Twitter Social Media Marketing (Nano-Bytes)

Tuesday December 22nd
Social Media Nano-Bytes -- Sometimes it takes looking at many tweets collectively in order to get the big picture.

• @eMarketer 78% of US marketing managers increased social media budgets June to Aug 2009 via @KingFishMedia @5691gerg
• @sheconomy 81% of all marketers indicated that their social media efforts have generated exposure for their businesses.
• @MediaPost: analysts predict social media will become a strategic part of marketing efforts next year. http://ow.ly/OnbT
• @kaseynicole in the world of social media - one tweet lasts like 2 miliseconds. take a deep breath and just keep on keepin's; on! :)
• @Activ8Inc: 84% of marketers integrating social media into their email campagins next year http://ow.ly/OpTw
• @danschawbel: REPORT: 66% of CMO's to increase social media budget for 2010! http://tinyurl.com/y8kx6js
• @mkokc: Social media phrase of the day: Trust Osmosis
• @martinbrossman: Before Marketing their was Social Media: people relating, building trust and asking each others for advice (quote inspired @roblaughter )
• @ksablan: Tables turn? In 2010, "Consumers will use Social Media to exert more influence over marketing and business decisions" > http://bit.ly/7PP5OO
• @CarlNatale: Branding over breakfast - Social media is one of the greatest tools entrepreneurs have to promote the brand of you.... http://ow.ly/16bT8d

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Monday December 21st

• @sajja: RT @ARDELLd: Social media influenced 28 percent of U.S. holiday shoppers in gift-buying decisions this year http://bit.ly/4mMUP1
• @turnsocial: 91 percent of the Inc. 500 are now using at least one social media tool - http://bit.ly/4t4Lyo (Twitter > Blogs?)
• @HypewriterUK: Social Media: Facebook Now Consumes 5 Percent of Our Collective Internet Time: Facebook’s already the Internet’... http://bit.ly/4N24lL
• DiscoveryCG: did you know that in 2009, 66 percent of marketers used social media in some form? http://bit.ly/6p8bx7
• @ninjadoug: @stevelatham 8 percent of social media users are 65+ (same as teens) #healthcare #marketing #socialmedia
• @KloudSocial: While 14% People Trust Ads, 76% of People trust consumer recommendations. Interested in profiting from social media? Tr ...
• @melyt: Study from U of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, 43% of the business respondents said social media is "very important" to their marketing strategy
• @caroltroy: The impact of social media and bloggers has become incredible. The reach to targeted audiences and influencers sees 40 percent increase.

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Recap Week of December 14th, 2009

Get Your Business on the Social Highway
Engage past, present, and future customers before they walk thru your doors or even arrive in town. Temecula, the town I live in, is a favorite tourist destination for Southern Californians. If your business serves out-of-towners....consider this statement from Julia Rosien who tells us to "Forget pocket guides that aren't so pocket-sized - not to mention out of date." For 2010, expect to see high tech travel guides and info kits that fit in our cell phone, packed with up-to-the minute recommendations.

Have apps, will travel – better! Imagine traveling to a city you've never been before. You want to jump into the local vibe and soak up the flavor. Point your cell phone camera and watch the street before you become layered with information. Hotel and restaurant reviews, directions to tourist attractions, historical information - even the daily special at that cute jewelry store on the corner.

Pulling information from a plethora of social networks, Augmented Reality (AR) pinpoints your location using your phone's internal GPS and matches it up with the compass and viewfinder. What you receive is a clickable roadmap.

Continue the Conversation
Considering limited resources, personnel and budgets... small businesses can still build more cost-effective sales stream by leveraging their on-line conversations with past, present, future customers. Hedi Cohen provides us a fantastically simple checklist that you will find very helpful in starting your social media marketing experience.

Nine questions to ask when developing a Social Media Strategy
1. Does your business tap into people's passions and/or hobbies?
2. Can your business show off its work?
3. Can you give prospects information they find useful?
4. Can you extend your expertise to a broader audience?
5. Does your business provide reasons for people to gather?
6. Can your business disseminate fun or related information via social media?
7. Are there targeted or niche communities where your prospects and customers naturally congregate?
8. Do major blogs cover your business's area of expertise?
9. Does your offering lend itself to creating a small online community and/or bulletin board?
Seven Tips to Extend Social Media Marketing Efforts
1. Listen before you participate
2. Monitor what's being said about your business
3. Integrate social media efforts offline
4. Promote social media efforts online and offline
5. Socialize social media marketing
6. Create a content strategy
7. Make content search-friendly
Measuring Results
1. Revenues
2. Expenses
3. Prospects and customers
4. Feedback

Small Business Mindset and Strategy
"The Business of Being David – How to use social media to make your small business big” by Nick Bowditch will be released in March 2010 but I will tell you the 5 rules of social media marketing now! Listen – Integrate – Engage – Promote - Measure. Here are the first 2 chapters as a preview -- the 5 rules begin on page 5.
What is the one word that can ignite Ur Community?...Passion So you say Ur passionate... then stop talking about your products, features, benefits, cost, bla-bla-bla-bla . Merritt Colaizzi has an article providing 11 lessons on how U can ignite Ur community. Here is my twist on her article:
1. Start a Passion Conversation
Be Bold - Ask your customers what they think
2. Inspirational Leadership
Passion creates Influence (Social Equity)
3. Empower Ur Community with knowledge
Teaching Sells
4. Ur Online Passion will drive Offline conversations
90% of Word of Mouth (WOM) happens offline
5. Pick a cause
Everyone can relate to rallying behind a cause
6. MORE in the article

Oh Yes, Ghost Towns exist online too, so Think 2x Build it 1x
I have made plenty of mistakes, and as a result I am adamant about seeking the expertise, knowledge, mentorship, or coaching necessary to build and maintain a thriving business. Zephrin Lasker has a wonderful article about learning from the successful pioneers of social media. Remember, "These are still early days for social marketing. That said, there are certain best practices through which marketers can avoid building the next generation of ghost towns: "

• Have the right users
Just like you can't make good pizza without good dough, you can't build a good social networking group or site without the right members
• Engage consumers at multiple touchpoints
Communicate with your member base through multiple touchpoints -- even beyond your social networking site or group
• Listen
answer honestly. Building a relationship in the social networking space is not very different from a relationship in the real world. You have to be honest and transparent for the relationship to be meaningful

Don't forget most of our lives R spent offline. I picked this article By Willa Plank because of the quote below. From my experience engaging in online dialog with business owners from my own town (Temecula, CA) creates a stronger sense of camaraderie, and a general understanding of common ground at a real grass root conversational level. Something that does not happen when I just 'pop' into a local establishment and try to pick up the conversation from the 'last time' we talked. This is why Social Media is so powerful...yea!

Here is a great article by Jennifer Laycock who is sharing some common viewpoints of the small business owner..."I'm finding that many of these companies have absolutely no idea WHY they need a social media strategy. They just feel the pressure to get involved and hope something will come from it. What it all boils down to is this: your customers are online and they are using social media to communicate. If you aren't, your business is missing opportunities. No one says you have to master every use of social media all at once, but you're doing yourself (and your bottom line) a disservice if you don't at least give some thought toward creeping into the social media space next year to do a little listening." Here is what Social Media Marketing can do for U and your business---Lots of examples

• Reason #1: Social Media Gives U Unprecedented Ability to Listen to Your Customers
• Reason #2: Social Media Gives U the Chance to Build or Introduce a Brand
• Reason #3: Social Media Gives U a Unique Way to Gather Feedback
• Reason #4: Social Media Gives U the Chance to Demonstrate Personality

Don't forget social media is a tool to strengthen offline relationships. Many small businesses already have personal ties to customers in their communities, and these tools are designed to enhance those relationships, not replace them. For instance, you can use social-media tools such as YouTube to give customers a behind-the-scenes glimpse of your company, or display more of your personality than you can through an ad. "It also allows you to show your culture," Endline says. "They're not just there to [see] a static promotion from you. They want value." And remember, a social network is "really a big room of people," author Schaffer says. Use it to "meet" potential clients or business partners, but make sure you follow up with an in-person meeting or phone conversation.

Do you have a Social Marketing ROAD Map? “Lack of an effective social marketing strategy” is one of the most significant challenges facing marketers. Without a strategy, organizations typically approach social media by putting the cart before the horse – starting a blog, Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter account, or other social platform – rather than first mapping a course to achievable objectives. To guide marketers through overcoming this challenge, we created the Social Marketing ROAD Map, a practical method for mapping an effective social marketing strategy. That's a quote from the 'Marketing Sherpa' executive summary which also graphs the least (email content) to most (blogger relations) effective social marketing tactics.

