Solo Business Marketing

Marketing Yourself Through Reviews

Shirley George Frazier — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 09:25:56 +0000

I’m not a wine drinker, but I did read “Five Uncommon Wines to Sample This Summer” with interest in this month’s Costco Connection.

The author showed her expertise for understanding wines and what readers want to know by:

Providing a visual breakdown of how to pronounce the wine’s name

Explaining the wine’s aroma and flavor

Telling in which area the wine is produced

Describing the wine’s color

Encouraging readers to come out of their comfort zone and try something new

I’m sure that wine enthusiasts could almost see and taste each selection, and Costco’s wine sales no doubt increased due to this two-column review.

Are reviews about your new products and services or reviews on items new to your industry a service that will elevate your expertise and sales?

Reviews are beneficial for everyone if written from a third party perspective. Leaning too much in favor of a product or talking only about negatives shows bias that can backfire on you.

Years ago I enrolled in a review course as part of my journalism studies at New York University. This is before I realized how important reviews would become online.

It’s okay if you haven’t studied how to write reviews in school. As a solo marketer, you already understand the balance between explaining the good parts and mentioning caveats that a buyer will appreciate.

Look at review sites you admire before adding this section to your Web site or blog. Such customer-centered information has the potential to market your expertise in the long run.

© 2008 Shirley George Frazier. All rights reserved. Shirley George Frazier is an excavator who uncovers smart marketing solutions for small and solo business owners. She's also a professional speaker and author of Marketing Strategies for the Home-Based Business: Solutions You Can Use Today. Visit the SoloBusinessMarketing.com Web site and blog for tips, videos, and more.

Another Look at Search Engine Optimization

Shirley George Frazier — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:56:03 +0000

It’s not easy to understand search engine optimization when individuals who write about the topic give differing opinions.

In addition, some of us can become impatient as we wait for results.

We want immediate change for the better even though we know that it takes time to realize if we’re on the right track.

Two years ago I wrote about keyword marketing. I still stick with these suggestions and through it I’m able to gain prospects who often become customers.

The DM News site includes a section where you’ll find white papers on search engine optimization. Review these reports, and download the ones that will benefit you in the long run.

Try Search Engine Optimization 101 or Search Engine Optimization Survival Guide first.

How to Add an Automated Message with Every Mailing

Shirley George Frazier — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:24:14 +0000

When I take my car to the service station, the rep types my work request into his computer. That generates a work order which I sign before the job begins.

A custom message is printed along with the work order, which the rep tears from the bottom of the printed paper and hands to me. The message is divided into three parts:

A suggested maintenance service according to my car’s mileage

A thank you message for choosing them

A free battery test coupon

Can you think of a single or multiple message that’s appropriate for marketing your business at the bottom of every mailed letter, brochure, or flyer?

The exact message that I received on Friday at the service center is shown in the above picture.

Here’s another example, from Microsoft’s template page, of how to segment the bottom of your mailed material. It’s not an exact replica of the above photo, but I believe you can take what you see and turn it into a continuous marketing approach.

Once you determine your message, set it up in the footer section of your letter template so it’s automatic and also customizable for different prospects and clients.

A Place to Learn Online

Shirley George Frazier — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 12:55:14 +0000

Have you enrolled, in the past, or plan to enroll in any of Hewlett-Packard’s online courses?

I occasionally receive notice about their roster because I’ve participated in past classes. I took a look at what’s on their agenda this season. You may find something of interest.

I’m preparing to travel to Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Orlando, and Miami to present seminars, but if you can attend courses at your computer, that’s a cost-saving alternative in the short run with technological benefits.

Start with this page to see the complete list. Take a close look at the courses in the Business Skills section. Each topic sounds attractive, but don’t overload yourself with too many classes at one time. Pick one or two primary lessons, and build from there.

Is Sound Recorder Part of Your Marketing Arsenal?

Shirley George Frazier — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 11:49:22 +0000

Many of us have invested in fancy technological gadgets to create CDs and online recordings, but the one item that continues to work well for me is Sound Recorder, which is part of Windows XP.

