Marketing Plan "Planning Workshop" at the University of Texas!

I met yesterday with the Informal Classes program at The University of Texas about teaching my marketing plan "planning workshop" for their Informal Classes Fall Program.

I'm very excited about the possibility of teaching this important information to small business owners throughout Austin. I have such a passion for this city, such a love of the University, and such a desire to help entrepreneurs that I feel very blessed and grateful to be considered for such an honor.

If it comes to fruition, I will certainly let you know the date, time and location of the workshop. In the meantime, I'll be blogging about the "Building Blocks for Marketing Success"... this is the information technology upon which the Workshop was built.

When people ask me what the "Building Blocks for Marketing Success" are all about, I tell them that they are a proven process for gaining clarity around your marketing priorities. I've used this process—or system—for the past 10 years to help my clients grow their businesses and elevate their level of marketing success. The Marketing Plan "Planning Workshop" guides you through this process, step by step, and then helps you write your marketing plan for the next 1-3 years right there on the spot!

If I teach this class at The University of Texas next fall, I will cap the class at 20 participants. This will ensure we have the time and ability to dive deep into each participant's marketing goals, marketing challenges and business objectives. My desire is to ensure each participant walks away with a clear plan for marketing their business...

I taught this workshop to the ATX Mastermind Group here in Austin on Friday, April 25th at La Madeline in the Arboretum. We had just under 20 people in the room and it was an awesome experience! Unfortunately we didn't have comfy chairs and powerpoint presentations, but the quality of the participants in the group made it a valuable experience for all. If you'd like to read what people said about the workshop, visit http://www.meetup.com/atxmastermind/.

This group is run by my friend and strategic partner, Ben Littlefield. I cannot say enough great things about Ben. If you're in the corporate world ~ working for the man ~ and considering taking the leap into the world of entrepreneurship, you must talk to Ben! He will give you the information and inspiration you need to take the leap and move powerfully toward achieving your dreams of being your own boss.

If you'd like to meet Ben, please join us for our next Mastermind on Friday, May 29th at La Madeline South. He'll be speaking on a hot topic near and dear to entrepreneurs's hearts right now ~ new media. Hope to see you there!

The Power of a Brand

I recently returned from a trip to Spain. I spent 5 days in Madrid and 2 days in Toledo. Although it was a trip of a lifetime and I feel so blessed to have had the chance to see our world from another perspective, I was so happy to get home to American soil!

Unless you're in a tourist district, you'll have a hard time finding someone who speaks English fluently in Spain. Although I know some Spanish, it was very hard for me to understand what people were saying around me. I learned very quickly how frustrating and isolating it feels to be unable to communicate with those around you.

The biggest thing that hit me square between the eyeballs while I was in Spain was my lack of a relationship with the brands there. Other than seeing the infamous "golden arches" here and there, I had no association to their brands. It really made me realize again how important a brand is.

Our brand is our promise to our customer about what they can expect from us. It is our promise of consistent quality, consistent product performance and consistent service that helps a customer trust that they will always get a consistent experience with our brand.

While in Spain, it was hard for me to have any preferences for retail stores, entertainment venues or restaurants because the logos/brand names had no meaning for me. I ask you to consider, what does your brand mean to your customer? What can they count on your brand to deliver consistently over time... time and time again? If you don't know, then figure it out. Then deliver it... consistently. Then promote your promise to deliver it, consistently. And then keep delivering and promoting it, consistently.

I think sometimes we forget that our brand is like a person! It has a personality and embodies who we are—along with a reputation that proceeds us.

Everything our brand says and does affects our brand. Everything others say about our brand affects our brand. If you're not proactively controlling your brand—and the meaning it has for your customers—then you are leaving your brand at risk.

Brands help people gain preference for your product or service before they've even had a personal experience with it. Do not take the responsibility of managing your brand lightly.

Last Friday, I taught a workshop entitled "The Building Blocks for Marketing Success" to 16 local Austin-area entrepreneurs. The Building Blocks help C-level executives understand how to prioritize their marketing efforts and write an effective, real-world marketing plan for their business. The workshop was based on the premise that they already had an effective and powerful brand for their business, then we build the marketing plan on top of that brand. What I found in the feedback was that several people in the room would also be interested in attending a workshop just on branding.

My friend and strategic partner, Ben Littlefield, and I are currently putting together a high-level branding and strategic marketing workshop for entrepreneurs and small businesses. If this is something that you'd be interested in attending, please let me know! Since we're still in development, this is you chance to weigh in on the process to ensure it's customized to meet your needs.

In the meantime, I'll be blogging about "The Building Blocks for Marketing Success" so check back regularly! I got fabulous feedback from my workshop participants about the high value of this event so if you're interested in attending, please let me know and I'll be sure you get an invitation to the next workshop!

How do I find time to blog?

I was telling one of my girlfriends last night that she should be blogging about her industry/profession/business/passion online! She said, "How am I supposed to find time to do THAT?"

Since she's an entrepreneur, like me, and works from home, I gave her this analogy...

"Remember when you used to go into the office everyday and you'd take a few minutes to settle in, say hi to your coworkers, then talk about last night and your plans for the day? Well, we don't get to do that—or have to do that—so why not take those few minutes to catch up with your friends/clients online? After all, today more than ever, people want to do business with friends. Use your blog to make friends with your customers by adding value to their lives. Find out what they want and give it to them better than anyone else."

She seemed to buy that!? We'll see if she starts blogging... have a great Tuesday!

The Many Gifts of Dance

This will help you understand why I love dancing so much. I wrote this article entitled "The Many Gifts of Dance" for the December issue of the Go Dance newsletter:

Prior to February of this year, I had never stepped foot into a dance studio; I had never seen "Dancing with the Stars" on TV; and I had certainly never imagined calling myself a "dancer". But last year, after my life took a wild left turn on me, a thoughtful and generous friend gave me a gift certificate for dance lessons. Not a week later, I found myself standing on the ballroom floor at Go Dance for my first salsa lesson with David Abril.

Here I am, almost a year later, preparing to dance a salsa "spotlight" routine with David in the upcoming Winter Showcase. How I got from there to here, I'm not really sure... I'm not one that likes to be in the spotlight, yet that's exactly what I'm doing on December 14th.

What I do know is that learning to dance has transformed my life from the inside out. I have more self-confidence from overcoming the physical and mental challenges I've faced during this process. I have more self-discipline—they say the hardest part is just showing up, right? Well, Iíve certainly found that to be true. I feel more feminine and self-expressed from learning the ìartî of following and incorporating fancy styling into my dancing. I'm more courageous overall, especially on the dance floor and in social settings. I laugh more... yes, with others, but most importantly, at myself. I get out of the house more—there's always someplace to go out dancing in Austin! My body is stronger, especially my core, which has helped me with my back pain. And, I have made lots of new friends—both on the staff and in the classroom. I truly feel blessed to be a part of this amazing community. And to think... all of this would not have been possible without the thoughtfulness and generosity of my friend.

For me, performing in Showcase will be a highlight of my life and one of my proudest accomplishments. I really encourage you to give the gift of dance this holiday season. You may find out a year later that it was one of the greatest gifts of their life.

Today, I don't just call myself a dancer—I am a dancer, and I know that dance will always be a part of my life. (Thank you, Jim Roberson. I'm forever grateful.)

Benefits of learning to dance:

• Self-Confidence
• Poise and Posture
• Self-Discipline
• Friendship & Fun
• Social Skills
• Community
• Health & Fitness
• Lifelong Memories

_________________

Today: I cannot say enough about Mylie Arnold (the owner of Go Dance) and the wonderful group of people that make up the staff at Go Dance! I don't get over there as much as I used to, but I am a changed person because of the experiences I've had there.

If you're interested in putting more fun, sizzle and sass in your life, there's truly nothing better than DANCING!

Dancing on a Budget

Dancing is one of my passions... but since the economic recession hit last fall, I haven't been able to afford to dance as much as I used to. My client, Go Dance in Austin, TX, has watched this happen to many of their students as well. So I wrote this article for them for the front cover of their April 2009 "Rhythm & News" newsletter. I hope it inspires you to keep dancing:

If your wallet has been hit hard by our country's economic downturn the past few months, you're not alone. Most of us have been cutting out discretionary expenditures like lattes, pedicures, dining out, and travel to make ends meet. If you've found yourself cutting back on things you love, we wanted to offer some money-saving tips to help you keep dancing because now, more than ever, we need the joy of dancing in our lives!

Tip #1: Get on Auto-Renew (Save up to 20%)

Auto-renew is our no-hassle enrollment option that ensures you get the absolute lowest price on everything the studio offers! How it works: weíll attach your lesson plan to the credit card of your choice and automatically bill your credit card on the 1st of each month. (To receive maximum savings, a three-month minimum commitment is required.) Ask the front desk to see our "Shall We Dance?" brochure. It features all of our dance packages and clearly illustrates how much money you can save by being on auto-renew!

Tip #2: Take a Buddy Private (Save 50%)

Whether you're a beginning or experienced dancer, private lessons are the foundation of your dance education. If you love taking private lessons but are struggling to afford them right now, consider finding a "buddy" and turning them into "buddy privates!" All you need is a buddy that can partner with you on the dance floor, i.e. if you're a leader, your buddy should be a follower and if you're a follower, your buddy should be a leader. When you take a buddy private, you instantly save 50% off the cost of your private lesson because you split the cost of that hour with your buddy! It's that easy!

If you need a buddy, we can help you. Simply notify your instructor or one of our Student Advisors. They can help match you with a buddy that shares your interests, goals and skill set.

Bonus tip: For extra savings, consider purchasing a "package" of buddy privates. This is the best way to get your per-lesson price down. Combine this strategy with auto-renew and you're guaranteed our lowest prices!

Tip #3: Enroll in Unlimited Group Classes

Group classes are a core component of your dance education. They will prepare you for social dancing "in the wild" by developing your lead/follow skills and building your repertoire of patterns. What many people don't know is that group classes are also very cost-effective! They're a fraction of the cost of a private lesson and when you take advantage of our "unlimited group class package" combined with auto-renew, you can get your per-class price down as low as $5 per class.

Tip #4: Attend a Social Dance (Only $5-$10 for the night)

Social dancing is an integral part of your dance education—after all, practice makes perfect! We provide social dance parties at our studio on a regular basis so you can practice what you're learning in a comfortable social atmosphere with fellow students. The best news? Our party tickets are only $5! Think about that... you could spend $5 on a latte at Starbucks or $5 to dance the entire night away with your friends while burning calories, having fun and making memories that will last a lifetime!

Tip #5: Give 24-hours notice when canceling

This one is simple, but forgetting happens to the best of us so I'm going to reiterate this: if you need to cancel a lesson, be sure to call our front desk and give 24-hours notice. This will ensure your account is not charged for a missed lesson.

In these tough economic times, itís more important than ever that we stay strong, positive, hopeful and active. Since dancing is truly an affordable way to move your body, connect with those you love, burn some calories, have fun and make memories, we're committed to KEEP AUSTIN DANCING. We hope these tips will help you keep the joy of dancing in your life!

Marketing Plan "Planning Workshop" April 24

Announcing a new Meetup for ATX Entrepreneurs Mastermind!

What: Marketing Plan "Planning Workshop" presented by Laura Capes

When: April 24, 2009 10:30 AM

Price: $20.00 per person

Where: La Madeline @ the Arboretum in Austin, TX

Meetup Description:
Feelings the pressures of the economic recession on your business? Interested in kicking your brand in the pants and taking your entire business to the next level? The first step is having a comprehensive and integrated marketing plan for your business. On April 24th, Marketing Maven, Laura Capes, will present the sales and marketing methodologies she used to help her client grow from $4M to $56M in 6 years.

Whether you already have a marketing plan or not, this 3-hour intensive hands-on workshop will make sure you walk away with a tangible and powerful plan for marketing your business TODAY.

This workshop is intended for more advanced entrepreneurs who already have a consistent sales effort and are serious about marketing their business in this down economy. "Serious" means you've already dedicated resources (yes... time, people and money) to creating and executing your marketing plan.

The value of this workshop is $1,500 per person. We're doing it FREE for ATX Mastermind Members this one time in preparation for a professional video shoot of this Workshop. All we ask in return is that you play full out and fill out a survey that will give us feedback about the quality, content and anatomy of the workshop. This feedback will be used to improve the quality of the final video production.

So if you plan to attend, please RSVP well in advance as seating capacity is limited to 20 people. We also ask that before you RSVP, you commit to staying the entire 3-hours to ensure an extraordinary experience for everyone in the workshop.

Please bring $20 in cash to cover the cost of materials that will be provided the morning of the workshop. We also encourage you plan to purchase lunch at La Madeline during the break to thank them for allowing us to use their meeting space.

We look forward to helping 20 serious entrepreneurs beat this recession! Feel free to email us with any questions and we look forward to seeing you on April 24th!

Learn more here:
http://www.meetup.com/atxmastermind/calendar/10052251/

Social Media ~ Where Do I Start?

I was a panelist at yesterday's AIBA (Austin Independent Business Alliance) luncheon on Guerrilla Marketing. We met upstairs on the second floor of Lambert's BBQ in downtown Austin. Although I believe Guerrilla Marketing encompasses much more than just Social Media, the questions for the panel focused on Social Media in a quest to help AIBA members know what to do, how to do it, and where to start as they navigate this new world.

The panelists were:

Marny Lifshen, Independent Marketing Consultant and Author/Speaker. Marny is also the co-author of the book laying on my nightstand right now called "Some Assembly Required: A Networking Guide for Women."

Ben Littlefield, Serial Entrepreneur and Senior Partner at ThreeSixtySolutions.com – an expert at helping business maximize their website presence and conversion rates.

CJ Romberger of Wilwood Interactive – a full service web development agency.

Matthew Parente, President of Aperio Marketing – specializing in utilizing email marketing solutions to help companies build stronger relationships with their customers.

Don Brown, Principal of MyTurf – serving targeted and locals ads through wireless networks.

Laura Capes, Owner of Motive Marketing Group – a full service marketing and design agency offering affordable marketing solutions for small businesses.

