Category Archives: Growing Business

What Do You Really Provide For Your Clients? The Answer May Surprise You.

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Posted by admin on October 9, 2009 – 7:00 am
Filed under Business Communication, Growing Business, Marketing, attract clients

What do you represent to your clients? The answer has been sitting right under your nose, but perhaps you have been too busy trying to sell to actually see it or think about it. For many business owners who haven’t been seeing the results they desire, they have not truly discovered how their clients and prospective clients perceive them.

For example, if you own a travel company that specializes in family vacations, you may think that your clients view you as simply a family vacation provider. Au contraire.

When people are looking for a family vacation, they don’t view a travel company as simply a vacation provider. They view the travel company as a facilitator. In the clients’ mind, a travel company has the ability to provide their family with a time and place to spend quality time together, on a safe and fun vacation, as well as a great price for their trip. See the difference?

Your target audience isn’t coming to you because you provide family vacations—they’re coming to you because they believe you will fulfill their family bonding needs, provide them with a happy and stress-free experience, and meet their vacation standards and criteria. The more specific you are with what you are actually providing for your clients, the easier it will be to connect with them.

Here’s a challenge for you:

1. Analyze your website copy, social media site profiles, past press releases, blog posts, and print marketing materials. Are you speaking to the needs and desires of your target audience? Are you reaching deep down into what you are truly providing them? Remember that you may perceive yourself as a travel company, but that’s not necessarily how you want your prospective clients to see your company—if this is how you’re projecting your company to your target audience, you may find you have no clients.

2. If it appears you’re simply trying to make the sale and not hitting your target market’s sweet spot with your marketing materials, you may be spending tons of precious time with no results—running yourself into the ground.

3. Step back, take a deep breath, and start brainstorming. What exactly do you provide to your audience? How do you satisfy their needs?

4. Now, the trick is to touch your prospective clients with the right marketing strategies and materials. Once you’ve hit the sweet spot, you’ll start to attract more clients, build online exposure, and have a clear brand message that speaks volumes to prospective clients.

Did you like this post? Feel free to share it with your friends on Digg or Stumbleupon.

Starting an Online Business on a Shoestring Budget: Advice from a Successful Woman-preneur

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Posted by admin on July 21, 2009 – 9:49 am
Filed under Business Communication, Growing Business, Small Business, grow your business

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Copy Doodle is thrilled to have Tess Taylor, owner/CEO of Taylor Resources Writing, as our guest blogger this week. If you would like to be a guest blogger, simply click the contact us link and pitch us your idea.

Have you been thinking about starting a business for a long time? Or maybe you have an idea for a great business plan, but just don’t have the funds to launch it. Now is actually a great time to start that online business of your dreams – even on a shoestring budget.

As the owner of a very busy and successful freelance writing and online content business, I can tell you from personal experience that you can easily start an online business of your own on a very limited budget, in some cases even for free. There are many helpful tools available for small business owners to get started. Everything from free websites to low cost business marketing and advertising resources is readily available with just a click of the computer mouse nowadays.

When I first started my company in 2008, Taylor Resources Writing, I was still struggling to hold down my “day job” in Corporate America. I was definitely not searching for a way to get rich quick, but I knew more than ever that I had to get out of the rat-race and be in charge of my own destiny. My website was literally formed from a blog that I had been using to journal my progress and highlight some of my work online. This blog was completely free and featured some great tools that I used to update my clients, keep in touch with contacts and market myself. When I later decided to officially launch my business, I registered my blog with a low cost domain hosting service to give my business a more professional atmosphere.

In addition to taking advantage of free blogs and practically free web hosting services, there are other cheap ways of operating a business online. You can order business cards and flyers from services that offer free products. You can also design free digital business cards and logos on many web-based applications. These can be added to your email address signature along with the link to your company website or blog. Speaking of email – this can be one of the most effective methods you can use to market your business to potential clients and to offer specials to your existing customers.

