How To Push Past Common Marketing Demons And Become Unstoppable

Regardless of what your thoughts and feelings are about marketing, let me assure you, it is not a bad thing. It’s not evil… it doesn’t bite. On the contrary, marketing happens to be a critical cog in the wheel of business success. And in my opinion for small businesses, it’s the most important cog because if your target market doesn’t know you exist, you most definitely won’t make any sales… and no sales equal no business!

And let me suggest that if you’re not screaming your marketing message from the rooftops, there may be more going on here than meets the eye. I repeatedly hear two common excuses from small businesses all the time… those being either a lack of money or a lack of know-how to support their marketing efforts.

Now I’m a firm believer that where there’s a will there’s a way, so let’s go ahead and diffuse those two excuses right now.

For those of you who claim poverty…

Yes, there’s no doubt that money can expedite the effectiveness of your marketing however there are dozens of marketing strategies and tactics available to you for little or no cost… just a little sweat equity so to speak. Take networking for instance. It doesn’t cost you a dime to tell someone what it is you do and how you can add value to their business. Or how about starting an e-newsletter or blog? Both can be done for little or no cost.

For those of you who claim ignorance…

There are simply way too many free or inexpensive marketing resources out there to use that excuse and be able to look yourself in the eye. Take this article for instance… it cost you nothing but your time and some energy to pull value from it. Sign up for some free e-newsletters or read the blogs of marketing experts. Tap into free resources from organizations such as SCORE (www.score.org) or the SBA (www.sba.gov). The resources available to you are unlimited.

How about this? Here’s one simple answer that addresses both the money and know-how excuses. Go to the library, borrow some books from Jay Conrad Levinson’s “Guerrilla Marketing” series, skim through them, pull out 2 or 3 ideas out of the dozens available that you would feel comfortable doing, and do them.

Or how about this idea? Barter. Trade your products or services for some marketing help. Not sure how to go about doing this, then join a bartering network. For a small fee these networks can connect you with others looking to trade.

Yes, it can be that simple. Marketing can be as simple or as difficult as you want it to be… you choose. If you say it’s difficult, you’re right, it’s difficult. If you say it’s easy, guess what… you’re right, it’s easy. Bottom line is yes, it is a choice… your choice. So why choose to be stoppable? If you are really passionate about what you do, choose to be unstoppable.

Now remember earlier when I mentioned that if you’re not screaming your marketing message from the rooftops, there may be more going on here than meets the eye? Well typically there is. My experience tells me that in many cases, a person’s unwillingness to do whatever it takes to market their business usually stems from beyond the two excuses we’ve just explored… it tends to border on the psychology-side. So if by clearing up the previous two excuses doesn’t do it for you, use the following revealing questions to dig a bit deeper and get to the root cause:

• What excuses or stories are you making up to let yourself off the hook for not marketing enough?
• Is there a confidence issue here? If so, what are you really afraid of?
• Is there an underlying fear of not looking good?
• Do you honestly and truly believe in the value of what you do? How about in your ability to deliver it?
• Is there a fear of failure at play here?
• How about a fear of success? Are you consciously or unconsciously sabotaging yourself so that you will not have to step into bigger shoes?

And we can go on and on and on here with the questions however my point is for you to dig a little bit… figure out what’s really going on. If you’re having difficulty, bring in a professional like a coach to facilitate this process.

So in closing, be willing to shine the light on yourself to see what’s really going on. The clarity that this exercise can bring as well as the possibilities you can discover can be life changing for you and your business. Just remember, it all starts with you, your desire to succeed, and the willingness to do whatever it takes to make it so.

© 2007 Online Marketing Muscle -- All Rights Reserved.

Want to use this article in your newsletter, blog or web site? You have my blessing so long as you include the following complete blurb with it (including links).

Liked this article? -- Then you won’t want to miss Long Island-based marketing consultant, coach, and entrepreneur Dean Mercado’s highly acclaimed marketing blog 'The Motivational Marketer’s Journal'. Additionally, for even more small business marketing and success tips, sample the latest edition of his FREE marketing tips newsletter the 'Marketing Minute', -- a weekly multimedia e-zine designed to give you a jolt of marketing wisdom in less than 5 minutes.

