Last month I had the honor of attending a reception for Ken Lund, Executive Director of Colorado’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade.  The event was hosted by TiE Rockies, an organization that supports entrepreneurs and therefore, receives my undying admiration and support. Mr. Lund outlined Governor Hickenlooper’s Colorado Blueprint, a plan designed to bolster economic development through entrepreneurship in our state.  I was pleased to join a group of about 30 other business leaders to listen to the presentation. With the mission of helping local entrepreneurs start and grow viable businesses, TiE Rockies is a perfect organization to assist in implementing the Colorado Blueprint.  The local chapter of TiE provides education, mentoring and networking events throughout the greater Denver area.  Its membership includes successful entrepreneurs and venture capitalists looking to assist promising start-up companies. I am delighted to join other TiE charter members to provide expertise that will transform the plan into a reality.  Our goal is to expand and enhance the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.  Developing programs and initiatives that will propel start-up businesses onto a fast track of success will definitely create jobs and improve Colorado’s economy. Having spent over 15 years providing training and consulting services to entrepreneurs, my team and I are ready to join forces with Ken Lund and TiE Rockies to launch some strategic initiatives and get the ball rolling.  For more information, go to rockies.tie.org.

10 Critical Points To Get Your Press Release Accepted Publicity is one of the best ways and most cost effective ways to drive traffic to your site. You already know it is an excellent marketing tool for your business overall. Because it is very cost effective it makes a great tool for small business owners and entrepreneurs. The key to success is understanding when, where, and how to submit press releases so they get accepted. Many of our clients use press releases on PR wire and PR Web as a way to drive serious traffic ( 1000’s of new visitors) to their sites, promote upcoming events, and they never even talk to the editors. Others send releases to the media (not online sites) and end up with the governor coming to their event. That is the power of publicity from the media. If you seek printing in publications, here’s an important fact -  publications with under 30,000 subscribers – local publications  - are THRIVING as the rest of the bigger boys are seriously struggling to stay in business. Keep your local focus, use your local publications, and build your local presence. You never know where that will lead since the A/P picks up lots of local stories for national coverage. Join us at our workshop Aug 31, 2011 and find out the Insider Secrets to Getting Publicity on a Shoestring Budget. Getting started:

1. At the top f your press release give the instructions about what the release is for. FOR RELEASE AUGUST 28^th, 2011 or FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. Also include the type of release:  News Release above the instructions .Submit releases about 1-2 weeks before an event if you want to attract media coverage. Submit them within the week for shorter turn times and if you have some relationship with the editor or reporter(s)
2. Type ,don’t hand write releases. Use double spacing and a large margin. Editors use the margin for their notes and get huffy if you use “their” space.  Huffy means they easily may toss your release. They get hundreds per day for significant publications.
3. Use your logo and header above the actual press release.  Send in as a .pdf attachment, submitted to the editors site online, or sent in by snail mail – not my favorite, but can work.
4. Use a headline that grabs attention and invites the reader to want more. Some examples: (Name of Company) launches new website for Your Target Market Free Information Available at Type of (Critical Business Resource, etc) Taylor Made Small Biz launches new website for Military Entrepreneurs Online
5. Start with the place the story originates as the first two words. Looks like this (City, State)…in parentheses and three dots or 3 dashes  after. Denver, Colorado---August 28^th, 2011- A new website launched this week to help our soldiers coming home realize the benefits and ease of starting their own business. MilitaryEntrepreneursOnline.com offers free training to our veterans on how to start their business using online marketing strategies that are low cost, high tech, and very effective at getting more customers in the door.
6. KISS – Keep It Simple Sweetheart – Most of us struggle a little here, so get a good editor. Make sure your first paragraph answers who, what, when and why. ( See above example)
7. At the bottom include your short paragraph about your company About Your Company (Company Website)
8. Below the about the company provide the contact’s name.  Include the first and last name of your contact person to call for more information. Show the email and if you really want to get contacted include home phone (or cell phone), as well as the business number.
9. Keep the release to a single page. If you have more than 1 page, number the rest at the bottom. Put  “more”-centered at the bottom of each page. Don’t add another subject reference or headline on the other pages.
10. And most critical - At the end of the release, add –END- or three # signs centered on the page. Who knew                  ###                  could be so vital !

