Today I want to begin talking about how to present that offer in the most appealing way.

People prefer to accept help (and hiring you is one form of accepting help) from those they know, like and trust. So whether you’re reaching out to a potential client through an online promotion or through a one-on-one conversation, establishing rapport is the first and most crucial step in the process.

Instead, many heart-based business owners mistakenly focus on what they think of as “selling” when it comes time to present an offer. And that actually goes against their spiritual beliefs and values.

I totally get it. I used to get caught in the same trap, thinking that marketing and selling my expertise was something entirely separate from delivering it. The problem with that separation is it automatically takes you out of your place of strength (that centered and connected place you come from when you’re in the flow of working with a client).

Trying to create rapport with a potential client when you’re not feeling connected to your purpose means your head may be engaged, but your heart is not. You’ll likely find yourself:

*) Avoiding talking to people about your products and programs for fear you’ll be rejected

*) Sitting in front of the computer staring at that promo email you’ve written, knowing it’s not what you want to say but not sure how to fix it

*) Putting out a desperate “Oh God, please buy!” sort of energy that sends people scrambling in the other direction

Well, we certainly don’t want that!

If this happens for you, the good news is I’ve got a simple strategy for centering yourself in your power as you engage in any kind of “selling” interaction.

When you sit down to write a promo email, or pick up the phone to talk with a prospective client, or meet someone at a networking event, say these words to yourself:

* I’m so glad I’m here. (this creates excitement)
* I’m so glad you’re here. (this creates gratitude and anticipation)
* I know what I know.” (this creates confidence)

From there, you won’t have to feel like you’re selling, you’re just connecting – both to your purpose and to other person.

When They Feel the Love, They Love What You Have to Offer

You have a purpose here on the planet – to share your gifts and your special brand of transformation from a place of love and service. The more fully you step into the power of your True Self in your business, and come from that place as you talk with potential clients about what you have to offer, them more they’ll love you and find your offers irresistible.

So it’s both the simplest, and most vulnerable, thing to do. Be you. Yes, even when you’re “selling.”

Helen Graves, Grand Poohbah of Crackerjack Online Marketing Strategy, offers practical online sales and product marketing tips to create long-lasting client connections. She can be reached via www.CrackerjackOnlineMarketing.com.

Sign up for her free special report on product launch strategy, “How to Create Desire So Your Products and Programs Sell Like Hotcakes,” at www.Product-Campaign.com

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So many of them began their business so they could be “the boss” and work their own hours. What happens is their lack of experience turns this around on them and they become slaves to their businesses.

Having started many successful businesses myself, as well as coaching and mentoring other new business owners, I understand more than most just how easy it is to become “stuck” and become trapped in bad habits. It’s easy to say “work smarter, not harder” – but what does that mean exactly? Most small business owners don’t have a clue.

So here are just eight of some of the more common mistakes small business owners make, so you can avoid them and if you are already trapped, what you can do about them:

1. They don’t set clear goals. Would you drive off on a journey, wanting to get to destination X, and not bother to take a road map and use it? You could get lost. You could end up anywhere. You could drive around in circles and run out of petrol in the middle of nowhere! You must have a clear understanding of where you want your business to go, with a few ideas of some of the ways you can reach that goal. You must create a solid vision and set clear and attainable targets to give you and your business direction. This acts as your “road map”.

2. They confuse being busy with being successful. It’s a fine line. Many successful people are quite busy, but then again, many new starters are also busy and failing to reach their desired levels of success. To an extent, working long hours in a business that really does require our personal input is part and parcel of being a successful business owner, however, could you say you are successful if all you have is work and the rest of your life is non-existent? I don’t call that successful. Success is having a profitable business AND having and enjoying personal and financial freedoms to spend time with our loved ones and friends and do the things we really enjoy in life.

3. Poor Advertising. Many small business owners are not natural ‘marketers’ and that is one of their biggest downfalls. You must identify your target market and address your marketing efforts directly to them and your marketing message MUST address their needs, not yours. You must consistently target your market with the marketing message that answers their question of “what’s in it for me?” You don’t tell them how important YOU are or how long you’ve been in business or how you’re looking for new clients. You identify their problems and and tell them how you can solve them AND you make them take action to contact you promptly.

