The Three Golden Rules of Social Networking And Email Marketing

If you are looking to build rewarding relationships with your prospects there are 3 things you must do well in your Social Networking and Email Marketing. It takes some time and energy to build a responsive list and one where you provide value to each other but you will both enjoy the benefits if you remember the 3 Golden Rules:

1. Quality – When growing your list of contacts it’s about quality first and foremost, not quantity. Sure you want to have a good sized list but it is not all about the numbers. More importantly you want to attract the people who want and need the products and services you have to offer. Invite those who you have met at an in-person networking event to connect with you on your online social networks. Make sure it is someone who expressed an interest in what you do, someone who you will be able to provide value to. You’ll notice on Facebook when you are about to send a friend request there is a note that reads “Please only send this request if you know him/her personally.”

2. Consistency – If you plan to use social networking and email marketing as strategies, then you must be consistent. Maintain your online presence on the social networks by making relevant posts that serve to educate your target market. Respond to any questions or comments you receive. If you are using email marketing by way of putting out a regular ezine, then ensure you have a publishing schedule that you follow. People will come to expect to see your newsletter in their inbox on a regular basis. If they don’t hear from you for a couple months or you email them a lot at once and then nothing at all for awhile, your readers will start to wonder what’s going on. Are you still in business? Is everything okay?

3. Permission – Seth Godin who coined the phrase Permission Marketing, also known as Permission Based Marketing says: “Just because you somehow get my email address doesn’t mean you have permission.” A big pet peeve of mine is when you exchange business cards at a networking event and the next thing you know you’re receiving emails from this person. Has this happened to you? No one appreciates your unsolicited messages. More often than not I will end up unsubscribing if I receive something I am not interested in or did not ask for. Remember that permission-based marketing is just that – you are sending your marketing messages to a person based on the fact that you have received their permission to do so. It is best if you have had some sort of interaction with this person, that they know who you are and what your business is all about prior to asking them to join your list. Then invite them to sign up to receive your newsletter or other updates you might send out from time to time. Always give the option to easily unsubscribe.

I found some interesting statistics on open rates based on an actual test of e-mail newsletters sent by Selling Communications Inc. to a permission-based audience versus a targeted list of individuals. (An ‘open rate’ is a measure of how many people on an email list open a particular email.) The statistics speak for themselves:

E-mail Newsletter With Permission 43% viewed

E-mail Newsletter Without Permission 17% viewed

As business owners we’ve all heard about the know, like and trust factor. By following the above rules you can ensure that your market of targeted prospects will get to know you, like you and trust you helping to build long-lasting and profitable business relationships.

How Social Networking And Email Marketing Work Hand In Hand

There are many online marketing strategies that small business owners can utilize. With so many options it can be confusing as to the best investment of your time. Two strategies that are closely tied together and work well together are Social Networking and Email Marketing. These two strategies work hand in hand to grow your list and grow your business. All it takes is 30 to 60 minutes of your time, once a day or every other day to engage with your contacts via Social Networking. If you publish an ezine or online newsletter you can connect this way as often as once a week or as little as once a month via Email Marketing. Either way, consistency is key.

First let’s define these two terms. Social Networking is the use of a website, such as FaceBook to connect with people who share personal or professional interests. Email Marketing is the use of email messages, such as in the form of an ezine, to contact existing and potential customers.

How can you make these strategies work for you? Here are some suggestions you can try using one strategy or a combination of both.

Example 1: You’ve just attended an in person networking event and collected a number of business cards. What to do with all those cards? Connect with those you have had conversations with (you can jot notes on business cards right after an event to help with your follow-up). Was someone interested in your services but not quite ready to work with you? You can request their friendship via social media and keep in touch that way. And/or you can invite those you’ve connected with to sign up for your newsletter.

Example 2: Your upcoming ezine is complete and scheduled to send next week. Post a series of invitations to your social networks to sign up to receive your ezine. Include a teaser of the next issue describing what useful information or special offers they will receive as a subscriber.

Example 3: You have a number of ‘friend requests’ in your social networks. Be selective. Research who is requesting to connect with you. If this person is in your target market then respond with a personal note thanking them for the connection. If it is someone you have connected with previously who is not already on your mailing list and who you feel would benefit from your ezine, then you may also want to invite them to sign up.

With each of these strategies remember, it’s about quality not quantity. Only friend those that you can provide value to. You want to grow your list and connect via social media with people that are in your target market. Be consistent by posting relevant content and educating your mailing list with informative articles via your ezine regularly. And make sure you get permission to connect. With the volume of information we get through social networks and email, no one appreciates your unsolicited messages.

If you are not yet using one or both of these complementary strategies, give them a try. You can attract new and repeat customers, while building loyalty and there are little or no costs associated with either method. (You may incur a small monthly fee for your email marketing, depending on which provider you use.)

Whether you are offering services or products, doing business online is crucial to the success of any business today. Practice these techniques regularly and watch your list of prospects and your business grow.

F’REE REPORT: The Top 10 Words that Say Buy and Why They Work

I have been following The Internet Marketing Sweetie for a few years now. Melissa always provides ethical and valuable Internet Marketing information on various topics related to small business, from Copywriting and Outsourcing to Email Marketing and Working from Home.

I just finished reading a new report from Melissa and I wanted to pass along a copy to you. The topic is keywords and how they work to increase your sales. If you’re looking for a practical and simple guide to putting together written material for a product or a sales page, I think you’ll find this information useful.