I use Sound Recorder and an external microphone, purchased from any office supply store, to record several minutes of text that’s included on a Web page. Here’s how I access it on a PC computer.

Start - All Programs - Accessories - Communications - Sound Recorder

Before recording, it’s important to set Sound Recorder to record at CD quality. This setting ensures that you hear no feedback and other external noises within the recording. To set the quality, open the Sound Recorder program, and click on:

1. File - Properties. Look for the “Format Conversion” box, which will have the “all formats” option highlighted.

2. Click on the dropdown box to change “all formats” to “recording formats.”

3. Then click the “Convert Now” box next to it. Another box appears that says “sound selection” at the top.

4. Under “Name,” click the dropdown box. Find “CD Quality.” Choose “CD Quality,” and click the “okay” box.

Each time you start or edit the audio part of the script, you must choose CD Quality to ensure that no static is part of the recording.

When done, I save the recording in a folder I call My Recordings and copy the file to a Web page when I’m ready. Label your folder as a name you’ll easily recognize.

You’ll also need Windows Media Player or similar product to embed the recording on a Web site.

Sound Recorder is easily controlled by you to distribute an audio message worldwide.

An Educational Way to Market Your Business

Shirley George Frazier — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:27:29 +0000

This weekend, one of the adult schools where I conduct classes sent me a contract for the October semester.

You may not be thinking about the fall now, but schools around the world are preparing teachers and students for courses that are just weeks away, which brings me to a question to consider:

Does your industry expertise allow you to share ideas, insights, and information in an adult education class?

Classes I teach are one or two nights at most. I walk away with monies gained from the materials’ fee charged on the first night of class and, about two weeks after the last session, a check from the school for time invested in sharing my knowledge.

Best of all, I’ve marketed my skills to individuals, some of who may move from student to prospective client or refer my expertise to others.

It’s too late, in most areas, to create a course for the fall, so plan on making connections now for spring classes. Here are some tips to expand your marketing through teaching.

1. Start with a course that’s no longer than two hours long.

2. Decide what materials you’ll distribute and how much you’ll charge each student.

3. Determine your worth to prepare and conduct the class so that you know how much to request from the school.

4. Prepare a complete outline to discuss in class, and be ready to give students plenty of time for questions.

5. Consider how to market yourself while you teach through examples, case studies, and demonstrations.

Most professions can be molded into a course. Insurance, interior design, niche business skills, and physical education are just four ideas. How can you mold what you do into a classroom marketing opportunity?

How to Keep Accounting Records Secure

Shirley George Frazier — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 14:08:54 +0000

Logo creation, blog version updating, and technical writing are three projects I’ve outsourced with great results. But one internal job that I’d like to farm out, but cannot due to my own paranoia, is my accounting.

I have a feeling that most solo marketers keep their accounting records in-house. However, I’m sure some have outsourced keeping the records to a reliable source.

Others may not have great memories of giving this task away, even in-house. The person who may come to or work in your office and have access to your records may not be as trustworthy as you think.

An article about keeping track of your accounting records while in another person’s hands arrived in my mailbox yesterday. Here are four tips from it that will keep you from becoming a victim of accounting fraud.

You’ve probably heard of and practice these tips; it’s good to have this as a refresher.

From the 2006 Report to the Nation on Occupational Fraud and Abuse, Association of Certified Fraud Examiners:

1. Lock up all signature equipment.

2. Sign all checks rather than give this task solely to another person.

3. Ensure all statements arrive at your office and that you’re first to open the statement, or have a duplicate statement arrive at your home.

4. Account for every check once it’s returned.

This two-part article will help you choose the right accounting software, a product that statistics say many of us do not purchase.

U.S. Gas Crisis Pumps Up Local Marketing

Shirley George Frazier — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 09:31:58 +0000

There’s lots of talk throughout the U.S. about how families are staying closer to home due to the high price of vehicle gas and other price increases.

This situation may be beneficial for your firm. Here’s a list of questions to ask yourself to capitalize on marketing to stay-close-to-home families.

