3 Steps to Becoming an Online Local Expert

Health and Performance Professionals:

While you want to have an "online presence" -- the most important elements of which are your site, your blog and a LinkedIn profile -- it's also important to find ways to nurture your "local presence" as well.

But what are the best ways, given the demise of most of those low-cost print mechanisms of the not-so-distant past (e.g., Yellow Pages, fliers and newspaper inserts, Pennysaver ads, free toothbrushes or ballpoint pens with your name and number printed on the barrel)?

1. Tailor your approach to your locality:

The "generic" -- therefore not always useful -- advice given by many online marketers is to place low-cost ads in your local newspaper's online classified section and service directory (for example, under Chiropractor or Wedding Music).

However, many of us live in areas where the newspaper is either too large and expensive (e.g., The New York Times), or too small to be a helpful marketing tool (classified service or directory sections so tiny and buried, for example, that it would take a well-financed archeological dig to unearth them, which your typical online news reader is not about to do).

My local paper's site, for example, provides classified sections only for the most popular functions: Buying a car, selling a home, renting an apartment, finding a lost pet. A service directory exists, has it's own page even, but contains an insignificant number of entries, mostly imported from nationwide databases. It's irrelevant, hard to find, and no one will ever use it.

2. How to make the digital world work for you:

If you have not already done so, check out your local online resource. Many news organizations are suffering from the fact that local advertisers have not rushed to buy online advertising space, and neither should you, however...

These sites do offer something that can't be found anywhere else: truly local online communities. Seek out your newspaper's blogs, which have taken the place of "columnists." Read the articles that affect your business, then respond as an expert commentator -- as often as possible.

3. You can build your local presence very effectively simply by following a couple of local online communities:

Remember that you are commenting online as an expert -- that is, as an acupuncturist, jazz musician, chiropractor, painter, osteopath, photographer, holistic dentist, etc. (Artists also can comment on or review local arts events.)

Succinct, frequent expert commentary online builds name recognition. The pitfalls are: sounding arrogant, judgmental or too obviously selling your service. Don't become the local crank who comments just to vent or see his name in print.

But the rewards of this type of personal marketing are well worth the effort: First, what may just save online newspapers is their local blog communities. As they grow, so grows the influence of the organization -- and your impact along with it. Build a name for yourself as the go-to healer or artist in your community, and let your clients come looking for you!

7 Essential Questions for Optimizing Your Site

Health and performing arts professionals:
Is your Web site content working for you? The realization that you may need something better or less static is the first step in optimizing your site...but what's next?

Ask yourself:
1. What content could boost the number of visitors who schedule an appointment, listen to a demo then make a purchase, or contact you about a gig?

2. What can you offer that no one else can? What's unique about you?

Continue to brainstorm:
3. What would visitors like to do on your site?

4. What do they need to know? What are they looking for?

• Answers to health questions?
• A quiz or contest offering a prize (CD) or a discount (on serial sessions)?
• A free demo recording?
• Fun facts about Chinese medicine and astrology?
• Referrals, advice?

Now go back over your list:
5. Why is each topic necessary -- not for you, but for your visitors? (If it doesn't have a purpose, take it off your list.)

6. What will you need? For example:

• Text
• Pictures and profiles
• Credentials, awards, testimonials
• Completed projects, PDFs, links
  
• Audio
• Video
• A way to collect e-mail addresses.
  

7. How can you project a friendly, talented and professional persona so that visitors see you're qualified to offer what you offer?

Updating the text on your site may not be enough:
Consider completely rethinking your approach from the point of view of people interested enough in your topic to visit your Web page. Try to get inside the heads of the people who need you!

Boomers Haven't "Lost It"

Boomers in Business:

Boomers will create more small businesses over the next 10+ years -- and, therefore, more jobs -- than any other age group, according to John Martin, co-founder of the Boomer Project.

Not only will Boomers be creating small businesses, Boomers will also be spending:

• According to McKinsey, Boomer households will outnumber younger households until 2016.

• Boomers outspend younger generations by $400 billion, according to the Consumer Expenditure Survey.

• The U.S. Census projects that the 50+ demographic will grow by 23% in the next 10 years, while the 18-49 group adds only 1%.

Boomer solopreneurs and entrepreneurs looking to bounce back after this recession should be getting ready to rock 'n' roll!

3 Easy Steps to Product or Service Reviews

Boomers in Business:

November 3rd's blog, 7 Savvy Marketing Tips for This Holiday Season, introduced the idea of obtaining product/service (P/S) reviews to jump-start your seasonal marketing efforts.

P/S reviews provide a terrific way for you to:

• Get honest feedback about your P/S.
• Generate buzz about your P/S.
• Drive traffic to your Web site.

Here are three steps to getting those vital reviews.

1. Create an announcement:
Your Web site is offering a specific number of free Ps/Ss -- in exchange for a review and a link back to your Web site.

2. Define the terms:
In order to qualify for the free gift, the client or customer must have a blog or a major social network of followers.

3. Send the offering to your entire list.
Also, of course, it goes on your Web site. And make a special effort to get your notice to the top bloggers in your industry.

Who has done this well:
Check out a good example of this marketing tactic (during November only) at: PujBaby.com.

7 Savvy MarketingTips for This Holiday Season

Boomers in Business:
So the predictions are that this is likely to be another slow holiday spending season, what can you do about it? Here are seven savvy tips to help you zero in on the business that's out there this fall:

1. First, be sure to define your target customer precisely.
Begin by knowing what problem your business solves or what pain it puts someone out of. Unless you have a very clear vision of who needs your product or service, you'll spin your wheels -- spending too much time or money to make money. Great example: Warm-Mouse by ValueRays.

2. Don't try to be all things to all customers.
It is more effective to carefully delineate your benefit to the customer you have defined in step 1. What specific problem do you solve? What precise need do you fill? In one sentence: What service do you provide? (See Warm-Mouse above.)

3. Learn more about what your customers want.
Many lacklustre entrepreneurs assume their customers want exactly what they want. Survey your customer list, your blog readers, your Web site visitors. Or use a service like surveymonkey.com. Let your customers tell you what they want: "Great product but your shipping cost's too high," etc. Then do your best to ease their pain.

4. Pitch to more affluent customers this season.
They are more optimistic about economic conditions and are spending more and doing it earlier than other demographics.

5. Wrangle some product or service reviews.
Give out some samples and let the power of the product review work for you. Depending on your offering, this will work better locally or nationally. Remember your customer demographic when going after reviews. (Don't forget to post any resulting quotes or testimonials on your Web site!)

6. Really work that list.
Do you send one "thank-you" e-mail or make one call and that's that? Repetition works -- be there when your customer is ready for another solution. If possible, include social networking in your customer outreach. Incessant e-mails may not be ideal, so try to be where your customers are. Know who does this really well? JJill. (To keep this effective marketing going, you'll need to develop a process and a routine.)

7. Charge what you're worth.
You may be tempted to repeatedly offer deep discounts, but experts say that's not an efficient way to make your business successful. Consumer psychology is complicated but, generally, people understand that they get what they pay for. And they will pay for what they believe is worth it.

Be well and prosper!