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Archive for marketing

Marketing Your Business

By Donna Price, Marketing Strategist & Business Consultant on November 11, 2019 1 Comments

Marketing Your Business is Challenging! But….
business marketing
You Don’t Have to Market Alone!

If you are marketing your business on your own, then you are probably working on a low budget or your business is too small to support large advertising campaigns. Even with larger budgets, people prefer to be cautious in these wild times of internet marketing and social media,  so that they are not taken by surprise.

What is it that you need for marketing your business efficiently? Here are a few suggestions that can prove very useful.

Knowledge is gold! People with a marketing degree who decide to start a business have very few obstacles in terms of strategic implementation. When you have a broad marketing view, tactical choices are a lot easier to make because you can judge the information on various tools, programs and systems with the mind of a professional.


But what if you are marketing your business without too complex knowledge in the marketing domain? What chance do you stand against competition?

Learn as you develop your business! The Internet provides hundreds if not thousands of free resources from where you can learn. It all depends on several factors that influence how you are marketing your business: the domain in which you operate, the market segment you service, the client database, the advertising systems you choose and the platform on which you work. Lots of local businesses have grown by word of mouth or viral marketing.

Yet, that is hardly enough for less exposed small companies. When you are marketing your business you need to take time and study each advertising program with everything that it involves from the financial investment to the time it requires for current tasks.

The right course of action requires the creation of a marketing plan that you afterwards follow along the different stages of business growth. Modifications to the initial plan may be necessary once in a while, but it is a good idea to be truthful to your goals.

When you move beyond the first stages of company growth, there will be other aspects that need to be taken care of.

Marketing your business requires a great effort to build and maintain credibility, customer loyalty and visibility in the market. It is not enough to make people familiar with your business, you also have to win their trust and hook them with a strong marketing message. Provide quality in everything that involves your business and you won’t be disappointed in terms of financial achievements.

Learn more about the CRC Marketing Club where we go step by step through marketing strategies and tactics.

Categories : Marketing Strategies, Business Growth, Marketing, Marketing Plan
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Improving Productivity With These Simple Tactics

By Donna Price, Marketing Strategist & Business Consultant on October 17, 2019 No Comments

improve productivityImplement These 3 Productivity Hacks Today

Productivity and efficiency are the popular buzz words lately as more and more business owners try to make the most of their time during a busy day. No matter how hard you try, you simply cannot do everything yourself when it comes to running your business. Investing in your business not only decreases stress but it makes your business run more smoothly, therefore increasing profits. But it means that YOU, the owner have to let go of the DIY mindset and grow into your CEO mindset that is a powerful leader and delegate (r)!

Most business leaders need to improve the productivity of their business whether it is a one person shop or 1000 person biz.

If you need to improve your productivity, try these three tips:

outsource to improve productivity1. Outsource It

Rather than being saddled with monotonous tasks and expensive software that you may have to learn, many smart business owners are accepting their limitations and finding expert service providers to take over these tasks. What takes one expert an hour to do can easily take a non-savvy business owner 5 hours to complete. Is that really a good use of your time? You KNOW the answer to this.  But the reality of handing tasks over can be challenging.

Start off by asking your business associates for referrals and conduct regular interviews, as though you were hiring an employee. Just because they are a virtual service provider doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have the same high standards you would expect from an employee.  Start with the things that feel easiest for you. As you begin delegating tasks and overseeing them instead of doing them, you will become more and more confident in your new systems.  Having solid policies and procedures helps make this transition smoother.

I have used 123Employee and had good success. They are based in the Philippines and managed in the US.

HubStaff Talent is a directory of VA’s that you can access to hire a VA directly: https://talent.hubstaff.com/

BrickWorkIndia.com has several different models to engage with them. https://www.brickworkindia.com/engage-us/

Habiliss.com has several models as well. They do have a pay as you go model that can make it accessible and affordable for most. https://www.habiliss.com/virtualassistant-howitworks/

And there is also Fiverr.com.  Fiverr uses the basic concept of $5 for a job.  Always read reviews before engaging a contractor on Fiverr.  Also, review portfolios if possible.  Fiverr is not always just $5.  So be sure to check out what the actual pricing is and what is included.

2. Kick the Bad Habits

It is time to kick old habits, especially the bad ones!! Make sure that you are creating habits that are effective and getting rid of the old ones!