• Research - Monitor target audience dialogue about brands and competition
• Objectives - Define objectives aligned with target audiences and social metrics
• Actions – creating a social marketing strategy with a definitive plan of action
• Devices – deploying social platforms based on audience, objectives and strategy

Real Time, Social Media and 'U'. A convergence of these 3 is in the forecast and they are headed directly for us...What are U going to do? Here is a great, short article by Mary Ellen Slayter who has an inside view on the topic of Branding.

• Social brands The most successful brands in 2010 are going to be the ones that evolve into social brands. This means that brands that have social voices — real people participating and talking on their behalf to customers in an engaging, conversational manner. The company must be willing to let its employees and its brand advocates become the face of the brand. Consumers demand that, and brands like Best Buy that are evolving into social brands (think Twelp Force) will be the ones that win. Every brand is going to need to become a social brand at some point.
• Real-time brands Companies that become dynamic and responsive in real time to their customers and their needs will be the ones that succeed. This doesn’t just mean real time customer service but real time market research, real time product development, and real time customization and personalization of products and campaigns alike. This also means that the products will need to have a digital pulse in them.
• Identifying, nurturing and managing relationships Customers increasingly are also influencers (expert, positional or referent), and companies will need to know who those people are and how much influence they actually have. A lot more effort is going to go into this. Along those lines, understanding how customers come together as communities and make collective decisions will be important, too.

Trifecta (Social Media - U - the Customer)

The phrase “social media” is not a gimmick or sales pitch, but a long term commitment to develop a social internet highway. Because small business is more agile and adaptable than big business, it is in the perfect position to go BIG on the social scene. A small business (vs large corporate CEO) owner may provide solutions directly to the customer. Adding social marketing to the mix creates a trifecta for social success that benefits business owners and consumers alike.

Considering that social media marketing serves as a large listening portal, it’s pretty amazing that trusted relationships are being formed within public venues with a truly interactive audience. In a case of the tail wagging the dog, it is becoming apparent that consumers, through their social participation, are pressuring businesses to become more open and forthright. In the near future businesses may very well quantify and list consumer and customer social media content as company assets (or liabilities).

Hollie Shaw’s recent article, Marketing embraces social media sites stands out as a reminder that the days of “push marketing” are coming to an end. Largely due to High Tech High Touch social marketing, we consumers are no longer willing to act as passive sponges in response to the corporate messages spewed out in today’s media. Social media marketing is creating a positive, therapeutic , interactive media that is becoming the norm.

To view more messages about social media philosophy, read the Philosophy section of last week’s recap.

What Are You Selling?

Your #1 Product is You

I love being affiliated with MLM Direct Sales Companies like Amway. They offer hundreds of consumable products -- but whether or not you realize it, the primary product you are selling is yourself. Before a prospect decides whether to buy your product or join your organization, he decides whether or not he wants to do business with YOU.

The key thing to keep in mind is that YOU are your business, not your MLM. In other words, it isn’t enough for your opportunity to be different… you have to be different. -- Ann Sieg, The Renegade Network Marketer, page 80

You Must Be Visible

I’ve created two diagrams to show the difference between selling yourself first and selling your product or opportunity first.

1. I’m a small business owner, employee, and a distributor for a network marketing company. This first diagram shows my mindset about my business structure before I learned about differentiation and selling myself first.

2. The second diagram shows how I’ve implemented the “You are your business” strategy and have reorganized my businesses – and my life. My personal talents, gifts, interests, experience, and personality are integrated with my business efforts.

If you are a distributor for a network marketing company, that company falls underneath you in this model. The goal, then, is to gather a list of people who have already done business with you before being introduced to your network marketing products or opportunity. Those people have willingly given you their contact information along with permission for you to communicate with them directly (through an opt-in form), and will always be your customers. As Ann Sieg says in The Renegade Network Marketer,

"For network marketers, this also requires a serious shift in thinking where you become the bigger “parent company”… Your opportunity is just one of many services." (page 107)

"The key here, what separates a business owner from a sales rep and what allows yout to have your own customers, is that you have to have something unique to offer people above and beyond your opportunity. The more you yourself bring to the table, the greater your returns are. By taking this approach (one where your MLM is one of multiple products you offer), you are now an equal with your MLM as a business entity." (page 109)

The Renegade Network Marketer

The Renegade Network Marketer is just one of several books Ann Sieg has written. Its 130 pages are packed with insight and wisdom that took Ann Sieg years to acquire. Even experienced business owners will glean morsels from this book, although it is easily understood by beginners.

