Articles by Jody Gabourie on ArticleSnatch.com

Get The Most Out Of Your Ezine

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

A newsletter or ezine (electronically sent newsletter) is one of the best marketing tactics you can do. It helps to build your credibility and expertise; it allows you to stay in regular touch with prospects and clients; it gives you a place to keep your products and services top-of-mind; it allows you to provide valuable information to people; it's low-cost; and easy to automate and delegate to someone else to do. Here are some tips to making sure you get the most out of your ezine or newsletter: 1. Send it frequently. In order for people to get the most out of your ezine and come to see it as a valuable and informative tool they look forward to receiving, you must send it to them on a frequent enough basis. 2. Send it consistently. One reason for sending out a newsletter is to build your status in people's eyes. You want to be seen as an expert and as someone who's reliable and credible. If you send out your ezine sporadically, it's going to be hard for people to build a trusting relationship with you and feel that they can rely on you. 3. Educate and promote. **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing plan]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]> marketing tactics]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie Marketing Plan Queen helps small business owners get into marketing action fast with done-for-you products and services such as her Ready Made Marketing Plan' ebooks. To learn more about how she can help you attract more clients and grow your business, and to sign up for her FREE ezine, articles, and special report: 5 Massive Mistakes Small Businesses Make with Their Marketing Plan, visit her site at http://www.MarketingPlanQueen.com

Are You in a Marketing Rut?

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Do you feel like your marketing isn't doing what it should? Do you feel uncreative or unexcited about your upcoming marketing? Do you feel like you're stuck doing the same thing over and over? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might need to take a look at your marketing. If you're feeling any of these things, you can bet your prospects and customers are feeling the same way! The following questions will help you to evaluate what you're currently doing and give you some ideas about ways to get feeling excited again about your marketing. - Have you done any media promotion or actively seeking it out? - Are you advertising in the same publications from a couple years ago? - Have you met anyone new and interesting in the last few months? - Can you name 3 things that are unique about you and your business? - Are you communicating the benefits of your service or product in all of your marketing materials and communications? - Have you learned a new marketing tactic in the past 9 months? - Have you ever done direct mail and tested its result? **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing plan]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]> marketing tactics]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie Marketing Plan Queen helps small business owners get into marketing action fast with done-for-you products and services such as her Ready Made Marketing Plan' ebooks. To learn more about how she can help you attract more clients and grow your business, and to sign up for her FREE ezine, articles, and special report: 5 Massive Mistakes Small Businesses Make with Their Marketing Plan, visit her site at http://www.MarketingPlanQueen.com

Overcoming Marketing Fears

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

I just did a teleseminar all around how your marketing mindset affects your business success, the number of clients you get, the amount of money you make, how good your feel about yourself and your business, and so on. One of the questions I was asked at the end of the call was what do I do to help my clients get a positive mindset about marketing. My answer was it's all about taking action. Many of us experience fear of being ridiculed, fear of being judged, fear of making a mistake and fear of looking foolish. These show up in our businesses at different times and in different intensities - but mainly around our marketing. We need to do the best we can to keep moving forward in spite of these all-too-common fears. A negative or fearful attitude towards our marketing can lead to inertia, inaction, saying no to great opportunities - and generally doing little or nothing about marketing our business and ourselves. If your business is being affected by fears around marketing, then below are some actions for you to take to help you move more confidently forward. 1. **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing plan]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]> marketing mindset]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie Marketing Plan Queen helps small business owners get into marketing action fast with done-for-you products and services such as her Ready Made Marketing Plan' ebooks. To learn more about how she can help you attract more clients and grow your business, and to sign up for her FREE ezine, articles, and special report: 5 Massive Mistakes Small Businesses Make with Their Marketing Plan, visit her site at http://www.MarketingPlanQueen.com

Are you actively pursuing passive income?

