Tag Archives: Big Dreams Hard Work Blog

Protect Your Brand: Easy Hands-On Ways to Manage Your Online Reputation

by Gail Z. Martin

I’ve talked about the networking value of recommendations on LinkedIn.  Gathering online recommendations via LinkedIn is also a way to solidify your online branding and actively manage your reputation.  Don’t be shy about asking former co-workers, bosses, colleagues and clients to provide a recommendation if you had a positive working experience with them.  That’s part of the LinkedIn culture.  You’ll want to make sure you have plenty of recommendations for your current role, but you may want to also actively seek out recommendations for prior roles to bolster your credibility and show the depth of your expertise.

Naymz.com is similar in some ways to LinkedIn (extensive profile, forums, online networking), but it goes further to help you actively manage your brand and reputation.  Naymz has what it calls a “RepScore Ecosystem” where you aren’t just asking for a recommendation from former colleagues and clients; you’re asking for them to provide anonymous feedback on your honesty and ethics.  Naymz also has its own “Reputation Monitor” to provide you with yet another stream of information regarding what’s been said about you online.  Naymz also lets you know when your profile has been visited, although it does not tell you who checked you out.

What happens when a negative comment is posted on a ratings site and you can’t get it removed or retracted, but it’s not serious enough to sue for defamation?  One tactic is to make the comment more difficult to find by increasing the searchability of other, more positive content.  The Internet favors recent and highly targeted information, rewarding it by pushing it to the top of the search results.  This pushes older content off the first pages of results, and few searchers bother to go more than one or two pages deep.

How do you do this? One tactic is to ask your clients and professional friends to add ratings of their own (you don’t have to disclose the reason behind your timing for the request). You can spiff up your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) on your most relevant sites, like your home page and your blog, assuring that they jump to the top of the search results. Alternatively, you can hire a PR agency or Marketing in Edmonton to make positive posts on your behalf on a large enough number of sites that the sheer volume of new positive mentions pushes old copy off the first page of search results.

Use this last tactic (hired guns) with caution.  Mobilizing actual clients, friends and even family to post genuine testimonials or positive reviews is still authentic and organic, even if you reminded them to do so.  (Never offer rewards in exchange for positive comments.)  Hiring people to manufacture testimonials is unethical, and you’ll be found out eventually, which will send your online reputation plummeting.  If you do decide to use a publicist, a better tactic would be to post a wealth of factual, but positive, information (such as verifiable high satisfaction ratings or award announcements) or repeat testimonials or positive reviews from legitimate clients and reviewers.  Just creating a blizzard of new, positive, highly relevant and keyword-optimized informative posts can go far to push down a negative review.

Yet another reputation management tactic involves making it difficult for anyone to create a profile or Web site using your name or products by claiming them yourself.  Some people make it a practice to buy up all of the domain names available for their own name or their products, such as the .biz, .tv and other domain suffixes.  This keeps cyber-squatters from purchasing these domains and attempting to sell them back to you later at an inflated cost, or using them to create fake sites purporting to be from you.  If you consider this tactic, remember that you’ll have to pay domain registration fees annually, so buying up dozens of URLs that you never intend to use can get expensive.

If you don’t have the time to actively monitor and manage your reputation, there are companies that will do it for you.  Some of these specialize in particular industries, such as hospitality or construction, while others serve a variety of business types.  Services range from monitoring and reporting to assistance in handling complaints or dealing with malicious comments.  Fees vary according to the services provided.  If you decide to use a monitoring and response agency, do your homework before making a commitment, and check out the reputation of the company online before hiring them to work on your behalf.  Some reputation management companies have been caught using unethical strong arm techniques against people who have posted legitimate complaints that were well within their constitutional rights.  There’s a big different between hiring someone to help you keep an eye on what’s being said and employing cyber goons to intimidate or harass consumers who have merely stated their opinions.              The best way to protect your online reputation is to always deal ethically, both online and offline.  Keep your word, don’t overly hype your products, and deliver what you promise.  If something goes wrong, do everything you can to make the situation right.  You’re far better off putting effort into delighting customers and running a clean operation than to invest resources into cleaning up avoidable messes or attempting a cover-up.  Nothing stays hidden for long in today’s online society.  Honesty (and vigilance) are your best online reputation management tools.

