For anyone who is new to social media, the thought of using it in your business can be a bit overwhelming. However, it looks like social media will be around for a while, so if your business isn’t taking advantage of the opportunities that it offers, it is time to jump on the bandwagon and see the value for your business. With a little time, and some training, I hope to de-mystify social media … [Read more...]
Social Media Tips and Tricks for Newcomers
Has your business added social media to its content marketing strategy? Perhaps you are on the fence about participating, or maybe you have been active on social media but aren’t sure if you’re going about it correctly. Here are a few tips and tricks for those businesses already posting on social media, and perhaps some reason to convince other businesses to start the process: … [Read more...]
Help! I can’t Afford to Advertise!
As an Indianapolis marketing consultant, I encounter people while networking each week who would love to hire me. In fact, I often get comments such as "I'd love to hire you but I'm afraid I can't afford your services." I even heard this week, "You're worth every penny that you charge but I'm not at the level I need to be at in my business to pay for an outsourced marketing specialist." As a solo … [Read more...]
A Stress-Free Summer Vacation
As business owners, we often stress when we plan a week-long vacation or business trip, knowing that we will have to keep the business going in our absence. Here are some ways you can stress less and help your business run smoothly while you’re gone: Schedule your trip during down time: If possible, schedule your trip during a time when customers or vendors may not need you. Many … [Read more...]
Networking and the New Follow up
Networking and the New Follow Up Many business professionals attend local networking groups (such as the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, Kiwanis, or other professional associations) as a way of building business connections and staying involved in the community. Prior to the Internet, the only way to keep in touch with those professionals after an event was to send a note or letter, or pick up the … [Read more...]
Marketing and Basketball
Yes, we're currently in the middle of March Madness, where the best teams in college basketball compete for league and tournament championships. What a perfect time to talk about building your business. Actually, we can learn a lot from those basketball teams that have successful seasons, and win time after time. Here are a few ideas to help your business win: You have to play to win: You … [Read more...]
Twitter Tips for Insurance Agents (and Small Business Owners)
Note: I was fortunate enough to be asked to write an article for the Jan/Feb issue of Indiana Insurance News. This is the article which appeared there. I will also be publishing a future article for their Nov/Dec issue on De-Mystifying Social Media. If you’ve done some research and you know that your customers, vendors, prospects or influencers are using Twitter, it might make sense for … [Read more...]
Scheduling your company blogs to maintain consistency
As a marketer who helps my Indianapolis clients write content for their blogs, as well as their websites and social media, I find that my own website and blog often get neglected. As I write this, I am scrambling to finish up my work for the day before my first grader gets off the school bus and my evening begins. I'm sure that I'm not alone. As business owners, particularly solo-preneurs, we … [Read more...]
Could your company use some social media training?
Social Media Training: Don't be afraid to admit when you need help. One of the things I've discovered about small businesses in the Indianapolis area is that business owners like to be in control of their social media pages. Many of them like to post on behalf of their company, rather than outsource social media management to a company like AimFire Marketing. Either option is fine, as long as … [Read more...]
Lessons from Cold Calling
Over the past few weeks, I've been reaching out to business owners in the Indianapolis area to offer my copywriting services for their websites, blogs and social media accounts. I started with sending out targeted mailers, followed by email and phone call follow-ups. I've made a few observations which I thought I'd share on the topic of marketing your small business, and on communication in … [Read more...]