Constant Communication Marketing Mistakes

Leverage Pays 5 Reasons to Stick with Your Ideal Clients

How Systems Can Transform the Way You Do Business

The Anatomy Of a Single Page Sales Letter

How Discretionary Spending May Effect a Business Valuation

Top 5 Things To Do When You Make Marketing Mistakes

Posted by Mark F | Filed Under Feature Marketing Article, Full Marketing BLOG

Oil Pipeline Experts Systems Software Inc Enter the Open Market

August 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Systems Software, Inc, the world experts in the field of batch and crude pipeline scheduling announced today that after 13 years as the sole provider of pipeline scheduling to a major us oil company they have decided to enter the open market and expand their new product reach.

According to founder Keith Ferguson, “After an extensive evaluation, we decide that it is in our best interest to move our business forward and allow other major players in the oil industry to enjoy the benefits that have been almost exclusive to our client for well over a decade. Our newest version of SSI was developed in conjunction with real pipeline schedulers from around the world to fulfill all their requirements for scheduling a pipeline.”

Speculation from several industry insiders is that the software platform developed by SSIs founder and expert Keith Ferguson will not last on the open market long. Rumors of a buyout have been circulating for several months about suitors for the 29 year old company. According to users of the system there are no other platforms that work the way SSIs does and the implementation time is unheard of in the industry, a matter of weeks. There is only one other player in this field and they can’t even come close to the turnaround time one pipeline manager was quoted as saying.

According to SSI they have already received test pipelines from 3 large players in the oil industry and have been able to provide working systems that can be tested on site with the clients data. When asked about rumors of a partnership with another player in the energy market, SSI responded that they were unable to talk about any partnerships because of non-disclosure agreements. They did add however that their new product is written where any frontend or backend can be used not just the ones developed by SSI.

About SSI Scheduling

Systems Software Inc, is the world leader in pipeline scheduling. SSI has provided software support to the oil and gas industry in the SCADA systems and pipeline scheduling areas for more than 29 years. SSI helps clients operate their pipelines efficiently and profitably. Our professionals are experts in the areas of information technology, advanced complex problem solving and mathematics. http://www.ssischeduling.com

Sphere: Related Content

Post Words:

I Cant Afford A Business or Technology Coach

Market Outside the Box: Two Beer Stories

How Systems Can Transform the Way You Do Business

Can You Write a Telemarketing Script

Sales are Up and Profits are Down?

Posted by Mark F | Filed Under Feature Marketing Article, Full Marketing BLOG

Do Free Consultations Work?

August 21, 2008 | Leave a Comment

It’s not unusual for someone setting up a service business to be advised to give a free consultation as a way of winning business. In the coaching world in particular (and many other service businesses) this is recommended as the main way of winning clients. Many coaches are assured (often by the people selling them their coaching training) that all they will need to do to have a full practice is offer free taster sessions, and somehow those people will magically transform into paying clients.

This in my view is one of the Big Fat Myths Of Building A Coaching Practice, and it really annoys me to see would-be coaches being duped and misled in this way. The fact is, with any buying decision, the buyer has questions and concerns that need to be addressed, and not all of them will be handled in the free consultation.

Over the years I’ve encountered people who are frustrated and demoralized by their conversion of free consultations into paying business. So what’s the answer? Are we for or against free consultations? My take on this is that free consultations might work, but you need to use them in the right way, and that means asking the prospect to take the next step at the end of the session.

The Free Consultation Won’t Do The Selling For You!

The trouble is, many people use free consultations in the hope that the consultation will do the selling for them, and they won’t have to engage in the ‘dirty’ business of asking for the order. So the consultation comes to an end, the service provider says, "I hope you enjoyed that/found it useful", and then waits for the client to initiate the next step, because they don’t want to be ‘pushy’. Meanwhile the prospect is actually waiting for some direction from the service provider, yet when none is forthcoming, leaves, or ends the phone call, confused. So if you are going to offer free consultations, make sure that at the very least you invite the prospect to take the next step, and find out what questions and concerns they have about proceeding.

The free consultation should pave the way for a sales conversation to take place, not replace it. They Take Up Your Time The main objection I have to ‘free consultations’ as a selling tool is how much time they take. When you’re running your own business, time is the most valuable resource you have. You can always make more money, but none of us, not even Bill Gates or Oprah Winfrey, can manufacture more time. Most people, especially when they are starting out, think that they are cash-poor, but time rich, and therefore happily offer free sessions in the hope that it will win them some business. The trouble is, if you’re even half way good at what you do, it won’t take long for word to get round, and your calendar will be full with free consultations, but no paying clients.

I suggest that instead of offering free consultations ‘one-to-one’ you offer group tele-coaching preview calls. That way you will leverage your time and can simultaneously reach a number of prospects.

What Type Of Prospects Do You Attract With Free Offers?