Excerpted from 30 Days to Virtual Productivity Success by Gail Z. Martin

 

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What Story are You Living?

by Valerie R. Sheppard

One of my Lollipop Ship sisters (long and lovely story for another time) mentioned being asked this question as part of one of her transformational workshops.  I love its simultaneouslysimple yet profound nature, which I’ve experienced is often the case with big questions or statements.  I couldn’t help but ponder.

The “story” that I’m living has been a primary subject as I’ve been immersed in and devoted to my journey of transformation over the past several years.   This journey started with the simple question of “Who Am I?” in the midst of a profound experience that landed me in the emergency room at Hoag Hospital.  It’s continued with many variations on that theme, as well as completely different themes altogether, as I’ve peeled back layers to get beyond the surface.

I uncovered the past being lived as if it were the present, fiction being lived as if it were truth, and worn-out habits being lived as if they were the only options for how to live.  At the beginning, the journey often left me exhausted and weeping, feeling judgment, blame, shame and guilt.  But as I’ve gone higher into Consciousness and deeper into the True nature of mySelf, I know everything is part of a Greater Plan, and every situation is a gift of my Soul’s unfolding evolution.

The story I’m living now is about being the Peace, Love, Joy and Freedom I came here to be, and to shepherd as many people there with me as I can.  I like to think big, so I’m inviting multitudes into their own such journeys, and I’m sharing my experiences both as witness and supporter.

Is your current story about lack, limitation, fear, sadness, or hurt?  Does it have chaos, clutter, catastrophe behind every door?  Are your relationships characterized by betrayal, silence, anger, or abuse?   These situations are calling you to write a new story.

Is there happiness, but it feels too fleeting?  Are you doing fine, but not feeling content and fulfilled?  Is your life good when you want great?  These situations are calling you to write a new story.

Whatever the seminal simple and profound question is for you, whatever the time and place you ask it, I encourage you to get on with the asking. Ask the really juicy questions about your life, why you’re here, and why you do what you do.  Take time away from the busy-busy-go-go-go nature of that doingness, and invest some time in doingness that’s about getting clarity. Where do your own past and present collide, where is illusion masquerading as reality in your life, and where have old worn-out habits become all there is for you?  What aspects of the story are you holding as the very “you-ness of you,” when they actually no longer serve you? What will be your shift into the story you were meant to live?

It’s only in doing the exploration that we find the treasure.  My treasure chest of awakenings continues to provide me bountiful gifts. I’m living my Happy to Be ME!story.  When will you begin to live yours?

So here you go … What story are you living?

Blessings, Love and Light!

I can help you go deeper than the surface and become free from what no longer serves you in your story.  Join my FREE Heartful Awakening Circle online community at www.HeartfulAwakenings.com and receive my “Smooth Sailing” eBook, monthly coaching calls and more!  You can also contact me for a complimentary private “From Tired to Inspired” consultation or to book a private coaching engagement: valerie@HeartofLivingVibrantly.com.

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What I Learned From Christmas Specials

By Gail Z. Martin

OK, I’m a total sucker for Christmas TV specials, especially the ones I grew up with as a kid.  You know—Frosty the Snowman, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Year Without a Santa Claus, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.  All the Rankin-Bass specials with the stop-motion animation.  Once the tree is up, I want to curl up in my jammies with a bowl of popcorn and watch through all of the DVDs (and VHS) copies, preferably with my husband, kids and dog close by.  It’s just part of the holidays to me.

It occurred to me that I’ve been watching some of these specials for 40-some years (amazing that they look so good on TV screens much larger than the show’s producers ever expected).  So I guess it’s only logical that they’ve made an impression on me.  As we go through this holiday season, here are some things I’ve learned from holiday specials.

  • Even a miracle needs a hand.  (Twas the Night Before Christmas)
  • Don’t judge a reindeer by his nose (Rudolph)
  • You can be whatever you want to be—even if you’re an elf who wants to be a dentist (Rudolph)
  • Don’t overlook the needs of others in your rush for the perfect holiday (Berenstain Bears)
  • We all need a little Christmas, right this very moment (Muppet Christmas)
  • Bumbles bounce (and so can you)  (Rudolph)
  • Learn to love your noisy neighbors (Grinch)
  • See with your heart, not just your head (Twas the Night Before Christmas)
  • Buy presents early to avoid mayhem (Jingle All the Way)
  • Count roll before leaving on vacation (Home Alone 1, 2, 3)
  • Don’t plug in too many Christmas lights (Christmas Vacation)
  • Keep the cat away from the Christmas tree (Christmas Vacation)
  • People matter more than profit (A Christmas Carol)

Whatever holiday you celebrate, may it be merry and bright. And if you’re interested in staying informed about special educational needs and disabilities, be sure to check out this special educational needs and disabilites blog.

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Filed under Gail Z. Martin, Gratitude-Giving

Beating Stress, Fatigue & Overwhelm, Now and Into the New Year

By Jana Beeman, CHHP, CHT, AADP

While many office workers get a bit of a break over the holidays (not all, of course, as there is year-end to take care of), those of us with businesses of our own are very busy, juggling the holiday festivities and obligations with closing our year end, evaluating our year, and preparing for the next year. Being in business for yourself has lots of benefits but it also can mean a lot of additional stresses.

So how do we keep our cool over the holidays, while giving our families and our businesses the attention they deserve?

First, take a DEEP BREATH. Center for a moment. Make a list of what you have to get done, when it needs to be done by, and what things can be delegated or wait until January. Remember most of our stress is self-imposed, and we do have the ability to put some things off a week or so. Think about if hiring a virtual assistant for a couple of weeks would help you get everything done with less stress if you’re a solopreneur.

Learn to use the power of the word NO. Ya, I know – we all like to be able to do everything, but really take a step back, think about what you have on your plate, and make a realistic outline of what you can and cannot commit to. If you tell people you simply don’t have the capacity to add another event, obligation, etc. to your schedule until after the first week of January, most will understand. If it’s a personal request, try sending a gift or adding value to what you CAN do later, just to make sure there are no hurt feelings.

Plan your holidays INCLUDING time to relax and do spontaneous things – you NEED that, and taking that time will make the rest of your time much more productive.

Focus on your business and personal goals. Anything that doesn’t lead toward those goals is something to either consider for your scheduled free time or might be worth passing on.

Each morning, take 10 minutes to draft out a to-do list, and put them in order of importance. Look at the bottom 1/3 of the list and see if there is anything there which can either be eliminated or delegated. We all think we have to do things that don’t do anything for our business.

Focus on what you need to work on, giving it 100% of your attention until it’s done. No checking email, answering phones, or anything else until that first item is checked off the list. Multitasking is not productive. Limit checking email to twice a day.

Take frequent breaks to breathe, refocus, and see if you need to shift direction at all. Breathing deeply into the body relaxes both body and mind, allowing us to focus better with less stress.

Lay off the caffeine and sugar. They create a ‘fight or flight’ response in the body, triggering the release of adrenaline and cortisone, creating physical stress in the body. By limiting the caffeine and sugar, you’ll feel better, be more grounded and have much better concentration, so you can get more done with your day.

Improve your quality of sleep to feel more rested and relaxed, again, improving productivity. Don’t eat or drink anything but a little water after 6pm, sleep in a completely dark room or wear an eye cover, don’t work where you sleep, keep the room cool enough so you can snuggle into your blankets. A little melatonin at night can really help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep better. Melatonin is something your body naturally produces that aids with sleep, but many of us don’t produce enough, so taking a good quality supplement of between 2 – 5 mg 30 minutes before bed can be really helpful.

When situations stress you out:

  • Breathe…. It’s not the end of the world, no matter what is going on
  • Focus on what you CAN control – you can always control yourself. You can control your feelings and reactions, and getting upset doesn’t help anyone
  • Look forward to the desired outcome and know the current irritant will pass
  • Walk in the other guy’s shoes. I know – we’ve all heard this, but how many of us stop to think that the woman who just stole the great bargain we were about to snag right out from under our nose might have only been able to afford to give that one thing at THAT price? Or maybe it’s for her mother in the hospital? Or maybe she’s got a serious medical condition? Maybe that idiot driver who cut you off just found out his family is in town for a surprise visit, or he just got laid off at work, or maybe he’s just not having a great day. Be compassionate, and on those days when you find yourself swooping that sale item or driving like a doofus, when you realize you weren’t your best self, maybe others will forgive you too. Life is too short to be pissy, if you’ll pardon my French.

I’d also recommend that when you have one of those days when you can’t get your mind off the holidays, all the things you have to do, shopping you need to get done… just make a list, and if you can do some of the shopping or contacting online, take an hour, and get it off your mind. Then schedule time to handle the rest.

At the end of each day, clean your mental slate, knowing you’ve done your best, and tomorrow is another day. Remember we are all human, and we’ll always want to do more than we realistically can, so be gentle with yourself and people you work with, as well as your family.