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

We've all heard the saying "passive income" but what exactly does it mean? To put it simply, passive income really comes down to selling your ideas, not just your time. For example, speaking, doing workshops, consulting and coaching are active sources of revenue - meaning you have to be physically present "doing" something. Examples of sources of passive income are selling products, affiliate marketing, some membership programs and product/program licensing. You create something once (like a book or home-study course) and you can keep selling it over and over. To free up your time, have the lifestyle you want, work less hours and be highly profitable, you want to eventually have most of your income coming from passive sources. So what steps can you take to make this happen? 1. Learn passive income strategies and skills Educate yourself via reading, workshops, other people - how to turn what's in your head into information products and services. Learn the many different ways of packaging your knowledge and information and use the internet to sell it passively online. Get educated on how to leverage the content you already have from your workshops, presentations, articles and blog. 2. **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing plan]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]> passive income]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie Marketing Plan Queen helps small business owners get into marketing action fast with done-for-you products and services such as her Ready Made Marketing Plan' ebooks. To learn more about how she can help you attract more clients and grow your business, and to sign up for her FREE ezine, articles, and special report: 5 Massive Mistakes Small Businesses Make with Their Marketing Plan, visit her site at http://www.MarketingPlanQueen.com

Are You Clear About Objectives of Your Marketing Plan?

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Your marketing plan needs to be based on your objectives or goals. The tactics and strategies that you put in your plan are supposed to "do" something that in turn fulfills the objectives you've outlined. It's impossible to make up a map of where you want to go if you don't know your destination! What objectives and goals you choose to focus on - both overall and for specific periods of time - will determine what you include in your marketing plan. You can have different kinds of objectives - some that are very specific and some that are more general in nature. For example, you may decide that you want to increase sales of your main product by 20% (a very specific goal) and increase your level of exposure in your local market (more general). A marketing tactic that could fulfill both objectives may be public speaking. You will get better known in the geographic area you choose your venues in, but you can also "sell" your product at each of these speaking engagements. Another example could be in terms of your product offerings. **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]> marketing tactics]]> marketing plan]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie Marketing Plan Queen helps small business owners get into marketing action fast with done-for-you products and services such as her Ready Made Marketing Plan' ebooks. To learn more about how she can help you attract more clients and grow your business, and to sign up for her FREE ezine, articles, and special report: 5 Massive Mistakes Small Businesses Make with Their Marketing Plan, visit her site at http://www.MarketingPlanQueen.com

Work On Your Business Days!

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

We've all heard the saying, "Work ON your business, not IN your business". What that basically means is don't get immersed in the day-to-day details and administrative tasks that are part of your business, but instead make sure you spend time on activities that will grow, develop and enhance your business. One way to ensure you make time to do this is to schedule a specific day into your calendar. Some people call these Business Development days or Business Planning days or Business Growth days. Whatever you call it, the important thing is that you schedule it AND keep that appointment with yourself. Some people book off an entire day every week or every couple weeks. Other people find they like to schedule 3 hours every week or take a weekend retreat once a month. Finding out how long you need and want to take for the "work on your business days" will take a bit of time to determine. Also, if you're moving into a bigger direction or it's a difficult economic time, then you might want to allocate more time to these development days. **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]> marketing plan]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie Marketing Plan Queen helps small business owners get into marketing action fast with done-for-you products and services such as her Ready Made Marketing Plan' ebooks. To learn more about how she can help you attract more clients and grow your business, and to sign up for her FREE ezine, articles, and special report: 5 Massive Mistakes Small Businesses Make with Their Marketing Plan, visit her site at http://www.MarketingPlanQueen.com

Be in the Driver's Seat of Your Business

Fri, 29 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

If we're really honest with ourselves, we'll see that at least part of the time, we are not really "driving" our business - it's driving us. If you sit back and take at look at the types of activities you do on a daily and weekly basis - you'd see that often it's things, events and people that direct your day - not you. Think about it.. **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie Marketing Plan Queen helps small business owners get into marketing action fast with done-for-you products and services such as her Ready Made Marketing Plan' ebooks. To learn more about how she can help you attract more clients and grow your business, and to sign up for her FREE ezine, articles, and special report: 5 Massive Mistakes Small Businesses Make with Their Marketing Plan, visit her site at http://www.MarketingPlanQueen.com

