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Blogging Power – Have You Unleashed it Yet?
March 7, 2011 | 
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How Joint Ventures Can Really ‘Spice Up’ Your Business!
Last night my husband come home very excited with his purchase of 2 tubes of Garden Gourmet spices and guess what, a bonus cookbook! *Groan* was my initial response, I already had a cupboard full of spices that were rarely used (I’m a simple fuss free cook), and quite frankly I didn’t need another bloomin’ cookbook! That was until I realised it was a 4 Ingredients cookbook, you know the one by Sunshine Coast girls Kim McCosker and Rachael Birmingham. Now the 4 ingredients concept? THAT I like!
But it gets better. Not only was the cookbook full of recipes with just 4 ingredients (my type of cooking), each recipe included one or two Gourmet Garden herbs or spices! Easy food that tastes great! I eagerly browsed through the book of recipes, and mentally listed all of the herbs and spices to get on my next trip to the supermarket.
Here’s my point. This partnership is a match made in heaven. It works for the 4 Ingredients brand because it’s another excuse to create another product from a simple and easy to duplicate idea, AND it’s perfect for Garden Gourmet because it builds the desire to purchase more of their product, without the need for manipulation or co-ercion. This is just plain smart! And the customer wins! We get easy recipes that taste great – including more ways to use those spices that have been piling up in the cupboard!
So, what makes a great joint venture?
Both partners win. This is very important. There needs to be a true benefit to all parties involved. It can’t just be a client building activity for you. If you decide to approach someone to partner with you, go with a ‘what’s in it for them’ message.
The customer wins. Genuinely. A dodgy discount won’t get you far in the joint venture stakes. Sure, it’s nice to get coupons, and they may get used, but the more value you add the better.
Leverage and exclusivity. Not only were Gourmet Garden and 4 Ingredients big winners. So was Coles. Huge leverage! And Coles gets to enjoy the exclusivity of the offer, which means they promote it. Who can you think of that could benefit their customers if you teamed up with someone and offered it exclusively? Just sayin’….
Synergy. That means the partnership is far greater than the sum of it’s parts. That is why the 4 Ingredients and Gournet Garden partnership works so well. The synergy of teaming up in a way that takes simple and tasty cooking that is easy for busy mums to make, and good enough to serve at a dinner party, is pretty damn good!
Here’s a sample:
SERVES 4
2 tabs sesame oil
2 tbs Gorment Garden Thai Fresh Blend
500g peeled prawns
50g rice vermicelli, boiled
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add Thai Blend and prawns and cook until prawns turn orange, toos through vermicelli to coat. Optional: Add some Bok Choy at the end for a little green.
Stir-Fried Prawns anyone?
Slash Your Advertising Budget by Using Article Marketing
I have a confession to make! Every mistake I see small businesses make, I have made myself in my own businesses. Not only that, I should have known better! Why? Because I worked in the field of newspaper advertising for 13 years.
Even so, I have made the same mistakes. They included: trying to get the attention of the ‘masses’, spreading ourselves too thin by having too many simultaneous marketing messages, and the big one, wasting way to much money on costly advertising, thinking that is was going to bring in the return, only to be bitterly dissapointed with the results!!
One of the most common questions I get is “should I advertise”?
The answer is, well….”yes” and “no”. Advertising can be effective if you can get a return on what you invest (immediately and directly), and connects specifically with your target audience. The truth is, you have to be very savvy to get an immediate response from your audience, before they turn the page, or take a toilet break. For an advertisement to work you need:
- To capture the immediate attention of your audience with a good headline
- To clearly communicate what the benefit is very specifically, and
- To have a compellling offer so that they take action.
The reality is that, although people are constantly seeking out services, that there is so much ‘noise’ out there that it is getting more and more challenging to attract the necessary attention we need to make ends meet. Now don’t get me wrong, I am pro-advertising, but for the small business owner, the cost often outways the benefit.
Enter article marketing…..
We are living in the information age, and seeking credible sources of information that can:
- Answer our questions
- Solve our problems
- Make our lives easier
My question to you is, what do you know that can, solve peoples problems, answer your clients questions and make peoples lives easier?
