Nov 24

Attraction Marketing Secrets: How to Use your Blog to Attract Clients

Posting to a blog is a great way to attract clients. The internet is an amazing source of information and you can provide value by writing a blog and sharing your expertise.

People often turn to blogs because they contain specialized information. You can build an audience and attract clients if you post quality content that educates and informs people.

So, how do you get started with a blog? Here are a few quick ideas that will help you get started.

1. Select a theme and a title

A blog is a communication tool. It allows you the capability to share information that other people will find useful. In order to create a resource that people will come back to, you need to limit the topics you write about. You need to select a theme.

You also need to select a title for your blog. And you should consider using the title for the website domain or url.

2. Choose a design

Writing consistently to a blog can position you as an expert. It can help to increase your visibility. It can also help you to establish strong relationships with influential bloggers.

One of the ways you can communicate your expertise is to use a professional design for your blog. Many of the online blogging tools like Typepad offer a variety of professional templates. For a more customized design you can find a WordPress designer who can create a customized design for you. Another tool you can use is Blogger. It’s simple and easy to use.

I use both Typepad and WordPress. I love Typepad. I can create as many blogs as I want. WordPress is flexible, but it’s a pain to have to debug the code at times.

A Blog is a Communication Tool that Allows you Attract Clients!

3. Add navigation options

One of the unique characteristics of a blog is the ability to sort and categorize posts by category or period (day, week, month).

Many blogging tools will allow you to create tabs with different content. This makes the blog more like a traditional website.

4. Write blog posts

One of the most challenging aspects of creating a blog is to actually post content over time. Many people create blogs but few actually post content to their blogs consistently over time.

One of the ways to simplify this process is to create a routine and create an ongoing series of posts on a topic. This is similar to the way newspapers have columns, a daily or weekly article on a topic.

For example, this blog post is part of a series of blog posts I wrote for an ebook. I wrote the ebook and now am posting to my blog one at a time. This also gives me the opportunity to optimize each post before I publish the ebook.

5. Add an opt-in box

One of the reasons to create a blog is the ability to generate leads. You can use a blog to generate leads by adding an opt-in box and offering a free resource people can opt-in to receive.

Starting a blog is a great way to share information that provides value and positions you as an expert. Select a theme that will attract attention and that you’re passionate about.

Post content to your blog consistently. Repurpose content from articles, teleseminars and classes. You will demonstrate your expertise. You will build a following. You will attract clients who want to work with you! Happy blogging!

Rick Cooper
Online Marketing and Social Media Trainer

Nov 22

Success Secrets: Set Goals to Accomplish Amazing Results

Target GoalsIf you want to accomplish amazing results, then you need to set goals. This is one of the single best ideas to building a successful business. You get what you focus on. And goals allow you to focus on moving forward in your business.

There are few other strategies as powerful as writing down your goals for what you want to accomplish. Set goals. Remember the ABCs of goal setting. Goals should be Achievable, Believable and Conceivable.

A goal is a dream with a deadline. So, make sure goals have a deadline.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself: What are your goals? What’s your most important goal? What are you doing to accomplish it?

Where are your goals? Here’s another quick tip for you. Write your goals in your journal. This is a great place to keep your goals.

Focus on your Goals Every Day!

I have a challenge for you. I encourage you to read your goals at least once a week. And ideally, read them daily.

This will accelerate your performance and increase your results.

Sep 17

Leverage the Power of Intention – Part 1

Power of Intention

The Power of Intention is a powerful force that can help you massively increase your results! Are you ready to set powerful intentions?

What do you intend to do? Do you usually accomplish what you intend to do or do you fall short? Intentions are powerful. It’s a mistake to set intentions and fail to follow through. It diminishes your personal power.

So, what is an intention? An intention is a desire for things to be a certain way or for you to act in a certain way. The amazing thing is that if you believe and have faith in your intentions, they will often come true in a mysterious or magical way. This is due in Iarge part to the law of attraction.

Start Small – Set an Intention to Have a Cup of Coffee!