Advertising and social media marketing opportunities for your business abound on the Internet. Look for and list your blog and website with as many online directories you can. Include links to your website wherever you have community accounts set up – such as on your Linkedin profile, Facebook, and Twitter. Include a link to your website in any community forums or associations where you regularly participate. Be sure to take advantage of free classified advertising resources like Backpages and Craigslist. Remember, you want to make it as easy as possible for people to find you.

If you need help along the way, remember to seek out people who are experts in helping launch small businesses online. There are a variety of companies that can help your dreams become a reality and bring you the kind of exposure and success that you need to get noticed on the World Wide Web today.

Tess C. Taylor is the Owner/CEO of Taylor Resources Writing, and offers a wide range of writing and web content marketing services from her home office in Charleston, South Carolina. Tess is also currently authoring a series of self-help eBooks for the start-up entrepreneur as well as managing The Writer WAHM Network a community website for work at home Mom writers.

Daniel Island Mortgage Rocks the News

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Posted by admin on March 27, 2009 – 5:05 am
Filed under Growing Business, ecofriendly marketing

We’re excited to announce that our client Daniel Island Mortgage has been receiving a lot of press on becoming the nation’s first myEnergyLoan local provider. Daniel Island Mortgage president Gary Harwyn has recently been on Charleston’s News 2, and has articles published and or forthcoming in publications such as The Greenville News, and Island Eye News among others.

Harwyn also appeared as a panel member at the College of Charleston Carter Real Estate Center on March 18 to discuss sustainable real estate and green building and financing.  Here are some photos from the event. . . as you can see, there was quite a turnout.

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Yahoo Adds Video and Images Into Search Engine Results

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Posted by admin on February 27, 2009 – 6:44 am
Filed under Growing Business, Marketing Strategy, attract clients, client attraction, increase online sales, increase site traffic, market in economic crisis, marketing in bad economy, marketing trends, online advertising

According to the New York Times article, Yahoo Shows Search Ads With Images and Video, Yahoo is introducing a whole new visual element to search engine results.

Yahoo’s new search layout, Rich Ads in Search, incorporates video and images into the search engine results next to the company name. This creates a more interactive experience for visitors. According to the author, Stephanie Clifford:

“Search advertising typically shows only text advertisements and links. Marketers usually devote part of their online budget to search — which shows text-only advertisements and links — and part to display, the banner and box advertisements that show images or video.

By introducing video and images, the new offering from Yahoo, called Rich Ads in Search, gives search some of the advantages of banner advertisements. ‘It moves the advertising experience from just the blue links, to a more engaging experience for advertisers,’ said Tim Mayer, the vice president for search monetization and distribution at Yahoo.”

No longer is Yahoo search simply pulling up hyperlinked text for visitors to click. They’ve taken the next step to integrate more aesthetically pleasing visual elements to otherwise boring search engine results.

Yahoo’s Rich Ads in Search is a fresh, interactive way for advertisers to put a unique spin on online advertising, and is something that stands out more than a link in the search engine results. Make your links pop with an image or video, and try Yahoo’s new advertising product.

Attract More Clients: Perfect Your Business Image

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Posted by admin on February 10, 2009 – 6:40 pm
Filed under Growing Business, Marketing Strategy, attract clients, grow your business, market in economic crisis, marketing in bad economy

Your business image–from your marketing materials to your personal dress–affect potential clients’ perception of your company. First impressions are everything.

Check out the style contest hosted by Charleston Style Concierge. The deadline is the end of this week — so hurry and enter today!  

Enter to Win a Style Consultation

Add some excitement to your Valentines Day with the gift you really want:

EFFORTLESS STYLE.

Enter to win a

Virtual Style Consultation

($100.00 Value)

Enter to win your Virtual Style Consultation.

During a 60-minute Virtual Style Consultation over the phone, we’ll discuss your style goals, answer your questions, and uncover the best way for you to get effortless style. We will use a style-assessment workbook and digital pictures you send to help develop the personal style you desire.

In your 60-minute Virtual Style Consultation, you’ll learn . . .

  • What clothes are right for your body.
  • How to dress based on the proportions of your body.
  • What you need to buy to create a versatile wardrobe.
  • How to develop a great style within your budget and for your unique lifestyle.

Here’s how it works: Using a style assessment and digital photos, we will help you determine the right clothing for your body type and easy ways to update your current wardrobe. All you need to do is fill out our style assessment, send photos, and show up for the call. It’s that easy.

Celebrate you this Valentines Day and enter to win.

Winner to be randomly chosen and announced on Valentines Day, February 14th.

Click here for your chance to win a FREE Virtual Style Consultation

Recession Should Facilitate Positive Thinking

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Posted by admin on January 29, 2009 – 7:16 pm
Filed under Growing Business, Marketing Strategy, Marketing Tip, client attraction, grow your business, market in economic crisis, marketing in bad economy

A year ago, many businesses could safely assume what worked for one successful business worked for all. This is not the case today.

Business practices and marketing strategies, which made a company successful last year, aren’t the same ones companies should implement today. It’s important to understand the pros and cons of this economic downturn and change the way you do business. It’s about marketing your company in a unique fashion and flipping past practices upside down.

The businesses succeeding during this time . . .

• Don’t simply follow trends—they’re ahead of the trends.
• Think outside the box.
• Educate themselves on the economy as a whole and in niche areas, not necessarily related to their industry.
• Analyze what other successful businesses are doing and put a unique spin on it.
• Acknowledge the negative aspects of this economy but do not dwell on them.
• Go the extra mile to discover what their competition isn’t doing.

Don’t let this recession frighten you into hiding. You don’t have to spend a ton of money to get on top. Use your mind as your main tool and resource for creating a successful business during this time. This will help you exercise your creativity for the future benefits of your business.

Change the way you do business today, and succeed in this troubled economy. You won’t regret it.

Save Your Business: 5 Ways to Stop Freaking Out About the Economy

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Posted by admin on January 25, 2009 – 10:23 pm
Filed under Growing Business, Marketing Strategy, Marketing Tip, grow your business, market in economic crisis, marketing in bad economy

Feeling overwhelmed, stressed, scared? Here are five simple ways to avoid freaking out:

1) Stop listening to the news. If you listen to the news, read papers, participate in negative gloom-and-doom conversations, then stop. Try taking a week break from listening to the media reports. You’ll be amazed how much happier and less-stressed you will be.

2) Treat yourself to something nice. Take a walk, take a bath, take yourself to dinner. Whatever you do, do something for yourself. 

3) Sit down and write a list of what’s going right in your business and what’s going wrong. Take the list of what’s going right and focus on ways to do more of that. Evaluate what’s not going right and ask yourself why. Brainstorm a bit. Either stop doing what’s not working or find a way to make it work.

4) Surround yourself with positive, like-minded people. 

5) Ask mentors for advice. Every business owner should have a mentor. You cannot operate in a vacuum, and seeking the advice of someone outside of your daily struggles will help you refocus and stay on track.

Why Now Is The Time To Invest In Your Business

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Posted by admin on January 21, 2009 – 5:58 am
Filed under Copywriting, Growing Business, Marketing Tip, attract clients, grow your business, market in economic crisis, marketing in bad economy, marketing trends, small business marketing, target market

Now is a critical time for businesses to invest in their marketing.

According to a McGraw-Hill study, businesses that maintained or increased their marketing during the 1981-82 recession:

–Averaged higher sales growth during the recession and over the next three years, and by 1985, had increased sales 256% over those companies that cut marketing…

–Then in 2001, another study found that aggressive marketers increased market share 2½ times the average for all businesses in the post-recession!

Those who stepped up their marketing were the big winners during and after the recession.

The time to grow your business is now. 

The most effective way to grow your business is to invest in your online presence. If you don’t have a website, now invest in one. If your site is stale and the content is outdated, now is the time to revamp it.

Your website is the easiest and fastest way to advertise your services or product. But there’s a catch: you have 3 to 5 seconds to grab a prospective client’s attention.