Best of luck as you present your grammy award winning story. So .. .Do you have a great or horrible PR story to share ? We love your comments so tell us your story. Join us at our workshop Aug 31, 2011 and find out the Insider Secrets to Getting Publicity on a Shoestring Budget. To get more information and assistance on creating your press releases and even launching a simple PR campaign check here.

If you haven’t checked lately you may be in for a surprise on your Google Places page. First you will start seeing a Write review red button to begin capturing Google reviews which of course will be highlighted before the other reviews like from Yelp or Merchant Circle and others. This is a wonderful addition that your clients will find helpful. Encourage them to use it as it is going to be very powerful to your business. This will be interesting to watch as Yelp takes a back seat to Google. Next you may find you are missing reviews. Google is not showing your reviews from non Google reviewers ( like Yelp etc) AND some of our clients have found even their “Google Reviews “ have gone missing . hmmmm. In addition, check on your Details section as some are finding that their details are not showing up. For service based businesses like us that provide our services for a wide area, the Service Area Map was quite useful and for the time being has gone missing too. Overall there is a long term “nit” between service based business and brick and mortar businesses both of whom would like to take advantage of the SEO (traffic driving) advantages of Google Places.  There are of course new, alternate ways to accomplish the online traffic driving goals. Our online business clients are getting the details of how we will be fixing their pages to continue to optimize their online business. As always, we have followed @Perry Marshall age old advice and don’t rely all that much on Google directly BECAUSE it changes and is not predictable. If you haven’t considered widening your traffic generating strategies beyond your Google usage, perhaps now is a good time to reconsider all the aspects to growing your online business. Find out more about google places change  here http://google-latlong.blogspot.com/2011/07/ongoing-evolution-of-place-pages.html

Our strategies are industry best practice and they work!  We have worked with large and small business owners, just like you, for over 15 years. Our proprietary  online marketing systems for entrepreneurs , monthly education, and private consulting, gives you just the edge you need to stream line your, marketing, sales and cash management. Take your business from "offline to online"

• Not sure about marketing on the internet?
• Want more clients without going to lots of networking events?
• Worried about maxxing out the credit line?
• Struggling to manage paper invoices, checks, spreadsheets and manual work?

  The first step to rev up the income - is to request your Online Tune Up. Only 4 business owners each month are given the opportunity  to receive the complimentary Strategy Session The Tune up includes a 21 point online assessment of your website, social media and other lead generation, sales and cash management. We give you specific strategies to 1 Fill your Funnel with prospects - We show you exactly what to tweak and how to put this in place in 1-2 weeks. This will immediately enhance your value to your customers and improve your current marketing efforts. 2 Get the Cash Flowing - Using simple online money management , many of our clients increase sales revenue in just a few weeks. 3 Get your Time back -  We are entrepreneurs too! Its easy to get wrapped up in the daily management of the business, wearing most if not all the “hats” and finding more work ....than time to do it in.  Our 3-D strategy gets you back into control of your day and your business- without spending a penny. We provide this assessment valued at $175 as a complimentary gift because we believe in giving huge value right up front. The Online Tune-up is conducted as a conference call by the President of our company, Patrice Barber, who has over 15 years Business Technology & Systems consulting experience with large and small companies.  Industries include Construction Management Consulting, Marketing consultants, Home Security providers, Engineering firms, Health and Wellness providers, skin care professionals, and over 35 Fortune 500 corporations including Qwest, Applied Business Technology, and GE Capital. Please be assured that this consultation will not be a thinly disguised sales presentation; it will consist of the best intelligence Ms. Barber can supply. A small Caveat... this program is not for everyone You must already have a strong background, knowledge,and accomplishment in your business area and be ready to accelerate to an online approach quickly. Because of the nature of this community, the enrollment is limited to people already "winning" in their personal and business lives. If you're in some crisis such as a bankruptcy, divorce or some other serious domestic or personal problem, this isn't the program for you... right now.  Some participants have consumer debt, but they must demonstrate a serious intention of becoming debt-free. We will assess qualifications during the Tune Up. If you're ready for a one-of-a-kind experience that will explain  how to get more leads online and give you the knowledge and skills to quickly achieve your business success & wealth goals - This program is for you! Ready to find out more?  Fill in the form and we will be in touch or call us at 303-216-0472 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              303-216-0472      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

