New Year Plans and Directions, 2010 an exciting Marketplace

Many aspiring Entrepreneurs have felt frustration of the "Market Conditions" of 2009 and may be suffering some shell shock when looking forward to 2010.
I came across this article by Heidi Cohen of Riverside Marketing Strategies


Seven Point Checklist to Get Your Marketing Back on Track

It's critical to adapt today's marketing to meet current market dynamics, but as Fleetwood Mac sang, "don't stop thinking about tomorrow." To get your marketing on track for the future, here are seven points:

* Listen to the conversation. Through the use of online social media tools, consumers are more willing and able to share their views about your products, brands, and organization. Use multiple forums to hear what's being said about you and your competitors and why. Remember the conversation is multidirectional. Use Facebook, Twitter, Yelp, and other relevant social media forums to listen to your target audience. Also, don't forget to collect feedback from your own sales and customer service staff.

* Provide content related to your offering that consumers and prospects find useful. Use your Web site, blog, Twitter, and other vehicles to distribute information. Have a plan for distributing new, relevant content on a regular basis. Think like a media entity editor whose goal is attracting prospects when and where they're focused on needs related to your offering.

* Deliver continuous communications via a variety of distribution channels. This includes e-mail, social media, and mobile. Since your goal should be relationship building and engagement, move away from constant promotional blasts. Increase your informative content to promotion ratio. Think in terms of information rich newsletters and behaviorally triggered messages. Don't forget to include social sharing tools in your communications to encourage sharing and to extend your reach.

* Use events to connect with prospects and consumers to extend your relationships. These events can be live or digitally delivered. Consider the use of social media tools like Meetup, Video, and Webinars. Tap these events to provide more education about your offering, engage new prospects, and test new products. Remember that these tools provide the means to share content and comments after the event.

* Continually test different aspects of your marketing. This includes new tools. Since the market is continually evolving, you must constantly look for new ways to engage prospects and close sales. Remember to track performance to determine which promotions and tools deliver the better results.

* Use offline marketing to support your online efforts. This includes offline advertising, retail outlets, live events, and your product packaging. Consider how you can use each to extend and enhance your online efforts.

* Measure the results of your marketing efforts. This will help determine which programs are most effective in expanding your audience and closing sales. At a minimum, track traffic or participants, the number of prospects and customers, response and conversion rates, and revenues, costs, and profitability.

In the dynamic interactive marketplace, keep yourself in the know and continually adapt your marketing to ever-changing trends. Continually assess your marketing to determine whether it's cost effective, attracting the right audience, and effective at driving sales. Use metrics to stay on track and tweak your marketing to meet evolving needs.

Thank you, Heidi
Heidi Cohen is the president of Riverside Marketing Strategies, an interactive marketing consultancy. She has over 20 years' experience helping clients increase profitability by developing innovative marketing programs to acquire and retain customers based on solid analytics. Clients include New York Times Digital, AccuWeather.com, CheapTickets, and the UJA. Additionally, Riverside Marketing Strategies has worked with numerous other online content/media companies and e-tailers.
Prior to starting Riverside Marketing Strategies, Heidi held a number of senior-level marketing positions at The Economist, the Bookspan/Doubleday Direct division of Bertelsmann, and Citibank.
Since 2002, Heidi has been a member of the faculty of NYU's master of science in integrated marketing program, where she received NYU's Outstanding Service award.
Heidi is also a popular speaker on current industry topics.

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E-Mail Marketing , Proper Use and Abuse

Back again today with some more insight on E-Mail marketing.
Many on the Internet feel that it is a "dying method of Marketing" with all the filters and concern of SPAM regulations.

My 5 year history on the Internet has proved to me that correct E-Mail marketing practice is very rewarding and Effective in Building SOLID business relationships.
Content delivered to your List as expected is a primary concern. If you offered a subscription to a newsletter regarding Fly-fishing it would not be beneficial to blast broadcasts about MLM marketing.

I was impressed by a recent Blog Post by Bob "the Teacher" Jenkins along the same lines.

Here is an Excerpt from Bob's Post
YOUR List is NOT an ATM

Today's lesson: Your list is not an ATM!

Every day, I get an email from somebody that promises to help
me turn my email list into an ATM - something I can press a button
and just get instant cash any time I want.

Usually, these wind up in the spam folder, where they belong.

Regardless, it's important for you not to take this line of thinking
with your online marketing.

If you're like me (a former high school teacher with no professional
training in sales or selling), you may feel funny asking people for
money whether in person, on a website, or via email.