No matter what your religious beliefs or personal philosophy, be respectful of what others believe, and give yourself permission to treat this time of year as a time to live in grace and compassion. That opens the door for all kinds of cool things to happen J

If you could use some support, visit www.balancedlifetoday.com and sign up for my free special report on 10 Tips to Feel Incredible Now, or, for those of you who suffer from migraines, go to my migraine page at www.balancedlifetoday.com/migraines.htm and download a whole big kit of goodies to help you get through the holidays with less pain, as my gift to you.

Jana Beeman is a Board Certified Health, Nutrition and Fitness Counselor, certified in Hypnosis, Yoga and Modified Yoga, meditation, EFT and stress relief trainer and a specialist in chronic migraine, food allergies and inflammation, and beating stress and fatigue. AADP Certified. She is a national speaker and telesummits host and is regularly featured on radio programs such as Spirit Radio, Women’s Radio and SQR-fm as well as her own podcasts, newsletters and blog.

Free 30-minute “Find Your Vibrant Life” consults are available on a limited basis. Call (360) 263-5800 or email jana@balancedlifetoday.com.

Facebook: Balanced Life Today Twitter: BalancedLifeTdy LinkedIn: Jana Beeman Read more of her articles her experts page on SelfGrowth.com at https://www.selfgrowth.com/experts/jana_beeman. Permission is granted to reprint this article in its entirety including all contact information. All rights reserved. November 2011.

Disclaimer: This information is not intended to replace a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. Health care decisions should be made in partnership with a qualified health care professional. The contents of this article are based upon the opinions of Jana Beeman unless otherwise noted. The information provided is for entertainment purposes only and Jana Beeman will not diagnose, treat or cure in any manner whatsoever any disease, condition or other physical or mental ailment of the human body.

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Collaboration and Gratitude

By Gail Z. Martin

When you’re adding to your gratitude journal, don’t forget to include all those with whom you collaborate.  Think about collaboration in the broadest sense.  Who enables you to carry on your life as you know it?  (In other words, if your life and business were a book, who would be in the acknowledgements?)

Here are some ideas:

  • Partners, joint-venture and otherwise
  • Vendors, suppliers, and your landlord
  • Family, friends, cheerleaders of all sorts
  • Sales, marketing, web development, technical and repair professionals
  • Employees and contractors
  • The accounting and administrative folks who help you stay on top of things
  • Your medical providers who keep you running on all cylinders
  • Your gym buddies, walking group, fitness trainer, yoga instructor or the nice lady behind the counter at the Y
  • The people who bring you what you enjoy in your free time—authors, bloggers, reporters, YouTube video creators, social media friends and others who touch your life every day.
  • Supporters of all kinds: your daycare provider, dog walker, mail carrier, FedEx delivery person, the barista who makes your morning espresso with a smile, the dry cleaner who knows how you like your cuffs pressed, the parking lot attendant who keeps an eye on your car, and the co-worker in the next office, desk or cubicle who covers for you when you have to miss work

All of these people, in large and small ways, hold together the fabric of your life.  If you had to move to another city, or if something happened to any of them, you would feel a loss and see a hole in your “normal” day.

So why not take a moment to say “thank you” for their help, friendship, support, cheery wave, encouragement and good work?  It’ll make you feel good, make them feel great, and help take the edge off the holiday season rush.  Even better—it’s a priceless gift that costs nothing, requires no wrapping or shipping and has no environmental impact.  Say “thank you” today and see what happens!

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Your Gratitude Log

By Gail Z. Martin

Well, it’s November, and Thanksgiving is on everyone’s minds.  But as nice as Turkey Day is (and a shout out to all my Canadian friends who had theirs in October), gratitude is not just for Thanksgiving.  In fact, a growing number of research studies show that people who make it a habit to feel grateful and express gratitude experience lower stress, higher contentment and greater resilience.

How do you get started?  Try making a list of what you’re grateful for—and make sure to include intangibles as well as things.  Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • People, pets, mentors, helpers, heroes, role models, family, neighbors
  • Weather, nature, beauty in all forms, art, music
  • Surprises, serendipity, and grace
  • Accomplishments, lessons learned, experiences never forgotten, goals, dreams and progress.

