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Fun

Do You Prepare Before a Task?

Do You Prepare Before a Task?

Give me 6 hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first 4 sharpening my axe” is a quote by Abe Lincoln.

The meaning I get from this quote is.. you need to take time to find and then use the best tools to complete your task. Not sure Abe needed 4 hrs to sharpen his ax. Even with a dull ax he probably could have chopped the tree down in less than the four hours he spent sharpening. But he knew a dull ax would make the task longer, more tiring, dangerous and even more frustrating. You get the idea.

To get things done efficiently you have to prepare before you actually work on your task to make sure you have the right tools for the job. Working with the wrong tools will waste time and energy. This thought process can be applied to things at work and home.

You decide you are going to paint a room. You go to the store without preparing a list of things you need to do the job, like paint, rollers, brushes, tarp, paint tray etc.  You get home and realize you didn’t get the painters tape.  That’s a very important tool to get the job done quicker and neater.  So now you make another trip out to the store and waste time or you have to paint slower and be more careful because you don’t have the painter tape protecting your woodwork.

A boy scout would say “Be Prepared” and we all know the saying “Haste Makes Waste.”  Making sure you have the right tools for the job and have them within arm’s reach as you start your task, will help you  complete your task efficiently.  Sometime the prep work isn’t the most fun but it will make the job easier.   Imagine a chef not having the food prepped before dinner service.  How efficiently would food be served to diners working that way?  That longer wait time may just lose that restaurant a few customers.

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Weekly Tips

How to Use Business Cards to Promote Your Business

Do you think business cards are an outdated marketing tool?  According to an article on Manta and the comments by readers the answer is no.

There are a lot of reasons these little, dependable, easy to carry cards should not be forgotten.   Let’s face it.  Wherever you are, using business cards are a personal way of giving potential customers your information.  It makes it easy for them to get back to you.  In this age of technology we have lost the personal connection with people.  Having something tangible to pass out that is eye catching and attractive, will be memorable.

Here are some TIPS for business cards:

  • Design should be colorful, eye catching and compliment your website.
  • Paper should be high quality. Glossy cards will stay cleaner but people won’t be able to easily jot notes on them.
  • Use an easy to read font size and color.
  • Don’t put too much information on your card to where it looks cluttered and hard to read.  Include the basic contact information, names, phone numbers, fax, email etc.  Also include your logo and tagline /catchphrase.  Nowadays it’s not unusual to see a photo on a business card to help people put a face to the business.
  • Order a sufficient amount to cover a few months.  As your business grows and changes some of the information you want on your business card may change too.  You should also change the design every so often especially if the design and or colors of your website change.
  • Lastly, triple check all the info.  Who wants a bunch of business cards coming back from printing with incorrect information?

Think about business cards as adding “Spice” to your marketing plan.  Small, Personal, Informative and Cost Effective, business cards are still a great way to reach out to prospects and leave a reminder of your brand.

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Categories
Healthy Living

Manic Mondays

Manic Mondays can cause stress. Knowing how to manage your day can be a huge help.

So you had a great weekend.  Maybe you slept in late, played some golf, saw the latest blockbuster movie or took a little road trip.  Maybe you did all those things.  The weekend is over and now comes Monday.  Manic Monday. Remember that Bangles song?   Maybe some of you will.

Here are some tips that we tweaked, from “Prevention”  to help make Monday a less sullen day.  Try some of these simple things the next time Monday rolls around.  Your Manic Mondays may just turn into a Motivational Monday!

  • Forget the healthy breakfast.  Have any leftover pizza or chocolate cake?  Indulge yourself and eat something for pleasure rather than health.   You have 6 other days to eat the healthy oatmeal, eggs, or bran cereal.
  • Do a good deed.  Open the door for someone, bring in muffins to work or let someone go ahead at the gas pump.  You will make someone’s day and you will feel good too.  Acts of kindness lower stress.  Who knows?  They may pay it forward and a few more people will benefit and have a better Monday because of you.
  • Wear an outfit to work you have been saving for a special occasion.  You will look and feel great and people will wonder what’s up?
  •  Have lunch with a friend and catch up on only good news.
  •  Spend a few minutes sitting or walking in the sun and soak up some vitamin D.
  • Plan an early morning work out to increase endorphins.
  • Look at a photo of a loved one or pet (yes we love our pets) or a favorite vacation spot.  It will activate the brain with feelings off well being and reduce stress.

These little things can help you start the week out with a more positive vibe.  Give it a try.

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Categories
Weekly Tips

Using Testimonials As A Marketing Tool

What do clients think of your business?  Customers research businesses and look for reviews of those businesses. Having testimonials on your website and on your google places or yahoo local listings can attract new clients. Think about it. If you are researching two companies who are competitors, one has rave reviews on their website and listings and the other doesn’t, who would your first choice be?  Here are some tips for testimonials.

Tips for Testimonials

  • Ask Permission
  • Put full name and contact information of the person providing the testimonial
  • The testimonial should be the customers own word
  • Add their picture if possible
  • General testimonials are good but a specific testimonial about what your company did for them helps customers understand what results they will  get by working with you

Testimonials add credibility and help show trust.  Take time every once in a while to ask ‘satisfied customers” if they would mind writing a brief review of how your company helped them solve their problem or helped them achieve or surpass a goal. It may just help a  potential customer to “take action”.