  • Are you stuck in the dark ages, doing things just because you’ve always done it that way? Analyze your business during the last year.
  • Did you launch any programs? Were the results better or worse than you expected?
  • Are there any new software programs or apps that will make your work more efficient?
  • Are you still keeping your books in a handwritten ledger or are you ready to convert to a computer software program?
  • Delegate tasks; find a new software; plan out new programs or updates; these are all things you can start doing today, not to spend money unnecessarily but to breathe some excitement into your business.

3. Create an Actual Plan

Create a plan.  We use Best Year Yet for strategic planning in Compass Rose Consulting and with our clients. It is simple, effective and helps to keep me on track and focused. The program includes a yearlong subscription to our management software.  You can complete the program online with our self guided workshop or in person with me or via skype or zoom. The important thing is to create a plan that you can use and follow.  Put your projects onto a calendar and work towards achieving those goals. Without a plan, your actions are meaningless. You might decide to work on something unrelated to your goals or you might delay your own deadlines in order to put client business ahead of your own work. A business plan is your blueprint to reaching your goals, no matter how lofty they may seem. Seeing this plan daily will give you something to focus on, therefore increasing your daily productivity.

 

Categories : Strategic Planning
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Authenticity in Marketing

By Donna Price, Marketing Strategist & Business Consultant on May 30, 2018 No Comments

Do you have authenticity built into your marketing plan?

marketing authenticity

Marketing with authenticity brings your voice into your marketing strategies.

You are the leader of your business.  Your marketing should reflect YOU.  But it also needs to be real and authentic.  That in itself keeps you away from the slimy sales feeling that so many of us dislike.

Think about how to bring your unique voice into the marketing mix and shine a light on your business in a new way, that makes you stand out from the crowd and the noise. There is so much marketing out there, it is like everyone is screaming all the time and it overwhelms.

When you bring realness and value into your marketing, then you can stand out.  It is about making the sale, but first it is about the relationship. When you go straight for the close, you will turn people off.  When you provide value through your relationship, then people will be attracted to you.  That is much more powerful, than the other.  It is what each business strives for — a flood of new potential customers coming to them instead of trying to chase them down.
I am a relationship person.  I love working with people. I love seeing the light bulbs go off — the aha moments.. the shifts in their business outcomes and I LOVE celebrating successes! But now for the hate — I don’t like salesy.  Of course, I love customers — but chasing them down — just not my style.

That’s why value, value, value is so important.

When you can provide value, expertise and solutions for your prospects — without giving away the bank, then you are creating a system that is attractive to your potential customers. Then you are attracting new, excited customers!!

Think about what your authentic marketing would look like. Does it change what you are doing right now?  Would your results improve?  Leave a comment on what YOU think authenticity in your marketing would look like for your business!!

Categories : Business Development, Marketing Strategies
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REI Closes For Black Friday — Good Business??

By Donna Price, Marketing Strategist & Business Consultant on October 27, 2015 8 Comments

REI’s Move To Stay Closed on Black Friday Has Real Benefits:

Did you see what REI announced today?  They are closing their 143 stores for Black Friday.  They are paying their employees to head outdoors — which is what REI is all about — getting outdoors.  But is it a good business move, to close on the “biggest” shopping day of the year?

Well, they first announced to their members.  REI is a co-op and you can join the co-op for a one time fee of $20.  My guess, most members applaud their decision and are eager to take their cue and head outside.

Next, they announced it to the press — the result — HUGE news coverage. They are the talk of the news cycle.  REI’s CEO was on the CBS Morning Show today.  That’s pretty good media coverage.

How much would an ad cost on CBS?  Did they just get more than that for Free?  For sure.  An interview is much more than an ad.

In addition to the morning interview on CBS, NBC had CEO footage and the company received additional coverage on the 6:00 News. I’m betting on the 11:00 news as well.

It’s a good move from a marketing perspective but it is also a good morale booster. It sends a positive message to the community —>>> GO OUTSIDE!! When you look at it they have succeeded in making an impression with their members, their staff, the community at large (all prospective customers).  Can it get better than that?

So, how can you generate PR like this? How can you do something that gets attention and is a goodwill move for your company? Look around.

Here at Compass Rose Consulting, I support small woman owned businesses in numerous ways.

1. Release a press release via our own distribution program that will get the news out to over 240 news outlets nationwide.

2. Create an application form –>> since the program will be limited to 50 womenpreneurs initially.

3. Create a video promotion both talking head style and white board style and distribute using our video distribution software. Rank the video on page one of Google….

4. Promote on our social media outlets including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest and Periscope, plus a few more.

5. Host a radio show about the program on my Podcast: Visionary Womenpreneurs

Now, you have a full marketing plan for this one program, laid out for you!! You see from REI the value of creating a good will program for your company.