Gee, all that and not a “thing” in the list.  Did you know that people who spend money and time on experiences report greater long-term satisfaction than those who sink all their disposable income into things?  Nothing wrong with having things or even having nice things, but the truth is, most of us have way too many things and we’ve forgotten we even have much of what’s shoved into drawers and closets.  So sure, go ahead and add the things for which your grateful to your list, but realize that compared to the first four categories, “things” don’t have the same lasting impact.

Now that you’ve made  your list, try adding at least one thing to it every day.  Make it a daily habit to reflect on all the items on your growing list (using a journal makes this easy).  And realize that there is some reason for gratitude in every situation—even if it’s just a breath of thanks that whatever it is, isn’t worse.

Oh, and the next step?  Amplify the “gratitude benefit” by expressing your thanks to the people around you.  Call, email, write a note, send flowers, bake cookies or just give a hug.  You’ll find that gratitude is catching.  Pass it on.

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STOP TARGETING MASS MEDIA (AND WHERE YOU CAN FOCUS INSTEAD)

By Gail Z. Martin

Every business owner dreams of seeing his or her press release on the front page of The New York Times. But did you ever stop to realize that as ego-gratifying as an above-the-fold placement in a major newspaper might be, it might completely miss your target audience?

Thirty years ago, consumers received their information differently than they do today.  Back when there were only three major TV networks, all an advertiser or publicist had to do was get onto the major networks to reach most viewers. When a daily newspaper and weekly magazines were the only choice for news, the strategy was simple—get in the paper and magazines.

But times have changed. The proliferation of cable channels, satellite radio choices, online news magazines, and mobile phone applications, as well as the demise of many long-running newspapers and magazines has completely changed how consumers consume information. “Mass media” is now not nearly as “mass” as it used to be. So making the front page of a major newspaper won’t help you sell products or services if your target audience doesn’t read that newspaper. Welcome to a whole new world of niche marketing.

Niche Marketing Gets Results

Does the shift in consumers’ media preference mean the end of mass media? No—or at least, not yet. However, that shift has dramatically reduced the effectiveness of mass media to reach the same kind of broad audience they once dominated. Believe it or not, “mass media” vehicles such as The New York Times, CBS and FM radio stations have become niches themselves. Since they can’t promise to reach everyone, even such long-lived media vehicles now emphasize the profile of the consumer they do reach (in other words, their niche).

Am I saying that mass media no longer plays a valuable role in promotion? No—but its role isn’t what it used to be. The big newspapers, the three major broadcast networks and big city FM radio stations can help a major advertiser saturate a market, but they reach a shrinking audience base at a very high cost per person compared with New Media alternatives. If you’ve got a couple of million dollars to round out your promotional campaign, go ahead and spend it with the traditional media. If you’re looking for a better, more focused and less expensive alternative, keep reading.

Refocus your idea of PR to take a broader look at the opportunities that exist for you to reach your target audience. Many people are so obsessed with having their press release picked up by a big newspaper, a major magazine or a network TV show that they have not bothered to study those media vehicles audience profiles to assure that the message is reaching the right consumer. Sure, you get bragging rights if your release is picked up by a big paper, but will you get sales? It won’t hurt—but how much will it help? Not only that, but what’s the value of a one-shot media mention versus developing relationships with more targeted venues that provide the potential for you to reach your ideal customer over and over again?

Here’s something else to consider: how often can your company generate news that is truly worthy of national attention? For most mid-sized companies, having national-caliber news might happen once or twice a year—a new product launch, an IPO, landing a huge company as a client. For solo professionals and small companies, even a once-a-year national news item might be a stretch. Publishing a new book with a major publisher would qualify, as would winning a national award or being named to a national board of directors, but beyond that, it is difficult to imagine too many opportunities that would tempt a national reporter to cover your news.

Now re-think that question, with your focus on regional/local news as well as the information sources that reach your profession or industry. Picture your ideal client and think about the blogs, Web sites, podcasts, Internet radio shows, online/offline specialty magazines, newsletters and member organization publications that speak directly to their interests and needs. I bet your mental wheels are turning, helping you envision all kinds of news that would be interesting and valuable to the audience most likely to buy your products or engage your services. Why not focus the majority of your effort where it is likely to make you the most sales?

Excerpted from 30 Days to Online PR and Marketing Success, coming in November from Career Press and available for pre-order now on Amazon!

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Go Where Your Customers are Already Getting Their News

By Gail Z. Martin

If you haven’t already surveyed your best customers to see what they are reading, watching and listening to, now is the time!  Online survey tools are easy to use and inexpensive. If you use Constant Contact for your email newsletters, look into their survey tool to include a survey in your newsletter. Or, try out sites like SurveyMonkey.com that provide basic survey capabilities for free.

