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Do You Have A Fear of Networking? - 7/14/2009
Maria Marsala, Contributing Writer
Fear is a necessary part of life. Can you imagine what would have happened if our ancestors weren't afraid of fire? Or cliffs? We might not be here!
Our fears do protect us; however, they can also hurt us by keep us stuck. What's interesting about your networking fears is that they're not just about networking. They're the same fears that are part of your life - always. How do you overcome fears? Don't bother trying. Instead-identify them, accept them, and create solutions that will turn the fears into an exciting adventure. As Susan Jeffers says, "Feel the fear and do it anyway."
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Targeted Marketing Campaign Generates New Leads - 7/14/2009
Todd Paton, Contributing Writer
If anything becomes the worst victim during a recession, it is the marketing budget. Understandably, when the economy is not in shape, most businesses have to downsize their ad budget in a desperate move to reduce cost. However, if business analysts and marketing strategists are to be believed, chopping off the marketing budget is not always the best action to ensure that your business remain competitive during a bad economy. So what is the best way out? The key to making your business profitable is to utilize your promotional resources in the right directions. In other words, you should focus on the key channels that expose your business to your target audience and potential buyers. Targeted marketing campaign often acts an effective tool in such a scenario.
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Time for A Marketing Tune-up - 6/23/2009
Michele Schermerhorn, Contributing Writer
If you have been in business any length of time, I can assure you that habits, not conscious thought, are guiding your marketing actions. Many business people are great optimists, or they probably wouldn't have gotten into the game to begin with. They keep doing everything they've ever done in the hope that one day it will produce results. STOP! It's time to get the brain back in the game!
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Holding on Price in a Down Economy - 6/9/2009
Mark Hunter, Contributing Writer
Discounting on price is not a sales strategy. It's an impulsive move made by desperate salespeople. In a tough economy, customers think and expect everything is going to be discounted. Because of this, salespeople feel it necessary to oblige the customer to close the deal. Unfortunately, however, this leads to a downward spiral, much like an addiction to an illegal drug. Once a discount is offered to one customer, it becomes easier and easier to offer it to another one. Before they know it, the discount is being offered to everyone. Like a drug, the "fix" is in the additional sales the salesperson is able to gain. However, just like with the addictive drug, there is a "withdrawal." Sales come at a reduced or a very reduced margin. To make matters worse, the discount ends up altering the attitude of the customer who now believes the real value of the product or service they bought is the reduced price and not the full one.
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Professional Partnering The Key To Effective Growth For You And Your Clients - 6/8/2009
Wayne Messick, Contributing Writer
If you have been serving business owners for very long you have come to some important conclusions. You only know what you know, you can only see what you see, and there are other professionals with blind spots in different places than you.
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Ways a Small Business Can Get Noticed - 5/22/2009
Nick Kakolowski, Contributing Writer
Getting noticed is often the top priority for a small business. Every small business feels like it can offer something that its larger competitors cannot, otherwise, why would it exist? However, getting customers to notice what a small business provides is a tall order. Advertising is important, but not just any advertising will work. It needs to be well thought out, and it needs to show potential customers not only that you are professional enough to compete with large companies, but that you can offer them something that they cannot get from that larger business. There are countless ways to achieve this goal, but there are a few staples of small business advertising that can really get you noticed.
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Use Social Media To Leverage Your Online Reputation - 5/8/2009
Julie Ross, Contributing Writer
Online Reputation Management, ORM, is the practice of managing an individual or business reputation within online media. Online media, including search engines, are managed to make positive information visible to the public and downplay any information which could negatively affect the individual or business. Reputations are earned. Years of hard work and building trust can be destroyed online, often anonymously. In this article you will learn why building, maintaining and protecting reputations has become as important online as it is offline. Learn how to manage your online reputation with social media optimization.
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Learn How To Adopt New Techology The Easy Way - 5/8/2009
Susan Friedmann, Contributing Writer
"You Tube? Best marketing tool EVER!"
