Monday, May 30, 2005

referrals and you

I've learned that referrals are a fantastic way to land new business. I'm a member of BNI, a premier referral-based organization, and it's been wonderful for growing my business.

You don't have to be a member or a structured networking group to reap the benefits of referrals, however. You just have to let people know what it is that you do and when you do work for someone, do a great job. Exceed their expectations. Give 'em a bit more than they think they'll be getting.

For more tips on gaining quality referrals, check out the May 27 post on the Duct Tape Markeing blog.

Monday, May 23, 2005

May issue of WriteTips

Last week the May issue of WriteTips was distributed to subscribers' inboxes. This month's article talks about the 3 steps to writing great copy in the feature article, Whip Your Copy into Shape.

Not a subscriber yet? Join the team!

And next month WriteTips turns 1! That's right, we've been publishing tips for writers and non-writers alike for a year now. We'll be offering FREE stuff to celebrate, so again...if you aren't signed up to receive this ezine yet, you'll be missing out! More information will be revealed as June approaches. Stay tuned!

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

what's in a Google?

You never know where you're name will turn up on the Internet. This morning I decided to Google my name to see if any new links to my website appeared, and I found one really great promotion for my services. Thanks, Marketingtool.com!

Speaking of Google, if you'd like to see what other sites link to yours simply type...

link: www.yourdomain.com

...in the search box. You'll see a listing of websites that provide links to yours. Not all linking sites will appear, but you'll be able to get an idea about who may be helping you market your site.

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

a new day, a new look

If you've been here before, you've probably already noticed that this blog has a new look. I decided to ditch the dots (former background images) and go with a cleaner, more segmented style.

In changing templates, however, links posted on the "old" blog didn't automatically transfer. I'll be adding a new and improved link section soon, so check back in the near future for this information.

I've got a few bits of news to share:

  • New client: Calahan Solutions. Stephanie Calahan, president, is a professional organizer. When we first met, I was almost embarrassed to ask for an explanation of her job. I figured an organizer, well, organizes, sure. But organizes what? And how? Stephanie was great, though. She offered an overview of her approach to working with clients to help them achieve optimal efficiency via eliminating clutter, unnecessary tasks, and much more. She works with and businesses and individuals and does so much more than just color coordinate their closets, like the HGTV shows portray. And in just a few short weeks, Calahan Solutions' website content will give a glimpse of her talents. Stay tuned for more info!

  • Melanie Crabill's press release appeared in both the Panatagraph and this month's B2B magazine. She's enjoying positive responses from locals about her news (CRS certification for realtors)...thanks for printing this, local pubs!

More news as it happens. Thanks for checking in.

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

nametags R us

As a writer, I specialize in communication. Written communication, that is--I can spin a decent yarn for print or put words on your screen that'll make your business shine. I'm not, however, much of a speaker. I'm not a wealth of ideas for marketing schemes, either. Which is why I'm always looking for inspiration from books, newsletters, magazines, websites, blogs, etc.

When I find something worth reading, I figure it's only fair to share the information with others who may benefit, also. So here's todays resource: check out Scott Ginsburg's, a.k.a. "the guy with the nametag" site, appropriately titled Hello My Name is Scott. He's a communication/networking expert: speaker, author, motivator. He's got a lot of good info to share and a great sense of humor, too.

Check out his website: http://www.hellomynameisscott.com/
And his blog: http://www.hellomynameisscott.blogspot.com/

Good stuff here. Truthful. Practical. Entertaining. Enjoy!

Thursday, May 05, 2005

writing tip

Here's a tip for anyone who has to write on-the-job (or for school or pleasure for that matter):

Before submitting any type of important document--article, press release, etc--for publication or review, try putting it down for a while. I recommend leaving it be for a couple of hours at least, and if you can distance yourself for an entire day that's even better. You'll come back with a fresh set of eyes and a fresh perspective. You may catch simple things--duplicated words, spelling or punctuation errors--or more involved items--unclear sentences or poor organization--that weren't apparent after staring at your work for an hour or more.

This tip was inspired by a project I'm working on currently. Just spent a couple of hours on a revision and before submitting it to my client I'd like to step away for a bit and review once more later this afternoon. This way, I'll be able to provide a solid piece of work devoid of possible embarrassing errors and/or clarity issues.