Here are a few ideas:

1. Instead of rebranding — take the money allocated in the budget for it and use it to award a real world benefit to a client. For instance, a local bank decided to change its branding. They replaced all of their signage at each branch with new signs, replaced instore colored branding, replaced marketing pieces —>> website, brochures, giveaways (pens, pads of paper, key chains…etc.). If they had opted for a good will strategy they could have taken that money and saved the houses of perhaps 5 families that were losing their houses to foreclosure. Imagine the media.

2. Instead of paying to rename your company — reallocate the budget to offer marketing services to a startup company or two.

Each time, you can create media via press releases and news coverage that builds more good will towards your brand than your new colors or new name or new branding will ever do.

REI is a leader in outdoor equipment and quality service. Not a huge company in comparison to some, but making a major statement that is resonating across the country.

What statements can you make? What do you think of REI’s decision to close on Black Friday? Leave your comments below:

Categories : Marketing Strategies
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Leadership Navigator Radio: Talk is NOT Cheap: How To Use Group Presentations

By Donna Price, Marketing Strategist & Business Consultant on September 26, 2015 1 Comments

ceo_interviewWhether you’re a seasoned business professional or brand new, the answer to growing your business exponentially may not be what you think.

Bar none, the fastest way to grow your business is by selling to groups of your ideal prospects.  But do you know the best strategies for finding, gathering and selling to groups?  If not, you’re suffocating your revenue potential without realizing it.

During this dynamic interview, top-selling For Dummies author Jan Saunders Maresh will introduce you to her proven system that has produced $1,000,000 in personal sales – all from doing group talks using a specific and proven formula.

During this powerful presentation you’ll discover:

  • Exactly how to find and gather groups of your ideal clients easily and cheaply
  • The six components for creating a talk that consistently converts leads into buyers
  • How to craft your offer so a percentage of every group ALWAYS does business with you (Psssst…don’t miss a step or it will cost you!)
  • And much more

Even if you suffer from stage fright or you’ve spoken to groups in the past with dismal results, this interview will share what’s really possible through group selling and will change the course of your business.

Jan Saunders Maresh, CSP, CET, CCC is a top-selling For Dummies author (Home Staging for Dummies and Sewing for Dummies), sales professional, HSN pitchman, Group Talk expert, and Certified Trainer for the CSP International Business Training Academy. She is passionate about guiding business owners in the best practices of growing a successful business.

Slide2In Jan’s own words, “My most impressive career achievement has been mastering the challenge of creating and running a sustainable one-person service business. When I finally developed a system for smoothing out the financial ups and downs by selling to groups, I knew I needed to share this system with other like-minded professionals. I’ve made all the mistakes so you don’t have to.”

Based on Jan’s commitment to help business owners’ uplevel their businesses, early in 2014, she launched Talk For Profit – The #1 Resource for Creating Group Talks That Sell. Jan regularly teaches online classes and speaks at national and local industry events. For more on Jan and Talk For Profit, visit www.TalkForProfit.com.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/leadershipnavigator/2015/09/29/talk-is-not-cheap-how-to-master-group-sales

Categories : Business Development
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Could Your Marketing Be Wrong?

By Donna Price, Marketing Strategist & Business Consultant on August 31, 2015 2 Comments

Could There Be More To Marketing Than What You Know?

What if what you have LEARNED about marketing was all wrong?  What if the money you are spending, the time you take to carefully build your brand and your exposure — just wasn’t cutting it?  Marketing is like reminds me of my sailboat — a hole in the water that I threw money into….BUT, it doesn’t have to be that way.

When Marketing Is Set Up Wrong — Then The Results DO NOT Happen…

There are systems that DO work for small businesses.  They are different from what works for BIG corporations.  The “BIG BOYS” have a lot of money to play with. They CAN throw money into the hole.  they can afford to market over and over again, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on their marketing.

There are several strategies that work well for small businesses. The first key is strategy.  It needs to be complete.  Not just a one off tactic, but a complete strategy.  From beginning to end… lead generation —>> through the buying process and to the close or acquisition of a new customer.

For instance — if you are using a website and there is no opportunity for the prospect to become a lead, then the website is not an effective tool for adding new customers.  Websites should have more than a phone number or a contact us form. There needs to be an informational offer and a way to request that offer.  Then the website becomes a lead generation tool.  BUT, it doesn’t stop there.  Because you also want to have a follow up system.  For leads on the web, it is easiest to have an email system that provides the informational report and then continues to follow up with the person.