If you reacted positively to that question with thoughts of how things you know could assist others, then article marketing is may be what you have been looking for. The beauty of article writing is that they cost nothing to produce but your time. Even if you pay someone to write articles that can be easily shared in various places, they are excellent value.
Where to begin with article writing….
The easiest place to begin is with the most common questions you currently receive from clients and prospects. If they have asked them, then chances are there are many others with similar problems and concerns that are looking for answers, ones that you can readily provide. Don’t let them go elsewhere, make sure they come to you! It is much easier to demonstrate your value with a 500 word article, than it is with a small block of advertising space, and costs far less.
Creating articles around your area of expertise is an excellent way of building crediblity, being seen as a specialist, and sharing the value you are able to provide. This attracts clients to you without you having to hunt them down.
Articles can be added to your web site, incorporating your key words, so that your site is more easily found by Google. Be sure to include your geographical area, if you wish local clients to find you easily.
Blogging is a great way to share your articles. These can also be shared on social media, to quickly increase the number of potential prospects seeing your message.
Stay in touch with newsletters using articles, to remind your existing clients why they should use them, and to make it easy to refer others.
That is just 3 ways to begin, but the reality is that there are hundreds of places you can submit articles to if you know where to look, including press, online and offline.
Krishna’s 3 top tips….
- Write with your specific audience in mind
- Use a compelling headline and subheadings
- Make sure it is easy to find you if they want to know more
I will be holding a half-day article writing workshop on the Sunshine Coast on Wednesday 2 March, in Maroochydore. Visit here for full details and to book online: www.healthymarketing.com.au/workshops
See you there!
Krishna
Are newsletters worth the time and effort? You decide….
Newsletters have had some ‘bad press’ in recent times. Poor subscription rates, rejection by spam filters, not to mention the time and effort of putting them together!
But, when done well, they have the power to expand your client base, re-enforce your reputation, build your bottom line, and keep a stream of clients and referrals coming through your doors, or to your website, depending on how you do business.
So what is the right way to do a newsletter and where should you begin?
Today I had the pleasure of interviewing Anne Maybus of Clever Streak . Anne very generously shared the ins and outs of creating your newsletter, so it gets opened, meets the needs of your ideal client, and continually builds your relationship over time.
Here are 6 of the most common mistakes made creating newsletters that will stop them working for you and what to do instead:
INCONSISTENCY How often you send your newsletters will depend on who you market is and what you are trying to acheive. It could be weekly, fortnightly, monthly or even seasonally, but whatever you decide, stick to it. A sudden stop to your newsletters can indicate your business is in trouble, which is not a good impression on your clients. Think about what your target market needs and wants, then go from there.
TOO MANY LAYOUT CHANGES Imagine if the supermarket isles changed every visit. You would feel confused and frustrated. The same applies to your newsletter. Have a consistent layout means your clients will know where to locate your promotion, your interesting article and your inspirational quote. Moving things around messes with their brain!
TOO MUCH INFORMATION AND BLOCKS OF TEXT The purpose of a newsletter is not to overload with information, but to provide relevant information that is easy to read. Scannability is important, so use headlines and sub heading to make it easier for the recipient.
TOO MUCH SELL AND NOT ENOUGH CONNECTION When a newsletter is purely promotional, it can lead to apathy in your client, and they will stop taking notice. It’s connection that leads to a better relationship. Stories, articles or case studies that clients can relate to is far better than flogging products. They’ll soon turn off, and unsubscribe.
SPAMMY HEADLINES AND EXCLAMATION MARKS Words like discount, buy this, limited offer and FREE are pretty much guaranteed to end up in spam filters. Avoid this where you can.
FONT SIZE TOO SMALL If it’s difficult to read, your clients won’t perservere and your message will be missed.
THE CLEVER STREAK APPROACH TO CREATING GREAT NEWSLETTERS
- Use a catchy headline
- Connect with the reader personally – write to connect rather than sell
- Have a client focus (what’s in it for me) – know what your target market wants and cares about
- Keep it informative so that it’s still relevant in 12 months time
- Keep it simple
- Tell a story in your content
- Leave white space
GET YOUR NEWSLETTERS DONE FOR YOU HERE – You’ll receive
- Your own branded template
- 1 content rich article written for you monthly
- Product feature
- Monthy specials and promotions included
- Upload to your email system
- Scheduled for deliver
Only $495 for 6 months, or take 12 months for $997 and get an extra month at no extra charge.
