, I learned a great deal. Some you’ll be hearing about in future blogs and articles. I also met dynamic, exciting people.
The single most important benefit to me: I’ve shattered another myth in my Marketing Resistance Syndrome, one of the biggest obstacles to my success. Maybe you can relate, and more important, hopefully you, too, can banish this “Success Thief” from your mind forever!
I LOVE what I do. I talk about it, read about it, listen, watch, think about it. My ‘IT’ is helping consultants turn their expertise into gold by becoming known as a VIP with VIP ~ a Very Important Person with Valuable Intellectual Property. If you’re a consultant, you want the perks that go along with being known as an expert in your field, don’t you?
What’s your “IT”? As you read the rest of this post, imagine you’re holding your “IT” and the people you LOVE to serve in the center of your heart. That’s where they are already, isn’t it?
Back to my story… Here I am, sitting in a room filled with “Internet Marketers.” I wish there were a way to spell that in four letters because that’s how I used to think of them — emails, newsletters, links, opt-in pages, downloads ~ information overload. And what are they promoting and selling? Information products, often not even their own. Why? To make the thousands of dollars a day they advertise you, too, can make, or the pounds of weight you can lose, if you buy whatever they’re selling. Sound familiar? Yuck!
Well, after a slow start, I found myself typing away as fast as I could. Why?
Armand said something so important. He only said it once, and I could have missed it if I weren’t listening VERY closely.
His examples for how to use this technique and that to promote and sell products were always his or someone else’s product that would help the Internet marketer succeed.
Before I quote Armand, I want to tell you something I learned at T. Harv Eker’s Train-the-Trainer as well as from many others who coach and teach about creating, promoting, and selling information products.
We MUST package our expertise into Valuable Intellectual Property, also known as Valuable Information Products. Sure, there are many benefits to us.
We’ll get to those in a moment.
More important, let’s take a look at how our clients and prospective clients benefit when we turn our knowledge, experience, and wisdom into something tangible, something they can hold in their hand or download, something they can take home with them, or discover sitting comfortably in their favorite chair.
People are hungry for information. Not just any information. Specific information on something they’re passionate about, curious about, maybe they just need to know. It doesn’t matter if it’s related to their work or personal life, their hobby or a community project. They’re searching and more and more, they’re searching online. How do you think Google stays #1 on the Internet?
And some of them are searching for what you know! They have a problem they want to solve, a pain they want to avoid or eliminate, a pleasure they’re seeking, or maybe it’s a question they want answered. And they’re actively looking for “IT”!
You can make their day! You said you were PASSIONATE about “IT”, didn’t you? You want to share your passion with others, don’t you?
Guess what?
You owe it to these people to share your expertise with them! From their perspective, you’re being selfish if you don’t. Did you ever consider that? And once they find you, they want to stay connected, to learn more, to be encouraged, to be shown how step by step. They need you!
So write it, say it, demonstrate it, and while you’re at it, record it. Turn it into a blog post or article, an audio or video podcast, post it to YouTube, Tweet it, share it with your Facebook friends and fans. It doesn’t matter if it’s a book, a song, a product, a program or a service.. It could be physical or digital. There are advantages to both, so why not do both. You can give it away for free or sell it. The important thing is share it!
Share it with the world so those who are looking for you can quickly and easily find you and benefit from your expertise, your perspective, your wisdom and knowledge. There’s only one you. You’re the only you that ever was, is, and will be! YOU have the perfect message, the perfect story, the perfect answer for someone, for the many someones who are looking for YOU right now! Start spreading the word to the world so those who want to be in YOUR world can find, and get to know, like, and trust you.
People do business with those they know, like, and trust. That’s how you benefit! According to Milgram’s law, the marketplace will blindly believe the words of an expert. So you must be perceived as an expert. To be perceived as an expert, you must be more visible to more people who then have the opportunity to realize you are credible and valuable. That’s how you become more profitable and get all the other perks of being known as an expert in your field. How cool is that!
Back to Armand and that one thing he said that changed my world, and I hope changes yours.
“What’s better than using all the techniques Armand covered, and all the ones he didn’t cover, to promote, distribute, and yes, even sell other people’s products, programs, and services? Create, promote, distribute, and yes, even sell your own!”
Thank you, Armand!
Does that make you an Internet Marketer? Or are you still you, being passionate about what you do, using the Internet to help you become more visible, credible, and valuable to those who want to find you because you are passionate about what you do? Here’s the bottom line…
Whether you’re doing business around the corner or around the world, you owe it to the people who need you and are searching for you to take your message to YOUR World. It’s time for you to become a VIP with VIP!
Tags: Become an Expert, Information Marketing, Information Products, Internet Marketing, Marketing for Consultants, Marketing Resistance Syndrome, Professionals, VIP with VIP
December 7th, 2009
So you want to be well seen, well known, and well paid for doing what you know and love to do, right?
Maybe you call yourself a professional, maybe a consultant, maybe both.
Anyone can declare the same. All you need is some qualifications: experience, credentials, a degree (not necessarily related to what you’re doing now.)
More and more people are doing just that as they are laid off.
That means you’re swimming in a crowded Red Ocean of competition. There are many consequences of playing in this arena. Consultants chase business, winning clients is more difficult, and your piece of the pie is smaller. People want to bargain with you about your fee. You end up customizing what you offer for new clients. You know the drill.
What’s the alternative?
Swim out into a Blue Ocean. In fact, you can create your own Blue Ocean where you become known as an expert in your field. You get treated as a VIP, with all the perks. Business chases experts. People trust experts because they’re known as experts. Experts get to charge more, and people don’t expect a bargain.
Here’s the thing. While anyone can be self-declared professional or consultant, you can’t declare yourself an expert. Well, you can. Without much in your court that validates your declaration, I’m just not sure how credible others will find it.
What does it take to truly be recognized as an expert? Others need to say it’s so. Your clients, peers and experts in your field, the media, people with authority deem you an expert.
How do you win their endorsement? How do you become more visible, credible, valuable and, eventually, you become more profitable?
Have you ever heard of Milgram’s Law? The marketplace will blindly believe the words of an expert. You must be perceived as an expert.
Who’s an expert? Milgram says it’s someone who’s an author. While an author does have instant credibility, I believe today we have other options.
You can become a VIP with VIP ~ a Very Important Person with Valuable Intellectual Property. Turn your expertise into physical, tangible information products. It can be text, audio, video or multi-media. It can be physical or digital. You can offer it for free or a fee. There are many other criteria by which you can describe your Valuable Information Products. The important thing is that they exist. The evidence of your expertise then speaks for itself.
So what’s a consultant to do? Click here to discover 10 Blue Ocean Strategies I propose you implement to transform yourself into an expert in your field.
Here’s the thing. While it takes only a moment to read each strategy, becoming known as an expert isn’t instant pudding. You’ll need to invest time, energy, expertise, and maybe some money to implement each. Do consider working with someone who’s an expert at turning consultants into experts and expertise into Valuable Intellectual Property. You’ll achieve the coveted status more quickly and easily, with less wasted resources, than if you make the journey on your own. I’m here ready to extend a helping hand. All you need to do is ask.
The rewards of being known as an expert in your field is well worth the effort it’s going to take to get there. It’s the quality of your journey as much as the destination, so as you take one step after the other, remember to do so with a joyful heart. “Just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down in the most delightful way.” If it’s got to be done, make it fun. Your vibration serves as a homing beacon. You attract what you vibrate in harmony with. You get what you put your attention on whether it’s what you want or don’t want.
So keep your eyes on the prize ~ you being known as an expert in your field and enjoying the perks that come with the status.
Tags: Become an Expert, Information Marketing, Information Products, Marketing for Consultants, Marketing for Professionals, VIP with VIP
December 4th, 2009
I’m still reading Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne. My business partner and friend, Russ, had been recommending it for a while now. I’m glad I am. It’s one of those pivotal books for me.My dear friend and business partner, Russell Cox, has been talking about Blue Ocean Strategies for some time. He brought it up again during a recent conversation with Rick Hadsock, the third in our team.
