The Easy Way to Add Facebook Visibility to Your Website

Facebook has been in the news a lot lately. They were slammed about the, “privacy settings” well that is all done now and they have given us back our control on our privacy. I have to say that Facebook on a whole listens to its public, they make mistakes or leaps that are not progress to us but in the long run they go back and modify it so everyone is happy once again, or at least the majority.

Facebook has developed a “script” you can add to your website that will show a “LIKE” button adding this button to your website allows your readers to click on it, activates a count on that page along with notifies the “readers” facebok page/profile” that they liked this page! How great is that! Advertising you cannot pay for!!! The secret is writing posts that give value or a website that is useful to the visitor!! You can do it! You can find the instructions for adding this button to your website at http://developers.facebook.com/docs/reference/plugins/like OR if you are like me and LOVE wordpress you can log into your plug in area and search for the plug in called WP FB Like – you can simply install it there! (be sure to check the settings when you install it)

Google Calendars They are AWESOME!

I am HUGE on calendaring things! I currently use Google Calendar. It is Free. It has collaboration qualities. It will sync with Outlook (if I needed it to). It will sync with Blackberry and an iPhone well there’s an app for that! The Google Calendar allows me to create several different calendars on one account – I can share just one of the several or I can share all of them with an assistant or business partner or my husband. The calendars are color coded – one color is Clients, once color is Personal, one color is Meetings and so on (I have 6 total) this allows me at a glance to see where my time is spent in addition to see all of my commitments and make sure there is no overlapping! WONDERFUL! There is a task list you can have right on the side, you can have multiple time zones accounted for in your view and even a world clock! The calendar is VERY easy to use and I mean EASY! It will even email you a daily agenda every morning if you would like! I love FREE tools and especially ones that work! If you have any questions on how to set a calendar up, what is the best way to organize them or even more about how to use them – feel free to contact us using the “contact” page.

Blogging Become the “Yapper” of the Internet and GET NOTICED!

In March of two years ago I did an article on “Why Blog??” I wanted to take a bit to revisit this idea.. blogging is getting more and more attention! We have all heard of Twitter, right? And if you have not – call me you MUST know what it is!! Twitter is a micro-blog and it is taking over! Static websites are becoming less and less featured by Google and other search engines because they are just that “Static” no movement, no growth, no sharing of new content! Of course you can pay for placement on Google and the others, but have you earned it? Are you sharing information?? Blog sites can be combined with the information from your static site it will just have a “blog” page that will be updated with information hopefully every week. I have a client, Casey Eberhart, that coaches people on “The Art of Networking” to build your reputation, your presence and your business (www.theidealnetworker.com) – his key point is, at a networking event is to find the “Yapper” (the person talking a lot, visiting a lot and making a point to be out there) well think of your blog site as the “Yapper” of the internet.. how is yours doing? In the next few weeks I am going to go over key reasons why to blog and some ideas of what you can blog about… I look forward to sharing this information with you and hope to create a lot of “Santa Clarita Bloggers” out there to build their businesses!

Branding…Are You Paying Attention to Your Branding & Marketing? Part Seven

Most people use electronic mailers to keep their clients/prospects updated throughout the year. Some are sent weekly, monthly or even quarterly. Popular programs are Constant Contact (very user friendly), their shopping cart program (helps keep their list together in one place), aWeber (offers the ability to have a structured autoresponder created) – if you have any questions about these feel free to call me. BUT what I want to talk to you about is Old Fashion Letters and Cards.. do you do that too or not at all?

• Old Fashion Mailings still work!: Now that I have said that – let me clarify, I am not speaking of the old fashion advertising mailers that just promote your business but the old fashion connecting mailings – letters and cards! There is a service that I have found to be a viable tool in my (and several client’s businesses too), SendOutCards. It allows you to pick from over 15,000 cards or create your own with your own logo or pictures! Reach out and touch your clients/prospects just because – touch them and ask about them do not advertise! Rebuild or Continue that relationship. We are all overwhelmed by emails and they are not personal! We are all guaranteed bills in the mail – why not send someone a smile in the mail and give them a card to brighten their day!! It makes a HUGE difference. Check it out and send 4 cards on me for free! Promise no hassles just an introduction to a great tool!! – click on the banner SEND FREE BRANDING/MARKETING messages and set up your free account!

Personal touches are so important – we need to get back into the habit of reminding people (friends, family, business connections) how important they are. We need to get back to “Relationships” with our clients and prospects! I hope you have gotten some nuggets out of this series!

Branding…Are You Paying Attention to Your Branding & Marketing? Part Six

Now that you are getting all of your branding and materials together with BIG in mind, start working on image – remember when you were going to review your website? Do you have testimonials on it? These can be done in written form (add a pic), audio form (add a pic) as well as video form! Testimonials or Endorsements are the BEST way to gain credibility! People do business with people they can trust – by having recommendations and endorsements from your community members makes you one someone can trust!

• Don’t be shy, just ask!: I am sure you know of people that have or are using your product or services. Are they happy with what they get? I am sure they are if they are coming back for more. Ask a few of them for testimonials, be sure to show them some samples of other ones so that they know what you are looking for.. change it up and do one in writing, do one on a conference call line so you can download the mp3, and meet someone for a coffee and take your “flip” camera and record one – it will be fun and you will also get to see the fruits of your efforts!

