Jun 19
What are doing to grow your network on Facebook? You have to be careful not to be too aggressive in adding friends because Facebook will penalize you.
Would you like a few simple tips to grow your network by actually attracting people to you? Then, watch this video.
By the way, if you attend local networking events, seminars and conferences, you have a ready audience of people who want to connect and stay in touch!
Jun 17
Did you realize that most business owners struggle with communicating a clear, consistent message with customers and prospects?
It’s true!
For one reason or another, they fail to follow up and reach prospective customers.
As a result, they leave money on the table.
Some assume that they are communicating too much.What they forget is that most of their messages aren’t getting through.
People are bombarded with marketing messages everyday.
A simple way to reach people with a value-added messages by sending out an email newsletter.
You can send an email newsletter weekly or monthly,or just on an occasional basis. There are no rules.
You can follow a consistent format or change it up from time to time.
The best marketers use newsletters to develop trust and rapport, deliver content and promote their offers.
You can create a newsletter too!
Here are 3 quick tips to start your own newsletter:
1) Start each newsletter with a feature article
Create new content for your newsletter. You can easily a short article with about 150 to 200 words.
2) Create a template to re-use
Select the topics to cover and number the items. Add an index to make it easy for people to see what’s in your newsletter.
3) Send your email newsletter on a regular schedule
Get into the habit of sending out your newsletter based on a pre-set deadline. For example, send a monthly newsletter by the 5th of every month, or on the first Tuesday of every month. Stay on track. It’s too easy to miss the deadline.
Start filling in content in your newsletter 1-2 weeks before you need to send it out. It’s OK to work on several newsletters at the same time. You will feel more motivated to finish the task!
Use a plain text newsletter like I do, or use an html template to include images.
It’s your choice.
Get started today and you will reap the rewards!
Jun 12
There are many marketing strategies you can implement that create visibility online. One of the simplest strategies to implement that business owners often resist is to create videos. I want to share with you a powerful reason to create a video. You can educate potential customers and clients through this video. This is a great way to build trust and rapport!
Are you willing to create a video in the next 30 days and post it on YouTube? Watch this video now and get it done!
Jun 10
One of the most important decisions you can make in your online marketing efforts is to select a domain name. A lot rides on whether you pick a good domain. You want to make it memorable so people will remember it. You want it be keyword focused so that people searching on search engines will find it.
Will you have one domain or multiple? It’s common to select multiple domain names if you are trying to reach multiple niche markets.
Pick something that is either catchy or easy to remember. For example, the website “FunkyPigeon” did both. They created a memorable domain name that is also short and easy to remember. Stay clear of domain names that seem similar to your competitors. Having your business name within your domain name is a good idea, but failing that, you should try to add some reference to your trade.
Make your domain name easy to spell, and easy to say aloud so that people can speak about your domain name to their friends.
By the way, it’s hard to find a good two word website name anymore. In some cases, you may need to have a three or four word domain. Try to keep the words short to make it easier for people to remember and type in their browser.
May 21
Would you benefit from creating a series of videos that educate potential clients?
Absolutely! Yet, why do so few business owners actually take the time to create videos?
Some business owners are uncomfortable appearing on video. Others simply don’t know what to say.
Video is a great tool for promotion. I encourage you to create a 2-3 minute video and post it online on your YouTube Channel.
So, what should you share in a video? Share a tip, a strategy or a technique. Focus on adding value. Think about your ideal customers and what they would want to know.
Can you promote your business in a video?
In a short video, you don’t have much time. I would recommend you take 30 seconds at the end of the video to share a free offer. Or, if you prefer, you can ask people to visit one of your social media profiles. Deliver a clear, concise call to action and provide a website where you can go for more information.
Add an annotation on screen so that people can see the website address.
One person I know gives out her phone number on videos. It has created a steady stream of phone calls to her.
So, what’s holding you back from taking action and recording a video?
Here are 3 reasons that prevent people from recording videos:
1) People don’t like to see themselves on video
If you’re saying to yourself, “I don’t know what to say,” then don’t worry! If you attend networking events, people see you. If you get up and speak in public, people see you. What’s the difference on video? Oh, that’s right, you can see yourself. Well, get over it!
If you want to build your business, then you need to get outside of your comfort zone.
2) People don’t know what to say on a video
You need to spend time planning and preparing what to say in a video. I invest time several days a week brainstorming ideas I want to share with clients through articles, blog posts and videos. I review what I have created recently so I don’t duplicate content.
In fact, I have spreadsheet with a list of videos I have created in the past and ones I want to record in the future. Get organized! It helps.
At times, I repurpose content. I take content from my blog and then use it to create a script for a video. By the way, should you script your videos? Yes, but you can’t read a script when recording a video. You can have an outline handy in case you get stuck. But, you need to know your content well enough to share it on video.