Here's a very short recap of the discussion:

Note: The questions are verbatim but of course I'm paraphrasing the answers. This entire discussion lasted about an hour.

Q) "It's easy to get overwhelmed with the possibilities and options of online marketing from Facebook to Yelp. How do you decide where to start?"

A) The group agreed that the most important thing is to first make sure that your online strategy fits inside over an overarching marketing plan for your business. We also reiterated the importance of managing your online brand (personally and professionally) because once you put it out there, you can't get it back! We also recommended picking one or two things and doing them well. Don't start something you can't keep up with, and make sure what you pick works for you, your business and your lifestyle.

Q) "If a small business only has time and money to do one thing online, what do you recommend?"

A) The group's unanimous answer was—it depends. It depends on your goals, your resources and the needs of your customers. We all believe it's important to rely on the recommendations of experts who understand this world and can help you navigate it... for without a plan for success, you could end up just wasting a lot of your time. That being said, the group stressed the importance of having a high-quality (SEO optimized) website for your business. We also recommended creating a profile on a major Social Media Network like Facebook or LinkedIn and setting up a Blog (Blogger.com or WordPress.com) so that you can start connecting with your customers and positioning yourself as an expert in your field. Remember, it's not about promoting yourself—it's about building relationships and adding value to your customer's lives.

Q) What's the most important thing a small business can do online?

A) We agreed that the most important thing a business can do is to create a quality web site and optimize it to maximize conversions.

Q) Do small businesses really need a Facebook, MySpace and Twitter account?

A) Again, our answer was—it depends. We all agreed that you don't need a MySpace account unless your target audience is very young or you work in the music business. We also all agreed that you do need a Facebook profile (and a fan page) so that you can start connecting and building relationships online. (Again, be cautious about what you post because this is part of your personal brand!)

We also talked about the pros and cons of Twitter—used the right way, it can be a valuable tool for your business. Used the wrong way, it can be a huge waste of time or even hurt your brand. Regarding Twitter, our first recommendation was to care about who you follow—you want to follow people that you genuinely want to know! Then when you see them at a networking event, you'll feel like you're old friends. Our second recommendation was to treat Twitter like a cocktail party... don't show up, barge in and start talking about yourself. Instead, join the conversation, listen to the comments, and add value to the conversation when it's appropriate.

Social Media is obviously a hot topic for business these days... in fact, we had twice as many people attend the AIBA event than actually registered! I'm sure we'll be doing something like this again. In the meantime, if you have specific questions for me or anyone on the panel, please let me know. I'd be happy to get them answered for you!

10 Tips for Better Micro-Blogging

Here are 10 great tips from Shout'Em on microblogging... if you don't have an account on Twitter yet, you should!

1. Ask questions to your readers. What do they think about the topics you are covering, covered or plan to cover? Thoughts? Opinions?Since microblogging networks put a limit on how many characters you can write people have to get to the point. Keeping it simple means all the feedback you get is meaningful.


2. Answer questions. Ok, so answering all your e-mail is going to lead to e-mail bancruptcy pretty quickly. By having a Twitter account or maybe even your own dedicated network you can crowdsource your community questions. You may not know the answer, but I’m one of your followers does. Or one of his followers. Microblogging lets information circulate quickly, giving people the i nformation they need - when they need it.


3. Share the passion and linkup. What makes a real community are shared interests and passions. Your readers may love reading your articles, but why stop there. Link up other articles on the topic you cover. Give your readers a chance to explore videos, PDFs. By doing so, you strenghten your relationship with them. There on the inside, and you’re one of the guys sharing the good stuff.


4. Follow the trends and create hashtags. Trend such as #FollowFriday have become rituals in their own right. By participating in them you can gain exposure since a lot of users monitor certain hashtags. Also, you can create your own meme. Love movies? Start #ThrillerThursday and encourage people to recommend interesting thrillers.


5. Monitor the Twittersphere. With the help of Twitter search, you can monitor Twitter for terms relating to your topic. Say you write about stocks. Monitoring the term “stocks” lets you engage people who are interested in your topic. They have a question? Well - go on - help them!
   
   
   

   Your Community + Microblogging

   
   


6. Be accessible yet private. With a blog, you become a public figure. Yes, your blog gives you a celebrity-like status to your readers. You the blogger. With time, people want to know more about you, but forums and e-mail make it hard. Microblogging on the other hand gives your community a backchannel into your life. So we discovered that Jason Calacanis loves his dogs and Kevin Rose drinks a lot of tea. The same applies to your own followers. They do want to know those little interesting quirks that sum you up as a person. Through Twitter you can share the little moments you want to share, while still keeping your privacy.