Technorati Tags: Dean Mercado, Online Marketing Muscle, blog, e-newsletter, small businesses, marketing

15 Creative Ways to Make Your Business Card Sizzle

In my opinion, probably the most important and misused marketing collateral that small businesses have is their business card. Now I network an awful lot and tend to gather my fair share of business cards and I have to say, I’m often at a loss how people put such little thought and effort into constructing what very likely will become the lasting image that they leave me with. That being said, if you’re willing, with a little effort, you can use your expertly-crafted business card to easily stand out from the pack.

Let’s try a little exercise. Grab a handful of business cards that you’ve received from people you’ve met and spread them out on a table, face-up so that you can easily see all of them. Now take your eyes off the business cards for a minute and then look back at them. Select the top 5 business cards that for whatever reason just seem to catch your eye. Then analyze those business cards. What about them grabbed your attention and why? The idea here is to learn what works and what doesn’t work in terms of having an immediate WOW impact.

Now once you’ve grabbed their attention, at a bare minimum, I highly recommend that your business card contain the following staples: your name, business name, business address, phone number, email address, and web site address.

Now in my book, these should be a no-brainer. However, I can’t tell you how many times I get a business card from someone without one or more of them.

Another possibility for the above list of staples could be your “title”. However, I’m not crazy about titles and often they are more limiting than anything else. So unless they serve a dual purpose of maybe say communicating what you do, such as “Business Coach” or “Certified Financial Planner”, I’d leave it out and use the real estate for something more valuable.

Now are you ready to step up your game? Well alright -- here are 15 of my favorite tips that can make your business card really sizzle:

1. Use Both Sides of Your Business Card

I don’t know about you but the majority of the business cards I see very rarely take advantage of this precious real estate. Why? I couldn’t tell you. Just remember to leave a little white space if possible for the receiver of your business card in case they want to jot down a few notes about you.

2. Add Your Photo

Take it from a guy who networks a lot; don’t waste any opportunity to be remembered. A photo on a business card definitely makes your marketing work overtime for you and in my book should become a staple. Three of the most important benefits of doing this are one, that it’s personal, two, it establishes a comfort level with you, and three, it makes you easily recognizable.

3. State What You Do

Don’t make me guess. This is typically the kind of note someone will jot down on the back of you business card unless of course you make it easy for them and include it.

4. State Who You Do It For

Again make it easy for me to either hire or refer you.

5. State a Key Competitive Advantage -- Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

Why buy from you? Give me a reason. What makes your product or service special? Include this little tidbit on your business card so your target market won’t soon forget.

6. Have a Call to Action

Clearly spell out for me what action you’d like me to take next (e.g. sign up for your newsletter, visit your blog, etc.)

7. Use an Odd Size or Shape for Your Business Card

Some possibilities may be a larger business card size, rounded edges, a specific and relevant shape like a flower if you’re a florist, etc.

8. Magnetize the Back of Your Business Card

People seem to have a hard time throwing away business cards if they are magnetized. As a matter of fact it’s pretty common that they’ll stick them on something like a file cabinet or a refrigerator.

9. Include Tips Related To Your Business

How about a list of 5 things to look for when hiring someone who does what you do? And obviously you can slant this towards your competitive advantages.

10. Include a Calendar on the Back-side of Your Business Card

This technique is one that can keep people referring back to your business card as often as possible.

11. Include Important Dates Hinting When Someone Should Think of You

If you’re an accountant serving small businesses, maybe you include important tax dates that they need to remember. If you’re a landscaper maybe you provide dates on when they should call you for specific services like mulching in the spring, pruning in the fall and so on.

12. Make It Serve Double-Time As A Frequent Rewards Card

Stamp it every time they buy something from you and after a certain number of purchases, give them something of value for free.