68% of clients go elsewhere because of indifference, so staying in touch is an essential way to maintain your clients, educate them on your other services and encourage referrals.
Now is a great time to start.
What have you found are your challenges? Do you have an shortcuts you could share? I’d love to hear your tips or horror stories in the comments below.
To your continued success…
Krishna
Tags: 10 Tips for Sizzling Online with Sue Murphy and Toni-Louise Forsyth
This week I had the pleasure of interviewing the marvellous Sue Murphy and Toni-Louise Forsyth of Sizzling Success Online. Sue and Toni generously shared their top ten tips to positively sizzle online, regardless of whether you operate your business online or off. Enjoy!
1. Discover your passion – What do you love doing, what are you good at, what do you enjoy, do you have a hobby? Do you love writing? Do you love creating things/products? Chances are if it’s something you love you will stick with it and make it a success.
2. Research – Know your market – Giving your market what they want is a super powerful marketing tool. Send out a survey to your database. Find out what they want. Don’t just give then what you “think” they want. Your customers are your business. Know who you are trying to connect with and then develop a business plan. You will have a much greater chance of success online if you have done your research and are selling to a targeted niche, that is, a targeted smaller market of people who are interested in your chosen niche. Then all of these things together, become your Business Plan.
3. Don’t let start up capital stop you – there are ways you can get started online with little of no outlay.
4. Stay optimistic and positive – Believe in yourself and your ability to be successful. Dream it, believe it, and achieve it. Don’t give up. Work on unblocking any subconscious beliefs holding you back from being successful. Because if you believe you “can’t” make money online or be successful online, then you can’t… but if you think you “can” make money online, then you can!! Adopt a Millionaire Mindset -understand how crucial your attitude, mentality and beliefs are surrounding your own success. You have to believe it’s possible. Paul Blackburn states “Many of our greatest business breakthroughs occur in the space between our ears. How we feel about ourselves and the world around us can spark or sabotage our success”… I loved that. What is says is that our single most powerful business tool is our mind. So stay positive, stay optimistic and believe in your own abilities.
5. Get a domain name and build your website. Doesn’t have to be a big expensive one, you can always use a blog as your website – so long as you use fresh clean original content. And don’t just let it sit there. Constantly update it and keep it interesting yet simple.
6. Generate traffic to your site. Direct as many people to your site as you can. Learn
everything you can about SEO and promote your site wherever you get the opportunity.
Eg. On all correspondence, email signature, business cards, flyers, on any Social Media. So you’ve done your research, created a product – and now you need to bring people to your site. And now need to generate traffic or visitors. Some people opt to buy traffic or you can get it for free.
Free traffic – generally takes more work, but is achievable, especially today with viral
marketing and Social Media (which we love). You will also need to know about Search
Engine Optimisation – in short that’s a way of making your website attractive to search
engines so they list your website towards the top of the search engine results. This way
you will get free traffic. However, you can also generate free traffic via article writing ,
blogging and using free publicity. The other way of directing traffic to your website is Social Media!! And that’s the one we love. So these days you have facebook, twitter, LinkedIn and so many more, those three being the main three and you have ample opportunity using those to bring a huge amount
of traffic to your website.
Buying traffic – fast results with a small amount of work required. Sue and I haven’t
bought any traffic but you can do this via pay per click advertisements through eg. Google, Yahoo. What that is is an advertisement you pay for, so it gives you an ad usually down the right hand side of search results on eg. Google page. Consider a facebook ad.
7. Network online and offline. Social media has made it so easy to network online but also important is connecting with people offline. Join a networking group in your community – eg a business breakfast, partake in a Mastermind group.
8. Don’t be afraid to ASK for help. Do this on a regular basis. Ask those who have been through the process. This is where a Mastermind Group becomes imperative to your success as you can share and discuss with your intimate group of like minded business people.
9. Sell products!! If not your own, sell affiliate products. Also helps you get greater
widespread connections. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket – Create a passive income
from a few different sources.
10. Connect with your database via a newsletter, broadcasts, Article Marketing, blogging and Social Media!! You want to make sure you are in regular contact with your database. Not to the point of overkill, but enough to keep them up to date by giving them rich content. “Rich Content” is the key. You don’t ever want to just come across with pushy offers because that’s not lead nurturing and not making a good connection with your database. What you want to do is build up trust and build up a good rapport with them. You don’t want every email from you to them to be a call to action or you will wear your list out. You can do this by way of a regular newsletter which is a great way to give your database information of value (not just offers), sending out broadcasts of important announcements, letting them know you have written a new article or via blogging (which can also be an alternative place to put your newsletter content as well).
www.SizzlingSuccessOnline.com
soon to be
http://www.redhoteventsandseminars.com
CHECK OUT SUE AND TONI’S SPECIAL OFFER ON THEIR PRODUCTS PAGE!
What is a ‘Squeeze Page’ and How to Create One Easily
One of the most important aspects of any business is the ability to get leads. More importantly, to get targeted leads so you can focus your sales efforts and actually get sales. One of the best ways to do that is to use a “Squeeze Page” and one of the easiest ways to get a Squeeze Page up on line which has a chance to rank for your niche, industry or keyword is to build it with WordPress.
Many of you have already ventured into including online marketing and are blogging with wordpress, but how can you get your wordpress site to effectively engage visitors and make sales? The answer is with a professional looking landing page with a specific purpose – that is to encourage your visitor to make a purchase, rather than offering a whole range of options which leads to confusion and consequently no result.
The “Squeeze Page Theme Pack” from Andy Phillips is a really easy way to get a high converting, clean, simple and highly focused Squeeze Page on line in about 10 minutes. All you have to do is add the text and an-opt in form. Take a peek at Andy’s new Squeeze Page Theme Pack.
On top of the 25 professionally designed themes available in the pack, Andy also provides an extensive “Video Tutorial Library” showing you exactly how to install the themes on WordPress as well as how to configure and customise them so they are unique and totally professional looking and do the job brilliantly.
Link: http://www.squeeze-page-wordpress.com/#oid=1027_3
I first used one of Andy’s squeeze page themes when I set up my ‘Healthy Marketing Telesummit’ in November. This page converted 50% of visitors into subscribers instead of around 10% from my regular page (I’m still working on increasing conversion and will let you know how I go!) I the coming months I will be launching new products, so I will be using the Squeeze Page Theme Pack to create those pages easily. With 25 to choose from that won’t be too difficult, and the video support is superb!
If you need an awesome sales page including a buy now button, Andy also shows you how to Include a PayPal with these themes instantly building an incredibly contemporary “WordPress Sales Page”. Don’t compromise on the look and feel of your business. This “Squeeze Page Theme Pack” for WordPress contains 25 beautifully designed WordPress Themes, giving you that professional, polished image which instils confidence in your prospects.
Happy online marketing
Krishna Everson
Business Lessons From Lego – What are YOU Building?
Have you played with LEGO lately? LEGO has been a big feature in our household since Christmas, as my 10 year old son Luke and 5 year old Lily are passionate LEGO enthusiasts! I don’t mind a dabble myself – some creative play away from the computer!
As well as lots of LEGO, we gave Luke an amazing book which details the entire LEGO story. It’s 3 generation history, a pictorial of every series created and thousands of minature figures – amazing stuff!
From it’s most humble beginning in 1932 creating wooden toys; the company was committed to creating toys that “worked and worked well, even in the hands of the most enthusiastically active child”. Cultural mottos within the company of “this is the way we do things” and only the best is good enough” and the creation of the name LEGO (which means ‘Play Well’) formed the early foundation for the companies future which at times has been challenging. The lego brick was created in 1955 and 10 characterisics of LEGO product development were identified:
WATCHWORDS FOR THE LEGO SYSTEM
Unlimited play possibilities
For girls, for boys
Enthusiasm for all ages
Play all year round
Healthy and quiet play
Endless hours of lay
Imagination, creativity, development
Each new product multiplies the play value of the rest
Always topical
Safety and quality
PURE GENIUS! Is it true, are they following through? ABSOLUTELY!
So how is your business looking. Are you bouncing around from idea to idea trying to make something stick? Do you seem to be on a different path each time you are in front of your audience. Can we tell what exactly it is you stand for?
By taking the time to decide what your values are, what your business values are and who they appeal to – that is, your ideal audience, you will discover that all of the business chaos, uncertainty and costly marketing mistakes can be greatly reduced or even eliminated!
Building a solid foundation around your personal and business values is essential before creating your products and services. Every business including yours needs a sustainable blueprint to work from.
Create a list of your watchwords; you may even choose to include them in your mission statement. Be specific. Whatever they are should be in line with your personal values, your business philosphy and completely aligned with your marketplace – i.e your customers or clients.
From there you can begin to create powerful marketing messages that resonate with your audience and attract the right people to your business through all you say and do. POWERFUL!
To your healthy marketing success…
Krishna
50 Powerful Headline Ideas
Do you ever struggle coming up with article ideas and great headlines to match? One day I was experiencing ‘writers block’ creating my weekly newsletter, so I simply wrote a list of headlines instead. I surprised myself with what I was able to come up with!
They are my gift to you, to adapt to suit your business, your articles, and even your ads! I would love it if you could share your adaptations in the comments below.
Enjoy.
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About……….
How to Relieve…………
How to Eliminate…………
Causes and Remedies for……………
The Most Common Complications For………..
How to Recognise You Have………..
Signs and Symptoms You May Be……….
Causes, Prevention and Cure of…………….
How to Choose the Right…………..For You
The Best Methods for ……………………
3 Effective Ways to…………………..
What to Do When You Think………………..
How…………..Can Help Your….
Home Remedies for ………………………..
How To Treat ……………………
How to Fight ……………….Naturally
Overcoming………….and………………….
How to Put a Stop to………………………..
Why Your ………………Isn’t Working
How to Live With……………………
………………. – What’s it all about?
Natural Ways to Relieve……………………
How to Tell You’re Ready for ……………………
How to Make Your Own………………….
10 Easy Ways to……………
Frequently Asked Questions About…………
10 Ways to Stop………
Fact or Fiction – How to Tell if……….
How to Survive…………..
So You’re Thinking About Getting/Starting/Trying……
The 10 Most Common………….
7 Tips for…………….
The 3 Steps of Overcoming…………….
How to Stop Your…………
The Top 10……… Products Review
Learning How to…..
Important Things to Consider When…………
Ways to Benefit From………..
The Best Ways to ………….
How to Make Your……….
20 Ways to Reduce…………
How to Avoid………
The Four Stages of ………….
How To Succeed With…….
The Answer to…..
How to Plan for…………
5 Myths About………….
The Effect of Diet on …………………………
Is There Life After…………………..
The First Step to………
To your article marketing and blogging success…
Krishna
How to Get Noticed and Hit the Ground Running in 2011
Are you ready? NOW is the time to manifest everything that you have had in your heart and head for your business and your mission to move it forward. No more procrastinating, over analysing or ‘justgonnaitis’. LET’S START!
To attract more clients to your business and build your credibility as someone who can help, it’s important to let people know how you can. This goes beyond sharing a business card, it’s about sharing the value you offer. Today I want to share three ways that can make it happen for you very very quickly.
1. Start blogging today – join the ultimate blog challenge. This is a 30 day challenge to get you blogging consistently, be encouraged by other bloggers who will read and comment on your blog, and build your profile using facebook and twitter. To get started and find out more about it go to: www.ultimateblogchallenge.com and get started!
2. Learn how to write articles that can help others solve problems. So you’ve decided to blog, start your newsletter and get some articles puplished, but you have WRITERS BLOCK! This coming Tuesday I will show you how to come up with a stream of ideas and how to structure different types of articles to make it easy to come up with lots of great content. Articles can help you to build the profile of your business, launch new projects and get free publicity. Register here at www.healthymarketingguide.com
3. Use social media to spread your message far and wide to people that RESONATE with you. You may be wondering how you are going to get noticed in the flood of information that is facebook and twitter. Once you have a blog and article content, it becomes easy to share your message with others who have similar interests OR are interested in what you have to say. By having clarity about who your article is for and building your following around your specific group – you will find an amazing connection with those people and the relationships that develop. This leaves you free to be authentic, share the REAL you, your personal thoughts and passions in a genuine way.