So when you're taught by gurus that your list is an ATM, you get
this knot in your stomach, but you figure that's the way it is.

Well, it's not.

Sure, your email list is a revenue generating part of your business.
And used wisely, can be responsible for more income each month
than you ever made in a year in a previous job.

But you don't actually make that kind of money by treating your
list like an ATM.

You get there by having a solution-based approach to your marketing,
and recognizing that although you may have a list of 100 or 100,000,
each email is read 1 person at a time.

And each person is unique, with responsibilities, bills to pay, vacations
to dream of, and to-do lists a mile long.

People aren't looking to give you their money. They want to solve a
specific problem, and they want to find people they can trust to give
them those solutions fast and cost effectively (notice I didn't say cheap).

When you're writing an email to your list, think of this formula:

Serve
Earn
Serve
Earn

First, you need to help them realize there is a problem that you can help
them with. Serve

Then you earn their TRUST so they will listen to you. Earn

Then you help them solve their problem (either with your direct help, or
a recommended resource that you connect them to). Serve

Then you earn your keep so to speak (i.e., get paid). Earn

In this economy, people are increasingly tight-fisted with their cash,
and wary of people who are going to treat them like an ATM.

Think about this with every email you send to your list (or tweet your post,
or status update on Facebook).

There's nothing wrong with getting paid what you deserve for
helping people. But make sure your priority is your readers' priority,
(i.e., connecting people to solutions to make a difference in their lives)
and you'll do very well in the cash flow department as well.

As a result, you may find yourself enjoying generating revenue in
your business instead of feeling slimy.

What do you think? Post a comment on my blog and let me know
if this helps you...


Bob Jenkin's Blog

What is Advertising? How to make Advertising Effective

Is it something to be regarded as a work of beauty or art? Is it clever slogans or amusing prose? Is it workmanship to be judged for an award or recognition?

It’s none of the above.

Advertising is salesmanship multiplied.

Nothing more.

And advertising copy, or copywriting, is salesmanship in print.

The purpose of a copywriter’s job is to sell. Period.

The selling is accomplished by persuasion with the written word, much like a television commercial sells (if done properly) by persuading with visuals and audio.

As Claude Hopkins wrote in his timeless classic, Scientific Advertising:

“To properly understand advertising or to learn even its rudiments one must start with the right conception. Advertising is salesmanship. Its principles are the principles of salesmanship. Successes and failures in both lines are due to like causes. Thus every advertising question should be answered by the salesman's standards.

“Let us emphasize that point. The only purpose of advertising is to make sales. It is profitable or unprofitable according to its actual sales.

“It is not for general effect. It is not to keep your name before the people. It is not primarily to aid your other salesmen. Treat it as a salesman. Force it to justify itself. Compare it with other salesmen. Figure its cost and result. Accept no excuses which good salesmen do not make. Then you will not go far wrong.

“The difference is only in degree. Advertising is multiplied salesmanship. It may appeal to thousands while the salesman talks to one. It involves a corresponding cost. Some people spend $10 per word on an average advertisement. Therefore every ad should be a super-salesman.

“A salesman's mistake may cost little. An advertiser’s mistake may cost a thousand times that much. Be more cautious, more exacting, therefore. A mediocre salesman may affect a small part of your trade. Mediocre advertising affects all of your trade.”

These points are as true today as they were when they were written nearly one hundred years ago!

So the goal then becomes: how can we make our advertising as effective as possible.

Grab this FREE Report to read more (instant download).................

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From an ACORN a Huge Oak tree develops....

The word ACORN has really been in the news lately and that brought to mind the simple adage that greatness is naturally developed from small items. ACORNS are, of course, the seed, coded with the Genetic plan to develop into the ultimate Creation..the magnificent Oak Tree.

That genetic code can be altered by outside Influence and and natural mutation and the Tree may grow to be stunted or misshaped. but the majority of all Acorns will mature to the Tree originally determined.

What does this have to do with Home Based Business development, Successful self-directed Lifestyles?

We are are born in the Image and Likeness of Greatness. Naturally endowed with the Genetic code directed toward Success and Greatness.

Yes everyone of us.

To get a clear perspective of these ideas, grab a FREE copy The Miracle of Right Thought, by Orison Swett Marden
Your Free copy of The Miracle of Right Thought

It is not difficult for anyone to focus on the ACORN of Creativity and Entrepreneurship, plant it in a Fertile conscious and subconscious field, nurture it with massive action and awareness from increased knowledge and masterminding with like-minded individuals and enjoy the benefit of a Huge Oak Tree of Success.