Make sure that when you record a video, you look into the camera lens. That allows people to see your eyes just as if you were standing in front of them and talking to them. It builds trust and rapport.
3) People don’t know how to get started
Just focus on getting one video done first. Keep it simple. You don’t have to win an Academy Award for your first video. Just create something simple and post it to YouTube quickly. You will get better as time goes on.
If you want to commit to creating videos, then set a goal to create a monthly or weekly video. Make this a habit. By the way, be sure to share your videos on social media.
Watch one of my videos now.
I recorded a video on How to Build Trust and Rapport with People Online
Click here to watch the video on YouTube:
Apr 29
In today’s environment, online marketing is a critical component to achieve small business success.
You need to generate leads and earn sales online.
You need a free offer available on a Lead Capture Page.
You need sales pages to give people an opportunity to buy your products and services.
And you need to a method to get people to your sales page.
And you need one more thing…
An Information Product!
Let’s say you created an audio program and you shared high value content with listeners.
You could sell that Information Product on a sales page. Anyone who purchased the product would learn great ideas and information.
An Information Product can create a new source of revenue. Plus, it will position you as an expert and attract clients. You can also repurpose the content from your Information Product and use it to post content on your blog, write articles or create a free offer.
In addition, it provides a great way to build trust and rapport.
If you created an Information Product, what would you create? An audio program? A workbook? A DVD?
What topic would you write about?
Many of my clients have a message they want to share with the world.
What’s your message?
It’s time to monetize your content. It’s time to create an Information Product that will attract clients.
Do you have an idea for an Information Product?
Email me at rick(at)socialmediaoutcomes.com and share your idea.
I will send you an audio program with tips on how to create an information product.
Rick Cooper
Online Marketing and Social Media Trainer
Apr 24
Are you interested in leveraging the power of video in your business?
Here’s a simple idea: Create one video per month. Upload it to YouTube. Share it on social media.
If you can do more than that great. By making a commitment to create at least one video per month, it will allow you start leveraging this powerful tool to communicate your message and attract clients online.
To learn more about how to record videos, watch the video below…
Apr 22
The fact is that many small business owners are so busy just trying to get by that they do not consistently pursue their marketing.
That’s a mistake. It takes time to build momentum. And when you build momentum, you don’t want to lose it. But, how do you stay on top of your marketing when there is so much to do?
One simple solution is to automate some of your marketing efforts. You don’t have to automate all of your marketing, but anything you can implement will save you time and create momentum.
You can set up systems that will work for you even when you’re not working.
Here are 3 quick ways to automate your marketing:
1) Email autoresponders
Email marketing is one of the simplest and most cost effective strategies to communicate with customers and prospects. You should send email messages to your list on a regular basis. If you are not, then develop a strategy to start sending messages consistently.
A technique to automate your email marketing is to use autoresponders. This is a great way to leverage your time.
In fact, you can create an autoresponder series. You can send out messages on a specific interval over a period of time. This is a great way to build trust and rapport and it’s especially valuable in order to educate, communicate and share details about your business.
2) Lead capture pages
Many business owners lack enough prospects to build their business. If you want more prospects, then you need to more generate leads.
A great way to generate leads is to use a Lead Capture Page. This is a simple technique where you offer a free resource in exchange for someone’s contact information. To learn more about how to create a Lead Capture Page, click here.
3) Audio and video
What are you doing to leverage audio and video?
Do you realize how easy it is to just record content and post it on the internet? If you are not doing it today, it’s probably because you just haven’t realized how valuable this strategy is.
It’s time to break outside of your comfort zone and take action. Each of these strategies takes time to implement up front but then yield resultsin the long run.
If you want to create more leverage throughonline marketing, then start asking yourself the following question…
“What can I do this month to automate my marketing?”
Brainstorm, strategize and take action.
Rick Cooper
Online Marketing and Social Media Trainer
Apr 19
It is critical that you select keywords that will improve your Search Engine Optimization (SEO). You want to leverage Google to attract new clients online.
Social Media Expert Robert Velarde, Co-Founder of Successful Thinkers, recorded a great video sharing foundational principles for selecting keywords for your website.
Watch this video to learn tips and strategies to get more traffic online:
Apr 17
Online video is a great tool to help attract clients. It doesn’t have to be complicated to create videos. Keep it simple. Create short 2-3 minute videos and post them on YouTube.
If you don’t already have a YouTube Channel, go ahead and create one now. Remember that Google owns YouTube so you will need a Google Account. You can use an existing account or set up a new one.
So, what should you share in a video? Share a tip, a strategy or a technique. Focus on adding value. Think about your ideal customers and what they would want to know.
Watch the video below to learn 3 Reasons to Create an Online Video:
Connect with me Online: