Posts Tagged ‘networking’

If your marketing campaign just isn’t working, or you’re just getting started, take a long look at what you’re trying to do. Is it exciting? Is it eye catching? Is it unique? If not, you’re campaign is likely too bland to get anywhere.

It used to be that simply advertising your business could get you more than enough customers, but this is normally no longer the case. Look around you. There are advertisements EVERYWHERE.

There are commercials, print ads, billboards…your mind is overrun with images every day. And if you run the same old marketing campaign, you’re just going to blend in with everyone else. If you want to get business, you need to get noticed, which means you need to stand out from the crowd. And just being good at what you do is probably not enough to get that done.

The trick to getting noticed is being creative. It may be how you advertise, what your ads look like, or the deal or gimmick you’re offering. Whatever it is, something has to stand out if you want to get noticed. Coming up with a great idea doesn’t always happen in an instant. It takes thinking, research, and lots of brainstorming. Whether it’s taking a few days to work on it, or simply setting aside some time at the end of every day, you have to put some oomph behind it if you want to get results.

Believe it or not, while it may take some creativity and crazy thinking, you may find that the crazy thinking has already been done for you.

An example? Instead of sending out a boring old mailer, there are companies that make unique mailers like messages in a bottle and coconuts. Sure, other people have access to buy this stuff and use it too, but if you’re doing a mailing campaign, what are the changes you’re competing in the same market with someone who uses the same product? Slim to none.

Plus, if you get two coconuts in the mail, are you really going to read what’s inside one and ignore the other?

When it comes to marketing, flashy isn’t always better. Sure, you don’t want to be boring and blend in, but the key to standing out isn’t different fonts, bright colors, or making claims you can’t back up or keep.

The real key is being unique and different. Often a simple eye-drawing headline is enough to get people to notice your ad, catching their attention without blinding the customer. People want to do business with someone they can trust, not just someone who can yell the loudest.

While it may take effort and some amount of investment, if you come up with a good marketing campaign, the end results will likely be more than worth the effort.

About the Author
Becki Noles, Visionary of Virtual Accuracy Companies has been at the forefront of stream-lining coaching and entrepreneurial businesses since 1998. Utilizing her background in marketing, publicity, corporate training, advertising and media, Becki custom tailors and implements individualized action plans for taking coaching businesses to the next level. As a Virtual Assistant her business partners with top business and executive coaches in the United States, Canada, Switzerland and the world over.

Have you ever wondered what the purpose of networking groups online are? We all know they are for getting to know others with the hopes of someday obtaining a client or referral. But don’t they have more of a purpose? Aren’t they for finding other people to build relationships with to benefit your business, your clients’ businesses, and their businesses? I think underlying to networking groups is also finding lasting relationships and friendships. Working virtually we spend most of the day in our own offices, with no contact to the outside world. While there are many blessings to this, it can be lonely. So how can you get the most benefit from a networking group online?

First, you can remember the etiquette of online communication. We all know the basics. Don’t use all capitals; that is considered yelling. Use proper punctuation and capital letters, otherwise your lack of grammar will take away from your message. What I am talking about is the etiquette of respect. I see “arguments” break out in groups because of miscommunication or someone overstepping the boundaries and trying to force their opinion on someone else. What happens to the parties involved? Most of the time, they lose the respect of the other group members. How sad is that when they spent all this time building their reputation, and in one moment, they blow it!

So, how can you avoid this happening to you? Stay out of arguments. Don’t get involved in the “office” politics online! I know that sometimes this is difficult when you see someone being unfairly torn down. Know that if you do try to step in, you are opening yourself up to being drug down. Unfortunately, there are unprofessional people on the online networking groups. You have to rise above those. Don’t let them draw you in. By showing that you are the bigger person, you are taking another step in building your reputation.

Remember there are boundaries to each networking group. Each one has established the rules they expect everyone on the group to follow. Be sure to follow what they have set up. Each group has their own purpose, and you will join each one for the purpose it serves. I know that on a lot of my virtual assistance groups, there isn’t a lot of room for debate on topics. They are established to help assist each other and ask questions about running a virtual assistance business. Because of this, someone else established a group that was for debating topics and issues that come up in the virtual assistance industry. Look at each group and see what purpose it would fulfill, and then be sure to follow their boundaries.

Networking online has a great purpose and can really help you to be successful in your business. By maintaining your integrity, following the boundaries of the group, and supporting others, you can get amazing satisfaction from a group and create some lasting friendships!

About the Author
Patty Benton is the owner of JERPAT Virtual Assistants and JERPAT Web Design, www.moretime4u.org, which provides affordable administrative and web design support to coaches, small businesses, religious organizations, and realtors. Additionally, Patty is a coach for new entrepreneurs interested in venturing into the virtual assistance industry that is affordable to all, and she has also written an e-book that takes virtual assistants through the process of setting up their business. Visit her coaching site at www.virtualvacoach.com for program details and great business resources. She has also partnered to establish the ministry Acknowledging Christ Together at Work www.actatwork.com. If you would like to receive Patty’s articles and other tips in your mailbox every month, you can sign up at www.mortime4u.org/home.html.