"If you're in business, you absolutely, positively have to be on MySpace."
"All the best marketers have blogs...or podcasts...or streaming video on their websites..."
Sound familiar? It seems as if a day doesn't go by without some new technological tidbit, guaranteed to transform the business world as we know it, is making all the papers. Blogging is hot one day, passe the next. You Tube is the place you want to be — unless you don't want to be there, of course!
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Social Networking Sites For Business In Six Easy Steps - 4/29/2009
Kurt Henninger, Contributing Writer
Social Networking Sites have increasingly been used for business purposes these days. Social Networking in general has become immensely popular over the last couple of years. In fact, if you go to Alexa.com and look up the top 10 or the top 100 sites on the internet in terms of traffic, many of those will be social networking sites. These sites, while they are a great way to socialize, connect with old friends, and meet new people, can also be very effective at generating new business for your Network Marketing or Internet marketing business. Here are a couple of steps on how to properly set-up and utilizing Social Networking for business.
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Creating An Online Profile - 2/9/2009
Joanne Quinn-Smith, Creative Energy Officer, Dreamweaver Marketing Associates
How many times have you felt horrible because you messed up a first impression? Well it’s even worse on line because that impression stays there until you update it and who knows how many people see it. Unlike live networking dozens of people may see your social networking profile in a minute. Your social networking profile page is often the first big impression you make on your contacts. When posting on any social networking site, be sure you post profiles that make people want to know more about you and your business. Here are some tips for you to create a winning and dynamic profile page that makes your friends and followers take notice and want to do business with you!
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The New Global Marketplace Requires the Versatility of a Swiss Army Knife - 10/24/2008
Karla Brandau, Contributing Writer
On our last trip to Zurich, Switzerland, my son wanted my husband and me to bring him back an authentic Swiss Army knife. Steve and I shopped until we found the ultimate knife as pictured above and brought it home to Mark.
It was well made, had solid craftsmanship, and was true to its core selling point: it was knife! But it was not just a knife – it was anything from a cork screw to a fingernail file. If you ever owned or examined one of these knives, you may have marveled at its versatility as I did. When I held the knife in my hand and personally opened each implement, I realized the knife was scary!
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Brand Marketing: Check Out the Competition! - 10/13/2008
Michele DeKinder-Smith, Contributing Writer
When it comes to the competition, how does your business measure up? Do you know what makes your business different and unique? Do you know what your strengths and weaknesses are, relative to that of your competitors?
And - most importantly - do you know how your clients perceive your business, in relation to the competition?
If not, you may be operating under a major liability, for a number of reasons. Number one, if you don't know what your unique strengths are you're not giving your market any compelling reason to choose you over the competition. Number two, if you don't know what your competitors' weaknesses are you may not be able to take advantage of an important available and/or underserved niche within your market. And three, if you're not aware of your own weaknesses you may be driving customers away from your door.
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Marketing Strategies: Are You Making This Marketing Mistake? - 8/28/2008
Jane Box, Contributing Writer
In order to ensure that the new products and services they launch stand the best possible chance for success, Corporate America employs a variety of marketing research techniques before investing time and resources in development. A little basic smarts and network know-how will allow you to do the same thing for yourself.
In this article, I'll show you how you use powerful market research tools to save you time, money, frustration and maybe even ultimately your business. So let 's get started.
Once you have a clear idea in mind for your new product or service, you'll want to do what Corporate America commonly calls a concept test.
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Marketing Strategies: Getting Corporate America Results On A Small Business Budget - 8/15/2008
Jane Box, Contributing Writer
Fortune 500 Companies know the importance of market research. That 's why they conduct something called a concept test before launching any new product or service.
Don't you wish you could do the same thing? Well, here 's the good news: you can.
First of all, you'll need to sit down and clearly delineate exactly what your product or service is, including what features and benefits it will offer and how much it will cost. Typically, you'll write 2-3 paragraphs describing your idea, making sure to clearly explain the benefits to the consumer. This is your concept statement.
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E-Magnify, eBizITPA Offer Tips For Generating Online Leads - 8/13/2008
Bob Fetter, E-Magnify Staff
Coming up with new leads is an issue that all marketing professionals encounter at one time or another. The good news is that the Internet offers a lot of avenues to explore in finding new leads.
Seton Hill University’s E-Magnify women’s business center and eBizITPA are teaming up to offer a webinar, ‘Essential Marketing Strategies for Generating Online Leads’ on Wednesday, Aug. 27.
The ‘Essential Marketing Strategies for Generating Online Leads’ webinar is designed for Internet users of all levels and focuses on the basics of marketing strategies from a company-wide online perspective. The webinar will explore web site design strategies that address usability and customer experience.
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How to Market Your Event - 8/4/2008
Shelly Weaver, E-Magnify Staff
By definition, event marketing is the promotion of an event. This marketing typically includes promotional activities involving an event such as a sporting or social event, designed to bring a product to the attention of the public.
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Getting Results Beyond Words - 8/4/2008
Liz Tahir, Contributing Writer
How often have you felt you were communicating clearly, only to find you have sent the wrong message? This can happen because we are concentrating on what we say (verbal) instead of how we are saying it (nonverbal).
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Pricing Considerations for Ultimate Growth - 7/21/2008
Shelly Weaver, E-Magnify Staff
Pricing is one of the four Ps of the marketing mix. The other three aspects are product, promotion, and placement. Entrepreneurs and business owners sometimes have a difficult time developing and finalizing price for their products. Being able to do so is both an art and a science. It’s also a combination of both fixed costs and implied costs.
Fixed costs are actual costs that you have into the product. Those costs include but are not limited to raw materials, design costs, and other materials. Implied costs are costs entrepreneurs sometimes overlook; costs that they put into the start-up if the business and even overlooking the increased price to deliver. These costs can also include the time it took for the entrepreneur to develop the product.
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Selling With Your Personality - 7/7/2008
Mark Hunter, Contributing Writer
Anyone can sell if the price is cheap enough or if what is being sold is something people can't live without. However, for the vast majority of us, neither of these luxuries are part of the scenario. The difficulty of selling is compounded by the fact that most customers have a wide range of options available to them regarding what they can buy. Therefore, in order to close the sale, it becomes necessary for us to stand out from other salespeople. One of the best ways to be different is by displaying a confident personality.
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Be More Successful - Create "ME INC." - 6/16/2008
Karla Brandau, CSP
In our chaotic lives filled with confusing messages from a plethora of competitors, a personal brand makes you impossible to ignore and prevents you from becoming a commodity like wheat, sugar or coffee beans. Commodities are bought and sold every day on the world market with their prices determined by supply and demand forces. The brand with the best perceived value has the advantage and achieves greater results.
The days are gone when you could just show up, do your work, and expect to get noticed. In our global economy, bright and brilliant people all over the world compete for the same positions. Many are willing to work for commodity-like prices. Developing your "Me Inc." will brand yourself and create a distinctive value enabling you stand above your closest competitors. This is true whether you are an entrepreneur, a small or mid-size business owner, or an individual pushing for a promotion to the executive suite.
Personal branding is a natural aspect of how people evaluate one another. You don't need a master's degree in marketing to put it to work. Personal branding lets you control how other people perceive you. You're telling them what you stand for but in a way that's so organic and unobtrusive they think they've developed that perception all by themselves.
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Becoming A Business Plan Pro - 6/16/2008
Shelly Weaver, E-Magnify Staff
Are you a PRO? Business Plan PRO is the everything-you-need-to-know software that is everything you need to write a successful business plan. You can get started quickly with over 500 real-life example plans that provide the inspiration you need to get going quickly and finish easily. You will save time with the EasyPlan Wizard that guides you through every step of the process and automatically creates a structure that fits your unique plan and business needs.
