More Than A Few Words

  During a multi year research study Hazel Walker and Frank De Raffele, Jr made some surprising discoveries about  the role gender plays a role in networking activities.    Their results are published in the book Business Networking and Sex.  We were lucky to have them join us for a lively conversation on Valentines Day a few years ago.

What is the Linkedin Blitz?  It is a concentrated 30 day program to improve your results on LinkedIn.  Does it work?  I gave it a try a few years ago and I think it made me a real fan. 

Do you know if you are making good marketing choices? If not, it’s time to get serious.  Download our FREE bundle of marketing budget tools. When you do, you’ll learn all you need to know to make good marketing decisions where and when to spend your marketing dollars. Don’t spend another penny until you download our budget bundle!

People don't become customers overnight.  It is an ongoing process which often begins with a visit to your website. 

Thanksgiving is in November and Christmas is in December, right?  Well if you are in retail or hospitality your planning for these important months starts way before the weather gets cold.  Tune in for a few tips on how to get your holiday marketing kicked off now. 

There are lots of things to keep track of when you try to improve your SEO.  In this episode we focus on the basics every small business owner should know. 

Our digital specialist Leisha Jenkins had some easy to follow advice for anyone planning a social media strategy.   For more information check out the companionblog post

Sales begin with pain.  Customers come to you when they are not happy about something.  It is your job to figure out what is causing pain and show them how your product can make the pain go away.    This short program is from our archive and features Lorraine's former sales coach, Matt Nettleton. 

A good inbound marketing strategy involves getting customers to your website, offering them something they want, and receiving their contact information in exchange for your resources. Landing pages and lightboxes are two tools used to gather customer information, but they have stark differences. How do you know which one is right for your strategy and how do you use conversion rate optimization to get more customer data?

Whether you enjoyed the big game or felt your gut sink in the final moments, this year's Bowl was packed with big budget ads. Some were funny, some were sad, and all of them were expensive. Were they all smart advertising choices? We weigh in with our opinions.

When you sell home services like carpet cleaning, roofing, or plumbing you rarely have a chance to play on your own turf. The sales pitch is almost always in the customers house, where they are most comfortable and you are a little off balance.   So how do you level the playing field?  A little information goes a long way.   

What if you never had to find another new client ever again?  Sound too good to be true?   If you adopt a Customer for Life strategy you might discover you don't need as many new clients as you think, as the ones you have come back time and time again, and bring their friends. 

There was a time when your home page needed to contain all that you did.  The format was much like the front page of a newspaper with a series of article snippets with links to learn more.  But the trend has shifted.  Today, the most effective home pages are designed to lead visitors to the right place with one strong call to action   This week our brief podcast focuses on what your home page should look like and what should you change.

If you were going to build a building you would start with the Groundwork. The same is true for your 2015 marketing plan. Whether you are a relatively new business or a company with a long history, it is good to stop and check your foundation as the new year begins. Here’s a list of what your marketing groundwork should include:   Discover how our new Groundwork Sessions can help you strengthen your foundation.

It is not enough to have a broad plan for your business. You need to have specific, measurable goals which you can translate into action.

How are you going to reach your goals this year? You could hire us to write your marketing plan, but then what?  You’ld have a well written document but unfortunately, the real work – figuring out how to implement it would still be ahead of you. We think there is a better way for business owners who want to be actively involved in creating and executing their strategy. Introducing Groundwork Sessions A six month program which includes equal parts training, group coaching, one on one consulting, and the hands on practice you need to build your marketing plan.

We have been talking to quite a few business owners lately who are excited about starting their new business.  Unfortunately, it seems as if they haven't done their homework.  There doesn't seem to be a plan other than opening and selling.  To us, that seems like a recipe for failure.

What type of marketing will you be doing a week or month from now? What about in six months? How will your different marketing activities work together to drive sales? If you can’t answer those questions, you need a marketing calendar. This simple one-page document is a great tool to help you stay on track with your marketing all year long. No matter how big or small your marketing budget is, a well-organized calendar will help you save time, lower costs, track progress and ultimately increase the effectiveness of your marketing efforts. Want a content calendar of your own? Download one here   Online Form - Content Calendar

Looking to jump start your business idea with a little capital infusion? With online fundraising tools like Kickstarter or Indiegogo, it is easier than ever to raise the money your need.