I hate to say it, but in my experience it’s true, when you offer anything for free, you will attract a percentage of people who will never, ever buy from you no matter what you do for them. I have had many successful coaches admit to me privately that it was only when they found the confidence to charge for an introductory session that they attracted a better caliber of client. I’m not saying don’t offer free stuff - but offer things that are low cost for you to deliver and high perceived value to the prospect e.g. special report, e-book, free teleseminar. Things that take your time on a one-to-one basis are a HIGH cost to deliver, because it’s time you can’t sell to anyone else, or time you could be spending on other projects.

Why People Say No To Free Consultations

Some people are mystified that even when they offer something free - people don’t want it. I’m reminded of the man in Hyde Park who, as an experiment, started offering £5 notes to passers by, only to be refused! There are a whole host of reasons why someone might be reluctant to take up your free consultation.

First, they might be worried about what they are getting into, secondly it’s wrong to assume that the financial risk is the only barrier preventing someone from doing business with you. They might be worried about being vulnerable or looking foolish. In these circumstances the prospect will take the safest option i.e. do nothing!

So should you offer free consultations? Well, at the risk of sounding like a politician, it depends. What I’ve done in this article is give you some things to take into consideration. At the end of the day, you have to consider all the options and make the decision that is best for your business right now. (You can always change your mind later).

Sphere: Related Content

Post Words:

Can You Benefit From A Business Coach

Client Wants Versus Needs - A Winning Formula to Connect The Two

Perhaps You Need An Opportunity Audit

Life Insurance: How to Overcome Buyer Resistance

It Pays to Pay Attention

Posted by Mark F | Filed Under Feature Marketing Article, Full Marketing BLOG

Bringing New Products to Market

August 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Written by David Mammano

Otherwise known as the idea train, an entrepreneurs’ way if thinking is her biggest strength and, if not carefully managed, could be her biggest curse. I probably have a new idea every day. And at the time I have it, I usually get so excited that I think it’s the next best thing. In mind, at that time, I have just made Steve Jobs look like an amateur.

Ok Dave - whatever…

But, at the same time, some of my ideas are pretty good. I wouldn’t have a successful business if they weren’t. And of course, some of my ideas are….let’s say, put on hold.

If I actually acted on all my ideas, my company would have imploded a long time ago. One can stretch a company too thin where it begins to lose focus. I started in this direction a few years ago. A member of my team made a comment to me that was very enlightening. She said, "I feel as though lately we are growing like a shrub instead of a tree."

It was a very powerful statement and made me think about pruning the shrub so we can grow like a tree again. And we have.
Now when I have ideas, I present them to my managers first to flesh them out. This can be a frustrating experience because entrepreneurs and managers think differently, thank God. If he’s smart, the entrepreneur has surrounded himself with detailed managers who can say no to him when appropriate. Most entrepreneurs don’t like their ideas to be grilled and possibly put on hold or nixed for the benefit of the company. So, he will give his managers the right to set him straight if the idea is not the best for the company at that time; or needs to be altered/killed.
Of course, I can do whatever I want within my own company. But in my mind, it’s not my own company. If I don’t have the buy in from management and the rest of the team the idea will never take shape.

So here is my 10 step plan on how to entrepreneurs can deal with their ideas:

Marry well. Your spouse should be the first one to tell you if the idea has merit or if you’re smoking something. You can save your team a lot of time if your spouse can nix the idea first. My wife has a special talent to see through my special"forest" and if I am in "DaveLand" with one of my ideas, she’ll let me know. "DaveLand" is actually a great place! The sky is red and there is fun everywhere (and great food), but it’s not for everybody…
Hire well. It’s obvious, but some ego maniacs surround themselves with minion-like people. I have empowered my team to challenge me and let me know when I am getting off course. If I did not do this years ago, my idea train could have derailed the company.
Develop a process to discuss ideas with your management team. Form a R&D committee or just have a discussion at your weekly manager meeting
Explain the opportunity or problem to solve and see what they come up with first.
Present your thoughts at a very high level. Don’t get tactical yet. Just the 50,000 foot view.
Be calm. Don’t try to "sell" your idea. Stick to discussing the opportunity in a calm, rational way and let the conversation flow. If your managers feel they are being sold an idea, their BS meter may go off. This could really change the direction of the discussion.
Ask them to pitch the idea back to you. Then ask, "What does it look like when we, as a company, execute this idea really well and so that it doesn’t strain the company?"
On a white board, brainstorm all the reasons why you shouldn’t move forward with the idea. Then, list all the reason why it’s a good idea.
Listen half as much as you talk.
Be ready to walk away from the idea, or alter it.

It seems like a lot to go though, I know. Many entrepreneurs might be reading this and saying, "Bull! The reason I started a business is to do whatever I want, whenever I want!" That may work if you are a one man show. But if you have people working for you, you’d be smart to rely on their intelligence to guide you. Hopefully, that’s a big reason why you hired them.

Another big reason to go through this process is the actual execution of the idea. Traditionally, entrepreneurs are builders of ideas but not always great at seeing them through. You’ll need your team to embrace the idea if you expect them to execute it well.
Bottom line; make sure you allow really great passengers on your idea train who can help you drive.

