Clients Wanting and Needing More Specialized Services and Virtual Assistants Specializing
Creator:
Published:05/20/2011 04:11pm
In early 2008 we noticed a trend developing when it came to online based business owners who were looking for Virtual Assistants. Many needed help with the 'typical' types of services that VAs help with. But others wanted additional, more advanced support. The problem was not many VAs were trained, skilled and able to support these areas.Here are some of the specialty areas I'm referring to: affiliate management video and podcasting blog customizationShould you specialize? Depending on who your target market is should help you determine if and what you services you should offer.So thinking back to who your target market...
Why do we believe the Big Fat Lies about Internet Marketing?
Published:05/18/2011 07:39pm
As you may know, I am on a MISSION to shine a great big TRUTH spotlight on all the Big Fat Lies youre most likely telling yourself about Internet Marketing right now.However, I can only do so much.I can tell you what the truth is. And you may even believe it. (In your head that is.)But then, come the darkest part of the night, youll wake up in a sweat. And youll be thinking: What if Michele is wrong? What if the reason why Im having so much trouble succeeding on the Internet really IS all about me?During the day its...
Marketing a Service Business with No Marketing Budget
Published:05/18/2011 03:03pm
Marketing a service business will inquire an investment of your time and financial resources. What if you don't have a lot of money to spend on marketing? Now what? Does that mean you simply cannot market your service business and your only hope is waiting on the sidelines for someone to hire you? Not at all! Today is the day you learn that marketing a service business with a minimal budget is not only possible, it's easier than you think.One of the first steps in marketing a service business is to get your branding in place. Make sure your business name,...
Italian Craftsmanship: The Dying Art of Italian Woven Leather Bags
Published:05/16/2011 09:54am
The use of fashionable handbags dates back for centuries. Catherine de Medici inadvertently pushed her home city of Florence to the forefront of the leather market when she arrived in Paris in the mid 1500s to marry the French King Henry II. She carried her dowry in seamlessly handcrafted leather boxes. However, the love affair with style as well as utility truly began in the late 1800 early 1900's with the change of hemlines, womens rights, and worldwide events. The European market responded quickly to this fashion request. Many important modern day designers made their debuts, and their...
Author Claims Natural Spaces Hold the Key to Better Lives and Richer Relationships
Published:05/15/2011 03:51pm
Open-Air Parenting Book Wins Literary Award: Author Claims Natural Spaces Hold the Key to Better Lives and Richer Relationships 'Every Natural Fact: Five Seasons of Open-Air Parenting' wins the highest literary award in Outdoor Writing bestowed by the Council of Wisconsin Writers for its fusion of nature writing and parenting themes. Children spend less time in nature than ever before. Jenkins offers you a step by step look at the joys of wandering natural places. Go along. On May 14th 2011 the Council for Wisconsin Writers presented the Ellis / Henderson Award for Outdoor writing to Amy Lou Jenkins for her...
10 Questions You Need to Ask About Change Of Control Provisions
Published:05/13/2011 09:35pm
ACTUAL CASE HISTORY: Thomas, 51, was the Chief Operating Officer of a New England-based manufacturer of electronic switches used primarily in the defense industry. He'd been recruited to the position three years earlier from a large defense contractor that was a large customer of the company. Though the company was publicly owned, with its shares traded on a major exchange, most of the company's stock rested in the hands of the grandchildren of the company's original founder.Prodded by the grandchildren, who felt their holdings were underachieving, the company's Board of Directors retained an investment banking firm to consider various "strategic alternatives."...
2 Ways Virtual Assistants Can Provide VALUE In the Area of ECommerce
Published:05/10/2011 10:47pm
There are hundreds of ways a Virtual Assistant can provide value to his/her clients - for the purpose of this article, I'd like to focus on two simple ways a VA can provide value in the area of eCommerce.eCommerce is at the core of an online based business. It connects everything in the business together - from the website, to products, programs and services as well as to the blog, social media, affiliates, joint venture partners and more. Without eCommerce an online business would not exist.So when a Virtual Assistant can come in and take care of several pieces on their...