When should you set intentions? Intentions can be set on a daily basis. You can start small and work your way up. For instance, you could have an intention to have a cup of coffee. That will lead you through a series of steps to obtaining that cup of coffee. But, it started with the intention.

In Part 2 of this post, I’ll share how to set powerful intentions!

Set an intention now to learn more.

Rick Cooper
Sales & Marketing Success Coach

Sep 14

Attraction Marketing Secrets: 5 Simple Steps to Write an Article that Attracts Clients

Article Writing TipsOne of the best ways to attract clients is by positioning yourself as an expert. To gain recognition, you need to demonstrate your knowledge as an expert. One of the techniques you can use is to write articles.

You can write articles and post them on the internet to attract clients. You can post the article on article directories on the internet. You can include a byline with a link to drive traffic to a web page, blog or lead capture page.

So, what are the steps to write an article?

1. Select a topic

What topic should you select? If you’re not sure where to start, brainstorm a list of potential topics. Select 5-10 topics you feel you could write an article about. Then, pick one and get started. You may find it helpful to write several articles at a time. Once you get into a rhythm, it’s easy to continue writing a few more articles.

2. Create a title

A title helps to refine the content for the article. Create a title early in the process. You can always change the title later. The title of an article is critical. You need to grab the attention of a reader and draw them into the article. The title of an article should be about 5-10 words. It should clearly identify the content of the article and it should imply a benefit to reading the article. You can also create a subtitle. You should also use keywords to increase search engine optimization (SEO).

3. Draft an outline

You may feel comfortable simply starting to write the article. But, for many people who suffer from writer’s block, it helps to draft an outline. Create a short list of points you want to cover in the article. Make sure that you communicate the value you promised in the title of the article.

4. Write content

The next step is probably the most challenging. It takes about an hour to write a 500 word article. An article should be about 350 to 700 words. You can check the word count using your word processing software.

Don’t worry about trying to make the article perfect at this stage. If you’re writing several articles, just type the words. You can edit the article later.

5. Edit the article

The final stage of writing an article is to edit it. 80% of the work is done. Now, it’s time for the last 20%. There are several stages to editing. Read the article and look for any gaps that need to filled. Review the article to make sure that it flows nicely. Finally, add keywords to make the article more search engine friendly.

In Your Byline, Explain Why You Are the Expert!

Write a byline, 4-5 sentences about you, for your article that explains why you are the expert and include a link to a website, blog or lead capture page. This is your opportunity to generate a lead.

Another benefit to writing articles is that it creates content that can be repurposed. You can use the information in an article on a blog, a teleseminar a product or a class. If you see the value in writing articles, then make a commitment now to write an article in the next week. Good luck and happy writing!

Take Action,

Rick Cooper
The Attraction Marketing Expert
Sales & Marketing Success Coach

Sep 03

Time for a Change – How to Improve your Blog

Improve your blogMake your blog more relevant and effective. Have you ever felt like your blog was ready for a facelift? What’s holding you back from making the change?

I recently decided to make some changes to my blog. I just felt like it wasn’t looking as good as it could.

How long did it take me to make the changes? About 10 minutes!

How did I do it? I used Typepad. I’ve had the opportunity to use WordPress, Blogger and Typepad. While WordPress sites look great, they’re not the easiest to change. And you might need help from a WordPress developer to make the changes.

I haven’t used Blogger in years, but the interface seemed a little clunky to me. Maybe it’s changed since then.

On the other hand, Typepad is easy and flexible. It’s to blogging what Constant Contact is to email marketing: simple, flexible and cost effective.

If you feel like your blog is due for a change, then just do it. You can make a plan if you want, but it’s okay to just pick a new template and go with it. Change doesn’t have to be hard!

Rick Cooper
Sales & Marketing Success Coach

Aug 31

Success Secrets: Persistence

Success PersistenceBuilding a successful business takes a lot of effort and it takes persistence. If you want to run a business that you’re passionate about and that generates a profit, you need to be in it for the long haul.