7. Host contests and offer goodies. Namecheap runs “Fun Facts” Twitter contests. Every hour on the hour Namecheap asks a question and if you answer it correctly you get a $10 credit to your Namecheap account. Two of the players who answer the most questions in the period of two weeks get a Dell Inspiron Netbooks. Basically, they are teaching their community to pay attention. Their tweets don’t go unnoticed. Hosting a contest in terms of getting a response from the community is not hard since there’s basically no entry barrier.


8. Feature your fans and retweet. Retweeting is also part of the Twitter culture. Basically, if you find something interesting on Twitter, you quote or “retweet” the message, crediting the user who posted it. With your own community you can do the same thing. When a prominent blogger features one’ tweet its like saying “This guy /gal is cool, and this tweet is even cooler”. Social proof you need to use.


9. Offer them the world. By letting people engage you through Twitter or your own microblogging network you’re introducing them to a whole new level of social networking. By teaching things like how to retweet, use various tools and so on you’re impowering the community. People like to learn stuff and they respect people who show them things. I know I still respect the guy who taught me what RSS feeds were, and yes - I follow him on Twitter.


10. Let them speak. Giving your community a chance to speak is at the essence of each and every of the things we went through in this article. In that spirit, what would you do to build your blog community with Twitter and microblogging?

ShoutEm, Mar 2009

You should read the whole article.

Social Media Strategies to Market Your Business

I've just returned from an awesome trip to the New York area after spending 4 days with Tony Robbins at his "Unleash the Power Within" live seminar! If you know anything about Tony Robbins, you know he's a master peak performance coach and lives to help people achieve what they want for themselves and their lives! I highly recommend seeing him live... there's nothing like it! Check out Tony Robbin's blog.

After the event, I came across this awesome social media article written by Holly Reville... a marketing colleague and fellow Tony Robbins Grad. Check it out. She has great stuff to share:


1.) What is Social Media?

2.) Branding

3.) Keep it Professional

4.) Messaging

5.) Where to Begin

6.) Networking

7.) Promote

What is Social Media? - Social Media is an ever-growing and ever-changing new phenomenon. It’s the new wave of meeting, networking and connecting with people, most importantly a new method of meeting new potential clients and marketing your business for free. If you stop for a moment to think about the magnitude of this it’s mind boggling. At any given moment there is a worldwide network of people at your reach. Isn’t that an amazing concept? No longer are we restricted to networking within our immediate geographical location. Best of all, people are friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. Those who are not, are weeded out and blocked fairly quickly. The big question that lies in everyone’s head is, “How?” This blog will give you some key insights on what you need to get started and successfully market yourself, product or company through the use of social media platforms.

Branding – In branding, your goals are to gain brand awareness, associate certain qualities and characteristics that make you/your company unique and over time gain brand loyalty. If you plan on marketing your business through social media it is important to keep brand integrity intact. Your brand is an extension of you and your company. How does this translate to social media?

A.) Avatar/picture – Make sure you use a good picture. A professionally taken picture is highly recommended, but if you choose to take your own just make sure you are dressed in a professional manner and have someone take it for you or use your timer. You do not want the “picture taken in the mirror shot showing the camera”. Use this picture on all of the social networking websites. This will give you brand consistency and increase recognition across platforms. It is important to use your picture. Social networking is about creating relationships, people want to know there is a real person behind the company façade and get to know that person.

B.) Name – You wouldn’t put a different business name on all of your sales material so make sure you don’t have different user names on your social networking websites. When social networking for your business it is common to have your full name or full business name as a user name, whatever you choose, just keep it consistent.

C.) Description – Be sure to describe your company, who you are and what you do on all of the social media profile pages. This is the first and possibly last place an interested person or potential client will go to find out more about you. Have a thorough, concise description and double check spelling and grammar. The description can vary from site to site and be custom tailored to the audience, just make sure all of the essentials are there to easily tell people about you/your company.

D.) Custom colors and background – Most of the social networking websites have an option to customize your page. When doing so try to make sure the colors and images used are consistent across all websites. This will also associate these colors and images to your brand and help you to achieve brand recognition.

Keep it Professional –When communicating on social networking websites you want to portray your unique self and interests, this helps to build relationships on a personal level. However, just remember that as you create your social media profiles you are also creating and endless, virtual, searchable stream of information on the World Wide Web. So keep those comments, tweets and pokes to a professional level and make sure you don’t post anything you wouldn’t want printed in the paper or seen on the news.

Messaging – In developing your Social Media presence you want to position yourself as an expert in your field. You want the message and information you post to be relevant to what you do. In typical advertising we tell the viewer we are an expert at what we do, through social media you get the opportunity to show them. People are online to search for information - share your knowledge with them and give them helpful advice.

Some of you may be hesitant, thinking, “Wouldn’t I would be giving away all of my secrets?” Are they really your secrets? Unless you have a new idea that can be patented, most likely we can find the answer to anything online these days for free? People are often under the misconception that they hold some secret knowledge that they want to charge others for. The fact of the matter is you learned this knowledge from somewhere and it’s more than likely that someone else has learned it to.

