Small Business Expert

Free Press Release Distribution Services

Robert Moment — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 06:01:16 +0000

How often do you take advantage of FREE Press Release Distribution Services as a Marketing Strategy? Unfortunately, many small business owners overlook the power of the FREE Press Release Distribution Services.

When you submit your press release, make sure you research your topic, to optimize the most relevant keywords to your website, services, products, books, etc. Visit Good Keywords, a free service where you can search for keywords and phrases related to your particular industry. This will translate into more website traffic because each time someone searches for your keywords, search engines will include your website as relevant.

Of course, press releases are only effective forms of marketing when they are properly distributed among media representatives. Therefore, the next time you release something newsworthy, submit it to FREE Press Release Distribution Services databases like the ones listed below:

Free Press Center Info

Express Press Release

US PR Wire

PR Inside

Press Releases Blogspot

Remember to review the guidelines on each FREE Press Release Distribution site because their policies are always subject to change.

Embrace the power of writing Press Releases as a complete PR Marketing Strategy for your small business.

Robert Moment is an innovative, forward-thinking small business and marketing coach and author of Invisible Profits: The Power of Exceptional Customer Service. Robert specializes in teaching entrepreneurs and small business owners how to start a business that profits and grows. Visit How to Start Your Small Business and sign up for the FREE 7 day e-course titled, “Turn Passion into Profit: Small Business Startup.”

Contact Robert at Robert@howtostartyoursmallbusiness.com

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How to Write a Press Release

Robert Moment — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 06:01:25 +0000

How often do you take advantage of Press Releases as a Marketing Strategy? A PR marketing strategy can be an important part of your overall marketing efforts for your business. Unfortunately, however, many small business owners overlook the power of the press release.

When you write a great press release, positioned properly, announcing a new service, new products, or a new direction, the better your chances that a reporter, news website, or other media representative will pick it up and run a story on you or your business.

It’s important to recognize that the media finds a large percentage of their story ideas on the Internet. Writing a good press release will answer the 5 W’s: Who, What, Where, When, and Why.

To catch the reader’s attention, though, so he will actually move on to reading the content, you need to think about your title. Have a strong headline that will immediately catch the eye and grab the attention of the journalist. Your headline serves a purpose other than just attracting the journalist. It will provide the reader the primary topic of your PR, and make it more searchable within a PR database. Therefore, it is important to have your keywords in the headline.

Remember that a press release is neither a sales letter nor an advertisement. Therefore, you shouldn’t write the press release in an attempt to sell your products or services. Your goal with your press releases is to educate the journalist in a way that answers the question they all have, “What’s in it for me?” If you can tell the journalist quickly and directly why they should be listening to you, they will then be willing to focus on what you have to offer, and share it with their targeted audience and readers.

www.free-press-release.com
www.prweb.com
www.prleap.com
www.1888pressrelease.com
www.clickpress.com
www.free-news-release.com
www.free-press-release-center.info
www.pr.com

Writing a press release will help increase your link popularity, which is extremely helpful to any serious search engine optimization strategy. This is true because free press release distribution centers will typically allow you to identify some keywords for your press release. Increased link popularity will also drive more traffic to your website in addition to the favorable page ranking you’ll see through the SEO results. From a web strategy point of view, you may consider upgrading your account with Free Press Release Centers because your press release will then remain in their system forever, instead of only a limited time.

When you submit the keywords for your press release, make sure that the PR itself is also optimized with those keywords. Use the keywords that are most relevant to your website, services, products, books, etc. This will translate into more traffic because each time someone searches for information, your website will appear among the results as relevant to the topic. Visit website http://www.goodkeywords.com – a free service that will help you search for keywords and phrases related to your particular industry.

Embrace the power of writing Press Releases as a complete PR Marketing Strategy for your small business.

Contact Robert at Robert@Howtostartyoursmallbusiness.com

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Free Article Directories

Robert Moment — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 06:01:03 +0000

Article marketing can increase your business prospects, publicity, and profits. Writing compelling “how to” articles will educate and inform your target market, transforming you into a trusted source of information.

