In my book, Marketing in 4 Hours a Week, I discuss refining your marketing message in terms of The Three Cs. Your message must be: Clear Cohesive Consistent The person reading your marketing material has to understand what you’re offering. Yes, Calvin Klein has the marketing budget to run endless ads filled with beautiful, half-naked,…
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In a word, Hell No! That’s two. I’m a writer. Words are what I do. And words are what you can do, too. There are many things you can be too old to do: Olympic gymnast, child prodigy (still kicking myself over that one), bear George Clooney’s children. But writing? No age, height, or weight…
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Small business owners and entrepreneurs know that marketing is one of their most important jobs, but many of the marketing strategies that are available for large corporations just aren’t feasible for the little guy, whether it is taking out a Super Bowl ad or having a Madison Avenue advertising agency create a campaign. Most marketing…
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The question of how to become a self published writer is one I field on an almost daily basis. More and more authors are realizing that traditional publishing is going the way of the dinosaur and self publishing is shedding its “also-ran” status. There are several reasons for this. Without going into every last one,…
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Oh boy! Today the sun is shining and I jump out of bed, knowing that I need to take advantage of the morning sun. It’s a great day to wash the sheets! (Yes, the expat life is downright exhilarating.) My AirBnB has a fantastic, state-of-the-art washing machine, but like most of the places I saw…
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Most of the marketing problems facing a small business stem from lack of resources, whether it is time, personnel, knowledge, or money. These are the small business marketing pain points. The solutions to these problems are interrelated and interdependent. Think of it as walking across one of those rope net challenges where every time you…
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Define “recognized authority”—it’s almost a dare, isn’t it? It has the same tone as “Who do you think you are?” There’s an adage that says you’re never a hero in your home town. Or, as Rodney Dangerfield would say, “I get no respect, I tell ya. No respect.” Different fields have different standards and no…
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I am often asked what the best marketing strategy is. The person could be asking for the best marketing strategy for their book or their business or a specific product/service—it doesn’t matter. The answer is always the same. It depends. And it sometimes changes. The best marketing strategy is the one that puts whatever you’re…
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Making a marketing plan for a small business does not have to be complicated or difficult. It is a series of steps that helps you define exactly what it is you’re selling, who you’re selling to, and the best way to reach those people. Too many business owners confuse marketing and advertising. Marketing is all…
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Offline marketing strategies for small businesses have lost popularity due to the vast amount of low-cost online choices. That provides an opportunity for smart small business owners to reach potential clients that other businesses miss. Everyone is so busy blasting out their messages on social media that they don’t realize their voices aren’t being heard.…
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