the sacramento connector, february 2011
DESCRIPTION
The Sacramento Connector is published by Get Networking Now! TM For advertising information, please visit http://www.advertiselocally.infoTRANSCRIPT
From Rebecca Johnson, founder of Get Networking Now!Sacramento, CA
Do you struggle to keep up with all of the networking opportuni-ties?
Do you feel like you are spending more money and more time, but not walking away with quality contacts?
Do you feel overwhelmed by the ever changing online strategies to grow your business?
And there’s so much conflicting advice out there.
How can you make sense of it all? And more importantly, how do you determine what practices make the most sense for YOUR
business?
I’ve been speaking and writing about networking for a long time. After overcoming my own struggles at events, and growing my first business successfully through networking, I began to teach others my strategies through seminars, articles, and coaching.
Read More...
TOP 10 LOW AND NO COST MARKETING TIPS, PART 2
Earlier I gave 5 of my low and no cost marketing secrets to building your brand both on and offline! Here are some other great tips
Give and Get Testimonials: Giving testimonials and reviews for other busi-nesses can benefit your business to! Businesses always welcome positive testimonials, and will often use them on their websites (hopefully with a link to your site), in their marketing materials and promotions on social networks! When signing a formal review on sites like Yelp , be sure to put your busi-ness information and link to your website in the signature, so people will not
only see and love your review, but they will also be exposed to your information! Oh, and be sure to collect testimonials from your clients and networking partners, because they can really make a difference in the eyes of a potential client!
Host an event: Nothing is more powerful than having people physically visit your office, or experience your product or service! Consider hosting an event (a grand opening, an open house, a holiday party etc.) and give your guests something to talk about! Often times, even the people who know you best will say “Wow, I didn’t know you did that!” or “This wasn’t what I thought it would be like” and that shift in perception can really give them more “material” to go out and tell others about your business! If you don’t think you’re up for party planning, be sure to contact a pro!
Consider Trade: While trade can be tricky, if it is done correctly, I HIGHLY Recommend it! If you have a product or service that others can utilize and another business offers a product or service you need, offer a trade! Be sure to formally write out a trade agreement, to avoid mis-understandings! This can definitely benefit your bottom line!
Utilize Mass Marketing: There are great “group purchasing” power programs that can help you reach your customers on local level. These programs include: Groupon, Living Social and hy-per-local sites like Deal Ticket (in Sacramento, CA). For a portion of your profits (from these sites selling pre-determined deals online to their customer base at a considerable discount from your regular rates) you instantly have access to hundreds, if not tens of thousands of potential customers to reach! There are no upfront costs, but you may have to wait a length of time before receiving your check, depending on which site you use.
Give Stuff Away: Charities are always looking for raffle prizes. Networking Mixers almost al-ways have a raffle! Offer something for free at your place of business to get people in the door! Maybe even consider donating your product or service to a charity (this can make for a great media story!). There are constantly opportunities to get your business name out into the community without a huge expense. Be sure to choose your giving wisely, so that you make choices that are best for your business and will bring you a return on your charitable investment!
While there are many (and I mean MANY) more opportunities to market your business for little or no cost, these are great places to start. As a small business owner, you have to be creative and find avenues that will bring you the most “bang for your buck ” and your time!
Read more Networking and Marketing Tips at www.Rebecca-Johnson.com
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Asking yourself “What is this?”
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Proactive Online PresenceBy Dan Johnson, GNN’s My Biz Assistant
I’m sure everyone has heard the term “preventative maintenance”. Adhering to a preventative maintenance schedule helps prolong the life of automobiles and in the long run saves the owner money by avoiding major repair costs prematurely. Preventative maintenance is an example of a proactive measure.
For car owners who don’t perform regular proactive preventative maintenance, they may be faced with financing the cost of a major engine or transmission overhaul before their time. Often times, these people find it easier to finance a new car than to fix or repair their current vehicle with a ma-jor problem. .
Your business’ online presence also deserves a proactive approach! If you wait until your business is in trouble to put all of your efforts into online advertising, you are probably too late. It often takes upwards of 90 days to see results from organic optimization efforts.
A good proactive approach to your business’ online presence may include:
Proper metatags including title tags and keyword tags for the pages of your bog & website Some sort of social media presence at least on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn Consistent branding across your multiple platforms Inclusion on Google, Bing and Yahoo local maps Consistent submission to the major search engines Ask your customers to post online reviews on Google, Yelp, etc. Participate in location based applications like Foursquare, etc. Keep an eye on your online reputation and promptly address any negativity!
By setting aside a few hours of time each week to maintain your online presence, it will be out there working for you as an extra layer of support for your business. If you just don’t have the time to spend on it, consider delegating this important piece of your brand awareness!
Whether looking for a job or looking to fill a position, GNNCentral.net has you
covered!
ClaireJohnston
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916.837.7722
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