The Challenge:
The challenge is that it’s too easy to give up. Even though you want something, it doesn’t mean you will be able to accomplish it easily. I’m in favor of adopting a positive mindset. At the same time, you need to be realistic.

Jim Collins, in his excellent book, Good to Great, talked about Confronting the Brutal Truths. That means recognizing the problems in your business and doing something about them. You need to make some hard decisions from time to time to keep moving forward.

Failure is part of success. Not everyone succeeds on the first try. The important thing is to stay in the game and keep playing.

Your Opportunity:
If you are willing to persist, you will eventually win. You will experience success along the way. One of the ironic characteristics of success I have noticed is that you can experience success and failure on the same day. You can receive good news and bad news at the same time.

One of my success coaches Andrew Barber-Starkey explained the importance of celebrating your successes. You need to acknowledge and reward yourself for your successes. That will encourage more success in the future. Reward what you want to see more of.

Persistence is one of the keys to success and I encourage you to keep going even if you need to make some adjustments along the way.

Rick Cooper
Online Marketing and Social Media Trainer

Click here to Book a Free Coaching Session

Aug 29

Partner with People to Team Up and Increase your Success

Partner with People and increase incomeOne of the strategies that has made me successful is to partner with people. Building a business takes time and effort. As a solopreneur, there’s a lot of work to do. You can delegate tasks, but it can be challenging to hand off the right tasks.

If you want to increase your results, look for opportunities to team up. I value people and look for people to partner with. I have been fortunate to find many other entrepreneurs to work with over the last 6 years.

I have gained value from working with coaches and mentors. I have also gotten a lot of value from the relationships I have developed with my fellow business owners.

I recently teamed up and wrote a book with Joy Klepac, Todd Lay, Sonika Tinker, Brian Brunckhorst, Linda Distler and Keith Huggett.

The book is called Seize your Opportunities. It’s a collection of tips, strategies and stories to help you identify opportunities to help you succeed in your business.

Seek Out People You Can Partner With!

Who can you partner with? How would you benefit from developing relationships with other business owners?

I encourage you to actively seek out people you can partner with. It can make all the difference in the world!

Aug 18

Create Value for Clients

Create Value for ClientsIf you want to get more clients and grow your business, look for ways to create value for clients. I love owning my own business. As an entrepreneur success coach, I work with entrepreneurs who want to grow their business. I love being able to help people.

What can you do to create value for clients? Look for ways to provide information and resources that will help clients and prospective customers.

Set an intention now to look for ways to add value on a regular basis. This one of the true joys of entrepreneurship: the ability to leverage your creativity to help others.

Here are 3 quick ways to add value to clients:

1) Share a blog post

The internet today provides a wealth of information. Make a list of blogs you want to regularly visit. Take time each week to look for blog posts and then share them, on social media or through email.

2) Share a resource

If you want to be useful to other people, then start looking for ways to solve other people’s problems. Look for websites, tools and resources that can help to solve a common challenge. Then, be open to sharing when the opportunity arises. Some of the common challenges facing businesses today are rising debts, healthcare, employee morale and a need for new customers. Create value one-on-one when talking to people are one-to-many through email, blog posts, articles and other means.

Look for Opportunities to Share your Specialized Knowledge!

3) Share a tip

You are an expert. You know something that other people don’t. And you can share that information to help other people. Look for opportunities to communicate the specialized knowledge you have. This will help to position you as an expert and increase your visibility. Keep it simple. When I post to my blog, I typically share 3 tips or strategies. People have limited attention. You have to grab their attention and communicate something they can easily remember.

What can you do to create value for people? As an entrepreneur, you have the capability to help others by providing a solution to a common problems. Seek out opportunities to help others and your business will grow!

Jul 14

Karen Sielski is the July 15th Guest on Attracting Ideal Clients Show

 Blog_talk

Tune in on July 15th for Attracting Ideal Clients, aired on BlogTalkRadio. We'll be talking about Strategies for Search Engine Optimization (SEO). You'll learn tips and strategies to attract clients, generate leads and close more sales.