4. Not targeting their true “target market”. Some people think if you market to everybody on the planet, sooner or later, one of them has to respond. It’s a big planet – your message will just get lost in the “noise” and confusion of all the other millions of ads out there doing the same thing to the same people. To be successful, your marketing efforts MUST focus on your own target market – you must know who they are, their demographics, how they think, behave, where they hang out, and how you can get your message to them. Without this knowledge, your marketing dollar is being wasted, however, when you are in contact with your true target market, you are in contact with people who really do want and need your services!

5. Get trapped into wanting new customers. There’s no doubt that every business needs new customers, however, to focus your attention on only bringing in new customers all the time is not only tiring, it’s very expensive. Realize that you have already invested time and money in getting the clients you already have – if you let them “walk”, think of the wastage. Think of your existing customers as an investment, and you will see a higher return on this investment if you can keep them coming back giving you return business. By working on your existing customers and giving them excellent service, you also increase word of mouth referrals – which is free marketing for your business.

6. Working IN their business instead of ON their business. This is a common trap for small business owners who tend to do too much themselves. If you can’t afford full time employees, consider part time and virtual assistants (if the nature of your business can utilize that type of service.) Consider this – if you are the one managing your diary, organizing your own appointments, doing your own research, doing the books, operating the cash register, ordering the stock, doing the payroll, managing the employees, opening and closing the shop every day… who is looking at the big picture and making decisions that will grow the business? Who is doing your marketing and advertising research? Not you, obviously, because you’re too busy doing everything else. This is a nasty trap to fall into and you can get out of it by systemizing your business and hiring people who can do many of those mundane tasks for you. This will provide a business that can run itself – freeing up that time so you can work ON your business instead of IN it.

7. Hiring the wrong people. Anybody can fall into the trap of hiring the wrong person for the job, but if you take note of their ability and experience as it relates to the job they’re applying for and you check their references, you’ll have a better chance of hiring the right person. There are many online resources that provide assistance in helping small businesses find the right employees, offering interview hints, and so on. Take advantage of these free resources and it will save you a lot of wasted time and money if you choose the wrong person. You can’t focus on what you need to be doing if your mind is constantly worrying about what your employees might be doing wrong and you have to waste time constantly supervising their efforts.

8. Wasting money on bad marketing. If it didn’t work the first time, why would you waste money repeating it a second or third time? If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work and you need to fix it before using it again, otherwise your marketing money is just going down the drain and you may as well not bother. A typical example is placing an ad in your local community newspaper. Maybe you ran it for a couple of weeks and had zero response. That means it doesn’t work, so don’t keep running it. It might just be something simple as needing to change the heading, or rewording the body, or placing it under a different category. You must track your advertising expenses and measure the results you get from each attempt so you can assess the real effectiveness of each effort. Only then will you know if a particular ad is worth repeating or needs reworking.

Finally, never give up. Many of my clients have been total novices making all of the above mistakes, and today are the owners of thriving small businesses, enjoying a healthy work/life balance. This is how I know you can do it, too.

Terri Levine is the author of over a dozen books on Business Success, Marketing, Selling and Coaching, mentor to some of the world’s most successful business owners and sales professionals, featured in over 50 International News Publications, advisor to General Electric, seen regularly on television shows around the world. www.marketingwithTerriLevine.com. www.LevineBusinessCoaching.com.

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Just in case you need a refresher, Twitter (www.twitter.com) is a unique micro-blogging tool that lets users communicate with their “followers” in quick text messages of 140 characters or less called “tweets.”

Social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube are typically most effective when they are appropriately integrated with each other and with a company’s existing marketing efforts, since each one provides distinct benefits and advantages in an integrated social marketing plan. But Twitter – even when used as a stand-alone social networking strategy – can be a powerful tool in any small business marketing toolbox.

Some of the benefits of using Twitter in your marketing mix include:

• Highly targeted audience: The people who choose to “follow” you on Twitter are already interested in hearing what you have to say, or they would not have followed you to begin with. This provides you with an audience of folks who have specifically opted-in to receive your messages and want to listen to what you have to say.
• Instantly reach your “followers”: When you post something to your Twitter account (referred to as “tweets”), the message is instantly sent to your followers in the way they have chosen to be contacted. This could be a text message sent to their cell phone, posted to their Twitter page on the web, RSS-fed to a Facebook page or profile, etc. Regardless of the method your followers have selected, your tweets appear within a few seconds.
• Generate traffic to your web site: By adding links in your tweets, you provide followers with direct access to your web site, to other social networking profiles, to your blog, etc. Again, if your social marketing has been properly integrated, all of this will lead back to your web site, generating more traffic and new visitors.
• Improve your search engine rankings: By optimizing your Twitter profile (and integrating your social marketing efforts), you can build valuable inbound links to your web site, which is key in improving your site’s position in the search engine rankings.
• Increase brand awareness and online visibility: Being active on Twitter gets your business name in front of customers as well as the general public everyday, which in turn helps build name recognition and improves brand awareness for your business.
• Enhance customer service: Many businesses have found that by using Twitter, they can respond to customer needs (or complaints) very quickly and efficiently, allowing them to improve their level of service while publicly demonstrating their responsiveness and commitment to customers.
• Manage your online reputation in real time: By monitoring Twitter for mentions of your business name, key personnel, product names, etc., you can keep track of what people are saying about your business and to respond or intervene quickly if necessary. There are also free tools available to help you monitor your reputation in Twitter (like Twilerts and Tweetdeck), which can make it very easy to monitor your reputation online.

These are just some of the ways in which Twitter can benefit your business, and as social networking continues to grow in popularity, there will surely be even more features, new uses, and business benefits to be gained by using Twitter.

Whether you are just thinking about using social marketing or have already started to use it, Twitter can be a great tool to integrate into your social marketing strategy as you go forward. And for small businesses that are serious about marketing, the value of Twitter is pretty clear.

Lauren Hobson, President of Five Sparrows, LLC, has more than 16 years of experience in small business technology writing, marketing, and web site design and development. Five Sparrows provides professional website, marketing, and social networking services to small businesses and non-profits at affordable prices, giving clients access to customized services that meet both their needs and their budgets. More at www.fivesparrows.com

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So why are so many small businesses hesitant about social marketing, or seemingly scared of using social networking sites as part of their regular marketing activities?

It could be as simple as not having the time to take on a new marketing activity, or maybe a lack of familiarity with sites like Facebook and Twitter makes them seem hard to use. It’s also possible they’re concerned about negative comments showing up on social media web sites, or worried about employees using these tools appropriately for business. Whatever the reasons, social media marketing is here to stay, and small businesses are going to have to face their fears if they hope to leverage its value as a marketing tool and stay relevant with their customers today.

If you are one of the millions of small businesses afraid of jumping in to social marketing, here are five good reasons you should overcome your fears:

1. Your customers already expect it – More than 86% of consumers recently surveyed by marketing agency Prodo said that they believe companies should incorporate social marketing into their regular marketing activities. Add that to the fact that Facebook now has more than 300 million users, Twitter has experienced quadruple-digit growth this year alone, and more than 50% of online Americans use social networking sites on a daily basis, and you can clearly see where your customers are spending their time. Put simply: you need to be there, too.
2. Social marketing has become mainstream – Think back a few years to when many small businesses didn’t have web sites yet. They thought “sure, it would be nice to have a web site, but it’s not really necessary for my business.” Now, of course, most small businesses have at least a basic web presence, and web sites are considered a standard part of doing business. The same is happening today with social marketing, and it won’t be long until it is considered just as standard as having a web site.
3. It doesn’t have to take a lot of time – When implemented properly, social marketing can be a quick, easy marketing activity that can be seamlessly blended with your regular marketing activities. By integrating your social networking profiles with each other, with your web site, and with your existing marketing initiatives, you can minimize the time spent on social networking while maximizing the return on your investment. It’s no longer an option to just do nothing – if you need help developing a social networking strategy, find a professional to help you.
4. Your message can reach a vastly larger audience – By using social marketing, you increase your reach online to potentially thousands (or millions!) of people who may not otherwise have a chance to see your message or know your company. Rather than waiting for visitors to find your web site and discover your business, social marketing allows your message to travel further through the social channels you use, as well as through viral events where people share your information with their own networks of friends and associates.
5. Ignoring social marketing will not make it go away – Like it or not, social marketing is quickly becoming the way in which smart businesses connect and communicate with their customers and potential customers. It not only improves a small business’ web visibility, but can also improve search engine rankings (Google already includes results from social sites, blogs, videos, and other alternative media along with regular web site results), and can help create “buzz” about a small business as well.

So if you have been apprehensive about adding social networking to your marketing mix, there’s no better time to face your fears and get serious about using this technology to enhance your online presence, reach new prospects, and meet your customers’ expectations with social marketing. The longer you wait to jump in, the larger the gap grows between “outstanding” and “overlooked”.