What’s a Blue Ocean and why is it important to you and me? “Blue oceans are defined by unknown, and therefore, untapped market space, demand creation, and the opportunity for highly profitable growth.”
This is compared with Red Oceans which represent all industries in existence today in which “industry boundaries are defined and accepted, and the competitive rules of the game are known. Here, companies try to outperform their rivals to grab a greater share of existing demand. As the market space gets crowded, prospects profits and growth are reduced. Products become commodities, and cutthroat competition turns the red ocean bloody.
“Although some blue oceans are created well beyond existing industry boundaries, most are created from within red oceans by expanding existing industry boundaries. In blue oceans, competition is irrelevant because the rules are waiting to be set.
“It will always be important to swim successfully in the red ocean by outcompeting rivals. Red oceans will always matter and will always be a fact of business life. But with supply exceeding demand in more industries, competing for a share of contracting markets, while necessary, will not be sufficient to sustain high performance. Companies need to go beyond competing. To seize new profits and growth opportunities, they also need to create blue oceans.”
If you want to learn more without (or before) reading the book, click on this link. You’ll be taken to a website from which you can download files about Blue Ocean Strategy ~ a few summary slide presentations,
The best files start with Blue Ocean Strategy. Start with them.
Enjoy and happy sailing!
Tags: Become an Expert, Information Marketing, Marketing for Consultants
December 3rd, 2009
Professionals I know are passionate about sharing our gifts, strengths, and talents ~ our knowledge, wisdom, and expertise ~ with those who have a problem they are looking to solve. You, too, right?
Here’s the thing… if you aren’t sharing your message with YOUR World, with the world, these people who need your help can’t find you. That’s why Suzanne and I are both passionate about helping you Shatter YOUR Marketing Resistance.
Suzanne does such a good job of expressing my thoughts that when I received the following article in her e-newsletter, I asked her permission to reprint it here for you.
It’s a Gift, Not a Job!
By Suzanne Evans, Helping Professional Expert
As a solo professional building your practice and reaching the right people, discovering your gift and embracing is not something you do. It is not your profession or your title. It is your gift.
When you leverage your unique gift and embrace your inner helping guru you will move past any fears about marketing in ways that feel uncomfortable for you, and into authentic marketing that naturally attracts your ideal clients and builds your business.
One of the concepts I teach is that marketing is a moral obligation. When I tell people this they kind of scratch their heads and say, “Marketing is a moral obligation?”
It really is if you get clear about two things – what your gift is and who needs you most. If you don’t market to that group of people and share what you have available, your gift, how you can help them? If you don’t share your gift that will benefit your ideal clients, help them solve problems, grow, and be successful, you are really not fulfilling your moral obligation.
We’re all given a gift for a reason and it is about what you do with that gift, or embracing that inner helping guru that is essential.
And making a good living at sharing your gift is also a moral obligation, because it allows you to pay your bills and have a lifestyle that empowers you to continue teaching and benefiting more and more people. Remember that concept the next time you’re feeling unsure about stating your rates, raising your rates, or setting your payment policies.
I would very seriously doubt that there are many people in the coaching world that don’t already know what that is for them – what that special gift or talent is. To embrace it is to agree to put it at the forefront of your message and share it with others so that you can really make a difference.
HOMEWORK
TRY THIS OVER THE NEXT WEEK!
Think about how your gift has changed the lives of those you share it with. I’m sure you have clients who tell you everyday how much you’ve helped them. Take time this week to reassess this value you’re sharing and consider, is now the time to think about changing your rates?
Take action on your homework – it will help! Let me know how you did! Email me suzanne@helpmorepeople.com.
In success,
Tags: Information Marketing, Marketing for Professionals, Marketing Resistance Syndrome
August 10th, 2009
If you’re like me and other entrepreneurs I know, you’re passionate about many subjects, or you’re dedicated to one subject which has multiple facets.
I know what this has meant for me and others ~ we’re challenged to focus on one subject long enough to make headway in spreading the word about what your passion has inspired you to create ~ solution(s) to a problem people have ~ a problem they want to solve ~ a problem for which these people are actively searching for a solution.
