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Guide for Boomerang Parents Receives Review
The slow to no-growth economy and high unemployment rates have kids of all ages returning to their parents’ homes as they transition from college to work or from lost job to new job. Co-authors Joyce Richman and Barbara Demarest have been getting some attention for their guidebook, Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job, which they wrote to help parents deal with these times of transition in their children’s lives. Steve Sumerford recently reviewed the book in the Greensboro News & Record the title is Tips for dealing with kids who say, ‘I’m coming back’ and we republish it here.
–Editor
Tips for dealing with kids who say, ‘I’m coming back’
- Getting Your Kid Out of the House and Into a Job
“The stories are also there,” Demarest told me,” to say to the parents, ‘Your problem is not unique, you’re not alone.”
Avoid These 5 Twitter Mistakes
Guest Author: Jessica Swanson
I admit it. I’m a Twitter gal and I absolutely love what Twitter can do for small business owners. It produces massive visibility, it’s a top-notch lead generation tool and a powerful networking platform.
Unfortunately, Twitter continues to mystify many small business owners who aren’t quite sure what all the fuss is about.
The good news is that Twitter doesn’t have many rules. It’s by in large all about using common sense, being polite and exercising good judgment.
But, that being said, here are five ways to ensure that your Twitter experience is a tragic disaster:
1. Toot your own horn too much.
Obviously, you are passionate about your small business and want to let the world know about its strengths and virtues. However, Twitter is not an advertising platform. It’s a social community. When you constantly shout sales pitch to your followers, they’re going to unfollow you. Instantly. Instead, try to immerse yourself in the Twitter community and join the conversation.
2. Use the default Twitter profile.
If you’re using Twitter as a marketing tool for your small business, then you need to avoid the default Twitter profile. That cute, little default cloud background is certainly not doing your small business any favors. Take a few minutes and put together a customized Twitter profile and brand your small business by utilizing all of that valuable advertising space. (And no excuses, you can even do this for free at MyTweetSpace.)
3. Tweet once a week.
Your followers have hundreds, if not thousands of Tweets flowing through their Twitter stream on a daily basis. If you think that your weekly Tweet is going to get noticed, you need to reset your thinking. Twitter works best when your followers see your Tweets flow through their stream again and again. Repeated exposure is the only way to get noticed on Twitter.
4. Don’t interact with your followers.
There are all sorts of nifty Twitter automation tools that can help manage your time on Twitter. And I’m a big believer in sending out a few automated Tweets. But, if you want Twitter to work, you actually need to personally log into your account and send out Tweets. Answer questions, retweet your followers, make conversation. Your followers want to see a real person in front of your small business. They’re not looking for a bunch of automated, impersonal Tweets.
5. Give up too soon.
This is one of the most common problems of Twitter. In fact, Twitter has one of the highest “drop-out” rates of any social networking platform. And, it’s a shame. Small business owners everywhere, start on Twitter only to drop out a week later. Twitter isn’t an instant fix for your business. It’s a relationship tool and relationships take time to develop. So, give Twitter the time that it deserves and it will reward you.
Whether you’re a Twitter newbie or a seasoned Twitter professional put these five tips into play and make your Twitter experience one that truly benefits and grows your small business.
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Jessica Swanson, “The Shoestring Marketer,” has helped entrepreneurs, all over the world, explode their businesses using cutting-edge, proven and completely free marketing strategies. To receive your FREE Shoestring Marketing Kit, which has helped thousands of entrepreneurs, just like you, learn the exact techniques for marketing their businesses for no-cost, visit: www.ShoestringMarketingKit.com
50 Tantalizing Free Offer Examples
Guest Author: Jessica Swanson
One of the most efficient ways to build a robust email list of interested prospects is to offer them something so mouthwatering and so appealing that they’ll do whatever it takes to get a hold of it.
But, here’s the catch. What you’re offering your prospects isn’t going to cost them a dime. It’s what Mark Joyner calls The Irresistible Free Offer, and it’s your job to create something that your prospects feel is beneficial and extraordinarily valuable.
Sound impossible? It’s not. All it takes is a little creativity and resourcefulness. Here are a few tips before you create your tantalizing free offer.
1) It must be top-quality.
Even though it’s free, your offer can’t be a conglomeration of useless junk. This is your chance to showcase your product and services, so make your free offer shine.
2) It should reach out and grab your prospects’ attention.
There’s a lot of competition in your industry, so it’s your job to cut through all the noise. Present an offer that seizes your prospect’s attention and leaves them begging for more.
3) It should solve an urgent, pressing problem.