 

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Weekly Tips

How to Turn Customers into Leads

How to Turn Customers into Leads?

Collect Leads from Contact Forms

On the contact form ask prospects to provide only information that will enable you to quickly follow up.

Small contact forms with only 3 fields convert at a rate of 25% (Quick Sprout)

Follow Up Quickly.

Organize your leads so you can follow up quickly.  The quicker you follow up the better your chances of  reaching that person.

Follow up within an hour with great cusomer service.  This will help you keep prospects coming back.

Send Valuable Information

For prospects who have not completed a purchase, send them company news, a promotion, or information on a new product or service.  This will increase the chance they come back to you when they are ready to buy.

Be attentive to these leads.  It may result in 45% more in ROI. (Marketing Sherpa)

Do follow up!

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Categories
Healthy Living Uncategorized

Eating Healthy

Did you know that one cup of cooked spinach has more protein than Meatloaf? spinach2It’s almost twice as much. And according to Dr. Fuhrman, the author of “Eat To Live”, broccoli has twice as much protein as steak, per 100 calories .  If you want to lose weight forever, eat only high nutrient foods.  You can eat all you want and maintain a healthy weight.  With most diets you are hungry all the time.  By eating high nutrient foods, you will eat a much higher volume of food, thereby curbing your hunger.

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Categories
SEO

Online Vs Offline Marketing

 Both types of marketing, online and offline, can contribute to your website’s success.  Most people concentrate on online marketing because they feel nowadays everyone is online.  As of 2012, 78% of people used the internet.  That leaves 22% who will never see your online marketing.  Here are a few ways to incorporate Offline Marketing into your plan that may help you reach those people who do not spend time online.

Trade shows- will give you the opportunity to meet people face to face and start a relationship.

Sponsor Local Events –this will give you community exposure.

Donate a prize for a raffle or contest, either a product or service, and get your business name out there.

Business Cards- Make them unique, modern and with bright colors so they stand out and look good enough to save.

Network and find a business that offers complementary services or products and work together to attract business.

If you have the budget, try a radio or TV advertisement.

Put something into the hands of prospects that is relevant to your business.  Don’t go with the normal pens, magnets, etc.  Spend some time and thought and come up with something that clearly connects to your business.

Send out notices about special promotions or new products.

Use your car/cars as a mobile billboard to advertise your business.

Join Angie’s List and put a coupon in their booklet.

Ask existing customers for testimonials that can be used in marketing materials such as brochures or freebie giveaways like tote bags.

Using a combination of online and offline marketing ensures you are reaching out to all potential prospects, those who are able to use the internet and those who are not.

 

 

 

 

 

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Categories
Weekly Tips

Tips for Setting Business Goals

If you are running a business, learning how to set business goals is important to your success.

Use the SMART process for creating goals.

Specify, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time

1. Set clear definable goals that are achievable and stick with them.

2. Write them down.

3. Don’t Procrastinate.  Identify a specific goal, and with short term plans that are steps towards the larger goal, set a deadline to accomplish the goal.

4. Monitor and track your progress.

5. Use programs like Microsoft Excel to set up spreadsheets and keep track.

6. Reward those who have worked to achieve the goal.  It could be a financial incentive, a day off or at least a sincere thank you.

Having goals and tracking your progress will give you a better chance of success.

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Categories
SEO Weekly Tips

Start A Contest

If you use social media and want to build a following, try this idea.

Start a Contest

Here are a few  tips to get started.

Decide what type of prize you can afford that is enticing enough to keep the buzz going.

Get people’s attention on social media by asking them to submit a great picture or caption that relates to your product or service.  Make it clear that entries must relate to your brand.  As people join in this will create excitement and help build followers as the content is shared.

Decide and make it clear where and how you will accept submissions.

Keep people informed as to when and how winners will be announced.

Announce the winner on your website and that will drive traffic.

For more details on how to set this up this article will help.

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Categories
Customers

The World is Addicted to Smartphones

The World is Addicted to Smartphones

There is an addiction to Smartphones.

This is fact according to an IDC study which surveyed over 7000 users between 18 and 44.

Retailers need to start working on their mobile marketing strategy.

Here are some stats I found in research:

72% of smartphone owners used their devices while shopping

27% of cell owners used their phone while inside a store to look up the price of a product

28 % of cell owners used their phone while inside a store to look up reviews of a product

69% grab their phones as soon as they wake up

79% look at their phones within 15 min of waking up

Users visit FB 13.8 times throughout the day

78% of smartphone users check their email on their devices

48% use their smartphones at the gym

Guess we can call this an addiction..do you agree?

How can you thrive with this trend?

Keeping up with the latest information about optimizing mobile search and voice search is going to be a key to success in online business in the future.

Evaluating your Google Analytics to see what percentage of your traffic comes from mobile devices vs desktops. We have a few businesses that still get most of their traffic via desktop uses, and they are happy to clearly see this is true for them in the data that is collected from Google.

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