The Timesaver

I follow The Blog Squad (Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff). Today’s email from them was about social networking. They’re holding a teleseminar this Wednesday (4/23) on how to use Web 2.0 and social networking sites to get more traffic and grow your business. You can register for the teleseminar here.

And here’s an article Dense and Patsi shared about social networking you’re going to want to read!

Social Networking - What Is It And Why Your Business Needs It
by Michele PW

Social networking. Social marketing. Web 2.0.

You may have heard these terms bandied about and wondered what exactly they are and (more importantly) what they mean for your business.

So let’s dig right in and get some answers. First, some definitions.

Social networking is actually a pretty broad term. It basically means any type of relationship-building amongst a group of people with a common interest (business or personal). However, that term has taken on a whole new dimension online, where social networking sites (MySpace, LinkedIn, Facebook) are popping up faster than you can say “Will you be my friend?”

These Web sites are designed around helping people network and build relationships via online, instead of the more traditional face-to-face networking meetings.

Which leads us to Web 2.0. No, it’s not a technical upgrade of the Web (I can hear all the sighs of relief as people everywhere realize they don’t need to be downloading or learning new software). Rather, it’s a new way to use the technical aspects of the Web to build better relationships with people. So it includes blogging, podcasts, social networking sites, video, webinars, etc.

Actually, what it really is is a shift in mindset. Rather than using these tools because they’re cool new tech gadgets, we’re using them to bring a more human element to the Web.

Now social marketing is used interchangeably as social networking, but that’s actually a misnomer (according to Wikipedia). Social marketing is an old term, which refers to marketing for the good of society or for social causes and has nothing to do with any of this.

So, back to social networking. This is wonderful news for business owners out there because it fits right in with how customers buy. Namely, people buy from people they know, like and trust. So building relationships using Web 2.0 techniques is a fabulous marketing strategy.

And many Web 2.0 techniques are either free or very low cost. All the social networking sites have free accounts (some have paid upgrades, but it’s still low). Podcasting can be free (or you can pay a very low fee to do the recording via the phone). Blogging can be free. You get the picture.

Now there is a downside. The downside is it does take time. So if you’re already feeling overwhelmed and frazzled, yes this could feel like another huge to-do on your list.

Which is why I’m going to tell you right now not to go there. There is help. Virtual assistants (also known as VAs) can assist you with these social networking tasks. Also, some marketing professionals offer social networking packages to do it all for you, so you don’t have to manage it or even learn much about it. In other words, you don’t have to go at it alone!

And you also don’t have to spend hours and hours on these tasks either. Pick ONE thing to do, then spend 1-2 hours a week on it. Once that’s mastered, then add a second task. (Or get it into a system so you can outsource it and then bring on a second task.)

Obviously the more time you (or someone on your team) can devote to social networking, the faster you’ll see results. But I don’t want you to beat yourself up if you don’t have a lot of time to do it or money to outsource. Do what you can and let the rest go.

The other thing to keep in mind is it also takes time to start seeing results. None of these techniques is for immediate results or a quick infusion of cash. These techniques are long-term strategies. They’re very effective, but they’ll take some time.

As for what to start on first, that’s up to you and what appeals to you (and what you think will appeal to your target market) but I’ll give you a quick summary of a couple of the major ones along with pros and cons:

1. Blogging.

Pros — This is a terrific way to build traffic to your site. My blog gets a tremendous amount of traffic and much of that spills over to the rest of my site. Plus, I have a Wordpress blog, so it’s built into my Web site and it comes with RSS and pinging and everything else a good blog should. (Did I mention it was free?)

Cons — You need to do some writing. And it does take time. (Either yours or someone on your team.) You should plan to post at least a couple of times a month — more is better.

2. Podcasting. (Podcasting is like having your own little radio show, except the audio is downloaded into an iPod rather than broadcasted.)

Pros — This is a terrific way to add credibility and build trust with your customers. Audio, especially when listened to on a podcast, is very intimate. You end up building a tighter bond with your customers than through reading alone. Adding audio to Web sites has been shown to increase conversion rates. (I.e. more people will buy when there’s audio involved.)

Cons — Time (you got to make time to do your podcast, and once you start, you need to do it regularly). This is also a bit more technical than blogging — you need to upload it to your site, to podcast directories, etc. Unless technology comes really easy for you, I would suggest finding someone to help you out (at least to get you started). And if you have a really dreadful voice I would think twice about doing a podcast.

3. Video.

Pros — Like audio, adding video to your site is great for increasing conversion rates. It adds a level of intimacy and helps your customers feel like they really know you.

Cons — Technical and time. For audio, all you need is a phone. Video you need a camera, a video editor, etc. Of course, once it’s done, you can use it in a lot of places, but getting it done may feel overwhelming. [Note from Glenda: Video is EASY now with the Commercial Creation Center found at AroundLancasterCounty.com! Check out the free trial until May 1!]

4. Social networking sites. This is fast becoming a great way to find customers, form relationships and drive traffic to your site. However, before you dive into this, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, there are some 200 social networking sites out there and I’m sure that number continues to grow. But, MySpace enjoys a whopping 80 percent of that traffic. So it only makes sense that 80 percent of the time you’re devoting to social networking sites should be devoted to MySpace.

And don’t think MySpace is just for kids! I’ve only been playing around with it for a couple of weeks and I’ve already made some pretty good connections, plus I’ve noticed a spike in my traffic and sign-ups for my newsletter. My friend Nancy has as great primer on how to use MySpace for business purposes.

The other two social networking sites I’m on are LinkedIn.com and Ryze.com. What I like about those two is they’re more focused on business, plus they don’t take a lot of time (so they fit nicely in the 20 percent of my time for the other sites). MySpace can be a time sucker, so just be aware of that.

Pros — Great for building relationships and appears to be good at driving Web traffic.

Cons — Takes time (Sensing a pattern here?) Also it’s very easy to waste a lot of time on MySpace as well.

My suggestion is to pick one of these techniques to start with, do it for awhile and see what happens. If you start seeing leads and results, stick with it and maybe add another one. If it looks like it’s not worth it (takes too much time and you’re seeing too few results) try another.

Michele PW (Michele Pariza Wacek) owns Creative Concepts and Copywriting LLC, a copywriting, marketing communications and creativity agency. She helps people become more successful at attracting new clients, selling products and services and boosting business. To find out how she can help you take your business to the next level, visit her site at http://www.michelepw.com. Copyright 2008 Michele Pariza Wacek

Sometimes I think customer service is dying in Corporate America. And today’s happenings clinched it for me. Here’s my story, and I’ll be interested to hear what your take is on this. This is lengthy, so grab a cup o’ java and read on…

For the past couple months, I’ve been in the market for a new color printer/copier. Of course, I want to “seal the deal” by the end of the year for tax purposes. I checked with my current copier provider (let’s call them Dealer #1) and another one in town (Dealer #2). I settled on the Bizhub C203 (Konica Minolta) and then went about striking the best deal. When it came right down to it, both providers matched price and maintenance agreements, so I chose to stay with Dealer #1 because I had been doing business with them for at least 10+ years and have bought 3 copiers from them to date (This is otherwise known as Customer Loyalty).

We fill out the paperwork and order the copier. I’m told the terms are Net 30, but of course I tell them I’m going to pay the invoice by the end of the year for tax purposes. We talk about possibly paying via credit card, cash, or possibly taking out a loan. Shouldn’t matter to them, as long as they get their money, right? Wrong!

Two days ago I get a voicemail from the salesperson at Dealer #1, telling me that they had called my bank and I did not have the funds available for the purchase. So how do I want to pay for it? Credit card? Cashiers Check?

Whoa! Wait a minute! We hadn’t even set up a date for delivery yet. Why were they calling my bank to see if the money was there? What if I had the money in another account and wasn’t going to transfer it until delivery was happening? Or what if I was paying by credit card?

Needless to say, I hadn’t called the salesperson back because I was still fuming. The more I thought about it, the more it just didn’t feel right. I had been a customer of theirs for over 10 years. Every copier we purchased from them had been paid for with a personal check, at time of delivery. I’ve always paid my statements with them. Why were they questioning me now? Isn’t a good customer worth anything anymore? Apparently not.

I get a call from the salesperson’s manager this morning, asking if I had decided how I was going to pay for the copier. Well, that did it. The flood gates opened. I explained to him the longevity of our business relationship. To tell you the truth, I felt violated that a company would actually do that to a long-time customer, especially when we weren’t even that close to the delivery date yet. (Another interesting note is that this company was locally owned until just this past year when it was gobbled up by Corporate…which has something to do with it, if you ask me.)

Shortly after that, I receive an email from the salesperson apologizing for the miscommunication and sympathizing with me, but there was nothing he could do about it. Oh, by the way, the credit department was now demanding a cashiers check upon delivery of the copier. So, that opened the flood gates again. I emailed him back, explaining all my concerns with their customer service and inviting him to share the email with his superiors, in the hopes it would somehow be helpful in improving their customer service.

Luckily, today was my Women Business Owners Network (WBON) monthly meeting. I was able to tell my story to a few close business acquaintances there, and all of them were shocked that a company would treat a customer that way. They encouraged me to contact them again and demand some sort of discount or something for the faux paux. I needed to hear that from them, just to validate that what I was feeling wasn’t out of line.

So I get back to my office and call the salesperson back. I tell him I’m ready to cancel the deal because of the treatment I’ve received trying to strike this deal. I realize I’m “small potatoes” compared to some of the larger clients they have, but I still deserve to be treated with respect. I told him the deal is off unless they think they can do something to make it right.

So now I have to call Dealer #2 and ask if they’ll still honor the price quote they gave me a week or so ago, because I’m very disenchanted with Dealer #1 and am calling off that deal. He assures me they’d be happy to meet the price he gave me before. He asks why the deal with Dealer #1 is off. I briefly explain to him what happened. He assures me they don’t call banks unless it’s a lease arrangement where it will need to be paid over a length of time. Otherwise, it’s up to me how I pay the invoice. No credit check. No cashiers check. (Note: This is a locally owned company.)

After I get off the phone with Dealer #2, I find a voicemail from the salesman at Dealer #1. They’ve put together a goodie bag for me with pens, mugs, mousepads, etc.; a Husker football book featuring Tom Osborne; and they’re going to take $200 off my invoice. Plllleeeeeaaaaasssseeee…..

Needless to say, my customer loyalty with Dealer #1 is gone. I’m forging ahead and will create a new customer relationship with Dealer #2, who is happy to have my business…and my money…. I wonder if they’ll call Dealer #1 and thank them for the new customer they just got?

Feel free to share your thoughts, if you made it this far. I welcome your comments.

International Virtual Women’s Chamber of Commerce Uses Its Site to Introduce Women Around the Globe to Each Other

March 20, 2007, will serve as “A Day of Virtual Introduction” online for women around the globe in honor of Women’s History Month. “A Day of Virtual Introduction” will build a virtual bridge for business and professional women to cross over to create win-win relationships. It’s a startling fact that 48% of women-owned businesses generate less than $10,000 in revenue annually; and 87% of ALL women-owned businesses generate less than $100,000 in revenue annually. It’s time for women to stop selling and start partnering if they want their businesses to sustain them.

The goal of “A Day of Virtual Introduction” is to make it easier for business and professional women from different business organizations, states, and countries, to find each other online so they can share information about their interest in partnering. The special business day is being organized by the International Virtual Women’s Chamber of Commerce (IVWCC). IVWCC was founded in 2002 by metro Atlanta businesswoman Jerrilynn B. Thomas to facilitate lucrative strategic alliances, cross marketing partnerships, and joint ventures between business and professional women from around the globe. 