When you want to attract the most perfect clients, consider who you have already worked with and how to highlight your favorites, the ones who are on time, pay promptly, are actively engaged. The best way to show others what you are looking for in a perfect client is with the testimonial of your perfect clients.  Like attracts like. Did you know that most people only read 10% of the text on your website or a landing page? That means that every bit of copy should be essential and high impact. It’s even more important of testimonials as well. Without specific guidance, your clients will usually write a testimonial that praises you highly but does a poor job describing the measurable results of working with you. Help your clients craft a brief but power packed prospect-winning testimonial. Example of a low impact, high praise testimonial: I hired Patrice Barber because I needed help growing my coaching business and to help me get beyond my self-imposed limits. I had no idea she would be instrumental in helping me get such clarity about what I really wanted. Because of her commitment in me, I am now living the life I always dreamed.. She really listens, asks some hard questions, and built a vision of my business I had no idea I could accomplish. She showed me how to use my skills to make a difference with my own clients, which is what is fulfilling to me. She has a gift seeing what you are capable of and getting you there. Every time a session ends, I hang up the phone amazed at what has transpired in me in less than an hour. She is honest, caring and generous.  I couldn’t have found a more valuable coach. This is what we call a little sugary .  It’s flattering to receive a testimonial like this one, but it isn’t useable for three reasons:

1. It’s not likely to be read because it’s too long.
2. The language is flowery and soft with too many prepositional phrases and low impact language.
3. It doesn’t contain any measurable value of the experience as an investment.

  Example of a High Impact Testimonial In just four months of mentoring with Patrice, my marketing business shifted from challenging and unprofitable to a business I was delighted with. I’ve doubled my income and now attract exactly the kind of client I want to work with, clients who stay longer. She showed me how to set up a sales funnel that builds trust with ideal prospects. Now I spend less time up front with new clients and get hired every time! – Mary Smith Why is this better?

• It’s a quick read at 57 words.
• Every phrase is word-smithed for impact.
• It clearly shows three concrete benefits that will encourage prospects to invest.

 

Six steps to attracting perfect clients

Make testimonial gathering a part of your standard business process. Start this about midway through the time you will spend with your client.  Be sure to finalize it by the end of your time with a client.  Keep it easy for your client to give you a high impact testimonial.

1. Listen for the words from your clients that are the gold nuggets of their joy.  When you hear them, ask if you can use it in your marketing copy.  Write out the copy,  send it to the client and get their approval.

 

1. Match up the goals you set with your clients to the results they are getting. Track your successes with your clients and ask them what they feel are the biggest accomplishment each week or at each meeting.
2. If you haven’t heard any gold nuggets, ask your client if they’d be willing to recommend you to others and why.  This is vitally important to ask every client because there may be issues they are not telling you that would be best resolved before your complete your time with your client or their project.
3. When you do hear those gold nuggets, immediately follow up your request with an email including your bullet points about their successes. Also include your draft of their testimonial inviting them to either accept it as is, tweak it, or write their own from scratch using the points you’ve provided. You’ll be surprised how often your clients will say: “I think you really hit the high points”

 

1. Be sure to request their picture and when at all possible meet with them to get a video. Video is even higher impact.  Ask how they want their name and company name listed as well as their web address so they benefit from having their site linked to yours.