It’s a powerful method of transforming yourself from a relative unknown to an expert in your field virtually overnight.

How does this help your bottom line?

Chasing clients is a tedious and often unrewarding exercise. Instead of chasing them, you can win them over by sharing your knowledge and expertise.

Use free article directories to publish your articles, as you tantalize and tempt your readers with a taste of what they can expect from your business, and leave them wanting more. That way you can stop chasing after clients and get them to come to you.

Here are some online Article Directories where you can submit your articles:

Generate more website traffic, increase credibility and attract more clients by submitting your articles to free article directories.

Contact Robert at Robert@howtostartyoursmallbusiness.com

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Article Marketing

Robert Moment — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 06:01:52 +0000

It’s a powerful method of transforming yourself from a relative unknown to an expert in your field virtually overnight.

How does this help your bottom line?

Chasing clients is a tedious and often unrewarding exercise. Instead of chasing them, you can win them over by sharing your knowledge and expertise.

For instance, you can write short “how to” articles of 250-700 words related to your industry. Then submit them to various article directory sites for wide exposure to hundreds or thousands of online publishers.

By allowing them to be freely published by website owners and newsletter publishers, your articles could be viewed by millions of Internet users who might otherwise never have heard about your small business.

This is an incredible, low-cost marketing tool that generates targeted website traffic and helps build your mailing list.

Articles as Free Advertising

Posting free-reprint articles on reputable high traffic article directories and social bookmarking sites will increase your visibility and website traffic. Posting your article on Article Directories such as Ezine Articles, Idea Marketers, Go Articles, Article Dashboard, Amazines, Article Snatch, and on social bookmarking sites such as Digg, Technorati, Del.ico.us , Propeller, Stumbleupon, Reddit and Fark, will save you a lot of money on advertising. You’ll reap the benefits of publicity and gain a great deal of credibility for your business.

Of course, your article submissions should be purposeful and beneficial to those who will be reading them. After all, the whole point is not only to attract the attention of potential clients but to engage them with your ideas and information.

First, identify your target audience and think about what they’d like to read about.

Then, when you have your subject matter chosen, you can begin researching and writing your item. Here are some suggestions to make your articles more effective:

Article Writing Tips

The Title: This is one of the most important parts of an article because it’s the first thing the reader sees. Make your title powerful and be sure it accurately represents the subject matter which follows it.

The Truth: No one likes false advertising so make sure all of the information in your article is truthful. You want people to trust you, and you want to establish a good reputation. Openly sharing honest insider knowledge is a great way to earn that trust and respect.

Write Many Articles: Don’t try to stuff everything into a single article. Save some information for a Part II or perhaps a series.

Think Strategically: The goal of article writing is to inspire an action. For instance, prepare a short “teaser” item and prompt readers to click to your website for more information.

Spread it Around: Joining forums is another excellent way to get in touch with new prospects. Try posting your existing articles and commentaries to appropriate forums, along with your signature file. People will learn about you and your business, and some will click through to your website.

The more you learn about how to effectively use article distribution, the more it will benefit your business by delivering a substantial increase in website traffic and registrations.

Remember, use article directories to publish your articles, as you tantalize and tempt your readers with a taste of what they can expect from your business, and leave them wanting more. That way you can stop chasing after clients and get them to come to you.

Contact Robert at Robert@howtostartyoursmallbusiness.com

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How to Build a Website

Robert Moment — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 06:01:44 +0000

Your goal is to build a high traffic, high ranking and profitable website. A website is more than a brochure. Decide the goal of your website, i.e., selling your services, selling products, lead generation, etc.

10 Tips for Building a Successful Website

1] Focus on the problems of your niche target market: When visitors come to your website, you want them to tune into Radio Station WIIFM (What’s In It For Me). The web copy content should be benefits-oriented. Focus on the benefits of working with you. Many websites focus on the features. Have a strong Call to Action that directs visitors to take some sort of action, i.e., call to discuss your services, buy your products, sign up for your e-newsletter etc.

