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Social media is the wave of the future or so it seems.  In reality it is another way to not only connect with folks you normally would not meet in your hometown but also a great way to market your services or products.  Getting involved in social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn can grow your online business.  Of course the main attraction to these sites is the fact they are FREE.  However, you must be careful to use your time wisely or you will find yourself being sucked into the social media craziness and losing quality time which can obviously be detrimental to your business.

Being strategic in your social marketing efforts can be a way to not only gain followers or friends but also gain potential clients.  For instance, with Twitter and Facebook you will need to choose your words wisely to convey your message.  Twitter limits the character usage, so you must therefore be creative in conveying your message but this can be easily accomplished with practice.  Your potential clients will get updates of your latest posts on your sites or perhaps your latest product. The main goal is to have potential clients visit your site or link and strategically adding links of interest is certainly acceptable.

Please keep in mind however, that no one likes spam and social media outlets are ones that were developed to gain friends and develop relationships.  With this in mind you can still gain clients.  You must be aware that developing relationships means being transparent and true to your cause.  Clients will be attracted to your genuine posts and will then recommend you to colleagues that may be looking for particular services as well.  Keep it real and all will be well.

Tags: Tips by Carrie Wilkerson
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The power of the list is very great.  However many take it for granted or perhaps are unaware of the power.

If most of your marketing is done online, you know the importance of attracting your targeted audience.  The same works for those with an offline business.  The marketing may differ some, but the power is always in the audience that you attract.  Working online has it’s benefits and one of them being the fact that you can attract an audience larger than you can offline.

Your targeted audience is one that will be interested in what you offer.  It may be in the form of a weekly newsletter or a monthly seminar.  In order to keep your audience interested in you, you must be willing to give them incentives.  Your goal is to attract them to you and not your competition.  Information is important and the more your share the more your audience will be enticed. Keeping the information new is another important component.  No one wants to hear or read the same information over and over, especially if it doesn’t work for them.

It is also important to make yourself  available to your list of subscribers.  Be sure to have an email, or phone number visible. This is a sign of integrity and will build a trust factor between you and your subscribers.  It is important to show that you are trustworthy and this can be done by adding a Contact Us page or About Us page on your site.   Individuals want to make connections and many will not be interested in what you may have to offer, if they don’t know anything about you or don’t know what you look like.

Treat your list of subscribers, your target audience as gold.  They will be the ones that will help build your business to a larger level. They will also be the ones marketing for you.  Yes, when your customers are happy they will gladly refer others to you. Treat your list of subscribers as you would like to be treated.  Don’t mistreat or spam with endless emails and they will be with you forever.

Tags: Marketing by Carrie Wilkerson
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Sharing ways to market your business is one of the things I love to do.  I have shared ways to market online via social networks, blogging, article submissions, guest blogging, teleseminars to name a few. As well as marketing offline with business cards, conferences, and the simple one to one contact.  However, for those that simply want to market themselves online it is important to make a connection with your target market.

One of the way to build instant credibility is with the use of videos.  With the use of videos your audience will have an instant connection.  They are able to not just notice that you are indeed a ‘real’ person but also will connect with you. They can see your mannerisms and your energy and not just your voice.

Using video today has become easier as well.  You do not need to purchase fancy video equipment.  Many computers today are equipped with webcams and video cameras like the FLIP (my favorite) make it easier and cost effective to begin your video adventure.  Begin using videos on your blogs, and sales pages.  Your main goal when marketing online is to build a relationship with your audience and with video the relationship is built much quicker.

To bring more traffic to your site and have your message heard and viewed, place your videos on circuits such as Youtube.  This is a great way to show your expertise and share your products or services with a larger market.  I invite you to visit The Barefoot Channel and notice how simple it is to use video as part of your business marketing.  Put away your fears and put yourself in front of the camera.  You will build instant credibility and an instant connection with your audience. Most importantly have fun!

Tags: Marketing by Carrie Wilkerson
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Now that you have determined what your business and target is, it’s time to dive into social media.  Many are afraid to conquer the social media world, but with a little bit of research you will find it is essential.

Many large companies that are based offline, are noticing the trend of social media and the impact that it can have on your business, so what are YOU waiting for?  Let’s talk Twitter today.

If you have been online for any amount of time, I am sure you have heard of Twitter.  Many however, are still a bit confused with Twitter and all the possibilities attached to it.  So, let’s dispel any confusions and learn a bit more about Twitter.

Twitter is another social media platform that can be confusing at first.  Twitter is described as a micro-blogging platform.  Micro-blogging? What exactly is micro-blogging?  To clear up some confusion it is easier to say that Twitter is more like a version of a chat room but with a limitation of 140 characters.  With this limitation you must be creative with your message and with some practice you will discover ways to shorten your words to get you message understood by the masses.

Now that you are ready to experiment with Twitter, some things to keep in mind are the following:

• Always add a profile picture, not a logo, a real picture – people want to know and connect with you and can’t do it without a picture or a logo
• Fill in the profile section – make this section enticing to others and share what it is you do and something they can connect with
• Add a URL – there is a section to add your URL of your site, blog, company, etc..use this area so others can find you

Sounds easy enough, right? Well, now the connections begin.  Your goal should be to make not only connections but to build relationships.  If your ultimate goal is to market your brand or business, it is very important to build relationships first.  People will follow you because of your authenticity not for your spamming.  Spamming can be very disturbing and can lead to failure.  Make the effort to connect with others and build trusting relationships.

Twitter is simply another social networking platform and one that can be very useful in the building of your brand and business.  Remember it is not all about numbers and more about quality.  Don’t worry if you only have 50 or 100 Twitter Friends.  The longer you are active and authentic, the more your numbers will increase and you will build a ‘true’ following and not one of simply spammers.

There are many social networking platforms available such as Facebook, LinkedIn and more.  The one thing to keep in mind is to limit your time on these networks.  You can quite easily loose track of time and find yourself immersed in the platforms instead of working on your projects.  Use a timer and limit your time.  Make the time you are active on the platforms quality and productive and you will find your business growing by leaps and bounds.

Tags: Marketing, Tips by Carrie Wilkerson
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I’ve spoken about this topic in the past but want to share it with you again because to succeed in any business, one of the key components needed is networking.

Networking within in your circle of friends is a way to begin. If you are simply beginning a business, this group is the obvious group to network with. Sharing your business with your family and friends is important. They also have their own network of friends that they can share your business with and the cycle will begin. Networking is a simple process and one that believe it or not many neglect.

To succeed in any business networking is essential and much faster then if you are doing it all alone. Now that you have shared your business with your immediate network of family and friends you will need to move out to your business network. The business network is one that can actually multiply your sales without having to actually have them on your payroll. A business network is a group of like-minded individuals that are all working towards a common goal. The common goal in this case is improving each other’s businesses.

Your business network is not simply used to promote your business or products. This group is also available to brainstorm or for needed advice. You will find that many in your business network have experienced what you may be experiencing and can help guide you in the right direction. A business network should be complimentary to your business. The last thing you want is to have someone within your network competing for the same customers. Finding individuals that will compliment your business will work nicely when developing your circle of influence. Each individual’s services can greatly help in increasing sales for each other and in building a great referral source.

So as you can tell, building a network will be essential to the success of your business. You will succeed and those involved in the network will succeed as well. You may come across a customer with individual problems that will require individual solutions. In the past you may have had to refer this customer elsewhere because you, yourself could not help them with their needs. But with a a network you will be able to refer this customer within your group, which will not only benefit your group but keeping the customer happy as well. A network is a great way to increase your customer base without costing you anything more than reciprocity.

I address this in much more detail in this DVD where I addressed a ’live’ audience on the power of online and offline networking!! It’s a gift for you — for the cost of shipping & handling only!

Click here to check it out!

Tags: Marketing, Tips by Carrie Wilkerson
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Building a business is a wonderful, exhilarating but also overwhelming and frustrating. One of the main keys to success is maintaining a positive, yes you can do it, mindset.

Easier said than done, right?

Here are some ways to help you create and sustain a positive mindset so you attain the success you desire:

• Perhaps one of the most important tips I can share with you is this: surround yourself with successful and positive people.  It’s amazing how the influence of others can impact and affect our own personal energy. When we surround ourselves with positive individuals, those that inspire us and truly believe in us our need and willpower to succeed grows leaps and bounds.  The doubt is swept away leaving us with the energy to move forward.

• Develop an affirmation and repeat it often.  It can be repeated or something that you see on a daily basis.  It’s amazing what positive affirmations can do to change your complete attitude.  For example, if you write that you’re always feeling disorganized then your affirmation would be, “I am organized and in control.” Repeat your affirmations several times a day and feel the power of positive thinking.

• Avoid negative thinking.  Just as you can implement positive affirmations into your daily routine, avoiding negative thinking is just as important.  Although may think that it is easier said than done, removing the negative thoughts will take practice and persistence.  If you can’t think of a positive affirmation perhaps singing or listening to upbeat music will also help.  The point is not to let negative thoughts creep into your mind because they will definitely affect your success strategies.

• Set goals – this is extremely important in any business and in your life to lead to success.  Setting goals will keep you on track and keep you focused on the task at hand.  It is wise not to set goals that are unreachable as in making 6 figures in 30 days.  Making your goals realistic is the first thing and will definitely lead to your success.

• Be grateful. Gratitude is perhaps the single most powerful and positive tool for success. When you’re grateful for all of the wonderful things and people in your life the challenges you face seem significantly less important and are more easily dealt with.

Success is within your reach and with the right attitude you can accomplish anything you set your sights on. Embrace these  powerful mind success strategies and you’ll build a better business and live a happier, more satisfying life.

Tags: Tips by Carrie Wilkerson
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In order for your site or online business to be successful you must generate traffic.  And of course we know that generating traffic is not easy, it’s a lot of work and involves money or capital shall we say.  To make money, we know at time requires spending some money or just having money period.  Thankfully there are ways to that you can apply to optimize your site and generate traffic that won’t break the bank.

The most important qualities you must possess in order to succeed in any business whether it is online or offline is perseverance.  The drive and the proper mindset will all pay off in the long run.  You must be willing to put in long hours to generate traffic along with the research to find ways to generate more traffic.

Now although there are ways to market your business online to generate traffic that you can certainly pay for such as advertising, there are also many ways you can implement that won’t cost a dime.

Some great ways to generate traffic to your site are:

• Online forums or communities – there are many forums and communities online, do your research and find the one that contains your target market.  Be sure to build relationships and then share your information.  Don’t join to bombard the community with ads that is a definite turn-off and can be detrimental to your business. With online communities and forums you can build a reputation for your company or your brand. Show them what you are made of and wow them with your range of expertise about the subject, with that you can build a reputation and build trust with the people in your expertise and knowledge.

• Newsletter/Ezines -  Providing an online newsletter doesn’t cost a dime.  All it will require is your time and energy but you can include interesting and entertaining articles as well as show off your products. If you make it really interesting and entertaining, more people will sign up for your newsletter and recommend it to other people. The more people who signs up for your newsletter, the more people there will be that will go to your site increasing your traffic.

• Writing articles – articles will attract visitors to your site, but don’t just simply post them on your site.  Be sure to add your articles to article directories, or better yet, add a resource box to your articles in your newsletters and your site and allow others to use your articles on their sites.  This will not only help them in relieving them from writing an interesting article, but it will also expose you to more traffic.

• Great content – as mentioned above providing good content on your site is essential.  Search engines track down keywords and keyword phrases used in your articles and on your site.  It’s not necessary to have a professional write your content, you can very well provide your own.  Just remember to keep it not only entertaining but informational as well.  Folks searching for particular items or information will usually use keywords or phrases; with the right keywords you can get high rankings in search engines which of course results in no cost to you.

All of these methods and more will drive more traffic to your site for free. All it takes is a bit of effort and perseverance to succeed. Learn all you can about the methods depicted here and you will soon have a site with a great traffic flow without the usual costs that come with it.

Tags: Marketing, Tips by Carrie Wilkerson
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The answer to this question is yes, but do you know why? The reasons may be simple, but the final decision may be difficult.

As business owners, we know the ins and outs of our business. We know our business from top to bottom and front to back, but do we know what we need to do to grow it? The answer is more than like, no.

Here are a few reasons why you should hire an internet marketing coach:

1. Marketing problems

Do you continually spend money on marketing for it to not work? You could be spending good money on magazine ads, button and banner ads online, or newspaper ads for not one person to come your direction. The problem could be the market you are putting yourself in. An internet marketing coach can tell you what you are doing wrong and how to fix it.

2. Advice

An internet marketing coach will give you advice on what you should do and shouldn’t do. She will also help you when you are having down times in your business. She will encourage you ever step of the way.

3. Guidance

Internet marketing coaches are there to help and guide you through the hardest part of your business. She will lead you to people that can help you grow in ways that you can’t do on your own.

4. Understanding

An internet marketing coach will show you that it will take time to grow your business and that success can’t be achieved in a few days or weeks. No matter how many times it takes to explain something she will make sure that you have an understanding of the time factor involved in reaching the level of success that you desire.

These are four of the many reasons why you should hire an internet marketing coach. When you start your business, more than likely you have a teacher or mentor that helps you a long the way. You have classes or trainings that you take so you can increase your knowledge. An internet marketing coach is like a teacher or mentor. They are there to help you grow your business using techniques that you never knew were possible.

Tags: Marketing by Carrie Wilkerson
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