TO GET STARTED:
- Begin your blog and join the Ultimate Blog Challenge at www.ultimateblogchallenge.com
- Get your free HOW TO WRITE ARTICLES teleseminar by registering www.healthymarketingguide.com
- Create your facebook page if you haven’t already (then tell me what it is and I’ll send you some friends)
- Start your twitter account at www.twitter.com (then let me know your twitter name so I can follow you and give you a few more tips)
If you are stumped about any of these I want to help you! Let me know what you need and I will guide you past any obstacles you are having.
It’s not who you know or what you know - it’s who knows what you know that counts!!
HAVE A WONDERFUL NEW YEAR! IT’S GONNA BE BIG!
To your healthy marketing success….
Krishna
7 Personal Insights from 2010
It’s been a big year for many of us, either personally, professionally or both, and that’s an indication of the major shifts occuring on our planet and in our lives!
I’d like to end 2010 with a few of my personal lessons and insights this year, many of which will help me to move forward in 2011 with confidence. I invite you to reflect on your a’ha moments this year, so you can take your learnings into the new year and really step into your brilliance!
1. To inspire others, surround yourself with others who inspire you
This year I’ve had the priviledge of masterminding with some other great women entrepreneurs. What’s wonderful is that they are just like you and me! They have great business dreams and aspirations, but are also juggling personal lives and families, and sometimes other jobs. But, they are doing it anyway! Having a go, gives others permission to do so, including your clients. Even if there’s challenges and hiccups along the way.
2. Offer help to those who are ready for it, and ask for help if you need it.
Have you ever had the feeling that your advice isn’t always listened to? Me too! This year I have learnt alot about ‘The Law of Request’. This law is based on only offering advice when it is asked for. Like you, I love to help those in need, but often people aren’t ready to learn the lesson, even if they need to! That’s for them to decide. I have learnt to take a step back and not take it personally if advice isn’t heeded, only to only offer it to those who are ready for it. The other side of ‘The Law of Request’ is if you want help ASK! Don’t expect to receive help if you don’t express what it is you need.
3. You CAN teach an ‘old dog new tricks’
Well, I’m not exactly an old dog, but I HAVE learnt some new things this year! Running teleseminars, building wordpress websites, learning to use Aweber autoresponders, and how to use metaphors and engage an audience have all featured this year! Yes, it’s been a ‘biggie’. Even if it’s felt a bit frustrating or overwhelming at times, it’s all been worth it!
4. It’s never to late to lose the baggage.
I’ve been aware of personal baggage I’ve been carrying for many years that I’d found difficult to shift. This year I said ENOUGH! I invested my time in some breakthrough sessions to help shift it once and for all, so that I could move forward professionally and personally unhindered.
5. Never underestimate the power of FOCUS
Wow, I knew focus was important (I’ve struggled with it all my life), but this year it was my constant mantra! Thanks to ‘anonymous’ that created the antonym F.O.C.U.S. – Follow One Course Until Successful. This year I have surprised myself with all that I was able to achieve, in my business and personally. I am on my chosen path, and know that there are more great things to come.
6. Family is everything and life’s too short to let it flash by
My kids need me. My husband needs me, and he wants to make me happy (he even gets me a latte from Freddies every morning, because it makes HIM happy to do it!) And work is not more important than spending time in the present with my family while I can! Making time for them is a matter of priority.
7. Me time is not a crime!
Yep. I deserve ‘me time’, it is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. Earlier this year I ‘hit the wall’, and could barely even think, let alone function. Moving forward meant taking a more balanced approach, including time to relax. It’s okay to stand our grand and gently demand time just to be us.
So what have been your greatest lessons this year? I would love it if you share it below. I really enjoy getting to know you better, and what is important to you.
Have a wonderful Christmas or holiday break and I’ll catch you early in the New Year!
All the best for Christmas and the holiday break…. Krishna xx
