Linda Simon's WordPress.com Blog
Advancing Entrepreneurs, Small Business and SolopreneursArchive for April, 2010
2010 Marketing Odyssey – Where do you start?
Here is a guide for helping you begin marketing your company:
Where do you start?
Computers, telephones, inbound/outbound techniques, Google, LinkedIn, Twitter, blogging, G3/G4 telephones, e-books, YouTube, search engine optimization, Facebook.
Do you have a headache yet?
Results?
The most important way to start is by asking another question: What result do you want out of it? That will tell you where to get started and how.
Type of results?
Some of the results wanted might be: more local clients, more global clients, jumpstarting a new business or product, getting speaking engagements, becoming known as an expert in your field, networking and relationship building, job searching or recruiting, improving your reputation and/or getting more visibility. Answer these questions and this will help you to narrow down your direction.
Review menu of marketing tools
Next step is to review the expansive menu of marketing tools to use: computers, telephones, Web, LinkedIn, Facebook, Fan Pages, blogs, Twitter, SEO. Get a good tekkie to help you or get prepared to do some major rolling up of your sleeves.
Research/learn
On the research/learning curve side, prepare to spend some time learning and researching these subjects. There are multiple classes online and with organizations. Your colleagues and friends may be ahead of you on the learning curve. Spend some time picking their brains. Hire a consultant or a good technician.
Make a plan
It is a major process that will continue to evolve rapidly. Start with the tools that will work best for you first. Get one at a time – remember you are going to have to crawl before you walk and/or run. It is important to just get in the race at this point.
Implementation
Once you’ve made the plan, now comes putting it into action. Logically for me, I started with the telephone. I broke down and got a DROID G3 phone. It took me months to research and make the decision. Once I did, I did some more learning and training and now I am a huge fan and don’t know how I ever lived without it. I’m accessible in and out of the office with telephone, computer, client files, research, etc.
Next came rebranding and updating my Web presence with a content management system and updating frequently. It has helped my SEO searching. Then, I moved onto updating and communicating in Facebook, Facebook Page and LinkedIn. Now I’m moving forward into the blogosphere.
Participating
I recommend the following steps, one tool at a time:
1. Figure out your goals, who you want to reach and what you want to do or say with them.
2. Figure out your branding – who are you, what do you want to look like to your demographics?
3. Set up each account (Blog, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Fan Page, etc.)
4. Grow your network and maximize your profiles, keywords, metatags, linking them as much as possible with your Web sites, etc.
5. Watch, listen and learn within the networks and find out the proper way to interact.
6. Get started communicating, networking, giving comments and securing trust.
Measuring
On the Web side, there are lots of ways to measure your activity:
1. How many are on your fan page?
2. How many connections are on your LinkedIn Page?
3. How many hits on your Web site?
4. What do your sales look like in the shopping carts?
5. Is your firm name or your personal name ranking on the front page of the organic search engines?
6. How many posts do you have on your blog, how many people commented on your posts and/or YouTube site?
7. How many downloads are there for your e-book?
8. How many e-mails did you capture for your online newsletter?
9. How many calls and/or jobs are you getting from the Web and Internet?
Sustaining
Make sure you set up a system of accountability so after all of that hard work you can continue using the networking and marketing strategies that you set up.
1. Put it on your calendar.
2. Assign someone to do it.
3. Discuss it regularly at a meeting.
4. Show the positive results from the effort.
5. Get clever about what topics you use.
6. Develop energy around it.
Just take a breath and get started. Before you know it, you’ll be where you want to go and in good company.
Published in Inside Business – www.insidebiz.com.
Being a Twin is a Special Lifestyle
Identical Twins - Emily and Lindy
Being born an identical twin, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked “What is it like being a twin?”. How would I know? I’ve only existing as a twin and not a single birth child. Being a twin is a special way of living. You have a built in best friend. You know what you look like outside of yourself. You speak a different language with points, nods and short phrases being fully understood.
Deep knowing and special bond
Are you a twin or do you know of one? What is it like being a twin?