2] Domain Name Selection Criteria: Use keywords in selecting your domain name. Make sure the name is easy to remember and describes the purpose of your website. To find good keywords visit http://www.wordtracker.com.

3] Website Traffic Strategy: Have a plan for bringing visitors to your website. Just because you’ve built your site, don’t think that people will come to it. One of the fastest and most effective traffic building strategies is Article Marketing. Write articles and submit them to article submission websites, such as www.ezinearticles.com and www.ideamarketers.com. This strategy will begin the process of branding you as an expert in your industry.

4] Website Metrics: You can’t track what you don’t measure. Metrics help you measure and improve the performance of your website, i.e., conversion rate, traffic stats, most viewed web pages, source of visitors, visitor value, etc.

5] Headline: Have a compelling and benefits-oriented headline because you only have a few seconds to grab the web visitors’ attention.

6] Niche Market For Service Professionals: I highly recommend niche-focused websites that clearly define your target market.

7] Website Design: The site must be fast to load and easy to navigate.

8] E-commerce: Your site should accept online credit card payments for services and products, and/or internet payment companies like PayPal www.paypal.com.

9] Database Management: Your site needs to capture visitor’s contact information so that you can add them to your email list (database) and market your services to them, i.e., e-newsletters, books, new product launches, etc. Database Management Resources: Aweber (www.aweber.com) and Constant Contact (www.constantcontact.com).

10] Color Scheme: Color can have a major impact on your online sales so choose colors that will generate positive responses. Here are some color guidelines to consider for web design:

Red – Action, attention getting, energy, power, strength, passion, fire, heat. A strong, masculine color. Red is a good color for a call-to-action. Red is cheerfulness, excitement, and warmth.

Blue – Confidence, travel, freedom, truth, professionalism, wealth and power. Also tranquility, dependability, acceptance, patience, understanding, cooperation, comfort, loyalty and security. It is one of the most calming colors and is associated with the sky and the sea, intelligence, reassurance, and trust.

Green – Money, wealth, prosperity, calm, health, food, nature, hope, growth, freshness, soothing, sharing, and responsiveness. Green symbolizes fertility, spring and renewal.

Orange – Health and vitality, autumn, youthfulness, fire, steadfastness, courage, confidence, friendliness, cheerfulness,
warmth, excitement and energy. Vibrant and warm, orange is associated with autumn and the earth.

Yellow – Light, purity, understanding, caution, brightness, intelligence, joy, organization.

Purple – Dignity, sophistication, creativity, spirituality and mystery.

Brown – Credibility, stability, the hearth, home, the earth, wood, comfort and strength.

Black – Authority, classy, committed, serious, night, and sophistication.

Gray – Maturity, security, and reliability, a very conservative color.

White – Fresh, pure, spirituality, perfection, and easy

These guidelines will help you select the appropriate colors for your potential web audience so choose wisely and build a profitable website.

Follow these guidelines on how to build a website that will be successful and profitable to your business.

Contact Robert at Robert@howtostartyoursmallbusiness.com

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Seven Steps to Fearless Public Speaking

Robert Moment — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 06:01:00 +0000

Your hands sweat, your voice is cracking, you’re experiencing shortness of breath and the shakes. Have you ever experienced any of these symptoms? They are sure signs of speech anxiety . Some of us would rather have a dentist perform root canal than give an oral presentation. Admit it, at some point you’ve probably been nervous about giving a presentation. Being nervous is normal because you want to do a great job. Guess what? You are not alone! Millions of people battle speech anxiety every day in their professional lives. Many of us set up roadblocks serving as our own worst critic. We judge ourselves mercilessly. The result? We create speech anxiety. Most of the time, anticipation is often worse than the reality.

What causes speech anxiety? It’s simple. We all want to be liked and respected. Just about everyone wants both. Instead of worrying about being liked or respected just strive to be your authentic self.

There are 7 Steps to successfully overcoming speech anxiety. These will put you into a ‘No Fear Zone.’ Remember your audience cannot see inside you. They have no idea that you are experiencing speech anxiety, also known as nervousness.

