My good friend and colleague, Patrice Rhoades-Baum has graciously provided another great article, this time on how to select a great domain name. Along with my artist associates, she’s done a fantastic job helping several of my clients transform their websites into powerful marketing tools—check this one out: (www.ClearPictureLeadership.com) , and I learned first hand she knows her stuff. By Patrice Rhoades-Baum Copyright © 2008 Having a hardworking domain name for your website helps you clearly communicate with your prospects and clients. A great domain name makes it easy for prospects and clients to find your website, communicates something specific about your…
Can a bad economy put a dent in your sales? Sara, a colleague of mine, thought so as she watched her sales decline during the last six months. Like most of us, Sara has heard the news reports suggesting that we are in a recession. She wondered if the reason her sales are down is the bad economy. I asked if she had recently cut back on her advertising and marketing, and if she was using relationship marketing to promote her business. “Yes, I am pulling in the purse strings and limiting my expenses,” Sara replied. I asked if she…
Have you ever asked yourself why a competitor’s business gets more attention than yours? The answer just may have to do with the elements that go into how memorable the business is. And that has to do with branding. Specifically visual branding. Do you remember what I wrote last month about branding? Think of branding as predefining what a company is all about in the minds of its clients. Good branding differentiates your products and services in a positive way that really sticks in the minds of potential customers. Last month I explained how your logo is the first visual…
Have you ever asked yourself why a competitor’s business gets more attention than yours? The answer just may have to do with the elements that go into how memorable the business is. And that has to do with branding. Specifically visual branding keys. But exactly what is branding, anyway? Think of branding as predefining what a company is all about in the minds of its clients. Good branding differentiates your products and services in a positive way that really sticks in the minds of potential customers. Let’s say you are getting ready to run errands on a busy Saturday morning,…
When you own your own business, there’s never a dull moment. That’s why I wrote Turn Eye Appeal Into Buy Appeal. It’s the do-it-yourself graphic design handbook that makes marketing your business as easy as 1-2-3. There are some projects, though, where it pays to hire a graphic designer. When it’s time to hire a graphic designer, these 5 essential tips can save you a lot of time and money: 1) Figure out if you can do it yourself If you are not a professional graphic designer, you could spend days — even weeks — to make a brochure or…
My guest writer today is award-winning writer and editor, Barbara McNichol. As writers, we can get caught up in an idea or feel particularly attached to a word or phrase. Our writing can suffer as a result. When editing your own manuscript, dare to be brutally honest with yourself. To help you, here’s a list of tips and techniques for steering clear of common pitfalls and strengthening your manuscript along the way. An editor will ask these questions: Is every word, phrase, sentence, paragraph, section, and chapter necessary? Is the message clearly understood? Can your ideas be expressed more simply? Miracles do…
You’re ready to begin—or think you are. You can efficiently design a marketing project by following these five steps. Whether you do it all yourself or hire professional help, your project will go through these five stages. Step 1 — Organize, Plan, Budget First, set the budget and deadline for your project. Your budget includes all or some of the following: writing, designing, editing, proofreading, illustrations, photography or stock imagery, choosing the right paper, printing, folding, binding, labeling, and distributing. Everything that goes into making the printed piece comes under the term “production.” To determine various production deadlines, start with the…
My guest writer today is Nancy Marmolejo, “The Visibility Expert.” You may remember she interviewed me on November 14th for a teleseminar on one-sheets. Today she will share with us why you should market yourself as an expert. With the phenomenal rise of media outlets such as cable TV, online networks, blogs, podcasts, and more, never before has the demand for quality information been higher. From magazine publishers to bloggers, expert opinion is needed to provide valuable content for listeners, readers, and web surfers. As a business owner, you can easily become a recognized expert by taking what you already…