On September 23, 2009 there are 100 days left in the current year...

• How have your ACORNS grown this year?
• Are you on track for you annual Goal?
• What is needed to "increase the Fertilization program?

For years we have conducted a 100 day analysis with our sales associates and members of Mastermind Groups. If you would like a Free 1/2 hour Evaluation to help point you top solutions to accelerates the Growth of YOUR Oak tree, give me a call.

For more information scroll down on this page
Chuck Bartok's Page

Let's enjoy this Productive Fall season and Grow our dreams with more acceleration.

You will enjoy this Helpful and affordable Book
we have just released.
Click Here to Order

I have found the simple premise outlined so clearly to be of Real value and has already helped Refocus my last 4th quarter direction

Practical Home Based Business Start Up Ideas

I was thinking, while enjoying my Orchard walk this morning,
why so many of my callers mention the disappointment regarding Progress
in the Starting Up of their Home Based Businesses.

Many are filed with excitement about the prospects of Unlimited Income and
Lifestyle afforded by being involved in a Home based Business. Listening to the Professional Speakers on Webinars, in person at MLM Opportunity meetings, and reading the Glossy Advertisement, filled with glamorous pictures of the Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous can pump anyone's adrenaline quickly.

Decisions are quickly made to begin that Journey to Abundance...
BUT the most important decisions are typically NOT made before
they Start Up their home based businesses.

Wandering through the Almonds and Walnuts, I made a decision to share
my thoughts on assuring the successful Journey, based on almost
50 years of enjoying a lifestyle provided by Being in Control of my
Time, Energy and ability to Earn Income.

I believe the FIRST thing to consider is The Main Thing!
Some Call it your WHY
I call it:

• The development and growth of the Entrepreneur Mindset.
• The Mindset of a Business Person
• The Mindset of a SELLER

Consider the Ideas found in this Video



Secondly: Spend time deciding the Business model
and develop a Business Plan, develop a Realistic Budget and Cash Flow Projection.
These Concepts are explainedin depth in our
Beginners Marketing Class Membership Community,
dedicated to mastermind with serious Minded Home
Based Business developers.

You may find it helpful to read Vol 1 of The Beginners Marketing Class Workbook
Click on the cover, save to your hard Drive and read at leisure.


Be sure to study the Templates for a simple Business plan and the the Cash flow Projection Excel Worksheet. There are resources included that I have found very Helpful. Look out for Volumes Two and Three soon to be released:

Here is the Direct Link
Vol 1 Beginners Marketing Class
Provision Your Ship

This post has been fun, and You can expect a continuous flow of Information on the Tools and Systems that have afforded me a comfortable 45+ years of Starting Up and Growing Home based Businesses.

Subscribe to the RSS feed and be assured of Updates or better yet, Our E-mail newsletter.
Here are some related Links

http://th2w.blogspot.com/2006/07/walnut-trees-growing-your-business.html

http://th2w.blogspot.com/2006/03/why-not-you.html

http://bmclass.blogspot.com/2007/10/building-relationships-through-valuable.html

Be sure to Comment, Good for the both of Us

#hashtags, Twitter, Facebook, Continental Airlines, What does They all have in Common?

Twitter this, Facebook That, Ning all day, Oh My!
Is our Precious TIME being wasted?

Before you go any further. Join our Facebook Page and get in the swing of all this FUN
Social Stuff!

I know, it seems that every minute we are talking about Social Media,
Social Networking and How to Become an Overnight Success with all of these
FREE Tools and Systems. Many are questioning does it really WORK?



Well it does for those who apply simple marketing strategies, Focus on the
Main Thing and follow a simple Plan of action.

I was privileged this morning to interview a fellow Focus Society Mastermind
member, Brad Parler.

Brad is a professional Internet Designer and Video advertising producer who has developed a Knack of Optimizing his Time spent Social networking, using the Social media.

So What did Brad do and what does Continental Airlines have to do with this?

Listen to the Audio and then Comment. We are going to be discussing more trick and tips for effective Social networking and Optimizing the Social media on our Talk Shows and Webinars at Focus Society Mastermind.



I am looking forward to a follow up Interview on the Progress of this unique Campaign.
Also, Brad is co-hosting a Focus Society Mastermind Webinar with me Thursday, August 27, 2009.
FREE to Lifetime members of Focus Society Mastermind. Non-members can subscribe for a paltry $9.95/monthly and have Access to total Webinar Archived Library

Grab your Membership HERE