Enjoy your ride.

Sphere: Related Content

Post Words:

http://www.thequeenofdreams.com or http://queenofdreams.ning.com/

What is Your Sales Training Goal - Exposure or Behavioral Change?

Unleashing Creativity and Innovation

Leadership vs. Management

I Care About My Employees

Play Dates Pay Over and Over Again

Posted by Mark F | Filed Under Feature Marketing Article, Full Marketing BLOG

Queen of Dreams Limited Edition Intuitive Healing and Coaching Event

August 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Now, before anyone starts emailing me asking if business executives use intuitive healers and coaches, the answer is YES. Go watch Flipping out on Bravo and you will even see wealthy people having their houses cleansed. Now read on about the event and get what you want out of life

Internationally Recognized Intuitive Healer, Author, and Soul Gifts Teacher

"TINA FERGUSON" THE QUEEN OF DREAMS

You are loved, You have a divine right to happiness.

Tina Ferguson Imagine a world filled with people who experience peace, purpose and prosperity on a daily basis. Wouldn’t that be great? I think so! You are a beautiful child of God. You have a divine right to enjoy abundance and joy each and every day. Do you believe it? Do you realize that you can have everything you can imagine and more? It’s true! It’s also simpler than you think and nearer than you realize. Begin today to allow all that is yours. Begin by seeing all the abundance already present in your life today – beauty, joy, nature, experiences, relationships. See more and receive more.

We want you to know that you are divine! You are so loved and so supported, there are no words to begin to tell you how much you are thought about and cared for! There is virtually nothing you could ever ask for that would not be met with resounding enthusiasm and joy.

I live in our great, big, beautiful world with my son and husband, and then of course, there’s our angel dog, Rico (think big – really big – like Marmaduke).

Beyond this there are many people I love and care about who call this planet home. Suffice to say I want the world to be a good place now and in the future. What better way to help make the world a better place than by working with people to help them understand that they already hold the keys to the life they truly desire?

I have experienced an adventurous life path. It has been steep at times, always breathtaking, and abundantly bountiful in gifts. What I see most often is that people often know something isn’t right, and they believe they aren’t sure what it is until the guidance comes and it confirms what they knew all along! This is just one of the things I delight in when working with people.

I have worked with people dealing with all changes of life and I am usually the last stop on their journey. They have tried the medications, 20 sometimes 30 years of therapy, and everything in between. I am here to say that most of my clients are able to use the guidance to heal their lives even after:

Loss
Unemployment
Death
Depression
Cancer
Divorce
just about any life challenge you can imagine

If money is an issue in your life feel free to listen to our Free Radio show on iTunes and talkshoe Every Thursday 8 Central. Just search for the queen of dreams and look for her picture.

You are Loved

*Please remember you are never alone the angels are always around you.

Client Testimonials

Crystal Clear Clarity

Hello Beautiful Tina … I have been meaning to drop you a note of thanks for our last class and the gift of all your teachings … so now I will also add my thanks for this beautiful call tonight . I honor you Tina for bringing such incredible peace, love and wisdom to all those you speak with! Bless you bless you bless you!
With Love

Crystal Clear Clarity

As I sit here and watch the snow, I’m in awe of how wonderful my life is, in spite of how quickly things change! Even though January has been a horrible month for me (I’ve been riddled with an illness that has left me really fatigued), I have still kept up my attitude, continued to bill clients, have touched based with new prospects and managed to continue working on my writing. I owe a lot of that to you. I just wanted to drop you a line of thanks! Through your wonderful work, I have persevered and maintained my passion for adding a new aspect to my business, and honing this new skill. You are truly wonderful!
I hope that the years are everything you hope, and deserve, which will be nothing short of wondrous!
Best Wishes,

Crystal Clear Clarity

Dear Tina,
Over the past 30 years, I have had the pleasure of working with outstanding Metaphysical Teachers. Some known world-wide.
May I share that your material is excellent, but that is not what makes you stand out.
You are indeed special. But that is not what puts you in the forefront.
Your listening skills and information is focused and clear. But that is not what makes you, “uniquely unique”.
It is your vibration, your empowerment and your genuine sincerity and humble acceptance of the Divine. It rings through the telephone with, “soul power”.
May all our journey’s be filled with glory.

Crystal Clear Clarity

Hi Tina,
Had to record this——unbelievable—-at 5:00 a.m. today, energy was pushing both me and my furry friend out of the bed. Neither one of us could stay in bed no matter how hard we tried—–we were literally tossed out. I/we were amazed- could you do this every morning please!!! And I had tons of energy at work today. Thank you, I was 20 min. early for work.
There is a P.S. to this—–the energy I feel is truly amazing.