1. What local groups are planning special events?
2. Which organizations will hold their annual gathering here rather than away?
3. Where will adults, seniors, or children get together?

For example, if a bike ride or race will occur, are there sponsorship possibilities? Can a banner with your company’s name and Web address be included on stage when the winners collect their trophies?

Stay focused on the potential to market to the local community this summer. I bet there’s lots of business in your backyard.

How to Maximize Your Interviews for Marketing Success

Shirley George Frazier — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:18:49 +0000

Telephone calls and Emails from newspaper and magazine editors can be feast or famine for a solo marketer.

You either get a healthy number of media connections because of consistent marketing, or you get very few due to a lack of self promotion.

When your marketing starts paying off with interview requests, you may think that you have no control over time or content. That’s far from the truth. Writers and editors sometimes command lots of your time, which makes you think that you’ll see a full-page spread about your company.

When you see only one or two lines from an hour-long interview, you think, “Why did the reporter talk to me all that time?” The answer: because you didn’t take control the moment he contacted you.

The bottom line is that you do have control when interview requests arrive, and a few preliminary questions to the reporter will guide you as to how much or little time you give them, as well as how you can capitalize on being in print far beyond quotes.

Here are five questions to ask to prepare for free publicity.

1. “What’s the main topic for this story?”
You may be so happy to finally get an interview that you neglect to understand the article’s central idea. Such a briefing allows you to form answers that not only educate but also sell more products or services.

2. “How many people do you plan to interview?”
Will your competitors be contacted? What about buyers/end users, which may turn this seemingly-positive article into a negative rant? You have the right to ask who else will be featured. Reporters always tell me.

So far they’ve seen no reason not to. If the writer is still looking for others to interview (ask about this, too), recommend industry allies who will remember you for reciprocal interviews.

3. “Is it possible to send me your questions by Email?”
I usually don’t recommend a question answered with a simple “yes” or “no;” however, this is the one question where “yes” will get you off the phone so you can continue your work and respond to questions during down time.

This option also helps you to create new content, articles, and white papers because you have the information in Q&A format and can expand it as needed.

4. “Do you need photographs?”
Photos enhance the story to visually show readers your facility, products, expertise, popularity, and any other benefit that convinces people/businesses to develop a relationship with you.

This is another “yes/no” answer that if “yes,” has the potential to increase your visibility.

5. “In which issue will this appear?”
This is good to know so that you can prepare: a) your Web site with a custom welcome message for the publication’s readers; b) a special download to capture sales from new visitors, or c) a monthly sales event.

Also, offer 3, 5, or 10 beneficial tips already printed in your literature or on your Web site. Reporters often add sidebar tip boxes, and readers’ eyes often shift to the tip box faster than to the article. Be sure that your name, business name, and Web site address will appear below the tips.

The more you’re in control of the interview, through a series of questions you’re ready to ask, the more likely you’ll see more than one or two quotes for your invested time.

Are Surveys Part of Your Marketing?

Shirley George Frazier — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:10:24 +0000

Yesterday, I received an inpatient survey by mail from the medical facility that performed my emergency surgery, which I talked about briefly in this post.

The procedure took place just one week ago, so the facility obviously has their survey process down to a science, sending it before patients forget about their stay.

The four-page survey asks me to fill in one of five circles, rating the center on a very poor to very good scale, on admission, the room, meals, physician, speed of discharge, and eight more areas.

A self-addressed, stamped envelope is included, and the accompanying letter says that by returning the survey, I’ll be entered into a weekly drawing to win a $25 American Express gift certificate.

The survey cannot be completed online, but I won’t hold that against them. Overall, this is an exceptional procedure that all of us can learn from.

In what capacity can a survey work for your firm?

After the sale is completed

When a client chooses a competing firm

A year after the initial sale

When it’s time to purge your mailing list

After you’re awarded the contract but before the work starts

The hardest part is the actual survey development. However, if you begin collecting surveys from correspondence received by mail or surveys received online, you’ll have several blueprints from which to begin creating your own.

There’s more information on creating surveys in this article.