In chapter 10 of The Renegade Network Marketer Ann Sieg explains how to implement and leverage the information she provides in the first nine chapters. In fact, those who purchase the book (a steal at $67, I might add) also get unlimited access to the Renegade Back End system. The Back End is not a one-size-fits-all system. It's a place to begin customizing your own marketing funnel. It's the next step in taking full ownership of your business.

MLM, Direct Sales, Amway --- Use Your USP

Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
Embracing your personal uniqueness and applying it to your business leads to your unique selling proposition. The most effective way to offer a unique product (not your health, nutrituion and beauty products)is to create it yourself. Information products are a key component of the attraction marketing model, and can be created to fit any product or industry. If you offer a product identical to three million other Amway distributors offer, then you must consider what unique value you can add to the product.

Some ways to differentiate:

■Specialize in a niche
■Put a different spin on your product, approach it from a different angle
■Package it in a different format (i.e. turn an ebook into a series of videos)
■Target a different audience
The bottom line is this: your competitive advantage lies in your differentiation, and the way to stand out from your competition to to sell yourself. People will follow a leader not a business entity.

Watch this video to discover how twelve people using attraction marketing techniques have implemented their unique selling proposition into their business.

Success in Your Business is "U"

You are unique. In our society uniqueness is often looked down upon. But your uniqueness -- your gifts, talents, skills, interests, experience, and personality -- is what makes you special. Instead of trying to “fit in” and conform to standards imposed on you by someone else, you should embrace your special and unique gifts and talents, and furthermore, use them, not hide them. The use of your unique gifts and talents leads to success. In fact, the more unique you are, the more valuable you become.

Uniqueness, or differentiation, is also one of the keys to business success. Why should people buy your product or service, instead of one offered by someone else? Yes, it’s true that differentiation applies to your product, but it also applies to the person offering the product. For instance, in the retail industry, lots of stores stock identical items. What leads your customers to shop at one store instead of another? Why do customers buy from you and not from someone else? If you’re a distributor (Amway for example) in the direct selling (network marketing) industry you face the same challenge: what leads customers to buy the product from you instead of from another distributor? What leads prospects to join your organization instead of another? It’s because of your uniqueness; your differentiation. The Law of Attraction states that you will attract others to you based upon your similarities. This is true in personal relationships just as it is in business relationships.

From what I have experienced in my many business ventures, including a long term background with Amway is that no 'System' can duplicate the Determination, Motivation, & Perseverance of the entrepreneurial spirit.

6 Questions to Answer About Your MLM Target Niche

Everyone is NOT a prospect for your network marketing business. Certain people need and are looking for each of your products. Certain people need and are looking for your business opportunity. Who are they, where are they, and how do you connect with them?

The process of choosing your MLM target niche is part of MARKETING. Ironically, the "marketing" is missing in most network marketing businesses. Running your network marketing business like a true business will require you to implement effective marketing strategies. . . and will lead to success!

After going through the 7 Steps to Choosing Your MLM Target Niche Market, you'll be able to answer these 6 questions:

1. What is your market?
2. What problem is your market seeking a solution to?
3. How are you positioned as their solutions provider?
4. What product(s) is your market looking for to solve their problem?
5. How does your market want the product delivered? The delivery and the customer experience can be more important than the product itself. The success of Starbucks is a great example.
6. Describe your ideal customers. What are their demographics? What do they like to do? What do they think about? Where do they go and when? (either physically or in cyberspace) This description is also known as your customer avatar.

After answering these questions, the first part of your MLM marketing plan will be done! The next step is to determine what your personal marketing activities will be. Those activities will be a natural result of who your target market is. And once you determine what your activities will be, you can begin implementing them.

Know that you can choose more than one niche market, but you’ll need to focus on creating your marketing funnel for one niche at a time. The niche for your business opportunity will be completely different from the niche for your product. And if your MLM offers multiple products, each product (or group of products) will also have a different niche. So one key to your success in network marketing is to choose a niche for each separate product, then set up a marketing funnel for that niche, focusing on just one at a time until you have multiple niches and funnels.

When you, your product, your delivery, and your target market are in alignment, you’ll be in your “sweet spot”. Taking the time to go through the process of finding your sweet spot will ensure your network marketing business is positioned for success.

7 Steps to Choosing Your MLM Target Niche

I can’t emphasize this enough: choosing your niche is the foundation of all your network marketing activities. If you choose a “bad” niche or don’t choose one at all, your hard work will not yield optimum results. I see this all the time: distributors who work really hard in their business but are not profitable. Focusing the same efforts toward the right target audience will make a huge difference in the success of your business.

7 Steps to Choosing Your Niche

1. Self assessment
2. Look for trends and hot topics.
3. Make a list of markets you’re interested in.
4. Find a market related to a topic you’re knowledgeable about.
5. Find a market that is underserved.
6. Check the competition in that market.
7. Find a market where you won’t have to convince your customers that they need your product.

You can – and should – complete the above 7 steps iteratively. That means you won't necessarily follow them in the exact order they're listed, and you'll probably need to go back and revisit some steps as you begin to "flesh out" your target market.

You should revisit this process periodically to make sure your small business and marketing efforts are in tune with the marketplace and you are positioned for long-term success.

After completing all 7 steps for determining your small business niche, you’ll be prepared to answer the 6 Questions About Your MLM Target Niche.

UPDATE: In partnership with MyBizTutor, we now have a FREE worksheet available to help guide you through the 7 Steps to Choosing Your MLM Target Niche.

MLM Lie: Everyone is Your Prospect

Early in my Amway network marketing experience I was told that everyone is my prospect. Eventually I figured out on my own that it wasn't true. Now that I know better, I've learned how to choose a target market, or niche, and why it's so important.

Which Comes First: Product or Niche?

I’m convinced that the product and niche must be determined iteratively. That means that you work first on one, then the other, making adjustments to both as you alternate between them.

In practice, while you are choosing your niche, you are also analyzing whether your product fits your niche. The result may be that the product you offer is modified or even changed completely.

The objective in choosing your niche market is to align your message to the customer. The message is a combination of you, your product, and your message delivery. By following this process you will also begin to develop your brand.

Amway: A (Twitter) Birds-Eye View

I've been following, via Twitter, the attitudes and thoughts of those who have been pestered and literally chased by an Amway Independent Business Owner (IBO). Twitter, in particular, is an eye opener because a 140 character tweet reveals so much about the network marketing and direct selling industry.

The internet exposes old school "marketing"techniques as electronic spam, in contrast to the new school, consultative attraction marketing model. Attraction marketing provides relevant information in a convenient format that adds value to potential clients and business partners alike, and gets your foot in the door much more effectively than chasing a prospect down in the grocery store with CD in hand.

The people at Amway Corporation are outstanding. The products are arguably the best in their categories. The Corporation, with 50 years of experience under its belt, understands what it takes for its IBOs to make a profit. But the marketing strategies STINK.

I assure you that you can enjoy being an IBO, sell products, expand your organization, and even make a profit by ditching the marketing techniques that are stuck in the 60's. If you're an Amway IBO, simply replace your old school marketing techniques with attraction marketing strategies to expand your business beyond your wildest dreams.

Click here to learn more about attraction marketing and how to implement it in your business.

Amway Marketing: Stuck in the 60's?

What do Woodstock, flower children, Timothy Leary, and the good old Volkswagon van have in common? That’s right – they were popular in the 1960’s. If you were “in” Amway back then, you were taught to talk to your friends, family, and neighbors about your business opportunity and products. Why? Well, for one thing, most advertising at that time was done through mass media like TV, radio, and print ads in newspapers and magazines. The cost for mass media advertising was prohibitive for most distributors, so they were urged to use word of mouth advertising instead.

Fast forward fifty years. The internet has changed everything. Technology and social trends have converged to create a unique opportunity for network marketers to target their niche market inexpensively and efficiently using the internet. However, most Amway distributors are still being taught to use word of mouth “advertising”. WHY?

The “marketing” in network marketing is usually completely overlooked. Marketing is a dynamic, ever-changing challenge; an art. (BTW, handing out your business card with your website on it is not “marketing”!) One of the keys to effective marketing is to position your message where your customers are. More customers are online because of trends like high speed connections, lower prices, mobile devices, and social networking.