Click here for your copy of “SWEET Marketing Lingo: The Top 10 Words that Say Buy and Why They Work”.

Find out how certain keywords when we hear them, make us want to purchase the item that is associated with the keyword.

I hope you find this report useful and I encourage you to share this report with others who you think would find it useful too.

How To Successfully Market Your Business With A Pink Spoon

If you have ever signed up on a website to receive information in the form of a free report, newsletter or ebook and had this delivered to your inbox, you have experienced the pink spoon. A pink spoon is a ‘free taste’ of what a business has to offer. It is like the ice cream franchise that offers potential customers the opportunity to sample a flavour of their ice cream using a pink spoon. If a potential customer likes their ‘free taste’ they will go on to make a purchase. This catchy phrase was coined by Andrea J. Lee, award-winning author, coach, consultant and online business manager.

Why is Pink Spoon Marketing a good way to boost business?

• It is a lead generation tool. Providing a free offering to visitors to your website is a good way to capture people’s names and email addresses.
• It allows you to keep in regular contact with your prospects. You are building a mailing list that you can broadcast to.
• It is a way to build relationships and trust. As you continue to communicate with your list, they get to know you and see the value of the products and services you have to offer.
• It generates new business. You will earn paying clients when your services fit with their needs.

A Pink Spoon can apply to almost any industry and there are many possibilities of what you can offer as a freebie. Here are a few examples:

• a 5 part (or 6 part etc.) e-course
• a free report
• a newsletter subscription
• a free chapter of your book

Are you ready to start setting up your pink spoon to build your database? You will need:

• An email marketing or shopping cart service with website sign up form and autoresponder capabilities, i.e. AWeber, Practice Pay Solutions. (If you’re not quite ready to start selling products you can still go with a shopping cart and upgrade your cart later with the selling features.)
• A pink spoon sign up form and attached thank you page on your website. The sign up form should be one of the first things someone sees when they visit your website. Generally the form is added to the top right of a web page and is really obvious. The form is usually quite simple asking for First Name and Primary Email with a Submit button. If it takes too long to complete the form or the info you are asking for seems too personal to give out on a website for a free offering, the less likely people will sign up. It is also good practice to indicate that you will never share your prospects information with anyone and that they have the option to unsubscribe at any time.
• An autoresponder or a series of autoresponder emails to be sent out on a predetermined schedule to deliver your free offering and broadcasts for ongoing communication with your list.
• Support with the process. If you are technically challenged, find a Virtual Assistant or a Webmaster who is familiar with this marketing strategy and who has the technical expertise to set up and customize the shopping cart and your website.

If you are willing to take the initiative, pink spoon marketing is something that can be set up once and continue to work for you time after time.

3 Simple Ways to Consistently Grow Your Business

Business owners can get stuck in the area of Revenue Generating activities. This initially seems like a good thing, however, it’s important to devote time to other aspects of running a business to enable you and your business to grow and prosper and the cycle of Revenue Generating activities to continue. Business Development is one of those areas.

Here is a guide to help you know where to focus your attention during the time you make for Business Development. I have broken it down into 3 main areas with a definition, suggested activities and time frame for each:

1) Marketing – selling of products or services: the business activity of presenting products or services in such a way as to make them desirable*

Suggested activities: Spend time working on your website and marketing materials. They are your ’store front’ so to speak and a reflection of you and your business. Check that all your information is current including contact details and upcoming events. Ensure website links work. Keep content fresh and regularly post new articles to your blog. Ensure your business cards and logo match your website. They may be in need of a fresh new look. Have an email marketing plan in place or send out a newsletter on a regular basis. These materials leave a lasting impression about your company.

Time Frame: Marketing activities can either be scheduled in amongst Revenue Generating tasks throughout the week (for example, 1 hour twice per week). Or you may prefer to include these in a day entirely devoted to Business Development.

2) Networking – practice of gathering of contacts: the process or practice of building up or maintaining informal relationships, especially with people whose friendship could bring advantages such as job or business opportunities*

Suggested activities: Network regularly in person, via Social Media and Forums. Build relationships with fellow business owners in your industry and those in your target market. Meet regularly both online and in your community. Attend trade shows. Become actively involved in Social Media and Forums providing useful information to your contacts and group members.

Time Frame: Schedule in 30 minutes or less each morning to spend on Social Media sites and in Forums. This doesn’t seem like a lot of time but by being consistent you maintain an ongoing presence and build relationships. The same goes for networking events that you attend in person on a regular basis.

3) Training – acquiring of skill: the process of teaching or learning a skill or job*

Suggested activities: Are you keeping up with the latest technologies? Let’s face it, technology is changing on an ongoing basis and it’s not possible to know it all. Listen to your target market in your networking activities and find out what their needs are. Learn something new that provides a solution to their needs. Attend informational teleclasses to discover new trends that will help you serve your clients better. There are many resources to learn just about anything online (live or self-paced) or in a classroom setting. This applies to almost any industry. Even my hairstylist keeps up with new trends in her industry through teleseminars.

Time Frame: I have found it best to focus on training during my weekly Business Development day where I have longer stretches of time to concentrate without interruption.

Remember, when you devote time to Business Development you ensure the constant flow of business to your company. Keep current clients and attract new ones by allocating time in your schedule to maintain a professional image through your marketing efforts, cultivate your business relationships and add to your skill set. These all translate into opportunities to generate more revenue and live the life you love.

*source: Encarta dictionary