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Businesses should stop dealing with clients like numbers and being seeing their customers as people with their own individual needs. The idea is to listen to customers, and they will receive you well. Some organizations have brand slogans that proclaim that they attend to the needs of customers and yet their employees do not have the time heed to requests from their customers.

Especially when businesses flourish, business owners do the mistake of training their staff to deal with clients quickly in the name of reducing cost. They set unachievable targets hence making their employees fail to address the needs of their customers satisfactorily.

Brands with slogans like “A listening partner” are great adverting campaign that drives customers to certain companies. But sometimes customers get disappointed when they discover it is just that, a promise. Business image is created by the experience the customers receives when dealing with the staff.

When customers are handled well, they will recommend the company to their colleagues, friends and relatives. You will never hear a client recommending a service or product due to its good and catchy advertisements.

The best way to make sure your business brand makes impact in the market is by ensuring your customers say, “That company sticks to its promises.” Therefore, for this to be possible employees need to be trained to give customers full attention.

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The power of Social Media.

It’s truly impressive. It might have even greater influence than most people realize.

Consider these facts:

• Social Media is the #1 activity on the Web.
• Facebook added 100 million users in less than 9 months…iPhone applications hit 1 billion in 9 months.
• If Facebook were a country it would be the world’s 4th largest between the United States and Indonesia.
• The #2 largest search engine in the world is YouTube.
• More than 1.5 million pieces of content (web links, news stories, blog posts, notes, photos, etc.) are shared on Facebook…daily.

The fact is social media is here to stay. Ignoring is just a pointless exercise in futility.

So what can you do to get the most out of it?

1. Adjust your expectations.

You’ve just uploaded your video on YouTube. Great! Now you’re feeling ready to step into the light of fame… Guess what? It will not happen – so don’t feel cheated and betrayed if your masterpiece doesn’t attract millions of viewers. Maybe it’s because there are millions of other aspiring directors online. Or, maybe it’s just not good enough… Similarly, don’t expect that your Twitter or Facebeook account will become an Internet sensation overnight (unless, of course, you’re already a celebrity).

2. Set your goals. Be reasonable and realistic.

Your social media campaign should not be about realizing your dreams about stardom and becoming an instant millionaire. It’s all about connecting with other people. Ask yourself who is the person who can help your business grow. Is it a potential client, or a partner, or somebody who can simply spread the word around? See how you can approach them and make them interested in what you have to offer.

3. Treat it as a project and be consistent.

It’s not a hobby or some kind of past time activity…. If you start your social media campaign consider it a serious project. You have to plan ahead and devote some time and hard work to it. The biggest mistake you can make is to start it and abandon if you don’t see immediate results.

4. And finally… Listen first. Sell later.

Social media is not about (at least not JUST about) direct sales. That’s the biggest misconception of all. Starting conversations with your sales pitch would be the most effective way to turn people away. Social media is about connecting to other people, finding out what matters to them most and engaging them. Selling is a byproduct of this process. People might not buy directly from you, but if you prove yourself as a trusted and knowledgeable professional they will bring you more business by recommending you to others.

For more information and a free web site evaluation please visit our New York Web Design Agency.

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Your Mindset – The first and most important thing that you must do to ensure marketing success is to make sure you have the right mindset. Are you committed to the growth of your business? Are you committed to locating the most effective methods of marketing your company? You are the largest stumbling block that your company faces. If you do not have a mindset geared for company growth, your company will stagnate and eventually fail. Therefore, ensure that you have the right outlook and the right mindset for success.

Effective Networking – With the growth of the Internet, the term “networking” has seen increasing use. However, networking is so talked about because it is so important. Forming professional networks with complementary businesses or entrepreneurs will have tremendous ramifications for your company. “It’s all about whom you know,” is more than true. If you know the right companies, the right business owners, then your company will benefit from referrals and other aspects of networking.

Web Marketing – Do you have a firm grasp of your online marketing needs? Your small business is represented online, isn’t it? If not, your financial outlook might be a bit more than bleak. You’ll find that online marketing offers your business tremendous tools for growth and increased profitability. Newsletter marketing, search engine optimization, PPC campaigns, blogging, social network marketing, information marketing and numerous other aspects of web marketing can be put to use to help you reach new customers.