Before you assemble your offer, make sure that you have correctly identified a pressing problem that your prospects face. Of course, you must offer the solution in whatever “free offer” you deliver to your prospects.
4) It must be related to your small business.
This is the first impression that your prospects have of your small business, so it’s important that your free offer is directly related to your small business. It should give your prospects a clear sense of who you are and what your business represents.
5) Collect your prospects names.
This may seem obvious, but you need a form on your website to collect the names and emails of your interested prospects so that you can continue to market to them again and again.
Therefore, without further ado, here are 50 “free offer” ideas:
1) Ebook
2) Tip booklet
3) Special report
4) Mini ecourse (delivered over time)
5) Industry report
6) Sample chapter of your book
7) How-to guide
8) Cheat sheet
9) Tip sheet
10) Checklist
11) White paper
12) Warning or cautionary report
13) Ezine subscription
14) Downloadable kit
15) Written interview (transcribed)
16) Buyer’s guide
17) Template
18) Quiz
19) Survey
20) Audio class/lesson
21) Audio course (delivered over time)
22) Audio interview
23) Live teleseminar
24) Recorded teleseminar
25) Podcast episode
26) Video
27) Video course (delivered over time)
28) Slideshow
29) Live webinar
30) Live webcast
31) Recorded webinar
32) DVD
33) CD
34) Product sample
35) Demonstration of your product
36) Consultation
37) Free trial offer
38) Discount coupon book
39) WordPress plugin
40) Mobile application
41) Free mystery gift
42) Free “set-up” or “assembly”
43) Free hotline service
44) Free customer support
45) Pamphlet
46) Brochure
47) Informational packet
48) Free class or lesson
49) Free seminar
50) Free breakfast or lunch
So, no more excuses. You now have fifty options to create an enticing free offer that will bring you massive visibility, build your list and eventually make you more sales.
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Jessica Swanson, “The Shoestring Marketer,” has helped entrepreneurs, all over the world, explode their businesses using cutting-edge, proven and completely free marketing strategies. To receive your FREE Shoestring Marketing Kit, which has helped thousands of entrepreneurs, just like you, learn the exact techniques for marketing their businesses for no-cost, visit: www.ShoestringMarketingKit.com
12 Tips for the Social Media Newbie
Many small business owners are silently watching social media marketing from the sidelines. They’re intrigued, interested and attracted by this new marketing channel, but don’t feel quite ready to join in on the game. But, no worries.
Here are twelve simple tips to help get your social media marketing in top form.
1. It’s not too late. Many small business owners think they’ve missed the boat when it comes to jumping on the social media bandwagon. But, nothing could be further from the truth. Social media is in its infancy and still considered a newborn in the marketing world.
2. Have a plan. You certainly wouldn’t jump into a new business without a plan of action. The same is true for social media marketing. You should know exactly what you are trying to accomplish before you get involved.
3. Start slow. There are hundreds of social media platforms out there. But, limit your involvement to Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Once you’ve mastered these three, then you can broaden your horizons.
4. Be realistic with the time-commitment. If you’re going to fully succeed through social media marketing, then you’re going to have to commit some time and energy to making it work. As with all new marketing adventures, it always takes longer in the beginning.
5. Use automation. There are dozens of automation tools to help you manage your time on social media. Use them wisely and in moderation.
6. Get personal. Don’t rely entirely on automated tools. You need to interact with your friends, followers and connections. Social media doesn’t work if you aren’t interested in forming real relationships.
7. Don’t outsource from the start. Although eventually you can outsource some of the tedious social media tasks, it’s in your best interest to be personally involved in every aspect of social media so that you can understand exactly how it works. Then, once you have wrapped your brain around it, you can outsource.
8. Don’t expect a miracle. Social media is a tool. Nothing more, nothing less. It’s never going to fix a broken business.
9. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. There’s not a “rule book” for social media success. Go ahead and get started, if you make a mistake, it’s not the end of the world.
10. Don’t overcomplicate. Social media is mostly a mixture of common sense, interaction and dedication. Don’t make it more complicated than it is.
11. Have fun. At the end of the day, social media is, well, social. So, wipe that frown off your face and have a little fun Tweeting, updating and posting.
12. Just do it. The most important tip of all is to just get started. You’re never going to learn to swim if you don’t jump in the pool.
There’s still plenty of time to get involved in social media marketing for your small business. Once you get started and find success, you’ll never look back.