When you target your PR to the sites and publications your best customers are already reading, you create several important advantages for your PR campaign. First, you remove the clutter of sending releases to a huge mailing list of publications that are largely not interested in your news. You can invest your time better elsewhere. Next, by shrinking the number of media outlets you’re targeting, you can invest the time to get to know which reporters are covering subjects relevant to your news, so that your pitches can be pitch-perfect. Finally, and very importantly, these niche publications have already won the trust and loyalty of your best customers. They have become trusted advisors. When your news and announcements appear in these niche publications, readers are likely to accept it as a referral from a friend.

It’s useful to have an idea of the nationwide size of your total target audience. Do they number in the millions (for example, small business owners or participants in multi-level marketing programs), or in the thousands (yacht owners, shipwreck enthusiasts, etc.)? Don’t stop with a broad catch-all category like “small business owners.” In the U.S., a company is officially a “small business” up to 500 employees. Is your target audience a “big” small business or a “small” small business?

You’ll have the best results if you can get specific. For example, do you specialize in helping start-up companies, specifically those that have been in business less than three years and have sales under $1 million? Or do you only prefer to work with companies that have been in business for over 10 years and need to address issues with succession planning and mature markets? All “small business” is not alike. Don’t be afraid to start with a fairly tight definition of your ideal customer. Once you successfully reach that narrow audience, you’ll become attractive to broader audiences.

Having a fairly accurate idea of the size of your total target audience will help you target your online PR and marketing. If you know, for example, that there are 500,000 potential customers for your service, then a publication, Web site or blog that reaches 50,000 people is reaching ten percent of the total market, making it a potentially valuable outlet for your news. Without the knowledge of your total market, you might have been tempted to bypass a site that didn’t have a readership in the millions (that old mass market mindset again).

You can use sites like Alexa.com to gauge traffic on the Web sites, blogs, podcasts and other online sites that you are considering for your PR outreach. Tools like Alexa.com can help you find the sites with the most traffic, meaning that getting a news item picked up by those sites is likely to put you in front of a large number of people who are ideal prospects. It can also help you gauge how many people are seeing your release on the sites where it’s been posted online, and give you ideas of new sites to target with future releases that you might not have otherwise discovered.

Realize that even among sites that reach your ideal audience, size isn’t the only thing that matters. Some smaller publications are read by people who are “influencers”—trend setters, authors, reporters and others whose opinions carry a lot of weight. These sites may have a smaller audience, but the audience’s importance is larger than its size. Likewise, a new site might not yet have a big following, but you might be able to establish a relationship with the blogger or site owner very easily during the online publication’s early days, so that you’re a trusted news source when the site gains popularity. Realize that some small sites have a very dedicated following who are true insiders within your niche audience. When your news reaches them through a site they trust, these insiders are in a position to help you grow by inviting you to speak, purchasing your product in bulk or recommending them to their own membership. Smaller sites can be extremely influential, so don’t overlook them as you build your media list.

With the continual evolution of services available via mobile phone and the advent of “smart phones” with Web and data capabilities, a growing number of consumers are reading their email and surfing the Web through their phones. In the same way that permission-based email marketing revolutionized promotion in the 1990s and early 2000s, mobile phone text marketing is poised to reshape niche market promotion in the years to come.

If your message is timely and your target audience would consider it to be very important, text messaging may be a valuable tool for you. For example, restaurants and night spots can text a message to their loyal customers about dining or drink specials or nightly entertainment. Customers who make purchases on a predictable schedule might be happy to find a discount coupon in their text inbox timed for their normal purchasing habits. Sites like MakeMeSocial.net and other providers help businesses create and manage mobile phone text campaigns. Text message marketing is here to stay, so file it away as a “maybe” for your future promotional needs.

(Excerpted from the brand new book 30 Days to Online PR and Marketing Success: The 30 Day Results Guide to Making the Most of Twitter, Facebook, Linked In and Blogging to Grab Headlines and Get Clients by Gail Z. Martin) . Coming in November from Career Press and available for pre-order now on Amazon!

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The Millionaire Woman Club Interview

Our very own Gail Z. Martin spoke last week at The Millionaire Woman Club in Edmonton. Here is the video link from her interview with founder Debra Kasowski:

https://youtu.be/D6dxs7enSDU

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