Consider Joint Ventures – While networking certainly offers tremendous benefits, joint ventures might be another excellent option. What can you gain through joint ventures with other small businesses? You’ll be able to gain exposure to new customers, as well as enjoying the business supplied by the other company. Joint ventures (JV for short) can increase your profitability by generating more exposure for you to consumers and to other businesses in your market.

Other areas of concern for small business owners like you include making use of a PR specialist, finding the right advertising strategies in the offline world and even in developing the right up-sell techniques.

Darryl Mobley is CEO of the Association of Small Business Marketers and he is devoted to creating financial freedom for entrepreneurs and small businesses through the power of marketing. Darryl invites you to get the FREE Report that will increase the sales and profits of your small business, “6 Ways to Double (or Triple!) Your Sales… and Beat Competition” at http://4.TASBM.com.

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So, what is branding, anyway? Branding is something somewhat different from traditional marketing methods. It differs in several ways. For instance, branding is not about getting consumers to see your competitors in a worse light, or of highlighting the lack of effectiveness, costliness or other drawbacks found with competing products or services. Rather, small business branding is all about increasing the perceived value of your products and/or services, thereby, increasing the value of your company in the eyes of your customers. Branding is all about your company and your products.

The way your company’s brand is perceived by your customers determines your profitability. For instance, if your customers do not perceive the value in your products or services, you will not have the sales needed to facilitate growth and profitability. On the other hand, if your customer base is convinced of the value offered by your products and services, and that they will continue to enjoy this value in the future, your small business will experience increased sales and profitability.

Therefore, it is easy to determine that your branding and marketing efforts are essential to your long-term success. However, the right branding program, combined with a correct marketing mindset can have benefits in the short-term, as well. The key is to attract customers now and retain them. Forming a long-lasting relationship with your customers will ensure that they remain loyal to your company. The relationship you form with those customers is a key element in generating increased sales. In fact, most customers today demand that the companies with which they do business develop a relationship.

In this aspect, your small business has a distinct advantage over larger corporations. It’s much easier for small businesses to develop personal relationships with customers and clients, ensuring continued growth and financial stability. Branding helps you do this, as well as cementing your credibility in the marketplace, motivating your customers to buy and helping to ensure that your customers and clients are emotionally connected with your company.

Darryl Mobley is CEO of the Association of Small Business Marketers and he is devoted to creating financial freedom for entrepreneurs and small businesses through the power of marketing. Darryl invites you to get the FREE Report that will increase the sales and profits of your small business, “6 Ways to Double (or Triple!) Your Sales… and Beat Competition” at http://4.TASBM.com.

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Podcasting – Podcasts are powerful options that help you connect with your customers online. Through podcasts, you can allow your customers to listen to audio or enjoy video broadcasts, prerecorded by you. These might be to help increase your customers’ awareness of new offers, how to maximize the use of products or simply to connect with them and increase their familiarity with you.

Blogs – Blogging remains one of the most powerful options available to your small business. Blogging gives your company a face, helps your customers develop trust and even a relationship with your company. As such, these are tremendous options for your profitability and success. Of course, blogs can also be used to increase back linking to your company, SEO performance and more.

PPC Campaigns – Pay per click advertising has become a force with which to reckon in the online marketplace. PPC ads provide you with the means to bid on specific keywords and can dramatically help boost your bottom line. However, one of their most beneficial aspects is the fact that they enable better niche marketing, which saves you money and offers the ability to increase small business profitability by targeting your market audience.

Autoresponders – Autoresponders are unique bits of software than enable your company to send out a preset email message to any number of email subscribers. This might be a series of tutorials, a weekly update or a monthly newsletter. Your autoresponders will send the same email to every address you place in them (preferably from a contact database developed through an opt-in form on your website). As such, autoresponders help you save time, money and still increase the amount of profitability and brand recognition your small business enjoys.

Email Newsletters – Your customers love to hear about new developments and offers from your company and a newsletter is the best way to keep them informed. In addition, you will find that you can offer an opt-in form on your website into which your visitors place their contact information. This information is then aggregated into a database, from which you are able to market effectively.

Darryl Mobley is CEO of the Association of Small Business Marketers and he is devoted to creating financial freedom for entrepreneurs and small businesses through the power of marketing. Darryl invites you to get the FREE Report that will increase the sales and profits of your small business, “6 Ways to Double (or Triple!) Your Sales… and Beat Competition” at http://4.TASBM.com.

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