1] Know you audience and purpose – The more you know about your audience the more confidence you have that your speech will be successful. Provide two-way dialogue and interactivity with your audience. Remember that you’re the expert and they hired you to share your knowledge. Use audience participation whenever possible . Break the audience into small groups and have them discuss key issues then invite them to share their observations. This technique helps build audience connection.

2] Research your topic – Select an appropriate topic that you are comfortable with. The more familiar you are with the topic and material, the more likely words will flow effortlessly and the audience will embrace you. Researching the topic will boost your confidence.

3] Organize your ideas and information – Mentally visualize your success. Visualization is an excellent way of overcoming speech anxiety. Prepare yourself for success by rehearsing again and again until you are confident in the material.

4] Content and structure – Know your presentation backward, forward, and sideways. Speaking from notes or an outline is very effective. Simply stress the main points of your presentation. Audiences value presentations that are clear and concise.

5] Technology – Practice your speech, and practice using your supporting visuals, such as PowerPoint. Have a strong comfort level with all of the technology that you will be using in your presentation. Visit the location in advance before your presentation. Always get a “feel” for your surroundings before you take center stage.

6] Practice, Practice and Practice – Rehearse your presentation out loud again and again until you are so confident with the material that you can handle any question. When you hear yourself out loud you can make any necessary corrections. Preparation is the best time tested method for overcoming speech anxiety. Videotaping and audio taping your rehearsals help put the polishing touches on your presentation.

7] Delivery – Deliver with a positive mental attitude. Present your information with a smile, happiness and excitement.

It is time for center stage. Implement the 7 Steps to overcoming speech anxiety and your success is guaranteed. Just relax and take a series of deep breaths by breathing slowly through the nose, then slowly exhaling through slightly pursed lips. Start visualizing yourself walking confidently in front of the audience and then delivering a dramatic and compelling presentation.

The audience is waiting for you to speak with purpose and confidence.

Robert Moment is an innovative, sought-after small business and marketing coach and author of Invisible Profits: The Power of Exceptional Customer Service. Robert specializes in teaching entrepreneurs and small business owners how to start a business which profits and grows. Visit How to Start Your Small Business and sign up for the FREE 7 day e-course titled, “Turn Passion into Profit: Small Business Startup.”

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Writing Business Proposals: Don’t Fall into the Trap!

Robert Moment — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 06:01:32 +0000

In business, there is one question that no sane person wants to hear: “Could you write me a proposal?”

Proposals are traps, ways to build up and break down dreams. Sound dramatic? It’s not. In many cases, writing a proposal is a waste of your time and effort.

According to Tom Ranseen of NoSpin Marketing, there are three reasons why proposals are known as traps:

n They waste precious time that could be used looking for other prospects or providing other productive work to current clients.

n They give pricing/packaging information to mere tire-kickers and then to your competition. You just become a number standing in line without a dance partner.

n They give you a false sense of security that you’re doing something positive and productive in your sales process – that you’re busy and making progress. And maybe that’s the worst of all.

Does this mean that all proposal requests are useless? No. What it does mean is that you have to be able to choose which are worth your time and which aren’t. Below are tips to help you make that choice:

1] If a potential client wants a proposal but has not given you a clear idea of what they want/need and do not seem able to make a decision, the best advice is to pass.

2] Is the potential client shopping around, or looking into other prospects? A part of you will want to create proposal just to solidify your abilities; however, be careful. A client who is unable to choose companies may not be worth the effort it takes.

3] Did your potential client demand a proposal right away? In most cases, the quicker a proposal is demanded, the more likely the client is to back away. Watch out for impulsiveness.

4] Is the client unwilling to talk to you directly to review the project and/or proposal? This typically boils down to indecision or wavering interest. It is best to pull out while you can and not waste time.

5] Ask the important questions before accepting the offer to write a proposal. Make sure that the client is qualified to carry through with their plans. Are they committed? Are they financially secured? The worst thing you can do is have a client who loves your ideas but simply can’t afford them or commit to them.

6] Use common sense. Take all things into consideration before writing a proposal. It will save you time and allow you to devote your abilities to other projects.

The proposal trap is a common one in business; many hours have been wasted and many dreams shattered after falling into it. Take the time to review these suggestions and learn when to write a proposal and when to walk away.

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Build Your Small Business on Referrals

Robert Moment — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 06:01:46 +0000

Can you build your business on referrals? Absolutely! And although it’s not difficult to encourage satisfied clients to help you in this way, your source of referrals can extend much further.

Here are 6 action tips to keep you at the top of your referral game. The relationships you build along the way will make it doubly worthwhile.

1. Ask for Referrals

In most instances, your satisfied clients prove to be your best source of referrals. However, you won’t gain their valuable referrals if you don’t ask. And when you ask, find out what about your product or service they especially liked. That will help you anticipate what these new prospects also need and are likely to value about your services.

2. Work with Colleagues

Exchange leads and past clients with colleagues who do not compete head on or “directly” with your business. Tell them about your business and your business needs – such as the type of clients they are looking for – and encourage them to tell you about theirs.

3. Work with Your Competitors

Never rule out your competitors – both in seeking referrals and in your networking and relationship building . You may have a specialty in an area they don’t. Also, they may have been approached about a project that is too small, too large, or a conflict or interest. Similarly, you may learn of an opportunity that is not suitable for you – one which may be right for one of your competitors. As you come to acknowledge each other as “friendly competitors,” you each open a door to a new and valuable source of referrals.

4. Build a Networking Circle

Get referrals from people you know and trust – and who know and trust you. These individuals might include your accountant, lawyer, insurance agent, minister, and even neighbors, etc. You can reciprocate. Help them with their business activities and needs by finding opportunities to bring others into their respective networks.

5. Work with Other Businesses

Remember that other businesses – those that market different products and services to your clients – are potential referral sources. Their clients may have a need for your products or services too.

6. Send Thank You Notes

Always send a thank you note to follow-up with your referral sources, whether or not the referral directly results in business for you. This sign of appreciation will only strengthen the business relationship. Many stationery companies and office supply stores sell preprinted cards that are appropriate for businesses like yours. With confidence, you can add your words of appreciation – your personal touch – to them.

Build your business with endless referrals and achieve long term success.

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Seven Steps to Achieving Small Business Success

Robert Moment — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 06:01:09 +0000

The key to achieving small business success is to take the time to develop a winning formula built on proven strategies and innovative marketing principles.

This formula will be the foundation that supports the rest of your actions, strategies and tactics. A successful foundation will incorporate your mindset with specific goals designed to help you achieve your massive goal of creating a successful business.

Here are seven steps you can take to turn your small business into a successful, vibrant and profitable organization:

1] Believe in Yourself – Refuse to place limitations on yourself or your goals. A positive attitude and strong self confidence are prime characteristics of a successful entrepreneur, and will be strong indicators of how effective you will be with your small business. Psychologist-philosopher William James said, “The greatest discovery of my generation is that people can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.”

2] Set Goals – Goal setting is one of the most critical processes in this endeavor. Developing relationships and building a network of friends and colleagues will be invaluable in both your personal and professional lives. It’s been said that a goal is a “dream with a deadline.” Goals must be written, personalized, specific, achievable, measurable and time-sensitive. Take some time to think about your goals and list at least five that you want to accomplish. The action of setting goals is the first step toward accomplishing your dreams and will help you gain direction, clarity and vision.

3] Create a Plan – Your attitude determines you altitude. In other words, your mind more than anything else determines how much success you will achieve in your life. Having a positive mental attitude is the first step on that journey. Achieving personal success is a choice and it all starts with taking the time to map out a plan that puts a framework for success around your goals.

4] Take Action – Decide what it takes to get what you want out of life, and do it! Achieving success takes real commitment and effort, but it also takes an action plan to guide the efforts of everyone involved. This step is essential to a successful journey. You’ve already identified your goals and established a plan, now it is up to you to take action to ensure your success!