You should/must be very pleased with your work-you truly have mastered this technique-rather all techniques. You are the Grand Master and when you say that gratitude is the fastest way to increase the vibrational levels, all I have to do is think of you and study your e-mails and I am most grateful that God put you in my life……how truly loving he is to let us walk with you for a while.
With love,

Life Coaching Client

“Words can not express my appreciation for you and for the help that you have been.”
The advice today was right on for me.
Much love

Life Coaching Client

“Just a note to let you know I just landed my first website copy writing job today. Thanks so much for all you have done for me!”
Kindest Regards

Web Development Company Owner

“When I first started working with Tina, I was lost. There wasn’t a single area in my life that was going the way I wanted it to. She helped me get focused and grounded so that I could start digging myself out of the hole. Each day I made a small change in my thoughts and my outlook and those thoughts began to manifest into reality. With the tools Tina has given me, I’m able to meet new challenges without getting bogged down and mired in the abyss I used to “live” in. I can never thank her enough for guiding me back to myself. So far, I’ve lost over 50 pounds, increased the daily “gifts” that come my way, and have more joy than ever in my life.”

D. Magazine Owner

“I had already experienced one business failing that resulted in bankruptcy and was facing another one when I met Tina at a conference. She offered to help me free of charge. I knew something good was going to come of our meeting, I just didn’t know what. After six months, my struggling publication that was about to shut down, grew 50 percent larger, I increased my revenue 300 percent, and attracted some of the most well-known names in our industry. I can’t believe all of this happened so fast. I know without a doubt that without her guidance I would not be in this place today.”

As an internationally recognized Author, Intuitive, Healer, Marketing Expert and Business Coach, I’m honored to use my gifts to serve the Creator of All That Is and the creator in you.

Sphere: Related Content

Post Words:

Are you Tired of Being Alone? Dallas Ft. Worth McKinney

Top 5 Reasons We Work Mainly With Baby Boomers

May 18th 2008

Begin With the End In Mind

April 18th 2008

Posted by Mark F | Filed Under Feature Marketing Article, Full Marketing BLOG

I Cant Afford A Business or Technology Coach

August 18, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Have you ever wanted someone to talk to about your business who doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.

Typical business coaches cost upwards of 1250.00 an hour! That is over $20.00 a minute.

I have spent my whole life coaching usually from inside of fortune 500 companies. I have been paid loads of money to say yes, no, and maybe. Granted my yes, no, and maybes have saved the clients that I work with millions of dollars. Even with this success I have felt empty inside. I felt like it is hard to get any sense of accomplishment and results. You may help one group make a good decision that makes money, while another group in another part of an organization makes a bad decision that wipes out all of your hard work. That is why I do so much small business coaching on the side. I am able to work with the owner, listen to what is going on and provide feedback while not worrying about someone else messing up our hard work.

So what does this mean to you?

Well after much thought and consideration I have decided to do something my wife may think is crazy and offer 77 1 Hour Sessions with me for $97.00 each. If interested email me at mark@one80group.com

Why would I do this?

Well I love meeting new people and like everyone else in the world have to get paid for something. I really wish things were more like Star Trek and we could just do what we want without worrying about money. I want to help people more now than ever. I want to help people who can’t afford an 8,000 dollar a month retainer. I want to help people that need someone to listen and just be there for them and provide a new perspective. I love small business owners because their business has a greater impact on their life and family.

What is your background?

Well my background is technology and business management?

Core competencies include:

•IT Management
•IT Implementation
•Technology Integration
•Intranet-Extranet Strategies
•Business Process Mapping
•Technology-Business Alignment
•Electronic Commerce Strategy
•Application Design
•Reporting
•Procurement & Contract Management
•Technology Architecture
•Enterprise Communication
•Collaboration Strategies
•Concept Validation
•Monitoring Strategies

•Business and marketing concept validation
•Research and development of strategies, visual designs, and functional analysis of new product offerings for clients
•Business research on cutting-edge technologies and how they apply to client specific goals
•Big picture analysis of client market and techniques for market penetration
•Project implementation
•Backend website facilitation and interface strategies
•Search Engine Optimization
•Corporate Blog Development
•Technology product sourcing for internal and external clients
•Technology Partnerships and Acquisitions
•Business Vision and Concepts
•Custom Application Development and Enhancements
•Business Books, E-books, Kindle Book Design, and Implementation Strategies

Do people only talk to you about their business?

No… They usually talk to me about their life and how it relates to their business. I have always been a coach. I was a personal trainer and teacher in conjunction with technology most of my life.

Do you work with specific types of Small Business?

No…But I do get a lot of technology business owners and individuals being impacted by technology decisions because of my technology background?

Are you crazy?

Yes… probably. But I would rather help someone be successful who appreciates it.

What results have you had as a business professional?