Diane Gregory of Mercy & Means in Ford City, PA states “The Business Plan Pro made me a pro, the software made me an expert by taking my notes and ideas and developed them into a professional document.” Diane finds Business Plan PRO “easy to use,” and said the software broke the steps down so she could run with it. Diane also said, “Business Plan PRO was money well-invested in her business.”
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Cultivating Power: Marketing to Women as a Collective Economic MiracleGro - 3/24/2008
Karissa Kilgore, contributing writer
A woman in business has power within her and around her at all times. Finding power within herself, individually, she is a strong force�one woman with brilliance and resilience. Her power, though, when unified with that of her peers, becomes an undeniably reinforced collective, capable of success in any design.
One woman's power might be enough to drive her to reach her own dreams or to counsel her friends, but it's impossible for one woman to change the world. Impossible for a man, even; without good company and support, any single voice can be silenced. But, in their natural networks, women do have the advantage in this situation�any one woman can amass the power of her fellow females and engage them in her passion, whatever it may be.
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Narrow Your Niche: Six Ways to Define Your Target Audience - 8/13/2007
Susan A. Friedmann, CSP
One of the most important things any Nichepreneur can do is define their target audience. Ask yourself: Who is my ideal customer? If your answer is "Everyone", you've got some work to do!
While it would be nice if every single person in the world wanted your products and services, the truth is that by trying to appeal to everyone, you often wind up appealing to no one. Increase your chances for success by narrowing your target audience: selecting a crowd of likely customers and concentrating on meeting their wants and needs.
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The Five Types of Shoppers - 6/7/2007
Mark Hunter
In the retail industry, it seems as though we are constantly faced with the issue of trying to find new customers. Most of us are obsessed with making sure our advertising, displays, and pricing all "scream out" to attract new customers. This focus on pursuing new customers is certainly prudent and necessary, but, at the same time, it can wind up hurting us. Therefore, our focus really should be on the 20% of our clients who currently are our best customers.
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Touch Point Networking (Part One) - 3/2/2007
Michelle R. Donovan and Dr. Ivan Misner
Effective networking is about building relationships. The people that are most likely to refer you over and over again are people who know you, like you and trust you. This means that you must build the relationship, gain trust and then maintain and further develop it over time.
Touch Point Networking is making a concerted effort to develop long lasting, strong, profitable business relationships over time. Consequently, “touch points” are very important in the networking process. Touch points are the occasions in which you “touch” one of your clients, potential clients and/or referral partners. Touch points are simply a communication mechanism and often an opportunity to give to the relationship.
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Touch Point Networking (Part Two) - 3/2/2007
Michelle R. Donovan and Dr. Ivan Misner
Part One of this article helped to define Touch Point Networking while establishing the significance of giving time and effort to your networking partners by staying in touch with them regularly. We know that studies have shown that people who spend a significant amount of time together often build the most lasting relationships. The successful sitcom “Friends” seemed to demonstrate that very premise. This can also be seen in the business arena. There is no question that consistent referral business is a product of very strong relationships.
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How to Harness the Power of Ebooks for the Benefit of Your Website! - 11/13/2006
William Johnston
Ebooks can be a powerful tool when it comes to promoting and profiting from your website. To be able to benefit from ebooks, it is important to know how to use them to their full potential.
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Selling to the Bottom Line - 9/22/2006
C.J. Hayden, MCC
If you've ever wondered why more people don't respond to your sales attempts and marketing messages, the first step is to ask yourself: Are you selling something that people are willing to spend money on?
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5.5 Business Decisions Every Retailer Should Know Before the Holidays! - 7/21/2006
By Anne M. Obarski
Before the holiday season is upon us, take a look at the 5.5 business decisions every business owner should address before the first fall leaf drops.