5] Continuous Learning – Whatever you do, don’t ever stop learning! Continually learning something new is the essence of being engaged, challenged and effective. Keep stretching and improving your self by acquiring knowledge for personal growth and development.

6] Giving – Develop a spirit of giving. You can’t receive what you are not willing to give. Volunteer your time and service. Be a mentor. Everyone has life experiences that would benefit another. What talents, knowledge, skills, and personal characteristics do you have that could add value to the lives of those around you? What experience could you share with your family, friends, and colleagues? What do you value in a relationship and how do you reciprocate? True success lies in helping others succeed.

7] Attitude of Gratitude – Say thank you every day. It should be a part of your daily living. Don’t take life for granted, express your appreciation to others and it will always be rewarded. Thankfulness is like a boomerang, it always comes back to you.

Put these seven principles to work in your life and your business. Armed with these tools, your dedication and hard work will help you ensure that your small business becomes a success, not a struggle.

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The 6 P’s of Personal Branding

Robert Moment — Wed, 28 May 2008 06:01:35 +0000

Unless you’re using every advantage of Personal Branding, you’re not achieving all of the potential success which is sitting there waiting for you. Personal Branding means that you’re providing the right impression of your small business, right down to the smallest detail. If you want to be more successful in all your various endeavors – and especially in the case of a small business – you need to know the 6 “P’s” of personal branding. This is a set of concepts developed by business and entrepreneurship experts which give you the key to unlock your potential.

PERSONA

Who are you? What is your small business all about? What kind of customer service do you provide? What are your business values? What are you proud of? What makes you different from the competition? These are questions which your potential customers and clients must answer for themselves in a short period of time. How they answer them depends not just on what you say or what kind of persona you have managed to convey to them. Your policies, atmosphere, customer service, integrity, and overall quality are all factors that you can usually control. Your business “personality” has to shine through, so don’t waste time wondering if they’ll like you. Simply be yourself and they will.

POSITIONING

Everyone knows you have to be at the right place at the right time and know the right people, right? While this is true to some extent, a more important realization is that you can put your business in the right place when the time is right, and get to know all the right people. Positioning is how you do it; and this simply means you want to make sure you’re always in the best possible position.

PACKAGING

Just like you make decisions about the products you buy based on their packaging, so do prospective customers and clients. They make a decision about your business as a whole by the atmosphere you put forward, the quality the packaging of your specific products implies, and the additional support, guarantees, and other peripheries that you offer. When it comes to personal branding, packaging is a behind-the-scenes kind of preparation, which generally isn’t obvious unless you don’t do it, or if you don’t do it right. If you’ve ever wondered how someone gets to be “the whole package,” it’s because they put the time and forethought into all the little things that many others overlook. Just a little attention to your own packaging can help you market yourself much more effectively.

PRESENTATION

Just as important as making sure you’re “the whole package,” is paying close attention to every aspect of your presentation. Again, these are a lot of little things that can add up to a big impression – and you always want to make a good one. It’s an unfortunate reality in today’s world that appearances do matter, and they play a large role in how prospective and current customers see you. Those who market themselves effectively know that how you present yourself is of utmost importance, and it goes beyond just having a fancy exterior. Providing quality service, standing behind your products and services, presenting effective follow-up, and maintaining an overall professional and polite impression are all crucial elements of your presentation.

PROMOTION

Perhaps the most important element of personal branding is promotion – shameless self-promotion. You know your business, including its strengths, what makes it stand above the rest, what makes it a good “deal” and you know what qualities you possess: It’s absolutely crucial you convey this to potential customers.

PASSION

Last, but certainly not least, in the concepts that make up personal branding, is passion – passion for what you’re doing, for who you are and where you’re going. Customers are looking to know you, so don’t waste time trying to be something you’re not. Instead, let your passion, your enthusiasm and your energy for the job you’re doing, and the things you love, shine through. You’re sure to meet with the kind of success you’ve always dreamed of.

Remember, the key to effective personal branding is confidence. Don’t be afraid to let others know what makes you great, and why you’re the best choice.

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