Karen_sielski_pic Strategies  for Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

July 15th (Episode 30)
6pm Pacific / 8pm Central / 9pm Eastern

Websites are one of the most valuable marketing tools available to small business owners. You need traffic to your website! In order to increase traffic to your website you need to learn strategies for Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

One of the best ways to optimize your website to increase traffic is through KEYWORDS. Once you identify what keywords will attract clients to your website. You want to make sure that you use them through out your website content.

On the show Karen will share tips and strategies to select keywords that will allow you to double, triple, quadruple or more traffic to your website.

In this program you learn:
* Tips to select keywords for your website 
* How to use keywords in a title of an article 
* How to use keywords effectively and the URL for a blog post 
* Identifying how many keywords you should have for your business

Special Guest: Karen Sielski 
Tune in monthly on the 2nd Wednesday at 3pm Pacific Time:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thepdapro

Listen online (live or archived)
Click Here to Set a Reminder for the Show

Subscribe to the podcast – Click the link below or copy and paste link into iTunes:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/AttractingIdealClients

About our Guest:  Karen Sielski

Karen Sielski is an entrepreneur and consultant specializing in online marketing for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and network marketers. She has over 20 years of experience in the corporate world in senior engineering and management positions, and an MS degree in Computer Science from The Johns Hopkins University.

Karen has the technical background to understand the complex inner workings of search engines and online marketing concepts, and thrives on finding simple and cost effective ways to generate maximum results for her clients using this specialized knowledge. She is passionate about the use of blogging, online video, and social networking to establish her customers as experts and leaders in their market.

Karen lives in Sunnyvale, CA with her husband and 3 children. When not working she loves to play tennis, go to the beach, and coach soccer.

Her blog is at http://www.KineticWealth.com/blog.

She can be reached via email at karen@karensielski.com.

Rick S. Cooper, MBA
The Attraction Marketing Expert
Entrepreneur Success Coach

Jun 09

Eric Lofholm is the June 10th Guest on Attracting Ideal Clients Show

 Blog_talk

Tune in on June 10th for Attracting Ideal Clients, aired on BlogTalkRadio. We'll be talking about how to profit in tough times. You'll learn tips and strategies to attract clients, generate leads and close more sales.

Eric Lofholm

 How to Sell in the New Economy

June 10th (Episode 29)
6pm Pacific / 8pm Central / 9pm Eastern

Welcome to the new economy.It's not like the old economy. If you're not getting the results you want, you need to make some changes. Eric Lofholm is a Master Sales Trainer and will share tried and true strategies that will work in the current sales environment.

In this program you learn:
* Techniques to close more sales
* How to generate more leads
* How to get more referrals
* How to sell from honesty, integrity and compassion
* How to use a sales script to dramatically increase your results
* Tips to be comfortable in the close

Special Guest: Eric Lofholm 
Tune in monthly on the 2nd Wednesday at 3pm Pacific Time:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thepdapro

Listen online (live or archived)
Click Here to Set a Reminder for the Show

Subscribe to the podcast – Click the link below or copy and paste link into iTunes:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/AttractingIdealClients

About our Guest:  Eric Lofholm 

Eric Lofholm is a Master Sales Trainer who has trained tens of thousands of sales professionals nationwide. He is President and CEO of Eric Lofholm International, Inc., an organization he founded to serve the needs of sales professionals worldwide.

Eric began his career as a top-producing sales representative for 3 different sales organizations. His consistent track record of regularly outperforming his fellow sales reps earned a reputation of success that follows him to this day.
 
Eric has been trained by the top trainers of his time including: Anthony Robbins and Dr. Donald Moine Ph. D. as well as countless others. He has an insatiable quest for knowledge that he feeds by reading, listening to audio tapes, and attending seminars regularly.

Many of America's top companies hire Eric regularly to train, motivate, and inspire their sales teams. His clients have added millions of dollars in sales to their record after attending Eric's energetic and groundbreaking seminars. For more information, visit www.EricLofholm.com.

Rick S. Cooper, MBA
The Attraction Marketing Expert
Entrepreneur Success Coach