•Determined dependencies which hampered implementation. Increased application development team results by 1,500 percent. This resulted in increased customer satisfaction, and significant company cost savings.
•Managed four portals, over 100 custom developed PHP and .net forms and applications for the lines of business, including retail, utilities, database marketing, transaction processing, and call center operations. Forms and applications save the company over $1 million each year in reduced labor, hard costs, and vendor expense.
•Saved an estimated $200,000 annually by initiating a parallel application implementation process and communication structure that saved many hundreds of hours.
•Built Corporate Vendor Due Diligence System using internal resources saving the company over $250,000 in vendor spends while meeting OCC audit requirements.
•Built Internal Automated Reporting System for Utility Services IVR group using existing software and contracts saving the Line of Business over $375,000 in proposed new software alone.
•Developed Streaming Video System using a combination of internal systems, labor, and custom application development saving the Corporate Marketing group over $200,000 in possible vendor costs.
•Developed Process for Internal Audit to have Enterprise Associates sign Corporate Information Security Policy which allowed corporation to meet legal audit requirements while lowering the labor costs of processing by over $100,000.
•Sourced and Negotiated patch management system for Corporate E-commerce Servers and was able to save over $80,000 on the contracts and $90,000 anally on associate labor due to automation.
•Sourced and develop e-commerce monitoring system that saved the Company over $300,000 a year in software and labor costs, allowed the company to have true SLA’s for the first time, and decreased the outage times for our customers.
•Sourced, and implemented load testing software for e-commerce applications that allowed for $100,000 dollars save in software costs.
•Effectively managed employee/employer communication while company went through 27 reorganizations.
•Researched and developed new Portal Strategy using existing software contracts that allowed for a $225,000 annual save on Corporate Intranet.

•Built and implemented reporting systems for every phase of implementation to keep all department groups apprised of scheduling status via Intranet. The simple reporting layouts allowed for a 50% reduction time in project implementations and increased customer satisfaction through resource reallocations based on delivery slippage.
•Reviewed existing SDLC guidelines and developed and maintained new documentation relating to projects, issue logs, graphic estimate sheets, required field selections, business requirements, training forms, sign-off forms, change request forms, and any new documentation necessary to achieve the desired result. Resulted in removing the complicated SDLC methodology and replacing it with a combination of the RAD and JAD model which had better alignment with our Retail client needs. Changes were reflected in many praises and recognitions from our clients for being easy to work with and for making the process transparent to non-technical executives.
•Developed database for implementation tracking and product modification requests which helped identify for the first time error rates in applications and trends on new product releases.
•Implemented web analytics for tracking customer traffic patterns and abandon rates which allowed customers to make informed decisions on the marketing messages. The result of our analytics work was higher web customer sales rate through customer incentive offers at normal abandon points.
•Developed automated reporting system for web analytics using existing hardware and software systems saving the company over $100,000 dollars on proposed new vendor software.
•Sourced and Implemented Corporate e-commerce Monitoring System that allowed the Corporation to offer true SLA’s on e-commerce applications while decreasing down time.

•Sourced all products for sale and did relevant product testing
•Negotiated product price points and product volumes
•Hardware Price Performance Analysis
•Customer relationship management and training

•Supervised and trained technical support staff
•Developed call-center tracking systems and problem analysis procedures
•Handled research and approval of all computer equipment and software acquisitions
•Analyzed existing resources and utilization: hardware, software, and personnel
•Responsible for the total operation of the Customer Service Center, which included customer satisfaction, cash accountability, and inventory control

How were you educated?

EDUCATION

•Bachelor of Science in Business and Exercise Physiology - Dallas Baptist University
•Graduated Cum Laude with 3.693 GPA (while working full-time)
•Texas Women’s University Graduate School

Sphere: Related Content

Post Words:

Oil Pipeline Experts Systems Software Inc Enter the Open Market

How Systems Can Transform the Way You Do Business

Make the Move to Dynamic Forecasting

Can You Write a Telemarketing Script

Marketing & Business Mastermind Group Now Forming

Posted by Mark F | Filed Under An Executive with Heart

Marketing to Millennials

August 17, 2008 | Leave a Comment

The Millennial Generation was born between 1977 and 1998 and is just beginning to enter the workforce. Members of this 75 million person group are being raised at the most child-centric time in our history and the impact to marketers is undeniable.

In general, it is said that this group displays a great deal of confidence. This could be the result of focus they receive from parents and high expectations placed upon them – not to mention their new found independence with the advent of cell phones, the Internet, and other electronic forms of communication. This is truly the first generation to grow up completely online and as a result, the marketing mix used to target them needs to evolve. As you might expect, this group is technically literate like none other.

Socially, Millennials are different as well. They are typically team-oriented, banding together to date and socialize rather than pairing off. They work well in groups, preferring this to individual endeavors. They are also good at multi-tasking and were the ones studying while listening to the radio or watching television - all the more reason to ensure that you utilize cross-media marketing and ensure consistency among your communications.

From an academic perspective, they are the group that was able to play a sport, attend school, and engage in social endeavors. Millennials believe in going green and supporting endeavors that are good for the environment.

When it comes to work, Millennials seem to expect structure. They acknowledge and respect positions and titles, and want a relationship with their boss. Millennials are in need of mentoring and they’ll respond well to the personal attention. When considering the management of Millennials, be mindful that they appreciate structure and stability. Mentoring Millennials should be more formal, with set meetings and a more authoritative attitude on the mentor’s part.

