Author Archive
Power Through the People
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You are in a room full of people and across the way you see someone who is naturally friendly and has the gift to gab or even better, the gift of making friends. We call them a people-person, someone unbelievably nice and charismatic that they can charm anyone into doing anything.
A socially-empowered person achieves greatness because of the people he surrounds himself with. He earns the trust and all-out support of the people whom he helped before. He can do anything with the plethora of people behind him. All because he knows how to maximize his social potential with self-empowerment!
Self-empowerment is making a general overhaul in your life and turning yourself into a happier and more successful person. Here are a few tips on how to make it happen:
1. Be genuine.
Hypocrisy will just bring you all the way down. Be genuinely nice and interested to people. Once they perceive that you are Mr. Hypocrite with selfish intentions, you might as well say goodbye to self-empowerment.
2. Be the greatest listener that you can be.
To earn the love and trust of the people, listen to their problems and sympathize with them. Do not just hear them out, listen to them with your heart. Make eye contact when the person talks to you. Listen as if every word matters and it does. Brownie points when they find out that there is a confidante in you.
3. Laugh out loud.
I do not mean that you force yourself to laugh for every joke cracked by someone, albeit you do not find it funny at all. This means finding humor in things and not being too darn serious. A person oozing with an awesome sense of humor attracts crowds and eventually, attracts success.
4. Don’t forget yourself.
In the process of fluttering around like a social butterfly, you might forget yourself, allowing everyone to push you over. Remember, love and value yourself before anyone else. If you deem yourself respectable and worthy of affection, people will flock to you and not trample on you.
5. Do random acts of kindness.
You don’t have to do a John Rockefeller and blow your savings to charity. Little acts of kindness matters the most and this can be as simple as giving someone a surprise you-take-care card or helping an elderly cross the street. When we were kindergarten students, kindness was taught to us and greatly practiced. Now is the time to revive the good deeds and this time, let them stay for good.
MainStreetChamber VIP Card – List Your Business
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With over 100 national retailers and thousands of local businesses. Save money on everything from prescription drugs and insurance to office supplies and restaurants
Today, saving money is not just for those on a modest income. Coupon clipping and consignment shops are becoming almost chic. Of course, people who have achieved financial security have always known the importance of being frugal.
Consumers today are so motivated to save money that they spend hours searching for the best deals and clipping coupons. Discount retailers like Sam’s Club and Costco have attracted millions of customers who are willing to pay annual fees for the opportunity to save money. Perhaps you have purchased one of those entertainment coupon books or belong to the Diner’s Club.
However, if you are like me, when you get ready to make a purchase, coupons don’t do you any good because you either forget to bring them along, or, you drag them around for so long that they expire. Or, the entertainment coupon book you bought is so heavy that you usually don’t have it with you when you need it. Buying in large quantities from discount clubs is pointless because I don’t have the room to store things like five gallon jugs of shampoo, 10 boxes of cereal or 100 roll packs of toilet paper. Besides, coupons are not even available for certain items that I might like to purchase.
So, what do I do to save money? I use the MainStreetChamber VIP Membership Card. It saves me money on everything from prescription drugs and insurance to office supplies and restaurants. Plus, it fits in my wallet and never, ever expires. With the VIP card I save money on products and services from hundreds of national retailers including Wal-Mart, Macys, FedEx, UPS, Office Depot, Costal Contacts, PetSmart, Comp USA, Footlocker, Tiger Direct, CDW, Wyndham Hotels, Days Inn, Hertz rental car, 1-800-Flowers.com and thousands of local businesses.
Lead Generation and New Marketing Strategies
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5 Incredible Lead Generation Ideas
Posted by: | CommentsIdeas for capturing new leads and converting prospects into customers
As an expert in your field, you’ve got a ton of really important information in your
head. But you’ve got to get it out of your head and into some useful format for
lead generation. Information is the heart and soul of marketing, so you’ve got
to have some idea about the products you want to develop as part of your
overall strategy. Let’s talk about the top five.
1. White Papers
“White paper” is the corporate, fancy-pants term for an online article. A white paper
usually ranges from two to three pages and stands alone as an item customers or
prospects can download. White papers work great as a lead generation tool when
you ask prospects to provide their email address in exchange for your
valuable”"yet free”"information.
2. Free Reports
A free report is like a white paper, just a bit bigger. From a lead generation
standpoint, it holds more value than a white paper and is usually several pages
long. Free reports are great products to use as an add-on to online purchases.
“Buy Product X and receive three Free Reports!” You can also use them like
white papers and offer them as free downloads in exchange for contact
information.
3. E-Books
E-books are the killer product that can create a lead generation bonanza! Like a real book, an e-book is going to be long…at least 50 pages. The fact that it’s a real book makes the perceived value huge. If the copy inviting prospects to download your e-book is well-written and compelling, you can generate several thousand new
leads from this one lead generation tool alone.
4. Audio Reports
An audio report helps prospects get a feel for what you and your company are all about. It’s a way for prospects to talk to you about doing business without really
taking to you. Using audio reports as part of your campaign can boost brand
loyalty and help you prospects commit to a sale. If you are well known in your
industry – or if you can hire someone who is – you have the power to generate a
LOT of leads using audio reports.
5. Webinars
No joke. Webinars can drive an endless stream of customers to your business. Like audio reports, they give customers a feed for your company. But webinars go way beyond teaser information. The power-punch of the webinar is that it lets you cover the entire sales pitch AND close the deal. Another bonus is that webinars can be recorded. That lets you leverage your time by making the pitch once and then playing the presentation again and again for new groups of prospects. Talk
about a time saver!
How Does It Work?
Here’s the way it works, in a nutshell. Read More→
Networking Is Like Swimming
Posted by: | CommentsBy TARA SCHMAKEL, The ONCE Timid Networker
It’s spring and you’re heading to the pool for the first time of the season. It’s finally warm out. No, it’s downright hot! All you can think about is getting cool in the pool! You know it will be refreshing, you will be with friends or family that you have been looking forward to spending time with and you may even lose that glow in the dark look that you’ve been sporting all winter! You’re ready to get in, but before you do, you test the waters with your toe… IT’S FREEZING. You know that you want to get in, but you can’t just “jump in” like everyone is hollering out to you. So you go back on the deck to psych yourself up!
To a lot of people networking is just like getting into that pool for the first time. It’s too cold and instead of just jumping in, they retreat for another time or until they are ready.
So what can a person do to ease into networking? Three things will help:
1. Think positive- If you think the pool is too cold, it will be. If you think the event will be intimidating, it will be. Tell yourself how great it will be and how good it will feel to have the sense of accomplishment! Just like you psych yourself to get into the pool, you can psych yourself for the event!
2. Dress for success- There are certain items of clothing that are suitable for swimming. It would be challenging to go for a dip if you were wearing a snowmobile suit. It could actually hinder your progress and weigh you down and you could even drown. If you are wearing something inappropriate for networking, you can also take a dive. Dressing according to your business is always a good idea, but many find it helpful to dress it up a notch. They find that little extra, gives them confidence, not to mention an edge over their competition. Also, don’t forget your smile. The most important accessory you could put on!
3. Be prepared- To swim in a pool, you need to have the water ready. To network at an event, you need to have your words ready. Practice what to say when someone asks you what you do. Memorize a phrase or two that will just roll off your tongue. Once you are comfortable and a person is truly interested in what you do, you will find it easy to speak from the heart. You will also find it helpful to have business cards and your calendar along!
By practicing these tips and making them your own, it will become easier to attend a function, just like easing into the pool a little at a time. However, you may find you reach a certain level of comfort that you decide to just go all the way in. Whether you become numb to the effects of your mind or just reach a level of comfort, the result will be refreshing and satisfying and you may even build some relationships and get some business!
Tara Schmakel
The Workroom at Tara’s - I’ve had the entrepreneurial spirit since I was 6 when I started my first business. My methods have changed but my enthusiasm has remained child like. However being a person who felt easily intimidated and shy I was hindered. I have been the recipiant of so much assistance and belief from others and I want to give back. This blog is my story, my ups and downs and lessons learned not just by me, but also others who have felt the same. If I can give to one person what others have given me, then I have succeeded.
The Powers of a Positive Attitude
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10 Ways To Increase Sales Online or Offline
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1. Follow-up – Once your customer buys from you be sure to send a “thank you” via a custom branded email or handwritten postcard. Follow up with that customer on a regular basis to stay in front of them so that when they are ready to buy again they will remember you first.
2. Upsell – For the online marketers it’s a nice enhancement to your shopping cart when you offer the customer a complimentary product or add-ons to the product they selected. Show them the value of purchasing the additional item and they will order. A great example of an upsell provider is Amazon.com.
3. Online referrals – Give a bonus to the customers that use your Tell-A-Friend service that allows the customer to enter the names and email addresses of their friends. The bonus might be an eBook, a rebate on the order or a discount on their next order.
4. Affiliate Programs – When you sell a product, give your customers the option of joining an affiliate program so they can make commissions selling your product. This will multiply the sale you just made.
5. Sell the reprint/reproduction rights to your products – Let’s say you write an eBook where the content 
offers great value. Rather than keep it to yourself make sales by offering the reproduction rights to users who want to publish it for you.
6. Cross Promotion – Include an ad or flyer for other products you sell and ask other businesses to include that flyer for you as well. Pizza shops are great at including business flyers for multiple businesses.
7. Product Shipment – Include a coupon for other related products or a discount on your next order. Tell them to hang it near their computer so they remember to use it then send out a followup email reminder a short time after their initial order.
8. Send your customers a catalog – For people who order online the have friends that don’t. Send them a catalog reminding them of new specials and to pass it along to someone who they think would enjoy it. 
The Global Phenomenon of Twitter
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The global phenomenon of Twitter has spread into every imaginable market, with more tools and uses becoming available all the time. Despite this, new users often pose the same question:
What in the heck am I supposed to tweet about?
Veteran Twitter users would find it difficult at best to answer this question with any amount of brevity (despite the 140 character restriction) – but, for business users, there is at least one universally applicable subject matter that you can start with, namely, your frequently asked questions, or FAQs.
Why Tweet Your FAQs?
Suppose you have a product that generates lots of user questions - whether it is assembly questions, installation, technical support, maintenance, accessory orders or the like, there are bound to be some questions that you receive on a regular basis. You’re already answering them on your website, (you ARE doing this, right?), so why not consider a quick tweet with the link to help direct Twitter users who may be in need of this information?
Some Other Examples:
* Link to the directory of local sales/maintenance representatives
* Link to short training videos you are hosting on your site, or at YouTube
* Link to your newsletter subscription page
* Link to welcome videos
* Link to free technical manual downloads, ebooks, coupons or other offers
* Link to event calendar with upcoming events and appearances
We all know that there “is no such thing as a stupid question,” but we’ve all felt reluctant to ask one at some point or another. Help make relevant information readily available, even to the shyest of customers by offering this information as tweets.
In addition, you can build customer loyalty and goodwill by encouraging them to send you their questions, and you can answer them in a public twitter “shout out.” Everyone loves to be made to feel special – consider offering a special discount or freebie to the best question each month in order to increase submissions.
Many Twitter users that may not have previously been aware of your company will be able to find you by way ofthe”search” tool on the Twitter website – think of your tweets as a 24/7 sales tool that serves double-duty as product information.
Twitter is a viable, free tool that can provide your company with immeasurable value. With just a small investment of your time, you can provide customer goodwill, product information and advertise - all with just 140 characters.
3 Secrets to an Effective Inbound Marketing Campaign
Posted by: | CommentsUtilizing effective inbound marketing properly is an excellent way for you to build your business, as well as to get traffic by the masses into your website. There are a number of different ways in which this can take place, but as with anything, there are always going to be some secrets which will help you to get more traffic. Here are 3 different ways that you can use inbound marketing in order to ramp up the visitors to your own website, and to increase your bottom line.
Melaleuca Business Executives Use The Ace of Sales to Grow Their Business
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The Leadership in Action magazine featured Jeffrey Gitomer’s book “The Little Black Book of Connections” and now you can implement your new skills with Ace of Sales.
Jeffrey Gitomer’s Ace of Sales system is the ticket for Melaleuca Executives to enroll new customers! Ace of Sales will help you make sales, close deals, and build loyal relationships.
Isn’t that what Melaleuca Executives want?
Building your Contact List
- Load your new business contacts into the database and even categorize them so you know where you met.
- Convert the new business contacts to customers and then change the category to customer or business builder so you can manage your email campaigns effectively.
- With the contact management tool you can track information about that person. What they are interested in, where are they working, what do and don’t they like about what they are doing now, how many kids, married, etc.
- Follow up with contacts after a networking event
Set Appointments
- Send a custom branded email to confirm your appointment. Your picture is on the email so your prospect will know who you are right away when you meet face-to-face. It takes the “wonder” out of meeting a new person and therefore your prospect will feel at ease allowing you to quickly get into building a relationship
- With the online calendar you won’t miss an appointment, birthday, anniversary or milestone event.
Managing Follow up Processes
- With the soon to be released campaign manager you will be able to schedule your 7 touches with your prospect. Send an email, a custom email card, a printed greeting card, post cards and even include a gift card.
- Create a weekly or monthly newsletter with information about your company, new products, celebrations, inspiration and upcoming events.
- Thank your customers with a WOW!
- Send a “Thank you for attending” custom email.
- You don’t need a fancy snazzy auto responder like the big Internet marketing gurus have. Ace of Sales is simple just like the Melaleuca business.
Celebrate Success Read More→