Timing and Your Marketing Plan

Wed, 27 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

There's always lots of talk around what marketing tactics you could or should include in your marketing plan. But one subject that kind of gets glossed over is one of timing. The timing of your marketing is an important factor in how successful not only your plan is, but how effectively you implement your marketing plan. Keep in mind that different marketing tactics have different timing needs. For example, tactics such as a bi-weekly ezine or newsletter, monthly teleseminar, and thrice-weekly blog posts are all ongoing. These regularly occurring activities help to create a consistent presence and keep you and your business top-of-mind. Other marketing tactics are scheduled around your "events". For example, you finish writing your new ebook or new 8 week course and are now ready to launch it. You'll have to figure out when the launch date is and schedule specific marketing around that event. You'll want to make sure that the timing of these do not interfere with your regular marketing activities. Timing of your marketing is also impacted by others' events. You may be invited to speak at a large workshop or telesummit. **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]> marketing plan]]> marketing tactic]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie, The Small Business Marketing Coach, teaches small business owners and entrepreneurs how to take action with their marketing in order to get more results and more profits. To learn all about her unique "done-for-you" ebooks called Ready Made Marketing Plans' and to sign up for her FREE special report, ezine and articles, visit her site at http://www.JodyGabourieMarketingCoach.com

Your Marketing Plan Goals Check Up

Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

It's a good idea to check where you're at in terms of your marketing plan goals and objectives. Some people check monthly, others do it every six months - but you should definitely check at least once per year. Your goals might include revenue, number of sign-ups to your list, number of products sold, number of visitors to your website and blog - and so on. Regardless of what you measure, you want to make sure you take time out regularly to see how you're doing. You're rocking! If you are humming right along and reaching your objectives - that's fantastic. Some questions to ask yourself: - Have you been working like a mad dog to reach your objectives and can you now slow down a bit? - If you are easily managing your current level of marketing, are there a couple new tactics that you'd like to add to the plan? - If there's extra revenue, is it time to hire a Virtual Assistant, bookkeeper, or other help to free up your time to work on new ideas, products and services? Or to be able to service the extra clients and business your marketing is bringing in? You're sucking! **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]> marketing plan]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie, The Small Business Marketing Coach, teaches small business owners and entrepreneurs how to take action with their marketing in order to get more results and more profits. To learn all about her unique "done-for-you" ebooks called Ready Made Marketing Plans' and to sign up for her FREE special report, ezine and articles, visit her site at http://www.JodyGabourieMarketingCoach.com

3 Symptoms of Being Without a Marketing Plan

Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

A marketing plan is key to every business's success. To me, it's just not negotiable. I've seen time and time again how people who come to me feeling overwhelmed, unfocused, stuck - start turning it around immediately when we fashion a marketing plan that fits them and their business. On the other hand, I've seen what happens when people don't have a marketing plan. Below are 3 symptoms of businesses operating without a marketing plan. See if you can recognize yourself in any of these. 1) They don't make marketing decisions quickly People who don't know where they're going usually find it hard to decide where to go! When you don't have a marketing plan in place with desired outcomes and specific strategies, then you'll find it more difficult to make a decision quickly (or even at all!) about any marketing opportunities that come your way. You won't be able to decide how and if it fits into your overall marketing strategy because you haven't got one! 2) They have short-term thinking Doing a marketing plan forces you to think about your objectives and goals over the next few months and the business year. **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]> marketing plan]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie, The Small Business Marketing Coach, teaches small business owners and entrepreneurs how to take action with their marketing in order to get more results and more profits. To learn all about her unique "done-for-you" ebooks called Ready Made Marketing Plans' and to sign up for her FREE special report, ezine and articles, visit her site at http://www.JodyGabourieMarketingCoach.com

A Marketing Calendar is a Must!

Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Okay, you've sat down and created your marketing plan. That's great but there's still one more important step you need to do. You MUST transfer the information in your plan to a marketing calendar. You can use your PDA, a big whiteboard on the wall, a paper desktop monthly calendar, Outlook or anything else that works for you. Just make sure it's in a prominent place where you can see it every day - this will lessen the chances of missing something, feeling overwhelmed, procrastination and falling behind on your plan. The point is you need to have some place where you can schedule all of your marketing activities. With a marketing calendar you will be able to: - know exactly when you need to begin doing a specific marketing tactic - clearly see the steps you need to take to implement a specific strategy - identify gaps in your marketing schedule throughout the year - schedule easily for any seasonal ups and downs in your industry/business - work around holidays, vacations, out-of-town workshops you're attending, etc. **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]> marketing plan]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie, The Small Business Marketing Coach, teaches small business owners and entrepreneurs how to take action with their marketing in order to get more results and more profits. To learn all about her unique "done-for-you" ebooks called Ready Made Marketing Plans' and to sign up for her FREE special report, ezine and articles, visit her site at http://www.JodyGabourieMarketingCoach.com

Piggy Back Marketing

Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

There is always lots of talk about your "list" in online marketing: How big is your list? Is your list responsive? Do I have enough on my list to offer a membership program to? Let's face it - our list of prospects, leads, clients and customers IS very important to the success of our online businesses. However, you don't have to get discouraged if you don't have a list, or your list isn't "big enough" (that definition changes all the time!). You can piggy-back onto other people's lists! That's the beauty of the internet and also the more cooperative and less competitive nature of doing business today (well, for some people anyways...). There are lots of people already reaching your target market or niche or ideal client - whatever you wish to call them. Spend some time doing online research to find out where your target market hangs out. What are their favourite ezines? What websites do they visit regularly? What magazines or newsletters are the most popular with them? Narrow down the findings to a handful of the top ezines and websites that your target audience is spending time with. **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie, The Small Business Marketing Coach, teaches small business owners and entrepreneurs how to take action with their marketing in order to get more results and more profits. To learn all about her unique "done-for-you" ebooks called Ready Made Marketing Plans' and to sign up for her FREE special report, ezine and articles, visit her site at http://www.JodyGabourieMarketingCoach.com

You NEED an ezine!

Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

One of the key components to having a successful online business is to have an ezine - an electronic newsletter. It's the single best way to keep in constant contact with your list. It's a regular email message that offers free, valuable information to your customers and leads. What kind of information you provide is dependent on your target group, your expertise and your business offerings. There are a whole host of reasons why I always suggest to my clients that they create an ezine and send it out at least every two weeks and weekly if possible. Let's take a look at the main reasons why you need an ezine for your business: 1. It's easy to set up, maintain and it's virtually free. Programs like Aweber offer templates to help you create your ezine and you can put it on auto-pilot as the program will send it out automatically to everyone on your subscriber list. You can concentrate on creating great content! Unlike traditional newsletters, there are no printing or mailing costs so this means you can offer a free subscription. **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie, The Small Business Marketing Coach, teaches small business owners and entrepreneurs how to take action with their marketing in order to get more results and more profits. To learn all about her unique "done-for-you" ebooks called Ready Made Marketing Plans' and to sign up for her FREE special report, ezine and articles, visit her site at http://www.JodyGabourieMarketingCoach.com

You need a marketing plan - period!

Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00:00 -0400

No matter what your profession or business, you need a marketing plan! A marketing plan makes your marketing more effective which means your business is more successful. Most small business owners do not have marketing plans. This means that their marketing tends to be inconsistent, ineffective and inefficient. Below are all the good reasons you need to have a marketing plan. As you read these reasons, you'll probably think to yourself, "I know this, this is common sense" or "I've heard this before". And you're right, but I would like you to REALLY see yourself and your business enjoying these benefits and reaping these rewards of having a marketing plan - and implementing it. - easy for you take action A marketing plan makes it easier to do your marketing because it helps you market consistently. Anything we do on a regular basis becomes much simpler and faster to do. You also get into action because a plan will break your marketing tasks down into smaller steps or chunks. You feel less overwhelmed about tackling each task and therefore, can reduce your procrastination too! **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]> marketing tactics]]> marketing plan]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie, The Small Business Marketing Coach, teaches small business owners and entrepreneurs how to take action with their marketing in order to get more results and more profits. To learn all about her unique "done-for-you" ebooks called Ready Made Marketing Plans' and to sign up for her FREE special report, ezine and articles, visit her site at http://www.JodyGabourieMarketingCoach.com