The key to successfully marketing through social media is not to directly sell yourself, your product or your service. Gone are the days of high pressure sales pitches and 25 different closes to sell someone. This is a new era, people are turned off by these tactics and it’s a sure fire way to be blocked or lose followers. Instead, you should show people that you truly are an expert in your field by sharing your knowledge, insight and wisdom.

When you do this you gain loyal readers and followers. Guess what? Those loyal readers and followers are very smart and intelligent people. They have a thirst for knowledge. The next thing they will do, after you captivate them through one of your blogs or postings, is research you and find out what you do. You don’t need to tell them or sell them in your postings. That’s what your profile and website are for.

Over time you will indirectly sell them through your knowledge and expertise. It is important to stay fresh in their minds with regular postings and relevant advice. By doing this you better believe you will be the first person they contact the next time they are in the market for your particular product or service. Since they are already gathering information, they are most likely getting ready to make a purchase decision.

Where to Begin – Hopefully you have already begun, if you haven’t don’t worry today is the best day to start. Below are some great ways to get started today!

A.) LinkedIn is an excellent tool for keeping up with business contacts, listing your experience and awards, searching and posting jobs, creating groups and networking through existing groups.

B.) Twitter is a great way to stay in contact with people by using short message posts called tweets. Use this site for tweeting and retweeting relevant articles and advice that your follows will enjoy.

C.) Facebook is the best way to get in contact with your old high school friends and keep tabs on your new ones. This site tends to be more for personal use than business but your friends are sometimes your best leads. You can get some business exposure on here by creating a fan page, event page, promoting your cause or forming a group.

D.) Blogs are very beneficial for updating your clients or followers on a regular basis. They are easy to use and even easier to keep up-to-date with current and regular information. You can easily setup a blog page through BlogSpot or for the more advanced user you can create a custom blog page through Wordpress.

E.) YouTube is an invaluable tool for sharing videos on the web. Sign up for your own YouTube Channel and start promoting you/your business today. Just remember, the quality of your marketing pieces are a direct reflection “in the viewer’s mind” of the quality of your work. Professionally created videos are strongly recommended.

F.) Flikr is helpful resource for sharing photos, portfolios and artwork.

Networking - Social media is all about creating relationships and easily networking without geographical limitations. Just as you would go to a local networking event to meet clients, you can now do so online with anyone in the world. Use social media as a powerful tool to build strong relationships, get to know people, share contacts and advice. Most importantly, start today!

Promote – Lastly, promote your social networking contact info. Add it to all the places you now list your “typical contact info”. (e.g. email signature, business card, etc…) It is important for people to find you online, you want to gain fans, friends and followers, so don’t forget to add your Skype, twitter and blog info to all of your “typical contact info”.

You should now have a good understanding of how to successfully market yourself/business through social media. If you found this post informational and would like to receive more, don’t forget to sign up for them via email in the top right corner. Feel free to post your comments, feedback and suggestions below. Join Holly's blog.

Help the Austin Human Society Win a Shelter Makeover

I am a huge pet lover and strongly support the admirable efforts of the Austin Humane Society! They are close to winning a shelter makeover from zootoo.com! Please come to the party tonight to show your support! Here is the invitation:


WE'RE HAVING A PARTY & YOU'RE INVITED!

COME CELEBRATE WITH THE AUSTIN HUMANE SOCIETY AND HELP US WIN A ONE MILLION DOLLAR SHELTER MAKEOVER FROM zootoo.com


WHO: The Austin Humane Society http://www.austinspca.com/

WHEN: Thursday, March 19th - 4:30 to 6:30pm

WHAT: A big party to celebrate our chance for a million dollar shelter makeover

We'll have activities such as "Puppy March Madness" (that's right, puppies playing b-ball), 'Cat-itivity,' rooms, Dog Agility Demonstrations, live MEW-sic from The Diving Captain band, there will be FOOD & more!

WHERE: Austin Humane Society
124 West Anderson Lane
Austin, Texas 78752



WHY: Because Austin's homeless pets deserve the very best
________________________________________

While we always love to throw a party - here's a little background on why this one is so important...

Out of 2600 shelters nationwide, the Austin Humane Society has been Chosen as a Top 20 Semifinalist to Win a One Million Dollar Shelter Makeover from Zootoo.com!!

The Zootoo contest has three phases. AHS has just completed Phase I which is a points accumulation race (AHS placed 9th overall). Phase II is a shelter visit and tour with Zootoo officials who then narrow the eligible winners to 10 finalists, and during Phase III, America votes to determine the winner.
We only have 2 hours to show Zootoo how much we need to improve our facility to better serve the animals,& WE NEED YOU TO BE THERE TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR ANIMALS!