 

1. When you receive their testimonial, thank them personally.

  Guidelines for ace testimonials:

• Three to five short sentences, 75 words or less.
• Use “I” language.
• Vary sentence structure. Read aloud to check for proper syntax. Proof it!
• Include at least 3 specific measurable achievements or breakthroughs.
• Audio versions of a testimonial can be very powerful in addition to the written version. Use a service like audio acrobat

The "Give Before You Get" Principle Do you know what the most frequently used word is that people type in a search box on the internet? Knowing what this word is and using it to it's fullest extent can literally EXPLODE your sales online.  Let me explain. The word is... Searched on the internet more than any other, the word is FREE. Everyone loves something for nothing.  No one wants to pay for something if they can get it for free. The benefit of giving something for free. As an online business, if you offer a product, service or some information for free, it can have great returns.  It can boost your search engine rankings.  As the word is typed into a search more than any other, having it optimized on your website could have amazing dividends. Once a customer has found you in their search results, further use of the word free will draw them in even more.  Giving them something for nothing if they visit your site is a big attraction.  I can't emphasize how important it is. How giving something for free can make you money. When someone visits your site to claim their freebie, several things can happen. In order to get their free product, they have to give you their name and email address.  This is the #1 reason for offering it to them in the first place. It is highly unlikely that someone will buy something on their first visit to a website.  And unless there is an excellent reason for them to return, they may never visit again. By having their email address, you can contact them and remind them to revisit your site.  You can offer them 'special offers' and affiliate sales through your correspondence emails. It is a well known fact that there needs to be an average of 7 contacts (sales pitches, remind revisits, offers, etc.) with a customer before they will actually buy something. ( The reasons for this are quite lengthy and could easily comprise a whole other article, so that will come later.) By being able to have the important contact with your customers, your chances of them buying from you have increased significantly. They learn to 'trust you', you become familiar to them (they know and like you) and that's what often clinches the deal. The quality of free. The item you offer, whether it's a subscription to an ezine, ebook, report or software, MUST be of good quality. If the customer receives a poor quality freebie, they won't come back to your website to buy anything. On the other hand, if they're impressed by their free gift, they're more than likely to visit your website again and again. High quality, useful products are an essential if you want your 'freebie offer' to work for you. When deciding on what to give way, there's one piece of advice that is vital. Make the free item appropriate to your audience.  Whatever niche you operate in, stick with the theme. Now that you have this little golden nugget of valuable information, get to work.  After all 'the money is in the list', but again, that's another article. By Deb Augur http://fastcashcoaching.com/members/

For March there are 2 F*REE ways you can get in on this revolutionary way to market. Did you know there are people visiting your website right now, via their cell phone ? More importantly, did you know that if you don't have a mobile version of your website that you could be loosing potential customers? See for yourself - check your google analytics to see what I mean. If you aren't taking advantage of Mobile Marketing, your competition is. Regardless what you think you know, you will learn even more. And its free. Informed, experienced speakers bring you the latest used by successful marketers to grow their business. First on March 17 , Taylor Made Small Biz has our free webinar (45 minutes). If you can't attend it is recorded so register now. When texting and driving is great - how to drive foot traffic to your door Here is what you learn

• What mobile marketing is and how to start this in your business
• Setting up your first text message campaign
• Getting more leads and buyers from your current website with SMS
• 3 ways to get in front of cell phone users with your offers

  Register for the F*REE 45 minute webinar here Second on March 25^th Taylor Made Small Biz has been asked by Tie Rockies to present LIVE at the Harnessing Mobile Marketing event. Its Friday March 25th and of course I wanted to let you in on it too! It's a Free seminar with 5 experts in Mobile Marketing, huge content, detailed screen shots all on Mobile Marketing. I am delighted to have you as my guest so Register now (seating is limited to the first 100 and this is going out to over 3000) Join us and other business owners for networking before and after the LIVE event Here is what you will learn about

• How to set up your first text message campaign ( a bit like an email marketing campaign)
• Why it's important for you to have a mobile website,
• Fastest way to turn your smart phone into a credit card processing machine so YOU can take payment anywhere
• And hear first hand the real live Return on Investment that other business owners have experienced

Get up to speed on the latest ways to connect with your clients right on their smart phones. Register now Registration is limited to the first 100. Register yourself here and then forward this to your business associates and friends. Register here See you at the event! Patrice Barber and the Just Results Team PS - This applies to you and your business if you have clients you work with more than once, have a store front, provide consulting or coaching where you occasionally meet face to face or if you are in the marketing business and need to share this new technology with YOUR clients.