3 things you must know before creating your marketing plan

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Before you can even begin to put together a plan for marketing your business, you have to know the 3 main building blocks of any and all of your marketing activities: 1. Know who you're marketing to Who are you marketing to? Who are you trying to sell to? Who is your message and marketing communications directed to? What is the personality of your potential customers? Who are the ideal clients for your service and products? Who your target group is dictates everything in your marketing plan from your specific goals and objectives, to what marketing tactics you choose to reach that target audience. If you don't know who you're trying to reach, then you won't be able to create a marketing plan. How can you incorporate strategies and tactics that specifically target someone if you don't know who that "someone" is? 2. Know what problems you're solving What is the issue or concern that frustrates your prospects and clients? What's not working for them or could work better? Why does your target market need your services or products? If you don't know what people need, then how will you figure out what solutions your products and services can provide? **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]> marketing tactics]]> marketing plan]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie, The Small Business Marketing Coach, teaches small business owners and entrepreneurs how to take action with their marketing in order to get more results and more profits. To learn all about her unique "done-for-you" ebooks called Ready Made Marketing Plans' and to sign up for her FREE special report, ezine and articles, visit her site at http://www.JodyGabourieMarketingCoach.com

Why Speaking is a Good Idea

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

One way that you and your business can be seen as the expert in your niche, is to take advantage of public speaking opportunities. There are so many different venues and types of speaking engagements that there's sure to be one that fits you! Speaking (in person) to groups can be a very powerful marketing strategy. Listed below are many of the benefits and results you can reap when you add speaking to your marketing plan: 1. Expand your visibility and increase your exposure Get known locally, nationally, internationally - whichever one you're aiming for. Gain visibility amongst prospects, clients, your community, referral partners, peers, joint venture partners and affiliates - anyone really that you come in contact with in business. 2. Be seen as an expert When you share your expertise and knowledge while speaking, you gain recognition as an expert in your specific field. 3. Give people a taste of what you offer Speaking in front of people lets them hear first-hand what you do and how you can potentially help them. You can answer people's questions and leave them with a very clear picture of what you have to offer to them. 4. **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]> marketing plan]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie, The Small Business Marketing Coach, teaches small business owners and entrepreneurs how to take action with their marketing in order to get more results and more profits. To learn all about her unique "done-for-you" ebooks called Ready Made Marketing Plans' and to sign up for her FREE special report, ezine and articles, visit her site at http://www.JodyGabourieMarketingCoach.com

What to speak about?

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Many people, when they start speaking, choose 2 or 3 of topics that pertain to their business expertise. This makes it easier to create and produce the required materials, plus promote it. Some people start off with a signature speech - something they are "known" for, i.e. a book they've written or an area they've been very successful in. Your content will change and evolve as your speaking career does. Just choose what makes sense right now for you, your business and your ideal audience. Your choice of content or topic will depend on several things: - what the needs of your audience are - what the organizers dictate or request - the format of the talk - short or long; interactive versus speech; workshop versus presentation - is it your signature speech - what your objective for the talk is - your marketing message - your area of expertise - specific theme of the speaking event The ultimate result of using speaking as a marketing tactic is to build your list and get customers for whatever your products and services are. **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]> marketing tactic]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie, The Small Business Marketing Coach, teaches small business owners and entrepreneurs how to take action with their marketing in order to get more results and more profits. To learn all about her unique "done-for-you" ebooks called Ready Made Marketing Plans' and to sign up for her FREE special report, ezine and articles, visit her site at http://www.JodyGabourieMarketingCoach.com

5 Types of Business Blogs

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Before you even start creating your blog you need to be clear on what kind of content that your prospects and customers want and have need of. Then you can start to figure out how you're going to "package" this content. What I mean by that, is how are you going to present the information - what type of blog are you going to have? Although blogs are as individualistic as each business is, there are 5 common types of blogs that businesses use: 1. consultant blog - usually is one person sharing their opinions, observations and advice - a way to highlight your expertise in a specific area and build an active readership who trust you to guide them - used by service-based businesses such as professional organizers, marketers, coaches, financial planners and so on 2. specialty blog - written by one or more contributors who focus on a subject of shared interest (i.e. weight loss, spiritual practices, golf, animal lovers, car collectors) - builds an online community and encourages connection and interactivity - used by businesses that service that particular common interest in some way 3. **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]> blog]]> target group]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie, The Small Business Marketing Coach, teaches small business owners and entrepreneurs how to take action with their marketing in order to get more results and more profits. To learn all about her unique "done-for-you" ebooks called Ready Made Marketing Plans' and to sign up for her FREE special report, ezine and articles, visit her site at http://www.JodyGabourieMarketingCoach.com