13. Make It Serve Double-Time As A Coupon to Use during Their Next Visit

Just leave a spot where you can handwrite an expiration date to cause some sort of urgency to purchase again soon.

14. Make It Serve Double-Time As an Appointment Scheduler

Just leave spots where you can handwrite the time and date of your next appointment.

15. Include Other Web Site URLs Where They Can Connect with You Further

For example your blog; your pages on Social Networking web sites such as MySpace, LinkedIn, or Ryze; Squidoo pages; etc.

So in closing, don’t miss this golden opportunity to have your business card work overtime for you. Implement one, two, or all of these techniques if they make sense of course and watch your business connections bear bigger and better fruits.

© 2007 Online Marketing Muscle -- All Rights Reserved.

Want to use this article in your newsletter, blog or web site? You have my blessing so long as you include the following complete blurb with it (including links).

Liked this article? -- Then you won’t want to miss Long Island-based marketing consultant, coach, and entrepreneur Dean Mercado’s highly acclaimed marketing blog 'The Motivational Marketer’s Journal'. Additionally, for even more small business marketing and success tips, sample the latest edition of his FREE marketing tips newsletter the 'Marketing Minute', -- a weekly multimedia e-zine designed to give you a jolt of marketing wisdom in less than 5 minutes.

Technorati Tags: Dean Mercado, Online Marketing Muscle, business cards, target market, blog, social networking, web sites, MySpace, LinkedIn, Ryze, Squidoo

5 Ways to Leverage Your Voice to Market Yourself and Your Small Business

Have the gift of gab? Well lucky you because in the world of marketing, the gift of gab can be a huge asset for your small business -- that is so long as you leverage it properly.

To plant some seeds on how you can do this, here are 5 of my favorite ways to leverage your voice to market yourself and your small business:

1. Public Speaking

There are not many ways that will unequivocally set you apart from the pack as well as public speaking does. It immediately lends credibility and positions you in the mind of your target market as the obvious expert in your field.

2. Teleseminars and Webinars

If either the face-to-face of public speaking is too uncomfortable for you, or if you just want to supplement you public speaking efforts, conducting teleseminars and webinars may be the way the go. These are best used in marketing to inexpensively leverage your voice talents to both educate and allow prospects to test drive what you bring to the table for them.

3. Podcasting

Using audio to educate your target market on a regular basis via podcasts is a fantastic way to build credibility and top-of-mind awareness with your target market. Podcasting holds a certain attraction for its rather large community of enthusiasts -- almost cult-like in terms of their passion for it. And that passion can potentially be leveraged into major success for you.

4. Radio

Becoming a guest expert on business radio talk shows both on traditional radio stations as well as Internet-based ones can have a huge impact on exploding your business quickly. If you are finding it difficult getting on radio shows as an expert, start building relationships with the show hosts by calling in regularly as a listener in an attempt to add value to the show.

5. Networking

This is the forum for flexing you gab muscles. Whether it’s in person at networking events, seminars, or trade shows, or online in forums or social networking sites such as MySpace, Ryze, or LinkedIn, your ability to chat it up with your target market will definitely set you apart from the competition.

So in closing, if you happen to have the gift of gab, go with it. Continually nurture and leverage it so it can serve as a means to get you where you want to go. Typically, the marketing strategies and tactics that are based on this gift are inexpensive yet extremely effective.

© 2007 Online Marketing Muscle -- All Rights Reserved.

Want to use this article in your newsletter, blog or web site? You have my blessing so long as you include the following complete blurb with it (including links).

Liked this article? -- Then you won’t want to miss Long Island-based marketing consultant, coach, and entrepreneur Dean Mercado’s highly acclaimed marketing blog 'The Motivational Marketer’s Journal'. Additionally, for even more small business marketing and success tips, sample the latest edition of his FREE marketing tips newsletter the 'Marketing Minute', -- a weekly multimedia e-zine designed to give you a jolt of marketing wisdom in less than 5 minutes.