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From No Name to Fame: The Secret Weapon to Promote Your Business - 3/13/2006
Rebecca Lamperski, Senior Director of Local Sales, Comcast Spotlight
No matter what business you are in, you know your business better than anyone. Every business has to deal with Advertising and Marketing. But your expertise is in your industry – not in advertising.
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Catching the Wave of the Future: Incorporating web-based seminars into your marketing mix - 8/22/2005
By Suzanne Thinnes, Communications Coordinator
My email account has been taken over. I know what you're thinking – it was probably a computer virus that infiltrated the system. Guess Again. Not a social butterfly, by any means, lately I have been inundated with invitations to attend web-based seminars (a.k.a. webinars) that cover a multitude of marketing topics. As technology advances at the speed of light, marketers are constantly challenged to find creative, not to mention meaningful, ways to attract consumers around the globe. This new virtual medium has the capability to provide changing content in a variety of forms. A webinar can consist of an online audio stream; a combination of a teleconference and an online presentation; or an elaborate video production. All of these can be viewed in real-time by anyone with a computer and Internet connection.
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Tips on Writing an Effective Feature Article - 8/22/2005
How-to Series on Public Relations for Your Small Biz (Brought to you by PR Newswire): Part 4 of 6
As a small business owner, you may very well be the marketing and PR staff, as well. Writing feature articles can be a great PR move, but what if you have no idea how to write one? In the fifth article of a six-part series brought to you by PR Newswire and e-magnify, we look at how to write an effective feature article, from the headline to the editor's note.
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Using Photos to Convey Your Message - 8/15/2005
How-to Series on Public Relations for Your Small Biz (Brought to you by PR Newswire): Part 4 of 6
Photography should be an important part of a small company's publicity program.
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Six Simple Steps for Turning Your Company into a Heavily Quoted Source - 8/8/2005
How-to Series on Public Relations for Your Small Biz (Brought to you by PR Newswire): Part 3 of 6
Ever wonder why your competitors keep cropping up in coverage - whether it be national dailies, on big-time TV broadcasts or even in local business magazines - while your company's relegated to the back of the trades?
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Press Release Writing Tips - 8/1/2005
How-to Series on Public Relations for Your Small Biz (Brought to you by PR Newswire): Part 2 of 6
Press releases are one of the most important and effective means of communication for growing businesses. They are the primary method of informing the media and the general public about your company news. Sometimes the only contact you'll make with a journalist is your press release. This is your one chance to shine, and you don't want to miss it. Read on to find out what makes some releases shine brighter than others.
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Components of a Press Release - 7/25/2005
How-to Series on Public Relations for Your Small Biz (Brought to you by PR Newswire): Part 1 of 6
It's no secret that the right media coverage has the power to sell your company's image, reputation, brand, or product to a mass audience of potential customers in one single story. But, with so many companies and so many stories, the challenge for small to mid-sized businesses is to simply get your company noticed. One of the most effective ways to reach the media is to implement a targeted public relations program. This is vital for small businesses as they begin to build credibility and brand recognition to gain an edge over their competition. Public relations is also the most cost effective way of getting the word out about your company, ideal for growing companies with limited resources.
PR Newswire and e-magnify bring you this series of how-to articles on effectively using public relations in your business. This week, we look at the components of a press release.
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How to Forge Profitable Partnerships - 7/18/2005
By Emmy-winner, Kare Anderson, author of SmartPartnering
T-shirt designer Tami Minatelli was able to exhibit at nine summer street fairs without paying for her booth space. A new manufacturer of a unique, no-stain suntan lotion paid for Tami's booth.
Why? Because she wore their lotion and her T-shirts, with a sign above her booth, describing her original painting-on-cotton method and the lotion's "do no harm" guarantee. Next to burn protection, that's the biggest concern of people who use suntan lotions.
This is not a random event. It is part of a fast-growing trend: Standing out in an over-advertised world with the right partners and method.
People are partnering in unexpected ways to generate more visibility and value to become the top-of-mind choice in their market, and so can you.