3 questions to answer BEFORE you create your blog

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

You "get" that a blog is a great marketing tool. And you want to jump on the bandwagon...but are you starting in the right place? For many people, the first step they take is to research and find the correct blog software and then jump in and start creating their blog (or get someone else to do it). But I believe this isn't the right place to start with your blog. First you need to decide what kind of content you're going to provide via your fabulous new business blog. There are 3 things you need to do in order to figure out what kinds of valuable information you want to write your blog posts on. The first thing is to be clear on the following questions: o your target group: what do they need and what kind of information do they like? o your objective: what are you trying to achieve with your blog? o your level of involvement: are you going to be the only one making posts or will you have guest bloggers? o your money and time resources: how much time and money do you have to spend on it? **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]> business blog]]> marketing tool]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie, The Small Business Marketing Coach, teaches small business owners and entrepreneurs how to take action with their marketing in order to get more results and more profits. To learn all about her unique "done-for-you" ebooks called Ready Made Marketing Plans' and to sign up for her FREE special report, ezine and articles, visit her site at http://www.JodyGabourieMarketingCoach.com

Your Marketing Mindset is Critical

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Your marketing mindset impacts what strategies or tactics you choose to market your business. If you have a negative attitude towards marketing and selling yourself and your services, you are probably not going to market with any consistency or even at all. A negative attitude can also severely limit the kinds of marketing you do undertake. If you have a closed mind regarding marketing then it's likely you won't have the curiosity or willingness to try different ways of marketing your business. This can lead to inertia on your part - not a great position to be in when you're trying to grow your company and find more clients! Getting in a rut with your marketing means you won't be reaching as many people or attracting new clients. It can also impact your personal growth. By not having an interest in marketing, you will deprive yourself of the boost in your confidence by learning a new marketing skill, which will increase your productivity and passion for your business. That's why your marketing mindset is so important to being a successful marketer of your virtual assistance service. **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]> marketing tactics]]> marketing mindse]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie, The Small Business Marketing Coach, teaches small business owners and entrepreneurs how to take action with their marketing in order to get more results and more profits. To learn all about her unique "done-for-you" ebooks called Ready Made Marketing Plans' and to sign up for her FREE special report, ezine and articles, visit her site at http://www.JodyGabourieMarketingCoach.com

What exactly is marketing?

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

If you do not understand what marketing is, you will not be able to market well. It makes sense - doesn't it? How can you successfully do something if you're not even sure what that "something" is? If you ask business people to define marketing, you'll get as many different answers as there are types of companies. Some people will start spouting jargon like the 4Ps of marketing, or go into detail about the different components of a marketing plan. Others will say it's all about sales and some will list off the different marketing theorems. Some people will say that marketing is the activities involved in making sure that you meet the needs of your customers and get appropriate value in return. All of these are correct but they are concerned more with the mechanics of what marketing is. I'm talking about the underlying principle or philosophy of marketing. The whole reason behind marketing is to build a relationship between the person who needs something and the person who offers something (the solution). Therefore, the purpose of marketing is to build a connection with your clients and prospective customers. **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]> marketing relationship]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie, The Small Business Marketing Coach, teaches small business owners and entrepreneurs how to take action with their marketing in order to get more results and more profits. To learn all about her unique "done-for-you" ebooks called Ready Made Marketing Plans' and to sign up for her FREE special report, ezine and articles, visit her site at http://www.JodyGabourieMarketingCoach.com