How to Market

Now that you understand a little more about the target you are seeking to attract, consider the places they go for information and the way they behave. Millennials are logging into their MySpace and FaceBook accounts 3 – 4 times each day, sending instant messages to friends, and uploading their videos to YouTube. Are you there?

Listen to the conversation. Where many businesses are failing today is that they are not listening to the conversations that the Millennials are having about their products or their company. Sign up for Google Alerts, visit Technorati and see what individuals are blogging about.
Create accounts in FaceBook and MySpace and other Social Media. Put you name out there. Make sure that you company has a space among social media outlets. One thing to keep in mind though is to not be overly commercial. Millennials can see right through it. Rather, be genuine and let your prospective market understand what you’re really about and what you stand for.
Communicate on a personal level. Create a two way dialogue with your audience. Give them an opportunity to speak to you. Whether you let them rate your products, share comments, or share their experience with friends, providing a forum to socialize is essential.
Focus on consistent messaging. Regardless of which media type you use (email marketing, direct mail, Adwords, etc.), keep your messaging consistent. If you say one think and do another, or change your messaging frequently, you will not be building the trust necessary to ensure lifetime customer value.
Be creative. When your marketing is creative, it can very quickly gain momentum. With the advent of YouTube, Flickr, and Delicious, messages are quickly shared and distributed. Don’t force the issue. Rather, create something meaningful, fun, and worth sharing. Before you know it, the Millennials will be sharing and distributing information about your and your brand.

Improving the effectiveness of your marketing to Millennials is no small undertaking. To be truly successful, you need to understand the social dependence these individuals have when communicating and the value they place on the opinion of others. Although much of Millennial marketing needs to happen online, don’t lose track of some tradition media like direct mail. As much as marketing has changed, traditional media can still be effective – just make sure it has a social component.

About the Author

Michael Fleischner is an Internet marketing expert and founder of MarketingScoop.com. He has more than 13 years of marketing experience and has appeared on the TODAY Show, Bloomberg Radio, and other major media. Michael is also the author of SEO Made Simple: Strategies for Dominating the World’s Largest Search Engine and The Webmasters Book of Secrets: Improve Search Engine Rankings.

Sphere: Related Content

Post Words:

The 4-Hour Work Week

Updated Authority Black Book 2.0

Leverage Pays 5 Reasons to Stick with Your Ideal Clients

Yanik Silver 7 Psychological Secrets eBook

Effectively Using PR Tactics: Seven Tips To Boost Brand Awareness

Posted by Mark F | Filed Under Feature Marketing Article, Full Marketing BLOG

Are you Tired of Being Alone? Dallas Ft. Worth McKinney

August 16, 2008 | Leave a Comment

If you are like most single people out there you have tried everything to find that right someone. You have gone on so many blind dates that you are starting to wish you were blind so you would not have to look at the people your so called friends think are perfect for you. You have trolled Match.com, taken a chemistry lesson at chemistry.com and even tried the classifieds section, yet here you are sill looking…still trying to find the person that Jerry McGuire said WOULD COMPLETE YOU.

We understand and have now made it part of our mission in life to help everyone we know find that special person to share their life with. We have decided to offer our AMAZING VisionClarity program, tailored to help those looking for love and getting no results. http://www.loveclarity.com

We know you can find love. We found love ourselves by using these techniques in combination with http://www.match.com and have been married for over 8 years and have a beautiful 7 year old son. You can have the same experience once you know what you REALLY WANT.

LoveClarity simplifies the process of determining what you want in a partner and how to get it.

Who is LoveClarity For?

Anyone who wants clarity about their future relationship
Those who are tired of the daily grind of trying to find a partner
People who are searching for purpose, passion, and someone to share it with
Fun loving conscious creators that want to connect to someone else
Participants from 16 to 100 years old
Anyone you know who could benefit from this workshop. Please take a moment and email them this link right now.

Saturday, September 27, 2008 - 8:30 to 4:30 - $247.00

Saturday, October 25, 2008 - 8:30 to 4:30 - $247.00

Saturday, November 15, 2008 - 8:30 to 4:30 - $247.00

LoveClarity was Created by

Patrice Wheeler, MS, IAACT, MPNLP

Patrice Wheeler is the CFA (Chief Facilitator of Awareness) of People Skills for Professionals, a company dedicated to developing human potential. Through her work over the past twenty years as a consultant, coach, curriculum designer, and facilitator for major corporations, she had come to her own clarity…what is essential for personal and business success is a clearly held vision. There is one simple truth that guides her current work: until you know where you are going, you know not how to get there!

Previously she worked as a Change Management Services Consultant for both Accenture and Oracle. Based on this experience, she realizes the essential role of VisionClarity used in conjunction with change management. VisionClarity allows individuals and organizations to focus their energies, skills, talents, and resources on goal achievement.

As a strategic consultant, Patrice is always finding ways to maximize learning opportunities that connect people and create a better future for all. With her own focus on learning, she has earned a Masters of Behavioral Science from Texas Christian University as well as most recently becoming a Master Practitioner of Linguistics. She is also a Certified Professional Coach with the International Coach Federation.

A lifelong pursuit of her own VisionClarity enables her to help others find their clarity and subsequent life purpose. Patrice is passionate about helping people dream. She firmly believes that by helping others uncover what they really want, they can then apply their energies and strengths to turn their dreams into reality. Subsequently, personal benefits are created as well as benefits for the larger community or system they belong to. Now she is realizing her own VisionClarity by helping others find theirs!

For more information please contact Patrice at 469-879-8989 or by email: patrice@peopleskillsforprofessionals.com

Tina Ferguson

Tina Ferguson, a.k.a. The Queen of Dreams, is an award-winning marketing and business strategist who has helped clients double, triple and quadruple their businesses within a very short amount of time. Yet, not by the process you may think. She works as an intuitive clarity coach to help entrepreneurs, executives and individuals achieve clarity of purpose. Through this clarity, she works closely with each client to help them reveal a special life purpose and how they can use their experiential talents and soul gifts to support this life mission. In essence, she helps you remember the true you – that part of you that is always calling you to live your passion.

Tina’s clients referred to her so often as ‘The Queen of Dreams’ that she adopted the moniker as a reminder that everyone can be the Queen or King of his or her dreams. Her passion is helping you believe your dreams do matter and that when you say “Yes!” to the True You, the world says Yes! to you, too.

She is the host of the top-rated Queen of Dreams Radio Show at TalkShoe.com and has been a top-rated host at ContactTalkRadio.com. Her previous podcasts can be downloaded at iTunes.com.

Tina has facilitated many workshops, including True You, How to Put the Attract in Attraction, and Your Heart’s Desire. She is a frequent speaker at women’s organizations such as National Association of Women Business Owners, eWomen Network, and the Women’s Business Council.

Tina is a published author and her self development articles can be found all over the web at sites such as EzineArticles.com, SelfGrowth.com, and her top-rated Forbes Best of Business blog, TrueYouMarketing.com. Her articles have appeared in many publications, including the Dallas Business Journal, DFW TechBiz, DFW Medical News, Exclusively Dallas, Hart’s Oil & Gas World, InfoTech Update, and Recovery Advisor.

Her first book, The Power of Love, was released in 2007, and her second book, Must Be Present to Win – How to Get Out of the Ditch and Be Happy Every Day of Your Life: A Queen of Dreams Quintessential Guide will be out in September 2008.

Tina holds an interdisciplinary degree with emphases in behavior analysis, psychology, business, and disaster management. She is completing her Ph.D. in Holistic Health this year.

For more information please contact Tina at 214-718-0858 or by email: tina@askintuition.com

If you are not close to Plano, TX email us and we can work with you to build a workshop near your city. If you are the host you receive 25% of gross revenue for helping other people find love.

Sphere: Related Content

Post Words:

May 18th 2008

VisionClarity VisionBoard Workshop Plano Frisco McKinney Allen Richardson Texas August 23

Queen of Dreams Limited Edition Intuitive Healing and Coaching Event

Most of My FaceBook Friends Are Women

Top 5 Reasons We Work Mainly With Baby Boomers

Posted by Mark F | Filed Under Notes From Marketing Expert Tina Ferguson

Monitor and Manage Your Google Rankings With Ease

August 15, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Every good SEO program begins with keyword development and monitoring.

Keeping track of where your website ranks on Google for important keywords and keyword phrases can be a full time job. Although many tools exist for monitoring search engine position, properly evaluating SEO performance requires a disciplined approach.

There are a variety of ways to measure search engine rankings for your website. Popular website tools like SEO Elite and Web CEO include search engine ranking tools that can track where your site ranks for identified keywords. But what if you don’t own SEO software?

To evaluate search engine rankings, you simply need a means of measuring rankings on a regular basis. Follow these simple guidelines:

Create and maintain a spreadsheet of your rankings. Having a document that you continually update can help you see weekly changes as well as trends over time. Be sure to keep it updated at least once a week so that you are always aware of how you rank for keywords and keyword phrases you are watching.

You can choose your keyword list based on the keyword phrases you’ve selected as important, those your competitors rank well for, or individual phrases identified by SEO software. If you want to get a jump start, you can identify which keyword phrases your site is ranked for in the top 20 on Google using SEOdigger.com. This tool provides a listing of which keyword phrases your site ranks within the top 20 Google search results for and can be a great tool to identify your competitor’s keyword rankings.