The internet has made targeting your market much easier than was ever possible using “traditional” mass media. You can use search engine optimization to help ensure that potential customers and prospects will find you while searching for information. Google AdWords can place your electronic ad on very specifically targeted websites so that the very people most likely to be interested in your opportunity or products will see it. And social sites like Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter help get the word out.

Internet Attraction Marketing

The internet, even in its most social form, is still somewhat anonymous and impersonal. People have a basic social need to connect with others. Internet attraction marketing is a relatively new model in which the first connection in made online, a relationship is initiated and mutual trust is built, and gradually the relationship grows to a more personal level using the phone, email, etc. Eventually the relationship may result in a face-to-face meeting. Does this sound like a courtship to you? That’s because it is!

Taking the courtship concept one step further, there’s a certain amount of finesse required to use the power of the internet to your advantage. The key is to avoid using the same old prospecting techniques that don’t work very well, and just moving them online. As a network marketer, you will reap huge benefits by courting your customers, not marrying them on the first date!

Is Word of Mouth Advertising Dead?

There is a general backlash against “spamming”, evidenced by the Do Not Call registry, avoidance of commercial interruptions on TV and radio, and blockage of spam email. Word of mouth advertising is oftentimes just spamming done in person. Online spamming is, unfortunately, prevalent on social sites like Twitter. Sometimes called “spray and pray”, this marketing “technique” sounds like a skunk, and is about as appealing!

That said, word of mouth advertising still works - sometimes. However, we consumers prefer information on our terms and on our timeline, not when and where it’s convenient for a zealous network marketer who wants to sell something. I believe it’s a result of information overload, a natural response to TMI (too much information). Not only is the internet an highly effective medium for network marketers, it’s also an efficient way for consumers to find the products and business opportunities they’re looking for, especially when attraction marketing techniques are used.

Love-the-Business

After 50 years in business, millions of people enjoy the products but the marketing program just didnt work. I wondered for a long time why I could be successful at other business ventures but only remain average(according to Amway financial information).
I asked for your comments…….

You’ve said “I love the products” SA-8, Nutulite, XS, Artistry but you feel guilty using them because you are not growing your business

You’ve said “I love to be associated with so many great people” but can’t justify the time and expense to maintain these associations.

You’ve said “I love the business concept”, but expected more results.

Because of the Internet, Today’s Business, and Society, are light years apart from the Old School days of just 10 years ago….According to The Renegade Network Marketer by Ann Sieg, Attracting Marketing works because a “ prospect that comes to you is Infinitely more qualified than any on you could ever approach yourself”. We have all bought into the lie #1 of The 7 great lies of Network Marketing “Everybody is a prospect” My next article will be about why you should get back on board and navigate your ship to the land of freedom. Send me you comments…

MLM succuss Formula

Clear+Consistant = successful Internet Marketer
This quote is from Ann Sieg’s The Renegade Network Marketer “ People don’t like to be sold but they love to buy, and good marketing is about creating a situation where people can buy on
their own. Educational marketing sets them up so that they can, because useful educational content turns the tables and makes it so that it’s their idea. The more information they digest, the less they need to be sold. They’re selling themselves.”

It is this understanding that I believe will turn “shout it out’ script reciting , no money making network marketer’s MLM failure philosophy to a genuine, value added , business model with an online marketing strategy that generates revenue by attracting customers pre-sold on your ideas, products and services.

Part 2 of this blog I will write how Clarity, Consistency attract the right Customer regardless of industry, product or service.

Are you Having Fun?

A good barometer for success can be as simple as your answer to the question: Are You Having Fun? Mentors in my Network Marketing organization have described what success felt like to them: always humming a tune, a contagious smile, no problems, and walking on a cloud. Researchers note that happiness with what you do creates less stress, increased satisfaction, a sustainable loyalty to your own business, and stimulated creativity while improving customer service and productivity.

You are unique. Regardless of whatever blogs, tweet, scripts, lingo, and lists are provided to you, your success is directly related to how you personalize them to reflect who you are. Utilizing your unique talents helps you succeed. For instance, I know that two of my greatest talents are my tenacity and creativity. My tenacity allows me to stick to a problem until a solution is found, and my creative ideas never turn off.

How can this concept help your business?
Find a business niche that allows you to showcase your talents. For me, I believe the network marketing industry demonstrates America’s capitalistic, free enterprise system, with the added bonus of allowing the small guy compete along side of industry giants. Network marketing and attraction network marketing suits my personality. My tenacity and creativity give me the drive to work with a wide variety of people, business situations, and opportunities. I like the idea of using attraction marketing to provide value as a way to demonstrate a real, meaningful justification for my clients, customers, and prospects to work with me.

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. Herman Cain

MyBizTutor - Learn How Business+Internet+Marketing=Success - Internet Marketing Business School - The "New" Model of Retail Marketing

MyBizTutor - Learn How Business+Internet+Marketing=Success - Internet Marketing Business School - The "New" Model of Retail Marketing: "If a customer is not looking for the product or service you offer, it's useless to try to sell it to them. In fact, it's actually counter-productive, because it clearly sends a message of disrespect and practically guarantees that the customer will go elsewhere for future purchases, even if they're looking for your product or service. Let me say it another way: Avoid this marketing model!
It's interesting to note that network marketers commonly use this 'say and spray it' marketing technique. It's essentially spamming done in person. I have to wonder: if it doesn't work for them, then why are big retailers like Sears adopting it? There's a MUCH better way: Market your products and services in a way that makes it easy for customers to find you when they're ready to buy, and are therefore receptive to your message."

High-Tech High-Touch

Have you heard of the book Megatrends, authored in 1982 by futurist John Naisbitt? This book discusses the correlation between the human need to balance technological advances with more personal touches in our personal and work relationships. John is recognized as the first to use the term “High Tech, High Touch”. Social networks like Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace provide a unique opportunity for High Tech – High Touch methods of connecting with customers and prospects. Starting a business using these methods can provide financial security for those who understand how to effectively implement them. In May 2009 Twitter logged 4.2 million people searching for stuff, while producing over 30 million queries.

Current economic conditions, combined with the technology of social networks, present a huge opportunity for forward-thinking business-minded individuals. The worst job market in 26 years may be the perfect time to start a business, according to Tim Kane, a senior fellow in Research and Policy at the Kauffman Foundation.

If you already own a business, social networking allows you to blend in-person and online experiences to create more in-depth personal relationships. Using this internet attraction marketing strategy to teach, inform and solve problems for your customers is much more efficient and effective than the use of old-school mass media advertising or targeting a limited geographic area. Now is the time to throw away your old-school sales scripts and start using today’s internet technology trends while providing high quality customer service.

To learn exactly how to implement this strategy, take advantage of a free consultation.

The Missing Link

Who is succeeding in Internet Network Marketing? It is a great business model with a benefit of being available to everyone… regardless of background. Ah…The Fulfillment of the American Dream. One (BIG) problem . 97% of network marketing businesses fail to make any money. Why? “Old School” marketing can’t compete to today’s online marketing strategies.

I was taught:
1. to take advantage of my relationships with family and friends.
2. to canvass the shopping mall.
3. to be on the lookout at the gas station.
4. to observe who is reading books at the book store.


So, how is that working for you? I have had many other businesses and not one of those marketing plans ever called for canvassing the checkout stand at the grocery store. I need a real business marketing plan for a real business. Do you know the 7 great lies of Network Marketing?

Whatever happened to providing value and putting the consideration of the customer first? It is clear to me, that in most cases (97%) the “Marketing” is the missing component in Network Marketing.

Attraction Marketing addresses all these issues. Solving problems and providing value is the ultimate aphrodisiac for any customer, client or prospect.

Do you see any truth here? Fact/Fiction Anyone can succeed in Networking Marketing

Marketing Consistency Equals Trust

I just came across an article the caught my interest:
In Advertising, Consistency Pays Off…Your ability to sustain a long-term advertising program shows customers that you're a successful, reliable brand by Steve McKee.

The thought is the more your product is exposed to your audience the more opportunities it earn to build trust with your prospects. Or another way to say, when in doubt, bombard everyone with as much stuff until our name is ingrained on the brain without a thought as to those who want to know-or not, about your product or service.

The end of the article states “The specific content of your ads is, of course, of vital importance as well—…without being misleading, annoying, or ignorant. But what's true of your career, of sports, and of life in general is also true of advertising: never underestimate the power of simply showing up. “ It’s the last part that rubs me wrong…simply showing up.

First, an effective long term marketing campaign involves considering the customer first. When I was 16 years old I participated in several Dale Carnegie workshops on “Effective Speaking and “How to Win Friends and Influence People” A great quote is applicable here, “You can make more friends in two months by becoming more interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get people interested in you.” Today’s Internet 2.0 allows any serious company regardless of size to have a 2 way dialog with customers, prospects and business, even in real time.

A good internet marketing plan attracts customers by considering the viewpoint of the customers and not spewing a sales pitch as fast as possible. Remember, customers buy for their own reasons, not yours. Dales Carnegie also says “When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but creatures of emotion” and with well know that people will buy based on emotion and back it up with logic.

Trust is a powerful emotion. An Internet Marketing Plan based on customer values, solving the prospect problems and teaching rather than selling is far better than simply showing up to peddle your product or service. I recommend checking out Ann Sieg’s “The Renegade Network University”

Marketing is About Teaching

I pulled this quote from a May 14th article by Lisa Barone.
"Although American small businesses are admired for their ingenuity and aggressiveness, this is another area where they struggle, earning the equivalent of a ‘C-‘ in the Marketing and Innovation sub-index. Small businesses are not as successful as they would like to be in effectively marketing themselves to grow their business beyond their current size."
I have noticed that while small business owners have a passion for their specific hobby, skill or talent, the Marketing Plan seems to be an annoying afterthought....especially when we are not generating any revenue.
So, when I read the article that I mentioned above, I did some more research on the extent Small Business utilizes the Internet as a mass media outlet.Only 12 percent of small business take advantage of the ridiculously low cost of marketing their business online. Or, 87 percent of small business, many in perhaps in your industry, are paying for "Old School" marketing that is becoming increasingly annoying compared to today's social media platform on the Internet.
I see a huge opportunity, for that 12 percent to build a following by teaching not selling. You have a great ultra low cost mechanism to differentiate yourself from your competition which will give you an incredible market advantage. Talking directly with your niche market group builds trust and promotes you as an authority figure within your industry.
Remember people usually buy or make a commitment not because of a product or company, but from the relationship that was established. When you are willing to do what 87 percent of small business is not, and you teach (not sell) the value of your product or service, you will secure yourself as an expert in your field enjoy a long term marketing plan that will produce consistent results.

If I Build It, They Will Come -- Right?

You've decided to start your own business. You have unique expertise for providing a competitive product or service. Consumers want your product. You've taken all the necessary steps for going into business: decided what the ownership entity will be, filed paperwork for the business name and license, paid your fees, set up a website, even completed a business plan.

Now what?
How will customers find you? How will they know you're in business? More importantly, who are your customers?
I have learned this the hard way: if undercapitalization is the #1 reason for small business failure, then lack of an effective marketing plan must be a close second.
mar⋅ket⋅ing (verb) : the art of connecting buyers and sellers
The truth is, if you build it, they might not come. Without proper marketing activities, your precious start-up funding will be drained quickly.
Marketing is critical for ALL businesses -- even small internet-based work-from-home businesses. In fact, if you get started in a network marketing business, you may believe that the marketing is taken care of for you. The reality is this:
If you fail to create a personalized marketing plan, you will fail.
Sorry - I don't mean to sound harsh, but like I said, I've learned this the hard way.
Here are four tips to get you started on a marketing plan that will work:
1. Realize that YOU are your business.
You may be thinking, "No, my business is my business." But who is conducting the business? Who makes the decisions? Who do your customers deal with? Who hires the employees? Your business is a reflection of you, like it or not.
2. Determine your market.
Here's a saying I heard recently, "The smaller your niche, the more you get rich". Now, getting rich may not be your objective, but you are in business to make a profit. As one of my mentors, Ann Sieg, says,
"Nothing will determine your long term success more than the ability to pick the right audience and qualify your prospects."

3. Detail your marketing activities.
At the minimum. determine what marketing activities you will initially engage in. They'll probably change over time. Now you're probably thinking two things: "I don't know anything about marketing" and "How much will marketing cost? Isn't it expensive?". Even if you don't know anything about marketing right now, don't worry. Marketing using the internet is not hard, and many methods are even free or extremely low cost. A word of caution, though: "word of mouth" is NOT an effective method for reaching your target market.
4. Write out a marketing plan.
I urge you to put it in writing, even if it's just a bulleted list or a draft. That way you can refer back to it and modify it as needed. A written plan will also help keep you on track.