Figuring out your marketing message

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Your marketing message is the central message in everything you do and say about your business, products and services. Your marketing message is made up of 4 different components: 1. a description of the target market/niche group you are marketing to 2. the main problem or issue they need help with 3. what solutions and benefits you can offer to your target group 4. what is unique about you, your company, and your products or services - your USP (Unique Selling Proposition) Once you've got this information you are ready to create your marketing message. There are a few things to keep in mind while you write (and re-write!) your marketing message, that will help you make it as powerful as possible. Your message needs to be: * simple to understand * clear and concise * easy to remember You don't need to have a catchy slogan or a "cute" phrase. It just needs to strike a chord with your market - which it will because you'll have identified everything that's important to them. Take a look at what you've written down under each of the four components and brainstorm a number of sentences that encompass all four components. **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]> marketing message]]> unique selling p]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie, The Small Business Marketing Coach, teaches small business owners and entrepreneurs how to take action with their marketing in order to get more results and more profits. To learn all about her unique "done-for-you" ebooks called Ready Made Marketing Plans' and to sign up for her FREE special report, ezine and articles, visit her site at http://www.JodyGabourieMarketingCoach.com

Use a Mix to Get Your Marketing Noticed

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0400

People need to notice you, hear about you, "see" you, interact with you, listen to you, or watch you many times before they'll contact you or buy any of your products and services. Conventional wisdom say it's anywhere from 7 - 15 times that people need to come in contact with you in some way before they'll make any kind of overture. It would be pretty hard to reach people all these times if you were only using one marketing tactic. That's why a marketing mix is so important in connecting with your target market and niche. To have a marketing mix simply means that you have different types of marketing tactics that reach your audience in different places and at different times. Below are a few pointers for helping your marketing mix get you noticed: 1. Have at least 3 to 4 marketing tactics When you have a mix of different strategies, you not only increase the number of times people are exposed to your marketing but you also reach more prospects than if you only use one activity. **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]> marketing tactic]]> niche]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie, The Small Business Marketing Coach, teaches small business owners and entrepreneurs how to take action with their marketing in order to get more results and more profits. To learn all about her unique "done-for-you" ebooks called Ready Made Marketing Plans' and to sign up for her FREE special report, ezine and articles, visit her site at http://www.JodyGabourieMarketingCoach.com

Call to Action Ideas to Get Response

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0400

No marketing communication is complete until you have asked your prospect or client to do something. Whether you are writing an email, a web page, a brochure, a description of a teleseminar, a sales page, a workshop announcement - you need to always give your reader/audience some call to action. I'm not talking about asking someone to buy something outright. I mean asking them to take the next logical action in order for them to get something, or do something, or find out something and give you something. What action you ask in your marketing depends on where you're at in your relationship with the person; where they are in the sales process; and what marketing tactic you're using to communicate with them. **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]> marketing tactics]]> prospects]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie, The Small Business Marketing Coach, teaches small business owners and entrepreneurs how to take action with their marketing in order to get more results and more profits. To learn all about her unique "done-for-you" ebooks called Ready Made Marketing Plans' and to sign up for her FREE special report, ezine and articles, visit her site at http://www.JodyGabourieMarketingCoach.com

How to Make Time for Marketing

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0400

To start getting business and success, you must make time for marketing. Most small business owners and solopreneurs know this...let's face it, they've heard it over and over again. What I've heard over and over again from people is that they don't have enough time to do everything, and certainly not to do marketing! I know that it's tough - believe me it's the same for me sometimes. But I have seen the results when I do make time to market and so that keeps me finding time, even when it seems impossible. I have also seen the results that other successful business owners get...and it's because they make marketing their #1 priority. If you've made marketing a low priority, here are some things for you to do TODAY to start to change that: - go to your calendar, make a 3 hour block in each week for the next month and label it: Do Marketing! **End Summary** Topics: marketing solutions]]> marketing basics]]> marketing strategies]]> marketing tips]]> marketing systems]]> marketing]]> small business]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Jody Gabourie, The Small Business Marketing Coach, teaches small business owners and entrepreneurs how to take action with their marketing in order to get more results and more profits. To learn all about her unique "done-for-you" ebooks called Ready Made Marketing Plans' and to sign up for her FREE special report, ezine and articles, visit her site at http://www.JodyGabourieMarketingCoach.com