Which means you need to focus on creating and delivering a powerful message positioned to be discovered by those people who are looking for you and what your passion has caused you to create.
While you may know this, the challenge for choosing which one topic to focus on may, in fact, be keeping you from taking your message to YOUR World. You might even be suffering from Marketing Resistance Syndrome.
That’s why I’m about to share with you an article I hope you find as inpiring as I have.
I’m now weaving my Strategies for Success in busines and in life which was the focus of my coaching for the first 12 years of my business together with my current passions, information marketing and business development. I finally see that Strategies for Success, my corporation’s name, is the unifying topic for everything I do. Ah… what a relief!
So read on and discover Felicia and her strategy for helping you and me identify that “one thing.”
Bring Your Message Together Using “The Magazine Test”
Wednesday, 29. July 2009 by Felicia Slattery
Earlier today I published my bi-weekly ezine, Creating Connections. And in it I wrote a new article about a technique I use with my private clients to help them get a better perspective on their business and making sure they are communicating effectively with their target audience.I had a lot of positive feedback from it and decided to publish it here on my blog as well. I hope you enjoy it & I’d love your feedback below. Here it is:
It’s one of the most frequent discussions I have with my private clients. They want to know how in the world they are going to take what they see as their diverse interests and effectively communicate their messages in a non-confusing way. And they worry if they might have to let what they see as an important but potentially unrelated part of themselves go in the process.
Here’s the secret: you’re probably not as “all over the board” as you may think. While it’s true some of your interests may not go together as part of your business offerings, you just might be pleasantly surprised at how wide a net you can spread within your area of expertise.
Here’s the way I explain it to my clients: If there could possibly be a print magazine that that would publish articles about every aspect of what you do and your interests, then you’re not THAT all over the place. It means what you do speaks volumes to a particular audience. And that’s GREAT news for you!
Let’s take a solid example. My client, Janet Gomez of Nutri-Jyoti, is a health and nutrition specialist and vegetarian cookbook author. She’s also into Ayurveda, yoga & Reiki. But she’s not just dabbling in each of them – she holds certifications in each one. Janet knows her stuff. And she was recently concerned about how she might be able to include each one without seeming disjointed.
So now let’s apply the Magazine Test… is there potentially a magazine with a readership that prints stories about:
Vegetarian eatingAyurveda (a way of looking at your overall health & diet)
Reiki (an energetic healing process)
Yoga (exercise)
Absolutely!
It would make sense that an audience who is interested in one of those areas would likely be interested in the others. At least they would be interested enough to discover more if you can draw the line to how it’s relevant to the original topic they sought you out to begin with.
Let’s do the same exercise for you:
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Take a “bird’s eye view” of your interests and areas of expertise: While you can’t be an expert in everything – you can be an expert in a range of subjects related to your field. What are those subjects?
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Consider your audience: Those who are most interested in what you can do for them are likely to have an interest in similar areas. If you can provide that information, you’re now filling a desire. When you know your audience and you can provide what they want, you’ll boost your income.
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Connect the dots: It’s your job as the entrepreneur to effectively communicate how one area of your expertise relates to another.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you’re trying to decide if your various messages make sense for your audience. For those of us with extroverted personalities, we need to talk these ideas out. That’s the role of a good coach, mentor, or consultant.
With experience in dialog with those you serve, you will come to understand exactly what your market wants in a variety of areas. When you do, you’ll get the opportunity to serve them with your varied skills and create a win-win situation.
Copyright 2009 Felicia J. Slattery
Felicia@CommunicationTransformation.com | Phone: 630.554.0636
Felicia J. Slattery, M.A., M.Ad.Ed.
Communication Consultant, Speaker & Coach
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I hope you found Felicia’s wisdom as helpful as I did. If you did, we’d both love to hear about YOUR new magazine… or ezine.
Enjoy your creative journey of your ever-expanding joy and success!
Tags: Information Marketing, Marketing for Professionals
August 10th, 2009
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