AHS is scheduled for our Phase II tour and visit with Zootoo officials this Thursday, March 19th at from 4:30pm - 6:30pm. Our shelter will be judged based on need, community support and commitment, best practices and adoption efforts. We are inviting the entire Austin community to come out and celebrate with us on Thursday from 4:30 to 6:30pm! It will be a full blown party with food and loads of activities like "March Mutt Madness" - that's right, puppies playing b-ball, "Cat-itivy" Rooms, Agility Courses and Demonstrations, Live MEW-sic from the Diving Captain band!

"This opportunity is not about the Austin Humane Society," says Frances Jonon, AHS Executive Director, "it is about the Austin Humane Community. The chance to win this makeover is a chance for every animal in Austin - not just the animals in our care. The ability to expand on the successful collaborative programs that we already have in place (with Town Lake Animal Center, Emancipet and Animal Trustees of Austin) would mean more lives saved. Our vision, if we were to win the shelter makeover, would be to make an impact in Austin that would save more animals lives."

Although the 38 year old shelter has many needs, a makeover could focus on increasing shelter capacity to serve more animals while improving the quality of life of the animals served. Canine and feline areas could be replaced with new, expanded dog kennels and cat 'condos,' adding natural light, and greater separation between kennels (to reduce kennel stress), replacing our 14 year old non-working transport van with a larger vehicle that could also be used for rescue operations, adding large outdoor signage so the shelter can be seen from the highway, adding separate HVAC zoning for better disease control in the shelter, creating separate isolation areas for sick dogs and cats, purchasing spay and neuter clinic surgery and examination equipment (our current equipment is leased), and adding new computer systems and updated technology so that we may more efficiently and professionally promote our agency and the work we do.


We are looking forward to seeing all of you there!

What is Web 2.0 anyway?

I keep hearing this term "Web 2.0" but not many people can tell me what it is! Is it technology? Is it marketing? Or is it something else? I've even seen job postings for companies trying to hire a dedicated "Web 2.0 Marketing Strategist" for their marketing team. So what is a "Web 2.0 Marketing Strategist" anyway? And is that really a full-time job...?

Prior to my attendance at Rise Austin 2009 last week, I really wasn't sure how to answer these questions. The definition of "Web 2.0" seemed elusive and mysterious... and I certainly didn't know a single person working as a "Web 2.0 Marketing Strategist." Those days are over! I am committed to mastering this new world and bringing Web. 2.0 Strategic Marketing Services to my clients. Immersing myself in the technologies and sharing my new experiences with others is my first step.

Rise Austin 2009 featured a couple great sessions on Web 2.0 technologies... two of which I've included here in my blog. The first was about Twitter, presented by Ricardo Guerrero. The second was on Social Media, presented by Jennifer Navarrete. I also attended an info-packed Web 2.0 class at The University of Texas (www.informalclasses.org) last Saturday, led by Sebastian Brocher.

Let me start by sharing the definition of Web 2.0 that Sebastian gave our class:

"Web 2.0 is a group of economically, socially and technologically driven changes in attitudes, tools and applications that are allowing the Web to become the next platform for communication, collaboration, community and cumulative learning." ~ Tony Angrignon

I think there are two important words in this definition that can help us get our brains around this concept of Web 2.0. The first is "group".... Web 2.0 is a group of changes. That's why Web 2.0 is so hard to define! The term is an umbrella for so many things! The second important word is "platform"... Web 2.0 is a platform for sharing and learning. This, too, adds to the complexity of the definition because this platform is emerging and ever-changing.

Many people think Web 2.0 is Facebook or MySpace... Flickr or YouTube. Well, yes and no. Technically they are only small part of the "platform" that is Web 2.0. For more information from the master on this topic visit: http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/oreilly/tim/news/2005/09/30/what-is-web-20.html

Here's my best shot at sharing everything I understand now to be under the "umbrella" of Web 2.0. Please jump in to help me refine and add to this list!

• Blogs (blog engines: www.blogger.com, www.wordpress.com)
• Mini-Blogs (www.twitter.com)
• VideoBlogs
  
• Wikis (www.wikipedia.com)
  
• RSS
• Social Networks (www.facebook.com, www.myspace.com, www.linkedin.com, etc.)
• Social Media (www.youtube.com, www.slideshare.com, www.flickr.com)
  
• Podcasts
• VoIP (www.skype.com)
• Online Communities (www.ebay.com)
• Ratings (www.yelp.com)
• Recommendations
• Folksonomy
  
• Content Management Systems a.k.a. CMS
• Search Engine Optimization a.k.a SEO
  
• Widgets
• Online Advertising
• Viral Marketing
  

If the world of Web 2.0 is new to you, you're not alone. Do not fear! And do not be afraid to admit you need help. Successfully navigating this new world will take some new skills... but they're not hard to learn and I'm here to help.