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Jessica Swanson, “The Shoestring Marketer,” has helped entrepreneurs, all over the world, explode their businesses using cutting-edge, proven and completely free marketing strategies. To receive your FREE Shoestring Marketing Kit, which has helped thousands of entrepreneurs, just like you, learn the exact techniques for marketing their businesses for no-cost, visit: www.ShoestringMarketingKit.com
21 Shoestring Marketing Secrets for Small Business Success
Guest Author: Jessica Swanson
Unfortunately, many small business owners believe in the motto, “it takes money to make money” in the world of small business. The good news is that nothing could be further from the truth.
Here are twenty-one shoestring marketing secrets that will provide you with the right frame of mind so that you can begin the process of building a thriving small business without spending a dime on marketing.
What every small business needs to know is that Shoestring Marketing is:
1. Low-cost. In today’s internet and social media age, there are now more low-cost marketing options than ever before. Not only is it possible, but absolutely doable to substantially grow your small business on a shoestring budget.
2. Commitment. If your marketing is going to eventually take hold, then you need to make a strong commitment to see it through until it sticks. Don’t give up in the early stages.
3. Patience. The fruits of your marketing labors don’t happen overnight. You need to plant your marketing seeds and tend to them regularly before your marketing garden blooms.
4. Branding. Your clients and customers need to have a clear picture in their minds as to who you are and how your product or service can solve their most pressing problems.
5. Consistency. Marketing is much like breathing. It’s the life of your small business and should be a regular part of your daily business activities.
6. Domination. If you want to explode your small business profits, then you must dominate a small part of your market. You need to become the “go-to” person in your particular niche.
7. Customer-focused. Your primary job is to clearly identify the problems that your prospects face and offer them the obvious solutions.
8. Identify your target market. It’s crucial that you know exactly who needs your product or service. Mass marketing doesn’t work in today’s business environment. Not only does it force you to water down your marketing message to please the masses, but it’s much too expensive for the shoestring marketer.
9. Elicits confidence and trust. Create experiences and situations that boost the level of confidence from your prospects. At the end of the day, people buy from those whom they like and trust.
10. Massive visibility. Since your prospects are exposed to over 4,000 ads every single day, you need to ensure that your small business is utilizing as many marketing platforms as possible. Your prospects should come across you in as many places as possible.
11. Repetition. Research suggests that prospects need to encounter your small business between seven and twelve times before they are ready to purchase. So, put yourself in front of your target market over and over again.
12. Ease of use. If your sales process, marketing materials or any other part of your business is too complicated, your customers will become confused. Confused customers simply don’t buy.
13. The WOW Factor. What are you doing to get noticed? How are you different than your competition? The fastest way to small business failure is to blend in with the crowd.
14. Quality. If your product and/or services aren’t top quality, then you won’t get repeat business. Your long-term success depends on satisfied customers who spread the word about your business and purchase from you repeatedly.
15. Education. Position yourself as an expert and educate your prospects as to why your small business can offer them the remedy to their most pressing pain points.
16. Relationships. Create real relationships with your prospects and customers. Answer their questions, solve their problems and help them if they’re stuck. Your prospects want to know that there’s a real person in front of your small business.
17. Increasing the lifetime value of customers. Over 20% of your existing customers will purchase from you again (since they already know and trust you), so create additional ways for them to make purchases.
18. Automation. We’re living in a fast-tracked society that doesn’t work using old-fashioned marketing methods. So, embrace automation tools such as landing pages, email autoresponders, shopping carts, customer management software, etc.
19. Tracking your results. It’s essential to your overall survival that you have a clear understanding what works and what doesn’t work when it comes to your marketing. Use link tracking software to track your ROI (even if your only investment is your time).
20. Flexibility. Things change quickly and you must be willing to adapt. When the next “great” marketing platform emerges, be willing to jump on board and embrace it with excitement. If you are a flexible marketer, you’re always miles ahead of your competition.
21. Everything that you do. Marketing isn’t just about your advertising campaigns. Every single interaction that you have with your prospects promotes your small business. So, be careful how you answer the phone, respond to your emails and treat your customers because all of it makes an instant and lasting impression on them.
So, there you have it, twenty-one Shoestring Marketing strategies that will literally transform your small business from “just getting by” to “flourishing.” And, the best part of all is that you can do it all on a shoestring marketing budget.
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Jessica Swanson, “The Shoestring Marketer,” has helped entrepreneurs, all over the world, explode their businesses using cutting-edge, proven and completely free marketing strategies. To receive your FREE Shoestring Marketing Kit, which has helped thousands of entrepreneurs, just like you, learn the exact techniques for marketing their businesses for no-cost, visit: www.ShoestringMarketingKit.com
