Do you use or want to use free public seminars to build your notoriety and get more clients? For many businesses it's one of the most surefire marketing weapons you can use. In this post I'll share with you five tips to make your next foray more successful.

Twelve years ago, marketing was a primary recipient of the mountains of cash thrown at start-ups in an effort to grow fast. But over the past two to three years, I don’t see many new businesses that couldn’t bootstrap their marketing in their formative months or years.

To know that helps your communications communicate.

I’ve been using Constant Contact since 2004, a solution provider since 2008 and involved with the community since its start. I don’t get involved with the technical aspect of email but the small business and critique my email categories always gets my attention.

Most of my discussions are based on effective marketing communications using a variety of channels, such as email, direct mail, web sites and now, social media. I know you get a better response by what you say and how the message is presented.

My last blog was on persuasive writing. Today, let’s look at the creative side of copy writing.

“Staying stuck in the problem is negative, but working on the solution is being in the positive”

More than you think! 

Some touchpoints are obvious:

• A sales meeting with a client
• A letter sent to a prospect
• An email sent to a referral
• A transaction with a cashier

Business owners although most likely already stretched thin, really need to take time away from their business to work ON their business.  It's essential for business owners to focus some of their time on strategic thinking - in thought and planning. 

In school, you probably learned the “correct” way to write. Your teachers drilled you on avoiding various “mistakes,” such as ending your sentences with prepositions.

These are valuable lessons. However, in the real world, people tend to respond to writing that is less formal and more like ordinary conversation. Being persuasive often means breaking a few rules.

Is your current marketing working as well as you would like? It’s time to do a little spring cleaning and expand your use of social media. Here are 9 reasons why:

My absolute favorite of all time is this one: “I don’t believe in XYZ”. Really? As though it’s a new religion or an alternate to Einstein’s theory of relativity something. I’m just waiting to find someone that “doesn’t believe in electricity” because I’ve got a 12-volt car battery I’d like them to stick their tongue on! 

Having a marketing mindset makes good business sense for an entrepreneur but unfortunately it is not a frequent business practice. Small business owners are quite like a juggler that tries to keep his objects from falling to the ground. Two areas that commonly start to lower themselves in the juggling hierarchy are accounting and marketing.

The purpose of today’s blog is to talk about marketing and leave the accounting for another day.