If you'd like to get your feet wet in this new world, I'd recommend joining a social network like Facebook (www.facebook.com) and setting up your own blog (www.blogger.com or www.wordpress.com). They're both absolutely FREE and will help you start to experience the world of Web 2.0 for yourself. You might even find some old friends!

So stay tuned! I'll continue to go deeper and deeper into this topic of Web 2.0 over the next few weeks.

Til next time...

Laura

Cultivating Community with Social Media at the Local Level

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Cultivating Community with Social Media at the Local Level

View more presentations from Jennifer Navarrete. (tags: social media)

Stwittergy: Twitter for Business

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Stwittergy: Twitter for Business

View more presentations from Stwittergy. (tags: stwitt3rgy @stwitt3rgy)

Blogging is fun, right!?

Good morning ~ I've found myself confronted by this whole blogging thing. I certainly don't need another thing "to do" every day, but my friends and colleagues are telling me that blogging is a very important part of growing my small marketing consulting company.

I am very committed to helping small business (like me) grow without draining important resources like time and money, and I'm convinced that blogging is one of the many ways I can do that. So here I am! I just have to remember that blogs don't have to be perfect; they don't have to be long; they just have to add value to the world and be FUN to do!

I'm going to start a series of blogs on the Rise Austin 2009 event that I attended last week. I went to a session in every single time slot they offered so I was overwhelmed by the amount of valuable information I received! Many of my friends and colleagues were not able to attend so I've been offering to go to lunch with everybody to share all I learned. But really, there's no way for me to share 3 days of seminars in a 2-hour lunch... and then do it over and over again with all the people I want to help! So again ~ a plug for blogging. This blog will allow me to share what I've learned, one time, and help lots and lots of people... forever! I like that! Plus, I can give credit where credit is due ~ to the engaging and talented speakers that spoke at the event... as volunteers, by the way!!

So if you missed Rise Austin last week, watch my blog over the next few weeks. I will do everything I can to share the important information I learned to help you and other Austin entrepreneurs grow their small businesses. (Plus, this is a great way for me to review everything I've learned and actually put it into practice.) Til next time...

Laura

Is Your Business a Creamy Sensation?

Nougat is probably the most useless thing around. But we all want it. And corporate America has sure found a way to market this innocuous but oh-so-sweet product to us. If a billion dollar industry can be built around this stuff, why can't you make money doing what you do best?

Think about this for a second: just about everything we complain about–that we think is unhealthy or wasteful or unfair–is something directly from our pop culture:

• That fast food is killing America!
• Those athletes are overpaid!
• Why does anyone need $200 jeans?!
• 8 mpg SUVs are bad.
• My cell phone has to do everything–except stay connected apparently.

If you consider these examples, you will find there are two reasons they seem to be consistently prevalent as complaints.  One, they are pop culture. Two, they are marketed very well. 

America is very good at is pop culture. We export it. I would argue that it rivals agriculture as one of our biggest exports to the world. Agriculture keeps you alive. Pop culture entertains or titillates. We really don't have to market grain to the world. But we sure do market our pop culture. We're very good at it—we're good at living in it, making it, sharing it and changing it. It's always in the moment and the most appealing thing about it is that it's instant gratification. And because it's so flexible, it can change instantly for the latest craze in instant gratification!

Whew. Let me catch my breath. I'm glad I have an Ionic Breeze nearby. My air has never been better.

The reason this instant gratification is so prevalent is because we've mastered marketing as well. When you live in this kind of culture—where you are good at marketing something—you can also expect to be an excellent receptor of marketing. It stands to reason that it's a self-fulfilling cycle.

So that's why nougat is so huge!  The genius executives that discovered this material figured out how to sell lots of it. (How many different ways can you buy nougat?)  They figured out how to make it sound appealing... then they packaged it and repackaged it.  Finally, they branded these different offerings and then hammered us with enticing ads—making us want it.

I'm just wondering if we can't do that with our product/service?  Case in point... if nougat is a worldwide success and it has no real value, then what would happen if we marketed a product or service of real value? It should be a huge, instant and qualified success. Right?

That's the trick, isn't it? It doesn't matter how valuable you think your product/service is. It matters how valuable they (your customers) think it is! Even better? If they think they need it!

So take another look at your product/service and see where you are. Try to find the value that you bring and make sure that it's clear.  And be sure to tell the story over and over again to a qualified audience. But make sure the story is compelling and tasty.

Follow the model for success that nougat has wrought. I know nougat tastes sweet, but we also know that the tongue has taste buds for that sensation and our brain loves it. So some people throughout history have worked very hard to exploit that hard-wired circuitry in us.

Figure out how your market is hard-wired and become a creamy nougat sensation to their circuitry. They'll come back for more. But only if you make sure they know they need it and can't live without it. Just like cola. It's very easy to sell sweet.