Marketing Sparkler Ι

04Feb 2013 by Miss Kemya

A is for Accountability Systems

Tips and Tools

As entrepreneurs we often get so bogged down in minutia that we lose sight of our long-term goals. How do you keep yourself on track and accountable for your personal and professional goals? Do you have an accountability system in place? If not, I recommend you set up a weekly check-in plan, even if it’s with yourself. Post your long-term goals somewhere easily visible and make sure your daily activities support your long-term goals. Accountability partners are great for this as well. A friend, a spouse, or a colleague who you can share your plans with and who will give you honest feedback would be ideal. You don’t have to be too formal, but you have to put a system in place to make sure time doesn't get the best of…

23Jan 2013 by Miss Kemya

No More Excuses: Do It, Delegate It, or Ditch It

Tips and Tools

As a solopreneur/micro business owner, you usually have to wear too many hats. Well no more, it's time to take some of those hats off! Say it with me - DELEGATE! This post is for all of you that have brilliant ideas, all of you that take on too many responsibilities, say yes far too often, micro manage every task, or worse, complete every task on your own, and every one of you (excuse me, US) that needs to make a dramatic shift in the way we go about our business! Here's my plan of attack to deal with every single goal, opportunity and task that I face. This plan has only 3 options, it's a short list that commands decisive action. I’m committed, and I’m sharing it. Feel free…

31Jan 2012 by Miss Kemya

The Value of Testimonials: Go Beyond “Great Job”

Tips and Tools

When you’re shopping, do you read customer testimonials? Do you look at those star ratings to help you decide whether or not you buy something? Sure you do! I think we can agree that we all use customer reviews of products and services on a regular basis. Testimonials on site like Yelp and Amazon play a huge role in how we perceive a product don’t they? These recommendations, good or bad, factor into our daily purchasing decisions. So with that being said… Are you collecting testimonials as a natural part of your marketing efforts? You want to collect testimonials to add the end-user experience to your sales and marketing collateral. These reviews, if they’re written in a specific way, will support your existing marketing efforts because they will prove why…

04Jan 2012 by Miss Kemya

Daily Tasks Don’t Have to Be Boring

Tips and Tools

Has your mode of operation become predictable and lackluster? When is the last time you tried a different way of doing things? I don’t mean drastic changes, I mean little tweaks in the way you do seemingly ordinary tasks. Take the blah out of your day. Daily tasks don’t have to be mundane. Finding new ways of doing seemingly simple tasks can ignite your imagination. (more…)

22Dec 2011 by Miss Kemya

Don’t Point That QR Code To Your Home Page!

Tips and Tools

For those of you that don’t know, a QR code is a Quick Response code that is primarily used to direct people to a particular web page. You can use any number of sites to generate the code. Most are free; some are paid if you want a fancier looking QR code. But don't let that QR code stand alone and try to do all the heavy lifting for you. You have to tie a QR code into a marketing campaign to get real results! QR Code Basics You provide the content, usually a web page address, and presto, you get a QR code. You can then insert the graphic image of the code on your printed materials or anywhere you choose to. QR codes are for smartphone users. You…

05Dec 2011 by Miss Kemya

How Much Time Does That Meeting Really Take?

Tips and Tools

What is time to an entrepreneur? Time is a precious resource, much like cash dollars. As you go about building your business, I know you participate in your share of meetings. To what do you charge your meeting time to? If it’s for a current client, that’s part of the cost of doing work for that client, so that’s a no-brainer. But what if you’re taking meetings with prospective clients, how do you figure the cost of your time? Do you know how to identify the real time associated with a meeting? Let’s use this example: I have a lunch meeting that I’ll label as networking/business development with a potential client that I have never met before. I’ve talked to them on the phone, and decided to follow-up with a…

07Oct 2011 by Miss Kemya

5 Tips To Supercharge Your Business

Marketing Strategy, Tips and Tools

As we are all aware, we have lost a global icon in Mr. Steve Jobs. I was saddened at the news of his passing, but as I reflect on the impact this single person has had on my life, and on humanity as a whole, I can’t help but smile. How can I be sad when my life has been forever changed because he chose to share his genius, his vision with all of us? So you know what, I pulled myself together and started to think about the impact Apple has had on my life. Here’s why I was personally distraught: I realized Apple has been my silent partner for 24 years. I started using an Apple computer before most people actually knew what computers were. I learned computer programming on an Apple.…

06Sep 2011 by Miss Kemya

Define Your Target Market First, Then Decide Where To Market

Marketing Strategy, Tips and Tools

Many times business owners shell out cash for marketing and then wonder why they’re not getting business. Before you throw another dollar in the wind, ask yourself: who is your target market? Then you need to figure out how much time and money you have to spend to reach them. I made that sound real simple didn’t I? Here’s the two-fold scenario: First, define your target market. This includes Key decision makers for purchasing your product or service Where your customers look for and buy your product/service Customers' buying habits and buying cycles Factors that influence purchasing decisions – don’t just assume price is the primary reason Next, determine how much money and time you have to spend to reach your target Can you reach them by joining industry organizations?…

Category: Tips and Tools