Practical Internet Marketing For Small Business: 25 Ideas That Work Part 2. Continuing last weeks offerings.
6. Ask Questions
Ask Questions
Questions for me are where it all starts for me in any size of business. It even does not matter if it is online or in the local high street. The better your questions are the more useful the answers! Questions can be used in all the different scenarios you will come across in business. From “how do I improve cash flow”, to, ” what is your favourite colour Mr X?”……… everyone of them giving you valuable information.
7. Create a database.
Now that is logical of course and yet online you will see millions of websites with no means of capturing visitors contact details. There really is no excuse. Email marketing no matter what people say is very much alive. Make it active to. If someone is giving you their email address, make sure you give something tangible in return. Perhaps a free miniseries like we do, or an eBook or audio recording. You can then stay in contact with your market, in a really easy way.
8. Add Value
Leading on from the last comments about databases. Add value to your audience. Remember it is likely that they are coming to you as an expert. You will have lots of different strategies and ideas. Trust ne not everyone will use them like you. So even just small pieces of information are of incredible value to people.
9. Build a relationship
Relationship building takes time. Your potential clients need to get to know you first. Making a pitch every time you contact them will not work. As you would with any business associate, nurture the relationship. If you remember no 8. Building a relationship will not be difficult. Give first to then receive later.
10. Make a list
As business owners you will never get it all done. Just be with that fact. Though a great strategy is to make a list. Get it out of your head and onto paper. Somehow this enables the mind to free up its processing capabilities. I learnt this technique back in my NLP days. It works. It’s also wonderful to be able to tick things off…and also give some of them to someone else. Always ask yourself what is the best use of my time now. This then really focuses the mind to prioritise where the first actions should take place.
To You and Your Success,
Best Wishes
Denise and Sharon
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I love your blog, and so do many of our students.
Unfortunately, many WordPress bloggers are using Akismet as a censoring device rather than as a spam filter, thus automatically turning away project coordinators who happen to have left an opinion on a WordPress blog somewhere that its owner didn’t agree with.
Naturally, spam is to be discouraged. However, opinion is another matter.
Also, persons wishing eventually to monetize their blogs are being disadvantaged by Akismet in that commenters believe that they are being stopped from expressing opinion or asking product or service questions if they have been targeted by another WordPress blogger for censorship.
We would encourage you to contact Akismet with your concerns if indeed you do not agree with the policy of allowing another WordPress blogger to make the decision for you as to whether you will accept the philosophy or business of another net user.
Several students having been white paged by your site (actually by Akismet automatically preventing you from receiving business). The decision to turn away business can be made by any WordPress blogger who also has the Akismet plug in, and you have nothing to say about it, unfortunately.
I would appreciate a contact from you, so we can determine if we can salvage this site with our 5000+ students.
Ann