Branding Branding Branding – just remember if people are doing testimonials for you, take a moment and create a testimonial for them as well!

Branding…Are You Paying Attention to Your Branding & Marketing? Part Five

Planning for BIG in your business is not just about getting your vision in-line, your logo set, and your visibility out there it also has to do with getting rid of bad habits! Most of us know all about the clients we take on that are our friends, or referrals that came to us from special connections and we feel obligated to do our services at a lower price that what we advertise…no to mention what big businesses are doing in their marketing of products and services: businesses have set it up as a whole by inflating prices just to in turn offer a discounted price (which really is the actual price they wanted in the first place) and we the consumer feel like we are getting a deal.. wrong! And by doing this everyone now expects to get a “deal” on the posted price – scary! Stay consistent with your pricing and do not under-value your services or products!

• Discontinue to Service the “Break Even” Customers: While you are out there increasing your sales or client intake with these types of clients/customers you are NOT increasing your profits. You need to stop marketing to unprofitable clients/customers and you will have more time and resources for clients/customers that actually grow your business. Pay attention and keep strong about the value you offer you will attract those that truly respect and appreciate you and your services!

Need help with your marketing? Find a Virtual Assistant that specializes in Marketing…

Branding…Are You Paying Attention to Your Branding & Marketing? Part Three

While focusing on your message and your plans.. how BIG are you planning for? Your dream of what you become should not be limited! A lot of times we limit ourselves and our growth simply by fear, fear of success. We are all warned of the “nay sayers” that run in our circles but we do not normally get warned to watch out for ourselves. We can single handedly crush our own dreams and plans.. do not stop yourself! GO BIG!

• Go Big or Don’t Show Up! Start small with a single mission – one that can be built on! Get your first product, line of service or store open and begin to firm up the foundation up. Once you have a following begin to venture out with another product, service or another store – remember large corporations like Coke started with one product and grew to over 450 brands – again look at Campbell, General Mills, McDonalds and so on – it all starts with one product but also with one BIG Dream!

There are Virtual Assistants that are niched in marketing and branding, if you are interested in meeting a VA in the niche please feel free to contact me and I am happy to make some connections.

Branding… Are You Paying Attention to Your Branding & Marketing? Part Two

So following up from last week, I hope you have your “first impression” down on paper.. does it fall in line with what you want your message and business to be all about? If not I will give you some information on branding and marketing I have found to be useful tips in hopes to help you get where you want to be ~ if it was right on the money, maybe some of these tips will add to your process you have out there already..

• Keep your Branding Strong! Define what your message is, what is it people will get from your product of services. Something like Coca Cola, it is built around fun, youthful times and carefree days.. Campbell’s Soup is built around comfort and health. It is clear by the slogan and their promotions what they are branding. Work on your slogan – come up with a few today. Post them on your wall, bathroom mirror or in your car where you can revisit them until one sticks out. Share with someone you trust and get their opinion.. see where this guides you.

There are Virtual Assistants that work with marketing and branding as their primary field of assistance, if you are interested in meeting a VA in the niche please feel free to contact me and I am happy to make some connections.

Branding…Are You Paying Attention to Your Branding & Marketing?

Large successful corporations know how important branding is to their business. As small businesses, either wanting to stay small or wanting to go huge, we know how important branding is but do we give it enough focus, time and weight in how we build our structure and marketing plans? I say no.. what do you say? I am going to go over some key tools to Branding and Marketing over the next few weeks.. since we are at the end of 2009 it is a great time to review what you have and if you see the need to launch something more solid, cleaner, and maybe even more focused in the new year…

Let’s begin by taking inventory of what you have – get out an image of your logo if you have one, print the home page of your website, collect your advertisements and promotions together and type up your slogan – on liner (if you network also type out your “elevator speech”. With all of these in one location review each one and write out your first impression after you look at it or listen to it. It helps to get a couple other people to give you feed back AND also read your info to you so you HEAR it not go over what you wrote – pin pointing your impressions is the first start.

There are Virtual Assistants that work with marketing and branding as their primary field of assistance, if you are interested in meeting a VA in the niche please feel free to contact me and I am happy to introduce you to them.

How Big is Your Bowl?

I know when I ask that question and everyone thinks of the size of their candy bowl they had for Halloween that is not what I am referring to. I am referring to your “life, experience and business” bowl! Take a plant for instance, you purchase plants to decorate your home or office with from stores like Home Depot and they are in 2 inch pots. It is recommended for it to continue to grow that you change out the pot and replant it in a slightly bigger one and then do it again for the plant to be able to grow bigger and bigger. OK, see the similarities? The plant (and fish are the same way) need a change of surroundings along with a bigger location to continue to grow. It cannot grow to its full size if you keep it cooped up in the same small habitat! Now relate this analogy to you and your business. Are you networking in the same groups you have been for years? Are you holding onto all of the “needed to be done” tasks for yourself to do? Open up your bowl size… reach out to new groups whether it be social networking on the internet with Facebook, LinkedIn and so on or meeting with a new networking group – find a 5 Minute Networking event – they are great! For those tasks that are holding you back from getting more work because you cannot keep up with what you have, hire an assistant whether it be in your office or a virtual assistant. The cost of paying an assistant will be more than covered when you have opened your bowl up for growth and more business comes in!

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