One. Two. Three. And they are gone.

And with millions of websites to choose from, the competition is fierce. Want to stay ahead of the crowd, rank high on search engines, and reach millions of prospective customers? 

You must have compelling web copy.

Having a clear business message on your website is the #1 action you can take to attract ideal clients online and skyrocket your sales. 

Your marketing message must speak to your target audience. Give them what they are hungry for. Get them to take action. Communicate in a clear, concise, informative way.

Targeted Traffic: How to Bring the Right Prospects to Your Website

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Posted by admin on January 6, 2009 – 7:56 pm
Filed under Growing Business, SEO, SEO copywriter, attract clients, blogging for business, client attraction, grow your business, increase site traffic, market in economic crisis, online marketing, target market, web traffic

Reaching your target market online ensures a steady flow of clients from different online sources. Making your business visible in numerous areas on the web increases the number of potential clients who will look at your site. This can eventually increase sales, skyrocket site traffic, and boost your conversion rates.  

Here are some ways to bring in targeted traffic to your website:

·       Posting online articles on directories, forums, and social bookmarking sites is a great way to present your business to your specific targeted market. These sites have categories where articles can be posted, allowing viewers to immediately click on categories related to their specific interests. For example, if you offer skin care services and write an article on revolutionized products, you would place it under its associated category and viewers interested in this category would be viewing your article. Right there, you’ve reached your target market.

·       Research the richest keywords for your website. For example, if you own a high-end day spa, it’s important to anticipate the most popular words your target market is using on search engines. This will allow you to increase your SEO (search engine optimization) and reach out to clients with a specific interest in your company and its offerings.

·       Comment on blogs and forums that relate to your industry. These comments can be chock-full of tips and information about your industry, while expressing your opinion in the blog or forum conversation. Know what kinds of blogs and forums would interest your target market and make frequent appearances on them to show you are interested in comments, news, and updates related to your area of work.

5 Tips To Increase Traffic to Your Website

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Posted by admin on December 11, 2008 – 5:58 pm
Filed under Growing Business, RSS Feed, SEO, SEO copywriter, article marketing, blogging, blogging for business, increase site traffic, market in economic crisis, online articles, online marketing, social networking, web traffic

Increasing targeted traffic to your website can cost a small fortune. But it doesn’t have to if you know the right tips, tools, and strategies to get a significant amount of targeted traffic that you need right now. 

·       Post comments on blogs, forums, and discussion boards related to your target market. It would be highly beneficial for you to join a discussion board / forum related to your industry in order to post comments, get consumer feedback, and be introduced to new industry information you may not already know. Posting relevant and helpful comments can increase your credibility and lure more readers to your website link. After every comment, include a link to your blog or website to increase targeted traffic.

·       Social bookmarking is a great way to increase targeted traffic. Bookmarking your online articles and website on a site, such as Digg, under specific categories allows you to reach out to your target market. It permits you to share your web content with others and allows them to vote on its content. If it becomes popular among viewers, it will be voted to the front page of the bookmarking site and be viewed by thousands of potential clients.

·       Utilizing RSS feed and email lists allows you to reach subscribers interested in what your company has to offer. RSS feed and emails are similar since they’re both sent to subscribers, providing them with updated information. RSS feed makes it easy for subscribers to be alerted immediately and allows them to click on the link to your website. Using these combined marketing strategies will increase your client base and will likely ensure an increase in visits to your website.

·       Exchange links with others to increase targeted traffic. If your link can be found on a handful of sites, it can dramatically increase the number of clients visiting your site.

·       Online Article Directories allow you to place niche-oriented articles into specific categories. Your target audience is more likely to be searching for articles in a specific category. For example, if your real estate company writes an article for ezinearticles.com and submits it under the Real Estate category, you’ll receive viewers who are specifically searching for Real Estate articles. This will eliminate viewers who are not in your specific target market.

For more helpful tips on marketing in economic crisis and to learn about our many marketing services, visit Michelle Salater Writing and Editorial, LLC.