Writing For Positive emotional Health
Published:05/10/2011 02:08pm
"Stop Momma, stop. I'm burning up, I'm on Fire". This was to be the title of my first book when I first decided to write it back in 1992. It refers to the episode when my mother had each of my four brothers hold a limb as I lay across her bed, and she proceeded to beat me 'till I urinated and defecated. At that point, she beat me even harder because I had now soiled her bed and linen. I was six or seven years old then.I said this WAS to have been the title, because, at the onset of...
The Long & Short of It ~ Long Copy Versus Short Copy
Published:05/09/2011 04:31pm
Copy (the written part of any marketing material) is the secret to sales success. So, is long copy or short copy more effective? The answer is both are effective when well written. Publishers Clearinghouse wouldnt send out long sales letters if they didnt work and coincidentally, newspapers wouldnt sell small space ads if no results were seen. Bottom line, its the copy inside the ads that makes the difference.As a marketer its important to realize that there will be a difference of opinion from consumers regarding what is more effective (this mostly depends on where they are in the decision...
9 Elements to Help Your Copy Connect With Your Ideal Customers
Published:05/09/2011 04:23pm
When writing marketing, advertising and promotional copy, there are specific formulas to increase response and effectiveness. Since your copy truly is the secret to sales success its important to familiarize yourself with the formula even if you arent writing long copy. Heres why: There is a psychological process that readers go through regardless of copy length and regardless of reading preference ie: analytical reader who dives into all the copy or scanner who glances at the key points and quickly makes a buying decisions.Knowing the formula for creating a sales letter will help you connect with your ideal client. Regardless of...
How to Share Your Expertise and Get More Website Traffic
Published:05/09/2011 04:06pm
Article Marketing is here to stay. In fact, its one of the quickest ways to gain notoriety on the web, get picked up in various publications, increase eZine (electronic newsletter) subscriptions and boost the Ive heard about you somewhere factor.When looking for no cost and low cost ways to market your business both online and offline, article marketing should be part of your mix. I challenge you to take it a step further and create an overall content strategy. Heres what I mean by that. Often entrepreneurs will put together a basic marketing plan. Of course, this is better than no...
Press Release Basics For Internet Publicity Or Mainstream Media Submission
Published:05/09/2011 03:42pm
Once youve determined that you have something to say to the press or specific online prospects, youll want to issue a press release or news release in accordance to your overall press release strategy. Press releases are relatively simple to write. However, there is a specific formula that you must use or you could damage your credibility. Plus, it cannot be sales-y. Your press release must actually contain news, which by definition is previously unknown information.Many media outlets prefer 2-3 weeks advance notice to cover an event. At the same time, the Internet has greatly changed the way releases are...
Small Business Marketing Is Easier Than You Think
Published:05/09/2011 03:30pm
Small business marketing is not only necessary to your success as an entrepreneur, it's easier than you think. Statistics say your small business has a 1 in 6 chance of survival, but without effective, ongoing marketing, your odds are far less than that. Utilize proven small business marketing strategies that will let you spread the word about your business quickly and get in front of the right people.Small business marketing can seem like a big task. After all, big corporations have entire departments devoted to nothing other than marketing, so what can you do with a one-woman (or one-man) show? The...
What Customers Really Want & Why Finding the RIGHT Copywriter Matters
Published:05/09/2011 03:11pm
Lets take a closer look at what savvy consumers want and respond to. Pay close attention to these emerging trends. These are trends I predicted in 2009 and they are rapidly changing the way we do business. Youll want to adjust your marketing messages to keep up by incorporating authenticity and true voice.AuthenticityIts absolutely vital to be authentic and to keep it real. Although I believe the word authentic is being overused and by some marketers who really arent, this is still an important component to your overall message. Copywriters (the really good copywriters) and consumers alike demand truth. Its becoming...
How Your Story and The Stories Your Clients Tell Will Help Your Business
Published:05/09/2011 03:02pm
Its all about a good story. AND what makes a good story stick is TRUTH. Authenticity, true voice, and focused messaging come as a result of powerful storytelling. Storytelling is not a new technique but its being used in new ways. Consumers are now savvier than ever, and they want to know who theyre doing business with. The must know, like and trust you to invest their hard earned dollars.Its not enough to have a strong brand anymore. Your brand is still vital and important element of relationship building but it must be supported with your voice to the right people...
