Matt Heinz, the CEO of Heinz Marketing sent me this list that appeared in an article he wrote for his own blog.  His first post on DIYMarketers, 10 Ways to Automate on a Shoestring, has been such a hit that I’m sending you MORE of his wonderful resources!

The following is a list of 10 Free Resources that he pulled together for Small Business Saturday and I wanted to share them with you!

Small business marketing starts with these four steps

Nine steps to a more effective elevator pitch

Nine tools that will help you sell more via social media

The nine (other) people who can market and sell for you

Four keys to building (or improving) your online presence

The three most important components of a retail marketing strategy

Six ways to get more business without directly asking for it

How to keep your small business from acting like a big company

Ten lessons learned for small business success

Free download of the e-book, “Secrets to Successful Holiday Selling”

The good news is – the Internet offers unparalleled marketing opportunities. Unlike other marketing channels, it is very cost effective ad highly trackable. Truly, a marketers dream.

But how can small mom-and-pop stores across the country harvest the power of the web?

It would be a joke if you called Internet marketing simple – it is far from simple. However, most local businesses really don’t need huge or complex campaigns. All they need to change is their attitude and take a few steps to truly make a difference.

Change of Mindset

Some small business owners believe in too many Internet related myths. Here are a few of those that quite simply have to die and make way for better things:

• The internet is not a fad nor a trend. It will never go away. The only change that can happen is a deeper integration of the web into our lives and, with that, into our business. Don’t believe me? Just take a look at Siri, Apple’s intuitive voice activated digital assistant that lets you use your voice to send messages, make calls and send reminders.

• Internet Marketing is expensive. This myth is self-destructive in its nature. Internet marketing campaigns routinely outperform newspaper, radio and TV advertising when it comes to ROI. Word-of-mouth is the only marketing channel that boasts a better ROI than Internet marketing.

Build a Website That Sells

The Internet as a marketing channel should be held accountable for its output. This should start with your business website whose primary goal must be to generate revenue, either through creating awareness, generating leads or sales.

It’s not as complicated as it seems if

• You make your website ridiculously easy to use by implementing simple and intuitive navigation. Just take a look at Microsoft or Medicare.  They each have two sets of navigation that are easy to find and click on.

• Does your website clearly communicate your unique selling proposition (Can a visitor see why are you better than your competition in a matter of seconds).  My favorite example of this is Mint.com.  That clearly states what the site is about.

• The website is built in a searchenginefriendlyway.
• It can inspiretrust in first time visitors.

Keep in mind that building a website that sells when you know what is important for website performance doesn’t have to be complicated nor expensive. If you can’t build it by yourself nor by using free website building tools, consider hiring a local junior web designer that is looking to build their portfolio. The risk of creating an inferior website is lower if you educate yourself and if you develop a clear vision of what your site should accomplish.

Promote Your Website

Even if you build the most professional looking site on the planet with copy that is so persuasive that it would convince an Eskimo to buy ice from you, you are highly unlikely to generate a single dollar of revenue from your website if nobody knows it exists. Sad, but true. Luckily, promoting a local brick and mortar business doesn’t require Coca Cola’s marketing budget.

With a little bit of guidance and some time at your disposal you can do it yourself. You need to:

• Make sure that anyone that has ever mentioned your business online also links to your website. That is not always possible, but most of the time it is. If an online magazine mentioned you in one of their articles, you can always e-mail the reporter who wrote the story and ask if it’s possible to point a link to your website since you were already mentioned. The same is true for industry and professional associations, chambers of commerce, charities and so on.

• You should be present and active on all the most popular social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin), as well as the ones that are relevant for your industry. One example is BizSugar which is great for consultants that sell to small business owners.

• Get listed in all Internet directories for your industry. You can find them using Google or, ironically, other directories like BOTW (listofbusinessdirectories).

• You could also ask your vendors to link to you, offering a testimonial if necessary.

• Offer to write for other websites in your industry in exchange for a mention of your business on their pages etc.

This list could be infinite.

You need to approach this task as seriously as you possibly can as it will make a difference between improving your bottom line vs losing money and time building a website which will never be seen by anyone except yourself.

Local Search Platforms Are Your Friends

Google Places, Bing and Yahoo Local as well as many IYP sites (Internet Yellow Pages) are more than capable to bring you new business. However, first you have to make sure that you are:

• Present and in control of your presence on these platforms. This is exceptionally important when it comes to Google places. So if you haven’t, go ahead and verifyyourGooglePlaces before you finish this article. Yes, it is that important. While you are there, just make sure to read howtomakeagreatlisting

• Be ubiquitous and consistent. Try to list your business in all local business directories using the same information (same name, address, phone number, categorization etc.) The more consistent signals Google finds about your business, the more important your listing becomes in “Google’s eyes” and the higher it ranks.

• Reviews – get them. Reviews are highly important for the success of your listings. People are using the when they are making purchasing decisions and search engines are using them in their algorithms.

There you have it. Follow these easy steps and your local business will get a boost from the web.

It might seem crazy to be talking about high net worth clients in an economy that’s tanked.  But it shouldn’t surprise you to hear that high net worth individuals are still spending — and spending big.

There have been several studies on high net worth individuals and they all show that big spenders spend on brand value and not just on price.

In this issue, we interviewed Patti Stanger, who is Bravo TV’s “The Millionaire Matchmaker.” Her clientele? Strictly millionaires who don’t have time to date because they’re too busy running their businesses. Wealthy individuals usually have higher expectations and can be difficult to attract, especially when you’re first starting out. This issue will explain how to go about being a brand that serves them.

Features: 

• Full paid issue (February 1st):  19 articles total
• Sample issue:  8 articles total
• Interviews with:  Patti Stanger (Bravo TV’s The Millionaire Matchmaker), Ali Velshi (anchor for CNN’s “Your Money), David Novak (CEO of Yum! Brands), Dan Roam (bestselling author), and Meg Hirschberg (Inc. Magazine columnist)

Here’s a free sample of Personal Branding Magazine for you and you can subscribe to Personal Branding Magazine.

If you’ve made the commitment to “Get Organized!” in 2012 — then you might have been exploring the many project management tools that are out there.

It can get absolutely overwhelming when you see all the tools out there and really hard to choose one.

Who should use project management tools and why

• Sales people who are managing customers or key account projects.  Project management tools will keep you on track and make sure your project gets done on budget and on time.  Several CRM systems have project management features – but if you’re budget sensitive – consider using Manymoon for this application because it’s FREE and it allows you to see conversations that your team members have had about your project.  So when you log in — you can see all the latest actions that have been going on.
• Marketing managers who are tracking marketing plans and marketing calendars.  My favorite recommendation for this group is using SmartSheet.  This is a free tool that is grounded in a spreadsheet format with pre-formatted templates such as a Gantt chart.  I love this feature for marketing plans, trade shows and product launches because it allows you to track and collaborate on tasks and budgets.

There are many more out there and to help you make sense of it — check out this very cool infographic that Diego Dacal from GetApp.com sent in.  GetApp is a marketplace for online business software.

What comes right into your mind when you hear or see or talk about “Facebook”?

Facebook is a social networking site that was founded in the year 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg and his college roommates in Harvard University. It was initially made accessible to only a limited number of users, but was later on expanded, because of its interactive features, bridging the communication gap in between families, friends and acquaintances. Currently there are already more than 800 million active users of Facebook. If you still don’t have a Facebook account then it’s time to create one!

Truly with the existence of Facebook, communication has become a lot easier than before. The areas for development for Facebook don’t end that’s why people are keen about it and in fact has become part of their daily lives. Clearly, Facebook has become a main activity of people who are socially inclined.

Facebook has become such prominent that even companies, big or small, are using it as one key to market their brand name, as well as their products and services. One significant feature of Facebook that companies use is creating Facebook Fan Pages. Facebook Fan Pages have become prevalent in businesses, regardless of what type of industry a company or an organization belongs to. We will furthermore discuss in the succeeding sections of this article on how Facebook Fan Pages can be used as an effective approach for Online Marketing.

As of present, Facebook is known as the largest social networking site in the world where users of any age keep in touch with one another. With the vast number of users of Facebook, looking for potential customers has become easier too.

It is very important to keep your customers engaged. For them to feel that way, you have to establish an effective relationship with your customers.

• Start off by creating a business profile in your Facebook Fan Page to establish your presence or your online identity. Make it as descriptive as possible because people want to be informed before they’ll start showing some support to your products and services. Know that people would be more attracted to it when they can see photos, so upload some.
• Next thing is to promote your Facebook Fan Page by inviting users to become fans so they can exchange their thoughts by posting in your wall and let others see it, at the same time allowing them to comment on it. Advertise something new to your Facebook Fan Page every now and then to keep your fans visiting your page. If they really liked it, they’ll start inviting their friends; this now gets you more potential customers in return.

How can Facebook Fan Pages help you with your Marketing?

At times you may want to put up announcements in the form of photos or videos for promotions. You’ll be able to attract more customers if you will at least give out rewards later on, as this will increase their engagement and satisfaction.

If maintained and managed well, your company’s Facebook Fan Page can do a lot for you and your business. To keep your customers coming means that you also have to do your part by maintaining the customer relationship of which two among the most important factors involved are trust and loyalty. Since Facebook Fan Pages allow users to voice out their comments, suggestions, testimonials, and other opinions, you as the business owner can take on their words as these also help you decide to make further developments for your business.

Indeed Facebook is such a powerful marketing tool that will help your business become well known, and eventually increase in sales. However, it’s never going to let you achieve the success in haste so don’t strive for quick results. It’s always going to be a step by step process before you make progress out of it.

Author bio:

Jessica Francisco is one of the editors of Luke Roxas.

Every New Year’s Resolution is not the same yet everyone wants to make a change. What can you do when nobody is there for you and you’re all by YOURSLEF? Through the word YOURSELF I give you 8 things every Do It Yourselfer can do to get a breakthrough.

Y is for Yearn. People will come in and out of your life and tell you what you could and should do. What are you passionate about and can you use this energy to better your life? It feels good when you can take something you love to do and leverage it into opportunities of a lifetime.

O is for Open. For a few seconds clear your mind out of where you are and think about where you can do? Whatever your income is double that number and write it out on a piece of paper. Until now that amount might not of been possible but as you can see it’s right before your eyes.

U is for Use. With the passion and mind ready for possibilities it’s time to go to work. “Use your skills or someone else will” is a slogan I wrote that I live by daily. If you don’t take advantage of what is in front of you someone will come from behind and steal your show.

R is for Rise. Everyone that can fly has to come back to earth at some point in time. Two things for sure will happen and they are you will either land or crash. If you fall down learn how to get back up. If you stay down waiting for someone to pick you up you may never make it off the floor.

S is for Save. Growing up my favorite candy was now and later. Put yourself in position for bigger dreams by saving revenue and resources along the way. I still remember my Dad telling me that dollars come from pennies and to be successful on your own you need at least 6 months of salary saved up.

E is for Expect. You might be hated before you get appreciated. I learned that if you have an idea that you believe in see how you can make it work versus always looking for something to go wrong. Wake up looking for the best outcome so the universe will present you with a chance to earn the best income.

L is for Leave. There are people, place and things in your life that you need to say no to. Don’t be afraid. They are afraid too, that if you go on without them you will find destiny and build a dynasty. Nobody deserves to have more power in your life than you.

F is for Focus. Congratulations if you have accomplished something that nobody thought you could do on your own. Don’t lose track of what helped you get to the level you are at now. Keep it super simple each day by focusing on the important things in your camp.

When you want to make something happen look at YOURSELF in the mirror and go for it.

Are you still using that same tired business card?  Why not take a fresh new look at your cards and see if a re-design can spruce up your brand.

If you’re one of those people who feel that sticking a fork in your eye might be a preferable way to spend your time to designing a business card, you are in luck!

I just received this FANTASTIC Infographic from Chris Gold via BusinessCards.com.  Now you can create a business card that has both function and style.

Business owners can find themselves easily overwhelmed when it comes to working with a graphic designer on creating a branded business card.

Often enough business owners underestimate the quantity and importance of design decisions (selecting typeface, font, card shape, size and material) that must be made in addition to organizing basic contact information.

We’ve written this visual guide especially for busy small to medium sized business owners that are about the start an identity or branding project that will include redesigning their corporate business card. The guide takes you through 6 major areas of consideration: typeface, font, color mode, the printing map and card material. We’ve found in the past that one of these areas is to blame when business owners aren’t satisfied with their printed final product. Whether this is true for technical reasons (ex-saving design files in wrong color mode) or something being lost in translation from the left-sided dominate business brain to the right-sided dominate creative brain of the graphic designer remains to be seen.

Created by BusinessCards.com

Promotional products have been around since the beginning of time and yet, many business owners and marketers struggle with finding the right promotional product either for a trade show or for their day-to-day marketing purposes.

An effective way of expanding and building brand aware is through the distribution of promotional products. These can include such items as pens, mugs, t-shirts, display stands and key rings, as they are all practical and will thus get a lot of use. This allows for increased exposure in a natural and effective manner when an item is emblazoned with a company’s name or logo. Items such as these are relatively inexpensive and so can be seen as a worthwhile investment, with a company being able to distribute to a wide audience. Whenever an individual puts one of these products to use, they will be reminded of the company who gave it to them. This means the end user will be unlikely to forget the company’s name or the products/services they provide any time soon.

If a company gives a promotional product to an existing customer, this could be interpreted as a reward for their continued loyalty. This could serve as a deterrent for the customers to take their business elsewhere. It might help the customer feel valued and appreciated, which means the implementation of promotional items can be extremely effective.

Visual appeal is also an important factor to consider. To attract the most attention and be as effective as possible, the product should feature an attractive, professional looking logo in addition to bright colours if relevant. Businesses can benefit massively if products brandishing their logo/identity are visually appealing and attention-grabbing – especially when distributed towards a large target audience.

A regular distribution of promotional products can provide brand image with a significant boost, which can very well result in higher company sales. Consumers will generally take their business to generous, trustworthy businesses. Not only this, but they can also educate customers on the business’ products and services. All in all, promotional products can be a highly effective marketing tool for any business.

Check out this infographic and see if you get any clearer on the topic — I’m making a copy for myself and pasting it on a wall!

Google got the month of November off to an interesting start by finally launching its much anticipated Google+ Pages, which are exclusively designed for business, brands, and other professionals. Many have been waiting on this feature for months, and now that it has finally arrived, observers are expecting business to pick up for the trendy social network. In this article, we will focus on the opportunities Google+  Pages present the marketer.

Maximum Utilization of Circles

From day one, Circles has been one of Google+’s most exciting features. However, its potential was always limited due to the fact that Google urged brands to hold off on using it as a marketing tool. Now that the new pages are here, marketers can finally use Circles to its full potential. According to the terms and conditions, Google+ Pages cannot be directly used to promote offers, coupons, contests, sweepstakes, or promotions of any sort. Be that as it may, there is nothing stopping you from directing the people in your circles to the promotional content on your website, blog, or even your Facebook page.

Direct Connection Through Google Search

As we all know, Google maintains one of the world’s most powerful search engines. In fact, it is the most popular internet search tool by far. Thanks to the new pages, brands can tap into this power and take advantage. By adding the “+” sign before their search query, Google searchers can go straight to a business’ page on Google+. This capability appears to have far more potential than Facebook’s channel search feature, which never really caught on with users. Connecting your website to your Google+ page is as simple as embedding a small snippet of code to the HTML section of your web page.

Greater SEO Value

From the looks of it, the biggest opportunities Google+ Pages offer marketers just may lie in SEO. An article published by Search Engine Land back in July reported that once launched, these pages would be able to be followed, indexed, and endorsed with a click of the +1 button. This report was recently confirmed by Dennis Troper, Product Management Director at Google. If you are missing the boat here, take it from us when we say that this is huge news. Not only does it mean that your page can come up in searches conducted within Google+, but also the searches conducted from the conventional engine within Google Search.

Possible Drawbacks

Google+ Pages certainly appear to have plenty to offer, but there could also be some disadvantages that come along with this new addition. After reading the terms and conditions, some are left wondering if creating a presence on the platform is worth the trouble. Among other things, Google is preventing marketers from using the platform for offers and contests. You are allowed to link to third-party sites, but not run such promotions on Google+. This factor and others should be taken under advisement before making a full commitment to the new pages.

About the Author: Aidan Hijleh is a freelance copywriter and serves as the Non-Profit Partnership Liaison for Benchmark Email. Aidan advocates free email marketing services to assist with the flourishing of grassroots organizations.