Record changes in search engine result placements simply by entering each keyword term in to Google or using SEO software. You can also find free tools online to report your rankings like CleverStat or GoogleRankings.com.
Continue to make changes, build links, and record your results. This step will never be completed but rather is an ongoing process. You should strive to become number one on all your SERPs and get so far ahead that none of your competitors will be able to compete. This requires constant and never ending consideration to building links and creating more and more reasons for other sites to link to you.
Consider reciprocal linking, link acquisition, as well as adding free tools to your website, valuable content, and helpful downloads. Access to these tools is ideal if you want to attract links to your website. Once you’ve added these valuable tools, make sure to let others know that they exist. Consider a free press release, email campaign or promotion.
Expand your keyword list. As you improve your overall rankings on major search engines, consider adding other keywords phrases that may be relevant to your website, products or services. Focusing on an expanded keyword list can result in more traffic and broader appeal.
Monitoring and managing your search engine rankings, especially on Google is necessary if you wish to increase the organic traffic to your website. This begins with basic monitoring and evaluation of your rankings on key search engines. Once you’ve developed your spreadsheet, update your rankings each week with free tools or SEO software.
Continue to focus on your rankings and developing inbound links through free tools and resources on your site as well as proactive link requests. Over time, as you improve your rankings for key terms and phrases, expand your list. Improving your rankings is a never ending process, but an important one. Stay the course and you’ll experience the results you’re looking for.

Michael Fleischner is an Internet marketing expert and the President of MarketingScoop.com. He has more than 12 years of marketing experience and had appeared on The TODAY Show, Bloomberg Radio, and other major media. Visit MarketingScoop.com for further details and more marketing articles including tips on how to improve search engine rankings for your web site.

Sphere: Related Content

Post Words:

12 Proven Steps for Top Search Engine Rankings

How To Do Basic SEO For Any Website

Find Keyword with High Traffic and Low Competition on Google Adwords

7 Article Marketing Lessons I’ve Learned

Top 10 Questions to Ask When Hiring an SEO Expert

Posted by Mark F | Filed Under Feature Marketing Article, Full Marketing BLOG

7 Ways to Improve How Long Users Stay on Your Website

August 13, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Today more than ever, consumers are overwhelmed with choices, and distractions. The cost of attracting users to your website continues to increase and keeping them engaged is more important than ever.

Engagement doesn’t end with an individual browser reading content or clicking on an ad. Rather, engagement is an ongoing process that results in loyal customers who come back again and again, becoming more vested in your web site.

How can you make sure you’re engaging and keeping customers?

In order to create a loyal following, there are some basic principles you need to consider. From first impressions to life-long membership, put yourself in the shoes of your browsers and make their experience a valuable one.

Reduce Clutter. How many times have you visited a website only to be overwhelmed and confused? What is this site about you may have asked yourself. Or perhaps you found yourself asking, ‘Where is the information I’m looking for?’
Don’t ask your browsers or potential customers to figure this out. Make your site clutter free and create a visual priority that emphasizes the information, resources, or actions your browsers want. By reducing obstacles you build trust among new web site visitors and allow for simple decision making – which benefits everyone.
Make Navigation Intuitive. There are many ways to navigate a web page but intuition rules the day. Don’t try to get fancy with your navigation or overuse java script. Basic navigation that follows current convention is the best way to lead individuals through your web site to the information they’re looking for.

Make The Initial Site Interaction Relevant. When a browser reaches your web site, you have less than seven seconds to get them engaged. Making your initial site interaction relevant to what individuals are looking for is essential for keeping them interacting long term.
If you are promoting your web site with Google Adwords, or any pay per click advertising for that matter, be sure to create customer landing pages that are truly relevant to the individual who clicks-through your ad. Once you’ve established relevancy, you can move them deeper into your content, tools, and resources.
Ensure That Your Content Is Up-to-date. Web site content that isn’t up to date does not serve your audience and browsers are likely to move on. One way to ensure that information is timely is by providing a feed of relevant news or information. If including static text on your web pages, try not to include specific dates. However, if you must publish dates, be sure to update this information on a regular basis.
Start An Interaction With Your Users. Each time a browser views your web page, you have an opportunity to interact with them. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by. One great way to interact is to offer something of value at no cost. This can be a white paper, access to an exclusive list, or simply a 30 day free trial. Be sure to capture an individual’s valid email address and include them on your mailing list. An auto-responder is best if you wish to engage these individuals on an ongoing basis.
Provide Plenty Of Support. Don’t hesitate to offer support right from your home page. Prominently display your 800 number, support email address, and additional information for your prospects and customers such as mailing address. This information is viewed favorably by search engines and also creates a sense of legitimacy. Contact information builds trust among prospects and elicits interest in your company.
Make Sharing Easy. Once you’ve made your web site easy to use, don’t hesitate to offer browsers the ability to share your web site with others. This can be in the form of a simple widget that allows users to bookmark your page, subscribe to an Rss feed, or submit your content to popular news sites like Digg.com.
Individuals are much more likely to visit a web site based on a friend’s recommendation versus some other type of marketing initiative. Leverage the power of viral marketing with easy sharing tools.

Your web site can be your greatest asset. Unfortunately, many marketers and website owners are so focused on increasing traffic that they lose site of the audience that’s already visiting their web pages but are simply not converting.

Don’t make the same mistake. Improve the quality of you site through relevant content that is up-to-date and easy to find. Once you’ve engaged users, encourage them to share. Doing so will make your site perform better, increase conversions, and deliver value for all involved.

Sphere: Related Content

Post Words: