Friday, May 13th, 2011
Building a massive following online is no easy task. But before you give up on your company blog due to the disappointing number of people who read and comment on it, here are 3 reasons to reconsider:
Search Engine Optimization. If for no other reason, blogging weekly about a particular topic will work wonders for your search engine optimization. Make sure your blog entries frequently include the keywords that people are likely use when searching for your services online, but avoid spamming the blog (overusing the words). There’s no scientific percentage here; just don’t repeat them so often that your writing seems unnatural to your readers.
Free PR. The media is constantly surfing the web for content and for experts who can provide content and commentary. All it takes is one reporter to find you online and you could get tons of free publicity. You can bolster your chances of getting mentioned by writing about current events in the world or local news. For example, if you sell insurance and a hurricane or other natural disaster hits your town, you should blog about useful tips for people submitting claims to their insurance agents or how to determine how much insurance you should have, etc.
Indirect Selling. Writing stories about projects you are working on, clients you’re serving or case studies is a great way to showcase your expertise and “indirectly” sell services. Of course, you can also use your blog for new product or service launches and get direct input from clients and prospects on new products and services they want to see.
Monday, November 1st, 2010
My good buddy, Pam Snell, shared the following with me via email and I thought it was awesome and I would like to share it with you.
This was written by Bernie Heine, Professional Business Coaches, Inc.
——————————————–
Are you struggling with how to make your business more profitable? Are you frustrated with working long hours and still overwhelmed with so much to do and so little time? Are you confused about what it will take to actually succeed in your business even though you are passionate about it? The truth is, as a business owner there are seven critical mistakes you may be making that are holding you back.
The first critical mistake many business owners make is not having a clear vision. A clear vision is your strategic intent for your business; the clearer the vision, the stronger the strategic intent. Take a look at your vision for your business, do you have one? If not, it’s time to create a vision or reevaluate the one you have.
The second critical mistake is not understanding that your business is a direct reflection of you. T. Harv Eker a best selling author says “How you do anything is how you do everything.” Consider improving yourself through books on leadership, courses on personal management, tools of time management and organization, or having a coach, mentor or by joining a mastermind group. Any of these options can help improve yourself and will have a positive impact on your business.
The third critical mistake is assuming that enthusiasm and passion for your business is enough. Ever wonder why some businesses are very successful and others fail? Business success is not random, it happens by design. Two key skill sets are needed, one being your talent, enthusiasm and passion and the other being business acumen. If you do not understand the skills of successful business practice you are just a technician in a job. Look at professional athletes and singers for example. They have a lot of talent but they also are continuous learners and work with the world’s best trainers and coaches to constantly improve their skills.
The fourth critical mistake is not understanding the value of connections. They often judge activities or events as to whether there will be an immediate return on investment. With that in mind business owners miss valuable connections, resources, introductions and strategic alliances. Business owners are often too busy IN their business and miss the opportunities around them.
The fifth critical mistake is trying to be all things to all people. Many business owners make the fatal assumption that if they too narrowly define their market they will lose business. In actuality a business should directly address its clearly defined target market. This allows the business to be an expert, have credibility and get referrals. Make your business stand out from the crowd, show dramatic differences versus your competition, lead your defined niche and charge more money.
The sixth critical mistake business owners make is suffering from “it’s easier to do it myself” syndrome. Keynote speaker Patricia Fripps says: “There is no sense in doing well, that which you shouldn’t be doing at all”. Learn to outsource and focus your efforts on those things that you do best.
The final critical mistake is not understanding the importance of systemizing and what that really means. Systems save valuable energy, create consistency, save time and build credibility. Key areas to have good systems are marketing, sales, customer service, human resource, finance and administration.
It’s time now for you as a business owner to take action. Identify one critical mistake that you are making; you cannot change what you do not acknowledge. Once identified, set a path to improve results immediately. Will you take that step?
——————————————
Thank you Pam!