Women interested in participating in “A Day of Virtual Introduction” are asked to register as a guest by visiting http://tinyurl.com/zlatt to get on the chamber’s mailing list. Then they should submit a request by visiting http://tinyurl.com/2sq2qk to receive the introduction format they should follow in order for their introduction to be published on the chamber site. Participants will be able to share key details about their business and the types of companies they desire to partner with.

There is no fee to participate. Chamber membership is not a requirement. Introductions can be submitted in advance. The link to view the introductions will be posted on http://www.ivwcc.org/ on March 20, 2007. IVWCC reserves the right to not publish an introduction. Due to the number of direct sales companies online, the first 10 introductions per company will be published. Please share this announcement with all of your female business associates.

Networking Event Scheduled for “A Day of Virtual Introduction” Participants
A 24-hour online networking event, “Smart Women Partner & Grow Rich!,” will be conducted on March 20 for “A Day of Virtual Introduction” participants who want to put their partnering plan immediately into action. The fee to participate is $12 for non-chamber members. You can register via PayPal by visiting http://tinyurl.com/2sgocm.

What are some of your best practices and tips for making your customers/clients feel special? Are you doing anything special for your clients for Valentine’s Day? If you’d like to share, I’m writing an article about this very topic and would be glad to give reference to you (and your business) in the article. Send your tip to glenda@hinztime.com. For each tip, you’ll be entered into my Valentine’s Day contest (see info below). I look forward to hearing your responses, and will post the article here on my blog when completed.

Now, one of the ways I like to make my customers feel special is by sending them an unexpected greeting card…when they get some good press, they’ve lost a couple pounds and shared with a list I’m on…anything that they need a little “pat on the back” for or “just because.” And sometimes I even add in a gift card to Starbucks or Home Depot or another of the many gifts cards available. If you’d like to discover how you can send personalized greeting cards to your clients (from your computer, any time of the night or day), go to www.easyholidaycards.com and request a no-obligation demonstration AND you’ll be entered into our Valentine’s Day Contest to boot!

Here are the Valentine’s Day Contest prizes:

*Ten (10) greeting cards (plus postage) through SendOutCards ($25 value) - 2 prizes, 2 winners

*One personalized handwriting font ($49 value) - 1 winner

Here are several different ways to enter (You can enter more than one way):

1. Send your tip for making your customers/clients feel special and receive one entry for the greeting card prize. Send 2 tips and receive 2 entries, etc. Send your tips to glenda@hinztime.com

2. Request and complete a no-obligation demonstration of our personalized greeting cards and receive one entry for the greeting card prize. Request your demonstration here. (Enter TimeSaver as the coupon code.)

3. Refer someone to me (they must complete the demonstration) and receive one entry for the greeting card prize. They can request their demonstration here. (Have them enter your name as the person who referred them as the coupon code.)

4. Sign up as a SendOutCards customer through me and receive one entry for the personalized handwriting font.

There’s lots of ways to enter! All entries must be received by midnight Central time on Tuesday, February 13. Winners will be announced by Noon on February 14, 2007.

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Glenda Watson Hyatt, author of I’ll Do It Myself, to the Heartland of America on her 40-day Virtual Book Tour. Glenda and I met through the International Virtual Women’s Chamber of Commerce (IVWCC) and immediately noticed one another because we share the same name (come on now…you know it…there aren’t many “Glendas” out there!) Imagine our surprise when we discovered we have the same initials too…how funny!

In this interview, I will be referred to as GlendaLH and my guest will be referred to as GlendaLWH. Now, on with the interview…

GlendaLH: What inspired you to write your book? Have you always been interested in writing?

GlendaLWH: When I was about 10 years old, I read books like Ice Castles about a talented figure skater who became blind but continued competing by hiding her disability, The Other Side of the Mountain about an Olympic-bound skier who broke her neck during a qualifying competition, and Joni (pronounced Johnny) who also became a quadriplegic as a result of a diving accident. Since then, I have dreamt of writing my autobiography one day to share my story with others and hopefully inspire or motivate them in some way.

Yes, I have always enjoyed writing; that has always been my main means of communication with the outside world. When we, my family, went camping where there were electrical hook-ups, I packed my Smith Corona typewriter and an extension cord so that I could write letters to my friends. That was long before laptops and wireless internet connections!

GlendaLH: I know you won the Marketing Makeover Contest last summer. Tell me how that made a difference for you getting your book launched, etc.

GlendaLWH: Last summer, I began working my way through the prizes from the various contributors. However, in order to get my book out according to my schedule, I needed to put the Mega Marketing Makeover aside for a bit. Now that the book is done and printed, I can now get back to the makeover. Before heading out on my virtual book tour “40 Blogs in 40 (Business) Days,” I launched my new Do It Myself Blog, designed by contributor Sharilyn Horne, with the banner designed by contributor Nancy Cleary. I’m looking forward to working with the rest of the makeover contributors.

GlendaLH: What tips do you have for solopreneurs who have a dream and want to see it to fruition? How do you stay on track?

GlendaLWH: I would say keep at it. Even though the road may be long, with potholes, unexpected twists and turns, and the occasional detour thrown in, keep going. The journey is as rewarding as is reaching your dream.

Break your dreams into manageable steps. For me, that was writing one chapter at a time; sometimes that was one page, or even one paragraph, at a time.

Set aside time to work on your dream. I tried to set aside two or three writing sessions per week. It didn’t always happen, and I tried not to beat myself up (too much) if it didn’t happen. But I kept at it.

Set a deadline. Boy, when I announced on my blog that I wanted to launch my book on my 40th birthday, that sure got the ball rolling!

Share your dream with others. Some will be naysayers, but some will be amazing supporters in ways that you can’t imagine!

When your dream becomes reality, which it will if you are persistent and passionate, it is such an amazing feeling. When I opened the first box and saw my book for the first time – something I had dreamt of, planned for, prepared for, researched, and worked off my left thumb for, for 30 years – an emotional wave hit me and there were a few tears. I had done it! I had written my book!

Go for your dream! Make it happen. To quote Dr. Robert Schuller, “If you can dream it, you can do it!”

GlendaLH: I had the pleasure of “meeting” your husband Darrell at a Team 100 online networking event last summer. How did you two meet?

GlendaLWH: Back in 1996, I was taking a pre-employment program for people with disabilities. I wasn’t exactly thrilled with the program; it was amazing how many people had work because I, a person with a disability, was looking for a job. Strangely enough, when the program was over, I wasn’t ready to leave. I sensed I was on the verge of a personal growth spurt and, if I left, that growth wouldn’t be actualized. I volunteered to be the teaching assistant for the next group. The first day of class, in wheels Darrell and….you’ll need to read I’ll Do It Myself for the rest of the story! (wink)

GlendaLH: Do you have more books in the works? What’s your next step?

GlendaLWH: Funny you should ask! Darrell says he knows I will write five books, at least, but he doesn’t know the other topics. I don’t know either…at least, not yet! But I’m sure more books will come.

For now, I want to do all I can to promote this book. I still have six boxes of books sitting here, and I would love to do several more print runs before I consider the promotion completely done.

I also want to develop an e-course, “Accessibility in Action.” Over the years, I have found that people have fears when interacting with those with disabilities because they simply don’t know what to do and they are too embarrassed to ask. I want to address those fears by providing practical information and a safe place to ask questions. The e-course would include topics like what language to use when referring to people with disabilities, tips for communicating with people with disabilities, ideas for choosing a gift for a relative/friend/colleague with a disability, suggestions for how to include a classmate with a disability at your child’s birthday party, and many other topics. My goal is to include hands-on and practical information that people can use in everyday life.

And, amidst all that, Darrell strongly suggests that I take a break fairly soon before I burn myself out. I tend to agree.

GlendaLH: You’ll be so famous you’ll have to hire a team of Virtual Assistants to keep track of all your book signings, appearances, and such! (Or maybe you already have!) Congratulations, Glenda, on publishing your book and thanks for stopping by The TimeSaver on your Virtual Book Tour!

GlendaLWH: Glenda, thank you so much for inviting me to your blog today. It has been fun chatting with my virtual twin!

I literally have to cut to the chase. There’s a sea monster loose, and I need your help to catch it. If we do, we learn how to master this great site, Squidoo.

I thought I just wanted to Catch The Kraken, but there’s a lot more at stake than saving the fleet.

I know it sounds bizarre — but you have to check it out. Time is critical.

When you visit the site, you’ll see exactly what I mean.

p.s. When I saw the chance to learn the WHOLE story, I kept thinking of how it could help my readers, too.

>Copyright (c) 2006 Judy Murdoch
Highly Contagious Marketing

The other day I was discussing marketing options with a client and she said something that shocked me. “Well, I guess I could be shameless and promote myself more…but it’s not like I have anything special or interesting to say.” I was shocked because this client founded and runs an extremely successful consulting practice and works with an elite roster of Fortune 100 companies.

She also has two large binders stuffed with classes, workshops, and other valuable intellectual property she’s developed over the years. I think that’s pretty darn impressive. Yet, she’s asking me “what’s the big deal?” Upon further questioning, my client went on to tell me that, in her mind, “special and interesting” means you’ve done something truly exceptional and ground-breaking in the eyes of your peers and in the eyes of general public. And she’s not the only small business owner asking this question or its variant: “Who am I to …?” If you’re asking yourself “what’s the big deal” or “who am I to…?” you are not only doing yourself a disservice but you are doing a grave disservice to the many people and organizations that NEED your services and products. Plus, you’re sabotaging your marketing because you’re broadcasting a mixed message to your audience (Buy my service even though it’s not all that great). For tips on getting clear about “why you” and how to use this information in your marketing, read on. Answering The Question, “What Makes Me So Great?” You don’t have to be a leading edge thinker in your field, a Nobel prize winner, or even a PhD to have something valuable and unique to offer. You just need to understand what it is that you do that makes a positive difference to your ideal customers and clients. No matter how many companies “out there” seem to be offering the exact same thing as you, there are more than enough prospective customers for whom you are the BEST choice. For them, who you are, what you do, and how you do it is what makes you so “great.” Still wondering what makes you so great? Try this exercise. Call 5-7 of your best clients or customers–your “raving fans” and ask them this question: “What is the value that you are receiving from our work together?” And listen and take notes. If your customer answers in generalities that could apply to anyone, press a little further by asking them: “I’m glad to hear that but I’m wondering if I’m providing value to you in surprising ways — beyond my role as your _________.” And again, listen and take notes. When you do this, you will get, in your client’s own words, what makes you so special; why, in their eyes, it’s a big deal to work with you. How To Use What You Learn Understanding how you add value forms the foundation of all your marketing and promotion activities. Some ways I suggest my clients use this information include: 1. To remind them why they’re in business. Keep the notes within easy reach for times when they’re feeling some self-doubt and wondering “why me?” 2. As testimonials for the clients marketing (this is, of course with the quoted person’s permission.) 3. To use in their marketing messages. This is a little different from testimonials because it involves using words and terms used by clients in the copy rather than directly quoting what a client said. Final Thought There are prospective customers and clients out there who need your products and services. Don’t do them and your business a disservice by holding back what you can do because you think “it’s no big deal.” If you know that you can help your customers get more of what they want or less of what they don’t want, to them, it is a very big deal indeed. Judy Murdoch helps small business owners create low-cost, effective marketing campaigns using word-of-mouth referrals, guerrilla marketing activities, and selected strategic alliances. Download a free copy of the workbook, “Where Does it Hurt? Marketing Solutions to the problems that Drive Your Customers Crazy!” here. You can contact Judy at 303-475-2015 or judy@judymurdoch.com

There’s an email rumor going around describing a new scam in which crooks rob you of your gift card balance. If you buy Gift Cards from a display rack that has various store cards you may become a victim of theft. Crooks are now jotting down the card numbers in the store and then wait a few days and call to see how much of a balance THEY have on the card. Once they find the card is “activated,” they go online and start shopping. You may want to purchase your card from a customer service person, where they do not have the Gift Cards viewable to the public.

An even better idea…buy and send your gift cards through your SendOutCards account and never have to worry about this! Don’t have an account yet? Click here to set up a gift account and try it out!

Copyright (c) 2006 Cheryl Miller
Magnetic Marketer Newsletter

A few years ago offline businesses would never have dreamt of bringing their businesses into the Internet arena but now marketing has changed so rapidly that businesses cannot afford to ignore the Internet. So if you haven’t brought your business onto the Internet my question to you is …Why not?

There may be a few reasons holding you back but you may be very sure that your competition will have no problems picking up the Internet gold and your potential customers. If you do not have a website presence for your offline business you are leaving 1000s of dollars on the table. There is a huge and growing market online just waiting for you. Everyday new people come on the Internet and they could be your customers. So what are the reasons that offline businesses are not tapping into this market? Here are a few common excuses:

1. My business is local and the Internet is global
2. I have a wholesale business I cannot sell hard goods on the Internet
3. Websites are expensive and what do I do with one anyway?
4. Internet “surfers” are not interested in my offline goods

My business is local and the Internet is global: A few years ago this may have been true but now there are ways to search for local businesses with just a click of your customers mouse. They simply put in the keyword of the item they are looking for + their local state/province, city and country and all the local businesses’ websites come up. Then there is Froogle, the search engine for shoppers. Searchers just put their keyword for products in here and a whole list of products come up. If you do not list your website and just put in your store location this will come up with a handy little map to guide potential customers to your exact location. So there are ways to get your local customers into your offline business. Google search engine and Froogle are free to submit to.

I have a wholesale business I cannot sell hard goods on the Internet: Hard goods can easily be sold on the Internet by using drop shippers. Instead of using wholesalers that you actually go to or deliver to your business you can make use of drop shippers and fulfillment houses that can be contacted online. We will go into this in more detail in a later issue. Drop shippers can deliver directly to your customer and give you the wholesale prices. Fulfillment houses can take care of your inventory and shipping to your customers.

Websites are expensive and what do I do with one anyway? Websites can be designed and built for a very reasonable price by using freelance web designers. They are sometimes from all over the world but you can narrow it down to your own country if you wish, by specifying a certain country in your project description. Two of the largest contractors are http://elance.com and http://guru.com

Your website will have several purposes.
* To establish your business online and brand your business
* To attract warm ready-to-buy visitors to your business.

Website promotion is the most cost-effective marketing you will ever do and will save you 1000s in advertising costs. There is a growing trend of savvy shoppers who do not want to fight their way through the malls and are looking for choices online.

Internet “surfers” are not interested in my offline goods: Internet surfers are actually your own customers but in a different place. Let me explain. A few years ago your customers would have been on foot and coming to your business but now the times have changed. People are realizing the tremendous convenience of shopping online and are letting their mouse “do the walking.” Internet surfers are not just people drifting about on the Internet. They are serious shoppers and expect the high standards they have been used to offline. Your website will provide them with all this and more.

This is just a small introduction to how you can establish your business presence online. In the coming issues we will look into all the ways you can use the power of the Internet to rake in the profits for your offline business.

Cheryl Miller is an entrepreneur specializing in niche markets. For more information about magnetic badges and how they can help you promote your business, please visit http://www.badgemags.com. Cheryl is also the publisher of the Magnetic Marketer Newsletter

This is a great way to save time (and money) sending out your Christmas cards…and have lots of fun in the process! PicturePlus is a new feature of Send Out Cards that allows you to put your own pictures (taken with your digital camera or someone else’s) on the front of a card, add borders, captions, thought bubbles, and word bubbles. Create your card, add your message inside (in your own handwriting font, if you want) and then the company prints, stuffs, seals, addresses, stamps (with a REAL postage stamp) and mails FOR you…and you do it all from your computer!

If you’d like to try it out, click on the banner above and I’ll contact you to show you how it all works. Have fun with your Christmas cards this year!