Multiple Touches Are Needed in Marketing

Remember it takes 7-10 touches or connections before an individual is ready to buy.  That means that your email system needs to provide additional ways for the person to get to know you.  Follow up articles, resources, tips and strategies are each good ways to continue to connect with the individual.

If you are using networking in person as a strategy, then you need to be sure that your USP or 30 second elevator pitch is solid and gets people talking to you.  Your business card needs to be a lead generation tool just like your website.  Your business card should offer people your informational offer (on the backside).  Then it gets people onto your email list and now you are following up with them via email.  Because you met them in person, you can also follow up with a phone call, a post card, or personal note and other media forms.

Multi step follow up is a key to an effective marketing strategy. It does not work to just run an ad.  You want information from the person in order to continue marketing to them.

Learn more about how to market your business at our upcoming webinar:

REGISTER HERE

Can’t make the webinar?  Then schedule your 45 minute business turnaround.

MEET WITH DONNA

Categories : Business Development, Lead Generation, Small Business Marketing Resources
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Does Your Marketing Need a Fix?

By Donna Price, Marketing Strategist & Business Consultant on August 28, 2015 4 Comments

marketingfixMarketing is by far the biggest challenge that most small business owners face.  Why?  Because, they went into business because they loved being a plumber, or massage therapist, or chiropractor, or retailer or restauranteur….

Marketing has changed over the past few years. Many marketers will lead you down the road of gaining more “exposure” for your business.  Can you afford exposure?  Or building your “brand”?  These are expensive ventures that Coke™ and Pepsi™ can afford.  But the average business owner cannot spend millions or even hundreds of thousands on repetitive ads that do not directly result in new business.

Gaining new business therefore has to be done in a predictable, systematic way that a small business can count on.

This is exactly what we will be talking about on our next webinar!

Does Your Business Need a Marketing Fix? And How Do YOU Fix It?

To Register: http://www.crconlinemedia.com/ghangout/fix-my-marketing/

Marketing does not have to be the BIG challenge that it is.  It can be fun, exciting and very financially rewarding, when done right!!

Learn the keys to becoming a marketing master and get your marketing system in line.

 

Categories : Marketing Strategies, Small Business Marketing Resources
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Blogging Is Your Marketing HUB

By Donna Price, Marketing Strategist & Business Consultant on July 13, 2015 No Comments

When you create a blog you can show case YOU.

crc how to write a great blog
Blogging is a key element in marketing, it is the HUB.

You can also syndicate your content to other platforms such as your social media platforms: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr etc. Knowing HOW to write a blog post is key.

How to write a great blog post

Many business owners fear blogging. But you don’t need to because you have a lot to say! Your knowledge and expertise is what you blog about.

Follow the blog post guide step by step to put together your first blog post and get your blog started.

Headline— attention grabbing– here is where you INTERRUPT. You need to get your readers attention.

Picture— you need to have a picture. People are more likely to read your blog and your syndicated posts if you have a picture. A great resource for pictures is: Dollar Photo Club You need to be sure that you can legally use the picture that you choose.

Intrigue— why do they want to spend time with you reading your post. Will they get what they need from it?

Compelling Content— this is where you get into the meat of the topic! There are different styles of blog posts or articles. Most folks will not spend a great deal of time reading a long rambling blog post.

Engage— reply to all comments both on your blog and social media. Add plugins to your blog that improve your social engagement– allow people to share your content, add related posts etc. Plugins can add all sorts of functionality to your blog.

It is where you send people back to from your social media to get more info or to read the entire blog article. Your blog is where the real meat is. You can share YOU, your expertise and your personality right there on your blog.

Not sure how to get going: Schedule a 10 minute laser coaching session to review and I will give you the quick start challenge to get you going!!

www.MeetWithDonna.com

Knowing HOW to write a blog post is key. This will give you a lead generation platform.

Let me know what you think!  Leave your comments below!

Categories : Lead Generation
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Time Management

By Donna Price, Marketing Strategist & Business Consultant on November 2, 2010 No Comments

Time is your most valuable resource, in fact it is more valuable than gold or diamonds. Learn strategies from Business Success Coach, Donna Price, on using effective time strategies. Learn more at: www.bizology.biz

Categories : Business Growth
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Press Releases

By Donna Price, Marketing Strategist & Business Consultant on November 1, 2010 No Comments

Business Success Coach, Donna Price, shares her Bizology.Biz Tip of the Day. Today: Press Releases.

Categories : Business Growth
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