One Page Marketing Plan Anyone Can Use

Marketing tips by Ivana Taylor

According to Ms. Taylor – Planning sucks. Obviously, like me, she spent more then a little while in corporate America.  And in that environment, it is hard to walk away believeing planning has any value at all.

But for the small business owner, planning is an absolute necessity if you want to be successful.  So how do you plan productively?   Spend more time on the process then the form!  In her article, she provides some wonderful one-page forms you can download.

Contine reading.

And if you need help executing your marketing plan – Roundpeg can help!

The Marketing Project – Open Your Customer’s Mind

Have you ever looked at a piece of fine art, and wondered what the artist had in mind?  The artist knew, but once released into the market, the meaning is open to interpretation.

As a business owner, your business is like a piece of art, and the ability for consumers to interpret what you have in mind can often mean the difference between success or mediocrity. Do you think you are what your customers think you are? Read full article.

Then consider conducting the suggested survey to find out for sure!

The Marketing Project – Open Your Customer’s Mind

Have you ever looked at a piece of fine art, and wondered what the artist had in mind?  The artist knew, but once released into the market, the meaning is open to interpretation.

As a business owner, your business is like a piece of art, and the ability for consumers to interpret what you have in mind can often mean the difference between success or mediocrity. Do you think you are what your customers think you are? Read full article.

Then consider conducting the suggested survey to find out for sure!

Is the Apple MobileMe for your Business?

Apple say that MobileMe is Exchange for the rest of us. While Apple’s launch of MobileMe is notable, is it relevant for small business?

Read more to find out if its for you!

Why Web Marketing Favors Small Business

In the article by Mike Moran the author discusses how web marketing favors small businesses.

He argues the web creates an environment that allows small businesses to succeed, even against larger competitors. Read on

Is it time for you to create a website of your own? Talk to Roundpeg, with starter websites as low as $750, we can create a professional front door to your business. We use WordPress to design your site, so it will have high visibility in search engines. And the best part – updates are a snap, with no need for special programs or coding language.

Blogs Personal and Business Applications

Kyle Lacy raises an interesting question in his post today.  Is blogging a personal hobby or a business tool? For me, I think blogs are more then just personal journals these days – They are integral parts of a companies marketing strategy.

Interesting, well written blog posts keep readers coming back to your site.  Content rich posts, with lots of key words, such as “small business marketing“  Web 2.0 keep search engines coming back as well.

As part of your marketing strategy, a bit of shameless self promotion is ok, if it is mixed with real content. If not, it won’t matter, because no one will see it.

In a permission based world, you earn permission to continue to present ideas and information when your audience considers your content valuable. And if they don’t believe you are providing value, they will choose, to go elsewhere.

Build Trust with 9 Small Business Marketing Strategies

Good marketing helps you create and foster relationships with your prospects and your clients. To build the relationship, people need to know, like and trust you.

I found this article about the nine ways that you can build trust and credibility into your small business marketing strategies:

1. Provide examples

Read article for the rest of the strategies.

Lorraine Ball Talks with Alan Houser About Branding

This week Lorraine spoke with Alan Houser of the Creative Component about branding for the web and in general and how that should web design. In the lively 30 minute interview, she also answers questions from readers about brands in general, logos, web analytic and much more.

To hear the interview go to: The Creative Component

Skyrocket your Email List

In this article the author answers a popular question: “How can I most quickly build my e-mail list?”
The answer: find someone who’s already reaching your target market in droves, and use THEM to build your list! How? With these three easy steps:

STEP 1: Determine exactly who your ideal client or customer is.

Read article to read the following 2 steps.

After reading this, if you think email marketing is for you check out Constant Contact! This is our favorite email tool. And if you need more help, contact Roundpeg, and we can help!

Are the Yellow Pages Beneficial for your Small Business?

I  am pretty sure there is a picture of me, with a target drawn on it, in the offices of most Yellow Page salesman.  I have long argued that the Yellow Pages are a complete waste of money, attracting only the most avid price shoppers.

And with the advent of the Internet, the overall importance of this tool is declining.  However, to be fair, I present an alternative opinion.  In an article by Ingrid Cliff, the author discusses, how to determine if the investment is a good one for your business.

Read article by Ingrid Cliff to find out!

USP Begins with Focus

Walt Goshert has written a terrific piece about creating a Unique Selling Proposition.  Without it, there is no way to develop truely effective marketing.  The one point I would add to his comment is the need to begin the process of developing a USP with Focus, Focus, Focus.

For a more detailed look at how important I believe this is, check out my May 24th post on how to double your sales.

The Power of Email for Small Businesses

Email while sometimes overwhelimg is still the easiest and most convenient method for communication within the small business community. Whether you are dealing with your suppliers, peers, or clients, communicating electronically is the way of doing business for a lot of business owners and entrepreneurs.

As a result, your email is an important element of your branding. If you are still using aol, yahoo, or hotmail as your email address, you are telling the world you are not really ready for business. Getting a branded email address is relatively simple, and inexpensive.

Read more on the power of a branded email!

And while you are at it, it is time for a web page. Web pages have changed, they are no longer overpriced, hard to manage, impossible to update, and under utilized. A simple starter website from Roundpeg gives you a professional presence, a format that is easy to update, and easy for search engines to find. Call today: 317-569-1396 to discover how easy it is to be “on the net”

The Small Business Marketing Secret to Getting Referrals

The small business marketing blog by Charlie Cook discusses the secrect to getting referrals. When you do it right, your clients and business associates are doing your marketing for you. Read blog to discover the two secrets to generate referrals.

Then test your skills at an upcoming Rainmaker event!

“Too Small for Social Media?

Sure all the “big guys” are using social media more and more (generally, social media can be blogs, RSS feeds, podcasts, email marketing, social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, Plaxo … all the the “new ways” of marketing using the internet).

But how does a small business use social media in their marketing strategy? Read on to find out!

Want to learn more about how to do this? Check out Lorraine’s upcoming presentation: What is Web 2.0 and why do I care!

“Too Small for Social Media?

Sure all the “big guys” are using social media more and more (generally, social media can be blogs, RSS feeds, podcasts, email marketing, social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, Plaxo … all the the “new ways” of marketing using the internet).

But how does a small business use social media in their marketing strategy? Read on to find out!

Want to learn more about how to do this? Check out Lorraine’s upcoming presentation: What is Web 2.0 and why do I care!