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Is Procrastination Holding You Back? - 7/11/2005
C.J. Hayden, MCC
By C.J. Hayden, MCC
When you look at your marketing to-do list, do many of the items on it look all too familiar? Putting off unappealing tasks may be human nature, but for an entrepreneur, procrastination can be deadly. Finding tasks on your to-do list week after week is a clear sign that you are procrastinating, but it's not always this obvious. Can you identify with any of these situations?
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Gain Business Recognition through Award Programs – Even if you don't win! - 6/6/2005
By Suzanne Thinnes, Communications Coordinator
Maybe it's because we are nearing the end of the television sweeps period and the shows I have come to love over the past year are now on hiatus, but every time I turn on the television I see a flashy commercial promoting another awards show. Celebrities are often stereotyped as craving the spotlight, and with the lineup of Tony Awards, People's Choice Awards, MTV's Movie Awards, and the Daytime Emmy Awards, that stereotype might not be too far off. Just when you think you can't stand another minute of red carpet coverage, the focus changes to speculation on which movie will be worthy of Best Picture status come January.
How nice it must be to go to work and receive a standing ovation for a brilliant performance. Unfortunately, business owners sometimes hear more complaints than applause from customers. Nonetheless, plenty of organizations are eager to recognize and celebrate us "average Joesephines."
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Changing Your Position When There's Competition - 5/9/2005
C.J. Hayden, MCC
By C.J. Hayden, MCC
Your market position is the place you occupy in the minds of your prospective clients. It's how they think of you compared to your competitors. Try conducting some competitive research to find out what it is that clients like about the people you compete with. Your research might uncover that your service isn't packaged in a way that makes prospects want to buy it.
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How Do People Know You're in Business? - 5/2/2005
By Wendy McClelland, Think Without Boundaries
One of the most important things to do now that you've started a business is to TELL THE WORLD! But how? It can be very expensive and time consuming if not done properly. Here are some inexpensive publicity and marketing ideas to help you gain recognition for your new venture.
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Create Small Internet Marketing Solutions that Command Big Results - 4/4/2005
By Jennifer McGuiggan, Communications Coordinator, NECWB
On March 15, 2005 at the Building a World-Class Business conference presented by Seton Hill University's National Education Center for Women in Business, Cathy von Birgelen, eBizITPA Consultant and Interactive Marketing Specialist, Strategic eMarketing, explored how business owners can create small Internet marketing solutions to command big results. Without a strong online presence and the use of Internet marketing techniques, your business is missing out on a wealth of growth opportunities.
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Online Networking Comes of Age - 2/28/2005
By Kelly Hazen Klug, Executive Director, KeystoneWIT chapter of WorldWIT
Twenty years ago if someone mentioned "networking" to you, chances are that images of schmoozing at power lunches and after-hours mixers came to mind. Back then, making new contacts and finding new clients required you to be out-and-about, using essential tools such as an elevator pitch, a business card, and a firm handshake. While face-time is still a critical part of building any new business relationship, today an initial introduction is just as likely to take place over the Internet as it is in person. Enter the world of online networking.
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Choose a Presentation Image to Strengthen Your Credibility - 1/24/2005
Bonnie Budzowski, WordCoach
Women-owned businesses represent a strong and vibrant sector of our economy. Yet, the dumb blonde/inferior woman myth continues, even if it remains, for the most part, on the subconscious level. A professional woman needs to deliberately manage her image, especially when she is making a presentation.
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Cutting Down Your Trade Show Budget - 1/17/2005
By Susan Friedmann, CSP, The Tradeshow Coach
Whenever a recession or volatility threatens the economy, companies immediately look at where they can cut budgets. Without much forethought, the first to hit the block is inevitably training, followed closely by marketing. Why? Both are viewed on the balance sheet as expenditures rather than income generators, so they’re obvious hot contenders for elimination.
This is a myopic way of thinking, especially for companies who want to remain globally competitive
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