Savvy Marketers Tips - Issue 9 September 2009
Hello <<First Name>>
Welcome to this issue of 'Savvy Marketing Tips' and to more new subscribers!
Each month we bring you easy to implement tools and tips for your small business, so you can take advantage of the many brilliant low-cost ways of marketing via the internet. We hope you will find our newsletter a welcome and useful addition to your inbox. If you do, please tell others about us so we can reach more people!
Best wishes,
Sam & Louise
the Savvy Marketers
More Savvy Tips from our Blog
 Don't forget to check the blog for more tips, tools, and up-to-the minute news about life on the web.
Recent Posts:
8 Ways to Boost the Performance of your Website
Are you an online Jekyll & Hyde?
Measuring your marketing ROI
Beware of squeeze pages bearing gifts
Feature Article: 3 Ways to Get Ahead and Stay Ahead!
Have you bought your Christmas cards yet? What about your diary and wall calendar for next year? Sorry to burst the summer holiday feeling bubble, but it really is time to be thinking and planning ahead.
Just as you need to have an overall marketing plan for your business, you also need to plan your blog posts, newsletters and article marketing ahead of time. A lot of business owners have been busily freshening up their websites and other marketing materials during the summer months, in readiness for getting ‘back to business’ in September, and we’re no exception! But the best-looking website, blog and brochure in the world aren’t going to be much good if you don’t also plan how you’re going to use them.
Print publications like the glossy monthly magazines, have to plan months ahead. As you read this newsletter, those magazines are already working on issues that will hit the shelves in 2010! Thankfully we don’t have to go to quite those lengths in our own small businesses, but we can learn some valuable lessons.
1. Be clear what to write about
One of the dangers of sitting down to a blank screen or page is you’re likely to start writing about the first good idea that pops into your head. When it comes to publishing your business’s newsletter and blog, it’s important to keep to a theme related to your area of specialism, or you’ll confuse your readers.
For example, if you’re a financial advisor, you could have themes like: pensions; savings & investments; mortgages; health cover, etc. You can plan ahead to cover one theme per issue, collecting snippets, articles and websites of interest into a file. Then, when you sit down to write your article, you’ll have plenty of inspiration and references.
2. Co-ordinate your marketing
So many people don’t plan their promotions properly; they send out a couple of emails and are then disappointed with the take-up results. For every new product or event announcement, you need to work out a campaign well in advance. So, if you’re intending to offer any Christmas specials, now is a great time to plan how you’re going to promote them. Use every tool at your disposal – Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, your newsletter, and of course, tell people when you’re out networking in person. Remember that, while it may seem to you that you’re overdoing the message, it won’t come across that way to your audience. You’ll know if you go too far.
3. Keep attracting new readers
You already know that your list of contacts, clients & prospects, are the lifeblood of your business. But do you have a plan to add to your list? And to keep on attracting new readers and subscribers? Another vital part of your online (and offline) marketing is to regularly reach out to new contacts and find ways to tempt them to sign up for your newsletter or blog.
So there are 3 plans you need to come up with: what topics to write about, a list of promotions, and what you’re going to do to attract new readers. If you can get into the habit of planning at least 3 months ahead, not only will your business thrive, you’ll also save a lot of time and stress running around at the last minute!
Now, where did I put that Christmas catalogue ......?
Got a Topic Idea?
We'd love to hear it! Just get in touch and let us know what Internet Marketing topic you'd like to know more about.
We'd Like to Recommend...
The Online Business Roadmap (Get Started Tuition from FrontLine Results)
How would it be if you had a roadmap so you could easily find out how to use low-cost and no-cost tools to make the internet work for your business? A roadmap that would show you how to:
* Create compelling Email Promotions
* Write well for the web and attract new clients
* Quickly and easily develop additional income streams
* Join the Social Networking revolution and use it to your advantage
Most people learn best by doing it for themselves, but don't have the time to find out by trial and error. Here are a couple of options to get you started off. Find out more on the Frontline Results website.
* * * * * * *
Step by Step E-Marketing
Do you want to get higher search engine rankings and handle online advertising campaigns without the expense of hiring someone to do it?
Forty First's Step by Step E-Marketing teaches you how to promote your website via weekly telephone calls & emails. This programme is a very cost-effective way of handling your own online marketing campaigns and includes:
- Search Engine Optimisation
- Pay per Click Advertising, such as Google Adwords
- Reviewing Competitors' websites & links
- Helping you develop your website to make it compelling to your visitors
This will increase the visitors and sales to your website, all while you learn the ins and outs of online marketing so that you can manage your own website effectively.
Pssst...Pass It On!
If you know anyone who might be interested in reading 'Savvy Marketing Tips' please feel free to forward this copy to them. Or tell them to visit http://www.savvymarketers.co.uk and get their copy of 'The Ultimate Small Business Guide to Marketing via the Internet'
Savvy Marketing Tips are brought to you by the Savvy Marketers, who are Sam McArthur and Louise Barnes-Johnston. We offer no-fluff, low cost, extremely valuable how-to information about marketing via the internet for the small business owner who has little or no prior experience.
|