Technorati Tags: Dean Mercado, Online Marketing Muscle, small business, public speaking, target market, teleseminars, webinars, podcasting, podcasts, business radio talk shows, radio, networking, networking events, seminars, trade shows, online forums, social networking, MySpace, Ryze, LinkedIn, marketing strategies, marketing tactics

9 Characteristics of a "Sticky" Web Site That Keeps Your Visitors Coming Back For More

It’s one thing to drive traffic to your web site once, it’s quite another to get those visitors to come back… let alone come back often.

Think about it, you get invited to a friend’s house for a little get together. How would you feel if all they did was talk about themselves all night? Probably pretty bored and maybe even a tad bit annoyed… right? Let alone be motivated enough to attend their next gathering. So why is it then that so many web sites out there do precisely that? They focus on me, me, me and not enough on the people who really matter… their target market.

And here’s a little secret for you. Your target market doesn’t care that much about you to sit their and listen to you go on and on about yourself. Their main concern is themselves and what you can do for them.

So let me ask you, is your web site all about you or is it all about adding value to your target market? Does your web site pass the “stickiness” test? In other words, do your visitors keep coming back? If so why? These are all serious questions that any small business with a web site needs to answer.

In order to answer questions like these, it’s important for us to discover what exactly makes a web site sticky in the first place. Well a great way to explore this concept is with an ad-hoc case study. So for me, I sat down with a pen and paper and just brainstormed a few different web sites that I frequented often. Who were they? And why did I keep going back? Let’s take a look at one of those web sites, Amazon.com. First off, I realized that I visit that site quite often, usually several times a week. Now the big question was why. So here’s what I came up with… 9 characteristics that made their web site sticky for me and kept me, the visitor, coming back for more:

1. They feed my insatiable appetite for what they offer… books… and they’ve got a phenomenal selection
2. They fuel my desire to consume more books by emailing me occasionally new recommendations based on my purchasing history
3. They make it easy for me to find out what’s new in the subjects as well as authors I’m interested in
4. I can express my opinions by both rating and reviewing books on their web site
5. They peak my curiosity by making me wonder what books they’re going to recommend for me each time I visit their web site
6. They personalize my experience by using my name on their web site and customizing the home page I see based on my preferences
7. They create a sense of community by allowing me to connect with other like-minded people as “friends”
8. They feed my ego by allowing me to position myself as an expert in any subject matter I choose by creating “Listmania!” lists and “So you’d like to…” guides
9. And lastly, they allow me to help others make great decisions by rating and reviewing books, creating “Listmania!” lists and writing those “So you’d like to…” guides

Now just to place some perspective on this exercise, I do understand that Amazon.com has a bit more money to spend on their web site than your typical small business; however there is still a lot we can learn from great web sites such as theirs. And not all of the greatness that their web site brings to the table cost big bucks. So take a closer look and see if there are any concepts you can learn from and model on your web site.

Also it’s important to consider what your target market would want from your web site. Maybe it’s all 9 of the characteristics I’ve shared… maybe it’s additional characteristics that didn’t show up in my ad-hoc Amazon.com case study. The best way to find out is to just ask your target market. Additionally, find out what web sites they frequent and why. You may be surprised at what you find out.

So in closing, I sincerely believe you will find that the more you continually look for ways to make your visitor’s experience a dynamic one, the more likely they will come back… over and over again. And the more they come back, the more likely they are to buy.

© 2007 Online Marketing Muscle -- All Rights Reserved.

Want to use this article in your newsletter, blog or web site? You have my blessing so long as you include the following complete blurb with it (including links).

Liked this article? -- Then you won’t want to miss Long Island-based marketing consultant, coach, and entrepreneur Dean Mercado’s highly acclaimed marketing blog 'The Motivational Marketer’s Journal'. Additionally, for even more small business marketing and success tips, sample the latest edition of his FREE marketing tips newsletter the 'Marketing Minute', -- a weekly multimedia e-zine designed to give you a jolt of marketing wisdom in less than 5 minutes.

Technorati Tags: Dean Mercado, Online Marketing Muscle, web sites, target market, amazon.com, amazon, books